2011 February Lakewood

THE FORMULA AND FACES BEHIND OUR NEIGHBORHOODS’S FUTURE MARKETPLACE

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uncivil action

Courtesy is not as common as it should be

It would be nice to solely blame our politicians for this behavior, but when you look around, there are still plenty of regular folk who show, by their actions, that their time and their opinions are more valuable and important than anyone else’s.

For example, while waiting in a slowly moving grocery checkout line recently, sans cart or basket and bear-hugging a couple of halfgallons of orange juice, a gallon of milk and a few containers of yogurt, I noticed with relief a checker preparing to open the next-door register.

When he finally said “Who’s next?,” I started taking a step toward him because I was next. Before I could get over there, though, a couple of guys behind me in line lunged forward, almost tripping over me and themselves in their haste to place their items on the counter.

For a savings of maybe four or five minutes of their lives, they stole my spot in line.

And I say “my spot” because by rights it was — I was next in line, and I was patiently waiting my turn.

I don’t know if what these line-jumpers did is officially rude behavior, because it’s not as if I had a physical claim to the imaginary checkout space.

But I was next. It was my turn. And the line-jumpers seemed overjoyed at their good fortune rather than embarrassed at usurping mine. I was just an obstacle to their happiness, if they even noticed me at all.

Not long thereafter, I was standing behind a fellow patron at a restaurant’s soft drink machine. As I stood patiently with my thenempty cup, I watched the guy already pretzeled at the neck, blathering into a cell phone pinched between his ear and shoulder — push the button to splash soda into his glass.

Just when I thought it was my turn, he paused to allow the fizz to die down. Then he stopped talking long enough to take a drink. Then he pushed the button again to refill his glass, still continuing to talk on his phone. Then he took another drink. Then he pushed the button again.

It’s rude enough to be talking on a cell phone when he didn’t have enough hands to take care of the task, but constantly refreshing his beverage while someone else waited behind him?

OK, I know: These are small-potatoes problems. Maybe these guys are just guilty of being self-absorbed. Maybe they’re allaround jerks. Or maybe I’m overly sensitive, and I need to do what I tell my sons to do: Suck it up, and move on.

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Breathe

I don’t know, though: People who can’t wait their turn, and people who selfishly abuse their turn, don’t necessarily represent the “smoking gun” of a declining culture.

But someone once said that how we treat each other when no one is watching offers a window into our character. The truth is that no one is watching us most of the time.

So a few rude bores won’t bring down our society. But the more we tolerate the selfobsessed, the more likely we are to be taking the first step down an already slippery slope.

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There has been a lot of talk lately about our incivility toward each other and how we can’t stop yelling at each other long enough to hear what anyone else is saying.

I don’t know if what these line-jumpers did is officially rude behavior, because it’s not as if I had a physical claim to the imaginary checkout space.

PIT BULL BAN

This is a Stone Age move for Texas [Advocate Back Talk Blog, “Texas Legislature expected to propose anti-pit-bull law”, Jan. 4]. I own a pit who works as a therapy dog. Not only is she the gentlest dog in the world, she loves playing with children, my two cats and our rabbit. I worked in a vet hospital for years and saw dog bites ranging from labs to toy poodles. All it takes is an irresponsible owner to not properly train their dog. Usually neglect is involved as well.

—HEATHER, VIA

I have a Purple Heart and Medal of Valor. I fought for my rights in this country, and I think that goes for my dog as well. My dog is a full-blooded pit named Ice, and he is part of our family. He loves playing with the kids and wrestles with our Pomeranian. I have always been proud to be a Texan, but if this bill passes, it will make my stomach turn. Pit bulls are great family dogs. If a dog attacks someone, it’s because the dog wasn’t raised the right way. Any dog can become mean if mistreated.

—DAVID

BEDNORZ, VIA

If you don’t like it, you can always move. I hope they ban every pit bull in the great state of Texas!

—RANDY, VIA

URBAN INFILL

I’m really hoping this goes through [“Builders pitch redevelopment of Trinity Lutheran Church site on Gaston”, Advocate Back Talk Blog, Jan. 12]. We live on the corner of Loving and Casa Loma, and we can see the abandoned property from our front porch. I would welcome the new development and the new neighbors it would bring. The traffic is a concern, but I think that will be the case no matter what goes in there, and what’s currently proposed is certainly better than the alternative of a nursing facility. I really hope the neighborhood can be reasonable and welcoming, and work fairly with the developers to end up with something that can be good for everyone.

—KATHERENE,

WE LOVE YOUR BACK TALK. Visit lakewood.advocatemag.com to read and comment on this month’s stories and daily Back Talk blog updates. Comments may be printed in the magazine.

Grow Your Own Food!

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The 50-year-old movie house with the spire and striking architecture closed more than a decade ago, and over the years we’ve examined the never-ending neighborhood mystery: What will happen to this landmark space? Advocate editor Keri Mitchell got the long-awaited scoop.

12.22.10 Boulder, Colo.-based Natural Grocers has signed a lease to take over the 12,500-square-foot space, says Clay Evans of S.C. Companies, which manages the theater property. The Casa Linda Theater shut down in 1999, and for a time, dinner-and-a-movie companies were eying the space, but nothing ever materialized. We’ve periodically checked in on the space, and grew excited when we noticed construction last spring.

Nostalgic neighbors who watched their favorite flicks at Casa Linda Theater may be saddened by the news, as may those who were holding out hope for some sort of Alamo Drafthouse. Evans, who has been trying to find a tenant for more than three years, is excited to finally have one. “I think the neighborhood will really like it, too,” he says. To get a preview, neighbors can visit the recently opened store at Preston and Forest, or the store at Coit and Campbell.

In other Casa Linda Plaza news, the wet-dry election may have spurred more restaurant interest in the shopping center. Michael Hale of AmREIT, which owns all of Casa Linda Plaza besides the theater, tells us that “although we can report an increase in inquiries since the wet-dry election took place, we’re not quite ready to publicly announce any new tenants to the center that are directly attributable to the election.” Hopefully we’ll be able to tell you more in 2011.

To comment on this post and find links to past coverage, visit lakewood.advocatemag.com and search: “Casa Linda Theater”.

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Which Is More Important –Experience or Education?

Having 121 combined years of construction experience and countless years of education and training, we at Bella Vista Company are in a unique position among local remodelers to answer that question. It’s both. No surplus of one will compensate for deficiencies in the other. An old saying (we think a doctor told us, but it could have been a golf instructor) supports the logic:

Shortcomings in education are a growing problem in our industry. When customers are persuaded that “nothing trumps experience”, buyer’s remorse often follows. Years of repetition become repetition of mistakes. We see this when we’re called to fix projects. We ask about the remodeler’s related training and certifications, and too often, the answer is “I wasn’t told”, or “I thought experience is what counts”. Keeping current with training and certifications takes time, effort and expense, but it’s as important for remodelers as it is for doctors. Today’s remodeling industry is no longer just guys swinging hammers and hitting nails. Newer systems, including

HVAC, electrical, and plumbing are highly sophisticated. Without training, they may be installed or programmed incorrectly and the homeowners may not get the full benefits. There may be malfunctions or poor performance without expertise in the underlying electronics and software.

One of the most important reasons a remodeler should stay current on education and certifications is product knowledge. Remodelers should always be experts in what products and technologies are on the market, how they work, and when to recommend them. The helpful guys at the hardware stores are no substitute for a real education.

Though less common, there are inexperienced remodelers with extensive educations. Remodelers have to start somewhere, but no project should be executed without experience in the leadership position. There are always elements that cannot be taught in a book. Beyond techniques, remodeling requires “people skills” and knowledge of end-to-end processes. Experience is the only way to obtain that knowledge.

Just as with surgery, “perfect practice makes perfect”. Good remodelers strive for perfection through education and experience. If you’re contemplating a project and want assurance that your home will be in capable hands, call us. Our qualifications are an open book!

www.facebook.com/BellaVistaCompany

“Practice doesn’t necessarily make perfect; practice makes permanent. Perfect practice makes perfect.”

LAUNCH

They are young, but smart; siblings, but they actually like each other; and they are quite poor, for now, but dreaming big. One Red Martian is a four-man band consisting of three brothers — Ben Woodul, 22; Jimi Woodul, 21 and Joe Woodul, 18 — and Dan Dekalb, 21, who is like a brother, says Jimi. They all live together in a two-bedroom apartment off Greenville Ave. and earned money to record their first full-length album, Spit My Brain, waiting tables in Lower Greenville’s bars and restaurants. (OK, OK. They also got a little help from Mom, which frontman Jimi admits doesn’t sound very rock ‘n’ roll).

Tell us a little bit about your bandmates and yourself.

We are from rural upstate New York — a small town called Newport that is about one hour away from Syracuse, N.Y. Dan and I have been friends since first grade. Since middle school, we’ve played piano together. Piano is still a big part of what we do, but our style has evolved since then. My brothers joined the group, and we moved to Dallas in 2008. I am the singer and guitarist. Dan is on the keys and backup vocals. Ben plays bass, and my other brother, Joe, plays drums.

For those who haven’t yet discovered One Red Martian, could you describe your music?

We can’t help, like any serious songwriter, but be inspired by bands like Muse, Ben Folds, Radiohead but we don’t set out to sound like anyone or anything specific. We still love piano, but with heavier sounds — the phrases “heaviest piano band ever”, “intensely lyrical ballad rock” and “genre-busting piano metal” have been thrown around.

GOTA LAUNCH-WORTHY IDEA? Let us know about it: Call editor Christina Hughes Babb at 214.560.4204 or email launch@advocatemag.com.

BENJAMIN HAGER

SEEA VIDEO about One Red Martian at lakewood.advocatemag. com/video

dallas city center

grab-bagLAUNCH

WHERE IS YOUR LYRICAL FOCUS? DO YOU SING ABOUT YOUR OWN LIFE OR WHAT? Not so much about my own life. I think there is too much use of ‘you’, ‘me’ and ‘I’ in today’s music. Our lyrics are more about observations of the world at large.

WHYDID YOU DECIDE TO SETTLE IN DALLAS?

People ask us that all the time. I really have no idea. ButI think we ended up in a good place. Dallas once had a strong music scene. It’s not so happening now, but maybe it could be

I HEAR YOU PUT ON A GOOD LIVE SHOW. I love performing live, standing in front of somebody, and inspiring awe. Like when I watch a clip of James Brown performing “Man’s World”, and I’m just blown away — that’s how we want to make people feel. We’re much more proficient with our instruments than we were [before making ‘Spit My Brain’] and much tighter as a live band.

SO, YOU GUYS SEEM TO BE LIVING A BIT OF THE STARVING ARTIST LIFESTYLE RIGHT NOW.IS THAT FAIR TO SAY?

You could say that. We all live in a two-bedroom apartment where we’ve had some roach problems. We are hoping to get out of there soon. It is a struggle to support yourself and raise the money — $12,000 or so — to record an album. We earned a lot of the money waiting tables. My mom is an investor. She did help quite a bit. I know, that sounds real cool (laughs).

IS IT TOUGH LIVING WITH EACH OTHER IN CLOSE QUARTERS?

We really get along very well. Sometimes there is tension, but it’s normally about stupid things and not about band stuff.

EXPLAIN THE ALBUM TITLE, ‘SPIT MY BRAIN’, AND YOUR EXPERIENCE RECORDING IT.

I guess the theme of the album is seeing yourself as outside of yourself and having everybody else see that very pure view of yourself — you’re spitting your brain outside of your body. This album is the best work we’ve done to date. It is special — it’s what we’ve wanted to make since we were 14 years old. The recording actually took about 10 days and was completely nerve wracking. It was stressful because you only have so much time, which costs money to record and you are worried about how it will sound. It was mixed by Beau Hill, who has done work for the likes of Alice Cooper and Ratt. It turned out well.

VISIT ONEREDMARTIAN.COM for show dates or to purchase a CD.

LISTEN TO ONEREDMARTIAN ONLINE at lakewood.advocatemag.com.

Source: NTREIS Data Includes Top 200 Real Estate Companies In All Areas Dallas/Ft. Worth January 2010 – September 2010

petpAUse barbecue, pug

REESE, a pug belonging to CARRIE and J.R. GARCIA of Lakewood, loves it when brisket goes on sale. “She knows her owners get a little sloppy when they are chopping it up for sandwiches, and that usually means some good eating for her,” Carrie says.

they’d like to thank the academy

Fiona and Justin Hall were fresh off the boat, virtually, when they happened upon a poster for a new animated film, “The Illusionist”, at the Angelika Theater. “I said, ‘Hmm. There’s the poster for the film we just finished working on,’” Fiona says. The couple moved from Edinburgh, Scotland, to our neighborhood with their 16-monthold son, Ethan, in December. Fiona is a production manager who worked on “The Illusionist” for about three years. Justin is an animator who put in about six months. The film, from “The Triplets of Belleville” director Sylvain Chomet, is based on a screenplay that fellow French director Jaques Tati wrote but never produced. It was nominated for a Golden Globe award, and is expected to receive an Oscar nomination as well. The Daily Telegraph called the movie “a gushing love letter to Edinburgh.” The city’s unique light, created by its low skies, is captured better in this animated film than in any live-action film, Justin says. Edinburgh is where the Halls met, fell in love and married over four years ago. “It shows the city we know and love in a really beautiful way,” Fiona says. “The city is a character in the movie as much as the actual characters.” Once the film wrapped, the Halls saw an opportunity to come to the states to pursue work. Justin, who grew up in

London, has family in Dallas. “There are new opportunities here. It was a bit dry in the U.K.,” Fiona says. “Texas has a big industry, so we thought this was a good place to start.” She hired almost everyone who worked on “The Illusionist”, competing for talent directly with a Disney animated feature that was filming at the time, and she wound up hiring artists from all over the world. “If we could get a good project here, I know we could get a crew of 100 really good people,” she says. “We know some of the best people in the industry.” The Halls were honored to work with the “extraordinarily gifted” Chomet. “It’s hard work, and there are times when you hate it and you don’t want to do it any more. Your hand is cramped from drawing the same line over and over again,” Justin says. “But in the end, your product affects people. It actually has an impact on people’s lives, and there aren’t too many jobs where you get to do that.” “The Illusionist” opens at the Angelika Feb. 4, and the Halls will be on hand for a Q&A. Academy Award nominations were announced Jan. 27. At press time, the Halls didn’t know whether “The Illusionist” had been nominated, but if it is, they say they’d rather watch the awards on TV here in Dallas than go to the Oscars.

—RACHEL STONE

at sonyclassics.com/theillusionist.

WATCHA TRAILER for “The Illusionist”

Juliette Fowler Homes Inc.

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LAUNCHgrab-bag

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Small

ways that you can make a big difference for neighborhood nonprofits

BUY BEAUTIFUL BRACELETS also known as Crystals for the Cure, and support Doris Daniely Outreach, a neighborhood-based organization that funds reconstructive surgeries for women who have had mastectomies to treat breast cancer. Each colored crystal in the bracelet represents the cure for a type of cancer. For example, a pink crystal represents breast cancer, emerald means lymphoma, while violet represents a cure for all types of the disease. Choose crystals and order a bracelet for $35 at dorisdanielyoutreach.com. Read more about the organization on page 54.

RUN A 5K

in the Heart and Sole Run, Saturday, Feb. 12 at 9 a.m. at White Rock Lake’s Winfrey Point. Registration is $35 and proceeds benefit Avance, a nonprofit organization that works in various ways to strengthen families and to build an educational foundation for children in neighborhood schools. Runners can also opt for the one-mile fun run, which is $25 for adults and $10 for students. Register online at runontexas.com, at the Run On! store at 5400 E. Mockingbird from Feb. 8-10, or at Winfrey Point on race day beginning at 8 a.m.

KNOW OF WAYS that neighbors can spend time, attend an event, or purchase or donate something to benefit a neighborhood nonprofit? Email your suggestion to launch@advocatemag.com.

LAUNCHgrab-bag

WRITER IN RESIDENCE

A few years ago, a friend challenged Vicki Batman to write the first line of a story, inspired by one word: “window”. “It just stumped me,” she says. “I couldn’t come up with anything.” So she went home, sat down at the computer and started writing. Next thing Batman knew, she had eight chapters of a novel, “Temporarily Employed”. Since that day, Batman has written three romance/murder mystery novels. And over the past year and a half, she’s sold 14 pieces to short story magazines. Those are romances, too. “Some of it is bad date stuff that really happened to me,” she says. “Like, I really did get a Dear John letter on Valentine’s Day.” That’s an anecdote in “Valentine’s Hell”, a story appearing this month in “True Love” magazine. Batman, who lives in Lakewood, raised kids with her husband and always liked to write. But she became serious about it after her kids were grown. About five years ago, she joined the Dallas Area Romance Authors group, and that’s how she learned to submit stories and become a better writer. “It exposes you to so much more as a writer,” she says. Batman hasn’t sold her novels yet, but she’s working on it. She sits down to write at 10 a.m. every day, and she works at least four hours. She is a Lakewood Library Friends board member, and this month, she invited two other romance authors Lorraine Heath and Pamela Stone — to join her in the library’s book review series. The event, “Love is in the Air”, is at 1:30 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 21, at the Lakewood Library, 6121 Worth. By the way, romance author Vicki Batman will never need a nom de plume. That is her real name.

—RACHEL STONE

FINDINFORMATION about Vicki Batman and the Dallas Area Romance Authors at vickibatman. blogspot.com and dallasromanceauthors.com.

BENJAMIN HAGER

academics online

Tara Woodruff just wanted to make the J.L. Long Middle School website better. But in the process of improving the site for the school’s PTA, Woodruff wound up creating a new business that tracks students’ performance. The business, classkey.com, allows students to build online portfolios showcasing their grades and achievements. Her younger daughter, Baylee Willingham, is now a 15-yearold freshman at Woodrow Wilson High School, and she’s enrolled in the fledgling International Baccalaureate program there. The IB program requires students to keep a portfolio throughout their high school careers, and Classkey makes that easy for Baylee and other students, Woodruff says. “It’s really appropriate for students who have a lot of video, so performers, athletes,” she says. Baylee would like to play volleyball in college, and Woodruff hopes her Classkey portfolio will help recruiters assess her when the time comes. A one-year subscription to the site is $99, and users receive their own URL bayleewillingham.com, for example. From there, it’s easy to set up. Anyone who can use Facebook can do it, Woodruff says. And speaking of that, Classkey helps kids to learn how to present themselves online in a professional manner. “That’s something a lot of people don’t learn until after they get out of college or later,” she says. Woodruff’s older daughter, Jordan Willingham, is studying psychology at the University of North Texas, and she used her Classkey portfolio when applying for graduate school. If Jordan wants, she could keep updating her site and use it to get a job. “It’s something that could follow you your whole life,” Woodruff says. Users can keep their Classkey sites private and give usernames and passwords to people whom they want to have access. “The goal is to bring a newer, easier technology and make it available to anyone who wants to use it,” Woodruff says. —RACHEL STONE MORE INFORMATION IS AVAILABLE at classkey.com.

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out&about

02.04.10-02.20.10

TEEN SCENE FESTIVAL

$10-$75 The Dallas Children’s Theater tackles more serious subjects this month in its twoweek program geared toward teenagers. From dating and relationships to self-esteem and peer pressure, several productions will shed light on issues that affect kids’ daily lives. The series begins with “hard 2 spel dad”, which explores the world of dyslexia; “dont u luv me?” illustrates the downward spiral of an unhealthy relationship; “The Secret Life of Girls” shows the destructive nature of gossip, cliques and cyber bullying; “EAT (It’s Not about Food)” uses candid vignettes to analyze eating disorders. Since the plays include mature subject matter, DCT recommends the productions for audiences 13 and older. The festival runs at the DCT Rosewood Center for Family Arts, 5938 Skillman. A festival pass is $75, and individual tickets are $10-$23. For showtimes and details, call 214.740.0051 or visit dct.org.

—EmILy Tom AN

THROUGH 02.26 KEYS OF LIGHT FREE The Latino Cultural Center, 2600 Live Oak, presents a solo exhibition by Manuel Acevedo, who explores light and optics in urban spaces. Gallery hours are 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday. For details, call 214.671.0045 or visit dallasculture.org/latinoculturalcenter.

02.02 VALENTINE TEA $50-$100 The Women’s Council of the Dallas Arboretum presents the next program in its literary series, A Writer’s Garden, hosting a Valentine Tea 2-4 p.m. Caroline Rose Hunt, author of “Primrose Past”, will speak. For reservations, call 214.797.5966, email Linda Spina at linda.spina@sbcglobal.net or visit womenscouncildallasarboretum.org.

02.03 GIVE PEACE A CHANCE

$25 The Promise of Peace Community Garden presents a fundraising concert paying tribute to John Lennon, featuring Kelly Brown and Local Honey with The Complications. Doors open at 7 p.m., and the show starts at 8 p.m. at the Lakewood Theater, 1825 Abrams. For tickets and details, call 214.821.7469 or visit lakewoodtheater.com.

02.03-02.19 THE EXECUTIONER’S

SON $15-$25 Echo Theatre presents this dark comedy set in 1483 London. The story follows the king’s executioner as he struggles to raise his children and make ends meet. Performances run at 8 p.m. Thursdays-Saturdays at the Bath House Cultural Center, 521 E. Lawther. Admission is $20 in advance, $25 at the door and $15 for matinees. For details and tickets, call 214.670.8749 or visit echotheatre.org.

02.10 POETRY DISCUSSION FREE The Writer’s Garrett will host its monthly poetry discussion 7-9 p.m. at Paperbacks Plus, 6115 La Vista. For details, call 214.828.1715 or email gen@writersgarret.org.

WHITE taste of 2011 ROCK

a Dinner Club featuring locally-owned Restaurants & Supporters of the Lake

Cafe Lago Trinity Hall Irish Pub

n Price is $10

02.14 VALENTINE’S DOUBLE FEATURE

$20-$30 Ricki Derek and his quartet presents a romantic night of music at 8:30 p.m. at the Lakewood Theater, 1825 Abrams. Guests can dance to classic songs by Frank Sinatra, Tony Bennett and Nat King Cole followed by a screening of “Casablanca”. For details and tickets, call 214.821.7469 or visit lakewoodtheater.com.

02.18 SEBADOH $16-$30 Indie rock

musician Lou Barlow of Dinosaur Jr. and Folk Implosion will perform with Sebadoh at 8 p.m. at the Granada Theater, 3524 Greenville. For tickets and details, call 214.824.9933 or visit granadatheater.com.

02.19 SPRING VEGETABLE GARDENING $5 North Haven Gardens, 7700 Northaven Road, presents a program on spring vegetable gardening 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m., hosted by Christine Hensely of North Haven’s staff. The presentation covers soil health, maintenance, pest control and what veggies to plant now. A $5 suggested donation will benefit the gardens at Stonewall Jackson Elementary School in our neighborhood. For details, call 214.363.5316 or visit nhg. com.

02.22 KMAG YOYO ALBUM RELEASE $15

Country folk artist Hayes Carll will perform during his album release party for “KMAG YOYO” at 9 p.m. at the Double Wide, 3510 Commerce in Deep Ellum. Tour of Texas and Shovels and Rope will open the show. For details, call 214.887.6510 or visit double-wide.com.

02.23 BOOK REVIEW SERIES FREE The Lakewood Library features the New York Times bestseller “Love is in the Air” during its next book review meeting at 1:30 p.m., 6121 Worth. For details, call 214.670.1376.

Bangkok City Terilli’s Mexico Lindo Angelo’s Lakewood’s 1st & 10 Another Broken Egg Cafe

Lakewood Tavern

Barbec’s Roma’s Sol’s Nieto Mexican Grille White Rock Sports Bar & Grill

n Buy one meal, get 2nd of equal or lower value FREE! (some restrictions apply)

n Valid Jan 2 - Oct 31, 2011

n For coupon books call the Peninsula Neighborhood Association at 972.533.1144 or stop by The Green Spot at Buckner & Northcliff, or the service desk at any of these Albertsons: Casa Linda, Mockingbird & Abrams, or E Northwest Hwy & Ferndale sponsored in part by the Advocate Magazines

benefitting White Rock Lake & Local Neighborhood Associations

Delicious

A guide to dining & drinking in our neighborhood

Comfort food

Somehow, a S imple S ide di S h has become one of the most talked-about items on The Porch’s menu. The smoked ham mac and cheese casserole proves to be the ultimate comfort food at this neighborhood restaurant. The chefs step it up by using only premium cheeses. “It’s down-home food in a sophisticated way,” general manager Taryn Anderson says. “The dish is still something people can relate to.” Another top seller is the Stodg burger, topped with aged cheddar, Nueske’s bacon, fried egg, lettuce, tomato and onion. The Porch smokes all its meats in-house, makes its own mozzarella and uses seasonal veggies, mostly from East Texas farms. Consilient Restaurants opened The Porch two and a half years ago, having already established a few restaurants along the burgeoning Henderson Avenue. “We all support each other,” Anderson says. “It really has a sense of neighborhood over here.” —Emily

Toman

The Porch

h ender S on & miller

214.828.2916

thepor C hre S taurant. C om

ham and cheese casserole (below)

Three more spots for feel-good food:

1 Horne & Dekker

This reincarnation of Kitchen 1924 offers Hangover Brunch 9 a.m.-noon on Sundays, serving up gourmet biscuits and the Walk of Shame ginger beer to cure what ails you.

henderSon & Capitol

214.821.9333

horneanddekker.Com

2 Park

There’s nothing like a good bowl of macaroni and cheese to soothe the soul — especially when it’s made with pepe pasta, squash, mushrooms, ancho and smoked Gouda.

henderSon & mCmillan

214.824.3343

parkhenderSon.Com

3 oasis Café

For a hearty breakfast after a long night, this Upper Greenville establishment offers omelets, pancakes, French toast and several “south-ofthe-border” options.

Greenville & SouthweStern

214.361.8120

oa SiSC afedalla S Com

food and wine online. Visit our website at lakewood.advocatemag.com

Pictured: Stodg burger (top); Smoked

ALISON FECHTEL

YOUR GUIDE TO DINING OUT

ANOTHER BROKEN EGG $FB Come enjoy yourselves at Another Broken Egg Cafe, the premier breakfast brunch, and lunch cafe in East Dallas. Crabcakes on homemade crostini bread await, enjoy the finest benedicts in all of Dallas. We recently partnered with the Humane Society to offer all cage free eggs from local Dallas farmers. Come try our new location in the Old Town shopping center. Locally owned and operated by Chris Harwood. 1152 N Buckner Blvd (across from Doctors Hospital) 214.954.7182.

ASIAN MINT $$ODFBWB Our Highland Park location, The Mint, offers an array of Asian-fused cuisine, specializing in Bangkok style dishes. We feature farm fresh ingredients, beautifully presented, coupled with a chic atmosphere and friendly service. Happy Hour is 5pm-6:30pm Mon.-Fri. – all beers and house wines are $3; $2 off appetizers, soups & salads. 4246 Oak Lawn Ave. 214.219.6469. The Asian Mint, along with its fused and sushi menus, also offers one of the best dessert bars in Dallas. 11617 N. Central Expwy. 214.363.6655. www.themintdallas.com

BACK COUNTRY BBQ $WB Over 30 years of Texas-style BBQ. Family dining – 8 different meats, variety of homemade vegetables. Complete catering & custom cooking. Beer, wine, margaritas. 6940 Greenville Ave. 214.696.6940.

TILLMAN’S ROADHOUSE $$ODWB

Tillman’s is a place for really good food, drinks, and music in a fun, casual, come-as-you-are environment. An update on the classic Texas roadhouse with regional menu favorites, familiar tunes and no-one is a stranger hospitality — all energized with a modern take. A combination of both rustic and lush in everything from the menu to the décor make Tillman’s a good-time anytime destination. Bishop Arts District 324 W. 7th St. 214.942.0988. www.tillmansroadhouse.com

TEX MEX GRILL $WB If you are looking for great Tex-Mex dining at reasonable prices try Tex Mex Grill and Cafe at the corner of Walnut Hill Lane and Plano Rd. Everything on the menu is quickly prepared using fresh ingredients. Offering a different lunch special each day, beginning at $4.99. Private Party room, seats 40 people. Adult beverages are limited to margaritas and beer. Catering beginning at $6.50 per person. New Hours: Mon- Sat 11 am - 10 pm, Sunday 10 am - 4 pm ALL DAY BRUNCH

Wine writers complain a lot about Thanksgiving, and how difficult it is to recommend wines for the turkey fest, but the holiday they really dislike is Valentine’s Day. What’s the point of pairing wine with chocolate?

Having said that, Valentine’s Day is — next to Thanksgiving perhaps the most requested wine recommendation holiday on the calendar. What can I buy my girlfrend? What would my husband like? And is there wine that goes with chocolate? I actually get more requests for Valentine’s Day wine than I do for New Year’sEve.

Never fear, though. Champagne and sparkling wine fit Valentine’s Day like a red paper heart (and yes, you can even drink it with chocolate). Keep in mind that sparkling wine is made throughout the world, but that only sparkling wine made in the Champagne region of France can be called champagne.

So if you’re wondering where to go with Valentine’s Day wine, here are three sparkling suggestions:

Spanish bubbly is called cava, and this one is more fruity (some citrus) than similarly priced cavas. In this, it’s more like champagne and is a nice change of pace.

This

sparkling wine is from the French region of Loire and is made with chenin blanc; most champagne and California bubbly is made with chardonnay. That means the Moncatour is a little more acidic and a touch sweeter.

The real stuff, with champagne’s classic green apple and great bubbles that stream to the top of the glass.

—JEFF SIEGEL

Wine is made with grapes, which are a fruit, and most fruit has naturally occurring acid. Wine grapes have more natural acid than table grapes, which is one reason why chardonnay and cabernet sauvignon make better wine than concord grapes.

WITH YOUR WINE

Pineapple upside-down cake

1 8-oz can crushed pineapple, drained

3 Tbsp butter

3/4 c packed brown sugar

2 large eggs

2 Tbsp plain yogurt

1/2 tsp vanilla

1 c all-purpose flour

3/4 c sugar

3/4 tsp baking powder

3/4 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

3/4 stick butter, softened

6 Tbsp plain yogurt

1. Preheat the oven to 350. Place the 3 tablespoons butter in a 9-inch skillet or 9-inch round cake pan, and put the pan in the oven until the butter melts.

2. Tilt the pan to cover all sides of with melted butter. Sprinkle the brown sugar evenly over the bottom of the pan, and then cover the brown sugar with the crushed pineapple.

DIVINE COFFEE SHOP

Under new ownership! Come by and check out our new daily specials. Serving breakfast and lunch daily ‘til 2:00 pm. Catfish Lunch Buffet, Mon-Fri. Mention this ad and get the lunch buffet for $5.95!

ANGELO’S SPAGHETTI

Nightly Specials:

M&T Cheap Carafes & Morte D Pasta W&Th Dinner & Dessert for Two $25 Sunday Brunch Buffet 11 am - 2 pm (Kids under 10 free w/each adult.)

3. Whisk together the eggs, vanilla and 2 tablespoons buttermilk. Mix the dry ingredients in a food processor, and then add the softened butter and remaining yogurt. Blend well. Then add the egg mixture, and mix until just blended.

4. Cover the fruit in the pan, smooth evenly, and bake 35-40 minutes or until a toothpick

inserted in the cake comes out clean. Take the cake out of the oven, and tilt the pan in all directions. This will loosen it from the sides.

5. Let cool for a couple of minutes, and then — very carefully, using oven mitts — put a plate on the top of the pan and turn the cake onto the plate. Lift off the pan, and scrape any mixture off.

LA CALLE DOCE

Since 1981 La Calle Doce has been serving the Dallas area delicious seafood and Tex-Mex made with the freshest ingredients. Enjoy the rich culture of Coastal Mexico through our flavorful cuisine.

HACIENDA ON HENDERSON

Wanna do the Happy Dance? Come by Mondays for Half-Price Food from 5pm-10pm. Dine In Only. Open Daily 11am-2am. Late Night Menu. Catering Available. Lunch Menu 11am-3pm. Now Catering.

SZECHWAN PAVILION

Since 1980, we have offered the finest Chinese food in Dallas. Choose from our gourmet menu or convenient buffet.

THE GOODS SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

TALULAH BELLE

PANKY – Your Valentine will love flirty flared babydoll! We also have selection of the “world’s most comfortable thong”. 2011 Abrams Rd. 214.821.1927 talulahbelle.com

ONCE UPON A CHILD

Buying and selling used kids clothing, furniture and along with new. spot is paid for items. 6300 Skillman (@Abrams) 214.503.6010 onceuponachildlakehighlands.com

PAINTING WITH A TWIST

Express your inner artist! Instructors lead attendees in creating paintings with a featured piece of art, bring nothing more than your imagination, a bottle of wine or beverage. Perfect for Private Parties as well. 5202 Lovers Ln. 214.350.9911 paintingwithatwist.com

OPTICAL

Radiate style and fashion in a new pair of eyewear. Have fun in the sun this spring. Our new Ray-Bans are in! 5500 Greenville Ave. (Old Town) 214.368.0170 tombarrettoptical.com

original Lampe Berger fragrance diffuser. Random has everything you need to get started. Live in air you love with Lampe Berger! Hillside Village Center - 6465 E. Mockingbird Ln., #366 214.827.9499 ShopAtRandom.com

DALLAS MALL

shopping for vintage, furniture, fashion, jewelry, Ln. @ Forest Ln. 214.366.2100

THE STORE IN LAKE HIGHLANDS

Bradley! Spring into the season with beautiful, new styles and colors. Featured: Eloise in Blue Lagoon, Folkloric & Lemon Parfait. 10233 E NW Hwy@Ferndale Albertsons) 214.553.8850

Mon-Sat 9:30-5:30 TheStoreinLH.com

LOVETENNIS

means nothing in tennis, it’s everything in life ... find the love of your life a dallas’ only boutique for everything tennis. snider plaza 214.691.1540

Restorative yoga practice. Bolsters, Blankets, eye pillows sandbags. Gift certificates available. 6039 Oram (at Skillman) 214.534.4469 yogamartusa.com

THE CORNER MARKET M-STREETS

Give flowers, give jewelry, give treats. Have a latte, deli salads or sweets. Sit down with good friends, this local market transcends, where McCommas and Greenville meet.

3426 Greenville Ave. @ McCommas

214.826.8283

CHEESECAKE ROYALE

Indecisiveness has never been so rewarding. 9016 Garland Rd. 213.328.9102 CheesecakeRoyale.com

DC BOUTIQUE

Celebrate Valentines Day the month of February and receive 25% off! Long embroidered jackets collection for women in a mixture of colors and styles. Come see our “young colors” line for toddler to tweens! 9219 Garland Rd. 972.800.9314

Major companies are looking at Dallas for new locations.

DO WE WANT

WHAT’S INSIDE?

Learn

These

COVETEDCORPORATIONS

They may be corporate chains, but these companies know how to make us want them.

down the street?

story by Keri Mitchell

Will they come?

What’s keeping them away?

Can local businesses meet the challenge?

When national companies decide to carve out a niche in Dallas, whether it’s a grocer or restaurant or retailer, they all look in the same place.

“almost 100 percent will start in the Park Cities to Preston Hollow corridor, and then follow the 75 and Tollway corridors, kind of a pie shape up to the north,” says David Shelton of united Commercial realty.

“The main reason for that is demographics. It’s that plain and simple — the highest concentration of population and the highest concentration of incomes in that corridor.”

Commercial real estate folks tend to sound like broken records when talking about the retail formula: a high number of people living in a given area (population density) who have a lot of money to spend (income) and regularly travel near a specific site (traffic counts) equals a successful business.

It’s a formula that works, they say.

“The fact of the matter is that stores have to go where there are people, people, people,” young says. “We’re not in the rocket science business; we’re in the logic business: established dense areas with income.”

For the most successful merchants, he says, “in addition to having a good product and good service, you’ve got to be able to have traffic and predict your traffic.”

Not to mention the herd mentality central to the retail world — most companies follow others like cattle into new markets or even specific properties. This is called “tenant mix”, with discount stores or high-end retailers wanting to be grouped with other companies attracting similar shoppers.

That explains, for the most part, why retailers wind

up in some areas of the city and not others. but how do they get here in the first place?

That can be attributed to the sheer buying power of Dallasites. Dallas and Fort Worth combined hold nearly 28 square feet of retail for every person living here “almost more than Manhattan,” young says, and substantial compared to the national average of roughly 23 square feet per person.

Dallas also lacks barriers that generally deter new companies, says Mike Geisler of Venture Commerical.

There’s More!

Should we hold out hope for a White Castle? Market Street? Scotty P’s? Find answers at lakewood. advocatemag.com/ retail.

“It’s an affordable place to buy real estate, affordable construction, easy to find labor and comparatively easy to get through city processes,” he says, adding that the biggest barrier for most companies is competition from those who arrived here first.

as for other companies that should be making Dallas their home, “the list is almost endless,” Shelton says. “There are a lot of folks that probably should be in Dallas that aren’t here, and on the flipside, a lot of people that shouldn’t be in Dallas are here. Dallas-Fort Worth is one of the largest metropolitan areas in the country and will continue to be a top-of-the-list high point for anyone expanding in the retail and restaurant world.”

“Retail works in Dallas-Fort Worth,” says Robert E. Young Jr. of The Weitzman Group.

“Whether companies are home-grown and going out, or outside coming in, they know that DallasFort Worth is a pretty good place to place their bets.”

Coveted Corporations

they may be corporate chains, but these companies know how to make us want them.

Hennes & Mauritz (H&M)

First store Västerås, Sweden in 1947

First u.s. store Fifth Avenue, Manhattan, N.Y., in 2000

CoMpany HoMe

Stockholm, Sweden

total stores

2,000 in 37 countries,

including 200 in 27 states

Closest store to dallas Des Peres, Mo. (St. Louis area), 637 miles

size oF tHe new nortHpark Center FlagsHip store 24,000 square feet, slated to open in the second half of 2011

otHer FlagsHip stores in tHe u s Only three: Manhattan; Westfield Santa Anita in Arcadia, Calif.; Michigan Avenue in Chicago wHat’s tHe big deal? Sought-after by fashionistas on a budget, H&M is widely hailed as the originator of the “fast-fashion” retail format with high-volume merchandise and constantly changing styles. H&M carries both men’s and women’s clothing and accessories, plus maternity and children’s lines. The company does not have online stores in the United States — another reason its storefronts are in high demand. expert opinion “It’s a fashion-forward product for a great price obviously there’s a need and a demand for them, especially in this economy.” —kent arnold

“In some respects, I’m surprised they haven’t gotten to Dallas more quickly because Dallas is such a huge fashion market. It’s a European company looking at the whole globe as their market, with moderate expansion in the U.S. as opposed to a fervent pace. One of the reasons we’re all impatient about it is they’re a great retailer.” —Mike geisler

“If you look at some of the most successful locations they have, they’re urban with high density, meaning a lot of people. Even though their merchandise is not extensive, they still have to do high, high, high volumes. These merchants don’t go anywhere where they think they can’t generate high sales. They will find real estate they can get at relatively low prices in their core markets. The price for a former Macy’s that closed at a mall might turn out to be pretty attractive to an H&M.” robert young

Retailers eyeing the urban core

The tables are turning, and cities are starting to look better than suburbs to retailers. Why?

“Density cures a lot of problems these days,” says Gerald Crump, Weingarten realty central region vice president and director. “retailers are willing to pay more for urban infill sites where they don’t have stores, rather than greenfields.”

Greenfields are massive expanses of undeveloped land, usually on the outskirts of a city or metropolitan area. up until the recession, these areas were hotbeds for new retail developments.

These days, however, the commercial real estate realm is focusing on urban infill — filling vacant spaces in cities rather than constructing new spaces on far-flung vacant land.

It’s not that people have stopped moving to the suburbs; it’s just that they are thinking twice about moving away from urban areas like our neighborhood, and sometimes people are even deciding to move from the outside in. The result is that “everyone is looking inside the loop, because you’ve got a growing density of population. Sometimes everybody wants to go and get part of the urban world — it’s a reversal of how we grew to the ring cities,” young says.

Crump recently attended a conference attended by top retailers, the kinds that typically anchor shopping centers. They asked when new construction would start up again, and Crump’s response was a question: “When are you guys going to pay new development rents?” He already knew the answer: Not until the many vacancies left in the wake of the recession are leased.

These vacancies, sometimes called “second-generation spaces”, are leasing in DallasFort Worth, young says. another switch from the greenfield era is that retailers are no longer limiting themselves to a prototype store that they can plop onto a developing property. One factor that made undeveloped suburbs so enticing to the so-called big-box stores — the Targets and Office Maxes and Old Navys of the world — was the difficulty of finding enough existing real estate for such prototypes in cities. but “all merchants are looking at new formats in this economy, and that’s going to help us lease up the empties,” young says.

One good example is grocery stores. united Commercial realty handled roll-outs for 11 new Sprouts Farmers Market locations and nine aldi’s grocery store locations during the past two years, and both stores “back-filled a lot of old grocery spaces,” COO Jean Smith says.

Target and Kroger have urban formats, he says, and the businesses are looking to move into reemerging urban markets where young singles and empty nesters live. Target’s urban store, called CityTarget, can wedge into spaces as small as 60,000 square feet, Smith says, compared to a typical 85,000-square-foot SuperTarget.

“We don’t need 10 types of ketchup to choose from,” says Kent arnold of Henry S. Miller. “everyone’s getting smarter, and so the 60,000-square-foot store can go into 30,000 square feet — and it is.”

Walmart will be a major player in the urban infill grocery store market. Smith cites statistics that Walmart has grown from 8 percent of the grocery market in 2001 to more than a third of the market today, and the company has plans for an even smaller store than its Neighborhood Market concept.

“They were the first ones to do a supermarket, and they were the first ones to scale back,” arnold says. “They will always be the trendsetter.”

Meet tHe experts

kent arnold, ForMer assistant viCe president oF Henry s Miller retail division Henry S. Miller was established in 1914, and today is one of the largest independent commercial real estate firms in Texas. The company owns and manages properties such as Preston Royal Shopping Center, Pepper Square Shopping Center at Preston and Belt Line, and Lakeside Village Shopping Center at Central and Walnut Hill.

david sHelton, viCe president oF united CoMMerCial realty urban United Commercial Realty manages and leases more than 40 million square feet of retail properties, nationwide, and currently represents more than 100 regional and national retailers and restaurants, including Galleria North, Preston Forest Village and The Shops at Park Lane.

Homegrown Hits

these restaurants have Dallas roots, and now they’re sprouting all over the map.

Café Brazil

cafebrazil.com

first restaurant Lakewood (now demolished), December 1991

total restaurants 10 in our neigHBorHooD Lower Greenville, Greenville and Goodwin; Deep Ellum, Elm and Malcolm X; University Park, University and 75 Company pHilosopHy “History has shown we’ve been successful in taking over previous restaurant locations,” Café Brazil CEO Brant Wood says. “I think people feel more comfortable in established buildings in established neighborhoods.” This means the layout varies from one location to the next, with each restaurant featuring local artists’ work in urban locations and schoolchildren’s art in suburban locations. Menus, however, are the same across the board. “Most restaurants are open for two meals,” Wood says. “We’re open breakfast, lunch, dinner and late nights, and we have a broad menu to meet the needs of both the suburban housewife and urban late night fans.”

e xpansion plans The most recent Café Brazil opened in Oak Cliff in July 2008, right as the recession hit. The company hasn’t opened any other locations since then, but “never stopped looking,” Wood says. Most of its current requests for new locations are coming from Fort Worth and Denton, and Café Brazil is interested in spots near college campuses because its existing locations near colleges perform well. Most Café Brazil restaurants are in the city of Dallas, so any future Dallas locations “would have to be more strategic, but I certainly wouldn’t say that we’re finished.” The company’s eventual goal is to take the concept outside DallasFort Worth to growing fan bases in Austin, Houston or Oklahoma City — “people within a Southwest Airlines flight of here,” Wood says.

HOMEGROWN HITS

These restaurants have Dallas roots, and now they’re sprouting all over the map.

BURGERHOUSE

burgerhouse.com

FIRST RESTAURANT Snider Plaza in 1951

TOTAL RESTAURANTS Seven; four companyowned and three franchisees (plus one coming soon in Lubbock)

IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD Coit and Campbell; Marsh and Spring Valley

COMPANY PHILOSOPHY Burger House likes to “attach ourselves to a neighborhood and really become immersed in that neighborhood,” partner Chris Canellos says. “It really plays well for longevity.” The restaurant spends ample energy connecting to neighborhood schools and donating to school causes — “$60,000 to $75,000 a year,” Canellos figures. “We really don’t say no to a lot of people. Sometimes you have to because it’s a business, but we go overboard to build loyalty with schools.” This also helps because “the parents generally eat where the kids want to go,” he says.

EXPANSION PLANS Burger House is in expansion mode, riding the wave of burger popularity. “The two hottest segments in the market are tacos and burgers,” Canellos says. “Four years ago, it was wings and coffee. It’s just an evolution. Four years from now it might be something else.” Franchisees are a recent addition to the company, and Canellos guesses Burger House will open a couple more franchises outside of Dallas over the next two years, plus “maybe one or two more that we own and operate inside Dallas.” He is finding ample opportunities to move in where other restaurants have failed. “People have found out that the restaurant business is a carnage business,” Canellos says. Burger House will scope out locations “close to a business corridor but nestled in a neighborhood to pull business lunch, but also pull the soccer mom, and at nighttime it’s strictly a family deal,” he says. “It’s kind of a utopian location. There’s not a lot of them out there.”

The enigma of the cult-creators

In-N-Out. H&M. Trader Joe’s. H-E-B. White Castle.

Each of these companies has a loyal following in Dallas, almost cult-like, even though each has yet to open a store here.

Their secret to preemptive success is not just a great product (though some neighbors might swear by the tastiness of a Double-Double or the ability to don this season’s faux fur on a budget). The other quality they share is that each is a family-owned private company that keeps its practices close to its vest.

“Family-owned companies don’t share a lot of information, and that’s part of the reason they get that cult following — not just the food or the product, but that there’s not a lot of information out there,” David Shelton says.

The fact that “the world is getting smaller every day” helps these companies, too, Robert Young says. Travel within the United States is accessible, and as more Dallasites dine at an In-N-Out on the West Coast or shop at H&M on the East Coast, more customers are created. Dallas also is home to a number of coastal emigrants, and these new residents who miss their homelands may be these companies’ best advertisers.

It’s not that these companies are ignoring Dallas. Commerical real estate experts agree that if they haven’t yet made plans to move here, they will eventually, if for no other reason than to make more money in one of the country’s retail hubs.

However, “with the precious nature of capital and money, they’re all very careful about expansions — all of them,” Young says. “No one with any major concept would come to town and go into any neighborhood or key trade area unless they felt very comfortable that they can have an efficient distribution of what they do.”

In-N-Out, for example, built its empire on “a fry that tastes a certain way, a burger that tastes a certain way,” Kent Arnold says. “You’ve gotta have the exact same product whether it’s here or Las Vegas.” The company has announced two locations in Dallas one at Central and Caruth Haven, another at Coit near the junction of 75 and 635 plus a few more in suburbs and ring cities.

“A company like that, doing one store doesn’t add to the moxie or panache of the brand. They need to pop up in what we’ll call ‘home run sites’ — where there’s density, access and incomes,” Young says.

And in order to open more than one store, In-N-Out needs a Texas distribution center. (The company says it will lease space west of Dallas along I-30 until it finds a permanent home.) Any other company would also need a nearby distribution center because none of them will come to Dallas and open only one store, or even just a couple. But that’s another plus about Dallas, by the way.

“If you think about where Dallas is located, it’s the natural point for expansion,” Arnold says. “From a supply point, it’s in central America, so from here they can serve a wide area.”

MEET THE EXPERTS

MIKE GEISLER, VENTURE COMMERCIAL FOUNDING PARTNER

Brokerage and property management company Venture Commercial lists roughly 17 million square feet of shopping centers and represents more than 120 retailers and restaurants. It has a presence from Oak Lawn and Uptown to Burleson and Rockwall, and has leased the Plaza at Preston Center for almost 20 years.

ROBERT E. YOUNG JR., MANAGING DIRECTOR OF THE WEITZMAN GROUP

The Weitzman Group is a commercial retail estate brokerage firm leasing 41 million square feet of retail properties throughout Texas. Cencor Realty Services, its property management and development arm, manages 20.5 million square feet of retail space throughout Texas’ major markets of Dallas, Fort Worth, Austin, Houston and San Antonio.

COVETED CORPORATIONS

They may be corporate chains, but these companies know how to make us want them.

IN-N-OUT

FIRST RESTAURANT Baldwin Park, Calif., in 1948

COMPANY HOME Corporate offices in Irvine, Calif., (the state where 201 of its restaurants are located)

TOTAL RESTAURANTS 251 in four states (Arizona, California, Nevada and Utah)

CLOSEST RESTAURANT Chandler, Ariz., 1,051 miles

FUTURE NORTH TEXAS LOCATIONS Former Steak ‘n Shake on Central near Caruth Haven; Coit near junction of 75 and 635; Firewheel Town Center in Garland; West Seventh in Fort Worth; Stonebriar Centre Mall in Frisco; The Village at Allen; Hurst; Las Colinas

WHAT’S THE BIG DEAL? Its food is fast, but never frozen: The company touts the fact that every hamburger patty is made fresh at one of its distribution centers. The menu is minimal — three burger options, fries, sodas and shakes — but the restaurant’s loyal cult following evangelizes an entire subset of off-themenu items with names such as “the Flying Dutchman” and “animal-style fries”.

FROM THE HORSE’S MOUTH “We are a private, family-owned company We operate all of our restaurants ourselves, and we don’t franchise, so slow growth has always been part of our strategy. The Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex is vibrant, strong, growing and filled with opportunities.We will have everything we need there — from warehouse/commissary and patty production facilities to a large, metropolitan area that those facilities can serve.Long term, we will also be able to serve other markets from that central distribution center.We are now under construction on our first two restaurants — Allen and Frisco. If everything goes well, we hope to open both in the spring. We should also start construction soon on the Caruth Haven site and, hopefully, a few others.” —CARL

VAN FLEET, PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENTVICE

SHOPPING CENTER

SERVING EAST DALLAS SINCE 1954

RESTAURANTS

Lakewood’s 1st & 10

Fuzzy’s Taco Shop

Pizzeria Venti

White Rock Coffee

Romano’s Bakery

APPAREL

PRESIDENT

EXPERT OPINION

“They’ve been very tight-lipped about their expansion process. What I’ve heard is they plan to open Dallas-Fort Worth with five or six units, and open them all at the same time.” —DAVIDSHELTON

“They are a cult dynamo on the West Coast. Anybody that’s been out there, they just love the whole program. Food is good, fresh, quick and efficient.”

—ROBERT YOUNG

The cult of off-menu

In-N-Out’s website (in-n-out.com/ secretmenu) acknowledges the existence of its secret menu:

Double Meat “Two 100 percent pure beef patties, hand-leafed lettuce, tomato, spread, with or without onions, stacked high on a freshly baked bun.”

3 x 3 “Three 100 percent pure beef patties, hand-leafed lettuce, tomato, spread, three slices of American cheese, with or without onions, stacked high on a freshly baked bun.”

4 x 4 “Four 100 percent pure beef patties, hand-leafed lettuce, tomato, spread, Four slices of American cheese, with or without onions, stacked high on a freshly baked bun.”

Grilled Cheese “Two slices of melted American cheese, hand-leafed lettuce, tomato, spread, with or without onions on a freshly baked bun.”

Protein Style “Your favorite burger wrapped in hand-leafed lettuce, instead of a bun.”

Stein Mart

Ditto Boutique

FOOD & CONVENIENCE STORES

PK’s Fine Wine & Spirits

Mike’s Discount Liquor

Dollar Tree

7-11

GIFTS, STATIONARY, ART, HOUSEWARES

Tuesday Morning

T-Hee Greetings & Gifts

Random

Lakewood Lighting

PERSONAL SERVICES

Custom Cleaners

Crest Tailor

Hillside Shoe Service

FAMILY FITNESS

Lady of America

The Little Gym

Mockingbird Swim & Total Fitness

HEALTH & BEAUTY

EyeMasters

Sally Beauty Supply

Lakewood Salons

Model Nails

Hillside Beauty Salon

BUSINESS SERVICES

Ebby Halliday

Commonwealth Title

NE Corner of Mockingbird & Abrams

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COVETED CORPORATIONS

They may be corporate chains, but these companies know how to make us want them.

H-E-B

FIRST STORE Kerrville, Texas in 1905

COMPANY HOME San Antonio, Texas

TOTAL STORES 329 in Texas and Mexico

CLOSEST STORE Burleson, Texas, 49 miles

WHAT’S THEBIG DEAL? Customers love H-E-B’s high-quality products, especially produce, for low prices — no customer card needed. And unlike sister store Central Market, H-E-B carries staples like Cheerios, paper plates and 12-packs of soda pop. The company is in expansion mode, but doesn’t have plans to expand beyond Texas, according to an Austin American Statesman article quoting company president and COO Craig Boyan. In the same January 2010 article, Boyan said that the company’s move into Burleson was not indicative of expansion into Dallas: “It really is to serve Central Texas better. If you were going to go into Dallas, you’d put a warehouse in Dallas.”

FROM THEHORSE’S MOUTH “Our Central Market stores are the stores that serve the Dallas area. We have our distribution network that is largely centered in South and Central Texas as well as in the Houston area, and several stores around Waco and Cleburne. Most recently we opened our northernmost store in Burleson, which was a natural progression of growth for us — 15 miles away from one of our existing stores in Cleburne that has a lot of traffic, and we need to relieve that store, and Burleson is a burgeoning community with lots of young families. We’re very proud of Central Market stores in Dallas-Fort Worth area. They’re serving customers well, and it’s working very well for us. We’ll continue to use that format.”

—LESLIE SWEET, HEB DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS

EXPERT OPINION “Anybody that knows H-E-B loves them and wishes they were here. They’re what Tom Thumb was to Dallas 20 years ago. They’re a family business, and they’ll adapt a store to the area around it. H-E-B has pretty strong coverage throughout the state. You think, OK, Dallas has to happen. On the other hand, they’re thinking let’s be cautious. I think they’re always thinking what’s the trigger that will cause them to address Dallas.”

—MIKE GEISLER

“The move to DFW market is inevitable. It’s just a matter of timing for those guys.”

—DAVID SHELTON

What about our neighborhood?

Our neighborhood lacks affordable land for large-scale retailers, but that doesn’t mean developers aren’t trying to find it — even if it’s more difficult and more expensive here than in other parts of the city.

Take the former Timbercreek apartments’ site at the northeast corner of Skillman and Northwest Highway, for instance.

“Trammel Crow raised the whole site out of the flood plain,” says Scott Wynne, vice president-finance for ING Clarion Partners, a real estate investment management company. “There were millions of dollars invested in it before it went vertical.”

The result will be a double-decker Walmart and Sam’s Club, JC Penney, Chick-Fil-A, Whataburger and more.

Another large site ripe for redevelopment is the former Steakley Chevrolet dealership just across Skillman. But the current owners have been trying to sell for nearly three years and still haven’t received an offer they like.

What’s more likely to happen is urban infill over time. Retailers are well aware of the wealth it takes to buy a house in our neighborhood. It’s the reason Whole Foods

amped up its presence by opening the Lakewood store in March 2009, and the reason the grocer still is paying rent on its former location on Lower Greenville.

“They have about two or three years on their lease agreement, and they won’t give it up because they’re afraid I’ll give it to another grocery store,” says Mitchell rasansky, a real estate investor and former city councilman who owns the property and thinks it would be a great location for a Trader Joe’s.

Our neighborhood also is likely to attract more mom-and-pop shops and non-chain restaurants, thanks in part to the success of the andres brothers along Henderson avenue. The stretch between ross and Central has blossomed over the last couple of years with more new boutiques and eateries than neighbors can keep track of.

“rents there are measurably higher if you go east,” says robert young, referring to Knox. Small businesses like to turn a profit, he says, and “paying higher rent doesn’t get them there.”

young also gives the example of urbano Café’s move from McKinney avenue to bryan and Fitzhugh, right behind Jimmy’s Food Store — “a niche market. The neighborhood is a little dicey, but the product is good, and the feel is good.”

GREEN FIELDS

Tenant MIX

An expanse of undeveloped land, usually in the suburbs.

The makeup of retailers in a particular shopping center, usually determined by the tenants’ target customers.

(A Louis Vuitton wouldn’t want to be placed next to a PetsMart, for example.)

GROCERY STORES Everyone’s gotta eat, right?

The lack of financing has put the kibosh on most new construction and development; banks no longer want to lend money to risky ventures. But banks are still agreeing to back tried-and-true retail shopping centers: the ones on hightraffic corners in good neighborhoods, the ones with credit tenants (such as McDonald’s, Starbucks and other megacompanies good for the money), and the ones with grocery stores.

“Grocery is doing well because people are eating out less,” Jean Smith says.

It also makes sense that a national grocer is more likely to move into our neighborhood than a large national retailer.

“Think about the number of Dillard’s [stores] — maybe 15 in Dallas-Fort Worth, and there are 120 Tom Thumbs,” David Shelton says. “If you’re a heavy Dillard’s

COVETEDCORPORATIONS

They may be corporate chains, but these companies know how to make us want them.

TRADER JOE’S

FIRSTSTORE Pasadena, Calif., in 1967

COMPANY HOME Monrovia, Calif.

TOTALSTORES 354 in 29 states; eight more announced for 2011

CLOSESTSTORE Des Peres, Mo. (St. Louis area), 637 miles

THE NEXT BIG THINGS

user, you shop maybe once a week, and if you’re a typical user, maybe once a month. You don’t have to have fashion. You don’t have to have a pair of jeans.

“Grocery stores, you’re going twice a week. If a grocery store draws from a mile- or mile-and-a-half radius, a department store draws from a 15-mile radius, depending on densities.”

The major barrier to grocery store expansion or entrance into the Dallas market is competition. Three of the top five grocers in the country — Walmart, Kroger and Safeway — all have a strong presence here,” Mike Geisler says, “and then you’ve got a whole other layer of stores underneath that.”

So for newcomers to the Dallas grocery market, “there’s a reason why they’re not here right now, and there’s a reason you don’t see grocery store expansion as a whole like it was,” Kent Arnold says. “Everyone is trying to retool and refigure.”

BURGERS & TACOS Concept food to go

“The hottest thing in food in Dallas is anything tacos,” Robert Young says. Restaurants with full menus of almost nothing but taco concoctions are popping up left and right, taking over former Blockbuster spaces and old automotive garages.

“All of these are built and engineered to go in at a relatively manageable cost to meet the needs of an area,” Young says.

Burgers — and more specifically, sliders are another hot commodity. Everyone from homegrown companies such as Jakes and Burger House to national chains such as Five Guys and Smashburger are expanding to our local market.

“If the concept is cool, if the price point is kind of in the middle of the fairway, and if the food is good, local neighborhoods love it,”Young says.

“As long as you put a drive-through on

WHAT’STHE BIG DEAL?

Customers love Trader Joe’s Hawaiian shirts and high customer service standards, but the grocer is most famous for stocking its shelves with gourmet food at reasonable prices. Its stores are relatively small — comparable to the size of its parent company, Aldi — and

instead of selling 40 different peanut butters, Trader Joe’s might sell four. The overall philosophy is that customers don’t want that many choices, and the inherent message is that these four peanut butters are the best four on the market. This was pointed out in a September Fortune magazine article, which also revealed that the company’s largest research and

development expense is sending its buyers all over the globe finding the best products. Once identified, Trader Joe’s enters into a vendor contract, guaranteeing high-volume sales in return for the vendor remaining mum. For example, if Trader Joe’s determined that Blue Bell was indeed the best ice cream in the country, it would arrange

an agreement to buy the ice cream in bulk, add its own label to the cartons, and sell the ice cream at a discount in its stores. Trader Joe’s wins because customers love the stuff (if they don’t, it comes off the shelves), and Blue Bell wins because it receives a substantial guaranteed paycheck and can still sell its half gallons for $6 at Kroger

even though they sell at Trader Joe’s for only $3.

FROMTHE HORSE’S MOUTH “Right now, Dallas is not in our twoyear plan. We don’t give out specifics of what we look for in sites.” —ALISONMOCHIZUKI, TRADER JOE’SSPOKESWOMAN EXPERTOPINION “There’s a reason why they’re not here right now, and there’s a reason you don’t see grocery store

The recession cured retailers’ rush to open as many stores as possible in as many markets as possible. So all’s quiet on the retail front, at least for now. Some companies, however, are poised to take advantage of such an economy. They are ...

BYKERIMITCHELL AND ELIZABETHKNIGHTEN

one side and a patio on the other, food is going to continue to be big in Texas.”

DISCOUNT RETAIL Everybody loves a bargain

Neighbors love the idea of a boutique store opening nearby, or even a boutiqueish national retailer, such as a Trader Joe’s grocery store. But in this economy, people are more likely to see “coming soon” advertisements from Trader Joe’s discount parent company, Aldi.

“What the market is demanding now is completely opposite” of the boutique trend, Arnold says. “Three of the top 20 expanding retailers are dollar stores — that kind of shows you the direction.”

Aldi, the largest grocery store in the world, opened 20-plus new stores in the Dallas-Fort Worth market over the last two years with a completely different product approach than a gourmet grocer like Central Market.

“Central Market looks at it as, ‘How do I get a quality product here?’ ” Arnold says. “Aldi looks at it as, ‘How do I get the cost down?’ ”

Companies with the latter mentality are growing in the current market.

“Any and everyone who’s a discounter today is hot, from the dollar stores to the Saks Off Fifth,” Young says. “They’re going into markets that sometimes are underserved, but also finding themselves in markets that they can penetrate because the value of real estate is competitive.”

Discounters can now afford the secondgeneration space that was unavailable to them a few years ago, and also are reaching new customers because of the recession.

“Consumers today are looking to go shorter distances, and they’re looking for deals,” Arnold says. “Everything is based

expansion as a whole like it was. Everyone is trying to retool and refigure.”

—KENTARNOLD

“They’ll get here. It’s just about when they get here. One of the things that might have slowed them down is that wine is a heavy component of their store, and the wetdry issue is always confusing to retailers who aren’t from Dallas. The biggest thing

around consumer confidence in the economy — not even that we’re doing good, but that we’re going to do good,” Arnold says.

FRO-YO

Frozen goodness by the ounce

Frozen yogurt — what the kids (and marketing gurus) are calling “fro-yo” — is all the rage.

HOMEGROWN HITS

These restaurants have Dallas roots, and now they’re sprouting all over the map.

LOMBARDI FAMILY CONCEPTS

lombardifamilyconcepts.com

FIRST RESTAURANT The original Lombardi on McKinney Avenue in January 1977

[keeping them away] is other major markets they’ve been trying to break into that they’ve prioritized. ... The more sophisticated office worker demographic is their primary demographic, and we’re a services-based economy, [so] Dallas is their core customer. They keep on saying it’s about three years out. We would probably see one in Oak Lawn or Uptown. They would

“Look at all of these self-serve yogurt places opening up,” Young says. “On the one hand, you can argue that we absolutely don’t need any more retail. However, just because of this retail girth, this total market size, there’s a lot of room for a lot of players.”

TOTAL RESTAURANTS

MAP YO’ YOGURT

Our interactive map pinpoints Dallas froyo spots and breaks down the competitors’ differences: lakewood. advocatemag.com/ retail

Many companies entering the Dallas market have been around for years, even decades. So why the sudden explosion? It likely stems from West Hollywood, Calif.-based Pinkberry.

“Cupcakes are the same way,” says Shelton, referring to the recent cupcake craze. “Sprinkles got lots of celebrity attention in LA, and Pinkberry did the same. People latch on to what the celebrities endorse by using the product.”

So does Dallas have enough room for all of the new players in the frozen yogurt market?

“Anytime you see that on the real estate side, you just wait for the fallout because somebody’s not going to make it,” Shelton says. “There’s only so much demand for that product, and not everyone can succeed.”

try to find a way to get into Park Cities/Preston Hollow, do something to service the Greenville and Lovers area, something that hits East Dallas, White Rock and M Streets, also Far North Dallas north of LBJ, and Plano.”

—MIKE GEISLER

“Gosh, if Trader Joe’s was here, they’d just knock ’em dead. It’s a huge investment because they’re not going to do one store

[due to] logistics and operations, a lot of issues that are heavy duty. They also have to worry about their competition. Dallas has some pretty good grocery operators.”

—ROBERT YOUNG

“It’s really a Sprouts on steroids. We hear rumblings and rumors all the time, but as of now it’s really just that rumor.”

—DAVIDSHELTON

11 (Cibus, Taverna, Sangria, Toulouse, La Fiorentina and three Penne Pomodoro locations in Dallas; Taverna in Austin and Fort Worth; and Romagna Mia in Las Vegas)

IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD Penne Pomodoro in Lakewood Shopping Center

COMPANY PHILOSOPHY

“We decided after 9/11, instead of opening big restaurants in different towns, to open different concepts in Dallas and to open neighborhood types of places like in Europe — small places, and some of them, they appeal to the family, the kids,” company owner and founder Alberto Lombardi says in his charming Italian accent. Lombardi, a Lakewood resident, hails from Forlì, Emilia Romagna, between Tuscany and Venice. After working in Germany, Belgium, Norway, on a cruise ship and in other American cities, he came to Dallas in 1974 and settled here because “I decided I didn’t want to travel too much anymore. Dallas is a beautiful city, and to have restaurants all around, they become very personalized. It’s nice to go to your restaurants and recognize people.”

EXPANSION PLANS Lombardi

opened the Tuscan steakhouse La Fiorentina in December, and has plans for one more new concept in Highland Park in spring 2011. After that, “we’re going to be fine,” he says. “It’s enough to keep me busy for a couple of years. It’s nice to slow down, and better to have a few but keep them right.”

NAME ORIGIN

ORANGE CUP

myorangecup.com

PINKBERRY

pinkberry.com

RED MANGO

redmangousa.com

TCBY

tcby.com

Stonebriar Centre in Frisco is home to Orange Cup’s flagship location.

The company, founded by Shelly Hwang and Young Lee, opened its first store in January 2005 in West Hollywood, Calif.

Red Mango was founded in 2002 in South Korea.

The company launched in 1981 in Little Rock, Ark., and began franchising in 1982. Its website claims that “only pizza has a similar appeal to consumers.”

YUMILICIOUS &YOGILICIOUS yumi-licious.com

The company’s flagship store is in Uptown Dallas.

COLD HARD FACTS

The company claims to offer “real yogurt” with “live and active cultures and nothing else.”

Part of the rapidly expanding franchise’s appeal to the masses is due to branding, use of social media websites and celebrity backing, including Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz.

This store is certified gluten free by the Gluten Free Certification Organization.

The franchise’s appeal from the beginning was based on the concept that yogurt can be tasty like ice cream, without all the calories. In 2000, Mrs. Fields Famous Brands bought TCBY. In 2005 (coincidentally, the same year Pinkberry burst onto the market) TCBY began marketing itself as a healthy frozen yogurt product, and in 2007 began serving yogurt-based smoothies.

Both shops are owned by the same company.

FUNFACT

Orange Cup claims to be “environmentally sound in every aspect” of its business, and has “orange is green” incentives for customers who recycle.

The term “swirly goodness”, as seen on its website and social media sites, is a registered trademark of Pinkberry. Pinkberry also has several locations in the Middle East.

The franchise’s ingredients are certified kosher by the Chicago Rabbinical Council.

The chain has followed the path of many competitors, offering a new look and atmosphere in their shops. Most recently, in 2010, TCBY unveiled its selfserve line.

CLOSESTLOCATION

NorthPark Center, Central and Northwest Highway

Greenville and Southwestern

Every location has free Wi-Fi and Wii Sports games.

NorthPark Center, Central and Northwest Highway

MY COMMUNITY

Mockingbird and Abrams

Old Town Shopping Center, Greenville and Lovers

The allure of NorthPark Center

as we talked to commercial real estate experts, we heard it over and over: NorthPark Center is one of the top five malls in the country.

“There’s a lot to be said for the power that NorthPark has,” says David Shelton, who places NorthPark in the top tier in terms of sales and co-tenancy, or mix of retailers — both middle-market fashion and extreme high-end boutique retailers.

“and tenancy drives a lot of decisions that retailers will make,” Shelton says.

actually, says Derek Wood, NorthPark Center’s leasing director, “we’re no. 7.” That’s the ranking he derives from the center’s amount of sales per square foot. It’s an even more impressive number if you consider that “all the ones bigger than us have a bigger tourism component (California, Florida, Honolulu),” Wood says. “We don’t have gambling; we don’t have oceans; we don’t have mountains.”

No. 5, no. 7 potato, potahto.

either way, it means that when any major mall-type retailer is looking to make a move to Dallas, NorthPark will be the first place it looks. So when international retail giant H&M made its announcement this past October about an impending store opening in big D, it came as no surprise that NorthPark would be its first Dallas home.

Wood says H&M was by far the no. 1 most requested store via website feedback. He began talking to H&M in 2003 about opening in NorthPark.

“We’re always looking for the best retailer in each category — the coolest, the hottest, whatever,” Wood says. So H&M was an obvious target.

“When you look at the top global brands, they’re the no. 2 fashion retailer in the world behind Louis Vuitton. They’re the best at fast fashion,” Wood says.

H&M opened a temporary pop-up shop in December, and its NorthPark flagship store is slated to open in October 2011. H&M opened its first u.S. store on the east Coast in 2000, and in 2005 launched its first store on the West Coast. The company’s presence in Dallas has been a long time coming, Shelton says, adding that H&M has been “in this town and looking around this market several times” prior to the NorthPark announcement.

So what was the hold up? Shelton says

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H&M’s goal of getting merchandise quickly in and out of its stores had something to do with it. The retailer seemed more interested in “markets that have more seasonality to them than Texas does.” H&M has more of a presence in areas like the Northeast, he says, “where you get a real summer, a real fall, a real spring, a real winter — where they can really capitalize on those four seasons.”

Another reason H&M is just now launching in Dallas is because, simply, the company could afford to drag its feet. They were “waiting on the perfect real estate move,”Arnold says. “There’s absolutely no reason for them to be in a hurry — one store will not make or break them.”

Plus,Arnold says, owners of major shopping centers such as NorthPark “know what’s coming up and whether a retailer is struggling. H&M is going to sign a longterm deal, so why come in even six months or a year early if they can wait a year for a 15- or 20-year lease?”

That’s exactly what happened in the case of the NorthPark lease. The future location of H&M’s 24,000-square-foot flagship store in the mall is “in an area that they were originally proposed to go,” Wood says.By “originally”, he means those talks with H&M since 2003.

The new space hadn’t been announced at press time. It’s not Robb and Stuckey’s former space, by the way — Webb says there will be “some movement” before H&M moves in — but once its location is made known, “it will all make sense” in terms of NorthPark’s strategic layout, Webb says.

Perhaps you’ve noticed the center’s strategic layout, which Webb calls “cluster retailing”? The layout strategy solidified after NorthPark’s May 2006 expansion, which doubled the mall’s size.

Essentially, stores are grouped by theme: luxury stores near Neiman Marcus; children’s stores on the lower level between Macy’s and the escalators; teen and tween stores around the food court and AMC movie theater; Baby Boomer favorites on the lower level near Nordstrom; 20- and 30-something finds on the upper level as customers turn the corner from the teen hallway; and “the best of what you find in every shopping center” between Dillard’s and Macy’s, Webb says.

Express moved to that hallway recently, and it wasn’t an accident, Webb says.

“Their lease was up, and that’s where they belong,” he says. “The biggest thing

Located at the corner of Royal Lane & Skillman Street in the tower of the Royal Highlands Shoppes

HOMEGROWN HITS

These restaurants have Dallas roots, and now they’re sprouting all over the map.

RUDY’S BAR-B-Q rudys.com

FIRST RESTAURANT 1989 in Leon Springs, Texas; first in North Texas was Denton in May 2004, followed by Frisco in 2007 and Arlington in October 2010

TOTAL RESTAURANTS 29

COMPANY PHILOSOPHY The full name is Rudy’s Country Store and Bar-B-Q, and every location has both a restaurant and a gas station, which “makes us a little unique,” says East Dallas resident Lauren Trajan, whose father, Robert Wolf, is the North Texas franchise owner. The menu is simple — meat by the half pound plus sandwiches, sides and desserts — and dining is casual and family-friendly.

EXPANSION PLANS Because gasoline is part of the restaurant’s concept, “we require certain permitting, so it’s a little restrictive where we can go,” Trajan says. Rudy’s searches for at least one acre, usually closer to two, and always purchases land to build its store and restaurant. “We don’t lease,” she says. All of this adds up to difficulties in opening an urban location because urban land is usually built out. However, because Trajan lives in East Dallas, opening a location here “is my hope. I can’t make any promises, but I’ll do my best.” Taking over a former gas station could be a possibility in the future, she says. “Nothing’s absolute, so we’ll try and make something work if we think it’s best for us.” The Dallas fan base is growing, but “it’s so far in the future, I just don’t want to get excited about it,” Trajan says. One new restaurant every three years “is probably a good pace,” she says.

LoveHomeyour LoveGardenyour LoveFamilyyour

is we don’t fill space. There is a method to the madness, and we stick to our guns on that.”

Being no. 7, NorthPark can call such shots. It also has other distinctions that set it apart — Shelton says “you go to pretty much any mall in the country, and you’ve got kiosks. Landlords make a tremendous amount of money in leasing kiosk space.”

NorthPark could do the same, he says, “but they choose not to. They choose aesthetics over income in that respect.”

The kiosk aspect, Webb says, is “totally intentional” and in line with other family-owned shopping centers. NorthPark Center was developed in the early ’60s by the late Raymond Nasher and is still partially owned by his daughter, Nancy Nasher. Other shopping malls often are

owned by public corporations that focus on the bottom line, so kiosks and large corporate ads, both substantial moneymakers, are the norm.

Not at NorthPark, though. If NorthPark added kiosks, its customers “might be bombarded by solicitation, and we want for you to have a more peaceful shopping experience,” says Vail Tolbert, NorthPark public relations and events manager, who stresses that artwork, landscaping and charitable displays are all of crucial importance to Nancy Nasher.

Yes, these factors appeal to wealthy customers, but Webb says though “we do have a high-end image over here, at the same time we’re not just all about luxury. We like to say we’re Gap to Gucci and everyone in between.”

The center contains roughly 225 retailers and restaurants, and boasts of having more than 100 unique stores compared to its nearest competitor, the Dallas Galleria.

H&M adds a large feather to NorthPark’s cap, but Webb says it’s isn’t finished yet.

The top retailers are “always in flux, and always will be. The second you’re stagnant is when you should be worried,” Webb says.

He’s not naming names, but there are “definitely five to 10 retailers we would like to add to the mix because they’re not in Texas yet.”

“There is a method to the madness, and we stick to our guns on that.”

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Dr. Cothern is one of a small distinguished percentage of dentists who have invested in postgraduate training at one of the world’s premiere continuing education institutes, The Pankey Institute for Advanced Dental Education. We care about you as a unique individual and examine you in a way that together we can understand every aspect of your oral health. In our office we love what we do. NOW THAT IS SOMETHING TO SMILE ABOUT!

It’s beautiful from a distance, but White Rock Lake contains an alarming amount of garbage. Neighborhood resident and photographer Houston Brown’s photo of fishermen casting their lines into the muck is on display as part of the Bath House Cultural Center’s “Trashing Our Treasure” exhibit. Brown often shoots from his kayak, a vantage point that gives him a unique perspective.

““If you could only see what I see,” Brown says. “Just because we don’t see it, doesn’t mean it is not there having an impact on our environment.”

ick as art

In these beautiful waters, trash regularly rears its ugly head

White rock Lake is, for many of its devotees, like a puppy. It is adored — perhaps the light of one’s life in an otherwise unexciting natural landscape — but it can be yucky at times, like when that pup leaves a mess on the floor. Pew. We do what we can to keep the lake pristine. Hundreds report each weekend to spruce up its shores; others have studied trash trends and do their best to educate the public about prevention. Trash from far north of Dallas makes its way to White rock, and after a snow melt or a storm, we are left with a ring of garbage, explains White rock area resident annemarie Marek.

So while we may never end the mess completely, we can temper the inevitable through responsible action. That’s what members of Shared FueL, a planet-protecting nonprofit of which Marek is the president, hope to do through a photo exhibit that runs through mid-april at the bath House Cultural Center. —christina hughes BaBB

by charles gounod

Neighborhood resident Mike Stovall, a budding photographer, works at Mariner Sails, a company that lends kayaks and canoes to volunteers at weekly White Rock Lake spruce-up events. His images (left and bottom) featured in the “Trashing Our Treasure” exhibit show a startling amount of trash floating on the lake’s surface after a heavy rainfall.

Exhibit coordinator BJ Ellis, who is an active lake volunteer, says she hopes images such as this closeup by Benjamin Hager will encourage people to “talk more trash” and collaborate on ways to reduce human impact on the Lake.

Stovall hopes that his images, as well as the other provocative pieces in the show, at the Bath House Cultural Center through April 17, will encourage action. “I hope that people will be moved to do a little personal policing of their own trash discards,” he says, “and boldly speak up to others who they see contributing to the problem.”

CATEDRAL DE TOLEDO

MEADOWS MUSEUM SMU DALLAS

Beyond healing

Getting rid of insidious illness sometimes means losing a part of oneself, so Doris Daniely Outreach is helping women feel whole again

Life was good for amy Cookman, a healthy mother in her mid-30s. She homeschooled her son while her husband worked full-time to support the family.

“2010 was turning out to be one of the best years of our lives,” Cookman says. but it didn’t come without challenges. One has to make sacrifices when living on a single income, so the Cookmans chose to open a savings fund for medical expenses and cancel their health insurance.

but last summer, when the young wife and mother was diagnosed with breast cancer, her first thoughts were not about her health, necessarily, but about finances.

“‘you have cancer’ — that day in august when I heard those words, my first worries were, ‘this is going to devastate our family’ and ‘how are we going to afford

this?’ I honestly couldn’t even think about how the cancer was going to affect me.”

Treatment would cost hundreds of thousands of dollars. “Fortunately, we found a network of doctors that believes in helping uninsured people,” she says.

The recommended treatment was a bilateral mastectomy — that meant losing her breasts, which she could not afford to have reconstructed, but if it meant cutting off the cancer, she says, she was willing to go through with it.

“I had no idea what life would be like without breasts, but I knew I wanted to get rid of the cancer once and for all,” she says.

Anxious and afraid, she was waiting at her surgical oncologist’s office at Baylor Hospital in East Dallas, when — by chance or fate — she met Carol Autry.

Carol Autry founded a breast reconstruction outreach program after her mom, Doris Daniely, died of cancer. PHOTO BY CAN TÜRKYILMAZ

SEE A VIDEO about Doris Daniely Outreach at lakewood.advocatemag.

‘SOMEBODY SHOULD DO SOMETHING’

Carol Autry’s mother, Doris Daniely, was a kind and generous mother and grandmother who kept her illness a secret until it was too late.

“She was the sweetest, most giving person you’d ever meet,” Autry says. “We never entirely understood why she didn’t tell us she had cancer — maybe because she didn’t want to trouble anyone. Maybe she was in denial, thinking it would go away. We still don’t really know.”

Autry, who lives in Lake Highlands and works at Baylor, grew worried after the normally attentive grandmother was too sick to attend her grandson’s college graduation. She finally took her mother to see a doctor, and it was discovered that cancer had spread through Daniely’s breast. She died two months later.

Autry was sad about what happened to her mother, but she had to go on with life and with her work in the plastic surgery office of doctors Carpenter and Morales, where she encountered cancer patients almost daily.

“Patients came through all the time — mostly women who need to have a mastectomy, but who don’t have the means for reconstructive surgery afterward.”

Autry says she thought about these women constantly. All told, it costs about $100,000 for breast reconstruction surgery. A time or two, Autry says she and her coworkers had said to one another, “Somebody should do something to help them.”

“One night, I was lying in bed,” Autry recalls, “and I said to myself, ‘I am somebody.’ ”

It’s not easy to start a nonprofit, but with help from fellow Woodrow Wilson High School alumni, Autry founded the Doris Daniely Outreach for Breast Reconstruction, in honor of her mother.

RECOVERING WITH DIGNITY

Amy Cookman’s nurse introduced her to Carol Autry, who just happened to stop by the office where Cookman was waiting to discuss her upcoming mastectomy with her doctors.

Carol Autry was a godsend, Cookman says.

“Immediately, Carol made me feel at ease as she explained that the Doris Daniely Outreach was created for women just like me,” Cookman says. “Words cannot describe the relief I felt that day. Tears came to my eyes.

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“I secretly wanted reconstruction, but I would never want to put any more burden on my family. I felt as if my family had already sacrificed too much. The Doris Daniely Outreach was an answer to my prayers. Not only could I beat cancer, but I could do it with dignity and still feel like a woman.”

She did in fact beat cancer — “October 12, 2010,” Cookman says. She says the treatment was tough, but that she couldn’t imagine how much tougher it would have been to go through the rest of her life without breasts.

“I can only imagine how mentally devastating it would have been,” she says.

PICKING UP THE PIECES

Since organizing, the Doris Daniely Outreach has made breast reconstruction possible for 14 women.

“It might not sound like a lot,” Autry says, “but we are just taking them as we go.”

The Doris Daniely board of directors includes eight women, most of them from the White Rock area. They work to raise money and awareness, and to persuade doctors and medical suppliers to donate services and parts.

“I’ve worked with [plastic surgeons] for many years. Most of them are extremely generous,” Autry says. “The doctors I work for have never said ‘no’ to a request from us.”

Doctors at Baylor have a program called TheBridge Foundation, which allows uninsured women with breast cancer to undergo mastectomies. So far, The Bridge has supplied most of the candidates for the Doris Daniely project.

“They perform the initial surgery,” Autry says, “and then we come along behind and pick up the pieces.”

—CHRISTINA HUGHES BABB

THE DORIS DANIELY OUTREACH FOR BREAST RECONSTRUCTION RELIES ON THE GENEROSITY OF DONORS.

The outreach will host a fundraiser Feb. 26 at the Dallas Arboretum from 2-5 p.m. “High tea” is $45 per person or $420 for a reserved table for 10, and includes specialty finger sandwiches, small quiche, myriad dessert confections, fruits, cheeses and breads, plus teas and coffee. KLUV’s Jonathan Hayes will emcee, and entertainment includes the all-girl group Lantana (“They are a delight to hear and beautiful to watch,” board member Karon Ashworth says) and the featured speaker is Laura Leigh Schakosky, makeup artist to many big-name Hollywood stars. To purchase tickets and to learn more about Doris Daniely Outreach, visit dorisdanielyoutreach.org

John D. Bertrand, M.D. David M. Bookout, M.D. Julie M. Hagood, M.D. Hampton B. Richards, M.D. Jane E. Nokleberg, M.D. James K. Richards, M.D. Jeffrey M. Thurston, M.D.

Ron Burch office:

LIVE LOCAL

THE LOWDOWN ON WHAT’S UP WITH NEIGHBORHOOD BUSINESSES

For those who melt at the eclectic, We Are 1976 on Henderson hosts an art gallery opening Feb. 5 featuring Lisa Chao, an illustrator from Houston, and Jason Cohen, owner of Curiosities in Lakewood Shopping Center. The 7-10 p.m. opening includes food, drinks and new art prints. “They’re going to have some original art and paintings, but they’re also going to do some reproductions as well, so everything is for sale,” says Vynsie Law, one of the shop’s owners and a Hollywood Heights resident. 214.821.1976, weare1976.com, 1902 N. Henderson.

Expect major changes from Bikram Yoga Dallas during the months of February and March. The studio is adding 1,500 feet to its current Mockingbird and Abrams location. Owner Karen Buckner says the studio will remain open during construction. The grand reopening of the updated studio is tentatively scheduled for March. Check Back Talk East Dallas for updates. 214.824.9642, yogadallas. com, 6333 E. Mockingbird.

Padma Yoga on North Henderson is the new yoga studio on the block. The studio, owned by husband and wife Lucas and Sonya Pepping, opened its doors in January. Pepping instructs with two other women: Jessica Jordan, owner of Super Yoga Palace in Deep Ellum and a member of musical group Polyphonic Spree, and Jennifer Clark, who used to train dolphins and currently spends part of her time training manatees at the Dallas World Aquarium. “I’m hoping this studio will bring in residents,” Pepping says. “With all the construction and new people coming into Greenville, I’m hoping the studio will help bring them together.” The studio offers 22 classes weekly, including a pre- and post-natal class for mothers, as well as a $10 for 10 days deal for neighbors to try yoga. 214.282.0828, thepadmayoga.com, 1909 N. Henderson.

Meet the neighborhood’s newest hipster darling duo: Centre , in its new Mockingbird Station location, and directly upstairs from Centre, Atama and Company Centre opened

in Mockingbird Station in 2007 and recently moved from its former location behind Gap on the north side of the center to the south corner between Café Express and Ann Taylor Loft. The shops are considered brother and sister companies under the same owner, Philip Sterling. Centre is a clothing, athletic shoes and hats retail store, while Atama sells vinyl and plush toys (a similar concept to the former Kidrobot store). Centre, 214 821 2028, gotocentre.com; Atama, 214.295.7646, shopatama.com, Mockingbird and Central.

For those who treasure the Green Spot , it now has an espresso bar open seven days a week from 7-11 a.m. — with extended hours coming soon — and it’s now serving grass-fed hamburgers (which seem to be quite popular these days), and regular or sweet potato fries. 214.319.7768, greenspot.com, 702 N. Buckner.

Keep an eye out for a new restaurant coming to Henderson Avenue in the former Cuba Libre location. The new restaurant, Alma , is owned by Consilient Restaurants , which also owned Cuba Libre. The restaurant is slated to open this month and will serve Mexican cuisine. For details visit consilientrestaurants. com.

Dallas-based company Half Price Books recently unveiled its first online bookstore, hpbmarketplace.com The website’s concept is similar to other online bookstores such as Amazon, in that both the company and independent sellers hawk their items. “We’ve always wanted to be online, but it’s been difficult with the nature of our business,” says store spokeswoman Emily Bruce. “With buying books and other items from the public, it’s hard to keep track of everything.” The website offers customers 120 million books, the majority from independent sellers, Bruce says. The website does not offer the same half-price deals available in the store because prices of online items vary based on sellers’ listings. However, Bruce says, “you can certainly find some good deals on there; I’ve already ordered a couple of things myself.” 214.379.8000, hpb.com, 5308 E. Northwest Highway. —ELIZABETH KNIGHTEN

JOIN

THE DISCUSSION.

Read or comment on this story online at lakewood.advocatemag.com.

community

KNIT WITS, a neighborhood knitting club, meets at 2 p.m. every Tuesday at the Lakewood Library, 6121 Worth. Those at all levels of expertise are welcome. For details, call 214.670.1376.

THEWHITEROCK LAKEFOUNDATION and For the Love of the Lake have begun planning the White Rock Lake Centennial Celebration, which will run March 26-June 26. To volunteer with the host committee, email centennial@whiterockdallas.org.

THENORTHTEXAS MYELOMASUPPORT GROUP will meet 10 a.m.1 p.m. Feb. 12 in Room 8 of Truett Hospital at the Baylor University Medical Center, 3500 Gaston. For details, call 214.820.2608.

VIRGINIA R. CVETKO PATIENT EDUCATION CENTER will host a relaxation program 10-11:30 a.m. Feb. 4 in the Cvetko Conference Room in basement of the Baylor Charles A. Sammons Cancer Center, 3535 Worth. Space is limited, and registration is required.Call 214.820.2608.

THE BIG RUSSIAN SHOOT OUT basketball tournament at St. Thomas Aquinas — also known as the Norman Smith Memorial Basketball Tournament for fallen Dallas Police Sr. Cpl. Norman Smith — recently raised $3,500 for the Genesis Women’s Shelter through its second annual fundraiser. For details, visit bigrussianshootout.org.

people

MATTHEW GEORGE, a Woodrow Wilson graduate now attending Yale University, wrote a play that has been selected for a regional arts festival in Massachusetts as part of the Kennedy Center’s American College Theater Festival. The play, titled “Cow Play”, was one of five selected for the festival out of 180 entries. George also is one of five finalists for a National Student Playwrighting Award. The winner receives $2,500 and a trip to see the winning production at the Kennedy Center.

HAVE AN ITEMTO BE FEATURED?

Please submit news items and/or photos concerning neighborhood residents, activities, honors and volunteer opportunities to editor@advocatemag. com. Our deadline is the first of the month prior to the month of publication.

Greg Regan, adviser to the Wacondi Hatachi Chapter of the Order of the Arrow, swore in new officers Sam Bubeck, chapter chief, and Jacob Davidson, vice chief of camping promotions — during the East Dallas Boy Scouts Troop 42 White Buffalo District annual awards banquet at Ridgewood Park United Methodist Church.

ba P t IS t

laKeSIde baPtISt / 9150 Garland Rd / 214.324.1425

Pastor Jeff Donnell / Worship 10:50 am www.lbc-dallas.org

WIlSHIRe baPtISt / 4316 Abrams / 214.452.3100

Pastor George A. Mason Ph.D. / Worship 8:30 & 11:00am

Bible Study 9:40 am / www.wilshirebc.org

dIS c IPle S Of cHRIS t

e a St dalla S cHRIStIan cHuRcH / 629 n Peak Street / 214.824.8185

Sunday School 9:30 am / THE TABLE Worship Gathering 9:30 am

Worship 8:30 & 10:50 am / Rev. Deborah Morgan / www.edcc.org

ePIS c OPal

tHe catHedRal cHuRcH Of St. MattHe W / 5100 Ross Ave.

Sunday Traditional: 8:00 & 10:30 am / Adult Education 9:30 am

Hispanic Service 12:30 / 214.823.8134 / www.episcopalcathedral.org

l ut H e R an

fIRSt unIted lutHeRan cHuRcH / 6202 E Mockingbird Ln.

Sunday Worship Service 10:30 am / Call for class schedule. 214.821.5929 / www.dallaslutheran.org

ZIOn lutHeRan cHuRcH & ScHOOl / 6121 E Lovers Ln.

Sunday: Sunday School 9:15 am, Worship 8:00 am, 10:30 am, & 6:00 pm / 214.363.1639 / www.ziondallas.org

nOn - denOMInat IOnal

WHIte ROcK cOMMunIty cHuRcH / 9353 Garland Rd /214.320.0043

Sun. Bible Study 9:30 am, Worship 10:45 am / Wed. Bible Studies 10:00 am & 7:30 pm / event facilities for rent / whiterockchurch.org

M et HOdIS t

ne W! MungeR Place cHuRcH / 5200 Bryan St / 214.823.9929

Contemporary Worship, Sundays, 11:00 am

Additional information and events at mungerplacechurch.org

WHIte ROcK unIted MetHOdISt / www.wrumc.org

1450 Oldgate Lane / 214.324.3661

Sunday Worship 10:50 am / Rev. George Fisk

P R e S byte RI an

nORtHPaRK PReSbyteRIan cHuRcH / 214.363.5457

9555 n Central Expwy. / www.northparkpres.org

Pastor: Rev. Brent Barry / 8:30 & 11:00 am Sunday Services

nORtHRIdge PReSbyteRIan cHuRcH / 6920 Bob-O-Link Dr.

214.827.5521 / www.northridgepc.org / Welcomes you to Worship

8:30 & 11:00 am / Church School 9:30 am / Childcare provided.

St. andRe W ’S PReSbyteRIan / Skillman & Monticello

Rev. Rob Leischner. / www.standrewsdallas.org

214.821.9989 / Sunday School 9:30 am, Worship 10:45 am

Maybe We’Re all WROng

A DMITTInG THIS COULD BE THE FIRST STEP TOWARD

FI x In G THE WORLD ’ S WRO n GS

What’s wrong with the world? And how are people of faith supposed to help fix it?

When the faithful square off in the public square or in private sanctuaries, whatever the issue, it usually comes down to how they answer these two related questions. Jews, Christians, Muslims, Hindus and others debate these within their own ranks. I’ll try to frame the challenge from my own faith stance, and those of other faiths may rewrite in their own spiritual grammar.

Sin is what’s wrong with the world, most agree. What sin is most wrong is where most disagree. And once you name the sin most wrong, the proposed fixes that follow diverge wildly.

For example, most conservative Christians would say that the sin of unbelief is at the heart of all worldly woes. Inside the church they would say that unbelief is not accepting Jesus Christ as one’s personal Savior. But more broadly, they would say that unbelief is a lack of belief in God generally due to growing secularism. Loss of belief in God shows up in teacher-led prayers being banned from public schools and Christmas displays disappearing from businesses. Secularism has to be resisted because it infects the faithful and affects the church. The solution is a posture toward the world that cultural historian James Davison Hunter calls “defensive against.”

Progressive Christians look forward to a day yet to come rather than backward to a time gone by. They see the chief sin as inequality among people — whether racial, gender, sexual, national or economic. They believe God is bringing about a kingdom in which all discrimination is overcome and everyone’s basic needs and dignity are supplied. Instead of resisting developments in the culture, they look for ways the church can be engaged with it to progress toward these ends.

While conservatives are defensive against culture, progressives seek a stance of “relevance to.”

A third group is smaller but growing. These spiritual separatists see the major sin of the world as violence. Whether governments that

foster war to achieve their ends, or corporations that manipulate markets to benefit a few at the expense of many, or bigoted bullies who beat up gay youths, violence tears at the fabric of human community and undermines God’s peaceable kingdom. These Christians attempt to demonstrate to the world that the church is an alternative community — a world within a world — that exists as a witness to another way of life. They take a “purity from” approach to the world, paying more attention to their own faith community than the wider community. They embody God’s peaceable ways through nonviolent approaches.

Each of these has a point, to a point. As Hunter says in his recent book, “To Change the World: The Irony, Tragedy & Possibility of Christianity in the Late Modern World”: “All of these challenges are correctly identified as problems, and they are all at least partially correct about solutions. Where they are mistaken is in assuming, explicitly or implicitly, that the challenge they see is the defining one, in effect, trumping all others.”

So what if we were to listen to one another respectfully, humbly acknowledging that none of us have the corner on gospel truth? Maybe we could learn to credit those with different views of things and find in them partners, rather than competitors, as we live in and among and toward the broader culture.

Hunter suggests that Christians might practice a “faithful presence” in the world. I imagine us continuing to fall into these categories due to our dominant faith outlooks, but perhaps this more generous perspective will enable conservatives to resist with greater grace, progressives to engage with keener wisdom, and separatists to demonstrate peace and justice with deeper realism.

Being faithful in the world is hard enough without having to contest with the faithful at the same time, and all the time.

George Mason is pastor of Wilshire baptist Church. The Worship section is a regular feature underwritten by Advocate Publishing and by the neighborhood business people and churches listed on these pages. For information about helping support the Worship section, call 214.560.4202.

to advertise call 214.560.4203

TuToring & Lessons

ART: Draw or Paint. All Levels. Church Hill Rec. Ctr. on Hillcrest Jane Cross, 214-534-6829. Linda, 214-808-4919.

ARTISTIC GATHERINGS

Art Classes For All Ages. Casa Linda Plaza. 214-821-8383. www.artisticgatherings.com

DALLAS TEST PREP Tutoring: SAT, ACT, THEA, TExES, Algebra, Geometry, Pre-Cal. www.dallastestprep.com, 214-686-8980(M)

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Spanish Classes for Adults & Children

Spanish Immersion Preschool Ages 2-5

DallasSpanishHouse.com

ChiLdCare

thiNk Big

With a grant from the Real Estate Council, students at Robert T. Hill Middle School learned about real estate through a program developed by Big Thought, an educational organization that partners with Dallas ISD to offer creative programming.

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THE CHANGING STATION Cloth Diapering & Eco-Essentials. 469-575-6837. www.thechangingstation.net

YOUR COMPUTER GEEK Let Me Solve Your Computer Problems. 25 Yrs. Exp. Hardware/Software Issues/Install. Network

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LOVING, CHRIST-CENTERED CARE SINCE 1982

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organizing

ORGANIZE & REJUVENATE

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professionaL serviCes

ACCOUNTING, TAXES Small Businesses & Individuals. Chris King, CPA 214-824-5313 www.chriskingcpa.com

BOOKKEEPING NEEDS? Need Help Organizing Finances? No Job Too Small or Big.

Call C.A.S Accounting Solutions. Cindy 214-821-6903

Holiday/Birthday Parties Bridal/Baby Showers 214.683.0103

galasbyginger.com ginger@galasbyginger.com

ESTATE/PROBATE MATTERS Because every family needs a will. Mary Glenn, J.D. maryglennattorney.com • 214-802-6768

HEALTH & LIFE INSURANCE Small businesses, Individuals & Families. Local Agent Lori Huff 214-738-4783

PROFESSIONAL SERVICES

QUICKBOOKS Having Issues? Free Consultation. Jack Hicks 214-734-4767 jchicks@sbcglobal.net

Website Design

Flash Demos

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MIND, BODY & SPIRIT

HEALTHY WEIGHT LOSS Motivational, Compassionate & Confidential Sessions Offered To Those Wanting To Lose Weight & Gain A Healthier Lifestyle. Dr. Nicole Mangum, Health Psychologist. 214-692-6666 ext. 311

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PETS

POOP SCOOP PROFESSIONALS Trust The Experts. 214-826-5009

Dallas’ First Doggie Daycare Featuring “Open Play” Boarding

Blue Goose Cantina raised $10,230 for Empower Your Future, a local nonprofit organization that mentors low-income students. From left, Blue Goose managers Matt Mortimer, Angie Detrie, Brandon Bowen and Loren Talley present the check to Dallas Police Officer Joe Chatham.

BUY/SELL/TRADE

DONATE YOUR CAR Free towing. “Cars For Kids” Any condition. Tax deductible. outreachcenter.com 1-800-597-9411

SAVVY CONSIGNMENTS Eclectic Furniture & Accessories. Great Gifts. Affordable Pricing. 214-660-8700

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ESTATE/GARAGE SALES

ESTATE SALES & LIQUIDATION SERVICES

Moving, Retirement, Downsizing. One Piece Or A Houseful. David Turner. 214-908-7688. dave2estates@aol.com

REAL ESTATE

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PREViEW CONSTRUCTiON iNC. HardiPlank 50 Yr. Cement Siding, Energy Star Windows. Kitchens-Baths-Additions & More. 214-348-3836. See Photo Gallery at: www.previewconstruction.com

RODZ HOME iMPROVEMENT All Home Repairs, Add-Ons, Rehabs. 214-952-8963

SQUARE NAiL WOODWORKiNG

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MAiD 4 YOU Residential. Reasonable Rates. Bonded & Insured. Park Cities/M Street Refs. Joyce. 214-232-9629

MAID OF HONOR • 214-683-1856 Total Cleaning Service. 15 Yrs Exp. Residential.

MESS MASTERS Earth friendly housecleaning. 469-235-7272. www.messmasters.com Since ‘91

SUNSHiNE HOUSE CLEANiNG

Cleaning To Perfection. Reasonable Rates. Insured/ Bonded. 214-490-6659

THE MAiDS 4 Person Teams. Bonded & Insured. www.maids.com Free Estimates. 800-843-6243

WANTED Houses To Clean & Windows To Wash 20 Years Exp., Reliable, Great Prices, Excellent Refs., Free Estimates. 214-724-2555

WiNDOW MAN WiNDOW CLEANiNG.COM Residential Specialists. BBB. 214-718-3134 972.495.3478 beckncallmaids.com

Cleaning ServiCeS

eleCtriCal ServiCeS

SWITCH ELECTRIC Lic. #E19800 24/7 Calls 30 yrs exp. Federal panel chgs. 214-629-0391

TEXAS ELECTRICAL • 214-289-0639

Prompt, Quality Services. Days, Evenings & Weekends. 34 Yrs Exp. TECL 24668

TH ELECTRIC Reasonable Rates. Licensed & Insured. Ted. E257 214-808-3658

WHITE ROCK ELECTRIC All Electrical Services. Lic/Insd. E795. 214-850-4891

ComputerS & eleCtroniCS

214-321-1110 I.T. ROADMAP Tech Support Home or Business computers repaired. Virus, Internet, wireless, slow, All fixed! Brad or Amy

BILL’S COMPUTER REPAIR Virus Removal, Data Recovery. Home /Biz. Network Install. All Upgrades & Repairs. PC Instruction, No Trip Fee. 214-348-2566

CONFUSED? FRUSTRATED? Let A Seasoned Pro Be The Interface Between You & That Pesky Computer. Hardware & Software Installation, Troubleshooting, Training, $60/hr. 1 Hr. Min. Dan 214-660-3733 Or stykidan@sbcglobal.net

I CAN FIX IT NOW! 214-926-7144 Computer & Network Support. Operating Systems, Hardware, Security & Game Consoles. OMGFixit.com.

ConCrete/ maSonry/paving

BRICK, BLOCK, Stone, Concrete, Stucco. Gonzalez Masonry. 214-395-1319

CAZARES CONCRETE Concrete retaining walls, Patios, Driveways, Removal, Sidewalks. 214-202-8958 Free estimates.

CONCRETE, Driveway Specialist Repairs, Replacement, Removal, References. Reasonable. Chris 214-770-5001

EDMONDSPAVING.COM Asphalt & Concrete Driveway-Sidewalk-Patio-Repair 214-957-3216

FLAGSTONE PATIOS, Retaining Walls, BBQ’s, Veneer, Flower Bed Edging, All Stone work. Chris 214-770-5001

MASONRY Brick/Stone Repairs. Don 214-704-1722

STAMPED CONCRETE Driveways, Patios, Walk Ways, Acid Staining, Resealing. 972-672-5359

eleCtriCal ServiCeS

ACCURATE ELECTRIC

All Jobs.Panel Upgrades. Free Est. TECL# 27297. Steve. 214-718-9648

ANTHONY’S ELECTRIC Family Owned/Operated. Insd. 19 Yrs Exp. TECL24948 214-328-1333

IF IT HAS WIRES WE DO IT! Supreme Electric & Solar. TECL#25178 214-876-0575

MASTER ELECTRICIAN Lic #TECL 55703. Resd/Comcl. Bonded. Contr Lic# TECL23423. Trinity Electrical Services. David 214-802-0436

MCCARTER ELECTRICAL SERVICE, INC.

We can light up your world or repair your shorts. $50 Off Service Calls. TECL#19347 972-877-4183

‘07, ‘08, ‘09, ‘10 CONSUMERS CHOICE AWARDS

Making Homes Safer

TECL20502

972-665-8399

dallaselectricalexperts.com

Phones Answered 24/7

FenCing & DeCkS

#1 COWBOY FENCE & IRON CO. Est. ‘91. 214-692-1991 www.cowboyfenceandiron.com

4 QUALITY FENCING Specializing in Wood, New or Repair. Free Estimates. Call Mike 214-507-9322.

AMBASSADOR FENCE INC. Automatic Gates, All Fences. Decks. Since 1996. 214-621-3217

AUTO GATES $2500 alwaysbiltrite.com

469-878-4450. cc’s accptd

CREATIVE METAL SOLUTIONS LLC Automatic Gates, Fence, Stairs, Stair/Balcony Railings, Wine Cellar Gates. 214-325-4985

KIRKWOOD FENCE & DECK New & Repair. Free Estimates. Nathan Kirkwood. 214-341-0699

LONE STAR DECKS Decks, Arbors, Fences, Patio Covers, TREX Decking & Fencing. www.lonestardecks.com 214-357-3975

STEEL SALVATION Metal Specialist. Welding Repairs, Design, Metal Art, Unique Crosses. Local Resident Over 40 Yrs. 214-283-4673

COWBOY FENCE

214.692.1991

Locally owned and operated since 1980 FireplaCe

CHIMNEY SWEEP Dampers/Brick & Stone Repair. DFW Metro. Don 214-704-1722

Flooring

AUREUS HARDWOOD 972-207-4262. www.northtxflooring.com

DALLAS HARDWOODS

Installation, Repair, Refinish, Wax, Hand Scrape. Residential, Commercial. Sports Floors. 25 Yrs.

STAINED CONCRETE FLOORS New/Remodel. Staining & Waxing. Int/Ext. Nick Hastings. 214-341-5993

SUPER QUALITY WOOD FLOORS

Jim Crittendon, 214-821-6593

WORLEY TILE & FLOORING

Custom Marble Install. 214-779-3842

Flooring &

Willeford

to advertise call 214.560.4203

We

garage DoorS

GARAGE DOOR & SPRING REPAIR

972-672-0848 TexasGaragePros.com

20% off with “Advocate Magazine”

HOLLYWOOD DOOR CO. Since 1938. Residential/Commercial. Sales. Service. All Brands of Garage Doors & Openers. Free Estimates. 214-348-7242. 9525 White Rock Trail, 75238.

ROCKET GARAGE DOOR SERVICE -24/7. Repairs/Installs. 214-533-8670. Coupon On Web. www.RocketDoorService.com

UNITED GARAGE DOORS All Types Of Garage Doors & Openers. Repair Or Replace. Commercial And Gates. 214-826-8096

glaSS, WinDoWS & DoorS

CLEARWINDOWSANDDOORS.COM LH owned Replacement windows. Free Quote 214-280-9280

CUSTOM STAINED/ LEADED GLASS & Repair. 26 years exp. 214-356-8776

GREEN WINDOW COMPANY 214-295-5405

Specialty in Replacement Windows/Doors

KENNY’S CLEAN WINDOWS Res./Com. Window Cleaning, Powerwash, Etc. 214-881-8061

LAKE HIGHLANDS GLASS & MIRROR custom mirrors • shower enclosures store fronts • casements 214-349-8160

LANDMARK ENERGY SOLUTIONS 214-395-9148. Specializing In Replacement Windows/Doors.

ROCK GLASS CO Complete Glass & Window Service since 1985. Replace, repair: windows, mirrors, showers, screens. 214-837-7829

Handyman ServiceS

4 SEASONS HANDYMAN

We do it all! Call 469-723-1000

A NEIGHBORHOOD HANDYMAN

Electrical, Plumbing & Carpentry. Call Tim 214-824-4620; 214-597-4501

A+ HANDYMAN KARL

All Home Repairs, Remodels, Maintenance, To-Dos. 214-699-8093

AAAEEE! NEED HELP? FAST! Repairs/Remodel. Chris, Rick. 214-693-0678, 214-381-9549

ALL JOBS BIG/SMALL

38 years exp. Ron Payne 214-755-9147

ALL STAR HOME CARE Carpentry, Glass, Tile, Paint, Doors, Sheetrock Repair, and more. 24 yrs. exp. References. Derry 214-505-4830

BO HANDYMAN Kitchens, baths, doors, cabinets, custom carpentry, drywall & painting 214-437-9730

CARPENTRY, PAINT & MORE Repair to Remodel. No job too small. Zane 214-778-9121

HANDY DAN “The Handyman” To Do’s Done Right. www.handy-dan.com 214-252-1628

HANDYMAN SPECIALIST Large, small jobs, repair list, renovations. Refs. 214-489-0635

HOME REPAIR & MAINTENANCE

Small/Large Jobs.Steve Brandt. 214-440-7070

HOMETOWN HANDYMAN All phases of construction. No job too small 214-327-4606

HONEST, SKILLED SERVICE With a Smile. General Repairs/ Maintenance. 214-215-2582

RENT A MAN HANDYMAN

One call does it all! 214-289-0307

WANTED: ODD JOBS & TO DO LISTS Allen’s Handyman & Home Repair 214-288-4232

HouSe Painting

BENJAMIN’S PAINTING SERVICE Quality Work At Reasonable Prices. 214-725-6768

CERTAPRO PAINTERS

Residential painting. Call today for your free estimate. 214-346-0900

PHILLIPS PAINTING Interior & Exterior; 14 Years Serving Dallas. Free Estimate and 3-year Warranty. We Do Faux! PhillipsPainting.com 972-867-9792

RAMON’S INT/EXT PAINT Sheetrock, Repairs. 214-679-4513

TOP COAT Professional. Reliable. References. TopCoatOfTexas.com 214-770-2863

VIP PAINTING & DRYWALL Int/Ext. Sheetrock Repair, Resurfacing Tubs, Counters, Tile Repairs. 972-613-2585

WHITE ROCK INTERIORS Paint & Remodel References. Mark Reindel 214-321-5280

BRIAN GREAM

PAINTING & RENOVATIONS LLC

• Interior/Exterior • Drywall

KitcHen/BatH/ tile/grout

A KITCHEN & BATH Remodeling Company. One Call Does It All! 214-574-9182

ALL SURFACE REFINISHING 214-631-8719. Tub/Tile/Refinishing. allsurfacerefinishing.com

HANDY DAN “The Handyman” Remodel’s Done Right. handy-dan.com 214-252-1628

TILE INSTALLER 25 Yrs. Exp In Design & Art of Tile. Back Splash, Fireplace, Bathrooms, Flooring. Free Est. Mike 469-576-1636

TOM HOLT TILE Expert In Tile, Backsplashes & Floors. Refs. Avail. 214-770-3444

lawnS, gardenS & treeS

BEACHSCAPE Lawn Maintenance & Landscaping. Stonework. Seasonal Color and Perennials. Residential/Commercial. Free Ests. 214-287-3571

BILLY JACK SPRINKLER REPAIR & INSTALL

Locate & Repair Leaky Valves, Pipes, Heads. Add Rain Freeze Sensor. 972-303-0007. Li 6099

BLOUNTS TREE SERVICE Trim, Removal. Refs Avail. Free Ests. 44 yrs exp. Insured. 214-275-5727

BUSSEYS LAWN CARE

Weekly Service $30 Most Jobs. 214-725-9678

CASTRO TREE SERVICE Quality Work at Great Rates. Free est. Insured. 214-337-7097

CHUPIK TREE SERVICE

HouSe Painting

1 AFFORDABLE HOUSE PAINTING and Home Repair. Quality work. Inside and Out. Free Ests. Local Refs. Ron 972-816-5634 or 972-475-3928

#1 GET MORE PAY LES

85% Referrals/Estimates 214-348-5070

A TEXTURE & FINISH SPECIALIST

Since 1977. Int/Ext. Kirk’s Works 972-672-4681

ABRAHAM PAINT SERVICE A Women Owned Business 25 Yrs. Int/Ext. Wall Reprs. Discounts

On Whole Interiors and Exteriors 214-682-1541

• Rotten Wood • Gutters All General Contracting Needs 214.542.6214

PayPal ®

WWW.BGRONTHEWEB.COM

BRIANGREAM@YAHOO.COM

inSulation/ radiant Barrier

LANDMARK ENERGY SOLUTIONS

214-395-9148. Radiant Barrier, Insulation. Free Quotes

SAVE UP TO 40% on your energy bills! Insulation, Radiant Barrier and Weatherization. Instant quotes at Millsquote.com 214-879-9881

interior deSign

A LADY’S TOUCH WALLPAPERING

Texture, Paint & Repair. 27 yrs. exp. Free Est. Call Martha 972-712-2465; 972-832-3396

DESIGNER CONSULTATION 1 Hr. Session $95. Trained / Reg. ASID Designer Carl 214-288-3298

INTERIOR DESIGN / CONSULTING

Carolyn Contreras ASID

Licensed/Exp. 214-363-0747

JUDY BUELL, ASID

• Custom interior design & renovations

• Updates with existing furnishings

• Consultations - TBAE #390 - 214-342-0841

KIM ARMSTRONG INTERIOR DESIGN www.interiorsbykim.com

Licensed/CID/ASID 214-500-0600

LILLI DESIGN Residential, Commercial. NCIDQ Cert.10 Yrs Exp. www.lilli-design.com Katie Reynolds 214-370-8221

WWW.STUARTSVF.COM

Decorative Architectural Finishes 214-684-3667

Kitchen/Bathroom Remodeling, Ceramic Tile, Marble, Stone and Glass Tile Installation, Paint, Repair Family Owned & Operated Since 1976

Fenn Construction Co. Full Service Contractor www.dallastileman.com 214 - 343 - 4645

Trim, Remove, Stump Grind. Free Est. Insured. 214-823-6463

DALLAS K.D.R.SERVICES • 214-349-0914

Lawn Service & Landscape Installation

GREENSKEEPER Fall Clean Up & Fall Color. Sodding, Fertilization. Lawn Maintenance & Landscape. Res/Com. 214-546-8846

HOLISTIC TREE CARE

A Full-Service Tree Care Company Chuck Ranson, Certified Arborist c.ranson@sbcglobal.net 214-537-2008

HOLMAN IRRIGATION

Sprinkler & Valve Repair/ Rebuild Older Systems. Lic. #1742. 214-398-8061

MOW YOUR YARD $27 White Rock Landscaping 214-415-8434

PARADISELANDSCAPES.NET 214-328-9955

Installations of Fine Gardens, Patios, Paths & more!

MULTI-SURFACE RESTORATION TUBS/TILE/COUNTERTOPS 972.323.8375

WWW.PERMAGLAZENORTHDALLAS.COM

lawnS, gardenS & treeS

25.00 OFF - ALL ABOUT TREES, INC Removals, Pruning, Insured. 972-697-3956

4 SEASONS LAWN & LANDSCAPE

Maintenance, Design, Stonework Call Aaron 214-636-0143

A BETTER TREE COMPANY • JUST TREES

Complete tree services including Tree & Landscape Lighting! Call Mark 214-332-3444

A BETTER TREE MAN Trims, Removals, Insd. 10 Yrs Exp. Roberts Tree Service. 214-808-8925

A&B LANDSCAPING Full Lawn Care, Landscaping, Tree Trimming, Fireplaces & Stonework. Lic #0283917- Degreed Horticulturist 214-221-4421 - 214-534-3816

ALTON MARTIN LANDSCAPING Spectacular Curbside Appeal! Excellent refs. 214-893-2420

AYALA’S LANDSCAPING SERVICE Call the Land Expert Today! Insured. 214-773-4781

RONS LAWN Organic Solutions. Not Environmental Pollution. Landscape & Maintenance 972-222-LAWN (5296) SPRINKLERS, LANDSCAPING, Stone Work, Drainage. Installed and Repair. Call Kevin at 214-535-3352,Lic#7840. www.bigdirrigation.com

THE POND MAN Water Gardens

Designed & Installed. Drained & Cleaned. Weekly Service. Jim Tillman 214-769-0324

TREE WIZARDS Trim Surgery Removal. 15 Yrs Exp. Insured. Free Est. 214-680-5885

U R LAWN CARE Maintenance. Landscaping. Your Personal Yard Service by Uwe Reisch uwereisch@yahoo.com 214-886-9202

WATER-WISE URBAN LANDSCAPES www.TexasXeriscapes.com 469-586-9054

A Better Tree Company

JUST TREES

Your Trees Could Look Like a Work of Art, I Guarantee It. Free Estimates • Work Guaranteed Best Prices on Tree Removal

Insured • Commercial & Residential • Tree & Landscape Lighting Call Mark Wittlich 214-332-3444

Dan Coletti’s to advertise call 214.560.4203

JUST NATURAL DESIGN

Xeriscape Native Plants & Grasses

Perennial & Annual Color Butterfly and Herb Gardens Dan Coletti 214-213-2147 www.JustNaturalDesign.com

PesT ConTroL

A BETTER EARTH PEST CONTROL

Keeping the environment, kids, pets in mind. Organic products avail. 972-564-2495

MOSQUITO SYSTEMS

Pest Control #9989. Live Animal Removal. JDubDesigns.com Home Construction Services. Sprinkler Controller Repair. 214-794-4089

McDANIEL PEST CONTROL

Prices Start at $75 +Tax for General Treatment Average Home, Interior, Exterior & Attached Garage Quotes for Other Services

214-328-2847

Lakewood Resident

PLumbinG

ANDREWS PLUMBING • 214-354-8521 # M37740 Insured. Any plumbing issues. 24 Hours/7 Days. plumberiffic@yahoo.com

Sewers • Drains • Bonded

*Joe Faz 214-794-7566 - Se Habla Español*

ARRIAGA PLUMBING: Repairs, Remodels, Water Heaters, Stopages. Ins’d. Lic 20754 214-321-0589, 214-738-7116

BLOUNTS PLUMBING REPAIR Rebuild or Replace. 44 yrs exp. Insured. 214-275-5727

FIXXER PLUMBING #M38904. BBB Accredited. www.fixxercompany.com. Call 214-534-1468.

JUSTIN’S PLUMBING SERVICE

For All Your Plumbing Needs. ml#M38121 972-523-1336. www.justinsplumbing.com

M&S PLUMBING Quality Work & Prompt Service. Jerry. 214-235-2172. lic.#M-11523

REPAIRS, Fixtures,General Plumbing. Senior Discounts. Campbell Plumbing. 214-321-5943

SHEFFIELD PLUMBING We do it right the 1st time. Repairs, Rmdls. Insd. 214-941-8600

SPECK PLUMBING Licensed & Insured

C 214-562-2360 • H 214-660-8378

STAGGS PLUMBING • 214-521-5597

No Repairs Too Big or Too Small Master Plumber. M-17697

Slab Leak Specialists – inquire about reroute instead of jackhammering

• All Plumbing Repairs • Licensed/Insured 214-727-4040

ML-M36843

PLumbinG PLUMBING SERVICES

•

MPL36677 •

•

• Shower Pans 214-808-9262

Most Major Credit Cards Accepted

PooLs

LEAFCHASERS POOLS

Parts and Service. Chemicals and Repairs. Jonathan. 214-729-3311

MICHAEL’S POOL SERVICE

Maintenance & Repair 214-727-7650

PLAYMORE POOLS CO. Design, Construction, Consulting & Renovations. 214-823-0169 www.playmorepools.com

WHITE ROCK POOL CLEANING

Friendly Service & Repairs. 20 yrs experience whiterockpools.com David 214-769-8012

POOLWORKS

SWIMMING POOL REPAIR

25 years experience

Marty Halliburton · 214-212-0360

Accepts most major credit cards

roofinG & GuTTers

A&B GUTTER 972-530-5699

Clean Out, Repair/Replace. Leaf Guard. Free Estimates. Lifetime Warranty

ALLTEX ROOFING SYSTEMS: 972-740-8602

We Repair and Replace. High-Quality & Affordable!

GREEN SERVICE COMPANY 214-295-5405

Roof replacement-solar vents & skylights

GUARANTY ROOFING 214-760-3666

Re-Roofing/Repairs/Gutters/Green Options. Free Estimates.www.guarantyroof.com

PLATINUM ROOFING Metal & Non-Metal

Roofing, Windows, Painting, Gutters. Fully Insured. NewMETALroof.com 972-310-9721

WHITE ROCK ROOFING AND REPAIRS

Free Estimates • 24 hours • Rod 214-244-1329

Allstate Homecraft Roofing

M-36580

Astro Plumbing

20 Years in the Plumbing Business

Full Service Plumbing Company

Drains Augered • Slab Leaks • Water Heaters I can beat any estimate you get FREE estimates over the phone Call Michael • 214.566.9737

BERT

ADVOCATE

does not pre-screen, recommend or investigate the advertisements and/or Advertisers published in our magazines. As a result, Advocate Publishing is not responsible for your dealings with any Advertiser. Please ask each Advertiser that you contact to show you the necessary licenses and/or permits required to perform the work you are requesting. Advocate Publishing takes comments and/ or complaints about Advertisers seriously, and we do not publish advertisements that we know are inaccurate, misleading and/or do not live up to the standards set by our publications. If you have a legitimate complaint or positive comment about an Advertiser, please contact us at 214-560-4203. Advocate Publishing recommends that you ask for and check references from each Advertiser that you contact, and we recommend that you obtain a written statement of work to be completed, and the price to be charged, prior to approving any work or providing an Advertiser with any deposit for work to be completed.

THE PILL BOTTLES WERE EMPTIED.

Dennis McGroarty was away on vacation during the holidays. Unfortunately, while he was away, he received the call anyone would dread: His home had been broken into while he was away.

The Victim: Dennis McGroarty

The Crime: Burglary

Date: Monday, Dec. 20

Time: Between 8 and 9 a.m.

Location: 7100 block of Hillgreen

A friend had been checking on his home and discovered the crime. Police informed McGroarty that a glass window had been smashed, and jewelry was stolen from the bedrooms, despite his home’s alarm system. McGroarty’s safe also had been opened, and weapons had been strewn throughout the home.

Because he was away, McGroarty was not able to determine what all was missing. Police told him, however, that the burglars also had targeted prescription drugs.

“They got in through a window,” McGroarty says, noting that the window shattering should have set off the alarm. “They went to my bedroom and emptied out all the pill bottles.”

Not being at home to take stock of what was missing was a real frustration for McGroarty, and he found it ironic that he had recently read an article about prescription drugs now being a common burglary target.

“We’re not sure how much they got,” he says. “We have a house sitter now.”

Dallas Police Lt. Mackie D. Ham of the Northeast Patrol Division advises residents to take preventive steps whenever they are out of town, such as having someone keep an eye on the house, and picking up the mail and any newspapers.

“This is an immediate red flag to burglars,” he says of letting newspapers and mail accumulate.

Ham agrees with McGroarty that housesitting can be one of the best deterrents. Other tips include: temporarily stopping mail and newspapers, light timers, and leaving on the TV or radio to give the appearance of someone being home. Ham also says to never mention being out of town via public forums or social media such as Facebook or Twitter.

“My personal feeling is not to advertise the fact the you will be absent from your home. I would avoid putting this issue out for the world to see. You can always tell others about your wonderful vacation after you return — not before.” —SEAN CHAFFIN

Re:

A VIDEO about Harry the UPS guy who foiled a thief on his route:

Boom and gloom

One house in my neighborhood has been for sale, off and on, for more than two years. Another house was on the market for three months, didn’t sell, and then wasn’t for sale anymore. And then there was the house across the street, which sold in a couple of weeks.

Yes, the real estate market is quite confusing.

The good news is that it looks, finally, like the market is going to get a lot less confusing. The bad news is that, as the market straightens itself out, we’re not going to see much of an increase in home values. The experts I talked to said we’ve probably reached bottom, but that we’re going to be there for a while.

“Have we reached bottom? That’s the question that everyone is asking,” says Jim Gaines, PhD, a research economist at Texas A&M’s Real Estate Center. “If we have, it’s a flat bottom. We’re not going to have a significant recovery for at least another year or more. And the thing about the recovery is that we’re going to recover to normal, and not to where we were at the top. And normal might take two or three years.”

Is that a gloomy enough assessment for you? Hey, it could be worse. As Gaines and several others noted, our top was not nearly as over the top as the rest of the country. Hence, we had less far to fall, and our declines in home values look nothing like those in

Florida, Chicago or northern California.

The other thing working in our favor? So far, we haven’t had the foreclosure problems that have hampered recovery in the rest of the country — which may well be even more than two or three years from recovery. Why are foreclosures so important? Because one of the keys to home prices is supply,

How important were subdivisions to the housing bust? Stock in homebuilder D.R. Horton, which was a key subdivision developer, sold for $38 a share in January 2006, more or less at the peak of the boom. Five years later, it trades at $12 a share.

and more foreclosures mean an increase in supply, and an increase in supply means a decrease in prices.

Realtor Ron Burch of Coldwell Banker, who tracks neighborhood real estate for the Advocate , agrees with Gaines about reaching bottom. But, he says, foreclosures are the wildcard.

Most of the foreclosures in the Dallas area have not been around here, but in

the Mid-Cities, Dallas’ northern suburbs and Far North Dallas. Those areas had lots of vacant land for subdivisions, which we don’t have here. Those subdivisions, says Gaines, were where so many of the housing bubble’s bad loans were made, the kind where buyers didn’t have to put any money down or prove they had income to make mortgage payments. How important were subdivisions to the housing bust? Stock in homebuilder D.R. Horton, which was a key subdivision developer, sold for $38 a share in January 2006, more or less at the peak of the boom. Five years later, it trades at $12 a share.

So far, we haven’t had to endure that level of agony, and our neighborhood has been able to absorb the foreclosures we have had. But no one is quite sure what will happen next.

“We will see more sales this year, but I do not think we will see an increase in prices there is still too much inventory,” Burch says. “There are still a lot of foreclosures that have been held back off the market, and this will keep the inventory high and therefore there won’t be a shortage of properties to force price increases.”

Also in our favor is demand for close-in, more urban housing. What little demand there has been in the housing market over the past couple of years has been in neighborhoods like ours. Even though prices are lower in commuter suburbs, home buyers — faced with long drives to work and increasingly costly gas — want to live near where they work.

So yes, there is plenty of gloomy news. That it’s not more gloomy is our silver lining.