Lake Cities Living Magazine December 2019

DECEMBER 13, 2019 - JANUARY 17, 2020 New Year, New You Issue

This Is Only

THE BEGINNING

CLASSIC

CHRISTMAS

CHEER

LET’S GET THIS PARTY STARTED GOLDEN TRIANGLE FACES OF DENTON

Corinth - Hickory Creek - Shady Shores - Lake Dallas

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PRSRT STD U.S. POSTAGE PAID LEWISVILLE, TX PERMIT NO. 977

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DECEMBER 2019 | LAKE CITIES LIVING | 3

LakeCitiesLiving.com

Publisher & Editor Scott & Kelly Murray

Administration

Managing Editor Jana Melton Sub-Editors Bobbi Byrne Alisha Tran

Writers & Editor Steve Gamel Brooke Ezzo

Advertising

Kelly Murray Kelly@murray-media.com

Production

Art Director Liz Wallace Graphic Designers Caroline Brock Alyson Modene

Photography

Your Candid Memories 469.583.2819 yourcandidmemories.com

Letters

Lake Cities Living invites reader feedback, story suggestions and general comments.

Email artwork@murray-media.com.

All submissions become the sole property of Murray Media Group.

Editorial and Advertising Inquiries call 972.899.3637 or email

artwork@murray-media.com www.murray-media.com

Address: 3513 Yucca Dr., Ste. 200 Flower Mound, TX 75028 Lake Cities Living is published monthly

by Murray Media Group. Some articles and/or content may be sponsored by advertisers. Opinions expressed in articles or advertisements do not necessarily reflect the opinion of the publisher. Lake Cities Living is not responsible for omissions or information that has been misrepresented to the magazine. Advertisers and its agencies assume all liability for advertising content. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted without the permission in writing from the publisher. © 2019 Murray Media Group

Happy

Holidays & CHEERS TO 2020!

T

he holiday season is in full swing and 2020 is fast approaching.

Where did the time go? It seems like just yesterday that we were sending the kiddos back to school in triple-digit temperatures, and I can remember ringing in 2019 with family and friends like it happened last week. They say time flies when you’re having fun and, while I definitely had a lot of fun this year, my favorite thing to look back on are all of the things I learned and all of the challenges I overcame.

the ugly. Regardless of whether or not you

As we start to ponder on New Year’s resolutions and how we’re going to make 2020 better than this year, I urge you all to reflect on 2019 – the good, the bad, and

to be too hard on ourselves and instead

nailed all of your 2019 resolutions, I’d be willing to bet that you still learned and

grew in ways that you never expected this year. I know I did.

That’s what I love about life – you never know what the next day(or in this case, the next year) is going to bring. It’s the

unexpected challenges that help us grow the most. So we’ll make our resolutions,

and we’ll try to keep them longer than a

month, but we should also remember not take life as it comes. Enjoy your family,

cherish your friends, always be kind, laugh often, and make the best of the bad days.

Sincerely, Kelly Murray

Publisher of Murray Media Group kelly@murray-media.com

4 | LAKE CITIES LIVING

| DECEMBER 2019

www.LakeCitiesLiving.com

TABLE OF

CONTENTS

16

On the Cover: The City of Corinth’s Development Plans

FEATURED:

This Is Only The Beginning

ASK THE EXPERTS

10 Inside Community

08 Wellness with Connections Wellness Group

11 Inside Education

19 Real Estate with Make The Move Team 26 Fitness with Outlaw Fitcamp 30 School Days with Valorie McGilora BUSINESS SPOTLIGHT 09 J’s Liquor & Cigars: Lake Dallas’ Go-To Stop For Cigars & Liquor

EDITORS PICK: Classic Christmas Cheer

12 Let’s Get This Party Started 15 Sheriff’s Corner with Sheriff Tracy Murphree 21 Foodie Friday with Jay Marks Real Estate 22 What Are Your Holiday Traditions?

24 Resident Spotlight: Chris & Jennifer Gordon

ARTICLES

27 Community Corner

06 How To Stay On Task For The New Year

28 Meet Golden Triangle Mall’s 2019 Faces of Denton

www.LakeCitiesLiving.com

18

New Year, New You

ISSUE Featuring articles on New Year resolutions, organizational tips and & new healthy lifestyle habits.

DECEMBER 2019 | LAKE CITIES LIVING | 5

New Year, New You

How To Stay

ONForTASK The

NEW YEAR

by Steve Gamel

6 | LAKE CITIES LIVING

| DECEMBER 2019

I

f your to-do list is never-ending these days, you’re not alone. From work assignments and client meetings to shuffling the kiddos to baseball practice, doctor’s appointments, or piano lessons, there’s always something keeping us busy. And just when we knock a few things off the list and feel a sense of accomplishment, five or six more tasks quickly take their place.

Adulting is difficult. That’s why it’s more important now than ever to have a trusty tool to help us manage our personal schedules, time, and activities. Doing so eliminates guesswork, keeps us on task, and tells us where to be and when.

But what’s the best option for you as we approach the New Year?

www.LakeCitiesLiving.com

USE A CALENDAR There was once a less frantic time in all of our lives when we didn’t need a calendar and were okay with flying by the seat of our pants.

We could get by with mental notes and snickered at those who couldn’t. Things are different now, and calendars are the perfect remedy to stay on task of all our professional, personal, and family commitments.

Here are a few types to consider: ELECTRONIC OR ONLINE CALENDAR — Digital calendars are portable and can easily be backed up and accessed on multiple devices. This means you can schedule a meeting or appointment between tasks using your phone without having to worry about carrying around additional items all day. Everyone has their cell phone on them, so it just makes sense. Digital calendars are also better if you want to create recurring events, block out time in your day well in advance, and even share your schedule with an assistant or family member. Plus, you can set notification alerts as reminders.

PAPER CALENDAR — If the digital age isn’t quite your thing and you want something tangible, there are still desk calendars, calendars you place on the refrigerator door, and even pocket calendars that allow you to accomplish many of the same things that digital calendars do. This will require more manual work, and there’s no backup if you lose it. But a few reasons why some people prefer paper or physical calendars is that they can remember tasks better simply by writing them down. A paper calendar is also great for a quick visual reminder rather than unlocking your phone and going to a specific app.

CALENDAR

DAY PLANNER

TO-DO LIST www.LakeCitiesLiving.com

U S E A D AY PLANNER

U S E TO - D O LISTS

Day planners are a step above a traditional paper calendar and mirror many of the benefits and features of a digital calendar.

Perhaps more enticing is that they allow you to create a system that works for you.

There are day planners out there for every organizational style, from at-a-glance daily and weekly appointment books to goalsetting diaries, planner-organizer combo sets, and everything in between. Here are just a few things you can keep track of with a day planner.

Even if you prefer using a digital

•

Setting annual goals

lists for the day while others create longer

•

Monthly overviews

•

Weekly tasks

•

Daily logs

•

Meal and workout plans

•

Shopping lists and household tasks

calendar, paper calendar, day planner, or a combination of all three, there is something about creating a to-do

list on a notepad or using a smartphone app like Evernote. Creating a to-do list right at the beginning of your day or

the night before creates structure for your day. It also gives you a sense of

accomplishment as you’re able to cross off

completed items as the minutes and hours pass by. Some people only make to-do

ones for busy weekends or an entire work week. Additional benefits include: •

Prioritization

•

Relieving stress

•

Less to keep in your head

It’s important to remember that regardless of which option you choose, none of them will be effective if you don’t consistently incorporate them into your daily and weekly schedules. Choose an option (or several) that works best for you, and then stick to it.

DECEMBER 2019 | LAKE CITIES LIVING | 7

Ask The Expert: Wellness

Continuity Of Care The

I

f I was going to call myself an expert at anything, I could confidently say that my work as a child/adolescent therapist would be my area of expertise.

My experience working with children and adolescents in private practice, at a psychiatric hospital, a children’s hospital, and Children’s Advocacy Center has allowed me to expand my knowledge and broaden my clinical experience.

Gaining my knowledge from diverse settings has provided me with the ability to effectively work with children and adolescents alongside their parents as

8 | LAKE CITIES LIVING

| DECEMBER 2019

well as testify in court as an expert witness on behalf of children. I currently practice at Connections Wellness Group where we have been able to create a model

that provides comprehensive mental and physical healthcare for anyone who is seeking treatment.

My approach to working with children and

parties because without the continuity of care, there is no accountability and therefore, no progress. Being able to walk down the hall and speak to Dr. Tucker, our child and adolescent psychiatrist, is a luxury I’ve never experienced and will never take for granted. It is almost impossible to get another provider on the phone and even less likely to have the opportunity to collaborate and problem solve with them, but our model allows us to do so. Dr. Tucker’s expertise and knowledge has been exponentially valuable to my practice. We both share the same passion and love of working with children and adolescents and being able to work down the hall from each other has been valuable for us, but even more valuable to our clients.

adolescents involves their parents, their psychiatrist, their school counselor, etc.

I’ve never seen a child or adolescent be

successful in therapy without the support, involvement, and collaboration of all

by Michelle Dean, MA, LPC, EMDR-Trained at Connections Wellness Group connectionswellnessgroup.com

www.LakeCitiesLiving.com

Business Spotlight

Lake Dallas’ Go-To Stop

FOR CIGARS & LIQUOR

by Steve Gamel

I

f the first few weeks of having his doors open for business are any indication, Vick Josh at J’s Liquor and Cigars in Lake Dallas deserves to light a victory cigar and give himself an old-fashioned pat on the back.

In an area already loaded with successful liquor and wine stores, Vick has carved

photos courtesy of Vick Josh

out his own niche with a full-service store that promises not only the best wine

and spirits in town but also the largest

selection of premium cigars under one roof. Don’t believe him? Then stop by and judge for yourself.

“People are coming in like crazy, especially during the weekends,” Vick said. His store is located on the corner of Swisher Road and I-35 in Lake Dallas across the street

from QT. “The best part is that we are in a shopping strip, so customers are floating

around between the other stores and the hotels behind us. I’m very excited about

the project as a whole and the opportunity to be a new part of this community.”

Vick also had the luxury of jumping into a location that was previously a wellknown liquor store. Over the last few months, he and his team have remodeled the entire facility and outfitted it with brand-new coolers, an expanded shopping area, and various other inviting upgrades. Not just another liquor store, Vick says his main focus is cigars.

Included in his selection include brands such as Montecristo, Perdomo, Punch Cigars, and Rocky Patel, to name a few.

“We have so many cigars; I really can’t tell you how many. But it’s the largest selection in the area,” Vick said.

“There are plenty of stores that offer cigars, but not the selection we have.

We are very competitive with what we offer.”

940.498.2284 304 Swisher Rd. • Lake Dallas, TX 75065 www.LakeCitiesLiving.com

DECEMBER 2019 | LAKE CITIES LIVING | 9

INSIDE COMMUNITY INTERNATIONAL CINDERELLA BABY Lake Dallas resident, Isabella Napps may only be 3-years-old but she understands the importance of helping out those around her who are in need. Isabella is the 2019-20 International Cinderella Baby, and her title encourages her to help out her community. Her current service project is collecting toys for Toys for Tots with the Denton County Chapter. She collected new unwrapped toys just in time to get them delivered to kids for Christmas. photo courtesy of Melissa Napps

LIGHTS AT THE COVE Dec. 1-30 | 5-9:30pm Hidden Cove Park & Marina 20040 Hackberry Creek Park Rd. Frisco, TX 75287 Come to Hidden Cove Park and experience a drive-through Christmas lights event this holiday season. Fill up your car with friends and family, and prepare to be mesmerized by the beauty as you enter the tunnel of lights and see your favorite Christmas characters.

The Park is accepting unwrapped toy donations for Sadie’s Sleigh and a portion of the proceeds will benefit the Boys and Girls Club. Tickets start at $10 and can be purchased on www.eventbrite.com by searching ‘Lights at the Cove.’

10 | LAKE CITIES LIVING

| DECEMBER 2019

HOLIDAY

TRANSPORTATION Lake Cities residents living with a disability or who are 65 and older are in luck this holiday season. SPAN Transit is a service that picks up and drops off riders for as little as $3 each way. From doctor appointments and trips to the pharmacy, to retail shopping stores and the public library, this full-service transit company is guaranteed to help your loved ones be independent. To register as a rider visit www.span-transit.org, follow the “How to Ride” tab and click on “Rider Application.” For questions call Span at 940.382.2224. photo courtesy of Laura Joy

THE UNITED WAY The way to find solutions to county-wide challenges is for our neighborhoods to be united! Lake Dallas ISD and United Way of Denton County celebrate their long-standing partnership that has spanned two decades. LDISD is proud to partner with an organization whose work is to help children and families succeed, serve Veterans and their families, be advocates for mental health, and work towards nonrecurring homelessness. This partnership has had a huge impact on the district and the residents of Denton County and we look forward to working and serving together for decades to come. www.LakeCitiesLiving.com

INSIDE EDUCATION

Falcon Band Holiday Concert Dec. 17 | 6:30 - 8:30pm Semester Exams Dec. 18-20

HAWK ELEMENTARY FUN RUN

Winter Break Dec. 23 to Jan. 6

Dec. 16 | 8-11am | Hawk Elementary

2300 Oakmont Dr. • Corinth, TX 76210 Mavericks, don’t forget! The Jingle Bell Fun Run/Walk will be a day of fun, so come stretched and dressed in your favorite festive attire. There will be water and Gatorade at the finish line and all participants receive jingle bells! Collection envelopes are due December 18th and there will be a pizza party for the class that collects the most money in each grade! All proceeds will go to Hawk Elementary. Parents are encouraged to cheer on their littles from the sidelines. Let’s Go Jingling!

Highstepper Chick-fil-A Spirit Night Jan. 13 | 3-8pm

HEARTS FOR HOMES

High school student, Carson Ozmer is spreading cheer this holiday season as he volunteers with the Hearts for Homes organization to provide a laundry basket full of home and personal care supplies, and non-perishable foods to low income senior citizens in Denton County. This year Carson and the team will deliver 91 baskets on Dec. 14. For more information on Hearts for Homes organization visit www.heartsforhomes.org. photo courtesy of Gina Ozmer

www.LakeCitiesLiving.com

Girls Varsity Basketball VS Carroll (Southlake) Dec. 20 | 6pm at GHS Main Gym Winter Break Dec. 23 to Jan. 3

DECEMBER 2019 | LAKE CITIES LIVING | 11

Let’s Get This

S TA RT E D

by Brooke Ezzo

photo courtesy of interskate.net

P

lanning a birthday party for your youngsters can be stressful. Between the venue, the cake and food, the balloons, the invites, and the décor, it can be full-on panic mode for some parents. If you’re interested in leaving the preparation and clean up to someone else, check out some of these fun, full-service party venues in Denton County.

This year, be a guest at your child’s party!

photo courtesy of Win Kids

photo courtesy of flowermound.playstreetmuseum.com

12 | LAKE CITIES LIVING

| DECEMBER 2019

PLAY STREET MUSEUM- FLOWER MOUND This interactive children’s museum is perfect for our younger children who still enjoy imaginary and creative play and exploration. Play Street has a variety of party packages; the do-it-yourself allows you and your tots private use of the museum while allowing you to be the party planner. You can also leave it to the staff and choose from an array of themes. These parties include decorations, food, desserts, and drinks. For package pricing, visit www.flowermound. playstreetmuseum.com.

INTERSKATE ROLLER RINK Roller skating will never go out of style.

Period. If you want to just show up and sit at a table, or you want a private party room, Interskate has a party package to fit any budget. Either way, book your party now at www.interskate.net or call them at 972.221.4666. photo courtesy of gatsplat.com

WIN KIDS- FLOWER MOUND Win Kids offers two birthday packages: gymnastics parties and ninja warrior parties. Both offer a full-service party so the parents can sit back and relax. Parties here are perfect for children ages 1-14.

The gym is loaded with fun equipment, and the party is designed around active kids tumbling and completing obstacle courses. To book a Win Kids party, call them at 972.355.9988 or go online www.winkids.net and click on the “parties” tab.

GAT SPLAT- LEWISVILLE Housing three indoor paintball spaces, Gat Splat is the place to be. Each party package includes entry, gun, tank, safety goggles, air fills, and paintballs.

They make it easy for you to bring food (order in pizza), drinks, and decorations.

Minimum age at Gat Splat is six. If you don’t want paintballs, check out their Nerf Parties and Axe Throwing. Suit up and call them today at 972.956.5500. www.LakeCitiesLiving.com

photo courtesy of Zone Action Park Facebook photo courtesy of rollingescaperoom.com

ZONE ACTION PARK- LEWISVILLE They really do put the action in birthday parties. Between bounce houses, miniature golf, Go Kart rides and games, your child and their friends will be bouncing with excitement here.

They have several party packages to choose from and five private, themed party rooms: the princess room, the sports room, the space room, the Disney room, and the dinosaur room. All parties include a party host, face painting, balloon animals, pizza, and drinks. There is something for everyone here! Book today at www.thezoneactionparktexas. com, and don’t forget to check their site for party coupons!

ROLLING ESCAPE ROOM — MOBILE The first of its kind — an escape room on wheels! This interactive party is full of fun with cryptic puzzles that you and your guests have to escape out of together in the comfort of your own home. In the Rolling Escape Room, there are games the players interact together on and play a story. Will your party get out? Book now at www.rollingescaperoom.com. www.LakeCitiesLiving.com

DECEMBER 2019 | LAKE CITIES LIVING | 13

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| DECEMBER 2019

www.LakeCitiesLiving.com

SHERIFF ’S

CORNER with Sheriff Tracy Murphree

TRAFFIC AWARENESS & ISSUES

T

he Denton County Sheriff’s Office shares in the concerns of neighborhood safety.

We are aware that there is an increased number of vehicles on the road due to additional subdivisions being built in our county.

Traffic complaints presented to us are taken seriously, and in response, we increase presence to heighten awareness of the speed limit and traffic flow and conduct traffic stops when appropriate.

WE ARE HIRING DETENTION OFFICERS!

There are several ways to address the issues:

If you are interested in a career in Law Enforcement, join our family and be a part of a great organization.

Detention Officer I positions start at $38,752.00 per year. Visit our website to apply.

• Identify high volume and high speed times and provide targeted enforcement.

• Deploy a Police radar trailer which would produce data that shows if there are violations of the posted speed limit when we are not there and what the range of speeds are.

With that information, we could determine if there was truly an issue with speed in that area or are people generally complying with the speed limit and there’s just a perception that there is a speeding issue. The trailer would also draw motorist’ attention to their speed. www.LakeCitiesLiving.com

• Raise Awareness and educate residents. This can be done by posting on social media or implementing neighborhood traffic calming programs that emphasize community involvement.

The Texas Department of Transportation reported that in 2018 there were a total of 251 fatalities in crashes involving speeding over the limit.

www.governmentjobs.com/ careers/dentoncounty

940.349.1600 127 N. WOODROW LN., STE. 300 DENTON, TX 76205 DENTONCOUNTY.COM/ DEPARTMENTS/SHERIFF.ASPX DECEMBER 2019 | LAKE CITIES LIVING | 15

This Is Only

THE BEGINNING

by Steve Gamel

F

or more than a year and a half, Corinth officials have closely guarded development plans to help put the city on the map. Now according to Director of Economic Development, Jason Alexander, they are ready to give some insight into what is coming down the pike.

The firm is known for transforming

family residences, and a trail system that

projects and is responsible for such

“To use a baseball analogy, this is our leadoff batter,” Alexander said with a grin.

“The heavy hitters are coming, and I think everyone in this community will be thrilled with everything we’re working on.”

ties into the existing trail network around

developments as Switchyard in Carrollton

Corinth. This plan will allow area residents

and Lakeside in Flower Mound.

to live in and visit a walkable community

“This creates a strong identity for

He added, “We have been thinking on ways to get this out to everyone and create a name for Corinth.”

Corinth’s proverbial “leadoff batter” is a 20-acre mixed-use development that will be located at the southwest corner of Corinth Parkway and I-35E, where the old police station used to be.

According to a press release, concept

down restaurants, a hotel, high-end multi-

with public amenities and entertainment

options that people are used to seeing in neighboring communities.

| DECEMBER 2019

the community in terms of architecture

and also creates the bones of a downtown district,” Alexander said. “This community

The idea is to go beyond mirroring

will be able to say it has something

new standard for future development.

Director of Finance, Communications,

what other communities have and set a And to make it all a reality, Corinth has

partnered with Irving-based Realty Capital Management, LLC, which is one of the

premier real estate development firms in North Texas.

“The heavy hitters are coming, and I think everyone in this community will be thrilled with everything we’re working on.”

16 | LAKE CITIES LIVING

high-profile locations into trend-setting

that’s unique.”

and Strategic Services, Lee Ann Bunselmeyer, agreed.

“Over the last 12 to 18 months, the staff,

City Council, and Economic Development Corporation (EDC) have been working together to lay the foundation for

what the future of Corinth will be,” she said. “It started with the strategic plan,

modernizing our logo, and developing a

parks masterplan to make Corinth a more walkable community. All these elements

www.LakeCitiesLiving.com

photos courtesy of City of Corinth

plans for the project include a mix of sit-

Sponsored Content

While Alexander and others are still waiting for the right moment to share all their secrets, the teaser is eye-opening.

tie together to make Corinth a high-quality community with a desirable lifestyle.”

“This goes to show the City Council and EDC are working off the same page,” City Manager Bob Hart added. “What we are doing with this project is essential to the success we want to create at this corner and the economic activity that we want to attract to the I35 corridor.”

Corinth has long been one of the top growth areas in Texas and the United States and boasts nearly 22,000 residents.

But what Alexander, Bunselmeyer, and Hart are referring to are the many smaller steps they’ve been taking to quietly turn Corinth into a destination spot. With their strategic plan called Corinth 2030, the city wants to attract quality residential and non-residential development, increase citizen engagement and proactive government, and focus more on regional cooperation among all the Lake Cities communities.

www.LakeCitiesLiving.com

“What we are doing with this project is essential to the success...we want to attract to the I35 corridor.”

Last summer, the city redesigned its logo

to play up its Corinthian architecture look and feel and will be inclusive of updates

to all city materials, communications, and

vehicles. The city also updated its website in June. The website was organized and designed based on input from resident focus groups and what they wanted to see most.

The city also continues to showcase

standout events to enhance an already strong sense of community. They are coming off their signature event,

Pumpkin Palooza, from October and plan

to promote more throughout the year.

This includes the Annual Tree Lighting ceremony, Easter Egg-stravaganza, the Daddy-Daughter Dance, Fire Department Open House and National Night Out. City Officials want to get the word out that Corinth is where you want to live and grow — especially since its best days are still ahead.

“We’re implementing the vision for Corinth,” Alexander said. “When the development is complete, Corinth will be a premier destination for living, working, and gathering.”

To stay up to date with all the latest news regarding the upcoming development, visit www.mycorinth.com/Realty-Capital.

DECEMBER 2019 | LAKE CITIES LIVING | 17

CLASSIC

C

H

E

E

R

C

photo courtesy of Classic of Denton

lassic, Chrysler, Jeep, Dodge, Mazda in Denton is reaching out to our local community for

contributions for Classic Christmas Cheer 2019. Last year, Classic of Denton was

able to adopt over 665 children, which

provided a special Christmas for them.

This year, Classic of Denton has a goal of

adopting over 700 children, the names will

be provided to us from the local Churches, Denton Independent School District,

Gonzales School, Friends of the Family,

Giving Hope Denton, The Wheeler House, Serve Denton, Cumberland Presbyterian Children’s Home, Our Daily Bread and Monsignor King Outreach Center.

We are reaching out to our Classic

Chrysler, Jeep, Dodge, Mazda and

employees, partners, vendors, friends

ITEMS NEEDED: Footballs • Soccer Balls • Barbies • Legos • Hoodies (various sizes)

and customers to help with a donation or adopting a family.

As a community, let’s make Christmas 2019 a year of Holiday Cheer, and

Goodwill for all those less fortunate.

For more info contact Rick or Lessa by

18 | LAKE CITIES LIVING

RICK WICK

940.498.9865 rwick@classicofdenton.com

LESSA POPHAM

940.498.9871 lessa@classicofdenton.com

DECEMBER 16, 2019

| DECEMBER 2019

www.LakeCitiesLiving.com

Real Estate: Ask The Expert

Looking Into The

CRYSTAL BALL OF REAL ESTATE

H

ave you ever noticed how we sometimes delay making a big purchase that we really want and can totally afford, all because we are worried about some mystical outside force that may or may not exist in the first place? Take real estate, for example. As we approach the end of another year, many people are eager to get into a new home but feel like they need to wait to see what the market will do at the beginning of 2020.

“Will the market crash?” some ask.

“What if there’s a massive spike in interest rates since this will be an election year?” others suggest with concerned looks.

“Home values are going to go up!” others predict.

None of us has a crystal ball. But my team and I have been in the real estate world

www.LakeCitiesLiving.com

for a long time and keep ourselves pretty

There will also be 1,000 new homes built near Lake Ray Hubbard, proving there is plenty of money going into housing moving forward.

I think there will be just as much competitiveness as there is now getting into lower-priced houses.

If you have questions about real estate, interest rate or market and housing trends, or anything else that has to do with the Lake Cities or surrounding communities, give my team: Make The Move Team at eXp Realty or me a call.

busy researching trends in the economy and housing market. I’m here to tell you

right now that there isn’t a single negative predictor or mystical roadblock standing

in your way. Locally, there is a new housing development coming soon north of Fort

Worth that will include 10,000 new homes in a master-planned community.

by Beth Caudill Make the Move Team 940.320.2777 www.MakeTheMoveTeam.com

DECEMBER 2019 | LAKE CITIES LIVING | 19

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| DECEMBER 2019

www.LakeCitiesLiving.com

Earl’s 377 Pizza: Foodie Friday DFW

EARL’S 377 Pizza R

E

S

T

A

U

R

A

N

T

940.464.4444 | www.earls377pizza.com | 427 U.S. 377 S. • Argyle, TX 76226

A

s a lover of the theatre, I appreciate a restaurant that has a great backstory to it -

even if it is mostly made up. And if you haven’t been to Earl’s 377 Pizza out in

Argyle, you’ve yet to experience one of

the greatest restaurant stories of all time!

Earl’s is the unique brainchild of well-

notice the juxtaposition of Earl’s “good-

ol’-boy” style and Isabella’s more refined Italian taste. The chandeliers are made out of buckets, shovels, and helmets.

The furniture has a homemade, craftsy

look to it. And Isabella’s gorgeous, vintage wine carafes are on display as well.

known local restaurateur, John ‘Sparky’

The story of Earl the veteran is much

old Argyle Volunteer Fire Department into

Earl’s 377 Pizza, as well as the remainder

Pearson, who had the vision to turn the something truly special. photos courtesy of Foodie Friday DFW

In the decor of the restaurant, you’ll

And ‘special’ is exactly what I would call Earl’s.

At Earl’s you’ll become a player in the

story about a fictitious military vet who

more than “just a story,” however.

of the restaurants under the Radical

Hospitality Group, have teamed up with

Spirit of a Hero, a nonprofit that works to help veterans right here in North Texas.

At their restaurants you can find a

special menu item which has all of its

met his wife, Isabella, overseas in Italy

proceeds donated to Spirit of a Hero.

with him only after promising to help

a Hero Pizza topped with a BBQ-Ranch

Italian restaurant.

and red peppers.

and convinced her to move back to Texas

And at Earl’s that item is their Spirit of

her realize her dream of opening an

sauce, Bumbershoot chopped brisket,

Their Nonna’s Meatballs are a fan-favorite as well as their Vita Mia Lasagna made with a classic bolognese sauce, ricotta, and mozzarella.

When you come to Earl’s, you’re guaranteed to have a great meal and a great experience. And the people at Earl’s want you to know they’re not just a business in the community - they are truly a part of the community.

(And here’s a pro tip - you can also order food from Bumbershoot BBQ while you’re there.) Eat well, Foodies!

Believe it or not, Earl’s has also become

well-known for their salads. Our personal favorite is their Italian Cobb made

with some of their fresh-cut salami and

giardinera. It’s big enough to feed about 5 people!

And when it comes to Italian classics, Earl’s has more than just pizza mastered.

972.724.2540 | JayMarksRealEstate.com jay@jaymarksrealestate.com 1013 Long Prairie Rd., Ste. 102 | Flower Mound, TX 75022

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DECEMBER 2019 | LAKE CITIES LIVING | 21

What Are Your Holiday

by Steve Gamel

W

hat are your favorite family holiday traditions? You’ll probably get asked that question a million times over the next few weeks, and each time, we’re betting you’ll eagerly rattle off five or six of them with the biggest smile on your face.

And why? Because holiday traditions — especially those that involve your kids, parents, and grandparents — are the best!

They never get old, no matter how young or old you are, and the good news is that everyone’s got them. Whether it’s waking up early on Christmas morning with the family dressed in matching pajamas or building a ginger bread house every Christmas Eve, they’re the sort of thing you live for. They connect us and help us celebrate this special time of year.

So in the spirit of the holiday season, your friends at Murray Media Group wanted to share our favorite holiday traditions.

JANA MELTON, Operations Director My favorite holiday tradition is simple:

a phone call to a family member on the

STEVE GAMEL, Writer and Editor

to call (no texting) a family member and

As far back as I can remember, my parents always allowed my brother and me to open one gift each on Christmas Eve, all with the promise that we’d go to bed afterward so that Santa could get to our house on time to drop off the rest of the presents. Now that I’m grown, I carried that tradition over for my kids — and it never gets old seeing them react the same way we did. We also look forward to our parents’ Christmas party every year, where we get to spend time with cousins we don’t see that often.

morning of Christmas Eve. The first person KELLY AND SCOTT MURRAY, Owners & Publishers At our house, new Christmas pajamas were always a big hit and signified that Santa was on his way. When the kids were little, we thought it would be cute to dress them in matching PJs or in the alwaysfunny onesies! Now they are older and we still do the onesies. The outfits are not as cute as they use to be, but it sure is funny and reminds us of years past.

22 | LAKE CITIES LIVING

| DECEMBER 2019

say, “Christmas Eve Gift!” wins bragging rights for the day and lots of laughs.

It all started with my Grandfather’s family.

They would call their brothers and sisters and say, “CHRISTMAS EVE GIFT!” Back

then, calls were very expensive, especially long-distance calls, as they all lived in

different states. Calls like that were very special. My father and his siblings, my

brothers and I, and now with our children, have all carried on the tradition.

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CAROLINE BROCK, Graphic Designer

ALYSON MODENE, Graphic Designer

ALISHA TRAN, Social Media Manager

My older sister, Elizabeth, and I had a fun childhood tradition that I still try keep

My favorite holiday traditions that my

As a child, it was an unwritten rule that my sisters and I had to be up and ready by 9 a.m. on Christmas Morning.

Now that we’re older, we all meet at my parents’ house at 9 a.m. wearing our Christmas pajamas. My mom cooks breakfast, and after we eat, we drink hot chocolate while we open presents.

My mom has a rule that only one person can open a present at a time, so we can all see their reaction. I didn’t get it as a child, but now I understand that’s

today. On Christmas Eve, we would try every year to stay up all night to catch

Santa. While we stayed up, we watched the 24-hour marathon of A Christmas

Story that played on TBS. We, of course, as little kids never were able to stay up

to catch dear Santa, but as we got older

we still tried to stay up all night watching the marathon. To this day, even as we’ve

moved out, had families of our own, and now live in different states, we call each other to make sure that we watch A Christmas Story.

family has takes place on Christmas Eve. The first thing we do for it is pull names

out of a Santa hat, then we go to a store, normally Target, and we have about $50

and an hour to buy a gift for the person’s name we pulled out. Once we get to a

location, we split up into groups. The best part of this is running through the store grabbing random things to make the

other group think you are going to buy

them a toilet seat or something silly like

that, while also spying on them trying to

actually the best part.

figure out what they might get you. It is a tradition all about laughing and messing around as a family.

AARON JUAREZ, SEO & Web Development Manager Every Christmas Eve, the whole family (uncles, aunts, and cousins) would get together to disperse presents amongst everyone. At the stroke of midnight, we would all open our presents at the same time and get surprised by Santa Claus coming through the door giving the younger kids even more presents. Of course, the gifts weren’t much, but it

provided a time for all of us to get together even if it was just for a couple of hours to live our perfect little Christmas.

BROOKE EZZO, Writer Every Christmas Eve growing up, my brother and I decorated cookies for Santa and were allowed to open one present. I have fond memories of those traditions. As an

adult, we have started a new tradition with my husband’s family. Every year, we all meet up right before Christmas; aunts, grandparents, cousins, brothers, sisters, spouses, and all the children (about 30 of us) and we walk around Grapevine Main Street. We have

dinner at Esparzas, and we end the night at The Palace Theatre to watch It’s a Wonderful Life. I look forward to this every year! www.LakeCitiesLiving.com

DECEMBER 2019 | LAKE CITIES LIVING | 23

Resident Spotlight:

CHRIS & JENNIFER

Gordon

by Steve Gamel

G

photo courtesy of the Gordon Family

et Jennifer Gordon talking, and she can tell you all sorts of hilarious tales from the 15 glorious years she’s been married to the love of her life, Chris. Like that time on a plane flight when Chris brought up the idea of buying an engagement ring but was so nervous that he made it sound more like a business deal than a future marriage proposal.

Or the day they moved into Chris’ three-bedroom, two-bath bachelor pad, and Jennifer realized there wasn’t enough room.

“There was barely enough room for little ‘ole me, a dog, and a cat. He had stuffed it out with all his ‘stuff,’” she said.

“Memorabilia!” Chris said in defense of his sports collectibles.

After moving to Hickory Creek in 2005, there was the night Chris got home late from a Town of Hickory Creek City Council meeting. He said that he and two of his cronies were going to empty their bank accounts to buy approximately 25,000 stadium seats from Texas Stadium. He outbid Jerry Jones, Brandon Steiner of Steiner Sports, and others who actually knew what they

24 | LAKE CITIES LIVING

| DECEMBER 2019

were doing. From there came the nights of printing off shipping labels and catering to online shoppers until 3am, having their FedEx guy on speed dial, and owning four businesses on Shady Shores in Lake Dallas.

“Now, everyone knows us. But I’m not sure yet if that’s a good thing,” Jennifer said with a laugh.

Most people in Lake Cities have met the Gordons. Both are elected officials — Chris for the Town of Hickory Creek and Jennifer as a board member for

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the Lake Cities Municipal Water Authority — and are involved in various volunteer efforts, community events, and networking groups. There’s also the businesses: The Cowboy House, Quickship Mail & Business Center, Cowboy Car Wash, and Cowboy Twice the Ice.

and worked hard for everything. Jennifer graduated from Texas Tech and had a successful career in the hospitality and tourism industry while Chris, a Texas A&M grad, got into medical sales. Chris was always a go-getter. He had a paper route when he was 6-years-old. He had 100 customers at 7. By 11, he had 500.

But at the heart of all of that is a family that is down to earth — “I’d be banging on But at the heart of all of a symbol of smalldoors saying, that is a family that is town living with big ‘You owe me 25 down to earth — a symbol ideas for what the cents,’” Chris said. of small-town living with future can bring.

But neither The Gordons and big ideas for what the imagined being their 13-year-old business owners. future can bring. daughter, Emma, pride The Cowboy House themselves on being was their first foray into quality people who work hard entrepreneurship shortly after Chris and would give you the shirt off their back. bought those 80-pound cast iron stadium Chris and Jennifer credit that selflessness seats in 2010 — and they got it off the to their parents, who lived modest lives ground while still working in corporate

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America. When Jennifer lost her job, they added Quickship, followed by the others. Chris’ brother, Jason, owns Scout Plumbing and is a part-owner for the car wash and ice house.

“Neither of us thought we’d be elected officials or entrepreneurs,” Chris said.

“But it was our ability to take a risk and say, ‘Why not? What if we tried this?’

We didn’t do anything special except that I was willing to hustle, and Jennifer wasn’t willing to say no.”

There’s no telling what the Gordons will do next. But one thing’s for sure — it will make for great storytelling from Jennifer.

“I look back, and I have no clue how we did it. It’s been a fun ride. Hasn’t it, Sweets?” Jennifer said, while looking at Chris.

“I couldn’t have drafted it up any other way,” Chris said with a confident grin.

DECEMBER 2019 | LAKE CITIES LIVING | 25

Ask The Expert: Fitness

The Best Gift Ever Love Yourself This New Year

T

he New Year is on its way, and everyone seems pumped about

going to the gym, eating clean, and

exercising. A large portion of those at the gym and around you may be New Year’s resolutioners — and good for them. But

being consistent is an important factor of success with any weight-loss program as well as having a strong support system from family, friends, and coworkers.

We’ve seen it year after year. A large

portion of those resolutioners will trickle out of the gym and lose interest or find reasons why they can’t stick with it.

Ideally, an active lifestyle shouldn’t be

a trend in your life. Rather, it should be a common habit for your health, mind,

RE M E M B ER T H ESE G UIDEL INES: • Build Your Support Team: Let Your

friends, family, and co-workers know

your physical appearance, your

You can try to get them involved by inviting them to be a walking buddy.

Let your friends know that you may not be able to join them at the places you would normally go before, but suggest a healthier restaurant that fits your needs.

• Get Your Spouse Involved:

Compromise with them. If they eat

some progress, have you experienced

of choice one day a week. Make your

coworkers, family and friends, or

your activities.

you, you will let them choose the meal

any odd questions or comments from

spouse feel invited to participate in

• Develop Healthy Incentives:

around you, but it’s not always a reality. If

Instead of rewarding yourself with

is on board with your new goals or is at

a vacation as motivation. These

you are married, hopefully, your spouse

sweets, go for a movie, or set up

least supportive. If not, this could make

incentives help keep temptation away.

if you’re trying to avoid temptation. The

support around you matters and will be

helpful in your quest for weight loss and a healthy lifestyle.

goals, make a decision, and stick with it.

26 | LAKE CITIES LIVING

• You’re On Your Own: You must

realize this your journey and yours alone. At the end of the day, this is a choice you make for yourself, and it’s

Decide how bad you want to achieve your

| DECEMBER 2019

This transformation can be many

them on how to be supportive of you.

gym, eating clean, and starting to make

dinner time difficult or socializing hard

will go through a transformation. things from building confidence,

healthy five days out of the week with

I would hope you have cheerleaders all

During your weight loss journey, you

that this is important to you and coach

body, and spirit. So if you’re going to the

temptations from them?

• Why It’s Called a Journey:

up to you to wake up and plan your day accordingly to take your life back.

surroundings, and your mindset.

It’s ok to see change. Change is growth, and you deserve the best for yourself. Going forward, you must realize it’s ok to put your health, mental, physical, and spiritual first, and it is not selfish to do so.

While going through this, try to inspire those around you to get healthy, too.

I’ve seen many women struggle with negativity from family, friendships, and their surroundings. The message I want all women to know is taking care of yourself starts in the mirror. The person staring back needs your help more than you realize. As you become healthier, you become stronger, both physically and mentally.

Love yourself in 2020 by staying consistently determined to make progress in your health and wellbeing!

by Jesse J. Leyva, Owner of Jesse James Fit & Outlaw Fitcamp JesseJamesFit.com OutlawFitcamp.com www.LakeCitiesLiving.com

COMMUNITY

CORNER SUPPORT YOUR LOCAL SHOPS THIS HOLIDAY SEASON

A

by Denton County Commissioner Precinct 3 Bobbie Mitchell

s you begin to fill the wish lists of friends and family this season, please consider shopping at businesses in Denton County.

These businesses not only provide local

These businesses offer a smorgasbord of gifts for all ages, and your support will help keep Denton County businesses thriving. We are fortunate to have such a diverse and bustling retail region. But it will only stay that way if you spend your dollars here with them.

your communities. Sales taxes

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merchandise, they also support many of our local nonprofit organizations.

Your dollars also help support support local first responders in some communities and the local DCTA A-train in other communities.

When you shop local, you support local.

photo courtesy by Commissioner Bobbie Mitchell

CONNECT WITH US: Facebook: DentonCountyTX Twitter: @DentonCountyTX If you have any questions or comments, please let me hear from you. My email is bobbie. mitchell@dentoncounty.com and my office number is 972.434.4780.

Make your dollars count.

DECEMBER 2019 | LAKE CITIES LIVING | 27

Meet Golden Triangle Mall’s

2019 FACES OF DENTON press release submitted by Carrie Carter

photo courtesy of Carrie Carter

COLBY CORI CAMERON ARIANA

JENNA

ALLISON

D

enton, Texas – Golden Triangle Mall is proud to announce the “2019 Faces of Denton” campaign, where we celebrate you!

Denton is a unique, fun-loving place where people come together – and you deserve to be recognized. Because we cater to you, we want YOU to be the center of attention! We’re proud to introduce just a few of them below. To see the full list go to www.shopgoldentriangle.com/meet-our-2019-faces-of-denton. We’re so glad we got to meet these fantastic people.

C A M E R O N , 16

A R I A N A , 18

A L L I S O N , 21

We chose Cameron as one of our Faces of Denton because his look screamed confidence. Cameron was born and raised in Denton and is currently a junior in high school. His favorite part about his hometown is the Square, walking around, enjoying the amazing local food, buying shoes, and generally being very involved in the community. He’s a starter on his football team, playing wide receiver and free safety/cornerback. However, when winter rolls around, he’ll be playing basketball and baseball in the spring.

Although she’s from Pilot Point, she feels as though she has a firm understanding of Denton and sees it as a ‘Mini Austin,’ which she loves. She loves the Golden Triangle Mall and spends a lot of her free time here. Going to North Central Texas College, she has been frequenting the mall for some time! As an aspiring veterinarian, she has a deep affinity for animals but also acquired quite the taste for Beth Marie’s Ice Cream. Her favorite parts about Denton are the Kennedy Fair, being an off-season varsity cheerleader captain, UNT football games, and the Arts and Jazz Festival.

The first thing we noticed was her fancy, tiny backpack — very fashionable and very Allison. This little lady from Keller is a senior at Texas Women’s University, where she is pursuing a psychology degree.

She also has a huge heart and works in a nursing home as well as a psychiatric facility in her spare time. In her free time, you can find her at Free Play most likely drinking a craft beer and dominating games. Her other favorite places to frequent are the Denton Brewery and Beth Marie’s Ice Cream.

28 | LAKE CITIES LIVING

| DECEMBER 2019

www.LakeCitiesLiving.com

J E N N A , 28

C O R I , 23

C O L B Y, 17

Coming all the way from Salt Lake City, Jenna took her time in making Denton her home. She became familiar with Texas when her family moved to Plano when she was 9, but it took her almost 10 more years to call Denton her home!

What brought her here was education — a fashion design degree from UNT. She realized Denton was home and started working for Painting With a Twist in 2017.

As a true artist, she has an endless supply of projects going on but still manages to find time to relax and read with her cat, Tonks. Her favorite parts about Denton are the arts culture, the Gallery, and the Arts and Jazz Festival.

Coming from Katy, Cori loves how energetic, bubbly, enthusiastic, and peppy Denton is. She immediately felt comfortable here and loves how friendly, how diverse, and how welcoming the people are. Her favorite food is tacos so naturally, her go-to restaurants are Fuzzy’s and Rusty’s. As a full-time sophomore at UNT, a lot of her time is spent studying.

But she’s also an Office Manager at Fred Moore Nursery School and loves spending time with her daughter. Despite having no other biological family in Denton, she has been here for a full year, and her neighbors, students, and coworkers have become her family. She couldn’t be happier.

Colby absolutely loves music. He plays piano and keyboard and is thinking about being in a band one day. He’s currently home-schooled but has his eyes set on going to UNT in the near future. When he’s not jamming out, he’s hanging with friends (recently saw Joker in theaters) and is a swim coach. Despite loving how musiccentric and diverse Denton is, he wants to be a pilot one day and see the world.

His mom is from Oklahoma and his dad is from Louisiana, so they moved around a ton – which might be fuel for his potential piloting. When it’s all said and done, he can see himself staying in Denton because he believes most people stay and it’s a very nice place to live.

Do you think you could represent your community? Be sure to apply next year for the 2020 Faces of Denton! Be sure to follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram to see when we open up for entries in 2020. You can also check out more of our blogs for up and coming events, sales and more at your favorite mall in Denton. www.LakeCitiesLiving.com

DECEMBER 2019 | LAKE CITIES LIVING | 29

Ask The Expert: School Days

Helping Your Child With

ORGANIZATION AND INDEPENDENCE

by Valorie McGilvra

O

rganizing and time management are two of the hardest tasks for someone with ADHD. Just like we have to teach empathy with young children we have to teach them how to organize and prioritize.

“So what were you suppose to do here?

What does this mean?” Let them TEACH you what they did. If you see a mistake

don’t point it out rather ask questions that

When teaching kids to organize (since

and be successful. It is very important to

start with extrinsic rewards. This can be

you think they should be. I believe in high

Step 4: When complete say, “Ok, now

skills to go to the next level. If this is not

forget it in the morning?” Child places

they really have no interest in this) you stickers, extra gaming time or money

to get them motivated to organize or

whatever the task is you want them to do.

As they complete a task they will gradually start to learn that it feels good to have a

clean organized room and then they will do it on their own to get that feeling.

I’ve actually spent hours in my son’s room cleaning out and organizing his toys.

In education this is called scaffolding.

You first start out with a lot of support

and guidance and gradually provide less and less until they can do it all on their

own. Kids have to see the process step by step before they cannot be expected to

meet our kids where they are, not where expectations, but they need to have the intentionally taught chances are, they won’t do them.

For example, let’s say that your goal is to

get your child to return their homework to school each day.

30 | LAKE CITIES LIVING

| DECEMBER 2019

Step 5: There needs to be a trigger at

school for the child to turn in homework.

This might be written on the board, a

organized. Don’t organize this for them.

to hand it in. This can be decided with the

what to do with each paper. This will

a reward system set up until this behavior

organizing process.

Remember, ask more questions and let

the child’s routine that will remind them

Take out all of the papers and ask them

teacher. And initially there may have to be

help them learn to “think” through the

becomes a habit.

need to get it done and help them have it

steps children will be able to follow easier

looks on.

home. It should be in a folder that is

are kids and we rush to get to the final By breaking the behavior or goal into

homework in the backpack while a parent

teacher asking for it. Just something in

Step 2: Together set a time and place to

steps and move too quickly.

where could you put this so you won’t

Step 1: Child brings their homework

accomplish all the steps. I think sometimes

as adults we forget (me included) that they

will lead them to discovering the mistake.

do the homework. Ask them what they all gathered in one place.

Step 3: Mom or Dad checks over the work. This could be where you ask,

your child take ownership of their learning and growing up.

Let me know if this works or if you have any questions about your child and

dealing with ADHD or school in general.

Val@ADDitudeCoaching.com.

www.LakeCitiesLiving.com