2013 September Lakewood

PETS!

MAKING LIFE IN LAKEWOOD

DOGGONE GOOD

Schedule a mammogram.

At Texas Health hospitals, we understand the importance of breast care and early detection. That’s why we offer comprehensive services, from digital and 3D mammograms to ultrasound-guided biopsies to advanced surgical and reconstructive techniques. We even offer an online Breast Cancer Risk Assessment to determine your risk factors. Because when it comes to breast care, there’s too much at stake not to stay abreast. Please schedule your digital mammogram today.

When it comes to breast care, we provide plenty of support.

Senior Living Near White Rock Lake

East Dallas pets make a splash.

57

Open season

The Rory Meyers garden is opening on the same day the Arboretum launches into its busiest season.

58

That’s shifty

Can landlords justify so much restaurant parking in Lakewood shopping centers?

22

Boat load

It’s not a love boat or a dream boat, but that doesn’t stop Dean Smith’s repurposed sailboat from being steamy.

26 Holy cats! This no-dogs-allowed motel is going to the cats.

28

Enduring friendships

Training for the December Dallas Marathon is more fun with a group.

THE COVER: Aussie the miniature Australian shepherd: Danny Fulgencio

to

Monday Night Mammos at the Breast Center at Methodist Dallas

Finally, your annual mammogram is worth looking forward to. Join us for Monday Night Mammos*, where you will get a mammogram while we treat you to some well-deserved pampering. Relish in relaxation with a gentle hand rub and calming chair massage. Indulge your senses with aromatherapy and delight your palate with light spa cuisine. We’ll even valet park your car. And when it’s time for your mammo, you’ll receive fivestar treatment. Best of all, you’ll know results in 24 hours. Register today for peace of body, mind, and breast health.

MethodistHealthSystem.org

For details and to register, call 214-947-3441 or visit MethodistHealthSystem.org/MondayMammos

enjoy the softer side of mammography.

The Breast Center at Methodist Dallas is one of just three breast centers of excellence in Dallas (11 in Texas) nationally accredited by the American College of Surgeons.

Applebee’s BackMenders

Chief Security and Safe

Christian Science Reading Room

Edward Jones

Famous Footwear

FishBone Grill

Gallery Coiffures

Herbmart

Ingram’s Donuts

Jenny Craig

Justice – Just For Girls

Kohl’s Linda’s Kut & Kurl

Medallion Animal Clinic

Medallion Shopping Center

Medallion Barbers

The Men’s Wearhouse

Oil Depot

Party City

Pier I Imports

Radio Shack

Rue 21 Scrubs & Beyond Smiley Dental

Socialite Salon Subway

lakewood.advocatemag.com

Buzzworthy

Pool or no pool? White Rock

YMCA’s $3 million question

Demolition of the old Trinity Lutheran Church at Gaston and Loving should begin soon, and the future White Rock YMCA will “hopefully break ground at the end of September,” says Casey Klein, vice-president of operations. However, the Y needs another $3 million by this month to build the gym, natatorium (indoor pool), and outdoor pool and spray ground.

READ THE FULL STORY IN THE ADVOCATE DAILY DIGEST.

Web extras

Taking the plunge

Go behind the scenes to see how Advocate photographers captured the underwater image of the 165-pound dog giant, Quinn. Hint: It wasn’t easy. (“Best Friends for Life” pg. 40).

Old-school sailing

See more photos of Dean Smith and his homemade steamboat, chugging around White Rock Lake. (“Oh, captain,” pg. 22)

Not-so-secret garden

Take a peek inside the Dallas Arboretum’s highly anticipated Rory Meyers Children’s Adventure Garden, opening Sept. 21. (“Brace for Impact”, pg. 57).

Stay in the know.

For daily news updates, visit lakewood.advocatemag.com. Also follow Lakewood/East Dallas Advocate on Facebook and @Advocate_ED on Twitter.

Talk to us. Go online to comment on our stories, and your words could appear in the magazine. Got story ideas for us?

EMAIL EDITOR BRITTANY NUNN bnunn@advocatemag.com

What to Expect at Your Initial Design Meeting

Last month, we talked about “How to Present Remodeling Ideas to a Designer”. Now you’re ready (if not, catch last month’s article at bellavistacompany.com) to communicate your preferences, your hopes, and your expectations to your design team.

Our residential design specialist, Rob Little, and interior design specialist, Whitney Dunn will come to see you in your home. Their visit is all about learning what matters to you, so they can design the perfect living spaces for you and your family.

Assessing Your Functional Preferences

In a walk-through, Rob will ask about how you live, and what we can do to improve the functionality and aesthetics of your home. He’ll learn what you like and dislike about your oor plan and the ow of your home. If you’re like many of our neighbors, you might like to open the oor plan for entertaining guests. Or you may want to create a larger, contemporary and functional kitchen or bathroom and in the process increase your storage and closet space.

If you’re outgrowing your home, you may need to expand it for a new baby or in-laws. If it’s dark, you may want to increase the natural light that comes into your home. Architecturally, you may want to match the level of design sophistication in our area. Since

we’ve remodeled so many of this area’s homes, we can help to revitalize yours, keeping it consistent with the local standards, while incrementally raising the design bar.

Assessing Your Design and Finish Preferences

Whitney will determine your style in order to make sure that when the home is revealed, you get the “wow” factor you deserve. Your photos and binders will really help to show her what matters to you in terms of overall style, feel, ow, and nishes. You don’t need to be uent in design speak; Whitney is an expert in interpreting everything you share.

Your style may be contemporary, classic, or even rustic. You may prefer a feel that is bright and welcoming, family-friendly, or in harmony with nature. For the nish-out, you may prefer stain-grade or painted cabinetry, stainless steel counters or marble, oak oors or porcelain tiles, and elegant or modern xtures. All of these elements work together to enhance the way you live and clarify your sense of style. When your home re ects who you truly are, it becomes a major source of happiness in your life. Getting you there is what makes this stage of the process so enjoyable.

COMMENTS AND LETTERS

Reader comments

“Ever tried to leash a cat? Me either!” —Kelly Hanna on Put your cat on a leash it’s the law (via Facebook)

“Never been but menu looks seriously underwhelming. Was hoping for something more interesting here. That spot is just begging for something like Bolsa or Breadwinners or Mercury Grill.” —Mack on Sounds like Zoë’s Kitchen is coming to Lakewood (via Advocate Daily Digest)

“Frankly, with some of the amazing bridges and walkways appearing all over town I would prefer to see a well-designed artistic pedestrian bridge.” —Fred Theobald on Dallas Arboretum requests permit for underground walkway on Garland Road (via Facebook)

“I will definitely miss that mariachi band! My favorite in Dallas.” —belmont on Lakewood Cantina Laredo is closed (via Advocate Daily Digest)

“Fingers crossed for an open house?” —leia on Buy the Stanley Marcus home on Nonesuch for $5.4M (via Advocate Daily Digest)

“Can’t wait ... for the traffic problems that it’s gonna cause at that intersection.” —Jeff Brandt on Chipotle breaks ground on Richmond-Abrams location (via Facebook)

ONLY IN only in lakewood

On most mornings, this white heron can be found fishing at White Rock Lake, which has made it something of a neighborhood pet to people who exercise there regularly: Danny Fulgencio

COMMENTS AND LETTERS

Angelo’s suddenly closes, landlord showing the space

Just a week ago, we were was sitting in Angelo’s talking with owner Bernadette Fisher about her plans for the winter menu. We chatted about the history of Angelo’s, gossiped about how other restaurants in the area seem to be doing, and speculated about the fate of the Balcony Club.

According to landlord Cathy Patterson with Greenway Investing Company, Fisher was locked out due to the “non-payment of rent” for several months, and the restaurant officially has closed.

To say Angelo’s Italian Restaurant was a “Lakewood staple” or a “neighborhood institution” would be an understatement. Restaurants like Angelo’s and Cantina Laredo (which also is no more) make Lakewood what it is; they are Lakewood. But, as is painfully apparent everywhere we look, Lakewood as we know it is changing — rapidly.

Here’s what our readers had to say about it:

“Sad day”—mike via Advocate Daily Digest

“That’s high-dollar real estate in East Dallas. See the trend small mom-and-pop diners closing.”—frack via Advocate Daily Digest

“Oh no, another one bites the dust.”

—Rebecca

Tolentino

via Facebook

“Well, frankly that sucks. Angelo’s is a great place to get some food and have an intimate dinner. Their garlic rolls are amazing.”

—mdmost via Advocate Daily Digest

“Kinda glad this one is gone, seemed like they stopped caring about the food.”

—Andy Thompson via Facebook

Talk to us. Go online to comment on our stories, and your words could appear in the magazine. Got story ideas for us?

EMAIL EDITOR BRITTANY NUNN

bnunn@advocatemag.com

NOT-SO-EASY S TREETS

Among giants, a compact-car owner risks road rage

As I pulled up to the intersection in my relatively small and low-slung car, stopping just short of the crosswalk, I glanced to my left to see if the coast was clear enough to make a right turn on red.

But when I glanced left, I didn’t see a couple of cars barreling down on me. Nor did I see a completely empty street devoid of cars and pedestrians.

Instead, I was looking into the bottom door panel of a huge, white pickup truck, with my eyes essentially at crotch level of the driver, who as far as I know had absolutely no idea I was even there.

The truck driver had pulled the nose of his vehicle over the crosswalk; there were no pedestrians here, so I didn’t have a big

and over the truck on my left. Apparently, no one was approaching the intersection, so he thought I needed to get moving.

His leaning on the horn didn’t sit well with me. From his perch high in the sky overlooking the top of my car, he probably had no idea that I couldn’t see a thing and would be risking my insurance premium, not to mention the front of my car, by blindly pulling into the intersection.

For a moment, I thought about putting my car in park, popping out of the driver’s door and walking back to visit with my impatient neighbor as we waited for the light to change.

It was just a brief moment, though, because my thoughts also quickly turned dramatic: Maybe he legally carried a gun and might see my approach as threatening.

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problem with his positioning. It’s just that the size of his vehicle (or, depending on your perspective, the size of mine) kept me from seeing anything except shiny white paint.

I was content to sit and wait for the green light; something interesting was on KERA, and I wasn’t in a big hurry.

The guy behind me had other ideas, though.

He leaned on the horn a couple of times, clearly needing to be somewhere 30 seconds more quickly than he was going to with me blocking his way.

He also was driving a tall, jacked-up pickup truck, so he could see just fine through

In fact, I could imagine the excitement at 6 and 10 as local newscasters talked about the meaningless shooting, with no one having any idea why a quiet, unassuming dude like me would block an intersection and threateningly approach another driver. Given the chance that I might not be around to explain my actions, I thought better of exiting the car.

So I just endured what I assumed was the angry glare of the driver behind me because I really couldn’t see much above the grill of his pickup.

The light mercifully turned green, and all three of us headed off to our respective destinations. The guy next to me probably was unaware. The guy behind me raced past me after we both turned. I continued on, wondering what else I could have done to make him understand I had no options.

There’s no lesson here that I can discern, nothing else I could have done to make things better, except perhaps to own a taller vehicle.

Maybe it was all just the product of a steaming, hot summer day in Dallas.

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Advocate, © 2013, is published monthly by East Dallas Lakewood People Inc. Contents of this magazine may not be reproduced. Advertisers and advertising agencies assume liability for the content of all advertisements printed, and therefore assume responsibility for any and all claims against the Advocate. The publisher reserves the right to accept or reject any editorial or advertising material. Opinions set forth in the Advocate are those of the writers and do not necessarily reflect the publisher’s viewpoint. More than 200,000 people read Advocate publications each month. Advertising rates and guidelines are available upon request. Advocate publications are available free of charge throughout our neighborhoods, one copy per reader. Advocate was founded in 1991 by Jeff Siegel, Tom Zielinski and Rick Wamre.

Rick Wamre is president of Advocate Media. Let him know how we are doing by writing to 6301 Gaston, Suite 820, Dallas 75214; or email rwamre@advocatemag.com.

He leaned on the horn a couple of times, clearly needing to be somewhere 30 seconds more quickly than he was going to with me blocking his way.

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Launch community | events | food

Oh, captain!

An aroma like a faintly oily campfire wafts over the lake. Cylinders whirl — chug-a-chuga — and a grey-white cloud erupts — choo choo! The vessel vibrates. Mechanical parts flail with increasing zeal. Droplets slap the wood floor and flesh with a satisfying sizzle. It is the engagement of all five senses, steamboat captain Dean Smith says, that so entices him.

“The smell, the sounds, everything — it is addictive,” he says.

A passenger on Linda Lue, Dean’s homemade boat, almost starts to see the steam engine as a living thing. She warms up gradually until, like a distance runner, her heart thumps steady and strong. She labors, rumbles, burns, exhales forcefully, sweats profusely and drinks the water Smith systematically provides.

“It really is an anthropomorphic experience,” he says.

About two years ago, Smith, an architect by trade, began toiling evenings and weekends to turn a donated sailboat body into this fully functioning steamer reminiscent of Humphrey Bogart’s African Queen. A few months ago, Smith took a maiden voyage on White Rock Lake, where engines of up to 9.9 horsepower are permitted. LL tops out at about 4 or 5 miles per hour, he says. The beleaguered pace

Danny Fulgencio

doesn’t bother Smith, who built his first steamboat in the ’70s with his father (it sunk in Lake Ray Hubbard, he says). He’s always loved building things, he says, and when something actually works — when “it’s not just a model you place on a shelf” — that’s a plus. Smith lives near White Rock with wife Linda. She and their son, Preston, have cruised the lake at Smith’s side, but teenage daughter Madelyn hasn’t made it out yet, Smith notes. He says it’s easier to manage the boat with two people — one to steer, one to monitor the fuel (mainly wood) and H20. Otherwise, he’s content being alone or surrounded by lake users — whatever — as long as his boat is humming and he’s on the water. “I’ve been around White Rock Lake for many years, but it wasn’t until recently that I’ve been on the lake, seen it from this perspective,” Smith says, his gaze on the water. “This is the part I like.”

—Christina Hughes Babb

POWER OF EBBY LAKEWOOD

Alison O’Halloran, Loretta Piercy, Travis Pope, Alicia Praniess, CJ Prince, Terri Raith, Mary Rinne, Kathy Rohrer, Jim Rooks, Joe Sanders, McKenzie Schimming, Kathleen Sekula, Kim Sinnott, J.D. Smith, Margot Strong, Shelley Travell, Laurie Welch, Sherryl Wesson.

Janis Andres, Josh Armstrong, Rene Barrera, Jim Berrong, Cece Case, Kay Caughron, Dick Clements, Lindsey Crouch, Steve Davies, Denise Davis, Karen Davis, Hillary Dean, Edwina Dye, Krystin Gerlach, Jorge Goldsmit, Chris Gonzales, Jerry Gray, Bob Hafer, George Haynes, Katherene Hough, Cindy Hume, Sheffie Kadane, Scott Kaserman, Maurice Kerins, RoseMarie LaCoursiere, Kim Le-Henderson, Jacquejoy Littlefield, Denise Lowry, Joe Lyon, Tina Lyons, Khris Macho, Amy Malooley, Debbie Marino, Jennifer McLaughlin, Mary Mobley, Courtney Molina, Marcy Moore, Kim Nikolis,

Ebby Lakewood’s United Way fundraiser. Giving back to the community.

We get it.

Welcome

Paws for Poms

Buy some bling

... and help rescue Pomeranians from puppy mills, the street or local, euthanizing shelters. Paws for Poms, an online jewelry store, was founded by neighborhood craftswoman Kimberly Moore as a benefit fundraiser for the Dallas-based organization Recycled Pomeranians. Recycled Pomeranians is a volunteer-run organization that rescues hundreds of purebred Pomeranians every year. So far in 2013, Recycled Pomeranians has rescued 220 Poms. East Dallas neighbor Moore became involved with the organization after adopting her own four-legged friend, Emma, from the rescue team two years ago. When Moore first saw a picture of Emma on the Recycled Pomeranians website, she noticed Emma had a cast on her front leg, but Emma was so precious Moore wanted to visit her anyway. By the time Moore met Emma for the first time at Emma’s foster home, the cast was gone, but the story behind the injury was still a tragic cautionary tale. Emma grew up in a puppy mill in

“My perfect home would be 10 minutes from downtown, but feel like it’s a thousand miles away.”

to the wonderful neighborhoods of East Dallas. While you’re close to everything you love about downtown, the neighborhoods here are a tree-lined world of their own. Find out more at davidgriffin.com, or call ...

David Collier 214.536.8517 David Collier

Brandon Stewart

Micky Carr

Missouri before being rescued by Recycled Pomeranians and placed in a loving foster home. “When they pulled her out of the puppy mill, she had never walked before,” Moore explained. The breeders kept Emma cooped up in a small, filthy cage, where she gave birth to litter after litter. “She had never been out of the cage, so she had no muscles in her legs. So at her foster family’s house, she jumped off the couch and snapped her leg.” Luckily she healed fine, although she still won’t jump off couches or beds, Moore says. Moore took Emma home, and after a lot of TLC, Emma has warmed up to life in a loving furrever home. “It takes a lot of love, but they come around,” Moore says of rescued pups. “There’s just nothing like rescuing. And these dogs are so grateful to you. They know you rescued them.” Moore, too, was grateful to Recycled Pomeranians, so she wanted to find a way to pay them back. Tapping into her knack for jewelry making, she launched Paws for Poms to help raise money for the organization. —Brittany

Nunn

TO SEE SOME OF MOORE’S JEWELRY or to request a custom-designed bracelet, visit pawsforpoms.com.

Emma the Pomeranian: Kimberly Moore

Meet Andrew Acord, Northeast Police Division Deputy Chief

The Dallas Police Department last spring reassigned Deputy Chief Andrew Acord as commander of the Northeast Police Division, which patrols the White Rock area. Before the move, Acord oversaw the Dallas Police Narcotics Division. During his first week at the northeast substation, two major manhunts launched in the White Rock area — one, for the perpetrators of a violent murder of an elderly homeowner in the Dixon Branch area and the other for a serial rapist in the Lake Highlands area. Arrests were relatively quickly made in both cases. Acord shared with us some insights and highlights from his three decades on the force.

The first few weeks

After the immediate chaos settled, it became a joke of sorts because the staff originally had told me that it was a good place to work, that things were relatively routine around here. Not too much action. But the work came fast and didn’t let up for the first month or six weeks or so.

Catching the suspects

In the case of the sexual assailant, we felt confident that he was still in the

area. We had some very capable people working the case — several different police divisions — and we had the cooperation of the citizens. There was a sense of urgency, wanting to protect the community from further assault, so there was a confidence there. There was a different dynamic to the homicide case. For one, of course the homicide unit oversaw the investigation, though we did put resources into that investigation.

Social media and police work

Social media is beneficial in two major ways. It allows us to push out information quickly. [Suspects in the Dixon Branch homicide were apprehended following both a socialmedia based call for information and a YouTube video showing the suspects using the victim’s credit card]. It also allows us to share with the public about various accomplishments of the police department.

The early years

Since high school I knew I wanted to go into law enforcement. I grew up in Houston, attended Sam Houston University and planned to join the Houston Police Department. But then I met my wife. She lived in Richardson. So I followed her here.

Andrew Acord: Danny Fulgencio

Law enforcement because ...

I didn’t want to be behind a desk and I wanted to positively impact the community.

Jobs in the DPD

In 33 years I’ve worked patrol in the southeast division, communications, SWAT, which wasn’t called SWAT then but the tactical division — it was before Dallas SWAT was famous — internal affairs, then narcotics.

On the AMC show “Breaking Bad”

I haven’t seen the show, but I’ll check it out. As for the real-life job in narcotics, the office consisted of disrupting and dismantling drug traffic, at all levels. It was challenging work because Dallas is a hub for distribution.

Why so many di erent positions

It is typical for us to move around from department to department. I think it is so that we are more experienced and well rounded.

On chasing perps

It has been a long time since I’ve been involved in a chase, since I was on patrol, which was back in ’87. The chase wound up at LBJ and Skillman. The suspect got out of the vehicle near there and we chased him on foot. Caught him coming out of a manhole cover behind Tom Thumb.

On handling northeast Dallas’ high-crime hotspots

This is a large and diverse area. Larger than most surrounding suburbs — it’s an 86-square-mile area with a population of 286,000.

With several multifamily properties it presents more challenging crime areas, but this is an exceptional police division here. This area also has, I believe, more active crime watch and homeowners groups working with police than any other. We are initiating programs with cooperative apartment managers and residents to combat and prevent crime by forming crime watch groups within those communities.

—Christina Hughes Babb Acord’sstatementswereeditedforbrevity.

Dr. Karen Fling at the new East Lake Cat Care Center: Danny Fulgencio

It’s a cat’s life

Professionally painted murals line long interior walls. An enclosed patio for lounging surrounds the structure.

Bedrooms might include televisions, Oriental rugs, chandeliers and repurposed Victorian-era wood and doors. The campus includes state-of-the-art medical facilities and, out back, an herb farm.

And it’s all for cats.

If you’ve ever patronized the Northwest Highway East Lake Veterinary Hospital, founded by Dr. Karen Fling, you know she and her staffers exceed expectations when it comes to pet care.

Not only have they treated and rehomed thousands of animals that otherwise might have been euthanized, but they also pamper pets, appointing adoption and recovery rooms with comfy beds and televisions, for example.

Cats conceivably are more impressed with this sort of mollycoddling. As Fling puts it, “Cats have much different needs — they are not small dogs.”

Many families are mixed — cats and dogs — and they are still welcome at East Lake, but Fling says that “for cats from catonly households, a visit to a busy vet can be traumatizing in itself.”

That’s why she hopes to open the cat clinic — an orange and cream-colored building (East Lake’s signature colors) at the corner of Shoreview, just behind East Lake — by year’s end.

The cat clinic will be peaceful, “Zenlike,” Fling says. Exam rooms will be comfortable, and the porch will be closed in so the cats can relax out there.

Fling has purchased the land behind the cat clinic, now an empty lot, where she plans to put a catnip farm. That’s right — she says she already has plans under way to grow organic nepeta cataria, the mintlike herb that is said to be a feline aphrodisiac. It also is common for humans to consume this herb, by the way, in the form of tea, and Fling says she knows chefs who have experimented with catnip in cooking.

—Christina Hughes Babb

dentist!” – Lisa Kerich

White Rock Marathon: Benjamin Hager

Destination: Dallas Marathon

Melting in the Texas summer might sound unpleasant, but if running the December Dallas Marathon is on your bucket list, it’s time to get in gear.

Registration opened in June and is steadily filling. Early entrants get a better price. Plus, registration for the marathon will close at 6,000, and the half marathon will be limited to 13,000 runners. With a team of five, you can opt to register for the relay race: Each member runs an average six miles of the marathon course, which winds through Downtown, Oak Cliff, Highland Park, the White Rock area and East Dallas.

Once you’ve registered for your preferred event and outfitted yourself in a good pair of athletic shoes, some experienced Dallas marathoners say joining a running group is the best way to meet your marathon or half-marathon goals. The specific benefits? “Accountability, motivation, friendly competition and knowledge transfer,” sums up White Rock-area runner Nick Polito.

White Rock area resident Kevin Roberts adds that running with friends is fun, which makes him want to run more. “What Nick said, along with the after-run festivities,” Roberts says. “I doubt my annual mileage would be half of what it is without the group.”

Polito and Roberts belong to the White Rock Running Co-op, a free club with a loosely organized marathon-training program that meets twice a week, usually in the White Rock area.

The Dallas Running Club, based in East Dallas, also offers a low-cost training program for which runners can register through July.

Sometimes training alone is more convenient, says Dallas Running Club member Teel Tishgart, a marathoner and mother of twins, “but I so much look forward to meeting up with friends and meeting other people who are as committed as I am.”

—Christina Hughes Babb LEARN MORE:

Visit thewrrc.com to download a marathontraining plan. Visit dallasrunningclub.com for membership information. Find both groups on Facebook for meet-ups, routes, discussions and running-gear discounts.

Out & About

September 2013

SEPT. 22

Rory Meyers Adventure Garden Opening

The Rory Meyers Children’s Adventure Garden is opening, although tickets for the opening day are limited. Grab your kids, pack a lunch and take a walk around the 8-acre laboratory with dozens of science-themed outdoor and indoor exhibits. To learn more about the garden see page (57).

Dallas Arboretum, 8525 Garland, dallasarboretum.org, 214.515.6500, $15 for adults, $10 for children, free for kids under age 3

SEPT. 7, 8, 15 & 22

Church birthday

St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church is celebrates its 75th anniversary with a concert series, an outdoor worship service and a community block party. Concerts begin at 5 p.m. On Sept. 22 at 10:45 a.m., an outdoor worship service is followed by a community block party with live music, food trucks and family activities from noon to 2 p.m. St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church, 3204 Skillman, 214.821.9989 or standrewsdallas.org, free

Sept. 6-Sept. 28

A Craft Menagerie

SEPT 7

LibraryFest

The Lakewood Branch Library celebrates its 75th anniversary during the LibraryFest 2013 event from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. There will be several features for the Diamond Jubilee anniversary, inlcuding food, musical performances and a chance to win a Kindle e-Reader.

Lakewood Branch Library, 6121 Worth, dallaslibrary2.org, 214.670.1376, free

Through Sept. 29

Nature art

It’s out of our neighborhood, but Eclectic Galleries is presenting “BirdDog & CatFish: A Craft Menagerie.” Showcasing more than 300 unique handcrafted animal designs in glass, ceramic, metal, wood and jewelry, this special Craft Menagerie will benefit Operation Kindness, the oldest and largest no-kill pet shelter in North Texas.

Eclectic Galleries, 6725 Snider Plaza, eclecticgalleries.com, 469.759.6501,

Walk through the “Nature in my Art: Recent Artwork by Pavlina Panova” exhibition at the Bath House Cultural Center. The exhibition, which consists of intricate pieces created from elements of nature, such as leaves, bark and wood shavings, is on display through Sept. 29. Bath House Cultural Center, 521 E. Lawther, dallasculture. org, 214.670.8749, free

SEPT. 14

Trees please

Grab your loppers, your work gloves and your water bottles, and join For the Love of the Lake at 7:30 a.m. to help prepare the Big Thicket at White Rock Lake for the hundreds of trees that will be planted there this fall. The number of volunteers who can help plant trees later this fall will be limited, so if you help prepare now, you can also help plant later. Afterward, Peninsula Neighborhood Association will provide lunch.

Big Thicket at White Rock Lake (near the Corinthian Sail Club, north of the Bath House Cultural Center), 430 E. Lawther, 214.660.1100, free

SEPT. 20

Home tour

Sip wine and sample tasty dishes while enjoying an intimate preview of seven homes during the Munger Place Days: Wine Walk from 5-8 p.m. Munger Place, mungerplace.com/ tour_2013, mungerplacedays@ gmail.com for more info, $25 in advance, $30 at the door

SEPT. 20

Hats off to 30

Join Dallas Children’s Theater as it celebrates 30 great years of service to the community with the premiere of Dr. Seuss’ “The Cat in the Hat,” plus a community birthday party on opening weekend.

Rosewood Center for Family Arts, 5938 Skillman, dct.org, $13-$40

SEPT 26

Benefit lunch

Alley’s House, a neighborhood nonprofit that offers pregnancy support, is hosting a benefit luncheon from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. The luncheon is the one of the main sources of funding for Alley’s House. All of the proceeds from the luncheon go directly to funding the program.

Holiday Inn Park Cities, 6070 North Central, alleyshouse.org, 214.824.8700, $150

The Dallas Arboretum will make history on September 21 with the grand opening of the Rory Meyers Children’s Adventure Garden. This 8 acre one-of-a-kind garden is the world’s most elaborate and interactive garden for children. Designed to enable both the young and the young-at-heart to experience nature as they enjoy playing in a museum without walls. Tickets must be pre-purchased online.

Opening September 21, 2013 with the nationally acclaimed Autumn at the Arboretum festival.

Media Sponsor Dallas Morning News

www.dallasarboretum.org

The Dallas Arboretum is a non-pro t organization that is supported, in part, by funds from the Dallas Park & Recreation Department.

southern

Delicious

The South American dream

Dec. 21, 2012 — the day the world was supposed to end. And the day Craig Collins, founder of the popular barbecue joint Red, Hot and Blue, opened his latest concept, the South American restaurant Nazca Kitchen. “What have you got to lose, right?” he jokes. As he did with his first venture, Collins brought something relatively new to the neighborhood with Nazca. “When we opened Red, Hot and Blue in 1994, no one ate pork. Now it’s a barbecue staple.” At Nazca, the focus is fresh fish and organic, sustainable, healthful ingredients. It isn’t easy, Collins says, for a North Texas restaurant to obtain fresh seafood. In fact, he’s in the process of attempting to strike a deal with an Alaskan supplier. Fingers crossed. Until then, you can bet Collins and his team will not serve anything that doesn’t look, smell and taste as fresh as anything in the DFW area; this is evidenced in menu items such as the grilled tilapia or roasted half chicken that came recommended by manager Juan Chavez. Culinary creations a quinoa salad tossed in tahini glaze or a butternut squash and cranberry side, for example — leave a lasting, crave-inducing impression. The fish “tacos” with aioli drizzle come wrapped in butter-leaf lettuce that is grown in neat, aesthetic soil rows alongside the eatery. Collins painstakingly selected the wine list. A selfproclaimed “wine geek,” Collins says he tasted 400 wines before narrowing down the 12 available at the Nazca bar.

Christina Hughes Babb

NAZCA KITCHEN

8041 Walnut Hill #854 (at Central), 214.696.2922

nazcakitchen.com

AMBIANCE: PEACEFUL

PRICE RANGE: $6-$16

HOURS: DAILY 10:30 A.M.-9:30 P.M.

Above/ Nazca Kitchen’s roasted chicken. Below/ Lettuce-wrapped fish tacos: Mark Davis

Kalachandji’s Restaurant & Palace

Can’t get enough of that tranquil dining? Kalachandji’s is another local restaurant known for its peaceful vibes. Of course, its fresh and flavorful Indian food doesn’t hurt its reputation either.

5430 Gurley 214.821.1048

Szechwan Pavilion

This Chinese restaurant has made a name for itself with its unique house recipes. Patrons may either sample from the all-youcan-eat buffet or choose a dish from the menu. 1152 Buckner 214.321.7599 szechwanpavilion.com

Alligator Café

With this little gem in Casa Linda Plaza, you don’t have to go far for a great bowl of gumbo and a noisy, New Orleans atmosphere.

9540 Garland 214.821.6900

Facebook.com/the-alligator-cafe

Sakhuu Thai Cuisine

• BYOB

• Vegan / Gluten Free • Everything made from scratch • Sakhuu family has been serving Dallas since 2002

• Call for takeout

• SW corner of Bryan and Fitzhugh near Jimmy’s 4801 Bryan St. #100, Dallas 75204 www.sakhuu.com

214.828.9300

Sakhuu Express (carry out or delivery) 5200 Lemmon #100 214.520.6868 sakhuuexpress.com

Highland Park Cafeteria

Choose with your eyes. Enjoy the homemade flavor. Enjoy the healthy feeling. Enjoy the Price. Enjoy the live piano music. Meeting rooms and catering available. Open from 11-8 everyday. A Dallas original since 1925.

Monster Yogurt

Enjoy a sticky, gooey, deliciously disgusting scary yogurt creation that only you will love! Explore our frozen yogurt, tart, Greek-style and sorbet flavors, and 75 toppings. Playstation & Wifi. Open 7 days a week.

Andrea’s

September Specials: Sun, Wed & Thurs: Pasta dishes $11.99

Tuesday: Buy one entree, get second one free

Student Specials: Dinner incl. drink $12 (under age 18)

Sunday Brunch 11:00-2:00

Closed Mondays

Quinoa salad at Nazca Kitchen: Mark Davis

Now Hiring Advertising & sales

Cheap is the new pricey

Joel Gott sauvignon blanc ($10) California

This month marks a milestone for the Advocate and cheap wine. In fact, the milestone probably wouldn’t have been possible without the Advocate wine column, which helped demonstrate that consumers are interested in wine that doesn’t cost a lot of money.

Because that interest was one of the first steps in getting to my new book, “The Wine Curmudgeon’s Guide to Cheap Wine,” which will be published later this month. It will be available as an e-book ($9.95) and in paperback ($12.95), and you’ll be able to buy it at the regular online retailers as well as winecurmudgeon.com.

When Advocate founder Rick Wamre asked me to write a wine column some 10 years ago, I wasn’t sure there would be any interest and didn’t expect to be doing it for long. But there was interest; Advocate readers were looking for simple, clearly written advice about wine they could a ord to buy. That’s a market that the wine business has traditionally taken for granted, and hence the column’s longevity and the book.

The book focuses on the process of cheap wine. In this, there aren’t any recommendations, which is probably a first for a wine book. That’s what this column and my wine blog are for. The point of the book is to help consumers figure out for themselves what they want, o ering common-sense advice about how to make that decision.

This month, then, three of my favorite cheap wines:

• Any number of $10 white wines from the French region of Gascony. There are cheap, wellmade and o er refreshing grapey and citrus flavors. Look for Domaine du Tariquet and Mont Gravet among many others.

• Sicilian reds and whites, which are practically subversive — $10 wine is not supposed to be this interesting. They include Notorius, a white, and the Cusumano red.

• California sauvignon blanc, including Dry Creek, Joel Gott and Benziger, all of which are around $10 and are clean, crisp and tasty.

—Jeff Siegel

with your wine

Roasted chicken breasts

Serves four, takes about 30 minutes

Want something you can slice for a sandwich for lunch, but also makes an easy weeknight dinner? Then try boneless and skinless chicken breasts, roasted in the oven and seasoned with herbs and olive oil. Serve with the California sauvignon blancs.

GROCERY LIST

4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts, about 1 pound each

salt and pepper to taste

olive oil

assorted dry herbs, such as tarragon, thyme, basil and oregano

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

2. Mix the herbs, salt and pepper, and olive oil and baste the breasts all over. Cook for 10 to 15 minutes on one side, and then turn over, baste again and cook for another 10 or 15 minutes until done.

Ask the wine guy

What’s a grocery store wine?

Cheap wine with a clever name and cute label that is sold mostly in grocery stores and is well made, if a little boring. It’s important to note that not all wine sold in grocery stores is “grocery store wine,” given how grocery stores have upgraded their wine departments and that not all wine sold there is boring.

ASK THE WINE GUY taste@advocatemag.com

—Jeff Siegel

FOR LIFE Best Friends

A tribute to joyful, loyal, beautiful creatures

It is just an animal ...

an inferior species prone to flea infestation, shoe destruction and squirrel abuse, right? Like other cases of true love, man’s connection to domesticated beast defies logic. Pet behavior — slap-happy romping, guttural purrs of pleasure and exuberant expressions of gratitude in the form of unbridled kisses — can inspire profound joy. Conclusively, their companionship can boost the quality of a human life. But no use trying to define how or why humans grow so attached to their fleabags. We would rather show you.

Good luck not falling in love.

Story by Brittany Nunn // Photos by Danny Fulgencio and Chris Arrant

Tina Littlest joy

KIMBERLY HILE SAYS HER DOG TINA was the one who rescued her when she visited the Humane Society one day. “I was a bit depressed and decided I needed a companion,” Hile says. Now her life is a joy — except when the two ladies ti over who is in charge of the house.

Quinn Best doggy paddle

AT 160 POUNDS, QUINN LOOKS like a bear beside his human mama, Peggy Walker. Actually, because of his stature and shaggy black and brown coat, he has been mistaken for a bear before, but Quinn is a Leonberger, and he wouldn’t hurt a fly.

With his massive frame, you’d think he would sink to the bottom of a pool like a ton of bricks, but Leonbergers are excellent swimmers because of their webbed feet that fan out in the water to propel them forward.

“These are water dogs,” Walker says. “Quinn loves the water, and he’s a good swimmer.”

Quinn even swims at the annual Swim Across America event at Lake Ray Hubbard to help raise funds for the Innovative Clinical Trials Center at Baylor Charles A. Sammons Cancer Center. Every year Quinn gets his paws wet for the cause and fundraises alongside the other competitors, including former Olympic competitors. This year he raised more than $7,000. Although he can’t actually swim in the race, he greets the swimmers when they return from the venture, and he makes a grand show of swimming close to shore.

When he’s not splashing around, Quinn can likely be found roaming the halls of Baylor Charles A. Sammons Cancer Center, where he works as a therapy dog, nuzzling up to patients, bringing them joy and hope with his unconditional puppy love.

TAKING THE PLUNGE Go behind the scenes to see how Advocate photographers captured the underwater image of the 165-pound dog giant, Quinn. Hint: It wasn’t easy.

Best Friends

FOR LIFE

Richard Loudest alarm

LAST APRIL, CRYSTAL MCKIBBEN drove to a nearby poultry farm to pick up three ducklings, but she returned home with two ducklings and a full-grown duck instead. McKibben’s husband, Josh, wasn’t sure what he thought about a full-grown duck, since they didn’t have a coop yet, but Crystal had no intention of taking the duck back to the poultry farmer because he’d told her that he planned to take the duck to a butcher.

They named the duck Richard, but after a few weeks, Richard did something very strange: laid an egg.

“Richard is not a male,” McKibben concluded. Whoops!

Now Richard lays an egg a day, and each one is in high demand by the McKibbens’ 3-year-old son, Henry.

Richard recently earned the uno cial title of best guard duck in the neighborhood after waking Crystal with her raucous quacking.

“She is so loud that she woke me up at 2:30 in the morning,” Crystal recalls. “I went outside to see what was going on, and there was a giant bobcat prowling around the coop, and Richard was not happy about it.”

The bobcat ran o when Crystal went outside but came back a couple of hours later.

“We didn’t know what to do, so the next day we called [wildlife control], and a man came out and gave us some pointers on how to Fort Knox the coop down.”

Richard is an Indian runner duck, so she’s exceptionally tall. Like most ducks, Richard loves the water, so she spends her weekends splashing around a kiddie pool in the backyard. When she’s not doing that, she’s enjoying her favorite snack of frozen peas, or prowling for insects, spiders and snakes in the yard.

Jonny

Most talented escape artist

VERENA MAHLOW LAGE DIDN’T WANT A DOG.

A native of Mainz, Germany, the TV freelancer sought refuge from her country’s frigid winter weather by taking her son to Ibiza, Spain. Her son’s cat had just died, and he pleaded for a dog. Reluctantly, Mahlow Lage took him to the island’s rescue center, where 6-week-old Jonny, an English pointer/Ibizan hound mix, immediately wooed her.

When Jonny’s person met her future husband in 2004, Jonny immediately loved him something Mahlow Lage says finalized her decision to marry. In 2011 Mahlow Lage decided to move to Little Forest Hills to be with her husband. Mahlow Lage planned to make the eight-hour flight from Frankfurt, Germany, to New York, and then drive to Dallas with a close friend of hers for a “mini road-trip vacation.” This would in turn reduce the time Jonny spent on the plane, and provide him with his favorite thrill — riding in cars.

But when Mahlow Lage’s plane landed at John F. Kennedy International Airport, an airline employee informed her that Jonny had escaped his kennel and gotten loose on the tarmac. “The airplanes couldn’t land or take o ,” she says.

Mahlow Lage searched the entire airport to no avail. Later that night she sat in her hotel and cried for hours. She couldn’t sleep or eat. Her heart was broken.

In the morning, just as her husband was on a plane headed from Dallas to New York to help, Mahlow Lage received a phone call from a neighboring suburb. A man found Jonny the night before while dropping a friend o at the airport. He spotted the dog sitting in front of the tarmac, collarless, and decided to take him home for company. But Jonny whined throughout the entire night, so the man took him to the vet to see if he endured damage to his paws from the tarmac.

“The vet said, ‘He is not hurt, he is missing somebody,’ ” Mahlow Lage says.

The vet then found a microchip in Jonny’s neck and called the police to help locate his owner. Thirty hours after Jonny first boarded the plane, Mahlow Lage found him in an apartment near the airport on Passover. Mahlow Lage, who is half-Jewish, smiled when the man, who was also Jewish, told her it was a miracle of Passover.

“It was, but it was also just a miracle overall,” she says.

health & wellness

REPORT

Best Friends

FOR LIFE

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DENA T. ROBINSON, DDS, FAGD

www.drdenarobinson.com

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1. Call and ask us about sedation dentistry options

2. Come to your appointment in our comfortable office setting

3. Take a nap

4. Awake to a beautiful, healthy smile

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AUDIOLOGIST

RYAN DUNKIN, M.S. F/AAA www.owensearcenter.com

Our physicians and audiologists are highly skilled at diagnosing and treating patients with well known conditions such as chronic ear diseases, hearing loss, deafness, tinnitus, Meniere’s Disease, vertigo, dizziness, pediatric hearing loss and many other ear-related conditions. We also offer the latest in hearing aid technology and accessories.

4104 Junius Dallas TX 75246 214-742-2194

OPTOMETRIST

DR. CLINT MEYER

www.dallaseyeworks.com

Make eye exams a part of your Back to School check list. Healthy vision is an important part of the learning prices and success in school. Did you know that 80% of what we learn is acquired visually? Regular vision exams will help your child gain the most from their school experience. Call Dallas Eyeworks and schedule a convenient exam with Dr. Meyer.

Dallas Eyeworks

9225 Garland Rd., Ste. 2120, Dallas, TX 75218 214.660.9830

4.625X2.25

10.40 sq. in

Radha and Rumi

Best bedside manners

NOTHING SAYS “GET WELL SOON” like puppy kisses. At least, that’s Radha and Rumi’s theory.

Since their human mom, Andrea Marie Davis, was diagnosed with breast cancer last year, the Yorkshire terriers have been right by her side for every step of the recovery process, always ready to snuggle, even on the days when Davis could barely get out of bed.

At first Davis was nervous about how they would handle being cooped up, but her worries were in vain.

“They were so good, even though they didn’t get their walks,” she says.

She also was amazed at how they never jumped on her after the surgery, as though they knew she was hurting. Radha, the little girl, seemed particularly intuitive.

“I just wondered for a while if she could

sense it, even before the surgery.”

During those early days, when Davis first learned about her diagnosis and was gathering information about breast cancer, Radha seemed to pick up on her feelings of vulnerability and fear.

“I just felt like she got real needy, and I just remember her wanting to be held more than ever before,” Davis says.

After the surgery, Rumi, the boy dog, helped Davis stretch and exercise her arm by playing catch in the backyard. Rumi loves his tennis ball, Davis says — actually, he’s a little obsessive about it. After several weeks of Rumi’s puppified physical therapy, Davis now has almost full range of motion in her arm.

Seems the two pooches make quite a doctoring team. Heck, maybe they should open their own practice.

FOR LIFE Best Friends

Aussie Lady of the house

SHE RUNS ON FOUR FURRY LEGS, plays obsessively with her yellow tennis ball and expresses a mild interest in the dog park, but despite the evidence, Aussie does not seem to know she is a canine.

“When we have parties, she is the life of them,” owner David Sassamo says. “She thinks she’s a person. Everyone wants to take her home.”

But Aussie the miniature Australian shepherd seems quite comfortable sitting in the living room of David’s White Rock-area home, legs crossed, in a contemporary canvas chair. Her eyes, one sky blue and one brown, rest attentively on her owner, as if she knows he’s talking about her.

When they visit the White Rock Lake Dog Park, she tends to isolate herself from other dogs and instead socialize with humans, he says. She loves the water. When they go to Cedar Creek Lake, where David stores a boat, she swims or lounges on a float. And she loves road trips.

While home during the day, Aussie and her doggie siblings — golden retriever Cleo and fullsized Australian shepherd Skye — enjoy a half-hour visit from Society Pet Sitters, a service based in the White Rock area.

The dogs can be a handful, David admits, but they can instantly put you in a good mood. “They are non-judging, always comforting and always happy to see you.”

Dr. Simon Says ...

Sure, a beautiful smile looks great, but the best thing about teeth that are in the proper position is that they function correctly. Teeth are designed to fit together so that they function like gears when we chew. If your teeth are crooked or malpositioned, you’re essentially “grinding the gears”, causing excessive wear on the teeth and possible loss of the bone and gum tissue surrounding the teeth. Additionally, straight teeth are easier to keep clean, reducing the risks for tooth decay and periodontal disease. A beautiful smile is a healthy smile! Call us for a complimentary consultation to discuss your options for “straightening up!”

Extension deadline this year for corporations & partnerships is Sept 16th!

• Tax Preparation

• IRS Audit Representation

• IRS Notice Resolution

• 25 years in the White Rock Lake Neighborhood

Jack F. Lewis Jr., CPA

jlewis@jlewiscpa.com

6301 Gaston Avenue, Suite 800 214-821-0829

FOR LIFE Best Friends

Forest Best cha-cha

FOREST IS A PUP WITH PLENTY OF PIZZAZZ. He might be a “failed” show dog, but that hasn’t stopped him from loving the limelight. Forest was once co-owned by Bill Cosby (yes, the Bill Cosby), according to his now-parents, William and Kara Edwards. He’s a Lakeland terrier from a litter that was raised to show, but at 10 months he reached 18 inches and was graded down for being an inch too tall, so Cosby and friends wrote him o as a show pup. “Bill’s loss has definitely been our gain,” William Edwards says, although at first the couple had their doubts. When Forest first came to live in East Dallas, he couldn’t do a thing except walk on a leash. He wasn’t house trained, he didn’t know any commands or tricks, and his favorite pastime was terrorizing the cat. “We got him home, and we were like, ‘Oh God, what did we get ourselves into?’ ” William says with a laugh. But Forest was a fast learner, and before long he was wowing his parents with his behavior and cracking them up with his antics. “We ran out

Mozzie

Strangest sleeping habits

of tricks to teach him,” William says. Forest is full of personality and loves posing for the camera. From sit and stay to dancing the cha-cha, he does it all — for treats, of course.

WHEN LEE GIBSON IS LOOKING FOR HIS CAT, Mozzie, during the hot summer months, there’s one place Gibson can almost always find him: lounging in the bathroom sink. Sure, it’s not the most conventional spot to take a catnap, but Mozzie, a flu y Maine coon, seems to prefer the coolness of the porcelain to the plushness of the couch. And he doesn’t run into much opposition to his habit because Gibson pretty much gives him the run of the house. “I let him do whatever he wants,” Gibson says with a chuckle. Gibson has owned Maine coons before and likes the breed. They’re known for being large cats (seriously, Google them; these things get huge), and growing long, thick coats. They’re also known for being total sweethearts, which fits the bill for Mozzie, Gibson says. “He’s very a ectionate, for a cat.” He’s also very chatty and makes a range of noises, from grunts to soft “barks” to long, drawn-out “meows.” He seems to have aspirations of being a weather-kitty with his uncanny ability to predict a storm. Whenever a storm is headed East Dallas’ way, Mozzie finds sanctuary under the bed, Gibson says. “And I can always tell when it’s about to let up, because he comes out.” Mozzie has never bitten Gibson, even playfully, and he’s a bit of a cuddlebug, Gibson says. “He is quite a character.”

6458 East Mockingbird Lane Dallas, TX 75214 • (214) 823-8500

THE FEATURED PETS were selected by editors, based on submitted photos and stories. More neighborhood pets will appear, continuing next month, on the Advocate’s Paws and Claws page. To submit your pet for publication, email editor@advocatemag.com.

Django People’s choice

DJANGO WAS FOUND WANDERING A FIELD in Oklahoma, says owner John McStravick. The people who found him took him to a vet in Oklahoma City, and one of the vets is a friend of the McStravick family. “[Our friend] asked if we could foster him,” McStravick says. “We agreed and ended up keeping him for ourselves.” McStravick says Django’s favorite pastimes are patrolling the backyard for squirrels and napping. It’s a dog’s life.

Finley

Most colorful

FINLEY’S PREVIOUS OWNER DIDN’T LIKE his noise and mess, but his new mom, Bianca Trejo, doesn’t seem to mind it one bit. “Finley is an example of the perfect pet,” Trejo says. “He’s the most relaxed pet to have around. The gouldian finch’s beautiful, bold colors make it impossible not to sit down and watch.” Finley serenades Trejo with his melodic songs, and when he’s not doing that, he can usually be found playing on his swing.

5602 Willis Ave

$669,000

Holding on to Hope

A labradoodle trained as an autism service dog is changing the lives of this neighborhood family

Story by Keri Mitchell | Photos by Danny Fulgencio

Rhoni Golden and her three children claim a table at NorthPark Center’s food court to dine on Sonic. Nine-year-old Zoe and 4-year-old Lena sip blue slushies with their meals, while 7-yearold Gray sticks to his usual — a hamburger and fries.

It’s a commonplace scene, except for the black labradoodle lying calmly under the table. Dogs are not allowed at NorthPark, unless they are service dogs.

Hope is the labradoodle’s name, and she is tethered to Gray. Golden wouldn’t brave this seemingly mundane trip to Sonic without the dog, “considering how autistic my son is.”

“My husband says I should emphasize the words ‘mentally handicapped’ — severely,” Golden says. “My son does not speak, is not completely potty trained and just this morning, I had to clean poop o the walls of his room.”

Life is anything but mundane for the Golden family, who live in Lakewood Hills. Rhoni Golden and her husband, Barry, learned their second child had autism when he was 19 months old. A physical therapist herself, Golden immediately placed him in therapy, believing that it would “fix” Gray enough to ready him for a main-

stream kindergarten classroom.

By the time Gray was 4, and still not talking, Golden’s dreams of a “normal” life for her son were shattered.

As long as Gray could be strapped into a stroller, the Goldens could go to the park or out to dinner without too much disturbance. That ended around the time he turned 5.

“We rarely go anywhere as a complete family. It’s just pretty much impossible,” Golden said earlier this year. “I’ve been with Gray at the park when he’s run out of the park and sat down in front of a moving car. Once I checked email for a couple of minutes, then ran through the house screaming his name to find out he’d run outside and was playing in the sprinkler naked.”

Then Hope entered their lives.

The family didn’t name the dog, and when Golden first learned her name, she found it a little sappy. But Hope has lived up to her moniker.

Autism service dogs are a fairly new innovation. The organization that trained Hope, Autism Service Dogs of America (ASDA), was founded in 2002 and was the first to specialize in training

Where Gray Golden, a 7-year-old boy with severe autism, goes, so does his service dog, Hope.

dogs for people with autism, says Kati Wolfe, ASDA’s placement training director and autism specialist, as well as Hope’s trainer.

A “Today” show episode introduced the Goldens to autism service dogs last fall, and by February, Rhoni Golden was on a plane to Portland, where she spent a few days of intensive training with Hope before bringing her home to Dallas.

Hope is only the second autism service dog in Texas; one other resides in Austin, Golden says. The labradoodle was an $18,000-plus investment, one that Golden is so grateful her family could a ord because she believes Hope is worth every penny.

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an anchor for him. Without Hope here right now, Gray would probably be running around stealing fries o people’s plates, or running down the escalator with me shoving people out of the way trying to get to him.” Call: (214) 674.3840 email: nancy@nancyjhomes.com

Perhaps the hardest consequence of autism is loneliness, not only because few others understand the situation but also because of the self-induced confinement.

“People tell me they don’t see many other kids like Gray, and I say, ‘Well, they don’t go out,’ ” Golden says. “I think a lot of people feel sort of shamed.”

Gray, especially when he is in unfamiliar settings, can become overwhelmed by sounds, noises and crowds, “which causes him to go into tantrums, to throw himself to the ground, and he might lash out at others,” Wolfe says.

“Children with autism are losing everyday skills of how to access their community, how to go into a restaurant and be quiet, because they are isolated,” Wolfe says, “and when you isolate, you build fear.”

“She’s Free Estimate!

Hope changes this dynamic. On the trip to Sonic, Golden attaches Gray’s belt to the service pack on Hope’s back as soon as they step out of the car.

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“Saving the World one Yard at a time!”

with four feet of tether acting as Gray’s boundaries. He approaches the mall holding a handle on Hope’s pack, as he has been taught, and maintains this stance most of the time. If Gray starts to unravel, Hope stands firm, and Golden, who holds the dog’s leash, feels the tugging and quickly reacts to steady her son.

“Without Hope here right now, Gray would probably be running around stealing fries o people’s plates, or running down the escalator with me shoving people out of the way trying to get to him,” she says.

Hope has changed the lives of Zoe and Lena just as drastically. Between tater tots, Zoe exclaims her excitement that her family can now go to movies together or pull in to TCBY on a whim, she says, and even vacation together.

“I want to have some time with my family — not just mom or just dad,” Zoe says. “We can go out with Gray now because of Hope.”

It has cost Zoe to have a brother like Gray. Until Hope, she was limited on what she could do socially by whether her family could find a babysitter (not an easy task with an autistic child) and invitations from friends, “and you can’t just say, ‘Hey, invite me over,’ ” Zoe says. Despite this, she views herself as her brother’s protector and caretaker, and ardently defends him.

“Other people think of him as horrible and bad. They don’t understand him,” Zoe says. “Some autistic children, they can’t love. Gray, I know he loves me.”

Hope is Gray’s “anchor” when the Goldens go out.

She mimics the way he tells her this — “I uh yooou.” She also knows by the way he tackles her, one of Gray’s forms of hugging. It pains Zoe that she can talk to Gray only through an iPad with a special app that turns it into a speaking device. The app allows Gray to communicate about things like what he wants to eat.

“He has a nice voice on his iPad, but I want to hear his voice,” Zoe says. “What I’ve taught my little sister is, ‘You and me are Gray’s sisters, and we take good care of him, and we will make him talk.’ ”

“Me and Zoe will help Gray,” Lena echoes.

And now that Hope is part of the family, she is Gray’s protector, too, Zoe says.

“She’s holding him, she’s taking care of him,” his big sister observes. “She wouldn’t let him run down the aisles and scream and pull people’s hair and hurt people.”

When Gray is untethered at home, he sometimes goes to Hope to pet her, and makes cooing noises, Zoe says. “I can tell he loves Hope,” she says.

The whole family has fallen head over heels for the labradoodle. Golden emphasizes that Hope is not a pet, but sometimes has to remind her children. On the walk to Sonic, Lena a ectionately throws her arms around Hope and her mother chastises, “Lena, no, she’s working.”

Hope seems unfazed, however, and Gray continues calmly walking beside her.

“He stops and looks around a whole lot more,” Golden says. “Before the dog, he was so focused on moving, going, getting to the next destination. He didn’t focus on his environment at all.”

It would be easier for the Golden family to do what many families with a severely autistic child do — hole up at home, and deal with the challenges privately rather than having to deal with the frustrations and embarrassments that inevitably happen in public. But that was never an option.

Golden describes herself as an “open book — it doesn’t occur to me to hide anything.” When she realized the extent of Gray’s autism years ago, she quit her job as a physical therapist to focus on her family. But when she was helping pa-

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tients, “my attitude to them was always, ‘Live your life. Go make the best of it.’ ”

She has adopted the same mantra for herself and her family, and for the most part, “everybody is rooting for us. Everybody wants to hear the happy ending about the disabled kid who gets to go out and live a normal life,” Golden says. On a few occasions, however, the Goldens have had to defend Hope’s right to be in public places.

Gray is a first-grader this year, and because of Hope, the Goldens felt confident enough to move him from Oak Hill Academy to Dallas ISD’s John F. Kennedy Learning Center near Ross and Henderson. When they tried to enroll Gray, DISD’s legal department fought them, saying the district could not provide a handler for Hope. The district thought an aide for Gray would be enough, Golden says, but she insisted otherwise.

“Wherever my son goes, the dog goes,” Golden says. “With autism, it’s gotta be consistent. It’s all or nothing.”

The Goldens were backed up by a precedent of successful federal suits involving autism service dogs, as well as by the principal and teachers at JFK, Golden says. The district eventually agreed that Gray’s aide also could be Hope’s handler.

So on May 30, Hope became the first service dog to attend a DISD school.

The Goldens know new challenges will arise as Gray grows older and bigger. One of the worst characteristics of autism is the tendency to assault strangers, Golden says, and “teenage assaults are worse than little kid assaults.”

She tends to live in the present, however, taking one day at a time. Thanks to Hope, the living is easier these days — most importantly for Gray, Golden says.

“I don’t know what life holds for him in the future,” she says, “but right now, while he’s living under my roof, I’m going to make sure he has the best life possible.”

TO READ ABOUT THE GOLDEN family’s challenges and victories with Hope at their side, visit hopeforgray.com. While there, click on “donate” in the navigation bar to make a contribution the “Hope for Gray” fund started by the Goldens to increase the number of children who can benefit from a dog like Hope.

Brace for impact

The Dallas Arboretum, and neighbors, prepare for the grand opening of the Rory

Meyers Children’s Adventure Garden on Sept. 21

Story by Brittany Nunn | Photos by Danny Fulgencio

The Rory Meyers Children’s Adventure Garden opens Sept. 21 the same day as the Dallas Arboretum launches into its no. 1 busiest season, Autumn at the Arboretum.

That means increased attendance and a critical need for more parking.

The proposed parking garage across Garland Road is scheduled to begin construction in October, pending the Dallas City Council’s approval of the specific use permit required to build an underground walkway, connecting the children’s garden entrance. The garage won’t open until fall 2014.

In the meantime, the Arboretum will continue shuttling visitors from the temporary overflow lot at Gaston and Grand, used during peak seasons. That contract expires next June as Lincoln Property Co. plans to redevelop the area in to the Arboretum Village shopping center.

John Armstrong, the Arboretum’s vice president of property development, did not give specifics about where additional parking spaces would be located during the summer until the garage opens in the fall.

“We have never turned away somebody from the Arboretum,” he says. “We have always found a parking space for them.”

Seventeen years in the making, the $62 million, 8-acre children’s garden has long been touted as an “outdoor science lab,” home to more than 17 science exhibits designed to teach kids (and adults, for that matter) about the world around them.

The garden, open 9 a.m.-5 p.m. daily, has a capacity for about 1,500 people, and, because of timed tickets, it will turn over twice a day. Last year, about 1 million people visited the Arboretum. Terry Lendecker, with advertising and promotions at the Arboretum, says the Arboretum hopes the children’s garden will double attendance, attracting visitors locally and even globally.

Right now, there are 1,260 parking spaces throughout the grounds. The Gaston and Grand lot provides about 600-700 more spaces. Parking in front of the children’s garden will be valet only.

The Arboretum will lose 268 spaces during construction of the new parking garage. The site is currently a surface lot used for for employees and volunteers. The garage, once it opens, will provide 1,158 spaces.

Mary Griggs of the Emerald Isle Neighborhood Association says the children’s garden is about 50 feet away from one of two access roads to her neighborhood, and the new deceleration lanes have already limited the Garland Road entrance and exits

The $62 million, 8-acre Rory Meyers Adventure Garden opens Sept. 21.

Munger PlacE

WWINE WALK: SEPTEMBER, 20

There are 17 learning-focused exhibits

Adventure Garden. on that street to right turns only.

“I’m pleased that the Arboretum is going to provide for parking in a controlled area [the parking garage],” Griggs says. “But at this point I do not know how that is going to affect the traffic on Garland Road or the residents’ access in and out of the neighborhood. However, all the traffic will certainly affect our tranquil area.

“During certain times of the day and certain times of the year we may have problems. We will have to wait and see.”

Armstrong says the garage will meet the Arboretum’s parking needs, for “the foreseeable future.” But there may be four or five days during summer 2014 when it won’t, he says, and temporary overflow will come into play again.

As the Arboretum continues to grow, so will the need for more parking. Armstrong says another parking solution is possible several years down the road.

CHECK THEM OUT ONLINE at lakewood.avocatemag.com. Search for “Dallas Arboretum.”

in the Rory Meyers Children’s

Advocate photographer Danny Fulgencio took dozens of pictures of the Rory Meyers Children’s Adventure Garden.

WINE LOUNGE

KNOW BEFORE YOU GO

If Alice in Wonderland and Bill Nye the Science Guy had a baby, that baby would feel right at home in the Rory Meyers Children’s Adventure Garden — scampering through the treetops on the canopy walk, learning about photosynthesis, shooting energy rays at gigantic solar panel flowers, and searching for critters in the woodlands.

Here are some facts to know before you go, provided by Maria Conroy, the vice president of education at the Dallas Arboretum, who had a big hand in the 17-year planning process.

The adventure garden might look lush and green now, but once upon a time it was a bamboo forest. Not many trees survived the aggressive plant’s takeover, so the Arboretum had to transplant hundreds of trees, even massive full-grown ones, into the area. “Some of those we dug up and transplanted from areas we’ve turned into parking lots,” Conroy says.

The waterfall, which you can see at the entrance and from other locations in the garden, isn’t just for looks; it’s also the air-conditioning system for the Exploration Center. “It’s cooled and heated by that waterfall. When the water falls, the air cools it off, and it enters the building and then absorbs the heat in the building and goes back up to the waterfall.”

Make sure to pack a picnic. There is food available for purchase, but you can bring food inside the garden for no extra charge. You wouldn’t know it, but there are giant vaults under the ground. “There’s a lot,” Conroy says. “It’s like a whole other city under the ground. That’s where we capture the rain run-off, and then when we’re in a drought we use the water in those vaults to irrigate the garden.”

The most expensive exhibit is the indoor Exploration Center, particularly because of the $150,000 OmniGlobe. The OmniGlobe is a giant technological sphere that gives visitors an astronaut’s view of Earth. With the click of a button, it can display real-time weather patterns, memorable natural disasters, other planets’ surfaces or just about anything else that’s round.

Each of the exhibits was custom designed, which is why it took so long to research, create and build. “It takes a long time to invent the wheel,” Conroy says. “All of the exhibits were designed and prototyped and built just for us, so you won’t see anything else like it.”

The Skillman shuffle

There’s been a lot of buzz about the shopping center on Skillman between Live Oak and Oram, much of which was bought by Austin-based investing firm Stonelake Capital Partners a couple of years back. Seems like every time we turn around, someone else is moving out or moving in. Amid a flurry of rumors, it’s hard to pin down Stonelake’s grand plans for the place, but the surrounding neighbors have one request — for the love of Pete, no more restaurants, please.

What’s the latest?

Back in December 2012, Austin-based co ee shop Houndstooth announced it would open a location in Lakewood at the southeast corner of Skillman and Oram. Houndstooth owner and Dallas native Sean Henry planned to play into the rising trend of o ering local brews as well as co ee.

However, someone already occupied that particular corner: Gallery Central, a custom-framing store that had been there for 23 years.

In 2011 Stonelake Capital Partners purchased the strip of shops on the east side of Skillman between Oram and La Vista, where Gallery Central was located, as well as the old Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage building on northeast corner of Skillman-Oram and the retail triangle at Skillman-Live Oak that houses Wine Therapist, CrossFit White Rock and The Mecca.

With Houndstooth moving in, Gallery Central owner Ste anie Smith says Stonelake told her she had to move out to make room for the new java joint.

“They were nice enough, but it was obvious this is a numbers game,” Smith said at the time.

Smith didn’t have to move far. Stonelake

Story by Brittany Nunn |

Photo by Danny Fulgencio

Skillman Live Oak Center neon sign: Danny Fulgencio

Parking configuration for businesses between Oram and La Vista on the east side of Skillman: City of Dallas Planning

began preparing a spot for her behind her longtime location. It was a little out of sight, but at least it was in the same shopping center. Smith had to move out by January so Houndstooth could begin setting up shop. By February, it was obvious things were moving a little slower than planned for Houndstooth, but Gallery Central still moved out.

Smith opened in her new location in April. Visitors can access Gallery Central through the back parking lot, between Sunstone Yoga and the playground for the East Dallas Developmental Center.

“I like the space — it’s open and it’s bigger — but business has really slowed down because we don’t have the window spot on the street,” Smith says. “We were supposed to be closed two weeks, but because we had to be out over there before this one was finished, we were closed three months, so that really hurt us.”

Now, more than nine months after Houndstooth announced its plans to move to Lakewood, the location at the corner of Oram and Skillman is still co eeless.

“It’s been very frustrating,” Smith says. “I could have been there all along; everybody would have been happy.”

So where in the world is Houndstooth? Last time we talked with Henry, in March, he said the project was on hold while he dealt with “unexpected issues,” but he wouldn’t elaborate on what the issues were. At the time, he said he was unsure of the future, although he did say he still wanted to open a Houndstooth in that location. Henry hasn’t responded to interview requests since March.

Neither has Stonelake responded to multiple interview requests, but in June, someone who answered the phone in the front o ce told us that “[Houndstooth] is not going in, but we have not closed them o from coming.” At press time, the former Gallery Central space still sat vacant.

Next door, at 1926 Skillman, the East Dallas Developmental Center (EDDC) is slated to move across Oram into the old Coldwell Banker building in September.

Like their neighbor, the EDDC team was asked to move by Stonelake, but this time the move is actually working in the childcare center’s favor, says EDDC spokeswoman Lexi Harper. The center is gaining extra square footage, a quiet, fenced-in play area,

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more parking, a safer entrance and exits for the kiddos, and a fresh start in a newly renovated building. Stonelake tried to rezone the Coldwell Banker building last year from a neighborhood service district to commercial retail zoning (which, among other things, could’ve been a restaurant, or even a fast-food chain), but neighbors intervened and put a stop to the zoning change.

Harper says the EDDC plans to move on Sept. 19, so is in the process of renovating and fundraising now.

EDDC has been a fixture in East Dallas for more than 30 years and in that time has educated hundreds of children, from 6 weeks to 5 years old. The waitlist to get into the school is long, so this expansion is much needed, Harper says.

The Wine Therapist, which has occupied the corner of Skillman and Live Oak for nine years, also is relocating. The Wine Therapist’s lease is up Oct. 31, and owner Phillip Nikpour says Stonelake raised his monthly rent to almost $10,000, so he couldn’t stay. Nikpour will move across the street into what used to be Lakewood Consignment, between Goldrush Cafe and Ralph Austin Jewelers. Stonelake does not own the strip of shops on the west side of Skillman.

If all goes as Nikpour plans, the Wine Therapist will re-open in November, but first Nikpour has to make a few renovations to the building, which he says is a “really lovely space with a wrought-iron railed staircase and high ceilings.”

Finally, Chip’s Hamburgers is opening in the building behind Matt’s Rancho Martinez in what used to be Paperbacks Plus. Chip’s co-owner Brent Gampster says the family-owned, Dallas-based restaurant chain hopes to open the new Lakewood location sometime in mid-September.

The layout of the restaurant is going to be significantly di erent than any of the other Chip’s, Gampster says.

“This is the first time we’ve gotten to design a building that was really just a shell,” he says. “In all the other places, we’ve gone into what was already a restaurant, so we had to work with that. To me, it’ll be a little more upscale but still have a lot of the same features that we’re known for.”

There will be an open kitchen where people can talk with the cooks, like at existing Chip’s locations, but

man and La Vista will allow Chip’s to o er more of a cafe-style eating area with big windows, multiple TVs and a full bar.

This location also will feature a separate dessert area where Chip’s will serve pies, sno-cones and, of course, its signature milkshakes.

Chip’s also hopes to put in a patio along La Vista, Gampster says. And like the Chip’s location on Lovers, this one will have a game room for the kids, but instead of being crammed in the front, there’s a separate room for it tucked away in the back.

Gampster says he is working hard to preserve the integrity of the building.

“Even those windows that are coming out with the bookstore stu on them, we’re going to try to incorporate those on the inside,” he says. “You’ll still see the red granite and stu on the outside; all that will stay. We want to keep that Lakewood history inside the building.”

If you build it, they will come

New restaurants inevitably are followed by an influx of parked cars, which is the concern of surrounding neighbors. The Skillman Live Oak Center parking lot is busy enough as it is, so the thought of more restaurants in the area is cringe-worthy, says nearby neighbor Olive Talley.

“We’re looking at Lower Greenville and the parking issues they have, and we don’t want that,” Talley says.

With Houndstooth MIA and the EDDC moving, that leaves a whole lot of potential restaurant-ready space. Talley says she has attempted to reach Stonelake several times to ask about plans for the space, with no success.

Nikpour says Stonelake has shown the Wine Therapist space to restaurants and other wine bars, although so far none has been interested in the space for the price Stonelake is asking.

Trey Knowles, a practicing manager with Metro Paws, says the veterinarian o ce is extremely nervous about the thought of more restaurants coming to the shopping center, especially since they already struggle with the current parking setup.

“With restaurants, people come for an hour or more and stay, and they bring in people from all over who maybe aren’t as understanding of our situation,” he says.

“We had a lady the other day who had an

Choice. Community. Connection.

Munger PlacE

emergency and drove around the building four times and finally called and said, ‘I’m in your back parking lot. I’ve got a cat that’s really sick, and I can’t find a parking spot,’ so we just brought her in the back.”

Not only does the front parking lot fill up during dining hours; sometimes the back parking lot gets full, too, Knowles says, and when Chip’s moves in, that will increase tra c in the back even more.

“The tra c kind of comes and goes. Sometimes they’re busy, sometimes they’re not,” Knowles says, “but as a business, it does make us nervous about the possibility of even more long-term parking.”

Nearby neighbors insist the parking lots are overextended, but according to City

Planning, Stonelake is perfectly within its legal rights. Granted, the process that got it there couldn’t be more complicated, says Frances Estes, a senior development coordinator with the City of Dallas.

“If someone came to us today with this parking layout, we wouldn’t let them build this,” Estes says.

So how does Stonelake get away with it? It utilizes three primary tactics: delta credits, shared parking spaces and remote parking.

The most complicated of the three is delta credits. When the Skillman Live Oak shopping center was built in the 1940s, there were no parking requirements. Years later, when the city began enforcing parking requirements, it employed a system in which certain businesses had to prove they could provide more parking than others. For example, restaurants require more

“If someone came to us today with this parking layout, we wouldn’t let them build this.”

SECTION to advertise call 214.560.4203

parking than retail, which require more parking than o ces.

To protect businesses in older shopping centers such as Skillman Live Oak, the city granted delta credits, which are essentially imaginary parking spaces, to fill the gap between the physical parking spaces and the parking requirement. Those delta credits have carried on through the decades — although some credits have been lost during business changes, and once delta credits are lost they can never be recovered.

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Stonelake also uses shared parking options, which means if one business closes at 5 or 6 p.m. and another reaches peak parking after 6 p.m., then they can share parking spaces. Whether or not this system actually works out for the businesses in reality is up for debate, but as far as the city is concerned, it’s code-compliant.

Finally, Stonelake uses a remote parking lot for the triangle where Wine Therapist and the Mecca are housed — a parking lot o Live Oak provides 22 spaces. It’s important to note that City Planning doesn’t count parking spaces that back up into the street in their parking count, so dozens of the spaces people use regularly are not included in the required parking count.

But the real question is, can Stonelake bring in more restaurants? That’s what neighbors such as Talley want to know.

According to the current parking arrangement, Stonelake is maxed out, Estes says. The buildings on the east side of Skillman have exactly as many parking spaces as the city requires for such a tenant mix.

Parking-wise, the EDDC space is listed as a child care facility, which requires very little parking, and the Wine Therapist as a liquor store, which also requires very little parking. So in order to put in a restaurant in either location, Estes says, Stonelake would have to prove they can provide additional parking for higher tra c businesses.

However, it wouldn’t be impossible.

“They would have to go through the appropriate measures,” Estes says, “but we don’t know; they could. There’s so many ways that businesses can meet code requirements. If they make it work and it’s compliant with code, we’re required to issue them a permit. We can’t go, ‘Well, the neighbors don’t like you.’ ”

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Education overload

Story by Brittany Nunn

A group of Lakewood parents recently decided they don’t have the time to wait on Dallas ISD bond money for much-needed updates to Lakewood Elementary. Instead, they’re taking matters into their own hands.

While volunteering in her daughter’s first-grade class at Lakewood Elementary, Dorcy Clark thought the room felt awfully stu y and dark. She asked the teacher if they could open a window, but found there are no windows in the portable classrooms at Lakewood Elementary.

Something had to be done to change that, Clark decided; the school is too academically advanced for the buildings to be so outdated.

Lakewood Elementary opened in 1951, and the portables were put in years later as a temporary solution to accommodate overflow, but a temporary solution stretched into a permanent fixture. Now more than half the students at Lakewood Elementary are in portables, explains LEEF spokesperson Amy Fennegan, and the last bond funding was little more than a Band-Aid for the facility.

Yet despite that, Lakewood Elementary has still managed to climb to academic excellence.

Its students perform well above the state average on the TAKS test, according to the Texas Tribune. It has managed to bring in great teachers whose longevity at the school speaks for itself, and parent involvement is a reality rather than a nice idea.

So imagine what the school could do if it had a facility that actually fostered learning,

Clark thought. They needed a home makeover, big time.

Clark began researching and soon took the matter to the district to inquire about the possibility of being on the next bond package, but the news she received there was disappointing. “They have a lot of facilities and a lot of needs. We just can’t count on it,” she says.

So, she devised another plan, which she took before the Lakewood Elementary PTA and School-Based Decision Making (SBDM) boards: Instead of waiting on the city to dole out funds, why don’t they just raise their own? That’s when LEEF — the Lakewood Elementary Expansion Foundation — was born. “This struck a chord with some of the parents,” Fennegan says. “So we embarked on this journey together.”

LEEF is a non-profit organization created to raise and manage enough money for two permanent buildings to replace the portables at Lakewood Elementary.

They hope to raise enough for a 45,000-square-foot addition, which would include 37 to 42 new classrooms, new cafeteria, a new library/media room and much more, as well as a renovation of the existing 45,000-square-foot building.

Based on similar projects in the area, they figure they’ll need about $15 million, Fennegan says, although they can easily build in phases, if needed.

And in order for the parents involved in the project to reap the benefits of their ef-

Above left/ A stuffy portable classroom; Above right/The $15 million, hoped-for expansion to Lakewood Elementary: Good Fulton & Farrell; Lower Right/ Exterior of portable

forts, they need it fast, before their kids move onward and upward. They hope to raise the funds by the end of 2014, Fennegan says.

That, of course, raises a pressing question: Is that possible?

“We’re all thinking that,” Fennegan says, “and we all feel confident that it is possible, that there’s enough people who want to support public education and help support the success.”

They mostly plan to pull from local companies, foundations, organizations and private donors, she says. “The parents aren’t going to be the sole or even the majority donors for this project. We really have to cast a broader net than that. The community will be behind this.”

And if they pull it o , it’s not a bad deal for DISD, either, Fennegan says.

“If we can raise the standard of the facility, we can have a world-class learning facility in our community that is public,” she explained.

“For me personally, I love that idea, because then it’s available to families who can’t a ord private education. There are plenty of families at Lakewood who could a ord to go to private school, but many of us choose not to do that because we believe in public education.”

Select Openings for Fall 2013

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THE HIGHLANDER SCHOOL

9120 Plano Rd. Dallas / 214.348.3220 / www.highlanderschool.com Founded in 1966, Highlander School offers an enriched curriculum in a positive, Christian-based environment. Small class sizes help teachers understand the individual learning styles of each student. Give us a call for more information.

LAKEHILL PREPARATORY SCHOOL

Leading to Success. 2720 Hillside Dr., Dallas 75214 / 214.826.2931 / lakehillprep. org Kindergarten through Grade 12 - Lakehill Preparatory School takes the word preparatory in its name very seriously. Throughout

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education GUIDE

a student’s academic career, Lakehill builds an educational program that achieves its goal of enabling graduates to attend the finest, most rigorous universities of choice. Lakehill combines a robust, college-preparatory curriculum with opportunities for personal growth, individual enrichment, and community involvement. From kindergarten through high school, every Lakehill student is encouraged to strive, challenged to succeed, and inspired to excel.

SPANISH HOUSE

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Spanish House is a Spanish immersion school for children ages 3 months - Kindergarten. Our new location at 4411 Skillman opens in August for preschool and Kindergarten. Our Spanish immersion nursery program (3 months - 2 yrs) starts in September at 5740 Prospect Ave. We offer half-day and full-day programs, with extended care available from 7:30am - 6pm. We also offer after-school and Saturday classes for PK and elementary-aged students, both on- and off-site. Additionally, we have an adult Spanish program for beginning, intermediate and advanced students.

ST. CHRISTOPHER’S MONTESSORI SCHOOL

7900 Lovers Ln. / 214.363.9391 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 / 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 / WhiteRockNorthSchool. com 6 Weeks through 6th Grade. Our accelerated curriculum provides opportunity for intellectual and physical development in a loving and nurturing environment. Characterbuilding and civic responsibility are stressed. Facilities include indoor swimming pool, skating rink, updated playground, and stateof-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 funfilled themes. Accredited by SACS. Call for a tour of the campus.

ZION LUTHERAN SCHOOL

6121 E. Lovers Ln. Dallas / 214.363.1630 / 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.

In the front hallway of Woodrow Wilson High School is a 4-by-4 foot tile mosaic of the Woodrow Wildcat logo, which had been used at Woodrow for decades at the time the mosaic was created in 1991. About a year ago, Principal Kyle Richardson received a cease-and-desist letter from an attorney acting on behalf of the University of Arizona. The letter noted that the Woodrow Wilson logo is almost identical to the University of Arizona’s logo, to which the U of A has copyrights. Though the letter threatened legal action, there was never any litigation, says Dallas ISD spokesperson Jon Dahlander Instead, Woodrow has agreed to “phase out” the logo, although in actuality, the logo hasn’t been used much in the last few years. There are some old spirit shirts and paraphernalia that boast the mark, but mostly the floor mosaic has been the main concern. At this point, it looks like Woodrow will be allowed to keep the floors intact, but nothing has been signed yet, Dahlander says. It could take anywhere from days to months before anything is settled officially.

Demolition of the old Trinity Lutheran Church at Gaston and Loving should begin in late August, and the future White Rock YMCA will “hopefully break ground at the end of September,” says Casey Klein, vice-president of operations. The question remains, however, whether the gym, natatorium (indoor pool) and outdoor pool and spray ground will be constructed. The capital campaign to build the YMCA at White Rock is up to $8.1 million as of press time. That’s enough money to build the largest chunk of the new building, but the Y needs another $3 million by this month to simultaneously build the three components on the south side, says White Rock YMCA board chairwoman Alise Cortez “If we don’t raise it, we have to scale it back and build in phases,” Cortez says. “Nobody wants that. We want our Y.”

Next time you call in a broken traffic light or a pesky pothole, you’ll have a new tool at your disposal. The city updated its 311 system to allow residents to attach photos, videos and documents to their online service requests. The new site launched on Aug. 5. A smartphone app is in the works, too, and should be unveiled by the end of August. Residents can use the app to not only submit but track their service requests. Woodrow Wilson High School senior Robert Bolt finished fifth in the nation in the Grand Final at USRowing’s Youth National in Oak Ridge, Tenn., in June, says Woodrow alum Kyle Rains Bolt, an International Baccalaureate student at Woodrow, is a member of White Rock Lake Rowing and qualified for nationals at the Central Youth Rowing Championships in Oklahoma City.

Early registration for the 17th Annual Long Run, which benefits J.L. Long Middle School, ends Sept. 17. The enterance fee is $10 for children 14 and younger and $15 for adults. Visit jilong.com for more information.

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.

BUSINESS BUZZ

The lowdown on what’s up with neighborhood businesses

Send business news tips to LIVELOCAL@ADVOCATEMAG.COM

Balcony Club under new management

After a long and exhausting process, Tommy Stanco handed the keys of the Balcony Club over to a new owner, Teddy Davey, in mid-July. Stanco had been the owner of the Balcony Club for 25 years before turning ownership over to Davey. In 25 years, the club has never closed, although it has come close many times. For years, Balcony Club followers have thought, “This is it. This is the end of the Balcony Club,” but every time the club somehow managed to pull itself out of a nosedive. For the past few months, it’s looked like the same old scare story, except this time the Balcony Club reached the point of no return. After digging himself into tens of thousands of dollars in personal debt, Stanco simply couldn’t wrangle up the funds to pay the rent or the outstanding TABC bill, he said. Had he not turned the club over to Davey, Willingham Property Company, which owns the Lakewood Theater, could have locked the doors of the Balcony Club forever. Under Davey, the club will stay open, although at this point the changes the club will make are unknown. Bruce Richardson, who is working with Davey on the deal, says he and Davey need time to “catch their breath” after the transition.

The Lab at Lakewood closes

The Lab at Lakewood closed Aug. 26, says owner Melissa Wright. She says the future is still uncertain, but one thing is for sure — she’s not finished. The Lab at Lakewood moved to Junius Heights from Lake Highlands a couple of years ago. The Lab was a fun way for kids to learn about science and “celebrate their inner geek.” Now, because of “purely financial decisions,” Wright is closing it. A Montessori school is moving into the old space on Junius, and Wright hopes to offer limited camps there during the fall, winter and spring. Also, if anyone would like to offer “temporary, affordable space further north,” Wright says she’s interested. And finally, The Lab is also going mobile. Wright and her team will offer science parties at people’s homes twice a month from September to December.

More business bits

Cantina Laredo closed

Although calls haven’t been returned from the company, it’s probably safe to say that Cantina Laredo in the Lakewood Shopping Center is no more, given the sign in the window that reads, “We will miss you.” On the other end of Lakewood Shopping Center, Zoës Kitchen seems to be eyeing the old Snow Pea location. Read more on lakewood. advocatemag.com.

Angelo’s Italian Restaurant suddenly closes

Angelo’s owner Bernadette Fisher was locked out of her restaurant recently after failure to pay the rent, says landlord Cathy Patterson. Angelo’s has been at Gaston and La Vista for 21 years. According to the landlord Cathy Patterson with Greenway Investing Company, this shouldn’t come as a surprise to Fisher. Patterson says Fisher was locked out due to the “non-payment of rent” for several months. “We knew. She’d had problems (paying rent) for a while,” Patterson said. “If you’re not paying your rent, chances are you’re not going to be there long.” Patterson says Greenway plans to show the space as soon as possible. ”We’re going to show it to everybody who is rant or bar user,” she says.

1 Trader Joe’s on Lower Greenville opened on Aug. 9.

”We’re a restau-

LAKEWOOD.ADVO

2 Jack’s Southern Comfort has closed at its lower Greenville has closed, although it doesn’t know where it’s moving to just yet. Owners Sandy and Scott Jones have their eyes on several possible locations around the area, including Casa Linda Plaza, Greenville, and Lakewood.

3 Looks like construction for the new Chipotle at the northwest corner of Richmond and Abrams will begin any day now. Lately someone has been out prepping the site for the new Chipotle coming soon. 4 The Chevron gas station at Casa Linda Plaza has been torn down to make way for a new tenant yet to be determined. AmREIT real estate is in talks with several retail groups interested in the space, including a restaurant. The new tenant should be announced by the end of this year and be up and running in 2014, AmREIT says.

C ATEMA G.C OM/ B IZ

more business buzz every week on

Balcony Club: Danny Fulgencio

214.560.4203

BAPTIST

WE ARE ALL EDUC ATORS

But only a few are teachers — and we should support them

The Book of James puts it plainly: “Not many of you should become teachers, for you know that we who teach will be judged with greater strictness.”

Although he wasn’t talking about thirdgrade generalists or middle school history instructors or high school advanced placement calculus masters, teachers in our communities know all too well that what James meant about religious educators applies to them, too. Sometimes too much so.

Teaching is a calling more than a job. Teachers don’t teach to make a lot of money. Most teachers will live month to month on the meager income our tax dollars or tuition charges provide because we say out of one side of our mouth how important they are and out of the other side that we can’t afford to pay them what they are worth to us. They accept this with uncommon grace, and they return to the classroom year after year to attend to their work.

Teachers love learning and want to share that love with young people coming behind them. They live for those moments when the light turns on in the eyes of a child who gets “it” for the first time. Their hearts leap when a student’s new knowledge leads to wonder, and wonder to questioning, which in turn leads to new knowledge and wonder and questioning — and so on and so on for a lifetime of learning.

When we whittle away at the heart of a teacher’s calling by relentless criticism, we undermine the profession and endanger the whole enterprise of education. We hear a lot these days about teacher assessment and accountability. Teachers get that. They know James was right about the strictness of judgment that goes with the territory. They shouldn’t get a pass if they are failing. But we can all help them be their best by remembering that education is a team effort and that we all must do our part to get successful outcomes.

To that end, here are a few thoughts about

what we can do to make this a good school year:

• Education begins at home. Parents create a culture of learning by the environment they create day by day in the family. Parental discipline about homework, time management, nutrition and sleep is crucial.

LAKESIDE BAPTIST / 9150 Garland Rd / 214.324.1425

Worship — 8:30 am Classic & 11:00 am Contemporary

Pastor Jeff Donnell / www.lbcdallas.com

PARK CITIES BAPTIST CHURCH / 3933 Northwest Pky / pcbc.org

All services & Bible Study 9:15 & 10:45. Trad. & Blended (Sanctuary), Contemporary (Great Hall), Amigos de Dios (Gym) / 214.860.1500

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

DISCIPLES OF C HRIST

CENTRAL CHRISTIAN CHURCH / 4711 Westside Drive / 214.526.7291

Sunday Worship 11:00 am ./ Sunday School 9:45am

Wed. Bible Study 5:00 pm./ www.cccdt.org / ALL are welcome

E AST DALLAS 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

HIGHLANDS CHRISTIAN CHURCH (Lake Highlands) 9949 McCree Rd. 214-348-2805 / www.highlandschristianchurch.com

Sundays: School 9:45 am / Worship 11:00 am / Rev. Paul Carpenter

ECKANKAR

HU CHANT CLASS / A Love Song to God / expand awareness, experience divine love, bring peace and calm / September 12, 7:15 pm Lakewood Library / 972-820-0530 / meetup.com/Eckankar-Dallas

L UTHERAN

CENTRAL LUTHERAN CHURCH, ELCA / 1000 Easton Road

Sunday School for all ages 9:00 am / Worship Service 10:30 am

• Parents can insist that their children respect the authority of teachers in the classroom. The teacher may not always be right, but “the teacher is right” should be the working assumption of parents before they rush to the defense of their kids. Kids need to know there is a conspiracy of elders against their ignorance.

• Principals can advocate for teachers. They need to run interference for them between district administrators and parents, so that teachers are not bogged down with duties that keep them from their main assignment of educating kids.

• Community leaders and taxpayers can look for ways to encourage the work of teachers and elevate the profession rather than chipping away at it through constant chirping. When we ask what’s going right with teachers, we create the conditions for greater success than when we ask what’s going wrong.

Good education is the foundation of effective democracy and a decent society. Teachers need more than an apple on their desk to do their part; they need partners working with them, for them and alongside them.

Pastor Rich Pounds / CentralLutheran.org / 214.327.2222

FIRST UNITED LUTHERAN CHURCH / 6202 E Mockingbird Lane

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

M ETHODIST

L AKE HIGHLANDS UMC / 9015 Plano Rd. / 214.348.6600 / lhumc.com

Sunday Morning: 9:30 am Sunday School / 10:30 am Coffee Worship: 8:30 am & 10:50 am Traditional / 10:50 am Contemporary MUNGER PLACE CHURCH / Expect Great Things.

Worship Sundays, 9:30 and 11:00 am / 5200 Bryan Street 214.823.9929 / www.mungerplacechurch.org

WHITE ROCK UNITED METHODIST / www.wrumc.org 1450 Oldgate Lane / 214.324.3661

Sunday Worship 10:50 am / Rev. George Fisk

NON-DENOMINATIONAL

DWELLING PLACE CHURCH / Being the church in every day life experiences / Sundays at 10:30am / www.dpclife.com

Magnolia Theater / 3699 McKinney Ave. / 469.438.5405

P RESB Y TERIAN

KING ’S PARISH A SS OCIAT E REFORMED PRESBY TERIAN CHURCH kingsparish.com / Rev. David Winburne / Worship at 10:00 am Meets at Ridgewood Park Rec Center / 469.600.3303

NORTHPARK PRESBY TERIAN CHURCH / 214.363.5457

9555 N. Central Expwy. / www.northparkpres.org

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

NORTHRIDGE PRESBY TERIAN 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. ANDREW ’S PRESBY TERIAN / Skillman & Monticello Rev. Rob Leischner. / www.standrewsdallas.org

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

UNIT Y

UNIT Y OF DALLAS / A Positive Path For Spiritual Living

6525 Forest Lane, Dallas, TX 75230 / 972.233.7106 / UnityDallas.org

Sunday services: 9:00 am & 11:00 am

The teacher may not always be right, but “the teacher is right” should be the working assumption of parents before they rush to the defense of their kids. Kids need to know there is a conspiracy of elders against their ignorance.

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

Changing hands

C. C. Young announced in July that Russell Crews has been named CEO of the company, effective July 1. Pictured are Clayton Oliphint, Don Benton and Russell Crews

Tall tales

Melina Marcus and A.C. Gonzalez pose with White Rock Lake-area resident and Communities Foundation of Texas Chief Philanthropy Officer Sarah Cotton Nelson and Suzanne Smith at the Communities Foundation of Texas’ Generations of Generosity storytelling event in June.

EVENTS

CHILDCARE

SERVICES FOR YOU

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

Casa Linda Plaza. Art Classes & Drop In Pottery Painting For All Ages. 214-821-8383. Tues-Sat 10am-6pm

DRUM & PIANO LESSONS Your location. UNT Grads, Betty & Bill. View BucherMusicSchool.com or call 214-484-5360

GUITAR OR PIANO Fun/Easy. Your Home. 9 to Adult. Prof Musician. UNT Grad. Larry 469-358-8784

JEWELRY Making Parties at Art Gallery. BYOB & creativity. All else included! jewelrymakingparty.com or 1-855-254-6625

VOICE TEACHER with 38 years experience. MM, NATS www.PatriciaIvey.com 214-769-8560

CHILDCARE

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

EMPLOYMENT

CREATE INCOME From The Internet. One On One Coaching & Group Support. www.MonthlyResidual.net

PET SITTERS, DOG WALKERS Email Recruiting@pcpsi.com

SERVICES FOR YOU

$18/MONTH AUTO INSURANCE Instant Quote. Any Credit Type. Get The Best Rates In Your Area. 877-958-7003

AT ODDS WITH YOUR COMPUTER? Easily Learn Essential Skills. Services include Digital Photo Help. Sharon 214-6799688

CONFUSED? FRUSTRATED? Let A Seasoned Pro Be The Interface Between You & That Pesky Computer. Hardware & Software Installation, Troubleshooting, Training. $50/hr. 1 hr min. Dan 214-660-3733 or stykidan@sbcglobal.net

PROFESSIONAL SERVICES

A WILL? THERE IS A WAY Estate/Probate Matters-Free Consultation. 214-802-6768 MaryGlennAttorney.com

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. Bookkeeping Services. Cindy 214-821-6903

HOLLOWAY BENEFIT CONCEPTS Benefit strategy for area businesses. www.hollowaybenefitconcepts.com 214-329-0097

INDEPENDENT STYLE CONSULT Amanda. 214-533-9000. Menswear. Amanda.preston@jhilburnpartner.com

Legal Services for Individuals and Small Businesses Wills & Probate, Real Estate, Contracts Initial Office Consultation $125 for Advocate Readers (applied to future fees if matter or case accepted) 214.691.6622 www.reaganmclain.com

REAGAN MCLAIN LEE & HATCH, LLP 6060 North Central Expressway, Suite 690 Dallas, Texas 75206

Photo by Kim Leeson

Slang artTaylor Hines marked her spot in a “legal wall” during an art camp taught by Stonewall Jackson Elementary School teacher Cheri Flynn (not pictured).

Hats off

This summer, all youth entering kindergarten through 12th grade were invited to participate in a hat design contest in honor of Dallas Children Theater’s 30th anniversary season. Four of the winners, all pictured here, live in East Dallas. On the back row, Sophie Hooper is second to the far left, and Cole Boyd is in the middle. On the front row, Shannah Roberts on the far left and Harper Burt is on the far right.

TO ADVERTISE CALL 214.560.4203

PROFESSIONAL SERVICES

BULLETIN BOARD

PET SERVICES

Dallas’ First Doggie Daycare

Featuring “Open Play” Boarding

• 14,000+ sq. ft. Play Area Inside

• 5,000+ sq. ft. Play Area Outside

• 15 Lux Suites w/ Webcams

• Grooming All Breeds

• Training & Obedience Classes

6444 E. Mockingbird at Abrams www.deesdoggieden.com • 214-823-1441

MIND, BODY & SPIRIT

WORKOUT WITH JODY Cooper Cert. Personal Trainer, B.S. In Dietetics. Specialty In Customizing Programs For 35 Yrs +. Get Fit, Be Healthy, Have Fun. Jody Bellegarde. 214-507-5721

PERMANENT HAIR

4245 N Central Expressway (Fitzhugh and 75) 214.526.6160 - greatskinbylynne.com

PET SERVICES

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

BUY/SELL/TRADE

FRONT-ROW DALLAS STARS SEATS Join neighborhood group in sharing two Dallas Stars season tickets. We’ll randomly draft seats prior to the season, and everyone has a chance to draft all seats except Opening Night. Seats are in the front row of the Platinum Section, front row of the Upper Level, and second row on the glass next to the Stars goal in the 1st and 3rd periods. Tickets are priced at what I pay the Stars. For info, call 214-560-4212 or rwamre@advocatemag.com

OLD GUITARS WANTED Gibson, Fender, Gretsch, Martin. 1920s-1980s. Top dollar paid. Toll Free 1-866-433-8277

BUY/SELL/TRADE

TEXAS RANGERS FRONT-ROW BASEBALL TICKETS

Share prime, front-row Texas Rangers baseball tickets (available in sets of 10 games) during the 2013 & 2014 season. Prices start at $105 per ticket (sets of 2 or 4 tickets per game available). Seats are behind the plate and next to both the firstand third-base dugouts. Other great seats available starting at $60 per ticket. Entire season available except for opening day; participants randomly draw numbers to determine draft order so the selection process is fair for everyone.

E-mail rwamre@advocatemag.com or call 214-560-4212 for more information.

TOP CASH FOR CARS Any Car, Truck. Running or Not. Call for Instant Offer. 1-800-454-6951

We Pay $$$ for Kids Stuff!

Children’s Clothing – Youth Size 16

Furniture, Equipment, Toys, Books and More!

Payment on the spot for all items accepted

6300 Skillman St @ Abrams Rd, 214.503.6010

ESTATE/GARAGE SALES

CLUTTERBLASTERS-ESTATE/MOVING SALES

De-Clutter/Organize www.ClutterBlasters.com

Donna@ClutterBlasters.com 972-679-3100

ESTATE SALES & LIQUIDATION SERVICES

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

REAL ESTATE

NW HWY AND FERNDALE OFFICE SUITES

$250 & up. All bills paid. 214-349-1100

JESSE’S A/C & APPLIANCE SERVICE TACLB13304C All Makes/Models. 214-660-8898

CARPENTRY & REMODELING

RENOVATE DALLAS

renovatedallas.net 214-403-7247

SQUARE NAIL WOODWORKING

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

www.squarenailwoodworking.com

CLEANING SERVICES

Serving your Neighborhood Since 1993 Repairing: Refrigerators •Washer/Dryers • Ice Makers •Stoves • Cooktops • Ovens 214✯823

2629

CARPENTRY & REMODELING

ATLANTIS DESIGN-BUILD, LLC

Complete Remodeling. 40 Yrs Exp. Additions. 1 & 2 Story. Kitchens, Baths. Small Jobs To Entire House. Renovation & Design. Full Time Supervision. Licensed/Insured. Free Estimates. 281-761-4648

BLAKE CONSTRUCTION CONCEPTS, LLC

Complete Remodeling, Kitchens, Baths, Additions. Hardie Siding & Replacement Windows. Radiant Barrier, Insulation. Bonded & Insured. www.blake-construction.com 214-563-5035

BO HANDYMAN Specializing In Historic Home Renovations & Pro Remodels. Custom Carpentry, Doors, Kitchens, Baths & more. 214-437-9730

D SQUARED Specializing In Assisted Living Modifications For Your Home. 214-213-2716

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

BRIAN GREAM RENOVATIONS

• 1 & 2 Story Additions

LLC

• Complete Renovations

• Kitchens/Baths

• Licensed/Insured 214.542.6214

WWW.BGRONTHEWEB.COM

BRIANGREAM@YAHOO.COM

PayPal ® 214.341.1448 WWW.OBRIENGROUPINC 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

COMPUTER PROBLEMS SOLVED Great Rates! Keith 214-295-6367

CONCRETE/ MASONRY/PAVING

BRICK & STONE REPAIR

Don 214-704-1722

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

redoguys.com 214 / 803. 4774

CLEANING SERVICES

AMAZON CLEANING

Top To Bottom Clean. Fabiana.469-951-2948

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

MAID 4 YOU Bonded/Insured. Park Cities/M Streets Refs. Call Us First. Joyce.214-232-9629

MAID PRISTINE House Cleaning For Perfectionists. Reliable. Leticia. maidpristine.com 972-971-1571

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

THE MAIDS Angie’s List Award! Deep cleaning specialists, Eco-friendly supplies. 972-278-6000

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

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

Swimming Pool Remodels • Patios Stone work • Stamp Concrete 972-727-2727 Deckoart.com

ELECTRICAL SERVICES

4 U ELECTRICAL SERVICE, LLC We will be there 4 U. 972-877-4183

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

EXPERIENCED LICENSED ELECTRICIAN Insd. Steve. TECL#27297 214-718-9648

LAKEWOOD ELECTRICAL Local. Insured. Lic. #227509 Call Rylan 214-434-8735

MORIN ELECTRIC New/Remodel.Com/Res. Panel Changes/Full Services. All Phases. All Service Work. 469-230-7438. TECL2293

TEXAS ELECTRICAL • 214-289-0639

Honest, Quality. TECL 24668 CCs accepted.

ELECTRICAL SERVICES

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

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

’07, ’08, ’09, ’10, ’11 CONSUMERS CHOICE AWARDS

Making

972-926-7007

EXTERIOR CLEANING

BLOUNTS HAULING/TRASH SERVICE blountsjunkremovaldfw.com 214-275-5727

FENCING & DECKS

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

4 QUALITY FENCING Call Mike 214-507-9322

Specializing in Wood, New or Repair.

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

HANNAWOODWORKS.COM Decks,Doors, Carpentry, Remodeling 214-435-9574

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

LONESTARDECKS.COM 214-357-3975

Trex Decking & Fencing, trex.com

All Wood Decks, Arbors & Patio Covers

EST. 1991 #1

COWBOY FENCE & IRON CO.

214.692.1991

SPECIALIZING IN Wood Fences &Auto Gates

cowboyfenceandiron.com

FIREPLACE SERVICES

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

FLOORING & CARPETING

ALL WALKS OF FLOORS 214-616-7641

Carpet, Wood, Tile Sales/Service Free Estimates

TO ADVERTISE CALL 214.560.4203

FLOORING & CARPETING

BEAR FOOT HARDWOODS 214-734-8851

Complete Hardwood Flooring Services

DALLAS CARPET OUTLET Carpet/Wood/Tile. dallascarpetoutlet.com 214-342-1100

DALLAS HARDWOODS 214-724-0936

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

HASTINGS STAINED CONCRETE New/ Remodel. Stain/Wax Int/Ext. Nick. 214-341-5993. www.hastingsfloors.com

N-HANCE WOOD RENEWAL. No Dust. No Mess. No Odor. nhance.com. 214-321-3012.

WILLEFORD HARDWOOD FLOORS 214-824-1166 • WillefordHardwoodFloors.com

Restoration Flooring

HOME SERVICES

GLASS, WINDOWS & DOORS

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

ROCK GLASS CO Replace, repair: windows, mirrors, showers, screens. 214-837-7829

HANDYMAN SERVICES

#1 AT BIG JOBS. NO JOB TOO SMALL. 40+ years exp. Ron Payne 214-755-9147

A R&G HANDYMAN Electrical, Plumbing, Painting, Fencing, Roofing, Light Hauling. Ron or Gary 214-861-7569, 469-878-8044

ALL STAR HOME CARE Carpentry, Glass, Tile, Paint, Doors, Sheetrock Repair, and more. 25 yrs. exp. References. Derry 214-505-4830

HOUSE PAINTING

MANNY’S HOME PAINTING & REPAIR Int./Ext. Sheetrock. Manny 214-334-2160

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

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VIP PAINTING & DRYWALL Int/Ext. Sheetrock Repair, Resurfacing Tubs, Counters, Tile Repairs. 469-774-7111

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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

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ABRAHAM PAINT SERVICE A Women Owned

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

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

MELROSE TILE James Estrello Sr.-installer,40 Yrs. Exp. MelroseTile.com 214-384-6746

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LAWNS, GARDENS & TREES

A BETTER TREE COMPANY • JUST TREES

Complete tree services. Tree & Landscape Lighting! Fence & Deck, install/repair. Mark 214-332-3444

A&B LANDSCAPING Full Landscape & Lawn Care Services. Degreed Horticulturist. 214-534-3816

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HOLMAN IRRIGATION

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The Victim: Amy Parks

The Crime: Burglary of a motor vehicle

Date: Monday, July 22

Amy Parks works as a part-time photographer, shooting cute photos of kids and families. She loves her work, and White Rock Lake Park makes for a perfect backdrop to snap pictures. On a recent Monday she had been out with a family, directing their stances and poses as she clicked away with her camera.

Time: Between 9 a.m. and 10:40 a.m.

Location: 700 block of East Lawther

As she worked, a thief was doing his own version of “work” nearby. Parks had left her purse in her car, but the car was visible from where she was shooting photos. From where she stood, Parks didn’t think a break-in was possible without her seeing it. Unfortunately, she was wrong.

“We were in view the whole time; that’s what’s weird,” she says. “I didn’t notice until I got in my car and had a call from the police. They had found the purse a few blocks away, but it was empty.”

After the crime, Parks observed that her door lock was sticking and that one door might have been unlocked when the burglar approached. It was quite frustrating, and she had to cancel all of her credit cards, but didn’t lose much in cash. Police told her there has been quite a bit of crime in the White Rock area of late.

Dallas Police Sgt. Keitric Jones of the Northeast Patrol Division says burglary of a motor vehicle is a crime of opportunity, and it takes only seconds for a thief to pop the lock on a vehicle or break the window.

“Remember to ‘Lock, Take and Hide,’ ” he says, reciting the department’s prevention program. “The more aware you are of your surroundings, the less likely you are to become a victim of a crime.”

Jones reminds residents that when they are out in public, they should park vehicles where they can easily be seen by people who are passing by.

Sean Cha n is a freelance writer and author of “Raising the Stakes”, obtainable at raisingthestakesbook.com. If you have been a recent crime victim, email crime@advocatemag.com.

|

CRIME NUMBERS |

p.m. on June 31 is the time when police responded to a reported shooting at White Rock Lake, near the dog park.

block of Mockingbird is where they found a man dead.

is the age of the man who police say suffered “a gunshot wound to the mouth, causing his death.”

SOURCE Dallas Police Department

IS LAKEWOOD’S NEW CHIPOT LE ‘LOCAL’ ?

The Chipotle that’s soon to open at Abrams and Richmond doesn’t seem like much of a reason for controversy. It is, as fast food restaurants go, a notch above the usual, and its founder, a Denver chef named Steve Ellis, has always insisted that the chain was more than another corporate knockoff.

Yet our blog pages were surprisingly full of back and forth when the restaurant was announced in the spring, the idea being that Chipotle wasn’t a local company and didn’t deserve our patron-

This question is being asked more often, and it has a harder edge than ever before. That’s because, as the neighborhood continues to grow and prosper, it is attracting deep-pocket investors who are enamored of that growth and prosperity but are less concerned with local than we are. So a lot of us are asking if enough of the new tenants in the Lakewood shopping center are local, or if they are there because they can pay higher rents. And if the new Los Angeles owners of the Henderson shopping strip between Ross and Central will keep the street’s focus on local or bring in suburban-style chains whose biggest attribute is that they can pay higher rents. There have even been questions about whether the Greenville Avenue Trader Joe’s is local enough, and we haven’t had a Dallas grocery store chain in Dallas in almost 20 years.

doing so well. North Dallas, for one, bet on non-local, and the result? Empty malls and strip centers. In fact, local is so important to us that we grasp at it any way we can, even if it means supporting poorly run businesses that should have failed and would have failed elsewhere. They’re local, so they get the benefit of the doubt. I hear this all the time — Jeff, you should write about this business because it’s local, or Jeff, this woman really needs your support, since she’s local and trying to help the community.

age, regardless of how we felt about their burritos and tacos. The gist of the argument: We already have plenty of local Mexican-style restaurants; why do we need another one that’s not from around here?

In other words, how local is local?

Local matters here, and it has for decades. Much of the rest of Dallas may be content with the Applebee’s and Walmarts and T.J.Maxxes that make up the post-modern retail landscape; that’s why one of the selling points north of LBJ in the wet-dry referendum two years ago was that voting wet might get them a Costco.

But we’ve always wanted more than that. Local is part of Lakewood and East Dallas, and has shaped what we have become. People move here because we believe in local, and it’s the main reason why we’re still here and

And why not? Local, for the most part, is better than non-local, and it’s not just about the economic advantages or that local means more money stays here and isn’t trucked off to a shiny-glass-tower corporate headquarters. Local means the businesses pay attention. I’ve been having a running battle for six months with my bank, one of the new-breed multinationals, about a $6 service fee. Each month, I call and explain that they’re not supposed to charge me the $6, and each month someone in a call center somewhere takes it off. Then, the next month, the charge re-appears. I doubt I’d have the same experience with a local bank, where I could walk in the door and explain my problem.

Hence the debate over a restaurant that doesn’t seem like it should generate much debate. These days, though, the quality of the burritos and tacos may not be enough. We may want something more from our businesses, and it’s not about cost or convenience. It may be about whether they care about our neighborhood. And what a nice change that would be.

Local, for the most part, is better than nonlocal, and it’s not just about the economic advantages or that local means more money stays here and isn’t trucked o to a shinyglass-tower corporate headquarters. Local means the businesses pay attention.

Je Siegel, a neighborhood resident, writes a monthly opinion column about neighborhood issues. His opinions are not necessarily those of the Advocate or its management. Send comments and ideas to him at 6301 Gaston, Suite 820, Dallas 75214; fax to 214.823.8866; or email editor@advocatemag.com.