CREAM No.7: The Anniversary Issue!

founder & publisher fernando de haro production director analee g. paz C I T Y M A G A Z I N E

copy editor

NO 7

graciela garcia

THE ANNIVERSARY ISSUE

june • july 2011

C I T Y M A G A Z I N E

interns

jerome averill, cristina calderon, selene cuevas, mayra flores, mariajose mendiola, deodata torres-rosell

design & production photographer ferch graphic designer analee g. paz

writers ruben bazan, gabriela enriquez, moon jamaluddin, bobby turner special thanks celina diaz, familia paz + serna, nora signoret, mariajose mendiola, brenda ibarra, fercheese gaytan, laura cardenas, adriana alarcon, lisa longoria, laura reynoso, and the laredo energy arena

ADVERTISING

publisher

sales@creamcitymagazine.com + 956.753.6755

i am honored to welcome you to our anniversary issue, a long-awaited milestone reached thanks to the hard work, devotion, and determination of a committed group of people united in their desire to make a difference and offer, every two months, a publication they can be proud of.

N o7 cream team

I am grateful to all the individuals who, in their own special way, throughout seven editions, have contributed their time, ideas, and suggestions. Without their contributions, Cream would not be possible. I also want to thank every single one of our sponsors. They have entrusted us with the responsibility of promoting in a tasteful manner their products and services intended for a discerning and demanding reader. It is because of our selective readers, that we are motivated in every issue to bring you content with the Cream touch.

Ordinary is not in our vocabulary.

As a further expression of gratitude, our main feature focuses on the place we live in. We photographed one hundred people from both Laredos to celebrate our diversity and the ties that bind us. We hope that this article will bring back good memories while we come together and gaze into the future.

Thank you for being part of us.

1

Analee G. Paz 4

Paola Seifer

2 5

7 Graciela García 8

Mariajose Mendiola Ruben Bazan

6

3

Cristina Calderon

Valeria Barceló Casso

Deodata Torres-Rosell

9

Jerome Averill

Cream City Magazine on Twitter for daily updates, tidbits, behind the TWEET US! Follow scenes pics+videos+links, and pointless babble at twitter.com/creamcitymag Copyright © 2011 Cream City Magazine is a bi-monthly publication.

All rights reserved. Points of view expressed do not necessarily represent those of Cream City Magazine. We reserve the right to refuse any advertisement we believe is incompatible with our mission. We also reserve the right to refuse any advertisement we deem competitive or contrary to the best interests of the magazine.

Advertisers are legally responsible for the content, accuracy, and images in their ads. Printed in Mexico.

Like! us on facebook / cream city magazine AND FOR EVERYTHING ELSE VISIT OUR WEBSITE AT

creamcitymagazine.com

8

12

16

20

22

V IS (1OO N (

27

P R E S E N T E D

39

43

49

51

B Y

C R E A M C I T Y M A G A Z I N E

jmg

1 Our first cover girl, Paulina Vidales, withstood close to five hours of cold in the February weather in just a bikini, only to have us select one of the last indoor photographs taken that day.

2

For the second cover, we were honored to showcase Evelyn Sames who was concurrently celebrating the 100th anniversary of Sames Motor Co. as well as being the first female at its helm—she was a delight and a first class act.

G

IN R E V NCO

U

M A RE

C

ects t asp g of n a t r akin impo most m is the m . Here’s e h t of ies ea One afting Cr ture stor ork that r a w c e f when vers and o the hard each. t o f our c insight in reation o c some nt in the we

13 perfectly calculated photo shoots in three days in the city that never sleeps!

Subway, cabs, walking—we did it all. It was one of our best and most exhilarating experiences.

5

For this issue, our main focus was to feature the George Washington Celebration in a new light. We were privileged to have past portrayers of George and Martha share their unique experiences.

3

6

4

Twelve very active and outgoing kids graced our 6th issue to honor México’s Dia de los Niños celebrated in April; interacting with them and getting to know them was fun.

Elva Salinas traveled hundreds of miles and defied a feverish cold and a seven hour photo shoot that was designed for two models! Only her dedication and professionalism could have pulled this one off.

cream june / july 2011

7

VICTOR HUGO GARCIA, GREENPEACE ACTIVIST The environment has become his passion and every day he fights to make the public aware on the importance of conserving our planet.

CLAUDIA CANTÚ, FOUNDER OF MIRADA DE AMOR With her loving look, she has raised funds to benefit the children on both sides of the border.

NINFA CANTÚ DEÁNDAR, PUBLISHER OF EDITORA ARGOS Twenty-five years of experience in the newsroom back her solid reputation in the field of journalism.

For our anniversary edition, we recognize three special persons whose efforts are infused with energy and devotion.

CLAUDIA CANTÚ Founder of Mirada de Amor When my son Alejandro was born in 2003, I wanted him to learn at an early age how to help other children—I was pretty young myself when I started participating in altruistic causes in Nuevo Laredo. I came up with the idea of creating a club with Alex as a member. Thanks to the support of my husband, Carlos, Mirada de Amor was born.

We decided that the members of the club would be children from our family and friends only to ensure that they would learn spiritual and moral values.

We wanted to instill in them a social conscience and teach them that there are other children who are just like them but in need of a helping hand. The twelve children who belong to the club carry on with their school duties and usual activities, but they all team up when a project comes along and they do it with such joy.

I still remember fondly the first outdoor, living Nativity scene that the children did to gather gifts for a charity institution. It turned out to be the coldest day of the year.

Although they were freezing, the children were happy and collected thirty gifts.

Every year we continue this tradition to emphasize the real meaning of Christmas.

Besides, with the collaboration of friends and neighbors, we’ve been able to collect up to 500 gifts in one afternoon.

I am convinced that any child can create a better future if he learns about sharing and helping out. Just thinking how delighted the children are when they receive their gifts is so rewarding. It’s such a sight when the children meet and hug each other. That stays with you forever!

NINFA CANTÚ DEÁNDAR Publisher of Editora Argos My career with Editora Argos began twenty-five years ago. I realized the great opportunity that the press has of serving others. Journalists carry on their shoulders a huge responsibility. First, we have to be good listeners in order to be able to communicate in a concise, objective, and clear way—it’s very interesting. Working in the newspaper, you meet people who come to us sharing altruistic, community projects as well as social injustices. The latter can make you feel impotent when you can’t help; however, I have also seen how a good article can transform a bad situation into a good one. To be a good journalist, you have to be perseverant without losing your sense of ethics, never hurt anyone, and be courageous to defend your values and principles.

I always have in mind several projects before I attempt to undertake any. My career has rewarded me immensely, but I hold a special place in my heart for Juguetón. It was an experience that I haven’t forgotten. We worked with a fabulous team that included mass media, social clubs, schools, universities, private enterprises, and another team from Laredo, Texas. We became one big family with a common goal: That every child from los dos Laredos would smile and have a Christmas gift.

It would have been nice to have studied abroad and also travel more but should and never are not in my vocabulary anymore.

When assessing my life, knowing that it can be gone in an instant, it inspires me to know I’m alive and that I can be of service to others. I like to think that everything I have done and do matters.

VICTOR HUGO GARCIA Greenpeace Activist My activism began when I decided to join Greenpeace due to their vast resources and commitment to find solutions to many of our most critical global environmental issues. Basically, I realized that most of the major catastrophes affecting our planet are caused by human error, irresponsibility, and greed.

When I decided to join Greenpeace as a volunteer, I never imagined it would open up such an array of learning as well as opportunities to influence my community.

Last year I had the privilege of going to our nation’s capital to attend a summit with other forty top Greenpeace activists from around the country and the world.

While there, we personally handed a handwritten letter to each state senator at Capitol Hill regarding BP’s oil spill disaster in the Gulf of Mexico. It was an empowering experience!

I am inspired by the certainty that we all have the power to change the fate of our environment. Also, my desire to motivate others to learn to appreciate and care for our natural resources. Regardless of my limitations, I believe I can impact our community and, consequently, our world.

Someone I admire is Kumi Naidoo from South Africa, current Greenpeace International Executive Director. He led global campaigns when he was only fifteen, and although he is from a country with so many problems, he has had a tremendous influence on issues like apartheid, poverty, global warming, and human rights.

WANT TO NOMINATE SOMEONE FOR UPCOMING PROFILES (OR HAVE SOME FEEDBACK)? EMAIL US AT PROFILES@CREAMCITYMAGAZINE.COM OR MESSAGE US ON FACEBOOK!

WELCOME TO MIAMI, BIENVENIDO A MIAMI—LA LETRA DE LA CANCIÓN “MIAMI” DE WILL SMITH HACE ALUSIÓN A ESTA BELLA CIUDAD Y LA DESCRIBE COMO UN LUGAR DE DIVERSIÓN CONTINUA. EN REALIDAD TAMBIÉN ES UNA CIUDAD DINÁMICA, LLENA DE ESTUDIANTES ÁVIDOS DE APRENDER—DESDE DISEÑO HASTA COMUNICACIÓN Y BUCEO. RECIENTEMENTE DE VIAJE POR MIAMI, PLATICAMOS CON DOS LAREDENSES, ADRIANA MARTÍNEZ Y CHRISTOPHER JIMÉNEZ, SOBRE SU EXPERIENCIA ESTUDIANTIL Y COMO SE HAN ADAPTADO EN GENERAL AL AMBIENTE DE ALLÁ.

FOTOGRAFÍA FERCH

cream june / july 2011

13

PARA TODAS AQUELLAS PERSONAS QUE NO SE ATREVEN A ESTUDIAR LEJOS DE CASA MI CONSEJO ES “NO TENGAN MIEDO”.

Hay infinidad de posibilidades más allá de lo que conocemos, así que aprovechen la oportunidad.

¿QUÉ FUE LO QUE TE HIZO VENIR A ESTA CIUDAD? Después

de haber vivido en San Francisco, me di cuenta que ya estaba cansado del clima, la lluvia y el frío, así que decidí venir a Miami porque hace calor y me gustan sus playas y el ambiente latino. ¿QUÉ ES LO QUE MÁS TE GUSTA DE AQUÍ? Vivir solo me ha dado un nuevo sentido de independencia. Además, me gusta el estilo de vida más calmado que llevan las personas en Miami. Siempre es una buena opción ir a pasar la tarde en la playa después de clase. ¿QUÉ ESTÁS ESTUDIANDO Y POR QUÉ? Estoy estudiando Diseño de Interiores en Miami International University of Arts and Design. Decidí estudiar esta carrera porque me atraen los espacios y la creatividad que conlleva decorarlos. Seleccionar distintas piezas para adornar la habitación de una casa u hotel no es tarea sencilla; lograr la perfección requiere un estudio muy profundo del arte y conocimiento de cómo armonizar las piezas. Cada objeto tiene vida propia y— aunque las personas normalmente no se den cuenta— todo lugar ha sido decorado con un determinado propósito. ¿POR QUÉ TE DECIDISTE POR ESA ESCUELA? Lo primero que me llamó la atención fue que esta universidad es parte de los Art Institutes, lo cual le da prestigio. También su ubicación y la variedad de personas con las cuales me encuentro día a día. Me encanta la diversidad. ¿HAS HECHO MUCHOS AMIGOS? Al principio fue un poco difícil. Hacer amigos es como aprender las reglas de un juego, pero una vez que conoces a una persona, ya sabes cómo acercártele la siguiente vez. Tengo amigos de Venezuela, México, Puerto Rico, Honduras y Estados Unidos, obviamente. ¿EXTRAÑAS A TU FAMILIA? Mi familia es muy grande y la extraño mucho. En mi casa es difícil sentirse solo—siempre hay movimiento. Además, la tradición familiar culinaria es bastante fuerte; somos de proveniencia mexicana y busco los sabores picantes en todas las esquinas de Miami esperando encontrar un lugar con sabor auténtico. ¿CREES QUE

MIAMI PUEDA INFLUENCIAR TU FUTURO? Por el momento

no me preocupo en pensar donde terminaré viviendo o que haré el resto de mi vida. Creo que Miami me ha dado una perspectiva no solo psicológica sino artística, que seguramente influenciará mi trabajo en el futuro. ¿QUÉ HACÍAS ANTES DE VIVIR EN MIAMI? Estudiaba la misma carrera en San Francisco pero la universidad no llenaba mis expectativas, por ende, regresé a Laredo en el verano y luego en octubre me mudé aquí. ¿CUÁLES SON TUS METAS PROFESIONALES? Lo más importante en mi vida es que mi familia se enorgullezca de mis logros. Espero algún día poder tener mi propia empresa de diseño de interiores para trabajar en el sector empresarial y residencial. ¿QUÉ FACTORES CREES QUE SEAN LA CLAVE PARA LOGRARLAS? Definitivamente, ser una persona con una perspectiva muy amplia sobre el mundo para ofrecer a mis clientes una diversidad de propuestas. Esta visión, con un mundo de posibilidades, la conseguiré viviendo en diferentes lugares,conociendo diferentes culturas y, sobretodo, nunca dejando de estudiar. ¿ALGO MÁS QUE QUIERAS AGREGAR? Me encantaría aprovechar esta oportunidad para agradecer a mis familiares, especialmente a mi mamá y mi papá—quienes han sido mis pilares y mis ejemplos a seguir. Sin ellos no sería ni la mitad de la persona que soy. Espero al terminar mi carrera, vivir más cerca de ellos para que la familia no esté tan separada como lo está ahora y que reunirnos sea solo cuestión de cruzar la calle. Para todas aquellas personas que no se atreven a estudiar lejos de casa mi consejo es “No tengan miedo”. Hay infinidad de posibilidades más allá de lo que conocemos, así que aprovechen la oportunidad.

Por ultimo me gustaría agradecer a la revista Cream por haberme escogido para compartir mi vida aquí en Miami en esta edición de aniversario y no lo olviden… lo que pasa en Vegas, se queda en Vegas. Lo que pasa en Miami… ¡nunca pasó!

CHRISTOPHER JIMÉNEZ 23 AÑOS EN MIAMI DESDE OCTUBRE 2010

ADRIANA MARTINEZ 20 AÑOS EN MIAMI DESDE ENERO 2011

¿QUÉ FUE LO QUE TE HIZO VENIR A ESTA CIUDAD? Nunca

había estado en Miami pero decidí venir por lo que había escuchado acerca de la ciudad. Me gusta la playa y el sol; sabía que aquí iba a encontrar oportunidades que no encontraría en Laredo. ¿QUÉ ES LO QUE MÁS TE GUSTA DE AQUÍ? La diversidad de culturas.

Me encanta que aunque mucha gente, como yo, viene de lugares lejanos, Miami tiene algo que te hace sentir como en casa. ¿QUÉ ESTÁS ESTUDIANDO? Estoy estudiando Comunicación y una subespecialidad en Buceo en Barry University. ¿POR QUÉ TE DECIDISTE POR ESA ESCUELA? Porque tiene un programa muy bueno para mi carrera y me dieron beca. ¿HAS HECHO MUCHOS AMIGOS? Si, de todas partes del mundo. ¿EXTRAÑAS A TU FAMILIA? Extraño a mi familia y mi perrita pero lo que más extraño es la comida de mi casa. ¿CREES QUE MIAMI PUEDA INFLUENCIAR TU FUTURO? Me ofrece muchas oportunidades

y experiencias diferentes que no encontraría en ciudades chicas o con menos diversidad cultural. ¿QUÉ HACÍAS ANTES DE VIVIR EN MIAMI? Estuve un semestre en Austin y otro en Laredo adelantando materias para mi carrera. ¿CUÁLES SON TUS METAS PROFESIONALES? Me gustaría ser camarógrafa para una agencia que haga reportajes y documentales sobre la vida marina. ¿QUÉ FACTORES CREES QUE SEAN LA CLAVE PARA LOGRARLAS? Determinación, paciencia, relacionarme con la gente de este medio y aprovechar cada oportunidad que se me presente. ¿ALGO MÁS QUE QUIERAS AGREGAR? Cuando llegué a Miami estaba un poco intimidada por el tamaño de la ciudad y la cantidad de gente, pero con el pasar del tiempo aprendí que la gente es muy alegre y amigable. También aprendí que hasta en los lugares más grandes encuentras tu lugar y a tus amigos y al final el miedo desaparece.

Cuando llegué a Miami estaba un poco intimidada por el tamaño de la ciudad y la cantidad de gente, pero con el pasar del tiempo aprendí que la gente es muy alegre y amigable.

TAMBIÉN APRENDÍ QUE HASTA EN LOS LUGARES MÁS GRANDES ENCUENTRAS TU LUGAR Y A TUS AMIGOS Y AL FINAL EL MIEDO DESAPARECE.

cream june / july 2011

15

CIRO y SARA

El pasado 14 de mayo se unieron en feliz matrimonio Sara y Ciro, acompa単ados de sus familiares y amigos con quienes compartieron, en una noche perfecta, tan especial fecha.

- c

PHOTOGRAPHY FERCH

“i want to eat whatever is giving off that aroma!” said my friend as she got a whiff of my kitchen. Cooking traditional Bengali food often leaves the key ingredients wafting in the air, drawing people to explore combinations of flavors new to their palate. Watching people come over and make a beeline to my fridge is a compliment I always welcome!

CURRY IS NOT A

POWDER Indian or South Asian foods have gained a fiery reputation. When most people think of food from that side of the world, the first thing that comes to mind is curry! The word “curry” is an anglicized interpretation of the Indian word “kari,” which means sauce. Although available in cute little jars on the grocery store shelves, I would like to clarify: curry is not a powder! It is actually a blend of several spices—the main components being cumin, coriander, and turmeric. This gives you a nice base for adding other spices; generally the flavors vary by region and its traditional cooking methods. It excites me to cross borders and mix these curry adaptations. Those from South India and Nepal usually compliment the simplicity of Bengali recipes. Taking a look back at the history, Bangladesh’s modest resources led the young country to find alternate, native ingredients that would then help alter recipes to create simple, yet delicious menus. For example, you’ll find that saffron is not a common ingredient given that it is the most expensive spice by weight. Basic salt, turmeric, and chili powder can serve as a tasty base for most meats and vegetables.

Curry virgins must be my favorite social group.

Like anyone new to anything, they’re like a mound of play-doh—impressionable and in need of the right introduction to the flavors at hand.

Eradicating food stereotypes is oh, so satisfying.

I can understand how curry can be misconstrued as just a dish of spicy meat and gravy ready to attack your esophagus. But the delicate essence of simmering diced onions, toasted cumin, the light yellow of turmeric, and the bright red of chili powder doesn’t have to be a scary experience if done right and served over delicious steamed basmati rice.

Moon Jamaluddin is a private chef and caterer in Houston, she was born in Bangladesh and brings a new light to the traditional flavors.

Find more about Momo Catering on Twitter, Yelp, or Facebook.

A Nepali appetizer called momo inspired my kitchen; I have to admit it was also the underlying influence when naming my company. Momo Catering does delve into appetizer style dishes!

My crab curry rolls are a real crowd pleaser when entertaining. Fresh crab meat sautéed in an easy Bengali 5-spice mix and curry leaves (in this case curry is a leaf from South India—ironic, I know), all rolled in flaky phyllo dough. This deliciously golden brown, baked treat is kicked up a notch with a side of spicy tomato aioli. As these bite-size crab rolls crawl right off the serving platter, I love describing the various cultural influences I rolled into this neat little snack.

Things may seem a certain way about a culture until you take the time to understand where it comes from and what is really behind it. In my own young culinary career, I am excited to learn the artistic food distinctions that will possibly change how I approach global food realms. Add a napkin and a fork to your backpack and go on your own journey to find the colorfully distinct cultures that coexist on every plate. moon jamaluddin

TAKING IT TO THE with José Alvarez

INTERNATIONAL

CUISINE It is said that simplicity is the ultimate sophistication.

For our anniversary issue, we are delighted to bring you these delicious, yet easy recipes. Celebrate your own milestones with these diverse, delectable flavors.

JOSÉ ALVAREZ grew up spending time in the kitchen with his parents and grandparents from Yucatán and fell in love with the craft of savory and pastry cooking. He completed his culinary studies in San Antonio, Texas in 2007. Since then, his versatile skills stretch from Chinese to Italian flavors. After cooking, baking, and catering for events, friends, and family, he decided to open his own restaurant— Ki Bistro, a lifelong dream come true.

20

cream june / july 2011

STARTER

DESSERT

Chickpeas & Chorizo

Orange Granita

INGREDIENTS

INGREDIENTS

9 ounces/250g chorizo sausage in 1 piece, outer casing removed 4 tablespoons Spanish olive oil 1 onion, finely chopped 1 large garlic clove, crushed 14 ounces/400g canned chickpeas, drained and rinsed 6 pimientos del piquillo, drained, patted dry, and sliced 1 tablespoon of sherry vinegar, or salt and pepper to taste Finely chopped parsley, for garnish Crusty bread slices, for serving

6 small oranges, empty and frozen 1 1/2 cups orange juice from scooped oranges 1/2 cup water 1/4 cup sugar 1/2 cup orange-flavored liqueur (Recommended: Cointreau)

Dice the chorizo into 1/2 in/1cm. Heat the oil in a heavybottom skillet over medium heat, and add the onion and garlic. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is softened but not browned. Stir in the chorizo and cook until heated through.

INSTRUCTIONS

Transfer the mixture to a bowl and stir as you add the chickpeas and pimientos.

Splash the sherry vinegar and season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve hot or at room temperature, generously sprinkled with parsley, with plenty of crusty bread.

MAIN ENTRﾃ右

Chicken and Asparagus Crepes INGREDIENTS

3 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus more for the dish 2 1/2 cups shredded rotisserie chicken 1 1/2 cups ricotta cheese 3/4 cup grated parmesan cheese, plus more for serving 1/4 cup chopped fresh herbs (such as parsley, dill, chives or mint) Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper 8 store-bought crepes (about 9 inches each) 1 shallot, sliced 1/2 pound asparagus, trimmed and cut into pieces 3/4 cup low-sodium chicken broth 1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest INSTRUCTIONS Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Butter a large baking dish. Combine the chicken, ricotta, 1/2 cup parmesan, 3 tablespoons herbs, 3/4 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper in a medium bowl. Spoon about 1/4 cup of filling across the lower half of each crepe; roll up to enclose the filling. Place the crepes, seam-side down, in the baking dish. Cover with foil and bake until the filling is hot, about 15 minutes.

INSTRUCTIONS Cut the top off each orange, just enough to scoop out the pulp for later use. Discard tops and freeze empty orange shells. Note: For easier scooping, roll the oranges by hand before cutting the tops, using a firm downward pressure to loosen the pulp.

In a colander, fine mesh strainer, or food mill, mash the orange pulp to remove as much juice as possible. Add additional juice, if necessary, to make 1 1/2 cups.

Combine water and sugar in a small saucepan and bring to a boil. When the sugar is totally dissolved, remove from heat and allow to cool. Add orange juice and orange liqueur.

Pour the mixture into a shallow glass dish and place level in the freezer for 2 to 3 hours, mixing gently with a fork every 20 minutes until it forms ice crystals and thickens. The frequent mixing will keep the granita from freezing into a solid block.

Fill orange shells with frozen granita mixture and serve immediately.

Meanwhile, melt 3 tablespoons butter in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the shallot and cook until it softens, about 1 minute. Add the asparagus and cook until just tender, about 3 minutes.

Add the chicken broth, lemon zest and the remaining 1 tablespoon herbs and simmer until the sauce is slightly thickened, about 2 minutes. Stir in the remaining 1/4 cup parmesan and season with salt and pepper.

Divide the crepes among plates, top with the asparagus and sauce, and sprinkle with parmesan. cream june / july 2011

21

The

REAL SOUND OF MUSIC

amazing growth of the Music Dept. at TAMIU in particular.

I have some amazing students who are challenging me to IN THIS EDITION, WE HAD THE be a better teacher every day. The students I get at LCC are different in that they mostly are studying cello for recreational PRIVILEGE OF CONVERSING WITH rather than vocational reasons so there is a challenge in keeping BRENDAN TOWNSEND, LPO MUSICAL them motivated too, but the string area at TAMIU has grown enormously and that has been very exciting. I have watched DIRECTOR. HE ACQUAINTS US WITH THE my first student (whom I recruited and had solely in my studio BEGINNING OF HIS CAREER IN MUSIC, grow, develop, and now graduate), and there are five waiting in WHAT BROUGHT HIM TO LAREDO, AND line behind him about to follow in his footsteps. What makes a great director? A good musical director for an orchestra has HIS EXPERIENCE AS THE INSIGHTFUL to have many qualities. First and foremost, he or she must be CONDUCTOR OF THE LAREDO an excellent musician—well trained, have a deep understanding PHILHARMONIC ORCHESTRA. of the theory and practicalities of music, and the ability to understand the intentions of the composer. Secondly, they must be great communicators. Whether you are communicating your musical intentions to the musicians, or explaining the music to How did you start your career? I started my career by going to the audience, or discussing the advantages of having a symphony college (in Ireland, where I grew up) and while I was there I orchestra in your community with city leaders, communication persuaded my friends and colleagues in the diploma program to is the key. Third, a good musical director should be charismatic come together to play as a chamber orchestra. We did a number and able to work well with a variety of people. This is similar to of successful concerts and it gave me the chance to develop my the communication factor—you have to interact with the board skills before heading out into the “big world.” When I went to of directors, the media, the musicians and the community, the Netherlands to study, I repeated that same idea and that and you need everyone on your side! And finally, a good music became the “Lab orchestra” for the conducting class of my director must be a great leader, able to make sound judgments teacher, Jan Stulen. My professional debut came in 1994 when and inspire others to support them. For instance, the music I first conducted the Netherlands Promenade Orchestra with director chooses all the music for the concerts. In order to do that which I did many concerts in the following few years. After so that it will entertain, educate, and enhance the community, that, my career was built upon I have to understand each concert and with some more what the community guest conducting. Why music? wants to hear as well as My parents were musicians; my I HAVE HAD MANY PEOPLE WHO WERE FEARFUL OF COMING TO decide what they should dad taught at the Cork School THEIR FIRST CONCERT, BUT WHO LEFT EUPHORIC AND COULDN’T hear (not always the of Music and was the head of same thing) and hope to WAIT TO COME BACK TO EXPERIENCE THAT EUPHORIA AGAIN. dept. for Woodwinds/Brass/ build the community’s Singing/Percussion. So, from MUSIC HAS THE POWER TO LIFT YOUR SPIRIT AND TRANSPORT appreciation for new YOU TO A PLACE OF PEACE, JOY, AND TRANQUILITY an early age we were involved in music that they had not music, and they wanted us to get heard before. Once I music lessons. Both my parents have made that decision, would tell you that they didn’t I need to build support want us to become professional amongst the board to musicians, but to have that deep, life-long love of playing music raise the funds for the concert, and then lead the musicians to without having to rely on it to put food on the table. But I was perform the music in a way that will inspire the audience. Do hooked early on, and particularly, I wanted to be a conductor you have a favorite composer, musician, or conductor? I can’t from a very young age. And I never gave up on that dream; I pinpoint any one person because there are so many who had think that is important message for young people: Have a dream different qualities and talents. For instance, as composer probably and follow it no matter how hard the road gets. How long ago Beethoven, but I also love the music of Lowell Liebermann who did you come to Laredo and become director of the LPO? I is still alive (and quite young) and whose music is still evolving. came to Laredo in 2003 when the LPO signed an agreement I have worked with many amazing artists and soloists and all of with TAMIU and LCC to house the orchestra. I had lived and them brought unique talents to the stage. Of musicians who have worked in San Antonio and during that time had come to know passed away, some of my favorites were the cellist Jacqueline Du one or two people from Laredo; so when the job was advertised, Pré (cello) and Vladimir Horowitz (piano) and some of today’s I asked them what they thought about Laredo, the potential for greats are Yo-Yo Ma (cello), Hilary Hahn (violin), Emanuel Ax growth and what kinds of things I would benefit from being (piano), and many others. But if I had to choose just one all time here. I applied and got the job and have put my heart and soul great musician, I would choose Leonard Bernstein. He was a into building the artistic community for eight years now. It has magnificent conductor, an incredible pianist and composer and, been a tremendous journey. What inspires you on a daily basis? more than anything else, he was the most passionate musician That changes over the years. When I got here, I was driven by I have ever seen. He lived every note of every piece of music he what I perceived to be a lack of awareness in the community ever conducted and inspired so many with his incredible talent. of what the orchestra was all about. We still have a lot of work to do in that area, but I think I have gotten enough exposure to the community that people are less afraid of going to the symphony concerts. In more recent years, I am inspired by the

unlike anything else in life.

citylife Anyone who comes to an LPO concert tells me that they are fascinated by the intensity I bring to my music-making, I just say that I am following the lead of that great man!

What can people expect by attending an LPO concert? You can expect to hear a variety of orchestral music in a relaxed setting where you will be entertained. You will get a better appreciation for music in general and not just the pieces we are performing; and you will leave having had your life enriched.

I have had many people who were fearful of coming to their first concert, but who left euphoric and couldn’t wait to come back to experience that euphoria again. Music has the power to lift your spirit and transport you to a place of peace, joy, and tranquility unlike anything else in life. But, to stay on a practical level a concert runs like this: First the lights go down and the Concertmaster comes on stage; the orchestra tunes, and then the conductor comes on stage. We play and sing the National Anthem and then I give the audience a brief overview of the theme for the concert which inspired the choices of music. Then we usually perform a short piece (often an overture), followed by a concerto which will have a solo instrument, and then there is intermission followed, in the second half, by a longer multi-movement piece. Keep in mind that it’s not always that way. Sometimes there are many pieces of different style; sometimes we don’t have a soloist. It varies.

But while the music is being performed, there is a PowerPoint presentation that you can see from anywhere in the hall which informs in “real time” what is going on and gives insights into the music. How many musicians are in the orchestra?

The number of musicians in the orchestra varies according to the requirements of the program that is being performed.

Sometimes we need three trumpets, and other times we need none. Most of the wind and brass players are local, and they teach in the public schools here in and around Laredo. Many of them actually moved to Laredo from other cities to take positions at UISD or LISD because the philharmonic is here and they would get the chance to play with us. Where we have the greatest need to bring in players from out of town is in the strings. We currently have about twelve string players that are local(most of them are students at TAMIU), and so we bring in about twenty four string players from across South Texas to build up the numbers needed by the music. The musicians are mostly free-lance performers who play in orchestras across the state; in fact, we have to coordinate our concert dates with four other orchestras (in Corpus Christi, Kingsville, Victoria, and McAllen) so that we don’t clash, since we use many of the same players! However, if there is a conflict and these musicians have to choose between coming here and some other orchestra, we win every time! They love coming to Laredo, and they enjoy playing in this orchestra. How can people get more involved with the LPO? The biggest thing is to come to our concerts! It is so important for the audience to see the orchestra in person and get a feel for the whole experience of being at the LPO concerts. Secondly, they can, of course, donate to the LPO! We run the orchestra on a very tight budget, and we need every penny we can get in order to grow the organization and give even more back to the community. Right now $0.96 of every dollar we bring in goes to pay for music and musicians. Not many organizations can say that! And we need volunteers at the concerts, helping to set up activities in the community, helping with the youth orchestra etc. If anyone ever wants to get involved, all they have to do is call me at the LPO office.

Now, if people want to play with the orchestra, they would have to go through an audition; but, again, that is a matter of calling the office. When is your next concert or special event?

Our next special event will be September 23rd—the 2nd Annual Celebrity Chef Gala at the Country Club. After that we will hold our season beginning at the end of October. All dates for our concerts and events can be found at our website: www. laredophilharmonic.com which we will be updating over the course of the summer.

at the country club Catholic Social Services presented its Second Annual Recognition Dinner honoring Msgr. Stanley Sliwiak, Mrs. Olga Verduzco, and Mrs. Pura Averill for their various achievements and hard work in helping the community.

WANT TO FEATURE YOUR EVENT? CONTACT US FOR MORE INFO AT INFO@CREAMCITYMAGAZINE.COM

9th Annual Laredo International Sister Cities Festival BUSINESS | TRADE | TOURISM | ARTS & CULTURAL EXPO

Laredo Convention and Visitors Bureau 800.361.3360 www.visitlaredo.com

creambizeducation

kumon summer tips READ Read aloud to children

everyday and have them read to you.

Let your children see you reading

for pleasure to reinforce the value of reading.

DISCUSS Discuss current events with your children.

LIBRARY TIME Make weekly visits

to the public library and participate

in special summer reading programs that libraries offer.

VISIT PLACES Make maps of your

neighborhood and places you can visit with your children.

FUN WAYS TO PRACTICE MATH Bake cookies to practice fractions and measuring ingredients, and make

homemade ice cream and other foods

to show children about the properties

of salt, liquids and solids, and how to

kumon

measure temperature.

SUMMER LEARNING PROGARMS

A wonderful place of learning with an innovative concept designed to help children develop their potential abilities is this issue’s biz education pick. don’t let your child fall behind this summer. As you explore activities and vacation getaways, remember that it is just as important for children to participate in mental activities exercising their brains as it is for them to keep their bodies strong with physical activity.

“Research shows that the pre-frontal cortex of the brain is growing during the first 20 years of a child’s life,” says Monica Mendoza, director and owner of Kumon of Laredo. “A lack of learning activities during the summer months could result in lost stimulation during a critical development period.”

Kumon, the world’s largest after-school academic enrichment program, is a yearround program that helps children get ¾ and stay ¾ ahead of the curve.

The Kumon Math and Reading Center of Laredo assists students who are struggling in school as well as those who want to advance.

Designed for students from pre-school to college level, Kumon helps children master skills in math and reading according to their own ability level.

“Families are enrolling in Kumon because they seek a program that not only enriches their children’s academic skills, but instills lifelong benefits such as focus and self-motivation,” says Mendoza. Kumon Instructors create lesson plans specific to each child’s ability and goals.

In addition to helping students grasp the basics and build a strong academic foundation, the daily timed assignments enable students to develop key time management and problemsolving skills and become accustomed to working under test-taking conditions.

“Within the first month because Jack started at a comfortable level, he felt confident like he could do the math,” says Lisa Paul of her son, Jack, whom she enrolled because he was struggling in math. “After a few months he was able to do his work quickly and had confidence.”

Kumon also offers Junior Kumon preschoolers and kindergartners. Junior Kumon is an early education program designed to motivate and help four to six year olds prepare for their first academic challenges in reading and math.

Enroll your children in a summer learning program like Kumon

to prevent summer brain drain and keep young minds sharp for next year.

KUMON MATH & READING CENTER 2715 Del Mar Blvd. Unit A3 Laredo, Texas

956.237.0869

laredo_tx@ikumon.com Mon-Thurs 3-7 P.M.

VISION 100 is a project born out of the desire to celebrate the identity of two countries merged, on the same latitude, by their people, culture, and traditions.

One hundred very beautiful, yet dissimilar, people posed for our camera to help in our endeavor. They allowed us to capture in photographs a reflection of their essence as we present the face and hue of our diversity—that which contributes to our greatness and makes us proud to call Laredo and Nuevo Laredo home.

V IS (1 O O N (

P R E S E N T E D

B Y

C R E A M C I T Y M A G A Z I N E

VISION 100 es un proyecto que nació del deseo de celebrar la identidad de dos países entrelazados por su gente, cultura y tradiciones en una misma latitud. Cien bellas, aunque muy distintas, personas nos ayudaron en este objetivo y posaron para nuestra cámara. Nos permitieron capturar un poco de su esencia y mostrar en fotografías el rostro y matiz de nuestra diversidad— de lo que nos hace grandes y orgullosos de llamar a Laredo y Nuevo Laredo nuestro hogar.

YO AMO A

LAREDO por su GENTE trabajadora PASCUAL VALADEZ, GANADERO

Rommy Espinoza • Santiago González Escalante • Ana Isabel García, Student • Sara Elia García, Student • Susy Guzmán Juan Abraham Paz-Serna, Student • Cynthia I. Bernabe, Parent Liaison • Marcos Garza, Student • Nora Signoret, Fotógrafa Nahum Sanchez • Gerardo Baltazar, Estilista • Julian Ortega, Student • Alma García, Ama de Casa Samuel Santos, Ingeniero • Maria Antonieta Guiterrez, Taxista • Rosa Jímenez

Sylvia Bruni EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE CHILDREN’S ADVOCACY CENTER LAREDO-WEBB COUNTY

Watermelon Evenings, Pan Dulce Afternoons Laredo born, Laredo rooted, except for college years in San Antonio, I grew up in Laredo and Nuevo Laredo, every weekend of my young life spent in my grandfather’s home on Avenida Guerrero. He was my mother’s father, Jose María Cavazos, a Nuevo Laredo businessman who still had time to take me with him on his visits to his insurance office in Nuevo Laredo, or the papelería, where I discovered fairy tales in Spanish, or the grocery store El Niagara, on the Laredo side, another of his business interests.

I was very young when I began to spend my weekends in Nuevo Laredo, not realizing then, during those youthful days, how these visits with my grandfather would shape the rest of my life. I couldn’t have been more than 7 or 8 when those memories began to take shape...the rides downtown to the papelería filled with the wonderful smells of paper goods; the run to the tiendita down the street, to buy real tamarindo out of the big wood barrel; the grape arbor in his garden, side by side with fig, blackberry, kumquat, and tangerine trees; the chicken coop that drew us like magnets, which we tried to climb into one day, falling thru the tar paper roof in the process!

tiene una significación muy especial por las vicisitudes históricas por las que pasaron los habitantes de este espacio geopolítico que siendo uno, quedó dividido en dos por las circunstancias de la guerra entre los Estados Unidos y México entre 1846 y 1848.

Nos encontramos entonces ante un típico caso de historia fronteriza, es decir, de una historia que ha de explicar cuestiones binacionales y biterritoriales de procesos comunes. Es por eso que esta reflexión se encuentra fundamentada sobre la tesis de que, para bien o para mal, las ciudades gemelas de los Estados Unidos y México tienen una historia compartida. Una población ha nacido de la otra, interdependiente y sujeta a los vaivenes de su vecina. En nuestro caso aún más que en el de ambos Nogales, compartimos no sólo el nombre sino un origen común. Al contrario de la mayoría de las ciudades gemelas, Laredo, Texas es decir el lado norteamericano, es el más antiguo. En el caso de El Paso, McAllen, Río Grande, Roma, Brownsville el lado mexicano es el más antiguo. En Laredo no es así. El origen de ambos Laredos es menester colocarlo entonces el 15 de mayo de 1755 cuando se hace la fundación legal del antiguo San Agustín de Laredo conforme a las capitulaciones entre José de Escandón y el Rey de España. Esta población permanece así casi 100 años hasta la guerra de 1846-1847 en que por obra del Tratado de Guadalupe Hidalgo queda dividida en dos y surge el Nuevo Laredo que toma ese nombre en recuerdo de la población original. Aunque en ese momento todo pareció haberse perdido, la población continuó siendo culturalmente mexicana y políticamente fue experimentando un proceso de traslación hacia las instituciones norteamericanas. Este proceso fue dificultoso y tiene variadas etapas. Aún así aunque hay un proceso de separación política, cultural y de las identidades; existe un juego de procesos de separación-unificación que el historiador debe atender para lograr explicar la vida de este espacio geopolítico como son los dos Laredos.

They were simple times, simple experiences, but they were, every single one of them, loving moments. In the summer time, we slept on wonderfully big catres de lona on the second floor porch that fronted his home. I remember sweet cold watermelons on Saturday evenings and pan dulce Sunday afternoons when my parents would come to visit with him. And in the process I was building a treasure chest of memories that are seamlessly woven into my Laredo persona.

Rosina de Hoyos-Vargas

Today with careers in public and higher education behind me and the Children’s Advocacy Center of Laredo-Webb County at the top of my workplace list, with a much expanded treasure chest filled with precious family, friends and colleagues, I realize that those early years with my grandfather were more than weekend visits. They were moments that shaped my character, my sense of self and my love for Laredo and Nuevo Laredo.

My sister Nellie, may God rest her soul, and I went through cultural shock when we went to school, McDonald Elementary, for the first time ever! My parents had bought us little cute mochilas to take to school like the ones we used in México. We didn’t know that bells rang every so often to switch classes. So, as soon as the first bell rang, Nellie and I grabbed our mochilas and started to walk out the door!

Suddenly, our teacher yelled out, “¿A donde creen que van con esos morrales?” Nellie and I looked at each other and quietly went back to our desks. I was so very embarrassed, yet, Nellie, being that she was my younger, feisty sister, turned and looked at our brand new American teacher and told her that the correct name for our morrales was mochilas not morrales!

She looked at us both, smiled and from that day on guided us to a friendlier environment at our new American school. That teacher, Miss Garcia, became our little guardian angel, literally!

Manuel Ceballos Ramírez DIRECTOR DEL ARCHIVO HISTÓRICO DE NUEVO LAREDO

Orgulloso De Ser Neolaredense Una correcta visión de Nuevo Laredo debe incluir necesariamente el antecedente inmediato de su fundación que es la antigua villa de San Agustín de Laredo. Incluso hay quien piensa que sería más correcto desde el punto de vista histórico celebrar la fecha de fundación rememorando el 15 de mayo de 1755, cuanto Tomás Sánchez hizo la fundación del antiguo Laredo, hoy texano.

Ciertamente hay razones de peso para tomar en cuenta este criterio. Pero al mismo tiempo la fecha de fundación de Nuevo Laredo que se ha convenido en fijar el 15 de junio de 1848, también

ALICIA RUIZ ELEMENTARY SCHOOL TEACHER

I LOVE LAREDO because it is where I met

THE LOVE

OF MY LIFE ABRIL BOTELLO, BUSINESS OWNER

Brittany Johnson, Student • Neftali Rivera, Student • Lidia Cavazos, Cosmetologist • Isabel Alcalá, Maestra Gianni Nicole Sanchez • Issadora y Monica G. Saab • Araceli Flores, Ama de Casa • Jessica Diez-Barroso Ma. Eugenia Escalante • Andrea González-Serna, Student • Andrea Rojas, Student • Marta Sáenz Jaime Emilio García, Student • Leslie Sandoval, Student • Dorian Rangel, Student • Schadrac Bernabe, Youth Program Director Maru Portillo, Art Instructor/Painter • Alberto Guzmán • Victoria Alexander, Student

YO AMO LAREDO porque me hace sentir como si viviera en

MI PAIS, MÉXICO MARTA SÁENZ

Fernando Gaytán-Vela SUBDIRECTOR DE NOTICEROS RADIO VOZ

Un Día En La Vida Fronteriza Aunque el tiempo inexorable, borre y nunca del todo, sino que solo permita entre un cúmulo de recuerdos, traer a la memoria, ni los más cercanos ni tampoco los mejores, es benigno al permitir, evocar aquellas visitas “al otro lado”.

Cuándo acompañando a Mamá, caminabamos por el puente, el viejo y único puente internacional, ella muy joven y yo aún en la lejana niñez, a las compras en las cuáles por supuesto se incluían todas las que le contaba emocionado, quizás por mi inocencia en el trayecto que rápido transcurría, y en el que seguro pensaba que al menos uno o dos de los juguetes que emocionado le describía, estaría en posibilidades de comprarme para colmar mi inocente corazón de alegría.

Eran los tiempos de que en el centro de Laredo, Texas se ubicaban las mejores tiendas de ropa, donde daba gusto encontrarse a tanta gente conocida en Richter’s, Hachar’s y Joe Brand. Trabajaban personas muy queridas de Nuevo Laredo.

Comíamos en Deliganis, de regreso llegábamos a una tienda a comprar el mandado, recuerdo que llevaba el nombre de Alfredo Santos, era la última escala pues se ubicaba antes de pagar la peseta en las inolvidables casetas del lado americano.

Abordabamos el camión Internacional, que nos dejaba casi en la esquina de nuestra casa, veníamos contentos con todo lo que necesitabamos, para que nada faltara y a platicar de como les fué, a quién vieron, que compraron, eran los tiempos del Nuevo Laredo de nuestros Amores, en dónde todos o casi todos eramos de aquí y nos conociamos aunque fuera por terceras personas. Recuerdos tan hermosos de la vida en la frontera, de la buena vecindad de los dos Laredos, a propósito del aniversario 163 que éste mes de junio jubilosamente será celebrado.

Roberto Rodríguez, Albañil • Karime Alejandra Ramos, Student • Juany Rodriguez, Ama de Casa Mauricio Ballesteros, VP Customs Broker • Ma. Eugenia Escalante • Benjamin Vela, Architecture Student Silke N. González, Student • Norma E. García, Housewife • Mónica Rivas, Student • Luis Eliud Cuéllar, Estudiante Alma Omana, Traffic Coordinator • Libertad Gaytán, Estudiante • Alvaro Aguirre, Student • Jesús Alvarez, Export Lorena Portillo, Student • Juliana Diez-Barroso, Student • Mauro Ortega

Claudia Almanza • Isabel Sanchez, Mother • Gabriela Guzman • Moises Martinez, Albañil • Abril Botello, Business Owner Ciro Ochoa • Carlos Cabeza, Student • Itzamara Palma, Estudiante • Alberto Ortiz • Rene Mendez, Singer/Songwriter Sara I. Paz Serna, Química • Analy De La Cruz, Architect/Interior Designer • Ronen Gindic, Sales • Hoa Thai Le Daniela Bravo, Student • Elia Bueno, Student • Ashley Notzon, Student

Rick Aguilar J.B. ALEXANDER HIGH SCHOOL ENGLISH TEACHER

Born and raised in Laredo, I cannot say I have had the experience of living in multiple cities other than Austin while I was a student at UT. I have had the pleasure, however, of visiting several countries across the world and no one realizes how beautiful it is to travel until you come back to the comforts and familiarity of your own hometown. There is a wealth of uniqueness and history here when you peel back the layers that is unlike any other city in the world, I dare say. It is a world where two cultures mesh, sometimes not to everyone’s delight, but it is what it is and after being gone for some time, I’m willing to bet everyone will have a hometown appetite whether in the form of delicious foods or the best of family and friends that can only be found in Laredo!

Margarita Araiza

All the talk about plans for the Plaza Theater lately reminded me of one of my most vivid memories of adolescence.

It was a pivotal moment EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE WEBB in the lives of many COUNTY HERITAGE FOUNDATION Laredoans who lined up outside the theater to view the brand new musical sensation, the Beatles, in their first movie, A Hard Day’s Night. The air was bristling with excitement as just about every teenager and their younger siblings pushed through the beautiful plush-curtained lobby of the Plaza and took their seats to catch the “Fab Four”— those wildly exotic musicians in their first feature film. We were all, by then, familiar with the Beatles’ music, but nothing prepared us for the explosion of throbbing guitars (from the film) and ear-splitting screams (from the audience) that took place for the next hour and a half in that darkened theater.

Boys and girls, young and younger were driven wild with the British quartet’s looks, their slapstick skits, and that music that enveloped us like a tidal wave of raw energy.

Years later, I still meet grown people who were there that day and have the same wistful look when remembering it. We all knew, after that, that we would never be the same. After that, the world broke open for many Laredoans and we all ran out to become a part of it.

Miguel Vidal PRESENTADOR DE RADIO/TELEVISIÓN

Uno de los factores que caracterizan a estas dos ciudades es que compartimos historia y cultura.

Durante décadas ciudadanos de Laredo, Texas y Nuevo Laredo cruzaban la línea divisoria casi a diario para efectuar compras, ir a un restaurante o simplemente divertirse. Eran otros tiempos desde luego, recuerdo que en las Fiestas de Washington la aduana norteamericana permitía el paso libre de ciudadanos mexicanos sin ningún documento o la indispensable “mica” y el tradicional desfile era visto por millares de personas para después divertirse en lo que llamábamos Carnaval. Nunca entendí porque decíamos “el carnaval” cuando en realidad era un conjunto de juegos mecánicos en donde la rueda de la fortuna y los caballitos eran obligatorios. Ahí, el algodón de azúcar y los hots dogs eran el manjar del día. Ocasionalmente disfrutábamos en esas fechas algún festival aéreo y el centro de la ciudad se llenaba de ofertas que todos aprovechábamos Del lado mexicano los laredenses disfrutaban de la comida regional mexicana, desde el cabrito hasta los tacos. La plaza de toros Nuevo Laredo registraba un lleno total y normalmente el cartel del 22 de febrero era el más importante. Las mejores figuras del toreo de México y España se presentaban en esas fechas. Ir de compras al mercado “Maclovio Herrera” era frecuente, los residente en Laredo y turistas de Texas disfrutaron sus compras en ese lugar.

Eran otros tiempos. Las cosas han cambiado. Sin embargo y a pesar de todo, los residentes de ambas ciudades seguimos compartiendo historia y cultura. Siempre seremos ciudades económicamente interdependientes o como alguien sabiamente lo dijo: Somos un solo pueblo, separados por un rio.

YO AMO

LAREDO

porque es el lugar donde MIS ABUELOS Y MIS PADRES

han trabajado

PARA HACER DE ELLA UNA

MEJOR CIUDAD

CARLOS CÁRDENAS, ABOGADO

YO AMO

LAREDO por sus

ATARDECERES QUE SON ÚNICOS

en el mundo DIANA V. SERNA B. , PINTORA

Pascual Valadez, Ganadero • Estefania Flores, Student • Paulo Veliz • Maria Fernandez, Agencia Aduanal Ingrid E. Gutierrez • Luz Marina Salazar, Empleada de Oficina • Nicolás Andres Rocha • Oralia Vargas • Sara Lascari Alejandra Garcia, Estudiante • Tomas García, Student • Lan Williams • Nicole Sherwood, Student • Miguelito Guzmán Ramin Emami, Wholesale Distribution • Paloma Ahumada, Ama de Casa • Mario Cavazos, Jr., CFO The Healthy Network

I LOVE

LAREDO because it is my HOME ASHLEY NOTZON , STUDENT

Feliciano Guerrero Ramirez, Construcción • Andrea Gabriela García, Student • Juan R. Rodríguez, Student Karina Vidal, Student • Carlos Cárdenas, Abodago • Sarah Stephanie Pedraza, Estudiante • Claudia Rocio Moreno, Student Ricardo H. Cantú González • Luis E. Cavazos • Diana V. Serna B., Pintora • Ximena Vidales, Student Pilar Deschamps de Ortega • Stephanie Vidal, Student

Hay dos cosas que nunca deben faltar en una celebración— pastel y regalos. Qué mejor forma de festejar el primer aniversario de Cream que con unos apetitosos regalos en forma de pasteles ingeniosamente decorados por cuatro talentosas lectoras.

Cream las puso a prueba pidiéndoles que nos ayudaran a celebrar nuestro aniversario de manera deliciosa. Para cuando lean estas líneas, los pasteles habrán tenido buen fin, mas ustedes pueden deleitarse con las fotos. — Selene Cuevas

vanessa michelle garcía

Mi inspiración fue la propia revista después de ver los números anteriores. Tiene un estilo impecable y chic, que traté de incorporar en los detalles del fondant y los colores del pastel.

anita espitia

Decidí hacer un pastel alemán de chocolate porque no solo es el preferido de mi familia, sino también de mi buen amigo el juez Raúl Vázquez. Está decorado con fruta fresca de temporada.

Las estrellas son para conmemorar el cumpleaños de Cream. ¡Un año de éxitos…feliz 1er. cumpleaños Cream!

cristina santos

Mi objetivo era decorar un pastel moderno y divertido—como la revista. Los colores de las flores son vivos y excitantes para la primavera.

Quise hacer un pastel elegante pero, a la vez, interesante y atractivo.

anned carrero

Me encanta hornear—es una forma de expresión para mí. Contemplo un pastel de la misma forma que un artista contempla el lienzo. Me encanta crear y dejarme llevar por la imaginación.

Para festejar a Cream, preparé un pastel puertorriqueño de amaretto de tres pisos, cubierto con crema de mantequilla y almendra y fondant de vainilla. Me inspiré en la revista misma—llena de color y diversión.

La corona de arriba es en honor de su primer aniversario. ¡Me divertí mucho en la creación de este pastel; espero que les guste! ¡Dios los bendiga y felicidades en su primer aniversario!

Contact us at info@creamcitymagazine.com or message us on facebook for a chance to participate in our next activity!

FOR A GOOD CAUSE We are proud to be Bronze sponsors of this event.

WHO: Laredo Philharmonic Orchestra WHAT: Second Annual Celebrity Chef Gala WHEN: Friday, September 23, 2011, 6:30-9:30 PM WHERE: Laredo Country Club DONATION: $100 Per Person

tania ancira de galindo lead chef for gala

The Second Annual Celebrity Chef Gala pays tribute to the culinary excellence of Celebrity Chefs from our community and surrounding areas, while raising

significant revenue to help in the fight to save the Arts. Lead Chef for this Gala is Chef Tania Ancira.

Honorees for the Gala will be Lic. Miguel Angel Isidro Rodríguez Cónsul General de México and his wife Patricia Campos de Isidro.

Chefs will present their signature dish in tasting-size portions during the Gala. A live auction follows with Chef Packages that may include unique dinners, hotel stays and weekend getaways that are put together by the Chefs.

On Smartphones and Twitter-Drones: Today’s Double-Edged Sword Why is this going on? Perhaps it is because the family just got into an argument and you are witnessing the awkwardness that ensues. Or, more realistically, the four members of this family have their eyes and fingers glued to their BlackBerries and iPhones. I’ve done this too. My mom, rolling her eyes, usually calls me out on it. It makes me feel like a bad son.

We’ve come a long way when it comes to technology and methods of communication. Our cell phones give us the opportunity to be readily available to those who need us or to get in touch with those we love. We tweet. We update our Facebook statuses. We check-in on Foursquare. We bid on items on eBay. We check our e-mails. We are addicted to Angry Birds and Words With Friends. We purchase last-minute airline tickets. We find directions to a party using the navigation system. We find the nearest Walgreens. We get news updates. And we love all of these options. For many of us, we’d be lost without our minicomputers.

The rise of social networks and real-time connectivity has made it possible for us to strengthen the ties we had to distant family members, long-lost friends, and colleagues we thought we would never hear from again. This add-on to our normal means of interaction suggests that our intrinsic nature to be involved in the lives of others still stands strong. But what are we losing in the meantime? Well, quite a lot. It boils down to a cost-benefit issue.

I would like to know how much time we all spend playing around with our phones from the moment we wake-up to the moment when we shut off the light to finally fall asleep. Recent consequences have proven, once again, that too much of a good thing is bad and damaging. Friendships and marriages are destroyed over Facebook problems. Every week or so we hear about somebody having a fatal text-and-drive accident. Today’s youth have no idea what it is to play outside with other live-action kids, to have heart-to-hearts with their parents and siblings, or to actually interact in a meaningful way with others in a public setting. Family outings have turned into gatherings of silence.

We only have ourselves to blame. This is our digital destiny.

The disassociation occurs not because we don’t love or need each other anymore (in fact, the world right now is so negative and horrible that we need our loved ones more than ever), but because we have BlackBerry-shaped holes in our hearts that need to be constantly fed. In a world that now has endless ways of communicating, the human connection has ironically been whittled down like a quilt tied together with weak seams. Well, it is about time we change this. Let’s become better friends,

We see it everywhere.

You go to a restaurant and see a family of four sitting at a table and talking about nothing. And I don’t mean talking about “everything and nothing” like the way you would describe a Jerry Seinfeld episode.

I mean it in a literal sense. They are having no conversation whatsoever.

cream june / july 2011

39

out & about significant others, spouses, parents, and colleagues by putting down our phones at a restaurant every now and then. But first, let’s get some stuff out in the open. Let’s begin by recognizing that sometimes, we do need to communicate with the outside world even when we are taking our parents out to dinner. Isn’t this why we have cell phones in the first place? It is perfectly permissible to answer the phone if you are expecting an important phone call from work or the doctor, or you urgently need to respond to an e-mail to avoid getting in trouble or missing a great opportunity. By the same token, there are some things that could wait. Try minimizing the amount of Facebooking and tweeting when interacting with others in person. I will not say “stop using it completely” because it must also be recognized that we use these social networking tools for important things, too. And yes, if we see something too funny to pass up, go ahead and share it with the world. However, a little more in-person interaction is always very healthy for our relationships. If you are having coffee with a friend and you are not expecting any work-related or life-or-death situations, try leaving your phone in your car (or pocket) once in a while. I had

a girlfriend once who absolutely hated how much I was on the phone while we were together. It certainly taught me a lesson.

Very few things are more detrimental to a person’s health and well-being than the act of being with somebody and still feeling alone. It is strange how in a world that is constantly finding ways to become connected to others, we feel more and more distanced from the ones that are right in front of us. A truly connected human being knows that others want to be heard and that, quite simply, people need people. Remember that merely listening to somebody else while they vent about their troubles or share their experiences and accomplishments is a great way to show compassion and be a better person. So put this small step into action and save the world, one tweet-less conversation at a time.

This is our digital destiny.

ruben bazan

teatro y ballet Lily Hachar Dance Studio Presenta Lily Hachar Dance Studio celebró sus 10 años de constante éxito con la adaptación de la obra el Fantasma de la Ópera, la cual se presentó en el Centro Cívico con una gran respuesta del público y donde los alumnos tuvieron la oportunidad de manifestar su talento y dedicación en este bello recital que también contó con flamenco, jazz y música moderna. ¡Felicidades a Lily y a todo su equipo!

cream april / may 2011

43

SIEMPRE ESTA EN MI MENTE

ME GUSTA LA COMBINACIÓN DE

ME DA ESCALOFRÍOS

I AM CREAM FERCH PHOTOGRAPHY

cream april / may 2011

11

PHOTOGRAPHY FERCH H A I R + M A K E - U P C Y N T H I A T O V A R AT M I N T S PA ACCESORIES SARA BOUTIQUE PA S T R Y C A K E L A N D

starts within you...inside your mind and your soul... every moment,every step of the way... all that glitters is you!

MODEL LORENA KNOSEL

MODEL DENISE ALVARADO BAZAN

MODEL IVANA ETIENNE SOBERÓN

citylife

fashionistas

Joe Brand celebrated Cinco de Mayo with a fashion show featuring friends and customers who donned the latest styles for Spring/Summer. The designs were fabulous!

WANT TO FEATURE YOUR EVENT? CONTACT US FOR MORE INFO AT INFO@CREAMCITYMAGAZINE.COM

How did your career begin?

There seemed to be a major effort from my family for me to finish high school and gain a skill to ensure a constructive career since I was the youngest in a family of seven and would be the first to graduate from high school. My parents, Francisco and Lazara Castañeda, had devoted their entire life to working as migrants and had instilled positive work ethics in the family. This was the benchmark that started my career, learning to be a welder, building constructor, and in the trucking business.

blas

CASTAÑEDA VISION AND LEADERSHIP THAT

in the majority of our students, but I could see early on in my career that they needed help. Besides needing financial resources, many of our students needed mentoring, coaching, and someone besides their parents who could instill the conviction of believing in themselves and becoming who they really wanted to be. It is this development of human assets that has fueled my interest at Laredo Community College, completing now 35 years of service.

What inspires you? The youth of the community and the challenge to provide them with the education and resources they require for a better future. I strongly believe that God brought us into this world and gave us an enormous amount of talent and skills, but the challenge for us is to grow and develop these talents and skills. Seeing our youth succeed in their careers is probably the greatest inspiration for me.

That is why 23 years ago, we established the District V College Bound Scholarship Program to help them succeed.

What sparked your interest in it?

INSPIRES NEW GENERATIONS Seeing students succeed really sparked my career to work with all critical elements needed Hard work, dedication, and a for such success. First to come were the fields of business and strong sense of values characterize industry which were in need of a trained workforce. Secondly, Blas Castañeda. For 35 years, he merging student workforce has paved the way for the youth training with opportunities within the industry sector of our city by giving them the showed, both our students and employers, that our students chance to succeed. had the talent, dedication, and commitment to be top notch Tell us something about your career workers and were eager to succeed in the workplace. Our work that might surprise us? Even though I have been at the college for ethics and knowing that our father had always encouraged us over 35 years, my main resources have been my experience and to have a minimum of three skills to survive and be successful knowledge in the private sector framework. Many leaders, whom I prompted me to look at a solid career in workforce and economic work with around the country, don’t expect me to have that private development. That gave me positive results and enabled me to sector knowledge which is essential in making things happen in be noticed by individuals who would be involved in this area. My today’s competitive world. For me, there is a mission in my life family’s strong dedication to trucking, home construction, and that I promote intensively; you must have students that get a good other technical occupations that require skill was really the spark education and that will connect with the business industry. This will I needed to venture in this area where I found many mentors and give our students and employers an opportunity to interact prior to businesses that opened their doors to my interest in becoming a employment and students learn how to become the foundation of skilled specialist. the world class workforce.

Did you ever consider that it would be a part of your life? No. After graduating from college, I promised my parents I would only work two years at Laredo Junior College before returning to the family

If you could, would you change anything from your past? No, I grew up in one of the poorest neighborhoods in the country called “La Guada,” and I take very strong pride in my early childhood and

IT IS PART OF MY PERSONALITY TO CARE FOR OTHERS WITH A SINCERE AND HONEST DEDICATION, WHICH BRINGS ME THE BEST OF ALL POSSIBLE WORLDS. businesses to continue the family tradition of working for ourselves.

During my first year, I found that many of our students were like me; their families were struggling to get them an education due to lack of financial resources. There seemed to be a strong drive

upbringing. I would not change all the great things and times I had with my family and all the great friends that I had a chance to meet and grow with. I know one thing for a fact, if I would have had some resources in my early career, they would’ve given me a different cream june / july 2011

49

citylife level of lifestyle, but those resources would never have changed anything that my parents were able to give me and make me the person I am today.

Have you accomplished your goals or do you still hope to achieve more? I started with two goals in mind. First, to excel in gaining a solid education that would allow me to be a role model for my family. I feel I have achieved this because today there are a significant amount of professionals in my family including people in medical, health, legal, engineering, and other key professions that my family is now well known for. Castañeda is a well known name along the border and other parts of the country to those who have invested their skills to earn a livelihood. My second goal was to become a business person and a good one at that.

Today, through the help of many friends, educators, and mentors my career has blossomed into gaining respect and confidence from the business community as well as being able to jointly collaborate partnerships with industry clusters throughout the state of Texas and internationally with friends in Mexico.

What kind of satisfactions has your career given you? After 35 years in my career, I find the highest level of satisfaction in achieving what I set out to do. This includes educating and training our youth and adults to their next level of career success which has been a major goal. We continue to work on that and seeing our youth achieving their goals to become doctors, nurses, engineers, welders, electricians, or scientists has brought me major personal satisfaction. It is also very rewarding to know that these young minds can see that there are others in the community beside their mothers and fathers who care about them and are willing to invest in their future. It really does not make a difference where they come from but where they want to go and whether they are committed to achieving that goal.

Do you admire anyone in particular? Yes, at the local level, my mom, my dad, and my family—they stood beside me from the beginning. They are what I call in Spanish “Lo mejor de mi vida.”

At the local regional level, I had mentors who were crucial to the development of my career. In high school Mr. Lawrence Mathews, my welding instructor at Martin H.S., taught us welding and the life skills we needed to have to be successful. In college there was my employer, Mr. Javier Santos, who continues to be a great source of support, advice, and education. Mr. Santos was the director of the community vocational/technical programs. At Laredo State University, Dr. Sandra Richards was a great professor who not only taught me the world of business management but, more importantly, was a great mentor in walking me through the real world environment that I needed to know very well. Dr. Richards died just after I was sworn in as city councilman for District V for the City of Laredo—I still have her note of congratulations. She was in the chamber as I was sworn in and took my seat as a leader for my great city of Laredo. There have been many other mentors but these are the ones that have shaped my life and made the backbone of who Blas Castañeda is today. Aside from my father and my mother, my greatest mentor would be my oldest brother Pedro “Pete” Castañeda, who became my second father when my dad passed away in the 1980s. He mentored me and ended being my career coach and spiritual leader.

mirada de amor El club Mirada de Amor y Donando Amor, se unieron para la campaña “Únete y Dona” apoyando a los niños y personas con cáncer. El cabello recaudado fue entregado al Doctors Hospital. También se realizó un convivio donde fueron invitados los niños del departamento de cáncer y sus familias.

Do you have advice for anyone about to embark in a career like yours? Yes: (1) Always commit to the highest level of dedication, commitment, and perseverance. (2) Believe in yourself and know that things will come to you through that belief which will allow you to succeed in life. (3) Never be ashamed of who you are and where you came from. (4) For minorities education may probably be the only vehicle to success. So, we must accept with conviction the challenge of accomplishing a proper education.

50

cream june / july 2011

WANT TO FEATURE YOUR EVENT? CONTACT US FOR MORE INFO AT INFO@CREAMCITYMAGAZINE.COM

S MO VE ER RS OV M RS SH S&S AK MO KE ER VE ER RS HA OV M RS SH AK KE ER HA S B E H I N D TH E B I G S C R E E N

we all see the end product. Sometimes we spend months in anticipation of the end product. Every time we sit down in a movie theater, log into Netflix, or go to Blockbuster (or am I the only one who still goes to Blockbuster?), we bear witness to the adventurous, the comedic, the romantic, and the just plain sick and twisted creations from the minds of those who are the true moving force behind the Hollywood machine— the screenwriter and the director. Although it is ultimately the actors and actresses who breathe life into the characters of any film and bring inspiration and joy to the masses of multiple generations, the stars of Hollywood would have no words to speak or grand gestures to perform without the written words of the screenwriter. And, to put it simply, there would be no film without the vision of the director. This list will introduce some of Hollywood’s freshest, unfamiliar faces, without which the films that we love and hate would not be possible.

GEOFFREY FLETCHER – SCREENWRITER After catching the eye of directors John Singleton and Lee Daniels with his student film Magic Markers, Geoffrey Fletcher was offered a pretty awesome job. Hired to adapt the novel Push to the screen, Fletcher began writing what would later become the 2009 hit Precious for which he won an Oscar for best adapted screenplay. Not too shabby considering that Precious was his first feature script.

Showing his versatility, Fletcher will be taking on both roles of writer and director for his next project, a film about two teenage assassins entitled Violet and Daisy featuring Danny Trejo (Machete), Alexis Bledel (Sin City), and Saoirse Ronan (Hanna).

With a third film in development, Fletcher doesn’t seem to be slowing down any time soon. Don’t be surprised if you see this writer making yet another speech to the Academy in the years to come.

SHELDON TURNER – SCREENWRITER Not many people have the dedication or the willpower it takes to pursue their passions in life. Most people are more than happy to secure a well paying future and ride it right into the grave.

Sheldon Turner is not one of these people. After graduating from NYU law school and passing the bar exam to practice as a lawyer, Turner decided to pack his bags and move to Hollywood where he took a night job as a bartender in order to have the free time to write screenplays all day, everyday. Some might argue that this was not a wise decision. Some, me included, would say differently. Turner’s career skyrocketed as the dedication and willpower paid off. His first job as a screenwriter was to write the Adam Sandler remake of the 1974 Burt Reynolds’ classic The Longest Yard. Other credits include the 2006 The Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Beginning, the as-of-yet unproduced X-Men Origins: Magneto, and 2009’s Oscar hopeful Up in the Air. He will also be writing and directing his next project, By Virtue Fall, which is currently in pre-production and rumored to be starring Eric Bana and Ryan Phillippe.

ZACK SNYDER – DIRECTOR Zack Snyder started out relatively small in the entertainment industry. Taken right out of the corporate advertising world after notable recognition for his commercial work for Corona, Audi, Jeep, and Budweiser, Snyder was hired to direct the 2004 remake of splatter classic Dawn of the Dead. After his initial industry success, Snyder decided to gamble just a little. He reportedly had to beg Warner Bros. to let him make an adaptation of Frank Miller’s now classic graphic novel 300. The studio was doubtful at first, and understandably so, given the box office disappointments of their then recent releases Troy and Alexander. But their gamble paid off, big time. Snyder then went on to direct the visually stunning Watchmen, 2010’s 3-D masterpiece, and the family oriented Legends of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga’Hoole, and the recently released Sucker Punch. His next film will take him back into the world of comics with Man of Steel, a Superman reboot that will pair Snyder together with David Goyer, Hollywood’s so called “Prince of Darkness” and writer behind Batman Begins, The Dark Knight, and The Unborn.

MARYAM KESHAVARZ - DIRECTOR Iranian-American filmmaker Maryam Keshavarz does not have many films under her belt.

With only two short films and a documentary to her credit, it is no surprise that she is not yet a household name. However, some would argue that the true measure of a filmmaker is not the monetary success in the industry, but the mission for the ultimate truth in the story they are telling and the ability to expose the world to the everyday realities with which most people are unfamiliar. It is in this aspect that the director will soon make her presence felt. With her first feature length film Circumstance, which recently won the 2011 Sundance film festival’s Dramatic Audience Award, Keshavarz challenges western perceptions of Iran by telling the story of a teenage girl’s sexual awakening in the midst of an oppressive and religiously militant society and her ensuing rebellion against the traditional values of her family. Circumstance is currently scheduled for a domestic theatrical release this summer. Although the pronunciation takes a little practice, the name of this director is definitely worth remembering.

While this list barely scratches the surface of Hollywood’s freshest talent, it may offer some insight into those who truly make the film industry possible. So the next time you finish watching an enjoyable movie, instead of singing the praises of the very talented actors and actresses of the film, think about the director who handpicked those stars for a very specific reason and worked tirelessly on each and every scene until it was perfect.

The next time you are reciting your favorite lines of dialogue from your favorite movies, think about the screenwriter who spent hours writing them specifically for the performers who delivered them so well. The real magic of Hollywood is found not in the end product that arrives in movie theaters, but in the harmony of the whole that unites everyone’s best efforts—from the screenwriter, to the sound engineers, to the editor—if only for one-hundred and twenty minutes. bobby turner

CONTACT US AT VERSUS@CREAMCITYMAGAZINE.COM FOR A CHANCE TO PARTICIPATE ON THE NEXT VERSUS OR MESSAGE US ON FACEBOOK!

- DIANA ARRIGUNAGA

Club bangers because they’re fun to party to!

CLUB BANGERS VS ALTERNATIVE HITS

- ALEJANDRA MARTINEZ

Evening gowns have more character, are more elegant, and make you feel more girly!

EVENING GOWN VS COCKTAIL DRESS

- LUIS DE LA GARZA

BLACK TIE AFFAIR VS DRESSED DOWN

- ISABELLA RAMIREZ

Pearls because Coco Chanel said it best, any woman can look classy in pearls.

- ROGELIO DE LA GARZA

Partying because we can all relax later!

- MIRIAM GUAJARDO

I would rather be in stylin’ heels because they are much more glamorous.

STYLISH IN HEELS VS COMFORTABLE IN FLATS

ON DITI E Y R ERSA V I N AN THE

- JUAN PABLO DE LEÓN

- ALEJANDRO LAUREL

Guys night because your friends will never let you down.

DATE NIGHT VS GUYS NIGHT

Dressed down because I always look good when I feel more comfortable.

PARTYING IN CANCÚN VS RELAXING IN CABO

VS

- ALFREDO DE LEÓN

On the rocks because it’s how a man should do it!

r e t e f t f a e A th

DECKED OUT IN DIAMONDS VS CLASSY IN PEARLS

VIP at a club because of the atmosphere.

BACKYARD PARTY VS VIP AT A CLUB

- CAMILA ALARCON

The after party because it’s always more interesting.

MAIN EVENT VS AFTER PARTY

FROZEN VS ON THE ROCKS

this is my place th e en ri q u e kl ad is ed it io n

enlightening ideas enterprising, young and talented are fitting adjectives to describe Enrique.

He enjoys music and cooking, the perfect combo for the perfect host who loves to entertain friends and family at his home. In this issue, Cream chose to include his house for its distinctive style.

Enrique, who owns his own construction company since 2004, designed an eclectic space that combines modern and traditional elements.

Lighting plays an important role throughout the house. It actually gives this home a commercial environment— so vast and radiant, yet so inviting and comfortable. Everyone can have a good time and feel at home here.

We hope to attend one of Enrique’s parties soon. It would be a treat to enjoy his culinary specialties as we also savor such a striking atmosphere.

citylife

silver lining Piezas verdaderamente espectaculares realzaron la exhibición de joyería de Linda Franco. Los asistentes pudieron apreciar de cerca los distintos modelos y adquirir el regalo perfecto para el día de las madres.

Laredo Energy Arena welcomed thousands of fans when they convened for Ricky Martin’s concert Música+Alma+Sexo. He fired up the crowd with his hits proving why he is one of the top Latin performers in the world.

livin’ la vida loca

happy 4th sara!

Recientemente, Sara Boutique conmemoró su 4o Aniversario y Cream felicita a Toñita y sus colaboradoras que se preocupan por mantener a las mujeres de Laredo vistiendo siempre a la moda. ¡Enhorabuena y que sigan mucho años más!

WANT TO FEATURE YOUR EVENT? CONTACT US FOR MORE INFO AT INFO@CREAMCITYMAGAZINE.COM

coming to the last pages and nearing the end of a novel is always upsetting, like leaving a world you’ve come to love and friends you cherish.

In my own novel, my favorite thing to hate is this town. It was always such a pleasure packing my vintage Globe-Trotter suitcase! But, I did love my home. And after spending most of my childhood there, I can reasonably say I am heartbroken it is now sold. If only I could have given it a proper send-off like with a Requiem Mass. But, I am certainly not heartbroken about finally getting out of this town and living on my own. You see, a sweeping dose of escapism has always been at the top of my wish list.

I always liked to envision myself answering, “The neighborhood I grew up in” (with a cheeky attitude), after being asked about what made me happy. Or, I’d visualize playing “America” by Simon and Garfunkel to explain why I’m leaving home and my mom—just like Anita Miller in Almost Famous. Instead, it’s leaving me and I’m waving goodbye to my unassuming and leafy neighborhood while my bored-looking neighbors are lolling against their front benches. I always believed we were such an improvement on the neighborhood that I would impress my neighbors with my interpretive dance to late 90s hits through my bedroom window.

My first kiss was outside this house. It was nervous and sloppy; Gillette (obviously stolen from his father) emanated from him like a synthetic forest and mingled with sweat and cigarettes (also stolen from his father). My early teenage years were a

haze of long nights in my living room with my friends, watching episodes of Tyra till 2 a.m. and being told to turn off the TV by my grandma after nabbing us watching The Notebook’s sex scene with Rachel McAdams and Ryan Gosling.

Inexcusable, but did it anyway. When I was nine, my cousin Diana and I were convinced that my dysfunctional neighbor from across the street was a witch who used her cats as weapons. Convinced of that, we covered her entire flower garden with foil and taped on her car the words: ‘Happy Birthday 666’. If she’s reading this…I am very sorry—I just felt so bold and able at the time.

Speaking of birthdays, last April I pursued an internship at Cream City Magazine. I wanted to be a part of Cream’s creative and empowering message. Therefore, I e-mailed publisher Fernando De Haro, and he kindly interviewed me in his office…and here I am! Cream is a perfect fit for me. I love fashion and art plus I am known to belt my heart out to magazines.

More importantly, I identify with teenagers and the issues and obstacles they face (I may be twenty now, but age is just a number). I love that I can speak to young people through Cream while working with welcoming and enthusiastic editors. And I love Cream because they are giving me the opportunity to still pitch stories after leaving Laredo in June, its 1st birthday month. Aww. My entire life has been wrapped around this hometown. In a way, I think I can tell my life in Laredo in the same way that I could tell my life by my tuna-fish sandwich phase or the occasions when I’ve watched Marie Antoinette (every Sunday with my best friend Stacy). This town for me is like a funny bookend or like an old friend that’s always been there to make fun of—sometimes worn at the edges, a little fractious, but just by its very existence, a haven nonetheless. I wonder if one day my home might become the cockroach infested dwelling of a man who, after being afflicted by countless breakdowns, will spend his last years in seclusion with a cigarette in one hand

while the other clutches his oxygen tank.

Hopefully, it won’t.

Feigning quiet dignity (in reality, I feel ecstatic by the promise of impending freedom), I direct my simulated goodbyes to Laredo holding my handembroidered blanket the color of a Van Gogh sunflower, adorned with fresh stains. I guess, somehow, I love Laredo because it has history for me. Nostalgia runs high every time I pass by my high school—a memorial to a kinder, gentler time. Even though the family home is gone, memories and reminders of times long past remain conjured up there. Some memories may be vague, but the location attached to them is unforgettable. Oh, and of course, my second family home is still here, the Cream office. Happy Birthday Cream! gabriela enriquez

Though we keep regular business hours, Cream isn’t quite like your average office. Remember the infamous December issue? It was full of glitter, hay, and hair. But it was also my first time ever helping out at a Cream cover photo shoot which made me think about my favorite moments at the office. So, today I decided to make a list of my best stories.

The first week I had to assist at a photo shoot at Gold’s Gym and paging Captain Obvious: I’m not the best photographer (or light assistant); I was running on 4 Red Bulls and rushing around like a chicken with its head cut off. But it was great.

Our weirder office conversations, like figuring out I’m a better dancer when I have my tennis shoes on. Or thinking how Sarah Palin makes a good grilled cheese sandwich. Sometimes you can just tell with people. If any story elicits a massive OMG from the office, it’ll be this one: the day I had to take my editorial picture. SNL music videos are somewhat a secret obsession at the Cream office like The Lonely Island and Justin Timberlake are so meant for each other. The loudness of the awesome music playlists.

alfresco