Orange Living Magazine by The Orange Leader

ORANGE

Living M A G A Z I N E

NINE+

a great option for all party-planning needs

Vine 2 Wine V IN E YA R D & WIN E RY

O F F E R S M O R E T H A N W I N E TA S T I N G

JANUARY 2019 ISSUE

Opening Early

2019

New Regional Headquarters in Orange, Texas Personal Banking That’s More Personal. WHAT MAKES FIRST FINANCIAL UNIQUE? YOU. For more than 127 years, First Financial has been serving the financial needs of customers just like you. Not just through good times, but during difficult years too. We’ve survived the Great Depression, the collapse of the Texas economy in the 1980s and the Great Recession. Throughout it all, we’ve remained a place of stability and trust for our customers. While other banks have come and gone, First Financial has continued to grow through acquisitions, new branches and the expansion of our services.

STEPHEN LEE

President and CEO Southeast Texas Region

812 N 16th St Orange, Texas 77630 409-221-6105 www.ffin.com

TABLEOFCONTENTS CULTURE Vine 2 Wine �� 6

PLANNING NINE+: a great option for all party-planning needs �� 10

4 Issues For only

ORGANIZING From proposal to wedding �� 14

ON THE SCENE See who was seen out and about �� 16

SUBSCRIBE TODAY!

COMMUNITY Why I Love Orange �� 31 www.orangelivingmag.com

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SUNDAY – 10:00 a.m. Lutcher Memorial Sanctuary

SOUP KITCHEN

By Bobby Tingle

Nothing is more fun than taking pictures for On The Scene section of Orange Living Magazine. In each issue of Orange Living, Candi Trahan, Dawn Burleigh, Van Wade and I attend events in Orange County with a pad and a camera. We ask you to pose with your friends, smile and give us the correct spelling of your name. Some of those photos end up in the print edition of The Orange Leader. Some are published online at www.orangeleader.com. Some are printed on the pages of Orange Living in the On The Scene section. Wherever they show up they tell a story, chronicle an event and paint a picture of the community. Who said a picture is worth a thousand words? I have no idea. But those words allude to a reality. One of my favorite past times many years ago was perusing the prints in my parent’s bottom left hand drawer in their chest of drawers in their bedroom. There, they kept a treasure trove of photos. I never tired of opening envelopes full of prints and shuffling through the stack. Most of the photos we take never get printed. For our January edition, we have photos from fourteen events with nearly 200 photos. If we figure out a way to make those ‘extra’ photos available we will let you know. But, with this issue, we will launch an online edition of Orange Living magazine. The website is www.orangelivingmag.com. It will be kind of like the bottom left hand drawer in the chest of drawers in my parent’s bedroom. A good place to read the magazine and enjoy the memories. Look for it soon.

ORANGE NEWSMEDIA, LLC PUBLISHER Bobby Tingle

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DESIGNER Tony Hernandez

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PHOTOGRAPHY Dawn Burleigh Van Wade

www.firstpresorange.com

WRITERS Dawn Burleigh Krista Salter Van Wade AD TRAFFIC AND SALES Candice Trahan Bobby Tingle

ABOUT Orange Living is published and distributed by Orange Newsmedia, LLC for Orange County residents promoting and encouraging the cultural and social scene in the Greater Orange Area. For information about advertising, to ask a question or make a comment about our magazine, contact Orange Newsmedia, LLC at 409883-3571 or by email at editorial@ orangeleader.com.

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Orange Living Magazine | 5

6 | Orange Living Magazine

O F F E R S M O R E T H A N W I N E TA S T I N G By Dawn Burleigh n a short drive from Orange, a winery is blooming. Vine 2 Wine Vineyard and Winery was formed to bring great wine and an incredible atmosphere to sit back and enjoy a southeast Texas sunset. With sprawling vineyards of grapes growing next door to the location, one can enjoy the evening on the porch, under the pavilion or inside while sampling the many vinifications they have to offer. Vinification is the production of wine. “My husband and I love wine,” Stacy Rollins, owner, said. “We have had wine from all over the world.” Stacy describes her husband, Clay, and herself as ‘foodies’. A foodie is a person who has an ardent or refined interest in food and who eats food not out of hunger but due to their interest or hobby. “We traded in our cows for vines,” Stacy said. “Then we decided we needed to do something with the grapes.” Stacy added, the winery is part of their retirement plan because they do not see themselves just sitting around in retirement. “It is fun and exciting,” Stacy added. The venue offers wines, gift baskets as well as wine tastings. In February, the Bay Breeze Wine Trails will be on Saturday, Feb. 10 and Sunday, Feb. 11. A Special valentine’s Dinner is offered on Wednesday, Feb. 14. Reservations are required. While in March, Botox and Wine is on Saturday, March 3. Movie Night in the vineyard is on Saturday, March 10. The

movie scheduled is The Good Year. Salsa Dancing is offered on Saturday, March 24. For any events that require reservations, contact Mandi Bauer - Wine Club & Events Coordinator at mandi@rollinsvine2wine.com or call 409-363-2760. To select the perfect wine for an event, at home or the vineyard, Stacy suggests considering the age of the group as well as if it winter or summer. “For a wedding, I would suggest a good mix of reds. Whites, sweet and dry,” Stacy said. “So all are happy and feel thought about. Not everyone likes the same kind.” The facility is available to rent for company parties, holiday parties, birthdays, anniversaries, retirement parties, Bachelor/Bachelorette parties, bridal and baby showers, Rehearsal Dinners and weddings. “For weddings, is based on availability as we book a lot of events,” Stacy said. It is best to call six months in advance to get it on the calendar. Sometimes there is a last minute availability.” The Tasting Room and Pavilion are also available for private events before and after business hours. For availability, contact Mandi Bauer - Wine Club & Events Coordinator at mandi@rollinsvine2wine.com or call 409-363-2760. Vine 2 Wine is open 4 p.m. – 7 p.m. Thursday, 2 p.m. – 7 p.m. Friday, Saturday and Sunday. It is located at 14773 Coon Road in Winnie, Texas.

Orange Living Magazine | 7

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Orange Living Magazine | 9

NINE+

a great option for all party-planning needs By Van Wade

Enjoy it a little more and certainly not sweat the small stuff. That is certainly the case when NINE+ handles weddings, parties and corporate events. Terri Scarborough has been doing just that now for close to 25 years and has cherished every single second of it. Scarborough, a mother of nine, started floral design work when her children were young. From there, her work has transpired into a full service wedding and party event business. “It’s always been a passion of mine, and I did some of my daughters and sons’ weddings and I just wanted to do more and more,” said Scarborough. “I can’t picture myself doing anything else. In our business, we love to see smiles on faces and making others’ dreams come true.” NINE+ has moved its location now to 2222 South Avenue where they have much more room with plenty of showrooms for future customers to come in and stroll around and look so their events can shine. The floral arrangements and bride and groom clothing are beautiful and full of every color possible. There are party decorations for every season wall-to-wall in the warehouse. “We’re still a work in progress, but it is going to be beautiful when we’re done setting everything up and getting everything in order,” said Scarborough. “We’re hoping to have a super Open House in January.” Whether if it’s a wedding, birthday party, baby shower, reunion or corporate event there are a lot of decisions to make and NINE+ is more than welcome to please.

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“With weddings, you come in and we consult you,” said Scarborough. “We try to fulfill all of our customers needs from getting a venue, lining up caterers, photographers, cake designers and the whole set-up according to what theme a customer wants, like what type of tables at the receptions. We’re in it for the long haul to serve our customers and what it is they want. We do all set-ups and all of the clean-ups. Weddings can be stressful, so it’s always a wonderful feeling for us to help couples out and bring happiness to all that are involved.” NINE+ is willing to handle a wedding of any size to serve their customers. “We’ve had some big weddings over the years and some small ones and they’re each special in their own way,” said Scarborough. “A lot of people like themed weddings. We had one that had a ‘Beauty and the Beast’ theme. We have done several outdoor weddings where we’ve had plenty of canopies in case of that good old Southeast Texas weather. A lot of people like special tables like gift tables, sweetheart tables and memorial tables. We will do our best to make sure they get whatever they want and make it special.” Scarborough has been known to be a whiz, especially in floral design whether it is custom artificial flower arrangements, bridal flowers, corsages, or boutonnieres. NINE+ has been a part of a lot of amazing events, whether if it’s a wedding of 360 people or a banquet off more than 700. “The biggest event we’ve done recently was the Beaumont Chamber of Commerce Awards Ceremony,” said Scarborough. “There were over 700 people

Orange Living Magazine | 11

there and Governor (Greg) Abbott was the speaker. It took a whole day to set up but it ended up beautiful. All of the tables were a patriotic theme with red, white and blue everywhere. A lot of work went into it but it was so wonderful.” Scarborough’s sister, Lori Mitcham, has been a tremendous inspiration along the way in working for the business. “Lori was at one time the banquet captain at the Elegante Hotel in Beaumont for a long time,” said Scarborough. “She has over 20 years of catering and hos-

12 | Orange Living Magazine

pitality experience and is simply amazing. She can take command of a room with tremendous energy and turn it into something simply majestic.” NINE+, at the time of this article, was preparing for the Neches Federal Credit Union Christmas party, which was going to turn out between 300 to 400 people in December. “Whether if it is a wedding, a big party or a corporate event, we can cover everyone’s needs to the best of our abilities,” said Scarborough. “It’s our passion to

make peoples dreams that they have envisioned come to life, that’s what we’re all about.”

“Lori was at one time the banquet captain at the Elegante Hotel in Beaumont for a long time.”

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Orange Living Magazine | 13

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By Krista Salter The holiday season came and went, and for many that means leaving last year with boyfriends and girlfriends, and beginning 2019 with new fiancées. Whether planning for a large wedding and reception or a small, intimate gathering, Orange County has all anyone needs when preparing for the big day. The county is rich in resources for any wedding, and parties on a budget can easily be as fulfilling as a fairytale wedding of which dreams are made. Terri Scarborough, a local wedding planner with Nine Plus Weddings, said, “Orange has all you could possibly need for a wedding. As far as resources, being on the border of Louisiana and Texas, you have the best of both worlds.” Picking out a dress for one of life’s most important moments can be nerve-racking. Luckily, when it comes to choosing a gown that leaves the wedding party in tears over the sheer beauty of the bride, Orange County has options. “I usually send brides to Suki’s in Orange for a dress,” Scarborough said. “At bigger bridal stores, there is so many brides there that they don’t get that close attention you do at Suki’s. Plus, they have such a wide variety.” The bridal shop said they specialize in designer wedding gowns, but also serve bride’s maids, flower girls and mother’s with beautiful dresses to accent the bride. Like their motto says, Suki’s Bridal is where fashion and style meet in perfect balance as a one-stop-shop for all things wedding-attire related – veils, headpieces, jewelry, shoes, accessories and tuxedos for the groom and groomsmen. “From the minute you walk into our salon to the moment you walk down the aisle, we’ll be with you every step of the way,” their website said. “We can help anyone find the dress of their dreams.” Outside of the city of Orange, brides can also visit Cindy’s Bridal and Formal in Vidor for wedding gowns, bridesmaid dresses and wedding accessories for experienced care. The store has been serving Orange County for over 30 years. “We have friendly service,” said owner Johnnie Andrus. “We give private appointments and will work after hours so brides can have

our sole, undivided attention.” She added, “We’ll stay with them and help them decide whether they’ve never tried a dress on before or they’ve tried other stores first. We’ll pull all kinds of different types of dresses to get an idea of what works best for them or focus on a certain style.” At Cindy’s, a bride never has to worry about whether or not she can afford “her” gown – the one that’s right for her. Their selection includes dresses ranging from $50 to $3,000, though Andrus said their average dress costs about $1,000. Andrus recommended booking an appointment to try on gowns with the bride’s wedding party well in advance, as anything requiring alterations, dyeing, modifications and orders from their catalog can take extra time to make perfect. On the big day when every minute counts, local hair stylists at Total Impressions in Bridge City are well-versed in dolling up the bride, and her wedding squad, for her special day. Kayla Williams, a hair stylist at Total Impressions, said timing is everything when it comes to planning for a wedding, and recommends booking hair and makeup as far in advance as possible. “Me personally, I got married about six months ago, and after we picked a day and a venue, and set the day to pick out a wedding dress, the first thing I started with was booking my makeup and hair,” Williams said. “You really have to book it in a decent amount of time, because they book quick.” Williams said at Total Impressions, wedding hair stylists will ask several questions in advance of the big day, including how many are in the bride’s wedding party, what type of hair they have, and when the ceremony is set to start. “We know how long it takes to do each woman’s hair in advance to leave time for the bride’s reveal as well as pictures,” Williams said. “It helps ease the bride, in a sense, knowing that everyone has a game plan,” Williams added. “It puts her mind at ease knowing that it will all work out and everyone will look great. It feels like you wait so long for that day, and then it’s finally there and we want it to go smoothly.” Williams said when it comes to recom-

mending a makeup artist for her clients, she typically sends them two doors down to Erica Edgerly, owner of the Merle Norman Cosmetic Studio in Bridge City, and her team. Edgerly agreed that when it comes to booking for the glam squad, brides should make it one of the first things they do. “A few of our makeup artists are already almost booked for 2019 and some even booking into 2020,” Edgerly said. “It is never too early to get your date locked in place.” Edgerly said her team of makeup artists at Merle Norman have worked on bridal parties as small as four women and as large as 18, and that her team needs about an hour for each makeover. “We know all of the tips and tricks to really accentuate a bride’s natural beauty on her wedding day, and we take all of the steps and precautions to make sure that the makeup will last all day and look beautiful in photos,” Edgerly said, adding that they offer a free trial and consultation for brides before the big day. When everything is planned, and an Orange County bride wakes up on her wedding day, she’ll know because she used her local resources that when the final moments count there will be no reason to stress. Orange County has everything a bride could dream of to be as in love with her wedding as she is with her groom. For local wedding planning services by Scarborough call Nine Plus Weddings at (409) 882-4786. Cindy’s Bridal and Formal is located at 949 N Main St in Vidor and is open Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Suki’s Bridal is located at 7162 State Highway 87 in Orange and is open Tuesday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Saturday by appointment. To reach Suki’s Bridal, call (409) 886-5161. Total Impressions is open Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Saturday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., and is located at 1145 Texas Ave in Bridge City. To book a makeup artist with Edgerly’s team at Merle Norman Cosmetic Studio in Bridge City, call (409) 883-3360 or (409) 735-5829.

Orange Living Magazine | 15

On the Scene:

Lions Carnival

Nicholas Villadsen, Caden and Dylan Barton

Jennifer and Shaun McConnell

16 | Orange Living Magazine

McKarsyn, Ayden, Landrie and Jordan Kohler

On the Scene:

Taste of the Holidays

Al Judice & Chef Jon Hersey

Jozette and Dennis Rubin

Amy Landry, McKynna Maynard and Caryn Odom

Corrie Terry, Terrie Barnwell and Lucy Terry

Roxanne Potter, Josette and Van Choate

Deniss Salomon, Cesar Zapeda, Crixdina Zapeda

Orange Living Magazine | 17

On the Scene:

Toy Coffee

Salvation Army Captain Francisco Zuniga Jr. and Major Elda Flores

Service League Vice President Codie Vasquez and President Theresa Glidden

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Essie Bellfield and Benton WillieMae

On the Scene:

Greater Orange Area Chamber of Commerce Banquet

Brandon and Kristen Placette

Shalwan and Rickie Harris

Gisela Houseman, Mary McKenna and Ida Schossow

Macy and Daniel Moreaux

Gina Simar and Suzonne Crockett

Dean Granger, Corbert â€˜Bertâ€™ Brocker and Jim Surber

Orange Living Magazine | 19

On the Scene:

Gumbo Cookoff

Brandy Judice and Hillary Gravett

Kim, Logan, Thomas and Jarrod Sonnier

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Kaala and Jim Hughes, Shirley and Mark Simon

On the Scene:

Granger KOGT Can Food Drive

Nita McCarty, Santa Claus and Denise McCall

Caleb Meadows, Ralf Mims, Wes Huffman, Danielle Skaggs, Johnny Sanchez, Ricky Bobby Granger, John Garrie, Jessica Vicknair, Rebecca Baker and Crystal Lansford

Kara Williams and Theresa Glidden

Dean Granger and Robbie Hood

Dr. Thomas Johnson and Al Granger

Bobby Wilins, Jim Surber and Terin Surber

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On the Scene:

Cajun Festival @ VFW

Kelsie Gary, 2019 Teen Miss Chapiture de Lafayette, Ashley Dugas 2019 Chapitre de Lafayette, Miyah Young 2019 Gulf Coast New Dawn

Dayna Hyatt and Shelley Sattler

Rodney & Tonia Hanks, Lane Mayfield

Karen & Blaine Dupont

ReAnna Hanks, Rashonda Mayfield & Colt

Elizabeth Duhon

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On the Scene:

Special Angels Rodeo

Maher Copty

Kerry Abney, Dan Harris and Eric Romano

Carol and Madison Edwards, Lue Harris and Bryan Bagley

Kenneth Jenkins, Josh Tubbs and Chris Duhon

Raymon McCray and Patsy Porras

Aidan Garmon, Talha Ehsan and Patrick Garmon

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On the Scene:

Orange African American Museum Night of Jazz

Michael Spencer, B.J. Hicks, Marva Platt Paceh, and Henry Lowe

Patricia S. Barras, Leslie Barres, Gail Shaw Barnett, and Keith Barnett

Grover Roberts, Terrie Salter, Patrick Bullen, Terrie Childs, and Brad Childs

Margaret Toal, Sue Denosowcz, Harry Vine and Geralyn Vine

Johnetha Brown and Mary Lazenby

Stephanie L. Sims, Peggy Richard, Shirley Joseph, and Perry Richard

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On the Scene:

Bridge City National Night Out

Elizabeth Mitchell and Terri Romero

Brooke Stansbury and Joana Green

Harlie Tincher, Phyllis Villanouva, Mistie Carpenter, Beth Arnold

Jacob Lee Trahan and Kyler Terrell

Caleb Korenek and Chelsea Martinez

Wanda McGraw and Michele Block

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On the Scene:

Gate City Guild #42 Thanksgiving

Rutha Clark, Ola Kindle and Jean Gibbs of Heroines of Jericho East Gate Ct.

Benny Smith and Ron Kindle

Benitris Edwards and Dawn Burleigh

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On the Scene:

Open House for Garden District, Heaven Scent and Jumping Bean

Linda Cloessner, Tara Anderson Garden District Open House

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On the Scene:

Pumpkins and Pearls Wells of Agape Gala

Cherita James and Donna Wells

Terrie Salter and Laurie Hyman

Chance Perry and Matt Chandler

Laurie Hyman and Emily Chimeno

Kathy Dove and Nicole Collins

Debbie Dear and Heather Guillory

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On the Scene:

David Sanborn Performance at Lutcher Theater

Mark and Annette Edwards

Beverly Perry and Judy LeBlanc

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Butch Campbell and Linda Craft

Why I Love Orange

Orange: Old fashioned Attitudes, Latest Technologies By Mary McKenna

What’s not to love about Orange. The historic district, where I live, has beautiful tree lined streets, friendly neighbors, playful dogs and cats, children and grandchildren playing everywhere. Another honored treasure nestled among our historic homes is the Stark House, leading the way in elegance. And attractions in the city are truly world class adventures with small town charm. Some of the wonderful places to hang out include the newly renovated train depot, the wonderful Stark Museum with artistic displays of life in the old west, the Lutcher Theater with a season every year full of Broadway shows and a separate season just for the children, Shangri

La Botanical Gardens with a boat ride, marvelous trees, flowers everywhere, and birds roosting with their young. If you are a sportsman or a bird watcher or a lover of nature, this is a paradise. The migratory bird population explodes every year. The hunting and fishing jockeys for time with the many state champion football players to watch all over the area. And the rivers that form two of the three boundaries of our great county abound with boating, skiing, fishing, wakeboarding, and just simple cruising along the river to enjoy the sites and to enjoy the family. The city provides events like the Tunnel Boat races, July fourth fireworks, Art in

the Park craft shows, Bass Fishing Tournament and then there are the parades, Christmas and Mardi Gras. What fun. And civic organizations like the Lions Club Carnival and St. Mary School Festival entertain the young and the old alike. With all the old style homes and southern charm, few people think of Orange, Texas as a technological wonder. Actually the level of education in the community is above average for a town of our population. And I can remember sitting down and hearing stories of patents developed by the people of Orange for the likes of DuPont and Firestone and the paper mill. My dad was among these many patent developers in this community. He was on the team for Firestone that developed the patent for synthetic rubber. When rockets started entering space, he was on NASA’s team working on the rubber seals for the first trips to space. Our medical director’s grandmother was the daughter of the physician for the group of engineers that dug the Panama Canal. She talked about walking in the Panama Canal before it ever had water in it. And so many more stories of yesterday and today, especially surrounding the Lucas oil gusher that discovered oil in the county next door. Of all the stories and all the nature surrounding us in Orange Texas, the best of all, is the people. You will never meet kinder people anywhere in the world. From holding the door open for me, saying yes ma’am a thousand times a day, to the remarkable feats of kindness after Hurricane Harvey. After Hurricane Harvey, you were either flooded yourself or you were housing friends and family who were. People say we were Orange Strong during that time, but I think we are Orange Strong every day of the week, especially after Harvey. The trees, the technology, the people, what’s not to love about Orange? I’ll see you at the post office where you will probably hear “how’s your mamma, no ma’am, yes ma’am, and let me get the door for you”.

“When rockets started entering space, he was on NASA’s team working on the rubber seals for the first trips to space.” Orange Living Magazine | 31