Jian Liang, Molly Anapolsky, Jared Jong and Lindsey Ho
Class of 2018:
Everybody Loves Sterling Fishing for Dad
Where Are They Headed?
Chef’s Corner: Thomas Laczynski Buzz Baby: Splash Pads
by Jordan Magaziner Steinfeld
Travel Buzz: Morocco Authors: Chris Cander, Katherine Center, Melanie Shankle
Houston, TX
Cooking Buzz: Grill On
Permit No. 2047 PAID US Postage PRSRT STD
Back Porch: Summer Reading
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EDITOR’S NOTE I still get “the giggles” every now and then. And nothing brings on that laugh-so-hard-mydrink-goes-through-my-nose hysteria than when I get the opportunity to reminisce with old friends about silly, sometimes-stupid, how-did-we-survive moments from high school and college days. I love it when that happens. Recently, I had the opportunity to reunite with some old friends, the kind who know what’s so funny when certain occasions from many years ago are remembered. In this issue, you’ll find our sixth annual “Where are they headed?” story featuring high school grads and where they’re off to college. Since this is our 17th year of publishing The Buzz, it’s crazy to think that some of the students who are now off to college were babies when we first launched the magazine. We wish all of the graduating seniors much success, and we hope as they move on to their next chapters of life, when they reunite later on, they too will reconnect and take time to recall those memories and laugh till they cry. 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, Pinterest, Instagram and Twitter thebuzzmagazines.com
Editor Publisher Associate Editors Design Manager Staff Writers
Contributing Writer Account Managers
Joni Hoffman Michael Hoffman Cheryl Laird Jordan Magaziner Steinfeld John Duboise Tracy L. Barnett Deborah Lynn Blumberg Sharon Albert Brier Andria Frankfort Angie Frederickson Todd Freed Cathy Gordon Michelle Casas Groogan Dai Huynh Annie Blaylock McQueen Jennifer Oakley Cheryl Ursin Susan Richardson Barnes Andrea Blitzer Leslie Little Kim Montgomery
On our cover: New Buzz-neighborhood graduates include Jian Liang (Rice), Molly Anapolsky (Tulane), Jared Jong (UT Austin) and Lindsey Ho (Case Western Reserve). Cover photo by Nikky LaWell, lawellphoto.com The Buzz Magazines has made all reasonable attempts to verify the accuracy of all information contained within. Advertising claims are solely the responsibility of the advertiser. Copyright © 2018 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.
BELLAIRE BUZZ JUNE 2018 4
Reputation Matters “When we sold our home in Bellaire, Mike Livingston was recommended to us as “the best real estate agent in Bellaire” by our home builder. Mike met with us prior to selling our home and provided us with a full market analysis. Mike helped us determine the best selling price that produced competitive offers within one week. Mike’s expertise guided us through the negotiations, inspection, and financing period to the final closing. We have changed homes five times and working with Mike was the best experience by far. Mike is very professional yet personable. We would recommend him highly to anyone buying or selling a home.” - Mark and Noemi Lockhart, 4805 Cedar
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MAILBAG
Your letters, thoughts, opinions Life is good as a “cover girl” What a joy it was to work with writer Cathy Gordon and photographer Nikky LaWell [Yes to the Dress: A wedding memoir in silk and lace, by Cathy Gordon, May 2018]. My mother Shirley [Harper] was thrilled to share her sewing stories and has now in her 80s become a “cover girl” [of the The Bellaire Buzz]. Thanks to this article she is in demand for sewing projects once again. At first, I was reluctant to convey the story, but it has been such a pleasure to hear all of the comments from neighbors, friends on Facebook and across the country. Thank you for letting us share it. Mary Ann Reed
Yes, my neighbor is a talent What a beautiful story [Yes to the Dress: A wedding memoir in silk and lace, by Cathy Gordon, May 2018]! What talent! I lived next door to Shirley [Harper] in Peoria before she moved to Texas and miss her every day. Maggie Martino
Oh, that’s how you do it I just read the article "Back Porch" about podcasts [A World of Podcasts, by Andria Frankfort, April 2018]. My wife always listens to "On Being" live on the radio and I wanted to hear it on my iPhone and didn't know how. You provided both the inspiration and the information that we needed to get started and I am really enjoying it. Thank you so much for such an informative and helpful article. Stanley Merrill
agenda items is to raise awareness about this disease. The Buzz is certainly helping to raise awareness about bladder cancer. And awareness will help save lives. Pam Harris, patient advocate
Young writers are welcome here Arjun will be thrilled to see this [Buzz Kidz: Vivid colors of India, by Arjun Maitra, April 2018, The West University Buzz] when he gets back from school! Thank you for giving him (and a few years ago, his sister Indrani [A taste of Prague in Texas, by Indrani Maitra, August 2016, The West University Buzz]) an opportunity to write for The Buzz. We love getting the magazine in the mail every month and reading about our wonderful neighbors. Anindita Sen Editor’s note: Thanks to both Arjun and Indrani for contributing. You can see all Buzz Kidz stories, from all four Buzz magazines (West University, Bellaire, Tanglewood/River Oaks and Memorial), at thebuzzmagazines.com. Students are welcome to submit an article for this column; just send us 350 words on an interesting hobby, passion or unique experience plus a high-resolution photo. Email info@thebuzzmagazines.com with questions. Send letters to info@thebuzzmagazines.com. Please include your name, address, phone number and email address for verification purposes. Letters are subject to editing for clarity and space. Views expressed in letters do not necessarily reflect the opinions of The Buzz Magazines, and The Buzz takes no responsibility for the content and opinions expressed in them.
Feeling like a star When I found out I was going to be in The Tanglewood/River Oaks Buzz magazine [Meet a Neighbor: Dick Brooks, by Angie Frederickson, March 2018] I was quite excited. When friends started calling and sending me copies from The West University Buzz, The Bellaire Buzz and The Memorial Buzz magazines, as well as neighbors near our home, I realized that your publication must reach multi-thousands of homes. Needless to say, I felt like star athlete for the Astros or Houston Rockets rather than the reality of an 80-year-old guy that likes to ski. Thanks for all the nice, fun things you folks wrote about Dick Brooks and the enjoyable reading of your magazine. Keep up the great work. Dick Brooks
Spreading word on bladder cancer Can’t thank you enough for all the support the Buzz team has given BCAN (Bladder Cancer Advocacy Network) [Buzz About Town: Bladder cancer walk, by Annie Blaylock McQueen, May 2018, The Tanglewood/River Oaks Buzz and The Memorial Buzz]. Bladder cancer is a relatively unknown form of cancer and yet it is the sixth most diagnosed cancer in the U.S. One of the Bladder Cancer Advocacy Network's main BELLAIRE BUZZ JUNE 2018 6
What’s your story? We are looking for residents for upcoming articles who: • Have back-to-school traditions. • Look just like their mom, dad or a grandparent. • Recently took a “gap year” before college. • Traveled to a fascinating travel destination. • Know a compelling neighbor to profile. • Enjoy interesting hobbies. If this sounds like you or someone you know, please contact us at info@thebuzzmagazines.com or 713.668.4157, ext 12.
BELLAIRE BUZZ JUNE 2018 7
lawellphoto.com
NEIGHBORS by Cathy Gordon, staff writer
The Good Neighbor Everybody loves Sterling
T
he majestic live oak. Smother its base with too much mulch and it spells doom for the tree. Air-seeking roots surround its trunk in a vice-like grip, choking off nutrients. But feed it a thoughtful blend of fertilizer and topsoil and it responds with a lush, green canopy. Shade for the generations. On a corner lot in West University sits a modest one-story brick home built in 1932, a row of gloriously healthy live oaks at its side. The hands that planted them more than four decades ago are leafing through a well-worn spiral notebook at the kitchen table, pointing out dates. Births. Deaths. Weddings. The calendar of his life. “I like to keep track of things,” says Sterling Burton, 98, grandfather to five, great-grandfather to seven, who reminisces this day about family, two wives long-gone, neighbors, and, yes, those live oaks. Sturdy. With deep roots. Much like Sterling, say neighbors. “Sterling is precious beyond words. He does the most amazing things in our neighborhood, always helping people out of kindness, for no other reason,” says wedding floral designer Maura Montgomery. “He’s always looking out for me. He notices things that are wrong before I ever notice.” Like when a water line to her house recently busted. Sterling alerted her to the standing water, then crouched on all fours in the rain, in his khakis, to assess the problem. “Then he stood at his fence and supervised the repairmen to make sure it was done right,” Maura says. “Sterling taught me everything about my water system that day.” Yep. That’s Sterling, agrees Robin Burks, who counts him as her hero. Twice he’s rescued her family from plumbing emergencies when they weren’t home, cutting off their main water valve to prevent damage. “Our housekeeper knew just where to go. Sterling’s house,” Robin says. Water heroics aside, there’s plenty more to love about Sterling, say Maura, Robin and fellow neighbors Allison Mercado and Dorothy Kaldis, who threw a Cinco de Mayo neighborBELLAIRE BUZZ JUNE 2018 8
hood bash to celebrate his May 5 birthday. Mexican food, margaritas and Sterling’s favorite pineapple upsidedown cake were a hit, but the man who bears the name of priceless silver was the real attraction. “A real nice thing for them to do,” says Sterling, not one to seek attention. His Texas twang turns into a chuckle at the POPULAR GUY Dorothy Kaldis, Maura Montgomery and Allison Mercado (from thought of “much left) hug on their favorite neighbor, Sterling, outside of his West University home. ado” about him. worked at Ellington Field, teaching newbie “They’re a nice bunch of people,” he says, pilots the way of the sky. flipping through a photograph album of neighBut he knew little about Galveston Bay and bors, past and present. They send him pictures its critters. at Christmas. Enter Geraldine Rulon. Not surprising that the album is packed full. On a fishing trip to the bay with two lieuSterling has been cultivating neighborhood tenant buddies, part of the group’s catch escaped friendships since spam was strictly a canned meat. a cardboard box in their car. One car over, He comes by it naturally, this desire to help Geraldine and her friend giggled at the scene, others. He grew up in the small town of Tulia, three grown men who knew nothing of wransouth of Amarillo, where neighbor helps neighgling a crab. bor. He fondly recalls tasks at his granddad’s “We were dry land farmers, ignorant of such Hereford cattle ranch. “Practically grew up things,” Sterling chuckles. “She grabbed that crab there,” he says. He helped brand and vaccinate and put it back in the box and closed the lid.” the animals and learned to hunt and fish. Love. After graduating high school in 1938, The couple married June 8, 1944. Sterling Sterling attended Texas Tech for a year, then was on standby for an overseas mission, but the Kilgore College. war ended. Life began in West University. World War II loomed. The always-conscienHe went to work for Shell’s exploration and tious Sterling took advantage of a governmentresearch lab and remained with the company sponsored civilian flying program offered the duration of his career, graduating to head through the campus, earning his pilot’s license. draftsman. Sterling and Gerry, as he called her, He then joined the Army Air Corps, becoming raised sons Rodney and Douglas in a small oneintimately acquainted with the A-26 twinstory home on Northwestern. engine bomber, later designated as the B-26. In 1974, they moved to Sterling’s current He was assigned to flight-instructor school house, inherited from (continued on page 10) after earning his wings and commission, then
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BELLAIRE BUZZ JUNE 2018 9
CELEBRATING STERLING Neighbors threw Sterling a Cinco de Mayo-style party for his 98th birthday. Back row, from left: Chip Johnson, Phil Eisenberg, Victoria Benoit, Dorothy Kaldis, Ernie Baca, Mark Montgomery, John Mooz, Pablo Mercado, Fred Ames, and Pamm Vlastas. Second row: Grace Lo in the chair, Robin Burks, Kelly Mooz, Maura Montgomery, guest of honor Sterling Burton, Pat Walzel, Becky Eisenberg and Lori Johnson. Front row: Amanda Vlastas, Allison Mercado and Barbara Murray. (continued from page 8) Gerry’s parents, her child-
hood home. The couple remodeled it. Sterling planted his live oaks. Seasons passed. The trees grew. The neighborhood grew. Liver failure took Gerry far too soon in August 1980. “When you lose someone it hurts, but you keep on,” Sterling says. He has fond memories of dancing with Gerry at the occasional company picnic. Women noticed his fine footwork. They flocked to Sterling, asking him to dance. A few years after Gerry’s death, fate delivered Wanda Lee Kerley, a fun, spirited woman who loved to cut a rug. “Her son-in-law worked with me at Shell,” Sterling recalls. “He said, ‘I’ve got a mother-in-law who loves to dance. Can I fix you up on a date?’” They married in 1985, and he retired the next year. They danced throughout their union, joining the Silver Slipper Dance Club in River Oaks, twirling and hopping about to Big Band tunes. The Chandelier Ballroom on Beall Street was a favorite hangout. “One of the happiest times of my life,” he says of Wanda, who died in 2002. “Oh yes, my grandfather loves to dance,” says Carlyn Burton, a Houston patent attorney. “He’s not your typical 98 year old.” Adjectives flow when family describes Sterling. Loyal. Generous. Kind-hearted. Practical. Organized. Non-judgmental. The fixer of all things. “He has a dream workshop in his garage that’s incredibly organized. Everything has its place,” says Carlyn. If something breaks at her house, she says, husband Robert likely consults with her granddad. Sterling still drives. Passes his eye exam reguBELLAIRE BUZZ JUNE 2018 10
larly. “He drove to my house with my dad as passenger this weekend,” says Carlyn, who lives in The Heights. Doctors marvel at his health, she adds. He doesn’t require a hearing aid. Hears just fine. He recuperated from hiatal hernia surgery in January with no complications, much like his aortic valve replacement surgery in 2006. “I can’t tell you the number of doctors I talked to who told me how healthy he is for 98.” An involuntary muscle spasm in his left thumb has plagued him since the 1980s, says Sterling, left-handed. “But not a real problem. I started writing with my right hand.” Write he does. Spiral tablets fill kitchen drawers with all kinds of notations, dates and data. If anyone needs to know West University’s rain history, Sterling’s the man. “He’s recorded it forever. Has a rain gauge,” Carlyn quips. “He’s got ya covered.” He’s definitely not a napper, says eldest son Rodney Burton, Carlyn’s dad. “Goes all day. And he’s always the good neighbor. It’s not necessarily the norm today, but it is for him.” While some wives might compile a “honey do” list for their husbands, Rodney’s wife Sydney makes one for her father-in-law. “When Rodney and I married we lived in a 1920s house, and Sterling asked what we wanted for our anniversary present,” Sydney recalls. “I told Rodney, ‘We need your dad to come over and fix things for a week.’ And he did.” After Wanda died, his dad pined for a dance partner, Rodney says. “Daddy and Wanda had danced every weekend there for a while. Eventually he started dating three different women to determine who was the best dancer.” For over a year now, Eileen Hartis, two years his
junior, has been his “lady friend.” Quite the pair, say family. Sterling with his Texas twang; Eileen with her proper British accent. They danced together until her failing health made it impossible. Sterling and his silver Hyundai made regular trips to her senior living center here before she moved to be near relatives. Family genetics are on Sterling’s side. His mother lived to 98, his dad, 92. A granddad and grandmother lived to 97 and 102, respectively. “But clean living probably has some to do with it,” he says. “Not a smoker, very little drinking. I do like a margarita once in a while.” Neighbor Allison Mercado’s daughters Sofia, 11, and Lexi, 7, can’t move fast enough when they see their favorite neighbor. “They run over to talk to him and give him a hug,” Allison says. “Lexi was talking about family one day, and she said she loved great-grandpa Sterling and I had to break it to her that he’s not really her greatgrandpa. How sweet is that?” During 2008’s Hurricane Ike, Allison’s family left town and returned to find Sterling in their front yard with his chainsaw, tending to fallen limbs. “We adore him. Always thinking of others.” “He really is amazing,” agrees neighbor Dorothy Kaldis, who opened her home to neighbors for Sterling’s birthday party. She saw him crouched on his knees tending to his live oaks a few months back and popped over for a chat. “I asked him what he was putting down because I have barren areas that just look horrible,” Kaldis says. “He was kind of making his own mix. Definitely knew what he was doing. “And you know what? I can walk around West University all day long, and no one else seems to be able to grow grass under their oak trees. Only Sterling.”
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BELLAIRE BUZZ JUNE 2018 11
NEIGHBORS by Annie Blaylock McQueen, staff writer
Fishing For Dad Top angler Meredith McCord
O
n Father’s Day almost two years ago, 42year-old Meredith McCord was on a mission. She was at her family’s Navasota farm, fishing in the pond that her late father, Rick McCord, had built and stocked years earlier with largemouth bass. It was there that she hooked one that would be named her 100th world fishing record. “It was very emotional,” recalled Meredith, who had lost her beloved father to kidney cancer eight months earlier after a rough 18-month battle. This was her first Father’s Day without him. Meredith, a Buzz resident and an avid outdoorswoman, has been fishing since before she could walk. Now, she fishes all over the world, using many methods but most with a fly rod in hand. Her favorite type of angling, whether in fresh or salt water, is sight fishing, where she sees the fish that she is pursuing. She caught her lifelong fishing bug from her dad, a Houston real estate developer. “Fishing was one of his favorite pastimes and hobbies,” she said. When put to the challenge of defining herself as an angler by some TV producers, Meredith started the pursuit of breaking world records. She broke her first world record in December 2012, when she caught a 32.58-pound redfish on fly in Venice, Louisiana. The records are kept through the International Game Fish Association, a not-forprofit organization for the conservation of game fish and promotion of ethical angling practices. For each species, there are dozens of possible records depending on gender, age, method of catching and strength of line. The petite blonde graduated from Vanderbilt University with a degree in human organizational development and studio art. She moved out to Jackson Hole, Wyoming, in the summer of ’96 to learn the art of fly fishing before starting her first job in Atlanta. Meredith says she felt inspired by the movie A River Runs Through It and wanted to learn fly fishing. She found several locals to teach her. “It’s a romantic way of fishing because it’s so raw and primitive,” she said. After that summer, she moved to Atlanta. Within a year, her performance review came back stating, “Meredith needs BELLAIRE BUZZ JUNE 2018 12
FISHING BUDDIES World-record angler Meredith McCord’s lifelong passion for fishing came from her late father and fishing mentor, Rick McCord. Here, he holds his first permit fish caught on fly in Ambergris Caye, Belize, in 2013, prior to his cancer diagnosis.
to wear her panty hose and shoes a little more around the office.” She realized corporate America was not for her. In 1998, she moved back home to Houston to open The Mad Potter, a paint-your-own-pottery studio, after seeing the concept in Atlanta. Her dad, Rick McCord, grew up on a lake hunting and fishing. He passed on his love for the outdoors to his three children. He and Jane raised Meredith, Ryan and Anne without television (except for 30 minutes on Saturday mornings). The McCords fished and explored their Texas farm and spent summers in Ontario, Canada, fishing on Lake of the Woods at their family’s cabin. Rick and Meredith always shared a love of fishing. “He got so excited over my first world record,” said Meredith. Four months later, her dad was with her as she broke her next two records. Rick’s delight pushed Meredith to keep finding new records to break. A year later, in 2014, after a father-daughter fishing trip to the Seychelles, Rick was unexpectedly diagnosed with stage 4 kidney cancer. In December 2014, Meredith made a promise
and set a goal to break 100 world records. Since her fishing partner could no longer go with her, she brought the stories back to him. And she did. Meredith would fish for her dad, breaking record after record to tell him all about it. “It got his mind off his pain and his battle,” she said. “I would snuggle up beside him on his bed with pics on my iPad and tell him stories of my catches and adventures. He would always grab my hand squeezing and say, ‘Atta girl. I am so proud of you. Keep it up.’” Rick tried out multiple cancer drugs and treatment options. “Fishermen are always optimistic, and my dad was the constant optimist,” she said. “’He would say, ‘This is just a minor speed bump.’” But in October of 2015, Rick McCord lost his battle with cancer. Meredith was at 78 records when he passed. Meredith continues to fish all over the world. She has been named the “Top Female Angler” two years in a row by the IGFA, as well as grand champion of the Ladies Tarpon Tournament in Islamorada, Florida, last year. She has broken 144 world records to date, with another seven pending approval.
BELLAIRE BUZZ JUNE 2018 13
NEIGHBORS by Andria Frankfort, staff writer
And how they come to be
A
ll summer, we’ll be getting lost in great books. We have the authors to thank for that. The writers who make it their mission to tell a great story, be it real or fiction. In Houston, we’re lucky to be home (or former home) to many storytellers. Here, in their own words, is a little insight into their passion. Novelist Chris Cander grew up writing in Houston. “I started playing with poetry when I was in second grade. From there, I have always written as a source of escape and pleasure.” Chris comes from discipline. “I had been a competitive fitness athlete and was featured in magazines. When I retired, I started writing about it. When my son was 6 months old, I decided I was already sleep deprived and miserable, so I was going to start my first novel.” He’s now in sixth grade, and Chris is writing her fifth book. “I love books because they give us the ability to try on other lives, dress rehearse other scenarios. There’s so much power in that kind of imaginative experience.” Chris’ 11 Stories and Whisper Hollow are both award-winners garnering starred reviews from Publisher’s Weekly and Kirkus Reviews, respectively. Come January, watch for her newest novel, The Weight of a Piano. For her own reading, Chris says, “I go talk to the booksellers at Brazos Bookstore, because they know me and know what I like. [At small bookstores], they’re humans, not algorithms, so they can recommend something based on your previous reading experiences and their own, and can therefore enlarge you beyond a reading rut.” Last month, novelist and native Houstonian Katherine Center launched her sixth and most highly anticipated book, How to Walk Away, the latest in her line of beloved novels with characters who fall down, lift themselves up, find love – and feel like friends. If the book launch weren’t enough, Katherine also just gave a TEDx Talk in Oregon on the importance of encouraging boys to read books with female protagonists, fostering empathy across genders. Katherine’s earlier books include Happiness for Beginners, The Bright Side of Disaster and The Lost Husband. When asked what she loves about books, Katherine asks back, “The objects themselves or BELLAIRE BUZZ JUNE 2018 14
the act of reading or the stories? I love everything about them. I love that they turn up your emotions and let you get lost in somebody else’s life for a little while. By the time you reach the end, it’s changed you a little bit, altered your perspective. Not too many other things can do that.” Katherine admits she doesn’t read while writing. “I’m lost in somebody else’s story and it’s hard to write my own,” she says. “When you’re writing, you create this world and these characters, WRITERS READING Houston and you have to reading in local bookstores. kind of carry these little imaginary people around to keep them alive and stay in the zone with them next to your consciousness. They can be sort of quiet and hard to hear until you’ve gotten them down on the page.” Author and blogger Melanie Shankle, a Houston native living in San Antonio, says, “My favorite books are [the kind that] I write. I like reading about real life and real stories, especially if they’re a little bit funny.” A memoirist, Melanie has authored four funny, touching books celebrating the pitfalls and the joys of marriage, friendship, motherhood and faith, rendering her own life, in all of its messiness, wide open for us to inhabit. Her latest, released last month, is the devotional Everyday Holy: Finding a Big God in the Little Moments. Other bestsellers include The Antelope in the Living Room: The Real Story of Two People Sharing One Life and Nobody’s Cuter Than You: A Memoir about the
lawellphoto.com
A Passion for Stories
author Chris Cander finds inspiration for summer
Beauty of Friendship. Melanie’s writing career stemmed from a blog [thebigmamablog.com] she calls “a creative outlet. I thought I’d do it for a couple of months.” Eventually, another author contacted her to ask if she’d thought of writing a novel. “I guess?” she answered. “That sounds hard.” Melanie brought her first proposal to her first agent “in an Office Depot clear folder. Here I am 12 years later. “While I’m writing a book, I stick to reading fiction. I can’t read a memoir because I’ll start to copy that author’s style, or it’ll send me into a pit of despair because I think, ‘I’ll never be able to write my story this well, so I might as well not do it,’ and then I just sit on the couch and do nothing.” Editor’s note: For the authors’ summer-reading recommendations, check out Andria Frankfort’s Back Porch column in this issue.
BELLAIRE BUZZ JUNE 2018 15
KIDS by Jordan Magaziner Steinfeld, staff writer
Class of 2018 Tania Andrews
Where are they headed?
O
nce again, as part of our annual tradition, we asked our graduating neighbors to share their college plans with us. What are they most looking forward to in the next chapter of their lives? What advice would they give their kindergarten selves if they could? And, taking a look back at the last four years, what was a favorite high school moment? To find out where more local 2018 grads are heading to college, see this story online at thebuzzmagazines.com. Also, check out – and contribute to, if you haven’t yet – our annual database of college-bound Buzz seniors at thebuzzmagazines.com/high-school-graduates.
Megan Hafer – Condit Elementary School/School of the Woods, School of the Woods, Bellaire High School Megan Hafer is headed to Texas A&M University to study marketing in Mays Business School. She has dreamed of going to A&M since she was in elementary school. “My family claims I bleed maroon,” she says. She’s most looking forward to meeting new people and living in College Station and being part of A&M’s traditions. Her dream job would be to work within the beauty industry, as she’s passionate about makeup. If she could, she’d advise her kindergarten self: “Always stay true to yourself.” Her favorite part of high school has been dancing with the Bellaire Belles. Molly Anapolsky – Mark Twain Elementary School/Potomac Elementary School, Hoover Middle School, Bellaire High School Molly Anapolsky is headed to Tulane University to study neuroscience. She’s looking forward to making new friends from all over the world. Her dream job is to become a neurologist. She’d like to spend time providing medical services to those who would not otherwise receive them. Her favorite high school moment was when she became an officer on the dance team, which she called “extremely rewarding,” and she learned a lot about time management, leadership and organization. Jared Edelman – Condit Elementary School, The Kinkaid School Jared Edelman says his favorite moment from BELLAIRE BUZZ JUNE 2018 16
Megan Hafer – Texas A&M University
high school was receiving his acceptance letter from Tulane University, where he will study business management. He’s most excited for the chance to challenge himself during college. “Studying at a university like Tulane will allow me to grow as a student and develop the skills of a true professional,” he says. “I’m thrilled for the memories that lie ahead.” His dream job would be to become CEO of an international real estate corporation. If he could, he’d tell his younger self to have fun. Nicki Miller – Beth Yeshurun Day School, The Emery/Weiner School Nicki Miller is heading to The University of Texas at Austin to study communications (public relations). She’s excited for independence and is looking forward to studying a subject that she’s passionate about in college. Her dream job would be a news anchor/broadcast journalist. Nicki’s favorite high school moment is when, on the first day of her senior year, her class came to school wearing their senior shirts and stood in front of the whole school, which was “really
emotional and exciting,” she says. If she could, she’d tell her younger self to enjoy each moment. “Each grade has something special to offer!” she’d say. Tomás Amelio – Saint Thomas’ Episcopal School, St. Thomas High School Tomás Amelio is off to University of Arkansas to study history. He’s looking forward to all facets of the college experience, including making new friends, Greek life, exploring academic interests and experiencing four seasons. His dream job? Luchador [Mexican pro wrestler]. He clarifies: “You said dream, not practical.” His most memorable high school moment was when he broke his ankle during junior retreat. “I learned I could persevere under adverse situations,” he said. “[I] had to be on crutches for six weeks, and my classes were upstairs.” Emily Ligon – First Baptist Academy, Houston Christian High School Emily Ligon is headed to University of Georgia to study marketing (continued on page 18)
Mark Edelman
Tanya Radoff Photography
Jared Edelman – Tulane University
Tomás Amelio – University of Arkansas Robin Davis
Nicki Miller – The University of Texas at Austin
Nikky Lawell
Howard Miller
Molly Anapolsky – Tulane University
Jared Jong – The University of Texas at Austin
Lindsey Ho – Case Western Reserve University
Trevor Schneider – College of William & Mary Dan O'Keefe, Natural Expressions
Laura Mansur
Emily Ligon – University of Georgia
Jillian Greenberg – Trinity University
Isabel Siahatgar – The University of Texas at Austin BELLAIRE BUZZ JUNE 2018 17
(continued from page 16) and is most looking for-
ward to finding new opportunities. “College is the perfect chance for me to experience new adventures, meet new people, and discover new parts of myself I didn't even know were there!” she says. She’d love to work as a press secretary for a member of Congress, or she thinks she’d enjoy being a broadcast journalist for a national station. Her favorite high school moment was being appointed the editor of the yearbook as a junior – no junior had ever been yearbook editor, so it was a special honor. If she could, she’d tell her younger self: “Learn from the past, but don't live in it; plan for the future, but don't dwell on it; live for the here and now because life is short.” Jared Jong – Horn Elementary School, Lanier Middle School, Bellaire High School Jared Jong is off to The University of Texas at Austin to study economics. He’s most excited to be going to his “dream college” and to meet new people, have freedom and to challenge himself academically. If he could, he’d remind his younger self to have fun being a kid. “Make a lot of friends,” he’d say. “Spend time with family and enjoy the time you have.” Lindsey Ho – T.H. Rogers School, St. John’s School Lindsey Ho is heading to Case Western Reserve University where she will major in civil engineering and minor in dance. She’s most looking forward to meeting new people and starting a new adventure in a new environment. She dreams of being a civil engineer “working in a fabulous firm designing skyscrapers” one day. Her favorite high school memory is dancing with all her best friends surrounded by dinosaur exhibits at Senior Cotillion. If she could, she’d tell her kindergarten self: “Don't stress about the future because you will end up where you are meant to be.”
to study political science and is most excited to be part of Trinity’s nationally ranked tennis team. Her dream job would be to become a judge or lawyer one day. Her favorite memory from high school is walking around Times Square in NYC with her junior class. If she could, she’d tell her younger self: “Continue to enjoy what you do and have fun!” Isabel Siahatgar – Condit Elementary School, Trafton Academy, Bellaire High School Isabel Siahatgar is off to The University of Texas at Austin to study geological sciences. She dreams of either working in nature or traveling around the world for a living, and says her major will make it possible for either of these dreams to become reality. She’s most looking forward to all the freedom she’ll get in college and the opportunity to learn more about herself. Her favorite high school experience was her senior trip to Jamaica with her dance team. If she could, she’d tell her kindergarten self to be more confident. Jian Liang – Saint Thomas' Episcopal School Jian Liang is heading to Rice University. Her major is undecided, but she’s looking forward to attending a school with unique traditions and a close-knit community. “I'm excited to be able to study in such an amazing school and to be assigned to one of their 11 residential colleges. It's kind of like Hogwarts, but not really,” she says. If she could, she’d advise her kindergarten self to find what you love even if it means trying everything. “Be a risk taker and don't sit confined in that teeny tiny academics box!” Her favorite high school moments are the early morning runs with the cross country team and the late nights with the yearbook staff. Abby Cohan – Presbyterian School, The Emery/Weiner School Abby Cohan is off to American University to study business. “I am most looking forward to meeting new people, exploring all the neat places and historical monuments that DC has to offer and taking interesting classes,” she says. If she could, she’d remind her younger self to follow her instincts and dreams.
Holy Cross to study psychology and is looking forward to “developing inseparable friendships, creating memorable moments, exploring the beautiful city of Worcester, Mass., and creating enriching relationships with my professors,” she says. She’s particularly excited to enjoy school spirit in football games and events. Her dream job would be to be the head of human resources at a large company. Isabella’s favorite moment from high school was eating and laughing with friends at the school’s annual Thanksgiving luncheon this year. If she could, she’d tell her kindergarten self: “Don’t care about what others think of you and don’t compare yourself. You are who you are, and who you are is truly beautiful.” Nathan Lederman – Beth Yeshurun Day School, The Emery/Weiner School Nathan Lederman is off to study journalism and film at Boston University and is looking forward to exploring Boston. He’s hoping to have a career that blends his passion for film and journalism. One of his favorite high school moments was opening night for his Senior Directed Project. Over a semester, he adapted, cast and put on a stage adaption of one of his favorite episodes of The Twilight Zone and says it was incredible to see the hard work pay off. If he could, he’d tell his kindergarten self to enjoy every day. “Relish every moment. Don’t live in the future,” he’d tell himself. Sophia Wayne – Mark Twain, Pershing Middle School, Episcopal High School Sophia Wayne is headed to Washington University in St. Louis. She’s undecided on her major but is most looking forward to the independence she’ll gain during this time of her life. Her favorite part of high school: “Coming to Episcopal knowing hardly anyone and making friends that I will have forever,” she says. If she could, she’d remind her younger self to enjoy everything and have fun because time goes by quickly.
Trevor Schneider – St. Vincent de Paul, Annunciation Orthodox School, Strake Jesuit College Preparatory Trevor Schneider is heading to the College of William & Mary to study government, and he’s excited to learn more about himself through the freedom that college brings. “The structured nature of high school has its perks, but can also lead to a somewhat boring, homogeneous group of teenagers. In college, I intend to pursue every whim and opportunity, regardless of how weird or uncomfortable it may be, to become more familiar with what truly matters to me,” he says. “If I end up becoming a hipster, so be it.” His dream job would be White House press secretary. He says his favorite moment in high school is when a communication mix-up on the morning news show at school led to his friend accidentally cancelling school for the day.
Spencer Dearborn – West University Elementary School, Presbyterian School, Episcopal High School Spencer Dearborn is heading to The University of Chicago to study economics. He’s most looking forward to those college late nights studying. If he could chat with his younger self, he’d say: “Handwriting practice is just the man trying to keep you down.” His dream job? “Stayat-home dad, but without kids.” And his favorite moment from high school? “That time I didn’t fail sophomore English.”
Jordan Barger – Incarnate Word Academy, The Post Oak School, Post Oak High School Jordan Barger is heading to University of California, Los Angeles to study film and television. She’s wanted to live in L.A. since she was 7 and is looking forward to making the move. “I also am really excited to take the next step towards my dream of being in the film industry,” she says. She dreams of being a screenwriter, director and editor of films one day. She says her favorite high school experience was a life-changing trip to Nicaragua during her sophomore year. “If I could give my kindergarten self one piece of advice (not that my kindergarten self would listen) it would be to not stress over everything,” she says. “You'll end up where you need to be ... life is about the journey, not the destination.”
Jillian Greenberg – The Shlenker School, The Emery/Weiner School Jillian Greenberg is off to Trinity University
Isabella Altman – River Oaks Elementary, Pin Oak Middle School, Incarnate Word Academy Isabella Altman is heading to College of the
Jack McInnis – Presbyterian School, Strake Jesuit Jack McInnis is off to (continued on page 20)
BELLAIRE BUZZ JUNE 2018 18
Paperhearts, Jessica Laviage
Miranda Graves
William Altman
Abby Cohan – American University Amanda Dearborn
Jian Liang – Rice University
Isabella Altman – College of the Holy Cross
Sophia Wayne – Washington University in St. Louis
Jack McInnis – University of Mississippi
Brooks and Cadesman Brickley – Texas A&M University and Oklahoma State University
Brandy Stoez Photography
Kirby Trapolino
Jordan Barger – University of California, Los Angeles
Amanda Key Photography
Alisha Zavadil
Nathan Lederman – Boston University
Mark Katz Photography
Ira Rozen
Spencer Dearborn – The University of Chicago
Trinity Reilly – University of Notre Dame BELLAIRE BUZZ JUNE 2018 19
(continued from page 18) University of Mississippi
to study accounting and is most looking forward to tailgating in The Grove. His dream job would be CEO of a Fortune 500 company. His favorite high school moment would be playing intramural soccer and basketball with friends, and winning two championships. If he could, he’d tell his kindergarten self: “Keep working hard and never give up.” Brooks and Cadesman Brickley – Saint Thomas’ Episcopal, St. Thomas High School This fall, Brooks Brickley (on right, in senior photo) is heading to Texas A&M University, and Cadesman Brickley (on left, in senior photo) is off to Oklahoma State University. Brooks will major in petroleum engineering, and his dream job would be “drilling for oil somewhere exotic – and hitting a gusher,” he says. Cadesman will study business administration and dreams of becoming a real estate developer one day. If he could, Brooks would tell his younger self: “Don't put yourself in a box but try a bunch of different things. And keep in touch with your friends even if you end up at different schools along the way.” Cadesman would advise his younger self: “Be true to yourself and nurture your strengths. Don't try to be something you're not because, while you might not fail, you won't reach your full potential. But don't be afraid to try new things and figure out what you're good at.” Cadesman is most looking forward to freedom and setting his own schedule during college. Brooks also says he’s most looking forward to sleeping in during college – “I’m not scheduling early morning classes,” he says. Trinity Reilly – West University Elementary, Pin Oak Middle School, St. Agnes Academy Next year, Trinity Reilly will head to high school in Italy with Rotary Youth Exchange and, after that, will join the class of 2023 at University of Notre Dame, where she’ll study philosophy and theology. She’s most looking forward to meeting new, lifelong friends during college. If she could, she’d tell her kindergarten self: “Don’t be afraid of anything – even trying new foods!”
Camille Calabrese is heading to Tufts University. She hasn’t decided on a major but her dream job would be in publishing, with a focus on memoirs. “I love memoirs because they represent such a meaningful exchange. Without ever meeting somebody you can gain a profound admiration for them by reading about their experiences and how they have grown over the course of their life,” she says. Her favorite high school moment was at the homecoming game during her junior year, when it was announced that Zach Smith, a Lamar student who has Down Syndrome, was homecoming king. “Never before had I seen so many people united wholeheartedly around such a positive message, and the moment his name was spoken by the announcer the entire audience erupted into thunderous applause and cheers. It was a very powerful to see such a dedicated, involved, and kind student being recognized by his teachers and peers,” she says. If she could, she’d tell herself that learning is more than the activities and studying done in the classroom, and to be sure to connect with and learn from friends. John Saucer – St. John’s School, Episcopal High School John Saucer is heading to The University of Alabama to study business, and his dream job would be to become CEO of a company one day. He’s most looking forward to studying what he’s interested in and meeting new people at college. His favorite moment from high school is when he and his friends helped people in need after the hurricane. If he could, he’d tell his younger self: “Do not wish to be an adult. Cherish your childhood while it lasts.” Grace Vincent – River Oaks Baptist School, St. John’s School Grace Vincent will study English, visual and dramatic arts and psychology at Rice University. She’s been passionate about dance since elementary school and is looking forward to continuing dance and theater in college. Her dream job would be anything involving performing arts. Her favorite high school memory was “being in the Music Man senior year. I felt like my journey through fine arts had come full circle,” she says. If she could, she’d tell her younger self to find what she loves and stick with it.
Jack Pokluda – St. Catherine's Montessori School, Presbyterian School, Second Baptist School Jack Pokluda is off to Samford University to study business law. He’s looking forward to finding and developing his leadership abilities and discovering who he is through new life experiences. His dream job is to be a dad and impactful role model to his future children. If he could, he’d tell his younger self: “Nothing matters more than staying true to your values and your goals. At the end of the day, I want to look back and say that I am Jack Pokluda and no one else.”
Eligha Jones – The Rice School, Lamar High School Eligha Jones is headed to Grambling State University to study either music or biology. His dream job is to become a world-renowned music composer. His favorite Lamar memory is being on the drum line in the Lamar marching band. He’s most looking forward to being responsible for himself in college. If he could, he’d advise his kindergarten self to stay focused.
Camille Calabrese – River Oaks Elementary, Lanier Middle School, Lamar High School
Tara Nored – Woodridge Elementary School (San Antonio), Second Baptist School Tara Nored is off to Tulane University to
BELLAIRE BUZZ JUNE 2018 20
study English and is most looking forward to “the freedom to eat whatever I want, whenever I want. Also, undergraduate opportunities for research and internships, and exploring New Orleans!” she says. Her dream job would be teaching English or biology at a charter school, while also working for educational non-profit companies or freelance writing. Her favorite memory from high school? “Once, I went rock climbing with a close friend and my biology teacher, and then we got Chick-fil-A. I've had many more memories like this one, but overall, I will think that this moment shows how warm and kind my teachers have been. The relationships I've formed have been my favorite part of high school,” she says. If she could, she’d tell her kindergarten self not to worry about college ... until first grade. Alexander Worley – Second Baptist School Alexander Worley will head to Washington University in St. Louis next year to study political science. He’s most looking forward to studying new things and meeting new people, and dreams of becoming an attorney one day. His favorite high school experience was traveling to Greece and Italy with his classmates to study the journeys of the Apostle Paul. If he could, he’d advise his kindergarten self to read something new every day. Alexander (Quanming) Tao – Beijing Bacui Bilingual School, Beijing No. 80 High School, Alexander-Smith Academy Alexander Tao is headed to the University of Minnesota to study physics. If he could, he’d tell his kindergarten self: “Believe in yourself and don’t let anyone judge you.” His dream job would be to become a physicist or a singer. Luis Velasco Zapata – American School of Doha, American School of the Hague, The Village School Luis Velasco Zapata is heading to Loyola University Maryland to study biology. He hopes to become a doctor one day. He’s most looking forward to being independent and starting this next chapter in life. If he could, he’d tell his kindergarten self: “Don’t rush through school.” Molly Erfert – Homeschooled, Haddonfield Memorial Middle School (New Jersey), Duchesne Academy of the Sacred Heart Molly Erfert is headed to Oklahoma State University to study business. She’s most looking forward to new friends and new experiences. Her favorite memory from high school is the sophomore year college trip. If she could, she’d tell her kindergarten self: “Don’t take life too seriously.”
MORE ONLINE See thebuzzmagazines.com for more on graduating seniors, plus a list of teachers who have inspired them along the way.
Prestige Portraits
Alvin Gee
Camille Calabrese – Tufts University
Grace Vincent – Rice University Michaela Beall
Josie Jones
John Saucer – The University of Alabama
Ling Wang Photography
Jennifer Oakley
Jack Pokluda – Samford University
Tara Nored – Tulane University
Alexander Worley – Washington University in St. Louis
Alexander (Quanming) Tao – University of Minnesota Kat Mack Photography
Jeremy Kennedy
Queena Tian
Eligha Jones – Grambling State University
Luis Velasco Zapata – Loyola University Maryland
Molly Erfert – Oklahoma State University BELLAIRE BUZZ JUNE 2018 21
KIDS
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by Annie Blaylock McQueen, staff writer
Buzz Baby
Pools and splash pads
Buzz Baby is a column about life with little ones. Writer Annie McQueen has three children under the age of 4.
S
ummer heat in Houston is no joke. I used to practically race to my favorite local park in the early hours of the summer days when my twins were around 15 months old. I had learned the hard way that by 10 a.m., the excruciating heat would set in, and we would have to flee back to air-conditioned confinement. Pools are great for cooling off, but it can be a lot of work to take young babies and toddlers to a big pool, especially if you are by yourself. Luckily, there are splash pads, what I consider one of the greatest parenting inventions ever. Splash pads are basically always-on giant sprinklers that kids can go nuts in. They typically have soft padding/Astroturf, so skinned knees are kept to a minimum. Little ones can cool down and burn off energy, but there is no danger of slipping under the water as with a pool. A lot of local Houston splash pads are free and open all day, which is good for early risers and earlymorning visits since most pools don’t open until around 10 a.m. Luckily, Houston offers a lot of splash pads and community pools with shallow baby pools. Buzz resident Laura Wheeler says she loves to take her three kids, Sutton, 10 months, Mason, 3, and Gabby, 11, to the Kathrine McGovern Water Play Park at The Houston Zoo. “They have changing rooms at the splash pad so we just bring a swim diaper and swimsuit,” she said. “It is such a great way to end our hot zoo trip.” You have to pay for admission to the zoo to get there, but once inside, it’s free. It’s located near the petting zoo and carousel. Here are some other local favorites:
(60+); nonBellaire resident: $16 (3-59), $14 (60+) This neighborhood pool is more is like a miniature water park. There’s an extra-large swimming pool and a sprayground with a fun frog slide, fill-and dump-bucket area, covered tube slide and more.
COOL OFF Charlie and Heidi play at Discovery Green downtown. Mom Audrey Meyer-Hollis says, “Discovery Green has plenty to do with little ones, keep cool on the splash pad, play at the park, take a walk around the lake, roll down the hill, or pick up a picnic lunch.”
Gateway Fountain at Discovery Green 1500 McKinney St. Monday noon-7 p.m., Tuesday-Sunday 9 a.m.-7 p.m. Free, with street parking This huge splash pad is right next to George R. Brown Convention Center in the popular Discovery Green. It is quite popular in the hotter months and, while it gets crowded, the 14-foot soaring jets make it an exciting experience for children. Swim diapers are required for infants, and the fountain is turned off if there is thunder or lightning.
Ervan Chew Park (Dunlavy Park) 4502 Dunlavy St. Free, with street parking This sweet park is surrounded by beautiful oak trees, just north of 59. In addition to a splash pad, it has a playground, picnic tables where you can set up for snacks and lunch and some basketball courts. Don’t forget the sunscreen as the splash pad is in full sun.
Jaycee Park Splash Pad Bellaire Town Aquatic Center
Center
Family
7008 Fifth St. Pool hours vary (713-662-8280) Summer daily admission (May 1-Sept. 30): Free (0-2), Bellaire resident: $8 (3-59), $7 BELLAIRE BUZZ JUNE 2018 22
1300 Seamist Dr. Free, with street parking Jaycee Park, in the Timbergrove area, is a nice way to keep it simple for little ones. The splash pad is off to the side of the playground, and includes timed sprays and colorful artwork all
around. The park also has a walking trail, basketball and tennis courts, and a playground.
Levy Park Conservancy 3801 Eastside St. Free, with free and meter parking Levy Park’s new $15 million rebuild was wellthought out for Houston summers. One of the most popular areas is the large, interactive splash pad. Water rains down from tall orange towering structures. It’s fun for all ages. There are public restrooms too.
Noah’s Ark Pool – First Methodist Church 3663 Westcenter Dr., 77042 Pool hours vary (quilliancenter.org) $7.50; 1 and under free Noah’s Ark Pool is a dream for parents of little ones. It is located adjacent to the worship center at First Methodist Houston’s Westchase Campus. The pool is shallow for splashing and playing. A large Noah's Ark structure is located in the center of the pool with three slides and a crawl-through area for kids to explore. It also has a rainbow slide, a coconut water drop, and animals to crawl on. There’s a larger pool too next to it for older kids. Editor’s note: Which is your favorite splash pad or pool for babies and toddlers, and why? Let your neighbors know under this story at thebuzzmagazines.com.
BELLAIRE BUZZ JUNE 2018 23
TRAVEL
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by Tracy L. Barnett, staff writer
Travel Buzz
Morocco’s myth, mystery and modernity
P
erhaps nowhere on the planet does East meet West, and North meet South, in a more exquisite and thoroughly enchanting fusion. It mesmerizes in a thousand ways as one explores: wandering among the ancient souks and bargaining with merchants, marveling at the intricacies of Moorish architecture, savoring a bowl of slow-cooked tagine (a regional stew) or slowing down for reflection as the azan, or call to prayer, rises over the city. Or out in the countryside, as one begins to comprehend the astonishing diversity of this small country, approximately the size of California: Atlantic and Mediterranean coasts, snow-capped peaks, lush forests and patchwork farmlands, and the vast golden expanse of the Sahara Desert. And then there’s the history, which may, according to a recent archaeological discovery in the region, date back more than 300,000 years, culminating in a rich cultural blend that includes influences from the indigenous Berber people, Arabs, West Africans and Europeans. Here, we connect with three Buzz families who made recent journeys to Morocco.
A place of hidden things Alistair Vickers and Starlee Sykes (or Al and Star, as their friends call them) are a globally inspired couple if there ever was one. Both were from humble backgrounds – Alistair from smalltown England, Starlee from Texas – and never set foot on an airplane until they were young adults. They’ve spent the intervening years making up for it. Alistair, now vice-president of operations at British Petroleum, has been to more than 82 countries, and Star, regional president for Canada and Mexico, isn’t far behind at 63. And none has captured their imaginations quite like Morocco. This time around, they spent four days in Marrakech, doing a bit of reconnaissance for an upcoming trip with sons Jack (13), Cade (8), and Ethan (6 months). But that four days was enough to whet their appetites for much more. “It’s kind of a place of hidden things, Marrakech,” said Alistair. “I like the fact that to really find out what’s going on you have to kind BELLAIRE BUZZ JUNE 2018 24
of look around a little bit, peek around corners, look down alleyways – not everything is as it appears.” Their first big surprise was behind the doors of their riad. In Morocco, the best choice in housing, according to the Vickers and all our other interviewees, is not a hotel; it’s a riad – a grand traditional home turned into a bedand-breakfast type establishment. “It’s like you drive up to a door on a wall and you open it – and there’s a magnificent thing inside,” said Marty Aaron, who toured the country with his extended family over the holidays. “There’ll be swimming pools, mosaics, fountains, gardens, glass roofs, restaurants, all kinds of things. And breakfast is always included.”
NOT SO BLUE Will Blumrosen, Haley Aaron, Margo Aaron and Kelli Blumrosen (from left) and Brian Platt (in back) found time to pose for the camera in the "Blue City" of Chefchaouen with their most delightful and “colorful” local guide.
A thousand kasbahs Real estate developer Marty Aaron and wife Dorit, daughters Margo and Haley, and sisterin-law Tali Blumrosen along with husband Eric and their kids, Kelli and Will, were among a dozen or so family members who toured the country over the holidays and were as enchanted by it as were the Vickers. Their itinerary reads like an exotic movie script, beginning in Casablanca and moving onto Tangier near the Strait of Gibraltar; on to the Blue City of Chefchaouen, and then the cultural capital of Fez. They took an epic journey on the Road of a Thousand Kasbahs, a route traversed since ancient times by sultans and
traders, over the Atlas Mountains to the Sahara Desert, where they rode on dromedaries and spent the night in the desert, waking to an unforgettable sunrise. From the moment they landed, Marty was impressed with the country’s cultural mélange. “It was like we entered a whole new world – from a religious standpoint, from a cultural standpoint, from a food standpoint, from a smell standpoint, from a living standpoint – and it was nice,” he said. “You go some places and you’re there for three days and you don’t even know you’ve left Houston. After 20 minutes in Morocco, you’re like, this ain’t Kansas anymore.” Having Dorit and Tali, who are Israeli, as part of the family had already given Marty and indeed
OH THE VIEWS At left: Leah, Ian, Ellie and Steve Ragiel get a view of the Moroccan desert from the basket of a hot air balloon. At right: Al Vickers and Starlee Sykes enjoy a sunset from the top of their riad in Marrakech.
the whole family a window into the Middle Eastern world. But Morocco, a progressive Muslim country, gave them a different perspective. The call to prayer was a little surprising the first time they heard it, but they soon grew accustomed, as it would sound five times a day, beginning at 5 a.m. “They enjoyed their religion without appearing fanatical,” said Marty. “They never said a word about how we were dressed or anything else; they were very accepting. I felt very safe and very included; people wanted to share their life and world with us. It was culturally very meaningful.” The country was “phenomenal,” he added. “The people are great, the food is wonderful, the culture is amazing and deep. They have been in that neck of the woods for eons … those kasbahs were from 700 AD, and some people are still kind of living that way.” For Tali, the highlights included glamping in the Sahara Desert, four-wheel riding through the dunes and a cooking class in Fez – “where we not only went to the souk for our ingredients, but caught our chickens and had them slaughtered in the market. That was definitely a first for all of us.” Among a host of other adventures, the family visited a tannery and indulged in a hammam (a Middle Eastern steam bath, traditional ancestor to the modern-day spa), visited a mosaic art colony, played with the monkeys in the Atlas Mountains, visited the Hassan II Mosque in Casablanca, with the world’s tallest minaret. They stayed in some amazing riads along the way, including the stunning blue-themed Lina Ryad in Chefchaouen, and a kasbah as well. Tali highly recommended their in-country guide, Kamal Oujaâ from Medina Travel (kamalmedinatravel@gmail.com). “Morocco is a special place, especially Chefchaouen, the Blue City, with all its mysti-
cism,” said Tali. “While Marrakech gets all the PR and is now known as a golf mecca for Europeans, I believe Chefchaouen should not be missed!”
Snake charmers and Berber villages Last year, Leah and Steve Ragiel decided the time was right for a family adventure in Morocco. Ellie, a junior at Episcopal High School, was studying abroad in the south of Spain, and Ian was a junior at Strake Jesuit College Preparatory School. The family wanted to take a good trip before the kids go to college, Leah said, and with Ellie in Andalucia, “we knew we were in striking distance to Morocco, and it’s a place I’d always wanted to go.” To give them an insider’s edge, they decided to hire Houston-based trip planner and Morocco expert Cristina Buaas and a local driver and guide. They began in Marrakech with an intense immersion into local culture at the main square, Djemaa El Fna, with its snake charmers, pet monkeys, women doing henna, the sounds of flutes and oriental drumming floating through the air. At night, the plaza transforms into an open-air food market, with the light and smoke from dozens of cooking fires mingling with the offerings of local musicians. Their four days in Marrakech they stayed at an enchanting riad, Villa des Orangers, and wandered many times through the ancient souk, the traditional old-town market. They admired the wares from dollar-store offerings to high-end handcrafted jewelry and décor, bargaining for treasured keepsakes, as is the custom, and wandering the hidden courtyards. Their third day they paid a visit to Yves St. Laurent’s Majorelle Gardens, which houses a museum of traditional Berber dress, a source of endless inspiration for the native Algerian. They closed the day with an excursion to the Agafay
Desert, where they enjoyed a tented dinner, capped off with a brilliant desert sunset. Their next foray would be to the coastal city of Essaouira, where much of Game of Thrones was filmed. Before leaving Marrakech they took a hot air balloon ride – “so cool but a little bit freaky,” as Ellie described the experience – and then a more down-to-earth Moroccan cooking class. Essaouira was an encounter with nature and an even deeper dive into the culture, with an invitation to have dinner in the traditional home of their guide, with the whole family. A windblown camel ride on the beach was followed with a visit with an artisan who crafted each of their names in Arabic. Their last two nights were spent up in the Atlas Mountains at Sir Richard Branson’s Hôtel Kasbah Tamadot, with day trips hiking into Berber villages. The Kasbah is a North African term for a citadel, the central part of an old walled city. This one had fallen into disrepair, and Branson had bought and restored it and turned it into a boutique hotel. Morocco clearly left its mark on all of our travelers. For the Vickers, the country seemed the perfect place to share with their children. “It helps you understand there’s way more than the U.S. to think about,” said Star. “Morocco is a good bridge to see the rest of the world; it’s open to western tourists but has a bit of Eastern Africa to it – and that bridge is actually quite helpful. We like to take our kids to places that are safe and fun and enriching but equally a little bit edgy as well…. It’s about our kids knowing the world is not scary – because it really isn’t.”
MORE ONLINE See this story at thebuzzmagazines.com for links to sites. BELLAIRE BUZZ JUNE 2018 25
The Junior League of Houston
FOOD by Susan Richardson Barnes, contributing writer
Cooking Buzz Oven off, grill on Cooking Buzz is produced in partnership with the Junior League of Houston, a women’s charitable and education organization founded in 1925.
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une is a great time to regain balance after the hectic weeks of May finals and ceremonies and before fun but exhausting summer vacations. Temperatures are rising, but the intense Texas heat is still at bay. As the days get hotter, I am less inclined to turn on my stove or exert any more energy than required to serve a delicious meal. There is no better time than June to bid farewell to kitchen appliances and head to the back porch for simple, relaxed suppers. The smoky and caramelized flavors from the grill make dinner taste like an early vacation. As someone who dreads scrubbing pots, meats seared on an easy-to-clean outdoor grill are the perfect antidote to winter stews and roux cooked in a Dutch oven. Houston’s climate makes it possible for us to enjoy a variety of fresh produce all year long. But June brings an especially rich variety of fresh, local vegetables, fruits and herbs. Grilled Eggplant and Tomato Pasta Salad from Stop and Smell the Rosemary is a great way to showcase that royal purple eggplant you picked at the farmer’s market or the sweet tomatoes you planted in February that have finally ripened in the backyard. While I am sure I could find ways to grill a multi-course meal from soup to dessert, sometimes a cool salad full of fresh herbs is the best accompaniment to a smoky main course. Minted Tabbouleh, also from Stop and Smell the Rosemary, fits that bill. It requires boiling water for the bulgur, but it can cook away from the stove in a covered container. Combined with fresh tomatoes and mint, this is a refreshing accompaniment to grilled meats. For the main course, Grilled Lamb with Savory Mint Relish from Peace Meals provides bold flavor. While you may have to briefly break the no-stove prep rule, aromatic white or nutty brown rice pairs well with the meat. If lamb is not your meat of choice, try substituting flank or flat iron steak or chicken. Packed with herbs and lemon, the relish complements all of these meats. Grilled Salmon Steaks with Watercress BELLAIRE BUZZ JUNE 2018 26
Mustard Butter from Stop and Smell the Rosemary is another great entrée. The tangy mustard-based butter is a good match for the rich flavor MADE OUTDOORS The zesty relish does all the work in this simple grilled-lamb recipe. of salmon. Grilled Marinated Vegetables from Peace Grilled Lamb with Savory Mint Meals is a versatile side for most grilled main Relish, Peace Meals courses. Simply combine balsamic vinegar, From Peace Meals Dijon mustard, olive oil, garlic, salt and pepper Savory Mint Relish: with your favorite fresh vegetables, marinate and ¼ cup capers, soaked in water for 30 minutes, toss into a grill basket. The marinade is substandrained and coarsely chopped tial enough to coat, but light enough to high½ cup chopped fresh Italian flat leaf parsley light the flavor of your vegetables. Try selecting ⅓ cup chopped green onions a different combination each time you prepare ½ cup chopped fresh mint these. My family is partial to asparagus, peppers, ½ cup fresh lemon juice summer squash and tomatoes in June, but we 2 teaspoons grated lemon zest return to this recipe with winter root vegetables 1 cup extra virgin olive oil in a few months. 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper For a light and easy dessert, I love to make the 1½ teaspoons coarse salt classic Strawberry Pie from Houston Junior League 1½ teaspoons freshly ground pepper, divided Cookbook. This pie features a layer of cream cheese Lamb: and whipped cream worth every calorie. It takes 3 pounds butterflied leg of lamb about fifteen minutes to prepare and two hours to 3 cloves garlic, minced chill. As much as I love it with strawberries, a 1½ teaspoons salt caveat is in order. Houston-area strawberries are 1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper typically in season April to May; therefore local 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper may not be an option by June. I heartily recommend that you substitute Texas blueberries. They Combine the relish ingredients in a mediare best enjoyed right off the bush in June, and we um bowl; set aside. Place the lamb in a baking are fortunate to have lots of local blueberry farms dish. Combine the garlic, salt, pepper and red that allow you to pick your own. pepper; rub on the surface of the lamb. Pour If you crave an easy beverage that can change ½ cup of the relish over the lamb, turning to with the seasons, try Monica Pope’s T’afia coat evenly. Lightly oil the grill and preheat Ratafia from Peace Meals. This refreshing cockto medium-high. Grill the lamb until a meat tail features a foundation of vodka and white thermometer reads 135 degrees F, turning wine, vanilla bean and sugar and a cup of seaoccasionally, about 20 to 25 minutes. Remove sonal fruit and vegetables. I offer up a June verfrom the grill and let rest for 15 minutes. sion: try a cup of Texas blueberries with mudThinly slice the lamb across the grain and dled mint and/or basil. arrange on a platter. Serve with the remaining May you find the perfect menu to relax you into Savory Mint Relish. summer and may your stove stay cold until the fall. Editor’s note: To buy a Houston Junior League cookbook, see jlh.org or call 713-871-6608.
MORE ONLINE See thebuzzmagazines.com for more recipes mentioned in this article.
BELLAIRE BUZZ JUNE 2018 27
DINING
by Dai Huynh, staff writer
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Thomas Laczynski
ust when you think it can’t get any hotter, it does. Temperature wise. Restaurant wise. More eateries are on the way, following an already buzzy dining scene with the openings of BCK Kitchen and Cocktail Adventures, Feges BBQ, Les Noo’dle, Wanna Bao and Night Heron. Just take your pick and add one more: Fig & Olive. The New York-based Fig & Olive (5115 Westheimer) is the first of four dining destinations to open in the former Saks Fifth Avenue space of the Galleria. Following will be the much-anticipated Nobu, along with Blanco Tacos & Tequila and Musaafer by The Spice Route Company. With 15-plus sit-down restaurants – including Yauatcha, Peli Peli, The Oceanaire Seafood Room, Del Frisco’s Double Eagle Steak House, 51fifteen Cuisine and Cocktails – it’s safe to say that Galleria Mall has turned into dining central. At the airy, 7,000-square-foot Fig & Olive, 36-year-old chef de cuisine Thomas Laczynski shows off a wall lined with exclusive olive oils and balsamic vinegars located next to the glassdoor entrance. Well-dressed shoppers will soon pour in for Italian raw seafood crudos, salads and more than 10 different crostinis. Here, Le Cordon Bleu graduate Laczynski offers tips on what to order at his restaurant and others. Fig & Olive is right next door to Nobu. Beside from the signature black cod with miso, what should we order there? With all these places opening, it’s going to be healthy competition. Nobu has more than 40 locations, and I’ve dined there several times. I’m a sashimi guy, and that’s what I eat at Nobu. I think it’s the best. As for Blanco, that’s a Sam Fox concept. He’s the same guy who owns North Italia and True Food. They have great tequila. As for The Spice Route, it’s an Indian restaurant. I don’t know much about it, but I would love to try it. Fig & Olive has eight locations across New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Washington D.C. and Newport Beach. You worked closely with corporate executive chef Timothy Hughes on the Houston menu. What should we try? Our menu is inspired by the coastal regions of BELLAIRE BUZZ JUNE 2018 28
Shannon Ohara
Chef’s Corner
France, Spain, Italy and others. Our food is light, fresh and simple. When you walk in, you’ll see a wall of olive oils and barrel-aged balsamic vinegars. We sell the vinegars and oils, but we also offer a complimentary bread service with fresh, homemade rosemary focaccia bread. Our oil of choice is arbequina. It’s universal. It has a peppery note on the back, but it’s light and smooth. As for what to order, I like our octopus carpaccio with piquillo pepper purée, potatoes and pimento dressing. The Chilean sea bass is unbelievable. We marinate it in olive oil and CHEF THOMAS LACZYNSKI Chef de cuisine Thomas Laczynski worked alongside corporate executive chef Timothy Hughes to tailor Fig & Olive's prepare it simply. We menu to Houstonians’ taste. serve it with roasted be a chef? sunchoke and a romesco-mascarpone sauce Always. I just love the camaraderie of the made with roasted red pepper, almonds and kitchen; everyone was like family. I went into hazelnuts. Paella is one of my favorites. We do the U.S. Army, so I could pay for culinary it with squid ink and a little local Gulf shrimp. school. After I graduated in 2005, I went to the And here in Houston, we added a shared 20Kiawah Island in South Carolina and worked ounce ribeye with truffle fries for $53. We knew there for six years. I worked at Hege’s we had to; we are in Texas. Restaurant. It’s a classical French restaurant, and You’ve only been in Houston since January. the chef, Richard Hege, mentored me. This is Have you had a chance to explore the restaurant where I really learned to cook and how to cook, scene here? 16 hours a day, six days a week. I’ve been to a couple. Kata Robata (3600 Eventually you made your way to Austin’s True Kirby Drive) was really good for sushi and fresh Food Kitchen. How did you land the gig at Fig & sashimi. But I’m excited by my most recent find, Olive? Chicken Station (7001 Harrisburg). It is unbeI already knew about the concept, so I conlievable. It’s a Peruvian roast-chicken place. nected with our corporate chef on LinkedIn and They cook it over a charcoal grill, and they serve we just started talking. it with sides like fried yucca and sweet plantains. While in high school, you moonlighted as a dishEditor’s note: Buzz dining columnist Dai Huynh washer at a bustling Chinese buffet restaurant. After is a James Beard food-journalism award winner and graduation, you enlisted as an infantry soldier and longtime Houston-based restaurant writer. served in Iraq. When did you know you wanted to
Create a buzz for your biz.
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BELLAIRE BUZZ JUNE 2018 29
Dee Zunker Photography
SPORTS
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by Todd Freed, staff writer
SportzBuzz T
he Memorial Mustangs girls soccer team capped off the greatest season ever by a Spring Branch ISD soccer team by defeating Lewisville Marcus 3-0 to win the UIL 6A State Soccer Championship. With a remarkable, undefeated, 28-0-1 record, the Mustangs finished the season ranked third in the nation by USA Today. If all that weren’t enough, the Mustangs made history as the first girls team in school history to win a state championship. In the state final, Mustangs junior Grace Collins, a TCU commit, scored a pair of goals while senior captain Grace Yochum scored another goal in the shutout victory. “This is so special to us,” said Collins. “When we lost in the second round of the playoffs last year we made it our goal to come back and win the state championship this season. Setting that goal and then achieving it makes this even more rewarding.” For Yochum, who’ll play soccer at Oklahoma State, the state championship was just as special. “It means the world,” said Yochum. “We’ve been trying to do this ever since we got here four years ago. Not only did we win the championship, but we also put a stamp on it in the state final. We knew we were going to have to give it our all, and that’s exactly what we did. We came into the season thinking state, state, state, and sure enough, we left this program with a state championship.” “It’s really the best feeling, especially for us seniors to leave the school with a legacy of going out on top,” added senior goalkeeper and Rice University signee Bella Killgore. “Our state final win was very decisive. We were the best team in the state tournament.” In baseball, the Bellaire Cardinals enjoyed an outstanding season by going 23-7-1 overall, while also winning the District 18-6A Championship. In district, the Cardinals won
BELLAIRE BUZZ JUNE 2018 30
15 of their 16 games. “These guys are a very resilient group,” said Cardinals head coach Nick DISTRICT CHAMPS Junior catcher Jordan Morris carried a big bat with 33 RBIs for the Ozuna. “We pride District 18-6A champion Bellaire Cardinals this season. Bellaire posted an overall 23-7ourselves on fun- 1 regular-season record, while going 15-1 in district play. damental defense, The victory also marked the seventh SPC golf quality at bats and solid at bats. This team title in the last nine seasons for the Falcons. played fearlessly all season. They were a joy to “We’ve been very fortunate to have the kids coach.” who’ve put in the time and effort in the sport of Senior Julian Garrido led the team in hitting golf,” said Eggleston. “It’s a six- or seven-day with a lofty .450 batting average and was the commitment for most of these guys, and we’ve team’s closer out of the bullpen. Other key playhad a real nice run over the last several years.” ers included sophomore Sebastian Trinidad, In girls golf, Duchesne Academy captured who scored 41 runs on the season. Meanwhile, third place in the TAPPS 6A State Golf junior catcher Jordan Morris led the team with Tournament, capping off a tremendous season in 33 RBIs. On the mound, sophomore pitcher which the Chargers won both its district title and Kyle Buzbee posted an impressive 6-1 record then the TAPPS 6A Regional Championship. while junior pitcher Isaac Villafan was 3-0. At the state tournament, the Chargers were “We’re a young team, so I expect good things led by Danielle Talley, who finished seventh ahead,” added Ozuna. individually out of 53 competitors. Talley also Led by a spectacular two-round score of 9earned all-state honors. Sophomores Blair under par from senior Cole Hammer, the Evans, Sasha Amelang and Eliza Morford, as Kinkaid Falcons captured their third consecuwell as junior JoAnna Kass, were also major tive SPC Boys Golf Championship. For his part, contributors for the Chargers. Hammer, a Texas Longhorns signee, shot a 68 “I’ve never been more proud of a group of on the first day of the tournament, followed by girls,” said Duchesne Academy golf coach Scott a magnificent 67 on day two. “Cole’s amazing Talley. “They put in the work and sacrifice to every time he gets on the course,” said Falcons achieve great things this year. Every single girl golf coach Bobby Eggleston. “He’s a vibrant came through for us.” personality and a great leader for our team.” Falcons senior Johnny Butler had the Editor’s Note: Todd Freed is the Emmy AwardFalcons’ second lowest score at 3-over for the winning co-host and producer of the KUBE state tournament, while UT commit Mason SportsZone, which airs Saturday and Sunday at 6 Nome, junior Will Jacobe and sophomore Bain p.m. on Channel 57-KUBE. To submit high school Williams all had solid rounds, as the Falcons sports news for possible inclusion in SportzBuzz, posted a dominating 23-stroke victory over secplease email todd@thebuzzmagazines.com. ond-place John Cooper.
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Living in a digital world Staying fit while living in a digital world can be difficult. Technology has allowed us to complete unbelievable tasks, it has connected us with the world, and it has advanced our society and culture at an incredible rate. Fitness and wellness have also come leaps and bounds from the days of Arnold and Lou. No longer are the health clubs and gyms private clubs; they have become a warming oasis which span across the globe. These clubs act as popular social gathering spots for a gamut of individuals, from techsavvy millennials to baby boomers and beyond. These clubs are starting to adopt the latest and greatest tech trends. Members can stay connected at all times through social media platforms and develop and track personalized workout programs through a gym database. Gyms can even personalize services based on preferences from their members to optimize the overall fitness and wellness experience. The goal of having all this technology in the gym is to cater to the ever-growing popularity of finding the most convenient, affordable and trendy method of fitness. While I am all for the digital age influencing health and wellness, all the advancements in technology should not be a substitute for hard work, experienced and qualified coaches, and having a supportive and empowering community. Using apps to track distances, routes and calories is certainly a useful component to fitness. The rise of wearable tracking devices has been a top-five fitness trend over the last few years. The information that these devices show can help establish a baseline of fitness. Incorporating these devices and gadgets into the routine is great; just do not solely rely on them. The most recent research showed that gym members who hired trainers,
coaches or mentors have greater results in a shorter period of time than individuals who did not have any help. This shows proper guidance goes a long way! Programs designed for the individual based on ability levels, proper coaching and cueing techniques to perfect form, and accountability on the days it seems easier to drive past the gym rather than go in it support success in health and wellness. Positivity, support and a sense of community from in-person training, a buzzing gym atmosphere and even online coaching can engage and propel clients into success. Developing a routine and allowing for 30-60 minutes of activity can go a long way in the long run! The use of technology to enhance these fitness experiences within the gym setting is certainly a welcomed service. The point of exercise is for it to be enjoyed. The feeling of sheer exhaustion, feeling beat up and being excessively sore should be a thing of the past, and if technology can help us better track, monitor, understand and enjoy exercise, then we are certainly headed in the right direction! David Boettcher, Team Member, Pledge to Fitness and Director of Education for the National Personal Training Institute, 4665 Southwest Fwy., Suite 209, Houston, Texas 77027, 713.401.2841, www.pledgetofitness.com
For I know the plans I have for you… plans to bring you hope and a future. –Jeremiah 29:11
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SPORTS
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by Angie Frederickson, staff writer
SportzBuzz Jr. W
elcome to SportzBuzz Jr., a column spotlighting neighborhood athletes in elementary and middle school.
Headed to nationals The Houston Juniors 14 Premier volleyball team (top photo) wrapped up a successful Mid East qualifier tournament at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, Indiana. Their next stop on the tournament circuit was the Lone Star qualifier, where they earned a spot to compete at Junior Nationals this month in Detroit, Michigan. Only about the top 5 percent of teams in the country qualify for this post-season tournament. After a busy competition season, the girls will enjoy the summer and then head off to high school. The players are (pictured, from left) Thais Quintero, Caroline Howell, Mia Blum, Anna Ertischeck, Kaia Halfmann, Sierra Calles, Kayleigh Schultea, Jocelyn Escoffrey, Lexi Visintine, Samantha Cousins, Li Bahler and Dominique Griffin.
Fencing on the youth circuit Youth fencers from Alliance Fencing Academy (middle photo) competed at a Super Youth Circuit in Round Rock. This was the second national competition of the season, and fencers earned national points to qualify for summer nationals. Several boys finished in the top 8 and won a medal. Fencers in the Youth 10 category typically train for 6 or 7 hours each week, including both private sessions and group classes. The dedicated competitors are (back row, from left) Alex Sennewald, Aidan Takeda, Max Skubicz, Sergei Kudriatcev, Om Joshi, Sawyer Pham; (front row, from left) James Sennewald, Elijah Imrek, Luca Bisono, Lyle Lundberg and Dylan Chin.
Swim/bike/run at NRG St. Vincent de Paul sixth graders Oxford Colley and Jack Magnus (bottom photo, from left) celebrate at the finish line of the Houston Texans Kids Triathlon, held at NRG Stadium. Despite unseasonably cold weather, the boys powered through the 200-yard swim/6-mile bike/1-mile run event. Jack is a seasoned triathlete, and this was his seventh event. He finished 10th in his age group, and then began training for his next event, the 3rd Annual Justin's TRIumph Splash 'n Dash. This was Oxford’s first triathlon, and he is already planning to do another one. Biking and running are his favorites, with swimming a distant third. "We tolerated swimming, barely, because it was so crowded and cold and aggressive with everyone kicking each other," he said. Oxford and Jack trained with a group of St. Vincent de Paul participants: Lucina Oracionez, Luke Magnus, Hazel Egging, Timmy Duman, Natalie Webb, Ian Anderson, Luisa Bacigalupo, Grayson Yates, Natalie Cenetiempo and Mabyn Coleman. 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. BELLAIRE BUZZ JUNE 2018 32
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Dividing your estate unequally Dividing the estate among your children is easy, right? Just give each child an equal part. That sounds great in theory, but in practice the issue may be more complicated. Randall Lamb is a law partner with Dinkins Kelly Lenox Lamb & Walker, L.L.P., which specializes in transfer, management and control of family assets. He spoke to us about situations when an unequal inheritance may be hard to avoid. One involves a family business. What if one child works in the business, while others do not? You could always leave the business to the child who works there, and give other assets to the other children. But there will still be issues, such as how to value the business, and having enough assets to do the equalization. Other issues may require even more delicacy. What if one child is a highly paid neurosurgeon, the other an elementary school teacher? What if one child has Down Syndrome? Must you treat everyone equally in the estate? There are cases where an unequal inheritance happens inadvertently. For instance, one child lives near his elderly mother, and for convenience his name is added to the mother’s accounts in case of incapacity. “Depending on which box is checked,” Lamb said, “you may be creating a survivorship account with that son that will send the assets remaining … solely to the surviving account holder (the son). The mother may have a will that treats all the children exactly the same, but the survivorship trumps, and it’s done inadvertently.”
Lamb calls that “estate planning in a bank lobby,” yet another inheritance land mine. “There’s no panacea,” he said, but key is proceeding thoughtfully while keeping communication lines open. “There should be a big caution sign anytime you treat children, even for admirable reasons, differently,” Lamb added, “because kids tend to treat the relative size of their inheritances as a measure of parental love and affection.” It’s important to bring children into the decision process, so it doesn’t surprise them later. “[Ben Franklin] said you never know a person until you share an inheritance with them. And that is when your kids are really going to get to know one another.” Roots of inheritance fights can run deep – back to perceived slights in childhood. “As long as the parents are alive, that emotional wound stays buried. But death or incapacity creates a vacuum, and children behave differently in the vacuum than when both parents were alive and had capacity.” Lamb stressed the need to not simply go to a lawyer to draft a will, but to engage in a process that takes full account of the complexities involved. It’s called estate planning. James Waters, CFP®, PARTNERSINWEALTH, 3400 Bissonnet, Suite 145, Houston, Texas 77005, 713.964.4028, jrw@partnersinwealth.com, www.partnersinwealth.com
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COMMUNITY Dania Siddiqi, a sophomore at St. Agnes Academy, shares her experience being a Muslim in a Christian school. Here, she gives a speech about Islam during chapel at St. Mark’s Episcopal School.
KIDS by Dania Siddiqi, age 16
Buzz Kidz
Khaki pants and coexisting
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s I anxiously took those first fateful steps into St. Mark’s Episcopal School, a dozen questions entered my mind. There were things I did not know being the new kid and a Muslim in a Christian school. For the first time, I would immerse myself in a religion I did not know much about, and with people who might not understand much about my background. For my school uniform, I wore khaki pants instead of a khaki skirt that other girls wore. The reason for this was that I valued my physical modesty. At first, I felt like this singled me out from the rest of my school, and truthfully, it did. In eighth grade, I was called a terrorist by a student in front of my class. What this experience taught me was that, although my school advocated for an open-minded community, some peo-
ple will not care to understand. Just as I expect others not to generalize my entire religion based on someone’s evil actions, I must also be able to single out one person from a whole community. One year at St. Mark’s, Mr. Garhett Wagers gave me the opportunity to talk to an audience about Islam. Something came to mind as I stood there in front of an audience, watching familiar eyes linger around what I was wearing rather than what I was saying. I was different. And for the longest time, I was afraid that people would concentrate on the fact that I wore khaki pants or stayed in my seat during communion. And yet, talking to the whole school about my religion was my way of personally pointing out my differences, some of which I had previously been insecure about. Currently, I attend St. Agnes Academy.
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Although I swapped the khaki pants for black tights and a plaid skirt, I realize, five years after I took those steps into middle school, diversity means nothing if we do not celebrate it, wear it, talk about it and advocate for it.
MORE ONLINE See thebuzzmagazines.com for a longer version of this story. Want to be a Buzz Kid? Email approximately 350 words, a high-resolution photo and caption to info@thebuzzmagazines.com. Or mail it to The Buzz Magazines, 5001 Bissonnet, Suite 100, Bellaire, Texas 77401.
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The itch that rashes meets its match Atopic dermatitis, or eczema, is a miserable condition. Itching brings on the scratch, which spreads the rash, and a vicious cycle ensues. Many rashes itch, but with eczema, the rash does not appear until after you scratch it. Thus, instead of being a “rash that itches,” it is known as the “itch that rashes.” In mild cases, using skin moisturizers and creams or ointments that contain steroids provide adequate control. In more severe cases, we have to use stronger doses of steroids that are taken by mouth and can cause terrible steroid side effects if used too long. Over the past 30-plus years, medical researchers have studied how white blood cells communicate with each other to regulate the immune system. One class of regulators is called interleukins (IL). IL-4, IL-13 and IL-31 play a role in eczema, so research has been done on how to block these signals to control the eczema. In March 2017, the FDA approved the biologic dupilumab (Dupixent), an injectable medication that inhibits both IL-4 and IL-13. In a pivotal study published in the New England Journal of Medicine in 2014, Dupixent provided much better relief when compared against steroid creams and ointments placed on the skin. Much larger studies confirmed this benefit in a 2016 NEJM manuscript. We have now started several patients on this treatment and have been amazed by how well it works. With eczema of any severity, rule No. 1 is moisturizing the skin. Dry skin is more likely to itch than is moisturized skin, and if we can control the itch, we control the scratch, and thus minimize the rash. Many allergic patients do not tolerate fragrances, so try a moisturizer that is “fragrance free.” It’s not good
enough if it says “unscented” because many unscented products have irritating fragrances that are offset by other masking (also irritating) fragrances. Many patients tolerate Vanicream, Cetaphil and CeraVe. Moisturizing can also be achieved from the inside out – staying well hydrated helps, as does ruling out and correcting Vitamin D deficiency. Oftentimes, the rash will get infected with bacteria, which complicates the situation. We sometimes have a patient pour half a cup of bleach into a bathtub full of water to kill the bacteria. Many patients find this unpleasant, and using a bleach-containing cleanser, like Cln, is almost as effective. If you are suffering with uncontrolled eczema, please ask for help. Better control is now within reach. No one nose allergies like we do.™ Note: Information contained in this article should not be considered a substitute for consultation with a board-certified allergist to address individual medical needs. Alnoor A. Malick, M.D., The Allergy Clinic, 7707 Fannin, Suite 100, Houston, Texas 77054, 713.797.0993, *1200 Binz, Suite 180, Houston, Texas 77004, 713.522.9911, www.allergyclinic.com, *Operating as Houston Allergy and Asthma Clinic
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sponsored by
PETS
Neighborhood Tails
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Lifting to greater heights 713.662.2119 www.roveroaks.com
Boomer, age 3, Golden Doodle, Effie St. You may recognize my rascally face because I’m always in the neighborhood with my sisters, smelling out the trees and wagging my tail, excited to see other folks and dogs. I am quite the attraction around Horn Elementary and Evergreen Park. I absolutely love people, especially children. I am offended when people don’t stop to talk and pet me. After all, isn’t that why we are out in the neighborhood? However, sometimes I like to just simply sit down as my owner pulls on the leash because sometimes it’s just too hot and I’m just too lazy to walk. I love swimming in my pool, especially when my sisters and their friends are swimming. I will dive and fetch the ball a million times! I also love chewing bones, and I have never met a toy I can’t destroy in 15 minutes flat! 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. Featured pets receive two passes to Rover Oaks Pet Resort. Each pass can be redeemed for one day of lodging in a Bunk House Suite, 25 percent off your next grooming appointment or 25 percent off one obedience training class.
BELLAIRE BUZZ JUNE 2018 36
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In the midst of a transformative period in its history, St. Thomas is admitting a higherachieving student population than ever before. And welcoming the Class of 2022 is a multidisciplinary science wing that will give the institution an unprecedented environment for equipping college preparatory students as leaders in pursuing future scientific challenges. St. Thomas is launching a 9,000-square-foot redevelopment for biology, chemistry, physics, earth sciences and STEM. The legacy left by the Class of 2018 is substantial, including four Finalists in the National Merit Program, seven National Merit Hispanic Scholars and 11 scholars who received National Merit Letters of Commendation. Thirty champion Eagle scholars recently captured first-place distinction in Academics and placed second overall in the combined competition at the 2018 TAPPS State Academic, Speech and Debate contest. The academic acclaim is in tandem with nationally recognized fine arts, intensive drama and theater focus, advanced student media program and distinguished speech and debate programs. Premier Eagle Athletics features a highly coveted endorsement partnership with Nike, with student-athletes from ’18 continuing at Texas, Houston, Louisiana Tech and a wide array of prestigious Division II programs, raising the total to 118 Eagles across nine sports since 2012 advancing their careers into college. St. Thomas High School, 4500 Memorial Dr., Houston, Texas 77007, 713.864.6348, www.sths.org
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Thank you, Liz Hamilton My father is 93, and he is winding down. He has inspired some of my favorite Buzz articles, including the one last month about advance directives and in-hospital Do-Not-Resuscitate orders. The Medical Orders for Scope of Treatment (M.O.S.T.) form is worth revisiting. Go to www.northtexasrespectingchoices.com/m-o-s-t/ for your own copy. Look at Section B, Medical Intervention Scope. If the patient is unstable, has a pulse, and is breathing, there are three options: Full Interventions, Selective Interventions, and Comfort Interventions Only. Full Interventions may include the hospital, ICU, and intubation. Comfort Interventions Only avoids the hospital, except for comfort care. If you ever find yourself suspended between heaven and earth, Selective Interventions is a good place to hang out. That approach provides comfort measures, but also non-invasive interventions such as antibiotics, breathing support, and fluids. You may have a DNR, but people will still care for you and provide good medicine. Your life won’t be extended without reason, but you won’t die from neglect, either. Selective Interventions sound good on paper, but it’s a lot of work for someone. In my father’s case, the work has fallen on Inez “Liz” Hamilton, an LVN and former emergency room nurse who has coordinated my father’s care for almost two years. She and her staff cook his meals, wash his clothes, bathe him, drive him to the barber, administer his meds, manage his insulin, cath him, and take him to the doctor, dentist, ophthalmologist, audiologist, urologist, cardiologist, gastroenterologist, dermatologist, and podiatrist (with side trips to Cleburne’s for liver and onions). And
that’s the easy part. I’m not sure of the hard part. It could be the 1:30 a.m. house calls when breathing is labored. Or arranging transport when the medical director won’t return his page. Or waiting eight hours to speak with the ER doc to share the patient history. Liz has done all that, and more, and without additional charge, knowing no one would blame her if she did less. I’d like to say these tasks would have fallen to family but for Liz, but the truth is that many simply would not have been done without her. Liz, thank you, and a belated happy birthday. Private pay, 24-7 caregiving is expensive and typically a last resort, after family has exhausted themselves. For those still doing it all themselves, I recommend the ABA/AARP Checklist for Family Caregivers: A Guide to Making it Manageable. Even if you don’t buy the book, the checklists are available for free at ambar.org/caregivers. We offer no-obligation initial interviews for estate planning and administration, so it costs nothing to hear specific recommendations that suit your needs. Foreign nationals and international families welcome. Russell W. Hall, J.D., LL.M. (Tax), Board Certified – Estate Planning and Probate Law, Texas Board of Legal Specialization, 6750 West Loop South, Suite 920, Bellaire, Texas 77401, 713.662.3853, www.rwhpc.com
Celebrating 23 years of serving Bellaire homeowners with excellence.
Eric Campbell
713.349.7236
epcsold@aol.com
BELLAIRE BUZZ JUNE 2018 37
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Full-service construction
Coordinating care
Do you ever find that trying to find people to perform construction work on your home can be very overwhelming, whether it is not knowing who to call or having to manage several disparate individuals? A key benefit of Luria Construction is that we are a fullservice construction company, meaning we are turnkey. The benefit of that is that we are able to offer everything under one roof and in one single bill. Additionally, anything you need can all be handled by our company. As I am sure you have seen, we do residential remodeling, repairs, elevation of homes, and new construction. This way we are able to assist all of our neighbors here in Bellaire. We perform work on commercial structures as well. Recently, with all of the flooding that has happened, our clients have had an easier time getting approvals because everything that gets provided to them comes from one source instead of requiring separate invoice and receipt tracking. This is how we are able to quickly assist our clients and ensure the project timelines stay on track and provide our clients with fewer headaches when working with their insurer or mortgage company. If you ever feel that you need construction services, rest assured that we can handle whatever your needs are here at Luria. Luria Construction, LLC, www.luriaconstruction.com, 713.828.2155
Residents who need caregivers deal with multiple medical problems, including some that are chronic. Getting care for all the issues, and understanding how those issues and treatments impact each other, is essential to maintaining a good quality of life. But by necessity, most healthcare practitioners only focus on treating what’s bothering their patients now. As non-medical experts, caregivers have to – and should – rely on those physicians to treat their clients. But caregiving providers can help physicians do their job. Coordinating care with a geriatrician who can step back and look at the individual’s big-picture history – including medical, social and physical elements – and refer to specialists as needed can lead to improved care. Geriatricians can put all those pieces together to get an understanding of what a prognosis is going to look like down the line so there are no surprises. Unfortunately, many caregiving providers don’t make that service a priority. Doing so requires extra communication between the patient, caregiver leadership, family and geriatrician. But you should expect that level of service. For clients of Personal Caregiving Services, Sid Gerber, who has training and a background in gerontology, acts as an advocate to coordinate care between all those elements. That’s just one aspect of Gerber’s commitment to communication. S. Gerber & Associates, 9301 Southwest Freeway, Suite 250, Houston, Texas 77074, 832.564.0338, sid@personalcaregiving.com
THE BUZZ WEEKDAY WORKOUT
Join us for a fun, weekly workout every Thursday, 8:30 a.m., at Evelyn’s Park in Bellaire. All fitness levels are welcome. Hosted by The Buzz Magazines in collaboration with Evelyn's Park Conservancy and Pledge To Fitness. See our Facebook page for details and updates.
BELLAIRE BUZZ JUNE 2018 38
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Outsmarting disease
A minute with Maisie
The Clever Kitchen and UTHealth School of Public Health have partnered to deliver the perfect course to help with a heart-healthy lifestyle change. “Outsmarting Disease and the Mediterranean Diet” is a two-week, hands-on cooking course focused on the benefits of the Mediterranean diet, which promotes fresh and seasonal plant-based foods – fruits, vegetables, grains, legumes, seeds, nuts, olive oil, herbs, spices, fish, poultry – while limiting red meats and sugar. According to the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, primary prevention is the most effective and affordable method to prevent chronic disease, and dietary interventions positively impact health outcomes across the lifespan. The Mediterranean diet is not about recipes or diet plan, but quality food components. Research has shown that patients who follow this diet have a 30 percent reduction in death from all diseases. Attendees will join registered dietitian nutritionist Pam Fullenweider at the UTHealth School of Public Health’s state-of-the-art Nourish kitchen in using seasonal herbs and vegetables from the campus holistic garden. Participants will create delicious meals (breakfast, lunch and dinner) and learn how to build their own meal plans and recipes based on the Mediterranean diet. Meal sneak peeks: Grilled Shrimp and Avocado Salad, Asian Salmon Croquettes, and Blueberry and Kale Farro Salad. The course runs Mondays, 6:30-8:30 p.m., on June 4 and 11. To register, visit thecleverkitchen.com. UT Health, 1200 Pressler Street, Houston, Texas 77030, 713.898.2308, Pam Fullenweider MS, RDN, pam@thecleverkitchen.com, thecleverkitchen.com
Many clients ask me, “Can someone be married without a formal ceremony?” The Texas Family Code provides that an informal marriage, or “common law marriage,” is possible if the parties live together as husband and wife, hold themselves out as husband and wife and agree to be married. Each of these elements must be proven in court in order for the court to make the finding that an informal marriage exists. If one party denies the existence of the informal marriage, the parties must litigate these facts and are entitled to a jury on this issue. These cases are very fact intensive and can create costly litigation. One’s property rights may be adversely affected by the finding of an informal marriage as it creates a community property estate. While there can be an informal marriage, there is no mechanism for an informal divorce. Therefore, if you think you may have entered into an informal marriage, seek the advice of counsel, as it does require a formal divorce in order to dissolve the marriage. Maisie A. Barringer is a partner at Jenkins & Kamin, L.L.P., a full-service, boutique, family-law firm specializing in divorce, child-custody modifications, grandparent access, paternity, adoption, and premarital and postmarital agreements. Maisie A. Barringer has been recognized as a Texas Rising Star by Texas Super Lawyers, a Thomson Reuters service printed in Texas Monthly magazine for 2008, 2009, 2010 , 2012, 2013 , 2014 and 2015. Jenkins & Kamin, L.L.P., Maisie A. Barringer, Partner, Board Certified in Family Law, Two Greenway Plaza, Suite 600, Houston, Texas 77046, 713.600.5500, www.jenkinskamin.com
From her first steps through graduation. A portrait remembers. Mention The Buzz and receive a $75 High School Senior studio session. Call for details. Offer valid through June 30, 2018
Reserve your session now A Portrait Remembers 713.523.4916 nikky@lawellphoto.com www.lawellphoto.com
Your smile can last forever Anna Maria Salas, D.D.S., M.S. Diplomate of the American Board of Orthodontics
713-481-4885 3642 University Blvd. Suite 102 Houston, TX 77005 www.westuortho.com BELLAIRE BUZZ JUNE 2018 39
NEIGHBORS
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by Annie Blaylock McQueen, staff writer
Buzz About Town Tea, anyone?
McHugh Tea Room and Gifts in Bellaire), Kerry Adams (founder of Westbury CARE animal rescue, rehabilitation and rehoming) and Zac Crain (manager of True Leaf Tea Company and McHugh Tea Room and Gifts in Bellaire).
A wild day for Condit
The 14th annual Tea in Texas Affair recently took place in Bellaire, and the Alice in Wonderland sculpture at Evelyn’s Park Conservancy was the perfect spot for spots of tea. The annual event, held in different towns each year, is a celebration of tea in Texas. This year, more than $1,000 was raised for Westbury CARE animal rescue. Pictured (from left) are Lee Garcia (owner of Texas Tea and Travel and founder of the Texas Tea Affair), Kim McHugh (owner of True Leaf Tea Company and
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The entire kindergarten class from Condit Elementary School took a field trip to the Bayou Wildlife Zoo. They got to climb in saddles to ride horses and took a tram ride around the property to feed zebras, camels, buffalo and more. The animals were not shy as they came up to the students to eat the food. Pictured is one of the classes, with (top row, from left) Aiden Cole, Aven Wright, Jackson Mondshine, Taijus Mathew, Rayan Bhardwaj, Zoe Cheng, Ms. Barbara Garibaldi, Ella Pridgen, Hunter Halvorsen, Naya Dahdel, Eric Bian, Alena Chaudhuri, Krish Beniwal, Edwina Queberg, (second row, from left) Kevin Liang, Grayson Verbois, Caden Chang, Maddux Patterson, Sajan Mathew, Chloe Yomtov, Aden Cortez, Sylvia Lawson, Mustafa Ramzi, Sydney Pasternak and Hailey Kaiser.
Strake singer at Pearland Opry Austin Miller, a rising junior at Strake Jesuit College Preparatory High School, is an AllState tenor in the Strake Jesuit/St. Agnes Mixed Chorus. He recently performed the National Anthem and sang a duet (the song Johnny and June) with The Voice top-three finalist Mary Sarah (at right) from Season 10, “Team Blake,” at the Pearland Opry On The Square. Mary Sarah is a Houston native and will soon be performing with The Voice Vegas: Neon Dreams. Austin is also an aspiring actor, represented by Pastorini-Bosby Talent Agency in Bellaire.
Horn turns insects into art Horn Elementary School students displayed their artwork at the Cockrell Butterfly Center at the Houston Museum of (continued on page 42)
Watch Their Smiles Grow
Oral healthcare for the growing & developing child Joel J. Vela, D.D.S. Bellaire Pediatric Dentistry, P.A. 6750 West Loop South, Suite 795 713.661.1100 • www.bellairesmiles.com
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BELLAIRE BUZZ JUNE 2018 41
Science. Art teacher Deborah Guelzow worked with students on different aspects of insect artwork. Young artists included Amalia Martinez, Franco Moll Asencio, Om Raj, Jeremiah Thomas, Millie Feldman, Miles Bonville, Millie Zhao, Drew Campbell, Chloe Lo, Luca Chang, Shai Rahimi, Aarushi Jain, Rafael Holodovsky, Ethan Forner, Alannah Taylor, JC Lou, Lavinia Grobler, Brayden Nguyen, Trey Coursey, Micah Harris, Lamson Tran, Chloe Thepsouvanh, Avery Vondenstein, Madeline Spielman and Emily Nugent.
ing ceremony led by Scoutmasters Emeritus Ken Alexander and Dick Yale. Pictured (from left) are Stuart Whiteside, Michael Bouvier, Michael Urdahl, Collins Simpson, Jonathan Riley, Michael Revis, Tommy Lykos, Michael Lombardi, Ryan Lokker, Paul Hung, IV Horton, Chris Hellinger, Reid Fischer and Travis Allday.
Shalini Aggarwal graduated from Lamar High School in 2007 and the University of Houston in 2012. She’s now graduating with her master’s in healthcare administration and is already working managing healthcare entities. Pictured (from left) are Dr. Ajay Aggarwal, Dr. Shreya Aggarwal, Shobha Aggarwal, Shalini Aggarwal and Amit Aggarwal.
Graduations for three siblings
Cycling the Natchez Trace
(continued from page 40) Natural
Senior Eagle Scouts
Isacc Arnold/IAIV Photography
St. John the Divine’s Boy Scout Troop 55 honored their senior Eagle Scouts at a candle-light-
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Three siblings are celebrating graduations at the same time. Shreya Aggarwal graduated from Bellaire High School in 2009, and graduated from University of Houston in 2012. She is now graduating from medical school and got into an anesthesiology residency program. Amit graduated from Bellaire High School in 2014, and he is now graduating from University of Houston. He will be entering medical school in July.
Friends Marcia Katz, Susan Baum, Sara Ostrofsky and Ann Goldfarb took a gal-pal trip, bike riding the Natchez Trace from Jackson to Natchez, Miss. During their trip, they enjoyed delicious Southern treats like cheese grits, fried green tomatoes and gumbo – and a strawberry birthday cake to celebrate Ann’s 64th birthday.
Daisy Scouts say thanks Condit Elementary School kindergarten Daisy Troop 147123 took an after-school trip to the Bellaire Police Department to show their gratitude for protecting the com- (continued on page 44)
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BELLAIRE BUZZ JUNE 2018 43
(continued from page 42) munity.
They made thank-you cards and cookies at their Daisy meeting when they discussed the "be considerate and caring" petal. Pictured is the group with Officer Monica Andrade (at left), Officer J.W. Edwards (squatting) and Officer Juan Trujillo (standing) and troop members (top row, from left) Madeline Tolpin, Hailey Sutin, Sydney Pasternak, Chloe Yomtov, Aven Wright, Sophie Miller, (front row, from left) Lily Ericksen, Madelyn Melville and Julia Friedberg.
Hotwheels basketball champs The TIRR Memorial Hermann Junior Hotwheels basketball team scored the National Wheelchair Basketball Association’s National Championship title. The team beat the Blazesports Jr. Hawks 62-56. The Junior Hotwheels team is made of middle and high school students from the Houston area and Southeast Texas region, including Peter Berry, a sophomore at The Emery/Weiner School.
Peter was named the Most Valuable Player (MVP) of the championship game.
Run for the Rose
In April, brain-cancer patients, supporters and family members, including (pictured, from left) Jordan Guy, Hayley Selzer, Howard Schultz, Linda Lang, Scott Selzer, Elyse Schultz and Sara Brook, completed the 16th-anniversary Run for the Rose at NRG Park. Run for the Rose supports MD Anderson Cancer Center’s immunotherapy research, new drug development and clinical trials for patients with brain cancer. It also supports neuroscience research initiatives and the Pediatric Palliative Care Program at Children’s Memorial Hermann Hospital. Be seen in Buzz About Town. Send your high-res photos and community news to info@thebuzzmagazines.com. Items are published on a space-available basis. Also share your upcoming-event listings on thebuzzmagazines.com. BELLAIRE BUZZ JUNE 2018 44
Schedule your visit today at olemiss.edu/visit. BELLAIRE BUZZ JUNE 2018 45
by Andria Frankfort, staff writer
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Back Porch
behance.net/runamokstudios
NEIGHBORS
Summer reading
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ummer, pull up a chair. We’ve been pining for your pool days and frosé and gearing up to read all the books that accumulated on our lists while we were taking care of more wintry things. This year on the Back Porch, we’re excited about some local authors – Chris Cander, Katherine Center and Melanie Shankle – who’ve got us talking about their new releases. And they’ve joined the party to share their own summer reading lists. To read more about the authors and their thoughts on books and writing, and to hear about their latest releases, see A Passion for Stories in this issue.
Chris Cander’s list: Girls Burn Brighter, Shobha Rao “This is a beautiful and tragic story of two women from a small Indian village who forge an unbreakable bond, following their geographical and psychological journeys into adulthood and their pursuit of reunion despite relentless obstacles. I was uplifted by the indelible power of their friendship.” Warlight, Michael Ondaatje “A haunting Bildungsroman about a boy whose mother did undercover intelligence work during and after WWI. The novel's tone mimics the protagonist's coming-of-age, simple at the outset with increasing complexity toward the end. As with all of Ondaatje's work (think The English Patient), the characters are fascinating and the writing, exceptional.” Love and Ruin, Paula McLain “This work of historical fiction chronicles the relationship between Hemingway and Martha Gellhorn, the renowned war correspondent he met while still married to his second wife. I'm a fan of McLain's beautiful, accessible writing and her strong female protagonists and think this might be her best endeavor yet.”
Katherine Center’s list: Carrie Fisher: The Memoirs, audio recordings read by Carrie Fisher “I had a really fun time binge-listening to all of Carrie Fisher’s memoirs. She reads them and BELLAIRE BUZZ JUNE 2018 46
has a fantastic voice – it sounds like she’s just talking to you while you’re riding around in your car. They all have hilarious names; the first one is called The Princess Diarist. The story happened because she found her old diary from when they were filming Star Wars. It talked about the affair she had with Harrison Ford, that of course I was totally interested in. She can MAKING A LIST Local authors share their picks for what to read this summer, really read.” whether you're traveling or staying in Houston. Born a Crime: Emily Giffin; One True Loves, by Taylor Stories from a South African Childhood, Trevor Jenkins Reid. Noah “Trevor Noah, host of The Daily Show, is a Melanie Shankle’s list: comedian, but this book is a memoir about him Tell Me More, Kelly Corrigan growing up in South Africa under apartheid. “Kelly is my absolute favorite author because His mother was black and father white. It was she'll have me laughing one minute and crying literally illegal for him to exist – his mother the next. This book about the 12 hardest things had to pretend that she was his nanny. He is a she's learning to say is full of wisdom and heart.” great writer.” A Hundred Summers, Beatriz Williams Everything Is Horrible and Wonderful: A “This is the perfect summer fiction book to Tragicomic Memoir of Genius, Heroin, Love, and read at the beach or by the pool. It has it all – Loss, Stephanie Wittels Wachs love, jealousy, intrigue and fabulous characters.” “I’m about to read a book by another Houston The Royal We, Heather Cocks and Jessica author, Stephanie Wittels Wachs. Her brother Morgan was a TV writer who wrote for Parks & “The perfect book to get you in the mood for Recreation. He was a famous genius prodigy guy Prince Harry's wedding to Meghan Markle. This and wound up getting addicted to heroin and is basically their love story in fiction form. It's overdosing. Back in Houston, Stephanie had such a fun, light, great, beach-pool read.” just had her first baby. She spent her first year Girl, Wash Your Face, Rachel Hollis raising her baby grieving the loss of her brother. “If you need a little motivation to get off your The book got a huge amount of attention, and couch and change your life, then this is the book she is amazing. This is next on my list.” for you. Rachel is funny and raw. It will make Katherine adds, “There are a bunch more on you think about your life and the lies that you've my TBR (to be read) list.” A few: The Light We told yourself that keep you down.” Lost, by Jill Santopolo; All We Ever Wanted, by