Once again, U.S. News & World Report ranked Baylor University Medical Center at Dallas first in the Dallas Metro Area. Baylor Dallas is nationally recognized in three specialty areas—diabetes & endocrinology, gastroenterology & GI surgery and neurology & neurosurgery—and high performing in eight specialties—cancer; ear, nose & throat; geriatrics; gynecology; nephrology; orthopedics; pulmonology and urology. Baylor Dallas also is recognized for excellence in treating COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease) and heart failure. For you, these recognitions simply confirm our commitment to providing safe, quality, compassionate health care each day. It’s one more way we are Changing Health Care. For Life.™
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Clay Cooley’s multi-state automotive group began over 19 years ago on a dirt lot. The road to success comes with a few detours, but in partnering with LegacyTexas, Clay was able to adapt. As a result, he now has a company ready for whatever comes next.
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CLAY COOLEY’S LEGACY Owner, Clay Cooley Automotive GroupWhy just showing up is no longer enough
Maybe it all started with the participation trophies so indignantly argued about these days, the awards everyone takes home after every youth sports season, win or lose and sometimes even without showing up much.
Maybe it started with ubiquitous cellphone communications, where no one really has to think for themselves because they can use an endless number of lifelines searching for help on even the most simple questions rather than being forced to figure things out on their own.
Or maybe I’m just mistaken: As those who know me best would be eager to tell you, it wouldn’t be the first time I’ve been wrong.
What I’m talking about is life, and the general success or lack thereof so often associated with it.
anyway, surviving round after round of nail-biting stress simply to outlast high school.
It would be nice if the story ended right there: A good kid survives a tough time, and the rest is happily ever after. But happily ever after doesn’t seem to happen even in most movies anymore. Happy-for-now with storm clouds on the horizon seems more to be the state of life these days.
Whether it’s politics of any sort or education or nonprofits or sports, the good news stories always seem overwhelmed by pending DUIs or spousal abuse or gradeschool name-calling — all by people who seem to believe that showing up was all they needed to do to be successful.
Showing up isn’t enough anymore, if it ever was. Instead, life requires plodding along, day after day, pulling whatever weight we’ve been given in the general direction we believe is correct, and then picking up where we left off again the next day and the next day and the next, even when we aren’t exactly sure we’re pointed the right way.
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editors:
It’s been said that the hardest part of life is showing up. To me, showing up is the easiest part of life; the hardest part is what comes after you show up.
But to a new high school or college graduate, that thought doesn’t seem to resonate. For the most part, new grads seem to believe that by graduating, they’ve already accomplished the hardest part of life, and the rest will be a simple roll downhill.
The students we’re profiling in this month’s issue are neighborhood kids who were dealt a bad hand and kept playing
Life seems a bit zombie-like when it’s stated like that, with a never-ending stream of tasks stacked higher than we can ever reach awaiting us day after day after day.
Attacking life in this way is what makes the students we’re featuring worth reading about. They knew the odds were stacked against them and yet they kept plugging away. They’ve reached that first stage of success; now they’ll have to reach back for more of the energy that brought them to this point. They need to stay after whatever it is they want to accomplish, because that’s the only way they’re ever going to get there.
If the hardest part of life is slogging forward day after day, regardless of the progress that is seemingly being made, they’ve already done a better job than most of us.
Now they just have to keep it up, as the rest of us know all too well.
RACHEL STONE
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BRITTANY NUNN
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ELIZABETH BARBEE
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contributing editors: SALLY WAMRE
contributors: SAM GILLESPIE, ANGELA HUNT, LAUREN LAW, GEORGE MASON, KRISTEN MASSAD, BRENT McDOUGAL
photo editor: DANNY FULGENCIO
214.635.2121 / danny@advocatemag.com
contributing photographers: RASY RAN, KATHY TRAN
Life requires plodding along, day after day, pulling whatever weight we’ve been given in the general direction we believe is correct.
Man robbed, kidnapped, stabbed on Hampton at Jefferson
Want to buy a 420-acre ranch in Oak Cliff?
City Council approves $11.25 million for Bishop Arts development
‘Anything for Selenas’ at Oak Cliff Cultural Center
A look back: Fifth and Crawford, as it stood in 1918
“So they are basically saying we don’t have enough money to build something. To me, in the real world, that means you can’t afford it.”
Patty Evans“I recently completed renovations on a house I purchased in Oak Cliff. There were unexpected problems with Oncor, rewiring issues, permits, etc. There were things I had to cut out and there were budget overages I had to pay out of pocket. I wonder if I should have petitioned the city for tax breaks since things didn’t go as planned. Oh wait, I’m just a lowly responsible adult/homeowner/taxpayer.”— Karin
Oxtoby
“When do the hand outs ever stop? $11 million for Alamo Manhattan and now this? I wonder what Oak Cliff gets in return, other than more apartment blight.” — Antoinette Marie
Email editor Rachel rstone@advocatemag.com
When brothers Adolfo and Ivan Cantu-Villarreal immigrated to the United States, they brought only what would fit in their car.
Then 17 and 10, their mother moved them from Monterrey, Mexico to Dallas for the promise of better opportunities.
They were the sons of a famous Mexican drag racer and had dreams of being professional soccer players. But their lack of athletic ability, paired with creative minds and the immigrant work ethic, led them to careers in the arts.
Now 32 and 26, they own Oak Cliff-based Tzom Films with producer Maribel De Leon, and they produce commercials for clients including Fossil, Dave & Buster’s, Mary Kay and Fair Park. Anytime they can, they also produce music videos and independent films.
They say the immigrant experience informs their work.
Adolfo and Ivan are redheaded and of fair complexion. They didn’t grow up poor, and their parents weren’t migrant farm workers or housecleaners. But they find those are stereotypes that most Americans have of Mexican immigrants.
“It’s incredible how unsettled people can be at the fact that there are people out there who don’t fit the mold of the perception they’ve created for themselves,” Adolfo says.
As filmmakers, they strive to show their audiences the unexpected.
In a new video for Dallas-based rock band Nervous Curtains, “Devastator,” they employed a diverse cast of actors and dancers, most of them from Oak Cliff.
There is so much creative talent in our neighborhood that one doesn’t have to go far to find everyone from a makeup artist to a prop builder, they say.
“Filmmaking is all about connecting people it’s amazing the talent you can bring together,” Adolfo says. “It’s the hardest part of filmmaking, but it’s also the most rewarding.”
The Cantu-Villarreal brothers took unconventional education paths. Adolfo graduated from Lake Highlands High School, and his younger brother graduated from Richardson High. When Adolfo attended Richland College, though, he didn’t pursue a degree.
A counselor tried to set him on a path to graduation, but Adolfo said, “Forget about the degree.”
Instead, he took philosophy, art and music classes without regard to credits.
“I took the classes I wanted to take,” he says. “It was one of the best things that I did.”
Ivan is a self-taught illustrator and composer who also attended Richland College and didn’t finish. It’s one more way in which they don’t fit the mold.
Ivan describes an “obsessive drive” with art and film since childhood. Their mother, Renata Villarreal, never censored what they could read or watch. So young Ivan spent hours dissecting every shot of movies like “Goodfellas,” watching the scenes of his favorite films over and over.
Adolfo says one of his favorite parts
of documentary filmmaking is research. When he takes on a project, he reads as much as possible about that topic. At the end, he disconnects from that and starts researching the next thing.
“Having a sense of curiosity is the most important thing as a human being,” he says. “When you stop being curious, I don’t know how you can wake up in the morning.”
He’s also a teacher. Adolfo offers a filmmaking summer camp, through nonprofit client Cara Mia Theater Co., at the Latino and Oak Cliff cultural centers.
The students use professional equipment and must meet the same high standards he sets for himself, he says. And they always succeed because most of them attend neighborhood schools and don’t have much of an arts education, so they’re hungry for any outlet.
Most of the summer camp students are girls, and Adolfo says they sometimes don’t think of themselves as directors and producers. From the first day, he sets out to smash those stereotypes.
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Besides their paid work, Tzom Films is working on a self-funded short film. And they have many more ideas for shorts and feature films, including eventually, a documentary or biopic about their late father, the eccentric drag racer.
For the past three years, a Mexican director has won the Academy Award for Best Picture. And for the past three years, a Mexican cinematographer has won the Oscar. The Cantu-Villarreal brothers expect nothing less for themselves, even if this wasn’t their first career choice.
“As Mexicans, we’re all frustrated soccer players,” Adolfo says. “After soccer, I wanted to be a racecar driver. This was my third option.” —Rachel Stone
Dave Perry-Miller Real Estate, InTown 2828 Routh Street, Suite 100 214.303.1133“It’s incredible how unsettled people can be at the fact that there are people out there who don’t fit the mold of the perception they’ve created for themselves.”
Send events to editor@advocatemag.com
May 15
More than 50 home brewers are expected to compete in the eighth-annual competition, from 4-8 p.m. In order to sample their suds and vote for the people’s choice award, you must first join the Texas Homebrew Society (which costs $25), but the festival is free to attend. Bishop Arts District, Brewriot.com, free-$25
MAY 8
Labyrinth Walk Coffee House, inside Unitarian Universalist Church of Oak Cliff, hosts its monthly jazz jam and drum circle at 5 p.m. Bring your own instruments and beer.
Unitarian Universalist Church of Oak Cliff, 3839 W. Kiest, labyrinthwalkcoffeehouse.com, 214.337.2429, free
MAY 14
“Valley Girl” is, like, totally playing at The Texas Theatre this month. All jokes aside, the show starts at 9 p.m.
The Texas Theatre, 231 West Jefferson, thetexastheatre.com, 214.948.1546
MAY 14
Donna Hood began her career as a burlesque dancer touring with the queen of the art, Dita Von Teese. She’ll take the stage in our neighborhood at 7 p.m. Several other ladies who have garnered burlesque accolades from international festivals will also perform.
The Kessler, 1230 W. Davis, thekessler.org, 214.272.8346, $25-$33
MAY 23
Spend a day on the golf course, and help homeless youth throughout Dallas. The 18thannual four-person scramble Promise House golf tournament is from 11 a.m.-7 p.m. The day includes 18 holes of golf, lunch and a reception with an awards dinner and a silent auction. Oak Cliff-based Promise House supports homeless and runaway youth.
Bent Tree Country Club, 5201 Westgrove, 214.941.8578, promisehouse.org, $375-$1,500
MAY 28
Iron & Wine put Sam Beam on the map. Lately the crooner has been pursing a new project. See the fruits of his collaboration with singer-songwriter Jesca Hoop when the duo takes the stage at 8 p.m.
The Kessler, 1230 W. Davis, thekessler.org, 214.272.8346, $30
MAY 30
Learn more about our neighborhood’s famous outlaws on this tour of their favorite haunts. Meet up with your guide, author John Neal Phillips, at 9 a.m.
The Hall of State in Fair Park, 3939 Grand, dallashistory.org, 214.421.4500, $45-$55
In a market that seems to have more buyers than sellers, you don’t need magic to find a home that’s right for you. You simply need David Griffin & Company. Since 1982, we’ve been making one-of-a-kind homes appear in Dallas’ most enchanting neighborhoods. See what we’ve got up our sleeve for you, call 214.526.5626, or visit davidgriffin.com.
May 12
This East Los Angeles-based band brings their Afro-Mexican, Vera Cruz-style dance music to the Kessler for an 8 p.m. show with special guest Gio Chamba and Trippy Cholo.
The Kessler Theater, 1230 W. Davis, 214.272.8346, thekessler.org, $15$25
“These days, I don’t know if I need a Realtor or a magician.”2000 W. Colorado Blvd. SOLD 2219 Kessler Woods Ct. SOLD 306 S. Rosemont Ave. SOLD 1133 N. Canterbury Ct. $545,000 647 Bizerte Ave. $550,000 636 W. Colorado Blvd. SOLD David Griffin 214.458.7663 David Griffin 214.458.7663 Diane Sherman 469.767.1823 Paul Kirkpatrick 214.724.0943 Robert Kucharski 214.356.5802 Robert Kucharski 214.356.5802
1868 Sylvan
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and Christina Puleo live in Kessler Park. They’ve had other restaurant ventures, but this one is the most personal.
“We have to make it,” Christina says. “We live here.”
The market, restaurant and bar opened a year ago and since then, the Puleos and executive chef/managing partner Ryan Olmos have been tweaking things regularly.
Pizza, baked in a gold-tiled brick oven ordered from Napoli, is the mainstay. There are five pizzas on the menu, including some with rotating seasonal ingredients, and they come out crispy crusted and irresistible. There’s also Daniele’s homemade pasta dishes and, recently added, panini made to order with fresh ingredients. Cibo Divino also now serves Pacciugo gelato.
Perhaps more important though, is the wine. The market carries some 350 labels, from $8-$200. Cibo is one of the few places where customers can buy a bottle of wine at retail price and drink it on site, saving themselves the 50-percent restaurant markup.
That becomes even more significant when one considers that the meat counter sells 44 Farms beef, which typically can be found only in high-end steakhouses. But here, you can buy a steak at retail price, and the chefs at Cibo Divino will cook your steak for free. That’s a $50 restaurant steak for $30.
Charcuterie plates, salads and desserts also are on the menu. And there are imported groceries, including some delightful Italian sauces and dried pasta.
Cibo Divino is family friendly in fair weather as the grassy lawn allows kids to cut loose while grownups hangout nearby.
—Rachel Stone
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Some of Dallas’ favorite restaurant recipes can no longer be tasted — their doors have closed and their menus are all but forgotten. Take York Street, a staple of Old East Dallas until 2010 when owner Sharon Hage shuttered the shop for personal reasons after buying it in 2001 (it originally was opened by Mike Shaw in the mid-1980s). The closure was a blow to the local foodie scene; Hage was nominated for five consecutive James Beard Foundation awards for Best Chef Southwest during her time at York Street, when the restaurant was also named by Gourmet magazine as one of the 50 best in the country. So take a bite back in time and try the famed York Street salad, which was so popular that when the restaurant tried to pull it off the menu, people demanded they bring it back.
4 egg yolks
1-1/2 cups soy oil
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
4 tablespoons whole grain mustard
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
Dash garlic powder
Dash onion powder
Dash salt & pepper
In a mixing bowl, separate the egg yolks and add the two mustards. Slowly whisk the soy oil into the egg/mustard mixture until the consistency is creamy (about a minute). Then whisk in half the vinegar, adding the rest according to your taste preference. (Some prefer a tangy vinaigrette, others like it milder.) Then whisk in the other spice, again to taste.
4 to 5 bunches Frisee (or curly endive)
3 tomatoes, chopped
6 to 8 mushrooms, fresh and thinly sliced
1 cup crumbled blue cheese
12 slices of apple smoked bacon, cooked and crumbled
Red onion sliced in rings
Toss the first five ingredients gently, coating evenly with the vinaigrette. Garnish the top with overlapping onion rings.
Living with a painful chronic condition or struggling as a foster child turned teen mom — youth here and everywhere deal with hardships, but few do so while maintaining a strong academic record and emerging into leaders among their peers.
Anger controlled Sherry Bass for too much of her life.
The 18-year-old graduates from Dallas Can Academy in Oak Cliff next month, and that overwhelming emotion enveloped her from a young age.
She’s endured abuse, neglect and teen pregnancy, but now she’s on her way to becoming a registered nurse.
Bass’ mother had labeled her “hyper” and so she began giving her daughter marijuana to smoke at age 8. The woman used drugs and often had men in the house.
Desperate for stability, Bass sought out her birth father, a man she’d never met.
“I found him on Facebook, and he said I could come live with him,” she says.
So at 13, she took the bus from Massachusetts to Desoto, Texas.
Things didn’t improve. Her dad was using drugs and alcohol, and he allowed Bass to do the same. He didn’t really want her there. One night, in a cloud of inebriation, he told her he didn’t love her.
By 14, she became a ward of the state in foster care, and life took a hard left turn. Her foster mother showed her love and took her to church. She received mentalhealth therapy, and a counselor spoke to her in a way that resonated: Giving into anger means giving up on yourself, on your own life. If you don’t care about yourself, no one else will.
“I realized I have to be there for myself,” she says. “And I realized God is there for me.”
At Lancaster High School, Bass began to study hard and made good grades. She won the physics award at the end of her 10th-grade year, but by the time she walked across stage to accept it, she was visibly pregnant.
“This girl heckled me. She said I wasn’t going to amount to anything because I was just going to be a welfare mother,” Bass says.
When she first found out she was pregnant, Bass says, “I thought, I’ll just have an abortion, and no one will have to know.”
But that Sunday, her preacher gave a sermon about the prophet Jeremiah, wherein God informs the prophet of his own miraculous powers, “Before I formed
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you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you; I have appointed you a prophet to the nations.”
Bass took that as a sign, and a few months before she turned 18, her son, Jeremiah, was born. Foster parents in Texas are prohibited from housing mothers and their children. But Bass was able to secure a spot at Oak Cliff’s Promise House, which, among other services, offers supportive housing to young women and their children for up to two years. She enrolled in Dallas Can Academy, a couple of blocks away from Promise House.
“It’s more than just a school,” she says. “They take the time to figure out what’s wrong and help you calm down so you can focus on your work.”
Through the school’s accelerated courses, Bass finished quickly. By March of this year, she had completed all the coursework necessary for graduation.
“She’s a very determined young lady, and we’re very proud of her,” says assistant principal Rufus Johnson.
Children raised in foster care are far less likely to graduate from high school than others. According to a 2011 national study from the University of Chicago, foster kids are more likely to be suspended or expelled, repeat a grade or drop out. They also score lower on average on standardized tests.
Bass is an exception. Unlike many, who get frustrated by the extensive paperwork, she
needs.” –Victor L. Hall
figured out how to navigate the bureaucratic red tape to claim benefits for which all foster children are eligible, including free college tuition at state schools.
She is planning to attend Texas Woman’s University to earn a bachelor of science in nursing. She’s already found housing and applied for federally funded childcare in Denton. She’s aware of the state-funded program that will help former foster children pay up to $3,000 in household bills.
Bass says some people have tried to push her toward a lesser nursing degree that would take only about a year to complete, but that’s not good enough for her.
“If you’re going to do it, you might as well go all the way,” she says.
She is in a hurry to get it done. She plans to begin classes in July. Her eyes already are set on college graduation.
“I know I have to go right away because otherwise I will just get a job, and I’ll never go,” she says.
“I realized I have to be there for myself. And I realized God is there for me.”
A shrine to the Virgin of Guadalupe, encased in brick and glass, stands before the steps to the Hernandez home near Kiest Park.
An enormous portrait of another queen dominates one wall of their living room. It’s the quinceañera portrait of their only daughter, 18-year-old Aylin. She’s wearing a mint-green gown with long sleeves, a tiara atop her long, curled hair. She looks happy and pretty, but those feelings, for her, can be elusive.
There are things Aylin Hernandez can’t do.
Joining the basketball team, driving and traveling alone, for example, are out of the question.
Hernandez was born with the fragile skin disorder epidermolysis bullosa. Her body does not produce the protein needed to hold the layers of skin together so the slightest friction results in blisters and sores.
Even though she has her limits, Aylin is a successful student at Bishop Dunne Catholic School, expected to graduate this month. She’s a typical teenager, always on her phone. She loves watching “Pretty Little Liars” on Netflix. And she’s a huge fan of the rapper Drake. She wants to go to Disneyland and to visit Drake’s hometown, Toronto.
On the other hand, her daily routine isn’t typical.
Every night, her mom has to help her shower. And every morning, she has to treat the sores covering Aylin’s back. Every morning, Aylin cries from the pain.
Besides that, her body is constantly in a state of healing, so she’s easily exhausted.
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She wants to become a psychologist so she can work with children in the hospital, just like the people who helped her. The torment of daily physical pain, plus the emotional pain associated with looking different, has taken its toll on her psyche.
“People were always looking and pointing at her,” says Aylin’s mother, Mayra, in Spanish. “This would get me so mad, and I would talk back to them. We live in a world where society judges without knowing. Aylin used to hide behind me when this would happen, and I would tell her there
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was no reason to do so.”
Aylin is quiet, serious and not very friendly, Mayra says. She gets mad easily.
“Maybe that’s because of the attitude,” the world shows her, Mayra says.
But she’s also very creative, and she loves doing crafts.
Aylin’s condition caused her fingers to fuse to her hands. She had a couple of surgeries as a child to correct it, but the fingers fused back again, and now only her thumbs are free. But she’s found ways to write and use a keyboard.
“She finds ways to adapt. I don’t really see her making excuses,” says Bishop Dunne director of guidance Mario Root. “I can’t imagine her having gone anywhere else. We’re really proud of her, and we’re proud to have her among our graduates.”
It was a long road. Between kindergarten and sixth grade at St. Cecilia Catholic School, Aylin’s mom went to school with her every day, all day.
The teasing from other students was more than Aylin could bear alone.
“It got to the point where she didn’t want to go to school,” Mayra says. “She felt tired and like she couldn’t take it anymore. I told her she had to go to school and that I was going with her.”
Things changed in seventh and eighth grade. Kids weren’t as mean, and Aylin wanted some independence.
By ninth grade, when she entered Bishop Dunne, Aylin’s mom came to school only to bring her daughter lunch.
Now that she’s a senior, Aylin says, she’s comfortable. She talks more and participates in school activities.
Aylin’s mom says people would be surprised to know that Aylin actually could be a good basketball player. Mayra and Aylin’s dad, Juan, have played since they were kids. Despite her physical limitations, Aylin has figured out ways to shoot the ball, and she almost never misses, Mayra says.
Aylin also has a 7-month-old brother, Leonardo. When she first found out her mom was pregnant, she was mad because she was afraid the baby could have her inherited skin condition.
But once she found out it was a boy, her attitude changed.
“I told her, ‘It’s going to be a boy, but you are the queen,’ and she would just laugh.”
Poufs of tulle and sequined bodices of quinceañera dresses that fill the shop windows attract the eyes of any pedestrian on Jefferson Boulevard.
Quinceañera/wedding shops are a major part of the boulevard’s retail story.
A few years after the exodus of major retailers from Jefferson in the mid-1970s, Hispanic entrepreneurs began taking shop spaces there. Around 1979, the wedding industry first began to take hold with Rene Photography.
Rene Ramos Sr. started making bridal and quinceañera portraits in Corpus Christi in the ’70s, but competition for occasion photography was fierce. So the Ramos fam-
ily moved to Dallas and found a spot in the 900 block of West Jefferson in the late ’70s.
“We were the first ones here,” says Rene Ramos Jr., who now runs the business with his mother.
Rene gained early customers with advertising on Johnny Gonzalez’s “Fiesta Mexicano,” a one-hour show in Spanish that aired on Channel 11 every Saturday.
After that, says the younger Rene, other wedding-related businesses began to move to the boulevard. Rene bought their current building in the 500 block of West Jefferson in 1980, and the elder Rene recruited a bakery and dress shop.
Lizcano Bridal Shop is another wedding
business early to Jefferson. The Lizcano family originally opened their shop on Maple at Lucas around 1965. At the time it was one of the city’s few Hispanic bridal shops, says Carmen Rodriguez, the second-generation owner. They moved to Jefferson around 1979 and bought their current building in the early ’90s.
Rodriguez’s husband, Raul, and daughter, Rose, are certified event planners. It’s more than just a dress shop. They can plan whole weddings and quinceañeras from place settings to catering to venues. They do about four a week.
Lizcano is known for custom-made gowns and expert alterations. They’ve been in business so long that they’ve learned to deal directly with dress manufacturers in China.
“We were the first Hispanic bridal shop on this strip,” Raul says. “Now it’s gone viral. There are bridal shops and new venues popping up all the time.”
Unfortunately, startup bridal shops some-
times come and go from Jefferson, and that has caused bridal crises a few times when a shop will suddenly close, making off with deposits or dresses left for alterations. But most people know the reputable old pros — Lizcano and Liz, notably.
But there are newer bridal shops on the boulevard that have built solid reputations.
Mayra Orozco opened Celebración Bridal in the 100 block of West Jefferson in 2000, although her earliest memories are of being in her mother’s bridal shop in Guadalajara.
She’s a natural businesswoman who discovered Jefferson Boulevard while driving around lost one day. She popped into one of the bridal shops and decided she could do it better.
At Celebración, it’s not just about the dress, it’s about accessories. Every quinceañera queen needs a photo album, a guestbook, a bible and two pillows — a small one for presenting jewelry and a larger one for kneeling in church. They
should all match, of course, and fall in line with her colors and theme.
That’s just the beginning. There’s also a doll or teddy bear, the last toy her father gives her, and the doll wears a dress to match hers. There’s the custom-made box for envelopes. The matching “little princess” dress for her younger sibling or relative to wear. The bedazzled stand for champagne glasses. The tiara. The bouquet.
All of these things can be customized and perfectly matched. Some families spend as much as $25,000-$30,000 on their daughter’s quinceañera, says Raul Rodriguez. But the average cost is $8,000-$10,000.
After a divorce a few years ago, Orozco decided to expand. Her original shop is just east of Zang, and she noticed that shoppers on Jefferson don’t typically cross Zang. If they park on her side, they shop on her side, and vice versa. So she bought a second store, Bling Bling, across Zang in the
200 block of West Jefferson. She can stand outside of Celebración and see Bling Bling’s front door, but each shop draws different customers.
Last year, she bought Jefferson Bridal as well.
As a single mother of two children, ages 11 and 17, and with no family in the area, Orozco works like she’s going to go broke at any moment. Her mini empire employs nine women, including three managers and six seamstresses, and she rents out a space inside Bling Bling to a wedding photographer as well.
Although she’s bought her other two buildings, Orozco says her landlord at Celebración won’t sell.
“It’s not easy, believe me,” she says. “It’s a lot of work and a lot of money. But I don’t want to work for anyone else. I love business.”
SEE MORE PHOTOS visit oakcliff.advocatemag.com
GRACE TEMPLE BAPTIST MULTI-CULTURAL CHURCH
Sunday Worship: English Service 9:30 am / Spanish Service 11:00 am
831 W. Tenth St. / 214.948.7587 / gracetempledallas.org
DALLAS MINISTRY CONFERENCE / udallas.edu/dmc / Sept. 29 - Oct. 1
Sponsored by the University of Dallas & the Catholic Diocese of Dallas
Sessions on Faith, Scripture, and Ministry / Exhibitors / Music / Mass
EAST DALLAS CHRISTIAN CHURCH / 629 N. Peak Street / 214.824.8185
Sunday School 9:30 am / Worship 8:30 am - Chapel
10:50 am - Sanctuary / Rev. Deborah Morgan-Stokes / edcc.org
OAK CLIFF CHRISTIAN CHURCH / Celebrating 125 Years
Fellowship 9:30 am / Sunday School 9:45 am / Worship 11:00 am
660 S. Zang / occch.org / 214.376.4375
GRACE UMC / Diverse, Inclusive, Missional
Sunday School for all ages, 9:30 am / Worship, 10:50 am
4105 Junius St. / 214.824.2533 / graceumcdallas.org
TYLER STREET CHURCH / Traditional Worship - 9:30 am / tsumc.org
Tyler Street En Vivo - 9:30 am / tylerstreetenvivo.org / 214.946.8106
Tyler Street Live - 11:30 am / tylerstreetlive.org / 927 W. 10th Street
The apartment before me curved in odd directions. It consisted of nine rooms, one exclusively for pets, along with a swimming pool, observatory and roller coaster that moved in and out of the bedrooms. I’ve never seen a more fascinating dwelling place.
Let me explain.
A highlight of my week is when I read to first graders at Bowie Elementary School. Apart from being a lot of fun, studies show that when children are read to and encouraged to read, they develop literacy skills and an interest in reading, leading to increased confidence and broadened horizons.
The teachers at Bowie also recognize that simply talking to children benefits cognitive development and social skills. So on a few occasions they have asked me and others to create a project with a child, talking along the way.
That morning the student wanted to make an apartment out of pipe cleaners. She started with a private room for her mom, a place all to herself. She said, “This is where my baby brother will sleep,” pointing to a small enclosure. “He cries a lot. I wish I didn’t share a room with him.”
The roller coaster launched from her bedroom. Why not? Her favorite place is Six Flags.
The more she built, the more excited she became about the possibilities. The dream was shaping in her mind. It grew until time was called and we had to dismantle her project.
We all need a dream. When we stop dreaming, something dies within us.
For some, dreams of a better life emanate from a faith perspective, a dance with the infinitely creative Divine. Henry Miller
said, “Imagination is the voice of daring. If there is anything Godlike about God it is that. He dared to imagine everything.” Though God creates, the world is not as it should be. Humans can build and bless, but also destroy and curse. Dreams of a better world drive change.
For others, dreams of a more peaceful,
productive or purposeful life come from within. Something compels these persons to believe that the world should be better for them having lived to the fullest. They’re on a quest toward a better self, navigating between the life they have and the life they want.
From wherever dreams come, we can’t do without them.
In the years before my son graduated from high school, I listened to his dreams. Now, it’s reciprocal. He asks me about my dreams. Before leaving for college, he gave me a book by Dallas Clayton called “It’s Never Too Late.” Clayton asks:
“What will you be? What will you give?
And what will you make of these moments you live?
You could be bigger and you could be better,
And you could mend hearts just by writing a letter,
Just by telling a story or sharing a smile, Or sitting and talking and laughing a while.”
We all need someone with whom we can share our dreams. It gives us courage to begin to build, piece by piece.
We all need a dream. When we stop dreaming, something dies within us.
Send business news tips to livelocal@advocatemag.com
Poor Pour House
Thieves broke into Pour House Dallas on West Davis early one recent morning in an attempt to rob the ATM. One of the perpetrators began swinging a sledgehammer at the ATM. He managed to break open the top, but couldn’t get any money out. A second man went into the office and stole money from a drawer. They left in a green passenger van, according to the Dallas Police Department. The suspects had not been found at time of press. Contact Crime Stoppers at 214.373.8477 with any leads.
Cliff View
In 2014, the city approved $4.65 million in tax increment financing for Henry S. Miller’s Oak Cliff development, Cliff View. But after working out changes to
the plans suggested by the Urban Design Peer Review Panel , the project costs went up. The total cost of the project is $58 million and the developer wants the city to increase its tax subsidy to $7.3 million. Without this increase, Henry S. Miller says, the development isn’t feasible. The project would be located on a 4.37-acre tract northwest of the Belmont Hotel and feature about 326 apartments. Of those, roughly 65 would be “affordable,” meaning they would be reserved for families earning 80 percent of the median income in Dallas, or about $40,000.
History demolished
Cockrell Hill is getting a new CVS , but it’s at the expense of a piece of mid-20th century roadside architecture. The service station on the northeast corner of
Jefferson at Cockrell Hill was demolished recently, along with two adjacent buildings. The service station most recently housed Lucille’s Floral, which opened originally in Cockrell Hill in 1951. The previous location — the former Hill Theater once owned by Gene Autry — burned in 1999, so that’s how the flower shop ended up on Jefferson. It’s been closed since 2002, when the state agency now known as the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality informed the owner that she had to remove three underground gasoline tanks in order to continue using the building legally. Neither the business owner nor the city of Cockrell Hill could afford the estimated $13,000 to remove them. The building has remained vacant ever since.
By the sliceEmporium Pies, which got its start in Oak Cliff plans to open another location in Deep Ellum this fall. It will be located right next to Pecan Lodge on Main Street. In addition to Bishop Arts, Emporium also currently serves up pie downtown McKinney. It’s been touted by the Chicago Tribune as a must-stop spot when visiting Dallas.
Contact: Charleen Doan at 214.339.6561 ext. 4020 or admission@bdcs.org
A co-educational, college preparatory school serving students in grades 6-12. We provide a strong faith and valuebased education with high academic standards, encouraging all students to achieve their full potential. Our curriculum emphasizes individualized attention, and is constantly at the forefront of technology integration through the use of laptops, ebooks, and our Online Education Program. Additionally, we provide a full range of extracurricular activities ranging from athletics, to the arts, to clubs and service organizations.
LAKEHILL PREPARATORY SCHOOL
Leading to Success. 2720 Hillside Dr., Dallas 75214 / 214.826.2931 / lakehillprep.org Kindergarten through Grade 12 - Lakehill Preparatory School takes the word preparatory in its name very seriously. Throughout a student’s academic career, Lakehill builds an educational program that achieves its goal of enabling graduates to attend the finest, most rigorous universities of choice. Lakehill combines a robust, college-preparatory curriculum with opportunities for personal growth, individual enrichment, and community involvement. From kindergarten through high school, every Lakehill student is encouraged to strive, challenged to succeed, and inspired to excel.
4019 S. Hampton Rd. Dallas 75224/ 214.331.5139 / www.saintspride.com
At St. Elizabeth of Hungary, our fundamental task is the education of the whole child -- combining learning with faith, Catholic doctrines and moral teachings. We introduce all PK3-8th Grade students to the integrated ways of STEM. This approach to education is designed to revolutionize the teaching of subject areas such as mathematics and science by incorporating technology and engineering into regular curriculum. Over the past 10 years, 95% of St. Elizabeth 8th graders were accepted to their first choice high school. Join us for an informational school tour and see for yourself how easy it is to become a Saint! Call 214.331.5139 for information.
The Oak Cliff Lions Club recently honored Dr. Gail Thomas, president of The Trinity Trust and her husband, Robert Hyer Thomas, past president of the Dallas Bar Association. Jointly, the duo received the Bill Melton Humanitarian Award, which recognizes people who live by the Lions Club’s motto: “We Serve.”
Marco Davila, a longtime Dallas firefighter, who served Oak Cliff’s Station No. 15, died recently from an undisclosed illness. According to the Hispanic Firefighters Association, Davila began his career nearly 20 years ago. He’s survived by his wife, Denise, and his children, Mariah and Marc. So far, Davila’s friends have raised $10,990 for his family via the website youcaring.com.
You may have noticed a new stoplight on Illinois at Rugged. It’s part of the Elmwood Parkway Trail extension, which connects Kiest Park to Elmwood Parkway, has a price tag of about $620,000, features a pedestrian bridge and was completed in late March.
Work begins this summer to turn the bumpy stretch of Sylvan Avenue between Commerce and Singleton into a complete street. AT&T will begin moving some underground infrastructure that conflicts with drainage in June. Then, around August, the city and Dallas County will begin a project to resurface Sylvan and create a four-lane roadway with bike lanes. That project is expected to take about 15 months, which puts the completion date somewhere around the end of 2017.
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.
MaryGlennAttorney.com 214-802-6768
Bike Friendly Oak Cliff hosted a
group ride recently called Paletas y Bicicletas. The event began in Lake Cliff Park, ended at Kidd Springs and featured a mariachi performance, piñatas, popsicles and more. (Photos by Aron Alfaro)
SERVICES
JAMES H. DOLAN, MA, L.P.C. Therapist, Executive Coach 214-629-6315. Individuals, couples & teens. LGBT PROPERTY TAX PROTEST laurenmedel.com. 972-773-9306 Mobile. SEO Friendly. Maintainable.
NEED A NEW WEBSITE? AdvocateWebDesign.com 214.292.2053
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
DONATE YOUR CAR FOR BREAST CANCER Help United Breast Foundation education, prevention, support programs. Fast free pickup. 24 Hour response. Tax deduction. 855-403-0213
SHARE FRONT ROW
Texas Rangers, Stars & Mavs seats. Tickets are available in sets of 10 games (sets of 2 or 4 tickets per game available). Participants randomly draw numbers prior to season to determine a draft order fair to everyone. Call 214-560-4212 or rwamre@advocatemag.com
JUNE DEADLINE MAY 11
TO ADVERTISE CALL 214.560.4203
CONCRETE, Driveway Specialist Repairs, Replacement, Removal, References. Reasonable. Chris 214-770-5001
THE TEXAN FLOORING SERVICES
Wood, Laminate. Remodel Showers, Bathrooms. thetexanflooringservices.com 214-680-0901
HONEST, SKILLED SERVICE With a
Repairs/ Maintenance. 214-215-2582
Your Home Repair Specialists
Serving the Dallas area for over 30 years
Family Owned & Operated 972-274-2157
ANNA’S ELECTRIC Your Oak Cliff Electrician Since 1978. tecl25513. 214-943-4890
hardwood floors
We raise our kids here, too! TACLB29169E
www.CrestAirAndHeat.com
JESSE’S A/C & APPLIANCE SERVICE
TACLB13304C All Makes/Models. 214-660-8898
JD’S TREE SERVICE Mantels, Headboards, Kitchen Islands, Dining tables. Made from Local Trees. www.jdtreeservice.com 214-946-7138
AFFORDABLE, PROFESSIONAL CLEANING
$100 off 1st clean for new weekly/bi-weekly clients. Staff trained by Nationally Certified Cleaning Tech. Chemical-free, Green, or Traditional Cleaning. WindsorMaidServices.com 214-381-MAID (6243)
CINDY’S HOUSE CLEANING 15 yrs exp. Resd/Com. Refs. Dependable. 214-490-0133
TWO SISTERS & A MOP Move in/Out. Reliable/Dependable 20 Yrs Exp. 214-283-9732 twosistersamopmaidservice.com
WINDOW MAN WINDOW CLEANING.COM Residential Specialists. BBB. 214-718-3134
BRICK, BLOCK, Stone, Concrete, Stucco. Gonzalez Masonry. 214-395-1319
BRICK, STONEWORK, FLAGSTONE PATIOS
Mortar Repair. Straighten Brick Mailboxes & Columns. Call Cirilo 214-298-7174
CONCRETE REPAIRS/REPOURS
Demo existing. Stamping and Staining Driveways/Patio/Walkways
Pattern/Color available
Free Estimates 972-672-5359 (36 yrs.)
ANTHONY’S ELECTRIC Master Electrician. TECL24948 anthonyselectricofdallas.com 50 Yrs. Electrical Exp. Insd. 214-328-1333
BRIGHT LIGHT ELECTRIC • 214-553-5333 TECL 31347 Lighting and Electrical Services
TH ELECTRIC Reasonable Rates. Licensed & Insured. Ted. E257 214-808-3658
Irrigation tip:
“The
Superior Quality: Installation • Refinishing Repair • Cleaning & Waxing Old World Hand Scrape 214-824-1166
UNITED GARAGE DOORS AND GATES Res/Com. Locally Owned.214-826-8096
MANNY’S HOME PAINTING & REMODEL Int./Ext. Sheetrock. Manny 214-334-2160
RAMON’S INT/EXT PAINT Sheetrock, Repairs. 214-679-4513
BLAKE CONSTRUCTION CONCEPTS LLC
Complete Kitchen And Bath Remodels. Tile, Granite, Marble, Travertine, Slate. Insured. 214-563-5035
www.blake-construction.com
FENN CONSTRUCTION Full Service Contractor. dallastileman.com 214-343-4645
STONE AGE COUNTER TOPS Granite, Marble, Tile, Kitchen/Bath Remodels. 972-276-9943.stoneage.dennis@verizon.net
G&G DEMOLITION Tear downs, Haul. Interior/Exterior. 214-808-8925
#1 COWBOY FENCE & IRON CO. Est. ‘91. 214-692-1991 www.cowboyfenceandiron.com
4 QUALITY FENCING Call Mike 214-507-9322 Specializing in Wood, New or Repair. FENCING & WOODWORK oldgatefence.com charliehookerswoodwork.com 214-766-6422
HANNAWOODWORKS.COM
Decks, Pergolas, Patio Covers. 214-435-9574
EST. 1991 #1
FENCE & IRON CO.
214.692.1991
SPECIALIZING IN Wood Fences &Auto Gates
cowboyfenceandiron.com
EAST DALLAS WINDOW CLEANING Power Wash. Free Est. Dependable. Derek. 214-360-0120
ROCK GLASS CO Replace, repair: windows, mirrors, showers, screens. 214-837-7829
A R&G HANDYMAN Electrical, Plumbing, Painting, Fencing, Roofing, Light Hauling. Ron or Gary 214-861-7569, 469-878-8044
BO HANDYMAN Specializing In Historic Home
Renovations & Pro Remodels. Custom Carpentry, Doors, Kitchens, Baths & more. 214-437-9730
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
HOMETOWN HANDYMAN All phases of construction. No job too small 214-327-4606
Home
HOLMAN IRRIGATION
Sprinkler & Valve Repair/ Rebuild Older Systems. Lic. #1742. 214-398-8061
LIGHT IT UP DALLAS
Your lighting specialists. 972-591-8383 Parties, Weddings, Patios, Landscape.
LSI LAWN SPRINKLERS “Making Water Work” Irrigation system Service & Repair. Specializing In Older Copper Systems. LI #13715. 214-283-4673
ORTIZ LAWNCARE Complete Yard Care. Service by Felipe. Free Est. 214-215-3599
U R LAWN CARE Maintenance. Landscaping. Oak Cliff resident for over 15 years. uwereisch@yahoo.com 214-886-9202
RESPONSIBLE TREE CARE FOR THE ENVIRONMENT
Firewood/Cooking Wood
Locally harvested wood!
Full service trimming & planting of native trees. 214.946.7138
AM MOVING COMPANY Specialty Moving & Delivery.469-278-2304 ammovingcompany.com
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
AC PLUMBING Repairs, Fixtures, Senior Discounts. Gary Campbell. 214-321-5943
ANDREWS PLUMBING • 214-354-8521 # M37740 Insured. Any plumbing issues. plumberiffic69@gmail.com
Sewers • Drains • Bonded 24 Hours/7 Days
*Joe Faz 469-346-1814 - Se Habla Español*
ARRIAGA PLUMBING: General Plumbing
Since the 80’s. Insured. Lic# M- 20754 214-321-0589, 214-738-7116, CC’s accepted.
M&S PLUMBING Quality Work & Prompt Service. Jerry. 214-235-2172. lic.#M-11523
NTX PLUMBING SPEC. LLLP 214-226-0913
Lic. M-40581 Res/Com. Repairs & Leak Location
A 60-year-old man was sitting in his truck on North Hampton when another man threatened him at knifepoint. The perpetrator forced the victim to drive to an ATM on Pleasant Grove. The victim said he had no ATM card, which angered the perpetrator. He began stabbing the victim in the face. When the injured man rolled out of the truck, the perpetrator ran him over, dragging his body along with the vehicle. The victim was later taken to the hospital and his truck was found at 4800 Olson. The perpetrator has not been located at time of press. He is described as a 25-to-30-year-old Latino male. His name may be Richard. If you have information about this offense, call 214.671.3619. Those wishing to remain anonymous should call 214.373.8477.
PLUMBING
ROOFING & GUTTERS
BERT ROOFING INC.
Family owned and operated for over 40 years
• Residential/Commercial • Over 30,000 roofs completed • Seven NTRCA “Golden Hammer” Awards • Free Estimates
214-328-7371
MetroFlowPlumbing.com
Lic.# M16620
BLAKE CONSTRUCTION CONCEPTS, LLC
Complete Remodeling, Kitchens, Baths, Additions. Hardie Siding & Replacement Windows. Build On Your Own Lot. Insured. www.blake-construction.com 214-563-5035
BO HANDYMAN Specializing In Historic Home Renovations & Pro Remodels. Custom Carpentry, Doors, Kitchens, Baths & more. 214-437-9730
FENN CONSTRUCTION Full Service Contractor. dallastileman.com 214-343-4645
O’BRIEN GROUP INC. Remodeling Dallas For Over 17 Years www.ObrienGroupInc.com 214-341-1448
RENOVATE DALLAS renovatedallas.com 214-403-7247 214-341-1155 bobmcdonaldco.net
Bob McDonald Company, Inc. BUILDERS/REMODELERS
30+ Yrs. in Business • Major Additions Complete Renovations • Kitchens/Baths
2830
JUNE DEADLINE MAY 11 TO ADVERTISE CALL 214.560.4203
ADVOCATE PUBLISHING does not pre-screen, recommend or investigate the advertisements and/or Advertisers published in our magazines. As a result, Advocate Publishing is not responsible for your dealings with any Advertiser. Please ask each Advertiser that you contact to show you the necessary licenses and/or permits required to perform the work you are requesting. Advocate Publishing takes comments and/or complaints about Advertisers seriously, and we do not publish advertisements that we know are inaccurate, misleading and/or do not live up to the standards set by our publications. If you have a legitimate complaint or positive comment about an Advertiser, please contact us at 214-560-4203. Advocate Publishing recommends that you ask for and check references from each Advertiser that you contact, and we recommend that you obtain a written statement of work to be completed, and the price to be charged, prior to approving any work or providing an Advertiser with any deposit for work to be completed.
LocalWorks.advocatemag.com
600
homicides reported in Dallas this year between Jan. 1 and March 28. 22
homicides reported in Dallas last year during the same time period. It’s not just murder that’s on the rise. The city saw a 30-percent increase in violent crime overall in the first two months of 2016.
Oak Cliff hosted the Byron Nelson tournament for a decade
COMMENT. Visit oakcliff.advocatemag.com/backstory to tell us what you think.
The glitzy Byron Nelson golf tournament draws professional and amateur golfers for payouts of more than $7 million, and it raises money for the Salesmanship Club of Dallas and its Momentous Institute schools.
About 15,000 fans were on hand at the Dallas Open on April 22, 1967, when Miller Barber hit a 6-iron tee shot 179 yards straight into the seventh hole.
Athletes played the tournament now known as the AT&T Byron Nelson in Oak Cliff for over a decade, and in the early days, a couple of neighborhood guys won it.
The tournament, played in Irving since 1983, started in Dallas. It evolved from a tournament called the Texas Victory Open played at the Lakewood Country Club in 1944. The purpose of that tournament was to raise money, via the sale of war bonds, for the U.S. military’s efforts in World War II. Waxahachieborn Byron Nelson won that 1944 tournament at 8 under par with a score of 276 and received a grand prize of $2,000.
The tournament, then known as the Dallas Open Invitational, was played eight times at Oak Cliff Country Club, now known as the Golf Club of Dallas, between 1958 and 1967. The club was built on Red Bird Lane for $786,000 in 1954.
Sunset High School alumnus Don January had won the tournament in
spectacular fashion in 1957, when it was played at the Preston Hollow Country Club. He hit a 25-foot eagle from the sand trap on the last hole to win the tournament and a whopping $6,000.
Another Sunset graduate, Earl Stewart Jr., won in 1961 at the Oak Cliff Country Club, taking $4,300. Stewart, who graduated from Sunset in ’38, had previously won two PGA tour events, both in 1952: the Greater Greensboro Open and the Ardmore Open.
Stewart worked as a club professional at the Oak Cliff Country Club, and his win there was historic because he became the first home pro to win a PGA tournament.
Stewart went on to become the head golf coach at Southern Methodist University, from 1975-87,
where he coached future two-time U.S. Open and PGA Champion Payne Stewart.
Billy Maxwell, also from Dallas, won in 1962.
About 15,000 fans were on hand at the Dallas Open on April 22, 1967, when Miller Barber hit a 6-iron tee shot 179 yards straight into the seventh hole. The hole-in-one landed him a brand-new Mercury Cougar from TV sponsor Hertz Rental Co. A newspaper reporter’s description from that day paints a picture.
“Colorful Doug Sanders, decked out in orchid-colored shirt, shoes and glove, with oyster-white slacks, was the darling of the gallery once again as he walked along the fairway ropes shaking hands with the customers. He also managed to slip in a couple
of kisses with one of the prettier fans.”
Argentine Roberto De Vincenzo won the tournament in 1966. He took $15,000 and threw a tequila party for the press.
The Salesmanship Club of Dallas took over the tournament in 1968 and renamed it after Byron Nelson. The nonprofit also moved the tournament to Preston Trail Golf Club, where it was
Left: As well as being a two-time Masters and PGA Championship winner, Byron Nelson also invented the oversized golf umbrella.
Below: Nelson smashes one for spectators in the 1940s. (Photos courtesy of the AT&T Byron Nelson)
played until 1982.
Over the decades, the Salesmanship Club has raised millions of dollars through the annual tournament. All of the money goes to running the Momentous Institute, which provides top-notch education to low-income students in Dallas.
This year’s tournament is May 19-22.
—Rachel Stone
