march + april 2020
NEW LISTING
Celebrating
We
welcome
Bernstein
35years
the opportunity to be of service
Serving Houston & Surrounding Areas since 1985
3330 Chevy Chase Drive River Oaks · $6,495,000 MLS# 18528365 | 713.932.1032
10907 Pama Circle
1 Mott Lane
Hunters Creek Village · $1,889,000 MLS# 57904308 | 713.932.1032
Piney Point Village · $2,930,000 MLS# 39356833 | 713.932.1032
GREAT LOCATION
50+ ACRES
ON GOLF COURSE
2582 N Mount Mariah Rd. 1226 Ripple Creek Drive Montgomery · $1,275,000
Kenneth Kottwitz | 713.598.6849
ZONED TO KATY ISD
Briargrove · $875,000 MLS# 27734574 | 713.932.1032
NEW PRICE
310 Grand View Terrace
Julie Brann | 713.594.8736
MLS# 81380935 | 713.932.1032
Rice Military · $499,500
713.932.1032
|
1100 Uptown Park Blvd. #72 Montebello · $1,650,000
MLS# 71822163 | 713.932.1032
NEW LISTING
22403 Stormcroft Lane
827 E 26th St.
Janice Ratliff | 713.819.0801
Judy Levin | 713.204.8807
Cinco Ranch · $619,900
Heights · $615,000
UPDATED
NEW PRICE
15830 Fleetwood Oaks Dr. Fleetwood · $544,900
NEW PRICE
NEW PRICE
NEW PRICE
1104 Pearlwood Drive
Timbergrove Trails · $499,153 Judy Levin | 713.204.8807
9587 Doliver Drive
Memorial West · $338,000 Melinda Gordon | 713.256.9145
BernsteinRealty.com
Imagine days full of possibilities in your beautiful new home at The Village of River Oaks. Discover an exceptional lifestyle that offers delicious cuisine, enriching programs, concierge and valet services, transportation, and signature amenities. You will continue to Live Life WellÂŽ with the added spectrum of care and wellness services tailored to your individual needs. The Village distinctive lifestyle is centered around you and the life you deserve.
RESERVE TODAY! ONLY A FEW ONE-BEDROOM LUXURY HOMES REMAIN.
www.villageofriveroaks.com
/ March + April 2020
contents
Send comments, thoughts or ideas to intownmagazine@gmail.com
18
8
ON THE COVER 22
26
6-7 ARTS + EVENTS 8-17 FOCUS INTOWN REAL ESTATE TREASURES FROM 18-19 HISPANIC MUSEUM 20-21 BIRD CITY HOUSTON
22-23
INTERVIEW: HGO’S PERRYN LEECH
24-25 KITCHEN REDESIGN 26-27 THE GAME FINFINANCIAL FOCUS 28-29 FINANCIAL FOCUS
30
THE BUZZ
PRODUCTION
PUBLISHER
M. A. Haines EDITOR
Lisa June
memorialvillagesmagazine.com
Web Design CSS Art & Design Layout & Graphic Design CSS Art & Design Graphic Designer Cris Bell Photographer Wells Brown
CONTRIBUTORS
Lindsay Mowad William Hanover Marene Gustin Evans Attwell Philip Berquist Minnie Payne
For advertising rates and information: 713.525.8607 intownmagazine@gmail.com Space reservation deadline is 15 days prior to publication.
Memorial Villages magazine is published bi-monthly by SNS Media. Articles are welcome and will be given careful consideration for possible publication. Memorial Villages magazine does not assume any responsibility for unsolicited materials. Materials submitted will be returned if accompanied by a stamped, self-addressed envelope to Box 980757 Houston, TX 77098. You can also e-mail intownmagazine@gmail.com. Copyright 2018 by Intown magazine. All rights reserved. Content may not be reprinted or reproduced without permission from Intown magazine.
4 | Mv | March + April 2020
WORTHWHILE CONVERSATIONS
ARE WE STILL OK AFTER THE SECURE ACT?
J. Harold Williams, CPA/PFS, CFP®, and Jessica Banitt, CPA, CFP®, discuss the SECURE Act, and the importance of having a team of professionals to determine the right choice for you. IS THERE REASON FOR CONCERN IN LIGHT OF THE RECENTLY ENACTED SECURE ACT? No, most people should continue to feel secure (pardon the pun). The financial media has enjoyed a field day describing the SECURE Act, which affects retirement accounts, as a game-changer. We have received questions from clients, but the group of people who need to modify their planning is a relatively small number. Although a bit of an oversimplification, it really boils down to just two main things.
WHAT ARE THOSE TWO “MAIN THINGS”? The age at which you must start drawing down your retirement balances has been moved back to age 72. It was 70-1/2 previously. The new starting age applies to anyone not already 70-1/2 at the end of 2019. The later start improves planning flexibility for people who might retire
before age 72 but, because of other income sources, may not actually need immediate withdrawals from their retirement accounts. Phillip Hamman, CFA, CFP®, heads our Wealth Planning Committee. He describes it as: “They can develop an ‘optimization strategy’ for drawing down these accounts”.
YOU SAID THERE WERE TWO “MAIN THINGS”… The other important item generally affects beneficiaries of IRA accounts who are NOT the surviving spouse of the deceased account owner. Before the SECURE Act, these inheritors could slowly draw down these retirement accounts in installments over their entire lifetime. That offered some great income tax planning flexibility. The SECURE Act generally shortens the withdrawal period to a maximum of 10 years. In certain cases, where families fully expect that retirement assets will pass to the next generation, planning should likely be updated.
IS THERE A “BOTTOM LINE” HERE? Everyone needs good planning around configuring cash flow in retirement. If you have not focused on this area, we recommend sitting down with a financial advisor who is a fiduciary 100% of the time, like Linscomb & Williams. We have an experienced and fully-credentialed team and are available to meet in our office right here in the Houston Galleria area.
For more information, or a copy of our Form ADV, Part II, with all of our disclosures, call Grant Williams at 713 840 1000 or visit www.linscomb-williams.com.
Linscomb & Williams is located at 1400 Post Oak Blvd., Ste. 1000 in Houston, TX For more information call 713 840 1000 or visit www.linscomb-williams.com. Linscomb & Williams is not an accounting firm.
Arts +
EVENTS
Artupdate houston published every two weeks by houstonintown. Go to website and sign up for newsletter to receive free update. MUSEUMS Asia Society Texas Center
Eternal Offerings Chinese Ritual Bronzes Through August 29
Form is Emptiness, Emptiness in Form Through March 29
Museum Of Fine Arts Houston
Norman Rockwell: American Freedom Through March 22
A History of Photography: Selections from the Museum’s Collection Through May 3
Radical: Italian Design 1965-1985, The Dennis Freedman Collection Through April 26
Francis Bacon: Late Paintings
MARKET SQUARE PARK HOSTS FREE SAINT PATRICK’S DAY CONCERT ON MARCH 14 The Houston Downtown Management District (Downtown District) hosts its annual Saint Patrick’s Day Concert at Market Square Park on Saturday, March 14, 2020, at 2 p.m. Market Square Park will come alive with food, lawn games, family friendly activities and free live music from local Celtic rock band the Blaggards. Event-goers are encouraged to stay Downtown and explore the neighborhood after the concert with drink specials at the area’s eclectic bars and restaurants. Visit www.downtownhoustonparking.org for an interactive map with garages, surface lots and other parking options in the area. For more information about the Saint Patrick’s Day Concert at Market Square Park, visit www.marketsquarepark.com. WHAT: Saint Patrick’s Day Concert at Market Square Park WHEN: Saturday, March 14, 2020, 2 to 3 p.m. WHERE: Market Square Park 301 Milam St Houston, TX 77002 COST: Concert is free to attend MORE INFO: www.marketsquarepark.com ABOUT DOWNTOWN DISTRICT The Downtown District was formed in 1995 for the purpose of revitalizing the urban core of the country’s fourth largest city. Over the past decade, the Downtown District has used a combination of public funds and private resources to catalyze area improvements focusing on the city blocks bordered by Interstate 10, Highway 59 and Interstate 45. 6 | Mv | March + April 2020
Through May 25
Arts of Islamic Lands: Selections from The al-Sabah Collection, Kuwait Glory Of Spain: Treasures from the Hispanic Society Museum & Library March 1 through May 25
Contemporary Arts Museum Houston
Hamman Hall Of Texas Coastal Ecology Herzstein Foucault Pendulum John McGovern Hall of The Americas Lester & Sue Smith Gem Vault Morian Hall of Paleontology Starke Hall of Malacology Wiess Energy Hall Welch Hall of Chemistry Special Exhibits Stonehenge: Ancient Mysteries and Modern Discoveries The Art of the Brick Death by Natural Causes “Moon” by Luke Jerram Tourmaline Treasures State of Water: Our Most Valuable Resource MUSIC & DANCE Houston Ballet
The Sleeping Beauty
Through March 8
Forged In Houston
March 12 through 20
Houston Symphony
Garrett Bradley: American Rhapsody
Adams” El Nino
Through March 23
March 14 & 15
Slowed and Throwed: Records of the City Through Mutated Lenses
Swing to Rock with Dave Benett March 20,21,22
March 6 through June 7
Mozart’s Piano Concerto No. 20
Holocaust Museum Houston
Andres Conducts Mahler
March 26, 28 & 29
The Book Smugglers
April 3, 4, & 5
Menil Collection Collection Close-Up: Of Heaven and Earth
April 10, 11
March 13 through August 16
Through March 15
Think of Them as Spaces: Brice Marden’s Drawings Through June 14
Photography and the Surreal Imagination Ongoing through June 14
Si Lewen: The Parade
April 24 through August 23
Houston Museum Of Natural Science
Permanent Exhibits Alfred C. Glassell, Jr. Hall Cullen Hall of Gems and Minerals Earth Forum Farish Hall of Texas Wildlife Frensley/Graham Hall of African Wildlife Hall Of Ancient Egypt
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince in Concert Aretha: Quenn of Soul
April 17, 18, & 19
THEATER A.D. Players
The Spitfire Grill
April 24 through May 10
ALLEY THEATRE
Camp David
Through March 15
1984
March 16 through March 29
Dead Man’s Cell Phone
April 17 through May 10
SPORTS
FARMERS MARKET
Houston Astros
Minute Maid Park
April 7 - 8 NY Mets 17 - 19 Anaheim 20 - 23 Tampa Bay 24 - 26 Oakland
Houston Dynamo
BBVA Compass Stadium March 14 Seattle
Broadway Across America
Honky Tonk Laundry
April 4 Portland 11 Inter Miami 15 Minnesota
Hobby Center Come From Away
Sensitive Guys
Houston Rockets
March 3 through 8
Fiddler on the Roof
March 24 through 29
STAGES REPERTORY THEATER
The Fantasticks
Through March 15
n
n
n
n
n
March 6 through May 24 March 20 through April
THE ENSEMBLE THEATER
Autumn
March 19 through April 12
Theatre Under the Stars
Pure Country
April 14 through 26
Toyota Center March 5 8 10 17 19 21
LA Clippers Orlando Minnesota Cleveland Sacramento Chicago
Every Saturday Rain or Shine 9am - 1pm
Hunters Creek Village at First Congregational Church April 2 Golden State 5 Toronto 8 San Antonio 10 Washington 13 Phoenix 15 Memphis
300 Artists 2 Music Stages Food Trucks Chef’s Demonstrations Children’s Creative Zone Sponsored by Texas Children’s Hospital Specialty Care
n
Craft Beer & Wine Garden www.bayoucityartfestival.com #HouArtFest #BayouCityArtFest
MARCH 27-29 2020 FRIDAY - SUNDAY 10 AM TO 6 PM TICKETS $12 ONLINE $15 CASH $16 CREDIT FEATURED ARTIST MCKENZIE FISK @M CKEN Z I E _ F I S K _ A RT
Produced by Art Colony Association, Inc Benefiting Houston Non-Profits
March + April 2020
| Mv | 7
Memorial Villages
Bellaire Briargrove
Memorial West
The Heights
River Oaks
Independence Heights
West University
By David Michael Young
2019 was an incredibly busy year in residential real estate in Houston.
More homes sold in the Houston Metro Area than any other year, but homes in many areas took a long time to sell and many sellers decided to lease instead. We have a strong local and national economy and buyers are showing great confidence in the market. There is still a lot of inventory out there, but economists are forecasting a strong market and continued low interest rates, so we should get back to a more balanced market by the summer. For more real estate updates log on to www.houstonintown.com and sign up for our newsletters.
Top Ten Single Family Sales in 2019 Sales Price
Address
Area
Agent - List / Buy
$15,680,000 $10,000,000 $9,500,000 $9,000,000 $8,480,000 $7,350,000 $6,750,000 $6,560,000 $6,300,000 $6,100,000
2930 Lazy Lane 3456 Inwood Dr 3 W Rivercrest 3458 Inwood Dr 3014 Del Monte Dr 2320 River Oaks Blvd 3195 Inwood Dr 11302 Jamestown Rd 3433 Westheimer PH 1-E 3434 Ella Lee Ln
River Oaks River Oaks Rivercrest River Oaks River Oaks River Oaks River Oaks Piney Point The River Oaks River Oaks
Jeanne Marosis/Non-MLS Agent Katie Forney/Katie Forney Susan Boss/Virginia Westbrooks Katie Forney/William Wheless Clayton Katz/Clayton Katz Robert Bland/Shirin Petty Walter Bering/Thomas Cervone Laura Sweeney/Steve Baumgardner Carmela Lummis/Karen Gillespie Clare Leppert/Pama Abercrombie
8 | Mv | March + April 2020
Bellaire
10 Magnolia Woods Drive | Deer Ridge Estates
List Price $3,750,000 | MLS #50130592
by Neil Silverman
T
he City of Bellaire, referred to as “City of Homes” due to its residential character, was established in 1908 and incorporated in 1918. An Enclave Community surrounded by the city of Houston, Bellaire enjoys all that Houston has to offer with the comfort of knowing we can depend on our first-class municipal services and public safety departments, truly setting Bellaire apart. Bellaire population is 18,425 with just over 6600 homes and has a landmass of 3.6 square miles. There are almost 20 parks that offer an assortment of amenities and vary in size, 1 Public Library, 4 Tennis Courts, Aquatics Center, Evergreen Pool, Recreation Center with basketball and fitness room, and multiple baseball and softball fields. In 2019, Bellaire saw the completion of the Municipal Facilities project, including the construction of a new City Hall and Civic Center and a new Police and Municipal Court building. Neil Silverman, a local neighbor for over 25 years, with Bernstein Realty who list and sells homes in Bellaire, welcomes the opportunity to be of service, please contact him for all your Real Estate needs at 713.725-9750.
Grand 12,708 SF estate on 3.85-acre lot in guard gated Estate. Backyard playground features a large pool, secluded hot hub and walking trail through the woods. High end custom finishes with a room for every occasion – wine room, media room, study, music room, ballroom, and more. Only 30 mins to Downtown Houston via resident only accessible back gate.
David M. Young | Douglas Elliman Real Estate | 713-320-6453
10181 Valley Dr. | Lake Conroe
List Price $2,100,000 | MLS #94233735
Your own private oasis on Lake Conroe with 540 feet of Magnificent Waterfront on a1.36 acre peninsula. The home has walls of windows with breathtaking views, an enormous kitchen. The home has 8 bedrooms with lake views from 6 of them and 5 being Master size suites. The back yard has a fire pit, 2 decks a dock/lift, and a 46 foot pool with spa.
Beverly Smith | Coldwell Banker United, Realtors | 713-569-2113
11106 Hedwig Lane | Piney Point Village
10902 Memorial Dr | Memorial Villages
A modern paradise in Piney Point set at the end of a cul-de-sac on over 36,900 sq ft. Home by Capital Builders, finished by Nina Magon of Contour Interior Design, will inspire and excite you. Exquisite detail and design is a must see!
Outstanding gated Hacienda in the heart of Memorial. Solidly built Spanish style home. Landscaped grounds with resort style pool, cabana, summer kitchen and firepit. Quarters over 3-car garage. Twelve car guest parking on wide circular drive.
List Price $2,450,000 | MLS #19213268
Mariana Saldana | Keller Williams | 832-338-4040
62 Northgate | The Woodlands
List Price $1,450,000 | MLS #46661631
Find your paradise with over 1.3 million in upgrades inside and out. Discover a sophisticated open concept with multiple places to entertain guests. Outdoor space is fit for a resort. Experience a spectacular covered porch, sparkling brandnew pebble tech pool and a newly built outdoor cabana with outdoor kitchen, Park-like features with multiple fountains across the estate.
Lisa Fay | Coldwell Banker Realty | 832-447-7718
51 E Bend Lane | Arlington Court List Price $1,690,000 | MLS#43366678
Beautiful yet comfortable Country French home in gated Arlington Court, tucked between Memorial Park and Buffalo Bayou. Open floorplan with wide plank hardwoods throughout! Showers of natural light! Chef’s dream kitchen w/Carrera marble island, 2 oven Wolf range, Subzero, and Bosch DW. Wall of windows and French doors that open to lushly landscaped pool area. Lavish master.
| MvRaymond | January| +Keller 8Martha February 2020 Williams Memorial | 713-498-4540
List Price $1,995,000 | MLS#22426798
David M. Young | Douglas Elliman Real Estate | 713-320-6453
12426 Pinerock Lane | Memorial Hollow
List Price $1,098,000 | MLS #49462366
Exceptional 5 bedroom Memorial Hollow traditional on a quiet cul-de-sac dazzles with a recently renovated open concept layout. Newly installed European white oak floors flow throughout the downstairs. Gourmet kitchen opens to the family room w/cozy brick fireplace and views of the expansive yard and sparkling pool. Master retreat w/private backyard access. Many updates. Zoned to top-rated SBISD.
Michelle Hinton | Compass Real Estate | 832-795-2246
CHUBB • PURE • AIG • CINCINNATI
Luxury Home Insurance . . . Discover the Difference! LUXURY HOMES - VALUABLES - VEHICLES - UMBRELLA LIABILITY
CARRIE OUSLEY | 832.681.5020
Briargrove
by Melinda Gordon
B
riargrove is a beautiful neighborhood conveniently located 2 miles west of The Galleria in Houston as far south as Westheimer as far north as Woodway just west of Fountainview, the north section borders Tanglewood. There are many excellent local restaurants and shops within walking distance. Briargrove Elementary is a highly ranked HISD school. The community has just over 900 homes total with a solid HOA, which provides a 24 hr. Security Patrol. Briargrove has a neighborhood playground with a pool that offers a swim team in the summer months. You can always find neighbors out front hanging in their Adirondack chairs! Melinda Gordon, a local neighbor, with Bernstein Realty who lists and sells homes in Briargrove, welcomes the opportunity to be of service, please contact her for all of your real estate needs at 713.256.9145. Compliments of Bernstein Realty
See Lorie for $100+ in free accessories with your new VW Purchase! Offer ends April 30, 2020
We offer America's best Bumper-to-Bumper Limited Warranty on almost all of our 2019 models.* The Volkswagen 6 years/72,000 Miles (whichever occurs first) New Vehicle Limited Warranty.* It's perfect for America's best customers.
• 6 years/72,000 miles (whichever occurs first) New Vehicle Limited Warranty on MY2019 and newer VW vehicles, excluding e-Golf. Claim based on manufacturers' published data on length and transferability of car and SUV Bumper-to-bumper/Basic warranty only. Not based on other separate warranties. See owner's literature or dealer for warranty exclusions and limitations.
Call Lorie I 713.818.2613 (Text or Call) West Houston Volkswagen I 17113 Katy Fwy Houston, TX 77094 www.westhoustonvw.com
March + April 2020
| Mv |11
The Heights by Amanda & Rich Anhorn
T
his diverse small-town community was developed in the 1890s by its founders Oscar Martin Carter and Daniel Denton Cooley. They were the principles of the Omaha and South Texas Land Company, and these midwestern investors were drawn to the higher elevation of the area and purchased 1,700 acres of land. With electrification, the developers could expand further from downtown Houston with the use of the city’s streetcar system. The Heights became the city’s first large, planned community and existed separate from Houston until annexed in 1918. Today the Heights has much to offer its residents, including one of Houston’s grandest boulevards, home of a 3-mile walking trail, majestic trees, and public art sculptures. The Heights architecture ranges from Texas Victorians, turn-of-the-century bungalows, and new development. Other amenities the Heights offers are exemplary schools, acres of parks, miles
of trails, an exploding restaurant scene, live entertainment, antique stores, and offbeat boutiques. Recently, portions of the Heights have been designated as historic, which has preserved the original character of the neighborhood. Single-family homes range from $325,000-2,100,000 with standard lot sizes ranging from 4,400 square feet up to 7,500 square feet. The amount of single-family sales for 2019 was close to 1,300 transactions, with an average price per square foot of $256. Townhomes mostly exist on the outer boundaries of the Heights and range from
Memorial Team
10497 Town and Country Way | Suite 120 | Houston, TX 77024
12 | Mv | March + April 2020
$300,000-$530,000. In 2019 there were 141 transactions with a price per square foot of $187. Lots in the Heights range from $210,000-$1,800,000, with an average price of around $57 a square foot. If you’re in the rental market, there is a wide variety to choose from, including garage apartments, which start around $775 a month to luxury homes up to $7,000 a month. Amanda & Rich Anhorn | Greenwood King Properties |713.255.5123 anhorn@grenwoodking.com Top Producer 2004-2019
Independence Heights by Jessica McCreary
H
ouston’s newest “hot spot” for new construction is called Independence Heights. Located North of the Houston Heights, just outside 610 Loop, “The Super Neighborhood,” was created by the City of Houston, which drew its borders as Tidwell to the North, Shepherd Drive to the West, 610 to the South and 45 to the East. Similar to the Heights, this area is rich with history. It started to develop in 1908 by Wright Land Company and was incorporated Independence Heights. It became the first African American municipality in Texas. Then in 1929, the community was annexed by Houston. In 2018, the Houston Chronicle said this area “has it all” and cited a study conducted by Redfin, who ranked neighborhoods based on what buyers wanted. Priorities were good schools, transit options, commute times, crime, and affordability. Independence Heights ended up ranking 13 out of 25 in their nation-wide study. The recent development of a Whole Foods 365 at 610 & Yale has prompted other businesses to take a risk in this “upand-coming” location. For 2017, the average sales price for a lot was $45,316. In 2019, that jumped to $62,954. Let’s not forget the area’s popularity with Millennials, as well. As of two years ago, they represent the largest cohort of homebuyers in the country, and Houston is no different. The key to their heart is also affordability. New construction ranges from $300k-$365k in most cases. Jessica McCreary is Broker /Owner of HTX Living, LLC. p. 713 408.3195 Currently, for Sale 183 Homes / 56 Listings are Lots Currently for Lease 35 Homes As of 1/1/2020: 6 Lots Sold / Avg. Lot Size is 6,281sf / Avg. Sales Price is $126,833 16 New Single-Family Homes Sold / Avg Lot Size is 2,456sf / Avg Interior Size 1,680sf / Avg Sales Price is $283,890 March + April 2020
| Mv |13
Memorial Villages Memorial Villages by Alex Loyd
T
he Memorial Villages consists of six villages. Four are just south of I-10: Hunters Creek, Piney Point, Bunker Hill, and Hedwig, and two villages just north of I-10: Spring Valley and Hilshire. They all serve as a collection of upscale residential communities right outside the 610/I-10 interchange. The largest village, according to the 2010 consensus, is Hunters Creek at around 4,300+ residents, and the smallest is Hilshire, with just under 800 residents. New construction in Hilshire Village, compliments of Alex Loyd All six of the villages are served by the VilBranch Independent School District community and watching my children lage Fire Department and have their own (SBISD), which is a highly rated public grow up the way I did, playing outside elected mayor and city council. The Meschool district with an overall ranking of in the front yard and running from one morial Villages Police Department serves an A-. In Harris County, SBISD is rated house to the next. From the neighbors to Bunker Hill Village, Piney Point Village, #5 best places to teach, #6 best school the police department, everyone watches Hedwig, and Hunters Creek Village, district and #7 best district for athletes out for each other, and I feel incredibly while Spring Valley and Hilshire Villages safe living here. It is not only a beautiful and safety and #8 in diversity. are serviced by The Spring Valley Police Being a resident of Spring Valley place to live and raise a family, but it’s Department. Village for over eight years, I love this also a great place to invest in real estate. All six villages are zoned to the Spring
Your home. My mission.
Alex Loyd REALTORÂŽ 713.851.2521 alex.loyd@compass.com
7902 N Villa Court | Hilshire Village | $1,675,000 4 Bed | 3.1 Bath | 4,201 SF All material presented herein is intended for informational purposes only. Information is compiled from sources deemed reliable but is subject to errors, omissions, changes in price, condition, sale, or withdrawal without notice. All measurements and square footages are approximate, but not guaranteed and should be independently verified. This is not intended to solicit property already listed. Nothing herein shall be construed as legal, accounting or other professional advice outside the realm of real estate brokerage. Compass is a licensed real estate broker. Equal Housing Opportunity.
14 | Mv | March + April 2020
Memorial West Before 1981, city ordinances limited all single-family homes to one-story, but today, most have been renovated or torn down for new construction. Due to the tremendous population growth, Spring Valley’s Planning and Zoning Commission made it mandatory, unless grandfathered in, for lot sizes to have a minimum of 10,000 square feet. 77024 Villages Stats (Per MLS)
Jan 1 - Feb 28, 2019 • 11 Single Family Homes Sold Average Sales Price: $1,898,245 Average SF: 5,445 Average Lot SF: 25,485
by Amy Bernstein
Memorial West encompasses a wide variety of neighborhoods, and all located North of I-10. Some of the most popular neighborhoods inside the Beltway are Frostwood, Memorial Forest, Memorial Bend, Tealwood, Sandalwood, and Fonn Villas. The area also extends outside the Beltway to Memorial Glen, Gaywood, Nottingham, Nottingham Forest, Wilchester, and beyond. It is convenient
to City Centre, Town and Country, and Memorial City Mall and a short commute to the Energy Corridor. Memorial West is also home to one of Houston’s largest parks, Terry Hershey Park. Amy Bernstein, a local neighbor, with Bernstein Realty, is a top producing real estate agent who has listed and sold homes in the Memorial West area for more than 30 years. Bernstein Realty welcomes the opportunity to be of service, contact us for all your real estate needs at 713.932.1032.
• 4 Lots Sold Average Sales Price: $1,142,725 Average Lot SF: 27,168 Jan 1 - Today, 2020 • 13 Single Family Homes Sold Average Sales Price: $2,378,427 Average SF: 6,298 Average Lot SF: 24,851 • 8 Lots Sold Average Sales Price: $1,121,844 Average Lot SF: 19,842 **25% Price Increase in Single Family Home Sales!!** 77055 Villages Stats (Per MLS) Jan 1 - Feb 28, 2019 • 10 Single Family Homes Sold Average Sales Price: $882,012 Average SF: 3,288 Average Lot SF: 12,325 • 1 Lot Sold Average Sales Price: $637,500 Average Lot SF: 9,527 • Jan 1 - Today, 2020 6 Single Family Homes Sold Average Sales Price: $1,232,437 Average SF: 3,831 Average Lot SF: 11,175 • 2 Lots Sold Average Sales Price: $607,000 Average Lot SF: 13,512 **40% Price Increase in Single Family Home Sales Alex Loyd is a Top Producer with Compass RE Texas p. 713-851-2521 (713) 542-9860
LOCATED IN MONTROSE
TEJASCUSTOMBOOTS.COM
March + April 2020
| Mv |15
River Oaks by David Young
R
iver Oaks is undisputedly Houston’s premier subdivision. With a buyin price of $1 million and previous non-MLS sales above $30 million, this genteel neighborhood is home to many of Houston’s wealthiest
families. Established in the 1920s by Houston’s famous Hogg family and anchored by the exclusive River Oaks Country Club, the River Oaks subdivision of roughly 1,300 homes built out in the 1920s and 1930s. Most homes have been designed by renowned architects and builders and preserved over the years. The River Oaks Area would also include the subdivisions of Tall Timbers, Homewood, Royden Oaks, Oak Estates just west of that, Avalon Place, and Glendower Court. These deed-restricted subdivisions are served well by the high-end retail shops and excellent restaurants in Upper Kirby, the River Oaks Shopping Center, and Highland Village. Many of the highest-priced homes do not appear in MLS, but according to HAR MLS, there were 107 sales of single-family homes in the River Oaks Area in 2018, ranging from $815,000 to $15,680,000 and averaging $2,716,808 ($496/SF) – 9% lower than 2018. There are also eight luxury HiRISE condominium towers in a broader River Oaks Area, including The Huntingdon, 2727 Kirby, Regency House, The Willowick, Lamar Tower, Inwood Manor, Chateau Ten and the new The River Oaks. 48 condos sold in these buildings in 2019, ranging $170,250 to $6,300,000 and averaging $948,404 ($366/SF).
LOUISIANA CHAR-GRILLED BOILED CRAWFISH OYSTERS Farm to table New OrleaNs Style
THE ORIGINAL 4302 Richmond Ave Houston, TX 77027 (713) 623-6321
16 | Mv |March + April 2020
WESTCHASE RAGIN-CAJUN.COM
9600 Westheimer, #80 Houston, Texas 77063 (832) 251-7171
West University by Alex Loyd
W
est University Place, wellknown to many as “West U,” was developed in 1917 by then Governor of Tennessee, Ben Hooper, and sat on about 2 square miles of land. Many of the streets bear names after many colleges and universities because of the proximity to Rice University. However, in the 1920s, a Rice University English major, Lilly Nicholson, was asked to help name a few of the streets, so she took to her books and named them after some of her favorite literary authors, like William Shakespeare and John Dryden. West U is often called “The Neighborhood City.” It boasts nine neighborhood parks and community pools, and you will always find the neighbors of West U spending time outdoors or at the infamous West U Little League Ballpark. West U is among the safest communities in Houston, thanks to its West U Police Department and has been named as the best city to live in America. 77005 Stats (Per MLS)
PROPERTIES
Jan 1 - Feb 28, 2019 • 16 Single Family Homes Sold Average Sales Price: $1,384,500 Average SF: 3,540 Average Lot SF: 5702
Incredible Hidden Gem! 111 Glynn Way Houston,Tx 77056
• 3 Lots Sold Average Sales Price: $846,367 Average Lot SF: 7,218
For Lease $8,750
Jan 1 - Today, 2020 • 20 Single Family Homes Sold Average Sales Price: $1,734,291 Average SF: 4,141 Average Lot SF: 7,946
Ideally located on a cul de sac on the edge of Buffalo Bayou in the Tanglewood Area. Two-story formal living room with stone fireplace. The master bath features a whirlpool tub & walk-in shower, dual closets and vanities. Island kitchen & elevator access up to the 2nd floor & down to the garages. Floor-to-ceiling windows.
• 1 Lots Sold Average Sales Price: $675,000 Average Lot SF: 6,000 **25% Price Increase in Single Family Homes Sold. Alex Loyd is a Top Producer with Compass RE Texas p. 713-851-2521
Joanne Naponic Broker/Owner
JoanneNaponicProperties.com (713) 515-3805 joannenaponic@gmail.com March + April 2020
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MFAH Lets Rip With Treasures from the Hispanic Society Museum & Library By Virginia Billeaud Anderson
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e-emphasizing wife Josefa, and mistress Leocadia, 44 years younger, misguided romantics spin Goya as lusting after the Duchess of Alba. They believe the painting “Naked Maja” which hangs in the Prado and got Goya investigated by the Inquisition, is a portrait of Alba. What better proof that the old deaf painter’s sexual desires were fulfilled, they argue, than this reclining nude with hands behind head, direct gaze, and faultless thighs and pubic triangle. The nude is not Alba. Scholarship determined that Alba and Goya were close trusting friends, she popped into his studio, he hung out at her Madrid palace, and her country estate. Flirty, liberated, the Duchess was Goya’s favorite subject, he captured her in formal portraits, informal paintings teasing servants, holding children - and in multiple drawings. Yet Goya revealed feelings. He painted Alba standing in a black dress, the Duke had recently kicked the bucket, with her finger pointed to an inscription on the ground that reads “Solo Goya.” Only Goya! In 1906 Archer M. Huntington paid a hefty price to lasso Goya’s declaration of love for the Hispanic Society, and it’s worth the trip to Manhattan just to see the artist’s treatment of embroidery in Alba’s red waist sash. No need to travel. Alba’s portrait is currently in Houston, a centerpiece of MFAH’s exhibition Glories of Spain: Treasures from the Hispanic Society Museum & Library, through May 25, 2020. Archer Huntingdon became seduced by Hispanic culture in Mexico in 1898, and began to study Spanish literature, and to concoct the idea of creating a museum devoted to the Roman, Portrait Bust, c. 138-150 AD, Marble, the Hispanic Society of America. Goya (Francisco de Goya y Lucientes), The Duchess of Alba, 1797, oil on canvas, the Hispanic Society of America.
Celtiberian, Silver and Gold Torque, c. 172150 BC, silver and gold, the Hispanic Society of America.
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Seville, Plate, c. 1500, earthenware with cuerda seca decoration, the Hispanic Society of America.
art and artifacts of the Spanish Empire. He collected books and manuscripts, then traveled to Spain to collect archaeological artifacts. To know the “soul” of Spain, Huntingdon learned Arabic and interacted with ordinary Spaniards. The windfall that came with his father’s death allowed him to add rare volumes and purchase art by Spanish masters. In 1904 Huntingdon founded the Hispanic Society of America and built his museum, which opened to the public in 1908. Today the collection has 750,000 objects from Spain, Portugal, Latin America, and the Philippines. Over 200 of these - paintings, drawings, sculpture, illuminated manuscripts, maps, textiles, porcelains and ceramics, metalwork and jewelry, spanning 4,000 years of Hispanic culture, are exhibited at MFAH. If as Polybius believed, we’re lazy to be ignorant about Rome’s territorial expansion, take satisfaction in knowing the Romans began to gobble up Spain in 218BC, and after vanquishing the Carthaginians, controlled the entire Iberian Peninsula. The Romans built 12,000 miles of Spanish roads and bridges for their chariots. You get a sense of Spain’s importance to Rome at Merida’s archaeological ruins, where the temples, theater, baths and racecourses rival Rome’s Imperial architecture. Among the exhibition’s Roman artifacts are a 1st century marble Portrait Bust from Italica, a 1st century bronze Oil Lamp with the head of the god Pan, and a 1st century floor Mosaic with the head of Medusa. By 1300BC, Celts from the north had inhabited Spain and mixed with indigenous Iberians. The people who resulted were Celtiberians, who annoyed the Romans because they resisted subjugation and cleaned their teeth with urine. Like the other pre-Roman occupants of Spain, the Phoenicians, Greeks, and Carthaginians, Celtiberians parlayed Iberian silver mines. Excelling at metalwork, they produced the Celtiberian Gold and Silver Torque (neck ring). Centuries later, the Church commissioned very elaborate silver objects such as the Reliquary Cross from Barcelona (c.1400). Quite sumptuous objects were crafted out of gold plundered from the Americas. Market excursions reveal pottery is a cash cow. Pottery became significantly refined after Muslims entered Spain in 711 and Muslim potters introduced the technique of separating color glazes to decorate surfaces, as seen in the ceramic Plate with Dragon from Seville (c.1500.) Some exhibition ceramics date back to 2400BC. The Visigoths ruled Spain after the Romans, they contributed blue eyes, and gave the Catholic Church its foothold. See the exhibition’s Visigothic Belt Buckle (550AD) studded with garnets. Also exhibited: more Goyas, El Greco, Velazquez, mediaeval illuminated Manuscripts, Silk Textile from the Alhambra (1400), a 15th century Spanish iron Door Knocker with Dragon Head design, an earthenware Jar from Mexico 1660, an 18th century silver Vessel from Peru. |M March + April 2020 January + February 2020 | Mvv ||19 19
HOUSTON AWARDED BIRD CITY DESIGNATION Woodland Heights White Oak Parkway’s Pilot “Bird-Friendly Park” 20 | Mv | March + April 2020
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ouston has a significant community-wide effort underway in the support of native plants that support wildlife, including birds. One of the best examples of this activity happens in the Greater Heights area of White Oak Parkway.
As a result of this and other citywide efforts, Houston is one of four Texas cities honored with the Bird City designation from Audubon Texas and Texas Parks and Wildlife Department’s inaugural Bird City Texas certification program. This new, community-focused certification program has been created to help people protect birds and their habitats. “This certification recognizes
the significant bird conservation efforts by the Houston Parks and Recreation Department, Houston Audubon, and many other organizations throughout the greater Houston area,” said Kelli Ondracek, Houston Parks and Recreation Department, Natural Resources Manager. “We will continue to work collaboratively with our partners to advance habitat restoration and education
Yellow-crowned Night-Heron is the Audubon Bird of Houston The Heron forages in both salt and freshwater, including marshes, ponds, ditches, swamps, and mangroves. As long as they can find crustaceans like crabs and crawfish to eat, they’ll forage, sleep, and nest in that location. The southeastern United States provides many suitable habitats for this species, although they can also be found as far north as Ontario. Photo by Kathy Adams Clark
efforts to benefit birds and other wildlife.” The growing popularity of planting native plants, restoring the native prairies, bird-friendly education programs, and Houston Lights Out for Birds program for migrating birds were among the many efforts and programs that gained Houston the designation. One of the many significant community-wide efforts underway in support
of native plants that support wildlife, including birds is located in Woodland Heights’s White Oak Parkway area.The White Oak Parkway, is a pilot “Bird-Friendly Park,” where efforts are currently underway for invasive removal, native plantings, pop-up birding stations, bird surveys, volunteer days, and community science programs. “The Bird City designation is a great affirmation of the heroic conservation
E A S T E R
HE
work and a growing appreciation of birds in the Greater Houston Area. I commend the city for their vision and for recognizing the important role birds and nature play in our quality of life and economy,” said Helen Drummond, Houston Audubon’s executive director. A Bird City Stakeholder Group has been established with approximately 50 organizations represented to work with the City of Houston and its partners. This group will receive various updates and communications regarding Bird City and the targeted actions the city of Houston will accomplish as a part of this certification.
IS
S E R V I C E S
RISEN
Sunrise
Contemporary
Family-friendly
7:00 AM • Courtyard
8:30 AM • Sanctuary
9:45 AM • Sanctuary
Traditional
Spanish Language
Portuguese Language
11:15 AM • Sanctuary
11:15 AM • Chapel
6:00 PM • Chapel
MDPC
A Guided Walk for Children and their Families to Experience the Sights and Sounds of Holy Week
Free FamilyFriendly Activity!
Good Friday, April 10 Tours begin from 9:15-11:00 AM Register for your tour time at CrossJourney.mdpc.org
Celebrate the Season with MDPC
EasterServices.mdpc.org CrossJourney.mdpc.org March + April 2020
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Intown’s Classical Music Critic, the Hon. Philip Berquist Honorary Consul of the Republic of Croatia for Texas
An Interview with Perryn Leech
Managing Director of Houston Grand Opera
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ince its founding in 1955, Houston Grand Opera has become one of the great opera companies in the United States, and by extension, the world. It has won numerous important awards, a Tony, two Grammy awards, and three Emmy’s. It is the only company in the United States to have won all three. HGO is lead by Patrick Summers, the Artistic and Music Director, and Perryn Leech, the Managing Director. It maintains its own orchestra and chorus and performs at the Wortham Theater Center in downtown Houston. I recently sat down with Perryn Leech to discuss the 2020-2021 season that was just accounted. Perryn has an interesting background. Born in Bristol, England, he was recruited by then-HGO Managing Director Anthony Freud to become the technical and production manager of HGO in 2006. They had previously worked together at the Welsh National Opera. He became the Chief Operating Officer in 2010, and when Freud left to lead Lyric Opera in Chicago, Perryn became the Managing Director. INTOWN: Perryn, thank you for this opportunity to discuss Houston Grand Opera. Before we get into talking about next season, perhaps we can go over some basic questions that our readers, and myself certainly included, might have regarding how HGO actually puts a season together. For openers, how far out do you plan? LEECH: We have an outline planned for three years. Three years is pretty solid normally. INTOWN: What is the most difficult part of putting a season together? LEECH: We tend to have singers that we want to use and that means looking at a long time out; singers that we have relationships with, and we do plan on using singers from the Houston Grand Opera Studio. INTOWN: I see that most of the productions each season are actually “co-productions” with other major companies. Can you explain how that actually works? LEECH: In the last twenty five to thirty years most companies are co-pro-
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ducing because it makes financial sense. It is rare now not to have co-producers on projects. On Carmen, for example, we are the lead co-producer. So we built it, we were the “bank.” There were three companies that put in $300,000 each for a total production budget of $900,000. That number includes the physical properties, set costumes, wigs etc. All of that is from the lead co-producer and then a fee from the others is paid to the lead for use of the production. The contracting of singers is the absolute responsibility of each of the co-producers. INTOWN: Let’s discuss the ranking of North American opera companies. I always considered that the size of the annual production budget realistically determined the ranking and that would be the Metropolitan in New York, the Lyric in Chicago, San Francisco Opera, and then Houston Grand Opera. Is that a fair way to look at it.? LEECH: Unfortunately the size of the budget becomes one of the criteria by which companies are ranked by but it is not a really good way of looking at
it because you could have a very large budget and do very uninteresting work. It is more important to look at the quality of past several seasons to evaluate. I would mostly agree with your rankings although there are different models, for example, Santa Fe uses a “festival model” which means a shorter summer season and I think that LA should be included in your top five. INTOWN: How does HGO go about “balancing” a season? LEECH: It’s about balancing a repertoire that allows there to be something for everybody. People want their “grand opera,” Italian opera, they want their more popular titles, and we want to do two or three of those each year. We have a long term commitment to do large scale German work, for example, “Salome” this year and “Parsifal” next season, as well as a commitment to do new works, for example, “Snowy Day,” and then “Breaking the Waves” so if you do that we have three popular operas or musicals, a large scale German work, and a world premiere (“Snowy Day”) so we are now at five in a
Dress rehearsal, Carmen. Photo: Lynn Lane
HGO 2020-2021 Season Carmen
October 23 - November 13, 2020
Werther
October 30 - November 15, 2020
The Snowy Day
December 10 - 20, 2020
Parsifal
January 22 - February 7, 2021
Cinderella
January 29 - February 12, 2021
Breaking the Waves April 16 - May 1, 2021
The Sound of Music April 30 - May 15, 2021
seven opera season so then Patrick (Summers, HGO Music Director) then gets a little more expression in the other two selected each season to artistically make the statement. “Breaking the Waves” is not a world premiere but it is very recently written and it makes an absolutely sensational new title in the opera world, written by Missy Mazzoli, whose works have been commissioned by the Met and Opera Philadelphia and who is becoming the pre-eminent American composer of her time. It is an amazing piece and I saw it twice in Edinburgh and it really is one of the most amazing pieces you can imagine. INTOWN: Let’s finish by talking about the recently announced 20202021 season. LEECH: “Carmen” has huge dance components and we are thrilled that Isabel Leonard is making her debut as Carmen. She is one of the real rising stars of the opera world. Rob Ashford is the choreographer and his dancers have performed at the last eight or nine years or so at the Academy Awards. “Werther” is a French opera and one of the problems is how to cast the title role and we have Arturo Chaćon-Cruz
to sing it. Then we have our world premiere, “Snowy Day.” “Snowy Day” is an iconic African-American story by a very young composer (33!), Joel Thompson. The book is the most checked out book of the New York City Library. With Richard Wagner’s “Parsifal,” Russell Thomas, who sang Radames in our “Aida” this season, is singing the title role with Christine George singing Kundry. I think that we are doing the large scale Wagner operas extraordinarily well now. “Cinderella” (Rossini) is one very light piece to pair with the very heavy meal of Wagner so during that rep period one will experience opera at its heaviest and at its lightest. You can only this show with an absolutely amazing and magnetic star and we believe we have one in Emily D’Angelo and will be in that generation of great stars. “Sound of Music” is very much a piece that is there to appeal to a much wider audience. With Jeanine De Bique we believe that we have the first African-American will be cast as Maria. “Breaking the Waves” is going to be making a real bang in the community - it has
lots of conversations about stability, what it means sacrifice things you believe in to appease or alter your relationship with your loved one. INTOWN: I believe that there is a religious aspect to it. LEECH: Yes, the religion part is very interesting - in the production you don’t know whether she is talking to God or or is deeply disturbed. INTOWN: Perryn, to wrap things up, it seems to me that your background as theater technical operations and production designer to stage manager to Managing Director of a major opera company. LEECH: Yes, it is a different background for sure though, of course, Joe Volpi worked his way up from a bench carpenter to become General Manager of the Met. It allows me to - I know how to put shows on. Listen, eight years ago the Board gave me this responsibility and each year that passes with the whole company not going up in smoke, I think that, well, I have repaid a little bit of that faith. Let me hear from you with your thoughts, comments and suggestions for this column classicalmusicberquist@gmail.com March + April 2020
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DESIGN
H OME C ONT RA C T I NG
Designer Shows Why Not To Wait on that DREAM KITCHEN By Deloris Ludwig Designer
A
Before wall is removed
fter Hurricane Harvey brought floodwaters into Betty Wiley’s home, she knew it was time for a change. While the repaired kitchen was usable there was a plan in place down the road to upgrade to her dream home. “I wanted to create a welcoming kitchen that was easy to function in, easy to organize and looked great,” she says. Why not now she thought. No time like the present The original floor plan was a long galley kitchen that separated it from the living room. Betty as many people do, wanted an open concept that would not only expand the kitchen and connect the living room space, but transform the home by creating an inviting larger room where she could host friends and family in a much larger setting. To make it happen, she contacted our company, which has been in busi- Photo by Erica Hernandez ness since 1987. We are a design-tobuild renovation company for residen- ception to completion to be as stress-free tial and commercial customers. Home as possible for their clients. For every Contracting Inc. works side-by-side project, it is best to start with an on-site with homeowners to remodel kitchens, personal consultation followed by 3D bathrooms, install flooring and com- design ideas based on the client’s vision. plete many other custom services. We Then it’s showroom or internet surfing have worked with businesses such as to choose materials and finishes with Pluckers Wing Bar and Hilton Hotels. the designers input. Next make sure and Deloris Ludwig, who manages the com- schedule each piece of the project so that pany, has been doing design and renova- the amount of disruption for the client is as short as possible. tion work for nearly 25 years. “We never start demo until all the “I’m always aware of making sure the job is done correctly and catching materials are received and available to install,” states Ludwig. “And we have the things as we go along,” Deloris says. team to do the work.”
THE HOME CONTRACTING PROCESS Home Contracting employs a process to every remodel project from con24 | Mv | March + April 2020
REMOVING A LOAD-BEARING WALL To open up the kitchen, the separat-
ing wall needed to be removed, but it was a load-bearing wall as it many times is. Home Contracting’s experts had to plan not only the demolition but also to install a support beam running the length of the kitchen. This would make room for a sprawling island in Betty’s new open-concept kitchen. The process was involved, but the designer stays engaged throughout. “I was nervous about the support beam,” Betty says. “But the company and the engineers she got made me feel at ease.” During the process, they found a section of the ceiling attached to the wall that was dropped to hide gas, water and electrical lines. However, the team engineered a solution that solved the problem and created a butler’s nook that became a unique accent to the kitchen.
THE DESIGN SELECTIONS We chose a subway tile backsplash, Brazilian-granite countertops, white allwood cabinetry and engineered hardwood floors to match her living room. Betty also chose to install new recessed lighting, a light over the island and a custom-made stove vent. They replaced baseboards and even rebricked a portion of the outside of her home that had to be altered during the renovation.
A NEW SPACE FOR ENTERTAINING While Home Contracting shoots for a 10-day renovation on a room, Betty’s project took a bit longer because of the structural changes with the elimination of the support wall. Yet, within a few more weeks, Betty’s kitchen was just as she’d imagined—striking granite countertops, clean cabinetry and an open-concept layout with a timeless design.
“I just think it upgraded the whole look of the house on the first floor,” Betty says. She believes that working with Home Contracting and getting Deloris’ help, you get your choice of style without feeling overwhelmed by handling a renovation project alone. “I think these types of projects are good when you have the homeowner and designer working together and managing it as a team,” Deloris says. Betty Wiley can’t wait to entertain in her newly designed kitchen. For info contact HomeContractingInc.com, p. 832.653.7294
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The
GAME
INTERVIEW WITH
Tim Kurkjian
Jake Asman: ESPN baseball reporter Tim Kurkjian and one of the best reporters in the business Asman: What has this been like for you Tim you’ve covered baseball since 1979. Can you ever remember just every single day a different star player openly criticizing other players who belong to the same union as of course all these guys in the MLB Players Association belong to. Tim Kurkjian: Yeah I did not see this coming. In 40 years of covering baseball I’ve never seen anything quite like this. And I’ve covered every strike starting with 1981 and I did the whole steroid era. Pete Rose and now this. And I’ve never seen player versus player quite like this. And I simply did not see it coming and I don’t think anybody else did. And it’s not just player versus player it’s great players. It’s Aaron Judge, Cody Bellinger Mike Trout, and Nick Markakis. They’re all over the place and it’s like every day there’s somebody else speaking out and just another reminder that this story is not going to end anytime soon. Asman: Manfred has said he couldn’t punish the players because the
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MLB P.A. would fight it and they would win. Is that a fair enough reason though in your mind for not even at least attempting to try and punish the players. Kurkjian: Yeah, I think there is a way they could have gone about punishing the players. But the commissioner think he speaks the truth when he says realistically there’s no way he could have gotten to the truth without giving the players immunity. And once you grant them immunity that’s pretty much the end of the punishment there. This is a very slippery slope. A Rob Manfred is a very smart lawyer and he knows how the MLBPA works. And I think he looked at it and said the only way to get to the truth without subpoena powers is to grant them immunity. So that’s where we are right now. And I think all he can do is come out the next time and say if this ever happens again if we catch somebody cheating using electronics there will be no immunity. Asman: We know Cora of course goes from Houston to Boston but it just seems like based on what’s been out there it’s not going to be as severe at least from what we could tell. What are you hearing
in regards to Boston’s punishment? Kurkjian: Well that’s what I’ve been told from the beginning is that the Astros went above and beyond anybody else in baseball with what they did including the Red Sox. So I’m going to hold to that because I haven’t heard anything different than that since. However this investigation was supposed to be over basically before spring training. Clearly the commissioner wanted to interview players and some people again. So maybe he’s found out something else. Maybe he took so much heat for the Astros that he needs to re-examine whether the penalties on the Red Sox is the proper penalty. That’s where we are right now. I still don’t expect it to be close to the Astros punishment. Asman: Do you think if if Manfred came out from the beginning and vacated the Astros 2017 championship but still didn’t suspend the players the outrage would be anything close to what it is currently? Kurkjian: I think the biggest the biggest complaint is that this report says it was player driven and yet no players were punished. I think if you stripped
the title which I think at this point cannot be done because it’s just too late in that process. I think that would have upset a whole lot of people but I think the suspensions and no penalty is what has most people upset. I would add this is fairly obvious the punishment has already begun. I know no one’s rings or championships or money or statistics have been taken away but if you’re around the Astros at all those guys are being punished right now. And maybe it’s not enough punishment I understand that completely but maybe for the rest of the season maybe for the rest of their careers. This tag is going to be around their neck. Whether it’s correct or not. Asman: Tim, you obviously have covered baseball since 1979. You covered the steroid era. Is this a worst story, is a worse thing for baseball than the steroid era? Kurkjian: I’m going to still go with the steroid era was a bigger issue than this but this story is gaining steam and it may become bigger than the steroid era and people that I know and trust in this business my business as journalists have now placed it above the steroid era. I’m still not ready to go there but the story’s not over yet. We still have to see what develops. Asman: The Astros still have to go out there in 2020 and play as a team. They bring in veteran manager Dusty Baker to replace AJ Hinch. What do you think of that decision by Jim Crane to hire Dusty? Kurkjian: Well it was definitely the right decision because we have a lot of smart people in the game but we don’t have enough wise people in the game and there aren’t many
people wiser in the game than Dusty Baker. He can’t talk his team out of this one no matter how good he is and he’s one of the best and he’s a really good manager. So Dusty was the perfect hire there but we’re learning this is bigger than anybody and that’s why it’s going to take more than Dusty Baker to solve this issue and you know the Astros are in for massive distractions as this season begins. If they think it’s going to end when the season begins they’re going to get questions wherever they go from the media and they’re going to have all kinds of booing and everything else. Maybe they’re going to be good enough to handle all of that because they still have a really good team. But this thought that they’re going to be able to put this aside I’m not sure it’s going to be easy at all to do that. Asman: They open up the season they got four games at Minute Maid Park against the Angels they then play 12 of their next 14 games on the road. What’s it going to be like for them. Can you picture just the animosity and the hostile road environments that these Astro players are going to be walking into every time they step foot on a field away from Houston. Kurkjian: Yeah it’s going to be very difficult. I know Jim Crane did not appreciate what was going to happen this year because he’s not a player. And I think he was a little bit naive to what the Astros are going to be up against. But I think now with the way so many players have spoken out against the Astros they all have an understanding what this season is going to be like and it’s not going to be easy.
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March + April 2020
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Welcome to
PARENTHOOD
I
f only an infant came with an instructional manual, right? As financial advisors, we are not in the business of helping new parents with advice on the various day-to-day tasks that babies need, but we would like to offer some guidance that can help you with their future.
by Lantz Bowman, CFP®
Wealth Advisor, Linscomb & Williams Linscomb & Williams is a Houstonbased wealth management firm established in 1971. www.linscomb-williams.com
28 | Mv | March + April 2020
From our experience in talking with new parents over the past 49 years, we have identified 6 important financial tips that new parents should think about as soon as possible. Once you know that your planning is in order, and your new child is protected should something happen to one or both of you, imagine the peace of mind you’ll feel. At least you will be freed up to return to those on-going, day-to-day challenges of parenthood!
ONE: Buy or Update Life Insurance Policies After having a baby, it’s typically advisable for both parents to carry life insurance policies. While a stay-at-home parent may not contribute significant income to the household, that parent provides valuable services – childcare, cooking, cleaning, laundry – that a surviving parent would probably have to pay for if something were to happen to the stay-athome spouse.
How much insurance? For working parents, when trying to calculate how much life insurance you need, a shorthand rule of thumb is to estimate six to 10 times your annual salary. A better approach is to work with a fiduciary financial advisor and do the more detailed modeling that produces a precise answer to this question. TWO: Start a 529 College Fund A 529 college savings account is a great way to save for your child’s college education, and the earlier you start, the better. If you live outside Texas in a state with state income tax, you may be eligible for a state income tax deduction or a credit for annual 529 plan contributions. Each state offers its own 529 plan, but you are not required to enroll in your own state’s 529 plan. Based on your situation, you can shop around and compare 529 plans in different states to see which one is best for you, and your child can eventually use the money in his or her 529 account to attend an eligible school in any state. THREE: Create or Update Your Estate Plan and Beneficiary Forms Updating your estate plan and beneficiaries after having a child should be a priority. Drafting or updating the estate planning documents of both parents, including wills, powers of attorney, advanced medical directives and healthcare proxies, is important. You will also want to make sure your beneficiary forms are up-to-date (i.e. add your new child, or a trust for their benefit, as a contingent beneficiary) and that you name a guardian to care for your child if both you and your spouse should die unexpectedly at the same time. FOUR: Open a Savings Account Money management is an important tool to teach your children, and the lessons can begin when they’re young. Opening a custodial or joint savings account is a simple, but effective, way to begin teaching your child financial responsibility. A basic savings account can help your child learn basic math skills, and it teaches the value of money, and the idea of
saving to achieve a goal. It can also also teach your children the concept of compound interest. FIVE: Contribute Pre-Tax Dollars to a Dependent Care Account If both parents are working, find out if one of your employers offers a dependent care Flexible Spending Account (FSA). If this benefit is available, you can contribute pre-tax dollars to help cover the costs of eligible childcare expenses, like daycare, preschool, summer camp and before- and after-school care. By funding the dependent care FSA account with a portion of your paycheck before taxes, you can reduce your overall tax burden. For example, if your average pre-tax paycheck is $4,000, and you contribute $300 toward dependent care and healthcare savings accounts, your taxable wages for that pay period are reduced to $3,700. Depending on your tax bracket, that could be saving you as much as $100 per month in income taxes. SIX: Put Your Financial Worries in the Hands of an Expert Having a baby is a huge milestone in life, and there are many new things to do, learn, think on and worry about. What is the safest car seat? When can you expect your baby to sleep through the night? When is a fever worth a call to the doctor? Make adding your new addition to your financial life one less thing to worry about. A fiduciary financial advisor who collaborates with other well-credentialed and experience team members to provide sound advice can pay great dividends in terms of peace of mind.
January + February 2020
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Matt Brase and Ashlee Kilchrist
Jordan && Megan Megan Brown, Brown, Emily Emily && Kolby Kolby Wahl Wahl Jordan
Ben & Bethany Buchanan
Kelli Burroughs and Anthony Broussard
JUNIOR LEAGUE OF HOUSTON 72nd ANNUAL CHARITY BALL
Mark & Joni Fichter
The Junior League of Houston hosted their 72nd Annual Charity Ball and raised more than $800,000 to go towards their work in the community. Over the course of two nights, 600 guests gathered at the League, which was decked in stunning blooms and garden-chic decor for this year’s theme, Secret Garden, inspired by the League’s deep roots and vibrant presence in the community. Each night, attendees enjoyed a silent auction and big board bidding, dinner, an all-volunteer cast show and dancing, all in celebration of the Junior League’s key part in the philanthropic landscape of Houston.
Michelle Sorrentino and Megan Hotze
Clark & Rebecca Dalton Steve & Elizabeth Ortega
Photos by Emile Brown
Terry & Amanda Boffone
Dylan Godwin and Logan Keslar
Charlie and Carol Herder
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2619 Newman St/Upper Kirby $849,000 MLS# 63293249
4019 Driscoll St/Montrose $819,900 MLS# 41726749
17910 Country Hills/Tomball $799,500 MLS# 15451121
1919 Shadow Branch/Lakes of Parkway $675,000 MLS# 54164747
1917 Rosewood St/Museum District $499,900 MLS# 28998343
5718 Winsome Ln/Galleria Area $469,000 MLS# 36437737
8653 Green Kolbe Ln/Kolbe Farms $435,000 MLS# 66661494
2316 Beall St/Shady Acres $379,000 MLS# 79964966
Proven Performance – Year After Year
Over 17 years experience working with buyers and sellers of residential real estate in the Greater Houston Area.
David Michael Young
713-320-6453 david.young@elliman.com www.youngrealtyhouston.com
ConCierge
SERVICE
Catherine Van Zutphen cath@cathvz.com 843-276-5271
Claudia Hellmund Chellmund@kw.com 832-309-9390
Colette Franz colettefranz@kw.com 713-416-4257
Genevieve Rowland genevieve@ rowland-properties.com 281-904-7014
James Selig james@theseliggroup.com 409-256-1274
Bell Property Team teambellsels@kw.com 214-763-2762
Jen Tran jentran@kw.com 832-646-2674
Lauren Taylor teamtaylor@kw.com 713-465-6105
Melonee Piperi mel@movinghouston.com 713-705-6029
Montse Foster Montse@kw.com 713-965-3019
Tara Kordula Anderson tarakordula@gmail.com 713-202-4101
The Property Joes joseph@diosanagroup.com 281-650-4658
Keller Williams Memorial 950 Corbindale Rd #100, Houston, TX 77024 Phone: (833) 533-6400 Fax: (713) 467-6226