2011 May Lakewood

Education, Inte r rupted

Life’s struggles threatened them, but these students fought for success

Dallas Police Association Endorses Angela

“As a City Councilmember, Angela has worked with law enforcement and community leaders to help us reduce crime 30% since she took office. Her experience, integrity, and commitment to her community is unquestioned.”

—Glenn White, DPA President

Re-elect a proven leader who works for

Dallas Fire Fighters Association Endorses Angela

“It’s important that fire fighters have strong advocates at City Hall. Angela Hunt has been just that. She’s fought for the resources we need to keep Dallas safe and has been a great partner and friend to Dallas fire fighters. We look forward to her continued service to our city.”

—D.D. Pierce, DFFA President

MetroTex Association of Realtors Endorses Angela

“Angela has proven time and again she is not only committed to representing neighborhoods, but improving them, too. No matter the street, no matter the issue, Angela tries to make District 14 better, block by block. It makes our jobs easier when we have a neighborhood advocate like Angela on the council.”

—Peter Urrutia, MetroTex Government Relations Director

PICKING BABY NAMES? GO WITH MARGOT.

For more than 25 years, the Margot Perot Center for Women and Infants has been a leading name in advanced maternity care. We were the rst hospital in North Texas dedicated exclusively to women and their babies, and that dedication is just as strong today. Our nursing staff is nationally recognized and awarded. Our educational services provide helpful information before, during and after the birth of your child. And our recently upgraded rooms are so plush and comfortable, they’ll put you right at ease. You can also relax knowing we can expertly handle special needs and emergencies in our Level III NICU and Special Care Nursery. So when picking where to have your baby, the choice is simple. Go with Margot.

1-877-THR-Well | TexasHealth.org/DallasBaby

Photo by can türkyilmaz

search: big d maraT hon on lakewood.advocaT emag.com more on p. 12

g are You infor M

t H e MaY 14 e LeC

ed about

tions?

if not, we’ve got you covered. take a crash course on the mayoral, city council and school board candidates by visiting lakewood.advocatemag. com and clicking on the “ dallas e lections 2011” tab, where you will find the Advocate’s election-related video interviews and blog posts.

g WH at’s going on?

if you are involved in an upcoming event, let Advocate readers know about it. Visit lakewood. advocatemag.com and click on the “ eventfinder” tab, then submit an event by clicking the “ free/start here” button. it’s that simple.

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“The frequency of these events has gotten unbearable!”

—james parker

THe ToUrisTs

All Of u S Benef IT frOM A c A rInG GuIDe

During the past few years, we’ve visited quite a few colleges, preparing last year for our oldest’s decision and now giving our youngest a taste of what’s out there.

Speaking as the first in my family to attend college and as someone who didn’t visit the school I attended until it was too late to get into another one, these visits are a strangely numbing process.

There’s excitement, of course, about choosing a new home, and yet confusion and concern about making a mistake selecting the place where many of life’s crucial decisions could be formed, as if it’s possible to make the “right” life decision at 18 anyway.

Surprisingly, if you visit enough four-year colleges, the places start to run together. Public or private, expensive or not, many have or are building state-of-the-art student centers. And competition for students has spawned a surprising number of climbing walls, spin-class rooms, sushi restaurants and big-screen TVs — even many of the least expensive four-year colleges remind me of a cross between a sports bar and a cruise ship.

So after visiting lots of schools and trying, unsuccessfully for the most part, to view each spot through our potential student’s eyes, my wife and I concluded that there’s one thing that ultimately separates one school from another: the tour guide.

That’s right: A decision involving perhaps a hundred thousand dollars in educational “value” can boil down to whether a volunteer student tour guide was funny, entertaining, smart or simply a block-head.

In our travels, the schools judged most deficient were the ones that trotted out the most bored and disinterested tour guides, kids who acted (and sometimes even told us) they were a little too important to be leading a tour.

In fact, one tour guide spent a good portion of a 90-minute tour telling us repeatedly she wished they hadn’t called her in, but she was the only one in town and she wished she was still sleeping off the party from last night and this was a presumably high-achieving student at one of the country’s most highly rated private schools.

And the schools judged best by our sons? Often, it boiled down to tour guides who were enthusiastic, helpful and engaged. People who cared. People who went out of their way to make kids they’d never see again feel welcome, wanted and important. It wasn’t that they were the best advocates for their schools’ academics; it was that they were the most caring.

As it turns out, that same idea applies to stu-

dents featured in this month’s cover story. Many of them won’t be attending expensive colleges; in fact, most weren’t even on track to graduate from high school not long ago.

But if you read these stories, you’ll find there’s a “tour guide” of sorts who took an interest in these students, someone who helped guide them from almost certain failure to almost certain success.

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Someone — a teacher, a relative, a friend, a volunteer — convinced these students that their lives have value, that their efforts to succeed won’t be in vain, that if they focused their energy on accomplishments instead of bad breaks, they could break a cycle of misfortune and make something out of their lives.

Those of us who have been around awhile know that success in life isn’t as simple as just influencing someone in a positive direction. But for the most part, that’s where success begins. Most of us need a push from time to time, and it doesn’t take an expert to do the deed — it only takes someone who cares.

That’s how these teens found their way in life. And without an enthusiastic tour guide somewhere along the line, many of us wouldn’t be where we are today, either.

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Competition for students has spawned a surprising number of climbing walls, spin-class rooms, sushi restaurants and big-screen TVs.

lakewood.advocatemag.com

MARATHON HEADACHES

This year, the White Rock Marathon put out signs along the course a week in advance reminding people along the route of the event [Advocate Back Talk Blog, “Another marathon in the ‘hood. This one? Not so good”, April 11]. This should be the standard. I think most people like the events if they aren’t a surprise. Also, if that were a requirement it might weed out some of the smaller events. —JD

I am generally very supportive of the various races that go through our neighborhood, and I think it’s one of the things that makes our area unique. But the frequency of events has gotten unbearable, as has the routing. Mockingbird and Skillman are six-lane roads, and there’s no reason why all three lanes in one direction should be closed, especially for an event as marginal and sparsely supported as the Big D Marathon. —JAMES

PARKER

[The Big D] marathon is not necessary. Dallas already has a world-class marathon in December. Between that, the numerous half marathons and bike tours, this just adds to the congestion on Sunday mornings. I couldn’t get to Interstate 30 from my house without going around the lake at noon on Sunday. There should be a limit to the number of events that go through our neighborhoods. —ANN

WOODROW INTERNATIONAL BACCALAUREATE PROGRAM APPROVED

It’s an extensive and arduous process to earn IB accreditation. Woodrow and another high school in Germany were approved last week. The rigorous coursework is not for everyone. But at Woodrow, everyone is welcome. —FRED

As a former Woodrow student, class of ’68, I am so proud of the Wildcats. Woodrow’s parents and teachers have always excelled in their support of the curriculum and students. Students were taught that achievement wasn’t a choice but a requirement. Way to go! —LINDA

COX

the city to do [“Trashy Birthday”, April Advocate]. I am impressed. Who knows, this could catch on and become

the next big thing for kids’ birthday parties all over the East Dallas.

—BARBARA SMITH

A huge thank you to the City of Dallas for making this possible and to the Advocate for stopping by and sharing the city’s contribution.

—ROB

LAKEWOOD YARN BOMBER

How about knitting some sweaters for people in need [Advocate Back Talk blog, “Yarn bomber attacks Lakewood”, March 29]? This is like Gallagher sledge-hammering perfectly good food while people go hungry. Pointless and a waste.

—JEREMY

Shows how much you know. KWitta and her crew made 1,600-plus baby hats for Parkland hospital in 2010 alone. That doesn’t include lots of other charity knitting. Lighten up a little and let some people have fun. —ANN

How wonderful to have a new art form being presented in Lakewood. I live near Austin and believe me, there will be lots of people here who wish they had thought up the idea and carried it out. We all need to smile more and this is a great way to coax a smile from those determined to be a grouch. Hope the idea spreads and that you keep us up on other neat new endeavors. —B.J.

Yarn graffiti has been in Austin for years, man.

—SKEpTIc1

Awesome! Love this! Saw the pole in front of the library, and snapped a picture to show my students right away. I taught a little knitting class at J.L. Long last year, but I’m a novice myself. Anybody interested in helping? If so, contact me at J.L. Long, 972.502-4700. If we had a knitter to help out, we could have ourselves our own yarnattack cell over here.

pHILOMENA JONES

BENJAMIN HAGER

What to Expect During Our Initial Visit

If you’ve been considering a remodeling project in your home, you may wonder . . .

“What would happen during an in-home visit with Bella Vista?” To answer that, we’ve simulated a visit with “Linda” who is considering a kitchen renovation. We begin with her call

Linda: Our kitchen hasn’t been updated in ten years. It’s closed off from the rest of the house and isn’t very useful as a gathering place.

Jan (our Coordinator): Let’s schedule a free consultation for one of our partners to meet you and answer any questions you may have. He’ll talk with you about your needs and your taste in design, and he’ll give you some ideas and more information about us.

Lance (at the home, after the initial meet and greet): This is a tudor home and it looks like the kitchen was last remodeled in the late ‘80s. Today’s kitchens are more functional, especially as a gathering place. Who else lives in this home?

Linda: It’s just me, my husband and our daughter when she comes home from college.

Lance: Ok, so the design doesn’t need to incorporate features for children or seniors. What style do you have in mind? Do you like a more modern or a more traditional feel?

Linda: I like a classic look and I also want some modern design touches, and definitely more modern conveniences.

Lance: Even though your kitchen is outdated, the last remodel incorporated some of the original materials, which may be worth preserving. Are we working with things we already have in the kitchen, or is it a complete gut?

Linda: The kitchen would lose its original character without the hutch. I’d really like that area to be a focal point, with a nice backsplash.

Lance: Great, we can get a lot of bang-for-the-buck by livening up the hutch and doing something special with your backsplash. You can choose materials in our design studio and our interior designer can also take you to our suppliers to choose the tiles. You’ll be surprised how many options there are. With your hutch and an elaborate backsplash, I’d recommend painted cabinets to retain a classic look and feel. There are hundreds of styles of cabinets, and lots of popular conveniences like lazy susans, chef’s pantries, and pull-out drawers that I can show you. By the way, what kind of counter surfaces do you like?

Linda: Granite. I love the black with a little bit of shimmer to it. My husband loves the marbled look, but we’re both curious about what other looks there are in granite.

Lance: There are tons of colors and textures in all different price ranges. We buy...

lakewood.advocatemag.com RESTAURANT NEWS

There’s no better place to get neighborhood food and dining news than the Back Talk blog. To check out more of our writers’ tasty tips on local eateries, go directly to lakewood.advocatemag.com/dining.

The Tale of T

wo

Bangkok CiT y resTauranTs

03.17.11 The one on Bryan at Peak and the one at Greenville and University are two Thai restaurants with very similar names. So what gives? Both restaurants co-exist with practically identical names, but the owner of the Greenville restaurant, Joe Pumphaung, says that customers often confuse them.

BellaVista_ushape_05-11

6301 Gaston Avenue Suite 820 • Dallas, Texas PH: 214.823.5885 FX: 214.823.8866

❏ Approved as is ❏ Approved with corrections ❏ Additional proof needed Signed

Thank you for your business!

ashley hudson find out what the owners of the same-named restaurants think about diner confusion. Search: Bangkok City

of the difference between the color proofing and the pressroom reasonable variation in color between job shall constitute an acceptable delivery.

organiCiT y: good, Clean food

03.21.11 There’s no sign. In fact, I wasn’t even sure what to expect when I peeked my head in the door and said, “Hellooo! Are you open?”

I had taken a much-needed walk around Lakewood Shopping Center. That’s when I popped into the little Greek café where chef and self-

Texas 75214

facebook / twitter / newsletter / blog / video

Media Key: where to find us on the world wide web

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proclaimed “organic food healer” Gino Nikolini greeted me warmly.

Organicity — featuring organic, slow-cooked meats, Greek and vegan cuisine, gyros, salads, coffees, teas, fresh-squeezed juices and housemade Sokolata chocolates — opened in February.

I sampled the Greek Arabic cafe — a stout, slightly muddy coffee that will put hair on your chest. A coffee that makes you say, “Hell yes — let’s do something!” That kind of coffee.

... Nikolini swears that if you eat his food, you will live long, stay young, lean and cancer free. “Look at me,” he says running a hand along his bicep and flashing a smile full of white teeth. “I’m in my 60s”. —Christina hughes BaBB

Learn more about nikolini and where the café is located. Search: nikolini

completed delivery.

teriLLi’s pL ans June 24 re-opening 03.31.11 A fire all but destroyed the 99-yearold building that housed Terilli’s a year ago. But they salvaged the old building’s facade, and the rebuilt version is expected to be historically accurate yet way more fabulous than the original. raCheL stone

Find out what additions to expect. Search: terilli’s

Send WeB Sugge StionS to

Darin Breedlove, CR, CGR, CGP, CAPS and Lance Tyler

attention to spelling, grammar, difference in equipment and conditions pressroom operations, a between color proofs and the

L aunCh

For the last 10 years, Mike Morath has been C eo of a software company that streamlines a federal meal program for schools. h e started volunteering with Big Brothers Big Sisters about five years ago. a nd he says he feels it’s his duty to serve children. t hat’s why he’s stepping down from a lucrative job and committing 10 years to serve on the Dallas i ndependent School District Board of trustees. h e was elected without opposition and takes office this month.

Are you from Dallas?

I’m from Garland. I went to Garland High School and was in the International Baccalaureate program there. The Fighting Owls.

You’ve got a 10-year plan to serve on the school board. Why?

The short answer is, it’s my calling in life. A few years ago, I went to India and helped put in water wells. In Mexico, I helped at an eye clinic for orphans and street children. I’ve done a lot of work over the years helping kids. I’ve been a Big Brother for the past five years. I’ve always been passionate about helping kids. To be an effective school board trustee, you can’t just like children. You have to know something about management, and you have to understand the policies.

Smarter Real Estate

WHERE DO YOU THINK THIS PASSION FOR HELPING CHILDREN COMES FROM?

It’s sort of the way I was raised. I was born to two parents who loved me. I attended good schools, and I had everything I ever needed. I had no control over that. It’s sort of the luck of the draw. You don’t get to choose where you’re born. Oh but for the grace of God, I could’ve been born a lost boy of Sudan. It’s on those of us who can do something to actually do something.

HOW DO YOU THINK DISD CAN OVERCOME ITS FINANCIAL WOES?

We’re spending about half our money on teachers. That means we’re spending $700plus million on stuff other than teachers. Now, some of that is needed. But we just seem to have lost our way. If you compare spending in the U.S. to spending in Japan, for example, they spend 77 percent of every education dollar on teachers. They spend less than we do, and they get more for it. Put more money in classrooms. Give principals a great deal more authority to manage their campuses. That brings perils of its own because it requires a skill set that not all of our principals necessarily have. As we move in that direction of local school control, you’ve got to concentrate on their skills and training. Perhaps the most critical ingredient is the principal. If you have 225 world-class principals, you have 225 world-class schools. A good principal can get everyone motivated and focused, to throw out their TAKS workbook and pay attention to teaching kids how to think. This is what a good campus leader can do. That is probably the single most valuable thing in education, but it’s hard to come by.

HOW DO YOU THINK YOUR MANAGEMENTBACKGROUND CAN HELP?

I understand the value of metrics and of having the right metrics. The job of metrics is to relentlessly keep employees focused on the mission. You have to develop metrics that tie them to be relentlessly focused on their mission. Your real objective is not to get people to pass tests. It’s raising sentient beings who can think for themselves. We’ve erred on the side of numeric analysis, and we’ve forgotten that the purpose of numeric analysis is to keep people focused on their missions. And you’ve taken away the human interaction that principals and deans of instruction should have with teachers. The feedback loop is broken. And everybody loses. It is a case study in how to destroy a school system. DISD is losing 100,000 students. That is the legacy we’re leaving to the city of Dallas. There are 150,000 students inDISD.A third don’t graduate. A third do, but they’re not prepared. It’s a catastrophe.

WINTON ST. $294,900

shop & guest qtrs Mary Harbour

5739 BELMONT AVE. $689,000 Renovated 1910 Masterpiece on 90’x200’ lot Mark Liesner 469-441-2771

CEDAR SPRINGS RD. #321 $144,000 Special Incentives. 2/2/1

If you’ve got a teacher in there who loves the kids that’s a work of art. It is our job to make sure they’re successful at their jobs. Find, retain and train great principals. And then find, retain and train great teachers.

NO ONEIS RUNNINGAGAINST YOU. NO ONE ELSE WANTS THIS JOB. WHY DO YOU WANTIT?

You know, I get that question a lot: “Why inGod’s name would you do this?” People tell me they think DISD is hopeless and we should just write it off. We’ve come to a point where no one trusts the school district. Eighty-seven percent of our kids are free and reduced lunch. The middle class has left the school district, for the most part. There are great things going on in our schools that no one knows about. Preston Hollow Elementary has 98 percent TAKS passing rates. It has the performance of a good private school. But no one’s putting their kid in that school because they don’t trust it. The DISD brand is so bad that even when good things happen, people don’t believe it.

SO THE SCHOOL DISTRICT NEEDS NEW PR?

Yes. PR is important. We have these things called SBDMs — site-based decision making committees, and they’re made up of people from the community. Well, SBDMs are mostly a waste of time. They’re ineffective and don’t do much to provide managerial support. I would like to see them expanded and given more duties. For example, task an SBDM with increasing volunteerism and doing PR for the school. At elementary schools, they could increase early childhood PTAs.

WHAT CAN THE COMMUNITY DO TO HELP SCHOOLS?

We’ve got to recognize that schools can’t do it alone. When middle class kids leave the classroom, their education continues. But when poor kids leave the class, that’s it for them. We’ve got to recognize that those larger societal factors are part of the conversation: hunger, health, homelessness. My Little Brother has moved 25 times in five years. How are you going to get a good education that way? We should look at extending the school year, the school day, after school programs. These kids are going be 20-somethings working in our city. The mayoral debate is all about economic development, and they’ve got it all wrong. Spruce High School is in a run-down neighborhood. Imagine if Spruce High School was the high school where everyone wanted to send their kids because that’s a phenomenal high school. What would happen to that neighborhood? When you get the campuses right, the neighborhoods follow.

—RACHEL STONE

Caught in the web

tokeepthingswhole.blogspot.Com

On any given day he might be reviewing a movie or a book, mulling over current events or pop culture, or revealing a personal experience, but all Mark Crotty’s blog posts lead to the main topic, education. And despite the fact that Crotty is the Head of St. John’s Episcopal School near White Rock Lake, his outlook on education is not as narrow as reading, writing and arithmetictype schooling. “It’s more about emphasizing that education is a human endeavor,” Crotty explains. “And because we are complex, we should be holistic in our approach to education.” That’s the philosophy behind the school that he has overseen for the past year, where he says the staff works hard to shape character and spirit as well as scholastics. Before St. John’s, Crotty worked at Greenhill School for 20 years. He started the blog (named “To Keep Things Whole”, a line from a poem by Mark Strand) as a way to let people get to know him and to reach more people — professionals, parents or students who are interested in education. He recently won recognition from the National Association of Independent Schools, which named his as a “blog to watch”, but he insists he doesn’t have all the answers. “I hope people don’t think I come across as someone who thinks (he) know(s) all,” he says. “I just want to ask questions, get people to ask questions and to contribute to a larger conversation about the purpose of education.” —Christina

hughes BaBB

8627 Cherry Hill Dr, Dallas $400,000 / 4/4/3LA/2DA/3Car

Marilyn Pailet 214-207-3123

7241 Midbury, Dallas $800,000 / 4/5/2LA/2DA/2Car/4161 sq ft

Carole Steele 469-744-3044 7303

WHAT GIVES?

Small ways that you can make a big difference for neighborhood nonprofits

TEE UP

in the Tim Brown golf tournament May 2. The tournament is named after Heisman Trophy winner Tim Brown, a Woodrow Wilson High School alumnus. Brown sponsors this annual golf tournament benefiting the school’s athletics program. This year’s 20th annual tournament, May 2 at the Tenison Highlands course, offers sponsorship and playing opportunities, beginning at $200 for individual players. To participate and meet Brown during the event, contact Sam Harrington at 214.558.0582.

PAVE THEWAY

to an improved White Rock Lake. A $100 donation buys a 12-inch-by-12inch brick for the new White Rock Lake Spillway. Each brick can be engraved with up to 10 lines of text, containing up to 20 characters, including spaces. For more information, contact centennial@ whiterockdallas.org.

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.

6906 Merrilee | $525,000 3/3.5 Lakewood ranch on beautiful lot Haley Wagstaff | 214.563.7685 6327 Palo Pinto | $539,000 3/2/3LA – Lush landscaping, designer colors Ronda Needham | 214.801.5828

6942 Wildgrove | $739,000 Renovated Tudor in prime location Brady Moore | 214.680.6555 can türkyilmaz

Palo Pinto | $675,000 2007 Craftsman – 4/3.5/Game & Media Room Ryan Streiff | 469.371.3008

neighbors v. nightclub

Drunken drivers, empty beer bottles, random acts of vandalism and the occasional gunfight are typical Saturday night happenings for some residents of Lakewood Hills. All the rowdiness stems from a nearby nightclub, Far West, which is adjacent to the White Rock YMCA. Neighbors have been fighting Far West at least since 2008, when they challenged a 99-year specific use permit the owners had obtained to operate a dance hall there. They appealed to city hall to change the permit to five years, and it expires in 2013. But that’s not soon enough for neighbors who are tired of the weekly pandemonium. So this time, they are contesting the club’s liquor license. The license is up for renewal in December, and two lawyers have volunteered their time to file a protest with the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission. Dolores and Daniel Wolfe of East Dallas filed the letter, pro bono, on behalf of 12 neighborhood associations and crime watch groups, plus the Ferguson Road Initiative. In March, they sent a 14-page letter detailing violence at the club, including a Jan. 18 fight that led to a shooting and a police chase. Between January and April of this year, police filed seven aggravated assault complaints at the club. And there were two cases of “accidental injury”, when people were cut by flying beer bottles. “A mega nightclub does not belong in the middle of residential neighborhoods on the primary

street families living east of the lake use to get around White Rock Lake,” the letter states. Kim Ratcliff, who lives on Casa Loma, says traffic on Garland and East Grand is heavy most of the time. But on Saturday nights, it can become utter gridlock because of the club. She’s often awoken at 2 or 3 a.m. by “what sounds like racing on East Grand.” And then there are the drunken people, laughing, talking loudly and slamming car doors in the middle of the night. When there’s a special event at the club, parked cars are stacked throughout the neighborhood. She’s caught men urinating on her lawn, and picking up beer bottles and cans is a typical Sundaymorning activity for most neighbors, she says. Most frightening is the gunfire, Ratcliff says. “I’m all for having a good time,” she says. “It’s just unfortunate how close such a large club is to residences.” City councilman Angela Hunt says she recently asked the fire marshal to check up on the club. The club’s legal capacity is 2,500, and the doorman told the fire department some 2,400 were inside. The fire marshal counted more than 3,000 people leaving. But a $1,000 fine for violating fire code is just part of doing business for some clubs, Hunt says. “Yeah, we can keep sending the fire marshal and babysitting them and giving them fines,” she says. “But we need a more substantial solution than that.” —RACHEL

STONE

ASK THE EXPERT

What can I do to

sure my air conditioner operates at top efficiency during the hot summer months?

the (small) sopranos

One thing you must do is CHANGE THE FILTER. A dirty filter can create condensation problems, cause ice to form on the cooling coil, damage the blower motor, and shorten the life of the system because it has to run longer and work harder. The bottom line is, it makes your system work inefficiently, and that costs you money in the form of higher energy and repair bills.

Brandon Quigley President

So, change the filter in your furnace once a month, and have your system checked by a professional twice a year—in the spring, before the hot weather hits, and in late fall, before you switch on the heater.

214.526.8533

www.quigleyac.com

Advocate readers, schedule a cooling maintenance visit by May 31st and pay only $99 (regular price is $120). We will make sure your system is in good shape. Your job is to change those filters. That will keep your AC humming all summer long.

The four fresh-faced girls sit giggling, bouncing and trying unsuccessfully to sit still under the bright dressing-room lights. They are similarly clothed in heavy, tattered rags, stockings (under which one can make out a trace of knee pads) and black beanies that only partially contain unruly locks. On this night, the children — 10-year-old Chloe Gilpin, a student at St. John’s Episcopal, her sister Sophie, 6, who attends St. James Episcopal, and Highlander School students Emmie and Julia Rose Arduino, 10 and 8 years old, respectively — have just exited the stage of the Dallas Opera’s production of Boris Godunov. Collectively, the children have just crawled on hands and knees, begged for food, teased and robbed a crazy old man, and died, perhaps more than once. And they sang — the four young sopranos belted out their lines so beautifully that the listener might question whether such bold song could emit from such a small person. They felt virtually no fear before the packed house at the Winspear and had a grand time playing the poor, starving and neglected children of 16th century Russia. When they deliver lines, they don’t really know what they are singing, says Chloe and Sophie’s mom, Beth Gilpin, who had a nonsinging role in the production. Gilpin, along with Emmie and Julia Rose’s mom Natalie Arduino, who herself is a critically acclaimed mezzo-soprano, translate words for the young actors and explain the overriding themes of the opera, Gilpin says. “They don’t know what it feels like to be a starving child, or even know that there is such a thing,” Gilpin says. “Before they can play one, they have to understand.” The girls — all inspired by their talented mothers and, in the case of the younger ones, older siblings — boast lengthy résumés for their young ages: Chloe has seven operas under her belt; Emmie has three; Julia Rose and Sophie, two each. They

sing for school and church choirs and act in school plays. The Dallas Opera, for children’s roles, uses kids who have had some stage experience, be it at school, church or some other form of theater. In opera, the roles of children are never gratuitous, says Dallas Opera media director Suzanne Calvin. “When children appear in opera it is always important,” Calvin says. “Boris Godunov was no exception.” Once they have been selected for an opera choir and perform well — as the older girls did in 2009’s Dallas

Opera production of “La Boehme” — they will undoubtedly be cast in future productions. “Once you’re in, you’re in,” Gilpin notes. Calvin adds that it is not easy to find the right children for the job — the Gilpin and Arduino girls’ talents are a “proven commodity.” Generally, the girls appear in two or three shows per year. The nights can run late — they sometimes feed little Sophie chocolate to keep her awake — and the schedule is tough, but all involved agree that it’s well worth the hard work. They spend down time backstage doing homework and then playing board games. It’s different, but not exceedingly different from the way other families invest their time, Gilpin says. “Some families have kids who play soccer; we have opera kids.” —CHRISTINA HUGHES BABB

“When children appear in opera, it is always important.”

make

BENJAMIN HAGER

community orchestra

Playing violin is a lifelong hobby for Hollywood Heights resident Kevin Felton. He first started playing in fifth grade, and for the past 25 years, he’s picked up a stringed instrument nearly every day. When Felton moved to the neighborhood in 1992, he went looking for people to play with. “My favorite music to play is anything I can play with other people,” he says. “I get tired of playing in a closet, playing at home alone all the time.” He found an Irish folk music group in Lakewood, so he learned to fiddle in that style. That was fun, he says, but the group stopped playing together around 2003. So a few years later, Felton, who is an orthotist at Texas Scottish Rite Hospital for Children, found the Dallasbased New Texas Symphony Orchestra. The all-volunteer orchestra performs four concerts a year in Hamon Hall, inside the Winspear Opera House. It was founded by conductor Kathryn Brown, originally to accompany the Turtle Creek Chorale, although it now is a separate nonprofit with performances all its own. The orchestra performs romantic and classical styles, baroque and classical church music. Now Felton mainly plays viola, the middle instrument between violin and cello. “The NTSO has auditions for the wind and brass and the percussion,” he says. “But we’re badly in need of strings. So there are not auditions for the strings program.” When the orchestra plays its seasonal concerts, the next one being Saturday, June 4, most of the audience members are friends and family of the orchestra members. But it’s not so much about who’s listening as who’s playing, Felton says: “Playing with others is the gift of playing in the orchestra.”

STONE

FIND MORE INFORMATION about performances and joining the orchestra at ntso.org.

Woodrow alumnus Jason Hammond, top right, and his wife, Beth Jasper, bottom left, directed a feature-length documentary about Texas-style fiddling. PHOTOS COURTESY OF JASON HAMMOND

C. Lopez, DDS

the devil’s box

Jason Hammond just needed a catfish. Actually, he needed three live catfish for a TV commercial he was working on in Austin. The 1987 Woodrow Wilson High School graduate wound up driving to a fish hatchery in Halletsville, Texas. He bought the fish from bemused hatchery owner Kenneth Henneke, and he wound up getting the idea for his first feature-length documentary, “The Devil’s Box”. “It was killing him why I wanted three catfish, because he usually sells hundreds of pounds of fish at a time, and I almost didn’t tell him what I was doing,” he says. “But I started talking to him, and he said, ‘You need to make a movie about my fiddle contest.’” Henneke and his friends started producing an annual Texas-style fiddling contest in Halletsville in 1970. Hammond had never heard of Texasstyle fiddling before, but he was intrigued. So Hammond and his wife, Beth Jasper, headed to Halletsville. “They fixed us pot roast and introduced us to the world of Texas fiddling,” Hammond says. The couple asked another 1987 Woodrow grad, Erik Hansen, to be their executive producer. The first thing they filmed was the contest. “Neither Beth nor I are very musical, so we really had to attack it from a journalistic point of view,” Hammond says. The threeday festival is every April, and it takes over the entire town. Texas fiddle music is centuries-old music that European settlers brought to Texas, and it evolved over geography and generations. It is almost like jazz in the sense that each fiddler plays the music a different way, adding notes and flourishes to put their own mark on it. “It’s this whole society of people who are these very talented musicians who don’t do it for money,” Hammond says. “They do it for the love of music.” Hammond, Jasper and Hansen are working to have the documentary picked up by a TV network. And they are submitting it to festivals. It screened at SXSW film festival in March. Next, they hope to bring it overseas to Europe and Asia, where they expect it will be well received. “It’s a family film. It’s a happy story. So many documentaries have really sad or serious subject matter,” he says. “This is not one of them. It’s about music. It’s just a lot of fun.” —RACHEL STONE

“I’d never want to consider a life without activity,” says avid runner and biker Gary Derheim. But a hip fracture nearly brought his sport to a screeching halt. At Baylor, Gary was treated with an advanced, new procedure called hip resurfacing. “Before the procedure,” he says, “they spent a lot of time talking to me about options, what was important to me. You need a good hip to ride like I do. The procedure was incredible. I was walking within days. Ultimately, I was able to do a 109-mile bike race, and I didn’t think about my hip once.”

For a physician referral or for more information about orthopaedic services at Baylor Dallas, call 1.800.4BAYLOR or visit us online at BaylorHealth.com/DallasOrtho

3500 Gaston Avenue., Dallas, Texas 75246

LAUNCHgrab-bag

Boulter-Davis

heart in steel

You go to Crossroads Diner for the ooey gooey sticky buns , the pillowy pancakes or the creative frittatas, but once you’re in, you can’t help but notice the enormous, center-stage, whisk chandelier. Crossroads owner Tom Fleming imagined it, but stainless steel fabricator Don Kemp of Kemp Steel in East Dallas made it happen. Kemp doesn’t consider himself an artist, but rather an artisan. “An artist creates something original, that only he can create. A good artisan can reproduce anything someone else can do or think up,” he explains. So when Fleming told Kemp his idea, Kemp used his high-tech equipment

Physicians are members of the medical staff at one of Baylor Health Care System’s subsidiary, community or affiliated medical centers and are neither employees nor agents of those medical centers, Baylor University Medical Center at Dallas or Baylor Health Care System. ©2010 BHCS AM CE 9.10

“My new hip got me back in the race.”

MARK DAVIS

to roll long flat bars of stainless steel into the shape of the whimsical-looking kitchen tool. Kemp Steel has been in business in the East Dallas area since 1926. “My grandfather, then my daddy (Don Senior) and now my dad and I work together every day,” Kemp says. “He’s tried to retire, but I won’t let him.” The Kemps work can be seen in homes businesses and churches around Dallas — they built the altar gates and baptistry at St. Bernard of Clairvaux Church in Little Forest Hills, for example. Sidenote: Kemp went to grade school at St. Bernard and attended the first mass there when he was just 6 years old. He went on to Bishop Lynch, followed by Indiana University and later University of Texas at Austin. “I got cold,” he jokes, “and had to come home.”

—CHRISTINA HUGHES BABB

PETPAUSE backyard prison blues

LUCY and CUPCAKE are not really cellmates, but they enjoy posing for the occasional picture. Their owner is SHANNON MCAFEE of Lakewood. McAfee saw someone dump Lucy, left, at a church on Northwest Highway in rush-hour traffic. She braved all six lanes, in heels, to save her. Cupcake is the 11-year-old grandma of the family.

WANT YOUR PET FEATURED? Send a non-returnable photo to: PetPause, 6301 Gaston, Ste. 820, Dallas 75214; or email jpeg to launch@advocatemag.com

Our Dallas City Council must find the wherewithal to reign in unnecessary wasteful spending. This is not the time to increase taxes on the already financially strapped residents of Dallas. The old ‘Tax and Spend’ approach to city finances has got to go.

The City of Dallas is now facing a significant financial crisis. The City Council will be challenged with its trust of Dallas’ financial health, while also protecting our city’s most essential services.

Let’s help Dallas Citizens and District 14 Residents get back to work by making sure city contracts employ local workers. City ordinances should create a favorable environment to attract new businesses and existing business expansion in order to bring more jobs and prosperity to Dallas.

It’s time for new ideas and a new style of leadership to take on the tough issues facing the City of Dallas today — common sense and practical solutions are required.

Paid for by the Vernon Franko Election Campaign

TSHOP

My Jane Austen Summer written by Lakewood resident Cindy Jones!

Pick up a signed copy or have a copy personalized now through Mother’s Day! Super special and only at the T Shop. 1911 Abrams Prkwy. 214.821.8314

Visit us on Facebook.

THE GOODS

HDS CLOTHING

best kept secret in Dallas! Traveling to Paris, 5 times yearly, is your global neighborhood store for top-of-the-moment product, convenience and customer service.

HDS Clothing Womens/Mens 3014/3018 Greenville Ave. 214.821.8900

THE CORNER MARKET

Whose mom doesn’t love flowers? Swing by The Corner Market this Mother’s Day, pick up a bouquet, some hand-crafted truffles, fill out a card & stay for brunch. Where Greenville and McCommas meet. 214.826.8283 thecornermarketflowers.com

YOGA MART

Sit still and meditate with a solid pine folding meditation bench or buckwheat hull filled Zafu. 6039 Oram (at Skillman) 214.534.4469 yogamartusa.com

NORTH DALLAS ANTIQUE MALL

12,500 sq. ft. of great shopping for antiques, collectibles, vintage, furniture, décor, retro, art, glass, fashion, jewelry, garden and much more. 11722 Marsh Ln. @ Forest 214.366.2100

TALULAH BELLE

Child Perfume –this intoxicating fragrance is known as a “white crisp jasmine floral” that is very bold, very romantic, very aromatic.

Exclusively at Talulah Belle 2011 Abrams Rd. 214.821.1927 talulahbelle.com

THE STORE IN LAKE HIGHLANDS

THYMES fragrances enhance the quality of your daily life through the transformative power of fragrance. Come experience our different collections containing moisturizers, mists, candles, bubble bath and body wash. 10233 E NW Hwy@Ferndale (near Albertsons) 214.553.8850 Mon-Sat 9:30-5:30

TheStoreinLH.com

THE GOODS

DEBUTANTES AND COWBOYS

Exclusive Clothing and Accessories for Women and Children. 9219 Garland Rd. 214.324.3332 dcboutiqueonline.com

T-HEE GREETINGS

Graduation YOUR way! Custom invitations and announcements, great grad gifts and party goods to make your graduation worth celebrating! Mockingbird & Abrams and Walnut Hill & Audelia 214.747.5800 t-heegifts.com

JENNA B’S

Fun tribals prints are a huge Spring trend. Visit us at the corner of Greenville and Mockingbird to find these and other contemporary styles. 5706 E. Mockingbird Ln. Greenville Ave. 214.484.7116 JennaBsBoutique.com

BRUMLEY GARDENS

Birds of a Feather flock to Brumley’s color and funky gifts. And you should 10540 Church brumleygardens.com

a little bird told me always shop local!

CHEESECAKE ROYALE

When authentic family recipes meet fresh, high-quality ingredients, the result is a dessert experience that’s distinctly Royale. 9016 Garland Rd. 214.328.9102 CheesecakeRoyale.com

JACKIE SPRATT CAKES

Creating scrumptious artisan cakes and liquor filled cupckes for that special occasion. Bring your ideas and cake toppers and we do the magic to make them unique. 1901 N. Haskell Ste. 110 214.780.0404 jackiesprattcakes.com

LOVETENNIS

05.07.11-05.08.11

SWISS AVENUE MOTHER’S DAY HOME TOUR

$20-$25 You might drive by them almost every day, but this month, you can see inside the historic — some might say majestic — homes of Swiss Avenue. The annual Mother’s Day Home Tour returns 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Saturday and noon-6 p.m. Sunday, featuring beautiful abodes on Swiss, Bryan Parkway, La Vista and Live Oak. The tour includes two recently renovated homes with interesting back stories. Tour-goers can also check out the newly restored Munger Place Church. Other activities include an art show on the Swiss Avenue median, and live music and children’s activities in Savage Park. Don’t forget about the Mother’s Day Music and Brunch in the Park 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Sunday. Tickets are $20 in advance and $25 the day of the tour. Children 12 and under are free. Brunch admission is sold separately for $20. All proceeds from the tour benefit the neighborhood. 214.701.3396, sahd.org.

—EMILY TOMAN

05.01 CHILDREN’S CENTER CARNIVAL FREE The Children’s Center preschool hosts its annual spring carnival 3-6 p.m., featuring a bounce house, fire truck ride, petting zoo, five-pony carousel, games and more. 1423 San Saba, 214.823.2119, thechildrenscenterdallas.org.

05.01 MAY DAY CELEBRATION $100 Juliette Fowler Homes Inc. hosts the May Day Celebration at the Dallas Arboretum. The gardens open at 9 a.m., and the three-course lunch is 1-3 p.m. Proceeds benefit the remodel of Worth Wing, which houses memory loss patients. 8525 Garland Road, 214.515.1340, fowlerhomes.org.

05.03-05.31 CONCERTS IN THE GARDEN $9-$17 The Dallas Arboretum presents its Concerts in the Garden series at 7:30 p.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays, including local Celtic group the Killdares on May 17. The series spans all genres throughout the spring and summer. Season passes start at $88 for members. 8525 Garland, 214.515.6518, dallasarboretum.org.

05.06-05.22 GIGGLE, GIGGLE, QUACK $14-$25 Dallas Children’s Theater presents the national-touring musical sequel to “Click, Clack, Moo: Cows that Type”. The barnyard turns upside-down when Farmer Brown leaves his city-slicker brother in charge. Showtimes run at various times FridaysSundays. 5938 Skillman, 214.740.0051, dct.org.

05.07 PBR FOR PUPS FREE PBR for Pups brings together beer-drinkers and animal lovers for a 4-8 p.m. event at Ozona Grill. Attendees can participate in a silent auction and raffle benefiting Garland Pawsibilities, a nonprofit rescue group. Raffle tickets are $5 each, 5 for $20 or 12 for $40. 4615 Greenville, pbr4pups.org.

05.07 SIDEWALK

STORIES $12$25 The East Dallas-based Contemporary Ballet Dallas closes its 10th anniversary season with a performance at 8 p.m. at the Texas Theatre in Oak Cliff. “Sidewalk Stories” includes all original works, examining urban life from different perspectives. Admission is $22 for adults and $12 for students if purchased in advanced. Tickets are available at the door for $25

and $15, respectively. 231 W. Jefferson, contemporaryballetdallas.com.

05.07 BISHOP LYNCH SPRING MARKET FREE

Bishop Lynch High School Brigade hosts its fourth annual spring market 9 a.m.-5 p.m. in the school theater. The Hip Hop Café will serve drinks and food. 9750 Ferguson, bishoplynch.org.

05.07 WHITE ROCK LAKE CENTENNIAL HALF

MARATHON $60-$70 Runners and walkers can view 13.1 miles of scenic White Rock Lake as part of the 100th anniversary celebration. Proceeds benefit the Centennial Fund, which supports improvement projects for the lake. dallasrunningclub.com.

05.11-05.28 THE MYSTERY OF MIZ

ARNETTE $10-$14 One Thirty Productions presents a Dust Bowl-era play, which follows a young girl whose life changes when a stranger enters the picture. Performances run at 1:30 p.m. 521 E. Lawther, 214.670.8749, dallasculture.org.

05.15 LAKEWOODSTOCK FREE The Lakewood Shopping Center hosts a day of shopping, food, drinks, live music and other activities noon8 p.m. A raffle will benefit White Rock Lake. 214.826.0700, lakewoodstock.com.

05.18-05.29 9 TO 5: THE MUSICAL $25$80 This new musical comedy, fresh from Broadway, is based on the hit movie and features Dolly Parton’s original hit title song along with her new Tony- and Grammy-nominated score. Co-screenplay writer for the movie, Patricia Resnick, also wrote the musical’s book. Showtimes are 8 p.m. nightly with 2 p.m. matinees on Saturdays and Sundays, plus a 2 p.m. matinee on Thursday, May 19. Music Hall at Fair Park, 909 First Avenue. 214.421.5678 or dallassummermusicals.org.

05.21 CENTENNIAL REGATTA FREE-$35 Open to all centerboard boats having a Portsmouth Handicap Rating and to Corinthian class sailboats, the Centennial Regatta runs 9 a.m.-5 p.m. with three races scheduled. Registration includes lunch. The event is free for spectators. 340 E. Lawther, 972.693.7271, whiterockboatclub.com.

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05.22 WHITE ROCK EAST GARDEN TOUR

$10 The Casa Linda Estates, Little Forest Hills and Forest Hills neighborhood associations present the 10th annual Garden Tour, 11 a.m.-5 p.m., featuring local artisans. The event also includes a plant sale. whiterockeastgardentourandartisans.blogspot.com.

05.26 JUDY COLLINS $30-$75 American folk legend Judy Collins performs at 7 p.m. at the Lakewood Theater. After a sold-out concert at Bass Hall last year, tickets will be in high demand. 1825 Abrams, 214.821.7469, lakewoodtheater.com.

05.27-.05.29 CITYARTS FESTIVAL FREE

The CityArts Festival showcases work by more than 200 renowned Texas and national artists 6-10 p.m. Friday, 11 a.m.-10 p.m. Saturday and noon-6 p.m. Sunday at Fair Park. The event also includes musical and dance performances, arts and crafts, and family activities. Parking is $10. 1300 Robert B. Cullum, 214.565.0200, cityartsfestival.com.

05.28 WHITE ROCK ROWING SPRINT

CHAMPIONSHIPS FREE Visitors can watch rowers blaze down the 2,000-meter course during the White Rock Rowing Sprint Championship, 8:30 a.m.-2 p.m., hosted by the White Rock Boathouse. Tours of the historic Filter Building and boathouse will be available. 340 E. Lawther, 214.212.0477, whiterockboatclub.com.

05.29-05.30 CARRY THE LOAD $50 To raise awareness about those who have fought and died for our country, White Rock Lake will host Carry the Load, in which participants must carry more than their weight in a backpack for upto 20 hours and 11 minutes around the Lake from 4 p.m. Sunday to noon Monday. Opening ceremonies begin at 3:30 p.m. Proceeds benefit organizations such as Heroes on the Water, Joe Foss Institute and the Fisher House Foundation. 340 E. Lawther, carrytheload.org.

Delicious

A guide to dining & drinking in our neighborhood

Horne & Dekker

Henderson & Capitol

214.821.9333

H orneanddekker. C om

Breakfast Bounty

W H et H er you C ome in W it H a H angover or not, chances are you’ll leave Horne & Dekker with a breakfast high (followed shortly by an afternoon nap). The restaurant offers Hangover Brunch 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Sundays with a menu full of hearty — not to be confused with healthy — dishes, says owner Flynn Dekker. The mastermind behind this utterly indulgent menu is executive chef Corey Smith, a New Orleans native who’s always looking for new ways to present traditional food. Take the French toast. Made with brioche, it comes oozing with mascarpone cheese and topped with maple syrup, powdered sugar and strawberries. “Everyone does the boring French toast,” Smith says. “This you can’t make at home.” Then there’s the Double Dekker — buttermilk pancakes and biscuits smothered in gravy, topped with “hangover eggs” and crispy brown sugar bacon along with potato hash on the side. And don’t forget the signature and stout drink, the Walk of Shame, which combines the herbal liquor Zwack, ginger beer, mint and “a little hair of the dog that bit you.” Dekker claims it is the ultimate hangover cure. “It’s not known for its delicious taste,” he says. The restaurant recently introduced some new menu items, including frogs and fries — a dish of fried frog legs and French fries. It’s all in keeping with Horne & Dekker’s upscale yet down-home Southern flair. “We try to play right there in the middle.” —Emily

1 The Grape

This lower Greenville establishment has one of the best brunch menus around, including bistro streak frites, the fried chicken biscuit and shredded ox tail with banana pepper hash. greenville & viCkery 214.28.1981

tHegraperestaurant.Com

2 Taco Join T

if burritos and tacos are more your speed, this local spot offers breakfast 8 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturdays, serving up signature grub like the Gaston Grab — six tacos packed with bacon, eggs, potatoes and cheese.

peak & gaston 214.826.8226

tHetaCojoint.Com

3 Garden c afé

Toman

Pictured: top, French toast; bottom left, chef Corey Smith

For a truly homegrown meal, try the Garden Café, which grows its own produce and herbs just a few feet from the restaurant. They serve breakfast all day Tuesday-Saturday, featuring build-your-own omelettes. Henderson & junius 214.887.8330

gardenCafe.net

MARK DAVIS

YOUR GUIDE TO DINING OUT

ASIAN MINT $$ODFBWB Our Highland Park location, The Mint, offers an array of Asianfused 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.

PIZZA LOUNGE $$ODFB Voted Dallas best late night restaurant 2010 ! Pizza LOUNGE offers their own unique, made-from-scratch recipes featuring fresh made pizza dough and sauce. Appetizers, salads and deserts are also an option in their eclectic, funky atmosphere as you listen to off beat tunes. Open 11am. 7 days a week till late late night at 841 exposition ave, Dallas. 214.887.6900. Pizzaloungedallas.com and on facebook.

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 texmexlakehighalnds.com

LE JAJA DE JAU SYRAH ($12) FRANCE>

Mother’s Day is upon us, so here are a few thoughts giving Mom wine and serving wine for a Mother’s Day brunch.

First and foremost, if you know what Mom likes, to her. That means that if she appreciates white zinfandel, let her drink white zinfandel. You aren’t the wine police.

Second, don’t worry too much about pairing wine and food. You aren’t the wine police there, either. Mom likes red wine with fish or white wine with beef, she’s allowed to drink it.

To that end, here are three wines that offer value and fit those criteria:

This French red isn’t quite the steal that it was in the old days, but still offers decent wine at a decent price. Best yet, it’s a fruity red wine that pairs with everything from roast chicken to roast lamb.

This is an odd white blend from Australia — riesling, sauvignon blanc and marsanne. It’s not sweet, despite the riesling, but clean and crisp with a bit of lemon fruit. It’s a shellfish and salad wine.

This is very well done California chardonnay — oak for people who like that sort of thing, plus green apple fruit and enough acid to balance the fruit and the oak. The wine to treat Mom with.

—JEFF SIEGEL

2 car garage | Kay Wood |

McCommas Blvd | $389,000 | M-Streets

car/updated | Shelle Carrig

WITH YOUR WINE Roast chicken thighs with mustard, garlic and rosemary

Like roast chicken, but dislike how long it takes? Then try roasting individual parts. Thighs are the quickest, but you can also use breasts. Just let them cook a little longer. Any of the wines mentioned here would pair well.

ask the WINE GUY?

Serves 4, takes about 40 minutes

8 chicken thighs

1/3 c Dijon-style mustard

1 clove garlic, minced

1/4 tsp rosemary, ground

4 Tbsp olive oil, divided salt and pepper to taste

1. Preheat oven to 450. Combine mustard, garlic, rosemary and 3 Tbsp olive oil in a small bowl.

2. Salt and pepper the thighs. In an ovensafe pan large enough to hold all the chicken, sauté the thighs, starting skin side down, in 1 Tbsp olive oil for about 3 1/2 minutes on each side, until well browned.

3. Put the thighs in the oven and cook for 10 minutes. Flip the thighs over so the skin side is down, and brush the mustard mixture on the thighs. Cook for 10 minutes, flip again, and brush the mustard on the skin side of chicken. Cook 10 or 15 minutes more until chicken is done.

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WHY

IS RESTAURANT WINE SO MUCH MORE EXPENSIVE THAN WINE IN STORES?

This is one of the most controversial parts of the wine business, and there are many reasons. But, typically, restaurants charge three times what the wine costs the restaurant. And why do they do it? Because they can.

—JEFF SIEGEL

PENNE POMODORO

NOW DELIVERING WEEKLY SPECIALS

Tuesday Nights: Half Price Bottle

Wine Night (w/ adult entree)

Wednesday Nights: Kids Eat Free (w/adult entree. Limit 2 kids per adult)

Saturday & Sunday Brunch: $1.00 Bellinis & Mimosas (w/ adult entree)

LAUNCHfood&wine TAQUERIA HIDALGO

RESTAURANT & FOOD TALK

Advocate editors serve up restaurant news every Monday on the Back Talk blog. Read post excerpts below, and for the full posts, visit lakewood.advocatemag.com and search: Restaurant talk.

It’s 11 a.m. on a Sunday and I’m traveling from East Dallas home to Lake Highlands. I want to grab brunch tacos for the family, but where? Fuzzy’s is packed. I don’t have the energy to deal with it. On a hunch, I head toward the fringe — that area that isn’t quite East Dallas or Lake Highlands or Garland — Northwest Highway and Jupiter.

That’s where, for the first time ever, I notice Taqueria Hidalgo (it’s been there two years, by the way, according to a staffer), tucked away next to a coin laundry. It’s not crowded at all. The place is spacious with a dozen tables. Two or three of them hold customers. A Spanish news show plays on a small TV in a corner. The signage is entirely in Spanish, but there’s one thing — an important thing — that I understand: “Tacos $1”.

Thankfully, photos along the wall identify other menu items, and the young woman at the counter speaks perfect English. I order a bunch of breakfast-y tacos: tacos with varying combinations of eggs, chorizo, potatoes, cheese, rice. I add a few burritos to my order — spicy pork, steak, tongue. The shells — a mixture of soft corn and flour tortillas —

were remarkably soft; generous amounts of spicy chorizo married with fluffy yellow eggs is topped with fresh veggies and lime. Green salsa drizzled on top adds adequate kick to the small but filling morsels. For $18 total, I fed four people with food to spare. The menu also included menudo, steak dinners, spicy shrimp cocktails ($6.99 small-$11 large), gorditas and Mexican subs ($5). Hidalgo also serves pretty pastel-colored fruit drinks, shakes and smoothies and something called horchata, a milk-based drink with vanilla and cinnamon that is supposedly a sweet accompaniment to spicy foods ($2).

If you need colorful candy, a glitzy rosary or a portrait of Our Lady of Guadalupe, they have you covered there too. Northwest & Jupiter 214.221.8226 —CHRISTINA

HUGHES BABB

LA CALLE DOCE

Enjoy our Weekend Brunch Menu Sats.

NATURALGROCERS

Good news — the marquee and the facade of the former Casa Linda theater will remain, property owner Clay Evans says. “We wouldn’t think of changing that,” he says. “Natural Grocers will just put their sign in the marquee.” This really is going to happen, isn’t it? The old Theater is morphing into the health-food market, Natural Grocers, as we told you a few months ago. I walked by the store this morning, and it is starting to look like a grocery store inside, and there’s a sign on the outside announcing that they are “Now Hiring”. The Casa Linda Natural Grocers is scheduled to open next month. One irritating thing about NG: they are closed Sundays. Boo. That’s when I do my shopping.

—CHRISTINA HUGHES

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CHINESE & MANDARIN CUISINE

White Rock Lake Festival hosted by The White Rock Lake Foundation

Admission $5

White Rock Lake Centennial Half Marathon hosted by Dallas Running Club Register at www.centennialhalf.com

Family Fun Day

WRL Painting Day meet at Branchfield and W. Lawther, 8:30am Lake Demonstrations at Big Thicket, 10am www.whiterockdallas.org

Little League Baseball Tournament at Winfrey Point

Comerica LakewoodStock hosted by Lakewood Business Association www.lakewoodstock.com

Come watch the Centennial Sailing Regatta hosted by the White Rock Boat Club www.whiterockboatclub.org

2nd Annual White Rock Rowing Sprint Championships hosted by the White Rock Boathouse www.whiterockboathouse.com

Carry The Load hosted by Carry The Load and White Rock Lake Conservancy www.carrytheload.org

Last day to enter the Centennial Photo Contest hosted by the White Rock Lake Conservancy. Go online for details at www.whiterockdallas.org

The Comerica White Rock Lake Centennial Celebration is a marathon of events and activities to celebrate the 100th birthday of one of Dallas’ signature parks. Kicking off in March and culminating in a grand finale weekend in June, proceeds from the Comerica White Rock Lake Centennial Celebration will help fund ten capital projects and improvements, including improving hike and bike trails, completely renovating the White Rock Dog Park and restoring the park forests.

The Comerica White Rock Centennial Celebration Pave the Way campaign allows families and businesses to forever commemorate their love of the lake on pavestones that will permanently grace the plaza at the spillway. Visit www.whiterockdallas.org to Pave the Way today.

To donate, buy tickets or for more information about the Comerica White Rock Lake Centennial Celebration, visit www.whiterockdallas.org or join us on Facebook at White Rock Dallas.

White Rock Lake Centennial Committee

2011 Designed by Allyn Media

Photo provided by Land Design Partners

test of strength

Some of life’s most important lessons are learned outside the classroom

By Rachel Stone

Photos by Benjamin Hager and Can Turkyilmaz

High school graduation is a milestone .

Some acquire their diploma easily. Others earn theirs against all odds. These graduating seniors didn’t let life’s blows keep them down. This month, they will cross the commencement stage knowing their tribulations made them stronger.

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- Dr. Scott Rice, DDS Irvine, CA

DEMA SANE WAS EXCITED ABOUT HIS NEW HOME.

It was fall 2009, and the 17-year-old Senegal native landed in New York with plans to finish high school there.

His dad is a consultant who travels throughout the world, and his mom was living in New York at the time.

But soon after he arrived, he was in the hospital with malaria.

“I don’t know how that happened,” he says. “It’s fairly common in Senegal, but it’s unheard of in New York.”

He was in the hospital for a week, and it took months before he could climb a flight of stairs without utter exhaustion. Sane decided the Big Apple wasn’t for him. So he moved to Dallas, where he found a home with Alene Mathis, a Woodrow counselor whose church has a connection to Sane’s church in Senegal.

Now a 19-year-old senior, he says he has the highest grade-point average of anyone in his class (he’s not in the running for valedictorian because students with Advanced Placement credits outrank him). His favorite subjects are astronomy and global business.

“I’ve always wanted to be in the U.S.A.,” he says. “I have a love for English.”

Making friends wasn’t that hard, since people in Texas are friendly, Sane says.

Dr. Miranda can give you the confidence of the smile you’ve always wanted.

But adjusting to the culture has been difficult.

Kids are flashier here than in Senegal. They have strange haircuts. And school is different — more lax in some ways, stricter in others.

The worst part is the weather.

“In Senegal, there was a beach, and we used to go to the beach all the time,” he says. “I thought I would have no problem with the weather, but surprisingly, it was hot. It was really hot here.”

Mathis says Sane often gets homesick, although he doesn’t show it. He talks on the phone to his mom a lot.

“I don’t know if I could do it,” she says. “Especially not at that age. He’s so far away from anything familiar to him.”

Malaria is an illness that never quite goes away completely. But Sane is healthy enough that he played on the varsity basketball team, which went to the playoffs this year.

Sane doesn’t know where he’s going to college, but he has talked with George Washington University, the University of North Texas, the University of Texas at Arlington and others about attending on a basketball scholarship.

Even though he was alone in Dallas, he found friendship and family in Woodrow.

“Playing sports helps because you make new friends, and they become like brothers to you,” he says.

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The 18-year-old Bishop Lynch senior and her 16-year-old sister were on the way to NorthPark to have their makeup done for homecoming on Oct. 2, 2010, when someone ran a stop sign and slammed into their passenger side door.

“I thought I was perfectly fine,” she says.

They went home, changed into their dresses and went to the dance.

“The next day, I didn’t wake up at all,” Isaac says. “Everyone was trying to wake me up, and I was completely gone.”

At the hospital, she was diagnosed with a severe concussion and sent home.

“It got worse to where I couldn’t walk. I couldn’t talk. Everything was really jumbled,” she says.

A neurologist diagnosed her with severe concussion and trauma-induced migraines in the midbrain. Over the following months, she would endure severe treatments she describes as “like chemo for your brain”, plus physical and speech therapy.

But most frustrating was learning differences she incurred.

“I would try to write things down, and it would come out as scribble scrabble,” she says.

When most of her college applications were due, Isaac was in the hospital, relearning to write and pronounce words.

“That was hard because I really couldn’t even think for myself, so my mom really had to help me,” she says.

Bishop Lynch president Ed Leyden says Isaac never considered graduating later or taking time off. She couldn’t interview with colleges because of her injuries, but she was determined to get into the best schools possible, he says.

“She wanted to come back here and be active here,” he says. “It took a lot of willpower, especially in dark times when she didn’t feel good.”

Isaac’s body and brain are healing, but she still struggles with learning differences. She has trouble with auditory processing, which means she can’t take effective notes in class. And she struggles with reading comprehension. It’s frustrating, but she says she is learning to work around her differences.

“At first I was sad, and then I was mad,” she says. “And then I realized it was OK because everyone has something to overcome.”

Recently, Isaac found out she was accepted to the University of Oklahoma, one of her top choices. She wants to study biochemistry and become a pediatric oncologist.

“You can’t take anything for granted because you never know when things are going to change,” she says. “I really appreciate my family more and being healthy. It’s made me a much stronger person.”

“It got worse to where I couldn’t walk. I couldn’t talk.“

He did enough to get by, but he didn’t push himself.

That all changed June 24, 2009.

That night, his mom was at a conference in San Antonio. His dad, a cab driver, was working. Ikemenogo went to bed about 1 a.m., and he awoke to the phone ringing at 4 a.m.

“It was my mom telling me my dad was shot,” he says. “I thought it was a dream at first, and I started laughing like it was a joke, and then I felt sick because I realized it was real.”

Two carjackers had shot him in the lung, and he was in critical condition at Parkland.

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When T.D. Ikemenogo was younger, he didn’t care that much about school.

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At the time, Ikemenogo and his younger brother, both students at Bishop Lynch, were enrolled in summer school. The first day, they contacted the school to notify them they would be absent.

Ikemenogo considered dropping out of summer school classes.

“My dad couldn’t talk because he was in ICU,” he says. “And my mom couldn’t talk because she was crying all the time.”

He tried to think what his father, an immigrant from Nigeria, would say if he could ask him what to do.

“My dad puts education above everything,” Ikemenogo says.

So he and his brother went to school the next day. It was hard, he says. They couldn’t concentrate. They were sad and afraid. But they were there, and eventually, they completed their classes.

Evelyn Grubbs, the Bishop Lynch math teacher who was overseeing summer school that year, says Ikemenogo sets very high standards for himself.

“Of course, he was very upset when his dad was shot, but one thing of grave concern to him was that he didn’t have a ride to school,” Grubbs says. “We kind of banded together, and several of the teachers here picked him up for school, and then his uncle started bringing him. But he didn’t miss. He was not going to miss.”

It was “the worst summer ever,” Ikemenogo says. His dad couldn’t work, and without work, there was no income.

The air conditioner broke in July, and they didn’t have money to fix it. They didn’t have money to pay the water bill, and soon, their water was turned off.

Neighbors and friends pitched in to help the family, Ikemenogo says. But the ordeal gave him an epiphany.

Education is the most important thing. It’s the only way to have stability, a secure career, money in the bank.

“I realized I have to work as hard as I can because it’s hard to come up with money,” he says. “You can’t take things for granted.”

His dad pulled through, and he still drives a cab for a living. He walks with a bit of a limp in his step, Ikemenogo says, and he doesn’t like to talk about what happened.

Now Ikemenogo makes all A’s and B’s. He has been accepted to 12 schools, including Syracuse and Virginia Tech, although he hasn’t chosen a school yet.

He wants to study architecture or business.

We’re inviting our neighbors to shop, eat, and drink locally. So, join us at Lakewood Village Shopping Center (Gaston & Abrams) and enjoy live music, local food, and area artists from Noon to 8 p.m. There will be kid’s activities and many fun surprises. Admission is free, so come explore your neighborhood with us.

Sponsored by Comerica Bank and your Lakewood area businesses

At only 17

EDITH RODRIGUEZ knows exactly what she wants to do in life.

She wants to become a lawyer who helps abused women and children. It’s personal for her.

When Rodriguez was 13 and living in her hometown of Zacatecas, Mexico, she fled to Texas with her mom, sister and brother.

“My father was always on drugs, and he was always abusing my mom, physically and verbally,” she says. “We were always hiding from him because he was so crazy.”

He set fire to their house, she says, and when it didn’t burn to the ground, he sold it so they would have nowhere

to live. That’s when they came to Texas; they have temporary work visas, and they expect to gain permanent residency status in about two years.

Rodriguez’s mom worked and enrolled the kids in school at Woodrow Wilson High School and J.L. Long Middle School. They settled into life in our neighborhood.

It wasn’t easy for Rodriguez and her 11-year-old brother. Neither of them spoke any English. Rodriguez was told she would need an extra year of school, and at J.L. Long, she was put in the lowest-level classes. But in about a year, she could speak English fluently, for which she credits the ESL teachers at Long.

She takes extra classes through a computer-assisted learning program at Woodrow. She makes all A’s and B’s, and she graduates this month, on time.

Case Wallace, who teaches the computer-assisted learning program at Woodrow, says Rodriguez could have taken her time, especially considering she had to learn one of the world’s most difficult languages. But she put in overtime to graduate in four years.

Still, a cloud hangs over her.

A few years ago, her dad found them.

“My father was in New Orleans, and he tried to come here and get back with my mom, but my sisters and I told her to stay away from him,” she says.

He didn’t take rejection well.

One day, when Rodriguez’s mom was at work in an East Dallas taquería, her husband came in and stabbed her. He was trying to kill her, Rodriguez says, but her mom escaped serious injury. The father, who is a U.S. citizen, went to jail for aggravated assault.

Rodriguez works Saturday and Sunday at La Madeleine. And her mom has opened her own taco stand in Pleasant Grove. Rodriguez plans to take basic courses at community college, transfer to SMU and then go to law school.

Her dad gets out of jail in about a year.

Ask her if she’s worried about that, and she pauses. She throws her eyes to one corner of the room, and quietly, she says, “Only a little bit.”

She’s not sure what she’ll do once he’s out, but she knows she wants to stay in the United States.

“I wanted to come to school to get a better future so I can help other people,” she says.

Owner Ron Hall is a Texas Master Certified Nursery Professional, Licensed Irrigator, Certified Landscape Professional, an Arborist, and an Award Winning Landscaper recognized through Texas Nursery

JOHNATHAN VELTEN studies about four and

a half hours a day.

When Velten arrives home from school every day, he takes a 30-minute break, and then he hits the books.

His study regimen has been the same since elementary school. On average, he spends about four and a half hours a day on homework.

It takes Velten, a 19-year-old senior at Bishop Lynch, a little bit longer than most students because he has dyslexia.

The learning disability, which affects reading, was diagnosed when he was in first grade, which he repeated.

Starting in second grade, he worked with an alphabetic phonics tutor.

“You phonetically sound out words and decode them,” he says. “It’s what people naturally do when they read, but for me, I didn’t really do that.”

He learned years ago that he has to start reading assignments way ahead of the rest of the class to finish them at the same time. The worst part about having dyslexia was in fourth grade, when the teacher would ask students to walk to the front of the class and read one paragraph aloud. For Velten, it was torture. Everyone else could read the paragraphs, but when his turn came, he couldn’t pronounce words, and he stumbled around.

After a while, though, he says he figured out a trick. He learned the teacher’s system for calling on people to read, so he could count the paragraphs and figure which one he would be asked to read. While other students read their paragraphs, Velten wasn’t listening; he was reading his own assignment over and over until it was time to stand up and say it aloud.

That type of problem-solving has become part of his everyday life.

Certain tasks take longer for him. In middle school, he often would stay up until 11 or midnight doing homework, putting in six or eight hours. But he earned good grades, and he thinks that made high school seem easier for him.

And he doesn’t back down from challenges.

Velten is a good example for anyone struggling with learning disabilities, says Kristin Mannari, director of communications at Bishop Lynch.

“He was discouraged freshman year because he had to work so hard,” Mannari says. “But he has been steady and completely committed to academics.”

As a freshman at Bishop Lynch, he requested Coach Dunn’s history class because he knew and liked him from basketball camp at SMU. Counselors warned him it was a hard class, but he was determined to take it.

“At the beginning of the year, he helps you out a lot and gives you study guides for the tests,” Velten says. “But progressively, through the year, he expects you to become more and more independent.”

Velten says his parents always told him

that as long as he tried and gave it his all, it would pay off, and now he sees that what they told him is true. School is not as hard for him as it used to be. Recently, he was awarded the rank of Eagle Scout, and he holds a first-degree black belt in karate.

Dyslexia, he says, is not a disability but a gift.

“It’s taught me to be dedicated to my work and figure out different ways to do my work,” he says. “Problem-solving comes naturally to me.”

Velten has been accepted to almost every college to which he applied, including St. Edward’s University, Austin College, Millsaps College and the University of North Texas. And several have offered him academic scholarships, he says. He hasn’t yet decided where to attend, but he wants to study pre-med or entrepreneurial business.

“It’s taught me to be dedicated to my work and figure out different ways to do my work. Problem solving comes naturally to me.”

Homecoming

These alums now stand at the head of the class

High school is a time of memories, growth and learning, but most of us, if we had the opportunity, would never return to our former high schools. After graduating, we leave high school in the past and dive head first into the future.

However, several alumni have traded in their backpacks for briefcases to return to their alma maters as faculty. Read about what motivated these former students to reenter the classroom in a very different role.

School dayS: Rivas describes himself as an “average student” in high school. “I wasn’t an A student or necessarily the smartest kid in the class,” he says. Rivas said a lot of his high school teachers were shocked he returned to Woodrow to teach.

“They’re like, ‘We had no idea you would ever teach,’ because I wasn’t the outspoken kid,” he says. “I was the quiet kid in the back. Now my students don’t believe me that I’m quiet.”

Story by Ashley Hudson Photos by Can Turkylimaz

Juan Rivas

History teacher and JV basketball coach Woodrow Wilson High School, class of 2003

THE JOURNEY BACK: After graduating, Rivas attended Lubbock Christian University, where he played on the basketball team. He was undecided on his major when his girlfriend at the time suggested he major in education. He took some classes and liked it.

“I didn’t want to want to go into business,” he says. “I didn’t want to sit in the office all day.”

After his first year, Rivas transferred to Dallas Christian College, where he also played basketball. He graduated from the school in December 2008 and emailed Woodrow’s principal, who was an assistant principal when he was a student, about teaching at the school.

He began teaching as a substitute in January 2009 and began working full-time when a position opened up in August.

“It just kind of fell into place,” he says. WHAT’S CHANGED: Rivas says there have been several changes since he was a student. Woodrow students now wear uniforms.

“We just showed up wearing whatever we wanted to wear,” he says.

Rivas also says the school is “more calm” than when he was a student.

“I don’t think it is as bad now as when I was a student here,” he says. “There were a lot more fights, a lot more violence going on within the students here. A lot of drugs.”

Yet, Rivas says the culture of Woodrow remains the same.

“It’s a complete world of its own here,” he says. “You get kind of the best of both worlds. You get all the Lakewood kids, and you get all the kids from East Dallas this side of the tracks. So it’s two completely different groups of people that come to this school in the same classroom. So it’s interesting to teach them.”

NEWAPPRECIATION: Many of Rivas’ high school teachers still teach at Woodrow.

“I learned how to appreciate them a lot more now than when I was here,” he says. “I used to think they just show up, tell you to do work and go home, but there’s a lot of stuff that comes with teaching, a lot of responsibility. So now that I’m in their shoes, I’m able appreciate them a lot more.”

RELATING TOSTUDENTS: On the first day of class, Rivas tells his students that he attended Woodrow as a student. He says teaching at the high school he attended has been beneficial.

“I’m able to communicate more with [students], and I understand a lot of their issues,” he says. “I’m only 25, so I’m not that much older. I teach 16-, 17-year-olds.

“I’m 10 years older, so a lot of the issues they’re struggling with I struggled with, and I’m able to relate to them and understand and be a little more flexible with work and stuff like that.”

Based on the book by DOREEN CRONIN and BETSY LEWIN

Adapted by JAMES E. GROTE Music and Lyrics by GEORGE HOWE

SEASON SPONSORS

PHOTO BY LINDA BLASE

JULIE MCMILLIN

Speech teacher

Bishop Lynch High School, class of 1968

WHEN IT WAS GRASS: McMillin recalls being in fifth or sixth grade and driving with her father to a grass field across from a neighborhood. Her father told her this field is where she would be attending high school. He was an accountant and had helped with the arrangements to purchase the land.

“I saw it when it was grass,” she says. “Little did I know how much of my life I would be at Bishop Lynch.”

SCHOOL DAYS: McMillin was part of Bishop Lynch’s third graduating class. At that time, boys and girls were separated into different sections of the school.

Male and female students had separate administrations, counselors and course requirements. The long classroom hallway near Ferguson Road was the boys’ hall, and the long classroom hallway near Inadale was the girls’ hall.

McMillin says the girls knew “exactly which tile meant we were in the boys’ division.” The students had lunches, dances and pep rallies together, but during pep rallies they sat on different sides of the gym.

“The students I have now think it was really lame that we had to sit on either side of the gym,” she says.

THE JOURNEY BACK: “I knew I wanted to teach forever,” McMillin says. “I remember thinking that [Bishop Lynch] was really where I’d kind of like to teach.” After graduating from Texas Christian University, she taught at St. Philip’s in Dallas, where she attended from first to eighth grade, for two years before receiving a call about teaching at Lynch. “I was thrilled to get back here,” she says. This is her 34th year at the school.

HISTORYLESSONS: “Part of having so many alumni back is that constant connection with the history of the school,” McMillin says.

She has the opportunity to share with her students the history of traditions like the junior-senior tea.

“When I was here as a sophomore, the first class was graduating, and the girls ahead of me were going to miss their friends so they threw a party for them,” she says.

The tradition has continued and now includes a “Saturday Night Live”-style skit where the junior girls act like the girls in the senior class. “It had to start from somewhere,” McMillin says.

YEAR 34: This is McMillin’s 34th year at Lynch. “Every year, we have new kids, new teachers, new things going on in the department, but it still always feels like Lynch,” McMillin says. “It’s kind of a second home for most of us.”

THIS WOMAN’S NAME WAS SPELLED BOTH MCMILLIN AND MCMILLIAN – WHICH IS CORRECT???

{Formerly Lake Highlands Peek’s Carpet and Tile – Under New Ownership!}

Abrams Rd. Ste. 310

Lake Highlands Residents, Susan & Rich Adair, are the new owners. They have managed the store for 15 years, so you’ll get the same great service you’re already used to.

Andy ZihlmAn

Girls varsity basketball head coach

Bishop Lynch High School, class of 1972

SCHOOL DAYS: Zihlman was the quarterback of the football team and ran track while a student.

“I enjoyed high school too much,” he says. “I wasn’t ready to leave high school yet.”

THE JOURNEY BACK: After graduating, Zihlman continued to help coach football part-time at Saint Paul School in Richardson. He worked with students of all ages, from kindergarten to eighthgrade.

“I just kind of took it and ran with it,” he says.

He graduated from East Texas State, which is now A&M Commerce, and continued coaching football, basketball and track part-time. When a full-time position opened up at Bishop Lynch in 1979, he returned to his alma mater.

WHAT’S CHANgED: Though he says the school has grown considerably over the last 10 years, “it’s like I never left.” During his time at Bishop Lynch, Zihlman has worked as a coach, dean of students, athletic director and even a driving instructor.

ALL iN THE fAmiLY: Zihlman’s wife, Teena, also is a Bishop Lynch 1972 graduate, and their three children graduated from the school as well. The students “know my family well,” he says.

WHAT’S THE SAmE: Zihlman enjoys being able to “practice his faith while teaching students. It’s a great blessing and great reward to work here.”

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Roma Provisions founder Samuel Bistrian describes the boots as a blend between a Burberry and a Hunter boot. The company’s adult knee-high rain boots retail for $78, and the children’s calf-high boots retail for $38. The boots are sold in several Dallas locations, including Ditto Boutique in Hillside Village, Jackson’s Home & Garden on Lemmon, and The Blue Jeans Bar in Snider Plaza. Visit romaprovisions.com for more information.

Bistrian says he saw a young girl in the freezing slush wearing only a pair of sandals. “Her ankles and feet were completely exposed to the elements,” he says. He watched as many children walked to school in knee-deep snow with terribly worn shoes.

Last year, the 28-year-old decided to address this problem head-on. His solu-

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To reserve a booth please contact Allison Stapleton 214-989-4152 or allison@twinroseinvestments.com

tion was Roma Provisions, a hybrid company combining business with charity. The company designs and sells rain boots, and the company’s nonprofit arm, Roma for All, distributes boots to children living in poverty.

For every pair of Roma Boots sold, a new pair of boots — packaged with a coloring book and crayons in a bag that doubles as a backpack — will be given to a child living in the street.

Prior to launching Roma Provisions, Bistrian had retail experience working as a fur salesman NorthPark Center’s Neiman Marcus since 2004. While there, he had an opportunity to meet TOMS Shoes founder Blake Mycoskie. Blake explained that TOMS was focusing on Argentina and Ethiopia, and Bistrian saw a similar need for children living in cold climates in Eastern Europe.

“Providing proper footwear is just the first step to helping these children break out of the poverty cycle,” Bistrian says. “My broader plan is to empower these children by getting them back into the education system.”

He says many children don’t go to school. Instead, their parents send them out to beg on the streets.

“We have different connections throughout Romania,” Bistrian says. “So wherever we do a boot drop, we’ll be able to connect these kids with a local educational organization and say, ‘Hey we did this for these kids, but these kids need more than just a pair of rain boots. They need an education.’ ”

Roma Provisions takes its name from the Roma population of Central and Eastern Europe. Romania has the largest population of Romas, or gypsies. Many live on the streets, and Bistrian says about 80 percent of them are illiterate. The population is very persecuted, marginalized and discriminated against, he says.

Bistrian also chose the name “Roma” for his company because it is the word “amor” spelled backward. He speaks Spanish, and his wife is Columbian.

Since launching the company, Bistiran received a note from Mycoskie’s father thanking him for letting TOMS

inspire him to help less fortunate children through Roma Provisions.

“It’s not a competition with Blake or TOMS. It’s more a complement to what he’s already doing,” Bistrian says.

Bistrian says customers are responding well — since its inception, the company has sold more than 500 boots.

Ditto Boutique in Hillside Village has carried Roma boots since December. Owner Jane DeNike says one of her clients is a friend of Bistrian, and he came to the store to tell her the company’s story.

“We were really glad that he chose us to carry his line in the Lakewood location,” DeNike says.

Even though it hasn’t been that rainy in Dallas, customers are buying the Roma boots, she says.

“We have a lot of people that really love the story about them,” DeNike says, adding that customers also love the boots’ colors and quality.

Roma Provisions has already donated twice as many boots as it has sold. Right around Christmas, after receiving his first shipment of rain boots, Bistrian distributed 1,000 pairs in Romania. Even though he hadn’t yet sold that many pairs, he knew the weather in Romania was already cold and that children needed the boots.

“The cause is greater to me than the business,” he says.

On Christmas Eve, Bistrian and his family loaded up a big van with rain boots and went from village to village distributing the boots to poor children.

“It was really an emotional time for me to go there and give them these gifts and see them so excited because they’ve never received a new gift life this,” he says.

Bistrian says this week in Romania was one of the most memorable weeks of his life.

“[The children’s] socks were damp with water and slush, and their feet were cold. To put a dry pair of rain boots on their feet and [see] their faces light up with excitement and gratitude, I was like, ‘Wow this is what I was created to do.’ I’m living my dream here.”

—ASHLEY HUDSON

STORY BY CHRISTINA HUGHESBABB

On a spring evening in 2010, a White Rock area couple had just settled in for a quiet evening at home when they heard a loud pop and the lights went out. In the garage, they saw flames shooting out of a breaker box.

“The fire extinguisher did nothing to help,” homeowner Karen Clardy says.

She had time to grab her purse and her dog and run to the lawn before her home was engulfed in flames.

“I just thought, ‘This isn’t happening.’ I’ve imagined before what I might try to save if my house ever caught fire. In reality, I didn’t have time for any of it,” she says.

Six fire trucks arrived within five minutes, but by then the house had suffered $190,000 worth of damage and would be unlivable for the next five months.

The source of the fire, according to Dallas Fire-Rescue reports, was the electrical panel, a Federal Pacific Electric Stab-Lok.

The Clardy fire quickly became the jumping-off point for discussion, followed by both a Dallas Morning News story and a NBC5 report about the Federal Pacific brand, which is a type of circuit breaker used in many homes built in our neighborhood in the 1960s, ’70s and ’80s.

The panels are considered unsafe. A breaker, when overloaded, is supposed to automatically flip off, says Gus Antos, co-owner of Milestone electric company, but the FPE panels don’t always automatically turn off or “trip”. There has been at least one class action lawsuit (in New Jersey) against Federal Pacific Electric, and the company is no longer in business.

Clardy, whose misfortune was cited in both stories, says she doesn’t mind the media attention.

“I am glad people are learning about this,” she says. “If I’d have known that the panel was dangerous, I wouldn’t have thought twice about getting it replaced.”

But it’s not an easy decision for everyone. Replacement can cost as much as $2,500 or more in some cases, Antos says.

“I think of it like putting your seatbelt on. Chances are good that when you get in your car, you are not going to get in an

accident, but that doesn’t stop you from buckling up, just in case. The difference is that this is a big expense for some people, and it’s not a sexy purchase.”

Luke Miller of East Dallas put it off for a while, but eventually decided to pay the price in the interest of safety.

“My wife and I just bought a home in Lochwood that contained the dreaded panel. After mixed advice, we decided to go ahead and replace it. We decided that peace of mind was worth the money,” he says. “We found a skilled, and moreimportantly, licensed electrician who did the whole job for around $1,200, and we’re really glad we went ahead and did it.”

Homeowner Keith Graham knew about the potential dangers of his FPE panel and wishes he hadn’t waited to replace his. Just after midnight on May 16, 2009, he and his wife, Kathleen, awakened to their “dogs barking like crazy,” and thought someone was breaking in.

Keith jumped into action.

“In the seconds between getting up and reaching the garage, I noticed the lights were out. I wondered, ‘Did they turn off our electricity?’ ”

He opened the garage door to an infer-

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A faulty electric panel made by Federal Pacific Electric, a company that is no longer in business, sparked a fire that caused about $190,000 worth of damage to a White Rock area home. The homeowners, in this case, escaped unharmed.

no that had already engulfed the family car. He yelled at his wife to get their son, Jason, and get out. Smoke filled the house. He grabbed his phone, dialed 911 and ran out the front door hollering for his wife, but no answer. He ran back inside.

“I was screaming at the 911 operator, screaming for my wife and son at the same time, and then I heard the fire truck outside and they drove right by my house,” he says. “I ran out the door, chasing the truck, got their attention then ran back toward the house screaming. It was pure chaos.”

At that point, a neighbor told Keith that Kathleen and Jason were inside another neighbor’s home, but Keith was suffering from delirium caused by severe smoke inhalation.

“They found me wandering in a nearby yard. The next thing I remember was waking up in the ambulance with an oxygen mask on my face.”

The next day, the fire investigators told the Grahams that the blaze had begun in the electric panel.

“I knew it was a bad panel,” he says.

The family was preparing to embark on a remodeling project and Keith, who runs an East Dallas-based air conditioning company with his brother, Kelly, had

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Replacing an electric panel can cost about $2,000, but those who have lost a home to fire say it’s better to pay now than later.

already purchased a replacement. He just hadn’t gotten around to installing it yet.

“I lost everything in that fire, and almost my life,” he says.

These types of electrical fires spread remarkably fast, Graham says, because the panels are often located in the garage, “where you keep lawn mowers and gasoline and all of your most flammable items.”

Many other panels are in closets, also a source of kindle such as clothing and Christmas decorations.

Like Clardy, Keith Graham feels obligated to share his experience with anyone who will listen.

“I’ve had at least 30 panels in the neighborhood replaced because of my story,” he says. “These things are ticking time bombs, and if I saw one in someone’s

Methodist

home, didn’t warn them and something happened to them, I couldn’t live with myself.”

Clardy and Graham’s anecdotal evidence is alarming, but there are no hard statistics when it comes to how many FPE panels cause house fires because fire investigators typically report electricity-caused fires as “electrical malfunction”. It would be rare for an investigator to take note of the brand on the electrical panel, Section Chief James Adams of the Dallas Fire and Rescue Fire Investigation Division says.

Antos, whose company has replaced “hundreds, maybe thousands” of panels in the Dallas area, says that it would be unfair to call FPE-caused fires “common”.

Special

“Statistically, there might have been five fires [in the Dallas area] in the last 10 years,” he says. “I don’t want to scare people, but if there was one in my house, I would get it replaced.”

Antos notes that homeowners who have an FPE panel but can’t replace it can do a few things to make the home safer: Have someone look at the breaker box once a year. Make sure it is working and that the breakers are tight. Every few months, flip the breakers on and off — it may help to unlock the components that prevent it from tripping.

Still, your best bet, Antos says, is to have a qualified electrician replace the panel.

Clardy and Graham agree.

“You can pay now,” Clardy says, “or you might pay later.”

“These things are ticking time bombs, and if I saw one in someone’s home, didn’t warn them and something happened to them, I couldn’t live with myself.”

LIVE LOCAL

THE LOWDOWN ON WHAT’S UP WITH NEIGHBORHOOD BUSINESSES

There’s a new spot for comfort food on Lower Greenville, and it’s healthier than your average greasy spoon. Company Café offers mostly organic and gluten-free menus for breakfast, lunch and dinner, including gluten-free chicken fried steak and chicken and waffles, grass-fed beef short ribs and cage-free omelets. Business partners Stephen White and Chris Cowan have no restaurant experience. Neither has worked in a restaurant before, much less owned one. “We’ve eaten in a lot of restaurants, and we know what we like. We know what we want to serve our children,” White says. The restaurant is at Greenville and Richmond in a renovated former sushi restaurant. They buy as much local and organic food as possible, serving grass-fed beef from Muenster and milk from a North Texas farm. Their bread and baked goods are gluten-free, all except for one or two items that “were too good to pass up,” White says. White’s business background includes stints in the securities and oil and gas businesses. Now he owns two CrossFit gyms. White and Cowan both live in the Park Cities, but they chose Lower Greenville because it’s a location that’s accessible from many parts of town. The restaurant opened April 1, and their second brunch service drew 205 tables. “The neighborhood is really welcoming us,” White says. 214.827.2233, companycafe.net, 2217 Greenville Ave.

Here’s another new place serving “clean” food. Organicity 1 , an organic Greek café, opened recently in the Lakewood Shopping Center, a few doors down from Dixie House. Gino and Olina Nikolini operated Nikolini’s restaurant on McKinney for several years and reopened in our neighborhood this past February, serving organic, slow cooked meats, Greek and vegan cuisine, gyros, salads, coffees, teas, fresh-squeezed juices and house-made sokolata, Greek chocolates. Organicity.com, 214.954.0303.

We didn’t even notice the Winedale Tavern had closed on Lower Greenville. Maybe that’s

because it tended to draw a crowd of 20-somethings from the SMU campus, and we hardly noticed the 26-year-old tavern at all. But it has reopened as The Single Wide , a kissin’ cousin to Deep Ellum’s redneck-themed The Double Wide 2 bar. Double Wide owner Kim Finch says she wants The Single Wide to have the same laid-back feel of The Double Wide. We expect velvet paintings, too. 2210 Greenville Ave.

Kathy Hughes, a well-known hairdresser at Medallion Barbers at Abrams and Northwest for more than 30 years, died recently following a battle with cancer. Lake Highlands resident Chad Medaris says he’s sure he speaks for all of her regular customers when he says that will be missed. “She is the only person who has ever cut my son’s hair and she’s cut mine for over 15 years,” he says. “Over the years, I have run into so many people that know and love Kathy I think you will be surprised at how many lives she has touched.”

The Metro PCS White Rock Marathon 3 recently presented a check for $560,000 to the Texas Scottish Rite Hospital for Children. The more than 3,000 participants helped raise the funds which will help the hospital that treats, free of charge, children who need expensive medical procedures. The December 2010 marathon garnered almost $200,000 more than the previous year. Since 1997 when the hospital became the main beneficiary, the race has brought in $1.8 million to Scottish Rite.

Neighborhood fashion designer Carissa Brown, founder of Carissa Rose Bratique Helene (carissarose.com), which specializes in fashions for full-busted women, is a top finalist in the Texas Next Top Designer competition. “Most salespeople have no idea what life is like for full-busted women,” says Brown. That’s why she began in 2008 designing and producing clothes made especially for women with a narrow rib cage (28-40 back size), but with double-D and up sized cups. “When you

GO ONLINE

to read weekly updates on neighborhood businesses: lakewood.advocatemag.com.

DO YOU KNOWOF A NEIGHBORHOODBUSINESS renovating, expanding, moving, launching, hosting an event, celebrating an anniversary, offering a special or something else noteworthy? Send the information to livelocal@advocatemag.com or call 214.292.0487.

have this shape, it’s tough to find woven button-up tops that fit and don’t gape, and need constant pulling and tugging and fixing in order to hide your bra.” Since then she has appeared on Homemade Millionaire with Kelly Ripa on TLC. Brown says she started the business as a tribute to her curvaceous mother, Helene Rose, whose motto was: “Stand tall and walk proud”.

The Old Casa Linda Theater is morphing into a health-food store, but the theater marquee and façade will remain. Natural Grocers 4 is now hiring for the new store. Details are available at naturalgrocers.com.

Metro Paws Animal Hospital is expanding. The Lakewood-based vet clinic has purchased a piece of property on Fort Worth Avenue in Oak Cliff with plans to build a new clinic. —RACHEL STONE

SPRING INTO ACTION

St. John’s Episcopal School

5304 Junius St., Dallas, TX 75214 / 214.901.4280 / www.thelabdallas.com

www.stjohnsschool.org

214-328-9131 x103

Leading to Success. 2720 Hillside Dr., Dallas 75214 / 214.826.2931, www.lakehillprep.org

214.821.2066 / 1902 Abrams Pkwy., Dallas / www.schoolofcbd.com.

7730 Abrams Rd., Dallas / Pre-K through Grade 6 / 214.349.6843 / www.scofieldchristian.org.

St. Bernard of Clairvaux SChool

1420 Old Gate Ln., Dallas / 214.321.2897

St. Bernard of Clairvaux School has educated children in Forest Hills, Casa Linda and White Rock neighborhoods since 1948. The experienced teaching staff is dedicated to academic excellence with a challenging curriculum and individual attention. We offer affordable tuition, PK through 8th grade, wireless slate technology, extracurricular activities, and after-school care. Please call to schedule a tour. www.stbernardofclairvaux.org

St. john’S epiSCopal SChool

848 Harter Rd., Dallas 75218 / 214.328.9131 / www.stjohnsschool.org Founded in 1953, St. John’s is an independent, co-educational day school for Pre-K through Grade 8. With a tradition for academic excellence, St. John’s programs include a challenging curriculum in a Christian environment along with instruction in the visual and performing arts, Spanish, German, French, and opportunities for athletics and community service. St. John’s goal for its students is to develop a love for learning, service to others, and leadership grounded in love, humility, and wisdom. Accredited by ISAS, SAES, and the Texas Education Agency.

St. paul aCademy

6464 E. Lovers Ln. Dallas / 214.321.1275 / www.StPaulAcademy.com

Grades 5-8. This is a rare opportunity to participate in coeducational, non-denominational private school exclusively for middle school students. In order to maintain a small, nurturing community of learners where students can grow and develop their talents and skills, enrollment is limited to 100 students. We offer a balanced and challenging curriculum that prepares students to enter high school with a strong academic foundation and the confidence to be successful, life-long learners. Contact us at info@StPaulAcademy.com for pre-registration and other information.

white roCk north SChool

9727 White Rock Trail Dallas / 214.348.7410. 2 Years through 5th Grade. 45 years of successful students! Our accelerated curriculum provides opportunity for intellectual and physical development in a loving and nurturing environment. Character-building and civic responsibility are stressed. Facilities include indoor swimming pool, skating rink, updated playground, and state-of-the-art technology lab. Kids Club on the Corner provides meaningful after-school experiences. Summer Camp offers field trips, swimming, and a balance of indoor and outdoor activities designed around fun-filled themes. Accredited by SACS. Call for a tour of the campus. www.WhiteRockNorthSchool.com.

Zion

lutheran SChool

6121 E. Lovers Ln. Dallas / 214.363.1630 / www.ziondallas. org Toddler care thru 8th Grade. Serving Dallas for over 58 years offering a quality education in a Christ-centered learning environment. Degreed educators minister to the academic, physical, emotional, social, and spiritual needs of students and their families. Before and after school programs, Extended Care, Parents Day Out, athletics, fine arts, integrated technology, Spanish, outdoor education, Accelerated Reader, advanced math placement, and student government.

Accredited by National Lutheran School & Texas District Accreditation Commissions and TANS. Contact Principal Jeff Thorman.

community

Lakewood eLementary parents and staff will host a party honoring three retiring teachers, Judy Strawn, Lois Lamb and Madeline Jordan, 3:30-6:30 p.m. May 17 at Matt’s Rancho Martinez in the Lakewood Shopping Center.

mark wingfieLd, associate pastor of Wilshire Baptist Church, recently returned from a six-week sabbatical during which he undertook a national research project on the best practices of traditional Protestant congregations. His research group included Methodist, Presbyterian, Lutheran, Baptist, Reformed and Congregational churches in Houston, Atlanta, Chicago, Indianapolis, Iowa, New York City, Los Angeles and San Diego. Wingfield will be turning the findings into a book, and will be giving an overview of the project, open to the community, from noon-6 p.m. Wednesday, May 4, at Wilshire, 4316 Abrams.

people

214.560.4203

ADS ALREADY ROTATED FOR 5-11

Jennifer a king, an East Dallas resident and Partner with Burford & Ryburn, L.L.P., was selected as a 2011 Rising Star in Professional Liability: Defense by Thomson Reuters and published in the April 2011 issues of Texas Monthly and Super Lawyers She was also received the honor from 2006 to 2010. King was one of only 12 attorneys chosen from Texas in the Professional Liability: Defense practice area. She represents and counsels clients on business and professional disputes in the areas of legal malpractice, medical malpractice, premises liability and personal injury.

grace davidson, a leader within the Boy Scouts White Buffalo District, received the Silver Beaver Award at the Circle Ten Council of Boy Scouts of America Annual Recognition Banquet. Davidson has served Pack 43 at St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Church and Troop 42 sponsored by St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church. Beyond Scouting, Davidson serves on the Catholic Pro-Life Committee of North Texas and as president of the Bishop Lynch High School Band Boosters. mahesh gehani, an M Streets resident, is the new Senior Vice President, Chief Credit Officer at NexBank, a banking and financial services company based in Dallas. Gehani was recently named one of the Dallas Business Journal’s “40 Under Forty”, an honor given to top Dallas business leaders who are younger than 40 years old.

aidan Langford, 9, of Lakewood, costarred in the film “Cooper and the Castle Hills Gang”, which premiered at the Dallas International Film Festival. The movie was filmed in the high-end North Dallas neighborhood of Castle Hills. Learn more at castlehillsmovie.com.

education

thirty-one students at Woodrow Wilson High School are AP Scholars, having scored a 3 or higher on three or more AP tests. Sin-Ting Kwok, Luvia Tapia and Austin Tims are AP scholars with honors, scoring an average of 3.25 on all AP exams taken and 3 or higher on four or more exams. Eight students are AP students with distinction: Kristen Arnold, Justin Bailye, Ryder Billings, Cole Heiner, Joseph Marshall, John Matusewicz, Nicholas Muston and Brian Tepera, scoring at least 3.5 on all exams and 3 or higher on five or more exams. One student, Brian Tepera, scored an average of at least 4 on all exams and 4 or higher on at least eight exams, making him an AP national scholar.

woodrow wiLson high schooL in March celebrated its new status as an International Baccalaureate World School after a twoyear screening process and teacher training from the International Baccalaureate Organization. Juniors and seniors in the program take three higher-level courses and three standard-level courses. They can earn up to 24 hours of college credit through the IB program.

volunteer

t he third annua L Lakewoodstock neighborhood festival is noon-8 p.m. May 15, and event organizers need volunteers. To get involved, contact Wilson Schoellkopf at volunteer@lakewoodstock.com.

B a 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 / Christian 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

M et HOdIS t

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

Contemporary Worship, Sundays, 11:00 am

Holy Week, Easter schedule and more 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 SB yte 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

FIll uS uP, lORd

I T ’ S PROBABLy NOT SURPRISING THAT CHURCHGOERS TEND

“The church made me fat.” I can see the headline now.

A new study by researchers at Northwestern University has concluded that “people who went to church or church activities at least once a week were more than twice as likely as people with no religious involvement to become obese.” While the researchers did not delve into what church activities were more likely to produce bad eating habits, they pointed to the broad social networks that churchgoers foster. These lead inevitably to more planned activities that include food and drink.

Can you say potluck supper? Fried chicken. Mashed potatoes. Casseroles of every imaginable concoction. Biscuits and gravy for the deacons’ breakfast. Hot dogs and French fries for kids. Pies and cakes. Homemade oatmeal raisin cookies (isn’t oatmeal good for you?). Never have been to a church that took its nutritional cues from the FDA pyramid or bought from a Whole Foods supplier. Oh, and lots of salt.

So, it’s not hard to figure how our figures get out of shape over time with all this comfort food. And it’s true that religious people tend to eat together when they gather. The Lord’s Supper isn’t to blame, as you only get a morsel and a sip. But Table fellowship points to table fellowship, as the meal becomes a love feast. The same is true for Jews who celebrate weekly Shabbat supper with family, and Muslims who break the Ramadan fast with the Feast of Eid. Sharing food symbolizes common life and friendship. It’s hard to hate someone you break bread or pop a cork with.

The study also acknowledges the findings of others studies that church- (read temple or mosque) goers live longer and are happier than non-goers. Old, fat and happy — that’s us.

We could do better. We could remember that vital physical food is meant to hint toward eternal spiritual food: “Man does not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.” We could practice fasting as a rhythmic remedy to over-feasting. Fasting teaches us to depend less on the bread of earth and more on the bread of heaven. We could remember that our bodies are the temple of God and keep them worthy of their true owner.

But I’d like to believe that people would do church studies someday on weightier matters than weight.

For instance, are people who attend religious services more likely to forgive than those who don’t? Are they more committed to welcoming strangers and being good neighbors? Do people who go to church lie less and tell the truth more? Do they find more meaning in their work? Are they more apt to adapt to changes in culture than those who find their identity and security in tribe or clan or club? Do religious people make better workers and deal more honestly and fairly with employees? Are they more

likely to marry well and stay married?

Unfortunately, some of those studies have been done, and we don’t fare all that well in those, either. But for all our failures, where do these very ideals come from? They have arisen more from our religious traditions than from any other source. We should live up to them better, but the fact that we know we should and that others count on us to is half the hope. The other half is that we do.

So, yes, I can see the civil suit now: Overweight man sues church for causing his obesity. Don’t think that would make it to trial, although it would make the papers. But wouldn’t it be great to see someone put us on trial for inciting justice, or stopping a war, or mending a feud, or advancing the discussion between science and faith, or modeling new strategies for health care?

We see glimpses of these coming from churches, too. No headlines yet.

churches listed on these pages. For information about helping support the Worship section, call 214.560.4202.

TO BE FATTER

Never have I been to a church that took its nutritional cues from the FDA pyramid or bought from a Whole Foods supplier.

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

a world of differeNce

Woodrow Wilson High School students, parents and staff joined community members and other district officials to raise the International Baccalaureate Organization flag symbolizing the school’s new status as an International Baccalaureate World School, now offering an honors curriculum for juniors and seniors, and putting them on the global map for academics.

BriNgiNg the heat

The Heat basketball team, which includes players from St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic School, won the Sportsplex fifth-grade gold division in the season championship game against the Scots. Heat scored a 3-point shot with 14 seconds left on the clock to win by 1 point. Pictured from left: c ole Beach, Michael Bradley, r yan r odriguez, Josh g arza, d avis Peck, d aniel Packard, Matthew Best and Zak Zapletal. Coaches are d oug Bradley (left), d oug Best (middle) and ted Zapletal (right).

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

LEARN GUITAR OR PIANO Professional Musician. Fun/Easy. Your Home. UNT Grad. Larry 469-358-8784

PIANO LESSONS & TUNING SERVICE

Patty and Bill Cherry 214-503-8563

TUTORING ALL SUBJECTS Including Algebra 2/ Chemistry. In Your Home. Jennie. 214-597-6925

VOICE TEACHER with 38 years experience. MM, NATS, MTNA www.PatriciaIvey.com 214-324-5625

LISTEN

empLoymenT

BU lleti N B oard B

serviCes for you

Spanish English Language 5740 Prospect Ave. #1000

Spanish Classes for Adults & Children

Spanish Immersion Preschool Ages 2-5

DallasSpanishHouse.com 2 14-826-4410

ChiLdCare

LOVING, CHRIST-CENTERED CARE SINCE 1982

Lake Highlands Christian Child Enrichment Center

Ages 2 mo.-12 yrs. 9919 McCree. 214-348-1123.

AIRLINES are hiring. Train for high paying Aviation Maintenance Career. FAA approved program. Financial aid if qualified. Housing available. Aviation Institute of Maintenance. 866-453-6204

ALL CASH VENDING ROUTE Be Your Own Boss. Local Vending Routes. 25 Machines/Candy. $9,995 1-877-915-8222 VEND 3. “S.S.REGNO.299” AINB02653

serviCes for you

AT ODDS WITH YOUR COMPUTER? Easily Learn Essential Skills. Services include Digital Photo Help. Sharon 214-679-9688 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

GALAS BY GINGER Extraordinary Parties, Unforgettable Memories. www.galasbyginger.com 214-683-0103

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

organizing

ORGANIZE & REJUVENATE

Enhance Your Home And Life. Linda 972-816-8004

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

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

NEED HELP WITH YOUR TAXES & ACCOUNTS? Personalized Accounting and Tax services for individuals/small businesses. Competitive rates. Eddie Geraghty, CPA 469-230-9701

PROFESSIONAL WEDDING VIDEOGRAPHER

All Budgets Welcome! Jason Snyder: 214-642-8221.

Airport | Private Parties

DFW $55 | Love Field $42 214.361.5007 FiveStarLimos.net

A wINNINg TEAm

The Woodrow boys and girls tennis squads won the district championship in a tournament, sending 10 players to compete in the regional tournament in April. Of the 16 players, 15 received medals. Pictured, c oach m ichael m oran, Russell Regan, m ax w ongviboonsin, Jack Lane, Brian Tepera, w ard w eber, Ku h tee, Bjorn Englesson, James Lee , Katie Resnick, Emma Rivera, Elisa Rivera, h alle Thorton, s hannon Barthelemy, g abbie p ucciarelli, s ydney g reenwood and Brittany de la valdene.

BHEALTH RESOURCEBULLETIN BOARD

Professional services

Website Design

Flash Demos

Graphic Design

RibbitMultimedia .com 214.560.4207

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

SILVER STAR FITNESS Specialty In Senior Fitness. Moneyback Guarantee. www.silverstarfitness.com John 972-800-8031

WEIGHT LOSS CHALLENGE

Earn Ca$h For Losing Pounds. www.larrybrownweightloss.com 877-340-3046

Pets

BIRDDOGCATFISH Caring For Pets In Their Own Home With Familiar Sights, Smells & Routines. Dog Walks, Vacations, Overnights. Beth. 469-235-3374

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

POSH POOCH CLUB IN DALLAS Introducing our convenient Pet Food & Treat Delivery Service. Right to your doorstep! Ready to feed. Check out PoshPoochClub.com for our delicious selection... or call 214-265-5960 for a pet nutrition consult.

First Doggie Daycare Featuring “Open Play” Boarding

Pets

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

TEXAS RANGERS BASEBALL SUITE Share this prime suite on a partial basis (sets of 5,10 or 20 games) during the 2011 season. Our suite is located directly behind home plate, and each game includes 16 tickets, three parking passes, game day programs, private bathroom, air-conditioned seating, three televisions with cable channels, and a great view of the game and the Ballpark. Great for birthday parties, anniversaries, family reunions and client appreciation events. Email rangerssuite@gmail.com or call 214-560-4212 for more information.

Children’s Clothing – Youth Size 16 Furniture, Equipment, Toys, Books and More! Payment on the spot for all items accepted 6300 Skillman St @ Abrams Rd, 214.503.6010

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

LAND LIQUIDATION 20 acres $0 down. $99/mo. Only $12,900. Near growing El Paso, TX. Owner financing. No credit checks. Money back guarantee. Free Color Brochure 800-755-8953 sunsetranches.com

BOB MCDONALD CO., INC. Builders/ Remodelers.214-341-1155 bobmcdonaldco.com

A FAMILY TRADITION FOR 60 YEARS Quigley Heat & Air 214-526-8533

CHAMNESS SERVICES A/C & Heat Sales & Service. Res/Com. Serving Dallas 21 yrs. 214-328-0938 TACL003800C

FOR QUALITY, QUALIFIED SERVICE CALL 214-350-0800 ABS AC & Heat TACLA28514E

LAKEWOOD HEAT & AIR Servicing Dallas

20+ years. 214-682-3822 TACLA28061E

WINDOW AC TUNE UP Repair, Cleaning, Etc. Buy/Sell 214-321-5943

214 -299-9069

Service - Repair - Replacement

BLUE RIBBON Heating

214-823-8888

CARPENTRY & REMODELING

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

DREAM CONSTRUCTION Home Remodeling

Interior/Exterior. www.DCHCRM .net 469-360-0152

ERIC CANTU CONSTRUCTION

Affordable Remodeling. Kitchens, Baths, Additions, Cabinetry & more. 972-754-9988 EricCantu.com

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

KENS RESIDENTIAL REMODELING 214-886-8927. kenscontracting.com

KITCHEN AND BATHROOM SPECIALISTS

JCI Remodeling: From Simple Updates to Full Remodeling Services. Competitive Pricing! JCIRemodeling.com 972-948-5361.

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

Cabinet Refacing, Built-ins, Entertainment/ Computer Centers. Jim. 214-324-7398 www.squarenailwoodworking.com

TK COMPLETE REMODELING Carpentry, Doors, Paint. Window Clean 972-533-2872 A

972-216-1961

www.SherrellAir.com

TACL-B01349OE

APPLIANCE REPAIR

APPLIANCE REPAIR SPECIALIST

Repair, Sales. 214-321-4228

JESSE’S A/C & APPLIANCE SERVICE

TACLB13304C All Makes/Models. 214-660-8898

Serving your Neighborhood Since 1993 asher/Dryers

214✯823✯2629

15.00 OFF - HOUSE CLEANING BY DEBBIE Free estimates. References. 972-333-7942

Cleaning ServiCeS

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

WANTED: HOUSES TO CLEAN

20 yrs. exp., Reliable, Great Prices, Excellent Refs., Free Estimates. No Crews. Sunny 214-724-2555

WINDOW MAN WINDOW CLEANING.COM

Residential Specialists. BBB. 214-718-3134

eleCtriCal ServiCeS

ACCURATE ELECTRIC All Jobs.TECL# 27297. Steve. Accurateelectrician.com 214-718-9648

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

DALLAS ELECTRICIAN- SINCE 1975 214-340-0770 EL 00957 kirkwoodelectric.net

LENTZ SERVICES Your whole-home lighting/ electrical resource. Lic/Insd. 972-241-0622

FenCing & DeCkS

EST.

COWBOY

FENCE & IRON CO.

214.692.1991

cowboyfenceandiron.com

Willeford

hardwood floors

Superior Quality: Installation • Refinishing Repair • Cleaning & Waxing

Old World Hand Scrape 214-824-1166

MAIDS AND HOME SERVICES

Since 1983 · satisfaction guaranteed $10 OFF all services

$20 OFF top to bottom package

carpet · windows · lawn

972.495.3478

beckncallmaids.com

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

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

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

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

WHITE ROCK ELECTRIC All Electrical Services. Lic/Insd. E795. 214-850-4891 ‘07,

‘10 CONSUMERS CHOICE AWARDS Making

972-665-8399

dallaselectricalexperts.com

FenCing & DeCkS

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

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

June deadline May 11

Decks, Pergolas, Arbors & Fences Serving Dallas

214-435-9574

Art Deck-O artdeck-o.com

"You Know

Locally owned and operated since 1980

www.northlakefence.com

214-349-9132

FireplaCe ServiCeS

CHIMNEY SWEEP Dampers/Brick & Stone

Repair. DFW Metro. Don 214-704-1722

Flooring & Carpeting

DALLAS HARDWOODS 214-724-0936

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

STAINED & SCORED CONCRETE FLOORS

New/Remodel. Res/Com. Int/Ext. Refin. 15 Yrs. TheConcreteStudio.com 214-320-2018

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

WWW.STUARTSVF.COM 214-684-3667

Int./Ext. Decorative concrete & plaster. wrfloors@sbcglobal.net

FounDation repair

Since 1986

• Slabs • Pier & Beam

• Mud Jacking • Drainage

GARAGE DOOR & SPRING REPAIR 972-672-0848 TexasGaragePros.com

20% off with “Advocate Magazine”

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

glaSS,

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

EAST DALLAS WINDOW CLEANING Power Wash. Free Est.Dependable. Derek. 214-827-7661

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.

Carpet Wood Tile

1912 N. Beckley, Dallas 75208 www. trinityfloors.com

214 943 1157

Technology to advertise call 214.560.4203

ROCK GLASS CO Complete Glass & Window Service since 1985. Replace, repair: windows, mirrors, showers, screens. 214-837-7829 214.277.8222

Handyman ServiceS

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. 25 yrs. exp. References. Derry 214-505-4830

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

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

ABRAHAM PAINT SERVICE A Women Owned Business 25 Yrs. Int/Ext. Wall Reprs. Discounts On Whole Interiors and Exteriors 214-682-1541

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

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

RONALD’S PAINTING SERVICE Home Exteriors & Interiors. Drywall Repair. Cabinet Refinishing. Specialty Textures. 17 yrs. exp. 214-455-8121

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

Painting · Remodeling

NAT-90143-1

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 Design & Renovations

NCIDQ Cert. 10 yrs exp. www.Lilli-design.com Katie Reynolds, RID 214-370-8221

KitcHen/BatH/ tile/grout

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

FENN CONSTRUCTION Any Tile Anywhere. www.dallastileman.com 214-343-4645

214-870-3939

www.amistadcsc.com

BRIAN GREAM

PAINTING & RENOVATIONS LLC

• Interior/Exterior • Drywall

• Rotten Wood • Gutters All General Contracting Needs

PayPal ®

214.542.6214

WWW.BGRONTHEWEB.COM

BRIANGREAM@YAHOO.COM

Residential. Interior. Exterior. Call today for a FREE estimate

214-346-0900

www.certapro.com

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

Painting. 85% Referrals. Free Est. 214-348-5070

A TEXTURE & FINISH SPECIALIST

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

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

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

STONE AGE COUNTER TOPS Granite, Marble, Tile, Kitchen/Bath Remodels. CJ-972-276-9943 cjrocksthehouse1@verizon.net

TOM HOLT TILE 30 Yrs Experience In Tile, Backsplashes & Floors. Refs. Avail. 214-770-3444

Natural Stone & Quartz Silestone / Caesarstone 20 Years Experience 214 293 9323 bjones2517@gmail.com

lawnS, gardenS & treeS

$25 OFF - ALL ABOUT TREES, INC. Removals, Pruning. Certified Arborist. 972-697-3956

25% OFF TREE WORK IN MAY Roberts Tree Svc Insd.10 yrs exp. 214-808-8925

A BETTER TREE COMPANY • JUST TREES

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

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

ALTON MARTIN LANDSCAPING Spectacular Curbside Appeal! Installations & Maintenance Programs available. Excellent refs. 214-760-0825

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

B.J.’S LANDSCAPING Complete Lawn & Garden Maintenance. Seasonal Color/Perennials. Certified. 16 Yrs. Exp. Res/Com. 214-336-4673

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

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

COLE’S LAWN CARE • 214-327-3923 Quality Service with a Personal Touch.

DALLAS K.D.R.SERVICES • 214-349-0914 Lawn Service & Landscape Installation

PROFESSIONAL FABRICATION & INSTALLATION 214.358.8595

SOLIDSF.COM

GREENSKEEPER Spring Clean Up & 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!

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

June deadline May 11

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

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

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

Most Major Credit Cards Accepted to advertise call 214.560.4203

POOLS

ADAIR POOL & SPA SERVICE

1 month free service for new customers. Call for details. 469-358-0665.

MICHAEL’S POOL SERVICE

Maintenance & Repair 214-727-7650

WHITE ROCK POOL CLEANING

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

LEAFCHASER’S POOL SERVICE

Parts and Service. Chemicals and Repairs.

Jonathan Mossman FREE ESTIMATES 214-729-3311

ROOFING

GUTTERS

ROOFING &

GUTTERS

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

Allstate Homecraft Roofing

Roofing & Remodel Additions Licensed/Insured Over 1,000 Satisfied Customers in the Lakewood, Lake Highlands, Preston Hollow,

&

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!

ADVOCATE PUBLISHING 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.

TO ADVERTISE CALL 214.560.4203 JUNE DEADLINE MAY 11

Tax Tip

Re: Extensions. IRS form 4868 allows the taxpayer 6 extra months to “file”. Note: Taxes “owed” are due on April 15th.

THE VIDEO CAPTURED IT ALL.

Craig Moody and his wife were vacationing in beautiful East Texas.

“We were enjoying Mardi Gras at a bed and breakfast in Jefferson, Texas,” Moody says.

The annual event in Jefferson, which is

The Victim: Craig Moody

The Crime: Burglary

Date: Sunday, March 6

Time: Between 3:30 and 4:55 a.m.

Location: 6900 block of Cornelia

located near the Louisiana border north of Marshall, has become quite a tradition. B&Bs decorate for the season and guests don masquerade masks.

Unfortunately for the Moodys, a criminal chose that time to don a mask of a different sort.

“We received a call about 5 a.m. about a break-in by ADT [Security],” he says.

The company informed him that his alarm had sounded. However, when the company notified police, the company was told that the Moodys’ City of Dallas security alarm permit had expired, and they could not respond.

Moody quickly grabbed his iPhone in the early morning hours to use the ADT app, and indeed saw someone in his home via security cameras. As time ticked by, he was able to contact ADT 20 minutes later and confirmed someone was in his home.

The police department continued to refuse a respond based on the security company’s callas, instead requiring confirmation from the homeowner. So Moody then called police.

“They finally responded about 30 minutes after the ADT call,” he says.

Moody says he never received a notice his alarm permit payment was due, and that several other area residents informed him they had similar problems receiving permit notices. The homeowner says he had not received a renewal notice since 2009 and had not thought about whether he needed to renew. He says the city had lost some subscriber information due to a software change, and that maybe his information had been lost.

“Apparently this is a widespread problem with many people not receiving notices to renew their permits,” he says.

Moody’s security system caught the burglar on video. A small lamp in the foreground illuminates the living room just enough to reveal a man in blue jeans, white tennis shoes, and a dark blue or black sweatshirt. He appears to have on a hood or mask, and is moving quickly — jewelry apparently in mind.

“He focused exclusively on jewelry and watches,” Moody says. “This person is pretty sharp and specific in what they target.”

Moody says his wife loves jewelry, and the burglar made off with more than 50 pieces worth many thousands of dollars. The suspect passed by expensive art and laptop computers to make his way to the jewelry. So far, no jewelry has been recovered.

Since his experience, Moody recommends that residents confirm their alarm permits are active, stay in constant communication with an alarm company and police after being notified of a break-in, keep important phone numbers handy, make sure property insurance is up to date, and consider investing in a well-anchored safe for valuables.

Dallas Police Lt. Anthony Crawford of the Northeast Patrol Division says jewelry is common loot for burglars and does not believe there is one main jewelry thief targeting East Dallas homes.

“We are not currently working cases where we are looking for one jewelry thief,” Crawford says. “Jewelry is stolen during most burglaries even if the thief is there primarily for electronics. They are simply looking for valuables that are easy to carry and get the most money when pawned. Gold is at an all-time high so that makes jewelry even more tempting to take. Most burglars take anything of value, which means they will sometimes take jewelry only or electronics only —or both at the same time.”

As for problems with an alarm, unfortunately police say that it is the homeowner’s responsibility.

“The City of Dallas does attempt to send out renewal notices,” says Dallas Police Lt. Mackie D. Ham of the Northeast Patrol Division, “but if for some reason the notice fails to reach the homeowner, the burden falls on the owner to keep this up to date.”

—SEAN CHAFFIN

SOURCE: Dallas Police Department

There is a city council election this month. Does anyone care?

It doesn’t seem like it, as I write this three weeks before the election. This has been the dullest campaign in memory no controversy and hardly any name calling, something that seems impossible given the way politics works in the 21st century. Four of the 14 city council seats are uncontested, and the mayor’s race seems to have turned into a contest to see who can promise the most not to raise taxes.

The city’s $100 million budget crisis? It hardly seems to matter, either to voters or to the candidates. The latter don’t talk about it much, other than to say we need to run the city like a business. Which would be nice if the city did things that turned a profit, but there’s not much margin in putting out fires, solving murders or fixing potholes.

And the voters? We’re bored to tears with the whole process. Four years ago, turnout was 13 percent, and it looks like we won’t even do that well this time around. So the mess Downtown will continue to fester, and we’ll keep closing rec centers and cut-

ting library hours until there aren’t any rec centers or libraries left.

This is how bad the budget crisis is, and this is what none of the candidates will tell you. But you can find it on the city’s website, dallascityhall.com:

• In the 2010-11 budget, the city says we can afford to make only three-quarters of the prostitution and drug arrests that we

they want regardless of what we say. And, given the way the system has failed us over the past four years, there may be some truth to that. When we don’t have enough money to arrest whores and junkies, something is broken.

But that doesn’t mean that it can’t be fixed, and it doesn’t mean we should stop trying. Because the politicians and the bureaucrats want us to quit, so they can spend our money the way they want. Case in point: The debt service for this year’s budget accounts for 13 percent of spending, and what do we have to show for it?

made in 2009-10.

• We’re spending 17 percent less to operate and maintain Fair Park this year than last, and Fair Park is supposed to one of the things that makes us a world class city.

• We can afford to have only 84 percent of the city’s street lights working, down from 90 percent a year ago.

Yes, as ex-Mayor Park Cities was so fond of saying, it’s not as bad here as it is elsewhere. But it’s not like this is any good. “I’m sorry, sir, we can’t fix your street light. No money for it.”

Yet only 1 in 10 of us will vote — if we’re lucky. Maybe we don’t think we matter, and that the bosses downtown will do whatever

Not much, save for last year’s tax rate increase so we could afford to pave some streets and buy some library books. But the politicians have lots of shiny buildings to use in their campaigns, and the bureaucrats have gold-plated lines on their résumés.

So vote this month. It doesn’t matter who you vote for; just vote. Yes, one of the main mayoral candidates was on the city council that spent us into this predicament. And yes, another of the candidates says that running a pizza company prepared him for running a city that does nothing remotely resembling pizza making. And the other main candidate says he is going to eliminate the budget’s sacred cows, but also says that the city seems to be pretty well run, all things considered.

Because regardless of who wins, if we don’t let them know we’re in charge, we’re the losers.

When we don’t have enough money to arrest whores and junkies, something is broken.

Henda Salmeron