Tanglewood/River Oaks Buzz - May 2021 by The Buzz Magazines

Ellie and Jane Wexler

Ramadan Traditions Little Acts of Kindness In Season at the Market Dogs Who Dive Missing Senior Year Travel: Three Texas Gems Mama’s 1950s World

The Pony

Girls by Andria Frankfort

Chef’s Corner: Dany and Rina Kamkhagi Houston, TX Permit No. 2047

Tex-Mex Every Day

PAID US Postage PRSRT STD

Mom Squad

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EDITOR’S NOTE Not too long ago, I received a text message from Buzz writer Annie McQueen: “I met this cute mom at the car wash yesterday. Her daughters show ponies….” It was not surprising that a random chat at the car wash turned into a Buzz article. Since the girls are older, the topic wasn’t a fit for Annie’s Buzz Baby column, but that didn’t matter to Annie. Our editorial team is always tuned in and looking for a good story. We’re also glad writer Karen Vine Fuller clued us in about dock diving – we had no idea this was a dog sport available in Houston. Of course, as animal lovers, we dove right in. In this issue, you’ll meet Buzz neighbors who share their passions for showing ponies, watching their dogs leap into water, and spreading kindness around the community. You’ll learn about families who celebrate Ramadan, which culminates on May 12 this year, and you’ll discover small Texas towns that are worth the drive. And if you happen to spot a member of the Buzz team around town, take a few moments to share your story. You never know where a casual conversation will lead. 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 Editorial Assistant Design Manager Staff Writers

Contributing Writers Account Managers

Joni Hoffman Michael Hoffman Cheryl Laird Jordan Magaziner Steinfeld Jenna Mazzoccoli John Duboise Tracy L. Barnett Deborah Lynn Blumberg Sharon Albert Brier Cindy Burnett Andria Frankfort Angie Frederickson Todd Freed Cindy Gabriel Cathy Gordon Michelle Groogan Dai Huynh Annie Blaylock McQueen Jennifer Oakley Pooja Salhotra Cheryl Ursin Erin Faulkner, Karen Vine Fuller Meg Scott Andrea Blitzer Leslie Little Jo Rogers

On our cover: Sisters Ellie and Jane Wexler (from left) love riding and showing ponies. 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 © 2021 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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MAILBAG

Your letters, thoughts, opinions Cover-girl moment I remember receiving The Buzz magazines in my mailbox when I was as little as 10 years old, looking at the different people on the front cover thinking of them as models and celebrities. I can’t believe 20 years later I’m now receiving the magazine with my face and my dog on the cover [of The West University Buzz] followed by a three-page spread telling our story [A Lucky Break, Road-trip-gone-south leads to home, by Pooja Salhotra, March 2021]. I’m not a model or a celebrity, but I’m not going to lie – that’s how I felt for a bit! It has been exciting to hear from old friends and new who just read about my accident for the first time. After my accident, I never really cared to share my story beyond my immediate network of friends and family. Since I wasn't really seeing people due to the pandemic, I never felt that I needed to. But, I’m so grateful I didn’t, now that a much more talented writer took the lead in telling it. I feel so honored and grateful that Pooja took the time to listen and write about it in such an inspiring way. I’m in serious awe. Thank you, Buzz Magazines, for featuring me and my pup! Alexia Kazilas

Let’s play chess Jennifer wrote a captivating article that took a hard subject like chess and made it fun to read [War Over the Board: Young chess players face off, by Jennifer Oakley, April 2021]. I thought it was lovely and well done – spotlighting all the kids and chess! Alexandra Simotas

Birding story tickles family What a lovely issue! We are all delighted and thrilled that Houston Audubon has been honored with such great photos and fine words [Spotting Beauty: Spring wave of color delights Houston birders, by Meg Scott, April 2021]. I have no idea how Meg fit in all of the too-many details I sent her way! Like drinking from a fire hose. My family will be tickled not only that they appear in the article but also that Mom and Dad receive such praise and credit. They really did start it all. I wish they were here to have been part of the fun, but I suspect there is a lively birdwatching party being organized in Heaven right about now. The picture of Carl’s kids is the grand prize winner. Adorable! Sara Bettencourt

Join them on the road We enjoyed sharing our story [Travel Buzz: Life in an Airstream, by Tracy Barnett, March 2021]. We hope this inspires others to overcome adversity and find ways to connect with others, connect with nature, and enjoy life! Rame Hruska TANGLEWOOD/RIVER OAKS BUZZ MAY 2021 6

School in the spotlight Thank you so much for featuring the story about the International Festival at West U Elementary School [Buzz About Town: Around the world in West U, by Angie Frederickson, April 2021]! It means a lot for us and our neighborhood community! Anastasia Domakhina

Pulled off the cat story Andria, you did a great job on the article [Herding Cats: And meeting lovely neighbors, by Andria Frankfort, April 2021]! You took a multifaceted personal story with lots of people involved and were able to weave together a lighthearted crisp story. A real talent! I couldn't have done it, and I lived it. Kevin Trautner 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? We are looking for residents for upcoming articles who: • Have an interesting travel tale. • Have a passion or hobby to share. • Have back-to-school traditions. • Know a Buzzworthy neighbor to profile. • Play a musical instrument and would like to be a part of our “Name That Tune” video series online. 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 by Cindy Gabriel, staff writer

My Mama’s 1950s World Now lick your lips and smile

here are many good things about getting older. One is that when you look back, you can really see how much the world has changed, and, dare I say, improved overall. As a little girl, I would spend hours looking through old scrapbooks of my mother’s glamorous life. She was a celebrated Southern beauty, in Biloxi, Mississippi, as the 1953 winner of the Miss Hospitality Contest, the local beauty pageant for the two adjacent Gulf Coast towns, Biloxi and Gulfport, the anchor towns of Mississippi’s 26 miles of beach. My future mom, Sandra Lee, was pictured in car-dealership ads, at ribbon cuttings, and in party dresses with other Southern debutantes in the waving and waterskiing era of the Mississippi Gulf Coast. In less than two years, I would come along and bring it all to an abrupt halt. I didn’t see these photos in the context of the 50s. It never occurred to me that there were no black people on the beach where I spent my summers. In 1960, about 125 black Mississippians staged a peaceful wade-in. It turned into a violent clash led by a white mob that would come to be called “Bloody Sunday.” The Mississippi beaches remained “whites only” until 1968. My mother, in addition to her brief fling as a Southern belle, was a smart, curious lady. She met my father in journalism school at Mississippi Southern College in Hattiesburg, Mississippi. He, two years older, was the editor of the school newspaper, Student Printz. As the story goes, my grandmother encouraged the beauty-queen side of my mother. When she and Mom toured the campus of Mississippi Southern College, an upperclassman was assigned to show them around, including a stop at the newspaper. There they met the handsome, 6-foot-tall editor with the weird name, Clymer Wright. My grandmother had the chutzpah to send the official tour guide on his way, saying my dad would now finish showing my mother around. Pictures of Mom and Dad smiling at sorority and fraternity functions dressed like people from central casting for a 1950s movie belied my mom’s indifference to such things. She dropped out of her “boring” sorority.

GLAMOUR MOM Cindy Gabriel’s mom, Sandra Lee (center in the strappy sandals), won the 1953 Miss Hospitality beauty pageant representing the Mississippi Gulf Coast towns of Biloxi and Gulfport.

When my father graduated from college, it never occurred to Mom to finish and graduate herself. I, for one, would not be here if she had. To quote my grandfather, “She got her M.R.S.” But something slightly progressive was also going on in that household. My feisty, bossy “Mimmie,” Leola Lee, was a career woman, the head “secretary” for the hospital at Keesler Air Force Base. In reality, it was a key administrative job, as evidenced by the six “Secretary of the Year” plaques and newspaper clippings. My grandfather, “Lee,” said his friends warned him about the dangers of letting a woman make her own money. “It would have been a lot more dangerous trying to keep her from it,” he said with a wry wink and a twist of his cigar. Lee’s best lines started with a dry cigar rolling in his mouth, signaling the quip that was about to roll off his tongue. To my dad, he said, “I knew you wuz going to marry Sandra before you did. I heard her and her mother plannin’ it.” My parents were married in the First Baptist Church, February 12, 1953. I was born November 14, 1954, nine months and 2 days past their wedding date, a timespan my grand-

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mother sweated out. By then, my dad was serving in Korea. He learned about me in a letter “from me” cleverly penned by Mimmie. I now wonder if Dad knew anything about a Korean War paratrooper from Hattiesburg named Clyde Kennard, a black soldier who also served in WWII. He was three years into his college degree from the University of Chicago when Korea called. Upon his return, he went back to Hattiesburg to take care of his mother after the death of his father. He applied to Mississippi Southern College to finish his degree in 1955, 1958, and 1959. After his third denial, he wrote a letter to the local newspaper, which prompted his arrest. In 1960, he was framed for the heist of $25 worth of chicken feed and sentenced by an allwhite jury to seven years in the notorious highsecurity state penitentiary Parchman Farm. Kennard would die of cancer on July 4, 1963. I wish I could talk to my mother and father about those times, in these times, about the “good ole days” when all-white beaches weren’t just about the sand.

lawellphoto.com

KIDS by Andria Frankfort, staff writer

The Pony Girls When riding just feels right ane Wexler is only 6 years old, but she says she’s found her calling. “Riding feels like what I was born to do!” This is what the precocious and extra-talkative little girl tells us about riding ponies. Her older sister, Ellie, 8, chimes in, a little more quietly: “It just feels right,” she says as a matter of fact. Ellie is the reason the sisters, both elementary school students at The Kinkaid School, spend so much time at the Memorial Park Hunters barn. “When she was 3, Ellie asked over and over to ride a pony, so we put her on a pony,” says the girls’ mom, Kimberly, a nurse who retired to “shuttle her kids around,” as she says. (Her kids also include 4-year-old daughter Hazel, who is barely starting to be interested in ponies.) From there, Kimberly says, Ellie “never looked back.” Neither Kimberly nor her husband Scott, who works in investment banking, knew a thing about horses. But suddenly they found themselves with a daughter obsessed with riding. “It was completely new to both of us,” Kimberly says. Nevertheless, she started researching ways to get more pony time for her eldest daughter, who was longing to ride competitively. “It was a lot of trial and error,” she says. “I was Googling ‘local barn,’ and then it was word of mouth, a friend of a friend of a friend type thing. So we went out and tried it.” “Out” was to Blackjack Lane Equestrian in Mont Belvieu, 30-plus miles northeast of Houston, past Baytown. “It was once a week, then twice a week, then three or four days,” Kimberly says. Still, Ellie couldn’t get enough. They bought Girl on Fire, a small chestnut pony, and Ellie gave her the barn name Katniss because she was strong and tough and a leader, like the character Katniss from The Hunger Games, which Ellie hadn’t watched but had heard about. (Ponies often have “show names” and more casual “barn names” for at home.) “Blackjack gave her an amazing foundation, but it was just too far,” Kimberly says. “I was not going to drive to Mont Belvieu six days a week. So I looked for the closest barn within city lim-

Jerry Mohme Photography

WHAT A RIDE Top: Jane (left, with Harry Potter) and Ellie Wexler (right, with Lollipop) are captivated by ponies. Together, they are learning to ride and show, which they say "just feels right." Bottom: Ellie shows Lollipop at the Great Southwest Equestrian Center in Katy.

its. I emailed Patty [Roberts, the long-time trainer and manager of Memorial Park Hunters], and within a day or so our pony was on a trailer heading to Patty’s, and we were moving to our new barn.” The Wexlers have since realized it can be preferable to lease ponies instead of buying, since the girls outgrow them quickly and eventually graduate to horses. The type of English riding they do is called “hunter” and “equitation,” which involve riding in arenas over jumps, with both pony and rider in proper form. Ponies are small horses, and they often compete

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in separate divisions than horses. Jane wasn’t as quick to take to the ponies. “When I was on a horse, kind of for the second or third time,” she says, “I thought it was too bumpy and I didn’t want to trot.” But she overcame her hesitations. How? “I tried and tried again,” she says. Now, both Ellie and Jane are riding ponies and learning to show competitively, with only Mondays off. “It’s their whole world, their life. I live in my car, and we’re just happy to support it.” Moving from West University to Tanglewood helped the Wexlers minimize

lawellphoto.com

PASSION FOR PONIES Jane (left) and Ellie Wexler (right) spend almost every afternoon at the Memorial Park Hunters barn and many weekends competing in shows.

drive-time to the barn. The “living in the car” part happens during show weeks at the Great Southwest Equestrian Center in Katy – what Kimberly calls “complete, wonderful chaos.” Those are the days the girls pile into their mom’s SUV, Jane and Hazel in the middle row and Ellie in the third, to have a quick snack and drive 40-plus minutes straight from school to Katy for lessons. “Hazel is the standard third child,” Kimberly says. “She goes with us and plays in the dirt or with her toys while the girls ride.” Come Saturday and Sunday, they’ll be in Katy, boots on, hair braided, sparkly bows in place, by 7 a.m. Jane says she’s not much of a morning person, but on show days, she’s happy to bounce out of bed by 5 a.m. “There are different parts to a horse show,” Kimberly explains. “At first, all the riders in a level will trot, halt, and listen to the judge. Then each rider will go out one at a time and do a jump in a particular order. Each kid will do that, then each goes twice.” Jane says, “We think about all the things our coaches taught us, and we try to do all those

things and do our best. Then when we pass the gate [where the judges sit], they say one thing we can work on.” “Or they say, ‘Good job,’” Ellie says. “I will think about what I need to fix and what I need to do the same. When you’re in a show and you make a mistake, you have to do it over, the opposite of the mistake.” Show days in Katy can last up to 12 hours, with Jane’s group showing early in the morning and Ellie’s showing later in the afternoon. “We’ll have a little snack, watch the older girls – who Jane and Ellie look up to – ride,” Kimberly says. Right now, Jane is riding Harry Potter, “the best pony ever!” she says, and Ellie is riding her new pony Silver Dragon. The family purchased Silver Dragon, who was a zone champion last year, “a proven pony,” Kimberly says. Ellie describes Silver Dragon as “speedy” and says, “The second I got on him, he felt like the right pony. You have to squeeze to make the horse go, and he teaches me to do it because he won’t go if I kick him, which is what I usually do.” When

Ellie outgrows her pony in a couple of years, Jane will ride him. Kimberly appreciates the modeling her girls see watching the older riders. “It’s an act of responsibility to learn how to balance all of this,” she says. “One of Ellie’s role models is a junior at St. John’s School. At a show, she told us she had five hours of homework, but she chose to stay at the show and cheer for Ellie.” Homework gets done at the barn, or it fits somewhere before or after lessons. “There’s no time for trouble outside of that,” Kimberly says. “No room for anything else, in a good way. The older girls, they’re at the barn all day hanging out with the younger girls, instead of going to parties.” For now, the Wexlers are watching, learning how to balance school with their passion. “I can’t count how many survival meals we’ve had in the car,” Kimberly says. “I’m definitely a frequent flyer at Chick-fil-A. “The last show the girls did, my husband and I were saying it was the longest day, but it was a good day. Then we wake up on Sunday and do it again.”

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NEIGHBORS by Pooja Salhotra, staff writer

Ramadan Traditions Fast, reflect, pray, give, eat

s a child, Wafa Taiym fasted for McDonald’s. That is, she abstained from food and drink all day during Ramadan, the Islamic holy month, in hopes of burgers and fries come nightfall. “My mom bribed us,” said Wafa. As children growing up in a suburb outside of Chicago, Wafa and her siblings were rewarded for keeping their fast. “Basically, whoever fasted got to eat McDonald’s.” Now a 35-year-old epidemiologist working at NASA’s Johnson Space Center and living in West University, Wafa continues to fast during Ramadan, which she observes with her husband David Thanoon and their three daughters. But Wafa’s reasons for fasting during Ramadan have changed as she’s gotten older. Now, fast food is far from Wafa’s mind. “As you grow older, you start to think about why we fast: to be thankful, to achieve piety, and to withhold from things you normally enjoy so you can focus on other things,” said Wafa, whose parents are both refugees from Palestine. “Like in the morning, you’re waking up and you’re making breakfast and you’re thinking about your coffee. When you can’t have that, and when you withhold from those things, it kind of brings you closer to your spiritual self.”

uslims around the world annually fast during Ramadan, the ninth month of the Islamic lunar calendar. Muslims believe that it was during Ramadan that the Quran was initially revealed to the Prophet Muhammad, and fasting from sunrise to sunset each day is one of the five pillars of Islam. Other activities associated with the holy month include increased frequency of prayer, spiritual reflection, and charitable giving. Because Muslims follow a lunar calendar that is 11 days shorter than the Gregorian calendar, Ramadan moves back 11 days each year. This year it takes place April 12 to May 12. For the second time, the coronavirus pandemic is changing what Ramadan looks like for many Muslim families. Typically, observers go to their mosque for nightly prayers, called taraweeh, engaging in communal worship and standing shoulder-to-shoulder with other con-

gregants. Many families then break their fast together after sunset, sometimes dressing up in festive attire and gathering at friends’ homes for elaborate meals. But families have adapted to the new conditions, swapping inperson prayers for virtual Quran readings and trading large gatherings for intimate meals with FAMILY FUN For Wafa Taiym, this year’s Ramadan is about sharing the magic of the holy month with her family. Here, she’s pictured with husband David Thanoon immediate family. and kids Amelie, Ameena, and Alya during Eid prayers at NRG Center in 2019. “During Covid, it's comes up,” said Wafa, who herself often skips been really nice to actually cut down on the breakfast during Ramadan, opting instead for socializing and focus on the true meaning of only one meal at night. “Amelie might do a halfRamadan,” said Wafa, expressing a sentiment day fast. She likes to kind of participate in bigthat several Buzz-area Muslim families echoed. kid things.” Without the opportunity to socialize, there’s Ayo Bello, a Bellaire resident who has been more time for family bonding and spiritual observing Ramadan since he was a high school reflection. student in Nigeria, has experienced a similar sitWafa said she plans to focus this year’s uation with his 6-year-old daughter Abiola, Ramadan on her daughters, Amelie, Ameena, who, during Ramadan last year, woke up before and Alya, who range in age from 1 to 7. She sunrise to participate in the fast. wants them to feel the spirit of Ramadan despite “She was like, ‘Daddy, wake me up so I can the limits that Covid presents. She says she’ll be eat too!’” recounted Ayo, an environmental festively decorating her home, and, as she does engineer. So Abiola would sometimes join her every year, make Maamoul cookies, shortbreads father for suhoor, the pre-dawn meal, then fast filled with dates. She’ll help Amelie create a until lunchtime. “She just wanted to do that,” Ramadan poster board to present to her firstsaid Ayo, who added that he and his wife grade class at Roberts Elementary School – so Rosalind, a practicing Catholic, are exposing Amelie can share the meaning of Ramadan with their kids to both Islam and Catholicism. “We her classmates. basically celebrate all the holidays in our house,” Ayo said with a laugh. uslim children are not expected to fast Fasting doesn’t impact everyone the same until they reach puberty, or around age 14, way, Ayo said, noting that some people choose but families vary on their approach to fasting, to fast for certain days of the week and not othboth in how they explain its purpose and in ers. For Ayo, abstaining from water is the most when they encourage their kids to participate. challenging. “So, often you have to catch yourWafa started fasting around age 9. Wafa’s daughself grabbing for a cup because you feel thirsty,” ter Amelie, 7, expressed interest in fasting last he said. “That’s usually the bulk of it. You’re year, but Wafa thought that as a kindergartener, thirsty – and then you catch yourself.” Amelie was too young to fast. Zuhaira Razzack, a Memorial resident with “This year, we may wake her up with her dad, three adult children, (continued on page 14) and they might have breakfast before the sun

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lawellphoto.com

HOLY MONTH Clockwise, from top left: Wafa’s daughters, Amelie and Alya Thanoon, count the days of Ramadan using a special advent calendar; Wafa’s family makes these Maamoul cookies during Ramadan; Amelie decorates crescent and star-shaped sugar cookies; the Bello family – dad Ayo, mom Rosalind, and kids Eniola and Abiola celebrate Eid al-Fitr (Ayo and the kids are dressed in traditional Nigerian attire); the Razzack family, (from left) Huda, Zuhaira, Jamal, Yusuf, and Faisal, dress in traditional South Asian attire for Eid al-Fitr. (continued from page 12) described a unique focus

she discovers within herself during the month of Ramadan. “It’s funny because we always say there’s this magical power people have during Ramadan,” she said, “and I kind of believe that. Even caffeine, for example, I’m a big tea drinker, but I can go the entire month of Ramadan without drinking tea.” Zuhaira was born in Pakistan and grew up in Massachusetts. About 22 years ago, she settled in Houston – where she’d later found an Islamic school called ILM Academy – with her husband Jamal, a pulmonologist. “I think, for me, what [Ramadan] has kind of come to symbolize is my strength and my power,” said Zuhaira. “The fact that, you know, I can go for a whole month without eating or drinking.

And normally, I struggle to even give up carbs.”

n the last day of Ramadan, this year on May 12, Muslims celebrate Eid al-Fitr or “Festival of Breaking the Fast.” It’s a joyous occasion – “It’s kind of like our Christmas,” said Zuhaira. And, after a month of fasting, food is the main event. Eid begins in communal prayers, usually in a mosque or in a large outdoor space to accommodate many people. In Houston, NRG Center usually hosts an annual Eid event. “You basically have three, four, or five thousand people show up to pray there,” said Ayo, who went on to describe the logistical hurdles of navigating such a large event. “When it’s done, everyone is coming out at the same time. Just imagine, it’s like

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game-day crowds getting out at NRG.” Needless to say, the Bello family opts for a smaller Eid, at Masjidul Mumineen – The Nigerian Muslim Association of Greater Houston. Due to Covid, many Muslim families have been forced to adjust their Eid celebration. “It really stressed me out a lot initially,” said Zuhaira, laughing at herself, something she did frequently during our conversation. “I was having anxiety, like, how do we do this? How do we make this day special?” Ultimately, Zuhaira planned a tea party. It was just her immediate family – herself, Jamal, and their three kids, Huda, Yusuf, and Faisal. But it was significant nonetheless. “I think it was a nice way to make it feel special when we couldn’t the regular way.” (continued on page 16)

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Maamoul Cookies These Middle Eastern date cookies are made with semolina flour. The cookies are associated with Eid al-Fitr and with iftar meals during Ramadan. Wafa makes these cookies with her three daughters every year during Ramadan. Recipe adapted from catastrophiccook.com/maamoul 1½ cups melted Crisco (yellow butter flavored) ½ cup vegetable oil 1 cup flour 4 cups semolina 3 13 oz. packs baking dates 3 Tablespoons ground anise seeds, divided 1 Tablespoon ground cinnamon ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg ¼ cup olive oil 1½ teaspoons ground mahlab 1½ teaspoons ground mastic 1Tablespoon yeast ¾ cup warm milk (as needed) Melt the Crisco, allow it to come to room temperature, and then measure. Measure the vegetable oil and set aside. Mix the flour and semolina. After the melted Crisco has cooled, pour the melted Crisco and oil on the semolina flour mixture. Using your hands, rub the semolina flour mixture with the Crisco and oil so all the semolina is coated well. Cover and set aside for at least 24 hours. Prepare the dates by sprinkling on them half of the ground anise, plus the cinnamon, ground nutmeg, and olive oil. Knead it well and measure out ½-tablespoon balls. Place on a greased tray and set aside. Mix the remaining ground anise, the mahlab, and the mastic into the semolina mixture. Evenly split the semolina mixture into three pieces. Begin working the first piece. Sprinkle 1 teaspoon yeast and mix in well. Warm 1⁄3 cup of milk to about 100 degrees. Slowly pour the milk, 1 tablespoon at a time, onto the semolina mixture as you rub it between your fingers to knead the dough. Once the dough begins to hold, be careful with the milk. Add enough so the dough holds but isn’t soggy. Continue to slowly add milk until it’s soft yet absorbed. Measure the dough using a small cookie scoop and line on a tray. Flatten each ball of dough into a small disc and place a ball of dates in the middle. Wrap the dough around the dates and place on the tray. Repeat with the remaining balls of dough. Using a round-ended wooden spoon or your pinky finger, pierce the middle of each ball of dough all the way to the bottom. Use a fork to decorate the maamoul. Bake at 500F for 5-8 minutes or until bottoms are browned and tops are slightly browned. Cool completely and store in a covered container for up to 6 months.

Jollof Rice Jollof rice is a popular dish in West and SubSaharan Africa. Ayo and his family often enjoy

Jollof rice at the breaking of the fast and during Eid celebrations. Ayo never cooks with recipes, but the below recipe he found on The New York Times reminded him of his own cooking style. 2 medium tomatoes, roughly chopped (about 5 ounces each) ½ medium Scotch bonnet pepper (or use a habanero pepper), stem removed ½ medium onion, roughly chopped 3 small red bell peppers, roughly chopped (about 5 ounces each) ½ cup vegetable oil 1½ teaspoons salt 1 teaspoon curry powder 1½ teaspoons hot ground chile pepper, such as African dried chile or cayenne 1½ teaspoons garlic FAST THEN FEAST After a month of fasting, observers of Ramadan celebrate with powder a feast. The Bello family feast includes (clockwise, from right) curried eggs, pastries, 1 Tablespoon plus 1 fresh fruit, and fried plantains, chicken and beef stew, dates, and jollof rice – a heaping teaspoon onion Nigerian staple. powder ¼ cup pistachios, blanched and slivered 2 bay leaves 4 cups milk ½ teaspoon ground ginger 1 cup thin vermicelli 1 Tablespoon dried thyme ¼ cup sugar 2½ cups medium-grain rice 6 dates, pitted and sliced into quarters lengthwise In a blender, combine tomatoes, Scotch bonFry almonds in 2 tablespoons oil until golden net pepper, and onions; purée. Pour out half the brown and set aside. Fry pistachios in the same purée into a bowl; set aside. Add the bell peppers oil until golden brown, then set aside. to the purée remaining in the blender and pulse In a large pot, bring milk to a slow rolling boil, until smooth. Add to the mixture that was set stirring constantly so it does not stick to the pan. aside and stir to combine. Let it cook until it reduces by a quarter (about Heat vegetable oil in a large pot over medium 30-45 min on low). heat. Add blended vegetables along with the While milk is cooking, prepare vermicelli. salt, curry powder, ground chile pepper, garlic Break vermicelli into 2-inch pieces, then fry, powder, onion powder, bay leaves, ginger, and using the remaining oil, in a separate pot, on thyme. Bring mixture to a boil. medium heat until lightly browned, making sure Stir in the rice until well mixed, then reduce not to let it burn. the heat to low. Cover pot and let cook until Once the milk is cooked down, add the sugar rice is al dente, about 45 minutes. Check after and stir to dissolve. Then add the fried vermi30 minutes; if rice is sauce-logged, remove the celli and let it cook for another 15 minutes. Add lid to cook off the excess sauce. If rice seems dry, dates and cook for another 5 minutes. The constir in 1 to 2 cups water. Allow the rice at the sistency should be like a thick soup, but you may bottom of the pot to char a bit to infuse it with make it as thick or thin as you prefer. Serve a smoky flavor. warm, garnished with the fried nuts. lawellphoto.com

(continued from page 14)

Zuhaira’s Sheer Khurma This is a popular dish for Indians from Hyderabad, India, where Zuhaira’s family is from. It is a tradition for most Hyderabadi Muslims to serve this on Eid as both a breakfast item and a dessert, especially when visiting or hosting others on Eid. ¼ cup almonds, blanched and slivered 4 Tablespoons unflavored oil or ghee, divided

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Editor’s note: The Muslims of Bellaire and Nearby Neighborhoods (MBN) are hosting a drivethru Eid event on May 15, 4-6 p.m., at Condit Elementary School’s South Rice parking lot. It’s a free, ticketed event to enhance cross-cultural understanding and build interfaith ties. For more, see the Facebook event listing at bit.ly/3b5pgAH.

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Jenna Mazzoccoli

KIDS by Andria Frankfort, staff writer

Spreading Joy With little acts of kindness

Jenna Mazzoccoli

t’s always a good time to show a little kindness. But this year? Well, this year calls for a double dose. That’s why the efforts of some local middleand high-schoolers are more important – and more appreciated – than ever. Esha Bhavsar, an eighth-grader at Lanier Middle School, Bella Kalra, a sixth-grader there, and Maya Kadia, a sixth-grader at St. John’s School, are on a mission. They’ve founded Kind Cards with the goal of spreading joy to every household in Bellaire. “I had an idea to write letters to thank healthcare workers,” Esha says. “Then my mom was like, ‘What if we did this for every single house in Bellaire?’ So we had the idea to use art created by Bellaire citizens to make postcards spreading kindness and love for our community. “Maya and Bella are both family friends of mine. They’re really reliable and great people, so I invited both of them to join me.” “Thanks, Esha,” Bella says. “It’s awesome to work with her!” Maya chimes in: “I was really excited when Esha asked me because I think it’s a really great idea. This pandemic has been very difficult, really devastating. Also with the recent election, there’s a lot of division in what people believe in. I was really enthusiastic about this project and thought it would bring everyone together.” Esha has always loved drawing, and she especially likes to make handmade birthday cards. So it was natural for her to want to use artwork created by neighbors to adorn cheerful postcards to send throughout her community. “My mom came up with the Kind Cards name and our slogan, ‘Kind Cards Bellaire: Share the love,’” Esha says. Sneha Bhavsar, Esha’s mom and a member of the City of Bellaire’s Culture and Arts Board, was inspired by a project Bella’s family, the Kalras, took on last summer. They asked neighbors to display signs with kind messages in their front yards. “Last summer, during the pandemic,” Bella explains, “my mom came up with the idea of everyone designing their own sign – my mom has a friend who makes signs – and paying $20

KIND WINS Top photo: Bella Kalra, Esha Bhavsar, and Maya Kadia (from left) hope to inspire their community by displaying signs and sending Kind Cards to neighbors – and encouraging others to do the same. Bottom: The group meets weekly to brainstorm.

that would raise money for UNICEF. My favorite was my friend’s sign that said, ‘Spread kindness, not Covid-19.’” Kind Cards will feature artwork made by Bellaire residents and submitted for consideration to be printed on postcards. Additionally, the girls are asking residents to submit poems and quotes relating to kindness. Postcards will feature the art and a kind message. Each Kind Card will also have a tear-off postcard that the recipient can use to send to another Bellaire neighbor. “We want people to submit even if you feel

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like you aren’t good at art,” Maya says. “Just putting in that effort and thinking about kindness is really important.” The girls meet weekly over Zoom to check in with one another. “It’s our weekly debrief and discuss, and the core of the whole business,” Esha says. “We talk about things we need to do, and next steps, like how we are going to get funding to print and mail the cards.” They’ve estimated printing and postage costs to be about $2,000, and they’re working on ways to raise the money. “We’re planning to create a template for other

Jenna Mazzoccoli Jenna Mazzoccoli

THANK-YOU GIFTS Top left: Lily Harvey and her brother, Jackson, made paracord keychain buddies for frontline workers. Right photo: Nancy Bynon (right) taught her neighbors Mikki Hebl (middle) and daughter Lily Harvey (left) to make bracelets. Bottom left photo: Each bracelet is packaged with a handwritten thank-you note.

towns to organize groups to make Kind Cards,” Esha says. “We want to come up with other ideas of how to bring kindness to your community.” “I’m sure after this people will be inspired to do other acts of kindness,” Maya says. “We also want to do neighborhood challenges,” Bella says. “Things like next time you make a sweet treat, drop some off to a neighbor, or put a sticky note on your neighbor’s door with a kind message. We just really want people to do random acts of kindness because that’s awesome!”

ily Harvey, a freshman at St. John’s, is spreading kindness in her own way, by gifting frontline workers with bracelets she’s made. Like Esha, Lily was initially inspired by her mom. Lily’s mom, Mikki Hebl, a professor in psychological sciences at Rice, learned to make bracelets to give friends at her 50th birthday party. Her neighbor Nancy Bynon, a retired nurse, taught her how to do it. “I like to make bracelets and wear them, and if someone likes it, I’ll roll it off and give it to them,” Nancy says. “It’s a little happy. “When Mikki and Lily wanted to make some-

thing for the frontline workers, I got Mikki to double-mask, and we went and got a bunch of beads. And when I say ‘a bunch of beads…’” Lily says, “We thought it was important to thank the frontline workers for all they were doing. We had been in quarantine a lot during the summer, and I was grateful for them. “Nancy showed me how to make the bracelets at first just for fun, and then we decided to make it into a project.” And a project it became. Lily not only made the bracelets but also calligraphed thank-you notes to pair with the jewelry, and she bagged everything in little jewelry bags so that it would feel special to the recipient. “She would not let me near them,” Mikki says. “Sometimes we mothers do the projects. But this was not that.” According to Nancy, Lily was systematic about the project: She calculated how many bracelets she could make each day, and then she made them. “Lily would take them back to me because my husband [Steve] works [as a transplant surgeon] at Memorial Hermann. I would give them to my husband to give them out to doctors or administrators, then they’d go to the

ICU and all over. I even took some to the grocery stores and got the managers to give them out to cashiers.” Lily’s beautifully calligraphed notes read, “Thank you so much for everything you do. I really appreciate you helping to keep the community safe.” “Frontline workers can’t afford not to do their jobs, and they are risking themselves so that the rest of us can stay safe,” Mikki says. Lily says that making the bracelets introduced her to the joys of giving back to her community. She has put in around 300 volunteer hours this year, both making bracelets and participating in service opportunities at St. John’s. Now she is one of three Community Service Officers in her class. “I’ve gotta tell you,” Mikki says proudly, “one of my jobs in life is to produce good citizens. Lily has found a love at a very young age. For some it’s athletics, for some it’s a special musical talent. For Lily, it’s giving to others.” Mikki adds, “It is in giving that we receive. Lily does not see this as work. Right now, she’s got markers all over her fingers. And she really does feel joyful about it.”

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FOOD by Meg Scott, contributing writer

What’s In Season? Houston Farmers Market

At the farmers market in early summer

FARM FRESH Taylor Ratkiewicz shops for her weekly produce haul at the newly refurbished Houston Farmers Market, open daily.

fter a bumpy start to the spring planting season – when Winter Storm Uri halted progress and led to massive replanting efforts by farms across the state – the fields are bountifully growing our early summer produce now. At the farmers market or in your weekly farm share, look for tender fruits and vegetables like zucchini, green beans, cucumbers, strawberries, and – yes – tomatoes. Grab your tote bag and some cash, and let’s go.

omatoes: Let’s start with the most exciting of all summer produce: tomatoes. Homegrown Texas tomatoes are (nearly) effortless to enjoy and don’t even require a recipe. You can keep it vegetarian with a tomatoand-mayonnaise sandwich topped by a sprinkle of salt and pepper, or go all in with a classic BLT. With only a few minutes of effort, brighten any Mexican-inspired dish with a refreshing pico de gallo: Dice tomatoes, red onion, garlic, jalapeño, and cilantro, and toss with a squeeze

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of lime and dash of salt. Get a quick and vitamin C-rich dinner on the table in no time by simmering tomatoes with olive oil and garlic, then tossing with any cooked pasta and some fresh basil. Presto! Tomatoes have become the star of a dish you won’t soon forget. reen beans: Green bean plants thrive in Houston, and their gentle grassy flavor lends itself to many cuisines – such as Asian stir fry and Thai curry.

Meg Scott

Megan Snell

Houston Farmers Market

A COLORFUL ARRAY Left: Tomatoes of all shapes and sizes are at their peak in Houston in early summer. Center: The Heights Mercantile Farmers Market hosts vendors selling fresh produce, meat, cheese, kombucha, flowers, and more. Right: Grab a basket of cucumbers and peppers, and make a few jars of pickles.

One simple, comforting and seasonal dish on constant rotation at my home in the summer features green beans with homemade pesto and pasta. A large, stone mortar and pestle pound the pesto ingredients into a rich paste, amplifying its flavor while releasing the ingredients’ oils, but a food processor will also do the trick in less time.

Basil Pesto Adapted from America’s Test Kitchen ¼ cup pine nuts, almonds or walnuts, toasted 3 garlic cloves, peeled ½ teaspoon salt 2 cups packed fresh basil leaves, torn 2 Tablespoons fresh parsley leaves (optional) ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil ¼ cup finely grated Parmesan cheese or Pecorino Romano In a mortar, pound the nuts, garlic, and salt into a paste with the pestle. Add basil one handful at a time and mash into the nut paste; repeat with remaining basil and parsley. Stir in olive oil and parmesan. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Green Bean Pesto Pasta 3 cups green beans 16 oz. bite-sized pasta, such as gemelli or penne ½ cup basil pesto Snap off the stem end of the green beans, then snap beans in half to make the beans bitesized, if desired. Blanch green beans in generously salted, boiling water until bright green, about three to five minutes. Scoop out green beans with a sieve, then quickly cool in an ice bath. Return water to boiling, add pasta, and cook following instructions on box. Reserve half of a cup

of pasta water, and strain pasta. Return pasta to pot off the heat. Toss pasta with green beans and pesto. Add a splash of pasta water to loosen the pesto and coat the pasta. If desired, top with drizzle of olive oil and sprinkling of parmesan.

ucumbers: There’s just something about a bright, refreshing pickle straight from the fridge on a hot summer day. (I won’t get into how oddly nice it is with a little peanut butter.) With cucumbers at their peak, be sure to get a basket from the farm stand and plan to make an easy refrigerator pickle with this super quick and satisfying recipe.

Sweet and Spicy Pickles Brine: 2 cups apple cider vinegar 2 cups water 1 Tablespoon salt 1 Tablespoon black peppercorns ¼ cup of sugar In the jar: 1 or 2 jalapeño peppers, sliced into rings 6 cloves of garlic, peeled and smashed 5-6 cucumbers, sliced into discs or spears Place jalapeños, garlic, and cucumbers in a jar. Bring all brine ingredients to a boil in a saucepan. Remove saucepan from heat for 30 seconds, then pour brine mixture into the jar over cucumbers. Cover loosely and leave on counter to cool completely. Once cooled, seal tightly and refrigerate. (You can add a little more salt or sugar to adjust to taste, if needed.) The pickles will last up to three weeks in the refrigerator.

ucchini: A few summers ago, I was hunting for dinner ideas to use up a surplus of zucchini and summer squash. You only have to say

“pizza” once to sell me on the idea, so this one was a no-brainer after I ran across the recipe. After trying it, we immediately added it to our summer meal rotation. Trader Joe’s sells plain and herbed pizza doughs in a bag in their produce section; it is a perfect solution if you don’t have time (or desire, let’s be honest!) to mix your own dough.

Summer Squash Pizza Adapted from Smitten Kitchen 1 Tablespoon olive oil, plus more for fingertips 16 ounces uncooked pizza dough (or focaccia dough) 2½ pounds (about 5 small-medium or 3 large) zucchini or other summer squash, trimmed 1½ teaspoons fine sea salt 2 cups (8 ounces) coarsely grated gruyere cheese 2 to 3 Tablespoons plain breadcrumbs Heat oven to 450°F with a rack in the center. Brush a full-sized rimmed sheet pan with olive oil. Set dough on pan and loosely cover with greased saran wrap or a damp kitchen towel to allow dough to relax for 20 minutes. Remove cover and use oiled fingertips to gently press the dough across the pan to its edges. If holes form, just pinch them together. Use the large holes of a box grater to grate the zucchini. In a large bowl, toss the zucchini with salt. Let stand for 30-60 minutes until the zucchini has wilted and released its water. Line a colander with a dark-colored dishtowel, add zucchini, and twist to squeeze out as much water as possible. Back in the large bowl (wiped out if still wet), toss the zucchini with the gruyere shreds and breadcrumbs, being sure to break up any clumps of zucchini. Taste the mixture; it should be seasoned enough (continued on page 22)

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trawberries: Strawberries are a blink-andyou-miss-it early summer fruit in Texas. There is no more satisfying way to enjoy berries than in a light and sweet, yet brightly tart, crumble of strawberries, blackberries, raspberries – any berry you’ve got. Don’t forget the side of vanilla ice cream or pour-over of cream. And here’s an insider tip: Make extra crumble topping to keep in your freezer for the next time you have excess fruit and an unexpected need for a special treat. (Try it once, and the craving will hit you when you least expect it.) This recipe is endlessly adaptable for the fruits of all seasons – think peaches in late summer or apples in fall.

Fruit Crumble Adapted from The Kitchn Filling: 6 to 7 cups fruit, enough to almost fill pan ½ to 1 cup granulated sugar, depending on the sweetness of the fruit 1 to 3 teaspoons freshly squeezed lemon juice 1 to 3 Tablespoons cornstarch, depending on juiciness of fruit 1 teaspoon ground spice, such as cinnamon, ginger, or nutmeg (optional) Crumble topping: 1 cup all-purpose flour ½ cup packed light or dark brown sugar 1 teaspoon baking powder ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon (optional) ¼ teaspoon salt 8 Tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature Heat oven to 375°F with rack in center position. Coat a 9-by-9-inch or 11-by-7-inch baking

dish with butter; set aside. Prepare the fruit filling. If necessary, dice the fruit into bite-sized pieces, removing any stems, seeds, or inedible parts. Toss the fruit with sugar, lemon juice, cornstarch, and any spices in a large bowl. Use more sugar and less lemon juice when cooking with tart fruits, like rhubarb and blackberries, and less sugar but more lemon juice for sweet fruits, like peaches and plums. (Just taste the fruit you’re using and adjust to taste.) Use more cornstarch with very juicy fruits like plums and less with firm fruits like apples. Pour the fruit filling into the baking dish. Transfer the fruit filling into the SWEET AND SUMMERY Top: Farmers markets around town offer more than just fruits baking dish. and vegetables, including beautiful floral arrangements. Bottom: Strawberries make a deliPrepare the cious fruit crumble to welcome you into the summer season. crumble topping. around the edges of the pan and the topping is Whisk the flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnafirm to the touch, 30 to 35 minutes. Let the mon, and salt together in a large bowl. Cut the crumble cool for at least 15 minutes before servbutter into a few large pieces, and toss these in ing. If transporting to a picnic or party, let the the dry ingredients. Using your fingers, a fork, crumble cool completely to give the fruit filling or a pastry cutter, work the butter into the dry time to set. ingredients until large, heavy crumbs are To make a crisp: Add ½ cup of old-fashioned formed. Scatter the crumble topping evenly rolled oats or ½ cup chopped nuts (or both) to over the fruit. the topping. Bake until the fruit juices are bubbling LeeAnn Carlson

add more, plus ground pepper or pepper flakes if desired. Spread the zucchini mixture over the dough, going all the way to the edges of the pan and piling it a bit thicker at the edges, where it will brown first. Bake for 20 minutes, until the topping is golden. Remove from oven, cut into squares, and dig in.

Meg Scott

(continued from page 21) from the salt, but you can

Farmers markets in Houston Houston Farmers Market, 2520 Airline Drive, Daily, 5:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. The Houston Farmers Market, an open-air covered market in the Heights, has seen three years of transformation since a new owner launched renovations with a goal of carrying its 79-year history as a farmers market into a modern experience. Featuring both new and generations-old vendors, the market is the only daily farmers market in the city. Coming to Houston Farmers Market this summer: a full-service restaurant named Wild Oats, focusing on locally sourced Texas cuisine, by chef Nick Fine of Chris Shepherd's Underbelly Hospitality group. In addition, check out these nearby markets:

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Braeswood Farmers Market, 8620 Stella Link at Braeswood, Wednesday, 3 to 7 p.m., and Saturday, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. 8601 Chimney Rock, Sunday, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Freedman’s Town Farmers Market, 1320 Robin St., Saturday, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Heights Mercantile Farmers Market, 714 Yale St., second and fourth Sundays, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Memorial Villages Farmers Market, 10840 Beinhorn Road, Saturday, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Rice Village Farmers Market, Kelvin Dr. at Amherst St., first and third Sundays, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Urban Harvest Farmers Market, 2752 Buffalo Speedway, Saturday, 8 a.m. to noon

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PETS by Karen Vine Fuller, contributing writer

Dock Diving forsythefotography.com

Leaping, wet, happy dogs

Alfred Knipper

ould there be a happier sport? Take a happy human with a happy dog. Add a 40-foot-long dock, a retrieval toy, a swimming pool, cheering fans – and watch that dog fly. In dock diving, dogs compete to run and leap as far as possible off a dock into water, popping up to swim and shake droplets all over their proud people. Any water-loving, swimming, retrieving dog can learn to dock dive, even if they choose to jump only a few feet. But the most competitive of all can fly through the air over 30 feet before splashing down. The organized sport of dock diving started around 1997, and now it’s a popular spectator sport. Southeast Texas participation increased five years ago when North America Diving Dogs (NADD) sanctioned two local facilities to host official competitions: Animal Crackers Splash Paws in Spring and Houston Dive Dogs in Brookshire, say local trainers. Among those who love it are Buzz residents and their pooches. Animal-loving Candyce Beneke competes with her 3-year-old, cream-colored golden retriever, Lily Grace, a therapy dog that Candyce takes to hospitals and nursing homes to spread snuggles and smiles. “When Covid hit, the therapy visits stopped, as did Lily Grace’s indoor dog activities,” said Candyce. They both missed staying busy and being around people. Sometimes therapy dogs need a little therapy of their own. Dock diving ended up being the perfect solution. “Lily Grace loves both water and fetching, and the outdoor location made it a great fit.” Candyce and Lily Grace participated in spring, summer, and fall competitions. Lily Grace even received an invitation to the regional national finals to compete with the best jumpers in the country. “It’s hard to say which is Lily Grace’s favorite event,” said Candyce. “She has done a total of 100 jumps, and most of those are in Distance Diving, but she also loves jumping high in Air Retrieve to grab the bumper [suspended toy], and swimming fast in Hydro Dash to get the

DIVING IN Top: Bayleigh Collins and dog Cali love dock diving, especially the long jump event. Bottom: Lily Grace, Candyce Beneke's 3-year-old golden retriever, soars off the platform at a competition.

bumper at the end of the pool. Honestly, mostly, she just loves getting in the water.” She has lots of happy company out there. Three years ago, longtime dog enthusiast

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Bayleigh Collins decided she and Cali, her 3year-old, 80-pound Catahoula rescue should check out dock diving. “Cali was not sure at first, but once she got

Alfred Knipper forsythefotography.com

Alfred Knipper

FETCHING FOR FUN Left: Lily Grace makes waves to retrieve her bumper floating in the water. Top right: Candyce Beneke and dog Lily Grace participate in Air Retrieve where dogs jump to reach the suspended toy called a bumper. Bottom right: Jolee leaps into action to catch the bumper thrown by her owner, Courtney House, while trainer Michele Scarantino cheers them both on.

used to jumping off the dock, she couldn’t stop,” Bayleigh said. “Now she somehow knows whenever we are headed to dock diving and gets so excited she barks the entire way.” Bayleigh and Cali occasionally compete for fun. Cali has done very well at the Distance Jump event – she can jump 22 feet in her Master’s Division. Jo Dunham, trainer/owner at the Joasis dockdiving training center in Garden Oaks, has encouraged Bayleigh and is a big ambassador of dock diving in Houston. “Dock diving is a great way to bond and be active with your dog and get outside more,” she said. “If you want to try dock diving, I would start by seeing if your dog enjoys swimming and fetching, and if so find a pool and give it a try!”

In 2013, KHOU-TV news photographer Michele Scarantino was filming at a “Spring Bark” canine event that had a dock-diving demonstration. Intrigued, Michele and Hannah, her high energy, water loving, 2-year-old German Shepherd and Catahoula Leopard mix, decided to check it out. Michele eventually became a dock diving trainer at the Houston Dog Ranch in Spring Branch and has mentored hundreds of Houston owners over the past seven years. “Any size or breed of dog that loves water and chasing toys can dock dive. Tripods, senior dogs, and even deaf or blind dogs compete in this sport,” said Michele. “I encourage anyone curious to check out the area docks and see what it’s all about. It’s playing fetch in the water.”

Jolee, a 2-year-old black Labrador retriever, was only 6 months old when she and her owner, Courtney House, started dock diving. “Two things that retrievers love to do is fetch balls and swim, so Jolee is in her element,” Courtney said. “If we lived out of town near a lake instead of in the middle of the city, Jolee would be jumping off of a dock all the time. It’s great having dock diving available in Houston so city dogs can play in the water, too.” Jolee’s puppy trainer introduced Courtney to the sport, and Courtney has spread the word to her dog park friends and even her colorist. Courtney said she is amazed to see all that Jolee can do. They look forward to competing for the first time this year.

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NEIGHBORS

by Sharon Albert Brier, staff writer

Rumor Has It Roaring good time. Freedom on the slopes was a nice break from Covid. Michael and Georgia Piazza took their family to Lionshead in Vail for a Spring Break playcation. A big storm rolled in and brought lots of fresh powder for some terrific snow skiing. Georgia said the lines were manageable, and Vail did a great job with Covid precautions. Nina, 11, and Michael, 10, have skied since they were 4 and 5. Grier, 5, started when she was not even 3, and Paul, 4, started in 2020. Nina skied one day in Beaver Creek with her dad and friends. A pop-up party. Seventy ladies arrived at Marmion Park gazebo on a perfect day to celebrate the Houston Junior Forum’s 75 years. President Linda West used wine cups to scoop the cake out and serve – plenty of refills were available. The HJF also is celebrating 50 years of operating the Houston Junior Forum Resale Shop, located at 1815 Rutland in the Houston Heights, which funds the HJF programs. The HJF provides charitable services in the Greater Houston area. Among those celebrating were Donna Dawson, Virginia Purcell, and Phyllis Ashley. See more on houstonjuniorforum.org, Facebook, or Instagram. Sea of Cortez awaits. Ryan Wald invited mother Mary Sue Wald, sister Laura Fondren, and Jodie Parker to enjoy his magnificent vacation home at Chileno Bay located on the water between Cabo San Lucas and San Jose, Mexico. They had nine days of luxury living, with a butler who chauffeured them from town to town, made their drinks, and was at their beck and call, even poolside. They did the Thursday Art Walk and restaurants in San Jose and hotel-hopped for variety. The view of the mountains and aquamarine waters brought inner peace. Surf’s up. Lili Rubin and Dennis Langlois arrived in Maui to celebrate Lili's milestone 60th just as a dam was breaking on the other side of the island and a deluge of continuous rain greeted them. Finally, after a few days, they got a break in the weather to enjoy a birthday dinner at Spago, golf at Wailea Blue twice, whale sightings, and snorkeling. On one swim they were amused to find a large turtle with them.

They took excursions when daughter Michelle Rubin visited from San Diego. Who knew there were blue drop cloths? They were hung to cover the studs in Janet Pate’s garage, and twinkle lights were strung across the ceiling from here to there and back. Art was nailed to the studs, and a mylar fringed chandelier was hung. The garage party room became ROARING GOOD TIME Paul, Nina, Michael, and Grier Piazza take on the slopes alive. Although in Vail. Janet had used the times a month. The neighbors on a first-name room only for her family holiday gatherings in basis – and those who are usually first there – are December, she unveiled it this spring to her Kathy, Laurie, Joe, Jerry, Deborah, and Jean. weekly Tuesday group to honor Mary Jane Multiple flights to nowhere. Spring Pizzitola’s 80th birthday. The group normally Break had started in Houston but so had Winter meets outside on Janet’s patio 6 feet apart, with Storm Xylia in Colorado. Alec Schneider, a senJanet measuring beforehand. The friends from ior at St. Thomas High School, dad Chris bridge, tennis, and more stood outside for the Schneider, Alec’s girlfriend, Makenna Capitaine, doors to roll up before they toasted to Mary Jane. a senior at St. Pius, and friends from St. Thomas Those who helped with the food and to decorate attempted to get to Steamboat Springs. The famthe festive tables were Sue Bennett and ilies of the boys frantically tried to get them on Dorothy McLemore. Jelyn Pizzitola came from multiple flights going all different directions. San Antonio to be with her mother. Ultimately, Alec and Chris got out a day later It’s a flamingo day. Little did they and flew to Colorado Springs, then drove to know in Post Oak Timber, Post Oak Landing, Steamboat. Other spring breakers drove from that an annual homeowners association barbeHouston to Steamboat. Daredevils Alec and cue in October 2019 that turned into an inforMakenna snowboarded at Copperhead Park in mal once-a-month Friday night get-together Colorado Springs, and Alec conquered a halfpipe, would become a mind-saving social soiree dura flight to behold. The inner wild was released. ing the pandemic. A different homeowner puts a flamingo in front of their home to designate the host. Everyone brings their own chair and See Rumor Has It at thebuzzmagazines.com for drink. Kathy Molitor, who is a regular, says, “It additional photos. Have some good news to share? is a random time, depending on the season,” but Email us at info@thebuzzmagazines.com. during the pandemic, it has been two or three

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KIDS

by Annie Blaylock McQueen, staff writer

Buzz Baby

Finding your mom squad

Buzz Baby is a column about life with babies. Writer Annie McQueen is a mother of four children under the age of 6.

ecoming a first-time mother can be isolating. Humans need to remain connected, with a sense of belonging. New moms especially need that, among all the diaper changes and nighttime feedings. When the world feels too overwhelming, we need to be able to run to our corners with our people. Kelly Crumley, a hospital administrator at Texas Children’s Hospital, found herself at the end of her maternity leave after having her first child, Archer, in 2015. She woke up and got herself ready for something no parent truly ever feels ready for – dropping off her baby at daycare. Hands tightly gripped around his infant carrier, she entered the double doors to leave her new baby with strangers and make the drive alone to work. That feeling of a pit in the stomach is a feeling so many new parents know. But things got a lot better over time, slowly, after she started meeting some of the other moms at the daycare. Here and there at drop-offs and pick-ups, they learned more about each other, where they were from, where they worked, and she started to feel more connected. They started spending time together outside of the daycare grind. They called themselves “the mom squad.” Kelly and her husband Jarred welcomed their second, a baby girl named Abigayle, in 2019. Equipped with her mom squad, Kelly says she felt much more ready and confident on that drive to Abigayle’s first day of daycare. Kelly and Jarred have met other families at Archer and Abigayle’s swim classes, her neighborhood mom’s club, and the park. Being at home with your firstborn, feeding, laundering tiny clothes, and trying to sleep, can be isolating. It can feel downright prison-like on the hard days. I remember when I had my twins in 2014. I did not feel confident as a new mother leaving the house by myself with the twins when they were tiny infants (which, thankfully, changed with each child – I took all four to the grocery store not long after the last was born). But, early on, never leaving my house caused my

Amanda Pavlock Photography

isolation to deepen. I still thank God for what I believe was personally one of the best decisions I made as a new mother. I rejoined my local YMCA, the Trotter YMCA, where I could check my twins into the childwatch room for up to two hours a day and stay on-site. When I joined, I thought I had to check them in, SQUAD GOALS Kelly Crumley (pictured, bottom photo, with her now-toddler daughter Abigayle and son Archer) got to know her “mom squad” through her children’s immediately run up daycare. Top photo, from left: Alyssa Pratka, Jackie Roy, Renee Clary, Kelly Crumley, to the treadmill, and Kathryn Gerwig. and immediately with each pregnancy. return to get them after my workout. I felt guilty She pointed out another great spot to meet and unsure leaving them in there. other moms of littles: baby-story hour at the I made that same drive Kelly made – and as I library (check your local library’s website). walked through the parking lot, knuckles Amanda also joined her church’s MOPS gripped tightly on my double stroller, that pitgroup, otherwise known as Mothers of in-my-stomach feeling happened. I handed the Preschoolers, at Houston’s First Baptist Church. babies over to the strangers and walked out. But “It provides childcare, breakfast, and a chance that day, one of the childcare workers said someto talk to other moms in the same stage – or a thing to me that changed my perspective about stage ahead of you,” said Amanda. Many the whole thing. She said, “Some moms just churches offer MOPS groups. take a shower, pay bills, talk to other moms….” Some other groups to look into for meeting I walked out of that baby room and walked other moms are Bellaire Young Mothers, West into a great mother community I never knew University Moms, and Facebook groups like existed at the YMCA. I joined in on the morning Memorial Area Kids Info. (Some groups might be workout classes, which were filled with other closed to additional members. Just keep searching.) moms. We would linger after class and visit, This month we celebrate new mothers and friend each other on Facebook, and start to develveteran mothers. This is not an easy job. op a friendship that seemed to revolve around this Surrounding yourself with other mothers makes short yet bewildering chapter of life of raising litit a little easier. Remember to stay connected on tles. That same mother community exists at other the journey. gyms with childcare around town, too. Amanda Behanick, who is expecting her Know a great place to connect with other new third this month, meets other moms at her famparents? Share your tips with other readers under ily’s gym, Club Westside, which is equipped this article at thebuzzmagazines.com or by emailing with childcare as well. Amanda has attended info@thebuzzmagazines.com. workout classes starting two months postpartum

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NEIGHBORS

by Cindy Burnett, staff writer

Buzz Reads

Five picks for May

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

he Code Breaker: Jennifer Doudna, Gene Editing, and the Future of the Human Race by Walter Isaacson – 2020 Nobel Prize winner Jennifer Doudna’s contributions to the world will not be fully known for years and possibly decades, but her development with collaborator Emmanuelle Charpentier of CRISPR, an easy-to-use geneediting technology, is revolutionizing modern science and medicine. Following this life-changing creation dubbed “the most important biological advance since … the discovery of the structure of DNA,” Doudna, a biochemist and gene scientist, has worked to tackle the moral issues associated with the invention, balancing the ability to better fight off new viruses such as the coronavirus and help prevent depression, with allowing parents to choose a child’s gender, intelligence, or eye color. In this exhaustively researched book, Isaacson chronicles the advent of a major new technology and what it may mean for science and the world. Lady Bird Johnson: Hiding in Plain Sight by Julia Sweig – Lady Bird Johnson: Hiding in Plain Sight seeks to correct the misconception that Claudia Alta “Lady Bird” Johnson’s role as First Lady was uneventful by documenting her many contributions while in office. From the incredible strategy memo she created for Lyndon Johnson when he was debating whether to run for president to managing the White House during one of the country’s most tumultuous decades, Lady Bird served as one of her husband’s most respected and valued political consultants. She treated the East Wing as a professional office, creating her own initiatives including comprehensive environmental protections and encouraging women to pursue their own careers. In Lady Bird Johnson: Hiding in Plain Sight, Julia Sweig provides a new understanding of Lady Bird’s legacy, including her important progress on environmental, racial, and women’s issues. A Peculiar Combination by Ashley Weaver – A Peculiar Combination is the first in a new his-

torical mystery series by Ashley Weaver starring Electra (“Ellie”) McDonnell, a highly likeable heroine who is independent and forward-thinking. Ellie and her family are known for their breaking-andentering skills because they earn their living by stealing into the homes of London’s WHAT TO READ This month's picks include a biography about the creator of a cutwealthy residents ting-edge gene-editing tool, historical fiction about the rivalry between Caroline Astor at night and crack- and Alva Vanderbilt, the start of a clever historical fiction mystery series, Southern fiction focusing on family that will be perfect for the beach, and an in-depth biography of Lady ing open their Bird Johnson. safes. When a job Under the Southern Sky by Kristy Woodson goes awry and Ellie and her uncle are caught, Harvey – In her best book yet, Kristy Woodson they find themselves recruited to join the war Harvey tackles a tough topic with grace and crafts effort by helping a branch of the British governa highly memorable tale. Newly separated from ment steal some important documents. Filled her husband and on the trail of a new story, with witty dialogue and genuinely entertaining Amelia Buxton stumbles across information she characters, A Peculiar Combination is a fantastic wasn’t supposed to see. Her childhood friend read, and I am already looking forward to the Parker lost his wife three years ago, and Amelia next in the series. learns that embryos he and his wife had saved are The Social Graces by Renée Rosen – In The deemed “abandoned” and are soon to be Social Graces, Rosen highlights the legendary feud destroyed. At the risk of upending Parker’s world between grand dames Alva Vanderbilt and since he has been unable to move on from his Caroline Astor regarding who would reign wife’s death, Amelia tells Parker about the supreme over New York City society during the embryos (long forgotten by Parker), and this inforGilded Age. Mrs. Astor, known for determining mation sets Parker down a new and uncertain who made the powerful Four Hundred list and path that will ultimately help him move forward setting the standard for what was in and what was while also honoring his past. The beautifully rennot, represented the old money group, while Alva dered setting in Under the Southern Sky amplifies Vanderbilt, who married into the newly wealthy an already fabulous tale that has stayed with me. Vanderbilt family, continually worked to be accepted by New York society and wanted to Editor’s note: Southside Place resident Cindy eventually take Caroline Astor’s place. The feud Burnett also writes our weekly Page Turners column begins when Alva Vanderbilt marries into the at thebuzzmagazines.com. She hosts the Thoughts Vanderbilt family, and most of the upper crust from a Page Podcast, is co-creator of the Houston families refuse to acknowledge her. But Alva is literary event series Conversations from the Page, determined to make her place in society, setting runs the Instagram account @thoughtsfromapage, off a battle with Caroline Astor that raged across and regularly speaks to groups about books. decades and included some pretty juicy drama.

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TRAVEL

by Tracy L. Barnett, staff writer

Travel Buzz

Three tiny Texas gems

ith travel opening back up around the country, a simpler, slower way of life is beckoning. Many are exploring backroads and byways, lingering in the places closer to home that they never had time for before. Small towns, nature-based destinations, and family time are calling to travelers these days. We visited with three Houston families about their recent travels to three special places that have captured their hearts.

Schulenburg: Painted churches and more Barbara Canetti and Carlos Rios were looking for a quiet, relaxing place to celebrate their 40th anniversary. Carlos, a former photographer for The Houston Chronicle, and Barbara, a former journalist for UPI, had always wanted to go to Schulenburg and see the legendary painted churches but had never gotten around to it. The churches, among more than 20 scattered around Texas, were built in the late 1800s and early 1900s by German and Czech immigrants. A friend who lived there invited them to come, and they decided to take her up on it. And so it was that on the weekend of their 40th, they wandered from Galveston up to Schulenburg via the winding backroads. “We were taking the beltway from Galveston but made a wrong turn and got off on 59 by mistake – and though it took us out of the way, it was a good way,” Barbara said. The couple took Old Highway 90 West, instead of the freeway, and their journey was dotted with cornfields and small towns. “I imagine it’s still a lot like what it used to look like,” she said. They finally reached Schulenburg and checked into their Airbnb, a cute historic home in a comfortable neighborhood, and headed downtown. “It’s a cute little town, very clean, with lots of really cool old buildings,” said Barbara. They arrived in time for outdoor lunch at Tillie’s Café and then explored the Stanzel Model Aircraft Museum. Victor and Joseph Stanzel, two brothers who grew up plowing a farm near Schulenburg, built a model plane factory there, and the factory, the homestead, and the museum make up the com-

plex. Carlos was fascinated; he perused the model plane collection, remembering the vintage balsam-wood flyers and superflyers of his childhood, when he used to send them soaring skyward. They finished the day at Lucy Tequilas. Other dining highlights were the Garden Company HISTORIC HOME Wendy and Cade Burks with their Blue Lacy, Dax, on the front porch of their 1896 Shotgun Victorian house in Fayetteville. The house is registered on Marketplace & Café both the National and Texas registers of historic places. and the City Market, Artists said they received divine guidance in where you have to call ahead to reserve your recovering the old designs. barbecue because they always sell out. Barbara and Carlos met a woman in her 60s The next morning, friend Suzanne who as a girl was part of that team. Meeting peoMcDaniels picked them up for a tour of three ple like her was one of the best parts of the visit, churches, spread out over a 10-mile vicinity Barbara said. “I felt they had a stake in their from Schulenburg. The churches – and the tour church, they took pride in it,” she said. “For me, – lived up to expectations. Tiny on the outside, it was like a tourist attraction, but for them, but with soaring vaulted ceilings and gothic filthat’s their church, and it had a very special sigigrees that brought to mind Gaudi’s Sagrada nificance for them.” Familia in Barcelona. “They are just magnificent,” said Barbara. Fayetteville: Step back in time “They are small churches – almost quaint and With the onset of the pandemic, Wendy and storybook looking from the outside, but when Cade Burks felt trapped in Houston. They longed you walk in, you felt an appreciation of the 100for a simpler way of life. Wendy loved times spent year-old building, and the artwork was really at her cousin’s retreat in Round Top and they something to behold.” began looking for a place there. A friend suggestAngels peer down from the ceilings, and crossed Fayetteville, and Cade ended an MS 150 es are featured throughout. But more than relithere. Its vintage town square and courthouse and gious iconography, the scenes are pastoral; foliage, its artsy feel immediately charmed them. vines, latticework, and delicate floral designs They began looking for property, and the first splash color across the pastel-painted arches and day they found it: a tiny 1896 shotgun walls. The European-immigrant artists painted Victorian, listed on the state and national hisarchitectural features, as well; rough-hewn beams toric registers. The town itself is listed on the turn out to be paint, rather than wood, and likeNational Register of Historic Places. wise with the “marble” pillars. Wendy loves the laid-back feel and the walkSome churches, like St. Mary’s Catholic ability; her house is just two blocks from the Church in High Hill, have their original painttown square. “Usually I park my car and don’t ings intact, immaculately maintained by descenget in it the whole four days I’m here,” she said. dants of the original immigrants; others, like “I really don’t even go to the grocery store; Saints Cyril and Methodius Catholic Church in there’s all these great restaurants. You can Dubina, have been restored. It was whitewashed always find us at Joe’s Place on Friday nights, our in the 1950s, but the congregation recovered it, favorite neighborhood (continued on page 34) using old photographs and stencils as references.

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Emil Knodell

Carlos Rios

Carlos Rios Joni Fichter

VINTAGE TEXAS Clockwise from upper left: A glimpse of St. Mary's Catholic Church, framed through the portal of a nearby stone marker; Carlos Rios and Barbara Canetti take a pause from their tour of the Schulenburg painted churches, a celebration of their 40th wedding anniversary; inside St. Mary's, known as the Queen of the Painted Churches; the Fayetteville courthouse; the Fayetteville town square that hosts many celebrations and festivals; Lake McQueeney at sunset. TANGLEWOOD/RIVER OAKS BUZZ MAY 2021 33

(continued from page 32) haunt.”

She loves the friendliness of the locals – many, it turns out, are from Houston. But friendliness is built into the way of life in Fayetteville, it seems. “Everyone’s on their front porches here,” she said. “These old homes have beautiful front porches, and you get to know all your neighbors.” Three houses down is their church – St. Paul Lutheran – and on Sundays they walk across the street to the Grand Fayette Hotel for brunch. Every now and then there’s a festival that picks up the pace – like the Antique on the Square Opening with Muffins and Mimosas. For visitors, Wendy recommends the charming bed and breakfasts in the area. There’s nearby Fayette Lake, a baseball park that’s busy with tournaments, good shopping on the square, and a “fabulous” lineup of art exhibits in the town’s many galleries. May 1 and 2 is the annual not-to-bemissed Art Walk, hosted by Arts for Rural Texas. “Fayetteville is a quaint town with wonderful people and a relaxing vibe. We feel at home here,” she said.

Lake McQueeney: A family tradition For four generations of Mundingers, the crystalline blue waters of Lake McQueeney have been home for one special summer weekend since 1966. It all started when friends of the Mundingers, the Chandlers, were on their way to Marble Falls when a tire fire made them pull over at Lake McQueeney while making repairs. They loved it so much they decided to stay, and next time, they invited their friends the Mundingers. Catherine Chandler ended up marrying Dan, one of the four Mundinger boys – and the rest is history. Betty Mundinger married the baby of the family, Erich, in 1987 and has been joining the family gatherings ever since. They have only missed two years since she joined the clan: 17 years ago, when the boys’ mother died, and then last year, because of Covid. “Usually we go the week before or after the 4th – and it is sacred,” Betty said. “We work our summers around it.” Now that the grandkids are married with children of their own, gatherings bring up to 55 people. There’s no place big enough to hold them all at Christmas, so Lake McQueeney with its 1950s-era Lake Breeze Ski Lodge and its indoor-outdoor restaurant has become the family’s common ground. “We eat there, swim there, boat there, do it all right there,” she said. “We sit outside and talk, and we eat breakfast, lunch, and dinner at the lodge.” Sometimes the guys play golf; sometimes the kids will float down the Guadalupe River. It’s a small lodge and a small lake, and the Mundingers take over during their four days there. The lake is one of five in the Guadalupe River Valley, and to the Mundingers and many others, it’s the jewel in the crown. A dam failure at Lake Dunlap, in the same system as Lake McQueeney, recently put the future of all five lakes in doubt. The

BLAST FROM THE PAST Top: The Mundinger Family – Dan Mundinger Sr., Erich Mundinger, Nancy Mundinger, Will Mundinger, Calvin Mundinger, and Dan Mundinger Jr., circa 1999. Bottom: Riley Mundinger Landry, 12 at the time, and Hilary Mundinger Holmes, 10 at the time – sisters following in their dad Erich’s footsteps. Now 32 and 30, respectively, they still ski on the lake whenever they get the chance.

Guadalupe Blanco River Association announced plans to drain the lake to work on the dam, and the neighbors organized to save it. Last November, residents passed a bond measure to raise money for dam repairs, and its future once more seems assured. “It’s beautiful; every single house on the lake is gorgeous,” said Betty. The Lake Breeze Ski Lodge is rightly named, says Betty, as you can always catch a breeze on the deck. Skiing is a major attraction, with most boasting varying degrees of skill on the boards – and even a couple of barefoot water skiers. “All the boys are beautiful water skiers,” said Betty, referring to Erich and his brothers, who are also handy with a boat. Her daughters learned to ski there along with their cousins, and now the grandchildren are learning how to ski. “Our kids are kind of passing the torch,” she said. Dinners can get a little crazy, she said; the family sits there on the restaurant’s deck for many, many hours. “The table looks ridiculous by the time we’re done, with the cups and the alcohol… and the stories the boys tell, they are

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funny, funny, funny.” One time one of the brothers set off fireworks in the restaurant. Another time, one of the girls tried to ski with her feet inserted into two halves of a watermelon. “I think it’s a gem,” said Betty. “It’s very unique – a place where 50 of us can meet and put our feet up, and the kids can run around and play,” she says. “It’s just a super safe, relaxing place to be; when you get there, you’re on lake time, and it’s one of the most wonderful places to sit and visit with family.” Editor’s note: Buzz travel columnist Tracy L. Barnett is a Lowell Thomas travel journalism award winner and longtime travel and environmental writer. Email her at info@thebuzzmagazines.com to share your own travel tales.

MORE ONLINE For more on the legendary painted churches in Schulenburg, read Texas' Painted Churches by Annie McQueen at thebuzzmagazines.com. Share your favorite Texas town with us, or any special travel stories, by emailing info@thebuzzmagazines.com.

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DINING

by Dai Huynh, staff writer

Chef’s Corner S

Dany and Rina Kamkhagi

ometimes, moms do know best. Rina Kamkhagi runs Mostly Chocolate & Catering with her son, Dany Kamkhagi. Rina helped me understand the nuances that set apart excellent chocolates from merely good ones. Few would argue that chocolate is one of the most pleasurable foods on the planet. But it's also complicated. "When you bite into a chocolate bonbon, the shell, from top to bottom, has to have a nice snap, almost like an eggshell, thin, not thick and clumsy," Rina said. "Inside, the ganache filling has to be smooth, and you taste whatever flavors are in it in steps. Take Dany's spicy chocolate. First, you taste the chocolate, then the vanilla, then just a hint of cayenne pepper." It's a challenge finding fine-quality chocolates like ones I've sampled in New York and Los Angeles. I've had no luck in Houston until last month, just in time for Mother's Day. A customer with spiky blond hair breezed into Mostly Chocolate, located in a nondescript business center just off Katy Freeway. Former radio host Dayna Steele grabbed a shopping bag. Inside were ornate candies and hand-crafted chocolates for family and friends. "They're a work of art," Dayna said. "When you first open the box of chocolates, you don't want to eat them. Then, you eat the first one, and it doesn't matter. You want another and another." Blue-eyed and with tousled chestnut hair, Dany recalled when he and his mom would get so excited with a 100-piece order of their hand-painted molded chocolates, which sell for $2.50 apiece. That was before 2013 when Mostly Chocolate moved into its current location. Since the mid2000s, Mostly Chocolate had operated out of his parents’ home in Tanglewood, where Rina, an empty nester, started making candies to keep from phoning her college-bound sons every hour. Rina had missed the exquisite confections she grew up eating in Beirut, Lebanon, where "each one was wrapped in gorgeous paper." So, she started making hard-to-find Lebanese treats, such as pistachio marzipan sandwiched between walnuts and then dipped in chocolate. Friends ordered these and chocolate-dipped orange slices as gifts for their wedding guests.

They also became obsessed with her 4-ounce chocolate chip cookies made with French butter. Within a few years, her dessert business expanded to high-end catering. Today, Rina manages the catering side while Dany oversees the chocolate shop, which has soared in popularity because of her 33-year-old son's CHOCOLATE ART Rina Kamkhagi and son Dany Kamkhagi have built a loyal following by satisfying their fans' sweet tooths with gooey chocolate chip cookies and creativity. "He hand-crafted bonbons. took it to another in elegant, compartmentalized dark navy boxes. level," 61-year-old Rina said. “Each one is unique,” Rina said. “His chocolates are The 100-piece chocolate boxes have become so much more complex than mine ever were.” a daily event rather than quarterly. Mostly Dany goes to the farthest difficulty that a Chocolate sells about 3,000 pieces of bonbons chocolatier can with his bonbons. Each bite monthly. During holidays, sales double. often holds three or four components, precisely Rina sees a lot of herself in her youngest son, layered. "There is so much attention to detail," Dany – the creativity and determination espeRina said. cially. So, after Dany graduated from college, she For example, the passion fruit bonbon resemsuggested he explored the world of chocolate. bles a miniature sunset aglow in orange and gold. Besides a sandwich shop stint, Dany never Inside the painted paper-thin chocolate shell is contemplated the food business. But urged on a tangy ganache reminiscent of fresh passion fruit by his fiancée and now-wife, Jennifer, Dany and something more. "Did you taste the apricot?" accepted an invitation for an apprenticeship Dany asked later. "I put in just a touch." with New York chocolatier Hakan Martensson, Dany has expanded Mostly Chocolate's menu a friend of his mother's. to 22-plus flavors. The most popular, he said, are "The second I set foot into his facility, it was caramelized goat cheese, followed by hazelnut & the next stage of my life," Dany said with a smile. poprocks, s'mores, and salted caramel. "There were two, three people around marble The weirdest one he's created, and his tables, and they were tempering chocolate." favorite, is the rosemary with olive oil. Coming Tempering is key to chocolate's crunchy texup with flavor ideas is usually easy for the chef. ture and glossy appearance, specifically for moldBut he's a little stuck about what unique flavors ed candies. Dany details this essential skill during he'll create for Mother's Day. That's because they private workshops for 4 to 10 people. He also have to be extra special for Mom. shows his students how he molds and decorates the chocolate bonbons in acrylic trays, using varEditor’s note: Buzz dining columnist Dai Huynh is ious intricate spray techniques and Jackson a James Beard food-journalism award winner and Pollock-esque designs. longtime Houston-based restaurant writer. Dany's bonbons resemble precious jewels nestled

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Photo courtesy of The Junior League of Houston

FOOD by Erin Faulkner, contributing writer

Cooking Buzz Tex-Mex every day Cooking Buzz is produced in partnership with the Junior League of Houston, a women’s charitable and education organization founded in 1925.

very Texan loves a designated day in which they are obliged to consume Mexican food or Tex-Mex. Cinco de Mayo certainly never passes without acknowledgment. The tacos, enchiladas, guacamole, cerveza, oh my! Here are three delicious recipes to enable your desires. The Tamale Pie is the comfort food that your grandmother would serve you – seriously, it’s from a cookbook published in 1968. Pair it with your favorite salsa or hot sauce, and you can’t go wrong. If you’re looking for something healthier with fresh ingredients, the Chicken with Ancho Chile Sauce and Pico de Gallo is a winner. And if you don’t feel like making your own pico, you’re a Texan, and literally every grocery store will sell it to you pre-made. Lighter yet, the Shrimp and Scallop Ceviche works well as an appetizer or small meal.

Tamale Pie From Junior League of Houston Cookbook ¼ pound salt pork, or ¼ cup bacon drippings 1 cup chopped onion ¾ cup chopped green pepper 2 cloves garlic, crushed 2 pounds lean ground beef 3 Tablespoons chili powder 1 teaspoon salt 1 can (8 oz.) tomato sauce 1 can (1 lb., 12 oz.) tomatoes, drained 1 can (1 lb.) whole kernel corn, drained 1¼ cups milk 1½ cups yellow cornmeal 2 eggs 1 Tablespoon cooking oil 1 Tablespoon butter Grated sharp cheddar Dice salt pork and fry in large skillet or Dutch oven. Add onion, green pepper, and garlic; sauté. Add meat and lightly brown. Add chili powder, salt, tomato sauce, tomatoes, and corn. Remove from heat. Scald milk; mix with corn-

TEX-MEX Celebrate Cinco de Mayo with three recipes, ranging from comfort food to something a bit healthier.

meal to make mush. Add unbeaten eggs, one at a time. Stir in oil and butter into mash. Combine cornmeal and meat mixture. Pour into large baking dish; liberally sprinkle cheese over top. Bake slowly in a 325°F oven for one hour. Serves 10-12.

Chicken with Ancho Chile Sauce and Pico de Gallo From Stop and Smell the Rosemary Ancho Chili Sauce: 1½ cups water 2 ancho chile peppers (dried poblano peppers) 2 cloves garlic, peeled 1 teaspoon salt 1½ teaspoons minced fresh oregano 1 Tablespoon sugar 1 teaspoon olive oil Pico de Gallo: 1 cup chopped tomatoes ½ cup chopped onion ¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro ½ fresh jalapeño, seeded and minced 1 Tablespoon fresh lemon juice 1 Tablespoon olive oil Entrée: 4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves (cutlets) Olive oil Salt Fresh ground pepper 6 ounces Monterey Jack cheese, shredded (1½ cups) 1 avocado, pitted, peeled, and sliced Ancho Chili Sauce: Boil water, chiles, garlic, salt, and oregano in a small saucepan until chiles are tender, about 5 minutes. Remove chiles and garlic from cooking liquid. Reserve cooking liquid. Discard stems and seeds from chiles and coarsely chop. Transfer chiles and garlic to a food processor. Pulse until finely chopped. With machine running, gradually add enough chile

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cooking liquid (about 1⁄3 cup) to form a thick sauce. Add sugar and olive oil. Blend until smooth. (Sauce can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover tightly and refrigerate.) Pico de Gallo: Combine tomatoes, onion, cilantro, jalapeño, lemon juice, and olive oil in a small bowl. (Can be prepared 4 hours ahead. Cover and refrigerate.) Preheat broiler. Brush chicken lightly with olive oil. Season with salt and pepper. Broil chicken until just cooked through, brushing occasionally with Ancho Chili Sauce, about 5 minutes per side. Reduce heat to 400°F. Transfer chicken to baking dish. Brush with more sauce. Sprinkle cheese over chicken. Bake just until cheese melts, about 3 minutes. Serves 3-4. To serve, arrange chicken on plates, top with Pico de Gallo, and garnish with avocado slices. Serve remaining Ancho Chile Sauce separately.

Shrimp and Scallop Ceviche From The Star of Texas Cookbook 2 pounds shrimp, cooked, peeled, and cut in thirds 1 pound raw scallops, thinly sliced 1 cup fresh lime juice (about 6 limes) 6 Tablespoons finely chopped red onion 4 Tablespoons chopped fresh parsley 2 Tablespoons finely chopped green bell pepper ½ cup olive oil ½ teaspoon oregano Dash of Tabasco 1 teaspoon salt Freshly ground pepper to taste 2 avocados Combine shrimp and raw scallops in a large bowl. Add lime juice, cover, and let stand at room temperature for several hours. Drain and discard juice. Add all remaining ingredients except for avocados. Toss lightly and chill for 1 hour. Serve with avocado slices. Serves 6.

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SPORTS

by Todd Freed, staff writer

SportzBuzz F

or the second straight year, the Second Baptist Eagles girls basketball team came within one win of a state championship, losing to Southwest Christian of Fort Worth in the TAPPS 5A state final. But even to make the state finals again was quite an achievement for an extremely young Second Baptist lineup loaded with sophomores and even a starting freshman point guard. “Both of those state final defeats were to Southwest Christian. They’re a powerhouse team with several players who will play on to the collegiate level. We just weren’t quite able to bridge that sort of athletic gap,” said Eagles head coach John Herndon. Sophomore guard and first-team all-state player Kate Marshall led the team in scoring and rebounds with 15 points and 10 rebounds a game. “Kate was the heartbeat of the team both on offense and defense. But where there is a heart you got to have a brain, and I would say that role belonged to our freshman point guard Olivia Sauvageau. Olivia is extremely savvy on the court. She’s a great passer who also loves to score.” Another key contributor was sophomore guard Ella Ryan, who also happens to be the granddaughter of baseball legend Nolan Ryan. “The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree,” said Herndon. “Ella is extremely competitive.” Herndon also had high praise for senior all-state player Leyla Ertan, who averaged 11 points a game, as well as sophomore Olivia Walker. “Olivia loves the game on both ends of the court. She provides a great example of hard work for other girls to admire and copy.”

he Bellaire Cardinals girls soccer team won its eighth consecutive district championship, having gone undefeated in district with a 12-0 record. The Cardinals were 17-2-1 for the season while ranking as high as No. 7 in the state by the Texas Girls Coaches Association. “We made significant strides as a program this year,” said Cardinals girls soccer coach Alan Thompson. “Climbing up to a top 10 state ranking at one point in the season shows that we’re in the mix as one of the top teams around. We’ve worked really hard to earn that recognition.”

FLY LIKE AN EAGLE It was another tremendous season for the Second Baptist Eagles girls basketball team, which came within one victory of a state championship for a second straight season.

The Cardinals earned it behind the play of several girls, including leading scorer Anneliese Switzer. The Cardinals sophomore scored 18 goals on the season while scoring 47 points. In addition, senior Cate Plagens, who was the team’s starting goalkeeper the previous three seasons, was second in scoring, with 16 goals and 46 points. Defensively, senior goalkeeper Erin Williams held opponents to .058 goalsagainst average, and sophomore Hadley Wormser was a defensive force while playing every second of every game. “We’re losing some really good seniors, who leave our program as the most successful class in our program’s history,” said Thompson. “Our younger players will have some big shoes to fill, but I’m confident they will work hard to continue to push our program forward.

s the Memorial Mustangs girls’ soccer team advanced deep into the playoffs, they defeated none other than the rival Stratford Spartans in the third round of the postseason. “It was the first time we’ve faced Stratford in the playoffs, so it was definitely a special atmosphere,” said Mustangs head coach Lindley Amarantos. “We knew the community would show up in big numbers, and we were thrilled to pull out the victory.” The Mustangs pulled out the 5-1 win behind

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a sensational night from sophomore Adelhia Ghonda, who scored three goals in the 6A Region III quarterfinal victory, marking the third hat trick for Ghonda in three playoff wins. The victory also raised the Mustangs’ record to a lofty 20-3-2, as the 2018 state champions put forth another deep playoff run. “We’re a talented team that really started to peak at the right time,” said Amarantos. “Plus, not having the playoffs last year because of the Covid-19 pandemic left us with some unfinished business to take care of this season.” Other major contributors for the Mustangs included senior Juliann Kidd, who will play collegiate soccer at Kansas State, while fellow senior Abigail Mohun played a key role at virtually every position, according to Amarantos. In addition, sophomore midfielder Logan Patterson and junior midfielder Lydia O’Neill helped pace the Mustangs’ high-scoring offensive attack. Defensively, senior goalkeeper Maddie Dukes had a sensational season, as Memorial allowed a mere four goals in 14 district games. Editor’s note: Todd Freed is the host and executive producer of H-Town High School Sports, which airs Monday through Thursday on AT&T SportsNet SW. To submit high school sports news for possible inclusion in SportzBuzz, please email todd@thebuzzmagazines.com.

Enter The Buzz 2021 Photo Contest Win a Couples Staycation Package at The Houstonian Hotel, Club & Spa

Entry deadline May 15 Entries are now being accepted for our sixteenth annual Photo Contest. Our grand prize winner will receive a couples staycation package at The Houstonian Hotel, Club & Spa. This luxury weekend package includes a Friday and Saturday night stay in one of the hotel’s newly renovated rooms, a “TEX-LEX” dinner for two in the private Wine Room of TRIBUTE restaurant, couples 60-minute Trellis Custom Massages, and complimentary access to the prestigious Houstonian Club. Winning photos will be published in our July issue and online beginning July 1. To submit photos, and for contest rules and prize details, visit thebuzzmagazines.com/photocontest. You can also view our 2020 winners online. Sponsored by

TANGLEWOOD/RIVER OAKS BUZZ MAY 2021 41

SPORTS

by Angie Frederickson, staff writer

SportzBuzz Jr. W

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

First-game excitement Duchesne Academy eighth-grader Andrea Garza Estebanez (top photo, right) fights for the ball in the team’s inaugural lacrosse game. The middle-school lacrosse team competed in its very first game against St. Francis Episcopal School, with players Ciara Finan, Carina Savarino, and Emma Edmonds each scoring goals. Duchesne’s new team members are Nayeli Arriaga, Sydney Barrick, Mariana Benitez-Monroy, Mary Rose Bollman, Emma Bullwinkel, Lillian Cortez, Christine Marie Directo, Emma Edmonds, Caroline Ferretti, Ciara Finan, Andrea Garza Estebanez, Addison Gaudette, Colette Gorgue, Margo Graham, Jordan Haselhorst, Taryn Hopkins, Donna Hren, Faith Junghans, Sofia Mohtashami, Elizabeth Morrison, Evelyn Muskat, Bayan Othman, Abigail Parker, Marta Pereda Sanchez-Dehesa, McKenzie Poindexter, Ava Powell, Eva Raborn, Ava Reggi, Macarena Santacruz-Valencia, Carina Savarino, Chloe Sonsino, Mia Thompson, Zoya Volkov, Snow Woods, Reese Worsdell, and Natalia Zaldivar.

Pelicans on the court The Spring Branch-Memorial Sports Association (SBMSA) Pelicans (middle photo) are senior girls gold-bracket champions. The championship game was a rematch from an early-season contest between the Pelicans and the Spurs. Mary Helen Turner hit a three-pointer to open the scoring for the Pelicans, and a full-court press led the girls to a 40-19 victory. Lead scorer Peyton Walsh had 13 points, Mary Helen Turner and Melissa Ann Saueressig each had 6 points, and Abigail Broussard scored 5. It was a great team effort, and despite the team’s lack of height, they played aggressively, and each girl scored at least once during the season. The champion Pelicans are (top row, from left) coaches Langston Turner and Lance Dardis, (bottom row, from left) Sophia Annino, Leslie Dardis, Abigail Broussard, Kyndall Burgett, Isobel Debakey, Emerson Bryant, Syriah Debakey, Mary Helen Turner, Melissa Ann Saueressig, and Peyton Walsh.

An opening day to remember Kayden Bell and Claire Mischon (bottom photo, from left) enjoyed opening day for SBMSA softball. The girls play for the 8U Panthers and joined the other teams in the league for a full day of games on the fields at Spring Branch Elementary School. In addition to being cheered on by all of the parents and siblings, Kayden had special guests, her aunt Jami Lobpries and friend Amanda Scarborough, who are former Texas A&M University softball players. Jami flew in from Florida to watch the opening game, and Amanda drove in from Georgetown, Texas. The young SBMSA players were inspired by the A&M players and are looking forward to a great spring season. TANGLEWOOD/RIVER OAKS BUZZ MAY 2021 42

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.

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RUNNING YOUR BEST RACE Katherine Zhang, a 10th grader at The Kinkaid School, is a member of the Oliver Foundation Teen Advisory Board. The Teen Board is tasked with energizing the community to make healthier choices.

KIDS by Katherine Zhang, age 16

Buzz Kidz L

Youth excited about health

ife is a whole lot like a race. As a long-distance runner myself, I know this to be true. At the beginning, you feel that rush of adrenaline, the kind of blind courage that makes you willing to face any challenges. Along the way, you realize you’ve got a long way to go. There’s a whole lot more involved with fitness than just workouts. Nutrition, recovery, mental toughness – these are all ingredients to running your best race and living your healthiest life. I’ve been privileged to have learned the importance of these healthy habits at a young age. But since joining the Oliver Foundation Teen Advisory Board three years ago, I have had the opportunity to use and expand my knowledge. The Oliver Foundation is a Houston-based non-profit dedicated to the prevention of child-

hood obesity. It is made of a diverse group of teens looking to energize healthy habits in children through mentoring and community service. The Teen Board helped create The OrganWise Guys Shorts!, a DVD collection of bite-sized lessons on being healthy, still shown at schools today. Championing the 7 Healthy Choices Messages, the Teen Board lives by the acronym YEAH: Youth Excited About Health. The Oliver Foundation has taught me leadership skills and formal-meeting conduct from our monthly sessions. We review Healthy Choices Grants, available to teachers and nonprofits, which allow local schools to start programs like class gardens and add playground equipment. The Teen Board also participates in commu-

nity service projects and speaks at local, state, and national conferences. We mentor and provide innovative, realistic advice to children and teens on how to live a healthier lifestyle. Joining the Oliver Foundation is only the first step of my personal race, a race to foster a healthier community. To learn more, see oliverfoundation.com or @oliverfoundationteenboard on Instagram. 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.

createabuzzforyourbiz.com

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Probate and basis Basis is a tax concept that affects every homeowner and every investor. Did you buy low and sell high? A capital gains tax is due on the amount realized minus the adjusted basis. Basis is usually determined by cost, sometimes with adjustments. What if the taxpayer had no cost? Different rules determine basis when property is acquired by gift or inheritance. A donee’s basis is usually the same as the donor’s: “carry-over” basis is the general rule for gifts. If the same property is instead acquired by inheritance, the basis is determined by the fair market value on the date of death. If the asset appreciated over Dad’s lifetime, we say the basis “stepped-up” on his death. Retirement plans, IRAs, and a few other assets are not eligible for a new basis on death. Suppose the basis in Mom and Dad’s vacation home is $200,000 when they give it to children. The kids’ basis is $200,000. Imagine time passes, and 20 years later, on the surviving parent’s death, it’s worth $500,000. If the kids sell then, capital gains tax is due on $300,000. If the parents never gifted the vacation home but instead left it under the survivor’s will, the kids’ basis would be $500,000, the fair market value on the date of death. On a prompt sale, the capital gains would be $0, not $300,000. If death is imminent, giving your assets away to your heirs is poor tax planning. If everyone can wait, heirs receive a stepped up rather than carry-over basis. A high basis is a good thing, but you have to prove it. Recordkeeping can be tedious. For example, closing costs, construction, and improvements can increase the basis of your home, but each transaction is another set of

records to keep, and for as long as you own the property. In contrast, if you inherit a house and want to sell it, the basis is the fair market value on the date of death, which is as easy to establish as a realtor’s letter or the appraisal district’s valuation. A new basis on death is a tax loophole that most taxpayers can enjoy, not just the rich. Determining date of death asset values is a big part of estate administration. Finally, eligible taxpayers may exclude $250,000 of gain on sale of their main home, $500,000 if married filing jointly. Widowed taxpayers who haven’t remarried and sell within 2 years may still exclude $500,000. 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, bellaireprobate.com/blog

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