2011 September Lakewood

36

Best Friends

e veryone’s pet is special, but these are some of our favorite animal pals in the neighborhood.

fe AT ures

50 friends for life

The s eniors’ Pet Assistance network keeps pets in the lives of older neighbors.

52 n eighborhood kid, rose bowl ch A m P woodrow alumnus greg mc c oy talks football.

56 m AT h is for everyone

These neighbors helped bring revolutionary technology to all disd elementary schools.

in every issue department columns opening remarks8 / letters10 / grab-bag16 / happenings26 / food + wine30 / news + notes67 / worship68 / scene + heard69 / crime76 / last word77 advertising the goods27 / dining listings31 / dining spotlights33 / health resources49 / education guide66 / bulletin board69 / home services72

PhoTo by benjAmin hAger

“No one will be allowed to camp out overnight in NorthPark Center to be one of the first in line to enter the new H&M store when it opens. Chickfil-A, Whataburger and other companies may encourage groupies to don pajamas and party all night, but NorthPark, one of the premier shopping centers in the nation, isn’t interested in lining its hallways.”

—KERI MITCHELL

SEARCH: H&M ON LAKEWOOD.ADVOCATEMAG.COM

--> GET MORE reader commentary and daily news on lakewood.advocatemag. com/blog

-->AND READ ... every Monday morning for Advocate editors’ reviews of neighborhood restaurants in Restaurant Talk.

lakewood.advocatemag.com/dining

road trip

It’s an undervalued pleasure these days

It was at about the 3,000-mile point of our 4,100-mile driving journey that our 17-year-old son saw the beat-up little sign: “Hopalong Cassidy Museum” with an arrow pointing straight ahead.

He started laughing, thinking it was another one of the museum oddities we had been keeping track of throughout our trip across 19 states in the Midwest and East, along with the District of Columbia.

We had already chuckled about signs along the road promoting the “Action Figure Museum” and the “National Motorcycle Museum,” among plenty of others. So when I turned the wheel toward Hopalong’s museum, he looked disgusted.

“We’re not actually going to see this, are we?”

“C’mon,” I said. “Hopalong was a real TV cowboy. Let’s do it.”

We were already off the road to refuel the car, and it was a rare day on the two-week trip that we weren’t on deadline to be somewhere.

So we drove around the tiny Ohio town, eventually finding the combination museum and antique shop in a building with tightly and sloppily boarded windows.

That’s the kind of trip we were on, just the two of us, a father-son get-away: part college sleuthing, part baseball watching and part meandering aimlessly.

Being the two least-talkative members of our family, there was plenty of time on the trip to let our minds wander, something difficult to do during hurry-up-and-wait airplane travel. Waiting in line, shuffling through security, waiting in line, jamming aboard the plane, then waiting in line again is tiring, and you don’t really see anything from point to point, unless you count floating high above the clouds as “scenic.”

A driving trip, though, has its own cadence. You control the pace — interstate or backwater roads and you control the stops. You can visit as many or as few McDonald’s as you want. You can compare notes on the stages of public bathroom cleanliness, going all the way from generally disgusting to downright appalling.

And as for scenic: On an endless stretch of highway, you can watch the sky kiss the land up ahead as fluffy clouds float by almost at eye level, something impossible to ponder in a city jammed tight with buildings and lights and smog.

On the monotonous road, cracks in the high-

way thundering rhythmically beneath the car, the mind wanders to all sorts of interesting places, many of which have nothing to do with the trip at hand.

As for Hopalong and his museum, despite my son’s complaints, we parked and walked toward the door, my son visibly slowing behind me as we approached the Promised Land. Then he smiled when he saw the sign on the door: “Closed until next week.” And he jostled me about missing that opportunity for hours and hours and hours. That’s the ultimate beauty of a driving trip. Gas is still expensive. Driving still takes more time and effort than many other ways to get from here to there.

But there’s something to be said for taking a little extra time to get both somewhere and nowhere simultaneously these days.

On an endless stretch of highway, you can watch the sky kiss the land up ahead as fluffy clouds float by almost at eye level, something impossible to ponder in a city jammed tight with buildings and lights and smog.

DISTRIBUTION PH/214.560.4203

ADVERTISING PH/214.560.4203

office administrator: JUDY LILES

214.560.4203 / jliles@advocatemag.com

advertising sales director: KRISTY GACONNIER

214.560.4213 / kgaconnier@advocatemag.com

display sales manager: BRIAN BEAVERS

214.560.4201 / bbeavers@advocatemag.com

senior advertising consultant: AMY DURANT

214.560.4205 / adurant@advocatemag.com

advertising consultants

CATHERINE PATE

214.292.0494 / cpate@advocatemag.com

NORA JONES

214.292.0962 / njones@advocatemag.com

PATTI MILLER

214.292.0961 / pmiller@advocatemag.com

JENNIFER THOMAS VOSS

214.635.2122 / jvoss@advocatemag.com

FRANK McCLENDON

214.560.4215 / fmcclendon@advocatemag.com

LIZ BOVARD

972.922.2790 / lbovard@advocatemag.com

classified manager: PRIO BERGER

214.560.4211 / pberger@advocatemag.com

classified consultants

SALLY ACKERMAN

214.560.4202 / sackerman@advocatemag.com

SUSAN CLARK

469.916.7866 / sclark@advocatemag.com

marketing director: MEREDITH MOORE

214.292.0486 / mmoore@advocatemag.com

EDITORIAL PH/ 214.292.2053

publisher: RICK WAMRE

214.560.4212 / rwamre@advocatemag.com

managing editor: CHRISTINA HUGHES BABB

214.560.4204 / chughes@advocatemag.com

editors

KERI MITCHELL

214.292.0487 / kmitchell@advocatemag.com

EMILY TOMAN

214.292.2053 / etoman@advocatemag.com

RACHEL STONE

214.292.0490 / rstone@advocatemag.com

web editor: CHRISTY ROBINSON

214.635.2120 / crobinson@advocatemag.com

senior art director: JYNNETTE NEAL

214.560.4206 / jneal@advocatemag.com

art director: JULIANNE RICE

214.292.0493 / jrice@advocatemag.com

designers: JEANINE MICHNA-BALES, LARRY OLIVER, HANNAH DWORACZYK

contributing editors: JEFF SIEGEL, SALLY WAMRE

contributors: SEANCHAFFIN, BILL KEFFER, GAYLA KOKEL, GEORGEMASON,BLAIRMONIE,ELLENRAFF, MEGHAN RINEY

photo editor: CAN TÜRKYILMAZ

214.560.4200 / cturkyilmaz@advocatemag.com

photographers: MARK DAVIS, MOLLYDICKSON, ALISON FECHTEL, BENJAMIN HAGER interns: LAURACHUCKRAY,MEGHANSIKKEL,NICKIKOETTING, MADELINE STEVENS,TYLERBERRETT

5702 Anita

DALLAS CONSIDERS BICYCLE SPEED LIMITS

I think 15 mph is reasonable as a speed limit for the trail [Advocate Back Talk blog, “Will clocking speed on trails save lives?”, Aug. 16] When I want to go faster, I get on the street.

—STUART

“Generally moving at 15 mph,” while this may sound benign, the problem lies with those cyclists who frequently go a lot faster. And it is reasonable to think that describes most all cyclists at some point during their route. A reasonable solution is to restrict cycling in congested areas during peak trail times. The cycling enthusiasts can use the non-restricted portions of the trails and ride the streets.

—CITIZEN KANE

ONDEFENDING PUBLIC SCHOOL EDUCATION

It gets exhausting after awhile defending my husband’s and my decision to send our kids to public schools in Dallas. As parents of children age 14 months to 6 years, we are only at the start of our journey, but I am already tired of hearing things like, “Well, the elementary schools in your area are OK, but you’ll have to switch to private for middle school and high school.” Says who? I guess I missed the part where someone said that sending my children to private school guaranteed them a better education and therefore happier, more fulfilling lives. As Rick Wamre points out [Advocate Back Talk blog, “Stonewall TAKS rating falls to ‘acceptable’. Who cares?”, Aug. 16], DISD is not for everyone, but please stop trying to second guess me. I ease my consternation with the thought that those who say they can’t relate to the idea of sending their kids to Long and Woodrow are really seeking reassurance that they aren’t spending thousands of dollars a year on private tuition for nothing.

—LEIGH

I had already read the statement by Ms. Henderson about the test results when I saw the article in the paper. I tried to think of how a student might react to the TEA move. It seems patently unfair to me. Students left an “exemplary” school in June but come back to one just barely passing, but they have done nothing to warrant the change. Some ones in Austin, who are supposed to have the best interests of all

Street

6302 University Boulevard $299,500 Caruth Meadows 5-3 remodeled home w/marble entry & wood flooring. Genie Rousseau/469-387-9819 6843 E Mockingbird Lane $229,000 Mockingbird Hill home on tree covered corner lot. Robert Schrickel/214-801-1795 6011 Winton Street $225,000 Gorgeous updated M-Street cottage move-in ready. Jenn Thompson | 214.929.6509 5938 Sandhurst Lane #102 $155,250 Spacious 2-2 renovated, hard wood floors, stainless, granite & patio. Carolyn Black | 214.675.2089

10518

Did you know it is possible to obtain maximum discounts if you combine your Auto and Home Policies within one Insurance Company. very favorable results for you.

Should you have a business, I am blessed to represent superior insurance carriers to place your requirements and needed coverage. Let me hear from you about this need.

I strongly suggest you let me review your Life Insurance position.

Fall is for Planting

Now is the very best time to plant trees, shrubs & perennials with plenty of time to put down roots!

Plant Shade Trees Now!

“Trees: Plant Now”

Staff Favorites include Mexican Plum, Maple ‘Red Sunset’ and Chinese Pistache.

Sept. 24th 10am

Plant Fall & Winter Gardens Now!

Cool season favorites include broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, salad greens, carrots, beans, Brussels sprouts & more. Garlic arrives in October!

“Fall Veggies”

Sept. 24th 11am

Plant Spring Now!

students at heart, shuffled some papers and came up with the idea that one size fits all. Am I the only one who thinks the TEA is a political body that puts students last?

—GAY HOPKINS

Spot on. Since the TAKS ranking is an overall average of school-wide performance, it will penalize a school with a diverse population. It is interesting to note that although Woodrow does not show well on the TAKS rankings, it is consistently among the best high schools in the nation when ranked on AP participation. Also, the top graduates of Woodrow always seem to head to Ivy League schools or equivalent. The opportunity to get a great education in our Lakewood schools is already there, but ultimately it is the parents’ and the students’ responsibility to take advantage of it.

—SHERB

IdEnTIfyIng nEWSPAPEr PhoToS from 1975

“Spring Bulbs”

Sept. 17th 11am

Tulip, daffodils, crocus, hyacinth, iris and other spring blooming bulbs arrive mid-September! New to planting bulbs? Our experts will help you plan & plant a gorgeous garden.

Certainly that was our 15 minutes of fame [Advocate Back Talk blog, “do you know these Woodrow, Long, Lee protesters?”, Aug. 1]. As I remember we were at Woodrow hill the night before and the news spread like wild fire that dIS d was considering switching Woodrow and Long. my understanding at the time was Woodrow’s enrollment was small because it was losing so many students to Skyline. Long’s enrollment was much larger because the Long student body was made up of students who either went on to Skyline or Woodrow. of course we felt very strongly that Woodrow remain the high school, and in our quest for justice decided to protest the next day – Saturday morning. I remember addressing the crowd on behalf of the Student Council. We woke up Sunday morning to find ourselves on the front page of the Dallas Morning News I answered a lot of questions when I arrived at church. I’m sure we felt very important. many years later I was teaching Sunday school and one of my students also participated in a protest against dISd They were firing several of his teachers at Bryan Adams, it was fun to bring the old newspaper out and share this story with him. Alan, Julie, nancy and Carolyn, and I (those pictured) remain close friends today.

—KAREN MATNEY BROWN

Mexican Plum Tree: Blooms early spring, very fragrant.

WE FIGHT UNFAIR.

GENETIC BREAST CANCER SCREENING

In battling breast cancer, we take every edge we can get. That’s why the Margot Perot Center and the medical staff at Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital Dallas are out in front in diagnosis and treatment. We’re the only hospital in DFW with Breast Cancer Risk Assessment (BCRA), an online tool that helps estimate your risk of developing breast cancer. We offer genetic screening and counseling at our Center for Cancer Risk Reduction and Genetics. We’re the rst hospital in North Texas offering Breast Tomosynthesis, 3-D imaging that can identify breast cancer in women with dense or brocystic breast tissue. Treatments range from advanced surgical techniques and reconstruction to radiation and chemotherapy. We do everything we can to give you an unfair advantage against breast cancer, like the BCRA. Take yours online today.

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

Remodeling Talk...

The 6 Questions to Ask a Remodeler

before you sign a contract.

Are you the right company for my project?

Probe for…practical and innovative solutions they have provided customers with needs like yours. Test the firm’s know-how by asking for a range of options for translating your design dreams into reality. Ask about visiting actual completed or in-process projects.

What is your level of experience and expertise in my neighborhood?

Probe for…years of experience in the community and expertise in local building and conservation standards. Ask about their architectural philosophy for blending modern design features into established neighborhoods. Learn which projects in your neighborhood produce the best return on investment. Request photos showing a variety of styles, with addresses you can visit.

What can I expect once I sign the contract?

Probe for…a project management process with detailed steps, preferably in writing. Find out who will be your liaison and how he/she will communicate. Learn how your vision will be achieved, and your needs for privacy, convenience, and cleanliness respected.

Do you actively participate in trade organizations?

Probe for…organizations that keep members informed of industry issues and new construction techniques. Active involvement correlates with professionalism you can trust. Look for affiliations with local and national Home Builders Associations (HBA of Greater Dallas/NAHB) as well as the National Association of the Remodeling Industry (NARI). Learn about special designations they have achieved, including Certified Graduate Remodeler (CGR) and Certified Remodeler (CR).

Do you maintain all of the necessary insurance?

Probe for…builder’s risk and general liability insurance to protect homeowners from claims arising from property damage or jobsite injuries. Request copies of the insurance certificates and ask about the procedure and coverage in the event of an accident involving a worker, visitor, or resident of the home.

Can you provide references?

Probe for…satisfied customers who have had similar work done. You’ll want to hear the firm is organized, responsible, attentive to detail, and responsive to warranty issues. Make sure they have a strong network of trade contractor affiliates.

What you discover in your interviews will not only inform your choice of which remodeler to use; you’ll also be better equipped to understand and contribute to the design process.

lakewood

EVENTS

Click our Eventfinder tab to peruse local happenings. You can also add your own event for free. See selected upcoming events on p. 26 of this issue, too.

CONTESTS

Like winning?

Click our Contests tab for info on how to score wine, event tickets and dinner vouchers all week.

DAILY BLOG

The most-discussed blog post of the month was:

“Do you know these Woodrow, Long and Lee protesters?”

Search protesters to read this post and your neighbors’ comments.

Do you have a story tip or a question? Just want to say hi?

EMAIL RACHEL AT rstone@advocatemag.com

An East Dallas couple planned to tear down and rebuild an old White Rock-area house they bought because of structural issues. But first they turned it into an art gallery for a night.

Click our Multimedia tab to watch this and other videos, or scan this code to watch it now on your mobile.

6 Reasons Why a New Home is a Smart Investment

If you’re in the market for a new home, there has never been a better time to choose new construction over an existing home. If you have questions about any of the information below, please feel free to call us at (214) 823-0033.

Interest Rates Near Historical Lows:

At the time of this writing, Bankrate. com’s local average for a 30-year fixed mortgage is 4.33%, near historical lows. The less mortgages cost, the narrower the gap in payments between new and existing homes.

Space-Saving Modern Floor Plans:

TWITTER

Hey! Are you following us?

It’s an easy way to get our blog and magazine headlines: @ADVOCATE_ED

Follow and interact with editor Rachel Stone on Twitter, too:

@RACHELSTONE6

ALSO ONLINE

facebook.com/LakewoodAdvocate youtube.com/lakewoodmag advocatemag.com/newsletter lakewood.advocatemag.com/photos

2011 Federal Tax Credits for Consumer

Several new residential energy systems now qualify for tax credits amounting to 30% of the system costs.

Sustainability of New Products:

Of course new products will usually outlive older products. But it isn’t just about avoiding replacement costs. More savings accumulate each year because of the warranties that come with a new home and the superior reliability of products and materials that custom builders use today.

Reduces Utility Costs.

A quality new home is typically superior to existing homes in every aspect of energy efficiency. Green design and materials, better lumber, improved insulation, efficient HVAC and electrical systems, and energy efficient appliances and fixtures all substantially reduce utility costs.

Properly designed home plans today feel larger than their actual square footage. They generally have clean, open layouts with larger rooms, including spacious kitchens and gathering areas. They also have adequate storage spaces and big closets to eliminate household clutter.

Lot Costs:

In our recent experience, lot costs are as low as we’ve seen in years. It’s a great time to buy a lot, and build the home of your dreams!

Su S an blatz is the dog whisperer of White Rock l ake. She started her business, a ll Dogs a ll Day, about 14 years ago, sort of by accident after her dog-sitting clients realized she had a way with dogs that came naturally to her. She has five dogs of her own at home, and she also fosters dogs, usually ones with severe behavior problems, and readies them for adoption. t he longtime l akewood resident recently filled us in on her business and tips for training pups.

What kind of training do you offer, and are there any specific breeds in which you specialize?

I do obedience classes, behavior issues and basic training. I see a lot of puppies after Christmas, but I see every kind of dog.

grab-bagLAUNCH

WHY DO PEOPLE HIRE YOU MOST OFTEN?

The most common issue, hands down, is potty training. The second one is basic manners — pulling on the leash, jumping up on people. Each dog is different. If you have a lab, you probably won’t be having potty issues. But if you have a Maltese, you are probably going to have a problem with potty. Smaller dogs have a harder time holding it, or they’re not as likely to let you know they need to go out.

SO HOW DO YOU TEACH POTTY TRAINING?

It’s training the owners. They have to learn to disengage and let their dog relax outside and just be about his business, but that’s the hardest thing to do sometimes. A lot of times what happens is the owner will go outside with the dog, and they come back inside, and the dog goes on the floor. And they think, “We were just outside!” but it’s because the dog got too distracted outside by a squirrel or a toy or anything else and didn’t do his business. So you don’t engage with them, you don’t look at them, and then you praise them after.

NO TREATS?

No. I don’t do treats. My dogs do what I say because they’re doing it for me. They’re not doing it for a treat. Treats are OK sometimes, but I never do treats for potty training.

DOG TRAINING IS EXPENSIVE, RIGHT?

Yes, but it’s well worth it because you’re looking at your long-term life together. Obedience class is always a good idea. It’s an investment, absolutely. I can show people where a dog is limited that they don’t see. People will always tell me, “The dog won’t come,” but I notice, every time they want the dog to come, they’re grabbing, or they’re yelling, or they’re shoving them in the crate. If they think “come” means they’re going to be grabbed, they’re not going to do it. “Come” should always be a good experience because then you always have a dog thinking about “come” in a positive way. Same thing with “sit”. Dogs are always wondering what’s the next step. So if you make it positive, your dog is always going to be looking at you and not what is the next step. Praise is the best thing you can give your dog.

continued on page 18

My dogs do what I say because they’re doing it for me. They’re not doing it for a treat.

more on SUSAN PLATZ

THAT SOUNDS LIKE THE VERY BASICS OF DOG TRAINING.

Yes. It’s training the owner to train the dog. They need a gentle, compassionate touch, but they do need training. There’s a balance. Usually, it’s that they have to expect more of the dog. Dogs get attention for being bad, and that’s predictable attention. It’s really important to not give attention for bad behavior. You redirect to good behavior and praise them for that. I fix it so the dog can understand, and the people can understand, and the dog becomes more cooperative. There should be no yelling and no grabbing.

WHAT IS THE BIGGEST MISTAKE PEOPLE MAKEWITHTHEIR DOGS?

The biggest mistake is thinking that dogs are easy at all. People have a hard time because they’re coming home and taking care of children, and driving to soccer practice and making dinner and all sorts of things. But they have to take time for the dog, too. If you’re doing it right, it should be inconvenient. Dogs are, in a way,

like children. They need direction and attention. You have to teach them to live in your home because they don’t know that innately. They

how we do things.” SoI trained some of the dogs I was pet sitting. Dogs are happier when they think they are doing the right thing and getting attention. I didn’t mean to be the dog trainer, but people wanted it, and my clients started recommending me. It became too much to do both dog sitting and training, so eventually, I eased out of the pet sitting and started building on the dog behavior.

CAN YOU GIVE US ANY OTHERTIPS FOR DOG TRAINING?

don’t know it’s OK to get on the sofa in this room but not on the other sofa that’s nicer. People always say, “Well, he’s doing this, and he should know better.” Well, no, he doesn’t know better, or he wouldn’t do it. You have to teach, repeat and be patient. It’s hard to be the teacher, and dogs are harder than you think.

HOW DID YOU GET INTOTHIS BUSINESS?

I started a pet-sitting business, and some of my clients had dogs with bad manners. And I said, “No, you’re not going to jump on me. That’s not

Try taking an obedience course. That’s always a big help. Regular routines are huge. Dogs will count on that in a big way. Don’t use a retractable lead. People think it gives the dog more freedom, but it’s actually more dangerous because you have less control. I make it my mission in life to teach people it’s all about teamwork. Sometimes I see my former clients walking with [a retractable leash], and I will pull over and say something to them: “Uh, uh, uh! You shouldn’t be using that retractable leash.” I’m horrible. I’m obnoxious. I care too much.

retail on wheels

While food trucks, those incubators of independent restaurants, are all the rage in some cities, here in our neighborhood is another kind of truck. The Vintagemobile is the brainchild and fledgling business of 25-year-old Jeremy Turner and his wife, Kelsey, who live in the Lower Greenville area. The Turners wanted to open a vintage clothing store in their neighborhood with some friends. But rents on Greenville or Henderson were too much for them to swallow. “And then, one day, I just told them, ‘Why not make this store mobile because we’d have more opportunity, and your costs would be way lower?’ ” His friends thought he was crazy. So they kept trying to work out plans for a brickand-mortar store. But then a friend sent Jeremy a link to a double-decker bus in Portland, Ore., that is a vintage store. “Once I saw that, I was like, ‘Oh, I’m doing it.’ I already had the idea, and if someone else can do it, I can do it,” Jeremy says. He and Kelsey, 27, found a 1980 Chevy school bus on Craigslist (it is older than they are) and drove to Edmond, Okla., to get it. It took about six hours to drive

the bus home, as it travels only about 50 mph before it starts making an unsettling noise. First, they took the seats out of the bus and had it painted green, and then Kelsey’s dad helped jeremy install shelves and clothing racks. Kelsey, who is a graphic designer, painted their logo and stripes in white. Then it was a matter of filling it up with vintage clothes, which was kind of the easy part. jeremy started perusing thrift stores and estate sales with his brother as a teenager, and he has an eye for picking out cool old T-shirts, such as a Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers concert tee, and other throwback clothing. The Vintagemobile is parked at the Belmont Hotel, 901 Fort Worth ave., every Saturday and Sunday, but you never know where it might pop up. The best way to keep up with it is through facebook.com/vintagemobile or twitter.com/vintagemobile. —Rachel

Stone

gourmet to go

Does a food truck culture exist in Dallas? It’s certainly a growing trend. With city hall’s recent ordinance changes, several new food trucks have taken to the streets. However, these are not your typical greasy hot dog vendors (though Randy Wolken, franchisee of Gandolfo’s New York Deli Truck, claims to serve a delicious “Nathan’s Famous” hot dog). Indeed, “gourmet” more aptly describes these meals with wheels. Examples of such cuisine are Nammi Truck’s banh mi — a Vietnamese sandwich piled with fresh cucumbers, cilantro, carrots, jalapeños, and fresh meat or tofu — and Ssahm’s Korean BBQ Truck’s Kimchi fries — fresh cut fries drizzled with caramelized kimchi, cheese, onions, spicy mayo and the customer’s choice of meat. Because of the roving nature of food trucks, their loyal fans track them on Twitter and Facebook. “That’s how 75 percent of our customers find us,” Gary Torres of Nammi says. The trucks have made frequent stops in our neighborhood in the parking lots of Sigel’s on both Greenville and Fitzhugh. Jasper Russo of Sigel’s says the food trucks are welcome in his company’s lots because “we’re hoping that food trucks will bring customers to our stores, and we’ll bring customers to them.” Running a startup food truck does have its challenges. “My business partner and I each lost 15 pounds in the first two weeks because of the heat,” Joey Hong of Ssahm’s says. But architect-turned-owner of Nammi Truck Teena Nguyen explains why food truck entrepreneurs keep at it: “With a food truck, you’re out among the people. It’s more fast-paced, more social. You’re eye-to-eye with the customers. I really like the culture.” Food trucks of the more permanent variety will soon sit on the former spot of Arcadia Theater on Lower Greenville. Construction for Arcadia Food Park is underway, and six Airstream trailers will open for business at the beginning of 2012.

—LAURA CHUCKRAY

wAtCH A viDeo to see food truck chefs in action at lakewood.advocatemag.com/video

Donna Mason, Kay McKinney, Dianne Evan, Paula Schmitt and Susan Remele are some of the founding members of the margarita madness group.

PHOTO BY MADELINE STEVENS

madness, mayhem and margaritas

These Little Forest Hills ladies are serious about their margaritas. They call themselves “the maidens of margarita madness and mayhem,” and since 2003, they have met monthly for dinner at various neighborhood restaurants — preferably those that serve Mexican food — to support local businesses, spend quality time with neighbors and, of course, drink margaritas. The goal is to try a different restaurant every month. Picks have ranged from La Parrillada, a hole-in-the-wall taco joint on Gaston, to the longstanding El Fenix in Casa Linda and beloved Mariano’s on Skillman, with occasional repeats to group favorites like Fish City Grill and Matt’s Rancho Martinez. But the restaurant responsible for it all was Dos Charros, a nowclosed Tex-Mex place popular among the circle of neighborhood friends. “We went there all the time; we loved it,” Susan Remele says. Remele and her dining companions enjoyed their visits to Dos Charros so much, they decided to form an official group. Their intricate name stems from simple facts about the members: “We all love margaritas,” Remele explains. “And we’re all kind of crazy, so there is some madness in there.” They began sending emails inviting other neighbors to join, and over time, what started as an intimate dozen or so women grew to a list of almost 60 names. Although everyone on the list has

never shown up for a meal at one time, dinner attendance has reached as many as 30 people, Remele says. “There are about 12 people that usually come all the time,” she says. “About four or five of them are from the ‘original’ group.” And while the members are all female, men occasionally have been invited to take part in their dining antics. “We would invite the boyfriends and husbands for, like, one time a year,” Remele says. “They always love it when they can come.” She attributes the group’s success to the “incredible leadership” in Little Forest Hills — namely that of neighborhood association co-presidents Max and Denise Davis. “They are always promoting everything they can find that people do and sending out messages through the neighborhood association,” she says. “The neighborhood has been very crucial in getting the word out.” The “margarita girls” have even marched in neighborhood Fourth of July parades on occasion — margarita glasses in hand, naturally.

—Meghan Sikkel

out&about

09.22.11-09.25.11 DALLAS VIDEOFEST

$25-$35 The oldest and largest film festival is back, featuring a diverse group of filmmakers that continues to push the art form to the next level. This year, the Dallas VideoFest has introduced a new category — the subgenre — with a focus on underground films that document counterculture and subculture , such as “Skatestan,” a skating video directed by James M. Johnston. Other highlights include Guts N Glory, in which teams shoot 100 feet of film on Super 8 or 16mm cameras and create a live performance piece to accompany it. Day passes for the festival are $25-$35, and a festival pass is $150. All screenings are held at the Angelika Theater. 5321 E. Mockingbird, 214.428.8700, videofest.org —EMILY

THROUGH 10.01 WHITE ROCK

LAKE: AN INSPIRING WORK OF ART

FREE The Bath House Cultural Center presents work from three local photographers, highlighting the beauty of White Rock Lake. 521 E. Lawther, 214.670.8749, dallasculture.org

09.04-09.29 CONCERTS IN THE GARDEN $17-$25 The Dallas Arboretum continues its live music series at 7:30 p.m. on Thursdays. This month features Asleep at the Wheel, Hard Night’s Day, Dallas Unlimited and Max Stalling. 8525 Garland Road, 214.515.6524, dallasarboretum.org

More Lakewood events on page 29

TOMAN

09.03-10.01 BATH HOUSE 30TH ANNIVERSARY FREE The Bath House Cultural Center celebrates its 30th anniversary with an exhibit, “From Sandy Beaches to Vibrant Arts,” featuring more than 40 artists who chronicle the building from its origins to present day. The opening reception is 7-9 p.m. Sept. 3. 521 E. Lawther, 214.670.8749, dallasculture.org

A still from the James M. Johnston short film “Skatestan”

THE GOODS SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

CALLIDORA

RANDOM

Yee Haw! We have a stampede of wonderful gift ideas for everyone on your list. Remember, the holidays are just around the bend... 6465 E. Mockingbird Ln., #366 Hillside Village Dallas, TX 75214 214.827.9499 ShopAtRandom.

From Gifts, Sterling Silver, Cards, to Custom Work, Repairs. We now have preferred customer cards, and with $20 purchase, you get stamp, after five stamps, receive a $25 gift 2913 Greenville Ave. (next to Blue Goose) 214-515-9188

CallidoraGifts.com

MAKE INDEGENIUS

Whether you are seeking modern handmade wares or vintage treasures, IndieGenius has something for everyone. 60 Vendors 5000 Sqft BeIndieGenius.com Bishop Arts District

WACKYM’S KITCHEN

Wackym’s Kitchen bakes delicious cookies and treats from original recipes using fresh, natural ingredients like real butter and cane sugar. Visit our website to order or find a retail location. wackymskitchen.com

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

ONCE UPON A CHILD

Once Upon A Child-LH help send your kids To School in style! BUY and SELL both NEW GENTLY USED school uniforms and other kids 6300 Skillman St. @ Abrams 214.503.6010. onceuponachildlakehighlands.com

intricate

YOGA

Yoga Mart offers 17 types Plus blankets, bolsters, blocks & more. Something for every style of yoga practice.

6039 Oram (at Skillman) 214.534.4469 yogamartusa.com

DEBUTANTES COWBOYS

orders can be made women Team

dcboutiqueonline.com 214.324.3332

TALULAH BELLE

Tokyo Milk Dark Collection embodies sultry sophistication and style.

Fragrance Notes: Amber Resin, Oak Bark, Blood Orange, Patchouli. Not only are the scents incredible, but the design is sleek with a classy feminine edge. 2011 Abrams Rd. 214.821.1927 talulahbelle.com

GLASSHOUSE

CAST GLASS WINDOW.

Showroom: 905 Dragon St. 214.761.1100 glasshouseproducts.com

JENNA B’S

Fall fashions have arrived! Come in and explore the newest arrivals. 5706 E. Mockingbird Ln. @ Greenville Avenue 214.484.7116 JennaBsBoutique.com

T.HEE GREETINGS

everything to make a with your party this Mockingbird & and Walnut Hill 214.747.5800 t-heegifts.com

THE STORE IN LAKE HIGHLANDS

Happy Everything...Start a collection with just one platter & collect a different attachment for every holiday & occasion throughout the year. It’s a display and functional piece.

10233 E NW Hwy @ Ferndale (near Albertsons)

214.553.8850 Mon-Sat 9:30-5:30

TheStoreinLH.com

THE T SHOP

Succulent September. 1911 Abrams Parkway 214.821.8314 Visit us on Facebook.

LAUNCHhappenings

TRUE BEAUTY R X SKINCARE CLINIC & BEAUTY BAR

SkinMedica’s Essentials - Vitamin C+E builds healthy skin from within.

SPF 50 protects skin from future damage.

Tri-Retinol exfoliates dead skin. 4 month supply...buy all receive $25.00 off.

6224 La Vista Dr 214.434.1664

truebeautyrx.com

BRUMLEY GARDENS

Rain or shine you will be singing with these beautiful umbrellas. Makes a great gift. Brumley Gardens. 10540 Church Road. brumleygardens.com

Shop local or online

214.363.4900

09.08-09.24 A MOST DANGEROUS WOMAN

$10-$25 Echo Theatre presents the story of Mary Anne, a writer known by her male pen name George Eliot. Performances run at 8 p.m. Thursday-Saturday at the Bath House Cultural Center. 521 E. Lawther, 214.904.0500, echotheatre.org

09.17 TOUR DE FLEURS $45-$55 The Dallas Arboretum hosts 10k and 20k races around White Rock Lake, beginning at 7:30 and 8 a.m. at the Arboretum followed by a party at 8:45, featuring an ’80s cover band on the Martin Rutchik Concert Lawn. Massage therapists also will be on hand for post-race pampering. 8525 Garland Road, tourdesfleurs.org

09.17 OKKERVIL RIVER $20 The Granada Theater presents indie folk-rock group Okkervil River with Wye Oak opening the show. Doors open at 7 p.m. 3524 Greenville, 214.824.9933, granadatheater.com

09.23-10.23 ALEXANDER AND THE TERRIBLE, HORRIBLE, NO GOOD, VERY BAD DAY $14-$26 The Dallas Children’s Theater begins its season with the musical adaptation of the children’s book by Judith Viorst. Performance times and ticket prices are available online. 5938 Skillman, 214.740.0051, dct.org

09.24 DADA GALLERY WALK FREE-$10 The Dallas Art Dealers Association presents its fall gallery walk, featuring exhibits at all of its member galleries, including the Bath House Cultural Center. This year’s focus is on Oak Cliff, with panel discussions on the neighborhood’s visual art history. 214.914.1099, dallasartdealers.org.

Delicious

A guide to dining & drinking in our neighborhood

DOGGIE DINING

F O r thr EE y E ars, Gabr IE la K O vac I c battl ED w I th c I ty hall to allow dogs on restaurant patios. Eventually, she won, and Café Lago became Dallas’ first legal dog-friendly establishment. The result? A much better atmosphere. “When a human came in with their dog, immediately people started interacting,” Kovacic says. “It brings everyone down to a friendlier level. They’re willing to converse with others.” She took the idea even further, developing the “puppy menu,” which includes safe canine cuisine like scrambled eggs, sliced turkey meat, grilled chicken and Nanny’s Homemade Meatloaf — a blend of meats, fat, veggies and oats. But no onions — those are on the “doggie die list,” a collection of foods that make mutts sick. Fifteen percent of puppy menu sales benefits the East Lake Pet Orphanage. Besides the pet-friendly environment, Café Lago has gained popularity for its authentic sangria and tasty tapas, such as the corn pudding topped with an aromatic poblano cream sauce. The menu also includes lots of veggie dishes. Try the purple risotto, which is packed with celery, broccoli and spinach. The herbs are picked from the Promise of Peace organic garden. “To me, healthfulness is really important,” Kovacic says. “If you’re going to eat something, you don’t want to feel miserable afterward.” —Emily Toman

Pictured: Doggie meatloaf; lower right: veggie risotto with purple rice (for humans)

1 Capitol p ub

o n a cool afternoon, you’ll see several patrons and their pooches enjoying bottomless mimosas at this Henderson a venue establishment.

hENDErsON & capItOl

214.887.9330

capItOlpubDallas.cOm

2 Garden Café

Grab some garden-fresh grub at this neighborhood cult favorite, which serves dogs, too, depending on their diet.

JuNIus & hENDErsON at muNGEr squarE cENtEr

214.887.8330 GarDENcaFE NEt

3 t wisted r oot b ur G er l ocated across the street from Deep Ellum Dog Park, this famed burger spot is a convenient stop along the way.

cOmmErcE & GOOD latImEr

214.741.7668

twIstEDrOOtburGErcO.cOm

Three more dog-friendly patios:

ALISON FECHTEL

YOUR GUIDE TO DINING OUT

The BEST BES E AT S in our neighborhood

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.

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. Lunch specials all day, everyday $4.99 with this ad. Private Party room, seats 40 people. Adult beverages are limited to margaritas and beer. Catering beginning at $6.50 per person. New Hours: Mon - Thurs 11 am - 9 pm, Fri - Sat 11 am - 10 pm CLOSED SUNDAY 214.343.8740 texmexlakehighland.com

Wine is complicated enough, what with all of the kinds of wine and all of the different places in the wine is made. So what does the wine business wine even more complicated? Invent wine terms, language all its own.

This is troublesome for anyone who likes wine, or not. Even today, after two-plus decades of doing a wine description and have no idea what it means. imagine the difficulty wine-speak gives beginners.

How to get around this problem? One way is to Wine Garden at the State Fair of Texas between Sept. Oct. 23, where The Two Wine Guys, John Bratcher myself, will speak again this year. We’ll be at the stage Monday through Thursday at 1, 3 and 5 p.m., and will be happy to answer any questions.

The best way? Taste wine, and learn the differences:

Many California red wines, like Toad Hollow’s Erik The Red ($15) are fruity, which some wine drinkers often confuse with sweetness. Think of a sweet wine, like riesling, as iced tea with lemon and sugar. Think of fruity wine as the tea with just lemon. The latter is fruity (the taste of the lemon) but not sweet. Does the wine pair easily with food? If so, and if it doesn’t overwhelm the taste of the food, then it’s food friendly. Usually, but not always, food friendly wines have more simple, straightforward flavors, such as a New Zealand sauvignon blanc like Nine Walks ($10). Drink this with summer salads, roast chicken or boiled seafood, and the wine complements the food, which is about as friendly as you can get.

Wineries release a new vintage every year, which is the current vintage. But what happens when retailers haven’t been able to sell all of the previous year’s current vintage? It becomes the previous vintage, and retailers cut prices to get rid of those wines to make room for the current vintage. It’s not unlike what car dealers do — cut prices on last year’s models to make room for the new models. The Australian red blendPillarBoxRed 2008 used to be $12 or $13; you can find it these days, since it’s a previous vintage, for as little as $10.

—JEFF SIEGEL

WITH YOUR WINE

Couscous jambalaya

Serves 4-6, takes 30 minutes

3 Tbsp olive oil

3 c couscous

4 1/2 c chicken or vegetable stock

3 cloves garlic, chopped

1 onion, chopped

1/2 bell pepper chopped

1 stalk celery, chopped salt and pepper to taste

4-6 cups cooked chicken, shrimp, sausage, or beef

1.Place the olive oil in a large saucepan and warm over medium heat. When it’s hot, add the onion, bell pepper and celery, and sauté until the onions are soft, 5 or 6 minutes. Add the garlic and couscous and mix well, coating the couscous with the oil.

2. Add the chicken or other meat and stir. Add the stock and salt and pepper and mix well.

3. Bring to a boil. When it’s boiling, cover, turn the heat to low, and let the couscous steam for 7 to 10 minutes. It should be moist but not soupy.

D I N I N G SPOTLIGHT

MEXICAN SEAFOOD

LA CALLE DOCE

Enjoy our Weekend Brunch Menu Sats. & Suns. 11am - 3pm. Try our menu specialities like Tortillas and Lox. Also, $2 Bloody Marys, Mimosas and Vampiros. Serving the Dallas Area since 1981.

ITALIAN

PENNE POMODORO

Mon: Create your pasta $8.00

Tues: Half-off Wine Bottles

Wed: Kids Eat Free - kids menu

Thurs: Pork Ossobuco-$17.95

Fri: Lobster Dinner-$21.95

Sat: $1 Brunch Mimosas-Bellinis, Lobster Dinner-$21.95

Sun: $1 Brunch Mimosas-Bellinis

$10 Pizzas & Beer 4pm-9pm

1925 Skillman Ave. 214.824.9900

lacalledoce-dallas.com

CHINESE & MANDARIN CUISINE

SZECHWAN PAVILION

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

Senior (60+) Discount: Tuesday 4:30 - 9:00 pm

Celebrating 20 Years in Lakewood! Full Bar and New Menu Items. Visit Our New Indoor Patio!

1152 Buckner Blvd.

214.321.7599

szechwanpavilion.com

NEIGHBORHOOD CAFÉ

THE CORNER MARKET

The Corner Market M-Streets

3426 Greenville Ave. (@ McCommas)

214.826.8282

TheCornerMarketFlowers.com

Try The Corner Market’s awarding-winning sandwiches and salads, made fresh with all natural, filler-free deli meats, artisan breads, organic herbs and chefprepared dressings. Sample a coffee drink from the full esspresso bar using locally roasted coffees or a hand-crafted chocolate. Also breakfast available every day of the week.

HACIENDA ON HENDERSON

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

RestauRant & food talk

restaurants in Dallas proper. Pho is for Lovers is cute. The decor is clean and modern, and the people who work there are good-looking and friendly. It’s a fast-food style restaurant with a small menu. I ordered the beef pho, which comes with medium rare beef filet, beef brisket and meatballs. If you order this, do not then go outside and dig around in your purse for five minutes looking for change for the newspaper box, as I did (the box stole my money, by the way). The food comes out super fast, so if you waste time, the hot soup will cook your mediumrare filet by the time you come back inside. That’s what happened to mine.

RestAURANt tALk: PHo is foR LoveRs

This hip Vietnamese restaurant opened a couple of months ago on Greenville just north of Lovers Lane, in the same strip as Jersey Mike’s. It was happy news as there are a surprisingly small number of Vietnamese

It was nice to quickly fulfill my pho hankering for once, but it was not the best pho I’ve ever had. I would say it’s just OK. It’s not that flavorful, although I would consider trying the chicken pho just to see if it’s better. Next time, I will try the bahn mi, a Vietnamese sandwich with either Korean barbecue, chicken, pork, or ham and pork.

—Rachel STone

TASTE OF GREENVILLE AVENUE MOVES TO UNIVERSITY BLVD.

The Greenville Avenue Restaurant Association’s third Taste of Greenville Avenue is Oct. 29, and it’s moving out of Lower Greenville for the first time. The festival is moving to a larger space at Greenville and University at Energy Square. The event features booths from neighborhood restaurants, which offer small plates for $3-$6. In past years, it has taken place outside the Granada Theater, but organizers say the event has outgrown that space.

—RACHEL STONE

HAVE A PICNIC ATTHE ARBORETUM

The Dallas Arboretum offers several al fresco options this time of year. Wendy Krispin To-Go at Restaurant DeGoyler and Highland Park Cafeteria offer convenient pick-up dinners at the Arboretum on concert nights. A schedule of concerts is available at dallasarboretum.org/ concerts. Each restaurant serves up fresh salads, wraps, sandwiches, burgers and desserts. For reservations at the restaurant or to order a to-go picnic by Krispin, call Restaurant DeGolyer at 214.515.6610. Concertgoers receive a 10 percent discount off their order on concert nights if they mention the Restaurant DeGolyer Facebook page. Order from Highland Park Cafeteria by calling 214.324.5000, or at the HP Cafeteria tent on concert nights.

The Arboretum staff also reminds us that you can enjoy fine dining whenever you visit the Arboretum at the Lula Mae Slaughter Dining Terrace. “Showcasing a menu of seasonal soup offerings and hot and cold sandwiches as well as delicious fresh salads, this service is open daily from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. and 9 a.m.- 5 p.m. on festival days.” Dallas Arboretum is located on the Southeastern shore of White Rock at 8525 Garland.For more information including ticket prices, admission and upcoming events, call 214. 515.6500 or visit dallasarboretum.org.

HUGHES BABB

—CHRISTINA

BENITO

Olde English bulldogge

They’ve got it all — cuteness, charisma and hilarious habits. For their ability to make us smile, we’ve deemed them the neighborhood’s BEST PETS.

What makes an Advocate pet edition model?

It is not necessarily impeccable breeding or a pretty mug but, rather, a personality — a certain je ne sais quoi — that jumps off the page.

Our 2011 model pet search garnered piles of adorable photos and amusing anecdotes. These finalists are the non-human neighborhood residents that most captured our hearts.

Juliette Fowler Homes Inc.

Full Continuum of Care

oin Fowler residents who enjoy all the comforts of home -- without the worry -- thanks to our full continuum of care campus.

Benito, son of a model

Nick and Karen Ramos had a chocolate lab for 16 years, and after he died, they took some time finding another pet.

“My daughter [Lauren] has always wanted an Olde English bulldogge,” Nick Ramos says.

That’s not a typo. Olde English bulldogges are a modern re-creation of the extinct Old English bulldog.

They did some research on the breed and found that while the dogs do have some health problems, they are not as common or severe as other modern

Only 5 minutes from Baylor Hospital.

ome -- whether you enjoy a temporary stay or choose to make your home with Fowler, the supportive community and continuum of care offered on our beautiful campus will give you and your loved ones peace of mind.

F Howler’s state-ofthe-art therapy suite includes a mock kitchen, bath and bedroom. Also, its rehabilitative outdoor garden and multiterrain walkways contributes a unique therapy environment while helping residents regain skills that help them return to a better quality of life.

BENITO WILL BE SEEN AROUND TOWN COME FOOTBALL SEASON IN HIS OWNROMO

JERSEY

bulldog breeds. So they decided it was the best bet.

They bought him from a breeder near Austin, and they found that Benito’s sire had been a professional model that once appeared in print ads for Abercrombie & Fitch clothing stores.

“That’s not why we chose him,” Karen Ramos says. “We didn’t even know about that until we got there.”

www.fowlerhomes.org

Still,Benito follows in his father’s footsteps.Even though he’s not a pro, he is very photogenic and doesn’t mind posing or wearing costumes. TheRamoses sent in dozens of pictures of Benito — wearing sunglasses, in a St. Patrick’s Day hat and other hilarious poses.

But he’s more than just a pretty face. Benito is a terrific companion.

“My husband is semi-retired,” Karen Ramos says. “And he just follows him from place to place and sits by his chair.”

The Ramoses say they thought Benito would be small, but now that he’s fully grown, he weighs about 60 pounds. They take him to play at Happy Tails doggie daycare on Northwest Highway because he can’t take the heat outside. And Benito will be seen around town come football season in his own Romo jersey.

NEWTON

Great Pyrenees and Jackie Mutz

Newton the great

Jackie Mutz’s dog had passed away after 15 years, so she went to a no-kill shelter, Operation Kindness, to find another furry companion.

She saw one she liked on their website, but when she met the dog in person, there was no connection.

But then she met the 5-month-old Great Pyrenees whose previous owners had dropped him with a note stating they didn’t know he’d get so big. (He weighed 50 pounds at five months and now is about 106.)

“Really?” Mutz says. “Any dog with ‘great’ in front of their name probably suggests they’re going to be a big dog.”

Anyway, it was their loss.

Newton the Great Pyrenees is a big charmer, more popular and famous in the neighborhood than Mutz herself. And now he’s in service helping rehabilitate other dogs.

Mutz started fostering rescued designer dogs — the poodle mixes known as goldendoodles and labradoodles — a few years ago.

“Newton is the best big brother,” Mutz says. “Some of these dogs have been really neglected, and he gets along with all of them. He is so calm that they just follow him around, and he is a great role model.”

It took seven months to get the first foster dog ready to adopt because she was so afraid of everything — people, hands, cars, noises. But she would follow Newton around, and eventually, she started to heal.

Every day, Newton lets his owner know when its time to go outside, and she lets him out in the front yard. That’s where he sits and keeps an eye on everything, and

that’s how he became so famous.

Occasionally someone will wave to Mutz in the grocery store and say, “Hey, how is Newton?” Sometimes she recognizes them, sometimes not.

“He greets everybody who comes by,” she says. “Kids knock on the door and ask if Newton can come out.”

The dog days of summer are fading, and while you’re warm and toasty now, you’ll soon be chilled to the bone— especially if your furnace goes belly-up mid-winter.

An inspection ensures your equipment is operating safely and not leaking dangerous carbon monoxide into your home. Preventative maintenance also saves money by maximizing efficiency and minimizing costly breakdowns.

Comfort, Safety, Savings—

now that’s something to wag your tail about.

“NEWTON IS THE BEST BIG BROTHER. SOME OF THESE DOGS HAVE BEEN REALLY NEGLECTED... AND HE IS A GREAT ROLE MODEL”

Newton was big, even as a puppy.

PHOTO COURTESY OF JACKIE MUTZ

Avi Frias, 14, loves to play soccer. But when an asthma attack struck during a game, she was afraid to play. “It was really scary because I couldn’t breathe, and I felt this huge pressure on my chest. I started panicking,” she says. At the Martha Foster Lung Care Center at Baylor Dallas, Avi was diagnosed with exercise-induced asthma. “The people at the asthma center were really caring. They took great care of me to make sure that I could function again.” Now, Avi uses an inhaler twice a day and keeps a rescue inhaler on hand for emergencies. “Thanks to Baylor, I can get back to what I love doing every single day.”

Lovie, the Quaker parakeet

Laura Shoecraft wanted a bird. She’s not sure why, but she always wanted one.

So she waited for one to be born at a local pet shop, and she would go check on the eggs between classes at SmU. that was 1994.

Now her bird, Lovey, is 16, and Shoecraft says the bird is one of the best pets she’s ever had.

Lovey is a Quaker parakeet. that’s the same type of bird seen in the wild around White rock Lake. Shoecraft discovered this one day while she was out walking and noticed squawking similar to Lovey’s.

For more information about asthma care services, call 1.800.4BAYLOR or visit us online at BaylorHealth.com/ DallasAsthma

4004 Worth St., Dallas, TX 75246

“It’s silly, but I thought, ‘Can her squawking be heard all the way over here?’ ” Shoecraft says.

but Lovey doesn’t just squawk; she talks. She says “good morning” every day when Shoecraft takes the sheet off of her cage. She says, “I love you” (but only to Shoecraft), and she mimics the sound of the beeps that car key remotes make. She laughs and sneezes just like Shoecraft. And she says the name of her favorite color, orange, which she associates with her favorite foods, sweet potatoes and oranges.

Shoecraft also has two dogs, and when Lovey is out on the floor, they leave her alone.

“So kudos to them, too,” Shoecraft says.

Quaker parakeets typically live to be about 20 years old. but Shoecraft’s vet told her Lovey could live longer because she is very healthy and mentally stimulated.

“She’s just so special,” Shoecraft says. “It’s unbelievable.”

Lovey doesn’t just sQuawk; she ... says, “I Love you” (but onLy to shoecraft)

Asthma held me back until Baylor joined my team.

The three-quarter ton Chevy

It would be cheaper to have a crack cocaine habit than an obsession with horses.

That’s straight from the mouth of Harley Cozewith, whose love of horses started when she was a little kid. She doesn’t know where it came from, only that she always loved ponies.

“I started asking for a horse when I was 6,” she says. “My parents looked at me like I was the mailman’s kid.”

Although her parents didn’t have the means to buy her a horse, she once spent a week horseback riding at Girl Scout camp, and once or twice, her parents sprang for a lesson at the local stables.

HORSE CAN FEEL YOUR HEART BEATING”

Cozewith was almost 40 when her husband gave her a $100 “starter package” one year for Christmas. That included lessons with a professional trainer. But that was just a taste, and Cozewith wanted more. Soon, she wanted a better barn, a better trainer. She leased a horse, and then she bought her lease horse. She bought a bridle and all the tack, plus a horse trailer.

“It is extraordinarily expensive,” to own a horse, she says.

The first horse died after two years, so she decided to buy another one, a 4-yearold she named Chevalier. That’s Chevy for short, and since he weighs 1,600 pounds, his show name is Three-Quarter Ton — he’s her three-quarter ton Chevy.

Cozewith and Chevy compete in threeday events about four times a year. And sometimes they do pretty well. In March, they took fourth place out of 12 riders.

But Cozewith gets points just for showing up.

That’s because in summer 2009, she

Harley Cozewith competes with her horse, Chevy.

time I talk with the dentist I learn more about the latest techniques in dentistry. The experience, skill and passion for dentistry come through crystal clear. I can recommend Travis Walk Dental Care without reservation to anyone that wants world class dentistry.” - Dr. Scott Rice, DDS Irvine, CA

4-year-old stallion and Harley Cozewith

had an accident while riding a friend’s horse. She broke her hip and was in the hospital for three weeks, then a wheelchair for three months, then a walker and crutches. Over the course of 11 months, she had four surgeries.

The first time she got back on Chevy, she was scared to death and shaking.

“A horse can feel a fly land on its butt,” Cozewith says. “A horse can feel your heart beating.”

So a shaky rider makes for an anxious horse. Over time, and with Chevy’s help, Cozewith got over her fear. She will forever have titanium in her hip, but she has confidence in her heart and mind.

Cozewith lives on Goliad and is director of operations at the Museum of Nature and Science. She has three indoor cats, a “porch cat” and a Labrador retriever. Those are her pets, but Chevy is so much more.

“He’s my partner and my friend,” she says. “I take care of him and he takes care of me.”

Cozewith drives out to ride Chevy four or five times a week at stables in Wilmer. She gets there before the sun comes up, and she gets to work in Fair Park by 9 a.m.

“There is nothing better than watching the sun come up from the back of a horse,” she says.

Even though he is high maintenance and very expensive, Cozewell says, it’s worth it. She spends about $700 to take him to competitions. She pays vet bills and veterinary dentist bills. Every six weeks, the horse gets new shoes, which cost $125.

“Mama shops at Target,” she says. “Baby wears Prada.”

Loki the beauty

Susan Yost wanted a big dog that looked intimidating.

Living in Asheville, N.C., at the time, she liked to blow off steam by hiking in the mountains. but it occurred to her that could be dangerous.

So she went to the pound to find a big dog.

“It was between Loki and a Doberman,” she says. “So I went home and thought about it, and finally I decided to get the Doberman.”

but when she returned, the Doberman had been adopted, so Loki it was. the dog took to hiking in the mountains, and he did the job of looking intimidating.

“His previous owners had left him because they were moving,” Yost says. “He was the only one in the shelter that had a stuffed animal.”

Loki is not actually intimidating. He’s a very friendly dog, who is also beautiful. When they are out at the dog park, people often stop Yost to remark on Loki’s uniqueness.

“He is just the star of the dog park,”

she says. “Everyone loves him.”

Yost, a graphic designer, and her boyfriend, an animator, moved to Dallas from Asheville, N.C., a few months ago. It’s the pits when the temperature is 75 in Asheville and 106 in Dallas. But they’re hanging in there, and they love their neighborhood, near Lindsley Park.

The couple also has two other dogs, two cats and a horse, which they board in Waxahachie.

“When we found out we were moving, we thought, ‘Oh, no, who is going to rent to us with all these animals?’ ” Yost says. “But then we found this place, and it’s been great.”

WAS THE ONLY

JAKE & BELLA Boxers

Jake and Bella, the loving siblings

Laura Bruner, who lives in the M Streets, sent in photo after photo of her dogs snuggling. Jake and Bella, both boxers, can even be caught spooning on their dog bed.

“He’s so sweet to her,” Bruner says of Jake. “He even lets her eat his food.”

Bruner got Jake as a puppy 10 years ago after her brother-in-law interested

THIS LAWN MADE IN THE USA

Top dress your lawn with compost from Soil Therapy Compost (From Neches, Texas)

Feed your lawn with Rons Special Blends, (From Mesquite, Texas) with DE (from Albuqerque, New Mexico)

Control mosquitos with Scent Shop (from Garland, Texas)

We offer these products and many more made in the USA

her in the boxer breed. Since boxers typically live only about 10 years, Bruner decided to get another boxer pup. Bella joined the family about five months ago, and when the two are not romping and playing together, they usually are snuggling.

Jake is protective and likes to do the right thing for his master. He will sit in the front yard and not run off. But Bella is still a puppy. She is rowdy and loves people and dogs. When picked up, she goes limp for belly-rubbing time.

It’s no wonder boxers are one of the most popular dog breeds.

“They have such sweet faces,” Bruner says. “With all those wrinkles, it’s like you can tell what they’re thinking.”

WHEN THE TWO ARE NOT ROMPING AND PLAYING TOGETHER, THEY USUALLY ARE SNUGGLING

Jake and Bella love to cuddle. PHOTO COURTESY OF LAURA BRUNER

Area’s

Fireman-Owned

Family-Operated

suGar

and Carolyn Davis

sugar the ragdoll

Sugar the cat has a personal “cricket cam.” It’s not something on the internet, although that wouldn’t be too surprising.

It’s a little carrier containing live crickets. Sugar’s owner, Carolyn Davis, feeds apple slices to the crickets. It’s like having a pet for your pet.

“She loves watching them in their environment,” Davis says. “It’s a great idea for an only child in a condo.”

Davis lives near White rock Lake, and another of Sugar’s favorite diversions is watching birds and squirrels through the window.

“Her little paws have never touched the cement,” Davis says. “but she thinks that’s wonderful.”

Davis found Sugar, who is a breed called “ragdoll”, at petSmart on Greenville Avenue during an SpCA adoption drive. And she’s been a low-key, entertaining pet for the past five years.

“She loves people, and she’s the most incredible cat I’ve ever had in my lifetime, and I’ve had many,” Davis says.

COSMETIC AND

OPTOMETRIST

T.

DDS, FAGD Fellow of the Academy of General Dentistry

Dr. Clint Meyer www.dallaseyeworks.com

Make vision care part of your Back-to-School check list. Insure that your children start the new school year with a vision check up to be able to perform their best. Friend us on Facebook and receive $5.00 off of your next purchase for glasses or contact lenses.

DALLAS

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

OPHTHALMOLOGIST

Dr. Strong is committed to compassionate, quality eye care. He offers medical and surgical care, including cataracts, glaucoma, diabetic eye disease, macular degeneration, and dry eye syndrome. He also offers routine eye exams and contact lenses. All ages are welcome, from children to seniors. Our office is conveniently located at Central Expressway and Fitzhugh, just one exit south of Knox/Henderson.

GOOD DOG

A neighborhood nonprofit helps a man and his pets stay together

Poquito, a 9-year-old Chihuahua mix, lives in an aging apartment complex at Northwest Highway and Abrams with his best buddy, Gerald Lowe, an avid volunteer, stroke survivor and admitted pushover. Poquito, warily eyeing his visitors, snuggles into a well-worn La-Z-Boy chair next to Lowe, who tells us how he and Poquito got themselves a cat (she made a brief appearance and is successfully hiding somewhere in the one-room unit). “She brought her kittens right up to the door,” he says, pointing to a shady front porch. “I went outside to see what the commotion was about, and there they were. I couldn’t let them die. What could I do? I told you I was a pushover.” Thanks to Seniors’ Pet Assistance

Lowe and other senior trouble, physically or for their pets, receive area resident Adelle SPAN a few years ago volunteers with older Dallas’ Senior Source financially strapped clients to give up their pets, their sole companions. there is a tremendous research showing that pets of ways, mentally and think of SPAN as not people helper, but also a better health,” she says. from a stroke a few struggles financially, participating in the Senior grandparent” program to work volunteering schools, when he learned help him. They found the litter of kittens mother cat, who Lowe Momma-psy (“a combination of psycho,” he says), spayed so that he could keep helps with veterinary care Poquito, who is a vital memhousehold. “He’s in charge. He the morning and tells something’s going on that is of says. “He might be just he’s a good guard dog.”

—CHRISTINA HUGHES BABB

Dr. Pablo P. Zeballos and Dr. Mark LeDoux 8440 Walnut Hill Lane | Suite 400 | Dallas 75231 Across from Presbyterian Hospital Dallas

Our multidisciplinary approach to pain management and non-surgical interventional

LEARN MORE ABOUT SPAN by calling 972.655.8906 or visiting seniorspets.org.

Gerald Lowe, a volunteer with the Senior Source, gets help from Senior Pet Assistance Network.

PHOTO BY BENJAMINHAGER

The Bishop Arts District is home to over 50 local businesses, including some of Dallas’ Best Rated Restaurants, Boutiques, Services and Galleries.

Benjamin Hager

In the huddle

Woodrow alumnus greg mcCoy is senior cornerback this year for the rose Bowl champion TCU Horned Frogs. We talked to him in august, as he was gearing up for the fall season.

It all started at Woodrow. Landing there was the best thing that ever happened to me. even though the school was in a big city, it offered a small-town environment, and I was surrounded by good people. the way the parents, the fans, the cheerleaders — everybody — supported us was unbelievable. At Woodrow, there is just a real homey feel and a lot of love.

McCoy met key influences at Woodrow. bobby estes, my coach at Woodrow — No doubt, he was my biggest influence. there was a game — a scrimmage against pinkston where

I clearly remember watching film with Coach estes, and he told me exactly what to expect: “See,” he said, “when you got a wide split you may get a slant.” OK, OK, I thought. It didn’t really hit me until the game, when they actually ran the slant and I made a big play, that I could trust my coaches, and myself. that is one of the most memorable moments from high school, and it kind of set the tone for the season — it’s not just on-the-field talent, but doing your homework and watching film. estes pushed me to limits I didn’t think possible. Sergio Kindle, who plays

at University of texas, took me under his wing when we played together in high school. He helped me a lot dealing with on- and off-the-field issues.

McCoy didn’t always have his sights set on college. Football was always about fun. Love of the game, not college, was the motivation. but I guess when I had to buckle down in class and do things off the field in order to get on the field, I realized that I could go to college and do things I never imagined I could do.

Several universities came calling, but he liked TCU the best. to me, it was

a fairly easy choice. TCU approached first, and afterward, a lot of big schools followed. Some of them were pretty arrogant. The way TCU came at me showed character. Coaches Dan Sharp, Charles McMillan and head coach Gary Patterson came to me, and I connected with them. Once I met those guys, toured the campus and saw the kind of people that are here at TCU, I fell in love with it.

When he arrived at TCU, McCoy was the fastest guy on the field. The recruiting is getting better and better. More competitive. So I guess we’ll have to see if that’s still the case. But in my head, I can always win.

This year, there’s a clear-cut goal. Do better than last year. Each year better than the last.

He’s enjoying the moment at TCU. Sure, there are dreams of playing in the NFL, but that’s not the focus right now.

If an outsider asked him to describe East Dallas, he’d tell them there were two sides to it. There’s one side of the so-called train tracks, a little rougher area, which is where I come from. Then you have Lakewood. More of the people from Lakewood are interested and involved in the school and their community.People read newspapers, and we gave interviews to reporters. Getting to mix and get to know people of different ethnicities, it was a valuable experience.

Playing in the Rose Bowl last year was one of the biggest games of his life. At Woodrow we fell short of being in a big game senior year. We played against Copperas Cove in the playoffs, but we just fell short. Being in the Rose Bowl, being able to contribute and to watch my teammates perform so well, it was amazing.

“At Woodrow, there is just a real homey feel and a lot of love.”

HAGER AND CHRISTINA HUGHES BABB.

in Lake

Will Work for sports

J.L. Long parents helped organize a sixth-grade soccer league at White Rock YMCS

t ransitioning from child to awkward pre-teen is hard enough. So why then are the sixth-graders at J.L. Long middle School forced to do it without the muchneeded release of team sports?

the Dallas ISD’s Sixth Grade t ransition program brochure states: “based on UIL rules and regulations, sixth-grade students will not be able to participate in UIL athletic events.”

t o parents Victor Aves and marshall Carbajal, this just isn’t good enough. these super dads have teamed up with the White rock YmCA to create a sixth-grade soccer league this fall.

“We want the kids to have something for the mind and body,” Aves says. “the idea has been on the table for years, and we finally decided to take the initiative.”

According to Chelsea Stanford, the White rock YmCA youth sports director, the league will start in September and run until a couple weeks before thanksgiving.

“I’m working on an eight-game season,” Stanford says, specifying that games will take place mostly on Saturdays with a few weeknights. “there will most likely be at least two teams from J.L. Long, a Lakehill team and a Spence team, and we can make it either co-ed or split, depending on the kind of interest we get.”

In the meantime, Aves is working on a presentation for the Long ptA this month in which he’s hoping to discuss the option of scholarships for uniforms and other costs. He and Carbajal also are continuing their effort to recruit parent volunteers

and companies or individuals who would be willing to sponsor the soccer teams, or even just a single uniform. Fliers about the program will be sent out in enrollment packets this month, and interested parents can contact the YMCA for more information.

“If the program is successful, we’d love to expand it to basketball and flag football,” says Aves.

“When children have spent time playing sports together, it makes for an easier transition from grade to grade,” Stanford says. “We are really lucky to have this community it’s great to see the parents interact and everyone in the area coming together to let the kids have fun, play and be social.”

—MEGHAN RINEY

ANY PARENTS INTERESTED

in the sixth-grade soccer league should contact the YMCA at White Rock, 214.328.3489.

Lauren Walls and Ava Thigpen demonstrate their soccer skills PHOTO BY CAN TÜRKYILMAZ

MATH GAME

This school year, DISD rolls out ‘game-changing’ technology

Alex Winslow of Lakewood needed help tutoring his kids in math, and he heard about a software program called Reasoning Minds, which was developed by a Texas A&M University professor.

So he contacted the company and bought the software, which teaches kids math through a video game.

A few months later, the CEO of Reasoning Minds invited him to a presentation at J. Erik Johnson Community School in Oak Cliff, which is one of 20 Dallas ISD schools that raised money to buy the program and started using it last year. Winslow invited DISD Trustee Mike Morath to tag along to the presentation. When they arrived, they found several other trustees in attendance.

Winslow just wanted the program for Lakewood Elementary School,

Skillman Live Oak

1920 Skillman Dallas, TX 75206 214.764.2119x113

Intro Series

Two-Class Introduction

* Offer is for 10 consecutive days (1 week 3 days) of unlimited yoga. Attend as many classes as you like for a 10-day period. Limit new first-time clients only. Not valid w/ any other offers or discounts.

Alex

which his kids attend. But the DISD trustees were so impressed with the program that they decided to recommend the software in every DISD elementary school.

“After the meeting, [Morath] said, ‘Why aren’t we doing this districtwide?’ ” Winslow recalls.

The trustees were successful in putting an item on the school board’s consent agenda to allocate $1.8 million so that all second-grade students in DISD will use the Reasoning Minds software starting this school year. Next year, they will add third grade

lakewood.advocatemag.com

“It allows the teacher to know exactly where each kid is.”

Winslow of Lakewood wanted teaching software in his kids’ school, and he wound up helping to procure it for all of DISD.

PHOTO BY CANTÜRKYILMAZ

DOT

and the year after, fourth grade, then fifth and sixth. Reasoning Minds only makes programs up to the sixth-grade level, but Morath hopes the company will develop math programs through the 12th-grade level, or DISD will buy a similar program from another company to serve the higher grade levels.

Silent Dance Contest and Best 50’s Costume Contest

Celebrating

A huge number of Dallas ISD students are failing math. In third through sixth grades, about 80 percent of students can meet at least the minimum standard on the state’s assessment test. But by high school, almost half of them are lost. In 2010, just 54 percent of students in grades nine through 11 passed the math portion of the assessment test.

That means about 12,000 DISD high school students don’t have basic math skills.

Reasoning Minds was developed by a Russian national after he discovered his kids were struggling to learn math. He created a video game that teaches math the way he learned it in Russia.

Think Super Mario Brothers, except instead of developing hand-eye coordination, students must master certain mathematical concepts to “beat” each level of the game.

“It allows the teacher to know exactly where each kid is,” Winslow says. “It also doesn’t allow for a culture of passing the kid due to social pressure and so on. Before they can move on, they have to get the concepts, so the building blocks are going to be there.”

Morath is an advocate of this type of technology in schools.

A huge problem for teachers everywhere is that they have 24-30 students who are at different levels, he says. So a fourth-grade teacher might have 10 students who are a full gradelevel behind, 10 students who are on grade level, and “a few who are geniuses bored out of their minds and setting the trash can on fire,” Morath says.

But the teacher’s goal is to have all of those students at the same level by the end of the year so they can start the next grade on track. That almost never happens, Morath says.

One way to solve the problem is to “clump” students into groups by abil-

21 years of service to terminally ill women, children and men.

ity. But that typically requires teachers to bounce from one group to the next giving instruction, which may not the best use of time.

Everyone’s mind is different, and we all learn at different rates. So clumping students can be risky. Being categorized into a “gifted” group or a lowlevel group could change how students think about themselves and alter their learning outcomes, Morath says.

He believes technology is a more effective solution.

“The computer forces the kid to work on this thing until they’ve mastered

it,” he says. “So you have every kid being instructed at their level.”

That puts the teacher in a less frantic role, answering questions and offering guidance to students as needed.

Every school that has rolled out Reasoning Minds or similar products has seen great improvements in math scores, Morath says.

Another advantage is that each child gets an account with ReasoningMinds, so they can work on it any time and any place that has internet access. If students change schools, there is no catching up or idling behind, because their account stays with them, and they can pick right up where they left off at the previous school.

Morath calls it a “game-changer” for education.

“It’s nothing short of revolutionary,” Morath says. “If we can do it in math and then science and then social studies and English … If there’s technology available, then we’re going to use it.” —RACHEL

STONE

“Think Super Mario Brothers, except instead of developing hand-eye coordination, students must master certain mathematical concepts to ‘beat’ each level of the game.”

MICHAEL NEELEY, DDS AND STAFF

A BURIED TREASURE

This Lakewood resident authored a book on his original neighborhood, Little Mexico

“The railroads first brought Mexican workers into Dallas’s Little Mexico in the 1870s, and, ironically, it was the Tollway that killed the community in the ’60s,” Sol Villasana says of the neighborhood in which he was raised and the subject of his new book, “Dallas’s Little Mexico.”

A Lakewood resident, attorney and the former chair of the Hispanic advisory committee of Dallas ISD, Villasana was approached by a friend to assist Arcadia Press with the creation of “Dallas’s Little Mexico” because of his ties to the area that today encompasses Victory Park.

“My family had a grocery store and a filling station in Little Mexico,” Villasana says. “It is the birthplace of El Fenix, El

Trini Lopez was a boy from the barrio of Little Mexico when he broke into the national music business in the 1950s. He went on to star in several movies and enjoyed a successful recording career. Here Lopez is seated in the center of the sofa during a break of Johnny Gonzales’s TV show in about 1959.

Chico, Dallas tortilla & tamale Factory and Luna’s tortillas. Little mexico definitely boomed in the 1920s and ’30s, but it was still thriving in the ’50s.”

the neighborhood, Villasana remembers, had a very active local swimming pool and abundant garden club competitions. (He says you can still see these gardens today, blooming up from empty plots).

“but don’t get me wrong, there was a negative industrial aspect,” Villasana says. “people were injured on the railroad, and the community was located near the city dump, a coal-burning generating plant and a slaughter house.” the area’s legends stand out to Villasana.

“there was the ghost story of the lady in white who haunted the rec center’s field house at pike park,” he says. “but the best were all of the treasure stories.”

According to Villasana, before the

PHOTO COURTESY OF THE DALLAS MEXICAN AMERICAN HISTORICAL LEAGUE

While the Mexican Presbyterian Church in Dallas started its work in the Little Mexico area as early as 1912, it was not until 1923 that it secured a property at 1803 Payne Street, near Akard. The two-story structure had been the Presbyterian Settlement House. The church was known as El Divino Salvador Presbyterian Church. Its first minister was Elias S. Rodriguez. This photograph from 1939 shows the church’s playground, attached to its school, and kindergarten children. The large fig tree in the background was a source of treats for the children. PHOTO COURTESY OF EL DIVINO SALVADOR PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH

neighborhood was Little Mexico, it was a Jewish community known as Little Jerusalem, and legend had it that the people of the community would bury their valuables. So as Little Mexico was built, people expected to dig up cash, he says.

Villasana says Little Mexico’s demise began after WWII.

“After the war, returning GIs had the opportunity to buy bigger homes because of the GI Bill, and the community started breaking up,” he says. “There was a change in the psyche of the Mexican people, too … These were second- and third-generation Americans who no longer needed a tight-knit, Spanish-speaking community to survive.”

According to Villasana, the final blow was the North Dallas Tollway, which dissected the area in the 1960s. This killed the mom and pop stores, and developers turned it into the entertainment district it is today.

Villasana hopes to write more on the topic of Little Mexico.

“There are many stories to tell,” he says. —MEGHAN RINEY

is available at arcadiapublishing.com for $21.99.

Live Loca L

T HE LOWDOWN ON WHAT ’ S UP WITH NEIGHBORHOOD BUSINESSES

La c a LL e Doce an D c owboy c hicken ce L ebrate 30 years

Happy Anniversary to La calle Doce ! The beloved Mexican seafood and Tex-Mex restaurant celebrates 30 years on September 15. Not even a fire that caused the Live Oak and Skillman restaurant to temporarily close for eight months in late 2008 and early 2009 could bring it down. c owboy c hicken at Greenville and Lovers recently celebrated its 30th anniversary, too. The Dallas-based restaurant specializes in natural, hormone-free rotisserie chicken, and offers it in the form of platters, sandwiches, salads and tacos, along with comfort food sides.

• La Calle Doce, 1925 Skillman, 214.824.9900, lacalledoce-dallas.com

• Cowboy Chicken, 5315 Greenville, 214.234.0505, cowboychicken.com

sL eep e xperts D onates be D s for homeL ess famiLies

C A ju N r ES tA ur AN

Business buzz:

“I was sad to hear of Hector’s on Henderson closing. I will always have a soft spot in my heart for that place.

Alligator Café owner Ivan Pugh is opening a second location of his popular Cajun restaurant in the former Frankie’s Little Europe space in Casa Linda. The original Alligator Café at Live Oak and Carroll has been a best-kept secret in East Dallas for years. The new location will have the same tried-and-true menu as the original plus baby-back ribs, pulled pork, crab claws, voodoo jambalaya and more. “We’re adding more pork dishes to the menu to make it more Creole, plus a full bar, more jazz and blues bands, and a patio,” Pugh says. Pugh describes the intended atmosphere as that of a “nice restaurant in the French Quarter.”

It was my first experience as executive chef, and where I got to realize my vision for my food. I wish Hector the best, and I can’t wait to see what he does next. I have already hired one the waiters who worked with me at Hector’s, so it will be a great reunion!”

DFW-based Sleep Experts has teamed with the Metro Dallas Homeless Alliance and the Dallas Housing Authority to give less-fortunate families a better night’s sleep. The mattress retailer is donating 50 beds to permanent supportive housing provided by the alliance, which helps homeless families transition from The Bridge homeless shelter to appointed housing. The first delivery of 30 twin mattress sets was to the Mayan Palms Apartments in East Dallas. Family Gateway is working to provide these families and others with fully furnished homes. “Sleep Experts’ gift of mattresses and box springs will provide more than just a place to sleep for formerly homeless children and their families,” says Robert Alberts, executive director of Family Gateway. “Having a bed of their very own will help to create a sense of home, comfort and stability that these children have often lacked throughout their lives.”

Blythe Beck, Central 214’s executive chef, when asked about the closure of Hector’s on Henderson, where she worked her way from sous chef to executive chef

A Woodrow Wilson High School alumnus, Pugh is considering a move back into East Dallas, and he can’t wait to return. “I chose this location because I liked the look of the building and the area’s high traffic,” Pugh says. “This one is going to be even better than the first. This gets my creative juices flowing. You’ve got to keep going further in life, and I’ve been bored.”

• Alligator Café, 4416 Live oak, 214.821.6900. eatgator.com

M Str EE t S DES iGNE r S LA u NCH DENiM LiNE

• Sleep Experts, 3007 N. Henderson, 214.237.5294, sleepexperts.com

M Streets residents Megan Carreker and Aimee Miller have launched a premium denim line called Hip Chixs Sold exclusively at The Blues Jean Bar in Snider Plaza, Hip Chixs jeans come in two washes (light and dark) and two cuts (the boot-cut “Skinny Bootie” and the skinny jean “Straight and Narrow”), and sell for $181. Carreker and Miller, who were sorority sisters at Baylor University, started working on the line about three and a half years ago. Carreker, a fashion stylist, and Miller, who owns about 70 pairs of jeans, flew to Los Angeles with a few leads and figured out the fashion manufacturing business by trial and error. But they say they were lucky at every step, quickly finding a mentor in L.A.

Do you kNow of A NEiGHborHooD buSiNESS 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.

t op ENiNG iN C ASA LiNDA

and meeting their website designers during an airport layover. The business partners say their jeans are comfortable and slimming, and they’re so simple that they’re wearable for years without going out of style. “Of course this is Texas, and it’s so hot. So our goal was to find the perfect fabric for Texas,” Miller says. “It’s your everyday jean because it’s so comfortable.”

has

opened a Lakewood location on Kidwell. The city-wide martial arts instruction provider offers classes for men, women and children in kenpo karate, jiu-jitsu, aikido, judo and self-defense.

Hollywood Heights resident Theresa Worm has been cutting hair in Dallas for 30 years, and one client in particular inspired her to open her new salon, “A client of mine had just been diagnosed with cancer, and she came in holding a wig,” Worm says. “She asked that I cut and style her hair to look like the wig now, before she began chemo, so she and others could get used to the new look.” From that More Than a Wig was born. The salon carries a selection of wigs and wig-care products and specializes in helping cancer patients choose wigs that are flattering to their face shapes and skin tones. “We also offer family hair care, haircuts, coloring, manicures, pedicures, make-up applications and eyebrow services,” Worm says.

MEGHAN RINEY

to read weekly updates on neighborhood businesses:

The lab @ lakewood

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

The Lab is a fun place for kids to learn about science! Programs include a mix of demonstrations, hands-on experiments and auditory and sensory stimulation in a fun, age-appropriate environment. Servicing all school-aged children, we offer on-site birthday parties, science fair project mentoring, homework help, enrichment classes, school assemblies and Scout programs. Please visit our website for up to date calendar of activities and events, www.thelabdallas.com.

Munger Square Child Care

5302 Junius St / www.mungerchildcare. com / 469.248.2905 Nestled in historic East Dallas, MSCC offers smaller class sizes than most daycare centers for more individualized attention. Infants through preschoolers are treated to a loving, nurturing, safe, clean, esthetically pleasing environment aimed at promoting their physical, emotional, social and intellectual growth. The curriculum includes Spanish offered by experienced, bilingual, caring, competent, teachers, who are also CPR certified. Exercise is promoted with indoor and outdoor activities. Children learn about gardening using the center’s greenhouse. Meals are prepared on site using natural ingredients. Breakfast, lunch and snacks are provided daily. Open year round, M-F, 7am-6pm.

SChool of ConTeMporary balleT dallaS

214.821.2066 / 1902 Abrams Pkwy., Dallas / www.schoolofcbd.com. Summer Dance 2011. Two sessions available: June 6-August

13. Toddlers/Youths/Teens classes in Ballet, Tap, Jazz & Hip-Hop, Contemporary and Fairies & Frogs, Princesses & Princes, Summer Intensive workshops~ Morning, Afternoon & Evening classes available. Register Now! ADULTS, Get in Shape with Dance Workout, Just Barre and Basics Beginner Classes! All levels of Ballet, Modern, Jazz, Hip-hop Contemporary & Tap! Professional instructors in a positive environment! Schedule available on-line. REGISTER NOW – space is limited!

SCofield ChriSTian SChool

3K through Grade 6 / 214-349-6843 / www.scofieldchristian.org HAPPY 50th ANNIVERSARY! Since 1961, Scofield has been helping students joyfully reach their academic potential. The school curriculum continues to include a rich blend of classic literature, writing and phonics instruction combined with a comprehensive math and science program. Caring teachers enhance curriculum with hands-on learning and interactive participation. A student-cultivated garden provides additional opportunities for students to “dig in” to their lessons. Scofield alumni are strong leaders who continue to make an impact in their schools, homes, churches and communities. Find us on facebook for all the latest SCS news. (Scofield Christian School • Dallas)

ST. ChriSTopher’S MonTeSSori

SChool

7900 Lovers Lane / 214-363-9391 / www.stchristophersmontessori.com St. Christopher’s Montessori School has been serving families in the DFW area for over a quarter of a century. We are affiliated with the American Montessori Society and our teachers are certified Montessori instructors. Additionally our staff has obtained other complimentary educational degrees and certifications, including having a registered nurse on staff. Our bright and attractive environment, and highly qualified staff, ensures your child will grow and develop in an educationally sound, AMS certified loving program. Now Enrolling.

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.

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

The WhiTe Rock Republican Women’s club meets Sept. 15 at Highland Park Cafeteria, 300 Casa Linda Plaza. State representative Kenneth Sheets will speak. Dinner begins at 6 p.m., and the program is at 6:30. For details, call Lisa DeWitt at 214.893.6010.

The ciT y is calling foR aRTisTs with public art experience to submit proposals for a grand sculpture at White Rock Lake to commemorate its 100th birthday. The budget is $272,000, which comes from donations and fundraising related to the White Rock Lake Centennial. Submissions are due by 5 p.m. Sept. 7. For guidelines, visit dallasculture.org/opportunities.asp.

TasTe of gReenville avenue is set for Oct. 29 and has been moved from Lower Greenville to Energy Square, a larger space at Greenville and University. The event, organized by the Greenville Avenue Restaurant Association, features booths offering plates for $3-$6. For details, visit tasteofgreenvilleavenue.com.

ADS ROTATED FOR 9-11

Dallas paRk anD RecReaTion will host “It’s My Park” Day 8 a.m.-noon Sept. 10 in a citywide community service effort to beautify Dallas parks. Individuals, homeowners’ associations and other groups can organize beautification projects or recycling events that day. The department can also register your project with the city by Sept. 3. For information, call 214.670.8400.

sports

The WooDRoW Wilson high school WilDcaTs continue the football season as follows: Sept. 1, Fort Worth Eastern Hills at Scarborough-Handley Field; Sept. 9, North Forney at Franklin Stadium; Sept. 16, Seagoville at Franklin; Sept. 23, Hillcrest at Franklin (homecoming); and Sept. 30, Conrad at Franklin. All games start at 7:30 except the ones against Fort Worth Eastern Hills and Bryan Adams, which start at 7 p.m.

The WhiTe Rock-aRea a’s baseball Team finished its season with an 11-1 record and won first place in the Dallas Little League’s Minors Division. The team consists of 9- and 10-yearolds from Highlander, St. Thomas and White Rock Montessori schools.

The meTRopcs WhiTe Rock maRaThon has opened registration for the Dec. 4 race around the lake. Discounts are available for those who sign-up early. In addition to the 26.2-mile race, there’s a 5k, half marathon and five-person marathon relay. The event benefits the Scottish Rite Hospital for Children. To register, visit runtherock.com.

volunteer

The Dallas p olice DepaRTmenT offers training for its Volunteers in Patrol (VIP) program during an all-day class 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Sept. 10 at Dallas City Hall. The program is designed to reduce crime by training citizens to patrol their own neighborhoods and alert police when they suspect a crime is being committed. Participants must be older than 21, belong to an established crime watch group or HOA, and pass a background check. For more details, visit dallaspolice.net.

have an iTem To be feaTuReD?

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

B a P t IS t

laKeSIde BaPtISt / 9150 Garland Rd / 214.324.1425

Pastor Jeff Donnell / Worship 10:50 am www.lbcdallas.com

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

MungeR Place cHuRcH / 5200 Bryan St / 214.823.9929

Contemporary Worship, Sundays, 11:00 am

Additional information and events at mungerplacechurch.org

WHIte ROcK unIted MetHOdISt / www.wrumc.org

1450 Oldgate Lane / 214.324.3661

Sunday Worship 10:50 am / Rev. George Fisk

P R e 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

HaPPIneSS In nOtHIngneSS

A LL THE SUCCESS IN THE WORLD CAN STILL RESULT IN EMPTINESS

“There’s still something missing.”

During the past year, German golfer Martin Kaymer has won the PGA Championship and become the No. 1 ranked golfer in the world. He has summited a mountain few have been able to climb to the top of.

And yet, in a recent Golf magazine article, Kaymer confessed: “I don’t know what I have to do to be really happy and really satisfied with everything I’ve done. Everything I’ve achieved is great and nobody would have expected it. But there’s still something missing and I don’t know what it is, what I have to win, what I have to do more.

“There’s still something missing.”

Kaymer’s candor is refreshing and honest. He’s saying what many have felt who have reached the top of their profession or achieved their dreams of success. Highly successful people tend to be single-minded in pursuit of their goals. They sacrifice a lot to get to the top. But vertigo sets in once they’re there.

They feel disoriented. They feel unfulfilled. They feel lost.

What happens next is crucial. Because they haven’t developed a spiritual life along the way, they try to fill emptiness with things that only lead to downfall.

Witness Tiger Woods: They change houses. They change spouses. They get more expensive toys to amuse them. And they find themselves emptier than before, because something is still missing.

The French physicist, mathematician and philosopher Blaise Pascal put it well: “There is a God-shaped vacuum in the heart of every man that cannot be filled by any created thing, but only by God, the Creator.”

St. Augustine put it another way in his prayer: “Our hearts are restless until they find their rest in Thee.”

I spent a few days at the Mt. Angel Monastery in Oregon last month. The Benedictine brothers devote themselves to praise and prayer. They welcome every guest as if Christ himself were visiting. Father Pius said to me that even God cannot enter a heart that is already full of other things.

It seems that the first duty of creatures is to make room for God in our lives by expelling all

those ambitions and idols that have come to live within us and control us. As long as they are there, we are still missing something. When they are put in their rightful place and God is allowed to enter, we are filled to the full with all that makes for happiness.

It’s not a one-time decision, though. It takes discipline and attention to keep God first in our lives. Other things will always try to compete for god-like status.

And so we need to praise God for the good

gifts that are ours all the time that we don’t have to work for. When Kaymer wonders what else he might have to do in order to find happiness, the answer is nothing.

Happiness is not the product of our doing; it’s the receiving of what God has already done for us. Happiness comes from knowing that success and failure, possessions and status may come and go but do not change one bit the truth, goodness and beauty that is available to us all by God’s generous hand.

We are missing nothing. When we praise God for the gift of these things, we are free from trying to pursue them and we are free to enjoy them.

Prayer then is the discipline of enlisting God’s aid in keeping our hearts from seeking the wrong things. We are able to give ourselves over in complete trust that whether we are No. 1 or No. 1,001, we are completely beloved children of our heavenly Father. Nothing can separate us from God’s love.

Happiness, someone has said, is like a dog chasing his tail. As long as he chases it, he will never catch it, but if he goes his way doing what is right, it follows him everywhere.

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

Even God cannot enter a heart that is already full of other things.

George Mason is pastor of Wilshire baptist Church. the Worship section is a regular feature underwritten by Advocate publishing and by the neighborhood business

‘Paradise’ found

Lakewood Home Tour Festival co-chairs Kelly Moss , Mindy Jacobe and Meredith r idgeway are using two “wrapped” SUVs to promote the Lakewood Early Childhood PTA’s 35th annual event. The festival and auction will be held Nov. 11, and the home tour Nov. 12-13. The theme is ‘Lakewoodville, Livin’ in Paradise.’ All proceeds benefit Lakewood Elementary, and monetary gifts also will be given to J.L. Long Middle School and Woodrow Wilson High School. (Photo by Madeline Stevens)

LW

football for a cause

White Rock-area resident s ara s lechten played for Team Brunette in the Blondes vs. Brunettes Powder Puff football game in August at SMU. The annual event aimed to raise awareness about Alzheimer’s disease with proceeds benefiting the Alzheimer’s Association.

subMit your Photo. Email a jpeg to editor@advocatemag.com.

to advertise call 214.560.4203

CLASSES,TuToring& LESSonS

ART: Draw or Paint. All Levels. Lake Highlands N. Rec. Ctr. 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

BEADS-JEWELRY-CLASSES

214.824.2777 www.beadsofsplendor.com

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

STUDIO OF SARAH STROUT Piano/Guitar/Voice Lessons. Lakewood. 469-426-6811 sclouise1976@gmail.com

FALL TUTORING All Ages/subjects Including Algebra 2/ Chemistry. In Your Home. Jennie. 214-597-6925

UKULELE LESSONS Instruments, Workshops. www.UkeLadyMusic.com 214-924-0408

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

ChiLdCArE

LOVING, CHRIST-CENTERED CARE SINCE 1982 Lake Highlands Christian Child Enrichment Center Ages 2 mo.-12 yrs. 9919 McCree. 214-348-1123.

EmpLoymEnT

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

FOREVERLAWN OF NORTH TEXAS

Help wanted. Synthetic Grass company located in L.H. Needs PT office Asst/sales. 214-341-4332

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 Setup, Home & Small Business. $50 per Hr. Mike. 214-552-1323. mikecomputergeek@gmail.com

SErviCES for you

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

CONVENIENT. CREATIVE. COMPLETE. Don’t be a slave at your party. Let Janet Maddox Event Services help you! www.janetmaddox.com 214-902-1777

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

HOME ORGANIZING And Help With Senior Moving Plans/ Solutions. Donna 860-710-3323 DHJ0807@aol.com. $25 hr.

LANDMAN SERVICES Assignments, Deeds, and Leasing Assistance for Oil and Gas Properties. 972-231-2700 jblandman@att.net

chEck, PLEA sE

Mariano’s Restaurants donated $5,000 of proceeds from “Mariano’s Mondays in May” to the Dallas Children’s Advocacy Center, which helps improve the lives of abused children. Pictured from left: CEO Lynn Davis , DCAC board member and league president Andy Mc c lung c randell , and Mariano’s CFO Alexis g eorgiadis

RE sTORINg hERITAgE

The Dallas Heritage Village junior historians group, volunteers ages 11 to 18, recently redesigned the doctor’s office exhibit at the “living history museum” south of Downtown. After researching and exploring the drugs carried in the pharmacy and the medical instruments of the past, they unveiled their work this summer. Pictured outside the doctor’s office are junior historian and neighborhood resident Elizabeth McPherson with her mother, Di

BHEALTH RESOURCEBULLETIN BOARD

Professional services

EXCLUSIVE PREMIUM CALIFORNIA WINES

AVAILABLE FOR IN HOME TASTINGS

PERSONALIZED LABELS AND GIFTS MONTHLY WINE CLUB

steveswineshop.com 214-998-1217

Website Design

Flash Demos

Graphic Design

RibbitMultimedia .com 214.560.4207

Mind, Body & sPirit

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

VITALITY & WELLNESS COACH Healthy weight achievement & maintenance. Empower your health! BJ Ellis 214-226-9875

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

PET SITTING/ HOUSE SITTING/ ERRANDS Friendly, reliable, competitive rates. References furnished. 214-773-9394

Dallas’ First Doggie Daycare

Featuring “Open Play” Boarding

• 8,000+ sq. ft. Play Area Inside

• 5,000+ sq. ft. Play Area Outside

• 5 Lux Suites w/ Webcams

• Grooming All Breeds

• Training & Obedience Classes

Mon-Fri 7am-7pm, Sat 8am-6pm, Sun 12pm-6pm 6444 E. Mockingbird at Abrams www.deesdoggieden.com • 214-823-1441

In-Home Professional Care

Customized to maintain your pet’s routine

In-Home Pet Visits & Daily Walks

“Best of Dallas” D Magazine

Serving the Dallas area since 1994

Bonded & Insured

www.societypetsitter.com 214-821-3900

TADDY’S PET SERVICES

All pet services available. Dog Walks and Home Visits. Reasonable rates. References. 214-732-4721

www.taddyspetservices.com

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.

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

STOP RENTING Lease Option To Buy Rent To Own No Money Down No Credit Check. 1-877-395-0321

214.560.4203 tO adVertIse

HARMONICHealthy Shampoos + Conditioners Gluten Free/Non-Toxic Chemistry/Color Safe rocketsciencehairsalon.com

DOG WASH $9.95

15% OFF GROOMING (offer good for 60 days)

214.823.3288

Blending Beauty, Nature & Technology

what dallas reads 200,000+ readers

Premium Bath and Pet Nutrituion

2402 N. Haskell Ave. 75204

214-826-dogg(3644) • urbandog.com

Pictured with her mother Helen Ashmore (above), Helen Cline was a member of the first graduating class at Lakewood Elementary. Her granddaughter, Tristyn Danner (left), entered the first grade at the same school this fall.

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

LAKEWOOD HEAT & AIR Servicing Dallas 20+ years. 214-682-3822 TACLA28061E

S & E A/C & HEATING 50% off Service Fee w/ Repair. Res & Comm. 10% Off Repairs w/ purchase of Maintenance Agreement. BBB Approved. CCs accepted. TACLA00029466E 214-912-7900

214

CARPENTRY & REMODELING

ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN SERVICES

Commercial/Retail/Residential Brooks Architecture. 214-478-7608

BLAKE CONSTRUCTION CONCEPTS,LLC

Complete Remodeling, Kitchens, Baths, Additions. Hardie Siding & Replacement Windows. Radiant Barrier, Insulation. Get Your Electric Bill Lowered & Stay Cool.Bonded & Insured. 214-563-5035

BO HANDYMAN Kitchens, baths, doors, cabinets, custom carpentry, drywall & painting

214-437-9730

CARPENTER Custom Cabinets, & Trim, Reorganize Closets, Repair Rotten Wood, Set Doors, Kitchen & Baths, Refs. Return Calls By End Of Business Day. Dave. 214-684-4800

DREAM CONSTRUCTION Home Remodeling

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

ENTERTAINMENT CENTERS Beautiful TV wall units. New/redo. Install TV/electronics. Custom finishes, cabinets & fine furniture 972-962-4847

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

KEN’S 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

MODERNIZE Your Home W/ A Crestview Door. martinekmodern.com 214-750-9000

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

972-216-1961

TACL-B01349OE www.SherrellAir.com

APPLIANCE

APPLIANCE REPAIR SPECIALIST Repair, Sales. 214-321-4228

JESSE’S A/C & APPLIANCE SERVICE

TACLB13304C All Makes/Models. 214-660-8898

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

CONSTRUCTION

Residential Remodel and Construction 469 767 1868 joshangus@aksdallas.com www.aksdallas.com

KITCHEN

HOUSE RENOVATION

DESIGN & PLANNING LICENSED & INSURED 214.341.1448 WWW.OBRIENGROUPINC COM

MASTER CARD, AMERICAN EXPRESS

CLEANING

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

A CLEANING SERVICES

mcprofessionalcleaning.com 469-951-2948

ALTOGETHER CLEAN 214-929-8413

We’ll Clean Your House & It Will Be Your Favorite Day! Bonded & Insured. Free Estimates. www.altogetherclean.com

CINDY’S HOUSE CLEANING 15 yrs exp. Resd/Com. Refs. Dependable. 214-490-0133

CLEAN FREAKS Since 2005. Free Estimates. DallasCleanFreaks.com Call Today! 214-821-8888

DIANE’S CLEANING SERVICE Residential & Make Ready. Free Estimates. 214-549-5299

Cleaning ServiCeS

MAID 4 YOU Bonded & Insured. Park Cities/M Street Refs. Call Us First.Voted Best By Our Customers. Joyce. 214-232-9629

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

SUNSHINE HOUSE CLEANING

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

THE MAIDS Angie’s List Service Award! Discounts at www.maids.com Free Quotes. 972-278-2551

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

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

EXPERT PANEL CHANGES TECL 27071 BandCelectricDallas.com Peter 214-924-5387

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

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

FenCing & DeCkS

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

FounDation repair

★COWBOY

FENCE & IRON

214.692.1991

#1 SPECIALIZING IN Wood Fences &Auto Gates

cowboyfenceandiron.com

"You Know Us"

Locally owned and operated since 1980

www.northlakefence.com

214-349-9132

Since

• Slabs • Pier & Beam

• Mud Jacking • Drainage

• Free Estimates

• Over 20 Years Exp. 972-288-3797

We Answer Our Phones

garage DoorS

$35.00 Off – 1st Full Detail Clean Complimentary quotes!

214.750.4888 19 years in business!

Residential Commercial Make-readys Windows Carpet Construction Remodel Cleans lecleandallas.com

ComputerS & eleCtroniCS

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

eleCtriCal ServiCeS

ACCURATE ELECTRIC

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

ANTHONY’S ELECTRIC Master Electrician. TECL24948 anthonyselectricofdallas .com Family Owned/Operated. Insd. 214-328-1333

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

‘07, ‘08, ‘09, ‘10 CONSUMERS CHOICE AWARDS Making Homes Safer One Call at a Time

TECL20502

972-665-8399

dallaselectricalexperts.com

Phones Answered 24/7

FenCing & DeCkS

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

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

A FATHER, SON & GRANDSON TEAM Fences, Gates, Decks. Haven 214-327-0560

AMBASSADOR FENCE INC.

Automatic Gates, Iron & Cedar Fencing, Decks. Since 1996. MC/V 214-621-3217

ARTDECK-O.COM 20 Year Warranty! Decks, Fences, Pergolas 214-435-9574

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

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.

SHARP FLOORS 214-227-2841

Granite Countertops, All Types of Flooring and Showers. Family Owned and Operated.

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

Beautiful Flooring since 1975

WHITE ROCK

FLOORS

Ask us about Environmentally Friendly Flooring

Hardwoods Carpet Ceramic Tile

wrfloors@sbcglobal.net

214-341-1667

Willeford

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, WinDoWS & DoorS

A FATHER, SON & GRANDSON TEAM Expert Window Cleaning. Haven 214-327-0560

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.

ROCK GLASS CO Replace, repair: windows, mirrors, showers, screens. 972-907-0944

Fiberglass Replacement Windows 8x Stronger than Vinyl Looks and Feels like Wood Installed Exclusively by Amazing Siding & Windows

Also Featuring James Hardie Siding with COLORPLUS® Technology

Handyman ServiceS

A HELPING HAND No Job Too Small. Free Estimates. Repairs /Remodels.Chris.214-693-0678

A NEIGHBORHOOD HANDYMAN

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

A+ HANDYMAN KARL Home Repairs, Remodels & Restoration. 214-699-8093

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 MATTERS

Your home repair specialist handymanmatters.com/dallas 972-308-6035

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

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

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 + INT/EXT PAINT & DRYWALL Since 1977. Kirk Evans. 972-672-4681

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

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

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

HouSe Painting Painting · Remodeling

214-870-3939

www.amistadcsc.com

NAT-90143-1

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

inSulation/ radiant Barrier

LANDMARK ENERGY SOLUTIONS 214-395-9148. Radiant Barrier, Insulation. Free Quotes

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

interior deSign

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

HAND CARVED STONE fireplaces, fine art, architectural stone & restoration. DavisCornell.com 214-693-1795

INTERIOR DESIGN / CONSULTING

Carolyn Contreras ASID

Licensed/Exp. 214-363-0747

KELLERJACKSONDESIGN.COM 214-277-1430

Licensed Residential/Commercial Interior Design

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

ROB’S HOME STAGING.COM 214-507-5688

Changing Rooms For All Reasons And Seasons

KitcHen/BatH/ tile/grout

A KITCHEN & BATH Remodeling Company. One Call Does It All! 972-742-3858

BATHTUB, COUNTERTOP & TILE

Resurfacing: Walls, Tub Surrounds, Showers. Glaze or Faux Stone finishes. Affordable Alternative to Replacement! 972-323-8375. PermaGlazeNorthDallas.com

KitcHen/BatH/ tile/grout

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

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

lawnS, gardenS & treeS

BLOUNTS TREE SERVICE Summer Special 20% Off Tree Work.45 yrs exp. Insured. 214-275-5727

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

Natural Stone & Quartz Silestone / Caesarstone 20 Years Experience

214 293 9323 bjones2517@gmail.com

GREENSKEEPER Fall 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

PROFESSIONAL FABRICATION & INSTALLATION 214.358.8595 SOLIDSF.COM

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 Repaired. Call Kevin at 214-535-3352,Lic#7840. www.bigdirrigation.com

• Tubs, Tiles or Sinks

• Cultured Marble

• Kitchen Countertops

214-631-8719

GRANITE COUNTERTOPS KITCHEN & BATH WE REFINISH! www.allsurfacerefinishing.com

lawnS, gardenS & treeS

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

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

ALL SPRINKLER SYSTEMS REPAIRED

Arthur Adams, B.S. Biology $55 hr. Serving Dallas 25 yrs. LI 3449. 214-660-4860

ALTON MARTIN LANDSCAPING Spectacular Curbside Appeal! 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

TAYLOR MADE IRRIGATION Repairs, service, drains. 27 yrs exp. Ll 6295. Backflow Testing Cell-469-853-2326. John

THE POND MAN Water Gardens Designed & Installed. Drained & Cleaned. Weekly Service. Jim Tillman 214-769-0324

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

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

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

A Better Tree Company

JUST TREES

Your Trees Could Look Like a Work of Art, I Guarantee It. Free Estimates • Work Guaranteed Best Prices on Tree Removal Insured • Commercial & Residential • Tree & Landscape Lighting Call Mark Wittlich 214-332-3444 214.421.1153 barerootsdesigns.com

Design Construction Maintenance Horticultural Services Landscape Solutions from the Ground Up

Oct. DEADLINE SEpt. 7

tO ADvErtISE cALL 214.560.4203

PesT ConTroL

McDANIEL

Prices

Average

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:

Faucet, Sewer, Sink Repairs. Water/Slab Leaks. Shower Pans. Gas Testing. Remodels, Water Heaters, Stoppages. Insured. Lic 20754 214-321-0589, 214-738-7116

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 • 972-742-3858

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

PooLs

LEAFCHASER’S POOL SERVICE

Parts and Service. Chemicals and Repairs.

Jonathan Mossman FREE ESTIMATES 214-729-3311

roofinG & GuTTers

A&B GUTTER 972-530-5699

M-36580

Astro Plumbing

20 Years in the Plumbing Business

Drains Augered • Slab Leaks • Water Heaters Camera Location on Sewer Available LICENSED AND INSURED FREE estimates over the phone Call Michael at 214.566.9737

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

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.

ALL OF THE ELECTRONICS VANISHED.

The NFL lockout ended in late July, and football fans across the country rejoiced. Americans would not miss those game-day Sundays, which for many people means plopping down on the couch to catch the action.

Stacie Barnett says her husband is one of those, and their 60-inch Sony television was perfect for a close-up view of the game.

But while the lockout may be over,criminals never take a day off. While Barnett

TheVictim: Stacie Barnett

TheCrime: Burglary

Date: Thursday, July 21

Time: Between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. Location: 6500 block of Valesco

and her husband were at work, a burglar broke in through their back doors and went on an electronics and jewelry stealing spree.

“They tried to kick in the door and then pried it open,” Barnett says. “They knew what had value on the street and went straight for them. The police have been great, and they gave me some security tips.”

Along with the television and jewelry, the burglar made off with a smaller flat-screen TV, Blue-ray DVD player, an Apple G4 computer and her daughter’s brand new laptop computer. The theft was disappointing in that Barnett had many of her children’s baby pictures stored on the Apple computer, and her daughter had some pictures on her laptop. Both computers had not been backed up, unfortunately.

Despite the loss, Barnett chose to look on the bright side. No one had been home and in danger, and the family’s dog, which is a bit old and in poor health, made it through the crime OK.

“There are worse things in the world,” she says. “We’re safe and even our dog’s safe.”

Sr. Cpl. Geoff Pettay of the Northeast Patrol Division says the family’s alarm did not sound in this case, giving burglars plenty of time in the home.

“Unfortunately, it doesn’t take very long at all to commit a burglary or any theft,” he says. “Most burglars have an idea of what they are looking for before they get into a house. In this case, electronics were taken and even a big-screen TV can easily be removed.”

Police told Barnett her open windows gave easy views of her home interior, and Pettay says this helps a criminal focus in on a target.

“A suspect will look first at the house, and be able to tell whether someone is home.If the blinds or curtains are left open, they will easily be able to look inside the home and know if nobody is there.So when they ring the doorbell or knock, when no one answers, that tells them it is OK to kick in the back door and commit the offense. By shutting the blinds and curtains, it isn’t as obvious to the burglar if someone is home or not. And most times the burglar is not looking for a confrontation, so they will go elsewhere if not certain if the home is empty or not.” —SEAN

CHAFFIN

AGGRAVATED ASSAULTS IN THE RESIDENTIAL AREAS OFF HENDERSON AVENUE BETWEEN ROSS AND CENTRAL 6

ROBBERIES OF INDIVIDUALS IN OLD EAST DALLAS; THE CRIMES INVOLVED CAR-JACKINGS, PHYSICAL FORCE AND FIREARMS 7

2

BUSINESS BURGLARIES ALONG GARLAND ROAD BETWEEN GRAND AND BUCKNER

SOURCE: Dallas Police Department crime statistics from July 10 to Aug. 10.

GoodWiLL fiLL s Gaps Left by Libraries

Officials at Goodwill Industries in Dallas noticed something odd over the last year or so. Yes, people were donating old clothes, broken toasters, and all of the other odds and ends they find when they clean out their garages, but they were also donating old computers and computer parts and accessories.

“the computers kept coming in, and the way I understand it, we really didn’t have a centralized location for them,” Goodwill’s Gregory Handy says. the result? Goodwill’s Computer Works store on Haskell near Lemmon, which opened earlier this year.

Yes, this may seem like an odd business for Goodwill to go into, but that doesn’t mean it’s not part of the organization’s mission: to provide “job training and employment to those with disabilities and disadvantaging conditions.” And you can do that with a computer just as efficiently as you can with a pair of old blue jeans.

And, actually, old computers may be just as common as old blue jeans. the world is full of old computers — maybe as many as 1 billion, according to some math I did, based on an estimate of the number of computers that have ever been produced and the number still in use. So why not take the ones

that still work, wipe the hard drives, install a new operating system, and sell them at deep discounts? because that’s what Goodwill does at the Haskell store, and they’re quite competent, nice systems, and perfectly workable for the things that most of us do with our computers, for as little as $100.

“You can really find a good bargain,” says Handy, who is the store’s assistant manager.

Which is the other important thing

08 on the central and branch libraries. (Fortunately, the really important stuff, like the heliport and the t rinity river project, is still mostly funded.)

I ran across a couple of interesting bits in researching this story — more than one in five adults in Dallas County are illiterate, according to the texas Center for the Advancement of Literacy & Learning, and that texas, writer Scott turow says, is among the national leaders in eliminating library funding during the recession.

the point being, of course, is that people who don’t have a computer at home because they can’t afford it go to the library — unless the library budget has been gutted and the library is open fewer hours and there is less equipment for them to use.

about what Goodwill is doing with the computer store. Computers and internet access are becoming increasingly difficult for the working poor to afford — at the same time that they are becoming increasingly critical to getting an education or finding a job. It is difficult to apply for a job online if you don’t have a computer to go online with.

Complicating the matter is that we’ve gutted the library budgets in Dallas over the past four years, with spending down one-third from 2007-

Hence the need for what Goodwill is doing, and why it’s no surprise, Handy says, that most of the store’s customers are families. Goodwill’s technicians have checked the hard drives and mother boards, installed new operating systems (either a legitimate copy of Windows Xp or Ubuntu, a very spiffy Linux system), and added basic software — a web browser, word processor and the like.

there are usually a couple of hundred boxes there at any one time, plus printers, monitors, a scanner or two, and even some floppy disk software. there were even a couple of laptops the last time I was in there, though I didn’t see too much mac equipment. And yes, I bought something — an old Sony that works quite well. Consider it my bit for literacy.

Used comp U ter donations are finding new life at a neighborhood resale shop

Computers and internet access are becoming increasingly difficult for the working poor to afford — at the same time that they are becoming increasingly critical to getting an education or finding a job.

Michelle Wood

Harry Morgan

Colin Lardner

Jane Gordon

Gavin Cain

Kathy Wall

Molly Malone

Nancy Johnson

Marissa Fontanez

Keith Callahan

Heather Brooks

Brooke Altemore Libby Barnes Scott Jackson Lauren Moore Ashley Rasmussen

Henda Salmeron

Julie Provenzano

Todd Terry Peggy Rial

Susan Nelson

Kathy Myers & Lacy Schultz

Lisa & Kristi Johnson

Paige & Curt Elliott

SCOTT JACKSON TEAM

2011 SALESLEADER IN LAKEWOOD AND EASTDALLAS