The Bellaire Buzz - November 2014

Brookwood Community

Brian Smith

Where there’s opportunity for all

by Cheryl Ursin

Houston Restaurant Memories Thanksgiving Travels Avoiding Christmas Crooks Cooking Buzz Thanksgiving Favorites Houston, TX Permit No. 2047 PAID US Postage PRSRT STD

Holiday Fun

EDITOR’S NOTE Buzz photo shoots are always special, as we get to meet neighbors in their homes or somewhere meaningful to them. But for this month’s shoot, we drove to Brookwood Community, which provides educational and vocational opportunities for adults with disabilities. The experience was unforgettable. Cheryl Ursin’s article and Mike Hart’s images beautifully capture this special place. I encourage readers to have lunch there and experience it personally. This month we also had a photo shoot with Buzz-neighborhood police chiefs Byron Holloway, Ken Walker and J.D. Sanders. Chief Sanders told me after the shoot that I was a prime target of criminals, being a “small-build woman” who is easily distracted. He proceeded to give me tons of great tips. But I am embarrassed to admit I did not hear a word. I was just so elated and kept repeating to myself, “He thinks I’m small build!” So thank goodness we have Andria Frankfort’s safety article to share tips with readers. Wishing all of you a safe start to the holidays. joni@thebuzzmagazines.com

THE BUZZ MAGAZINES BELLAIRE • WEST UNIVERSITY • MEMORIAL • TANGLEWOOD/RIVER OAKS Published by Hoffman Marketing & Media, LLC 5001 Bissonnet, Suite 100, Bellaire, Texas 77401 info@thebuzzmagazines.com • p: 713.668.4157 • f: 713.665.2940 bellairebuzz.com • facebook.com/bellairebuzz Editor Publisher Associate Editors Vice President, Sales Staff Writers

Contributing Writers Digital Media Manager Designer Account Managers

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Joni Hoffman Michael Hoffman Cheryl Laird Annie Blaylock McQueen Jay Janecek Tracy L. Barnett Andria Frankfort Angie Frederickson Todd Freed Michelle Casas Groogan Dai Huynh Dave Schafer Cheryl Ursin Jan Nelson Carroll Jacob Padden Jordan Magaziner John Duboise Andrea Blitzer Leslie Little Kim Montgomery Darsey Swaim Helen Hamilton Michele Luke

On our cover: Brian Smith, seen here at Brookwood's stone-cast shop, is also an avid bicyclist and enjoys performing in Brookwood's annual holiday show.

Cover photo by Michael Hart Photography, www.hartphoto.com The Buzz Magazines has made all reasonable attempts to verify the accuracy of all information contained within. Advertising claims are solely the responsibility of the advertiser. Editorial content does not necessarily express the opinions of the publisher. Copyright © 2014 Hoffman Marketing & Media, LLC. All rights reserved. Reproduction of any portion of this magazine by any means without written permission is strictly prohibited. Printed on recycled paper. Please remember to recycle.

BELLAIRE BUZZ NOVEMBER 2014 4

YEAR TO DATE as of September 25, 2014

Most Bellaire Homes Sold #1 in Bellaire Listings sold since 2001.

Let my record work for you! Professionalism, Local Market Knowledge, Personal Service Specializing in Bellaire Properties since 1993 with over 650 Bellaire Sales Transactions to Date Honored 7 Times by the Houston Business Journal as being among Houston’s Top Realtors LOTS 4624 Holly 4620 Birch 4502 Park Court 4625 Maple 4626 Willow 5122 Aspen 5543 Grand Lake

NEWER HOMES 5716 Innsbruck 5224 Linden 4333 Mildred 5203 Locust 823 N. 3rd 550 S. 3rd 4906 Holt 4309 Cynthia 4533 Holt 4626 Braeburn 5666 Little Lake 4400 Jim West

Mike Livingston

NEW CONSTRUCTION 4411 Evergreen 5119 Locust 4803 Elm 5316 Patrick Henry 4618 Oakdale 107 Bellaire Court 4625 Birch 4624 Holly 5221 Mimosa 4502 Park Court 4626 Willow 4620 Birch

ORIGINAL HOMES 4420 Lafayette 4424 Lafayette 7805 S. Rice 4301 Jonathan 5523 Grand Lake 4508 Medinah 4920 Maple 5137 Maple

, CRS ABR

713.764.9850 • mlivingston@gmail.com • www.har.com/mikelivingston BELLAIRE BUZZ NOVEMBER 2014 5

MAILBAG

Your letters, thoughts, opinions Happy to celebrate Saints-style I was so happy to see the black and gold Saints [photo] when I picked up your magazine [Football, Cajun Style: Saints and Tigers fans live among us, by Dave Schafer, October 2014].

We have a similar celebration every Sunday, albeit smaller.

We wear our black and gold, yell loudly, turn up the music and dance to NOLA music when the Saints score. There are so many Saints fans in this area who I’m sure have similar NOLA-style parties every time our beloved Saints are on.

Chandel’s gumbo recipe was right on! Made me hungry just to read it.

Thanks again for the story and pictures. WHO DAT! Arlene Schneider Editors’ note: If you missed Chandel Hancock’s gumbo recipe, you can find it online, along with all our current and past stories, at bellairebuzz.com.

Thank you for Alex’s story I want to thank Michelle Casas Groogan for the article she wrote on bipolar disorder and the publisher for including it in The Buzz [Bipolar Disorder: How we lost Alex, October 2014].

I am a member of NAMI [National Alliance on Mental Illness], which is an organization that works to educate the public about mental illness and the stigma associated with it. Mental illness is a leading cause of disability and touches the lives of almost everyone in some way. Articles such as the one by Michelle raise awareness. Hopefully, someday cures and/or improved treatment will be found, as have happened to many other maladies when funding and attention are dedicated to them. Think AIDS and breast cancer.

With gratitude, Carol Loggins

to see their article in a publication, such as yours, is a great source of pride and accomplishment for the student as well as the teacher. It helps to build their portfolios, and helps forward information to our community. I have seen the “School Buzz” section for student correspondents. Please consider adding correspondents from Pershing.

Rachel S. Burgan, Magnet Coordinator, Pershing Middle School Editor’s note: Thank you for your interest in our new School Buzz program for high school students. At some point, we do hope to expand School Buzz to middle schools. Meanwhile, students of all ages who live in our circulation areas are invited to submit a 350-word, first-person essay about an experience, passion or hobby for our monthly Buzz Kidz column. Look under Kids at bellairebuzz.com or email info@thebuzzmagazines.com.

Correction In an October 2014 story [Drafting Divas: Gal pals find fun in fantasy football], we incorrectly identified Andrew Luck’s team. The correct team is Indianapolis Colts. The online version of the story has been corrected.

Send letters to info@thebuzzmagazines.com. Please include your name, address, phone number and email address for verification purposes. Letters are subject to editing for clarity and space. Views expressed in letters do not necessarily reflect the opinions of The Buzz Magazines, and The Buzz takes no responsibility for the content and opinions expressed in them.

What’s your story?

We are looking for residents for upcoming articles who:

Story reminds her of friend I lost a dear friend to bipolar disease about 10 years ago. When she took her medicine, she was a normal mom and friend. Without the medicine, she was another story. I still get so angry when I think how her death devastated her adult sons, but I know she was helpless to control her moods without the medicine.

Linda Plavidal

Student writers in Buzz I would like to inquire about the possibility of submitting articles, written by our journalism students, to be published in The Buzz. The opportunity BELLAIRE BUZZ NOVEMBER 2014 6

• Know an interesting neighbor to profile.

• Have helpful stories and advice for new parents.

• Have an adorable nursery to share with Buzz readers.

• Went on a “babymoon” before the baby arrived.

• Have a unique proposal story.

If this sounds like you or someone you know, please contact us at info@thebuzzmagazines.com or 713.668.4157, ext 12.

Karen Sachar © 2009

NEIGHBORS

by Cheryl Ursin, staff writer

Brookwood Community Where there’s opportunity for all

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encephalitis and meningitis as a toddler, has lived at Brookwood since the beginning.

Meanwhile, Streit’s other daughter, Vivian Streit Shudde, now Brookwood’s executive director, also has an adult child living at Brookwood, her son Wilson.

Today, the non-profit Brookwood is home to 111 adults whose mental or physical disabilities prevent them from livA SATISFYING LIFE Brookwood enables Rebecca Rosenthal to "continue to ing on their own. An grow and develop as a person," said her mother, Lee. additional 88 adults parInn, a college dorm-like space. Brookwood cititicipate in Brookwood’s day program. The resizens, as they are called, have a wide range of disdents live in eight group homes, large houses on abilities, from paralysis and blindness to autism a sweeping cul-de-sac street that wouldn’t look and intellectual and developmental disabilities. out of place in any Houston subdivision, or at the What sets Brookwood apart from other facilities that care for the disabled is that it pays as much attention to its participants’ need to live satisfying lives as it does to their physical care.

Missy Bynon, 56, has been at Brookwood since December. Before that, apart from a short stint at another facility, she had always lived with her family, first in Alabama and then in Houston, when her brother, Steve Bynon, a liver-transplant surgeon, and his wife Nancy moved to West University. But it became clear to Missy’s family that she wasn’t comfortable in her life. “She spent 18 hours a day in bed,” said Nancy. “She would sleep all day and then get up at night to read magazines, I think because, then, she wouldn’t have to deal with people.”

At Brookwood, Missy, like every other Brookwood citizen, has a full-time job and receives a paycheck every two weeks. “I never dreamed Missy would get up in the morning and go to work,” said Nancy. “She’s lost 20 pounds; her diabetes is better. This is the best I’ve ever seen her.”

The Brookwood Community runs several WORKING HANDS Missy Bynon, right, and Brookwood teacher Sharesa Henderson take a break in one enterprises. Citizens make (continued on page 10) of Brookwood's workshops.

Sterling Blodgett

any famous thinkers have pondered what it takes to live a satisfying life.

Tolstoy once wrote, “One can live magnificently in this world if one knows how to work and how to love.”

And Freud said, “Love and work are the cornerstones of our humanness.”

No one has to tell that to Michele Jardine, a citizen of Brookwood, a community for adults with functional disabilities, in Brookshire, 40 miles west of Houston.

Before coming to Brookwood, Michele had trouble finding and keeping a job. “They are not supposed to judge you if you have a disability, but they do,” she said. Michele, originally from Louisiana, also lived alone. “I didn’t like to go home because there was no one to go home to,” she said. Michele moved to the Brookwood Community four years ago. “I found that God does have a place for me – and a purpose,” she said.

Brookwood was founded in 1983 by Yvonne Tuttle Streit. Streit’s daughter, Vicki, who was left severely brain-damaged after contracting

BELLAIRE BUZZ NOVEMBER 2014 8

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LOCAL ARTIST Diane Phillips shows off her hand-poured and hand-painted Texas-wildflower comfort bowl in Brookwood's store.

ornaments, garden statuary, stone castings, ceramics, greeting cards and candles that are sold in its shops, one at Brookwood (1752 FM 1489 Road in Brookshire), which recently added a fine-arts gallery, one in Spring (318 Gentry St.), an online store, brookwoodstore.com, and a new store, slated to open in late fall, in space donated

by Gallery Furniture in its store at the Market at Long Meadow Farms (7301 Grand Parkway, Richmond). Also, from now through the holiday season, Brookwood is running a store in Town & Country (600 W. Sam Houston Parkway North). Brookwood is also looking for a location in the Conroe/Woodlands area.

The citizens also work as servers in the gourmet café at Brookwood and work in its 47 greenhouses, raising about 500,000 flowers and plants, including 45,000 poinsettias for Christmas,

every year. Brookwood also caters in homes for private events and holds over 30 weddings each year in Brookwood’s worship center and café, which transforms into a garden ballroom.

All proceeds from these enterprises support the community, funding over 42 percent of Brookwood’s operating budget. The rest comes from tuition and donations. Tuition fees are $1,000 per month for day citizens and $4,450 per month for residents. About 40 percent of the citizens receive some sort of financial aid, totaling over $1 million a year. Brookwood’s last biennial charity luncheon raised over $1 million.

Brookwood accepts no government funding.

“Brookwood is wonderfully driven to make sure that its citizens are living,” said Lee Rosenthal, whose oldest daughter, 28-year-old Rebecca, has lived at Brookwood for seven years. “They understand that we all have a deep Allison Rathan

(continued from page 8) Christmas

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READING TOGETHER Harold Hyman and his granddaughter, Rebecca Rosenthal, enjoy a book together.

need to work and be productive – and they are enormously creative at shaping work to fit the needs of each citizen.” Rebecca, for instance, loves to sort; her favorite job at Brookwood is to unscrew molds in the ceramic workshop and return the screws to their correct containers.

But it’s not all work at Brookwood. Activities include swimming in the indoor pool, designed with help from Schlitterbahn, making music in the bell choir, riding custom bikes around the 485-acre campus and participating in book groups, held by Rebecca Rosenthal’s grandfather, Dr. Harold Hyman, a World War II Marine who was a historian at Rice University before retiring.

Dr. Hyman, now 90, and his wife Ferne were the first to build a retirement home at Brookwood, in a program called “Retirement with a Purpose.” So far, two retired couples have built or are building homes at Brookwood and are volunteers in the Brookwood Program.

Diane Phillips, who has lived at Brookwood for 22 years, frequently visits and travels with her family. “But often, she tells us she wants to get back. She doesn’t want to miss anything, which is exactly where you want them to be,” said Kay House, Diane’s sister.

Kay remembers when Diane first arrived at Brookwood. “Diane pushed someone’s wheelchair for them. And that was the first time that Diane, who had always been the one who was being helped, got to help someone else,” she said. “That was our ‘aha moment.’ If Diane had remained with us at home, she would never have been able to contribute like that and feel that sense of self-worth.”

“I am so grateful to Brookwood,” said Lottie Smith, whose son, Brian, age 50, has lived at Brookwood for 28 years. “They have taken Brian in and loved him and given him space to be himself.”

Jamie McCulloch, 31, has lived at Brookwood for three years. He moved from

FAMILY AND FLOWERS Siblings Mary, Jamie and Dan McCulloch (from left, photo at left) like to visit when Jamie doesn't have plans at Brookwood. Photo at right: Jamie McCulloch works in the horticulture department.

BELLAIRE BUZZ NOVEMBER 2014 10

Courtesy of the Tucker Family

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‘When will it be my turn?’”

Frank Tucker, 25, has been a day citizen at Brookwood for the last three years, traveling daily by Brookwood’s bus from Tanglewood.

“Frank had been at the Tuttle School, from age 6 to age 21,” said his mother, Stephanie. Like all families who have a child with a functional disability, Frank’s loved ones worried about what kind of life he could have as an adult.

Frank works at three jobs: as a café server, bringing plants to customers’ cars and painting ceramics. “He doesn’t want to miss a day of work,” said his mother. “He’s got a purpose in life, he is a productive citizen, he has lots of friends at Brookwood. Frank is the happiest guy in the world.”

According to the latest statistics from the U.S. Census Bureau, approximately 38.3 million Americans have a severe disability, either mental or physical.

“And a tsunami is coming,” said Joe Mazzu, Brookwood’s director of advancement. “People are surviving disabilities, and living longer with them, than ever before – and there is also the coming wave of people, now children, suffering from autism and other developmental disabilities.”

When Erin Kiltz attended her daughter WORK AND PLAY Top: Frank Tucker, at right, works with teacher Jonathan Gracie’s last high school Campuzano to provide top-notch service at The Café at Brookwood. Bottom: (Admission, The Tucker family, from left, Ben, Brookwood day citizen Frank, mom Stephanie, ARD dad Brad and Sam, enjoy golfing together and participate, as the Frank Tucker Review and Dismissal) Golf Team, in Brookwood's annual golf benefit every year. meeting, which public schools use to determine Arkansas after his family looked all over the a student’s need for special-education services, country for a place for him. Mary McCulloch, she remembered, “I asked, ‘So, what’s next?’

Jamie’s sister-in-law, said, “He often tells us, ‘I And the answer is: nothing. We as a nation can’t see you tonight; I have plans,’ which makes spend millions on early intervention, but there us really happy. Jamie is the youngest of five is nothing for these individuals when they boys, and he watched his brothers go off to colbecome adults. The No. 1 fear of parents of chillege, get jobs, move out. I know he wondered, dren with disabilities is what will happen to

Holidays at Brookwood There’s always a holiday spirit at Brookwood, what with the 45,000 poinsettias growing in the greenhouses and the extensive selection of holiday-themed decorations, cards and dishware being made in the workshops.

But that spirit will kick into even higher gear during the month of December.

On Dec. 2, 5-7 p.m., Brookwood will host a Ladies Night Out, with Christmas vendors, food tastings, door prizes and wine, champagne and cocktails available for purchase. No reservations necessary.

Brookwood’s big holiday open house will be Dec. 5-6, 9:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m.

The festivities include self-guided tours, opportunities to shop and eat at the café, and a play put on by Brookwood citizens (10 a.m. and 2 p.m.).

On the mornings of Dec. 13-14, the public is invited to eat breakfast at Brookwood with Santa and Mrs. Claus.

(Reservations required, 281-375-2100.

Breakfast is $8.95 for children, $15.95 for adults.) them when I am gone?”

Kiltz, who lives in Georgetown, outside of Austin, toured Brookwood. “That first visit, I felt like Dorothy in The Wizard of Oz when she opens the door and the world changes from black and white to color,” she said.

Kiltz returned again for Brookwood’s Network Day Conferences, for those interested in learning how to do what Brookwood does. These conferences attract people from all over the world. Kiltz started her own day program in Georgetown, with eight adults with disabilities, in her backyard. Two and a half years later, the program, now running in donated space at the Georgetown Church of Christ, has 25 citizens, runs five of its own “enterprises,” and has officially become the first affiliate of Brookwood, called Brookwood in Georgetown, or BIG. Kiltz’s long-term plan: to have a full-residential community, with its own store and café, just like Brookwood.

From the beginning, Kiltz has been deluged with phone calls, including from one family who moved from Illinois to Georgetown to enroll their child.

Back at Brookwood in Brookshire, Yvonne Streit is finishing up a book about Brookwood, while executive director Shudde said she hopes to increase the number of people who take Brookwood’s public tours, from the current 75,000 per year to 200,000, as well as to host more conferences for those seeking to start their own programs.

“We believe there is a national problem, a national need,” she said, “and we may not have all the answers, but we do have an answer.”

BELLAIRE BUZZ NOVEMBER 2014 11

NEIGHBORS

by Russell Weil, contributing writer

Restaurant Memories A look back at Houston’s dining past

BELLAIRE BUZZ NOVEMBER 2014 12

Courtesy of the Weil Family

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s a native Houstonian, I fondly remember many great local restaurants that were favorites of our family. While it might seem hard to believe, South Main Street in the Reliant Stadium area was once home to some of Houston’s most popular dining establishments. From Angelo’s Fisherman’s Wharf (south) to Ye Olde College Inn (north), South Main was where fine dining once prevailed.

Nothing brings people together like food and conversation, so as I stroll down this culinary memory lane, I invite you to join me in the nostalgia by remembering some Houston restaurants of yesterday.

With the opening of the Astrodome in 1965, the South Main corridor was a hub for many legendary dining spots, including Angelo’s Fisherman’s Wharf. This iconic seafood buffet was located on South Main Street just south of 610 South Loop. With a trailer park next door, you might not have suspected the feast being served on the inside. Opened in 1969 by Charlie Angelo, and closing in 1991, Angelo’s was one of the premier family-style Gulf-Coast seafood restaurants in town. The food seemed to go on for miles.

Just north of 610 South was Look’s Sirloin Inn, owned by Sonny Look. Noted for the knight in armor perched upon a horse, greeting patrons in the parking lot, Look’s Sirloin Inn sported a British Castle feel. I fondly remember many meals at Look’s consisting of a chopped steak with baked potato, or fried chicken. As a child, my culinary palate was limited. An added treat was having our family photo taken by the restaurant photographer after we had finished our meal. And, if we had cleaned our plate, we got an official-looking certificate to celebrate.

Sonny Look himself was known to have loaned customers his own sport coat to meet the restaurant dress code. (His other location, Look’s Sirloin House, was located on Westheimer where The Palm Restaurant stands today.)

At 9200 South Main Street was Gaido’s Seafood, the same establishment that continues to grace Galveston Island. Adorned with a large crab on the front canopy, Gaido’s was true Southern white-linen service – waiters in white

SPECIAL OCCASION Writer Russell Weil’s family celebrate Mother’s Day 1967 at Look’s Sirloin Inn. From left are Cecil Weil, Maxine Weil, Stuart Weil, Bessie Schwarz, Russell and Israel Schwarz.

dinner jackets and white gloves, with napkins draped over their wrists. I remember the servers bringing the condiment stand to our table, scooping out sour cream, chives, butter and cheese on our baked potatoes.

Kaphan’s, at 7900 S. Main, was known as “the aristocrat of seafood and steaks.”

Established in 1927, and reportedly one of the first Houston restaurants to fully integrate staff and customers, according to the Houston Architecture Information Forum website, Kaphan’s was owned and managed by the Tomac brothers from the 1950s until 1997, when the restaurant closed its doors. Arnold John Tomac was chef, and older brother Pete Tomac ran the dining room and was often seen passing around broiled “Oysters a la Kaphan’s” to all the tables.

Originally opening on Galveston Island in 1917, Christie’s Seafood Restaurant opened its first Houston location at 6703 South Main Street, near the Medical Center, in 1934. With red, blue and green color-themed rooms, Christie’s was known for its remoulade sauce on French-fried shrimp. At one time, it sold 10,000

of its famous fish sandwiches a week. Christie’s has flourished for decades and calls itself the oldest family-run restaurant in Houston, still owned and operated by the Christie family at 6029 Westheimer.

There were many other South Main Street/Medical Center area favorites, particularly Ye Olde College Inn across from what was then known as Rice Institute. Longtime Houston Chronicle food editor Ann Criswell says, “Ye Olde College Inn was the first restaurant in the United States to serve baked potatoes with all the toppings. That was really something big.”

Other restaurants in this area included Lee’s Den, The Stables Steakhouse (with the lobster tank greeting you inside the front entrance), Red Lion, Pier 21, Valian’s (for pizza), Trader Vic’s in the Shamrock Hilton, Bill Williams (where my Great-Uncle Israel enjoyed breakfast every morning on his way to work at his Greater Third Ward Grocery Store), and Cathay House – the renowned Chinese restaurant in an art deco strip center on Main Street across from the Medical Towers. Not only did the Cathay House

www.bellairebook.com www.bellairebook.com www.bellairebook.com

serve the best Chinese pork ribs in town, but it also had an awesome Astrodome rendering displayed on the wall, complete with twinkling lights. The Astrodome was an inspiration for many of these restaurants; in later years, the restaurant landscape of this area would change dramatically.

Eventually, the suburbs evolved into a popular destination for dining experiences, with the city’s development to the west. My uncle, Leon Levinthal Jr., had several favorite places for steaks, including the original Brenner’s Steakhouse on Katy Road and Bud Bigelow’s “way out west” location on Westheimer. I can recall celebrating many birthdays at Bud Bigelow’s as a teenager, feasting on a rib eye steak with a baked potato and the famed fudge brownie pie with vanilla ice cream.

Further to the south in Westbury, Rumpleheimer’s Ice Cream Parlor brought joy to all. Located in a quaint shopping plaza, Westbury Square, Rumpleheimer’s was fantasy brought to life. I can remember walking up to the counter with my father as he introduced me to his favorite flavor of ice cream, pistachio.

Candy canes adorned the counter, and wroughtiron tables held many birthday parties. As a young student at Little Red Schoolhouse (adjacent to Westbury Square), I enjoyed many field trips to Rumpleheimer’s.

While researching this story, I spoke with many long-timers who shared their favorite dining memories, including Buzz-neighborhood residents Nancy Levinthal, a local volunteer and philanthropist, and Leisa Holland Nelson, local author and business owner. Levinthal recalls The Green Parrot. “This was Dad’s favorite place for fried chicken.” Owned and run by Vira Fredericks and her sister, this establishment was located in an old house a few blocks east of Almeda in the MacGregor/Riverside area. It was famous for congealed pear salad with French dressing and other southern specialties.

Nelson’s favorite dining memory is from Elliott’s Steakhouse in the Medical Center.

“Daddy and Mother took us there for every celebration, birthdays and all occasions. I would order either a filet mignon or fried shrimp. The sizes were just perfect.”

Another resident, Julie Scheinthal, fondly remembers Antonio’s Flying Pizza on Hillcroft.

“Their pizzas were perfect, and I remember our favorite waitress, Kay. It is still around. We should go back.”

Local physician Stuart Weil says, “My favorite place for fried chicken was Youngblood’s on Main Street near Bill Williams. I thought they had the best fried chicken and fried shrimp in town. That’s why I still love fried chicken.”

Food editor Criswell concurred on both of these fried chicken legends. “Youngblood’s was a big hit. And Green Parrot was a charming restaurant in a big colonial house on MacGregor, and they had the finest Southern dishes in town. Nothing fancy, but some of the best recipes from Mrs. J.B. (continued on page 14)

RETRO RESTAURANTS Top photo: Henry’s Steaks near the Bellaire Triangle was a local favorite. Middle photo: Valian’s Restaurant, where Houston pizza was born, was in the Medical Center. Bottom photo: One of Prince’s Drive-In Restaurant locations was in the 5200 block of Bellaire Blvd.

BELLAIRE BUZZ NOVEMBER 2014 13

Houston: Then and Now – William Dylan Powell www.bellairebook.com Houston 175: A Pictorial Celebration of Houston’s 175-Year History,” – The Houston Chronicle

LEGENDARY EATS Top photo: Trader Vic’s was located in the Shamrock Hotel. Middle photo: Who doesn't remember the sweet treats at Rumpelheimer's in Westbury Square? Bottom photo: The James Coney Island downtown location was a popular lunch spot.

BELLAIRE BUZZ NOVEMBER 2014 14

(continued from page 13) Dowd, who owned the original Green Parrot in Kansas City. This was a go-to restaurant for Sunday lunch after church and for special occasions.”

Another of Criswell’s favorites was Hebert’s Ritz in what is now known as Midtown. “I remember their sign with a bear, and the words ABear to indicate pronunciation. They were famous for their incomparable remoulade sauce and Trout Marguery, which was absolutely delicious.”

No Houston restaurant memory would be complete without mentioning the history of local delicatessens. I am proud to say my family helped start one of Houston’s early delis, which evolved into Schwartzberg’s. Founded in 1925 by my grandfather, Robert Leon, and his brother Joe as Leon’s Delicatessen & Restaurant, the name of this Kosher deli was changed in the early 1940s as another of the Leon brothers married a Schwartzberg.

One early employee there, Alfred Julius Kahn, was a young immigrant from Germany.

After learning every aspect of the business, Alfred Kahn later opened his first location of Alfred’s Delicatessen in 1948 at 2408 Rice Boulevard in Rice Village. Later, the main location moved to the Stella Link Center, which was located next door to Carlsam’s Jewelers, owned by my uncle.

Who doesn’t remember Alfred’s – both the delicatessen and the man? The Stella Link location was a gourmet food store in the front, with a counter and full-service restaurant in the back.

With the stocky and loveable Alfred at the helm behind the front counter, one could buy authentic Kosher deli meats, fish and cheese, or order huge sandwiches too large to get your mouth around. My favorite was a hard salami sandwich with Swiss cheese on rye, with a salami beef stick on the side along with the best half-sour pickles.

You could not even move around Alfred’s during Passover, as the lines were out the door due to everyone stocking up for their Seder needs. Long gone is Alfred’s, since closing in the late 1990s, but never forgotten.

While I’ve only just started reminiscing on Houston restaurants past and present (I haven’t even touched on my favorite subject – hamburgers), our journey must end for now.

Do you remember any of these places? Or others I don’t mention? We’d love to share your dining memories. Go to the Comments section under the online version of this story at bellairebuzz.com or send a letter to Mailbag at info@thebuzzmagazines.com.

I look forward to hearing your tales. Until then, enjoy making your own dining memories.

Editor’s note: Russell Weil reviews hamburgers at his foodie blog, eat-more-burgers.com.

Many of these historical restaurant photographs are courtesy of Mike McCorkle from his book Life and Times Around Bellaire, Texas 1909 – 2013.

Additional photographs and information about the book can be found at www.bellairebook.com.

Copies are also available at the Bellaire Coffee Shop and McHugh Tea Room on Bissonnet.

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Checklist for family survivors When someone you love dies, you find yourself overwhelmed with friends and family, random advice, and casseroles. Eventually, you must throw them all out.

The professionals are little better. They may help you with a funeral, or probate, or grief, but they’re not going to clean up the house for you.

If ultimately you are on your own, where do you begin? Consider Sally Hurme’s latest book, the ABA/AARP Checklist for Family Survivors: A Guide to Practical and Legal Matters When Someone You Love Dies (2014).

Each chapter presents a different checklist, from funeral to probate, with enough detail to be helpful but not overwhelming. If you’re not a checklist person, buy the book for the narrative explaining each step.

Confused by the IRA? Read Chapter 6, Learn What’s Available in Investments. Can’t find the life insurance? See Chapter 7, Check on Insurance Benefits, for tips on record searches for lost life-insurance policies. Not sure how to split the personal property? Chapter 10, Sort Through the Stuff and Papers, explains “Who Gets Grandma’s Yellow Pie Plate?”

That chapter’s What to Keep and When to Shred checklist has great ideas about how long to keep certain records. The chapter closes with helpful advice regarding social media and even airline points.

Hurme repeatedly references her earlier book, the ABA Checklist for Family Heirs. That title seems out of print, although copies are available from Amazon. Don’t bother. It is more or less a shorter version of the Family Survivors book, written to help people prepare for their own deaths.

If you are ambitious enough, simply buy the Family Survivors book and apply the checklists to your own business, ignoring the postmortem items.

Family Survivors, Chapter 3, has my favorite checklist, Assigned Tasks. If anyone is reckless enough to say to you, “Just let me know how I can help,” you can whip that out and confidently delegate anything from taking care of pets, to making funeral arrangements, to cleaning up the house. At about $15 from Amazon, you can afford to give volunteers their own copy.

There are no end of organizers, checklists, and books on the market advising how to prepare for or respond to a death.

This one is pitch perfect, consistently striking the right balance between what the author knows and what family and friends actually need to know.

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BELLAIRE BUZZ NOVEMBER 2014 17

stpimages.com

NEIGHBORS

by Andria Frankfort, staff writer

Avoiding Christmas Crooks Holiday safety tips from our police chiefs

I

’m the worst about forgetting to fill the car with gas. I’ve actually run out, car totally dead, more than a couple of times. So last April, as I rushed from a meeting to carpool, I made a quick stop that I really didn’t have time for, trying to be on top of things.

I drove into the station talking on my phone, grabbed a credit card from my wallet, and slung my purse into the front passenger’s seat. I got the gas pumping, then sat in my car with the doors locked until it finished. When it did, I got out of the car, locked the doors, and put the gas cap back on. Ten seconds, maybe. Getting back in the car, it took a few seconds to process that my passenger’s window was now in pieces in the front seat, where my purse used to be. This all happened while I was standing there, on the other side of the car. I never saw anyone. Never heard anything.

It’s pretty scary to think that people would be so brazen – I was standing right there. And then there was the cost of it all. Just the purse and wallet alone were worth something. Add to that the credit-card charges that happened within the 30 minutes it took to call the banks, the new locks on my home doors (they had my address, house keys and security-system remote), the new car window and all the other myriad valuable junk crammed in my purse, and I think the bad guys probably made about $8,000 in 30 minutes.

Not to mention the headache of changing every account, every auto-pay.

That afternoon, after a dear friend picked up my carpools at two schools, I called my friend Alan Rosen, Harris County constable for Precinct One. His advice: First, call the neighborhood police and ask them to put an alert on my house; second, call one of the credit companies – Equifax, Experian or TransUnion – to put a fraud alert on my credit, so that if anyone tried to open accounts in my name, the banks would have to call me first for approval.

I wanted to understand where I had gone wrong. I locked the doors, sat in the car. Wasn’t that what I was supposed to do? Apparently, I made three fatal mistakes. One, I put my purse on the front seat, after digging through it so anyone could see. I should have put it behind my BELLAIRE BUZZ NOVEMBER 2014 18

seat, or better yet, I shouldn’t have had a big purse at all.

Two, I got selfserve gas on the side of the freeway.

Stick to the neighborhood pumps – especially ones that have surveillance cameras.

Three, I was rushed and distracted, and the bad guys picked up on that.

Statistically, the holidays are even worse for this kind SAFEKEEPING Bellaire police chief Byron Holloway, who visited with The Buzz and of crime. So as we other police chiefs at Island Grill, wants residents to remember personal safety as they enter the season, commence the holiday rush. still feeling a little have your mind on Christmas gifts and carskittish, I thought I’d check with the experts pool. Have your keys ready before you leave a about how to be safe. store, so you don’t have to fumble for them “Develop some steps for safety, and stick to when you’re at your car. Keep the alarm button them,” says J.D. Sanders, police chief for in your hand and walk past your car to make Memorial Villages. “It takes just a minute to put sure there’s nobody sitting in the vehicle next a seatbelt on, and we got used to that. If you’ll to you.” practice some safety things it’ll take a while to Other safety experts advise taking a 360get used to it in the beginning, but after a while degree survey of what’s going on in front of, it’s second nature.” behind and on each side of you as you walk to What are those steps? “No. 1, when shopping or from the car, walking in the big aisles, rather alone, pick places at parking lots that are wellthan between cars. Valuables like portable GPS lit and not crowded,” Sanders says. Not crowded devices, cell phones, laptops, iPods and even seems contrary to what a lot of us think. Isn’t charging cables should be stashed in a console there safety in numbers? “We all want to get as or glove compartment. (Remember to clean succlose to the entrance of a store as possible. My tion marks off the windshield where GPS or wife will burn half a tank of gas to save 10 steps. radar detectors were attached.) Also, don’t leave But you’re better off parking farther away in a packages in sight inside your car as you go from less crowded area,” says Sanders. “Bad guys can store to store. Make sure to lock them in the conceal themselves a lot easier when there’s trunk or make a trip home to unload. And big another car next to yours.” purses? “They’re a giant neon sign saying, ‘Come Likewise, he advises to not “park next to big get me.’ Don’t give them that big of a target,” vehicles that would block sight of your car. They Sanders says. hide their victim’s vehicle with their own car so “If you’re driving a nice vehicle, those things they can do whatever they want, and nobody signify you’ve got a little money and most likely will see.” jewelry. The bad guys will literally stalk a place “A whole lot of it is just being aware. Don’t

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SAFE TIDINGS Memorial Villages police chief J.D. Sanders and West University police chief Ken Walker (from left) share holiday safety concerns for their residents.

for hours and sometimes days looking for just the right victim in a parking lot. You’ve got to be aware of your surroundings.”

Ken Walker, chief of police for West University, echoes Sanders’ advice. “Be aware of everything around you, especially when returning from a grocery store or bank. Check your rear-view mirror, make a few turns, make sure nobody is following you.” If they are, he says, drive to the police station or call them.

“Whatever you do,” Sanders says, “don’t pull into your driveway. Then you’re trapped.”

Walker and Bellaire police chief Byron Holloway both warn against having packages delivered to your home. “Every year, online shopping increases,” Holloway says. “And we have a real problem with all these packages on people’s porches. We’ll stop [thieves] and they’ll have 10 to 15 packages from all over the city in their car.”

Holloway says it’s difficult to determine the extent of doorstep-package theft because usually the recipient will call the vendor, thinking the package was lost during shipping. Walker’s and Holloway’s recommendation: If you’re not home during the day, and there’s nobody at your house, have packages delivered to an office or to a neighbor who will be home all day.

And after the packages are opened, “break down the boxes and bag ’em,” says Holloway.

“Any crook can drive around on recycling day and see everyone in the neighborhood who has just bought a new computer or iPad or TV.” Holloway also advises residents to counsel their housekeepers and other household employees to call the police about anything suspicious.

“Some of their immigration statuses are questionable, and they’re concerned that if they call the police when something goes wrong that they’ll be in trouble. Maybe the employers even tell them not to call the police because they’re worried about getting in trouble themselves.

“We want to be clear that we don’t care about that. We just want to get the call, so that we can do our job and make sure everyone and their property is safe.”

During the holidays, we expect more visitors dropping by. Sanders says, “Be careful about opening a door when you don’t know who’s there. People tend to be less on guard during the holidays, but still be careful about knowing who’s there, and have lots of lights. Bad guys hate locks and security systems, but the things they hate most are lights. They won’t go where they can be easily seen.” In addition to lights, think about posting “Beware of Dog” signs and

warnings that alarm systems are in use. And then, use the alarm systems. Make sure, also, that shrubs are manicured; overgrowth is an easy place for thieves to hide.

The real problem, Holloway says, is that, “Our lives are so hectic. We’re all trying to do too much in too little time. There’s a lot of cash in circulation during the holidays. We’re distracted, not thinking about what we need to do to keep ourselves and our property safe. Crooks know this, and it brings them out.”

Holloway, like the other police chiefs, says the best thing to do is to keep your guard up.

“Everyone in the holiday mode is happy and feeling goodwill. They’re very trusting and loving, focusing on their faith and traditions.

Unfortunately, a lot of people will take advantage of that. Criminals see that and think, ‘How can I turn this to my advantage?’

“When you get into that rush mode, just stop, catch your breath, and say to yourself, ‘Am I doing everything I can to protect myself, my property and my family?’”

MORE ONLINE For links to Neighborhood Watch and House Watch safety programs in your community, see the online version of this story at bellairebuzz.com BELLAIRE BUZZ NOVEMBER 2014 19

© Houston Zoo; Stephanie Adams

NEIGHBORS

by Angie Frederickson, contributing writer

Holiday Fun Get into spirit at seasonal events

L

ooking for a jump start on your holiday mood? Here are some things to do, whether you stay home or take a road trip.

13th Annual Moody Gardens Festival of Lights When: Nov. 15-Jan. 3 Highlights: Walk through more than 1 million lights and sound-enhanced animated displays.

Location: Moody Gardens, One Hope Blvd., Galveston Price: $9 admission Details: moodygardens.com

26th Annual Ice Spectacular at The Galleria When: Nov. 15; 12 p.m. family activities, entertainment; 6 p.m. tree-lighting show Highlights: Lighting of the 55-foot Christmas tree.

Location: The Galleria – Ice at The Galleria, 5085 Westheimer Price: Free

Zoo Lights When: Nov. 21-Jan. 4 Highlights: Explore the zoo in the evenings with millions of colorful lights and festive holiday music.

Location: Houston Zoo, 6200 Hermann Park Dr. Price: To be announced. See website.

Details: houstonzoo.org

HEB Thanksgiving Day Parade When: Nov. 27, 9 a.m.

Highlights: Annual city parade with floats and live music.

Location: Downtown Houston.

Price: Free Details: houstontx.gov/thanksgivingparade

TXU Energy Houston Turkey Trot When: Nov. 27, 7 a.m.

Highlights: Thanksgiving morning run, benefitting Sheltering Arms.

Location: Outside Dillard’s by The Galleria Price: Race registration: $10 and up. Register in advance, online, or at the race on race day.

Details: turkeytrot.shelteringarms.org BELLAIRE BUZZ NOVEMBER 2014 20

BRIGHT NIGHTS Stroll through a colorful winter wonderland during Zoo Lights at the Houston Zoo.

Dewberry Christmas Tree Farm

41st Annual Dickens on the Strand

When: Nov. 28-Dec. 14; various dates and times Highlights: Take a hayride and search for your own tree.

Location: Dewberry Farm, FM 362 and Morrison Rd., Brookshire. (40 miles west of downtown Houston) Price: Free admission; trees priced individually.

Details: dewberrychristmastrees.com Note: There are many Christmas-tree farms in Texas, and most have holiday activities. See texaschristmastrees.com for a map.

When: Dec. 5-7 Highlights: Holiday street festival, based on 19th-century Victorian London.

Location: 2300 Strand, Galveston Price: $12 for adults and $6 for children in advance. $14 at gate. Guests in Victorian costume are half-price.

Details: galvestonhistory.org

Houston Ballet’s The Nutcracker When: Nov. 28-Dec. 28, 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.

Highlights: Ben Stevenson’s production of The Nutcracker.

Location: Brown Theater at Wortham Theater Center, 501 Texas at Smith Price: Tickets start at $19 Details: houstonballet.org

26th Annual West University Christmas Tree Lighting When: Dec. 1; Activities begin at 5:30 p.m.

Lighting at 6 p.m.

Highlights: Ceremonial lighting of the tree and photos with Santa.

Location: Community Building, 6104 Auden Price: Free admission Details: westutx.gov

Holiday in the Park When: Dec. 4, 6-8:30p.m.

Highlights: Visit Santa, hear local entertainers and play in snow.

Location: Bellaire Town Square Event Lawn and Pavilion and Loftin Park, 7008 S. Rice Ave. Price: Free admission Details: ci.bellaire.tx.us

Radio City Christmas Spectacular When: Dec. 5-28, various times Highlights: The Rockettes return to Houston’s Hobby Center after eight years.

Location: Sarofim Hall at the Hobby Center, 800 Bagby St. Price: starting at $26 Details: thehobbycenter.org

The Night Before Christmas When: Dec. 13, 10 a.m. and 11:30 a.m.

Highlights: ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas story is set to music performed by the Houston Symphony.

Location: Jones Hall, 615 Louisiana St. Price: $32 Details: houstonsymphony.org

Emanu El Chanukah Celebration When: Dec. 21, time to be announced Highlights: A Chanukah celebration featuring Emanu El cantor Mark Perman.

Location: Congregation Emanu El, 1500 Sunset Blvd.

Price: Free, open to the community Details: EmanuElHouston.org

MORE ONLINE For more events, see the online version of this story at bellairebuzz.com.

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Required Minimum Distributions from IRAs Below are some of the standard questions I’m asked about IRA distributions. When must I begin taking distributions from my IRA? By April 1 of the year following the year in which you turn 70.5. Should I wait until then, or should I take out money earlier? It depends upon your facts and circumstances. However, delaying until April 1 following the year in which you turn 70.5 results in having to take out 2 years of required minimum distributions in the year you turn 71.5. What is the penalty if I don’t take out enough money? 50 percent of the shortage. Is there a limit on how much I can take out of my IRA? No. If I have more than one IRA, can I take all of my required distribution from one account? Yes. How is my required minimum distribution calculated? Your 12/31 IRA(s) balance is multiplied by your life expectancy (and in some circumstances the joint life expectancy of you and your spouse if he/she is 10 years younger) as determined by IRS tables.

Who can I name as my beneficiary? Anyone you’d like, including a charity, a pet or even the IRS! What is an inherited IRA? This is an IRA that is established by a beneficiary of your IRA. What is an inherited IRA trust? This trust is designed to prevent beneficiaries from depleting IRA assets more quickly than you would like. Must owners of an inherited IRA or the trustee of an inherited IRA trust take minimum required distributions from the IRA? Yes. The amount is based upon life-expectancy tables based upon the beneficiary’s age. Why am I required to take money out of an IRA when I don’t need the money?

The IRS wants to collect tax dollars on the funds you contributed on

BELLAIRE BUZZ NOVEMBER 2014 22

a tax-deductible basis as well as the earnings. What if I made non-deductible contributions to my IRA? A portion of the distribution will be nontaxable if you filed IRS Form 8606 each year you made a nondeductible contribution. Can I contribute to my IRA after I am 70.5? No. However, you can contribute to a Roth IRA if you have compensation and satisfy the eligibility requirements.

This material is intended for informational purposes only and should only be relied upon when coordinated with individual professional advice, as individual situations may vary. All information contained herein is derived from sources deemed to be reliable but cannot be guaranteed. Securities and advisory services offered through SagePoint Financial, Inc., member FINRA/SIPC. Insurance services offered through Park Place Financial, which is not affiliated with SagePoint Financial or registered as a broker-dealer or investment advisor. SagePoint Financial, Inc. does not offer tax or legal advice. Legal advice provided by Christopher J. Maurer. 6300 West Loop S, Suite 690, Bellaire, Texas 77401, 713-667-4884.

Christopher J. Maurer, J.D., CFP® is a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ in Bellaire, with over 20 years of experience. He can be reached at 713-667-4884 or www.parkplacefinancial.co.

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TRAVEL

by Tracy L. Barnett, staff writer

Travel Buzz Breaking with tradition: Thanksgiving travels

F

amily tradition takes many forms for many people, and Thanksgiving is no exception.

Last year’s holiday was an opportunity to bring the Cummings family back to its origins.

Eldest son Matthew was off at college at Louisiana State University, and couldn’t come back for Thanksgiving as he served in the marching band and would need to perform the next day at the homecoming game. So instead of cooking dinner for the extended family, which has been their tradition for as long as they can remember, they decided to pack up Mom and the two dogs, the turkey and trimmings and go to him.

It was a celebration loaded with memories; in fact, it was at this very same campus that Kelly and David first met and fell in love, marching lock step in the band on these same grounds.

Years later, it was a nostalgic thrill to watch their son following in their footsteps – literally.

Thanksgiving dinner went off without a hitch; they rented an extended-stay hotel suite and prepared the food in the tiny kitchen.

“The turkey filled the oven wall-to-wall,” recalls Kelly with a laugh, and mother and daughter worked elbow-to-elbow in the tiny hotel kitchen to produce a meal that met all the seasonal requisites. The next day they headed out for the game and enjoyed it together.

“It was exciting and something new to do,” said Kelly. “My husband was a little stressed out, packing everything up – but it actually turned out to be very relaxing, with very little to clean up, and then we got to go shopping. It was nice.”

This year, Matthew will be marching on Thanksgiving Day, but the game will be at College Station; so instead of going for the whole weekend, the family is making a day trip of the holiday and planning a tailgate-party Thanksgiving. They’ll borrow an oil fryer from an uncle and deep-fry the turkey right there in the parking lot.

For the Fazal-Merchants and the Bloomers, it was more about starting a new tradition – and what’s more traditional than Disney? Both families decided to take advantage of the weeklong break from school to plan a trip into the world of make-believe.

BELLAIRE BUZZ NOVEMBER 2014 24

AHOY, MATEY Captain Hook, Dawn Bloomer, William Fowler, Kevin Bloomer and Mr. Smee (from left) enjoy Pirate Night aboard the Disney Wonder.

For Fermeen Fazal and husband Rizwan Merchant, the trip to Disneyland in California was a family first. Her big extended family hails from Pakistan, and every year they get together for the traditional feast – a multicultural celebration: one roasted turkey rubbed with tandoori spices, and another fried Cajun-style. They serve both turkeys with cranberries, mashed potatoes, squash casserole, and chutney. Six years ago, tiny 8½-pound Saira was born three weeks before Thanksgiving, and Fermeen propped her up next to the 20-pound turkey for a photo – and a new annual tradition was born.

Last year, however, they decided to take a break from the festivities and make a break for the coast. They flew to John Wayne Airport right next to Disneyland the Saturday before Thanksgiving, long before most holiday travelers were crowding the airlines, and the parks weren’t crowded because most people come over the Thanksgiving weekend.

“It was our first time to any Disney park, and we had a great time!” Fermeen said. Saira, then 5, got a princess makeover; Shahrick, 10, attended Jedi training camp, and the whole fam-

ily got to watch the fireworks each night.

On Thanksgiving Day, they lined up for a 10 a.m. opening-day screening of Frozen. “It was a super cool experience to watch it in downtown Disney because they gave the audience a Frozen pin,” said Fermeen.

The family celebrated a turkey-buffet lunch at their hotel and flew home to Houston after lunch.

“No one wants to fly on Thanksgiving Day, and so flights were cheaper and the airport was dead.

We got back home to Houston to enjoy Friday and the weekend here. It was awesome!”

Her sister, who travels every year from her home in New York to be with the family, was a little bit disappointed at their absence – but since the family had the rest of the weekend together, there was plenty of time to make up for it.

“We arrived at 6:30 and we missed the turkey but we were in time for the pies,” reported Fermeen. “And we took a picture of my daughter with the turkey carcass.”

Dawn Bloomer has always been a self-described “significant Disney fan,” and when she heard that the Disney Cruise was leaving from Galveston, she booked cruises for her and husband Kevin, and

TIGER BEAT Two generations of LSU marching band members celebrate Thanksgiving together at the game. From left are Kelly, David, Matthew and Kirby Cummings.

son William Fowler, right away. There were two choices – summer or fall. Thanksgiving week cost more but worked better for their schedule, “so we decided to limit our exposure to miss school and plunked down the cash.”

The Bloomer/Fowler family’s Mimosa Drive neighbors, the William and Linda Wu family, joined them as well. Hardcore fan that she is, Dawn reported “a very positive experience even though the weather was outrageously horrible.”

Storms pounded the Gulf of Mexico and followed them into the Caribbean, and the seas were so rough that passengers were seasick for up to three days. When the winds finally subsided, it was still rainy and cold. When they finally made it to Castaway Cay, the rain stopped long enough for them to disembark, get some lawn chairs and sit on the beach and dig around in the sand a bit.

“The food was really good, and you could still go into the shops,” recalled the ever-optimistic Dawn. “The crew comes off the ship and cooks in the restaurant on the island, and the food is amazing.”

The good thing, Dawn said, was that the storm happened early in the 7-day cruise so there was time to recover and still make some good memories. And there was enough going on there on the ship that there was plenty to do without the shore excursions.

“I would say the highlights were on the ship itself – how much exposure you could have with the characters if you chose to.” Dawn packed a suitcase full of pirate attire so that the family could join in the fun during Pirate Night.

All meals on four of the ship’s seven very different restaurants were included in the cruise price. One unforgettable dinner was in the Animator’s Palate, with its mind-bending architecture and Pacific Rim cuisine.

“The whole restaurant changes colors, and the waitstaff uniforms change colors as well; it’s a really unique experience,” Dawn said. William got to go have his own kind of fun at the Oceaneer Club, and Dawn and Kevin were able to get away and enjoy some fine dining.

“One of the highlights on Thanksgiving Day was that it was so stress free – you weren’t cooking or cleaning, you didn’t have to do dishes, and there were all these games,” said Dawn. “I remember talking about how nice it was to be there for Thanksgiving and not even do work.

We were just able to enjoy the family.

“There was so much going on on the ship as far as entertainment and amenities, you were never bored.”

Frozen featured as a high point for the Bloomers, as well. The movie had its premiere while they were out at sea, and like the FazalMerchants, they were among the first to see it.

A big ice sculpture outside the movie theater added some serious atmosphere.

As far as missing the traditional annual family feast, it turned out that the rest of the family had plans as well – including Mom and Dad, who went to Vegas.

“We have had many a Thanksgiving dinner together,” Dawn said, “but if we don’t, nobody’s feeling disappointed by that.”

Under Disney Cruises’ “rotational dining” sys-

tem, the family migrates to a different one of the ship’s restaurants each night. On Thanksgiving Day, the Bloomers lucked out with one of the more formal restaurants and found themselves with a tough choice: traditional turkey dinner, lobster or prime rib. But as it turned out, one price covered all you could eat, and Kevin ended up with quite a lot to be thankful for: a serving of each.

“We sat with our friends, ordered what we wanted off the menu, then they had entertainment – which increased in elaborateness with each day,” Dawn recalled. “They just one-upped each other, and each show was more touching and heartwarming and theatrical and elaborate than the last.”

On the cruise, as with elsewhere in the U.S. culture, Thanksgiving kicked off the holiday season; all the holiday decorations went up, and a big gingerbread house was built before their eyes.

The whole experience was such a hit that when Dawn learned that a Disney Cruise would be back in Galveston in 2015, she booked a repeat right away – this time, hopefully, without the storm.

“It wasn’t like there was something wistful about not being home; it’s another adventure,” she said. “Me and my husband and son, we all travel a lot – so we spend a lot of time on the move. My philosophy is: To each his own. If it’s your holiday, it’s your family, and it’s your way to create memories – so make it something you want to do that gives you joy and satisfaction.

There’s no one way to celebrate Thanksgiving; it’s to each his own.”

BELLAIRE BUZZ NOVEMBER 2014 25

FOOD

by Jan Nelson Carroll, contributing writer

Thanksgiving favorites

Cooking Buzz is a new column produced in partnership with the Junior League of Houston, a women’s charitable and educational organization founded in 1925.

T

hanksgiving is, hands down, my favorite holiday. There is something about the simplicity of Thanksgiving that warms my heart. Thanksgiving calls us to pause and remember everything in our lives that is blessed.

My earliest Thanksgiving memories are of my dad getting up at the crack of dawn to cook the turkey in a big brown grocery bag. According to him, the bag kept the turkey from drying out.

This seemed to be the case for many years until disaster struck and the bag caught on fire.

Given my family’s checkered past with turkey it might surprise you to know that I do make a turkey for our family’s feast. My mother-in-law, Connie Dyess, makes one, and I make another.

I use the recipe for Favorite Turkey from The Junior League of Houston’s cookbook Peace Meals. No fire extinguisher required.

My father was also famous for his dressing. I now make it every year, and the smell of the onions and celery cooking in butter always reminds me of sitting on a squeaky stool watching my sweet daddy cook. I lost my dad more than 30 years ago, so I cherish those memories.

Looking for a dressing recipe? Try Sage and Pecan Dressing from Peace Meals.

My best friend, Monica Abugattas, is from Peru. Her family does not really celebrate Thanksgiving, so she has always spent the day with us. Without traditions, it is said, we have no memories. I have so many fond memories of us cooking together, and now my 6-year-old daughter, Georgia, is cooking with us, too.

My mother-in-law always makes the showstopping Pumpkin Roll from the Junior League cookbook Stop and Smell the Rosemary. We have to keep an eye on my husband, Chris, as he likes to dig into the roll before we eat.

If you are not a whiz in the kitchen, I think it is perfectly acceptable to cater the meal or pick up a prepared dish. The Junior League Pantry has a complete Thanksgiving dinner that serves 10 to 12 people for $225, or you can order a side BELLAIRE BUZZ NOVEMBER 2014 26

or turkey à la carte.

(Call 713-622-5965 to order.) Orders must be placed by Nov. 20 at 3 p.m., and pick up is Wednesday, Nov. 26, 10 a.m.-1 p.m., in the Junior League Ballroom, west of River Oaks on 1811 Briar Oaks Lane.

In our family it is important to not forget the drinks. A shiny silver punch bowl filled with something refreshing is a great centerpiece. The Champagne Pomegranate Punch from Peace Meals is stunning and delicious.

Enjoy your Thanksgiving with great food and family. Create THE TURKEY For a lot of families, Thanksgiving wouldn't feel right without a traditions, and wonder- perfectly roasted turkey. ful memories will follow.

Coat the turkey with the mixture on both the If the turkey catches fire, all the better. inside and outside of the bird. Cover and refrigerate several hours or overnight.

Favorite Turkey Preheat the oven to 325°F. Place onion, celPeace Meals (2008) ery and parsley inside the cavity of the turkey.

10- to 12-pound fresh turkey Lay the bacon slices across the breast. Place 3 teaspoons dry mustard pieces of butter in the crevices between the 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce 1 drumstick and the breast, and behind the ⁄3 cup olive oil, plus additional wings. Place the turkey in a roasting pan and 1 teaspoon white wine vinegar add the broth. Soak the linen towel in olive Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper oil and lay it over the entire turkey. Roast the 1 large white onion, peeled and cut into wedges turkey for 3 to 3½ hours or until a meat ther3 stalks celery, strings removed and cut into mometer registers 180-185°F in the thigh and 1- to 2-inch pieces 170-175°F in the thickest part of the breast. ½ cup chopped fresh parsley Baste turkey and turn the roasting pan several 2 slices bacon times during cooking. Remove from the oven ½ cup (1 stick) butter, cut into pieces and allow the turkey to rest for 10-15 minutes 2 cups chicken broth before carving.

1 thin linen towel (to be discarded after cooking) This recipe requires advance preparation.

Remove and discard the giblets and neck from For more recipes, see this story at inside the turkey; rinse the turkey and pat dry. bellairebuzz.com. To buy a cookbook, see Combine the mustard, Worcestershire sauce, www.jlh.org or call 713-871-6608. olive oil, vinegar, salt and pepper in small bowl. © Creatas Images / thinkstockphotos.com

Cooking Buzz

MORE ONLINE

BELLAIRE BUZZ NOVEMBER 2014 27

KIDS

School Buzz Liana Wang

From our student correspondents

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he Buzz has launched a blog, School Buzz, which highlights what’s going on in local high schools from students’ perspectives. See below for an excerpt from one of our student reporters. To read complete posts and news from other schools, check out School Buzz at bellairebuzz.com.

Liana Wang, a junior at Bellaire High School, surveyed students to get their opinions on where students should go while the school is being rebuilt. (Note: As of press time, the rebuild issue was still pending; see houstonisd.org/bellairehigh for updates.) Here’s what Liana wrote: “At a meeting to discuss rebuilding plans, HISD offered two options: One, split students off to different campuses during construction of a building in the same place – the ‘South Rice/Maple’ option, or two, the ‘Ferris/Maple’ option – keep students on-campus, build on the athletic fields and then ‘flip’ students into the new building before tearing down the old.

While some approve of the South Rice/Maple option, formed between Bellaire High’s Project Advisory Team (PAT), HISD and neighbors, others have more than a few words to say against it.

A plan for rebuilding that tears up the fabric of Bellaire compromises the integrity of the school, no matter how great the architecture. ‘As I see the recurring theme of splitting students up, I can’t help but get frustrated,’ said junior Chan Golla. ‘It would destroy the identity of Bellaire.’

Recently, another option was offered: Upperclassmen would shift around on campus with now-approved temporary buildings, while freshmen and possibly sophomores would be split among the old Mandarin Chinese Language Immersion School, HSPVA and DeBakey campuses. (All are getting new campuses.) This option seems more likely than the others, according to senior Marina Finley and PTO president Swati Narayan, who are on the PAT, given the feedback from residents at both community meetings. ‘It would almost be like a temporary ninth grade ... a nice way to transition,’ said Swati.

For sophomore class president Ajay Singh though, a plan that keeps only some together is troubling. Did juniors and seniors improve his BELLAIRE BUZZ NOVEMBER 2014 28

PERSPECTIVES Some Bellaire High School sophomore-class officers, (from left) Felicia Dang, Amy Yao, Ashley Moody and Lizi Xiong, listen as a briefing of a community meeting is delivered to the Student Council.

freshmen experience? Ajay answered with a definitive, ‘Yes!’ Others agree. ‘Seniors and juniors are my role models and influence me to pursue my goals,’ said Alissa Kono, a freshman.

Jimmy Newland, a Bellaire science teacher, also recognizes a problem with limiting the course selections per grade level, something inevitable should the school be split. ‘Our school doesn’t have the same divisions between classes as one might see in other urban schools,’ he said. ‘The varying [academic] levels we offer would be gone.’

Contrary to popular belief, upperclassmen don’t dump freshmen in trashcans but rather help them find a niche. ‘Yearbookers’ look up to past editors. My friends in Belles admire the senior officers. Emotions and volleyball inductions make fun of hierarchy while cementing bonds in these ‘families.’ Should the school be split up, senior Anh Tran said, it ‘wouldn’t be Bellaire.’

To some, plans to split up students seem to ignore what a school really is. ‘A school is a community,’ said Marina. A family. No one yet has said it’s a building.

‘It’s a place that allows students to grow,’ said Newland. ‘There is no way to maintain the culture if we have students at different campuses.’

Though he realizes that a new, perhaps better culture could grow out of that change, Newland doesn’t ‘wish to gamble the identity of our school.’

‘The different aspects of Bellaire are like different threads, and Bellaire is a tapestry,’ senior Selam Nicola explained. Cutting through the middle destroys the picture. ‘If Bellaire is split into different parts, it would not be Bellaire. It’s that simple.’

However, community members demonstrated the complexity of the situation. Some ‘near neighbors’ want to keep their homes separated from BHS by athletic fields.

And to those who question Bellaire’s diversity or the programs that draw students from outside Bellaire, no one I spoke to has failed to mention diversity as one of the highlights of their time at Bellaire. ‘Having a great amount of diversity is a good thing,’ said Student Council officer and senior Cassidi Williams, citing how she has learned about Jewish, Islamic, and East and West African cultures merely by going to school. Diversity educates us in a way academics alone never will.

To most students I talked with, the ‘Ferris/Maple’ plan to keep the school together is the best option, even though residents have expressed concern that a shifted school would block sunlight and the view.

Yet, students are worried that splitting up the school blocks choice and opportunity.”

Editor’s note: School Buzz is written by students.

Editorial content does not necessarily express the opinions of the publisher or editor.

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Modern allergy testing There are three ways to treat allergies: 1) avoiding what you’re allergic to; 2) medications; and 3) immunotherapy (allergy shots or drops). Before we can make recommendations for avoidance and immunotherapy, we need to know what you are allergic to. In the past, allergy testing involved a multiday process of getting dozens of needles, or boards, placed on your back and arms. The most accurate and modern skin test devices are now made of plastic. When the tests are applied, it feels like a plastic hairbrush rolling across your back or arms. The Multi-Test® we use tests for eight different allergens on each device, making application of the tests very quick. If you are allergic, your skin tests will itch. Then, the tests will turn red and swollen, sort of like mosquito bites. After 15 minutes, we measure how big these reactions are. After we read the allergy tests, we put special creams on your back and/or arms to give you immediate relief of the itching. Results from allergy skin tests are given to you that same day.

Different allergy tests are done depending what we are looking for.

Usually, we test for pollen, dust mites, cats, dogs and molds. But sometimes we just test for honeybees, wasps and hornets; sometimes fire ants. Allergy testing to foods is not as accurate as tests to those other things, so often we do the food testing with fresh fruit, vegetables or shellfish. (Yes, you’d go up to the fresh seafood counter at Randall’s and ask, “I’d like to buy one shrimp.”) Allergy tests can tell us the exact cause of hay fever, asthma, eczema, hives, insect, drug and food allergy.

When you get allergy tests done, there are certain medications that you should not take for several days prior to the testing; most of these are anti-

histamines, but some other drugs will interfere with test results, so let our office know everything you are on. Please don’t stop any regular medications for your heart, diabetes or thyroid without approval of the doctor who prescribed it for you.

Allergy blood tests have also improved over the years, but the blood tests (specific IgE testing, formerly known as RAST) are much more expensive and take several days to get the results. We only use the blood tests on patients who just can’t stop their antihistamines, or patients with widespread eczema where we have no room to do the skin tests.

Allergy and asthma medications can make you feel better, but only if you keep taking them indefinitely. Only allergy shots are designed to keep you feeling better for years after you finish taking them.

No one nose allergies like we do.™ Note: Information contained in this article should not be considered a substitute for consultation with a board-certified allergist to address individual medical needs.

Alnoor A. Malick, M.D., The Allergy Clinic, 7707 Fannin, Suite 100, Houston, Texas 77054, 713.797.0993, *1200 Binz, Suite 180, Houston, Texas 77004, 713.522.9911, www.allergyclinic.com, *Operating as Houston Allergy & Asthma Clinic

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SPORTS

.

by Todd Freed, staff writer

SportzBuzz I

t may not have determined the conference champion, but there was plenty at stake in the Episcopal Knights’ 48-21 regular-season victory over rival Kinkaid Falcons. The victory secured a top seeding for the Knights in this month’s SPC playoffs – and also avenged last season’s loss to Kinkaid.

“It’s a tremendous rivalry that runs deep,” said Knights head coach Steve Leisz. “The two schools have combined to win the last five SPC Championships, so it’s always a big deal when we play each other. The parents and grandparents know each other, and there’s a lot of pride and even ego when our teams face off. We had close

BELLAIRE BUZZ NOVEMBER 2014 30

to 4,000 fans at the game, which is probably the largest crowd we’ve ever had for an on-campus game here at Episcopal. It’s especially impressive considering it was a Thursday-night game.”

As for the game itself, Episcopal defensive lineman Marvin Wilson put forth a spectacular effort with five sacks on highly touted Kinkaid quarterback J.T. Granato. “Marvin had a great game, as did our entire defense,” said Leisz.

“Linebacker Trey Horne was his typical dominant force, and we gave up only 22 yards in the second half to a high-powered offense.”

Offensively, Episcopal generated over 500 yards worth of offense behind a magnificent

game from quarterback Preston Heard, who accounted for four touchdowns on the evening.

Fifteen-year-old sophomore receiver Jhamon Ausbon had several big plays, including a 79yard touchdown reception. In addition, wide receiver Jimmy McCartney hauled in a pair of touchdown receptions, while Kobi Owen scored two touchdowns in the victory. “It was a total team win,” said Leisz.

In volleyball, the Bellaire Cardinals were well on their way to winning their 15th district championship in the last 16 years, going unbeaten through its first eight district matches of the season. “Last year was actually the first time in

Leading the offense is senior setter Amy Houser, who leads the Houston area in assists and was listed in the Greater Houston Fab 50 as one of the city’s top players. Senior outside hitter Carson Pyle is also having a big season, according to Gammill.

Pyle will play collegiately at Hawaii Pacific University, having been scouted and recruited while the Mustangs were playing in a tournament in Honolulu this August.

Another Mustang who’ll be playing collegiate volleyball is Kaylee Taff. The senior outside hitter has committed to Austin Peay State University.

Meanwhile, 6-foot, 2-inch junior Maddie Phillips leads the team in kills, while outside hitter Anna BELLAIRE BASH Senior outside hitter Claire Smith is one of several Needham is among the powerful hitters for a Bellaire Cardinals team that, at press time, was Mustangs’ heavy hitters. on pace to winning its 15th district championship in the last 16 years.

“We’re just working really hard Editor’s Note: Todd Freed is the Emmy Awardand hoping to make a deep run in the post-seawinning co-host and producer of the KUBE son playoffs,” said Gammill. “We played an SportsZone, which airs Saturday and Sunday at 6 extremely tough pre-season schedule, which p.m. on Channel 57-KUBE. To submit high school hopefully will pay off as the playoffs approach. sports news for possible inclusion in SportzBuzz, We more than held our own against some of the please email todd@thebuzzmagazines.com. area’s top teams.”

Kevin Long, www.gulfcoastshots.com

15 years we didn’t win district, so the kids are extremely motivated to capture another title this season,” said Cardinals head coach Ap Clarke. “Our team has a lot of heart, and physically we’re a very strong team.”

Among those strong players is senior outside hitter Claire Smith. “She’s just a hammer out there with great power,” said Clarke. In addition, Clarke had high praise for several other players.

“Sundara Chinn is one of our go-to players.

She’s a junior lefty who always seems to put the ball away. Maya Evans and her twin sister Megan are also having great seasons. Maya is real explosive off the floor with a nice quick arm, and Megan, who’s our setter, is feeding hitters a lot more consistently.” Also, Clarke calls libero (defensive specialist) Katie Fairbanks the backbone of the team. “Katie is passing really well, and she pretty much starts our offense for us.”

At Memorial, the Mustangs volleyball team is putting forth another powerful season, boasting an overall 22-5 record late into the regular season. Memorial finished third in the Spring Branch Tournament, which featured an elite 32team field of many of the city’s best volleyball teams. The Mustangs were also well on pace to winning a district championship.

“We have a really well-rounded team,” said Mustangs head coach Beth Gammill. “Our girls are really good hitters, and we just have a ton of offense as well some good height.”

BELLAIRE BUZZ NOVEMBER 2014 31

SPORTS

SportzBuzz, Jr.

David Ranucci

by Jacob Padden, contributing writer

W

elcome to SportzBuzz, Jr., a column spotlighting neighborhood athletes in elementary and middle school.

Kicking off Jackson Ranucci (pictured, top photo) plays for Team Schalke in the 9U division of the Houston Express Soccer Club. The teams in this age group play 7 vs. 7, and they play two games every week. Jackson’s teammates are Ammer Ali, Jacob Hyman, Colin Mulcahy, Julian Phillips, Tyler Pollock, Matthew Schafer, Luke Tholany, Emilio Vilas and Luke Paulson.

The Kinkaid School’s head coach Beth Rodriguez watches Pershing’s Madeline Ogden (#4) attack her Falcon defenders, Sarah Grace Carr (#3), Grace Hurley (#7) and Maryneil Ward (#2), during the 14th Annual Bellaire Volleyball Middle School Tournament. Thirty-two school teams met at Spike Sport’s Volleyball Complex to compete for a championship in Houston’s largest middle-school volleyball tournament. In the Open Division, St. Anthony of Padua won the Gold Bracket in a close match against St. Vincent de Paul. In the Open Division’s Silver Bracket, River Oaks Baptist School’s White team overcame St. John’s School’s A team in two sets. In the Premier Division, Saint Thomas’ Episcopal School earned the Gold Bracket championship with a win over St. Laurence Catholic, while the Silver Bracket went to Second Baptist with a win over The Emery/Weiner School’s White team.

Tom Brown

Volleyball for all

Starting strong

Editor’s note: Send your best high-resolution photos and behind-the-scenes stories about young local athletes, in both team and individual sports, to SportsBuzz, Jr. at info@thebuzzmagazines.com. Include all contact info, names, ages, grades and schools. Featured athletes must live in Buzz-circulation neighborhoods. Items will be published on a space-available basis.

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Blair Manley

First Presbyterian School’s junior varsity team started strong, winning its first three games of the season. A few of the defensive leaders were (from left, in solid blue) Jack Evans, Bennett Manley and Reed Bourlon. Offensive leaders were David Nunez, Mathew Keene and Brian Gordon. Teammates were Robert Buzbee, Dominic Calzolari, Myles Davidson, Eoin Donovan, Sam Filardo, Charles Galtney, Will Georgsson, Robert Gonsoulin, Christian Husted, Samik Khosla, Theo Knapp, Will McKinnie, Arden Napier, Nathan Schlitzberger, Weston Stanley and Will Szymanski. The coaches were Darnell Cleary, Brandon Walker and Mac McKinnie.

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NEIGHBORS

by Jordan Magaziner, staff writer

Rockettes at HSVPA

5-28. The Rockettes conducted two master classes at the High School for the Performing and Visual Arts. Pictured is Sarah teaching freshman and sophomore students a dance from the show. Each master class learned a routine and performed for the other class.

Symphony kicks off season Rockettes Sarah Grooms and Jessica Osborne visited town to promote the Radio City Christmas Spectacular, which is scheduled to be play at the Hobby Center’s Sarofim Hall, Dec.

The Houston Symphony’s Opening Night Concert and Gala celebrated the kickoff of Andrés Orozco-Estrada’s first season as the symphony’s 15th music director. More than 500 guests were present at Jones Hall for the concert.

Then, the black-tie-clad guests entered The

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Buzz About Town Corinthian for dinner and dancing to Colombian-inspired dishes and music. More than $585,000 was raised for Houston Symphony’s Education and Community Programming. Pictured are (from left) Beth Madison and Ralph Burch.

Tying the (double) knot

Each wore a shirt, which spelled out: “Will you marry me, Melanie?” She turned around to see him on his knee. Melissa and Melanie are thrilled to be engaged in the same year. Melissa is planning a March 2015 wedding and Melanie is looking forward to an October 2015 wedding.

Both weddings will be in Houston. Pictured are (top row, from left) Melanie and Melissa with their fiancés (bottom, from left) Joseph and Danny.

Educating about melanoma

Wanna be on TV

Todd Auwarter

It had been a long Monday at work for Bellaire High School grad Melissa Finkelstein when she arrived home to have dinner with boyfriend Danny Gutman. He told her that he wanted her to pick out a painting to hang from several that he had bought on a recent trip to Detroit. When she opened up the wrapping paper, the canvas was painted black with the words, “Will You Marry Me?” in colorful paint. To her shock, he got down on one knee, and she saw her sisters Melanie and Lauren emerge from their hiding places with cameras. Several months later, Melissa’s twin sister, Melanie, headed to Dallas with her boyfriend, Joseph Lipp, for his niece’s birthday party. Melanie was stunned to see both of their families outside together under a tree, with Joseph’s five nieces and nephews lined up.

birth to a healthy baby boy, Ryan, who’s now an energetic 2 year old. Ever since, Rachel has volunteered for MD Anderson and works with her husband, Todd Auwarter, to promote education about melanoma. Recently, Rachel and Todd hosted a fundraiser to raise awareness and funds to benefit MD Anderson’s Melanoma Moon Shot initiative at their friends’ Jessica and Ethan Phillips’ home in Old Braeswood.

“Melanoma is such a misunderstood and underappreciated public health problem, so it’s good to get as much exposure for the cause as possible,” Rachel said. Pictured (from left) are Rachel and Dr. Gershenwald at the fundraiser, which raised more than $10,000.

Nearly three years ago, Bellaire resident Rachel Cruz Auwarter was diagnosed with melanoma.

She was also 15 weeks pregnant. Dr. Jeffrey Gershenwald, the medical director of the Melanoma and Skin Center at MD Anderson, performed surgery, and Rachel was able to give

Super Bowl commercials are often just as popular as the game itself. Recently, Randy Lerner decided to enter the “Doritos Crash the Super Bowl” commercial contest, in which contest entrants submit a 30-second video for (continued on page 36)

BELLAIRE BUZZ NOVEMBER 2014 35

(continued from page 35) a chance to win $1 mil-

lion. Randy went to the residents at Brookdale Plaza Galleria, formerly known as The Hampton, for help, as he was seeking a talented individual to play a “grandma” in his commercial. The competition was fierce. Talented thespians included (from left) Toni Edwards, Blanche Abramson, Gladys Kahn, Johannah Wilkenfeld, Naomi Friedman, Stan Fuss (dressed as a grandma), Loretta Roman, Yetta Gilbert, Flo Selber, Abbey Taylor, Patricia Brammer and (in front)

commercial director Randal Lerner. “I appreciated all the great support from the folks at Brookdale Plaza Galleria,” said Randy. Good luck to all who auditioned and make sure to look out for this hopeful entry at Super Bowl 2015.

Admission ambassadors Each year, eighth-grade students at St. Mark’s Episcopal School apply to serve as Admission Ambassadors. Working closely with the admission office, these students give tours, attend

prospective-family open houses, answer questions about St. Mark’s, and provide visiting families with a personal encounter with a St. Mark’s student. This year, the Admission Ambassadors are (from left, bottom row) Mark McMillan, Elliott Leathers, Ashley Kim, Eleanor Ryan, (middle row) Dalia Sabbagh, Vincent Perryman, Ethan Huynh, Katie Dunphy, (top row) Mycah Clay and Reilly Wade.

Blooming and blossoming

The gardens at Pin Oak Middle School continue to bloom and impress the community and the city. The garden surrounds POMS’ amphitheater and has attracted butterflies and hummingbirds. The students completed the majority of the planting themselves. Their hard work paid off, as they received the Keep Houston Beautiful’s Mayor’s Proud Partner Award. The students have planted native-wildflower seeds in

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addition to the perennials. The garden includes two wheelchair-accessible beds as well as 10 espaliered fruit trees, which were both Eagle Scout projects. Next up will be airponics (planting without soil) for students to grow salads and veggies to enjoy in the cafeteria. Pictured is Gerry Mullins helping in the garden.

Spaghetti and the spotlight

Cheer and Pep Squad. There will be a number of performances, and student art will be on display.

Strolling the halls to take that in will be free, but those who want to enjoy dinner should purchase a ticket for $10. Pictured is eighth grader Libby Perez, who’s in the chamber orchestra.

Discovering new world on stage

Planning is underway for Pershing’s annual Spaghetti Supper, which will be held Thursday, Nov. 13, 6-8 p.m. In addition to a catered dinner from Gugliani’s, the spotlight will shine on the school’s showcase of talent which includes Fine Arts, Music, Performing Arts, Gymnastics, Dance,

The Bellaire High School Theatre Department will present Mariner by Don Nigro Nov. 19, 20 and 21, 7:30 p.m., at the school. This wild epic celebrates the mad obsession and ambiguous triumph of Christopher Columbus. The charming Italian mariner and lover moves through the nightmare of his life and loves and struggles

against authority and stupidity, confronting the wondrous and terrible fruits of his obsession. The cast and crew include over 100 students. Pictured are (from left) Broderick Braziel, Allie Henderson, Greer Blitzer and David Oduguwa.

Blessing of the animals St. Catherine’s Montessori held its annual Blessing of the Animals in the Primary Courtyard.

Many families brought their beloved pet or a photograph of their pet as the Lower Elementary students blessed them with holy water. Pictured is Lea Garcia with her pet.

Editor’s note: The Buzz is happy to report that Annie and Tyler McQueen’s twin babies are doing well. Annie Blaylock McQueen, associate editor and Buzz About Town columnist, is currently out on maternity leave, spending time with her babies, Cash and Lila. In the meantime, Jordan Magaziner is handling this section. As usual, please send your high-res photos and community news to The Buzz at info@thebuzzmagazines.com or 5001 Bissonnet, Suite 100, Bellaire, TX 77401. Items are published on a space-available basis.

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IMAGINE OTHER REALMS Christopher Zhou, a sixth grader at Pin Oak Middle School, loves diving into other worlds through books.

KIDS

by Christopher Zhou, age 11

Buzz Kidz

An open book

I

think I have an uncommon passion. Most kids my age like to play sports or video games, but I don’t. I like to read. Okay, maybe I play video games sometimes, but I don’t like it as much as diving into the world of a well-written story.

It wasn’t always like this. I used to play a lot of video games, but that changed. In first grade, when I started the Accelerated Reader program, I read my first book. It was better than any video game I had ever played.

When you open a good book, all of life’s problems disappear. You’re not really yourself any more. You’re Bilbo Baggins from The Hobbit, or Katniss Everdeen from The Hunger Games, or someone else. After I read my first book, I quickly became one of the top readers in my school.

Here I am now, still going strong. I sometimes

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have trouble finding a book worth reading these days, but I always manage to find a good book in the end.

Reading is like stepping through a portal. For reluctant readers, something like Diary of a Wimpy Kid by Jeff Kinney or The Magic Tree House by Mary Pope Osborne might be good.

Both are relatively easy books and can draw any reader in easily. If you just want an exciting series to start, try Percy Jackson and the Olympians or The Kane Chronicles, both by Rick Riordan.

Maybe you’ve seen it all, and you just want to settle down with an old classic. If so, then Mark Twain’s Tom Sawyer is for you.

Books help you study, or you can just read if you’re bored and have nothing to do. You can start book clubs and invite some of your friends.

Also, if you want to be an author, you’d better start reading now. You probably won’t be able to write a good book if you haven’t even read one.

Keep in mind that even though reading might only seem like a way to pass the time, it can also be an important skill in the future.

Want to be a Buzz Kid? Email approximately 350 words, a high-resolution photo and caption to info@thebuzzmagazines.com. Or mail it to The Buzz Magazines, 5001 Bissonnet, Suite 100, Bellaire, TX 77401.

BELLAIRE BUZZ NOVEMBER 2014 39

DINING GUIDE

by Dai Huynh, staff writer

This Month in Dining Where to take out-of-town guests Julie Soefer Photography

Restaurant Listings

Julie Soefer Photography

$ (under $10) $$ ($11-$30) $$$ ($31-$60) $$$$ (over $60) Prices include drink, tax and tip per person

UNDERBELLY Chef-owner Chris Shepherd loves to surprise guests with Asian touches, such as this braised goat with dumplings, inspired by Korean street food.

W

hen the holidays roll around, I can always count on one thing: A friend or neighbor will ask for recommendations on where to take out-of-town guests. Sure, I could suggest trendy spots like Oxheart (1302 Nance) or Uchi (904 Westheimer) for mind-bending, experimental cooking. But I rarely do. Instead, I like to introduce visitors to restaurants and chefs long on local history. The first one that always comes to mind is Robert Del Grande, who practices his alchemy at RDG + Bar Annie (1800 Post Oak Blvd.).

Houston boasts many star chefs. Notable is gregarious Underbelly chef-owner Chris Shepherd, who garnered the 2014 James Beard Award for Best Chef Southwest. Del Grande was the sole holder of that title for more than a decade for his role in launching the Southwestern Cuisine movement in the mid-’80s, and his creativity has attracted such culinary luminaries as Diana Kennedy and Wolfgang Puck.

I asked Del Grande where he takes his out-of-town guests. He replied, “If you’re not from here, what is this town known for? Well, to start, barbecue.” He recalled his first visit to the original Goode Company Barbeque (5109 Kirby). “It’s still fun,” he says. A fajita favorite remains El Tiempo Cantina (multiple locations). Here you can pay homage to Ninfa Laurenzo, who put tacos al carbon and Tex-Mex on the map.

The Original Ninfa’s on Navigation (2704 Navigation Blvd.) encapsulates old Houston, and the tacos al carbon remain delicious even though the Laurenzos have moved on. Son Roland and grandson Domenic honored their beloved matriarch by opening an El Tiempo at 2814 Navigation. It’s a gorgeous, 8,400-square-foot tribute adorned with hand-painted portraits of the Laurenzo clan.

Other places to take visitors? Hugo’s (1600 Westheimer) successfully introduced Houstonians to fried grasshoppers and interior Mexican cooking. In the late ’80s, Michael Cordua helped kick off a national craze for South American, grilled, chimichurri-marinated steak, fried plantains and tres leches at his Churrascos (five locations). And chef-owner Anita Jaisinghani redefined modern Indian at Indika (516 Westheimer) and Pondicheri (2800 Kirby, suite B132).

BELLAIRE BUZZ NOVEMBER 2014 40

Dai Huynh is a James Beard food-journalism award winner and longtime restaurant writer. Her visits to restaurants in our Buzz Dining Guide were anonymous, and she paid for her meals to maintain objectivity. We’d love your thoughts too. Write to info@thebuzzmagazines.com with your own dining opinions and suggestions. Also, you can contribute in the Comments section under the online version of this story at bellairebuzz.com.

Common Bond Café & Bakery Pastries and sandwiches Neighborhood: Montrose area The long search for moist, buttery kugelhopf ends here. Speckled with brandy-soaked raisins, the sultan’s turban-shaped cake-bread is a soulsatisfying breakfast with a steaming café au lait.

The moistly crisped walnut chocolate chip cookies, even at $3-plus apiece, are worth it.

The only version that surpasses these, you can’t get since it comes out of my brother’s oven. Not every pastry is perfect at Common Bond. Its frequently touted plain croissant falls short on texture. While beautiful to look upon – glisteningly golden-brown – the overly crisped shell tastes dry and interior mealy. Scones, too, were tough.

But the pastries that are nearly perfect here, like the kouign amann (a flaky, buttery, caramelized, sugar-topped pastry), surpass their counterparts around town. Common Bond bustles at breakfast, and for good reason. Offerings include a stellar sourdough sandwich stacked with pork sausage, cheddar, frisee and fried egg.

Be kind; share it with a good friend. Breakfast, lunch & dinner Tues.-Sun. (Kitchen closes 3 p.m. daily, but the dining room remains open for coffee and dessert until 7 p.m.). 1706 Westheimer Road, 713-529-3535. wearecommonbond.com. $$

Funky Chicken Gourmet fried chicken Neighborhood: The Heights It seems simple enough – fried, moist chicken with skin so brown and enduringly crisp. Yet many chefs don’t get it right, and even fewer are able to take it to the next level. The exception is two-time James Beard winner Bradley Ogden.

The Las Vegas superstar chef and son Bryan recently opened the Funky Chicken – the first of many, they hope. We couldn’t be happier that they’re testing their recipes on Houstonians. The Ogdens have perfected the art of fried chicken with a savory coating reminiscent of the paperthin, amber-glass crust on a crème brûlée. The barely-there breading allows you to taste crispy skin along with the expertly marinated organic chicken. Funky Chicken also serves roasted chicken and gourmet sides like quinoa salad and roasted brussels sprouts. Lunch & dinner Mon.-Fri. Breakfast, lunch & dinner Sat.-Sun. 181 Heights Blvd., 832-924-4655. realfunkychicken.com. $

Leibman’s Gourmet deli Neighborhood: Memorial Party hosts around the Energy Corridor take savvy shortcuts when they buy pre-made dips, salads and other prepared noshes from Leibman’s Wine and Fine Foods. Longtime customers know that Etienne Leibman has one of the keenest palates in Houston, and her recipes – from the curried chicken salad Afrique and garlic artichoke dip to chopped chicken liver – are skillfully seasoned. Leibman recently started offering full lunch and weekend brunch menus with a changing roster of salads, soups, sandwiches and entrees. Lunch, Mon.-Sun., 14529 Memorial Drive, 281-493-3663. leibmans.com. $$

Local Foods Chef-driven gourmet deli Neighborhood: Rice Village Hand-crafted sandwiches and salads from chef Dylan Murray draw a diverse crowd.

Savor duck confit smothered with melted brie, aioli and cranberry preserves on wheat bread.

Shrimp-and-crab on ciabatta with green goddess dressing is another must-try. Sandwiches come with two sides that include Tuscan kale with golden raisins and potato chips speckled with Old Bay seasonings. Lunch & dinner Mon.-Sun. 2424 Dunstan, 713-521-7900. houstonlocalfoods.com. $$

McHugh Tea Teahouse and more Neighborhood: Bellaire This shabby chic corner charms with its English ambiance illuminated by tea-cup chandeliers, refurbished tea sets and ornately framed photos of famous tea sippers, including Marilyn Monroe, Elvis and Michael Jackson.

Fragrant organic teas – hibiscus blossom oolong, masala chai and cabernet assam –

RDG + BAR ANNIE The signature nachos come with red chile beef, black beans, avocado, queso fresca and creme fraiche.

gently brew in glass orbs while regulars fork into lemon and chocolate pies topped with solidly crisp, snow-white meringue. The Southwestern pulled-pork quiche with shortbread-like crust is the envy of other chefs.

Lunch & dinner, Tues.-Sat., 5305 Bissonnet, Bellaire. 713-218-6300. mchughtea.com. $

Pico’s Mex-Mex Regional Mexican Neighborhood: Upper Kirby Many remain nostalgic about the old Pico's location on Bellaire. But upon entering the new locale, it's hard to fault owner Arnaldo Richards for moving into this graciously appointed, hacienda-inspired space made warm and inviting with coral tablecloths, ceiling beams and dark furniture. His food, too, has been tweaked, often with winning results. The tomato salsa sings. The ranchera salsa smolders with charred tomatoes. The chicken consommé soup is still a cure for the blues, swimming with pulled chicken, onion, cilantro, Mexican rice and avocado.

A dash of Serrano pepper provides a mild, welcome kick. And his signature huachinango a la Veracruzana (red snapper) is elegantly draped with an exquisitely light tomato sauce flavored with green olives, capers and chiles güeros.

Lunch & dinner Mon.-Sun. 3601 Kirby, 832-8319940. picos.net. $$

Post Oak Grill Gulf Coast classics Neighborhood: Tanglewood Happiness exists in a bread basket at this popular outpost for business lunches. The basket usually cradles oven-fresh biscuits fragrant with green onions, bacon and cheddar cheese.

One really isn’t enough; nor is two or three.

Slow down, though, or you’ll fill up before the perfectly grilled rainbow trout arrives, glistening lightly with butter-caper sauce. Polo Becerra is a classically trained chef with a timeless approach of keeping ingredients simple and

clean, with just a sheath of sauce to elevate the flavors of beef and seafood. Lunch & dinner, Mon.-Sat., 1415 S. Post Oak Lane, 713-9939966. postoakgrill.com. $$$

Thai Gourmet Traditional Thai Neighborhood: Galleria Area Here, the lemongrass, coriander and galangal sing with clearly identifiable voices. Thai Gourmet’s flavors are bold. Sweet, sour and salty combine harmoniously, particularly in the fisherman’s soup brimming with mussels, scallops and shrimp. The execution of pad thai and beef satay are very fine, while the fiery beef curry with potatoes and chicken green curry rarely disappoint. Lunch & dinner Mon.Sat. 6324 Richmond Ave., 713-780-7955. thaigourmethouston.com. $$

Vallone’s Modern-American steakhouse Neighborhood: Memorial The option of adding any homemade pasta, such diminutive corn ravioli or short-rib tortellini, to your steak dinner for $9 adds to the appeal of the impeccably hand-cut slabs of steaks. But really all that is required for the juicy, charred, dry-aged, bone-in ribeye is a side of fries and a robust California cabernet. With his new steakhouse, restaurateur Tony Vallone again illustrates that he knows good food, and his impeccable tastes are expertly translated on the menu.

Normally, we skip sauces, especially when the steaks (wet and dry age) shine with just a dash of salt. But in this case, the cabernet foie gras jus and spicy béarnaise are hard to pass up, as is the Colorado lamb chop with chickpea purée. Lunch and dinner Mon.-Sat. and dinner Sun. 947 Gessner, 713-395-6100. vallonessteakhouse.com. $$$$

MORE ONLINE For more restaurants and to comment, see this story online at bellairebuzz.com.

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Handling debts in divorce Care for sprained ankle It seems to be common that one of the parties to divorce does not have a complete understanding of the parties’ finances.

Often, this means he or she does not know the debts the parties have incurred during marriage that may be considered a community-property obligation. If you allow your spouse to control the finances during your marriage and during the divorce you find out the debts are higher than you knew or higher than you would have given them permission to spend, then you will still most likely be responsible for a percentage of the debt if the debts incurred were reasonable or necessary for living expenses.

For instance, if the spouse has taken out loans or incurred credit-card debt to pay for community expenses, you will both be responsible for this debt. If a spouse has racked up credit-card debt while the other spouse turns a blind eye to shopping bags and Amazon packages, both parties will likely be responsible for the debt. Be aware of the debts your spouse is incurring and periodically check in regarding finances. You may also want to run credit reports to determine balances on cards and other loans.

K. Nicole Voyles, Board Certified in Family Law, Jenkins & Kamin, LLP, Two Greenway Plaza, Suite 600, Houston, Texas 77046, 713.600.5500, www.jenkinskamin.com. Named a Texas Rising Star for 2008, 2011-2014 and Texas Super Lawyer for 2014 by Texas Super Lawyer, a Thomas Reuters service printed in Texas Monthly magazine.

BELLAIRE BUZZ NOVEMBER 2014 42

Spraining your ankle can be painful and can result in mobility issues for a significant period of time. While the main recommendation when suffering with ankle sprain is to see your podiatrist, here are a few remedies you can do at home: 1. Compression is important to help bring down the swelling of an ankle sprain. Using an elastic wrap should help, but one should take care not to wrap the ankle too tightly. Signs that the bandage is too tight include numbness, tingling, increased pain, coolness and/or swelling in the area below the bandage. Most compression wraps come with instructions on how to apply them.

2. You should rest as much as possible, not putting a lot of pressure on the ankle, using crutches when walking. 3. Apply ice for the first 48 to 72 hours after the accident helps to reduce swelling. Do this 10-15 minutes every one to two hours. 4. Reducing the inflammation that results from an ankle sprain is also crucial. NSAIDs such as Ibuprofen, Advil or Aleve can work as well.

5. Finally, you should keep the ankle elevated as much as possible when you are seated or lying down. The ankle should be above the level of the heart two to three hours a day to help cut down on swelling and bruising.

Home remedies can be successful when treating ankle sprains, but seeking professional treatment is always recommended. We are here to help with all your foot and ankle problems.

Bellaire Podiatry/Nail Laser Center of Houston. Dr. Barry P. Weinstein, 4909 Bissonnet, Suite 120, Bellaire, Texas 77401, 713.721.5500, www.BarryWeinsteinDPM.com

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Southern Living in West U

Shopping enthusiasts and aficionados will have the chance to experience the 62nd Annual Theta Charity Antiques Show, one of the top antiques show in the country, this November 20-23 at the George R. Brown Convention Center.

Thursday begins the 2014 lecture series and book signing with William Seale, American historian and author of The Imperial Season: America’s Capital in the Time of the First Ambassadors, 18931918. Following Seale on Thursday is former FBI agent Robert Wittman, author of Priceless: How I Went Undercover to Rescue the World’s Stolen Treasures.

Jenna Bush Hager and Barbara Pierce Bush, daughters of former U.S. President George W. Bush and First Lady Laura Bush, will speak during the Friday Luncheon Lecture Series. The last presenter of the series on Saturday is Cornelia Guest, animal activist, philanthropist and author who will also sign copies of her book, Simple Pleasures: Healthy Seasonal Cooking & Easy Entertaining, as well as offer her signature handbags for purchase.

From Victorian pottery for Majolica lovers to rare mid-19th century furniture for the savvy interior designer, guests will find that special, eyecatching “got to have it” item. Novice antiques shoppers will find affordable prices at the new collector’s booth that offers a wide range of antiques.

General admission tickets for all four days are $10. For more information regarding the Show, Luncheon Lecture Series, or how to purchase tickets in advance, visit www.ThetaCharityAntiquesShow.com.

Stone Acorn Builders, a member of the prestigious Southern Living Custom Builder Program, debuts Houston’s Southern Living “Home for the Holidays” Showcase in West University Place in November. Proceeds from the showcase home tours benefit Operation FINALLY HOME, a non-profit that provides mortgage-free homes for wounded and disabled veterans.

The Southern Living Custom Builder Showcase Home, decorated for the holidays, is located at 2718 Talbott in West University Place. Designed

by JKM Designs, Stone Acorn Builders’ in-house architect, the 4,341square-foot, open-floor plan includes four bedrooms, four bathrooms, an eat-in chef’s kitchen, a game room, a study, a butler’s pantry and an outdoor living area. Interior design is managed by Edwina Alexis Interiors.

Stone Acorn’s attention to detail and understanding of Southern architecture will bring the pages of the magazine to life. The Southern Living “Home for the Holidays” Showcase is open to the public Nov. 1-2 and 8-9 for home tours and special events. Planned activities include chef, holiday-gift wrapping and interior design demonstrations, and food and wine events to benefit charity.

For ideas and inspiration or for more information about the Stone Acorn Builders Southern Living “Home for the Holidays” Showcase, please visit www.stoneacorn.com.

Sarah Lavine-Kass or Benjamin Lavine, Stone Acorn Builders, 5403 Bellaire Blvd., Suite 117, Bellaire, Texas 77401, 713-838-8808, info@stoneacorn.com, www.stoneacorn.com Southern Living, Inc.

Thetas host renowned speakers

BELLAIRE BUZZ NOVEMBER 2014 43

sponsored by

PETS

Neighborhood Tails

713.662.2119 www.roveroaks.com

Ellie Jane, age 1, Wheaten Terrier Poodle Mix, Locust St. Hello. My name is Ellie Jane, and I don’t go to school, but my owners Brynn and Sam do. I think First Poodle Day Care is where they’re going, but what do I know? I’m a dog. Well, I may be a parrot. I’m not sure. My master Sam calls me DÖG, but Brynn calls me Ellie Belly, and Mommy and Grandma call me Sugarplum.

I don’t know why because dogs or parrots don’t eat sugarplums – do they? This is the story of how Brynn’s braces got stuck in my rope that I walk myself with. My name used to be Rithym, but when I got out of the car, these strangers said, “Ellie!” They turned out to be my new family. Brynn was smiling, and I walked over, and I had no idea her braces were stuck until I was being dragged by a human! After that big woof, and three hours of driving home, I lived happily ever after with my new chew toys.

Got a cute critter? Email a picture of your pet with approximately 150 words to info@thebuzzmagazines.com or mail it to The Buzz Magazines, 5001 Bissonnet, Suite 100, Bellaire, TX 77401. Featured pets receive two passes to Rover Oaks Pet Resort. Each pass can be redeemed for one day of lodging in a Bunk House Suite, 25 percent off your next grooming appointment or 25 percent off one obedience training class.

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GONE WILD! HOUSTON PEDIATRIC DENTAL SPECIALISTS DR. REGINA LEWIS • DR. JULIE LONGORIA

When was the last time your child had a grrrreat time at the dentist? We care for your children as if they were our own and their oral health is our priority.

West U 5311 Kirby 713.360.6432 toothcare4kids.com

Create a buzz for your biz.

Since 2002, The Buzz Magazines have earned trust, loyalty and relationships in our communities.

To advertise, call 713.668.4157 ext. 19 or email advertising@thebuzzmagazines.com

Thanksgiving Pies Handmade from scratch! $35 each Bring in this form for FREE scones with your pie order!

Buttermilk Pecan Lemon Meringue Chocolate Meringue Apple Apple Cranberry Pumpkin 5305 Bissonnet 713.218.6300 www.mchughtea.com

BELLAIRE BUZZ NOVEMBER 2014 44

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BYDS extends Pre-K hours Is pregnancy high risk?

The Beth Yeshurun Day School Early Childhood Program has grown in strength and in numbers over the last few years. We have skilled educators in the Rice Literacy program and Handwriting without Tears and have added a Letter of the Week program and immersion of Judaic Studies into our daily schedules. Our students are rising to the next level of academics, while exploring through play and having fun. Our Pre-K program has evolved toward establishing a secure base that provides a higher-level preparation for Kindergarten and creates a smooth transition from the early-childhood program to the day school. With the extension of our Pre-K day from noon until 2 p.m. every day, the teachers have more engaging teaching time as well as more ancillary time for our students. Pre-K students are starting a new chapter as they participate in Day School activities such as computer, art, science lab, library, and physical education each week. The teachers are also allotted extra time to extend their lessons and work in small groups to raise the level of discussion and thinking among students. Though our students are in Pre-K, once a month, they have the opportunity to be a “Kindergarten Kid” for the day as they visit and are taught by our Kindergarten teachers.

For more information about our Beth Yeshurun Day School early-childhood program or to schedule a tour, please contact admissions director Mireille Chait at mchait@byds.org or 713-666-1884.

Beth Yeshurun Day School, 4525 Beechnut Blvd., Houston, Texas 77096, 713.666.1884, www.byds.org

Does my pregnancy qualify as high risk? Most of the time, being pregnant and having a baby is a happy and natural process. However, occasionally women experience complications during their pregnancy that would qualify them as having a high-risk pregnancy. Reasons that a pregnancy may be considered high risk include: • Advancing age leading to increased risk of miscarriage and genetic defects.

• Multiple prior pregnancy losses or complications in prior pregnancies.

• Medical conditions such as high blood pressure or lung, kidney or heart problems.

• Medical complications that occur during pregnancy, such as preeclampsia, gestational diabetes, premature labor, multiple births, abnormalities with the placenta, or fetal problems.

Dr. Adi Abramovici is a maternal-fetal medicine specialist. Her practice focuses on the medical and surgical management of high-risk pregnancies.

She is an obstetrician-gynecologist with an additional three years of specialized training. As a result, she is able to take care of pregnant women who have special medical problems (heart or kidney disease, hypertension, diabetes and thrombophilia), pregnant women who are at risk for pregnancy-related complications (pre-term labor, pre-eclampsia, and twin or triplet pregnancies), and pregnant women with fetuses at risk.

Dr. Adi Abramovici is a maternal-fetal medicine specialist and provides patient care at UT Physicians, 6700 West Loop South, Bellaire, Texas 77401, 713.486.9300, www.UTPhysicians.com

BELLAIRE BUZZ NOVEMBER 2014 45

NEIGHBORS

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by Andria Frankfort, staff writer

Back Porch

Fry, turkey, fry

S

omewhere between touch football and the good china, Thanksgiving’s gone the way of lawn chairs in the driveway.

That’s because lawn chairs in the driveway are what it takes to put on a good turkey-frying shindig, and that’s what Thanksgiving has turned into for a growing number of families.

Pink flamingos not required.

Realtor Reneé Davy Oakum has been frying turkeys with her husband, Todd, who owns Declaration Title, for the past five years. Their tradition started when they spent Thanksgiving with friends in Costa Rica. “The guys were talking about frying turkeys, and Todd was like, ‘Absolutely, I can do this,’” Reneé says. Once he started, “word got out that someone was deepfrying turkeys, and because our friends who owned the house knew everyone, Todd ended up frying about 15 turkeys that day.” Turkeys traveled to friends’ houses and boats, and a few even flew with friends to Panama.

Reneé and Todd took their new tradition home, and Thanksgiving now sees them pulling up chairs for friends and family around a fryer in their driveway. “Ten or 12 friends come over, and we sit around and socialize and watch the turkey fry,” Reneé says. “Todd’s got it down to a science.”

Todd’s secret, she says, is a mix of herbs and garlic that he injects into the turkey Thanksgiving morning, before frying it. (The frying itself takes about 12-15 minutes.

Generally, fried turkeys are no more than 12 pounds; any bigger, and the oil will overflow in a standard-sized fryer.)

“We do both types [of turkey], deep-fried and traditional,” Reneé says. “But the deepfried goes first, hands-down. It’s so moist and flavorful. It tastes kind of like a really yummy roasted chicken.”

Ruth Meric, a caterer at Jackson and Company, says her sister in Louisiana takes turkey frying to the next level. Every Thanksgiving, she hosts a bring-your-ownturkey frying party made extra festive with Bloody Marys, milk punches and cheese straws.

Ruth’s sister doles out time slots and then tags every turkey that comes to the house with special metal tags that she etches with family names BELLAIRE BUZZ NOVEMBER 2014 46

– nobody goes home with Butterball when they brought Mary’s Free-Range Heritage.

“She buys about 20 packs of all flavors of injections,” Ruth says of her sister. “People can pick their flavor when they get to her house, inject their turkey, and let it sit for a while, while they sit around and visit.

It’s a fun way to see a lot of people T h a n k s g i v i n g NEW TRADITION Lian “Liam” Zhenying, an exchange student from China who studied at the University of Houston, learns about turkeys – and frying them – at a party morning.” given by his host Gregg Donovan.

In Houston, absolutely no idea what we were talking about,” Karin and Gregg Donovan, a substitute teacher Karin says. “At the party they were looking at us and IT portfolio manager, respectively, started like we were crazy people sticking [what looked an unexpected turkey-frying party tradition. like] gigantic chickens into giant vats of oil.”

Through their church, the couple signed up to At the party’s end, Karin’s husband Gregg be a host family for foreign-exchange students thought to use the hot, leftover oil to fry Oreos, through the University of Houston’s Twix and Snickers bars. Dredging the sweets International Friendship Program. They started through funnel cake batter and into and out of in 2010 with three Chinese students. the oil proved tricky. “The Chinese students were “We were going to invite them over for looking at him not saying a word, and then finally Christmas dinner and thought it would be fun they said, ‘Chopsticks would really come in handy to have a turkey fry on Christmas Eve,” Karin here.’” Karin pulled some out of the kitchen, and says. “We invited friends and asked them all to the students “went to town with it. From then on bring a traditional American side dish so that we’ve always done it with chopsticks.” the Chinese exchange students would go home Every year since, the Donovans have hosted with a turkey and some traditional holiday sides. a Christmas Eve turkey-frying party including “We emailed invitations and included instrucnew Chinese exchange students each year. The tions on frying a turkey – what you’ll need, ingrestudents have become part of the Donovans’ dients, injection-sauce instructions.” What ensued extended family (the family recently visited was two fryers set up in the Donovans’ back yard, their exchange students in China), and an about 15 families, each of whom brought their unexpected tradition continues. own turkeys to fry, and sides – green beans, pecan pies – for the exchange students to take home for their own Christmas Day celebration.

See bellairebuzz.com for Todd Oakum’s fried “When we invited [the exchange students and turkey recipe and some turkey-frying safety tips. their families] to come to a turkey fry, they had

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