2023 August Lake Highlands Advocate

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aug 23

contents

LAKE HIGHLANDS ADVOCATE VOL. 30 NO. 8

PROFILE

6 Cindy O’Brien

DINING

10 Shell Shack

FEATURES

16 Tipping culture

20 Teapot collector

26 Flower cupcake bouquets

Along with seafood, find draft beers, wine and cocktails at Shell Shack. Read more on page 10.

Photography by Kathy Tran.

HOMEMADE TOFFEE

Cindy O’Brien keeps it short and sweet with her signature treats

Story by SAMANTHA HABASHY

Photography by VICTORIA GONZALES

After her kids left for college in 2019, Cindy O’Brien adjusted to life as an empty-nester by making candy and sweets in her Lake Highlands kitchen. And when she went to the State Fair of Texas that fall, it wasn’t with her kids in tow, but rather a few batches of homemade toffee and fudge to enter into the candy competition. While the fudge didn’t win, the toffee was the real gold, winning first place.

To O’Brien, toffee is her way of meeting new people and getting plugged into her community. She runs her homemade sweets business in Lake Highlands, a place she’s called home since 1998. She moved to Lake Highlands after getting married but stayed in the area because her husband’s business was nearby.

O’Brien sells a 12-ounce bag for $20 and a 7-ounce bag for $15 in local markets and on her Facebook storefront, Cindy’s Cakeballs and Sweets.

“Everyone loves toffee, and if I can get a sample in a customer’s mouth, it’s a bag sold,” she says.

WHAT IS YOUR DAY JOB?

When I’m not making toffee, I’m an ac -

countant. I’m a controller for real estate development. But making candy and being an accountant aren’t all that different because you’re following a recipe. You’re following strict measurements, and I think it winds up that you have to do everything exactly right time after time after time. I get a lot more creative when I’m making toffee, but it’s definitely about getting it right more than anything.

WHY TOFFEE?

I have always really liked to make desserts, but candy was one of the harder things to make. In fact, toffee is one of the hardest things I learned how to make because it always takes a bit longer than I think to cook hard enough, but not too hard. Toffee challenged me for sure, and I was able to experiment early on.

HOW HAS BEING A LOCAL BUSINESS PLUGGED YOU IN WITH THE COMMUNITY?

I remember there was a roofer in town that would give my toffee away as Christmas gifts, and oftentimes people associate toffee with seasonal occasions. Within my small circle of friends, I am definitely known as the person who can make toffee or any other sweets, cookies and things.

HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE TO MAKE TOFFEE?

Now, the actual cooking process takes me half an hour. An entire batch takes three or four hours because it includes waiting, refrigeration and cooling time, breaking the toffee into parts and pack-

aging. It’s not something I can whip up, but I have gotten more efficient at the steps over the years.

IS MAKING TOFFEE MUSCLE MEMORY NOW?

I don’t have to look at the recipe anymore, but I do have a little system. Before I start cooking, I have everything ready to go for that batch. That way, I know that if a particular item is still sitting on the counter, I haven’t used it up yet. It gets a little tricky if I am making multiple batches at a time, and sometimes I’ll forget if I put an ingredient in a batch or not, or where I am in the process for which batch.

DO YOU PUT YOUR OWN SPIN ON YOUR TOFFEE?

There are people who want me to try to put ghost peppers or mix other flavors, but my normal toffee is milk chocolate with almonds.

DOES YOUR FAMILY GET INVOLVED?

I couldn’t do it without them. They’re out in the heat, cold or rain with me at markets and fairs. They help out with selling and set-up while I’m usually in charge of making the toffee and packaging it.

WHAT CAN WE EXPECT FROM CINDY’S SWEETS?

As long as toffee keeps selling, I will be around! I do sell other treats, but they’re more special orders like cake balls and cookies, other candies, but the toffee is the headliner, if you will.

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WORD ON THE STREET IN YOUR INBOX.

CULTURE

BEST ART GALLERY

WINNER - DUTCH ART GALLERY

2ND - YOGA ART MUSIC (YAM DALLAS)

3RD - KABUBI ART

BEST BOOKSTORE/LIBRARY

WINNER - AUDELIA ROAD BRANCH LIBRARY

2ND - FOREST GREEN BRANCH LIBRARY

3RD - AWESOME COMICS

BEST EVENT VENUE

WINNER - ROYAL OAKS COUNTRY CLUB

2ND - KAYCEE CLUB

3RD - JJ’S BANQUET HALL

BEST INDOOR ACTIVITY

WINNER - ALAMO DRAFTHOUSE CINEMA - LAKE HIGHLANDS

2ND - LAKE HIGHLANDS FAMILY YMCA

3RD - LAKE HIGHLANDS SHOOTING CENTER

BEST LIVE MUSIC

WINNER - DALLAS ARBORETUM AND BOTANICAL GARDEN

2ND - VECTOR BREWING

3RD - O’RILEY’S

BEST PLACE FOR KIDS

WINNER - DALLAS ARBORETUM AND BOTANICAL GARDEN

2ND - FLAG POLE HILL PARK

3RD - KAYCEE POOL

BEST PLACE TO TAKE YOUR DOG

WINNER - WHITE ROCK LAKE DOG PARK

2ND - FLAG POLE HILL PARK

3RD - HARRY MOSS PARK

BEST SUMMER CAMPS FOR KIDS

WINNER - WHITE ROCK YMCA

2ND - LAKEWOOD CONSERVATORY OF FINE ARTS

3RD - ASI GYMNASTICS - LAKEWOOD

The Best of Advocate nominees were chosen by Advocate staff and contributors. These nominees were voted on by the public online to determine the winner (nominee with the highest number of votes) for each category. Nominees cannot pay to be nominated or to win. If you would like to nominate a local business for Best of 2024, email aquintero@advocatemag.com.

Let’s get crackin’

Story by ARIEL WALLACE

Photography by KATHY TRAN

Shell Shack is known for its customizable platters and variety of crab. The establishment, which opened at Abrams and Skillman in January, offers Dungeness and King crab along with Bairdi crab from the Bering Sea and Opilio crab from the North Pacific.

The restaurant’s director of marketing, Michael Colatarci, says of Lake Highlands, “We just love this area,” says Michael Colatarci, the restaurant’s director of marketing. “It has always been a desirable part of Dallas.”

While Shell Shack has opened six locations “from corner to corner” in North Texas, the Lake Highlands store marks the chain’s first partnership with investment company TriSpan.

One of the top-selling menu items is The VIP — two snow crab clusters, one pound of boiled shrimp, corn, potatoes and three sausages.

One of Colatarci’s personal favorites, The MVP, a combo boil that he created, includes one cluster of snow crab, ½ pound of boiled shrimp, corn, potatoes and sausages.

Daily specials include $9 shrimp baskets, crawfish, catfish and boiled shrimp dishes. “Shacky Hour,” featuring discounted cocktails, happens 3-7 p.m. Monday-Friday.

Exclusive to the Lake Highlands location, and popular among customers, is a pair of medium snow crab clusters for $23.

Our neighborhood Shell Shack also hosts live acoustic music performances from local artists

It’s OK to wear a bib, no matter your age, and get your hands dirty in return for delicious seafood boils and fried foods at Shell Shack Lake Highlands.

every Friday.

Shell Shack offers on-site private events and catering, including “Truck & Trailer” rentals. That catering service includes a trailer with a deck of oil pots used to boil seafood at remote locations.

Shell Shack partners with nearby Oak Highlands Brewery for weekly Truck & Trailer Saturdays.

Colatarci encourages seafood lovers to come inside, ask about discounts for locals, enjoy the ambience and leave their worries at the door.

“I think that the experience of cracking the crab legs, eating the crawfish and making a mess at the table is what makes Shell Shack so special,” he says. “It's the atmosphere. You know, we want you to get messy. It's a fun experience. I think the atmosphere is different from anywhere else.”

The fresh gulf oysters are served on the half shell with horseradish and homemade cocktail sauce.

The signature shrimp po’ boys are served on Louisiana-style French bread and served with Zapp’s potato chips.

The crispy chicken wings are available in six and 12 pieces and come with the choice of ranch or blue cheese dressing.

FOOD & DRINKS

BEST AFRICAN

WINNER - ARIF CAFE

2ND - YENAT GUADA ETHIOPIAN CUISINE

3RD - ALADINNS FOODS AND AFRICAN RESTAURANT

BEST BAKERY

WINNER - HAUTE SWEETS PATISSERIE

2ND - CASA LINDA BAKERY

3RD - SWEET NOTHING’S & PASTRIES

BEST BBQ

WINNER - ONE90 SMOKED MEATS

2ND - BACK COUNTRY BAR-B-Q

3RD - STROUDEROSA BBQ

BEST BRUNCH

WINNER - RESIDENT TAQUERIA

2ND - SOCO COFFEE HOUSE AND BISTRO

3RD - FIRST WATCH

BEST BURGER

WINNER - GOODFRIEND BEER GARDEN & BURGER HOUSE

2ND - KELLER’S HAMBURGERS

3RD - CEDAR & VINE

BEST CELEBRATORY DINNER

WINNER - CEDAR & VINE

2ND - VECTOR BREWING

3RD - DOCE MESAS

BEST CHINESE FOOD

WINNER - WOK STAR CHINESE

2ND - BOBO CHINA RESTAURANT

3RD - GOURMET CHINA RESTAURANT

BEST COCKTAILS

WINNER - LOCHLAND’S FOOD & SPIRITS

2ND - RESIDENT TAQUERIA

3RD - SHADY’S BURGER & BREWHAHA

BEST COFFEE

WINNER - WHITE ROCK COFFEE

2ND - SOCO COFFEE HOUSE AND BISTRO

3RD - CULTIVAR COFFEE BAR & ROASTER

BEST DESSERT

WINNER - NOTHING BUNDT CAKES

2ND - CASA LINDA BAKERY

3RD - CRUMBL COOKIES

BEST DONUT SHOP

WINNER - LAKE HIGHLANDS DONUTS

2ND - MORNING DONUTS

3RD - MYDONUTS

BEST FROZEN TREATS

WINNER - ANDY’S FROZEN CUSTARD

2ND - MONSTER YOGURT

3RD - YOGURTLAND DALLAS

BEST HEALTHY FOOD STORE

WINNER - SPROUTS FARMERS MARKET

2ND - NORTHLAKE HEALTH FOOD

3RD - NATURE’S PLATE

BEST HOT CHICKEN

WINNER - HENDERSON CHICKEN

2ND - THE HEN HOUSE LOUISIANA FRIED CHICKEN

3RD - BRICK & BONES

BEST JAPANESE/SUSHI

WINNER - ZATO THAI CUISINE AND SUSHI BAR

2ND - KAZE JAPANESE RESTAURANT

3RD - FIREXBOX SUSHI AND HIBACHI

BEST LOCAL BAR

WINNER - GOODFRIEND BEER GARDEN & BURG -

VECTOR BREWING

ONE NOSTALGIA TAVERN

BEST LUNCH SPOT

RESIDENT TAQUERIA

NATURE’S PLATE

BEST MEXICAN FOOD

MARIANO’S HACIENDA DALLAS

VECTOR BREWING

LOCHLAND’S FOOD & SPIRITS

CEDAR & VINE

BISTRO B

HANABI (DOUBLE BB)

BEP NHÀ VIET KITCHEN

WINNER - VECTOR BREWING

2ND - TONY’S PIZZA & PASTA

3RD - FIRESIDE PIES

BEST RAMEN

WINNER - ZIZI RAMEN, SUSHI & PHO

2ND - WAYA JAPANESE IZAKAYA

3RD - WABI HOUSE

BEST SANDWICH

WINNER - SOCO COFFEE HOUSE AND BISTRO

2ND - CEDAR & VINE

3RD - JJ’S CAFE

BEST SEAFOOD

WINNER - FISH CITY GRILL

2ND - TJ CAJUN SEAFOOD & WINGS

3RD - RONNIE’S CATFISH & MORE (NORTH DALLAS)

BEST TACOS

WINNER - RESIDENT TAQUERIA

2ND - TORCHY’S TACOS

3RD - TACO DINER

BEST THAI

WINNER - THAI OPAL

2ND - TUKTA THAI

3RD - ZATO THAI CUISINE AND SUSHI BAR

SHOPPING

BEST CHILDREN’S STORE

WINNER - WE ARE THE MISSFITS

2ND - THE STORE IN LAKE HIGHLANDS

3RD - DALLAS VINTAGE TOYS

BEST FURNITURE STORE

WINNER - HOMESTYLE FURNITURE

2ND - ZAMA HOME FURNITURE

3RD - BIG D LEATHER

BEST GARDEN STORE

WINNER - ROOSTER HOME AND HARDWARE

2ND - BRUMLEY GARDENS

3RD - NORTH HAVEN GARDENS

BEST GIFT SHOP

WINNER - THE STORE IN LAKE HIGHLANDS

2ND - ROOSTER HOME AND HARDWARE

3RD - WHITE ROCK SOAP GALLERY

BEST THRIFT/CONSIGNMENT

WINNER - THRIFT GIANT

2ND - ANONYMOUSLY YOURS

3RD - PLATO’S CLOSET

The Compensation Conundrum

Who, what, when, where and why we tip

Story by ALYSSA HIGH | Illustration by LAUREN ALLEN

You walk into a restaurant. A coffee shop. A bar. A clothing store. You get your drink or other product, and as you tap your card on the scanner, the employee flips their screen around, prompting you to choose an 18%-22% tip. You’ve got questions. Where does the tip go? What are you even tipping for?

Questions about tipping aren’t new. In fact, historical accounts show that Americans were apathetic to tipping wages in the 1860s.

“I don’t understand some businesses that are asking for tips nowadays,” one Dallasite says on Nextdoor. “Why would I tip someone for ringing up my Big Gulp. Pretty soon we will be prompted to tip during self-checkout.”

Others question the percent system, as the cost of the food doesn’t affect the server’s amount of work.

“Now, if we order a $50 bottle of wine, that’s $10. If we decide to order a $500 bottle of wine, I am expected to tip $100,” another neighbor chimes in. “Why is that? The same amount of effort went into the service.”

Others are starting to notice the flip-and-tip at retail establishments, where service isn’t occurring.

“I am baffled by the tipping option in retail stores,” one Redditer complains. “Honestly it is a little off-putting. In fact, it has made me stop going into stores to shop.”

So, when do we tip?

Each owner and type of restaurant has a different school of thought when it comes to tipping and wages.

“In full-service, tip/gratuity should be more than 20%, just because of the economy the 15% is definitely obsolete,” Haystack owner Kevin Galvan says. “It should be more like 20%, 22%, 25% because of the amount of work these people are doing for $2.13 an hour.”

In Haystack restaurants where the dining isn’t fullservice, employees are paid an hourly wage, and tips are earned by employees going over-the-top.

“We make sure they’re doing something for the tips,

so drinkware, refills, pre-bussing tables, offering cloth napkins, trying to offer a full-service experience even though we are fast-casual,” Galvan says. “I’ve never asked for big numbers from people because some people ask for 15%-20% on a $60 tab but you’re not doing $12 worth of work.”

Galvan pools tips among all employees, which he finds encourages every member of the team to give the best service possible.

Others, like White Rock Coffee, apply the same teamwork-style tip pool but to tipped wages.

Many coffee shops, like White Rock Coffee, make a server wage and share tips among the barista team.

“[I prefer] making a tipped wage because it’s really up to you how much you make,” says Samantha Oser, a barista at White Rock Coffee.

WRC baristas split tips among all locations, and then tips are divided by the number of hours worked for each employee. This system increases wages for baristas in locations with a slower pace, with locations like Lake Highlands seeing less activity than locations in East Dallas or Preston Hollow.

The tipping struggle isn’t limited to dining. Hairstylists, for example, make tipping wages at most salons and often don’t get to take home the full charge for the service.

“You’re usually splitting the cost of service with the owners. Depending on how much the commission percentage is, you can take only 60%, 50%, 40% or 30% home with you,” Kristian Taylor, a cosmetologist at Capelli Salon says. “Unfortunately, there are a lot of us who rely on those tips just to make ends meet. … A lot of people don’t realize all of the education and hard work that comes behind a service. For instance, if I worked five hours on your hair, and it came out beautifully, it’d feel great to be shown that you’re appreciated by receiving more than 20%.”

Why do we tip?

Federal and state labor standards allow employees who receive tips to be paid a lower minimum wage than hourly employees. In Texas, this wage is $2.13 an hour, though if the employee doesn’t make $5.12 per hour in tips, the employer must make up the difference.

How is this decided?

At the end of the shift, employees clock out and calculate how much they have received in cash and electronic tips. Tip-out, if applicable, is also calculated. Some are given their electronic tips at the end of the shift. Others wait for a weekly, biweekly or monthly paycheck.

Who receives tipped wages?

Drivers, delivery personnel, hairdressers, servers and bartenders almost always receive a tipped wage. Recently, some coffee shops and restaurants have made a switch to higher hourly wages.

HOW MUCH DO I TIP:

Servers……………………….20% of the bill before tax

Bartenders…………………...20% of the bill before tax or $1 per drink for simpler drinks like beer

Baristas………………….…….20% is always nice but not required, many make hourly wages

Hairstylists/Beauticians………20% of the bill before tax for a good job, typically with cash

Other businesses that aren’t providing you a service…..do not feel obligated to tip, but you can if you’d like.

Why do restaurants use tipped wages rather than hourly wages?

Restaurants can have lower prices on food if they pay their servers less. Servers can make more money off of tips than they would on an hourly wage. Tipped wages incentivize employees to up-sell to their customers.

Why eliminate tipped wages?

It would eliminate the wage gap between frontof-house employees and back-of-house employees. The wage gap between servers at restaurants that tend to have higher tabs and those with lower tabs would be smaller. Wages for tipped employees would be more regular, leaving them with a liveable wage regardless of tips. Calculating income tax would be easier — many servers avoid reporting their full wages to the IRS by not reporting all of their cash tips.

TERMS:

Tip-out/tip share: In many restaurants, servers share a portion of their tip with other tipped employees, particularly those who have helped them in their shift. Commonly, this includes bartenders and bussers. This can be based on a percent of sales the employee had or a percent of their tip, depending on the restaurant’s policy.

Tipped wage: In Texas, $2.13 per hour. If the employee doesn’t receive the equivalent of $5.12 per hour, employers must make up the difference to meet federal minimum wage requirements.

Automatic gratuity: Some restaurants have automatic gratuity for large parties. High-end restaurants might include an automatic gratuity regardless. This ensures that the server is receiving adequate pay. If the automatic gratuity is around 20%, you are not expected to pay an additional tip.

Front-of-house employee: Employees who work in the front of the restaurant and typically make tipped wages. Can include servers, bussers, bartenders and hosts.

Back-of-house employee: Employees who work in the back/the kitchen. These employees typically make hourly wages and could include cooks, quality assurance and dishwashers.

BEST ALTERATIONS

WINNER - SINH TAILOR

2ND - JOSE SEWING SERVICE & LUGGAGE

REPAIR

3RD - TWIN BRIDGES

BEST AUTO REPAIR SHOP

WINNER - LAKE HIGHLANDS AUTOMOTIVE

2ND - NORTHLAKE AUTOMOTIVE

3RD - RICO & SONS AUTOMOTIVE

BEST BARBER SHOP

WINNER - BOARDROOM SALON FOR MEN-

THE HILL

2ND - FIVE STAR BARBER

3RD - DALLAS GENTS FINE MEN’S SALON

BEST CLEANING SERVICE

WINNER - TEXAS PRO MAIDS

2ND - WINDSOR MAID SERVICES

3RD - GMAIDS

3RD - UNITED HOME SERVICES - AIR DUCT & CHIMNEY SERVICE

BEST DENTIST

WINNER - DR. BRIAN BISHOP, DENTAL

DIMENSIONS

2ND - EAST LAKE DENTAL

3RD - ASHLY COTHERN DDS

BEST DERMATOLOGY

WINNER - DERMATOLOGY CENTER OF DALLAS

2ND - DR. KERRY R. CARDER

3RD - JOHN WOFFORD, MD

BEST DRY CLEANING

WINNER - LAKE HIGHLANDS CLEANERS

2ND - WILDCAT CLEANERS

3RD - DALLAS DRY CLEANING

BEST ELECTRICIAN

WINNER - ARROW ELECTRICAL CONTRACTORS

2ND - ANTHONY’S ELECTRIC

3RD - EXCELL ELECTRIC

3RD - MISTER SPARKY ELECTRICIAN DALLAS

3RD - PAGE ONE ELECTRIC LLC

BEST FLORAL SHOP

WINNER - LAKE HIGHLANDS FLOWERS 2ND - MCSHAN FLORIST

- CALLOWAY’S NURSERY

be her guest

What an altruistic Lake Highlands lady does with 400+ teapots

Story by CHRISTINA HUGHES BABB

Photography by KATHY TRAN

In the early 19th century, Anna the seventh Duchess of Bedford complained of a “sinking feeling” plaguing her afternoons. So her butler began bringing a pot of tea and light snacks to her boudoir midway between lunch and dinner. The duchess liked that and started inviting friends to tea time, and before long, royals and elite society were hooked — that’s a bit of teatime history neighborhood resident Lisa Sides shares with her 21st-century guests.

Sides enjoys inviting friends to “take afternoon tea” at her Caribou Estates home. The ritual involving stout little teapots, flowery china, crustless cucumber finger sandwiches and sugary dainties (“I make a white chocolate almond scone that I think, personally, is to die for,” she says) elevates the affair beyond “having tea” or “doing lunch.”

The midday caffeine and sugar fix, the conviviality, the elegant trappings — afternoon tea in 2023 at Sides’ house is not unlike the event held 180 or so years ago in duchess drawing room.

“In the 1840s the Duchess of Bedford would have entertainment like someone playing piano or violin or reading poetry,” Sides says. "So at my teas, I’ve played piano and I’ve had a gentleman come and talk about how to use all the different herbs and what they do and what they go with. It just depends who is attending.”

Despite her tea room’s Victorian ambiance, Sides likes to keep her gatherings unstuffy, but since a lot of people don't know about tea, the afternoons can take a little bit more of an educational tone, she says.

There’s no pressure to inherently know how to position one’s pinky or any other afternoon-tea etiquette.

“I am not sure how they do it at the Ritz Carlton,” she says, “but at my tea, no one needs to worry about any of that. It is only for fun and for a chance to use my dishes.”

Sides’ fascination lies not in the tea — although she does like learning about tea and enjoys a good cuppa green with mint. For this hostess and hobbyist, it’s mostly about the crockery — the saucers and dishes and, especially, the teapots.

"As a kid with my allowance money, I'd go to garage sales or flea markets and buy dishes,” she

BEST HAIR SALON

WINNER - ARTISTIK EDGE HAIR STUDIO

2ND - L STREETS SALON

3RD - BLOW SALON

BEST HOME IMPROVEMENT

WINNER - SCOTT EXTERIORS

2ND - SHAWN WATKINS REMODELING

3RD - IVEY LUMBER SALES

BEST INSURANCE

WINNER - MICHELE DAVIS - STATE FARM

INSURANCE AGENT

2ND - TWFG INSURANCE SERVICES - REED

WILCOX

3RD - KEMPER HEALTH

BEST INTERIOR DESIGN

WINNER - VIRGINIA KREJCI INTERIORS

2ND - KIM ARMSTRONG INTERIOR DESIGN

3RD - MAX & LOU HOME

BEST LANDSCAPING

WINNER - HEN & CHIX, LLC

2ND - BRUMLEY GARDENS

3RD - TEXAS TREE SURGEONS

BEST LAW OFFICE

WINNER - TURLEY LAW OFFICE

2ND - LAW OFFICE OF CHRIS SCHMIEDEKE, PC

3RD - REAGAN, MCLAIN & HATCH ATTORNEYS

BEST MED SPA

WINNER - ULTIMATE IMAGE MEDSPA

2ND - LA LUMIERE ESTHETIQUE

3RD - EVOLVE MED SPA

BEST MEDICAL CLINIC

WINNER - DALLAS FAMILY MEDICINE

2ND - WATERMARK URGENT CARE

3RD - MD KIDS PEDIATRICS LAKE HIGHLANDS

BEST NAIL SALON

WINNER - DELUXE NAIL SALON

2ND - LUXX NAIL SALON

3RD - ARTISTIK EDGE HAIR SALON

BEST OPTICAL

WINNER - KINGSLEY OPTICAL

2ND - NORTH TEXAS OPHTHALMIC ASSOCI -

ATES, PLLC

3RD - DALLAS YOUTH OPTICAL

BEST PET GROOMER

says.

In 1997, she ran into an old college friend who had been accumulating teapots. It inspired her to fine-tune her focus. Now she has more than 400 teapots, saucers and sets.

Sides by no means dedicates all her time to tea and recreational gatherings. She’s passionate about working with local nonprofits, and lately she has been finding ways to incorporate two things that bring her joy.

She has done Parent Teacher Association-sponsored tea, for example.

“I carted all my dishes up to the elementary school and did the tea in the teachers lounge.”

And, “yes,” she preemptively answers an anticipated question, “I have broken many.”

In the spring, she hosted a meeting of Friends of HHM Health (formerly Healing Hands Ministry). It was a significant meeting, as chairperson Terri Heard passed the reins to new chair Betsy Halford. Sides made it special, Heard says.

“Lisa is a very gracious hostess and is hugely involved in community activities. She offered her house and her collection for that meeting, which was a real draw for the neighborhood,” Heard says. “She gave a talk about the history of tea, and it made for just a lovely, lovely changing of the guard.”

HHM Health started in Lake Highlands to provide affordable medical and dental services to uninsured and underinsured neighbors. One of the nonprofit’s long-running fundraising traditions has been a tablescapes luncheon, where talented decorators and designers turn setting a table into a bona-fide art form.

Heard says that’s where she first encountered Sides.

“It was years ago. I did not know her well, but I collect demitasse cups, nowhere near as organized or extensive as her teapots, but I thought, this woman speaks my language,” Heard says. “She’s got the dish problem. So I have had a deep affection for her.”

Sides says pulling together the HHM Health lunch — which she was not initially sure she could do — inspired her to continue putting her porcelain preoccupation to good use.

“I’m just getting my tea legs back,” she quips. “But that got me fired up to do more in a way that has an even bigger purpose.”

•

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Photo by Emily Murdock

Sweet Petals offers realistic flower cupcake bouquets to Lake Highlands

Story by ARIEL WALLACE

Photography by LAUREN ALLEN

cake blossoms

for Edson and Elizabeth Garcia, the purchase of a new blender and a piping bag paired with a passion for garden flowers turned into the business they never knew they needed.

“I remember the first time I tried to make a flower cupcake,” Elizabeth says.

“I sent Edson a photo of it while he was at work and we both laughed. I did not think this was for me.”

After some persuasion from Edson, Elizabeth tried again, and four months later, her florally decorated cupcakes were fabulous enough to sell. So in March, they launched Sweet Petals, also known as Sweet Petalos.

The Lake Highlands couple says their two daughters encouraged their entrepreneurial dreams.

“We are a team,” Elizabeth says. “We don’t have a sad story behind our business, just the desire to give our family a better future.”

According to the Garcias, they had no baking experience before they created Sweet Petals, but they thank God for showing them this “hidden talent” and for the willingness to work hard and improve their skills.

Elizabeth says time spent with her grandmother in the family garden learning to care for flowers inspired the idea for the realistic flora and plant designs. Those are “valued core memories,” she says.

Elizabeth says Sweet Petals was the missing piece she was looking for in life.

“I know I’m a great mom. I know I am a great wife and a good daughter, but I didn’t have that feeling of being proud of myself,” she says. “Now I feel like my life is complete with this.”

When the baking business gets difficult, the Garcias are filled with gratitude, thanks to the smiling faces of people who are happy with their purchases.

“Seeing the customers’ reactions to the cupcakes always gives me an excited tingling feeling on the inside,” Edson says. “Just knowing that they loved it.”

Being such a small team during busy times is not easy. Elizabeth commends her husband’s positivity and encouragement, which she says keeps her going as they fill large orders.

“He says ‘Keep going! You can do it! You’re doing something good for everybody,’” Elizabeth says. “His words give me the strength to continue.”

Sweet Petal cupcakes come

in a variety of packages — from four pieces to a dozen, letter-designed pastries and bouquets in seven, 12 and 19 pieces, to name a few.

Flavors include vanilla, chocolate, marble and red velvet, and prices range $25$120, depending on the size and complexity of the design.

Customers sometimes find inspiration from previous orders pictured on Instagram or Pinterest. Sometimes they give the Garcias creative freedom, which is the way they like it.

Today Sweet Petals is online, serving Dallas, Fort Worth and even out-of-state clientele. The Garcias say they will consider opening a Lake Highlands storefront once they successfully make it through the next 12 months.

“Hopefully within the year we’ll get a fair share of what’s in store for us,” Edson says.

“We pray that we will get more recognition and keep serving the people.”

Sweet Petals, 214.436.1506, mysweetpetals.com

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WHERE CAN I FIND LOCAL ...?

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ALTOGETHER CLEAN

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

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ADVANCE STONE ART CREATIONS

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ANTHONY’S ELECTRIC Master Electrician. TECL24948 anthonyselectricdfw. com

50 Yrs. Electrical Exp. Insd. 214-328-1333

BRIGHT LIGHT ELECTRIC • 214-553-5333

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4 QUALITY FENCING • 214-507-9322 Specializing in Wood. YourWoodmaster.com

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214-435-9574

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FOUNDATION REPAIR

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We Answer Our Phones

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

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LAKE HIGHLANDS GLASS & MIRROR frameless shower enclosures • store fronts replacement windows • mirrors 214-349-8160

PRO WINDOW CLEANING prompt, dependable. Matt 214-766-2183

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

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

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FENN CONSTRUCTION Full Service Contractor. dallastileman.com 214-343-4645

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214-631-8719

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WHERE CAN I FIND

LAWNS, GARDENS & TREES

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Facing forclosure? IG Heron Homes Call Ricardo Garza @ 469-426-7839

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TUTOR/LESSONS

WANTED: OBOE TEACHER needed for 14 year old student. Call 214–235-7429