The Memorial Buzz - July 2016

Third Place, People The Sky in Her Eyes by Jackson Howard

Houston, TX Permit No. 2047 PAID US Postage PRSRT STD

2016 Buzz Photo Contest Winners

PUBLISHER’S NOTE A professional-photographer friend recently told me a story. A photographer was at a party, and the hostess said to him, “These are incredible photos you’ve taken. You must have a very good camera.” He responded, “This is an incredible meal you’ve prepared. You must have a very nice kitchen.” The point – that it’s the artist, not the instrument, that matters – is also made in one of my favorite movies, Martin Scorsese’s The Departed, in which Irish mob boss Frank Costello, played by Jack Nicholson, quotes The Beatles’ John Lennon. “I’m an artist. You give me a [expletive deleted] tuba, I’ll get you something out of it.” Such is the case with the winners of our 11th annual photo contest, which were selected from more than 1,600 entries. Some were taken with a high-end DSLR camera and others with a phone.

Regardless, each winning photographer got something out of the camera that makes us echo Lennon (and McCartney): We love you, yeah, yeah, yeah. michael@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 Follow us on Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram and Twitter thebuzzmagazines.com Editor Publisher Associate Editors Design Manager Staff Writers

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Joni Hoffman Michael Hoffman Cheryl Laird Jordan Magaziner Steinfeld John Duboise Tracy L. Barnett Sharon Albert Brier Andria Frankfort Angie Frederickson Todd Freed Cathy Gordon Michelle Casas Groogan Dai Huynh Annie Blaylock McQueen Jennifer Oakley Cheryl Ursin Jennifer LeGrand Howard Jay Janecek Andrea Blitzer Leslie Little Kim Montgomery Darsey Sharp Amber Lewis, Helen van Rensburg Karina Arnold, Sarah Bass Andi Minter, Maddy Payne

On our cover: Jackson Howard took this photo of friend Grace Broom at Terry Hershey Park as part of a Stratford High School photography project.

Cover photo by Jackson Howard 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. Copyright © 2016 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.

MEMORIAL BUZZ JULY 2016 4

MEMORIAL BUZZ JULY 2016 5

MAILBAG

Your letters, thoughts, opinions Cancer survivor identified with story I was very inspired by the article about Claire Frazier’s cancer experience in the [May 2016] West U Buzz. I played piano for Claire’s music scholarship audition at SFASU and always admired the beautiful voice that God gave her. I recently had my 3-year CT scan (always frightening) and had a good result – no sign of the big C. In 2013, I was diagnosed with tongue cancer, which spread to the right side of my neck.

Had to have part of the tongue removed and rebuilt with a flap from my left wrist. I was told that I may not be able to play piano again, but through God’s grace, I was back on the bench in a few months at my church where I’ve been the past 33 years. Later that year the cancer spread to the left side of my neck – another surgery and radiation. The nerve that controls my left vocal cord finally succumbed to the radiation. They tell me I’ll never sing again. I leave that up to God and Claire’s verse, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”

(This will be known to me henceforth as Claire’s verse!) I identified with so many things Claire said and wanted her to know that she helped another cancer survivor.

Michael Ammons Editor’s note: Thank you for your letter, Michael. Claire inspired us too.

We wish you health and happiness. Each of the four Buzz cover magazines in May featured a different cancer survivor, so if you haven’t read the other ones, you can find them at thebuzzmagazines.com.

+ stir-fry veggies, I’ll cook less and use its quick-service meals more (and maybe even stop missing the Blalock Fiesta.) We are lucky ducks to have some terrific-thorough-creative food writers in Houston (including, of course, my daughter Robin Barr Sussman. Just sayin’…)

Shirley Barr Editor's note: It's hard to edit Dai's stories without heading out immediately to try new dishes at new-to-us places. We especially have been inspired by her new Chef's Corner column, in which she interviews local chefs about their favorite places to eat. Dai is taking August off and will be back in The Buzz in September.

She read the whole issue The magazine [June 2016] arrived this afternoon and for all the years I have received it, today is the first and only time I have sat down and read the entire magazine page by page from beginning to end without skipping a single item. I don’t know anyone in the magazine, but in spite of that today’s magazine was absolutely spellbinding. Well organized and well written. Congratulations.

Natalie Waggoner 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.

Cleburne article had heart I read your article about Cleburne Cafeteria in The Buzz over the weekend [Cleburne Community: Before and after the fire, by Andria Frankfort, June 2016]. It was absolutely fabulous. In just one page, you were able to capture the history of the place, the strong relationships with customers and employees, and the generous response of other small business owners in the wake of the fire. Most of all, the story had such heart. I was actually crying. Well done!

Nora Brooks

Dining columnist Dai Huynh is a treasure Dai Huynh’s Eating out at a grocery store [This Month in Dining, June 2016]) prompted me to finally tell Buzz Magazines editors (who already know it) and its readers (who may not!) how fortunate we are to have a former restaurant writer for the Houston Chronicle as a staff writer for The Buzz. Dai’s guide is always on trend and filled with tasty ideas; grocerant is a new word to me, and now I can’t wait to check out restaurants at the H-E-B on San Felipe. She had me with “lemon-pesto grilled tuna with kale and Marconi almonds” at Table 57. Even closer to home, now that Dai said we can get pho soup and salt toasted shrimp at 99 Ranch Market MEMORIAL BUZZ JULY 2016 6

What’s your story?

We are looking for residents for upcoming articles who: • Have a unique travel story.

• Have had a meaningful parenting experience to share.

• Know an interesting neighbor to profile.

• Have a unique passion or hobby.

• Have a pet who needs to be in print.

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

MEMORIAL BUZZ JULY 2016 7

TRAVEL

by Tracy L. Barnett, staff writer

Travel Buzz Scuba diving in Texas

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odd Blitzer lived in California for several years after he and his wife Andy graduated from UT Austin, and he used to love diving in the kelp forests located off the coast. He’d go spear fishing and abalone and lobster hunting; the reefs off the coast of California were teeming with life.

“It’s spiritual and it’s surreal; it’s the only way to describe that underwater forest,” he said.

In 1991 they moved back to Texas. Todd wanted to keep diving so he went on a boat trip out to an old oil rig; the choppy waters led him to an awful experience, and he vowed to never repeat it. He went diving in Cozumel, in the Red Sea, and back in California. Twenty-four years would go by before one day last March, when he made a stop at the Gigglin’ Marlin Dive and Swim shop where his son, Devin, and daughter, Greer, learned to dive. The team there had organized a trip that would entirely change his way of thinking about diving.

Gigglin’ Marlin organizes dives all over the world, from Norway to Indonesia. But today they were talking about Spring Lake – the old Aquarena Springs near San Marcos. The unique environment is fragile and divers must take a special course. Todd signed up.

“It turns out Spring Lake is the headwaters of the San Marcos River, and it’s also at the base of the Hill Country’s Balcones Fault,” he said.

It’s clear as an aquarium and fed by hundreds of springs from the Edwards aquifer that bubble up through the sand like tiny geysers. Its underwater forest includes salamanders and fish only found in this spring. It’s also an archaeological site where some of the oldest known records of man have been identified.

Here visitors ply the waters in glass-bottomed boats as they have since 1945, observing the aquatic life. And divers like Todd – who, as regular volunteers, actually became a part of the tour as they go about their work – are taught to remove invasive non-native species and massage the bottom of the artesian springs to clear away debris and help the water come in.

Here at Spring Lake Todd met Sam Meacham, former research scientist and diving safety officer at Texas State University and MEMORIAL BUZZ JULY 2016 8

TEXAS UNDERWATER EXPLORERS Buzz resident Todd Blitzer takes a dive at Lake Travis’ Windy Point with three other South Central Underwater Explorer members. From left: James Williams, Trey Lessard, Todd and Jennifer Idol, author, photographer and first woman to dive all 50 states.

instructor with Global Underwater Explorers (GUE), who taught him a more technical, more conservation-oriented approach. “He got me interested in a whole different way of diving … you control your buoyancy so you do not impact the environment at all. You’re completely horizontal, and you don’t touch anything – so you are respectful toward the biology that exists.”

The Texas diving community turned out to be enormously friendly and collegial, and with more of an emphasis on technical diving – challenging oneself to exercise more control of one’s buoyancy and trim, develop better air-consumption rates, learn greater management of the equipment and the body. Todd’s goal is to eventually be able to pass the Fundamentals Tech Pass certification with GUE, which opens the way to participation in GUE’s Baseline programs for conservation volunteerism, monitoring different habitats to measure the impact on aquatic environments by man and the impacts of climate change, for example. In addition, greater proficiency opens up opportunities for diving in overhead environments such as underwater caverns, caves and shipwrecks.

The second big discovery was Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary. This pre-

serve is a remote triad of coral reefs five hours off the coast, teeming with manta rays, whale sharks, hammerheads, coral heads as big as cars and a stunning diversity of tropical fishes.

“There are few places in the world like that – it’s really quite incredible,” said Todd. “One lobster we saw must have been 3 feet long. Life can thrive because you’re in the middle of nowhere; it’s not overfished, it’s not over-dove – because it’s so difficult to get to, people haven’t had a chance to destroy it.”

The excursion typically sets off the night before, and you spend the day diving; there are a number of different charters that leave from Freeport, Galveston or Sabine Pass. Night diving is an outstanding experience, as well. The dive guide dropped some strobe lights with an anchor line to make the boat easy to find on their return.

“If you turn off your dive light and let your eyes adjust to the darkness, the whole area lights up like a Christmas tree…. the bioluminescence was unbelievable. It was like being in Avatar.”

MORE ONLINE See this story at thebuzzmagazines.com for a detailed list, with links to websites and videos, of places to dive in Texas.

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MEMORIAL BUZZ JULY 2016 9

The Junior League of Houston

FOOD

by Jennifer LeGrand Howard, contributing writer

Cooking Buzz Summer seafood suppers Cooking Buzz is produced in partnership with the Junior League of Houston, a women’s charitable and education organization founded in 1925.

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ummer has always been my favorite time of year. As a kid, there was no school, of course, and my only obligation was to make it to swim-team practice on time. I might spend the entire day in my swimsuit after practice, hopping from a friend’s pool back to the neighborhood pool, coming inside only to eat.

While I can no longer spend the entire summer in my swimsuit, the summer months still evoke that sense of freedom for me.

Summer now means easy, fresh meals to quickly get dinner on the table so I can make the most of the longer sunny days after work.

Fish Tacos with Tropical Fruit Salsa from Peace Meals fits the bill. While you can follow the recipe to a T, making the fruit salsa and cilantro crème fraîche ahead of time (dice and add the avocado just before serving, though, so the avocado remains bright green), I’ve certainly picked up fresh mango pico de gallo at the grocery store instead and served the fish tacos with Greek yogurt doctored with lime juice and cumin to get dinner on the table even faster.

Although the recipe calls for red snapper, it adapts well to any firm fish or to Gulf shrimp that’s in season in July. It also makes a pretty presentation for a laid-back weekend meal for friends. If I’m serving this to company, I love to keep the green onions whole, trimming them and charring them under the broiler until lightly blistered. It adds a slightly smoky flavor to the onions and makes for a nice presentation.

I’ll serve the fish tacos with a pot of Pinto Beans and a big pitcher of Sangria. I’ve been making a variation on the pinto beans from the Houston Junior League Cookbook for years. If I’m short on time I’ll sub canned pinto beans for dried and omit the salt. Either way, any leftovers are great for nachos or chalupas later in the week. My go-to recipe for sangria, from The Star of Texas, has always been a crowd pleaser. As the recipe states, the sangria base really does keep indefinitely in the refrigerator, so it is great to keep on hand as soon as the weather gets warm.

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Another quick and easy meal is the Gulf Coast Ceviche, also from Peace Meals.

Published as an appetizer, I find it makes for a light dinner perfect for summer. I’ll let the fish marinate while I’m at work, finish the recipe off when I get home, and set FESTIVE For the summer, consider colorful, easy and fresh Fish Tacos with Tropical my husband to Fruit Salsa. frying up some Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil in a large fresh tortilla chips for serving. sauté pan over medium-high. Add the onions and sauté until translucent. Season the fish with Fish Tacos with Tropical Fruit Salsa salt and pepper, and add to the onions. Sauté, Tropical Fruit Salsa: stirring frequently, about 3 to 4 minutes or until 1 cup peeled, pitted and diced mango (about just cooked through. Remove the pan from heat, 1 mango) add the chiles and mix gently. Toss the cabbage 1 cup peeled, cored and diced pineapple together with the dressing in a medium bowl.

2 avocados, pitted, peeled and diced Warm the tortillas in a skillet and fill each with ¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro, plus additional the fish mixture, cabbage and Tropical Fruit ¼ cup minced red onion Salsa. Top with the Cilantro Crème Fraîche.

1 jalapeño, seeded and minced Makes 16 tacos.

2 Tablespoons fresh lime juice Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper Cilantro Crème Fraîche: Tacos: ½ cup buttermilk 1 Tablespoon fresh lime juice Juice of 2 limes 4 Tablespoons vegetable oil, divided 1 Serrano chile, minced Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper 1 bunch cilantro, chopped (save sprigs for gar¼ cup chopped green onions nish) 2 pounds skinless, boneless red snapper fillets, 3 cups crème fraîche cut into ½-inch pieces ½ teaspoon ground cumin 3 canned chipotle chiles in adobo sauce, fineIn a blender, puree the buttermilk, lime juice, ly chopped chile and cilantro. Transfer the mixture to a 3 cups thinly shredded cabbage bowl and fold in the crème fraîche and cumin.

16 corn tortillas Cilantro Crème Fraîche (recipe below) To buy a Houston Junior League cookbook, see jlh.org or call 713-871-6608.

Gently mix together the salsa ingredients in a medium bowl. Season with salt and pepper, and set aside. Whisk together the lime juice and For other recipes mentioned in this story, see 3 tablespoons of the oil in a small bowl. Season thebuzzmagazines.com. with salt and pepper, and set the dressing aside.

MORE ONLINE

NEIGHBORS

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by Sharon Albert Brier, staff writer

Rumor Has It Supreme mom and daughter trip.

Linda and Hannah Schweitzer, Dawn and Grace Wilson, Carrie and Lissy Sturges, and bestie Annie Valicek went back in time to visit historical sites in Washington D.C. and Old Town Alexandria. After they saw the Supreme Court and much more, they luxuriated at the historic Willard Hotel, near the White House. They saw the Ford’s Theatre, where Lincoln was shot, and barricades at the White House on lockdown, when a man aimed a gun at the Secret Service. One night they dined with retired U.S. Air Force Lt. General Leslie Kenne. Hannah, Grace, Lissy and Annie will attend Memorial High School for ninth grade.

Animals of all kind. Memorial Day weekend was spent gliding over tree tops. Karen and Roland Garcia visited with former Houstonians Linda Gonzalez and Roland Rodriquez, who retired in Atenas, Costa Rica, on top of a mountain with a coffee plantation behind them. The couples soaked in the Tabacon Hot Springs and zip lined with wild creatures and toucans. At Playa Blanca beach, peacocks joined them for breakfast. It felt like home since the Garcias have their own peacock, named Baby Blue.

A good rub. At the recommendation of a mutual friend in 2013, Lyssa Burnham and Wesley “Wes” Howeth met each other over dinner at one of Wes’s favorite places, Jonathan’s The Rub. They found out they had dogs in common. Her trio of Maltese dogs, Maddie, Mollie and Moose, eventually got to meet his German Shepherd, Guinness. After two years of dating, on a trip to the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta, Wes proposed in the sky 4,000 feet above the ground in a hot air balloon. She was floating on air. Parents whose head were in the clouds at the news were Donna Stehling and Douglas Burnham and Jack and Paula Howeth.

Playful meeting. Director Tammie Kahn welcomed 50 guests to the striking contemporary home of Anita and Gerald Smith for the annual board meeting and gathering of The Children’s Museum. Board president Geoff Bracken announced the new members to the MEMORIAL BUZZ JULY 2016 12

FROM LESSONS TO LIFE Incognito and in front of the Supreme Court were (from left) Hannah Schweitzer, Lissy Sturges, Grace Wilson and Annie Valicek, who walked miles from monuments to government buildings.

board of directors: Allison Leach, Carmen Mach, Rishma Mohamed, James Rhame, Kelly Sklar and Sebastien Solar, and new advisory members Dr. Julie Baker Finck, Mary Catherine Blanton Jones, Melissa Lowrie and Sue Payne. The Lois Drutz Boiarsky Award was awarded to Maryellen Salas, and Mary Farish Johnson presented the Hillary Farish Stratton Award to Randy Allen for his dedication.

Coin scarves. Partiers wore genie and belly dancing outfits to celebrate the All Aboard the Marrakesh Express for the Anne Frank Hadassah fun-raiser at the Fadi Event Center.

Co-presidents Sharon Maloney and Vicky Dyer-Smith and Connie Senter, Frances Rubin, Mirl Cohen and yours truly greeted guests with pomegranate vodka shots. A giant Moroccan marketplace screen was the backdrop for guest photos. It was the most successful ride the group has taken. John Littman with Eva and Rachel Littman, Jeannette Nestvold, Dr. Steve and Joyce Fadem, Shirley and Leonard Lebow, Betty Babendure and Howard Pollack, Dr. Bill and Barbara Drell, Paulette and Mel Levine, Nancy and Russell Ducoff, Dr Stephen and Lauren Kramer, and Cynthia and Mickey Mills jiggled with giggles.

10th anny. The Kentucky Derby party given by The Holly Rose Ribbon Foundation sprinted to a sellout. Bartenders flipped juleps and patrons spun the bottle for $20 to win a vin-

tage bottle of $200 bourbon. Guests heard Marva Skinner tell how the foundation paid all expenses for her four-part breast-reconstruction operation by Dr. Franklin Rose. City Artworks received a check from the HRRF to give professional art lessons at Texas Children’s Hospital to children with cancer. Derby attired were Cindi Rose, Ericka Bagwell and Angelica Ximenez Chapman. JMichael Soliz and Michael Pearce announced Tiffany Taylor won for best hat, and best dressed was Omar Marcus.

From Hunters Creek to Hollywood. TBS premiered Wrecked, a new comedy starring Will Greenberg as Todd Hinkle, one of a group of strangers stranded on a deserted island following a plane crash.

Disconnected from the rest of society, the group struggles to create their own makeshift society without luxuries such as indoor plumbing or wifi, or delivered pizza. Wrecked aired June 14 at 9 p.m. with back-to-back episodes. Will’s wife, Niki, develops shows for Warner Bros. Will’s parents are Karlyn and Jerry Greenberg. Will and Niki visited his family, Eugene and Camille (Greenberg) Terk and children Ezra and Olive, in New Orleans for Jazz Fest.

MORE ONLINE See Rumor Has It at thebuzzmagazines.com for additional photos. Have some good news to share?

Email us at info@thebuzzmagazines.com.

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Summer travel tips for allergy sufferers The summer season can be a wonderful time for travel and outdoor fun in the sun. Summer also brings a season of high grass pollen counts and high mold counts. Plus, it’s a time of high humidity and heat. Here are some simple tips to control your summer allergy symptoms: • Plan ahead. Check local allergy forecasts for your destination site. The allergens for your local area may be different than the allergens in your travel plans.

• If traveling to an area where there are high levels of the allergens that affect you most, get consistent with your allergy medications ahead of time.

Your best defense against allergy symptoms is a nasal steroid spray. Examples include Flonase, Nasonex and Nasacort. These medications are great at preventing allergy symptoms, but they don’t work fast. It may take up to two weeks and in some cases even longer to receive maximum benefit. If you wait until symptoms develop, you are not likely to experience much relief.

Check with your provider to make sure these medications are right for you.

• Visit your provider prior to travel. This will ensure you have adequate amounts of your medications.

• Pack your medications in your carry-on bag. Bring the phone number of your provider and pharmacy in case a need arises.

• Prior to traveling by car, cool down the vehicle by running the AC for five minutes. This can decrease mold spores that may build up in the ventilation system.

• While traveling by car, keep the car windows closed, and the AC on recirculation. This will decrease outdoor pollen and mold exposure.

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• Outdoor pollen counts peak between the hours of 5 a.m. and 10 a.m. Try to plan activities later in the day to decrease your allergen exposure.

• After outdoor activities, take a shower and wash your hair to remove any pollen you may have on you. Put on a fresh outfit after your shower. Don’t dry clothing outdoors; it may collect pollen.

• Minimize temperature extremes. Asthma flares can be triggered by going from high outdoor temperatures to cold AC environments.

• Bring your own dust mite-proof pillow covers and put them on the hotel’s pillow. Then put their pillowcase on. Don’t forget to take your pillowcase home with you though!

We hope these tips will help you to have a safe and allergy symptom-free summer!

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.

Nefertari McClarity, MS, APRN, NP-C, 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 and Asthma Clinic

MEMORIAL BUZZ JULY 2016 15

NEIGHBORS

by Cheryl Ursin, staff writer

Life is Good Robert Flatt lives in focus with photography and Parkinson’s

I

n 1999, when Robert Flatt, a successful businessman, was 53 and on a backpacking vacation with his wife Nancy, he noticed his backpack kept slipping to the right.

“I thought, ‘When I get to Houston, I’m going to buy me a backpack that’s not crooked,’” he said. But it wasn’t the backpack.

Flatt found out he had Parkinson’s disease.

Though not fatal, this neurological disorder, which affects movement, is incurable and progressive.

Flatt, an engineer by training (Rice University) with an MBA from Harvard, stopped working, after 31 years at Cameron International, in 2004. He had to stop driving. These days, he uses a walker, stutters sometimes and has dyskinesia, involuntary muscle movements.

Yet, Flatt says, “Parkinson’s has given me the gift of time.” The disease, he has written, “has helped me ‘slow down’ to see this beauty and has given me the urgency to ‘hurry up’ and capture as much as I can.”

His motto is, “Life is good.”

After his diagnosis, Flatt started taking photography classes at Rice’s Glasscock School of Continuing Education, including one he took five times because, each time, he felt he had more to learn. Then he took Arts 205, the freshman photography course at Rice. “There were 21 freshmen and sophomores and me in the course, and I did OK,” he said. He did more than OK: Four of his self-portraits from that class are in the permanent collection of the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston.

His photographs are now on display all over the country, including at the neurology department of the Baylor College of Medicine, where he is a patient. His newest book of photography, Healing Art: Don’t Let Anything Ruin Your Day, has just been published by Bright Sky Press.

Despite his symptoms, Flatt is irrepressible. He teaches a course at Rice’s business school, aptly enough on managing change. He travels the world, always with his camera. Recently, he and his wife Nancy, also a Rice alum, signed up for a university trip to Virginia. “I wondered if I could use the morning before the trip started,” he said, “so I found a photographer in Richmond who takes pictures of eagles and booked a trip with him. We’re MEMORIAL BUZZ JULY 2016 16

BEAUTY “I’m excited about life and that sort of explains the photography,” says Robert Flatt (inset). “It’s what people call religion or spirituality.

I get lost in the flowers.” His photo: Butterfly in Deep Green.

going to meet him at 5:30 in the morning; it’s a 50minute drive to his boat, then it’s a half-hour trip in a pontoon boat to get to the eagles.”

Birds are a favorite subject. When a groundskeeper told him two great-horned owls were raising a family in a tree at Rice in 2010, Flatt spent a month taking tens of thousands of pictures of them. He self-published a book, Rice’s Owls, and donated copies to Rice, whose mascot is an owl. The athletic department sold 4,000 copies, and the Jones School of Business sends copies to its accepted applicants. “Now, all of my students, when they come to my class, have read my book, which is really cool,” Flatt said.

He tells of trying to get a perfect shot of the male owl. When owls sleep in the daytime, they stretch their wings about once every two hours.

This owl was sleeping and the sun was coming up behind him. “I thought, that’s going to be a great shot,” said Flatt, so he waited, with the camera up to his eye and his finger pushing the shutter button halfway down, for 45 minutes.

Which is when Flatt scratched his nose.

“And that’s when he fluffed,” Flatt said. “I missed the shot. But I didn’t miss it because I have it in my brain. I can still see him flapping his wings in that beautiful morning sunlight.”

A student told him about the night herons that nest in the spring along West, North and South boulevards. Hundreds of these 2-foot-tall

birds raise their families high in the graceful live oaks of this quiet neighborhood.

This led to another self-published book of photographs, West Boulevard Night-Herons.

Flatt took me to see the herons one afternoon in May. The only other person there was a woman with a camera. When Flatt introduced himself, she said, “Oh! I am your biggest fan!”

She later told me that she had been trying not to cry. “I went all fan girl on him,” she said.

About a year ago, Allison Zapata, a professional writer and blogger, was going through a rough time, with a divorce. She heard about the herons and, as a distraction, went to see them.

She found Flatt’s work online. “He’s such an inspiration,” she said.

Like Flatt, she found that photography changes how she sees everything. “Even when I don’t have my camera, I see things differently. I stop and look at trees,” she said. “I realize there is so much beauty everywhere.”

Flatt was pleased. He gave her a print of his work.

“I want to show people things they don’t see themselves. They don’t take the time,” he said.

“Parkinson’s has given me the gift of time: to look, to learn something new, to take pictures.”

NEIGHBORS

The Buzz Magazines 2016 Photo Contest A

fter reviewing more than 1,600 submitted photographs – that’s almost double from last year – we are pleased to present the winners of The Buzz Magazines’ 11th annual photo contest.

There were so many excellent entries this year that we could have easily included many more winners in each category, so if your photo was not in the top four, realize it was a remarkably strong field.

With any contest like this, the process is inevitably subjective. However, there are basic principles of photography that must be met, such as lighting, focus, exposure and composition. And there are personal elements to consider: subject, emotion and storytelling. Judging is “blind,” as the judges do not see the names of the photographers. Technical proficiency is always appreciated, but several winners were taken with cell phones, proving it doesn’t always require expensive equipment to get a great shot. In fact, next year, we are adding a cell-phone category.

Congratulations to each of this year’s winners, and to our Grand Prize winner, Mauricio Recinos, who will receive a Canon PowerShot digital camera, compliments of The Buzz Magazines. Mauricio is not new to our contest, as he was last year’s first-place winner in the Animals category.

Each year after publishing our winners, we inevitably get comments from our readers. Some agree with our judges, and others do not. So again this year we included a Readers’ Choice award and let the readers vote. We posted the 64 print finalists on our Facebook page, and the four photos that received the most “Likes” became our Readers’ Choice winners.

The Buzz Magazines’ annual photo contest is open to all amateur photographers, so keep that in mind as you are shooting pictures in the upcoming year. Watch for next year’s call for entries on our social media and in the March 2017 print issue.

Thanks to everyone who entered, our readers who voted online for our Readers’ Choice winner and our judges – professional photographers Michael Hart, Nikky LaWell and Nick de la Torre.

MORE ONLINE Ever wondered about what goes on behind the scenes of photo-contest judging? See this story at thebuzzmagazines.com for a video clip of our 2016 judges talking about what makes a great photo. Also, see this story online for comments from the judges about the winners of the Judge’s Choice category.

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Grand Prize Winner My Girl Mauricio Recinos, 45, took this photo of his daughter Isabella. He had asked if he could take some photographs of her, and she agreed. “It was a beautiful day, and I wanted to take advantage of the weather and daylight. I wanted to capture those staggering blue eyes.”

What the judges said – The direct gaze of the subject, coupled with the blue ear stud and the blue eyes, offset by the red lips, and unconventional and creative framing made for a literal showstopper. The viewer’s eye is in constant motion, moving from the curve of her head, the curve of her ear, the shape of her eyes and eyebrow and even the curve of her nostrils. They lead the viewer’s eye to a sharp incline on the edge and then back into circular motion. This photo makes perfect use of rectangular space and uses the rule of thirds wonderfully. The empty gaze of the girl being photographed sets the overall tone. It’s not a predictable photo.

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Category: Animals

First Place, Beautiful Blue Eyes – Luke Johnson, 10, took this photo of a peacock named Flash at Simonton’s Blessington Farms. Luke, a rising fifth grader at Veritas Christian Academy, spent the day there taking photos. “I was taking pictures of the tortoise when my mom and Nonnie (my grandma) yelled over to me to look at the peacock. I later gave a framed picture of Flash to Nonnie for Mother’s Day!” Second Place, I Didn't Do It – Katelyn Wallace, 19, took this photo of a French bulldog in Manhattan Beach, Calif., in August. “I was actually the first to a family barbecue of some people I met doing an internship, and their dog kept me company until they arrived. I was glad that I finally got him to sit still because he kept trying to lick my camera!”

Third Place, Friends – Kathy Weston, 67, took this photo of her 10-year-old Boxer, Scout, with Bo, a 2-year-old Yellow Lab. Bo comes to visit when his owner is out of town. “I had perfect morning light, and I was snapping photos as they played. I was able to capture the friendship between the two.”

Fourth Place, Sweetness and Light – Jan Buchholtz, 59, discovered this kitten taking refuge in her backyard after the Memorial Day flood last year. “Though afraid of humans, ‘Lucky’ finally adopted us after we slowly earned her trust. It’s easy to photograph this constant companion who politely taps my shoulder for attention.”

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Category: People First Place, Jake & Lilly Amongst Urban Bluebonnets – Mark Staudt, 38, took this photo of his 5-year-old son, Jake, and 1-yearold rescue dog, Lilly, in March at White Oak Bayou. “Friends mentioned there were bluebonnets near our neighborhood. The sunset and light were shaping up to be nice, so I grabbed my camera, Jake and Lilly, and we went on an urban bluebonnet shoot.”

Second Place, Sorrow – Kylie Baker, 15, took this photo of her friend, Natalie Lee, in the Black Box Theater at Memorial High School in February. She took the photo for a school photography class; the assignment was to try and capture a person with part of their face covered. Kylie is a rising sophomore at Memorial.

Third Place, The Sky in Her Eyes – Jackson Howard, 15, took this photo of his friend Grace Broom at Terry Hershey Park as part of a photography project. “I loved the background, but actually didn't mean for it to turn out with the bright blue eyes because her eyes were supposed to be closed. That was just a lucky coincidence.”

Jackson is a rising sophomore at Stratford High School.

Fourth Place, Butterfly Shaped Nets – Shu Cheuk, 67, took this photo of fishermen casting their nets in Vietnam in June. The original image was taken in color. “The background was green leaves and was distracting. I darkened the green color and increased the contrast to highlight the nets during the change to monochrome.”

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Category: Nature

First Place, Iridescence – Lauren Anderson, 26, took this photo of a spider web in her parents' backyard in Tanglewood at night last summer. “I took the photo because an outdoor light happened to be shining directly on the web, revealing iridescent color that one doesn't usually see in the daylight.”

Second Place, Soaking in It – Ray Chilton, 75, took this photo of Gerbera daisies floating in a fountain at a home on this year's Azalea Trail. “I took the picture because the happy colors framed by the fountain edge caught my immediate attention.”

Third Place, Umbrella – Lauren Anderson, 26, took this close-up shot of a Portobello mushroom last summer in Muskokas, Canada. Her brother was making dinner, and “I simply thought it would make an interesting image to change up the perspective a bit.”

Fourth Place, At the End of the Day, a Weed Becomes a Flower – Jan Buchholtz, 59, took this photo as the sun was setting over Brays Bayou. “Earlyspring wildflowers blushed as they turned towards the west. I noted the tiny fringed blossoms of this Philadelphia fleabane – a plant many would consider a weed. Under the right circumstances, the most ordinary of things can become extraordinary. This inconspicuous weed transformed into a flower as it was backlit by the rosy glow of twilight.”

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Category: Landscapes

First Place, Mesa Arch Canyonlands, Utah – Mark Edelman, 54, says, “I took the short hike in the pitch black to the Arch at 5:45 a.m. to get in position for what I knew was an amazing shot. I ended up standing next to the famous photographer Peter Lik, which was a real thrill. [It’s] as if a golfer would show up and be put in a foursome with Jordan Spieth.”

Second Place, Del Mar Sunset – Mark Staudt, 38, took this photo in California on Super Bowl Sunday. During the halftime show, he took a break to watch the sunset. “I’m fascinated with sunsets over the water and waves. I felt the slow-shutter panning could be a good way to illustrate that unique perspective.”

Third Place, Shadows Play – Gail Strebel, 48, drove up to a large barn in Jerseyville, Ill., and asked if she could take photos. “She told me I could take pictures of whatever I liked, but to be careful of ‘critters.’ I was standing in the shadow of the silo and thought it would make an amazing photo.”

Fourth Place, Perth Railway Bridge, Scotland – Heidi Beverley, 48, took this photo in a village called Scone in Perth last Christmas after heavy rain.

“I wanted to capture the strong current and motion of the river in contrast to the railway bridge and with St. Matthew’s Church in the background.”

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Category: Sports and Action

First Place, That's Gotta Hurt – Daniel Hrachovy, 49, took this photo while his son, Jack, was playing a Houston Express soccer game at Burroughs Park in Tomball in April. “Jack broke free and was headed for a possible score when the goal keeper dove for the ball at the same time. When I initially framed the shot, I thought it was going to be a goal. Instead, there was a collision with the goal keeper, and a trailing player’s momentum took him over the pileup. The timing was perfect – two players down in the dust with another player and the ball suspended in mid-air. Fortunately, no one was hurt, and we have a memorable photo.”

Second Place, Rodeo Fun 2016 – Bradley Sabloff, 47, took this photo of two of his children, Darcy and Bryce, both 7, on the swing ride at the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo. “I love the photo as it demonstrates great contrast between the overcast sky and the colorful ride. It also shows a great contrast between the riders against the gray background.”

Third Place, Underwater – Mauricio Recinos, 45, took this photo of his daughter Isabella on Labor Day weekend at the beach. “My wife and I had barely finished unpacking when the girls were ready for action! The girls were playing underwater. Isabella happened to pass in front of one of the pool underwater reflectors. The reflection of her body along with the air bubbles and shadow created an interesting scene.”

Fourth Place, Throwing Out A Line – Carl Henry, 61, took this photo of a fly fisherman casting in the String Lake Loop in Grand Teton National Park in September. “I was there early in the morning trying to capture wildlife and the fall colors in Grand Teton and saw the perfect light on the fisherman, so I stopped and grabbed the shot.”

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Category: Readers’ Choice

First Place, Chillin’ – Dana Katz, 39, took this photo when she was in Israel last June for a family wedding. While she was in Osifia in Daliyat-el-Carmel, part of the Druze Village, her family spotted these dogs. “Immediately, my brother, Alex Yudovich, and my husband, Kenneth Katz, and I all turned to each other and said, ‘Buzz Photo Contest!’”

Second Place, Beautiful Blue Eyes – This photo by Luke Johnson, 10, also won first place in the Animals category. The photo was taken at Blessington Farms in Simonton; Luke spent a day there taking photos of the animals, flowers and nature.

Third Place, Zuri in the Middle – This photo by Pamela Zane, 55, was also chosen by Nikky LaWell as Judge’s Choice. “Ever since Andrea and Blake got married five years ago, Andrea has always had a bit of a love/hate relationship with Zuri….”

Fourth Place, Maddy Estelle – Isabelle Nuzzo, 13, took this photo of her friend Maddy Holste playing the guitar for her album cover; her EP (extended play) called Back to the Start, by Maddy Estelle, is on iTunes. “We met at Camp Lantern Creek five years ago and have been inseparable ever since. I love that this picture captures her joy of music and happy personality.” Isabelle is a rising freshman at Memorial High School.

MEMORIAL BUZZ JULY 2016 25

Category: Judges’ Choice

Michael Hart’s choice, White's Gentle Fade to Grey – Marie Evnochides, 75, took this photo of the flower Anthurium scherzerianum in her garden on a gray, springtime morning. “I love the sculptural quality, the close-up intimacy and the feeling of the rhythm in nature.”

Nikky LaWell’s choice, Zuri in the Middle – Pamela Zane, 55, took this photo of her daughter, Andrea Zane Feinman, and her husband, Blake Feinman, with their 7-year-old dog, Zuri Nala, last summer. “Ever since Andrea and Blake got married five years ago, Andrea has always had a bit of a love/hate relationship with Zuri that started when she was getting pushed out of the marital bed by the 120-pound dog, prompting Blake to just go out and buy a bigger bed! Although Andrea knows that Zuri would protect her and the rest of the family at any cost, she can be very intrusive and stubborn at times. When I took this photo, it just seemed to capture a moment that sums up the situation perfectly!”

Nick de la Torre’s choice, Kenya, Africa – Joe Schmitt, 68, took this photo of a landscape of the African plain, taken in late afternoon in September. “Acacia trees, which are typical in this area, are seen in the background. I wanted the image to capture the raw beauty of Africa.”

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Judges’ Bios

Michael Hart has been providing photographic images to leading corporations, design firms and advertising agencies for over 30 years.

His assignments have taken him to 49 states and more than 30 countries. Michael’s work has been represented in several years of the international Black & White Spider Awards, and his work appears in its book, The World’s Greatest Black and White Photography. Recent shows include APA-Los Angeles’ exhibit, “Off The Clock,” APA-San Francisco’s exhibit, “Something Personal,” and ASMP Houston’s FotoFest exhibit, where he received the Curator’s Choice award in 2014. His book, Biggio: The Final Game, is in the library of the National Baseball Hall of Fame.

Elizabeth Stone’s book, An Invitation to Entertain, for which he provided photography, was awarded a Gold Medal at the Independent Publisher Book Awards show, and he was recently elected to the national board of the American Society of Media Photographers. Michael Hart Photography, mhart@hartphoto.com

Nikky LaWell, a certified professional photographer, holds a BFA in photography from the University of Houston and owns a boutique studio specializing in family portraits with a personal perspective. Nikky has been the keeper of memories for the most important of moments, from babies and graduations to weddings and promotions. She is known for listening closely to her clients and coming up with ideas for intimate and creative photography sessions. Nikky says a strong photo compels viewers to react and evokes a genuine emotional response. Her awards include “Best Portrait of a Senior Professional” from the Professional Photographers Guild of Houston, “Best Wedding” from the Southwest Professional Photographers Association, “Best Wedding” from the Texas Professional Photographers Association, and the illustrious Kodak Gallery Award. Her images have been selected for the international FotoFest exhibition and the International Loan Collection of the Professional Photographers of America. www.lawellphoto.com, nikky@lawellphoto.com

Nick de la Torre is a Houston-based photographer who got his start, like most photographers, working for his high school yearbook in his hometown of El Paso. He earned a degree in photography from Texas Tech University and worked at several newspapers in cities including Santa Fe, Kansas City and Phoenix before making it to the place he really wanted to work, The Houston Chronicle, where he worked for seven years. During his career as a photographer, Nick has covered the Super Bowl, NCAA Final Four championships, NBA playoffs and countless human interest stories, including an expose on the modernday slave trade in the Dominican Republic.

Nick now owns his own small multimedia company, and has truly learned to love shooting video. In addition to his corporate and product shoots, Nick is known in particular for food photography, from up-close details of cuisine to portraits of chefs in their restaurants. delatorrephotos.com, nickdelatorrephoto.com MEMORIAL BUZZ JULY 2016 27

TRAVEL

by Andria Frankfort, staff writer

Gone to Galveston Growing up on the water

M

ichael Watson grew up landlocked in Dallas. But every summer, he and his family made the trip to Galveston for time on the water. He’s doing the same – just a little more frequently – with his own family now.

“I’ve fished since I could walk,” the attorney and father of three says. The Watson family would stay at the La Quinta on the Seawall for a week at a time. “That was my family vacation,” Michael says. “Fishing on the jetties. It was the way I spent time with my dad,” who passed away in 1997.

“Then I came here for law school in 1996 and met my wife Jennifer, who was a good reason to stay in Houston.”

Today, Michael still loves fishing, and he’s sharing that love with his own children Camille, 11, Ellis, 8, and Evelyn, 4. They’re in Galveston “every other week, at least. It’s a lot closer than people think.” Michael says he’s partial to the 61st Street Pier and the Galveston Fishing Pier (at 90th and Seawall). At the latter, Michael says, “They’ve got a restaurant called Jimmy’s on the Pier. We’ll sit there at 10 at night and order burgers and po-boys and fish while we’re sitting.”

Michael also likes kayak fishing. “It’s pretty easy,” he says. “I got into it because a friend had a kayak. So I started renting them. It was like $65 to rent one all day. After doing that for about two years, I said, ‘Forget this, I’m buying one.’” That was some eight years ago. Three years ago, Michael bought another kayak for his children. “I bought mine off a website called texaskayakfisherman.com – it’s a 16-foot. And I bought the kids’ 12-foot at Academy.”

Ellis, 8, knows how to check the solunar tables to find four-star fishing days based on the tides. He and his dad will calendar them together to be sure they hit the best days. “Ellis will wake up in Houston at 5 a.m. and help me load up kayaks on our Sequoia,” Michael says, “and we’ll be down there at 6:30 and stay down until dinner.

“I get to be with my kids for eight hours with no TV, no phone, no iPad. Sometimes we’ll pull an all-nighter, and sometimes we’ll sit there if nothing’s biting and pass the time with a game MEMORIAL BUZZ JULY 2016 28

NICE CATCH! Camille Watson loves to spend time on the water in Galveston with her dad Michael.

like, ‘What’s your favorite food or color?’ I’ve got their full attention.”

Cousins Jeff Young and Al Pratka also love being in Galveston for reasons similar to Michael.

“Al and I have been going down there together since we were babies,” says Jeff, who is in the construction business. Now they spend time on the water together with their (continued on page 30) own children.

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Island happenings

by Sarah Bass, contributing writer Looking for something to do in Galveston this summer? Here’s a good start.

Bands on the Sand - Moody Gardens, 1 Hope Blvd., Friday and Saturday nights through Aug. 13; 6-10 p.m. Regional and local bands perform on Moody Gardens’ beach. Admission: $12. www.moodygardens.com/calendar/bots/ Summer at the Seaport - Texas Seaport Museum, 2100 Harborside Drive, July 1, 8, 15, 22, 29, Aug. 5, 12; 2 p.m. Learn about life as a 19th century sailor aboard the 1877 tall ship Elissa. Admission: $3 under 5, $12 ages 6-18, $15 for adults. www.galveston.com/texasseaportmuseum Movie Nite on the Strand - Saengerfest Park, 2300 Strand, 7:45 p.m. Sat., July 2; 7:30 p.m.

Aug. 6, Sept. 3. Family-friendly movies in the little park on the Strand. Admission: Free. www.galveston.com/saengerfestpark

FOURTH FESTIVITIES Fun events are happening in Galveston all summer long, including the always-popular 4th of July Parade and Celebration.

4th of July Parade and Celebration - 37th St. and Seawall Blvd., Mon., July 4; 7:30 p.m. The 117th annual Independence Day celebration includes a parade down Seawall Boulevard, from 41st Street to12th Street, with a 20-minute firework show after the procession. www.galveston.com Texas Country Music Series - Galveston Island Historic Pleasure Pier, 2501 Seawall Blvd., Thurs., July 7, 14, 21, 28, Aug. 4; 5-9 p.m. Dance along to country bands Thursday nights. Buy passes to enjoy rides or just walk around the pier. Admission: Walk-on pass: $7-10. www.pleasurepier.com/stage25.html Red, White, N Volleyball - East Beach, 1923 Boddeker Drive, Sat., July 9; 9 a.m. Hosted by the Gulf Coast Volleyball Association, this tournament has men, women and youth divisions, with free shirts given to the first 100 people to check in at 8:30 a.m. Admission: $25 per person, $50 per team. www.galveston.com/eastbeach/#/?i=1 Music Nite on the Strand - Saengerfest Park, 2300 Strand, July 9, Aug. 13, Sept.10; 6-9 p.m. Live music, including Irish, rock and oldies. Admission: Free. www.galveston.com/saengerfestpark Artwalk - The Strand, Sat., July 16, Aug., 27; times vary. Wander through art galleries and exhibits. Happens every 6-8 weeks.

Admission: Free. www.galveston.com/artwalk Galveston Heritage Festival - Kempner Park, Sat. Aug., 6; 10 a.m.-8 p.m. Learn about Galveston’s past. Explore cultures through food, music and performances. Admission: Free 5 and under, $5 ages 6-18, $10 adults. www.galvestonhistory.org/events Phil Vassar Gulf Coast Big Brothers-Big Sisters Benefit Concert - The Grand, 2020 Postoffice St., Fri., Aug. 12, 7:30 p.m. Country music star Phil Vassar will perform to benefit Gulf Coast Big Brothers Big Sisters. Admission: Ticket prices vary. www.thegrand.com/calendar “It all brings back fond memories,” says Al, an insurance consultant.

“My father was a boater, my grandfather was a boater. I lost my dad two years ago, and my son feels tied to the water, too, because he’s had really neat memories with my dad.

“I was 11 or 12 when I got my first boat,” Al says. “It was little bitty, and with a 7½-horsepower motor, you could only go so fast. But me and my cousins, who also had a house on the Crash Boat Basin [between the Scholes airport and Moody Gardens Golf Course, connecting to Offatts Bayou], all had these little boats.

(continued from page 28)

MEMORIAL BUZZ JULY 2016 30

We’d just run around together. The only time we’d go home was to get something to eat or if we were running low on gasoline.”

Both Jeff and Al are “passionate about Galveston and spending time there with our families,” Jeff says. “I’ve got two young boys, 5 and 10, and it’s wonderful to go down there and give them the freedom that we just can’t give them in Houston.”

Jeff and his wife Jill have a home on Tiki Island. “The kids pretty much have the run of the island,” he says. “They can get on their bikes and ride anywhere. You’re not going to let your

10 year old ride to the corner store for Gatorade in Houston. But in Tiki you would.”

The next generation of cousins – Jeff’s boys and Al’s 10-year-old son Riley and 12-year-old daughter Ellie – now have their own boats. “I found the boat I bought for my kids on Craigslist or 2coolfishing.com. It’s nothing pretty by any means, but they can bang into a pier in it and learn.”

“Down there,” Jeff says, “we’ll fish, take a ride in the boat, play in the beach. It’s all family time. And if I check my phone twice a day when I’m down there, that’s a lot.”

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KIDS

.

by Annie Blaylock McQueen, staff writer

Buzz Baby

Welcome to water

Buzz Baby is a column about life with babies from the perspective of a first-time mother.

I

magine taking your 1-year-old child at 8 in the morning for a swim lesson across town – for 60 days straight.

Frani Denenburg, an attorney, signed daughter Giorgiana up for the Infant Swimming Rescue (ISR) program, designed in 1966 to prevent child drowning. By the completion of the program, children as young as six months are able to float on their backs in water without assistance.

“ISR was a huge commitment,” said Frani.

“The lessons were 10 minutes every day and lasted until she mastered floating on her back.” In Giorgiana’s case, it took about 2 months.

“She could not consume milk or food for several hours before the lesson, so at the instructor’s recommendation, our lessons were in the mornings to ensure her tummy was empty,” said Frani.

Giorgiana is “a late sleeper,” according to Frani, which added a complicated spin to the mix.

Frani said it took strength as a mother on the sidelines. Giorgiana “screamed the entire duration of the lesson. I just sat on the side of the pool, with a forced smile, chanting encouraging phrases and clapping for her. It was so hard to watch.”

Each week the 1 year old progressed, and eventually she could float on her back without assistance for several minutes at a time.

Introducing your baby to water is important, no matter the technique. Aside from ISR, for tiny infants, there’s a place called Float Baby on Del Monte Drive, which is water therapy and neonatal massage for infants as young as 2 weeks. Other parents, like mom-of-two Jessica Antel, enroll their children for traditional swim lessons. Her daughters Pearl and Parker took lessons at Houston Swim Club.

Jessica said her favorite thing about HSC was the curriculum and instructors. “I am not sure there is any place like [it],” she said. “Your kids start out learning basic water safety, like how to float and climb out of the pool, and before you know it they are swimming laps and learning new strokes.”

Some Buzz families have a pool and opt for MEMORIAL BUZZ JULY 2016 34

POOL READY Left photo: Little friends Elle Berry and Walker Wood (pictured, from left) take private swim lessons through Safe Swimming School at Walker’s house. Right photo: Parker Antel (pictured, from left, with instructors Jeremiah Collins and Grayson Garcia) mastered lessons at Houston Swim Club.

at-home swim lessons where an instructor comes to the house. They include a group of moms with children around age 2: Cabell Wood (with son Walker), Kelly Tepper (with son Jack), Caroline Harrell (with son Jack), Caroline Brown (with daughter Margaret), Diana Bridger (with son William) and Kelsey Talbert (with daughter Isla). The group meets on Tuesday afternoons at Cabell’s house for private 30minute lessons.

The lessons are from Safe Swimming School, which Cabell learned about in a mother’s blog she follows. “I was very interested in someone coming to my house to teach Walker swim lessons so he would be comfortable with our pool.

“The instructor comes to our home. I didn’t have to get into the pool, and most of the swim schools for this age group were mommy-and-me classes,” where a parent helps the child in the water, guided by an instructor.

Most of the kids (and the moms) are new to introducing their babies to water. “We took [Walker] swimming last summer quite a bit at my parent’s house,” said Cabell. “However, he would only last 5-10 minutes in the water. He was more interested in walking and exploring the backyard.”

The group’s swim instructor is teaching them

the basics. At this age, the kids are learning to hold onto the edge, float on their back and kick, blow bubbles (which will lead to holding their breath), and just get comfortable with the water.

“The moms come inside my house during the lesson and watch from the living room, which helps the child focus on swimming and not crying for their mom,” said Cabell.

Anson Ainsworth, owner of Safe Swimming School, said that at this young age, safety and drowning prevention are the most important things, following by stroke development. “Every student is different in their learning style and fears they may have,” said Anson.

Cabell said there were lots of tears the first couple of lessons, but that everyone seems to be adjusting well. “I am just glad that [Walker] is learning to be comfortable around the pool and we can enjoy our summer afternoons. Our family will spend a lot of time in our pool this summer with the Houston heat.”

MORE ONLINE For more baby stories, see thebuzzmagazines.com for writer Annie Blaylock McQueen’s column, “Mommy Moments.” If you have stories to share, leave a comment online or email info@thebuzzmagazines.com.

MEMORIAL BUZZ JULY 2016 35

SPORTS

.

by Todd Freed, staff writer

SportzBuzz F

rom World Series champions to state champions. It’s not exactly your typical path to baseball glory. But that’s the route taken this past season by Second Baptist High School head baseball coach Lance Berkman and pitching coach Andy Pettitte. Second Baptist won the TAPPS 4A state baseball championship with a 7-2 victory over Midland Christian in the final.

“When you win your last game it doesn’t matter if you’re in Little League, high school, college or the big leagues, it’s a very gratifying feeling to win a championship,” said Berkman, the longtime Houston Astros great who won a World Series title with the St. Louis Cardinals. “I have four daughters who go to Second Baptist, so I look at these young men as surrogate sons. I love all these kids. It’s a gritty, hard-working group.”

As for Pettitte, whose son Jared was a standout pitcher and first baseman for the Eagles, winning a state championship alongside his former Houston Astros teammate and longtime friend was especially gratifying. “I was sitting next to Lance scouting Midland Christian and saying to him, ‘Can you believe we’re sitting out here in the burning sun and scouting high school baseball?’ But you know what, you still have that nervous feeling in your stomach. It really doesn’t matter if it’s the World Series or the state tournament at the high school level. I think if you’re a competitor and you care about what you’re doing, you’re going to put in the hard work.

“To have your family and friends here for this, and see guys like Jeff Bagwell in the stands is great. Plus, for me to be able to go through this with my son Jared after moving into Houston from Deer Park is special. You couldn’t ask for a better opportunity.”

In college baseball, a trio of local products won an NCAA Division III national champi-

MEMORIAL BUZZ JULY 2016 36

onship with Trinity University.

Lamar’s Andrew Waters and Andrew Hoffman, STATE CHAMPIONS The Second Baptist Eagles captured the fourth state baseball along with ex- championship in school history. The Eagles’ star-studded coaching staff including firstBellaire Cardinal year head coach Lance Berkman and pitching coach Andy Pettitte.

Zach Oretsky, celtitle game.” ebrated Trinity’s first-ever national title. Waters, Trailing 9-7, the Mavericks rallied to tie the a 2012 Lamar graduate, capped off his collegiate game on goals from game MVP Lindsey career with a spectacular season in which he hit McKone and then Audrey Ledbetter with just for a .420 batting average with 17 doubles, five over one minute to play. In overtime, Kara triples and eight homers.

Wollmers found senior Jennifer Trieschman for “It’s an indescribable feeling for our senior the game-winning goal. Coupled with their earclass to define ourselves as the best team in the lier SPC title, the Mavericks have won an nation,” said Waters. “It was also special to do Southwest Preparatory Conference and/or this with Andrew and Zach, who are guys that TGHSLL state title 13 straight seasons.

I’ve know for a long time. During our games this On the topic of SPC championships, the season, Andrew and I would high five and yell Episcopal girls golf team made school history by ’Skins, which was our old mascot nickname at winning its first-ever SPC title, doing so by a Lamar. Zach and I would sometimes sit on the lofty 34-stroke margin. Sophomore Margaret bench and talk about Rocky Manuel and his Runnels led the way with an impressive two-day unique coaching style at Bellaire.” total of 156 to finish second individually, with While Waters was Trinity’s second leading teammate Mary Helen Kennedy finishing hitter, Hoffman was a shut-down relief pitcher fourth overall. Caroline Murphy, Anna Giesler with a 1.22 ERA in just his freshman season. and Miranda Greenwalt were also big contrib“Andrew and the rest of the seniors really set the utors for the Knights. tone for this national championship,” said “It was a historic championship for our team,” Hoffman. “Also, any time you can do something said Knights golf coach Meghan Moake. “The like this with guys you went to high school with girls had a goal from the onset of the season to makes it even more special.” win the championship. It took a lot of hard work Back on the high school level, chalk up yet and dedication.” another state championship for the St. John’s Mavericks girls lacrosse team. The Mavericks Editor’s Note: Todd Freed is the Emmy Awarddefeated Episcopal School of Dallas 10-9 in winning co-host and producer of the KUBE overtime for its fourth straight Texas Girls High SportsZone, which airs Saturday and Sunday at 6 School Lacrosse League state title. “This champ.m. on Channel 57-KUBE. To submit high school pionship has to rank right up there,” said longsports news for possible inclusion in SportzBuzz, time Mavericks head coach Angie Kensinger. please email todd@thebuzzmagazines.com.

“The girls staged an incredible comeback in the

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MEMORIAL BUZZ JULY 2016 37

Kirsten Robinson

SPORTS

by Angie Frederickson, staff writer

SportzBuzz, Jr. W

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

Tiffani Keeling

.

Lacrosse champs Memorial Knights players Ben Moseley and Patrick Smith (top photo, from left) fight for a faceoff ball in the Greater Houston Youth Lacrosse Association (GHYLA) championship game against The Woodlands. The Knights’ 7 Black team finished the regular season in first place, with a record of 11-1, and outscored its opponents, overall, 143-39. The team played strong all weekend at the GHYLA tournament, with wins against Pin Oak, Magnolia and The Woodlands. This is the second season for the Memorial Knights Lacrosse Club, which has six teams for fifth- through eighth-grade boys who are zoned to either Memorial High School or Stratford High School. Of the six teams, four qualified for playoffs and two teams, 7 Black and 5/6 Black, won championships.

Clearing new heights Memorial Middle School (MMS) seventh grader Bridgette Schwank (middle photo) clears a hurdle in the Spring Branch ISD district track meet.

Bridgette, a newcomer to the girls track team, placed first in the 100-meter hurdles and second in the high jump at the meet. To prepare for the season, she built her own practice hurdles out of PVC pipe. In addition to the hurdles and high-jump events, Bridgette was also a member of the 400x100meter relay team that won first place. After attending The University of Texas track and field camp in Austin this summer, she will be ready for another season at MMS.

Friends and triathletes Rummel Creek Elementary third graders Kendall Davis, Taylor Mackel, Addison Sheffield and Avery Kent (bottom photo, from left) competed in the 2016 Houston Texans Kids Triathlon. Race participants swam 100 yards, then transitioned into bike gear and rode 3 miles, and next transitioned into the half-mile run. The girls prepared for the event with weekly training runs through the neighborhood, led by Kendall’s mom, Kimberly, who is a Beachbody coach and wanted to teach the girls that fitness can be fun. Kendall’s favorite part of the event was biking, while Avery loved running, and Addi and Taylor excelled in swimming. After having a great experience, they signed up for another event and recently competed together at the Typhoon Texas Kids Triathlon in Katy.

Proud sponsor of Memorial and neighboring sports MEMORIAL BUZZ JULY 2016 38

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 SportzBuzz, 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.

979 Bunker Hill, 77024 • 5709 Woodway, 77057 • 4024 Bellaire Blvd., 77025 • islandgrillhouston.com

MEMORIAL BUZZ JULY 2016 39

NEIGHBORS

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by Annie Blaylock McQueen, staff writer

Buzz About Town Keep it up

The evening enticed more than 300 guests at River Oaks Country Club to support the school’s programs. The chairs celebrated with honorees Lisa and Will Mathis. Will Mathis has been a leader and board member of the school for 23 years. Also in the crowd were Jeanie and Wallace Wilson, Susan and Dick Stasney, Tricia and Alan Ratliff, Elizabeth and Gardner Dudley, Julie and Leon Payne, and Chinhui and Eddie Allen.

Making strides Peter Boudreaux, Susan Fernbach, and Holly and Tom Forney (pictured, from left) chaired the Raise the Roof for Chinquapin Preparatory School gala.

MEMORIAL BUZZ JULY 2016 40

For the 10th year in a row, Amanda Janacek’s “Amanda's Army” rallied the troops and joined over 750 walkers to raise money to fight cystic

fibrosis. The team walked in the annual Great Strides event held at the Lynn Eusan Park on the campus of the University of Houston.

Amanda's Army raised over $20,000 from friends and family. Joining in were (pictured, from left) Emma Podvorec, Carolyn Branca, Amanda Janecek, Tyler Minter, Kaitlyn Agrons and big sister Caroline Janecek.

Just dance The Stratford High School Spartanaires Summer Sizzlin’ Dance Camp will be held at Memorial

Middle School Aug. 1-4. Cost is $100 for grades K-5 and $125 for grades 6-12. E-mail Astrid Gonzalez for registration forms at astrid.gonzalez@springbranchisd.com. Registration is also available onsite. The 2016-17 dance officers include (pictured) Lizzy Wathen, Emma George, Taylor Morris, Michaela Barroga, Madison Bigler, Marley Cannady, Erin Collins

and Riley Timmreck; social officers include Lexi Gervasio Aber, Ashley Joyner, Blake Machen, Morgan Thorton, Maggie Vineyard, Kate Frenza and Mariana Rincon.

Graduation moves Memorial Middle School eighth graders, including (pictured, front row, from left) Emily Little,

Meredith Clark, Isabelle Nuzzo, Amelia Todd and Olivia Brown (photo bombing in the background), were all smiles on the dance floor at the Memorial Middle School eighth-grade dance. The class held several fundraisers, including a car/dog wash and food sales, to support this annual event. The dance, themed Anchored Down South, had a DJ, games and photo booth.

Bus to BeyoncĂŠ A group of Memorial Drive Elementary moms, including (pictured, from left) Laura Whiteley, Shannon Hash, Amy Reeves, Heather Hughes, Nicole Mott, (continued on page 42)

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Mercedes Pilegge, Padget Hartung, Veronica Gompers, Marwah Fawcett, Melissa Moss, Toni Listengart and Veronica Edwards, treated themselves to a night out for Mother’s Day weekend. They embarked on a ladies’ night, organized by Listengart. They met up at a Piney Point home before the Beyoncé concert for a little merriment before boarding a party bus. The moms had a ball on the party bus, and the fun contin-

(continued from page 41)

MEMORIAL BUZZ JULY 2016 42

ued at the concert, where they watched the show from a suite.

Conserving Houston’s bayous Robert Rayburn and Terry Hershey (pictured, from left) along with hundreds of Bayou Preservation Association supporters and officials, gathered at the Junior League to celebrate the organization’s 50th-anniversary luncheon.

The event honored Terry Hershey Bayou

Stewardship Award recipients Ed Wulfe and John Blount. Event emcee and KHOU reporter Courtney Perna opened the show with a video highlighting Bayou Preservation’s 50-year milestones.

Family fun The Trotter YMCA is hosting Family Movie Night in the Youth Activity Center, 6-8 p.m. July 10. The winner of the Y’s Facebook movie poll (G or PG) will be played that evening. Parents must be present, and popcorn will be provided.

This event is free and open to the community.

Splash into summer

For the past 20 years, Rummel Creek Elementary students, their families and neighbors have celebrated the end of school in a big way. Fifth graders Owen Walker, Daylan Rushing, Adam Gilbert, Tyler Willard, Jacob Katterhenry, Connor Couch and Sam Sullivan (pictured, from left) took a picture after the Boogie Down Brittmore last-day-of-school splash. The entire school lines up and down Brittmore Street in Memorial. Families and neighbors bring water coolers to get ready.

Then, the fifth graders run through the street from the school to the Plaza Oaks pool, as other students, parents and neighbors throw water balloons at them to celebrate graduation and the end of the year.

Planning a prom Alexander-Smith Academy does not have a senior prom, so senior (and School Buzz photo editor) Katie Boyd, along with her mom Sarah Boyd and fellow senior Madison Baty and her mom, Kathy Baty, threw a fancy ballthemed prom at a Memorial home. They made “save the date” cards, which included the themes people could vote on, and two different dates to hold the prom. The prom was a success, and everyone danced and celebrated all night. Attendees included Denielle Braxton, Katy Boyd, Madison Baty, George Rodriguez, Logan Duke, Katie Saltiel, Zoey Zhang, Shannon Nguyen and Lu Ye.

A successful mission Over 200 attendees, including Julie and Larry Phillips (pictured), filed into the River Oaks Country Club for the 10th annual TIRR Connect the Docs luncheon, co-chaired by Kay and Ned Holmes. Renowned physician Dr. Bennet Omalu addressed the crowd. The event benefited Mission Connect, a neurotraumaresearch program of TIRR Foundation. More

than 80 research teams have received funding from Mission Connect. Guests included Penny and Parker Gregg, Anne and Tom Conner, Becky and Sells Neuhaus, Janet and Louie McCarter, Rob and Bess Wilson, Gayl and Chuck Carlberg, Eileen and John Moody, Judy and John Hutchison, Caroline and John Harrell, and Cheryl and Brad Duff.

Be seen in Buzz About Town. Send your high-res photos and community news to info@thebuzzmagazines.com.

Items are published on a space-available basis. Also share your upcoming-event listings on thebuzzmagazines.com.

MEMORIAL BUZZ JULY 2016 43

KIDS

Strawberry Studios

POLO, NO HORSE Adam Bahrami, a sophomore at Memorial High School, had to take time off from water polo due to an injury. Now he’s back in the game.

by Adam Bahrami, age 16

Buzz Kidz

Making a splash in Texas

I

am British, born and raised. Until I arrived in Texas at age 10, the only sports I played were tennis, cricket and soccer. Now I am trying to fit into the all-American teenage life at Memorial High School.

Since arriving in Texas, I have been part of the Viper Pigeons, a water polo club, and have participated in the Olympic Development Program for three seasons.

Through my club, I have attended five Junior Olympics events in California. Last summer, I had the opportunity to play with fellow Brits back home in Division 1, college level, with some Olympic players. I was extremely nervous; I was sure they were going to show me that I shouldn’t have left England. Once my nerves settled, I was quite surprised at my own strength

to keep up with their pace. My Texan coaching did not let me down; they were keen to have me stay and play for them. I had to decline their offer as my home is Houston now.

On my return, I was injured in a game and out for four months with a concussion. I thought, that’s it. I was struggling with school, had no energy and was slipping into depression. It was so hard watching others getting into the pool where I practice, and I couldn’t concentrate at school due to the pain. I pushed myself to focus.

I asked God to help get me through this ordeal.

Then things started to turn around. I began more charity work, and I started my own school club to help assist the Boys & Girls Harbor in La Porte. I got signed off from the doctors. My grades started to rise. I began extra workouts

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MEMORIAL BUZZ JULY 2016 44

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, Texas 77401.

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after school and weekends.

When water polo season started, I was concerned whether I had what it took anymore. All I can say is, with the grace of God, I received top-goal scorer at 51 goals, a second-place allregion award and extreme MVP player as a sophomore. I made captain for the following year and coached the freshmen. Truly, this year has been a blessing.

Judy, Jordan and Christine

8558 Katy Fwy, Ste.119 Houston, Texas 77024 (I-10 @ Bingle)

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MEMORIAL BUZZ JULY 2016 45

DINING GUIDE

by Dai Huynh, staff writer

Beyond the gin and tonic

lawellphoto.com

This Month in Dining

CIAO BELLO Manager David Siegman displays some of Ciao Bello’s popular drinks: (from left) Bellini, Aperol Spritz, Negroni and the signature blood orange frozen Bellini.

T

he American cocktail landscape has morphed into a high-definition stage for creative bartenders (dubbed startenders). Riffling through the kitchen pantry for inspirations, these chefminded mixologists are driving a cocktail renaissance with lip-smacking interpretations concocted from a witch’s brew of ingredients that may include tea, lavender or mezcal.

Anvil Bar & Refuge (1424 Westheimer) led the way for crafted cocktails in Houston when it opened in 2009. But the field is teeming with bars and lounges these days, including Hunky Dory (1801 N. Shepherd Drive), Original OKRA Charity Saloon (924 Congress), Nightingale Room (308 Main) and Moving Sidewalk (306 Main Street). And in response, savvy restaurant owners have amped up their drink menus.

Ciao Bello (5161 San Felipe) is a principal player in incorporating Italian bitters and liqueurs to lend complexity to drinks. A play on a classic, its Antica Manhattan is chilled liquid jazz made with Carpano Antica, the Italian king of sweet vermouths with notes of caramel and vanilla and hints of bitterness. Another popular toast at Ciao Bello brunch is amaro, a bittersweet digestif topped with ice-cold soda and an orange twist.

“The Italians have been doing this for centuries,” said general manager and partner Scott Sulma, “and now amaro is starting to be popular with mixologists and sommeliers.” Aromatically complex, amaro is made by aging and infusing sweetened grape brandy with fragrant herbs, flowers, citrus peel, spices and aromatic bark.

Another refreshing cocktail is the Sicilian 75, instead of French 75. Here, Sulma married gin, prosecco and Solerno, a liqueur made with native Sicilian sanguinello blood oranges picked at the peak of ripeness.

Savory cocktails are on the rise, observed Kimberly Paul, the beverage manager at Etoile Cuisine MEMORIAL BUZZ JULY 2016 46

(1101-11 Uptown Park Boulevard). “Along with fresh garden herbs, I use spices in almost everything,” she said. Take her Josephine Baker with homemade apricot liqueur and a dash of ground cinnamon.

Texas Garden Cocktail highlights black pepper with fresh watermelon, lime and Dripping Spring Vodka. “The black pepper pulls it all together and adds that little zing. Otherwise something was missing,” Paul said.

Sunny Side of the Street is her signature drink on the rocks, composed of home-brew limoncello, French chartreuse and Champagne.

Top that off with mashed juniper berries and you got a memorable, aromatic sip in your hand.

Like many mixologists, Paul is keen on herbs, orange bitters, lavender and, even, tea right now. Her Bonnie Prince Dram is a swirl of Earl Grey tea with honey and single-malt Monkey Shoulder scotch whisky.

Frozen drinks will forever rule the summer.

At Rico’s Morning Noon Night (401 Gray Street), managing partner and chef Jason Gould offers seasonal frozen sake drinks. The perfect pairing for his massive Sunday breakfast egg tacos, stuffed with bacon or chorizo, is the mimosa saketini with fresh orange juice and champagne. The pineapple-coconut saketini is a play on the perennial piña colada. And instead of a margarita, Rico’s serves the Sakirita, which took home the people’s choice award at a margarita competition.

Gould credited owner Rico Valencia for the idea, which rose out of necessity. The restaurateur discovered saketinis while in New York City, and Rico’s Morning Noon Night is “located in a park, so we’re restricted to serving beer and wine. We’re unable to serve hard liquor, but we needed to have a frozen margarita,” Gould explained. “We started playing around with sake wine, and people loved it.”

Summertime is about fresh herbs and fruits – sweet oranges, juicy green limes. But when the winds of winter make their way through town, Gould will take the chills away with a warm apple cider sake. Fragrant with cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg, it’ll be something to raise your glass to.

Restaurant Listings $ (under $10) $$ ($11-$30) $$$ ($31-$60) $$$$ (over $60) Prices include drink, tax and tip per person Buzz Dining Guide columnist Dai Huynh (D.H.) is a James Beard food-journalism award winner and longtime Houston-based restaurant writer. Contributing reviewer Russell Weil (R.W.), a Houston native, is the author of the blog Eat More Burgers, eat-more-burgers.com. Their visits to restaurants in the Dining Guide were anonymous, and they paid for their 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 thebuzzmagazines.com.

Antica Osteria Regional Italian Neighborhood: Southhampton Antica Osteria, in a vintage brick house, attracts an eclectic mix with its warm, old-fashioned feel. There are Turkish movie stars, socialites, ingénues, young lovers, media types

and, even, parents with well-behaved children.

The attractions are the well-prepared pastas; spaghetti carbonara lush with cream and pancetta makes the strongest impression, along with abundantly friendly service and a homey vibe. Every meal begins with complimentary bruschetta and ends with a gracious smile. In between, there are simple, satisfying antipasti. Many customers order pastas as their entrées, but for those who must have meat, consider the deftly prepared osso buco – an occasional special – or the grilled angus fillet.

Dinner Mon.-Sat. 2311 Bissonnet, 713-521-1155. anticarestaurant.com. $$$ – D.H.

Bollo Woodfired Pizza Pizza and Italian Neighborhood: Upper Kirby Bollo Woodfired Pizza offers casual dining in a modern, relaxed atmosphere. Specializing in Neapolitan pizza, Bollo bakes their creations in an 800-degree, wood-fired oven. There is a monitor in the dining room where customers can keep an eye on their pizza while it is being made.

The result is a pizza with tangy flavors and bubbling cheese on a thin, crispy, homemade crust.

Choose the pizza as an entrée, or pair with their classic salads, small plates of crispy calamari or lobster ravioli, as well as entrée pastas, beef, chicken and fish dishes. 5 p.m.-10 p.m. Mon.; 11 a.m.-10 p.m. Sun. & Tues.-Thur.; 11 a.m.11 p.m. Fri. & Sat., Happy hour: Mon.-Fri, 4-7

p.m.; 9 p.m.-close. 2202 A West Alabama, 713667-0391. bollohouston.com. $$ – R.W.

Bramble New Southern American Neighborhood: Briargrove When a restaurant fits a chef like a glove, everything comes together effortlessly like it does at Bramble, Randy Rucker's Gulf Coastinspired venture. Here, he effortlessly melds Southern classics with modern techniques, creating an enticing menu that is out of the ordinary and yet familiar. Take his beef tartare with a dash of miso. Who would have thought? And yet, that bit of fermented soybeans adds a je ne sais quoi that makes you want to take another bite and another bite. Crunchy peanuts give this dish a surprising crunch. Not always available, but if the dinosaur-sized seared beef short rib shows up, order it. Lunch Mon.-Fri. & dinner Mon.-Sat. 2231 S. Voss Road, 832-819-0322. restaurantbramble.com. $$$ – D.H.

NEW! Ciao Bello Regional Italian Neighborhood: Tanglewood In the corner of Ciao Bello sat an elegant older woman who had long finished her meal.

Yet, she lingered, her eyes scanning the crowds, high ceilings and panoramic windows. A frequent diner, she and oth- (continued on page 48)

MEMORIAL BUZZ JULY 2016 47

Courtesy of Cafe Annie and Julie Soefer

Chef’s Corner: Robert Del Grande

ROBERT DEL GRANDE Known as one of three founding fathers of Southwestern cuisine, Martin guitar-strumming Cafe Annie chef Robert Del Grande won Houston its first James Beard Award in 1992. It would be another 22 years before another Houston chef captured a James Beard.

Find out where the experts eat, with our Chef’s Corner column.

This month, restaurant writer Dai Huynh interviewed chef Robert Del Grande.

At Café Annie, what was old is new again – from the moniker to signature dishes that established Del Grande as a co-founding father of Southwestern cuisine and earned him a James Beard Award in 1992 – a first for Houston. It would be another 22 years before another Houston chef (Chris Shepherd) garnered that award. (continued from page 47) ers consider this Tony

Vallone restaurant a second home. Ciao Bello has become a gathering place for nearby residents, shedding the white-starch formality of earlier years. In its place is a neighborhood Italian brasserie whose food quality remains intact and authentic, attracting the likes of President George Bush Sr. and First Lady Barbara. The place exudes a welcome casualness for twirling pristine homemade pastas that few local eateries can match. But try, too, the outstanding parmesan-crusted red snapper ravello and the lush sautéed chicken scaloppini with a lissome, long-stem roman artichoke, crispy capers and wild mushrooms. Sunday brunch is another main attraction, with $5 bellinis concocted with blood orange or real peaches to pair with beef cheek hash, signature challah french toasts and crabcake benedict. Open lunch & dinner Mon.-Sun. 5161 San Felipe Street, 713-960MEMORIAL BUZZ JULY 2016 48

Café Annie made an indelible mark, and changing RDG back to Café Annie just made sense. Half of Houston was calling the restaurant that anyway, Del Grande said. As for bringing back the crab tostadas, coffee-rubbed beef filet and black bean terrine, well, they never really went away. Long after the 6-foot-2 self-trained chef had taken them off the menu, regulars continued to order them as off-themenu favorites.

The California native reminisced about coming to Houston in 1981 and his first taste of Texas barbecue.

Why Houston?

I was chasing my girlfriend. That was 35 years ago; hard to believe.

You eventually married Mimi. So, where do you two go out to eat these days?

Well, we try to eat gluten free, so the places we go to offer glutenfree dishes. We like Underbelly (1100 Westheimer Road). Chris Shepherd and I are good friends. More recently, we were at The Pass & Provisions ( 807 Taft Street). I usually order what the waiter recommends. Life is much more enjoyable when you go with the flow.

Are there any places you go back again and again?

One of the first places I had barbecue was Goode Co. Barbeque (5109 Kirby Drive). I remember being blown away. I thought it was the greatest thing because it captured everything I thought barbecue should be – the stacks of mesquite wood, the hand-rubbed brisket, the tables outside. It was this Texas thing where you know where you are by what you’re eating. It was so cool. On lazy days, we still go there.

What about Mexican?

Here, in the kitchen of Café Annie, when the guys bring in the stuff. The other day a guy brought in amazing barbacoa. It is hard to go out for Mexican when you have the real stuff in your own kitchen.

Where do you eat when you and Mimi visit your daughter, Tessa, in Santa Monica, Los Angeles County?

My daughter and I are big doughnut fans. Sidecar Doughnuts (631 Wilshire Boulevard, Santa Monica) has good coffee and makes gluten-free doughnuts. It is a small place, but the handmade doughnuts are really good. Mimi had the gluten-free butter-and-salt doughnuts. They were so good we brought a back a dozen.

0333, ciaobellohouston.com. $$$. – D.H.

Coltivare Pizza & Garden Italian and American bistro Neighborhood: The Heights The same team who brought us the popular Revival Market created another Heights favorite with Coltivare. The garden-fresh, Italian-influenced eatery is popular for its inventive menu of small plates and salads, but the pizza is the real reason I recommend a visit.

The Meyer Lemon, for example, with lemon, olives, goat cheese and rosemary, is an inspired mixture of citrus and spice for a unique pizza unlike any other. Fresh salads feature local strawberries, sugar snap peas, hazelnuts, red cabbage, yogurt with aged balsamic and mint.

Later, try the chocolate rum cake topped with pistachio buttercream and salted caramel ganache. This is quite a popular spot, and seat-

ing in the rustic dining room and patio area is tight. Try to get there at opening time. Or find a spot at the bar and enjoy a craft cocktail until your table is ready. 5 p.m.-10 p.m. Mon. Wed. & Thurs.; 5 p.m.-11 p.m. Fri. & Sat., 5 p.m.- 9 p.m. Sun. 3320 White Oak Dr., 713-637-4095. coltivarehouston.com. $$ – R.W.

Étoile Authentic French Neighborhood: Galleria area When several talented French chefs urge you to try the food at Étoile, it’s hard to dispute their keen taste for the food of their homeland.

Just as they said, the flavors here are true, and owner-chef Philippe Verpiand and wife Monica Bui have created an alluringly warm showcase for a hearty coq au vin and tender sole meunière with lemon caper sauce, fingerling potatoes and roasted cauliflower – both

brunch items. Briny mussels flavored with tomatoes and onions are served with homemade pomme frites and garlic aioli. The beauty of this place is almost everything is made from scratch, including the crusty baguettes. Lunch & dinner Mon.-Sun. Happy hour: Sun.-Fri, 4:30-6:30 p.m. 1101 Uptown Park Blvd., 832668-5808. etoilecuisine.com. $$ – D.H.

Holley's Seafood Restaurant & Oyster Bar Upscale seafood Neighborhood: Midtown Mark Holley is back. The Brennan's of Houston alum reeled in many diners, overseeing Pesce's kitchen for a decade. But in 2012, Landry's sold it, leaving Holley without a kitchen burner and fans floundering.

Ironically, quality, upscale seafood restaurants are rare gems in this Gulf Coast city, so Holley's Seafood Restaurant & Oyster Bar is a welcome addition. At his namesake, Holley has free rein, sprinkling his menu with his life experiences, from the cobblestone alleys of New Orleans to Kentucky bluegrass. You'll find, too, touches of Asian influences, most notably the large-format, Thai-style whole snapper for two. It's a perfectly crisped rendition paired with two tangy dipping sauces, fried rice and braised greens. No doubt, it will stir up memories for former Pesce regulars, but

Holley's updated version is even tastier. The same goes for the shrimp-and-okra gumbo, a nourishing dark brew now enriched with duck confit and topped with delicately fried oysters.

A crowd pleaser is the yieldingly tender sesame Park House Rolls, a traditional fare that gets an haute spin with three accompanying spreads: poblano pimento cheese, smoked drum mousse and pickled vegetables.

Truthfully, these yeasty rolls as a starter and the homey apple bread pudding would make any evening at Holley's go swimmingly. Lunch Mon.-Fri. & dinner Mon.-Sat., 3201 Louisiana, 713-491-2222, holleyshouston.com. $$$ – D.H.

NEW! Jinya Ramen Bar Asian noodle house Neighborhood: Midtown Steaming earthen bowls of ramen noodles weave through the sleek dining room of Jinya Ramen Bar, lined with dark wooden tables illuminated above by glass lanterns. This Midtown noodle shop attracts young Asian professionals – six out of 10 customers – and that’s a good thing. Most of these 20-to-30something hipsters grew up eating ramen and know what a bowl of satisfying ramen should taste like. The predominantly Asian clientele is testament that Jinya Ramen Bar is doing it right, with the umami goodness of the miso

ramen (cooled al dente) with rich simmering broth, ground pork, green onions, bok choy and chili oil. Another to slurp and kid-friendlier is the subtle, mild-tasting premium tonkotsu white with roasted pork, fried onions and poached egg. Open lunch & dinner Mon.-Sun. 3201 Louisiana, Suite 105, 832-925-8596. jinya-ramenbar.com. $$ – D.H.

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 classic 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, 713993-9966. postoakgrill.com. $$$ – D.H.

MORE ONLINE See thebuzzmagazines.com for all restaurants that have been reviewed by The Buzz. You can use our restaurant finder to search by area, cuisine and price.

MEMORIAL BUZZ JULY 2016 49

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Ask Reneé, the Realtor

A minute with Maisie

This month, L. Astophle asks: “Is it necessary to have flood insurance even though our home is not in a flood zone?”

Answer: It is better to be safe than sorry.

Homeowner’s insurance covers “falling” water, and flood insurance covers “rising” water. During a storm, if the roof is damaged and water comes in, it is “falling” water covered by homeowner’s insurance. If the street floods and water comes in the home, it is considered “rising” water covered by flood insurance (not homeowner’s insurance).

“What if a water main breaks?” It does not matter the source – if water comes from the ground (as in a water meter), it would be covered by flood insurance.

I encourage my clients to carry flood insurance on their homes. You do not have to be in a flood zone for flooding accidents to happen. Our bayous back up, our street drains fill up, and water rises very quickly in the Houston area. There is typically a 30-day waiting period, and once a storm is heading here, policies will not be written! Your property is my business, and it is my responsibility to keep you informed.

Reneé , a Memorial resident, was named the 2015 #2 Top Producer for BHHS Houston and the 2015 #3 Top Producer for BHHS Texas. She is consistently recommended as the go-to agent. Email your questions to Reneé.

Reneé Davy Berkshire Hathaway Home Services Anderson Properties, 12900 Queensbury, Suite 101, Houston, Texas 77079 and 3600 Kirby, Suite T, Houston, Texas 77019, 713.647.8278, renee@davyoakumbhhs.com, www.andersonprops.com

Many clients ask me, “At what age can a child decide with which parent he or she primarily wants to live?” The Texas Family Code provides that the best interest of the child is the paramount consideration, so while the child can express his or her desires with the judge in chambers, the child’s desires are not binding on the court. Obviously, the older and more mature the child, the more weight a court may give the child’s desires.

Parents should always refrain from discussing this issue with their children, no matter their age, as it puts the children squarely in the middle of a custody battle and may emotionally damage the children for years to come. It is best to work with your attorney and therapist to discuss the best way to communicate with your children during this very emotional and stressful time. Maisie A. Barringer is a partner at Jenkins & Kamin, L.L.P., a full-service, boutique, family-law firm specializing in divorce, child-custody modifications, grandparent access, paternity, adoption, and premarital and postmarital agreements. Maisie A. Barringer has been recognized as a Texas Rising Star by Texas Super Lawyers, a Thomson Reuters service printed in Texas Monthly magazine, for 2008, 2009, 2010, 2012, 2013, 2014 and 2015.

Jenkins & Kamin, L.L.P., Maisie A. Barringer, Partner, Board Certified in Family Law, Two Greenway Plaza, Suite 600, Houston, Texas 77046, 713.600.5500, www.jenkinskamin.com

MEMORIAL BUZZ JULY 2016 50

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Jack, age 14, Mixed Breed, Woodsage St. I’m a rescue dog from a Pearland shelter.

Kaylin, my best friend, adopted me when we were both 3 years old. About five years later we adopted my brother, Harley, a Yorkie, from an elementary-school auction.

I enjoy going on long walks on a sunny day with Kaylin around the neighborhood. She even took me to meet her friends’ dogs one afternoon! We all ran around the park together and bonded. I love to curl up in a warm bed and cuddle. Treats are my favorite thing. I get them every morning, and sometimes twice a day when Kaylin is the only one home and wants to spoil Harley and me. I’m a fairly calm pup who never causes trouble. I really love my Houston home. I’ve lived with my family for a long time, and each moment has been unforgettable.

Editor’s note: At our print deadline, we learned the sad news that Jack had passed away. We know he was loved and offer our condolences to his family.

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, Texas 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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MEMORIAL BUZZ JULY 2016 53

NEIGHBORS

.

by Andria Frankfort, staff writer

Back Porch

Iced-down summer

MEMORIAL BUZZ JULY 2016 54

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T

o survive the summer heat, we’ve surveyed a few neighbors to get their takes on the best icy drinks to swill and serve – and hopefully lower our body temps by a few degrees. Here’s what they came up with.

Caroline Jinks, Memorial “My kids love my Summer Lime Slushy and Summer Orange Slushy. They’re so easy!”

Caroline’s Summer Lime Slushy: In a Vitamix (or another powerful blender), blend a can of frozen limeade, ice and water.

Caroline’s Summer Orange Slushy: Blend a can of orange juice concentrate, ice and water.

An unnamed West U mom “For the past six years I have appointed myself ‘cocktail coach’ for our summer tournament softball teams. I do a mixture of yummy Italian flavored soda (buy at Central Market), like peach, raspberry and lavender, mixed with a white wine or red wine or champagne. Maybe I’ll throw in some fresh fruit. Then blend with ice in the blender and put the chilled concoction in a big, portable jug. Voila – there’s your ‘Waveade’ or ‘Stormade’ (insert name of your team)! It makes for a much more enjoyable experience during those hot summer days on the bleachers.”

Bernie Milstein, Tanglewood “Mornings, Bloody Marys. Afternoons, Pimm’s Cups. With cucumber. Evenings, vodka – Tito’s – and tonic with a lime. On the water, beer.”

Commander’s Palace Bloody Mary: Fill a tall glass two-thirds full of ice. Add 1½ ounces vodka, 1 teaspoon prepared horseradish, 1 teaspoon Worcestershire, 2 dashes Tabasco, 4 dashes Crystal Hot Sauce and ½ cup V8 or tomato juice. Cover the glass with a shaker, shake well, and then let the drink rest in the shaker. Wet the rim of the glass and coat with Creole seasoning [like Tony Chachere’s]. Pour the drink back into the glass and garnish with freshly ground black pepper and one piece pickled okra.

Pimm’s Cup: In a shaker, muddle a cucumber slice. Add 1½ ounces Pimm’s No. 1, ½ ounce gin, 1 ounce fresh lemon juice and ¾ ounce simple syrup (equal parts water and sugar, brought to a boil and stirred until sugar has dissolved).

Shake. Strain into a highball glass filled with ice. Top with soda or sparkling water. Garnish

KEEPING CHILL Summer's hot temps call for icy-cold drinks.

with a cucumber slice and a mint sprig.

Nicole Gibson, Tanglewood “Simply Lemonade with muddled raspberries and mint. With or without vodka. Grey Goose [vodka] with St. Germain [elderflower liqueur], fresh lime juice and a little white cranberry juice.

And I’m partial to a really, really cold Moscato.”

Laura McCullough, River Oaks “The American Mule was my favorite last summer! Using Tito’s instead of a Russian vodka changes the name from Moscow Mule to American Mule. We were drinking these in Colorado last July, so it was fun to bring a little Texas up there. (In case you are not a vodka drinker and are not in the know, Tito’s is distilled in Austin.) The copper mug is an absolute must, as it makes the drink nice and icy cold.”

Laura’s American Mule (from goop.com): Pour 1½ ounces Tito’s vodka and 1 ounce lime juice over ice in a copper mug. Add ½ ounce simple syrup (equal parts water and sugar, brought to a boil and stirred until sugar has dissolved). Top with 4 ounces ginger beer, and garnish with a slice of lime or skewered crystallized ginger.

Charles Fletcher, River Oaks area

“The ‘John Daly.’ Arnold Palmer is a famous golfer, and he somehow became associated with a drink that is half lemonade, half sweet tea, called an Arnold Palmer. John Daly is another famous golfer, but he’s most famous for being a party animal who may have played some major tournaments while under the influence. So, when you add vodka to an Arnold Palmer, it becomes a John Daly. The best summer beverage I’ve ever had. A bartender told me I should patent [my recipe].”

Charles’ John Daly: Mix Deep Eddy Sweet Tea-flavored vodka with fresh lemonade, preferably from Chick-fil-A. Ellen Elam, Memorial “Our favorite is a Captain Crunch shot. We were in Hawaii with my husband’s company, and everyone was like, ‘We need to teach you these great shots!’ Let’s just say we tried three. Now we make them at home. This is a fun one to have around when we have people over. It’s also great to play the Fireball song by Pitbull while serving them!”

Ellen’s Captain Crunch Shot: Combine equal parts RumChata liquor and Fireball Cinnamon Whiskey in a shaker with a little ice. Serve chilled in shot glasses.