2012 October Lake Highlands

cover Love a fair

These Lake Highlands residents are passionate in their pursuit of Texas State Fair prizes.

Father figures

A group of Lake Highlands men is pairing young people with positive role models.

47

Fun is brewing ... Enjoy cold beer, bratwurst and a human hamster-wheel at this year’s Oktoberfest.

Sock it to me

A new neighborhood-based business makes a necessary accessory fun and easy.

20

Feel-good food

From the crawfish po-boy at Offshore’s Next Door to Chubby’s chicken fried steak, there’s no shortage of soul food in our ‘hood.

Cover photo of Gaynelle Hopton-Jones and above, her State Fair of Texas hobby collectables entries by Can Türkyilmaz

Photo

ALL’S FAIR Tradition is the gravity that pulls us to the State Fair

If you’ve ever attended the State Fair of Texas, even once in the event’s 126-year history, you know the talking points.

There’s the landmark spectre of Big Tex calling out “HOW-dee” to passersby while talking up fair activities and, in general, just being a super-huge mascot.

There’s the acreage-eating car show, which doesn’t feature every car and truck made for passengers, but it certainly feels like it walking through the two auto buildings.

There’s the livestock, which city folks treat as curiosities even as the people who know animals marvel at the specimens in their stalls and cages.

There’s the Midway, with row after row after row of fun-looking games that can be tough to win and scream-inducing rides that can be tough to stomach.

And there’s the fried food, which by reputation spreads Texas’ name farther and wider each fall as vendors scramble over each other to come up with new things to fry that are even more over-the-top than cactus, Coke, beer and cookies.

But when you talk with people about the fair, all of that stuff isn’t really what they remember, particularly if they’re longtime attendees who make the trek annually to the country’s most attended fair.

Sure, they talk about the fried food they ate or the stuff they heard Big Tex say, but that’s not what brings them back. Instead, they’re wandering the fairgrounds year after year because it’s a tradition, one maybe that was started by a grandparent or a parent, maybe begun in high school or college, or maybe kicked off themselves when

they were married or had kids of their own.

Most people don’t attend the State Fair of Texas because it’s the sexiest, coolest thing going. They show up at the fair because it’s a part of their lives, something they can’t miss any more than they can miss birthdays or anniversaries or first days of school.

Our story in this month’s magazines chronicles some of our neighborhood’s biggest fair-lovers, people who spend the fair’s entire off-season thinking of ways to cook or sew or build their way to glory in Creative Arts contests. But it’s the rare person who sits in a darkened room working on his or her fair plans alone; most of these people, as you’ll note from the story, make this a family affair, with daughters joining mothers and sons helping fathers, and

DISTRIBUTION PH/214.560.4203

ADVERTISING PH/214.560.4203

office administrator: JUDY LILES

214.560.4203 / jliles@advocatemag.com

display sales manager: BRIAN BEAVERS

214.560.4201 / bbeavers@advocatemag.com

senior advertising consultant: AMY DURANT

214.560.4205 / adurant@advocatemag.com

senior advertising consultant: KRISTY GACONNIER

214.560.4213 / kgaconnier@advocatemag.com

advertising consultants

CATHERINE PATE

214.292.0494 / cpate@advocatemag.com

NORA JONES

214.292.0962 / njones@advocatemag.com

FRANK McCLENDON

214.560.4215 / fmcclendon@advocatemag.com

JESSICA JENKINS

214.292.0485 / jjenkins@advocatemag.com

classified manager: PRIO BERGER

214.560.4211 / pberger@advocatemag.com

classified consultant

SALLY ACKERMAN

214.560.4202 / sackerman@advocatemag.com

marketing director: MEGHAN RINEY

214.292.0486 / mriney@advocatemag.com

EDITORIAL PH/ 214.292.2053

publisher: RICK WAMRE

214.560.4212 / rwamre@advocatemag.com

managing editor: CHRISTINA HUGHES BABB

214.560.4204 / chughes@advocatemag.com

senior editor: KERI MITCHELL

214.292.0487 / kmitchell@advocatemag.com

editors:

MONICA S. NAGY

214.292.2053 / mnagy@advocatemag.com

RACHEL STONE

214.292.0490 / rstone@advocatemag.com

associate editor:

LAURI VALERIO

214.635.2120 / lvalerio@advocatemag.com

senior art director: JYNNETTE NEAL

214.560.4206 / jneal@advocatemag.com

designers: MOLLY BOCHANYIN, JENNIFER SHERTZER, JEANINE MICHNA-BALES, LARRY OLIVER, WENDY MILLSAP

contributing editors: JEFF SIEGEL, SALLY WAMRE

grandparents throwing in their 2 cents, too.

It doesn’t really make any difference to these people if the weather is hot, if the grease has been around awhile, if the corny dog line is too long, or even if they win a coveted ribbon for their efforts.

They’re not coming to the fair for something to do; they’re coming to the fair because it’s what they do.

And I’ll be there, too.

Rick Wamre is publisher of Advocate Publishing. Let him know how we are doing by writing to 6301 Gaston, Suite 820, Dallas 75214; fax to 214.823.8866; or email rwamre@advocatemag.com.

contributors: SEAN CHAFFIN, GAYLA KOKEL, GEORGE MASON, BLAIR MONIE, ELLEN RAFF

photo editor: CAN TÜRKYILMAZ

214.560.4200 / turk@advocatemag.com

photographers: MARK DAVIS, DANNY FULGENCIO, LORI BANDI

intern: BETH DIDION

Advocate, © 2011, 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.

People show up at the fair because it’s a part of their lives, something they can’t miss any more than they can miss birthdays or anniversaries or first days of school.

lakehighlands.advocatemag.com

“It’s overwhelming to move to the area and be placed in an inner city school environment for any child, no matter what the race. We transfered to Wallace due to its even mix of diversity and great student and parent culture.” —Kelly, commenting on “Effort to reclaim Northlake Elementary makes us wonder: why all the transfers?”

Read Christina Hughes Babb’s Sept. 20 story on the “Let’s Back Northlake” movement, started by parents who live in the school’s boundaries, at lakehighlands.advocatemag.com.

And the first Lake Highlands Town Center tenant is … … you tell us.

Construction has finally begun at the Lake Highlands Town Center. In the southeast corner of the site at Walnut Hill and Skillman are the beginnings of a five-story building, with retail space on the ground floor and roughly 200 apartments above. To read the latest, visit lakehighlands.advocatemag.com/towncenter, and bookmark this page to stay on top of developing news.

Now the countdown begins to the announcement of the Town Center’s first tenant. If you guess the correct date that a business is announced — whether it’s a grocery store, a restaurant or a retailer — we’ll give you $100 to spend at that business once it opens, and a celebratory bottle of wine to enjoy in the meantime.

Enter the contest at lakehighlands.advocatemag.com/giftcard

BLOG

COMMENTS AND LETTERS Stories

with healing power

I thank you for the notification of MyChildren’s Clinic opening on Abrams as reported in the September Advocate (“Business Buzz: The lowdown on what’s up with neighborhood businesses”).My granddaughter, Emily, is seriously disabled andis on Medicaid.I have been having a dickens of a time finding a pediatrician who accepts Medicaid anywhere near our home.We have been to the clinic already, and this clinic is perfect for our needs.What’s more, they are connected to the records at Children’s Medical Center, so they knew all about Emily when we got there.

—Melinda O’Neal

Stay on top of neighborhood business news at lakehighlands.advocatemag.com/biz.

I just wanted to drop you a note and tell you that the article you ran on Wyatt and the 401 Project last spring was a big help. Lots of people read it and talked to us about it and contributed. Because of that we were able to fully fund the three-year study. That means that, combined, all the families have raised over $228,000, and the study will be run to completion. I don’t know who or how much was donated because of the article, but I know there was some amount. It doesn’t matter, though. Every dollar is going directly to the research. Every single family has chipped in on this effort, and we all appreciate the support of everyone more than anyone can understand. I appreciate the nice article and the support of the Advocate and Lake Highlands community.

—Jason,Amy, Max,Wyatt and Jude Moore

To read about Wyatt, visit lakehighlands. advocatemag.com and search Wyatt Moore.

White Rock Boathouse — the big and little of it

While many neighborhood residents are buzzing these days about plans to build a new boathouse near the lake’s north shore, White Rock Boathouse, Inc., in place on the other side of the lake for nine years now, is steadily growing.

Danny Fulgencio

The non-profit organization has made rowing accessible for students and adults, and it has changed much of the face of White Rock Lake. Executive director and head rowing coach Mark Wilson and member Thomas Carr, both Lake Highlands residents, gave us a tour of the facilities and filled us in on the following facts about their organization:

The White Rock Boathouse, Inc. facilities include the original White Rock Boathouse at Tee Pee Hill and a large boathouse nearby.

The original small art-deco style boathouse was built on the shore/water in 1930.

In 2004 the White Rock Boathouse group self funded the effort to refurbish the original boathouse, which was suffering from neglect, deterioration and gang-related graffiti. Today it is back in use. Rowers nicknamed it The Boomerang.

In 2007, White Rock Boathouse raised $2.5 million to turn the dilapidated, abandoned, vandalized Water Works building, next to the lake’s Filter Building, into the big boathouse. Rowers nicknamed it Big Boathouse.

The White Rock Boathouse, Inc., in collaboration with the Park Department and Dallas Water Utilities, also renovated the Filter Building at White Rock Lake for use as an entertainment venue that garners funds for boathouse facilities’ maintenance and rowing programs.

The renovation projects received design recognition from American Institute of Architects, Preservation Dallas and the Texas Historic Commission.

The modern era of rowing on White Rock began with the Dallas Rowing Club formation in 1980. It disbanded in 1982.

Dallas Rowing Club rebooted at Bachman in 1983 and occasionally held events at White Rock.

Does your lawn and landscape need CPR?

With the record heat and drought, you must act now to restore your lawn. Aeration helps reduce compaction and compost helps add back the nutrients that our extreme heat has depleted. The two combined have shown to improve moisture retention and reduce water consumption by 50%. Restoration Special Liquid Compost Application: $25 per 1000 sq ft.

Ron Hall (Lawn Dr. Ron)

“Saving the World one Yard at a time!”

In the late ’90s, the Southern Methodist University women’s crew team began rowing on White Rock, from the Bath House Cultural Center.

With the opening of the Big Boathouse, programs such as the WRB Juniors, a rowing program for students from a variety of Dallas high schools, and the WRB Masters, open to anyone over age 18, emerged.

SMU crew teams, along with Jesuit High and Highland Park Crew, moved into the new boathouse.

Rowing is an excellent exercise for adults, Tom Carr says. He says he started rowing to complement his running, but now rowing is his primary passion. Not only is it easier on your body, because it is no-impact, but it also works your arms, core and legs — your whole body, really, he says.

It also can be mesmerizing: “I know it’s goofy, but some mornings the seagulls group up and fly up behind me, right over me, and you can almost look them in the eyes. Pelicans sometimes do close flybys. You don’t know exactly when these moments are going to happen, but when they do, it’s really neat.”

White Rock Boathouse has taught more than 500 adults to row.

Boathouse members can reserve clubowned boats online after passing an initial skills test and have open access to facilities. Learn more about membership at whiterockboathouse.com.

As for the juniors, rowing is the ultimate team sport, coach Mark Wilson tells us. “It’s not a sport where you have one superstar,” he says. “They have to really work together. You are only as good as your weakest link. For kids, this is an important lesson to learn.”

About 35 percent of students in the juniors rowing program receive financial assistance.

The juniors rowing team is open to any high school student in the Dallas area.

So far, 19 Dallas-area schools are represented.

Among participants, 25 percent are ethnic minoroties.

The boathouse also offers opportunities for middle-schoolers, summer camps for beginners and elites, and college recruiting seminars.

In 2011 Woodrow Wilson High School’s Eli Brown represented the USA on the U.S. Rowing’s Junior Development Team. He now rows for the University of Washington.

Bishop Lynch High School graduates Hallie Chambers, Morgan Henry and Kevin Cadell are rowing on their college teams this season.

The U.S. Paralympics office of Dallas recently selected White Rock Boathouse as the site for adaptive rowing programs in Dallas. Adaptive rowing is a special category of racing for people with physical disabilities. As of summer 2012, there is an active group of 10 adaptive rowers training twice a week.

This year, the Highland Park Crew team changed its name to the United Crew and announced plans to build a new, bigger boathouse on the opposite end of the lake from the Big Boathouse.

Carr says that the separation of White Rock and United rowing clubs was necessary because both groups are growing exponentially. “Our masters program, just for example, went from 20 rowers to 252 altogether. Juniors in camp last summer went from 16 the previous year to 117 this past summer. Rowing is growing.” For that reason, he says, “another facility that supports rowing is a good thing.”

—Christina Hughes Babb

United Crew.”

BEAUCOUP

Come by Beaucoup for fabulous fashions, unique jewelry, and charming home decor! 2815 Henderson Ave. Dallas 214.823.7906 635 W. Campbell Rd. Richardson 972.235.7906 facebook.com/beaucouphome

T.HEE GREETINGS

Scare up some great finds at T. Hee Greetings! Opening our 3rd store in October, just in time for Halloween! Lake Highlands, Lakewood & Preston Center. 214.747.5800 t-heegifts.com

DIAMONDS N DESIGNS

Loose Diamonds since 1983. We Custom Design your Jewelry. Designer & Gemologists on staff. Mention this Ad & get a FREE Jewelry Inspection and Cleaning. By Appointment Call 972.490.0133 diamondsndesigns.net

IN LAKE HIGHLANDS

LISETTE L’s pant Fit-Clinic – Tues. Oct. 2nd! Giving away a pair every hour!!! These are the ‘Must Have’ pants that flatten and flatter and make you look fabulous! Mon-Sat 9:30-5:30. 214.553.8850 10233 E. NW Hwy., #410. TheStoreinLH.com

ONCE UPON A CHILD

Spooky to think that Halloween is just around the corner. Come see our SPOOKTACULAR Halloween Costumes before they’re all gone! 6300 Skillman St #150 214.503.6010 onceuponachildlakehighlands.com

LA MARIPOSA IMPORTS

Discover the best collection of Day of the Dead folk art around! Flamboyant Katrinas to DIY sugar skull kits await you now at 2813 N. Henderson Ave. 214.826.0069 lamariposaimports.com

WACKYM’S KITCHEN

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

Come taste our fall sweets at the London Café inside Timothy Oulton at Potter Square. 4500 N. Central Expressway. 214.534.2241 thehospitalitysweet.com

THE goods

PAINTING WITH A TWIST

The Texas State Fair is in town come paint your own version of the Lone Star Flag or Big Tex. Perfect for Private Parties as well. 5202 Lovers Ln. 214.350.9911 paintingwithatwist.com

BRUMLEY GARDENS

You need an Olla!- Clay pot irrigation. Save Water, Save Time, Save Money. See it at one of our stores. Lake Highlands: 10345 Church Rd. 214.343.4900 & New Location/Oak Cliff: 700 W. Davis (Bishop Arts Dist.) 214.942.0794 brumleygardens.com Shop local

Fancy feet

ADVOCATE ORNAMENT

The Advocate Foundation’s limited-edition, numbered, and hand-painted ornament; perfect gift for the new home owner or Dallas transplant. Sales benefit neighborhood organizations. 214.292.0486 foundation.advocatemag.com

Socks are the new tie, Kelly Largent says. “It’s another way to express yourself.” Add the element of surprise, and you’ve got Foot Cardigan. Largent is one of the five founders of the subscription-based sock-of-the-month club that launched in June. Customers sign up to receive a randomly chosen pair of “delightfully unusual” socks in the mail for $9 a month. “Who gets cool mail anymore?” Bryan DeLuca says. “It’s like playing the lottery, but you always win.” DeLuca came up with the idea for Foot Cardigan during a three-month trip to Europe where he forgot to bring enough socks. “All they had in the store were really weird socks. I bought 10 pair, even though I only needed two. I fell in love with very weird, funny socks.” He pitched the idea to Largent. “He said, ‘Dude, I’m in.’ When Kelly latches onto an idea, you know it’s good. He’s kind of quiet, so when he says something, it matters.” They added to the team Matt McClard, who developed the website, creative genius Matt Fry, and Lake Highlands resident Tom Browning, who recently quit his day job to focus on Foot Cardigan full-time. In September, the guys moved from buying socks wholesale to designing and manufacturing their own. Their first project is Sock the Vote, which features two pairs of socks — one embroidered with a Barack Obama image and the other with Mitt Romney. Foot Cardigan ships socks all over the country and has started receiving requests internationally. “For the price of two lattes a month, you get something fun,” Browning says. “You can wear them with uniforms, pants, shorts and, unfortunately, sandals. We neither judge nor condone that.”

—Emily Toman

Kelly Largent, Bryan DeLuca, Matt McClard, Tom Browning and Matt Fry have a thing for socks. Photo by Danny Fulgencio

PAWS & CLAWS

Catch of the day

Little lab Lucy loves fishing. Owner Cristi Speaks of Lake Highlands snapped this shot at an EastTexas farm not long after the pup was rescued from a dumpster by Speaks’s husband, a Dallas firefighter. “He received a 911 call that there was a puppy trapped in a garbage bin,” she says. “They went to check it out and didn’t see anything. Then they heard a noise coming from a tiny diaper box behind the dumpster. [Lucy] was inside. She was only 6 pounds and barely 8-weeks-old. My husband took her back to the station where she spent the night in his bed. And the rest is history!”

PUPPY MILL OWNERS ARE DECEPTIVE.

They pose as caring breeders when you buy puppies online, at trade days, or in parking lots. They don’t want you to know the truth. They’ll never invite you cages, producing litter after litter until they die of neglect or disease. You’ll never see behind the scenes. But we have, and if you knew what we know, you’d never support this cruel industry. Don’t buy it.

What gives?

Small ways that you can make a big difference for nonprofits

Recycle. It’s fun!

The date: Saturday Oct. 13. The goal: clear out your junk and get it to the recycling event, between 9 a.m. and noon at Lake Highlands United Methodist, 9015 Plano. Proceeds from recycled goods recovered at the event, put on by the LHUMC Green Team and Bubb Fundraising, will be used for energy-saving improvements to church property. Visit lhumc.com/connect and see the calendar for a list of recyclable items.

Do lunch with the ladies

Reserve your seat at the Dallas Elks Ladies’ Fall Luncheon by Oct. 12 by contacting Jean at 214.348.2648. Attendees will enjoy a lovely lunch spread, wine and a lecture about life as the wife of late singing and television star John Gary from his wife Lee Gary entitled “Wind Beneath His Wings”. The Elks Lodge is located at 8550 Lullwater. The event is Saturday, Oct. 20 at 11:30 a.m. Tickets are $18 and proceeds benefit Elks Lodge efforts including scholarships for students and more.

Merry madness

All Lake Highlands’ ghosts, goblins, zombies and humans are invited to Moss Haven Elementary school’s Moss Haven Madness Fall Carnival Saturday, Oct. 27 from 4-7 p.m. at the campus, 9202 Moss Farm. Experience the famous haunted house, games, food and a freakishly good time. Food and game tickets will be on sale at the school or at the carnival. Proceeds benefit the school.

KNOW OF WAYS

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

Out & About

Oct. 20 & 21

Market in the Meadow

The annual fundraising event will be filled with holiday gifts, raffles, barbecue sandwiches, baked goods, more than 180 merchants and performances by school groups. The market opens at 9 a.m. Saturday and 11 a.m. Sunday, and runs until 5 p.m. both days.

Forest Meadow Junior High School, 9373 Whitehurst, 469.593.1500 marketinthemeadow.com, free

OCT. 1

Healing Hands golf tournament

The 18-hole game includes lunch, dinner and prizes. Proceeds benefit Healing Hands Ministries’ medical and dental clinic. Register online.

Dallas Athletic Club, 4111 Dallas Athletic Club (for GPS navigation 2724 LaPrada), 214.221.0855, healinghandsdallas.org, $150

OCT. 2

National Night Out

Join the Lake Highlands Estates Neighborhood Association from 6-7:30 p.m. to get to know neighbors and make connections to help prevent against crime and drug use. The event will have pony rides, a magician, bounce houses, food and even a Shred It truck to do just that: destroy old documents.

Wallace Elementary School, 9921 Kirkhaven, 469.593.2600, lhena.org, free

OCT. 6

Oktoberfest

Celebrate from 11 a.m.-10 p.m. at the Exchange Club’s second annual festival, which will include live music, a kids’ zone with its own performance lineup, restaurant and retail vendors, an ‘AfterDark’ special concert and, of course, a biergarten (more on p. 47).

Lake Highlands Town Center, 9200 Walnut Hill, 214.749.4231, lhoktoberfest.com, free, parking $5

OCT. 13

Spruce-up and picnic

This month’s Second Saturday Shoreline Spruce-Up gives neighbors the chance to keep White Rock Lake beautiful and eat a tasty lunch. Arrive at the For the Love of the Lake office at 8 a.m. to grab supplies for the cleanup. Then stick around at noon for the annual volunteer appreciation picnic. Adults should accompany volunteers under age 18. For the Love of the Lake, 1152 N. Buckner Ste. 123, 214.660.1100, whiterocklake.org, free

OCT. 16

Economic summit

The Greater East Dallas Chamber’s annual event features three speakers, lunch and time for networking. This year’s speakers are Jeff Fegan, CEO of Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport; Steve Brown, business writer with the Dallas Morning News; and Michael Morris with the North Central Council of Governments. Royal Oaks Country Club, 7915 Greenville, 214.328.4100, eastdallaschamber.com, $65 at the door

OCT. 20

Wellness & spirituality day

Drop by between 9 a.m.-4 p.m. for a day of yoga classes, chair massages, an introduction to meditation and speakers on Ignatian spirituality and centering prayer. Bring nonperishable food donations for the White Rock Center of Hope.

Lake Highlands Presbyterian Church, 8525 Audelia, 214.348.2133, lhpres.org, free

Oct. 4-20

‘Children’ performance

Loosely based on a John Cheever short story, the production explores a wealthy family’s unfolding drama in New England circa 1970. Artistic director Susan Sargeant chose to mark WingSpan Theatre Company’s 15th season with a play that resonates with her childhood. The Bath House has housed all but one WingSpan performance, and Sargeant attributes the company’s success in part to the Bath House’s support.

Bath House Cultural Center

521 E. Lawther, 214.670.8751 wingspantheatre.com

$18-$20, pay what you can Oct.4, 5, 11

OCT. 21

‘Pinkalicious the Musical’

Based on the book, this performance portrays a girl who eats too many pink cupcakes and comes down with a serious case of “pinkitis.” Children over age 5 are welcome.

Dallas Children’s Theater, 5938 Skillman, 214.978.0110, dct.org, $18-$27

OCT. 27 & 28

Arboretum family fun

Trick-or-treat at the Small Houses of Great Artists exhibit from noon-4 p.m. A magician, a petting zoo and a facepainting station add to the fun in the Pecan Grove from 11 a.m.-3 p.m.

Dallas Arboretum, 8525 Garland, 214.515.6500, dallasarboretum.org, $9–$15

Garland Road - 214.515.6500

Delicious

Southern food

Siton the outdoor patio at Offshore’s Nextdoor, and you just might feel a cool ocean breeze. “I want you to feel like you’re not in the middle of Dallas. I want this to be an oasis in the middle of the parking lot,” owner Christina Cass says. Cass, who originally wanted to open a tequila lounge, likes to bring spicy flavors to her seafood joint “so people don’t go home bored.” The restaurant’s boathouse look easily detracts from boredom: a sail covers one wall, pictures of the beach line others and a wooden post in front points directions to places including Acapulco and New Iberia. Despite the hang-ten feel, the restaurant not only weathered the financial crisis in 2008 — it opened its doors during it. Cass attributes Offshore’s success to the regulars and the neighbors that have supported the restaurant. “The look of the people is basically the look of the neighborhood,” Cass says of her customers.

– Lauri Valerio

OFFSHORE’S NEXTDOOR

9660 Audelia, Ste. 305

214.503.1012

AMBIANCE: LAID-BACK

PRICE RANGE: $8-$24

TIP: HAPPYHOUR RUNSMONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY, 3:30-7 P.M.

1 Big Mama’s Chicken and Waffles

The name says it all. In addition to seasoned chicken and huge waffles, you can also get tasty catfish and more. If you want to take the flavor home, buy a bottle of hot sauce for $1. Bring cash, and be prepared for a crowd.

9810 Forest

214.340.3035

bigmamaschickenandwaffles.com

| MORE DINING SPOTS |

2 Chubby’s Family Restaurant

Chubby’s serves breakfast, lunch and dinner but highlights its chicken-fried steak and rib-eye steak. You can also get daily-made cakes and pies. Brothers from Greece run the restaurant, so don’t be surprised to find some Greek cuisine among the Southern grub. 11333E.Northwest Highway

214.348.6065

eatatchubbys.com

3 Cowboy Chicken

A wood-burning fire has roasted these chickens for more than 30 years. For a Southern twist, try the award-winning chicken enchiladas.

5315Greenville, STE. 125

214.234.0505

cowboychicken.com

Ahi Tuna Salad and Blackend Crawfish Po’ Boy. Photo by Lori Bandi

Highlands Cafe

Great food in your neighborhood –fresh sandwiches, salads, homemade soups; famous hamburger; delicious dinner entrees; kid’s meals; beer and wine. Serving lunch and dinner from 11am - 9 pm Monday thru Saturday.

9661

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.

Go 4 It Sports Grill

Your HQ for all Professional and College Games.

Lots of HD TV’s plus 2 giant screens Enjoy SUNDAY TICKET, catch every NFL game.

kitchen until 2am

Atomic Pie

Specializing in American and Italian flavors. Choose from our signature pizza, sliders, fries, fresh salads and more. We are in your neighborhood and deliver. Mon-Th 11am-9pm, Fri and Sat

Aboca’s Italian Grill

Cuisine of Italy – homemade fresh daily – using the best ingredients. Show this ad and get 15% off your entire ticket.

Mon. -Thurs. 11am -9:30pm; Lunch: 11am to 3pm; Fri. & Sat. open ‘til 10:30pm

JJ’s Cafe

Craving Breakfast?

Try our famous Banana Nut Pancakes. Good all day from 7am-2pm.

Come on out to JJ’s where we serve a full breakfast and lunch menu 7 days a week.

Liquid Zoo Bar & Grille

Cafe JJ ’s

10233 E. Northwest Hwy, Suite 434 jjscafe.net 214.221.4659

10455 N. Central Expy. @ Meadow, Dallas 214.346.1700

100 S. Central #63, Richardson 972.231.7500 abocas.com

Fermenting questions

Castellar brut cava ($10) Spain

The wine business is in flux, with forces dragging it in all sorts of directions. Will prices go up, or will they continue at near decade lows? Will consolidation continue on the producer and retail side of the business, and what will happen to prices if they do? Will Texas wine continue to be better made and more easily available? And what’s with the tremendous increase in the popularity of sweet red wine?

The good news for consumers, despite this uncertainty, is that the wine most of us drink will still be well priced, and we’ll have more places than ever to buy it. What’s happening here, with the addition of Spec’s, Total Wine and the soon-to-arrive Trader Joe’s, is happening elsewhere in the United States. And, yes, sales of sweet red wine are approaching levels never seen before — ask anyone who tells you that their favorite wine is Cupcake’s Red Velvet or E&J Gallo’s Apothic.

This month, three wines that reflect what’s going on:

sold close to cost, thanks to increased competition in Dallas and a recession in Spain that has cut demand there. Cheap cava doesn’t get much better than Casteller (around $10), which makes brut and rosé. Both have lots of tight, firm bubbles and long mineral finishes.

and the Texas Legislature, seems to think that local wine is a good idea. Texas growers and producers, who may have had the best harvest ever in 2012, are demonstrating their skill with wines like Llano Estacado’s Viviano (about $26), a red blend that includes sangiovese and has gotten better with each vintage.

Bogle, perhaps the best cheap wine producer in the United States, continues to hold the line on price. Ryan Bogle, whose family still owns the winery, told me earlier this year that they want to make sure their customers get their $10 worth. Check out the sauvignon blanc (about $9), with its citrus and tropical fruit flavors, and you’ll see what he means.

—Jeff Siegel

JEFF SIEGEL’S WEEKLY WINE REVIEWS appear every Wednesday on lakehighlands.advocatemag.com

with your wine

Everyday lentil soup

Lentils, unlike most other dried beans, don’t require pre-soaking or hours to cook. You can get the entire thing done in less than hour, which includes chopping the vegetables. If you want a heartier soup, consider adding sliced smoked sausage or browned Italian sausage. Red wine would pair best, but any wine you like should work.

GROCERY LIST

6 c chicken or vegetable stock

1 c lentils

1 onion, chopped

1 carrot, diced

1 stalk celery, diced

DIRECTIONS

2 cloves garlic, chopped

1 bay leaf

2 tsp cumin

salt and pepper to taste

1. Brown the vegetables in a couple of teaspoons of olive oil until the onion is soft. Add the garlic, bay leaf and cumin and mix well.

2. Add the stock, bring to a boil over high heat, reduce to a gentle simmer, cover, and cook until the lentils are done, 30 to 45 minutes. Check for salt just before the lentils are cooked. And, if the soup is too thick, add more stock.

Makes 6 cups, takes about 1 hour

Ask the wine guy

Q. Do wine glasses make a difference?

A. Surprising l y, t h ey d o. Th is d oesn’t mean that you need to spend $100 on a wine g l ass, b ut t h e b etter qua l ity t h e g lass, the more you’ll taste of the wine (including any f laws). One rule o f thumb: Spend $1 on a g lass for each $1 y ou s p end on wine, so that i f y ou drink $10 wine, use g lasses that cost $10.

—Jeff Siegel

ASK THE WINE GUY taste@advocatemag.com

We’ve moved a quarter of a mile west on Forest Lane to Forest View shopping center. This new location is more conveniently located, has far more parking and it allows us to serve you in a unique and comfortable space. The Gattini family still owns and operates the restaurant and we will continue to serve the same favorite dishes guests have been enjoying for over a quarter of a century. To learn more visit our website at www.momoitaliankitchen.com

Well-removed from Big Tex and the Midway, past the Cotton Bowl, sits the Creative Arts Building at Fair Park. While it’s not the State Fair of Texas’ sexiest attraction, the sweeping structure is a hub for a relatively unknown subculture: the competitors.

Competitions at the State Fair are aplenty. Among the arts and crafts contests: painting, sketching, needlepoint and Lego architecture. Food-contest categories feature baking with KARO syrup, chili, chocolate, relish, jam, SPAM creations, bread baking and cooking with cheese, to name a few. Collections contest categories run the gamut from apothecary items and thimbles to sports memorabilia and pipes. There are fashion-design contests and diorama competitions. The list goes on and on. We tracked down several neighborhood residents who, through experience, understand the spirit of State Fair rivalry.

Story by Christina Hughes Babb | Photos by Danny Fulgencio and Can Turkyilmaz

alex ramirez

Ask the Ramirez boys (Tino, 11; Alex, 10, and Tomas, 6) what comes to mind when they think of the State Fair of Texas, and the consensus is “Big Tex.”

But this year, when Alex, a fourth-grader at St. Patrick’s Catholic School, entered his impressive drawing of an eagle in the fair’s junior art contest, they imagine what it might be like to see his artwork on display at such a big event.

“I would be really proud,” Alex says. “It would be kind of strange to have everybody looking at his art,” his older brother, Tino, chimes in, “but really great, too.”

Alex is obsessed with eyes these days, his family says. He will sit at the dining table and draw eyes and more eyes until you walk in and dozens of pairs of eyes are staring up at you, they say. Sometimes Alex declines to play because he’s drawing, his brothers say, shaking their heads.

This still might be better than his “origami phase,” mom Kelly

Ramirez says. At that time, the family was drowning in tiny pieces of paper.

The artistic genes come from dad Tino Sr., whose pastel watercolor paintings are displayed throughout the Ramirezes’ Moss Haven-area home. The eyes, which Alex learned to draw from a YouTube video, are the centerpiece of his eagle sketch.

“The eagle has interesting eyes, so that’s why I wanted to draw an eagle,” he says.

An art teacher at the Ridgewood Belcher recreation center recommended the State Fair contest to the family. Though they visit the State Fair yearly, Kelly Ramirez says she wasn’t aware of the “contest subculture” until she visited the Creative Arts Building to drop off Alex’s drawing, she says.

“It is just row after row of tables — beading, ceramics, needlepoint, paintings and a test kitchen for the cooking contests in the middle of it all.”

the pittmans

For the Pittmans and much of their extended family, the State Fair of Texas is not just an annual tradition. It’s a way of life.

Kelly Pittman, an art teacher at Scofield Christian School in Lake Highlands, has made the Fair’s creative arts contests a family pastime. From the age of 5, daughter Hannah and son Collin entered hobby collections, art and cooking contests.

“It started with Hannah entering a doll. My brother in law, who’s in the military and picked up the doll while traveling the world, gave it to Hannah. We caught the bug that year. We’ve tried a whole scope of things since then. I never knew it would get so big for us,” Kelly says with a laugh.

Hannah’s Best in Show for a ceramic art piece when she was in eighth grade has perhaps been the crowning achievement. Her brother Collin, 13, has placed respectably in the Lego competition.

The real instigator of the family’s State Fair fascination is arguably not Kelly, but rather her mom, Judi Kohcak, now in

her 80s, who has an entire half-room of her home dedicated to her fair entries and prizes.

The whole family begins thinking about the State Fair each May, when they receive the contestant handbook by mail. Entries are dropped off at the Creative Arts Building for judging in August, and in September, contestants find out who won. Kohcak usually is the first to know.

“She is at home during the day so she gets the mail first the day they notify the winners,” Pittman says. “She calls us up and says, ‘What’d you get?’”

Because of Pittman’s dedication to the Fair, her husband’s aunt endowed to her a full collection of State Fair Cookbooks, which contain recipes from State Fair food contest winners.

“She said she would leave them to me on the condition that I continue to add to the collection each year. In 2000, I messed up and almost didn’t get one. I cried! They sold out, but luckily, a friend of a friend had bought an extra, and I haven’t missed a year since.”

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

lisa odwyer

Though she lives in the heart of Lake Highlands, Lisa Odwyer is a country girl at heart. She works two nursing jobs, yet spends her day off at her farm in Poetry, Texas (a 35-minute drive from the neighborhood), caring for her five horses, two turkeys, 30 or so chickens, five sheep, one longhorn, a donkey, a couple of dogs and cats, and 20-plus goats.

Donning a pair of leather cowboy boots, a gratuity for her State Fair Junior Livestock Committee service, Odwyer kicks open gates and makes her way through the rowdy neighing, cawing crowd of farm animals.

“This is a reprieve for me,” she says. “I can be out here all day long. This is what I enjoy doing.”

Separate from the other animals are three snowwhite saanens — dairy goats — one with a blatantly bulging udder. These are the show goats, and in the show, held inside the fairground’s Pan Am Building during the first week of the Fair, it’s all about the udder, Odwyer says.

“It’s about the milking system, the tits, to be blunt. That’s what [the judges] are looking at.” She hopes to enter the heavily lactating Big Mama, also known as Foxy and officially registered as Think Like a Fox, as well as the younger, smaller Briar Bay, nicknamed Botox Beauty (Odwyer works in a plastic surgeon’s office). She hoists Foxy onto a feeding block, and commences milking.

“They can produce as much as two gallons a day.”

As evidence, within moments, she fills a steel bucket with foamy goat’s milk. On the day of the show, Odwyer will dress in all white and strut her goat for the judges. This day, Botox Beauty pulls and hops on the leash. She needs a little practice before the big competition.

“It’s a little like the dog show, but they aren’t judged too much on their behavior,” Odwyer says.

She knows. One of her first State Fair entries, back in the 1970s, was her pair of poodles. She has entered and won State Fair photo contests over the years. She photographs mostly animals.

“Look at all this,” she says, motioning toward two of her rescued wild mustangs. “You can see why I want to take pictures of this. I always carry my camera around the farm.”

gaynelle hopton-jones

Since she won a ribbon for a cake in the early 1980s, Gaynelle Hopton-Jones has been “hooked” on entering State Fair contests.

Compelling evidence: five frames hanging in her Lake Highlands kitchen showcase multiple State Fair prizes, including five coveted Best in Shows.

“That’s the one you really want,” she says. After the top entries in each category are selected, they are judged to determine Best in Show. It’s the best of the best. Throughout the ’80s and ’90s, Hopton-Jones, a retired teacher of 20 years at Hexter Elementary, entered and won ribbons for her pies, cakes, ice cream (see recipe on opposite page), pork tenderloin, potatoes, cookies and stuffing, to name a few. She felt enlivened by the contest culture and the friendly competitive spirit, she says.

“You all sort of knew each other. You knew who your rivals were. You might say to yourself, ‘Oh no! She entered. Well, I have no chance now!’ ” Recently she “backed off the cooking contests and started entering collectables contests,” she says.

“When you get older, those cooking contests start to affect you. Someone has to eat those cakes and pies, and it was starting to show on us,” she teases.

Her husband Fred nods in agreement. The lessfattening hobby collection contests at the State Fair, of which there are 100-plus categories, call for pairs of collectors’ items more than 30 years old. Gay’s husband Fred (unbeknownst to him, initially) took a prize years ago for a Roy Rogers and Dale Evans lunchbox and Thermos set.

“I think it won because of the Thermos. Those are rare because the insides are glass, and kids broke them,” Hopton-Jones says.

Fred, who has collected cowboy memorabilia since childhood, also has won for his Hopalong Cassidy and Gene Autry porcelain plates. In a room upstairs, next door to the cowboys collections room, Hopton-Jones has an impressive collection of pristine antique dolls, teacups and saucers, hats and Brownie items. Several have garnered ribbons.

She credits her mom with teaching her how to collect and maintain precious items. Take the Brownie camping kit, for example.

“She knew this meant something to me, and she preserved it.”

She picks up the little knife, smiles and says she remembers using it as a girl. This year, she entered a couple of antique hats, Cissy and Cissette dolls and a Brownie handbook.

The couple plan to visit the 2012 State Fair, as they do each year, several times.

Spiced Texas Pecan Ice Cream recipe, by Gaynelle Hopton-Jones

5 oz pecan pieces 1/4 tsp cinnamon

1 tbsp egg white 1/8 tsp nutmeg

1/2 tbsp water 1/8 tsp salt

1/4 tsp allspice 1/4 c white sugar

Mix all ingredients except pecans. Blend well. Add pecan pieces and stir until well coated. Coat large baking sheet with cooking spray. Spread pecan mixture on sheet. Bake at 275 for 1 hour, stirring every 15 minutes. Remove from oven and cool completely.

Ice cream mixture:

2 1/4 c heavy cream 3 egg yolks

3/4 c whole milk 1 c spiced Texas pecans

3/4 c packed brown sugar

Heat cream, milk and brown sugar in heavy pan, stirring occasionally until sugar dissolves and mixture is hot. Place egg yolks in bowl and whisk briefly. Still whisking, slowly pour in about 1 cup of hot liquid. When mixture is blended, slowly pour it back into liquid in pan, whisking constantly. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture thickens and coats back of spoon, about 8 minutes. Do not let boil. Strain into clean bowl and chill thoroughly. (You can do all of this the day before.) When ready to make ice cream, stir pecans into ice cream mixture and pour into 1 quart ice cream maker to freeze ice cream.

optometrist

Dr. Clint Meyer www.dallaseyeworks.com

The end of the year is approaching. Don’t forget to use your flex spending dollars. Treat yourself to some great sunglasses with or without prescription. Get a supply of daily disposable contact lenses. Or some fresh new everyday contacts with no need for solutions. It’s your money. Let the relaxed, knowledgeable staff at Dallas eyeworks provide you the perfect fit!

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

C ompre H e N si V e De N tistry

Ashly r . Cothern, DD s, PA www.drcothern.com

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

9669 N.Central Expwy., Ste. 220 Dallas, TX 75231 214.696.9966

more Lake Highlands contestants

Gerry Flewharty has entered her gourds in the Texas State Fair and other craft-related contests since 1999. She has since amassed a total of 45 ribbons and 20 first-place blue ribbons. “Iparticipate in three annual shows —the State Fair of Texas, Southwest Gourd Fine Art Show and the Texas Gourd Society’s Lone Star Gourd Show,” she tells us.

Gourds, by the way, are vegetables — members of the cucumber family. A 1995 gourd display in Santa Fe, N.M., inspired Flewharty’s early work, she says. She carves the sturdy squash-esque produce into sculptures and uses them as canvases for ink dyes and paint. From them she has created folk art, masks, purses, miniature animals and Christmas ornaments, to name a few.

Gayle Vaughan claims to be the “Great State Fair of Texas’ biggest fan.” Year after year she enters jams in the Creative Arts competitions. “My best

showings were first place for blackberry jam, second place for peach jam and a whole lot of third and honorable mentions,” she says. “My husband and I also buy season passes to the fair, and go probably a dozen times each year. My parents even come down every year from Minnesota just to see one of the greatest state fairs in the country.”

Holly Daiker is a regular submitter to various State Fair contest categories. Possibly the most interesting items, she says, are her antique silver pieces. “The silver comes from my mother’s family, who lived in Maryland.They arrived in this country with William Penn.”

In addition to collectable silver, she has entered antique children’s books. Her first entry and first blue ribbon was for a stitched sampler from 1811.

ERIC CANTU

Vicki Carlisle has been entering contests at the State Fair for about 12 years. “The first year I entered one candy recipe and have added more contests every year. This year I entered two photographs as well asthree decorations in the Holiday Corner category. I’m also planning to enter the candy, cookies, pie and cake contests, which are conducted during the fair,” she says.

Big brothers for the fatherless

About half of the boys on the LHJH football team live in homes with no male role model. One coach decided to do something about that.

Zach Garza once was very angry about growing up without a father. That is something he shares openly these days.

“My dad left the family when I was in junior high. I was lost because of that,” Garza says. “I have experienced the anger and loneliness, the questioning of masculinity and constant search for love and acceptance that comes from fatherlessness. I didn’t know what it looked like to be a man and I struggled with those issues into my college years.”

Then, with the help of mentors, he says, he worked through the pain, and broke free from the “chains of anger, guilt and fear.”

Today, as a coach and teacher at Lake Highlands Junior High, Garza sees himself in many of his students.

“Out of 65 kids on the [football team], half of them came from homes without a male figure in the home,” Garza says.

One of those kids was a soft-spoken 13-year-old named Twquan

Clayton, now a student at Lake Highlands Freshman Center.

Clayton is one of the first members of the Forerunner Mentoring Program, which Garza founded as a way to guide young men to a better, more-responsible adulthood.

“Coach Garza was a man I felt I could talk to,” Clayton says. “He told me about [the program] and said he wanted me to try it, so he partnered me with Jonathan.”

Clayton’s mentor, Jonathan Hafemann, is the Forerunner program’s director, who collaborated with Garza after they learned, through their church pastor, of their mutual interest in helping fatherless adolescents.

“My story is a little different than Zach’s,” Hafemann says. “I grew up with a loving father, but my own father had a deep wound created by the fact that his own father had abandoned him.”

Clayton wasn’t sure about his mentor at first, he admits.

Zach Garza and Jonathan Hafemann founded a program to help young men like Twquan Clayton (middle).

Photo by Danny Fulgencio

“He told me about himself and about his dad and how his dad was always there for him, and I thought, ‘How is this for me?’ I had my doubts.”

But as they got to know each other, Clayton and Hafemann bonded.

“Now, we can talk about anything,” young Clayton says, smiling at his newfound bigbrother figure.

The Forerunner program doesn’t involve special events, necessarily, but revolves around day-to-day activities and learning by observing. Mentors make a commitment to spend time with the young men twice a month and to make contact by phone, email or letter on the weeks in-between visits. Five or so times a year, the student and mentor will have opportunities to attend events sponsored by Forerunner and engage in group activities.

Not by preaching, but rather by example, mentors teach social skills — such as making

eye contact and shaking hands when you introduce yourself — as well as good judgment when it comes to key areas of adolescent life, including relationships with women, work ethic, spirituality and education.

Garza says the mentees learn by having a role model to emulate.

“More is caught than taught,” he explains.

Mentorship, while a big commitment, brings far-reaching rewards, the founders of Forerunner say. By investing time in a young man, mentors really are helping to build a stronger community, Garza says.

“Our goal is for mentors to invest in the students of Lake Highlands, so they can go out and change the destinies of their children and future generations. We hope the cycle of fatherlessness will end with each child we invest in.”

—Christina Hughes Babb LEARN MORE about mentorship at forerunnermentoring.com.

“Out of 65 kids on the [football team], half of them came from homes without a male figure in the home.”

to advertise call 214.560.4203

education GUIDE

SCOFIELD CHRISTIAN SCHOOL

3K through Grade 6 / 214.349.6843 / scofieldchristian.org

WHITE ROCK NORTH SCHOOL

9727 White Rock Trail Dallas / 214.348.7410 / WhiteRockNorthSchool. com.

people

Lake Highlands’ own Pete Grieder has been named RISD Head Coach of the Year. Not Wrestling Coach of the Year — Coach of the Year. Grieder, a member of the Texas Wrestling Hall of Fame, is set to begin his 27th year as head coach of the Wildcats. While there, he has led his squad to a district championship 20 times.

James Kohn, chief of surgery and director of the Wound and Vein Center of Doctors Hospital at White Rock Lake, was voted Instructor of the Year by Naaman Forest High School students. The Garland school has partnered with the hospital for nearly 20 years to give students a taste of medical professions.

SPANISH HOUSE

5740 Prospect Ave. Dallas / 214.826.4410 / DallasSpanishHouse.com

ZION LUTHERAN SCHOOL

6121 E. Lovers Ln. Dallas / 214.363.1630/ ziondallas. org

Alfonso Cevola, a Lake Highlands resident who writes the On the Wine Trail in Italy blog, won this year’s award for best single subject blog, one of The Wine Blog Awards announced in August. Read his work at acevola.blogspot.com.

education

The Wildcat Club recently redesigned its website, lhwildcatclub.org. The new site makes navigation and participation quick and easy. You can pay wildcat dues online ($25), and you can contact board members if you have content to contribute. The Wildcat Club is particularly looking for photos and stories about junior high athletic events.

ST. CHRISTOPHER’S MONTESSORI SCHOOL

7900 Lovers Ln. / 214.363.9391 stchristophersmontessori.com

Dr. Shailendra Thomas is now the head of Scofield Christian School. Thomas’ previous experience includes work at Oak Cliff Bible Fellowship, Fellowship Christian Academy and Association of Christian Schools International.

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.

ST. JOHN’S EPISCOPAL

SCHOOL

848 Harter Rd., Dallas 75218 / 214.328.9131 / stjohnsschool.org

BAPTIST

FOREST MEADOW / 9150 Church Rd. / Welcoming the mosaic of cultures living in our neighborhoods / www.fmbcdallas.org

Worship 10:50 / Bible Study 9:30 / Tim Ahlen, Pastor / 214.341.9555

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 & 11:00 am

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

BIBLE CHURCHES

GRACE BIBLE CHURCH / 11306 Inwood Rd. / gracebiblechurch.org

Trunk or Treat, Sat., Oct. 27, 5 - 7 pm

A fun-filled Halloween alternative for the whole family!

NORTH HIGHLANDS BIBLE CHURCH / www.nhbc.net

Sunday: Lifequest (all ages) 9:00 am / Worship 10:30 am

Wed: Student Ministry 7:00 pm / 9626 Church Road / 214.348.9697

DISCIPLES OF CHRIST

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

EAST 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

LUTHERAN

CENTRAL LUTHERAN CHURCH, ELCA / 1000 Easton Road

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

Pastor Rich Pounds / CentralLutheran.org / 214.327.2222

FIRST UNITED LUTHERAN CHURCH / 6202 E Mockingbird Ln.

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

ZION LUTHERAN CHURCH & SCHOOL / 6121 E Lovers Ln.

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

METHODIST

LAKE HIGHLANDS UMC / 9015 Plano Rd. / 214.348.6600 / lhumc.com

9:30 – Sunday School / 10:30 – Fellowship Time

10:50 – Traditional & Contemporary Worship

NON-DENOMINATIONAL

LAKE HIGHLANDS CHURCH / 9919 McCree / 214.348.0460

Sun: Assemblies 8:45 & 11:30, Classes 10:10, Coffee 11:10

Home groups meet on weeknights. / lakehighlandschurch.org

SHORELINE DALLAS CHURCH / 5321 E. Mockingbird Lane ShorelineDallas.com / 469.227.0471 / Pastor Earl McClellan

Everyone’s Welcome at 9:15am / Children’s & Youth Ministry

PRESBYTERIAN

KING’S PARISH ASSOCIATE REFORMED PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH

kingsparish.com / Rev. David Winburne / Worship at 10:00 am

Meets at Ridgewood Park Rec Center / 469.600.3303

LAKE HIGHLANDS PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH / 214.348.2133

8525 Audelia Road at NW Hwy. / www.lhpres.org

9:00 am Contemporary, 9:55 am Christian Ed., 11:00 am Traditional

NORTHPARK PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH / 214.363.5457

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

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

UNITY

UNITY 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

DIVIDING OURSELVES IN GOD’S NAME

How can we say we’re one nation, indivisible?

When preachers start meddling in politics, they rightfully venture with trepidation. The principle of church-state separation should give us pause, but the line is hardly straight and there is also error in not venturing.

Religion touches the entirety of life, of which politics is one part. Church-state separation does not mean separation of God and government or religious convictions from public policy. It means people are free to practice their faith without interference from government, that government shall make no laws to favor or disfavor religion, and that religious groups may not endorse parties or candidates and at the same time retain their tax-exempt status — which presumes principled but not partisan advocacy.

With that then, this: Since many these days think government should be run more like a business, my question is, which business? A friend of mine is the managing principal of a local firm that is highly profitable and at the same time voted one of the best companies to work for in Dallas. Their three operating values are worth considering for government, too.

One, institutional excellence. It’s long past time we reject the axiom “close enough for government work.” Good government should mean well-managed, wellworked and well-accounted government. How government works is as important as whether government works. Taxpayers are shareholders in government. They pay for public business to be conducted on their behalf. Whatever size government you want, you want excellence. And if you have excellent government, the debate over size is less rancorous.

Two, entrepreneurial attitude. Businesses thrive when they look for better ways to do things. Sometimes that involves risk that government cannot afford to take with taxpayers’ money. For example, cities have gone broke recently because they invested

money from public employee pension funds in high-risk mortgage-backed securities. That’s not entrepreneurial; it’s foolish. But government should pilot new approaches. It should modernize technology to be more efficient at delivering services to citizens. It should not become complacent just doing the same thing again and again, expecting different results.

Three, and most important, the Golden Rule. My friend’s company operates with a corporate credo that says that everyone who works there — from the owners to the custodians — should be treated the way investors would expect to be treated. As a result, they provide the same benefit plans for health care, disability and life insurance, and retirement funding for all employees. This isn’t socialism; owners and managers still make more than rankand-file employees, and owners still make unmandated decisions for their company. But they ask themselves how they would want to be treated if they were in another’s position.

The Golden Rule says, “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.” Every religion has its own variation on this that amounts to the same ethical standard.

Some people will vote this fall based on their religious convictions about issues like abortion, gay marriage and the freedom of religious institutions to opt out of government mandates that violate their moral convictions. Well and good, regardless of what side you are on. But demonizing neighbors of opposite viewpoints, demeaning the wealthy or poor for being wealthy or poor, or voting only for “people like us” violates the Golden Rule principle of public faith.

We will be “one nation under God indivisible” when we stop dividing ourselves in the name of God. We are a diverse people politically, but under God we are the same — sinners all, striving together to benefit all.

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.

BUSINESS BUZZ

The lowdown on what’s up with neighborhood businesses

Send business news tips to LIVELOCAL@ADVOCATEMAG.COM

LH couple brings photo booth — and smiles — to the party

With a call or a click, Lake Highlands residents Robyn and Brent Parrott bring their Face-IT Foto Booth to your wedding, school carnival or other special event to get the party started. The booth comes with fun props and costume pieces, and the idea is to get the guests out of their seats, making friends (and silly faces). Party guests walk away with a copy of their pics, but photos will also be given to the bride and groom or the party host, and a memory book can be created for the host to keep. Robyn admits they got the idea from their daughter, Brynn, a 2006 LHHS grad. Brynn works in the event planning industry and says photo booths are all the rage at everything from fancy charity shin-digs to outdoor barbecues. It seems that folks like to mug for the camera, especially if they are wearing a fake mustache and a feather boa.

Bicycle Café to reopen as Lake House

The former café, located at Northwest Highway and West Lawther, is expected to open as Lake House in mid to late November, says John Schmitz who along with business partner Eric Paulsen bought the place after Armando Guerro, who operated the Bicycle Café for less than six months, put it up for sale last June. The new owners promise a menu that is a step above your typical bar’s, a wide selection of beers and signature drinks and a weekend brunch like no other.

Undeveloped land south of NorthPark to become senior housing

GET IN CONTACT

Face-IT Foto Booth

214.263.5178

FACEITFOTOBOOTH.COM

Buckner International

600 N. PEARL 214.758.8000 BUCKNER.ORG

Urban Spools

718 N. BUCKNER 214.810.1176

URBANSPOOLS.COM

Alfonso’s Italian Restaurant

718 N. BUCKNER 214.327.7777

ALFONSOSITALIAN RESTAURANT.COM

Healing Hands Ministries 214.221.0855

HEALINGHANDSDALLAS.ORG

WingSpan Theatre 214.675.6573

Tax Tip

Tapping into your retirement?

cpa

More business bits

more

Buckner International has acquired the three-acre tract of undeveloped land on the southwest corner of Northwest Highway and Central Expressway with plans to build senior housing. The nonprofit Christian ministry runs orphanages and other senior communities in the area. The land, located just south of NorthPark Center, is the last remnant of the old Caruth family farm, settled in the 1800s.

business buzz every week on

1 Urban Spools opened a sewing lounge on North Buckner in the Lake Highlands Village shopping center and is now offering sewing classes and holding a Friday night stitching club. 2 Alfonso’s Italian restaurant, also in Lake Highlands Village, celebrates 30 years in business this month. On Monday and Tuesday, Oct. 1 and 2, owner Pete Columbo will roll back the prices to his original 1982 menu. 3 After five years inside a medical office strip at Skillman near Church, Healing Hands Ministries clinic is moving to a larger facility at Greenville and Royal. The new facilities are expected to open next April. 4 WingSpan Theatre Company, which performs regularly at the Bath House Cultural Center, is celebrating its 15th anniversary.

6500 East Mockingbird #100 Dallas, TX 75214 Over 30 products to help fit your needs AUTO HOME BUSINESS LIFE SERVING LAKE HIGHLANDS FOR THE PAST DECADE Kelly Harris Agency 214.821.9687 Shop Lake Highlands 214 - 221- 0011 Dallas WE ALSO OFFER COPY/FAX/SCAN/BINDING SHOP IN STORE FOR SCHOOL/OFFICE SUPPLES, or online at myofficeLH.com FAX: 214-221-1119 | INFO@MYOFFICELH.COM VISIT US AT OUR NEW LOCATION: 6301 Gaston Avenue, Suite 800 214-821-0829 CPA

Elementary, my dears

These utterly adorable kindergartners — Luke Shahan, Josh Brown, Katie Basden, John Gorman and John Medaris — have been friends since they were babies, Lake Highlands mom Alison Brown tells us. She snapped this pic on the kids’ last big play date before they branched off to five separate Lake Highlands area elementary schools. It’s this kind of friendship that makes Lake Highlands the best place to live in Dallas, she says.

Hail the graduates

Students and volunteers celebrated the completion of the summer life skills class held by the DFW International Community Alliance at Audelia Road Library. More than 480 people signed up for the citizenship classes, and some students traveled weekly an hour or longer to attend.

BBULLETIN BOARD

CLASSES/TUTORING/ LESSONS

ART: Draw or Paint. All Levels. Lake Highlands N. Rec. Ctr. Jane Cross, 214-534-6829. Linda, 214-808-4919.

ARTISTIC GATHERINGS

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

DRUM & PIANO LESSONS Your location. UNT Grads. Betty & Bill See: buchermusicschool.com on Facebook 469-831-7012

LEARN GUITAR OR PIANO Beginner Drums. Fun/Easy. Your Home. UNT Music Grad. Larry 469-358-8784

LOCAL TEACHER WHO TUTORS Algebra 2, Pre Cal, Calculus. Your Home/Mine. Melissa-MS. 817-988-0202

TUTORING All Subjects. Elem-middle School. Algebra 1, Dmath. Your Home. 25 + Yrs. Dr. J. 214-535-6594. vsjams@att.net

TUTORING Reading/Writing. All Grades. Master’s/10 Yrs Exp. Your Home. 214-515-5502. lissastewartjobs@hotmail.com

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

AIRLINE CAREERS Begin Here. Become an Aviation Maintenance Tech. FAA Approved. Training. Financial Aid, if qualified. Housing available. Job placement assistance. AIM 866-453-6204

BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES

214.560.4203 TO ADVERTISE NOVEMBER DEADLINE OCTOBER 10

I’M LOOKING FOR A PART-TIME ASSISTANT Must be a Go Getter. Computer Wiz. Call BJ Ellis 214-226-9875

SERVICES FOR YOU

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

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

DINO LIMO Yours For All Special Occasions,Casino Trips. 40 Yrs Exp. dino-avantilimousines.com. 214-682-9100

SIGNS: Nameplates, Badges, Office, Braille. A&G Engraving. 214-324-1992. getasign@att.net agengraving.vpweb.com

PROFESSIONAL SERVICES

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

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

Call C.A.S. Bookkeeping Services. Cindy 214-821-6903

ESTATE/PROBATE MATTERS Because every family needs a

HOME ORGANIZING & Senior Moving Plans/Solutions. Refs avail. Donna 860-710-3323 DHJ0807@aol.com. $30 hr.

TRANSLATIONS English, Spanish, & French at affordable rates. LenguaTutoringAndTranslation@yahoo.com or 214-331-7200.

SUBMIT YOUR PHOTO. Email a jpeg to editor@advocatemag.com.

Barbecue beginnings

The Exchange Club of Lake Highlands held its annual Lake Highlands High School pre-season football kickoff dinner at Back Country Bar-B-Q. Head Football Coach and Athletic Director Scott Smith and his assistants presented team captains — Reggie Marshall, John Garza and Ben Laurent — and rallied fans. This year’s big schedule change, Smith notes: JJ Pearce High School moved back up to 5A, and the Wildcats again are able to play all the other RISD schools. Dallas City Councilman and former Bell Boy Jerry Allen (center) introduced the LHHS Bell Boys for 2012-2013: Zach Kissentamer, Jackson Borg, Blake Lueder and Luke Gholston.

Making a splash

The Lake Highlands Town Center site was abuzz with more than 1,000 neighbors when Lake Highlands United Methodist Church hosted a community-wide event: Back to School Splash. The concert and carnival honored LH area schools, teachers, principals and PTAs and benefited Feed Lake Highlands. Pictured on the left are Osotator, Osaza and Etinosa Osawemwenze, and on the right are Natalie Duval and Ada Grace Ross.

TO ADVERTISE CALL 214.560.4203

PROFESSIONAL SERVICES

Website Design Flash Demos

Graphic Design

RibbitMultimedia .com

214.560.4207

MIND, BODY

& SPIRIT

LYONS FITNESS & STRENGTH 469-744-3214

Personal Training at a Private Studio in East Dallas.

PETS

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

PETS

BULLETIN BOARD

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

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

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

ESTATE/GARAGE

SALES

CLUTTERBLASTERS-ESTATE/MOVING SALES

De-Clutter/Organize www.ClutterBlasters.com

Donna@ClutterBlasters.com 972-679-3100

ESTATE SALES & LIQUIDATION SERVICES

Dallas’ First Doggie Daycare Featuring “Open Play” Boarding 6444 E. Mockingbird at Abrams 214.560.4203

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

TO ADVERTISE

AC & HEAT

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

DVO HEATING & AIR Sales, Service, Repair

TACLA26823E Mr. Vargas 214-460-3239

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

LAKEWOOD HEAT & AIR Servicing Dallas

20+ years. 214-682-3822 TACLA28061E

S&E A/C & HEATING, LLC 214.912.7900

Half off svc fee w/repair. 10% off repair w/ maintenance pkg. Res/Com. #TACLA00029455E se-ac-heat.com BBB approved CCs Accepted

APPLIANCE REPAIR

Serving your Neighborhood Since 1993 asher/Dryers

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

CARPENTRY & REMODELING

redoguys.com 214 / 803. 4774 ooms Ki ov s

469-951-2948

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

LAST MINUTE House Cleaning. When no one else will clean I will. Bonded. Leslee 214-438-7790

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

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

TACLA28514E American GENERAL CONTRACTOR

Air Conditioning & Heating Sales, Service, All Brands ONE SOURCE — ALL YOUR NEEDS 214-350-0800

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

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

KITCHEN AND BATHROOM SPECIALISTS

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

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

Crest,

At 0% FINANCING AVAILABLE

O’BRIEN GROUP INC. Professional Home Remodel. Shannon O’Brien. 214-341-1448 www.obriengroupinc.com

PREVIEW CONSTRUCTION INC. James Hardie Cement Siding. Energy Star Windows. Kitchens-Baths-Additions & More. 214-348-3836. See Photo Gallery at: www.previewconstruction.com

SQUARE NAIL WOODWORKING

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

THE CLIENT’S CONTRACTOR www.CuttingEdgeRenovationsLLC.com

Residential Commercial Construction Remodel Cleans make-readys windows carpet

$25.00 Off – 1st Full Detail Clean Complimentary quotes! lecleandallas.com

214.750.4888 20 years in business!

BRIAN GREAM RENOVATIONS LLC

PayPal ®

214.542.6214

BRIANGREAM@YAHOO.COM

972-216-1961

APPLIANCE REPAIR

APPLIANCE REPAIR SPECIALIST

Repair, Sales. 214-321-4228

JESSE’S A/C & APPLIANCE SERVICE

TACLB13304C All Makes/Models. 214-660-8898

longinodevelopment.com

BLUE RIBBON Heating & Air Conditioning 214-823-8888 LIC.# TACLB28522E Best Service Best Prices $25 Service Call or AC check with this ad. First time customers only. Regular business hours only, restrictions apply. NOV. DEADLINE OCT. 10 214.560.4203 TO ADVERTISE

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

Hardware/Software. Network. 20 yrs exp. Great Rates! Keith 214-295-6367

IQUEUE MEDIA COMPANY 214-478-8644 TV Installation, Computer Repair, Security.

CONCRETE/ MASONRY/PAVING

Don 214-704-1722

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

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

CONCRETE/ MASONRY/PAVING

CONCRETE REPAIRS/REPOURS Demo existing.

Driveways/Patio/Walks

Pattern/Color available

972-672-5359 (32 yrs.)

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

ELECTRICAL SERVICE

LIC#17141

PC ELECTRIC

EXTERIOR CLEANING

FLOORING & CARPETING

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

New/Remodel. Res/Com. Int/Ext. Refin. 15 Yrs. TheConcreteStudio.com 214-321-1575

Jim Crittendon, 214-821-6593

WILLEFORD HARDWOOD FLOORS

GLASS, WINDOWS & DOORS

THERASA’S SPECIALTIES Creates Unique Custom Window Treatments: Drapes, Valances, Cornice Boards, Roman Shades & More 972-271-6484 To Schedule Free In Home Estimate.

Energy-Efficient Windows Quality Workmanship, Quality Materials, Reasonable Prices, since 1987 214.319.8400 fosterexteriors.com

Swimming Pool Remodels Patios Stone work Stamp Concrete 972-727-2727

Deckoart.com

ELECTRICAL SERVICE

ANTHONY’S ELECTRIC Master Electrician. TECL24948 anthonyselectricofdallas.com

Family Owned/Operated. Insd. 214-328-1333

DIRECT ELECTRIC Inc. New, remodel, res/com. Insured. Call 214-566-8888. Lic # TECL27551

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

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

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

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

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

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

’07,

BLOUNTS HAULING/TRASH SERVICE blountsjunkremovaldfw.com

1350 N. Buckner Suite 216

214-275-5727

FENCING & DECKS

Est. ‘91. 214-692-1991 www.cowboyfenceandiron.com

Call Mike 214-507-9322 Specializing in Wood, New or Repair.

Fences, Gates, Decks. Haven 214-327-0560

AMBASSADOR FENCE INC.

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

20 Year Warranty! Decks, Fences, Pergolas 214-435-9574

CREATIVE METAL SOLUTIONS LLC

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

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

Decks, Arbors, Fences, Patio Covers Trex Decking & Fencing.

STEEL SALVATION Metal Art, Unique Crosses, Funky Fire Pits. steelsalvation.com

Custom Marble Install. 214-779-3842

Restoration Flooring

HOURS: M-F 8:30a-5p

es

Hardwood Installation · Hand Scraping Sand & Finish · Dustless restorationflooring.net

469.774.3147

Taking pride in our work

since 1975

WHITE ROCK FLOORS Hardwoods New/Refurbished Ceramic Tile

25+ Years Experience wrfloors@sbcglobal.net

Old fashioned work ethic.

214-293-7039

FOUNDATION

premium quality custom shower doors & enclosures 214-530-5483 showerdoordallas.com

HANDYMAN SERVICES

A HELPING HAND No Job Too Small. We do it all. Repairs /Redos. Chris. 214-693-0678

Electrical, Plumbing, Painting, Fencing, Roofing, Light Hauling. Ron or Gary 214-861-7569, 469-878-8044

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

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

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

#1

EST. 1991

COWBOY

FENCE & IRON CO

Local Resident 40+Yrs. 214-283-4673 214.692.1991

SPECIALIZING IN Wood Fences &Auto Gates

cowboyfenceandiron.com

FIREPLACE SERVICE

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

FLOORING & CARPETING

Complete Hardwood Flooring Services

CUTTING EDGE FLOORING Hardwoods, Carpet, Tile. New/Repair. 972-822-7501

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

972-288-3797

We Answer Our Phones

GARAGE DOORS

972-672-0848 TexasGaragePros.com 20% off with “Advocate Magazine”

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

UNITED GARAGE DOORS AND GATES Res/Com. Locally Owned.214-826-8096

GLASS, WINDOWS & DOORS

Expert Window Cleaning. Haven 214-327-0560

CLEARWINDOWSANDDOORS.COM

Replacement Windows & Doors Free Estimate 214-274-5864

FRAME RIGHT All Honey-Dos/Jobs. Crown mold install $125/rm. Licensed. Matt 469-867-9029

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

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

HARGRAVE CONSTRUCTION Kitchen, Bath, Doors, Tile & Handyman Services. 214-215-9266

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

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

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

TW SERVICES Home Repairs and Yard Care. Contact 214-531-1897

Allen’s Handyman & Home Repair 214-288-4232

Your Home Repair Specialists

Drywall Doors

Specializing in Replacement Windows & Doors. Dan Cupp 972-742-6011 cuppdw@pella.com

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

Senior Safety Carpentry

Small & Odd Jobs And More! 972-308-6035 HandymanMatters.com/dallas

Bonded & Insured. Locally owned & operated.

HOLIDAY DECORATING

CHRISTMAS LIGHTS

Installation & Removal Lights & Materials Provided Affordable & Reliable Free Estimates Insured Military Veteran Owned & Operated 214-295-6630

HOUSE PAINTING

Painting · Remodeling

214-870-3939

www.amistadcsc.com

NAT-90143-1

BRIAN GREAM

PAINTING & RENOVATIONS LLC

PayPal ®

214.542.6214

WWW.BGRONTHEWEB.COM

BRIANGREAM@YAHOO.COM

HOUSE PAINTING

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

#1 GET MORE PAY LES

Painting 85% Referrals Free Est 214-348-5070

A + INT/EXT PAINT & DRYWALL

Since 1977 Kirk Evans 972-672-4681

A QUALITY PAINTING SERVICE

Interior & exterior plus small repairs

First two gallons free! 214-824-6112

A TONY’S PAINTING SERVICE Interior & Exterior 972-234-0770 mobile 214-755-2700

ABRAHAM PAINT SERVICE A Women Owned

Business 25 Yrs Int/Ext Wall Reprs Discounts

On Whole Interiors and Exteriors 214-682-1541

ALL TYPES Painting & Repairs A+ BBB rating Small jobs welcome Call Kenny 214-321-7000

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

BLAKE CONSTRUCTION CONCEPTS, LLC

Complete Painting Interior/Exterior, Stain Etc Custom Finishes, Custom Texture, Custom Trim www blake-construction com

Fully Bonded & Insured 214-563-5035

RAMON’S INT/EXT PAINT

Sheetrock, Repairs 214-679-4513

TOP COAT Professional Reliable References

TopCoatOfTexas com 214-770-2863

VIP PAINTING & DRYWALL Int/Ext

Sheetrock Repair, Resurfacing Tubs, Counters, Tile Repairs 972-613-2585

WHITE ROCK PAINT & REMODEL

References Mark Reindel 214-321-5280

ADVOCATE PUBLISHING does not pre-screen, recommend or investigate the advertisements and/ or Advertisers published in our magazines As a result, Advocate Publishing is not responsible for your dealings with any Advertiser Please ask each Advertiser that you contact to show you the necessary licenses and/or permits required to perform the work you are requesting Advocate Publishing takes comments and/or complaints about Advertisers seriously, and we do not publish advertisements that we know are inaccurate, misleading and/or do not live up to the standards set by our publications If you have a legitimate complaint or positive comment about an Advertiser, please contact us at 214-5604203 Advocate Publishing recommends that you ask for and check references from each Advertiser that you contact, and we recommend that you obtain a written statement of work to be completed, and the price to be charged, prior to approving any work or providing an Advertiser with any deposit for work to be completed

INTERIOR DESIGN

A LADY’S TOUCH WALLPAPERING Free Estimates 972-832-3396

CUSTOM DRAPERY Window Treatments, Blinds,Shades,Upholstery Designer Workroom 15% seniors & New Homeowners Linda 214-212-8058 dblinda86@msn com

FURNITURE PAINTING Tired of old Kitchen or Bathroom Cabinets Let us make them over in a hot new paint treatment Jamie or Kay 214-773-7221

TLC DESIGN INC.Remodeling Interiors tlcdi.com

Local & national No budget limits 972-922-6483

YOUR DREAM HOME COME TRUE! Exp’d Design Pro Call Carolyn 214-363-0747

KITCHEN/BATH/ TILE/GROUT

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

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

BLAKE CONSTRUCTION CONCEPTS LLC

Complete Kitchen And Bath Remodels Tile, Granite, Marble, Travertine, Slate Bonded And Insured 214-563-5035 www blake-construction com

BRIAN WARD STONE & TILE 972-989-9899

LH Dad & Firefighter 12 years of Tile Experience

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

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

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

LAWNS, GARDENS & TREES

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

A&B LANDSCAPING Full Lawn Care, Landscaping, Tree Trimming, Fireplaces & Stonework

Lic #0283917- Degreed Horticulturist 214-534-3816

ADVANCED TREE SERVICE

Quality Tree Trimming & Removal 214-455-2095

ALTON MARTIN LANDSCAPING Spectacular

Curbside Appeal! Excellent refs 214-760-0825

ARBOR WIZARDS Professionals, Experts, Artists

Trim Rmv Cable Repair Cavity-Fill Stump Grind Emergency Hazards Insd Free Est 972-803-6313

AYALA’S LANDSCAPING SERVICE

Call the Land Expert Today! Insured 214-773-4781

BLOUNTS TREE SERVICE Spring Special 20% Off Tree Work 45 yrs exp Insured blountssodinstallation com 214-275-5727

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

CHUPIK TREE SERVICE

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

Quality Service with a Personal Touch

Lawn Service & Landscape Installation

GREENSKEEPER Fall Clean Up & Color

Sodding, Fertilization Lawn Maintenance & Landscape Res/Com 214-546-8846

HOLMAN IRRIGATION

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

White Rock Landscaping 214-415-8434

ORTIZ LAWNCARE Complete Yard Care Service by Felipe Free Est 214-215-3599

RONS LAWN Organic Solutions

Not Environmental Pollution Landscape & Maintenance 972-222-LAWN (5296)

SPRINKLERS, LANDSCAPING, Stone Work, Drainage Installed and Repaired Call Kevin at 214-535-3352,Lic#7840

www bigdirrigation com

TAYLOR MADE IRRIGATION

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

THE POND MAN Water Gardens

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

TREE WIZARDS Trim Surgery Removal

15 Yrs Exp Insured Free Est 214-680-5885

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

www TexasXeriscapes com 469-586-9054

WE’LL GIVE YOU THE YARD You Want Dynam

MOVING

»» NOW AVAILABLE «« Office Showroom/Dead Storage

500Sf -10,000Sf

10840 Sanden Dr (Miller Plano Rd), Dallas Call Ian Russell 214.213.9299

PEST CONTROL

A BETTER EARTH PEST CONTROL

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

McDANIEL PEST CONTROL

Prices Start at $85 +Tax for General Treatment

Average Home, Interior, Exterior & Attached Garage Quotes for Other Services 214-328-2847

Lakewood Resident

PLUMBING

# M37740 Insured. Any plumbing issues. 24 Hours/7 Days. plumberiffic@yahoo.com

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

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

BLOUNTS PLUMBING REPAIR Rebuild or Replace. 45 yrs exp. Insured. 214-275-5727

JUSTIN’S PLUMBING SERVICE

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

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

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

Slab Leak Specialists – inquire about reroute instead of jackhammering All Plumbing Repairs Licensed/Insured 214-727-4040

ML-M36843

POOLS

ADAIR POOL & SPA SERVICE

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

Dependable repairs. Pool Electrical TICL #550

MICHAEL’S POOL SERVICE

Maintenance & Repair 214-727-7650

LEAFCHASER’S POOL SERVICE

Parts and Service. Chemicals and Repairs.

Jonathan Mossman FREE ESTIMATES 214-729-3311

ROOFING & GUTTERS

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

A+ BBB RATED ROOFING CO. Ehlers Roofing. New/Repairs. 214-699-8093. Est. 1960

Re-Roofing/Repairs/Green Options. Free Estimates. www.guarantyroof.com NATIONWIDE ROOFING,FENCING,GUTTERS A

and

to DALLAS, TEXAS

For the Girl Scouts’ Centennial Exhibition at the 2012 State Fair of Texas in the historic Hall of State!

Indulge in a Fried Samoa, be part of a virtual camp, walk through a life-sized cookie box and be amazed by 100 years of Girl Scouting!

AFTER BEING ROBBED AT GUNPOINT, HE BOUGHT A GUN.

Michael Yearout remembers the crime vividly. A few years ago, he was going to visit his girlfriend’s apartment. He approached the gate to enter her apartment complex and found it was locked. As he walked to another gate, a man began to follow. As Yearout approached the second gate, he felt a gun in his back and turned around.

“He had a gun in my face and asked for all my money,” Yearout says.

He was terrified, and quickly complied.

The Victim: Michael Yearout

The Crime: Burglary of a motor vehicle

Date: Sunday, August 26

Time: Between 7 p.m. and 6:40 a.m.

Location: 10700 block of Longmeadow

Yearout was determined to try and not to be a victim again if he could help it. He now has a concealed and carry firearm permit and keeps a pistol in his glove box for protection. Unfortunately, his truck recently was broken into, and his pistol was

stolen. The thief also made off with a camera and GPS. He is not sure how the thief got into his truck, but it is another frustrating instance of crime and a costly loss.

Dallas Police Sgt. Keitric Jones of the Northeast Patrol Division says that all property including guns can be identified if residents have the serial number. Keeping information like this can be of great help to police.

“If pawned, this is how the department knows that guns have been stolen and can possibly return the weapons to the rightful owners,” Jones says.

And if ever in the situation Yearout found himself in — with a gun in your face and demands for your money — Jones instructs neighbors to always comply.

“Property is not worth your life. Stay calm and get as much information as possible, such as height, weight, skin color, facial hair, vehicle description, and anything that would be helpful in identifying the robbery suspect.”

| CRIME NUMBERS |

9000

statefair girlscouts.com

Block of Skillman where a man punched a woman in the left eye after pushing her out of a vehicle because he didn’t like the type of music she was playing

$600

Estimated value of the front glass door of Jason’s Deli on Greenville that was smashed on Sept. 11 after someone threw a large stone through it; the suspect also opened company mail and threw it all over the floor

53

Size, in inches, of the flat screen TV stolen from an apartment on the 9000 block of Royal Lane Aug. 9; the thief entered through the front door, ransacked the place and took Wii devices, a DVD player, shoes and clothes

SOURCE: Dallas Police Department crime statistics for July 10-Aug. 10

Sean Chaffin 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.

BUNGEES AND BEER

Oktoberfest is ramping up to be bigger and better than last year

COMMENT. Visit lakehighlands.advocatemag.com and search Oktoberfest to tell us what you think.

If you don’t know what a Eurobungee is, then you must have missed the inaugural Lake Highlands Oktoberfest last year.

Oktoberfest is the brainchild of Exchange Club members Tate Gorman and Adam Meierhofer. (Meierhofer is also our new LH school board representative.) The two guys have a history that goes back before they became LH residents — they were actually roommates at Austin College in Sherman (“Go fighting Kangaroos!” Meierhofer says ). Attracted by LH schools and the community, Meierhofer moved here first, and Gorman followed him. Gorman joined the Exchange Club first, and soon after Meierhofer joined, too.

weather in Dallas occurs in October, and when it comes to enthusiasm for beer and sausage, you can hardly tell the difference between a Texan and a German. On top of that, the brand new Watercrest Park at the Lake Highlands Town Center seemed to be begging for a big party.

There are no official numbers for last year’s attendance, but judging by the amount of food served and money collected for parking, Meierhofer estimates between 5,000 and 6,000 people attended the event. This year, he anticipates that number could double. Vendors such as Franconia Breweries, Kuby’s (sausage and wurst), The Grape (smoked pork), and Urban Crust (pizza) are ramping up to feed the multitude.

neighborhood activities, eateries and destinations within our boundaries that make it worth getting on a bike or strapping the kids into strollers and car seats.

Oktoberfest is possible only because of some recent changes: -

ter site is a result of City of Dallas TIF incentives, and Prescott Realty’s determination to make the Town Center a reality;

we couldn’t have had an Oktoberfest with beer;

Both families have young children in RISD elementary schools.

The club, which sponsors scholarships and other local causes, was looking for a new way to raise funds that would supplement their yearly auction and dinner each spring.

“We knew we wanted to do something outside,” Meierhofer says. “Something that would be family oriented and fun.”

As it happens, some of the best

Kid Zone activities will include bounce houses, an obstacle course and a petting zoo. Teens and adults will enjoy Bubble Runners (a kind of human hamster run) and the previously mentioned Eurobungee, which combines the height of a bungee cord with the bounce of a trampoline.

For patrons who prefer beer or Riesling to adrenaline, there is always the Biergarten, where TVs will be set to sports channels. Two polka bands and a Bavarian dance group will perform during the day, in rotation with local favorites like the LHHS cheerleaders and the Wranglers.

There will even be Oktoberfest After Dark — an extra few hours when the Kid Zone games will close down and the focus will move to music on the big stage.

The Eurobungee obviously excites me, but what excites me even more is how this Oktoberfest blends the new and the old in Lake Highlands. For years we have been craving more

outside of Lake Highlands, which attracts visitors who haven’t had any reason to come here before (attention, Realtors);

at the site, which will be an additional way to welcome visitors and make them aware of our future Town Center. Speaking of change, Watercrest Park won’t be an isolated greenway for much longer. Construction has begun on a five- story retail-apartment complex that will change the landscape. Kids who go to Oktoberfest this year will have fun remembering how the park looked before all the Town Center buildings were there.

This fall, we’re straddling the past and the future of Lake Highlands. That’s way more exciting than a Eurobungee.

THE SECOND ANNUAL LH OKTOBERFEST is scheduled for 11 a.m.-10 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 6, at the Lake Highlands Town Center, Walnut Hill and Skillman. Attendance is free, but proceeds from the parking charge ($5 per car) will benefit the Exchange Club’s causes. Organizers encourage attendees to bring blankets and chairs, but not pets. Entertainment will be paid for with tickets; an ATM trailer will be on-site. Visit lhoktoberfest.com for more details.

The Eurobungee obviously excites me, but what excites me even more is how this Oktoberfest blends the new and the old in Lake Highlands.

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