2012 February Oak Cliff

Page 6

ORDINARY PEOPLE...

Who touch our neighborhood in extraordinary ways

< Meet Robert White YOU SEE HIM EVERY DAY BUT DO YOU REALLY KNOW WHO HE IS?
FEBRUARY 2012 LIVING LOCAL IN OAK CLIFF BLOGS,VIDEOS AND MORE AT
2 oakcliff.advocatemag.com FEBRUARY2012 Volume 7 Number 2 | OC February 2012 | CONTENTS features 6 Everybody knows his name JasonRoberts is utterly ubiquitous. 12 Food as art Campo Modern Bistro keeps it exciting. 22 Se habla inglés The dual-language program atRosemontElementary expands to middle school next fall. These are the people in our neighborhood You see them every day. Here are their stories. Photo by Can Türkyilmaz cover 16 in every issue DEPARTMENT COLUMNS opening remarks 3 launch 6 events 10 food 12 scene&heard 22 live local 28 news&notes 29 crime 30 back story 31 ADVERTISING dining spotlight 13 the goods 14 bulletin board 24 education guide 25 home services 26 ONTHECOVER:
OAKCLIFF.ADVOCATEMAG.COM for more news visit us online
Photo by Can Türkyilmaz

A Rich Life

I don’t spend a lot of time wondering what it would be like to be rich, but I have to admit it does cross my mind from time to time.

What would I do first, I wonder, if money was no object?

I saw a 139-day-long cruise listed in a travel brochure the other day; the cost was $49,000 per person for the least-expensive “discounted” cabin. So for just under $100,000, my wife and I could spend more than four months traveling the world without a care. Would I spend a fraction of my imaginary fortune on a trip like that, knowing that when I returned home, there would still be plenty of money left to live on?

There’s a car called the Lamborghini Reventon I could buy for $1.6 million; it takes only 3.3 seconds to reach 60 miles per hour, and it tops out at 211 miles per hour. I don’t know if that price includes a warranty or pre-paid legal assistance, but if I could afford to spend that much money on a car and still not worry about my next meal, I wonder what my life would be like?

Or what if, after my $100,000 cruise, I drove my $1.6 million Lamborghini to Las Vegas, where I could buy a $5,000 hamburger meal that includes a 1995 bottle of Petrus wine?

What if that kind of stuff happened to me every day because money was no object in my life?

Or instead of spending everything on myself, would I be a generous rich guy, showering money on nonprofits and churches and working to make life easier for my neighbors?

Of course, all of the time I’ve spent think-

ing about being rich isn’t really helping me or anyone else. And just thinking about it isn’t going to get it done, either.

And that’s what I like about this month’s cover story. The people we’re profiling are “regular” folks, and I say that in the nicest possible way. While many of us dream about what could be, they’re doing simple things to enjoy life and make the lives of others better, too. Money doesn’t seem to be much of an issue to them; I don’t know if they want to be wealthy or not, but they don’t seem to be spending any time worrying about it.

Instead, they’ve staked out some simple ways to make their lives fulfilling and rich, and I don’t mean in the bank-account way, either.

Be happy. Say “hello.” Care about cus-

tomers. Help people. Be kind.

Those concepts are so simple, it’s almost laughable to think stuff so basic would make anyone happy over the course of a lifetime. But it’s working for these neighbors, and it would probably work better for me than worrying about cash.

Here’s betting that if someone served them a $5,000 hamburger, these neighbors would simply send it back to the kitchen for someone else to obsess about.

February 2012 oakcliff.advocatemag.com 3 Rick
is publisher of Advocate Publishing. Let him know how we are doing by writing to 6301 Gaston, Suite 820, Dallas 75214; fax to 214.823.8866; or email rwamre@advocatemag.com. Opening Remarks
Wamre
Money might buy fun stuff, but fantasizing over it is time ill spent
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instead of spending everything on myself, would i be a generous rich guy, showering money on nonprofits and churches and working to make life easier for my neighbors?

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Launch

community | events | food

The idea behind this month’s Advocate cover story is “people you see in our neighborhood,” and who is more recognizable than Jason Roberts? The 37-year-old Kings Highway resident is a co-founder of Art Conspiracy, Bike Friendly Oak Cliff, the Oak Cliff Transit Authority and, perhaps most famously, the BetterBlock project. He also brought us Bastille on Bishop, the Dallas Tweed Ride and iBikeRosemont, which encourages elementary school students to ride bikes to school. He is a partner in the super-hip Oddfellows restaurant. He is a go-to source for media outlets working stories about cycling, urban planning and anything having to do with our neighborhood. In Oak Cliff, he is utterly ubiquitous.

Jason, you’re probably the most recognizable person in the neighborhood.

It’s funny you say that because the only reason I’m considered a bike source for the city is because I take all these passionate stands. And I don’t think I’m necessarily the best representative of all things bicycle. But what I do think I can represent is better form, better use, walkability and all that kind of stuff. I want holistic communities where you have your small grocery, your butcher, your local businesses, and you can ride your bike or walk to them or take a streetcar. I’ve almost become a reluctant activist because I just want a better place to live. But when you’re seen as a leader in certain causes, you start to feel some pressure on the back end from people saying, “Why isn’t this happening?”

How did you become this leader of causes?

I see all these cool things happening in other places, and I think, “Why can’t we have these things here?” You can’t wait for other people to do it. If I want bike lanes, I can’t wait for other people to do that. I have to learn as much as I can about it and take that on myself.

6 oakcliff.advocatemag.com FEBRUARY2012
Can Türkyilmaz

What were you doing 10 years ago?

I was in a band. I had just moved to Oak Cliff.

Where did you move from?

Garland. That’s where I grew up. When I married Andrea, we wanted to live in an older neighborhood, so at first we looked for a house in the M Streets, but that was just so expensive. And then Andrea said, “You know, I think Oak Cliff could be the place to look.” If you’re from the northern suburbs, nobody went to Oak Cliff. I don’t think we realize how bad the perception was of the area. When you told people you were moving to Oak Cliff, they were like “Why would you ever go there?”

Well, what did you like about it?

It has a sense of community. It’s not like the suburbs. You know your neighbors. We realized what a great community we were in. But then we realized that a lot of our needs were missing here. If you wanted a certain food item or a certain restaurant

or activities for your kids, you had to leave the community, and we didn’t necessarily want to leave our community.

How did you get started with community work in Oak Cliff?

Art Conspiracy was the first thing. It was at the Texas Theatre in 2005. My band had been playing around the country, and we had seen a lot of cool places. Hurricane Katrina had just happened, and we had friends who lived in New Orleans, so we thought maybe we could use this event to raise money for them. I asked Sarah Jane (Semrad) if she could get 20 artists to participate, and she said, “Let’s make it 100.” It was kind of an excuse to use the theater, too. We really wanted to get people inside the Texas Theatre. And before we opened the doors, we thought, “Maybe this is a terrible idea.” We were asking people to come out to this old boarded-up theater, in Oak Cliff, in December. We put it all on our credit cards, and we were afraid it would be this abject failure. But then 700

people came out. That proved that with a little elbow grease and a little moxie, you can turn something around and at least change perception. I’ve applied that to everything from bikes to streetcars to blocks to schools, and I’ve realized that half the battle is perception.

Changing perceptions is the basic idea behind the Better Block project. We were really just trying to get the conversation going about public spaces and these outdated city ordinances that were affecting businesses on Tyler and Davis. Zoning had taken away all these uses. You should be able to have café seating, and you should be able to put flowers on the sidewalk, but none of these things were allowed. Unless you do something dramatic, people won’t get involved. The first Better Block was a way to show people what we were talking about. Can we not make it into this block that we’ve all dreamed of having? So we decked it out, and we broke evcontinued on next page

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Grow Your Inner Garden Geek!

continued from previous page

ery ordinance we could think of. We put in bike lanes. We didn’t close the street because we wanted to show what it would be like realistically in the long-term.

That event got a lot of attention in the media, including a mention in the Washington Post, and it’s been copied all over the country.

What was kind of amazing about that project is that so many people came out, and city staff was almost relieved because they want these things, too, but they just need a champion. And all the old ordinances were immediately questioned.

I have some silly questions for you. Here’s the first one: Where do you buy your hats?

All over. Anywhere I can find them. Epiphany, Target, House of Macgregor. When you’re a bald guy, you need all the help you can get.

What is something most people don’t know about you?

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I’m a huge Woody Allen fan. I love old music from the ’20s and ’30s. I love vaudeville. And I’m a Francophile. Andrea and I were married in Paris. We were poor, but we figured out a way to get over there. That’s why I did Bastille Day, because it wasn’t feasible to take a family vacation to France, so I wanted to find a way to bring Paris here. That was just something I did for Andrea, and it’s amazing how popular it’s been. It just shows you that there’s pent up demand for that kind of thing.

Superman or Batman?

Superman. Flying would be a lot of fun, although I guess that would take away from my bicycling.

You were a co-founder of BFOC. Have you ever thought about unicycle friendly oak cliff?

That’s funny you mention it because Jeremy [Ordaz of Oak Cliff Bicycle Co.] just bought a unicycle that he has in the shop there. We’ve joked about moped oak cliff.

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paws & claws

dapper

February 2012 oakcliff.advocatemag.com 9 Launch Community
is not even 2 years old yet, but he already has personal style. His owner is a Edgar Salas of Winnetka Heights.
Tank
a pet you want us to feature? Email your photo to launch@advocatemag.com
dog Got

Out & About

February 2012

Feb. 18

Dash for the Beads

The third annual Dash for the Beads winds around the Bishop Arts District in support of the beautification of Oak Cliff. All proceeds benefit FIDO Oak Cliff and the organization’s goal of creating the neighborhood’s first dog park. Dash for the Beads offers a 5k and a one-mile walk, and a costume contest. Race begins at 8 a.m. Bishop Arts District, dashforthebeads.org, 5k $25/1 mile $20

THROUGH MAR. 3

Michael Henderson

Texas artist Michael Henderson studied painting and drawing at UNT and has shown his videos, video installations, digital prints, drawings and paintings across the country.

Mighty Fine Arts, 419 N. Tyler, 214.942.5241, mfagallery.com, free

FEB. 11

Bob Schneider solo acoustic shows

With performances at 6:30 p.m. and 9 p.m., singersongwriter Bob Schneider brings his laid-back style to The Kessler. Austin-based Schneider will showcase his “A Perfect Day” album, and — as always — will have many witty stories to tell.

The Kessler, 1230 W. Davis, 214.272.8346, thekessler.org, $22.50–$33.75

FEB. 17

An Evening with Don Hertzfeldt

Academy Award-nominated animator Don Hertzfeldt presents his entire animated trilogy, screened together for the first time. A live, on-stage interview with Hertzfeldt will follow the screening, giving the audience an opportunity to chat with the talented artist. There will be an autograph session in the lobby immediately after the interview.

The Texas Theatre, 231 W. Jefferson, 214.948.1546, thetexastheatre.com, $10

FEB. 18 &19

Oak Cliff Mardi Gras

Laissez les bon temps roulez! Oak Cliff Mardi Gras kicks off with a masquerade ball on Feb. 18th; $40 buys you zydeco music, Cajun food, hurricanes and one serious party. The next day, the parade begins at 4 p.m., and the crawfish boil lasts all day long. The parade winds down West Davis, from Montclair to Madison and through the Bishop Arts District. mardigrasoakcliff.com

FEB. 22

Art with a View: Ryan Holmes

The Belmont Hotel invites guests to an opening reception from 6-9 p.m. for artist Ryan Holmes, whose work will be on view as part of BarBelmont’s “Art with a View” series. 901 Fort Worth, 214.393.2300, belmontdallas.com, free

10 oakcliff.advocatemag.com FEBRUARY2012
LAUNCH Events
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Feb. 10

Thurston Moore with Christina Carter

The Texas Theatre hosts avant-rock songwriter Thurston Moore as he presents the music of his fourth solo album, “Demolished Thoughts.” The show begins at 7:30 p.m.

The Texas Theatre, 231 W. Jefferson, 214.948.1546, thetexastheatre.com, $17 advance/$20 door

Feb. 23

The Pin Show

Come see a unique runway show from local fashion designers. Founded by Julie McCullough Kim, the owner of both IndieGenius and Make and Made in the Bishop Arts District, this event gives regional boutiques and buyers the opportunity to view independent lines and meet local, independent designers.

The Fairmont Dallas, Regency Ballroom, 1717 N. Akard, thepinshowdallas.com

Feb. 28

Storytellers at The Kessler: Jon Anderson

Progressive rock musician and Yes lead vocalist, Jon Anderson, brings hits such as “I’ve Seen All Good People,” “Roundabout” and “Owner Of A Lonely Heart” to The Kessler. Polyphonic Spree’s Tim DeLaughter will open the show. Doors open at 7 p.m.

The Kessler, 1230 W. Davis, 214.272.8346, thekessler.org, $25-$35

February 2012 oakcliff.advocatemag.com 11
Launch Events
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Delicious ROMANCE

At Campo Modern Country Bistro, presentation is key. “I’m more influenced by the aesthetic of food,” says chef Matt McAllister, who studied art before becoming part of the Dallas culinary scene. “I think of food as an art. The aroma and the sight is what gets your appetite going.” Campo Modern is modeled after Argentine bistros, featuring a cultural blend of French, Italian, Spanish and Portuguese cuisines. The menu rotates each week, which allows McAllister to play around with new dishes. “We just try to have fun.” Oak Cliff designers John Paul Valverde and Miguel Vicéns, who own Coevál Studio, opened the restaurant late last year in the former La Carreta Argentina space. In addition to the everchanging menu, Campo Modern features cocktails designed by mixologist Brad Hensarling of Fort Worth and a coffee service from Cultivar. —Emily Toman

CAMPOMODERN COUNTRY BISTRO

1115 N. Beckley 214.946.1308 campodallas.com

PRICE RANGE: UNDER $25

AMBIANCE:

AS ITS NAME SUGGESTS, AMODERN COUNTRY FEEL

HOURS:

6-10P.M.SUN-MON CLOSED TUES

6-10P.M. WED-THURS

6P.M.-MIDNIGHTSAT

Left: An entree of fried rillette, duck breast, salsify, pickled membrillo and kale. Photos by Mark Davis

1 Lucia

Make reservations early for this cozy retreat from chef David Uygur, which features authentic salumi and handmade pasta. It’s common to order several different items to share among friends.

408 W. Eighth

214.948.4998

luciadallas.com

2 Hattie’s

Take a night to enjoy sinful comfort food at this down-home yet sophisticated Oak Cliff establishment. You can’t go wrong with the fried green tomatoes to start.

418N. Bishop

214.942.7400

hatties.net

3 Bolsa

Duck into Bolsa for fine wine or extravagant cocktails. The Dallas Observer voted it “Best Place to Take a Date.”

614 W. Davis

214.943.1883

bolsadallas.com

FOOD AND WINE

Visit oakcliff.advocatemag.com/dining

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Get the latest news on your favorite neighborhood restaurants and bars, view menus, win wine and stay on top of newrestaurants that are coming to our neighborhood.

Cafe Maya

Lunch M-Fri 11:30-3:00; Sunday Brunch 11a-3p; Margarita Mondays: $3 Margaritas; Taco Tues.: Half Price; Happy Hour M-Fri 3:30-6:30. Open 7 days.

BEE

Now serving breakfast: Egg Tacos, Burritos, Egg Dishes and more.

Open Daily Monday - Sunday 11am-9pm

Breakfast Hours Served ONLY on : Sat - Sun 8am-11am

FEBRUARY 2012 oakcliff.advocatemag.com 13 | MORE DINING
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1001 W. Jefferson Blvd. cafemayadallas.com 214.948.9900 202 West Davis St. 214.941.1bee (1233) bestenchiladasever.com MEXICAN RESTAURANT & CANTINA ENCHILADERIA
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Lucia is known for its house-made charcuterie.
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PAINTING WITH A TWIST

Express your inner artist! Instructors lead attendees in creating paintings with a featured piece of art, bring nothing more than your imagination,wine or beverage. Perfect for Private Parties as well. 5202 Lovers Lane 214.350.9911 paintingwithatwist.com

screwcap that Black Box Chardonnay ($24) > California

Alternative wine closures — that is, everything but the traditional cork — have never been more popular. Two recent studies show that consumers and wineries like screwcaps more than ever, while the number of quality wines in boxes has never been higher. All of which is good news for anyone who has ever struggled trying to open a cork. (Which, of course, is almost everyone who has ever tried to open a bottle of wine with a cork.)

The studies, one in Australia, one in Britain and one in the United States, paint a picture of increasing acceptance of screwcaps, boxes and the like. In Australia, an industry survey found that 93 percent of Aussie wineries use screwcaps. In Britain, 85 percent of the regular winedrinking population now accepts screwcaps — more than twice as many people who felt that way in 2003. That’s from a study conducted by the research company Wine Intelligence for its 2011 Closures Report. In the United States, the percentage of U.S. wine drinkers who accept screwcaps rose to 70 percent, the most ever, and up from 59 percent in 2008.

In other words, don’t dismiss a wine just because it doesn’t have a cork. The type of closure is no longer a reflection of quality. These wines show just that:

This California white isn’t as turpentine-ish and has more fruit (soft lemons?) than similarly priced pinot grigio from Italy and California. Very well done, especially for the price.

Yes, a big version of a kid’s juice box. The Bandit wines, from an often very silly producer called Three Thieves, are simple, cheap and more than adequate. You can pay more and do a whole lot worse.

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

THE GOODS

More than 200,000 sets of eyes are checking out these items right now. Get your specialty items or featured products in front of your neighbors that love to shop local for unique items.

That works out to $6 a bottle, since 3 liters equals 4 bottles. Quality is sometimes inconsistent, but when Black Box wines are on, they’re tremendous values. This chardonnay is fruity (almost tropical) and soft, a step up from most of its grocery store competitors.

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

14 oakcliff.advocatemag.com FEBRUARY2012 THE goods SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION to advertise call 214.560.4203
Launch FOOD

with your wine Green chili

A lighter, different take on the traditional bowl of red. Best yet, it works well with leftover and canned ingredients, making it the perfect alternative for a busy weeknight. Serve the Black Box chardonnay or a similar soft, fruity white wine.

GROCERY LIST

1 16-oz can white beans, drained (reserve liquid)

2 c cooked, boneless chicken, diced

1/2 to 1 c best quality green salsa

1 onion, chopped

DIRECTIONS

1 bell pepper, chopped

2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

1/2 c cilantro, chopped salt and pepper to taste

1. Sauté the onion and pepper in olive oil in a large pot until soft, about five minutes. Add the garlic and cilantro, and sauté until you smell the garlic, about 30 seconds.

2. Add the remaining ingredients. The chili should be soupy and not too thick; adjust liquid accordingly. Add reserved white bean liquid or water if necessary.

3. Bring to a boil, cover, and then simmer gently for 15 minutes. Serve over white rice.

Serves 2 to 4, about 30 minutes

Ask the wine guy

Why do wine bottles have corks?

Tradition, mostl y Hundreds of y ears a g o, cor k was t h e b est c l osure avai la bl e. It kept t h e wine b ott l e air ti gh t, and the wine business is slow to change. Today’s alternative closures are just as effective, and have taken o v er as much as one-third of the ma rke t .

FEBRUARY 2012 oakcliff.advocatemag.com 15 Launch FOOD
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crossing guard organization leader mailman

February 2012 oakcliff.advocatemag.com 17
job description, they are ordinary people, but these ever-present characters have a life, interests and history
the roles for which we
them.
boy ,
they have stories to tell.
By
outside
know
And, oh
do
More than just a friendly face
Story by Rachel Stone | Photos by Can Türkyilmaz & Danny Fulgencio

The postman always says ‘hello’

In 23 years serving 75208, Darrell Matthews has gained quite a few fans. He is neighborhood famous.

The mail carrier is likeable and always friendly, his customers say.

“You can tell he loves his job,” says Gloria Dean of Winnetka Heights. “He is well-liked by everybody.”

Her friends on Haines Avenue often tease Dean for “stealing” their postman, since Matthews’s route no longer includes their house.

“That shows you how much people like him,” Dean says.

Matthews, 48, lives in Grand Prairie with his wife Jacqueline and daughter Cristal, who is a junior in high school. His stepson Malcolm is a junior at Stephen F. Austin State University, and his older daughter LaKeisha is a teacher. He grew up in Oak Cliff, graduating from Skyline High School before serving five years in the Marine Corps.

He started with the U.S. Postal Service 25 years ago, and he has spent the majority of those years pounding the North Oak Cliff pavement.

He says he likes his job, although it can be a beating in extreme weather. Matthews and his colleagues trudged through two feet of snow last February and survived months of 100-plus degree days this past summer to bring us our bills and birthday cards.

But Matthews says he appreciates his customers.

“Some of them make your day,” he says. “Especially if it’s hot and they offer you a cool drink and a place to sit down for a minute.”

Not that mail carriers have time to dally. They must sort and organize mail and stay on schedule to deliver it all before quitting time.

More than anything, Matthews says, he appreciates customers who just call out his name to say “hello.”

Mail carriers walk our neighborhoods and come to the porch every day. Because of that intimacy, they often have glimpses into the personal lives of strangers.

In all his years of delivering mail in our neighborhood, Matthews says he has never encountered an emergency, although he has contacted relatives of elderly customers upon noticing their mail piling up.

He’s friendly with many neighbors, but there’s one thing some of them don’t get: He’s not friendly with their dogs.

Many times, neighbors ask him to “meet” their dogs, pets they consider part of the family.

“I don’t want to meet your dog,” he says. “I’m not trying to be rude.”

But dogs and mail carriers go together like cats and sweaters.

“I’ve been bitten by that dog that ‘doesn’t bite,’ ” he says.

In his free time, Matthews likes to tinker in the garage. He’s a “fixit guy” who always has a project around the house. When he retires in a few years, he’d like to learn to play the guitar.

18 oakcliff.advocatemag.com February2012
Darrell
mailman

leader

The omnipresent neighbor

Evenif you don’t know Lybo Buchanan’s name, chances are, you’ve seen her around.

The 64-year-old redhead often rides her bike around her Kings Highway neighborhood. And she attends every neighborhood event, from Oak Cliff Mardi Gras and the Turner House salon series to rezoning hearings and town-hall meetings.

Buchanan grew up in North Dallas and rented in the Lower Greenville area before she and her husband, Lee Kelton, moved to their home on Kings Highway in 1996.

“I decided it was time to buy, and I gave my Realtor a list of things I wanted,” she says. “This was the one that fit the description.”

It is a two-story, four-bedroom house they share with three dogs and a 10-year-old gray parrot named Tasmin. The parrot barks almost as much as the Pomeranian, Miss Morgan.

“My husband is the one who really got me into volunteering,” she says.

Kelton was involved with the North Texas Irish Festival when she met him, and since then, she has served as a board member for that organization.

She threw herself into Oak Cliff neighborhood activities in 2003, during the Oak

Cliff Centennial. It spurred her involvement with Oak Cliff Earth Day and the Old Oak Cliff Conservation League.

She has served in many capacities for the league, including member at large, historian and a six-year stint as a board member. She hopes to be elected to another term this year.

“I love all the old houses in Oak Cliff,” she says. “We’re an active community. We know our neighbors, for the most part, and we’re always trying to make the neighborhood better.”

Buchanan served 11 years active duty in the Air Force and 15 years in the reserves before retiring in 1999. She also is retired from Sprint, and she works part-time as an administrative assistant for a small construction company.

By the way, her unique first name comes from her mother, Elizabeth, whose younger brothers couldn’t pronounce her name. Their baby talk nickname stuck, and she named her only daughter Lybo. The elder Lybo pronounced it “LEE-bow,” but Lybo, pronounces her name “luh-BOW.”

FEBRUARY 2012 oakcliff.advocatemag.com 19
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crossingguard

Stop in the name of love Robert

White hurries to the middle of Llewellyn on a cold January morning and waves an arm.

“Come on, baby,” he says. And then, “Good morning. It’s cold out here.”

“Uh-huh,” answers the Reagan Elementary School third-grader crossing the street. The boy smiles and says “good morning” as he continues walking toward the school.

White, who is known as “Pop” around our neighborhood, has been the warden of this corner, Melba at Llewellyn, for 18 years.

He started as a crossing guard 27 years ago after retiring from Dallas County Schools. He worked there as a bus driver and maintenance manager for seven years. Before that, he worked at an art gallery and a furniture store. He used to own some rental properties nearby but sold those a few years ago. He and his wife raised 13 kids (eight of whom went to college) in a little house on Tenth Street. They have five grandchildren.

White has trained dozens of other crossing guards.

As he recounts his life story, almost every car and bus driver that passes honks or waves, or both. Sometimes entire carfuls of kids wave

excitedly to “Pop” as they pass, all smiles. Even when someone passes without honking or waving, White waves anyway. A few of the kids look crabby as they cross the street to school, but all of them make White happy.

“I love this corner,” he says. “I love these kids.”

Over the past decades, he has watched Reagan students grow up, and some of them now walk their own children to his corner on school mornings.

Kids sometimes come back to visit White at this crosswalk, when they are home from college or just visiting home. He tells stories about them as if they were his own family. One is a dentist, he is proud to say. He laments the sadder stories, such as that of a former student who went to college in Houston, but then got in with the wrong crowd and is now in prison.

White keeps coming back to this corner, morning and afternoon, always with a smile and an encouraging word.

“I have lots of fun,” he says.

20 oakcliff.advocatemag.com FEBRUARY2012
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Speaking in tongues

The dual-language program at Rosemont Elementary School is expanding

Leticia Varela’s fifth-grade students at Rosemont Elementary are learning about the moon.

Their assignment is to find out its characteristics, how big it is, how far away. At computers, they work in groups to research. Their conversations are slightly atypical. Most students communicate in English, and a few speak Spanish. Ms. Varela’s instructions typically are in Spanish, but sometimes, she clarifies in English. The students’ final presentations on the moon will be given in Spanish.

These fifth-graders are the first class of Rosemont’s duallanguage program. Almost all of them started the program as kindergartners.

“This is the pioneer group,” Varela says. “This is the one that’s been setting the standard.”

When the next school year starts, some of the students will move on to Greiner Middle School, but about 70 will stay at Rosemont, which is offering a dual-language middle school program starting with sixth-graders in the fall. The

program will expand to seventh and eighth grade by the 2014-15 school year.

Some students are choosing Greiner because they want lockers, passing periods and all those little things that make the middle school experience. Greiner also has a highly regarded music program, which is a draw.

It took more than three years of work, says principal

22 oakcliff.advocatemag.com February 2012
A Rosemont Elementary School fifth-grader works on a project about the moon. She is a part of the first class of dual-language students at the school.
“It’s a really rigorous curriculum. The rigor of a dual language curriculum allows our children to give more effort at school.”

Anna Brining, but the school board finally gave its OK to expand the dual-language program last year.

The move mostly was an effort by parents who didn’t want their kids to fall off in language skills between fifth grade and ninth grade, when Spanish is offered again.

“It was a full community, grassroots effort,” Brining says.

Parent Raul Treviño says the dual-language program challenges his kids, who are in fourth and fifth grades. Too many schools obsess over standardized tests and reward students who meet minimum requirements, he says.

“It’s a really rigorous curriculum. The rigor of a dual-language curriculum allows our children to give more effort at school,” Treviño says. “I’m a proponent of effort-based education.”

Besides that, it’s a way for Latino kids to

stay in touch with Spanish and their family heritage. And all the students receive language instruction they wouldn’t normally receive until high school.

“We’re Mexican American, and our language and culture and heritage are very important parts of our lives,” Treviño says. “Our children have grandparents who are Spanish speakers, who live in Mexico, so for them to be able to connect to their culture and language and heritage is very important to us.”

Rosemont also is considering adding a third language, possibly French or Mandarin, for the middle school program.

Most fifth-graders in the dual-language program have had the same language partners since kindergarten.

“They’re almost like family,” Varela says. “They have to learn how to communicate in two languages. They know each other very well.”

FEBRUARY 2012 oakcliff.advocatemag.com 23
Leticia Varela, top right, instructs her classes in Spanish and English.

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SKYLIGHTS

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.

FEBRUARY 2012 oakcliff.advocatemag.com 27 TO ADVERTISE CALL 214.560.4203
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BUSINESS BUZZ

The lowdown on what’s up with neighborhood businesses

Send business news tips to LIVELOCAL@ADVOCATEMAG.COM

La Paisanita taqueria opens at West Davis and Adams

The second Paisanita has opened in north Oak Cliff and is different from its counterpart at West Davis and Ravinia. Located in a renovated former laundromat, the new Paisanita is not just a taco stand where customers order at the counter and wait for someone to hand out tacos in a plastic basket or paper bag. At the Paisanita on Adams, customers can either order takeout, or sit at a table or booth and order from the small, simple menu — tacos, gorditas, tortas, breakfast plates. Dine in, and a waiter will bring a basket of thick chips, served with a warm habanero salsa, which will make a thin sweat break out over your scalp. It will make you sniffle. It’s so good.

Zoning change approved for Sylvan Thirty

City Council has approved Oaxaca Partners’ request for a zoning change that will allow 70-foot tall buildings, among other considerations. A few people spoke against the zoning change, including Belmont Hotel owner Monte Anderson and Fort Worth Avenue Development Group president David Lyles. Opponents of the plan say the city should not be making changes to the planned development district, put in place about 10 years ago to define what type of developments neighbors wanted for Fort Worth Avenue.

Brent Jackson of Oaxaca says he now is working to finalize construction drawings, and then site work can begin. It should be about three to four months before building starts. Cox Farms Market, anchor tenant for Sylvan Thirty, had been slated to open in November 2012. That’s still the official date, but Jackson says it is likely to take several months longer. So neighbors could be looking at early 2013 for Cox Farms in Oak Cliff.

Pedestrian-friendly, live-work concept planned for Fort Worth Avenue

Cielo Realty Partners has shown off its plans for the former Colorado Place site on Fort Worth Avenue, and they include some unique amenities

Dine in, and a waiter will bring a basket of thick chips, served with a warm habañero salsa, which will make a thin sweat break out over your scalp. It will make you sniffle. It’s so good.

for the mixed-use development. The site has been vacant since the old apartments on both sides of Fort Worth Avenue were demolished and the new plans could mean that a proposed Walmart-lite strip shopping center is now gone for good. The new development is called The Collective, and the name plays off the collaborative interaction between the 320 apartments, retail space, artist studios, commissary kitchen, community garden, dog park and innovative office arrangements. Cielohopes the configuration of the development will lead to weekend markets with food and art, work”lifestyle and pedestrian-oriented activities. Ground-breaking is planned for May, with a 22-month construction schedule.

More business bits

Smoke chef Tim Byres is opening a restaurant called ChickenScratch in the old Jack’s Backyard space. It will serve rotisserie and pan-fried chicken. A bar called The Foundry will be next door. Bolsa’s sister market concept, Bolsa Mercado, is now open in the former Kemp Garage space on West Davis. The Kings Highway Conservation District has launched a new website, kingshwy.org, that features community forums and blogs. Urban Acres market has cut back its hours. The store is now open from 12-6 p.m. Friday, 8 a.m.-6 p.m. Saturday and noon-5 p.m. Sunday, and is closed Monday-Thursday.

GET IN CONTACT

La Paisanita 440 W. DAVIS 214.942.0000

Sylvan Thirty SYLVANTHIRTY.COM

Smoke 901 FT. WORTH 214.393.4141

SMOKERESTAURANT.COM

Bolsa Mercado 634 W. DAVIS 214.942.0451

BOLSADALLAS.COM

Urban Acres 1301 W. DAVIS 469.248.2270

URBANACRES.WORDPRESS.COM

Bolsa Mercado

more business buzz every week on

28 oakcliff.advocatemag.com FEBRUARY 2012
LIVE Local
BolsaMercado
OAKCLIFF.ADVOCATEMAG.COM/BIZ VIDEO
Visit oakcliff.advocatemag.com/video for a look inside the market cafe.

Real estate agents Jenni Stolarski and Robb Puckett in January announced a business partnership, specializing in Oak Cliff residential property. They are now the Puckett Stolarski Real Estate Team of Briggs Freeman Sotheby’s International Realty.

community

Art Conspiracy raised $30,000 for Musical Angels in November. The charity provides music lessons to children in Dallas-area hospitals. Its founder and president, Dr. Gustavo A. Tolosa, called the donation “one of the highest points in Musical Angels’ history.” Over the past seven years, Art Conspiracy has raised $140,000 for charities through its annual auction.

The Old Oak Cliff Conservation League has elected new officers with Phil Levin of Hampton Hills stepping in as president. Other officers are: Alicia Quintans of Beckley Club Estates, secretary; Annmarie Winston of Kings Highway, treasurer; Michele Cox of Kessler Plaza, executive vice president; Sherry Peel of Kessler Park, vice president for neighborhoods; Judy Pollack of Oak Park Estates, vice president for membership; Lybo Buchanan of Kings Highway, vice president for communications; and Michael Amonett of Sunset Hill, past president.

The Sunset Hill neighborhood is reorganizing its neighborhood association at a meeting Feb. 7 at Calvary Baptist Church. The area was established in 1911, and Dallas annexed it in 1915.

The Fort Worth Avenue Development Group donated $15,000 and raised an additional $10,000 in donations to design and implement bike lanes along the West Dallas thoroughfare. The bike lanes will run along Fort Worth Avenue and West Commerce, from Colorado to Beckley. The two miles of bike lanes is part of an effort to “assist the city in developing bicycle infrastructure within the next six months,” as recommended in the Dallas Bike Plan.

education

Dallas ISD invited a nonprofit, Reading Partners, to help elementary school students in kindergarten through second-grade improve their reading skills. It is recruiting tutors to help one-on-one with students at Roger Q. Mills Elementary. To get involved, contact Ashley Richard at 214.980.8232 or arichard@readingpartners.org.

High school seniors and their parents are invited to attend college financial aid workshops hosted by Education is Freedom. The workshops are from 4-8 p.m. on the following days: Townview Magnet Center, Feb. 1 and 2; Sunset High School, Feb. 16; Molina High School, Feb. 23; Kimball High School, Feb. 10; Adamson High School, Feb. 7.

HAVE AN ITEM TO BE FEATURED?

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

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FEBRUARY 2012 oakcliff.advocatemag.com 29 NEWS & Notes
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HE LET HIMSELF IN AND HELPED HIMSELF TO THE LAPTOP.

Steve Zareff was only trying to help. A friend’s son was a bit down on his luck and needed a place to stay. Zareff and his roommate had some extra space, so they offered to let him stay in their Winnetka Heights home. Zareff even often offered the use of his laptop to help the young man spruce up his résumé and possibly find a job.

The good feelings about the situation didn’t last long.

The Victim: Steve Zareff

The Crime: Burglary

Date: Thursday, Dec. 1

Time: 10:20 a.m.

Location: 200 block of Rosemont

Soon Zareff found the man was on drugs and asking others for money. Things turned so sour, Zareff asked him to move out — something the boarder was unhappy about.

A few days later, the boarder returned while Zareff’s roommate was at home to collect some clothes. Zareff had hidden the laptop in a side room and locked the door. Later that day, Zareff found the door

had been pried open and the lock broken. As the roommate watched TV in the living room, Zareff believes the boarder pried his way into the room and made off with the laptop.

Through the ordeal, Zareff has learned to be a bit more careful when trying to be a good Samaritan.

“It’s already a lost cause. He’s probably already hawked it and gotten a little cash for it,” he says. “You try to be a rescuer, and you end up being a victim.”

Dallas Police Lt. Gil Garza of the Southwest Patrol Division says residents should always be mindful of those they let into their homes — whether friends or family.

“If you know the person is struggling with some sort of addiction, you may need to question what this person is currently doing to seek help,” he says. “It may not be wise to let them into your home if they have not sought any help or taken steps to remedy their situation.”

There are also resources available to conduct background checks via dallascounty.org. Residents also can visit dallaspolice.net to find sex offender information as well.

Amount of cash stolen from a woman Jan. 10 at the Texas Barber College in the 400 block of West Jefferson

Date when someone broke into a home in the 700 block of South Willomet and stole three flat-screen televisions and a laptop, leaving the homeowner’s dog standing on the front porch

600 Block of Stevens Village where a man was robbed at gunpoint by two individuals who stole the victim’s wallet, jewelry and car keys, on Jan. 7.

SOURCE: Dallas Police Department

30 oakcliff.advocatemag.com FEBRUARY 2012 TRUE Crime
|
$9,000
Sean Chaffin is a freelance writer and editor of pokertraditions.com. If you have been a recent crime victim, email crime@advocatemag.com.
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The king of oak Cliff barbeCue

Red Bryan’s may be gone, but its mouthwatering legacy is not forgotten

Take

Most old-time Cliffites recall the name “Red Bryan” as the moniker of one of the neighborhood’s most recognizable restaurants. And they would be right.

At the beginning of the 20th century, Elias and Sadie Bryan relocated from Cincinnati, Ohio to Oak Cliff and opened a smokehouse on Center Street. There, Bryan developed a new meat-cooking technique and a spicy sauce recipe that began the Bryan family barbecue tradition.

Growing up in the restaurant, the Bryans’ eldest son, William Jennings “Red” Bryan — named for the 1900 presidential candidate — went on to play football for Oak Cliff High School (now Adamson). Then, because he wanted a career of his own, he opened and operated a floral business over Lamar and Smith Funeral Home on Jefferson. In early 1930, however, he realized that with Oak Cliff’s steady growth, there was more demand for good,

mouthwatering meals and side dishes than for funeral flowers, so he opened a barbecue business of his own on Jefferson. Nicknamed “The Tin Shack,” because he operated the eatery out of a retired Interurban car that had been retrofitted, Red Bryan charged 5 cents for burgers, while barbecue sandwiches went for 10 cents. But don’t let the Spartan framework fool you. Cadillacs driven by business leaders in silk suits frequented the place. Having grown up eating Bryan family barbecue, they still wanted more!

In 1947, he commissioned the prominent architect Charles Dilbeck to design the new Red Bryan’s Smokehouse restaurant located on the corner of Llewellyn and Jefferson. The expansive ranch style edifice boasted an exterior fashioned out of salvaged stone from an East Texas courthouse, a massive stone fireplace near the entrance, and an interior that showcased mounted wild animal heads (often with a cigarette or toothpick hanging out of their mouths, courtesy of mischievous customers).

Oversized booths were covered in calf hide, and each offered hot barbecue sauce warmed in metal containers right on the tables. Sawdust floors and the aroma of smoking meat permeated the entire establishment, creating a familiar ambience experienced only at this unique restaurant. Jefferson Boulevard shoppers, Sunset and Adamson high school students, families, blue-collar workers and upscale business folk all frequented Bryan’s, satisfying hungry appetites with barbecue, steaks, chicken, burgers and shakes.

Eventually, William Jennings Bryan Jr., “Sonny,” took over managerial du-

ties at the eatery and moved into the little apartment quarters on the upper back portion of the building, as his father had become a prominent Dallas citizen and was busy serving on the city council.

“My first memories are going to Red Bryan’s in the mid to late 1940s and early ’50s with my uncle or parents,” says former Cliffite Bill Strouse, “and getting a couple pounds of barbecue to go. Also back then, it was a drive-in and had carhops. [I] remember that on OU and Texas weekend the place was filled to the rafters with both OU and UT fans ... drinking beer and eating barbecue.”

Angeline Churchill (Sunset ’67) says that in the mid-’50s their mother (whom she describes as “a beautiful woman”) took them to Red’s to pick up some barbeque for supper. “Red was at the door, greeted my mother with great gallantry, then kissed my sister and me on our heads, as we came in. I had been sitting in the car with my head up against the hot window glass, and Red proclaimed, ‘This one’s a real hothead!’ Great hilarity broke out between my mother and sister since I was a hothead, and I was totally impressed that he could instantly tell that I was the one with a temper.”

In 1973, sitting in his bondholder seat at Texas Stadium during a Dallas Cowboys game, Red Bryan suffered a fatal stroke and passed away shortly after. The W. H. Adamson Alumni Association honored Bryan when it inducted him, in 2009, into its Hall of Honor.

Today the Dilbeck building on Jefferson and Llewellyn is El Ranchito, opened by the Sanchez family in 1983 after their success with nearby La Calle Doce. But though Red Bryan and his restaurant are gone, the legacy of Oak Cliff’s barbeque king remains in force. The life of this Ohio son turned florist, turned restaurateur and then city councilman gives Cliffites reason to still believe that all things are possible.

February 2012 oakcliff.advocatemag.com 31
a look. Visit oakcliff.advocatemag.com and search Red Bryan’s to view photos of Red Bryan’s construction.
Red Bryan’s had an interior that showcased mounted wild animal heads (often with a cigarette or toothpick hanging out of their mouths, courtesy of mischievous customers).
BACK Story
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.

Dallas • Charlton

Join us for Heart To Heart – a free event for women’s heart health. You’ll enjoy healthy advice from physician panels and guest speakers. Plus, there will be health screenings*, and healthy cooking and dancing demonstrations. Come learn how to be good to your heart right here in the heart of the community.

Join us for Heart To Heart – a free event for women’s heart health. You’ll enjoy healthy advice from physician panels and guest speakers. Plus, there will be health screenings*, and healthy cooking and dancing demonstrations. Come learn how to be good to your heart right here in the heart of the community.

Saturday, February 18 9 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.

Uptown Village at Cedar Hill

Hwy. 67 and Pleasant Run Rd.

Dallas • Charlton

Saturday, February 18 9 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.

Cedar Hill, Texas

Uptown Village at Cedar Hill

Hwy. 67 and Pleasant Run Rd.

Cedar Hill, Texas

Register now at 214-947-0000 or visit www.MethodistHealthSystem.org/HtH.

The Methodist Heart of the Community Initiative is designed to improve the cardio health of the communities that we serve through heart disease education and prevention.

Register now at 214-947-0000 or visit www.MethodistHealthSystem.org/HtH.

The Methodist Heart of the Community Initiative is designed to improve the cardio health of the communities that we serve through heart disease education and prevention.

*Adultswhopreregisteraregiveninstructionsonhowtoprepareforthefastingblood-glucosetestingandphonedwithareminderthedaybeforethetest.Texaslawprohibitshospitalsfrompracticing medicine.ThephysiciansontheMethodistHealthSystemmedicalstaffareindependentpractitionerswhoarenotemployeesoragentsofMethodistHealthSystem,MethodistDallasMedicalCenter, MethodistCharltonMedicalCenter,oranyaffiliatedhospital.

*Adults who preregister are given instructions on how to prepare for the fasting blood-glucose testing and phoned with a reminder the day before the test. Texas law prohibits hospitals from practicing medicine. The physicians on the Methodist Health System medical staff are independent practitioners who are not employees or agents of Methodist Health System, Methodist Dallas Medical Center, Methodist Charlton Medical Center, or any affiliated hospital. education and prevention.

*Adults who preregister are given instructions on how to prepare for the fasting blood-glucose testing and phoned with a reminder the day before the test. Texas law prohibits hospitals from practicing medicine. The physicians on the Methodist Health System medical staff are independent practitioners who are not employees or agents of Methodist Health System, Methodist Dallas Medical Center, Methodist Charlton Medical Center, or any affiliated hospital.

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