The Memorial Buzz - November 2017

Tables With All the Trimmings

Dana Strake

Updated Thanksgiving Recipes

by Jennifer Oakley

Heroin Hits Home: Gone Too Soon An Open Door After Harvey Chef’s Corner: Kimberly Paul Traveling Spain by Foot Rescuing Food for the Needy Houston, TX Permit No. 2047

Local Author: Deanne White

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Sleep-Deprived Parents

EDITOR’S NOTE I know expressing thankfulness is expected in this season, but we are feeling especially so after some challenging months in our communities. We are grateful for generous neighbors who have come together to help flooded strangers, including our own Deborah Blumberg, who shares her upsetting but life-affirming experience in this month’s issue. This issue also tackles the difficult topic of another ongoing challenge: heroin addiction. Writer Cathy Gordon talked with Marcy and Randy Uzick and Maureen Wittels, who share their devastating experiences of losing their sons to an addiction that often is not talked about, especially in our communities. Our hope is that their honesty will be eye-opening and possibly save lives. November means Thanksgiving and family gatherings, which can be joyous but also an opportunity to check in with loved ones face to face. Buzz residents Eve Lapin, Lauren Blachman, Margaret Bravo, Elizabeth Parry and Dana Strake have tips for making that holiday table even more special. We wish you a joyful holiday and, as always, thank you for trusting us with your stories. 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

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Joni Hoffman Michael Hoffman Cheryl Laird Jordan Magaziner Steinfeld John Duboise Tracy L. Barnett Sharon Albert Brier Andria Frankfort Angie Frederickson Todd Freed Cathy Gordon Michelle Casas Groogan Dai Huynh Annie Blaylock McQueen Jennifer Oakley Cheryl Ursin Rebecca Adler Deborah Lynn Blumberg Andrea Blitzer Leslie Little Kim Montgomery Amber Lewis Dylan Aguilar

On our cover: Dana Strake stands next to her “kids’ table,” set for Thanksgiving, in her Memorial home. 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 © 2017 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.

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MEMORIAL BUZZ NOVEMBER 2017 5

MAILBAG

Your letters, thoughts, opinions Mr. Hagans gets things done As a Type 1 diabetic since 1968, I read your article about Type 1 diabetes [Tackling Type 1: When diabetes is part of the family, by Jennifer Oakley, September 2017] with great interest. One of the families mentioned was the Hagans. The article mentioned that the senior Mr. [Fred] Hagans has done a lot of pro bono work for the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JRDF) over the years. However, the article did not mention, probably because Mr. Hagans did not bring it up, that he has also helped individuals with Type 1 who have faced discrimination in the workforce and schools. He has gone out of his way, stepped in and did what was needed to help and get the situation corrected. Thomas Roth

Telling the other side of IVF I read Annie’s article, IVF Journeys [Buzz Baby, by Annie Blaylock McQueen, September 2017], in The Buzz and looked at my kids, and for the first time in my life, I thanked God IVF didn't work. Of course, I wouldn't have minded it working, but seeing how it's playing out isn't so bad either. Annie reached out to me about including us the article. She asked if I minded being in the article as the couple who IVF didn't work for. Now that my house is full of screaming babies, I can talk about it easier. Thank you, Annie, for including our story in this article to give couples like us hope when you feel like you are out of options. Renee Clary Editor’s note: Thank you, Renee, for being so open and sharing your story of IVF, which eventually turned into a story of adoption. For this and all past articles in The Buzz, see thebuzzmagazines.com.

to receive it feels the same. That's why Theta Design Weekend put your magazine at the top of our very short list. The October issue is great! Our ad looks great in it! Waverly Gage, chair

Hey, is that you on the cover? The feedback from the October issue was so fun and really demonstrated how close the Memorial community is. I had dozens of friends and family texting me saying how excited they were to see the cover [School Buzz: Meet our 2017-18 correspondents, by Jordan Magaziner Steinfeld, October 2017]! I’m so happy I was able to represent all the School Buzz writers. After two years with School Buzz and a summer internship, I’ve seen firsthand how The Buzz does such a great job of incorporating high schoolers in their publications and giving us a chance to play a role in our community. Thanks for all the opportunities! Andi Minter Editor’s note: Thanks, Andi, for appearing on our Memorial cover and writing for our School Buzz blog, at thebuzzmagazines.com. We are looking forward to more of your reports from Memorial High School. 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.

What’s your story?

This Back Porch in particular Andria, I have to tell you how much I loved your Back Porch article [Harvey, Houston and Heart, by Andria Frankfort, October 2017] in the October Buzz. I felt like you were right on – capturing all of my thoughts as well as our awesome city. I enjoy your articles so much, and this one really spoke to me as it was such a devastating, sad storm for our city but yet Houstonians rose to the occasion and took care of each other. Thank you! Allison Diano

We are looking for residents for upcoming articles who: • Have New Year’s resolutions to share. • Have a special love story. • Have interesting travel stories. • Know a compelling neighbor to profile. • Enjoy unique hobbies.

Buzz makes city smaller Thank you for working with us on our ads. The Buzz Magazines is the only free, delivered publication that I read cover to cover every month. It makes our huge city much smaller. I know everyone who is lucky enough MEMORIAL BUZZ NOVEMBER 2017 6

If this sounds like you or someone you know, please contact us at info@thebuzzmagazines.com or 713.668.4157, ext 12.

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NEIGHBORS lawellphoto.com

by Andria Frankfort, staff writer

Second Servings Charity saves leftover food

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oustonians are consistently ranked among the most philanthropic populace in the country. Charitable giving is a big part of who we are, and our city’s many non-profit organizations thrive because of that. But there was one facet of philanthropy sorely missing in the eyes of retired marketing executive Barbara Bronstein. “I got so tired of seeing no-shows at charitable banquets,” she says. “I knew their food was paid for and sitting in the kitchen. When I asked, I was horrified to find out that the food was being thrown away.” That’s when Barbara, a go-getter who is passionate about righting injustices, dove deep into researching how to make use of all the wasted food at Houston’s many charity galas. In 2013, she developed a pilot program to pick up uneaten, prepared meals and deliver them to organizations feeding Houston’s hungry. That pilot grew into what is now Second Servings Houston, the city’s “food rescue” nonprofit. “It boggles my mind, but one in five people in Houston is food insecure,” Barbara says, citing her extensive research into hunger. “One in seven is the national rate. And it’s even worse for children: One in four is food insecure here. Nationally, it vacillates between one in seven and one in eight. “I had no idea we were so bad off. But with that, I learned about what’s called ‘food rescue’ or ‘food recovery.’ It was happening all over the world, from big cities to small in different ways.” Just not in Houston. So Barbara began working with experts in social services and food service. She sought advice from the Houston Health Department and consulted with lawyers. “I learned that it’s not only legal to rescue food, but it’s encouraged by the government. Donors are protected from liability by the Good Samaritan laws.” To begin, she says, “I used a lot of Rice University interns, retired professionals and friends and associates who had different skills. We’ve also had interns from UT’s Graduate School of Public Health. When you start a nonprofit, you’re on a shoestring, so I was looking for assistance wherever I could find it.” Now, Second Servings rescues food from over MEMORIAL BUZZ NOVEMBER 2017 8

WASTE NOT Barbara Bronstein (far right), founder of Second Servings, delivers uneaten food from a gala to the Salvation Army Sally's House shelter. Resident Ylonda Deyo and Sally's House staff members Viestra Jackson and Amber Phifer (from left) happily accept the delivery.

150 donors via a refrigerated truck that delivers to more than 30 sites. “If someone has leftover food from a big event, they call us, and we pick it up and deliver it to a soup kitchen or shelter.” That food might be paella or bacon-wrapped tenderloin, or it might be sandwiches. Every week, some 10,000 people benefit from the leftover meals. “We’re killing two birds with one stone,” Barbara likes to point out, “by feeding people and preventing food waste from going into landfills.” Three years ago, retired teacher Jeanette Valore returned from a stint in Kazakhstan for her husband Tom’s job at ConocoPhillips. “It was the life of an ex-pat wife,” Jeanette says. “I didn’t have a work visa, so I got involved in the community. The ex-pat wives would have teas to collect money and buy groceries to give to families. We also had a soup kitchen. We’d make huge pots of soup with whatever we had and fill people’s containers to bring home to their families. I realized how much waste we have in our country and how far that could go to feeding some hungry families.” When she returned to Houston, Jeanette

signed on as a “second seat” with Second Servings. “I’m not the driver [of the refrigerated truck], and there’s just one other seat. That’s where I sit. I go along to the places we visit to collect food, and I help load it and keep track of how much we collect and where it goes. Sometimes it’s heavy work – maybe a 30-pound box of apples. But we’re happy to get them.” Jeanette is part of the Food Rescue Squad, a core group of volunteers who show up to Second Servings each week. Barbara says it’s gratifying work. “You immediately see the fruits of your labor,” she says. “You see the food that would otherwise be thrown away, and you see people waiting in line for that free meal.” Sysco Corporation, a food distributor, recently provided funding for a second refrigerated truck. “We’re in an expansion mode,” Barbara says. “We’ll be hiring drivers and will be looking to fund them as well. And we’re always looking for more donors who have surplus food.” Editor’s note: Want to donate or volunteer? Go to secondservingshouston.org.

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NEIGHBORS

Nikky Lawell

by Deborah Lynn Blumberg, contributing writer

Come On In An open door after Harvey

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wo days before Hurricane Harvey hit, Margaret Lynn was lonely. The single mom had just dropped off her youngest child in Austin for his freshman year of college. Her oldest was headed home from College Station, but stayed put when news broke Harvey was on the way. “I was thinking how bored and alone I was going to be,” Lynn said. She took a trip to Costco to stock up on dog food, bought herself a roast chicken and told her friends from a few streets over, Russell and Thuy Hall, she wished she had someone to spend the storm with. Days later, her home was bursting with 11 strangers, two dogs and a senile cat. I was one of those strangers. Lynn took my family into her two-story home in Meyerland after flood waters gushed through our ranch-style house, leaving me, my husband Jon Adler, our 4and 2-year old daughters, and our cat and dog with nowhere to go. She gave us beds, made tasty rice dishes and smoothies, lent us her car and watched our kids. Lynn is one of countless neighbors who helped neighbors, and, in many cases, strangers. The water had started seeping into our home at 8 a.m., steadily rising to almost a foot. We turned off the power. We strapped our screaming 2 year old into a high chair for five hours to stop her from trudging through flood waters. We called 911. No one picked up. When I saw a canoe float by, I sloshed across the living room to bang on the window. We’d never met Russell Hall, who lived several doors down. But he was evacuating our next-door neighbor, Jana Haggard, who was eight months pregnant, her husband Ross and their dog, Acie. “We’d called the Coast Guard 30 times and never heard back,” Ross told me later. He’d pulled on wader boots and was heading to see about shelter at Lovett Elementary. “That’s when I saw Russell,” he said. Hall said he had to talk to his wife. “Next thing you know,” Ross said, “he was back, and he said, ‘I’ll take you.’ I said, great, but where are you going to take us?” Hall’s wife, Thuy, called Lynn. Again. “Thuy first called me Sunday morning,” Lynn said. “She said her friend Pok and her family were flooded. Then Thuy called again. A woman eight months MEMORIAL BUZZ NOVEMBER 2017 10

HELPING NEIGHBORS Margaret Lynn, Deborah Blumberg and Russell Hall (from left) first met hours after Harvey's flood waters inundated the neighborhood.

pregnant needed a place to go. Then, again. Two little girls, a dog and cat needed someplace to go. Russell made a joke, he said, ‘If Thuy calls you again, don’t pick up the phone.’” (The Halls had also flooded. Heidi and Bo Peng, who lived a few houses down, took them in along with seven other flooded families.) Lilah, 2, sat in my lap, her hand over mine on the paddle as we pulled away in the canoe Russell had borrowed from neighbors Bob and Beverly Hanson. Sadie, 4, sat on an Ikea stool. Russell would go back later for Jon and the pets. We paddled hard, hugging Meyerland Park. The rain had paused, and it was quiet. The boat rocked, splashing water on our feet. When we turned onto Jason Street, the current picked up, and we dug in. Ten minutes after we had left, I climbed out of the boat, pulling it up to Lynn’s house. When she opened her door, and I knew we were safe, I broke down. Tears spilled. Lynn, in a T-shirt and house slippers, didn’t hesitate to pull me in for a hug. “It’s going to be okay.” She didn’t blink when we deposited garbage bags stuffed with our belongings in her entry way, when Lilah sprinkled food crumbs throughout her house. “Sunday I woke up and looked out the win-

dow and saw a river,” Lynn later told me. The water lapped her front steps. “I started to feel guilty. I was nice and dry, and knew people were probably starting to flood out.” My family – the cat and dog included – bunked in Lynn’s daughter Ashlee’s room. Our cat howled. Disoriented and afraid, Sadie and Lilah cried, keeping everyone else awake. But we were all safe, thanks to Lynn. Lilah entertained our fellow house guests by performing somersaults on the air mattress in the living room where Ross and Jana slept. Sadie and Lilah did laps up and down her staircase. We watched the news. We watched the rain. When the streets cleared, my family moved on to my aunt and uncle’s home in Piney Point until we found a rental in West University. Four days later, after all 11 of us had left Lynn, she took in another family. And when that family left, she hosted a co-worker whose home had flooded. I later learned Lynn also took in families during Hurricane Katrina. “For her to be so generous, and so willing to help all of us, it was really remarkable,” said Ross. Lynn brushed it off. “When people need help,” she told me, “what do you do? You help.”

NEIGHBORS by Deborah Lynn Blumberg, contributing writer

Author: Deanne White From beach summers to bookstores

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Sea otters once numbered close to a million worldwide before fur traders hunted them nearly to extinction in the 1700s and 1800s. They’ve since gained protection, and numbers have slowly recovered, but they’re nowhere near what they once were. Otters are crucial to the marine ecosystem. When they eat kelp-eating sea urchins, they help protect kelp – a major source of food and shelter for marine life – from dying out. White sits on her Monterey balcony, listening to ALL ABOUT OTTERS Deanne White writes and illustrates her childrens' books at the ocean. “I’ve home in River Oaks and beach side in Monterey, California. always loved and Houston. First, she paints the pictures, painting watercolors,” she says, in a phone while listening to music from German composinterview. She has blonde hair, a trim figure er Johann Sebastian Bach. She self-published and a healthy glow, and is the picture of her first two books, but hopes to find a publishSouthern California, where she grew up. She er for the complete trilogy, The Otter spent her days playing on the beach and Chronicles. Her books can be found locally at building sandcastles and took weekly paintBlue Willow Bookshop, Brazos Bookstore and ing classes at the San Diego Zoo. Her father River Oaks Bookstore. often regaled her with stories he made up River Oaks resident Kellie Cutsinger has read about animals. In one, Inky the Black Bear White’s books to her four children, Zachary, 9, got sick after eating all the berries in a huge Samantha, 5, and twins Boyd and Ryan, 11. strawberry patch. “Otty has piqued their interest in nature,” she After graduating from UCLA with a degree says. “We’re never too old for sweet tales of in literature, White taught high school and midnature that bring us back to simpler times.” dle school in California and Arizona. She Once her otter series is done, White has her eye moved to Houston in 1980, and lives in River on furry land-roaming creatures for her next Oaks. She taught English at Alvin High School, endeavor. “My grandkids keep saying, ‘That’s and then left teaching for real estate. enough otters,’” she says. “I’m moving on to dogs.” She’s worked on her books in both Monterey Dylan Aguilar

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eanne White can sit for hours watching otters. From the cottage she rents in the sleepy California town of Monterey, she peers down at dozens of whiskered, fuzzy-faced creatures. They float on their backs in the ocean, snack on shellfish, chase each other’s tails and frolic with their pups. “Otters are so intelligent, and they’re just so fun to watch,” White says. “These adorable little creatures are so important to the future of our coastlines. It’s something we should be paying attention to.” For years, White walked along the craggy coastline past postage stamp-sized beaches to the Monterey Aquarium to snap photos of otters. She and her husband spent their summers in mild Monterey. A former high school English teacherturned-real estate agent, White never thought her otter gazing would be more than a pastime, until her husband passed away after an illness. “He was the one who encouraged me,” she says. “He said, ‘You spend most of your time looking at those crazy otters. Why don’t you get your paints out and do something?’” So, she did. When her husband of 30 years, Perrin Wynne White, died in 2014, White took out her watercolors and the dozens of otter photos she’d taken, and started to paint. A year later, she self-published her first children’s book, The Otter by the Sea. It tells the tale of Baby Otter and his family. The book, for 2 to 6 year olds, is the first in a soon-to-be three-part series. White both illustrates and writes her books. Her granddaughter Anita’s preschool class chose Otty’s name. White published her second, more text-heavy book in 2016, Otty the Otter Grows Up, for ages 4 to 8. She’s writing her third book, for 8 to 9 year olds. It features kelp forests and sharks. Otty meets a smart female otter. “She’s a feisty girl,” says White. “She shows Otty why otters need to be the gardeners of the kelp forest.” Her writing is rhythmic, and her images captivate young readers with their vivid colors and attention to detail. In The Otter by the Sea, White writes: “Baby Otter lives on top of a rock next to the sea across the street from me.” She pairs the text with a close-up painting of a long-whiskered baby otter done in brown, black and orange.

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NEIGHBORS by Jennifer Oakley, staff writer

Best Dressed Tables with all the trimmings

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ressing the Thanksgiving table can be as important as making turkey and dressing. To get our place settings ready to take center stage this month, we turned to our Buzz neighbors. Thanksgiving for 50? No problem, for Eve and Bobby Lapin, who host their extended family. “One of Bobby’s aunts and uncles had been hosting Thanksgiving at their house for years, and as they got older, they decided to pass the torch to the next generation – plus, it had been growing,” says Eve Lapin, a Southside Place resident. “When Bobby and I took it over, we did not have room for everyone at our house, so we decided to have it at the Southside Place Clubhouse.” That was more than a dozen years ago and the couple – she is a community volunteer, he is a partner at Lapin & Landa law firm – started hosting the event. Seeing how much work went into the day, Lauren Blachman, Bobby’s first cousin, offered to take over decorations. “Lauren really took it up a notch!” says Lapin, who keeps kosher and, with help from Bobby and some guests, cooks the feast for 50. “Lauren is really good at it, and each year the tables look better and better.” Lauren Blachman says she enjoys getting to decorate for the holiday. “I like having an artistic outlet, and decorating for family events lets me share that passion with people I love,” says Blachman, an executive coach and leadership trainer with Kaufman Blachman Consulting. “I look on Pinterest and get different ideas to include each year.” Blachman says Thanksgiving decor does not have to be pricey. She keeps cornucopias, candlesticks, vases and bowls on hand to start the decorations. “I use cranberries floating in water or layers of different colors of beans in glass containers,” says Blachman, who lives in Bellaire. “These are easy to execute and end up looking nice.” She saves all the decorations. “I am very into recycling,” says Blachman, whose husband Jeremy is COO at The Allied Group. “I have a big bin of Thanksgiving-themed pieces that I store and rotate. I try to spruce it up with a few new things every year.” Both Lapin and Blachman say that the highlight of the holiday is being thankful for family. MEMORIAL BUZZ NOVEMBER 2017 14

FRIENDSGIVING Margaret Bravo hosts an annual “Friendsgiving” every November. Here, she gives a party favor to neighbor Mary Anne Burgher.

“One of the great things about Thanksgiving is that the kids who are away in college come home, and we all get to be together,” says Lapin. “We also always remember those whom we miss, who have passed away, especially our son Oliver, and others who can’t make it home for the holiday. We are grateful for everyone who is here.” The Blachmans have two children, Abby, 21, and Ben, 17. The Lapins’ sons are Oliver, who passed away at age 12 from ALD (adrenoleukodystrophy); Elliott, 23, and Alec, 22. Thanksgiving at Dana Strake’s Memorial home is all about family, food, blessings – and tables. Dana and husband Trey, vice chairman of Cushman and Wakefield of Texas, host the day with their own four adult children (daughter Christine Chesney, son-in-law Logan Chesney and sons G. “George IV” and Brett). That’s where the table part comes in – Strake sets a “grown up” table in the dining room and a “kids” table in the kitchen for all of the adult kids. “I love Thanksgiving, and I love to decorate and

set tables,” says Strake, a woman’s ministry facilitator. “I tend to keep the same turkeys and decorations that I have had forever – I think the kids like seeing things they had when they were young.” Keeping it all in the family is important to Strake, who sets the tables with treasured heirlooms that have been passed down. “Our silver is a cherished collection. Each piece is monogrammed with an ‘S,’ which is an inheritance from Mr. and Mrs. George Strake, my husband’s grandparents, whom I never knew but I am so grateful to because I love it. I love to make certain dishes just so I can use the silver!” The dining-room tablecloth is from her great aunt, and water glasses are gifts from her mother-in-law, Annette Strake. The china is her mother Cecille Burr’s Minton Gold, and Strake uses her own Baccarat Capri. “The kids’ table is my Royal Crown Derby Carlton Blue, and they don’t get to use my good crystal,” says Strake, laughing. Her tablescapes, she notes, are always evolving. “I like to use different things all the time,

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TAKES A VILLAGE On left: Eve Lapin (left) and Lauren Blachman (right) tag team a large, family Thanksgiving celebration. Eve hosts, and Lauren decorates. On right: Elizabeth Koval Parry sets one of her Thanksgiving tables in the backyard to take advantage of Houston’s mild weather.

incorporating rustic things like deer horns with fine china, since my boys all love to hunt, and my daughter and I like the nice china and crystal,” she says. “I love using magnolia leaves, votives, fresh flowers and those mini pumpkins on the vine. I love pumpkins, especially white ones. I’m also working on needlepointing two big Indians – I’m part Chickasaw Indian – and I can’t wait to use them.” Strake says her father cooks and carves the Thanksgiving turkey while she and daughter Christine cook and bake the rest of the meal. She says the food and the tables are a backdrop for the meaning of the day. “Thanksgiving is my husband’s favorite holiday, and I do love it, too. It is a thankfulness to God, who provides everything single thing we have: our next breath, our home, our family and our great country.” Hot pink, green and gold at Thanksgiving? Absolutely, says Margaret Bravo, who uses her signature colors when dressing the table for her annual “Friendsgiving” at home in Tanglewood. It’s Thanksgiving with a colorful twist – just the right mix of melding a traditional holiday with a vibrant bent. Bravo grew up in Oxford, Mississippi, and has lived in Houston for over eight years. She and husband Brian, a senior vice president with

Jefferies Investment Bank, and 8-year-old son Asher, a student at River Oaks Baptist School, spend Thanksgiving with family in Rosemary Beach, Florida. But, Bravo says, something was missing. She wanted to celebrate the holiday with dear friends made in Houston. The solution is her annual Friendsgiving. “Our friends have become family to us, and we get together to celebrate. I go all-out for the dinner, and I always have entertainment for the kids so the parents can enjoy themselves.” She loves planning the party with attention to detail, starting with a paper invitation and ending with a party gift. She uses a mix of new with old. “I use my Waterford Crystal from when we got married and my great-grandmother’s silver, which is Gotham Buttercup with initials on it; each one is different,” says Bravo. She continues the color scheme with Herend’s Queen Victoria china and green Leontine napkins monogrammed in pink. “I love pink! I have a pink lacquered dining room. It’s cheerful and happy!” Place cards take the form of mini pumpkins, spray painted gold. Bravo cooks the entire meal, and her printed menu is part of each place setting. Brian Bravo enjoys wine and pairs a specific wine with each course. The children have their own pumpkin-

themed table set outdoors with a more kidfriendly menu. “I love Friendsgiving,” says Margaret Bravo, “and it makes me so happy.” Thanksgiving is an important part of the love story between Elizabeth Koval Parry and husband Robert. When the couple were dating, back in 2012, they decided to celebrate the holiday together. “Neither of us had ever cooked Thanksgiving before,” recalls Parry. “We wrote out a timeline, and, for three days, we cooked together after work for several hours. It was very stressful with all the timing, but it was great because we worked very well together as a team.” Fast forward to today. They are married, about to celebrate their fourth wedding anniversary on Nov. 16, have a 28-month-old son Emerson and a new house in West U – and they still love to celebrate Thanksgiving. “We are thankful for our little family and carrying on traditions with our son,” says Parry, who owns Elizabeth Koval Designs and Parry Botanicals. Robert owns Trinity Physics Consulting. “When I set the table, it reminds me of family and traditions growing up.” Mindful of having a child, Parry makes sure that, although it may be special, nothing is too precious at her table. Parry (continued on page 16) MEMORIAL BUZZ NOVEMBER 2017 15

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WINE AND DINE Left: Dana Strake uses her Baccarat Capri crystal against a backdrop of white linens and flowers. Top right: Margaret Bravo serves baconwrapped stuffed pork tenderloin with butternut squash bread pudding and asparagus at her Friendsgiving meal. Bottom right: Lauren Blachman gets creative with clear bottles and letters to spell out the reason for the season: “thanks.” (continued from page 15) uses

Elena Waterford crystal, a wedding gift from her parents, along with Lenox Montclair china and Reed & Barton’s Francis 1 silver. Emerson even has his own Francis 1 place setting, gifted from family members. Parry likes to take advantage of Houston’s mild weather and has table settings for both inside and outside. Their Thanksgiving meal, which they still cook together, is a nod to those not with them. Parry serves cranberry sauce in her GreatGrandmother Hartman’s nesting hen and congealed lime salad in vintage molds that remind her of her Grandma Lucy. She also incorporates new finds each holiday. “This year we have added six turkeys for each place setting. They are sparkly, beautiful turkeys with beautiful tail feathers. And, I got a Thanksgiving holiday book to fill with thoughts of gratitude. We are grateful for so many things, and Thanksgiving is about family and love.”

Turkey with Lemon-Sage Butter From Elizabeth Parry 1 12- to 14-pound turkey, patted dry Brining kit (store-bought) ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature, plus ¼ cup (½ stick), melted, for basting ¼ cup fresh sage, finely chopped 2 teaspoons lemon zest, freshly grated 1 teaspoon paprika Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper Ingredients tied in cheesecloth for inside cavity: MEMORIAL BUZZ NOVEMBER 2017 16

2 lemons, quartered 1 juicy orange 4 sage leaves 4 rosemary sprigs 8 sprigs of thyme Small bunch of cilantro ½ stalk of celery Three days ahead: Brine turkey with storebought brining kit. Two days ahead: Set a rack inside a large, heavy, roasting pan. Mash ½ cup butter, sage, lemon zest and paprika in a bowl to combine. Starting at neck end of turkey, loosen the skin of the breast by gently sliding your fingers underneath. Work half of lemon-sage butter under skin. Loosen skin around legs and thighs; work remaining lemon-sage butter under skin. Season turkey inside and out with salt and pepper and stuff with fruit and spice ingredients wrapped in cheesecloth. Transfer turkey, breast side down, to prepared pan and refrigerate, uncovered, overnight. Day of: Let turkey stand at room temperature for 1 hour. Preheat oven to 375 F. Pour hot water into pan to a depth of ¼ inch. Roast turkey, basting occasionally with remaining ¼ cup butter, for 1 hour. Using paper towels, flip turkey; roast, basting occasionally, until an instant-read thermometer inserted into thickest part of thigh registers 165 degrees; roast for 1 to 1½ hours longer. Transfer to a platter. Let rest for at least 20 minutes before carving.

Challah Stuffing From Eve Lapin ¼ cup chopped onion 1 celery rib, chopped 2 Tablespoons margarine or oil ½ cup tart apples, peeled ¼ cup golden raisins ½ teaspoon chicken or vegetable bouillon granules ½ teaspoon salt ¼ teaspoon rubbed sage ¼ teaspoon poultry seasoning ⅛ teaspoon pepper ⅓ cup chicken broth or vegetarian no-chicken broth 2 cups crustless day-old challah bread, cubed Preheat oven to 350 F. In skillet, sauté onion and celery in margarine/oil until tender. Add the apples, raisins, bouillon, salt, sage, poultry seasoning and pepper. Cook and stir 1-2 minutes longer. Stir in broth. Pour over bread crumbs, and toss to coat. Transfer to a greased 1-quart baking dish. Cover and bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes. Uncover and bake 20-25 minutes longer or until top is golden brown.

Corn Casserole From Dana Strake ½ bell pepper, chopped 1 medium onion, chopped 1 stick butter 1 can yellow creamed corn

lawellphoto.com lawellphoto.com

lawellphoto.com

DESSERTS AND DÉCOR Left: Pumpkin mousse with Snickerdoodle shortbread caps off Margaret Bravo’s feast. Top right: Elizabeth Koval Parry likes to dress up her Thanksgiving table with a mix of new turkeys and china and crystal from family. Bottom right: Lauren Blachman uses natural elements along with miniature signs to decorate for 50 people.

1 can yellow whole kernel corn (or fresh, cut from cob) 1 can Rotel tomatoes, drained 2 eggs, beaten 1 box Jiffy cornbread mix ½ pint sour cream 8 oz. Cheddar cheese, grated Preheat oven to 350 F. Sauté pepper and onion in butter. In large bowl, combine corn (with liquid from cans), drained Rotel tomatoes, eggs, cornbread mix, sour cream and sautéed mixture. Stir well. Pour into casserole dish. Sprinkle on grated cheese. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until done in the middle. (I always double and sometimes triple this recipe if I have a big crowd.)

Butternut Squash Bread Pudding From Margaret Bravo 4 cups butternut squash, diced 2 Tablespoons unsalted butter 2 Tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil ½ teaspoon salt ½ teaspoon cinnamon ¼ teaspoon nutmeg 2 Tablespoons honey 3 cups half and half 6 large eggs, beaten ½ cup Gruyere cheese, freshly grated 8 cups French bread, cubed

Preheat oven to 400 F. Butter a 3-quart baking dish. In small bowl, toss butternut squash with butter, olive oil and seasonings. Transfer to a baking sheet. Roast for 25 minutes, turning once. Drizzle with honey and roast for 5 minutes longer. Let cool. In a large bowl, whisk the half and half with the eggs, cheese and a pinch of salt and pepper. Add the bread and squash and toss to combine. Spoon the mixture into the prepared baking dish. Bake the bread pudding for 1 hour. Let cool for 15 minutes before serving.

Dijon Maple Asparagus From Margaret Bravo 1 pound fresh asparagus 1 teaspoon maple syrup 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard 2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar ½ teaspoon salt ¼ teaspoon pepper 2 Tablespoons butter 1 small shallot, minced 2 garlic cloves, minced Blanch asparagus in a large pot of salted boiling water for 1 minute. Drain and transfer to an ice bath. In a small bowl, combine the maple syrup, Dijon mustard, balsamic vinegar, salt and pepper. In a large skillet, melt butter over medium heat, add shallots and garlic, and sauté for 1 minute. Add the asparagus and Dijon maple

sauce and sauté until asparagus is coated, about 1 minute.

Pumpkin Mousse From Margaret Bravo 1 15-ounce can pumpkin puree ½ 14-ounce can condensed milk 2½ cups heavy cream, divided 2 Tablespoons light brown sugar 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie seasoning 8 Snickerdoodle cookies (optional) Combine the pumpkin, condensed milk, ½ cup of cream, brown sugar and pumpkin pie seasoning in a medium saucepan and stir over medium heat. Simmer for 5 minutes. Transfer mixture to a medium bowl and allow to cool completely. Cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for 4 hours or overnight. Place remaining cream into stand mixer and whip until stiff peaks form, about 3-5 minutes. Gently fold cream (reserving ⅔ cup) into the pumpkin mixture. Fill 8 martini glasses with mixture and place in refrigerator for 4 hours. Top each with a dollop of the reserved cream. Just before serving, top with a small Snickerdoodle cookie.

MORE ONLINE For more Thanksgiving recipes, see this story at thebuzzmagazines.com. MEMORIAL BUZZ NOVEMBER 2017 17

NEIGHBORS by Cathy Gordon, staff writer

Heroin Hits Home Lives lost too soon

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ome kids sell lemonade. And then there’s Jonathan Uzick. At the ripe age of 8, he peddled business cards bearing the image of a golden retriever to classmates at Meyerland’s Lovett Elementary, charging $5 a pop. He bartered lessons in the fine art of dragon drawing for a bit of their lunch. “He was always the entrepreneur, always creative, charismatic, the happiest kid. The first to hug you,” says mom Marcy Uzick. “And empathetic,” laments dad Randy, recalling a text exchange with adult son Jonathan while hunting. “See anything?” “I see a little doe.” “Well, shoot if you want. It’s up to you.” “He then sends me a picture of him petting the doe,” Randy says. “Jonathan was always trying to save animals, save people. He just didn’t save himself.” March 1, this year. That’s the day Marcy and Randy’s world fractured into a million tiny pieces. Early that morning they discovered their hazeleyed Jonathan, 27, dead of an accidental heroin overdose at their Meyerland home, syringe on the bathroom counter, belt cinched around his arm. He’d helped himself to a bowl of his mom’s chicken matzo ball soup and tossed in a load of wash. This was the day he was to fly to Seattle to find a new job, start fresh. “The hardest thing I’ve ever had to do was call Robyn. I couldn’t even talk,” says Randy of Jonathan’s twin sister, married just two months prior. Jonathan, all smiles, spoke at her rehearsal dinner. Marcy made the equally heart-wrenching call to eldest son Robert. “You know how you sometimes get a paper cut and it hurts real bad, but if the cut is deeper it doesn’t hurt as bad?” offers Marcy. “I think this cut is just so deep that my body can’t comprehend it. My body is desperately trying to protect my heart. It’s not that we’re in denial. We just haven’t processed its enormity yet.” It’s a lot to process, this scourge of addiction. According to the Center for Disease Control (CDC), heroin set a milestone, claiming more victims in the U.S. in 2015 than gun-related homicides. It’s estimated that three out of four MEMORIAL BUZZ NOVEMBER 2017 18

COMEDY LEGACY Harris Wittels’ quirky jokes inspired lots of laughs on the NBC hit show Parks and Recreation and other well-known sitcoms. Wittels died of a heroin overdose on Feb. 19, 2015.

heroin addicts first used opioid painkillers such as OxyContin and Vicodin. A crackdown on the flow of these prescription pain pills left users seeking the street drug as a cheaper, more accessible alternative. The result, an unprecedented and deadly heroin epidemic. “We’re dealing with Jonathan’s death plus having to come to the understanding that he was an addict,” says Marcy. “I probably didn’t use that word to describe our son for two to three months after he died because I was just so shocked.” Jonathan sailed through Bellaire High School, stellar grades. But a rough patch followed. He moved back to his parent’s Meyerland home after his sophomore year at Texas State University due to poor grades. Then a girlfriend breakup “broke him,” say his parents. While home, he held down part-time jobs

and attempted studies at the University of Houston, dropping out twice. A stint at a psychologist did little to help. “It’s like he didn’t believe in himself anymore,” Marcy says. Flash forward to early this year, and he’s once again living with his parents for a brief stint, devastated that his new girlfriend moved to Denver without him. They’d originally planned to go together. He’d given up his apartment and job at The Ginger Man pub in Rice Village to do so. His parents noticed odd behavior. Extreme mood swings. He’d sometimes sleep all day. “I don’t have guilt, but I’m heartbroken that I saw things and didn’t know what I was seeing ’cause we knew nothing about drugs,” Randy says. “His skin looked kind of pasty, eyes dark. We’ve since learned that flulike symptoms come with opioid withdrawal.” Jonathan’s childhood friends in Seattle proposed that he move there, live with them. They’d

Nancy Aidee Photography

GONE TOO SOON Jonathan Uzick spoke at twin sister Robyn’s wedding rehearsal dinner just two months before he died of a heroin overdose.

help him find a job. He’s game, but plans to visit his girlfriend in Denver before making the move. On Feb. 20, the day before that trip, he settles in for a talk with his mom that stunned her. “I tried OxyContin last year, but I’m good now. It didn’t make me feel good,” he says of the narcotic. Marcy feels the blood drain from her face. “I’ve seen enough of that A&E TV show Intervention to know that if you were on it, you need to go to rehab,’” she replies. “He told me no, he’d go to Denver and be back in a week. I told him I didn’t want to bury him.” She takes advantage of the week he’s in Denver to find a Houston rehabilitation center with availability. She searches his room, finding no drugs or paraphernalia. “When he came back he almost seemed like the old Jonathan,” Marcy recalls. But we knew Jonathan well enough to know if he was using he wasn’t strong enough to get over it himself.” Please go to rehab, they plead. Seattle can wait 30 days. They found their son the next morning, ashen, on the bathroom floor. They recall the shock, despair. The gut-wrenching phone calls to family.

“I want Jonathan to be remembered for more than his drug addiction. I want him to be remembered for his caring, sweet soul,” says Marcy, recalling a dream where Jonathan came to her. “He said, ‘I guess I should have gone to rehab.’ And I say to Jonathan, my sweet son, ‘Yes, I guess it’s a little too late.’” *** Harris Wittels could land a joke. Table reads among staff at NBC’s hit sitcom Parks and Recreation were gut busting, thanks to the comedian’s quirky, sweetly weird contributions as a writer and co-executive producer of the show. “He was born funny,” says Maureen Wittels of her son’s fast-track career, writing for The Sarah Silverman Program, HBO’s Eastbound & Down and Parks and Recreation, among other creative exploits. He even coined the word “humblebrag,” writing the book Humblebrag: The Art of False Modesty based on his popular twitter feed of boasts and brags disguised as humble comments or complaints. “Not many people can claim coining a word

that’s now in the Oxford dictionary,” says Maureen, a retired elementary school teacher who lives with doctor husband Ellison in River Oaks. “That was Harris.” Wittels, 30, was found dead of a heroin overdose at his Los Angeles home on Feb. 19, 2015. He’d performed standup the night before and sent his mom an upbeat email, excited over an imminent move to Manhattan. He was to co-star in the Netflix series Master of None with friend and fellow comedian Aziz Ansari. Harris helped write and produce the critically acclaimed series. “It’s a living nightmare,” says Maureen, who has found purpose amid the pain through GRASP, an acronym for Grief Recovery After a Substance Passing. She started a Houston chapter of the group to help local families going through such trauma. Among members of the group, Marcy and Randy Uzick. “Families need a place to heal and talk about their loved one,” says Maureen, who credits close friend “and rock” Kay Zeidman with helping her find her resolve. “I still have some terrible days, and she’s there every step. I (continued on page 20) MEMORIAL BUZZ NOVEMBER 2017 19

(continued from page 19) was shocked at how I

couldn’t get out of bed on the second anniversary of Harris’s death. Harris loved to laugh. He wouldn’t want me to be so sad.” Three days before his sister Stephanie’s wedding in March 2013, Harris confided to his only sibling that he was hooked on the narcotic painkiller OxyContin. Don’t tell mom and dad, he said. “I’ve got a great therapist and can handle it.” He couldn’t. In early 2014 he came clean to his parents about his addiction and plans to kick it at a California rehabilitation center. At 26, he’d been prescribed OxyContin by a LA hospital after throwing out his back, “probably the beginning of the end,” Maureen laments. A month-long rehab stint appeared successful at first, with “the old Harris back,” but he relapsed soon after. Maureen recalls a text to Stephanie later that summer that turned her daughter’s face pale

white. “I am on the way to Hazelden,” Harris said of a rehabilitation center in Oregon. “I have relapsed on heroin.” “I fell to the floor. I lost it. I wailed,” recalls Maureen. “I knew he was going to die. You don’t associate heroin with your child. Heroin is for people who don’t have any money and live under a bridge or steal from their family.” Maureen didn’t have a good feeling following the Hazelden rehab stint. “I think he was ready to get back to LA and shoot up again.” It was a sullen Thanksgiving that year with a last-minute text from Harris. He wouldn’t be coming home. Another relapse. “I remember sitting on the couch with Ellison and saying ‘Look, he’s not going to make it. Just start preparing yourself because he’s going to be dead.’” They flew out the next day, tending to Harris. “A brutal weekend,” she recalls. “He’d been just living for the drug, self-medicating. What it boils down to is I think he was too delicate of a

soul to handle this life. He couldn’t say no, he was in such demand. He had to do the drug to feel semi-normal toward the end.” Yet another rehab, followed by a stint in a sober living home. Feb. 19, 2015. The day the nightmare came true. “You know what you said was always going to happen? It happened,” Ellison tells Maureen. She falls to the floor, screaming, rocking herself. I can’t do this. I don’t have it in me to do this! She remembers thinking of Stephanie’s young daughter Iris, their granddaughter. “Iris will never know Harris. Harris adored Iris.” It’s a sunny day. Maureen has opened the sliding glass doors in her high-rise apartment. A faint breeze wafts through, 17 stories up. “I wish I’d see signs from Harris. I just haven’t,” she says. As if on cue, a mourning dove lights on the balcony railing, sits for a few minutes, then flies off. “Well, look at that,” Maureen says, smiling through tears. “Just look at that.”

Warning signs and finding help Robert Park, CEO of Houston’s Luna Recovery Services, a private outpatient program, recalls vividly his “dark night of the soul” when inner torment led him to seek help for heroin addiction. “Some call it the moment of clarity. It’s like windows of opportunity when you see the truth of what you’re doing and have a willingness to do something different,” says Park, 37, whose drug habit included “anything and everything” from age 16 to 24. “Heroin. It’s like roulette. ‘Okay, am I going to die from this dose or not?’ Especially with the heroin these days,” he says of the street drug often laced with the powerful opioid painkiller Fentanyl and other substances. “Makes it twice as lethal if not more.” Denial, he says, is always the first battle of the family’s drug war. “We deal with families all over Memorial, Bellaire, River Oaks and Tanglewood and hear things like ‘Well, we found this in his room, but he says it’s really just the one time.’ They tend to minimize it. I tell them ‘The problem is probably worse than you think it is.’” Park sees addicts all the time who turned to heroin after first using the painkillers OxyContin or Vicodin. Addiction is chronic and progressive, he says. For the first time user, if taken orally, the drug can almost seem harmless, Park says. Worry, judgment and the feeling of separation disappear, with some describing a spiritual feeling in early use. “The user will get a euphoric feeling without the sloppiness of alcohol or other drugs and feels more in control without hangovers. Physical dependence is the result, causing lack of control and separation from those you most care about and self,” Park explains. Heroin dependence is affecting all populations in America, he says. “It’s become more acceptable and less scary to young adults. We see its prevalence rising in private high schools and colleges.” Loss of weight and ambition, extreme change in mood or habits, poor hygiene, a raspy, slowed voice, sleeping all day, slipping grades, poor work performance and sneakiness can be signs that something’s amiss. Withdrawal symptoms mimic a cold and the flu. Googling the Internet for professional help isn’t the best route when in crisis, he explains. Instead, consult friends or other families for referrals. Or go to your family doctor or therapist to find someone with a solid reputation in navigating addiction issues. Luna Recovery and Houston’s Lovett Center, The Council on Recovery, Memorial Hermann’s PaRC, and the nonprofit The Menninger Clinic have solid track records in the treatment of substance abuse, he offers. (One Buzz resident with a family member who overcame addiction after decades of use recommends the local sober-living community TRT Sober Living.) If you suspect someone in your home of using heroin, it’s crucial to have the overdose reversal drug Naloxone (brand name Narcan) on hand to block the effects of opiates in the system. It is available over the counter at most Texas pharmacies including Walgreens and CVS. Overdoses are usually accidental, says E. Vaughan Gilmore, coordinator of Addiction Services at The Menninger Clinic. “Overdose risk can happen when you get a contaminated batch or when they get a stronger dose than you think or maybe they’ve resumed use after a time and lost their tolerance,” she explains. “All these things are a risk for overdose. “Be vigilant. Don’t simply write things off as typical teenage behavior or ‘They’re just a college student.’ Tune in to warning signs because things can escalate rapidly.” Family history accounts for some addiction risk, as can anxiety, depression, a stressful household or trauma. Gilmore suggests intervening by expressing concern and empathy rather than hard-core confrontation. “The person already has a lot of shame about their habit.” Heroin doesn’t discriminate,” she says. “It’s a brain disease. The addiction is so strong physically and psychologically that if people want to use they’ll find a way, and it can include compromising morals and values, like stealing from family members. They’re not bad people. Their addiction is telling them that they need to use.” Editor’s note: For a link to the Houston chapter of GRASP (Grief Recovery After a Substance Passing), see this story at thebuzzmagazines.com. MEMORIAL BUZZ NOVEMBER 2017 20

MEMORIAL BUZZ NOVEMBER 2017 21

NEIGHBORS

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by Sharon Albert Brier, staff writer

Romance. When Nancy Reichek set up Lacey Feldman with Austinite Todd Wallerstein, he drove to Houston to take Lacey on a date. That was 2.5 years ago. Todd had a sense of where the relationship would go early on during that first meal at State of Grace, but Lacey really knew it this past Labor Day when he arranged a room full of candles and “Marry Me” spelled out in rose petals in a party room at State of Grace. Following the proposal, moms Sheri Feldman and Randee Kaplan and step dad Jay Kaplan joined them with other family members to celebrate the special occasion. Late fathers Nason Feldman and Joel Wallerstein were for sure beaming with joy from above. The wedding will be in the fall of 2018 in a state of love. Facebook friends. “Please help save my family – we cannot get to the roof with five small children.” That was the desperate text that Jacqueline Smooke got at 4 a.m. from Cecile Diederiches de Marquez as water poured into her house, a result of Hurricane Harvey. Right away, Jacqueline posted the dilemma on Facebook. Keri Henry saw it and organized a boat parade to the Memorial Bend area, which later included Fonn Villas. The Cajun Navy joined in and before long thousands of boats were all over Memorial aiding flood victims. Patty Villarella saw Jacqueline at the mall weeks later and said, “You saved my family!” Mother hen. In preparation for Hurricane Harvey, Lori Farris gathered up her chickens and made them comfortable in her laundry room, much to the surprise of her husband, Efisio Farris. Lori looks upon her feathered flock as pets that give back love by laying eggs. Her gardener had another client who flooded and had homeless chickens, so Lori ended up with two feathered flood refugees. It took five days for her own hens to accept the newbies into their coop. The first day, the new ones laid a blue and brown egg within hours as a token of their appreciation. Over the rain boots. The water was high Monday but not in her house, said Barbara Hammer as she camped with neighbors on much higher ground. By the time she got in her home, the water was above her rain boots. Her son Dan MEMORIAL BUZZ NOVEMBER 2017 22

Sara Case

Rumor Has It

ROMANTIC With candles ablaze and “Marry Me” spelled out in flowers, Lacey Feldman said yes to Todd Wallerstein's proposal.

Hammer, who had been rescuing in a friend’s boat, came to her aid. She left Hollow Drive with two neighbors and a bird in a fishing boat. Once the water receded, her daughter LaRetta Bertram, grandson Ben Bertram and nephew Michael Hammer, with his front loader and trailer, got all of the furniture out in one day. Stratford High School boys assisted in many ways too. Friends with a boat. Shields Stockdale and Grant Arterbury had a jon boat that they have used to fish in Rockport and Galveston Bay many times but never thought they would be trolling down Gessner in it to pull people and pets out of the water. The day after the Harvey storm, they tirelessly rescued around 50 people. Neighbors helping neighbors. When the power went out and water covered their Bunker Hill street and entire front yard, Cal and Connie Dalton donned their necklace fans to keep them cool and turned on miner head lights as they moved furniture around and put items in plastic tubs. They gathered important documents, cash and spare batteries. The only water that came in was through the roof!

Despite her own misfortune, Connie, in highwater boots, grabbed her repair tools and was gone all day every day as she delivered cleaning buckets and supplies, sterilized dishes, washed clothes and fed victims from her own resources and served on the safety team for Chapelwood. Monkeying around. A trip to Costa Rica was agreed upon, and the bathing suits were packed. The eight-day excursion was a celebration trip for Claire and Donald Daum’s 39th anniversary and Paulette and Mel Levine’s 40th anniversary. They visited rain forests, floated on rivers surrounded by wildlife, swam in the ocean, and sat under waterfalls for a zen massage. They were surprised to be wakened at 2, 3 and 4 a.m., on the hour, by the monkeys in Manuel Antonio National Park! Now they know why they are called “howler” monkeys. Wild party animals included the humans.

MORE ONLINE See Rumor Has It at thebuzzmagazines.com for additional photos. Have some good news to share? Email us at info@thebuzzmagazines.com.

In the fine neighborhoods of:

Tanglewood, Galleria, River Oaks, Memorial, West University, Rice Military 5050 Westheimer, Suite 200 Houston, TX 77056 713-621-2555 wrigby@weldonrigby.com www.weldonrigby.com

MEMORIAL BUZZ NOVEMBER 2017 23

KIDS

by Annie Blaylock McQueen, staff writer

Buzz Baby

Sleep-deprived parents

Buzz Baby is a column about life with little ones. Writer Annie McQueen has three children under the age of 4.

Emily Large

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A

few years ago, a friend of mine made an appointment with an endocrinologist. “I was having trouble focusing,” she explained to me later over lunch. “I thought there was something really wrong me.” Julie (not her real name) couldn’t find a babysitter, so she brought along her then-6-month-old baby and 2-year-old toddler to the doctor. The appointment was not peaceful. “Don’t pick that up.” “John, sit down.” “John, do you want to watch Mickey?” The baby grabbed at anything he could reach, and the toddler tried to destroy the doctor’s office. The nurse asked routine questions. As Julie was describing her symptoms, she says, “I am seeing double, and when I turn my head, the room is spinning for a second.” The nurse took notes. Julie, worried about her impending medical report, wrangled her children. As the doctor walked in, he took one look at her and the two children and said, “Well, I can tell you what the problem is.” “I knew you were going to say that,” Julie replied. “It wasn’t fair,” she told me later. “Just because I had two kids with me, he assumed that that was the reason I was having issues.” But sure enough, the doc was right. Her blood-test results came in. She was perfectly healthy. The doctor’s diagnosis? She was chronically tired. Parenthood can be mentally, physically and emotionally challenging. Sleep deprivation during the baby years can lead to moodiness, memory problems, even hallucinations and paranoia. While I know those are serious health concerns, it’s also true that sleep deprivation can lead to some pretty humorous situations. Recently, I polled some Buzz parents and heard stories from rocking the cat to sleep and crying – literally – over spilled milk in the kitchen to multiple accounts of pouring baby rice cereal into the morning coffee. Speaking of coffee, it’s an important staple in a tired parent’s morning. Mom-of-two Shelby MEMORIAL BUZZ NOVEMBER 2017 24

SLEEP, BEAUTIFUL SLEEP Wesley and Chris Gibson say they take turns on who gets to nap and who watches children Charlie, Wyatt and Lucy. At right, daughter Lucy catches a quick nap, allowing Mom a rest break

Stegent says she shuffled into the kitchen and reached for her favorite white Starbucks coffee mug. Her baby, Emerson, was just 4 months old. She grabbed the coffee pot and started to pour. She had made her favorite brew, Kona coffee from Java. The hot liquid trickled into her mug. She brought it to her mouth and waited for that instant caffeinated jolt. “I realized, after a few sips, I forgot to put the coffee grinds in,” Shelby said, laughing. “I made a large pot of freshly brewed hot water.” That wasn’t her only kitchen mishap. “I wanted egg salad for lunch one day, so I boiled some eggs. Well, I totally forgot about the eggs, and after, oh, 45 minutes or so, I heard strange noises coming from the kitchen. The water had evaporated, and I was left with burnt eggs.” Wesley Gibson, who has three kids (Charlie, 6, Lucy, 4, and Wyatt, 2) was one of the moms who poured rice cereal into her coffee mug. “I didn’t even realize it until I had already stirred it,” she said, laughing. Unfortunately, a sleepy parent of little ones does not necessarily get to squeeze in a nap. Wesley recalled one day when she took this chance. “I dared to shut my eyes for 10 minutes on the couch while the kids were quietly playing iPad,” she said.

She melted into a deep slumber. She awoke to Wyatt, who was 1 at the time, climbing all over her, soaking wet. “I got up and looked around. During the 10 minutes that I rested and all was quiet, he had climbed on the kitchen island and lined up all the fruit by size, dumped the dog’s water bowl and played in it, and [Lucy] had helped herself to peanuts from the pantry that were all over the floor.” She had been napping in the same room and didn’t hear a thing. By the time the third child arrives, most parents pick up on tricks for getting their kids to sleep so they can too. Wesley discovered a nifty little device that she swears by called the Baby Shusher – The Soothing Sleep Miracle for Babies. It actually makes “shushing” sounds that a parent would make to calm a crying baby. (You can snag one on Amazon for around $30). “I got [Wyatt] to sleep as an 8 month old in a crowded airport with it,” said Wesley. “It is a Godsend that I mocked before I had one.” If you can’t squeeze in a good nap, at least you can squeeze in a good laugh. Editor’s note: Do you have stories of parental sleep deprivation to share with other readers? Comment under this story at thebuzzmagazines.com or email info@thebuzzmagazines.com.

MEMORIAL BUZZ NOVEMBER 2017 25

TRAVEL

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by Tracy L. Barnett, staff writer

Travel Buzz

The Camino: Spain by foot

This is the first of a two-part series on Spain’s Camino de Santiago. Part II will follow in January, when St. John’s School teacher Susan Tallman shares her journey.

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or Bina and Anil Dara, two physicians who had just sent their last child off to college, the journey began as a physical challenge that would put them in top-notch form. The busy professionals didn’t fit the profile of pilgrims, in the tradition of those who have walked the Camino de Santiago, or Way of St. James, for more than a thousand years. But the lifelong Catholics ended up being moved by the experience on every level – mental, physical and spiritual. The Camino, for the uninitiated, is a network of trails through Europe that lead to Santiago de Compostela and the shrine to the martyred apostle St. James (Santiago in Spanish). Popularized by such writers as Ernest Hemingway (The Sun Also Rises) and Paulo Coelho (The Pilgrimage), the Camino’s notable pilgrims have included Queen Isabella of Portugal. Actress Shirley MacLaine walked 500 miles of the trail at the age of 60, relating her spiritual journey in the bestselling book The Camino. German President Angela Merkel walked a section in 2014 with Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy in a symbolic show of solidarity with Spain and its difficult path to economic recovery. The Daras didn’t have a grand mission in mind. Anil first heard about the Camino on a radio talk show and knew right away it was something he wanted to do. At the time, their youngest daughter, Meghna, was still in high school at St. John’s School, so they decided that when she got to college, they would go. “Initially, it seemed like a really good physical challenge,” he said. “Then it slowly took on more meaning as time went on. Besides the physical challenge, there is a kind of spiritual aspect to it – and eventually that became the more important aspect.” Anil, an internist with a private practice in Humble, and Bina, an anesthesiologist at the Michael E. DeBakey VA Medical Center, met in medical school in their native India, and MEMORIAL BUZZ NOVEMBER 2017 26

UPWARD BOUND Anil and Bina Dara take a breather atop one of four hills they climbed on their first day on the Camino, from O Cebreiro to Triacastella.

they’ve been together ever since. They had always traveled together as a family – back home to India, to Canada, and all over the world – but their walk on the Camino was their first as a couple since the children were born. “Locking up our house and going away – we’d never done anything like that before, never, ever,” said Bina. “We always went with the kids, or we didn’t go at all.” So when Meghna began her studies at Rice University, eldest daughter Natasha was married, and middle daughter Karishma was finishing medical school, the Daras decided it was time for their big adventure, and began training in earnest. Natasha was now living with her husband in Barcelona, and they’d be able to finish the trip with a visit. Every evening after work they’d put on their walking shoes and walk around their Bellaire neighborhood. On the weekends they’d take long walks down Allen Parkway and trips to Terry Hershey Park and Jesse H. Jones Park. Once they went to Huntsville State Park in search of hills.

They spent time selecting the right shoes (Anil tried out three pairs), and clothing (from wicking cloth that dries quickly) but the most important item, for Anil, was the collapsible trekking poles. “Especially going down hills, they take a lot of strain off your knees, and walking uphill they almost pull you up as well,” said Anil. “And since they’re telescoping poles, you can very easily adjust the height – when you’re going up you make them longer, when you’re going down you can make them shorter, so they give you a mechanical advantage.” Finally they were ready, and they set the date: September 2016. The most popular part of the trail is the last 100 kilometers, which is the minimum required to receive a pilgrim’s certificate or “compostela” (the Daras walked 161 kilometers, or 100 miles, in their eight-day trek). They began at the tiny medieval village of O Cebreiro, where they found their way to their first Pilgrim’s Mass at the tiny village church – founded in the year 836. The priest began asking (continued on page 28)

MEMORIAL BUZZ NOVEMBER 2017 27

(continued from page 26) if

anyone spoke Portuguese, and then Spanish, and then English. “He wanted people from different parts of the world speaking different languages to read the intercessions for the Mass,” Bina explained. She raised her hand. “So imagine me, there in the back of beyond, in this small little place doing the readings in English,” she said with a laugh. Afterwards, there in the back of the church in a glass case with Bibles from around the world, she was surprised to see one in the language of her childhood: Hindi. It quickly became clear that the mountainous terrain was a far cry from Houston. “It was way, way more than we expected it to be,” confessed Anil. “Of course, Galicia is mountainous – we should have researched that better!” Their first day they hiked 15 miles, only stopping in one village for a light lunch. By the time they arrived at the town of Triacastela, their first destination, they were on the verge of collapse. Anil was ready to call it quits, call a taxi and go to Santiago. “I said no, we can’t do that,” said Bina. “So we had an amazing shower, put on our flip flops, had dinner in a nice, cute, quaint restaurant with wholesome food and spent the evening meeting other pilgrims. The next morning we were raring to go.” The camaraderie with other walkers was one of the best parts of the trip, Anil said. Seeing the 70-somethings sprinting past, and the Canadian woman with her baby in a stroller, was enough to motivate them onward. Others they met included an Australian army colonel walking in honor of his recently deceased brother and a stockbroker from Dublin planning to write a book, “From the Couch to the Camino.” Soon they found themselves hitting their stride and simply taking in all the beauty of the Spanish countryside, walking under a canopy of trees from one medieval village to the next, many nearly deserted; one village had a population of one. “The lovely thing was seeing all these apple

TAKING IT IN Bina Dara enjoys the view on the trail from Sarria to Portamarín, where they passed through little towns amid stone houses, blackberry bushes and nature at its best.

trees full of apples,” said Bina. “It was so nice. And then there’d be a field full of sunflowers, and then the blackberries – I’ve never eaten such delicious blackberries. These were wild, just growing on people’s fences or along hedges…. I picked as many as I could along the way. Each day, they would dedicate their walk to a different person or group of people. “It was the beginning of a different phase in our lives,” said Bina. “The idea was to look back and be thankful for all that we were blessed with and pray for the people who helped us and influenced our

journey together – our parents, our siblings, our friends and colleagues, our patients, our children – and the final day was just for us.” The fact that it was their first trip as a couple since they had started their family made it even more special, Bina said, and she felt it brought them even closer. “I always think we’re closer than close,” she said. “But I think that this time just him and me – it was like there’s nothing in the world to worry about, we’re just going to be walking, and this is our time – that was very meaningful for me.”

If you go Essential gear: Collapsible trekking poles, hats for the sun, and excellent walking shoes, already broken in. Vaseline: After watching people suffering with blisters, the Daras were thankful for the advice they’d received to cover their feet with Vaseline before putting on their socks to prevent friction. Where to stay: Accommodations range from well-appointed hostels ($30 and up) and hotels ($60 and up) to the traditional municipal albergues that have housed pilgrims, men and women alike, for centuries. The latter is the most economic alternative, $6-12 per night. In the middle were the private albergues, including breakfast for $15-20; these are divided by gender, each room accommodating four to six. Eating on the Camino can range from fine dining to the simple but delicious repast of a pilgrim’s plate – 10 euros (about $12) for a generous portion of bread, wine, meat, salad and vegetables. Travelers are advised to get a Pilgrim’s Passport (Credencial de Peregrino) at the beginning of their trip, which can be stamped by establishments along the way to prove they walked the requisite 100 kilometers (62 miles) necessary to gain a certificate of pilgrimage (the Daras decided to go the extra mile at 100 miles (161 km)). The passport also grants the carrier access to the 10-euro Pilgrim’s Plate, albergues and other camino privileges. American Pilgrims on the Camino, a support community for Camino walkers, has a Houston chapter that organizes social events and walks, mentors future pilgrims and serves as a local host for a training program for hospitaleros, who serve as volunteer hosts at the albergues. A useful resource is the Camino de Santiago forum, where walkers discuss everything from the hazards of bedbugs to the best shoes and trail guides. www.caminodesantiago.me/community/. This Outside Magazine beginner’s guide is a good place to start www.outsideonline.com/1917861/walking-camino-de-santiago-beginners-guide; John Brierly’s guidebook series is highly recommended and available at www.caminoguides.com. MEMORIAL BUZZ NOVEMBER 2017 28

MEMORIAL BUZZ NOVEMBER 2017 29

The Junior League of Houston

FOOD by Rebecca Adler, contributing writer

Cooking Buzz Traditional Thanksgiving 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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or as long as I can remember, Thanksgiving has been my favorite holiday. My birthday typically falls on or during the week of the holiday, so I consider myself a “turkey baby,” and cooking has long been a part of my birthday tradition. Holidays are a time for beloved dishes, but also a time to try new takes on flavor profiles, impressing guests at your dinner table or potluck meal. The centerpiece of our Thanksgiving meal is the turkey, and for us preparing the turkey begins while watching the Thanksgiving Day Parade on TV. The Thanksgiving Turkey from Stop and Smell the Rosemary has a traditional preparation, but I love the punch of the Jalapeño and Cranberry Jelly paired with the meat. Leftover turkey slices and jelly are perfect to have on hand for company or visitors during the holiday season. As a newlywed, it’s been fun to discover the food traditions of another family. I’ve spent time in the kitchen with my husband’s sisters learning some of their grandmother’s favorite recipes. I now know the Adler Thanksgiving includes plenty of cranberry sauce served with delicious turkey and sides. Holiday meals are balanced in flavor and require a plan for balancing coveted time in the oven as well. Cooking and chilling the Cranberry Cheesecake from Peace Meals the day before your celebration is a way to get ahead and introduce another seasonal flavor in your dessert lineup. Entertaining is meant to be enjoyed, and if cooking is not a part of your tradition, The Junior League’s Pantry is an option. The Pantry sells a complete Thanksgiving dinner or à la carte side dishes, rolls and desserts. My favorite side to pick up is the Mashed Sweet Potatoes with Brown Sugar and Pecans.

Thanksgiving Turkey From Stop and Smell the Rosemary 1½ bunches each fresh thyme, sage, basil and MEMORIAL BUZZ NOVEMBER 2017 30

DESSERT, PLEASE Make the Cranberry Cheesecake from Peace Meals the day before so you have more time to play with special guests.

oregano, coarsely chopped 1½ teaspoons each dried thyme, sage, basil and oregano 2 Tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature 1 Tablespoon salt 1 Tablespoon freshly ground pepper 1 fresh turkey (12 to 14 pounds) 2 small onions, cut into ¼-inch slices 2 carrots, cut into ¼-inch rounds 2 ribs celery, cut into ¼-inch pieces 2 leeks, cut into ¼-inch rounds 2 cloves garlic, sliced Olive oil

Herb Butter Ingredients: 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature 2 Tablespoons minced fresh parsley 2 Tablespoons minced fresh sage 2 Tablespoons minced fresh thyme 2 Tablespoons minced fresh basil 1 Tablespoon minced fresh oregano 1 clove garlic, minced Salt Freshly ground pepper Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Mix fresh herbs, dried herbs, butter, salt and (continued on page 32)

MEMORIAL BUZZ NOVEMBER 2017 31

Gabriel Garcia Marengo

TRADITIONS, OLD AND NEW Going for traditional? Maybe the Thanksgiving Turkey from Stop and Smell the Rosemary is up your alley. You can punch it up with Jalapeño and Cranberry Jelly. (continued from page 30) pepper. Rub into turkey

cavity. Stuff onions, carrots, celery, leeks and garlic into cavity. Truss with string. Rub outside of bird with olive oil. Place on a rack in a roasting pan. Roast 30 minutes. Herb Butter: Combine butter, parsley, sage, thyme, basil, oregano, garlic, salt and pepper in a small bowl. (This can be refrigerated up to 4 days, but bring to room temperature before using.) Reduce oven to 325 degrees and brush turkey with half of Herb Butter. Roast another 30 minutes and brush with remaining Herb Butter. Continue to roast, basting occasionally with pan juices, until thigh temperature measures 170 degrees on a meat thermometer, about 2¼ hours. Serve with Jalapeño and Cranberry Jelly. Serves 12 to 14.

chopped. Combine jalapeño mixture with sugar in a large Dutch oven. Bring to a full rolling boil. Add pectin. Return to a boil. Cook 2 to 3 minutes. Add vinegar and food coloring if desired. Cool. Spoon into sterilized jars and refrigerate.

Cranberry Cheesecake From Peace Meals 10 ounces fresh or frozen (thawed) cranberries ¼ cup freshly squeezed orange juice 11⁄3 cups plus 2 Tablespoons sugar, divided 32 ounces cream cheese, room temperature, cut into pieces 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract 4 eggs, room temperature 1 pint sour cream, room temperature 2 teaspoons finely grated orange zest

Jalapeño and Cranberry Jelly From Stop and Smell the Rosemary 6 jalapeños, seeded and quartered 2½ cups cranberry juice cocktail 7 cups sugar 6 ounces liquid fruit pectin 1 cup distilled white vinegar Red food coloring (optional) Place jalapeños and cranberry juice in blender. Process until jalapeños are finely MEMORIAL BUZZ NOVEMBER 2017 32

This recipe requires advance preparation. Preheat the oven to 275°F and position the rack on the bottom of the oven. Butter and flour a 9-inch springform pan and set aside. Combine the cranberries with the orange juice and ¼ cup of water in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat. Stir occasionally until the cranberries burst and the liquid is reduced. Remove the mixture from heat and stir in 1⁄3 cup of the sugar until it is fully dis-

solved. Strain the mixture, discard the solids and let the purée cool completely. In a large bowl, combine the cream cheese with the remaining 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons of sugar and the vanilla. Beat the mixture until smooth using an electric mixer at low speed. Add the eggs one at a time, beating just until blended. Stir in the sour cream and orange zest. Pour half of the cream cheese mixture into the prepared pan. Distribute 6 to 8 teaspoons of the cranberry purée evenly over the top. Spoon half of the remaining cheesecake mixture evenly over the first layer and dot with half of the remaining purée. Repeat with the remaining cheesecake mixture and purée. (Avoid dropping purée in the center of more than 1 layer). With a dinner knife, cut through the batter in a swirling motion to distribute the cranberry purée. Place the pan on a baking sheet and bake for 1 hour. Turn the oven off and leave the cheesecake in for 1 more hour. Transfer the cake to a rack and let it cool to room temperature. Release the sides of the pan. Cover the cheesecake and refrigerate overnight before serving. Serves 12. To buy a Junior League of Houston cookbook, or reserve your Thanksgiving meal with The Pantry, see jlh.org or call 713-871-6608.

MEMORIAL BUZZ NOVEMBER 2017 33

Tony Bullard

DINING

by Dai Huynh, staff writer

Chef’s Corner

Kimberly Paul

Find out about your favorite chefs in our Chef’s Corner column. This month, restaurant writer Dai Huynh interviews bar chef Kimberly Paul.

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epending on the season, you may find sprigs of fresh rosemary, parsley, kaffir lime, sage, ripe peaches and nectarines adorning Kimberly Paul’s bar. Nearby are a chemistry lab’s worth of vials containing secret homemade elixirs. Kimberly is the beverage director for Étoile and Brasserie Du Parc, who went from serving in the U.S. Air Force to serving hand-crafted cocktails. Her eyes sparkled as she listed her favorite destinations for hand-crafted libations and ingredients. “Oriole in London – that’s my crush,” said the 47-year-old Texas native. “I wish I could just hang out there with those guys for a week and see what they do. They take unusual ingredients and turn them into something you know.” That’s much like what Kimberly does for her bosses, French master chef Philippe Verpiand and his business partner-wife Monica Bui of Étoile Cuisine et Bar (1101-11 Uptown Park Boulevard) and Brasserie Du Parc (1440 Lamar). Here, Kimberly discusses how the lines between the kitchen and bar have blurred, along with no-fail recipes for a perfect Rob Roy and other pours. You referred to this as your dream job. How long have you worked for chef Verpiand? Three years. That’s unheard of in our industry. Being creative, you get bored easily. But I’m lucky that they don’t put creative restraint on me. They let me run with stuff that they may think is crazy, but sometimes it works. Name a crazy idea. One of my first crazy ideas was The Green Hour. I thought, ‘We’re French, let’s do absinthe service during happy hours, and let’s do it tableside.’ So we bought in the coolest absinthes we could find, stuff that no one had in town. I’m thinking of France’s Belle Époque era before World War I, with all these artists, and absinthe was their muse. The idea turned out to be a hit and people loved it. I think partly because it’s a little bit taboo, and it’s just fun. MEMORIAL BUZZ NOVEMBER 2017 34

Are there misconceptions about the wormwoodand anise-flavored absinthe? We did have to educate people and let them know that it won’t make them hallucinate. For many of your cocktails, you make your own syrups, extractions and, even, bitters. We try to keep it as homemade as we can. It all startBAR CHEF PAUL From the kitchen to the bar, Kimberly Paul uses seasonal ingredients ed when I made for her signature cocktails at Étoile and Brasserie Du Parc. my own limoncello town for hand-crafted cocktails. at an Italian place I worked at. Once I realized Anvil Bar & Refuge (1424 Westheimer Road) how the process and the extraction worked, the because they’re the one who put craft cocktails bells, whistles and lights started going off. So I on the scene. If it wasn’t for Bobby Heugel, none thought, ‘OK, if I do it like this, then what if I of us would be doing what we’re doing right now add this or that to it?’ in Houston. What to drink? I would order any of I started doing things I hadn’t thought about, their classics. We talk about how I’m not a recipe like making my own blackberry liqueur. I couldperson, but they’re stickler for recipes, and every n’t find a creme de mure that I liked. They all time you order a drink, it’s spot on. tasted like cough medicine. Now both restauMoving Sidewalk (306 Main Street) is a funky rants make their own blackberry liqueur, and we place. Alex Gregg is amazing. He knows more make the best Bramble ever because it’s not about liqueurs than anybody I’ve ever met. Then, actually creme de mure. around the corner, there is Reserve 101 (1201 At the core of many hand-crafted cocktails Caroline) where Leslie Ross Krockenberger is a is simple syrup. What is your version? creative genius. She knows things not a lot of The standard ratio is one part sugar to one people know, like the way things are drunk and part water. I tend to go heavier on the sugar, why they’re drunk that way. I’m in awe. more like one and a half sugar to one part water. I’m also particular about the sugar I Editor’s note: Buzz dining columnist Dai Huynh use. It’s a different kind of sweetness in the is a James Beard food-journalism award winner and winter. I prefer muscovado sugar in the winlongtime Houston-based restaurant writer. ter, but I would never use that in the summer. It’s too heavy. In the summer, I would use regular sugar or an alternative, like agave or The Scotch-based cocktail Rob Roy is making a cane sugar. Lately, coconut sugar has been comeback. See this story at thebuzzmagazines.com fun to mess with. I could stay in the kitchen for Paul’s version of this classic pour, along with her all day and play with different cocktails. bergamot-infused twist on the Bonny Prince Dram. Name a few of your favorite places around

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MEMORIAL BUZZ NOVEMBER 2017 35

SPORTS

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by Todd Freed, staff writer

SportzBuzz A

season removed from producing two of the nation’s top collegiate football prospects, the Episcopal Knights are at it again this season. Wide receiver Jaylen Waddle is ranked among the nation’s top players at his position, following in the footsteps of linemen Walker Little and Marvin Wilson, who went off to Stanford and Florida State, respectively, last season. “Jaylen is truly special,” said Knights head coach Steve Leisz. “We call him magic – now you see him, now you don’t. Not only does Jaylen have laser speed, but his hip movements and explosion are incredible.” Waddle showcased that sort of explosion in the Knights’ 3824 victory over rival St. Thomas, where he scored on a 75-yard kickoff return, a 70-yard punt return and a 55-yard pass reception. For Episcopal, which then went on to defeat Kinkaid 37-27 in an SPC showdown, it’s been much more than a one-man show. Several of the Knights are collegiate prospects, including cornerback Tayjon Martin, tight end Will Edens, junior defensive end Patrick Bayouth and junior running back Jaylen Davis. Davis was also recently named the MVP of the regional Nike football combine. Leisz also had high praise for defensive linemen Johnny Carrabba and Christian Walmsley, center Alan Ayanegui and quarterback Jack Grams, whom Leisz says is an Ivy League type of prospect. If all that weren’t enough, freshman linemen Luis Chavarria and Cullen Montgomery, who each are about 6’6”, 285 pounders, are already considered to be major collegiate recruits in the coming seasons. “Wouldn’t you know it, their favorite players are Walker Little and Marvin Wilson,” said Leisz. In volleyball, the Memorial Mustangs were on track for another good season, with 16 vic-

MEMORIAL BUZZ NOVEMBER 2017 36

BUILDING BLOCKS Memorial Mustangs outside hitter Sanaa Dotson (left, at the net) and middle blocker Olivia Matthews (#16) are a powerful presence at the net for the Memorial Mustangs volleyball team. Assisting here are Gillian Koskie (right side hitter) and Maddie Taff (setter, in the back).

tories in the first 25 games. “We have a really scrappy group that play hard every game,” said Mustangs head coach Beth Gammill. “It’s the type of team that has a chance to win every time it takes to the floor.” This season’s victory total includes a big-time victory over defending Class 6A state finalist Clear Creek. “That was a terrific and really fun win for our girls,” said Gammill. Pacing the Mustangs this season has been the continued outstanding play of junior outside hitter Sanaá Dotson and 6’3” middle blocker Meredith Phillips. Phillips will play college volleyball at Cal Poly, while Dotson is committed to Oklahoma. In addition, Gamill says, there have been major contributors up and down the lineup, including freshman right side hitter LIyla Traylor, senior right side hitter Gillian Koskie, senior libero Karen Xie, middle blocker Brooke Duncan, outside hitter Jessica Hausmann, setter Kelly Tate and junior Jessica Mayer. After earning a top 10 national ranking last season, the St. John’s Mavericks remain a powerhouse program in the sport of field hockey. Early on this season, the Mavericks traveled to St. Louis where they went 3-1-1 against some of the country’s top field hockey teams. “We went out there and defeated the No. 8-ranked team in the nation, which was really great,” said Mavericks field hockey coach Craig Chambers. “We have a talented and experienced lineup, most of whom play field hockey year round. The

girls play at the club level in both indoor and outdoor national tournaments. Virtually every one is a big contributor to our success.” The big contributors include senior captains Audrey Ledbetter, Avery Morris and Isabel Windham, but Chambers had praise for the entire lineup. “We’ve got at least five girls who’ll play field hockey at the collegiate level. Frederique Fyhr, Natalie Stone, May McCabe, Izzy Chambers, Amelie Perrier, Amy Worscheh, Hatley Post and Kate Ainbindor are all terrific players. I can pretty much single out everyone on the team. The thing about field hockey is that it’s a very fast paced and incredibly difficult sport. It takes a lot of hand control, but as a whole, the sport is a lot like soccer.” On a sidebar note, the Mavericks also have the distinction of playing their home games on one of the premiere high school field hockey turfs in the country. “There’s actually only four high schools in the nation that have this special ‘wet turf’ field, which we installed last season” said Chambers. “It makes the ball go faster and keeps it on a plain surface. As a result, we’ve hosted some big national tournaments.” Editor’s Note: Todd Freed is the Emmy Awardwinning co-host and producer of the KUBE SportsZone, which airs Saturday and Sunday at 6 p.m. on Channel 57-KUBE. To submit high school sports news for possible inclusion in SportzBuzz, please email todd@thebuzzmagazines.com.

MEMORIAL BUZZ NOVEMBER 2017 37

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.

Setting the standard Members of the Houston Juniors 13 Elite volleyball team (top photo) celebrate their win at the Northeast Qualifier in Philadelphia. The girls attend various schools, including Memorial Middle School, and also play for their school teams. As elite players, the girls have team practice at least twice each week for two hours each session. In addition, they attend sports-performance training twice each week, and many of them also take private lessons. The girls are kicking off a new season and will play in about 12 tournaments, all around the country. The Houston Juniors are (from left): Isabelle Plair, Maddie Morgan, Brooke Adams, Kayleigh Schultea, Emily Kmiec, Sophie Agee, Skylar Jackson, Julieta Valdez, Casey Batenhorst and Samantha Cousins.

Warriors on the field The 7U Spring Branch Warriors baseball team (middle photo) defeated the Friendswood Fuego in the first of a successful run of tournaments. These boys represent eight different elementary schools and are also players for Spring Branch-Memorial Sports Association spring-season teams. For most of the team, this was their first experience with tournament baseball. The Warriors finished strong, including a 10-run win in the final game. The heavy hitters are (back row, from left): coaches Johnnie Randolph, Brad Mauritzen, Jason Kates and head coach Jeff Venghaus; (front row, from left): Callen Corley, Blake Borski, Charlie Randolph, Henry West, Evan Mauritzen, Jax Carr, Ben Wylie, Connor Roe, Gray Venghaus and Jonah Kates; (not pictured): Walker Adams and Tyler Robison.

Elite gymnasts Gymnasts Caitlin Smith, Olivia Hollingsworth and Gabby Ladanyi (bottom photo, from left) earned high honors at the U.S. Classic. The event is an elite-level competition and qualifier for the U.S. Championships. Caitlin and Gabby competed in the Hopes division and had impressive finishes, including 8th all-around for Caitlin and 13th all-around for Gabby. Olivia qualified for the P&G Championships in Anaheim, California. In order to keep up with their demanding 36-hour-per-week training, the girls attend Texas Connections Academy home school so they can have a more flexible schedule. Their next competition season begins in January, when Caitlin and Gabby will advance to the Junior Division, and Olivia will compete in the Senior Division, which is the age group that qualifies to compete at the World Championships and the Olympic games. 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. MEMORIAL BUZZ NOVEMBER 2017 38

MEMORIAL BUZZ NOVEMBER 2017 39

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Harvey repairs I am sorry if you flooded. I flooded, and so did my parents. I now know more than I wanted about residential construction law, and am sharing the misery. I do not practice in this area, and you must look elsewhere to learn more. Consult a construction or real estate lawyer or an AIA architect. Visit www.texasattorneygeneral.gov/cpd/home-remodeling-and-repair. Your banker’s home improvement loan requirements may be a good discipline, if not education. If you’re a lawyer, gather your friends and read them the Texas Real Estate Forms Manual 2017. Chapters 17 and 18 address insurance and residential construction. Chapter 20 discusses construction loans, Chapter 21 involuntary mechanic’s liens. Think twice before you repair. Do you have good title to the house? Can you afford to repair? Can you afford to flood again? What’s your elevation? Your flood risk? If you repair, can you afford insurance? Could a buyer, now or later? Has it been 60 days since you cleaned out the house? Homeowners building coverage may have lapsed. Talk to your agent about a vacancy endorsement. Before signing a contract, ask about builder’s risk. If your agent doesn’t know, talk to one with a designation such as a CPCU, CIC, ARM, or CRM. You might flood again. Keep all plans, drawings, and specifications, if only to help claim your losses next time. Renew your flood insurance, and never let it lapse. A construction contract should specify what the contractor will do, when the work will start, and when it will be completed. Address change orders, sales tax, insurance, and utilities. A lump sum or stipulated sum is

MEMORIAL BUZZ NOVEMBER 2017 40

the simplest type of contract price. The contractor agrees to build or repair according to the plans and specifications, and the owner agrees to a fixed price. Involuntary mechanic’s liens. Unpaid subcontractors and suppliers can file a lien affidavit against the home. To avoid personal liability, owners must withhold 10 percent from the original contractor (statutory “retainage”), more if a lien notice is received (“trapped funds”). Construction Trust Fund Statute. Residential projects over $5,000 require a construction account at a bank. It’s a crime for the contractor to skip this step, to use the funds for another project, or to provide a false bills paid affidavit. Beware the residential construction contract that doesn’t address statutory retainage or mention trust fund accounts. Contracts should allow if not require owners to withhold retainage. Trust fund deposits and disbursements records should be available on request. We write wills and go to probate court. 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

MEMORIAL BUZZ NOVEMBER 2017 41

TROOPERS Emily Valicek, a fourth grader at St. Francis Episcopal School, and her family housed 13 state troopers during Hurricane Harvey.

KIDS by Emily Valicek, age 10

Buzz Kidz

Gaining an extra family

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uring the Big Flood, my family and I housed 13 state troopers. While they were helping rescue from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m., we were at home answering the door to friends who brought food, toiletries, laundry detergent, blow-up beds, waders, anything they thought we might use. People we didn’t even know were so kind to bring things to help. Every night for about eight nights, eight Troopers slept at our house, three slept at one neighbor’s house, and two others stayed with another neighbor. They would come home from work, shower and all come to our house for dinner. There were 11 men and 2 women – they were all sweet and fun. We watched TV, talked or played. They are now our extra family!

We would get together, say a blessing and eat a homemade meal made by one of the wonderful families who helped us. Everyone wanted to help the troopers so they could do their important job of rescuing people. Our street was the safest place to be, with all of the police cars. The night before they came, my dad and brother rescued some friends from their home that had water in it. My mom, sister and I were getting the house ready for the troopers. Luckily, our friends were willing to help us prepare for more guests, and no one minded getting up early to work. I am so happy that my mom’s cousin Rusty asked if he and a “few” of his buddies could come stay. Rusty Weatherby lives in Big Lake, Texas. The other 12 men

and women live all over west Texas – Junction, Eldorado, Marfa, Andrews, Odessa and Midland. On the last night they were all here, the troopers got us all together in our kitchen and presented my mom with a special framed piece of one of their uniform shirts that they had all signed. It is so neat. I was so happy that two of my favorite new friends gave me a little teddy bear wearing a green state trooper T-shirt – I call him “Trooper.” 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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Oliver, age 8, Clumber Spaniel Mix, Winwood Lane You may already know me from walking the neighborhood – I’m Oliver from Winwood Lane in Bunker Hill. I’m a little famous because I post on Facebook about the things I see when I walk. It started when the Memorial Drive bridge construction interrupted my usual walking route, but recently I’ve shared news about Hurricane Harvey, subsequent traffic and my close encounters with local felines and those Sandalwood ducks. I’m also notorious for my barking (neighbors already know this). I was surrendered to the Houston Bureau of Animal Control (BARC) in 2010 when I was under a year old and already heartworm positive. The future looked bleak, but then I was adopted by my family! I’m part Clumber Spaniel, an unusual breed my family knows and loves. Now I’m the crotchety old dog every family wants. Check shelters for your next pet because you might find your own star! 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.

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T-Shirt Quilts Graduation • Birthdays Sports • Activities • Greek Life Pet Photos • Anniversaries Other types of quilts also available

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Create a buzz for your biz. BELLAIRE • MEMORIAL RIVER OAKS • TANGLEWOOD WEST UNIVERSITY Mailed to 58,000 homes monthly. To advertise in The Buzz Magazines, contact us at 713.668.4157, ext. 11 or advertising@thebuzzmagazines.com

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A minute with Maisie

The importance of transparency

Many clients ask me, “What rights do grandparents have to see their grandchildren in Texas?” The Texas Family Code provides that a grandparent may file a lawsuit seeking custody of their grandchildren if the order is necessary because the child’s present circumstances significantly impair the child’s physical health or emotional development. However, seeking custody of grandchildren and simply wanting to spend time with them is very different. If a grandparent wants to see their grandchildren without filing for custody, then the grandparent may intervene in an on-going divorce action but is prohibited in most cases from filing an original suit. The Texas Supreme Court has ruled that being a parent is a fundamental right and infringing on those rights requires a high burden. However, given the right circumstances, it is possible for a grandparent to see their grandchildren through a court order. For more information, please consult an attorney board certified in family law. 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 and 2013. 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

It’s understandable that family members may be in denial when confronted with the possibility that a parent or relative needs long-term, professional, in-home care. If this is the first time dealing with something like this, it’s expected that you would be confused and uncertain about what to do next. Because it’s such an emotional time for family members tasked with exploring options, you need help from a caregiving service that will look at the situation objectively. That’s why transparency and open and honest conversations are essential between family members and the firm placing an in-home caregiver. That openness allows an experienced caregiver to see what’s down the road, and the honesty allows you to create a practical and well-researched plan together, preparing you for the worst-case scenario. Transparency also ensures the best decision is made for the family member who needs the care. It’s important, though, that the transparency be mixed with professional experience to guide the very best decisions. Sid Gerber, owner of Personal Caregiving Services, is an expert in the field and has been through this process thousands of times. He’s able to sit down and openly and honestly talk with clients and their families to come up with recommendations and the best plan. S. Gerber & Associates, 9301 Southwest Freeway, Suite 250, Houston, Texas 77074, 832.564.0338, sid@personalcaregiving.com

Get Your Morning Buzz Every weekday morning, enjoy your coffee + the buzz in your inbox. Our brand-new e-newsletter, Morning Buzz, will include buzzworthy stories about neighbors every day, Monday-Friday. Sign up to find out what we’re buzzing about at thebuzzmagazines.com/morning-buzz.

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Air filters “What kind of air filter should I buy for my allergy?” The answer is “it depends on what you’re allergic to.” If you are allergic to cat dander or grass pollen, we recommend investing in an advanced filter. These allergens are small; thus, they are lighter than air and stay airborne long enough to be filtered out of the air. Compare that to dust mite allergy, which is relatively large, staying airborne for only 15 to 20 minutes after being disturbed (such as making the bed). There’s no way a filter can catch much dust mite allergen once it has settled back onto the bed or carpet. Electrostatic filters are interesting. You get a permanent metal filter taking the place of your disposable fiberglass filter. This metal filter is better at trapping allergens than less expensive fiberglass models. If you use an electrostatic, run your air conditioning system using “ON” rather than “AUTO”. You just paid for a good filter, and you want it filtering 24/7, not just when the compressor or furnace turns on. Be sure to clean the filter regularly with a strong flow of water at least once or twice a month. If you don’t keep an electrostatic filter clean, it will become less effective, increasing the drag on your entire HVAC system. Many HVAC companies don’t like electrostatic filters at all, saying they reduce the life of the entire system. Instead, they recommend disposable 3M Filtretes. If you get a free-standing filter, should you go HEPA filter or a Sharper Image Ionic Breeze? This depends somewhat on budget and noise tolerance. The HEPA filters have fans that make some noise. You have to change the pre-filter every two or three months. It’s very easy to change, but take the unit outside before you disassemble it so the dust doesn’t make a mess inside.

Changing the main filter is almost as easy, and it only has to be done every couple of years. Post-bankruptcy, Sharper Image stills sells the Ionic Breeze, and Consumer Reports still recommends you don’t buy them. Here’s a line from their article: “By that logic, my coffee table is also an air filter because it collects dust.” Look at a store’s return policy to see if you can try the filter out first. You can usually return them before 30 or 60 days. Keep all the packing materials and your receipt. No matter what filter you buy, remember that a filter is just one step in a long process of allergen avoidance. If recommended by your doctor, you should also cover your mattress and pillow with impermeable covers, wash sheets in hot water, remove carpet from your bedroom, and keep the humidity in your home low enough to reduce growth of dust mites and mold. 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. David B. Engler, 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

MEMORIAL BUZZ NOVEMBER 2017 47

NEIGHBORS

.

by Annie Blaylock McQueen, staff writer

Buzz About Town Lily DuBose, a third grader at Grace School, collected thousands of new toys to give to victims of Hurricane Harvey. She received donations from all over Houston and as far as Seattle. Lily, along with the help of her parents, turned her living room into a pop-up toy shop for kids. Most of the toys are for young children, but she also collected basketballs, board games, and more for older children. Lily’s mother, Jessica, helped her coordinate with other families on ways they could help out too.

It’s all Greek Dylan Aguilar

Toys for all

Students of the year The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society’s Texas Gulf Coast Chapter will kick off its second annual Students of the Year campaign on Jan. 25. Anson Moore, (pictured, at left), a sophomore at Second Baptist School, will be participating in this year’s campaign. Also pictured (from left) at the 2017 Student of the Year campaign are Nick Stefanakis, Lillyana Stefanakis, Jenee Stefanakis and John Womble. The campaign is a seven-week initiative in which nominated high school students, or teams of 2-3 students, participate in a fundraising competition to benefit LLS. Anson helped his cousin, Lillyana, win the title “Student of the Year” in 2017. Apply or nominate someone at studentseries.org.

Go ’Stros Volunteers from The Original Greek Festival gathered for this year’s fest. They included Evy Pappas, who has been a volunteer since she was born, her friend Adonia Cokinos, who has been volunteering since she moved to Houston in 2006, and daughter Chloe Cokinos. Chloe danced in the festival’s children's program for her first time this year. Visitors to the festival at the Annunciation Greek Orthodox Cathedral enjoyed Greek sausage on a stick, gyros and souvlaki plates, plus dancing, music and games.

Brother/sister duo Quinn Persia and Pearce Persia (pictured, from left) got to wear their favorite Astros attire to school at St. Francis Episcopal Day School. Quinn is in kindergarten and Pearce is in Pre-K. Parents Dawn and Mike attended the first playoff game of the series at Minute Maid Park. They had lunch pre-game at Oxbow 7, followed by celebratory drinks after the win, at The Owl Bar.

Spring Branch strong

The Spring Branch Education Foundation Strong UnGala 2017 is Nov. 11. Co-chairs Becky (pictured, at left) and Brett Fenn and Kristi (at right) and Paul (continued on page 50) MEMORIAL BUZZ NOVEMBER 2017 48

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Robishaw redesigned the annual event to celebrate taking care of neighbors while also supporting grants and scholarships. The event will take place at Royal Sonesta Hotel and will be a low-key, casual evening where guests can enjoy cocktails, casino games and music. Table sponsorships (seating for 10) are available for $5,000 and $3,000; general admission is $100. Call 713-251-2381.

Priscilla Dickson

(continued from page 48)

NCL comes through Young members of the National Charity League (pictured, bottom photo), ranging from seventh graders to seniors, attended the Houston Hearts Harvey Workshop. Lisa Dunwoody and Stacy Farber were originally chairs for the annual food drive the chapter does each year. When Harvey hit, a lot of the routes for the food drive were compromised. They came up with the idea of the Harvey Recovery Workshop instead. They asked members of the chapter to donate items to groups helping Harvey victims. In all, they provided 800 meals for Kids’ Meals, 400 cleaning care packages for Memorial Assistance Ministries, 200 grocery bags of food for Fair Haven Food Pantry, 600 cans of cat food, 400 cans of dog food and 500 pounds of dry dog and cat food to Citizens for Animal Protection, large amounts of cleaning supplies to West Houston Assistance Ministries, and 200 gift cards, stuffed animals, books and backpacks to SBISD.

Sensory-friendly zoo night Autism Rescue Angels, a non-profit providing assistance to families with members who have

MEMORIAL BUZZ NOVEMBER 2017 50

autism, partnered with the Houston Zoo to create an autism/sensory-friendly night during the popular Zoo Lights event during the holidays. Board members are (pictured, from left) Leslie Mogil, Martha Rivera, Jenny Thompson, Penny Khuri, Dr. Lisa Graham-Garza and Elaine and Jim Turner. The event will be Nov. 28. Lisa Graham-Garza and Penny Khuri are co-founders of Autism Rescue Angels. See autismrescueangels.org.

Women of distinction Alissa Maples, DeeDee Marsh and Kelli Weinzierl will co-chair the 31st Winter Ball, Club 31, on Jan. 27 at the Hilton Americas. ABC13’s Women of Distinction will be honored for their volunteer efforts in the community. The gala will benefit the Crohn's & Colitis Foundation, which is celebrating its 50th anniversary. Honorary (continued on page 52)

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MEMORIAL BUZZ NOVEMBER 2017 51

Trotter annual luncheon

Dylan Aguilar

Volunteers from the Trotter Family YMCA are planning this year’s annual fundraising luncheon Nov. 10 at The Junior League of Houston. This year’s luncheon will honor women of the Tellepsen family, which has over a century of YMCA involvement. Pictured are last year’s co-chairs, Monica

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Matthew Jewell

Michelle Watson

chair is Trini Mendenhall. This year’s WOD are Kristy Bradshaw, Kim Padgett, Amy Pierce, Denise Castillo-Rhodes, Leigh Smith, Kristina Somerville (pictured, with Paul Somerville), Ileana Trevino, Stephanie Tsuru, Hallie Vanderhider, Sharleen Walkoviak and Carol Sawyer, the 2018 Ambassador.

(continued from page 50)

Green (at left) and Joy McCormack (right), with last year’s honoree, Gretchen Berly (center). The committee is planning a silent auction with items such as a stay at a Colorado cabin and more. The luncheon raises money annually to fund after-school programs for underprivileged children and the community. See ymcahouston.org/trotter-luncheon.

Neighbors helping neighbors Memorial-area women who helped neighbors who flooded after Harvey included, among others, (pictured, back row, from left) Gina Keith, Dena McKillip, Ruth Parks, Julie Krovontka, Jennifer Fitzjarrald and Jennifer Hoskovec (front). The group is pictured at the Thornwood neighborhood pool, where one of their supply depots is housed. Other women who have been instrumental in creating a wishlist and securing donations include Meg Maguire, Kristin Anderson and Ruth Parks.

A plan for success Hunters Creek Elementary was one of 10 SBISD schools selected to take part in the School Redesign Collaborative. Pictured (from left) are

Kirstyn Duncan, third-grade teacher; Ashley Johnson, first-grade Vanguard teacher; Rosie Cantu-Vargas, second-grade teacher; Tracey Tomaro-McCall, math intervention specialist; Robye Snyder, principal; and Mandie Badrak, third-grade teacher. The School Redesign Collaborative will take a year, and the goal is to produce a vision for Hunters Creek's future and a multi-year plan of action. HCE applied for the initiative, funded by the New Schools Venture Fund, which invests in organizations that are working to improve public education. 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.

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MEMORIAL BUZZ NOVEMBER 2017 53

NEIGHBORS

Back Porch

behance.net/runamokstudios

by Andria Frankfort, staff writer

.

Updating Thanksgiving

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hanksgiving, more than any holiday, is all about tradition. Not just in terms of what we do, where we go and whom we spend the day with, but right down to what we eat. I can’t remember a Thanksgiving without a green bean casserole. But after years of the same casserole (canned mushroom soup, anyone?), some of us have made a few tweaks to our Thanksgiving menu. Whether that’s fried shallots, béchamel and haricot verts replacing the canned green beans and French’s Fried Onions, or whether it’s an entirely untraditional take on pumpkin pie, a little change can mean a big shakeup at the family table. Here, a few neighbors share Thanksgiving updates that actually worked – and stuck.

Spatchcock the turkey The star of the Thanksgiving table gets an altogether new treatment from the traditional at the McLaren house. Tevia McLaren says her mother-in-law found a recipe for spatchcocking via Martha Stewart. “We thought we were so cool doing it,” Tevia says. “And then I found a reference to [spatchcocking] from pioneer days!” The Oxford Companion to Food posits that spatchcocked birds, which are split down the back and flattened, originated in Ireland in the 18th century. “Besides making an intriguing presentation and being simple to carve,” The Oxford Companion says, “a spatchcocked bird requires less time in the oven. That means that the breast meat won’t be dry.” When asked if Tevia’s family shares their turkey recipe, Tevia says, “Of course we do! But other than the how-to-spatchcock, it won’t help. My father-in-law does the spatchcocking, and my mother-in-law does the seasoning. But every, every recipe she’s ever given me is accompanied by her disclaimer: ‘But I didn’t have this, so I used that.’ Or, ‘Sometimes I…’ Or, ‘Just put on it what you like.’ Argh! The spatchcocking is the easy part.” Google marthastewart.com, how to spatchcock a turkey, for the same stepby-step instructions that the McLarens use.

Amp up the sweet potatoes Ophthalmologist and gourmet cook Allan MEMORIAL BUZZ NOVEMBER 2017 54

Fradkin has devised a sweet potato recipe that brings the old mushy, marshmallow-y one into the 21st century. “I have changed the recipe through the years,” he says. “I started putting streusel on top and liked that, and then I added Grand NEWFANGLED There are lots of ways to update traditional Thanksgiving fare, includMarnier. Some ing spatchcocking the turkey – if the family agrees to it. people think it’s too Filling: much of a to-do. It involves more work than just 1 1-pound can pumpkin your basic sweet potatoes. You have to sauté the 1 cup sugar apples, make the streusel. But it’s worth it.” ½ cup milk 2 eggs, beaten Introduce a new side 2½ teaspoons pumpkin pie spice Leslie Wade, a part-time art teacher and one Topping: of the masterminds behind the acclaimed Junior 1 cup cake mix (reserved from crust) League cookbook Peace Meals, says, “The ½ cup sugar Brussels Sprouts with Prosciutto is now one of ¾ cup butter, softened my Thanksgiving family classics, and my kids ask for it every year. My mom used to make Mix crust ingredients together and pat dough Brussels sprouts for years that hardly anyone ate. into a 9” by 13” cake pan. Mix filling ingredients Now with the Peace Meals recipe, the Brussels and pour over dough. Blend topping ingredients sprouts are gobbled up. It’s the one dish that I until crumbly and sprinkle over filling. Bake at never have to bag up any leftovers from.” 350 degrees for 1 hour.

Try a Pumpkin Pie Cake Katherine Kardesch, a mom of three charged with making all the Thanksgiving desserts for her family, preps Pumpkin Cheesecake, Apple Pie, Chocolate Pecan Pie and Pumpkin Pie, but calls Pumpkin Pie Cake the real crowd pleaser. “We love this recipe,” she says. “It was from a realtor in a neighborhood mailing. I read it close to Thanksgiving about 20 years ago, made it, and brought it to Dallas where it became a family favorite and a staple for Thanksgiving.”

Pumpkin Pie Cake Crust: 1 package Yellow Cake Mix (reserve 1 cup) 1 egg, beaten ½ cup butter, melted

Or just stick with the same Some of us really love those French’s Fried Onions. I’ve tried frying shallots to top an updated green bean casserole, only to be scolded by my father, Bernie Milstein, who then showed up at my house carrying his own can of French’s. “Sorry to be a stick in the mud, but what is wrong with your grandmother’s string bean casserole once a year?” he says. “Same thing with the cornbread dressing. We’re just talking about once a year.” Guess I’ll be stocking up on French’s.

MORE ONLINE See thebuzzmagazines.com for more recipes, including Allan Fradkin’s Sweet Potato Casserole and Leslie Wade’s Brussels Sprouts with Prosciutto.

TRUST LOOKS LIKE THIS.

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