Bailey Junell
From Houston by Train A Toast to Millennials Four-Generation Travel Buddies Hope on a Dragon Boat Travel with Dogs Chef’s Corner: Luis Roger Bird-Friendly Yards
School Buzz 2019-20 by Jordan Magaziner Steinfeld
Fall Festivals Cooking with Pumpkin Baby’s First Halloween Houston, TX Permit No. 2047 PAID
The Porch is Open
US Postage PRSRT STD
Favorite Halloween Candy
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PUBLISHER’S NOTE This summer, Joni and I drove to North Carolina’s beautiful Outer Banks so our golden retriever Bailey could meet our son’s golden, Sock. At first, the thought of driving 3,000 miles for a doggie playdate didn’t sound appealing. But traveling with our fourlegged family member made the miles pass quickly. Almost everywhere we went was dog friendly, and because everyone wants to pet a golden retriever, we got to meet lots of people. As it turns out, traveling with (wo)man’s best friend has become increasingly popular. Check out this month’s Traveling With Dogs: Thinking outside the crate by Tracy L. Barnett and Friends and Dogs: Meeting through fur babies by Annie Blaylock McQueen. Also in this month’s issue, meet our 2019-20 School Buzz correspondents. Now in its sixth year, our School Buzz program has grown to nearly 70 students from 24 area high schools – it gives high school journalists an online community to share what is happening in their schools. You can find it, along with everything else – including lots of pup photos, of course – at thebuzzmagazines.com. michael@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 Pooja Salhotra John Duboise Tracy L. Barnett Deborah Lynn Blumberg Sharon Albert Brier Andria Frankfort Angie Frederickson Todd Freed Cindy Gabriel Cathy Gordon Michelle Casas Groogan Dai Huynh Annie Blaylock McQueen Jennifer Oakley Cheryl Ursin Russell Weil Grace Goddard, Susannah Russell Andrea Blitzer, Stephanie Goldfield Leslie Little, Jo Rogers
On our cover: Bailey Junell, a junior at Episcopal High School, is a School Buzz correspondent this year. Cover photo by Dylan Aguilar 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 © 2019 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 Friendship and fishing I thoroughly enjoyed the fishing article [Gone Fishing: With The Favorite Foursome, by Jennifer Oakley, September 2019] about Christy [Galtney], Pam [Lewis], and their "favorite foursome" tennis group! Jennifer, you truly captured the essence of friendship! Having great friends to share your life with is a gift like none other. Thank you for such a thoughtful and well written reminder of what life is all about! Theresa Attwell
Hook, line and sinker Jennifer [Oakley] totally reeled in the spirit of these irrepressible dynamos. I absolutely loved reading about four women who had little in common outside of a racket, a ball and a competitive spirit, yet formed lifelong friendships that extend far beyond the court. There's nothing more powerful to staying young than having fun, and this foursome definitely knows how to do it right! Having known Cindy [Soefer] for many years, I'm not surprised that she got them hooked on this newfound passion. Wishing you amazing women many more happy catches! Donna Palmer
Teaching out of the classroom Your article [Going Green: Teachings from a school garden, by Tracy L. Barnett, September 2019] reminded me about how many truly great teachers and neighbors live in our community. It’s inspiring to know that experts, like Angela Roth, are sharing their knowledge and cultivating life-long connections to nature in others and helping provide students a better understanding of farm-to-table concepts in this digital age of take-out and delivery. Please continue to share additional inspiring and uplifting articles like this one! Ruth Hunicke
Going with the flow I enjoyed reading Cindy’s article Life is Rigged in Your Favor [by Cindy Gabriel, September 2019] because it reminded me of the value of recognizing the flow of life and going with that flow as things happen. When you go with the flow, as the article indicates, good things can happen to you. Going along with life as it occurs can be a challenge. However, as Cindy points out, the benefits are more than worth it. I appreciate how her examples moved from her personal experiences to those of others around her. Her writing style is very welcoming, and I enjoy reading everything she writes. Harry Selig
Small-world story Such a small world. My brother is autistic and lives at Noah's House [an independent living center serving adults with disabilities in Houston]. A friend in Austin shared a picture one of her friends posted about her new Sandal Gap Studio [in Houston]. The picture was of about 10 new artists with special needs who will enjoy the studio. My brother was in the picture. She recognized him TANGLEWOOD/RIVER OAKS BUZZ OCTOBER 2019 6
from a few times she met my brother. I didn't know about this until my friend shared the post. I Googled Sandal Gap Studio and up came The Buzz Magazines story [Speaking Through Art: Sevy Eicher’s unfolding talent, by Angie Frederickson, March 2019]. Thank you for covering such a cool place! Jodi Bernstein Editor’s note: Jodi, it is such a small world. Thank you for sharing that with us. Sandal Gap Studio, a nonprofit studio for artists with intellectual abilities, recently opened. See the story at thebuzzmagazines.com and see sandalgapstudio.org for more on the studio.
Memory lane I just discovered your article on Houston restaurants [Restaurant Memories: A look back at Houston's dining past, by Russell Weil, November 2014] and enjoyed it so very much. I'd love to learn more about your articles and their "strolls down memory lane." Thank you for this "treat!" And don't forget ice cream at 2K or the many cafeterias of old! Mike Austin Editor’s note: Thanks for the nice feedback, Mike. This 2014 story remains one of our most popular. For those who missed it, search “Restaurant memories” at thebuzzmagazines.com. We love hearing your restaurant memories, too. 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 a special love story. • Have traveled to attend a music festival. • Know a Buzzworthy neighbor to profile. • Have interesting hobbies or collections. • Have funny or unusual parenting stories. 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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TRAVEL by Andria Frankfort, staff writer
Family-Travel Legacy A four-generation friendship
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hey say opposites attract. And I think what “they” mean is that, in couples, if one partner is talkative, the other is quiet. If one is creative, the other is practical. It makes sense, because, hopefully, you balance each other out. But I don’t think anyone ever reasoned that whole families who are opposites would gravitate to each other. That’s what has happened, though, in my family’s four-generation friendship with another. It started with my generation’s grandparents. My Grandma Helen and their “Nanny” looked from the outside to be total contradictions of one another. Helen was, literally, the slowest person I have ever known. This is not a bad thing; it’s just fact. Driving down 61st Street in Galveston, if you got held up in a long line of cars going 15 miles an hour, you could bet you were behind my Grandma Helen. Florence, on the other hand, was “speedy-weedy,” as Grandma Helen said. She was efficient, and she got things done. But the two of them somehow became unlikely best friends. I don’t know how they made it work, but Helen and Florence traveled all over the world together, Florence dragging Helen through the streets of Hong Kong and Mallorca and Las Vegas, where they made sure to check out Kmart, their favorite store. Florence would walk to the end of the block and back so that she could keep moving while Grandma Helen caught up. The same way they fit as travel partners, so did their sons – including my dad – and their wives – my mom. I can’t remember all of their trips together, there were so many. I do know that at one point they’d been together so much that they didn’t realize until two weeks later that the dads had switched credit cards somewhere in New York and had been using the other’s all that time. How they reconciled that – or if they even did – I don’t know. When we were old enough, my generation – four of us altogether – got to go along. Together, our four and theirs went to New Mexico, LA, Florida – all over. We spent their dad’s 50th birthday at Disneyland and later that week ran into Annie Lennox (from Eurythmics) seated next to
GENERATION TO GENERATION Traveling buddies Florence and Helen (from left) set the precedent for their great-granddaughters, Claire and Maddie (right photo, from left), to vacation together.
us at dinner. We spent his 60th (or was it my dad’s?) in New York, having dinner at the Michelin-starred Daniel, where 10 of us (there were some spouses by then) each ordered a different dessert, then ceremoniously passed them counterclockwise until we all had tasted everything. Still, our family was slow, content to go with the flow, in no rush to be anywhere at any specific time. Theirs had a schedule, and things to do and see, and dinner reservations planned months in advance. They were always a few minutes early, sitting in the lobby chairs, tapping their feet until we’d stroll in, at least 10 minutes late. My generation – the four kids – backpacked through Europe together one summer; we still talk about the lecture my sister and I got one morning over chocolate croissants in a Paris hostel: “If you want to meet at 8:30, say we’ll meet at 8:30. But if we say 8, be there at 8!” (The video from that trip was deemed required watching for any future spouses. I don’t think that was ever enforced, but it provided years of threats.) And again, just like with Helen and Florence, somehow it worked. I’ve always been thankful for this special
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friendship, but I didn’t consciously think about it until the fourth generation – my children – came along. When their daughter (they already had a boy) was born three weeks after my younger daughter, we laid them side by side on a blanket, their daughter just days old. And as those two grew into fluffy babies with the two chubbiest pairs of legs you’ve ever seen, we’d compare – whose were chubbier? This generation – their three and my two – talks daily, thanks to Snapchat. They’ve traveled together, and they’ve spent every year of their lives getting together, with the rest of us, for long weekends in Galveston, swimming, riding go-karts, going to La King’s. This past summer, my younger daughter joined their family on vacation in Seaside. I couldn’t help thinking that things had come full-circle. From these girls’ great-grandmothers, to their grandparents (still dear friends), to their parents (also still dear friends), to them. None from their generation knew their great-grandparents. But those two unlikely sidekicks set the stage for endless family adventures that we all will smile about for our whole lives.
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NEIGHBORS by Cindy Gabriel, staff writer
A Toast to Millennial Magic Hashtags of hope for the future
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don’t care what anyone says about millennials. I love ’em. I’m for ’em. These kids born between 1981 and 1996 are my kids, by golly, and I think they are doing a pretty good job with what we’ve left them. They’re spending half their earnings on rent, while juggling student loan debt and general Social Insecurity when it comes to retirement. Yes, some monumental shifts are happening, as Mother Earth sends wind, rain, fire and other signals that our lifestyle isn’t agreeing with her. Still, I’m betting that a good number of these millennial rascals are paying attention while following their varied instincts and blazing new trails in all sorts of different directions. That kid in Starbucks with the man bun, staring at his laptop, may look unemployed, but he’s probably working on his start-up beer brewery. Lots of kids (I mean, young adults taking over the world) don’t exactly view work as a place you go. It’s just something you do. #digital_nomads On the surface, my two sons-in-law seem very different. One designs and markets video games. One creates and runs restaurants. But when they get together, their conversation lands inside a virtual world of apps and programs, Instagrams, hashtags and other words beyond my vocabulary. Daughters Laura and Julia also work wherever they happen to be. Laura is a project analyst for a recruiting company, and Julia is an artist and social media marketer/mom. Baby Eli is seldom without a parent as Julia and Morgan symbiotically hand him off between their meetings and his naps. When they’ve had enough of this, the trio packs up and moves the office to, say, Yellowstone Park. #laptopsandlullabies As I write this, the two couples and baby grandson are on a two and a half week camping trip. I have not yet, in my life, taken a trip that long. Why? Because I have one of those jobs where you wake up, dress for work, get in a car and drive to an office. Then I sit, answer emails, go to meetings, write stuff, boss around staff, then drive home. I put in for vacation time to get my hair cut, stay home, let in the plumber or take my dog to the vet. My real away vaca-
tions end up being 4-6 days straight, including the weekend, poor me. (Violins please.) Millennials, however, won’t have this for long. Smart employers are figuring out that millennials are in a position to demand more from the workplace. Why? Are you kidding? We need their technology skills, not to mention their sheer workforce numTHEIR ROVING WORKSPACES It's another day at the office for Julia Weber and bers. son Eli just south of Bozeman, Montana. A year ago, Closer to home, a former Houston couple, Laura and Andy took off for Bend, Oregon, the Jason and Lynsey Kramer, started a real working so-called virtual job capital of the world. Within farm in 2006 based on the concept, “Know your a year they bought a home and gained a whole farmer, know your food.” I’ll leave the rest of new crowd of friends. They hike, camp and that story to Lynsey, Jason and their four farmsnowboard together depending on the season. raised “chicks.” Lynsey’s social media skills are In between, they work hard. phenomenal. Another millennial couple I know fixes up #yonderwayfarms vacation houses while staying in them. They’ve But hey, Houston is growing its own crop of spent far more consecutive days in my Hunt getmillennials right here. I’m expecting them to away than I have, while tackling some long overcome up with ways to make it more livable. due maintenance projects. They’ve worked in Somebody will repurpose a downtown highthe Virgin Islands twice between working for me. rise office into a solar-powered communal blend An enchanting little movie/documentary of office/residential/gyms/retail/learning centers called The Biggest Little Farm stoked my optior you name it, with a garden on top, or somemism this summer. A couple, evicted from their thing better. apartment complex because of their barking Millennials are also insisting more on jobs dog, decided to keep the dog and take over an that fit their altruisms. I had a conversation with abandoned farm. It was basically a dead, dry a millennial who gave up her job with a prestipatch of land that resembled the moon. gious law firm for a non-profit focused on affordApricot Lane Farms, near Los Angeles, is now able housing. She took a $110,000-a-year pay a lush wonderland of farm animals, fruit trees, cut and has moved into a garage apartment. ducks and lakes, attracting nesting birds, snails Millennials aren’t looking for one-size-fits-all and burrowing critters, including a host of living. human millennial volunteers. It shows how this #millennialmagic crazy mix of critters, plants and people are needYou go, kids. ed – together – to make the richest soil.
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NEIGHBORS by Deborah Lynn Blumberg, staff writer
David Tjiok
Paddling in Pink Hope on a dragon boat
David Tjiok
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n pink jerseys and life jackets, Jane Shoppell and her teammates paddle their more than 500-pound pink, dragon-headed boat across Clear Lake. The nearly two dozen women are cancer survivors who’ve come together in an unconventional support group: dragon boating. In the sport that originated in China 2,500 years ago, teams of 20 paddlers, a steerer and a drummer compete in races from 500 to 2,000 meters. Shoppell’s team, Pink Phurree, is one of 225 teams across 25 countries and six continents formed to support and provide hope to breast cancer survivors. Recently, Pink Phurree expanded its membership to other female-related cancers. The women practice several times a month and compete locally and globally. They say dragon boating has transformed their physical and emotional health. “We’ve all heard those words, ‘You have cancer,’” says Shoppell, a former IT employee at Shell who lives in Bellaire. Her bright pink Pink Phurree polo shirt is printed with a dragon logo. “We support each other, and it’s also a great workout.” Texas' first all-women and cancer-survivor dragon boat team, Pink Phurree was founded in 2007 and joined the International Breast Cancer Paddlers Commission in 2011. The first dragon boat team of breast cancer survivors formed in Canada in 1995 after a sports medicine doctor was inspired to test the theory of whether upper body exercise was too strenuous an activity for someone diagnosed with breast cancer. IBCPC hosts an international competition every four years. Pink Phurree members range in age from their 30s to their 70s. In addition to competing, interested members also travel to a spring training camp in Florida for instruction from worldrenowned coaches. In 2018, Shoppell flew to Florence, Italy, with 10 teammates to paddle in IBCPC’s international competition. They joined members of a Dallas team, Breast of Texas, and together, the women paddled on the Arno River through the heart of Florence. Afterwards, they marched in a Parade of Nations across the Ponte Vecchio bridge, past thousands of cheering tourists and locals. “It’s one of my most cherished memories,”
AND THE ANSWER IS ... PADDLE Top: Pink Phurree teammates, all cancer survivors, compete in Sugar Land’s annual dragon boat race on Brooks Lake. Bottom: Pink Phurree racers traveled to Puerto Rico to compete.
says Shoppell, who joined in 2012, a year after her diagnosis of breast cancer and subsequent surgery and radiation. She was drawn to a Pink Phurree table at an MD Anderson survivor conference, and is overjoyed she gave it a shot. “In school, I was the kid that got Cs in PE,” she says. Now, she considers herself an athlete. Leigh Meineke, an attorney in Memorial, joined the team in 2018 after watching a TV story about it. Joining a rowing team was on her bucket list (along with seeing a live taping of Saturday Night Live and attending the hot air balloon festival in Albuquerque). “A paddling team, all women and cancer survivors? When I saw Pink Phurree, I felt like I hit the jackpot,” she says. Meineke grew up in Meyerland. She was diagnosed with ovarian cancer in 2016 and went through chemotherapy. “It completely changes your life,” she says. “Your priorities change.” She points to Shoppell and fellow member Gale J. Yandell. “These ladies understand.” Now, Meineke has been cancer-free for 29 months, but the fear of recurrence hangs heavy. “It’s always here,” she says, pointing to her tem-
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ple. But Pink Phurree helps. “We’re stronger moving forward together.” Yandell, a chaplain who lives in Meyerland, joined in 2017, a year after she was diagnosed with breast cancer. She underwent chemotherapy, radiation and a bilateral mastectomy. “It’s so good for us mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. I think of being on the boat as a celebration of life. It’s invigorating.” The team practices at 6:30 p.m. Thursdays in Sugar Land using a boat they borrow from the Texas Dragon Boat Association, and at 7:30 a.m. two Saturdays a month in Clear Lake on their own boat. Team members pay annual dues, and the team supplies life jackets and oars. On Oct. 12-13, Pink Phurree will compete in Sugar Land’s annual dragon boat race on Brooks Lake. Shoppell says the team is recruiting new members and hopes to raise money – through fundraisers and sponsors – for maintenance and insurance, plus a smaller boat to use during practice sessions. “We’re definitely looking for new members and supporters. It’s just so much fun,” she says, “and I’m in the best physical condition I’ve ever been in.”
PETS by Annie Blaylock McQueen, staff writer
SNAPS by Chelsea/Chelsea Coon
Friends and Dogs Meeting through fur babies
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ant to make new friends? Get a dog, and head outside. Buzz resident Cheryl Cunningham met two of her closest friends, Rob and Diana Marks, through their dogs. Cheryl, senior director of special projects for Vacations To Go, has a 15-year-old, brown and white, medium-sized border collie mix named Gracie. Gracie greets you when you walk up to her, wags her tail, looks you up and down with her big eyes and even says hi with a bark. Cheryl, often seen with a big smile, is outgoing and friendly just like her Gracie. Gracie and Cheryl live near Tanglewood Park, where you’re likely to see the pair trotting across the grass, Gracie’s tail straight up in the air while she sports a harness. Cheryl met neighbors and now dear friends Rob and Diana nine years ago, while out walking Gracie. Rob and Diana were walking their fuzzy, 10-week-old yellow Lab puppy, Jake. Jake is a handsome and strong yellow lab whose tongue falls out to one side when he pants. Rob and Diana and Cheryl frequently hung out when Jake was a puppy. Jake drew people in. Even former First Lady Barbara Bush spotted him while she was taking her two dogs out for some fresh air at Tanglewood Park, where she was a regular. Jake had just started puppy school, and Mrs. Bush’s two small dogs started barking at him. Jake patiently let them walk by, unsure in his puppyhood what to do. Diana said Mrs. Bush laughed and said to her, “I know. They are so bad.” Jake and Gracie’s parents lost touch over time but kept bumping into each other on walks. “I do believe that dogs bring all people together, no matter how old or young you are,” said Diana. “They bring us unconditional love, and they are always happy to see you. We have friends for life from dogs bringing us together.” About five years ago, the group came up with the idea to walk their dogs together at night, especially during winter months when it gets dark earlier. “Sometimes it [is] Jake and Diana, Jake and Rob or both with me and Gracie,” said Cheryl. Over time, and through many hours of dog walking, strong friendships have formed. They
NEW FAMILY MEMBERS Friends Anne Stewart and Caroline Rogg (pictured at an airport hanger in 2018 picking up their new Golden Retriever puppies) were perfect strangers until they met through their dogs, Sage and George. They have stayed close friends.
catch up while they walk, chatting about favorite sports, books, current events and whatever is going on in their lives. “It went from walking at night after work to [adding] two to three walks on the weekends,” said Cheryl. “We have our 7 a.m. morning Starbucks runs on weekends.” Their local Starbucks staff even knows Cheryl, Diana and Rob and prepares their lattes and puppy lattes when they arrive. Jake and Gracie patiently wait outside. Cheryl says nine years of the walks and company have kept Gracie young at heart. “In today’s world, we can go years without really knowing our neighbors,” said Cheryl. “Because of our fur-family, we have developed a true neighborhood feel, getting to know [each other], both human and fur varieties.” Golden Retriever fan and owner Anne Stewart met a new friend, Caroline Rogg, when the two former strangers welcomed sibling goldens into their homes from the same litter. Anne’s dog, Sage, and Caroline’s dog, George,
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got to play as their moms became friends, too. Anne says if it weren’t for Sage and George, the pair would have likely never met – and it is a friendship she cherishes. After the puppies’ rounds of shots, Anne and Caroline started taking Sage and George on “play dates” at Levy Park or at each other’s homes. Caroline, who was studying in dental school when George joined her family, has since moved to Washington where her husband has started his residency, but the friends still stay in touch. They keep updated through social media – both Sage and George have their own dedicated Instagram pages – and update each other through texts and pictures. “In my experience, I have never met a Golden owner I didn’t like,” said Anne. “And we are annoying people because we talk quite a bit about our Goldens. They are members of our family.” Editor’s note: Have you met a friend through your dog? Share your story at info@thebuzzmagazines.com or under this story at thebuzzmagazines.com.
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NEIGHBORS by Grace Goddard, contributing writer
The Porch is Open Pooja Salhotra
How friends stay friends
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t’s often said that the only constant in life is change. Sometimes though, friendships we develop manage to make it through life’s changes without any signs of aging. Such is the case for Christy Heno and her band of friends who meet every week for “Porch.” About five years ago, Christy was sitting on her porch with longtime friend Molly Fraser. The two met when their then-high school daughters played softball together many years before. They discussed how, over time, they had become disconnected from other adult friends. Whether through sports teams, schools, church or the neighborhood, the core of all their relationships had been the link to their children. With their kids now driving and independent, there wasn't the same weekly parent exchange at softball games, school events and carpool. “I felt like I went to work and I came home and saw my family, but that was it,'' said Christy, head of the lower school at Presbyterian School. The two hatched a plan to reconnect with old friends, and Christy’s cozy porch in the middle of West U seemed like the perfect spot. Five years later, the porch is still thriving. Their initially small group has grown in size over the years, consisting of Christy’s friends from all different facets of life. “I’ve known Christy and Molly for 15 years, but this has been a great way to get to know them on a different level – apart from the kids,” says Lynne Goddard. “I’ve gotten to know people I wasn’t as close to and met new people, which you don’t think will happen when you are middle aged.” While the porch is laid back, there are a few rules. You can’t come to porch until your youngest child is driving – after you’re released from carpool duty. Most importantly, there are no expectations. Porch is announced with a simple message sent in their 15-person group text: “Porch is open,” with a reminder that there’s no need to RSVP. “People shouldn’t feel bad if they can’t make it,” Christy said. You can bring food and drinks or come empty handed. Just come ready to catch up. Some days Christy worries that “this is going
WHERE FRIENDSHIPS GROW Allison Redepenning, Carol Tindall, Molly Fraser, Rebecca Matthews, Kari Greenwalt, Chris Cander, Christy Heno, Lynne Goddard, Heather Bradshaw, Judy Budnik and Hillery Keith (from left) keep their friendships alive with regular visits on Christy’s porch.
to be the night it’s just me on the porch.” However, that’s never the case. Someone always shows up because porch isn’t something to check off your to do list. It’s a weekly escape where you can focus on your friendships. There are some topics that are off limits: no politics and no religion. Conversation is kept light-hearted: anecdotes from the week, travels and kids. Anything relevant to their personal lives is fair game. On some days, conversation is full of laughter and light moments, while on others it consists of concerns with aging parents and children. The group has each others’ backs through it all. The porch is also a safe place for people to come with concerns and struggles. “Sometimes someone will show up and just start crying,” Christy says. In that case, the group is there to lift that person up and make them feel better, even if it’s just for the hour. Other nights on the porch are about celebrating accomplishments. In Christy’s words, “it’s a safe place to be excited about accomplishments and be sad when things hurt.”
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The porch has strayed from their typical routine by incorporating potluck dinners and road trips and even inviting out-of-town friends who are passing by to come to porch. When Christy’s friend from Baton Rouge was in Houston for her husband’s medical treatment, the group welcomed her with open arms. They all got to meet someone new, and she got a much-needed break from the hospital. The weekly nights on the porch have become an integral part of these women’s lives, so much so that they, and their families, refer to it as “Porch.” Christy said when she’s had a busy day and is debating whether she should call Porch to order, her husband, Scott Heno, always reminds her that it never fails to lift her spirits. Porch has also become a fixture for the neighbors. The regular dog-walkers pass by each week and comment when they haven't seen the group in awhile. After Hurricane Harvey, one of the usual couples passed by and saw everyone gathered again and remarked, “All must be right with the world – the ladies are back on the porch!”
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TRAVEL
PHCP, Inc.
by Cheryl Ursin, staff writer
On Track From Houston by train
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ou know the Houston Amtrak train station is a well-kept secret when even Uber drivers have never heard of it. And I haven’t met one yet who has. (It’s downtown.) And many people, not just Uber drivers, don’t realize that an overnight passenger train, one of 15 run nationwide by Amtrak, goes through that station three times a week, on its way back and forth between New Orleans and Los Angeles. The Sunset Limited has sleeper cars, a dining car and a glass-topped lounge car and makes stops along the way, including in San Antonio, El Paso, Tucson and Palm Springs. My husband and I use it to go to Big Bend National Park for his birthday every spring. There’s no easy way to get to Big Bend. You can drive (nine hours). You can fly either to El Paso (and then drive four to five hours) or to Midland/Odessa (a three-hour drive). Or you can take the Sunset Limited, leaving one evening and arriving in Alpine, near Big Bend, by late morning/early afternoon the next day. The local rental-car place, Alpine Auto Rental & Sales, will meet you at the train station with a car. (Big Bend’s an hour’s drive from Alpine.) On the train, you can eat dinner and breakfast in the dining car and sleep in a sleeper car. And you’re on a train! How cool is that? Honestly, there are pluses and minuses. First, the pluses. This mode of transportation can be more fun and more comfortable. The coach seats, good for day trips such as to New Orleans from Houston, are very affordable and a lot bigger than an airline seat. You can walk around the train, meals are served in the dining car and there’s a snack bar. Mark Donaldson takes the train once or twice a year for long weekends in New Orleans. The train leaves Houston a little after noon, according to the schedule (more on that in the minuses), and arrives in NOLA at 9:40 p.m. Donaldson, who owns his own small business, Roof MD and General Contracting, uses those nine-plus hours to work. He buys a coach seat, “but I never go to it,” he said. He sets himself up
WHISTLE STOP TOUR Friends traveled the rails using Patrick Henry's private rail cars during the holidays last year. From left: Patrick Henry, Dave Ward, Eric, Spencer and Morris Gould, and John Bertini. Henry's train cars will take part in the first annual Polar Express train ride, a theatrical reenactment of the classic holiday story, run by the Galveston Railroad Museum this year.
in the lounge car, which has cafeteria-style seating and a snack bar. “I can get candy, a beer, a soda,” he explained. “I pull out my laptop and put on my headphones. It’s the best use of my time.” According to a post on Amtrak’s blog, movie director and Houston native Wes Anderson is an avid user of overnight Amtrak trains. He is quoted as saying, “One thing you almost always get on a train is time to burn … It can so often be the best combination of peaceful and exciting.” According to the blog, Anderson has traveled coast to coast by train when promoting a movie and while writing a movie script. Another plus on the train is the dining car. For customers who have booked sleepers, meals aboard the train are included in the price of their ticket (though alcohol is not). Others can buy meals. The food is surprisingly decent, given that it is made on a train. “I think I had salmon once,” said Donaldson. (He did: “Griddle Seared Norwegian Salmon,” to be exact.)
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“The food is OK, it’s fine,” agreed The Buzz’s dining columnist, Dai Huynh, who recently took the train with her husband and daughter to go to Big Bend. “But if you’re going on a train for the food, you’re going for the wrong reason.” The best part of the dining car is not the food but that the staff seats you with other people. I’ve talked to a retired police chief from Oregon, a pediatrician traveling the country by rail, a Marfa food-truck owner and the editor of a business magazine for marijuana farmers. They all had interesting things to say. The minuses. Amtrak considers its trains on time if they arrive within a half hour of the time listed on the schedule – and its long-distance trains don’t do well even by that metric. According to a report by the Amtrak Office of the Inspector General, in July 2018, Amtrak’s long-distance trains reached their last destination on time only an average of 31 percent of the time. (To be fair, the Amtrak trains are running (continued on page 22)
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PHCP, Inc.
PHCP, Inc. Amtrak
THE SCENIC ROUTE Top left: When they're in town, the Warren R. Henry, a 1955 dome lounge car, and the Evelyn Henry, a 1954 sleeper car, make their home at the Amtrak station in downtown Houston. Bottom left: Amtrak's Sunset Express can be identified by its distinctive two-level Superliner sleeper cars. On right: Sunrise in Amarillo seen from a train. (continued from page 20) over tracks it doesn’t own,
and while, by law, passenger trains are supposed to have precedence over freight trains, the report notes that the law is seldom enforced.) The bottom line for passengers: Expect delays. One Houston passenger reported that he and his wife ended up sleeping in their rental car in the parking lot of the closed train station in Alpine. They kept getting texts that the train was more and more delayed. Though originally scheduled to arrive at 8:45 pm, it didn’t arrive until 7 the next morning. Still, they continue to travel by train. “We love to use Amtrak occasionally since you get to see a bit more of the country than you do with air travel,” he said. Their latest trip, this summer, was from New Orleans to New York City. The sleeper car accommodations are fun. You’re on a train! In the daytime, think Harry Potter or Wes Anderson’s The Grand Budapest Hotel. Individual compartments with curtains and sliding doors contain, depending on which you choose, two to four seats and a window. In the evening, the porter turns down the beds. Lower beds are made from the seats, and upper ones pull down. A minus: Sleeping in the upper bunk is like sleeping on the top shelf of your closet. Some have their own bathrooms. A private bath sounds good, no? No. The bathroom, which has fixtures that look much like those of an airplane bathroom, will now be traveling
with you in your tiny roomette, or really, it’ll feel like you’re traveling in your bathroom. My advice, at least for a one-night trip: Wear comfortable clothes to sleep in, slip your toothbrush in your pocket and make do with the bathroom down the hall. Passengers on longer trips told me there are shower rooms on the lower levels of the sleeping cars. Hey, it’s Amtrak, not the Orient Express. But if you’d like more of an Orient-Express vibe, there is another option. You can charter a private rail car. Really. Two have their home base here in Houston, at the Amtrak station, where you can see them when they’re in town: The Warren R. Henry, a 1955 United Pacific dome lounge car, and the Evelyn Henry, a 1955 sleeper car, named after owner Patrick Henry’s parents. As you might have guessed, chartering private rail cars is expensive. According to the American Association of Private Railroad Car Owners, depending on what you’re chartering and where you’re going, the price can be anywhere from $5,000 to $15,000 per day. Chartering Henry’s two railcars costs $10,000 per day. But for that price, you get accommodations for up to 10 people, as well as a lounge and a dining room, and a private staff of three, including a chef who makes all your meals from scratch. Private rail cars are attached to the backs of Amtrak trains, such as the Sunset Limited, so you’re still subject to Amtrak delays. John Bertini, a urologist and the chairman of
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the board of directors of St. Joseph Medical Center, loves trains. He once even testified as a train expert before Congress about the feasibility of evacuating people by train during natural disasters. (It’s feasible. He helped evacuate 750 people by train during Hurricane Rita.) He’s also the chairman of the board of directors for the Galveston Railroad Museum. And he has been chartering private railcars, including Patrick Henry’s, for years. “Back when my kids were corral-able, it made for great family vacations,” he said. He’d often take extended family, including both sets of grandparents and cousins. He once invited his friends to bring their fathers and their sons on a trip to New Orleans, where the grandfathers and grandsons then visited the National WWII Museum together. “Being on the train lends itself to conversation, to being together,” Bertini said. “You get to enjoy the mode of travel.” Indeed, Bertini often travels by train to a destination and then immediately flies back. For him, the train trip can be the point. For all its eccentricities – starting with figuring out how to book a trip on Amtrak’s frustrating booking webpage – taking a long-distance train trip on Amtrak can be a nice trip back in time: to when people had time to talk to each other and eat together, to read books, take naps, play cards and even just spend time gazing out a window. “It’s totally fun and underrated,” said Donaldson, who’s planning his next trip, to Lake Charles, via the Sunset Limited.
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Pooja Salhotra
NEIGHBORS by Pooja Salhotra, staff writer
Native Plants Creating bird-friendly yards
I
n the same way that chess masters can play the game blindfolded, Betsy Black can rattle off the types of birds flying nearby without even getting a good look at them. Betsy has been a bird enthusiast for more than 50 years. She started bird watching with her dad in her hometown of Chicago when she was 10 years old. Now, she enjoys observing birds and butterflies in her own Bellaire backyard, where she’s created a prairie with more than 25 different species of native plants – grasses, flowers and trees – that provide food and shelter for birds and butterflies. “I get all the birds,” Betsy says, pointing toward a bird sitting on a power line that’s barely discernable to me in the distance. “Hawks, blue jays, owls. I had three [baby owls] and parents this year. I get munias, and they are not even supposed to be here.” Betsy’s backyard prairie was recently recognized by the Houston Audubon Society, a nonprofit organization focusing on protecting natural environments for birds and people. “Betsy has taken all the steps to have a bird-friendly yard,” said Anna Vallery, Society conservation specialist. Betsy’s prairie has incorporated four main principles of being bird-friendly: native plants; inviting habitats such as two water features; no pesticides; and connection with others. Betsy has met this last principle by sharing her enthusiasm with her neighbors. One neighbor, Charles Albright, was excited when he noticed native grasses growing in her backyard. “I was walking my dog in the bayou behind Betsy’s house, and she has a welded fence similar to what I use with cattle in my ranch,” Charles said. “You can see through the fence, so I noticed her switchgrass growing. She walked out, and we got to talking about native grasses.” Now, Betsy gives Charles Eastern gamagrass, the so-called “creamsicle for cows,” whenever she has extra. Charles takes the grasses to grow them out in his ranch in Lavaca County. Meanwhile, Margarita Arentsen-Landgren, who lives across the street from Betsy, likes taking Betsy’s plants to her clients at homeless shelters. Margarita is a licensed clinical social worker and licensed chemical dependency counselor
BETSY’S PRAIRIE Betsy Black (middle) shares her love of nature by giving neighbors, including Margarita Arentsen-Landgren and Charles Albright, native plants from her backyard prairie.
who works with Houston’s homeless population. At two homeless shelters in Houston, Margarita used Betsy’s plants to create a garden that clients visit during therapy sessions. Betsy gave Margarita milkweed plants to attract monarch butterflies and pipevine, the host plant for swallowtail butterflies. Clients “can see the metamorphosis from the caterpillar to the butterfly, and it helps with grief and loss,” Margarita says. “I also use it as an analogy for the therapy. When clients come in, I tell them they are caterpillars. They are learning to be in their body again. When they graduate, they fly away as butterflies.” Betsy has enjoyed sharing her love of native plants and wildlife with neighbors. But, she says, native plants are still not commonplace in Houston homeowners’ gardens because people do not know the critical role these plants play in the ecosystem and prefer the appearance of manicured lawns. “I don’t think people understand, native plants are made for floods or drought,” Betsy said. “The roots on these grasses go down three feet, so they’ll keep soaking up water. It’s unbelievable what they do.” Although Betsy’s yard accumulated some water during Hurricane Harvey, her plants survived, since native plants can withstand droughts and floods. When CenterPoint Energy came out to check her gas meter after Harvey, she said, they commented that “nobody else’s yard looks like this. Everyone else’s looks dead.” “And that’s why you should have native plants,” Betsy says. For those interested in starting a native plant garden, Betsy recommends the rudbeckia hirta (black-eyed Susan), a sunflower-like plant, as well as gaillardia (blanket flower). “These all attract butterflies and they
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are easy to grow,” she says. Like Betsy, Sarah Flournoy, a West University resident and former English teacher at Episcopal High School, grows native plants in her yard. She’s also found that many neighbors have a misconception about what the ideal yard should look like. “People think having a lawn is well-maintenance, but it’s not,” she said. “Think about the lawn crews that have to come in, the watering, the leaf blowers – it’s all very resource-intensive. I’m not saying native plants are maintenancefree, but they are much less resource-intensive. It’s kind of a shift in thinking.” Sarah started learning about native plants and their relationship to birds when she served as executive director of the Nature Discovery Center in Bellaire. Spending time in the park made Sarah a “birder” and inspired her and her husband, Don Verser, to create a “living landscape” when they built their home two years ago. The home originally featured a traditional yard with St. Augustine grass, but they now have no lawn at all. During spring-migration season this year, Sarah and Don enjoyed sitting outside observing flocks of warblers use their backyard water features. Sarah and Don keep a list of the birds they observe, consulting field guides they keep in their breakfast area to help identify any unknown creatures. “We know our local birds pretty well,” Sarah says. “But we’re still learning.” Sarah credits her mother, Ruth Flournoy, for passing down her love of nature to her children. Ruth has loved gardens since she was a young girl. Then, Ruth would tell her parents, “you need to have prettier flowers in your yard.” As she grew older, that translated into a passion for conservation and wildlife. (continued on page 26)
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Pooja Salhotra
Pooja Salhotra
Betsy Black
Betsy Black
NATIVE YARDS Top, left: Betsy Black’s yard is popular with butterflies such as this monarch. Top, middle: Birds, including hummingbirds, visit Betsy’s yard for food and shelter. Top, right: Claire Caudill’s yard includes a number of plants that attract butterflies, including this pipevine swallowtail. Bottom, left: Daughter Sarah Flournoy (left) and mom Ruth Flournoy share a passion for wildlife. Both have replaced their St. Augustine lawns with native plants. Bottom, right: Claire Caudill’s front and back yards are filled with native plants, including this rudbeckia grandiflora. (continued from page 24) Ruth
served on the national conservation committee of The Garden Club of America for eight years and served on the board of the Houston Arboretum & Nature Center for 15 years. When she moved into her Tanglewood home 25 years ago, she knew she didn’t want her yard to be “your regular boring St. Augustine boxwood yard.” She hired a landscaping company that specialized in native plants. “They instilled in me the idea that when you choose plants, they should be native and they should have some benefit for wildlife or the environment,” Ruth said. “At that point, I made up my mind that I wouldn’t just have ornamental plants. I’d have plants that are valuable for bees and birds and butterflies.” Traditional plant stores do not always carry native plants, or the plants they call native may be native to Texas, but not specifically to Houston. “It’s getting more common, but it’s still difficult,” says Ruth, who finds many of hers at Buchanan’s Native Plants and Joshua’s Native Plants. “You have to have growers and then people who want to market the plants. If you don’t have people who appreciate them, then there’s no market because nobody can afford to sell them.” Because native plants can become overgrown
and eventually appear disorderly, they do require some maintenance. Ruth has found a team of landscapers who visit her yard about three times a year to pull out weeds, add compost and mulch and trim hedges. “You have to have people who know what a native plant is. Otherwise you have people come in and think these plants are weeds.” Now, Ruth says she’s part of a community of Houstonians who appreciate native plants and are passionate about conservation. One of those friends is Claire Caudill, whom she met through The Garden Club of America. Like Ruth, Claire was sure she did not want St. Augustine grass when she moved into her home in Memorial. She hired Thompson’s Landscaping to remove the grass and replace it with native plants and now has Anderson Landscape help with cutting overgrown plants. Claire’s passion for native plants grew after she read a book entitled Bringing Nature Home, written by Doug Tallamy, a professor in the Department of Entomology and Wildlife Ecology at the University of Delaware. The book explores the link between native plant species and native wildlife, arguing that native plants are critical to sustaining biodiversity. “It makes you see your yard not just as a decoration, but as a place where other things live and pro-
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mote a healthy habitat,” Claire said. “Honestly, I drive down the street and look at the yards that are all grass and non-descript Asian plants, and I wonder how we have any birds at all.” Claire emphasized the critical relationship between plants, insects and birds. The reason to go native, she says, is to provide food and shelter for the insects that in turn provide food for birds. “I think a lot of people think of insects as pests, but you have to have that insect population in order to have birds,” Claire says. “It’s the interdependence of different parts of nature that we need to be aware of.” “I love the fact that my yard has butterflies all summer,” Claire says. “It just makes me happy.” Editor’s note: To learn more about starting your own native plant garden, register to attend the Wildscape Workshop on Saturday, Oct. 26, 10 a.m.-12 p.m., at the Bellaire Nature Discovery Center, hosted by The Buzz Magazines. Native plant experts will share tips and tricks for making your yard bird- and butterfly-friendly. See this story at thebuzzmagazines.com to register and learn more.
MORE ONLINE See this story at thebuzzmagazines.com for a Houston Audubon Society video of Betsy Black and her bird-friendly backyard.
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NEIGHBORS
Ethelyn Kuldell
by Jordan Magaziner Steinfeld, staff writer
Fall Festivals Best time of the year
C
ooler fall temperatures means we can comfortably venture outdoors these days. Here are some ideas for how to spend your fall weekends.
Original Greek Festival Oct. 3-6; hours vary Annunciation Greek Orthodox Cathedral, 3511 Yoakum Blvd. Opa! The 53rd Houston Greek Festival includes live music, dance, authentic cuisine and imported gifts and jewelry. Admission: $5; free 12 and younger
Trill Comedy Festival Oct. 3-6; hours vary Station Theater, 1230 Houston Ave. Ten shows over four days, with more than 120 comedians performing. Headliners: Vanessa Gonzalez and White Women.
Houston Margarita Festival Oct 5; noon-10 p.m. Water Works Park at Buffalo Bayou, 105 Sabine Cheers to the fall season with a limbo contest, salsa contest and bands. Ages 21 and up. Admission: starting at $8
11th Annual Korean Festival Oct. 5; 10 a.m.-10 p.m. Discovery Green, 1500 McKinney St. Get a taste of Korean culture with food, traditional and modern performances, crafts and games. Admission: Free
Houston Italian Festival Oct. 10-13; hours vary University of St. Thomas, 3800 Montrose Blvd. The Italian Cultural and Community Center presents the 41st Houston Italian Festival. Bingo, wine, music, pasta-eating contest. Admission: $6; free on Thursday and on Friday until 4 p.m.
Diwali Bazaar Oct. 12; 6-10 p.m. Bellaire-Zindler Park, 7008 5th St., Bellaire Celebrate Diwali – the annual festival of
FALL FUN The Houston Arboretum & Nature Center hosts its ArBOOretum festival Oct. 19, with pony rides, pumpkin decorating, a Trick-or-Treat Nature Trail and more.
lights and the new year celebrated by Hindus, Jains, Sikhs and Buddhists – with Indian food, classical and Bollywood dance performances and vendor booths. Admission: $40; children $20. Price includes dinner, entertainment and henna.
Bayou City Art Festival Oct. 12-13; 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Downtown Houston, 901 Bagby St. Art, music, food and a Children’s Creative Zone at this festival benefitting local nonprofits. Admission: $10-16; $5 for children 6-12
Full Moon Festival at Colonial Park Oct. 18, 5:30-7 p.m. Colonial Park, 4130 Byron St. Get in the fall spirit with West U Parks and Recreation’s annual Full Moon Festival. Pumpkin decorating, face painting and costume contests. Admission: Free
ZiegenBock Music Festival Oct. 18, 6 p.m.; Oct. 19, 4 p.m. Sam Houston Race Park, 7575 North Sam Houston Pkwy W. The ZiegenBock Music Festival returns to Sam Houston Race Park for the 17th year. Headliners: Aaron Watson and Josh Abbott Band. Admission: $20
Nature Discovery Center’s Pumpkin Patch Festival Oct. 19-20; 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Nature Discovery Center, 7112 Newcastle St., Bellaire Pumpkins, games, horse-drawn wagons, food
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trucks, bounce house, obstacle course and more at this family-friendly festival. Admission: Free
9th Annual Houston Halloween Festival Oct. 19; 5-10 p.m. 200-300 blocks of 19th St. Celebrate Halloween with entertainment, food trucks, art vendors, a “blood splatter zone,” a kids’ costume contest and more. Proceeds go to Too Ghoul for School Education fund. Admission: $10; children 11 and under free with ticketed adult
ArBOOretum Oct. 19; 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Houston Arboretum & Nature Center, 4501 Woodway Dr. Wear your costumes and enjoy pumpkin decorating, a trick-or-treat nature trail, train rides, a petting zoo, pony rides, face painting, food trucks, Halloween market and spooky science show. Admission: Free for members; nonmembers $15-20; kids under 3 free
Water Lantern Festival Houston Oct. 19; 4-10 p.m. Magnolia Garden Houston, 12044 Beach St. Design your own lantern and launch it to float on the water. This family-friendly festival includes food trucks and music. Admission: $40, or $30 in advance
Wings Over Houston Airshow Oct. 19-20; 8 a.m.-4:15 (continued on page 30)
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Sara Marjorie Strick
(continued from page 28) p.m. (last entry at 3 p.m.)
Ellington Airport/Lone Star Flight Museum, 11551 Aerospace Ave. Take in the sights and sounds of military aircraft. Headliner performers are the U.S.A.F. Thunderbirds and Royal Canadian Air Force. Displays of modern aircraft. Meet aviation and military legends and heroes. Admission: $30
The Great Pumpkin Hunt Oct. 24, 4-5:30 p.m. Bellaire Great Lawn, 7008 S. Rice Ave., Bellaire Kids ages 10 and under are invited to dress in Halloween costumes and hunt for toys and candy. Grand prize for each age group (0-4 and 5-10). The hunt begins at 4:30 p.m. Admission: Free
Houston ScreamFest Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays in October, plus Oct. 29-31; hours vary 1500 Elton St. Haunted house and festival, with zombie paintball, live concerts and carnival games. Admission: $40
Art @ Discovery Green Oct. 26-27, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Discovery Green, downtown, 1500 McKinney St. Featuring 75 U.S. artists. Shop for paintings, sculpture, photography and jewelry at this fine art and contemporary art market. Crafts and activities.
HEADING TO ACL The Austin City Limits Music Festival takes over Austin the first two weekends in October; headliners this year include Guns N’ Roses, The Cure, Billie Eilish and Cardi B.
Houston Grilled Cheese Festival
Admission: Free
Scream on the Green Oct. 25, 6-10 p.m. Discovery Green, downtown, 1500 McKinney St. Wear your Halloween costume and head to Discovery Green for a costume contest and celebration with games, a movie, living statues, fortune tellers, a sing-along, music and more. Admission: Free
Nov. 9, 12:30-7:30 p.m. Midtown Park, 2811 Travis St. If grilled cheese is your favorite food, you will enjoy this event. Samplings of grilled cheese and an open bar. Ages 21 and up. Admission: $49-85
MORE ONLINE See thebuzzmagazines.com for links, details and more events.
Worth the drive Texas Renaissance Festival Oct. 5-Dec. 1 on Saturdays, Sundays and Thanksgiving Friday; 9 a.m.-8 p.m. 21778 FM 1774, Todd Mission Travel back in time with performances, shopping and feasting. Themed weekends include Oktoberfest (Oct. 5-6), 1001 Dreams (fairies and fanciful creatures, Oct. 12-13), Pirate Adventure (Oct. 19-20), All Hallow’s Eve (Oct 26-27), Return to the Renaissance (Nov. 2-3), Heroes and Villains (Nov. 9-10), Barbarian Invasion (Nov. 16-17), Highland Fling (Nov. 23-24) and Celtic Christmas (Nov. 29-Dec. 1). Admission: $23.95; $11.95 kids 5-11 Austin City Limits Music Festival Oct. 4-6 and Oct. 11-13 Zilker Park, 2100 Barton Springs Road, Austin A two-weekend music festival. Headliners include Guns N’ Roses, Mumford & Sons, Childish Gambino, The Cure, Cardi B, Billie Eilish, Tame Impala, Robyn and Megan Thee Stallion. See complete lineup online. Admission: $105 and up Dewberry Farm Fall Festival Through Nov. 10, Saturdays and Sundays; hours vary Dewberry Farm, FM 362 & Morrison Road, Brookshire
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Corn maze, pumpkins to pick, live entertainment, fireworks show, biergarten and more. Admission: $31.82 Boo on the Boardwalk Weekends in October; hours vary Kemah Boardwalk, 215 Kipp Ave., Kemah Get in the Halloween spirit on Freaky Fridays, Spooky Saturdays and Scary Sundays on Kemah Boardwalk. Haunted house, fun house, Witches Night Out, costume contest. Admission: Fees for rides and food. The Great Harvest Festival Oct 12, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Bicentennial Park, 1001 Market St., Baytown Celebrate fall with carnival rides, games, a petting zoo and more. Admission: Free 38th Annual Island Oktoberfest Oct. 25-26; hours vary First Lutheran Church, 2415 Winnie St., Galveston Live entertainment in the Oktoberfest spirit, with folk dancing, German food and libations, arts and crafts, children’s activities and more. Admission: Free
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KIDS
School Buzz Meet our 2019-20 correspondents by Jordan Magaziner Steinfeld, staff writer
T
his fall marks the sixth year of our popular School Buzz blog, an opportunity for high school students to share what’s happening at their campuses. School Buzz correspondents have written hundreds of blog posts over the years, giving behind-the-scenes glimpses into their campuses, students, teachers, classes, clubs and adventures. This year, we have nearly 70 students representing 24 local schools. Meet all of our 2019-20 correspondents and see their blog posts at thebuzzmagazines.com/school-buzz. Editor’s note: If you’re in high school and are passionate about writing or photography, it’s not too late to join. Check out the blog and apply to become a correspondent. Questions? Email jordan@thebuzzmagazines.com.
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lawellphoto.com
SCHOOL BUZZ 2019-20 Some of our correspondents gathered at St. John’s School before the start of school. Pictured are (bottom row, from left) Miriam Yampuler, Carnegie; Wellsley Moore, St. John’s; Libby Nunez, St. Pius; Laney Chang, St. John’s; Tyler Therriault, Briarwood; Bailey Maierson, St. John's; Claire Pedrick, St. John's; Aliya Robertson, Westbury Christian; (middle, from left) Rahul Rupani, St. John's; Liza Meyer, Emery; Morgan Brandt, Emery; Megan Chang, St. John’s; Ishani Shethia, Bellaire; Ariya Selvakumar, Kinder HSPVA; Jenna Baird, Briarwood; Simone Newar, Emery; Mary-Ellen Abshire, Saint Thomas’ Episcopal; Zoe Kass, Bellaire; Reeti Mangal, St. John's; Claire Lemel, Emery; (top row, from left) Freya Scott, British International School; Olivia Baba, Bellaire; Eugenie Pflieger, British International School; Bailey Junell, Episcopal; Louis Eagleton, St. Pius; Nicholas Wesley, Kinder HSPVA; Jenna Talisman, Emery; and Nina Varma, St. John's.
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Vivian Wu The Awty International School
Zaid Ali Bellaire High School
Olivia Baba Bellaire High School
David Bournat Bellaire High School
Mizuki Kai Bellaire High School
Zoe Kass Bellaire High School
Ishani Shethia Bellaire High School
Abbi Turner Bellaire High School
Jenna Baird The Briarwood School
TJ Therriault The Briarwood School
Eugenie Pflieger, British International School of Houston
Freya Scott, British International Tracy Huang Tina Li Zehra Mirza School of Houston Carnegie Vanguard High School Carnegie Vanguard High School Carnegie Vanguard High School
Miriam Yampuler Carnegie Vanguard High School
Alexander Murray, Challenge Early College High School
Katie Giveon, Duchesne Academy of the Sacred Heart
Halliday Mafrige, Duchesne Academy of the Sacred Heart
Caitlyn McConnell, Duchesne Academy of the Sacred Heart
Morgan Brandt The Emery/Weiner School
Lauren Haas The Emery/Weiner School
Alex Kuperman The Emery/Weiner School
Claire Lemel The Emery/Weiner School
Liza Meyer The Emery/Weiner School
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Cassidy Rubenstein The Emery/Weiner School
Jenna Talisman The Emery/Weiner School
Bailey Junell Episcopal High School
Bronwyn Fogarty Houston Christian High School
Jaylenn Holmes Kinder HSPVA
Ariya Selvakumar Kinder HSPVA
Nicholas Wesley Kinder HSPVA
Lauren Koong Lamar High School
Megan Benz Memorial High School
Talyn Burgess-Jimenez Memorial High School
Keeley Moore Memorial High School
Isabelle Nuzzo Memorial High School
Grace Stupel Memorial Private High School
Sutton Walsh The Post Oak School
Child Champ Photography
Simone Newar The Emery/Weiner School
Charlie McGill The Post Oak School
Maya Harpavat St. Agnes Academy
Mary-Ellen Abshire Laura Newcomer Eleanor Yowell Saint Thomas’ Episcopal School Saint Thomas’ Episcopal School Saint Thomas’ Episcopal School
Lilly Jarlsjo St. Agnes Academy
Anika Shethia St. Agnes Academy
Dania Siddiqi St. Agnes Academy
Frances Boatwright St. Agnes Academy
Laney Chang St. John’s School
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Megan Chang St. John’s School
Bailey Maierson St. John’s School
Reeti Mangal St. John’s School
Wellsley Moore St. John’s School
Claire Pedrick St. John’s School
Rahul Rupani St. John’s School
Nina Varma St. John’s School
Louis Eagleton St. Pius X High School
Libby Nunez St. Pius X High school
Thomas Fuller St. Thomas High School
Puneetha Goli The Village School
Maria Morkas The Village School
Aliya Robertson Westbury Christian School
Carter McKenna Kevin McKenna Strake Jesuit College Preparatory Strake Jesuit College Preparatory
Courtesy of Houston Cinema Arts Society
Discover Buzzworthy Events
You’ll find tons of Houston happenings on our events calendar. Go thebuzzmagazines.com town. o to thebuzzmagazines com and click on Events to find out what’s happening around town TANGLEWOOD/RIVER OAKS BUZZ OCTOBER 2019 36
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NEIGHBORS
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by Sharon Albert Brier, staff writer
Rumor Has It Open and close. Four friends (plus their SOs) who grew up in New York City and attended Vassar College in Poughkeepsie, New York – Alisa Johnson, Henri Merceron, Michael Grunberg and Randy Nathan – had a reunion this summer. Host Michael invited them to celebrate the end of the East Hampton season in his newish home before they closed the house down for the winter. Highlights included a sunset sailboat cruise around Sag Harbor and couples’ massages with CBD oil. Alisa and husband Bill Johnson will host them in Houston in February, where their house is open all year around. Dive in! A last summer fling included the waterpark of all waterparks for Joe and Laura Gerardi with their blended family, Cambry, Boston, Greyson, Jackson and Laura’s mother, Kiki Palacios. The seven-night adventure on Atlantis, Paradise Island (Bahamas) had many activities that delighted the children aged from 2 to 13, from 11 slides to interacting with and learning about sea animals. Cambry, who celebrated her 13th birthday on the trip, took a cooking class in the youth club. Laura said renting a cabana every day was a must to have shade from the heat. On their first day, their cabana safe malfunctioned when they pushed the code in too many times, so they didn’t have access to their phones or credit cards for four hours. It wasn’t the best way to start the vacation, but they were glowing sun and fun wise upon return. Ecstatic. William McCarthy said Aug. 3 was truly a day of pure bliss after he married his bride Taylor Gossett. They met almost three years ago in the busy Washington Avenue area among peers, with a proposal on a cruise with friends. The wedding was held at the Carriage House with a reception at the Houston Country Club. Parents of the couple, Keith and Meredith McCarthy and Bill and Heather Gossett, wished them well as they saw them fly off to their honeymoon. They were pampered with private drivers and tour guides in Madrid, Rome and Florence and had a beach day in Barcelona. Their friends were waiting for them when they returned to continue the party. Shaken not stirred. That’s the theme
DIVE IN FOR A GOOD TIME There was something for every age on this Paradise Island/Atlantis trip. From left: Jackson, Laura, Joe, Cambry, Greyson and Boston Gerardi, and Kiki Palacios.
of this year’s Houston Area Parkinson Society (HAPS) Happening chaired by Lisa O’Leary, Kristen Perry and Meg Rice and scheduled for Oct. 13 at 6 p.m. The dinner, drinks and music will be at The Astorian and will recognize work taking place within the Parkinson’s community in Houston and support the programs HAPS offers. See events at www.hapsonline.org or contact Madelyn Perry at 713-313-1669. Amazing times. When an artist and a scientist have rapport, then you know both sides of the brain collide in a good way. That’s what happened when nanotech researcher Daniel Heller of Memorial Sloan Kettering met artist Joseph Cohen at an art gallery showing off his contemporary art. The two collaborated. Joseph creates nanotube-based paints that can be used to test for cancer and diabetes while also creating a new form of visual art. While the nano may seem invisible to the viewer, the reality is not. Chatty luncheon. What do a fashion designer, NASA Johnson Space Center flight director, a judge, a police chief and handwriting expert have in common? On Nov. 4 they will be among the 25 conversationalists at the engaging
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Art of Conversation at the Junior League of Houston to benefit City ArtWorks. Luncheon chairs Magen Pastor and Laura Goodson and board president Joe Gauss announced the honoree, Nancy Marcus Golden, and corporate honoree, Texas Inter-Faith. For tickets contact, call 713-681-1331 or see cityartworks.org. Unforgettable race. During a threeweek trip to Scotland and England, Nancy and Mel Gross visited the holiest of holes for golf at St. Andrews before they joined their Brit friends in the Stewards’ Enclosure at the Henley Royal Regatta. The U.S. Armed Forces and the Bundeswehr German armed forces were vying for the King’s Cup on the 100th-year anniversary. As the rowing crews raced to the finish line, the Brits in the stands stood up and heartily cheered, “Go, U.S.A.! Go, U.S.A.!” repeatedly, making it a reality. The victory is one that Nancy and Mel won’t forget.
MORE ONLINE See Rumor Has It at thebuzzmagazines.com for additional photos. Have some good news to share? Email us at info@thebuzzmagazines.com.
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KIDS
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by Annie Blaylock McQueen, staff writer
Buzz Baby
First Halloween
Buzz Baby is a column about life with little ones. Writer Annie McQueen has three children age 5 and under.
F
rom the traditional (yet always adorable) baby pumpkin costume to creative storebought ensembles like a crawfish, a tiny strongman or a Starbucks cappuccino to simple yet genius creations (like the babe with the power from the movie Labyrinth), my neighbors with babies and toddlers did not disappoint last year for Halloween. Every time the doorbell rings on Halloween night, it is fun to open it and see the little ones all dressed up – and to scroll through all the pictures posted later on social media. You have to give those parents props – it is not always easy to dress up a tiny human in a costume. Older kids are adorable too, but there’s something about a baby in a creative and clever Halloween costume that just makes everyone smile or laugh. It makes for a memorable first Halloween when the parents get into it. One of those Halloween-loving types is Deborah McInnes. Deborah and her husband John have four kids, Mollie, Annie Cate, Forrest and Banks, and they take Halloween seriously. They begin to plan their costumes a year in advance, the day after Halloween each year. In fact, the couple’s shared love of Halloween and anything costume lit a spark when the two started dating. As their family has grown, their love of Halloween has too, and the kids get to experience and share it from birth. It must have been fate when they found out that their second daughter, Annie Cate, was due on Halloween day back in 2013. Naturally, they started planning for their in-hospital Halloween celebration. “We immediately thought about costumes [for the hospital] and did the whole pregnancy,” laughed Deborah. “We didn’t think twice about dressing up in the hospital, it was a natural thing for us.” When you talk to Deborah, you cannot help but smile. She has that type of energy that radiates. While most expectant moms pack for their hospital stay with comfortable robes, nursing bras, and more, Deborah was selecting which Halloween costumes to pack. “It was like mak-
SPOOKY CREW The McInnes family takes Halloween seriously. Deborah and John dress up with their kids, (front, from left) Annie Cate, Mollie, (back row, from left) Forrest and Banks. At right: When daughter Annie Cate was born the day before Halloween in 2013, the family dressed up in the hospital and trick-or-treated with then-toddler Mollie at the nurses’ station.
ing sure we packed our toothbrushes. Halloween is like Christmas for our family,” said Deborah. Annie Cate arrived one day early, on Oct. 30. The couple had opted out of finding out the gender, so when Annie Cate arrived, Deborah was surprised to have a girl. “I was certain she was going to be a boy,” she recalled. Deborah had packed a head-to-toe Raggedy Ann costume for herself and had planned for baby McInnes to dress as Raggedy Andy (if he were a boy). Luckily, the Halloween pro packed some backup gender-neutral costumes: a tiny hot dog costume for baby Annie Cate and a James Coney Island uniform for John. Deborah wore her Raggedy Ann costume and Mollie, a toddler at the time, dressed as a tiny Raggedy Ann. “It was actually one of the more fun Halloweens and absolutely hysterical,” said Deborah. “I walked down the hall with my IV in, just popping out a
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baby less than 12 hours before while Mollie trickor-treated at the nurses’ station.” For Halloween 2018, for their fourth child Banks’s first Halloween, half of the McInnes family dressed as characters from the movie The Greatest Showman. Deborah was the ringmaster, Annie was Anne Wheeler (the trapeze artist), and baby Banks was an elephant. Deborah says as her children have gotten older, they often like to decide on their own costumes – which John and Deborah love, and they get into character with them. In 2018, Forrest wanted to be Peter Pan. “Naturally, John was Captain Hook. Mollie insisted on being something scary, so she went with the Day of the Dead skeleton.” This year’s Halloween costumes for the McInnes family are already mapped out, but the rest of us will have to wait until Oct. 31 for the big reveal.
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TRAVEL
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by Tracy L. Barnett, staff writer
Travel Buzz
Travel with dogs: Thinking outside the crate
P
ets are part of the family, so it’s natural to want to bring them along on trips. That can be a challenge if your dogs are too big to fly in the cabin – and it’s gotten harder recently, as headlines about tragic dog deaths in transit have prompted less permissive policies on the part of most U.S. airlines. We spoke with four Buzz-area dog lovers to scope out some of the alternatives. For Tracy Pesikoff, it’s a no-brainer; she and husband Joshua take their summer road trips to Colorado and their winter trips to Florida as a part of the adventure, with Penelope the standard poodle lounging in the back of their Jeep Grand Cherokee. For Liz and Adam Pulaski, however, time was of the essence, and they decided on a shortcut: a flight aboard Wildcat Touring, a semi-private charter service that allows big dogs like their goldendoodle Charlie to ride in coach. Susan and Wayne Whitney decided to spend a month this summer in Aspen, and hit on an innovative solution: a local dog-walker who was willing to drive their dogs – and their car – to the Aspen airport, and then meet them there when they headed home.
Road-tripping it Tracy Pesikoff has been a standard poodle person as long as she can remember; in fact she can’t remember ever not having one by her side. Oliver, a large black standard poodle, was her faithful companion when she met her future husband, Joshua, and she made it clear the deal was a twofer. “I said, ‘I come with the dog, the dog comes with me,’” she said with a laugh. Sadly, Oliver passed away when Tracy was six months pregnant with her first child, and she ended up giving the name to her son – Jonah Oliver. Shortly after Oliver’s death Elliott came along – another black standard poodle. “When I brought Jonah home I put him on changing table, and Elliott put his paws on the table, licked Jonah and I said, ‘Jonah, meet your new brother.’” Now Jonah has gone off to college, and Elliott, too, passed away after 14 happy years. Elliott’s place was taken by Penelope, a smaller
HIGH-TRAILING IT Lily, Tracy, Penelope, Jonah and Josh Pesikoff (from left) hike Bear Creek Trail in Telluride, Colo., in July 2015.
apricot standard poodle. The Pesikoffs periodically load up the Jeep, plug in some tunes and enjoy the ride. “It’s 20 hours to Colorado, and 10 hours to Florida – and she’s done it so many times, she just lays in the back seat and she’s totally fine,” Tracy said. “I usually try to have a big play day the day before so she’s good and tired. I think she likes listening to our music and hanging out with us.”
The semi-private solution Now that her daughters are gone to college, Liz Pulaski is the main caretaker of the family’s two goldendoodles, Oliver and Charlie, and it’s become more important than ever to take the pups when they head to Aspen, where they have their second home. Liz and husband Adam used to board the dogs. But when they learned of Wildcat Touring, a summer charter service that launched in 2015, they jumped onboard. The Houston-Aspen route is three times a week during the summer, and they allow large dogs in their kennels in the coach. She wasn’t too sure about it the first time she
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tried it. “You’re anticipating that they’re going to bark or get sick or disrupt the flight. But the movement of the plane and the sound of your voice calms them down.” While the one-way fee for bringing a small dog with you is $100, large dogs are charged a $600 handling fee per flight, and you must buy two adjacent people seats to make room for the crate on the floor even if you are traveling alone. Still, for the Pulaskis, who spend a month or more in their Aspen home, it’s a no-brainer. “They were so gracious; it’s like having a baby. But they get you on the plane and get you settled with the dog first. They set up the whole crate for you, and you just come on the plane with the dogs on the leash and you put the dog in the crate.” “It’s a nice service, and they’re so sweet to the dogs,” said Liz.
Personal pet chauffeur Until recently, the Whitneys didn’t vacation in dog-friendly destinations, so they typically relied on their housekeeper to care for (continued on page 44)
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(continued from page 42) their corgi, Maverick, and
their golden retriever, Torch. This year, however, Susan was intrigued when a friend mentioned she’d been hiring her dog walker, Matt Cullen, to drive her dogs to Boston and back. They’d decided to rent a house in Aspen for a month, and didn’t like the idea of leaving their canine companions behind for so long. This seemed like the perfect option, so she reached out to Matt. “He was very responsible; he had the trip all mapped out – I could tell he was very conscientious and a pet lover himself,” said Susan. So they loaded up their Suburban with most of their luggage, the dogs’ toys and bowls, and finally the dogs themselves, and Matt took the helm and set off for Aspen, timing the trip to meet the Whitneys at the airport. They were able to take the car and head straight to their rental house, while Matt flew home and then flew back at the end of the month to make the return trip. The cost of his services and expenses was around $2,100, said Susan. “But it was more than the money; it seemed more comfortable for them and more comfortable for me,” she said. “It’s just fantastic. You can load up the car with whatever you need, and at the end of the trip, it shows up right at the house, and the dogs are comfortable, walked and fed.”
FURRY FRIENDS ON VACAY At left: Liz Pulaski takes a break in the shade with goldendoodle Oliver. At right: McKenna and Maverick Whitney enjoy the morning on the Roaring Fork River in Colorado.
Also available for year-round professional transport is Lone Star Pet Carriage. Created by Daleen Agardy and later joined by husband Bruce, this year-round, cross-country pet transport service employs a computer dispatch
system and TLC. Editor’s note: Buzz travel columnist Tracy L. Barnett is a Lowell Thomas travel journalism award winner and longtime travel and environmental writer.
Tips from the experts Thanks to our travel experts: Lone Star Pet Carriage, BringFido.com, River Oaks Travel, and dog caretaker Matt Cullen. Matt can be reached at matt@buttercupsbuddies.com. Traveling by air Make sure you or your dropoff provider know what size and type of crate they will accept for the proper fit for your pup. Different carriers have different standards. All crates must have a water-bowl feature on the inside. Check with BringFido.com for requirements for the country you’re traveling to. Many countries require vet certificates and proof of vaccinations, and even pet passports. Also, do not give the dog tranquilizers unless you have spoken to a veterinarian about this. Traveling by land Know your pup. If he gets nervous in the car or short rides then he will probably have stress on a longer drive. Many dogs that get nervous have only taken car drives to the vet. A good way to ease this fear is to take them more frequently on fun trips, like to the park or to one of the local pet shops, where they can explore and know they are heading for a good time. Make sure while traveling you have a close handle on their leashes, etc. Use a good restraint harness that can be inserted or attached to the passenger seatbelt. Many companies and pet supply stores carry these. But if your vehicle is big enough and your dog is used to a crate, that’s the best way to go. Have water available at each stop. Some dogs can go longer than others without stopping. As a minimum, stop every couple of hours. Many hotels now are very pet-friendly, with some going as far as customized amenities (hello, pet-sized robes at Belmond Hotel Splendido in Portofino!). Rosewood Las Ventanas al Paraiso even offers pet massages, walks on the beach, and portable pet cabanas for the beach and pool. Residence Inn, Kimpton and many Indigo boutique hotels also allow pets. Check out BringFido.com, whose 250,000-plus database can help you find the right dog-friendly hotel for your needs. Check out where the rest stops are in advance, so you can take full advantage of their typically excellent grounds for a real walk and rest. Traveling by sea Cunard’s Queen Mary 2’s legendary white glove service extends to pets, with a kennel master to pamper pets throughout the cruise in onboard kennels, with outdoor off-leash doggie areas and indoor play spaces where you can visit throughout the day. There are many options for pet friendly ferries between European Union and United Kingdom countries. Find a list of them here: www.pettravel.com/cruise_ferry_rules.cfm Make sure your dog is good on the water. Like humans, some are prone to seasickness. If this is the case, find an alternate form of transportation, or talk to your vet.
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Photo courtesy of the Junior League of Houston
FOOD by Susannah Russell, contributing writer
Cooking Buzz Pumpkin to talk about Cooking Buzz is produced in partnership with the Junior League of Houston, a women’s charitable and education organization founded in 1925.
I
t may not feel much like traditional autumn here in Houston, but signs of fall are around: school, football and, of course, pumpkins. Fall is all about pumpkins. Perfectly painted pumpkins and craggy-toothed jack o’ lanterns dot front steps. Hand-drawn pictures of pumpkins hang from refrigerators. Starbucks slings its iconic pumpkin spice latte. Every bakery has pumpkin sugar cookies, along with pumpkin muffins and pumpkin bread. Pumpkin Spice Oreos, anyone? Pumpkins are the quintessential fall ingredient. They entice our noses and palates with their creamy deliciousness, which pairs well with nutmeg, cinnamon, ginger and cloves. Pumpkins have long been a symbol of family and community. Pumpkins helped the first Pilgrims survive those bitterly cold New England winters. They became an essential ingredient in settler cooking, in stews, mashes and pies. Pumpkins became the symbol of harvest time, symbolizing bonds that preserved the community as winter loomed and everyone pitched in for the greater good. Houston may not see too many of those blustery autumn nights, but that doesn’t mean you can’t create a cozy feeling for your fall gatherings. Incorporating pumpkin is easy with recipes from the Junior League of Houston’s Peace Meals. With Pumpkin Mushroom Soup, Creamy Pumpkin Polenta, and Pumpkin Bread Pudding, you’ll imbue your home with the snuggly, toasty warmth that makes autumn special. The Pumpkin Mushroom Soup has a luxurious blend of flavors, but it’s also satisfying without being too heavy. In less than 30 minutes, you can craft a nutritious and luscious soup that will fill bellies and warm hearts. It is also a good choice for “Meatless Mondays,” if that’s on your fall agenda. The Creamy Pumpkin Polenta delivers rich and nuanced flavor. Whip this up on school nights to entice children to try new flavors and textures. You can also turn to this filling side to satisfy your appetite after a long day. Or, you can serve it at an office potluck or Friendsgiving.
SEASONAL For cozy fall gatherings, turn to pumpkin recipes, such as this Creamy Pumpkin Polenta from Peace Meals.
If you try only one of these recipes, try the Pumpkin Bread Pudding. This comforting yet sophisticated fall dessert is scrumptious, satisfying, and easy to throw together. Instead of Halloween candy, indulge with a warm serving while watching scary movies. Take advantage of how well it travels and serve it at football parties. And you can always create a new family tradition with pumpkin bread pudding at Thanksgiving dinner.
Creamy Pumpkin Polenta From Peace Meals 2½ cups milk 2 cups water or vegetable broth ¾ cup canned pure pumpkin 2 teaspoons coarse salt 1¼ cups instant dry polenta 1 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese ¼ cup mascarpone cheese ¼ teaspoon cinnamon 2 Tablespoons chopped fresh basil ¼ cup freshly shaved Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese Bring the milk and water to a boil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in the pumpkin and salt. Reduce heat to low and gradually whisk in the polenta. Cook for 1 minute or until thickened and remove from heat. Add the grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, mascarpone, cinnamon, and basil, stirring until the cheese melts. The consistency should be thick but creamy. Top with the shaved Parmigiano-Reggiano and serve. Serves 8.
Pumpkin Bread Pudding From Peace Meals 1 loaf brioche or challah bread, cubed 4 eggs 4 cups (1 quart) heavy whipping cream 2 cups sugar 3 cups canned pumpkin purée 1½ teaspoons cinnamon 1½ teaspoons ground allspice
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1½ teaspoons ground ginger ¼ teaspoon salt Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly butter a 9- by 13-inch baking dish and set aside. Place the bread cubes on a rimmed baking sheet and toast until golden brown; set aside. In a large bowl, mix together the eggs, cream, sugar, pumpkin, and spices. Slowly add the bread to the mixture, allowing it to absorb the liquid (do not stir the bread into mush). When the bread is saturated, place the mixture into the prepared baking dish. Cover with foil and bake for 20 minutes. Uncover and bake for 10 to 15 more minutes until crisp and brown. Serves 8.
Pumpkin Mushroom Soup From Peace Meals 4 Tablespoons (½ stick) butter ½ pound cremini (or other) mushrooms, thinly sliced ½ cup chopped onion 2 Tablespoons all-purpose flour 1 Tablespoon curry powder 3 cups chicken broth 15 ounces canned pure pumpkin purée 2 Tablespoons honey Dash of nutmeg 1 teaspoon coarse salt ½ teaspoon freshly ground pepper 2 cups (1 pint) half-and-half Melt the butter in a stockpot over medium heat; add the mushrooms and onions, and sauté for 10 minutes. Stir in the flour and curry; add the broth and stir for 1 minute. Add the pumpkin, honey, and seasonings, and mix well. Stir over medium-high heat until the soup comes to a simmer. Reduce heat and continue to simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the half-and-half and heat through without boiling. Serve immediately. Serves 4.
www.vbaf.com • Family Owned Since 1952
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Julie Soefer
DINING
by Dai Huynh, staff writer
Chef’s Corner
Luis Roger
Find out about your favorite chefs in our Chef’s Corner column. This month, restaurant writer Dai Huynh interviews chef-owner Luis Roger.
T
here is no sous chef at the popular MAD. Instead, there are three kitchen managers. If one gets sick or goes on vacation, the other two keep the kitchens running smoothly. This was one of many lessons BCN and MAD chef-owner Luis Roger learned from star-chef Ferran Adrià at the legendary Michelin 3-star El Bulli in Spain. The then-22-year-old Luis interned at El Bulli from 1996 until 1998. El Bulli closed in 2011. But fast-forward, and Luis and business partner Ignacio Torras have recently opened MAD (4444 Westheimer) in River Oaks District, five years after debuting the critically acclaimed BCN Taste & Tradition (4210 Roseland St.). Here Luis talks about how El Bulli changed the way he cooked and why the iconic paella isn’t on his Spanish-inspired menus, yet. The Guardian newspaper once described El Bulli as "the most imaginative generator of haute cuisine on the planet,” introducing molecular gastronomy to diners and a battalion of chefs – and to you. What was it like, working at Eli Bulli? It was very tough, being at El Bulli. Tough meaning working 16 hour-days without getting paid and, emotionally. They were looking for perfection. There was no room for mistake. Take this grapefruit. If you’re not slicing the grapefruit thin enough, even by one millimeter, you would have to start over. I was young, and I was having fun. But there were many chefs, with more experience, who after one or two months at El Bulli, would break down and cry. People would spend two, three months just slicing calamari until they got it right. I was super lucky. I was able to experience all the stations. It was a wonderful experience. I wished I had stayed longer. But I needed money for gas, and I was sharing an apartment with an American, Chinese and an Armenian. What did you do for food and rent? Ferran provided a place to sleep, lunch and dinner. There were people waiting in line for years to work at Eli Bulli for free. Fifty percent
of what I do, my dishes, my thoughts, are Ferran’s. You can speak to anyone who worked with Ferran. You will never ever be the same again. You worked for free, but in return he shared with you everything. His recipes, his knowledge, his creativity. Is there a dish at MAD inspired by Ferran? The liquid olives. They’re unique, super unique. That’s 100 percent El Bulli. CHEF LUIS ROGER Chef-owner Luis Roger shows off his seafood rice dish in a paelBut the most la pan. At his new restaurant, MAD, a number of rice dishes are cooked over an open important thing is wood fire. not making it but peppers and artichokes when in season, but that’s doing it as good as Ferran. We use Manzanilla it. That is the original recipe. Anything else is olives flown in from Spain. That’s important. called a rice dish. So, at MAD, we have rice dishWe take out the seed, blend it and obtain the es in a paella pan, but we won’t have paella until liquid. Then we put it in an olive mold, freeze it I’m fully confident about doing paella. and dip it in cocoa butter. The frozen liquid With two restaurants, you’re constantly back and doesn’t melt and it is very delicate. forth these days with little downtime. But when you The liquid olive is an amazing starter, an icy sencan, where do you and your wife like to go out and eat? sation and flavor explosion in your mouth, literally. Da Marco (1520 Westheimer). We love the Chef, BCN is a nod to Barcelona. What does pasta with rabbit or with sea urchin there. I also MAD stand for? love the artichoke appetizer. Le Mistral (1400 We started with Barcelona, and now, it’s Eldridge Pkwy.) is another place we love. The Madrid, the capital of Spain. MAD is short for smoked salmon is a favorite, along with the osso Madrid, but you’ll find food from all over Spain bucco; they’re the best. I also love Hugo’s (1600 here. MAD is also about the nightlife of Madrid, Westheimer). What Hugo (Ortega) and Tracy mad and crazy and fun with people on the streets. (Vaught) have done with Xochi (1777 Walker Most people associate paella with Spain. You St.) is really impressive. That’s what we wanted: don’t serve paella at BCN or MAD. a Spanish version of Xochi. Paella is a specific recipe from Valencia. A friend of mine sent me a book on the story of Editor’s note: Buzz dining columnist Dai Huynh paella. It is made with rabbit, fava beans, garlic, is a James Beard food-journalism award winner and saffron, thyme and rosemary. Maybe you might longtime Houston-based restaurant writer. add a little tomato. My friend put in some red
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SPORTS
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by Todd Freed, staff writer
Wayne Donnelly
SportzBuzz W
ith a 28-3 victory over Navasota, it was an impressive start to the football season for the Episcopal Knights. “Navasota is a team with a strong tradition which is also predicted to win its district in UIL Class 4A football, so we feel like it’s a real benchmark win for our team,” said Knights head coach Steve Leisz. “We have a new power-oriented, ball-control offense, and our quarterback Nick Mayberry is doing a great job of keeping everything together.” There’s plenty of power on the Knights’ offensive line, led by 6’5”, 315-pound junior tackle Donovan Jackson. Jackson was named the offensive line MVP at this summer’s “Opener,” a camp and competition featuring the nation’s top high school prospects. Plus, Knights right offensive tackle Cullen Montgomery (6’5”, 320 pounds) is also a nationally ranked prospect. If all that weren’t enough, left guard Luis Chavarria (6’4”, 290 pounds), center Billy Hall (6’3”, 260 pounds) and right guard Jake Giesler (6’4”, 270 pounds) round out a simply dominating offensive line. “We had one recruiting outlet refer to us as ‘Offensive Line U,’” said Leisz. “Not just because of this current crop of players, but also the great players that preceded these guys.” Episcopal product Walker Little, now starting at Stanford University, is rated among the nation’s top collegiate offensive linemen, while Little’s former Episcopal teammate Marvin Wilson is a pre-season All-American for the Florida State Seminoles. Meanwhile, Gio Pancotti, who graduated from Episcopal a year prior to Little and Wilson, is now playing for the University of Houston as a graduate transfer from Texas Tech. Despite a season-opening 28-17 defeat to the rival Strake Jesuit Crusaders, there are plenty of positives moving forward for the St. Thomas Eagles football program. “Our kids played hard and put forth a great effort,” said Eagles head coach Rich McGuire. “That’s a really big program for us to compete against, and I think as the game neared its finish, their front lines just wore us down a bit.” The game marked the first varsity start for Eagles junior Maddox Kopp, who follows in the
IN GOOD HANDS St. Thomas junior Maddox Kopp has stepped into the role as the Eagles’ starting quarterback this season. The strong-armed 6’5” quarterback threw for 230 yards and two touchdowns in his first varsity start against Strake Jesuit.
footsteps of Peyton Matocha. Matocha is now playing for the Miami Hurricanes. “Maddox is a smart and strong armed 6’5” kid who makes good decisions on the field. He threw for 230 yards and two touchdowns in his first varsity start against a tough Strake Jesuit defense.” Up front for the Eagles, McGuire welcomes the return of lineman Cooper Thomas, who had 20 tackles in that Strake Jesuit game and is committed to play college ball at Columbia University. “Cooper is a three-year starter who brings great leadership to our program. He always seems to be improving.” But the strength of the Eagles offense may very well come from a talented crop of receivers, with a foursome of players in Spencer Kryger, Josh Crissmon, Drake Martinez and Cameron Bonner all providing plenty of firepower to the Eagles’ offensive attack. Facing the defending UIL Class 6A state finalists in their season opener, the Bellaire Cardinals more than held their own in a hard fought 56-35 defeat to Beaumont Westbrook. “I don’t know that you’re ever pleased with a loss, but I saw some really good things from our team,” said Cardinals head coach Herb Kunz. “Our kids are more physical than last year. They accepted the challenge and went toe to toe all
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four quarters against a really good team that nearly won the state championship last season.” The Cardinals are led this season by senior quarterback Darius Reed, who is being recruited by several collegiate programs. “Darius has really matured on the field,” said Kunz. “He’s very athletic and makes good decisions.” Another big offensive weapon for the Cardinals is senior wide receiver Willie McCoy, who’s a dual threat as a standout return man on special teams. “Willie is a game changer,” said Kunz. “You put the ball in his hands, and big things happen. He definitely has a chance of playing at the next level.” On the other side of the ball, the Cardinals are led by the return of standout middle linebacker Rodney Dansby. In addition, Kunz said, junior defensive back Walter Truitt and sophomore safety Elijah Costa are among those also making their mark for the Cardinals’ defense. Editor’s note: Todd Freed is the Emmy Awardwinning co-host and producer of the KUBE SportsZone, which airs Saturday and Sunday at 6 p.m. on Channel 57-KUBE. To submit high school sports news for possible inclusion in SportzBuzz, please email todd@thebuzzmagazines.com.
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SPORTS
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by Angie Frederickson, staff writer
SportzBuzz Jr. W
elcome to SportzBuzz Jr., a column spotlighting neighborhood athletes in elementary and middle school.
Champs return home FPR Track’s top athletes (top photo) arrived home at Bush Intercontinental Airport after competing at the 2019 AAU Junior Olympic Games in Greensboro, North Carolina. When they arrived at the games at North Carolina A&T State University, the athletes were among 13,000 others from all over the country. Twenty-seven FPR Track athletes advanced to the Junior Olympics, and seven went on to become All-Americans. In order to qualify for the Olympic Games, athletes competed at the Olympic trials and ranked sixth or higher in the Texas Gulf region. The winners are (top row, from left) Jamie Rivera, Marlene Soto, Olivia Hirst, Ola Jalal, Jasmine Williams, Paris Strange, Margon McCardell and David Kalwahli; (bottom row, from left) Kristina Thompson, Divine Ozzoma, Sarah Akpan, Nate Grant, Kamal Jalal, Christian Bell, Saul Cano, Enmanuel Galdino, Isabel Jakobsen, Sophia Akpan and Miya Greer.
Winning with Arabians St. Cecilia Catholic School sixth grader Ashlyn Koy (middle photo) celebrates with Arabian horse LL Casanova Bey, after winning the U.S. Reserve National Championship in Arabian Hunter Pleasure Walk/Trot, 10 and Under, in Oklahoma City. She has also earned two national championships and six national top-10 finishes. Riding and competing on Arabian horses runs in Ashlyn’s family. Her mother, Gabrielle Sitomer, and her aunts are former competitors, and Ashlyn carries on the tradition. During the school year Ashlyn rides twice a week, and during the summer she spends four days each week at the barn to prepare for competition. She is getting ready to move up to the 13 and Under division, where she will have new skills to master.
National Superchamp Lachlan Buckingham (bottom photo), 12, competed in two weeklong, invitational USTA tennis championships for the top 128 players in the country. During the Clay Court National Championships in Orlando, the Spring Branch Middle School sixth grader defeated top players before ultimately losing in the consolation finals. In Mobile, he battled the 20th-ranked national player and advanced to the consolation semifinals. Lachlan plays in the Boys 12 Superchamp division, which is the top division within the USTA’s Texas section. At home, he plays at Shuon Madden’s Tennis Academy, run by a former Texas A&M tennis player. This year, Lachlan will continue in the Boys 12 age group until December when he advances to the 14 age group. He knows the competition will be older, bigger and stronger, but Lachlan is looking forward to the challenge. 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. TANGLEWOOD/RIVER OAKS BUZZ OCTOBER 2019 52
In the fine neighborhoods of:
Tanglewood, Galleria, River Oaks, Memorial, West University, Rice Military 5050 Westheimer, Suite 200 Houston, TX 77056 713-621-2555 wrigby@weldonrigby.com www.weldonrigby.com
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CULTURAL EXCHANGE Mary Ella Saueressig, an eighth grader at Tanglewood Middle School, traveled to Taiwan with the Houston Children's Chorus. Here she’s pictured (on left) with her friend Victoria.
KIDS by Mary Ella Saueressig, age 13
Buzz Kidz I
Singing in Taiwan
recently traveled to Taiwan with the Houston Children's Chorus, and it is a trip that I know will always be one of the best experiences of my life. The Houston Children's Chorus has around 120 members, and 20 traveled to Taiwan. We visited four cities: Taichung, Kaohsiung, Tainan and Taipei. Our choir was paired with the Starlight organization, which has a kindergarten and elementary school for children in Taiwan. The organization has added their own children's choir, and we sang with them while on our trip. They are probably the nicest people you will ever meet! We performed together at hospitals, schools and a few other places. We had time to sightsee too, and there were many nice sights to see. I realized the importance of knowing that no
matter what you are going through, it is important to still love others because that is what the people of Taiwan showed to us. As part of our partnership with the Starlight Foundation, the Houston Children's Chorus happily hosted the Taiwan choir here in Texas in July after we returned from our visit in June. Children and adult chaperones made the trip from Taiwan to Houston and then headed to Galveston for a week of singing, sightseeing and enjoying friendships. Our choirs really are friends now in every way, and we all hope to have more experiences together in the future. As for the time the Houston Children’s Chorus spent in Taiwan, that week will always be special to me because I made new friends
and explored a country that is very different from our own country. I have come to realize how much smaller the world becomes by traveling to new places near and far. The 31st year of the Houston Children's Chorus will be getting underway this fall. We sing in Houston for many types of functions. Please see houstonchildren.org for upcoming performances. Plan to attend one of our Christmas concerts, as they are very special. Our choir would love to see you there! Want to be a Buzz Kid? Email approximately 350 words, a high-resolution photo and caption to info@thebuzzmagazines.com. Or mail it to The Buzz Magazines, 5001 Bissonnet, Suite 100, Bellaire, Texas 77401.
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Galleria Area
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Money talk with adult children Our client, David, has a problem many people would like to have: He has more money than he can spend during his lifetime. But the problem isn’t what to do with the excess money. That’s been carefully planned out and memorialized in his will and other estate documents. The money will go to his two daughters, so decisions around how much and when are set. So, what’s the problem? It’s that David doesn’t know how to effectively communicate to his daughters his thoughts about money and desires for how they should manage their inheritances. Like many of us, David was raised in a family where money was rarely discussed. As a result, he never developed communication skills on the topic of money. This situation is common among financially successful couples and individuals. They have successfully prepared wills, trusts, and other documents, but the messaging about money is missing. In fact, most of our clients want to share their beliefs and life lessons about money with their adult children. Heartwarmingly, in our experience, children want to hear what their parents have to say. In preparation for the upcoming meeting with his daughters, we helped David organize his thoughts and plan to effectively communicate with them. The more we talked, the more articulate and confident he became. He talked about regretting hoarding money and not enjoying it. He wanted to encourage his daughters not to be prisoners of their money. With coaching and practice, he was able to diplomatically express his concern about his financially irresponsible son-in-law and describe the workaround solution we developed. Not naming his eldest daughter as executor of his estate was another potential sticking point. He gained confidence
about explaining that, too. We recommended that David not treat this meeting with his daughters as an event, but rather as the beginning of an ongoing dialogue. We urged him not to worry about covering all the points. We also encouraged him to not underestimate the “power of the written word” and to consider writing follow up emails and letters to continue the conversation with his daughters. After the meeting with his daughters, David told us, “I blew it.” He was reflecting on the fact that he didn’t bring up most of the points he wanted to make. Nevertheless, he still sounded pleased and relieved. He was pleased that he had started the conversation and also relieved, I think, because he began making his best effort to help “his girls” manage their inheritance well. There’s a lesson in David’s tale. Don’t make the mistake of thinking that your estate plan is complete because wills and other documents are current. You also need to talk with your loved ones. They will cherish hearing your advice and wisdom in connection with the money you give them. It’s the foundation upon which they will make money decisions going forward. Don’t put off this important conversation. James R. Waters, CFP®, PARTNERSINWEALTH, 3400 Bissonnet, Suite 145, Houston, Texas 77005, 713.964.4028, jrw@partnersinwealth.com, PIWTexas.com
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PETS
Neighborhood Tails
sponsored by
713.662.2119 www.roveroaks.com
Homer, age 7, Domestic Shorthair, Timber Lane Hi. My name is Homer, but my family calls me “Kitty.” My story begins in Lawrence, Kansas, where I lived with my first family. Unfortunately, I have a sensitive stomach, and the humans grew tired of cleaning up after me. I ended up at Great Plains Animal Shelter and spent over 400 days there! Through Facebook, my forever family in Houston learned about my lengthy stay at the shelter and agreed to adopt me. My journey from Kansas to Houston was eventful, including a flat tire, a missed flight and an unexpected stay in a hotel. I finally arrived and love my new family and home. I have become a huge Astros fan and watch nearly every game on TV. I am also an avid fan of the Tennis Channel and of watching the squirrels and lizards in my backyard. As another famous Kansan once said, “There’s no place like home!” Got a cute critter? Email a picture of your pet with approximately 150 words to info@thebuzzmagazines.com or mail it to The Buzz Magazines, 5001 Bissonnet, Suite 100, Bellaire, Texas 77401. Featured pets receive two passes to Rover Oaks Pet Resort. Each pass can be redeemed for one day of lodging in a Bunk House Suite, 25 percent off your next grooming appointment or 25 percent off one obedience training class.
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Celebrate Family With the holidays approaching, now is the time to reserve your portrait session. Mention The Buzz and receive 50% off your studio session. Ask about our other holiday specials. Offer valid through October 31, 2019
A Portrait Remembers 713.523.4916 nikky@lawellphoto.com www.lawellphoto.com
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Two quick pathways to allergy relief Allergy shots are unique in that they make you less allergic to the pollen, dust mites, mold and/or animal dander you’re allergic to. They do this by helping your body to switch from an “allergic” response, to more of a “tolerance” response. In essence, your body no longer tries to fight off the allergens; instead, it learns how to ignore them. We have to start shots at a safe dose because you’re allergic, but the shots don’t help until you reach a high dose. After we finish building up your dose, you take a “maintenance dose,” usually once a month. Since 1995, The Allergy Clinic has safely performed Rush on over 3,000 patients. This one-day procedure provides very rapid desensitization, getting you to that highest dose, or at least 90 percent of the way, in one eight-hour day, providing quicker relief of symptoms. Rush is a great procedure for those with busy schedules who would find it difficult to come in at least once a week for up to six months, which is what is typically required with more traditional methods of building to the high or “maintenance dose.” But what if you can’t spend the entire day in our office? Or what if you can only come on Saturday mornings? Cluster is also a great option, and is almost as fast as Rush. With Cluster, we essentially do a series of “minirush;” that is, we give a set of allergy shots, observe the patient, then give another set of allergy shots, again observe the patient, and then give a final set of allergy shots for that day. So you spend 1.5 or 2 hours in our office, once or twice a week, for a total of 8 or 9 visits before you reach your maintenance dose. With Rush, we have patients take several medications for three days
beforehand to reduce the chance of severe allergic reactions. With Cluster, you only premedicate with antihistamines. That’s because your immune system has at least 36 hours to process the previous set of shots, so the risk of having allergic reactions to the shots is less. All insurance companies, excluding Medicare, cover Rush and Cluster, but there are some limitations. For instance, Humana will only cover it if we desensitize the patient to stinging insects, or to drugs (e.g., penicillin); however, Humana excludes coverage for the Rush or Cluster if it is done for airborne allergens, such as ragweed or dust mites. Rapid allergy desensitization procedures such as Rush or Cluster are safe, effective options that are covered well by insurance companies and get your dose of shots where you receive relief much more quickly. No one nose allergies like we do.™ Note: Information contained in this article should not be considered a substitute for consultation with a board-certified allergist to address individual medical needs. Alnoor A. Malick, M.D., The Allergy Clinic, 7707 Fannin, Suite 100, Houston, Texas 77054, 713.797.0993, *1200 Binz, Suite 180, Houston, Texas 77004, 713.522.9911, www.allergyclinic.com, *Operating as Houston Allergy and Asthma Clinic
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Ask your child better questions
Can your child support increase?
Imagine you are finally home after a long day’s work. You collapse on the couch, ready to decompress, when suddenly your boss appears and asks you to summarize your accomplishments. This can be what it’s like for our children when they are greeted with the question, “How was your day?” Parents ask this question to convey interest and care for their child, but it sometimes has the opposite effect. Rather than asking them to recite a list of activities as soon as you’re together, give your students the opportunity to relax. You’ll end up hearing more about how their day went, and they’ll be ready to tackle their homework and other activities! Some suggestions to get them to share: Express happiness to see them and that you hope they had a great day. If they want to share, they will. If they don’t, don’t force the conversation. Supply an opportunity to recharge. For children, this usually means playing outside, having a snack, or taking a pet on a walk. Ask open-ended questions during or after the activity. You’ll almost always get an answer to “Did any of your classmates do anything funny today?” or “Tell me about your favorite part of recess.” Use their answer as a springboard to more conversation. With these tools, you’ll learn more about your children while allowing them to recharge their bodies and minds. The Saint Constantine School offers pre-kindergarten through high school education for virtue, wisdom, and joy. The Saint Constantine School, 6000 Dale Carnegie Lane, Houston Texas 77036, info@saintconstantine.org, www.saintconstantine.org
As of Sept. 1, 2019, you may have the opportunity to increase the amount of child support you may receive from your spouse for your child(ren). The Office of the Attorney General for the State of Texas has changed the law which in effect will raise the amount of maximum child support under the Texas Child Support Guidelines from $1,710 per month to $1,840 per month for one child. The Texas Legislature has the ability to increase the amount every six years with the last increase being Sept. 1, 2013, so if you have not had your child support reviewed in a while, it may be beneficial to do so. Consulting with a family lawyer about whether pursuing an increase based on this new law will provide helpful guidance for a course of action. Many times when a new law goes into effect increasing child support, the parties can come to an agreement without court intervention, which decreases the cost and time involved. You could also discuss any other factors that might allow you to obtain above-guideline child support, such as a parent not taking his/her periods of possession or any unusual/special costs for your child. K. Nicole Voyles is a partner at Tindall England PC, a family-law firm specializing in divorce, child-custody modifications, grandparent access, paternity, adoption and premarital and postmarital agreements. K. Nicole Voyles has been recognized as a Super Lawyer by Texas Super Lawyers 2014-18. Tindall England PC, K. Nicole Voyles, Partner, Board Certified in Family Law, 515 Post Oak Blvd., Suite 500, Houston, Texas 77027, 713.622.8733, www.tindallengland.com
Create a buzz for your biz. BELLAIRE MEMORIAL RIVER OAKS TANGLEWOOD WEST UNIVERSITY Est. 2002. Mailed to 58,000 homes monthly. To advertise in The Buzz Magazines, contact us at 713.668.4157, ext. 11 or advertising@thebuzzmagazines.com TANGLEWOOD/RIVER OAKS BUZZ OCTOBER 2019 58
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But I just have a simple estate! If estate planning is hard, it’s with the hope of making probate easier on death or disability. Once upon a time, either one required a lawyer and court orders to manage or transfer every. single. asset. Make a will, you’re done, and the judge does the rest. Planning was easy, but administration of a decedent’s or ward’s estate was expensive. Nonprobate transfers and powers of attorney can avoid court for many assets on death and all assets on disability. Complete plans now include a will (sorry, probate on death is seldom avoided altogether), powers of attorney, and beneficiary designations. Family does more, the court does less, planning is harder, but probate is less expensive. What makes planning harder now? Instead of one will per estate, we now add one beneficiary (primary) and maybe a second beneficiary (contingent) per account. Your lawyer should provide instructions, which may differ among assets (qualified plans vs. after-tax accounts) and estates (taxable vs. non-taxable). For example, the spouse is often the best primary beneficiary for an IRA, but the trustee under your will may be the best primary or at least contingent beneficiary for other assets. Complicated, huh? And that’s just death. No one reads the will or beneficiary designation until you die. What if you don’t die? If you live long enough, you will be disabled, and family or friends will need your business power of attorney to manage assets without court supervision. Because people are rotten, powers of attorney are viewed suspiciously by banks and brokers, especially when your agent brings it in without your per-
mission, which you can’t give if you’re already disabled. To ensure acceptance, submit your powers of attorney to each custodian well before disability. Some will reject your form and require you to sign theirs instead. Others require an indemnity agreement signed by the principal (you) and agents (your family or friends). If you just sign a will, declare victory, and throw it in a drawer, expect an expensive mess later. Anymore, no one gets out of probate one will at a time, they get out one will per estate plus one beneficiary designation and maybe one power of attorney per asset. I now give my clients asset-byasset and account-by-account suggestions regarding title, beneficiary designations, and powers of attorney, and ask them to update and organize all within 12 months of signing new wills and powers of attorney. 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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NEIGHBORS
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by Jordan Magaziner Steinfeld, staff writer
Buzz About Town
Some members of the award-winning Lamar High School Rangerettes took time for a group photo after their first half-time performance of the 2019-20 football season, Lamar vs. Westfield at George Stadium. Pictured are (from left) senior Mary Ferris, senior Samantha Maldonado, junior Amanda Zavala, senior Kendall Pierson and junior Theophane Polydoros.
Steel magnolia moms Twelve local moms of children with special needs are training and raising funds for the
Ragnar Relay – 200 miles from San Francisco to Napa Valley – Oct. 25-26. Each runner on the Super Steel Magnolia Team is raising $3,000 for Steel Magnolia Moms, which started in the Memorial area and hosts wellness workshops, retreats, socials and educational seminars. It encourages moms to take a break, have fun and connect outside of motherhood to maintain a healthy lifestyle. See steelmagnoliamoms.com. Pictured are (back row, from left) Nikki Thomason, Dahlia Brown, Kelly Scoggins, Dawn Kemp, Shana Halvorsen; (front row, from left) Liz Maberry, Shannon Essex, Marla Grace, Elizabeth Elder, Evelyn Nordin, Laura Ryan and Kate Peden. They all say they’re not runners, but they’re committed and inspired by their children. To donate, see crowdrise.com/o/en/campaign/steel-magnoliamoms-run-ragnar-relay1.
this marks Stefani and Lori’s third year co-chairing. In The Flight Portfolio, Orringer takes readers to 1940 when Varian Fry traveled to Marseille with a list of artists and writers he hoped to help escape, including Hannah Arendt, Max Ernst, Marcel Duchamp and Marc Chagall. He worked to obtain false documents and funds and coordinate journeys. Contact Andrea Wolfe at awolfe@erjcchouston.org or see erjcchouston.org/bookfestival. Book clubs get special perks.
Back-to-school supplies Haylie Lehtovaara
Becky Zavala
Lamar love
Community read The Ann and Stephen Kaufman Jewish Book & Arts Festival’s 2019 Community Read event Nov. 4 will feature Julie Orringer’s The Flight Portfolio. Co-chairs (pictured, from left) Stefani Twyford and Lori Farris selected the historical-fiction novel;
More than 100 volunteers from The Junior League of Houston gathered to assist more than 100 kids with back-to-school shopping at the Target Central Center for the annual Childspree event benefiting Child Advocates, Inc. Volunteers served as personal shoppers to help the children, who are in foster care, select back-to-school clothing and accompanied them and their guardians to an in-store breakfast gathering. Kids also received backpacks filled to the brim with school supplies to help set them up for success. Pictured are (from left) volunteers Courtney Durham, Melissa Matsu, Jayne Johnston, Alicia Lee and Mary Lee Wilkens.
Hook ’em A group of moms bonded over the years as their sons – Michael Colucci, Caleb Pratt, Jack Dramberger, Michael Revis, Ethan Craft and Ian Ragiel – all attended (continued on page 62) TANGLEWOOD/RIVER OAKS BUZZ OCTOBER 2019 60
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Jenny Antill
School together and, later, high school at Strake Jesuit College Preparatory. The moms couldn’t believe it when all of the boys decided to attend The University of Texas at Austin and even ended up in the same dorm. As the boys retained their friendships, the moms did too, traveling together at times and participating in a book club, and now they keep in touch through a group text they refer to as the Longhorn Mamas. They also cheer on the Longhorns together, rooting for UT at games in Austin or watching together on TV in Houston. Pictured at a sports bar (from left) are Cissi Colucci, Andrew Hayes, Carmen Pratt, Melissa Dramberger, Kathy Revis, Reagan Pratt, Norm Rivas, John Dramberger, Karen Craft, John Allis, Andrea Quinn and Bonnie Horton; not pictured: Leah Ragiel.
Let the good times roll Friends (pictured, from left) Anne Richardson, Guity Kashani, Paula Robinson, Glenda Shine, Jonnie Steffek, Beth Dow, Pam Springer, Hershey Grace, Sylvia Forsythe, Carolyn Faulk, Terri Agres, Tori Decora and Leslie Denby had a rockin’ time at the Rolling Stones concert at NRG this summer. They lis-
tened to the legendary rock band while hanging together in Anne and Chris Richardson’s suite. Paula said the Stones “still have it” and that their group was on their feet, dancing the entire show. Search "Rolling with the Stones" by Karen Vine Fuller at thebuzzmagazines.com for more Buzz residents' memories of the Stones and experiences at the concert.
Grand finale The Houston Alumnae Chapter of Kappa Alpha Theta will host the 2019 Theta Charity Antiques Show at the George R. Brown Convention Center, Nov. 21-24. This year’s weekend-long event will be the show’s grand finale – a celebration of the exhibitors, speakers, volunteers and patrons who have made the event possible since its inception in 1952. Over the years, nearly $8 million has been raised for local charities. The 2019 show, bringing together top exhibitors, designs, collectors and admirers of fine arts and décor, will be presented by co-chairs (pictured, from left) Courtney Hill Fertitta, Jennifer Donovan O’Donnell and Giggy Martin Thanheiser. The lineup of speakers includes design experts Steve and Brooke Giannetti, Alexa Hampton, Thomas Jayne, Charlotte Moss, Thomas O’Brien and Margot
Shaw. Funds raised will support the show’s four permanent beneficiaries: Bayou Bend Collection and Gardens/The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston; Child Advocates; Kappa Alpha Theta Foundation; and Texas Children’s Cancer & Hematology Center. Additionally, seven local charities have been selected to receive philanthropic support from the 2019 event: Amazing Place; Bo’s Place; Camp for All; Holly Hall; Nick Finnegan Counseling Center; The Rise School; and The Rose. The event kicks off with a preview party on Nov. 21, 7 p.m., and opens to the public 10 a.m.-6 p.m., Nov. 22-23 and 12 p.m.-6 p.m., Nov. 24. See thetacharityantiquesshow.org.
Holiday Happening Alexander’s Fine Portrait Design
(continued from page 60) Annunciation Orthodox
Houston Junior Woman’s Club will hold its 36th annual Holiday Happening fundraising luncheon and style show Nov. 4. Doors will open at 10 a.m. at the Omni Houston Hotel, where guests can shop for handmade holiday gifts and gift baskets prior to the luncheon. Julie Roberts will be honored. Funds raised will benefit the Bayou Bend Collection and Gardens of the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, Ronald McDonald House (continued on page 64) TANGLEWOOD/RIVER OAKS BUZZ OCTOBER 2019 62
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Texas Children’s Cancer Center at Texas Children’s Hospital, and other local children’s charities. Pictured are 2019 Holiday Happening chairs (from left) Nancy Bond and Paula Morris. See houstonjuniorwomansclub.org.
Bell, CQY Denim and Mignonne Gavigan. WOW is Houston’s largest all-female young professionals group, with more than 200 ladies. Pictured at the soiree are (from left) Amanda Boffone, Daniella Rodriguez, Hunter Bell, Julie Longoria Chen and Courtney Campo.
Successful soiree
Lunch success
Dress for Success Houston (DFSH) and Women of Wardrobe (WOW) celebrated the 16th anniversary of the annual Summer Soiree at Tootsies. More than 300 women enjoyed an evening of fashion, food and shopping, raising $22,000 for DFSH as it celebrates its 21st anniversary of serving more than 43,500 Houston-area women. Event chairs were WOW members Amanda Boffone, current WOW president Courtney Campo, Julie Longoria Chen and Daniella Rodriguez. Emceeing was KHOU anchor Mia Gradney, WOW’s cofounder. Featured designers included Hunter
Approximately 120 gathered to pack 5,075 lunches for Kids’ Meals at Congregation Emanu El. The age of the volunteers ranged from 5 to 88 years old. The effort was to celebrate the 12year partnership between Congregation Emanu El and Kids' Meals, as well as the 75th anniversary of the synagogue. There were lots of kids helping out, including nearly 50 St. John’s School students plus students from The Shlenker School, DeBakey High School for Health Professions and Becker School. Pictured are (from left) Kids’ Meals executive director Beth Harp, Helaine Wayne Lane, project chair
Julie Price, Rabbi Emeritus Roy Walter, Carol and Barry Goodfriend, who together head up the monthly Congregation Emanu El/Kids’ Meal program and Congregation Emanu El president Rodney Roth. Be seen in Buzz About Town. Send your high-res photos and community news to info@thebuzzmagazines.com. Items are published on a space-available basis. Also share your upcoming-event listings on thebuzzmagazines.com. Daniel Ortiz
(continued from page 62) Houston,
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NEIGHBORS
by Andria Frankfort, staff writer
Back Porch Y
Halloween-candy faves
ears ago, when I first started writing for The Buzz, I was visiting with some friends, telling them about what I was doing. I stumbled around for a minute until Peta Rubenstein, a friend who already knew the story, chimed in and said, “She writes stories like What’s Your Favorite Halloween Candy and Why.” Since then, when people ask what I write about, I tell them it’s a lot of What’s Your Favorite Halloween Candy and Why, meaning it’s mostly for fun. But after all that time, I never actually have written about Halloween candy. So I thought we should talk about that, and give Halloween candy the day in The Buzz it deserves. Come to find out, we’re opinionated when it comes to our treats. And we’re also opinionated about healthy treats: Nobody wants them (okay, one person wanted them). What do we want? Read on! “Candy corn because it’s only available around Halloween. I loved teaching my kids how to put them on their front teeth like vampire fangs. And no healthy treats!” – Linda Elmer “Maybe a Butterfinger, Almond Joy or M&Ms. I am not giving out healthy treats, but one year I gave out candy and a finger light. They were a hit.” – Wendy Gold “No healthy treats! Sorting and trading the goodies – some of my best memories.” – Lisa Sheinbaum “No question: Mini SweetTart rolls! But my favorite candy to hate are those peanut-shaped, tangerine-colored soft candies. Gross! As a kid my brother would steal my Hershey’s and leave me with those disgusting tangerine candies. I actually just bought a pair of workout sneakers that look exactly like the candy, just for the memory!” – Anita Gaylor “All-time favorite was the little Vita Fresh Orange Juice cups that are plastic and have foil across the top. The owners lived across the street from us. We used to change our costumes three and four times to go back over and over again to get more little cups of orange juice. Second best were the wax harmonicas that we could eat.” – Tevia McLaren “Halloween is all about Satan, which means I go out and buy the mixed bag of candy that is
full of Baby Ruths. I eat them all, hand out the rest and screw the healthy!” – Catharine Faulconer “Brach’s Pumpkins! Always a happy day when I see them in the store. I shared this love with a childhood best friend and would mail her a bag as a special birthday surprise in February.” – Joan Stedman “My grandfather had a candy company in San Francisco. When he sold it, he put the money in an educational trust for my two brothers and me. It’s how I got to go to private school and university. Needless to say, I am a fan of candy. My personal favorites are SPOOKY Kids and grownups alike get swept up in the Halloween candy craze. little Snickers and with death threats from my family.” – J.J. Spedale Peanut M&M’s.” – Peggy Haney “Well of course it’s Reese’s peanut butter cups “Rice Krispies treats are my fave because they because what could possibly be better than that! remind me of my childhood when we would run Chocolate and peanut butter – two of my around the cul-de-sacs and knew all the neighfavorite foods!” – Tara Mize bors and who gave out the warm, homemade “A favorite question! Heath Bars and Dots. Rice Krispies treats.” – Heather Herrold Who wants healthy on Halloween when you “We buy glow stick neon necklaces for good can do that every other day of the year?” – friends and neighbors and give them with candy. Bridget Wade Someone used to give quarters years ago, which “Healthy? Are you kidding? Some things are my boys really liked!” – Ana Schick sacred.” – Denise Rashti “That’s easy: Baby Ruth, because it has “Huge popcorn balls were the coveted treat peanuts. Mark votes for candy corn pumpkins: in the 1950s in my hometown, Amarillo. I make ‘It’s a sphere of sugar. What’s better than that?’ them annually with orange and black gum drops Kevin likes candy corns. Apparently these two inside. Every child should go to bed with chocomen are related!” – Barbara Trautner late smeared on their face and sugar beads “I have passed out healthier options like popbetween the sheets!” – Nancy Beck corn or granola bars, but I don’t think they go over well.” – Stuart Hudson “Those tiny, bite-sized chocolate bars unleash For Nancy Beck’s popcorn ball recipe, click on the chocoholic in me with a vengeance. I have “Back Porch Table” at thebuzzmagazines.com. tried floating the idea of healthy treats but was met
TANGLEWOOD/RIVER OAKS BUZZ OCTOBER 2019 66
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