2010 February Oak Cliff

These neighbors are proof that small deeds of kindness can ultimately make a big difference.

LIVING LOCAL IN OAKCLIFF

BLOGS, PODCASTS AND MORE AT

ONLY IN OAK CLIFF

Last year’s Oak Cliff Mardi Gras was the party of the season. See page 15 for details on this year’s festivities.

PHOTOS BY Can TüRKYILMaZ

Tyler and Davis is being branded ‘X+’ because of how it looks on the street map. If I understand correctly, the ‘X’ is where Kings Highway meets Davis, and the ‘+’ is where Davis and Tyler cross.”

WE’RE EATING

... donuts, sushi, sandwiches and kabobs, and tasting wine, too, and when a new spot opens, we check it out and write about it. Read our “Wine Review” every Wednesday and “Restaurant Talk” every Friday on- ’s Back Talk blog. Search: Restaurant talk and wine review

WHAT’S EATING US?

Traffic on the neighborhood streets, door-to-door salespeople and dog park etiquette. Advocate editors tell you what we know about it in 10 minutes or less, every Monday morning during the “What’s Up With That?” podcast show. Search: Advocate radio

GO BACKSTAGE

... at a photo shoot. If our regularly featured food photos (“Delicious”, page 16) make your mouth water, you’ll eat up our behind-thescenes restaurant video, posted on the 1st of every month at Search: Rush Patisserie

WHAT’S UP WITH YOU?

Spread the word via under the Happenings header, where you can post information about events associated with your favorite school, charity, church or other organization. Share your news tip with the Oak Cliff Advocate editor at rstone@advocatemag.com. Include your address, and if we use your story on or in print, we’ll send you an Advocate T-shirt.

video

“The up-and-coming commercial district near

—RACHEL STONE SEARCH: TYLER DAVISART DISTRICT ON

PRE-RECESSION BLINDERS ARE OFF

It now appears that Dallasites had the best vision

I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but the days of blindly buying things for ourselves are over. Forever. And ever.

That’s what the national media says: that Americans’ general lack of wealth is contributing to more sustainable personal spending, that today we’re spending disposable income while for the past 20 or 30 years, we’ve been spending everything we had plus a lot we didn’t.

It’s an interesting thought, isn’t it, that the economic crisis has permanently changed our lives, that we’ll never again live beyond our means and that in the future, we’ll always do what’s “right” economically, and we’ll always use our heads before spending money instead of

just buying whatever we see advertised on TV as long as we still have some plastic in our pocket.

The national media experts say we’re volunteering more, attending more cultural events with family and friends, spending more time together talking and, even though we’re still going to the malls, we’re not spending as much money there because we’re just using malls as places to hang out.

It’s good to know that facing down economic Armegeddon has done so many good things for our lives.

What intrigues me is that a lot of us don’t know which way the wind is blowing, even if there’s a flag right in front of us. We depend on the cues of others to determine our direction, and we feel intimidated if we make a decision that goes against the grain, even when we’re right. It’s not so much herd mentality as it is fear of being wrong alone. Being wrong together is OK, but being wrong alone is flat-out scary.

here. The schools are better out there, so the thought process went, the buildings newer, the houses bigger and the streets smoother.

But now that so many of us supposedly can’t afford to live too far from work, and we don’t want to be too far from schools, and we want to make sure our kids experience all that life has to offer, living here where we live is starting to look better to a lot of suburbanites. Dallas is a city that, despite its well-known problems, has never been more vibrant. Many of our neighborhoods are on the upswing. Our public schools, while not perfect, have improved. Our public transportation, while still limited, is expanding. For better or worse, we’ve invested a lot of our tax dollars Downtown, and the place is starting to look good even if there’s still plenty of room for improvement.

Rick Wamre is publisher of advocate Publishing. Let

know how we are doing by writing to 6301 Gaston, Suite 820, Dallas 75214; FaX to 214.823.8866; or e-mail to rwamre@advocatemag.com.

DISTRIBUTION PH/214.560.4203

The suburbs are full of people who think like this, who fled Dallas — the place we call home — back when the smart money was on anywhere but

ADVERTISING PH/214.560.4203 advertising coordinator: JUDY LILES /214.560.4203 jliles@advocatemag.com

The experts may be right: Maybe Americans are starting to appreciate the little plot of dirt we call home more now that we can’t afford to jet off somewhere else at the drop of a hat.

Come to think of it: Isn’t that what most of us around here have always been doing?

advertising sales director: KRISTY GACONNIER /214.560.4213 kgaconnier@advocatemag.com display sales manager: BRIAN BEAVERS /214.560.4201 bbeavers@advocatemag.com senior advertising consultant: AMY DURANT /214.560.4205 adurant@advocatemag.com advertising consultants: CATHERINE PATE /214.292.0494 cpate@advocatemag.com

NORA JONES /214.292.0962 njones@advocatemag.com

MADELYN RYBCZYK /214.292.0485 mrybczyk@advocatemag.com BRANDI S TRINGER /469.916.7864 bstringer@advocatemag.com

PATTI MILLER /214.292.0961 pmiller@advocatemag.com classified manager: PRIO BERGER /214.560.4211 pberger@advocatemag.com

classified consultants: SALLY ACKERMAN /214.560.4202 sackerman@advocatemag.com SUSAN C LARK /469.916.7866 sclark@advocatemag.com

EDITORIAL PH/ 214.292.2053 publisher: RICK WAMRE /214.560.4212 rwamre@advocatemag.com managing editor: KERI MITCHELL /214.292.0487 kmitchell@advocatemag.com

editors: MARLENA CHAVIRA-MEDFORD /214.292.2053 mchavira-medford@advocatemag.com CHRISTINA HUGHES BABB /214.560.4204 chughes@advocatemag.com

RACHEL STONE /214.292.0490 rstone@advocatemag.com senior art director: JYNNETTE NEAL /214.560.4206 jneal@advocatemag.com assistant art director: J ULIANNE RICE /214.292.0493 jrice@advocatemag.com

designers: JEANINE MICHNA-BALES, LARRY OLIVER, contributing editors: JEFF SIEGEL, SALLY WAMRE

contributors: SEAN CHAFFIN, SANDY GREYSON, BILL KEFFER, GAYLA KOKEL, ERIN MOYER, GEORGE MASON, BLAIR MONIE, ELLEN RAFF web editor: COLLEEN YANCY /469.916.7860 cyancy@advocatemag.com photo editor: CAN TüRKYILMAZ /214.560.4200 cturkyilmaz@advocatemag.com photographers: ROBERT BUNCH, MARK DAVIS, MOLLY DICKSON interns: ALEX KNESNIK, DAMION SELMON

him

blog& BACK TALK

OAK CLIFF BICYCLE COMPANY

Riding bikes is fun, and I’d like to see Dallas and Oak Cliff have a lot of fun. I live in Austin, and the bicycle culture here is booming. Biking is a way of life. It’s so much more fun than driving a vehicle. It reduces carbon emissions and promotes a healthy lifestyle. There are lots of reasons to ride bikes, but for me, having fun is the main reason. Good luck to all you fellow bikers.

—TROY JOHNSON, VIA ADVOCATEMAG.COM

THE LIST

One other “Whole Foods-esque” entry you missed in Oak Cliff is Nitschke Natural Beef. Our beef is not raised — contrary to popular belief — in our Kessler back yard, but at our family ranch about two hours away. Our home base is The Cliff, and you can buy our beef directly from us. We’ll even deliver right to your house in the OC.

—LAUREN NITSCHKE, VIA ADVOCATEMAG.COM

DON PANZA’S MOVE TO BECKLEY

I can’t wait! Their pizza and empanadas are wonderful, but their old location was just a little to far from the Gateway/Methodist area. Looking forward to a nicer atmosphere too.

—STEPHEN, VIA ADVOCATEMAG.COM

OJEDA’S OPENS ON JEFFERSON

Jefferson is the most overlooked street for continued commercial and residential development in Oak Cliff and perhaps Dallas. Many existing buildings are ready for renovation. It is surrounded by residential areas, and it is only a few walkable blocks to Bishop Arts. Thank you, Ojeda’s, for thinking forward and opening your restaurant.

—OC, VIA ADVOCATEMAG.COM

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laUNCH

Filmmaker Clay l i F ord made his major film-festival debut in January, when he took his short, “My Mom Smokes Weed”, to the Sundance Film Festival in Utah.

l iford’s short is up against films by Spike Jonze and James Franco. a nd his feature film, “Earthling”, has been accepted to another major film festival, which wouldn’t allow him to announce the news before this story went to print. l iford, whose office/studio is in o ak Cliff, was director of photography on “St. Nick”, the d avid l owery-directed feature that was an official selection of the SXSW Film Festival last year, and it’s hard to find a film project in d allas that l iford hasn’t touched. He’s currently at work on his next film, a comedy about a high-school teacher whose students beat him up.

Tell me about “My Mom Smokes Weed”. What was your inspiration?

Well, my mom does smoke weed, like for my entire life, and she’s 77. And I really never have. I’m not against it on any moral grounds; it just doesn’t appeal to me. But it’s always been a source of embarrassment my whole life. So, I moved my mom to Florida in 2002, and so she lost her [marijuana] connection. She found some dodgy hookup somewhere in Miami, and I got tagged to go with her. So I decided to write a fictional script based on that.

Wow. So how does your mom feel about the movie?

It’s funny because I wanted to make sure my mom was OK with it, and I felt like a lawyer doing this, but I brought her the script and I had her initial every page. But she doesn’t have the best memory because she’s 77 and a longtime pot-smoker, so when she first saw the movie, she kind of wigged out. But then everyone told her they loved it, and then it was fine. So now, she helps me promote it. She went to CineVegas (Film Festival) with me, and people were trying to sell my mom weed. There were strippers in Vegas talking to my mom about weed. It was very off-putting.

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Dallas Morning News

Love Yourself — Schedule Your Annual Visit

Kessler Women’s Healthcare was formed to compassionately care for women of all ages. Located off Colorado Boulevard in Dallas, we are here 6 days a week with appointments as early as 7 a.m. and as late as 6 p.m. to fit the busy schedules of today’s woman.

more on CLAY LIFORD

I KNOW WE CAN’T YET ANNOUNCE WHICH ONE, BUT YOUR FEATURE FILM, “EARTHLING”, WAS ACCEPTED TO A MAJOR FESTIVAL. TELL ME ABOUT THAT ONE.

With “Earthling”, I made a science fiction movie about a woman in her mid-30s who is infertile and trying to deal with the fact that she can’t have kids. It’s all about her, but it’s a science fiction film, too. I wanted to write a movie from a woman’s perspective that wasn’t this annoying movie cliché, where the female hero is basically a dude who has his genitals removed. This is a real woman dealing with her life, and it’s also a sci-fi film. This movie is completely unchartered territory for me. It’s a test. I have no idea whether anyone’s going to like it. I’ve never been more nervous about something in my life.

YOU’VE ESTABLISHED YOURSELF PRETTY WELL AS A FILMMAKER AND EDITOR. YOU COULD GO TO NEW YORK OR L.A.; WHY DO YOU STAY INDALLAS?

We made “MyMom Smokes Weed” for a couple hundred bucks. You could not do that in New York or L.A. There are no unions here; it’s a right-towork state. If you wanted to film in a diner, you’d have people bending over backward for you. In L.A., you couldn’t film anywhere for under $1,000. And there’s also the feeling that, if you walk into Starbucks and you see 40 people working on scripts, it completely trivializes what you’re doing. It takes the drive out of you to see so many people trying to do what you’re doing.

NOT EVERYONE THRIVES ON COMPETITION.

I have never been a competitive person. I’ve proven — I’m not bragging, but I have proven that I can make a good movie cheaply that people will like. All my friends who go to L.A. stop making movies. They become professional pitchers. They go to pitch

Drs. Patricia LaRue, Rochelle McKown, Theresa Patton, Kecia Foxworth and Sandra Lozano offer maternity, gynocological and menopausal care, as well as in-office surgery, laboratory, osteoporosis screening and sonograms in their state-of-the-art facility at 1330 North Beckley Avenue.

Patricia LaRue, MD; Kecia Foxworth, MD; Rochelle McKown, MD; Theresa Patton, MD; Sandra Lozano, MD

grab-bagLAUNCH

meetings all the time. In New York, they will kick you down and “no” you to death. Everyone will tell you “no”. L.A. is worse because they “yes” you and lead you to believe that something will happen, and it never does. At least here, I’m in control of my own destiny.

So IS thErE A prEtt Y StroNg fILm commuNIt Y IN DALLAS?

It’s not big. there are a lot of people making really, really wretchedly bad movies here. But if someone is making good movies, you find each other really fast. So it’s mostly the same people. We all work for each other. When your friends are successful, it helps everyone out. Shooting “St. Nick” got me work. It got me good work. that movie did so well that it was good for everybody involved.

Do You hAvE A DAY joB, or IS fILmmAkINg Your fuLLtImE joB?

this is all I do. It’s all I’ve done for 10 years. You have to diversify because it’s a small market. I own a small editorial company called ND outpost. I mostly make my money as a director of photography and editor.

hoW WouLD You DEScrIBE Your cINEmAtIc St YLE?

I like that rough-around-the-edges look to things. If you have a toopolished look, you start to lose trust in the filmmaker. the audience should not feel too safe. texas chainsaw massacre is a great example. that movie is frightening 35 years later because you don’t know if that director has any boundaries. If you look at the later versions of it, they’re too polished, and it tells you that this director is not going to cross a certain line. I feel like that same esthetic can be used in comedy. We call it a horror film where nobody gets killed. It’s not going to be that annoying indie comedy thing where it’s all well-lit and the music is like [corny]. It’s not going to be like that at all. It’s going to be shot like a horror film. —RACHEL

STONE

g Watch this and tell us if you catch the faintest whiff of our neighborhood. If it’s there, we must have blinked. Search: one more thing

g A lot of things have come and gone in Red bird, but c olter’s bb Q has not changed since the first time we went there in 1988.

Search: colter’s

g A couple of words of advice for the creators of Fox’s upcoming t V series “ c ode 58”, which will be shot in town and tell the story of two Dallas cops.

Search: code 58

RobeRt bunch

get your hoops up

S ome people drink booze or pop anti-depressants in order to stave off the blues, but Jessica Bullock, who grew up in Oak Cliff, deals in another way. “I could never be in a bad mood while I’m hula-hooping,” she says. Bullock is a fan of String Cheese Incident, a jam band widely credited with spawning a modern day hooping craze among its followers. “My husband and I used to go to their shows 10 years ago, and I loved to watch the people in the hula hoop pits, but I never took part myself back then,” she says. Eventually she came around, though. At one of the shows, her hubby bought her a brightly colored hoop, and she immediately craved more. A few years ago, Bullock located some hula-hooping soul mates, and the group began holding monthly hoop sessions in Oak Cliff. Jennifer Barclay, a childhood friend of Bullock, is a regular hooper. “It’s a good core workout, and Jessica can teach anyone to hoop,” she says. “My daughter couldn’t hoop at all, and now she’s doing all kinds of tricks.” Barclay is training to become a certified hula-hoop instructor through hoopnotica.com. Instantaneous good moods are nice, but the groovy exercise has had unexpected perks. Bullock, a self-proclaimed “big girl” has toned up significantly by way of the core-strengthening hula movements. “I call it the accidental workout,” she says. “I’ve lost about 30 or so pounds without even paying attention.”

THe HULA-HoopiNg groUp meets at different locations in Oak Cliff every month. to find out about their next meeting, email: Jessica@texashoopfactory.com.

MHS2134-ACD.qxd:Layout 1 1/11/10 10:35 AM Page 1

on Follow These Steps for a Healthy Heart.

g A number of concepts opened and closed in the space at 1001 W. Jefferson. That’s how it wound up on this list of the most-jinxed restaurant spaces in Dallas. Search: jinxed

a free event for women’s heart health Saturday, February 13th 10 a.m.–1 p.m. Register now at 877-637-4297 or MethodistHealthSystem.org The physicians on the Methodist Health System medical staff are independent practitioners who are not employees or agents of Methodist Health System

—ChriStina hugheS BaBB

? Cars are always speeding down my street. How can i get road Humps installed to make them slow down?

The City of dallas has a program specifically designed to allow residents to petition for road humps (also known as road bumps) on a street, but it’s not a simple process, and depending on the average speed of cars on your street, it may cost you. if money is not a stop sign for you on the road to safer streets, here’s how it works:

214.670.4020. They will instigate a review of the location by dallas Firerescue to confirm eligibility.

2. if your street qualifies for the program, you must petition for signatures from two-thirds of the households on the proposed stretch of road in order to install road humps. once complete, the petition can be sent to: road Hump Coordinator, department of p ublic Works and Transportation, City Hall, Room L1/BN, Dallas, TX 75201.

3. a pproximately three weeks after the petition is received, the city will perform a traffic study to determine the average speed of vehicles on the street. This will determine how much of the total cost the residents must pay.

1.

several requirements must be met for your street to be deemed eligible for the program, so first you need to see if yours qualifies. The four main criteria are that your street must:

• Be at least 1,000 feet long and provide access to “adjoining lowdensity residential properties” (meaning single-family homes, duplexes, triplexes and fourplexes — not apartment complexes)

• Have only one traffic lane in each direction

• Not be listed as an emergency response route by dallas Firerescue

• Have a posted speed limit of 30 mph or less

To find out if your street qualifies, contact the City of dallas p ublic Works and Transportation department at

4. Based on the findings, residents will have to decide whether they are willing to pay for their share of the road humps, each of which measure 12 feet long and 3 inches high, and cost $,1,100. If the city finds that traffic violators are traveling at an average speed of 35 mph, residents are responsible for 100 percent of the cost. An average speed of 36 mph, however, reduces residents’ share to 80 percent; 37 mph reduces it to 60 percent; 38 to 40 percent; and if violators are driving at average speeds of 39+ mph, the city will foot the entire bill.

For more information, contact the p ublic Works and Transportation Department at 214.670.4020.

—ELIZABETH ELLIOTT

Got a maze you can’t find your way throuGh? Email howitworks@advocatemag.com with your question.

02.06.10-02.07.10

OAK CLIFF MARDI GRAS

Last year’s Oak Cliff Mardi Gras was such a success that the Oak Cliff Chamber of Commerce named it the best local event of 2009. And it’s back this year even better than before. Saturday, Feb. 6 at 8 p.m. is the OCarnivale masquerade ball, benefitting Bishop Arts District beautification. “It’s for all of the landscaping and sprinklers and things like that,” says event organizer Amy Wallace Cowan. “The tenants pay for all of that stuff out of their pockets.” The Rebel Alliance jazz band will perform at the party, held in a tent behind Eno’s. Tickets are $25 through Jan. 25, $35 up to the day of the event, and $40 at the door if any are left (there’s a 300-person limit). The big Mardi-Gras parade is on Sunday, Feb. 7. It starts at 2 p.m. at Methodist Dallas Medical Center and runs down Bishop to Davis. “We’ve got several new groups in the parade this year,” Cowan says. “Wynnewood North is participating for the first time. And there’s a group of friends called ‘Wild on Windomere’ that signed up. So it will be a lot of fun.” — R AC h EL S TONE

02.03 POSTER PARTY

FREE

Kevin Obregon and Vanessa Neil of the Cube Creative will unveil the new poster they created for the Bishop Arts District and the Tyler Davis Art District. It is the first in a series of marketing posters for the area. The party, at Eno’s, 407 N. Bishop, starts at 7 p.m.

02.06-02.07 BURLESQUE FEST $15

Last year’s Dallas Burlesque Festival at the Texas Theatre was a hit. So this year, there are two performances. Both start at 9 p.m., and they’re not that risqué — think 1950s Las Vegas show. But it’s not a show for kids. 231 W. Jefferson, dallasburlesquefestival.com

02.06 DASH FOR THE BEADS $15-$27

This year’s Oak Cliff Mardi Gras celebration includes 5k and 1-mile races. Dash for the Beads starts in the Bishop Arts District at 9 a.m. Registration for the 1-mile race is $15, and $27 for the 5k. Proceeds go to Light Up Bishop Arts, which pays for lighting along the rooftops and in the trees in the district. Costumes are encouraged, and pets are welcome. dashforthebeads.org

02.14 VALENTINE RIDE

FREE Bike Friendly Oak Cliff’s “Love Your Lane” ride starts at Main Street Garden Park at 2 p.m. Cupid costumes, or any equally silly outfits, are encouraged, and there are prizes for the best ones.

02.27 LA REUNION OPEN HOUSE

FREE La Reunion TX is bringing back its tree-carving challenge this month. Artists have been selected to carve dead or dying trees into decomposing sculptures. The public is invited to see their work during an open house from 2-4 p.m. Donations are encouraged. 469.844.5789 or lareuniontx.org.

SCOTT JENKE

FRESHLY BAKED BLISS

O NE MORNING , WHILE MOST OF THE CITY was asleep still and samantha Rush was baking in her kitchen as usual, she got a text message from a loyal customer. “it said, ‘your macaroons are as good as ladurée,’ and he was standing in ladurée eating the macaroons when he sent me the message,” she says. That’s a famous Parisian pastry shop that invented and cultivated French macaroons. These are not the dried-up coconut cookies that are American macaroons. They are “little hamburgers” whose “buns” are made from almond flour and meringue flavored with pistachio, passion fruit, raspberry or lemon, to name a few. And they’re filled with thin layers of things like butter crème, jam or fondant. Rush, a former accountant who went to pastry school in Paris and owns Rush Patisserie, is noted for her macaroons. But there is so much more to what she does. she makes any pastry you can think of, and she does them all in an authentic European style. in the morning, she offers muffins, croissants, Danishes and other pastries to oak cliff commuters. she makes assortments of little cakes and tarts for meetings, parties and weddings. And on Friday and saturday, she sells fresh baguettes.

—RAChel STone

Molly Dickson

pastry chef Katherine Clapner’s new retail space in the Bishop Arts District offers unusual flavor combinations and artistic presentations.

2 HULA HOTTIES CAFÉ Jill Inforzato piles the pastry case with cookies every day. They tend to be light, crispy and crazy good. DAVIS&ELSBETH

VERA’S BAKERY Vera’s has a good selection of pan dulce, plus tres leches cake done right.

The BE ST EAT S in our neighborhood

YOUR GUIDE TO DINING OUT

CHUBBY’S $ When looking for a restaurant to have breakfast, lunch or dinner, we all want a place that serves up variety, hearty helpings and even bigger portions of friendliness. The Touris family has developed a recipe that delivers all of the above at a good price. With four locations in the Metroplex, Chubby’s Family Restaurant provides a rustic setting with down home cooking. Catering available. Locations: 11331 E. NW Hwy. 214-348-6065 and 7474 S. Cockrell Hill Rd. 972-298-1270

CIRCLE GRILL RESTAURANT $

New Whole Wheat Bran Pancakes the perfect addition to any breakfast. Don’t forget we are also here for dinner three days a week. Pop in and try some of our amazing dinner specials like our Prime Rib or Grilled Salmon. Come Home to the Circle Grill. Sun-Wed 6am-4pm Thurs-Sat 6am-9pm. Banquet Facilities Available. Breakfast served all day. Be sure to make your reservations today for meetings and Holiday Parties. 3701 N. Buckner 214-327-4140

ELTIZONCITO $ Located at Illinois & Westmoreland, this Mexico City taqueria is a Dallas must-visit. The décor offers a casual experience that corrects the misconception of an original Taqueria. The Tacos al Pastor shaved down from the vertical oven and the unique Tamarind Margarita are a must-try. “What a pleasant surprise.” George Bush. “Excellent service complement exceptional food.” Gary Fisher. “Best Tacos in Dallas.” Mico Rodriguez. Sun-Thurs 10am-11pm Fri-Sat 10am-1am. Catering available. 3404 W Illinois Ave. 214.330.0839.

TILLMAN’S ROADHOUSE $$ OD WB

Tillman’s is a place for really good food, drinks, and music in a fun, casual, come-as-you-are environment. An update on the classic Texas roadhouse with regional menu favorites, familiar tunes and noone is a stranger hospitality — all energized with a modern take. A combination of both rustic and lush in everything from the menu to the décor make Tillman’s a good-time anytime destination. Bishop Arts District 324 West 7th St. 214.942.0988. www.tillmansroadhouse.com

OJEDA’S Now open in original Oak Cliff location at Polk and Jefferson. Family owned and operated since 1969. Weekday specials $5.75. Happy hour M-F, 3-6PM. Serving Tex-Mex food that Texans love so well.

$ MOST ENTREES UNDER $10 / $$ BETWEEN $10-$20 / $$$ ABOVE $20

Tyra Quesenberry

214-395-7195

Linda McRae

214-402-6303

Laura Yoo

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THE WINE TRIALS 2010 ($15) BY GOLDSTEIN AND HERSCHKOWITSCH >

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Robin Goldstein may know more about cheap wine than anyone else. He is the co-author and guiding force of “The Wine Trials 2010”, the second edition of the book that rates 150 of the best wines in the world that cost less than $15. His method — blind tastings — and his results — cheap wines that have fared significantly better than more famous and more expensive ones — have infuriated the mainstream wine world. One eminent wine writer went so far as to call Goldstein’s approach “almost an anti-intellectual position.”

Which is an interesting thing to say, given that the book has a scientific advisory board and 30 footnotes, in addition to the 150 wine ratings. (Full disclosure: I participated in one of the blind tasting panels for the first edition in 2008.)

More than anything else, the mainstream wine world, which has so much invested in the concept that expensive wine is always better than less expensive wine, doesn’t like the idea that a wine can’t be judged by its price. I don’t know that I agree with all 150 wines in the book (and I’ve tasted all but 25 or so); many simple, fruity wines did better than they should have, and there aren’t enough rosés again this year. But Goldstein’s concept is sound. Price is a better guide to quality than a cute label, but it’s not the be-all and end-all the experts want us to think it is.

Here are three of my favorites from this year’s selections:

Chill this, and drink it when the summer heat makes you crazy. I tasted it with some wine types when I did a story about $6 wine a couple of years ago, and we were stunned at how well-made it was.

One of my all-time favorite wines — bring on the red sauce and Italian sausages, and marvel that a wine this well-made could be this inexpensive.

This sparkling wine from Spain is a step up from $8 cavas like Cristalino — a little richer and a little less tight (a wine term that denotes where the flavors seem crammed together.)

—JEFF SIEGEL

JEFF SIEGEL’S WEEKLY WINE REVIEWS

appear every Wednesday on the Advocate Back Talk blog, advocatemag.com/oak-cliff/blog.

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WITH YOUR WINE

Last-minute spaghetti sauce

Spaghetti sauce in a jar is not necessary. This takes almost as little time, and it tastes more like tomato sauce and less like salt. Serve this over your favorite pasta and with the Vitiano. If you’re feeling adventurous, chop some onion, celery, carrot and bell pepper in a food processor so it’s very fine, and sauté in a little olive oil before you add the garlic and liquid ingredients.

Serves 6, takes about 20 minutes

1 28-oz can tomato puree

2 6-oz cans tomato paste

2 cloves garlic, chopped

1 Tbsp olive oil

2 bay leaves

Salt and pepper to taste

1 to 2 c water, red wine or white wine

1.Brown the garlic in the olive oil over medium heat in a large pot until the garlic is fragrant. Add everything else except the water or wine and mix well.

2.Add the water or wine a little at a time, until the sauce is as thick or thin as you like it (you may not use all of the liquid). Bring to a boil, cover, and simmer 10 or 15 minutes.

ask the WINE GUY?

Q. WHAT’S THE BIGGEST WINEPRODUCING STATE IN THE COUNTRY?

A. In 2008, California produced 90 percent of the wine made in the United States, according to the Wine Institute. That figure has remained consistent since 1995.

—JEFF SIEGEL

taste@advocatemag.com

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CAPELESS CRUSADERS

How little acts of selflessness make a big difference in our neighborhood

They can’t leap tall buildings in a single bound, and they won’t outrun a train, but these neighbors do out-of-the-ordinary things that improve our lives. They don’t act heroically for recognition — they typically laugh away the notion they’re heroes at all. These neighbors simply give of themselves because that’s how they tap their own sense of satisfaction and accomplishment.

Story by Rachel Stone · Portraits by Can Türkyilmaz

ellen Taft patrols a mile-long stretch of Mountain Creek Parkway every day, picking up trash in almost any weather, keeping the neighborhood clean. and it’s not just soda cans and cigarette butts. Taft hauls discarded mattresses, tires, furniture and mountains of black plastic lawn bags full of litter to the dump.

“a lot of people will stop and talk to me, and I’ve gotten to know a lot of my neighbors that way,” she says. “Kids call me the trash lady, but I tell you, they don’t litter in front of me.”

Taft spends hours on road sides with her pickup truck and a shovel. That would be laudable for anyone, but Taft also has multiple sclerosis, which causes muscle weakness and spasms, among other problems.

“It takes me a really long time,” she says. “I used to be able to park my truck and walk out pretty far and bring stuff back. but now I have to drive my truck the whole way.”

aside from trash pick-up, Taft puts in full-time hours as a community volunteer.

“She just does so much for the community, and she never asks for anything in return,” says bobby

Cutler Hill, who recently gave Taft a volunteerism award on behalf of the Daughters of the american revolution.

Pollution and erosion cause urgent problems in her neighborhood, including small landslides. and Taft has stood up to developers who she believes are considering profit over environment.

She spends hours — sometimes eight or 10 hours at a time — laboring to dig up septarian nodules — large rocks formed from decaying animals and plants thousands of years ago when our part of the world was the sea floor. She donates the rocks to schools, from elementary to college, so that students can break them open and study the fossilized insides.

“The kids really get into it,” she says.

She also serves on the city Park and recreation board, which is a volunteer position, and now she advocates for parks throughout the city. Whenever she visits city parks, she brings a trash bag.

“It’s work that no one else wants to do,” she says. “If I don’t do it, no one else will.”

EllEn J. Taf T Picker-upper of roadside trash

at the White rock Marathon in December, five kids from Oak Cliff ran 13.2 miles non-stop, completing the half marathon. They ranged from ages 9 to 15, and they did it for fun.

“She likes running,” says Matylda Valdez of her 13-year-old daughter Zayra, who ran the half. “It helps her focus.”

None of the kids, who make up the core members of Oak Cliff racing, would have done it without Coach James Graham, who is passionate about running, especially as it relates to the running club he started two years ago at St. Cecilia School. He was the school’s gym teacher.

“We didn’t have a lot of equipment, and there were really no teams,” he says.

running made sense because it

doesn’t require expensive equipment or facilities. and most of the time, race organizers waive entry fees for the club.

The youngest runner is a 6-year-old who used to be called “Kindergarten Kevin”, but now that he’s in first grade he has changed his nickname

JAMES

GRAHAM

Runner extraordinaire

“Running is the perfect sport for a kid because you can’t fail. It promotes good behavior and pride.

All these kids have good grades, you know? No discipline problems.”

(all team members have them) to “Five K”.

“He’s the most famous kid at every race,” Graham says. “Everybody notices this little kid who just looks so happy to be out there.”

So far, the team has run dozens of 5k and 10k races. Solorzano, who is the team’s captain, has run about 50 races in all. Another team member, 16-year-old Michael Trejo, came in first overall at the recent Dash for Dignity 5k.

“Michael’s an elite runner now,” Graham says. “He wins races all the time.”

Graham left St. Cecilia last summer, but he had no intention of letting the running club go. Now he’s teaming up with City Pace, which combines training and academics.

“Running is the perfect sport for a kid because you can’t fail,” he says. “It promotes good behavior and pride. All these kids have good grades, you know? No discipline problems.”

It’s been a struggle for Graham, who was job hunting when we interviewed him. But he still runs with his club several times a week, and he takes the kids to any race they want to run. Ask him why he does it, and it’s almost as if he doesn’t know why he is so committed.

“It’s kind of crazy, really,” he says. “But they’ve gotten just a few opportunities, and they’ve done amazing things.”

Last year, Graham took three kids to a race in Boulder, Colo., his hometown, and it was their first time to see mountains. Now those three want to go back for another race in May, and they want to bring the whole team.

The team also is getting its first chance to race in Oak Cliff at the Dash for the Beads 5k Feb. 6.

Graham’s goal has more to do with academic success than finish lines. He wants to see the kids receive scholarships to parochial high schools in Dallas.

“Hopefully the rewards will come down the road,” he says.

Run, 1-Mile Walk & Costume Contest

Jenni Stolarski

Website by Henry

Fort Worth Ave. Development Group

Mardi Gras Level

in genuine colors & special shapes to match your toilet.

It’s not every day that a teenager begs her mother to do community service. but 16-year-old adamson High School student abby Pantoja pestered her mom, Lucy, enough times that the two finally started volunteering at the SPCa of Texas about a year ago.

“She kept bugging me about it,” says Lucy, 34, who frequently volunteers with children’s charities through her job at Geico.

“She wants to be a vet.” every Saturday, mother and daughter drive to a PetSmart in Duncanville and spend most of the day cleaning cat cages and litter boxes, playing with adoptable cats and talking to prospective adopters.

Sometimes they’re tired from the week, and they don’t feel like going. but then they think about the cats. The payoff is when kitties

are adopted. abby recently found homes for three cats on a single Saturday.

“If we can’t go, it makes us feel bad,” Lucy says. “and sometimes we just don’t want to go, but we go anyway.”

For abby, who loves animals and says biology is her best subject, it’s a good opportunity to learn about veterinary work. Since she started volunteering, her grades have improved.

“She’s more focused on her goals

and what she wants to do in life,” Lucy says.

Finding your passion and doing things that make you happy is the way to succeed, Lucy says, and she tries to instill that idea in abby and her 14-year-old brother.

“I just want them to understand that if you pay it forward, you are blessed,” she says. “We raised them that whatever you give, you will get back 10 times more.”

Volunteering already is paying off for abby. She recently was selected for a paid internship at uT Southwestern Medical Center. She’ll sacrifice six Saturdays at the pet store to work in the hospital’s labs.

but even without that, the payoff is profound, abby says.

“It’s relaxing,” she says. “It’s good to know that I’m helping animals get adopted and find good homes.” n

Abby & Lucy PA ntojA Volunteers at the SP c A

“We raised them that whatever you give, you will get back 10 times more.”

La Reunion Fencing Academy brings swordsmanship to Oak Cliff

story by RACHEL STONE · photo by ROBERTBUNCH

ictoria Muñoz stands like a warrior at rest, sizing up her opponent, concentrating on the moves she’ll use in a moment when her match begins. Her grandpa slips past spectators’ knees and the odd equipment bag to snap a photo of her, chin up, shoulders back, a fencing helmet resting on top of her head.

She doesn’t say so right out, but the 13-year-old has Olympic dreams.

“I really like beating people,” she says with a crafty grin.

Muñoz joined La Reunion Fencing Academy about a year ago. Neighborhood resident George Stone started the academy in 2006 because until then, all of his work as a fencing coach was in North Dallas.

With La Reunion Fencing Academy,

Victoria Muñoz and Nikki Torres spar during a La Reunion Fencing Academy class.

Stone wanted to bring the sport to parts of Dallas where it hadn’t been before and introduce fencing to kids who might never get a shot at it otherwise.

He keeps costs low, meeting at Kidd Springs and Duncanville recreation centers, which don’t require any fees. Stone charges $30 a month for one lesson a week and $50 a month for two. all of the fencing gear a beginner needs — jacket, mask, glove and foil — is about $150.

“It’s really affordable compared to some other sports,” he says. “and it’s one of the safest sports.”

Injuries are rare in fencing because it’s not a rough contact sport like football, and it’s not hard on the joints like gymnastics or dance, for example. a fencer moves forward and back, forward and back, and there’s little chance

of rotating a knee or turning an ankle.

and parents like it because it’s an intellectual sport, Stone says.

“This is a skill sport, not a muscle sport,” he says. “you’re trying to be smarter and quicker than your opponent.”

Stone has students in their 60s who can beat much younger opponents because they have the experience and know-how to outwit them, he says.

That’s right. These fencing classes aren’t just for kids. Fencing is a life sport, and Stone teaches all ages and genders.

Fred allman, a 52-year-old sales manager, recently joined the classes after watching his 12-year-old twins improve their fine motor skills through fencing.

“It’s good for their coordination, and it helps them in other sports

WheRe: Duncanville and Kidd Springs recreation centers

like football and soccer,” he says. “and for old guys like me, it’s a good cardio workout.”

Nikki Torres, 17, says she first became interested in sword fighting when she was 6 or 7 years old because she liked “musketeers movies”, she says. So when she saw a flier for La reunion academy, she signed up right away.

“I think it makes you very, very tough. you learn how to take a hit and just shake it off,” she says. “It builds character.”

When: Tuesdays and Thursdays, 6:45-8:30 p.m.; Wednesdays, 6:30-8:30 p.m.; Saturdays, 9-11 a.m. FoR moRe inFoRmation: lareunionfencingclub.org

“This is a skill sport, not a muscle sport. You’re trying to be smarter and quicker than your opponent.”

La Reunion Fencing academy

O CANADA

TUTORING & LESSONS

VOLLEYBALL LEAGUES Registering now at the new State - Of - The - Art Bob Knight Fieldhouse at Hwy.67/Main. Kids to adults. Expert training. Michael Denardo. 972-951-3783

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AD SALES REPRESENTATIVE

Advocate Magazines is hiring! FullTime Magazine Sales Rep — experience in print sales is required.

Please email your resume to kgaconnier@advocatemag.com subject line: Resume

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RESUMES & COVER LETTERS Professional writing by Jesuit Prep & NYU graduate. Landin. 214-890-6808

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TEXAS RANGERS SUITE Share this prime suite with other neighborhood small businesses. We lease Suite 218-B behind home plate (check out the location online at texasrangers.com) overlooking the entire field. We’re looking for partners to buy 10game shares in for the 2010 & 2011 seasons. The suite includes three parking passes, 12 tickets for each game and a $300 credit per game (first year only) for food and beverage service in the suite. Games will be allocated in a lottery process prior to each season, with each shareholder selecting games and receiving an equal chance for Yankees, Red Sox, weekend and other premium games. Email rwamre@advocatemag.com or call 214-686-3595 with questions.

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East Kessler residents GaryEaster and JeanneMcCrea read the Advocate in Banff, Canada.

Kessler Park residents David and CarolynDunnigan invoke literary hero Zorro in El Fuerte, Mexico. Residents claim he was born in this river town in the state of Chihuahua.

THE COURSES OF HISTORY

Believe it or not, our neigh B orhood is knickers-deep in golf lore

Most golf aficionados wouldn’t think of oak cliff as having much of a golf history. they would be wrong.

for starters, the 1927 pgA championship was played at none other than the cedar crest golf course, also home of the first dallas open, played in 1926. this first time the pgA championship came south, a 15-year-old member of the gallery, Byron nelson, lent his visor to player Walter hagen. hagen went on to win. And Byron nelson? Well, he became a member of the golf World hall of fame and the first man to have a major tournament named after him.

then there’s sunset high school.

t he 1937 sundial shows a wonderful photograph of the school’s depression-era golf team. pictured in the front row is earl stewart Jr., who became both a nc AA individual and team national championship winner for louisiana state university. turning professional, he played the circuit before signing on, in 1953, as the pro at oak cliff country club. in 1961, he won the dallas open invitational, a pgA tournament played on the oak cliff country club fairways from 1955 to 1963 – now known as the Byron nelson championship. Besting Arnold palmer by one shot, stewart became the only club pro ever to win a pgA tournament on his home course.

next, the seasoned stewart moved his

golf bag and cleats to southern Methodist university, where he coached men and women. his ladies team garnered the 1979 nc AA division i championship. he also coached the late payne stewart (no relation), who went on to win two u s open tournaments and a pgA championship. earl stewart is an inductee of the national golf coaches hall of fame.

stewart’s son, e arl “ c hip” stewart iii, attended s unset and played golf for the Bison. he went on to play for the

university of texas, and now participates in state and nationwide amateur competitions.

Also among the Bison golfers in the photo is Bettye Mims danoff, the only woman on the team — and it seems, the school’s only female athlete.

After high school, danoff played golf as an amateur, the only option for women at that time. there, she pulled off a surprising victory when she took the 1947 texas open championship, ending olympian Babe didrikson Zaharias’s 17-game winning streak. in 1950,

top/ Bettye Mims danoff tees off. ABove/ earl “chip” stewart iii poses with his dad.

the 1937 sunset high school golf team poses on the school’s front steps. earl stewart Jr. is second from the right in the front row.

BACK STORY

the 5-foot-2, 106-pound Danoff, along with 12 other female golfers, founded the Ladies Professional Golf Association.

The Mims family is still in the area and remains owner of the Sunset Golf Club on West Fort Worth Avenue. Danoff’s brother, C. B. Mims, who was a professional golfer in the ’30s and ’40s, designed the course there.

Don January (Sunset ’45) played golf for the Bison before joining the North Texas State team that won four consecutive NCAA Division I titles. January won 10 PGA tour titles, and went on to win the 1967 PGA Championship. He was a member of the U.S. Ryder Cup in ’65 and ’77, and he spent many years as a golf course designer. Later, he won two PGA Senior Championships.

A surprise to most everyone is the highly exclusive and top-rated Dallas National Golf Course nestled behind Mountain View Community College. There’s also the Golf Club of Dallas (formerly Oak Cliff Country Club) and the Stevens Park Golf Course.

So, when thinking of Oak Cliff, think “golf”. Visit one of the courses and drink in some sunshine. Absorb the ambience of the green spaces. Visit the pro shops. Think about Stewart, Danoff, January and even Byron Nelson.

And hey! Don’t forget your clubs.

JOIN THE dIscussION

Visit the Advocate blog at advocatemag.com/oak-cliff/blog

T HE PUPPIES WERE gONE .

robert bergeron loves his elmwood neighborhood. He also loves dogs. For years, he owned two Shetland sheepdogs, but had to put the last one to sleep about 10 years ago. It was a heart-breaking loss, and he didn’t own another dog for years.

PEOPLE WERE MURDERED IN OAK CLIFF IN DECEMBER, AND THEIR CASES ARE UNSOLVED 97

YEAR-OLD INEZ SKELTON WAS ROBBED AND KILLED IN HER HOME, PROBABLY BY SOMEONE SHE KNEW

Gayla Brooks Kokel can date her neighborhood heritage back to 1918, when her father was born in what was then called eagle Ford. She was born at Methodist Hospital and graduated from Kimball High School. Kokel is one of three co-authors of the recently published book, “Images of america: Oak Cliff”, and writes a monthly history column for the Oak Cliff advocate. Send her feedback and ideas to gkokel@advocatemag.com.

YEAR-OLD KEE-SUN CHUN WAS ROBBED AND KILLED IN THE DONUT SHOP HE OWNED

SOURCE: DALLAS POLICE

NEWS & NOTES

business

The Victim: Robert Bergeron

The Crime: Burglary

Date: Thursday, Dec. 3

Time: Between 8 a.m. and 7 p.m.

Location: 1100 block of Elmhurst

“I didn’t want to seem like I was replacing them,” he says. Then he “puppy-sat” for his niece’s yorkshire terriers earlier this year, and he began thinking about adopting a puppy. He met with a breeder and found they had only two males from a recent litter. after some consideration, he decided to give both of them a home, naming them Davy and Frankie.

bergeron says the dogs were a perfect fit, and he fell in love with the precocious black-and-tan pups. but his pet ownership happiness took a bizarre twist recently when burglars broke into the home and took the two dogs.

“Two guys broke into the house in the middle of the day through a side window where I had a window unit air conditioner,” he says.

Nothing else was stolen, and bergeron is offering a $1,000 for the animals’ return.

“It’s been very upsetting. I was very attached to the two puppies,” he says. “It was so wonderful to see them growing. It’s been horrendous.”

The yorkies weighed 4.5 pounds and recently had been neutered. The dogs have microchip identification, and bergeron hopes a veterinarian might find them. This was the first time thieves have hit bergeron’s home.

“I never, ever thought someone would break into my house and steal my puppies,” he says. “Just the other day I was saying what a great neighborhood I live in, and no one had been broken into on my street. and now this happens.”

Dallas Police Deputy Chief rick Watson of the Southwest Patrol Division says to prevent similar types of break-ins, he recommends bolting air conditioning units to the inside of window frames. as for pet thefts, he says they are common, but that this type of pet burglary is rare because of the forced entry into the home.

“We have numerous incidents where pets are stolen from the yard,” Watson says.

Most pet thieves are either looking to sell a purebred animal or breed the animal. He says the burglar may have known or seen bergeron’s puppies.

“you’ve got to have some inside knowledge,” he says.

—SEAN CHAFFIN

gRACE PRESBYTERIAN VILLAgE recently appointed Sabrina R. Porter its new executive director. Porter has 30 years of leadership experience in senior services, including 10 years in administration for Grace Presbyterian Village. Porter also serves on the board for Big Brothers Big Sisters, and she is a member of the Oak Cliff Chamber of Commerce.

THE UP-AND-COMINg COMMERCIAL DISTRICT near Tyler and Davis has a new website. Business owners collaborated on the creation of tylerdavisartdistrict.com. It is part of an effort to brand the area as the Tyler Davis Art District, or “X+” because of how it looks on the map.

THE OAK CLIFF CHAMBER OF COMMERCE recently presented its annual awards. The winners are: Best Oak Cliff Business: Anytime

Fitness; Award for Advocacy: Southern Dallas Task Force member Linda Brown; Chamber Super Volunteer: Cesar Rea; Quality of Life Award: Concord Baptist Church; Best Development in Oak Cliff: Bishop Colorado Retail Plaza; Event having the most impact on Oak Cliff in 2009: Oak Cliff Mardi Gras Parade; Best Oak Cliff Public

Servant: Eddie Bernice Johnson; Chairman’s Award: Mary Suhm; President’s Award: Royce West

HAVE AN ITEM TO BE fEATurEd?

Please submit news items and/or photos concerning neighborhood residents, activities, honors and volunteer opportunities to editor@advocatemag. com or online at advocate.com/submit_oc_news. Our deadline is the first of the month prior to the month of publication.

Meet our Oak Cliff winner!

Miles will receive a free year of planned service on one heating and air conditioning system valued at $300 for his family.

Submit your baby photos to advocatebaby@quigleyac.com.

Applicants must be between 6-18 months.

DID YOU KNOW: According to Energy Star, A programmable thermostat is ideal for people who are away from home during set periods of time throughout the week. Through proper use of pre-programmed settings, a programmable thermostat can save you about $180 every year in energy costs.”