The West University Buzz - May 2025

Christie and Sloane Sullivan

Harvesting Happiness From Foster to Forever Home

Repurposed

Roses

Bear’s Garden

by Jennifer Oakley

Antiquing with Mom Houston, TX Permit No. 2047

Joanne King Herring

PAID US Postage PRSRT STD

Books for Mother’s Day

EDITOR’S NOTE I never know how a Buzz article will affect me IRL. Recently, Michael and I were at a beautiful wedding in Chicago. During the reception, we were seated next to a lovely couple. They explained that they were the grandparents of the adorable toddlers in the ceremony, waiting on the call to “report to duty” (aka babysit in the hotel room). After they left, two sizzling steak dinners were placed on the table. When I realized those decadent meals would be thrown away, I asked the server if it’d be possible to box and deliver their dinners to their room. She said of course. Why did it strike me that their steaks would be going to waste? It was this month’s article on BloomAgainHouston, a nonprofit that repurposes flowers from events to brighten the days of individuals such as senior citizens or hospital patients. Turns out that couple was grateful to receive their steak dinner. I love reading about neighbors who do good in the community – and I’m happy to recognize when their actions inspire me to do good, too. Admittedly, after the reception, I did think those steaks would’ve been a good midnight snack – if only I had a bigger purse. joni@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 Associate Editor Design Manager

Joni Hoffman Michael Hoffman Jordan Magaziner Steinfeld Caroline Siegfried John Duboise

Staff Writers

Tracy L. Barnett Sharon Albert Brier Cindy Burnett Andria Dilling Angie Frederickson Todd Freed Cindy Gabriel Cathy Gordon Michelle Groogan Dai Huynh Annie Blaylock McQueen Jennifer Oakley Ben Portnoy Pooja Salhotra Cheryl Ursin Andrea Blitzer Leslie Little Jo Rogers

Account Managers

On our cover: Mom Christie Sullivan and daughter Sloane volunteer with BloomAgainHouston, which repurposes donated flowers.

Cover photo by Michael Hart, hartphoto.com The Buzz Magazines has made all reasonable attempts to verify the accuracy of all information contained within. Advertising claims are solely the responsibility of the advertiser. Copyright © 2025 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 MAY 2025 4

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

3642 University Blvd., Suite 102 Houston, TX 77005 www.westuortho.com 713-481-4885 WEST UNIVERSITY BUZZ MAY 2025 5

MAILBAG

Your letters, thoughts, opinions Pursuing their passions I just wanted to extend my sincere thanks for the wonderful article by Lucy Walker [The Backroom Rumors: Houston’s homegrown indie rock band, April 2025] highlighting the journey of the three young adults from our community who found their passion for music right here in our little section of Houston during their high school years, and are now thriving together as an indie band.

It brought me such joy – not only because of their success, but also because I remember them from when they were little, playing on my kids’ Little League softball and baseball teams. It’s truly something special to have watched them grow up, and now to see them chasing their dreams with such spirit and creativity.

Your article reminded me of the strength and support within our tightknit community, and how the foundation built here helps shape the paths our young people take, even after they go off to college or begin their adult lives. Thank you for continuing to keep us connected to the stories of those who got their start right here in West U, Southampton, and River Oaks.

Way to go, Lily, Evan, and Bo! I cannot wait to hear your album!

Mary Schneidau

Community connectors Thank you so much for publishing the article on the Bellaire Historical Cookbook [A Neighborhood Story in Recipes: the Bellaire Historical Cookbook

by Andria Dilling, April 2025]. After the article came out, a woman sent me a pic of the original cookbook that her mom has and is sending a recipe for the new cookbook. So cool! Hope others will do the same.

Another fun story: I was down the street at Pat McLaughlan’s to drop some dinner and my current cookbook edit for him to look at and the doorbell rang. The nicest guy came to visit him, and we were chit chatting and he said he lives one block over. Anyway, I tell him we are working on the cookbook and would love more recipes. It turns out he is Pooja Salhotra’s dad (Pooja, who was a member of The Buzz team for many years). We exchanged info and he invited me to see his community garden and is submitting recipes.

Thank you, Joni [Hoffman] – you and The Buzz are such wonderful connectors of neighbors!

Kristi Coffey Editor’s note: Kristi, we too feel you are one such “community connector” in all that you do! And we look forward to checking out the new Bellaire Cookbook and History of Our Community. *Anyone who has lived, gone to school, worked, or played in Bellaire is invited to submit recipes and stories to the new cookbook. Deadline: May 15. See BellaireCookbook.com.

Another historical Bellaire cookbook I enjoyed reading your April 2025 article [A Neighborhood Story in WEST UNIVERSITY BUZZ MAY 2025 6

Recipes]. It reminded me of another cookbook, Well, That’s Just The Best I Ever Ate, published by a former resident of Bellaire, Patrick Edwin Petty.

His book has over 300 pages of local recipes. I don’t know if it’s still available – I bought my copy just after I moved to Bellaire 30-plus years ago and still have it in my kitchen.

Paul Ware

An important story I just wanted to tell you what a beautiful article that was in The Bellaire Buzz [Lest We Forget: A Holocaust survivor’s mission by Cathy Gordon, April 2025]. That article gave the reader a sense of what Ruth Steinfeld went through as a child and even later on in her life. She is an amazing lady.

Great picture of the whole family on the last page. That must have made her so happy.

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

• Have special summer traditions with family or friends.

• 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 MAY 2025 7

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

Inside This Issue May 2025 4 Editor’s Note 6 Mailbag: Letters from Readers 10 What’s the Word?: And what would Mr. Hickey say?

by Ben Portnoy

Writer Ben Portnoy recalls a favorite high school teacher, Mr. Hickey, who taught a new word each day.

18 Charlie Wilson’s War: The Houston woman behind the whole thing

by Cindy Gabriel

Few realize that in the 2007 movie Charlie Wilson’s War, Julia Roberts played an iconic Houstonian, Joanne King Herring. Even fewer realize Joanne’s role in history.

20 Gifting Books for Mother’s Day: A variety of reads for Mom

12 Harvesting Happiness: The masters of Hermann Park’s Family Garden

by Michelle Groogan A group of knowledgeable master gardeners volunteer in Hermann Park’s bountiful Family Garden, which yields produce that’s donated to local women’s shelters.

by Cindy Burnett

Find inspiration for Mother’s Day gifts through a list of books for moms with all kinds of interests.

24 Happy Tails: From foster homes to forever homes

38 Travel Buzz: The Maldives

by Tracy L. Barnett

Angela Shi and Jung Shao honeymooned in the Maldives 11 years ago and recently returned with their children and Jung’s parents.

by Annie Blaylock McQueen

For Liz Austin and her family, fostering dogs is a passion. One special foster dog found a forever home with Liz’s neighbor.

26 Repurposed Roses: BloomAgainHouston puts down roots

by Jennifer Oakley

Nonprofit BloomAgainHouston repurposes flowers from events to brighten the days of individuals such as senior citizens or hospital patients.

30 Bear’s Garden: Cultivating a new generation of gardeners

by Andria Dilling

Haran Levy – known as “Bear” to his grandchildren – is cultivating a new generation of gardeners.

32 Making Memories with Mom: Day trips to Round Top

by Annie Blaylock McQueen

These multi-generational mother-daughter groups enjoy the tradition of spending time together at Round Top’s antique fairs.

36 Buzz Reads

by Cindy Burnett

WEST UNIVERSITY BUZZ MAY 2025 8

40 SportzBuzz

by Todd Freed

42 SportzBuzz Jr.

by Annie Blaylock McQueen

44 Buzz Kidz: Exploring my culture through art

by Nate Barcot

46 Neighborhood Tails

by Thorin

48 Buzz About Town

by Angie Frederickson

54 Back Porch: Family Stories

by Andria Dilling

As her daughters enter new stages of life, Andria Dilling reflects on past Back Porch columns on motherhood and raising children.

WEST UNIVERSITY BUZZ MAY 2025 9

by Ben Portnoy, staff writer

Dylan Aguilar

NEIGHBORS

What’s the Word?

And what would Mr. Hickey say?

W

hile I was considering “brain rot,” the Oxford University Press 2024 Word of the Year, for a recent article, it brought to mind Mr. Hickey. When I was a sophomore at Walnut Hills High School in Cincinnati, Ohio, the English teacher became ill shortly after the school year started. A substitute, Mr. Hickey, took over the class, and he ended up teaching our class for the entire school year.

Mr. Hickey was a gifted teacher. One of his methods was particularly endearing. He would teach a new word every day. We would be asked to use the word in a sentence, and very quickly the word became part of our daily vocabulary.

These words were not uncommon ones, and it is hard for me to remember which words that I use now were originally a Hickey word. I do recall that “incessant” was one of these. When I talk with former classmates, they remember other words such as “persistent” or “incomparable.” For 10th-grade students, these may have been new words, but they are certainly not unusual in everyday speech or writing.

And that brings me to an unsolicited email that I get called “Word Daily.” It presents a new word along with a definition and a sound clip that teaches you how to pronounce the word.

Thinking back to Mr. Hickey, I always open the email to find what item I might add to my vocabulary. I have to confess that I wonder about the words offered for my consumption.

In a recent posting, for instance, the word offered is “ennead.” This means a group or set of nine. Wonderful. The next time I am out to dinner with eight friends, I can add myself to the group and state in my diary that “An ennead of friends had dinner at Chili’s.” I’m sure that would be accurate, but really…I just don’t think Mr. Hickey would be happy about this one. And what word would I use if one person didn’t show up?

Another more entertaining entry was the word “bosky.” This means “a wooded area, somewhere covered by trees or bushes.” You might tell a friend that “The park behind my house is bosky.” I think the friend would think you are a little bosky yourself.

WEST UNIVERSITY BUZZ MAY 2025 10

Oh, but this recent one is an important word to know. It was “alliaceous.” This means “relating to plants of a group that comprises onions and other alliums.” Hopefully, you know what an “allium” is. You might want to tell a friend after dinner that “I really enjoyed the fajitas because they had such a nice alliaceous odor.” Yeah, sure.

Some of these words can be tricky. One offering was “envoi.” No, this is not a misspelling of “envoy” although it is pronounced the same. It means “a short stanza concluding a ballade” or “an author’s concluding words.” I doubt you’d USE IT IN A SENTENCE Writer Ben Portnoy muses over new words, such as bosky or alliaceous. He recalls a favorite high school teacher who taught a new please Mr. Hickey by word each day. writing that it’s a good I suspect that at this point you get the idea, thing that at the end of War and Peace, Tolstoy but I must offer one more word. Word Daily predid not add an envoi as the book was long sented “trialogue.” This is defined as “a dialogue enough. between three people.” Now, I find a problem Perhaps my favorite new word is “dithyramb.” with this one. First of all, “between” is a word You pronounce it just as it is written. This useful that separates two things, not three. More to the addition to your vocabulary means “a wild choral point, a dialogue is “a conversation between two hymn of ancient Greece, especially one dedicator more persons.” So, “dialogue” already takes ed to Dionysus.” By extension, it may mean “a care of a conversational ménage à trois. Who passionate or inflated speech, poem, or other needs “trialogue?” I don’t. writing,” and I guess it does not absolutely have I guess that I will continue to open the Word to be dedicated to Dionysus. So what, there are Daily emails and the incessant supply of words plenty of other deities like Ganesh or Thor. that I will never use. I just wonder what Mr. This word was one I actually had heard Hickey would have to say concerning this alliasometime in my distant past. “Soupçon” indiceous dithyramb about a soupçon of unusual cates “a very small quantity of something.” Of words. I think he’d exclaim, “Brain rot!” And course, I had no recollection of what it meant, that is my envoi to this message. so I guess Word Daily did educate me. The example sentence was one I am sure all women Editor’s note: For more, see Brain Rot: It was readers will find useful. The site offered the folthe 'word of the year' by Ben Portnoy in our Feb. lowing: “There was a soupçon of nail polish left 2025 issue at thebuzzmagazines.com. in the bottle.”

WEST UNIVERSITY BUZZ MAY 2025 11

NEIGHBORS

by Michelle Groogan, staff writer

Harvesting Happiness The masters of Hermann Park’s Family Garden

WEST UNIVERSITY BUZZ MAY 2025 12

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A

mid the bustling, concrete-infused urban landscape of Houston lies a serene oasis, where tranquil gardens offer respite and escape. A decade has passed since the Hermann Park Conservancy planted the seeds for what has blossomed into the McGovern Centennial Gardens – eight acres of botanical splendor where visitors explore themed “rooms” of cultivation, ranging from exquisite roses to desert foliage. Also nestled within the complex, lies an often-overlooked plot just aside the grand entry where friendships sprout and learning flows within a “family garden” that is also generating copious crops.

Marisol Arteaga leads a dozen or so volunteers assigned exclusively to the family garden and its 22 raised beds growing vegetables, fruits, and herbs, 14 of which are tall and 8 shorter.

“I think a vegetable speaks to your soul differently than a rose. Vegetables are about both beauty and health,” said Marisol, who has been a master gardener for 15 years. “We have tried some different strategies in the family garden, which have led to some bountiful crops this past year. We experimented with companion planting, which means you put tomatoes alongside bell peppers but not cucumbers.”

That strategy has been wildly successful for the team. Last year, the garden produced a record harvest of 1500 pounds of produce. That includes 50 pounds of Swiss chard, 100 pounds of watermelons, 68 pounds of cucumbers, 60 pounds of beets, and 58 pounds of tomatoes.

That is not only an increase from last year, but 600 pounds more food than two years ago. It’s all donated to Houston-area women’s shelters.

The secret to their success? Knowledge. Only master gardeners are selected to volunteer in the family garden where the gift of “green thumbs” is amplified by the deployment of defensive cultivation, aimed at fending off the “enemies” of their crops.

Becoming a master gardener requires more than a passion for making things grow. It demands commitment and a deep curiosity to learn exactly how and why plant life thrives. More specifically, these garden volunteers have all been through the Harris County Master Gardener certification process

FRIENDSHIPS IN BLOOM Sally McMillan, Jill Atmar, E. Jane Hughson-Myers, and Sharon McWhorter (pictured, from left) are the newest crew of volunteer master gardeners educating Houston families at the Centennial Gardens in Hermann Park.

offered by the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service. Participants receive specialized training in horticulture and then share their knowledge with their community by providing support through their county’s Extension office. The program covers all topics such as lawn care, trees, insects, dis-

ease management, and vegetable gardening, just to name a few. To join, individuals must attend 72 hours in specialized training courses and lectures and then complete 60 hours of volunteer service in Extension-approved activities. The title “Texas Master Gardener” can only (continued on page 14)

WEST UNIVERSITY BUZZ MAY 2025 13

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THE ROOTS OF LEARNING The team of master gardeners have a new goal to beat last year’s record harvest of 1,500 pounds of produce. Left photo: Sally McMillan tends to cabbage in the family garden. Top right: E. Jane Hughson-Myers and Sharon McWhorter are part of a larger volunteer crew who garden year-round. (continued from page 12) be used by volunteers when

engaged in Extension-sponsored activities. It cannot be used for financial gain.

The term “Master Gardener” was introduced in the early 1970s to describe a new program in Washington State. The first Master Gardener class in Texas took place in 1979 in Montgomery County, with around 25 participants. Today, there are more than 250 master gardeners volunteering in Harris County.

Southampton resident Sally McMillan has recently added the vocational accolade of master gardener to her resume. The former television news anchor and journalist decided she wanted to tackle something new and challenging when her youngest son left for college a couple of years ago.

“Joining the crew at Centennial Gardens was my first commitment as a new master gardener and it has been such a great experience,” said Sally. “I’ve learned so many things about vegetables and soils. There are many days when the work is hard and not pretty. Still, it is wonderful to make this little corner of the world a better place while growing new friendships too.”

Meyerland resident Jill Atmar, a retired WEST UNIVERSITY BUZZ MAY 2025 14

nurse practitioner, completed the same course of study, which involves a full day of instruction once a week for 10 weeks. For Jill, that effort was in addition to her full plate of philanthropic activities as chair of the landscape committee for the Meyerland Homeowners Association and the “unofficial” groundskeeper of the community garden at the end of her street at Herod Elementary. She’s also in a book club and transports her two grandchildren to swim team practice every day. She first learned about the “master gardener” program from her daughter, an Austin-based farmer.

She knew she would learn a lot about growing a garden; she didn’t expect that experience to also feed her soul.

“We were the first class that came back full time to the classroom after Covid, so we had the opportunity to meet and we became friends because we were with each other for eight hours a day once a week,” said Jill. “I like the sense of community and fellowship, because you're always welcome and it's always nice to go and just see how everybody's week was and what's new, and share what you've learned.”

West University resident Sharon McWhorter

is also part of the expert crew at the family garden. When she retired from being a CPA for Texas Children’s Health plan two years ago, she knew she wanted a hobby outdoors. It was a bonus that she cultivated so many new friendships, but the real reward comes from doing the little things in the garden.

“We arrive before the park opens, so no one is there and it’s just really pretty and soothing.

We grab our buckets and our tools and kind of walk through the garden and see what needs to be done. A lot of times we need to harvest some of the fruits or vegetables. Sometimes we have things that we plant or prepare to plant,” said Sharon. “And then sometimes we just kind of maintain everything. We want it not only to be a productive garden, but we also want everything to look real pretty and manicured. So sometimes we're just out there weeding and trying to trim things up to make them look better.”

Anu Wadivkar, a dentist, spends about 50 hours per year volunteering in the family garden.

She is a relatively new master gardener and admits she still has a lot to learn.

“I love learning new things and appreciate the mentoring from experi- (continued on page 16)

WEST UNIVERSITY BUZZ MAY 2025 15

hartphoto.com WARRIORS IN THE GARDEN It takes a whole lot of volunteers to make this project bountiful. Sharon McWhorter, Jill Atmar, and Sally McMillan (pictured, from left) spend several hours a week volunteering at the Family Gardens in Hermann Park. (continued from page 14) enced master gardeners,”

said Anu. “I did not know much at all about vegetable gardening. I always thought it was so complex and involved. Master gardeners have simplified it, and they are very encouraging. I also enjoy meeting with the visitors at the family garden and answering questions, if I can.”

Linkwood resident E. Jane Hughson-Myers still has a day job as a consultant with the

Medical Clinic of Houston. But she will be the first to tell you that the family garden is her happy place.

“It energizes me!” exclaimed E. Jane. “I love getting outside. I'm a Canadian-born Wisconsinite, and so the idea of heat is joyful for me. But that is one of the reasons you go at seven in the morning, so we're down there early. And with all the many hands

that are there, we get the weeding and the planting, and the harvesting done pretty expeditiously.”

This agricultural program won’t restore what used to be a nation of farmers. Still, this group group of mighty Houston gardeners are working hard to make sure fundamental knowledge is not lost, but shared with anyone who wants to make plants grow.

Planting seeds hartphoto.com

Interested in the Master Gardener Program?

To find out more about the Harris County Master Gardeners program, visit their website: txmg.org/hcmga.

Interested in volunteering?

Not everyone needs to undergo a certification process to volunteer at the McGovern Centennial Gardens or Hermann Park. While the Centennial Gardens covers about 8 acres and requires 9,000 volunteer hours, Hermann Park is 445 acres and requires 30,000 hours of volunteer work to properly preserve the park’s maintenance needs. Although Hermann Park also has paid staff that includes horticulturists, the need for volunteers is great. Hermann Park Conservancy has developed a family-friendly volunteer program where no experience is necessary. See www.hermannpark.org/volunteering-opportunities to learn more about volunteering.

Want to plant some veggies in May? Here are a few tips from the master gardeners on the best veggies to plant in May. These all thrive in full sun (6-8 hours of sunlight per day), which is easy to get in Houston. Try making your own pizza garden, planting tomatoes alongside basil and garlic, which make good companion plants. You can also try okra and eggplant, both easy-to-grow summer veggies that have similar watering needs and can tolerate Houston’s heat. Water thoroughly 1-2 times per week; increase watering if there are signs of wilting.

Want to learn from knowledgeable gardeners?

The Texas AgriLife Extension Service and the Harris County Master Gardeners are collaborating with Harris County Public Library and Houston Community College to offer a free Green Thumb Gardening Lecture Series. See txmg.org/hcmga/2025-green-thumb-gardening-series.

WEST UNIVERSITY BUZZ MAY 2025 16

Peter Moody Meyer

NEIGHBORS

by Cindy Gabriel, staff writer

Charlie Wilson’s War The Houston woman behind the whole thing

O

ne casualty of the shrinking newspaper business is that older journalists aren’t around to mentor younger journalists.

We are losing something called institutional memory. Our local history tells us who we are.

When I ask people if they know the name Joanne King Herring, if they are my age and they have spent their whole life in Houston they say of course. Everyone else gives me a blank look.

Next question: Have you seen the 2007 hit movie Charlie Wilson’s War, with Tom Hanks and Julia Roberts? Some bells go off. But few realize that Julia Roberts played an iconic Houston woman, Joanne King Herring. Even fewer realize she spurred Congress into a proxy war involving the CIA that defeated the Russians’ efforts to take over Afghanistan in a 10-year-war that ended with the fall of the Soviet Union.

Recently, on the evening of March 10th, Tom Hanks was in town for the NASA premiere of a multi-sensory production he co-produced called The Moonwalkers: A Journey with Tom Hanks. At a private reception for Hanks where pictures weren’t allowed, a sneaky cell phone captured video of Hanks entering a room, making a beeline to Joanne King Herring as if he saw no one else. He bent one knee, kissed her hand, and said something to the crowd about all of us owing her a debt of gratitude.

Even at 95, impeccably dressed, with her stillhigh cheekbones, there she was. Maxine Mesinger, where are you? You should be telling us about this, pictures and all, on Houston’s society pages.

I was 9 years old when my mother pointed out Joanne King on The News at Noon. It was the first time it ever occurred to me that a woman could actually talk about the same things that men talked about on TV. Of course, she also showed us how to wear scarves with our dresses. My mother suddenly had a scarf for every outfit. Little did I know I would later cover news at Channel 11 myself. I told Joanne all of this in a recent phone conversation. We talked for two hours.

Joanne says those early days were rougher than they looked. I was awful. I had to learn on the job. The men flirted off the air and didn’t let me get a word in on the air. They wanted me to just sit WEST UNIVERSITY BUZZ MAY 2025 18

there and look pretty.

But the audience loved her, so much so that after a decade at Channel 11, Channel 2 recruited her. The Joanne King Show ran on Channel 2 from 1974-1979. She was kind, articulate, and charmHOUSTON ROYALTY Joanne King Herring emerged as an international figure in ing.

Houston’s Boomtown days in the early 1970s.

In 1972 she cancer in 1981, while Robin was still filming in married Robert Herring, president of Houston Pakistan.

Natural Gas, when Houston and the Middle Charlie Wilson’s War, the movie, leaves you East were working on the social diplomacy side with the impression that the U.S. dropped the of their business relationships. Joanne was ball by not rebuilding Afghanistan after the war, known for her lavish River Oaks parties with leaving a vacuum for the creation of the Taliban, heads of state back in Houston’s Boomtown era leading to 9/11. Charlie’s pleas to Congress fell of the 1970s. Joanne’s parties in River Oaks on deaf ears. And while Joanne worked with vilincluded people like King Hussein of Jordan and lagers in a private effort to market their crafts to even Princess Grace (Kelly) of Monaco and the U.S., America had moved on.

Prince Rainier. She got to know Muhammad Others say the Russian defeat was the final Zia-ul-Haq, President of Pakistan, who made her nail in the coffin of the communist Soviet honorary consul at the Consulate-General of Union. The Berlin Wall came down in 1989, Pakistan based in Houston. the same year Charlie Wilson’s War ended.

It was a job Joanne took seriously, traveling Charlie Wilson’s War is definitely worth the to Pakistan and witnessing masses of refugees $3.99 streaming fee in light of today’s news. (over 300,000) from Afghanistan who had fled Also, The Moonwalkers: A Journey with Tom into Pakistan because of a Russian invasion Hanks, will be running at Space Center Houston when it was still the Soviet Union. She and her for the next two years (included in general son, Robin King, a photojournalist, documented admission). And finally, a documentary called the heartbreaking situation on film at considerEnron: The Smartest Guys in the Room, tells the able risk, in an effort to convince Washington story after Herring’s death, when his respectable politicians that the Afghans needed weapons to Houston Natural Gas morphed into Enron – all stop the communists.

Houston stories that tell us who we are.

From here, Joanne, a conservative Institutional memory is important.

Republican, forged a relationship with East I’m with Hanks. We owe Joanne King Texas Congressman Charlie Wilson, a liberal Herring a debt of gratitude.

Democrat, in a covert CIA effort to send arms to aid Afghanistan. As the movie depicts, she Editor’s note: Read more of Joanne’s story from persuaded Wilson to go to Pakistan to witness her perspective in her memoir, Diplomacy and the atrocities of the war that spanned 1979 to Diamonds: My Wars from the Ballroom to the 1989. Joanne was widowed during this time. Her Battlefield. husband, Robert Herring, 59, passed away from

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ARTS

by Cindy Burnett, staff writer

Gifting Books for Mother’s Day A variety of reads for Mom

For the mom who enjoys thrills: Woman on Fire by Lisa Barr – After fledgling reporter Jules Roth talks her way into a job with Chicago’s preeminent investigative reporter, he assigns her to a top-secret story, locating “Woman on Fire,” a valuable painting purloined by the Nazis during World War II. But Jules doesn’t have much time because the man she is helping find the painting is dying. As Jules gets drawn into the dangerous and seductive art world of the uber-wealthy, she uncovers secrets and betrayals while becoming intrigued with the mesmerizing painting at the center of the drama.

Filled with a plethora of twists and turns combined with a stellar plot and an intriguing cast of characters, this thriller is a page turner.

For the mom who enjoys Broadway shows and/or The Gilmore Girls: The Third Gilmore Girl by Kelly Bishop – Bishop’s amazing career has been defined by numerous achievements, from originating a role in the Broadway cast of A Chorus Line and winning a Tony for that role to her standout performance as Jennifer Grey’s mother in Dirty Dancing to her memorable role as matriarch Emily in the Gilmore Girls. In this memoir, she reflects on her career and the roles that cemented her legacy while she also shares life lessons and stories from the world of show business and her interesting life. Bishop is honest, funny, and so entertaining, and her story is a fascinating one.

For the mom who likes to learn about other places and time periods: Homecoming by Kate Morton – In a small South Australian town, a delivery driver discovers a dead body on Christmas Eve, 1959, on the grounds of a magnificent mansion. An investigation ensues surrounding the shocking and mysterious death. Six decades later, Jess is called back to Australia because her grandmother Nora is ill. While staying at Nora’s house, Jess stumbles across a book called the Turner Family WEST UNIVERSITY BUZZ MAY 2025 20

Tragedy of Christmas Eve, 1959, that chronicles the police investigation into a long-ago murder. When she delves into the book, she is stunned to discover that her family may have a connection to the decades-old killing.

Morton’s prose is stunning, and the book within a book creates a compelling read.

For the mom who likes nostalgia: Let’s Call Her Barbie by Renee Rosen – When Ruth Handler pitches to her board of directors her idea for a doll unlike any the country has seen, she is met with skepticism, but she is undeterred.

Unlike the other dolls on the market in 1956 that only allow girls to pretend to be mothers, this new doll looks like a grown women with a fabulous wardrobe and lots of career options.

A GIFT SHE’LL LOVE The Love Elixir of Augusta Stern by Lynda Cohen Loigman This is the story of how is a great fit for someone who likes stories with some depth as well as humor.

Barbie became iconic makes Iona realize that she wants to learn more and how a strong woman who believed in herabout her fellow riders, and she begins to develself and her dream made it happen. Barbie and op relationships with them, inserting herself her story are having a moment, and this book into their issues and helping solve their probcontributes while explaining her legacy and lems. Infused with heart and humor, this book popularity. demonstrates the importance of community and For the mom who likes books about older the ability of relationships to change people’s protagonists: lives, while also serving as a reminder that peoIona Iverson’s Rules for Commuting by ple should not be judged by their appearance.

Clare Pooley – Iona Iverson rides the train to For the mom who loves nonfiction: and from work every day, seeing the same peoThe Siege: A Six-Day Hostage Crisis and the ple, none of whom ever speak to one another Daring Special-Forces Operation That Shocked until the day when one of them chokes on food the World by Ben (continued on page 22) and is saved by another rider. This incident Cindy Burnett

D

eciding on a Mother’s Day gift can be difficult, but books make great gifts no matter who you are buying for. There are so many different genres and subject matters – there is something for everyone. Here are some suggestions.

WEST UNIVERSITY BUZZ MAY 2025 21

Cindy Burnett COMPELLING READS Cindy Burnett recommends some entertaining tales for Mother’s Day gifts. (continued from page 20) Macintyre – In the spring

of 1980, six heavily-armed gunman forced themselves into the Iranian embassy in London, taking 26 hostages, as the American hostage crisis in Iran stretched into its seventh month. While the crisis in Iran is well-known, this increasingly tense standoff in London had been lost to history for most people even though it lasted six days and threatened at any moment to result in a high death toll. Determine to remedy that, Macintyre wrote this detailed account of the London hostage crisis, including how this siege brought the Special Air Service (SAS) to the forefront and how the British forces handled the crisis.

For the mom who likes compelling stories: Bearer of Bad News by Elisabeth Dini – After learning that her fiancé has been cheating on her, Lucy decides she needs a change of scenery. She accepts a job as a bearer of bad news and is catapulted into a world of betrayal and greed involving 80-year-old secrets, stolen jewels, and a World War II-era mystery. The book headed in a different direction and contained more depth (and humor) than I expected, and Dini weaves in timely themes of heartbreak, resilience, and what we owe each other as humans.

For the mom who likes music: Songs in Ursa Major by Emma Brodie – This beautifully written debut tells a fictionalized, loosely based version of the relationship between James Taylor and Joni Mitchell in the late 1960s. Brodie’s tale follows Jane Quinn, a talented singer, as she rockets to stardom, encounters extreme sexism in the music industry, battles with wanting to stay true to herself and her music, whether to choose love or a career, the stigma of mental illness, and more.

Brodie brings the music of the era to life, and Songs in Ursa Major is truly stunning.

For the foodie mom and/or the mom who loves memoirs: WEST UNIVERSITY BUZZ MAY 2025 22

Be Ready When the Luck Happens by Ina Garten – The iconic Ina Garten is known for making everything look easy, but in Be Ready When the Luck Happens, she relays how her success has been the result of hard work, timely choices, and a singular focus on the little details.

She tells her story in this engaging memoir that describes her decades of challenges, adventures, and unanticipated career moves. While this is a great fit for foodies and fans of Garten, anyone who loves a good memoir will devour Be Ready When the Luck Happens.

For the mom who is missing her mom: Everything Beautiful in Its Time: Seasons of Love and Loss by Jenna Bush Hager – Hager’s heartwarming and emotional collection of essays honors her beloved grandparents, President George and First Lady Barbara Bush and her mother’s mother, Jenna Welch, who died within 13 months of each other. Hager uses various formats, including letters to her grandparents, sharing stories that she wishes she could tell them personally; one standout is the letter Jenna wrote on her 37th birthday to Barbara Bush where she recounts the stark absence of Barbara at the family’s summer home in Maine.

For the mom who likes historical fiction: The Mountains Sing by Nguyễn Phan Quế Mai – Beautifully and lyrically written, Nguyễn Phan Quế Mai’s English debut follows multiple generations of the Tran family against the backdrop of Vietnam’s heartrending 20th-century history. From the rise of the Communist government in North Vietnam to the years of conflict during the war itself, The Mountains Sing highlights the impact and cost of the events that led up to the Vietnam War from the Vietnamese people’s perspective while interweaving in the language and traditions of their culture. The Mountains Sing is not only a glimpse into Vietnam, but is also a cautionary tale about the

impact of a decades-long conflict on the people living through it.

For the mom who loves feel-good stories with some depth: The Love Elixir of Augusta Stern by Lynda Cohen Loigman – This touching tale is set in two time periods, 1920s Brooklyn and 1980s Florida, and is a story of first love, loss, family, memories, forgiveness, and the possibility of rekindling old flames. As her 80th birthday approaches, newly retired pharmacist Augusta Stern is unsure what to do next. When she moves from Brooklyn, New York to Rallentando Springs – an active senior community in southern Florida – she is surprised to learn that Irving Rivkin, the man who broke her heart decades earlier, lives in the same senior community. The authentic characters are skillfully created, the prose is lyrical and entertaining, humor is woven throughout the story, and there is a touch of magical realism.

For a mom who likes all the drama: The Favorites by Layne Fargo – Set in the cutthroat world of competitive ice dancing, The Favorites is unputdownable. Kat and Heath take the world by storm with their scandals, torrid romance, and dramatic skating on their way to the Olympics, but then it all falls apart in a very public way. Alternating between snippets of interviews for a 10th anniversary documentary about the duo and their own accounting of what happened, this is an excellent and immersive read, especially for those who are drawn to epic love stories and lots of drama.

Editor’s note: Book reviewer Cindy Burnett also writes our weekly Page Turners column. She hosts an award-winning book podcast entitled Thoughts from a Page Podcast (www.thoughtsfromapage.com), runs the Instagram account @thoughtsfrompage, and regularly speaks to groups about books.

lawellphoto.com

PETS

by Annie Blaylock McQueen, staff writer

Happy Tails From foster homes to forever homes

F

or Liz Austin, a teacher and mom of three, fostering dogs is more than a passion – it is a labor of love. In Houston, where thousands of dogs need temporary homes while awaiting adoption, she opens her door without hesitation. For Liz, the reward is not just providing a safe haven but also witnessing the joy of a dog finding its forever home – sometimes just down the street.

Liz started rescuing dogs when she was a student at Texas A&M University and has not looked back. “I rescued my first dog in college when I adopted a stray puppy born under an East Texas farm porch,” Liz recalls. “She was with me for 13 years.”

After many years together, from college days to welcoming Liz and husband Jeremy’s babies, their beloved rescue dog passed away shortly after their second daughter was born. Jeremy and Liz agreed to take a break from pet ownership – at least for a little while. “I held up my end of that agreement for about two weeks,” says Liz, laughing. “That is when I adopted our dog Ouisie from Friends For Life Animal Rescue.”

Ouisie, a calm and loving large-sized dog, fits in perfectly with their family. Liz describes her as “the perfect dog to have with small kids. She just went with the flow.”

“For us, adopting rescue dogs was a no-brainer,” she says. “There are so many in need in Houston. If you are patient and stay in contact with the local rescues, you can find what you’re looking for without going to a breeder.”

And while they had originally planned to stop at just one dog in their home, Liz found herself drawn to the mission of fostering and the countless Houston-area rescue groups working to save homeless dogs.

Liz always paid attention to social media posts from local foster-based rescues needing temporary homes for dogs in transition. One day in October 2024, she saw a Facebook post from a foster coordinator with local nonprofit S.A.V.E. Rescue Coalition, looking for help. Two nineweek-old puppies needed a place to stay – just for a brief time. Fostering dogs through local rescue groups is the backbone of their mission.

Groups can only save more dogs with more fosWEST UNIVERSITY BUZZ MAY 2025 24

ter homes, otherwise, there is nowhere for the dog to be housed.

“I figured, why not? It is only for a few weeks,” Liz says.

Jeremy, although slightly hesitant at first, agreed. “I thought it would show my kids how much FROM FOSTER TO FOREVER Neighbor Kristin Ayers (pictured, at right) adopted their beloved rescue pug, Millie, from her neighbor and foster Liz Austin (left, with a work puppies are, former foster dog, Pebbles). and the novelty “When we finally lured her inside, she sat down would wear off quickly, but it didn’t turn out in the middle of our living room and did not that way,” she said. move for about 45 minutes. She was statue-still, Instead, the Austins ended up having a blast like she couldn’t believe we let her in.” fostering the puppies. Their three kids – daughters Slowly, Millie began to warm up to her foster Everley, 11, Lulu, 8, and son Fletcher, 4 – adored home. She bonded with Liz’s son, Fletcher, who the puppies, and friends and neighbors would frewould rest his head on her while watching carquently stop by to visit. “People came over all the toons. “She loved it,” Liz says. “She was comtime to get their fill of puppy snuggles,” Liz recalls. fortable with the chaos of small children. My “It was such a joyful experience.” girls would wake up early every morning to walk The puppies, after a few weeks of love and her; our neighbors would see Millie on her care, were transported out of Houston (known walks, and her stretched-out belly endeared her across the country as a high-kill shelter city) to to all the neighborhood moms as we made jokes a rescue partner in Brooklyn, NY, where they about the trials and sacrifices of motherhood.” found forever homes. The experience was posiMillie’s journey to recovery was touching and tive, and it was not long before they were ready followed closely by Liz’s street. At their annual to foster again.

Christmas tree lighting, which Millie attended, Fostering is a family affair for the Austins. one young neighbor took particular interest – 6Everyone divides and conquers to help manage year-old Brooklyn Ayers, daughter of Kristin and the duties for fostering. Whether it is feeding, Chris Ayers, a few doors down from the Austins. giving extra love, or ensuring Ouisie is doing Brooklyn took the leash from Liz and prookay, everyone helps. ceeded to “help” with Millie throughout the Their next foster dog, Millie, a young female entire Christmas event. Brooklyn’s younger pug, arrived just before Thanksgiving 2024. Liz brother, Tripp, 4, also fell in love with Millie. sent out a text message to her entire street of Hour after hour, as neighbors visited at the neighbor friends introducing Millie. event, Brooklyn became more and more The three-year-old dog had been surrendered obsessed with the little flat-faced rescue pup. by a backyard breeder and was in very rough Brooklyn’s dad, Chris, watched knowing what shape. It appeared she had been producing litter could be coming – a child head-over-heels in after litter, so the owner could sell the puppies to love with this pug. The Ayers family did not anyone willing to buy them. The conditions she have a family dog at the time. “I think they realhad lived in were deplorable and her quality of ized, this might be our dog,” said Liz. life terrible. “She was too skinny, eerily quiet, and Millie was soon officially made available for stared at us with the saddest eyes,” Liz remembers.

lawellphoto.com NEWEST MEMBER OF THE FAMILY Left photo: Kristin Ayers holds her rescue pug, Millie. Kristin’s neighbor Liz Austin was fostering Millie for S.A.V.E. Rescue Coalition when Kristin and her husband Chris's kids met her and fell in love. Top right: When the Austin family first welcomed Millie into her home as a foster dog, she was in rough shape, but healed physically and emotionally. Bottom right: Siblings Brooklyn Ayers, 6, and Tripp Ayers, 4, walk Millie daily down their street, where she has lots of fans.

adoption through S.A.V.E., and after consideration, one persistent little girl, and some encouragement from neighbors to hesitant Chris, the family decided to fill out an application to formally adopt her. “The entire street laid the pressure thick on Chris,” said Kristin, laughing.

As they awaited the application approval during Christmas time, Brooklyn only wanted pugthemed holiday gifts.

Finally, Millie’s application from the Ayers family was approved, and she found her forever home just two doors down from the Austins.

“Millie is a presence of love and comfort in our busy home,” said Kristin. “She is deeply treasured by our children and their favorite part of waking in the morning and coming home from school in the afternoon. She is a celebrity on our block and beloved by all our neighbors.

She’s the piece we didn’t know was missing from our family and we are so thankful Liz shared Millie with us.”

Millie stays connected with her foster family.

“My son Fletcher visits her daily at the bus stop,

and she’s even staying with us during their next vacation,” said Liz. Since Millie’s adoption in December, the Austins have already fostered four more dogs, one of which was adopted by another neighbor.

“I joke that my goal is to put a rescue dog in every house on my street, and these amazing neighbors might just let me.”

While some might fear the heartbreak of letting go, Liz ensures her kids are part of the decision-making process. Saying goodbye to a foster is always bittersweet, says Liz, but her family gains fulfillment. “They know fostering means giving dogs a second chance,” Liz says.

Liz emphasizes that fostering does not have to be overwhelming. “We already have ‘dog responsibilities’ with Ouisie – now we just do them for two dogs,” she explains. “We use a crate for every foster, and we mostly take in older dogs now, many of whom are already house-trained. The longest we’ve had a foster was six weeks; the shortest was one week.”

S.A.V.E. Rescue Coalition provides all medical

care, flea prevention, heartworm meds, vaccines, and even crates for fosters. Plus, volunteer fosters can tap into the private Facebook group for support, arranging help when they need to leave town or transport a dog to an adoption event.

Beyond the organization, Liz has found reward for her family. “It gives us something outside of ourselves to pour our hearts into,” she says. “And the kids get to see firsthand how small acts of kindness can change lives.”

For those interested in fostering, S.A.V.E. Rescue Coalition, along with countless groups throughout the Houston, are always looking for more volunteers. (S.A.V.E. will be hosting a Cinco de Mayo-themed adoption event on May 3, from 11 a.m.-1 p.m. at Little Rey’s at 2345 Mid Lane.)

As for Liz and her family, their fostering journey is far from over. “We always say, ‘Okay, we will take a little break after this one,’ but then I see another dog who needs help, and the answer is always the same,” she says. “Yes, we will take them in. Yes, we’ll love them. And yes, we’ll find them the perfect home.”

Interested in fostering?

In Houston, shelters are often overcrowded. Fostering is a rewarding way to help local shelters save lives and allow dogs to transition into adoptive homes more smoothly. Supplies such as crates and food are often provided by the organization. To get started, research rescue groups and shelters such as S.A.V.E. Rescue Coalition (saverescue.org), organizations such as Rescue Pets Movement (rescuedpetsmovement.org), Houston Pets Alive! (houstonpetsalive.org), and Friends for Life (friends4life.org).

For those unsure about long-term fostering, consider "weekend fostering" or "staycation" programs offered by shelters like BARC Animal Shelter (houstontx.gov/barc), which allow you to temporarily foster a dog to give them a break from the shelter environment.

WEST UNIVERSITY BUZZ MAY 2025 25

NEIGHBORS

by Jennifer Oakley, staff writer

Repurposed Roses hartphoto.com

BloomAgainHouston puts down roots

W

hen Paige and Harrison Messer were planning their January 2025 wedding, they knew that flowers were going to be an integral part of their celebration.

(Full disclosure here: I am the mother of the bride.) As the big day arrived, along with it came the roses, ranunculi, tulips, and hydrangeas of their dreams draping their chuppah, framing the doorways, gracing tabletops, and hanging from the ballroom ceiling. They loved their floral décor, but the socially responsible couple wondered: What to do with all the flowers after their last dance? Turns out nonprofit BloomAgainHouston had just the answer.

Co-founders Danielle Magdol and Missy Pacha launched the Houston chapter of the nonprofit organization in October 2024 with a simple goal: to bring new life to flowers and joy to others. They take donated flowers from corporate events, galas, and charity luncheons that might otherwise be thrown away and repurpose them into personal arrangements to brighten the days of isolated senior citizens, hospital patients, shelter residents, first responders, and teachers. “We are cultivating kindness, building community, and upcycling a resource that would have gone to waste,” says the upbeat and energetic Danielle. “We’re taking a resource that would have been thrown away and are creatively reinventing it.”

It’s a concept that has become near and dear to their hearts. Both women, longtime community volunteers, are at the stage in their lives where they are empty nesting – Danielle’s sons are in college, while Missy’s daughters are out of college and working and her son is in college – and have the time to cultivate the growth of the organization, which was inspired by, and now an affiliate of, BloomAgainBklyn in New York City.

“BloomAgainBklyn was founded by my husband’s aunt, Caroline Anderson,” says Danielle.

Caroline, who lives in Brooklyn and loves flowers, realized that there wasn’t an organization like New York food-rescue nonprofit City Rescue (similar to Houston’s food-rescue nonprofit Second Servings) for repurposing flowers.

So, she approached Trader Joe’s in Brooklyn to ask if they would donate unsold flowers with the WEST UNIVERSITY BUZZ MAY 2025 26

BRANCHING OUT Missy Pacha and Danielle Magdol (pictured, from left) are the co-founders of BloomAgainHouston, a nonprofit that repurposes donated flowers into bouquets to give to senior citizens, hospital patients, shelter residents, first responders, and teachers.

idea of giving them to people who wouldn’t ordinarily receive flowers. BloomAgainBklyn was born in 2014. BloomAgainHouston is the first affiliate group, and the local nonprofit is looking to sprout.

“It was 2023 when Danielle first reached out about doing this,” recalls the quick-to-smile, outgoing Missy, who knew Danielle from school volunteering. “At the time, my dad was in a nursing home. Dad always had greeting cards displayed that people had given him and I realized then how important it is to have a touchpoint outside the facility, because even with a network, it can feel isolating for seniors. I know that when we deliver the bouquets, it’s a way to show people they mean something.” Danielle says that the act of giving the flowers is rewarding for all involved. “Flowers immediately brighten a mood,” she says. “One of our earliest deliveries was for the local, male veterans at Tunnel to Towers [which provides permanent and transitional housing to veterans in the greater Houston area]. The response was so pos-

itive, and one of the guys said to us after we gave him his bouquet: ‘It’s just a box of love.’”

Missy and Danielle say that spreading the love is made possible through floral donations along with their volunteers who meet to repurpose and repackage the flowers and then deliver them.

In their first six months, BloomAgainHouston received almost 600 floral donations and delivered more than 1,110 new bouquets to 15 different charities. More than 100 volunteers of all ages have worked to make the floral bouquets.

Missy and Danielle are delighted to see their donations and volunteers grow. The pair offer three different kinds of workshops to redo and renew the flowers: community upcycling, where volunteers gather to repurpose the arrangements; floral wellness and teaching workshops where volunteers from local schools and communities gather to repurpose the arrangements; and corporate workshops, where employees from corporations gather to team build and practice community volunteerism while repurposing the flowers. At each workshop, they supply all materials

hartphoto.com hartphoto.com FLOWER POWER Top left photo: Missy Pacha, Danielle Magdol, Christie Sullivan, and Sloane Sullivan (pictured, from left) work to create new bouquets. Right: Volunteers from the NCL Texas Sage Chapter worked together to turn donated centerpieces from Nutcracker Market into individual bouquets for residents at Star of Hope and Holly Hall last November. Bottom left: Mom Christie Sullivan and daughter Sloane love to volunteer with BloomAgainHouston.

and staff to teach basic flower-arranging skills so that the donated flowers, which are usually centerpieces, can be creatively reimagined into individual-sized bouquets for their recipients. Their rule of thumb is that one centerpiece will usually yield six individual bouquets, placed in plastic silver mint julep cups.

Two of their volunteers are mother-daughter duo Christie and Sloane Sullivan, who were introduced to BloomAgainHouston through their National Charity League chapter. "At our first workshop, we were repurposing floral arrangements from the Nutcracker Market luncheon and were tasked with disassembling the flowers and then individually assessing each one, clipping leaves or petals as needed to restore them to their original beauty,” says Christie, a community volunteer. “Even though the flowers had been previously enjoyed, they were still able to be beautiful once again. We worked to bring the full arrangements over to a long, assembly line-style table and then began cleaning, dividing, and creating the new arrangements.”

Sloane was so impressed with that first workshop that she has since become a Student Ambassador for BloomAgainHouston. “In my role, I am responsible for securing floral donations

from events and then planning and organizing workshops,” says Sloane, a seventh grader at St. John’s School. “I recruit volunteers for the workshops and by spreading the word, I am working to build up a volunteer base to contact when we get donations. At the workshops, the atmosphere is really fun and creative. I have had more than 30 fellow students volunteer their time and the best feedback I have received is repeat volunteers!

Our last donation was from Bo's Place, and I will be visiting their offices to give a follow-up report and show pictures from our workshop.”

For her part, Bo’s Place Executive Director Jennifer Boubel was thrilled to donate the centerpieces from their 35th anniversary Hearts of Hope dinner. “We normally give our centerpieces away to our guests but this year, after Christie Sullivan, who is one of our board members, told us about BloomAgainHouston, it made perfect sense to donate our flowers, which are donated to us from H-E-B,” says Jennifer. “BloomAgainHouston made it so easy; they came to pick them up and then remade them for delivery to SpringSpirit. The whole process is brilliant, and we had 600 people at our event with 60 tables of flowers. Everyone was so happy that the flowers were going to continue to have a purpose.” Jennifer applauds

BloomAgainHouston for making the donation seamless. “There was a willingness to do what needed to be done because they came to get the flowers at 11 p.m. at night! They made it easy for us to say ‘Yes!’” Which is exactly what Missy and Danielle are aiming to do. Their willingness to wear every hat in their nonprofit has made for some memorable moments, like the time they rented a 17foot box truck to pick up the 150 arrangements from Nutcracker Market. “We realized our truck had no backup camera and I was trying to navigate NRG Park, which is like an entire city unto itself,” laughs Missy. “I could drive forward but not back up – Danielle and I were like Thelma and Louise on that pick-up!” The pair is allowing the nonprofit to blossom organically, and they love the goodwill that is being spread.

“One of our favorite deliveries was to Brigid’s Hope Houston, for formerly homeless women who have been incarcerated and recently released,” recalls Danielle. “We met the women who got to choose their own flowers and they were so excited – and I realized that some of these women had never gotten flowers before.” Missy notes that at a recent delivery to the DeBakey Veterans Hospital, the male (continued on page 28) WEST UNIVERSITY BUZZ MAY 2025 27

hartphoto.com hartphoto.com

David Truong Studio

SAYING IT WITH FLOWERS Left photo: Newlyweds Harrison and Paige Messer had their first dance under a ceiling of roses. After the wedding, they donated all of their flowers to BloomAgainHouston. Top right: Danielle Magdol, Missy Pacha, Sloane Sullivan, and Christie Sullivan (pictured, from left) pose with flowers that will be turned into bouquets. Bottom right: Once repurposed, all the donated bouquets are placed into plastic silver mint julep cups for delivery. (continued from page 27) veterans were overjoyed to

receive their bouquets. “One gentleman was so touched to get flowers,” says Missy. “He told me ‘we did not have flowers in Vietnam.’” It’s that type of response that is what this is all about, says Danielle. “When you give flowers, it’s like giving a cup of sunshine,” she says.

Missy and Danielle are looking forward to watching their garden of flowers grow and look forward to more donations, more volunteers, and more joy spread to their recipients. “This really is a win-win on every level because you are going to give flowers to those who always put others first like nurses, doctors, and teachers,” she says.

“You are going to give an isolated or vulnerable person something that will brighten their day.”

That resonated deeply with the Messers, who were the first couple to donate their wedding flowers to BloomAgainHouston. “Flowers are a significant portion of a wedding budget, and my husband and I like to consider ourselves practical, so spending a portion of the budget on flowers – something that would die within days – had us conflicted,” says Paige Messer, an attorney. “Because of BloomAgainHouston we knew our wedding flowers would be repurposed and re-loved.”

Both Missy and Danielle appreciate that senWEST UNIVERSITY BUZZ MAY 2025 28

timent and hope that more brides and grooms donate their wedding flowers. For the Messer wedding, they had to get creative because of the unprecedented snowstorm. “We’ve learned to be nimble. Take, for example, with Paige’s wedding,” notes Missy. "We were scheduled to

“When you give flowers, it’s like giving a cup of sunshine.” deliver the repurposed wedding arrangements to the DeBakey Veterans Hospital on the day the snow was to shut down Houston. We quickly realized we would need to pick up the wedding flowers, host our workshop, and make our delivery all on the same day. We rallied volunteers and were able to get the flowers to a new location just before the storm hit. While we have learned to expect the unexpected, we certainly never could have predicted a Houston snowstorm! It’s these challenges that have taught us there is always a solution if you get creative. For us, that’s part of the fun.”

The new location – senior living center The Tradition – was an especially meaningful surprise for Paige. “When I learned that our flowers were going to the senior residents at The Tradition on Buffalo Speedway, the donation meant even more because my grandma, Ellin Grossman, spent the last few years of her wonderful life at the Tradition on the memory care floor,” says Paige. “I was teary to know that our wedding flowers would go to other grandmas and grandpas who live there. I am so glad our flowers did not only live one night at our wedding but were able to live on the windowsills, tabletops, and common spaces at the Tradition.

White flowers can symbolize peace and harmony and we hope this is what the Tradition residents felt with our flowers.

“I couldn't imagine not donating my flowers to BloomAgainHouston and I would tell every bride or groom to donate.” And so would this Mother of the Bride.

For information about floral donations or volunteering with BloomAgainHouston, visit their Instagram page: @bloomagainhouston or email Danielle Magdol at danielle@bloomagainhtx.org or Missy Pacha at missy@bloomagainhtx.org.

WEST UNIVERSITY BUZZ MAY 2025 29

Hannah Spinner

NEIGHBORS

by Andria Dilling, staff writer

Bear’s Garden Cultivating a new generation of gardeners

T

he roots of Haran Levy’s garden – the one his grandchildren love to help with – go back to Haran’s childhood in Birmingham, Alabama.

“We lived on three acres with a giant backyard, and we had a gentleman who helped with the yard,” says Haran, a forensic accountant at BDO. “His name was Ben, and he got me involved with a vegetable garden way back when. I was probably 7 or 8. He would come every week, and I would just follow him around and help in between his visits. From then on, I was always doing something with planting.”

Haran carried that passion with him to Houston, explaining that he and his wife Cheryl have had vegetable gardens in every home they’ve lived in.

Now that Haran and Cheryl’s daughters Emily Spinner and Andi Riesenfeld are married and have their own children, Haran is instilling in the next generation a love for growing things in their garden.

“Haran’s grandpa name is Bear,” Cheryl, a volunteer, says. “It’s Bear’s Garden.”

The Levys have four grandchildren: Emily’s girls are Hannah, 8, and Julia, 5; and Andi’s children are Drew, 5, and Lucy, 3. They visit often.

“They always ask to go play in the garden,” Haran says. “When they’re out there, I’m with them. I show them how to water, how to plant.

When they see everything grow, they feel that they have helped. It’s a joy.”

Haran says the grandchildren are busy digging, getting wet, and picking vegetables as they come in. Cherry tomatoes and the green shoots from onions are favorites to pick off and snack on right outside. “It’s another reason I share this passion with my grandchildren,” Haran says. “I want to teach them the vegetables come from the earth, not H-E-B.” Andi says of her dad, “He’s the only one who can convince toddlers to eat raw arugula!” She says her 3-year-old daughter Lucy “eats tomatoes as if they were apples and mint leaves like chips.”

Emily remembers her oldest daughter Hannah, now 8, walking into the house when she was 3 with multiple chives hanging out of WEST UNIVERSITY BUZZ MAY 2025 30

her mouth. “She was just gnawing on a literal handful of them! Not on the typical toddler palate.”

Haran’s gardening is nothing new to his daughters. “I have so many happy memories of gardening with my dad,” Emily says.

“When we first moved into our house in 1989, we had a greenhouse GARDEN LOVE Haran and Cheryl Levy show off a just-picked onion from that Dad loved to Bear’s Garden. tinker around in like to walk around the garden with mint leaves with his plants. Later, he created our backyard in their mouths. garden. There was a special ‘side garden’ that he Depending on the time of year, Bear’s Garden surrounded with siding to be my special tulip will produce several varieties of peppers, from garden. I absolutely loved my tulip garden, and mild to “super-hot,” as Haran describes them. even have memories planting tulips in princess Spring brings peppers, plus several kinds of gowns!” tomatoes, pole beans, carrots, potatoes, squash, Emily says her dad has a “knack for knowing” and onions. In June, when the weather turns what plants need. “Whether it be hibiscus hot, the tomatoes get cleared out and replaced plants, orchids, succulents, bonsai. He even has with okra.

“The okra is fabulous,” Haran says. “Green okra, red okra. It’s much better than what you get at the stores. And it’s interesting, because you have to watch it carefully. It could be three inches long one day, and if you ignore it for a day or two it will be six inches long and tough to the point of being inedible.”

For more than 10 years, Haran has grown a list of people – now more than 30, from all parts of his life – who he shares okra with.

The Levys’ Maltipoo Bailey shares the bounty, too. “He likes raw okra as a treat,” Cheryl says, “and he walks around with it as if it is his a plant hospital at his house for when family cigar.” members’ plants need a little extra TLC.” There are no chemicals or pesticides in Bear’s Today the Levys’ herb garden is prolific with Garden: he uses MicroLife Fertilizer and alterdill, parsley, basil, oregano, rosemary, and mint. nate methods to keep pests away. Bird feeders “I grow the mint because Cheryl likes tea in the attract purple martins to eat mosquitos. And morning, and every morning she has fresh mint mylar strips get tied around tomato cages; in her tea,” Haran says. He also says the children

“Everything kids do these days is so structured. But in the garden, they just run and play.”

A FAMILY AFFAIR Haran Levy is instilling in the next generation a love for growing things in the garden. Clockwise, from top left: Lucy Riesenfeld loves planting and digging in her grandfather's garden; Haran plants a flower garden with his daughter Emily Spinner in 1989; three decades later, Haran gardens with his grandson Drew Riesenfeld (pictured here in 2022); sisters Hannah and Julia Spinner dig for worms in the worm garden; Hannah gazes at a ladybug before releasing it into the garden.

Cheryl and Haran learned the trick on vacation in Napa, where they asked a restaurant how they grew such beautiful tomatoes. Haran says, “It’s not a hundred percent foolproof, but they blow in the wind, and the sun hits the mylar, and it keeps the birds away.” Squirrels are another story. “You’re never gonna beat them. Even though they have a little brain they persevere.”

Come November, the garden gets a rest and the grandchildren get to dig for worms. “It’s important to me that the kids aren’t afraid of the

garden, or of worms. They play with them and get their hands dirty.

“Everything kids do these days is so structured. But in the garden, they just run and play.

We have hula hoops and balls, and the watering hose. They enjoy it, I enjoy it. It’s a happy place.

It’s my sanctuary.”

Haran’s grandchildren never got to meet Ben the yardman. “I don’t know how old Ben was when I was following him around. Ben is long gone. But Ben’s watching me from above.”

Cheryl Levy’s Roasted Okra

Super

Easy

Whole okra Grape or cherry tomatoes Olive oil Sea salt Freshly ground pepper Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. On a sheet pan, toss the okra, tomatoes, olive oil, salt, and pepper. Roast for 30 minutes.

WEST UNIVERSITY BUZZ MAY 2025 31

NEIGHBORS

by Annie Blaylock McQueen, staff writer

Making Memories with Mom Day trips to Round Top

E

ach spring and fall, tucked beyond fields and winding country roads in Fayette County, lies a uniquely Texan experience that draws thousands – Round Top’s charming antique fairs.

The Round Top Antique Fair is a renowned, multi-week event that attracts antique dealers, collectors, and shoppers from around the country. The fields are filled with a wide selection of vintage furniture, art, home décor, unique finds, and more.

More than 100,000 visitors from across the country make the pilgrimage each year to hunt for treasures, take in the colorful scenery, and create lasting memories.

With a population of just 90, Round Top is small but mighty with its presence.

In honor of Mother’s Day, we heard from some mother-daughter, and even grandmother, groups who meet each year amongst the scenic area just an hour or so west of Houston.

For Buzz mom Courtney Prochaska, a social media consultant and mother of two, the biannual tradition is about more than just shopping.

It’s a cherished time with the women who mean the most to her – her mom, Cathy Hutton, her grandmother, Carrietta Gentry, and Cathy’s lifelong family friend, Mary Chenoweth. Cathy, lead interior designer of Renovate Interiors, moved to New Ulm from Houston a few years back so Round Top is just a town or so away. Cathy has been shopping Round Top since 1990.

The group coordinates their schedules each spring and fall to meet for a day of browsing, lunch, and simply soaking in the atmosphere of Round Top. The town has grown, but their tradition of meeting up twice each year has remained the same.

Courtney, a fifth-generation Houstonian, juggles her PTA volunteer duties and her sons’ busy sports schedules, but she never misses this special outing with her mom, grandmother, and family friend. In years past, her cousin, Abbey Fisher, and sister-in law, Amy Robinson, have joined the group of women. Amy’s daughter, Clare, joined one year in her stroller when she was a toddler.

Since 2013, Courtney has made the trip with her 85-year-old grandmother, whom she affectionately WEST UNIVERSITY BUZZ MAY 2025 32

A ROUND TOP TRADITION These ladies never miss a chance to spend the day shopping and soaking up time together in Round Top, Texas. Pictured (from left) are Courtney Prochaska, family friend Mary Chenoweth, Courtney’s grandmother Carrietta Gentry – affectionately known as “Honey” – and Courtney’s mom, Cathy Hutton, a longtime Round Top visitor.

calls Honey, her mother, Cathy, and Mary. Their time together is filled with laughter, shopping, and relaxation. “My favorite memory is Courtney, as a non-shopper, bringing a book to read while we finished browsing,” Cathy said with a laugh.

Courtney doesn’t attend for the purchases – she goes for the quality time. “I’m not really a shopper,” she admitted. “But this trip is different. We never leave empty-handed, but even if we did, it’s about the time together – driving, talking, and laughing.”

Their routine is well established. After getting her two boys, Harris, 8, and Thomas, 9, off to school, Courtney rides with her grandmother and Mary for the scenic one-hour drive to Round Top, where they meet Cathy, who drives in from New Ulm (and Courtney’s husband Drew holds down the fort at home in Houston so Courtney can enjoy a stress-free day).

They spend the morning exploring Blue Hills, The Arbors, and Round (continued on page 34)

WEST UNIVERSITY BUZZ MAY 2025 33

QUALITY TIME For the past 10 years, mom Veronica Massiatte and her mom Teresa Flores (pictured, bottom photo, at right) have made day trips to Round Top a special tradition, and now her daughters Maddie and Molly join too. Pictured (top left photo) are Veronica and Maddie and (top right photo) Veronica, Molly, and Teresa. Bottom left: Cathy Hutton and daughter Courtney Prochaska are all smiles on a sunny day in Round Top. (continued from page 32) Top

Village, strolling through the sprawling antique displays. After hours of browsing, they enjoy lunch at The Garden Co., followed by a sweet treat at Royers Round Top Café. The adventure is always filled with laughter. “One year, we couldn’t find Honey,” Courtney recalled. “She had wandered off, and we eventually found her comfortably settled in an Adirondack chair with an ice-cold beer.” Needless to say, Courtney joked, Honey isn’t there for the shopping either.

Cathy is a passionate Round Top shopper, and she does not resist a treasure. “Honey had to ride on the floor of my mom’s Yukon to make room for the 17th-century stenciled wine buckets my mom purchased,” said Courtney, laughing. Honey goes with the flow.

The tradition of Round Top antiquing runs deep in Courtney’s family. “I remember my mom going to Round Top with her friends when I was in eighth grade,” Courtney said. “She invited me to join in 2013, and I’ve been going ever since.”

Cathy and her husband Robbie love hosting friends and family in New Ulm, making Round Top trips even more special. “It’s completely doable as a day trip, but it’s also fun to make a weekend out of it and stay with them,” Courtney said.

WEST UNIVERSITY BUZZ MAY 2025 34

While shopping at Round Top, Courtney and her mom make a point to support local artists.

“I have a painting of a church from my favorite artist [Mary Gregory] from Abilene hanging in our living room. I love that I found it with my mom,” Courtney shared.

Over the years, Courtney and her mother have collected special pieces, including a pair of mirrors she cherishes. She also has a fondness for Texas-themed dishes and enjoys hunting for them while out shopping. Peering at the items in their homes reminds them of the memories shared on their annual day trips to Round Trip.

The group’s tradition of wandering through the antique fields together has created countless memories. And as for Honey? “People always ask, ‘Is this your sister? Your mom? Your grandmother?’” Courtney said, laughing. She is aging well.

Many Buzz residents make the trip to Round Top each spring and fall for its unique charm.

Veronica Massiatte, a mother of three, has been attending with her mom, Teresa Flores, for over a decade. Now, her daughters, Molly and Maddie, have joined the tradition, sometimes accompanied by her dad and son as well.

“Watching my daughters learn how to antique or haggle for a price has been such a

great experience for them,” Veronica said. They have cherished pieces of furniture in their home purchased in Round Top, like her favorite antique chest that sits in a corner, bathed in sunlight and adorned with a vase of flowers.

One of her favorite memories? Shopping through the tents at Round Top during the Astros playoffs. The Astros advanced to the playoffs in an exciting and memorable moment.

“I was watching the game on my phone while shopping. My mom and I were screaming as we walked through the booths,” she laughed.

Year after year, she and her family look forward to the trip – finding hidden treasures, bonding over antiques, and making priceless memories.

A day spent antiquing with mom, grandmother, daughter, a beloved family member, or a close friend can be good for the soul. It is an opportunity to slow down, browse unexpected finds, and connect across generations over a shared love for history and craftsmanship and most of all, antiques.

The Original Round Top Antiques Fair Fall Show takes place in the spring and in the fall. The fall show is scheduled Oct. 15-21, 2025. General admission is $10. See www.roundtoptexasantiques.com for details.

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Cindy Burnett

ARTS

.

by Cindy Burnett, staff writer

Buzz Reads

Five picks for May

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

The Bright Years by Sarah Damoff (fiction) – Texan Sarah Damoff’s debut spans six decades and is structured in three parts, each told from a different point of view: Lillian, who has experienced numerous losses and simply desires a stable and quiet life with her husband Ryan and daughter Georgette; Georgette, who endures the many ups and downs of her parents’ relationship, and finally Ryan, an artist and gallery owner who grapples with his father’s addiction and his own alcoholism. The Bright Years starts slowly but picks up steam as the story progresses. This tale of inherited generational trauma, poor choices, and the enduring connection of family pulls at the heartstrings while eliciting so many feelings – anger, sorrow, frustration, and ultimately empathy. Damoff’s portrayal of alcoholism and its lasting effects on family members is honest and at times hard to read. Have tissues ready – the book is a tearjerker. It will be a great fit for fans of family dramas and compelling stories.

The Correspondent by Virginia Evans (fiction) – Most mornings, 73-year-old Sybil Van Antwerp sits down to write letters – to her brother, to her best friend Rosalie, to Joan Didion and Ann Patchett to give them her thoughts on their latest books, and to one mysterious person to whom she writes regularly but never sends her missives. When letters from her past force her to do some self-reflection, Sybil realizes that she must reconsider some long-held beliefs. Sybil’s wry wit and clever sense of humor are present throughout, and the letters she writes and receives are a joy to read. The Correspondent explores the importance of literature, making connections, expanding worldviews through experiences, as well as the ups and downs of a long life. Both heartwarming and heartbreaking, this will be one of my top reads of 2025; I loved the reflections on love, loss, parenting, family, and most importantly the passage of time. This book will appeal to fans of thought-provoking books and memorable characters as well as those who love epistolary novels and those who are drawn to the power of the written word.

WEST UNIVERSITY BUZZ MAY 2025 36

The Impossible Thing by Belinda Bauer (historical mystery) – On the cliffs of Yorkshire in 1926, an unloved, small girl from a poor farming family turns their fortunes around when she discovers a beautiful rare red egg on the cliffs near her home. A century later, the same egg, WHAT TO READ This month’s selections include a beautiful story about friendship and art, a light mystery with a sleuthing nun, a debut about addiction, a clever historpart of a collection ical mystery, and a fabulous epistolary novel. of red eggs dubbed look forward to book two. Murder at Gulls Nest the Metland Eggs, is stolen from Patrick Fort’s will appeal to fans of light-hearted mysteries and friend Weird Nick, whose joint efforts to get it unique characters. back reveal the cruel world of egg trafficking.

My Friends by Fredrik Backman (fiction) – Bauer examines the power of human obsession to Backman returns with another beautifully-crafted obtain and possess, and this theme permeates the story, this one centered around four friends with difbook. The Impossible Thing is a fascinating mixture ficult home lives who inspire a painting that of crime fiction, historical adventure, and intrigue becomes world famous. Twenty-five years later, 17that kept me madly turning the pages. The two year-old Louisa encounters the painter and is subtimelines weave seamlessly together, and the sequently gifted this famous painting. While comtwists and turns make for a compelling story. I ing to terms with her bequest, she sets out on a highly recommend this creative and clever read. cross-country journey to understand how the paintThose who enjoy unique stories and unforgettable ing came to be as she learns about these four friends characters will devour this book as well as readers and their lasting legacy. My Friends delves into grief, who like genre mashups and/or enjoy stories based love, overcoming hardship and trauma, the creon real items like the Metland Eggs. ation of art, and the lasting power of friendship. The Murder at Gulls Nest by Jess Kidd (historical ending was unexpected and welcome, demonstratmystery) – Set in 1954 at the Gulls Nest boarding ing that happy endings do not always take the form house in Gore-on-Sea in Kent, England, Murder that we expect. This is a tearjerker so tissues will be at Gulls Nest follows Nora Breen, a middle-aged needed. My Friends will be a top read of 2025 for woman who has recently left her convent after 30 me – I highly recommend it. It is a must-read for years. She is determined to learn what happened fans of books about human resilience and healing to her former novice and pen pal Frieda, whose and those who love lyrical prose. letters have mysteriously stopped arriving. Gulls Nest is filled with down-on-their-luck residents Editor’s note: Book reviewer Cindy Burnett who all seem to be harboring secrets, and no one also writes our weekly Page Turners column at wants to talk about Frieda. When bodies start pilthebuzzmagazines.com. She hosts an award-wining up, Nora takes it upon herself to assist the ning book podcast entitled Thoughts from a Page police in solving the murders. This book contains Podcast www.thoughtsfromapage.com, runs the fascinating characters, a bunch of red herrings, Instagram account @thoughtsfrompage, and regsome humor mixed in, and a clever resolution to ularly speaks to groups about books. the mystery. This is the start of a new series, and I

WEST UNIVERSITY BUZZ MAY 2025 37

TRAVEL

.

by Tracy L. Barnett, staff writer

Travel Buzz

The Maldives: From Honeymoon to Family Getaway

A

ngela Li and Jung Shao’s relationship with the dreamy Asian archipelago known as the Maldives began 11 years ago with their honeymoon. The Bellaire residents hail from China, where the islands are a top honeymoon destination, and they had both always wanted to go. So when they married, it was the perfect time.

Their trip took them to exotic beaches in Thailand, to the cosmopolitan sophistication of Singapore, and finally to the Maldives. They loved it all, but in the end, it was the Maldives that really captured their heart.

The couple were enchanted by the turquoise waters, the soft white sands, the luxurious overwater bungalows. The underwater world that surrounded them was equally enticing, with the coral reefs teeming with tropical life. Each island is a tiny paradise, many of them home to their own resorts, and romantic seclusion is a part of the package.

“It was incredible,” Angela recalled. “It’s just like an isolated heaven.”

Their honeymoon resort, the Conrad Maldives on Rangali Island, is one of those that has its own private island, and their over-thewater villa had a glass floor through which they could sit and watch the tropical fish swimming beneath their feet.

The snorkeling was splendid, and with good reason: the Maldives is famous for its extensive coral reefs. These reefs form the basis of the archipelago, which consists of 26 atolls made up of more than 1,000 coral islands. The Maldives’ coral reefs are among the most diverse marine ecosystems in the world, home to a vast variety of marine life including manta and stingrays, numerous species of tropical fish, sharks, and sea turtles.

One of the most unforgettable highlights at the Conrad Maldives was dining at Ithaa, the world’s first undersea restaurant, where guests enjoy fine wines and fusion menus as fish and sharks swim by.

There on their honeymoon on their private island, they fell in love with the place, and would go on to plan three more trips, returning time and time again. Once more alone, then with Jung’s parents, Jack and Amy Shao, and finally, with the whole family, including the WEST UNIVERSITY BUZZ MAY 2025 38

MALDIVES MEMORIES Embracing sustainability, Anantara Kihavah Villas in Maldives seamlessly integrates with nature, sheltering guests from the sun amidst lush greenery. From left: Jung, Stanley, Jayden, and Angela take a peaceful stroll in the resort's small forest.

couple’s children.

Jayden, 11, and Stanley, 9, were thrilled to learn about their island adventure last spring.

Their parents took them out of school for 10 days to experience a different sort of education.

The trip took 30 hours in all, with a 10-hour layover in Istanbul. From there they took another 10-hour flight to Malé, the capital of the Maldives, and from there the boat transport to the hotel where they spent their first two nights, The Hilton Maldives Amingiri, near the capital.

From there they took a 45-minute flight to Anantara Kihavah Villas, located on the Baa Atoll in a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, where they spent another five nights. The low-flying flight gave them a spectacular bird’s-eye view of the archipelago, which they especially enjoyed.

In keeping with its sustainability goals, the hotel has an unusual approach to guest services; it has no lobby or front desk for check-in.

Instead, they were met at the entrance by their

“Villa Host,” who accompanied them to their overwater villa and helped them plan every detail of their stay.

Anantara’s efforts to conserve the rich biodiversity of the Biosphere are notable, said Angela. For instance, during construction, care was taken to avoid cutting down trees by designing and building villas around them, giving the island a decidedly greener feel.

“It's really gorgeous,” said Angela. “We didn’t worry about the sun during the day because they keep the most natural trees, like a little forest.”

The hotel also has its own research program aimed at documenting and protecting the hundreds of marine species in and around the reef, including some 300 fish species and more than 130 varieties of coral.

The family’s stay was unforgettable. The Kids’ Club, one of the biggest in the Maldives, offers daily activities from a Kids’ Pirate Cruise to marine biology courses. The boys especially enjoyed an outing to a local island to explore

PARADISE FOUND TOGETHER Left: An unforgettable family moment walking along the beach, bathed in the glow of a stunning sunset. Pictured (front) Jung, Jayden, Stanley, and Jack; back: Angela and Amy. Right, the overwater villas offer serene tranquility amidst crystal-clear waters.

local flora and fauna.

Together, the family enjoyed snorkeling, fishing, and biking – they could circumnavigate the island on the hotel’s bicycles. They went fishing in the traditional way, using a baited line held in the hand instead of a pole. Indeed, they learned that most fishing in the Maldives is done with line fishing.

“People told me why they choose the wild fishing,” said Angela. “It’s because they only want to take the needed resources from the sea.”

Stanley was excited to catch a large sturgeon on a hand line. Looking back, the 9-year-old recalls that moment as the most exciting of the whole trip.

“I was surprised,” he recalled. It was big and gray, and had shark-like fins. “And the skin was special because it was like sandpaper.”

The boys especially loved that they could snorkel right outside their villa and even watch the fish through a glass window on the floor.

Big brother Jayden had a special moment when he was lounging on a bed that hung from the ceiling on the porch of their villa.

“I was just relaxing there, and then I saw a sea turtle,” said Jayden. “And then my dad went up to it and got very, very close – he was close to touching it. And then it swam away.”

Jung’s parents, Jack and Amy, enjoyed the family time with their son, daughter-in-law, and grandchildren, and they loved the authentic Asian foods there. Amy also enjoyed morning and sunset yoga classes, while Jack’s favorite part was snorkeling and sunset fishing.

Dining at the resort was memorable as well, said Angela. The restaurant’s offerings include private seafront seatings on the beach, two seaside restaurants, and a “Stranded in Paradise” option that includes a private boat excursion.

Perhaps the most magical is SEA, the resort’s underwater restaurant, where guests enjoy a top chef’s tasting menu as a colorful variety of marine life swims by. The family missed out on this one, however, as it was entirely booked.

Special memories include snorkeling with the boys and watching them identify multiple varieties of fish. Stanley rattled off a list including stingrays, reef sharks, sea turtles, clownfish, a sea

cucumber, and even a puffer fish.

Visiting with hotel employees who shared stories and insights about their local culture was another highlight. Indeed, they met people from a variety of cultures, including a woman who had escaped from the war in Ukraine, which served as a powerful reminder for Angela of the interconnectedness of the planet.

“We’re so connected in ways that make us feel the world,” Angela reflected. “And actually, it’s just like an Earth village; it's very small.”

This most recent journey was especially poignant due to both of Jung’s parents having recently recovered from lung cancer. Both were diagnosed at the same time – fortunately, they caught it early, and their surgeries were minimally invasive.

Nonetheless, it was a wakeup call for the whole family.

“What they told me was that maybe that would be the last long-distance trip for them,” said Angela. “So we had a chance to do some activities together and live together for 10 days in one of the world’s most beautiful places.”

Tips from Our Travelers From Angela Li Worth the splurge: Dining at an underwater restaurant. We really loved the one at the Conrad on our first trip, but they were all booked this time. Be sure to make a reservation!

Don’t miss: Snorkeling, line fishing, and morning and sunset yoga.

Favorite restaurants: SPICE seaside restaurant at Antara was beautiful and delicious.

Packing: Swimming suit, snorkeling gear, and a beautiful dress, of course.

Don’t bring: Drone, unless you are an influencer!

Don’t forget: Plenty of money (US dollars can be used there), and a good mood.

Don’t do it: Never bring back the beautiful shells you find, unless it’s from a souvenir shop. Shell collecting is prohibited.

Beware travel rating scams: You can trust most Google reviews, in our experience.

Unexpected hit: I thought it was just a family getaway, relaxing, taking a break, and doing nothing. But actually, it is a good opportunity to meet different people with different backgrounds; it's a good connection to the rest of the world.

WEST UNIVERSITY BUZZ MAY 2025 39

SPORTS

.

by Todd Freed, staff writer

SportzBuzz I

t was the greatest season in school history for the Bellaire Cardinals boys basketball team, which came within one victory of its firstever state championship. The Cardinals advanced to the UIL 6A Division 1 State Final before falling to perennial powerhouse Duncanville by a heartbreaking 54-52 final in the state title game.

“It was an extremely rewarding season,” said longtime Bellaire head coach Bruce Glover.

“We work with a great group of young men and our community has been overwhelmingly supportive. There was so much love and joy in what we were able to achieve. We knew it was a big deal for our team, but to see so many people backing us was just fantastic.”

In advancing to their first-ever state final, the Cardinals were led by a sensational season from 6-foot-7 Duke University signee Shelton Henderson, who scored 25 points with 15 rebounds in the state final versus Duncanville.

A game earlier in the state semifinals versus nationally ranked San Antonio Brennan, Henderson lit up the scoreboard with 27 points in a decisive victory for the Cardinals.

“It just meant the world to win that state semifinal game to advance to the state final,” said Henderson. “It was extra special doing so with this group of guys for four years at Bellaire.

We went through so much together and overcame a lot of adversity. So doing this together meant so much to me.”

W

ith a decisive 65-47 win over Arlington Grace Prep in the state final, the Second Baptist Eagles secured the TAPPS 5A Boys State Basketball championship. The victory capped off a sensational 33-4 season as the Eagles brought home the fourth state basketball championship in school history.

“It was more exciting that you can ever imagine,” said Eagles junior Shia Francis. “Just being in the stadium with all those people chanting.

You could barely hear your own thoughts. It was just awesome.”

“First of all, a lot of credit goes to the talented individuals on this basketball team,” said Eagles first-year head coach Taylor Land. He said what

WEST UNIVERSITY BUZZ MAY 2025 40

EAGLES SOAR It was quite a celebration for the Second Baptist Eagles following its 65-47 victory over Arlington Grace Prep to win the TAPPS 5A State Basketball Championship.

made this team stand out was “the team chemistry and just their unselfishness all season.”

“The chemistry was definitely amazing,” added Eagles senior Michael Pratt. “We had this unbreakable bond on and off the court. It was a fun group of guys to be around.”

Even with Pratt being the only senior on the entire roster, the Eagles still steamrolled through its four playoff victories by a 20-point margin of victory. Leading the way was super sophomore Reese Alston, who averaged 21 points per game over the entire season. “Really, it was all about trusting my teammates and trusting what our coaches drew up for us,” said Alston.

“When you look at the amount of growth from September to October to the end of the season in February, there’s no way our guys don’t improve without being extremely humble and coachable,” added Coach Land.

A

fter capturing the first state championship in any sport last year for St. Francis Episcopal, the Wolves boys basketball team is now back-to-back state champions. St. Francis Episcopal defeated Lubbock Christian 53-36 in the state final to win the TAPPS 4A State Championship while finishing the season with a lofty 30-8 record.

“I think for our seven seniors to go out the way they did was amazing,” said Wolves head coach Harold Baber. “Four years ago, when

these guys decided to attend St. Francis, I felt we were fortunate to have them here at our school. They could have gone to school at so many other places across Houston, but they believed in our program and the faith-based education of St. Francis Episcopal.”

Coach Baber added that the building block may very well have been when senior Corey Syon enrolled at St. Francis back as an eighth grader. “Corey had a great connection in AAU basketball to John Laboy, Christian Hodge, Trace Stone, Josh Obanor, and Nigel Walls. All of those guys enrolled at St. Francis one year after Corey as high school freshmen. Then, when O’Marion Harvey transferred in as a sophomore, it only added to a truly great group of young men.”

As it stands now, five of those seven seniors will also play collegiate basketball. “I’m just so proud of their development both on and off the court,” added Baber. “They are all really good students and leaders in our community. I believe that St. Francis Episcopal was a good fit for them, and they were a good fit for St. Francis.”

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 MAY 2025 41

SPORTS

.

by Annie Blaylock McQueen, staff writer

SportzBuzz Jr. W

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

The West University Softball Association 14U Breakers took a moment to get a picture with players from the Pershing Pandas team after competing together in a WUSA 14U Spring Season Co-Op program game. WUSA's 14U Spring Co-Op program allows WUSA players in the 14U division to compete with area middle school teams over the course of the spring.

WUSA fielded three 14U teams this spring. These included WUSA’s two tournament teams (Breakers and Wave) and the spring recreational team, the Fury. The 14U players who have also competed in eight recreational seasons are recognized as WUSA graduates at the end of the season.

Pictured (front row, on the ground, from left) are Alexis Freshwater, Daniela Trejo, Madison Kimble, Taylor Fefer, Cindy Westin; (middle row, from left) Thi Nguyen, Evelyn Wu, Olivia Taschery, Nina Jalbrzykowski, Annabelle Hamilton, Allie Kim, Gaby Ramírez; (top row, from left) Sarah Garber, Hays McAllister, Natalia Cotton, Emerson Glenn, Sophie Galfione, Reese Marchive, Eliana Marino, Lila Elliott, Caroline Cozart, and Elliott Osborne.

A cherished tradition The 2025 Bellaire Little League season opened with more than just baseball – it was a celebration of community and fun. The opening day began with teams running through the Bellaire High School Cardinal, greeted by cheers from the BHS baseball team and cheerleaders. Ken Mondshine’s saxophone rendition of the National Anthem was memorable. Special guests, including Mayor Gus Pappas and city officials, showed their support. Families also enjoyed carnival rides, inflatables, face painting, and games like dodgeball and wiffle ball. The Mom’s Softball Game brought fun laughs, while the Home Run Derby had the crowd cheering.

District champs The 2024-25 Pin Oak 8th grade boys basketball team had an exceptional season, finishing with an impressive overall record of 12-1 and winning the district title. The Chargers were dominant in district play, going undefeated with a perfect 8-0 record. Throughout the season, the team showcased remarkable offensive and defensive skills, averaging 47 points per game while holding opponents to just 27 points. Pictured (from left) are Mikael Virani, Aidan Luckett, Jayden Camacho, Adam Savoie, Smith Rogers, Dean Morris, Coach Astaire Carter, Standford Jones, Mykai Byrd, Mason Boynton, Truitt Wynn, Patrick Glover, and Romello King.

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 MAY 2025 42

Dee Zunker Photography

Softball buddies

WEST UNIVERSITY BUZZ MAY 2025 43

CULTURE ON CANVAS Nate Barcot, a junior at Kinder High School for the Performing and Visual Arts, with his piece Ăn Canh Khổ Qua Thì Khổ Qua (Bitter Melon Ends Suffering), which is on view at CAMH through Oct. 2025, along with his piece Tết, A New Year. He received the national Gold Medal, as well as a regional Gold Key, in the Scholastic Art & Writing Competition.

KIDS

by Nate Barcot, age 17

Buzz Kidz

Exploring my culture through art

W

hen I was younger, I didn’t like going to museums, and hated looking at art.

Then, when I was in San Francisco, I saw Kehinde Wiley’s art exhibit An Archaeology of Silence at the de Young museum. I was completely blown away by the scale and colors, and the way he captured his figures. I began to learn his story of portraying these people from different cultures, and it was one of the first times I realized how beautiful art can be and how it has the ability to communicate such unique emotions.

My art has a lot of cultural symbolism containing deeper meanings that tie back to my heritage. I am connected to my culture by Vietnamese food, objects, and traditions that I grew up around. Exploring what keeps me connected to my culture can help people who strug-

gle to understand their relationship with their own culture. Because I am mixed and don’t look very Vietnamese, I sometimes feel like an outsider to something that is part of me. Growing up, I’ve always felt most connected with my Vietnamese culture because of my close relationship with my first-generation mom and my grandma who immigrated from Vietnam. My pieces usually come from thoughts about cultural pressures, which I try to express through my art.

The large-scale works I like to create have been on wood panels, hand-stretched shaped canvases, and textiles. I tend to paint using acrylic paints and love to work with oil paints, mixed media, textiles, and sculpting.

This year I was awarded the national Gold Medal, as well as a regional Gold Key, in the

Scholastic Art & Writing competition. I’m looking forward to the award ceremony at Carnegie Hall this summer! My Gold Medalwinning piece Bitter Melon Ends Suffering and Honorable Mention piece Tết, A New Year are on view at the Contemporary Art Museum of Houston from April-Oct. 2025.

The stuffed bitter melon shown in my piece is a traditional Vietnamese dish usually eaten around the Lunar New Year. This dish is eaten first to symbolize getting the worst of the past year out of the way. This piece symbolizes wanting to let go of past mistakes in hopes to be at peace with myself.

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

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WEST UNIVERSITY BUZZ MAY 2025 44

Enter The Buzz 2025 Photo Contest Deadline May 15, 2025

Submit photos for our 20th annual Photo Contest.

Deadline May 15.

To submit photos, and for contest rules, visit thebuzzmagazines.com/photocontest Winning photos will be published in our July issue and on our website.

To view our 2024 winners, visit thebuzzmagazines.com/2024-photo-contest Our grand prize winner will receive a Weekend Getaway Package for Two at The Houstonian Hotel, Club & Spa which includes luxury accommodations on Friday and Saturday evening, a $150 Credit at TRIBUTE Restaurant, access to the exclusive Houstonian Club and three temperature-controlled resort pools.

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WEST UNIVERSITY BUZZ MAY 2025 45

PETS

Neighborhood Tails Thorin, age 12, Corgi, Marquette St. Hi! This is Thorin! Yes, named after Thorin Oakenshield, the leader of the Dwarves from The Lord of the Rings. You might see me rolling around near Colonial Park. I did not always have wheels, but I try to keep up with our busy household – my human brother Rowan (10), and two cats Nova and NASA – despite my disability. I love belly rubs and playtime with my tug of war toy, but most of all, I love meal time. I was trained to balance a treat on my nose, sit, stay, speak, roll over, and give high fives. My favorite snacks are raw veggies. I am a Corgi (herding breed) and I take my job very seriously. I will alert you of any movement outside or inside the house. I also love to help keep the house clean... by “vacuuming” the floor and removing all food remnants in sight. My nicknames are “T-Dawg,” “Loaf,” and “Tater.”

Got a cute critter? Email a picture of your pet with approximately 150 words to info@thebuzzmagazines.com or mail it to The Buzz Magazines, 5001 Bissonnet, Suite 100, Bellaire, Texas 77401.

WEST UNIVERSITY BUZZ MAY 2025 46

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Paying bills in probate If your score is decent, you’ll still get credit card offers while you’re on life support, no questions asked, and no medical exam needed. That’s because Texas has a process for creditor’s claims that puts creditors ahead of survivors, at least after funeral and medical bills, a modest “family allowance” for the surviving spouse and eligible children, and the expenses of estate administration and preservation.

Both Texas and the IRS hold beneficiaries liable for spending decedent’s assets without paying off decedent’s debts. You are not responsible for Dad’s debt just because he died, but you do become responsible when you spend his money, whether you collected it with a death certificate, or a court appointed executor gave it to you. For executors and administrators, it gets worse: i) you assume liability for postmortem income taxes when you collect an asset and ii) on distribution of estate assets, you assume liability for decedent’s inter vivos taxes, too. If you don’t pay Dad’s taxes with his estate’s funds, plan to use your own, even if you distributed everything to others and nothing to yourself.

The safest advice is impractical: don’t pay a decedent’s bills before probate or before the executor and administrator inventory the estate and approve your claim.

Because Texas prioritizes the funeral, a family allowance, and estate administration and preservation, a more flexible approach works for middle class families. On Dad’s death, keep the utilities on and insurance in force, take care of the surviving spouse’s and minor children’s needs (not wants), and otherwise hold off paying Dad’s medical bills, credit cards, charitable

pledges, and even rent, car notes, and the mortgage. Until a probate judge appoints someone with authority to collect assets and repay you, bills are paid at your risk. If certain the estate is solvent, it makes sense for Mom to pay rent, car notes, and the mortgage on time, even if her name is not on the lease or loan document. No point in racking up penalties and interest if Mom has the cash and is getting all the assets anyway.

Once a formal probate opens, the personal representative may find enough assets to pay all the bills and reimburse others who helped. If need be, the estate can be run through the probate court almost like a bankruptcy, with creditors wiped out who fail to file claims timely or with adequate support. Texas has a robust scheme for classifying claims, prioritizing payment, and allocating the cost among the beneficiaries. The results are not intuitive, and creditors find the process as confusing as consumers, but the results tend to be fair and predictable.

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/blog

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Priscilla Dickson

NEIGHBORS

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by Angie Frederickson, staff writer

Buzz About Town Priscilla Dickson

Brighter futures for students

Debby Leighton, Sidney Faust, Betty Hrncir, and Judi McGee (pictured, from left) attended the 19th annual Brighter Futures awards banquet hosted by the Salvation Army Youth of the Year Ambassadors. More than 60 students competed for Ambassadors scholarships and the winners were announced at the annual event held at River Oaks Country Club. Youth of the Year Ambassador Merele Yarborough chaired the event that honored Charles Roff, a member of The Salvation Army Advisory Board and former Chair of The Salvation Army’s Boys & Girls Clubs Advisory Council. The Youth of the Year Scholarship

Program was founded by Salvation Army Advisory Board member Judi McGee almost 20 years ago, and more than $3 million has been raised and more than 400 scholarships awarded.

A battle of wits Presbyterian School sent seven teams to compete at the Odyssey of the Mind (OM) Houston Regional Tournament and made an impressive win, advancing all seven teams to the state tournament at San Jacinto College. The winning teams represented students from third grade, fourth grade, fifth grade, and seventh grade.

Each team tackled a long-term problem for six months and brought their solutions to the competition. The third-grade team chose to compete in The OM-Mazing Race category that challenged them to design, build, and operate an all-terrain vehicle. Their entry included a race to three original, team-created destinations and each leg of the race had an obstacle that the rider and vehicle had to overcome. The firstplace third graders are (pictured, from left) Evey Tallichet, Annie Brasher, Honey Gibbs Vincent, Micah Hance, Blane Morris, Victoria Baehl, and Wyatt Ybarra.

A joyful luncheon Abigail Tonry and Johnnie Frazier (pictured) enjoyed the sold-out Blue Bird Circle annual luncheon. Arts and the Brain: Joyful Engagements, chaired by Maggie Austin and Ellen Stough, raised more than $300,000 to support pediatric neurological research and care at Texas Children’s Hospital, Baylor College of Medicine, and Duncan Neurological Research Institute. This year’s luncheon featured Broadway actor Miguel Cervantes, known for his portrayal of Alexander Hamilton in the Tony Award-winning musical Hamilton, who performed iconic songs from the show. Master of Ceremonies Ernie Manouse interviewed Cervantes who shared stories about the loss of his daughter who battled epilepsy. Dr. Debra F. Sukin, President and CEO of Texas Children’s Hospital, the event honoree, spoke about the importance of continued research and medical advancements in pediatric neurology.

Breaking the fast together The Muslim Community Association hosted its first interfaith Ramadan iftar at Patio by La Pasha.

Iftar is the name of the meal eaten at sunset to break the fast during Ramadan. Friends, neighbors, and city leaders of all faiths attended the event and enjoyed each other’s company.

Bellaire Mayor Gus Pappas, Bellaire Police Chief Onesimo "Mo" Lopez, and multiple city council members and city staff were among the 150 guests who heard from Imam Wazir Ali about the significance of Ramadan and the power of joining together in the community. Pictured are (top row, from left) Shama Rasheed, Terry Leavitt-Chavez, Sharon Citino, Cindy CohenTaylor, Gus Pappas, Brian Witt, Win Frazier, Christian Somers, Onesimo "Mo" Lopez, Zeyad Metwalli, Maria Kari; (sec- (continued on page 50) WEST UNIVERSITY BUZZ MAY 2025 48

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Wilson Parish

Moghazy, Jackie Georgiou; (bottom row, from left): Pernia Latif and Maarig Ahmad.

B. Stern, president and CEO of the Houston endowment, shared her thoughts on the challenges and opportunities for today’s educators.

For the kids

Children’s Museum brings the energy

Deborah Cannon, Ann B. Stern, Cathryn Selman, Doug Selman, Tiffany Cuellar Needham, Elisa Villanueva Beard, and Lori Sherman (pictured, from left) were among the 300 Teach for America Houston supporters at the Ignite Potential luncheon. The third annual event was held at The Briar Club and raised $531,000 for education efforts in targeted schools. This year’s luncheon was chaired by Teach for America Houston board members Deborah Cannon and Lori Sherman, and honored Cathryn and Doug Selman for their commitment to the students in our city. Keynote speaker Ann

The 2025 Friends and Families luncheon supporting Children’s Museum Houston was a huge success. Ashley Sloan, Devorah Krieger, and Chita Craft (pictured, from left) were among the more than 275 supporters at River Oaks Country Club. Sloan and Krieger chaired the luncheon and Craft served as mistress of ceremonies. Keynote speaker Dr. Amy Shah, an expert in integrative medicine, nutrition, and wellness, spoke to the crowd about overcoming burnout, fatigue, and stress. The bestselling author of books I'm So Effing Tired: A Proven Plan to Beat Burnout, Boost Your Energy and

Hung L. Truong

(continued from page 48) ond row, from left) Dalia

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Reclaim Your Life gave science-backed advice to parents and caregivers about ways to manage the demands of family life. The Friends and Families luncheon raised nearly $180,000 to support Children’s Museum Houston’s early childhood and parenting programs.

Celebrating 70 years x 2 Catherine and Steve Carrigan celebrated their 70th birthdays in Hawaii with a group of 19 family members. The Carrigan clan traveled to the Big Island and stayed at the Four Seasons Resort Hualalai.

Grandparents, children, and grandchildren enjoyed spending time together with family meals, snorkeling, golf, pickleball tournaments, swimming, and Mahjong by the pool. (continued on page 52)

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Katy Anderson

from Harvard University and is the author of three award-winning books and a finalist for the NAACP Image Award. The event honored Houston-based artist Mathieu JN Baptiste whose work has been exhibited around the world. The Jung Center humanitarian award, given in honor of founder Carolyn Grant Fay, was presented to Mathieu.

Honoring Houston Hearts seniors

(continued from page 50) Pictured on a family boat

ride and sporting “70” hats are (top row, from left) Hunt Robinson, Harrison Heck, Lauren Allen, Adam Allen, Lily Allen, Leslie Simmons, Charles Simmons; (middle row, from left) Clare Robinson, Mary Emma Allen, Meg Carrigan, Amy Robinson, Catherine Carrigan; (bottom row, from left) Gentry Robinson, Carter Simmons, Miles Allen, Mary Ella Robinson, Brynne Simmons, and Landon Allen; not pictured: Steve Carrigan.

An evening with The Jung Center Wayne and Judy McConnell and Heidi and Marcus Smith (pictured, from left) chaired a benefit for The Jung Center at River Oaks Country Club.

The Jung Center assists people in the community with mental wellness programs and artistic expression programs for both children and adults. An Evening with Clint Smith featured the New York Times bestselling author who graduated from Awty International School after relocating to Houston during Hurricane Katrina. Smith earned a Ph.D.

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Courtney Leigh Photo

It started in preschool

met again at Shlenker and this turned out to be the perfect timing. Sean was helping his grandmother, Barbie Freedman, at work in her toddler class and bumped into Zoë who was working as a PreK-4 teacher. Barbie always thought the two would make a good couple and they eventually took her advice and went on a date. Three and a half years later, Sean proposed in their favorite Florida vacation spot with a beach picnic and roses in front of a beautiful sunset. They are planning a 2026 wedding in the Heights with Rabbi David Lyon officiating. Barbie was right…Zoë and Sean are “B’shert!” (meant to be).

The Senior Recognition ceremony marked the end of six years of mother-daughter community service for a group of 12th graders and their moms. Members of the graduating class of National Charity League’s Houston Hearts chapter (pictured) were honored at the Junior League of Houston. Dressed in floor-length black gowns, the young ladies were escorted by their tuxedo-clad fathers and presented to friends and family members, followed by a seated dinner and dancing. They joined the organization as seventh graders and contributed hundreds of hours of community service to local organizations. Congratulations to the seniors!

Pictured are (back row, from left) Elise Adams, Ashley Bullard, Leah Boyle, Katherine Prewett, Reese Haley, Eugenia Rincon, Kate Rothermel, Madison Ramke, Olivia Rissmiller, Marin Goebel; (front row, from left) Ayda Junker, Haley Nguyen, Annie Amling, Alden Farrow, Elizabeth Morse, Lucy Miggins, Jameson McTague, Janie Frederickson, Lynley Glazer, Ansley Taylor, and Sydney Merritt.

Sean Folloder and Zoë Kampf (pictured) met as young students at The Shlenker School and are now engaged to be married. They crossed paths many times before falling in love, including Zoë being a preschool student in Sean’s grandmother’s preschool class at Shlenker, Zoe’s cousin having her Bar Mitzvah with Sean, and both attending Texas A&M University. Many years later, they WEST UNIVERSITY BUZZ MAY 2025 52

WEST UNIVERSITY BUZZ MAY 2025 53

NEIGHBORS

by Andria Dilling, staff writer

Back Porch

Family Stories: Same songs, different tunes

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feel fortunate to get to write this “Back Porch” column for The Buzz. Through interviews, I have learned how to make a mean milk punch and also that some of my most serious friends secretly read racy novels. I have been given space to reflect on such important topics as pumpkin spice, hairdresser break-ups, and the shocking photos of Sixteen Candles’ Jake Ryan on the occasion of his 60th birthday.

But my favorite subjects (much to their chagrin) are my children. Not just my children, but our children, because I imagine that much of what I navigate as a mom is someone else’s experience as well. Same song, different tune.

These stories about my/our children run the gamut. There was the one about scrubbing kids and their belongings when they come home from summer camp. The sand in their bathing suits, that lake smell deep inside the camp trunks, the bars of soap that came home looking just as perfect as the day they left (that one my daughter still denies, but I have the photo to prove it).

There was the story about my first child trying to decide on a college, and her younger sister setting us all straight: “Whatevs,” my then-14-yearold, now 22-year-old, said, as I secretly took notes to share in “Back Porch.” “We talk about [college] nonstop, all day, morning, after school, dinner, after dinner. What-ev-er.”

The time I wrote about the deep fear I felt sitting in the passenger seat as my youngest daughter asked for the nth time, “This is the brake, right?” That was a rough one for both of us. For me, well, you know why. For her, it was awkward when another lawyer at the courthouse asked her dad if she had gotten any better at driving.

It was also awkward when she went for her first high school sleepover and the new friend’s mom said, “Oh I just read about you and your bedbugs in The Buzz.”

And then there was the time I published a photo (without her knowledge) of the disaster zone that was my oldest daughter’s college dorm room when I went to pick her up for the summer after her freshman year. The room I had so lovingly decorated with her roommate’s mom was now, the night before move-out, full of: “HalfWEST UNIVERSITY BUZZ MAY 2025 54

behance.net/runamokstudios

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drunk water bottles, various dispensers of Carmex…pictures and trinkets still on shelves, and…my favorite, a karaoke microphone buried in the unmade bed. Right next to the Mardi Gras beads, also in the bed.” My daughter will tell you it wasn’t as bad as what I wrote. I will tell you it absolutely was.

In between, there have been Halloween stories and mean girl stories and stories about my children as babies sitting on the kitchen floor delighting in pouring the contents of a Cheerios box over their heads. After acquiring three stepsons, I have written about their favorite (and least favorite) dinners I have IT’S ALL COPY As the late writer Nora Ephron famously said, everything in made (that’s a little life is a story to be told. more delicate – I city as a child who is not living in my house. haven’t taken the liberty of dissecting their lives And in a couple of weeks, I will celebrate my in print, yet). Most recently, last fall, I wrote youngest daughter’s college graduation. We about the heavy pit-of-my-stomach feeling I got aren’t sure where she will land, but it probably when I realized I was sending my youngest won’t be around the corner, at least for a while. daughter off to college for the last time. And the We are transitioning to Sunday dinners, hostgratitude I felt having time to connect over ing whichever of five children are free. It’s a happy leisurely dinners with friends, now lifelong, new tradition, and it’s also very strange to think whose friendship sparked before we were mothwe are closer to grandchildren than we are to the ers, not just because our children happened to days of Cheerios in the hair of my own children. be in the same ballet class. In that story, I quoted There will be new stories to tell, as funny if my friend: “All the young moms say It’s gonna not quite as sweet. Just different. I hope you get easier, right? I just tell them it’s gonna get difwon’t mind if I keep telling them. Thanks for ferent.” nodding along with me.

This month, it all feels really different. I just moved my oldest daughter into her first real Editor’s note: Find past Back Porch columns, apartment, with a rug and bright block print including the ones referenced in this month’s column, throw pillows and all the things to entertain her at thebuzzmagazines.com/back-porch. friends. This is the first time I will live in the same