The Memorial Buzz - June 2023

Class of ’58: Lamar Reunion

Houston

Dog Parks

Viva Fiesta!

First Fishing Experiences

Chef’s Corner:

Benchawan Painter

Class of 2023

by Caroline Siegfried

Travel Buzz:

Greenland

Summer Reading:

Uplifting Books

Cindy Gabriel: Hitting the Family Lottery

Asher and Anna Rigo

EDITOR’S NOTE

This issue showcases our annual “Where Are They Headed?” feature on graduating high school seniors. When we launched this feature in 2013, students often dropped off hard copies of their kindergarten photos in a white envelope for our designer to scan. Today’s seniors were born into a digital world. Their childhood photos have been captured digitally from the day they were born, making it easier for parents to capture all those little moments. It is simpler for us, too, but I always enjoyed meeting the students rushing in at deadline to submit those photos. I wonder how many will use ChatGPT to submit their stories next year? Ugh. Not ready for this changing world. But you know who is? The Class of ’23. Also in this issue, meet 1958 Lamar grads who reflect on just how much the world has changed since they graduated. Spoiler alert: A lot has changed, but one thing that’s remained is their friendships. Congratulations, Class of 2023, and thank you to the members of the Class of 1958 who shared memories with us. joni@thebuzzmagazines.com

THE BUZZ MAGAZINES

Editor-in-Chief

Joni Hoffman

Publisher Michael Hoffman

Editor Jordan Magaziner Steinfeld

Editorial Assistant Caroline Siegfried

Design Manager John Duboise

Staff Writers Tracy L. Barnett

Sharon Albert Brier

Cindy Burnett

Andria Frankfort Dilling

Angie Frederickson

Todd Freed

Cindy Gabriel

Cathy Gordon

Michelle Groogan

Dai Huynh

Annie Blaylock McQueen

Jennifer Oakley

Cheryl Ursin

Account Managers

Andrea Blitzer

Leslie Little

Jo Rogers

Your letters, thoughts, opinions

From LEGO experts

We appreciate you for writing about the Buchmans and sharing their story with both us and your community [Pop Art: Jason Buchman inspires, brick by brick, by Jennifer Oakley, May 2023]! It's so wonderful how they've built so many memories together as a family with LEGO bricks. Their use of our products as furniture and decor is amazing and it’s opened my mind to the endless remodeling possibilities with LEGO bricks! We’re also so glad that they’ve shared their hobby and donated LEGO tables to those in need in their community.

LEGO Company Limited, United Kingdom

Editor’s note: We are delighted that this story is inspiring those in our communities and even those across the pond!

Soccer goals

Our family totally enjoyed reading the article titled Grace Yochum: Reaching Goals [May 2023] in The Buzz Magazines. A big shout-out to Todd Freed for capturing all the details and telling her story from YMCA club soccer to Oklahoma State to the NWSL draft. We make it a point to recommend your magazine to our friends and business associates. It’s a terrific place to advertise for coverage in Buzz neighborhoods!

A quick update on Grace since the article was published. After a great deal of thought and prayer, Grace elected not to go pro because of challenges with migraines and light sensitivity, due to shoulder and neck issues from all the years of headers. However, she is working in the soccer program at OSU. That is the happy ending for her, because she also always wanted to be part of a Power Five school given her long-standing goal of coaching.

Mary Kent and John Yochum

Editor’s note: Thank you for the kind feedback and for the update on Grace’s career. We are excited to hear she has further achieved personal and professional goals.

Author and hero

Thanks to Cathy Gordon for sharing about one of our own local writing heroes [Pearls of Positivity: An author’s gift to children, May 2023]. From floods to flower-eating cows, Ellen Leventhal's stories continue to inspire a new generation of young readers and writers. Thank you for sharing this important story.

Gabrielle Nidus

Extra, extra

Last summer, I had the experience of interning at The Buzz Magazines. I received hands-on experience, learning to research and write news stories. Every day was unique. One day we were interviewing families at Evelyn’s Park, and the next we were commuting to The Health Museum for the showing of a new exhibit.

Since my time at The Buzz, I became a correspondent for the School Buzz blog (thebuzzmagazines.com/columns/school-buzz), and I was able to write stories based on what is going on in my school community at Incarnate Word Academy. One of the articles I wrote was about an event my school hosted during the 2022 World Series. Since we are located next to Minute Maid Park, we decorated the sidewalks with chalk to show our support for the Houston Astros. The story was published on School Buzz, and I sent my article to the Lone Star Writing Contest. I received second place in all of Texas in the small school division!

Next year, I am thrilled to be continuing my studies at the University of Texas at Austin, majoring in journalism. My time as an intern at The Buzz allowed me to discover a passion for journalism and news reporting. I have everyone to thank at The Buzz for believing in me and inspiring me to continue writing.

Anna Galan

Editor’s note: Anna, we are so proud of you and know your future is very bright!

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.

If this sounds like you or someone you know, please contact us at info@thebuzzmagazines.com or 713.668.4157, ext 102.

by Cindy Gabriel, staff writer

UnBridaled Gratitude

Hitting the family lottery

One of the joys of writing is you get to make up the rules as you go. That’s a rule I just made up in order to (A) show off my fake (spray) tan in a picture that makes me look better than I actually look. And (B) take a break from my Not a Memoir series, where I seem to be stuck at 4 years of age in 1958 Fort Bend County.

My sister-in-law Aimee Ehrenkranz McCrory (who, at 72, actually does look that good) and I are seen here claiming front row seats for the latest Ehrenkranz wedding. My man, Stan, who is Aimee’s brother, was about to walk his lovely daughter Jenny down the aisle to marry Jason Presley under clear blue skies, oceanside, near Puerto Vallarta, Mexico on April 1, no fooling.

This was not my first Jewish wedding, but it was my first time to feel it from inside the immediate Jewish family as one not raised Jewish. Early on the day of the wedding, Stan went to Jenny’s room to deliver his tallit (or prayer shawl) from his Bar Mitzvah at age 13. It would be draped across the chuppah (or canopy) hovering over Jenny, Jason, and Rabbi Scott Weiss during the ceremony.

That morning, in exchange for the tallit, Jenny handed an envelope to her father. Inside was a handwritten letter, three pages, front and back. I was honored to be in the room with Stan as he read it slowly, savoring the words, reading bits and pieces to me as tears ebbed and flowed. Jenny’s words seemed refreshingly unrehearsed, tumbling onto the page with honest, humble, specific expressions of unbridled gratitude. In the end, he was always there for her, she said. Always. Her Rock, she called him.

True as those words hit me, I have never heard Stan described as a rock. It’s not exactly an image he cultivates. I always think of him as a happy-go-lucky jokester who teases everybody he likes. But I guess it’s possible to be a rock and a jokester at the same time.

I was drawn to Stan Ehrenkranz the first time I met him. When he told me he had three sisters, who were all very close, and all live in Houston, the plot thickened. Of course, my thoughts were mostly about me. Would they meet me, then get together and analyze me, tear

me apart, then accept or reject me piece by piece?

Here’s how I feel five years later. Close families like the Ehrenkranzes survive by not taking themselves too seriously. Everybody’s quirky. Everybody talks and laughs about it. Now that they know me, they talk and laugh about my ditzy side, like welcome to the club.

It brings out the competitor in me. You think you’re dysfunctional, listen to what I just did, or thought, or said, or most commonly, lost or forgot. They never pretend I’m faultless, they laugh and agree. Yep, that’s you!

These women –Aimee, Heather, and Mindy – are far too interesting to be described on this one page. They are deserving of a novel, a Jewish version of Little Women I need another life to write it.

Aimee tells her own story through her camera lens and goes out of her way to help me tell mine whenever I need a picture for a story. We recently traipsed all over Fort Bend County looking for landmark hints of my past life. After a morning of shooting, Aimee said, “I’m starving.”

Then, magically, like a mirage in a desert, there it was, Larry’s Mexican Restaurant, where I took my first bite of Mexican food in 1960. Dad loved Larry. Both men are gone now, but Larry lives on through his family-run restaurant that still has the original front door. Aimee and I left that day feeling sister-bonded and full of Larry’s Mexican food.

Full. That’s how Stan said he felt after reading Jenny’s letter on her wedding day. He sat back as if he’d finished a whole plate of enchiladas

and black beans. But this kind of fullness added nothing to his waistline, just perhaps a little time to his lifespan.

All we had thought about before was his suit, his tie and shoes for his big moment, walking Jenny down the aisle. It pales in comparison to a father with a full heart. As the couple stood under the chuppah, beneath Stan’s tallit, blowing in the breeze, I pictured 13-year-old Stan, flanked by his parents, Henry and Marion on the day of his Bar Mitzvah. Henry and Marion are no longer with us, but their DNA remains on that tallit, swaying like a veil between earth and sky.

In a world so bent on change, I’m anxious to grab on to the things that remain, like words of love and truths embedded in ancient stories and traditions that survive through the ages, including places like Larry’s Mexican Restaurant.

FAMILY TIES Sisters-in-law Aimee Ehrenkranz McCrory and Cindy Gabriel just before Stan-the-Man walked daughter Jenny down the aisle in the latest Ehrenkranz wedding. The photo was taken by brother-in-law Bob Westendarp (Heather’s husband).

by Annie Blaylock McQueen, staff writer

Dog Parks in Houston

Where pups can play

Owning a dog can bring people together, and for one couple, Jenna and Shalin Patel, a chance visit to a dog park changed their lives.

On September 25, 2013, two weeks after Jenna moved to Houston from Pensacola, Fla. for her new job, she decided to take her rescue dog, a Sheltie named Piper, to Danny Jackson Family Bark Park. She knew just one person in Houston at the time, so she was in the market to make new friends.

While at the dog park, she says she noticed Piper solely playing with the same little white dog. “I noticed her owner standing off to the side by himself,” said Jenna. “He kept shouting her name as if she were being bothersome to my dog.” Jenna and Shalin struck up a conversation over his dog’s name, Whiskey.

Whiskey was Shalin’s first dog he ever owned. “When he [moved from India], he knew he wanted a dog and adopted Whiskey, a lab/corgi mix, from the local Houston dog rescue group, PupSquad. She was found in a box outside of Home Depot,” said Jenna.

Jenna and Shalin stayed in touch after that chance meeting and eventually started dating and became engaged in 2016. They had engagement photos taken with Whiskey and Piper at the dog park. They are now married with two children. Piper passed away a year ago, but the couple still has Whiskey, who is 10 now. They continue to take Whiskey to Danny Jackson or their second favorite, Congressman Bill Archer Dog Park.

In honor of our many Buzz readers who love their dogs, we decided to make a list of favorite local dog parks, especially in time for those dog days of summer.

Houston Dog Parks

Houston is home to many great dog parks where you and your furry companion can enjoy the outdoors and socialize with other dogs and their owners. Always be a responsible dog owner and remember the Houston Parks and Recreation Department’s leash law. Dogs are not allowed, even with a leash, in children’s play areas, or on organized athletic fields.

Congressman Bill Archer Dog Park 3201 Hwy 6 North

Open daily, 7 a.m.-7 p.m.

This 17-acre park, located north of I-10, has split sides for large dogs and small dogs. There is a pond for dogs to swim, agility courses, walking trails, a gazebo that provides shade for owners, plenty of parking, and a dog-washing station to clean off your pooch before heading home.

Tanglewood Bark Park

5801 Woodway Dr.

Open daily, 8 a.m.-7:30 p.m.

Tanglewood Bark Park is in the Tanglewood area, and in addition to a dog park, Tanglewood Park offers tennis courts, a playground, and sports fields. It has a fenced green space with a gazebo, and benches to sit. Small and large dogs play together at this park.

Johnny Steele Dog Park

2929 Allen Pkwy.

Open daily, 7 a.m.-8 p.m.

Buffalo Bayou has a dog park with a lot of great features including a large, off-leash area for dogs to run and play, separate areas for small dogs and large dogs, a water fountain, and several benches for owners to relax and watch their canines play.

Danny Jackson Family Bark Park

4828 ½ Loop Central Dr.

Open daily, 5 a.m.-10 p.m.

This dog park is in the southwest part of Houston and features a large area with a pond for dogs to swim in. There are also separate areas for small dogs and large dogs. The park has several shaded areas and a dog washing station for after a swim. No children under age 12 are allowed.

Millie Bush Dog Park

16101 Westheimer Pkwy.

Open daily 7 a.m.-7 p.m.

This dog park is in the northwest part of Houston and features a large area with several obstacles for dogs to play on. There are separate areas for small dogs and large dogs. The park has a walking trail and a dog shower.

Maxey Park Bark and Run Dog Park

601 Maxey Rd.

Open daily, dawn to dusk.

This 13-acre park features a dog park with a pond for dogs to swim in and a dog run area. There are separate areas for small dogs and large dogs. The park has several shaded areas and benches for owners, plus a dog shower.

Levy Park Dog Park

3801 Eastside St.

Open 24 hours

Levy Park is in the Upper Kirby area and features a small, off-leash area for dogs with a large dog side and a small dog side. There are shaded areas and a playground, splash pad, familyfriendly activities, and benches to relax on.

Ervan Chew Dog Park

4502 Dunlavy St.

Open daily, 6 a.m.-9 p.m.

In 1994, Ervan Chew became the first neighborhood park in Houston to allow dogs to legally run off-leash in a designated dog area. It is a small pocket park with a dedicated space that serves residents as a dog park, with an adjacent picnic area too.

Discovery Green Dog Run

1500 McKinney St.

Open daily, 6 a.m.-11 p.m.

Discovery Green is a fun downtown spot for the whole family. The dog portion of the park features the Kinder Large Dog Run and the Harriet and Joe Foster Small Dog Run. The areas around the dog park have crushed gravel, fountains, and of bench seating. Dogs must remain with their owners and leashed outside of the dog runs.

MEANT TO BE Shalin and Jenna Patel (pictured in 2016 with their rescue dogs Whiskey and Piper) met at the Danny Jackson Family Bark Park two weeks after Jenna moved to Houston for a new job. They are now married with two children.

by Andria Frankfort Dilling, staff writer

Fiesta

Best week of their lives

Imagine all of Houston going into party mode for one week, with events and parades popping up in all corners celebrating the city we love. Throw in some Texas history and Mexican culture, kings, queens, dukes and duchesses, and a slew of women in yellow dresses making sure traditions are at the forefront of it all. Multiply that vision, add endless, colorful papel picado garlands and bright paper flowers, and you’ll have a pared-down idea of San Antonio during its annual Fiesta.

It started in 1891, with a parade of horsedrawn carriages organized by a group of San Antonio women honoring the memory of the men who fought for Texas’ independence. To reenact the battle, they threw flowers at each other outside the Alamo.

Hence, the Battle of Flowers Association was formed (those are the above-mentioned women dressed in yellow), and today a new generation of women in yellow mobilizes a dazzling Battle of Flowers Parade that snakes through the city and is second only in size to the Tournament of Roses Parade in Pasadena, Calif. From that beginning, Fiesta has emerged as a week-long, heavy-hitting celebration of all things San Antonio.

Superlatives abound: The Battle of Flowers Parade is the only parade of its size that is produced entirely by women volunteers; the Fiesta Flambeau Parade is the largest illuminated night parade in the country; there’s a four-night Night in Old San Antonio (NIOSA) street festival that is the largest historic conservation fundraising event in the country; and the Battle of Flowers Band Festival is the oldest marching band festival in the country.

This April, three Houston families – the McFarlands, the McGreevys, and the Roberts –found themselves in the center of the party. Their daughters, Judy Roberts, a recent college graduate, and Arabella McFarland and Molly McGreevy about to graduate (they now have done so), were duchesses in the Court of the Magic of Morocco (this year’s theme) chosen by the San Antonio men’s organization The Order of the Alamo, whose queen reigns over Fiesta.

Jackie McGreevy met her husband Connelly, who works at Goldman Sachs, in San Antonio when they were both young college graduates. A

couple of years ago, San Antonio friends (the husband is a member of The Order of the Alamo) asked the McGreevys if they would be interested in participating in the 2023 Fiesta. “Connelly and Molly and I sat on the back patio and talked about it and made the decision together.” It’s a commitment of time and finances. “We all had to be on board if we were going to do it.”

Once the decision was made that the answer would be “yes” if they were asked, “We got the call,” Jackie says. “We were super excited, but I had never been to a coronation, so it was a little bit of the unknown.” Which turned out to be just fine.

“Oh my gosh,” Jackie says. “It exceeded all my expectations.” For a week, there were several parties a day, parades, and an over-the-top coronation held at the historic Majestic Theatre. “Every time we did something else, I was like, ‘That was the best part!’ The parade is so crazy fun and cool. The coronation is magnificent. I mean, when your kid’s in it, that’s fun. But even if not, it’s magnificent.” For her part, Molly says it was the best week of her life.

Gretchen McFarland agrees. “Best week of our lives,” she says. Gretchen, a designer, and her husband Andrew, an architectural designer, had been to Fiesta before, although their daughter Arabella had not. “I’m a Texan and have an affinity for San Antonio and its people and culture,” Gretchen says. “I love that Fiesta is so unique. It’s hard to find another event like it

where the whole city comes together to celebrate for a week. It was an honor to be asked to participate as an outsider.

“Our best friends are from San Antonio and are Fiesta veterans many times over,” Gretchen says. “We had been a couple of times to celebrate our friends’ daughters, and we jumped at the chance to do it.”

She continues: “The pageantry of the coronation is pretty spectacular, like something from another era. It’s in this old theatre [the Majestic Theatre], and it involves so many people in the community. There’s just not much like that around anymore. I was blown away by the whole experience.”

Because Judy Roberts is a preschool teacher in Austin, she had to plan ahead (read: take off from work) to attend dress fittings and bow practices in San Antonio. “The commitment was worth it all,” she says. Judy’s sister Hailey had participated in Fiesta in 2020, so she had an idea how the week would unfold. She describes it as “the most fun week I’ve ever had in my life.” Judy’s parents are Sissy and Grady Roberts; Grady, who works in real estate, grew up in San Antonio, and Judy said “he was super excited” about the family’s Fiesta involvement. “I only knew two or three of the whole group,” Judy says of the 24 duchesses and their escorts. “But you have to make friends with them because you’re with them for a straight

SPECTACULAR Arabella McFarland is presented as a duchess at the 2023 Fiesta coronation in San Antonio with her escort, Jackson Tyng Scroggie.

(continued from page 12)

week. It was so fun getting to know them.”

Judy is also sure to praise all the volunteers, dress designers, and others who organize the many details of Fiesta: “They were amazing,” she says. “They just made it super special. Such a dream come true.”

Immediately following their nonstop week,

the McFarlands and the McGreevys had to gear up for UT graduation. Exciting as it was, the pace wasn’t easy. “After the coronation,” Jackie says, “all the kids get bussed over to the Alamo at midnight to take a picture, and then they all change into sweatpants and stay up until sunrise. Gretchen kept telling me, ‘If you do Fiesta right,

we have to stay up until sunrise.’ So we just stayed up all night long with the kids. I’m still kind of slap-happy.”

As they say in San Antonio, Viva Fiesta!

Editor’s note: Mark your calendar for Fiesta San Antonio 2024, April 18-28. See fiestasanantonio.org.

VIVA! (Clockwise, from top left photo): Molly McGreevy does her Texas bow at the coronation with escort Travis Swanson; Arabella shows her cowboy boots to onlookers at the Battle of Flowers Parade; Molly and friends; all the duchesses' trains from above; Molly in her crown; Judy Roberts with her grandmother, Barbie Roberts, and father Grady Roberts; Judy Roberts’ friends await her arrival in the Battle of Flowers Parade.

by Andria Frankfort Dilling, staff writer

Like No Time Had Passed

Sixty-five years after Lamar graduation

As Carole Stevens Mattingly thinks about her 65th Lamar High School reunion, she’s quiet for a minute (an unusual state for the engaging, talkative Carole).

“I am kind of just overcome with emotion about it,” she says. “I don’t know that there are a lot of people out there who go all the way to their 65th reunion.” She stops to think for another minute. “Well, I just think it’s pretty special to make it this far.”

Such was the sentiment for some 100 classmates and spouses who attended the reunion in April, a month after Lamar celebrated its 85th year with a big open house complete with food trucks, school tours, and dance, cheer, and choir performances. When they graduated, the class of ’58 had 563 students.

Gus Comiskey Jr., founder of Comiskey Kaufman Consulting, has been heading up the tight-knit class’s reunions since they began with their 10th in 1968. “Way back in 1967, they just called some of us to come to a meeting,” Carole remembers. “It was a weekend, and I was pregnant. Some of the people were good friends, some weren’t.”

But through many reunions and even more planning meetings, they’ve all become friends. “If we didn’t know each other in high school, it doesn’t matter,” Carole says. To help her old classmates out when they began planning their 60th reunion, Carole says she blew up a picture of herself from the yearbook and wore it to a meeting on a ribbon around her neck. “Some people you saw around school, but you never really knew. And some people will remember your young face, but your old one won’t register,” she laughs.

After the 60th there was a little uncertainty about counting on a 65th. “When we had the wrapup meeting,” Carole says, “everyone started talking and saying, ‘Well, what do y’all think? Do we try to have a 65th?’ Then somebody said, ‘How many of you have parents who lived to their 90s or 100?’ I raised my hand, and several others did, and we said there’s our committee for the next one!”

Held at The Forest Club and followed by a tour of Lamar High School, the “next one” was a big success. “It’s a wonderful feeling to be able to renew old friendships,” says Ron

Woliver, a petrochemical consultant and president of the class of ’58. “There was one fella I played football with. Then, of course, there were people I had gone to elementary school with, ladies and guys. There were several I went all the way through with. To put that whole thing together was really wonderful.”

Ron continues: “Julie Hodges [one of 16 members of the planning committee] has to get a huge, big, triple star for putting together a reunion for hundreds of people to show up to,” he says. “It was extremely well done, and an event I will never forget. I’m so glad I was there to see it. Time is moving on.”

Gus Comiskey adds emphatically: “Having a 65th reunion is an indication of long-term friendships.”

Those friendships extend beyond reunions and between the milestone five-year markers.

David Redford, a Lamar ’58 graduate and an attorney, sends reminder emails to a group of classmates for monthly get-togethers. “We go to Memorial Park and Becks Prime, and we’ll gath-

er there,” Ron says. “There might be six of us, might be 12. We’ll come and go, but it’s a way to continue to meet together and dialogue with our old friends. Being with guys like David, and Jack Whitten, and Gus Comiskey, being around these super-achiever people helps those of us who aren’t super-achievers,” Ron quips.

Looking back on his time at Lamar, Ron is grateful. “Lamar High School was a turning point of positivity in my life,” he says. “My mother and father divorced when I was very young. My Lamar counselor, Mrs. Goodrich, played a tremendously important role in my life. She asked me if I had heard of Georgia Tech. The long and short of that story is that she pointed me in that direction, I got into the school with a scholarship, and it turned out to be a great way for me to get away from the war in my family. That was the war between the Aggies and the Longhorns.”

Classmate Eleanor Powers Beebe also praises the teachers and staff. “We had

PLANNERS The Lamar High School Class of 1958 reunion committee: (Top row, from left) Ron Woliver, Anne Wendler Schwinger, Kathy Sangster, Gus Comiskey; (bottom row, from left) Jo Ann Dougall Levering, Judy Tucker Earle, Julie Shaw Hodges, Carole Stevens Mattingly, and Eleanor Powers Beebe.

very, very, very fine teachers,” she remembers. “This was a time when women had basically three choices – you could be a nurse, you could be a teacher, or you could be a secretary. We had a captive audience of women teachers who today would be bankers or CEOs, but they were teachers, and they were good.”

Eleanor was one of many – 30, maybe – classmates who went on to Rice University. She became a French teacher and then stayed at home to raise her children. “A very high percentage of our class went on to college,” Carole says. “Now this is 1958. A lot of people from that generation, their parents did not go to college. So for many of these kids, they were the first generation to go.”

Jo Ann Dougall Levering says that because of Lamar, “I was able to attend Duke University and go on to be one of two women in a class of

400 men at The University of Texas Law School. And the girl friends I made at Lamar are still close friends, 65 years later.” Jo Ann adds that she has been a part of her class reunion committees since “day one,” for their 10th. She sat out of the planning sessions this year because of failing eyesight.

Julie Shaw Hodges specifically remembers her favorite English teacher, Evelyn Ford. “I loved her class,” Julie says. “She always told us how hard the English language was and that someday she was going to write her own dictionary! When my first husband died 30 years after my graduation, one of the first phone calls I received was from Mrs. Ford. We had not kept in touch, but somehow she remembered me, made the connection, and called me – personally.”

Julie says her carpool group remained the same from River Oaks Elementary through

Lamar. “Believe it or not, we still meet for lunch every few months,” she says of Ann Rendleman Mather, Martha Smith Smith, Roberta Williams Terrell, Mary Lib Iiams, and herself. “Mary Lib died years ago,” Julie says, “but the rest of us meet quite frequently.”

“It always seemed to me that there were a lot of very successful leaders who came out of Lamar,” Eleanor says. “Our former mayor Fred Hofheinz, Governor Mark White, a city attorney, there was a Miss Texas, Marilyn Turner, who was a straight-A student.” David Redford is quick to remember Mark White as their “most famous classmate,” who eventually became, in David’s opinion, “the best education governor in Texas history.”

Looking back,” Eleanor says, “what strikes me is how many organiza- (continued on page 20)

HIGH SCHOOL MEMORIES From the 1958 Lamar Orenda: (Clockwise, from top left) Tawasi Booster Club members Eleanor Powers, Melanie Feeny, Helen Barners, Camilla Gramp, and Pat Faulkner; Lamar "Redskin" cheerleaders Charles Giraud, Mary Sue Hanks, Chris Brown, Anne Allen, Ann Craig, and Gus Komiskey gather around the Big Chief mascot; "Most Representative Girl" Kathy Sangster; Senior class officers Kathy Sangster, Chris Brown, Mary Sue Hanks, Ron Woliver, with Ron's signature (Ronnie Woliver) in Carole Stevens' yearbook; "Most Representative Boy" Gus Comiskey. (continued from page 16)

(continued from page 18)

tions there were on campus. Everybody had something. Everybody was secretary of this, president of that. There were clubs for the writers, a debate club, a drama club led by Ruth Denney, who later went on to start HSPVA and basically discovered Tommy Tune [a Lamar graduate of the same generation]. We had the singing groups Choralettes and Lamar Lears, astronomy club, I could go on and on. We had social service clubs, a lot like sororities, and we had so many formal dinner dances at the country clubs. We had dances all the time. We had hayrides, we had barn dances, there was something to go to every week. We did a lot of dancing.

“It was a happy time. We did have the atomic bomb over our heads, but aside from that, people were busy, and people in the community reported on you if you misbehaved. Oh, if you misbehaved, they knew it, and the teachers would call your parents. In loco parentis.”

Eleanor takes pause as she remembers the school being segregated. “We were not even

aware of how hurtful that was,” she says. “We were not aware of what we were doing, that we were doing damage to someone.”

The times were a mix of highs and lows. “We were not at war, but we did have the civil rights movement, which was very difficult,” Carole says. “But we [also] grew up in a really fun time. Our generation created rock and roll.”

Carole has fond memories of lunches with Eleanor and their friend Kathy Sangster, all still dear friends. “I can remember sitting outside under the trees having lunch,” Carole says. “Back then, we had these full, gathered skirts, and we wore petticoats made of crinoline underneath, and you starched them. Some people had really stiff petticoats – I guess their mothers knew how to do it up! But we would arrange those skirts in a circle around us so we could sit on the lawn under the trees. We were on the only street in Houston with a country club at both ends of the street.”

Carole also remembers leaving campus was off limits. “We weren’t supposed to go to the River

Oaks Drugstore, but they sold cokes there. Once in a while, some brave soul would say Okay, give me your money and I’ll go get some cokes. You were very spottable on that walk across Westheimer. I wasn’t about to take that chance, but I did give money to people who did!”

Everyone was full of stories at the reunion. “Seeing everyone was really fun,” Eleanor says. “I stood in the food line with a couple I knew. Both of them went to Lamar; they were high school sweethearts. I had good memories of being in our trig class with her. And then a girl I carpooled with, now our husbands are good friends and we’ve happened to keep up that way. The people who stayed in Houston, I run into them quite a bit.

“We’re just happy to be here,” she adds. “We are so blessed to have good health and to see our friends in good health. I don’t think we ever thought we’d live this long, but people are still hiking, I’m still playing tennis, others are traveling the world. It’s just a wonderful group of people.”

TOGETHER AGAIN Scenes from the April 2023 reunion: (Clockwise, from top left) Monroe Luther shakes hands with J.C. Whitten; Julie Shaw Hodges and John Patton look at a class photo; Charles Giraud holds up a copy of a Lamar Lancer article; Eleanor Powers Beebe, Kathy Sangster, Carole Stevens Mattingly, and Gail Adler chat; Kathy Sangster holds up a copy of The Lamar Lancer

Katy Anderson Photography

Katy Anderson Photography

Katy Anderson Photography

Katy Anderson Photography

Katy Anderson Photography

by Caroline Siegfried, staff writer

Class of 2023

Where are they headed?

The class of 2023 is one that feels a bit surreal – post-pandemic, these seniors have experienced virtual and in-person school. Their teen years took place in constantly shifting chaos. They grew up in the midst of it. And even though we’re on the other side of Covid-19, the world feels like it’s still changing at a rapid-fire pace. No one carries cash anymore. Low-rise jeans are back in style. Most couples I know met on a dating app and subscribe to around seven streaming services (and that’s a low estimate).

The modern world has started to feel a bit Matrix-y: we’ve been infiltrated with artificial intelligence bots and cryptocurrency. Some tech guy in Silicon Valley is likely trying to invent a hologram to replace me right now; but somehow, I’m certain that one thing will remain unchanged: the human desire for connection, to hear each other’s stories. These pages are full of well-rounded young people who love to learn. I hope that reading these little snippets about this year’s seniors bring you a little comfort – the more things change, the more things stay the same. Every year, seniors tell us that teachers have changed their lives, that they love their friends deeply, that they are grateful to be a part of their community.

Our annual tradition here at The Buzz is to share our graduating neighbors’ future plans. As they leave the nest and transform from adorable kiddos to high school graduates, we celebrate their achievements. Read on to see what they wish they had known as kindergarteners, what they’re looking forward to in the next chapter of their lives, and more. You did it, y’all – congrats. Cheers to the class of 2023!

Steven Scholz – Bunker Hill Elementary, Memorial Middle School, Memorial High School

Steven Scholz is headed to Concordia Texas University to study Business and Finance. He is looking forward to playing for Concordia. If he could give advice to his kindergarten self it would be, “forgive yourself often for the mistakes you make. Learning from them is most important.” The teacher that changed his life was his 11thgrade English teacher Ms. Lauren Shelley. He says she pushed him to become a better writer,

and he has never enjoyed literature more than being in her class. His dream job would be owning and running a world-class tennis facility.

Anna Rigo – Meadow Wood Elementary School, Cornerstone Academy, Stratford High School

Anna Rigo is headed to Northwestern University to study Musical Theatre. She’d tell her kindergarten self, “Follow what you love! Work hard in all that you do, and be a person who encourages yourself and others as you do things you're passionate about.” She is most looking forward to the opportunity to study theatre: “getting to combine my love of learning with my passion for musical theatre to make me a more well-rounded and better person and performer.” Her favorite teacher was Ms. CeCe Prudhomme, Stratford’s theatre director. Her favorite high school moment was flying for the last time during Peter Pan.

Asher Rigo – Meadow Wood Elementary School, Cornerstone Academy, Stratford High School

Asher Rigo is heading to The University of Texas at Austin to study Radio, Television and Film. He would tell his kindergarten self, “When a girl stabs you with a pencil, do not stab her back. No one will believe you and you will get in much more trouble.” He says the teacher who most impacted him has been his theater teacher/director Ms. Alyssa Davidson – “she’s been like a parent, a teacher, a role model, a director, and a friend.” His favorite moments from high school were performing in the

Playhouse shows, particularly his senior year.

Hank Davis – Frostwood Elementary School, Memorial Middle School, Stratford High School

Hank Davis is headed to The University of Texas at Austin, to take part in the Canfield Business Honors Program at the McCombs School of Business. He’s looking forward to fulfilling his lifelong dream of being a Longhorn. He would tell his kindergarten self: know that your actual name is Henry, not Hank. Hank says that during Covid-19, his statistics teacher Mr. Karl Poetzl was always there to help, and gave him hope that he could make it in the business world. His favorite moment from high school was going to Business Professionals of America (BPA) State, and his dream job is working in private equity.

Emily Manuel – Rummel Creek Elementary School, Memorial Middle School, Stratford High School

Emily Manuel is going to Vanderbilt University to study Chemical Engineering. She wants to work in the engineering field so she can improve the community around her, and society as a whole. Her 12th-grade BC Calculus teacher Mr. Christian Marquez changed her life by motivating her to pursue engineering and make a difference in the world. Her favorite part of high school was playing lacrosse for Stratford Girls Lacrosse Club, and meeting the best teammates and coaches through the program.

Josh Collins – Second Baptist School

Josh Collins is going to

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Steven Scholz – Concordia Texas University

Charles Hernandez for MaxPreps.com, copyright 2022

Hallie Keller

Anna Rigo – Northwestern University

Asher Rigo – The University of Texas at Austin

Hank Davis – The University of Texas at Austin

Emily Manuel – Vanderbilt University

Josh Collins – Texas A&M

Andrew Maughon – Rice University

Andrew Ferworn – University of North Alabama

Matthew Morley – Louisiana State University

EFG ImageScott Edwards

Marlo Wise

Pam Ferworn

Hallie Keller

Marlo Wise

William Parish

Sara Long at Long Shots Photography

Texas A&M for their Business Honors program. If he could give his kindergarten self one piece of advice, it would be: don't be afraid of being yourself; love where you are at in life while always trying to grow. He is looking forward to the freedom, community, and independence associated with college. Mr. Jacob Lindsey, his English teacher and Model UN sponsor, had the most impact on him. He inspired a passion for learning and making a difference in the community. He was always passionate about everything he talked about and was involved in. Josh’s dream job would be to be the president of the United States, and his favorite moment from high school was being the stage manager senior year for Guys & Dolls

Andrew Maughon – St. Brigid Catholic School, The Village School

Andrew Maughon is headed to Rice University to major in Chemistry. Dr. Margaret Hennessy, who taught him two years of IB Chemistry Higher Level, was the individual who awakened his love for chemistry. Without her, he says, he likely would be pursuing a different major in college. His dream job is working in a lab to figure out processes and mechanisms to make new molecules, or better ways to make old ones. He sees himself working in pharmaceuticals, doing things like researching new cancer treating drugs. Andrew would tell his kindergarten self to take advantage of nap time. He’s looking forward to living on his own for a while. Although he will still live in Houston, he will appreciate the autonomy of college dorm life. His favorite memory from high school was his senior trip to Disney World in Orlando; “Screaming in terror and excitement with my friends on rollercoasters were some of the best times of my life.”

Andrew Ferworn – Meadow Wood Elementary, Spring Forest Middle School, Stratford High School

Andrew Ferworn is off to study Engineering and play golf at the University of North Alabama. If he could give his kindergarten self one piece of advice, it would be: “invest in bitcoin.” Andrew is most looking forward to playing golf at a Division 1 college, along with the practical application of math and science into engineering skills. One teacher that stands out to him is his Business teacher and golf coach Mark Mathe, who “offers respect and trust [to his students and golfers], and receives it in return.” He dreams of playing professional golf, and his favorite moment from high school was qualifying and playing in the Texas 6A State Golf Tournament as an individual.

Matthew Morley – Wilchester Elementary School, Spring Branch Academic Institute, Stratford High School

Matthew Morley is off to Louisiana State University with a major in Biochemistry.

Matthew is glad that his sixth-grade orchestra teacher, Mr. Kareem Goode, encouraged him to change from Violin to Viola. His influence instilled a lifelong love of music in him. He will always be grateful to him for his guidance. His dream job is to work as an anesthesiologist, and he’d tell his kindergarten self to enjoy the lack of homework in elementary school.

Andrew Wuensch – Grace School, Second Baptist School

Andrew Wuensch is going to Baylor University to major in Business Marketing. He’d tell his kindergarten self to continue to work hard, and that you can do anything you put your mind to. His most impactful teacher was Mr. Arthur Babcock, who taught him Anatomy & Physiology and Biology. He showed him the benefits of a strong work ethic and aided his spiritual growth. He hopes to one day have a job in business marketing that will allow him to use what he has learned in Anatomy & Physiology. He says special moments in high school were frequent, as he and his friends spent many late nights around a fire pit talking through their ups and downs.

Joshua Chin – Bunker Hill Elementary, Westchester Middle School, First Baptist Academy, Houston Christian High School

Joshua Chin is headed to The College of William and Mary to study Political Science and Psychology. The most influential teacher he has had was Ms. Jenna LaFlamme, his sophomore English teacher. He says, “She taught me to love writing and how to care about people for where they are; taking time to understand someone as a person.” He would tell his kindergarten self, “Be yourself, and don't forget you are so loved and special!” His favorite moment from high school was getting to spend little moments with his favorite people, and making memories that he can take to college.

James Lowell Moss is going to The University of Texas at Austin to major in Mechanical Engineering. If he could give his kindergarten self a piece of advice, it would be, “focus on the things you care about, because the time is now to do the things you want to do.” He says that his pre-K teacher, Mrs. Horstmann at Wildcat Way School, guided him to the right path when he was a small child (and she let him stay up during nap time). He would love to be a sports broadcaster on a show like Inside the NBA. James says he can’t pick a favorite high school moment, but the 6A State Swim Meet in Austin his senior year was amazing – “it was really nice to see all the early mornings and hard work pay off. It was also exciting to finally realize the goal of making it to State after falling just short my junior year.”

IV Elam – Cedar Brook Elementary School, The Briarwood School, St. Pius X High School

IV Elam is headed to Louisiana State University to study Architecture. As a senior who has had three knee surgeries due to football, he would tell his kindergarten self: maybe don’t play football. One of his favorite teachers was science teacher Mr. Ed Finger at Briarwood; he says Mr. Finger treated his students with respect and had a way of teaching that made learning fun. His favorite part of high school was playing lacrosse, and he hopes to be an architect.

Olivia Covey – St. Michael Catholic School, St. Agnes Academy, Memorial High School

Olivia Covey is going to the University of Mississippi to major in Biochemistry. She is looking forward to meeting tons of new people in college. Her favorite teacher was her freshman year Spanish teacher

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James Lowell Moss – Rummel Creek Elementary School, Valley Oaks Elementary School, Spring Forest Middle School, Stratford High School

Andrew Wuensch – Baylor University

Prudence Alwien

Christie Williams

Joshua Chin – The College of William and Mary

James Lowell Moss – The University of Texas at Austin

IV Elam – Louisiana State University

Olivia Covey – University of Mississippi

Emerson Covey – University of Mississippi

Preston Igo – Texas Christian University

Ethan Jett – Tufts University

Austin Little – Tulane University

Tara Bennett

Cindy Crofford

CharleneReddy Photography

Sara Long

Cindy Crofford

Marlo Wise

Marlo Wise

Ms. Marcia Clark at St. Agnes. Olivia says she was so fun and always believed in her, and that she was the reason she began to enjoy learning and homework. If she could give her kindergarten self a piece of advice, it would be, “Don’t let anyone tell you that you can’t do something.” Her dream job would be being an anesthesiologist.

Emerson Covey – St. Michael Catholic School, Memorial High School

Emerson Covey is off to University of Mississippi to major in Business. She would tell her kindergarten self to enjoy every year, because it goes by so quickly. Ms. Jenna Rosen, her senior-year psychology teacher, was her favorite teacher. She’s looking forward to college football games and meeting new people from all over the country at Ole Miss. Her dream job would be working as a neonatal nurse.

Preston Igo – Briargrove Elementary School, Second Baptist School

Preston Igo is headed to Texas Christian University to study Business Finance/Real Estate. His dream job is to do real estate development on a large scale. He would tell his kindergarten self to never be afraid to make new friends. His favorite moments from high school were Saturday nights hanging with the guys. A teacher who changed his life was Mr. Geoffrey Brooks, his AP Physics Teacher senior year. Mr. Brooks made him think more deeply, and become much more curious, about everything.

Ethan Jett – The Imani School, The Kinkaid School

Ethan Jett is heading to Tufts University with a major in Economics and a minor in Entrepreneurship. He would probably tell his kindergarten self to relax and enjoy the moment, because time flies, and next thing you know you’ll be graduating high school. He says Mr. Morris, his 3rd-grade teacher, made a huge impact on him by teaching him the importance of taking pride in your work, and how to carry himself as a young man. He is looking forward to playing soccer at Tufts and living in Boston. Ethan has dreamed of playing soccer at the collegiate level since starting high school, and committing to Tufts made that dream come true.

Austin Little – West University Elementary School, Pin Oak Middle School, St. John’s School

Austin Little is going to Tulane University for Business. He’d tell his kindergarten self, “Stay true to who you are.” He says that Mr. Erol Turk, his junior year physics teacher, exemplified what it means to be optimistic and persevere through adversity. “Aside from being a wonderful teacher, he served as a role model to me and my peers each and every day. His good humor and amiability were contagious, and he touched the lives of everyone who had the

pleasure of knowing him.” His dream job would be working as general manager of an MLB organization, and his favorite part of high school was the spring break baseball trips to Florida.

Anna Thielemann – Wilchester Elementary School, Memorial Middle School, Stratford High School

Anna Thielemann is going to The University of Texas at Austin to major in Communications. She loves to sing and song write, so she is excited to explore Austin's music scene. She’d tell her kindergarten self to not let fear stop you from pursuing your passions. Anna says Stratford’s Student Council Sponsor, Mrs. Mary Jackson, remained patient and kind with her through successes and mistakes, and that “her love and passion for Stratford is evident in her storytelling, steel trap memory, and 43-year streak of teaching at Stratford. She has shaped me, and many others, into the leader I am today.” Ultimately, Anna hopes to find something she is passionate about and obtain her master's. Her favorite moment from high school was a neck-and-neck tennis match her freshman year. She ended up winning and her teammates ran up and gave her a big group hug, making her feel accepted and supported as a freshman. She aimed to help continue this tradition throughout high school.

John Bratten – St. Francis Episcopal School

John Bratten is headed to Trinity University for Business. If he could give his kindergarten self one piece of advice, it would be “embrace the learning process.” His dream job would be to be an economist. The most influential teacher he ever had was Mrs. Courtney Zauft in third grade. He says he admired how kind she was to her students. He says he was a “young delinquent” at school, but couldn't understand how he got disciplined by the nicest teacher he’d ever had. He cleaned up his act and maintained straight As for seven years, until the pandemic hit. His favorite moment from high

school was their school’s first performance of Beauty and the Beast, for children from Yellowstone Academy. He played the role of the Beast, and says all of the hard work the Upper School put into the production was worth it when they were able to show the kids the magic of the musical.

Oluwafeyitamilore (Tammy) Banjo – The American International School of Abuja (Abuja, NG), TASIS England (Thorpe, GB), The Village School

Oluwafeyitamilore (Tammy) Banjo is headed to Northeastern University with a combined major in Health Studies and Business Administration. She is grateful to her thirdgrade teacher, Ms. Catherine Harstad, for introducing her to musical theater at the American International School of Abuja. Ms. Harstad selected Tammy to be a part of the Alice in Wonderland production, which led to her love of music and musical theater, things she still enjoys. If she could give her kindergarten self a piece of advice, she’d say to always celebrate your accomplishments, even the smallest things. She hopes to be an orthodontist one day. Since she grew up in the UK, she is really looking forward to living there again when she studies abroad in London!

Regina Blenda Ayala – The Village School

Regina Blenda Ayala is headed to Columbia University to study Political Science. Her dream job would be to be an ambassador. She would tell her kindergarten self, “Always have confidence, it will be your greatest ally.” Her eighth-grade history teacher Ms. Kristy Edgar changed her life because she was one of the first teachers who genuinely believed in her and pushed her in class. Ms. Edgar always encouraged her to go the extra mile. Regina’s favorite moment from high school was “hands down” the NHSMUN conference (Model UN) in NYC; she says she loved the friendships, the memories, and the experience. She is

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Anna Thielemann – The University of Texas at Austin

Scott Edwards

John Bratten – Trinity University

Oluwafeyitamilore (Tammy) Banjo – Northeastern University

Regina Blenda Ayala – Columbia University

Ellie Gibbs – University of Missouri

Benjamin Perkins – Wesleyan University

Evie Vu – Rice University

Paulina Rincon – Boston College

Caroline Martinez – Texas A&M

Paula N Luu Photography Kerry Che

Emily Marie Photography

Deborah Alexander Kennedy Brown '23 from Second Baptist

looking forward to exploring New York City and finding her place in the world, and says that she can't wait to grow and travel.

Ellie Gibbs – Beth Yeshurun Day School, Trafton Academy, The Briarwood School, St. Pius X High School

Ellie Gibbs is setting off to the University of Missouri on the Pre-Law track, majoring in Political Science. Her dream job is to become a family court judge. Her favorite moment from high school was when she had the opportunity to attend Texas Bluebonnet Girls State. She’ll always remember her junior year history teacher, Mr. Stephen Judice – “he had a great understanding of how we needed to be taught, and made it fun for all of us.” She would tell her kindergarten self to treat others as you want to be treated.

Benjamin Perkins – St. John's School

Benjamin Perkins is headed to Wesleyan University to study Neuroscience and Behavior. The teacher that had the most impact on him was Ms. Paula Angus at St John's, who helped him further his interest in neuroscience and taught him how to read scientific articles. His dream job is to be an orthopedic surgeon.

Evie Vu – St. John’s School

Evie Vu is off to Rice University for Business. If she could give her kindergarten self one piece of advice, it would be: try to find joy in everything you do. The teacher who changed her life was her kindergarten teacher Donna Palmer: “Ms. Palmer taught me many things – poetry, algebra, and kindness – and I will always remember her for it.” Evie’s dream job is being a CEO. Her favorite moment from high school was her senior skip day when she and her friends went to Galveston.

Paulina Rincon – The Village School

Paulina Rincon is headed to Boston College to major in Psychology. Her dream job is to be a clinical psychologist. The teacher who changed her life was Mrs. Selene Bautista. In her ninthgrade Intro to Photography class, she picked up the sketchbook that Paulina was doodling in. She shared it with the other art teachers and encouraged Paulina to think about taking IB Art classes. Two years later, she taught Paulina IB Art and helped develop her as an artist. If she could give her kindergarten self one piece of advice, she would say, “Don't wish to grow up, enjoy being little before it's too late.” Her favorite high school memory was her 2023 spring break trip to Mexico with friends.

Caroline Martinez – Second Baptist School

Caroline Martinez is headed to Texas A&M to study Biomedical Science. She is looking forward to the Aggie culture, being around likeminded people who share similar aspirations,

and being able to venture from a small campus size to a larger environment. Her dream job is to be a dermatologist. The most influential teacher she had was Mrs. Caroline Knapp, who taught her sixth-grade Bible class. Her favorite moment from high school was watching the Varsity baseball team take home the State Championship title. She also enjoyed cheering on the sidelines with her fellow Varsity cheerleaders Junior year and making it to the State Championship game. She would tell her kindergarten self: “Have confidence in everything you do, be adventurous and get involved in everything you can!”

Samuel Ireland – Second Baptist School

Samuel Ireland is heading to the Colorado School of Mines for Engineering. His favorite moment was being on the stage for Guys and Dolls his senior year. His most memorable teacher was Mrs. Cindy Blades, his theater teacher during all four years of high school, who has given him a lot of advice and influenced who he is today. He would tell his kindergarten self to make the most of every opportunity, and put your time into things you want to do.

Carlin Elizabeth McQueen – St. Mary's Catholic School, Meyerland Performing and Visual Arts Middle School, Kinder High School for the Performing and Visual Arts

Carlin Elizabeth McQueen is off to Loyola Marymount University to major in Dance and Computer Science. She is looking forward to being able to dance throughout the city of Los Angeles, and she is excited to show the city what she has to offer. She would tell her kindergarten self, “Continue to trust and believe in yourself. Everything happens for a reason.” Her dream job is to dance commercially for artists throughout the world. Once she feels her dance career has come to an end, she would like to find a way to combine dance and computer science to bring more attention towards the arts. A teacher that changed her life is Mrs. Leah Cessna, who believed in her at times she felt that she was crashing. Her favorite moment from high school was fall and spring dance showcases, where she says everyone uplifted and supported each other; “It's really exciting to showcase your talent to the ones that you love most.”'

Pumipat Chetpaophan – Kowit Thamrong School (Chiang Mai, TH), Hatyaiwittayalai School (Hat Yai, TH), The Village School

Pumipat Chetpaophan is off to the University of Washington at Seattle to major in Biochemistry. He hopes to one day become a doctor so he can help people and invent things to improve people’s health. He says that as a person who grew up in a third-world country, it was hard for him to see people that he knew pass away from cancer. He hopes to be able to prevent that in the future, which is why he wants to be an oncologist. He says his grade-level leader in

the dorm influenced and helped him the most by always pushing him to dream big, and always being by his side when he needed him.

Lou Hughes – Bonnie Holland Elementary, Beckendorff Junior High School, Second Baptist School

Lou Hughes is going to study Mechanical Engineering at Southern Arkansas University. His dream job is to be an architect. His favorite moment from high school was his senior retreat, and he says he will always cherish the special bonding with his classmates before they started senior year together. One teacher who impacted him was Ms. Gretchen Hollier, his fifthgrade teacher. In fifth grade, he was making As in all his classes except English. She told him she knew she could do better in his class, and spent time before and after school until he was acing English. That year, Lou went on to win the President’s Award, signed by President Obama. He’d tell his kindergarten self, “Don’t be shy to meet new people. The people you don’t meet could end up being someone you need in your life.”

Caroline Marshall – Second Baptist School

Caroline Marshall is going to Baylor University to major in Health Science Studies. Her dream job is to become an OBGYN. If she could give her kindergarten self one piece of advice, she would tell her to take a deep breath, take one day at a time, and cherish the moments that life brings. Caroline says that Ms. Angela King, who taught her history, economics, and AP government, changed her life by teaching her that it was okay to learn in a different way than her classmates, and by pushing her to be a better student and all-around person. Her favorite high school memory was the last football game, which she says “was such a bittersweet moment, but also the start of a new season of life.”

Max Scholl – The Village School

Max Scholl is heading to Rice University to major in English. Max is looking forward to studying more niche topics of interest at Rice –things he has been interested in but never had the opportunity or time to properly study. He remembers his second-grade teacher, Mrs. Keitha Burton, always taught her students to be curious and never stop asking questions, which forever changed how he views the world. He would tell his kindergarten self to always trust your gut, and follow what makes you feel satisfied with your life. His dream job is to become a film director or screenwriter, and reveal deeper truths about life and human experiences.

Meghna Prabhakaran – The Village School

Meghna Prabhakaran is on the Pre-Medical Track at The University of Texas at Austin, majoring in Public Health. Her dream job is to be a pediatrician. As a

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Marlo Wise

Samuel Ireland – Colorado School of Mines

Carlin Elizabeth McQueen – Loyola Marymount University

Pumipat Chetpaophan – University of Washington

Lou Hughes – Southern Arkansas University

Caroline Marshall – Baylor University

Max Scholl – Rice University

Meghna Prabhakaran – The University of Texas at Austin

Leon Hoang – Tulane University

Marlo Wise

Kerry Che

Omar Auzenne

CADY Photography

Chris Dunn

freshman, she struggled heavily with Computer Science, but her teacher Mr. Mansoor Ansari taught her the importance of resilience and determination. He pushed her to overcome obstacles, and with his devoted support she started to perform above and beyond. Now she has decided to minor in Computer Science. Meghna says the lessons he taught her, not just about Computer Science, but about life, are ones she will carry with her the rest of her life. As she steps forward into college life, she is excited to meet new people and make life-long friendships. If she could give her kindergarten self one piece of advice, it would be, “Always be kind to others, and most importantly, always be kind to yourself.”

Leon Hoang – The Post Oak School

Leon Hoang is headed to Tulane University to major in English and Finance. Leon says he was “a very mischievous kindergartener” and recalls when families gathered to help the class garden outside. They spent hours planting trees and flowers. The next day, he convinced his classmates to uproot and clear the plants for more playing space outside. When the teacher found out, he was forced to replant the whole garden. His advice to his past self would be to embrace and learn from these mistakes – and not to repeat them. He says he is forever grateful for his fourth-grade teacher Mrs. Maya Pinto, who changed his outlook on life. She told him he had talent and shouldn’t waste it – he sees now that she was right. Leon says he is looking forward to the freedom of being a young adult away from his loved ones and parents; “although I will miss them all, I want to see who I can be as an independent person in this new world.”

Quinn Belmar – Dolphin School (Berkshire, England); Canadian International School in Singapore, The Village School

Quinn Belmar is heading to Texas A&M to study Mechanical Engineering. His dream job is to be the owner of a tech business. He’ll always remember Alison Trembley, his fifth-grade teacher at the Canadian International School in Singapore. She encouraged him to get out of his comfort zone and perform on stage. If he could give his kindergarten self one piece of advice, it would be, “Don't limit yourself.” Quinn’s favorite moment from high school was swimming with his relay team at State.

Elisabet Brandsberg-Dahl – The Fay School, The Awty International School

Elisabet Brandsberg-Dahl is off to St. Olaf College to major in Psychology or Biology. Elisabet would tell her kindergarten self, “Sleep in and play as much as you can. Take advantage of being a child without responsibilities.” She was most impacted by her fifth-grade teacher Mrs. Emma Peterson, who created an environment that was nurturing and kind, and prepared her for a new school. Elisabet says, “I don't think I would

be the same person without her, and being a part of her class is still one of my fondest memories.” Her favorite moment from high school was the Awty Connects field trip to Alaska. She says it was definitely one of the best experiences she’s had, and that she loved “the snow, the Iditarod dogs, and learning about the ongoing effect climate change is having on our world.”

Jones Mays II – Challenger Elementary, Sablatura Middle School, Carnegie Vanguard High School

Jones Mays is headed to the University of Southern California with a Merit Trustee Scholarship to study Arts, Technology, and the Business of Innovation at the Iovine Young Academy. He says that Ms. Julea Brode at Carnegie changed his life by making learning math easy and fun. He looks forward to taking surfing classes on the California coast, and meeting new people who will push him to reach his future career goals. If he could give his kindergarten self one piece of advice, he would say not to worry about life so much, since everything works out in the end. Meeting peers that challenged him to be a better person both intellectually and socially was the highlight of his high school career. Jones aspires to be an entrepreneur or software architect who works on platforms that connect communities and solve pressing problems.

David Anapolsky – Condit Elementary School, The Emery/Weiner School

David Anapolsky will be studying Robotics Engineering at the University of Michigan He’s looking forward to the cold weather in Michigan. A teacher who changed his life was his Robotics and Java teacher Brandon Kirby; David says, “I would not have the opportunity to do the things I love to do without his support.” His favorite moment from high school was his Eagle Scout project, where he built 75 mini computers/count down clocks for each teacher at Emery/Weiner. His dream job is helping make the world a better place through engineering and robotics.

Alyssa Wall – Holy Spirit Episcopal School, St. Mark’s Episcopal School, Episcopal High School

Alyssa Wall is heading to Northeastern University for International Business. She would tell her kindergarten self, “Be open to change because it is inevitable, and be grateful for what you have because most things in life are temporary, but that does not mean that they aren’t beautiful or won’t have a profound impact on your life.” Mr. Garhett Wagers, her middle school headmaster at St. Mark’s Episcopal School, changed her life by making her live up to her full potential, and be unafraid to speak her mind and tell her story –no matter how hard it may be. Alyssa’s favorite moment from high school was giving a speech

in front of the entire school in chapel and receiving a standing ovation.

Presley Houck – Mark Twain Elementary School, Pershing Middle School, St. Agnes Academy

Presley Houck is headed to Tulane University to major in Anthropology on the track for Pre-Medical Studies. Presley would tell her kindergarten self to invest her birthday money in Netflix. She is looking forward to exploring a new city, new experiences, new friends, and hosting her lifelong friends in NOLA when they visit. She says her fifth-grade teacher at Mark Twain, Ms. Jennifer Dennis, gave her class the gift of teaching to their strengths, and going outside of the normal curriculum when they were ready for more. She is also grateful to her English teacher Tim Nesser at St. Agnes, who helped her to realize she loved English as much as science and math. Her dream job is to be a neurosurgeon. She has so many favorite moments from high school, but says, really, “every moment spent with my friends and supporting each other at sports/dance/music/art etc. events and cheering each other on.”

Harrison Watts – Travis Elementary School, St. Thomas’ Episcopal School, St. Thomas High School

Harrison Watts is headed to Loyola University Chicago to study Sports Business/Management. If he could give his kindergarten self one piece of advice, it would be, “Just have fun, don’t worry about the future yet, because it’s coming up real soon.” Harrison says that his theology teacher at St. Thomas, Mr. Danny Hernandez, is the best teacher he has ever had, and has opened his eyes to so many new ways to help people by being a servant to all. His dream job is working in the front office of the Chicago Bears. His favorite moment from high school was going to Los Angeles on a mission trip in order to serve the less fortunate and learn more about how to help the community here in Houston.

Katelyn

Thompson

– Wesley Academy, Westbury Christian School

Katelyn Thompson is heading to Howard University to major in Political Science, on the Pre-Law track. She’d tell her kindergarten self to make the best out of every situation that life throws at you. A teacher who changed her life is Mrs. Elizabeth Shipsey, her choir director from seventh to ninth grade. Katelyn says Mrs. Shipsey always prioritized the mental health of her students, but ensured that they were performing at their best. Katelyn dreams of becoming an entertainment or corporate lawyer and owning her own practice. She is excited to explore Washington D.C. and meet new people.

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See thebuzzmagazines.com for more graduating seniors.

Quinn Belmar – Texas A&M

Elisabet Brandsberg-Dahl – St. Olaf College

Jones Mays II – University of Southern California

David Anapolsky – University of Michigan

Alyssa Wall – Northeastern University

Presley Houck – Tulane University

Harrison Watts – Loyola University Chicago

Katelyn Thompson – Howard University

Jenny Antill

Jessica Laviage

Meredith Symonds

Tanya Rollins of the Photo Firm

. by Sharon Albert Brier, staff writer

Rumor Has It

‘Bouried’ bourbon for good luck. The Memorial gal met the Chevy Chase, Maryland guy at the University of Charleston through mutual friends in 2010. Since they both like to “monk”ey around, Max Coffey proposed to Elizabeth Kline along the Cooper River at the Mepkin Abbey (a monastery located in South Carolina) in 2022. For the rehearsal dinner, Liz wore her grandmother Barbara Meany’s dress 70 years later, the same dress which her mother Lisa Kline wore 40 years ago at her wedding. To ensure their special day, April 1, would have good weather they bouried a bottle of bourbon at the rehearsal. The weather was perfect at the Eternal Father of the Sea Chapel for the wedding and at the reception at the Admiral’s House. The bourbon was dug up after the ceremony with some family members who helped drink it with a celebratory toast

They climbed waterfalls. Six enchanted days in Ocho Rios, Jamaica gave the Rutherford family new challenges during spring break. Lauren and Chris and children Avery, Nicholas , and Elle hiked the Blue Hole where, with the help of a skilled guide, they went cliff jumping and swung on Tarzanlike ropes into the clear water. Did they beat their chest and yell Mmmmm-ann-gann-niii ? There was more in store at Mystic Mountain; they rode on bobsleds at the top and later swam with dolphins at Dolphin Cove. The biggest surprise was the airport upon arrival was quite backed up – a travel agent or hotel provider can provide “fast pass” badges to bypass the line.

Two-family trip. Marilyn and David Guion with sons Ford and Graham Guion and Tucker and Lillie Knight with children Lawson, Allison, and Tucker Knight traveled to Whistler, Canada for seven days during spring break. A bonus was dog sledding to explore the forests and trails with the specially bred Artic dogs. They loved the Peak 2 Peak Gondola, which links two mountains, and the great powder and skiing weather were a bonus. The Canadians were friendly and helpful and the area very clean and orderly. Sounds like

they will be back!

It was a sentimental trip. Sara Ostrosky took her dad (87 years old), Jose Woloski, to experience once more where they had lived in Israel with new ventures during Israel’s 75th anniversary. They rented a car and visited friends and family as they drove from Nahariyya and Haifa in the north to Tel Aviv, Kfar Saba, Ramat Gan, Ramat Aviv, and Rehovot in the south. They saw the Palmach experiential museum in Tel Aviv covering the Palmach legacy through the stories of individuals and groups of young Palmach recruits from its establishment until the end of the War of Independence. Another highlight was the top of Mount Olive, a holy prayer site associated with Islam, Judaism, and Christianity since the days of the First Temple. They said a special blessing for Rosa Woloski , Sara’s mom who passed in 2022. Upon the return they both got Covid, but they had a lot of good memories to relive while in quarantine.

Bold and vibrant. You don’t have to wear a unibrow to emulate Frida Kahlo. Amanda Melchor and Dyana Lopez dressed the part with flowered headbands and embroidered dresses at the 18th annual Frida Festival at MECA, a Latino based multidisciplinary and multicultural community organization that presented a variety of arts. The booths sold food, everything Frida, and crafts. There were free drinks and lots of giveaways. Maps were given out as the festival was spread out in several areas inside and outside. Lively music made for a great background. Frida would have been passionate about it.

Hoppity on over. Colorful eggs were strewn all over the yard on Easter Sunday. Julian and Blair Zarghouni were not as

impressed by the giant Easter bunny that arrived in their backyard, but several other tykes found their way to its lap or to shake hands. Energetic music was playing as parents Morgan and Mehrzad Zarghouni interacted with neighbors and the 20 toddlers climbed around the Little Tikes blow up playscape and drove a mini train. Colorful rabbit ear headbands and a table of treats and tweets were in the background. All had an egg-cellent time.

Girls on the Run. Pink attire and tennis shoes were de rigueur. While champagne and bites were passed around, patrons bid on the silent auction items and posed by two photo opp drops to show off their blinged-out or high heel tennies. Emcee Courtney Zavala made introductions and auctioneer Alex Nance had the guests on their feet flipping a coin for prizes. Pretty in pink were Paula Moussa, Nathalie Kosman, Mary Callahan, Angelita Sampaio, Jennifer Larson, Jacqueline and Adam Smooke, and Joan and David Lebow . The program builds inner strength in girls from 3rd-8th grade while engaging in sports and team building.

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Email us at info@thebuzzmagazines.com.

SWIMMING WITH DOLPHINS The Rutherford family adventured in Ochos Rios, Jamaica over spring break. Pictured: Avery stands with dolphins while dad Chris and siblings Elle and Nicholas look on. Mom Lauren took the pic.

KIDS

. by Annie Blaylock McQueen, staff writer

Buzz Baby

First time fishing

Buzz Baby is a column about life with little ones. Writer Annie McQueen is a mother of four children under the age of 8.

Houston is an urban city with lots of fun and family-friendly outdoor activities at our fingertips, including great beginner fishing spots around town.

This month, in honor of Father’s Day and celebrating all the great dads and father figures out there, we thought we would explore the world of taking a young child fishing in our very own backyard.

Fishing is a great way to learn patience, bond with your child, and gain an appreciation for the outdoors. We created a guide to Houston fishing spots, and some tips to remember, too.

It is vital to bring the right gear such as a youth fishing pole, which can be found at Bass Pro Shop or on Amazon. They are smaller and easier for a small child to hold. Be sure to pack sunscreen, bug spray, water, a hat, and an extra change of clothes. A youth-sized life jacket is important to remember for added safety.

Dad-of-two Jared Taylor has risen early on weekend mornings to take his two daughters fishing around Houston from when they were toddlers (they are now 6 and 8). He says he prefers before sunrise when the city is still quiet. “It’s a great little escape into nature yet only 20 minutes away,” said Jared.

Jared says he brings options for the girls to use for their fishing bait. “I usually rotate through a handful of options trying to see where the fish are biting,” he said. His go-to is a Texas-rigged 5” watermelon Senko.

“If I see some decent topwater hits, I will go with a small rooster tail and keep it close to the surface,” he said. “I set the girls up with a weighted grub and crappie bait and a bobber so they can watch for bites,” said Jared.

This technique allows the girls to avoid casting their fishing lines over and over, explained Jared. “It is pretty fun to see their excitement when the bobber dips below the surface,” said Jared. They use a catch-and-release method.

A preferred spot on their list is Brazos Bend State Park. Visitors tend to go to search for alligator sightings, but Jared says he enjoys taking

the girls to fish for Largemouth Bass.

“It is a great outing for the whole family and also good to support the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department,” said Jared.

Jared says catching the fish is a memorable moment for the kids, but it is more about the experience that counts. “Where you go is not as important as how often,” said Jared. “I used to fish all the time with my dad. It is special getting to share that with my girls.”

Some other great Houston fishing spots include:

Tom Bass Regional Park Section III

15108 Cullen Blvd.

Tom Bass Park has two fishing lakes, Tom Bass I and Tom Bass II, stocked with catfish, bass, and other species. There are several fishing piers and a boat ramp, making it easy for kids to fish from the shore or a boat. Additionally, the park has picnic areas, a playground, and walking trails.

Sheldon Lake State Park and Environmental Learning Center

14140 Garrett Rd.

Sheldon Lake State Park has a 120-acre lake that's perfect for fishing for kids of any age, starting young. The lake is stocked with different kinds of fish, and there are several fishing piers and a boat ramp. The park also has a nature center, hiking trails, picnic spots, and an area to paddle boat.

Mary Jo Peckham Park

5597 Gardenia Ln.

Mary Jo Peckham Park is in Katy, about 30 minutes west of downtown. This park has it all for kids of all ages – including a lake stocked with catfish, bass, and perch, several fishing piers, and a boat ramp for small boats. The park also has a great playground, splash pad, picnic areas, and a Recreation Center with restrooms.

Herman Brown Park

400 Mercury Dr.

Herman Brown Park sits in north Houston

and has a lake that is stocked with different varieties of fish. The park also has a softball field, a picnic area, walking trails, and a playground.

Lake Houston Wilderness Park

25840 FM 1485

Lake Houston Wilderness Park is a lush, 5,000-acre park that offers plenty of space for hours of outdoor activities. The lake is stocked with fish. There are also 20 miles of trails, and spots for activities outside of fishing including kayaking, birding, mountain biking, and more.

Brazos Bend State Park

21901 Farm to Market Rd. 762

This expansive park has more to it than just fishing, with 37 miles of trails, some of which are wheelchair friendly. Visitors can shorefish or fish off the pier. The park has three lakes for fishing –Hale, Forty Acre, and New Horseshoe Lake.

Buffalo Run Park

1122 Buffalo Run

This park is an easy drive and a great beginner park to take young children to fish. It has four large ponds with plenty of shoreline to fish from. It has a boat ramp, an observation tower, a sand volleyball area, and walking trails.

Bane Park Lane

9600 West Little York Rd.

This park is located just inside the Beltway near Jersey Village. It has a playground, a covered picnic table area, a small pier, and easy parking. It also has a lake that is stocked with Rainbow Trout. Catch and release is recommended.

McGovern Lake

1700 Hermann Drive

Fishers under the age of 12 and seniors 65 and older are allowed to fish in the lake near Hermann Park (off Bob’s Fishing Pier). It is located on the west side of the lake.

CAST A LINE There are many kid-friendly fishing spots in and around Houston. Eloise Taylor (pictured, at age 4) goes fishing with her dad Jared and big sister Evelyn.

.

by Cindy Burnett, staff writer

Buzz Reads

Five picks for June

Buzz Reads is a column about books by reviewer Cindy Burnett. Each month, Cindy recommends five recently or soon-to-be released titles.

The Dark That Doesn’t Sleep by Simon Mockler (historical thriller) – This fast-paced historical thriller centers around a mystery at a top-secret American military base built under the ice in Greenland, a locale inspired by an actual Cold War project called Project Iceworm. It is December 1967, and FBI consultant and NYC psychiatrist Jack Miller is called to Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, D.C. to interview Private Connor Murphy. Three soldiers were trapped at this secret base in Greenland due to an arctic storm and when rescuers finally reached the base days later, only Connor is still alive, badly burned with no memory of what cause the fire that killed the other two soldiers. The FBI hires Dr. Miller to help recover Private Connor’s memories as well as determine which soldier was passing secrets to the Russians. The more he delves into the case, the more Dr. Miller realizes that nothing is at it seems. The Dark That Doesn’t Sleep is a clever thriller with countless surprising twists and turns that weaves in fascinating historical details about a failed top-secret military base in Greenland. Once I started it, I could not put it down, and I read it in less than a day. This would make a great Father’s Day gift.

Drowning by T.J. Newman (thriller) –Drowning, former flight attendant Newman’s standalone follow-up to her 2021 #1 New York Times Bestseller Falling, is a heart-pounding thriller that grabs you from page one and does not let up until the very last page. Six minutes after Flight 1421 takes off from Honolulu, the plane plummets into the ocean. As the passengers and crew work to evacuate the aircraft, an engine explodes, and the plane begins to flood. Those still inside the plane are forced to abandon the evacuation and attempt to seal themselves inside the plane and hope it will float until they can be rescued. But it is too late and the plane sinks to the bottom with 12 passengers still inside. Drowning is a can’t-put-down thriller, perfect to toss in your pool or beach bag this summer, but you may not want to read it while flying!

A Right Worthy

Woman by Ruth P. Watson (historical fiction) – In this compelling historical fiction title, Watson spotlights trailblazer Maggie Lena Walker, a Richmond woman who created the first Black-run bank in the United States and pioneered Black responses to the early Jim Crow era policies that were adopted in the later Civil Right Movement. As a teenager, Walker was brilliant, outspoken, and aware of the economic discrepancy between her Jackson Ward neighbors and her laundress-mother’s wealthy white clients, so she decided to make it her life’s work to help her community bridge that gap. She launched a newspaper, bank, and department store in her neighborhood as well as organizing boycotts and helping Black neighbors and friends exert their economic power; she was an incredibly forward-thinking woman whose story should be known more widely. Readers will enjoy learning more about this influential woman who left an indelible mark on history.

The Spectacular by Fiona Davis (historical fiction) – Fiona Davis bases each of her books in an iconic New York City building, and The Spectacular is set at one of the city’s most wellknown and beloved locales, Radio City Music Hall. Nineteen-year-old Marion is selected as a Rockette, the prestigious dance troupe that performs at Radio City Music Hall, much to the chagrin of her parents and her boyfriend. She loves the job but with four shows a day and exhausting rehearsals, she is not left with much time for anything else. Then one evening, a bomb explodes in the theater, and Marion’s personal connection draws her into the investigation. The behind-the-scenes glimpses into both Radio City Music Hall and the Rockettes are fascinating, and aspects of the story are more personal for Davis. Historical fiction readers will

find this one compelling and at times sadder than most of her books.

The True Love Experiment by Christina Lauren (romantic comedy) – Writing duo Christina Lauren (writing partners/best friends Christina Hobbs and Lauren Billings) is back with a fabulous summer read. Felicity Chen, who goes by Fizzy, is a bestselling romance author who has lost her ability to write happily-ever-afters, partly because she feels that she will never find her own true love. When Connor Prince, a documentary filmmaker and single dad, is tasked with creating a reality dating show or face losing his job, he contacts Fizzy to star in the show – what would romance readers love more than seeing their favorite writer fall in love on national TV? Reluctantly, Fizzy agrees but includes a long list of requirements that Connor surprisingly agrees to. Chock full of fun pop culture references and focused on our nation’s obsession with reality TV, The True Love Experiment is a sweet and engaging romance with fun banter and genuinely likeable characters.

Editor’s note: Southside Place resident Cindy Burnett also writes our weekly Page Turners column at thebuzzmagazines.com. She hosts the award-winning Thoughts from a Page Podcast, is co-creator of the Houston literary event series Conversations from the Page, runs the Instagram account @thoughtsfromapage, and regularly speaks to groups about books.

WHAT TO READ This month’s selections include two page-turning thrillers, two historical-fiction titles – one about Radio City Music Hall and one about the first Black woman to found a bank in the U.S – and a sweet romantic comedy.

Cindy Burnett

. by Tracy L. Barnett, staff writer

Travel Buzz

Greenland with the Boyle Boys

Kevin Boyle has been quietly building a global father-son tradition with his two teenage boys, Kevin Jr., 14, and Sean, 13, for nearly a decade. Together they’ve traveled to more than 40 states and 20 countries on several continents. It’s not that they don’t like to travel with Mom (Liz); Kevin and Liz traveled the world together before she experienced some severe turbulence and developed a fear of flying. Occasionally she has been able to overcome it and join them – for example, on an epic road trip through Europe – but mostly, for travel that involves a flight, it’s just the guys.

The father-son travel tradition began when the boys were 6 and 5 respectively – a weekend getaway to SeaWorld and Six Flags in San Antonio. Since then, they’ve explored much of Europe and such exotic destinations as Iceland and Australia, where marine biology enthusiast Sean had dreamed of snorkeling the Great Barrier Reef. A few years back, their 2017 cross-country New Zealand adventure was featured in Travel Buzz: Beauty at the End of the World (October 2018).

In 2018 after their European adventure with Liz, she took a direct flight home, but the guys weren’t done yet. They had a stop in Ireland and then another one in Iceland. Treasured memories there included swimming in its steaming geothermal pools, exploring its volcanoes on a Jeep 4x4, and enjoying its marine life, fishing and grilling on the boat while whale-watching. They loved it so much they decided to take their Northern travels to the next level, so last summer they chose Greenland for their big getaway.

“It’s the first time the three of us have been north of the Arctic Circle – and it’s definitely the most remote and the most adventurous trip we’ve taken,” said Kevin, CEO at Alaunos Therapeutics. “With global warming and also potential tourism growth in Greenland, we wanted to get there before the beauty is spoiled.”

Signs of pending change on the world’s largest island are everywhere; for example, the airport is doubling in size in Ilulissat, a charming West-coast town known for having more sled dogs than people.

Their point of departure was Denmark, which has had a close relationship with Greenland for a millennium (formerly a Danish colony,

Greenland was redefined as a district of Denmark in 1953).

In Copenhagen they spent a day at Tivoli Gardens, the inspiration for Disneyland, before flying to the town of Kangerlussuaq, pop. 508 – home to the island’s largest commercial airport. Kangerlussuaq would later be the point of departure for their biggest adventure – a hike and campout on the Greenland Ice Sheet. For now, they just had time for a foray to the grocery store across the street.

“We walked in and immediately saw guns for sale – long rifles – probably to shoot a seal, right next to the freshly baked bread for the day,” said Kevin. They grabbed some food before their next flight, then boarded the turbo prop to Ilulissat, Greenland’s third largest city with 4,600 people. The town charmed them with its vibrantly colorful wooden houses, its friendly people, and the local culture. Nearly 90 percent of Greenland’s population is of Inuit heritage, with 7.8 percent being Danish.

“Our first impressions were of the breathtaking scenery, our lungs filled with the freshest air imaginable; it was brisk and so clean,” said Kevin. “I couldn’t stop taking pictures.”

They headed immediately to the port, where they had booked a sunset kayak tour amid the icebergs with World of Greenland. This was their first experience of the midnight sun, which lit up the massive icebergs that surrounded them with a brilliant golden sunset hue.

“From our perspective, the sun never set at all,” said Kevin.

They were lucky to float past some hunters harvesting a seal, a practice only allowed by local people for sustenance. They observed the process up close, seeing the traditional bone-handled, half moon-shaped ulu knife used to butcher the animal. The skins are used for slippers and jackets,

and the meat is a staple in the Inuit diet.

“How amazing that within a couple of hours we were able to see the natives living a very real existence, earning their sustenance off the land and the sea,” said Kevin.

Sean, a lover of marine life, was shocked. “At first I was a little hurt to see that,” he said. But on reflection, he thought, “it’s really no different from catching fish or farm animals.”

Their tour guide explained to them the importance of keeping their distance from icebergs, since there is a danger of pieces shearing off and creating large waves that can capsize a boat. Although they appear to be just floating on the water, about 80 to 90 percent of the formation is underwater – “thus the expression, ‘the tip of the iceberg,’” commented Kevin. “The pictures don’t do justice to how large they really are.”

Kevin had booked four nights at the Best Western Plus Ilulissat, which featured blackout blinds to keep the midnight sun at bay, and opened the windows to let in a breeze. “It was so great to be huddled under the blankets with this chilly arctic air coming in,” he recalled.

Their second day they took a tour to the Eqi Glacier, often referred to as the “calving glacier” since it is one of Greenland’s most active, with large pieces frequently shearing off into the water with an explosive noise, creating the icebergs they saw all along the way.

This time they went on a

SAILING AMONG THE ICEBERGS Kevin, Kevin Jr., and Sean Boyle sailing Disko Bay, en route to the Eqi Glacier from Ilulissat. Here they stopped about halfway to Eqi to shoot a photo in front of a waterfall.

(continued from page 42)

steel-reinforced motorboat so they were able to get closer to the massive glacier, which is about 5 kilometers long and 200 meters tall – although only about 30 to 50 meters appear above the water. At some points the boat plows right through what looks like a straight sheet of ice, pushing it aside with its reinforced hull.

“Sometimes you’d be chatting and all of a sudden you’d hear this giant roaring sound that was the glacier speaking to you and breaking apart,” said Kevin.

“It was almost like it was giving birth to the iceberg,” said Kevin. “It’s such an interesting sensory experience – the whole country is, really,” he said. “The cool breeze, the chilly rain … you could almost smell the cold. It was fabulous; it was just awakening.”

They had one day in Ilulissat on their own, choosing to hike along the spectacular Icefjord at the edge of the city. They walked the whole town, and stopped by a community hall where

freshly caught whale meat and blubber were being sold.

Their own culinary experience was more Danish than Greenlandic – fish and chips and pizza, rather than Native food like whale, moose, or reindeer. Kevin learned too late that there was only one such restaurant in Ilulissat and it was booked far in advance.

Another highlight was the Ilimanaq Glacier Adventure, which began with a frigid speedboat trip down the Kangia Fjord, past sea lions playing in the icy waters to the tiny town of Ilimanaq, pop. 53. Their all-terrain hike took them through the Arctic tundra through a squishy green wetland to a gravelly glacier, where they changed from rubber boots to crampons and climbed up to see an expanse of zebralike striations of dark gray and brilliant white, interspersed with bright blue pools.

A long boat ride took them back to their last evening in Ilulissat, where they watched local artisans at work, connected with a local family

eating at an outdoor café, and listened to the sled dogs barking at each other.

“I was surprised at all the things people were doing,” said Kevin Jr. “It’s a whole different lifestyle, and it was pretty impressive how resourceful people can be. We went to a shop where whale meat was for sale, and they were using bone knives to carve the meat.”

They had grown quite fond of the town and were sad to leave, but it was time for their last and biggest adventure: the hike and campout on the Greenland Ice Sheet.

They boarded a plane back to Kangerlussuaq and met with their Danish guide, who took one look at their boots and said, “Nope, they are not sufficient at all; you are not going to be ok.”

He asked their shoe sizes and went to the building where the guides gear up, and came back with three rugged pairs of boots and three pairs of wool socks. They would need boots that were not just water-resistant but waterproof, the guide explained, since

(continued on page 46)

GLACIAL ADVENTURES (Clockwise, from bottom left): A sense of relief and accomplishment after successfully setting up camp on the Greenland Ice Sheet (Sean, left; Kevin Jr., right); sunset over a glacial river on the Greenland ice sheet near Kangerlussuaq; stopping for a rest and a drink from a pure glacial pool on an Albatros Arctic Circle camping adventure (Kevin Jr., Kevin Sr., Sean); the striking striation patterns of Saqqarleq Glacier (Kevin Sr., Sean, Kevin Jr.).

(continued from page 44)

they’d be fording streams along the way. Also, these were higher boots that would support the ankles on the rugged terrain and avoid a possible sprain, which could spell disaster in the treacherous backcountry.

“He was a savior,” said Kevin. “I really got the sense this is not an accommodation they typically make.”

Their tour bus had a fairly large group that was coming for a short hike, but only seven stayed for the campout. The campers were each responsible for hauling gear.

“We were like our own sled dogs, dragging behind our own sleds, and stacked in there were hiking poles, tents for all of us, food, cooking equipment, everything we would need – because there was positively nothing out there on the ice.”

They hiked for about a mile with the guides assessing the constantly changing landscape to find the best place to make camp, then set up their tents before heading out for a beautiful evening hike up to a point high enough where

they would briefly have cell phone reception. “We took a picture of the boys and I on the glacier and sent it to Mom, and she was flabbergasted,” said Kevin. “It was just gorgeous.”

The landscape was otherworldly – “just the vastness of ice as far as you can see. They very much warned us of the dangers; water is underneath and flowing, and you could end up falling into underground caverns. As beautiful as the surroundings are, you don’t want to twist an ankle or fall; the ice is sharp as razor blades.”

Finally back at camp they convened in the common tent, where they learned to chip the ice with an ax and melt it with their Sterno camp stoves so they could make instant coffee or hot chocolate and rehydrate the MREs of their choice.

Though it was time to sleep, it was a challenge – in part because of the excitement, but also because of the cold and wind whipping against their tents in the midnight sun.

In the morning, they breakfasted on crispy,

delicious grilled cheese sandwiches before cleaning up and packing for the hike back, and then, all too soon, the trip back home.

Looking back, Kevin reflects on what for him were the most important aspects of the trip. “We felt so connected to nature, and so removed from electronics,” he said. “In a world that is so wired, to be wireless and surrounded by perpetual beauty and to have a climate that was the antithesis of Houston –it was so invigorating.”

Father and sons alike were moved to be in such a pristine environment, said Kevin, and it made them reflect on how they can take more actions to reduce their environmental impact.

Hiking and camping together in such an extreme environment was also a great bonding experience, he said. “With the wind whipping like that, if it hadn’t been for the teamwork, the three of us working together, there would have been no way to pitch the tent. It really brought us closer together.”

ARCTIC MEMORIES (Clockwise from bottom left): A towering iceberg with reflection in Disko Bay, born from the calving Eqi Glacier; the quaint and colorful town of Ilulissat; Kevin Sr. enjoying the beautiful surroundings on a hike to the Ilulissat Icefjord; an evening kayak among the icebergs in Ilulissat (the Kevins: Sr., left, and Jr.)

by Dai Huynh, staff writer

Chef’s Corner

Benchawan Painter: An unapologetic, authentic Thai chef

The Thai people have the most lyricalsounding name for fish sauce. Many cooks claim nam pla is the most important flavoring ingredient in Thai cooking. Often, for fear of turning off the American palate, restaurants in this country will add too much water to dilute the intensely pungent taste and aroma of fish sauce for diners unable to surrender to its full funky charms. Well, you’re not going to get that at Street to Kitchen.

Street to Kitchen (6501 Harrisburg Blvd.) proclaims that it serves “unapologetically authentic Thai food.” Perhaps this is one reason why the James Beard Foundation selected its chef-owner, Benchawan Painter, as one of five finalists for this year’s Best Chef: Texas. Chef G, as referred to by her friends and patrons because her nickname “Kik” has the tonal sound of “G” in Thai, is determined to introduce Houstonians to the true, undiluted flavors of her homeland, which are sometimes a little jarring to the uninitiated.

However, this full-throttle approach has garnered Street to Kitchen a loyal following. The restaurant is booked up frequently, and the dining room’s teal-trimmed, pretty-in-pink walls ripple with anecdotes and laughs as Chef G’s husband and co-owner, Graham Painter, serves stir-fried basil beef, garlic chive pancakes, and fried veggie spring rolls at nearby tables.

The balance of sweet, salty, sour, and hot often is praised in Thai cooking, along with its harmonious bold flavors, but at too many restaurants, the heat is subdued, and the sweetness intensified as concessions to American palates. The spices are muted, and the herbs are less fresh than they could be. “You’re not going to find that here,” 47-year-old Graham says. “My wife started this restaurant because she couldn’t find food the way it was served in Thailand. So, we are not going to gringolize it here.”

In the kitchen, the 30-year-old Chef G choreographs her moves like a ballerina. Everything is labeled and orderly so that she can move fluidly, effortlessly preparing one dish after the next without hesitation. She worked at several Thai restaurants before opening her own minutes from her East End home, but most aren’t organized like this, she says. She learned

this lesson while cooking at Theodore Rex, whose James Beard Award-winning chef-owner Justin Yu stresses teamwork and that you can never over-prep.

You can barely squeeze three cooks into Chef G’s little kitchen. Her refrigeration space is also limited, and she orders just enough ingredients for the week. She relies on what’s in season and the farmers’ market. “It’s good,” she says, adding that it isn’t any different than back home in Central Thailand, where she fell in love with cooking at her grandmother’s knees. Her yaai used to say that if “you use fresh ingredients, the flavors will be good. You won’t need to add or do too much to the dish.”

The briny perfume of fish sauce fills the pocket-sized, 38-seat dining room attached to a

Valero gas station – along with the heady scents of Thai basil, galangal, coconut, lemongrass, lime, garlic, and chilies. Diners – diving into a faultlessly crisped whole, head-on branzino, green papaya salads, and stir-fry pad see ew with flat noodles coated with caramelized soy sauce and seared pork – barely notice the blare of horns and the rumble of the light rail train zooming across the overpass right outside the restaurant.

“This feels like Bangkok,” says Graham, a Houston native who met his wife while working as a creative director in Thailand. “If we close our eyes at night, it almost feels like we’re back home in Bangkok. Our image for this place is based on Thonglor, the Soho of Bangkok. Thonglor is this hip place

(continued on page 50)

CHEF G Covid-19 pushed Chef Benchawan Painter – known as “Chef G” by friends and patrons because her nickname “Kik” has the tonal sound of “G” in Thai – and husband Graham to open Street to Kitchen sooner than planned, but their pandemic to-go business boomed with staples including drunken noodles made with homegrown Thai basil.

Raul Margarito Casares

full of designers, fashionistas, and hole-in-the-wall, chef-driven concepts like this. So, when we built Street to Kitchen, we told ourselves, ‘We’re not in Houston. We’re not in the U.S. We’re in Thonglor.’”

With that theme, Chef G offers no modifications or substitutions. For example, her curries don’t have the typical choices of chicken, beef, pork, or shrimp. In fact, you won’t see beef as a curry option because it is rarely eaten in Thailand, she says. Also, certain curries pair better with specific proteins. Therefore, Chef G has taken the guesswork out by offering massaman curry with only chicken or veggies. Her green curry comes with chicken or veggies, while the red curry can be made with veggies, shrimp, or chicken. The rare occasion Street to Kitchen offers beef is an overnight braised curry.

Diners also don’t have the option of mild, medium, or spicy. “We don’t adjust the spicy level,” says Chef G, adding that she avoids storebought curry pastes because they’re salty and lack complexity. Instead, the spicy level is pre-determined by the kind of curry paste she makes. “Massaman shouldn’t be spicy. It is the mildest of curries. Green curry should have a kick, but be followed by sweet and salty,” she says. “Now, if you want spicy, go for the red curry. This is how it is, and I try to go back to how I eat in Thailand.”

Whenwe asked for a recipe that even a novice home cook could prepare, the Street to Kitchen chef offered pad see ew without hesitation. It’s quick, easy, and perfect for a weeknight family meal. It’s also super kid-friendly because the chili powder is served on the side, giving each diner the option of adding it.

Pad See Ew

16 ounces pork, thinly sliced

5 tablespoons oyster sauce, divided

3 eggs, divided

2 tablespoons sugar

2 teaspoons fresh cracked black pepper, divided

2 tablespoons canola oil or another vegetable oil, plus more for the egg

1 tablespoon minced garlic

16 ounces fresh sen yai or other fresh wide rice noodles (see note)

2 tablespoons mushroom soy sauce

4-5 stalks of gai lan (Chinese broccoli) sliced into 2-inch-long, ¼-inch-thick pieces with stems attached

2 tablespoons sweet soy sauce

1 tablespoon chili powder (optional)

In a medium bowl, mix 2 tablespoons oyster sauce, 1 egg, sugar, and 1 teaspoon black pepper. Add pork and, using a large fork or chopsticks, gently rotate slices to coat the marinade onto all sides. Cover with Saran Wrap and place in the refrigerator for four hours. When ready to cook, line up the ingredients in the order they’ll be added to the pan. Also, pad see ew is best served hot, so turn on the stove when the family has gathered to eat.

Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a 14-inch wok, heavy 12-inch skillet or a large Dutch oven over high heat until it smokes. Add the pork to the hot pan in a single layer. Let cook, undisturbed, until well-browned, about one minute, then stirfry until just cooked through, about one minute more, pressing it against the pan to sear.

Stir in the garlic with the pork, then add

noodles, spreading them around in the pan, then toss and separate them with chopsticks or a wok turner, tongs, or both. When the noodles are sizzling, add mushroom soy sauce, oyster sauce, and black pepper. Toss noodles to coat and cook through. Keep cooking, leaving noodles undisturbed for about 20 seconds until they sear and caramelize.

When the sauce is half absorbed, add the gai lan and stir-fry just until bright and beginning to wilt, 30 to 45 seconds. Push the greens to one side of the pan, add enough oil to lightly coat the other side, and add the slightly beaten remaining eggs. Use the spatula to scramble the eggs, stirring and scraping until cooked, about one minute. Toss with the sweet soy sauce (add more to taste if you wish). When the noodles have absorbed all the liquid and the flavors are balanced, transfer the pad see ew onto a large serving dish and serve immediately with chili powder on the side. Each diner can sprinkle a little chili on top or not. Makes four servings.

Note: Fresh sen yai or other fresh wide rice noodles is sold at groceries, including 99 Ranch Market (1005 Blalock Road) and Hong Kong Food Market (11205 Bellaire Blvd.). To get a taste of Chef G’s cooking, visit her Street to Kitchen stall at the Urban Harvest Farmers Market (2752 Buffalo Speedway). She sells her signature Thai Omelet for $12 every Saturday morning at the market. The omelets made with seasonal ingredients are only available at Urban Harvest, not at her restaurant.

Editor’s note: Buzz dining columnist Dai Huynh is a James Beard food-journalism award winner and longtime Houston-based restaurant writer.

STREET TO KITCHEN On left: Pad see ew with pork, a stir-fried noodle dish some historians believed was introduced to Thailand by Chinese traders in the 1700s. On right: An occasional weekend special, dry-aged Wagyu is grilled rare, Tiger-cries style.

(continued from page 48)

. by Todd Freed, staff writer

SportzBuzz

With a remarkable tenth SPC Championship in the last eleven seasons, the Kinkaid Falcons continued their dominance in boys high school golf. The Falcons won this year’s SPC championship by a lofty 47 stroke margin over second place Dallas St. Mark’s. It also marked Kinkaid’s seventh straight SPC boys golf title.

“Our guys stayed focused all year round,” said Falcons golf coach Bobby Eggleston. “It’s an experienced group that practices hard and loves to play golf. They considered the SPC tournament a business trip and just went out there and got the job done.”

The Falcons featured four of the top five finishers including individual medalist Jaivir Pande. The Rice University signee fired a 70 and then a 73 over the two rounds of play. “Jaivir is not only a really good golfer, but he’s also a great individual,” said Eggleston. “He has a tremendous work ethic and is a role model for our younger guys on the team. Jaivir finds a way to shoot between 68 to 73 every time out. In his four years here, I’d say he’s maybe had three or four rounds over par. He’s just been incredibly solid for us.”

Finishing second overall at the SPC tournament was Kinkaid’s Will Anderson, who carded a 74 and 72 over the 36 holes. In addition, Kinkaid’s Ford Montgomery and Tyler Karkowsky finished tied for fourth while fellow Falcon Charlie Sole rounded out the field for the newly crowned SPC champions.

In baseball, the Episcopal Knights captured this year’s SPC Championship with a decisive 13-0 victory over Houston Christian in the SPC tournament final. Episcopal erupted for a season high of 14 hits while pitcher Preston Sullivan allowed only one hit in a game ultimately ended by the ten-run rule.

The blowout victory in the SPC final came one day after Episcopal rallied for two runs in its final at bat for a dramatic 2-1 victory over rival St. John’s in the SPC semifinals. Senior centerfielder Baron Dichoso capped off the Knights’ dramatic victory by knocking in the game-winning run, while pitcher Adam Katz fired a two-

hitter in the Knights victory. “We won 14 of our last 15 games and our guys just had a refuse-tolose mentality. I’m just very proud of them,” said Episcopal head coach Matt Fox

It was pretty much a tale of two seasons for the Knights, who had an uncharacteristic 8-10 record through their first 18 games. “We just kept finding ways to win,” said Fox. “It all started with our 11-inning comeback win over Houston Christian in the regular season and continuing through victories like our nine-inning win over Kinkaid, where we again had to rally late to pull out the victory.”

With a standout season on the mound to go along with a .338 batting average, Katz was named the Knights’ team MVP. The Falcons senior will next play at Davidson College. In addition, fellow senior Andrew Thornton, who’ll play college baseball at Washington and Lee University, won the team’s leadership award. “Andrew is the best defensive third baseman I’ve had in 21 years,” added Fox.

In tennis, Memorial Mustangs Tara Ahmadi and Sofia Mazzucato teamed up to win the UIL 6A Girls Doubles State Tennis Championship. The duo captured the title with a three-set victory over their opponents from Round Rock’s Westwood in the state finals. The victory also marked the fourth state championship over the

years in girls doubles for the Mustangs.

“It was a huge accomplishment for Tara and Sofia,” said Memorial tennis coach Budd Booth. “They had lost to the Westwood team they played in the state finals twice earlier in the season, but the third time was the charm. They worked extremely hard to win that title and I’m very proud of them. I also want to give credit to our assistant coach Brian Mandell, who did a great job with them while I was overseeing our mixed doubles team that was playing in the state finals at the same time.”

The Mustangs mixed doubles tandem of Kat Lowy and Egor Morozov came within one victory of a state championship before falling to Plano West in a tough three-set match in the state final. “Kat and Egor had an incredible season,” said Booth. “They had an undefeated 400 record leading into the state final. They were disappointed not to win state, but Kat is only a sophomore and Egor is a junior, so they’ll have a great shot at it next year.”

Editor’s note: Todd Freed is the host and executive producer of H-Town High School Sports, which airs Saturday at 10:30 p.m. on CW39 and Monday-Thursday on AT&T SportsNet SW. To submit high school sports news for possible inclusion in SportzBuzz, please email todd@thebuzzmagazines.com.

GREAT AT STATE The Memorial Mustangs duo of Tara Ahmadi and Sofia Mazzucato (left) captured the UIL 6A Girls State Double Championship while teammates Egor Morozov and Katy Lowry (right) were state runner-up in mixed doubles.

. by Annie Blaylock McQueen, staff writer

SportzBuzz Jr.

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

Baseball buds

The Spring Branch-Memorial Sports Association 8U baseball team, with many players from Rummel Creek Elementary, came out strong at the end of their season after working hard in their first year together. The team, the Asheville Tourists, also known as the Moonshots (paying homage to the professional team the Tourists, who used to be called the Moonshiners) had an impressive four-game winning streak at one point in the season. The boys were coached by Casey Gregerson, Seth Michaelson, and Chris Madden. Pictured (from left) are players Sebastian Moreno, Shaan Gupta, Van Michaelson, Oliver Kurkowski, Henry Bauer, Aidan Madden, Fynn Gregerson, Charlie Schneider, Calvin Ludtke, Carlos Moranos. Not pictured: Michael Silberman.

Another triathlon under their belts

The Typhoon Texas Kids Triathlon, presented by Texas Children’s Hospital, was recently held at the Typhoon Texas waterpark in Katy. Brothers and avid athletes David and Jack Bernatova (pictured, from left) proudly displayed their medals after a grit-filled performance in the race. David placed third of the almost 400 kids this year and Jack was third in the 8-year-old group. David has won two first-place titles, one second place, and three third-place titles since the age of 6 in a variety of triathlons (not just Typhoon Texas). Jack has had two first places, one second place, and two third places since the age of 6. They have placed in the top three in every single triathlon since 2019. Their little sister Mariana, 2, cheers them on along the sidelines at all their races.

Thanks for the memories, POLL

The 2023 Post Oak Little League Juniors Hat Ceremony is a special, time-honored tradition each year that is dedicated to the players of Post Oak Little League and their years in the league. Pictured (from left) being honored this year are Grant Sperandio, Evan Jones, Harrison Cornett, Phillip Bandy, John Ware Simons, and Alexander Ramirez. This Post Oak Little League tradition takes place when the boys reach age 14 and graduate out from the league. With 76 participants, this was the largest class to be celebrated in Post Oak history. Each player was presented with a special hat including a pin from each of the teams they played on.

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.

Matt Bennett

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Every weekday morning, enjoy your coffee + the buzz in your inbox. Our e-newsletter, Morning Buzz, features buzzworthy stories about neighbors every day, Monday-Friday.

Sign up to find out what we’re buzzing about at thebuzzmagazines.com/morning-buzz.

DIRT AND DETERMINATION Natalia Norris, a freshman at St. Agnes Academy, poses after finishing the 2023 MUDGIRL race. MUDGIRL is an annual charity race held in several cities around the U.S. and has raised more than $300,000 for breast cancer research.

by Natalia Norris, age 15

Buzz Kidz

Overcoming obstacles

Beep, beep, beep!” My ears ring from the piercing alarm. I wonder how deep of a surge of motivation I must have been in to willingly set an alarm for 7 a.m. on a Saturday. Wait, Saturday – today was the long awaited MUDGIRL race! I jumped out of bed and ran downstairs. My mom and I drove to Conroe, talking about our expectations for the three 5K, 17-obstacle run. When we arrived, there was a long line of cars, but we eventually found my mom’s friends and daughters. We eagerly ran towards the start and began to warm up. There were crowds of women in pink, many wearing t-shirts dedicated to a loved one who experienced breast cancer. MUDGIRL Houston is not only a fun challenge but has donated more than $300,000 towards breast cancer research.

Within minutes, a voice shouted, “3, 2,

1...Go!” Off I went with my friend Kianna Vaz by my side, realizing quickly that our mothers would not be able to keep up with us. Everyone seemed to be doing the obstacles at their own pace, as if they found running, climbing, and being submerged in thick mud to be relaxing or even therapeutic. Every grunt was followed by infectious laughter as mud covered our bodies. Some groups showed solidarity by speed walking instead of running to stay together, but I ran through the obstacles on my own. After passing a group that had started before me, I naively thought, “This is so easy, I could do it twice.”

This was my mindset until I came upon two giant mounds of slippery mud. They clearly couldn’t be crossed alone. It required teamwork. Many people stood on someone else’s hands, as

they were given a boost to the top, where they would link arms and reach down to help the next women up. When I got through this obstacle, I realized it was more fun relying on a community of strangers than attempting the climb by myself.

When I reached the finish line, I talked to newfound friends about our hardest obstacles. When my group arrived, we laughed about the best and worst parts of our journey. This trial helped me see that life’s difficulties are easier and livelier with a community.

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.

Longer and stronger pollen seasons

Last month, I wrote that 25% of American adults now suffer from allergic rhinitis (hay fever). The hygiene hypothesis mostly explains why this has happened, but since The Buzz gives a limited amount of words in this space, I really didn’t get to express the complete picture. Compared to 1990, pollen seasons typically start 20 days earlier and last 10 days longer. An allergic reaction is essentially a “false alarm”. That is, an overreaction to a harmless substance.

So, what to do if allergen avoidance and medications don’t work? Allergen immunotherapy (allergy shots or drops) works very well to prevent those false alarms if prescribed and administered correctly. What does “prescribed and administered correctly” mean? Well, for one thing, don’t get your allergy shots prescribed by someone who isn’t board certified by the American Board of Allergy & Immunology. Medical allergists undergo rigorous training on how to dose allergy shots properly, so that we don’t mix ingredients that hamper or impede each other, and we use therapeutic doses high enough that can actually make you non-allergic. Second, if you decide to go with allergy drops, don’t buy them just anywhere. You know that label “Cedar Fever” on that bottle of store-bought drops that says it contains Mountain Cedar and the dose is “12x”. Do you know what that means? They took one milliliter of Mountain Cedar and made a 1:10 dilution 12 times. So that 30 mL bottle contains 0.000000000003 mL of Mtn Cedar. Guess what. That’s a placebo dose. That’s really a very, very low placebo dose. Sold as a supplement and not an FDA approved medicine, it doesn’t need to provide any proof that it is effective. But look on the bright side.

You only have a 0.000000000003% chance of anaphylaxis from that dose, so you don’t have to waste money on an EpiPen! Plus, placebos have been shown to work about 30% of the time. So, who knows. Maybe the placebo will work for you. While you’re at it, buy a few lottery tickets if you feel that lucky.

But if you’re really allergic and you want real relief, see the only group of allergists in the Houston area who have had two of their doctors as long-time members of the immunotherapy committee of the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology. You know, the group that requires that their members are actually physicians who did fellowships in allergy & immunology and that their fellows are actually board certified. And not board certified in environmental medicine or clinical ecology. But board certified by the one and only American Board of Allergy & Immunology.

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.

David B. Engler, M.D., The Allergy Clinic, 7707 Fannin, Suite 100, Houston, Texas 77054, 713.797.0993, *1200 Binz, Suite 1400, Houston, Texas 77004, 713.522.9911, www.allergyclinic.com, *Operating as Houston Allergy and Asthma Clinic

Neighborhood Tails

Theodore, age 2.5, Great Pyrenees Mix, Woodthorpe Lane

Hey y'all! Theodore here, but my family calls me Teddy for short. I am a 100-pound Great Pyrenees mix from the Great Pyrenees Rescue Society, which is based here in Spring. My human parents fostered me when I was a cute, fluffy little puppy and decided to permanently add me to the family. Now I am a BIG fluffy puppy. Life is sweet for me. I sleep a lot and I love food. I also love to jump on the couch and watch TV shows like PAW Patrol with my human siblings. I think I would make a great addition to the PAW Patrol squad. Life is never dull for me because I am the happiest, sweetest dog, and I rarely have a gloomy day. My favorite activity is sneaking in and stealing little chomps of leftover breakfast after my human siblings leave for school in the morning. Life is good! 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.

December 31, 2025 will be the most exciting New Year’s Eve in living memory for transfer tax nerds. That’s the last day to make a gift before the estate, gift, and generation-skipping transfer (GST) tax exemptions are cut in half. Most of us need not worry about it. Some will enjoy worrying about it, but should not. Very few can and should do anything with the opportunity.

The unified estate, gift, and GST exemptions increased to $5 million in 2011, with an inflation adjustment after 2011. That $5 million temporarily doubled to $10 million both for taxpayers dying and for gifts made between 2018 and 2025. With the inflation index, the exemption amount is almost $13 million for 2023 ($12,920,000 to be precise). Without an act of Congress, come January 1, 2026, that exemption amount will be cut in half, to about $6.5 million (an inflation index will remain).

Initially, there was concern that taxpayers could not exempt the largest gifts made between 2018 and 2025 without also dying between 2018 and 2025. Final regulations in 2019 clarified that taxpayers can rely on the date of death exemption or the date of gift exemption, whichever is larger. In plain English, there’s a $6.5 million freebie that’s use it or lose it. If you have a spare dollar, or $6.5 million, you can give it away before 2026, and tax free. After, that same $6.5 million is taxed at 40% on gift or death.

Normal people with $6.5 million quit work. Their estates are not taxable anyway, and it usually doesn’t help them or their children to make big gifts. December 31, 2025 will be just another boring New Year’s for these peo-

ple.

A surprising number of people even with $6.5 million cannot afford major gifts. They have a $1 million home, their lifestyle costs $350,000 a year, and they need $10 million in liquid assets to maintain that lifestyle in retirement. Pity them. They cannot afford to retire, much less give money away. Their children will still get $6.5 million transfer-tax free (per parent), and will just have to scrape by after paying 40% on the excess.

Only those who have excess capital, and lots of it, should worry about 2026. A conservative plan assumes $1 million in liquid assets is needed for every $35,000 in annual expenses, after taxes, inflation, and investment advisory fees. Add a cushion for unfunded liabilities, e.g., long-term care. Multiply by 20%, just to be safe. If you don’t have $1 million or more in excess capital, don’t bother with major gifts before 2026.

We write wills and go to probate court. Foreign nationals and international families welcome.

Russell W. Hall, J.D., LL.M. (Tax), Board Certified – Estate Planning and Probate Law, Texas Board of Legal Specialization, 6750 West Loop South, Suite 920, Bellaire, Texas 77401, 713.662.3853, bellaireprobate.com/blog

. by Angie Frederickson, staff writer

Buzz About Town

Deep roots

BBYO reunion: 1975-80 grads

More than 425 tree-loving Houstonians celebrated 40 years of Trees for Houston at the annual Root Ball. Blaine Larson, Katharine Larson, Andrew Dickerman, Erin Dickerman, Alyssa Davis, Luke Davis, Randi Koenig, Jeff Koenig, Bobby Sawicki and Mariel Sawicki (pictured, from left) joined other guests to support efforts to plant, protect, and promote trees throughout Greater Houston. Board member David R. Graham was honored for his involvement in the organization’s success in planting nearly 800,000 trees. Guests were welcomed with blackberry crostini and crab cake appetizers, and a signature cocktail “The Tree Breeze,” before being entertained by the Tin Man Band. At the end of the evening, guests received a birdseed ornament as a party favor. The successful event raised $520,000.

Plans are in the works for a BBYO reunion this fall. A group of old friends recently reunited at the home of Kathy Kaplan Parven to track down fellow Houston BBYO alumni who graduated from high school between 1975 and 1980. The group is part of a planning committee that is organizing an unofficial reunion on Nov. 25, 2023. Craig Howard, AZA #136 alum, is sponsoring the event, and former members of the youth organization are invited to join the fun and reconnect with lifelong and long-lost friends. Pictured from left are (top row): Suzie Finger Daum, Andrea Altman Croft, Larry Sklar, Lisa Kwartler Leva, Ralph Gardner, Chuck Goldman, Rebeca Spiegelman Zurawin, Holly Segal Plost, Lois Worchel Elitzky, Peter Loftspring, and Richard Seline; (middle row): Bernice Blum, Jay Dushkin, Elyse Selzer Schultz, Sabrina Zelikow Engel, Rochelle (Shelly) Palla, Adele Goldstein Croft, and Steve Croft; (bottom row): Shari Penner and Serena Brooks; not pictured: Kathy Kaplan Parven. For more information and to join the mailing list, BBYO alums can complete this form: bit.ly/3VBSVW6.

Will there be wine?

Memorial High School alum Whitney Cubbison (pictured, left, with fellow MHS Class of 1994 alum Sapna Amin Mehta) released her debut romcom novel, Will There Be Wine? The book, while fiction, was inspired by Whitney’s

own experiences as an ex-pat divorcee living in Paris and navigating the world of dating in a foreign country. After graduating from MHS, Whitney went to UCLA and eventually started her career in writing and communications. A corporate-communications job with Microsoft took her to Paris and set the stage for her first novel. Whitney enjoys coming home to Houston to visit family and friends and made a recent appearance in town while on her book tour.

Tickled pink

Dressed in varying shades of pink, Trey Lewis, Emily Lewis, Donna and Norman Lewis, Allison Cattan Lewis, and Cy Cattan (pictured, from left) attended the Tickled Pink luncheon benefitting the American Cancer Society. Supporters gathered at the ballroom at the Post Oak Hotel and raised more than $300,000 for breast cancer research and services. Luncheon chairs were breast cancer survivor Donna Lewis, Allison

(continued on page 62)

Daniel Ortiz

Daniel Ortiz

Cattan Lewis, and Emily Lewis; honorary chairs were breast cancer survivor Leisa Holland-Nelson Bowman and Millette Sherman. The afternoon included a showing of models in the special Tickled Pink collection, designed by Christy Lynn and available at Tootsies. When Dr. Rick Ngo, former board chairman and Jeff Fehlis, executive vice president for the American Cancer Society asked everyone in the room who was either a cancer survivor, a caregiver, or knew someone with cancer to stand, more than 500 people rose from their chairs.

Crawfish for a cause

Crawfish season brought supporters of the Nick Finnegan Counseling Center (NFCC) out for a traditional afternoon boil. Mary Elizabeth, Robert, Annie, and Will Hand (pictured, from left) attended the 13th annual Crack ’em for a Cause crawfish boil that raised $138,000 to provide affordable mental-health services to people in the community. The Nick Finnegan Counseling Center was founded by Susan and Bill Finnegan, in memory of their son, Nick. The event was held at Memorial Trail Ice House, owned by Nick’s childhood friend John Shaeffer John worked with NFCC executive director Mary Elizabeth Hand to honor Nick’s memory, and event chairs Leanne and West Gotcher, Amanda and Ryan Savoie, and Leigh and Jeff Williams put together a memorable afternoon.

More than 400 supporters attended the all-youcan-eat crawfish event with face painting for the kids and music by Cooper Mohrmann.

An Aggie family tradition

Texas A&M University student Mary Margaret Williamson (pictured, second from left with classmates Emma Alexander, Caroline Lett, Caroline Dethloff, and Ashley Ayers) celebrated with family and friends after receiving her Aggie Ring. Receiving the ring is a proud moment for each Aggie because it is a recognition of completing specific academic requirements. Traditionally, students wear their ring with the class year facing them to designate they are still current students. At graduation, students ceremoniously turn their rings around to face the world. Mary Margaret, a graduate of St. Agnes Academy, will begin her senior year at A&M this fall. She comes from a devoted Aggie family, including parents Michelle and Ernie, and older brother Travis. Her younger brother John will join her on campus in August as an incoming freshman.

Inspiring young writers

Supporters of Writers in the Schools (WITS) celebrated 40 years of encouraging a love of reading and writing at Chapter 40: An Odyssey of Impact gala. Liz and Steven Bender (pictured) chaired the event at the Junior League of Houston that honored Phillip Lopate who founded WITS in 1983. Lopate, a former University of Houston professor, started the pro-

gram by collaborating with local public-school teachers to make reading and writing a more fun and creative experience. Today, WITS offers

creative-writing workshops and sponsors the city’s youth and adult poet laureates. Gala guests enjoyed dinner and dancing and heard from Houston’s youth poet laureate Ariana Lee who premiered the poem she wrote to commemorate the 40th anniversary of WITS.

85 years of Lamar High School

Alumni and families gathered to celebrate the 85th anniversary of Lamar High School. Principal Rita Hayes welcomed hundreds of guests back into the halls where they spent their high-school days. The (continued on page 64)

Nick Finnegan Counseling Center

Johnny Than

(continued from page 62)

Lamar band performed as alumni walked through the Grand Hall to the renovated 1938 building and entered the Ned Holmes Performance Hall for a special program. Guests enjoyed listening to Lamar’s choir and orchestra, and alumni board president Max Shilstone shared information about improvements made to the school, scholarships for graduates, and efforts to support the teachers. After the program, the crowd was led to the front lawn by the cheerleaders to take an 85th anniversary photo (pictured), before enjoying lunch with former classmates and tours of the new facilities.

Helping kids stay in school

Supporters of Communities in Schools of Houston (CIS) gathered at the Post Oak Hotel

for the Stay in School gala. Suzanne Farrow, CIS board member Suzanne Stiles, Christi Tullos, Shannon Mahan, and Courtney Anderson (pictured, from left) were among the 475 guests at the event that raised $425,000 for CIS programming for academic support, mentoring, and mental-health services for local atrisk students. Emcee Lisa Malosky welcomed the crowd and introduced Rev. Matt Russell, Chapelwood United Methodist Church, who gave the invocation. After hearing from board president Omar Reid, the crowd listened to testimonials from students, including a senior from Northbrook High School. She shared that she will be attending Barnard College at Columbia University in New York City in the fall, and credits CIS with helping her be successful.

Following the program, guests hit the dance floor with music from The Spazmatics and stayed up way too late on a school night.

Art car on display

Sherwood Elementary students Drew Spencer and Zachary Mueller (pictured, from left) enjoyed a fun art project with art teacher Dana Wade, inspired by Arthur Zarr's Amazing Art Car, a book by local author Cathey Nickell Dana started by reading the book to the class and discussing how Arthur’s world changes for the better because he decided to decorate his car. She challenged students to draw their own versions of an art car, and the class voted to select one drawing to represent the class in the Spring Branch Independent School District’s (SBISD) Literacy and Art Trail. The students adorned the winning drawing with paint, beads, and rhinestones, and it was proudly displayed among works from other students and schools.

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.

Jenny Antill

. by Andria Frankfort Dilling, staff writer

Back Porch

Summer reading 2023: Uplifting reads

Every summer, Back Porch takes a month to share what books neighbors are finding engrossing and inspiring. Sort of a “people’s choice” version of Cindy Burnett’s expert monthly Buzz Reads column.

This is our month, and this year’s theme is uplifting. It’s been a long three years – someone recently said, However long ago you think something happened, add three years. Did we lose them or were we just in a twilight zone? Doesn’t matter – there isn’t anyone who couldn’t use a little happy this summer.

Carin Collins is always reading, whether that means she’s reading an actual book or listening to one being narrated on her walks. “I love listening on Audible, because you get the voices,” she says. Carin, who works in wine sales, enjoys a laugh-out-loud book, or at least one that brings a smile. “Everything we read right now is about gender and race and politics,” she says. “But I have read a few that might not be Nobel Prizewinning but made me smile.”

One book she says made her laugh out loud is The Guncle by Steven Rowley. “It’s kind of a sad story – very sweet and touching. But the Gay Uncle, Guncle, has never had kids before and suddenly has to take over the care of his niece and nephew after their parents die. He makes these crazy rules he thinks make sense for children – you can Google ‘Guncle Rules’ – which make no sense.” The Guncle was named to numerous “best beach reads” lists last summer.

“There’s another sweet one called The Magic of Lemon Drop Pie,” Carin says. “It’s a love story with an unexpected twist, which I hate to hear people say, because then you’re looking for the twist the whole time!” Written by Rachel Linden about life’s circumstances and the path not taken, Carin says the novel “makes you feel good about wherever you are.”

Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus lands on Carin’s list not only because it’s a “best book of the year” many times over or because it’s a funny delve into feminism and what it was like to be a brilliant woman chemist in the ’60s, but also because “one of the neatest parts is that one of the characters is the dog, and there are chapters written from his perspective,” she says. An Amazon Review says: “If you’re looking for deli-

cious hilarity, characters filled with competency and quirk, and pure entertainment, then read Bonnie Garmus’ exuberant novel.”

The Jung Center – which once was named Houston’s “quirkiest bookstore” by Texas Monthly – holds the largest collection of books on depth psychology in the Southwest. Where better to look for books that help us refresh and renew? We asked Elissa Davis, longtime manager of The Jung Center’s bookstore, for her favorite picks for uplifting reads.

“Anything by Kate Bowler,” Elissa says. Bowler is the bestselling author, inspiring podcaster, and professor at Duke University Divinity School who is known for encouraging people to move beyond perfection to live lives that are “joyfully mediocre” (which was the title of her 2022 series of emails containing summer blessings).

Bowler’s latest book, co-authored with Jessica Richie, is The Lives We Actually Have: 100 Blessings for Imperfect Days. It's “a reminder that we don’t need to wait for perfect lives when we can bless the lives we already have.” Other books from Kate Bowler include the national bestsellers No Cure for Being Human (And Other Truths I Need to Hear) and Everything Happens

for a Reason (And Other Lies I’ve Loved).

Elissa’s next pick comes from Koshin Paley Ellison. Untangled: Walking the Eightfold Path to Clarity, Courage, and Compassion is an introduction to a Buddhist way of finding meaning and aligning with our core values in order to “create a life of true pleasure” in the midst of a world that is increasingly filled with unhealthy distractions disguised as connection (think social media), often resulting in loneliness.

The Stress Prescription: 7 Days to More Joy and Ease by psychologist and stress expert Elissa Epel is also on Elissa Davis’ list. “It’s a little book,” she says, “and the copies I ordered for the bookstore flew out the door in a week. For me, that’s hotcakes!”

And for little ones, Elissa loves May All People and Pigs Be Happy by local mindfulness teacher Micki Fine Pavlicek. Elissa loves the book so much, she made a felt pig, complete with a tiny felt bow in her hair, to gift her goddaughter alongside the book.

Happy summer, and happy reading!

Editor's note: For more book recommendations, see this month's Buzz Reads plus our weekly Page Turners column by Cindy Burnett.

HAPPY READING This summer is the perfect time to enjoy a few uplifting books.