2010 August Oak Cliff

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Home = Castle

MAKE ANY SPACE BEAUTIFUL

Decorating a small space can be tough. Fortunately we’ve got a few tricks up our sleeve that will have you decorating anything from a dorm room to a breakfast nook with bravado.

Now, there’s a myth out there that to make a small space feel bigger you should only use white on your walls. Totally not true! By painting your wall a lighter version of your favorite hue and adding some small brighter, richer highlights (on the baseboard or curtain trim for example) you can achieve the same benefits of a white walled room without the super boring color palette.

While we’re on the subject of color, pick a single one that fits in well with your scheme and make sure all of the furniture in the room is that color. This will really bring the room together from a visual standpoint, creating an effect that plays on your sense of sight. The continuity of color causes the eye to glide over the room with ease.

Another furniture tip you might consider: If you have large pieces of furniture against the wall, paint or slip cover them the same color as the wall they are against. This will cause them to almost “melt” into the wall.

Of course when following these tips, you need to decide for yourself exactly what you’re trying to accomplish. You might not necessarily want your room to appear to be larger than it is. Sometimes a small space should be exactly what it is: a small space. It’s a great chance to create a room with a very cozy appeal. In these cases, use earth tones with lighter accents and white to keep it from becoming too dungeon like. Unless of course that’s what you’re going for… And in that case, have at it!

LEARN ALL ABOUT the EXPERT

Now if your entire home is a small space you’re likely plagued by the eternal scourge of (insert ominous music here) Storage Space. Fortunately, we’ve got some tips for that too.

The most important thing to remember here is to utilize walls and ceiling. Things like pegboards, hanging laundry bags and pot racks can be invaluable in saving some much needed space. Wire baskets in the kitchen and bathroom can hold small items with ease and hanging shoe rack can free up a lot of closet space. And if you get really desperate? Cover a large storage box with a sheet and you’ve got yourself an ottoman!

You might be wondering if there is anything you should avoid when decorating a small space. Great question! Trust me, there are a few danger zones. One thing you should avoid is the area rug. This is tough to do as most area rugs are pretty boss looking and you’re probably going to want one. Resist the urge and keep your floor as clean and open as possible.

And as long as you’re simplifying your floor, you might as well do the same thing to your windows. A small space is simply not the place to put your fancy puffed out lacy window treatments as fabulous as they may be! (Save those for your wow-rooms, like the dining room, living room or formal study.) Keep them pretty simple and the same color as your walls.

Andrew Beckman, Esquire is a self-proclaimed expert in the Art of Home Living. He credits his ability to make homes “shine” to his three-month studio residency in Amsterdam, and of course to his two muses, a pair of black labradoodles named Poochy and Sneezer.

Finally, I’d like to leave you with a tip you won’t find anywhere else: Buy a goldfish. Watching him swim around in that tiny glass prison will make your cramped room seem like a banquet hall in comparison. Not to mention giving yourself the illusion of superiority. That’s it gentle reader. Now, you get out there and make that small space ab-fab (absolutely fabulous)! A cockroach only needs 1/16 of an inch to get in your home. Call TERMINIX at 1.866.767.2401 to save 10% on a

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tickets

214.443.1000

dallasopera.org

facebook fan profile // Kessler Park resident Debi La N g is founder and president of Caring For The World Films, a nonprofit production company that produces documentaries about relatively unknown but successful international humanitarian aid organizations.

What’s a little known fact about you?

I dream in foreign languages. Usually French, Spanish and Russian. I speak Russian, a little Spanish, but not French.

What’s your most embarrassing moment?

I am never embarrassed — I always call myself out and laugh about it. However, if I were to be embarrassed, I am certain it would involve a bodily function, and would be at a really classy place like the Winspear Opera House.

What’s the one thing you wish you could do but are reasonably sure you never will?

Summit Everest. However, I will get close base camp for sure.

What makes you laugh out loud?

When my hubby and I do “Song Speak”. It’s when you speak completely with song lyrics or song titles. It helps a lot if we have a glass of wine or a Mi Cocina Mambo Taxi.

What’s your strangest or most random Facebook friend connection?

[The page] “Overheard in The Control Room”. I could have written every post on it. Sooo funny to see that other people in the biz view TV the same as I do.

You said it

“The zoning issue is a smokescreen for the real issue of having the mentally ill in the neighborhood. I live nearby and I’m happy to welcome them as neighbors. To assume there will automatically be problems is to express a prejudice I find intolerable.”

—KAY on “L Awsuit LiKeLY in CLiff MAnor dispute”

What did you want to be when you grew up?

Marine fighter pilot, with a close second being a war reporter. I’ve wanted Walter’s (that would be Cronkite) job ever since the first time I watched him from my high chair. (My childhood nickname was Debi Wa Wa, as in Barbara Walters).

What’s one question you think other Facebook fans could help you answer?

What is the sugar-free recipe for those Mambo Taxis they serve at Mi Cocina? Actually, the regular recipe would be good to know as well!

How would you explain your neighborhood to someone living in, say, Newfoundland?

Hilly, green, eclectic, diverse, funky, close to everything, beautiful architecture, but make sure you wear your Kevlar coming into our area it’s a joke, calm down

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BLOGGER PROFILE

You’ve seen our bylines, our blog posts, our tweets and our Facebook posts. But who are we, really?

JEFF SIEGEL

JOB TITLE// Contributing editor

ADVOCATE SERVITUDE// Siegel has been with the magazine “as long as there has been an Advocate.”

That’s almost 20 years.

FAVORITE QUOTE// “Democracy is the worst form of government in the world, except for all of the others.” —Winston Churchill.

MOST PRIZED DESK OBJECT OR ORNAMENT// My plastic “Star Trek” coffee cup from the original series.

FAVORITE PART OF YOUR JOB// Reading comments to my posts on the blog.

ANYTHING ELSE?// We do what we do because we genuinely believe in it.

WHATISYOUR

I have lots of love for The Happy Bullets. —KELLY JARRELL HARRIS

The Lupners! —VERNON MONZINGO

I love the Backsliders and all of the Chris Holt bands. I love RTB2. I love Trey Johnson. (You know darn well there are too many mega-talents in this town to single out just one!) —SAMSEQUENZIA

Oliver’s Army —CARRIE HUNNICUTT

Clay Pendergrass of Morning Elephant —TORI WEBB PENDERGRASS

Monte Montgomery! —CHASKA NORWOOD

Lovie —STEVELUCAS

Camille Cortinas. Also Cas Haley. ALEXIS HUDSON NICHOLS

To find links to all the bands listed here, visit oakcliff.advocatemag.com and search local music

EVERY MONDAYIS MUSIC MONDAY//

Don’t forget to check out great local bands and musicians on our advocatemag.com podcast each week (search “music Monday”).You can also win tickets to local shows on our Facebook page at facebook.com/advocatemagazines.

BUrieD Treas Ure

Old-fashioned words may contain timely pearls of wisdom

We’ve just spent the past few days cleaning a portion of our house that has accumulated stuff for the past 19 years.

To be honest, most of the “stuff” was standard garage-sale fare — clothes that no longer fit, and toys that no longer work. Why we were still keeping them is a tribute to laziness, I suppose.

But there were a few gems amidst all of the material stuff we probably didn’t need in the first place.

We found a tiny Minnesota Twins shirt I wore when I was about a year old; my mom saved it, and our now-teenage sons dutifully took their turns with it. Perhaps someday, their kids will do the same.

There were worksheets and papers from our kids’ elementary school years, days not exactly forgotten but far from fresh in our memories. The filing system was unorthodox (a dusty pile beneath a bed), but it worked, and now we’ll have something to look at and become tearyeyed about again someday.

And there was even something from 1895; not the original, but a long-forgotten, weathered copy of a poem someone exposed me to when I was a 7th grader.

Some of the language isn’t politically correct by today’s standards, so you’ll have to substitute the word “woman” for “man” if you’re so inclined. I know poetry is kind of “out” in this electronic age, but I think this poem — “If” by Rudyard Kipling, best known as the author of the “Jungle Book” — still has something to say today, even if it is a little dusty.

If you can keep your head when all about you, Are losing theirs and blaming it on you;

If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you, But make allowance for their doubting too;

If you can wait and not be tired by waiting; Or, being lied about, don’t deal in lies, Or, being hated, don’t give way to hating, And yet don’t look too good, nor talk too wise;

If you can dream and not make

2010 oakcliff.advocatemag.com

dreams your master; If you can think — and not make thoughts your aim;

If you can meet with triumph and disaster, And treat those two impoters just the same;

If you can bear to hear the truth you’ve spoken, Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools,

Or watch the things you gave your life to broken, And stoop and build ’em up with worn-out tools;

If you can make one heap of all your winnings, And risk it on one turn of pitchand-toss,

And lose, and start again at your beginnings, And never breathe a word about your loss;

If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew, To serve your turn long after they are gone,

And so hold on when there is nothing in you, Except the will that says to them: “Hold on!”;

If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue, Or walk with kings — nor lose the common touch;

If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you; If all men count with you, but none too much;

If you can fill the unforgiving minute, With sixty seconds’ worth of distance run; Yours is the Earth and everything that’s in it, And — which is more — you’ll be a man my son!

D is T ri BUT ion p H/214.560.4203

a DV er T ising p H/214.560.4203

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publisher: ri C k Wamre 214.560.4212 / rwamre@advocatemag.com

managing editor: CH ris T ina HU g H es B a BB 214.560.4204 / chughes@advocatemag.com

editors keri mi TCH e LL 214.292.0487 / kmitchell@advocatemag.com

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art director: J UL ianne ri C e 214.292.0493 / jrice@advocatemag.com

designers: Jeanine miCHna-BaLes, LarrY oLiVer

contributing editors: Jeff siegeL, saLLY Wamre

contributors: sean CHaffin, sanDY gre Yson, BiLL keffer, gaYL a kokeL, erin moYer, george mason, BL air monie, eLLen raff

photo editor: C an Türk YiLmaZ 214.560.4200 / cturkyilmaz@advocatemag.com

photographers: roBerT BUnCH, mark DaVis, moLLY DiCkson, CaiTY CoLVarD, WesLe Y sTringer

interns: CaiTLin BUrns, asHLe Y CorDeLL, Cameron Jones, eLiZ aBeTH miLLer, raCHeL riCe, DaisY siLos, amY sTroTH, BriTne Y YanCe Y

Advoc AT e P U bli S hin G 6301 Gaston Avenue, Suite 820, dallas, TX 75214

R ic K WAMR e | president T o M Z ielin SK i | vice-president Advocate, © 2010, 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.

Rick Wamre 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 e-mail to rwamre@advocatemag.com.

WHEN I-35 SPLIT OAK CLIFF

I remember when I-35 [Back Story: “The origins of I-35”, July Advocate] was under construction and when you came out of Oak Cliff on Zangs, the only place to get on I-35 was at the Clarendon Street ramp. I personally thought it was a great addition to the whole area. Little did I know that virtually three quarters of my life would be growing up and living within one or two miles of I-35.

Thank you for bringing me back once again to my childhood. Our house and those of our neighbors on Pelman Street were also taken by the interstate. It always makes me sad that I can’t take my children to see the neighborhood where I spent my younger years. It’s nice to know there are shared memories of that life. I suppose there are many people who find their old neighborhoods changed beyond recognition, but ours is just gone. I often wonder how different my life would have been if my family, relatives and friends had not been forced into change. We moved further apart in distance, went to different schools, had different friends and different experiences. We grew up in suburbia instead of a neighborhood where grandparents and neighborhood stores could be reached on foot or bicycle. Maybe it was better in some ways, but maybe not. Maybe we would have moved anyway, but there remains something sad about not being given a choice.

—AMY

(CLONINGER) CUNNINGHAM, VIA

Makes me remember one night in the summer of 1961, riding around in Morris Sutton’s dad’s car (don’t ask, yes, we were all underage) with Keith Milyo when we were pulled over exiting off of I-35 at the Clarendon-Zang’s exit and each of us being delivered to our homes by a couple of Dallas Police officers oh well, another story for another day. Thanks for the memories.

—TERRY PRICHARD, VIA

—CHARLES “BENNY” KIRTLEY, VIA

LAuNCH

JoHNN y FAN tuzzi was an international scout for the New york yankees and Mets, and before that, he played for a few years in the minor leagues. the native New yorker moved to Dallas four years ago to settle down with his wife, Dee Dee, who is from texas. And this year, he opened tranquilo, a yoga studio in oak Cliff.

Why did you want to open a yoga studio in Oak Cliff?

I’ve always wanted to be a small business owner, an entrepreneur. We really like the vibe of Oak Cliff. My wife is from Austin, and I lived in the East Village. There’s a certain authenticity here. We looked at the KnoxHenderson area and Uptown, and it was more the vibe than anything else. We love the location.

I know you were a pro athlete. How did you get into yoga?

I’ve been practicing for over 10 years. I got into it coming back from an injury, and it was recommended that I take a class called “deep stretch”. After I tried it, it just really piqued my interest, so I started discovering the different styles of yoga. And then I became certified in flow vinyasa.

Why are you so into yoga?

I wish I had found it earlier in life, actually. For a long time, I was trying to fit in a certain mold and be a certain way. And then I realized I don’t have to be a certain way. There are certain things that make me up and make me unique. I’ve always been athletic, so I was always being evaluated on that day’s work, and I didn’t really understand that today is today, and God willing, there will be a tomorrow. My practice has made me a better father and a better husband because it’s slowed me down. I call it locomotion meditation. I’m going through my day, but I’m in the moment. If I’m cooking dinner and my daughters

talk to me, I stop and look at them instead of going, “uh-huh, uh-huh”. I attribute a lot of that to my practice. Everybody should have something they enjoy, something that slows them down and gives them a chance to feel good about themselves and what they’re doing.

And you tEAch yogA cl A ssEs? yes. And I try to have a diversity of yoga instructors here. With tranquilo, I wanted to have more of a community center. so I’m trying to get different people and energies in here. I’m trying to use the space to provoke thought and provoke people to find out about themselves. there ain’t no one like you in all the world. When people start tapping into who they are and questioning why I am here and what I am all about, that’s the payoff.

A frIEnd of mInE took A cIrcus cl A ss hErE A fEW WEEks Ago. WhAt ElsE ArE you offErIng bEsIdEs yogA?

yoga is a big part of what we do, but I’m also trying to bring in some cross-fit classes and boot camp classes. We had a body-juggling seminar here recently. About 10 people showed up. but we got some people out of their comfort zones, so it was cool. I’m also interested in using the studio space for gallery shows, live music and maybe a scotch sipping, speakeasy type thing. We’ve thought about doing dance classes. We can’t get a thousand people in here, but if we have something that piques your interest, we want to put it on.

thAt sEEms lIkE A good fIt for oAk clIff.

yes. this community is kind of slanted that way anyway. there are parts of dallas that are status quo — the same thing over and over. And it’s cool that there are people in this part of town that march to their own beat. you have a five-star restaurant next to a tire shop, next to a taqueria, next to an architect, and it’s just a really cool mix. We’re not trying to be all things to all people, but we’re trying to be an urban community center.

hoW much doEs It cost to tAkE

cl A ssEs hErE?

We offer drop-in classes at an introductory rate of $10 for ten days, and it’s only $50 for unlimited monthly yoga. I wanted it to be accessible to people. I didn’t want it to be exclusive. yoga has gotten to the point where, because it’s priced the way it is, it’s exclusive. And I think yoga should be for everybody.

—RaCheL Stone

tranquiLo, 611 n Bishop ave., betranquilo.com, 214.943.9704

Providing urological care for healthier lives.

WHAT GIVES?

Small ways that you can make a big difference for neighborhood nonprofits

Erectile

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BUY SOME COOL STUFF

... at the annual REACH silent auction event benefitting Hope’s Door, a shelter and counseling center that offers services designed to help break the cycle of domestic abuse. Sweet 200, the salon at 738 Davis, will host the event at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 7.

www.southwesturologydallas.com

SATISFY YOURSWEET TOOTH

... at Dairy Queen’s fifth annual Miracle TreatDay. When you purchase a Blizzard, $1 will be donated to Children’s Miracle Network, a nonprofit that raises funds for children’s hospitals. Miracle Treat Day is Thursday, Aug. 5, and there are more than 100 Blizzard flavors. But the Oreo blizzard will be the featured “Blizzard of the Day” as it has been the most popular flavor since it was first served in 1985. In Oak Cliff, Dairy Queen is at 2127 Fort Worth Ave. For more information, visit miracletreatday.com or dairyqueen.com.

—DAISY SILOS

KNOW OF WAYS that neighbors can spend time, attend an event, or purchase or donate something to benefit a neighborhood nonprofit? Email your suggestion to launch@ advocatemag.com.

Dysfunction (ED) is a common condition that affects 30 million men in the U.S. with more than half of the men ranging between the ages of 40 and 70.

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.

out&about IN AUGUST

08.22.10

HEART OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD

$20 Winnetka Heights resident Vicki Fitzgerald has sacrificed countless hours to improve our neighborhood. She is an avid supporter of historical Turner House, a major organizer behind the annual Old Oak Cliff Conservation League home tour, and a sympathetic heart toward stray animals who need love and care — just to name a few. Last year Fitzgerald began battling a deadly cancer, and now the neighborhood she loves so much wants to give back. To lessen the burden of the towering medical bills, neighbors are holding a benefit concert at the Kessler Theater, 1230 W. Davis. Tickets for the 4-8 p.m. event include two drinks, hors d’oeuvres, a silent auction and live music from Floramay Holliday, Robin Willis and others. Purchase tickets or donate to the cause at heartoftheneighborhood.org.

—KERI MITCHELL

08.05 DANNY BARNES AND THE O’S $20 The Barefoot at the Belmont summer concert series concludes this month with banjo player Danny Barnes and Dallas acoustic duo The O’s. Barnes performs with a Southern twang, and is an original member of the Austin band, Bad Livers. He has played with Robert Earl Keen and Dave Matthews, who calls Barnes’ record “Pizza Box” one of his favorites. The O’s were listed in Alternative Press as one of the Top 100 Bands of 2009. The show starts at 7:30 p.m. at the Belmont Hotel, 901 Fort Worth Avenue. For more details about the show and to buy tickets, visit kxt.org.

08.12 INAUGURAL EXHIBITION FREE Local artists will showcase their work at the grand opening of the Oak Cliff Cultural Center at 11:30 a.m. at 223 W. Jefferson, next door to the Texas Theatre. The renovated facility will feature an art gallery and dance studio, offering workshops and community events. A reception will follow, from 7-9 p.m. For more details, call 214.670.3688 or visit dallasculture.org.

08.21 PROMISE HOUSE BENEFIT Bowla-Rama Extravaganza tournament will help raise money for Promise House, an Oak Cliff nonprofit that targets teen homelessness. The event begins with registration at 4 p.m. and the tournament is 5-8 p.m. at USA, 10920 Composite Drive. There also will be prizes, food and raffle drawings. Teams can register for $175 at promisehouse.org.

O-SO GOOD

Since O penin G in May 2009, Espumoso Caffe has helped fill a void in the Bishop Arts District. “We thought it was weird that an artsy place like this didn’t have a coffee shop,” owner Tony Hernandez says. Espumoso fights the flames of summer heat with its extensive list of cold treats like the frappé made with coffee and ice cream and topped with whipped cream and caramel. The acai smoothie is packed with fresh berries. Hernandez says his shop stands out because of its South American-infused theme. He uses Illy, the Italian coffee brand that gets its beans from South America. “They say it’s the RollsRoyce of coffee,” he says. And you can’t leave without trying a beef or chicken empanada, his mom’s own Colombian-Venezuelan recipe.

Pictured: acai smoothie

Three more spots to chill

1 FRUTERIA CANO

This dine-in shop offers dozens of frozen treats with a Mexican twist, if you like a little chili or lemon in your sno-cones. Try the iced Diablito for a spicy kick. Z anG & BecKLey 214.943.9677

2 FRUTITAS

These Mexican popsicles come in all kinds of fun flavors like strawberry, coconut, pineapple and chili. JeFFeRSOn & LLe WeLLyn 214.942.1255

paLe Ta SFRUTiTa S.cOM

3 ENO’S PIZZA Finish

here with an

sundae or root beer float before heading back into the 100-degree weather.

CHUBBY’S $ When looking for a restaurant to have breakfast, lunch or dinner, we all want a place that serves up variety, hearty helpings and even bigger portions of friendliness. The Touris family has developed a recipe that delivers all of the above at a good price. With four locations in the Metroplex, Chubby’s Family Restaurant provides a rustic setting with down home cooking. Catering available.

EAT S in our neighborhood Breakfast Specials starting at $ 3 99 Monday-Friday 6am-10am Limited Time Only

Locations: 11331 E. NW Hwy. 214-348-6065 and 7474 S. Cockrell Hill Rd. 972-298-1270.

The BE ST $ MOST ENTREES UNDER $10 / $$ BETWEEN $10-$20 / $$$ ABOVE $20 / 7474 S. Cockrell Hill Rd. (at I-20) 972.298.1270 OPEN 7 Days Hours: 6am - 10pm 4 Locations to Serve You!

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

TILLMAN’S ROADHOUSE $$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.

214.943.7681 New tamales will be made to order. So, Call ahead

NEW TAMALE VARIETIES:

Black Bean & Cheese Poblano Chili & Cheese Raisin

Spinach & Feta Cheese Vegetable

200,000 + READERS ARE WONDERING WHERE TO EAT. FROM OUR PAGES TO YOUR TABLES. Family Owned & Operated Since 1987 www.eatatchubbys.com Tex-Mex 1001 W. Jefferson (at Polk) Oak Cliff, TX 75208 214.948.9900 ojedasdallas.com

TORTILLA & TAMALE DALLAS FACTORY Our traditional tamales still available on a daily basis, no order necessary.

Introducing our new tamale varieties. Made with 100% vegetable oil. Same great taste, From our humble kitchen to yours. Mention this Ad to Receive a Discount on your Order

Sweet Potato Pineapple & Coconut Green or Red Chicken Mole

Visit us in Oak Cliff! 309 N. Marsalis Ave., Dallas, TX 75203 Order and pay online at Dallastortilla.com

10% off your next in store purchase with a copy of this ad.

2125 W. Kinglsey Garland, Texas 75041 One mile North of 635, on Kingsley at Garland Rd. 972.271.1411

Monday 9:00am-3:00pm Tuesday-Saturday 9:00am-6:00pm Closed Sundays

Creative Water Gardens creativewatergardens.net

214-560-4203 TO ADVERTISE OJEDA’S Join us every Tuesday and Thursday for our $4.99 combo plate all day! Happy hour Mon-Fri, 3-6PM. Family owned and operated since 1969. Tex-Mex food that Texans love so well.

15TH ANNIVERSARY HATCH CHILE FESTIVAL

AUGUST 18-31

Pining for peppers? Hungry for Hatch? Chile peppers fresh from Hatch, New Mexico, ready to roast, toast, peel, dice and devour. Don’t miss a minute of the chile madness during our back-to-back weekend celebration!

eco-wine

BenziGer S A uviGnon BLA nC ($12) California>

The market for organic products in the United States has grown more than 25-fold in the last two decades, so it’s not surprising to learn that wineries have joined the move toward more eco-friendly products. But there are two important things to understand in a discussion of ecofriendly wine. First, it’s not as easy to identify a green wine — which can fall into one of four categories — as it is an organic potato, which is either organic or not. Second, no one has quite figured out whether eco-friendly wines taste better because they’re environmentally sound or because better winemakers use those techniques.

Eco-friendly wine falls into one of four groups:

First, “made with organic grapes”, which is regulated by the federal government. But this doesn’t guarantee that other parts of the winemaking process, like wood barrels used for aging, are organic.

Second, “organic”, which is wine made without added sulfites (though the grapes themselves don’t have to be organic).

Third, “bio-dynamic”, the next step beyond organic, based on principles established by European philosopher Rudolf Steiner almost 100 years ago.

Fourth, “sustainably farmed”, which calls for growers and wineries to use environmentally friendly, socially equitable and economically feasible methods to grow grapes and make wine. It’s certified by a private group, the California Sustainable Winegrowing Alliance.

These eco-friendly wines are a good way to learn about what’s available, and you can find them all at Central Market:

• Chimango Tempranillo ($9): This red wine from Argentina, made with organic grapes, is from Familia Zuccardi, a pioneer in green wine in South America. It’s fruitier than a Spanish tempranillo, but not as fruity as a malbec.

• Benziger Sauvignon Blanc ($12) This sustainablyfarmed white, from a leading California eco-friendly producer, is one of my favorites. It’s not as citrusy as a New Zealand sauvignon blanc, with more traditional characteristics like lime zest. Best yet, it’s a hot weather wine.

Please proofread carefully: pay attention to spelling, grammar, phone numbers and design.

Color proofs: because of the difference in equipment and conditions between the color proofing and the pressroom operations, a reasonable variation in color between color proofs and the completed job shall constitute an acceptable delivery.

• Sacra Natura ($22). This Spanish red blend is labeled organic, and has the Spanish balance between fruit and acid. There are also some spicy overtones, something to look for if you wonder how wine can have such a thing.

—Jeff Siegel

Jeff SieGeL’S WeeKLy Wine revieWS appear every Wednesday on the Advocate Back Talk blog, oakcliff.advocatemag.com/blog.

WiTh your Wine

Lemon ice

It’s hot. Everyone is cranky. So buy some lemons on closeout and make this, which is so easy you’ll wonder why you never did it before. It doesn’t need an ice cream maker or top chef skills — just lots of lemons and and a freezer.

Serves four, takes about 2 1/2 hours (adapted from Mark Bittman’s “How to Cook Everything”)

1 to 2 c of simple syrup

1 1/2 c freshly squeezed lemon juice (about 12 lemons)

1. Make the simple syrup by combining 2 cups water and 1 cup sugar in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, and stir constantly until sugar dissolves. Let cool

2. Mix 1 cup of cooled simple syrup with the lemon juice. Add more syrup if it’s not sweet enough (which is a matter of taste).

3. Pour the mixture into a shallow glass or ceramic pan and freeze for about 2 hours. Stir every 30 minutes to break up the mixture, which gives it its unique texture.

ask the Wine Guy?

What’s the difference betWeen a blend and a varietal Wine?

A varietal wine is wine made with just one grape variety, like chardonnay or merlot. A blend is made with more than one grape. There isn’t any difference in terms of quality between the two; mostly, the difference is in the person drinking the wine and what they like.

—JEFF SIEGEL

OAK CLIFF RESIDENTS RECALLEVENTS THAT SHAPED THEIRLIVESAND CHANGED THE WORLD

EACHOF US remembers important days differently. Some recall in great detail where they were at the time the Berlin Wall fell or a president lost his life, while others rely on grainy video, old snapshots or history books for understanding. But eyewitnesses to history are all around us. Their firsthand stories add another dimension to the tales and images so ingrained in our minds.

HEREARE SOMEOF THEIR STORIES.

Story by Rachel Stone

Photos by Can Türkyilmaz & Wesley Stringer

LAUREN NITSCHKE was a Texas A&M University architecture student, and she studied in Europe for one semester in 1978. She happened to be in Italy on Oct. 15-16 when the Vatican elected the first non-Italian pope since 1522, John Paul II.

continued on next page >

“ I was part of the architecture school’s inaugural semester abroad program, and we lived in Strasbourg, France. Pope John Paul I had died right after we got there. And in October, they rented a bus so that we could spend two weeks studying architecture in Italy. It was jut a coincidence that we were there.

We got to Rome, and we found out the cardinals were meeting because the Sistine Chapel was closed. You can imagine, a bunch of architecture students would want to see that.

So, when the cardinals are meeting, they send smoke up the Vatican chimney twice a day, which tells you whether they’ve chosen a new pope. If they haven’t elected anyone, they send up black smoke, and then when they’ve chosen, they send up white smoke. They do it at noon and about 6 p.m., I think.

We tried to take little day trips and stay close by so that we could still be in St. Peter’s Square at the times the smoke went up. We probably could’ve seen more of Italy if we hadn’t been doing that, but we were like, “Hey, we might get to witness history.”

The entire plaza and into the street would be completely packed with people. You had to get there kind of early if you wanted to get a spot. I’ve never seen so many people in my life.

But I was there on the hot night when they sent up the white smoke. There were a million people, and my friends and I were cheering like maniacs with everybody when it happened. The whole crowd seemed to be unified in spirit. Not being Catholic, I didn’t expect that.

After the smoke went out, then he comes out on the balcony at St. Peter’s Basilica. It’s very dramatic they way they do it. There’s a whole ceremony and they announce the new pope, and he comes out. The crowd was yelling “Viva papa! Viva papa!”

It was electric and jubilant in a way that I had never experienced.”

MARK A. POLCZYNSKI of Oak Cliff is a civilian military employee working for AAFES in Northern Iraq. He was stationed in West Germany in 1989, at the end of the Cold War.

“ I was in a city called Nurnberg working for the Department of Defense, and I had just been assigned in November of 1989 when the Berlin Wall came down. Even though I was not in Berlin, Nurnberg was just as electrified as any other city getting ready to celebrate the unification of a country that had been split for decades.

Before it happened, many East Germans didn’t even realize was going on.

There were news reports of people crossing the Berlin Wall without repercussions. No one was stopping them. And in the duration of the Berlin Wall, East German guards had killed over 130 people who just wanted their freedom. We found out later that they had been under orders to shoot anyone who tried to cross from East Berlin, including women and children. And of course there are horror stories about people being detained at Checkpoint Charlie. So people didn’t really know what was going on.

Then it seemed like all at once,

people realized that the wall no longer stopped you, and you could cross over. That’s when it began to get exciting, and we watched on TV as people started crossing the wall in masses. It was truly an exciting time.

When I went to Berlin, people were tearing down the wall with individual hammers and chiseling away the concrete. But it was like a delayed reaction. I don’t think people really realized the significance of what was transpiring. They were just celebrating their freedom and unification.

It turned out to be an exciting time for Germany, and I feel fortunate to have witnessed those important events in world history.”

“I don’t think people really realized the significance of what was transpiring. They were just celebrating their freedom and unification.”

As a member of the ‘70s Dallas punk band the Nervebreakers, B A rry Koo DA of o ak Cliff opened for the Sex Pistols at the Longhorn Ballroom. While his band performed, someone threw a dead fish on stage, and Rolling Stone ran a centerfold picture of Barry biting into it. The concert, considered one of the most infamous gigs in rockand-roll history, was filmed and now is sold as a DVD called “Sex Pistols Live at the Longhorn”.

“ There was no real punk scene in Dallas. We had to rent the VFW hall or the foosball place in Irving. There were maybe 250 people in the whole Metroplex who were into punk at the time. It wasn’t cool or popular. You didn’t have tattoos or piercings and let anyone see them.

We had just opened for the Ramones on their first tour. We had this bass play-

er who had the gumption to call up and book it. We got paid nothing, and the Sex Pistols got paid $500. [Former Sex Pistols manager] Malcolm McLaren decided to book them in the weirdest places so they would get the most publicity possible.

The Sex Pistols are one of my favorite bands of all time, but they were terrible.

Steve Jones and Paul Cook — the two

who were really musicians — were amazing. But Sid Vicious and Johnny Rotten were just there to get attention, and they did. They were so contrived at that point. I had on this leather bracelet that my friend made, and Sid said, ‘Hey man, that’s nice. Can I have it?’ And I said, ‘No.’ He had some kind of dog collar on, and I said something about it, and he said, ‘Yeah, I took it off a dog. You can’t get much lower than that. Stealing from a dog.’ They were just trying to be jerks for the sake of it.

Over the years, thousands of people have told me they were at that show, but only the 250 or so who were really into it at the time stayed for the whole show. There were others who came out just to see what it was about, but they all left.

The Sex Pistols was a good, fun show. I got paid nothing, but I got international publicity for it. Later that year, when the Police came through, Sting knew who I was because of that stupid fish.”

Drawing from the well

This neighborhood nonprofit is committed to helping its mentally ill members find employment — even if it means covering shifts

For Lyndon Sillings, the best part about having a job is independence.

The 21-year-old never had a paying job before. But in January, he took a temporary position at Standard Supply through a new transitional employment program at the Well Community, an Oak Cliff nonprofit that helps low-income mentally ill people.

Sillings started out working 15 hours a week in the HVAC supply company’s office. By March, the company offered him a full-time job, outside the program. Now he splits his time filing in the office and filling orders in the warehouse.

The Well, which offers meals, counseling and other services, recently started the work program, in which they find local companies willing to offer jobs to its members. Once the member gets a job, a Well staff member also trains for the position.

Joshua Pulis of the Well Community, left, can fill in for Lyndon Sillings, right, at Standard Supply if Sillings gets sick, although that hasn’t happened so far. PHOTO BY CAITY COLVARD

If the employee ever gets sick and can’t work, the staffer fills in, so there’s no disruption for the employer.

The work program began in January, and three Well Community members have since taken jobs with the community’s partner employers. So far, Well staffers have not had to fill in — the employees have shown up to work faithfully every day.

The Well Community was founded in 2002. But now it is taking on what’s called the “clubhouse model”, in which members take on responsibilities and support each other.

The Well is seeking certification from the International Center for Clubhouse Development. If it is successful, the Well Community will be the first certified clubhouse for psychosocial rehabilitation in Dallas. And the transitional work program is an essential part of that.

“It’s really a unique program because it benefits the members, and it benefits the employers, too,” program director Joshua Pulis says.

Another Well client, Marie Williams, is in her 50s and never had earned a paycheck, Pulis says.

“But she would come in here and work her tail off,” he says. It’s just that Williams never had the opportunity to work for wages, Pulis says, but as she got involved in the Well and took on more responsibilities, her mental health improved.

Now Williams has a job working in the ’50s nostalgic lunch counter at Ben Franklin Apothecary in Duncanville. And another member, Paul Taylor, recently got a job as a porter in an apartment complex. Once members have about six months experience on the job, they look for employment outside the program so that another Well Community member can have a shot at the transitional job.

Putting in work at the Well clubhouse is the first step for members to prove themselves and learn professionalism, Pulis says.

Sillings put in hundreds of volunteer hours at the Well, maintaining a spreadsheet with members’ information, among other duties. Now that he has a full-time job, he still comes in and volunteers on his days off.

“When I’m not working, I’m here,” he says.

Sillings, who has major depression and a learning disability, had an uneven childhood. His mother went to prison

when he was 3, so he was shuffled among relatives until she came home seven years later.

He lived with his mother from ages 10 to 19, but life was difficult. They moved every few months, and several times were evicted. Seven people lived in their one-bedroom apartment, and sometimes no one would pay the electricity bill so the lights would be turned off. He ran away several times. As a student at Adamson High School, Sillings got in trouble and landed himself in alternative school for 60 days.

“I made a lot of mistakes, but I learned from them,” he says.

The youth minister at Cliff Temple Baptist Church, which rents space to the Well, encouraged Sillings and his brother, Lance, to come to Young Life meetings. And that’s how Sillings found the Well.

Sillings finished high school, and two years ago he moved into Jacob’s House, the Well Community’s residential building near Polk and Eighth.

“Dallas is one of the worst places you can live if you have a severe mental ill-

ness,” Pulis says.

Texas spends less on public mental healthcare per capita than 48 states. Care is hard to find, and caseworkers are overwhelmed. Almost all of the Well Community’s members live below the poverty level, and many of them live solely off of federal disability checks of less than $700 a month.

Right after Sillings got the job at Standard Supply, the Social Security Administration determined that he no longer was disabled, and cut off his disability.

Good timing. Now the young man, who wants to go to school to become an emergency medical technician, doesn’t need the government checks anyway.

“You get to do more things on your own, without help,” he says of having a job. “Of course, everyone needs help.”

—Rachel Stone

If your company has a job openIng for the Well community’s transitional employment program, or for more information on the program, contact Joshua Pulis at 214.393.5878 or josh@wellcommunity.net.

Sillings put in hundreds of volunteer hours at the Well, maintaining a spreadsheet with members’ information, among other duties. Now that he has a full-time job, he still comes in and volunteers on his days off.

A HIT AND A MIss

Kessler Plaza neighbors, Roderick s toker , c hris c lymer and Emmy and Wes Bourland , brought their Advocate to Disney World in May. They tried to get the monorail in the picture during their last day at Epcot, but the photographer missed it, instead capturing them as they watched it go by.

sUBMIT yOUR pHOTO Email a jpeg to editor@advocatemag.com.

BHEALTH RESOURCEBULLETIN BOARD

EmploymEnt

ALL CASH VENDING Be Your Own Boss. Local Vending Routes. 25 Machines+Candy. $9,995 800-807-6485

GREAT CONTRACT SALES POSITION with National Corp. Flexible Hours & Great Support. Call 972-930-9743

MYSTERY SHOPPERS! Earn up to $150 daily. Get paid to shop pt/ft. 800-690-1272

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

DONATE YOUR CAR Free Towing. “Cars For Kids” Any Condition. Tax Deductible. Outreach Center. 1-800-597-9411

EXPERT BUSINESS SOLUTIONS Is A Provider Of Professional Bookkeeping & Accounting Services. Whether You Need Parttime Or Full-Time Solutions, We can Help. You can Now Afford

To Have The Benefits Of A CPA Without The Cost Of A CPA On Staff. Spend More Time On Your Core Business & Less On TimeConsuming Accounting & Bookkeeping Tasks. Take Advantage Of Our One-Hour Free Consultation

214-952-3378 orebsjrl@yahoo.com

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. Credit Cards Accepted.

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

SErvicES for you

pEtS

THEPETNANNYDALLAS.COM In-home TLC for cats, dogs & birds. Bonded & insured. Ask for The Pet Nanny. 214-244-4330

Park Cities Pet Sitter

DAILY WALKS, VISITS, OVERNIGHTS SERVING DFW SINCE 1992

profESSional SErvicES

BOOKKEEPING NEEDS? Need Help Organizing Finances? No Job Too Small or Big. Call C.A.S Accounting Solutions. Cindy 214-821-6903 CUSTOM RESUMES Any Level or Field. Invest in your career. Katie. 214-499-4289, katie_shahan@yahoo.com

Website Design

Flash Demos

Graphic Design

RibbitMultimedia .com 214.560.4207

mind, Body & Spirit

BISHOP’S REFUGE MASSAGE “Best Massage in the OC!” Services at BishopsRefuge.com Gifts available. 214-948-4881

ROBERT PICKETT - HAIR DESIGNER in Casa Linda Plaza Cuts, Color, Foils, Perms. 50% off with ad. 9540 Garland Rd., Suite 411 214-289-5375

September deadline auguSt 11 • to advertiSe call 214.560.4203 know more than the newS

214.828.0192 pcpsi.com

“BEST OF DALLAS” D Magazine, Observer, Dallas Voice, WFAA

BONDED & INSURED

In-Home Professional Care

Customized to maintain your pet’s routine In-Home Pet Visits & Daily Walks

“Best of Dallas” D Magazine

Serving the Dallas area since 1994 Bonded & Insured www.societypetsitter.com 214-821-3900

Buy/SEll/tradE

TEXAS RANGERS BASEBALL SUITE Share this prime suite on a single-game basis for select games during the 2010 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

AC & HeAt

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

AC TUNE UP Cleaning, Charging, Repairs. Buy/Sell 214-321-5943

LAKEWOOD HEAT & AIR Servicing Dallas 20+ years. MC/Visa 214-682-3822 TACLA28061E

BLUE RIBBON

Heating & Air Conditioning 214-823-8888

CArpentry & remodeling

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

DAVIS Custom Carpentry & Home Repair/Remodel davis.charles94@yahoo.com 214-608-9171

G&G DEMOLITION Tear downs, Haul. Interior/Exterior. 214-808-8925

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

REMODEL FOR LESS 972-822-7501 www.CuttingEdgeRenovationsLLC.com

CleAning ServiCeS

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

WINDOW MAN WINDOW CLEANING.COM

Residential Specialists. BBB. 214-718-3134

ComputerS & eleCtroniCS

COMPUTER AND NETWORK SUPPORT OMGFixit.com. Operating Systems, hardware, security & game consoles. 214-926-7144

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

ConCrete/ mASonry/pAving

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

eleCtriCAl ServiCeS

ABBA ELECTRIC Fast Courteous Service. Resd/ Com. 10% Off for New Clients. 214-886-2202. tecl#20663

ACCURATE ELECTRIC

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

home S ervice S h

FenCing & deCkS

AUTOMATIC DRIVEWAY GATES Installation, Repair, Maintenance, Residential, Commercial. Lone Star Access Control. 214-532-9608 214.692.1991 COWBOY

Gates

Flooring & CArpeting

MASTERPIECE HARDWOODS Install, Sand And Finish. Old World Handscrapes. 469-853-2039

WORLEY TILE & FLOORING Custom Marble Install. 214-779-3842

WHITE ROCK FLOORS

Hardwoods • Tile • Carpet Low VOC Wood Refinishing wrfloors@sbcglobal.net

214-341-1667

Willeford

interior deSign

A&B INTERIOR DESIGN Res/Com. Interior Design Services. www.abinteriordesigns.com.

Licensed./NCIDQ Cert. 214-763-9888

KIM ARMSTRONG INTERIOR DESIGN www.interiorsbykim.com

Licensed/CID/ASID 214-500-0600

LUXE INTERIOR DESIGN

Designs You Want To Live In At Prices You Can Live With. James. 214-808-0290

WINDOWWORKS BY REBECCA

Shop At Home For Custom Window Treatments. 214-215- 2981

kitCHen/BAtH/ tile/grout

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

STONE AGE Granite, Marble, Tile. Kitchens & Baths. Counter Tops. www.stoneagetexas.com. Dennis 972-276-9943

• Tubs, Tiles or Sinks

• Cultured Marble

• Kitchen Countertops

ALL ELECTRICAL SERVICES

972-877-4183 Res/Com E19347 McCarter Electrical Service, Inc. $50 Off Service Calls in August.

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

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

gArAge doorS

ACCESS GARAGE DOOR New Install. Repair/Replace. 24/7 Emgcy. Free Estimates. 214-585-7663 perfectaccessgaragedoors.com

glASS, WindoWS & doorS

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

‘07, ‘08, ‘09 CONSUMERS CHOICE AWARDS

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

Making Homes Safer One Call at a Time

2009 TECL20502

972-926-7007

www.ArrowElectric.net

Phones Answered 24/7

FenCing & deCkS

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

OAK CLIFF MIRROR & GLASS Custom showers, doors, glass, mirrors. 214-747-3717

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

interior deSign

214-631-8719

WE REFINISH! www.allsurfacefinishing.com

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

DALLAS TREE SURGEONS Tree Trimming, Removal & Sales. Free Estimates. 972-633-5462 www.dallastreesurgeons.com

HOLISTIC TREE CARE

A Full-Service Tree Care Company Chuck Ranson, Certified Arborist c.ranson@sbcglobal.net 214-537-2008

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

SALAS SERVICES See our ad in this issue. 972-413-1800 SalasServices.com

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

$20

Bonded & Insured. Park Cities/M Street Refs. Joyce. 214-232-9629

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

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

A CLEAN SLATE Bring Life Into Your Home This Summer. Interior & Event Design Services. Tablescapes, Artful Details. Don Moore Interiors and Event Design. For A Free Consultation. dpm0202@mac.com 270-993-0782

jridefree@aol.com

IT WASN’T HIS FATHER — IT WAS A CROOK!

Like many Americans in a tough economy, Aber Leija works two jobs —one in maintenance at a downtown Dallas building, and another in home construction on the side. Leija’s truck was parked in front of his house with some tools inside.

Leija’s 17-year-old son, Jaziel, happened to be walking to the front of the home, and saw someone enter the truck.

“I was headed to the front yard and saw a man get into the cab of our truck,” Jaziel says. “I thought it was my brother and father, and went back inside.”

When he saw his father and brother were inside, Jaziel and his father returned to the front yard. The man saw the two, and then hopped a fence in front of a nearby vacant field and scampered away. After briefly following the crook and then combing the field, Jaziel says he and his father recovered the property that was stolen. The crook had stashed tools, including an air compressor, on the vacant property to possibly come back later.

After retrieving the stolen property, the Leijas called police.

“We were able to recover everything,” he says. “We actually found some other materials, too. The cops came and found him walking around with some more tools and arrested him.”

If not for Jaziel’s quick action in alerting his father, the thief might have made off with more property and stolen from someone else.

“I guess it was just a nice coincidence,” Jaziel says.

Dallas Police Deputy Chief Rick Watson of the Southwest Patrol Division says the description provided by Jaziel and Aber allowed police to track down the suspect.

“The witnesses observed the man going into the truck. They followed him, but lost him,” he says. “They were able to give us a description, and officers drove through the neighborhood looking for him, and we did make an arrest of the suspect.

“If thieves feel like they’re getting watched, they may stash items and come back later and get them,” he says. “It is very important not to leave anything in your car. That’s what thieves are looking for.”

—SEAN CHAFFIN

community

SOMEBUILDINGS INOAKCLIFF made it onto the Preservation Dallas list of endangered historic sites in Dallas. It includes Adamson High School, the former Oak Cliff Christian Church and two former branch libraries, Hampton-Illinois and Lancaster-Kiest. For more details about the list, visit preservationdallas.org.

The Victim: Aber Leija

The Crime: Burglary of a motor vehicle

Date: Sunday, June 20

Time: 11:15 p.m.

Location: 900 block of Elmdale

BLOCK OF EAST JEFFERSON WHERE SOMEONE BROKE INTO A CAR WASH BY CUTTING A HOLE IN THE ROOF.

6:45 a.m.

TIME ON JULY 3 WHEN THE OWNER RECEIVED THE CALL THAT THE ALARM SYSTEM HAD BEEN SET OFF.

$800

VALUE IN QUARTERS THAT WAS STOLE FROM THE BUSINESS.

SOURCE: DALLAS POLICE DEPARTMENT PRESS RELEASE

THE YWCA OF METROPOLITAN DALLAS will hold a free financial empowerment workshop 6-8 p.m. Aug. 4-Sept. 8 at the HamptonIllinois Branch Library, 2951 S. Hampton. The program will focus on long-term intervention and asset growth. For more details, call 214.584.2315.

education

DISD STARTS THE 2010-11 SCHOOL YEAR on Aug. 23. Thanksgiving break is set for Nov.24-26, and winter break will run Dec. 20-31. To view the full calendar, visit dallasisd.org/about/calendars.

THE SHARE HIGH SCHOOL EXCHANGE PROGRAM is searching for host families for the fall semester. The program includes students from more than 30 countries and aims to get kids enrolled in school this month. The students speak English and have spending money and health insurance. For more details, visit sharesouthwest.org.

HAVEAN ITEMTO 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.

hOly guaC amOle for cliffites, tex-mex is a sacred tradition

now i ask you: is there anyone in oak cliff who doesn’t like tex-mex?

didn’t think so.

Before the days of taco Bueno, taco Bell and the mid-1960s sensation of the Jack-in-the Box taco, restaurants and small cafes were the only venues peddling tex- mex food, and i don’t believe that there were that many of them, even then.

these days, many casual dining businesses offer at least a small number of tex-mex items on their menus — if nothing else, nachos.

Back in the day, it wasn’t so.

in the 1930s, one of the earliest latino influences on oak cliff cuisine seems to be the affectionately remembered and well-patronized “ tamale man”, normally staked-out on the southwest corner of marsalis and Jefferson in front

of the old carnegie library. cliffites from around the neighborhood regularly purchased his everpopular tasty tamales, wrapped in newspaper and steaming hot.

a ccording to some of the a damson and s unset high school alumni from this period, the student’s tamale purchases back in those days were many times followed by a drive to Kiest, lake cliff or Kidd s prings park to consume the spicy cornmeal-covered edibles. When asked why they would travel as far as Kidd s prings or Kiest Park, they all agreed: it was just fun, especially as they had nothing more to do and could afford little else.

another popular mexican/tex-mex restaurant of that era, now gone, was chapultepec on Zang just west of lake cliff Park, where in the 1930s and ’40s folks met and dined, and where many oak

cliff social events took place. and later, though both are now closed, the fort Worth avenuelocated tupinamba and Benavides restaurants were also regular stops for hungry cliffites in the post-war and late 20th century days.

i n the 1950s, the cuellar family opened e l chico restaurant no. 8 at the corner of West davis and Beckley in the former Wyatt’s cafeteria building, earlier the Wyatt food store. the beautiful, and still-present, stained-glass window became the dining room’s showstopper, with its colorful, glowing images depicting the cuellar family’s history as they traveled from spain, to mexico, to their Kaufman farm, to dallas.

today, operating as tejano restaurant, the dining room’s massive overhead chandelier remains intact, still attached to the ceiling by the tractor chain the cuellar brothers used as a

the cuellar family opened el chico no. 8 in oak cliff in the 1950s.

“temporary” measure. The fixture illuminates the main portion of the restaurant as it looks down on customers enjoying mouth-watering enchiladas, tamales and tacos.

The other iconic Oak Cliff Tex-Mex establishment is the El Fenix Restaurant at Colorado

Monterrey-style Mexican dishes, along with a little Tex-Mex. Many similar restaurants, cafes and taquerias also populate the Jefferson Blvd.-area.

And if you take the time to drive around the entire expanse of Oak Cliff, you’ll find an additional assortment of Tex-Mex and Mexican specialty eateries peppering most every portion of our neighborhood, including Illinois Avenue, the Davis corridor and the Bishop Arts District.

Oak Cliff just can’t get enough of the stuff.

The number of Oak Cliff Tex-Mex eateries has grown a lot since the days of Chapultepec and the lone Tamale Man on the corner, and I suppose the growth will continue. With more and more folks moving to Oak Cliff and with continued movement into the Dallas area in general, TexMex is forever growing in popularity.

From what I hear, Tex-Mex is now the second “official” food of Texas, trailing, of course, Texas barbecue. Holy guacamole, we love it!

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and Beckley, which opened in 1948. The Mike Martinez family developed the site as its second location for what became a DFW Tex-Mex chain. With the restaurant’s door constantly flooded by hungry customers, the Martinez family heritage is still being preserved, as loyal patrons munch on such El Fenix favorites as puffed tacos and guacamole. And then there’s the restaurant’s signature item: thick, rich chili con carne. Olé!

And their pralines ain’t bad, either.

Back in the 1950s, the chain premiered its smash hit “Wednesday Night, 95-cent Enchilada Special” still offered today, although the price is a bit higher at $4.99.

La Calle Doce is another popular southof-the-border dining destination in Oak Cliff, serving Mexican seafood specialities at 12th and Bishop. And the Ojeda’s chain recently has opened a stop at the corner of Jefferson and Polk. The old Red Bryan Barbecue building at the corner of Jefferson and Llewellyn now houses El Ranchito, a “comida norteño” (northern food) restaurant that serves

Wish the enchilada special was still 95 cents, though.

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.

The Tejano dining room’s massive overhead chandelier remains intact, still attached to the ceiling by the tractor chain the Cuellar brothers used as a “temporary” measure.

Photo by: Amy Columbus amycolumbusphotography.com