The West University Buzz - June 2022

Lauren Koong

Travel Buzz: On the Civil Rights Trail

Class

Turning the Page on Grief

of 2022

A Guide to Houston’s Parks

by Caroline Siegfried

Filipino Food Going Vegan Acts of Kindness Activities for Kids

Houston, TX Permit No. 2047

Transforming Roast Chicken

PAID US Postage PRSRT STD

Summer Reads

EDITOR’S NOTE “Travel can serve a purpose far greater than entertainment….” Tracy L. Barnett does just that in this month’s Travel Buzz column, chronicling Dr. Richard Jackson’s journey visiting and learning from landmarks and memorials that are part of the Civil Rights Trail. This powerful, well-written travel piece and the accompanying photos greatly moved me, and I hope you take the time to read this very important story too. On a lighter note, this issue also includes our annual “Where Are They Headed?” story highlighting graduating high school seniors. The Class of 2022 certainly did not have a traditional high school experience but, thankfully, they get to end their senior year with in-person celebrations. In this feature by Caroline Siegfried, many of them mention teachers who inspired them, in and out of the classroom. Teachers, you deserve that party too. We wish these graduating seniors much success. Chances are, they are better prepared for what lies ahead, as the one thing they’ve all learned is to expect the unexpected. Cheers to the Class of 2022. joni@thebuzzmagazines.com

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Joni Hoffman Michael Hoffman Jordan Magaziner Steinfeld Caroline Siegfried John Duboise Tracy L. Barnett Sharon Albert Brier Cindy Burnett Andria Frankfort Angie Frederickson Todd Freed Cindy Gabriel Cathy Gordon Michelle Groogan Dai Huynh Annie Blaylock McQueen Jennifer Oakley Pooja Salhotra Cheryl Ursin Andrea Blitzer Leslie Little Jo Rogers

On our cover: Lamar High School graduating senior Lauren Koong is heading to Stanford University this fall.

Cover photo by Nikky LaWell, lawellphoto.com The Buzz Magazines has made all reasonable attempts to verify the accuracy of all information contained within. Advertising claims are solely the responsibility of the advertiser. Copyright © 2022 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 JUNE 2022 4

WEST UNIVERSITY BUZZ JUNE 2022 5

MAILBAG

Your letters, thoughts, opinions ‘Wicket’ good article Excellent article [No Rest for the Wicket: Competitive croquet takes strategy

by Cathy Gordon, May 2022] with super professional photos [by Dylan Aguilar]. In addition, the publisher’s note [May 2022] was well-done.

Together, all made a splash with your readers.

I went to a monthly lunch with UT Law graduates, all who graduated circa '65-67 and who are my friends and colleagues in the Houston legal community. Of the dozen or so who came to the lunch gathering, three brought their magazines. Others were inspired by the article and asked many questions.

Again, thank you and your talented staff for a splendid piece of reporting on this challenging sport, played by all ages and genders.

Lee Hamel

A sweet response Thank you for helping to spread the word on this fabulous organization [For Goodness Cakes, featured in The Icing on the Cake: Making birthdays extra sweet by Jennifer Oakley, May 2022]. I am grateful to Jennifer and The Buzz team for this wonderful experience. Jennifer wrote a truly beautiful story. I have received so much feedback from friends and family, including people who acknowledged that they knew I baked these cakes but didn’t understand why!

Since the story was published, I know of at least two people who already did the volunteer orientation and will be making cakes. Thank you!

Cristina Rodriguez

In search of a private school Thank you for giving me copies of the September issue with the Private School Directory. I wanted the directory because my cousin’s granddaughter, who lives in Spain, is looking to come here for high school. She wanted to make sure that she was in a high school with the International Baccalaureate program because that is what you need to get into the universities in Spain. Since I am muy vieja (“very old”) and not very tech-savvy, I want to make sure I put her in a great school, and I remembered this directory in The Buzz [so I can mail hard copies to my family members].

The directory is a marvelous boon so my cousin’s granddaughter can compare information to see if each school has the requirements that she needs. It’s great to have all of this information handy, so they can talk to the school or dean or so forth. Thank you for making it available.

Carmelita Groff Editor’s note: Carmelita, thank you for stopping by The Buzz office. The WEST UNIVERSITY BUZZ JUNE 2022 6

Buzz Magazines’ Private School Directory is a Special Advertising Section that appears annually in our September issue and is available online year-round. See thebuzzmagazines.com/private-school-directory and look out for our September 2023 issue.

A special story I wanted to thank you for the story on authors Natalie and Nicole Hampton who have shared their story about their brother Jake in [their book] By Siblings, For Siblings [featured in Our Brother Jake: Siblings helping siblings by Michelle Groogan, April 2022]. This is just one more way our community can learn to be inclusive of those with special needs. Like those who are Challenger Buddies, Natalie and Nicole help us all find the abilities in our special friends! We appreciate your sharing this story with us all!

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

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

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FOOD

by Cheryl Ursin, staff writer

Going Vegan What it’s really like

A

bout a year ago, my husband, who does not like vegetables, suggested we go vegan.

This should be interesting, I thought.

Actually, I was glad he brought it up.

I have always felt uneasy about eating animal products. My mother says when I was four, I discovered where meat came from and was so horrified that I almost drove the entire family to vegetarianism.

But then I forgot. I was four.

Some definitions may be in order because while all vegans are vegetarian, not all vegetarians are vegan. What people tend to think of as “vegetarian” is a person who doesn’t eat meat but will eat dairy and eggs. But to be precise, that’s an ovo-lacto-vegetarian. I recently met a woman who is a lactose-intolerant vegetarian.

“I confuse people,” she says. Officially, she’s an ovo-vegetarian; that’s a vegetarian who will eat eggs but not dairy. There are also lacto-vegetarians, who will eat dairy but not eggs. And there are pescatarians, vegetarians who will eat fish.

A vegan doesn’t eat any animal products: no meat, dairy, eggs, even honey. People vary on how strict they are with this. Some won’t eat any foods that are produced using animal products in any way. That might mean no wine or beer that has been fined, a purification step in the production process that might use egg whites, casein (which comes from milk), gelatin, or isinglass, which is made of the swim bladders of fish. (Really.) Some people are vegan in all aspects of their lives and won’t use any products that come from animals, such as leather or silk.

Vegans have a reputation, not entirely undeserved, of being prickly. I joined several vegan recipe exchange pages on Facebook. (I did this so you don’t have to; you’re welcome.) I found that recipes weren’t so much being exchanged as hot words were, often from page members whose caps-locked buttons were on.

A common query on these pages is, If I raise my own chickens and know that they are welltreated, can I eat their eggs? The answer from the caps-locked crowd: NO! Those eggs belong to the hens, they say, never mind that those eggs aren’t fertilized, are just going to rot, and domesWEST UNIVERSITY BUZZ JUNE 2022 8

FOOD FOR THOUGHT Writer Cheryl Ursin and her husband Cole Thomson learned more about cooking when they became vegan.

tic chickens have been bred to lay an unnaturally large number of eggs.

People go vegan for a number of reasons.

Some, like my 4-year-old (and present-day) self don’t want to cause animal suffering. Others want to lessen their impact on the environment.

(The main reason my husband went vegan.)

Some (also me) want to eat a healthier diet.

While eating vegan, theoretically all fruits and vegetables, can be healthy, it is not, as I had hoped, a free pass to eat anything I want in any amount I want as long as it’s vegan.

Let me explain. Oreo cookies are vegan.

Whataburger French fries, fried in soybean oil, are vegan, although, alas, Whataburger onion rings, battered with egg and milk, are not.

Margaritas are vegan. Vegetable egg rolls, their name notwithstanding, usually don’t contain eggs and can be vegan. Skittles are vegan. Many kinds of potato chips are vegan. And be still my heart, Girl Scout Thin Mint Cookies are vegan.

Or perhaps I should say that some of these

accidentally vegan products are “technically” vegan, because there is debate. Google if Oreos are vegan, and in the results, some unequivocally say that Oreos are vegan, including statements from PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) and from Veg News, a vegan magazine. Others, one a blog called The Picky Eater, say Oreos are not vegan because they are made in factories and on equipment that are used to make other non-vegan products, so there is a risk of cross-contamination and also because Oreos are made using regular white sugar. Sugar is made white using a purification process that might use bone char, which is made from bones, usually of cattle. This is why organic sugar, which does not use bone char in its production, has a gold hue.

In your supermarket ice-cream case, there is now an entire section devoted to non-dairy alternatives. Ben & Jerry’s produces 17 vegan icecream flavors, including a vegan Cherry Garcia.

Whole Foods sells mini (continued on page 10)

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definitely non-vegan kids say are better than regular corndogs. There are some pretty passable “cheese” puffs that are made of chickpeas.

Cooking vegan meals held some surprises, too.

First, the positive: Because you are not worried about raw meat or eggs, and as long as you wash your fruits and vegetables, you can taste everything at every stage of cooking and chop everything with the same knife and cutting board.

Which is nice because you will dirty every bowl and pot and pan in your kitchen, in addition to your blender and your food processor.

Vegan recipes, trying hard to impart richness and flavor without cheese, cream, or butter, tend to call for a bazillion ingredients, most of which have to be finely chopped.

Some of these ingredients are things I had never heard of, like nutritional yeast. For some reason, every definition of nutritional yeast I have ever read ends with the observation that some people like the taste so much, they sprinkle it on their popcorn, to which I can only say, “Yuck.” It is good for imparting a cheesy flavor to recipes and, to sauces, a cheesy consistency.

Miso paste, though, I could eat – okay, I do eat – with a spoon right out of the container.

Made of fermented soybeans, it works kind of like bouillon and adds a umami, or savory, rich taste, to recipes. It is also, like bouillon, high in sodium.

While I will still occasionally get a text from my husband, out to a business dinner at a steakhouse, that reads “I’m ordering the vegetable medley” accented by green-faced and vomiting emojis, I have to say we are both pleasantly surprised that it wasn’t so hard to make the switch.

Even those vegetable medleys can be quite good.

Recently, one of my definitely non-vegan kids looked at my vegetable medley as the waiter set it down and said, “Hey, that looks pretty good.”

I almost fell out of my chair.

And don’t forget: there can always be Ben & Jerry’s for dessert.

AS Food Studio/Shutterstock

(continued from page 8) vegan corndogs that my

FULL OF BEANS Robert Irvine’s red beans and rice recipe was easy to make vegan.

Red Beans & Rice Serves 5 Sometimes, it’s easy to make a recipe you’ve made for years vegan. This recipe for beans and rice, from Chef Robert Irvine (chefirvine.com), simply needed me to use vegan butter, rather than regular butter, and vegetable stock, rather than chicken stock, in the making of the rice.

1 Tbsp. olive oil 2 cloves garlic, minced 1 large red onion, diced 1 stalk celery, diced 1 green bell pepper, small diced 1 red bell pepper, small diced 2 16 oz. cans red kidney beans 1 tsp. onion powder 1 tsp. salt 1/4 tsp. black pepper 1 Tbsp. hot sauce

2 1/2 cups vegetable stock 1 cup white rice 1 Tbsp. vegan butter 1 Tbsp. minced fresh cilantro leaves Heat olive oil over medium-high heat in a large saucepan. Sauté garlic, onion, celery, and bell pepper until tender. Stir in kidney beans, onion powder, salt, pepper, and hot sauce.

Reduce heat to low and let mixture simmer slowly while you cook the rice.

Bring the vegetable broth to a boil and stir in rice and vegan butter. Return to a boil, reduce heat to low, cover and cook for 20 minutes without removing the lid. Remove from heat and let stand for 5 minutes. (Alternatively, I make the rice in a rice cooker.)

Fold rice and beans gently together and transfer to a serving dish. Serve garnished with cilantro.

Eating Out, Vegan-Style While I have made the switch to veganism, my favorite thing to make for dinner remains reservations. Luckily, more and more restaurants, from fast-food to fine-dining, are including vegetarian and vegan options on their menus.

And in Houston, there is a wide range of all-vegan restaurants.

They include: Verdine – 449 W. 19t St., 713-876-4768, eatverdine.com Cascabel – 1415 Murray Bay St., 713-999-9551, @cascabelvegan on Instagram Mo’Better Brews – 1201 Southmore Blvd., 832-740-4297, mobetterbrews.com The Doshi House – 3419 Emancipation Ave., 713-814-5085, doshihouse.com Veegos – 10932 Westheimer and 2616 Blodgett, 281-8885030, veegoshouston.com WEST UNIVERSITY BUZZ JUNE 2022 10

Green Seed Vegan – 4320 Almeda Rd., 844-365-8346, greenseedvegan.com Korny Vibes – 403 Westheimer Rd., 713-485-4609, kornyvibeshtx.com Trendy Vegan – 3821 Richmond Ave., 713-621-9488, trendyhouston.com The Hive Vegan Eatery – 14520 Memorial Dr., 832-3002777, thehiveveganeatery.com Heartbeet – 14714 Memorial Dr., 832-617-8278, heartbeeteats.com Hungry’s, though not entirely vegan, offers a separate vegan menu., 2356 Rice Blvd., 713-523-8652; 14714 Memorial Dr., 281-493-1520, hungryscafe.com Govinda’s, the vegetarian restaurant at the Hindu ISKCON Houston Temple & Cultural Center in Garden Oaks, serves an entirely vegan menu on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays. 1320 W. 34th St., 832-831-9951, govindashou.com

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NEIGHBORS

by Andria Frankfort, staff writer

For the Love of Books A daughter’s grief turned to giving

R

egina Shadle Nolan has fond memories of driving all over Huntsville with her dad every Saturday morning to scout books for sale.

Regina’s father, Bob Shadle, had been an associate professor of history at Sam Houston State University for almost 50 years. Before retiring in 2011, he taught a variety of history classes from U.S. history to his passion, the British Empire. He was an author and an editor, and he was a voracious reader.

But at the end of the day, he was the inspiration for Regina’s love of books.

“I was my daddy’s little girl,” she says.

“Anywhere he went, I went. He was an early reader, and I was an early reader. He taught me to read.

“On Friday nights, we would circle all the garage sales [in the newspaper] that mentioned books, and then off we would go in the morning,” Regina, a vice president for human resources at HP, says. “We would load up in his VW and go from stop to stop to stop looking for books. We’d come home with bags and boxes of them, and my mom [Lidia] was always like, ‘Please don’t bring any more books into my house!’”

Bob would enroll Regina in the summer reading programs at the library, and they always marked their calendar for the Houston Public Library’s book sale. “Some families came to Houston to go to AstroWorld,” Regina says. “We went for the Houston Public Library book sale.”

With all the buying trips came a massive collection of books. Bob kept them organized: he kept a list of the books he had read, and another one of the books Regina read. “Because he was a British Empire professor, he had a lot of books from the Victorian era,” Regina says. “But they were also varied and really showed you how diverse his thoughts were. He had books that were thrillers, [James] Pattersons. He read about African history, the road to independence for the Ivory Coast. For me, not all that was interesting. But for him, that’s how he built his knowledge.” (To hear about Regina’s own book preferences, turn to the back of the magazine for “Back Porch.”)

Regina says her dad kept careful watch over his books. “He’d say, ‘Over here, these are really WEST UNIVERSITY BUZZ JUNE 2022 12

A SPECIAL BOOK CLUB Bob Shadle instilled a lifelong love of reading and books in his daughter Regina Shadle Nolan.

important,’ or, ‘Over here, these are thrillers.’

Prior to him passing, he tried to tell me what to do with them. That was his number one thing.

He wanted to make sure I knew which books were more valuable.”

But, like many daughters, Regina didn’t want to go there. “I would say, ‘You’re fine, you’re fine. Why don’t you take care of your books by just being here?’”

So when Bob died in 2019, Regina wasn’t sure how she should handle the books. “It took me a couple of years to even go into his office,” she says. But this past spring, she did it.

“I think my dad really just wanted to make sure I valued his books like he valued them and gave them to people who would also value them,” Regina says. She began the process of culling through the books and giving them away.

“Grief is a process,” Regina says. “For me, giving the books away was one way of working through that process.

“I thought about how [my dad] would want me to manage the books, and, for me, there was an obligation to share them with the community. So I did a Saturday morning pop-up with free books in my front yard.”

Advertised only by a post on the Nextdoor app, Regina’s book giveaway brought readers to her front yard starting at 5 a.m. All the books she put out that morning were gone by 11:30. “There’ve been an outpouring of people who loved the [Nextdoor] story – like 650,” Regina says. “It’s crazy. There were so many comments from people who were history professors or who had similar experiences with their dads. I read every one of the comments and thanked everyone for acknowledging my dad. It was part of my grieving.”

It’s going to take more than one – or two, or three – Saturday mornings to give all Regina’s dad’s books away. She plans to keep going, sorting books according to genre. “This was a first pass,” Regina says, “more of his luxury reading, not his historical reference books or the true classics. I haven’t gotten there yet.”

But the community response buoyed Regina’s spirits. “It was a way to give back,” she says. “I think my dad would have been very, very pleased with how I gave the books to the community.

They weren’t recycled, they were redistributed.

“And I loved the idea of giving them away on a Saturday morning. Maybe there was a little girl there looking through the books with her dad.”

WEST UNIVERSITY BUZZ JUNE 2022 13

NEIGHBORS

by Cindy Gabriel, staff writer

A Simple Act of Kindness A baseball story that’s about more than baseball

WEST UNIVERSITY BUZZ JUNE 2022 14

Photo courtesy of The Cincinnati Reds

O

nce you reach a certain age, I’ll call it “rounding third,” it can be surprising what memories surface. They aren’t always the big, dramatic ones. Sometimes you can remember a small gesture and the feeling it gave you. Then you get to experience that feeling all over again.

Nothing wrong with that. My old friend, Dr. Ben Portnoy, who talked to you last month about his bow ties, has such a memory from his days as a teenager in Cincinnati. Here’s Ben. Over the course of my life, I have received many gifts and have been the beneficiary of multiple acts of kindness. I am sure that many of these have been flushed from my memory. In fact, it is hard for me to call up these specific acts of kindness from the depths of my mind. I guess that I tend to file these away as well deserved so not very memorable.

Maybe I just expect good things to happen to me, and when the act of kindness does occur it doesn’t register, as it was what I anticipated. Somehow the nasty acts tend to linger in my memory, but I digress.

One act of kindness I do remember well.

In 1959, I had just finished the ninth grade in Cincinnati, Ohio. My friend Stu and I wanted to go to a baseball game. In those days, tickets were very affordable, and I think our admission was probably a half dollar. I cannot recall who the Cincinnati Reds were playing that day. We went because it was something to do. Of course, it was always great to watch Ted Kluszewski at first base with his muscular arms and cut off sleeve jersey, and we would hope that he would hit a home run.

Stu and I got good seats, pretty close to the field.

Crosley Field, the Reds' stadium, was situated close to downtown Cincinnati, and it was no problem getting there by bus.

The game dragged on as some baseball games drag on. Summer in Cincinnati is hot and humid. We had splurged on a hot dog for lunch during the first or second inning, and by the seventh inning stretch the sun was shining right at us. We were sweaty and thirsty.

Stu and I discussed what to do. We had just enough money for the 10-cent bus ride home. But we really wanted a lemonade. If we each bought a lemonade, that would leave us with no bus fare. My father’s office was in downtown, and we figured we could walk to his office in 15 or 20 minutes. Then

LEMONS TO LEMONADE It was a forgettable game, but a memorable moment for Dr. Ben Portnoy as a teenager in the late ’50s. Many years later, he remembers a sweet act of kindness from fellow Cincinnati Reds fans during a hot summertime game.

we could hitch a ride home with him when he was done with work. It was so hot that we really did not want to walk to downtown. Also, it was an uphill walk. We were sweaty enough. In our early teen reasoning, we discussed the pros and cons of what to do. In the meantime, the sun was beaming down on us, and we were miserable.

Every story has a climax. Ours was when two arms with large meaty hands reached over our shoulders and handed each of us a big paper cup of lemonade. Two men dressed in white shirts with ties were seated behind us. The arms, of course, belonged to them.

Oh, the relief of those glasses of lemonade. I can almost taste it now. And then the game was over, and Stu and I went home on an air-conditioned bus.

Whoever those men were, I’ll never know. But when I perform some kind act, I think of them and that day and figure I am just paying it forward.

What worries me is what all those people have thought of my buying them a lemonade.

H

ere we are talking about one simple act of kindness that happened decades ago. Most

likely the anonymous people who performed it are no longer with us, but their kind act, even now, has made me feel kinda light and breezy.

Lately, it’s been easy to get caught up in “what if” worrying about the future. The world seems to be getting edgier by the minute. It’s easy to add my own angst into the simmering pot.

Ben’s story is a valuable reminder. Kindness is portable, weighs less than a cell phone, and can be called up at any given moment.

Note to self: Before you open your mouth, ask yourself: “Is it kind?”

Another note to self: Mix gratitude in with your memories. Perhaps our future has something to do with how we remember our past.

And finally, do the above even when you don’t feel like it. It can lower your blood pressure and perhaps prolong your life, or at least, make the run more pleasant between first and home.

Editor’s note: Read more from Dr. Ben Portnoy in Cindy Gabriel’s May column, Bow Ties: Retired doc still keeps old ties. See this story at thebuzzmagazines.com for the link.

WEST UNIVERSITY BUZZ JUNE 2022 15

KIDS Jacquelyn Silverman

by Caroline Siegfried, staff writer

Class of 2022 Where are they headed?

T

he Class of 2022’s story is one of coming back together. Picking up relationships, friendships, classes from where they left them. Re-learning how to be in a community.

This class of seniors wasn’t even halfway through high school when the Covid pandemic hit. Due to the unpredictability of Covid spikes, which brought classes back online – and then back in-person – they’ve had to become comfortable with living in a transitional state. In March 2020, mere weeks into the pandemic, comedian and writer Ariana Lenarsky expressed the widely-held sentiment: “I am tired of being a part of a major historical event.” We are sure this class of graduates can relate to that feeling.

These seniors have seen virtual versions of many high school milestones. This year, there was exponentially more excitement in a real, live senior prom where they could reach out and hug their friends. Students have shared that they think living through the Covid era made their class closer, and that they have gained a capacity to handle change – to roll with the punches, so to speak. As we shuffle our lives back into order, it’s important to remember the hard-won character attributes that this time has wrought – not that suffering should happen; but that it did nonetheless, and that it has had meaning.

Our annual tradition here at The Buzz is to share our graduating neighbors’ future plans. As they leave the nest and transform from adorable kiddos to high school graduates, we celebrate their achievements. Read on to see what they wish they had known as kindergarteners, and what they’re looking forward to in the next chapter of their lives. Congrats on making it through, guys. Cheers to the Class of 2022!

Jason Gerber – River Oaks Elementary School, Pin Oak Middle School, The Emery/Weiner School Jason Gerber is heading to American University, where he will study Audio Technology. Jason would tell his kindergarten self to try everything because you never know what you might fall in love with. He followed this advice by trying everything in high school: football, theatre, and being in a band. His most WEST UNIVERSITY BUZZ JUNE 2022 16

Jason Gerber – American University

memorable teacher was Ms. Linda Nelson, from third grade at River Oaks Elementary School, who taught his class about Egypt by mummifying a Cornish game hen. Jason still has his. He says that he is most looking forward to “meeting new people and leaving Houston (ha, ha).” His dream job is to manage a concert venue.

Olivia Wang – Deer Valley Elementary (Birmingham, Ala.), St. Mark’s Episcopal School, Episcopal High School Olivia Wang is headed to The Juilliard School in New York City to study dance. She would tell her kindergarten self to stay present, and really enjoy your younger years – they go by quickly. Olivia notes that her senior year AP Literature teacher, Mrs. Hailey Zipfel, reignited her passion for literature. She is most looking forward to being able to wake up every day in New York City and study what she loves: dance!

She hopes to become a professional dancer and travel internationally with a dance company.

Abigail Goldman – The Fay School, Presbyterian School, The Emery/Weiner School Abigail Goldman is headed to The New School in New York City to study Philosophy.

She would tell her kindergarten self to not worry so much about external judgments. Her favorite moment from high school was camping in Big

Bend with her classmates freshman year. Her favorite teacher was her senior English teacher, Ms. Casey Fleming, who inspired her by making things like Albert Camus’ The Myth of Sisyphus fun and engaging. Abigail’s dream job is something that brings her happiness and enables her to help others, and she’s looking forward to beginning her life in New York City.

Lauren Koong – Oak Avenue Elementary School (Los Altos, Ca.), Georgina P. Blach Intermediate School (Los Altos, Ca.), Lamar High School Lauren Koong is headed to Stanford University to study Philosophy or Classics. If she could give her kindergarten self one piece of advice, it would be to enjoy kindergarten while you can. Lauren says that Mr. Tomislav Pustahija, her freshman AP Human Geography teacher, was probably the best teacher she has ever had. She still uses the things she learned in his class today. Her dream job is Editor-in-Chief of The New York Times. Her favorite high school moment was “Jorts Day” on the last day of her junior year.

Austin Courtney – West University Elementary School, Pin Oak Middle School, Second Baptist School Austin Courtney is headed to Clemson University, where he will (continued on page 18)

Katie Ging Photography

Abigail Goldman – The New School

Lauren Koong – Stanford University

Austin Courtney – Clemson University

Campbell Brickley – Texas A&M University

Eva Veeningen – Purdue University

Cory Kardesch – University of Texas at Austin

Kara Trail

Henry Clark

Marlo Wise

Cindy Crofford Photography

Olivia Wang – The Juilliard School

Margrethe Jensen – Wake Forest University WEST UNIVERSITY BUZZ JUNE 2022 17

Reed Gallagher Photography

(continued from page 16) study Business. If he

could tell his kindergarten self anything, it would be “Don’t sweat the small stuff.

Everything happens for a reason and works out for the best.” His most memorable teacher was Mrs. Elizabeth Dains, his ninth-grade World Geography teacher. He says Mrs. Dains was always happy to meet before and after school to answer any questions and help prepare students for exams. She would talk to her students about anything, providing a welcoming environment for new students. He’s looking forward to college life, and his dream job is to be a financial analyst.

Campbell Brickley – Saint Thomas’ Episcopal School Campbell Brickley is headed to Texas A&M University to major in Dance Science. She would tell her kindergarten self: “Work hard in everything you do, and don’t tell yourself you can’t do something, because you absolutely can.”

She credits her ninth-grade math teacher, Ms. Christine Saa, with helping her to not only understand math, but also to enjoy it. Her favorite moment from high school was her trip to Scotland with her school to compete in Scottish Highland Dance. She loved getting to make friends from across the world while experiencing a different country. Her dream job is to be a professional dancer and a physical therapist for dancers on the side.

Eva Veeningen – West University Elementary School, Veritas Christian Academy, Second Baptist School Eva Veeningen is headed to Purdue University to study Geology and Geophysics.

She would tell her kindergarten self: “Don't worry about what others think about you! If you continue to be authentic to the self that only you can know, the ones you surround yourself with will reflect that.” Her dream job is to work at NASA as a planetary geologist. Eva believes that as we expand onto other planets, we have to know what came before us in order to understand what we have to do in order to live there.

Her inspiration for the past two-and-a-half years has been Dr. Kathryn Stack Morgan, and Eva aims to follow in her footsteps at NASA. Cory Kardesch – The Fay School, River Oaks Baptist School, Episcopal High School Cory Kardesch is headed to The University of Texas at Austin for Urban Studies and PreArchitecture. If he could give his kindergarten self some advice, he would say: Don’t chase your puppy down the stairs (which is why he had a broken arm on his first day of kindergarten). He is looking forward to the whole college campus experience – meeting new people and stellar classes/professors. His favorite part of high school was serving as class president/vice president all four years. He says that his teacher Ms. Alice Berry has helped him fall in love with the WEST UNIVERSITY BUZZ JUNE 2022 18

Lily Pesikoff – Occidental College

Spanish language so much that he spent a few summers serving and studying in Spanish-speaking countries. His dream job is to be an architect.

Margrethe Jensen – West University Elementary School, River Oaks Baptist School, Episcopal High School Margrethe Jensen is off to Wake Forest University to study Psychology and Art History.

She would tell her kindergarten self to not stress so much about growing up, and instead appreciate every stage of your life; you can be a kid for as long as you want to. One of the most influential teachers in her life has been Reverend Phuc Luu, her Religion teacher, who she says has offered her a lot of good advice and perspective. She’s looking forward to being relatively on her own for the first time in her life and being able to grow as a person in a new environment. Her dream job would be to own an art gallery for shows and talk about different interpretations of art all day.

Lily Pesikoff – St. John’s School Lily Pesikoff is headed to Occidental College in California to study music. Her favorite moment from high school was playing “All Star”

by Smash Mouth at a 10th-grade music assembly.

One of her role models is 11th-grade history teacher Eleanor Cannon, a woman full of passion, energy, and power who made it exciting to learn.

If she could talk to her kindergarten self, she would say: “You probably should have lost the haircut sooner.”

Catrina Coe – West University Elementary School, Lanier Middle School, Bellaire High School

Catrina Coe is off to the University of California, Santa Barbara to study Anthropology on the Pre-Med track. She would tell her kindergarten self: “Don’t rush through everything; time goes by way faster than you realize.” She is vice president of dance team eMotion Dance Company. Her favorite moment from high school was when eMotion Dance Company won first place overall out of 26 other teams at HISD’s MA Dance Competition. Her dream job is to be a surgeon.

Sophia Neylon – West University Elementary School, River Oaks Baptist School, Episcopal High School Sophia Neylon is headed to Baylor University for Health Science Studies. She would tell her kindergarten self to make every moment count – whether at home, school, or with friends and family. She is excited to meet new people from around the country and experience life on her own for the first time. She is also looking forward to continuing her athletic career on Baylor’s Acrobatics and Tumbling team. She says her cheer coach, Leigh Anne Raymond, has shaped her into the person she is today by pushing her to be her best, inspiring her to trust in her faith always, and teaching her to follow her heart.

Sophia says she strives every day to become more like her. Her dream job is to become an orthopedic surgeon and help those pursuing their athletic dreams recover from injury.

Elizabeth “Beth Ann” Dominey – St. John’s School Elizabeth “Beth Ann” Dominey is headed to Auburn University to (continued on page 20)

Kata Trail

Sophia Neylon – Baylor University Marlo Wise

Catrina Coe – University of California, Santa Barbara

Joselyn Lwigale – Rice University Joanna Brandt Photography

Kim Schaffer

Elizabeth “Beth Ann” Dominey – Auburn University

Esha Garg – Yale University

Alexis Bartley – University of Alabama

Maya Harpavat – Rice University

Daija N. Satcher – University of Virginia WEST UNIVERSITY BUZZ JUNE 2022 19

(continued from page 18) study

Business. She would tell her kindergarten self: “Listen to Mom when she says ‘Know who you are and whose you are.’” Her eighth-grade math teacher Mr. Antonio Ventura is the teacher that changed her life the most. She says he taught her not only math, but also life lessons, like how to treat other people. She’s excited to meet new people in college, especially since she’s been at the same school since kindergarten. Her dream job is to be the creator and owner of a fitness apparel company.

Joselyn Lwigale – Kolter Elementary School, Pin Oak Middle School, Kinder High School for the Performing and Visual Arts Joselyn Lwigale is off to Rice University to study Medical Humanities on a Pre-Med track.

She’s looking forward to taking classes that push the boundaries of what she thinks she knows.

She would tell her kindergarten self: “Be you and live your life to the fullest. Play, explore, create – have fun!” Joselyn says that Ms. Kelsey Amundson, her first-grade teacher, had a bright and inspiring energy that made it a joy to come into her class every day, and put her on track to becoming the avid reader and confident person she is today. One of her favorite moments was helping with the Visual Arts audition process at HSPVA, helping make sure the only thing that students had to worry about is doing their best on their drawings.

Esha Garg – The Village School Esha Garg is off to Yale University to study Political Science, with interests in Computer Science and Gender/Race Studies. She would tell her kindergarten self: “Work hard, but take the time to get your head out of the books and go on adventures with some new (non-imaginary) friends.” Her favorite moment in high school was her senior-year lock-in. She bonded with her senior classmates as they played on swings and slides in the elementary school playground they grew up on, read picture books, and watched the stars while sharing stories in their tents. She is grateful for college counselor Erik Ostergren for teaching her that it is important to work towards your dreams and goals and trust the process, but also have realistic backups if things do not work out. Her dream job would involve making a real impact in her community, whether by driving change as a leader in the federal government or innovating a more inclusive world as a social entrepreneur.

Alexis Bartley – Horn Elementary, Pershing Middle School, St. Agnes Academy Alexis Bartley is off to University of Alabama to study Business/Nursing. She would tell her kindergarten self, simply: “Don’t cut your hair really short.” She credits Dr. Nadia Lara, her sophomore-year Organic Chemistry teacher, with sparking her interest in chemistry as a future career. She’s looking forward to freeWEST UNIVERSITY BUZZ JUNE 2022 20

dom in the next chapter of her life. Her dream job is to be a traveling nurse/yacht sailor.

Maya Harpavat – The Post Oak School, Saint Thomas' Episcopal, St. Agnes Academy Maya Harpavat is off to Rice University to study the Medical Humanities. She would tell her kindergarten self to persevere, and that nothing is impossible. Maya has been inspired

by Sister Jane Meyer, St. Agnes’ head of school, to be a leader and friend in her community with a positive attitude. Her favorite memory from high school was traveling to the Texas Renaissance Festival to perform with the St. Agnes/Strake Triple Trio. Her dream job is to be a traveling pediatrician who writes books about complex medical topics for younger students to understand.

Daija N. Satcher – Condit Elementary School, T.H. Rogers, St. Agnes Academy Daija N. Satcher is off to the University of Virginia to study Public Health on the Pre-Med track. She would tell her kindergarten self: “Don't be afraid to take chances. You’ll never know what could have been if you never tried.”

One teacher who made a mark on her was Mrs. Kathy Higgins from Condit Elementary, who made her feel special and showed how much she believed in her and her abilities. She is looking forward to living in a different part of the country and getting to know people from all over.

Her dream job is to be a pediatric allergist and help people overcome their food allergies.

Alexandria Alvarez – Collingwood School (West Vancouver, Canada), St. Anne Catholic School, Incarnate Word Academy Alexandria Alvarez is headed to the University of Alabama to study Criminal Justice. She would tell her kindergarten self to be herself. One of the best teachers she had was Dr. Johnson, her chemistry teacher. Alexandria says Dr. Johnson’s encouragement gave her the confidence to get an A in chemistry class and go on to thrive in later high school science classes.

One of her favorite moments in high school was dropping off four carloads of unused toy, clothing, and shoe donations to the Salvation Army Family Residences with her Leading with Service class. Her dream job is to be an FBI agent.

Mary-Ellen Abshire – Saint Thomas’ Episcopal School Mary-Ellen Abshire is headed to Baylor University to study Business. She would tell her kindergarten self three things: “Work hard. Be nice to people. Never stop drinking chocolate milk.” She is looking forward to beginning an education that will eventually lead to her career, pursuing new interests, and challenging herself.

She is grateful to yearbook teacher David Graves for challenging her writing and design abilities, expecting nothing less than perfection, and making her earn her position as yearbook

co-editor-in-chief. She doesn’t know what her dream job is yet, but she is intrigued by pursuing her childhood dream of being a mermaid. We wish her the best of luck.

Heidi Tamm – Condit Elementary School, Saint Thomas’ Episcopal School Heidi Tamm is headed to Washington University in St. Louis to major in Applied Math. She would tell her kindergarten self that going to bed late is not cool; she may think that naptime is unnecessary, but it is not worth it.

One of her favorite teachers was Mary Beinemann, her Latin teacher who assigned unique projects around the Classics, like painting plaster to look like ancient frescoes. She is interested in the intersection of animation and computer science, and her dream job would be working at Pixar.

Caitlyn Nguyen – Saint Thomas' Episcopal School Caitlyn Nguyen is headed to the University of St. Thomas to study Biology. She would tell her kindergarten self to always strive for the best in the things that you love, but don’t be too hard on yourself if you stumble. Don’t beat yourself up over one bad grade, a fumbled presentation, or a lost competition. Caitlyn credits her dance teachers, Mrs. Donna Cusack and Ms. Diane MacPhee, with not only instilling the love of dance in her, but also teaching her the true meaning of determination and perseverance. Her dream job would allow her to make a difference in people’s lives while satisfying her love for science, specifically biology and chemistry.

Garrett Groogan – Herod Elementary School, The Monarch School Garrett Groogan is off to a vocational/employment training program. He’d tell his younger self that there will be a lot of hard work ahead, and to work hard to stay calm and do the right thing.

One of the highlights of his high school career was when his teacher, Ms. Austina Morgan, nominated him for the Presidential Education Award. He enjoyed his choir, musical theatre, and drama classes, as well as his coding class.

Garrett’s dream is to be a voice actor. He has done some theatre productions and has his first official paying gig in a Viking movie that will be filmed locally next fall.

Devin Watkins – Westbury Christian School Devin Watkins is headed to the University of Houston to study Art on a Pre-Dental Track. He would tell his kindergarten self to not let people make or break your happiness.

His senior leadership teacher John Drexel changed his life by encouraging both Devin and his classmates to grow in their faith, while also teaching them to be comfortable with being uncomfortable. His (continued on page 22)

Reilly Smitherman

Michael Martinez

Alexandria Alvarez – University of Alabama

Mary-Ellen Abshire – Baylor University

Heidi Tamm – Washington University in St. Louis

Caitlyn Nguyen – University of St. Thomas

Garrett Groogan – Vocational/employment training

Devin Watkins – University of Houston

Luke Evans – Boston College

Landon Croker – University of Texas at Austin WEST UNIVERSITY BUZZ JUNE 2022 21

(continued from page 20) favorite moment from

high school was his school’s Senior Experience, a trip where all the seniors spend a weekend to bond before going their separate ways. His dream job is to be a dentist.

Luke Evans – St. Anthony of Padua Catholic School, St. Thomas High School Luke Evans is headed to Boston College to study Political Science. He would tell his kindergarten self to try anything and everything. Luke believes that the most important thing that any young person can do is to try new things and to discover what truly makes them happy. He’s excited to be able to explore Boston and meet new people, and to eventually take advantage of the global education study abroad program. His favorite moment from high school was hitting back-to-back home runs that led to a five-run inning. He has been most influenced by his AP English teacher Mrs. Claudia Mundell, who made him a more confident writer, and whose lessons helped him as the editor of the St. Thomas Eagle Magazine. His dream job is to be involved in the operations of a professional sports organization.

Landon Croker – Oak Forest Elementary School, Frank Black Middle School, St. Thomas High School Landon Croker is off to the University of Texas at Austin to study Aerospace Engineering. He would tell his kindergarten self to always make sure to have fun, and to not take himself too seriously. He’s looking forward to being in a community of peers and having some breathing room away from his younger siblings. His favorite high school memory was being in charge of Round Up, St. Thomas’ primary scholarship fundraiser, and executing one of the largest assemblies in school history, where they announced that they had shattered the previous fundraising record. His dream is to oversee the designing, building, and launching of rockets and components to Mars and beyond.

Heaven E. Thomas – Whispering Hope Christian Academy, Westbury Christian School Heaven E. Thomas is off to North Carolina A&T State University to study Biology on the Pre-Med track. She would tell her kindergarten self to enjoy life, be proactive, forgive quickly, and enjoy school because it will be over before you know it. One of her favorite moments from high school was the sisterhood and teamwork on her Varsity Cheer squad in her sophomore year. She says Ms. Casey Burton changed her life by being the first teacher to really challenge her academically and teaching her the importance of avoiding “dead” (overused) words. Her dream is to become one of the best ob-gyns in the nation.

WEST UNIVERSITY BUZZ JUNE 2022 22

Chayne Tillis – Westbury Christian School Chayne Tillis is headed to the University of Texas at Austin to study Civil Engineering at The Cockrell School. She would tell her kindergarten self to enjoy life, relax a bit, and spend time with her friends, instead of putting all her focus on school. She would also tell her it’s okay to fail; it builds character. Her favorite moments from high school were hanging out in the stands at football games, and Whataburger afterwards. Her dream job is to be an engineering project manager for Amazon or some multimillion-dollar company.

Ogheneteguono Okotete – Loyola Jesuit College (Nigeria), The Village School Ogheneteguono Okotete is headed to Vanderbilt University to study Computer Science and Economics. He would tell his kindergarten self to always focus on the fundamentals, because building a strong foundation is important before further advancement. His favorite memory was his sophomore-year class trip to Puerto Rico. He is looking forward to the college learning experience from both an academic and student-life viewpoint. He hopes that new relationships and diverse perspectives in college will give him the tools he needs to become a strong leader. His dream job is to become the CEO and founder of his own startup in the finance or technology industry.

Amber Ramirez – Peterson Elementary School, Nehemiah Middle School, St. Pius X High School Amber Ramirez is headed to the University of Texas at San Antonio to study Biology on the Pre-Med track. She would tell her kindergarten self, “Don't worry if you look different, or feel you look different, from most other people.

There is much more to you than what others see on the surface.” She is excited to be a first-generation college student for her family, and to show them how much they inspired her to exceed in life. A teacher who has changed her life is Ms. Christina Guajardo, who teaches 11th-grade English, AP Literature and Creative Writing. She says Ms. Guajardo has inspired her to become a better person, and to do so through her work. Amber’s favorite moments from high school were performing at halftime at football games: dancing, cheering, and doing what she loves most in front of the crowd. Her dream job is to be an obstetrician-gynecologist.

Chloe Shrader – Instituto Cumbres Cancún (Mexico), Logos Preparatory Academy, Houston Christian High School Chloe Shrader is headed to the Savannah College of Art and Design to study Sequential Art. She would tell her kindergarten self to have fun being a kid while you can. Her favorite moment from high school was being Painting Crew Chief for the Houston Christian production of Newsies, which she says is a memory she will never forget. The most influential teacher she has

had was Ms. Monica Thayer, her art teacher, who has transformed her views on art, life, and her faith. Her dream job is to be a storyboard artist.

Connor Nguyen – Singapore American School, Dhahran Middle School (Dhahran, Saudi Arabia), The Village School Connor Nguyen is headed to Rice University to study Neuroscience. He would tell his kindergarten self to be nice to everyone, and to laugh as much as you can. He is looking forward to the freedom and responsibilities of being an independent adult and the opportunity to further himself as a person and in his aspirations. He credits his fifth-grade teacher Mr. Paul DeMichele with teaching him how to be himself, unapologetically. His favorite moment from high school was finding out he was accepted to Rice University, when he felt that all the work he had put in had finally paid off. As teenagerdom is coming to an end, Connor is trying to live by the wisdom of Andy Bernard’s words: “I wish there was a way to know you were in the good old days before you've actually left them.”

Gavin Mott – Horn Elementary, Trafton Academy, St. Thomas High School Gavin Mott is headed to Belmont Abbey College in North Carolina to study Business. He would tell his kindergarten self to continue to work hard in the classroom and in sports. He’s most looking forward to experiencing college life and living in another part of the country. A teacher who has changed his life is Coach Nick Ignatiev, who Gavin says taught him not only how to be a better lacrosse player, but also how to be a better man. He doesn’t have a singular dream job but wants to be a leader. His favorite moment from high school was when Varsity football beat St. Pius X in his freshman year.

Alex Mott – Horn Elementary, Trafton Academy, Houston Christian High School Alex Mott is headed to Baylor University to study Business and Pre-Law. She would tell her kindergarten self: “Your self-worth is not dependent upon other people’s opinions of you.

Be kind to yourself!” She is grateful to her geography teacher Ms. Natalie Kroneman, who Alex says went above and beyond by supporting her during one of the most difficult times in her life.

She is looking forward to forging new friendships and growing in her faith at Baylor. Her favorite moment of high school was when she was chosen as the Diversity Club president and had the opportunity to help organize and emcee Houston Christian's annual International Festival. Her dream job is to follow in her mother’s footsteps by becoming an outstanding deal lawyer and leader in the community.

MORE ONLINE See thebuzzmagazines.com for more graduating seniors. Also, check out – and contribute to – our annual online database of college-bound Buzz neighbors.

Itzel Vidal

Chayne Tillis – University of Texas at Austin Forever Day Photos

Heaven E. Thomas – North Carolina A&T State University

Amber Ramirez – University of Texas at San Antonio

Chloe Shrader – Savannah College of Art and Design

Connor Nguyen – Rice University

Gavin Mott – Belmont Abbey College

Jessica LaViage Photography

Jessica LaViage Photography

Ogheneteguono Okotete – Vanderbilt University

Alex Mott – Baylor University WEST UNIVERSITY BUZZ JUNE 2022 23

Kat Ambrose

DINING

by Dai Huynh, staff writer

Filipino Food And its rise in popularity

T

he first time I saw the Philippines was 45 years ago, right after the Fall of Saigon in 1975. My family and thousands of Vietnamese refugees found temporary asylum in this archipelago in the Pacific Ocean. Our stay was short. We were bound for America, but my impressions of the Philippines remain – rocky beaches that lead to endless rolling hills, vividly green, almost dreamlike.

Then, there was the food. Familiar, yet different, from the cuisine of Vietnam, 500 miles away. Last summer, I stumbled on the husbandand-wife team of Fil N’ Viet at a pop-up in West Texas, Marfa of all places. The Austin couple, Kevin and Rose Truong, served VietnameseFilipino fusion, and for three days, I had it for lunch and dinner. Their Filipino specialties were mouthwatering, from the earthy, chargrilled flavors of crispy pork belly sisig with rice and cooling pickles to the juicy chicken inasal.

The experience prompted me to do a deep dive into what was happening with Filipino food when I got back to Houston. I couldn’t believe the number of Filipino restaurants that have popped up, not only on our Gulf Coast but around the country. And the ingredient of the moment? Filipino ube.

Slightly nutty, the sweet purple yam hints of vanilla. With its velvety texture, pastry chefs are folding it into ice creams, cakes, doughnuts, and other desserts. Its photogenic violet color has made it a social media darling, so much so that in April, Trader Joe’s introduced an ube ice cream and cookies.

“Filipino food is having a moment,” says commercial lawyer Liz Referente. The Houstonian credits this partly to the growing numbers of Filipino-American celebs, including Bruno Mars and Olivia Rodrigo. Global phenom Enrique Miguel Iglesias is part Filipino. Then, there are the culinary accolades.

This year, Michelin awarded its first star to a Filipino concept in America, Kasama in Chicago, which features a tasting menu for $215.

In 2021, The New York Times added Kasama and Seattle-based Archipelago, a Filipino fine dining restaurant, to its best restaurants list. In 2019, while at the acclaimed 24-seat Bad Saint in WEST UNIVERSITY BUZZ JUNE 2022 24

CHEF CUNANAN Chef Tom Cunanan revamps Soy Pinoy at Houston’s POST Market food hall with more seafood and vegetarian options. The James Beard Award winner gained national praise for his modern take on Filipino cooking while at Bad Saint in Washington D.C.

Washington D.C, founding chef Tom Cunanan won the James Beard Award for his Filipino cooking (another first). Now, he is at Houston’s POST Market food hall (401 Franklin St.), tweaking the seven-month-old menu at Soy Pinoy, a concept founded by controversial Filipino American chef Paul Qui, who won the ninth season of Top Chef and earned a James Beard Award for his Japanese cooking.

Speaking of firsts, I met Liz when she got engaged to a Filipino college buddy, Anthony Referente. In 2010, Liz entered the citywide Filipino adobo competition, which attracted home cooks and professional chefs.

“I was intimidated,” recalls the River Oaks

area resident, who grew up cooking Vietnamese, not Filipino. “I turned to my husband and said, ‘Anthony, you got to tell me how to make it.’

He wasn’t very helpful.”

Many Filipinos consider adobo the national dish of the Philippines. The perfect adobo gently braises a protein of choice in soy sauce, vinegar, sugar, garlic, and spices (typically bay leaves and fresh ground peppercorns). There are many variations of this beloved stew. Pork and chicken adobos are most common, but shrimp, fish, duck, beef, quail, bamboo shoots, tofu, chicken livers, and even chicken feet are standard.

Filipinos often joke that there are as many adobos as islands in the (continued on page 26

WEST UNIVERSITY BUZZ JUNE 2022 25

WEST UNIVERSITY BUZZ JUNE 2022 26

Kat Ambrose

7,100-plus islands and islets, but only one-third are inhabited.

Liz opted for an adobo with pork shoulder and crispy chicharron. She heightened flavors by reducing the tangy, savory sauce and folding crispy shallots into otherwise plain jasmine rice.

In the back of her head, she kept hearing Hopdoddy Burger Bar founder and FilipinoAmerican chef Larry Perdido’s advice: “Liz, you can’t mess with adobo. You got to stay true to the traditional flavors.”

Liz took home the first-place trophy for adobo that year and again in 2012. “I used two kinds of vinegar in my adobo,” she says. “Vietnamese is about a balance of sweet, hot, sour, and salty. You have that similar balance with Filipino, but I noticed that the palate leans more toward the sour.”

There are rows and rows of vinegar, or suka, made from sugarcane, rice, coconut, palm, pineapple, and countless other fruits at Cherry Foodarama (8017 Main St.) in the Pinoy Corner at South Main and Kirby Drive.

Filipinos love to infuse vinegar with aromatics, including garlic, chiles, and herbs.

“Sour is the gateway to Filipino food,” says Nicole Ponseca, co-author of I Am a Filipino: And This Is How We Cook. The New York City restaurateur adds that a sour element underscores every meal, either as a dipping sauce, pickles, in the marinade, or a last-minute splash of Filipino calamansi lime. One of the most popular soups is the flavorful, tangy sinigang, characterized by tamarind or other sour fruits, tomatoes, onions, fish sauce, vegetables, and pork, beef, or seafood.

That lilt of acidity is a welcome element at heavy, meat-laden celebratory feasts and holiday dinners. Filipinos honor guests by serving meat, lots of it. Now, drum roll, please, for the winner: pork.

Traditional menus are heavy on pork, followed by chicken (such as crowd-favorite Filipino fried chicken), seafood, then beef.

Filipinos adopted nose-to-tail eating long before it became trendy. No parts of the pig are wasted.

Take sisig, a menu staple either as an appetizer or main dish served with rice (present at every meal). It consists of minced pork meat, belly, ears, cheeks, onions, chiles, and sometimes, chicken liver. But recipes vary from restaurant to restaurant, and I can only guess what part of the pig is being used. Many Houston eateries, though, include crispy pork belly.

My daughter’s favorite is the crispy pan-fried version with mayonnaise, red onions, and raw egg at Be More Pacific (506 Yale St., Suite E).

Mine remains the aromatic pork belly and cheeks over hot coals from food truck Fil N’ Viet at Camp East (2903 E 12th St, Austin). But many Filipino friends said that the sisig tart with vinegar at Max’s Restaurant Houston (8011 Main Street, Suite 200) is authentic.

Kids and adults crave lechon kawali, crispy pork belly at Flip ‘N Patties (1809 Eldridge Parkway and 800 Capitol). But you’ll find this almost on every Filipino menu, along with

Kat Ambrose

(continued from page 24) Philippines, composed of

SOY PINOY Soy Pinoy’s specialties include (top) sisig pork with prawn crackers, pickles, and a fried egg on top of plain rice and (bottom) wood-grilled chicken inasal seasoned with annatto and served with plain rice and pickled mango atchara.

lumpia pork eggrolls. Siopao is a steamed bun stuffed with pork or chicken. Godo’s (7235 Fannin St.) is famous for siopao. Pata is deepfried ham hock, and the pork specialties go on and on, including menudo and tocino, sweet, garlicky glazed pork belly or shoulder caramelized in sweet soy sauce.

Not sure what to order? Some restaurants, including Be More Pacific and Flip ’N Patties, offer sampler plates, sometimes called kamayan, a family-style feast served on banana leaves. Soy Pinoy, which means “I am Filipino,” has a meat sampler plate. Still, chef-partner Cunanan

recently added a seafood sampler for $95 with whole fish, fried shrimp, calamari adobo, and ceviche. He’s learning that Houstonians clamor for vegetarian and seafood, so he also created a vegan kare kare, traditionally an oxtail vegetable peanut sauce stew.

Filipino food is tough to pinpoint because it is the culmination of centuries of influence, starting with the Malaysians, then the Spaniards, Chinese, Indians, Arabs, South Asians, Pacific Islanders, and even Mexicans.

Spanish fleets brought settlers from Mexico to the Philippines. The result (continued on page 28

WEST UNIVERSITY BUZZ JUNE 2022 27

FLIP ’N PATTIES Originally a food truck, Flip 'n Patties is famous for its crispy fried pork belly, or lechon kawali (pictured, on left) along with other Filipino dishes on the family-style sampler plate. On right: the restaurant’s sisig pork with Filipino lumpia, or fried egg rolls, and plain rice topped with a fried egg. (continued from page 26) is complex yet very hum-

ble, and many Filipinos declared that it is best made by an “auntie” at home.

People speculate this played a role in why Filipino food has taken so long to go mainstream despite being 2.9 million strong. Filipino is the third-largest Asian group in the United States, behind the Chinese and Indian. But it is way ahead in numbers compared to Vietnamese, Korean, Thai, and Japanese.

Cunanan is eager to introduce more Americans to the food of his homeland. A late bloomer, the classically trained chef didn’t start cooking Filipino until age 32, after his mother passed. But he believes that as long as he cooks Filipino, Cunanan figured he would feel her presence beside him, guiding him.

“My life’s goal is to push Filipino food forward, go to every state and promote it,” says the Soy Pinoy chef-partner. “And I look forward to the day when I don’t get that question, ‘What is Filipino food?’”

Here are recipes by James Beard Award winner and Soy Pinoy chef-partner Tom Cunanan.

Grilled Pork Skewers 1 lb. skinless, boneless pork shoulder ¼ small red onion, thinly sliced 6 red Thai chiles, coarsely chopped 4 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped WEST UNIVERSITY BUZZ JUNE 2022 28

½ cup Sprite or 7UP ¼ cup soy sauce 2 Tbsp. and 2 tsp. cane vinegar (such as Datu Puti) or unseasoned rice vinegar 2 Tbsp. sugar ½ Tbsp. black peppercorns ½ Tbsp. kosher salt, plus more to taste 3 dried shiitake mushrooms To make the pork easier to cut, freeze it on a rimmed baking sheet until very firm around the edges for 45–60 minutes. Remove it from the freezer and slice as thinly as possible lengthwise into 1- to 2-inch-wide strips.

While the pork is in the freezer, combine the onion, chiles, garlic, soda, soy sauce, vinegar, sugar, peppercorns, and 1 tablespoon of salt in a large resealable plastic bag. Grind the mushrooms into a powder using a spice mill or a mortar and pestle, then whisk it into the marinade.

Coat the pork in the marinade a few pieces at a time, coating them thoroughly, so they don’t stick together and absorb the marinade evenly.

Cover and chill for 6-8 hours.

An hour before grilling, soak some wooden skewers in water or use six to eight 8-inch metal skewers. Prepare charcoal or grill for mediumhigh heat. Remove the pork from the marinade and thread it onto the skewers. Transfer the marinade to a small saucepan and bring it to a

rolling boil on the grill. Cook one minute, skimming off any foam that rises to the surface. Move to a cooler part of the grill.

Season pork lightly with salt and grill, undisturbed, until well-browned for about two minutes. Turn and baste with marinade. Continue to grill, turning and basting every minute, until cooked through and browned all over, about four minutes longer. Serve with cucumber and onion salad. Makes 4 servings.

Cucumber and Onion Salad 3 Persian cucumbers, thinly sliced ¼ small red onion, thinly sliced ½ tsp. kosher salt, plus more to taste 2 Tbsp. unseasoned rice vinegar 1 tsp. sugar Freshly ground black pepper Fresh mint leaves (for serving) In a medium bowl, toss the cucumbers, onion, and 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Let sit until the cucumbers begin to release liquid. Gently press down on the cucumbers to force out more liquid, being careful not to break them apart. Remove the vegetables from the bowl, shake off the liquid, and place them in a clean salad bowl. Toss with vinegar and sugar, and season with salt and pepper. Top with mint. Serve immediately with any grilled meats. Makes 4 servings.

WEST UNIVERSITY BUZZ JUNE 2022 29

FOOD

by Andria Frankfort, staff writer

The Beauty of a Roast Chicken Simple and easy recipes

Travis McShane’s Farro “Fried Rice” Olive oil Leftover chicken, shredded and roughly chopped 1 bunch scallions, sliced, tops and bottoms separated 2 cups cooked farro (using package instructions) ½ cup toasted hazelnuts ½ cup frozen or fresh cooked peas 2 eggs, scrambled WEST UNIVERSITY BUZZ JUNE 2022 30

Jenn Duncan

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here’s a resource we home cooks have that’s often forgotten: the grocery store rotisserie chicken. Think about it. This is chicken, already salted, peppered, and herbed, already cooked, skin crisped, just waiting for us in a to-go bag under the hot lamps at the store.

On a quick grocery store lap, rotisserie chickens under hot lamps might not come in high on the list of appetizing options. But look twice. Store-bought rotisserie chickens can be just the thing you need to get a truly tasty dinner or lunch on the table, minus the time and effort it takes to actually roast a chicken.

Whether it’s leftover or made today, roast chicken – and all its variations – is worthy of a place in your repertoire.

There’s also this: It’s about to get really hot in Houston. That means there are some of us who are going to want to shut down our kitchens. Once again, grocery-bought rotisserie chicken to the rescue, keeping things cool and calm.

Chef Travis McShane of Ostia says his recipe for Farro “Fried Rice” came from his days working in New York as a cook at Barbuto. He calls it a “delicious, unique, and healthy way to use chicken leftovers.”

“I was always looking for something to eat for dinner on the line that was fast and nourishing,” Travis says. “Often, this was my pre-service dinner with any leftover chicken we might have had. The key to any good fried rice is having all the ingredients prepped before cooking. I prefer having the farro cooked ahead of time and cooled in the fridge uncovered. This will help dry it out a little bit.”

BETTER THAN TAKEOUT Ostia’s Roasted Chicken with Salsa Verde and Lemon is a popular and delicious version of roast chicken to make at home.

1 Tbsp. soy sauce 1 Tbsp. fish sauce 1 lime 3 to 5 sprigs cilantro In a hot pan, add olive oil over medium-high heat. Once the oil is very hot, add the chicken.

Allow the chicken to crisp up a little then add the whites of the scallions. Sauté for about 30 seconds. Allow the pan to get very hot again and add farro, stirring. Add the hazelnuts, peas, and egg. Once everything is hot, season with soy sauce and fish sauce. The key is to add a little bit at a time – you do not want to add too much and lose the flavor of the farro.

When you are ready to serve, squeeze lime over and sprinkle with cilantro and the greens of the scallions.

Chicken, Fresh Mozzarella, and Sundried Tomato Pasta Salad 1 cup sundried tomatoes packed in oil, drained and chopped 1 Tbsp. capers, minced 1 small clove garlic, minced 2 Tbsp. red wine vinegar 1 tsp. kosher salt ¾ tsp. freshly ground pepper Pinch crushed red pepper flakes 1 lb. orecchiette

EASY AND FAST Chicken, Fresh Mozzarella, and Sundried Tomato Pasta Salad (left) and Orange, Chicken, and Cashew Salad are no-cook ways to make the most of a grocery store rotisserie chicken.

2 cups cooked rotisserie chicken, cubed 8 oz. fresh mozzarella, cubed 1 cup kalamata olives, pitted and chopped 1 cup fresh basil leaves, roughly chopped In a small bowl using a fork, whisk the sundried tomatoes, capers, garlic, vinegar, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes until everything is combined.

Cook the orecchiette in a large pot of boiling, salted water for 8 minutes. Drain, then pour the pasta into a large bowl. Toss the warm pasta with the sundried tomato-caper dressing, making sure the pasta is coated evenly. Gently fold in the chicken, mozzarella, and olives, and then add the basil.

This salad tastes best when covered and refrigerated for at least an hour, then brought to room temperature before serving.

Orange, Chicken, and Cashew Salad ¼ cup freshly squeezed orange juice (about 1 orange) ¼ cup olive oil 1 Tbsp. white balsamic vinegar 1 ½ tsp. honey 1 tsp. chopped fresh thyme leaves 2 green onions, sliced 1 tsp. kosher salt ¾ tsp. freshly ground pepper 5-oz. box spring mix lettuce 2 cups cooked rotisserie chicken, cubed 1 avocado, cubed 1 ½ cups mandarin orange segments 1 cup toasted cashews

Make the dressing in a small bowl, whisking together the orange juice, olive oil, vinegar, honey, thyme, green onion, salt, and pepper.

Place the lettuce and chicken in a large bowl, and toss with the dressing. Gently toss in the avocado and oranges (best done with your clean hands). Top with cashews.

In the case you are interested in making the roast chicken from scratch, you might want to get fancy and try chef Travis McShane’s Roasted Chicken with Salsa Verde and Lemon, which is the chicken everyone loves to order at Travis’ restaurant Ostia. As good as it is, it’s still simple enough to make at home.

Ostia’s Roasted Chicken with Salsa Verde and Lemon 4 ½ to 5 lb. air-chilled, organic chicken 1 bunch parsley, chopped 1 bunch cilantro, chopped 1 bunch mint, leaves chopped 1 bunch oregano, leaves chopped 1 bunch tarragon, leaves chopped 1 Tbsp. anchovy paste ¼ cup capers, roughly chopped 2 garlic cloves, minced Olive oil 2 lemons Sea salt Freshly ground pepper Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Lay the chicken skin-side down and cut straight through the middle of the breastbone, dividing the chicken in half (or ask your butcher to do this).

Leave the chicken out at room temperature to dry out the skin and ensure even cooking.

Meanwhile, put all the herbs into a large bowl. Stir in the anchovy paste, capers, and garlic. Add olive oil until the Salsa Verde is loose and flowy. Add the zest of one lemon.

Salsa Verde is better when made a few hours or days in advance to allow the flavors to meld. Once made, it will keep in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks. If it is cold, allow the Salsa Verde to come to room temperature before using.

Using a brush or your hands, rub the chicken with olive oil. Season liberally with sea salt and freshly ground pepper right before cooking. (If you season too early, you will impart flavor but will draw out moisture from the chicken, preventing a crispy skin.)

Slice the zested lemon into thin coins and lay them flat on a roasting pan or rimmed baking sheet. Lay the chicken directly on top of the lemon and roast for about 20 minutes, basting every 5 minutes with the juices. When the meat right by the wing is starting to firm up, pull the pan out of the oven and let it rest for 12 to 15 minutes. When ready to serve, return the chicken to the oven for 3 to 5 minutes to reheat the exterior and re-crisp the skin. Once crispy, remove the chicken from the oven and cut into desired pieces.

Liberally spoon Salsa Verde over the top of the chicken and serve with lemon wedges. (At Ostia, they prefer grilling or searing the lemon before squeezing it over the top. This caramelizes the sugars and releases more juice.)

WEST UNIVERSITY BUZZ JUNE 2022 31

ENTERTAINMENT

by Pooja Salhotra, staff writer

Parks Guide Happenings in Houston’s green spaces

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Caroline Siegfried

or the past two years I’ve lived in a studio apartment in downtown Manhattan. It’s cozy. And by cozy, I mean small. When I work at my desk, I can hear everything – angry drivers honking on the streets down below, millennials laughing as they throw a beer back at the bar across the street, a dog yapping on the other side of my wall. As much as I love the energy and excitement of the city that never sleeps, this experience has taught me to appreciate Houston’s miles and miles of sprawl, and in particular, the city’s parks. (No disrespect to Central Park.)

During my frequent trips home to Houston, I love checking out the city’s green spaces – Houston is home to nearly 650 of them, according to the conservation organization Trust for Public Land, and that list is constantly growing.

Read on to learn about new developments and upcoming events at a few of our favorites.

Evelyn’s Park evelynspark.org, 4400 Bellaire Blvd.

Hours: Sunday-Thursday, 5 a.m.-11 p.m., Friday-Saturday, 5 a.m.-12 a.m.

Parking: Free parking in the West lot (accessible from Newcastle St.) and East lot (accessible from Mulberry Ln.) Restrooms: Available inside Betsy’s, open 8 a.m.-9 p.m. Monday-Sunday Dog-Friendly: No Evelyn’s Park sits on five acres of land in Bellaire, on the site formerly occupied by the landmark Teas Nursery. Brothers Jerry and Maury Rubenstein purchased the land when the nursery closed in 2009 and then donated the land to Bellaire under the condition that it be used as a park and named after their mother, Evelyn. The park has become a neighborhood fixture and features trails, a pavilion, an event space, and a restaurant, Betsy’s. (I highly recommend their breakfast tacos and iced coffee!)

In April, the park celebrated its fifth anniversary and offered the public a glimpse into new park features including the Trevilion, an artfully designed shade structure with seating. Other upcoming, anticipated features include two additional shaded areas – the Solar Pavilion and the Veranda – along WEST UNIVERSITY BUZZ JUNE 2022 34

GATHER TOGETHER Evelyn’s Park in Bellaire recently celebrated its fifth anniversary and offered a preview into upcoming, new park features, included shaded areas, playscapes for older and younger kids, and an interactive splash area.

with separate playscapes for older and younger children and an interactive Splash n’ Play. An opening date has not yet been set for these additional features, all part of the park’s Phase 2 developments. Evelyn’s Park also offers free events including live music on Friday evenings and Tai Chi classes on Tuesday mornings.

Memorial Park memorialparkconservancy.org, 6501 Memorial Dr. Hours: 5 a.m.-11 p.m. daily Parking: Metered parking available in Eastern Glades, Golf Course, Tennis Center, and Fitness Center. Visitors can pay using a credit card, cash, or pay-by-app via ParkHouston.

Restrooms: Available in Cullen Running Trails Center, Clay Family Eastern Glades, fitness center, and tennis center Dog-Friendly: Yes, on leash only At 1,500 acres, Memorial Park is Houston’s

largest urban park. Before Memorial Park was a park, it was a World War I training camp (Camp Logan), where 70,000 soldiers prepared for battle. Now, the park is an oasis of running and biking trails, a golf course, picnic areas and more.

Thanks to a private donation from the Kinder Foundation, Memorial Park is experiencing an unprecedented upgrade through a 10-year-master plan, expected to be completed in 2024, the park’s 100-year anniversary. In 2020, the Clay Family Eastern Glades opened, adding new walking trails, wetlands, and the Hines Lake. Coming later this year is a Land Bridge and Prairie, which will connect the north and south sides of the park and help manage stormwater. Already, the city celebrated the opening of Land Bridge tunnels, that allow for eastbound and westbound vehicular traffic along Memorial Drive.

The park’s summer fitness classes, which include meditation on Thursday (continued on page 36)

Buffalo Bayou Partnership Nash Baker

Pphoto courtesy of Memorial Park Conservancy Photo courtesy of Levy Park

EXPLORE OUTDOORS Houston is home to hundreds of green spaces that offer a refuge from busy city life. Pictured (clockwise, from top left): Memorial Park’s Clay Family Eastern Glades includes the 5-and-a-half acre Hines Lake and wetlands, trails, and boardwalks; Buffalo Bayou Park includes beautiful views of Houston’s skyline along with plenty of green spaces, plus community events such as “Piano in the Park” and, this summer, special programming highlighting bees; Hermann Park features several Houston landmarks and scenic views, such as McGovern Lake; Levy Park in the heart of Upper Kirby hosts a variety of free, family-friendly activities, including movie nights. (continued from page 34) evenings and yoga on

Monday evenings, begin the week of June 6. The classes are free, but space is limited. Sign up online at memorialparkconservancy.org/visit/things-to-do/.

Levy Park levyparkhouston.org, 3801 Eastside St. Hours: Open 24 hours Parking: Paid lot and street parking along Eastside St. and Wakeforest Ave. Restrooms: Available near the performance stage Dog-Friendly: Yes, on leash throughout the park and off leash inside the small and large dog parks Levy Park sits in the heart of Upper Kirby and offers an array of free activities from Zumba exercise classes to family story time. My favorite park event is the movie night – grab a picnic blanket and some friends (you can bring your dog, too!) and enjoy a free film screening. Check out the park’s event calendar online for upcoming happenings.

Buffalo Bayou Park buffalobayou.org/visit/destination/buffalo-bayoupark/ Hours: 6 a.m.-11 p.m. daily Parking: Available at Lost Lake, Eleanor Tinsley Park, and The Water Works, as well as WEST UNIVERSITY BUZZ JUNE 2022 36

along Allen Pkwy., Memorial Dr., and city streets surrounding Buffalo Bayou Park.

Restrooms: Available in the Wortham Insurance Visitor Center, Lost Lake Visitor Center, and Lee and Joe Jamail Skatepark Dog-Friendly: Yes, dogs are allowed on a leash throughout the park and off leash inside the Johnny Steele Dog Park, open 7 a.m.- 8 p.m. daily.

Buffalo Bayou Park stretches from Shepherd Dr. near the Rice Military neighborhood to Sabine St. downtown. You’ll find beautiful views of Houston’s skyline along with plenty of green spaces, including Eleanor Tinsley Park and The Water Works. Another attraction is the Waugh Bridge, under which thousands of bats emerge every evening around sunset. From June-August, the Buffalo Bayou Partnership is offering special programming highlighting bees, their “Summer Species.” Events include a nature walk to learn about pollinators, an informational session about beekeeping, and kids’ crafts.

Emancipation Park epconservancy.org, 3018 Emancipation Ave. Hours: Daily, dawn until dusk Parking: Free parking in the lot on Tuam St. across from the baseball fields as well as street parking along Emancipation Ave., Tuam St., and Hutchins St.

Restrooms: Available in the Emancipation Park Recreation Center Dog-Friendly: Yes, on leash only As the city’s oldest park, Emancipation Park carries with it a storied history. In 1872, community members of Houston’s Third and Fourth Wards purchased the 10 acres of parkland in order to commemorate the end of slavery, Juneteenth. The park was donated to the city in 1916 and until 1940 was the city’s sole park for African Americans. The park fell into disrepair for a number of years but in 2011, the city launched a capital campaign to install new facilities. Renovations were completed in 2017 and the park was rededicated during the annual Juneteenth celebration that year. This year marks the 150th anniversary of Emancipation Park’s Juneteenth Celebration, which will take place Saturday, June 18 and Sunday, June 19.

Free admission; tickets required. Tickets are available online starting May 25.

Donovan Park houstonheights.org/properties/donovan-park, 700 Heights Blvd.

Hours: Daily, dawn until dusk Parking: Available along 7th St. and Heights Blvd.

Restrooms: None (continued on page 38) Dog-Friendly: No

WEST UNIVERSITY BUZZ JUNE 2022 37

J. Vince Photography

DISCOVER ART AND MORE Discovery Green downtown offers a wide range free events and art exhibitions year-round. The newest exhibition is Labyrinth by Houston artist Reginal C. Adams, an interactive labyrinth, open to the public until June 30.

Situated in the heart of the Heights neighborhood, Donovan Park is a child’s paradise. The 25-year-old park, run by the Houston Heights Association, features entirely wooden structures, including castles, a train kids can climb in, and a shaded picnic area.

The park also has traditional playground activities including swings and slides.

(continued from page 36)

Hermann Park hermannpark.org, 1700 Hermann Dr. Hours: Monday-Sunday, 6 a.m.-11 p.m.

Parking: Free parking available at the Sam Houston Monument (Lot A), the central lots in front of the Houston Zoo (Lots G & F) and across the street (Lot H), and near Miller Outdoor Theatre (Lots E & D).

Restrooms: Available along the eastern edge of McGovern Lake Dog-Friendly: Yes, dogs are allowed on leash, though an off-leash dog park is in the works!

Read more about the McWilliams Dog Park, expected to open this year, at hermannpark.org.

Hermann Park is home to several Houston landmarks, including Miller Outdoor Theatre, the Houston Zoo, and the Hermann Park Golf Course.

The park recently broke ground on a new project, The Commons, which includes 26 acres of multiuse space in the park’s southwest corner. The new space is slated to be completed in January 2024 and will feature a two-acre playground with swings, a water play station, a space adventure area, a wooded enclave and more. In the meantime, check out the McGovern Centennial Gardens, which WEST UNIVERSITY BUZZ JUNE 2022 38

include themed gardens and an expansive lawn.

Grab a blanket and book (or, if you recall my February article, your dog and date!) for a laid-back afternoon in the sun.

Terry Hershey Park pct3.com/Explore/Parks/Terry-Hershey-Park, 15200 Memorial Dr. Hours: Monday-Sunday, 7 a.m.-10 p.m.

Parking: Public parking lots on Memorial Dr., Dairy Ashford Rd., and on Sam Houston Tollway Restrooms: Public restrooms and showers available along the trail Dog-Friendly: Yes, on leash only This park runs east-west along a six-mile stretch of the Buffalo Bayou, and it’s a prime destination for Houston runners and bikers, with more than 10 miles of trails on the banks of the bayou. The park also includes picnic areas and a playground, and it’s a hotspot for wildflowers.

Discovery Green discoverygreen.com, 1500 McKinney Hours: 6 a.m.-11 p.m. daily Parking: Metered parking available on the park’s perimeter and garage parking available in Avenida Central at 1002 Avenida de las Americas.

Restrooms: Public restrooms located on the south side of Alkek Building Dog-Friendly: Yes, on leash only Discovery Green opened in 2008, offering a green space in the middle of downtown. The

park offers many free events year-round, including exercise classes, kayaking, cultural festivals, and art exhibitions. The newest exhibition is Labyrinth by Houston artist Reginald C. Adams.

The interactive labyrinth is made of flowering plants inside of hand-painted cinder blocks. It’s open to the public until June 30. The artist will lead a Solstice Walk as part of the International Day of Yoga celebration Tuesday, June 21, 8 p.m.

Smither Park orangeshow.org/smither-park, 2441 Munger St. Hours: Daily, dawn until dusk Parking: Free parking on Munger St. in front of the park and on streets in the surrounding neighborhood Restrooms: None Dog-Friendly: Yes, on leash only.

Smither Park is a quirky and creative urban space in Houston’s East End. The park features an elaborate “Memory Wall” covered in whimsical, brightly colored mosaics. The park also includes a meditation garden and is a venue for performances and workshops. Next door is The Orange Show, an architectural monument constructed by the late Jefferson David McKissack.

The folk-art space is a creative collection of bizarre objects like wagon wheels, tractor seats, and gears.

Editor’s note: See this month’s Buzz Baby by Annie McQueen for ideas of fun summer activities with little ones, including baby-friendly parks and splash pads.

WEST UNIVERSITY BUZZ JUNE 2022 39

KIDS

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by Annie Blaylock McQueen, staff writer

Buzz Baby

Summer activities for kids

Buzz Baby is a column about life with babies.

Writer Annie McQueen is a mother of four children 7 and under.

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ouston summer days are here and if you have small children, it can be a challenge to come up with ideas on how to spend the longer (and hotter) days.

Recently, we polled a few Buzz parents to create a “roadmap to a Houston summer day” – which includes ideas of both indoor and outdoor toddler and baby-oriented places.

What to bring: Before we start on our journey, our parents urged the importance of bringing some necessities, including a lot of chilly water, snacks, extra diapers, wipes, bug spray, a change of clothes, sunscreen, and a towel.

Park it: Before the summer heat sets in around 10 a.m., local outdoor parks are a great go-to spot.

West University Place has excellent parks with age-appropriate playground equipment. “I like Wier Park (3012 Nottingham) and Colonial Park (4130 Byron) for toddlers,” said a Buzz mom. “A group of fellow mom friends and I bring blankets, snacks, water, and sunscreen and set up for several hours.” She advises waiting until the morning dew has disappeared from the playground equipment and suggests bringing a towel to wipe down any dew that has not dried up.

Splashing around: After a morning visit to a park, it is time to head inside for a snack, water break, and outfit change: into a swimsuit.

The next stop of our Houston summer day will be a splash pad. Splash pads are giant sprinklers that are perfect to cool kids down in the summertime heat. They typically have soft padding/Astroturf, so they go easy on skinned knees and bumps and bruises.

Buzz mom Laura Wheeler says that she tacks on a splash pad visit for her kid after a trip to The Houston Zoo (6200 Hermann Park). “I take my kids to the Kathrine McGovern Water WEST UNIVERSITY BUZZ JUNE 2022 40

Play Park at The Houston Zoo [included with Zoo admission],” said Laura. “They have changing rooms at the splash pad, so we just bring a swimsuit.” They cool down after going to see the animals and spending several hours at the Zoo. A few more splash pads that made the list of favorites are Gateway Fountain at Discovery SUMMERTIME SPOTS TO SEE Visiting Memorial Park Conservancy’s Clay Family Eastern Glades makes for a fun outdoor summer activity. Pictured (from Green (1500 McKinney left) are Georgia, Lila, and Cash McQueen observing nature on the trails.

St.) which is located Evelyn Grace would get into the fountain in her downtown, next to George R. Brown clothes. Walker says it is extra special to visit Convention Center. It has 14-foot soaring jets the same place year after year, and now bring that make it exciting for children. Ervan Chew their son Tripp, 2, to the fountain.

Park (Dunlavy Park, 4502 Dunlavy St.), a sweet park surrounded by beautiful oak trees, just north Indoor fun: of 59, has a splash pad, a playground, picnic If it is just too hot, or the weather calls for rain, tables, and basketball courts. Jaycee Park Splash a popular refuge for parents of little ones is the Pad (1300 Seamist Dr.) has a splash pad that is Memorial City Mall. Yes, that is right. The mall. off to the side of the playground and includes Parents urge visitors to park near the entrance timed sprays and colorful artwork all around. The by the Sun & Ski Sports and walk straight into park also has a walking trail, basketball and tenthe area where an indoor, free playground called nis courts, and a playground; and Levy Park Frolic’s Castle (303 Memorial City Way) is Conservancy (3801 Eastside St.) which has a located. Frolic’s Castle is a perfect spot for todlarge, interactive splash pad. Water rains down dlers with interactive sound features, including from tall orange towering structures. a snoring giant, a bubbling cauldron, a grumpy If a splash pad is not on the itinerary, be sure to ogre, a frog prince, and a baby dragon. check out other Houston parks and green spaces Recently, Buzz dad-of-two Sean Cumbie took such as the new, expanded Memorial Park and his daughter Poppy, 4, there for a special day the nature surrounding the Clay Family Eastern with just the two of them. They spent time at Glades (6501 Memorial Dr.).

Frolic’s Castle, rode the train inside the mall Buzz parents Walker and Kristin Agnew have (which is located near Frolic’s), and the carousel taken their daughter Evelyn Grace, now 7, to (located in the food court). They ended the mall Buffalo Bayou Park for years. When Evelyn day with ice cream inside the food court area.

Grace was younger, their family lived within a Whether you spend summer days indoors or mile of the park. “We would take her in the outdoors, there are plenty of places to make new stroller and walk to the Gus S. Wortham memories and soak up the extra time together.

Fountain (2902 Allen Parkway),” said Walker.

The iconic Houston landmark is located on Editor’s note: For more on parks in Houston, see Allen Parkway, on the south side of the bayou.

Parks Guide: Happenings in Houston’s green spaces They would spend summer days picking flowers,

by Pooja Salhotra, also in this issue. collecting sticks, and watching the bikers before

ARTS

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by Cindy Burnett, staff writer

Buzz Reads

Five picks for June

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

The Beach Trap by Ali Brady – When Kat Steiner and Blake O’Neill meet at sleepaway camp, their connection is immediate, but the girls’ relationship ends abruptly when they realize they are half-sisters. Flash forward 15 years, and Kat and Blake are dismayed to find that when their father died, he left them joint owners of the Destin, Florida family beach house.

Blake, who supports her ailing grandfather, wants to sell the beach house, while social media influencer Kat refuses to sell because she has so many fond family memories from her time spent there. The women decide to take the summer to renovate the worn house with the agreement that by the end of the summer Kat will buy Blake out or they will sell it and split the money. As they begin to work on the house, the two women slowly get to know each other better as they come to terms with their shared past and learn what it means to be sisters. Ali Brady, pen name for the writing duo of Bradeigh Godfrey and Alison Hammer, hit the ball out of the park with their debut – the story is just so well-done. The writing is vivid, and I felt like I was transported to the beach or living in the beach house. The Beach Trap is a sweet and uplifting story that had me cheering for Kat and Blake to resolve their differences and come to terms with their family’s sordid past. It will be the perfect book to take to the pool or the beach this summer.

Iona Iverson’s Rules for Commuting by Clare Pooley – Magazine columnist Iona Iverson rides the train to and from work every day, seeing the same people to whom she has privately given nicknames such as Mr. TooGood-To-Be-True and Smart-But-SexistManspreader. None of the commuters ever speak to one another until the day when one of them chokes on food and is saved by another rider. This incident makes Iona realize that she wants to learn more about her fellow riders, and she begins to develop relationships with them as she rides, inserting herself into their issues, WEST UNIVERSITY BUZZ JUNE 2022 42

helping solve their problems and even becoming friends with some of them.

I loved the characters and the way they develop, interact, and come together, the stellar writing, the stoWHAT TO READ This month’s picks include two fabulous thrillers, a novel about the ryline and the end- importance of community, and two fun beach reads. ing. Infused with the peace and quiet and, against her better judgheart and humor, this book demonstrates the ment, she agrees. No one is more surprised than importance of community and the ability of Nora when Leo bonds with her kids and runs relationships to change people’s lives while also errands with her in town. Monaghan creates a serving as a reminder that people should not be heartwarming, hilarious, and charming story that judged by their appearance. I highly recommend kept me completely engaged in the story as I rooted this gem of a book and was so sad when it ended. for Leo and Nora. It is an entertaining and fun book The Local by Joey Hartstone – When author that I read in less than a day.

Joey Hartstone learned that the small East Texas Take Your Breath Away by Linwood town of Marshall is improbably one of the most Barclay – The premise for this fabulous thriller popular places in the United States to argue immediately grabbed me: One weekend, while patent cases, he knew he needed to set a legal Andrew Mason was away on a fishing trip, his thriller there. The Local follows attorney James wife, Brie, disappeared without a trace. Almost Euchre who serves as local counsel to the patent everyone believed that Andy murdered her, but attorneys who file hundreds of cases a year in no one could prove it, and the police didn’t have Marshall. When Amir Zawar, one of his patent enough evidence to charge him. Now, six years clients, ends up charged with the murder of the later, a woman who looks remarkably like Brie local judge, the client demands that Euchre shows up at his old address where his former defend him. With the help of a former prosecuhouse has been torn down and replaced, screamtor, he agrees to defend Zawar and gets dragged ing, “Where’s my house? What’s happened to into the world of criminal defense. This unique my house?” And then, just as quickly as she and fast-paced legal thriller kept me on the edge arrived, the woman vanishes. Andrew is thrown of my seat, and I particularly loved the patent law back into the spotlight as the police begin to aspects of the story. I had no idea that Marshall, investigate the cold case again. I read this book Texas was such a hotbed of patent law and loved so quickly and thought it was an engaging and learning about that and how it impacts both the compelling thriller with an ending that made town and the surrounding area. sense and fit the story very well. It will make a Nora Goes Off Script by Annabel Monaghan – great vacation read.

In this absolutely delightful romantic comedy, Nora Hamilton writes formulaic scripts for a HallmarkEditor’s note: Southside Place resident Cindy like channel. But when her husband leaves her and Burnett also writes our weekly Page Turners column her two children, she mines her experiences and at thebuzzmagazines.com. She hosts the Thoughts creates a fabulous script that gets picked up for the from a Page Podcast, is co-creator of the Houston big screen. The movie is filmed at her home, and literary event series Conversations from the Page, Leo Vance, America’s heartthrob, is cast as Nora’s runs the Instagram account @thoughtsfromapage, worthless husband. But when filming wraps, Leo and regularly speaks to groups about books. asks if he can stay on as a renter for a week to enjoy

WEST UNIVERSITY BUZZ JUNE 2022 43

Photo courtesy of Richard Jackson

TRAVEL

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by Tracy L. Barnett, staff writer

Travel Buzz

On the Civil Rights Trail

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or retired physician Richard Jackson, travel can serve a purpose far greater than entertainment, and over the years he has endeavored to use it as such. He has long been interested in civil rights, and in 2018 when he read about the National Memorial for Peace and Justice in Montgomery, Ala., it piqued his interest.

“A friend, David Wolf, and I decided to go, not knowing what we were going to discover – we really had no idea,” he said. At that time, the Equal Justice Initiative had a small museum about civil rights and they had a bus that offered transport to what has come to be informally known as the Lynching Memorial. “They would drive you up to this memorial (in) an area of the town that was dilapidated and decaying, and someone had gotten together the money to clean off this small hill just outside of Montgomery and put up this amazing memorial.”

As Dr. Jackson walked down the path leading into the memorial, the ground seemed to decline and the rectangular monuments towered up towards the high ceiling.

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he creator of the memorial and museum was civil rights attorney Bryan Stevenson, founder of the Equal Justice Initiative, whose work defending the wrongly convicted is featured in his best-selling memoir and the film Just Mercy.

Inspired by his visits to the Apartheid Museum in South Africa and the Holocaust Memorial in Berlin, Stevenson came back determined to create a space for a more open conversation about the transatlantic slave trade and its legacy, and to lift up the Black experience in the United States in a way that hadn’t been done before.

As he told reporter Michel Martin of National Public Radio: “I really wanted to create a space that felt sacred and sober and necessary if we're going to begin to understand our history.”

The sprawling National Memorial for Peace and Justice, which Stevenson called “a sacred space for truth-telling and reflection,” sits on six acres of land and uses sculpture, art, and design to represent the context of racial terror. At the heart of the land is a square memorial structure with more than 800 six-foot-tall suspended rectangular monuments, each of them representing WEST UNIVERSITY BUZZ JUNE 2022 44

a county in the United States where at least one racial lynching took place. In many cases, there were several.

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here were more than 4,400 racially motivated killings between 1877 and 1950, according to REMEMBERING ROSA Taking a moment on their Civil Rights Tour of Montgomery with the statue of Rosa Parks. From left: Richard and Sandy Jackson, Lainie Gordon, Jacqui Hecht, a six-year report by and Wayne Dorris. the Equal Justice gram of a person, and the person tells you why Initiative, Lynching in America: Confronting they’re in the jail and what happened to them,” the Legacy of Racial Terror.

Dr. Jackson recalled. With multiple theaters feaThe memorial is paired with the new Legacy turing continual showings of movies, there is so Museum: From Enslavement to Mass much to see and read, that Dr. Jackson and Incarceration, which is located in a warehouse friends spent several hours their first day and where Black people were forced into bondage, went back the next morning to see more. a few blocks from what was one of America’s “It makes the point that our economy would most prominent slave auctions. The Legacy not be where it is if it were not for the support Museum, which opened late last year, is a powof Blacks and people of color since the inception erful upgrade from the much smaller one Dr. of the United States, because slaves supported Jackson saw in his 2018 visit, and so he decided our economy,” he said. “It makes a good arguto return this February with his wife, Sandy, ment that they are responsible for where we are. and three friends from Bellaire – Lainie It’s quite an educational experience.”

Gordon, Jacqui Hecht, and Wayne Dorris. “I wanted to give them a taste of this amazing ut the learning doesn’t stop with the museprocess and I wanted to see it again. It’s so um and memorial, as he was quick to find inspiring to me,” he said. out when he headed to the city’s center on his Once again, he was captivated by what he saw. first visit.

“It’s one of the best museums that I’ve ever “What I discovered downtown was just unbeseen,” he said. “It’s an amazing piece of work, lievable,” he said. “Montgomery has really come and we were very much touched by it.” to terms with its civil rights past behavior.”

The museum is about six times larger than the As home to numerous civil rights leaders, the original one, and state-of-the art; Stevenson city has become an important stop on the nationraised $20 million to endow the museum and al Civil Rights Trail, a collection of museums and build a hotel next to it. The “narrative museum” historically significant churches, schools, courtimmerses visitors in “the sights and sounds of the houses and other landmarks that debuted in slave trade, racial terrorism, the Jim Crow 2018, not long before Dr. Jackson’s visit. The South, and the world’s largest prison system,” Capitol Building itself has become a museum according to its website. It draws the connecwith its own significance, as it served as the end tions between the legacy of slavery and the curpoint for the third march for voting rights that rent-day mass incarceration of Black men. began in Selma, and was the (continued on page 46) “You walk up to a jail cell and there is a holo-

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Equal Justice Initiative Equal Justice Initiative

Equal Justice Initiative Equal Justice Initiative

ON THE CIVIL RIGHTS TRAIL Top row, from left: Segregation was a bitter fact of life in the United States under the so-called Jim Crow laws until 1964, when President Lyndon B. Johnson signed the Civil Rights Act. Blocks from one of the most prominent slave auction spaces in America, the Legacy Museum is steps away from the rail station where tens of thousands of Black people were trafficked during the 19th century. Bottom row, from left: An image of the National Memorial for Peace and Justice in Montgomery, Al.; the sculpture "Exode, No Home" by Sandrine Plante is just one of many exhibits bringing the visitor closer to the reality of slavery. (continued from page 44) site of Martin Luther King

Jr.’s famous “How Long, Not Long” speech.

A block and a half down from the Capitol Building is the Dexter Avenue King Memorial Baptist Church – a site of mass meetings to organize the famous Montgomery Bus Boycott.

“It’s where Martin Luther King preached – and it’s where he was for the garbage men’s strike and then the bus strike in 1957, which was in response to the arrest of Rosa Parks,” recalled Dr. Jackson. “It started where the entire population of people of color in Montgomery boycotted the buses for two years, and it bankrupted the bus company.”

The city has placed historic markers commemorating important moments in the Civil Rights Movement all over town.

“There’s a spot marked where Rosa Parks got on the bus, and another spot marked where she was arrested and taken to jail,” he said. The site of her arrest for refusing to give her seat to a white man is now home to the two-story Rosa Parks Museum and Library, centered on Rosa’s story and containing a whole children’s wing and a restored school bus, among other artifacts.

Montgomery is also home to the Freedom Rides Museum, a former Greyhound bus station that was the site of the attack on the Freedom WEST UNIVERSITY BUZZ JUNE 2022 46

Riders, restored to how it looked in 1961; the Frank M. Johnson Jr. Federal Building and U.S. Courthouse, where the eponymous judge legalized desegregation of buses in 1955; and the Dexter Parsonage Museum, once Dr. King’s home, which was bombed several times during the civil rights struggle, among many other highlights.

Reading about the march that began in Selma and ended at the Montgomery Capitol, the group decided to drive to Selma and walk the Edmund Pettus bridge, where the march began amid police violence in what came to be known as “Bloody Sunday.”

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ou can’t come away from it without being touched,” Dr. Jackson concluded. “The problem is, the people who need to see it won’t go.”

One of the most enjoyable parts of the trip was the interaction with locals, he said. During their walking tour of downtown, they stopped and read a number of historical markers along the way. “There must be at least 10 to 12 placards downtown, written on both sides, so there’s a lot of detail to them,” he said.

Since they were obviously tourists interested in civil rights, several times they were approached by locals who had their own stories

to tell. “One told us about the slave market, and why the woman in the fountain is looking away from the Capitol,” he recalled.

Dr. Jackson has been talking to his grandchildren – Jackson, 16 and Shayley, 13 – about what he has learned and plans to teach them more.

He’s also encouraged them, and others, to do more educational travel rather than going to beaches and drinking in bars.

“I just enjoy getting inside new things and looking for new places to go to improve my mind and understand what the past has created for us,” he said. “I would say that anyone who wants to know about history and to improve on their minds would enjoy a trip to Montgomery, Alabama.”

Upcoming: Dr. Richard Jackson is the founder of the Mali Nieta Foundation, which he has used to raise funding for educational projects in Africa. He will be taking his entire family to Tanzania in May to celebrate the opening of a library and school for the Masai people – and then they will go on safari.

Stay tuned for Part II of Dr. Jackson’s adventures.

Editor’s note: Buzz travel columnist Tracy L. Barnett is a Lowell Thomas travel journalism award winner and longtime travel and environmental writer. Email her at info@thebuzzmagazines.com to share your own travel tales.

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by Todd Freed, staff writer

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t was a magnificent season for the Episcopal Knights softball team, which became one of only an elite group of teams to win five consecutive SPC championships. In addition, the Knights also won their 20th SPC championship in softball.

“Our motto all year was ‘5-20,’ which signified the goal of winning five straight titles and 20 total championships for our program and our girls stayed focused and driven throughout the season,” said Knights head coach Caitlyn Cain.

“It was pretty fun and exciting.”

In the SPC tournament, Episcopal senior pitcher Reese Barrett had a perfect 0.00 E.R.A. in 16 innings of work, while behind the plate senior catcher Lily Tanner also had an outstanding tournament. “Lily is a vocal and strong leader and works really well with Reese as her battery mate,” said Cain. Also on the mound, freshman closer Reagan Moriarty didn’t allow an earned run all season. Other standouts included junior shortstop Emma Poirot who led the team with a .453 batting average while sophomore Allie Williams belted six home runs to lead the team.

“I was also fortunate to have an extremely knowledgeable and experienced coaching staff,” said Cain. “We had Kary Kemble managing our outfield, former Louisiana Lafayette AllAmerican Lexie Elkins running our offense, and former University of Georgia player Cortni Emanuel as our speed and agility coach. They were all outstanding.”

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n baseball, the Kinkaid Falcons won their third SPC championship in the last six years by beating rival Episcopal 5-3 in the SPC tournament final. The Falcons rallied from 3-2 fifth inning deficit with a solo homer from senior shortstop Rashaad James followed by back-toback doubles by Jack Klosek and Charlie Kugle to take the lead. Standout closer Miles Roeder threw three innings of scoreless relief to seal the victory while third baseman Cooper Chambers made a sensational play to end the game with the tying run at the plate.

“This championship was definitely special,” said Falcons head coach Steve Maas. “When we WEST UNIVERSITY BUZZ JUNE 2022 48

CHAMPS AGAIN The Episcopal Knights proudly hold up their championship banner signifying five straight SPC titles along with 20 overall championships for the Knights softball program.

last won the title in 2019, our team was loaded with Division 1 collegiate talent and those guys were expected to win. This year’s team didn’t have the bigger names and the expectations were not nearly as high, but they played with grit, heart, and somewhat of a chip on their shoulder.

Our senior leadership was unbelievable.”

For the season, James led the team with a .389 batting average and eight home runs, including three homers in a pair of victories over Episcopal in the final week of the season. “Rashaad was our most talented player,” said Maas. “His character and work ethic were also outstanding. The other players listened and looked up to him. He was our biggest leader.”

Other top players included senior pitcher Connor Doan, who struck out 80 batters in 62 innings of work while posting a 9-1 record. In addition, senior Carter Kelsey fired a no-hitter in the regular season finale, and then started and pitched the first-round innings of the SPC final victory over Episcopal.

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n the links, the St. John’s Mavericks captured SPC Golf Championship for the fifth consecutive season. The Mavericks pulled away from the field with an impressive 38-stroke victory over second place Kinkaid. “Our girls were just outstanding,” said Mavericks girls golf coach Jack Soliman. “This is the first time I’ve had a

team where all five girls shot in the 70’s on the same day. It’s an extremely rare feat in the SPC and we definitely played our best golf in the championship tournament.”

The Mavericks top scorer was sophomore Brielle Burns who finished third overall with a one over par score of 145 (73 and 72) over the 36 holes. Finishing just one stroke behind Brielle in fourth place was senior Ashley Yen who shot a two over par 146 (75 and 71) over the two rounds. “Ashley really set the tone for our team all season,” said Soliman. “She is a team leader who shows she can compete with bigger and strong girls. It’s inspiring to watch her play.”

In addition, Kenna Lee of St. John’s finished in eighth place overall to give the Mavericks three top ten finishers, while fellow Mavericks Rachel Liu and Eloise Chapman were 11th and 13th, respectively. “As a team we have the depth to compete with any high school team at any level,” added Soliman. “It’s a pretty formidable group of players.”

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 MondayThursday on AT&T SportsNet SW. To submit high school sports news for possible inclusion in SportzBuzz, please email todd@thebuzzmagazines.com.

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SPORTS

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by Angie Frederickson, staff writer

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

Out-of-the-park champs Rylan Lim and Reed Fowler (top photo, from left) were the top winners in the annual Bellaire Little League (BLL) home run derby. Rylan finished in first place with eight home runs and Reed was the runner up with six home runs in the final round. This highly anticipated competition is an annual tradition for BLL’s spring season. The 12-year-olds, who are the oldest players in their last year in BLL, have the opportunity to take their best shots at hitting balls over the fence. These boys have known each other and played together throughout their time in BLL and cheered each other on during the fun event. About 20 boys participated in the contest and 7 of them hit at least one home run. In addition to the big winners, Rylan and Reed, the other home-run hitters are Nate Promubol, Gabe Zadok, Leeland El-Hakam, Andrew Sederis, and Colin Steinberg.

Take it to the mat Condit Elementary School second grader Nina Shelger (middle photo) won the Texas state wrestling championship in both the girls G1 and boys D1 heavyweight divisions. She competed in four matches and won each of them by pin in the first period. The weekend competition was held at the Reed Arena in College Station and included more than 1,000 wrestlers from all around Texas. Nina began competing when she was 5 years old.

She is trained by her dad, Reed Shelger, and also works with strength-andconditioning coach Brelynn McNary at Paradigm Wrestling Club.

Pin Oak v Pershing Pin Oak and Pershing Middle School baseball teams (bottom photo) battled it out on the field in a game played at Episcopal High School.

Pershing won 6-1, with eighth grader Lawson Behan striking out 13 batters. Families and fans enjoyed watching the Chargers play the Pandas, in a traditional neighborhood rivalry. The Pin Oak players are (back row, from left): Coach Carson Mize, Coach Nelson Fujiwara, Halen Thestrup, Sully Mulcahy, Harris Mann, Patrick Albright, Caleb Carter, Jackson Detoto, Jayden Montoya, Gabriel Turley, Milan Shultz, Austin Graf, Bode Bromley, Cooper Bayne, Reid Sasser; (front row, from left): Connor Welch and Oliver Broach. The Pershing players are (back row, from left): Michael Chin, Adam Wilson, Marshall Smith, Lawson Behan, Jack Stanger, Bryce Bloom-Timmins, Jackson Ryals, Ben Marshall, Bradon Payne, and Coach Sherman Parker; (front row, from left): Rodrick Brown, Kyle Behan, Kevin Creed, and Michael Creed.

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 JUNE 2022 50

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ON THE PAGE – AND THE COURT Matthew Jeong, a ninth grader at Kinder HSPVA, also plays freshman varsity tennis at Lamar High School.

KIDS

by Matthew Jeong, age 15

Buzz Kidz

Self-improvement through arts and sports

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ports and arts are two fields that almost seem to trend on opposite sides of the spectrum, but interacting with both of these fields have made for a unique experience that has shaped much of my life. Currently, I am a freshman varsity tennis player for Lamar High School but also attend Kinder High School for the Performing and Visual Arts for creative writing.

Tennis is a sport that I've been playing seriously since I was 12. It’s rigorous, demanding, and timeconsuming. You have to practice almost every day and the tournaments often take up the entirety of the weekends. But the benefits more than outweigh the drawbacks. Tennis is an incredibly mentally challenging and exhausting sport, and it's helped me deal with nerves, improve and hold concentration for long periods of time, and to

manage my emotions in a healthy way.

Not only that, but it has helped me become fit and strengthened my lungs as well. I used to have breathing problems and could only run for short periods of time. Tennis helped me overcome that problem. Overall, it’s shaped me for the better both physically and mentally. Writing is something that’s just completely different from tennis. It lets me channel a much different part of myself. I can let my mind wander and translate all my ideas, from simple to abstract thoughts, onto paper. It’s relaxing, calming, and helps me understand and comprehend more about myself and the world around me.

Together, these two activities have forged much of my character and how I deal and live my day-to-day life. Writing helps me develop and use my creative and artistic mind. I can gain

a deeper assurance and realization of qualities that I write about, and can relieve my stress and use it to fuel and create my writing. For tennis, it’s more about honing and improving myself.

Whether it's keeping my nerves in line, increasing stamina and strength, or the mental battle that every player undergoes in a match, tennis pushes me to be a better version of myself.

Both of these ventures have been an amazing experience and component of my life, and I am excited for how my journey with writing and tennis will continue.

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

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Community administration Probate in Texas is optional, but survivors inheriting larger estates often embrace a formal administration to collect assets and fund trusts.

But what about simpler situations, e.g., a widow or widower that doesn’t need to collect anything, because it’s already theirs? Imagine that both husband’s and wife’s names are on the house, the cars, and the bank accounts.

Even without a will, if a deceased spouse left no children except those by the surviving spouse, the surviving spouse inherits all the community property.

This is a very common scenario, and Texas law helps. Sort of. Chapter 453 of the Texas Estates Code, Administration of Community Property, means well, but it doesn’t get enough respect to work with every asset for every family.

If there is no court appointed representative of an estate, the surviving spouse is allowed to administer the decedent’s community property, including community assets only in decedent’s name, e.g., last paycheck, insurance or tax refunds, a car, decedent’s IRA, or life insurance owned on the surviving spouse’s life. In theory, the surviving spouse is allowed to negotiate checks, deposit refunds, retitle accounts, and more.

In practice, good luck. Title companies don’t want to insure real property without evidence of record, even if it’s just an affidavit of heirship, but that can require the cooperation of step-children. A widow can’t count on selling or refinancing when needed. Local banks tend to allow the surviving spouse to negotiate a few checks as a courtesy, but national banks generally do not.

Too often simply asking permission prompts the bank manager to say no.

IRA custodians and life insurance underwriters simply will not accommodate requests to retitle accounts and policies without a designated benefici-

ary or a court order.

Chapter 453 does release an employer who delivers the last paycheck on the surviving spouse’s affidavit that no one has qualified as executor or administrator of the deceased spouse’s estate. No other custodian, though, is granted an express release, which explains why community administration is not more widely accepted.

Surviving spouses have better luck with joint accounts. Even without a right of survivorship, the survivor is empowered to collect the community property, retain their share, and distribute the rest, if any, to decedent’s descendants. Even then, though, the surviving spouse must account for it all, including debts and expenses paid before the remainder was disbursed.

Fortunately, with or without a will, Texas allows four years from death before limiting the right to a formal administration. Widows and widowers can manage things informally two or three years before deciding whether probate is necessary.

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

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PETS

Neighborhood Tails Theo, age 11 months, Bichon Frise, Tangley St. Hi! My name is Theo Mochi Nguyen. I’ve been in Houston for four months now. I’m an 11-month-old Bichon Frise. I like to walk in the West U neighborhood. One day, I ate a frog on a walk. A neighbor held me while my mom yanked it out! I ate a bit before they took it from me. Oh, how good it tasted! In the morning after my walks, I go to the dining room, where I can bask in the sunshine from the two windows. My favorite activities are playing fetch in the big yard behind the house and being a kissing machine. I love to kiss anyone I see – on the lips! When my sister, Camryn (7), plays soccer, I try to push the ball with my head to play with her. I love exploring all around Houston, especially the farmers markets. I can’t wait to see more of this vibrant city!

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.

www.vbaf.com • Family Owned Since 1952 2504 Bissonnet Street • 713-528-2404 WEST UNIVERSITY BUZZ JUNE 2022 54

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Special eyes Maybe you don’t have itchy, watery eyes and you don’t sneeze or get a runny nose. Maybe your eyes are just heavy, tired, or it feels like there is sand stuck in your eyes. There’s no law that says every allergic patient has to itch or sneeze. Avoiding what you’re allergic to is the best place to start. Wear sunglasses when you’re outdoors to reduce getting pollen in your eyes. Pollen counts are highest between 5 and 10 am. If your eyes are glued to your computer screen, force yourself to blink once in a while. Eyelids make pretty good windshield wipers. Extended-wear soft contact lenses often worsen your allergies because pollen and mold spores stick to the lens. Hard lenses or daily disposable soft contacts may be a better choice if you have allergies.

Over-the-counter eye drops can be helpful, but some can actually make things worse. Start out with moisturizing eye drops like Refresh or GenTeal.

If these aren’t enough, the best non-prescription eye drop for eye allergy is Pataday. There are now 3 different versions of Pataday that are over the counter. The original Patanol (olopatadine 0.1%) is now sold as Pataday twice daily. The original Pataday (olopatadine 0.2%) is now sold as Pataday once daily. For most patients, the best relief comes from Extra Strength Pataday (olopatadine 0.7%) once daily. It took the drug company 3 tries to finally get a strong enough version to last a full 24 hours.

The extra strength formula was until recently prescription only, sold as Pazeo. Pazeo cost about $250 for a 2.5 mL bottle. Now you can get that same bottle of Extra Strength Pataday for about $25 at local stores. As I write this on May 2, 2022, you can buy 2 bottles of Extra Strength Pataday for $20.64 on amazon.com.

Avoid Visine and Clear Eyes.

Products that “get the red out” temporarily shrink the blood vessels, but repeated use of these makes the redness worse. This reaction, known as the rebound effect, is why Afrin works less and less the more you use it for a stuffy nose. Keep eye drops in the refrigerator.

They don’t work better but they feel more soothing when cold. Even if you don’t have nasal symptoms, nasal steroids like Flonase Sensimist can help eye allergies because they reduce allergic inflammation of the small tube that connects the eyes to the nose (nasolacrimal duct).

If these measures don’t help, allergy shots to make you less allergic often work. After all, we “Special Eyes” (specialize) in allergies.

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

WEST UNIVERSITY BUZZ JUNE 2022 55

Priscilla Dickson

NEIGHBORS

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by Angie Frederickson, staff writer

Buzz About Town Around the world in West U Martina Luke-Dorn, principal Scott Disch, Julie Gibson (top row, from left), Pippa Gibson, Ella Gibson, and Henry Gibson (bottom row, from left) enjoyed West University Elementary School’s (WUES) annual international festival that featured more than 20 different countries from around the world. Families walked around the outdoor experience learning about different countries and cultures through colorful displays, props, photo boards, costumes, and samples of food. This year’s festival featured a Ukraine table with information on how people can help those affected by the war. The Ukrainian American Cultural Club of Houston sent two volunteers from the Peace Corps who had once lived in Ukraine to share information with WUES visitors. Festival-goers visited each “country” with a specially created passport in hand, collecting stamps from each country they visited. With

enough stamps, visitors were entered into a raffle for fun prizes.

Taking a stand for brain cancer The 10th annual Stand Up for Brain Cancer gala benefiting The Broach Foundation, and featuring comedian Mike Birbiglia, brought 400 guests to River Oaks Country Club. Named in honor of James Broach, The Broach Foundation for Brain Cancer Research raises funds and awareness for adult brain-cancer research and has raised more than 6 million dollars. James lost his battle against brain cancer in 2013, but prior to his death he knew he wanted to make an impact on the challenging and under-funded disease. “James was truly an inspiration to all those who knew him. Though he knew the research would not come in time to help him, he wanted to find a way to help others. Research requires resources, and he

knew the faster we can fund promising novel research projects, the faster we will find a cure for this disease,” said Jamie Broach Byrd (pictured, right, with Ilona Carson, former ABC 13 news anchor).

For love of reading

West University resident Meredith Dickson (pictured, center), a Knowledge is Power Program (KIPP) teacher and member of Teach for America Houston, collected books to help instill a love of reading in young students. Along with first-year Teach for America Houston corps members Case Garza (pictured, left) and Caroline Norwood (pictured, right), Meredith worked to help a fellow teacher’s goal of providing high-quality children’s books for students who are non-native speakers and immigrants or newcomers to the United States. Meredith reached out to her Aggie alumni network and her sorority, Pi Beta Phi, and collected 1,500 books. Six hundred of the (continued on page 58) WEST UNIVERSITY BUZZ JUNE 2022 56

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The spirit of spring

Choir rehearsal. To close out the evening, the choir sang the Beatles’ tune “In My Life.”

Hear our voices Dave Rossman

fellow teacher’s classroom, and Meredith plans to host a book drive for other Teach for America Houston teachers to distribute the rest.

Alexander's Fine Portrait Design

(continued from page 56) books were donated to the

organization that facilitates healing from loss and grief, and Kimberly Hixson Spaw who serves on the HSPVA Friends Board of Directors for the Kinder High School for the Performing and Visual Arts. Guests enjoyed a laugh-so-hard-youcry performance by one of the country’s most popular comedians, Gary Gulman, who also happens to live with mental illness.

Magic moment for the Houston Chamber Choir

Laughter is the best medicine Kelly Beeler, Sandy Sturm, and Mariana Pope (pictured, from left) attended The Jung Center’s Spring Benefit along with 250 others at River Oaks Country Club. The event, It’s Okay to Laugh, brought together a young crowd to celebrate The Jung Center’s work to improve mental health in the community. Co-chairs Consuelo and Ian Macpherson and Sandy and Tim Sturm put together a wonderful event honoring David Spaw, founder of Healing Circles Houston, an WEST UNIVERSITY BUZZ JUNE 2022 58

A pre-event champagne and bourbon tasting kicked off the evening for the Avondale House Hear Our Voices, Embracing Autism evening.

Anne and Greg Hill (pictured, from left) were among the 250 guests at River Oaks Country Club who enjoyed a night with beautiful spring weather, organized by event chairs Ashley and Christian Nelly. Generous supporters contributed $185,000 to Avondale House to help people living with moderate to severe autism.

Medical honoree Dr. Peter (continued on page 60) Jeff Grass Photography

Kola Omotade and Ryane Jackson (pictured, from left) enjoyed the 22nd annual Spirit of Spring Luncheon and Fashion Show. The event, benefitting The Children’s Assessment Center (CAC), was held at the Royal Sonesta led by event chair Lily Schnitzer and honorary event chair Ursaline Hamilton. Supporters of the event helped fund the CAC’s services to protect children, heal families, and prevent sexual abuse and child sex trafficking. The Spirit of Spring Fashion Show was presented by Elizabeth Anthony with a special appearance

by Alice Temperley of Temperley London and fashion producer Ursaline Hamilton. Guest speaker Kaitlyn Urenda-Culpepper, an activist and survivor of child sexual abuse, spoke to the crowd, and past executive director Elaine Stolte was recognized for receiving the Lifetime Achievement Award.

Richard and Jan Kellogg and Winnie and Ben Powell (pictured, from left) enjoyed the Houston Chamber Choir’s 2022 gala, This Magic Moment, honoring founder and artistic director Robert Simpson and Marianna ParnasSimpson. The evening event was held at The Petroleum Club with pre-dinner entertainment by pianist Marvin Gaspard and magician Scott Hollingsworth. The Houston Chamber Choir singers entertained the audience with the song “This Magic Moment,” made popular in 1968

by Jay and the Americans while Hollingsworth entertained with magic tricks, including making a guest’s $100 bill disappear and reappear. The live auction featured unique opportunities, including conducting a Houston Chamber

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Pandemic wedding times two

Community Immunity

luncheon at the Junior League of Houston to support the statewide organization. Keynote speaker Brendan Borrell, PhD. shared his lighthearted observations of researchers working to develop and deploy a Covid-19 vaccine, the political and social influences affecting vaccine development and manufacturing, and Covid-19 vaccine acceptance along the way. Terri Burke, executive director of The Immunization Partnership (TIP), also addressed the crowd with an update on the pandemic’s effect on Texans.

A grand homecoming

The Immunization Partnership’s 13th annual Community Immunity Spring Luncheon was a success. Dr. Melanie Mouzoon and Dr. John Dugan (pictured, from left) were among the more than 225 Houstonians who attended the

Alex Good

Howard Shapiro, Nancy Stow Shapiro, Laken Edwards Strum, and Sam Strum (pictured, from left) celebrated two weddings during the pandemic. Covid-era planning was a challenge for Nancy and her family, but they managed to pull off beautiful ceremonies. Nancy and Howard Shapiro wed at their home, more than 40 years after they first met. The newlyweds dated, the first time around, at age 16 but went their separate ways as they approached the college years. Thanks to Facebook, they reconnected. The original plan was for family members to fly in from Baltimore, but they adapted to the changing times and had an intimate ceremony surrounded by their children. Nancy’s son, Sam Strum, married Laken Edwards at Blissful Hills, a wedding venue in Spicewood, just outside of Austin. Their planned wedding date was postponed for nearly a year, and they managed to rearrange logistics for the entire weekend of family and friends arriving from around the country.

Laken and Sam, who live in New York City,

met at the New York City Texas Exes annual chili cookoff in 2016. They were introduced by mutual friends and bonded over academics and their love of Broadway.

Johnny Than

dean for the National School of Tropical Medicine at Baylor College of Medicine, and community advocate honoree Amy Pierce were recognized, and then guests enjoyed entertainment from Nashville singer-songwriters Phillip White, Brice Long, and Marla Cannon-Goodman.

Quy Tran

(continued from page 58) Hotez,

Melinda and Matt Mogas (pictured, from left) were among the more than 500 guests who donned homecoming-inspired attire at the Camp for All annual gala. Homecoming 2022: A Night to Come Together was held at The Revaire and raised $1.1 million for the barrier-free camp that hosts about 10,000 children and adults with challenging illnesses or special needs each year at their 206acre campsite. Laurie and Jack Maddox were the honorees of the event, aka Homecoming queen and king. The evening was emceed by Emmy Award-winning journalist Richelle Carey and featured a live auction with items including a relaxing week in Costa Rica, wine tastings, and Astros club-level seats. Keynote speaker Andrew Simms discussed his experiences living with autism and how attending Camp for All significantly increased his confidence.

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WEST UNIVERSITY BUZZ JUNE 2022 60

WEST UNIVERSITY BUZZ JUNE 2022 61

NEIGHBORS

by Andria Frankfort, staff writer

Back Porch

Summer reading 2022: A family tradition

S

ince she was a little girl following her dad to Saturday morning used-book sales, reading has been a family pursuit for Regina Shadle Nolan. (See For the Love of Books in this issue.) Sharing a love of history, literature, and libraries was a way for Regina to connect with her history-professor father, Bob Shadle. When Regina’s son Ethan was born (he’s 5), reading was a catalyst for connection between grandfather and grandson.

While Bob passed away in 2019, his love of reading lives on through his daughter and grandson. In this special edition of our annual “Back Porch Summer Reading” column, Regina shares what both she and her son will be reading.

“My summer recommendations always [include] something tied to Memorial Day and D-Day,” Regina says, explaining, “I get a little reflective this time of year. It’s a time of remembrance. To read the stories of our country’s history is, I think, always important.” Regina gravitates to World War II. Her suggestions are “very easy reads,” she says, “from very compelling authors. They tell the stories of actual people you can relate to. You can see yourself or a family member in them.”

Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption by Seabiscuit author Laura Hillenbrand tops Regina’s list. It also topped the New York Times Bestseller List for a full four years and was made into a movie.

Unbroken is the true story of an Olympic runner-turned-airman, his crash into the Pacific, and his ensuing fight for life, all a personification of resiliency. New York Magazine called the book a “one-in-a-billion story…wrench[ing] from selfrespecting critics all the blurby adjectives we normally try to avoid…amazing, unforgettable, gripping, harrowing, chilling, and inspiring.”

And Kindle readers most often highlighted this quote from the book: “Without dignity, identity is erased. In its absence, men are defined not by themselves, but by their captors and the circumstances in which they are forced to live.”

Flyboys: A True Story of Courage by James Bradley also finds a place on Regina’s patriotic reading list. It’s the story of eight American prisoners of war shot down over Chichi-jima, and WEST UNIVERSITY BUZZ JUNE 2022 62

behance.net/runamokstudios

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what they endured at the hands of their Japanese captors. The ninth airman, shot down but rescued by an American submarine, was future President George H. W. Bush. Until Flyboys’ publication, the fate of the eight prisoners had remained a secret.

James Bradley appears again on Regina’s list with Flags of Our Fathers, the New York Times bestseller that Bradley wrote with Ron A LIFELONG LOVE Summer reading takes on new meaning when favorite books are Powers about the passed from generation to generation. men in the famous read to him. Now that’s what he brings to us.” photograph depicting the raising of the Ethan’s recommendations to the pre-school American flag at Iwo Jima. There were six solreading set include: Curious George Visits the diers in the photo – one was Bradley’s father, Library, Curious George Goes to the Zoo, Curious John Bradley. Because he never spoke of the George Blasts Off, and Curious George and the Ice photograph to his family, John’s son scoured Cream Surprise. boxes of photos and letters after his father’s On his own, the pre-kindergartener at Veritas death, piecing together what his father experiChristian Academy is reading the Bob Books. enced in Iwo Jima and what subsequently hap“They’re not the most exciting, but he can read pened to the soldiers in the photo. According to them!” Regina says. And he loves anything by James Bradley, his father John refused the “hero” David Shannon: No, David! and Too Many Toys status bestowed on him after his return from war, among them. The Berenstain Bears Honesty only saying: “The real heroes of Iwo Jima were Counts and The Berenstain Bears and the Trouble the guys who didn’t come back.” with Chores are two more favorites.

Regina’s reading list this summer won’t be For the rest of us, Regina recommends the entirely patriotic: She will be reading with her Facebook group PBS Books Readers’ Club. “I get son Ethan in the same way her dad read with my recommendations from there,” she says. “For her. In fact, some of Ethan’s favorite books were example, I visited Pearl Harbor in February. I gifts from his grandfather, as evidenced by a posted, and tons of people wrote back with rectreasured photo of Bob reading Curious George ommendations on what to read.”

Museum Mystery to him. “Ethan was a little over Editor’s note: For more books to add to your sum2 when [my dad] died, but he talks about him,” mer-reading list, see this month’s Buzz Reads by Regina says. “I don’t know if he associates my Cindy Burnett and look for Cindy’s weekly Page dad with it, but he loves Curious George, and Turners column at thebuzzmagazines.com. that’s what he was always bringing my dad to