Class of 2020
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Beckett Vine
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What Does Everybody Miss?
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EDITOR’S NOTE Every June, I love our annual “Where Are They Headed?” article highlighting Buzz-area high school seniors. But no one could have predicted their final semester would be spent social distancing. No prom night tales to talk about, no walking across the stage to receive their diploma, no participating in the “I can’t wait ’til my senior-year” traditions. I know seniors are disappointed and ready to move on and out, but for some headed to college, the fall semester may be delayed or online. Seniors, we hear you, and you are not alone. In fact, in this month’s Back Porch column, writer Andria Frankfort asks residents: What is the first thing they want to do when we get the all-clear? I, for one, can’t wait to hug my mom, right after I get my roots done and stop for a quick mani-pedi. Someday, though, I suspect we all might long for those quality family quarantine conversations, long walks and bike rides. For right now, let’s raise a glass to the one-and-only Class of 2020. It might not be the graduation year you planned for, but it’s one we all will remember. Congratulations, Class of 2020. joni@thebuzzmagazines.com
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Joni Hoffman Michael Hoffman Cheryl Laird Jordan Magaziner Steinfeld Pooja Salhotra John Duboise Tracy L. Barnett Deborah Lynn Blumberg Sharon Albert Brier Cindy Burnett Andria Frankfort Angie Frederickson Todd Freed Cindy Gabriel Cathy Gordon Michelle Groogan Dai Huynh Annie Blaylock McQueen Jennifer Oakley Cheryl Ursin Russell Weil JeNeika Smith Boone Andrea Blitzer, Leslie Little Jo Rogers
On our cover: St. John’s School graduating senior Beckett Vine will play baseball at Pepperdine University. Cover photo by Nikky LaWell, lawellphoto.com The Buzz Magazines has made all reasonable attempts to verify the accuracy of all information contained within. Advertising claims are solely the responsibility of the advertiser. Copyright © 2020 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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Your letters, thoughts, opinions A happy Mandy Thank you so much, Pooja, for the wonderful article [Mandy’s Miracle: A one-in-5.7 million heart, by Pooja Salhotra, May 2020] and for the opportunity to get to know you. Now I know why David [Nathan] bragged about you so much as the editor of the St. John's Review! You have such talent, and I can't wait to see what you do after completing J-School at NYU. And thank you, Joni and Michael, for your interest in my story, your willingness to share it with the Bellaire community that provided me so much support, and your friendship for almost 20 years. Time really does fly! I loved your editor's note about the beginnings of The Buzz. The Buzz really has become such an integral part of Bellaire and I'm sure each of the other communities to which it goes, so thank you on behalf of all of them. Mandy Nathan
They loved the love story Such a delight having our children's story in April's Bellaire Buzz [Meant to Be: From high school to forever, by Pooja Salhotra]. We are so happy about the engagement of Holli and Matt and look forward to their future. And with our current situation and many, many walks that we are taking, it's been wonderful being stopped along the way, getting congratulations for us and hearing how many people enjoyed their Meant to Be article. Mindy Wertheimer and Cindy Abrahams
Trying out those recipes I want to thank you for Andria Frankfort's Back Porch Table column. I always consult it for recipes to try out at home. I recently tried the pot roast recipe, which has now become my new favorite way to make pot roast. My whole family loved it. Making it was a breeze; it was so easy and low maintenance. We have now bought the ingredients to make the Salted Chocolate Chunk Shortbread Cookies, also featured in the column, which I am sure will be just as delicious as the pot roast. Carol Thomas Editor’s note: Andria Frankfort’s Back Porch Table column is an online exclusive at thebuzzmagazines.com. For the recipes Carol mentions, search “Perfect Fall Pot Roast” and “Stress Baking.”
Gift of a garden I was so pleased to read the very fine article on The Susan Garver Family Discovery Garden at Houston Botanic Garden (HBG) [The Garden That Came to Be: Honoring Susan Garver’s life and loves, by Pooja Salhotra, May 2020]. Not only was the piece well written and complete, but it was also very timely as HBG is moving forward to its fall opening. I have been blessed to have been on the board of HBG and am continually amazed at the generous spirit of Houstonians, working for the betterment of the city, and in this case, to create needed greenspace as our city becomes more and more dense. This civic generosity, perfectly exemplified by the Garver family, is what keeps our city such an amazing place to live, WEST UNIVERSITY BUZZ JUNE 2020 6
a place that is actually improving as it matures. And HBG, with its 132 acres of diverse topography, will be part of the improvement. Thanks to the family, the Garver Gardens are planted and ready to charm and teach. And thanks to the continued generosity of Houstonians, Houston Botanic Garden will continue to grow and become greenspace for learning and celebration, a jewel in Houston’s crown. Gail Wandel Hendryx
Fan of the sweater story Thank you, Cindy, for the really cute article about your Astros sweater [Ode to an Astros Sweater: With a bit of a Nationals perspective, by Cindy Gabriel, April 2020]. I really enjoyed it and appreciate receiving your magazine in the mail. Rebecca Delity
Another Cindy fan Your writing is enchanting. Brisk, funny and filled with enviable wisdom and your and his [Stan-the-Man’s] abilities to expand that love and/or regard to everything about and everyone in Stan's family! Ione Weisberg Moran 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 special back-to-school traditions. • Know a Buzzworthy neighbor to profile. • Play a musical instrument and would like to be part of our new “Name That Tune” video series on Facebook. • Have an interesting hobby. • Have funny or unique 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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NEIGHBORS by Deborah Lynn Blumberg, staff writer
Annie Mulligan
Backyard Wedding Hurricane-to-pandemic love
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n Amanda Sorena’s backyard, guests in formal wear and masks spaced six feet apart cheered as Kaitlin Johnson and Matthew Truelove said, “I do.” It wasn’t the big church wedding surrounded by hundreds of family members and friends that Amanda had pictured for her younger sister. The coronavirus put those plans on hold. But the backyard wedding in Meyerland was a fitting spot for Kaitlin and Matthew to wed after they met at Sorena’s house three years ago in the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey. “Getting the two of them married was the most important thing,” says Amanda, who has worked in event planning and organized the wedding. “The big party and celebration can always come later.” Kaitlin and Matthew planned to get married on May 2 at Magnolia Bells in Magnolia. Wedding invitation RSVPs were supposed to arrive just as concerns about the coronavirus in the United States began to escalate. “When major moments in our life happen, the world seems to be imploding,” says Kaitlin, who works as a medical assistant. In the weeks leading up to the wedding, Amanda tidied up her backyard, planted flowers, ordered a flower arch for the ceremony and a silver and gold balloon arch for her driveway. She bought a cake from a local bakery, borrowed tables and tablecloths, and reached out to Westbury resident and freelance photographer Annie Mulligan to photograph the event from a distance. Neighbors lent vases to decorate the tables. “We kept it simple,” Amanda says. Amanda and Kaitlin’s parents, Richard and Karen Johnson; the groom’s parents, Brian and Dana Truelove; the groom’s brother and wife, James and Annabelle Truelove; and Amanda’s husband, Joe, and their three children – Sophia, 10, Michael, 7, and Angelina, 7 – also attended the ceremony. Joe decided to get ordained online so he could officiate. “We've been in such dark times,” Kaitlin says, “that I think it was an escape for people, something happy that they could focus on.” With stores shuttered, not all of the bridesmaid and flower girl dresses were ready. Amanda WEST UNIVERSITY BUZZ JUNE 2020 8
TRUE LOVE When the quarantine dashed plans, Amanda Sorena pulled off a backyard wedding for her sister, Kaitlin. From left: Karen and Richard Johnson; Amanda and Joseph Sorena with children Sophia, Michael and Angelina; bride and groom Matthew and Kaitlin Truelove; Dana and Brian Truelove; and Annabelle and James Truelove.
instead chose formal wear from her closet. Kaitlin bought a new dress from local designer and Project Runway winner Chloe Dao. Karen Johnson sewed masks for guests that served as practical party favors, and along with Matthew’s mother, read scripture during the ceremony. The family streamed the wedding on Facebook Live, where more than 200 people tuned in. They also set up a Zoom meeting so that friends and family could watch together. Afterwards, the 11 guests ate wedding cake, and the adults toasted with champagne. Family groups each sat separately at their own table. Amanda’s daughters lined up to catch the bouquet. Then, Kaitlin and Matthew strolled out front to meet several dozen friends, family members and co-workers who arrived for a drive-by reception. “It may not have been what we planned, but the ceremony had so much significance,” Kaitlin says. “It was amazing.” Adds Amanda, “the day felt organic, and stripped down to what really matters.” Kaitlin and Matthew first met in August 2016 when Matthew helped remediate Amanda’s house days after it flooded during Hurricane Harvey. Amanda was impressed with Matthew Truelove from the start. “He was a guy who showed up for a stranger,” she says. “His name being Truelove was icing on the cake.”
Kaitlin says, “Amanda called me and told me I needed to put mascara on and come over. There were a lot of guys at her house. Matthew was the first one I talked to.” After meeting, Kaitlin tracked down Matthew online. For their first date, they went to a showing of Murder on the Orient Express. Two years later, Matthew proposed to her on Labor Day weekend at her parents’ home in Bellaire before more than a dozen family members. Her parents provided the cover story – they wanted to invite his family over for a barbecue. When Matthew rang the doorbell that day, he held Kaitlin’s dog, dressed in a tuxedo, and with the engagement ring attached to the collar. At the backyard wedding during the drive-by reception, from their cars, friends in masks waved and shouted their congratulations to the newlyweds. One of Kaitlin’s co-workers tossed rose petals at the couple from their car window. “To me, this felt as special as any wedding ceremony I’ve been to,” Amanda says. “If they can roll with all of this and figure out how to make joy in challenging times, their marriage is already off to a great start.”
MORE ONLINE See this story at thebuzzmagazines.com for more photos.
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NEIGHBORS by Andria Frankfort, staff writer
Come Together, Right Now Friends, open mic and The Beatles
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ust south of downtown, in an unassuming strip center, an incongruous group gathers each Wednesday for Beatles Open Mic Night, among them a former Enron employee, an ER doctor, a 19 year old from Sealy, a pothead, an investment advisor and a retired orthodontist. They all come to Bohemeo's Café to claim their moment on stage and play to the crowd. The only caveat is, “Beatles songs only! Don’t even try to sneak in some Monkees.” For the past several years, college fraternity brothers Jack Selber and David Wadler have been regulars. Jack, an investment advisor, remembers playing with David in their band The One Way Street at Tulane. “We came up with the name when we [and two other band members] were in the car, and our friend pointed to a one-way sign. He said, ‘That’s the name.’ I still have the business cards for it.” The One Way Street played fraternity parties, and they even played a few times on Bourbon Street. During that time, Jack met his wife Phyllis, and David, now a retired orthodontist, met his wife Dede (Phyllis and Dede were sorority sisters). “Then Phyllis and I spent a few years in Shreveport, and David and Dede came here, and I didn’t touch a guitar for years.” But that changed several years ago, when Jack took up playing again. “One thing led to another,” he says, “and I found this little restaurant and Beatles Open Mic Night. David and I started playing together, and it’s become one of the highlights of the week. You just escape from everything and focus on playing your guitar. “Being at Bohemeo's is like being at Cheers,” Jack says. “It’s one of those places that you couldn’t plan, but has kind of grown into a little community. Some people come for a while and then you don’t see them, a couple of bands started there, two people got married. We got invited to the wedding in Crosby. David and I say you could make a TV show out of it. It’s all kinds of people who don’t have anything in common except they like Beatles music. The Beatles are the uniter.” “I remember Jack and I would be sitting in the fraternity house playing those Beatles songs,” David says. “When we got out, I kept playing WEST UNIVERSITY BUZZ JUNE 2020 10
through dental school and residency in ’73, and I started playing with the band Midlife Crisis and the Hot Flashes in ’81. But when Jack started playing again, and he found this open mic night, we started going. Only problem was we couldn’t sing. We found this one girl, but she was kind of a diva. So we said, ‘The hell with her!’ and took some basic lessons.” “Fortunately, we THE LONG WINDING ROAD Top: Jack Selber and David Wadler didn't let a found out nobody pandemic stop them from participating in Beatles Open Mic Night. They brought the really cares that we music to David's backyard and played live with a Facebook group. Bottom: David and Jack played in a band together at Tulane decades ago. Now they play at Bohemeo's can’t sing,” Jack Beatles Open Mic Night. says. David says. “It’s more fun to be with everyone and When Houston shut down for coronavirus, so be on stage, plus I prefer electric guitar over did Bohemeo's. But two weeks later, the group acoustic, but there’s something fun about this, too.” gathered again over Zoom, then Facebook Live. At Bohemeo's, Jack says the pair sometimes “Jason hosts it,” David says. “I forget what he breaks the Beatles-only rule. “David and I wrote does, something to do with media. But he gets this song while we were in college,” he says. “We everyone together.” had like a verse and a half, and last year we “The first time, I was like, ‘Man, this is really wrote the rest. It sounds kind of like it could be weird,’” Jack says. “But now we have a setup. from that time, so we just tell people somebody Nobody’s had haircuts, people are unshaven. found it, and it was never released or recorded. We’ve been cooped up for a while.” It’s our little joke.” During time at home, Jack and David began Jack says playing with David is “kind of a legameeting at David’s house every Wednesday. “We cy from a long time ago.” sit apart,” Jack says, “and we have the best time. It’s a treasured legacy. David says, “The only Neither one of us sees our grandchildren that much time we don’t go is if we’re out of town. Or if right now, so this creates an outlet we wouldn’t oththere’s a pandemic.” erwise have. Nobody sounds great, because you’re speaking into the mic of a computer. At Bohemeo's Editor’s note: Follow @TheBuzzMagazines on we have a stage and mic and amps and speakers. Facebook to see David Wadler and Jack Selber in an But on Facebook, we don’t have that. When your upcoming edition of our “Name That Tune” video series turn’s over, everyone claps, gives a thumbs up, and featuring local musicians. Play an instrument and want then you listen to everyone else.” to participate? Email us at info@thebuzzmagazines.com. “We’ve revived our Wednesdays virtually,”
WEST UNIVERSITY BUZZ JUNE 2020 11
Katie Wright
NEIGHBORS by Cindy Gabriel, staff writer
Hello, New Life Heading for the hills
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would like to report a theft. The title for this column last month was stolen from a book I read called Welcome to Your Crisis by Laura Day. I only realized it after seeing it where I left it, on a bookshelf in Hunt, Texas, a country home I am blessed to be able to retreat to when I get the chance. Back in the day when people actually browsed through bookstores, the title jumped out at me. But what really sold me was the inside-jacket cover quote. “The moment your life falls apart is also the moment your new one begins. It is the moment when illusion and deception fall away and the naked truth emerges. Crisis can be extraordinarily painful. But when approached head-on, it can also be a source of power, hope and vision, and the start of the life you really want.” The book focused mostly on personal crisis, but it was published in 2006 in midst of the savings and loan crisis, backdropped by 9/11, 2001. Like this country, most of us have had a startercrisis or two of our own. This house in Hunt entered the picture with the sudden, unexpected death of my father in January 2011, 72 days following the death of his wife of 20-something years, whom he married eight months after my mother died. In between that, my husband George’s father died. So we lost three parents in 72 days. What ensued, on my family side, was a threeyear probate melodrama with a colorful cast of characters that would fit right into the cable genre: Schitt’s Creek meets Tiger King with a hint of Breaking Bad. One of the many wrinkles in the costly mess was this house in Hunt that Dad and his wife had recently purchased for more than it was worth. It was basically upside down. It stayed on the market for the entire three years of the probate purgatory. Every time I visited to check on the property, it seemed as if the property was doing its own checking in on me. As the only beneficiary living in Texas, I ended up accepting it (against my lawyer’s advice) with a little cash helping from the other three, who were glad to get it off their hands. Stepping on the back deck for me feels like Dorothy stepping into Oz. The hills, trees, deer, WEST UNIVERSITY BUZZ JUNE 2020 12
NESTING “Think I’ll nest here a while.” Cindy Gabriel social distances with a Phoebe bird family on her porch in Hunt, Texas.
cactus, birds and sky combine to cast their spell – always familiar, yet always different, as a vivid new color presents itself each visit, through some blooming vine or the wildflower color of the week. This time, upon arriving, the surprise wasn’t initially so pleasant. On the covered back porch was a scattering of dirt and twigs that appeared as if a rodent of some kind were making itself at home. Above was a mossy mess resting on the blade of a ceiling fan. Should I get a paper bag and broom and try to sweep it away? What if I wound up with a paper bag full of baby rats? Not relishing the thought, I decided to do nothing. By the next morning, I had totally forgotten about it, until, from my kitchen window, I saw a bird sitting on that messy ceiling fan lump. My bag of rats had magically transformed into something much more pleasant. Procrastination can sometimes be a friend, especially if you’re a city girl in the country. My dad’s wife saw this place as a back-up home in case of, well, in case of what we are going through right now. It had survival food, Bunsen
burners, storage bins for toilet paper, paper towels and other stuff she anticipated needing. Her family took the expensive stuff, leaving me with six years worth of toilet paper and paper towels, ironically. I chose to run through it, not because I didn’t appreciate the possibility of something catastrophic happening. I just don’t want to spend a lot of time worrying about things that might happen and miss what actually is happening. Right now, what I have before me, I discovered (after some calling of friends and Googling) is a bird called a Phoebe, of the flycatcher family. She eats flying insects like wasps, which is good. Phoebes are known for building tight, artful nests, despite the messy outside view. Mizz Phoebe Bird has no way of knowing what a precarious place she has chosen, or how close she came to having her life upended by my broom. She’s still a human switch flip away from being sent hurling along with her nest. But that won’t happen on my watch. On April 8, 2024, Hunt, Texas will be smack dab in the center of the next total solar eclipse. God willing, I’ll be on this back porch.
WEST UNIVERSITY BUZZ JUNE 2020 13
NEIGHBORS by Angie Frederickson, staff writer
Pooja Salhotra
When you have two 2020 grads
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rom dresses hang in closets, and graduation invitations printed with no-longer-accurate dates haven’t been mailed. Instead of celebrating, the Class of 2020 is trying to make the best of their new virtual world and wrap their heads around the fact that the final semester is ending far from how anyone expected. As for me, I’m one of the heartbroken moms of a high school senior who is watching him miss all the things he looked forward to for years: prom, graduation, final sports seasons, hanging out in groups of friends, and simply walking the halls of high school with the pride and confidence that comes with being a second-semester senior. Some Buzz families have not one but two graduating seniors: one in high school and another in college. It’s double the disappointment, but they are making the best of it.
Pooja Salhotra
Graduation, Interrupted
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or the Sigmon family, the pandemic cut short three major life events: Lewis’ last semester at Bellaire High School, Jackie’s final semester at Texas State University, and the end of mom Angie’s 30-year teaching career and last semester as a kindergarten teacher at Mark Twain Elementary. “We were planning a big celebration at our house to celebrate both kids and my retirement,” Angie said. Lewis and the rest of the senior class at Bellaire High School are missing traditions like the BHS senior luncheon, senior skip day, and, of course, prom and graduation. Senior prom has been rescheduled for late July, but, as of press time, an in-person graduation ceremony was still hanging in the balance. “I hope that HISD decides to do a walking ceremony,” Angie said. “Not everybody is all into prom. Graduation would bring closure to the group and let them meet one more time together and celebrate.” Lewis shares his mom’s opinion and is hopeful for a real graduation ceremony. “I’m chill with no prom,” he said. Jackie simply misses being on the Texas State campus. “If I had known that would be my last time on campus, I could have said goodbye to my friends and professors,” she said of the day in March when the university administration sent the students home. She is also missing several of the “lasts,” with her sorority formal canceled, WEST UNIVERSITY BUZZ JUNE 2020 14
LOOKING AHEAD At left: The Sigmon siblings, Jackie and Lewis, missed senior traditions at Texas State University and Bellaire High School. At right: Bellaire High School senior Juliana Cantrell and her brother, Texas A&M University senior Luke, also had their senior years cut short because of the coronavirus quarantine.
along with the final chapter meeting where the seniors planned to give goodbye speeches. These days the Sigmons are looking for small bits of happiness and spending more time together at home, in contrast to pre-quarantine life, Angie said, when “we are usually all doing our own things, and we’re always scheduled and gone somewhere.” Quarantine has brought enough boredom that Lewis and younger sister Jessica, a high school freshman, are hanging out together and working on puzzles.
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nother Bellaire family also has both a high school and college senior. Luke Cantrell, a senior nuclear engineering major at Texas A&M University, was looking forward to Aggie family weekend. As a member of the Aggie Band and Corps of Cadets, the weekend would mark the final time he would march at A&M. “It’s happened every year since 1917. All these traditions are gone,” he said. Younger sister Juliana Cantrell says that in
addition to the typical senior traditions she is missing at Bellaire High School, she wishes she could still teach swim lessons at the Bellaire Rec Center. “I can’t go to work, and that’s the worst part of this. I have made so many friends there,” she said. One thing that all of these seniors can agree on is that distance learning is a challenge. Juliana says it’s hard to focus when you’re at home and you think of other things you could be doing. Luke says he’s still productive in his online classes, but it’s not the same. “I don’t feel as involved. It’s more like checking the boxes than sitting down and really learning something,” he said. Parents Sharon and Kent Cantrell are trying to focus on the positive, and for Kent that means passing the yard-upkeep duties to the kids. “I get the lawn mowed for me, which is great,” he said. “Yes, there’s lots of free labor happening around here,” Sharon said, laughing. “The situation is just sad, but it is what it is,” Kent said. “It’s really tough on parents of seniors.” “It won’t,” said Sharon, “be forgotten.”
NEIGHBORS by Jennifer Oakley, staff writer
lawellphoto.com
Senior Send-Off Saying goodbye from afar
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hen they started school last August, there was no way the senior class of 2020 could have known it was going to end this way. As Spring Break splintered into a constellation of dashed plane flights and road trips, as schools shuttered and notices of cancelled events pinged inboxes, it was the seniors who perhaps felt the loss the most. No prom. No senior prank day. No baccalaureate. No walking the stage at graduation. Senior skip day, so highly anticipated, essentially became every day for seniors – forced to attend virtual classes at home. However, in a time of missing out on so much, at a moment when motivational commencement speeches go unheard, families are joining together to honor their seniors. In spite of the coronavirus, parents are celebrating their graduates at home – helping them begin paths forward that are full of hope and promise.
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liza Griggs, a senior at The Kinkaid School, says one of the hardest parts about the pandemic is not having closure. School was there one day, and gone the next. “It’s upsetting because we worked so hard in school for so many years, and we don’t get to say goodbye,” says the 18-year-old varsity tennis captain. “We all thought we were coming back after Spring Break. I miss seeing familiar faces in the hallways.” Eliza was especially looking forward to the remainder of the tennis season and Field Day. “All seniors do a tug-of-war, and then we are paired with Pre-K students, and we get to run around the maypole. And we get to wear our college T-shirts,” says Eliza, who will attend Tulane University. “We did not get to do that – these may be small things, but they are very important.” Mom Blakely Griggs says the small things added up for the senior class. “The sense of loss for Eliza has been fairly intense,” she says. “There was so much that she was looking forward to during March, April and May: a senior trip to the Bahamas, graduation parties, the camaraderie of the last year of her varsity tennis team and many other time-honored traditions at Kinkaid. She was dreaming of these times. I really hadn't realized how great her anticipation WEST UNIVERSITY BUZZ JUNE 2020 16
SENIOR IN THE HOUSE Like all seniors at The Kinkaid School, Eliza Griggs was surprised with a clever and caring yard sign. Eliza will attend Tulane University.
of them was, until they were taken away.” Blakely hopes that one of the takeaways from this spring is for the seniors to value their human connections. “I do believe that we all need a com-
munity at large to blossom in and that virtual substitutions are a very shallow replacement for the bonds that form when we are actually together,” she says. “Perhaps, this has (continued on page 18)
WEST UNIVERSITY BUZZ JUNE 2020 17
lawellphoto.com
lawellphoto.com
SIGNS OF THE TIMES At left: All Memorial High School seniors were given cheerful yard signs celebrating their graduation during the coronavirus quarantine. Peyton Mitchell will attend Baylor University. At right: St. Thomas High School seniors also got signs for their yards, encouraging passers-by to honk in support of the Class of 2020. Beamon Welch will attend the Ogden Honors College at LSU. (continued from page 16) been a lesson for the grad-
uating seniors of 2020 because they have grown up surrounded by social media and may not have been fully aware of its limitations.” Eliza has taken the lesson to heart. “I am not going to take going out for granted ever again,” she says. “I will never ever say ‘no’ anytime I get asked to do something!”
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hat lack of in-person connection has resonated deeply with seniors. Peyton Mitchell, a senior at Memorial High School, says she misses daily interactions with friends and teachers – and had really been looking forward to prom. To lift her spirits, her boyfriend surprised Peyton with a driveway prom. “I had to return my prom dress, and I was sad,” WEST UNIVERSITY BUZZ JUNE 2020 18
she says. “So he texted me to come over to his house, and I drove over and sat in my car and looked through the window since we have to be six feet apart, and he came out the door in his tux, with a big smile on his face. We just laughed so much!” Laughter comes easily to Peyton, a multisport athlete, and she has tried to remain upbeat and look at the positives of the pandemic. “High school is a very stressful time, preparing for college,” says Peyton, who will attend Baylor University. “I feel like everyone in high school can’t wait for their senior year – and I basically only got my first semester.” Mom Denise Kim says there was a bright side for her. “I am very thankful that I have had this one-on-one forced family fun time and the
opportunity to spend so much time with her,” says Denise. "I love being quarantined together. I love her. We play puzzles, we pick up food, we play golf. Peyton has made us laugh every day for the last 17 years, and she lights up any room she walks into. Once she started driving, she was off – and this has been nice to have her again.”
H
aving the unexpected together time resonates with Julia Vine, whose son Beckett is a senior at St. John’s School. It was upsetting to count up all the baseball games that were being taken off the schedule, and it was difficult to find a silver lining in those retractions. “I hated to look at the calendar because of all the events that were getting cancelled,” says Julia. “The high school (continued on page 20)
Terry Vine Photography
HONK FOR THE SENIORS St. John’s School seniors all were given signs for their yards asking folks to honk their horns for the Class of 2020. Beckett Vine will play baseball at Pepperdine University. (continued from page 18) milestones are always so
vivid in your mind and they set you off into your adult life. When you don’t get those, it’s almost like high school is cut short. We had to give him something.” And so she did, making sure that Beckett, a varsity baseball captain, would be recognized on Senior Night – in their backyard instead of on the baseball diamond. “It’s a night when all seniors and their parents are honored before the game, and the player gives their mom a red rose, and the coach talks about the players, and then pictures are taken of the players and their family,” she says. “I thought, we can’t have the whole thing, but we can have that picture. We had a neighbor come over to take our photo, and Beckett said, ‘This is probably the last time I will have this uniform on.’” Beckett says he was glad his folks staged the at-home ceremony. “My parents thought it would be nice to throw ourselves a senior night,” says Beckett, who has committed to play baseball at Pepperdine University. “It was really fun. I went to the garden and picked flowers for my mom.” Although disappointed about losing the end of his senior year, he is trying to be reflective WEST UNIVERSITY BUZZ JUNE 2020 20
about the time. “Instead of worrying about what could have been, you have to keep moving forward with the same attitude that you always have,” he says. "That’s why a lot of people say to play a baseball game like it is your last because you don’t know what is going to happen.”
S
usan Welch has tried to be accepting in her approach to the abrupt end to son Beamon’s senior year at St. Thomas High School. “This has been tough,” she says. “But you know, this is life, and this too will pass. I told Beamon, ‘You will get through it. There will be bigger things that will happen.’” That pragmatic approach, she says, is helpful, but it does not entirely take the sting out of the cancelled events that are high school rites of passage. “This is a sad time for the students because they are missing so many different things,” she says. Beamon is an Eagle Scout and on the school’s student council. “And Beamon is not just missing it; the parents are missing it, too. The parents are missing the time to say goodbye to the kids and the school.” Among the multitude of events that she was looking forward to attending, one stands out among the others: the 49th Annual Mothers’
Club Style Show & Luncheon that was to have taken place in April. “This event is kind of the beginning of the end for the seniors,” Susan says, noting that the luncheon has never been cancelled before. “There are lots of things sentimental about it: the boys model, and the president Father Jim Murphy and our principal Dr. Aaron Dominguez also model; then they have a Rose Ceremony where each senior walks the runway in a suit while his mother watches from the stage all while they read letters out loud that the boys have written to their mothers. And, at the very end, the boys put their hats on and announce where they are going to college.” Susan had really wanted to be at that special event and watch Beamon, who will be attending the Ogden Honors College at LSU, put on his cap. So did he. “I was kind of looking forward to it, but I will never admit it to her, though,” Beamon says with a smile. Since he did not get to have his letter read, he says the following is what he wanted her to know: “My mom means everything to me. She’s been there since the beginning and has always pushed me to where I am now, and I couldn’t be more thankful and blessed for her love and support throughout my life.”
WEST UNIVERSITY BUZZ JUNE 2020 21
NEIGHBORS by Jordan Magaziner Steinfeld, staff writer
Class of 2020 Where are they headed?
F
FrenchBlue Photography
or the Class of 2020, the conclusion of their senior year – and the culmination of many years of education – has been remarkably different than anything they, or their families, could have expected. Despite the loss of senior-year milestones – and the uncertainty of what the fall will look like – these new grads are looking forward to college experiences. Here, our graduating neighbors share their college plans and look back on their favorite high school memories. They also reflect on what advice they’d give their kindergarten selves, if they could. Congratulations, Class of 2020! We are so proud of you. Travis Ho – T.H. Rogers School; St. John’s School Travis Ho is heading to Vanderbilt University, where he plans to major in cognitive studies. He’s looking forward to “having new opportunities in finding things I’m passionate about.” His dream job would be an NBA coach. His favorite moment from high school was winning the Periwinkle Foundation Kickball Tournament with his classmates his senior year. If Travis could advise his kindergarten self, he’d say: “Be comfortable being uncomfortable.” Eyimofe Ariyo – Lycée Louis Pasteur (Canada), Ermitage International of France (France), The Awty International School Eyimofe Ariyo is off to Southwestern University where he plans to study biology/premedicine. He’s looking forward to playing soccer plus the social aspects of college. His dream is to become an orthopedic surgeon, specializing in ACL repairs and other knee surgeries. His favorite high school moment was when he spoke to a group of younger students about life as a student-athlete and how to balance academic life with social life. If he could give advice to his younger self, he’d emphasize the importance of truly believing in yourself and giving every single thing your all. Aaron Ayach – Robert M. Beren Academy Aaron Ayach is heading to The University of Texas at Austin. His major is undecided, but WEST UNIVERSITY BUZZ JUNE 2020 22
Travis Ho – Vanderbilt University
he’s looking forward to meeting new people and experiencing all that Austin has to offer. If he could, he’d share this advice with his kindergarten self: “Enjoy all the time you have because time goes faster than you would expect.” Ava Barcelo – Saint Thomas’ Episcopal Ava Barcelo is off to Texas A&M University, where she’ll study neuroscience; she dreams of becoming a neurosurgeon. She’s looking forward to making friendships that will last a lifetime. Her favorite high school moment was “walking into school on the first day of senior year, knowing I was about to start my last year of a 13-year journey at St. Thomas’ Episcopal where I got to grow up with amazing friends and teachers.” She’d tell her younger self: “Surround yourself with your best supporters because they
will help you succeed.” Michael Bell – Condit Elementary School, The Kinkaid School Michael Bell is off to Duke University, where he’ll study physics. His dream job would be an astronaut. He’s looking forward to attending Duke basketball games. His favorite high school memory was “taking gold in the 400 freestyle relay with Charlie Brennig, Pryce Pivec and Cade Duncan at the 2020 SPC swimming and diving championships.” He’d advise his kindergarten self to appreciate the 8 p.m. bedtime – “you’ll learn to miss it in high school.” Maria Del Carmen Bello – St. Thomas More Parish School, St. (continued on page 24)
Aaron Ayach – The University of Texas at Austin Jill Huston
Eyimofe Ariyo – Southwestern University
Michael Bell – Duke University Freeman Photography
Ava Barcelo – Texas A&M University
Luke Bennett – The University of Texas at Austin
Noah Berry – California Polytechnic State University
Peter Berry – University of Alabama WEST UNIVERSITY BUZZ JUNE 2020 23
Tanya Radoff Photography
Maria Del Carmen Bello – University of St. Thomas
lawellphoto.com
(continued from page 22) Cecilia Catholic School,
Incarnate Word Academy Maria Del Carmen Bello is heading to the University of St. Thomas to major in liberal arts/humanities. Ideally, she’d love to be a Broadway actress, “but since that is very difficult, I wouldn’t mind finding a job where I could get paid to sample good food.” She’s looking forward to living more independently and making new friendships. Her favorite high-school moments were the “countless laughs I enjoyed in choir and theater that made my high school experience so much fun.” She’d remind her kindergarten self to cherish every minute of nap time – “you’ll miss it later.” Luke Bennett – Sacred Heart Catholic School, St. Thomas High School Luke Bennett is heading to The University of Texas at Austin, where he’ll study civil engineering. His dream is to “own a construction company that will build hospitals, homes and other things that benefit my community.” He’s looking forward to new opportunities, personal growth and starting his career. His favorite high school memories are time with his friends; he says he developed relationships that will last a lifetime. He’d tell his younger self: “Work hard, but most importantly, enjoy every moment.” Noah Berry – Beth Yeshurun Day School, The Emery/Weiner School Noah Berry is heading to California Polytechnic State University, where he’ll study business and play Division 1 tennis. His dream is to be an entrepreneur and professional tennis player. He’s looking forward to playing tennis in college and meeting new people from different places. His favorite high school moment was signing his National Letter of Intent along with his cousin, Peter Berry. He’d tell his kindergarten self: “Work as hard as you can and enjoy the journey because it could be over at any second.” Peter Berry – Beth Yeshurun Day School, The Emery/Weiner School Peter Berry is heading to the University of Alabama, where he’ll study general business. He’s looking forward to playing wheelchair basketball at the collegiate level and is excited to meet new people. He isn’t sure of a dream job but loves helping people, public speaking and playing basketball. One favorite high school moment was when his wheelchair basketball team and the Emery varsity basketball team scrimmaged in wheelchairs in front of the student body. He’d share this advice with his kindergarten self: “Cherish all of the times you have right now and do not take what you have for granted. Enjoy each and every moment to the best of your ability because you never know how fast it can be taken away from you, and somebody else WEST UNIVERSITY BUZZ JUNE 2020 24
Jonathan Frumovitz – University of Pennsylvania
might have it worse.” Annie Brownfield – West University Elementary, Pin Oak Middle School, Bellaire High School; Tommy Brownfield – West University Elementary, Pin Oak Middle, St. Thomas High School Annie Brownfield is off to the University of South Carolina while Tommy Brownfield is heading to Stephen F. Austin State University. Annie plans to study public health, as she’d like to be a dermatologist, and Tommy is taking on forestry, as he dreams of becoming a park ranger. They’re both looking forward to gaining a new independence. Annie’s favorite high school memory was regional finals for the 4x4 relay in track, and Tommy’s is laughing with his friends. If they could give advice to their younger selves, Annie would say, “Have an open mind,” and Tommy would say, “Enjoy each moment.” Spenser Dale – Condit Elementary School, Pin Oak Middle School, Bellaire High School Spenser Dale is heading to the University of Missouri to study journalism. He’d like to be involved in the sports world, potentially reporting on sports news. He’s looking forward to the university experience. His favorite high school moment was participating in the senior Mr. Bellaire pageant with his friends. He’d tell his kindergarten self: “Eat more veggies.” Lauren Dotson – Kolter Elementary School, Meyerland Performing and Visual Arts Middle School, Kinder High School for the Performing and Visual Arts
Lauren Dotson is off to Trinity University, where she will study bioengineering. Her dream is to become an orthopedic surgeon, and she hopes to couple her medical degree with her engineering degree and create new prosthetics. “Weirdly enough, I'm most excited about staying up late, studying in the library, debating over some new topic with my friends. I'm excited for the college grind that I know will be satisfying in the most exhausting, yet extraordinary ways.” She’d tell her kindergarten self: “Continue to dream big despite what others believe is possible. You are your only barrier, if you can overcome fear then you can set your mind to anything. Also, books are awesome. Read more!” Jonathan Frumovitz – The Kinkaid School Jonathan Frumovitz is off to the University of Pennsylvania. He’d like to work with Doctors Without Borders in a French-speaking region. He’s looking forward to making new friends. His favorite high school experience was planning an all-school hamburger cookout with a live band and snow cones. He’d reassure his kindergarten self: “No matter what anybody else says, your Dora the Explorer backpack really is cool.” Matthew Galli – Mark Twain Elementary School, St. Vincent De Paul Catholic School, St. Thomas High School, Lamar High School Matthew Galli is heading to The University of Texas at Austin, where he will study neuroscience and psychology. He plans to pursue a PhD/MD in neuroscience. He’s looking forward to enjoying life in college. His favorite moments from high school were (continued on page 26)
Jennifer Fails Photography
Sandy Dotson
Tommy Brownfield – Stephen F. Austin State University, Annie Brownfield – University of South Carolina
Lauren Dotson – Trinity University
Matthew Galli – The University of Texas at Austin
Sophia Ghauri – Brown University Marlo Wise
Margaret Rotan Photography
Spenser Dale – University of Missouri
Olivia Golub – Tulane University
John Groff – Texas Tech University WEST UNIVERSITY BUZZ JUNE 2020 25
Annette Boatwright Photography
Audrey Leonard – Texas A&M University (continued from page 24) spending time with his
friends. He’d advise his kindergarten self: “Get out there and just do it!” Sophia Ghauri – The Kinkaid School Sophia Ghauri is heading to Brown University, where she’ll study international and public affairs. She’s looking forward to meeting new people, participating in research and exploring Providence, R.I. She’s most excited about being able to experience a true winter – with snow. She will be part of Brown’s program in Liberal Medical Education and hopes to open her own ophthalmology practice one day. Her favorite high school moment was opening day of the Shapeshifters exhibit at the Contemporary Arts Museum of Houston; she participated on the museum’s Teen Council. She’d tell her kindergarten self: “Enjoy every moment because time flies by.” Olivia Golub – The Shlenker School, The Emery/Weiner School Olivia Golub is headed to Tulane University. She would like to be a photojournalist. She’s looking forward to meeting new people from all over the world. She’d advise her kindergarten self: “Always share toys on the playground, and you will have lots of friends. Everyone needs more friends!” Her favorite moment was during their Big Bend trip during her freshman year. “We hiked to the top of Emery Peak…. It took about three hours and once on top, together with our best friends, we looked out and felt proud together of what we WEST UNIVERSITY BUZZ JUNE 2020 26
had accomplished together.” John Groff – St. Vincent De Paul Catholic School, St. Thomas High School John Groff is heading to Texas Tech University where he’ll pursue pre-law/political science. His dream is to become a lawyer. He’s looking forward to independence. He’d tell his kindergarten self not to take everything so seriously. His favorite high school experience was a Spring Break trip to Lake Travis with his friends. Rachel James – Condit Elementary School, Trafton Academy, Second Baptist School Rachel James is heading to Texas A&M University, where she’ll major in business. She’d love a career in business that also allows her to spend time with family. She’s looking forward to new experiences and people. She says her favorite high school moments were “all the Friday nights spent in the bleachers, surrounded by friends, cheering on our team together as a family!” She’d tell her young self not to sweat the small stuff so much and “enjoy your time while things are simple!” Alec Jazaeri – Meriwether Lewis Elementary (Charlottesville, Va.), River Oaks Baptist School, St. John’s School Alec Jazaeri, a lacrosse recruit, is off to Sewanee: The University of the South and plans to study economics and English. He’s looking forward to new friendships and interesting classes. His dream would be becoming a U.S. ambassador. His favorite high school moment was
beating Kinkaid in varsity lacrosse in overtime his sophomore year. He’d tell his kindergarten self: “Keep having fun and living in the moment.” Reagan Jones – Coldwell Elementary, Pershing Middle School, Lamar High School Reagan Jones will take some courses at Houston Community College and then the University of Houston, where she’ll study visual and performing arts/acting. “I want you to see me on your TV or on your movie screen!” She’s looking forward to pushing herself in college and working hard. Her favorite high school moment was when the Lamar Texan band won the open national championship. “This is the first time in our school history that the band has received a title on the national level … and in my senior year when I am Color Guard captain!” She’d tell her younger self: “Don’t try to ‘fit in.’ Being normal is overrated.” Claire Lemel – Hamilton Elementary School (Cypress), The Emery/Weiner School Claire Lemel is heading to the University of Colorado Boulder, where she’ll study communications. Her dream is to work in the bridal industry. She’s excited to go on new adventures and meet new people. She says one memory that stands out to her is the 11th-grade spring trip to New York City. She’d tell her kindergarten self: “Be yourself and don’t worry about what others think of you.” Audrey Leonard – Condit Elementary School, St. Mark’s (continued on page 28)
Rachel Hudgins
Natural Expressions Photography
Alec Jazaeri – Sewanee: The University of the South
Reagan Jones – University of Houston
Claire Lemel – University of Colorado Boulder Jordan Fullen
Ling Wang Photography
Alan Ross
Rachel James – Texas A&M University
Genna Montalbano – The University of Texas Cecelia Schellstede
Reeti Mangal – Cornell University
Eugenie Pflieger – George Washington University
Margot Purdie – Austin Community College WEST UNIVERSITY BUZZ JUNE 2020 27
(continued from page 26) Episcopal
School, St. Agnes Academy Audrey Leonard is off to Texas A&M University, where she’ll study public health. She’d love to be a physician’s assistant and work with children. “I have so much respect for healthcare workers and hope to do my part one day.” She’s looking forward to meeting new people. Her favorite high school memory is Friday night football games. She’d tell her younger self: “Work hard in school, and you can achieve anything.”
always dreamed of attending The University of Texas at Austin, and she plans to work hard to transfer to become a Longhorn. She wants to “work in a field that values communication, innovation and helping others.” She says her favorite high school moments were attending football games. “Lamar has one of the biggest student sections filled with so much pride and enthusiasm!” If she could, she’d tell herself to always put herself out there – sports, clubs, academics, new friends – and that it never hurts to try new things.
Reeti Mangal – Annunciation Orthodox School, St. John’s School Reeti Mangal is heading to Cornell University, where she’ll study global and public health sciences. She’d like to be a lawyer. She’s looking forward to freedom. Her favorite high school moment was “foosball in Senior Country.” She’d tell her kindergarten self: “Don’t just study for the grades – study because you enjoy learning.”
Joshua Rassin – Mark Twain Elementary School, Pershing Middle School, Lamar High School Joshua Rassin is off to Washington and Lee University where he’ll study business/entrepreneurship and play tennis on the W&L team. His goal is to run his own business. If he could talk to his younger self, he’d say to play more tennis with his sister. “I did not realize I had a built-in hitting partner until my senior year. I wish I would have realized this sooner.” His favorite high school moment was National Signing Day.
Genna Montalbano – Duchesne Academy of the Sacred Heart Genna Montalbano is off to The University of Texas to study communications. Her dream job would be CEO of a major company. “I have attended Duchesne since PK4 and have completely loved my experience. I have made lifelong friends whom I know I will be friends with for the rest of my life. I am definitely ready to spread my wings and experience a large university with brand new experiences.” She’d tell her younger self not to stress over little things and to focus on the big picture, set goals and work toward them. Eugenie Pflieger – Epiphany Day School, Academy of the Sacred Heart (Grand Coteau, La.), The British International School of Houston Eugenie Pflieger is off to George Washington University, where she’ll be part of the Women’s Leadership Program and study biology. Her dream would be to become a laryngology researcher – she’s a singer so she loves “investigating the biological side of sound production.” She’s looking forward to meeting new people and understanding more about the world by engaging in her college community. She says her favorite high school moment is “every break and lunch time at BISH where my friends and I sat in the IB neighborhood and had some of the best discussions about everything under the sun!” If she could give her kindergarten self advice, she’d say, “Always be open-minded! Never think you are not good at something just because it seems difficult. Keep trying and have an open mind.” Margot Purdie – Poe Elementary School, Pin Oak Middle School, Lamar High School Margot Purdie is heading to Austin Community College, where she will major in Human Dimensions of Organization. She’s WEST UNIVERSITY BUZZ JUNE 2020 28
Drew Rentz – Saint Thomas’ Episcopal School, St. Thomas High School Drew Rentz is off to The University of Texas at Austin, where he’ll study electrical engineering. His dream is to work in the technology field on anything that will be revolutionary. If he could, he’d advise his younger self: “Don’t get an Xbox.” Rena Schwartz – Robert M. Beren Academy Rena Schwartz is heading to the University of Chicago, where she’ll major in Near Eastern Studies. She’s looking forward to the coronavirus pandemic being over. She says her favorite high school moments were “Retreat. Always retreat.” If she could advise her kindergarten self, she’d say: “Don’t rely on clichés for advice.” Dania Siddiqi – St. Mark’s Episcopal School, St. Agnes Academy Dania Siddiqi is off to the University of Chicago and plans to major in cinema and media studies. She’s looking forward to learning about what she’s interested in and meeting new people from all around the world. She’s also looking forward to exploring Chicago. Her dream would be to direct and write her own films or TV shows. Her favorite moments from high school were “pretty much every moment I had with my friends after school!” She’d tell her kindergarten self: “Don’t quit! It’s so important to embrace challenging classes, sports, etc. Quitting doesn’t allow you to grow as a person.” Claire Sonne – Grace School, Second Baptist School, McCullough Junior High, Incarnate Word Academy Claire Sonne is heading to the College of Charleston where she plans to double major in
psychology and theater. She dreams of either being a clinical psychologist for pediatric oncology patients or a Broadway actress. She’s looking forward to learning more about herself and the world. Her favorite high school moment was when she was cast as her dream role, The Witch in “Into the Woods.” She’d advise her kindergarten self to be strong and powerful no matter what. “If you stay positive and strong, you can accomplish anything you set your mind to.” Jordan Stein – Scarsdale Elementary School (NY), Scarsdale Middle School (NY), The Emery/Weiner School Jordan Stein is off to The University of Texas at Austin. He dreams of becoming a biomedical engineer. He’s looking forward to branching out and meeting new people. His favorite high school moment was leading his ISHL varsity hockey team, the Whalers, to win the city championships. If he could, he’d remind his kindergarten self of the importance of staying organized. Madeleine Wildt – Washington School (NJ), Pershing Middle School, Bellaire High School Madeleine Wildt is heading to Colorado State University, where she’ll study biology. She dreams of becoming a pediatrician or a traveling advanced practitioner nurse. She’s looking forward to exploring a new state and living on her own. Her favorite high school moment was “when my younger sister gave me the perfect idea of what to dress up as for Spirit Week. I dressed up as the famous girl from the ‘Tie Dye Beauty’ Vine. I had people coming up begging me for pictures and asking to film me.” She’d tell her kindergarten self that what she thinks she wants to pursue as a little kid is probably not what will happen but to try many new things. J.C. Young – West University Elementary School, Pin Oak Middle School, Lamar High School J.C. Young is heading to the University of Chicago, where he’ll major in economics with a specialization in business. He’s looking forward to exploring Chicago and meeting people from all over the world. One of his favorite parts of high school was interning at Atlas Scholars. “This program allowed me to gain real world business experiences while learning from mentors. This internship also brought me closer to a diverse group of students from all over the Houston area.” He’d tell his kindergarten self to “learn from your mistakes and keep moving forward.”
MORE ONLINE See thebuzzmagazines.com for more graduating neighbors. Also, check out – and contribute to, if you haven’t yet – our annual database of collegebound Buzz seniors. Additionally, read about some of the teachers who inspired these graduates along the way.
Sonya Sellers Photography
Suzie Barber, Fresh by Suzie
Drew Rentz – The University of Texas at Austin
Rena Schwartz – University of Chicago
Dania Siddiqi – University of Chicago
Jordan Stein – The University of Texas at Austin
Madeleine Wildt – Colorado State University
Jeff Stark Photography
Prestige Photos
Claire Sonne – College of Charleston
Michael Jurick
Freeman Photography
Joshua Rassin – Washington and Lee University
J.C. Young – University of Chicago WEST UNIVERSITY BUZZ JUNE 2020 29
KIDS
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by Annie Blaylock McQueen, staff writer
Buzz Baby
Family bike rides
Buzz Baby is a column about life with babies. Writer Annie McQueen is a mother of four children under the age of 5.
F
amily bike rides have always been a thing. But now, thanks to the pandemic, they’re all the rage. Neighborhoods are bustling with bikes. There are even bike shortages at retailers. Bike rides are a way for families to get out of the house for some exercise and fresh air while maintaining social distance. With handy contraptions like bike trailers and bike seats for babies and toddlers, everyone gets to go. Helen Bernard searched for a bike online for her husband Will’s birthday in May. The couple have a 16-month-old son named Whit, and she planned to get them a bike and a bike trailer. It wasn’t as simple as Helen thought it would be. “Finding a bike for Will was like finding a needle in a haystack,” she said, laughing. “I finally found one online at Walmart, but after ordering it, I got an email later that it was out of stock.” Helen spent half a day driving around Houston to various bike shops, searching for one that was freshly stocked or even one that was returned. She located a bike and purchased it. Shortly after, to her surprise, she received an email from Walmart: “Your order has shipped!” it read. Rather than return the second, she listed it for sale on her local Facebook buy and sell
Outside the neighborhood As time goes on and neighborhood streets become a little too familiar, you may want to load up the bikes and explore some of the Houston area’s best cycling trails. Family-friendly, paved bike paths in Houston include the Brays Bayou Greenway Trail, Buffalo Bayou Hike and Bike Trail, Heights Hike and Bike Trail, White Oak Bayou Greenway Trail, Terry Hershey Park Hike & Bike Trail, and Cullen Park in Katy.
WEST UNIVERSITY BUZZ JUNE 2020 30
HOW WE ROLL The Verly family – parents Nancy and Thomas, along with Sebastian, 8, Olivia, 6, Reeves, 4, and Hugo, 2 – take a daily family bike ride through their neighborhood.
group. “I had, like, 20 comments of people wanting to buy it,” she said. Helen and her sister Julia Smith, who has a 2year-old son named Wells, now often cook dinner while their husbands pull Whit and Wells around in the bike trailer. Everyone is happy. A bike-trailer ride with two toddlers can have a lot of moving parts, starting with snacks. “We learned the hard way to not put shoes on the boys,” said Helen, laughing. “We have had instances of them taking them off and throwing them along the way.” Another Buzz family soaking up the extra family bike rides are the Verlys. Nancy, her husband Thomas and their four kids, Sebastian, 8, Olivia, 6, Reeves, 4, and Hugo, 18 months, have always been “a bike family,” says Nancy. Thomas and Nancy started to teach their kids young on balance bikes – bikes without pedals that teach riders to balance. Their kids can all ride bikes – except for Hugo, who’s not yet 2. Every morning, the Verlys wake up, have breakfast and head out for a morning family bike ride before the day of work and school begins. Nancy says she’s always on her toes when they are out riding, and she has taught her kids to be alert as
well. “If we are crossing San Felipe, we count to five after the crosswalk sign is lit, just to make absolutely sure there are no cars running the red light.” Hugo rides in a unique bike seat on the front of Nancy’s handlebars. She picked it up when her oldest, Sebastian, was a toddler. “I never really liked the seats in the back because I wanted to see him and chat with him,” said Nancy. She and Thomas had seen them in Belgium, where Thomas is from. “Everyone rides bikes everywhere in Belgium. I had not seen the seat in Houston. We gave up but happened to be in REI one day, and they had the seat. It has lasted us through four children,” said Nancy. The Verly’s bike seat is the iBert by Kazam Safe-TSeat. It runs around $110. The family of six recently went on one extralong and memorable family bike when all six rode from Briargrove to Memorial Park and back, about eight miles in total. Nancy rode in front, and Thomas stayed in the back, and they stuck with neighborhood streets until they reached Woodway. “My 4 year old didn't even complain,” said Nancy. “He rode circles around us and wanted to keep going even after we got home.”
WEST UNIVERSITY BUZZ JUNE 2020 31
NEIGHBORS
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by Cindy Burnett, staff writer
Buzz Reads
Five picks for June
Buzz Reads is a column about books by reviewer Cindy Burnett. This month, Cindy recommends five recently released titles. Beach Read by Emily Henry: This literary love story is smart, humorous and highly entertaining and addresses substantive issues within a clever romance. Beach Read follows two writers, a romance novelist and an author of literary fiction, who are both impeded by writer’s block and struggling to meet looming deadlines. Polar opposites encumbered by prior misconceptions about each other, January and Augustus are thrown together when they rent neighboring beach houses. Late one evening, they agree to swap genres. January will write a heavy drama, and Augustus will compose a happily-ever-after story. To research their books, they spend time together visiting local spots and, in the process, learn more about each other. This book is a ton of fun and will live up to its name and make a fabulous beach read. The Jane Austen Society by Natalie Jenner: The Jane Austen Society is set in Chawton, England, following the Second World War – where Jane Austen spent her last years. When Austen’s legacy is threatened, an eclectic group of townspeople band together to save her home and heritage. Struggling with personal tragedies and loss, these individuals unite around their love of Jane Austen and find themselves aiding each other as much as they help save Austen’s legacy. The Jane Austen Society is full of fascinating tidbits about the author and her tales, but it also highlights the importance of community and relationships, demonstrating that both can be found in unlikely places. Natalie Jenner’s tale is historical fiction at its finest – she transports the reader to another time and place filled with unique and authentic characters. The Last Flight by Julie Clark: The Last Flight is a high-octane thriller that begins with a bang and never slows down. Two women eager to flee their own lives agree to swap tickets for their flights at the last minute. Claire gives Eva her ticket to Puerto Rico and takes Eva’s ticket to Oakland. When the flight to Puerto Rico crashes into the ocean, Claire realizes she must assume Eva’s identity to survive, but quickly learns that WEST UNIVERSITY BUZZ JUNE 2020 32
WHAT TO READ This month's picks include a tour through the U.S. National Parks, a modern-day retelling of Persuasion, a clever beach read, historical fiction involving Jane Austen's legacy and an unputdownable thriller.
Eva was not who she claimed to be. Toggling between the two women, the story rapidly unfolds, revealing jaw-dropping twists that you will not see coming. The Last Flight is the best thriller I have read in ages – Clark skillfully blends great characters, beautiful writing and a superb mystery. Leave Only Footprints: My Acadia-to-Zion Journey Through Every National Park by Conor Knighton: In this non-fiction gem, Knighton chronicles the year he spent traveling to every national park in the United States. The parks are grouped by theme instead of location, and the book is interspersed with humor and intriguing details. Knighton highlights the importance of our national parks, how various parks received their designations, and how climate change and over-visiting is impacting many of these beautiful places. In the epilogue, Knighton discusses how the National Park System continues to expand and quickly reviews three parks that achieved the designation after 2016 (the year Knighton made his journey). This book is a fascinating read and will make my top ten list for 2020. Recipe for Persuasion by Sonali Dev: In recent years, modernizing Jane Austen stories
has become all the rage. In Recipe for Persuasion, Dev takes inspiration from Austen’s Persuasion to tell the story of Ashna Raje, a chef who reluctantly agrees to join the cast of Cooking with the Stars to save her struggling restaurant. She immediately regrets her hasty decision when she is paired with her first love, Rico Silva, who is now a FIFA soccer star. Their romance ended badly, and Ashna and Rico blame each other for the failed relationship. When they have a disastrous first meeting for Cooking with the Stars, the clip goes viral and they become social media darlings. The author hews close enough to Persuasion to warrant the inspiration claim but creates her own sweet, clever tale, a highly satisfying update of a classic story. Editor’s note: Southside Place resident Cindy Burnett also writes our weekly Page Turners column at thebuzzmagazines.com. She is co-creator of the Houston literary event series Conversations from the Page, runs the Instagram account Thoughts from a Page, contributes to bookreporter.com and shereads.com, and regularly speaks to groups about books.
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TRAVEL
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by Tracy L. Barnett, staff writer
Travel Buzz
A year of school on the road
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t was something that Cassie Neumann had had on her bucket list for a long time, and for the 2018-19 school year, she and husband Spencer finally decided to do it. They took Noah, Nelson and Niles – at the time, 12, 10 and 7, respectively – out of school and on the road for a year. Today, as they shelter in place in Bellaire, they are homeschooling as so many families are – and they are drawing on a year of ample experience in doing so, as well as the many learnings from their global expedition. “We were kind of scared, but Spencer said why not? If not now, when?” said Cassie. “There were lots of doubters and naysayers. Even the people who trust me and love me were saying, ‘Are you sure you want to do this? You’re pulling them out of school, and are you making a good decision….’ But we just kind of went with our gut and said, ‘Well, we can’t ruin them in a year, so we’ll see.’” She laughed. “It ended up just being so amazing for everyone. Were there times it was exhausting? Yes. We’re a family who doesn’t relax when we’re on vacation. We work, and we move, and it’s not really a vacation – we need a vacation when we get home from the vacation.” Cassie, who has her own interior consulting company, took the year off, while Spencer has his own marketing firm and was able to work virtually. At first the family planned to just take off and keep going until the year was through. But as they talked it through, they decided it would be better to do a series of trips, returning home to recharge for two or three weeks and continue schooling before taking off again for another destination. Their nanny, Paige Whitson, formerly Niles’ preschool teacher, accompanied them as well, lending a hand with the homeschooling – which, as many parents are finding these days, is a one-on-one kind of job. “It’s interesting now because so many of our friends who were like, ‘I can’t imagine teaching my children!’ – and now all these moms are homeschooling themselves because they have to. I knew they could do it all along – and now they know.” One thing they’ve come to realize, however, WEST UNIVERSITY BUZZ JUNE 2020 34
BIKER’S PARADISE Amsterdam amidst a sea of bicycles, the preferred mode of transportation in Holland. From left: Noah, Cassie, Niles, Spencer and Nelson Neumann.
is the enormous difference between homeschooling and distance learning. “With homeschooling, I wrote the curriculum,” she said, whereas with distance learning, parents serve more as substitute teachers instead of the real teacher. But the biggest difference, obviously, was that their classroom – instead of being their living room – was the world. And as is often the case with hands-on learning, the most important lessons are not on the curriculum. Everywhere they went, Cassie and Paige would study up in advance and shape the lessons around what they wanted to teach, often approaching the cities through culture, religion and food – “because food gets us all excited.” When they were in Rome, they connected with the Gregorian University and had a priest in training – from Houston – serve as their guide, taking them to religious sites and explaining their significance. Many days began with morning excursions, followed by four hours of study, with the lesson based on the excursion. They used the Duolingo learning app to study basic language skills for
each of the countries they were visiting. Noah worked online with teachers back in Houston to supplement his material. “Sometimes the most amazing things would happen,” said Cassie. “Like one time he was on the computer with other classmates and he said, ‘Look where I am!’ and he was standing at the Taj Mahal – or, ‘What’s that sound? – That’s the call to prayer.’” Spencer was always in charge of the itineraries. “He would just instinctively know what we should see, what foods to try, what not to miss, etc.,” said Cassie. “He would book hotels and tour guides, and plan out our days. He kept us moving, but always built in time for school and a good night’s sleep.” “My dad should’ve been a travel agent,” added Nelson. Many places left their mark on the kids. They trekked through 13 countries and 26 cities with a lineup spanning the range of human existence. In Europe they visited Austria and Amsterdam, France and Spain, Portugal, Italy and Ireland. In Asia they spent time in India and Nepal, and in the Middle East they explored (continued on page 36)
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OLD WORLD CHARM Noah, Nelson and Niles Neumann with their tour guide, a Texan studying at Gregorian University in Rome; date night for Cassie and Spencer Neumann in Austria at the Vienna State Opera. (continued from page 34) Egypt, Israel, the Gulf
States of Dubai and Abu Dhabi; in Africa, they explored the souks and the beaches of Morocco. The journey taught them about the wisdom and history of world religions from Catholicism to Islam to Sikhism to Hinduism to Judaism, and it taught them a lot about themselves, as well. “As parents we wanted to teach them that the world is bigger than just what we see every day, and that we are blessed to have so much – and that there are people who really don’t have so much,” said Cassie. “And that maybe having the latest Nikes isn’t the most important thing.” This lesson was brought home to them in full force in Mumbai, where they took a tour through Dharavi, the world’s third-largest slum, where Slumdog Millionaire was filmed – led by a resident of the slum. The hive of humanity was marked by dirt floors, flimsy dwellings and, in many cases, a lack of running water. “We loved our tour guide, who was amazing,” said Cassie. “And at the end of the tour I said, ‘With all due respect, you seem educated and you’re very eloquent and you have a skill – do you realize you could leave and go outside and be successful?’ But he was like, ‘Why would I leave? I love this place – this is our town.’” Cassie describes walking into a hut and seeing people squatting on the floor making luggage, handing pieces to each other in a sort of prehistoric assembly line. “And he would say, ‘You’d be surprised what brand names get put on this luggage, and it gets shipped to America.’” “It was the most shocking place, and the one where I learned the most,” said Noah, now 13. “It was more about realizing what you have… and then, when we’re going through the slums and seeing this infrastructure and seeing these people who have nothing but are living happily like they have everything – they have a great life!” One of the most spectacular memories is of WEST UNIVERSITY BUZZ JUNE 2020 36
the ancient Hindu festival of Holi, when people throw colored powder into the air. Everywhere they went, people were having parties, and families would spot the Neumanns and invite them to come throw colors with them. “It was the first day of summer in India, and something that stood out to me is that the people wanted to know more about us; they were very curious,” recalled Noah. “Mom said it’s because we’re of a different color.” “The whole thing seemed strange to me because we’re taught to think skin color doesn’t matter,” said Nelson. The boys were shocked to learn about the ancient caste system, and while discrimination based on caste was outlawed in 1950, it is far from a thing of the past. Another India memory was the day they volunteered at a Sikh temple that served a daily meal to 10,000 people, and then sat down to eat with them. The most jarring aspect of that particular journey was that after India and Nepal they flew to Dubai, which provided a shockingly stark contrast to the poverty of millions that they had just left behind. “It was crazy to see,” said Noah. “It was just too much; there were gold vending machines where you could go and get gold. And we’re on the side of the street calling an Uber, and they’d ask – ‘Do you want a car or a helicopter?’ “It was weird going from poor to rich like that,” he added. “If I were to come from Houston to Dubai I might have thought about it differently. But I kept having flashbacks on Mumbai and seeing what these people had, and that made it feel different. And in Nepal – we were laying in bed and the whole entire power circuit would go out every three hours.” Nelson, 11, agreed. “It’s kind of like, you have too much at home, so you feel guilty – and they
have nothing. You feel like you’re so spoiled, so privileged … you come back not running the water, trying not to waste so much. When I came home, I was changed.” A hands-on lesson in archaeology came in Egypt when they went to the Karnak Temple Complex near Luxor, and were allowed to enter a tomb that had not yet been released to the public – and they had the place to themselves. In Morocco they did the typical tourist things – charmed a rattlesnake, rode a camel, wandered the ancient souks – but the country won their hearts with its friendliness and color and vibrancy. In Austria, they took in the grandness of the Vienna State Opera and studied the rise of the Third Reich in the place where it happened. In Amsterdam they were amazed to see the sea of bicycles overtaking the traffic. Seeing the Great Pyramids and King Tut’s Tomb in Egypt was unforgettable as well. They loved the Middle East so much that they have begun studying Arabic as a family. The lessons were profound and were too many to count, but Spencer and Cassie each summarized it in their own way. As they planned their next trip – Turkey, Ethiopia and Rwanda, with a possible return to Morocco — they contemplated perhaps the most important one that their year on the road taught them. “When we were writing home, people were very worried about us all the time, just because we weren’t taking the usual seaside vacation,” said Cassie. “We were really pushing the boundaries – and we’ve only just begun.” “Don’t let anyone fool you; the people of the world are amazing people, and as wonderful as they can be,” summarized Spencer. “And don’t be scared to go see the world. It’s truly a friendly planet.” Editor’s note: Buzz travel columnist Tracy L. Barnett is a Lowell Thomas travel journalism award winner and longtime travel and environmental writer.
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Jenn Duncan
DINING
by Dai Huynh, staff writer
Chef’s Corner
At home with the pros
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ooking every night during the coronavirus pandemic, I needed some professional inspiration and insight, and who better to provide it than James Beard Award winner Robert Del Grande? The Annie Café & Bar chef and other experts helped me take my cooking up a notch, along with simple ideas to retool leftovers, like stirring in pureed chickpeas into soups and stews. I also learned an easier, almost no-fail technique that savvy toques use to roast meats like hanger steaks. Thanks to such kitchen know-how, cooking became remarkably less stressful, and right now, we need that. Pan-frying steaks on the stove usually leads to a smoky, grease-splattered kitchen, but Del Grande solves this by searing the hanger steak on the stovetop, then finishing it in the oven. So, rather than sweat bullets and stand watch to avoid overcooking the steak, I could relax with a glass of wine while dinner finishes cooking in the oven. “If nobody is ready to eat in 20 minutes, just leave the oven door ajar. This will keep the steak warm until you’re ready,” Del Grande says. “This approach gives you a lot of flexibility.” For an easy side dish, Del Grande relies on potatoes, which he always has on hand. Like pasta, they have 101 uses, he says. For the hanger steak, he sliced Yukon Golds, then layered the spuds on top of thinly sliced onions, followed by olive oil and fennel seeds. With just two layers in a 9-x-13 baking dish, the potatoes cook evenly and quickly. The day before Houston’s stay-home-worksafe order, Del Grande’s wife, Mimi, asked what he needed from the store. “Eggs, lots of eggs,” he replied, then added rice, polenta, pastas, tomato sauce, canned beans and anchovies to his musthave pantry list. The pandemic led to a surge in demand for nonperishables and eggs. This inexpensive protein is wildly versatile and is not just for breakfast. For a quick dinner or lunch, Del Grande likes to top butter or Parmesan cheese-tossed pasta with a sunnyside-up egg. “Eggs are one of the few food items that come with their own sauce,” he says. But his all-time favorite egg dish is the Joe’s Special, made with spinach, mushrooms, WEST UNIVERSITY BUZZ JUNE 2020 38
Parmesan cheese and ground beef. The 1920s dish originated in San Francisco. Later, it was the signature dish of the Bay Area chain Original Joe’s, where Del Grande ate as a kid. “It’s FIRST, BUY EGGS Executive chef Robert Del Grande, here on the patio of The Annie delicious and com- Cafe & Bar, gave Chef’s Corner columnist Dai Huynh some tips on cooking at home. forting because it’s meals that H-E-B selected to showcase in its like a ravioli filling,” he says. foodie-inspired pilot program to support local restaurants during the coronavirus crisis. rowing up, Fajita Pete’s founder Pedro Brennan’s uses its own secret Creole blend of Mora looked forward to his grandmother’s seasonings for the Crawfish & Andouille Mac homemade chicken soup. These days, he takes ’n Cheese, but home cooks can dupe this dish short cuts by making it with leftover chicken by using Chef Paul Blackened Redfish Magic fajitas. “I keep it homey and simple by adding Seasoning. “It’s very similar to the blend we carrots, potatoes and broth. That’s it,” he says. use,” Cervantez says. Mora noticed that since social distancing Canned beans are on the stockpile list as well. began, his customers are buying fajitas to last Cervantez transforms red beans into a one-pot several days. “That wasn’t the case before,” he meal with sautéed onions, bell peppers and celsaid. “But now, they’ll have fajitas the first night ery, plus bacon and andouille sausage. and then later in the week, use the leftovers to “Don’t forget to add the bay leaf and some top salads or breakfast eggs.” Crystal hot sauce,” the Pearland native says. His favorite way of retooling fajitas is to make “Now you have a pot of beans that you can eat chicken or beef quesadillas for his kids. He says that for a few days. It couldn’t be easier.” the leftover proteins also make great Philly cheesesteak sandwiches, and a keto-friendly fajita Perfect Oven Hanger Steak casserole with sautéed poblano peppers and cheese. Adapted from Robert Del Grande’s recipe 1 hanger steak (1 pound, 1-1½ inches thick); long with flour and rice, dried pasta sales ribeye or New York strip also can be used worldwide also have surged during the pan1 Tablespoon canola or vegetable oil demic – by more than 249 percent, according to Freshly cracked black pepper ResearchAndMarkets.com. Kosher salt “You can do so many things with pasta, and it can go a long way feeding a family,” said Allow the steak to reach room temperature, Brennan’s of Houston executive chef Joe then blot the steak dry with paper towels. While Cervantez. The father of two young kids always the oven is heating to 400 degrees, place a casthas macaroni and cheese in his kitchen cupiron skillet over high heat. Lightly season the steak board. To keep it from becoming boring, he will with kosher salt and black pepper. Go light on the switch it up a bit by adding canned tuna or salt for now, as it tends to draw out juices and precrumbled bacon. vent the meat from browning properly. Rub the At Brennan’s, he dresses up macaroni and steak with oil and place into the hot skillet. cheese with crawfish and andouille sausage. It’s Sear for 30 seconds on (continued on page 40) a big seller and is among the take-and-bake
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Fern Casio
MACARONI, UPGRADED Brennan's executive chef Joe Cervantez prepares his popular macaroni and cheese with crawfish to sell for H-E-B's chef-inspired meals. He says home cooks can use Chef Paul Blackened Redfish Magic Seasoning in their versions. (continued from page 38) each side. Season the steak
with salt and pepper to taste before transferring the beef onto a roasting or baking pan with a wire rack. Put into the oven and cook five minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 225-to-250 degrees and cook for about 15 minutes, or until the steak temperature reads 140 degrees. Remove from oven and allow to cool for 10 minutes. Serves 2.
Potatoes with Onions Adapted from Robert Del Grande’s recipe 1 medium onion, peeled and sliced thin Olive oil 4 gold potatoes, peeled and sliced ⅛-inch thick Kosher salt Freshly cracked black pepper Fennel seed Fresh rosemary (optional) Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Coat a 9-by-11 pan with olive oil. Spread the onions evenly on the bottom of the pan and season them with salt and pepper. Layer potatoes on top and sprinkle with fennel seed. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Drizzle more olive oil and bake until the potatoes are almost tender. If desired, this is the time to sprinkle fresh rosemary (or even fresh thyme) on top of the potatoes if desired. Cook until the potatoes are fork-tender and lightly WEST UNIVERSITY BUZZ JUNE 2020 40
golden brown, about 30 minutes. Serves 4.
Joe’s Scramble Adapted from Robert Del Grande’s recipe 2 Tablespoons olive oil 4-5 cloves garlic, minced 1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped 8 ounces ground chuck 1 (10-ounce) package of frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry in paper towels 8 eggs, lightly beaten ¼ cup finely grated Parmesan Kosher salt Freshly ground black pepper Heat oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Add garlic and onion, then cook until soft, about five minutes. Add ground chuck, then stir and cook until browned and all moisture evaporates, about 10 minutes. Add spinach, then cook until heated through, about two minutes. Add eggs and cook about three or four minutes. Season with salt and pepper, then sprinkle with Parmesan. Serve immediately with French or sourdough bread. Serves 4.
Andouille and Crawfish Mac ’n Cheese Adapted from Joe Cervantez’ recipe 2 (7.25-ounce) boxes of macaroni and cheese,
or homemade 3 ounces andouille sausage, cubed ½ cup onions, diced 1-2 garlic cloves, minced 2 teaspoons Chef Paul Blackened Redfish Magic Seasoning, or more to taste 4 ounces crawfish tail Kosher salt Freshly cracked black pepper to taste 2 Tablespoons green onions, sliced Prepare macaroni and cheese following box instructions; set aside. In a large pan over medium-high heat, sauté andouille sausage until fat starts to render. Add onions and garlic; cook onions until almost transparent. Add Blackened Redfish Magic Seasoning, followed by crawfish tails. Reduce to medium heat and cook crawfish tails until almost opaque, indicating they are almost done. Fold in macaroni and cheese. Season with salt and black pepper and adjust Magic Seasonings if necessary. Reduce to low heat and stir noodles gently until hot. Sprinkle with green onions and serve immediately. Serves 6. Editor’s note: Buzz dining columnist Dai Huynh is a James Beard food-journalism award winner and longtime Houston-based restaurant writer.
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Photo courtesy of the Junior League of Houston
FOOD by JeNeika Smith Boone, contributing writer
Cooking Buzz Simple meals for summer Cooking Buzz is produced in partnership with the Junior League of Houston, a women’s charitable and education organization founded in 1925.
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f you are like me, you are ready to step out of the house and into the sunshine. In the summer, I am typically a no-fuss cook. I enjoy meals that are light, flavorful and easy to prepare. Summer is also a time that I associate with seafood, and, due to our proximity to the Gulf of Mexico, we are fortunate to have a wide selection of seafood. One dish that can be prepared quickly is the Italian Seafood Stew from Peace Meals. This stew is attractive and savory. For a more substantial meal, serve over linguine and pair with crusty bread to mop up the sauce. The Poached Salmon in Thai Green Curry Broth from Peace Meals is another relatively light meal. While the list of ingredients may look intimidating, they combine to create a vividly flavored broth. When looking for the lemongrass, look for fresh, fragrant stalks and avoid any that look dry or brown, as the entire stalk is edible. Consider serving this dish over steamed jasmine rice. Shrimp is a staple in my kitchen, and I love finding new recipes that feature it prominently. The Shrimp and Mushroom Sauté from Stop and Smell the Rosemary includes several other ingredients I keep on hand at home: unsalted butter, lemon juice, tabasco, rice and pasta. This recipe is easy and can be served over rice or pasta. For a healthier alternative, try serving over quinoa or cauliflower rice. For evenings when I want something simple and comforting, or prefer to go meatless, the Risotto Limone from Stop and Smell the Rosemary fits the bill. This recipe serves 8 to 10, so if you are dining solo or with your family, the ingredient measurements can be cut in half. Pairing the risotto with the Grilled Vegetables or Two-Bean Succotash, also from Stop and Smell the Rosemary, ensures a well-balanced meal. Happy summer and bon appétit!
Italian Seafood Stew From Peace Meals ½ cup olive oil 1 shallot, diced WEST UNIVERSITY BUZZ JUNE 2020 42
2 to 3 cloves garlic, minced 2 Anaheim peppers, seeded and chopped 1 pint (2 cups) cherry tomatoes 2 cups chopped fresh Italian flat leaf parsley Coarse salt Cayenne pepper 1 thread saffron SERVING UP SEAFOOD This Italian Seafood Stew from Peace Meals is an elevated ¾ cup dry ver- meal with little effort. mouth or white 2 Tablespoons peeled and finely grated fresh wine ginger 12 Little Neck clams, scrubbed 2 green onions (white and pale green parts 12 black mussels, scrubbed and beards only), thinly sliced removed 1 pinch ground turmeric 1 lobster tail (6 to 8 ounces) 3 Tablespoons fresh lime juice 1 tilapia filet, washed and halved Zest of 1 lime, finely grated 6 large shrimp, shelled and deveined 3½ cups chicken broth 1 teaspoon coarse salt Heat the olive oil in a heavy stockpot over ¼ teaspoon freshly ground pepper medium-low heat. Add the shallots, garlic and 1 pound skinless salmon, bones removed and peppers, and sauté for about 10 minutes. Add the cut into 1-inch pieces tomatoes and parsley, and season with salt and 3 cups fresh spinach leaves, coarsely chopped cayenne; cook for 3 minutes. Add the saffron, 2 Tablespoons coarsely chopped fresh cilantro vermouth and ½ cup of water; bring to a boil. 1 Tablespoon coarsely chopped fresh basil Add the clams, mussels, lobster and tilapia, and 1 Tablespoons coarsely chopped fresh mint cover tightly. Steam until the clams and mussels open, about 5 to 8 minutes. Add the shrimp, Heat the oil in a medium saucepan over medicover and steam for 2 more minutes. Remove um heat. Add the coriander and cumin, and from heat and set aside for 2 minutes. Transfer cook for 1 minute. Add the garlic, shallots, the seafood with a slotted spoon to soup bowls lemongrass, chiles, ginger, onions, turmeric, lime and ladle in the remaining broth. Serves 2. juice and zest, and cook for 3 to 4 minutes or Poached Salmon in Thai Green until softened. Add the broth, salt and pepper. Bring to a simmer and cook for 30 minutes. Pour Curry Broth the mixture through a fine sieve into a clean From Peace Meals saucepan; discard the solids. Bring the broth to a 1 Tablespoon vegetable oil simmer, add the salmon and cook for 2 to 5 min4 Tablespoons coriander seed utes or until done. Stir in the spinach and herbs, ¾ teaspoon cumin seed, crushed and cook until the greens are wilted. Serve 2 cloves garlic, crushed immediately. Serves 2 to 4. ½ cup coarsely chopped fresh shallots 3 Tablespoons finely chopped lemongrass (only use the bottom 4 inches of the stalks) See thebuzzmagazines.com for more recipes. 1 to 2 serrano chiles, seeded and thinly sliced
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Tips for surviving social distancing Humans are social beings, which makes the concept of social distancing amid the COVID-19 outbreak difficult for many of us. This unwelcome isolation can lead to feelings of loneliness, anxiousness and even depression. As we adjust to disrupted schedules and a whole new norm surrounding dayto-day life, the human connection and social support that are vital to our mental health and happiness are strained, to say the least. Here are a few ways to protect your emotional health by maintaining social connection amid social distancing. Use visual-technology tools: Texts and phone calls are a great way to stay connected with friends and family, but consider the benefit of tools like FaceTime and Zoom that allow you to make eye contact and read body language. The visual aspect can add another level of closeness and connection, especially for children, who often have trouble staying engaged in audio conversations. Nurture relationships at home: Don’t forget about those who live with you: your family, your roommate. The haste of day-to-day life often takes away from those connections. This is a great opportunity to devote time to nurturing the relationships that can often be taken for granted. Connect with others via social media: For all the critics who say that social media is an inauthentic form of connection, it can still be a positive way to form and maintain relationships. Comment words of encouragement, send direct messages to check in on others, share photos and funny stories; just make sure you don’t give in to negative interactions and feelings of inadequacy. Help those around you: Showing compassion in times of stress and uncertainty isn’t just valuable for the mental and emotional health of others;
it’s good for your own. Ask loved ones what they need and what you can do for them, such as picking up groceries, meals or prescriptions and then drop them off at their doorstep with a handwritten note. Stay active: Many organizations are making an effort to go virtual and ensure that people are able to continue with things like fitness, spiritual services, physical and mental health treatment and more. Make an effort to continue those practices. Your doctors and clinicians are also making an effort to reach you wherever you are. Telehealth appointments are available at all Ethos Behavioral Health Group locations. Don’t discontinue treatment in a time when it may be most needed, and consider seeking help if you’re finding it hard to cope on your own. Follow routines, set accountability and touch base regularly: One way to make sure you maintain contact with others is to set a daily routine and set goals for social interaction. You can also find a friend or family member with similar interests or resolutions, whether it’s fitness, healthy eating, gardening or reading. Touch base every day, share tips, tricks, problems and successes, challenge each other, and hold each other accountable. Ceci Hudson Torn, Clinician and Chief Operating Officer, Ethos Behavioral Health Group, 900 Lovett Blvd., 713.497.1556, www.ethoshealing.com
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WEST UNIVERSITY BUZZ JUNE 2020 43
SPORTS
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by Todd Freed, staff writer
Emily Madison
SportzBuzz W
hen Episcopal Knights pitching ace Tanner Witt fired a one-hitter in an early-season SPC victory over rival Kinkaid, little could he have ever imagined that it would be his final game on the mound as a high school baseball player. “To go out there and not know that you’re pitching your final high school game with your close friends and teammates is pretty heartbreaking,” said Witt. “We were on a mission this season, and this was going to be our redemption year after losing to Kinkaid in last year’s SPC championship game.” The Knights’ mission was aborted by circumstances beyond their control with the baseball season ended in the wake of the coronavirus. “It’s just heartbreaking,” said Knights baseball coach Matt Fox. “As a competitor, I’ve been on the baseball field every spring my entire life. You build for the season all-year long, and we had something special with these guys. Between the competitiveness and talent of our team, we were ready to compete for a title.” Witt, a highly regarded Texas Longhorn signee who is also expected to be picked in the early rounds of the upcoming MLB draft, leaves Episcopal with a pair of SPC baseball championships in his brilliant career with the Knights. “I’m forever grateful for everything I’ve been through at Episcopal,” said Witt. “My experiences put me into the man I am today both on and off the field, including the relationships I’ve made with my teammates and coaches.” “In my 18 years of coaching, Tanner is probably the most irreplaceable player I’ve ever coached, both from a talent and leadership standpoint,” said Fox. “I’m thankful for him not just as a player, but also as a person. My message to our baseball community is that our relationships do not stop here, so we have a lot to be grateful for despite what’s happened.” Much like Episcopal, the Memorial Mustangs were off to a great start to the UIL Class 6A baseball season before it all came to an abrupt halt. “It feels like something was ripped from under you,” said Mustangs head coach Jeremy York. “We had 15 seniors, including a foursome of tremendous three-year starters in
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WHAT A KNIGHT Episcopal Knights pitching ace Tanner Witt (blue jacket) was all smiles just before his team’s early-season SPC-showdown victory against rival Kinkaid. Witt fired a one-hitter in what would turn out to be his final game on the mound as a high school pitcher.
Ben Dukes, Jack Riedel, Thomas Vincent and Mason Flinn who’ll all be playing collegiate baseball. We kind of saw the cancellation coming, but the finality pulls at your heartstrings for a great senior class.” Before the season was suspended and ultimately canceled, the Mustangs were off to a 103 start and were ranked among the area’s top Class 6A programs. “It ends up being a season of what ifs,” said York. “Regardless of what happens, you’re always going to say ‘what if.’ We were definitely in position to do something special this season.” All those ‘what ifs’ aside, York said his players are moving forward as best as possible. “One thing we talked about was that it’s not just what happens to you, but also how you respond to adversity. We are right now trying to figure out a way to honor the contributions our 15 seniors made to Memorial Mustangs baseball. Every one of them leaves a legacy to our program.” A signing-day ceremony hardly seemed possible in the wake of social distancing, but St. Agnes Academy water polo player Abigail Shelby, who’ll play collegiately at Villanova, received the surprise of a lifetime outside of her Bellaire-area home as a parade of well wishers turned out to cheer on the Tigers senior.
“I missed my teammates so much, and it meant a lot to me that they showed up outside my house on what was supposed to be my signing day. As soon as I stepped out, I started to cry because I hadn’t seen them in so long. It all started with the Villanova water polo coach calling me on the phone and asking me to step outside to check something out. I was shocked and really couldn’t believe it all.” Along with her teammates, Shelby’s coaches, friends, family and even local Villanova alumni joined in on the surprise celebration highlighted by a parade of cars with horns honking and everyone cheering for Shelby. The celebration helped cut the sting of a senior season cut much too short for the all-state goalie. “We finished first in district and were looking to win state after an unexpected loss at last year’s state meet,” said Shelby. “It was upsetting, but I’m now excited and looking forward to next season at Villanova.” 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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Remote fiduciaries and Covid workarounds As a family to-do list to support aging parents, it’s hard to beat the standards of practice for guardians: bellaireprobate.com/2020/05/checklists-for-mom/. Even with Mom’s consent, it was never easy for children to help. In the age of Covid isolation, office closures, and forwarded phones, what can be done now? Quite a bit, actually, even if you can’t visit Mom or leave your own home. Mom can’t manage the doctor’s telemedicine app? You’ll need her email credentials (user id and password). Load the app on your own phone, reset the password if needed (likely sent to her email), and log in for her. Come the appointment, call Mom from a second phone, and put her on speaker. Mom keeps her appointment and you don’t have to guess the doctor’s orders, new prescriptions, or next visit. Nursing home won’t fax the meds list? Send a courier. If you pay someone to deliver your groceries, you can afford someone to pick up medical records and fax them. With Mom’s email and account credentials, she can go paperless, and you can see bank statements, property and liability insurance bills, and tax statements. Forward the mail to receive medical bills and items that aren’t paperless. I like Personal Capital, a free, secure aggregator that compiles a balance sheet and cash flow statement from bank and brokerage credentials. Drill down to see individual transactions, e.g., the gallon of milk from Aldi or the auto repair last month. Compare against monthly bank and credit card statements to get the full picture, identify tax deductions, and stay ahead of insurance premiums, utilities, and other critical expenses. LastPass is my password manager. Credentials can be shared securely,
allowing Mom’s business and medical agents to remain in charge while distributing the workload. Just share credentials without enabling view or edit permissions, so the agent retains control. For example, keeping prescription drugs filled requires access to Mom’s email, the prescription drug plan, Mom’s credit card, and funds to pay the card each month. Mom’s primary agent can gather all that information, then deputize a sibling to keep the Losartan in good supply. LastPass is a good way to distribute information and not just responsibilities. With Mom’s okay, every sibling, not just responsible ones, can have access to Personal Capital or other aggregator, so everyone can track Mom’s savings and spending, without needling the primary agent for a formal accounting. Remote fiduciaries have the same responsibilities as others. Covid workarounds might help all of them. 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
WEST UNIVERSITY BUZZ JUNE 2020 45
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. Most sports came to a halt during the health crisis, but we want to celebrate our young athletes, whether they are still competing or training on their own at home. So keep snapping those pictures, and send them our way. See contact information at the end of this story.
Softball sisters In an effort to keep up their softball skills, Elliot Loper (top photo, left) tosses a ball for her sister, Caroline (right) to hit. The girls had both started their spring softball games when the pandemic began and forced the season’s cancellation. Elliot plays second base and outfield for both Pershing Middle School and the West University Softball Association (WUSA). Caroline, a student at Mark Twain Elementary, plays first and second base for WUSA and Stix Academy. The girls are thankful for their coaches, who have reached out to all of the players. Pershing Middle School coach David Burgan brought each player a handwritten note, and Stix Academy coach Juan Garcia sends weekly workouts to the team to help them stay connected.
Homeschool baseball When Bellaire Little League’s (BLL) season was canceled, coach and dad David Wu (middle photo, center) decided to keep his sons practicing at home. Right after celebrating at BLL’s opening ceremony, the season ended for brothers Mason and Maxwell Wu (from left). Maxwell, a third grader at Horn Elementary, was looking forward to his first kid-pitch season in the National League, and first-grader Mason was eager to start hitting off of a pitching machine. During quarantine, the boys are working on throwing accuracy and catching skills. Maxwell is also practicing pitching, to improve his ability to throw consistent strikes. After an extended practice season, the boys will be ready to start BLL Fall Ball.
Keep up their stick skills The lacrosse season may have been cut short, but Macyn and Morgan Tannery (bottom photo, from left) aren’t slowing down. In addition to running drills together, the siblings do 100 rebounds every day, with each hand, against the side of a building in the lacrosse-practice staple known as wall ball. Morgan, a sixth grader at The Kinkaid School, and Macyn, a fifth grader at River Oaks Baptist School, both play on Houston Youth Lacrosse (HYLAX) club teams. They both play attack, and their teams had played many games before the season ended. Speed runs in the family, and Morgan and Macyn use it to their advantage to run down the field for a pass or to take a shot. They hope to be back on the field soon to put their practice to work. 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. WEST UNIVERSITY BUZZ JUNE 2020 46
at info@thebuzzmagazines.com. Include all contact info, names, ages, grades and schools. Featured athletes must live in Buzz-circulation neighborhoods. Items will be published on a space-available basis.
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Improve your financial results in uncertain times The financial devastation of the coronavirus is evident, but here in Texas we have the double whammy of the coronavirus and very low oil prices. Most troubling, the length and severity of this one-two punch is unknown. For many people, their personal financial situation has taken a hit, and the steps to get back on track are not clear. Now, more than ever, we recommend you take the time to create and implement a long-term financial plan. People instinctively know the absence of a plan can lead to subpar results. Most of us would not consider undertaking major projects like a family vacation or building a home without a plan. Plans do not leave the outcome to chance. Instead, a plan provides the steps forward so you can progress effectively and with confidence. You know the end game. That way, if you veer off course, you can adjust and get back on track. A successful outcome is more likely with a plan. Research confirms a plan is helpful Many people never get around to creating a financial plan to protect and grow their family’s wealth. Implementing a comprehensive financial plan can significantly improve your financial outcomes. Just as importantly, a plan can instill security, confidence, and financial peace of mind. With your finances in tip-top shape, you can be confident about where you are headed and how you will get there. If you are not entirely satisfied with the current management of your finances, a financial plan may be the solution. Research from the Certified Board of Financial Planners Board of Planners shows that people with a financial plan are three times more likely to be satisfied with their personal finances,
and two times more likely to be living comfortably. Long-term financial goal-setting is also correlated with greater satisfaction with personal finances. A well-designed plan A plan will identify opportunities for improvement, such as reduced taxes, improved investment results and cost-effective insurance. With all your financial parts organized in one place, control over your wealth will improve. You will save time because a robust plan succinctly outlines improvement recommendations, complete with accountabilities and due dates. A plan promotes better financial decision-making because it provides a baseline against which decisions can be made. Most importantly, a plan will turn a fuzzy view of your financial future into clear goals with incremental steps to achieve them, complete with periodic progress check-ins and course corrections, as needed. Where to find help Several solutions are available online. If you want professional guidance, a good starting point is our website. Go to www.partnersinwealth.com and click the link on our home page to request our An Insider’s Definitive Guide to Finding Your Ideal Wealth Manager. James R. Waters, CFP®, PARTNERSINWEALTH, 3400 Bissonnet, Suite 145, Houston, Texas 77005, 713.964.4028, jrw@partnersinwealth.com, PIWHouston.com
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HELPING WHILE AT HOME Patrick Tsang, a sixth grader at St. John’s School, has been 3D printing mask extenders for healthcare professionals.
KIDS by Patrick Tsang, age 12
Buzz Kidz
Making a difference in 3D
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n March, when I heard that my school would start online learning because of the coronavirus, I was so sad. I enjoy school; it’s where I learn, socialize and make connections with friends. I’ve been in my house ever since. As I’m adjusting to this new normal, I find that I have more time on my hands. Sometimes, I have enough work to do to keep me occupied, while other times, I’ll have too little, so I realized how much I miss my extra activities. The topic of coronavirus is all over the news, especially to be conscious to wash your hands and not touch your face. As I read that people should wear a face mask, I thought that doctors and nurses who wear a mask all day must hurt their ears with the pressure of the elastic. Then it hit me – I should 3D print mask strap A
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extenders to relieve the pressure on people’s ears to make their masks more comfortable while they're working. Later that day, I went online and found models of mask extenders. I decided to export them to my 3D printer and print as many as I could to help the doctors and nurses. I use a 3D printer called a Raise3D N2, and I use PLA filament. A 3D printer is a machine that melts plastic and then oozes it out through a nozzle, allowing me to construct different objects. Filament is the plastic that you insert into your 3D printer. I can print up to 12 small and 20 large extenders per batch. I’ve been able to provide these extenders to my classmates’ parents who work in hospitals. Some extenders have also made it to people in A
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New York City and Washington D.C. I’ve also helped others who have reached out to me. Healthcare workers can be more comfortable while they work, so they can do their job with more ease. We all have to support one another during this historic event, and I hope I can make a difference. 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. D
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Quarantine marriage damage
Replenish your spirit
Houstonians understand stress-inducing disasters, but the duration and unpredictability of the coronavirus quarantine was different. It took away our usual human interaction, created emotional/financial pressures, and added distress over the health of everyone. Perhaps to lighten the mood, jokes abound about whether we will see a baby boom or spike in divorces. If you are someone for whom being stuck at home with your spouse was the breaking point in your relationship, you aren’t laughing, and you may be wondering what to do next. Education is step one. Find the right attorney to educate you about child-related matters, property division, and spousal support. Information gathering is step two. Use time stuck at home to collect copies of tax returns and asset and liability statements. Maybe even take pictures of special furniture and furnishings. Step three: Figure out what you need on a monthly basis to support yourself and your family. Make that monthly budget and figure out where the cushion is because, initially, splitting the family into two separate homes may be a stretch. Your future seems cloudy, but with a plan and expert support, this storm shall pass, and, like recovering from an illness, you will emerge stronger. Jeryl A. Golub is an attorney with Tindall England PC, a family-law firm specializing in divorce, child-custody modifications, grandparent access, paternity, adoption and premarital and postmarital agreements. Jeryl has been recognized as a Best Lawyers® for 2020 in the area of family law. Tindall England PC, 515 Post Oak Blvd., Suite 500, Houston, Texas 77027, 713.622.8733, www.tindallengland.com
The coronavirus has taken a lot from us, but it has also given us something important: time. Family members who are providing in-home care for a loved one with dementia or other health issues can use that extra time to engage in activities that relieve the increased stress and depression that come with caring for someone who is medically compromised during a pandemic. Simply by taking time to reconnect with old hobbies you’ve neglected in the day-to-day bustle, or playing a game with other family members, caregivers can replenish their spirit. Taking that time for yourself is just as vital for caregivers’ mental and physical well-being as frequently washing hands and practicing other healthy habits. If you’re a caregiver to a loved one, find something that sparks your interest and distracts your mind: Knit. Build a model. Do a puzzle. FaceTime friends. Watch online seminars or take an online language course. Watch movies you’ve been meaning to catch – or rewatch old favorites. Doing so will help you and your loved one be in a healthy place when this pandemic is over. And if you need advice, S. Gerber & Associates is here. We’re taking every precaution and care to prevent the spread of the coronavirus while we continue to serve our clients and their families. S. Gerber & Associates, 3730 Kirby Dr., Suite 1200, Houston, TX 77098, 713.857.3227, sid@personalcaregiving.com
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The itch that rashes meets its match Atopic dermatitis, or eczema, is a miserable condition. Itching brings on the scratch, which spreads the rash, and a vicious cycle ensues. Many rashes itch, but with eczema, the rash does not appear until after you scratch it. Thus, instead of being a “rash that itches,” it is known as the “itch that rashes.” In mild cases, using skin moisturizers and creams or ointments that contain steroids provide adequate control. In more severe cases, we have to use stronger doses of steroids that are taken by mouth and can cause terrible steroid side effects if used too long. Over the past 30-plus years, medical researchers have studied how white blood cells communicate with each other to regulate the immune system. One class of regulators is called interleukins (IL). IL-4, IL-13 and IL-31 play a role in eczema, so research has been done on how to block these signals to control the eczema. In March 2017, the FDA approved the biologic dupilumab (Dupixent), an injectable medication that inhibits both IL-4 and IL-13. In a pivotal study published in the New England Journal of Medicine in 2014, Dupixent provided much better relief when compared against steroid creams and ointments placed on the skin. Much larger studies confirmed this benefit in a 2016 NEJM manuscript. We have now started several patients on this treatment and have been amazed by how well it works. With eczema of any severity, rule No. 1 is moisturizing the skin. Dry skin is more likely to itch than is moisturized skin, and if we can control the itch, we control the scratch, and thus minimize the rash. Many allergic patients do not tolerate fragrances, so try a moisturizer that is “fragrance free.” It’s not good
enough if it says “unscented” because many unscented products have irritating fragrances that are offset by other masking (also irritating) fragrances. Many patients tolerate Vanicream, Cetaphil and CeraVe. Moisturizing can also be achieved from the inside out – staying well hydrated helps, as does ruling out and correcting Vitamin D deficiency. Oftentimes, the rash will get infected with bacteria, which complicates the situation. We sometimes have a patient pour half a cup of bleach into a bathtub full of water to kill the bacteria. Many patients find this unpleasant, and using a bleach-containing cleanser, like Cln, is almost as effective. If you are suffering with uncontrolled eczema, please ask for help. Better control is now within reach. No one nose allergies like we do.™ Note: Information contained in this article should not be considered a substitute for consultation with a board-certified allergist to address individual medical needs. Alnoor A. Malick, M.D., The Allergy Clinic, 7707 Fannin, Suite 100, Houston, Texas 77054, 713.797.0993, *1200 Binz, Suite 180, Houston, Texas 77004, 713.522.9911, www.allergyclinic.com, *Operating as Houston Allergy and Asthma Clinic
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PETS
Neighborhood Tails Bella, age 9, Whippet Mix, Pittsburg St. I’m Bella, and I am one happy little girl – now. No one is sure where I came from, but the story goes that my original owner was deployed overseas and left me with his mom, who lived in a trailer park. Her other dogs didn’t like me too much, so S.A.V.E. Rescue Coalition came to my rescue and found me a wonderful home. I love my new family and really enjoy walks, rides in the car and playing fetch. I came with my name, but no one was quite sure what “flavor” I was. We are thinking perhaps a hearty mix of Whippet and Italian Greyhound with some Jack Russell Terrier thrown in. I am a very happy and friendly girl, but I do get rambunctious and loud when the mailman, UPS and FedEx guys come around. Life is great! 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.
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Finding a new normal The phrase “uncertain times” is an understatement. Symptoms of depression and anxiety are increasing in people of all ages, and fear about the future is the new pandemic. It’s time to create a new normal! An empowered way to move forward includes making a plan that battles this fear of the unknown by focusing on things we can control. Think about what has worked better since we’ve been quarantined and try to incorporate those features into your summer and fall schedules. Have your children had more time to freely play instead of being overscheduled? Have you rediscovered the joy of baking? Have you been able to read more, or exercise more, or play together more as a family? These are gifts from the crisis. You can choose whether to keep these gifts or give them away. An easy way to make sure you have a balanced lifestyle moving forward is to use a Wellness Wheel, which is a simple tool that identifies components of healthy living. Wellness categories include physical, emotional, social, spiritual, environmental, and intellectual. Make sure you incorporate something from each category every day. Fear is managed by walking through it. As we emerge from quarantine, we are all moving forward slowly and carefully, creating a new normal. Make sure you include balance and wellness in yours. Dr. Kimberly Harrison is a clinical psychologist and founder of The Conative Group. She has published several vlogs and blogs to help with pandemic-related issues at www.theconativegroup.com. Kimberly Harrison, Ph.D., The Conative Group, 4130 Bellaire Blvd., Suite 208, Houston, Texas 77025, 713-993-7030, www.theconativegroup.com
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NEIGHBORS
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by Jordan Magaziner Steinfeld, staff writer
Buzz About Town Pooja Salhotra
The toy maker
tance of preservation of the environment,” said Hormoz. “We can help a great deal just by doing our own part. I feel this is the least I can do.” For more, search "Creating Something Out of Nothing: Mr. Bastani’s Trojan Horse" by Pooja Salhotra at thebuzzmagazines.com.
It’s a marathon, not a sprint
Instead of recycling empty cereal boxes and mail ads, retired architect Hormoz Bastani, 76, has used them to craft children’s toys. They include the 3-foot-tall Trojan Horse pictured here, made entirely from cereal boxes and tape. Hormoz said he looks forward to giving the horse to his neighbors’ kids. His other homemade toys include paper airplanes and Polynesian boats. “I’ve traveled around the world and have seen the impor-
Henry Philpott, a sophomore at William & Mary, was home early from college due to the pandemic. He and two of his friends, also home from college, came up with the idea to walk a marathon together – spaced at least six feet apart – to raise funds for the Houston Food Bank. They created a GoFundMe charity page and a documentary covering the walk, which followed the Houston Marathon route. It took them seven hours and nine minutes to complete. Family members and friends came out to provide encouragement plus food and water at stops along the way. Ultimately, they raised $3,236. Pictured are (from left) Henry Philpott, Charlie Neuhaus, a student at Tufts University, and Jacob Brown, a student at University of Pennsylvania. The friends met during their St. John’s School days.
Cycling for a cause Friends and avid bikers Taylor Brown and Sean Cunningham (pictured, from left) rode their bikes for 100 miles in circles around West U Elementary. Taylor wanted to raise funds for the Houston Food Bank, so he called Sean and explained that 100 miles around the school would equal 150 laps. Sean agreed to the challenge and Taylor set up a fundraising page with a goal of $2,500. It took nearly nine hours for the two to ride 100 miles. Children Eleanor, Henry and Grant Brown and Cate, Linley and Margaret Cunningham joined them for some laps, and so did Taylor’s father-in-law, Dick Elwood, and friends David Lintner and Jose Nolla. Ultimately, they donated $3,256 to the Houston Food Bank. For more, see "Fighting Hunger, One Lap at a Time" by Karen Vine Fuller at thebuzzmagazines.com.
Feeding healthcare heroes
Friends Jeffrey Chuong, Omar Busaidy and Bryce Liu – whose parents all work in the healthcare industry – started Food For Heroes to support local restaurants while feeding stressed healthcare workers. Jeffrey, (continued on page 54) WEST UNIVERSITY BUZZ JUNE 2020 52
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(continued from page 52) Omar and Bryce order
from local restaurants with donations they’ve collected and provide meals to hospitals. Omar and Bryce are students at Bellaire High School, and Jeffrey is a student at Texas Academy of Math and Science. Pictured are healthcare professionals at Baylor St. Luke’s Medical Center with a delivery of meals from The ’401. See FoodForHeroesTX.org or @FoodForHeroesTX on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram.
Celebrating seniors
loons to cheer on the grads, who had decorated their cars. A congratulatory yellow yard sign with each senior’s name had been placed in front of their homes. Seniors are graduating from multiple schools, including Bellaire, Episcopal, Kinder HSPVA, Lamar, St. John’s School, St. Pius X and The Kinkaid School. The seniors include Zach Atasi, Savannah Farmer, Houston Harris, Thomas Raguso, Su Spector (pictured, with her sister, Charlotte, driving), Mira Thakur, Madeline Wentworth, John Winston, Eka Savajol, Ella Pascoe and Mary Beth Urwilder. This close-knit neighborhood pulled together during the pandemic, staying connected through scavenger hunts and other safe activities.
on Beatrice; search “Crafting for a Cause: Houston Teen Steps Up During Coronavirus” by Pooja Salhotra at thebuzzmagazines.com.
Corona-themed cake
Crafting for a cause
The Sunset Terrace Montclair subdivision held a car parade to honor 12 Class of 2020 seniors who live in the neighborhood. Neighbors came out to their curbs with banners, signs and bal-
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Beatrice Graubart (pictured, below, on right), who graduates from Emery/Weiner this spring, and her older sister Isabel Graubart (on left) have been making beaded bracelets that spell out phrases like “stay home” or “6 feet apart” and donating the proceeds to various causes. In addition, Beatrice sews face masks using a sewing machine she discovered in her attic – she watched YouTube videos, taught herself how to sew and has been donating the masks. She also makes hand sanitizer out of aloe vera and essential oils for her grandparents and their friends. In addition, she helped put together more than 200 baskets of school supplies and gift certificates for low-income children through Families Empowered. Read more
For special occasions, Coert Voorhees loves to bake cakes for wife Molly, son Dayton and daughter Annie. Deciding on a theme for Annie’s 11th birthday cake was challenging with the unusual circumstances surrounding her special day. He was inspired when a friend sent him a photo of their family calendar – their firstgrader had put Xs on all their fun planned events and remarked that “stupid Covid ruined everything.” As far as Annie’s 11th birthday plans, this hit home. Spring Break (continued on page 56)
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(continued from page 54) was
cancelled; their Disney cruise plans were cancelled. So Coert decided to bake that idea into a cake. He replicated the structure of the coronavirus in red and gray fondant, including the club-shaped spikes that give the virus its distinctive, crownlike appearance. He set the fondant virus on top of a circular cake that he decorated as a calendar and then wrote “Happy 11th Birthday Annie!” in bright, pink icing. The cake was a hit. Pictured are Annie (previous page, on left) and Dayton (on right), all smiles with the coronavirus-themed cake. For more on creative cakes during quarantine, search "Baking in Place: Baking Rises During Stay-at-Home Order" by Jennifer Oakley at thebuzzmagazines.com.
Yard peeps
To thank those who risk their lives during the coronavirus pandemic, Robyn Goldstein created a yard sign recognizing frontline workers. The lawyer and mother of two used an illustration app on her iPad to draw characters representing frontline workers including a mailman, a doctor, a police officer and a nurse. As soon as Robyn shared the image on her social media, messages began flooding in from friends wanting to purchase the yard sign. Within days, Robyn and her husband Brian set up a website where people could order the signs. As of press time, Robyn (pictured here with daughter Emma) said orders for more than 1,000 signs across 27 states and Washington D.C. had come in. All proceeds go to Brighter Bites, a nonprofit that helps get healthy food to families in need. See yardpeeps.com and search "The Yard Sign that Went Viral" by Pooja Salhotra at thebuzzmagazines.com for more details and photos.
Good hair days Maggie Garza had meant to get a haircut before her Spring Break ski trip (which was ultimately cancelled). But she never made it to her salon and, as the weeks passed during the stay-athome order, Maggie really needed a haircut. Maggie had a grooming set already, meant to WEST UNIVERSITY BUZZ JUNE 2020 56
trim her sons’ hair from time to time. She decided to enlist their help. Her youngest son, Marshal, a fourth grader at St. Vincent de Paul, accepted the challenge. Maggie showed Marshal where to cut, and he confidently cut his mom’s hair and even dried it before heading back outside to play basketball. Pictured are Marshal and Maggie. For more on this topic and to see the video, search "A Good Hair Day: Fourth Graders to the Rescue" by Jennifer Oakley at thebuzzmagazines.com.
Helping healthcare workers Ethan Saadia (pictured), a junior at St. John’s,
is talented when it comes to technology. When he heard TXRX Labs was making medical face shields, he started 3D printing headbands. Then, he began assembling his 3D printed bands with laser cut visors to distribute directly to Houston doctors. “As a hardware and software developer,” he said, “I saw an opportunity to use my skills to join this movement and ensure doctors have the protection they need.” Be seen in Buzz About Town. Send your high-res photos and community news to info@thebuzzmagazines.com. Items are published on a space-available basis. Also share your upcoming-event listings on thebuzzmagazines.com.
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NEIGHBORS
by Andria Frankfort, staff writer
Back Porch
What do we miss?
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n most every situation, there is a silver lining. Something to look forward to, something to take joy in, a lesson to be learned. This story began with a phone conversation I had with a friend during our stay-at-home days, lamenting our gray hair and the never-ending cycles of the dishwasher. At one point, our talk turned to what we were missing most: Was it seeing friends’ faces? Being comfortable in the same room as our parents? Dinners out? We wondered what everyone else was missing about the olden days, the ones back in February. So we asked, and, yes, much of our old normal was missed. But surprisingly – and here’s where the silver lining comes in – we learned a lot. About ourselves, and about what really matters. Here is what we heard. “I went to Target yesterday for the first time in six-plus weeks. It was awesome. What should I be looking forward to? A vaccine.” – Tracy Kapiloff “I am 60 years old, and my mother told me that women friends will matter more when you get older. It’s really true. Even if it’s inconvenient, I’m going to connect with my friends that matter to me. Not just convenient friends. And … I can’t wait to have dinner parties.” – Tina Pyne “I am loving quarantine! I’m going to miss more things than I am looking forward to. I love spontaneous workouts in the backyard as a family, I love everyone being home for dinner, I love not needing a manicure or brushing my hair!” – Peta Rubenstein “Besides the obvious – going to a grocery store and not feeling anxious and rushed, going to the gym, seeing friends, travel, kids back at school, visiting the hair colorist and manicurist – what I am really looking forward to is being able to be around people and not be anxious about whether I am too close, or in danger, or putting them in danger.” – Anonymous “I should be looking forward to full days at the office. I really just want to travel!” – Wendy Burgower “I am looking forward to not seeing myself on Zoom or Teams or any other video-based platform. Seriously, could anything be less flattering? I should be looking forward to taking a trip with my family, but honestly, I really want to go WEST UNIVERSITY BUZZ JUNE 2020 58
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back to the [Episcopal High School] campus. I miss my co-workers, the energy of the students, the beauty of the Trinity Courtyard, and the view of the front lawn from my office window.” – Peggy Haney “Hugging my friends and family and sitting comfortably inside their houses. And using their bathrooms and silverware!” – Amy Krasner “My mom! My mom is 80, and I have been going weekly to drop off groceries and medicines. I sit outside her door, 20 to 25 feet away. I want IT'S ALL RELATIVE For some, the time stuck at home during quarantine came with to kiss her! I want its share of blessings. to hug her! I want about what happens next: the uncertainty of the her to be able to go to the beauty shop again like health risks, the lack of firm calendar commitshe did every Friday! We will be fine, our kids ments. Of course, too many in our community will be fine. But my mom, it’s hard.” – Sarah are feeling the real financial impact that won't Gibbs disappear when the quarantine is lifted. So I “Non-socially-distanced sex.” – Buddy Herz guess I am crazy.” – Nicole Gibson “I love being isolated! I’m cooking, needle“I am ready for my college son to be able to pointing, reading and relaxing. Who knew? It work out and do things out of the house. He’s will be interesting to see what things defined as stir crazy.” – Denise Rashti normal will actually be worth going back to.” – “Simple. Going out to eat.” – Bernie Milstein Nancy Beck “I am really enjoying having my four kids at “I look forward to meeting friends and enjoyhome. I’m not sure they are enjoying it quite so ing a meal out with them.” – Stuart Hudson much. I never want to change this little bubble “I might be crazy, but I'm not too upset by the that I'm living in and [wish I could] somehow quarantine. My nest is full – those days are numkeep the news from them that stay-at-home bered, so I'm grateful to have my kids at home. orders have been lifted and just keep living this Don't get me wrong, I'm missing in-person time way for years.” – Anonymous Dad with friends and family, but I'm more worried