Bay Area Houston Magazine December 2011 by Bay Group Media

C H A M P ION

T H E

SM A L L

B U S I N E S S .

S HOP

B AY

A R E A

F I RS T.

December 2011 SCAN FOR A CHANCE TO WIN $10,000 IN WEB DESIGN AND ADVERTISING

Also in this issue:

• Cowboys and Cowgirls Who Cook IX

• Galveston Surf Check • 2012 Volvo S60 T6 • Community News and Events

Clear Creek Winery

Proudly Supports

features

ON THE COVER

Clear Creek Winery owner David Skinner with his daughter Makenzie and SSgt Eric M. Brancheau. Photo by Brian Stewart.

Chairman/Publisher Rick Clapp

Graphic Designer Victoria Ugalde Videographer Michael Palm Photography Brian Stewart

Clear Creek Winery Supports Toys for Tots

Clear Creek Winery Announces New Chef

Go Texan Fashion Show

Financial Focus

Money Matters

Roman Delight Pizzeria and Enoteca

Ask Buccaneer

Galveston Pirate’s Legends of the Gulf Coast

You Are Not Alone Tour Drop Your Toy Off by December 15th! Link Livingston Takes Over at Tabella January 27th at the Gilruth Center Manage Your Money Carefully this Holiday Season Holiday Budgeting Now Selling Slices in League City! Prepare Your Home for Winter and Dry Conditions Pirates and Ghosts in the Business District

The Buzz in the Bayou City Glitz and Glamour

In Wheel Time

Back Bay Barker

The Admiral’s Log

Galveston Surf Check

Texas Meditations

The Big Picture

Saucy Swede Is There Goodwill Among Us? Back to the Bays this Winter Wetsuit Season is Upon Us The Glass Duane Ross

in each issue

Bay Area Houston Magazine is produced monthly. All rights reserved. Material may not be reproduced by any means whatsoever without written permission. Advertising rates are available upon request. Please address all correspondence to: Bay Area Houston Magazine P.O. Box 1032 Seabrook, TX 77586

Hawthorne Heights

Now You Have a Choice

17 CLICK! Cowboys and Cowgirls Who Cook IX

Vice President of Sales Patty Kane

www.baygroupmedia.com R.Clapp@Baygroupmagazines.com 281.474.5875

Creative Director Brandon Rowan

Community Affairs Director Lillian Harmon

Dental Health

columns

President Rob Kumar

Sales & Marketing Patty Bederka Lillian Harmon Colleen Martin Whitney Parks Amber Sample

Bay Area Houston Magazine | DECEMBER 2011

Advertiser’s Index

Lakewood Yacht Club News and Events

Events Calendar

Bay Area Houston Magazine is always looking for motivated, self-reliant professionals to add to our sales team. If you are interested in becoming part of our family please call our office at 281.474.5875 or send inquiries and resumes by e-mail at R.clapp@baygroupmagazines.com.

DECEMBER 2011

Who Says You Cannot Buy Freedom?

ho says we cannot buy freedom? It is precisely what we need to do! At this time we have no choice. This Christmas holiday season will be the most important time we have all shared in our lives. Whether you celebrate the holidays or not, this is the time you can contribute to America’s economy and make a huge difference. If we cannot make a difference at the polls, we can show our might as consumers at the cash register. It will be music to my ears when ABC Anchor Diane Sawyer says, “Retail sales are up 10% over last year and the sale of American-made products is up 50 per cent. It will be we, the American people, not the politicians and or military brass, that pull us out of this disastrous predicament they put us into. As a child growing up in the post-World War II era when my parents, grandparents, and relatives went to the hardware, department store, etc., they made it a habit to look at the label on the merchandise. Those labels designated what country the product was made in. If the product was made in Japan, China or Germany, they refused to buy it. This practice was shared by millions of buyers in America in the, 50s, 60s and early 70s. Do you remember? Those were the good ol’ years when America and U.S. manufacturing prospered. You do not need to be a scientist, economist or a financial wizard to understand it. It is too bad our politicians do not have the sense to figure it out rather than selling us out! Let’s get selfish this year and buy only American and make it a habit. I remember when I used to go to auctions and the auctioneer, after the product or animal was sold, would declare “Sold American.” I yearn to hear those words again. Please shop the Bay Area first this holiday season. Let’s support our own, make our local economy strong. It will also make Texas as well as the national economy even stronger. Here are a few ways we can have a direct impact on our economy. When retail shopping, try small locally-owned and operated businesses that are found in Old Seabrook, Kemah’s Lighthouse District, League City’s Historical District or Under the Oaks, Webster, Clear Lake City, Nassau Bay, La Porte and Texas City. Also, venture to Galveston and check out the many shops, restaurants and entertainment places. And if you do choose to shop at the mall, Target, Wal-Mart or any of the big boys, buy American first and only! Another shopping concept is to buy gift cards for loved ones at locally owned cafes, restaurants, catering companies and retail spots. All of us could use a custom car wash and detail. Buy the family brunch at one of our local hotels. Purchase a golf or health club membership for someone or for the entire family. Buy spa packages at local salons. They would appreciate the business. Buy the ladies a manicure or pedicure. American wines from California, Washington, Texas, and North Carolina make wonderful gifts. Support the local auto and car repair companies by purchasing an oil change, a tune-up or a brake job. If you are looking for that special ring or jewelry item, shop at Bay Area jewelry stores. If you are looking for that new car purchase, think American

or support our local foreign car dealers. A cleaning service for a day is a great way to thank your mother, grandmother, neighbor, and or an elderly person. If a loved one likes the arts, support one of our many local organizations such as TAACL, Butler Longhorn Museum, Bay Area Houston Ballet and Theatre, The Symphony, etc. by purchasing a performance or a membership. For that techie in the family, think of a computer tune-up from an IT person or local company. Buy a piece of artwork. Our area is blessed with thousands of artists who create and sell their work well below its value. Finally, we also have great bands, singers, and musicians – book them for the holidays or for that special event in your life! Do not be lazy this holiday season and buy from catalogues or on-line shopping sites. You will pay more and many of these items are not made in American. It does not benefit us locally. If you follow the above suggestions I promise you that the economy in America, Texas and locally will be better for it. Let’s don’t just talk the talk this holiday, lets walk the walk and do it! Let’s help the small guy and America. They both need it. Spread the word. Share this article with friends. By buying American we will do wonders for our economy and send a message to our politicians. They must stop selling us off abroad and giving financial incentives to offshore companies and foreign countries while many Americans are unemployed. In the long run we will begin manufacturing our own products again and selling them abroad. It is basic economics that as the dollar becomes stronger, foreign countries will need to reduce the prices of their products to attract U.S. buyers. “Sold American.” I love my country! Let us make a difference now! God Bless America and our Troops! Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays and a Blessed New Year!

Don Armstrong In Wheel Time

Michael Gos Texas Meditations

Captain Joe Kent Fishing

Andrew Jeffries Bay Area Bandstand

Betha Merit Travel/Food/Wine

Jill Michaels The Big Picture

Whitney Parks

Galveston Surf Check

Pat Patton Click

Dr. Ed Reitman Nourishing the Mind

Roseann Rogers The Buzz

Kathleen Statham Back Bay Barker

Zach Tate Music

Rick Clapp Publisher/Chairman

at www.baygroupmedia.com

2011

BAY

DECEMBER 2011 | Bay Area Houston Magazine

Advertiser’s Index 4 Smiling Aesthetic Dentistry Page 39 www.4smiling.com Accents, Petals & Metals Page 37 Allegria Wine Bar page 43 www.allegriawinebar.com Amadeus Page 36 www.kemahcitylimits.com/amadeus Ameriprise Page 38 www.ameripriseadvisors.com Arlan’s Market Page 23 The Arms Room Page 23 www.thearmsroomtx.com Bacchus Wine Bar Page 42 BAHRMA Page 23 www.bahrma.shrm.org Bayway Homes Page 46 www.baywayhomes.com Bosone Auto/Wrecker Page 23 Boudreaux’s on the Bayou Page 29 www.boudreauxsonthebayou.com Brueggen Dental Page 51 www.nodentures.com Buccaneer Page 45 www.buccaneerconstruction.com Bungalow Dry Goods Page 29 Christus St. John Hospital Page 38 www.christusstjohnsportsmedicine.org Citi Animal Hospital Page 18 City of Dickinson Page 14 www.ci.dickinson.tx.us Clear Creek Winery Page 44 www.clearcreekvineyard.com Clothes Horse Page 37 Coastal Plastic Surgery Page 49 www.tadammd.com College of the Mainland Page 15 www.com.edu Cullen’s Page 7 www.cullenshouston.com Dickinson BBQ Page 32 www.dickinsonbbq.com Digitex Page 39 www.digitexcorp.com Dr. J. Derek Tieken Page 5 www.tiekensmiles.com Edward Jones/Mickey Maddox Page 40 www.edwardjones.com Fiat of Clear Lake Page 19 www.fiatofclearlake.com First Baptist Friendswood Page 25 www.fbcfonthe.net First Baptist Church Seabrook Page 25 www.fbcseabrook.org Floyd’s Cajun Seafood Page 48 www.floydsseafood.com Fondren Orthopedic Page 2 www.fondren.com Gaido’s Seafood Page 30 www.gaidos.com Galveston Cruises Page 28 www.galvestoncruises.com Ginger Snaps Page 37 Gulf Coast Palapas Page 33 www.gulfcoastpalapas.com Harbour Plastic Surgery Page 6 www.harbourplasticsurgery.com Head to Footsies Page 29 www.headtofootsies.com Island Furniture Page 32 www.islandfurniture.net J.Hilburn Clothiers Page 40 & 43 www.jhilburn.com Jeter Memorial Funeral Home Page 36 www.jeterfuneralhome.com Kemah Boardwalk Page 20 www.kemahboardwalk.com Kimberly Harding Page 46 www.kimberlyharding.com Kindred Healthcare Page 21 www.kindredhealthcare.com Las Haciendas Page 18 www.lashaciendasgrill.com Life Fellowship Church Page 25 www.lifefellowship.me Mamacita’s Mexican Restaurant Page 33 www.mamacitasmexicanrestaurant.com Martha Turner Properties Page 47 www.marthaturner.com Mayfield Manor Page 14 www.hauntedmayfieldmanor.com Mediterraneo Market & Cafe Page 14 Memorial Hermann Page 13 www.memorialhermann.org Oasis RV Park Page 35 www.ronhooveroasis.com Oasis Salon and Spa Page 12 Ohana Surf and Skate Page 30 www.ohanasurfandskate.com Opus Bistro Page 15 www.opusbistro.net Park Avenue Showplace Antiques Page 37 Roman Delight Pizzeria Page 34 Salon La Rouge Page 22 www.salonlarouge.org Schlitterbahn Page 31 www.schlitterbahn.com Seabrook Association Page 44 www.seabrookassociation.net South Shore Grille Page 45 www.soshoregrille.com Southern Sophistication Page 14 Space Center Auto Page 23 www.spacecenterautomotive.com Spine Center Page 4 www.texasspinecenter.com Star Toyota Page 41 www.startoyota.com Testarossa Motors Page 15 www.testarossamotors.com Texas Bay Area Credit Union Page 3 www.tbacu.org Texas First Bank Page 42 www.texasfirstbank.com The Wash Page 23 www.thewashhandcarwash.com The Terrace Page 40 www.horizonbay.com Unicare Dental Page 52 www.drnoie.com Victory Marine Page 22 www.govictorymarine.com Villas by the Bay Page 46

Bay Area Houston Magazine | DECEMBER 2011

DENTAL HEALTH

Teeth “In a Day” or “In a While”

Now, You Have a Choice

ecently, I have been getting a lot of questions about some new exciting terms and developments in dental implants. I’m referring to new terms such as “teeth in a day”, teeth now” or “teeth today”. I decided to expand on some of those questions and hopefully help clear some of the confusion. These terms refer to what we in the profession call “immediate load” dental implants. That means, the dental surgeon places the implant surgically in the jawbone and delivers the teeth at the same time or within a day or two. Over the past twenty-five years, the standard approach for placing the dental implants has been to wait three to six months between surgical insertion of the dental implants and placing the teeth over them. You might wonder why the field adapted such policy to begin with, and why there is a new tendency to put both options (immediate versus delayed) back on the table again. To explain this justification better, I need to take you back to 1984. Even though dental implants have been around since the 1970s, before 1984 implant dentistry was a murky area with mixed results. There were not many dental surgeons willing to place them because they were not predictable. In 1984 a Swedish orthopedic surgeon named Dr. Branemark successfully demonstrated that dental implants can be successfully placed with high degree of success. He proposed a series of protocols and made some key modifications to the

“Thanks to new advances made in the field of dental implants, today you and your dental surgeon can consider both techniques (immediate or delayed) and determine which method is best for you.” design. He recommended a cylindrical shaped dental implant as opposed to a blade shaped. He rationalized that a cylindrical shape resembles the root of a tooth closely and has similar force distribution properties. He also recommended using pure titanium, a material that promotes osseo-integration (integration of bone to implant surface). Additionally, Dr. Branemark advocated delayed restoration placement (or loading) of up to six months (before that, all implants were restored immediately). He also advocated a specific surgical technique, initial stabilization and immobility of the implant in the bone beneath the gum tissue to allow it to integrate safely. Dr. Branemark’s approach to placement of dental implants was ground breaking. I studied his work in early 1990s and became very impressed with his methodology and amazing attention to bone biology and properties. Before he published his results in 1984, there were many unanswered questions that kept dental implants from becoming mainstream. His pioneer work changed all that. Dental implants have become more predictable than many other areas of dentistry such as root canal therapy, and removable teeth.

Dr. Branemark, however, remained unyielding about delayed tooth placement for decades. All that changed recently when the company that he is associated with marketed an immediate load system that he endorses. That provided a new legitimacy to the immediate loading systems and the concept that had fallen out of favor since 1984. Many dental surgeons and researchers are beginning to find that immediately loading implants can be predictable in the right patient. Thanks to continued efforts of dedicated dental surgeons, dental implants remain very predictable while the time between surgical placement and function is becoming shorter. The only problem with the immediate loading technique at this point is lack of adequate, credible, long-term “in vivo” data. That’s because, over the last 25 years the majority of dental surgeons adapted the recommended delayed technique. It will take a few years to confirm the long-term success of immediately placed teeth or “teeth in a day”, but the results looks promising so far. The routine use of pre-surgical CT scan has contributed greatly to the predictability of dental implants as well. Thanks to the advances in the technology and science of dental implantology, soon we will be able to

eliminate words such as “toothlessness”, “false teeth”, and “denture” from our vocabulary and archive them in historical libraries and museums. As a young child, I became familiar with the devastating effects of eating with denture through my father’s experiences. I learned to appreciate the value of a solid set of teeth that will allow you to focus on pleasure of eating and interacting with the loved ones at the dinner table as opposed to the agony of breaking food down just enough to swallow it. Thanks to new advances made in the field of dental implants, today you and your dental surgeon can consider both techniques (immediate or delayed) and determine which method is best for you. Over the past two decades, I have dedicated my focus; skills and passion to help my thousands of patients enjoy a good and balanced meal with their loved ones. I could not think of a more fulfilling life mission for me. Thank you for allowing me to continue my work. Happy Holidays to all. To find out if immediate dental implants are right for you, please contact Dr. Noie at (281) 332-4700 for a complimentary consultation and CT scan evaluation. You can also go to Dr Noie’s website for up-to-date exciting new developments about dental implants.

DECEMBER 2011 | Bay Area Houston Magazine

Bay Area Houston Magazine | DECEMBER 2011

M A R K E T P L A C E

DECEMBER 2011 | Bay Area Houston Magazine

Hair Flashback

Current hair trends are making a flashback to the 1970s. “The retro era is prevalent in clothing with the re-introduction of bellbottoms and animal prints, not to mention all the TV shows including Mad Men, Pan Am and The Playboy Club,” says stylist Bruce Grossman. Just back from an Italian hair seminar, Grossman says looks for this season are more styled with structured curls as opposed to a “beachy” carefree look. So, ladies get out those hot rollers and big curling irons! To find out more about the 70s inspired looks you can contact Bruce Grossman at Michaelydon Salon at 713.818.3303.

Glass Creations

Glitz and Glamour

T’is the socialite season! Every weekend from now until the end of the year the calendar is filled with festive holiday happenings, lavish luncheons and black tie galas. Perfect timing for former model turned fashion designer Jerri Duddlesten Moore, who is creating quite the fashion frenzy these days with her evening wear collection. For years, Jerri designed her own gowns for some of Houston’s posh society events. After years of designing dresses for family and friends, her lifelong dream has finally come true. Her designs definitely have that “old Hollywood” feel, in fact you could easily see Grace Kelly on the red carpet in a Jerri Moore Design. Feminine and flawless, Moore has a keen eye for fabric, fine lines and attention to detail. She’s already premiered her collection at several noteworthy runways including The Women’s Hospital Luncheon and Fashion Show and Houston Fashion Week. Her collection is available at her studio or at Tootsies on West Avenue. Jerrimoore.com

Hot Reads

I Am Woman is the new book fostered and created by local doctor Shelena Lalji. After practicing OB/GYN in a traditional setting for over a decade in the Sugarland/ Houston area, she decided to put pen to paper and write about what she’s learned. As she became more focused on the preventive and integrative aspect of medicine, her inspiration to healing patients became her mission. “Dr. Shel”, as her patients lovingly call her, says she is fortunate to be in a place where she can help women achieve true mind, body and spirit balance in their daily lives through her writing, speaking and practice. I Am Woman is available at drshel.com and retails for $19.95 Internationally renowned portrait photographer Lindsay McCrum launched her new coffee table book Chicks and Guns with multiple appearances in Houston including the River Oaks Bookstore and Tootsies. Along on her appearances came several of the notable women who are featured in the book with their firearms. With pen in hand, they graciously autographed their pictures. The coffee table book retails for $45 and is available at River Oaks Bookstore or by going to chickswithgunsbook.com

With the holiday’s here, if you’re looking for gifts you can create yourself; look no further than Glazed Over Ceramics Studio. Blown glass is all the rage these days. You can create vases, bowls, plates, platters, crosses, tiles, jewelry, and more! And the glass is useable. You can eat off the plates, and serve out of the bowls. The process they use is very similar to the one they do in Murano, Italy. One idea is the handprint tile. This is done by tracing a child’s hand on the glass in Sharpie, then filling the hand with glue and powdered glass, and then melting! Glazedoverceramics.com; 281.497. 7272.

Christmas Cupcakes

The Joy Box from Sprinkles can put a smile on anyone’s face for the holidays. Cupcakes make the perfect corporate or company gift. You can buy the box or you can get them individualized. Sometimes you just need to get a little something for someone and these holiday treats do just the trick. The Joy Box ix $38. Sprinkles.com

A Cardinal’s Christmas

Only in its third year, it’s become a Houston holiday tradition. Mark your calendar for “A Cardinal’s Christmas with His Eminence Daniel Cardinal DiNardo.” Benefiting Children and Family Services of Catholic Charities, the luncheon is Saturday, December 10 at the River Oaks Country Club. Guests will have the opportunity to hear Cardinal DiNardo share the true meaning of Christmas, as well as participate in special activities for kids and kids at heart. Yours truly is co-chairing the celebration with my husband, Aashish and our son Nikhil. For tickets, call 713.874.6624. dcervenka@catholiccharities.org

Pink Passion

Every woman needs a great lip color that looks like it was custom made just for her. Rachel Gower, owner of The Upper Hand, says she has found it with the Jane Iredale Just Kissed lip balm in “Forever Pink.” Just a little goes a long way and you can also use it on your cheeks. Just blend to activate the color and you get a natural sheen. So get two in one for $27. The lip balm is available at theupperhand.com

Bay Area Houston Magazine | DECEMBER 2011

Great News!

KHOU Channel 11 commercial producer/editor Chris Multop is getting some national exposure for his talent behind the lens. Chris’s picture “Child’s Play” has been chose by the editors of National Geographic to be featured in the December issue in the Your Shot section.

i n wheel t i m e

By Do n A r mst rong

t’s been awhile since the Volvo brand has offered up something as exciting as the S60 T6 R-Design. Exciting? Volvo? Yes, in the same sentence. The R-Design’s sleek, attractive body is the most performance-oriented of the three S60 trim levels. A unique lower front spoiler, air intake, blacked-out grille with R-Design badging, a special rear diffuser, 3 ½-inch exhaust and 18-inch “Ixion” alloy wheels give this Volvo a real road racer appearance. The cabin takes on a contemporary starkness that goes against competitors “more is better” motif. It’s reminiscent of your first visit to the Ikea store. The “wave-form” dash makes its crescendo above the twin gauges in front of the driver. The aluminum-faced center stack is nestled rather low, setting it apart from the dashmounted display screen.

Listen to In Wheel Time every Saturday morning on 1070am from 7 - 9 a.m.

The R-Design’s driver and front passenger sit in race-style bolstered sport seats. The exclusive standard

Bay Area Houston Magazine | DECEMBER 2011

upholstery is off-black leather with contrasting stitching and sport-oriented texture accents with an embossed R-Design logo across the front-seat backrests. The interior also features an R-Design sport steering wheel, gear selector, sport pedals, floor mats and blue watchdial instrument cluster. The high performance R-Design features Volvo’s most powerful production engine ever. Generating 325 horsepower and 354 lb.-ft. of torque, the S60 R-Design will reach 60 mph in just 5.5 seconds and deliver a smile to the driver’s face all the way to its 6,500-rpm redline. More importantly, the R-Design’s estimated fuel economy ratings don’t suffer. It achieves 18 mpg in the city and 26 mpg on the highway, for a combined average of 21 mpg. Volvo didn’t just stick a performance motor between the front wheels and call it a day; chassis tweaks were another part of the R-Design formula contributing to the wow-factor. Special shocks, a strut brace and shortened and stiffer front and rear springs are just a few of the enhancements that lead to superb, controlled handing. A nice little romp with a Mercedes C-Class had us waving goodbye on a straight pull. If you’ve had an eye toward a midsize luxury sport sedan like an Acura TL, Cadillac CTS, Audi A4 or the aforementioned Mercedes C-Class, do yourself a favor and give the all-new R-Design a go. Volvo has the fun factor needle pegged. The 2012 Volvo S60 T6 AWD R-Design begins at $42,500.

Hawthorne Heights for Houston The Ohio post-hardcore rockers roll through on the You Are Not Alone Tour

n Friday, October 21, Hawthorne Heights headlined at Scout Bar in Houston as part of their You Are Not Alone tour. The band is also publicizing their latest self-produced contribution, an EP entitled HATE, released August 23. Hawthorne Heights formed in 2001 in Dayton, Ohio and are widely known as a part of the modern emo/ post hardcore genres of rock with singles like ‘Ohio is for Lovers’ and ‘Saying Sorry’. Turmoil seems to follow the group in a destructive fashion, though they’ve pressed forward through a nasty lawsuit with Victory Records in 2006 as well as the death of their lead guitarist Casey Calvert in 2007. In July of this year the group left Wind-up Records to create their own label, Cardboard Empire, under which they recorded and released HATE-- part one of a trilogy of EPs the band plans to release. In an article from Alternative Press, when asked about how the name, Cardboard Empire was created, front man JT Woodruff responded, “It was our bass player

Matt [Ridenour]’s idea. It explains a lot about how the industry is paper-thin; everybody’s packing up their stuff in cardboard boxes, in their office, and they just got fired. If you know your empire’s made of cardboard, then you know it can fall just as easily as it can be re-erected” HH’s current lineup includes lead-singer and rhythm guitarist JT Woodruff, lead-guitarist and vocalist Micah Carli, bassist and backing vocalist Matt Ridenour, and drummer Eron Bucciarelli. Rhythm guitarist and backup vocalist Mark McMillon from the band, The Story Changes, is accompanying the band on the current tour. The group’s latest songs are a heavier departure from earlier works. The fact that the music is becoming darker reflects the band’s struggles in the past. Also from Ohio, ViFolly opened for Hawthorne Heights. Formed by twin brothers, guitarists, and vocalists Matt and James Prather with Jared Leach on bass and Shaun Foist on the drums, ViFolly is another post hardcore band with big vocal and guitar harmonies from the Prather brothers backed by able

drumming from Foist. Onstage, the group portrays a darkly eclectic image. The music melds classic metal with the modern edge. They provided a deep mood for the evening, and Hawthorne Heights seemed almost lighthearted by comparison. The audience went crazy for Hawthorne Heights when they came out, and the enthusiasm sustained throughout the band’s set. What I like most about HH’s performance is that all three guitarists and the bassist sing. It makes for a huge sound having that many people singing and playing at once.

Woodruff’s and Carli’s guitars were both finished in very bright flake sparkle finishes, which added a visual flare for the band’s onstage image. The band as a whole performs very professionally with tons of raw emotion and intensity. Hawthorne Heights has proven to be one of the staples of the scene and have amassed two gold records and a huge following all over the country. I admire them wholeheartedly for overcoming so many hardships, and I think they serve as a very fine example for other bands out there that are cutting through the red tape and jumping the hurdles in the unforgiving climate of the music industry today. Ten years, so far, so good for Hawthorne Heights and may the next decade go much more smoothly for them.

DECEMBER 2011 | Bay Area Houston Magazine

B a c k Bay Barker

By Kathl een Stat ham

Is There Goodwill Among Us?

t’s the yuletide season, time to bring out from storage the boxed nativity scenes and Christmas tree kits, the hanging ornaments and holiday recipes dutifully handed down from great-grandmothers. More important, as we dust off and unfurl banners bearing the words “Peace” and “Goodwill,” maybe we look forward to the public’s mood matching up. Will it? After all, it’s been a tough year for Americans, one of anger and hopelessness and deep frustration. Around those who do the best they can to get by, who follow rules and practice cooperation, there creeps an unsettling, demoralizing mean-spiritedness. This is particularly evident at the top, in the political and economic stratospheres. It’s hard to believe that those on Capitol Hill are acting on our behalf while they in fact obstruct, bicker and assassinate one another’s characters. Do they—the ones who cry out for a leader in the Oval Office—have the ability anymore to recognize leadership? Progressives denounce Barack Obama for gutlessness; many moderate Republicans admit that Ronald Reagan today would be booed off the right wing stage. Where,

even within the two parties, is goodwill in Washington? When were we last privy to earnest, intelligent debates on the Senate floor? Do we anticipate anything meaningful as a jobs bill to pass in both houses anytime soon? It appears that few in Washington are willing to come to the middle and enact resolutions for the country as a working team. When the posturing ends, after the references are made to “my good colleague across the aisle,” will our representatives finally talk to each other and negotiate? Must we wait until the formation of a Super-Super-Super Committee? Over on Wall Street and now also in cities nationwide, protesters have rallied around the conviction that the unrestrained privileges for a wealthy few are at great cost to the increasingly impoverished “99 percent” of this country. Say what you will about the “Occupy Wall Street” crowd huddling against an early winter in Zucotti Park; call them thugs and criminals— unwashed ones. The fact remains, like it or not, that American citizens have the constitutional right to publicly assemble and to protest in a peaceful, nonviolent

Bay Area Houston Magazine | DECEMBER 2011

manner. But when peace turns to pepperspraying, fist fights, beatings and teargassing, when non-violence is betrayed by demonstrators or law enforcers or both, goodwill takes a giant step backward. The current “news” reporters, on whom we rely much too easily to inform us about what’s going on, are notorious for incivility. Does anyone else out there miss Walter Cronkite or David Brinkley? Nowadays, the insatiable beast called “audience ratings” drives irresponsible journalists and pundits to heighten already existing fears, to accuse or interrupt their interview guests, and to sensationalize differences between individuals and groups. Journalistic breaches of impartiality foster and promote the misperception, distrust and hatred which are tearing this country apart. So, back to the rest of us. On most days, not merely when saved up for Christmas, does goodwill exist? Thankfully, it does. And it is found across the land, from people who give of themselves in all sorts of ways and whose kindnesses aren’t part of some political or egocentric agenda. Goodwill is extended between those who, regardless of their personal or financial circumstances, recognize their common humanity merits mutual respect.

Our generous spirit doesn’t emerge only at cleanup sites following natural disasters. It translates into many forms: philanthropy, volunteerism, church and charity work, social services, esprit de corps in the military, self-help groups, neighborhood coalitions and incredibly well-timed assistance from strangers. Recall how recently the nation and most of the world viewed YouTube videos of a burning car in Logan, Utah. A dozen bystanders lifted an entire side of that car, which was engulfed in flames, and pulled out an injured motorcyclist who had been trapped underneath. Goodwill is alive in much of America. But our hard times call for speedy action. We must find a way to not trickle but gush upwards our urgent need for goodwill to the top tiers of power. We must demand and ensure that the occupiers their will liken their behaviors to the best of what ordinary, regular Americans model every day. At the same time, we here on Main Street must not only keep up the goodwill we enjoy giving and getting, we must also make it grow. This means stepping outside our comfort zones and interacting with others unfamiliar to us. In the long run, though, isn’t that the worthwhile thing to do? Merry Christmas, Peace on Earth and Goodwill toward All.

By C apt. Joe Kent

Back to the Bays this Winter

everal decades ago, fishing in the Galveston Bay Complex normally was winding down or just about over for the season during December. Oyster harvesting was the main activity observed on the bays. With the warmer late fall and winter conditions, December has turned out to be more like late November years ago. Today, shrimp boats are observed working the bays during most of the month and, for the same reason, fishing continues its late fall patterns. The reason, bait still is abundant in the bays. The water is cold, but not such that fish are in their winter habitats. The crowds that dominated the bays during the summer and early fall are off to other activities such as sports events and Christmas-related activities. Also, the cooler weather eliminates a certain number of anglers who prefer warm weather for fishing. With the smaller number of anglers competing for trout, reds and flounder, fishing is much more pleasant and productive. Note that I mentioned flounder as one of the fish available. In recent years, there have been increasing numbers of flatfish remaining in the bays. The primary reason is that bait (food) still is available and until their food supply begins to diminish, flounder will be around, just not in the concentrations that existed earlier in the fall. Trinity Bay and the upper reaches of upper Galveston Bay are noted for their December productivity. Beginning near the mouth of Dickinson Bayou and running all the way up to Burnet Bay near the Baytown Bridge is a vast area of bays that are excellent spots to give it a try. Among the top spots in the Seabrook area are the Seabrook Flats and from there, all the way to Sylvan Beach. As we get farther into December, that area tends to be a better choice during the afternoon than early morning.

Burnet Bay, a small body of water, turns on when the temperature drops and is one of the sheltered areas during strong northerly winds. All of Trinity Bay, especially around deeper reefs, is good at times during December. Fishing by kayak and wading are two of the best ways to find fish. Those techniques apply to areas of shallow water along shorelines and shallow reefs. Midbay reefs require a boat for access. December like every other month has its good days and bad days for fishing. Strong cold fronts will halt action until conditions stabilize and December is noted for numerous cold fronts. Anglers should watch for windows of light winds following frontal systems and be prepared to take advantage of the opportunity. While live shrimp tends to be the bait of choice during much of the year, artificial baits are preferred during December. There are two reasons; first is the availability of shrimp, as many bait camps close during much of December and the other, water clarity, which in general is such that both soft plastics and hardware work well.

Bay Area Houston Magazine | DECEMBER 2011

â&#x20AC;&#x153;For all baits, the trick is to work them slowly, the colder the water, the slower.â&#x20AC;?

Corkies or Paul Brown Originals, as they are also called, are one of the top choices of winter fishermen. This is slowsinking bait that is a killer for reds and trout. Soft plastics also are popular. Colors depend on water clarity and the bait upon which fish have been feeding. As a general rule, clearer waters suggests lighter colored baits, while darker green waters call for darker colored baits. If you know what the fish have been preying upon, say for example mullet, use an imitation bait, in this case, mullet imitation. For all baits, the trick is to work them slowly, the colder the water, the slower. Fish are sensitive to water temperatures and become sluggish in cold water. Similar to flounder fishing, hold off setting the hook if you feel a bump, as a quick hook set could pull the bait out of the fishâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s mouth. Before leaving this topic, we need to caution boaters to keep a wary eye on the weather. Cold fronts often accelerate when approaching the coast and one that is predicted to hit during the evening could easily arrive earlier in the day. From personal experience I can say that it is not fun to be caught in the midst of a cold front crossing Galveston Bay. If you are caught by surprise and crossing the bay to get to the boat ramp is necessary, consider going to the trouble to dock at a close by ramp and call someone to pick you up and drive you to your trailer. Each year lives are lost under circumstances like that and you do not want to be a casualty. Be cautious and stay safe!

DECEMBER 2011 | Bay Area Houston Magazine

News & Events

Lakewood Claims Three First Places in J/Fest Southwest Regatta

uring the 2nd Annual J/Fest Southwest Regatta held over the weekend of October 2930, three Lakewood Yacht Club racers placed first in overall wins. Taking first place for the second year in a row in the J/105 fleet was Bill Zartler on “Solaris”. Claiming first place in the J/80 fleet were David Whelan and Terry Flynn on “Gulf Coast Racing” and Doug Shaffer’s “Gambler” was first in the J/ PHRF fleet. This national regatta, hailing J boats from as far away as Colorado and Connecticut, was held on Galveston Bay with two days of contrasting weather conditions. According to LYC Race Committee Chairman Dwight Bengtson, the winds started out good on Galveston Bay on Saturday, but died mid-afternoon after the second race. Sunday, with

winds of 10-15 knots, there was a lot of spirited competition. “It was a great afternoon for one design racing and the participants loved the competition as well as the Saturday night dinner and party,” Bengtson related. With fifty boats racing, there were two lines: one for the J/105, J/80 and J/PHRF, the other for the J/22 and J/24. Winning first place in J/22 was Chad Wilson on “Green Flash” while first place on J/24 went to Bryan Dyer on “Rum Line”.

Rodney Johnstone, the co-founder of the J boat design, handed out the trophies during the awards ceremony held in Lakewood’s ballroom on Sunday afternoon, October 30. Speaking briefly to the crowd, Johnstone shared that there has been a resurgence of J/boats in the five-state area. “Thanks to the good results of fleet building, there are 400 J boats in Texas right now. And, interestingly, the J/111 boats are really taking off on the East Coast and in Chicago. The J/70s are red hot off the production line,” he explained. The first J/boat regatta was held in 1978 in Newport, Rhode Island.

Bay Area Houston Magazine | DECEMBER 2011

There were four “Spirit of J Boating” awards presented during the ceremony for effort above and beyond in the spirit of fleet building and J/boat racing. These awards were given to Lakewood members Casey Lambert for the J/22 fleet, Al Poindexter for the J/80 fleet, and Alan Bates for the J/80 and J/105 fleets. The J/24 fleet award was given to Kelly Holms for his competitive campaign. The City of Seabrook was the Platinum Sponsor for the J/Fest Southwest Regatta for the second year in a row. Additional sponsors included J/ Boats Southwest, Parkway Chevrolet who had an automobile display on Lakewood grounds, J/World Annapolis, Waterline Works, Tacktick Wireless Electronics, Harken, Blackburn Marine Supply, West Marine, UK, the Hilton, and North Sails.

DECEMBER 2011 | Bay Area Houston Magazine

Clear Creek Winery, Vineyard, & Resort Offers Something For Everyone Clear Creek Winery, Vineyard, & Resort in Kemah is more than just your normal Texas winery. It is the creative, sophisticated, multi-functioning destination spot that adds a whole new dimension to the City of Kemah and Galveston County.

pened in July 2011, this is not your typical Texas “barn” winery. Clear Creek Winery is architecturally styled after the European, old world wineries, complete with various sized and designed rooms for a choice of entertaining venues. From wooden beams, golden-toned textured walls, and windows of every shape and size, Clear Creek Winery is full of charm and an historic sense of style. Quality and vision are evident in every aspect of Clear Creek Winery. You will be transported by the serene ambience of the gardens and the Tuscan styled three-story winery. The locally inspired food at the Tabella restaurant, along with the pristine state-of-theart Italian designed equipment in the fermentation and bottling rooms, show great attention to detail. After speaking with owner/vintner, David Skinner, and hearing his story, it makes sense. Skinner grew up in a

small town in Oklahoma and started his first business at the age of six. Yes, six. By 13, he had a retail store in a local shopping mall. At the age of 15, he started a restaurant in the back of his grandmother’s gourmet store, serving food evenings and weekends. “I got the cooking bug from her,” says Skinner, who treated his family to a gourmet meal every Sunday. “Through my grandmother’s business I was able to meet and learn from many great chefs from Julia Child to Joyce Chen.” His grandmother lived to be 92, and was originally a pastry chef and passed on the “foodie” gene to Skinner. “I am a serial entrepreneur, no doubt about that,” says Skinner. He put himself through college in Stillwater, Oklahoma by opening a fine dining restaurant, with himself as chef, called Christopher’s. “I always thought I would be a chef because I love food and the creative side of cooking, but I discovered in college that I had a gift for strategy and decision

Bay Area Houston Magazine | DECEMBER 2011

making,” said Skinner. This gift led him to writing several best-selling books on decision making and teaching at Rice University. With his knack for business and opportunities, Skinner built the largest oil and gas strategy consulting business in the country, which provided him the opportunity to travel the world working with executives and heads of state. While traveling he took the opportunity to try local food and wine in the areas he visited, and he incorporated this knowledge into his businesses. Skinner came to Houston in 1995 and to Bay Area Houston in 2000. In 2007 he bought an existing winery, D’Vine Wine, in Kemah. He expanded it to include party and event space while continuing to run his consulting company (which he recently sold). He bought nearby land and commissioned an architect for drawings of a commercial winery in July of 2008. Then came Hurricane Ike. With the damage and destruction of so many buildings, including D’Vine Wine, Skinner decided to go forward and follow his original dream of building a large commercial winery. In late 2009, Skinner started the arduous process of working with architects, builders, and equipment manufacturers to design his dream for Clear Creek Winery. By 2010, he had organized a team of builders, suppliers, and designers that could do the work with the flow and design he envisioned. Skinner wanted this building to withstand any weather. “It is hurricane strong,” says Skinner. Built over 20 feet above the ground, Clear Creek is engineered to withstand a category 4 storm and flooding. “The infrastructure is massive,” says Skinner.

The Clear Creek grand opening was July of this year, and the new restaurant, Tabella, has just signed its own celebrity chef – Link Livingston. Link has been cooking for the rich and famous all over the world from supermodels and rock stars to NFL team owners. Link brings his passion for outstanding food, service, and fun to Clear Creek Winery and Tabella. His inventive and fresh menu will delight all your senses. Look for the official grand opening soon.

“Clear Creek Winery is community involved, and in December is assisting with the Toys for Tots Campaign by being a local toy drop-off location.” What more do they offer? With three winemakers, the fermentation and bottling rooms are kept busy making a great variety of wines (I especially enjoyed their red zinfandel). They are known for their fruit infused wines, which are actual grape wines with fruit added after the fermentation process. Their peach chardonnay is refreshing and pairs well with cheeses, as an aperitif. Cranberry Shiraz is a favorite for the holidays. The tasting room/gift shop has plenty of merchandise for your holiday shopping. A fun niche at Clear Creek Winery is the opportunity to work with one of their winemakers and blend your own wine. “As little as 2% of an additional wine is taste discernible when blending,” says Skinner, “and people know what they like.” A winemaker can help you achieve the balance of flavors and nuances that suits your individual palate. A wonderful holiday gift or special occasion offering is the personalized wine bottle label. You can attach this to your own blend or any existing wine at the winery. Clear Creek Winery is community involved, and in December is assisting with the Toys for Tots Campaign by being a local toy drop-off location. You can find upto-date events, such as ladies night (Thursdays), and other seasonal events on their Facebook page www. facebook.com/ClearCreekVineyard. For Winery hours and more information, you can access their website at www.clearcreekvineyard.com. Skinner describes Clear Creek as, “Having the whole experience.” He also owns The Clipper House Inn, Bed & Breakfast, next door. His mother-in-law, Barbara Hopper, manages it and is famous for her wine cakes made from Clear Creek wines, a favorite among guests. Parties and private events can be hosted at Clear

Creek. The “Bottle Room” can seat from 10 to 12 guests, and the adjoining room (with fireplace) can accommodate up to 40. The “Barrel Room” can seat 22. Weddings and large events for up to 200 guests can incorporate the entire winery, restaurant, bed and breakfast and grounds. Come for a glass of wine, a special event, and stay overnight or the weekend. DECEMBER 2011 | Bay Area Houston Magazine

Clear Creek Winery Announces New Chef for Tabella

Go Texan Fashion Show Launches Exciting New Look

avid Skinner, owner of Clear Creek Winery and the Bay Area’s premier restaurant, Tabella, is pleased to announce and introduce you to the latest addition to the winery family, Chef Link Livingston. “I am so excited to have Chef Link carry on Tabella’s concept of farm to table cuisine and continue the excellence Tabella embraces,” says Skinner. Chef Link has a long history of creating fresh and organic dishes of the highest quality. His creativity and love for fine dining will show every time you dine at Tabella. As Chef Link says, “I can just look at a table and envision exactly what I want to do with it. I love making people happy through great atmosphere and food.” Education along with experience is the key to preparing great food and Chef Link brings over 15 years of just that to Tabella. Naming just a few of his culinary

atch out New York, Paris, and Milan. The runway venue familiar to those cities will appear in our own NASA Gilruth Center on Friday, January 27, 2012, at 11 a.m. In its 46th year, the NASA Go Texan Fashion Show theme will be “Cowboy to Couture,,,,From the Range to the Runway.” Guests will be seated in chairs all facing the runway. After the show, guests will leave the fashion show area to be seated at tables for the luncheon provided by Tamara Vogt’s Grand Finale Catering. Ann Blanchard, the event coordinator, is full of new ideas and is bubbling over with enthusiasm about the new approach to the old show. Phil Pampolina will serve as master of ceremonies and will have the group enjoying themselves on the dance floor after lunch. There will be live and silent auctions and boutique vendor booths to make sure you are properly outfitted

educational achievements, Livingston is a graduate of Texas Tech University, with a BS in Restaurant, Hotel and Institutional Management, a Culinary Arts Honor Student at the Art Institute of Houston and has attended the American Yachting Institute. As a celebrity chef, Link Livingston comes to

the Bay Area with a vast history of food and beverage consulting for hotels and private service as chef to many River Oaks estates as well as private yachts, ranches, and restaurants. Chef Link will fit in with more than just his cooking. He is committed to community service and is a lifetime member of the Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo, the 100 Club, and the National Rifle Association. He holds membership in the Gulf

Bay Area Houston Magazine | DECEMBER 2011

Coast Conservation Association and was chairman of the Sigma Alpha Epsilon’s 25th Annual Chili Cook-Off while at Texas Tech. Tabella is presently undergoing renovations with Chef Link as consultant. The restaurant will reopen soon. Clear Creek Winery, Resort and Tabella are located at 709 Harris Avenue in Kemah. Call the winery at 281-334-8300 for information or go to www.clearcreekvineyard. com for updates on Tabella. Also visit www.baygroupmedia. com for coming events at Clear Creek Winery and Tabella’s grand opening.

for the 2012 rodeo season. The proceeds will benefit the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo. The Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo contributes more money in scholarships to CCISD seniors than any other organization. Each high school in CCISD will receive at least one $16,000 scholarship this spring. Several high schools in CCISD will receive more than one. Even though there will be major changes in this year’s show, there will be several constants. The rollicking fun, the marvelous food and producer Len Matuszewski will all still be there. Make your reservations early to make sure you have seats for this spectacular fashion show. The tickets are $100 per person and can be reserved by calling Emmeline Dodd at 281-4883143 or emailing her at txdodd@ aol.com. For tickets or more info, Ann Blanchard may also be contacted at 409-789-0339 or azblanchard@ymail.com.

Galveston Events for December Thursday, December 1-3: Festival of Lights

(Moody Gardens, 1 Hope Blvd., Galveston, TX) - 6 - 10pm

Saturday, December 3: Dickens on the Strand (2300 Strand, Galveston, TX) - 10am - 9pm

Saturday, December 10: Schlitterbahn Heated Indoor Season

(Schlitterbahn Waterpark, 2026 Lockheed Dr., Galveston, TX) - 10am - 5pm

Sunday, December 18: GIAA Ninth Annual Concert Series (Moody Mansion, 2618 Broadway, Galveston, TX) - 5 - 6:30pm

Friday, December 23: “Mr. Popper’s Penguins 2D”

(Moody Gardens, 1 Hope Blvd., Galveston, TX) - 9:20pm - 10:55pm

Tuesday, December 27: “Imagine Christmas” Dinner & Show (Moody Gardens, 1 Hope Blvd., Galveston, TX) - 7pm

Thursday, December 29: Bishop’s Palace Tour

(Bishop’s Palace, 1402 Broadway, Galveston, TX) - 12 - 12:45pm

Saturday, December 31: New Year’s at the San Luis Resort (The San Luis Resort, 5222 Seawall Blvd., Galveston, TX) - 8pm - 1am

DECEMBER 2011 | Bay Area Houston Magazine

ow that wetsuit season is upon us, I’d like to stress the importance of buying the right wetsuit and to give you a few tips on how to do this. Buying a wetsuit with the proper fit and style will affect your mobility and how comfortable you are in the water. For this reason, you need to make sure you put in the time to assure that you’re getting the right suit for your needs. The first thing you need to assess when buying a wet suit is the water temperature you’ll be using it in because this determines how thick of a wetsuit

you need to buy. If you’ll be using your wetsuit here in the gulf, you really don’t need to buy anything thicker than a 3/2. Most of the surf shops, if not all, in our area will only offer a 3/2 thickness anyway. So now that you know how thick your wetsuit needs to be, you need to determine how often you will be using it.

Bay Area Houston Magazine | DECEMBER 2011

Are you a hardcore surfer that goes every time the surf is up or do you just go once or twice a month? If you’ll be in your wetsuit a lot, you might want to invest the money on a more expensive suit. The more expensive the suit, the higher quality of neoprene you get. Higher quality neoprene is more stretchy and light and thus gives you more mobility in the water.

Wetsuits are also sealed or stitched in different ways. Certain ways of stitching a wetsuit let in less water and of course affect the cost of the suit. One of the most important factors in buying wetsuit is the fit. Go to your surf shop ready to try on multiple suits. Never buy a wetsuit online without having tried it on first. Different brands have different fits so just because you are a small in a Billabong wetsuit doesn’t mean you’ll be a small in an O’Neill wetsuit. When trying on suits, you want to make sure there isn’t extra gathering under your arms, or on your back. These gaps in your wetsuit will let in more water and this in turn makes you colder. Now that you have your suit, make sure to take proper care of it by rinsing it with fresh water after every session to get the salt water out. Also, you don’t want to hang up your suit or fold it up tightly in the offseason because this can stretch it out and change the fit. The most important thing is to enjoy your new purchase and put it to use. With that being said, I’ll see you in the water!

Bay Area Houston Magazine | DECEMBER 2011

DECEMBER 2011 | Bay Area Houston Magazine

texas m e d i tat i o n s

By M i c ha el Gos

The Glass Driftwood, Texas When going from lunch in Lockhart to libations in Luckenbach, there are a variety of back road routes you can take.

ne of my favorites is up FM 150 to Dripping Springs, then west on 290 to Sisterdale Road. Just a few miles before you get to Dripping Springs, you pass through the almost-ghost town of Driftwood. If you have heard of the town, I’d be willing to bet it is because of the Salt Lick Bar-b-que. There isn’t much else there. The town’s name is an enigma. It isn’t on the ocean. There is no lake. It’s a long way to the nearest river. And Onion Creek, well, it’s a ways away, and you can step over it in most places. So why Driftwood? I walked up the steps to the only store in town. At some point in the past it had been a Texaco station, but from the look of the gas pumps, I’m guessing that was a long time ago. Now it is an old-time general store. The sign above

the door identifies the town as Driftwood, but doesn’t mention the population—21. Instead, it gives the altitude—1,043 feet. That struck me as strange. History tells us that in the 1850s the town was called Liberty Hill. It had a couple of boom periods, one of which saw the population grow to over 100. What history fails to tell us is how it came to be called Driftwood. Small town general stores are good places to pick up road-warrior food—jerky and diet coke—and to talk to people about their towns. Business is usually slow and the storekeeper more than likely has plenty of time to sit and chat. If he doesn’t, the occasional local patron who drops in does.

Bay Area Houston Magazine | DECEMBER 2011

Some people are more outgoing than others and the old man running this store was a bit on the reserved side. My first few questions garnered only terse replies, but I kept at it and slowly he seemed to loosen up. It wasn’t long before we were having a real conversation. He asked all the usual questions: where I was from,

where I was going. And I asked about the name of the town. “I hadn’t thought much about it. Been named that since before I was born.” He hesitated for a minute, and then added, “Maybe so people would think we were on the beach. I don’t know. Might attract tourists, I suppose.”

“Does it force us to buy into a belief system that takes us in one direction, while the truth goes off in another?” We talked for a half hour, mostly about good bar-b-que, and the subject of the town’s name never came up again. Still, it was on my mind. Later, driving out of town, I thought about what he had said—how maybe, somewhere back in time, the name was chosen as an intentional misdirection aimed at tourists. S Misdirection, when used properly, can be an incredibly powerful tool. Some of my favorite plays in football involve misdirection—reverses, trap plays, naked bootlegs. They all rely on one thing; can you find a herd of people naive enough to bite on the misdirection. If you can do that, you can run right past the opposition. You can just bowl them over. But if we are really paying attention, we notice misdirection everywhere around us. Politicians are notorious for using it. But it is in our everyday lives as well. A common example of using misdirection to completely bamboozle a large mass of people is the old question

“is the glass half-empty, or half-full.” Over the years we have been trained to believe that this is a profound, almost sacred question. We believe that if we ask it in good faith and study the situation with an almost religious fervor, the answer will teach us something extremely valuable about ourselves. We all want nice things, lots of nice things. For us, the full glass represents having everything we want in life, the fulfillment of all our desires, material and otherwise. The way we answer the question is supposed to give us great insight into who we are. Am I an optimist? A pessimist? Is my viewpoint realistic? Is it healthy to be this way? But I’m skeptical; does that thought process really make sense? Or is the question itself bogus—merely a misdirection play? Could it be a tactic designed to keep us occupied with deep introspection in order to prevent us from seeing what is really happening around us, from asking the really important questions, from seeing the real problems? Does it force us to buy into a belief system that takes us in one

direction, while the truth goes off in another? I think that is precisely what is happening—and I think that it is intentional. Just where did this proverbial glass come from? Who imposed it on us? We treat it as if it were handed down from God himself. Who determined it would be our universal measure? And who said our glass was at the halfway mark? The happiest people I know are the ones who have learned to be satisfied with the life and possessions they have. They’ve learned to look at each and every one of their blessings—to experience them to the fullest and to milk them for all the pleasure they have to offer. For them, the glass is neither half-empty, nor half-full. The very question itself is ludicrous. They understand that the real issue here is that someone is trying to force them to use the wrong size glass—and they’ll have no part of it. They understand that in life, if you just use the right size glass, it will always be full. When we look at the glass that holds our blessings, instead of limiting our thoughts to perceptions of halffull or half-empty, we should look at what is really happening and instead ask ourselves if we are really willing to accept the wrong size glass.

DECEMBER 2011 | Bay Area Houston Magazine

T h e Big P i c tu re

by J ill M ich aels

Duane Ross

don’t remember when I met Duane Ross. As NASA’s longtime manager of astronaut selection and training, Duane narrated the Space Flight Medal presentations to flown space shuttle astronauts. Likely I first saw him during the STS-118 crew debriefing at Space Center Houston in 2007. At the time I had recently relocated to Bay Area Houston from my Idaho hometown, so that crew appearance allowed me to finally greet Idaho astronaut Barbara Morgan in person. As I continued attending these events, I got better acquainted with Duane. So I made arrangements with Duane to rendezvous at the Starbucks kiosk in the JSC cafeteria, next door to the Astronaut Office building, on Wednesday afternoon, July 20—the 42nd anniversary of the Apollo 11 Moon landing, and the day before the final landing of Atlantis and the end of the shuttle program. Ironically, when I took a seat near Starbucks, I noticed that someone had left the July issue of Bay Area Houston Magazine on the counter. Duane grew up in Healdton, Oklahoma (population 3,000), due north of Fort Worth. Since his father worked with Tinker Air Force Base, Duane assumed that would be his first job. He interviewed there but was required to take the Federal Service Test. He did so and waited for an employment offer. Out of the blue, Duane got a phone call and a job offer—from the Manned Spacecraft Center in Houston. “It was blind-fool luck,” Duane joked, “and I accepted.” August 21, 1967 was Duane’s first day at NASA, only 12 days after he graduated (counting summer school). Apollo 6 was his first mission in the space business. “I also volunteered during 7. The night shift.” In the late 1960s, the second and third floors of the Mission Control Center were identical, including the Mission Operations Control Room. During July 1969, Gene Kranz was ensconced on the third floor for Apollo 11. Chris Kraft decided to bring up displays on the second floor and allow employees to watch. “They needed some flunky to manage that,” reported Duane. The duty fell to him. Duane’s highest-access MOCR badge granted him admission into the Mission Operations Control Room 10 minutes before the first lunar landing. “A dozen other people had the same idea.” Duane drew a diagram of the MOCR to show me where he was standing that night as Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin made their heartstopping descent onto the lunar surface.

Bay Area Houston Magazine | DECEMBER 2011

Duane Ross and Jill Michaels pose for a photo after the STS-135 debriefing at Space Center Houston on August 3, 2011.

In 1971, Duane began working in the JSC personnel office as the representative for FCOD (Flight Crew Operations Directorate). He started assisting with the activities concerning astronauts in 1973. “We began preparing in 1975 to make the announcement for the 1978 class. TFNG. Thirty-Five New Guys.” What has Duane liked most about his work in the space business? “Being in the middle of mankind’s greatest achievements.” He revealed that Apollo 13 was the first launch that he attended. “I didn’t know about the accident until I got back to Houston.” But his most memorable time at NASA thus far, Duane confided, was Apollo 8. “I was in the viewing area of Mission Control. They gave the call: ‘Go for TLI (translunar injection).’ I said to myself: ‘Man, we’re really going to do this.’ ” A keepsake memory from this year was the Shuttle Training Aircraft (STA) practice landings during the STS-135 Terminal Countdown Demonstration Test at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. “I got to fly in the STA with Chris Ferguson and Steve Nagel. Steve was part of the class of 1978.” Almost as a postscript to our conversation, Duane remembered: “I’m also the manager of the JSC Oral History project” detailing the ShuttleMir program, the precursor to the International Space Station program. “(Astronaut and Shuttle-Mir program manager) Frank Culbertson said it was extremely important to document that. Clay Morgan collected all the interviews into one book.” To make this story an Idaho flyaround for me, Duane revealed that he would travel to Boise in September to visit Clay and Barbara Morgan. The best part about shooting the breeze with Duane Ross? In the big picture, when he drops names from his four-decade career, he isn’t namedropping.

DECEMBER 2011 | Bay Area Houston Magazine

Bay Area Houston Magazine | DECEMBER 2011

DECEMBER 2011 | Bay Area Houston Magazine

FINANCIAL FOCUS Brought to you by Manage Your Money Carefully This Holiday Season As you know, the holiday season can be joyous, hectic, celebratory — and expensive. And while you certainly enjoy hosting family gatherings and giving presents to your loved ones, you’ll find these things even more pleasurable if they don’t add a lot more weight to your debt load. And that’s why you’ll want to follow some smart money-management techniques over the next few weeks. To begin with, try to establish realistic budgets for both your entertaining and your gift giving. When you host family and friends, don’t go overboard on your expenditures. Your guests will still appreciate your efforts, which, with a little creativity, can create a welcoming and fun experience for everyone. As a guiding principal, keep in mind these words attributed to Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, the famous German poet and philosopher: “What you can do without, do without.” Set a budget and stick to it. And the same rule applies to your gifting. You don’t need to find the most expensive presents, or overwhelm recipients with the sheer volume of your gifts. This is especially true if you, like so many people, have been affected by the tough economy. Everyone you know will understand that gifts don’t have to be lavish to be meaningful. Furthermore, by sticking to a budget, you won’t be tempted to dip into your long-term investments to pay for fabulous parties or mountains of gifts. It’s never a good idea to tap long-term investments for short-term needs, but can be especially bad when your investment prices are down, as they may well be this year. So, if you want to stick to a budget but you don’t want to raid your investments, how can you pay for your holiday season expenses? If you can spread out your purchases, you may be able to pay for them from your normal cash flow. But if that’s not possible, you might want to consider “plastic” — your credit card. Using your credit card does not, by itself, need to amount to a financial setback, especially if you’ve chosen a card that offers favorable terms and you’ve already shown the discipline not to over-use that card. Just try to minimize your credit card usage over the holidays and pay off your card as soon as you can. Of course, you can make your holiday season much easier, financially speaking, if you’ve set up a holiday fund to cover your various expenses. While it’s too late to set up such a fund this year, why not get an early start on the 2012 holiday season? All you need to do is put away some money each month into an easily accessible account, separate from your everyday accounts. You don’t have to put in a great deal, but you do need to be consistent, which is why you may want to have the money moved automatically, once a month, from your checking or savings account to your holiday fund. When next year’s holiday season rolls around, you might be pleasantly surprised by how much you’ve accumulated. But for now, following some common-sense money management practices can help you get through the holiday season in financial shape — and that type of result can get your new year off to a positive start.

Bay Area Houston Magazine | DECEMBER 2011

HOLIDAY BUDGETING CENTER By Jason Alderman

t’s the time of year for gift giving, entertaining, holiday parties, and for many-overspending and financial stress. This year, enjoy the season without letting holiday spending get the better of you; the tips and tools below will help. Setting a realistic holiday budget and making sure to stick to it is the first step to enjoying a more affordable and less stressful season. Here are a few ways to handle gift giving and celebrations without breaking the bank:

1. Set Your Budget

The best place to start making a holiday budget is to look at your spending during last year’s holiday season. In what areas did you spend more than planned? Next, make a list of the holiday purchases and events you plan to spend money on this year. Consider all of your major spending categories: gifts, entertaining, meals, and travel-then estimate how much you can afford to spend in each category. Knowing your spending goals long beforehand will help you stay on track financially as the season heats up.

2. Get Creative

One great way to save money and wow friends and families is to get creative. Store-bought gifts are great, but homemade gift are often more

Bay Area Houston Magazine | DECEMBER 2011

meaningful and most recipients truly appreciate your time and effort. Ideas for creative gift projects are plentiful online.

3. Join Together

Instead of excessively spending on each other this year, join together with family members to help those who may be less fortunate.

4. Travel Wisely

If you plan on traveling, take some time to determine how much it will cost you before you pack your bags.

5. Entertain for Less

Holidays are a wonderful time to entertain, but a little planning and budgeting can help you avoid financial headaches. For additional tips on helping your budget stay on track, visit our Holiday Spending Survival Guide available at www.practicalmoneyskills. com. This article is brought to you by a partnership between Visa and Texas First Bank and was authored by Jason Alderman, who directs Visa’s financial education programs. For more information, follow Texas First Bank on Facebook, Twitter and You Tube or visit us at www.texasfirstbank.com.

By Whitney Parks f you haven’t had the chance to stop by the newest pizza restaurant in town, Roman Delight Pizzeria and Enoteca, you need to do yourself a favor and drop in. Our office staff was greeted with hospitality, 5-star service, and an absolute feast when we stopped in. Something that made Roman Delight Pizza stand out among almost every other pizza I’ve ever had is its lack of grease and lack of heavy feeling it leaves after you’re done eating. Roman Delight uses only the best, freshest ingredients and this is the secret behind their lack of grease. The mozzarella used in all of their recipes is part-skim, the pepperoni is of high quality, and the dough is made fresh each day and never frozen. After living in New York for a few months, my expectations for pizza are pretty high and this was the first place I’ve been to since my return from New York that was really reminiscent of the pizza offered there. The slices are huge and can be purchased individually at a complete steal (only $2.89 for a slice of cheese.) I loved their cheese calzone stuffed with ricotta, mozzarella, and parmigiana. Their use of ricotta especially reminded me of some of my favorite New York pizzerias. They even offer a traditional NY white pizza that’s made with ricotta. The stuffed spinach pizza, with spinach, ricotta, parmigiana, and mozzarella was perhaps the biggest hit at our lunch table.

If you’re not in the mood for pizza, Roman Delight also offers sub sandwiches, fresh salads, and pasta plates. Our favorite sandwich was the Philly Cheese Steak made in a more traditional Italian way than what most people are used to.

Perhaps one of the most surprising things about Roman Delight Pizzeria is the ambiance. There is an underlying casual feel amidst a comfortable, and beautifully decorated, spotless restaurant. This is the perfect place to stop in and watch the game on one of their multiple flat screens, bring the kids after their sporting events, or to relax and have a glass of wine or beer on tap. With unbeatable prices, fresh food, and a spotless restaurant, Roman Delight Pizzeria and Enoteca is a must try for people who live in the Bay Area. Make sure to stop in their location at Marina Bay Village in League City next to San Lorenzo’s for a good value, good food, and a good time.

DECEMBER 2011 | Bay Area Houston Magazine

“Ask Buccaneer” Prepare Your Home for Winter and the Dry Conditions

e have survived a brutal summer and winter is fast approaching. The focus now shifts to making our homes ready for the colder days ahead. I suggest everyone take this time to call a licensed HVAC tech to inspect your heating system and run a test for proper venting and operations. Now is also a good time to check your doors and windows for leaks, broken panes and bad seals or call a professional general contractor to do it for you. Most contractors have the equipment for the proper testing and will know how to service your residence. Because of the very dry season we are experiencing, my company has received numerous calls for cracked drywall and brick separation. After our inspections, we found that no soaker hoses were used. It is very important to keep the ground damp around the base of your slab with soaker hoses. Because of the water restrictions in most communities, check with your local city government about when and what days you are allowed to water your yard. If the problem starts to affect door openings and if window problems occur, notify a reputable foundation company listed on the BBB list or talk to your neighbors for recommendations. Buccaneer Construction offers free advice about these issues and will gladly answer any questions you have. Email us at Vic@buccaneerconstruction.com.

Galveston Entrepreneur Anticipates Tourism Boom By Kathleen Potter Wooldridge

hen Joyce Calver moved to Galveston eight years ago, she saw her new home not only as a Texas coastal town with a rich history going back to the days of pirates, rapscallions, and bootleggers, but as a town full of possibilities for commerce, and high quality tourist attractions that incorporated the city’s colorful past. In her pre-Galveston life, Calver was a private and a marine investigator, a small business liaison for the Reagan Administration, and a perpetual student. After moving to Galveston, she opened Footsie’s, which morphed into Heads To Footsie’s after Hurricane Ike, and became involved in the Historic Downtown Galveston Partnership, which is instrumental in the planning of future development of the Port of Galveston and Historic Galveston. Ms. Culver has a unique take on what the Galveston business district needs to accommodate the thousands of tourists that will be coming to downtown with the increased cruise ship traffic. “We can expect to see six to seven million visitors in downtown Galveston with the added cruise ship traffic, and those who come to Galveston as a primary destination. Galveston is one of the top five haunted cities in America. The famous pirate, Jean Lafitte used the island as a base of operation, and a place to expand his organization. What can make a visit to a coastal town more fun than ghosts and pirates?” Culver went to work, creating Haunted Mayfield Manor at 23rd and Strand (www.hauntedmayfieldmanor. com). Dr. Horace Mayfield was a general physician, with a penchant for doing

Bay Area Houston Magazine | DECEMBER 2011

Haunted Mayfield Manor Pirate’s Legends of the Gulf Coast 23rd and Strand/Galveston, TX 409-762-6677

creepy experiments on his unsuspecting patients. During the 1900 hurricane, he lost his family, fiancé, and all of his notes, which sent him farther over the edge than he was originally. The house tour is fabulous—visitors travel through the restored house, learning about its history and its importance to the Galveston of the late 1800s and early 1900s. The facilities are also suitable for a not so stuffy gala for your organization or a fun twist on a holiday themed event. Is the Mayfield Manor really haunted? I’ll just say this—just as I was going to ask Joyce Culver that same question, I felt something behind me, wrapping me in his arms. He was slightly taller than I, and seemed like an ok guy, uh, ghost. Culver’s work in progress is right next door—Pirate’s Legends of the Gulf Coast explores how pirates really lived, as opposed to the legends and stories. Frenchman Jean Lafitte established its first colony in 1817. It is said that his ghost still inhabits the island. One of Culver’s goals is to show tourists that pirates, as a rule, didn’t run around brandishing their swords, shouting “aaaaarrrrrgggg”. Lafitte’s colony was well established, and he was more like a ruthless businessman or a mafia don, rather than the Johnny Depp stereotype. Expect your stereotypes to be laid to rest. Tickets for each attraction are $10.00. Combo tickets and children’s rates are available. Call for information for school field trips or group tours.

DECEMBER 2011 | Bay Area Houston Magazine

Bay Area Houston Magazine | DECEMBER 2011