2011 March Oak Cliff

BAC

THE WAY BACK

STORIES FROM THE BRINK OF DESTRUCTION

Once on a path to destruction, they changed courses. Now they are shining examples of second chances gone right.

PHOTO BY CANTÜRKYILMAZ

Online Photo Contest: White Rock Lake Conservancy www.whiterockdallas.org/photo-contest

Centennial Champions: White Rock Lake Foundation and For the Love of the Lake (214) 367-8700 or (214) 821-2077

Luncheon with Ebby Halliday: Greater East Dallas Chamber of Commerce (214) 207-0017 or (214) 328-4100

Raise the Woof Pup Rally: White Rock Lake Dog Park

The Comerica White Rock Lake Centennial Celebration is a marathon of events and activities to celebrate the 100th birthday of one of Dallas’ signature parks. Kicking off in March and culminating in a grand finale weekend in June, proceeds from the Comerica White Rock Lake Centennial Celebration will help fund ten capital projects and improvements, including improving hike and bike trails, completely renovating the White Rock Dog Park and restoring the park forests.

Family Fun Nature Weekend: City of Dallas Park and Recreation Department (214) 243-2123

An Intimate Evening with Ebby at the Arboretum: Centennial Host Committee

The Comerica White Rock Centennial Celebration Pave the Way campaign allows families and businesses to forever commemorate their love of the lake on pavestones that will permanently grace the plaza at the spillway. Visit www.whiterockdallas.org to Pave the Way today.

To donate, buy tickets or for more information about the Comerica White Rock Lake Centennial Celebration, visit www.whiterockdallas.org or join us on Facebook at White Rock Dallas.

Centennial Golf Tournament at Tenison Park Golf Club: White Rock Lake Conservancy

Family Fun History Weekend: City of Dallas Park and Recreation Department (214) 243-2123

100 Years Historical Exhibit at NorthPark: Centennial Host Committee

Neiman Marcus Fashion Event at NorthPark: White Rock Lake Conservancy

White Rock Lake Festival: White Rock Lake Foundation (214) 367-8700 or (214) 821-2077

White Rock Lake Centennial Committee

2011 Designed by Allyn Media

Photo provided by Bikin’ Mike Keel

FIVE SQUARE MILES

A story of a life lived within these parameters

My grandmother died a few days ago. She was almost 99 years old, and other than noticeably shrinking in height, even at the end she looked and acted about the same as she had throughout her life.

She was one of 991 females living in Hawley, Minn., where the total population is 1,880 and has been for quite a few years. Hawley is what many of us wish our neighborhood could be: It’s a place so small that people truly know you and everything about you, for better or worse.

She grew up there, went to school there, was married there, gave birth to her three children there, buried her husband there about 25 years ago, and finally died there.

Virtually her entire life took place within an area of about five square miles, give or take a mile or two.

By the time it’s our time, how many of us do you think will be able to say that? And how many will want to?

Although I wasn’t her confidante, I don’t know that spending her entire life in a little town without a stoplight bothered her. She never seemed to worry about what might have been or what should have happened; she generally just played the cards she was dealt without flinching much on the “fold” hands or getting too excited when she drew a flush.

She seemingly had no regrets other than outliving her husband. For years after he died, even though she was surrounded by friends and relatives, she signed the letters she sent to me in Texas “Your Lonesome Grandma”.

She didn’t work what you or I would consider to be a “regular” job, in the sense that she packed her lunch and headed to a business to earn a buck. She and my grandfather were farmers, and although I don’t recall seeing her driving a tractor or handling a pitchfork, I never doubted she could do either of those things.

Instead, she managed the house and fed my grandfather and any number of other farmhands working the fields and barns. During a late summer harvest, it wasn’t uncommon to have eight or 10 hungry guys out in the field during the grain threshing, haying and corn silage-filling operations. When it was break time, my grandmother drove out to the field in a pickup, dropped the tailgate and produced a seemingly endless buffet of sandwiches, cook-

ies, dessert bars and water or lemonade.

Then she packed up the remains, headed back to the house, and began preparing the next meal.

I never knew her to be sick. Ever. She was the original Energizer Bunny, moving at a constant speed without needing much attention. Even into her 80s, she led a bowling team and had

DISTRIBUTIONPH/214.560.4203

ADVERTISINGPH/214.560.4203

advertising coordinator: JUDY LILES

214.560.4203 / jliles@advocatemag.com

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

LISA ALTHAUS

214.560.4215 / lalthaus@advocatemag.com

PATTI MILLER

214.292.0961 / pmiller@advocatemag.com

JENNIFER THOMAS VOSS

214.635.2122 / jvoss@advocatemag.com

MARIANNEMOURER

214.292.0485 / mmourer@advocatemag.com

classified manager: PRIO BERGER

214.560.4211 / pberger@advocatemag.com

classified consultants

SALLY ACKERMAN

214.560.4202 / sackerman@advocatemag.com

SUSAN CLARK

469.916.7866 / sclark@advocatemag.com

EDITORIALPH/ 214.292.2053

publisher: RICK WAMRE

214.560.4212 / rwamre@advocatemag.com

managing editor: CHRISTINA HUGHES BABB

214.560.4204 / chughes@advocatemag.com

editors

KERI MITCHELL

214.292.0487 / kmitchell@advocatemag.com

EMILY TOMAN

214.292.2053 / etoman@advocatemag.com

RACHEL STONE

214.292.0490 / rstone@advocatemag.com

no problem cracking 150.

When the time came, I’m told she talked so softly as to be hard to hear. As her body parts simply wore down, she lived on a diet of soft candy, cookies and water. One day, she simply went to sleep and didn’t wake up.

All in all, not a bad way to live. And not a bad way to die.

web editor: CHRISTY ROBINSON 214.635.2120 / crobinson@advocatemag.com

senior art director: JYNNETTENEAL

214.560.4206 / jneal@advocatemag.com

art director: JULIANNE RICE

214.292.0493 / jrice@advocatemag.com

designers: JEANINE MICHNA-BALES, LARRYOLIVER

contributing editors: JEFFSIEGEL,SALLY WAMRE

contributors: SEAN CHAFFIN, SANDY GREYSON, BILL KEFFER, GAYLA KOKEL, GEORGE MASON, BLAIR MONIE, ELLEN RAFF, ELIZABETHKNIGHTEN

photo editor: CAN TÜRKYILMAZ

214.560.4200 / cturkyilmaz@advocatemag.com

photographers: MARK DAVIS, MOLLYDICKSON, ALISON FECHTEL, BENJAMIN HAGER

interns: ASHLEYHUDSON, EMMA TIEDEMANN

Advocate Publishing 6301 Gaston Avenue, Suite 820, Dallas, TX 75214

Advocate, © 2011, is published monthly by East Dallas – Lakewood People Inc. Contents of this magazine may not be reproduced. Advertisers and advertising agencies assume liability for the content of all advertisements printed, and therefore assume responsibility for any and all claims against the Advocate. The publisher reserves the right to accept or reject any editorial or advertising material. Opinions set forth in the Advocate are those of the writers and do not necessarily reflect the publisher’s viewpoint. More than 200,000 people read Advocate publications each month. Advertising rates and guidelines are available upon request. Advocate Publications are available free of charge throughout our neighborhoods, one copy per reader.

Even into her 80s, my grandmother led a bowling team and had no problem cracking 150.

LOOKING FOR A NEW CAREER?

Are you ready to find a fulfilling career that would provide unlimited earning potential and the opportunity to have a flexible work schedule? You should consider a career in real estate an exciting and dynamic profession that

If this sounds interesting to you, Call Mark Kohutek at 214-217-5735. for a confidential interview.

oakcliff.advocatemag.com WET OAK CLIFF

WINE SHOP AT TYLER/DAVIS TO SPECIALIZE IN TEXAS MAKERS

Delicious developments have been setting the neighborhood a’sizzle. Editor Rachel Stone has blogged about the recent openings of Monica Greene’s Bee: Best Enchiladas Ever, Lockhart Smokehouse and Papa Joe’s Backyard Barbecue, and now there’s a new wine boutique and a coffee shop in the works. To read Rachel’s blog excerpt below in full, search: Bishop Arts Winery. To follow food and drink news in the OC all month, visit oakcliff.advocatemag.com/dining.

A shop specializing in Texas wines is expected to open by June in the former Daniel Padilla Gallery space on Davis at Tyler.

Oak Cliff business owner Elias Rodriguez says the shop, Bishop Arts Winery, will carry bottles from about 12 major Texas winemakers, with opportunities for the state’s 100-plus winemakers to have tastings and temporary showcases. Rodriquez, who owns a planning and design consultation firm on East Jefferson, says the shop also will carry cheese, but not beer or liquor.

Rodriquez eventually would like to produce wine at the shop. In the meantime, he plans to contract with a winemaker for a Bishop Arts Winery label.

The shop is one of several new storefronts planned in the Tyler/Davis area, which recently has grabbed the attention of City Hall. Some property and business owners say the unusual intersection at Tyler and Seventh is dangerous. And the city has hired a consulting firm to study the Tyler/Davis area and suggest another traffic pattern there.

Oak Cliff Coffee Roasters bought the former mechanic garages half a block away at 819 W. Davis with plans for a coffee shop.

So ... locally roasted coffee and Texas wine. In the same block. And there’s already a chocolate shop in between.

But that’s not all. Bolsa Mercado, the Whole Foods-meets-Eatzi’s concept from Bolsa owner Chris Zeilke, is expected to open two blocks away at 634 W. Davis as early as April.

Looks like 2011 is set to be an epic one for Tyler/Davis.

Media Key: where to find us on the world wide web

facebook.com/OakCliffAdvocate twitter.com/Advocate_OC advocatemag.com/newsletter

oakcliff.advocatemag.com/blog oakcliff.advocatemag.com/podcast

newsletter Contests

Spring Rose Festival

March 5th & 6th

Looking for Texas Pioneer Roses? These tough, gorgeous, antique roses are perfect for the modern rose garden. Their blooms are big and their beauty even bigger. You’ll find them all during Spring Rose Festival, March 5th & 6th at North Haven Gardens. We'll offer hundreds of rose varieties, FREE education, early shopping hours and the best rose garden advice. Don't miss a special presentation by Mike Shoup of Antique Rose Emporium on Pioneer Roses.

Play to win dinner vouchers, event tickets and more, now from your inbox! Sign up for our weekly email at advocatemag.com/newsletter.

Most popular bloG posts: 1. NEW FURNITURE STORE, DESIGN STUDIO TO HOLD GRAND OPENING search: furniture // 2. MENU ANNOUNCED FOR MONICA GREENE’S NEW CONCEPT, BEE search: enchiladeria // 3. WINE SHOP AT TYLER/DAVIS TO SPECIALIZE IN TEXAS MAKERS search: Bishop Arts Winery // 4. RESTAURANT TALK: BEE OPENS search: enchiladeria // 5. COMMUNITY GROUP VIVA OAK CLIFF AIMS TO BRIDGE THE CULTURAL GAP search: Viva Oak Cliff

Send Sugge StionS for thiS Section or our webSite to web editor Christy Robinson at 214.635.2120 or crobinson@advocatemag.com.

Be one of the first 50 people to join us each morning beginning at 7am on Saturday and 8am on Sunday during Spring Rose Festival and when you check out, you’ll get to choose between a FREE rose plant or a FREE bag of Vital Earth Ready Rose Mix!

Mar 5-6 : Spring Rose Festival www.nhg.com

Sun, Mar 13th 1pm Beautiful Spring Lawns

Wed, Mar 16th Noon-1pm Raise Backyard Chickens

March 19-20 : Eco-friendly Festival FREE programs on growing veggies, bees & vermicomposting. View a FREE screening of “Vanishing of the Bees” and shop our local organic market. Details at www.nhg.com

Wed, Mar 23rd Noon-1pm Organic Pest Control Sat, Mar 26th 1pm Succulent Container Gardens

‘Thomas Affleck’

‘FJ Lindeheimer’

‘Stephen F. Austin’

LAUNCH

MARK LOMBARD of Stevens Park figured out a way to bring the world’s greatest art to people who couldn’t otherwise see it. A hospice volunteer, Lombard founded For Love and Art: Sharing with Seniors, which uses digital photo albums to take people at the end of their lives to virtual museums, from the Meadows to the Met.

Where did the For Love and art idea come from?

I really looked at my life and decided what was important to me. And I decided that it was great art. The DMA is like my second home. I’m a volunteer with Lion Hospice, and one of my clients is Miss Billie (who is pictured above). She was working on getting her legs stronger, and I said, ‘Get your strength up, and I’ll take you to the museum,’ and she would just light up. As it turned out, she never got to go to the museum, so I started bringing her postcards with pictures of artwork on them. I noticed that when she was in the presence of this art, she looked young again. I wanted to bring that experience to people in hospice. If they can’t come to museums, I’m going to bring art to them.

So how did you get it going?

I couldn’t get anyone excited about the idea. There was no structure to it. I sent emails to all the local museums, and finally I heard back from a woman at the Amon Carter Museum, and she invited me to come talk to them. After that I realized the digital photo book was the missing link. It’s relatively low cost. And it’s not a laptop. It’s not an iPad. It’s not something that’s likely to be stolen. It’s an easy, durable way for us to bring the art experience to those with limited mobility.

more on MARK LOMBARD

YOU HAVE ENTIRE COLLECTIONS FROM THEMET AND THE SMITHSONIAN, AMONG MANY OTHERS. HOW DID YOU GET PERMISSION TO USE IMAGES OF THESE GREAT WORKS?

After we figured out the structure, museums started jumping on board. It turns out they wanted to reach the people we’re trying to reach. First we got Amon Carter on board, and then we got the DMA, the Modern, the Meadows. Then New York jumped on board, and that was a big surprise to me. The Met is in there. That’s pretty amazing. I have the Smithsonian in my hand. I have the Met in my hand.

WHY DID YOU THINK IT WAS SO IMPORTANT TO BRING ART TO PEOPLE IN HOSPICE CARE?

The enjoyment of this is not an intellectual pursuit. It’s emotional. It’s visceral. That’s the power of art. If you look at it, it kind of takes you over. And you’re young again. You’re beautiful. This project is not to educate as much as to inspire and uplift.

IS THE IDEA CATCHING ON NOW?

Yes. It’s not just patients; the staff loves it. The families love them. You know, people want to put the end of life out of their mind and sights. We want to change that attitude from abandon to embrace. We want to alter their thinking to want to spend time with these people at the end of their lives. So now we have about 30 art books out in the world — inNew Jersey, Pennsylvania, Florida, Texas.

WHAT ARE YOUR PLANS NEXT?

Once we show the world that we can deliver on what we do, then we’re going to hit the Louvre, the Tate, the National Gallery in London, the Prado. We’re going to head around the world.

HOW CAN PEOPLE HELP?

We’re soliciting volunteers and donations. We’re a nonprofit organization. Each one of these [photo books] costs $400, and you can make a $50 donation. Or if you buy the whole thing, then you get a dedication. We have a waiting list of over 100 hospitals that really want this. We just have to raise the money.

—RACHEL STONE

CONTACT FOR LOVE AND ART at forloveandart.org or 214.693.8941.

out&about

03.05.11-03.06.11 o AK CL

FF MARD i g RAS $0-$50 The Bishop Arts District will be crawling with neighbors decked in Mardi Gras outfits for two days of celebrations. First up, Dash for the Beads. The 5k and 1-mile costumed run begins at 9 a.m. March 5 at Bishop and Davis. Registration is $15-$25 with all proceeds benefiting beautification projects at Lake Cliff Park. For details, call 214.943.5793 or visit dashforthebeads.org. Later that evening, partiers will gather for the OCarnivale Masquerade Ball at 8 p.m. at the Kessler Theater, 1230 W. Davis. Admission is $40 at the door and $50 in advance. On March 6, the Mardi Gras Parade will make its way through the B.A.D. at 4 p.m. on a 1-mile route. Afterward, there’s a Crawfish Boil — one pound of crawfish for $15. For more details on any of these events, visit mardigrasoakcliff.com. —E MiLy TOMA n

i

THROUGH 03.03 Bee MoVie $8

Where would we be without bees?

They are a vital part of agriculture, but bee colonies are declining worldwide. “Queen of the Sun” is a documentary examining the global bee crisis through the eyes of beekeepers, farmers and philosophers. it screens at the Texas Theatre, 231 W. Jefferson, march 1-3 at 5:30 p.m. For more information, contact thetexastheatre.org or 214.948.1546.

THROUGH 03.12 Te XAS SCULPTURe

FRee The Oak Cliff Cultural Center, 223 W. Jefferson, presents an exhibition with the Texas Sculpture Association featuring a variety of sculptural work. Gallery hours are 3-9 p.m. Tuesday-Friday and 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Saturdays. For information, call 214.670.3777 or visit dallasculture.org.

03.05 TRINITY RIVERLEVEE RUN $10-$25

To see the Margaret Hunt Hill Bridge from a different perspective, register for the Trinity River Levee Run, which starts at 9 a.m. at Trammell Crow Park, 3700 Sylvan. The race includes 10k and 5k runs along the river, taking participants to experience the final stage of the bridge’s construction. There’s also a 2-mile fun-run/walk. Awards will be given to first-, second- and thirdplace winners overall in male and female categories and to the top three finishers in each age group. Registration costs $10 for Dallas Running Club members, $20 for the general public and $25 for everyone who signs up on race day, 7:30-8:30 a.m. Pre-registration closes March 2. For more details, visit dallasrunningclub.com.

03.10 TURNER HOUSE

SALON SERIES $10-$15 As part of the Spring Salon Series at Turner House, classically trained chef Claudine Martyn will speak about the slow food movement locally and internationally. Oak Cliff residents Chris Tuck and Jim Shade of the Dallas Slow Food Chapter also will present. The event is at 7:30 p.m. at Turner House, 401 Rosemont. Admission is $15 for non-members and $10 for members. For details, visit turnerhouse.org.

03.12 FESTIVALOF TABLES $20 The Oak

Cliff Women’s Club, which celebrates its 60th anniversary this year, hosts its 15th annual Festival of Tables beginning at 10 a.m. at the group’s clubhouse, 3555 W. Kiest. The event features 17 tables decorated with different themes, such as “garden party” and “life is a cabaret”. Julie Johnson and Steve Barkus will perform. The event includes a raffle, two tickets for $5. Proceeds benefit the Genesis Women’s Shelter. For details, call 214.948.7941.

03.19 RAY WYLIE HUBBARD $25 Storytellers

at the Kessler this month brings us the prolific singer-songwriter Ray Wylie Hubbard. Hubbard moved to Oak Cliff as a kid and graduated from Adamson High School in 1965, so we expect lots of good stories along with his distinctive brand of Texas music. For more information, contact thekessler.org or 214.864.1748.

TODD WOLFSON

Delicious

A guide to dining & drinking in our neighborhood

FAREASTFLAVOR

IN OAKCLIFF, UPSCALE ASIAN CUISINE is hard to come by. “This neighborhood is ripe for some authentic Asian food,” says Kelly Hightower, who served as executive chef at the acclaimed Tei Tei Robata Bar. He has incorporated some of those influences into the menu at his latest venture, Nova. The gastropub offers everything from brick-oven pizzas to baby-back ribs along with signature cocktails. But Hightower also serves gourmet Asian fare, such as the mother-daughter udon noodle with tempura chicken and poached egg in miso broth. He spent four years perfecting his Japanese cuisine at Tei Tei and also traveled to Japan, tasting new dishes and learning a few tricks. “It was very enlightening,” he says. “Every restaurant there is specialized in what they do. They do one thing and do it very well.” But at Nova, Hightower can bring all his talents to the table — whether the Southwestern influences he gained while working at the Mansion on Turtle Creek or his Mediterranean cuisine that defined Kavala Grill, which previously occupied the Nova space. Decades ago, the building functioned as the neighborhood Dairy Queen. The owners maintained the building’s diner-style feel with a more contemporary design. The restaurant recently began offering brunch on Saturdays and Sundays, and the bar stays open until 2 a.m. every night. —EMILY

1 CHAN THAI

This neighborhood restaurant delivers Thai favorites, including red curry dishes, plus some exotic seafood options.

SEVENTH & MADISON

214.948.9956

2 ZEN SUSHI

A mainstay of the Bishop Arts District, Zen Sushi benefits from the talents of Michelle Carpenter, one of the top sushi chefs in Dallas.

SEVENTH & BISHOP

214.946.9699 ZENSUSHIDALLAS.COM

3 NEW CHINA TOWN

When you’re craving Chinese food, this hole-in-the-wall take-out spot offers all the traditional items on the cheap.

TOMAN

DAVIS & CLIFFDALE

214.333.9292

Pictured: Mother-daughter udon noodles (top) and peanut chicken chopped salad

YOUR GUIDE TO DINING OUT

TILLMAN’S ROADHOUSE $$ODWB

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 no-one 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.

PIZZA LOUNGE $$ODFB Voted Dallas best late night restaurant 2010 ! Pizza LOUNGE offers their own unique, made-from-scratch recipes featuring fresh made pizza dough and sauce. Appetizers, salads and deserts are also an option in their eclectic, funky atmosphere as you listen to off beat tunes. Open 11am. 7 days a week till late late night at 841 exposition ave, Dallas. 214.887.6900. Pizzaloungedallas.com and on facebook.

by giuseppe verdi

Texas wine has never been more popular or of better quality. So what’s the Legislature about to do? Eliminate the state’s funding for wine research and marketing as it attempts to solve a $27 billion budget deficit.

The savings? About $3 a Texan a year for the next two years, which won’t make much of dent in the deficit.

It will, however, seriously damage the progress Texas wine has made over the past several decades. Texas wine is not some effete pastime enjoyed by a bunch of outsiders who don’t like to drink Lone Star and eat chicken fried. It’s Big Bidness.

Texas wine sales increased 6 percent in 2010, with consumers buying almost 240,000 cases of Texas wine from grocery and liquor stores, according to the Nielsen survey company. Texas wine outsold Argentine and Chilean wine — combined — in the state in 2010, reported Nielsen, and four Texas wineries were among the top 100 brands in the state.

So buy a bottle of Texas wine, toast the Legislature, and hope it does the right thing:

($15). This is the best-selling viognier in Texas, outselling viogniers from California and France. Which is exactly the point of the $3 a person tax, since it pays for the research necessary to find out if a grape like viognier will make quality wine here.

$10). Yes, I always recommend this wine. And why not? It’s cheap and well-made, and, though pink, manly enough for any member of the Legislature.

($13). Texas chardonnay has always confused me. But if Texas is going to make chardonnay, this is a good start — unoaked, with lots of tropical fruit and balance.

—JEFF SIEGEL

WITH YOUR WINE

Pot-roasted pork loin

Pork gets short shrift as a roast, which is too bad. It can produce wonderful results. Serve this to celebrate the last cold day of this unending winter, and a Texas wine like the Becker viognier would be a great pairing.

Serves 4-6, takes 3 to 3 1/2 hours

4 lb boneless pork loin

2 onions, sliced

2 Tbsp carraway seeds

3-4 cloves garlic, chopped

6 carrots

1/2 head cabbage, sliced

1 c mixed dried fruit

2-3 Tbsp red wine vinegar

salt, pepper and red pepper to taste

1/4 tsp dried sage

2 bay leaves

1 bottle fruity red wine

Also may need: olive oil, rice or noodles

1. Preheat the oven to 325. Season the loin with salt and pepper, and brown on all sides in a couple of tablespoons of olive oil in a large Dutch oven or oven-proof casserole dish. Remove the loin to a plate.

2. Sauté the onions in the Dutch oven until they start to brown. Add the garlic and carraway seeds, and cook for 30 or 40 seconds, until the garlic is fragrant.

3. Slice the carrots lengthwise to produce 3-inch sticks. Add the carrots, cabbage, dried fruit, sage, bay leaves, and salt and pepper, to taste, to the Dutch oven. Add the wine and red wine vinegar, and bring to a boil.

4.Add the loin (with any accumulated juices) to the Dutch oven. Cover and place in the oven for 2 1/2 hours. Check after an hour or so. Flip the roast and add liquid if it seems dry.

5.Remove the loin from the Dutch oven, and cook the liquid down for a few minutes if you want. Thinly slice the pork, and serve in a bowl with rice or noodles, the vegetables and dried fruit, and the liquid.

JEFF SIEGEL’SWEEKLYWINE REVIEWS

appear every Wednesday on oakcliff.advocatemag.com

TomStephens

Tom Stephens is not supposed to be here.

He should be in jail, or in a coma, maybe. Dead, probably. But not here in this coffee shop on a sunny afternoon.

Decades of drinking and drug abuse gave him brain damage when he was 51. He had contracted hepatitis C from shooting up cocaine. And he was in rehab again, addicted to booze, painkillers and methamphetamines.

“Your only thought is, ‘the best thing I could do is die,’ ” he says with a Buddha-like smile.

Sipping coffee on the patio, Stephens, who is 58, could pass for 10 years younger.

His story starts at 12. That’s when he says he started having suicidal thoughts, and that’s when he started drinking. By 16, he had been kicked out of a Dallas high school and sent to a military boarding school.

By that time, he already was an intravenous drug user and daily drinker. But he finished high school and studied journalism at Stephen F. Austin State University. He graduated and obtained a job in advertising.And he drank every day.

Sometimes, he would sit at home and drink until he passed out. Other times, he would go to a bar, shoot pool, get drunk and “drive home with one hand over my eye”. He says he slept with women he doesn’t remember. He lied to his family and made excuses to his wife and daughter when they woke him up on the kitchen floor.

He started smoking methamphetamines, and he became addicted to painkillers — vicodin and oxycontin.

The behavior went on for decades, he says. “I never expected to live,” continued on page 19

WAY BUT UP

After hitting rock bottom, they came back in a big way

STORYBY RACHEL STONE PHOTOGRAPHS BY CAN TÜRKYILMAZ & BENJAMINHAGER

VIDEO

WATCHA VIDEO

Visit oakcliff.advocatemag.com/video

to see more on these inspiring stories.

THANKS TOTABLOID AND REALITY TV, we know that humans are often prone to self-destruction. Watching it can be morbidly entertaining, but far more intriguing than the train wreck is the rare story of one who manages to pull himself out of his pitiful existence a gifted actor rising from drug rehabs and institutions into years of sobriety and subsequent success, or “Biggest Losers” shedding hundreds of life-threatening pounds. These are the stories that move us, and you don’t need to turn on the TV to see them. These true tales of redemption are being lived, and touching lives, right here in our neighborhood.

“I truly expected to die from this disease.”

KellyWiley

Kelly Wiley lives in a big old house on Tenth Street, which she shares with four other women who need a hand up in life.

Wiley, who owns the rose Garden upscaleresalestore,saysshehas always been the type to open her home toothers.Butabout10yearsago, helping formerly incarcerated women became the 51-year-old’s life work.

If things had turned out differently for Wiley, she would still be behind bars today.

When she was 30 years old, she was sentenced to 31 years in prison.

“I was not the drug person. I was not the alcohol person. I was never involved with any of that,” she says. “and it was so shocking to everyone.”

In 1990, she says she was charged with illegal investments after a guy she was dating drove her car to a drug deal. he thought he was buying three kilos of cocaine, but really it was a set-up with undercover officers.

at thetime,Wileywas a fashion designer who made clothes for highprofile clients that included professional athletes, people in show business

and, as it turned out, drug dealers.

Wiley says she was so preoccupied with her business and making money — she goes so far as to say she was “addicted to making money” — that she had blinders on. If her acquaintances were people who could get her into trouble, she chose not to see it.

She didn’t take the charge very seriously at first.

“Iwaslike,‘Ididn’tdoanything. I don’t know anything,’ ” she says. “I was always sewing, and I didn’t know any of this was going on.”

Soshesaysshehiredthesame lawyer she used to take care of traffic tickets. Soon, she found herself in Lew Sterrett, separated from her 12-yearold daughter and a convicted felon facing decades of hard time.

Theconditions in the county jail at the time shocked her.

Women with few or no connections to the outsideworld were pitiful, going without underwearorsanitary supplies.

What was worse, they had no hope for themselves after their release.

after 12 months in county jail, Wiley was transferred to a prison in Gatesville. and conditions there weren’t much better.

“You could work, but most people didn’t work,”shesays.“Instead,theywould take these classes on, like, hygiene and ridiculous things.”

Therewasnothinginprisontohelp women improve themselves, Wiley says.

“how do we expect them to do anything different?” she says. “Prison is a billiondollar industry for free labor, and if you’re rehabilitated, you’re not coming back.”

She promised that if she ever got out, she would do something about it.

Wiley says she twice turned down an offer to accept 10 years’ probation for her release. One month after she arrived at Gatesville, her new attorney, Peter Lesser, got her out on time served.

“I had to start from square one,” she says. “I had no money, and I didn’t want to continue my fashion line.”

So she went to beauty school. Later, she

became a top saleswoman for Laureland Funeral home. and she became involved with a prison ministry.

Shewaslivingdowntown,andshe bought the house on Tenth Street because she thought it was a good investment. But she says as soon as she closed on the house, she was fired from Laureland.

So she decided to make the house a shelter for women getting out of prison, and she started working at Voice of hope thrift store in West Dallas to support herself and her charity, 2000 roses Foundation.

She and the women of 2000 roses also workedconcessionsatTexasStadium, sold cookies, held fish fry suppers and did anything else they could to earn a buck.

after two years, she bought out Voice of hope and opened her own shop, the rose Garden, at Tyler and Davis.

at first, the purpose of the shop was employment — everyone who lived in the TenthStreethouse could work at the shop and get a paycheck.

Butshesaysthat quicklyprovedto be the wrong tactic — giving a person a job is not enough. So Wiley went to San Francisco and visited Delancey Street Foundation,whereformerlyincarcerated or drug addicted residents must get along, work together and learn from each other. That became the new model for 2000 roses.

Now women can stay in the house for up to two years. They receive free room and board, and they are expected to do whatever they need to do to pull themselves up, whether it’s school, job training or work. In exchange, they volunteer at the store or make things to sell, including the handmade candles and jewelry the shop is known for.

They live by the adage “each one teach one”. If a woman, for example, needs help filling out a job application, studying for a GED or applying for college, she can find help from other 2000 roses clients who have done it before.

Everyone is expected to give back in some way, learn to get along with others, show up on time and take care of herself.

“It’s a place where people can come and feel good about where you are,” she says. t

TOMSTEPHENS continued from page 16

he says. “I truly expected to die from this disease.”

Then seven or eight years ago, fresh out of rehab, he went on a drinking binge. and it was too much for his brain. his head throbbed constantly, and his vision became blurry. Part of his brain was dying.

“I couldn’t read,” he says. “I could see words on a page, but I couldn’t hold a thought in my head.”

So his family sent him back to rehab.

While he was there, he says a guy cameintotalkaboutthe12steps of alcoholics anonymous.Something about the man’s story — hearing from someone who had been in his shoes — touched Stephens.

“Somethingstartedhappeningright then,” he says. “So I talked to God, and I said, ‘I dare you to show up.’ ”

What he found, he says, is that God was with him all along. So he made the decision to get clean and have a normal life, whatever that meant. after all, he was a lifelong alcoholic/drug addict.

“If you don’t know that a normal life is available, why would you try?” he says.

But after that day, he says, the desire to drink and take narcotics was gone. he has been clean since November 2003.

“It took a long time for recovery,” he says. “I was really damaged.”

he had to teach himself how to read again. and it took many months before his ears stopped ringing and his vision returned to normal. Today, his body has cleared the hepatitis c virus.

his daughter was only 12 when he became sober. he and his wife, Elena to whom he has been married 26 years nowlivetogetherasbest friendsaftermanyyearsofcohabitatingbutignoringeachother. and Stephens works with his older brother, anantiquesdealer,withwhomhe’d never had a brotherly relationship.

Stephens speaks to aa groups and in rehab centers whenever possible. he volunteers in detox units, the most anguishfilled, ugliest parts of drug rehabs.

“I want to find the weakest guy in the room, the most low-down punk in there and help him,” he says. “Because that’s who I was.” t

“I had to start from square one. I had no money.”

BobbyWheeler

Bobby Wheeler spends each workday counseling adult probationers who are court mandated to drug treatment.

he counsels a roster of 120 female clients, most of whom don’t want to be there.

It’s mostly a thankless job.

But Wheeler, 42, does it with enthusiasm because he knows drug addiction is a prison.

Wheeler says he grew up in Oak cliff with a sweet mom and a friendly dad who was a functioning alcoholic. as a kid, he would fetch his dad beers from the fridge, always taking a sip or two on the way.

In 1988, he started experimenting with drugs.

“I always felt like an outcast,” he says.

Sometime in the early ’90s, he tried crack for the first time.

“It was off to the races then,” he says.

Soon, he had a $1,000 a day habit. Even though he held down a job, he had to support his habit by stealing and, eventually, prostitution.

always a “mama’s boy”, he remembers stealing the grocery money out of his mom’s purse at night, then going to the grocery

store with her the next day, “knowing she didn’t have any money because I stole it.”

he was in and out of Lew Sterrett for prostitution, drug possession and other complaints. and he was in denial about his problem, never admitting he used crack.

“I would always say I did weed or I drank,” he says. “I would never say I was a crack head.”

all those charges finally caught up with him. and the day he went to court for a crack possession charge on aug. 6, 1994, he knew he was going away. Before that, though, he had started praying for God to help him.

and he kept praying during a one-year stay in county jail.

“I was a praying dope fiend,” he says. “I prayed ‘God, take this away from me.’ ”

after that, he went to “Safe-P”, a prison that focuses on intensive drug rehab, in San Diego, Texas. a friend of his, randall Pearson, was transferred from Lew Sterrett to Safe-P at the same time as Wheeler.

Pearson was an illiterate heroin addict. and his health was so bad that he had a massive heart attack and died in Safe-P.

Wheeler was there to watch him die.

A few days later, Wheeler says, Pearson “came to me in a dream”.

In the dream, he asked, “Would you live for me?”

That changed everything for Wheeler.

When he was released from prison, “I came home running because I knew how much a white substance could hold you for years.”

He found comfort in the Winner’s Circle Peer Support Network, a meeting space andclubhouseofsortsforrecovering substance abusers. It was a place he could go and talk about his feelings, fears and experiences and not be judged.

Now he’s executive director of Winner’s Circle Dallas chapter. He’s in his 17th year of sobriety. He even quit smoking cigarettes 10 years ago.

He’s a licensed counselor with Texas DepartmentofCriminalJusticeclearance, and he visits prisons throughout the state, speaking to drug addicts. He’s working toward clearance for federal prisons.He takes night classes at El Centro College, and next, he intends to finish a bachelor’s degree.

He attends AA meetings regularly, and he makes no predictions about his future sobriety, but he still has no desire to go down that road again. He still feels like an outcast, he says, “but come to find out, that’s not such a bad thing.”

Throughhisjob,hehascounseled morethan3,000women.Sometimes, they curse and yell at him. But eventually, most of them graduate from courtmandated rehab.

“It’s rewarding to call their names at graduation, and their faces light up,” he says. “And they say, ‘Thank you for working on me’. Helping other people is what helps me.”

Providing urological care for healthier lives.

Do you wake up several times during the night to urinate?

Does the need to find a bathroom interfere with your daily activities?

Do you experience a weak urine stream and straining during urination?

You may be experiencing symptoms of an enlarged prostate also known as Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (BPH).

BPH is a common condition in many men over the age of 50. There are simple and safe treatment options available for this condition.

Don’t let your symptoms affect your quality of life any longer – call and schedule an appointment today.

1411 N. Beckley Ave. Pavilion III Suite 464 Dallas, TX 75203 214-948-3101

2705 Prince George Ave. DeSoto, TX 75115 972-780-0480

Hours: Mon–Fri 8:30–5

www.southwesturologydallas.com

Accepting most major insurance plans

HEALTH RESOURCE R

PULMONARY & CRITICAL CARE

Dr

Our clinic focuses on helping patients breathe better. Whether one has asthma, allergies, COPD, or chronic cough, we can investigate the cause and treat as indicated. We attempt to address the whole person, not just symptoms. Therefore we also can help with weight loss and sleep issues.

Dr. Strong is committed to compassionate, quality eye care. He offers medical and surgical care, including cataracts, glaucoma, diabetic eye disease, macular degeneration, and dry eye syndrome. He also offers routine eye exams and contact lenses. All ages are welcome, from children to seniors. Our office is conveniently located at Central Expressway and Fitzhugh, just one exit south of Knox/Henderson.

R. Carrington Mason, D.O. Allan C. Van Horn, M.D. Michael D. White, P.A.-C

Jeffrey C. Toubin, M.D. Siddharth G. Jain, M.D.

Football great Jerry Rhome hit the ground running in Oak Cliff and hasn’t ever stopped, leaving a trail of awards and accolades in his wake

STORY BY Gayla Brooks Kokel

PHOTOS courtesy of Jerry and Carmen Rhome

He was born at Methodist Hospital and attendedLidaHooeElementarySchool, where his mother was later a teacher. The Rhome family lived on Sunset Street and were members of Sunset Church of Christ. HeshoppedatWynnewoodVillageand onJefferson,ateatAustin’sBarbecue, munched on ice cream at Polar Bear and bought his school supplies at Skillern’s.

On neighborhood streets — riding his bicycleatlightningspeedorcareening down Oak Cliff terraces and slopes — the OakCliffyoungster“burned”.Jumping and leaping, crashing and dashing, Rhome, a self-described daredevil, never stopped.

Throughthedecades,hehasbroken both his arm and his leg, plus four of his fingers.Hehashadthreeconcussions, two separated shoulders, two torn rotator cuffs, and serious knife cuts and gun damage(fromblanks),bothtohisleft hand.Rhome says he injured himself continuously in his quest to find “adventure” everywhere he went.

“I was a wild kid,” he says.

But it didn’t stop there.

Byhisfreshmanyear,Rhomewas quarterback of the 1956-57 W.E. Greiner Yellowjackets. He also excelled on the basketball court and baseball diamond, shining on defense and offense in both sports. From that point on, he says, “I never looked back.”

However, it was the football field that held his future.

In fall 1958, this Oak Cliff high school

athlete’sperformanceexplodedonthe sports scene, and people throughout the state took notice. He was a passing-punting-running dynamo.

DuringRhome’s years with the Sunset Bison, his father, Byron Rhome, mentored his son as Sunset’s head football coach. The impressive stats racked up by Rhome, who naturally took the helm as team captain his senior year, led to his induction into the Texas High School Hall of Fame. (Turn the page for a rundown of Rhome’s stats.)

But he also continued his involvement in other sports. At the conclusion of football season, he played for the Bison hoopsters and, in the spring, played outfield for the baseballteam,garneringtophonorsin both of these sports, as well.

After graduation he quarterbacked for the Southern Methodist University Mustangs but transferred at the end of his sophomore year to the University of Tulsa — a perfect fit for his talent package. At the helm for the Hurricane, he emerged as a true phenom, and set heads spinning with his ramblin’-scramblin’ performance.

According to Rhome, teammates affectionately called him “The Rhomer” — a nickname he picked up during his high school days, “because they said I roamed all over the field.” The tag remained even during his professional years.

In college, as in high school, Rhome dominated the football field. In just one example, the Hurricane’s game with Louisville,

Tulsa came out on top 58-0 with Rhome scoring all 58 points, running and passing. No shabby performance.

While at Tulsa, he set 18 NCAA records, a one-player tally that will probably never be matched or broken. And all during his senior year.

In a Nov.16,1964issueof Sports Illustrated, writer John Smith made the following comments:

“The shows revolves around Jerry Rhome.

“He works hard at learning to pass when things are not going right, throwing off balance, while falling, on one knee, or with the wrong foot forward. He throws to all distances and he knows when not to throw.

“[Against Louisville] Rhome threw seven touchdown passes, a national record. In another, two weeks ago, he completed 35 of 43 for 488 yards, and four more national recordsfell.Thismodestfeatoccurred against Oklahoma State, a favored team that went into the game with the second best pass defense in the U.S. and came out with a devastating 61-14 loss.”

In the 1964 Heisman Trophy race, Rhome finished only 74 votes behind the winner, in the closest poll ever (to that date). The player who finished third — a whopping 477 votes below — was none other than six-time Pro-Bowler Dick Butkus.

The University of Tulsa retired Rhome’s No. 17 jersey, followed by his induction to the Oklahoma Sports Hall of Fame.

Drafted in 1964 by his hometown NFL team,theDallasCowboys,Rhomewas theteam’sbackupquarterbackfortwo seasons. While in that role, he managed to survive the infamous 1967 Ice Bowl game played in Green Bay, Wis., describing the event(playedintemperaturesof13-25 degrees below zero with a wind chill of 36 degrees below zero), as “brutal.”

“It got a lot colder,” he added, “when Green Bay scored on the last play of the game to win the championship.”

Rhome went on to quarterback for the Browns, Oilers and Rams. Then he spent one year in the Canadian Football League before a rotator cuff injury ended his playing career.

However, the former Oak Cliff kid quickly switched gears and jumped into coaching. He began at his alma mater in Tulsa, and later coached for 10 different NFL teams, guiding both quarterbacks and wide receivers. For 17 of his 25 years in professional coaching, he served as an offensive coordinator. He coached both Pro-Bowlers and Super Bowl MVPs, among them Joe Theisman,

fROM 1942 UNTIL 1960, IN OAK CLIFF, RHOME WAS BURNING. JERRY RHOME, THAT IS.

Jerry Rhome takes a breather on the sidelines during a University of Tulsa game. His record-setting senior year put him in top competition for the Heisman Trophy.

TOP/ Out of 326 passing attempts during Jerry Rhome’s senior year at the University of Tulsa, he scored 32 touchdowns and threw only four interceptions. ABOVE/ During his years as a Sunset Bison, Rhome’s coach and mentor was none other than his father, Byron Rhome.

It’s impossible to sum up Jerry Rhome’s career, but here is a brief overview of his high school and college achievements:

AS ASUNSET BISON:

·Racked up 3,440 total yards of offense, both passing and rushing

·Completed 182 of 329 tosses and scored 35 touchdowns

SENIOR YEARATSUNSET: Kicked 14 of the team’s 16 extra points

Passed for 28 of 30 twopoint conversions

Earned first team, allcity and all-state honors

Named a high school allAmerican

Nabbed the 1960 Bell Award (Dallas County Player of the Year)

· MVP in the North-South AllAmerican Game

· Inducted into the Texas High School Hall of Fame

AS AUNIVERSITY OF TULSA HURRICANE: Threw for a total of 4,779 yards and 52 touchdowns

SENIOR YEARAT THE UNIVERSITY OF TULSA:

·Racked up 2,870 of the yards

Scored 32 touchdowns off his 326 attempts with only four interceptions

· Beginning with the second game of the schedule, threw no interceptions for the remainder of the season

·Achieved the record for most touchdowns in a game and in a season, and most passes without an interception in a year and in a career

Sports Illustrated player of the year

Associated Press player of the year

Oklahoma Sportsman of the Year

·College Football Hall of Fame member

University of Tulsa Hall of Fame member

Garnered the 1964 Sammy Baugh Award presented by the Touchdown Club of Columbus to the nation’s top collegiate passer

· Won the 1964 Walter CampAward for being the national passing winner

Named to nine different all-American rosters including the NCAA

· Led the nation in passing and total offense

· Named the 1964 Bluebonnet Bowl MVP

To top it all off, as a member of the Washington redskinscoachingstaff, rhome was awarded a Super Bowl XXII championship ring — a ring he wore on a Sept. 25, 2010, visit to Sunset high School where he participated in a photo shoot featuring 74 years of Sunset quarterbacks.

although he’s had a stellar career and ranks at the top of the list in professional coaching, in all respects rhome is still a down-home Oak cliff boy, proud of where he was raised.

“We were very lucky to grow up in Oak cliff in the ’50s through the ’70s,” rhome says. “It was sort of like a movie: clean, fun, cool hangouts, not dangerous and lots of adventure.”

“Every January, males of our ’60 class gather on a ranch for a four-day blast out in West Texas,” rhome says. “and, hundredsofclassmatesfrom’56-’70 have newsletters, Facebook [pages], emails and stay in contact. [There are] many gatherings in the Dallas area, with golf, parties, etc.”

rhome visits Oak cliff regularly, and on a recent trip he experienced a new “first”. after receiving a coaching request from

a local football mom, rhome scheduled a private coaching session with the woman’s child — who turned out to be her daughter

“actually, after working with the girl for a while,” rhome says, “I suggested to her mother that the young lady spend more time with her books and not playing football. I don’t think she was very happy with my evaluation, though.”

rhome currently resides near atlanta with his wife, carmen, and spends his time coaching privately, giving inspirational speeches, holding camps and coaching clinics, staying in contact with friends in atlanta and Dallas, and traveling a lot. he works out, attends church, goes to movies, and plays both golf and a lot of pool.

“I do all those things I didn’t get to do when I was putting in 18-20 hours a day working in the NFL,” he says. “I’m in good shape and healthy, except for old injuries.”

at age 68, you’d think rhome’s football playing days would be over. But not so. he continuesplayingregularly,still quarterbacking in the NFL — that’s the Neighborhood Football League, if you will. Performing at the helm of what he’s tagged the “Dream Team” — made up of 7- to 17-year-old neighborhood boys and girls —rhome is still burning.

PerhaPs most amazing?

Rhome accomplished all of this with legs of two different lengths, a result of a serious accident at age 13. Read more on the accident in Kokel’s Back Story column, page 30.

LEFT/ Proudly donning their Sunset letter jackets are all-city players Charles Marshall and John Beall with Rhome, who achieved all-city, alldistrict and all-state honors his senior year.

Troy aikman, Kurt Warner, Doug Williams, Warren Moon and Michael Irvin.

SNOWANGEL

East Kessler Park resident AndreaBondSpencer snapped this photo of her 4-month-old son, DanielSpencer — perhaps the littlest snow angel during last month’s freeze.

SUBMIT YOUR PHOTO. Email a jpeg to editor@advocatemag.com.

BHEALTH RESOURCEBULLETIN BOARD

EMPLOYMENT

AIRLINES are hiring. Train for high paying Aviation Maintenance Career. FAA approved program. Financial aid if qualified. Housing available. Aviation Institute of Maintenance. 866-453-6204

ALL CASH VENDING ROUTE Be Your Own Boss. Local Vending Routes. 25 Machines/Candy. $9,995 1-877-915-8222 VEND 3. “S.S.REGNO.299” AINB02653

SERVICES FOR YOU

CONFUSED? FRUSTRATED? Let A Seasoned Pro Be The Interface Between You & That Pesky Computer. Hardware & Software Installation, Troubleshooting, Training. $60/hr. 1 hr min. Dan 214-660-3733 or stykidan@sbcglobal.net

GLORIA’S FLOWERS & GIFTS All Occasion Flowers. 214-339-9273. 3101 W. Davis, Dallas,TX 75211. Free Oak Cliff Delivery With Mention Of This Ad. gloriasflowersdallas.com For Deals. CC’s Accptd

YOUR COMPUTER GEEK Let Me Solve Your Computer Problems. 25 Yrs. Exp. Hardware/Software Issues/Install. Network Setup, Home & Small Business. $50 per Hr. Mike. 214-552-1323. mikecomputergeek@gmail.com

TO ADVERTISE CALL 214.560.4203

PROFESSIONAL SERVICES

QUICKBOOKS Having Issues? Free Consultation. Jack Hicks 214-734-4767 jchicks@sbcglobal.net

Website Design

Flash Demos Graphic Design

RibbitMultimedia .com 214.560.4207

BUY/SELL/TRADE

DONATE YOUR CAR Free towing. “Cars For Kids” Any condition. Tax deductible. outreachcenter.com 1-800-597-9411

TEXAS RANGERS BASEBALL SUITE Share this prime suite on a partial basis (sets of 5,10 or 20 games) during the 2011 season. Our suite is located directly behind home plate, and each game includes 16 tickets, three parking passes, game day programs, private bathroom, air-conditioned seating, three televisions with cable channels, and a great view of the game and the Ballpark. Great for birthday parties, anniversaries, family reunions and client appreciation events. Email rangerssuite@gmail.com or call 214-560-4212 for more information.

ESTATE/GARAGE SALES

ESTATE SALES & LIQUIDATION SERVICES

Moving, Retirement, Downsizing. One Piece Or A Houseful. David Turner. 214-908-7688. dave2estates@aol.com

REAL ESTATE

OWN 20 acres Only $129/mo. $13,900 near growing El Paso, TX. Low Down, No credit checks, owner financing. Free map/ pictures. Free map, pictures. 866-257-4555 sunsetranches.com

FOLLOW US

facebook.com/OakCliffAdvocate

twitter.com/Advocate_OC

214-821-3900

community

SOUTHERN LIVING MAGAZINE’S FEBRUARY ISSUE highlighted Dallas as “The most misunderstood metropolis in America”, featuring Oak Cliff hot spots Tillman’s Roadhouse, Trinity Audubon Center, Soda Gallery and Bar Belmont.

TWO NEIGHBORHOOD BUSINESS OWNERS HAVE LAUNCHED A NEW GROUP, VIVA OAKCLIFF. Brandon Huddleston of Growth Life Studio and Johnny Fantuzzi of Tranquilo yoga studio plan to offer community news and events.

TURNERHOUSEAND THE OAKCLIFF SOCIETY OF FINE ARTS have a wish list of needs for the house. Wish list items include: area rugs, antique or oriental; antique furniture, preferably from 19001930, including Hunt table or entry hall table, small cabinets for the bathrooms, plant stand or magazine stand, and bureau or low chest of drawers. To donate any of these items, contact info@ turnerhouse.org

people

DIANA MARQUIS, an Oak Cliff resident, was appointed director of development for the nonprofit Dallas Lighthouse for the Blind, which provides support for the visually impaired in North Texas. Marquis leads development and communications, overseeing fundraising, events, marketing and organ donations. For information about Dallas Lighthouse, visit dallaslighthouse.org.

DIRECTOR AND NEIGHBORHOOD RESIDENT CLAY LIFORD’S NEWESTFILM, “WUSS”, premieres at the SXSW Film Festival March 11-19. Texas Theatre filmmakers Barak Epstein, Eric Steele and Adam Donaghey produced the movie, which is about a high school teacher bullied by his students. For information, visit wussmovie.com.

HAVEANITEMTOBEFEATURED?

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.

School

AC & HeAt

A FAMILY TRADITION FOR 60 YEARS Quigley Heat & Air 214-526-8533

BLUE RIBBON

Heating & Air Conditioning

ComputerS & eleCtroniCS

CONFUSED? FRUSTRATED? Let A Seasoned Pro Be The Interface Between You & That Pesky Computer. Hardware & Software Installation, Troubleshooting, Training, $60/hr. 1 Hr. Min. Dan 214-660-3733 Or stykidan@sbcglobal.net

FenCing & deCkS

COWBOY

FENCE & IRON CO.

214.692.1991

gArAge doorS

GARAGE DOOR & SPRING REPAIR

972-672-0848 TexasGaragePros.com

20% off with “Advocate Magazine”

glASS, WindoWS & doorS

$25

214-823-8888 LIC.#

CArpentry & remodeling

BO HANDYMAN Kitchens, baths, doors, cabinets, custom carpentry, drywall & painting 214-437-9730

HANDY DAN “The Handyman” To Do’s Done Right! www.handy-dan.com 214-252-1628

PREVIEW CONSTRUCTION INC.

HardiPlank 50 Yr. Cement Siding, Energy Star Windows. Kitchens-Baths-Additions & More. 214-348-3836. See Photo Gallery at: www.previewconstruction.com

RODZ HOME IMPROVEMENT All Home Repairs, Add-Ons, Rehabs. 214-952-8963

New Creation GROUP

Remodel Design Renovation

214-766-2677

www.newcreationgroup.com

• KITCHEN AND BATH SPECIALISTS

• WHOLE HOUSE RENOVATION IN-HOUSE DESIGN & PLANNING LICENSED & INSURED 214.341.1448

CleAning ServiCeS

CINDY’S HOUSE CLEANING 15 yrs exp. Resd/Com. Refs. Dependable. 972-213-8614

CLEAN FREAKS Since 2005. Free Estimates. DallasCleanFreaks.com Call Today! 214-821-8888

WINDOW MAN WINDOW CLEANING.COM

Residential Specialists. BBB. 214-718-3134

I CAN FIX IT NOW! 214-926-7144 Computer & Network Support. Operating Systems, Hardware, Security & Game Consoles. OMGFixit.com.

ConCrete/ mASonry/pAving

CAZARES CONCRETE Concrete retaining walls, Patios, Driveways, Removal, Sidewalks. 214-202-8958 Free estimates.

eleCtriCAl ServiCeS

ACCURATE ELECTRIC

All Jobs.Panel Upgrades. Free Est. TECL# 27297. Steve. 214-718-9648

ANNA’S ELECTRIC Your Oak Cliff Electrician Since 1978. tecl25513. 214-943-4890

ANTHONY’S ELECTRIC Family Owned/Operated. Insd. 19 Yrs Exp. TECL24948 214-328-1333

IF IT HAS WIRES ... WE DO IT! Supreme Electric & Solar. TECL#25178 214-876-0575

MCCARTER ELECTRICAL SERVICE, INC. We can light up your world or repair your shorts. $50 Off Service Calls. TECL#19347 972-877-4183

"You Know Us"

Locally

15 Yrs. TheConcreteStudio.com 214-320-2018

CUSTOM STAINED/ LEADED GLASS & Repair. 26 years exp. 214-356-8776

GREEN WINDOW COMPANY 214-295-5405 Specialty in Replacement Windows/Doors

LANDMARK ENERGY SOLUTIONS 214-395-9148. Specializing In Replacement Windows/Doors.

HAndymAn ServiCeS

BO HANDYMAN Kitchens, baths, doors, cabinets, custom carpentry, drywall & painting 214-437-9730

HANDY DAN “The Handyman” To Do’s Done Right. www.handy-dan.com 214-252-1628

inSulAtion/ rAdiAnt BArrier

LANDMARK ENERGY SOLUTIONS

214-395-9148. Radiant Barrier, Insulation. Free Quotes

interior deSign

KIM ARMSTRONG INTERIOR DESIGN www.interiorsbykim.com

Licensed/CID/ASID 214-500-0600

kitCHen/BAtH/ tile/grout

HANDY DAN “The Handyman” Remodel’s Done Right. handy-dan.com 214-252-1628

STONE AGE COUNTER TOPS Granite, Marble, Tile, Kitchen/Bath Remodels. CJ-972-276-9943 cjrocksthehouse1@verizon.net

FenCing

#1 COWBOY FENCE & IRON CO. Est. ‘91. 214-692-1991 www.cowboyfenceandiron.com

4 QUALITY FENCING

Specializing in Wood, New or Repair. Free Estimates. Call Mike 214-507-9322.

CREATIVE METAL SOLUTIONS LLC

Automatic Gates, Fence, Stairs, Stair/Balcony Railings, Wine Cellar Gates. 214-325-4985

lAWnS, gArdenS & treeS

25.00 OFF - ALL ABOUT TREES, INC Removals, Pruning, Insured. 972-697-3956

A BETTER TREE MAN Trims, Removals, Insd. 10 Yrs Exp. Roberts Tree Service. 214-808-8925

IRISH RAIN SPRINKLER SYSTEMS Installation & Repair. TXL#2738 214-827-7446

U R LAWN CARE Maintenance. Landscaping. Your Personal Yard Service by Uwe Reisch uwereisch@yahoo.com 214-886-9202

Castro’s Tree Service

Jeff Castro 214-337-7097 214-725-1171 jridefree@aol.com

Tree Shaping, Cutting and Removal

JD’s Tree Service

RESPONSIBLE TREE CARE FOR THE ENVIRONMENT

Locally harvested wood!

lAWnS, gArdenS & treeS

Salas Services

972-413-1800 www.salasservices.com

peSt Control

A BETTER

Firewood/Cooking Wood Full service trimming & planting of native trees. 214.946.7138

april

STop – and STE al STov E.

David Wilkinson’s Kessler Plaza home has some historic appeal. The house was built in 1942, and the antique stove was probably original to the home.

Despite the stove’s kitschy appeal, Wilkinson was in need of something new. he recently found a replacement, and during installation of the new stove, the antique was lugged to the side of his home behind some hedges.

“Someone drove up in a pickup truck and stole it,” Wilkinson says.

Stealing the antigue stove was no easy feat — it weighed more than 300 pounds. a neighbor quickly took down the truck’s license plate number after witnessing the theft, and called police.

after the police had come and gone, Wilkinson says he was a bit disappointed that the officers did not take more action, especially with a witness seeing the theft and having the license number. Wilkinson says the officer told him the thief would probably say he thought it was trash.

“It was like they were defending the person who took it,” he says. “The neighbor said they had a truck full of stuff. They had probably been stealing stuff all day. I was more ticked off about the police than the theft.”

Wilkinson says the stove might still be useful if someone put a little work into fixing it.

plumBing

ANDREWS PLUMBING • 214-354-8521

# M37740 Insured. Any plumbing issues. 24 Hours/7 Days. plumberiffic@yahoo.com

Sewers • Drains • Bonded

*Joe Faz 214-794-7566 - Se Habla Español*

REPAIRS, Fixtures,General Plumbing. Senior Discounts. Campbell Plumbing. 214-321-5943

rooFing & gutterS

GREEN SERVICE COMPANY 214-295-5405

Roof replacement-solar vents & skylights

GUARANTY ROOFING 214-760-3666

Re-Roofing/Repairs/Gutters/Green Options. Free Estimates.www.guarantyroof.com

PLATINUM ROOFING Metal & Non-Metal

Roofing, Windows, Painting, Gutters. Fully Insured. NewMetalRoof.com 972-310-9721

Allstate Homecraft Roofing

rooFing & gutterS

Building a better roof for you.

Residential & Commercial Roofing 214·698·8443 arringtonroofing.com

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.

“I was actually going to give it to the Salvation army,” he says. “It’s an antique and probably at least worth about $500. It was kind of cool, but needed to be reworked.”

Dallas Police Deputy chief Vernon hale of the Southwest Patrol Division says police are working to identify the thief in the case. he notes that police often need more than just a license plate number, and witnesses must really be able to identify the suspect.

“Even if it was a mistake, it should not deter us from attempting to get the owner’s property back,” hale says of the investigation. “as of this morning, they had identified a possible driver from past records, but still had to find out if the witness can identify him in a lineup.”

hale says this is the exact scenario Dallas police are seeking in 2011 — community members staying vigilant and helping police when possible. he says the investigation in this case will continue and will hopefully lead to an arrest.

number of criminal mischief incidents that haPPened over a two-daY Period in februarY, involving objects being thrown through residents’ windows at aPartments in the 2400 block of bahama

The v ictim: david Wilkinson

The Crime: Theft date: Thursday, Jan. 6

Time: Between 8 a.m. and 10 a.m.

location: 200 block of Hampton

“The police cannot do it alone,” hale says. “We need the citizens to be the eyes and ears that provide actionable community intelligence such as this — good descriptions and license plate numbers. action may or may not be as quick as one prefers, but we will continue to work hard to improve.”—sean chaffin

Peo P le assaulted a man while he was walking his dog in the 1400 block of w estmont; a fter beating him with a wooden club, theY stole onlY a scra P P iece of PaP er from the man’s P ocket, P ossiblY believing it was cash, P olice saY

12:59 a.m.

time on feb. 8 when a sus Pect broke into k echo’s barber s hoP on north w estmorland and stole a $900 Plasma screen tv, causing $150 worth of damage to the front door

accidental Beginnings

T HE CRASH THAT CO u LD HAvE ENDED J ERRY R HOME ’S FuTu RE INSTEAD MARKED THE BIRTHPLACE OF HIS CAREER

In summer 1955, 13-year-old Jerry Rhome and his friend, Fred Ferguson, were riding bicycles close to the Sunset High School practice field — located, both then and now, behind and north of Lida Hooe Elementary School. Barreling forward at his usual breakneck speed, Rhome began racing his friend, flying north up Franklin Street toward the corner of Franklin and Alden. The ultimate destination was still several blocks away.

But fate had another ending.

Losing control of his speeding bicycle, both Rhome and the bike jumped the curb, slamming the young teenager’s still growing body into a large tree on the northeast corner of the Franklin-Alden intersection. Rhome remembers the event as the time he “wrapped” his leg around a tree, certainly no experience for the faint-of heart.

Fortunately, the injured boy’s father, Byron Rhome, was close by, working a summer job that included delivering baseball bats to area parks. The elder Rhome had seen his share of serious football injuries during his own days as a high school and college athlete, as well as in his primary job: teacher and head football coach for the Sunset Bison.

Knowing exactly what to do, Dad Rhome removed bats from one of the elongated shipping boxes and used the cardboard container to make a splint for his son’s leg. After reaching Methodist Hospital, Rhome Sr. put in a call to orthopedic surgeon Dr. P. M. Girard, developer of the Carroll-Girard Screw, a device designed for the repair of severe compound fractures. Girard told Rhome’s parents that he couldn’t guarantee success, but he did think the screw would work.

And, work it did!

After spending four and a half months in a full body cast, the eighth-grader was ready to go by mid-basketball season. And the rest, as they say, is history.

The next fall he quarterbacked for the W. E. Greiner Jellowjackets. Then, as a forward on the basketball team, he led the city in scoring. Moving to Sunset High School, he set records and impressed fans, ending his career there with spots on the all-city and all-state first team roster, and as first team high school all-American. He went on to play in college, finishing his career with 18 NCAA records and as the runner-up for the 1964 Heisman Trophy, among numerous other awards. (Read “Blaze of glory” on page 22 for an extensive detailing of Rhome’s achievements.)

An eight-season NFL quarterback, a Super Bowl XXII championship coach, a personal quarterback coach and an all-around good guy, Rhome accomplished all this with, as a result of the bicycle accident, one leg an inch and a half shorter than the other. Amazing.

But at the time of Rhome’s accident, one item probably went unnoticed: its ironic location, on the cusp of the Sunset practice field the very place that shortly afterward gave Rhome his send-off to the highest level of fame, accomplishment, awards and recognition that he could have imagined. Without the gamble made by his parents and the surgeon, and the subsequent determination of the young athlete himself, it all could have ended there, on the corner of Franklin and Alden. Instead, it’s the place where everything sort of began. In a phrase — Rhome’s own Field of Dreams.

Granted, there were no rows of corn with old-timey baseball players emerging, but there were rows of football players. And, like the movie, Rhome’s father was there, too. For

decades, this bit of turf has continued to be a place where young athletes have had the opportunity to dream a bit, of futures and careers, and possibly enjoy a brief moment in the limelight.

All this to say, the next time you have your own “wrap your leg around a tree” experience and you’re jolted, dazed and don’t know what to do — you might want to remember a 13-year-old Jerry Byron Rhome racing through Oak Cliff on his bicycle, colliding with a tree, and then being corralled for months in a full-body cast. Do what he did, although he probably didn’t recognized it at the time: Look a few yards away from where you “crash”. You may have landed, inadvertently, beside your own field of dreams.

Lift your head a bit and look for the possibilities that may lie straight ahead. Sometimes, unknowingly, your future may be only a few yards away and staring you in the face.

For Jerry Rhome, it certainly seems to have happened that way.

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

Last fall Rhome returned to his old stomping grounds to meet with former Sunset quarterback Glenn Brooks, class of ‘37, and this

LIVE LOCAL

THE LOWDOWN ON WHAT’S UP WITHNEIGHBORHOOD BUSINESSES

Norma’s Café recently purchased two vintage fire engines: a 1975 Ford Fire Truck and a 1944 Mack Fire Truck. Spokeswoman Emily Frauhiger says the trucks need restoration and inspection before they can be used for parades and car shows. Another upcoming treat is the café’s mini pie — a bite-sized version of Norma’s traditional mile-high pies. Frauhiger says the pies are still being perfected, but will be available soon. The flavors are: chocolate, chocolate peanut butter, lemon and coconut crème. A single mini pie is $1.99; a set of three is $4.99. 214.946.4711, normascafe.com, 1123 W. Davis.

The McDonald’s off Cockrell Hill and West Illinois has been a neighborhood fixture for 25 years and recently underwent a massive remodel. “We started in mid-September, and technically it was finished the last week of December, but we’re still working on the details,” says Even Chronister, director of operations. Owners Jeff and Jerry Smith, who also own three other McDonald’s locations in the DallasFort Worth area, wanted to make this location more family-friendly, so they removed the outdoor playground to install a spacious indoor playground, equipped with a separate toddler section. Other additions include a double-lane drive-through with new monitors, tile walls, two televisions inside the dining area, and a full “McCafé” coffee line. Chronister says employees also were beneficiaries of the remodel: They now have a new break room, a training center and a more spacious front counter. “I think we provide a really nice environment for both adults and kids,” Chronister says. 214.330.4873, mcdonalds.com, 4223 W. Illinois.

Zen Sushi is trading its sushi knives for a crawfish pot during the Mardi Gras Oak Cliff festivities Saturday, March 6. Michelle Carpenter, executive chef and founder, is half Japanese and half Cajun, and she invited her Cajun family from Louisiana to help her with the Bishop Arts District crawfish boil at 3 p.m. A $15 advance ticket includes admission and a pound of crawfish; unsold tickets can be purchased at the

door for $20. Zen Sushi also is bringing back its Secret Sushi Society on the last Wednesday of every month. The seven- to 10-course meal for $80 includes dessert from nearby Rush Patisserie. 214.946.9699, zensushidallas.com, 380 W. Seventh.

Neighborhood stores Make Shop & Studio and CocoAndrè are teaming up Friday, March 25, from 6:30-8:30 p.m. for a class demonstrating the how-tos of chocolate molds, truffles and fruit dipping. The class is $55 per student. 214.256.3061, themakesite.com, 313 N. Bishop; 214.941.3030, cocoandre.com, 831 W. Davis.

Hula Hotties Café and Bakery recently added Saturday dinner and Sunday brunch to its schedule. Owners Jill Inforzato and Roger Simpson say they received numerous customer requests to stay open Saturdays and Sundays. The restaurant already was closed Mondays, and dropped Tuesdays and Wednesdays to focus on the remaining four days of the week — “the main days when people seem to come out to Bishop Arts,” Inforzato says. Saturday night’s menu will cater to dinner dates, and Inforzato plans to continue Thursday night spaghetti dinners because business has been booming. 214.943.2233, 244 W. Davis.

Oil and Cotton will host Spring Art Camp for Kids from March 14-16. Participants can choose any or all of the half-day camp events with sessions from 9 a.m.-noon, 9:15-10:30 a.m. and 1-4 p.m. Each class is $25-$40 and includes art forms such as sculpture, printmaking, crafting and painting. oilandcotton.com, 837 W. Seventh.

Beginning March 2, Decanter will hold a wine tasting night every Wednesday, 3-5 p.m, with Oak Cliff Cellars The $15 cost covers wine and hors d’oeuvres. Decanter also will host an interactive cooking class on March 7 led by executive chef Tony Gardizi. The hands-on class for up to 20 people will divide participants into groups, and each group will prep, cook and plate one course. The $80-a-person class includes food and wine. 214.948.0644, decanterrestaurant. com, 408 N. Bishop. —ELIZABETH

DO YOU KNOW OF A NEIGHBORHOOD BUSINESS renovating, expanding, moving, launching, hosting an event, celebrating an anniversary, offering a special or something else noteworthy? Send the information to livelocal@advocatemag.com or call 214.292.0487.