Park Cities People December 2022

HEREsizes and options.

2. SCHOOLS: HPISD Superintendent Search Begins

The Highland Park ISD board of trustees Nov. 8 approved a $29,900 con tract with the search firm Hazard, Young, Attea, and Associates (HYA) to help find

the district’s next superintendent. Dr. Tom Trigg, the district’s eighth superintendent since 1914, will step down effective at the end of the 2022-2023 school year.

3. REAL ESTATE: California Developer Planning Tower on Turtle Creek Site

Nexus Companies ac quired a prime, 1.37acre site on the vacant corner of Turtle Creek Boulevard and Fair mount Street and plans to build a 20-story tower with 198 units de voted to assisted living and memory care.

(PHOTO: RACHEL SNYDER)

(PHOTO: RACHEL SNYDER)

(PHOTO: GOOGLE EARTH)

HACKBERRY CREEK IMPROVEMENTS ARE ON THE WAY

improvement plan

Maria Lawson maria.lawson@peoplenewspapers.com

The town of Highland Park could soon move forward with improve ments to the Hackberry Creek cor ridor with the mayor and council mem bers expected to review the first phase in early 2023.

“With Hackberry Creek being the town’s largest park amenity, the intent of the project is to preserve the park’s natural beauty, restore and protect it from degra dation, and protect the town’s bordering infrastructure,” said Lori Chapin, director of engineering for Highland Park.

Updates would include restoring the infrastructure of the walls and outfalls and mitigating erosion along the creek.

For the first phase, Kimley-Horn As sociates is completing the core project

design elements at the 30% milestone, evaluating the deferred vision projects, and validating cost estimates. The Town Council has approximately $5.8 million available for this project in the town’s 10year capital improvement plan.

Depending on what direction the council opts for, the overall project could take years to complete and is subject to available funding provided by the council and programmed within the capital im provement plan.

“The town has studied the drainage and infrastructure of Hackberry Creek for some time and is now prepared to implement a plan to fortify and main tain the creek’s bed and the surrounding landscaped elevations,” Mayor Will C. Beecherl said.

An existing master plan, based on an analysis of the physical condition of the

MORE INFORMATION

Hackberry Creek corridor between Byron Avenue and Armstrong Avenue, is guid ing design efforts, with three antici pated categories of improvement:

Erosion control systems that would retain walls to re store channel banks, bridge abutments, and storm drain headwalls that have eroded or have the potential of eroding.

Systems, prod ucts, and materials that are sympathetic to the natural land scape and stone pedestrian bridges in the creek corridor.

STRONG Year for Dallas Real Estate!

Pedestrian walkways, benches, site ame nities, landscape lighting, and irrigation that could be inte grated into the area.

“Continuing the legacy and natural beauty of Hackberry Creek, special care and attention will be given to improve design and materi als being compatible with existing con ditions,” the town’s website reads.

Preparing the master plan in volved community meetings and dis cussions with the Town Council and con sultant MESA Design Group.

Highland Park Town Council members took a walking tour on Oct. 25 of four locations along Hackberry Creek to review and discuss the consultant’s preliminary project results for the improvement project. (PHOTOS: MARIA LAWSON)

FOR

Visit hptx.org/796/Hackberry-CreekMaster-Plan to learn more about the plan for Hackberry Creek.

The intent of the project is to preserve the park’s natural beauty, restore and protect it from degradation, and protect the town’s bordering infrastructure.

Lori Chapin

DILEMMA

Divorce or Separation Knows No Holiday

Elizabeth Hunter knows how to handle the pressure, manage the uncertainty and work to ease the disruption caused by separation and divorce. She is experienced, aggressive and compassionate; a person you can trust to have your best interest at heart.

Don’t let December be a dilemma. Get help. Contact Elizabeth Hunter today.

Elizabeth Hunter

Oct. 10

How easy was it for a thief to take vari ous items from a Toyota FJ400 parked in the 3400 block of Wentwood Drive before 11:15 a.m.? The Toyota was left unlocked.

Oct. 12

Reported at 3:26 p.m.: a swindler used the information of a man from the 3600 block of Stratford Avenue to open a Comcast cable account and racked up $950 worth of debt that went into collections.

Oct. 13

A stealer found easy pickings of a bag/ wallet and various documents from a Jaguar XK parked in the 4100 block of Druid Lane and left unlocked before 5:30 a.m.

Oct. 15

A burglar found easy pickings of two backpacks containing books and more, as well as an iPad from a Range Rover left unlocked in Highland Park Village before 5:29 p.m.

Oct. 17

Robbers took products from the CVS store in the 3000 block of Mockingbird Lane after pushing and hitting store staff at 8:35 p.m.

Oct. 18

A stealer drove off in a Ford F250 parked in the 3300 block of Rosedale Avenue be fore 8 a.m.

Oct. 22

Road rage: A jerk punched and dam aged a window of a Lexus 350 at Mock ingbird Lane and Douglas Avenue before 8:07 p.m. after a spat with the driver of another vehicle.

Oct. 25

A thief took a pair of taillights from a Ford F150 parked in the 4500 block of Rhe ims Place before 7:30 a.m.

Oct. 26

Not the crunch you want to hear at Mi Cocina: A careless driver backed into a bol lard in front of the restaurant in Highland Park Village at 7:58 p.m.

Oct. 27

Political pilfery: A sign stealer took a Beto sign from a home in the 4000 block of Cen tenary Drive before 9 a.m.

Oct. 29

A stealer found easy pickings of a pistol

and Apple device left in an unlocked Ford F150 in the 4400 block of Southwestern Boulevard before 9 a.m.

Nov. 4

A purse pilferer found easy pickings of a bag containing $600, four credit cards/deb it cards, and more left in an unlocked Mer cedes in the 6700 block of Preston Road at 4:45 p.m.

Nov. 6

How easy was it for a ne’er do well to take Louis Vuitton pieces, a Galaxy tablet, and $500 from a Mercedes E400 parked in the 8300 block of Preston Road before 3:30 p.m.? The Mercedes was left unlocked.

SKULDUGGERY of the MONTH: HALLOWEEN CAT-NAPPING

A stealer snatched an inflatable black cat decoration from outside a home in the 3100 block of Cornell Avenue before 12:20 a.m. Oct. 31. Sounds like bad luck to us.

Cornell Centennial Celebration Showcases Beauty of Restoration

By William Taylor william.taylor@peoplenewspapers.com

In a community increasingly known for tearing down old houses and replac ing them with modern mansions, Cor nell Avenue residents signaled there is another way.

With their homes turning 100 or more, residents of the 3400 to 3600 blocks of Cornell Avenue held a party and made a statement about the value of historic preservation.

“Help us spread the message that our historic and significant homes of the Park Cities can last centuries,” said Jana Paul, one of the hosts of the Cornell Centennial Celebration block party. “No need to raze!”

Her home in the 3400 block, which turns 100 this year, belonged to former Dallas mayor R.L. Thornton and still has a “T” in the ironwork railing of the front porch.

The Pauls, along with the Moores, Holloways, Woodwards, and Kerseys, hosted the Oct. 22 affair to celebrate “the homes on our blocks that are turning 100 this year (and a few that are even older).”

They blocked off Cornell between By ron and Hillcrest avenues and drew more than 110 RSVPs for the party and “mini home tour.”

Paul explained that owners of some of the oldest homes opened “our first floors for people to walk through and see how beau tifully restored 100-year-old homes can be for modern families – and not torn down!”

Neighbors tour the 100-year-old home of Marie and Stephen Kersey in the 3400 block of Cornell Avenue.

Neighbors tour the 100-year-old home of Marie and Stephen Kersey in the 3400 block of Cornell Avenue. (PHOTOS: CHRIS MCGATHEY)

Neighbors and guests wait in the 3500 block of Cornell Avenue outside one of several homes open for tours on an October evening. This dining room is in a home in the 3500 block of Cornell.

See how beautifully restored 100-yearold homes can be for modern families –and not torn down!

Jana Paul

Make this the tastiest time of year and fill your table with magnificent mains, show-stopping sides, and jaw-dropping desserts. Central Market has everything you need to make a memorable meal from scratch or let our chefs do the cooking.

Playground At Coffee Park Dedicated for Murzin Family

By Rachel Snyder rachel.snyder@peoplenewspapers.com

Visitors to the playground at Cof fee Park will find a plaque in tribute to a man who helped advocate for the first barrier-free playground in the city of University Park.

The city on Oct. 22 dedicated the Murzin Family Playground at Cof fee Park for Chris Murzin and his family in recogni tion of their legacy of advocacy for ac cessible public rec reation spaces.

The unanimous vote by the Uni versity Park City Council nam ing Murzin Play ground at Coffee Park came on March 1, just more than a year after Chris Murzin, 53, was fatal ly shot while driving on I-20 before the South Polk Street exit ramp at 1 p.m. Feb. 11, 2021.

Chris, a medical salesman, his wife, Christina, and their children – Caroline, Dutch, and Jack – moved to Universi ty Park in 2006. Chris quickly became known as a champion for people with spe cial needs, including their son, Jack.

Chris’ wife, Christina, told the crowd at the dedication about how the idea for the barrier-free playground started with an essay contest in which the winner would get a barrier-free playground. The Murzins’ son Jack and his classmate didn’t win the essay contest but eventually got the accessible playground with the com munity’s help.

“It was time for this park to be redone, and the mayor told Chris if you can raise half the funds, we’ll match it, and we’ll make it happen,” Christina said. “Y’all know Chris, he likes a challenge, and he knew he couldn’t do it on his own. We had to bring in the community.

“This wouldn’t have happened without everybody’s help,” she said. “Chris certain ly spearheaded it, (but) it was a communi ty effort.”

University Park resident George Chan dler, who has a daughter with Down syn drome and got to know Chris through his work toward the playground, requested the naming of the playground for Murzin after his death.

“After he was killed, and some of the initial shock wore off, I knew that there should be some way to honor Chris,” Chandler told People News papers shortly af ter submitting the request. “His ad vocacy of the play ground was where most people first learned about Chris and got to know him.”

On an application form asking the city to name the playground, Chandler wrote:

“Chris was known as a fierce advocate for children with special needs and was ac tively involved with anything and every thing that supported the lives of those chil dren. Chris was strongly involved with the local school district and the community.”

“In the mid-2000s, during a renovation of the park now known as Coffee Park, Chris began a movement, spending count less hours, to have the children’s play ground designed for all children, regard less of physical or intellectual abilities.”

UNSOLVED CASE

Those with information about Chris

death should contact DPD Homicide Detective McDaniel at 469-261-6790, or tonya.mcdaniel@dallascityhall.com and reference case number 0253795-2021.

Additional information about the case is available at help4chris.com.

Murzin’s

Members of the Murzin family and University Park officials celebrated the dedication of the Murzin Family Playground at Coffee Park on Oct. 22. (PHOTOS: RACHEL SNYDER)

Y’all know Chris, he likes a challenge, and he knew he couldn’t do it on his own. We had to bring in the community.

Christina Murzin

Protester with Protect Texas Kids Cited, Accused of Assault

By Rachel Snyder rachel.snyder@peoplenewspapers.com

University Park police cited one protest er for misdemeanor assault during a Pro tect Texas Kids rally in Coffee Park.

An independent journalist document ing the Oct. 22 protest said the protester shoved him twice. The citation carries a fine of up to $500.

The Protect Tex as Kids group shared a video on social me dia from the protest showing members carrying signage that read, “STOP Tran sitioning Kids it ’s child Abuse! (sic)” and chanting against a Dallas judge re garding a decision in a child custody case involving Jeff Young er, who, per the Dal las Morning News, is fighting to stop his child’s gender transition. District Court Judge Mary Brown is believed to live near the area.

Independent journalist Steven Monacelli said a protest organizer called him out shortly after he arrived at the park, and another pro tester called him an anti-Semitic slur.

“I walked away from the protest within

two minutes of arriving, having been made to feel unwelcome,” Monacelli said.

He said a woman followed him as he walked away, and he can be heard on video he shared on social media from the protest asking the woman to stop following him just before a man walked up and shoved him.

“He began threatening me, pushing me, and claiming I’ve done things to him which I haven’t done,” Monacel li continued. “Af ter being pushed once, I told (the man) to not touch me. He did it again.”

Police then es corted the pro tester away.

University Park Police Chief Bill Mathes said the group, esti mated at about 25 people, didn’t have a special events permit for the protest and were asked to leave the park.

“The group was cooperative and ul timately moved away from the park,” Mathes said.

People Newspapers reached out to Protect Texas Kids’ executive director for comment, but we haven’t heard back.

Letters to the Editor

Good job on Hyer story

I saw the article you ran about the Hyer art teacher in November’s paper. Thank you for running it. I really appreciate how you present ed the story and the FACTS.

Samantha Heidbrink University Park

Needs better reporting

I am an avid read er of Park Cities People From “Comings and Goings” to general up dates about the com munity, I appreciate your publication very much.

However, lit tle of the article in your November is sue titled “New Art Teacher Joins Hyer Elementary: What We Know” actual ly explains what we know about the for mer art teacher and situation.

Instead, much of it is a piece about a taxpayer and his school board speeches.

Here are some ways in which the arti cle could be updated to be more fact-based than opinion-driven:

1. Instead of running a photo of the Hyer Elementary building, publish the for mer teacher’s referenced social media posts. (I am including some of them, although I do not have the screenshots of the drawings

of women being bound and handcuffed in sexual positions. Please note that her ac count was public when they were posted - which means there is no issue with you publishing them in your December issue, with my letter). These circulated the com munity, so it is surprising that you were un able to secure them during research for the piece.

2. Interview two Hyer parents: one who is happy about the resignation and one who is unhappy about it.

3. Publish the email that was cir culating in the com munity and was sent to HPISD by a con cerned parent (per haps this could be one of the two par ents in #2 above). This email provides details about why so many parents were concerned about this teacher being around their 4 to 8-year-old children.

Thank you for your time.

Sara Wilcox University Park

Editor’s note: We have yet to authenticate screengrabs of the social media posts mentioned and are not inclined to publish the drawings ref erenced. Attempts to secure an interview with the former art teacher have not succeeded so far.

After being pushed once, I told (the man) to not touch me. He did it again.

Steven Monacelli

NORTHPARK’S NEW SANTA IS AN ENGINEER AND ROCKSTAR

Lagrone brings background of aerospace, singing, acting, playing instruments

By Maria Lawson maria.lawson@peoplenewspapers.com

When Joel Lagrone isn’t working as an engineer at Lockheed Martin, he’s playing Santa Claus at North Park Center.

He landed the role this year, following Dr. Carl Anderson (the previous North Park Santa)’s retirement after a 32-year stint, but this isn’t Lagrone’s first time play ing Kris Kringle.

He said he began working as Santa for the Dallas Cowboys and making other high-visibility appearances after being ap proached by a woman known as Mrs. Claus Dallas. “She said, ‘Have you ever thought about being Santa?’”

“It’s one of those deals that you [think about] over the years, especially when you look like I did, which was very theatrical,” La grone said, adding he “always wore a beard.”

Santa isn’t the first role he’s played, though. He’s previously played Jesus in Christmas shows, King Triton in The Little Mermaid, and Javert in Les Misérables

A musician, he’s also sung at Texas Rangers games and played with his band at work.

Lagrone will bring a “rock and roll

twist” to the part of Santa since he has a background playing guitar and ukulele.

NorthPark Center has free “Stories and Songs with Santa Claus” every Monday through Saturday at 10:30 a.m. and noon

on Sundays. Lagrone will perform classics like Rock Around the Clock

“But I was not a rockstar until I be came Santa,” Lagrone said. “It will be me playing guitar, as opposed to just singing

VISIT SANTA

Santa Claus will be available for photos Nov. 25 through Dec. 24 on level one of NorthPark Center in Macy’s Court. He is available Monday through Saturday from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Sunday 12:30 p.m. to 5 p.m. (except for Christmas Eve hours of 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.). Book

with the kids.”

Lagrone’s favorite part of playing Santa is bringing a smile to “children of all ages.”

“Santa ends up being that distributor of joy for children,” Lagrone said. “Some times it’s a matter of getting them to relax at Christmas because that can be stressful but knowing that you can help in that even just by being silly, telling a joke.”

Shelby Foster, who works in content strategy and public relations for North Park Center, said scheduled visits allow each child to have a “special moment” with Santa.

“They really have ... enough time to have that special one-on-one connection with Santa,” Foster said.

To have time to work as Santa, Lagrone is combining vacation time with a leave of absence from his Lockheed Martin position.

“When I approached our human re sources and our communications folks, they were most excited, especially about the fact that NorthPark utilizes this as a community service,” he said, noting pro ceeds go to Children’s Health. “There is nothing about my work that they would ever disagree with that.”

Remembering Fun With Dr. Carl Anderson, the Retired Mr. Claus

People Newspapers staff mem bers and readers shared memories of Dr. Carl Anderson, who retired this summer after 32 years as the NorthPark Santa Claus.

The Hurmis Family

“These two waited anxiously in long lines for many years to see Santa at NorthPark and now they have done the same with their children.” – Kim Hurmis

The Wallace Family

“These photos are from Santa’s

first year at NorthPark with me at age 4 and his last year in person at NorthPark with three of our four boys. We are sad that COVID kept our youngest, a 2020 baby, from meeting him before he retired.

Wells Wallace saw four Santas that year at various events. He was terrified of every Santa except Dr. Anderson and is crying in all of our pictures from that year with every other Santa. He knew Dr. Anderson was the real deal and was so mes merized by him that he didn’t want to leave his lap.” – Jourdy Wallace

Share the memories of your children with former NorthPark Santa Dr. Carl Anderson with us online.

Santa ends up being that distributor of joy for children.

Joel Lagrone

times through North-Park-Mall-ia.com/SantaPhotos.

Joel Lagrone comes from a background of performing as Jesus, King Triton, and most importantly, Santa Claus. (PHOTO: COURTESY NORTHPARK CENTER)

The Vera Family

“This has been a family tradition for three generations. Now Ken nedy says she does not want to see Santa anymore.” – Victoria Vera

— Compiled by Maria Lawson

The Hurmis Family. FROM LEFT: Callie Hurmis Jones, Santa, and Holly Hurmis Langford, 1993.

The Vera Family. LEFT, FROM LEFT: Edward McCurdy, Victoria Vera, Santa, Veronica Vera, and Marie Vera, 1996. RIGHT, FROM LEFT: Santa and Kennedy Vera, 2019.

The Wallace Family. TOP, FROM LEFT: Santa and Jourdy Wallace, 1989. BOTTOM, FROM LEFT: Westbrook Wallace, Wells Wallace, Santa, and Leo Wallace, 2019.

be an attor ney

I had no friends, but early on, I met Lou is Vuitton, Alexander McQueen, and Marc Jacobs. I was lone ly, but with these guys as friends, a girl can never be too lonely.

As a child, my favorite foot ball team was the Dallas Cowboys. When I was in law school at UCLA, Troy Aikman was the big man on campus, so when I had the opportu nity to move to Big D, I knew it was meant to be.

Dallas brought me love: I met my hubby here and my most pre cious gift, an annoying, spoiled, loveable child.

As an attorney for American Airlines, the sexiest industry in the world, every day was an adventure. For years after I left, I was bombard ed with stories about lost luggage and crying babies.

It is here, in this great city, that I found my voice through commu nity service. I am privileged to have the luxury of doing volunteer work. I started with the PTA but quickly learned that my real drive and enjoy ment developed while working on boards for wonderful nonprofits like Planned Parenthood, Educational First Steps, Orphan Outreach, and the Dallas Holocaust Museum.

In Dallas, I learned about polit ical relationships, particularly red and blue. And, although I am a die hard Democrat, it is Texas Repub licans who convinced me that they have all the fun.

Several years ago, I took a wrong turn into a U.S. Sen. John Cornyn fundraiser where doughnuts and other treats flowed like wild rapids (I stayed to listen while eating an apple fritter). Another time I tried to vote in a Republican primary because they had party decorations, balloons, and were friendly.

Through these and other eye-opening experiences, I know that what matters most is the heart of Texans.

So, as I pack up to move back to Colorado, it is that giant Texas heart that I will miss most, along with the infinite sunsets and the margaritas at Javier’s.

Of course, my best gig has been writing. I have written this column in Colleyville and Dallas for over 20 years. I started writing so my daugh ter might know me as a younger, cooler woman rather than her med dling, helicopter mom.

I now realize that I wrote this column to entertain you and me. Thank you for reading.

People Newspapers will miss Mi chele Valdez’s wit. We hope she finds a new writing gig in her new home.

MICHELE VALDEZ

Pandemic Prompted an SMU Alum to Switch Gears and Make Her First Movie

Mollie Mulvey’s debut drama, shot on her family’s ranch, has screened at multiple film festivals

By Todd Jorgenson People Newspapers

Mollie Mulvey was set to graduate from SMU in the spring of 2020 before heading to Chicago to study with the famed Second City comedy troupe and hopefully launch a filmmaking career.

Of course, the pandemic changed all that. Mulvey and her classmates were sent home two months before graduation, and she retreated to her family’s ranch in the Texas Hill Country, uncertain of her cre ative future.

So, she looked instead to her past.

The Better Part, a low-budget feature dra ma about grief and relationships, stemmed from an 18-minute undergraduate short film she had made two years earlier.

“It was pretty well received, but peo ple told me it was a feature-length story. It needed more time to develop the relation ships,” Mulvey said. “That was always in the back of my mind for something to do way in the future.”

Suddenly, the future became the present for Mulvey, who fleshed out her original script and pitched some of her friends and classmates “while waiting for the world to get back to normal.”

“They were itching to get out of their houses, so they were really eager to work on it,” said Mulvey, a native of the Austin area.

Mulvey kept the logistics simple enough, using the ranch as a single setting, and ran a crowdfunding campaign to get things rolling.

“All of us, in the back of our minds, didn’t know if it would turn out to be any thing,” she said. “I didn’t know if it would come to fruition, but I had nothing to lose.”

The finished film, shot over 21 days be ginning in December 2020, has screened at multiple festivals, including the Lone Star Film Festival in Fort Worth.

The story — about a group of estranged high school classmates who gather to mourn the death of a popular teacher while resolv ing issues from their past — is based in part on personal experiences.

While Mulvey was at SMU, a friend from high school committed suicide. They had drifted apart, but Mulvey didn’t know about her pain. She decided to drive home and go to the funeral, where she realized that her ex-boyfriend was sitting in the row in front of her.

Mulvey tried to avoid the awkward inter action. But when that didn’t work, she reluc tantly decided to eat breakfast with him the next morning.

“We just talked about our friend and mu tually grieved. I was so pleasantly surprised,”

she said. “Any kind of tension we had was gone. I walked out and had gotten the clo sure I needed.”

Mulvey acknowledged The Better Part would have never been made if it weren’t for the pandemic and related lockdowns.

“We were all planning on moving and leaving and doing our own things. I didn’t know when I would get a chance to direct again,” she said. “The pandemic was horrible, but I’m a believer that we can make some thing good out of almost anything if we re ally try. That’s the artist mentality in me.”

Five former classmates are brought together by grief in Mollie Mulvey’s The Better Part. (COURTESY PHOTO)

UP ENTREPRENEUR CARRIES ON FAMILY LEGACY

Emerson owns, breeds cutting horses, competes alongside his father

By Todd Jorgenson People Newspapers

There aren’t many ranches or stables in the Park Cities, so equestrian sports aren’t usually atop the list of recre ational activities.

That’s not true for Cory Emerson, a University Park entrepreneur from a fam ily of horsemen. Emerson has shown cut ting horses for more than two decades alongside his father, Billy.

He grew up in a ranching family. As a child, Emerson spent his weekend on his grandfather’s 2,000-acre working cattle ranch about an hour south of Dallas. By 1987, his father and grandfather became involved with cutting horses, first buying and eventually breeding them.

life progressed, things got more serious. It allowed me to stay connected to the out doors. It’s kept me well-balanced.”

Cutting horse competitions, derived from techniques used on working cattle ranches, require a horse and rider to separate a sin gle cow from a herd of cattle and prevent it from getting back to the herd.

Emerson and his 77-year-old father fre quently participate in the same events. Their crowning achievement came this summer at the prestigious Fort Worth Summer Spec tacular when both made the finals in sep arate classes on the same horse. It was a homebred stallion named Mo town Cat, which made the honor more special.

“It’s just wide-open spaces. I’m running around in boots and Wranglers, riding horses and shooting BB guns,” said Em erson, a venture capitalist and co-founder of the outdoor furniture company CHA MA Chairs. “Coming back to Dallas, as

Emerson’s family stables about 20 hors es with five trainers in Texas and Oklaho ma. They’re especial ly proud of Motown Cat, sired by High Brow Cat — owned by Park Cities resident Dar ren Blanton — and the Em erson mare Royal Red Rosita.

“While it takes a lot of time, it’s important to me. I want to be able to con tinue to breed the right horses,” Emerson said. “There’s a little bit of pressure to keep the relationships my dad has made with

the top trainers, but I’m excited to continue that and also to hand that down to my daughters.”

Plus, Emerson enjoys spreading the sport’s popularity during his daily cof fee runs when neighbors ask him about his unique attire en route to the ranch.

Emerson credits increased social-media branding plus the popularity of West ern-themed shows like Yellowstone

“When I tell them I compete, it goes to another level,” he said. “I’m seeing more in fluence in the sport and people gravitating to it. The notoriety is expanding, which is doing wonders for the sport.”

Pullano looks to make a splash in first season with Blue Wave

By Todd Jorgenson People Newspapers

Jason Pullano wasn’t sure he’d get a second chance to come to High land Park. Now he’s glad he did.

The school’s new swimming and diving coach was initially ap proached about joining the Blue Wave as an assistant in 2020, but the timing wasn’t right to make the move from Granbury.

Two years later, with longtime HP coach Jesse Cole retiring, Pul lano jumped at the opportunity to lead a program with such a distin guished pedigree into a new era.

“I kicked myself for a year. I was hoping I didn’t burn my bridges,” said Pullano, who had coached at Granbury since 2014. “We wanted to go someplace that was close to the Metroplex and that had a facility the district owned.”

Not only does HP make sense geographically for Pullano, but the district’s new state-of-the-art nata torium is a particular source of pride.

“I really want to honor the

tradition of what has been done here,” Pullano said. “The goal is to fill this pool with as much history as the last pool.”

Pullano is familiar with the HP girls dynasty from the 2000s when the Blue Wave won 10 consecutive team titles at the UIL state meet. That dominance overlapped with his swimming ca reer at Euless Trin ity.

He wants to continue filling HP’s trophy case, but Pullano’s approach is differ ent after overhauling his coaching style during the pandemic.

In a sport dominated by repet itive conditioning, how does he give swimmers a chance to com pete in games like their athlet ic peers? That’s where “game the ory” has become part of the Blue Wave’s routine, making a grueling daily grind more fun without sac rificing performance.

“I feel passionate about it because

I was always the swimmer who want ed to play games but had to do con ditioning,” he said. “I want to bring joy to swimming. We’re going to work hard, and we’re going to smile.”

Although a move to the Class 6A classification for the next two years will be chal lenging, Pullano said early results are promising for his young roster.

“It’s not going to change the way we approach prac tices and meets,” Pullano said. “It’s the same 25 yards of water.”

Pullano aims to build a foun dation for future success through culture and relationships and find synergies with the school’s new water polo program, which began competing this fall.

“We work together, and we complement each other,” Pullano said. “We want to make Highland Park the premier aquatics program in the state of Texas.”

TOP: Cory Emerson, center, and his father, Billy, right, have competed together in cutting horse competitions for more than two decades. LEFT: Cory Emerson qualified for the finals aboard his family’s homebred stallion Motown Cat at the Fort Worth Summer Spectacular. (COURTESY PHOTOS)

It allowed me to stay connected to the outdoors. Cory Emerson

Highland Park swimming coach Jason Pullano has high expectations as the program competes in Class 6A. (PHOTOS: CHRIS MCGATHEY)

I really want to honor the tradition.

Jason Pullano

HP Honors 13 Senior Athletes on Fall Signing Day Seniors from six sports will compete next year at colleges from coast to coast

By Todd Jorgenson People Newspapers

Until this summer, Paris Lau ro didn’t know she would have a chance to play college basketball at the NCAA Division I level.

But after standout perfor mances in basketball tournaments around the country on the select circuit, recruiting interest suddenly intensified for the Highland Park senior.

That culminated in Lauro sign ing with the University of New Mexico on Nov. 9. She was hon ored along with 12 other HP ath letes during a ceremony on the first day of the fall signing period.

“They were a school I was al ready interested in,” said Lauro, who committed to the Lobos after visiting the campus a few months ago. “It’s a win ning program and a winning culture.”

Two HP girls soccer players also signed with Division I pro grams — mid fielders Hattie Patterson (Mis sissippi) and Ella Weathersby (Arizona). Goalkeeper Claire

Binns will play at the Division III level for Trinity University.

Patterson visited the Ole Miss campus during her junior season for the Lady Scots in February and committed a month later. She said signing with the Rebels to close the recruiting process was a relief.

“It was so stressful, but when you find the place that’s right, it feels great,” Patterson said. “I felt so comfortable and so at home.”

Weathersby will be almost 1,000 miles from home, but she will join an Arizona roster that in cludes several Dallas-area natives, thanks to a coaching staff with sig nificant Texas ties.

“The campus, the people, and the coaching staff were all super appealing to me,” said Weathers by, who committed to the Wild cats in the spring. “I’m looking forward to the challenges ac ademically and athletically.”

After a 42win season, the HP volley ball program had four play ers sign with Division I schools, including Syd ney Breon (UCLA), Ceci Gooch (Michigan), Zoe Winford (Georgia

Tech), and Nicole Mauser (Califor nia Baptist).

Breon has been enamored with California since vacationing there when she was younger, and the opportunity to play volleyball for the Bruins was too good to pass up. She has been committed to

UCLA for about 18 months.

“I wanted to go to a bigger school with great academics and athletics,” Breon said. “I really wanted to go out west. They check all the boxes.”

Other HP athletes honored for signings and college commitments

included Dylan Walker (boys bas ketball, Lubbock Christian), Will Cornog (boys soccer, Port land), Charlotte Hudson (girls track and field, Richmond), Ben Abel (lacrosse, Loyola Mary land), and Rebecca Bustos (field hockey, Davidson).

SCHEDULE OF EVENTS

When you find the place that’s right, it feels great.

Hattie Patterson

FRONT ROW, FROM LEFT: Highland Park fall signees Rebecca Bustos (Davidson), Charlotte Hudson (Richmond), Ella Weathersby (Arizona), Claire Binns (Trinity University), Zoe Winford (Georgia Tech), and Hattie Patterson (Mississippi). BACK: Paris Lauro (New Mexico), Dylan Walker (Lubbock Christian), Will Cornog (Portland), Ben Abel (Loyola Maryland), Ceci Gooch (Michigan), Sydney Breon (UCLA), and Nicole Mauser (California Baptist). (PHOTO: CHRIS MCGATHEY)

Gretchen Brasch gretchen.brasch@compass.com 214.460.9488

Catherine Grey catherine.freeman@compass.com 314.489.8703

Elly Sachs Holder elly.holder@compass.com 214.207.6708

Kaki Miller kaki.miller@compass.com 214.926.9176

BLOWING SMOKE: CIGAR CLUB SPARKS CAMARADERIE

The Ashe tobacco lounge reopens with new management, mission

By Daniel Lalley Special Contributor

For over four years, The Ashe cigar and tobacco lounge has existed as a Park Cities and Lovers Lane fixture.

Just west of the Dallas North Toll way, this community of aficionados, execu tives, and average Joes regularly convenes to kick back in a club atmosphere, enjoying the simple pleasures of premium tobacco accented with period ic conversation.

Matt Proctor, a Dallas native and businessman, has been a member for several years. As an avid cigar smoker, he holds an af finity for the culture and camaraderie that cigar clubs inspire in the commu nity. When he began noticing that the lounge was losing its luster, he couldn’t bear to let the business go up in smoke.

“When the club began to lose its energy, I got together with three oth er members, and we decided to invest and buy it so it would stay as part of the neighborhood community,” he said. “We purchased it with the intent to re vamp everything. We brought in an ex pert tobacconist, and he’s been instru mental in handling our relationships with distributors and suppliers.”

The Ashe now carries around 300 varieties of cigars in-house, but they

have access to over 2,000 through their extensive distributor network.

“We’re one of only 14 dealers that carries Atabey cigars,” Proctor said. “We carry a lot of really unique prod ucts like that. We also carry some really high-end Padróns, Fuentes, Opus, and things like that, but we run the spectrum of both high-end and af fordable brands.”

Of course, the immense selec tion of tobacco is just one com ponent of what makes this club.

The Ashe serves as common ground for a diverse set of community mem bers. Since it’s BYOB and open 24/7, members can always drop in, kick back, and light up. This makes it both a wel coming retreat and an excellent place to meet friends and make connections.

“We’re made up of a fairly mixed set of members from across the Park Cities community,” Proctor said. “We welcome everyone from ex-business men to current business owners, peo ple connected to different local sports industries and beyond. We even have a young executive program, and that’s been great for younger folks to be able to network and get to know other older executives in the area. At the end of the day, we want everyone to come, relax and be stress-free.”

AT A GLANCE

Livestock, Ranching Industries Celebrate Lawyer Clark Willingham

By Josh Hickman Special Contributor

Recently, the prestigious 2022 Golden Spur Award, given by the livestock and ranching industries in recognition of accomplishments by an individual, went to longtime Park Cities resident Clark Willingham.

“It’s a unique story that some body from the Park Cities gets the national ranching award,” Willing ham said.

It started when Willingham, then a student at SMU Dedman School of Law, was working a part-time job as a bookkeeper at the Peggy Taylor Talent Agency. He asked young model Jane Hitch out on a date. A year later, they were married.

“She said she grew up on a farm,” Willingham said, chuckling. “That was a gross understatement.”

In 1884, Jane’s great-grandfa ther, James K. Hitch, homestead ed in the desolate Oklahoma pan handle and started the now historic Hitch Ranch, which still thrives with a capacity for over 100,000 head of cattle.

Specializing in agricultural tax law, Willingham graduated from

SMU and began performing lob bying work in Washington for the industry.

“My father-in-law told me I re ally needed to be involved in the in dustry associations,” he recalled.

Willingham joined the Nation al Cattlemen’s Beef Association and the Texas Cattle Feeders Associa tion, becoming the president of the latter by 1988.

“The convention was here in Dallas that year, and I got Stanley Marcus to be my keynote speaker,” Willingham said.

Marcus and fellow convention speaker Bo Pilgrim urged him to diversify the marketing of the beef industry.

“Stanley Marcus said, ‘You guys are just selling steak. You need to broaden your base,’” Willingham recalled. “So, we did.”

Through his Texas Cattle Feeders

connections, Willingham got on the Texas Beef Council.

“I just kept getting on these boards, moving up through the ladders of those,” he said. “I be came a big proponent to merge all of these organizations, and ulti mately we did.”

The merger happened in 1996, and he was president of the Nation al Cattlemen’s Beef Association by 1998 – the 100th year anniversary of a national livestock organization.

“Ironically, the very first presi dent in 1898 was also a lawyer from Dallas,” Willingham noted. “I went to almost every state Cattlemen’s Association meeting over the years, also New Zealand and Australia for the Meat Export Federation.”

Willingham is the treasurer of the National Cattlemen’s Founda tion, on the selection committee for the Environmental Stewardship

Award, and on the Tax Committee.

“The Environmental Stew ardship Award is pretty import ant these days,” he explained. “We need to show how the industry re ally is green.”

Though he and Jane now re side off nearby Turtle Creek, Will ingham’s long Park Cities roots run deep. Their daughter Mere dith Mabus is a past president of the Armstrong PTA, her husband Rick started the Highland Park High School Cycling Team and Bass Fishing Team, and this year their son Will is president of both as a senior.

“I still practice law,” Willingham said. “I still do a lot of lobbying in Washington. I still go to all the cattle industry meetings, and I’ve still got the same season tickets at Highland Park games. I’m not giv ing them up; they’re good seats.”

Clark Willingham (PHOTO: JOSH HICKMAN)

The Ashe 5621 W. Lovers Lane Memberships stat at $100

At the end of the day, we want everyone to come, relax and be stress-free.

Matt Proctor

Club members gather at The Ashe on Lovers Lane to enjoy good company and great cigars. (PHOTOS: EVA HENNIGAN)

Dallas

Real Talk: Eddie Maestri

New Orleans native Eddie Mae stri began designing homes in Dallas in 2004 and founded his namesake bou tique architecture and interior design firm in 2008.

Maestri, a registered architect in Tex as, Louisiana, Oklahoma, Tennessee, and Nevada, earned Bachelor of Envi ronmental Design and Master of Archi tecture degrees from Texas A&M Uni versity with a health system and design certificate.

“I still bring a sketchbook with me whenever I travel, and I find that I can learn so much about space and design through hand sketching,” Maestri said. “I rely heavily on sketching to convey design vision to my clients; it’s a part of the design process that I truly love.”

What led you to this career?

When I was a kid, my parents built a custom home, and I would visit the ar chitect’s office with them, as well as go with them to pick out the finishes and furniture. I was instantly obsessed. I al ways enjoyed working on house projects

with my parents and chiming in on the design. Growing up in New Orleans, I was immersed in architecture and design with character, and when it came time to choose a career, there was really no ques tion for me as to what I wanted to do.

Now that you’ve been an interior design professional, if you could go back in time and give yourself any advice, what would it be?

To seek out education in how busi ness and architecture/design work to gether. For me, my formal education fo cused so much on technical application and design theory but had very little to do with how to actually run and operate a design firm. I am still seeking out that knowledge, and having a strong group of industry peers has been a great asset.

What is your outlook on the Dallas market?

As Dallas seems to never stop grow ing, it is also constantly reinventing itself. As more people move to the Dallas area, they are bringing with them influences

from their roots, and the Dallas market seems to be still writing its own story of design. We are fortunate to have a tru ly great Design District here that brings global offerings within easy reach and has created a strong design community.

Can you give us a fun fact about yourself?

I come from a long line of peo ple in the home and building industry. My last name, Maestri, is Italian and translates to “Masters.” We have traced our lineage to the Middle Ages in Ita ly, where my ancestors were part of the Maestri Comacini, who are known to have transformed Europe through ar chitecture, plaster works, engineering, and stonemasonry. When I was 19, I traveled with my father and uncle to a small town in Northern Italy, where we learned more about our family. We even encountered a church in the center of the town, noting the architect was part of the Maestri family.

– Compiled by Rachel Snyder

DECEMBER 24: CHRISTMAS EVE

11 a.m.

Joy! A Children’s Service | Church 1 p.m.

Jazz Mass | Church 3 p.m.

Traditional | Church

Traditional | Saint Michael Chapel Contemporary | Parish Hall 5 p.m.

Traditional | Church Traditional | Saint Michael Chapel Contemporary | Parish Hall 10:30 p.m.

Traditional | Church with incense

DECEMBER 25: CHRISTMAS DAY 10 a.m.

Traditional | Saint Michael Chapel

JANUARY 1: HOLY NAME 9 a.m.

Traditional | Church 11 a.m.

Contemporary | Church

JANUARY 5: EVE OF EPIPHANY

5:30 p.m.

Traditional | Church 6:30 p.m. Burning of the Greens | Garden Cloister

4 p.m. in the Church and Livestreamed

December 4

ADVENT LESSONS & CAROLS with incense

Begin the Advent Season with this beloved service of readings, music, and processions led by the Saint Michael Choir. saintmichael.org/AdventLC

December 18 CHRISTMAS LESSONS & CAROLS with incense

As we prepare for Christmas and the birth of Christ, join us for this service featuring nine Lessons and Carols sung by our Saint Michael Choristers and Choir. saintmichael.org/ChristmasLC

January 22 — New Service!

EPIPHANY LESSONS & CAROLS with incense

A special evening of music and lesson readings featuring both traditional and contemporary selections of Epiphany hymns and original arrangements to observe the Light of the World given to all.

saintmichael.org/EpiphanyLC

SAINT MICHAEL AND ALL ANGELS EPISCOPAL CHURCH | 8011 Douglas Avenue, Dallas, Texas, 75225 | saintmichael.org

*Services in person and livestreamed where indicated.

(PHOTO: COURTESY MAESTRI STUDIOS)

Meredith Ferrell meredith.ferrell@compass.com 214.868.1177 mferrellhomes

Brenda Ray brenda.ray@compass.com 214.864.9070 brendaraydallas

Mackenzie Harper mackenzie.harper@compass.com 573.289.5553 mackenzie.compass

Catherine McGuire catherine.mcguire@compass.com 512.771.1510 cmcguire.compass

HOUSE OF THE MONTH 5515 Yolanda Lane

This sensational 9,221-square-foot, five-bedroom Country French home on more than one acre in the estate area of Preston Hollow has been updated with care and quality. The six living areas include a great room, music room, library, media room, game room, huge bonus room, and private office. The first-floor primary suite has a large walk-in closet and a separate sitting room. A guest suite also is located downstairs. Other highlights include three fireplaces, vaulted ceilings, and an incredible 1,600-bottle wine room. A gorgeous loggia spans the rear of the home, bringing in light and superb views of the covered entertaining area with a fireplace and two televisions, a beautiful pool, a large yard, and a lighted play area. The tech-minded will appreciate Control4 lighting, audio, video, and security. Other highlights include a backup generator to support critical areas, great storage, and automated gates at the west side.

Comings and Goings

NOW OPEN

Annie Bing NorthPark Center

The Los Angeles-based womenswear brand recently opened its first North Texas boutique on level one near Nordstrom.

Escondido

Preston-Royal Southwest

A Tex-Mex eatery is open for the first time since the 2019 tornado in the space formerly occupied by Ruggeri’s. The latest restaurant by Jon Alexis of TJ’s Seafood Market and Grill and Malibu Poke will offer Tex-Mex favorites includ ing fajitas like the ancho but ter fajita with choice of chick en, steak, shrimp, or portobello, enchiladas, tacos, and nachos. With patio seating for 75, it’s also said to have the largest pa tio in Preston Hollow.

Iwa Sushi

Preston-Royal Southwest

The Japanese sushi and grill spot offers such favorites as spicy tuna roll, Philadel phia roll or ahi tuna tower, and bento boxes, as well as a range of dessert options from creme brulee to bread pudding.

Second Chapter Bookstore Snider Plaza

The pop-up volunteer-led bookstore benefiting the University Park Library is

open again next to East Hampton Sandwich Co. and Short Stop until Jan. 14. Those in terested in donating books for the shop can donate in store or at University Park’s Peek Service Center at 4420 Worcola St.

COMING

Brentwood Snider Plaza

Vandelay Hospitality Group is opening the second location of the Southwest-in spired American restaurant concept in the spring – one of five Vandelay concepts com ing soon to the shopping center. The first Brentwood location opened recently in the former Houston’s space in Addison and the menu includes white cheddar enchiladas topped with a yellow mole and New Mexico red sauce, a Santa Fe burger, and green chili cornbread.

Slider and Blues Snider Plaza

Another Vandelay venture, this fami ly-friendly eatery and arcade parlor – a re vamp of a popular concept that once had multiple locations in Dallas-Fort Worth – will open on Hillcrest in the former lo cation of Vandelay’s Lucky’s Hot Chick en this winter. The menu will feature bites for snacking and sharing, including an as sortment of fries, tater tots, onion rings, and corn nuggets. Entrees include artisanal burgers and sliders, grilled and fried chicken sandwiches, hotdogs, and salads.

– Compiled by Rachel Snyder

(PHOTOS: DAVE PERRY MILLER REAL ESTATE)

Escondido (PHOTO: KATHY TRAN)

Brentwood (PHOTO: VANDELAY HOSPITALITY GROUP)

Warmly Sophisticated

3717 Maplewood Avenue

Offered for $6,999,000

4 Bed / 3.2 Bath / 5,067 Sq. Ft.

Alex Perry 214.926.0158

alex.perry@alliebeth.com

Home for the Holidays

5125

Offered for $2,499,000

4,679

Susan Bradley

214.674.5518

susan.bradley@alliebeth.com

Beauty Guru Seeks a Better World ‘One Person at a Time’

By Josh Hickman Special Contributor

To the unaware, it may come as a surprise that Sophia Michelle Andreola hails from a medical background, but her patients know the beauty guru’s knowledge runs deep.

“The problem we have in the U.S. is putting out fires instead of growing and building,” said the woman behind Preston Center’s Sophia Michelle Aesthetics. “A huge part of my practice is teaching a per spective of how to make choices with in a day that do af fect the aging pro cess.”

Aside from re search and teaching, the former vascular physician’s assistant was inspired by her patients.

“I received letters from patients on the im pact the procedures made,” she recalled, find ing their gratitude life-changing. “Insecurities had transcended into their entire lives.”

About a decade ago, Andreola started a medical practice consulting business.

“At that time, the aesthetic industry in Texas was changing because the laws were changing,” she said. “A physician or PA now had to clear patients before they received treatment. I eventually fell in love with aes thetics, seeing the impact of how a little change could alter a person’s entire life.”

Teaching sclera therapy, filler, and Botox, Andreola drew clients worldwide to spend a day or two with her. But the single mom with three children found the increasing work and travel overwhelming, so she stopped teaching and opened her aesthetic clinical practice.

“The benefit I get from spending an ex tensive amount of time with someone, getting to know them, then being able to guide them with evidence-based procedures has been ex traordinarily powerful,” she said. “Beauty very much starts on the inside.”

Andreola eschews a cookie-cutter ap proach in favor of a personal one. “A lot of people walk into a business and are handed a list of things to do and their prices. That’s just not the way to go.”

Roughly a third of her patients come to her for hair loss; the other two-thirds seek anti-aging treat ment. “A lot of my patients are very ed ucated — lawyers, doctors, medical professionals.”

Andreola wants her patients to un derstand their treat ments.

“Unfortunately, every day, thousands of new products, procedures, and techniques hit the market, and there is much less research behind them,” she said. “The most im portant thing to me is for my patients to have knowledge.

“My patients walk out of my office looking refreshed — like their best selves — and still looking like themselves,” An dreola added.

With Sophia Michelle Aesthetics going strong after seven years, Andreola looks for ward to finishing her first book, for which she has already found a publisher.

The Little Black Book of Beauty will in clude sections on the aesthetic industry, a history of beauty, cosmetic surgery, hair, and how to strategize beauty within a budget.

“It would be amazing to turn the book into an online platform,” Andreola said, pondering the future before getting philo sophical. “My purpose in life is to help the world be a better place, and that can just be one person at a time.”

AT A GLANCE

Sophia Michelle Aesthetics

8335 Westchester Drive, Suite 10-29 214-500-9287 sophiamichelle.com

Sophia Michelle Aesthetics offers an array of care options in Preston Center. (PHOTOS: JOSH HICKMAN)

STUDENT ACHIEVEMENTS: MUSIC, SCHOLARSHIP, PHILANTHROPY

5

1. All Region Orchestra

See 23 Highland Strings students perform during the Region 20 Concert at 4 p.m. Dec. 3 at Berkner High School in Richardson. TOP, FRONT, FROM LEFT: Alex Stucka, Justine Choi, Iris Song, Linda Chen, Elizabeth Chen, Casey Hale, and Zepnep Akdora. BACK: Quentin Balestri, Tommy Zhang, Neelan Krishna, Elijah Son, Dalton Burford, Timmy Zhang, and Richard Li. NOT PICTURED: Lillian Williams, Kathryn Hale, Claire Fin ger, Jenny Shi, Luke Haglund, Spencer Luu, Alec Fang, Ryan Wright, and Lucy Henrich. Five Highland Park High orchestra students also advanced to All-Area competition: Nee lan Krishna, Iris Song, Linda Chen, Tommy Zhang, and Timmy Zhang.

2. Walking for water

McCulloch Intermediate School sixth

graders walked around the campus on Oct. 21 carrying gallon jugs of water. The annual Water Walk mimics the experience of chil dren in less developed countries who may have to walk for miles to bring water home. The campus also collected sealed water jugs to donate to the North Texas Food Bank. “My biggest takeaway was to be thankful for what we have,” student Saylor Stalk said. “Something as simple as having easy access to water allows us to focus on school.”

3. Big band wins

The Highlander Band swept all class B ti tles, taking first place in preliminaries at the Mansfield Preview of Champions competition in September while earning caption awards for Drumline, Color Guard, Music, and Visuals. Highland Park placed fourth overall against larger bands in the finals and was awarded the

Visual caption. The band also made a debut performance at the Bands of America North Texas Regional Competition in October, finishing in third place. The Highland Park drumline placed third in the 6A Advanced di vision at the HEB Drumline clinic in Bedford.

4. Ruby’s Runway

Highland Park High School seniors Campbell Nelson, Ella Scott Singleton, Re ese Singleton, and Tatum Thomason creat ed Ruby’s Runway, a dress resale fundraising event, and raised $21,816 for Williams Syn drome research. Williams Syndrome is a rare genetic condition that causes mild to mod erate delays in cognitive development and learning difficulties.

5. Commended Students

In November issues, we reported on

National Merit Semifinalists. Highland Park High School also had 35 seniors se lected as Commended Students after tak ing the 2021 Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test: Emi ly Adams, Zeynep Akdora, Sean Ashton, Truman Barden, Michelle Bi, Francesca Carrillo, Justine Choi, Judge Ellis, Caoil inn Grove-Collins, Vincenzo Guandolo, Chloe Haag, Paige Hogan, Margaret Hop per, Grayson Houghton, Joyce Jiang, Jus tin Johns, Margaret Jordan, Zaina Khan, Hayes Kraus, Adam Leybovich-Glikin, Katherine Mader, Cole Margolin, Kael McLendon, Henry McPherson, Raina Pi etrzak, Eli Raphael, Joshua Rubin, Ethan Scott, Zayan Shah, Iris Song, Benjamin Sumner, Shreya Vishwanath, Elizabeth Yang, Tommy Zhang, and Alison Zou.

– Compiled by Carley

Hutchison

La Fiesta Makes Big Donations to Education Foundation, Other 2022 Beneficiaries

La Fiesta de las Seis Ban deras gifted nearly $460,000 to its 2022 beneficiaries, including the Highland Park Education Foundation, which received $251,361.

In addition to using the money to continue such im pactful legacy programs as Teacher Innovation Grants and Teacher of the Year finan cial awards, the foundation will support new critical needs in fine arts, school safety, student wellness, technology, and math.

“The Foundation is deep ly grateful to La Fiesta and the hundreds of volunteers who work tirelessly to raise and gift these funds,” according to an announcement by Highland Park ISD.

La Fiesta also remains a Leadership Society donor of the Foundation’s Mad for Plaid

campaign that invests in dis trictwide salary support.

Other 2022 beneficiaries in clude the Boys and Girls Clubs of Greater Dallas, CARE Dallas, Center for Integra tive Counseling and Psychol ogy, Connecting Point of Park Cities, Friends of the High land Park Library, Friends of the University Park Library, HP Arts, Highland Park Lit eracy Festival, HPHS Com munity Services Council, HPHS Counseling Depart ment, HPHS Student Council, HPHS Science and Technol ogy Festival, HPHS Student Emergency Fund, Ashford Rise School of Dallas/Moody Fam ily YMCA in the Park Cities, To Be Like Me, and Park Cities Heritage House at Dallas Heri tage Village.

(PHOTOS: COURTESY HPISD)

– Staff report FROM LEFT: Kasey Bevans, Jon Dahlander, Dansby Erwin, Kyle Arnold, and Melissa Rieman.

COURTESY HPISD)

Highland Park’s Crime Fighting Boy Scouts

Evan Huang, Troop 70 friends shoot prevention video for Eagle project

By Chloe Ching People Newspapers

Evan Huang decided to trade a hammer for a camera for his Eagle Scout project.

“A lot of projects include build ing something or moving furniture, so doing something digital really interested me,” the Highland Park High School senior said.

Huang, who serves on the town of Highland Park’s IMPACT HP Committee youth leadership pro gram, decided to make a crime prevention public service an nouncement after consulting with town staff.

“I had filmed silly videos, but I had never done a production,” Huang said. “So, I worked with my beneficiary, Lt. Lance Koppa, who sent me guidelines for crime prevention.”

With the intended message — the factors that motivate people to commit crimes, contemporary

crime trends, and steps to reduce victimization — Huang wrote a script, gathered props, and planned each scene.

Behind-the-scenes work re quired months of Zoom sessions and fundraising, but once the planning was complete, recording took two Saturdays.

Other Troop 70 Boy Scouts helped, including Huang’s friends

WATCH IT

Visit hptx.org/100/Public-Safety and click on Crime Prevention Tips to see Evan

Key Sumner, Tie Smith, and Dalton Burford, who acted for the video.

“I remember Evan’s first ver sion of the video to be more than 90% complete,” Koppa said. “I was so impressed with Evan’s ability to capture crime prevention from a law enforcement perspective, then tie the message to a greater part nership with the community.”

Huang used his parents’ cars to

show

“The town and my troop were all really supportive, and everyone loved it,” Huang said.

Huang raised $65 for the proj ect, spent $32.82 to make the video, and donated the remaining $32.18

“Without question, the vid eo underscores the importance of crime prevention as a genuine effort between law enforcement and the community,” Koppa said.

“Never underestimate the power of positive contact with the com munity.”

ways of preventing recurring vehicle crimes. Additionally, he videoed the HPDPS dispatch cen ter to emphasize the importance of reporting suspicious activity.

to the Highland Park Department of Public Safety’s crime prevention educational efforts.

LEFT TO RIGHT: Evan Huang used his cell phone to make a crime prevention video for the town of Highland Park. His Eagle Scout Court of Honor will be in May. Troop 70 Boy Scouts acted out scenes to illustrate the need to take precautions to avoid common crimes. (PHOTOS/SCREENSHOTS: CHLOE CHING)

Huang’s video.

A lot of projects include building something or moving furniture, so doing something digital really interested me.

Evan Huang

HP CultureFest Promotes Connections, Community, and Service

By Chloe Ching People Newspapers

Park Cities residents gathered on Nov. 5 at Highland Park High School to celebrate a melting pot of cultures from around the world.

“Events like these prepare our students to truly ‘go forth to serve’ as global citizens,” event co-chair Parul Harsora said.

The inaugural HP CultureFest was sponsored by Highland Park ISD and Park Cities International Friends (PCIF).

Nazli Guven and other par ents formed PCIF in 2020 to help families stay connected during the pandemic.

Guven moved to the Park Cit ies from Turkey in 2017, becoming an advocate for English as a Sec ond Language (ESL) students and families due to her two schoolaged children.

In their opening remarks at HP CultureFest, superintendent Tom Trigg and trustee Stacy Kelly tout ed the district’s growing diversity.

The festival drew more than 500 community members and show cased cultures from 30 countries and six continents. More than 100 high school students and HPISD families volunteered or hosted coun try tables, where attendees could sample foods like guacamole and sa mosas, make crafts like calligraphy

and papel picado, and play games like loteria and piñata.

HPISD elementary school stu dents did a Bollywood dance num ber, HPISD students completed a Laotian dance and songs in Chi nese and Japanese, and Highland Park High School’s Park Version performed.

Korean American Youth Art ists of Texas (KAYAT) performed a K-pop dance. Other professional performers included Rising Phoe nix Lion Dance, Javier Aguilar’s Pura Sangre Mariachi, and the Bandan Koro African Drum and Dance ensemble.

“Our intention with this event was to help people build connec tions and community, and I think we definitely succeeded,” Italian PCIF member Luciana Rapisar da said. “It was amazing to see so many families at the event engag ing with each other, asking ques tions, enjoying the performances, and tasting different foods.”

HP CultureFest showcased cultures from 30 countries and six continents. (PHOTOS: COURTESY HIGHLAND PARK ISD)

Events like these prepare our students to truly ‘go forth to serve’ as global citizens.

Parul Harsora

Dalí and Vermeer

“Vermeer of Delft is the pinnacle of paint ing … in the drama of his work, the pictorial problem disappears,” Salvador Dalí once said.

For the first time in art history, Johannes Vermeer and Salvador Dalí stand side by side in “Dalí/Vermeer: A Dialogue.” The ex hibition at SMU’s Meadows Museum runs through Jan. 15, 2023.

In his lifetime, Dalí drew inspiration from the great Renaissance and Baroque painters, especially Dutch artist Vermeer. A longtime admirer, the Spanish artist dedicated at least 20 of his works to the painter of Delft.

In this special exhibition, Vermeer’s Woman in Blue Reading a Letter and Dalí’s The Image Disappears showcase Dalí’s tribute to Vermeer. Dalí’s composition shows the same woman

disappearing while also in true surrealist fash ion, illustrating an illusion to the viewer’s eye. Also on view is Dalí’s Vermeer’s The Love Letter, from Changes in Great Masterpieces.

“For North Texas audiences, this is a rare opportunity to see a Vermeer in person or for anyone west of the Mississippi,” said museum director Amanda W. Dotseth. “We are deep ly indebted to the Rijksmuseum and to the Fundació Gala-Salvador Dalí for their gener ous loans. This exhibition proves how palpa ble Vermeer’s impact was on the famed Span ish Surrealist.”

Distance Matters

New research at SMU’s Locomotor Per formance Lab counters the conventional wis dom that men run 10-12% faster than women, regardless of the race’s distance.

Ph.D. candidate Emily McClelland, work ing with lab director Peter Weyand, measured gender performance differences using data

from sanctioned international athletic com petitions such as the Olympics and World Championships.

They found that men have only a relative ly small advantage over women in short-dis tance running.

The 2003-2018 race data showed that the difference between male and female per formance time increased with event distance from 8.6% to 11% from shortest to longest sprint events (60 to 400 meters).

An accomplished athlete and former assis tant director of strength and conditioning at Bowling Green State University, McClelland has long been interested in human perfor mance science.

Cooking up history

“Cookbooks offer a way to rethink the his tory of the last 200 years,” said Christina Jensen, exhibit curator and head of public services at SMU’s DeGolyer Library, where a new exhibit

explores more than 200 years of culinary history.

“The Joy of Cooking – Two Centuries of Cookbooks at the DeGolyer Library,” run ning through Dec. 22, features 206 books from DeGolyer’s 6,000-cookbook collection, acquired during the research library’s decades of collecting items related to Western Amer icana, transportation, women’s history, and business history.

A leather-bound handwritten recipe book, written in Spanish by Dona Maria Josefa de La Luz Tapia in 1816, is the oldest cookbook in the exhibit. Recipes include dishes like piv ipollo, a Yucatan-style dish featuring seasoned chicken wrapped in corn dough, often pre pared for the Day of the Dead.

“Cookbooks are much more than compi lations of recipes,” Jensen said. “They offer a timeline of economic, technology, family, and social history.”

exceptional universities

Exceptional universities, test scores, and GPAs –we appreciate their importance, too.

While most great schools provide these outcomes, our mission is to ignite lives of purpose.

Be prepared to stand out in the world. Apply today at esdallas.org/apply

– Compiled by Sabrina Gomez

FROM LEFT: Johannes Vermeer (Dutch, 1632–1675), Woman in Blue Reading a Letter, c. 1663. On loan from the City of Amsterdam (A. van der Hoop Bequest), SK-C-251. Salvador Dalí (Spanish, 1904–1989), The Image Disappears, 1938. Work loaned by the Fundació Gala-Salvador Dalí. © 2022 Salvador Dalí, Fundació Gala-Salvador Dalí, Artists Rights Society. Locomotor Performance Lab research explores the differences between male and female runners. One Whole Year of Sunday Supper Suggestions, by M.V. Doten. Published in 1927 by Rust Craft Publishing Co. (IMAGES: COURTESY SMU)

With New Leadership, SMU Pom Squad Gets Bigger and Better

By Carley Hutchison People Newspapers

SMU fans shouldn’t be confusing the cheer and pom squads anymore.

“If you ever see the SMU pom team, you can always tell us apart by our custom-made City Boots,” quipped Lydia England, a sopho more from University Park.

But the changes go beyond wardrobe.

The SMU Pom Squad has dou bled in size to 20 while improv ing dance techniques and providing more uniform performances.

England and others attribute the changes to higher expectations and new leadership.

The new director, Emily Sullivan, was the former captain of the LSU Tiger Girls.

“Excited doesn’t even begin to start with how I feel about having the opportunity to coach the SMU Pom Squad,” Sullivan said. “Dance is a huge passion of mine, but the abil ity to inspire and empower a team

of young women is what I’m most looking forward to.”

The new assistant director, Mor gan Peterson, is a former SMU Pom Squad member.

“Coming back to join the staff for the SMU Pom Squad this year is both exciting and nostalgic as I get to reminisce on my time on the team while also helping to develop the team as individuals both on and off the field,” Peterson said.

She joined the team as a fresh man in 2014 and continued to serve as a member for all four of her col lege years, serving as captain in her

last two seasons.

“There is so much potential with both SMU Cheer and Pom based on the strong foundation that has been built,” Peterson said. “I can’t wait to . . . see where we can take the team.”

The squad’s new interim spirit di rector, Mary Drill Krow, graduated from SMU in 2013 with a psycholo gy degree and a statistics minor.

After college, she went on to spend two seasons with the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders and earned the Rookie of the Year award.

Krow has been choreographing

for professional teams for the past 10 years and has worked with such college teams as those at Oklahoma State University, the University of Tulsa, and Dallas Baptist University.

With the many new additions to the program, the audition pro cess has become more vigorous

while student interest and satisfac tion have increased.

“The new leadership of the SMU Pom Squad has positively impacted both my life and my team experience,” England said. “It has contributed to my growth as an in dividual and as a dancer.”

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Dance is a huge passion of mine, but the ability to inspire and empower a team of young women is what I’m most looking forward to.

Emily Sullivan

TOP: 2022-2023 SMU Pom Members Rileigh Chalmers, Hannah Deason, Liliann Devos, Amy Driscoll, Lydia England, Elizabeth Hardy, Julia Harris, MJ Hatchett, Kaki Kennedy, Kelly Knief, Emma Kogut, Breanna Laureti, Ellie Michaelson, Kennedi Montague, Hadley Nelson, Lauren Pennington, Ashley Pitts, Caylee Props, Eliana Shephard, and Jordan Sullivan. RIGHT: Morgan Peterson, Emily Sullivan, SMU mascot, and Mary Dill-Krow. (PHOTOS: DAN HUNTLEY PHOTOGRAPHY)

FIGHTING CANCER ‘IS A WINDING ROAD’

Crow serenades at Farrah Fawcett Foundation Tex Mex Fiesta

By Rachel Snyder rachel.snyder@peoplenewspapers.com

More than 350 celebrities and Dal lasites in western wear gathered in the backyard of the Rustic on Oct. 20 for the Farrah Fawcett Foundation’s Tex Mex Fiesta.

After her anal cancer diagnosis, the former Charlie’s Angels star started the foundation in 2007 to raise money for HPV-related cancer research, patient as sistance, and prevention programs.

Traditionally held in Los Angeles, the fiesta moved to Fawcett’s native Texas for the first time this year.

In keeping with the theme, attendees enjoyed guacamole, queso, fajitas, mar garitas, and entertainment by DJ Bran don Williams.

Alana Stewart, CEO of the Farrah Fawcett Foundation, and Jaclyn Smith, Fawcett’s former Charlie’s Angels co-star, co-chaired the event with George Ham ilton as emcee.

Dallas star Linda Gray received the foundation’s Angel Award from Smith.

Fawcett’s oncologist and the founda tion’s chief medical adviser Dr. Lawrence

Piro also attended and touted the benefits of the HPV vaccine.

HPV is estimated to be responsible for more than 90% of anal and cervical can cers, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

“Farrah was an incredible person. She was smart, intelligent, and full of life, cre ative, and a great artist, and being in Tex as makes me understand how she grew to be that way because it’s a great place full of enthusiastic people who are embracing this cause with unbelievable support,” Piro said. “The Farrah Fawcett is committed to preventing HPV-related cancers and find ing a cure for HPV-related cancers.”

The live auction included lunch the following day with Hamilton, a trip to Las Ventanas in Cabo, Mexico, a cus tom-made Mark Zunino, and more. Funds from the event benefited the American Cancer Society’s Hope Lodge and Stand Up to Cancer.

The party culminated in a perfor mance of hits including If It Makes You Happy, Every Day Is a Winding Road, by nine-time Grammy-award-winning sing er-songwriter Sheryl Crow, who’s also a cancer survivor.

More than 350 gathered at the Rustic on Oct. 20 for a star-studded Farrah Fawcett Foundation Tex-Mex Fiesta benefiting the American Cancer Society’s Hope Lodge and Stand Up to Cancer. (PHOTOS: GETTY IMAGES)

ON THE INTERNET

For more about the Farrah Fawcett Foundation, visit thefarrahfawcettfoundation.org.

Sheryl Crow

Lawrence Piro and Alana Stewart

Brad Allen and Jaclyn Smith

Marjon Henderson, Jonika Nix, and Tracy Lange

Tim Quinn and Mark Turnipseed

George Hamilton

Linda Gray

Mark Bradford and Allen DiCastro

Patrick O’Neal

A PASSION for EDUCATION

Where PASSION Meets PURPOSE

The Sethi family has two charitable funds at CFT to further their passion for supporting students - a scholarship fund and a donor-advised fund.

Working with CFT is like having your own charitable giving concierge. If you give $5,000 or more to charity annually, contact us for a complimentary conversation to learn about the effectiveness, efficiency, ease, and advantages of creating a charitable fund at CFT.

Learn about the benefits of a charitable fund and watch our latest overview videos at CFTexas.org/Benefits

CFT fund holders PARVESH and JEET SETHI with their children KIRAN, ARUN, and ANJALI

Party Hopping

YMCA on mental health

The YMCA of Metropolitan Dallas fo cused on mental health during the 2022 YMCA Key Leaders Luncheon present ed by Southwest Airlines on Oct. 18 at the Hilton Anatole in Dallas.

Panelists Sonya Parker Good from Grant Halliburton Foundation, Dr. Mad hukar Trivedi from UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dr. Jessica Gomez from Momentous Institute, and Cynthia Iza guire, a WFAA anchor and journalist, ad dressed the topic.

“The Y values and supports mental well-being,” said Curt Hazelbaker, president and CEO of the YMCA of Metropolitan Dallas. “We hope this event gives visibili ty into our efforts to educate and refer our community members to experts when they need it most. By just starting the conversa tion, we can help remove some of the stigma that often attaches itself to mental health.”

Retina Foundation breakthroughs

With age-related macular degeneration on the rise, personalized medicine through

stem cell research could make a difference.

The Retina Foundation addressed that topic during its Eye on Innovation lecture on Sept. 14 at the Dallas Country Club.

“The Retina Founda tion is committed to ac celerating our stem cell research efforts to real ize a profound impact on patient care, ultimately improving the vision and quality of life for AMD patients,” said Dr. Karl Csaky, the foundation’s CEO and chief medical officer. “Our only priority is our patients.”

Csaky was joined by Dr. Srinivasa Sripath ni, director of the AMD Stem Cell Laboratory, to discuss how utilizing a patient’s stem cells can create healthy reti nal cells. These stem cells can help identify which medicines would be most effective in

preventing eye cells from dying for specific patients, they added.

Dallas

Contemporary gala

Dallas Contempo rary honored its fall exhibit artists Gabri elle Goliath and Shep ard Fairey during a gala celebration at the East Quarter in downtown Dallas.

“In her work Cho rus , Gabrielle asks us to mourn the many black, brown, femme, and queer lives that have been lost to gen der-based violence in her native South Afri ca,” said Dallas Con temporary assistant cu rator Emily Edward.

Artist Fairey’s While Supplies Last also re ceived acclaim from such long-term friends

and supporters as musician Henry Roll ins and Chuck D, frontman of the hip-hop group Public Enemy who performed Fight The Power and Can’t Truss It in his lively set.

“One of my favorite aspects of Shepard is his intellectual courage to let the truth hang out there, knowing there’s going to be the resultant slings and arrows coming his way,” Rollins said.

Concert for recovery

Scotty Alexander, a Texas country singer/ songwriter, took to the Kessler Theater stage on Sept. 20 to perform toe-tapping country sounds and talk about the perils of addiction.

The Power of Prevention concert, pre sented by the Recovery Resource Council, included a pre-show silent auction in the lobby.

Alexander spoke about friends and col leagues in the entertainment industry and family members he has seen struggle with alcoholism and drug abuse.

CLOCKWISE, FROM LEFT: Curt Hazelbaker, Cynthia Izaguirre, Dr. Jessica Gomez, Sonya Parker Goode, Dr. Madhukar Trivedi, and Mr. Feliz Lozano III. (PHOTO: COURTESY YMCA OF METROPOLITAN DALLAS) Dr. Karl Csaky, Julia Sands Cunningham, Lou Grabowsky, Dr. Sri Sripathi, and John Dziminski. (PHOTO: KRISTINA BOWMAN PHOTOGRAPHY) Emily Edwards, Karla Mckinley, Shepard Fairey, Carolina Alvarez-Mathies, Gabrielle Goliath, Shelby Wagner, and Pedro Alonzo. (PHOTO: REBECCA PATTON FOR BECKLEY) Scotty Alexander performs at the Power of Prevention concert. (PHOTO: STANLEY JOHNSON/PE IMAGES)

– Compiled by Chloe Ching, Sabrina Gomez, and William Taylor

One of my favorite aspects of Shepard is his intellectual courage to let the truth hang out there, knowing there’s going to be the resultant slings and arrows coming his way.

Henry Rollins

The 23rd annual TWO x TWO for AIDS and Art benefit dinner and contem porary art auction on Oct. 22 raised $9.4 million in funds for the Dallas Museum of Art and amfAR, The Foundation for AIDS Research.

“Over two decades ago, we never would have dreamed that TWO x TWO would become such a dynamic and meaning ful event in our community,” said Howard Rachofsky, who founded the event with his wife Cindy.

The Rachofskys co-hosted the sold-out black-tie event with Lisa and John Runyon at the Rachofsky House in Preston Hollow. The largest fundraiser for amfAR and the Dallas Museum of Art drew 533 guests.

– Compiled by Sabrina Gomez

John and Lisa Runyon

Charlotte Jones, Amir Rozwadowski, and Haley Anderson

Gene and Jerry Jones, and Melissa Ireland

Todd Fiscus and Ceron

Taylor Olson, Amy Phelan, and Brian Bolke

(PHOTOS: KEVIN TACHMAN AND BRUNO SNAP THE PICTURE)

Suzanne Droese, Lilah Ramzi, Jacquelin Atkinson, and Amy Phelan

Howard and Cindy Rachofsky

From the front porch of Clare and Cal Chaney’s Swiss Avenue home, Dallas na tive Logan Lowery welcomed guests by singing On the Street Where You Live.

The Spotlight Dinner series, sponsored by PNC Bank, treats patrons to exclusive dinners, each showcasing a specific Broad way Dallas production.

The Oct. 13 dinner held in anticipation of Lerner & Loewe’s My Fair Lady includ ed English garden-inspired canapés and Pimm’s Cup cocktails.

Guests strolled through rooms filled with cherished antiques and theatrical memories to the backyard, where they re ceived binoculars and watched a perfor mance of Ascot Gavotte

Back inside, guests feasted on classic English courses, followed by a final ser enade of I Could Have Danced All Night from Eliza Doolittle (performed by Pres ley Duyck).

– Compiled by Chloe Ching

(PHOTOS: THOMAS GARZA)

Natalie and Micah Smith

Steve and Sandy Watson

Ken Novice, Kathleen Hadaway, and Debbie Trimble

Margaret Coughlin, Kymberly Scalia, Anna Rupp, and Sarah Fox

Whitney and Patti MacDonald

Jim Pitts and Harriett Jeffers

Nellie and Taylor Deves, Ken Novice, and Katie and Paul Mason

CRYSTAL CHARITY BALL CELEBRATES 70TH ANNIVERSARY

By Rachel Snyder rachel.snyder@peoplenewspapers.com

The Crystal Charity Ball will celebrate its 70th anniversary with a Splendido Italiano-themed gala.

Members of The Crystal Charity Ball Committee have dis tributed more than $165 million to 152 children’s charities in Dallas County over the past 69 years.

This year, to com memorate its 70th anniversary, if the ball raises more than the approximately $7 million commitment to the eight beneficia ries chosen this year, donations also will go

to the 70th-anniversary project, chair Susan Farris said.

The Action Before Crisis project, a col laboration between Children’s Health and the Meadows Mental Health Policy Insti tute, would help facilitate early identifica tion and treatment of mental health is sues in children.

“It’s a big am bitious project that they are collaborat ing on, and so we have agreed over five years to donate to that project if we are successful and raise funds above what our annual commitment to our beneficiaries [is],” Farris said.

The eight beneficiaries for 2022 are

Agape Clinic (a first-time beneficiary), Baylor Oral Health Foundation, Behind Every Door (another first-time beneficia ry), Educational First Steps, Family Com pass, Hope Supply Co., Southwestern Medical Foundation, and, also new this year, United to Learn.

“It’s always exciting because once [organi zations are selected as a] Crystal Charity Ball beneficiary, it creates awareness in the com munity,” Farris said of the new beneficiaries.

Silent auction items will also be avail able to bid on online as well for the second time this year for supporters who don’t at tend the ball in person.

Farris, who served as underwriting chair, auction chair, charity selections chair, and various other jobs since getting involved with Crystal Charity in 2009, said the Ital ian theme is a nod to her heritage. It’s the

CRYSTAL CHARITY BALL

When: Dec. 3 Where: Hilton Anatole Online: crystalcharityball.org More: $165+ million to 150+ children’s charities during the past 69 years.

first time the grand gala has had an Italian theme since 2008.

“I always knew if I was going to chair Crystal Charity that it would be an Italian theme because I’m 51% Italian. Both my grandmother and my grandfather immigrat ed from Italy in the late 1800s, so it’s just al ways been a special country for me,” Farris said. “Splendido Italiano means we will be featuring at the ball different regions of Italy.”

“It should be a beautiful, fun, and tasty ball because … there’s just so much good food in Italy. We’ll feature that, we’ll fea ture a lot of the things that are recogniz able in Italy as far as the decorations and the flowers,” she continued.

She said Le Louvre Antiques in the De sign District in Dallas is loaning pieces for the first time, including statuaries, to help bring the theme to life.

It should be a beautiful, fun, and tasty ball because … there’s just so much good food in Italy.

Susan Farris

CLOCKWISE, FROM LEFT: Last year’s ball had a British vibe. This year’s will go Italian, but guest must wait until they arrive to see what that will look like. Booker T. Washington School for the Performing and Visual Arts Students. Susan and John Farris. (PHOTOS: TAMYTHA CAMERON)

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Runway Worthy: Philanthropists Meet Fashion at Neiman Marcus

(PHOTOS: TAMYTHA CAMERON PHOTOGRAPHY)

Some of Dallas’s most philanthropic and fashionable women took to the runway for the 49th-annual Crystal Charity Ball 10 Best Dressed Fashion Show on Sept. 8 at Neiman Marcus at NorthPark Center.

Former honoree and philanthropist Jennifer Dix chaired the fashion show this year, with Gene Jones serving as honorary chair. In the 48-year history of the fashion show, only three other women have served as honorary chairs: Margaret Hunt Hill, Annette Simmons, and Norma Hunt.

Honorees included Marybeth Conlon for the second time, Tiffany Divis for the third time, Monica Eastin for the first time, Libby Hegi for the second time, Kim Hext for the second time, Meredith Land for the first time, Anne McPherson for the first time, Karla McKinley for the third time, Amy Prestidge for the third time, and Kim Quinn for the first time. This year’s hall of fame honoree was Pat McEvoy, who was named to the 10 Best Dressed list in 2011, 2012, and 2013, chaired the fashion show and luncheon in 2014, and chaired the Crystal Charity Ball in 2019.

– Compiled by Rachel Snyder

Lora and John Farris, and Virginia Olsen

Pat McEvoy

Tiffany Divis

Jerry and Lori Jones, and Jennifer and Richard Dix

Meredith Land Kim Quinn

Karla McKinley

Marybeth Conlon

Monica Eastin

Libby Hegi

Kim Hext

Amy Prestidge

Anne McPherson

BENEFICIARIES

The Agape Clinic

The Commitment: $550,000

The free healthcare service provider will use the funds to expand care by hiring a pe diatric nurse practitioner, medical assistant, and occupational therapist. Occupation al therapy will be provided in collaboration with TWU in a newly reconfigured on-site space. The Agape Clinic opened its doors in 1983 in the basement of Grace United Methodist Church, providing free health care on Saturdays. In 2015, Agape opened its new clinic, serving patients six days per week.

Baylor Oral Health Foundation

The Commitment: $1,602,596

The foundation was created in 1993 to receive, manage, invest, and disburse funds to Texas A&M University College of Den tistry. Funding over three years will estab lish a special needs dental clinic at the Texas A&M College of Dentistry. The dedicated special needs dental clinic will provide in creased access to critical oral health care to a widely underserved pediatric, special needs patient population.

Behind Every Door

The Commitment: $692,244

Founded in 2009 as a faith-based organi zation, Behind Every Door works to address complex aspects of poverty and partners with other organizations. Funds will be used over two years in support of the children’s programming at Cedar Crest Community Center, which will serve an estimated 500 plus new students. The children’s program at the center will provide academic sup port, mental and physical medical services, enrichment services, one-on-one coaching, spiritual enrichment, summer camps, hot meals, and athletics.

Educational First Steps

The Commitment: $500,000

Educational First Steps (EFS) was cre ated to support early learning environments for children in under-resourced centers from birth to 5 years old. EFS trains child care centers on how to create high-quality early learning environments. Funding over a two-year period will be used to employ edu cational specialists to help teachers develop their classroom skills and provide gap fund ing to childcare facilities within the EFS network. EFS will increase the number of centers, thereby serving 500 additional chil dren annually.

Family Compass

The Commitment: $899,665

Established in 1992, Family Compass works to prevent child abuse and neglect – the only agency in North Texas with the sole focus on preventing the abuse from ever happening in the first place. Funds will be used over three years to expand the existing community education and home mentoring programs by hiring and training an addi tional two staff members to increase capac ity and services.

Hope Supply Co.

The Commitment: $770,028

Hope Supply Co., founded in 1989, serves as a clearing house of donated re sources for unhoused and at-risk children. Funding will be used to serve 10,780 more children over three years to establish a direct services diaper pantry by remodeling space and adding a social worker. This new pan try will supply diapers, wipes, and hygiene products. Additionally, funding will be used to support an existing project: critical needs program for infants and toddlers serving 9,000 children through partner agencies.

Southwestern Medical Foundation

The Commitment: $960,000

Established by Southwestern Medi cal Foundation in 1943, UT Southwestern Medical Center has become a multifaceted academic institution that is internationally recognized for excellence in high-impact re search, medical education and training, and compassionate patient care. Funding for the Neuro Wellness in Brains of Infants Pro gram, NEWBI, will expand the Neonatal Neurology Intensive Care Program piloted and still only delivered at Parkland Hospi tal. Funding over three years will be used for personnel, equipment, supplies, conferences, and research to expand the program to UT Southwestern’s Clements University Hos pital, Children’s Medical Center, and Texas Health Dallas sites.

United to Learn

The Commitment: $1,206,022

United to Learn (U2L) works to drive literacy achievement for more than 26,000 students attending 28 Dallas ISD elemen tary schools. U2L will expand into 21 new est Dallas ISD elementary school partners in southern Dallas over the next three years, improving literacy rates for 10,466 elemen tary students in the area.

Source: crystalcharityball.org

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Baylor Oral Health Foundation

Educational First Steps

Family Compass United to Learn

Travel during the holidays is some times motivated by guilt: “Over the river and through the woods to grandmother’s house we go,” and all that. Our To-Do Lists are filled with holi day-related errands and tasks, so the fun kind of travel, the day trips and staycations, don’t happen like they do the other 47 weeks of the year.

Let me fix that by giving you oodles of reasons to celebrate Christmastime in Cowtown.

Yes, I know not all our readers cele brate Christmas, but I like the alliter ation in the title. Maybe next year, I’ll write about Hanukkah in Houston. The point is there are lots of fabu lous things to enjoy in Fort Worth in December, and I encourage you to plan a day, night, or long weekend there.

Stay

Fort Worth has a few

newer hotels to choose from, but the Kimp ton Harper, located near Sundance Square, has my vote. Housed in a 1920s bank build ing, it has a sophisticated and energetic vibe with a rooftop bar, and a Champagne Ho tline installed in each room so guests can have a bottle of Veuve Clicquot delivered at a moment’s notice.

Eat

Cowtown is on the national radar screen for dining. La Onda, an elegant Mexican/South American restaurant, was recently recognized by Bon Ap petit magazine as one of America’s best new restaurants. Other ex cellent options include Magda lena’s, Wishbone & Flynt, and Tre Mogli in the bustling Near Southside. If you want sweet souvenirs, visit the Swiss Pastry Shop for a piece of its world-famous Black Forest Cake or Loft 22 Cakes for Butterscotch Banana Pudding or slabs of cake in myriad flavors.

Drink

Both the Sinclair Hotel and the Harp er have rooftop bars from which to view the twinkling lights below. If you’re afraid of heights, check out Locust Cider Tap room for refreshing ciders or Lockwood Distillery on Magnolia, both in the Near Southside.

Spices are must-stop shops. If you’re in the Stockyards, go to M.L. Leddy’s, the quintessential Texas outfitter and custom boot shop, which is beautifully decorated for the holidays and always has the best people watching in town.

Do

Visit the Fort Worth Botanic Garden, which hosts Lightscape, a magical display of more than a million twinkling lights, including fields of bluebonnets as you’ve never seen them before. You can also go ice skating in the Stockyards Rodeo Rink or go to the WCRA Christmas Cowtown Championship Rodeo at the Cowtown Coliseum. There’s so much to do, you might even want to stay the week.

Shop

Fort Worth is gaining on Dallas’ shop ping scene, with The Shops at Clearfork brimming with luxury stores and bou tiques like Katie Kime, known for darling Dallas and Nashville-themed toile-printed jammies and robes. For foodies, the Best Maid Pickle Emporium and Pendery’s

Though it’s only 30 miles west of us, Fort Worth has an entirely different vibe from Dallas. It’s got western grit but in a sophisticated, authentic way. As a Fort Worth girl, I love being its ambassador and hope you visit.

Follow Kersten Rettig, a Park Cities-based writer with 30-plus years of experience in food and beverage marketing and public relations, on Instagram @KerstenEats.

The point is, there are lots of fabulous things to enjoy in Fort Worth in December, and I encourage you to plan a day, night, or long weekend there.

KERSTEN RETTIG

Make The Most of Art: Designer Tips for Displaying a Collection

Have you ever purchased a piece of art work and then weren’t sure how to display it when you got home?

Art is subjective, and there are no hard rules for displaying it. That said, I do have guidelines for display ing art that I like to share with my interi or design clients. Here are some of my top tips for hanging your paintings, photography, masks, plates, textiles, or wood carvings:

a piece of furniture (like a couch), there’s no need to space them across the entire width of the furniture. Instead, center the whole collection in a tight grouping. You can help blend your artwork into the room by picking up accent colors in the painting and pairing them with accessories of a similar color.

MARGARET CHAMBERS

Most artwork should be hung at eye level, around 60 inches above the floor. On the oth er hand, if you’re hanging art in your dining room, you may want to display it a touch above the eye lev el of seated diners.

Extra tall artwork should be hung about 15 inches off the floor.

While a large painting or photo can bring drama to a room, a series of small prints has its own charm, inviting the viewer to step closer. Small, standalone works of art can be a delightful surprise when displayed in unexpected places, such as bathroom van ities, kitchen shelves, and windowsills.

When you hang multiple pieces of art together, try to keep them at least 2 inches apart. If you want to display a collection over

Traditional frames are best for classical subjects like landscapes and portraits. On the other hand, modern art and photogra phy usually call for frames with clean lines. Large photos often look their best when mounted in plexiglass or acrylic. Small di mensional pieces will also look great in plexiglass display boxes, which give them a “gallery” feel.

Another thing to keep in mind is that artwork and photos on paper will fade in direct sunlight, so in rooms with lots of natural light, protect those pieces in plexi glass or UV glass.

When you live with art, you want to show it off to its best potential. Hopefully, these guidelines can help you pick out the perfect places for all your prized collections.

Margaret Chambers, a registered interior de signer (RID) and member of the American Society of Interior Designers (ASID), leads Chambers In teriors and Associates. Her colleague Caitlin Crow ley helped edit this column. Visit chambersinteriors. com/blog for more design advice.

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For 25 years, the nonprofit Friends of the Katy Trail has maintained and enhanced the Katy Trail for the benefit of Dallas citizens and visitors. We partner with you through memberships, event sponsorships, and individual and corporate support to keep the Trail running in peak condition.

You can help blend your artwork into the room by picking up accent colors in the painting and pairing them with accessories of a similar color.

A collection of baskets, lightweight and easy to hang, fill the ample, open space created over the den door by a vaulted ceiling. The variety of sizes and patterns also makes for an interesting display. The abstract painting with pops of color pictured here is a perfect match for this neutral seating area with green and blue pillows and the green and white lamp. The wall of this bathroom features a series of metal sculpted flowers displayed in shadow boxes. (PHOTOS: MICHAEL HUNTER. DESIGN: MARGARET CHAMBERS)

Adults, Children Can Enjoy A Classic Holiday Cookie: Three Ways

In our home, Christ mastime has always meant tins of holi day cookies will be stacked in the pantry. For gift-giv ing, an after noon snack, an after-din ner dessert, or a sweet surprise for delivery drivers stopping by with packages, each tin holds family-favorite cookies.

From the time I was a teenager, I assumed the role of chief cookie bak er at Christmastime, and it’s a role I still love. Seeing kids’ faces light up at the sight of decorated cookies is a magical thing – and aren’t we all kids at heart?

This isn’t a surprise to anyone who knows me, for some of my ear liest Christmas memories revolve around cookies – delicate, ultra-but tery spritz made by Grandmother Henrietta, my Grandmom Kathryn’s thin, crisp, spicy gingerbread cook ies cut in the shape of bells, stars, and trees, and my mother’s Noel nut balls, date pinwheels, and sug ar cookies. When we were growing up, my sisters and I wiled away many snowy afternoons decorating sugar cookies with frosting, sprinkles, and red cinnamon candies.

Those treasured memories are why Christmas cookies are still an essential part of my holiday cele bration. Still, during the final weeks before Christmas, I transition from labor-intensive cookies to timesav ing recipes that provide a blank can vas for quick decorating options. Take my Christmas Shortbread Cookies, for instance. These meltin-your-mouth, buttery shortbreads are ideal for afternoon tea anytime, but when garnished with frosting, sprinkles, dark chocolate, or crushed candy cane, they become delight ful, gift-worthy cookies my friends, family, and Santa will love. So, here’s my holiday gift to you – a classic Christmas Shortbread Cookie reci pe, plus three ideas to turn the basic

recipe into three entirely different, irresistible holiday cookies: Spar kling Shortbread, Chocolate and Peppermint Dreams, and Sugar plum Shortbread.

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!

Christy Rost is a cookbook author, chef on PBS sta tions nationwide, and longtime res ident of the Park Cities and Preston Hollow. Her Cele brating Home 4-minute cooking videos are available at youtube.com/ChristyRostCooks and on her christyrost.com website.

CHRISTMAS SHORTBREAD COOKIES

*Ingredients: 1 cup unsalted butter, softened ¾ cup sifted confectioners’ sugar ¼ teaspoon salt 1 ¼ teaspoons vanilla 2 cups flour 1 tablespoon cornstarch

*Other ingredients will depend on how and whether you decorate the cookies.

Directions: Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. In the large bowl of an electric mixer, cream butter, confectioners’ sugar, and vanilla until the mixture is light and fluffy.

In a medium bowl, stir together flour, cornstarch, and salt. Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture in thirds, beating until the dough is crumbly. Dust hands with flour, form 1-inch balls and place them on greased cookie sheets. Using a sturdy glass with a flat bottom, dip the bottom of

the glass in flour and flatten each cookie to ¼-inch thickness. Bake 14 to 16 minutes until the cookies are set but not brown. Remove them from the oven, cool 1 minute, and then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely. Serve cookies plain or decorate as desired.

Yield: 3 dozen shortbread cookies

Decorating options

Sparkling Shortbread: Whisk together 1 cup confectioners’ sugar, 1 to 2 tablespoons milk, and ¼ teaspoon vanilla until smooth.

Drizzle cookies with icing in a back-and-forth motion and sprinkle with tinted sugar.

Chocolate and Peppermint Dreams: Break a 3-ounce dark chocolate bar into pieces and heat them in the microwave at 50% power until soft, then stir until the chocolate is melted and smooth. Dip half of each cookie into the chocolate and garnish with crushed candy cane.

Sugarplum Shortbread: Melt two 2-ounce squares vanilla candy coating in the microwave at 50% power and stir until smooth. Spread the top of each cookie with a thin layer of coating and decorate with red, green, and white nonpareils.

Common Unknown REASONS

Why People Fall or Have Balance Problems. It’s Never Because Of Age... There’s Always A REASON! – Now What

To Do About It?

By Leading Balance Expert, Dr. Jeffrey Guild, Physical Therapist

Are you worried about losing independence because of falls? Are you seeing your friends around you falling and losing their indepen dence? Are you becoming increasingly frus trated with your doctors and kids telling you not to fall (Ok… How?). Here are some com mon unknown reasons why people fall, and a SOLUTION to prevent it from happening.

1: Vertigo/Inner Ear Balance Problems: Problems with vertigo and dizziness are symptoms that put older people at fall risk. These symptoms are so common that 1/3rd of people over the age of 70 and 50% of peo ple over the age of 85 are experiencing dizzi ness and/or vertigo right now! These condi tions are usually very treatable!

2. The Legs Losing Perception Of Where They Are (Proprioceptive Loss): As a bal ance specialist I see this problem ALL THE TIME. This is a problem that largely goes unrecognized & people have no idea it’s hap pening to them. I often see this when people are falling or having balance problems for what seems like NO APPARENT REA SON. This is simple to find out and there are ways around the problem.

3. Walking Slowly & Furniture Walking: Walking slower makes older people less

balanced, but this is a common strategy to falls and balance problems. Touching furni ture and walls while walking is a sign that something is wrong and immediate action is needed to prevent this from becoming a fall!

Want more information & solutions? My new special report provides Actionable Tips that will help you keep or regain your inde pendence. And the best thing is it’s 100% FREE, and you’re under noobligation to buy anything when you call.

IMPORTANT: For obvious reasons, my offer to send you this report FREE must come with a restriction on the number I can mail out… so it’s critical that you call TO DAY and request your free report now. What To Do Next?

Call: (214) 712-8242 (Leave a Message 24/7) & Choose:

• Option 1: Have your FREE Report mailed or emailed to you

• Option 2: Free Report + FREE Balance/ Fall Screen Or Discovery Visit

Author Dr. Jeffrey Guild, Physical Therapist is owner of Optimove Physical Therapy & Wellness. You can contact him at (214) 712-8242 or email at J.Guild@OptimoveDFW.com

CHRISTY ROST

(PHOTOS: CHRISTY ROST)

A ugust 23rd, 2022, Joan (Joanie) Marie Jacomini

Crosswell passed on to the spiri tual realm of angels, at last in her eternal home. A life so well-lived. She departed the way she had taught her family to live - with grace, dignity and joy. A precious gift. Joanie loved and cherished EVERY person in her beauti ful life. Mark Twain said, “Put ting grief into words is futile. And trying to do so would bankrupt the vocabulary of all languag es.” While Joanie’s departure has brought grief, her infectious joy remains with us to comfort our hearts and ease our pain.

Joanie was born in Los Ange les, California. Her family later moved to Houston, Texas, where she spent most of her childhood. She graduated from The Kinkaid

School before leaving home for Marymount University in Arling ton, Virginia. Not long after her time at Marymount, Joanie, de termined to return to the state she so loved, enrolled at the Univer sity of Texas at Austin in the fall of 1962. She was a Kappa Alpha Theta at UT and loved, and was beloved by, her sorority sisters.

After her time in Austin, Joanie married Henry Markley Cross well, III and returned to Houston. Their marriage brought together the Jacominis and Crosswells, and the fun and love from the union of these families has grown and multiplied over the years.

Joanie was brave and bold, nev er shying away from a new path or new direction. Joanie would eventually resettle in Dripping Springs, Texas, where she would raise her children and reside for the remainder of her life. Joanie restored a classical revival home that is a living testament to her talent, beauty and care. Joanie’s peace and calm radiate through out the home that she so deeply loved and cared for.

There is a strong social pull to ward external measures - following a path others have paved, wheth er one enjoys it or not. The brave of us are true to our unique call, to being independent, to doing what brings us peace and happiness and being with the people who bring us true joy. Our Joanie followed

her heart, and the result has been a contagious joy that has spread to all who have had the pleasure to have known her. Joanie’s loss leaves a massive void, as her life and love were ever expanding. Her love, and the love for her, is so pal pable you can quite literally feel it in your heart. The honor that we all feel to have been her grand children, children and friends is even more indescribable. Joanie, “Grandmommy”, was kindheart ed, selfless, lively, vibrant, hilarious and charming. Truly there has nev er been nor will there ever be any one quite like her.

Her natural beauty was not only on the outside, but always brightly shining from within. Anyone who knew her was immensely impact ed by being in her presence, hear ing her laugh, receiving her hugs and the magic she so effortlessly displayed. Her smile could bright en a room and her dance moves brought laughter. She held a space of warmth and acceptance to each person she met. In her final days she remained utterly joyful, brave and gentle. When Uncle Tom visited, she asked him, “Did you bring your helicopter? Let’s get out of here...”. Indeed, she did fly away bravely and beautifully. Her final words spoken to a grand child were, “I feel peace, so much peace”. At last, she is in the loving arms of the Prince of Peace.

There is a piece of Joanie in

every drop of rain, gust of wind, every laugh, every hug - her presence is eternal. There is a piece of her in each of us who loved her, and we are all better people because of it. When the reunion comes, we will dance, do puzzles, bake fudge pie, work in the yard, play with the dogs, listen to John Denver, all while smelling like Chanel No. 5 (she will be in her pearls for eternity). Until we meet again, we will cherish every moment we had with her. Frank Ostaseski says that the two most important questions people ask him before death are: Am I loved? And Did I love well? The answers for Joanie are without measureshe was loved infinitely and to be loved by Joanie was to be loved like none other.

She is preceded in death by her parents she so adored, Victor Vir gil Jacomini and Katherine Thomas Jacomini. She is survived by her best friend and big brother Thomas (Tommy) Paul Jacomini, who lov ingly called his little sister, “Kid”. She is also survived by her five children and their spouses, whom she so cherished: Katherine Cross well, Mark and Liz Crosswell, Vic tor and Flora Crosswell, Lissie and Wayne McCullough, and Peter and Holly Crosswell. She is sur vived also by her 14 grandchildren who adored their “Grandmommy” beyond description.

In lieu of flowers, please consider

a donation to Patriots’ Hall of Drip ping Springs, https://patriotshall. org. *Please select, “Dedicate my donation in honor or memory of Joanie Crosswell”.

We will see you soon, “We love you with all of our hearts”. You are our eternal sunshine.

My Eternal Sunshine

Your life was measured in smiles, crystals and Grandmommy kisses You laughed, danced, and ful filled the daisy bush wishes. My Eternal Sunshine You changed the ground you stood on. You lived in the eternal Springs never doubting the beau ty and struggle that life brings.

My Eternal Sunshine Joy was your gift; laughter was your language, and your soul was made of pixie dust gold. Your love was relentless, your smile contagious and your spirit was beautifully bold.

My Eternal Sunshine Feathers, elephants, beads, and a charm... the work of a mother that protected her children from harm.

My Eternal Sunshine

It was a Country Road that took you home. Our memo ries gathered around you. We felt your love and we knew... heaven was open, wholeness is here, the world will never for get you as your path was so clear. You are the Eternal Sunshine (Wayne C. McCullough)

LENTZ LANDSCAPE LIGHTING

Upgrade Older Homes’ Lighting While Maintaining Vintage Charm

THE PERRY-MILLER STREIFF GROUP

An Experienced Agent is Key for Spring Market

Ranked #1 in Dallas, #2 in Texas, and #27 in the country for medium-sized teams by RealTrends The Thousand (as featured in The Wall Street Journal).

historically high comps.

We will use our knowledge and experience to guide you through pricing, staging and preparation so that we bring your home to the market with the best photos, most attractive staging, and careful timing to create a superlative presentation resulting in a turnkey product offered to this market’s most discerning buyer’s and igniting in them the strongest possible sense of urgency.

With the shifting market conditions and uncertainty about the direction of the economy, this is a crucial time to employ experienced agents who will implement their time-tested wisdom and hands-on professional approach to council their clients on every detail of the transaction.

Dallas, TX— Many people find buying and restoring older homes a great investment as well as a worth while endeavor. The challenge is often how you main tain the classic features of the home, while upgrading for better efficiency and safety. This also applies to outdoor and indoor lighting.

Often homes in older neighborhoods feature won derful vintage lighting fixtures inside and outside the property. Due to the age of the systems, homeowners eventually confront the decision to either replace the whole system, or upgrade their existing system. Rich ard Lentz, owner of Lentz Landscape Lighting, says he gets these requests quite often. “We were recently called out to this amazing home featuring Mid-Century Modern outdoor light fixtures throughout the entire property. We were able to maintain the historical in tegrity of these vintage fixtures and upgrade them with highly efficient LED technology,” Lentz commented. “We are expertly trained in knowing how to balance warm and cool LED lights to present a soft, natural atmosphere as you take an evening stroll around your outdoor spaces.” He adds, “Upgrading to LED also pro vides cost savings for many years to come.”

Updating vintage indoor light fixtures provide the same benefits, so before replacing light fixtures in an historic or older home, consider upgrading to maintain the timely, distinctive features of a home filled with history.

To find out more information about upgrading ex terior and indoor lighting, contact Lentz Landscape Lighting @ 972-241-0622 or go to their website www. lentzlighting.com.

ALLIE BETH ALLMAN

Extraordinary Homes Available in University Park

The Perry-Miller Streiff group is excited about the opportunity to serve our clients in this new and changing market. Inventory

levels are increasing and we are seeing more price reductions and longer wait times on the market. We are reaching out to all our clients and prospective customers as we feel this is a critical time for sellers to leverage the most expert guidance in preparing one’s home, while capitalizing on

ALLIE BETH ALLMAN

New Listings Announced in Highland Park

you’re buying or selling.

The four-bedroom home at 4800 Abbott Ave. is an exceptional combination of modern design and exquisite finishes. The meticulously maintained home features wood floors throughout, an acrylic modern staircase and a contemporary, black granite fireplace. The property backs up to the Katy Trail.

Buyers are looking for properties that are competitively priced, tastefully staged, beautifully photographed, and with the total marketing effort unfurled with the most strategic timing. So, the Perry-Miller Streiff group is now accepting submissions for homes to be listed in the Spring of 2023. Please call us for a review of your property and to schedule an appointment so we can begin putting together a successful strategy for getting your home expertly marketed and sold.

Contact the Perry-Miller Streiff Group at 214.799.1488 or visit DPMFineHomes.com.

DAVE PERRY-MILLER REAL ESTATE

Ranch

Opportunity 1.5 Hours From Dallas

of trails through the woods to explore. Weekends will never be the same!

New listings in University Park, such as 2920 Daniel Ave., provide room to grow.

If you are ready to move up to a home that is served by some of the best schools in Texas, talk with an expert at Allie Beth Allman & Associates about planning the sale of your home and moving into University Park.

New listings in University Park come on the market each week, either as public listings or private sales.

Check out the charming home at 2920 Daniel Ave. The three-bedroom home, built on a 215-foot-deep lot, has spot-on features including and a wet bar with an ice maker and wine refrigerator, ready for weekend revelry.

Music to your ears: This home is move-in ready. The six-bedroom, brick home at 2815 Amherst Ave. has a flexible floor plan and includes a study on the first level.

Open the front door of the five-bedroom home at 3320 Westminster Ave. and expect to be wowed by the tall ceilings and four comfortable living areas. Extensively remodeled, the kitchen is well equipped to handle any crowd that drops in to watch football or celebrate the holidays.

The three-story home at 3411 Granada Ave. has five bedrooms in more than 3,000 square feet and a private, enclosed patio. The primary bedroom features dual vanities and a large walk-in closet.

Backing up to the Katy Trail, 4800 Abbott Ave. offers exquisite living in Highland Park.

The agents at Allie Beth Allman & Associates have the experience you need to find your dream home in Highland Park. Allie Beth Allman & Associates sells more in Highland Park and University Park than any other brokerage, according to the Multiple Listing Service.

Explore these residences currently available, and trust the leader to deliver the deal, whether

BRIGGS FREEMAN SOTHEBY’S INTERNATIONAL REALTY

English Eclectic in Volk Estates

In the heart of Highland Park, 3717 Maplewood Ave. sits on a heavily treed lot on one of the most coveted blocks in the neighborhood. The rare, one-story, four-bedroom masterpiece was designed by architects James Pratt E.G. Hamilton and built by Sebastian.

Nearby at 4601 Lorraine Ave., the West Highland Park residence combines the charm of the past with today’s style and conveniences. Complete with updates on the inside, such as new fixtures and water heaters, and on the outside, such as repainted exterior wood trim and new gutters, the home sits on a beautifully landscaped lot.

ironwork, a private office and an elevator.

Spanning 11,955 square feet, the home comprises six en suite bedrooms and four half baths.

The second-floor primary suite includes a sitting area, two baths, two closets and a balcony, while an apartment over the three-car garage is ideal for guests.

This fantastic recreational ranch on 415 diverse acres in Montague County is less than 1.5 hours northwest of Dallas. Outdoor enthusiasts will be in hog heaven. Offered for $4,950,000 by Brian Smith with Country Connection, this ranch at 000 Alamo Road (000alamo.daveperrymiller.com) has it all. Deer, turkey, waterfowl, hogs and a 17-acre trophy fishing lake stocked with bass, bluegill, crappie and catfish and two floating docks. And then there are the miles

ALLIE BETH ALLMAN

Texas Still a Sellers’ Market

Two large supplemental food plots are available for wildlife. For cattle, there are over 110 acres of coastal Bermuda and native grasses producing 100-120 round bales. There is also a loafing shed and a good set of pens. The elevated homesite overlooks the lake, and includes a 520-foot water well (100gpm) and 3-phase electric. The ranch has agricultural and wildlife tax exemptions of $445 per year. NOTE: Part of property is also in the Montague ISD. Come take a look!

To schedule a showing, contact Smith at 972.588.8300 or brian@ countryconnection.com.

Dave Perry-Miller Real Estate (dpmre.com) is a division of the Ebby Halliday Companies, a Berkshire Hathaway affiliate, with four locations that specialize in Preston Hollow, Park Cities, North Dallas, Lakewood, East Dallas, Uptown, Kessler Park and Farm & Ranch properties.

Associates, can guide both sellers and buyers through the transitioning market, helping to sell your home for the highest price or find your perfect next home.

Here’s a look at some homes currently represented by the brokerage.

7037 Turtle Creek Boulevard, represented by Jeanne Shelton and Doug Shelton for $14,600,000.

Unavailable for more than 50 years, 7037 Turtle Creek Boulevard is the definition of a once-in-alifetime opportunity. In University Park’s esteemed Volk Estates, this 1939 English Eclectic has been masterfully preserved and expanded by noted architects Wilson Fuqua and Wilson McClure. The iconic residence features handpoured terrazzo floors, fireplaces with antique mantels, custom

Outdoors? An elegant paradise — it could be the scene of a Slim Aarons photo shoot! — with verandas, majestic trees, two fountains and an outdoor fireplace. And at a generous .88 acres, the property offers both privacy and comfort.

7037 Turtle Creek Boulevard is represented by Jeanne Shelton and Doug Shelton for $14,600,000.

Briggs Freeman Sotheby’s International Realty, founded in the Park Cities in 1960, represents luxury homes, high-rises, ranches, land and commercial properties. Its briggsfreeman.com website is a cutting-edge portal featuring properties, neighborhoods, schools, virtual tours, architecture guides and more.

The transitional home at 3600 Armstrong Ave. in Old Highland Park is offered by Alex Perry.

As the real estate environment continues to normalize from the pandemic frenzy, the art of selling and buying in this market needs a critical and analytical approach.

Only an agent who understands the realities of the market can set expectations to make sure the deal closes.

The experts with the luxury leader in DFW, Allie Beth Allman &

The extraordinary estate at 10540 Lennox Lane sits in the heart of Preston Hollow’s Strait Lane corridor. Beyond the resortworthy pool, spa and large cabana, you’ll find a two-hole regulation golf course, complete with sand traps and water features.

At 4321 Windsor Parkway in University Park, the kitchen’s floorto-ceiling cabinetry and furnituregrade center island set the stage for party prep, while expansive outdoor living space can handle any size party.

Allie Beth Allman & Associates leads in the sale of homes priced at $2 million and higher in Dallas County and in DFW. Call to connect with an expert agent: https://www.alliebeth. com/associates/int.

(PHOTOS: CLARK CRENSHAW)

‘Shelley’s Heroes’ Take On Lupus

Shuttlesworth perseveres through often-misunderstood autoimmune disease

By Carley Hutchison People Newspapers

Lupus, an often-misunder stood autoimmune disease, is challenging to live with, difficult to diagnose, and hard to treat.

Shelly Shuttlesworth, who lives near Turtle Creek, knows that all too well.

“Your white cells don’t recog nize your own body as itself,” she said. “It can be your skin, your organs. It really just doesn’t know the difference.”

With some of her “Shel ley’s Heroes” teammates, Shut tlesworth joined the Lupus Re search Alliance’s 20th annual Walk with Us to Cure Lupus on October 22 in Glencoe Park. The goal: to raise awareness of the au toimmune disease and urge do nations to support much-needed research to help find a cure.

There are no first symptoms of Lupus, although the early signs can be fatigue, joint pain, or a

butterfly rash.

And symptoms greatly differ throughout all patients, though one common one is a red butter fly-shaped rash over your cheeks and nose that often follows expo sure to sunlight.

“My mom told me to go to my dermatologist, and they thought the rash on my face was the but terfly rash, which is very common with Lupus patients, so they did a skin graft, and the results came back positive,” Shuttlesworth said.

The cause of Lupus is un known, but it, along with other autoimmune diseases, can often run in families. Doctors suspect either a response to certain hor mones or environmental triggers.

There are four kinds of Lupus:

Systemic Lupus Erythematosus, Cutaneous Lupus, Drug-Induced Lupus, and Neonatal Lupus.

Systemic Lupus Erythema tosus is the most common form. Cutaneous Lupus is only limited to the skin. Certain prescription drugs cause Drug-Induced Lu pus. Neonatal Lupus affects in fants of women that have Lupus.

“It is something that you can live with, and there are ways that you can take care of your body,” Shuttlesworth said. “It makes me do things . . . so that I can do ev erything I want to do.”

It can be your skin, your organs. It really just doesn’t know the difference.

Shelly Shuttlesworth

FROM LEFT: Ben Griffin, Kristin Schuck, Maddie Schuck, Britton Flood, Erin Griffin, Heather Lowrey, Shelley Shuttlesworth, Brady Griffin, Jake Fogel, Lynda Shuttlesworth, Sarah Schuck, and Richard Shuttlesworth. (PHOTO: JEREMY HART PHOTOGRAPHY)

9851 Kingsway Ave.

Situated on a preferred site in a new gated community in Preston Hollow – and adjacent to shops and retail including Trader Joe’s – this stunning new, fully-customized 4414 sf, modern residence offers a rare opportunity for the new owner to choose final cosmetic finishes for this recently completed move-in ready home! The spacious living/dining room features 11 ft ceilings, wide-plank walnut stained hardwood flooring and floor to ceiling windows, all prewired for power shades. A wood burning/gas fireplace is centered between two windows. The adjoining dining area boasts a custom wine room, equipped with state-of -the art temperature and lighting controls waiting for the new owner’s final specifications. The large, light-filled kitchen is equipped with a 48” Wolfe gas cooktop – with double wall-ovens in the adjacent prep kitchen.

Two Asko dishwashers, a Sub-Zero undercounter refrigerator and a Kitchen Aid ice maker make this home an ideal venue for entertaining.

As one of the city’s most soughtafter neighborhoods, Preston Hollow offers a convenient location and lush, green, open spaces.

It’s also one of the most stable neighborhoods in terms

EBBY HALLIDAY Reasons to List During the Holidays

The holidays mean many things to many people, but associating it with being a good time to sell your house is not usually one of them. We think it may actually be an ideal time!

Here’s why listing now makes sense.

• Many people are still working from home, which means they may want more space, home offices, or a change of scenery. With more flexible work

of land value, according to Bryan Hagen of Hagen Appraisal Services. And that’s a healthy sign for new construction and buyers.

If you’re ready for a new home in the Preston Hollow area, explore these listings available and connect with an expert at Allie Beth Allman & Associates to learn more.

Downstairs at 6422 Prestonshire Lane, you’ll find a chef’s kitchen, keeping room and breakfast area that flow onto the screened porch, where you can view the pool, outdoor entertaining space and manicured yard.

At 6230 Stichter Ave., the .439-acre grounds provide for fantastic entertaining opportunities, with walls of stacked windows and accordion doors that blur the lines between indoors and outdoors.

A stunning new and fully customized home in a new gated community, 9851 Kingsway Ave. features four bedrooms and a spacious living and dining room with floor-to-ceiling windows.

Set on a little more than an acre, 5460 Northbrook Drive is a charming Austin stone home with five bedrooms and numerous living areas, a heated pool, sports court and separate guest house.

schedules, many prospective buyers may use the extra time to search for a new home.

• Consumers who shop for a home during the holidays are typically serious, motivated buyers, who for one reason or another can’t wait until the spring market to buy.

• Typically there are even fewer homes on the market during the holiday season. Translation: less competition for you!

• Homes “show” better when decorated for the holidays.

Ebby Halliday Realtors is celebrating 77 years of serving the real estate needs of our valued clients. We’re proud to offer you the most-convenient, full-service residential real estate experience available, with our in-house brands: Prosperity Home Mortgage, Home Team Insurance, Texas Premier Title and HSTX Title.

One transaction, one experience. For more information, visit the awardwinning ebby.com.

Steve

ALLIE BETH ALLMAN URBAN