The West University Buzz - July 2026

Houston, TX

2026 Buzz Photo Contest Winners

Permit No. 2047 PAID PRSRT STD

Second Place, People and Portraits

US Postage

Side by Side by Peyton Stewart

PUBLISHER’S NOTE We are excited to share the winners of our 21st annual Buzz Photo Contest, which is a favorite issue of mine and one that generates a lot of reader response. I am often asked why certain photos were chosen. There are certain elements of photography that must be met, but as with any contest like this, decisions are inherently subjective.

Our judges are professional photographers and there is much discussion and debate. Often, my personal favorites do not end up among the winning images, but I am not a professional photographer nor one of the judges. I do, however, observe the judging and have a good understanding of what the judges look for (read mores on page 22). Congratulations to all of our winners and especially to our Grand Prize winner, Eloise Carey – an impressive accomplishment, particularly given that she’s 15. Thank you to everyone who entered, to our sponsor Houston Camera Exchange, and to our judges for their time and expertise. We hope you enjoy this visual feast and look forward to seeing more of your photos in next year’s Buzz Photo Contest. michael@thebuzzmagazines.com

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

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Joni Hoffman Michael Hoffman Jordan Magaziner Steinfeld Mackenzie Malveaux John Duboise Tracy L. Barnett Sharon Albert Brier Cindy Burnett Andria Dilling Angie Frederickson Todd Freed Cindy Gabriel Cathy Gordon Michelle Casas Groogan Dai Huynh Annie Blaylock McQueen Jennifer Oakley Ben Portnoy Cheryl Ursin Meena Dost Andrea Blitzer, Jo Rogers Layne Gasper, Halliday Mafrige, Emily McDowell, Shannon Pacholder, Lucy Walker

On our cover: Peyton Stewart, 17, an incoming senior at Episcopal High School, took this photo of her cousins Beau and Rhodes Woolsey at her family’s farm in Industry, TX for a photojournalism class.

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 © 2026 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 JULY 2026 4

Your smile can last forever Anna Maria Salas, D.D.S., M.S. Diplomate of the American Board of Orthodontics

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MAILBAG

Your letters, thoughts, opinions Urban farm is blooming It was a delight to read the article recognizing Finca Tres Robles – Small Places [A Healing Harvest: Growing hope in a Houston food desert by Michelle Casas Groogan, May 2026] and what Tommy Garcia-Prats is doing in the 2nd Ward. He and his brothers took a beat-up abandoned lot and turned it into an urban farm. Their recent event Salsa de Mayo was a huge hit.

Thanks to your article, people from your readership attended and were delighted to join the festivities. This urban farm is meeting the needs in this area. They are learning healthier ways to provide for their families and bring the community together.

Thank you for highlighting this wonderful endeavor. River Oaks Garden Club enjoyed working alongside Small Places to meet their greenhouse needs.

Madeleine Sheehy

Buzzing about Finca Tres Robles I wanted to personally say thank you for your support [A Healing Harvest

by Michelle Casas Groogan]. The Spring Harvest farm dinner was a huge success and felt incredibly special, not only as a celebration of the spring harvest, but as a reflection of the community that continues to gather around and believe in Small Places – Finca Tres Robles. Support from partners like you makes that possible.

It's wonderful to see the farm filled with neighbors, supporters, and friends sharing a meal together. Moments like that serve as an important reminder of what happens when people invest in community-centered spaces and long-term neighborhood health.

And the Salsa de Mayo festival was a record year for us as we’ve watched this steadily grow over the last few years. Thank you for helping us bring together over 1,000 neighbors and friends to celebrate over the two days.

I ran into several people at the festival who read about it in The Buzz and I keep running into people who saw the article. Thank you for including us and helping us spread our story. It truly means a lot.

Thank you again for helping us continue building a healthier, more connected East End through food, education, and community.

Tommy Garcia-Prats

An engaging ‘tail’ I thought the recent article about horse racing and the Kentucky Derby [Horsing Around: My family’s fascination with the Kentucky Derby by Halliday Mafrige] was timely, interesting, and very well written. Sharing the personal and family history kept me engaged – reading until the end!

Mary Grace Landrum

Cinco de Mayo: Past and present I found Unmixing Tex-Mex History by Cindy Gabriel in the May Buzz interesting. Yes, the American colonists were not only supposed to become WEST UNIVERSITY BUZZ JULY 2026 6

Catholic but also learn Spanish! And not have slaves. All of which was not followed or enforced. In exchange they got good land. Not a bad deal.

As to Cinco de Mayo being a “bigger deal in the U.S.,” I totally agree.

Years ago, my Delta Kappa Gamma Chapter was holding their May meeting in Houston and wanted Cinco de Mayo decorations. I happened to be in McAllen, Texas, which is across from Mexico. Could I bring decorations for the meeting? “Sure, no problem,” I said. Wrong. No Cinco de Mayo decorations were to be found in Reynosa or Progreso, Mexico. I could not believe it. Disappointed, I called and informed my DKG sister in Houston.

Then she called me back saying, no problem, one of our other sisters had gone to San Antonio and she found all the Cinco decorations we needed!

I agree, Cinco de Mayo is celebrated more in Texas (maybe even in the U.S.) than it is in Mexico.

Tonie Maheshwari Email us at mailbag@thebuzzmagazines.com. Or send to Mailbag, The Buzz Magazines, 5001 Bissonnet St., Suite 100, Bellaire, Texas 77401. Please include your name, address, phone number and email address for verification purposes. Letters or emails addressed to The Buzz Magazines become the property of the magazine, and it owns all rights to their use for publication. Addresses, phone numbers and email addresses will not be published. Letters are subject to editing for clarity and length. Views expressed in letters do not necessarily reflect the opinions of The Buzz Magazines, and The Buzz takes no responsibility for the content and opinions expressed in them.

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

• Were recently married and would like to participate in an upcoming Wedding Buzz column.

• Know a Buzzworthy neighbor to feature.

• Have an interesting travel tale.

• Have a unique passion or hobby.

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

WEST UNIVERSITY BUZZ JULY 2026 7

Inside This Issue July 2026

Eloise Carey

TABLE OF CONTENTS

22

The Buzz Magazines’ 2026 Photo Contest

4 Publisher’s Note 6 Mailbag: Letters from Readers

We are pleased to present the winners of the 2026 Buzz Photo Contest. Congratulations to all of our winners and especially to Grand Prize winner Eloise Carey, for her winning image, Upside Down World.

10 The Journey Back: Honor Flight’s lasting gift

by Cathy Gordon

Honor Flight Houston provides veterans a meaningful, all-expenses-paid trip to the nation’s capital, where they visit memorials, share stories, and connect with other veterans. The nonprofit is part of a nationwide network.

16 Cold and Creamy: Ice cream you can make at home

by Andria Dilling

Ice cream is always a treat. Homemade ice cream? Even better. Find recipes, including some that call for an ice cream maker and some that don’t.

18 Hooked on Galveston: Casting memories along the coast

by Annie Blaylock McQueen

These Buzz-area families have reeled in great memories while fishing in Galveston.

20 From Our Archives: Galveston Restaurant Memories: Island favorites from the past

by Russell Weil Russell Weil’s “restaurant memories” stories, including this one on historic Galveston favorites, remain some of our most-discussed articles to date. This article was originally published in July 2018.

42 Travel Buzz: A Houston Family’s Journey to Ecuador and the Galápagos

by Tracy L. Barnett

Rupesh Nigam, Supriya Singh, and their daughters Saanvi and Eera share their adventures in Ecuador and the Galápagos.

46 SportzBuzz

by Todd Freed

48 SportzBuzz Jr.

by Annie Blaylock McQueen

Roundup 50 Event

by Mackenzie Malveaux Fourth of July festivities, World Cup events, and more. Find events to add to your calendar this month.

52 Buzz Kidz: The final note

by Alexis Chen

54 Neighborhood Tails

by Luna and Buster

38 Rumor Has It

56 Buzz About Town

40 Buzz Reads

62 Back Porch: Make Space in Your Suitcase: What to read this summer

by Sharon Albert Brier

by Cindy Burnett Book reviewer Cindy Burnett recommends five recently or soon-to-be released titles.

WEST UNIVERSITY BUZZ JULY 2026 8

by Angie Frederickson

by Andria Dilling

When she travels, Carmen Gomez makes sure to leave extra room in her suitcase for multiple books. She recommends great summer reads.

WEST UNIVERSITY BUZZ JULY 2026 9

Honor Flight Houston

NEIGHBORS

by Cathy Gordon, staff writer

The Journey Back Honor Flight’s lasting gift

I

n the shadow of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, Rick Ruchaber pressed a paper against cool black granite and began tracing.

With each pass of the pencil, graphite settled into indentations. Letters grew darker, more distinct, till a name rose from the stone like a figure emerging from the fog: Alan Robert Gerrish.

One of more than 58,000 service members who never made it home.

As a Navy corpsman attached to Marine units in Vietnam, Ruchaber was responsible for treating wounded Marines in the field. As the lead corpsman on duty, he was often the first called when casualties occurred. On Aug. 23, 1968, he had been sent to another location when a Marine security outpost at Cam Le Bridge, south of Da Nang, came under attack.

In his absence, another corpsman, Gerrish, answered the call, rushing to aid a wounded Marine. While rendering treatment, Gerrish was critically wounded by enemy fire.

Ruchaber visited him in the hospital, talked to him. “He seemed to be recovering.” But word soon arrived that he didn’t make it. His belongings were packed up, destined for family.

“He did everything he was supposed to do as a corpsman,” he says, his voice growing soft. “It’s a memory that will always stay with me.”

A traveling Vietnam wall had visited Houston before, but Ruchaber, 78, never felt ready to confront it. What changed was not the passage of time, but the company – fellow veterans who understood the language of loss, sacrifice, and service.

He found that camaraderie in the quiet power of Honor Flight Houston.

The nonprofit organization provides veterans an all-expenses-paid trip to the nation’s capital, where they visit memorials, share stories, and reconnect with a past that, for many, never feels quite as distant as years might suggest. It’s part of a nationwide network, relying on donations and volunteers to make the experience possible.

Over two whirlwind days, veterans travel from monument to monument, accompanied by volunteer guardians who push wheelchairs, carry bags, handle medications, and countless other details, so the veterans can focus on the experiWEST UNIVERSITY BUZZ JULY 2026 10

AMONG THE NAMES Vietnam veteran Rick Ruchaber reflects upon the Vietnam Veterans Memorial wall during a recent Honor Flight Houston trip to Washington, D.C. Among the more than 58,000 names etched into the granite is one he has carried in his memory for more than half a century.

ence. They visit the World War II Memorial.

Lock eyes with steel soldiers at the Korean War Veterans Memorial. Search names etched upon the wall of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial.

What begins as a trip to Washington often becomes something far more personal. It’s a chance to honor fallen friends. And for some, an opportunity to rediscover pride in a service they rarely discuss.

What begins as a trip to Washington often becomes something far more personal. It’s a chance to honor fallen friends. And for some, an opportunity to rediscover pride in a service they rarely discuss.

Veterans who served during World War II, Korea, or Vietnam are eligible. Veterans from any service era with a terminal illness also qualify for the trip. Combat service or foreign deployment is not required.

“We encourage the guardians to sit together on the plane and the veterans to sit together on the plane because we want vets to visit with other vets, to feel like they’re one big family,” says Army veteran Alan Montgomery, 79, who has volunteered for Honor Flight Houston for 10

years. His job is to draw attention to its mission.

The program typically hosts four flights per year, depending on funding. They rely on donations for the trips, which run $50,000 to $60,000 per flight. The Houston chapter has flown 850 veterans to Washington since being established in 2013. Its inaugural flight in 2014 hosted 23 World War II veterans. The umbrella organization, Honor Flight Network, started in 2005.

Montgomery’s involvement with Honor Flight Houston began years ago when he accompanied a World War II veteran friend as his guardian on a trip to Washington.

“I had been to the Vietnam memorial before but didn’t let it affect me emotionally. But when I went with my friend and saw all these vets get emotional…well, then it hits you. You walk down a hill and see that wall, and it brings back all the horrors.”

As a military photographer with the Army’s 1st Signal Brigade in Vietnam, Montgomery snapped his share of medal-pinning ceremonies and embassy dinners, but he also rode in the open doorway of helicopters, camera in hand, documenting bombing targets before and after B-52 strikes. There were no safety harnesses, no restraints back then, only an aluminum floor beneath him and air rushing past.

When ground fire erupted, pilots reacted instantly, throwing aircraft into hard banks and sudden turns, Montgomery holding on for dear life. “You’re sliding around and just hanging on,” he says.

Montgomery now chronicles Honor Flight Houston trips with a team of photographers.

Two photographers are assigned per flight. They work quietly in the background, capturing veterans’ reactions at memorials, laughing with newfound friends, rubbing names etched in stone. They are there for the solemn moments, the joyful ones, and the unexpected in between.

Especially moving is mail (continued on page 12

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Honor Flight Houston Honor Flight Houston

Honor Flight Houston

MOMENTS OF HONOR Top left: Young Rick Ruchaber was a Navy corpsman called to the aid of injured marines in Vietnam. Top right: Ruchaber and his guardian on the trip visit Arlington National Cemetery, the nation’s most hallowed military burial ground. Bottom left: Vietnam-era Air Force nurse Eileene Grozier passes a crowd of cheering, flag-waving greeters at Honor Flight’s homecoming at Hobby Airport. Bottom middle: Grozier traces the name of a friend and neighbor who was killed after three months in Vietnam. Bottom right: Honor Flight participant, Navy veteran Bill Kelly, back in the days of the Korean War. (continued from page 10) call.

For most, explains Montgomery, mail call was the highlight of military life. “A letter from home lifted spirits, eased loneliness, and reminded them what awaited beyond the war.” Honor Flight revives that tradition one last time.

As the flight turns toward home, veterans are handed an 11-by 14-inch packet. Inside are letters from loved ones who were asked: What does this veteran mean to you?

Heads bow. Pages rustle. Then come quiet sniffles.

At the end of the trip, each veteran receives a professional photographic portrait and a coffee table book tailored for them, their interactions on the trip documented for prosperity.

When the flight returns to Hobby Airport, corridors are lined with cheering family, friends, and passing travelers caught up in the moment.

American flags wave. Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts stand shoulder to shoulder with members WEST UNIVERSITY BUZZ JULY 2026 12

of the American Legion. Families clutch handmade signs. Bands play. Sometimes there are bagpipes. Applause echoes through the terminal.

It’s a gratitude that many waited a lifetime to hear. Veterans smile. Some cry.

“The homecoming at Hobby Airport is amazing,” says Eileene Grozier, 76, a Vietnam-era Air Force nurse who went on Honor Flight’s 35th trip in April.

The warm welcome provides healing for Vietnam veterans who received little to no thanks for their service after returning home from war, she says.

Grozier, vice president of the Vietnam Veterans of America chapter in Baytown, primarily served stateside during the war, caring for injured service members. Physical as well as mental scars. Burdens followed service members home, long after fighting ended, she says.

“A lot of us have gone to Washington, D.C. before and seen these monuments. But when

you go with your fellow brothers and sisters in arms, it is totally different because we can share more than we can with the average person.”

She was especially moved by the Vietnam Women’s Memorial, a bronze sculpture honoring the more than 265,000 women – 90 percent of whom were nurses – who served globally during the war. The statute depicts three uniformed women tending to a wounded soldier.

Grozier also did an etching at the wall. She lost a friend and neighbor to the Vietnam war, three months after he arrived there. “He was just 18. I did the rub. I’m going to frame it and put it on the wall in my home with other pictures of friends and family.” Among those pictures is one of her father, who was an infantryman in World War II. World War II veteran George Chapman, 100, sits at home on a recent day, recalling when he heard that Nazi Germany had invaded Poland.

“I was at Kemah in the water, swimming. It was September 1, 1939. I’ll (continued on page 14)

WEST UNIVERSITY BUZZ JULY 2026 13

Honor Flight Houston

Honor Flight Houston

Honor Flight Houston

A GRATEFUL WELCOME Top left: World War II veteran George Chapman and his guardian, daughter Mary Chapman Cantu, were greeted by young and old alike upon return to Hobby Airport. Top right: Young Chapman with his sisters (pictured, from left) Florence Sullender, Lorna Garrett, Chapman, and Barbara Fleming, after joining the Navy. Bottom left: Bombardier Bill Kelly, part of a seaplane patrol crew during the Korean War, stands in front of the Korean War Veterans Memorial with its larger-than-life steel soldiers. Bottom right: Kelly and niece Mary Lee, his guardian on the trip, are welcomed by an enthusiastic crowd during Honor Flight’s homecoming. (continued from page 12) never forget it.”

He enlisted in the Navy at 17 and before long was a master at equipment most people had never seen. He served stateside, maintaining the intricate Norden bombsights used in aircraft such as B-17s and B-24s. Installed in the nose of the plane, bombardiers relied upon the complex instrument to accurately target enemy positions.

The centenarian is an adventurous sort.

At 49, he set out to hike the 2,200-mile Appalachian Trail, completing the journey in sections over 11 years of summer vacations. The same spirit has carried him back to the Texas boys basketball state championships for 66 consecutive years, a streak so remarkable that it earned recognition from the University Interscholastic League.

A century of life has done little to dull his appetite for new experiences. He jumped at the chance to go on Honor Flight. His daughter, Mary Chapman Cantu, accompanied him as guardian.

“He was grinning from ear to ear and everywhere we went people came up to him and thanked him for his service. It was really overwhelming at times,” Cantu recalls.

Chapman cited two highlights of the trip: visiting the grave of Audie Murphy, the nation’s WEST UNIVERSITY BUZZ JULY 2026 14

most decorated soldier, at Arlington National Cemetery. And, as he jokingly puts it, “being pushed around by my daughter.” He was referring to the wheelchair she guided through Washington. But he delivered the line with a chuckle that suggests he enjoyed the pun as much as the ride.

Seeing Audie Murphy’s grave was a highlight for Korean War Navy veteran Bill Kelly, too, who went on an Honor Flight trip three years ago. His niece, Mary Lee, a retired U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs employee, was his guardian.

“It was quite a sight. Not a blade of grass looked out of place,” he says of the massive cemetery of white headstones, perfectly aligned with military precision.

Kelly, 95, admits not being entirely sold on the trip at first. “When my niece asked me if I wanted to go, I was thinking, ‘Well, won’t that be fun, going all the way to Washington, D.C. to just look at a bunch of statues and concrete pillars,” he recalls. “I couldn’t have been more wrong. It was wonderful.”

Kelly enlisted in the Navy after completing 10th grade. He was the bombardier on a seaplane flight crew. They flew patrols all over the

South Pacific, the Philippines, and Japan, among other places. “We patrolled places all over because of the conflict, keeping an eye on things. I was very fortunate that I wasn’t in the ground portion of it.”

Despite his service, he always viewed himself as “just another guy, nothing special,” he explains. “I thought it was just a job I did and that nobody cared. I more or less forgot about being a veteran until I went on that trip. Now I’m probably as proud to be a veteran as anybody.”

Some relationships are memorialized in granite, their stories carried across generations.

Others, he says, begin unexpectedly on a flight to Washington and are nurtured in daily phone calls and gifts crafted by hand.

Kelly made a forever friend on the trip, a nurse assigned to that flight. “She calls me all the time, daily, to check on me,” he says. The avid woodworker made a jewelry box for her.

“I will never be able to sufficiently thank all the people on Honor Flight for what they do for veterans,” he stresses. “Going on that trip is the most gratifying thing I’ve ever done.”

For more information about Honor Flight Houston, see www.honorflighthouston.org.

WEST UNIVERSITY BUZZ JULY 2026 15

Andria Dilling

FOOD

by Andria Dilling, staff writer

Cold and Creamy Ice cream you can make at home

T

here is no denying that living in Texas has its perks, and that one of those perks is yearround, 24/7 access to Blue Bell Ice Cream.

Memories of a Moeller’s birthday cake served with a scoop of Blue Bell Homemade Vanilla hold a permanent place in most Houstonians’ hearts.

Still, there is nothing like ice cream made in your own kitchen. It makes a random summer Tuesday memorable – you made ice cream?! And it’s the perfect inside, hot-weather project for kids. Watching simple ingredients like eggs, cream, and sugar transform into something frozen and delicious is pure magic. Just remember, if you’re using an ice cream maker, to store the bowl of the maker in the freezer, so it’s ready whenever you get the urge to make ice cream.

Here are a few versions of homemade frozen yumminess (mostly from our online Back Porch Table column), both with and without assistance from an ice cream maker. With these recipes on hand and the rewards ready to be scooped out from your freezer, you will (almost) be able to handle the summer heat.

Blackberry Shortbread Swirl Ice Cream Sweet, creamy, and crunchy, this is everything you want in a summer ice cream with no need to add any extra toppings.

2 cups heavy cream 1 cup whole milk ¾ cup sugar, divided Salt 6 large egg yolks 12 ounces blackberries 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice 5 ounces store-bought shortbread cookies, broken into coarse pieces (such as Walker’s) In a small saucepan, simmer the cream, milk, ½ cup sugar, and salt over medium heat until the sugar is dissolved, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat.

Whisk the egg yolks in a small, separate bowl.

Whisking constantly, slowly drizzle in about ½ cup of the hot cream mixture. Pour this back into the saucepan with the cream, and cook over medium-low heat until the mixture thickWEST UNIVERSITY BUZZ JULY 2026 16

ens enough to coat the back of a spoon. Pour the custard into a clean bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or until it is cooled completely.

Pour the custard into an ice cream maker and churn according to the ICE CREAM AND COOKIES Blackberry Shortbread Swirl Ice Cream marries two m a n u f a c t u r e r ’ s favorites in one treat. instructions.

In a heavy saucepan, heat the cream and the While the ice cream is churning, heat the remaining ¼ cup sugar over medium-high heat. blackberries, lemon juice, ¼ cup sugar, and a Stir until the sugar is dissolved and the mixture just pinch of salt in a small saucepan over medium begins to simmer. Reduce the heat to medium. heat. Let the berries simmer for about 15 minLadle about ½ cup of the cream into the egg utes. Remove from the heat and smash the yolk-sugar mixture, whisking constantly so that berries roughly with the back of a fork. you don’t wind up with scrambled egg yolks.

When the ice cream is ready, transfer it to a Repeat with another ½ cup of the cream. Then lidded container. Pour over the blackberries and slowly pour the egg-cream mixture into the shortbread cookies, and gently swirl them into saucepan with the rest of the cream, stirring as the ice cream, being careful not to stir everyyou do. Stir constantly and cook for about 4 to 5 thing together, so that you have streaks of minutes until the mixture is thick enough to coat berries and cream. Cover and freeze. the back of a spoon. Pour the custard into a clean bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for Blueberry Buttermilk Ice Cream at least 2 hours or until it is cooled completely.

If you like a little tart with your sweet, this ice Stir the cold buttermilk into the cold custard. cream is for you. An easy custard base makes a Stir in the vanilla and salt. Pour the mixture super creamy ice cream, and the addition of butinto the bowl of an ice cream machine, then add termilk gives it a tangy twist that is next-level the Blueberry Compote. Freeze according to the good. And then, if next-level can go next-level, ice cream machine instructions. fresh blueberry compote gets swirled into the smooth, sweet-tart cream.

Blueberry Compote 2 cups fresh blueberries 5 egg yolks 2 tablespoons sugar ¾ cup sugar, divided Pinch of kosher salt 2 cups heavy cream 1 cup buttermilk In a small, heavy saucepan, bring the blueber1 teaspoon vanilla extract ries, sugar, and salt to a simmer over medium Pinch kosher salt heat. Stirring occasionally, cook until the blueBlueberry Compote, recipe below berries have burst and the sauce is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, about 10 to 12 minIn a small bowl, whisk the egg yolks just until utes. Cool the blueberry compote in the pan. they are broken up. Whisk in ½ cup of the sugar.

Andria Dilling

Andria Dilling SEASONAL SWEETS Make use of summer's best with Peach Ice Cream and Creamy Cherry Frozen Yogurt.

Creamy Cherry Frozen Yogurt Who knew homemade frozen yogurt – whatever flavor we can dream up – could be sitting in our freezer waiting for us to dive in at any time?

Don’t be tempted to leave out the corn syrup; it turns the yogurt creamy instead of icy when it freezes.

Another tip to keep things creamy: Let the frozen yogurt stand on the counter for 20 minutes or so before scooping it out. Or, if you want super-duper creamy, skip the freezer part and serve it straight from the ice cream maker. Soft-serve like you’ve never had it.

32 ounces whole-milk Greek yogurt 2/3 cup sugar 1 ½ teaspoons light corn syrup 2 cups pitted cherries, chopped In a large bowl, stir together the yogurt, sugar, and corn syrup. Fold in the cherries. Pour the yogurt into the ice cream maker and follow the manufacturer’s instructions. You can serve it like soft serve, straight from the ice cream maker, or you can scrape the yogurt into a sealed container and put it in the freezer for a couple of hours. If you freeze it, let it sit on the counter at room temperature for a few minutes to soften before scooping.

Peach Ice Cream Heaven Like peaches and cream, just frozen, with chunks of cold peach throughout. You could really use any fruit in this recipe – strawberries, blueberries, raspberries. Whatever you love.

4 large, ripe peaches, peeled and chopped into ¼-inch cubes (or smaller or bigger, depending on how you like your peach ice cream) Juice of ¼ lemon 1 ½ cups whole milk 1 cup sugar 5 egg yolks

1 ½ cups heavy cream Place the chopped peaches in a bowl, and drizzle the lemon juice over them. Set them aside. In a small saucepan, stir the milk and sugar over medium heat until the mixture is hot and the sugar has dissolved.

Pour the heavy cream into a medium-sized bowl, and set it aside.

In another bowl, beat the egg yolks with a fork until they thicken a bit and look pale yellow.

While whisking, slowly add about a cup or so of the milk-sugar mixture to the egg yolks – incorporating the hot milk slowly into the yolks ensures that they won’t cook when they hit the saucepan.

Pour the milk-sugar-egg mixture back into the saucepan with the remaining milk-sugar mixture.

Cook, stirring slowly and continuously with a wooden spoon, over medium heat until you have a thick custard. If you want to use a thermometer to be sure the custard is ready, it should register between 165 and 170 degrees. Otherwise, just watch for the custard to thicken enough to coat the back of a spoon. Pour the custard into the bowl with the heavy cream, and stir it all together.

Stir in the peaches and their juice. Chill the mixture (it doesn’t have to be freezing), then pour it into your ice cream maker. Follow the directions for the machine, or just turn it “on” for 30 minutes or so, until your ice cream looks like soft-serve ice cream. If you have some discipline, transfer the ice cream to an airtight container and stash it in the freezer for a couple of hours to harden. Otherwise, grab a spoon.

No-Churn Banana Pudding Ice Cream If you are wanting to make ice cream at home but don’t want to mess with making a custard or wrangling an ice cream maker, have no fear. You can make an excellent version with the addition of a can of sweetened con-

densed milk in place of the eggs and sugar. It will keep the ice cream creamy (as opposed to its turning icy) and sweet.

If you are craving a flavor other than banana pudding, just follow the recipe omitting the banana pudding mix and replacing the Nilla Wafers and bananas with whatever you like.

Some ideas: store-bought chocolate sauce and mini-marshmallows; peanut butter and crumbled graham crackers; mango that has been quickly pulsed in a food processor; roughly chopped, leftover birthday cake (don’t leave out the frosting).

3 cups heavy cream 1 3.4-ounce package instant banana pudding 1 14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk ¼ teaspoon kosher salt 2 ½ cups (approximately) roughly crumbled Nabisco Nilla Wafers, plus about ¼ cup for topping 2 cups roughly mashed ripe bananas (use the back of a fork to mash them) In a stand mixer, whip the cream together with the banana pudding mix until stiff peaks form. With the mixer on low, pour the condensed milk and salt into the cream. Whip just until smooth, about 30 seconds. Place ½ of the pudding mixture in a 9-by-5-inch loaf pan, then sprinkle ½ of the cookies and ½ of the bananas on top. Using the tip of a fork or knife, gently swirl the cookies and bananas into the pudding mixture, not mixing thoroughly. Repeat with the remaining ingredients. Top with the remaining ¼ cup crumbled cookies. Cover the loaf pan with plastic wrap and freeze for 2 to 3 hours.

Editor’s note: For more recipes, look for Back Porch Table by Andria Dilling every Friday online. You can also search our site for thousands of recipe ideas.

WEST UNIVERSITY BUZZ JULY 2026 17

NEIGHBORS

by Annie Blaylock McQueen, staff writer

Hooked on Galveston Casting memories along the coast

F

or many Buzz families, some of the best moments on the water are not made at big resorts, but along the coast, fishing in Galveston.

Avid fisherman and outdoorsman Nate Alford said his earliest memories include the excitement of going fishing with his grandfather.

“I remember being 4, and I could barely sleep because I was going fishing the next morning,” said Nate.

Nate, a lawyer, now sees that same excitement in his own children as he teaches them to fish.

Nate and his wife, Victoria, are parents to Jefferson, 10, a rising fourth grader, and Kate, 7, a rising first grader. At their Galveston home, they have made fishing a central part of family life. Victoria, a lawyer at Arnold & Itkin LLP, calls it their family’s happy place.

Their home is tucked along a canal bordering the state park in Pirate’s Cove. There, they have made the kind of memories that seep in and linger like a summer night.

Jefferson has a kayak and spends hours exploring the canals while he fishes. Still, the family ventures beyond their neighborhood, casting lines in waters across the island. “My favorite fishing is surf fishing,” said Nate, recalling it was also his favorite in Bolivar, where he grew up fishing. Raised in Beaumont, Nate came to think of Bolivar as a home away from home.

The Alfords have created their own family tradition: night crabbing on the beach.

“Many of my favorite memories happen after the fishing is done,” said Victoria. “We’ll grab flashlights and head down to the beach to catch ghost crabs with our hands, and it’s impossible not to laugh watching the kids run all over the sand chasing the tiny crabs while giggling the entire time. I hope our kids remember those nights forever.” They often bring friends along.

For Nate, fishing has been part of life for as long as he can remember. He now fishes competitively on a team called Waist Deep Fishing, sponsored by Olshan Foundations, SeaTow, and Dirty Bay Lure Company.

Last year, the Alfords acquired a Shallow Sport X3 boat. The boat, which they named Ocean Weasel, is agile, and built to glide WEST UNIVERSITY BUZZ JULY 2026 18

through shallow water, providing easy access to flats, marshes, and hardto-reach fishing spots.

Galveston brings adventure with fishing. “We go to the jetties a lot. You never know what you’ll catch there,” said Nate. One night, they caught a 6foot alligator gar off their own dock under the green lights of the canal.

“We reeled him in, and unhooked him and threw it back out,” said Nate. It is an experience the kids still talk about often.

Like many parents who fish with young children, Nate recommends keeping things simple at the HOOKED Nate Alford (right) and his son, Jefferson (left), spend time fishing together in Galveston. Here, they show off the day's catch: flounder. A family favorite recipe is beginning.

He Nate's freshly prepared stuffed flounder. picks up his bait of fried eggs. Another Alford favorite is Nate’s from Bait Daddys in the Jamaica Beach area. freshly prepared stuffed flounder.

“All you need are some live shrimps and a bobSome days are spent fishing from the boat ber to start,” Nate said. “If you go out to the bay near the jetties, where larger fish move through with that, you are guaranteed to catch somethe channels. Other nights are quieter, spent thing.” fishing from neighborhood canals under glowing For kids, it is all about the anticipation and green fishing lights. No matter where they fish, excitement of the catch, not the size of the fish. special family days are spent casting lines togethWhen the Alfords are at their vacation home er, sitting back, visiting, laughing, and watching in Galveston, Nate says some form of fishing or to see what they might catch. crabbing takes up more than half their time.

Nate says his favorite time to fish in Galveston Slower mornings are spent with the kids eating is from spring to early summer. The water is just breakfast Nate prepares from their catch on the right, and it is not too hot. Still, he fishes yearskillet, often their favorite: trout with a splash round in Galveston with his family. of lemon, Tony Chachere’s seasoning, and a side

ON THE WATER Left: Thomas Crystal, a rising eighth grader, spends his free time fishing from docks and around Galveston; right: Victoria Alford and her children, Kate and Jefferson, pose with an alligator gar caught from their dock last summer.

For the Wagner family, who also have a house in Galveston, fishing adventures have evolved into a beloved family pastime. Parents Chris and Keri Wagner spend time at the family’s vacation home in Galveston with their children, Elliott, 18, and Wells, 13.

What started as childhood curiosity casting a line from their dock has grown into a passion.

Wells fishes often with his friend Thomas Crystal.

“I have always been interested in Galveston water,” Wells said. “Ever since I can remember, my sister and I had little nets, and we would catch anything that could go into them such as minnows and crabs.”

During the pandemic, the family spent significant time in Galveston, and Wells’ interest started to grow more.

“We enjoyed this activity as young children, particularly when we spent the majority of Covid in Galveston,” he said. “Then I really got into fishing. This was in elementary school. I fished in salt water whenever I could, trying to catch anything that would bite.”

As the years passed, Wells became more skilled.

“I got so much better at fishing throughout the next few years,” he said. “Then I caught my first gar, which really confirmed that this was my thing. I was having so much fun.”

Thomas and Wells often fish in the bayside canals. “The boys often go back and forth fishing on each other’s docks, depending upon the day and where the fish are biting,” said Keri.

A favorite spot to fish for Thomas? “The marshes near Waterman’s Marina,” Thomas said. “My favorite thing to catch is alligator gar because they are hard to fight, and it is a fun experience with my friends.”

For families, Galveston offers the perfect place for children to learn to fish. Several family-friendly fishing locations are the Galveston

Fishing Pier, which remains one of the easiest places for children to fish because equipment rentals, bait shops, restrooms and food are all nearby. Along the Seawall, families can also learn the basics of casting and the important skill of patience.

West Bay marshes near Waterman’s Marina are ideal for families looking for calmer waters.

Surf fishing along the beach remains another favorite for families with younger children because the setup can be simple. Parents often bring chairs, snacks, buckets, and sand toys so children can alternate between fishing and playing on the beach.

In addition to fishing in Galveston, children can collect shells and explore the beach for other treasures.

For the seasoned angler and the first-time fisherman alike, it is a place where memories are made, and where a love for fishing can be passed down for generations.

Nathaniel Burton’s Stuffed Flounder A favorite meal at the Alford family's Galveston home is stuffed flounder, a dish Nate often prepares using this recipe: Renowned New Orleans chef Nathaniel Burton (1914-1986) was the chef at Hotel Pontchartrain’s Caribbean Room for many years and later was the executive chef at Broussard’s Restaurant in the French Quarter.

His famous recipe for stuffed flounder has been a longtime favorite.

Yields: 6 servings 6 (1-pound) flounder, boned Salt and black pepper to taste ¼ cup melted butter 1 cup minced onions 1 cup minced celery ½ cup minced red bell peppers

½ cup minced green bell peppers ¼ cup minced garlic 1 cup white wine 1 cup heavy whipping cream 1 pound lump crabmeat Italian breadcrumbs ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese 1 cup water Lemon slices and lemon zest Fresh Italian flatleaf parsley, minced and for garnish Preheat oven to 375°F. Thoroughly clean, scale, and remove heads from 6 flounder. Using a sharp paring knife, cut a slit down the center of the dark side of each flounder from head to tail. Following the rib bone, cut a pocket down each side of the fish. Season flounder well, inside and out, with salt and pepper.

In a large sauté pan, melt butter over medium-high heat. Add onions, celery, bell peppers, and garlic. Sauté 2-3 minutes or until vegetables are wilted. Deglaze with ½ cup wine and reduce to half volume. Pour in cream, bring to a rolling boil, then reduce to a simmer. Blend in crabmeat. Season with salt and pepper.

Sprinkle in breadcrumbs, 1 cup at a time, until stuffing consistency is achieved. Try to use a minimal amount of breadcrumbs to hold the mixture together. Remove from heat and fold in Parmesan cheese and lemon zest. Adjust seasonings if necessary.

Place flounder on a large cookie sheet and divide stuffing equally among the fish. Stuff each slit generously. If desired, add a slice of lemon and a dash of paprika on top of the stuffing in each pocket. Add remaining wine and water to the bottom of the cookie sheet.

Bake 25 minutes, or until stuffing is heated throughout. Garnish with parsley and green onions. Serve immediately.

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FROM OUR ARCHIVES

by Russell Weil, contributing writer

Galveston Restaurant Memories Island favorites from the past Mario's Seawall Italian Restaurant private collection

This article was originally published in July 2018.

Writer Russell Weil's "restaurant memories" stories, including this one on historic Galveston favorites, remain some of our most-discussed articles to date.

Have memories of beloved dining spots on the Island or in Houston? Email info@thebuzzmagazines.com.

Editor's note: Over the last 25 years, we have printed thousands of stories spotlighting inspirational neighbors and interesting topics. Now, in our From Our Archives column, we are highlighting some of our stand-out articles from over the years. For some, these stories may be new to you. For others, a familiar story may resonate in a different way now. Find all Buzz articles online at thebuzzmagazines.com.

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riving south on I-45 to Galveston for a quick getaway remains a favorite road trip from Houston. While sand and surf are attractions, Galveston’s dining scene always has been a big part of the island experience.

Here, we take a look back at historic Galveston restaurants from times past. We know these names will spark some memories.

Throughout the 20th century, the Port of Galveston was the gateway for tens of thousands of immigrants to the United States. While some proceeded to other destinations across the country, countless stayed in Galveston to start new lives. Many opened restaurants serving their favorite family recipes.

The Smecca family has maintained a presence in the Galveston dining arena for decades.

Sicilian-born Giovanni Smecca came to Galveston in 1967 with aspirations of becoming a professional fisherman. When that didn’t work out, he teamed with a friend to serve “pizza pie” on Galveston Island, opening Mario’s Flying Pizza, currently located at 2202 61st St. and in Pirates Beach. Giovanni continues to remain a fixture at his restaurants.

His brother, Tony Smecca, a Sicilian raised in Gela, Sicily, eventually settled in Galveston in 1973 with his wife and sons, Johnny and Joey.

Tony made his own mark on the Galveston restaurant scene with Mario’s Seawall Italian Restaurant. The pasta dishes have an authentic

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ISLAND ITALIAN Owner Anthony Smecca serves pizza with his wife Nilde and their son Johnny at Mario's Seawall Italian Restaurant in 1974.

New York flavor, and hand-tossed pizza has always been an attraction, but their classic spaghetti started it all. Mario’s is located on Seawall Boulevard at 7th Street with views of the Gulf of Mexico. While Tony Smecca passed away in 2015, his sons and their partners carry on the tradition as Galveston Restaurant Group, which includes sushi, steaks, seafood, pizza and Italian restaurants.

Longtime Galvestonians may recall a Greek immigrant named Theodore Christie, later referred to as “Old Man Christie” by patrons, who arrived on the island in 1917 from New York City. Christie, distinguished looking with gray hair and wire-framed glasses, opened a food stand selling fried-fish sandwiches in Galveston.

This small establishment, known as Christie’s, became a hit. Christie’s Famous Trout Sandwich put them on the map. Served with julienne potatoes and tartar sauce for 25 cents, it was

prominently displayed at the top of an early 1930s menu. Another favorite was the fried shrimp platter with tartar sauce, a signature dish.

For the meat-lovers, there were Kansas City sirloin steaks and hamburgers.

Christie’s Seafood was originally located on the bottom floor of The Tremont, but eventually relocated to Houston near the Texas Medical Center in 1934. Granddaughter Maria Christie said recently, “While others later utilized the Christie’s name in Galveston..., no other family-owned Christie’s remained on the island after relocating to Houston.” Theodore Christie passed away in 1968, but Christie’s still serves up seafood at 6027 Westheimer Road in Houston, run by a new generation.

Former Galvestonian and current Buzz-area resident Gerilyn Farb Gordon has her own old favorites from the island. “The first place I ever had pizza was at Giusti’s on Seawall Boulevard. We would always

Christie Family Private Collection TROUT SANDWICH A Christie's menu from the 1930s highlights the restaurant’s "Christie's Famous Trout Sandwich," introduced to Galveston in 1917.

order cheese pizza or pepperoni. I don’t think we knew that pepperoni wasn’t kosher. It was always such a treat to go to Giusti’s.” Giusti’s Café (pronounced Joosty’s) at 828 Seawall Boulevard, operated by John Giusti, opened its doors on Galveston Island during the 1940s. Specializing in pizza pies, Giusti’s served traditional Italian dishes including lasagna. This beachfront café was popular with local residents as well as island tourists until closing down in the middle 1960s. A vacant lot exists where Giusti’s once operated.

Gerilyn also remembers John’s Oyster Resort and how it was always crowded each time they visited. The island seafood favorite was located at 7711 Broadway overlooking Ofatts Bayou just south of the causeway. Owned by the Celli family, John’s was always packed with locals and visitors from Houston. “We would go there for dinner every Sunday night, and after we finished our meal, we would walk down to the water behind the restaurant.” Fried shrimp was Gerilyn’s favorite, while her brother enjoyed the fried tenderloin of trout. “Mr. Celli would come through and talk to everyone. He was very friendly.”

John’s offered indoor dining, but a coveted spot on the back porch overlooking the water was the best seat in the house. Built in 1917 near a terminal of the Interurban (a train that linked Galveston to Houston), John’s closed in the late 1980s. The building later became Immanuel Baptist Church. The white stucco and green accents were painted pink once the church took

over. The building, which had been vacant for many years, was eventually demolished in 2009.

A newer steakhouse, Number 13 Prime Steak and Seafood, stands near where the original John’s Oyster Resort once served Galveston.

During the 1950s and 1960s, most of the hotels on Galveston Island were motor hotels, where a visitor could drive up and park right outside the door to their room. Doors opened up to parking lots, the pool area or walkway balconies along the second or third floors. One of the more prominent places to stay during this time was The Jack Tar. Guests splashed around in their kidney-shaped swimming pool, with a bridge crossing the resort-like setting. This midcentury playground located on Seawall Boulevard at 6th Street was across the street from Stewart Beach.

The Jack Tar had various restaurants and clubs, including The Coffee Cove, which opened in 1949. The cafeteria-style room was open 24 hours a day. While some would stop in for a cup of coffee, many hotel guests and locals would grab a bite after being out on the town, enjoying everything from burgers to chili, according to a May 2004 article by Victor Lang from the regional online newspaper, The Guidry News. Later, in 1968, the after-midnight crowd had to find another hangout, as The Jack Tar was sold. It became a part of Galveston history for good in 1973 when the property was demolished to make way for the

Emerald Condominiums, now known as Emerald by the Sea. A walk down the island’s memory lane must include Gaido’s. This venerable dining establishment, located at 3828 Seawall Boulevard, has been serving Galveston for over a century.

Fried shrimp and ketchup kept many a kid, including me, happy while their parents lingered. Waiters in white jackets would sprint to the table with stainless trays of crackers and butter for us to snack on while we waited for our meal to be served. My parents would always order baked potatoes, and I marveled at the carousel of condiments our server brought out as toppings for those potatoes.

Italian immigrant San Giacinto Gaido operated on a straight-forward directive when he first opened Galdo’s doors in 1911. He made it a point to learn what diners wanted to eat and then served it. At the current location since the 1940s, where windows overlook the Gulf, walls of memorabilia tell their story and document the history of Gaido’s, the fourth generation of the Gaido family maintains Mr. Gaido’s simple, effective approach.

The original location was actually on the beach at Murdoch’s Bathhouse just down the street at 2115 Seawall Boulevard. Gaido’s has always relied on the Gulf of Mexico for the daily catch. Today’s Gaido’s is easily identifiable by a gigantic fiberglass crab that has adorned the entrance since 1960.

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ARTS

The Buzz Magazines’ 2026 Photo Contest

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ongratulations to the winners of The Buzz Magazines’ 21st annual Photo Contest, and a special congratulations to our grand prize winner, Eloise Carey! Eloise will receive a Nikon Z 30 compliments of our contest sponsor, Houston Camera Exchange.

Although our annual contest is exclusively for local amateur photographers, the quality of photos we receive astounds us each year. With any contest like this, the process is inherently subjective. However, there are basic principles of photography that must be met, such as lighting, focus, exposure, and composition. Each judge – local professional photographers – prioritizes different factors in their deliberation, but they all look for images that are purposeful, powerful, and unique. The judges consider the level of skill required to capture each photo and take the time to scrutinize the smallest intricacies. Judging for the photo contest is blind; the judges do not see names or information about the photographers.

We’d like to thank all the talented photographers who submitted images, and our expert judges for their time and expertise.

Our readers have a voice in the contest as well. The top 50 finalists were posted to our Facebook page, and the photos with the most likes became our Readers’ Choice winners.

This year, we received over 1,500 entries from Buzz-area residents ranging from 12 to 86 years of age. And for the first time, two of our winners are a married couple – Ed Diaz, who placed in our contest in the past and encouraged his wife, Suzanne, who’s new to photography, to enter this year’s contest. Congratulations again to all of the winners! If you have a knack for photography, keep our 2027 contest in mind; submissions open in March.

Grand Prize, Upside Down World by Eloise Carey Eloise Carey, 15, an incoming sophomore at St. John’s School, took this photo of a piece of glass reflecting a tree for her photography class. She says, “This year was my first time ever shooting photos, and I have loved it! We were told to experiment with shadows and reflections on film cameras. I saw the piece of glass and thought that it would make for a very interesting photo. As soon as I left the classroom, I saw the tree and thought it would be interesting in a photo, with its many branches and details. I then developed the photo in the darkroom and had to choose which exposure to do! My friend had to hold up the piece of glass for me, so her hand is in the photo. The glass flipped the image upside down, which I thought looked cool.

“The tree in the photo is growing on a special place on campus, called the Quad. Only seniors are allowed to step foot on the Quad, so I had to zoom in and take the photo of the tree from far away!”

Comments from Our Judges Here’s what our judges had to say about Upside Down World: “I chose this image because it stayed with me. It has a mood. The black-and-white brought to mind the Southern Gothic atmosphere of photographers like Sally Mann, where beauty and unease seem to live in the same frame. But beyond the style, what stood out most was the point of view. This photograph feels authored. It made me think not only about what I was looking at, but about the person behind the camera, what they noticed, what they felt, and why they chose to frame the world this way. That sense of perspective is what made it rise to the top for me.” – Dylan Aguilar “While the image may look random, it shows a high degree of creativity and original thinking. The photographer chose to see things in a different way and gave us a solid black-and-white image totally different from anything else in the entries. It reminds me of a favorite quote: ‘The goal of any artist is to show you something you might otherwise not have seen…’” – Michael Hart “Whether consciously or not, fine art photographers like Keith Carter have left impressions on this artist. I applaud the way they pushed landscape narratives from traditional compositions, and even into spiritual meanings, such as ‘as above, so below,’ or deeper conservation themes. This image demonstrates significant creativity and thoughtfulness in its presentation, allowing the viewer to ponder various meanings.” – Nikky LaWell “I love the dreamlike and poetic quality of this image. It has a wonderful atmosphere and there is something mysterious about the details in the shadows. What is the object that is being held? And what happened in that field or near that tree? The image leaves the viewer uncertain of the story that is being told. Congratulations to the photographer for creating a beautiful and compelling image.” – Terry Vine WEST UNIVERSITY BUZZ JULY 2026 22

sponsored by

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Category: Animals

First Place, Surrounded by Love by David Holland David Holland, 71, took this photo in September in South Africa. He shares, “Exiting a vehicle was not allowed, so I compensated by lowering my camera to ground level while attached to a monopod upside down in order to get a low-level angle. We parked in this river bottom hoping thirsty elephants would soon appear. They did and several babies were amongst the herd. Of course, getting a clear shot of a youngster and proper lighting was a challenge.

Suddenly this little one raised its trunk and seemingly looked right at me. I clicked away with the remote cable release and got this image.”

Second Place, Macaw Landing

by David Holland Holland captured this image in June in the Osa Peninsula of Costa Rica. He describes, “While driving along rugged terrain of the rainforest, several Scarlet Macaws flew across the road. We stopped and saw where they had perched in a large tree. After a short wait, they began to fly back towards us, one at a time, to a palm tree full of dates. They’d grab one date, return to the perch tree to eat it, and then repeat the trip! This went on for more than 30 minutes and was truly a special encounter.”

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Third Place, Queen by Scott Kinsel “This photo was taken in Tanzania (summer 2025) at an incredible Kopje (steep-sided bedrock formations) where the lions lounge around during the day to get views above the tall grass and capture some warmth during the cold snaps,” says Scott Kinsel, 48. “On this particular trip I had my dad with me and this was his first time to Africa. It’s moments like these that make the Serengeti so special. A pride of 30+ all in the rocks playing, fighting, and sleeping. A moment I will never forget.”

Fourth Place, Flamingo 246 by Zoey Shen Zoey Shen, 16, a rising senior at DeBakey High School for Health Professions, captured this photo of a Chilean flamingo in December. She describes: “As soon as I clocked out of my volunteer shift at the Houston Zoo, I made a beeline towards the Birds of the World exhibit. That afternoon, I brought my camera and was ready to give my first shot at animal photography. I knelt on the concrete in a half squat, the stench of bird manure lingering in the air, and the sight of brilliant, vibrant plumage separated from me by only a guardrail. I frequently see flamingos with their unique, shrimp-induced pink being used as a symbol for standing out when compared to other non-flamingo birds, but in a lake full of flamingos, none of them stood out to me! I scanned the exhibit. An ID tag on the leg of a flamingo ‘246’ – a perfect sequence of even numbers – caught my eye. Tags, though usually used as a symbol of conformity, allowed this flamingo to stand out to me. I took this photo because I wanted to capture the contrast between the order created by humans and the chaos of the natural world.”

Fifth Place, Sapphire Stripes by Faith Bender Faith Bender, 17, a rising senior at Houston Christian High School, took this photo of a zebra on the Armadillo Ranch in East Texas. She says, “I admired the beautiful animal and wanted the capture the essence to share with others.

It’s not every day you see a zebra in person! The image was involved in a technique I used that is called ‘negative sandwich.’ I hand painted on a small sheet (the blues in the photograph) and 3D scanned them and used Photoshop to place the colors on the background over the black and white image to enhance the stripes as well as the subject.”

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Category: Landscapes

First Place, Giant Egg by Kevin Zhang Kevin Zhang, 57, describes: “During an autumn night in 2025, while traveling through Beijing with my wife, daughter, and son-in-law, I stood before the National Centre for the Performing Arts and felt something quietly shift inside me. The glowing dome rose from the darkness like a heartbeat, and its reflection on the still water created a moment so calm it felt almost sacred. There are no people in the frame – only light, silence, and the gentle curve of the architecture – but behind the lens, my family stood with me, sharing the same breath of wonder. I took the photo because the scene felt like a pause in time, a rare moment when beauty, family, and memory aligned. Even now, the image carries the warmth of that night, reminding me not just of Beijing’s elegance, but of the feeling of being together, present, and deeply grateful.”

Second Place, Milky Way Over Indian Ocean Vessel by David Holland David Holland, 71, took this photo in September on Benguerra Island off the coast of Mozambique. He says, “This special photograph was taken in the middle of the night over the Indian Ocean (Southern Hemisphere so the Milky Way is in a unique position) and the DeixaFalar [the name of the vessel]. On this remote island there are no roads, no cars, and no boat slips! What appears to be a beached broken vessel is actually a fully functional fishing boat with nets ready for the next day. The Deixa-Falar (‘Let them talk’) was [also] the first Samba school to introduce Samba songs to the iconic Brazilian Carnaval.”

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Third Place, Hvitserkur by Matthew Lai Matthew Lai, 27, shot this image near the end of 2025 of his friend Venu Kantamani in Iceland as they drove the Ring Road encompassing the circumference of the country. This landform is called Hvitserkur and is often referred to as “Rhino Rock.” Matthew says, “We noticed how empty and reflective the beach was, so I asked him to pose under Hvitserkur as it would be a nice shot. I wanted to use black and white to emphasize the textures present in the frame.”

Fourth Place, There It Is! by Suzanne Diaz Suzanne Diaz, 51, spotted the London Eye in late November during a London Christmas Light tour and quickly snapped a shot. Suzanne says, “I am just starting to get into photography and rented a Leica D-Lux 8 to take with me on our London trip. This was my first sighting of the London Eye on my trip, so I was eager to take the pic. I heard the tour bus host say the ‘London Eye is on the right’ so I quickly turned to take the pic, while the bus was moving down the street. It was freezing this night sitting on the bus, but I saw such beautiful sights in London during the early Christmas season.”

Fifth Place, Tunnel to MIHO Museum by Yueh Chin J. Liao Yueh Chin J. Liao, 70, took this photo of her travel partner and college friend Yui-Xiou Wu inside the tunnel to the MIHO Museum, an art museum located southeast of Kyoto, Japan, in November. She describes, “The steel surface of the tunnel cast the light in an amazing way; beautiful various effects appear wherever you are in the tunnel. It felt like walking through ‘eternity’ towards the magnificent setting of the MIHO Museum. The metal pins around the opening add extra effects to the setting. I was totally fetched. This photo is just the beginning of a lifetime experience – I highly recommend spending a day there. Walking through the wonder/tunnel, visitors will be awarded with the beautiful Museum setting and architecture/exhibitions.”

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Category: Nature

First Place, Carefully Tucked In by Brian Reid Brian Reid, 32, took this photo near Silverthorne, Colo. (around 10,000-foot elevation) in August. He describes, “It was the last day of a two-week vacation with my wife and our dog, Lily. I think I had my 400mm zoom lens setup on my camera because I had photographed some hummingbirds earlier.

I took some sunset landscape photos, and then I happened to notice this wispy, specter-like cloud floating towards the moon in the sky. Since my lens could go to 400mm, which is passable for moon shots, I immediately started photographing the cloud’s approach and eventual pass of the moon. I particularly liked this one, where the wispy cloud looks like a pillow that the moon is resting on.”

Second Place, Nautilus Shell by Robert Davis “This nautilus shell is the beautifully, geometrically precise external casing of the chambered nautilus, a marine cephalopod related to squids and octopuses,” says Robert Davis, 85. “Famous for its mathematical perfection, the shell is divided into interior chambers that act like a submarine’s ballast tanks, allowing the animal to control its buoyancy. I am very amazed at Nature’s creations especially how various organisms evolve so that they can exist in their own particular environment. These ‘living fossils’ survive in the deep coral reefs of the Indo-Pacific. They are rare because they are sought after. I managed to obtain one on-line and set out to capture its beauty with a macro lens and arranged lighting. I used a 90 mm lens and a Sony camera.”

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Third Place, Madame Secretary by David Holland David Holland, 71, took this photo in September in South Africa. He says, “This Secretary bird was perched high in a tree early one morning. I opted for a high-key image of this unique bird. Low ISO, wide open at f4 and increased exposure compensation were the settings I chose. I zoomed in at 560mm for this headshot. Named for its long, black head feathers that resemble the quill pens used by office clerks centuries ago.”

Fourth Place, Day of the Jackal by David Holland Holland also captured this photo in September in South Africa. He says, “At daybreak, White-backed vultures swarmed a carcass of some sort. The scene was chaotic, and the light was limited. I intended to wait for better light and some semblance of calm when suddenly a black-backed Jackal appeared. The Jackal charged right into the vulture feeding frenzy. Survival of the fittest was on full display. I focused on the jackal as the vultures leaped at the intruder.

The jackal did get a morsel and I thought this image best told the story of the action.”

Fifth Place, Barn Owl by David Holland Holland took this photo in April near Waller, TX. He says, “We’d seen Barn Owls swoop into an old barn several times in the past month or so. The landowner needed to get something out of the barn and told me that an owl might fly out. It was midday. I positioned myself relative to the sun as best I could and prepared for an immediate owl departure. In total silence the Barn Owl suddenly appeared and then quickly disappeared. I was fortunate to get this shot in the brief window of opportunity I had.”

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Category: People and Portraits

First Place, Three Cowboys, One Punchline by Bernard Silgardo Bernard Silgardo, 69, took this photo at the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo in March. He describes: “The three cowboys were volunteering at the Mutton Bustin’ event, having just finished wrangling a lively group of young competitors. A few riders had taken early tumbles, but one determined kid managed to hang on all the way to the end. I couldn’t hear the conversation between the cowboys, but their expressions carried a mix of admiration and amusement, as though they were genuinely impressed by the grit and determination they’d just witnessed. I felt it too. I remembered it as being a good feeling moment, and I liked the way the setting sun highlighted their smiles.”

Second Place, Side by Side by Peyton Stewart Peyton Stewart, 17, an incoming senior at Episcopal High School, participated in a photojournalism class in which each student was to choose a theme to document outside of school. She chose “western” in tribute to meaningful time spent at her family’s farm in Industry, TX. She captured this photo of her cousins Beau (6, on left) and Rhodes Woolsey (7, on right) in February at the farm. “I took this photo after Rhodes and Beau had sprinted across the hay bales and couldn’t stay serious to pose for a photo. For a split second, they slowed down just enough for me to capture them exactly as I know them. I recognize now that I hadn’t been photographing ‘western life.’ I was photographing childhood. I hope this photo reminds them that no matter where they go, they will always have each other. Side by side.”

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Third Place, Haze by Lea Garcia Lea Garcia, 17, a rising senior at Houston Christian High School, took this photo of her friend Julia Park last August in the school’s photo room. Lea says, “Our teacher wanted us to try to get different lighting techniques, and I was able to get a beautiful halo lighting. This image brought me joy when I saw it because of Julia's facial expressions and the color of light we chose. The light shows all the little imperfections in her little baby hairs and reflects onto her face. Julia isn’t looking directly into the camera, which causes a sense of maybe longing or slight unknown.”

Fourth Place, Train Gov by Ed Diaz Ed Diaz, 54, took this photo of a stranger on the London Tube in November.

Ed says, “I had a quick chat with this guy after he complimented my camera. I liked his vibe and thought he looked cool, so I asked if I could take a quick shot.

He was cool with it. I wish I knew how to reach him because I’m sure he’d love this photo!” He took this photo with his Canon R5C and his RF 15-35mm F2.8.

Fifth Place, Art at First Light by Frederick Charlton Frederick Charlton, 19, shot this photo at the Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden in Tokyo in August. He says, “It had started raining so we went to the Taiwan Pavilion to wait it out and there was this group of student photographers and this model who were taking photos. I decided to join in since I had my camera with me, and this photo in particular was taken just as the rain stopped and the sun started to peek out from the clouds again. This is one of my favorite photos from when I was in Japan. It was taken with an Om System OM-1.” Frederick is a 2025 graduate of The Awty International School and is an incoming sophomore at University of California San Diego.

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Category: Sports, Action, and Miscellaneous

First Place, Diving by Mauricio Recinos Mauricio Recinos, 54, snapped this picture during a family summer vacation in the Grand Cayman Islands. He describes, “There was this big floaty that was anchored to the bottom of the ocean and people were climbing and jumping from it. I was in the water with my family when I noticed this couple trying to jump through a doughnut shaped floaty. They were having fun. I had my sports camera with me, and I took a few shots. They missed the floaty several times but ultimately the lady made it through. I was able to take a picture at the right moment. Black and white made the silhouettes of the couple pop out and made the whole picture more interesting.”

Second Place, Feel The Noise by Daniel Flores Recent Bellaire High School graduate Daniel Flores, 18, captured this moment of his bandmate Celeste Roussie at Butler Stadium during Bellaire’s Homecoming game. Daniel says, “As a member of the band, I love taking photos of my friends, and brass is my favorite section to take photos of, so I captured this one of Celeste playing one of the stand tunes.” He will attend Houston Community College to pursue Culinary Arts.

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Third Place, Sunset at Lineup by Mary Duggan Mary Duggan, 55, took this image of the Stratford High School Men’s Varsity Lacrosse team warming up at Magnolia Youth Park in March. She says, “All the stirred-up dirt on the dry field caught the colorful light of the setting sun through the old pine trees.” The players in the photo are part of the Varsity defensive line (long sticks). Pictured are (from left) Finn Maguire, Beckett Willard, Liam Osbon, John McKemie, and Robert Black.

Mary’s son, Jake, is a rising senior on the team, and his twin sister, Abby, is on the Girls’ Lacrosse club team.

Fourth Place, Backlight by Patrick Bergin This photo is of a softball catcher receiving a pitch during an October fall ball game between College Station High School and Bryan High School. The photo was taken at Bryan High in October about 30 minutes before sunset. Patrick Bergin, 61, says when he covers a game, he aims to capture an image of every player. He describes, “I was shooting almost directly into the setting sun, which made the original color image very difficult. The backlight and haze washed out much of the color, and the wider frame included parts of the batter and umpire that did not help the final image. I almost passed over the photo for those reasons.

“When I looked at it more carefully, I realized the same difficult light had created the strongest parts of the image: the outline of the catcher, the ball coming into the glove, the rim light on her arm and helmet, and the cloud of dust or chalk caught by the sun. Converting it to black and white and using a tighter crop let the image become more about shape, timing, and atmosphere than color. The photo was shot in RAW with a Canon R3 and a Canon 200mm f/2.0 L lens at 1/2500 sec and ISO 500.”

Fifth Place, Laser Focus by Daniel Flores Flores took this photo of Rodrick Brown, one of the infielders on the Bellaire Varsity Baseball team, in April. He says, “Rodrick hard focused on the close game between Bellaire and Heights, watching his teammates bat from the dugout. There’s usually a lot of downtime when it comes to photographing baseball, so I like to focus on the small details and expressions of the players, with this being one of my favorites.”

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Category: Readers’ Choice

First Place, There It Is! by Suzanne Diaz There It Is! also received Fourth Place in the Landscapes category.

Second Place, Train Gov by Ed Diaz Train Gov also received Fourth Place in the People category.

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Third Place, Sunset at Lineup by Mary Duggan Sunset at Lineup also received third place in the Sports, Action, and Miscellaneous category.

Fourth Place, What Big Eyes You Have by David Holland David Holland, 71, says, “The Short-eared Owl (SEO), while hunting, often covers great distances in a crisscrossing or roughly circular route. They course silently over grasslands on broad, rounded wings, especially at dawn and dusk. This image was taken at the Attwater Refuge [in Colorado County, Texas] on Dec. 2, 2025 at 6:05 p.m. (sunset was 5:34). There were dozens of people along the auto-loop and I distanced myself from all of them.

Although silent inflight, the SEO does make a distinctive call while hunting. I heard this one and spotted it from a distance. It veered from the crowd of photographers, and I hunkered down in the tall grasses. The SEO turned directly my way and I slowly raised the Z9 and began shooting. It kept flying right towards me. At f5.6, 800mm and 1/1250 camera settings, it flew about 20 feet directly overhead and I was able to get this image.”

Fifth Place, Bloody Cheetah by David Holland Holland says, “Unlike most large cats that hunt at night, cheetahs are primarily diurnal, hunting in the early morning and late afternoon. The black ‘tear marks’ running from the corner of the cheetah’s eyes to its mouth are believed to help reduce sun glare and improve its binocular vision while hunting. Early on Sept. 10, 2025 in South Africa I spotted two cheetahs feeding on a recent kill. Cheetahs must eat fast because other stronger predators will often steal their meal. I knew I only had minutes to get extremely close to the preoccupied pair. I waited for a head raise and this one looked right at me with its bloody face, and I was able to get this image.”

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Judges’ Bios

Dylan Aguilar is a filmmaker and creative producer with an MFA from SCAD, where he made award-winning short films – one even caught the eye of Variety. His work blends experimental storytelling with genre filmmaking. In grad school, he was at the forefront of an emerging technology, directing a film entirely within a virtual production soundstage. This led to an internship with Tesla’s Product Knowledge Team, where he produced content for the company’s YouTube channel. Dylan served as Associate Producer on “Luv Ya, Bum,” a documentary about the Houston Oilers that won an Audience Award at SXSW 2025.

He now works with Rice University in the Office of Public Affairs. Off-set, he travels, runs, and works in his garage studio mixing darkroom photography with motion graphics – a Leica always close by. dylanaguilar.com dylan.m.aguilar@outlook.com

Michael Hart photographed an NBA game at the age of eight with a Brownie Holiday Flash camera while living in Fort Wayne, Ind. He completed his first paid assignment at age 14, when the whole world was still in black and white! He has had a commercial photography business in Houston, Texas since the late ’70s and regularly travelled the globe doing annual reports and other assignments for corporations, design firms and ad agencies, racking up a million and a half air miles in the process. While still fulfilling commercial assignments his primary focus is now on his personal photography, which is driven by a deep appreciation for design and composition, where every frame is carefully crafted to balance form, light, and space. Recent awards and exhibitions include the Art League of Baytown, FotoFest 2026 Exhibit; Pixels + Silver FotoFest 2026 Exhibition; Harris County Juried Exhibition at Silver Street Studios; 11th Annual Allegany National Photography Competition and Exhibition; The SE Center for Photography “Shades of B&W” and “The Landscape,” and “All About The Light”; Black and White Spider Awards; Texas Photographic Society “TPS 32: The International Competition” and “Foto Texas III”; The Visual Arts Alliance “40th Juried Open Exhibition”; and The International Photography Hall of Fame and Museum “Black and White and Monochrome” Exhibition. His book, Biggio: The Final Game, is in the library of the National Baseball Hall of Fame, and a photo from it is in The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston. michaelhartfineart.com mhart@hartphoto.com

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Nikky LaWell, certified professional photographer and master craftsman photographer from the Professional Photographers of America, holds a BFA in photography from the University of Houston and owns a boutique studio specializing in family portraits with a personal perspective. Nikky has been the keeper of memories for the most important of moments, from babies and graduations to weddings and promotions.

She is known for listening closely to her clients and coming up with ideas for intimate and creative photography sessions. Her awards include “Best Portrait of a Senior Professional” from the Professional Photographers Guild of Houston, “Best Wedding” from the Southwest Professional Photographers Association, “Best Wedding” from the Texas Professional Photographers Association, and the illustrious Kodak Gallery Award. lawellphoto.com nikky@lawellphoto.com

Terry Vine, recently named one of the 200 Best Ad Photographers Worldwide by Lürzer’s Archive, is an advertising and lifestyle photographer who specializes in creating custom images for the healthcare, hospitality, and corporate industries. His ability to capture the essence of an experience as it relates to a destination has landed him assignments around the world and earned numerous awards. His work has been featured in Communications Arts, Graphis Photo, Print, American Photography, Applied Arts, and PDN Photo annuals. Terry’s fine art images are in many museum and private collections around the country. Having grown up in Ohio, Terry now lives in Texas with his wife, two children, and a rambunctious Golden Retriever named Ranger. www.terryvine.com terry@terryvine.com

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NEIGHBORS

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by Sharon Albert Brier, staff writer

Rumor Has It See you in September. The Art Circle season closed in style at home with Liz and Steve Crowell, whose stunning contemporary home – complete with soaring 26-foot ceilings – showcased a once warehoused collection now glowing with new life. Patrons Bunny Radoff, Rhonda and Bill Glick, Lindy and Santy Kahn, Debby and Natalia Regan and Diego Gotthelf, Eugene and Debby Goldgar, Barbara Drell, Sheila Aron, Orna Feinstein, and Marsha Glickman wandered happily among the color and texture. Art Circle co-chair Charlotta Hill welcomed new co-chair Liana Schwaitzberg for the 2026-27 season. Art Circle connects Holocaust Museum Houston members and the greater Houston community with artists and collectors engaged in social, political, and/or human rights issues. Join the next gathering in September to view private collections and galleries by contacting Jeff Luna at jluna@hmh.org before the art starts judging you.

Hollywood vibe alert! The birthday event was worthy of an Oscar. Wayne and Tammy Tran Nguyen kicked off Tammy’s birthday month by renting an entire IPIC Theater for 70 glamorous guests to watch The Devil Wears Prada 2. This fashion-forward crowd sipped champagne while violinist Xiangwei Sun played tunes from the original movie.

Next, the party strutted to MAD for appetizers, cocktails, and cake. The stylish evening also found a beautiful purpose: Instead of gifts, guests donated to the Genuine Cup soccer tournament, hosted by Genine Foundation. Founded by Ignacio and Isabel Torras, it promotes neurodiverse inclusion through team sports – perfectly matching Tammy's mission as founder of KNOWAutism. Spotted looking fabulous in the crowd were Dr. Bridgitte Shen Lee, Tracy Faulkner, Shanshan Wei, and Jean Wilson.

Giving back is always in style!

Designers galore. Gucci, Hermes, Valentino, and Prada walked into a temporary thrift boutique like no other. The once-a-year Salvation Army Women’s Auxiliary Chic Boutique was the ultimate shopping frenzy. Chair Lesha Elsenbrook and her team Pam Sengelmann, Maggie Austin and Dodi Willingham, Mary Camden, Maura Montgomery, Susan Perdue, Jennifer Allison WEST UNIVERSITY BUZZ JULY 2026 38

and helpers Stacey Christ and Connie Voss oversaw the chaos, where bargain hunters snagged Yurman and Jay Strongwater jewelry via a VIP entrance. Missed the discount luxury madness? Plan to grab elite ARTSY The Art Circle season closed in style at the home of Liz and Steve Crowell, names for minimum who coordinated their outfits for the event. Art Circle connects Holocaust Museum Houston members and the greater Houston community with artists and collectors prices next year. Your engaged in social, political, and/or human rights issues. wardrobe will thank you. for literacy, making this officially one for the Red, white, and blue. Nothing screams books. Over 1,100 guests showed up, proving liberty like hot dogs and bingo! Hammersmith people will actually read if you entice them Garden Club's star-spangled bash had treasurer with star power. NCIS legend Leon Carroll Jr. Kathy Long managing the bucks. Judges Libby revealed his grandmother taught him to read Power, Judy Thornton, and Irenka Douglas at age 4. Meanwhile, Admiral William H. crowned Jody Henderson as costume champion.

McRaven and comedian Rob Riggle brought Jody's pashmina featured 25 political buttons maximum backup, while Yolanda Adams sang from Kennedy forward, earning a $100 well enough to make everyone forget they Carrabba’s gift card! Co-chairs Ginger Jackson haven’t opened a paperback since 2024. and Barbara Higgins led an elite squad: Cheri Chairs Maria and Neil Bush and the Bush Mahoney, Charlotte Hamilton, Judy and Gary family introduced the authors. Julie Baker Gondzur, Patsy Flowers, Fred and Carolyn Finck, Ph.D., president and CEO of the founOgle, Brad Dorsey, Steve Castle, Tim Conner, dation, thanked the patrons. Evidently the Bedford Pearcy, Jack Brasher, Debbie Miller, patrons proved that reading is officially cooler Rebecca Craft, Kim Montgomery, Michael than doomscrolling.

Martinka, and Olivia Esparza. Jeff Montgomery Teen CEOs rule summer. Five years and Peter Feldman took photos; Debbie Pitman ago, Kinkaid besties since kindergarten deployed bingo. God bless America!

Annabelle Bowden, Charlotte Stillwell, and Love at first bark. Proud pet parents Bailey Bickers saw a need for creative girls' Paul and Ellen Orseck, alongside Lesley and activities – and their own need for cash. Enter Dan Stevens, are thrilled to announce the tailSummer Fun Camp! Now, these teenage busiwagging formal marriage of their beautiful furness masterminds run a highly successful enterchildren, Bogey B. Orseck and Dolly Stevens. prise complete with serious business plans and An intimate, backyard wedding took place at budgets. Based at Annabelle’s house (because Bogey’s Bellaire home. The stunning bride and she has the pool), campers aged four to eight dapper groom both proudly barked “I do” in experience daily chaos from 8:30 to 1:30. One exclusive Amazon Prime originals. Bogey, a disday it’s crafts, the next it’s a random pony or a tinguished graduate of the Lee Weinberger giant inflatable pool slide. Watch out, Wall Academy, plans to continue his passionate Street, these future businesswomen are already career of chasing tennis balls and shredding taking over! expensive paper goods. Following separate honeymoons to maximize nap time, the newlyweds will happily reside in Houston. The yappy pair See Rumor Has It at thebuzzmagazines.com for is registered at Crate & Bone. additional photos. Have some good news to share?

Celebration of Reading. The Barbara Email us at info@thebuzzmagazines.com.

Bush Literacy Foundation raised $2.2 million

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ARTS

by Cindy Burnett, staff writer

Buzz Reads

Cindy Burnett

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Five picks for July

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

Everything Was Beautiful and Nothing Hurt

by Ben Reeves (fiction) – Travis is the personification of death in the modern world. His job is to offer individuals comfort in their final hours of life. He’s stoic and gentle, but he never attempts to alter anyone’s fate. Then Travis meets Dalia and her energetic and precocious eight-year-old daughter Layla, who live across the hall, and despite his best efforts to keep his distance, he finds himself wholeheartedly embraced by other people for the first time.

Reeves has crafted a stunning tale that will make you want to cherish every moment you are given and to try and take nothing for granted. I plan to recommend this one to everyone I know, and Everything Was Beautiful and Nothing Hurt is a standout read of 2026. Have tissues at the ready.

It will appeal to those who love beautiful, lifeaffirming stories, thought-provoking premises, and stellar writing.

The Great Wherever by Shannon Sanders (fiction) – This deeply immersive and powerful debut explores the ways we learn to define ourselves through our family, how we carry on after great loss, and how the past lives on in all of us. Aubrey Lamb is a mess – she just lost her father, her relationship blew up, and she cannot seem to settle on a stable job. When Aubrey learns that she has inherited a shared stake in a Tennessee farm from her father, she travels there, where she meets relatives who entertain her with the family’s complicated history. As Aubrey learns this history from her living relatives, the ghosts of her ancestors interject with their own indignant, gossipy commentary on the flaws and failings of relatives still living and long deceased. These ghostly interjections are absolutely delightful, and I adored everything about this stunning debut. I have not stopped thinking about it since I set it down, and it will be a favorite of 2026. This book will appeal to those who love family dramas, clever premises, how the past informs the present, and great writing.

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The MASH Up by Laura Marie Meyers (romance) – On the evening of her 35th birthday, Ruby is transported to an alternate reality where she is living out her 13-year-old self’s MASH (Mansion, Apartment, Shack, House) game. Ruby has a mansion reminiscent of a Barbie mansion, scads of fish, a tie-dye Jeep Wrangler, and a purple bed, and she runs a disco roller-skating restaurant. According to her teen MASH game, WHAT TO READ This month's selections include a nostalgic 1970s historical she is supposed to end up fiction novel, a fun rom-com inspired by the childhood MASH game, a speculative fiction novel centered around luxury time travel, a touching tale narrated by Death, with her twin brother’s and a beautiful family saga. best friend, Penn. Since The Top of the World by Ethan Joella (hisshe and Penn aren’t together yet in this MASH torical fiction) – Told in dual perspectives, the world, Ruby determines that her way home to novel opens in 1974 as Maggie Bishop is searchher real life requires Penn to fall in love with her. ing for answers about her brother Chip’s final This rom-com is so fresh and fun, and I absolutedays after he abandoned medical treatments for ly loved it. Ruby and Penn’s banter is delightful, one last summer at a mountaintop resort in the the 1990s nostalgia and references superb, and Poconos. As she retraces his steps, Joella crafts a the resolution so incredibly perfect. This book moving story about memory, sibling relationwill be a great fit for readers who love fresh plot ships, the power of human connection, grief, and lines, humor, and fun rom-coms. second chances. I loved the Poconos mountainRetro by Jessica M. Goldstein (speculative top resort setting and the nostalgic vibe that fiction) – When Ash, an out-of-work actress, brought to the story as well as the 1970s time gets a job as a tour guide for Retro, an ultra-luxperiod – the music, the movies, and what was ury time travel company, she initially revels in happening in the world. This is a quick but powher good luck. But the more time she spends viserful read, and I am still thinking about it long iting other time periods, the more she discovers after I finished it. Readers who love compelling her trips to the past could upend her present. I dramas, a strong sense of place, and stories about loved reading about the places Ash and her human connection will devour this one. clients visit as Goldstein vividly brought the various eras to life. The time travel science was Editor’s note: Book reviewer Cindy Burnett straightforward and never detracted from the also writes our weekly Page Turners column at story itself. I love the book’s exploration of what thebuzzmagazines.com. She hosts an award-winit means to be human: how we impact each ning book podcast entitled Thoughts from a Page other, the importance of memories, and how we Podcast www.thoughtsfromapage.com, runs the leave our own mark on the world. Fans of time Instagram account @thoughtsfromapage, and regtravel, thought-provoking premises, and unique ularly speaks to groups about books. stories will enjoy this one.

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TRAVEL

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by Tracy L. Barnett, staff writer

Travel Buzz

Bucket List in Reverse: A Houston Family’s Journey to Ecuador and the Galápagos

I

t was well past sunset when the captain’s voice crackled over the intercom. Rupesh Nigam, Supriya Singh, and their daughters Saanvi and Eera were in their cabins aboard a trimaran named Horizon anchored in the Pacific, somewhere off the Galápagos archipelago, when the announcement came: hundreds of bull sharks had gathered around the boat, drawn by the lights. And a school of flying fish were leaping skyward, their dorsal fins gleaming against the dark waves.

“It was almost like a feeding frenzy around our boat,” Rupesh recalled. “That was a surreal experience.”

Surreal, it turns out, was the baseline for this trip.

The Nigams are a Bellaire family with a penchant for adventure. Rupesh is an internal medicine physician, and Supriya is a pulmonary critical care and sleep specialist. A few years ago, they realized that the window for unhurried family adventure was narrow.

“Saanvi is a freshman in high school," Rupesh explained. “We’ve got essentially just a few summers with her. And Eera is in seventh grade – same story.” The girls attend Bellaire High School and Pin Oak Middle School, respectively.

He describes his family’s travel philosophy as “a bucket list in reverse.” Most people save the big adventures for retirement, when the kids are grown and the calendar is finally clear. Rupesh and Supriya are doing it the other way around.

The Nigams have operationalized that philosophy into an annual rhythm: one national park trip, one international adventure. They’ve covered the Grand Canyon, Zion, Bryce Canyon, and Olympic National Park. They’ve traveled Europe, and their motherland of India.

Last spring it was Machu Picchu and the Amazon, whetting their appetites for more of South America. This spring break, it was Ecuador – Quito first, then eight days on the water in the Galápagos.

Where the equator meets the Andes The family landed in Quito close to midnight, emerging the next morning to find the city’s famous Virgin Mary statue glowing on the hillWEST UNIVERSITY BUZZ JULY 2026 42

SEIZING THE MOMENT The Nigam family – Eera, Saanvi, Rupesh, and Supriya (pictured, from left) – explored Ecuador and the Galápagos this spring. Rather than saving dream trips for retirement, the family has made a habit of taking big adventures together now.

side outside their hotel window – a 17th-century building in the heart of the old town. Quito is the second-highest capital city in the world at roughly 9,350 feet, and holds the distinction of being the first city designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

A guide walked them through cobblestone streets past centuries-old cathedrals. He was struck by a plaque on the wall listing the names of the enslaved people who built it, dated 1534.

“Those kinds of memories just stick in your head,” he says.

Supriya’s highlight was different: the equator itself. “It's something that you grow up reading about, and to be actually there was really fun,” she said. Guides demonstrated how water drains in opposite directions on either side of the line, and then tourists attempted – often successfully – to balance an egg on the head of a nail.

“I could never get it to balance,” she said with a laugh.

Saanvi, 15, found herself captivated by the architecture of the old quarter – and by a chocolate tasting that made an impression. “They gave us all-natural cacao chocolate,” she recalls.

“They were saying, ‘All that chocolate you get

in America – is it real? This is real chocolate.’ It was definitely a crazy experience.”

Islands that time forgot An early-morning flight the next day – Quito to Guayaquil to Baltra Island – delivered the family to the Galápagos. Before they even reached their boat, the islands announced themselves.

“As soon as we got out of the plane, we saw a giant land iguana,” Rupesh says. “That was our first exposure to the wildlife – which is just very typical of the Galápagos.”

For eight days, the boat became home base: anchoring in the Pacific each night, then launching smaller Zodiacs to reach the shores of different islands for hiking, snorkeling, and breathtakingly close encounters with wildlife.

For Saanvi, the timing couldn’t have been better; she had been studying Darwin's theory of natural selection in her freshman biology class just weeks before departure.

The notion of seeing in person what she had been reading about in textbooks was particularly exciting. What she found: water so clear she could watch fish swimming from the shore (“It's not like Galveston,” she notes with a laugh), sea lions

Rupesh Nigam Rupesh Nigam

Rupesh Nigam Rupesh Nigam

WILDLIFE EVERYWHERE Clockwise, from upper left: A whale dives beneath the surface near the family's yacht; a bright orange Sally Lightfoot crab stands out against black volcanic rock; sea lions bask near a beach, often approaching visitors with little fear; and a remarkable Galápagos scene brings together four species in a single frame – a penguin, marine iguana, sea lion, and Sally Lightfoot crab. “This happens only in the Galápagos,” Rupesh Nigam said. “There is no other place where you would see this happen.”

sprawled across the beach with complete indifference to human visitors, and Sally Lightfoot crabs – vivid orange against black volcanic rock – carpeting the shoreline in the thousands.

“It was just so pretty,” Rupesh says. “On a black lava rock, you see this bright orange crab.

It was a phenomenally beautiful sight.”

Eera had her own underwater revelation: the bright red and orange and blue sea stars. “I had never imagined they could be so colorful and so huge,” she says.

Nothing quite prepared them for the prehistoric-looking marine iguanas. Nicknamed “Baby Godzilla,” they are the only lizards on Earth that forage in the ocean – and the Galápagos has them by the thousands. The Nigams observed them sunning on the rocks and snorkeled alongside them.

“You could see them diving,” Saanvi says.

They watched birds land on basking iguanas to pick dead skin – an impromptu grooming service – and orange-headed lava lizards scurry across their backs to catch flies. One marine iguana, photographed face-on by Rupesh, stared directly into his lens.

“He saw us and started posing,” Saanvi recalls.

Supriya, watching the same scene, found herself thinking about it differently. “The animals don’t know they’re supposed to be afraid of you,” she says. “You're walking through a world that evolution built without us in it, and somehow

we’re allowed to visit.”

Then came the moment the captain announced sperm whales. The family scrambled up from below deck. “There were just so many of them – they were all around our boat,” Saanvi says. “It was crazy.” Rupesh got the shot: a whale tail fin breaking the surface mid-breach. He’d been hoping for it. He got it twice.

Four species, one rock Among the hundreds of photographs Rupesh brought home, one stands apart. On a sun-warmed rock somewhere in the inner Pacific, a Galápagos penguin, a sea lion, a marine iguana, and at least three Sally Lightfoot crabs are sharing the same small patch of warmth – utterly unbothered by one another, and by the humans watching.

“This happens only in the Galápagos,” Rupesh said. “There is no other place where you would see penguins and sea lions and iguanas.

They’re all just like buddies.”

The giant tortoises of Santa Cruz Island offered a different kind of wonder – slower, older, more ancient in feeling. The breeding center there exists because the tortoises were hunted nearly to extinction for their meat; now conservationists raise hatchlings and repatriate them. Rupesh stood next to one estimated to be 130 years old, roughly five feet long. Nearby, tiny hatchlings – barely bigger than a fist –

scrambled over each other toward a single large leaf frond.

Back home in Houston The Nigams have a world map on the wall.

Every time they return from somewhere new, Rupesh places a pin. Ecuador has one now. He hopes there will be many more – Switzerland is next – but the Galápagos felt like something distinct.

“Every travel destination they've been to, it has been so interesting that they are able to apply it to school,” he says. Eera, who studies Spanish, connects the language to the history they've now seen traced across two South American countries. Saanvi walked through Darwin's living laboratory the same semester she studied natural selection.

But the lessons Rupesh values most are harder to test. He describes standing in a cathedral in Quito with his daughters, telling them: “Think about it – out of the eight billion people on this planet, maybe a few million have been through these doors. Kings and emperors and popes and high priests walked on these same streets that you guys are walking on.”

He also wants them to notice simpler things: the taste of fruit picked the same morning, fish that melts in your mouth because it was never frozen, the gap between what people have and how carefully they tend it. (continued on page 44) WEST UNIVERSITY BUZZ JULY 2026 43

Rupesh Nigam

Rupesh Nigam Rupesh Nigam

ISLAND HIGHLIGHTS Clockwise, from upper left: Galápagos flamingos, a resident population found only in the archipelago, wade in a coastal lagoon; a sea turtle glides through clear waters in a photograph captured with an underwater camera during one of the family's snorkeling excursions; the Nigam family – Rupesh, Saanvi, Eera, and Supriya (pictured, from left) – straddles the equator, with half the family standing in the Northern Hemisphere and half in the Southern Hemisphere; and a Galápagos sea lion naps beside the fish market on Santa Cruz Island. (continued from page 43) “If those people who are so

poor can do so much to preserve the environment around them and try to live in harmony,” he says, “we could do a little bit of that, too.”

He reflects on what his daughters gain from their travels. “It's making them a global citizen.

The world is not just the United States – the world is the world. There are so many nice and beautiful places, and so many nice and beautiful people out there, just as we are, living their lives and enjoying every day. The more they see, the more their horizons are widened.” He pauses.

“Their brain grows this way.”

Saanvi, for her part, keeps it simpler. “It was a really incredible trip,” she says.

“Definitely a once-in-a-lifetime thing – we got to see so much wildlife, and go so up-close to them. It was so cool.”

Tips from Our Travelers

By Rupesh and Supriya Nigam Worth the splurge: The cruise itself. Don't try to do this land-based to save money – you'll miss 60 percent of the best wildlife sites. The Horizon specifically is worth every dollar for the stability (trimaran) and small group size.

Don’t miss: Snorkeling. Whatever you do on land is wonderful, but the underwater experience – swimming with sea lions, penguins, marine iguanas, and sharks in the same session – is unrepeatable anywhere else on Earth.

Favorite restaurants: Casa Los Geranios, located in Barrio Ronda, close to the old city. Amazing empanadas and ceviche.

Currency: Use USD – Ecuador’s official currency. Bring some with you or use ATMs in Quito. Credit cards work in Quito hotels but carry cash for tips on the boat.

Don’t bring: Anything you don’t want to get wet or dirty. Reef-safe sunscreen only (regular sunscreen is prohibited in the national park).

Leave nice clothes at home – you're wading ashore from pangas daily.

Don’t forget: Reef-safe sunscreen, a hat, dry bags for your camera/phone on wet landings, motion sickness medication even if you think you won't need it (for the channel crossings), and good walking sandals you can get wet. The boat provides wetsuits and snorkel gear.

Avoid this local scam: Honestly, the Galápagos is remarkably scam-free since most visitors are on organized tours. In Quito, the standard Ecuador precaution applies: Don’t take unofficial taxis off the street – use an app (InDriver or Cabify) or have your hotel call one.

Local favorite: Ceviche!

Safety tip: Don't touch the wildlife – not because they’ll hurt you, but because it’s illegal and they genuinely don’t understand personal space. A sea lion will climb into your lap and you’ll want to pet it. Don’t.

Not really worth the trouble: Worrying about seeing specific species on a schedule. The wildlife is everywhere and unpredictable in the best way. Let go of the checklist mentality.

Unexpected hit: Snorkeling – we were all a bit apprehensive about snorkeling in the Pacific. That turned out to be the highlight, however, particularly with all the wildlife that we saw underwater. Having giant sea turtles swimming next to you is an amazing experience.

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WEST UNIVERSITY BUZZ JULY 2026 45

SPORTS

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by Todd Freed, staff writer

SportzBuzz W

ith his game-winning home run in the final at-bat of the third and deciding game of the state semifinals versus Dripping Springs, Memorial Mustangs senior Isaac Richardson propelled Memorial to the UIL state baseball finals for the first time in school history. “It was one of the greatest moments of my entire life,” said Richardson. “As I turned first base after the homer, I looked over at my teammates and they were going crazy. I was jumping around the bases myself.”

“It was crazy,” said Mustangs senior Jake Earnest about the game-winning heroics. “I didn’t even hit it, but it was probably the best moment of my life. You couldn’t have asked for a better way to go to state. I’m just so happy for Isaac and the entire team.”

“It couldn’t have happened to a better kid, really someone who’s been grinding all year,” added Memorial head baseball coach Brooks Haack.

“For this team to advance to its first state final is super special. Even growing up down the road you always heard about Memorial baseball and the legacies that have rolled through here and you always knew they had something special.”

While the Mustangs’ incredibly special season ended in a 9-1 defeat to Tomball in the state championship game, there was no taking away from a season which included a 23-game winning streak, a 34-8 overall record, and a historic berth to the UIL state finals. “It’s amazing,” said Mustangs senior Tanner Drda. “I always knew we had a shot of getting to state but actually doing it feels incredible.”

The Mustangs made history behind a dominant pitching staff led by University of Texas junior commit Grant Sperandio (11-1), senior University of Texas signee Matthew Manis (71) as well as outstanding contributions from junior pitchers Ben Fuqua, Wyatt Baskin, and Jack Byrd. “The fire and hard work those guys put forth day in and day out is special,” said Haack. “Our pitching coach Jared Rothenberg just did a really great job with those guys. They were in a rhythm all season long. It’s almost like dealing with a bunch of wide receivers; they all want the ball and deserve to be on the mound.”

The football analogy from Haack seems quite

WEST UNIVERSITY BUZZ JULY 2026 46

STATE CHAMPIONS With its dramatic come-from-behind victory by a single-point margin, the St. Thomas Eagles captured the TAPPS 6A State Track & Field Championship for the third consecutive year.

appropriate considering that Haack is actually Memorial’s head football coach, only taking over as the baseball program’s interim head baseball coach early in the season following the departure of longtime head coach Jeremy York.

“I’m a pretty blunt guy, and I told the kids when we first met that my playing and coaching experience doesn’t lead me to a team like this, but what I can do is facilitate from a leadership or culture-based standpoint. I think it was more the mentality side of things that I brought rather than are we going to squeeze bunt, hit and run, or whatever it is in game situations. I had full trust in our coaching staff to be able to make those decisions.

“I mean, this whole season is just a testament to our kids and especially these seniors. It’s a tight-knit bunch who took control of the team and were really the catalyst of all we achieved.”

I

n a fantastic finish, the St. Thomas Eagles captured the TAPPS 6A State Track & Field Championship by a single point margin over Concordia Lutheran; they won the meet by a final 110-109 margin. The victory also secured the Eagles third consecutive state championship in track & field.

“We were 21 points behind leading into the final two races of the meet, so it really was an exciting comeback victory for our kids. The team really came together in the end to pull it out,” said

St. Thomas track and field coach Nathan Labus.

The Eagles comeback victory was propelled in part by a strong third-place finish by Isaac Knape in the 1600 meters, which was the second to last race of the meet. It set the stage for the 4x400 meter relay, where the Eagles would need a second-place finish at best to win the state championship.

In that final race of the meet, the Eagles foursome of Caleb Soluren, Jaden Stephenson, Sebastian Chapman, and Logan Debose all rose to the occasion by running personal-record times in each of their respective legs of the race as the Eagles finished second in the race to secure the state championship.

“Those guys knew they had to do it and they came through by all running a personal best in each of their 400 meters,” said Labus. Over the course of the meet, the Eagles also scored points in a significant 11 events. “Everybody that went to state for us scored at least one point, so the entire team contributed to our championship,” added Labus.

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

WEST UNIVERSITY BUZZ JULY 2026 47

SPORTS

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by Annie Blaylock McQueen, staff writer

SportzBuzz Jr. W

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

11U All-Star ready The West University Little League 11U All-Star team came together for an exciting season. The team is led by (pictured, back row, left to right) manager Matt Rovelli and coach Ben Guez and (not pictured) Collin Salisbury. Players are (pictured, front row, from left) Will Huang, Jake Rovelli, Sam Vetterling, Cooper Marcum, Peter Volf, Walker Carroll, Miles Guez, Dilan Patel, Preston Kiser, Brady Salisbury, NJ Dingmann, and William Kleine. All-Star players are selected in late spring through end-of-season voting by coaches and teammates, making the honor of representing West University Little League extra special. The All-Star team began tournament play in June, and these boys will go on to represent WULL in the District 16 tournament against other local leagues.

Astros win it all The Bellaire Little League Astros captured the American League Division Championship after sweeping a doubleheader following a twoweek playoff schedule. Fans went wild as the final game ended, and the boys proudly posed under the field lights. The Astros were led throughout the season by strong teamwork and contributions across the roster during their playoff run. Pictured (top row) are coach Richard Roberts, manager Dan Braun, and coach Dan Spelkin; (middle row, from left) Jonah Spelkin, Asher Braun, Richard Roberts III, Owen Queener, Nico Gavito-Verde, Ethan Blacher, Isaac Lizarraga, Leo Raizen; and (front) Titus Huang and Otis Walton. Congratulations to the Astros on closing out an extraordinary season.

On the court The 2026 Spring Junior Team Tennis Sectional Championships in Waco brought together some of the best young tennis players from across Texas for an exciting weekend of competition. Throughout the tournament, players demonstrated outstanding teamwork, perseverance, and sportsmanship both on and off the court. Congratulations to Chancellor’s King Daddy Red Tornadoes for claiming the 12U Intermediate Championship. The players worked hard and came out on top. Team members included (pictured, from left) Edison McNeely, Trevor Pastrana, Bhaveen Mudduluri, Sofia Medina, Lexington Liu, Harel Shimon, and they were led by (pictured, back) coach Cameron Anderson, and (not pictured) coach Selim Samman and coach Samaria Mouton.

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 JULY 2026 48

WEST UNIVERSITY BUZZ JULY 2026 49

Jenna Baer

ENTERTAINMENT

by Mackenzie Malveaux, staff writer

Event Roundup J

uly arrives with a full calendar of festivities and can’t-miss events! Catch the final 2026 FIFA World Cup match in Houston, celebrate the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, plus more. Here’s a sampling of some Buzzworthy events this month:

Fourth of July Happenings Patriot Family Day Wed., July 1, 10 a.m.-4 p.m.

The Heritage Society Free The Heritage Society celebrates the official launch of July’s America 250 programming with its Patriot Day event, a day of acknowledging history and heritage with hands-on fun. At the heart of the Semiquincentennial events is the American Revolution Experience, a traveling exhibit that explores the nation’s founding through artifacts, personal narratives, and interactive media, on view through July 18.

City of Bellaire’s Celebration of Independence Parade & Festival Sat., July 4, 9 a.m.-12 p.m.

Bellaire Town Square Free The City of Bellaire’s Fourth of July features a parade, including a Children’s Bike Parade, followed by a festival at Bellaire Town Square.

Look forward to food offerings, live music, and more. The parade starts at S. Rice/Valerie and the Children’s Bike Parade starts at S. Rice/Evergreen. Both parades will end at S. Rice and Linden. See www.bellairetx.gov.

West U’s Independence Day Bike Parade and Pool Party Sat., July 4, 9 a.m.-12 p.m.

Colonial Park Free West University’s Fourth of July celebration includes a bike parade through the neighborhood starting in front of City Hall, followed by a pool party for the community. Parade participants will gather at West University Elementary at 8:45 a.m. See www.westutx.gov.

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Vi l l a g e s Independence Festival Sat., July 4, 10:00 a.m.

Memorial Church of Christ Free The six Memorial Villages, A STAR-SPANGLED DAY Steven, Rachel, Alexandra, and Isabella Shaffer are picin partnership tured here, rocking red, white, and blue as they spend a festive Fourth of July celebrawith the Memorial tion together in West University.

Villages Police Urban. Additionally, fans in town for Houston’s Department and Village Fire Department, hosts most anticipated soccer event can enjoy Fútbol a day of Fourth of July festivities featuring a Fun Park, Liberty Park, the Kids Zone, Budweiser Run and Bike Ride, parade, and an outdoor fesZone, and Dr. Pepper’s Flavor Zone. The tival. The Fun Run and Bike Ride begin at 9:45 evening is capped with a spectacular, Texas-sized a.m. at Memorial Church of Christ, followed by fireworks show. See www.houstontx.gov/july4. the parade at 10 a.m. The parade travels east on Gaylord to Piney Point Road, then south on Star-Spangled Salute Produced by Houston Piney Point before ending at Ecclesia. The outSymphony door festival will begin at 10:30 a.m. with food, Sat., July 4, 8:30 p.m. music, games and conclude with a “cool down” Miller Outdoor Theatre from the Village Fire Department ladder truck.

Free See bunkerhilltx.gov.

The illustrious Houston Symphony will let freedom ring with a Star-Spangled Salute feaFourth of July Celebration at Bayou Bend turing patriotic performances of fan favorites Sat., July 4, 1-5 p.m. like 1812 Overture, The Stars and Stripes Forever, Bayou Bend and America the Beautiful. The exceptional musiFree cal performance is followed by an unforgettable The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston honors fireworks show.

Independence Day with an extravaganza of performers, crafts, activities, and refreshments.

2026 Fourth of July Events on Galveston Highlights include the signing of a large Island Declaration of Independence, performances by Sat., July 4, 6 p.m.

Brave Little Company, and first-floor access of Galveston Island, Texas the house to view the George Washington: Prices vary America’s Enduring Icon exhibit.

Fireworks light up the Galveston shoreline as the island celebrates Independence Day with Freedom Over Texas a variety of festivities including a parade and Sat., July 4, 3-10 p.m. fireworks. The parade, featuring floats, marchEleanor Tinsley and Sam Houston Parks ing bands, and local organizations, will start at General admission: $15; children 12 and under: 23rd and Seawall at 6 p.m., traveling west on free with a paid adult Seawall before turning North on 53rd to exit.

Returning for its 39th year, the City of The night then concludes with a spectacular Houston’s annual Freedom Over Texas event, fireworks show displayed over the Gulf. See includes a day of performances from Los Lonely www.visitgalveston.com.

Boys, Collective Soul, and headliner Keith

The Round of 16 takes place on July 4, 12 p.m. at NRG Stadium (called “Houston Stadium” for the World Cup). See www.fwc26houston.com.

See thebuzzmagazines.com for a roundup of World Cup festivities.

FIFA Fan Festival Through Sun., July 19, open every match day of FIFA World Cup 2026. Gates open two hours prior to kickoff for the first match of the day.

EaDo Free The FIFA Fan Festival will show 70+ matches live on giant screens that mimic stadium atmospheres along with global celebrations, including live performances on a central stage, unique activities, and flavorful Houston-centric food choices. Bring your friends and family along to explore the historic neighborhood of EaDo during Houston’s most anticipated sporting event of the year. The event also features a special Kids Zone where little ones can play on mini pitches during the festivities.

FIFA Football Fiesta Through Sun., July 19; event is held alongside the FIFA Fan Festival EaDo Free Extending the vibrant atmosphere of the FIFA Fan Festival, the Football Fiesta creates a seamless transition into the East Downtown neighborhood with a party zone that invites fans to experience the festival and surrounding local businesses showcasing the local flavor and culture of Houston. Participating Football Fiesta establishments include 8th Wonder Brewery, Boozer's, District 7 Grill, Eight Row Flint East End, Huynh Restaurant, Koffeteria, Little Woodrow’s, Neil’s Bahr, Pitch 25, Rodeo Goat, Sunset Rooftop Lounge, Texas Tailgate Sports Bar Patio, and Truck Yard Houston.

Houston Dynamo Soccer Celebration Through Sun., July 19, times vary Shell Energy Stadium Tickets are free but must be reserved in advance.

Alongside the FIFA World Cup, Shell Energy Stadium is hosting celebrations of the tournament featuring watch parties, concerts, and international friendlies. See www.houstondynamofc.com/soccercelebration or text SOCCER to 275748.

Kick It Off, Houston!

Through Mon., July 6, 9 a.m.-5 p.m Children’s Museum Houston General admission: Adults and children ages 1+: $21.95; children under 1: free Enjoy a series of kid-friendly soccer-themed events at Children’s Museum Houston in honor of the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Guests are invited to explore an array of activities to experience like the opportunity to decorate soccer balls and create a soccer-themed “shrinky dink” accessory (through

July 6), as well as robotic soccer matches, motivating story times, and more.

Mackenzie Malveaux

FIFA World Cup Happenings

Final Kickoff Soccer Party Fri., July 3, 9 a.m.-8 p.m.

Children’s Museum Houston General admission: Adults and children ages 1+: $21.95; children under 1: free Wrapping up Houston’s soccer festivities, the Children’s Museum will stay open for an extended evening.

Design and decorate a teddy bear–sized soccer jersey in honor of your favorite World Cup team, jam out to music with DJ Tyler, get a soccer-inspired face paintWORLD CUP FEVER The City of Houston and visitors are gathering in EaDo ing, and more. for the FIFA Fan Festival, where more than 70 FIFA World Cup 2026 matches

Kicking It at are streamed on giant screens alongside live entertainment, family-friendly activities, Houston-inspired activations and food offerings. Pictured: Santiago Lopez Hermann Park and Pilar Moya enjoying the lively Fan Festival.

Hermann Park Free Commons Classical music takes the stage as Summer Through Sun., July 5, times vary Symphony Nights returns for the summer at Miller Free Outdoor Theatre. Each night offers an array of differHermann Park Conservancy is offering a liveent sounds. Immerse yourself in musical performances ly mix of programs, diverse food offerings, live like Beethoven, Tchaikovsky, and Dvořák and more. entertainment, and family-friendly activities.

See www.milleroutdoortheatre.com/performance-list/.

See hermannpark.org/kickingit.

Summer Soccer Celebration at Levy Park Through Sun., July 19 Levy Park Free Levy Park is hosting a series of free, familyfriendly World Cup watch parties. Each viewing event will feature a large-scale outdoor LED screen with professional sound, and will include art installations, including life-sized soccer themed photo backdrops and a tournament bracket. See www.levyparkhouston.org.

More Houston Events Hermann Park Moonlight Movie Nights: National Treasure Fri., July 3, 8:30-10:30 p.m.

The Commons at Hermann Park Free Enjoy a night under the stars with the park’s Moonlight Movie Nights. Kicking off the month of July is a screening of National Treasure (PG). Bring blankets or lawn chairs. Food and beverages will be available for purchase.

Summer Symphony Nights Fri. & Sat., July 10, 11, 17, 18, 8:30 p.m.

Miller Outdoor Theatre

Houston Grand Opera - Storybook Opera Sat., July 11, 11 a.m.

Levy Park Free Introduce kids to opera with an engaging, family-friendly program. Houston Grand Opera presents World Cup Women. Orchestrated by Meg Waters, the performance honors the inspiring triumph of Team USA during the 2019 World Cup. Discovery Green Sunday Concert Series Sun., July 5, 12, and 19, 5-7 p.m.

Discovery Green Anheuser-Busch Stage Free In honor of Houston’s summer of soccer, Discovery Green brings a free concert series to the heart of Houston. Grab a picnic blanket and enjoy tunes from Matthew Hartnett and the Gumbo Jam and Westbury Jazz Collective (July 5), Babatunde and Friends and Batala Houston (July 12), and The Pew Band (July 19). Food trucks and restaurants will be onsite.

Editor’s note: Events are subject to change. See this article at thebuzzmagazines.com for links. Find more events at thebuzzmagazines.com/calendar and see our Weekend Roundup online every Friday.

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HER SECOND HOME Alexis Chen, a sophomore at Lamar High School, has called the Michael P. Hammond Preparatory Program at the Rice Shepherd School of Music her musical home since she was six years old. As the program comes to an end, she reflects on the growth, resilience, and community that heavily shaped her journey.

KIDS

by Alexis Chen, age 16

Buzz Kidz

The final note

I

wait backstage as my mind goes through every note and hand position. My stomach churns. A cardigan hugs around me. My hands, burrowed inside gloves, are squeezed by Mom. She looks at me as I close my eyes and picture myself in Rice University’s Shepherd School of Music Duncan Recital Hall. It’s my first recital at six years old. Before I step into the unknown, my mind runs through “Happy Farmer” at least 100 million times. Five minutes remain before I play onstage, but it feels like an eternity…

Now, at 16, I’m not as scared. I enter a “Sasha Fierce” state where I become my own alter ego.

That Steinway Grand piano eagerly awaits me as I mentally prepare backstage.

The performer before me finishes, and I walk

into the dark holding space.

“Ready?” the backstage operator asks. I nod.

The door opens. Well, here goes nothing as I walk on that stage for the very…last…time.

As the spring semester ends, so too does the Michael P. Hammond Preparatory Program at the Rice Shepherd School of Music. I spent my whole childhood growing through the program, and now it feels like a part of me is taken away.

It was more than piano to me. This program was an important stepping stone in shaping who I am. The hard lessons pushed me to overcome mental barriers. The performances where I cried in frustration taught me that I didn’t have to be perfect. The tears and sweat I poured into perfecting each note every day instilled grit. This is where I started piano.

Despite the program ending, I will continue to keep up my love for piano. However, it will never feel the same. I’ll miss the community of musicians who inspired me to refine my performances. I’ll miss the weekly walks on campus in the glowing sun to the warm, crimson entrance with high-sky ceilings. I’ll miss the endless stairs I walked through to the “dungeon,” our nickname for the practice rooms hall. The building holds my earliest memories that I will never forget.

I realize that good things must come to an end, but this one is just harder to let go of.

Want to be a Buzz Kid? Email approximately 350 words, a high-resolution photo and caption to info@thebuzzmagazines.com.

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PETS

Neighborhood Tails Luna and Buster, age 9, Tabby and Tuxedo, Glen Haven Blvd.

Hi! I'm Luna, a grey Tabby, and this is my brother Buster, who’s a Tuxedo.

We are both nine years old and were rescued together after Hurricane Harvey by a loving family. At the adoption center, I won our family over with my cute tricks and faces while Buster stayed asleep in the back. Little did they know my brother was the crazy one and I was the sweet and shy cat.

Buster sprawls out on laps, constantly complains for more food, and craves attention every second of the day. I prefer a bed to a lap, I politely wait for my food to be served, and I rarely make any noise or fuss. Although we are opposites, we eventually found a happy medium. During the day we keep to ourselves, and at night when the family comes together to watch TV, Buster and I are right there with them.

Got a cute critter? Email a picture of your pet with approximately 150 words to info@thebuzzmagazines.com.

See what we’re buzzing about.

Connect with us thebuzzmagazines.com

WEST UNIVERSITY BUZZ JULY 2026 54

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Managing your aging parents’ money The New York Times ran an article recently, “A 5-Point Checklist for Managing Your Aging Parents’ Money.” The subject resonates with everyone but aging parents, who know how you manage your money, and rue the day you manage theirs.

The June 6 article suggests: 1. Start talking early, 2. Understand their budget, 3. Get account access, 4. Ask about durable power of attorney, and 5. Verify that wills and beneficiaries are current.

Consider a different tack: 1. Start helping early, 2. Understand parents’ needs, 3. Explain how you share your own account access, 4. Tell them about your own durable power of attorney, e.g., your primary and alternate agents, and 5. Tell them why and how you last updated your will and beneficiary designations before asking about theirs.

Help parents with little things, e.g., handling old mail, refilling their meds, meeting them there if not taking them to doctor appointments. Help collate tax information for them or their CPA to prepare the next income tax return. Learn how to be both the child and the adult at the same time.

Roles shift, and aging parents can either relish or resent it.

Budgets require more work than most of us can marshal or maintain. If your parents have a budget, don’t assume it’s current or addresses future needs, e.g., long term care, home health, or routine maintenance. A strong financial advisor can assist, but will need information and authority few children have at first. One step at a time.

Before account access, information without authority is a big step. With help, parents can aggregate their finances in an app all the children can see

but not touch, e.g., eMoney. One or more kids can be named a trusted person at the bank or broker, a contact person if incapacity or exploitation is suspected.

No bank or broker wants to see a parent’s power of attorney for the first time in the hands of a child. People are rotten, and custodians want delegation authenticated by the principal, not the agent. Ask parents to show their banker and financial advisor or broker-dealer their power of attorney, to request and sign the custodian’s preferred forms, and to share the written confirmation with the primary agent if not with you.

Anyone of means uses a lawyer to draft wills and trusts and to suggest beneficiary designations. Consider using the same lawyer for your own planning. If nothing else, ask if their lawyer can explain their plans to you.

Volunteer to help your parents update beneficiary designations they never got around to.

Before worrying about aging parents’ money, practice acting as their servant, and not their master.

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

Russell W. Hall, Bellaire Probate, Attorneys at Law, 6750 West Loop S. Ste. 920, Bellaire, Texas 77401, 713.662.3853, bellaireprobate.com

PERSONAL TRAINING VIRTUAL TRAINING MASSAGE THERAPY NUTRITION COACHING Reclaim your energy, passion and motivation in body, mind and spirit.

Call 713.401.2841 or visit PledgeToFitness.com to schedule your free session assessment + workout + stretch Offer expires 7/31/26

5312 Bellaire Blvd., Suite A WEST UNIVERSITY BUZZ JULY 2026 55

Jenny Antill

NEIGHBORS

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by Angie Frederickson, staff writer

Buzz About Town “solve the unsolvable” through advances in treatment for brain disorders. Chaired by Anne and Albert Chao, Nicole and Evan H. Katz, Jenny Antill

Flags for America’s 250th

heard from speakers and former students Sebastian Driver and Andersson Dyke about how The Caroline School helped shape who they are today.

Jacob Power

Shaken, not stirred

West U Rotary Club member Wayne Beaumier (pictured, left) enlisted the help of his brother Craig Beaumier (pictured, right) to place flags in the yards of neighbors in anticipation of the United States’ 250th birthday celebration. The Club’s Flag Program offers a subscription service to West U residents to display the American flag for four patriotic holidays: Presidents’ Day, Memorial Day, July 4th, and Veterans Day. Rotarians come to neighbors’ homes to place a pole holder in the ground and install the American flag for the holiday and then come back to pick it up and store it for the next holiday.

Funds raised through the Flag Program support the Club’s community and international service projects. To learn more about the program, visit myamericanflag.us/westurotaryregistration.

Solving the unsolvable Honorary gala chairs Jan Duncan and Anthony and Cynthia Petrello (pictured, from left) celebrated at the 15th anniversary gala for the Duncan Neurological Research Institute at Texas Children’s Hospital. More than 450 supporters enjoyed an evening at Houston Museum of Natural Science benefiting the efforts to WEST UNIVERSITY BUZZ JULY 2026 56

and Katie and Robby Zorich, the evening began with a reception and program. The Institute’s founding director, Dr. Huda Y. Zoghbi, led a conversation with special guests, NBC News’ chief foreign correspondent Richard Engel and actress and founder of Eva’s Heroes Eva Longoria. The evening raised more than $13 million.

Sweet Caroline Sarah, Andersson, and Earl Dyke (pictured, from left) celebrated 25 years of The Caroline School at a gala hosted by Easter Seals Greater Houston. More than 280 guests attended the event at The Post Oak Hotel and raised more than $540,000 to support the school that provides individualized learning for students with unique physical, social, and cognitive needs.

Twenty-five years ago, Elizabeth and Anthony DeLuca founded the Caroline School after years of searching for a place that could support their daughter Caroline’s complex medical needs.

The gala was chaired by Elizabeth DeLuca, Easter Seals board president, and her longtime friend Virginia Simmons. As guests arrived, they were greeted by live classical music from The Shepherd School of Music and artwork created by students at The Caroline School. Guests

Event chairs Keeli Lee, Edith Wittig van Wageningen, and Lelia Sprague (pictured, from left) led a successful evening for VICTORY Houston that raised $1.8 million for cancer research and initiatives in Greater Houston. The James Bond-inspired ball, Shaken, Not Stirred – An Evening of Intrigue, was held at 713 Music Hall and drew 650 guests. A welcome reception sponsored

by Hallie Vanderhider and Bobby Dees was followed by a Mediterranean dinner from Demeris Catering and dancing to the 16-piece Grand Party Experience, along with casino games including craps, blackjack, and slots. The evening’s Paddles Up appeal raised a record-breaking $228,000 exclusively for cholangiocarcinoma (bile duct cancer) in memory of beloved and longtime VICTORY member Jackie Eubank.

A facelift for Jones Hall Bobby and Phoebe Tudor (pictured) were among the 40 guests at a dinner honoring donors and stakeholders of (continued on page 58)

WEST UNIVERSITY BUZZ JULY 2026 57

Hall. The iconic Houston performance venue is home to the Houston Symphony, whose 20262027 season begins in September, and Performing Arts Houston, which is celebrating its 60th season this year. The recently completed $67.5 million renovation includes improvements to patron spaces, seating, accessibility, acoustics, and other technical upgrades.

Supporters enjoyed a red-carpet cocktail reception with live piano music from Jayoung Hong before taking their seats for dinner. Foundation for Jones Hall’s executive director and renovation project manager Robert Eubanks thanked donors for supporting efforts to improve experiences for the more than 400,000 annual visitors to Jones Hall.

Pickleball for a cause Carnegie Vanguard High School student Rhea Morani (top row, 10th from left) organ-

WEST UNIVERSITY BUZZ JULY 2026 58

Dave Rossman

Dave Rossman (continued from page 56) the Foundation for Jones

ized a pickleball event at AD-IN Tennis to support Home Run Hitters International, a nonprofit that organizes fun events for people with communication-limiting disabilities.

Fellow Carnegie Vanguard cabinet members and long-time volunteers Natalie Ho, Chloe Tran, and Vyshnavi Kadiyala handled advertising for the event, and TH Rogers student Kovidh Bathala volunteered at the snack stand. In addition to a fun evening of pickleball and other games, Rhea’s event raised more than $2,000 for Home Run Hitters’ operations and equipment budget.

Participants included Leslie Kleyweg, Adam Kleyweg, Bhaskar Sunkara, Iseoluwa Freeman, Adrian Binnion, Andrew Lenz, Dillon Nguyen, Manas Aggarwal, Malachi Moody, Charles Tang, Deborah Carr, Hanlin Li, Ireoluwa Freeman, Shubh Jaipuria, Ajay Morani, Reyansh Morani, Kovidh Bathala, Marcie Sandell, Tarun Sunkara, Bensen Shaver, Skylar Kleyweg, Nisha Ramani, Chloe Tran, Hayden Sandell, and Vyshnavi Kadiyala.

The twinkle of Periwinkle Frank and Elizabeth Karkowsky (pictured) supported The Periwinkle Foundation at The Twinkle of Periwinkle: Igniting a Spark of Joy & Healing. More than 450 supporters celebrated at Royal Sonesta Houston. The event raised $700,000 for the foundation’s camps, arts, and survivor programs for children, teens, and families living with cancer and other life-threatening illnesses who are treated at Texas Children’s Cancer and Hematology Center. The cocktail reception featured a Big Board auction, spirit and wine pull, grab bags, Heads or Tails, silent auction, and children’s art gallery. The party then moved into the ballroom where emcee Lisa Malosky introduced gala co-chairs Elizabeth and Frank Karkowsky. Periwinkle Foundation founder Paul Gerson presented The Gerson Award to his cousin David Steinhart to

honor his work as a foundation board member and 36-year volunteer at Camp Periwinkle.

The power of moral courage Heidi Gerger, Cyvia Wolff, and David Gerger (pictured, from left) were among the supporters at Holocaust Museum Houston’s 2026 Lyndon Baines Johnson Moral Courage Award Dinner.

Celebrating 30 years since the Museum’s opening, this year’s event honored Emmy Awardwinning actress and activist Patricia Heaton.

Nearly 1,000 guests attended the event at Hilton Americas-Houston to support the Museum’s mission of Holocaust education and combating hatred. The program opened with a performance of “Somewhere Over the Rainbow” by vocalist Sarah (continued on page 60)

WEST UNIVERSITY BUZZ JULY 2026 59

Daniel Ortiz

Jacob Power (continued from page 58) Dyer-Jones, followed by

an invocation and blessing over the meal delivered by Rabbi David Lyon and Reverend Dr. Mia Wright. Board chair Elyse Spector Kalmans honored Holocaust survivors at the event and thanked presenting sponsor Dorothy Wiesenthal Levinson, honorary chairs Patti and Michael Morgan, dinner chairs Jeannie and Gary Wermuth, and host committee chairs Nancy and Jack Dinerstein.

Treasures of Texas

Mark Katz

Deborah Grabein, Deb Ambrosi, Dr. Esmaeil Porsa, Lisa Helfman, and Renae Vania Tomczak (pictured, from left) attended the Treasures of Texas luncheon benefiting Mental Health America of Greater Houston. Held at The Briar Club, the event raised more than $275,000 for community-focused mental health education, advocacy, and access to care. Dr. Esmaeil Porsa was honored with the Ima Hogg Award, and Deb Ambrosi received the Spirit of Hope Award. Luncheon guest speaker Nora

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McInerny, creator and host of podcasts Thanks For Asking and It’s Going to Be OK and speaker for the viral TED Talk, “We Don’t Move On From Grief, We Move Forward With It,” shared thoughts about mental health and her personal experiences with loss.

80 years of AJC Houston Rachel Schneider, Imam Abdullah Antepli, Emmanuel Acho, and Rabbi Brian Strauss (pictured, from left) joined fellow supporters at the American Jewish Committee Houston’s (AJC Houston) 2026 annual fundraiser marking the organization’s 80th anniversary. This year’s event featured Emmanuel Acho, co-author of Uncomfortable Conversations with a Jew, in conversation with Imam Abdullah Antepli, president of

Rothko Chapel, and Rabbi Brian Strauss of Congregation Beth Yeshurun. The engaging conversation was moderated by AJC Houston director Rachel Schneider. As part of the milestone celebration, AJC Houston honored 80 years of presidents, including Dorit Aaron, Donald Brodsky, J. Kent Friedman, Ann Kaufman, Stephen Kaufman, Bobby Lapin, Jack Lascar, David Mincberg, Marcia Nichols, the late Arthur Schechter, David Simon, Allan Van Fleet, Helene Zadok, the late Reuben Askanase, the late Irvin Kaplan, and the late Jack Lapin.

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

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

NEIGHBORS

by Andria Dilling, staff writer

Back Porch

Make Space in Your Suitcase: What to read this summer

Y

ou might think that someone who brings five books on vacation would classify as a lifetime reader. But that isn’t the case.

Carmen Gomez, who was the press secretary for HISD before her children Alexis, 23, and Nico, 21, were born, says she didn’t enjoy reading until well after graduating from college. “I did not like it at all as a kid,” she says. “But sometime after college, my mom started handing me books she had read.” Carmen’s mother – and neighbor – Maria Abascal is also a voracious reader. “I picked it up as entertainment,” Carmen says. “It was something to do that wasn’t watching TV. When you’re not forced to do it in school, you can actually pick what you like.”

Now she reads everywhere. “When the kids were little, I’d read in carpool line; I’ll read at 3:00 in the morning if I’m up, in the evenings when my husband is watching a movie, in the pool.

Whenever I have 10 minutes. I always have a book in my purse,” Carmen says, noting that she prefers the tangible weight of a book to a screen.

“I turn pages, earmark, highlight, make notes.”

Besides, she shares the books with her mom, sister-in-law, niece, and friends. “I feel like I’m constantly dropping off bags of books to someone’s house,” she says.

Recently, those books have included Theo of Golden and Strangers. Theo of Golden, the first novel by Allen Levi, is what The New York Times calls “a word-of-mouth smash hit,” Hoda Kotb says is “a treasure,” and Carmen calls “a good, heartwarming story.” About an older man who shows up mysteriously in the fictitious Georgia town of Golden, the book reminds readers that when we look closely enough, we see that everyone is carrying their own story. The story feels slow and sweet, and reading it might make you look at strangers with deeper compassion.

Belle Burden’s Strangers: A Memoir of Marriage chronicles her 20-year marriage that fell apart, seemingly out of the blue. Burden’s first book, Strangers is a quick, fully absorbing read that appeals to an audience far wider than women whose husbands have left them for another woman. For anyone, it begs the question: How well can we actually know the people we are closest to?

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Carmen is currently reading The Astral Library, a magical realism novel by Kate Quinn, who is known for her historical fiction.

When a young woman with a difficult life finds refuge in the Boston Public Library, she discovers a portal that transports her into the worlds of its books. If you have ever wanted to live out the classics like The Great Gatsby, Jane Eyre, and Sherlock Holmes, this story will take you there.

I Am Pilgrim: A SUMMER READS Whether you pack them in your suitcase or upload them to your Thriller by Terry screen, there are lots of good books to add to your summer reading list.

Hayes is one of from eight million followers, curated social Carmen’s all-time favorites and her go-to book. media content, and two behind-the-scenes nan“If I can’t find a book that piques my interest,” nies to being the matron of a working farm with she says, “I pull out I Am Pilgrim and reread it. I’ve no electricity, Yesteryear is a commentary on the read it four or five times.” The New York Times tradwife phenomenon, fundamentalism, and a says the book “has more kicks, twists and winks life lived to produce content. than anything of its dusty genre has provided in Back to bringing five books on vacation – a long time.” With a gruesome Manhattan murthat’s real. “They take up a lot of space in my der that calls a former intelligence operative out suitcase, but I make sure I have room,” Carmen of retirement, a terrorist seeking to avenge his laughs about the many trips she’s taking (and father’s execution by spreading an incurable virus books she’s reading) as an empty nester. She and across the United States, and a plot that takes her attorney husband Alex travel to every one readers around the world, readers should buckle of the Wash U football games, where their son up for the 900-page thriller.

Nico is an offensive linebacker.

Next on Carmen’s reading list? Yesteryear by And if it’s a beach trip? “She ignores me,” Alex Caro Claire Burke, the story of a tradwife social jokes. Still, there will be good dinner conversamedia influencer who is magically transported tion. “Usually about the book,” Carmen says. to the 1800s, where being a “tradwife” – a tradiEditor’s note: For more book recommendations, see tional, 1950s-esque homemaker who prides herCindy Burnett’s monthly Buzz Reads column and weekly self on subservience to her husband – isn’t the online column Page Turners at thebuzzmagazines.com. glamorous choice it is in the 2020s. Shifting behance.net/runamokstudios

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