march + april 2024
2 | The Lakes | March + April 2024
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March + April 2024 | The Lakes | 3 STEVE HARDCASTLE Email: stevehardcastle@remax.net Website: www.stevehardcastle.com Direct Cell 713-678-0509 Your LAKES EXPERT For Over 30 Years
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LOE Board of Directors 2022/2023
Bill Rainbolt ........................................ President
Jim Wynn Vice President
David Holsinger Secretary
Julie Applegate .................................. Treasurer
Alphine Freeman Director at Large
Stephanie Preto .................................. President
Mark Over ton ............................Vice President
Farah Paliwala Treasurer
Shakeel Yakoob ................................ Secretary
Tom DeScioli Director
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4 | The Lakes | March + April 2024 mar + april 2024 TABLE OF CONTENTS The Lakes LOEN magazine is published bi-monthly by SNS Media. Articles are welcome and will be given careful consideration for possible publication. Intown magazine does not assume any responsibility for unsolicited materials. Materials submitted will be returned if accompanied by a stamped, selfaddressed envelope to 1980 Post Oak Blvd Ste. 100 Houston, TX 77056. You can also e-mail intownmagazine@gmail.com. Copyright 2023 by Intown magazine. All rights reserved. Content may not be reprinted or reproduced without permission from Intown magazine. PRODUCTION Web Design CSS Art & Design Layout & Graphic Design CSS Art & Design Graphic Designer Cris Bell Photographer Wells Brown PUBLISHER M. A. Haines EDITOR Lisa June CONTRIBUTORS Lindsay Mowad William Hanover Marene Gustin Evans Attwell Philip Berquist Minnie Payne Virginia Billeaud Anderson ON THE COVER Ivonne Camareno and Don Cheto at Wags and Whiskers Brunch. Photo by Quy Tran. 6 Publisher’s Letter 8 Arts & Events 12 Tony’s Lives On 14 Buzz Important Numbers Harris County sheriff (Non-Emergency) 713.221.6000 Cy Fair Fire Department ....................... 281.466.6161 Poison Control 1.800.764.7661 Texas DPS ............................................... 713.681.1761 TexasPride Disposal ............................... 281.342.8178 (trash collection Mondays and Thursday Recycle pick up on Mondays) TNG MUD 370.....................................281.350.0895 Harris County Tax Office........................ 713.224.1919 Centerpoint Energy 713.207.7777 Infinity Cable .......................................... 713.341.1000 Houston Chronicle 713.220.7211 Metro Transit Info .................................. 713.635.4000 Kirk Elementary 713.849.8250 Truitt Middle School 281.856.1100 Cy-Ridge High School ......................... 281.807.8000 CY-Fall High Schoo 281.856.1000
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LIVE IT OUT
March + April 2024 | The Lakes | 5 EXACT QUOTE GUARANTEE Custom: Outdoor Living Rooms Patio Covers Outdoor Kitchens Screened Porches Additions Fire Features
In Houston, a covered patio is the new must-have. Summer’s right around the corner, and we’re ready to custom-design and build your space with elements like sun protection, patio cooling options, and plenty of room to unwind. TCPOutdoor.com 281.265.1994 Scan for your free consultation
Just last summer, we celebrated the 100th anniversary of Hermann Park. While many will debate their favorite park, Houston is fortunate to have two of the largest and best parks in the US. As Memorial Park reaches its centennial, we look back at its storied past as it has gone through yet another renaissance. A drought and hurricane left the park wobbly on its feet. The park is now more robust and upright after a thoughtful and expensive overhaul and with the hope of sustaining it for another 100 years.
The parks and their open spaces create meaning in a city that sometimes seems like an endless stretch of concrete. Parks, local culture, and our sports teams become synonymous with a city’s identity. Much depends on those open wide spaces that relieve the pressures of inner-city traffic and everyday hustle. It’s hard to imagine New York City without Central Park. The same is true of Memorial Park and Houston. At 1,500 acres, Memorial Park dwarfs NYC Central Park, which is half its size but no less an unavoidable part of NYC. Texas is home to many parks, and I would be remiss not to mention the treasured Big Bend National Park, which personifies everything is bigger in Texas, covering over 800,00 acres.
As Memorial Park turns 100, it will host the Houston Open as it did in 1947 and again in the fifties and part of the sixties. The tournament in 2024 has a new title sponsor, with Texas Children’s Hospital committing to a five-year naming rights deal.
Speaking of space, it has become a hot commodity inside our many beautiful and historic neighborhoods. Who would have thought fifteen years ago a tiny refurbished bungalow in the Heights would sell for three-quarters of a million dollars? Houston real estate prices continue to climb and remain a top investment for families and individuals. Check out our annual real estate roundup of some of Houston’s most popular neighborhoods, written by expert realtors who work to buy and sell properties. Fortunately, the City has allowed less fortunate and affluent buyers to live in the City where they can access all of the same schools and work opportunities through the Houston Housing and Community Development Program. Through our local Affordable Home Development Program, for-profit and non-profit developers receive funding from the City to make homes attainable for Houstonians. The (HCD) Single Family division’s mission is to create new single-family homeownership opportunities throughout Houston. The City will finance building new mixed-income neighborhoods to increase attainable homebuyer opportunities for Houstonians at various income levels.
As Houston real estate continues its climb in value, it is important to have affordable housing options.
6
Publisher’s letter
Big Bend National Park
Central Park, NYC
Memorial Park
EVENTS
MUSEUMS
Asia Society Texas Center
Rafael Domenech and Tomas Vu: Heat Silhouette
Ongoing through June 2
Xu Bing: Word Alchemy
Ongoing through July 14
Museum Of Fine Arts Houston
Yayoi Kusama “Aftermath of Obliteration of Eternity”
Ongoing
Crowning the North: Treasures from Bergen, Norway
Ongoing through May 5
Multiplicity: Blackness in Contemporary American Collage
Ongoing through May 12
Kehinde Wiley: An Archaeology of Silence
Ongoing through May 27
Vertigo of Color: Matisse, Derain, and the Origins of Fauvism
Ongoing through May 27
Contemporary Arts
Museum Houston
Six Scenes from Our Future
Ongoing through Mar 17
This Way: A Houston Group Show
Ongoing through Mar 24
Holocaust Museum Houston
The Kinsey African American Art & History Collection
Ongoing through June 23
Menil Collection
Chryssa & New York
Ongoing through Mar 10
Wall Drawing Series: Marc Bauer
Ongoing through Summer 24
Janet Sobel: All-Over
Ongoing through Aug 11
Houston Museum Of Natural Science
Permanent Exhibits
Alfred C. Glassell, Jr. Hall
Cullen Hall of Gems and Minerals
Everyday Faberge
Farish Hall of Texas Wildlife
Frensley/Graham Hall of African Wildlife
Hall Of Ancient Egypt
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 Exhibitions
Sharks! The Meg, The Monsters, & The Myths
King Tut’s Tomb Discovery Experience
MUSIC & DANCE
HOUSTON SYMPHONY
See the classical music column
THEATER
A.D. Players
Kingdom Undone
March 13 through 30
Alley Theatre
The Nerd
Ongoing through March 17
The World Is Not Silent
March 22 through April 14
Jane Eyre
April 12 through May 5
Broadway Across America
The Hobby Center
Beetlejuice
Ongoing through March 10
Girl From the North Country
April through May 5
STAGES REPERTORY THEATER
Sister’s Irish Catechism: Saints, Snakes ...
Ongoing through March 17
Laughter in Spanish
Ongoing through March 17
THE ENSEMBLE THEATER
Beat Box A Raporetta
March 22 through April 14
8 | The Lakes | March + April 2024 Get the best of both worlds with online banking, mobile banking, 1,700+ ATMs and a banker who answers the phone when you call.
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Artupdate
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Install view of Six Scenes from Our Future at Contemporary Arts Museum Houston, 2023. Photo by Francisco Ramos.
Astros pitcher Justin Verlander
Theatre Under the Stars
The Cher Show
April 16 through April 28
SPORTS
Houston Astros
Minute Maid Park
March
28 Opening Day NY Yankees
29 NY Yankees
30 NY Yankees
April
1-3 Toronto
12-14 Texas
15-17 Atlanta
30 Cleveland
Houston Dynamo
Shell Energy Field
April 20 Austin FC
May
4
Louis City FC
29 Colorado Rapids
Houston Rockets
Intown’s Classical Music Editor and Critic, the Hon. Philip Berquist, Honorary Consul for the Republic of Croatia for Texas
Here we are, nearly spring, and it is time for the 2023-2024 classical music to have its final activities in Houston and there are a variety of really exceptional opportunities for all of us.
HOUSTON BALLET
Beginning on March 7, 2024, Houston Ballet offers a trio of one act ballets with contrasting music styles. The entire evening is entitled, Bespoke.
The first act is the title piece, “Bespoke,” danced to the music of various Bach violin concertos. Next is “Overgrown Path” to the music of the great Czech composer, Leoš Janåček. The evening concludes with “Filigree and Shadow” with more modern music by 48nord.
There are six presentations beginning on March 7 at 7:30pm, March 9, 7:30pm, a matinee on March 10, 2:00pm, March 15 and 16, each at 7:30pm, with a concluding matinee on March 17, 2:00pm.
In late May, Houston Ballet presents “Mayerling” a chilling tale with music by Franz Liszt. Performances are May 23, 25, and 31, 7:30pm a matinee on May 26, 2:00pm, and two June dates, June 1, 7:30pm and a final matinee, June 2, 2:00pm.
The season ends with “Four Seasons” featuring “Tchaikovsky Pas de Deux”, “Elapes” with music by Zeng Xiaogang, “World Premiere” to music by Dwight Rhoden, and “Four Seasons”, music by Antonio Vivaldi. Again there are six performances, June 6, 8, 15, 15 at 7:30pm and matinees on June 19 and 16, at 2:00pm.
All performances are held at the Wortham Center, Brown Theater. For tickets and further information - www.houstonballet.org
HOUSTON GRAND OPERA
HGO presents the ever popular “Don Giovanni” by Mozart. The opera was presented initially in Prague in October 1787 conducted by Mozart himself. A year later it was presented in Vienna, again conducted by the composer. The story is, of course, well known - Don Giovanni, more commonly known as Don Juan, and calling him a rogue is probably too tame.
This production features Luca Pisaroni as the Don, Ryan McKinny as his faithful compan-
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St.
18 FC Dallas
March
San
L A Clippers
Washington
Cleveland 21 Chicago 23 Utah
Portland 31 Dallas April
Golden State
Miami 9 Orlando
Toyota Center
5
Antonio 6
14
16
25
4
5
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ion, Leporello, Adrianna Churchman as Donna Anna, Sasha Cooke at Donna Elvira, Kang Wang as Don Ottavio and Erika Baikoff as Zerlina. But, for me, the big draw of this production is the conductor, the famed Mozart interpreter, Dame Jane Glover. Her conducting should be stunning.
Don Giovanni will be performed on April 19, 27, May 1, and May 3 at 7:30pm one matinee, Sunday, May 21, 2:00pm. Don Giovanni runs 3 hours and 20 minutes with one intermission.
The season concludes with a production of the Rogers and Hammerstein hit, “The Sound of Music.” Set to the true story of the Von Trapp family in Austria during the lead up to World War 2 and their escape to the United States. This will be conducted by Robert Bado, the Chorus Master of HGO (for over 35 years!).
There are five performances - April 26, 30 and May 4 at 7:30pm and two matinees, April 28 and May 5 at 2:00pm.
All performances at the Wortham Center, Brown Theater. For tickets and further information - www.houstongrandopera.org
HOUSTON SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
The final concerts of HSO are, in my humble opinion, some of the best scheduling of great and important music in a three month period that rarely comes along.
Mahler has always been a favorite of mine. The first Mahler symphony that I ever heard live was his 6th in New York in 1978 with Claudio Abbado conducting the “Tragic” and it remains my favorite. HSO Music Director Juraj Valčula conducts three performances - March 15 and 16 at 8:00pm, and Sunday, March 17, 2:30pm. As is usually the case, the symphony is presented alone on the program, and runs approximately 1 hour and 40 minutes.
Kindly forgive me for getting a little into the weeds on the M6. There is continued controversy regarding the order of the movements that has been raging since Mahler composed it in 1904. Originally, the second movement was entitled “Scherzo” and the third movement, “Andante.” Then Mahler had second thoughts and reversed the movements. He even went so far as to have his publisher insert errata slips in each unsold copy to inform the buyer of the switch. After Mahler’s death in 1911, various scholars began the great debate about the order of the movements. If one looks at the very many recordings available, one would find about a 50-50 split as to which order the conductors preferred.
The other point of contention is that Mahler wrote three hammer blows in the final movement depicting “fate.” These culminated with the terrifying third and final hammer blow at the very end of the symphony. Mahler himself wrote of the final hammer blow, “brief and mighty, but dull in resonance and with a non-metallic character (like the fall of an axle).” There has been again much controversy as to question whether Mahler eventually decided to cut the third hammer blow. Generally nearly all performances and recordings nowadays include the third blow. Enough of the weeds!
I have no idea of the order of the movements HSO will use but my guess is that they will include the third hammer blow. Unfortunately, I will be out of town at a wedding so someone will have to inform me. Bad timing for me as the work is seldom performed.
If you go, however, try not to have a heart attack at the huge thunder-strike of fate at the conclusion!
The following week brings the return of one of the great pianists of our generation, Emanuel Ax performing the Mozart Piano Concerto, No. 25. Also on the program is the Beethoven Symphony 3, the “Eroica.” Valčula conducts. March 22 and 23 at 8:00pm and the Sunday matinee May 24 at 2:30pm.
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10 | The Lakes | March + April 2024
One week later HSO presents the Dvorak Cello Concerto, with Principal Cellist, Brinton Averil Smith as the soloist on this familiar work. Also on the program are selections from Prokofiev’s “Romeo and Juliet.” Zian Zhang guest conducts. Note that there are only two performances, Friday, May 29 and Saturday, May 30, both at 8:00pm.
Near the end of April, another hugely popular work is featured, this time for four performances in one weekend! Carl Orff’s “Carmina Burana” will be featured on Friday, April 26 at 8:00pm, Saturday, April 27 at 2:30pm and 8:00pm as well as Sunday, April 28, at 2:30pm. Along with the Orff, J. López Bellido’s Symphony 4. Conducted by former HSO Music Director, Andrés Orozco-Estrada.
May begins with also popular works, the Grieg Piano Concerto and two works by Ottorino Respighi, “The Fountains of Rome” and the thrilling “Pines of Rome.” Romanian pianist Alexandra Dariescu solos with the Grieg and Fabian Gabel guest conducts.
Memorial Day weekend finds HSO performing “El Nîno” by John Adams. David Robinson guest conducts on May 25, 7:30pm and Sunday, May 26, 2:30pm.
The two concluding concerts represent a new and very exciting programming format for HSO with two presentations of important works of Richard Strauss, “An Alpine Symphony” and a concert performance of the composer’s opera, “Salome.” Both are conducted by Music Director Juraj Valčula as he begins his commitment to full opera performances in Houston. Very exciting stuff.
The “Strauss Festival” begins with “An Alpine Symphony” on Saturday, June 1, at 8:00pm and Sunday, June 2, at 2:30pm. Also on the program are Strauss’s “Symphonic Interlude - Träumerei am Kamin from Intermezzo” as well as the extraordinary “Four Last Songs,” written at the conclusion of the composer’s life, with soprano Rachel Willis-Sørensen.
The 2023-2024 season concludes with “Salome” featuring soprano Jennifer Holloway in the title role of Salome, tenor John Daszak as Herodes, mezzo-soprano as Herodias and baritone Mark S. Doss as Johakanaan.
This is big time stuff and the Houston Symphony should be congratulated. These concerts are very highly recommended.
All performances are held in Jones Hall and for ticketing and further information please go to www.houstonsymphony.org
Finally, I want to mention Opera in the Heights (Oh!). In a coming issue I will be interviewing the creative staff of Oh!
In April they will be performing Puccini “La Boheme” at their Lambert Hall facility in the Heights, 1703 Heights Boulevard. There will be four performances - Friday, April 5, 7:30pm, Sunday, April 7, 2:00pm, Friday and Saturday, April 12 and 13, 7:30pm. Eiki Isomura conducts. Isomura is the Artistic and Interim General Director who received his doctorate in orchestral conducting at the University of Michigan.
For tickets and further information please go to www.operaintheheights.org
It has been an eventful cultural season in Houston and I anxiously await the opportunity to showcase 2024-2025.
Let me continue to hear from you at classicalmusicberquist@gmail.com.
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March + April 2024 | The Lakes | 11
You might be forgiven if you said Tony’s is back. Truth is, it never went anywhere,
but with all the changes in the restaurant world during and after the pandemic, and now the explosion of new fancy vibe dining spots, the venerable Tony’s has been under the radar for many. But it’s not only still going strong, it may be better than ever.
The nationally famous Italian eatery in Greenway Plaza, which turns 59 in April, began life as a more casual Italian spot on Sage Road in 1965, where Tony Vallone himself manned the kitchen and had to buy calamari from bait shops. But the soon-to-be legendary restauranter moved his namesake eatery uptown, literally, to the long-time place on Post Oak where the white table clothes and velvet flocked wallpaper went hand-in-hand with Vallone’s impeccable service and incredible food. It served presidents, princes, and Pavarotti. At a time when Houston’s restaurant scene was mostly burger bars, taquerias, and steakhouses, there was Tony’s.
Then came the move to Richmond Avenue in a new building with a waterfall wall and towering artworks where the influential, the bold-names, and cattle barons came to dine on Alba white truffles and delicate pastas.
And then came 2020. First it was the pandemic and the lock down, and just when things appeared brighter for restaurants, Tony Vallone, at 75, passed quietly in his sleep that September.
“I never thought about closing,” says Donna Vallone, his wife of almost four decades who was always at his side at the restaurant. “I really think he would say ‘I trained you well.’ I paid attention to ev-
It’s about tradition, training, and fun with food
by Marene Gustin
erything he did and said.” So, it was only natural that she would continue the Tony’s tradition. And, two years later when executive chef Austin Waiter left, Donna Vallone called an old friend.
Kate McLean worked her way to become Tony’s first female executive chef in 2013 at just 27 years old. She was a sensation for her youth and talent but by 2017 other muses called and McLean left for a career as a food writer and podcaster.
“I just needed a walkabout,” says McLean. “A different day, writing and bartending.” And while she was successful and happy, she also didn’t hesitate when Donna Vallone called her to come home.
“I just thought it would be a good idea for her to come back,” she says.
“I never thought it would go like this!” says McLean, who is obviously delighted by the turn of events. Donna Vallone says the two are “having fun,” and doing new and exciting things. She
12 | The Lakes | March + April 2024
Donna and Kate McLean
Kate McLean
FOOD
also says many other longtime staff have returned to the fold. McLean says that at Tony’s it’s not just about the best ingredients and extensive wine cellar, it’s about the team and service. “You can’t do this without the people,” says the executive chef and partner.
So, what does Tony’s look like today? It is both everything Tony Vallone made it, and it is refreshing and revitalizing itself.
McLean’s magic in the open kitchen extends from housemade pasta to caviar flights and a special tasting menu. Donna Vallone says she has a lot of creativity and calls her cooking Renaissance like. But besides the food, there are other things afoot. While the lunch crowd is coming back in droves and amazingly the three-course Greenway Express lunch is still only $25, Donna Vallone is planning a Mahjong lunch where diners can nosh on finger foods while playing the ancient Chinese tile game. And the duo plans to move the baby grand piano from the bar to the center of the dining room for Casablanca-style nights from
9:00 p.m. to midnight with a live piano player and a special late-night menu.
The third member of the three amigas is Lauri Vallone Mazzini, Tony and Donna’s daughter who has run the business end for decades. McLean describes her as the grounded one who catches them when she and Donna Vallone are flying too high on their trapeze ideas.
With social media and coverage such as chef Chris Shepherd’s Eat Like a Local TV program, Tony’s is gaining a new generation of fans. Donna Vallone says the crowds are about half old regulars and half new people.
“We’re like a multigenerational wedding,” says McLean. “You’ve got the grandparents over there dancing and toddlers over there playing.”
At Tony’s there’s room for everyone, and all are treated with impeccable service fit for royalty with a taste for the best.
Tony’s | tonyshouston.com
3755 Richmond Ave. | 713.622.6778
Donna and Tony Vallone
Donna and Kate McLean
Ann and Ron Kaesermann