The West University Buzz - August 2024

Alex Narcisse

Remembering Susan Farb Morris Elite Volleyball Sisters Sine of Success After-School Snacks Carpool Conversations

Resounding Resilience:

Students’ Journeys with Hearing Loss

by Cathy Gordon

Travel Buzz: Love on the French Riviera Returning the Shopping Cart?

Houston, TX Permit No. 2047

Right Under Your Feet

PAID US Postage PRSRT STD

Buzz Reads

PUBLISHER’S NOTE In 2002, I received a call from Susan Farb Morris, a well-known PR professional. She introduced herself, explaining that she was pitching a new piece of business that required advertising and marketing in addition to PR and thought we could possibly work together. We met, hit it off immediately, pitched the account together, and won the business. That is how I came to know Susan, aka the PR Fairy. I don’t recall who suggested that Susan reach out to me, but I was grateful. Her timing could not have been better. Joni and I had moved from Portland a few years earlier and I didn’t yet know many Houstonians. I was working as a marketing consultant, and Joni and I had started The Buzz about six months earlier.

Over the years, Susan became a dear friend who always encouraged Joni and me, personally and professionally. Susan would often call with story ideas or to connect us with a resident or she would send a photo when she spotted something with the word “Buzz” during her travels around the globe.

On multiple occasions, she’d bring thoughtful little gifts wishing us congratulations on Buzz milestones. We still have those gifts; they mean so much to us. In June, Susan passed away far too soon after a tragic accident. Like many, I am fortunate to have known her. Read more about Susan in Cindy Gabriel’s article this month. May Susan’s memory be a blessing. And may we all take time this August, on what should have marked Susan’s 69th birthday, to remember her, do some good in the world, and celebrate our loved ones, as she would’ve wanted. michael@thebuzzmagazines.com

THE BUZZ MAGAZINES BELLAIRE • WEST UNIVERSITY • MEMORIAL • TANGLEWOOD/RIVER OAKS Published by Hoffman Marketing & Media, LLC 5001 Bissonnet St., Suite 100, Bellaire, Texas 77401 info@thebuzzmagazines.com • p: 713.668.4157 • f: 713.665.2940 Follow us on Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram and Twitter thebuzzmagazines.com Editor-in-Chief Publisher Editor Associate Editor Design Manager Staff Writers

Contributing Writers Account Managers

Interns

Joni Hoffman Michael Hoffman Jordan Magaziner Steinfeld Caroline Siegfried John Duboise Tracy L. Barnett, Sharon Albert Brier, Cindy Burnett, Andria Dilling, Angie Frederickson, Todd Freed, Cindy Gabriel, Cathy Gordon, Michelle Groogan, Dai Huynh, Annie Blaylock McQueen, Pooja Salhotra, Cheryl Ursin Ben Portnoy, Lucy Walker Andrea Blitzer Leslie Little Jo Rogers Natalie French, Anna Galan, Gia Gaston, Lucy Walker

On our cover: Alex Narcisse, 16, wrote an autobiographical picture book encouraging kids who are deaf and hard of hearing to pursue their dreams of playing sports.

Cover photo by Dylan Aguilar The Buzz Magazines has made all reasonable attempts to verify the accuracy of all information contained within. Advertising claims are solely the responsibility of the advertiser. Copyright © 2024 Hoffman Marketing & Media, LLC. All rights reserved. Reproduction of any portion of this magazine by any means without written permission is strictly prohibited. Printed on recycled paper. Please remember to recycle.

WEST UNIVERSITY BUZZ AUGUST 2024 4

WEST UNIVERSITY BUZZ AUGUST 2024 5

MAILBAG

Your letters, thoughts, opinions Made our day, too How nice it was to connect with you [Joni] and Michael after too long a hiatus. Although 8 years have passed, I can never forget that wonderful story Behind the Lens [Behind the Lens: The life of a LIFE photographer by Cathy Gordon, Nov. 2016] you published about my career as a photojournalist for LIFE Magazine.

To repeat it once again [in the July 2024 issue] was extremely gratifying.

Imagine my surprise when several people recognized me and came over to pay a compliment.

As an old cliche goes – “you made my day”!

Bob Gomel Editor’s note: As we wrote in our July 2024 issue, in the history of The Buzz, we have never reprinted an article, until now. Bob Gomel’s historical Life magazine images are timeless. So, it seemed fitting to revisit this beautifully written profile on renowned photographer Bob Gomel in the same issue as our annual photo contest.

Missing the dining column I’m a Bellaire resident and enjoy reading your magazine. I’ve noticed that in the past two or three issues of The Bellaire Buzz, Dai Huynh’s column on food [Chef’s Corner] has been absent. Is she on leave? It appears she’s still with The Buzz since her name appears as one of the staff writers in your masthead in the June 2024 issue. Her column often guided me to check out a restaurant and/or a chef that appeared in her article.

Well, hoping to see her writing reappear in The Buzz before too long.

Thanks.

Raj Khadka Editor’s note: We were happy to hear from you, Raj, as we also love Dai’s dining columns and will take as much Dai as we can get! Thankfully, she continues to contribute to The Buzz, just not every month. Her most recent column, Greek Traditions, with Little Twists, in our July 2024 issue, featured Kriti Kitchen’s chef Mary Cuclis. If you missed it, or want to revisit past dining columns, see thebuzzmagazines.com/columns/chefs-corner.

Star struck I am a thirty-year resident of West University and have been a fan of The Buzz since it made its debut. Although I love all that I read in your magazine, my favorite writer is Cindy Gabriel. I just happened to see her walk past my table at a local restaurant and was so star struck, I had to reach out and touch her. I felt giddy inside and could not wait to tell her how much I loved her writing and how her stories always left me with a smile or at least a lesson to ponder. She was most gracious and actually entertained my infatuation for quite some time.

Meeting Cindy made my Friday night, well, she actually made my whole weekend. On second thought, I'm still talking about it! Bonus – I got to meet Stan the Man too!

Debbie Gill

Best of the book lists Cindy Burnett: I always catch your Buzz Reads in the West U magazine and want to thank you for seeking out the best books and revealing new and exciting authors that I wouldn’t otherwise learn about. You make the NYT Best Seller List (which recycles the same people endlessly) look like amateur hour compared to the writers you find and pass along to avid readers such as myself. I just finished Go As A River by Shelley Read, which was such a revelation. I was beginning to think that modern writers with real talent don’t exist anymore, but you are helping me to see that isn’t true.

Carole Paul Vesely

From wordsmith to wordsmith Cathy, I just saw your wonderful article in The Buzz [The Cunningham Chronicles: Neighborhood blacksmith to wordsmith by Cathy Gordon, July 2024]. You did a fabulous job! I’d be proud to have written something like that myself.

Richard Cunningham WEST UNIVERSITY BUZZ AUGUST 2024 6

Email us at mailbag@thebuzzmagazines.com. Or send to Mailbag, The Buzz Magazines, 5001 Bissonnet St., Suite 100, Bellaire, Texas 77401. Please include your name, address, phone number and email address for verification purposes.

Letters addressed to The Buzz Magazines become the property of the magazine, and it owns all rights to their use. Addresses, phone numbers and email addresses will not be published. Letters are subject to editing for clarity and length. Views expressed in letters do not necessarily reflect the opinions of The Buzz Magazines, and The Buzz takes no responsibility for the content and opinions expressed in them.

What’s your story?

We are looking for residents for upcoming articles who: • Have special fall or holiday traditions.

• Know a Buzzworthy neighbor to feature.

• Have a milestone life event to share.

• Have a compelling travel tale.

• Have a sweet multi-generational story.

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

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KIDS

by Annie Blaylock McQueen, staff writer

Car Conversations Beyond ‘how was your day?’

M

any parents know the drill. They ask, “How was your day?” as their child is getting into the car after school or an extracurricular activity. The response might sound something like: “good” and often, the conversation stalls out.

As summer fades and the school year begins, parents often find themselves eager to learn about their kids’ day at school. One of the best opportunities for these conversations is right after school, during the car ride, walk, or bike ride home or once they walk through the door.

As a parent, it can be helpful to be equipped with specific and thought-out questions. Letting the child lead the parent through the conversation helps engage in thoughtful conversation, which helps to strengthen the parent-child bond.

So how do parents take it from the standard “it was good” response to encouraging kids to share the nitty-gritty details? What are they excited or worried about? We heard from Buzz residents with some ideas to get the conversation started.

Mom Lisa Smith has 11- and 13-year-old daughters. “When they get in the car, I start by asking, ‘How was your day?’ and when they say, ‘It was good,’ I ask, ‘What moment of the day made it good?’” she said. The conversation evolves from there and she lets their responses lead into more questions. She says she sets the tone to be calm and not forced.

The talk might last just two minutes, sometimes longer if something significant took place at school, but she says engaging with her children about their school day is a way to stay connected about what is going on in their world. As soon as the car pulls into the driveway, their afterschool activities and homework commence, and she leaves more questions for the next day.

Mom-of-two D’Lisia Bergeron has two children, Jude, a rising fourth grader, and Darcy, a rising sixth grader. D’Lisia says she has historically started with questions about a favorite time of the day for many kids: recess. “I ask my kids, ‘Who did you play with at recess?’ It always gets a conversation going.”

D'Lisia sometimes takes the conversation into a learning exercise. “We all say things we do not WEST UNIVERSITY BUZZ AUGUST 2024 8

REAL TALK Parents are often curious about their child's day at school. Being prepared with questions to ask will help get the conversation started. Pictured are siblings Darcy and Jude Bergeron on their first day of school in 2023.

mean, so I ask this question from time to time: ‘If you could change one thing you said today, what would it be?’ And then we discuss the situation and what they would say differently,” she said.

In addition to asking the right questions, there are several strategies parents can use to encourage meaningful conversations (in and out of the car).

Keep the conversation relaxed and be present. If the conversation happens when they walk in the door from a ride home or the bus, be sure to put away the phone (which is quite possibly the most vital component).

Maintain eye contact and try to avoid an interrogative tone.

We compiled a list of helpful questions to get the conversation started with your child this month as they head back to school: Questions for Preschoolers and Younger Kids: • What was the silliest thing that happened today?

• Who did you play with at recess?

• What was something new you learned today?

• Did anything surprise you today?

• What made the day a good day?

Questions for Tweens: • What was the most interesting thing that happened today?

• Did you have any moments where you felt proud of yourself?

• Is there something you are looking forward to tomorrow?

• How did you handle any challenges that you faced with your friends today?

• Who did you sit with at lunch, and what did you talk about?

Questions for Teens: • Did you hear about anything interesting or surprising today?

• How did you spend your free time today?

• Was there a moment today that you wish had gone differently?

• What is something you are excited about this week?

Being prepared with questions helps bring deeper and more meaningful conversation about a child’s day. Just as with adults, keep the tone casual and avoid making your child feel like they are being grilled. And remember, share about your own day to encourage them to share with you about theirs.

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WEST UNIVERSITY BUZZ AUGUST 2024 9

NEIGHBORS

by Ben Portnoy, contributing writer

Right Under Your Feet Tread on me

I

have recently taken up a daily walk as an addition to my exercise routine. It is mildly interesting to check out the houses and gardens of my Bellaire neighbors, but as I stroll along, I am astounded at the huge numbers of manhole covers that dot our streets.

Wow, they are everywhere. Some are simply labelled “SEWER” or the name of the city plus “STORM SEWER.” Many in Bellaire have a cute picture of four people, presumably a family, standing next to a tree with a few buildings in the background. One building may be a church.

I have observed manhole covers in other cities, too. The typical one is round, made of cast iron, usually marked as a cover for a particular purpose – sewer, water main, power or communication lines. A few are unmarked. The city name is often proudly displayed, and sometimes there is a decoration of sorts like the ones we have in Bellaire.

What are these things anyhow? Google manhole covers and you will learn that manhole covers are round because they rest on an underlying rim and are wider than the opening. This way they cannot fall through. A square manhole cover, and there are some, can fall into the hole if it is tilted so that it is vertically inserted at the corners of the square. Also, round manhole covers can be rolled.

You can’t do that with a square one.

Manhole covers must be heavy to withstand whatever moves over them. They usually weigh 90-150 pounds, but some weigh up to 250 pounds when used at places such as airports, where the load on the cover may be especially great. It is hard for me to believe, but theft of manhole covers is a big problem. In many countries, the covers are sold for scrap metal. According to a Wikipedia article, in Kolkata, India, so many manhole covers were pilfered that the municipality replaced them with concrete covers. These, in turn, were stolen for the rebars inside them.

Another odd thing about manhole covers is that despite their weight, occasionally gasses inside the manhole may blow the covers off, creating a hazard. There are even incidents when electrical current has shocked persons stepping on a cover. I am happy to report that the majorWEST UNIVERSITY BUZZ AUGUST 2024 10

LOOK AROUND See what you miss when you walk with good posture. On left: a decorated manhole cover spotted in Japan by Ann Stout; on right: a manhole cover in writer Ben Portnoy’s Bellaire neighborhood.

ity of these exploding manhole covers occur in New York City and in the summertime. I don’t know if that is because New York sewers are particularly gaseous in the summer, but I’d advise stepping on manhole covers in New York only in the winter.

As you walk around, you might notice and even admire manhole covers in your neighborhood or wherever you may travel, but you should be envious of our friends in Japan. There, manhole covers are decorated with colorful artwork, many times pictures of Pokémon or similar characters. Some have illustrations of local specialties or items of Japanese culture. In Tokyo there are manhole covers with cherry blossoms.

A friend, Ann Stout, has sent me some photos of decorated manhole covers she saw while in Japan. My favorite Japanese manhole covers that I uncovered in my research are in Tokorozawa Sakura Town in Saitama where the manhole covers have LED light-up designs of popular anime characters. They remain lighted from 6 p.m.-2 a.m. to keep people safe at night.

One never knows from what dangers a manhole cover might protect you.

I am inspired now. To the list of pressing governmental problems such as global warming, income disparities, school finances, narcotic deaths, various wars, nuclear weapon controls, public health problems, and many more, I’d say we must add improved manhole covers to keep up with our Japanese allies.

You might have guessed that there are concerns about the term “manhole.” Certainly, some folk who descend under our streets to service the various needs located there are women.

I don’t think anyone wanting to be politically correct would then use the term…well, you get my meaning. In Berkeley, Calif. – naturally – in 2019, the city council officially adopted the gender-neutral term “maintenance hole” to replace manhole. That solves that problem.

One other anecdote regarding manhole covers comes to mind. I was visiting my daughter 19 years ago when she lived in Vancouver, Washington. Her neighbor, Ron, was about to leave the country to serve in some position for the US government in Tbilisi, Georgia, to help with their infrastructure improvements. Ron had an open-house farewell party, and at the party I noticed that he had a path made of manhole covers from his back door to his free-standing garage. He had acquired these during various jobs over the years. The years passed, and my daughter moved from Vancouver, but she reconnected with Ron recently at an affair in San Diego. He no longer lives in Vancouver. He told my daughter that when he sold his Vancouver house years ago, the new owners were delighted to keep the manhole cover path.

So, now you think, I’d like a manhole cover of my own. Is that what has popped up in your mind? I will save you the trouble. Yes, you can purchase manhole covers on Amazon.

St. Vincent de Paul Catholic School

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NEIGHBORS

by Cindy Gabriel, staff writer

Fairy Dust May it never settle

S

usan Farb Morris, affectionately known as Houston’s PR Fairy, would have been 69 this month. A big fan of birthdays – hers and others’ special days – she liked seeing her birth date written in any form she could find it, according to her husband David in his eulogy.

So Susan, this is for you.

AUGUST 16, 1955.

But another date, June 14, 2024, prompts us to join the chorus of tributes to her beautiful life.

Susan’s family was gathered at their Galveston beach house for Father’s Day weekend when a part of the balcony collapsed, bringing the life of one of Houston’s brightest forces to a shocking close.

I wasn’t one of Susan Farb Morris’s closest friends. Like many people, I experienced her as a local presence, in and around Houston.

Several years ago, Stan and I attended a large gathering in the home of his sister, Heather Westendarp. I saw Susan standing across the room but saw no easy way to push through the crowd to meet her. Later, as we said our goodbyes and headed to the car, Susan came running out to introduce herself.

There was that iconic face, inches from mine, smiling warmly, eyes sparkling in the streetlight.

“Hi, I’m Susan Farb Morris (like I didn’t know) and I just want you to know how much I love your column in The Buzz.” I had not been writing this column very long – and here Houston’s PR Fairy herself was flying out to meet me. It should have been the other way around.

Last February, my daughter, Julia Weber, had an art piece featured in the grand opening of the Southern Kindness art gallery in East Downtown. Julia’s father, John Gabriel, and his lady friend, Jane Vauchier, agreed to swap babysitting duties for Julia's two young boys, giving each of us time at the event.

I felt bad because Stan and I got the earlier half, when Julia and her friends were there. Then they all headed out to dinner. That meant John and Jane would be there for the second half, among strangers. Fortunately, two of those strangers turned out to be Susan Farb Morris and her husband, David Morris. While Susan was busy working the room of the decidedly younger crowd, David approached John and Jane. “It looks WEST UNIVERSITY BUZZ AUGUST 2024 12

SPORTING WINGS Last March, while in Mexico City, Susan spotted this pair of wings on a stand in a public space beckoning her to make the obligatory PR Fairy pose. Her husband David Morris said it’s one of a series of winged photos he and Susan had fun collecting on their travels over the years.

like we are the only two couples here around our age,” he said. They visited a while before David managed to corral Susan into the conversation.

“I had already noticed her,” Jane said, “because she was so beautifully dressed.” Jane is no slouch either, with a delightful British accent. John said he and Susan connected first on nonprofit projects that John was involved with as an architect.

“It was one of those conversations that moved

from connection to connection,” John said.

“We stood so long talking that Susan finally said, ‘let’s all go for coffee,’” which they did that same night. Hearing this greatly eased my conscience and made me a tad envious of their evening.

Stan and I were flying to Albuquerque as news began to spread about Susan’s tragic passing. I wouldn’t hear about it for another day, or so I thought. Our first stop (continued on page 14)

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BIRTHDAY WISHES Left: Susan Farb Morris shared her birthday, August 16th, with her sister, Roberta Colton. Here, they celebrated Susan’s 67th and Roberta’s 72nd in 2022. Right: Susan working with jazz singer Raquel Cepeda on her latest birthday greetings video. Susan came up with the idea of creating a car karaoke theme. (continued from page 12) was to the Santa Fe home

of Houston transplants Sharon and Keith Kirby.

When we arrived, Sharon was a bit shaken over the news that one of her friends, Roberta Colton, was flying to Houston because her sister died suddenly and tragically. I had not yet heard about Susan’s death, so I didn’t ask the name of her sister. The next morning, shocking texts with links to the stunning news poured in.

As I was sharing my profound shock with Sharon in Santa Fe, she said, “That’s Roberta’s sister!” We stood there like a pair of tuning forks struck by the same mallet. That PR Fairy dust was omnipresent.

We watched the funeral service posted in an online link. There was Roberta, the first family member to speak. Susan was born on Roberta’s fifth birthday, August 16, 1955. “She was the best birthday gift ever. It made both of us feel like August 16th was the most special day,” Roberta shared.

Susan loved to celebrate and to make others feel celebrated. Roberta, Susan’s daughters, Hannah and Shara, and countless others since her childhood have colorful collage cards handmade by Susan with personal messages straight from the heart.

Her annually produced Happy Birthday videos were perhaps her splashiest tributes sent on each and every birthday to her gigantic list of friends.

This past year, Susan tapped Houston jazz singer/songwriter Raquel Cepeda for what turned out to be Susan’s final birthday tribute. “She had WEST UNIVERSITY BUZZ AUGUST 2024 14

this idea of doing a car karaoke bit with the two of us singing. I was so moved that she worked with the nonprofit, Spectrum Fusion Studios that gives autistic teenagers the opportunity to create video productions, and they did a great job.” Raquel said Susan celebrated the end of the production with a party for everyone involved.

Susan’s sister Roberta said Susan would have been shocked that nearly 800 people came to her funeral and nearly 800 watched via livestream. Not to mention the social media comments and stories that continue to be posted citywide. I am not surprised.

In her eulogy, daughter Hannah Band shared: “I think of my mom as an exclamation point…leaving every experience, sentence and story on a high note, bringing intentionality to every moment… She took it upon herself to connect to every person she came across and to see how she could empower them and connect them.”

“She always knew how to find and savor a moment…and knew how important it was to always say ‘the thing’; be present and vulnerable and tell people what you loved about them, why they are unique,” said daughter Shara Abelson.

Roberta concluded her eulogy with a quote her son Evan Colton thought best described Susan.

“A person who is a master in the art of living makes little distinction between their work and their play, their labor and their leisure, their mind and their body, their education and their recreation, their love and their religion. They hardly know which is which and simply pursue their vision of excellence

and grace, whatever they do, leaving others to decide whether they are working or playing. To them, they are always doing both.” – philosopher Lawrence Pearsall Jacks.

I wish I had known her better. I wish I would have run up to her as unselfconsciously as she ran up to me that night at Heather’s house.

As Jane Vauchier said about their delightful night at the art gallery and coffee afterward: “I was so looking forward to our next conversation.”

Me too, Jane. I guess all we can do now is try to be more like her. If everybody touched by Susan stepped up their game just a little, Houston would become the most creative, loving, outreach capital of the world.

May the PR Fairy Dust never settle.

Editor’s note: The Buzz joins the Houston community in mourning Susan. See Michael’s publisher’s note (pg. 4 of this issue) for more on what she meant to him and our publication. See this story at thebuzzmagazines.com for a link to Susan’s obituary and funeral service, and for a link to her most recent Happy Birthday video. In addition, see this story online for links to some of the Buzz articles she inspired over the years.

In honor of Susan’s memory, her family requests donations to one of the following organizations, which meant so much to Susan: Interfaith Ministries for Greater Houston; Alexander Jewish Family Service; Second Servings of Houston; The Aubrey & Sylvia Farb Community Service Fund at Congregation Emanu El.

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by Cheryl Ursin, staff writer

www.jackophoto.com

SPORTS

Net Result Elite volleyball sisters

L

ola and Mila Prpa, 13-year-old twin sisters, didn’t set out to become elite volleyball players. Like many kids, they tried a lot of activities when they were younger. “Mila did every sport,” says their mom, Nicolette Daniel. “Lacrosse, soccer, ice skating, gymnastics, swimming.” For a while, Mila got seriously into competing in the equestrian sport of show jumping, but after three serious injuries, “I hated to do it, but we had to make the decision to take that away,” says Nicolette. Mila liked every activity she tried. Lola rode too and also did ice skating, taekwondo, ballet, and tap, but had yet to find an activity that really spoke to her.

While Nicolette always wanted the girls to be involved with a sport and an art (“It didn’t matter to me which ones,” she says), she began to wonder if they would find a sport that Lola would like for the long term. “Volleyball was the one sport we hadn’t tried with them,” she jokes.

Then, the family moved from Wisconsin (they had lived in the town of Winnetka, where the house from the movie Home Alone is located) to Houston, which just so happens to be the second most competitive region for volleyball.

(Dallas is first; Texas is a powerhouse for the sport.) The girls were nine.

They moved in the middle of volleyball season and were able to find one club, in The Woodlands, willing to put Lola on a team, although that team, the youngest they had, was for 11-year-olds and Lola was only nine. She played there for only a few months but was interested in trying out for club volleyball for the next season.

At age 10, Lola and Mila went to a sleepaway camp for the summer. “I got a letter from them, which was all ‘I love you’ and ‘This is so much fun,’ but on the flipside of it, they had written, ‘Mom, come get us now,’” Nicolette remembers.

Nicolette did, picking the girls up a day early, telling the camp the girls wanted to try out for volleyball back in Houston. After all, Lola had already been thinking about it. “I figured, I can’t make up a story about why I’m picking them both up early and then not follow through; that’s not a good thing to model as a parent,” says Nicolette, so Mila, “who had never touched WEST UNIVERSITY BUZZ AUGUST 2024 16

a volleyball before,” also tried out, with Lola trying to surreptitiously coach her from the sidelines. Both girls made teams, though at different clubs.

Nicolette jokes it was “divine timing.” “Maybe Lola wouldn’t have tried out, maybe she would have been too tired after camp, maybe Mila wouldn’t have tried out,” she says.

These days, Lola and Mila live, breathe, and sleep volleyball. The rising eighth graders play BLOCK & AWE Twin sisters Lola and Mila Prpa (from left), 13, live, breathe, on their school’s indoor- and sleep volleyball. Here, they're pictured at Third Coast Volleyball Club. Their volleyball team at River mom, Nicolette Daniel, says, “Volleyball is an environment where being tall is a Oaks Baptist School, beautiful thing.” At 13, both girls are already about five foot nine. In addition, Mila and Lola say to succeed in volleyball, players need to be strong, fast, fit, and they also play on and maintain endurance, mentally and physically. club teams for indoor two more national beach volleyball tournaments volleyball. Last season, Lola played setter for immediately after, both of those in Santa Monica.

Texas Legacy 13 Elite (the national and most competitive team the Texas Legacy Volleyball hat this all means is that Lola and Mila Club has for 13-year-olds) and Mila played in play a lot of volleyball. They practice and the positions of defensive specialist, middle play pretty much year-round. The season for blocker, and libero for the 13 Molten team at their school volleyball runs from the end of her club, TAV Houston. Both of the girls’ teams August through November, they start playing competed in USA Volleyball’s Junior Nationals for their club teams in November, then beach tournament in Dallas in late June. Lola’s team starts in January and they play both club and came in third in the nation in its division, and beach through July. They practice six to seven Mila was chosen to be featured as a stand-out times a week. athlete during the tournament.

And the girls wouldn’t have it any other way.

The girls just tried out for next season in club “If I don’t play volleyball for three days, I feel volleyball. Both will be playing for TAV like I have to play,” says Lola. “I want to be playHouston, but on different teams. Lola’s team ing. I want to be on the court.” will be Open Division, which is the highest level They also go to clinics and private lessons and of competition. camps, such as the one held at Stanford The girls also play beach volleyball, which is a University, a powerhouse in women’s volleyball. different sport, for Third Coast Juniors Travel The entire family fell in love with the universiTeam. In beach volleyball, both Lola and Mila ty’s campus and with the beautiful weather there. qualified for the Association of Volleyball “Lola wants to play setter for Stanford,” says Professionals’ Junior National Championships, Nicolette. which was held at the end of July in Hermosa “Hey! I want to play for Stanford, too,” says Beach, Calif. and then went on to compete in

W

LIFE'S A BEACH Although indoor and beach volleyball both involve a net and a volleyball, they are two completely different sports. Most indoor players do not also play beach. Mila and Lola play both. Left photo: Mila (left) and Lola (right) hold certificates showing that they qualified for three different national events for Beach Volleyball National Events (BVNE). Lola holds the third-place medal they, playing as a team for the first time, won, enabling them to go onto two national beach-volleyball championships held by BVNE. They also played in a third national beach-volleyball championship held by a different organization this season.

Right photo: Lola playing beach volleyball.

Mila, though she also likes the idea of going to college on the east coast.

The girls often travel on the weekends to tournaments, and because the girls play on different teams, Nicolette ended up hiring someone to help get the girls to their practices and games.

“Sounds weird to say that we have a babysitter because we are 13,” says Lola, “but our practices can be on the same day.”

“And sometimes we can need to be at different qualifiers, like I need to be in Reno and she needs to be in Minneapolis on the same weekend,” says Mila.

The family sees a silver lining, a teachable moment, in this situation.

“I can’t be in both places, and not having your mom there is scary for any kid. Nobody would choose that, but –” says Nicolette.

“Your support means so much to me,” Lola tells her mom, “but I have also had to teach myself, how if you’re not there, if there’s no one there to support me, I had to learn how to be my own support.”

The family enjoys the travel but likes the destinations for beach volleyball tournaments (beaches, after all, in Florida and California, for example) more than the ones for indoor volleyball.

“But the qualifier in Vegas [for indoor] was kind of fun,” adds Mila.

Nicolette likes the idea of volleyball for her girls because it is a sport where height is prized.

At 13, both girls are already about five foot nine, and their dad is six feet six inches tall.

“Volleyball is an environment where being tall is a beautiful thing,” says Nicolette.

In addition to being tall, the best volleyball players are also strong and fast and fit. “Everyone goes to the gym, and everyone has muscles,” says Lola. Mila agrees. “Even if a player doesn’t look very athletic, you know they are because of the way they move,” she says.

Top volleyball players also need to have

endurance. During a tournament, they often need to play seven or eight games, each of which lasts about an hour, in a single day. Nicolette calls this necessary endurance “a great separator” in the sport.

“Volleyball is such a mental game, too,” says Lola.

Attitude, Mila adds, is important. “Being energetic and uplifting to the team and having the best mental game will help everyone on the team.

The best volleyball players have that,” she says.

The game is also fast, which requires a certain mental fortitude, the ability to put what just happened, good or bad, in the past and keep going. “The average time for a rally is nine seconds,” explains Lola. “That’s why you should never linger on the past or think about what you just did because the game is just so fast. A touch is not even a whole second, and then you’re moving again.”

Competitive volleyball aficionados often talk of “volleyball IQ.” It’s the ability to make good decisions and come up with good strategies during these lightning-fast games. Players practice individual moves until they become muscle memory. “The coach will ask them, ‘If the ball is going past your left shoulder, which foot do you start on?’ and they’ll know,” says Nicolette.

It’s why, to get to the elite levels of the game, the athletes have to start young, no later than Mila and Lola did.

“That just happened to be when it caught fire for Lola and Mila,” says Nicolette. “That’s hard to explain to parents who want to jump in later.

Volleyball is a sport that’s a build-on; we’ll see a player do something and I’ll say to a new parent, ‘That’s just experience, it’s time and touches.’”

Some of the girls Lola and Mila play have, at age 13, eight years of playing experience already.

In indoor volleyball, where teams field six players at a time during a game, Lola plays setter, which is like playing quarterback in football.

Lola runs the team’s offense. She “sets” the ball

up, usually on the second “touch” of the ball. A team is allowed to touch the ball three times before they have to send the ball back over the net. Lola sets the ball so another player, one of the hitters, can “attack” it and send it back, hopefully, of course, in a way the other team can’t return. (When you score, it’s called a “kill,” and when you save a ball that is almost to the floor, that’s called a “dig.”)

Mila is a utility player, meaning she can play many different positions. Last season, she alternated between two positions on her club team.

Ironically, these two positions are usually on opposite sides of the height spectrum. She played middle blocker, a position involved in both offense and defense, which is usually played by the tallest player on the team, and she played libero. Libero, from the Italian word for “free,” can be pronounced either “li-BEAR-o” or “LEEbeh-ro,” and is sometimes shortened to just “bro.” Liberos are the players wearing different colored jerseys than their teammates. Although Mila was the tallest member on her team, liberos tend to be the shortest players. They play defense and only from the back row and can be substituted in without it being counted against the team’s limited number of substitutions.

This coming season for club, Mila will play defensive specialist (DS) and outside hitter (OH).

A

t one point, as I was struggling to understand the game, Lola said to me sympathetically, “Don’t worry; volleyball does have a lot of rules.”

And beach volleyball is a whole different animal. Sure, there’s a net. And there’s a volleyball.

And that’s about where the similarities between the two sports end.

Nicolette, a former dancer, says indoor volleyball is to beach as ballet is to hip hop. “Indoor is about the fundamentals,” she says. “Beach is a lot of strategy, they’re (continued on page 18)

WEST UNIVERSITY BUZZ AUGUST 2024 17

Joe Buvid

Joe Buvid

EZ PASS Lola and Mila practice and play volleyball year-round. Clockwise, from top left: Lola at the MLK Invitational Houston in January. Her team had just won a game, moving them onto the gold bracket. Mila playing at the same tournament, the first big indoor-volleyball tournament of the season. The girls' team from last year, HJV 12 Elite at ESPN in Orlando, Florida, after winning Third Place National Champions. The girls celebrating Easter with family. Pictured, from left: stepdad Patrick Daniel, little brother, Bond, age four, mom Nicolette Daniel, Mila, Lola, and Nana, Elizabeth Robertson Power. (continued from page 17) doing things that would

make an indoor coach cringe, and they need to be a good all-around player.”

In beach, there are only two players, rather than indoor’s six. They play outside. “The weather is like the third player on the court,” says Nicolette, whether that’s the wind carrying the ball in a different direction (“The wind decides everything,” says Lola) or whether the players have to call for a time-out because of the heat. The court is sand, the players play barefoot, and they wear sunglasses, both as protection against the sun and also against the sand getting in their eyes as they jump and dive for the ball. Beach, like indoor, is played at the college level and is also an Olympic sport.

Most indoor players do not also play beach, but Lola and Mila think they should. “It helps with indoor so much,” says Mila. “It helps you move super fast and jump higher.”

While the girls like both sports, Nicolette WEST UNIVERSITY BUZZ AUGUST 2024 18

likes that in beach the kids themselves are more in charge. Lola explains, “We’re facilitating everything. We’re our own refs, our own coaches. It’s so free, you’re deciding everything.”

Adult spectators can’t coach the players in beach volleyball at all, and even risk disqualifying their team if they try. “It’s like golf,” says Nicolette. “You just clap and say, ‘Good job.’”

Lola and Mila have never seen a volleyball team, indoor or beach, get a red card, or even a yellow, because of a player’s behavior, but they have seen a parent earn a red card for their child’s team and get kicked out of the game. “He was using awful language and challenging a call,” says Nicolette. “Then, he kept arguing, even after getting a yellow card, and they had to pause the game for ten minutes.”

Nicolette says being the parent of elite athletes is a balancing act. She watches her daughters closely to make sure they still want to play.

“Neither one of them has ever said, ‘I don’t want to do this anymore,’ ever,” she says. At the same

time, though, she encourages them to “push through” on days when they might be feeling under the weather and go to the game or to training because, she says, “the reality is you have a place on the team.”

But she refuses to be that overinvolved parent.

“All of these girls, they’re very smart girls. They know when they mess up. Their coaches might yell at them, their teammates might, and they’re yelling at themselves. The last thing they need are parents on the sidelines yelling at them,” says Nicolette. “My philosophy is, I’m just there to put in ponytails and get them there on time.”

Also, she says, “I love to watch them play.”

While the girls are focused on volleyball right now and hope to play in college, they say their educations come first. Both are honors students.

Mila, who likes math, would like to go into finance, and Lola, who just won an award in science, would like to be a neurologist.

These girls know how to keep their eyes on the ball.

WEST UNIVERSITY BUZZ AUGUST 2024 19

KIDS

by Lucy Walker, contributing writer

Sine of Success Carnegie senior wins big at international science fair

WEST UNIVERSITY BUZZ AUGUST 2024 20

lawellphoto.com

A

quick glance around 17-year-old Anna Oliva’s bedroom reveals the variety of her passions: Pythagorean equations written in dry-erase marker on the bathroom shower wall complement stacks of fantasy books and her at-home nursery of flowering plants, one of which was propagated from a cutting originally belonging to Albert Einstein. A painting of the Swiss Alps leans against one wall, serving as a reminder of her European roots.

Born in Milan, Italy, Anna moved to Boston at age three when her parents, both professors, accepted jobs at Boston College and again at age seven to Houston. From a young age, Anna shared her parents’ love of learning. During her elementary-school years, Anna sometimes felt underestimated due to the language barrier, as English is her second language. She felt minor grammatical errors sometimes isolated her from American classmates. More recently, she has found peers underestimate her intelligence because she is a girl in STEM. “People find it hard to reconcile their perceptions of aspiring scientists and mathematicians with my general attitude,” Anna said. “You don’t see young Sheldon Cooper shopping at Aritzia.” But she has never cared much about what others think and said she’s never doubted herself.

Now a senior at Carnegie Vanguard High School, Anna’s scholastic efforts have earned her a ticket to the Dec. 2024 Nobel Prize Award ceremony as an internationally recognized guest of Regeneron Pharmaceuticals.

Anna’s trip is one of several prizes that were awarded to her this May at the Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF) in Los Angeles, Calif., which is the largest pre-college STEM fair in the world.

Scouts from institutions like CalTech and MIT surveyed leading youth scholars from over 66 countries as they presented their research.

Anna’s project on mathematical billiards impressed local, state, and international judges, earning her first place in the Mathematics category, which received over 1,800 submissions.

Her prizes included $5,000 from category sponsor Akamai Technologies as well as an additional $1,000 from the American

BRILLIANCE IN BILLIARDS Anna Oliva, a senior at Carnegie Vanguard High School, worked with mentor Daniel Onofrei at the University of Houston to prepare her research on the projected paths of mathematical billiards. She traveled with her trifold to city, state, and finally an international competition, where she won first prize in the Mathematics category.

Mathematical Society. But the cherry on top is the Dudley R. Herschbach Award, which offered her a fully paid trip to Sweden this December to attend the Nobel Prize Award ceremony and Stockholm International Youth Science Seminar.

Anna conducted her research for ISEF at the

University of Houston and was mentored by Mathematics professor Daniel Onofrei, who describes Anna as “very ambitious.” Using a combination of triangle laws and other theorems, she found that the reflection angle of an object with constant speed and direction against the surface of a regular polygon (one with equal

GOING, GOING, POLYGON Clockwise, from left: Anna poses with her name on the wall of 1,800 International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF) contestants.

Caiman Moreno-Earle, Ayaan Dhuka, and Landon Doughty (pictured, from left), students at St. John’s School, placed second in the Engineering category for the second year in a row with their design for a quadcopter-drone hybrid designed to deliver defibrillators to rural areas.

side lengths and interior angles) has the same measure as the interior angle of that polygon.

For example, the object bouncing off the side of a square would have a reflection angle of 90 degrees, and if it were to bounce off the side of an equilateral triangle, 60 degrees. These findings could have applications in creating navigation systems for AI-powered robots and optimizing the size and operating power of microchips.

“When I tackle a problem, I write it down in mathematical terms, write what I want to prove, and try to unravel it from there. For me, this involves sitting and thinking and scribbling on any available surface for hours,” Anna said. “The best proofs involve some sort of fun unintuitive leap that seems kind of painfully obvious once you see it.”

Evidence of her process can be found all around her, like the scribbles on the surface of her shower wall.

One of my first impressions of Anna, who (full disclosure) is one of my closest friends, was at her 12th birthday party. Her birthday falls near Halloween so wearing costumes to the party was, of course, required. She dressed as the ghost of Marie Antoinette, complete with wig, face paint, and hoop skirt.

In her everyday life, Anna always strives to go the extra mile – she takes pride in picking out the perfect outfit or spending hours cooking a good risotto – and her creative thinking, Onofrei agrees, is an integral part of her aca-

demic process as well.

“She understands ideas fast and has the power to make her own contributions,” he said. “She has a clear talent towards deductive thinking.”

Anna’s mother, Mirela, accompanied her to the ISEF conference in Los Angeles. She is a professor of religious philosophy at the University of St. Thomas and speaks six languages. Her father, Luca, is a professor of the philosophy of mathematics at the University of Houston. Both are published authors and frequently travel to teach at universities in Europe.

It is no surprise that their daughter is equally intelligent and interesting.

Luca recognized his daughter’s intelligence early on and began teaching her advanced lessons at home. Logic proved too boring and Ancient History didn’t stick; Anna’s love of learning was sparked in earnest at age 7 when he gave her an algebra textbook from his college days.

Over the next few years, she self-studied with books that encouraged exploration and mathematical thinking instead of rote memorization.

Hours spent deriving formulas and axioms fostered an affinity for complex equations and proofs. By first grade, Anna knew what she wanted to be when she grew up: either a scientist or a pop star.

“I settled on wanting to be an astrophysicist because I wanted to solve the discrepancies in the standard model,” Anna said. Perfecting the

model, a set of proposed laws governing the physics of the universe, has stumped scientists since its creation in the 1970s. She has yet to solve the model, but age has never been an obstacle for Anna in her pursuit of learning. In addition to physics and botany, she also enjoys studying biology. She started studying the growth patterns of algae in the swamps of Louisiana last summer and continued her research this year at MIT’s Summer Research Program, held at Purdue University. Physics and mathematics are Anna’s way of explaining how the universe works. Though she is Catholic, “it’s kind of like part of my religion,” she says.

“Biology is just fun.”

Her talent for understanding abstract concepts found an outlet when she watched a documentary about the mathematics of the universe and decided she wanted to explore it, too. “She was always asking questions about the universe; it was like a show for us watching her every day,” Mirela said. “When she was three, we went on vacation, and she was so amazed that the sun was following us; that amazement about nature and patterns became a passion for order and math.”

Mirela says Anna has always defied the stereotype of the awkward genius. ISEF is a formal affair: boys wore suits and girls dressed in blazers and skirts. When Anna instead chose to stay true to her “fashionable” self – she wore fishnets to the award ceremony – Mirela thought none of (continued on page 22) WEST UNIVERSITY BUZZ AUGUST 2024 21

lawellphoto.com

PLANTS AND PYTHAGORAS Clockwise, from left: Mom Mirela accompanied Anna to the ISEF conference in Los Angeles, Calif., and served as an unofficial chaperone to the 24 Houston-area contestants. In addition to math, Anna loves biology; she has dedicated two summers to researching algae growth, is the founder of Carnegie’s botany club, and keeps a small nursery in her bedroom. When she is working on a complex problem, inspiration can strike anywhere, even in the shower. (continued from page 21) the judges would take

her seriously. “I thought it was going to be a disaster, but she won by being herself,” she said. “Lots of people that have met her recently have observed she isn’t some ‘weirdo science wizard’; she has the capacity to be very smart but also very approachable.”

Anna was not the only high achiever making Houston proud at ISEF; out of the 24 contestants from the city, more than half won awards, including some friends Anna first met during her time at Annunciation Orthodox School and competed against at city and state fairs: Ayaan Dhuka, Landon Doughty, and Caiman MorenoEarle, all seniors at St. John’s School. Last year, WEST UNIVERSITY BUZZ AUGUST 2024 22

they placed second in the Engineering category with their AI-powered magnetic chessboard.

This year, they continued their streak, once again taking second in the category with their quadcopter-drone hybrid used to transport defibrillators. The project, which the team began last May, was inspired by a drone system developed to deliver blood bags to rural African and South American villages. The boys’ drone is able to fly like a plane and also land vertically, maximizing the vehicle’s speed and navigability.

“I want to pursue engineering because I want to help people, I want to create solutions,” Landon said. “And I want to be known as someone who makes cool things.”

Anna shares the sentiment of wanting to unravel secrets of the universe and contribute something helpful to society. She looks forward to attending the prestigious Nobel Prize Award ceremony this winter and hopes to win a Nobel Prize of her own before age 30.

As college applications loom ever closer, Anna is optimistic for her future. She hopes to study math in college alongside physics and biology, pursue a PhD in mathematics, and continue to nurse her love of learning as a researcher or professor.

“I want to continue researching what fascinates me and do what I can to help humanity,” she said.

WEST UNIVERSITY BUZZ AUGUST 2024 23

Dylan Aguilar

NEIGHBORS

by Cathy Gordon, staff writer

Resounding Resilience The Deaf embrace life in a hearing world

B

y nature, preschoolers squiggle and giggle.

They’re little balls of energy, limbs constantly moving as if pulled by invisible strings. But this day, at the Melinda Webb School – the Texas Hearing Institute’s preschool for children with hearing loss – they’re laser-focused on the classroom’s visiting author.

Because the author, Alex Narcisse, is like them.

“Always reach for the sky because there is no limit. Follow the story about a young boy named Alex with an unbeatable spirit who was born with hearing loss,” Alex, 16, intones, reading from his autobiographical picture book The Sound of VICTORY: A Young Boy’s Journey Through Hearing Loss and Sports.

“Alex wears cochlear implants to help him hear,” the Bellaire teen recites to his rapt audience. “Alex plays as many sports as he wants because there is no stopping him – not even being deaf.”

It was a special reading for the author, for it was within these walls at the Texas Hearing Institute that he started his journey to listen and speak at 18 months of age. He dedicated his book to the organization.

Born with mild to moderate hearing loss, which got worse over time, he required hearing aids by 15 months. By age 2, he was fitted with a cochlear implant in one ear. By 7, his other ear demanded one.

With his cochlear implants, he became assimilated into the hearing world via electrical stimulation of the inner ear. But first, rigorous training was involved to decipher sounds and understand speech, an arduous process that trains the brain to recognize language and its nuances. No small feat.

Alex doesn’t communicate via American Sign Language, but it’s an interest. “I think it would be great to learn,” he says of an online course he hopes to take with his mother, Holly.

Approximately 90 percent of deaf children are born to hearing parents, according to current statistics. Neither of his parents are deaf. His brother, Ethan, 12, has no hearing issues either.

The honor-roll student, mainstreamed in school since the age of 4, begins his junior year WEST UNIVERSITY BUZZ AUGUST 2024 24

at Strake Jesuit this fall where he plays lacrosse.

He has set his sights on becoming a doctor, like his father, Victor, or possibly a lawyer, like his mother.

It’s important that young children with hearing loss don't miss out on life’s offerings, he says. Meet life on its playing field and pursue your goals. “You can do anything you set your mind to.”

AUTHOR ALEX Alex Narcisse, 16, who wears cochlear implants to hear, wrote Alex certainly has. an autobiographical picture book encouraging children who are deaf and hard He’s played tennis, base- of hearing to pursue their dreams of playing sports. ball, basketball, soccer, pictures an artsy flair. And his mom suggested rugby, martial arts, and football. He’s hit the using onomatopoeia words throughout, to help slopes skiing and likes to swim. These days, his the reader “hear” the action, making connecfavorite thing in the world is lacrosse. “I love the tions between the action and the sound. physical contact and how it’s a sport that’s not Fair to say, this might’ve been the author’s about luck. It’s about skill.” He played for an favorite page to recite… elite traveling lacrosse team, the Shred Thread, POW! Kaboom! Jab! Lacrosse is Alex’s favorite this summer. sport. Can you hear the CLANG when the ball hits Meeting a deaf player with Rutgers the crossbar?

University’s acclaimed lacrosse program was quite In addition to reading to students at the the inspiration, says Alex. His mom reached out Melinda Webb School, he participated in local to the player, Campbell Sode, after finding him author day at the Children’s Museum Houston during a Google search. “I was looking for someand did a virtual reading for students at St. one for Alex to look up to who also had hearing Joseph’s School for the Deaf in Indiana. loss and played lacrosse. I messaged him and we “He’s such a great role model for other childid a Zoom with him and then he happened to dren who are hard of hearing. He really demonbe coming here about a month later, so we met strates the possibilities and outcomes that they up,” Holly said of Sode, now a lawyer. can have if they work hard and set their mind “Just meeting him encouraged me to pursue to it,” says Kasie LeBlanc, Director of Education what I want to do,” Alex says. “It was a real with the Texas Hearing Institute. Alex was a inspiration for writing the book.” volunteer with the organization’s Project Talk A Facebook group for parents of deaf children summer camp this year, helping assist with that his mother belongs to was also impetus for the activities. creative endeavor. “My mom would tell me about “He’s really mature and wants to give back to all these parents. Their number one question was the Deaf community,” LeBlanc continues. always, ‘If my kid is deaf, can he play sports?’”

“That’s what’s so cool about his book. All these With his parents’ encouragement – and a little preschoolers are watching him, and I was bevy of action shots his father snapped of him able to say ‘Look at Alex’s implant. It’s just like over the years – Alex got to work. Various speyours!’ They were like ‘It is! It’s like mine!’ For cial effect tools were applied to give the book’s

Dr. Victor Narcisse lll

Dr. Victor Narcisse lll Dylan Aguilar

LACROSSE IS BOSS Clockwise, from top left: The Strake Jesuit junior loves the skill involved in lacrosse, his favorite sport. Lacrosse stick in hand, Alex is fully focused, intent on bringing his best on the field. Alex read his book, Sound of VICTORY: A Young Boy’s Journey Through Hearing Loss and Sports, to a rapt audience of preschoolers at the Melinda Webb School at the Texas Hearing Institute.

them to see an older child with hearing loss is powerful, to see all that he does.”

LeBlanc, formerly an educational liaison for the institute, often went to classrooms, explaining to teachers how to offer support. Typically, hard of hearing students receive preferential seating and access to teacher’s notes if needed. A Bluetooth device that connects the teacher’s voice directly to the cochlear implant is often helpful, too.

“We call it the invisible disability because it’s really hard to see the struggles that the children go through every day, to see how hard they have to work,” LeBlanc says. “In that previous role, I did a lot of training for mainstream teachers, and I would always tell them that hearing aids and cochlear implants aren’t like glasses. When you put on glasses, it fixes things automatically. You see everything you couldn’t see. But it takes a lot of work for these children when they first get their cochlear implants to learn how to listen.

Their brain has to figure out what all these sounds are. And every day they still have challenges, understanding nuances of language, dealing with background noise.”

Self-advocacy is a crucial skill for the deaf to learn, she adds.

“Oh, we could write an entire book on selfadvocacy!” says Holly. “It’s sometimes a struggle.”

Places with background noise, where lots of people are talking at once, are difficult for Alex.

It’s best for a person to tap him on the shoulder to say something, rather than assume he can hear and keep track of those conversations, Holly explains.

Alex’s pet peeve is when people think they must get in his face to repeat and over-enunciate words.

“If I ask someone to repeat it, that’s one thing. But I like to be just treated as a normal person.”

Hailey Sutin, 12, can relate to Alex. The seventh grader at Emery/Weiner would love to write a book about her hearing loss for an eighth-grade passion project in the future.

She has a cochlear implant in each ear but struggles to keep up in group social environments.

“Sometimes I can’t hear them and then they say, ‘never mind’ if I ask what was being said,” Hailey says. “I don’t press them sometimes to see what the conversation was about. Talking to a person in a one-on-one setting is much better.

Also, school group projects are harder for me.”

Like Alex, Hailey loves sports. “The girl has no fear,” says her mother, Leslie, a reading interventionist at Condit Elementary. Indeed, Hailey is happiest tumbling through life in her competitive gymnastics program, curly ponytail flying. She also participates in soccer, volleyball, and track.

“We were on the same gymnastics team for like two or three years and Hailey’s really good,” says friend Logan Goodman, 12, of West University Place, a student at Annunciation Orthodox School. “I would be afraid to do something that I’ve never done before, and Hailey just goes and does it and makes it look so easy.

She is really good at floor and vault. Bars, too.

Beam is hardest, but she’s good at all of them.

We do a lot of the same kind of sports in school.

She likes soccer and volleyball and track, too.

She’s a pretty fast runner.”

Logan and Hailey have known each other since mere babies, just a few months old. Their moms are childhood friends. Logan is keenly aware of hardships Hailey encounters, and feels protective of her, like a sister.

She recalls a gymnastics trip to Disney World, where one of Hailey’s cochlear implants quit working. Logan held Hailey’s hand, navigating her through a suddenly much quieter world. “She couldn’t hear. But she was fine and handled it like a pro and went with the flow. I love having her as a friend. She’s really nice and happy, but I know sometimes it’s hard for her.”

Hailey’s mom is her staunchest advocate.

Born prematurely at 25 weeks, her dad’s wedding band fit around her (continued on page 26) WEST UNIVERSITY BUZZ AUGUST 2024 25

SPORTY AND SPUNKY Clockwise, from top left: Hailey Sutin doesn’t let her deafness define her. The seventh grader at Emery/Weiner brings agile moves to the school’s soccer team. Hailey and Logan Goodman, friends since they were babies, are all hugs and smiles at a gymnastics meet. The bubbly 12-year-old placed first in this vault competition. She also runs track and loves volleyball, representing Emery in those sports. (continued from page 25) wrist. Twin sister, Sari,

died at two months due to an infection. Worried that Hailey also had an infection, doctors started her on the medicine gentamicin. “They strongly believe that it was the gentamicin that caused her hearing loss,” Leslie says.

Her mom sees Hailey’s struggles. “Having cochlear implants doesn’t make hearing perfect.

I think it’s sometimes hard for her to self-advocate for herself. She will come home fresh from a birthday party where the girls are getting mad at her for something and it’s just that she didn’t understand something about the rules or that it wasn’t her turn. She didn’t hear the directions for something they were doing, that kind of thing.

“She always wears a smile and seems so bubbly but she comes homes and can be very frustrated.

It’s hard. She kind of shuts down because her processing is slower than ours. She spends a lot of time trying to keep up with conversations, so she’s mute for like 30 minutes because she’s trying to detect who is talking, which voice is going.”

WEST UNIVERSITY BUZZ AUGUST 2024 26

Learning TikTok dances? Forget about it, says Hailey. “I can never do that because they teach in a group and talk fast and it’s hard to keep track of.” Ditto for Taylor Swift concerts. While most of her girlfriends are Swifties, she can’t keep up. “They know the lyrics to every single song,” says her mom. “Hailey didn’t go to a Taylor Swift concert because it’s very hard for her to catch onto songs.”

“Hailey is a model student,” says her Condit Elementary fifth-grade teacher Melanie Mulhollan. “She loved to read and write. And she loved to sit right in front of me, watching me always. She always loved it when I read novels out loud. She was so expressive and interested. “ On the flip side, says Mulhollan, “I know it was hard for her at recess. She had to be facing her friends to feel and understand the nuances of what was going on, to be able to participate in the fun.”

“It makes me feel sad that some people don’t realize about her hearing and how she’s different,” says her brother Jaden, 10.

“Yeah, but Jaden doesn’t see me as anyone different,” chimes in Hailey. “We just hang out like normal siblings.”

There are certain advantages when the cochlear implants go to their charging station at night, Hailey says. “Total silence. If it’s thundering outside, it’s not a big deal. I sleep. It’s nice.”

“Hailey likes her silent world, especially in the morning,” says Leslie.

But even with the cochlear implants out, words can reach Hailey in a different way, says her mom. When her parents speak “I love you” loudly into an unaided ear, Hailey feels the vibration, deep and rich with rhythm.

“To know the vibration of ‘I love you’ is really special,” says her mom. “She can feel it. That’s pretty cool.”

Editor’s note: Alex’s book, The Sound of VICTORY: A Young Boy’s Journey Through Hearing Loss and Sports is available through Amazon, Target, and Barnes & Noble.

WEST UNIVERSITY BUZZ AUGUST 2024 27

FOOD

by Andria Dilling, staff writer

Snack Fest Andria Dilling

For after school or any time

SWEET AND SALTY Peaches, ricotta, and prosciutto make Peach Toast a stellar snack.

B

ack to school equals back to schedules, back to homework, back to lunch-packing…and back to snacks. After-school snacks, that is. We’re looking for easy and fast, also yummy enough that whatever we put out will be enjoyed, no complaints, and will pave the way for whatever is next (math, anyone?).

Here are just a few ideas, courtesy of our Friday online column “Back Porch Table.” There are more where these came from, whether you’re WEST UNIVERSITY BUZZ AUGUST 2024 28

looking for snacks, sides, mains, or desserts. Take a look at thebuzzmagazines.com/columns/backporch-table.

Peach Toast When my friend Brooke came back from a girls’ weekend in Oxford, Mississippi, she couldn’t stop talking about the Peach Toast she and her friends ordered twice before dinner. This is the friend I unflinchingly trust with dress choic-

es, approaches to handling sticky situations, and restaurant suggestions. Peach Toast, thanks for coming.

Peach Toast is another name for Peach Crostini, it’s just that peach toast sounds so much more Mississippi – and southern. This is the perfect bite: juicy, sweet peaches; crunchy toast; creamy, minty ricotta; salty prosciutto; bitter arugula; acidic balsamic reduction. As one of my tasters said, this one is a tasty summer explosion,

Andria Dilling

much more than the sum of its parts. Make sure to enjoy this one while it's still peach season 3 ripe peaches ½ tablespoon sugar 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice 12 ¼-inch slices baguette, cut at a diagonal 1 ⁄8 cup plus ¼ teaspoon olive oil, divided ½ teaspoon kosher salt, plus a pinch more, divided ¼ teaspoon freshly ground pepper 1 cup ricotta 1 ½ tablespoons minced fresh mint leaves ¼ cup arugula 6 thin slices prosciutto, cut in half (so that you have 12 slices) Balsamic reduction

Andria Dilling

Cut the peaches to about 1⁄8-inch thick slices.

Place them in a medium bowl and toss gently with the sugar and lemon juice. Set aside.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Place the baguette slices in a single layer on a baking sheet. Brush with the olive oil, then sprinkle with ½ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper.

Bake the baguette slices for 10 minutes, until the edges begin to turn golden.

In a small bowl, use a fork to vigorously whisk the ricotta, mint, ¼ teaspoon olive oil, and a pinch of kosher salt together. Divide the ricotta evenly among the baguette slices and spread to cover. Top with arugula, then prosciutto, then peaches. Drizzle the balsamic reduction over the tops and serve immediately.

Roasted Broccoli with Lemon Tahini Dip Here’s a healthy snack or side that nobody will complain about. The idea is kind of like putting cheese on veggies – it makes everything better, right?

We roast broccoli at a high heat, so that it gets crispy edges and a mild, almost sweet flavor.

When you toss it together with a little bit of lemon juice and generous salt and pepper before roasting, you wind up with broccoli that is addictive. Whoever thought “broccoli” would be in the same sentence as “addictive?”

Also, Lemon Tahini Dip is a game-changer.

Super simple to whisk together, you could drizzle it over the broccoli – or salad, or roasted sweet potatoes, or asparagus, or whatever strikes you.

8 cups broccoli florets (about 2 broccoli crowns, separated into florets and cut into 1inch pieces) 2 tablespoons olive oil Juice from ½ lemon 1 teaspoon kosher salt ½ teaspoon freshly ground pepper For the Lemon Tahini Dip ¼ cup tahini 1 tablespoon water 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice 1 small garlic clove, smashed ¼ teaspoon kosher salt

QUICK FIX Top: Roasted Broccoli becomes a fan favorite when paired with Lemon Tahini Dip. Bottom: Salt and Pepper Popcorn is a punchy twist on a classic.

Heat the oven to 425 degrees. On a sheet pan, toss the broccoli together with the olive oil, lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Roast for 20 minutes, until the broccoli has some brown, crunchy edges.

Make the Lemon Tahini Dip. Use a fork to whisk together the tahini, water, vinegar, and lemon juice. It will look clumpy, but keep whisking, as it will eventually come together

into a smooth sauce. Stir in the garlic and salt. Remove the smashed garlic clove before serving.

Salt and Pepper Popcorn Am I the only one who considers popcorn a food group? I’ll admit I’ve gotten more than a little flak about my popcorn obsession.

Especially about the part (continued on page 30) WEST UNIVERSITY BUZZ AUGUST 2024 29

Andria Dilling

SWEET TREAT Easy, quick, and oh-so-yummy, White Chocolate Crunch keeps well in a cookie jar on the counter. (continued from page 29) where I sneak my own –

and everyone else’s – into the movies. Sadly, we don’t go to theaters like we used to, but we still have Netflix.

I’ve written about Truffle Parmesan Popcorn, about Truffle Butter Popcorn, and here we are with Salt and Pepper Popcorn. It’s the easiest thing to shake some salt and pepper on top of your popcorn, but wow does it make the popcorn pop (sorry). You won’t go back to plain, and I would bet this could be the start of your own personal popcorn addiction.

2 tablespoons coconut oil ½ cup popcorn kernels 2 tablespoons salted butter ½ teaspoon kosher salt ½ teaspoon freshly ground pepper Melt the coconut oil over medium-high heat in a 7-to 9-quart stockpot with a lid. When the oil has melted, drop in 3 popcorn kernels. Cover the pot with the lid. When those test kernels pop, add the remaining popcorn kernels, and swirl them around to coat them with the WEST UNIVERSITY BUZZ AUGUST 2024 30

coconut oil. Cover the pot and wait until you hear popping. When you do, reduce the heat a little bit and begin shaking the pot, with the lid slightly ajar (letting out a little steam makes crispier popcorn), until the popping just about stops. Remove from the heat immediately. Pour the popcorn into a large bowl.

Keep the stockpot off the heat but add the butter to the pot and swirl it around to melt.

Drizzle the butter over the warm popcorn, then sprinkle with salt and lots of pepper. Taste and adjust seasonings as you like.

Note: If you prefer to use a bag of microwave popcorn, just be sure to decrease the salt to account for the salt that’s already added to the bag.

White Chocolate Crunch Stop reading if you are in any way anti-sugar.

But if you enjoy a sweet, crunchy treat, White Chocolate Crunch is your friend.

This started in “Back Porch Table” as Valentine Sweetheart Snack Mix, with heartshaped Cheerios and pink and red M&Ms and sprinkles. But this Crunch is so good it would be

a shame to limit ourselves to once a year. This is a munchie nobody will be able to stop munching on.

2 cups Life cereal 3 cups Honey Nut Cheerios cereal 10-ounce bag mini marshmallows 10-ounce bag M&Ms Minis ½ cup chopped, toasted almonds 20 ounces white chocolate Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. In a large bowl, use your hands to toss together the cereals, marshmallows, M&Ms, and almonds.

Place the white chocolate into a microwavesafe bowl and microwave at 50 percent power for 30 seconds. Stir. Repeat at 15-second intervals until the chocolate is smooth and pourable.

Pour the melted chocolate over the cereal mix and stir to coat everything with the chocolate. Turn the snack mix out onto the two baking sheets and spread to the edges. Let cool before breaking into bite-sized pieces. Store in an air-tight container.

WEST UNIVERSITY BUZZ AUGUST 2024 31

Cindy Burnett

ARTS

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by Cindy Burnett, staff writer

Buzz Reads

Five picks for August

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

Elizabeth of East Hampton by Audrey Bellezza and Emily Harding (romantic comedy) – Jane Austen retellings are all the rage currently, and Elizabeth of East Hampton is one of the best that I have read in a while. It is an engaging and refreshing take on Pride & Prejudice that demonstrates why Austen’s stories still resonate with readers today.

The authors do a wonderful job of loosely following the original but modernizing the story and adding some of their own elements as well. I highly recommend this book to anyone looking for a fabulously crafted retelling and an engaging romance with a fun summer setting. And for those who like to know, there is some steam in this one. For readers headed to the beach or pool and those who love Jane Austen.

The Faculty Lounge by Jennifer Mathieu (contemporary fiction) – Houstonian and high school teacher Jennifer Mathieu’s adult debut is a timely and relevant glimpse at today’s issues in schools and a tribute to educators. The story follows a large cast of teachers, administrators, and staff at Baldwin High School, a Texas high school that feels remarkably like Bellaire High School.

Infused with heart and hilarity, The Faculty Lounge addresses what it is like to teach at a high school in 2024 – helicopter parents commenting on curriculum choices, school shootings and lockdown drills, social media, book bannings, and more. I really enjoyed the format of The Faculty Lounge; each chapter is told from the point of view of someone working at the school.

It was a delight to see how their lives connected as the story unfolds. For readers who like stories infused with humor and heart as well as those who like current events.

The Genius of Judy: How Judy Blume Rewrote Childhood for All of Us by Rachelle Bergstein (nonfiction) – Judy Blume is a household name, and her books have sold tens of millions of copies. In this book, Bergstein demonstrates how important Blume’s legacy is today and the impact she has had on generations of young women. The Genius of Judy explores WEST UNIVERSITY BUZZ AUGUST 2024 32

Blume’s more cutting-edge titles, sharing the stories of each book’s inspiration, the plotlines, and reader reception, while also relaying the story of Blume’s life throughout the years; from a suburban housewife who longed to do more WHAT TO READ This month’s selections include a modern take on Pride & Prejudice, to a free speech set in the Hamptons, Houstonian and high school teacher Jennifer Mathieu’s adult debut, a look at the impact author Judy Blume had on generations of young women, a magical activist defending realism novel that focuses on the bonds between mothers and daughters, and a characher works. Her ter-driven contemporary fiction novel. books gave young nating to me. For fans of multi-generational stowomen a mechanism for understanding and takries and tales about a particular culture. ing control of their bodies at a time when this The Wedding People by Alison Espach (conwas a novel concept. Against the backdrop of the temporary fiction) – Phoebe Stone shows up at burgeoning women’s rights movement, she a hotel and mistakenly gets swept up into wedexplored what it meant for women to have ding festivities right when she is at her lowest. careers, balanced relationships, and bodily She starts her day thinking that it will be the last autonomy. While her books were rigorously day of her life and instead she starts down a totalbanned in the 1980s, they withstood the culture ly different path with the help of an unexpected wars of earlier decades and are providing a road group of people. In this character-driven and map for a new generation of young women as touching tale, Espach tackles so many issues that book banning is on the rise as well as attempts people deal with today: marriage, infidelity, to restrict female autonomy grow. For readers infertility, loneliness, death, friendship, and diswho like books about books and/or current appointment. While these issues can be heavy, events or those who grew up reading Judy Blume. the book is so engaging, heartwarming, thoughtMy Mother Cursed My Name by Anamely provoking, and hilarious, and it often went in Salgado Reyes (magical realism) – My Mother directions I was not expecting. I loved everything Cursed My Name is a sweet and heartfelt tale about it – the characters, the plot, the intergenthat focuses on the bonds between mothers and erational friendship, and the book’s resolution; daughters, and the ways in which those bonds this will be one of my top reads of the year. For shape and define us throughout our lives. Three fans of well-written books with a lot of humor generations of strong and independent and heart.

Mexican-American women work to shed the scars from past trauma while facing grief and Editor’s note: Southside Place resident Cindy attempting to determine the true meaning of Burnett also writes our weekly Page Turners colhome. I enjoyed the author’s exploration of umn at thebuzzmagazines.com. She hosts the what happens when issues are not addressed award-winning Thoughts from a Page Podcast, is head on and instead are left to fester and grow, co-creator of the Houston literary event series and the way in which attempts to protect chilConversations from the Page, runs the Instagram dren from secrets actually harm them more. She account @thoughtsfromapage, and regularly speaks weaves in insights and details related to to groups about books.

Mexican culture and families, which was fasci-

WEST UNIVERSITY BUZZ AUGUST 2024 33

Angelika Dupuis Photography

TRAVEL

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by Tracy L. Barnett, staff writer

Travel Buzz

Love on the French Riviera

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storybook ceremony at a beachfront chateau that was featured on Downton Abbey, an expedition in a national coastal park with sea urchins, and leisurely meals along the Mediterranean coast that ranked among the best in the travelers’ lives – those were just a few of the highlights of an unforgettable destination wedding in mid-June.

Andrew Mintz, the third of Jordan and Lauren Mintz’s five children, was engaged to wed fellow attorney Caitlyn Fiebrich, and they wanted to keep their wedding small and intimate. A Texas wedding would have to be a big one, so a destination wedding seemed like the way to go.

When sister Ally Mintz and husband Nick Duble got the news, they suggested a few chateaux in the French wine country; Nick, a wine distributor and sommelier, works out of Bordeaux and divides his time between there and New York, and knows the territory well.

Andrew picked up the idea and started Googling for wedding venues in the region.

“We started expanding our horizons and looking internationally, and we found a venue that we loved, and it just took off,” said Andrew. He hit upon a three-hectare (7.4 acre) parkland estate called Domaine Rocabella in the tiny village of Le Pradet, just outside the port city of Toulon.

Domaine Rocabella had all the ingredients the couple was looking for, and more: It sits perched on a hill above the Mediterranean with spectacular blue vistas, lush gardens, and access to the beach. “There's a walking path down to a little private beach where we could all hang out, and that kind of clicked all the boxes for us,” said Andrew.

Rocabella’s stately mansion has had moments of fame throughout its history, having been featured in a number of French films and in 2022 on Downton Abbey, when it served as the summer vacation destination of the Crawley family.

But only recently has it opened for rent as a wedding venue.

The stars lined up, and the whole Mintz family was able to set aside the time and come together for the occasion, so it would be an unforgettably special time for all of them, said Andrew’s mother, Lauren Mintz. This would be WEST UNIVERSITY BUZZ AUGUST 2024 34

the first time the family would come together in Europe.

And for Lauren and husband Jordan, it would have an extra layer of meaning.

“We were celebrating our 40th anniversary – so we thought, okay, good, we can make this an anniversary trip, too,” said TYING THE KNOT The Mintz and Fiebrich families take a moment for a combined Lauren.

She’d photo. From left: Evan Mintz, Melissa Goldberg Mintz, Nick Duble, Ally Mintz, Jeffrey Fiebrich, Christian Fiebrich, Caitlyn Fiebrich, Andrew Mintz, Lauren Mintz, Jordan always wanted to Mintz, Nicky Mintz, Haley Manley, Emery Mintz. road trip in Europe; Rocabella with their friends, while the rest of now, with Nick as their driver and French-speakthe family stayed nearby in their own villa on ing guide, it was all falling into place. the coast in Toulon. From the moment they Evan, the eldest brother, a Pulitzer Prize-finalarrived, said Melissa, they encountered one ist former writer for the Houston Chronicle, and enchanting vista after another, starting with wife Melissa, a psychologist and the award-wintheir view of the ocean from their villa. ning author of the book Has Your Child Been “It was a picturesque, framed view of the Traumatized?, would join his parents and Ally Mediterranean Sea, and it was just gorgeous,” and Nick after the wedding, extending the fun Melissa recalled. “And then, right behind that for a few days more. view, there was a nice outdoor table, and we'd The adventure began with a direct flight from have croissants and cheeses and meats, out on Houston to Paris, where they caught a highthe table for breakfast, and that was our breakspeed train to the French Riviera city of Toulon. fast view.”

For many French tourists, the city is best known First, though, it was time to get ready for the as the gateway to the Mediterranean island deswelcome party at Rocabella, and then dinner in tination of Corsica. Toulon is less well known downtown Toulon. With a nod to the city’s than other destinations along the Côte d'Azur Napoleonic history, the family would gather such as Nice, Cannes, and Monaco. But as the with the Fiebrichs at the restaurant Au Sourd, Mintzes discovered, the city and its environs famous for its fresh bouillabaisse, a classic have a rich history, an authenticity and a specseafood stew that originated down the coast in tacular beauty all their own.

Marseilles. The establishment was founded by This port city, known as a major historic naval one of Napoleon III’s artillerymen, who lost his military center, was founded by the Romans in hearing during the fighting, according to the the 2nd century B.C., and is the place where a Michelin guide – hence the name (sourd means young Napoleon Bonaparte would launch a deaf). Here the travelers would get their first meteoric military career with his recapture of the authentic taste of the local cuisine. And since strategic port from the British. Toulon also the waitress didn’t speak English, they were played a major role in World War II, as Evan was grateful for Nick’s fluency, a skill the group came quick to point out, being a focal point of to rely on often throughout the trip.

Operation Overlord and the Second D-Day. The next day, Nick’s (continued on page 36) Andrew and Caitlyn would stay at Domaine

WEST UNIVERSITY BUZZ AUGUST 2024 35

Angelika Dupuis Photography

IN THE NAME OF LOVE Top: Younger brother Nicky Mintz officiated the ceremony; as a touch of tradition, the chuppah held Lauren’s father’s tallit from his bar mitzvah. Bottom left: Jordan and Lauren Mintz, the proud parents of the groom. Bottom right: Reed Daniel, Andrew Mintz, and Stuart Dickerson (pictured, from left), after popping the cork on the Nebuchadnezzar champagne bottle (20 bottles in one). (continued from page 34) expertise as a sommelier

would serve them well as they paid a visit to Clos Cibonne, a winery dating back to the 17th century. Named for its first owner, Jean-Baptiste de Cibon, captain of Louis XVI's Royal Navy, the vineyard fell on hard times during the phylloxera blight. In the 1930s, André Roux decided to devote the vineyards to Tibouren, a favorite of Julius Caesar that was brought over the Alps from Greece by Napoleon’s armies. Roux did well with the grape, and so have his children and grandWEST UNIVERSITY BUZZ AUGUST 2024 36

children, and now the fifth consecutive generation is running the award-winning winery.

“It was really meaningful, because it was the fifth generation – the great-great-great-granddaughter – that gave us the tour, and it was nice to hear her talk about her passion for wine and show us pictures of her grandparents,” said Melissa.

After the winery they explored downtown Toulon, went to a local market, and had lunch at a local restaurant, where Nick introduced them to a new drink: a licorice-flavored drink

known as pastis.

“It is a favorite of Provençal men on the French Riviera, and that became a favorite of ours for the trip,” said Melissa.

That afternoon as they were preparing for the rehearsal dinner at the Château de Rocabella, Evan had a stroke of sartorial luck.

“I had gotten a linen suit for the rehearsal dinner and when we’re walking around the villa where we were staying, I found this pork pie hat and big cane and it just per- (continued on page 38)

RIVIERA REVERIE From left: Melissa and Evan Mintz; Evan sports the porkpie hat he found in his villa just in time to wear it to the rehearsal dinner; Domaine Rocabella’s stately mansion, with its imposing staircase leading to the beach, has been featured in a number of French films and in 2022 on Downton Abbey; the boat tour of Calanques National Park came complete with a deluxe seafood platter prepared by Les Roches Blanches. (continued from page 36) fectly matched the suit, so

I wore that all night,” he said.

Finally it was time for the wedding, and it came off without a hitch: with blue skies above, blue waters beyond, the lush gardens around them … “and everybody looking just so stunning and relaxed,” as Melissa put it.

Younger brother Nicky officiated, and the flower-covered chuppah served as a perfect frame for the sparkling waters of the Mediterranean. As a touch of tradition, the chuppah held Lauren’s father’s tallit from his bar mitzvah. The couple broke the glass… and then the festivities began in earnest, with double magnums of Calon Ségur Bordeaux at every table and a Nebuchadnezzar champagne bottle (20 bottles in one) that had to be poured over the shoulder.

One family tradition – a video portraying the newlyweds’ courtship through the eyes of their dogs – brought uproarious laughter. Brother Emery had taken the lead in making Andrew and Caitlyn’s, which featured their dogs Rico and Nugget with outrageous French accents and tiny berets. The fact that it was entirely fictitious only made it funnier. (See this story at thebuzzmagazines.com for a link to the video. ) The next day, the newlyweds headed off for their honeymoon in Morocco and Portugal, while Lauren and Jordan, Evan and Melissa, and Nick and Ally headed westward down the coast to Cassis for what would be a major highlight of

the trip: a visit to the Calanques National Park (pronounced Kalonks).

Named for the spectacular geological formations along the Mediterranean coast between Cassis and Marseille, the seaside nature reserve is home to transparent waters and abundant marine life. The Mintzes took a hike along the coast and then went out for a four-hour boat ride with a skipper, exploring the intimate coves of the Calanques. They dropped anchor in a particularly beautiful cove where they went snorkeling and saw a whole colony of sea urchins.

The skipper took them on a cruise of the hidden byways, threading his way through the series of inlets and coves. “He took us to so many different places, but one of my favorites looked like another ordinary part of the Calanques.” There she saw a sight she will never forget. In the rocks was a tiny entrance that opened up into a large cave that they were able to swim into.

“Everything inside was like this brilliant blue color,” she recalled.

Their hotel, the Les Roches Blanches, won rave reviews from all the travelers. And one of the highlights of their foray was a fresh seafood platter that the hotel sent with them on the boat.

On Evan and Melissa’s final night on the coast, the family decided to check out a tiny, trendy place in Marseilles that has been grabbing headlines in the likes of Vogue and Condé Nast Traveler: The Tuba Club, which turned out to be

one of the trip highlights. The seafood was so fresh you could literally see it being caught, with fishermen plying the waters right in front of them as they ate. Particularly unforgettable were the sea bream sashimi and the seafood towers.

“It was simple but super fresh,” said Ally. “They served sashimi but still in the fish. It was a really great, fun meal – and for dessert they brought out a liter of fresh-churned pistachio ice cream and some fresh-baked buttery cookies you dipped in the ice cream. I could have eaten that forever.”

This was where the group parted ways, with Evan and Melissa heading to Paris and the others traveling on to the Luberon region for more wineries and vistas of the rolling lavender hills of Provence.

For Caitlyn and Andrew, looking back at the whole experience, it had taken a little adjustment to accommodate themselves to the laidback French approach to things, but it was an experience that changed their way of looking at the world.

“It took both of us as attorneys a beat to get used to, with our Type A personalities,” said Caitlyn with a laugh. “But once you did, it was something that we can definitely learn from and take a lesson away from. To just sit back and enjoy and take a deep breath … And just take in the smell of jasmine. Take in the smell of the ocean and the smell of fish on the grill and just lay back and chill. I think we both needed some of that.”

Tips from Our Travelers Worth the splurge: The seafood platter from Les Roches Blanches while taking a private boat trip to see the Calanques. (Melissa) Don’t miss: Taking a cold plunge into the Mediterranean. (Caitlyn) Favorite restaurants: Tuba Club in Marseilles! Insanely fresh and unique takes on fish, beautiful presentation. (Melissa) Currency exchange: Euros Packing: Lots of clothing you can layer! Even in summer, nights can get chilly. (Melissa) Don’t bring: Heels. Even at upscale restaurants, a nice pair of sandals is all you need. (Caitlyn) Local favorite: Pastis – apparently a favorite beverage of Provençal men. I couldn’t get enough of it! (Melissa) WEST UNIVERSITY BUZZ AUGUST 2024 38

WEST UNIVERSITY BUZZ AUGUST 2024 39

SPORTS

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by Todd Freed, staff writer

SportzBuzz T

he past school year closed out in championship fashion for St. Agnes Academy, with the Tigers winning the TAPPS Division 1 State Softball Championship. The Tigers defeated Antonian College Prep 14-10 in the state final to secure their first state softball title since 2019. “I think it’s a long time coming for a senior class that was the catalyst in getting it all started,” said Tigers head softball coach Priscilla Riser. “The girls put in so much time and hard work and it’s just a deserving way to close out their careers.”

The state title victory was ignited by a sensational game from junior Mia Valenzuela, who connected on two home runs, a double, and even a triple in the win. “Mia is incredible not just at the plate but also on the field,” said Riser.

“She made some amazing ESPN highlight type(s) of plays at shortstop. She’s just an impressive athlete.”

Impressive as well for the Tigers during the playoffs was the pitching tandem of senior Elyse Nesser and junior Caroline Croker, who started and closed out both games respectively at the state tournament. “Those two pitchers were one of the biggest keys to us winning state,” added Riser. “They threw exceptionally well in highpressure situations.” In the state semifinal win over Plano John Paul II, Nesser and Croker combined to give up only one run in the Tigers 2-1 victory with Croker closing the game by striking out the final batter with two-outs and the bases loaded.

Prior to the dramatic finish in the top of the seventh inning, the Tigers rallied from a 1-0 deficit in its final at bat on the strength of an RBI single by Kyra Nguyen to score Julia Sullo followed by a heroic go-ahead and eventual game-winning home run from junior Sophia Deutschen.

L

ed by a remarkable third consecutive state singles championship from Josephine Lombardi, The Emery/Weiner School girls tennis team brought home its third straight TAPPS 5A State Championship. Along with Lombardi’s title victory, the Jaguars were also paced by a state runner-up finish in doubles by the tandem of sophomore Ella Totz and

WEST UNIVERSITY BUZZ AUGUST 2024 40

STATE CHAMPS The Emery/Weiner School girls tennis team brought home a third straight TAPPS 5A State Championship this past season. The team included (pictured, from left) three-time state singles champion Josephine Lombardi, Sabrina Blinderman, Ella Totz, and Emmy Brounes. Blinderman and Totz teamed up to finish as state runner-up in doubles play.

senior Sabrina Blinderman.

“Josephine is simply tireless and relentless on the court,” said her father and Jaguars tennis coach David Lombardi. “She just loves tennis and is truly self-motivated.” With her senior season still ahead of her, Lombardi is a five-star recruit who’s committed to playing collegiate tennis at Dartmouth. She also enters her senior year ranked among the top ten 18 and under girls’ tennis players in all of Texas.

Coach Lombardi also had high praise for the doubles duo of Totz and Blinderman. “This was the second straight year that Ella and Sabrina were state runner-up in doubles. They really wanted to pull it out but lost a tough third set tie-breaker. Still, we couldn’t have won state without them.”

K

eeping it on the tennis court, it was a remarkable season for Memorial High School’s Michelle Li, who captured the UIL Class 6A State Singles Championship. The Mustangs sophomore defeated Katy Taylor’s Ally Lin 6-1, 6-3 in the state finals to cap off a spectacular 20-0 season without dropping a single set along the way.

“My preparation leading into the state final

really helped me,” said Li. “I’m just proud of myself and everyone who supported me through this journey. I couldn’t have done it without my parents, teammates, and coaches. It just proves that all the work paid off and I’m just really happy that I was able to win state.”

When you include her perfect 7-0 record during Team Tennis in the fall, Li’s overall record this past year was an undefeated 27-0. “She’s just a warrior and truly special,” said Memorial tennis coach Brian Mandell. “She’s amazingly dedicated to everything she does in tennis. It’s also really inspirational for our younger kids to see her grow and perform at this level.”

With two years of high school eligibility remaining, Li figures to be a force on the court for the foreseeable future. “I just hope to go out there and win more medals not only in singles but also with my teammates in doubles,” added Li. 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.

WEST UNIVERSITY BUZZ AUGUST 2024 41

SPORTS

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by Annie Blaylock McQueen, staff writer

SportzBuzz Jr. W

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

A trip to remember Players from the Bull Shark Baseball 13U and 14U teams traveled to Nebraska this summer for the Omaha Slumpbuster Tournament. While there, they attended the College World Series games and met some of the college players. The 13U and 14U teams both competed against select baseball teams from across the country. The 14U team ranked first out of 28 teams following the first day of pool games, and the 13U team made it to the semifinals. It was a great experience for the players, coaches, and families. The teams are led by head coaches Wilmy Marrero and Jesse Holiday. Pictured (from left) are Bryan Lopez, Luke Ladwig, Max Wu, Connor Welch, Rylan Lim, Ben Chapin, Liam Gutierrez, Jacob Tzeng, Tanner Rich, Nate Promubol, Eli Hudson, Brian Standish, Jonathan Massey, Adam Khubieh, Andrew Sederis, Colton Rich, and Miles Royston. Players not pictured but who also attended the Omaha Slumpbuster Tournament are Will Dagley, Dean Morris, Taylor Anthony, Levi Moore, Diego Cervantes Jr., and Nolan Rogers.

Swim, Barracudas, swim Saya Takahashi and June Prasatik (pictured, from left), two swimmers from the Bellaire Barracudas swim team, proudly showed off their ribbons after a speedy swim in the first dual meet of the season. These swimmers are some of the 7–10year-old Bellaire Barracudas who came to the first Southwest Aquatic League Dual meet at the Willow Pool. The Barracudas sped ahead in the backstroke and breaststroke races and made a splash, coming in a close second place. Head coach was Natalie Cheng, and assistant coaches included Bellaire residents and current and former Barracudas swimmers, Peyton Cantrell, Austin Byun, Kasen BurrisRichardson, Reva Sinha, Teresa Cheng, Tori Livingstone, Jason Deng, Rachel Serna, Hannah Turner, Carver Hix, Catherine Renshaw, and Katelynn Clay.

Perfect Game World Series The Blue Anchor Baseball 9U Majors team finished their season with a third-place finish in the invite-only Perfect Game World Series in East Cobb, Ga. Pictured (front row, from left) are Eli Musher, Henry Croley, Zain Thowfeek, Jack Jurgens, Sterling Davis-Salmon; (middle row, from left) Beckett Whitman, Charlie White, Asher Levy, Banks Dailey, Maddox Granderson, Preston Hickman, Oliver Chen, Ewan Walker; and coaches (top row, from left) Rob Whitman, Alex Mintz, Elan Levy, Ted Walker, and Zach Dailey. Competing against 46 of the nation’s best nine-year-old teams, they played nine games in five days, losing a close semifinals game. This marks the end of their first full season, finishing as a nationally ranked team.

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.

WEST UNIVERSITY BUZZ AUGUST 2024 42

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REACHING NEW HEIGHTS Sophia Bellard, a rising senior at St. Agnes Academy, reflects on finding her passion for the long and high jump track and field event.

KIDS

by Sophia Bellard, age 17

Buzz Kidz

Jumping at the opportunity

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s a kid, my mom could never get me to stay still. I recall a hot and blazing summer afternoon. My mom walked outside and asked, “What are you doing out here?” I responded, “I’m jumping!” as I hopped from foot to foot like a bunny, with a ginormous grin plastered on my face. This small conversation ended up foreshadowing my future. What began as a simple interest has transformed into a passion.

I joined the cross-country team during my time at St. Vincent de Paul and was encouraged by my coach to join the track team in the spring.

My curiosity sparked when I saw girls participating in the long jump event. I immediately jumped at the opportunity. While there, I set new GHCAA records in the long jump for the seventh- and eighth-grade girls. Transitioning

to St. Agnes Academy, I qualified for the TAPPS State Championship my freshman year, competing in the long and high jump. Now, as a junior in high school, I have continued to qualify for state, with this past year claiming second in long, third in triple, and fourth in high jump. I was also honored to be nominated for Girl’s Athlete of the Meet and received an Academic All-State title.

Though despite the triumph, my journey was by no means without turmoil. I have learned throughout my athletic career that passion for a sport means very little if not paired with mental strength and drive to see your goals through to the finish line, or in my case, the very end of the sand pit. In both my daily life and sport, discipline alongside difficulty became a constant.

As I continue my journey beyond high school, I carry with me all the lessons learned on the track and in the pit. Propelled by the love for jumping founded in my backyard years ago and the commitment I have developed, with each jump, I leap closer to every goal I have set for myself.

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.

Competitive opportunity for high school writers: hartphoto.com

Apply for our School Buzz team.

Limited spots available. The Buzz Magazines offers a unique program, School Buzz, in which high school students write about what's happening at their schools from their perspectives.

Now accepting applications for reporters in the 2024-2025 school year. DEADLINE AUG.19.

See thebuzzmagazines.com/about-school-buzz for more information and to apply for the 2024-25 school year.

Questions? Email Caroline Siegfried at caroline@thebuzzmagazines.com.

WEST UNIVERSITY BUZZ AUGUST 2024 44

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Why minors make bad beneficiaries Before young parents make their first will, they tend to name each other as primary beneficiary of the life insurance, employment benefits, and bank and investment accounts, with minor children as contingent beneficiaries.

Naming a minor child in the will or as designated beneficiary of an account feels right and it’s certainly not illegal, but it’s at least two kinds of disaster if both parents die young.

First, the youngest adults, much less minor children, are not mature enough to manage your life savings. That’s why a thoughtful will includes a trust for minors or incapacitated beneficiaries, and why the Estates Code offers the court registry or 1301 management trust for parents that don’t plan ahead: if you don’t designate an adult to manage the kids’ money, the probate judge can. Second, your eight-year-old might be the most prudent investor in three generations, but the law punishes businesses that work with minors.

Consider the 16-year-old who inherits Grandma’s Camry. Retitling the car is the executor’s job, at which point the fun begins. Keep the car? Good luck getting insurance without an adult co-signer. Sell the car? Sophisticated buyers know better than to buy from a minor, and the car may not fetch one-half of market value.

What’s the issue? In both cases, the problem is that a minor can cancel insurance or a sale and demand a refund of the insurance premium or return of the car. With minors, no sale is final. A minor can void a contract within a reasonable time after turning 18. The merchant is at risk of 100% loss for at least 2 years. Heads the minor wins, tails the merchant loses.

A short list of contracts binds minors anyway. Minors over 14 may sign life insurance and annuity contracts. A minor may contract to enlist in the military. Banks may offer a deposit account to minors without risk of revocation liability.

Minors cannot void contracts for “necessaries,” including food, lodging, clothing, medicine, medical care, education, and, this author’s favorite, legal services. Note that Camrys and auto insurance don’t make the “necessaries” list.

Think about a minor that inherits a house. Is that lodging? Sure. What about the carrying costs of that house? Can an 18-year-old void their minor contracts for flood insurance, property and casualty insurance, home inspections, property tax adjustors, exterminators, plumbers, roofers, utilities, and lawn maintenance? Any business must assume so.

Instead of giving the car or the house to a minor, leave it in trust (with liquid assets for expenses), and name a responsible adult as trustee.

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

WEST UNIVERSITY BUZZ AUGUST 2024 45

PETS

Building Custom Homes and Remodeling in West U since 1989.

Neighborhood Tails Ted and Blue, ages 8 and 2, Longhair and Tabby, Villanova St. Hi, we’re Ted and Blue, best friends who share similar stories. I’m Ted, and my human siblings brought me home from the SPCA eight years ago – after Mom’s specific instructions to not bring back a crazy kitten.

I won her over pretty fast with my silky black fur and enchanting eyes.

It didn’t take long for me to collect nicknames, like Teddy Bear and Theodore. I am secretly a dog in a cat’s body – I’m very extroverted and will approach anyone for pets. The gray cat with white paws is my brother, Blue, named after the song Blue Monday by New Order. He also goes

by Bluey, Blueberry, Boo-boo, and Boo-bear! He was found on the street when he was just 10 ounces. Ever since then, he’s been the baby of the family. He loves to snuggle and play hide and seek under the blankets, but his loud purr always reveals his hiding spot.

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.

WEST UNIVERSITY BUZZ AUGUST 2024 46

For information, please contact 713-524-6200 or Annette@ParkLaneBuilders.com

Get Your Morning Buzz 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.

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Allergies in older adults In April 2017, the AARP Bulletin wrote about allergies, and since it’s an AARP publication, it focused on adults age 50 and over. Before the 1990s, it was taught that allergy was an ailment of the young and usually got better as one became older. Further, it was thought that older individuals didn’t suddenly “become allergic.” Since the 1980s, though, the prevalence of allergy has increased in all age groups. It is now known that one can develop allergies at any age.

Just as treatment is different in children than it is in adults, a great deal of caution goes into considering therapeutic options in older adults. For instance, oral decongestants, such as Sudafed, are more likely to cause side effects in older adults (e.g., high blood pressure, insomnia, irritability, and/or rapid heart rate).

Antihistamines, such as Zyrtec, Benadryl and Xyzal, can make you sleepy.

Claritin and Allegra are less likely to cause sedation. Of further concern about sedating antihistamines is that long-term use may increase the risk of dementia.

The only antihistamine NOT on that list is Allegra (even Claritin is sedating and with anti-cholinergic effects at higher doses). Generic Allegra (fexofenadine) is much less expensive and works just as well for about 95 percent of our patients.

Costco sells it as “Aller-Fex,” and Walgreens as “Wal-Fex”. At time of this publication, the least expensive generic Allegra 180 mg I have found is sold on Amazon.com under the name "Ohm Fexofenadine Antihistamine Indoor Outdoor Allergy Relief 150 Tablets” for $19.99. That's barely 13 cents a tablet!

Nasal steroids are usually tolerated better than any of the oral medications because a much smaller dose of medicine is required to be effective since the medicine is applied directly to the nose. But some nasal steroids cause nosebleeds; orig-

Revolutionary Treatment for Arthritis and Tendonitis

inal Flonase is most likely to cause a bloody nose. Two other over-the-counter nasal steroids, Flonase Sensimist and Rhinocort Allergy, are less likely to cause a bloody nose.

One treatment that works well in younger and older patients is allergy shots. Once we identify what you are allergic to, we can use allergy shots, or immunotherapy (IT), to make you less allergic.

As opposed to medications listed above, which just treat your symptoms, IT is disease modifying.

IT teaches your body’s immune system to ignore the dust mites, cat dander or tree pollen that can cause “false alarms” in the allergic. A word of caution about IT, though: many so-called allergists are not board certified by the American Board of Allergy and Immunology, and don’t use optimal doses of allergens in their recipes. All four allergists at The Allergy Clinic and Houston Allergy and Asthma Clinic are not only board certified by ABAI, but maintain that certification on an annual basis.

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

Dr. Mehta has successfully treated thousands of patients with cancer over the past 25 years using focused radiation therapy.

He is now pioneering the use of low-dose radiation to treat arthritis and tendonitis in the US, using techniques that have been well proven in Europe. Six very small doses of radiation are delivered precisely to the areas of pain in the hands, feet, knees, elbows, shoulders, etc.

Low dose radiation is 90% effective in reducing or eliminating this pain. This proven treatment is covered by Medicare and most insurances.

Two locations to serve you: 9150 S. Main St., Suite A-3, Houston, TX 77025 • 713.630.8181 2610 W. Sam Houston Pkwy. South, Houston, TX 77042 • 713.343.6750 www.sjmctx.org

Sanjay Mehta, MD, DABR Board Certified Radiation Oncologist WEST UNIVERSITY BUZZ AUGUST 2024 47

Wilson Parish

NEIGHBORS

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by Angie Frederickson, staff writer

Buzz About Town Jenna Baer

Daniel Ortiz

Celebrating the Fourth

committee chairs Heidi and David Gerger and Leisa Holland-Nelson Bowman, led the fundraising efforts. Sue Smith served as honorary chair, with honorary vice chairs Donna Fujimoto Cole, Nancy and Jack Dinerstein, Elaine Finger, Patti and Mike Morgan, Carol and David Neuberger, Jeri and Marc Shapiro, Ileana and Michael Treviño, and Kay and The Honorable Fred Zeidman.

Neighbors decked out in red, white, and blue and enjoyed the annual West U Independence Day Bike Parade & Pool Party. Paradegoers Steven, Rachel, Alexandra, and Isabella Shaffer (pictured) were among the crowd celebrating our nation’s independence with a high-energy parade of decorated bicycles, tricycles, and wagons, beginning in front of West U Elementary.

Immediately following the parade were festivities at Colonial Park Pool with plenty of games, food, and family fun. To see more festive Fourth photos from local parades, search “2024 Fourth of July Fun” at thebuzzmagazines.com.

Kicking off Celebrity Paws gala Steve and Daphne Savva (pictured, with Jenga) are preparing to strut their stuff on the runway as models for the Citizens for Animal Protection (CAP) Celebrity Paws gala, Best in Snow, in November. Along with more than 170 other animal lovers, including gala co-chairs Angela Hernandez and Carson Brown, the couple enjoyed the CAP gala kickoff party at Tootsies.

Honorees and their pets who will appear on the runway were introduced, including Ben Ackerley, Allison and Nick Boulle, Clark WEST UNIVERSITY BUZZ AUGUST 2024 48

Women of Distinction Jacob Power

Caperton, Andy Cerota, Dana Wempe and Blake Fertitta, Brittany Hildebrand, Kirby and David Lodholz, Monica Patel and Calvin Krall, Daphne and Steve Savva, and Megan and Keith Waldrop. Guests at the kickoff event enjoyed cocktails and lite bites, including cookies with photos of the honorees’ pets. The Annual CAP Celebrity Paws gala, Best in Snow, will be held on Sat., Nov. 16, 2024, at The Post Oak Hotel. For more information, contact 281705-0686 or Kappycap@comcast.net.

Honoring moral courage Cheryl and Stephen Golub (pictured) joined 1,000 other guests at the Holocaust Museum Houston’s 2024 Lyndon Baines Johnson Moral Courage Award Dinner, which raised nearly $1.3 million for museum operating funds and educational programming. The award is given to people who have taken a stand against injustice, hatred, and prejudice, and this year’s award was presented to The Honorable Stuart E. Eizenstat who served in six U.S. administrations, under Presidents Lyndon Johnson, Carter, Clinton, Obama, Trump, and Biden.

Eizenstat is also the Special Negotiator for the Jewish Claims Conference with Germany on behalf of Holocaust survivors, and senior counsel at Covington & Burling LLP. Dana Bash, CNN anchor and chief political correspondent, served as moderator for a conversation with Eizenstat and Marion Ein Lewin, his partner, who is a Holocaust survivor. Dinner chairs Stephanie and Frank Tsuru, along with host

The Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation South Texas Chapter announced its 2025 Women of Distinction at a surprise gathering at Elizabeth Anthony boutique in Uptown Park. Bincy Abraham, Sharon Albert Brier, Stephanie von Stein Schusterman, Julie Baker Finck, and Alice Mao Brams were selected for their philanthropic contributions within Greater Houston and were notified in front of friends and family at the surprise event. The Honorable Jacquie Baly has been named the 2025 Ambassador for her outstanding leadership and dedication to public service. Each of the women will be formally honored at the 2025 Winter Ball, scheduled for Feb. 1, 2025 at the Omni Hotel, chaired by Elizabeth DeLuca and Lauren Gow, with proceeds benefiting the Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation. Pictured (from left) at the surprise gathering are Bincy Abraham, Sharon Albert Brier, Elizabeth Anthony owner Julie (continued on page 50)

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Stein Schusterman, and Julie Baker Finck (not pictured: honoree Alice Mao Brams). For more information on the Winter Ball, visit onecau.se/2025winterball.

Priscilla Dickson

Laughter is the best medicine

Matthew Rood

Harrison Broach, James Mittelholzer, Austin Graf, and Charlie Graf (pictured, from left) enjoyed cocktails and comedy from actor David Spade at the 12th annual Stand Up for Brain Cancer gala benefiting The Broach Foundation.

More than 450 supporters gathered in the ballroom at River Oaks Country Club for a VIP cocktail hour, dinner, and comedy show. Spade greeted guests during the cocktail hour and cracked jokes while taking photos with supporters. Jamie Broach Byrd and Jeff Byrd and their children led this year’s gala, with Parker Broach opening the event with a joke that had the audience in stitches. Mistress of ceremonies Ilona Carson introduced speaker Fred Lang, MD, head of the Department of Neurosurgery at MD Anderson Cancer Center. David Spade headlined the gala to raise funds for The Broach Foundation, established in honor of James Broach, which has given more than $6 million

WEST UNIVERSITY BUZZ AUGUST 2024 50

to fund clinical trials for the most aggressive form of brain cancer, glioblastoma.

New beginnings Daniel Ortiz

(continued from page 48) Roberts, Stephanie von

Harmon, with AVDA board chair Stephanie Von Stein Schusterman and AVDA chief executive officer Maisha Colter serving as emcees. A new award, the Young Advocate Award, was introduced and given to local teen philanthropist Sophie-Marie Ngu who has supported AVDA for the past three years. Maria Barrios, a former victim of domestic violence and a new member of AVDA’s board of directors, was announced as the Ambassador of Advocacy honoree.

Doctors in recital Drs. Michael Yafi, Tony Tran, Akira Nishikawa, Marc Rhoads, Allison Speer, Neale Clark, Maria Matuszczak, Khashayar Hematpour, and John Sanchez (pictured, from left) performed in the second annual Doctors in Recital hosted by Steinway Piano Gallery. More than 200 family members, friends, and fellow medical professionals gathered in the lobby of a medical office building and enjoyed listening to their favorite doctors perform solo piano works

by Gershwin, Mozart, Piazzolla, Ravel, and more. The unique musical event raised funds for UTHealth Houston's Department of Pediatrics to provide cost-efficient medical care for local infants, children, and adolescents.

The power of pink Aid to Victims of Domestic Abuse (AVDA) supporters enjoyed the second annual New Beginnings Luncheon at The Post Oak Hotel.

Kristen Cannon and Jayne Johnston (pictured, from left) were among the crowd that raised more than $310,000 to advocate for an end to family violence and support victims of abuse.

The luncheon was chaired by AVDA board member Jennifer Caras and advisory committee members Mario Gudmundsson and Courtney

Anna McGrath, Ellie Strehli, Kate Weldon, and Kate Jackson (pictured, from left) enjoyed an evening supporting the American Cancer Society’s Men Wear Pink of Houston. More than 200 enthusiastic foodies gathered at PostScript at the Shops at Arrive River Oaks to raise funds for cancer awareness and research efforts. The evening was full of pink, from the rose-hued attire to the pink carpet leading to the front door. Guests enjoyed (continued on page 52)

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and saxophone player Alex Jones, along with custom cigar rolling and Chef Bryan Caswell’s signature caviar donuts.

Beds for kids

crowd and introduced Anita Carmen of Inspire Women who gave the invocation. Three families who are actively involved in the organization were honored: the Hoffer family, the Finger family, and the Wolff family.

An afternoon with CanCare Michael and Jared Wiesenthal (pictured, from left) and more than 300 other CanCare supporters enjoyed the 30th annual HOPE Survivorship Luncheon at River Oaks Country Club. The afternoon raised more than $400,000 for CanCare, an organization that matches people who are newly diagnosed with cancer with trained survivors to support them during their cancer journey. Luncheon chairs Phoebe and Bobby Tudor and honorary chairs Stephanie and Frank Tsuru welcomed supporters to the program that included CanCare president and Daniel Ortiz

Ryan Bonnet, Samantha Hoffer, Scott and Gayle Hoffer, Robyn and Zac Hoffer, and Sarah and Max Hoffer (pictured, from left) were among more than 360 guests at River Oaks Country Club to support No Kids on the Floor, benefiting the Houston Furniture Bank. The evening raised more than $275,000 to provide beds for local children. Houston Furniture Bank was started by Jodie Hoffer 32 years ago and focuses on providing Houston families with essential home furniture. Event chairs Francie Willis and Bernie Falco welcomed supporters and emcee Khambrel Marshall greeted the

Daniel Ortiz

Alex Montoya

(continued from page 50) music from DJ Athenz

chief executive officer Darcie Wells speaking about the importance of hope, and recognition of honorees Bashar and Brigitte Kalai, Sippi Khurana and Vijay Goradia. Guest speaker Peter Pisters, MD, president of the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, was interviewed by ABC13’s Gina Gaston about the newest breakthroughs in cancer treatment. The afternoon concluded with the traditional candle-lighting ceremony filling the room with candles held up by the guests to honor loved ones impacted by cancer.

Busy bees

It was quite a scene of colony building at the Houston Racquet Club for the Houston Junior Forum’s 2024-2025 executive committee installation. President “Queen Bee” Susan Rosenbaum handed the gavel to the “Master Beekeeper” and new “Queen Bee” Krista Parker. Krista’s new hive of “worker bees” includes president-elect Sharon Cook, treasurer Diana Root, vice presidents Jaye Keepers, Dale Kurtz, Rita Barry, Lauri Wasmuth, Deanna Belanger, and Susan Fisher, and secretaries Amelia Alder, Keleigh Sale, and Linda West.

Newly elected members of the Recruitment and Admissions Council are Dawn Amithor, Gena Castilla, Ivonne Delgado, Charlotte Howell, and Lisa Laumbach.

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.

WEST UNIVERSITY BUZZ AUGUST 2024 52

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NEIGHBORS

by Andria Dilling, staff writer

Back Porch

Returning the Cart: Considering etiquette

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o be good people in society, do we always have to follow the (often unspoken) rules of etiquette?

A viral TikTok video posted earlier this summer has sparked a debate on one specific point of decorum: Are we always and forever obligated to return the grocery cart to its corral after loading up our cars?

The average grocery shopper might say yes.

But here’s the zinger of the TikTok: Even when there are small children in the car?

California forensic psychologist Leslie Dobson, a regular on social media, posted a video recording of herself on May 29 daring viewers to “judge me all you want.” Her point: “I’m not getting my groceries into my car, getting my children into the car, and then leaving them in the car to go return the cart. So if you’re gonna give me a dirty look, f--- off.”

And then the storm hit, with over 12 million views. Followed by countless news reports and posts. On TikTok alone, the 17-second video elicited almost 54,000 comments.

People who don’t return their shopping cart are benefiting from everybody else doing the nice thing, which is returning their cart…

Small things like this is what shows character in a person. I am not a parent but even if it’s raining or snowing, I return my cart.

It was never about the shopping cart. It’s about the principle. It’s about answering the question: Am I willing to take some time out of my day to do something nice for nothing in return?

Katie Kirbo, a part-time teacher and mom of two toddlers, gets the debate. “I was just at the store with my mom and [my sister] Emily’s baby, and we had this exact conversation, even though I hadn’t seen the video,” she says. “I looked around and found the cart return was all the way across the lot. Luckily, there were two of us. Mom put Annie in the car seat while I returned the cart. If I had been alone, I wouldn’t have been able to return it.

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themselves from the dilemma.

“They’re just doing curbside pickup.

And a lot of dads are doing the grocery store.”

Sandy Sales, Katie’s mom and a grandmother of three children under 4 years old says, “I have at least one of those babies with me a lot. I load groceries in the back tailgate of my SUV, relock my car, then drive the cart with the baby in it to put the cart away.

“If there is not a close-by cart return, I have on a few occasions walked the cart to the closest place where I knew it POLITE OR PRACTICAL When, if ever, does reason outweigh etiquette? wouldn’t hit or groom want at their wedding.” block another car or be blown into one after I How about thank-you notes? My daughter left. But that might be one time out of 10.” recently received a gift along with a thank-you What about all the other little rules of etipostcard, pre-written and addressed to the giftquette we mindlessly follow – or don’t? Does it giver, by the gift-giver. We were charmed by the speak to your character when you step into an clever idea that part of the gift was a note that elevator before allowing the people inside to exit didn’t need writing. Even so, my daughter still first? How about when you don’t respond to an wrote a note. invitation? “It’s not about kids being left in cars, From grocery carts to thank-you notes, rules but to the host or hostess it’s important,” says a of etiquette are mostly about showing respect for frequent hostess. “And there’s no kids-in-theothers, and that is character-revealing. It’s just car reason to skip.” stickier when you’re forced to choose between Taking that one step farther, a 20-somesocial niceties and safety. thing woman on the wedding circuit said sevWith respect in mind, there’s room for grace. eral friends called the bride before a recent “Every once in a while,” Katie says, “there’s a wedding and asked to bring a plus-one. “If nice person who comes over and says, Hey, can you don’t want to go without a date, just I take your cart for you?” Maybe that’s the truest don’t go. It’s not about you, it’s about space form of etiquette. and money and also just who the bride and behance.net/runamokstudios

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