Andrew Duong
Taking a Gap Year
Meet the School Buzz Team by Jordan Magaziner Steinfeld
Going Green: Plogging College-Football Tailgating Farewell to a Loved House Upping the Grocery Game Building Trains in the Garage
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EDITOR’S NOTE I can’t believe I am admitting this, but it wasn’t until recently that The Buzz office started recycling. During Stephanie Goldfield’s first week at work as an account manager, she asked me where to find the recycling bin. I was embarrassed to tell her we didn’t have one. A few days later, she brought in a bin and taped laminated instructions on the wall with very specific listings of what to include and what to leave out. Every Friday she checks the trash and grades us. I was so sure I would mess up that I even snuck some trash into the can in our garage. Our grades went way up – just in time for our globally aware, award-winning travel writer Tracy Barnett’s new feature about going green. She focuses on Buzz residents passionate about helping the environment. Tracy kicks off the series this month with an article on “plogging” – picking up litter while jogging. We hope you find her stories as motivating as we found Stephanie’s office recycling bin and instructions (and grades). joni@thebuzzmagazines.com
THE BUZZ MAGAZINES BELLAIRE • WEST UNIVERSITY • MEMORIAL • TANGLEWOOD/RIVER OAKS Published by Hoffman Marketing & Media, LLC 5001 Bissonnet, Suite 100, Bellaire, Texas 77401 info@thebuzzmagazines.com • p: 713.668.4157 • f: 713.665.2940 Follow us on Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram and Twitter thebuzzmagazines.com Editor Publisher Associate Editors Design Manager Staff Writers
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Joni Hoffman Michael Hoffman Cheryl Laird Jordan Magaziner Steinfeld John Duboise Tracy L. Barnett Deborah Lynn Blumberg Sharon Albert Brier Andria Frankfort Angie Frederickson Todd Freed Cathy Gordon Michelle Casas Groogan Dai Huynh Annie Blaylock McQueen Jennifer Oakley Cheryl Ursin Russell Weil Beth Zdeblick Andrea Blitzer Stephanie Goldfield Leslie Little Kim Montgomery
On our cover: Andrew Duong, a senior at St. John’s School, is a School Buzz reporter for the second year. Cover photo by Dylan Aguilar The Buzz Magazines has made all reasonable attempts to verify the accuracy of all information contained within. Advertising claims are solely the responsibility of the advertiser. Copyright © 2018 Hoffman Marketing & Media, LLC. All rights reserved. Reproduction of any portion of this magazine by any means without written permission is strictly prohibited. Printed on recycled paper. Please remember to recycle.
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Your letters, thoughts, opinions Cheers to a beloved neighbor Thank you for the article about Col. (Ret.) George McDowell and the 5300 block of Yarwell [The Good Neighbor: George McDowell's happy-hour legacy, by Karen Vine Fuller, September 2018]. Karen masterfully captured the essence of our long running happy hour gatherings and creation of a neighborly street. I laughed, and I cried reading the comments that were expertly woven together to recap our story. We have so much fun as neighbors and we most definitely have each other's back. We celebrate, commiserate and stare down hurricanes during our gatherings. I hope it inspires other blocks to do the same. Cheers! Trina Fowlkes
Talking of tracking teens In response to the teen tracking article [Tracking Teens: We can, but should we?, by Andria Frankfort, September 2018]: I am a life coach and this issue has come up in sessions with parents. As a parent myself, I did not track my older son who is now 22. I don't recall having the technology available to me when he was in high school. My younger son is very social, and he drove all over Houston and the suburbs for three years. I used the Life360 [family locator] app for his safety and my sanity. He was in an accident once, and the app helped us to locate him. After he graduated from high school, he and some friends took a road trip to Big Bend and Austin. All of the parents had the app, which made us feel comfortable about the trip. Not long after the road trip, my son and I came to the decision that he could disable the app. After all, he was 19 and going to college in Virginia soon. It was a great way to begin the letting go process for both of us. He was given the independence that he needed, and I was able to practice trusting that he would be fine without a tracking device. Cutting the technology tracking cord over the summer was a perfect way to begin the process of trust and independence. Also, after a couple of days of being untethered, I felt liberated not to feel like I "had" to track him. I'm sure he felt the same way. As we have reliance on many technological "toys," we tend to become addicted to them, and once we let it go, the sense of freedom is refreshing. Arlene Schneider
Galveston dining memories I discovered your article Galveston Restaurant Memories by Russell Weil [July 2018]. What a great piece, brought back many memories of some wonderful seafood meals in places like Gaido’s. But, I am haunted by a memory I have of another seafood restaurant on Seawall Boulevard, and I can’t remember the name. I may be thinking of early Gaido’s, but what I remember is a place with white and black checkered tile floors, large windows WEST UNIVERSITY BUZZ OCTOBER 2018 6
overlooking the Gulf, waiters with white aprons, white tablecloths and outside, an overhang over the sidewalk. I am hoping that you may have knowledge of such a restaurant you did not mention in your article or one that someone may have brought to your attention after you wrote the piece. If you do, I would greatly appreciate your sharing it with me. David Batt Editor’s note: We tried to figure out the mystery restaurant and reached out to our BOI (born-on-the-island) feature writer Andria Frankfort, who thought it might be Hill’s Original Restaurant. It wasn’t. We’re still stumped. If any of you think you might know the answer, please email info@thebuzzmagazines.com.
Making a difference Thank you, Tracy, for this great article [From Houston to Guatemala, with love, by Tracy L. Barnett, August 2018] on our local Houstonians broadening their horizons and making a difference in the world here and abroad. Brooke, Lorena, Christina and Hayley are great examples of how Houstonians go above and beyond. Truly a city with a heart! Linda Porter-Tucci 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 unique holiday traditions or holiday stories. • Are passionate about being “green” and protecting the environment. • Traveled to a fascinating travel destination. • Know a compelling neighbor to profile. • Enjoy interesting hobbies. If this sounds like you or someone you know, please contact us at info@thebuzzmagazines.com or 713.668.4157, ext 12.
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NEIGHBORS by Cheryl Ursin, staff writer
Victory Gap Taking a year before college
A
fter graduating from HSPVA in 2017, Eva Kramer went to Northern Iraq, where she worked in a refugee camp and, at one point, was detained overnight and had her passport confiscated. Then she spent six weeks working at an orphanage for sex-trafficked children in Tanzania before going to Nepal where, speaking only a few words of Nepali, she became an elementary school’s only English teacher. After graduating from Episcopal High School in 2016, Devin Gohel volunteered at the Elephant Nature Park in Thailand, made lanterns for a non-profit in Vietnam and helped build a home and clean temples in Cambodia and Laos. He then did a three-month internship with a tech start-up company in Barcelona. The unconventional path Eva and Devin took is called a gap year. They both took a year off after graduating from high school and before starting college to travel, pursue interests, gain real-life experience and have adventures. Eva is now at the University of North Texas, studying photojournalism, and Devin is at the University of Michigan, majoring in computer science with a minor in business. “Gap year” is a broad term. Also called “a bridge year,” it actually doesn’t have to be a year. Many take semester-long “gaps” and start college in the spring. And while the best-known version takes place between high school and college, people also take them during their college years, after college graduation before starting graduate school or work, even in mid-career or after retirement. While many people travel abroad for their gap years, others stay in the United States and even live at home. Some earn money, through paying jobs and scholarships and grants, during their year. Others spend. The most expensive gap years – arranged by consultants and gap-year companies that take care of every detail – can cost as much as a year at a private college, $30,000-40,000, according to Alia Pialtos, director of USA Gap Year Fairs. The experiences people pursue are everything you can imagine, plus some. Dianna Hahn, associate director of the Gap Year Association, a non-profit organization that accredits formal WEST UNIVERSITY BUZZ OCTOBER 2018 8
LEARNING WHILE TEACHING Eva Kramer taught English to students in Nepal. "I think the best part of my gap year has been the people I've met along the way," she says.
gap-year programs, tells of one 19 year old who recently rowed across the Atlantic Ocean to raise money and awareness for ocean conservation. Pierce Davidson, who graduated from Second Baptist in 2016, went to Costa Rica with a U.S. mission organization and studied Spanish and the Bible. Sophia Skelly, who graduated from The Kinkaid School in 2014, backpacked through Europe for three months with friends, went with a formal gap-year program to India and lived on her own in Costa Rica and Nicaragua to improve her Spanish. Alan De Leon wanted to stay put in one place to improve his language skills. Already fluent in Spanish, he spent his gap year in 2013 in a small town in Brazil, the only English speaker for 80 miles, living with a family and working for a non-profit, in order to immerse himself in Portuguese. While only a small percentage of highschoolers take a gap year, that number is growing, according to the Gap Year Association’s Hahn. And gap years have gained acceptance in the United States, by students, colleges, college counselors and parents, over the last several decades. When it was announced that Malia Obama would take a gap year in 2016 before starting at Harvard, traffic to the Gap Year Association’s website increased by 2,600 percent, according to an NPR report. For more than 40 years, Harvard has encouraged new undergraduate students, right in their admittance letter, to consider taking a gap year, promising to hold their admitted spot for a year; currently, generally more than 100 of their admits, like Malia, take the college up on the idea each year. Many colleges and universities, including
all of the Ivy League schools, are pro-gap year, with Princeton being the first college to create its own gap-year program, its Bridge Program, in 2009. Students who have been admitted to Princeton can apply to the nine-month, tuitionfree program where they do community service work in one of five locations abroad. When Pierce Davidson approached the college he had been admitted to and chosen, Baylor University, about deferring his start to take a gap year, it not only agreed but gave him a $5,000 scholarship to use toward his expenses. He was required to write a paper about his experiences. His gap year, through Score International, cost $10,000, including his room, board and classes but not his plane ticket. Alan De Leon’s university, The New School in New York City, offered accepted students the opportunity to apply to a gap-year program the school runs in partnership with Global Citizen Year. In addition to working with a non-governmental organization (NGO) in Brazil for the year, De Leon did college-level work, corresponding with a New School professor by mail and email, and entered the university as a sophomore when he returned. Perhaps the biggest trepidation parents have about gap years is that, if their child doesn’t go right into college after high school, they might not go at all. The key, experts say, is not to delay college but to defer it. High-school students interested in doing a gap year should apply to colleges on schedule with their peers. It’s never easier to apply to college than when you are in high school, with your college counselor and teachers on hand to send (continued on page 10)
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SEEING THE WORLD For two months of his gap year, Devin Gohel (center) travelled through Southeast Asia with a group of 10, led by two guides from a company called Pacific Discovery. Pictured here during a bike ride in Vietnam, the group stays in touch. (continued from page 8) out your transcripts and
write your recommendations. “It’s really difficult to fill out an application from the Serengeti,” says the Gap Association’s Hahn. When looking at colleges, students can ask what the school’s policy is on deferments and gap years. Most grant deferments, though some may want information about what the student has planned for their gap year and, in some cases, the student may have to reapply for financial aid for the following year. Although it’s not unheard of for students to change their minds about where they want to go to college after taking a gap year, Julie Rollins, director of college counseling at Episcopal High School, advises against betting that taking a gap year will make for a better application and get you into a more competitive college. “You should still apply and decide on one” beforehand, she says. Another key is to have a structured plan for the year. The Gap Year Association’s definition of a gap year, between high school and college, is “a concerted opportunity, to expand the self, do some exploration, reflect,” says Hahn. “It’s not sitting at home playing video games.” Luckily for gappers, as they’re called, the problem isn’t coming up with an idea for a gap year; the problem is being able to choose from all the opportunities. Gap years are an industry, with dozens of companies offering packaged trips. The Gap Year Association, a nonprofit, accredits programs that meet their criteria, while Gap Year Fairs brings a college-fair-like event to showcase such companies and other organizations, to Houston once a year, usually in January or February. In past years, Episcopal and Strake Jesuit have hosted the fair. Gap-year consultants
will, for a set fee, usually $2,000-3,000, help a student choose and organize their plans. Devin Gohel used a counselling company called Center for Interim Programs. “In the beginning, I did research on my own and was overwhelmed,” he says. “They know hundreds of companies, get feedback from students who have gone on the trips, can help you find a good fit.” In addition, many nonprofit and government entities, from the Rotary Club to the State Department, offer gap programs that are low in cost, and may even pay participants, but can be competitive to get into. Many gappers do a number of short-term projects, often moving from country to country, during their year. When Sophia Skelly started researching gap years, she turned to the student Facebook pages of her future college. Colorado College is very gap-year-friendly; a full 12 percent of its newest class have taken a gap year. Skelly was able to get advice directly from recent former gappers. She decided to start her year with a structured program, a trip to India with a company called Carpe Diem, and then move to less-structured plans as she became a more experienced traveler. In her last month, she was “the only gringa” at a university in Nicaragua, where she took Spanish classes. Eva Kramer knew she wanted to go to Nepal when she was 15 and saw a documentary about the country at school. When her trip, arranged through an organization called Projects Abroad, was delayed for three months, she decided to visit her aunt and uncle who were missionaries in Northern Iraq. As hostilities drew close to where they were, the missionaries began to
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leave, but Eva and her aunt were detained before they could board a flight. “I knew something bad had happened when I got a text from Eva, saying, ‘My passport’s been confiscated. Do you have a copy of it?’” remembers her mom, Colleen Kimball. The next text Collen got was, “We’re in Africa, having the best time. Will tell you all about it later.” Eva and her aunt were held overnight in a jail where no one spoke English. Says Eva now, “Being detained in Iraq was scary, but it is not something I consider to be a bad part of my trip. It makes an incredible story and is very funny, looking back.” Of her entire adventure, Eva says, “My gap year changed me in more ways than I can count. I have matured into an adult, I have become more tolerant…. To say it’s been life-changing doesn’t even scratch the surface.” Research has shown quantifiable benefits to doing a gap year. Gappers tend to take less time to graduate from college and do so with higher grade point averages. Later in life, they report higher job satisfaction and are even more likely to vote. Alan De Leon jokes that it was funny to see his fellow new college students trying to figure out how to use a washing machine when he had spent the last year washing his clothes in a river. But he also says that the week of re-entry training his program provided to returning gappers was surprisingly helpful. “It helped us to reacclimate to America,” he says, and felt more geared to his needs than the ordinary freshman orientation he also attended. Says Sophia Skelly, “I did feel a little different than the other college students, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing.”
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Dylan Aguilar
NEIGHBORS by Cathy Gordon, staff writer
For the Love of a House A home’s farewell forges friendships
S
he sits on piers, this saltbox house, her sun-whipped paint dull and chipped. Inside, buckled wood floors creak underfoot as visitors mill about, reminiscing, pointing out the kitchen that once smelled of home. Crystal doorknobs sparkle against her timeworn interior like fancy buttons on a shabby coat. “When I walk in there, it still feels like home. Yes, it’s much older, but it hasn’t changed that much,” says retired Lockheed Martin executive Sid Wells, 81, father to three, grandfather to four. He’s saying a final goodbye this day to his childhood home, hand-built by his father in 1935. If walls could talk, they’d regale her origin as a lily-white farmhouse planted smack-dab in the middle of three acres on a dairy farm, nary a neighbor, when Bellaire was barren coastal plain. They’d also tell how Sid and family rose at dawn to milk purebred Jersey cows, selling icycold gallon jugs to neighbors during World War ll when commodities were scarce. “It wasn’t always fun getting up at 5 a.m.,” Sid quips. Fast-forward to the '50s, the post-war modern age. No more dairy farm. The land is subdivided, the house rolled forward 300 feet to the spot she’d hold for more than six decades before meeting the wrecking ball, 4522 Birch Street, inside Loop 610 near Bellaire’s Evergreen Park and Nature Discovery Center. Her two-story frame towers above a neighborhood of single-level ranch houses. And she has welcomed new occupants. A couple has taken up residence with their baby girl. Three years later, a sister comes along. As time goes by, sisters Gayle and Mayola Martin fill the house with the sweet strains of classical music, practicing piano daily. When they fly the nest, it’s for New York City and The Juilliard School. “My time in that house was one of creativity, music, drawing, painting and reading,” says Gayle, a concert pianist who now lives across the street from where her childhood digs once stood. She has hosted a gathering this day for Sid, his wife Julie, and the couple who recently purchased the property from her and her sister. Yes, the '30s saltbox recently met house heaven. She was past the point of a facelift, no quick
fix to erase the ravages of time. But no one is happier for new property owners Maxi and Cynthia Jambrina than those sitting at Gayle’s dining table. The room is abuzz with stories and laughter. Sid unfurls his dad’s original house plans, yellowed by age, and passes around black and white photographs of A STEP BACK IN TIME Sid Wells revisits one of his childhood home’s most the house in its prime. memorable features, its staircase, a favorite backdrop for family pictures when “It’s really incredi- he was young (inset). ble,” he says. “I almost popped at closing. The bubbly was a gift from can’t believe how we’ve all gotten to know each Sid, sent via Gayle. “And Dominique will take other through the house. I’m grateful that the piano lessons from Gayle right across the street,” Martins enjoyed it for so long after my family, Cynthia says. “How perfect is that?” that they enjoyed the fruits of my mom and “The significance of the champagne is that the dad’s labor.” vendor’s name on the bottle is the same as my Indeed, Gayle’s family has longevity with the mother’s maiden name, Albrecht,” Sid explains. house. Her accountant mother Alice lived there Sid’s father, Curtis Sinclair Wells Sr., who till her death at 91, in 2016. went by Sinclair, moved here from Iowa in the “It’s amazing that in all that time, the house late '20s, a child of the Great Depression. has only had two families occupy it,” says Sid. “I Bellaire was dotted with rice farms to the south, believe that it’s the oldest house in Bellaire that cotton fields to the west. Sinclair looked to the had still been inhabited. And now Cynthia and horizon and imagined a dairy farm. Sleeves perMaxi can build a new house on that land and petually rolled up, he bought three acres and create new memories with their children. It pursued his vision. warms the heart.” He originally built a single-room structure for “It’s exciting but a little sad at the same time, himself with a garage/stall for cattle, explains seeing the house go,” says Cynthia, a home Sid, but that morphed into full house plans in designer and builder. She will spearhead the 1935 when Sinclair wed sweetheart Annabel building and design of the family’s new dwelling, Albrecht. With a $2,500 mortgage application a modern industrial house, just as she did their approved, he and a carpenter friend got cracking current abode two blocks away. on the family home. Sid was born a year later. “We love this area,” adds husband Maxi, Annabel and Sinclair named their place Belowner of an accounting firm. He had flirted with Clair, the last syllables of their first names. moving his family to The Heights to be closer “Not only did my father have this dairy farm, to work. But son Christian, 7, and daughter but he worked for Houston Lighting & Power, Dominique, 6, love the neighborhood and their taking the bus to the downtown office,” Sid friends at Horn Elementary. The lot with two explains. large oaks planted by Sid’s father is perfect for He was also the volunteer chief of the their new home. Bellaire Fire Department. As a young kid, Sid Cynthia is planning a memory wall for the was the fire department’s (continued on page 14) new structure, replete with the champagne cork
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Dylan Aguilar
OLD HOME WEEK New property owners Cynthia and Maxi Jambrina (far right), who plan to build on the lot, joined former house occupant Gayle Martin (middle) and Sid Wells and wife Julie (left) as they visited the home one last time. (continued from page 12) mascot. Sporting a uni-
form, badge and a smile, he’d represent the department at competitions, watching firefighters hone their skills. “You know what I think of when I think of that house? Community,” says Sid. “Bellaire was a community in the truest sense of the word. People helped each other.” Sustainability also comes to mind. Sid and sister Carolyn raised rabbits for the meat. “I mean, they were nice pets, too, but my sister and I actually sold them during the war because other meats were difficult to get.” They also raised chickens for eggs. “It was that kind of self-sustaining lifestyle that people dream about now. People took care of themselves and each other and always had enough to eat.” Sid easily conjures mental snapshots of his mom, in the kitchen, making butter and cottage cheese, bottling milk. Annabel also volunteered with the Bellaire Home Demonstration Club, a federal government initiative to teach women canning, sewing and other domestic skills. Milk deliveries were a family affair. His dad outfitted the family’s 1938 Plymouth sedan with insulated army surplus boxes to accommodate gallon jugs of milk. His mom drove, Sid riding shotgun. “But one of my favorite stories about Sid and that house involves his horse,” says wife Julie. Beauty was her name. When the war ended, Sid and sister Carolyn sold their savings bonds to buy the horse and a saddle. Sid would regu-
larly hop on Beauty and head to Camp Hudson, a Boy Scout camp, long since gone. By today’s landmarks, the gallop was the distance from Bellaire to the Galleria. “Can you imagine taking off on your horse in Houston? As a 12 year old?” Julie says, chuckling. Hooves flew along oyster shell roads, passing only one house along the way. One with greyhounds. Who wanted to outrun the horse. “Every time,” says Sid of the trip. “Those greyhounds could run about as fast as the horse could.” Animals have a long history with the house. Plenty of dogs puttered about when Gayle’s family lived there. She remembers a particular one, Bimbo the bulldog, who chewed a finely carved dragon head off the base of a cherished antique table. He also ate the tops off of their captain chairs. Her dad Edwin K. “Leftie” Martin, a crackerjack left-handed baseball player in his younger days, had a career in life insurance. But long before that, while World War ll raged, he arranged entertainment for the troops as overseas director of the Red Cross. War-weary Europeans were selling fine wares to make ends meet and he purchased paintings, figurines and furniture. Decades later, when a husband and father, his accumulation filled the rooms of 4522 Birch Street. “The house was kind of old and in some disrepair,” explains Gayle. “My dad was not a handyman. But he loved the fine arts. Our house was filled with pretty things.”
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Originally a two-bedroom, one-bath house, Gayle’s family added a downstairs bathroom, and converted the front sunroom into a master bedroom. A den was added to the back. Ironically, the only part of the house that leaks is the addition, she says, laughing. When Hurricane Harvey sat on Houston in August 2017, it was one of the few houses on Birch Street that didn’t flood due to an 18-inch clearance on piers. While Gayle’s took in water, the old homestead stood steadfast like a port in the storm. “I’ve said my goodbyes,” Gayle says, “and Sid has too. It was a great house, and I know how much it means to him, the fact that his dad built it.” This past spring, the little saltbox awakened to familiar tread. Gayle, Sid, and Sid’s sister Carolyn Riegelman, a nationally acclaimed artist, walked her rooms, opening doors, portals to their childhoods. Sid’s wife was along for the tour as were Carolyn’s daughter and granddaughter. The group then retired to Gayle’s house where she served hors d’oeuvres and champagne and treated them to a classical concert on her Steinway. “It was a special time, and I think there will be more of those to come,” says Gayle, reflecting on relationships formed through the love of a house. She witnessed a moment that speaks volumes about family, memories. “Sid placed his hand on the side of the house and said, ‘My hand is where my father’s hand was.’ Just that simple act. It was so sweet. That kind of says it all.”
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NEIGHBORS by Deborah Lynn Blumberg, staff writer
Dylan Aguilar
All Aboard the Train Build it, and they will ride
I
t took Barry Tobias seven years to build his first train. At nights and on weekends, the salesman, first of jewelry and later of children’s clothing, toiled in the metal shop in the garage of his Westbury home. Following a blueprint pinned to the wall, he assembled a myriad of tiny brass and wood parts to create a 1-by-6foot replica of an 1825 British steam locomotive big enough to ride. “It runs like a son of a gun,” said Tobias, 85, a charter member of the Houston Area Live Steamers (HALS), a club of mostly men in their 60s to 90s dedicated to live steam modeling. Founded in the 1990s, the club and its close to 100 members own more than 30 pint-sized locomotives and over 100 pieces of rolling stock train cars. Members build locomotives in their workshops, then run them on an intricate track the club built on more than a dozen wooded acres on rented land in Zube Park outside Hockley, Texas. Once a month, the public can ride the trains for free. The club gives 1,400 rides per day, typically on five engines, which include around 21 passenger cars. “It’s probably the best kept secret in the city,” said Tobias. “The parents and grandparents enjoy the ride just as much as the 3, 4 and 5 year olds.” All ages can partake in the 15-minute, 2.5mile train ride, which zooms passengers across small bridges and past miniature station houses. Currently, most trains run on diesel or electric because firing up and later cleaning a train that runs on coal can be lengthy and cumbersome. It’s a process that includes adding water to the train’s boiler, starting a fire in the boiler’s fire box, and then scooping in the coal. Finally, when the pressure rises, the train will run. On a recent Saturday, Tobias, dressed in army fatigue pants, a straw hat and a longhorn belt buckle, leaned back in a golf cart parked in the shade of an oak tree, smoking a cigar. Across the tracks, smiling passengers slid into the station. Like other members, Tobias volunteers to run the trains. “You get guys who can tell you every railroad in the country,” Tobias said. “Not me. I just like building them. You could be crippled with arthritis or sick as a dog, but when you’re in that shop, it all goes away. You’re so concentrated on
HECK OF A HOBBY Barry Tobias (at left) and George Leventon, pictured here in George's garage, connected over their shared passion for steam-train modeling.
what you’re doing.” Tobias, who’s originally from Brooklyn, started building trains some 30-odd years ago when, on a whim, he bought a lathe – a machine used to cut metal – and some aluminum. One night in his living room with his older daughter, he said, “I wish I could think of something to build.” He always loved steam toys. His daughter suggested he build a steam train. “So, I built a little engine,” he said. “I put air into it, and it blew up.” Since then, Tobias has avoided explosions and honed his skills, learning from others. He’s built four steam locomotives and one steam tractor, and he helped build the first inner track at Zube Park. Now, in his workshop, where nuts and bolts scatter across his workbench and plastic bins overflow with cylinders and pistons, Tobias works on his latest project: building a gasoline engine. “I need to keep busy,” he said. Over the years, he’s mentored other train enthusiasts, like Caleb Roberts, 71, who’s building a steam locomotive in Tobias’ workshop, and psychiatrist George Leventon, 67. Leventon, also a Brooklyn native, has loved trains since childhood. In his home office, he’s surrounded by binders of blueprints and framed pictures of locomotives. He and his wife, Marjorie, took their three boys on train trips across the U.S. and Canada; recently George
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and Marjorie took a train trip through Russia. In his Bellaire garage workshop, Leventon uses a mill, lathe, grinder and welding machine to make his trains. He’s run his diesel train “AURR, the Golden Route” at the track, and is currently at work on a new steam locomotive. AURR, the Golden Route pays homage to his university, Alfred University; its initials, AU, spell out the periodic table abbreviation for gold. He makes each part by hand and designed his own logo. Leventon’s middle son, Nathan, helped lay track at Zube; some of the track’s brickwork was made with extra bricks from Leventon’s home after a remodel. “My workshop is where I can relax and get my mind off of work,” said Leventon. “At the tracks, we’re really running a railroad. Everybody gets off the train with a smile.” Trains run the third Saturday of each month, March through November, 9 a.m. to 1 or 2 p.m. Rides are free, but the public can support HALS with a donation or by buying a T-shirt or a hat. Tobias plans to keep HALS growing by recruiting younger members. “I need a strong, enthusiastic kid who wants to learn and has a pickup truck,” he said.
MORE ONLINE For more information, see the link in this story at thebuzzmagazines.com.
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NEIGHBORS by Tracy L. Barnett, staff writer
Going Green Plogging hits Houston Angie Gubitz
This column is the first in a new series, Going Green, that will tell the stories of Buzz readers who are making the shift to more sustainable lifestyles. If you have an idea for a story, write to us at tracy@thebuzzmagazines.com.
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ever has a movement been more literal. Plogging, it’s called – picking up litter while jogging, a phenomenon that emerged in Sweden in 2016 and began sweeping the world earlier this year. In Houston, the trend is taking on a new level of importance as residents of flood-prone areas are realizing the sometimes painful price of trash-clogged storm sewers. Cheerleading captain Haley Johnson, a senior at The Emery/Weiner School, first heard about it from her athletic director, Angie Gubitz. Johnson had been flooded out during Hurricane Harvey, as had most of her classmates. So when she learned clogged drains contribute to flooding, and that she could do something about it, she was all for it. Gubitz was motivated when headmaster Stuart Dow suggested it as a community-service activity for the sports teams. “They kind of looked at me and gave me maybe a similar look to the one I gave to Stuart when he first brought it up,” she said with a laugh. “But as soon as you say anything about Hurricane Harvey or being of service in any way, our kids get behind it.” Gubitz is encouraging other coaches as well. “It’s an opportunity to do some team bonding and socializing while going out and making this into a community activity. Then maybe some kids will start doing it on their own outside the team; then it kind of catches fire.” Tamara Sell, the school’s learning support specialist, was the first to join the movement. The Sells, who moved to Houston from the West Coast about five years ago, were surprised at the amount of trash that accumulated in their neighborhood near the River Oaks Shopping Center. Tamara said the activity fits with the school’s traditional teaching of tikkun olam, meaning “repairing the world.” Now she and husband Mark have incorporated plogging into their workout routine. “We just enjoying feeling like we’re contributing in some way,” said Tamara. “I just
PICKING IT UP Among those at The Emery/Weiner School keeping trash out of storm sewers by “plogging” are coach Otis McAlhany, Sam Kasser (senior, football captain), Josh Strauss (senior, football captain), Haley Johnson (senior, cheer captain), Rachel Massett (junior, cheer captain), Jennifer Blum (senior, volleyball captain), Josh Blum (sophomore, football/baseball) and coach Ashley Burrell. All student-athletes pictured experienced flooding in their homes.
decided – instead of waiting for someone else, I can do this. Why can’t it be me?” Sara Speer Selber, founder of the Project Management Team, has incorporated trash pickup with her morning exercise since the early days of “Don’t Mess With Texas.” It wasn’t until a friend tagged her on an article that she realized what she had been doing for years had become a trend. Recently Selber had surgery, and she doesn’t run anymore – but she realized there are other options. “As I get older, I’m told, ‘Keep your core tight, do lots of squats’ – and it was like, perfect! I can ‘plalk,’ and I can do a lot of squats, and it won’t be about steps so much anymore as about squatting, and about being conscious and deliberate about what’s in front of me. “So that’s how I got excited, and I began to do a lot of homework about it. And now wherever I go, I tap into their plogging community. Like in Mexico City – I was just there for work and to visit a friend, and she had no idea what I was doing. I kept picking up trash and then that night I posted in Plogging México” on Facebook. She created a Facebook hashtag: #PloggingHouston. She promoted the idea of linking the movement with the Houston’s Adopt-a-
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Drain program. And she started recruiting others. Kirby Chenkin was inspired to merge his twin passions: fitness and community service. “I just fell in love with it,” said Kirby. The idea dovetails with the self-improvement movement the marketing entrepreneur and fitness buff recently launched: KirBeBetter. At first he got strange looks when he collected trash on his runs. Then people began to smile. “What I realized was that it sets a positive example for everyone who sees you do it. They’ll say, ‘Wow…maybe I should stop littering so much.’” Plogging can be the perfect workout, he realized; technique is key, however, to avoid back injury. He created a video, which he posted on the #PloggingHouston page. Now through his KirBeBetter group, he organizes free monthly meetups with healthy food, live music and a plogging run. “It all comes back to being natural with the environment,” he says. “It’s not about going to the gym and pumping iron – it’s about getting out there and connecting with your surroundings.”
MORE ONLINE For links, see this story at thebuzzmagazines.com.
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SPORTS by Andria Frankfort, staff writer
One Giant Party College-football tailgating
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f you’ve ever agreed with someone who said, “There are two seasons in the south: college football season and waiting for college football season,” you’ll totally get this story. Because it’s all about the lengths to which college football fans will go to make the most of game day. Traveling hundreds of miles for the game? Of course. Hauling giant tents to set up on campus? Yep. Camping out several days prior to Saturday’s game? If you’re in Louisiana, yes. Kari and Kevin Brophy, both LSU grads, have seen it all. “A lot of people will roll in with these big RVs with electricity, and they’ll show up Wednesday and start grilling,” Kevin says. “One of the more unique things at LSU is when we play Florida, they’ll roast a gator at one of the tailgates, … over an open fire.” The Brophys don’t go to that extreme. And they’ve found a way to tailgate that keeps up with the neighbors, but is all fun and no hassle. “A bunch of guys were going to the Alabama game in 2010,” Kevin says. “I found this company in an ad on an LSU sports website, and they set [the tailgate] all up. It turned out to be fantastic. You show up whenever you want on game day, and they’ve set up tents, TVs, couches, alcohol if you want it. It’s a fun, stress-free way to do it. You have a nice place to have all your friends meet for a game, and you’re not constantly walking around other tailgates and trying to find a restaurant or a bar that can hold a bunch of people.” These days, Kevin and Kari have a plan. “We’ll have friends come in from Houston,” Kari says, “and fly to New Orleans. We’ll spend Friday night there and have a nice meal, then we’ll wake up Saturday morning and have a party bus or a big limo take us all to Baton Rouge.” Kari says LSU’s tailgates are continuously ranked tops in the country for good reason. “When you’re walking down the street anywhere around campus and there’s a tailgate, you’ll have no idea who these people are, but they are going to offer you a beer, some food, a drink. If they see you empty-handed, your hands will be full. Someone who has never been to an LSU tailgate will walk around all the different tailgates and will probably find some of the best
TIGER FAMILY Kari and Kevin Brophy, both LSU graduates, are grooming the next generation of fans, Mary and Molly (shown here in 2013).
food they’ve ever tasted. There’s jambalaya, there’s gumbo, people are cooking in big crawfish pots over propane. The food is so good, it’s unlike anything else. “It’s an experience. Everyone is so kind and hospitable – I think that’s the Louisiana culture. You don’t meet a stranger.” “You see folks you don’t usually get a chance to see, you see the team and the band coming down the hill,” Kevin says. “The tailgate brings all the great things you love about the game right there.” SMU has joined the tailgate party, too, although the Mustangs call it “Boulevarding” because the tents are set up along the boulevard leading to the football field. “The president of SMU was the old [chancellor] of Ole Miss,” says Heidi Binet, who, with her husband Todd and friends Melinda and John Stevenson, hosts a tailgate at SMU’s home games. “Ole Miss has a famously huge tailgating event, so when the president moved to SMU, he brought that idea with him. Now there are really elegant tents lining the boulevard. Some people have semi-trucks with the whole thing
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as a bar with television screens. We’ve been known to roast a pig at ours and have a live band and a full bar with a bartender and a chandelier or piñatas. We’ve done it all.” Heidi, Todd and John all graduated from SMU, and both the Binets’ and the Stevensons’ eldest daughters recently graduated from the school. “This started out as 10 old fraternity brothers, and now we have about 15 to 18 people join for four games each year,” Melinda says. “The people our age, their kids have now gone to SMU. That’s what we love about it, that it’s with our friends and their kids. We’ve really gotten to know their age group.” “All the college kids come to our tent even though they have their own because ours is so fun,” Heidi says. “It truly is a party right up until they make you close down when the game starts.” Editor’s note: See this month's Cooking Buzz column for tailgating recipes. Do you have tailgating stories (that you can share)? Comment under this story at thebuzzmagazines.com or email us at info@thebuzzmagazines.com.
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SPORTS by Jennifer Oakley, staff writer
Little League World Series Post Oak makes lifetime memories
PARADE OF CHAMPIONS Post Oak Little League coaches and players march in the opening ceremonies of the Little League World Series. Assistant coach John Klosek (far right and in inset photo) played baseball as a fifth grader in 1982 in New Jersey, where he dreamed of one day going to the Little League World Series.
it out of district. I wanted to win, but it wasn’t in the cards.” When the POLL team made it to the regional tournament in Waco, Klosek decided to reach out to his former Little League coach, Joe Gaccione. “He taught me how to play and how to respect and love the game,” says Klosek. “He was my inspiration for why I wanted to coach and give back to these players.” Gaccione was so moved by Klosek reaching out, he actually got in his car and drove from Wayne to Williamsport to cheer on POLL. Rook and Klosek both say that memories to last a lifetime were made during their stay as Southwest Regional Champions at the Series. Their final game ended in a hard-fought, extrainnings match-up against a team from Georgia. "After Georgia won that night, we three coaches went in and we spoke to the boys, and we thanked them,” says Klosek. “We told them: ‘You gave your heart and soul and time and were rewarded with a once-in-a-lifetime trip to the World Series.’
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Photo courtesy of John Klosek
Photo courtesy of Ross Selvaggi
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t was like a summer camp made up of the baddest players in the world,” says John Klosek, reflecting on living at The Grove, modeled like an Olympic village for the players and coaches at the Little League World Series in Williamsport, Penn. “It’s the security-gated barracks where all the teams live. You all eat there together in the cafeteria, sitting underneath your regional championship banner. They had a recreation room with five ping pong tables, video arcade games and corn hole, and the boys would meet and trade pins with players from Hawaii to Japan.” Post Oak Little League (POLL), represented by a roster of 13 young players, a manager and two coaches, played their way into a spot on an international stage in Williamsport this past August at the 72nd edition of the Little League World Series. Led by manager David Rook and assistant coaches David Wylie and John Klosek, the POLL team was composed of Charlie Wylie, Ethan Goldstein, George Kugle, Carter Pitts, Parrish Facciponte, Kaleb Rook, Andy Guy, Matthew Hedrick, Cade West, Richie Klosek, Ryan Selvaggi, Andrew Stover and Justin Michaelis. They sported striped game shirts reminiscent of the Houston Astros throwback jerseys and quickly became fan favorites during their three-game run in Williamsport. For any Little League team, making it to Williamsport is a lofty goal. “It was a starting pool of 7 million Little Leaguers that came down to just 300 players: eight international teams and eight national teams,” says Klosek, marveling in the odds. Rook and Klosek say that diligent work, team chemistry and positive attitudes helped the POLL players go from local tournaments all the way up into the World Series. As a kid growing up in the 1980s in Wayne, New Jersey, Klosek dreamed of one day playing in the Little League World Series. He did not have to go too far for inspiration: Wayne Little League actually won the entire World Series in 1970. A wooden sign of that achievement greeted him daily at his Little League fields. “I was dying to follow in their footsteps,” says Klosek, a commodities broker and River Oaks resident. “I played for four years and never made
Rook spoke about how well our kids represented the city of Houston with dignity and as great competitors. That’s a testament to their families, coaches, schools, teachers and themselves.” And once the competition was over, the POLL team had some fun, taking advantage of the park’s well-known sliding hill that had turned muddy. “The next morning we woke up and all the kids went to the hill and went down the slide,” said Klosek. “I walked over there and it was rainy, and the boys were muddy already. Our second baseman, said, ‘You will do anything for us. I really want you to go down the hill with us.’ So we went down the mud slide, and it was extremely cathartic. Most of the time we adults take it harder than the kids. We even made it on ESPN!” “Williamsport was a once-in-a-lifetime chance of just being on that field,” says Richie Klosek, a seventh grader at The Kinkaid School. “It means a lot to me. Especially to say I made it to the Little League World Series. Well, that is over-the-top.”
Be Ready for the Holidays!
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KIDS
School Buzz Meet our 2018-19 correspondents by Jordan Magaziner Steinfeld, staff writer
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espite the fact that it was a hectic week in late August – for some, school or extracurricular activities had already started – 21 high school students gathered at Episcopal High School to take this photo and talk about the School Buzz program. Some were familiar faces, having served as School Buzz correspondents previously – some started the program as a freshman and are now seniors – and others were new faces. This fall marks the fifth year of our popular School Buzz blog, a place for high school students to share what’s happening at their campuses. School Buzz correspondents have created hundreds of blog posts over the years, giving behind-the-scenes glimpses into their campuses, students, teachers, classes and activities. This year, we have more than 50 students representing 23 local schools. Meet all of our 2018-19 correspondents and see their blog posts at thebuzzmagazines.com/school-buzz. Editor’s note: If you’re in high school and are passionate about writing or photography, it’s not too late to apply. See thebuzzmagazines.com/school-buzz to check out the blog and apply to become a correspondent. Questions? Email Jordan Magaziner Steinfeld at jordan@thebuzzmagazines.com.
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lawellphoto.com
SCHOOL BUZZ 2018-19 Some of our correspondents gathered before the start of school to coordinate for the upcoming year. (Front row, from left) Elliott Jones, Episcopal; Geneve Goltz, Lamar; Vivian Wu, Awty; James McWhinnie, Saint Thomas’ Episcopal School; Eli Maierson, SJS; Jack Avedesian, Emery; (sitting on chairs) Halliday Mafrige, Duchesne; Liana Salehian, Debakey; (back row, from left) Amber Thomas, Second Baptist; Ariya Selvakumar, HSPVA; Davis Rae, St. John’s School; Aliya Robertson, Westbury Christian; Brady Brazda, The Kinkaid School; Eric Hang, SJS, Ryan Chang, SJS, Andrew Duong, SJS; (standing) Connor McGovern, St. Thomas; (sitting on table) Lauryn Curl, Emery; Katie Giveon, Duchesne; Mary-Ellen Abshire, STES; Celia Houston, STES.
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Mary-Ellen Abshire Saint Thomas’ Episcopal School
Zaid Ali Bellaire High School
Jack Avedesian The Emery/Weiner School
Sugat Borthakur, Debakey High School for Health Professions
Julia Boyles Memorial High School
Brady Brazda The Kinkaid School
Ryan Chang St. John’s School
Allison Clark St. Agnes Academy
Rory Coyne The Briarwood School
Katie Davis Houston Christian High School
Andrew Duong St. John’s School
Bronwyn Fogarty Houston Christian High School
Katie Giveon, Duchesne Academy of the Sacred Heart
Puneetha Goli The Village School
Geneve Goltz Lamar High School
Tate Grant The Briarwood School
Eric Hang St. John’s School
Arielle Harris The Emery/Weiner School
Celia Houston Saint Thomas’ Episcopal School
Elliott Jones Episcopal High School
Zoe Kass Bellaire High School
Payton Kim Second Baptist School
Reena Kudchadker Saint Thomas’ Episcopal School
Hallie Lyons Incarnate Word Academy
Halliday Mafrige, Duchesne Academy of the Sacred Heart
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Eli Maierson St. John’s School
Connor McGovern St. Thomas High School
Kevin McKenna James McWhinnie Strake Jesuit College Preparatory Saint Thomas’ Episcopal School
Stevie Nates Bellaire High School
Isabelle Nuzzo Memorial High School
Michelle Pakel Memorial Private High School
Julia Rae St. John’s School
Aliyah Robertson Westbury Christian High School
Rahul Rupani St. John’s School
Merriam Scafide Incarnate Word Academy
Dania Siddiqi St. Agnes Academy
Anna Siegel Post Oak High School
Ishani Shethia Bellaire High School
Jenna Talisman The Emery/Weiner School
Amber Thomas Second Baptist School
Kelly Thomas St. Agnes Academy
Abbi Turner Bellaire High School
Vivian Wu The Awty International School
Miriam Yampuler Carnegie Vanguard High School
Elyse Pedrick Episcopal High School
Connor Morley Post Oak High School
Davis Rae St. John’s School
Liana Salehian, DeBakey High Ariya Selvakumar, High School School for Health Professions for the Performing and Visual Arts
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Erin Carlyle Photography
KIDS
by Annie Blaylock McQueen, staff writer
Buzz Baby
Urban legends
Buzz Baby is a column about life with little ones. Writer Annie McQueen has three children age 4 and under.
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rban legends known as “old wives’ tales” – are they pure superstition, or is there truth behind them? Can frogs give you warts? Should you really not swim after eating? Does the way a woman carry a baby predict gender? Since October has arrived, the month of spooky fun, I thought it would be fun to dig into this world. I read that the tales stemmed from storytelling, when older generations would pass down information to younger generations. The term “wives’ tales” was recorded as early as 1610. The word “wife” refers to a woman, not just a married woman. The tales helped explain life lessons and make tough concepts like death or coming of age easier to understand. A lot of them are pregnancy-related. Edie Efron, a curriculum coordinator and teacher for L.E.A.P. (Literacy Enrichment and Play), tossed and turned every night during her first and second pregnancies, with raging heartburn. “With my [first pregnancy], I seriously thought I was in labor or something,” said Edie. “I called my doctor’s office in the middle of the night panicked, and they told me what it was.” When Edie’s mom heard of her heartburn troubles, she immediately recalled the urban legend that heartburn means the baby will be born with a lot of hair. Months later, Edie welcomed Sophie Laine (who is now 5), and, sure enough, their baby girl had a full head of hair. “So much so that she never needed headbands to hold in bows,” said Edie. “She also never really lost her newborn hair and has had a head full of curls since.” Edie’s second pregnancy, with her son Blake (now 2), was even worse with the heartburn. “[The heartburn] kept me up in the middle of the night. It was so bad.” During one of Edie’s routine ultrasounds, she asked the technician if she could see if he had any hair. “[The technician] was able to see what looked almost like Albert Einstein hair sticking straight up and all over his head,” said Edie,
Erin Carlyle Photography
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laughing. “He was born with more hair than [his] big sister – being able to confirm the hair while still in utero cracked me up.” There are also a lot of superstitions surrounding a baby’s predicted gender, and if the expectant parents decide to wait to find out the baby’s gender at birth, they’re in for nine months of random strangers, store clerks, neighbors and friends playing the guessing game. My sister Hannah Young and her husband Justin decided to HAIR’S A TALE Edie Efron suffered from severe heartburn during her pregnancies wait until their first with daughter Sophie Lane (at top) and son Blake (at bottom). Legend has it that heartbaby’s birth to find burn during pregnancy means the baby will be born with lots of hair. out the gender. swings side to side like a pendulum, then it’s a “People are always telling me I am carrying high, boy. If the pendant makes a circle, that means so that means it’s a girl,” said Hannah. “My skin she’s having a girl. has been more prone to breakouts, so I have There are also the urban legends adults use to heard that means it’s a girl, because the hormonitor the behavior of kids. A few are rather mones or something.” But Justin says he has out there, like “don’t eat a watermelon seed or heard the opposite – that skin breakouts point one will grow in your stomach,” but others make towards a boy. “I was told that in the Philippines, sense, like “eat more carrots so you can see betpeople believe that if a woman is having a breakter.” That is not exactly accurate, but carrots do out, it’s a boy because they are different horcontain loads of healthy nutrients. mones that they are not used to,” he said. How about “wear your coat so you don’t catch Hannah has also been craving anything with a cold?” The verdict on this one? False. “You get citrus (a new craving, ever since she became a cold because you get a cold virus,” says pregnant). “When desserts are passed around, I William Rawlinson, a medical virologist. “It always want anything with lemons. I never did does not matter how cold you are.” before,” she said. Her sister-in-law says citrus So, while not all urban legends are technically cravings mean boy. factual, perhaps they can help on the parenting One of my favorite gender prediction tales is front, at least when it comes to veggies and coats. the “pendant” game. Legend has it that if you As a parent, I’m calling that a tale worth repeating. dangle a pendant above a pregnant belly, and it
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TRAVEL
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by Tracy L. Barnett, staff writer
Travel Buzz
Beauty at the end of the world
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tunning vistas out of Lord of the Rings, a charming and ethnically vibrant culture, verdant landscapes, classy cuisine – New Zealand has it all. Consistently ranked among the Top 10 bucket-list destinations, the country has worked hard to preserve its pristine environment and welcome travelers. We caught up with two repeat New Zealand travelers who saw the country in very different ways: Kevin Boyle, with his two young sons, from behind the wheel of a rented camper van; and Virginia Mampre, from the glass bubble of a helicopter, the wind-blown deck of a ferry, the picture-window views of Rail New Zealand and the aerial vistas of Air New Zealand. While Kevin chose to immerse his boys in nature, traveling to campgrounds and cooking in their camper van, Virginia sampled top-chef cuisine and five-star hotels. Both returned enamored of the country’s charms. “The time for New Zealand is really now,” declared Virginia, who traveled the country recently on a site visit and scouting for a media project. “They’ve done so much to move that country forward to make it user-friendly. It’s always been a wonderful environment, but from 20 years ago to today, there’s been a huge change.”
South Island by campervan Kevin’s recent trip with Kevin Jr., 9, and Sean Patrick, 8, was inspired by his dream to run the Queenstown Marathon. He’d already taken the boys on adventures in 30 states and several continents; they’d come to New Zealand for Spring Break and loved it so much they decided to go back in November for a cross-country tour. They flew into Queenstown and kicked off the trip with a seaplane flight over the mountains into the fjords of Milford Sound – the Eighth Wonder of the World, according to Rudyard Kipling – where a boat tour brought them close to waterfalls and wildlife, including the winsome fur seal. Then it was time for what would be the peak experience of Boyle’s life to date. He’d hired a babysitter – a student from the U.K. listed through a recommended agency, Babysitting Queenstown – to take care of the boys as he ran,
ANTICIPATION Kevin S. Boyle, Sr., flanked by sons Kevin Jr. and Sean Patrick, wait their turn on the Shotover River as they watch super-fast jetboats make 360-degree turns in the water.
and to take them on the kids’ Fun Run that was happening simultaneously. Kate was her name, and she came the day before to meet them, and then arrived at 3 a.m. so he could get to the starting line – and then she surprised him. “Instead of meeting me at the grandstand she was right there on the course with the boys, and I just broke down in tears. It was fantastic to be able to run through the streets the last kilometer together and cross the finish line as a family,” he recalled, still smiling at the memory. Now it was time to begin their journey in earnest. Boyle had rented a Jucy “Condo” campervan, equipped with the comforts of home – which it would be for the next eight days – going from campground to campground in Top 10 Holiday Parks. Most meals were purchased at the grocery store and cooked in the camper’s kitchen – except for the unforgettable visit to Pedro’s House of Lamb. “One menu item, so good they don’t need anything else!” Boyle commented. Before their trip to New Zealand, the Boyles watched all the Lord of the Rings movies to pre-
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pare – and with good reason. “Almost every place you go is a Lord of the Rings area – everywhere you go somebody will say, ‘Oh, this scene was filmed here,’” said Kevin. “Yes, there are formal ‘hobbit towns’ that have more of the remaining movie sets, and we didn’t do any of that, but we certainly stumbled across many different places that were the settings for the movies.” Highlights of the trip included a thrilling Shotover Canyon jetboat ride; paddleboarding at Kaiteriteri Beach; visiting seals and kiwis at the Cape Foulwind Seal Colony; and staying at Motueka, gateway to pristine Abel Tasman National Park. They followed a lead down a footpath where they found a couple dozen people marveling in silence at thousands of glowworms. “No entrance gate, no signs, no admission,” said Kevin. “Just raw nature at its finest.” They visited with Maori artisan Garth Wilson, and watched as he made Kevin Jr. a necklace from the West Coast jade his family has worked with for generations. “There’s a way to carve and tell the person’s life story,” said Kevin Sr. “He talked about when you wear
RELAXATION Virginia Mampre takes a moment from her whirlwind tour schedule to contemplate the view of Lake Wakatipu from her balcony at the Hotel St. Moritz Queenstown.
something your essence gets on the jewelry – they call it ‘mana.’” Another day, they awoke to the sound of bleating sheep in Wanaka, where they ordered takeout from Erik’s Fish & Chips with fried kiwi (the fruit, not the bird) for dessert, and packed it up Mount Iron for a picnic. Of course nothing helps you love a place like the kindness of strangers, which they experienced when Kevin Sr. locked the keys to the camper van inside – on the way to the airport. “As we were standing there in the parking lot looking dejected and the boys being very frustrated, a nice young man – a construction worker with a curious background, perhaps – had some tools in his car and in a matter of seconds he was able to pick the lock and free us,” said Kevin.
New Zealand then and now Virginia Mampre, whose extensive world travels included New Zealand two decades ago, had the chance to explore changes in the country on a recent visit for her incentive travel business. She was entranced by the country’s timeless magic, as before, but also impressed to see how it has developed as a modern tourism destination. “If I had to describe New Zealand in two words, it would be ‘magnificent’ and ‘majestic,’” she said. “The peaks are extraordinary; the greens are greener than green. It’s pastoral; it’s just absolutely spectacular.” In those days, it was sheep farms and breathtaking views of the mountains and glaciers and fjords that rose to the top. This time it was that, plus world-class cuisine and accommodations and an infrastructure designed to whisk tourists around – for example, Air New Zealand now features an accessible schedule almost like a bus service, zipping travelers from Queenstown to Auckland to the Bay of Islands and beyond.
While the Boyles limited their recent visit to the South Island for a deeper immersion, Virginia went back and forth. For her, the South Island is most outstanding for its breathtaking wild beauty, while the North Island shines for its pastoral beauty, the Bay of Islands and the Maori cultural experience – which is everywhere, but especially accessible in Rotorua in the north. ● Crossing the entire South Island on the Christchurch to Greymouth railway journey – Named by National Geographic as one of the 16 best train trips in the world. The nine-hour round-trip route climbs up over the Southern Alps along the Waimakariri River, the epic landscapes changing with the elevation. ● Rotorua – famous for its bubbling, sulfurous, geothermal lake and geysers and for Te Puia, a 60-hectare interactive showcase for Maori culture with traditional cooking classes, Haka dance performances and art exhibits. Named a “must visit” destination this year by The New York Times. ● Waiheke Island, Auckland’s breathtakingly beautiful getaway, filled with artist studios and vineyards; once a hideaway for bohemians, the island has gentrified into what Vogue called “the Hamptons of New Zealand.” ● Queenstown’s Skyline New Zealand: riding up in a gondola, dining in the Stratosfare Restaurant and enjoying spectacular views of the Remarkables range and Lake Wakatipu. Some choose to take bike trails or the thrilling luge ride down. ● Virginia enjoyed Queenstown itself and also as a point of departure for extreme sightseeing – helicoptering through fjords, champagne atop a glacier, jetboating on the Dart River, with
A few highlights:
hot cocoa and crumpets on a mobile dock in the wilderness. ● Weta Workshop tour, with a behind-thescene glimpse of the studio where the Lord of the Rings series was produced. ● Bay of Islands: This stunning subtropical bay is rich in history and wildlife, with 144 islands, whale and dolphin watching and pristine forests of the mighty but threatened kauri tree. Virginia especially enjoyed Kauri Cliffs, a five-star luxury lodge and championship golf resort with cliffside ocean views. ● Hobbitton: The movie set for The Hobbit film still exists on the North Island, basically unchanged. It’s especially charming to visit the Shire in the evening, have dinner at the Green Dragon Inn and take your little lantern to explore where the houses are nestled into the hills. Just getting there is beautiful in itself, and being there is entrancing, says Virginia, for adults and children. ● Taking a century-old steam ship across the Lake Wakatipu from Queenstown to visit Walter Peak Station. The “stations” are traditional sheep-ranching communities, and this one offers sheep dog herding and shearing demonstrations, farm tours and dining opportunities in historic homes surrounded by lush gardens. Virginia was surprised to see the cranes dotting the Auckland skyline, much like Houston’s, and saw the economy booming everywhere as the country prepares for the 2021 America’s Cup and other events. But the intensity doesn’t detract, she assured; on the contrary. “The country will continue to change and morph, but the natural beauty will always be there.”
MORE ONLINE For links to destinations, see this story online at thebuzzmagazines.com.
WEST UNIVERSITY BUZZ OCTOBER 2018 31
The Junior League of Houston
FOOD by Beth Zdeblick, contributing writer
Cooking Buzz Culinary kickoff 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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ctober is the perfect time to reunite with friends for a “homecoming” party, and what better backdrop than college football. Living near Rice Stadium, we mark each of the Owls’ home games on our calendar with red ink. At times, it seems the Owls’ glory days (1954 Cotton Bowl champs!) are in the past; therefore, a carefully crafted menu may be needed to attract hardcore football fans. The perfect tailgate foods are indulgent, special-occasion treats that don’t require a host to be three places at once. Advance preparation is the ultimate gameplan. The Steak and Arugula Sandwiches from Peace Meals, with grilled filet mignon, are a crowd pleaser. The recipe is easy to scale up for lots of guests, and all the toppings can be prepared well before opening the first bottle of Cab. The Best B.L.T. with Hill Country Basil Mayonnaise from Stop and Smell the Rosemary is another favorite, taking a classic sandwich to the next level with homemade mayonnaise. Add avocado for another upgrade. Every sandwich needs a good side. Both the steak sandwich and B.LT. pair with Sweet Potato Fries with Asian Dipping Sauce from Peace Meals. Even if you think you’ve consumed a lifetime’s worth of sweet potato fries from your kids’ uneaten plates, you owe it to yourself to try the Chinese five-spice-infused dipping sauce that accompanies the oven-baked sweet potato fries. Both the fries and the sauce can be made ahead of time and refrigerated. To serve, bring the sauce to room temperature and reheat the fries for five minutes at 400 degrees. (You might even make a double batch and use the extra with the kids’ leftover fish sticks.) The Caramel Brownies from The Star of Texas Cookbook are perfect before or after the game, when you’re celebrating a win or comforting yourself after a loss. Having these recipes in your playbook guarantees a successful Saturday, no matter the outcome on the field. Peck ’em, Owls!
FOOTBALL FANS & FOOD At left: For writer Beth Zdeblick (pictured, with children Kate and William), attending Rice Owls’ home games is a family tradition. At right: The Best B.L.T. with Hill Country Basil Mayonnaise from Stop and Smell the Rosemary is a fan favorite, taking a classic sandwich to the next level.
Steak and Arugula Sandwiches From Peace Meals 3 filet mignon steaks (about 6 ounces each) Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper 2 cups fresh arugula 1 Tablespoon olive oil 4 ciabatta rolls or other crusty bread 6 ounces spreadable garlic and herb cheese, such as Boursin 2-3 vine-ripened tomatoes, sliced Preheat the grill to medium. Season the steaks with salt and pepper. Grill to desired doneness, about 6 minutes per side for rare. Remove from the grill and allow to rest for 5 minutes. Thinly slice the steaks and set aside. In a small bowl, toss the arugula with olive oil; season with salt and pepper. Slice the rolls and remove some of the soft bread inside to make a shallow well in each piece. Spread the cheese on both sides of the bread. On the bottom layer, place tomato slices and top with the sliced steak and arugula. Add the top half of the bread and press together gently. Serves 4.
The Best B.L.T. with Hill Country Basil Mayonnaise
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From Stop and Smell the Rosemary Mayonnaise: 1 large egg, at room temperature 1 Tablespoon fresh lemon juice 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard ¼ teaspoon salt ½ cup vegetable oil ½ cup extra virgin olive oil 1 cup chopped fresh basil Sandwich: 12 slices bread 1 pound bacon, cooked crisp 1 head Boston lettuce 2 large tomatoes, thinly sliced
Process egg, lemon juice, mustard and salt in a food processor or blender. With machine running, add oils in a thin stream until mayonnaise has thickened. Add basil leaves and process until smooth. Cover and refrigerate. Yields 1½ cups. Spread mayonnaise on bread and assemble sandwiches using crisp bacon, lettuce and tomatoes. Serves 6.
Sweet Potato Fries with Asian Dipping Sauce From Peace Meals Sauce: ⅓ cup rice wine vinegar ¼ cup soy sauce 1 Tablespoon sesame oil 1 teaspoon minced garlic 1 teaspoon peeled and finely grated ginger ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper Fries: 1½ pounds sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 3-inch lengths, about ½-inch thick 2 Tablespoons canola or vegetable oil ½ teaspoon Chinese five-spice powder ½ teaspoon coarse salt Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil; set aside. Whisk together the sauce ingredients in a small bowl. In a large bowl, toss the sweet potatoes with the oil, five-spice powder and salt. Place the sweet potatoes on the prepared baking sheet. Bake for 20 minutes or until tender and browned, turning once. Serve the fries warm on a platter with the Asian Dipping Sauce. Editor’s note: See “One Giant Party: College-football tailgating” in this issue for more on tailgating fun.
MORE ONLINE See thebuzzmagazines.com for more recipes mentioned in this article.
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WEST UNIVERSITY BUZZ OCTOBER 2018 33
DINING
by Dai Huynh, staff writer
Upping the grocery game
Chef’s Corner deviates this month to explore a few grocery trends. Here’s a sampling of things to come.
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wo years ago, we heard the term “grocerant” for the first time. It refers to grocery stores with sit-down dining areas and a lineup of ready-to-eat or take-out meals. In Texas at least, H-E-B has taken the lead with more than a handful of dining concepts under its belt. Now, the San Antonio chain is taking it one step further, going head-to-head, starting in Bellaire, with a juggernaut: Starbucks. Meanwhile, across town in the Independence Heights neighborhood, local restaurant Peli Peli Kitchen has scored big, opening a fast-casual version in Houston’s first Whole Foods Market 365 (101 N. Loop West). The 365-branded store is intended to be a streamlined version of the natural-foods chain. Launched in 2015, there are 10 so far, but more on the way. It is tailored to appeal to younger and price-conscious shoppers. Each shop includes two or more Friends of 365, who operate their own venues inside the store. The Houston location showcases Peli Peli, plus Austin-based juice and coffee bar Juice Society. We caught up with Peli Peli chef Paul Friedman and his business partner, Thomas Nguyen, to find out how, out of thousands of restaurants around town, their South African melting pot snatched the golden ticket. “Whole Foods actually reached out to us by email after doing their due diligence. We had no idea,” Paul said. “They wanted something local, but something different,” Thomas said. “We always embraced being different.” The partners agreed, too, that Whole Foods was looking for a concept to expand on. “They definitely wanted a chef-driven restaurant,” Thomas said. “But possibly, too, they wanted something that they could develop spices and marinades around for their stores. They saw what Paul can do with the South African segment.” The partners admitted it was a challenge getting breakfast-lunch-and-dinner Peli Peli Kitchen in compliance with Whole Foods’ commitment to transparent ranching, farming and
fishing practices, along with other quality standards such as no artificial colors, flavors or preservatives, hydrogenated fats or high fructose sweeteners. “I was shocked,” Paul said. “I couldn’t use 99.1 percent of my ingredients. I had to reconstruct the menu. It was like starting from scratch. Take our periperi rotisserie chicken. It had to come from one GROCERY WIN Executive chef Paul Friedman and business partner Thomas Nguyen have teamed up with Whole Foods 365 to open a fast-casual offshoot farm! One; not two; not of their South African-inspired concept Peli Peli. three. But I think in the plus made-to-order doughnuts. “When you walk end, what we’ve developed is something healthin, you’ll see us making fresh doughnuts. The ier, more nutritious.” fried doughnuts can be coated with whatever With the growing presence of online shopyou like. We’ll have different types of sugars and ping, grocers understand that their stores need glazes. Some will be seasonable. So, in the fall, to be destinations in their own right. Some groyou can expect to see apple sugar spice. In the cers are doing just that. Wayne Gretzky said, summertime, we may have berry sugar or glaze. “Skate to where the puck is going to be, not Of course, we’ll have the standard chocolate, where it has been.” powdered sugar and glaze.” H-E-B Houston president Scott McClelland Along with a basketful of baked goods and opted for a brand-new coffee concept from four pastries, the Roastery serves salads and sandwell-known New York chefs: Jonathan wiches. “But we wanted to take fast-casual up a Waxman, Joey Campanaro, Jimmy Bradley few notches, and so the sandwich meats are and Jason Giagrande. The toques, with a dozen made onsite. For example, we do an espressorestaurants between them, are known as the rubbed roast beef. We take espresso, cayenne Four Js, and their carefully sourced coffee beans and salt to create this amazing rub and roast the and specialty sauces, marinades and dressings are meat onsite, then we serve it on our house-made displayed at H-E-B’s cooking stations. pretzel roll slathered with horseradish aioli.” “I didn’t want a Starbucks because there is no E-commerce comprises about 2 percent of guarantee that they won’t open a location next grocery sales today, but the Food Marketing door,” Scott said. “We wanted something differInstitute (FMI) and Nielsen said that by 2024, ent, something more for our customers, who 70 percent of shoppers will be buying their have requested a coffee shop.” groceries online. It is no wonder that brickThe 37-seat Roastery opened this month in and-mortar food retailers are looking for ways H-E-B Bellaire Market. It will be exclusive to to turn the shopping journey into a satisfying the chain. “We’re projecting to have six more experience. open in the next 18 to 20 months,” says Four J Foods CEO’s Jason Giagrande. “The San Felipe Editor’s note: Buzz dining columnist Dai Huynh store, opening in November or December, will is a James Beard food-journalism award winner and be a larger format. We’ll roast our coffee there.” longtime Houston-based restaurant writer. All locations will offer coffee, beer and wine,
WEST UNIVERSITY BUZZ OCTOBER 2018 34
Luke Chang
Chef’s Corner
Named a 2016 National Blue Ribbon School
Now accepting online applications for the 2019-2020 school year. All are welcome to visit one of our open house events on Sunday, October 7, 2018 or November 11, 2018 at 2:30pm Please go to our website to make a reservation - www.saintvincentschool.org or contact Renee McCurry, Director of Admissions - rmccurry@svdp-edu.org.
St. Vincent de Paul Catholic School • 6802 Buffalo Speedway, Houston, TX
“Matt was an amazing asset to the grand opening of Houston’s new Catalyst high-rise. Working with him was a pleasure.” - Stuart Rosenberg, Owner, Studio Communications
DJ Matt Murdock
Corporate Events - Weddings - Private Parties 713.542.0153 • djmatt@me.com • djmattmurdock.com
WEST UNIVERSITY BUZZ OCTOBER 2018 35
SPORTS
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by Todd Freed, staff writer
SportzBuzz A
big rivalry game certainly warrants a big venue, and it didn’t get any bigger than NRG Stadium for the season opener between the St. Thomas Eagles and the Strake Jesuit Crusaders. With several thousand fans from both schools in attendance, Strake Jesuit lit up the scoreboard for a high-scoring 56-32 victory. The win also marked the inaugural victory for Klay Kubiak as the Crusaders’ first-year head coach. Kubiak secured his first coaching victory in the same stadium where his father, Gary Kubiak, roamed the sidelines as head coach of the Houston Texans. “It was pretty awesome for everyone within our program to get that victory at NRG Stadium,” said Kubiak. “Our kids were pretty fired up for the rivalry, but they did a good job of not letting the environment overwhelm them emotionally. Our fans showed up in huge numbers, and the guys kind of thrived off that support. It really was a once-in-a-lifetime type of experience for the entire team.” Leading the way in the game was senior running back Michael Wiley, who rushed for 205 yards and two touchdowns, including an electrifying 96-yard touchdown run late in the first half. “Michael had a great season last year, and we have high expectations from him this season,” said Kubiak. Quarterback Michael Hansen also had a big game with 268 passing yards, while Kubiak had high praise for the defensive play of seniors Jack Pittinger and Denzel Blackwell. At St. Pius X High School, it was also a successful coaching debut for Panthers first-year head coach Erik DeHaven, with his team securing an impressive 55-21 victory over Beaumont United. “It’s a tremendous group of young men that make up this football program,” said DeHaven, who’d been the Panthers’ defensive coordinator the previous four seasons. DeHaven inherits a tremendously talented team, led by heralded quarterback Grant Gunnell. Gunnell, who has committed to play college football at Arizona, is rated among the nation’s top quarterback prospects. “He’s definitely one of those once-in-a-generation kind of guys,” said DeHaven. “We’re blessed to have him at St. Pius.”
ROAD WARRIORS The Episcopal Knights celebrate a touchdown in their season-opening victory in Asheville, North Carolina.
The Panthers are also blessed with a simply phenomenal corps of wide receivers, led by senior sensation Jalen “Boobie” Curry. Curry, who’s being recruited by virtually every major college football program, set a state record last season for most receptions in a single game. In addition, senior receiver Chase Lane will play college football at Texas A&M, while a trio of other Panther receivers in Kaleb Ducros, Trent Wagner and Seth Jones have all received college football offers. Defensively, senior linebacker Bruno Forestieri is a three-year all-state player who’ll play college football at West Point. It wasn’t your typical season opener for the Episcopal Knights, who traveled to Asheville, North Carolina, to face Christ School in the first game of the year. Led by quarterback Nick Mayberry, who threw for over 300 yards and three touchdowns, the Knights posted a 28-21 victory. “Our athletic director is from that area and he set up the game,” said Knights head coach Steve Leisz. “It was a great bonding experience for the entire team.” Much closer to home, the Knights followed up the season opener with an impressive 34-28 victory against a Navasota High School team that was ranked 12th in UIL Class 4A football. “That was a great win for us, especially beating them at their stadium. It’s a tough place to play,” said Leisz.
WEST UNIVERSITY BUZZ OCTOBER 2018 36
Offensively, the Knights feature a young yet heralded offensive line led by sophomore Donovan Jackson. The 6-5, 295-pound offensive tackle is already a five-star recruit and is the No. 2-rated sophomore prospect in Texas. In addition, fellow sophomore offensive linemen Cullen Montgomery and Luis Chavarria are already being recruited by collegiate programs. “Plus, our senior center Carter Bunk is doing a great job of leading an extremely young and talented group,” said Leisz. The Knights feature plenty of offensive power in running back Jaylen Davis, who rushed for 180 yards and two touchdowns in the win over Navasota. In addition, wide receivers Julius Young and C.J. Williams boasted five touchdown receptions through the first two games. Defensively, the Knights are led by senior defensive end Patrick Bayouth, senior linebacker Jordan Wells and junior linebacker James Ogunrin, all of whom are being recruited by major collegiate programs. 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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Two quick pathways to allergy relief Allergy shots are unique in that they make you less allergic to the pollen, dust mites, mold and/or animal dander you’re allergic to. They do this by helping your body to switch from an “allergic” response, to more of a “tolerance” response. In essence, your body no longer tries to fight off the allergens; instead, it learns how to ignore them. We have to start shots at a safe dose because you’re allergic, but the shots don’t help until you reach a high dose. After we finish building up your dose, you take a “maintenance dose,” usually once a month. Since 1995, The Allergy Clinic has safely performed Rush on over 3,000 patients. This one-day procedure provides very rapid desensitization, getting you to that highest dose, or at least 90 percent of the way, in one eight-hour day, providing quicker relief of symptoms. Rush is a great procedure for those with busy schedules who would find it difficult to come in at least once a week for up to six months, which is what is typically required with more traditional methods of building to the high or “maintenance dose.” But what if you can’t spend the entire day in our office? Or what if you can only come on Saturday mornings? Cluster is also a great option, and is almost as fast as Rush. With Cluster, we essentially do a series of “minirush;” that is, we give a set of allergy shots, observe the patient, then give another set of allergy shots, again observe the patient, and then give a final set of allergy shots for that day. So you spend 1.5 or 2 hours in our office, once or twice a week, for a total of 8 or 9 visits before you reach your maintenance dose. With Rush, we have patients take several medications for three days
beforehand to reduce the chance of severe allergic reactions. With Cluster, you only premedicate with antihistamines. That’s because your immune system has at least 36 hours to process the previous set of shots, so the risk of having allergic reactions to the shots is less. All insurance companies, excluding Medicare, cover Rush and Cluster, but there are some limitations. For instance, Humana will only cover it if we desensitize the patient to stinging insects, or to drugs (e.g., penicillin); however, Humana excludes coverage for the Rush or Cluster if it is done for airborne allergens, such as ragweed or dust mites. Rapid allergy desensitization procedures such as Rush or Cluster are safe, effective options that are covered well by insurance companies and get your dose of shots where you receive relief much more quickly. No one nose allergies like we do.™ Note: Information contained in this article should not be considered a substitute for consultation with a board-certified allergist to address individual medical needs. Alnoor A. Malick, M.D., The Allergy Clinic, 7707 Fannin, Suite 100, Houston, Texas 77054, 713.797.0993, *1200 Binz, Suite 180, Houston, Texas 77004, 713.522.9911, www.allergyclinic.com, *Operating as Houston Allergy and Asthma Clinic
WEST UNIVERSITY BUZZ OCTOBER 2018 37
SPORTS
by Angie Frederickson, staff writer
SportzBuzz Jr.
Cheryl Bright
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elcome to SportzBuzz Jr., a column spotlighting neighborhood athletes in elementary and middle school.
Making Bellaire proud Bellaire City Council recognized the Bellaire Little League 10U state champions (top photo) with a proclamation by Bellaire Mayor Andrew Friedberg celebrating and congratulating the team members. The week before being honored by the mayor, the team had a pool party to officially celebrate the state win with fajitas and a Kit Kat cake (the team’s “lucky candy”), and they presented the manager and coaches with a crystal plaque to commemorate the championship. The champs are (front row, from left) Luke Loving, Nick Gillette, Devin Singh, Liam Miller, Jordan Beinart, Preston Gorski, Hudson Zach, Patrick Albright, Zac Selzer, Ryan Richter, Andrew Baca, Marco Quintanilla and Hayden Summers; (back row, from left) coach Jeff Gorski, manager Ryan Loving, Mayor Andrew Friedberg and coach George Summers. Not pictured: Nathan Kalmin.
Bringing their A game The Emery/Weiner School’s eighth-grade volleyball A-team (middle photo) is in full force this season. After devoting the end of their summer break to pre-season practice, the girls are taking on opponents from all over Houston. Many of the players are trying out new positions this year, and everyone is putting in the effort. Outsides Sophie Halperin and Jordan Blum are poised to lead the way in serves and attacks, while middle Chloe Heyl is quick on her feet and brings lots of energy to the team. On defense, newcomer Blythe Mogil is making a strong showing on the back row. Coach Angie Gubitz is proud of the way the girls balance a competitive spirit with having fun and enjoying the game. A-team players are (front row, from left) Jenna Paull, Ellen Weinstein, Blythe Mogil, Sara Wolf; (back row, from left) Maya Friedberg, Ava Trachtenberg, Elsa Koenig, Noa Barkan, Chloe Heyl, Sophie Halperin, Ana Benveniste and coach Angie Gubitz. Not pictured: Jordan Blum.
A strong start The RISE Soccer Club Central Elite U10 boys team (bottom photo) won the gold division title at the Labor Day Cup held in Spring. This was the first tournament of the season and a great start for the team, led by coach Juan Zapata. During the two-day tournament, the boys played against several teams, including the Texans SC Houston, Total Football Club Academy and Westbury SC. Their final game ended in a tie at the end of regulation, and went to a suddendeath penalty shootout for the win. The proud team members are (pictured, from left) Paolo Rainusso, Max Mullervy, Dylan Jett, Milosh Lazarevic, Aydin Hasica, James Gray, Keshav Harpavat, coach Juan Zapata, Alfonso Fuentes, Max Merricks, Aiden Garza, Lucas Garibaldi and Gianlucas Alvarez. WEST UNIVERSITY BUZZ OCTOBER 2018 38
Editor’s note: Send your best high-resolution photos and behind-the-scenes stories about young local athletes, in both team and individual sports, to SportzBuzz, Jr. at info@thebuzzmagazines.com. Include all contact info, names, ages, grades and schools. Featured athletes must live in Buzz-circulation neighborhoods. Items will be published on a space-available basis.
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Crowdsourcing probate My clients have taught me more about estate planning and probate than law school ever did. And that’s saying a lot. Since I went solo over 20 years ago and opened my own practice, I’ve met with hundreds of families from Bellaire and southwest Houston. These people are heroes. They are successful, but they love their family more than their money. They grind away at jobs they’d quit if they could, but others are counting on them. They run their households and raise their children; then, when age or infirmity strikes, they step up to help a spouse or parents, grandparents, or, unfortunately, sometimes even children. Their burdens are daunting and often unfair, yet they quietly persevere. They are smart and resourceful. Before they come to me they’ve already sized up their situation, educated themselves, and developed unique insights and questions. They keep me on my toes. They are also confused by conflicting advice, much of it accurate but inapplicable to their assets or family. They know that mistakes are expensive, and they want to understand their options. They struggle to reconcile what they’ve learned and what others do with the same information, and they look to me for guidance. It took a while, but I eventually caught on that my clients are all neighbors, with similar resources, problems, and solutions. If one family asks a question, the answers likely help 100 others I never met. And their questions are very good. They may not sound in the Estates Code or gift and estate tax planning, but they are relevant and deserve to be addressed before
estate planning or probate begins. Your neighbors’ questions and my answers evolved into brief articles, run as advertorials in The Buzz Magazines. After 10 years, some articles have aged better than others, but each represents a common concern and the best answer I could give in 400 words, calibrated to the moderately wealthy. I have started updating and posting the best. If interested, subscribe at bellaireprobate.com/blog/. You’ll find the first 20 there already. Once subscribed, you can also expect an email version of my latest Buzz advertorial each month, with hyperlinks and maybe additional material not possible in the print edition. Blog comments are welcome, even (especially) if you disagree with me. I hope to start a robust conversation that includes other lawyers and financial professionals, including CPAs, financial advisors, and insurance agents, as well as those who’ve found our advice more or less helpful than expected. 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
Celebrate Family With the holidays approaching, now is the time to reserve your portrait session. Mention The Buzz and receive 50% off your studio session. Ask about our other holiday specials. Offer valid through October 31, 2018
A Portrait Remembers 713.523.4916 nikky@lawellphoto.com www.lawellphoto.com
WEST UNIVERSITY BUZZ OCTOBER 2018 39
MY WORLD Shriya Vikas, a sixth grader at Pin Oak Middle School, says the book I Am Malala has shaped her views.
KIDS by Shriya Vikas, age 11
Buzz Kidz I
A story worth sharing
Am Malala: The Girl Who Stood Up for Education and Was Shot by the Taliban, by Malala Yousafzai and Christina Lamb, is an eye-opening book. It has shaped my views – both as a girl in today’s world and as a person with roots in the Indian subcontinent. This book is about a Pakistani teenager, Malala Yousafzai, and her struggle to secure education for girls. As a young girl, Malala was curious and brave and wasn’t afraid to stand up for what she believed in. Malala’s dad encouraged her to fight for education, and her mom shared many of the same aspirations as her daughter, such as interfaith harmony. This book is set in Swat Valley in northern Pakistan, near the Afghanistan border. Though the people were peaceful, women were treated very differently from men. Malala describes
when people called the Taliban took control of her town. They put rules on the people of Swat and hurt them. Growing up in this environment was hard, and people were in danger all the time. Girls were banned from attending school. Pakistani leaders could do nothing to resist the Taliban invasion, out of fear. But Malala went on TV, spoke about peace, and openly fought for their rights ... only to get shot in the head! She continued to fight even after. Malala’s purpose in writing this book is to persuade girls all over the world to stand up for their rights. I found it impressive that Malala did not retreat even when she was shot. The last line stood out to me: My world has changed, but I have not. Malala is making a difference in the world, yet remains true to herself and her beliefs.
People can donate money to the Malala Fund, which supports education for young women. Malala was awarded a Nobel Peace Prize in 2014; she is the youngest person to ever win this prize. I would recommend this book to all young girls and boys. It is a story worth sharing. 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.
LUTHERAN HIGH NORTH It’s a great day to be a LION!
Join us for one of our Open House events! Friday Night Lights Open House - October 12, 2018 Tours at 5:30, 6:00, and 6:30 PM Preview Brunches - 10/23, 11/6, 12/4, 1/15 - 9:00-11:00 AM 1130 W 34th St., Houston, TX 77018 www.lutheranhighnorth.org • 713-880-3131
Proud Of Our Differences Specializing in the education of students with learning differences since 1977 Multi-Sensory Learning Approaches • Innovative Teaching Social and Behavioral Development Program • 1:8 Teacher/Student Ratio 713-977-1221 WEST UNIVERSITY BUZZ OCTOBER 2018 40
www.CrossroadsHouston.org
Galleria Area
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Right of first refusal
Learning to lead
After parents separate, they may get concerned when the other parent leaves their children with a babysitter, girlfriend/boyfriend, friend or family member, instead of them. The right to be notified in the event a parent is going to be away from a child for any amount of time is called the “right of first refusal.” This amount of time can vary from a few hours to overnight. Most Texas courts will not grant this right unless there has been extreme abuse of leaving the child with caretakers instead of the other parent. Courts give parents great autonomy in their parenting decisions. This includes the ability to decide who cares for a child in their absence. However, parties can negotiate to include this right during the original order. If included, it is difficult to remove it later, even if the other party decides they do not like it. K. Nicole Voyles is a partner at Tindall England PC, a family-law firm specializing in divorce, child-custody modifications, grandparent access, paternity, adoption and premarital and postmarital agreements. K. Nicole Voyles has been recognized as a Super Lawyer by Texas Super Lawyers 2014-18. Tindall England PC, K. Nicole Voyles, Partner, Board Certified in Family Law, 515 Post Oak Blvd., Suite 500, Houston, Texas 77027, 713.622.8733, www.tindallengland.com
Where do you see yourself in four years? This is a question I wouldn’t have known how to answer as a middle school student. Going into high school, I knew that my teachers would expect more of me and that I hoped to make new friends. However, I found so much more than that at Incarnate Word Academy. What makes IWA unique is its emphasis on teaching leadership to empower young women. Courses like Leading with Character call for students to step out of their comfort zone, whether that is eating a bite of eel or raising your hand in class. Leading with Service challenges students to take initiative in the service of others and to find ways to positively contribute to the community. Leading with Business and Leading with Personal Finance are courses for upperclassmen who are beginning to prepare for their next transition to college and career. The Young Leaders Program at IWA has flourished each year, as have I along with it. I’m proud to look back at my scared middle school self and see that in just four years, I have grown into a capable young woman. I am learning to lead. – Mary Katherine Saye, IWA ’19 Attend IWA’s Open House on Sunday, Nov. 4, from 1:30 to 4:30 p.m., to learn more about IWA’s Young Leaders Program. Incarnate Word Academy, A Catholic College Preparatory for Young Women Since 1873, 609 Crawford Street, Houston, Texas 77002, 713.227.3637, www.incarnateword.org
www.vbaf.com • Family Owned Since 1952
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sponsored by
PETS
Neighborhood Tails
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Voting? Remember your judges 713.662.2119 www.roveroaks.com
Duteng, 4, and Spanduk, 1, Australian Labradoodles, Tennyson St. I’m Duteng. Spanduk is my baby brother; he always grabs my toys and chews my bones! My mommy said we have to sit in a perfect posture because we have a guest coming soon for tea and biscuits. After all those dog-training sessions, we have to give our best behavior. Honestly, it can be a bit boring to sit because we love running, checking out birds in the backyard, fetching balls, and staring at cats, but we love making our mommy proud, so here we are! I know we’ll get some yummy treats after the guest is gone. Just three days ago we had strawberry yogurts, and yesterday she gave us chicken soup with our meals, and today I hope we’ll get that good cheese from the fridge. Yes, I know where my mommy keeps the good treats because I always pay attention to what she does. I hope I’ll see you in the neighborhood! Got a cute critter? Email a picture of your pet with approximately 150 words to info@thebuzzmagazines.com or mail it to The Buzz Magazines, 5001 Bissonnet, Suite 100, Bellaire, Texas 77401. Featured pets receive two passes to Rover Oaks Pet Resort. Each pass can be redeemed for one day of lodging in a Bunk House Suite, 25 percent off your next grooming appointment or 25 percent off one obedience training class.
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On your November ballot, you’ll see more than 50 judicial races. In Texas, we hold our judiciary accountable directly to the electorate, but the electorate needs to exercise that accountability by voting. It is vital that we elect the proper attorneys to these important positions. The 22 Criminal District Courts of Harris County oversee serious felony cases like murders, rape, robberies, home invasions and financial fraud. Those judges should have extensive experience practicing in felony criminal law and trying felony criminal cases before sitting on the bench. There is a big enough learning curve to be a judge – you should already know how to be a lawyer! But, how do you know who deserves your vote? Practicing lawyers can advise and help determine which judges work hard, try cases, and make timely decisions according to the law. Ask which candidates deserve your support! Remember to vote for the judges “down the ballot” this November! Judge Catherine Evans was appointed to the 180th Criminal District Court in 2013 by Governor Rick Perry. She runs an intensive probation program and personally oversees the rehabilitation of offenders. Prior to her appointment, she was a prosecutor for 12 years and tried cases of all types: capital murder, child abuse, fraud, intoxicated manslaughter, and aggravated robbery. Pd. Pol. Ad. By Catherine Evans Campaign, in compliance with the voluntary limits of the Judicial Campaign Fairness Act, Frank Harmon, Treasurer. Judge Catherine Evans, 180th District Court, catherineevans.org, facebook.com/CatherineEvansForJudge
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Right place, right time
Don’t suffer from heel pain
Houstonians will soon head to the polls with the opportunity to decide which candidates for office will lead our communities in the years to come. I am in the right place at the right time to deliver for Houston and protect our quality of life. As a senior member of the Appropriations Committee, and the only member from southeast Texas, I have delivered critical funding to strengthen our flood-control network, bolster our economy, support our law enforcement agencies, and fund critical scientific research. After Hurricane Harvey, I used my position on Appropriations to spearhead the $141 billion hurricane relief bill package to help the victims of Harvey, Irma and Maria. Already, $5 billion of that funding is headed to Texas, which will finish every federally authorized flood-control project in Harris County at full federal expense. It will also help bring us closer to building a third reservoir to keep water out of the Addicks and Barker Reservoirs. Keeping our economy strong is also extremely important to me. I helped pass the largest tax cut in American history – unleashing immense economic growth. To keep our energy sector strong, I helped repeal the oil export ban and remove regulations that held back oil and gas exploration. My record proves I’m in the right place at the right time to keep working for you. I hope to earn your vote this November. Political ad paid for by Culberson for Congress. Congressman John Culberson, www.CulbersonforCongress.com, JohnC@CulbersonforCongress.com
If your ability to get around is limited by heel pain, you could be among a large group of people who suffer from what is known as heel pain syndrome. Heel pain syndrome, also known as plantar fasciitis, is caused by a strain of the plantar fascia muscle, a fibrous band which runs from the heel to the front of the foot. If your foot moves incorrectly, the plantar fascia may become strained. Heel spurs can form as a result of this. You may experience pain in the bottom of your foot, especially first thing in the morning. Pain usually occurs on the inside of the foot, near the spot where your heel and arch meet. Pain may lessen after a few steps, but will come back after rest. Often, the discomfort of plantar fasciitis can be relieved with appropriate foot support. Treatment for this condition can range from the use of orthotics to cortisone treatments and surgery. Surgery is only recommended when conservative treatment has failed to relieve the discomfort. Heel pain and other foot pain can cause great discomfort, limiting your everyday activities. Remember to always be kind to your feet, as they will take you through the most important journey ever … your life! Don’t hesitate to bring your heel pain or other foot ailments to us for relief. Bellaire Podiatry/Nail Laser Center of Houston, Dr. Barry P. Weinstein, 4909 Bissonnet, Suite 120, Bellaire, Texas 77401, 713.721.5500, www.BarryWeinsteinDPM.com
WEST UNIVERSITY BUZZ OCTOBER 2018 43
NEIGHBORS
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by Jordan Magaziner Steinfeld, staff writer
Buzz About Town Dash through West U
been in education for nearly 20 years and is formerly the principal of Pin Oak Middle School.
Grandpa’s got it handled
The eighth annual King & Spalding West U Halloween Dash 5k Race and Texas Children's Hospital Kids' Fun Run will take place on Sat., Oct. 27, starting at 8 a.m. There will be a 5k, chiptimed race as well as a non-competitive, one-mile kids’ fun run. New this year, there will be a stroller/dog division in the 5k. Costumes are optional but encouraged (and remember to dress up your dog, too!). There will be prizes awarded for costumes. Pictured (from left) are friends Amelia Marvin, Cate Nicodemus and Sarah Behan enjoying last year’s Dash. See westutx.gov/funrun. Proceeds benefit the West University Parks and Recreation Department.
Elaine Matte Mut
Welcoming Lamar’s new principal
speaking about her book, Just the Funny Parts: …And a Few Hard Truths About Sneaking into the Hollywood Boys’ Club, Ben Reiter (Astroball) and a live taping of Tablet Magazine's Unorthodox Podcast. Author Rachel Kadish will speak on The Weight of Ink. Book clubs are invited to read the book, which won the 2017 National Jewish Book Award. Participating book clubs will get discussion questions and are invited to a pre-event meet and greet; contact Andrea Wolfe at awolfe@erjcchouston.org. See erjcchouston.org.
Under the stars
When first-time grandfather Stan “Pappy” Ehrenkranz was asked to babysit his not-quite1-month-old granddaughter Arden Evans, he said “yes” in a heartbeat to daughter Jenny and husband Collin Evans. Things were uneventful, which made “Pappy” a little fidgety. So, Pappy Stan had nothing better to do than to work on a selfie response when the inevitable “How are things going?” text came. When the question came and the picture was sent, Jenny’s reply was “Really?” No. Not really. If Stan is able to keep his babysitting job, Arden will soon give him plenty to do.
Books and more
Lamar High School welcomed its new principal, Rita Graves, this fall with a meet-and-greet in August. Rita (pictured here, chatting with a Lamar community member at the welcoming event) has
The Evelyn Rubenstein JCC of Houston is hosting its 46th Ann and Stephen Kaufman Jewish Book & Arts Festival, Nov. 3-13. This year’s festival is chaired by (pictured, from left) John Dreyfus and Hilary Kamin. The festival offers opportunities to experience Jewish literary, culture and performing arts, including Oliver Lapin Family Day. Highlights include Nell Scovell
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Friends of West University Place Parks Fund. and the Parks and Recreation Department will host the 12th annual Fathers & Flashlights overnight campout. The traditional fundraiser will take place Sat., Oct. 20, on the fields surrounding West U Elementary School. This year’s campout is planned by the Moorhead, Williams and Woody families, along with many volunteers, sponsors and staff. Pictured (from left) are chairs Julia Williams, Alison Moorhead and Mitra Woody. Dads and kids can look forward to catch- (continued on page 46)
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and-release fishing, bungee-run racing, a climbing wall, dinner, entertainment and more fun under the stars. See westuparks.org.
Pictured (from left) enjoying last year’s Color Dash are friends Bella Sim, Molly Jones, Alyssa Al-Uqdah and Olivia Sim. See ci.southsideplace.tx.us for more details on the messy fun.
A colorful day
Fortnite fever
Look forward to a rainbow of colors in the streets of Southside Place. The third annual Southside Place Color Dash takes place on Oct. 6. Participants will meet at the Southside Place Fire Department at 8:30 a.m. and will run two miles through the streets, dodging colorful clouds of rainbow hues. After all the colors have been collected on participants’ Color Dash Tshirts, runners will take a quick shower from firetruck hoses before enjoying a pool party at the Southside Place Pool. Proceeds will benefit the Southside Fire Truck Park Fund and will go towards improving all the park facilities.
Miles Dominey, a seventh grader at St. Mark’s Episcopal School, didn’t want to put down the Fortnite video-game controller this summer. So while he was “Fortnite Free” at summer camp, his mom, Paige, and sister, Beth Ann, took Miles’ Fortnite controller out on adventures. “Beth Ann and I decided that we should have some fun and take his Fortnite controller out on the town because surely it was missing its favorite camper and needed some excitement. We called him ‘Flat Fortnite’ just like [the children’s book series] ‘Flat Stanley,’” Paige said. The mother-daughter duo took it to volleyball
coaching, to get manicures and pedicures, to enjoy a cheeseburger (Miles' favorite food), to the Galleria and on lots of adventures. So when the Dominey family went to pick up Miles from camp, they packed the Fortnite controller and gave him the headset. Paige and Ann had painted “2 weeks Fortnite Free!” on the side of the car. See more about their Fortnite antics (and thoughts from Buzz parents about the videogame obsession) at thebuzzmagazines.com; search “Fortnite Fever: The Good, The Bad and The Ugly,” by Karen Vine Fuller.
Christophora Wardani
Adventures from West U Elementary
The West University Elementary School community gathered for Red Apple Morning Coffee to gear up for back-to-school season. Principal John Threet welcomed families and introduced the school’s enrichment curriculums, including the International Festival, set for Jan. 24. Pictured (from left) are Threet and 2019 International Festival chairs Enrica Vagliani, Natesha Tama-Madison and Selin Salerian. The International Festival is typically attended by more than 1,500 students, friends and family members as students work to represent more than 40 countries. Look forward to cultural performances, a passport scavenger hunt, raffle prizes and food tastings from seven continents.
H is for Harvey A day after Hurricane Harvey hit Houston, Julie Beasley scoured social media from her West U home. Luckily, Beasley’s house was dry, but online she followed, heartbroken, as friends and neighbors flooded and were (continued on page 48) WEST UNIVERSITY BUZZ OCTOBER 2018 46
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Martinez, tells the story of acts of everyday kindness during and after the storm. The book also includes a section on storm facts. On Aug. 25, Beasley and Martinez signed books at Gallery Furniture. All the book’s royalties will be donated to the Astros Foundation for ongoing hurricane recovery efforts. Pictured (from left) are Beasley, Taylor Fontenot, captain of the Cajun Navy, and Keri Henry, a West U resident who coordinated boaters on rescues during Harvey. Read more at thebuzzmagazines.com; search “Help, Healing and Hope: Children’s Book Tells Tale of Harvey Heroics,” by Deborah Lynn Blumberg.
House full of Lamar cheer The Rooney-Delgado (“RoonGado”) household is full of Lamar Texans spirit. Ellie Delgado, a senior, Emma Rooney, a sophomore, and Lanie Delgado, a freshman, (pictured, from left) are sisters and cheerleaders at Lamar High School. Someone always seems to be chanting and clapping, and the others join in. The girls encourage each other at home, pep rallies and games. evacuated. When Beasley saw the hashtag #HoustonStrong, “H” words started to pop into her head – heroes, helicopters, hospitals, hope. “I thought to myself, this would make a great kids’ book,” Beasley
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said. Her debut children’s book, H is for Harvey, was released in time for the hurricane’s one-year anniversary. The book, which features rhyming text and colorful illustrations by award-winning Houston illustrator and designer Eduardo
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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.
WEST UNIVERSITY BUZZ OCTOBER 2018 49
NEIGHBORS
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by Andria Frankfort, staff writer
Back Porch
Salon insecurities behance.net/runamokstudios
Y
ou know the feeling. Sitting in the chair at the nail salon, trying to relax as the massage bar rolls up and down your back. Breathing deeply in hopes of enjoying the foot massage. But you just can’t quite get there, because the technicians are talking and laughing in another language that you can’t understand, and you’re convinced they must be discussing your unshaven legs. Are you paranoid? Truth is, you’re not. I didn’t believe it until I actually asked a couple of technicians in the neighborhood who I like and trust. “It happens,” one of them confided. “We all speak the language, so we know what is going on. They’ll be smiling at the client and will turn their head, with a smile on their face, and tell their co-worker how difficult the client is or how picky she is. She’ll talk about how bad their feet are, or they can’t believe it took them this long to come in and why don’t they take care of their feet and now we have to do it. “That comedian who does the skit about the nail salon? It’s funny. But it’s true.” (Google Anjelah Johnson’s “Nail Salon” skit.) And what if you confide in your technician (or hair stylist or waxer), sharing your personal stories? “A lot of times they’ll repeat whatever drama the client has in their life,” the technician told me. So basically they’re looking at the client, smiling, listening, and then turning to their friend and repeating the story to illustrate how crazy the client is? “Yes.” Sitting in the cushy pedi chair of a nail salon brings more vulnerabilities than just a language barrier. A friend recently stopped for a pedicure, and as she soaked her feet and smiled at the nail technician, another technician approached. “Do you want your eyebrows waxed?” she asked. After a silent back-and-forth in her mind, the client said, without much conviction, “Sure, I guess I should do that.” “Okay,” said the technician. “Upper lip, too?” “No, definitely only the eyebrows,” said the friend. “It won’t hurt, I promise,” the technician said. “You need it.” “Thank you, but I don’t want it.”
MINOR PANIC Sometimes going to the salon is anything but relaxing.
Innocuous enough. Except that when the esthetician (the waxing lady) approached with the hot wax, she painted the friend’s eyebrows, and then went straight for the jugular (or right above it): She applied hot wax to her client’s upper lip. “It was so fast I didn’t have time to block her,” the friend says. “I said, ‘No lip,’ several times, and then she caught me off-guard. It was so weird. But since she already started, I just rolled my eyes and put my head back and said, ‘Have at it,’ because what was I going to do since there was wax on my lip? Then she ripped it off and showed me and said, ‘Look, it’s better. Look how much hair was on there.’ “I did not care. I felt violated. You would think it’s just a stupid thing and who cares, but all evening I kept thinking about it because I was sitting in that chair and had no choice. It was a total loss of control. I don’t have PTSD – it was a lip wax. But I was so angry.” Mary Oleyar, a designer of online classes, had a similar experience at the hair salon. “I had
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bleached my hair,” she says, “and I wanted to get it back to brown. When I went into the salon, my colorist started talking to another stylist, and together they were saying, ‘Why are you going to do that? It looks so much better blonde.’ I told them the blonde just didn’t fit my personality, to which they responded, ‘Is that because you don’t think you’re very fun?’ I was so conflicted listening to them that I just left the salon. Then I went back a second time, and the colorist said, ‘You probably just didn’t like the tone.’ I wound up leaving with even lighter hair! So the next time, I sent a text. I said I wanted it browner, not lighter, and I didn’t care what they thought. I went back in and told him not to talk to me about it – just do it. I didn’t want to feel more vulnerable than I was. We go in there to feel more beautiful, not to leave with more insecurities than we came in with.” What can we do? Stand our ground, know our people (nail techs, hair stylists)… and laugh. After all, that esthetician’s got an upper lip to wax, too.