Plaza Medical Center of Fort Worth was awarded the 2008 Texas Workforce Commission Employer of the Year Award. This award honors employers who are actively involved with their local workforce and have made a positive impact on employees and the community. Plaza Medical Center is an equal opportunity employer, and has invested heavily in its people and the overall workplace environment. The Employer of the Year Workforce Award recognizes the use by an employer of creative and innovative approaches to the recruiting, training and retention of workers, as well as the upgrading of their skills.
THE BEST HEALTH CARE STARTS WITH THE BEST DOCTORS.
Congratulations to the physicians with active privileges on the medical staffs of Texas Health Harris Methodist Hospitals and Texas Health Arlington Memorial Hospital recognized on the 2009 Fort Worth, Texas magazine Top Docs list.
Allergy/Immunology
James Haden
Bob Lanier
Rajendra Tanna
Anesthesiology
Kathleen Bajaj
Dyann Daley
James Harper
Cardio/Thoracic Surgery
Jeffrey Lin
Carlos Macias
Manucher Nazarian
Albert Olivencia-Yurvati
Richard Vigness
Cardiology
Nasim Akhtar
R. Dale Anderson
John Durand
Tim Hadden
Susan Hess
George Khammar
Henry Philen Lobstein
Amir Malik
Brian McNamara
Giri Mundluru
Jennifer Naiser
Joseph Ortenberg
Billie Pugh
Syed Shah
Colon/Rectal Surgery
Eduardo Castillo
Glen Hooker
Paul Senter
Britton West
Cosmetic Surgery
Robert Anderson
Jonathan Heistein
Shujaat Khan
Kelly Kunkel
Danielle LeBlanc
Mark Mason
Emily McLaughlin
Larry Reaves
Louis Strock
Dermatology
Philip Giles
Stephen Maberry
Scott Miller
Robin Roberts
Danny Thomas
Patrick Walsh
Emergency Care
Gerald Chase
Terence McCarthey
Elliott Trotter
Endocrinology
Jaime Castro
Franklin Gluck
Ken Mair
David Wilson
Gastroenterology
Thomas Deas
Thomas Dewar
David Ferney
Josh George
Kumar Gutta
Gordon Luk
Dan Morton
James Nackley
General/Family Practice
James Bohnsack
J. Steven Cole
Norma Escamilla
James Harvey
David Jordan
Cody Mihills
James Murphy
Jennifer Speaker
Richard Stuntz
Lynne Tilkin
General Surgery
German Berbel
Scott Bloemendal
Antonio Castaneda
Mark Collins
John Crawford
Peter Grays
Michael Green
Joseph Guinn
Mike Korenman
Doug Lorimer
Robert Lovett
David McReynolds
Trung Nguyen
Jim Norman
Peter Rutledge
Geriatrics
Kendra Bel
Janice Knebl
Amy Moss
Gynecological Oncology
Ralph Anderson
Ken Hancock
Mark Messing
Gynecology/Obstetrics
Laura Bradford
Khoi Chu
Adrianne Deem
Lisa Gardner
R. Michael Howell
Heather Neville
Carolyn Quist
Cynthia Robbins
Lynn Speaks
John Whit eld
Hematology
Jim Bordelon
Kathleen Crowley
Lance Mandell
Mary Ann Skiba
Infectious Diseases
Barbara Atkinson
Daniel Barbaro
Catherine Colquitt
Cheryl McDonald
John Murphey
Scott Rojas
Susan Whitworth
Bryan Youree
Internal Medicine
Alan Davenport
Craig Dearden
Kevin Eldridge
Roger Eppstein
Teresa Godbey
Steve Johnson
Jason Ledbetter
Robert Machos
Niraj Mehta
Nicholas Ogunmola
M. Iqbal Mughal
Nephrology
Oladapo Afolabi
Lee Anderson
Michael Aragon
Ira Epstein
Richard Mauk
Peter Nguyen
Sandeep Shori
Neurology
Susan Blue
Lincoln Chin
Jung Cheng
Charlece Hughes
Howard Kelfer
Tom Leavens
S.K. Nair
Neurosurgery
Brent Alford
Philip Bechtel
David Donahue
Tom Ellis
James Kevin Kaufman
David Kosmoski
Raymond LeBlanc
Gregory Smith
Oncology
David Barrera
Jim Bordelon
Asad Dean
Alfred DiStefano
William Jordan
Shadan Mansoor
Mary Milam
Angel Negron
John Nugent
Ray Page
Vinaya Potluri
Mark Redrow
Michael Ross
Ophthalmology
Mark Alford
Jerry Hu
Alan Norman
Eric Packwood
Brian Ranelle
Harry Rosenthal
Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery
Yadro Ducic
Dan Dugan
Michael Zide
Orthopedic Surgery
Allen Kent
Bruce Bollinger
Jim Bothwell
Stephen Brotherton
Ajai Cadambi
Cory Collinge
John Conway
Ted Crofford
Mark Kuper
Jeffrey McGowen
Joe Milne
Steven Ogden
Robert Schmidt
Russ Wagner
Keith Watson
Steve Weeden
Bobby Wroten
Eric Wroten
Otolaryngology
Tahir Ali
Yadro Ducic
John Fewins
Michelle Marcinuck
Mark Palmer
Howard Shaffer
Jesse Smith
Palliative Care
David Capper
Alvin Mathe
Pediatric Surgery
Tom Black
David Bliss
Jose Iglesias
James Miller
Glaze Vaughan
Pediatrics
Julie Crawford
John Dalton
Chimene Fikkert
James Friedman
Omar Gomez
Walter Halpenny
Mark Jones
Frank McGehee
Brad Mercer
Caron Murchison
Wilfred Raine
Ray Rhodes
Audrey Rogers
Jeffrey Rogers
Tom Rogers
Ben Worsley
Plastic/Reconstructive Surgery
Robert Anderson
Richard Ethridge
Jonathan Heistein
Kelly Kunkel
Danielle LeBlanc
Larry Reaves
Louis Strock
Podiatry
Alan Garrett
Travis Motley
Ed Singleton
Jeff Taylor
Pulmonary Diseases
Adesubomi Agoro
John Burk
Robert Cash
Kevin Connelly
Gary Jones
Stuart McDonald
John Pender
Radiation/Oncology
Jerry Barker
Matthew Cavey
Rafael Chan
Peter LaNasa
Kathleen Shide
Stephen Sorgen
Travis Thompson
Radiology/Invasive Radiology
Stuart Aronson
Mark Baker
B.J. Gralino
Dan Oshman
Richard Pickering
William G. Reese
Glen Wilbert
Rehabilitation/Physical
Medicine
Glenn Bixler
Omar Selod
Reproductive Endocrinology
Kathleen Doody
Kevin Doody
Robert Kaufmann
Anna Nackley
Rheumatology
Emily Isaacs
Claudio Lehmann
Bernard Rubin
Sports Medicine
Michael Boothby
Steve Meyers
Urology
Jeffrey Applewhite
Ira Hollander
John Johnson
Frank “Trey” Moore
J. Andrew Pumphrey
David Rittenhouse
David Shepherd
Scott Thurman
Tom Truelson
Michael Walter
Sidney Worsham
Todd Young
Vascular Surgery
Lee Bloemendal
Harshal Broker
Burke DeLange
Johnna Knust
Albert Olivencia-Yurvati
David Stroman
Robert Ruxer
Henry Xiong
Robyn Young
Monty Trimble
40On a Mission
Whether helping people who live in Tarrant County or in underdeveloped areas in Guatemala, Honduras and Mexico, the seven medical and dental missionaries in this feature carry passion and grit in one hand and compassion and humility in the other. by
Gail Bennison
48Culinary Passport
Though we’ll probably never rival the gastronomic diversity of New York or LA, there’s an ethnic bent alive and well in Fort Worth’s culinary scene. Discover seven countries’ epicurean delights at 35 toptier local restaurants. by
Camille Torres
60Inside Design
Rich
Labor of Love: A masterful motif fusing opulence and informality, Dale and Laura Ladner’s Westover residence reveals itself one incredible room at a time. But its transformation didn’t happen overnight. by Alison
68Whole Health From Head to Toe
77Expert Advice
105 Interior Designers and Decorators Worth Knowing
139 Doctors Worth Knowing
We’ve talked to some of Tarrant County’s top doctors and specialists to bring you advice on maintaining and sustaining your body long-term. by Diana Bloxom features Special advertiSing Section
125 Top Doc List
We polled Tarrant County area physicians and asked them who, in their professional opinions, are the best doctors in more than 40 specialties. Here are their choices for the Top Docs of 2009.
Goodwill
Seeing Stars: Tarrant Area Food Bank welcomes families to a star-studded morning while raising funds to feed hungry children.
92 Goodwill
Beating the Clock: On April 11, participants will gather to stamp out breast cancer in the 17th annual Susan G. Komen Tarrant County Race for the Cure.
94 According to Heywood
Rewarding Failure: Heywood’s economic plan calls for the continued reward of irresponsible behavior (Bernie Madoff and Octomom) and for citizens to quit saving money altogether.
96 PG Suggested
Just Say You Like Meat!
100 Jody Dean
Embarking on a New Culinary Adventure: KLUV’s Jody Dean kicks off his tour west of Hwy. 360, where he will discover and explore the colorful world of hole-in-thewall restaurants.
102 Up Close
Serving as the fifth president of UNT Health Science Center at Fort Worth, Scott Ransom leads during a time of aggressive expansion and remarkable progress.
The latest on Fort Worth’s business climate, power players and entrepreneurs, as well as Q&As with industry
A look inside the world of performing arts, museums, local artists and musicians
Style
Regal Ruffles: Tiers of feminine ruffles are making a statement this spring.
A Rose Romance
and Beauty
M·A·C creates a very modern Rose Romance with their new color collection for the spring and summer.
34 Active Lifestyle
Bird’s Eye View: Fly through a canopy of majestic cypress trees on a zip line eco-adventure in Spicewood, Texas.
36 Cooking
Sweet and Savory Treats: Easter is a perfect time to create culinary memories and traditions with your family and friends. fwsnapshots
115
Behind the ropes and on the red carpet, the photos of the personalities and parties that have everyone talking fwevents
193
From the must-see live concert to the highly esteemed art exhibit, a month of events worth checking out fwdish
203 Now Open
A peek inside new culinary ventures in and around town
206 Restaurant Review
Our resident critic dishes on the area’s most notable restaurants
208 Restaurant Listings
The most sought-after restaurant guide to navigate Fort Worth’s growing dining scene flashback
224
The backstory behind the people and events that shaped our city
Technology and knowledge
are
nothing without know-how.
I t ’ s one th I ng to understand technology It’s another thing to use it. At XTO Energy, our expertise pushes the limits of technology to improve the performance of all our properties. As a result, we have driven impressive results for our shareholders and have grown to become one of the largest owners and producers of energy resources in America. We are proud of our successes and our team.
As we forge ahead, we’ll continue our commitment to do what we do best: c reate V alue
Gail Bennison loves to talk a lot (no surprise to anyone she’s interviewed), and she loves writing about the people of Fort Worth. A daughter, son and two grandchildren have her heart, while two Yorkies, Sonny and Cher, and a blind Westiehuahua serve as daily muses. “I’m happy that Fort Worth, Texas magazine agrees with my personal philosophy: It’s not the “who, what, when, where or why” in a people profile. It’s the “how” it makes the reader feel that truly counts.”
A professional writer with a penchant for Panther City, Alison Rich has penned a diverse array of Fort Worthfocused features in her 15-year journalism career. Besides crafting stories about the people and places in and around town, rich also writes and edits for several nationally circulated magazines, including Innovative Home, Signature Kitchens & Baths and DS News, as well as for other corporate clients. This month, she writes about Dale and Laura Ladner in the Inside Design story, “Labor of Love.”
Camille Torres is senior associate editor at a custom publishing company and moonlights as a freelance magazine writer and business copywriter. Specializing in food, fashion and shelter writing, she has penned numerous articles for national, regional and local magazines. She is the former editor of a monthly city magazine in California and has worked as the assistant editor of two national shelter publications. Camille graduated from TCU while attending the Culinary School of Fort Worth. In her spare time, she enjoys creating new healthy recipes to enjoy with her husband, matt.
Do you have a story idea for the magazine or are you interested in writing for us? If so, please send all inquiries, queries or story ideas to Amy Hallford-Turman, editor, at ahallford@fwtexas.com.
accounting manager evelyn shook office manager kelly dragues
founding publisher mark hulme
To subscribe to fort worth texas magazine, or to ask questions regarding your subscription, call 800.856.2032.
fort worth texas: the city ’s magazine is published monthly by fort worth, texas m agazine Venture, LP, 6777 Camp Bowie Blvd., Suite 130, Fort Worth, Texas 76116.
Basic subscription price: $23.95 per year. Single copy price: $3.95. Application to mail at periodical postage rates is pending at Fort Worth, Texas. P oST m AST er : Send address changes to fort worth, texas, 6777 Camp Bowie Blvd., Suite 130, Fort Worth, Texas 76116.
No part of this publication may be reproduced without written permission from the publisher. how to contact us
For questions or comments concerning editorial content, contact Amy Hallford-Turman, editor, at 817.560.6140 or via e-mail at ahallford@fwtexas.com. Volume 12,
SubScriptionS to the FinalS and SemiFinalS now available
nose.Iturnedtoherandsaid,“What? could beBritneySpears!”Shehadtocoverher mouthwithhernapkintokeepherselffrom spewingherhalf-chewedchicken. I turned back to the adorable man and said,“Nope.Sorry.NotBritney.”
and learn. Around10p.m., feltmyselfturninginto apumpkin.Bynow,myfeetwerescreaming atme.Theywereswollenandhad,somehow ontheirown,wiggledthemselvesoutofthe shoes.IdecidedIdidn’tcareanymoreabout walkingaroundinmybarefeet. keptaskingmyself,“WhatwouldBritneydo?”Britney
"I sure had a good laugh out loud reading According to Heywood."
Kathy Leach
Good Laugh
Although I live on the West Coast, I have spent business time in Fort Worth and enjoyed my time there. That is the draw to check in at times. I sure had a good laugh out loud reading According to Heywood. Thank you.
Kathy Leach
Thanks for the Smile
Hello. Just read Fort Worth, Texas magazine’s PG Suggested article. I laughed! I needed that laugh. Being a mom of six (four of my own, now a blended family), I could just imagine that sort of day. Fortunately, I have never left without my bra on, but you never know what lies ahead … thanks for a smile.
Cast your votes for Fort Worth, Texas magazine's Best Of 2009. In order to create our 9th annual Best of Fort Worth listing, we need you, our readers, to scour the city and round up Fort Worth's finest. Consider this an excuse to devour Fort Worth's most delicious steaks, sip the tastiest mojitos, indulge in pamper-perfect pedicures and shop boutiques around the clock. After completing this grueling task, log on to fwtx. com and cast your votes in more than 100 categories. Stay tuned for the June issue to find out where to find the best Fort Worth has to offer. Happy voting!
If you're a faithful follower of Judie Byrd's recipes in the Cooking department featured in the magazine, you won't want to pass up the opportunity to access her secret recipes and cooking tips, which are only available at fwtx.com. Just look for Cooking with Judie Byrd.
I am so glad to see Heywood’s column online. Thank you. I saw him on Channel 21 and now tune in just to hear him. He’s a great asset to your magazine.
Amy Dean
Calling all party-goDid your picture appear in the magazine and now you would like to obtain a copy? If so, log on to fwtx.com, visit Snapshots, where you will find an archive of party pics taken throughout the year, and purchase your photo. It's that easy.
Creating Irresistible Smiles in Fort Worth Since 1985
Your smile is more than just a response; it’s the symbol of your personality and the centerpiece to your overall look. As a pioneer in the field of cosmetic dentistry, Dr. Mitch Conditt combines technical skill with artistic vision to create a smile that will represent who you are and fit your lifestyle aspiration.
An instructor to thousands of dentists from all over the world, Dr. Conditt takes a great deal of pride in having built a practice where patients—like you—feel rejuvenated simply because of the amount of care and experience that has been invested in their personal smile needs.
Contact Dr. Conditt’s practice today to schedule your smile consultation. We are ready to help you start the journey to a smile that is unlike any other.
www.drmitchconditt.com
Our New Look
Welcome to our cover-to-cover editorial and graphic redesign. In 2008, Fort Worth, Texas magazine celebrated 10 years of serving the citizens of our city. The landscape of Fort Worth has changed substantially over the last decade, and our new format has been expanded to allow our staff to more effectively cover this change. The typical reader today has less time than ever before to digest the amount of information placed before him. To capture his attention, our redesign includes a bold new color palette, new column widths, new fonts and a number of fresh, new distinctive sections. The result is an edgier, more progressive magazine that maintains the same accuracy, credibility and style that have characterized our publication for over a decade.
Putting out a monthly magazine is a full-time job and then some.
Accomplishing a complete redesign, while putting out the regular issues, is no small task. For those of you who have had the privilege of working with great people, you know the value of team effort. Our team has worked tirelessly over the last months to accomplish this task as a gift for you, our readers. I love my job and have the honor of working with a tremendous group of people.
As our economy continues to struggle, newspapers and many other city magazines across the country have been forced to layoff staff members. Fortunately, we have actually been able to increase our staff size this year. This growth helps us to better serve you.
With our redesign, many of the existing departments not only changed in graphic format, but also in name. For example, Worth Framing is now FW Snapshots, Worthy Cause is now Goodwill and Worth Repeating is now Lowdown. Others, like Heywood and PG Suggested, changed in format, but kept their existing names. All of these changes were carefully crafted to create a magazine that best reflects the dynamic urban centre that is now Fort Worth.
The guiding force behind the graphic redesign was Craig Sylva, our company’s brilliant creative director, who worked closely with our designers Spray Gleaves and Ed Woolf. The editorial face-lift was performed by our extremely talented editor Amy Hallford-Turman.
Other featured changes include separating the magazine into sections with like topics for easier navigation. The FW Living section includes articles on style, health and beauty, active lifestyle and cooking. The FW Beat section contains our Lowdown section, as well as business stories and all things cultural. Finally, we have added a new columnist. Jody Dean, the Fort Worth born-andbred host of 98.7 KLUV’s Morning Show, will provide his perspective on the colorful world of hole-in-the-wall restaurants.
We hope you enjoy the redesign and would love to hear what you think of it. You can e-mail me your thoughts at hbrown@fwtexas. com. On behalf of the entire Fort Worth, Texas magazine staff, thank you for being a reader.
On a High Note
Thirty pianists from 14 countries will compete this spring in the 13th Van Cliburn International Piano Competition at Bass Performance Hall. At stake is an unprecedented opportunity to perform throughout the United States, as the six finalists share three years of concert tours, including more than 300 engagements totaling in excess of $1 million.
For more information, turn to page 24.
TOUCHDOWN
Parking in Color
Standing 11 stories tall and reflecting natural light off of its multi-colored
glass, “Parking in Color” on Houston Street at the Convention Center is hardly
another concrete parking garage.
Unveiled in early April by Fort Worth Public Art and designed by Christopher Janney, it is the latest example of his “Urban Musical Instruments” series, in which buildings become living structures as a result of interactive technology. Each time someone enters this vibrant structure that casts blue, plum, teal and salmon colored shadows over the façade, they are serenaded by an ever-changing “sound-scape” of Fort Worth, includ -
ing crickets, birds and rodeos. Once a visitor enters the garage elevator, they continue to hear sounds indigenous to Fort Worth with slight pitch variation depending on the floor. And at night, pedestrians can be entertained by the light show generated by a series of lowenergy LED fixtures showcasing the multi-colored glass.
“Parking in Color” proves that tirescreeching and slamming car doors don't always have to be the musical background in a parking garage.
alumnus and native Texan LaDanian
Tomlinson was recently inducted into the Texas Sports Hall of Fame.
The 29-year-old running back for the San Diego Chargers once ran for 406 yards in a single game at TCU and has racked up an impressive 11,760 yards in his eight seasons in the NFL.
Born in Rosebud, Tomlinson played basketball, baseball and football for University High School in Waco. His legendary performance at TCU made him a first-round draft pick in 2001 when he was scooped up by the San Diego Chargers. Tomlinson has won numerous awards including the Walter Payton Man of the Year award and the NFL
Most Valuable Player award. The 2007 ESPY Awards honored him as Best NFL Player and Best RecordBreaking Performance for his 28 single-season NFL rushing touchdowns during the 2006 season.
Fellow inductees this year include Dallas Mavericks shooting guard Rolando Blackmon and Dallas Cowboys linebacker Lee Roy Jordan.
Salute USS Fort Worth
Thousands of letters, drawings, phone calls and an outpouring of support from the community over the last couple of years convinced the Navy that the newest littoral combat ship (LCS) should be named after our great city’s military history.
The USS Fort Worth will be designated LCS-3 and will be built by our very own Lockheed Martin. It will span 378 feet in length, have a waterline beam of 57 feet, displace approximately 3,000 tons and will make speed in excess of 40 knots.
The 21st century ship, designed to allow access to shallow coastal waters for missions such as mine warfare, anti-submarine warfare and surface warfare, is scheduled for completion around 2012. The announcement of the USS Fort Worth comes nearly three years after the grassroots effort to name the ship after the city began by Congresswoman Kay Granger.
