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BREAKING THE SPELL
Anna Pickett never saw herself as a playwright
Story by AUSTIN WOOD
Anna Pickett didn’t necessarily think she’d end up in theater, let alone playwriting.
Originally from Old Lake Highlands, Pickett recently wrapped up a run of her co-writing project, Spells of the Sea, at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington D.C.
She grew up in an artistic family — her mother is an artist and her father is an ardent fan of the stage. While she performed in school plays in her younger years and enjoyed musicals like Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat , it wasn’t until middle school that she really began thinking about the stage as a future.
“There was a theater troupe that would post whole musicals on YouTube that they created,” Pickett says. “And I got really into that in middle school, and a lot of my friends were really into it, and it kind of inspired me to want to do more theater. So me and my friends took the theater class, and I never really thought I’d be doing theater as a kid, but seeing that, I was like, ‘Oh, this is kind of fun.’”
Pickett eventually applied to Booker T. Washington High School for Performing and Visual Arts. Decidedly afraid of the stage, she says her anxiety “blacked out” her memories of her audition, which apparently went well enough to secure her admission. At Booker T., she immersed herself in all aspects of the theater program.
She took classes in acting, stage management and writing. Her main interest, however, was directing.
“We had a 10-minute play festival, and I submitted a play for that. I was like, ‘Oh, this is cool. I guess I could write. That’s neat.’ I never really thought of myself as a writer,” she says. “I wanted to mostly do directing when I was at Booker T., that was my ideal theater trajectory. There was a directing class I didn’t get into, so it was like, ‘Oh, well, I guess I’ll change gears.’”
Pickett attended the University of Texas at Austin after graduation. This is where she came into her own as a playwright. Interestingly enough, after her first few semesters, she switched her major from theater to education.
Despite the change in direction, her social circle still revolved around the theater. She couldn’t escape. Especially when her roommate, Guinevere “Gwenny” Govea, began writing musicals. Pickett was asked to direct Govea’s podcast musical, Spells of the Sea , as part of the Cohen New Works Festival in 2021. The podcast was a success, winning a B. Iden Payne Award for outstanding original script. Pickett was asked to help adapt the script for the big stage soon after.
“I never really was like, I’m gonna be a writer,” she says. “It just kind of so happened to cycle through where I kind of refound writing. And I was like, ‘wait, I do enjoy writing.’”
Pictured left to right, Gwenny Govea and Anna Pickett. Photography courtesy of Elman Studio.
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The original podcast ran close to two hours long and was not written with the constraints of the stage in mind. Pickett and Govea had to imagine where certain aspects might not work within the boundaries of a stage production, such as determining “maybe there can’t be a whole submarine on stage.”
She says the collaboration between her and Govea was a natural fit, albeit with some early bumps to smooth out.
“It’s been great. I mean, Gwenny is my best friend, and we were roommates in college, so it just kind of worked out,” Pickett says. “There’s a balance when you’re writing, especially because she’s the original story creator. I always would go to her and be like, ‘Can I do this in the script?’ And she’s like, ‘yes, go for it.’ So it took a second for us to find our footing, but we’ve really gotten into a groove.”
Spells of the Sea follows 15-year old Finley Frankfurter as she searches for a cure for the “Big Bad Sickness,” a terminal disease her father — the Fisher King —has contracted. Accompanied by a grumpy old lighthouse keeper named H.S. Crank, she sets out on an Odyssean quest to find the magical Elixir of Life and save her father. Along the way, the story explores themes of grief, confronting fears, self-belief and embracing emotions.
“One thing we write a lot about is the father-daughter relationship, and Gwenny and I are both very close with our dads,” she says. “Because her dad is sick, and so a lot of it, Gwenny originally wrote because of COVID anxieties with her dad. And so as we’ve been writing it, it’s kind of been like we’ve been writing it about that father-daughter relationship. So there’s a lot of things where I pull it from my real experiences with my dad.”
The show eventually found a stage home for a one month run at the Grandel Theater in St. Louis in 2023. The pair got help in finding a venue from one of their college professors who introduced them to the director of the theater, who was interested in including it during the theater’s 50th season.
Pickett says the St. Louis production has been the most rewarding stage of the process.
“There’s so many pictures of me and Gwenny crying. It was just amazing. Since Gwenny and I were both staying in St. Louis, we had gotten really close to this cast and crew. And so it kind of felt like a nice warm hug while we were doing it, because they took really good care of the show, but once you have it with an audience, it changes the game. Because it’s like, ‘Oh, we’re doing this, whatever. No big deal.’ But then for me, I forget just how big of a deal it is until the people are watching it, and then I’m like, ‘Oh my gosh, this is crazy. There are people that are hearing my work on stage.’”
After the run in St. Louis, the pair took the show to the Kennedy Center in D.C. in 2024. Spells of the Sea ran for eight days, from October 12-20.
At the Kennedy Center, Pickett and Govea were given the opportunity to work with accomplished actors including Grammy Award-nominee Brittany Mack.
“This cast was just amazing,” she says. “They’re so kind to us too, they were just a great cast. I was blown away by them. Every single night that we watched the shows, I cannot believe that they were doing this with us, but it was a real honor to not only be offered this opportunity to be produced at the Kennedy Center, but to work with such amazing people throughout this.”
The pair is currently looking for Spells of the Seas ’ next performance venue. She says they are also workshopping ideas for new musical productions — which could address a wider, older audience.
“We’ve really found our stride in working together. So yeah, we definitely plan on making more stuff.”
Pickett says one of the biggest challenges was adapting the podcast musical for the stage, especially with set design.
LOVE THY LAKE
For the Love of the Lake aims to protect one of Dallas’ most recognizable landmarks
Story by AUSTIN WOOD | Photography by TYLER ROBINSON
White Rock Lake is the beating heart of Lakewood, Casa Linda, Forest Hills and Lake Highlands.
Residents of surrounding neighborhoods use its trails, streams and parks to bike, jog, play pickleball, paddleboard and relax. Neighbors have grown to cherish the wildlife, and many hold special regard for the 1,015 acre lake that anchors the Dallas Park and Recreation system.
The Lake has also seen its fair share of ups and downs since its filling in 1911. From litter to neglect to drought to well-publicized spills courtesy of Collin County, locals have seen it take its fair share of blows.
For the Love of the Lake (FTLOTL) aims to preserve and protect this local landmark as it approaches into its 30th year of service in the area. The organization supports this mission through litter clean-ups, maintenance work and improvement projects.
The nonprofit was founded in 1996 as a more consistent, organizational alternative to the City of Dallas’ annual Trash Bashes. The annual events drew hundreds of residents to the park once a year to get rid of litter, which was far more prevalent than it is today.
“If you’ve ever been around the lake, you’ll know that that’s not enough, because then with every heavy rain, all of that litter just comes down all of the streams and tributaries and creeks, and it lands in White Rock Lake,” says administrative coordinator Gail Greenaway, the organization’s lone part-time employee. “So there was really one person. Marci Novack is the founder of the group, and she just gathered up some neighbors and friends and people who were concerned about the quality of the park and the lake, and said, ‘We got to do something.’”
That something turned into the Second Saturday Shoreline Spruce Up. Operating in agreement with Dallas Park and Recreation,
the monthly event brings together FTLOTL volunteers for a morning of litter pickup, tree trimming and other small improvement projects. Some longtime volunteers say the organization hasn’t missed a Saturday in close to three decades.
“All of our programs are very unique and different. And what I think is really cool is that you can volunteer in the capacity that you want to,” says FTLOTL President Elizabeth Sullivan. “Second Saturday is awesome, because if you can only make it out once a month, every six months, no problem. We’re always here every second Saturday for you. If you have more commitment, more capacity, maybe through your company, you adopt a shoreline, and you’re committing with your company to bring out eight to 10 people every month and really kind of getting in a little bit deeper then we talk about padillacs.”
With the Padillac program, experienced volunteers are given access to FTLOTL’s fleet of three kayaks and six canoes freeof-charge. The padillac rowers collect waste that on-shore volunteers would be otherwise unable to reach. In the past, rowers have pulled tires, shopping carts, car bumpers and TVs out of the Lake.
FTLOTL also collaborates with the Texas Stream Team to monitor water quality around the lake. Texas Stream Team volunteer water monitors undergo special training to learn how to collect water samples, assess bacteria levels and report data — data which was used to help the City of Dallas after the Collin County sewage spill last year.
“When that happened, we had to be really big advocates for the water when the water activities were closed, you don’t want to close the water activities,” Sullivan says. “You want those to continue, but we had to make sure that we communicated that and the Stream Team was out there testing the water just to make sure it’s safe.”
In addition to its volunteer programs, FTLOTL also organizes improvement projects around the Lake. Last year, the group put in scannable QR codes at mile markers around the Lake to help lost park goers. They have also organized a celebration tree grove where neighbors can donate to get a loved one’s name on a plaque in lieu of a tree planting.
FTLOTL plants one to two trees a year in the grove to collectively honor individuals listed on a plaque, since planting.
The organization’s upcoming project takes aim at ADA accessibility around the Lake. With donations from the Chi Omega Christmas Market and the Lakewood Garden Fund, FTLOTL has identified nine sites around the Lake which lack handicap accessibility. Funds are currently being dispersed for the project, which is expected to be completed in 2025.
“One of the problems that we had seen was that a lot of the park areas were not handicap accessible,” Sullivan says. “So what we did is we kind of did a survey with the City to see how many people in Dallas are handicapped, and how many of them are disabled that aren’t able to enjoy the park.”
FTLOTL will celebrate its 30th anniversary of custodianship next year. Looking ahead, organization leadership hopes to continue improvement projects and keep its Second Saturday streak alive. Sullivan says the organization is lucky to work in an area that loves the Lake as much as they do.
“I think that when people care this much, it’s instilled in the community, they keep coming back, and they keep coming back, which is so cool to see. I mean, one of our board members, he’s about my age, but the reason he’s on the board is because his mom was on the board. It really is something that legacy passes down. And when you build these giving back items in the community, people really keep coming back for it.”
HELLO, DUMPLING
The key to the perfect dumpling? Keep it simple.
Story by VARSHA JHANAK | Photography by AUSTIN MARC GRAF
Handmade dumplings come in batches of eight and can be ordered pan fried (PF) or boiled (B). Regular dumpings range from $9.50 to $11.
THE INDIAN SAMOSA. THE JAPANESE GYOZA. THE SPANISH EMPANADA. THE POLISH PIEROGI.
Although it is mainly known for its Chinese variant, many other cultures have their own dumplings.
“There’s no romantic notion that I wanted, but it evolved into something like that,” Hello Dumpling founder and owner June Chow says. “The business idea was [to make dumplings], but I drew from a passion, from a food that came from my childhood… I’ve said this numerous times that there’s dumplings in every single culture. It may not look like the Chinese dumpling, but it’s anything that’s encased in some sort of dough or something. People refer to children that are little dumplings or something that’s cute and warm and fuzzy. I think, in essence, it just makes people feel really comfortable and not intimidated. It’s not a foreign food because there are so many iterations of it globally.”
Chow was familiar with the restaurant business and the dumpling; her mother owned a Chinese restaurant when she was growing up. When discussing with her husband how they were going to put her two kids through college, she used her familiarity with running restaurants and her heritage to bring together Hello Dumpling.
Chow saw the need for good, authentic Chinese dumplings in East Dallas, she says. She opened her first location in 2017. Seven years later, her business is only growing.
Hello Dumpling’s menu is similar to a traditional Chinese dumpling house menu, where the options are few, but perfected. Chow makes her menu different by adding noodles, but the menu stays simple, with the dumplings and noodles being the menu’s backbone.
“If you look at my menu, it’s a very tight menu,” Chow says. “What differentiates my dumpling place from other places around here is that they do dumplings, but they do a variety of things. They’ve got all sorts of stir fried stuff, all sorts of other things, which I don’t. My idea is to show people that when you go and have dumplings, it’s not an appetizer, it is not something that you start with. You go and you actually have dumplings, that’s how I ate it.”
Chow always wanted to have multiple locations for her restaurant. In 2022, Chow brought Hello Dumpling to Lake Highlands, opening the Walnut Hill location. But she says her expansion is about more than just expanding her business: it’s about expanding the dish itself.
“It’s a very basic type of food and it could be consumed everywhere,” Chow says. “I would like to show people how broad the appeal is, how everybody just eats dumplings. I guess the goal is to really normalize it and make dumplings just another food. That’s what happened to pizza. Pizza was weird in the beginning and now nobody thinks of it like, ‘Oh my God, that is so strange and foreign.’ You go and eat a taco, I think it doesn’t matter who you are, you know what a taco is. Having those kinds of foods become a part of someone’s everyday preference. It just becomes like a routine that I’m gonna go with dumplings. It’s not something weird and foreign.”
When Chow was employing her original location, she wanted to reach out to the community. Through a friend,
she learned of the International Rescue Committee (IRC) and their employment placement program. Chow worked with the IRC and supported people from Myanmar, Guatemala, Mexico, Afghanistan and Indonesia.
“Being an immigrant, I see no specific difference between hiring someone who was born here or born there,” Chow says. “I just want to give an opportunity to someone who actually wants to work. Not everybody’s an asylum seeker or refugee, but many of [the employees] were. Everyone comes with an incredible drive to be productive in this country, but they don’t take it for granted.”
Chow aims to make Hello Dumpling not only a restaurant, but a safe space.
“I think the most rewarding part is to see joy on the faces of people,” Chow says. “It’s hard work. But, there are so many experiences that are so incredibly heartwarming. I’ve had so many experiences with people who have come in and they eat something and they go home feeling like they were fortified. We’re just not talking about nourishment [through the food], it’s really talking about something that they felt was given to them just in the space, the kind of food, something comforting and made them feel really good about eating. Whether it’s chatting with somebody at the restaurant or meeting other people. It brings me great joy when people say, ‘Oh my God, I feel so much better now’. That is intensely rewarding to me. It’s a safe zone.”
Hello Dumpling founder and owner June Chow.
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MUSIC TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD’S EARS
Meet the Dallas Symphony Orchestra member from our neighborhood
Story by AYSIA LANE | Photography by RAE OVERMAN
IN ITS 120 YEARRUN, THE DALLAS SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA (DSO) HAS BECOME THE LARGEST PERFORMING ARTS ORGANIZATION IN THE SOUTHWEST ,
THERE ARE 93 FULL-TIME MUSICIANS THAT ARE A PART OF THE DSO.
ONE IS OUR NEIGHBOR.
Stuart Stephenson, Principal TrumpetMerriman Park
HOW DID YOU END UP IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD?
I’m originally from the Northern Virginia area (right outside of Washington D.C.).
Before joining the Dallas Symphony, I was part of the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra for nine years. After winning the job with the DSO, my wife and I drove around much of the Dallas area and decided that this area would be a lot of fun, close to everything we might want to do, and had really cute neighborhoods.
WHY DID YOU CHOOSE THE TRUMPET?
I started in fifth grade, when everyone begins in band, and never looked back. I wasn’t necessarily drawn to the trumpet in the beginning, but my father used to play in high school and a bit in college and introduced me
to it a day or two before we had to choose instruments. So of course I chose the trumpet. My favorite thing about the trumpet is the attention it can command, and the versatility of it — from Baroque piccolo playing, to jazz and Latin music, to orchestral playing.
WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TO A YOUNG MUSICIAN?
Know that the road is not easy, even for the most talented. I would readily call myself not extremely talented, but I’ve worked hard to get to where I am. I’ve also been lucky – I’ve never had to fully embrace myself in the freelance culture and come from a family that supported me in my pursuits, both personally and financially.
There are so many great players out there all vying for the same jobs. Keep your head down and keep grinding away until you get to where you want to be.
WHAT DO YOU FEEL SEPARATES YOU FROM OTHER MUSICIANS?
One thing that I’ve always believed that has separated me has been my sound... now what exactly that is, I’m
not sure. I believe I also hold myself well, and sound like I always know what I’m doing — though there are plenty of times where that’s not the case. I also don’t have one set idea of how things should go, so I think my sound and approach are constantly evolving.
WHAT MOMENTS AND EXPERIENCES STAND OUT FROM YOUR TIME WITH THE DSO?
The applause that the trumpet section, or brass section receives when we stand at the end of a piece with great brass playing is hard to beat. Also, the Meyerson Symphony Center is a beautiful building to play in, both visually and sonically.
WHAT ABOUT YOUR MUSICAL CAREER ARE YOU MOST PROUD OF?
I’m most proud of my teaching. I teach students all throughout the country, and I love seeing those players do exciting things with their lives, be it winning auditions and landing jobs, or starting solo/chamber careers, or becoming fantastic teachers in their own rights.
This interview has been edited for clarity and brevity.
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Building a core
LHHS Head Basketball Coach Joe Duffield has built his State Championshipwinning program around five core values.
Story by AUSTIN WOOD | Photography by BRANDON GONZALEZ
Family. Work Ethic. Enthusiasm. Accountability. Appreciation.
These are the five “core values” that Lake Highlands High School Head Basketball Coach Joe Duffield has built his program around since stepping into the role in 2016. Since then, the Wildcats have made the playoffs in each of the last three seasons. Most notably, he led a squad headlined by top recruit Tre Johnson to a State Championship in 2023.
Duffield was born in Chicago but bounced around a good amount before ending up at Plano East Senior High School. Coaching piqued his interest while volunteering during his undergraduate years at Santa Clara University. Early in his career, the coach made a stop at LHHS under Head Coach Rob Wiley before heading off to his previous job as head coach at Vista Ridge High School in Austin.
Now going into his eighth season at the helm, Duffield is looking to build on the cultural foundation he’s created at LHHS. His team is going to play fast. They’re going to play hard-nosed defense. But most of all, he wants them to be unselfish.
As the Wildcats’ district slate gets underway, we caught up with the coach to find out more about his background, the culture he’s created and his vision for the 2024-25 season.
WHAT STICKS OUT TO YOU FROM YOUR DAYS PLAYING BASKETBALL?
Just the journey. The sort of life lessons the game teaches you — perseverance, hard work, how to be a part of a team, how to be a part of something bigger than yourself. I think those are all things that I carried with me from those athletic experiences that helped me just be a better person and get through things as an adult. And partly, probably a big reason why I’m a coach now is trying to share some of those same life lessons and just help people through the game of basketball.
DID YOU HAVE ANY IDEA YOU WOULD WANT TO COACH?
I kind of thought I wanted to go to law school and to be an attorney. That was kind of something I thought about in high school and early in college, but then I was doing some volunteer coaching on the side, and I
just have always had a real passion for the game of basketball, I love to watch it, love to play it, and just love to be in the gym and around the game. And so later on in college, I started thinking about getting into coaching.
HOW WAS YOUR FIRST STINT AT LHHS?
I was here coaching basketball and football, and part of a great staff. You know, guys like Scott Smith, who was the head football coach. Lonnie Jordan was the offensive coordinator, Jeff Smith was the defensive coordinator, both who are now athletic directors of big school districts. A lot of other great coaches on that staff and then the basketball staff was awesome too. I learned a lot from Rob Wiley, who was the head basketball coach here at the time. Just a great basketball mind. Always learning new things. Always adapting with the game and in really good with practice and players and just how he treated people. I learned a lot in those three years here, a lot of those coaches I looked up to, and were great role models and examples for me. And then after that, I really wanted to try to get a head coaching job, and I thought I’d have a better chance in Austin.
DID YOU HAVE ANY IDEA THAT YOU WOULD WIND UP BACK HERE?
We bought our first home here. Just loved the school, the community, the diversity and we always felt like it would be a good place to raise kids, but also had ambitions and goals as a coach to try to become a head coach one day. Didn’t think it would work out the way it did, but always knew this was a great job, and we had really poured ourselves into things down in Austin at Vista Ridge, and had kind of built something special down there. And so when the opportunity to come back came up, it was kind of hard to leave at that time, but this is also a place I knew was really special.
COMING
IN, WHAT KIND OF CULTURE DID YOU WANT TO CREATE HERE?
I really want our kids to buy into having a family atmosphere within the team and that’s something we’re big on, and we try to show them what that looks like on the court or in life through the game. So that was a big thing. You know, our other core values are super important to us. Work ethic, enthusiasm, accountability and appreciation. Those are our five.
WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE?
When official practice starts, we pick a
core value for the day. The first practice of the year is always going to be family. So we put a number on the board — we usually start with 20 — and we’ll put it up on visitor fouls. And as the practice goes on, when players do something that fits into that family core value, we take that number down. So, to me, family is about sacrifice. Family is about being there for somebody when they really need you, having somebody’s back. We want our kids to understand what that looks like on the court, and so to me, that’s taking a charge. That’s a big sacrifice. You’re sacrificing your body for the team. Could be a big change in momentum play, diving on the floor for a loose ball, all four guys sprinting over to help a guy up.
TELL ME ABOUT YOUR STATE CHAMPIONSHIP RUN.
It was really special, kind of surreal as it was going on. My staff was so amazing, and assistant coaches, just our relationships and everything we had been through up to that point, seeing that big dream realized and then those kids on that team. I mean, they really bought into what we were trying to be about. And they loved playing for the school and this community, and to see our community rally behind that team. I think they rallied behind them because they played the game the right way. They truly
loved and cared about each other, and you could see that when you watched them play. Those kids deserved it, they worked their tails off. I think a lot of people see kids, and they just think they’re talented, but every one of those kids on that team put in so much work every day and time after practice, time on the weekends, time away from here, working on their game and trying to be great.
WHAT SHOULD WE EXPECT FROM THIS YEAR’S SQUAD?
I think you’re going to kind of see the same things from this team that you’ve seen year in and year out. They’re going to be scrappy, they’re going to play really hard, they’re going to play an exciting style of basketball. They’re going to get up and down. We have a good mix of old players and some young, exciting players that are coming up. So I think it’s going to be a really fun season. I like where we’re at right now, and I have a good feeling about this, I think this team is going to be a team that’s going to get better as the year goes on. And I think our freshman class has a chance to be really special. There’s a lot of kids in that class that have played high-level basketball.
This interview has been edited for clarity and brevity.
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COMPUTERS & ELECTRONICS
CONFUSED? FRUSTRATED? Let a seasoned pro be the interface between you & that pesky Windows computer. Hardware/Software Installation, Troubleshooting, Training. $100/hr. 1 hr min. Dan 972-639-6413 / stykidan@sbcglobal.net
NEED HELP WITH YOUR COMPUTER, Smartphone or Smart Home? My Tech Guy Harvey. 214-770-2598. harveymccall@gmail.com.
CONCRETE/MASONRY/PAVING
ADVANCE STONE ART CREATIONS
Decorative Concrete Overlays. 214-705-5954
CONCRETE, Driveway Specialist Repairs, Replacement, Removal, References. Reasonable. Chris 214-770-5001
CONCRETE, RETAINING WALLS 25 yrs exp. T&M Construction, Inc. 214-328-6401
EDMONDSPAVING.COM Asphalt & Concrete Driveway-Sidewalk-Patio-Repair 214-957-3216
JOHNSON PAVING Concrete, Asphalt, Driveways. New or Repair. 214-827-1530
R&M Concrete
Concrete • Driveways Retaining Walls Stamped Concrete
ELECTRICAL SERVICES
BRIGHT LIGHT ELECTRIC • 214-553-5333 TECL 31347 Brightening Homes and Businesses
LAKEWOOD ELECTRICAL Local. Insured. Lic. #227509 Call Rylan 214-434-8735
TH ELECTRIC Reasonable Rates. Licensed & Insured. Ted. E257 214-808-3658
WHITE ROCK ELECTRIC All Electrical Services. Lic/Insd.TECL-34002 214-850-4891
ANTHONY’S ELECTRIC
Tecl #24948. Master Electrician Family Owned · Insured Anthonyselectricofdallas.com 214-328-1333
EMPLOYMENT
BENJAMINS PAINTING Hiring:18-26Yr.olds, Top Pay- Will Train. In Advocate since 2007. 214-725-6768
EXPERIENCED NANNY 2 months-6 Years Great References.15 Years Experience warconie@gmail.com. 469-987-2172
EXTERIOR CLEANING
G&G DEMOLITION Tear downs, Haul. Interior/Exterior. 214-808-8925
FENCING & DECKS
4 QUALITY FENCING • 214-507-9322 Specializing in Wood. YourWoodmaster.com
AMBASSADOR FENCE CO. Automatic Gates, Fences/Decks, Pergolas, Patio Covers, Arbors. AmbassadorFenceCo.com 214-621-3217
FENCING, ARBORS, DECKS oldgatefence.co 214-766-6422
LONESTARDECKS.COM 214-357-3975
Trex Decking & Fencing, trex.com All Wood Decks, Arbors & Patio Covers
HANNAH WOODWORKS • Decks • Pergolas • Patio Covers Hannahwoodworks.com 469-427-0058 or 214-435-9574
HASTINGS FLOORS Epoxy Garage Foors Many colors to choose (flakes optional) Call Nick for bid 214-341-5993 hastingsfloors.com
HARDWOOD INSTALLATIONS Waterproof, hardwood, carpets, tile laminate, & vinyl click. 214-440-6244 . aaa-texas-floors.com
FOR SALE
FOR SALE 6 pc Queen bedroom set (solid wood). Separately or together. Good Condition. $1200 for set. 956-645-1747
FOUNDATION REPAIR
• Slabs • Pier & Beam • Mud Jacking • Drainage • Free Estimates
Over 20 Years Exp.
GARAGE SERVICES
UNITED GARAGE DOORS AND GATES Res/Com. Locally Owned. 214-251-5428
GENERAL CONTACTING
A2H GENERAL CONTRACTING,LLC Remodel, Paint, Drywall/Texture, Plumbing. Electrical, Siding, Bathroom/Kitchen Remodels Tilling, Flooring, Fencing. 469-658-9163. Free Est. A2HGeneralContactingLLC@gmail.com
GLASS, WINDOWS & DOORS
LAKE HIGHLANDS GLASS & MIRROR frameless shower enclosures • store fronts replacement windows • mirrors 214-349-8160
ROCK GLASS CO Replace, Repair. Single, Double Panes. Showers, Mirrors. 214-837-7829
HANDYMAN SERVICES
BO HANDYMAN Specializing In Historic Home Renovations & Pro Remodels. Custom Carpentry, Doors, Kitchens, Baths & more. 214-437-9730
DANHANDY.NET Repairs Done Right For A Fair Price. References 214-991-5692
HANDY DAN The Handyman. ToDo’s Done Right. handy-dan.com 214-252-1628
HANDYMAN SPECIALIST Residential/Commercial. Large, small jobs, repair list, renovations. Refs. 214-489-0635
HANDYMAN WANTS your Painting,Repairs, To Do Lists. Bob. 214-288-4232. Free Est. 25+yrs exp.
HOME REPAIR Doors, Trim, Glass. Int/Ext. Sheetrock, Windows, Kitchen, Bathroom 35 yrs exp. 214-875-1127
HOMETOWN HANDYMAN All phases of construction. No job too small 214-327-4606
ONE CALL WEEKEND SERVICES
Contractor & Handyman. Remodels, Renovations . Paint, Plumbing, Drywall, Electrical. 469-658-9163
HOUSE PAINTING
BENJAMINS PAINTING - Professional work @reasonable price. In Advocate since 2007 214-725-6768
HECTOR PEREZ PAINTING Commercial/residential. Intrior/ Exterior. Fair Rates. 214-489-0635
RAMON’S INT/EXT PAINT Sheetrock, Repairs. 214-679-4513
TEXAS BEST PAINTING LLC Resd,Interiors 30Yrs. 214-527-4168
TOP COAT 30 Yrs. Exp. Reliable. Quality Repair/Remodel. Phil @ 214-770-2863
VIP PAINTING & DRYWALL Int/Ext. Sheetrock Repair, Resurfacing Tubs, Counters, Tile Repairs. 469-774-7111
Let Us Tackle Your To-Do List!
Shower & tub install & repair
Yrs. Exp. James 214-384-6746
REMODELING 972-533-2872
Full Service Repairs, Kitchen & Bath/Remodeling, Restoration. Name It- We Do It. dallas.tkremodelingcontractors.com
alvinohuizar@yahoo.com
WHERE CAN I FIND LOCAL ...?
KITCHEN/BATH/TILE/GROUT
Marble
• Kitchen Countertops
LAWNS, GARDENS & TREES
REAL ESTATE
SERVICES FOR YOU
LAWNS, GARDENS & TREES
#1 WHITE ROCK TREE WIZARDS Professionals, Experts, Artists serving Dallas 15 years.Trim, Removals. Tree Health Care services. Insured. Arborwizard.com. Free Est. (972) 803-6313.
A BETTER TREE MAN Trims, Removals, Insd. 18 Yrs Exp. Roberts Tree Service. 214-808-8925 Lawns, Gardens & Trees
DAVIS LAWN CARE, LLC 580-222-4909 or davislawncare214@yahoo.com
Serving Lake Highlands & Lakewood.
HOLMAN IRRIGATION
Sprinkler & Valve Repair/ Rebuild Older Systems. Lic. #1742. 214-398-8061
MAYA TREE SERVICE Tree Trim/Remove. Lawn Maintenance. Resd/ Commcl.Insd. CC’s Accptd. mayatreeservice.com 214-924-7058 214-770-2435
MONSTER TREE SERVICE DALLAS
Certified Arborists, Fully Insured 469.983.1060
NEW LEAF TREE, LLC
Honest, Modern, Safety Minded. 214-850-1528
PAT TORRES 214-388-1850 Lawn Service & Tree Care. 28 Yrs. Complete Landscape Renovation. New Fence Install & Brick Repair. Concrete Removal and Gutter Cleaning.
RED SUN LANDSCAPES • 214-935-9779 RedSunLandscapes.com
RGC - STORM WATER MANAGEMENT drainage solutions 214-477-8977
TAYLOR MADE IRRIGATION Repairs, service, drains. 30+ years exp. Ll 6295 469-853-2326. John
WALTON’S GARDEN CENTER
Stop in for home decor, candles, house plants, succulents and more. It’s time to plan for spring. Call us for design, prep and plantings! 8652 Garland Road 214.321.2387
DALLAS KDR SERVICES
• Lawn service
GARDEN OFFICE SPACE FOR RENT Walnut Hill @ CENTRAL.3 Smaller Suites Avail. Flexible Terms 214.915. 8886
REMODELING
4 - Certified Arborists
1 - Tex- Tech Degreed Ag
1 - Tex A&M Degreed Forester
www.holcombtreeservice.com
A CHARMING HOME
Decluttering + Organizing + Styling acharminghome.co 214-794-6382
PEST CONTROL
MOSQUITO SHIELD 972–850-2983
Imagine A Night Outside Without Mosquitoes
NATURE KING PEST MANAGEMENT INC.
All types of Pest control. Natureking.com Natureking.com. 5 Star rating on Google 30+yrs. Exp. 214-827-0090.
OFFICE SUBLEASE In Bishop Arts. Cool, Quiet. 1,179 Sq ft. 4 rooms + kit / bath, parking. $2,950 + NNNs. 713.302-7722.
BO HANDYMAN Specializing In Historic Home Renovations & Pro Remodels. Custom Carpentry, Doors, Kitchens, Baths & more. 214-437-9730
FENN CONSTRUCTION Kitchens And Baths. Call Us For Your Remodeling Needs. 214-343-4645. dallastileman.com
RENOVATE DALLAS renovatedallas.com 214-403-7247
S&L CONSTRUCTION All Home Services & Repairs. 214-918-8427
BECOME A PUBLISHED AUTHOR. We want to read your book! Dorrance Publishing trusted since 1920. Consultation,production, promotion & distribution. Call for free author’s guide 1-877-729-4998 or visit dorranceinfo.com/ads
DENTAL INSURANCE- Physicians Mutual Insurance Company. Covers 350 procedures. Real insurance -not a discount plan. Get your free dental info kit! 1-888-623-3036 www.dental50plus.com/58 #6258
DIRECTV STREAM - Carries the most local MLB Games! ChoicePackage $89.99/mo for 12 mos Stream on 20 devices at once.HBO Max included for 3 mos (w/Choice Package or higher.)No contract or hidden fees! Some restrictions apply. Call IVS 1-866-859-0405
DONATE YOUR CARS TO VETERANS TODAY. Help and Support our Veterans. Fast - FREE pick up. 100% tax deductible. Call 1-800 -245-0398
"Keeping Children & Pets in Mind"
Termite Specialist - Mosquito Mister Systems Licensed · Insured · Residential · Commercial · Organic 214-350-3595 • Abetterearth.crw@gmail.com abetterearth.com
PLUMBING
AC PLUMBING Repairs, Fixtures, Senior Discounts. Gary Campbell. 214-321-5943
PLUMBING ISSUES ? We’re the Experts! 30 Years of Excellent Service
Water Heaters • Water Leaks
Sewer Backups
All Plumbing Repairs 24/7 On-Call
ASK ABOUT DISCOUNTS!
POOLS
972-379-4000 staggsplumbing.co
CERULEAN POOL SERVICES Family Owned/ Operated. Weekly maintenance, Chemicals, parts & repairs. CeruleanPro.com 214-557-6996
PROFESSIONAL SERVICES
C.A.S. BOOKKEEPING SERVICES
Personal/Small Business. Payroll, Accounting, Organizing, Consult. Cindy 214-577-7450
WHERE DID YOUR MONEY GO? Bookkeeping Services for small businesses & Personal. Financial organizing. Quicken & other programs. Sharon 214-679-9688
REAL ESTATE
ESTATE HOME NEEDS TO BE SOLD? Facing forclosure? IG Heron Homes Call Ricardo Garza @ 469-426-7839
FOR RENT Little Forest Hills 2/1 Single Family Home w/fence. $1,600mo. $1,600 deposit. Cheryl. 214-235-1399
Kitchens, Bathrooms, Windows, Doors, Siding, Decks, Fences, Retaining Walls, New Construction
New Construction & Remodels FiferCustomHomes.com• 214-727-7075
TK REMODELING
KITCHEN • BATHS Complete Remodeling and Restoration Design
ROOFING
ELIMINATE GUTTER CLEANING FOREVER! LeafFilter, the most advanced debris-blocking gutter protection. Schedule a FREE LeafFilter estimate today. 15% off Entire Purchase. 10% Senior & Military Discounts. Call 1-855-402-0373
GENERAC Prepare for power outages today with a GENERAC home standby generator $0 Down + Low Monthly Pmt. Request a free Quote. Call before the next power outage: 1-844-334 -8353
GET DISH SATELLITE TV +INTERNET
Free Install, Free HD-DVR Upgrade, 80,000 On-Demand Movies, Plus Limited Time Up To $600 In Gift Cards. Call Today! 1-866-479-1516
HUGHESNET Finally, super-fast internet no matter where you live.25 Mbps just $59.99/mo! Unlimited Data is Here. Stream Video. Bundle TV & Internet. Free Installation. Call 866-499 -0141
PROFESSIONAL LAWN SERVICE:
Fertilization, weed control, seeding, aeration & mosquito control. Call now for a free quote. Ask about our first application special! 1-833-606-6777
REPLACE your roof with the best looking & longest lasting material steel from Erie Metal Roofs! 3 styles & multiple colors available. Guaranteed to last a lifetime! Limited Time Offer up to 50% off install + Additional 10% off install. (military, health &1st responders.) 1-833-370-1234
SAFE STEP North America's #1 Walk-in tub. Comprehensive lifetime warranty. Top-of-theline installation and service. Now featuring our free shower package & $1600 off - limited time! Financing available. 1-855-417-1306
THE GENERAC PWRCELL, a solar plus battery storage system. SAVE money, reduce your reliance on the grid, prepare for power outages and power your home. Full installation services
WATER DAMAGE
cleanup & restoration: A small amount of water can lead to major damage and mold growth in your home. Our trusted professionals do complete repairs to protect your family and your home's value! Call 24/7: 1-888-872-2809
TUTOR/LESSONS
WANTED: OBOE TEACHER needed for 14 year old student. Call 214–235-7429 FEBRUARY
POWDER PUFF & SPURS
This Lake Highlands neighbor’s book tells the story of women in rodeo
Story by SIMON PRUITT
Photography by JAMES CATHEY
IT WAS 1948. Thirty-year-old James Cathey, a recent veteran of World War II, returned home to Fort Worth. His post-graduation plans to be a career outdoorsman and wildlife expert were uprooted 4 years earlier, when he left his pregnant wife to enlist in the United States Air Force. He served the remainder of the war as a B-17 pilot, returning in 1945 and moving his family to Fort Worth in the hopes of starting anew
James picked up photography, and landed himself a job at the Fort Worth Press as a freelance contractor. He toiled away shooting on short news assignments and Christmas card gigs on the side to support his family. He was making it work, but nothing would stick until September.
He drove to Will Rogers Memorial Coliseum, set to host the Fort Worth Rodeo that night.
Of course, it wasn’t his first rodeo. About a year prior, James shot a Rodeo Cowboys Association event for the newspaper and received praise for how close to the action he was willing to get for the photos. This night, he’d push the boundaries even further and take the photo that would change his life, and it wasn’t even of a cowboy.
Enter Tad Lucas, a famed female rodeo trick rider that entertained audiences between bouts of competition. Her signature move was the “back drag,” a death-defying stunt in which she let go of the horse’s reins and swing herself backward until her head was just inches off the ground as the horse continued to ride. She usually followed this up by dramatically
climbing her way back onto the horse to a raucous cheer.
The physicality, emotion and fear brought about by 45-year-old Lucas’ performance was captured by James in an iconic photo that is now displayed at the National Cowgirl Museum and Hall of Fame in Fort Worth.
Enamored by Lucas’ show, James followed her to the budding Girls Rodeo Association, the first all-girls rodeo competition founded by cowgirls Nancy Binford and Thena Mae Farr after traditional contests wouldn’t let women compete in the most dangerous events.
James became something of the resident photographer for the GRA, shooting photos of their barnstormed events across Texas. The photos he took, along with his famous shot of Lucas, are all held by the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum in Oklahoma City.
They’re able to display it thanks to James’ son, Gordon, who’s been preserving his father’s negatives for most of his life.
“We had been hauling them around since 1960,” he says. “There’s about 68,000 of them.”
The 81-year-old made a career as a graphic designer, and held a reverence for his father’s work since he was a child. Throughout grade school, he and his friends were huge fans of the professional rodeo circuit, male and female. He recalls meeting famous cowboy and actor Casey Tibbs while accompanying his father to events.
“He was my personal hero,” Gordon says. “I got to know my personal heroes, personally.”
After James died of cancer in the ‘70s,
Gordon drifted away from the day-to-day of professional rodeo. Decades later, he and his younger brother, Craig, decided to attend a local event for old time’s sake.
“Of course, everybody in the rodeo business knew all about him,” Gordon says. “Until we went to a rodeo and it seems like nobody knows anything about him. How quickly they forget, we’re the sons of a famous hero just fading away. So we wanted to start telling his story.”
Gordon and Craig began to pour through each of their father’s negatives, and research the life stories of the subjects that were labeled. It wasn’t an exact science, and many of the people, places and faces that James shot are now lost to history.
But for the ones that weren’t, the Catheys began to craft a comprehensive book that would serve as both a history of the era for women’s sports and a collection of their father’s portfolio.
The brothers traded writing duties when it came to the narrative chapters about the most significant characters of the period. Gordon says the writing volume was about 50/50 each.
In 2018, Powder Puff and Spurs: The Story of James Cathey and the Girls Rodeo Association was self-published and printed. It features hundreds of photos exclusive to the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum, as well as mini-biographies and stories set in a Texas sports landscape that was far ahead of its time.
“There are books about cowgirls and there are books about girls in rodeo,” Cathey says. “Nothing like this one. This tells the stories of these women.”
Margaret Owens Montgomery, the first president of the Girls Rodeo Association, at the 1950 Belton All Girl Rodeo.
As the calendar flips to 2025, let’s talk fresh starts. Whether you’re dreaming of a bigger backyard, a cozier space, or simply exploring what’s possible in our beautiful Lake Highlands and East Dallas neighborhoods, our team is here to help. With years of experience, unparalleled market knowledge, and a passion for our community, we make every transaction seamless and stress-free. If you’re thinking of buying, selling, or simply planning for the future, please remember the real estate experts right here in your neighborhood.
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