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Your Well-Being Is Our Passion. Imagine living in a safe and convenient community, with everything you need just steps outside your door. A place to relax, a place to explore, a place for all ages. The Village of Southampton luxury senior living community is the new centerpiece to the long successful, highly awarded mixed-use area in West University, where you’ll find Rice Village District shopping, restaurants and entertainment. This pedestrian-friendly area consists of over 300 shops and is located just a few blocks from Rice University, Hermann Park, the Museum District and world renowned Texas Medical Center. You will enjoy shopping the boutiques, concerts in the park and the fine arts. Stay connected to the energy of the performing arts, continued learning and rich and varied social scene that only Houston can deliver. The Village of Southampton offers programs that keep you engaged with always something new to learn or do. It is a great place to meet new-found friends with likeminded interests who are just as eager as you to continue to broaden their horizons. Take off as a group on one of our many adventurous outings and leave the driving to us. Wake up to a dip in the heated pool and spa or try integrating a new innovative exercise program into your daily routine in our state-of-the-art fitness center. No matter what exercise you choose, your health and wellness are our primary focus. Our community areas are designed with you in mind. Relax in the outdoor oasis with lounge seating, flower boxes and view of the Houston skyline. Prepare your pallet for an exquisite dining experience as you retreat for lunch or dinner in our beautiful dining room. If you are on the go with no time for formal dining, grab a quick snack or sandwich in the Bistro. Enjoy conversation with friends and family while you unwind from a busy day of adventure with a glass of wine in the Sky Lounge. Once you settle into your new home at The Village of Southampton, the sounds of the city and hustle of the world seem to fade away. It’s where you love the possibilities that each day offers. Sophisticated independent living, with assisted living and memory care services —The Village of Southampton is where you Live Life Well®. We invite you to come explore Houston’s best kept secret. If you would like to learn more about how The Village of Southampton can be your new home, call today to schedule a personal visit.
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ARTS & EVENTS
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HOUSTON BAR WINS JAMES BEARD AWARD COSMIC SEX & UFOS
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POST-’ROE’: HOW IS TEXAS FARING?
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DESIGNING DURING THE PANDEMIC
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Publisher’s Letter
Interdependency
I
n an average election year, just over half of eligible voters go to the polls, and primary races draw far fewer voters. In 2016 many chose not to vote due to the choice of candidates or other reasons. In one fell swoop, there went Roe v. Wade. In 2020 after many were feeling the effects of Covid and a mounting divisive atmosphere along with three new Supreme Court judges, people went to the polls in record numbers (66% of eligible voters), the highest since 1908. That still leaves out a large swath of voters who sit on the sidelines and don’t exercise the freedom of having their voices heard. Voting is freedom and the ability to shape your society. Why are people so passionate or don’t care at all? A Pew research paper showed that almost 20% of voters were not interested in the outcome. Of the young people in America that are 18-29, less than half vote. The centrist or “non-partisan” Brookings Institute paper suggests we, like many other countries, including Australia, should make voting compulsory. I’m sure the sideliners aren’t too happy about gas prices, and many young potential homeowners wonder why interest rates suddenly are making housing less affordable. We must participate in how and who makes decisions affecting our lives. Votes have consequences, as evidenced by the election and appointments of three conservative judges that long-held Roe v. Wade to be unconstitutional when most Americans consider it settled law. Elections had consequences, and this is overflowing evidence. Far too many people, particularly young Americans, are not participating in elections. At the state and local levels in Texas, the elections of state legislatures have redrawn redistricting maps, which will affect the outcome of elections for many years to come. Cities and state leaders are now left to sort out these many new laws. Voting has far-reaching results.
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Arts + MUSEUMS
EVENTS
Museum Of Fine Arts Houston
Virtual Realities: The Art of M.C. Escher from the Michael S. Sachs Collection Through Sept 5 2022
Leandro Erlich: Seeing Is Not Believing Ongoing through Sept 5 2022
Artupdate houston published every two weeks by houstonintown. Go to website and sign up for newsletter to receive free update.
Beauty and Ritual; Judaica from the Jewish Museum, New York July 10 through Sept 18
Contemporary Arts Museum Houston
Holocaust Museum Houston
Notorious RBG
Through Jul 31 2022
Samuel Bak Collection Opens July 1
Houston, Sie Haben ein Problem!
Menil Collection Joseph E. Yoakum: What I Saw
The Sugar Shack
Through Aug 28 2022
Ongoing through Aug 7 2022
Amoako Boafo: Soul of Black Folks
Meret Oppenheim: My Exhibition
Mariah Garnett: Dreamed This Getaway
Ongoing through Oct 2 2022
Through 18, Sept 2022
Mariah Garnett: Dreamed This Getaway
Wall Drawing Series: Marcia Kure
Ongoing through Dec 31 2022 June 10 through Aug 28 2022
Ongoing through Aug 28 2022
URBAN HARVEST FARMERS MARKET
Through Aug 2022
HOUSTON’S #1 COUNTERTOP EXPERT
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2752 Buffalo Speedway
Modern and Contemporary at the Menil Ongoing through Jan 23 2023
FRESH. AUTHENTIC. DELICIOUS.
Samuel Fosso: African Spirits
Aug 5 through Jan 15 2023
Houston Museum Of Natural Science
Special Exhibits Rock N’Roar Summer: Titans of HMNS Ongoing through Sept 5
Gaia – Earth by Luke Jerram Body Worlds & The Cycle of Life THEATER A.D. Players
The Sound of Music
July 6 through Aug 14 2022
ALLEY THEATRE
Clue
July 22 through Aug 28
Broadway Across America Hobby Center
Disney’s Frozen
Ongoing through Jul 17
Mean Girls
Aug 16 through 21
STAGES REPERTORY THEATER
Dream: The Story Of The Everly Brothers Open July 28 though Sept 4
SPORTS Houston Astros Minute Maid Park July 5-7 15-17
1985 Welch Street Houston,Texas 77019
21 28 -31
Kansas City Oakland NY Yankees Seatle
August 1-3 9-11 12-14 23-25 26-28
Boston Texas Oakland Minnesota Baltimore
Houston Dynamo PNC Stadium
For reservations go to: EugenesHouston.com/reservations or call 713.807.8883 Monday thru Saturday: Lunch 11 to 2:30pm / Happy Hour 4 to 7pm / Dinner 5 to 10pm Saturday 11 to 10pm / Saturday Brunch 11 to 2:30pm / Saturday Happy Hour 2 to 5pm Closed Sunday
8 | Intown | July + August 2022
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5655 Locke Ln | Briarcroft
Luxury lake living in this beautiful custom home on the #5 hole of the Miller Golf Course. Wall of windows for fabulous views of Lake Conroe in gated community. Primary bedrooms connected by an elevator and all have private balconies and breathtaking views and gorgeous sunrises. Beverly Smith | Coldwell Banker Realty | 713-569-2113
Large open living areas with modern, clean finishes, high ceilings, tons of natural light, hardwoods throughout. First floor includes primary bedroom, gourmet kitchen, study, wine grotto, utility / mud room & butler’s pantry. Second floor has 3 bedrooms, gameroom, den and computer nook. Garage apt has full bath, kitchen and W/D. David M. Young | Compass RE Texas | 713-320-6453
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10 | Intown | May + June 2022
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David Michael Young
List Price $1,475,000 | MLS# 83962829
Real Estate Professionals Serving the Houston Luxury Home Community w w w. g r e a t e r h o u s t o n l u x u r y. c o m
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This meticulously maintained Byers Custom Estate Home is adjacent to the #1 Tee Box of the North course of Blackhorse Golf Club in the exclusive gated section. This stately home is situated on over a half acre with breathtaking views of the golf course. Annie Farmer | Keller Williams | 832-564-5694
Tammy Canon
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List Price $599,995 | MLS# 23283035
Fabulous Trendmaker home located in Cross Creek Ranch features 4 bedrooms, 3 full baths, 1 half-bath and 3 car oversized garage! Steps away from paths to the elementary school. Elegant architecture with open concept design and a front foyer with a high ceiling. Tammy Canon | Berkshire Hathaway | 713-898-7366
8 | Intown | September + October 2021
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You won't find ANYTHING like this Transformed Texas Modern home will with luxurious appointments at every turn. Perfectly positioned in a well-established, sought-after Houston neighborhood & zoned to the most desired schools, Practically new construction remodeled designer home. Genevieve Rowland | Keller Williams | 281-904-7041
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242 Pine Hollow Ln | Pine Hollow / Tanglewood Area List Price $1,195,000 | MLS# 14680197
Build your home on this 30,000+ SF lot overlooking Buffalo Bayou on a premier street very close to Memorial Park, Uptown Park and The Houstonian Club. Paid patrol on street, but no HOA. David M. Young | Compass RE Texas | 713-320-6453
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Food &
HOSPITALITY
Giving You Legal Advice That Matters
Julep Bar Wins Houston’s First Ever National James Beard Award
I
n June, Alba Huerta’s Julep bar in the Heights became the first ever Texas establishment to win a national James Beard Foundation Award when it won the Outstanding Bar Program category. The James Beard Foundation was started in 1986 to honor the memory of James Beard, a prolific food writer and cookbook author in America. Known as the Oscars of the food world, the annual awards are given in 23 categories, both national and regional. Julep’s award this year was the first national honor for a Texas institution but was followed that same night by Edgar Rico of Austin’s 14 | Intown | July + August 2022
By Marene Gustin Nixta Taqueria for Emerging Chef. Quite a feat, but not the only accolade Julep has won, not even for this summer. “Just days before the Beard awards,” says Huerta, “we were named to the 50 Best Bars in North America list. We are the only Texas bar on the list and it’s an international list of bars and restaurants. It’s really bringing some international travelers here.” Both Julep and Huerta have won multiple awards, from being named one of the top five bars in the United States by Bon Appétit in 2015 and one of the
twenty-four best bars in America by Esquire in 2017, to Huerta’s selection by Food & Wine as one of ten rising-star female mixologists. And Thrillist named her one of the Best Bartenders in America. And the list goes on. Huerta came from Mexico with her family at the age of five and started working in bars before she could legally drink. “That’s Texas for you,” she says, “You can serve alcohol at 18 but you can’t drink it.” Huerta, who is a font of bar history in America — she can trace the history of cocktails from the 1800s through
Prohibition and then the resurgence of creative craft drinks in the early 2000s. But she recalls that the bar business was very different when she first started. “Bartending wasn’t really a career,” she says. “Most people did it to work their way through college, but I loved it and never wanted to leave. It was about the people, about the public space. “It wasn’t called mixology then it was just pouring drinks. We didn’t even use real juice in cocktails. It wasn’t until about 2010 that we started making real cocktails. It wasn’t cool back then it wasn’t considered a culinary art.” In 2011 she joined the then revolutionary bar Anvil Bar and Refuge as general manager and just three short years later she opened her own bar, Julep. The bar is light and airy, with flowers on the tables and a touch of lace. It has a distinctively Southern feel, much like the seasonal cocktail menu Huerta curates, which includes, of course, a list of the bar’s namesake juleps. If you’re looking for a touch of Southern charm in a comfy atmosphere, this is the place to kick back with a stiff drink and some cold oysters. Since opening in 2014 it’s become a neighborhood icon and a must-visit spot for out of towners.
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| Intown |15
Alba Huerta
Besides running a bar —and accepting awards — Huerta is passionate about teaching and spreading her love of mixology. She recently lectured at the Aspen Food & Wine Festival and wrote her first cocktail book, Julep: Southern Cocktails Refashioned, which was also an award winner bringing home an International Association of Culinary Professionals award in the Wine, Beer, and Spirits Category. But it isn’t just about the awards. In her acceptance speech in Chicago in June for the Beard awards, she expressed her love of her city, saying “thank you to my city of Houston, Texas for loving immigrants. For loving immigrants like me, like my family, welcoming us — and giving us the path to opening our own businesses.” Huerta is known for her passion and love of quality wine, spirits and cocktails and bringing her Southern hospitality to both her bar and her profession. “If we get an accolade,” she says, “that’s beautiful. But we don’t do it for awards, it’s about the creative mindset. The future is making sure the creative spirit is there. This is a product of love.” And it’s clear Huerta loves cocktails, and the people who drink them. Julep | 1919 Washington Ave. | julephouston.com
James Beard Foundation History For over 30 years, the James Beard Foundation has served as a steward of great influence within the culinary industry. Over decades, the Foundation has evolved from a body celebrating gastronomy to a changemaker and thought leader, driving impact across the industry. While he was alive, James Beard always welcomed students, authors, chefs, and other food and beverage professionals into his home—his kitchen was truly at the heart of America’s burgeoning 20th-century food scene. After his death in 1985, a group of Beard’s friends and colleagues led by cooking school founder Peter Kump heeded a call from Julia Child to do something with Beard’s house. Kump organized a fundraising campaign to purchase the Greenwich Village townhouse from Reed College, Beard’s alma mater which held his estate. On November 5, 1986, the James Beard Foundation officially opened the James Beard House “to provide a center for the culinary arts and to continue to foster the interest James Beard inspired in all aspects of food, its preparation presentation, and of course, enjoyment,” according to a press release issued that day. Calvin Trillin presided over an opening ceremony that welcomed Jacques Pépin, Judith Jones, Larry Forgione, and other culinary world luminaries who had been touched and inspired by Beard. Although the mission of the organization would evolve over the years, Kump, who had founded a theater troupe in a previous career, initially envisioned the Beard House as a performance space for chefs. On February 1, 1987, Kump wrote a thank you note to an influential young chef 16 | Intown | July + August 2022
working in California who was generous enough to cook a dinner at the Beard House to help the new organization raise some money. “Dear Wolf,” Kump wrote to Wolfgang Puck, “When you initially suggested coming out and cooking a dinner here it gave us the idea for starting this as a monthly event. First of all, it is a good way for the Foundation to bring in regular funds. Second, it also performs a very valuable service to our members and the food community: for the first time, the great chefs from outside the New York Metropolitan area can come here, allowing us to experience their food fully rather than just a taste in a party atmosphere. Finally, it starts a tradition for showcasing new chefs who have not yet received recognition.” For decades the James Beard House hosted over 200 events annually, realizing Kump’s vision and maintaining Beard’s home as an important meeting place for America’s food community. In 2021, we launched the James Beard House Fellows program, presented by Capital One, which transforms this historic space into a hub of training and professional development for talented emerging chefs. Learn more about the Fellows. In 1990 the James Beard Foundation made another leap forward by establishing the James Beard Foundation Awards for excellence in the food and beverage and related industries. The first awards were given in 1991. By shining a spotlight on the people behind the food we were learning to appreciate and enjoy, the James Beard Awards preempted the era of the celebrity chef we now take for granted.
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Cosmic Sex
Rice University’s Archives of the Impossible
and UFOs: By Virginia Billeaud Anderson
O
n December 26, 1985, weird creatures carried Whitley Strieber naked and paralyzed from his upstate New York cabin. He perceived flying above trees, then didn’t know where he was. They “manhandled” him, shoved an object up his butt. It felt like a rape. “What can we do to help you stop screaming?” one entity asked. The following day his “abduction” faded from memory, yet rectal soreness and vivid impressions of a needle being jammed into his head persisted. Strieber was so freaked-out he nearly jumped from his Manhattan window, but fortunately found abduction researcher Budd Hopkins who assured him others shared his experience. Hopkins encouraged Strieber to explore suppressed memories. With hypnosis, he recalled a lifetime of traumatic events. What really happened? Research indicated the phenomenon was vastly more complex than abduction by space-traveling aliens. It manifests in many ways, including fairies and ancient gods. It’s existed throughout human history, and appears differently to different cultures. Whatever its ultimate reality, science hasn’t yet discovered it. Strieber published his book “Communion” in 1987. Rice University’s Professor of Philosophy and Religious Thought, Dr. Jeffrey Kripal, called Communion the “finest and most widely read autobiographical abduction account of the twentieth century.” Letters arrived, over 10,000 a month, from around the world. Strieber stopped counting at 200,000, but believes by the late90s he’d received nearly 500,000. The phenomenon’s scope was immense. Others had similar encounters. One woman wrote her two year old son recognized the creature on Communion’s cover. It swiped his toys. Some levitated in the presence of the phenomenon. Strieber did that. Strieber’s wife Anne analyzed many of the letters, no easy task. She observed that encounters often accompany perceptions of dead people. Strieber donated the Communion Letters to Rice University’s Archives of the Impossible. From 1972 to 1995 the U.S. government ran a secret ESP spying program. Project Stargate’s military and civilian psychics performed psychic espionage or “remote viewing” to detect enemy weapon systems. Nuclear physicist Dr. Edwin C. May joined Stargate in 1976, then served as its director from 1985 to 1995. After 18 | Intown Intown|| July March + April2022 2022 18 | + August
Whitley Strieber donated the Communion Letters to Rice
Image on cover of Communion. Copyright Ted Jacobs 1987
Stargate was declassified in 1989, May published books and articles about the program’s telepathic spying missions, and his own parapsychological research. Psychic spying uncovered a Russian radar defense system, an Iranian airbase, and a Chinese nuclear airdrop test. Soon, May was downing vodka with former KGB dudes and Russian psychics who told tales of the KGB basing Yeltsin’s travel plans on psychic information. Like Strieber, May deposited his research into Rice’s Archives of the Impossible. Dr. Jacques Vallée helped Strieber direct his search beyond propulsion and lights in the sky. “Wasteful” speculation. Vallée opened Strieber’s mind to parallel realities. For Vallée, the UFO phenomenon is a hidden part of the natural world. He meticulously traced its many guises back to antiquity and noted affinities with the world’s mythologies and religions. He envisions a form of non-human consciousness beyond time and space that projects symbols. Vallée called the phenomenon “a window toward undiscovered dimensions of our own environment.” Framed against multidimensional reality, the UFO, or apparition of the virgin for that matter, approximates a portal. You probably recall Vallée consulted on Spielberg’s 1977 film “Close Encounters of the Third Kind.” Spielberg based the French scientist who greeted the extraterrestrials on Vallée. Vallée disliked the plot. The meet and greet between humans and ETs he “argued” was a dumbed-down handling of the phenomenon. Spielberg pandered to Hollywood’s expectations regardless. Vallée kick-started Rice’s Archives of the Impossible. He needed a venue for his valuable collection of research, manuscripts, photos, videos and recordings. It should be available to all who understand the historical, cultural, religious, and scientific implications of the on-going UFO mystery. Jeff Kripal finagled the collection entering Rice’s Woodson Research Center and Department of Religion, then lassoed Strieber’s Communion Letters and May’s Stargate documents. “The intellectual gravity of Vallée, Strieber, and May’s gifts created a kind of black hole effect,” Kripal said. July + August 2022
| Intown |19
Alien drawing in Archives of the Impossible
Jacques Vallée holding archive material
More donors got sucked in. Rice now hosts an enormous document collection related to the study of paranormal experiences, which includes thousands of firsthand abduction accounts. Dr. Diana Pasulka is sneaky. She’ll use phrases like “post three-dimensional.” Initially you assume intellectual blabber, then realize it’s a killer word for the paradigmatic shift away from a materialist worldview. Scientists are combining empirical investigations with esoteric practices. Pasulka wrote about some. Like the renowned Stanford geneticist and UFO experiencer who an-
alyzes alleged UFO debris, and found isotope ratios unknown in nature. And the space shuttle engineer with biomedical patents who “downloads” technical messages from entities, and studies spirit and consciousness as new frontiers in space travel. I’m reminded here of Dr. John Mack advising MIT physicists who search for intelligent life to underpin their radio wave detection with states of consciousness. “Consciousness may not be limited by the constraints of space/ time that plague the search for extraterrestrial intelligence,” Mack wrote. As a professor of religious studies,
Pasulka explores how human perceptions of supernatural events morph into religions. She traipses over UFO debris sites and translates Vatican accounts of levitating mystics. Others in her field chase luminous orbs. Some grapple with string theory. Pasulka donated to the archive. And lectured at Rice’s Conference of the Impossible, a 4-day scholarly shindig held in March. Vallée was high priest of the conference. He slammed the government for renaming UFOs UAPs, and scornfully reminded he possesses “material fragments recovered from crash sites.” The phenom-
enon leaves physical traces. Its objective truth though surely rests in multidimensionality and extended consciousness. Vallée applauded Kripal and Rice’s Humanities department for its visionary grasp of “what the continuing UFO mystery means to our models of reality.” Nobody flinched when Strieber told the audience Anne communicated less than two hours after she died (2015). Existence after death is a consistent theme. I re-read four of his books, it’s stupid to fear death. Then Strieber dissected a Communion Letter. An entire family witnessed preposterous things. All blatantly symbolic. The weirdo that bounced gravity-free across their yard symbolized our cosmic nature. Once we ditch fear. If manifestations are absurd, it’s to annihilate comfy notions about mind, how the universe operates, and our place in the cosmos. On absurdity, the enigma’s heavy sexual component is totally absurd. Philosophers use the words ontological shock for something so bat-shit crazy it shatters one’s worldview.
Rice University’s Dr. Jeffery Kripal. By Michael Spadafina
Edwin May directed Stargate’s psychic spying
In May, a Congressional hearing was held on UFOs. Defense Department bigwigs admitted they were clueless about objects with no discernible means of propulsion maneuvering in ways that defy the laws of physics spooking Navy pilots in protected airspace. Leslie Kean helped instigate the Congressional inquiry. In 2017 she coauthored a game changing “New York Times” series that disclosed the government secretly stud-
SOFT SHELL CRABS ENTREE & PO-BOY
ied UFOs, videos included. It blew the lid off. A rush of experiencers spoke up. Congress funded a UFO detection agency. Kean’s conference lecture however wasn’t on UFOs. She lectured instead on life after death. Kean’s considerable investigative skills uncovered physical evidence of post-death survival. She’s not blowing smoke, real proof. https://impossiblearchives.rice.edu/
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This article was originally published by the Texas Observer, a nonprofit investigative news outlet. Sign up for their weekly newsletter, or follow them on Facebook and Twitter.
By Michelle Pitcher Texas Observer San Antonio Mayor Ron Nirenberg
Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner
Gov. Greg Abbott. Photo: Houston Public Media.org
How Are Texas Officials Responding to the End of ‘Roe’?
A
fter the United States Supreme Court gutted protections for abortion access by reversing Roe v. Wade, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton made the state’s position clear: Residents must quash any hope of legal abortion in the state. “I look forward to defending the pro-life laws of Texas and the lives of all unborn children moving forward,” Paxton said in a statement. In celebration of the court decision, Paxton gave all employees in the Office of the Attorney General a half-day off of work, according to an internal email. “Attorney General Paxton 22 | Intown | July + August 2022
and the entire Executive Leadership Team wish you and your families a safe and enjoyable ‘Sanctity of Life’ holiday,” reads the email, signed by First Assistant Attorney General of Texas Brent Webster.
But in the state’s capital, city leaders are already working to decriminalize abortion locally. Immediately after the decision, two Austin City Council members—Jose “Chito” Vela and Vanessa Fuentes—called for a special meeting to push forward a resolution that would recommend city funds not be used to “surveil, catalog, report, or investigate abortion” and would direct the police to make abortion investigations “their lowest priority.” The resolution, known as the Guarding the Right to Abortion Care for Everyone (GRACE) Act, was authored by Council member Chito Vela.
“We want to do everything we can to protect abortion rights,” Vela told the Observer. “I think that the GRACE package is designed to use our discretion in a way that hopefully will not come into direct conflict with the state. We’re just doing the best we can given the difficult circumstances.” The measure has been in the works since the draft opinion of the court’s decision was leaked in May, Vela said. The date of the special meeting has not yet been set, but Vela said city leaders hope to have it within the next 30 days, before the trigger laws take effect. Vela said Austin leaders have been in talks with other cities that may want to pass similar measures, including Denton. Austin’s measure is co-sponsored by several council members, as well as Mayor Steve Adler. “It is tragic that women have lost the human right to make their own healthcare choices, including as to abortion,” Adler wrote in a statement. “With this
opinion, the Supreme Court puts women and so many others at risk and in danger. Austin will, to the best of its ability, do all we can to protect our values and our people.” Austin’s mayor isn’t the only major
city leader entering the fray. Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner declared today “a sad day across America,” urging liberal residents to “show up at the ballot box.” San Antonio Mayor Ron Nirenberg tweeted that the ruling was “an at-
Austin Mayor Steve Adler
tack on the health and independence of women, people of color and the disadvantaged. Access to health care, including abortion, is a human right.” The District Attorney for Travis County, which includes Austin, Jose
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MartelAwardFinalists Amber Franco, Donielle Clemons and Lisa Bruton
Keynote Speaker Dr. Marc Brackett
Whitney and Jim Crane
Linda Nunner, Dr. Jackie Smith and Pam Davis
2022 FRIENDS AND FAMILIES LUNCHEON Bestselling author Dr. Marc Brackett delivers thought-provoking speech about supporting children’s emotional development Luncheon raises $180,000 for Museum’s early childhood and parenting programs
Photos: Texas Observer
Garza suggested he will not abide by Texas’s trigger laws, which will make all abortion illegal in Texas in 30 days. “I will not force women into the shadows, especially when they need life-saving medical care. No matter what the law says, I implore you: please, seek medical help if you need it,” he said in a statement. Garza was one of five district attorneys who earlier vowed not to prosecute abortions. District attorneys from Dallas County, Bexar County, Nueces County, and Fort Bend County also made the pledge. Since this morning’s decision, other district attorneys have made similar statements. Harris County District Attorney Kim Ogg, who oversees the Houston area, didn’t go so far as to say the office would decline to enforce the trigger law but stated, “prosecutors and police have no role in matters between doctors and patients. As in every case, we will evaluate the facts and make decisions on a case-by-case basis.” Throughout the state, liberal politicians and leaders are trying to shout above the conservative victory cries. Beto O’Rourke parlayed the news into a campaign plea for his race against Governor Greg Abbott. “If you care 24 | Intown | July + August 2022
about protecting a woman’s freedom to make her own decisions about her own body, health care, and future, join this campaign and help us win,” he said in a statement. He also announced that he’d be holding a rally for reproductive rights this Sunday in Austin. Democratic Attorney General Candidate Rochelle Garza noted in her statement that Texas’s restrictive trigger laws “will disproportionately impact women
of color, people living in poverty, and rural communities,” vowing to restore access to abortion in Texas if elected. In the aftermath of the decision, Abbott referred to Texas as a “pro-life state.” But liberal leaders suggest to their constituents that there may be a way around the state’s restrictions—a faint glimmer of hope for Texans who need access to abortion.
Kathy Kim-Gray and Kimberly Atlas Harrington
Liz Scofield and Disney Harris
Chairs Alison Powell and Krystal Thompson
Alison Powell, Keynote Speaker Dr. Marc Brackett and Krystal Thompson
Children’s Museum Houston and chairs Alison Powell and Krystal Thompson raised $180,000 during the 2022 Friends and Families Luncheon at the River Oaks Country Club. Keynote speaker and best-selling author, Dr. Marc Brackett, shared how developing emotional intelligence in adults and children can help, rather than hinder, success and overall well-being as explained in his latest book, “Permission to Feel: Unlocking the Power of Emotions to Help Our Kids, Ourselves, and Our Society Thrive.” His speech resonated with the more than 200 parents, educators, families, and friends who were touched by his real-life scenarios. ABC 13 News Anchors Gina Gaston Elie and Samica Knight served as Mistresses of Ceremony. For more onChildren’s Museum Houston go to www.cmhouston.org | www.childrensdiscoveryfb.org
Jennifer Cope and Jordan Seff
Mona Sarofim, Holly Radom and Katie Arnoldy
Jennie Getten, Natalie Oliver, Gigi Craig and Annie Eifler
Group of Legacy guests
Mistresses of Ceremony Samica Knight and Gina Gaston Elie July + August 2022
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DESIGN
DESIGN
for space to allow individuals to have a private sector of the home, easy access around the home, and flexibility to adapt to everyone’s changing needs. Let the children teach grandma the computer while she teaching cooking to the children..
The Old Murphy Bed is New
Imagine having a room that’s a guest room when you need it, and when you don’t, you can use it as an office or a den. Or having extra storage space in your living room that houses an extra bed for when you need it. Murphy beds have been around since the 1920s but they are coming into renewed popularity during these times when families are creating new home configurations and family members are moving back in together. “I wanted to use my extra bedroom as a home office, but I need my mother-in-law to have a place to stay when she visits. My Murphy bed turned out to be the perfect solution!” Lisa H. Call me for a creative Murphy bed solution for your home at 713-582-3843 or email me at adele@ relocatedandrenovate.com.
Designing During the Pandemic By Adele Cohen Segel
General Contractor, licensed interior designer and founder of Relocate a& Renovate
Outdoor Kitchens
One of my recent projects is designing and constructing an outdoor kitchen and covered patio which has become the new trend in home remodeling. My client explained the reasons why he wants this outdoor kitchen. “We have a large family of different ages so we want to enjoy our outside activities together. The children can play in the yard, while the adults are cooking and enjoying each other.” Other benefits include the fact that it is a safe place to entertain for social distancing, and it expands the living space of the home. It has become so popular that it now adds to the value of the home!
26 | Intown | July + August 2022
Doors, Doors, & More Doors!
“For homeowners everywhere, quarantine has offered a strange moment of recalculation.” The New York Times. Changing family and work constellations necessitate changing the current spaces in the home. Our open spaces are no longer serving our lifestyles. Children are attending school from home, parents are working from home, and grandparents are moving in with their families in large numbers. I have seen this kind of trend a few times over my 30+ years in my remodeling and design-build business. This experience allows me to help realtors, clients and families come up with new housing strategies to work with existing spaces and improve the value of the homes at the same time. I have been contacted by so many
people the past few months who are confused and paralyzed. I work with families and realtors to review options they never considered and then to create the best action plan so they can make smart decisions in an uncertain time. Adele can be reached at 713-5823843 or email me at adele@relocateandrenovate.com.
Celebrating 50 Years in Houston All Price Ranges Quick n Installatio
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Multi-Generational Buyers
In a Merrill Lynch age survey, seniors are not downsizing at all. Instead they are upsizing their homes to make room for family to visit or move in with them. With adult children staying home longer and aging parents moving in more families are deciding to combine living spaces. According to Whirlpool Pro, multi-generational buyers are looking
The Shoppes At Memorial Villages 1022 Wirt Road, #308 • Houston, TX 77055 713.627.8970 • cabinetsanddesigns.net
July + August 2022
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Financial
FOCUS
purchases that require a loan. If you’re already set on buying a beach house, for example, locking in a fixed-rate mortgage this year will likely cost considerably less than six months from now. Alternatively, buying in cash would avoid the concern of paying interest altogether, and with an appreciating asset like real estate, it could prove to be a shrewd investment to offset inflation.
high inflation and rising rates
Re-budget for Big Expenses While routine daily expenses may not cause much concern, skyrocketing costs for big-ticket purchases can make a meaningful dent in even the healthiest of nest eggs. Planning an extravagant wedding? Sending a child to an Ivy League school? Dreaming of a bucket list vacation? Be prepared to pay more, perhaps much more, than you originally expected.
What It Means For You
O
ver the past year, the U.S. has experienced a dramatic increase in prices for food, fuel and many other essentials, with the inflation rate hitting a 41-year high of 8.5 percent in March. In response, the Federal Reserve has been aggressively raising interest rates to cool the economy and will likely make more incremental increases through 2023. To put it mildly, it’s a time of economic instability that has households of every income level worried about their financial footing. While some families aren’t necessarily panicking about the cost of gas and groceries, many are concerned about the impact of high inflation and rising rates on their investment portfolios, longterm legacies and previously planned big purchases. Preserving capital, mitigating risk and maintaining purchasing power are all top of mind. There is no perfect approach to navigating through an economic storm, so you should work with your advisor to understand the obstacles and prepare to change course, if only temporarily. 28 | Intown | July + August 2022
Don’t Go it Alone When the economy throws investors a curve ball, the objective advice of an more sophisticated maneuvers and strategies. In order to determine which make the most sense for your unique financial situation, consult your financial advisor. They can help you learn about additional options and work to determine the best strategy with you. Be open to making a change – it just might pay off.
Don’t Neglect Growth While guarding against potential investment losses is prudent, it’s important to balance short-term protective strategies with long-term goals for building wealth. After all, high inflation erodes the purchasing power of funds that arBy Evans Attwell en’t appreciating. Investors need to think Senior Vice President carefully, not only about their own lonFrost Bank gevity and retirement needs, but about the financial legacy they’d like to leave Here are a few thought starters to behind some day. History suggests that, despite inevitable setbacks, the stock further investigate. market remains a reliable generator of Be open to new strategies growth when viewed over the long term. When it comes to investing throughout the year, keeping it simple is usually PULL THE TRIGGER ON PLANNED PURCHASES As interest rates rise, borrowing mona wise approach. But in turbulent ecoey becomes more expensive. So, it may nomic times, like we’re seeing today, inmake sense to move quickly on major vestors may benefit from some slightly
experienced financial professional becomes more valuable than ever. Reach out to a Frost advisor for help with strategies tailored to your unique goals, risk tolerance and time horizon.
Would you like to talk to a financial professional? Contact Evans at 713.388.1367 or evans.attwell@frostbank.com. Investment and insurance products are not FDIC insured, are not bank guaranteed, and may lose value. Brokerage services offered through Frost Brokerage Services, Inc., Member FINRA/SIPC, and investment advisory services offered through Frost Investment Services, LLC, a registered investment adviser. Both companies are subsidiaries of Frost Bank. Investment management services, financial planning and trust services are offered through Frost Wealth Advisors of Frost Bank. Additionally, insurance products are offered through Frost Insurance. Deposit and loan products are offered through Frost Bank, Member FDIC. Frost does not provide legal or tax advice. Please seek legal or tax advice from legal and/or tax professionals.
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Unmatched service. Sound advice. And peace of mind knowing your money is well cared for. Now, how can we help you today? Visit us at our River Oaks Financial Center, 2443 Westheimer or call at (713) 388-1059.
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July + August 2022
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Major Zach, Stick Delaup, Tom Forney
Jeanne Kilroy Wilson, Elise Joseph
Trish Greaser, Tina Yrshus
Jan Rhodes, Alexis Valentine
Salvation Army Women’s Auxiliary Breaks Record with $1,000,000 on Luncheon and After Sale
Anne Duncan, Jenny Elkins, Rose Cullen
Lucy Lewis, Kristy Liedtke
T
he Salvation Army Women’s Auxiliary (SAWA) launched a week of incredible shopping opportunities with their sold-out Luncheon (420 people in attendance.) Runway Show and Chic Boutique Shopping Experience at River Oaks Country Club raising a whopping $1,000,000. The theme for this year’s Reflections on Style 2022 was “The Art of Fashion.” Leading the helm of this annual fundraising event were Laurel Bashaw and Dodi Willingham. The Chic Boutique Co-Chairs were Maggie Austin and Pam Sengelmann. The Chic Boutique Showroom Co-Chairs were Sarah Burchfield and Frances Villagomez-Howard and Judy Chong, President of SAWA. During the luncheon esteemed honoree Dorothy Nicholson was recognized for her generous support and longtime service to The Salvation Army Women’s Auxiliary and her commitment to many other important community organizations. To prepare for the week’s events the Auxiliary volunteers collected new and gently used clothing and accessories. The donated items were carefully selected and arranged for sale at not only the Chic Boutique at the luncheon but also for sale in the “pop-up” Chic Boutique Showroom. About the Salvation Army Women’s Auxiliary: The Salvation Army Women’s Auxiliary is a volunteer, educational and fundraising arm of The Salvation Army of Greater Houston. Funds raised provide grants to support the local Salvation Army programs, activities and service. The Auxiliary is committed to supporting the mission of the Salvation Army to meet human needs by offering hope, promoting dignity and providing opportunity without discrimination. Maura Montgomery, Maggie Austin
Carol Sharpe, Lilly Andress
Debby Leighton
Susan Hansen, Cristina Bailey, Betty Hncir, Vicki West Laura McWilliams, Gina Saour
Elise Eckert, Lisa Jakel, Sidney Faust, Betty Hrncir, Judi McGee Amanda Gelb, Deborah Dunkum
Terry Romano, Darlene Clark, Lisa Jakel
Jana Arnoldy
Model, wearing outfit on the invitation
Leslie Devillier
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