Madeworthy Jan/Feb 2020

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Strong Partnerships Build Stronger Communities

First Financial Bank is proud to support Fort Worth, and announce our 2020 Partnerships to put our community FIRST.

Western Hills High School

Junior Achievement

- Financial Education

- Local Volunteerism

- Day of Service

-Financial Education

- Student Mental Health Awareness

-Entrepreneurship Programs

Fort Worth Medical Professionals Program - Service Appreciation Events - Dedicated Banking Specialist

Women in Business - Supporting Fort Worth Women in Business - Speaker series focused on development and leadership of Business Women in Fort Worth - Sponsorship Events

Marcus Morris

President and CEO mmorris@ffin.com

YOU FIRST | FFIN.com 682-703-6388

Moving to our New Location 3100 S. HULEN STREET, SUITE 108 GLAMOURPAWSONLINE.COM | 817-923-9828

THE PAW PAD TRAINING, BOARDING, PET SUPPLIES, AND MORE! OPENING IN SPRING OF 2020 IN THE RIVER DISTRICT! 5201 WHITE SETTLEMENT ROAD | FORT WORTH, TX 76114

CONTRIBUTERS’ ® What is the one thing that you think Fort Worth is missing?

Issue 15 | The Discovery Issue | Jan/Feb 2020

P U B L I S H E R . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Victoria Wise E D I T O R . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Lee Virden Geurkink A S S O C I A T E P U B L I S H E R . . . . . . . . . . . Jennifer Kieta ILL U S T R A T O R . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Trish Wise

A: A family-friendly restaurant with a big play area for toddlers + bigger kids

A: A Singapore-style hawker center of food shops and stalls

A: High-quality wine bars with hummus plates - Sarah Angle

- Victoria Wise

- Lee Virden Geurkink

A: Late-night dining

A: A “night mayor” to curate and support night life for visitor and citizen alike

A: A nice mountain range,

- Brian J. Dixon, MD

- Jennifer Kieta

A: More restaurants with

A: Mountains!

L E A D D E S I G N . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Sovic Creative

A: A good dance club - Lyle Brooks

C O V E R D E S I G N . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Victoria Wise C O N T R I B UTI N G W R I T E R S Sarah Angle

Jennifer Kieta

Lyle Brooks

Julie K. Rhodes

Edward Brown

Angela Weaver

Brian J. Dixon, MD

William Wise

- Edward Brown

CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS

access to the ocean, and actual seasons!

A: Summers with highs in the 70s to 80s

- Shannon Lange

Shannon Lange Walt Burns Aaron Latchaw

Madeworthy Magazine is an extension of Tanglewood Moms, LLC., and serves to tell community stories for a family audience. For website and magazine advertising opportunities, please contact: Victoria@MadeworthyMedia.com

A: The Dairy Queen on Montgomery

- Julie K. Rhodes

areas for kids to play - Angela Weaver

- Trish Wise

A: A world-class antiquarian bookshop

- William Wise

photo courtesy of Fort Worth Museum of Science and History

Rothschild has led a variety of concept development teams in creating filmbased attractions, and Rothschild and Romans worked together at Disney.

Together they, along with the rest of their creative team, will bring the first flight of this kind ever to exist in an American museum.

FlyOver America will be one of the first feature films museum patrons will experience. While a version of this film can be seen at the Mall of America in Bloomington, Minnesota, Dr. Roberts says the Museum’s version of the film will have more of a Texas flavor, including a West Texas cattle drive, a flight through the San Antonio River Walk, and a tour through Big Bend. These amazing visuals are filmed by helicopters, drones, and even digital imaging, compliments of NASA and the software they provide for the Museum’s Planetarium.

COME

“Flight is about your connection to something, and the more you know about that particular experience, the more you can communicate that to the guests,” says Roberts.

at the Fort Worth Museum of Science and History

Dr. Roberts is passionate about what the V-Drome 2020 will do, not only to entertain people coming to visit or who live in Fort Worth, but how it will allow students to create content that could be featured at the Museum. According to Dr. Roberts, the Museum is working with the Fort Worth Independent School District to create opportunities and challenges for students, such as taking video with drones provided by Bell Helicopter, with a GoPro video camera attached, flying around Fort Worth. “Part of this whole idea,” says Roberts, “is that the students learn what it’s like to work as a team. Each team member plays a role in the production of the flight based on their own interests,” such as video editing, directing, or music composition. The ultimate goal of this partnership is to feature these student films in the V-Drome 2020.

Roberts also says the exhibit will provide teachable moments to engage patrons in some of the physics and engineering involved in these projects.

by Jennifer Kieta As I walked into the familiar lobby of the Fort Worth Museum of Science and History, I was reminded of the sweet moments with my girls when we would spend the day enjoying all the immersive activities the museum has to offer.

Their favorite was the grocery store; I give FWMSH full credit and gratitude for giving them their self-checkout skills at the local food market today. For anyone who has had the opportunity to visit the FWMSH, you know the Museum continues to evolve and bring amazing educational experiences to kids of all ages. Especially now.

Dr. Doug Roberts is the Chief Public Engagement Officer and head of the Museum’s Academy of Digital Learning. I had the privilege of taking a tour with Dr. Roberts as he shared with me the incredible new feature that will be coming to the Museum this year. It’s called the V-Drome 2020. It is an apparatus similar to those found in theme parks where participants sit in a specialized seat and experience the next best thing to flying. With every twist and turn of the visuals on the screen in front of you, the seats move with the camera. Not only does a person experience the beauty of flight, but mists and scents add to the immersive experience. Imagine coasting over an orange grove and smelling the actual scents of a fresh ripened orange.

Museum goers can get a sneak preview of the V-Drome 2020 right now.

There is a small model of where the V-Drome venue will be in relation to the rest of the Museum, as well as a trailer of the FlyOver America movie. A warning: you may feel a little motion sickness from the preview, but keep in mind when the V-Drome 2020 is up and running, you will be flying with the cameras instead of standing still.

Whenever I’m asked what superpower I would like to have, I always say, “TO FLY!” Granted, it’s not like I get asked that question all the time, but the answer is always the same. Now with the installation of the V-Drome 2020, our beloved Fort Worth Museum of Science and History can give me an idea of what flying is really like.

The Museum’s president, Van Romans, summoned the experience of Rick Rothschild, a Creative Director with a 30-year tenure as a creative executive at Walt Disney Imagineering to help with the installation of the V-Drome 2020.

6

Six Points Urban Village PA S T A N D P R E S E N T

by Lyle Brooks

Nestled on the east side of I-35W, the Six Points Urban Village, a burgeoning gateway to Downtown, has slowly become one of Fort Worth’s favorite destinations.

The crossroads of Belknap, Riverside, and Race Streets provides the area’s moniker. It has been a commercial hub for Riverside residents since the late 19th century. The area’s rich history dates to original settlers like Charles B. Daggett and the farmers and nursery workers who followed him to build a predominantly black, middle-class neighborhood.

In 1922, Fort Worth doubled its size with the annexation of several suburbs, including Riverside.

Prominent Riverside residents like J.A. McAdams took advantage of the annexation to build new properties, including, in 1931, the L-shaped structure bearing his name at the Six Points intersection. Barely spared from demolition 15 years ago, Mamma Mia’s Italian Grill eventually filled the McAdams Building.

Amidst furious post-World War II growth, Fort Worth was devastated by the Flood of 1949, which submerged the area for days. When Fort Worth residents sought higher ground as a result, the ensuing demographic shift from a middle-class African

American to a primarily white neighborhood turned violent at times.

Today, the City of Fort Worth has targeted Six Points for rejuvenation into an Urban Village. The enthusiastic fight to preserve the McAdams Building signaled the slow start to revitalization efforts. The improvements to Race Street have proven successful, and developers are attracting residents to live in fresh new apartment buildings that complement growing entertainment options.

Brooks Kendall Jr. brought his team from Magnolia’s renowned Live Oak Music Hall after a Downtown stopover at Fort Worth Live. Kendall was searching for the perfect location. “You could tell that there were pockets where this neighborhood was helping itself a lot over the past few years.”

The Post at River East opened last June, filling the rescued bones of the Sylvania Station Post Office, which operated between 1946 and 1968. A severe fire had gutted the building, leaving it in disrepair, which gives the venue two unique spaces: a spacious listening room and an expansive patio, in addition to a full bar and kitchen. There’s music playing every night with artists’ residencies illustrating their investment in local talent.

For three years, Cindy Crowder has been drawing folks to Race Street with outstanding food, live music and Southern charm. In February of 2020, The Post will partner with Cindy Crowder and the Cajuninfluenced Tributary Café for a Mardi Gras event complete with parade and street dance.

Julie Marklay at Gypsy Scoops Ice Cream Shop was integral in fostering the Race Street Rollick, a street festival that runs on the second Saturday of every month. Despite feeling forgotten during the construction phase of the new urban village, Marklay says the increased activity in Six Points will give people more reasons to enjoy what the street has to offer.

For many years, Race Street has acted as an artistic nucleus; artists’ studio spaces encourage creative collaborations. Guillermo Tapia’s ArtLuck figure drawing sessions blossomed into more significant

events with FW Blackhouse. “There wasn’t much going on when I first got down here, so we could try some different things out.” He runs GDT gallery, a collection of spaces where six artists currently work.

In a quaint 1948 structure on Race Street, Aaron Latchaw is opening Race Street Coffee in partnership with Oak Cliff Roasters. Tapia is planning a mural for the coffee shop’s exterior. As a founding member of the now-defunct Riverside Arts District, Latchaw and his cohorts have developed their community, from art events to community gardens. “We wanted to get people out on the street and show them what it could be. This coffee shop is an extension of the organization. It is another way of giving people space.”

Tapia and Latchaw can both recall when late-night speedsters often used Race Street for drag races.

With engines screaming through their memories, they are amused by the slowdown measures now prevalent along the strip. A brewery will join the neighborhood soon, and there are whispers of even more restaurants setting down roots. Energy is high on Race Street as the merchants gear up for a music festival called Acoustic Solstice on December 21st.

In the historical heyday of Six Points, the neighborhood’s motto was, “Where everything grows,” referring to its exceptional alluvial soil.

Now developers and merchants are hoping to capture some of that energy and growth as they steer Race Street and Six Points into the 21st century and beyond.

photos by Aaron Latchaw

LOVE CHANGES EVERYTHING

Giacomo Puccini’s heart-rending tale of lovers living on borrowed time.

April 17 & 19, 2020 | Bass Performance Hall FEATURING THE

FORT WORTH SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA

FWOPERA.ORG

|

8 1 7.7 3 1 . 0 7 2 6

MELLON FOUNDATION

CAULIFLOWER AND POTATO ALOO GOBI

FR OM FOR T WOR TH'S FOOD MASTERS

The Cookery’s Kelly Huddleston shares her recipe for a classic Indian vegetarian recipe. Full of warm spices and incredible flavors, this aloo gobi proves that a dish doesn’t have to contain meat to be a filling star of your dinner table!

FL AVOR-BOMBED POPCORN: KARI CROWE-SEHER OF MELT ICE CREAMS LOVES POPCORN.

ingredients 1 pound small golden or waxy potatoes, cut in half and sliced into crescents

Kari Crowe-Seher of MELT Ice Creams loves popcorn. She discovered this recipe in a cookbook years ago and had adapted it to her tastes, something which she encourages you to do by switching out the herbs, spices, and/or cheeses!

ingredients F OR THE FLAVOR B OM B :

1 tablespoon powdered buttermilk 1 teaspoon garlic powder 1 teaspoon onion powder 1 teaspoon lemon pepper ½ teaspoon dried dill 1 teaspoon dry chicken soup mix F OR THE POPCOR N :

½ cup popping corn 4 tablespoons olive oil (divided use) Freshly shaved parmesan cheese Freshly ground black pepper

1 1-pound cauliflower, cut into small florets 1 medium yellow onion, about 1 ½ cups, minced

directions Toss all ingredients for the flavor bomb together and set aside.

In a large stock pot over medium heat, combine 2 tablespoons oil and 3 kernels (yes, that’s correct) of the corn.

Place the lid on but make sure to vent it. When the kernels pop, add in the remaining corn and cover. Shake the stockpot gently every 15 to 25 seconds to avoid scalding the kernels and listen until the pops become infrequent. Pour the popped corn into a large bowl and toss with the remaining olive oil. Toss with the flavor bomb mix, top with the freshly ground parmesan and pepper, and enjoy!

3 tablespoons fresh ginger, peeled and minced 3 tablespoons garlic (approximately 4 to 7 cloves), minced ½ teaspoon whole cumin seeds 1 tablespoon turmeric powder 1/8 teaspoon Kashmiri chili powder, or to taste 1 tablespoon garam masala 1 serrano pepper, seeds removed (optional), and minced Juice of 1 lemon 1 bunch cilantro, chopped ¼ cup ghee or grapeseed oil 2 tablespoons water, more or less, as needed Salt to taste directions Preheat your oven to 400°. Toss the sliced potatoes and cauliflower with a bit of grapeseed oil and a pinch of salt. Arrange and roast the vegetables on a parchment-lined baking sheet until they are lightly browned and crisped, about 20 to 25 minutes.

While the vegetables are roasting, heat the ghee or grapeseed oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add the cumin seeds and allow them to fry until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Next add the onion, garlic, and ginger, along with a generous sprinkling of salt. Sauté until the onions are translucent, about 2 to 3 minutes. Carefully add in the turmeric, chili powder, lemon juice, water, and serrano pepper. Add the roasted potatoes and cauliflower and gently stir to combine.

Cover and simmer, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are fork tender. Finish by tossing the vegetables with the garam masala and fresh cilantro. Taste, and adjust the seasonings as desired. This is wonderful served with basmati rice, various chutneys, raita, and naan.

BACON, CHEDDAR, AND CHIVE BISCUITS Executive Chef Christian Lehrmann of Sarah Castillo’s Sidesaddle Saloon shared what will be a staple at the soon-to-be cocktail and wine bar in the Historic Stockyards. The light and flaky biscuits have bacon, cheese, and chive confetti throughout, and Chef Lehrmann serves it with a whipped butter with a secret!

ingredients F OR THE DOUGH:

4 cups all-purpose flour 1 tablespoon kosher salt 1 tablespoon baking powder 1 teaspoon baking soda ½ pound (2 sticks) unsalted butter, cut into small cubes and chilled 1 ½ cups buttermilk

(please don’t use the low fat/fat free stuff)

½ cup bacon, cooked and crumbled 1 cup sharp cheddar, shredded 4 tablespoons chives, minced F OR THE BUTTER:

1 stick unsalted butter, allowed to come to room temperature for at least an hour 3 tablespoons buttermilk (see note above!)

1 pinch salt

directions For the biscuits to bake up light and fluffy, it’s important not to overwork the dough. In a large, chilled bowl, combine the dry ingredients. Add in the cubed butter. Use your hands to gently but quickly rub the butter into the dry ingredients until the butter has broken down into pieces the size of small marbles. Too much handling will make the butter melt and the biscuits tough. Gently toss in the bacon, cheddar, and chives. Use a wooden spoon to stir the buttermilk into the butter-flour mixture until just incorporated. The dough will look somewhat dry; this is okay. Cover the bowl and allow the dough to rest in the refrigerator for 20 minutes.

While the dough is resting, preheat the oven to 400°. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Now you can make the whipped butter. Place the softened stick of butter in a small bowl, and using a whisk, gently whip in the buttermilk, one tablespoon at a time. Season with a pinch of salt, cover, and refrigerate. Remove the dough from the refrigerator. Using a large scoop or spoon, scoop the biscuit dough onto the baking sheet. Don’t worry about the shape of the biscuits but try to keep the size consistent, roughly 2 inches. Bake for approximately 12 to 14 minutes, or until the biscuits are golden brown. Serve warm with the whipped butter.

8

EV ENTS

ACTIVITIE S

Victoria Wise, TanglewoodMoms.com founder and Madeworthy publisher, brings you the top Fort Worth experiences. You do not want to miss these!

G N I N R E WA

FREEZ

S P I T R E T N WI AL

R LOC U O Y M O FR

WRAP

PLUMBER

CETS

ND FAU E PIPES A

ID ALL OUTS

RS PRINKLE S F F O N TUR CTED ER INSPE T A E H R E RIOR UR WAT HAVE YO EAR EXTE D N S R O O LOCATE BINET D OPEN CA RE PLUMBING IS HE WALLS W PING HTLY DRIP IG L T E C AU USES LEAVE A F POOL HO T U O B A RGET DON’T FO OR KITCHENS DO AND OUT

Jan 1, 10 am to 4 pm

Jan 17 through Feb 8

Jan 5

Jan 21 & 22

Jan 6, 7:30 pm

Jan 26, 12 pm

Trunk Show: The French Knot | thefrenchknot.com Pasta Perfecto: The Cookery Fort Worth thecookeryfortworth.com Shen Yun 2020: Bass Hall | basshall.com

Jan 8 & Feb 12, 2:30 to 3:30 pm Story Time for Members: Fort Worth Museum of Science and History fwmuseum.org

Jan 11, 9 am

Sourdough Bread Baking Class: The Table Market | thetablemarket.com

Jan 28 & Feb 25, 6 to 8 pm

2020 Let’s Taco ‘Bout QPR: Ensemble Coworking jordanelizabethharrisfoundation.org

Jan 31 through Feb 16

Jan 11 & Feb 8, 12 pm

Feb 20 through 23

Second Saturday Divorce Workshops: Cancer Care Services secondsaturdayfortworth.com

Jan 11 & Feb 29, 4 pm

Texas Nature Traders: Fort Worth Public Library, Ridglea Branch | fortworthzoo.org/texasnaturetraders

Jan 11, 11 am to 2 pm

City of Fort Worth Arctic Dip: Marine Park Pool | fwdpc.org Sunday Suppers: Ellerbe Fine Foods ellerbefinefoods.com

410 Missouri Avenue, Fort Worth, TX 76104 817-239-6693 • mcservco@yahoo.com servicecompanyplumbing.com

Bulls Night Out: Dickies Arena fwssr.com

Teachers Appreciation Morning: American Airlines C.R. Smith Museum crsmithmuseum.org

Jan 12, Feb 9, 5 to 8 pm

CALL US FOR HELP

Fort Worth Stock Show & Rodeo: Dickies Arena | fwssr.com

Frank-N-Friend: Casa Mañana casamanana.org The SpongeBob Musical: Bass Hall basshall.com

Feb 22

Old 97’s: Billy Bob’s Texas billybobstexas.com

Feb 22, 7 pm

Alan Jackson 2020 Tour: Dickies Arena dickiesarena.com

Feb 23, 2 pm

Harlem Globetrotters: Dickies Arena ticketmaster.com

Feb 27 through Mar 1

Jan 14 through 19

Hello, Dolly!: Bass Hall | basshall.com

2020 Cliburn Festival Beethoven at 250: Modern Art Museum | cliburn.org

Jan 15, 6 to 9 pm

Feb 29 through Mar 8

Vine to Table 2020: Dickies Arena brit.org

Jan 16

Carter College Night: Amon Carter Museum | cartermuseum.org

Tuna Does Vegas: Casa Mañana casamanana.org

Various Dates

Take a Tour: Bureau of Engraving and Printing | bep.gov/fortworthtxtours.html

Jan 18

SKILLS Teen School: Texas Motor Speedway | skillsdriving.com

D IF F E R E NT TH A N T HE R ES T

by Lee Virden Geurkink

The Butterflies Are Back!

The hugely popular Butterflies in the Garden exhibit, co-hosted by the Fort Worth Botanic Garden and the Botanical Research Institute of Texas (BRIT), returns to Fort Worth on February 29 and runs through April 12. The largest exhibit of live, exotic butterflies in north Texas, Butterflies in the Garden offers educational programs, exciting exhibits, and more to visitors.

This year’s theme is “Celebrate the Change,” in honor of the Botanic Garden’s newly restored conservatory. Following devastating hail damage in 2016, the conservatory was closed for many months for repairs. Much of the glass in the conservatory was replaced, new handrails were installed, and many of the damaged plants were either replaced or heavily pruned.

Now restored, the conservatory is ready to host this year’s Butterflies in the Garden.

“Beautiful, exotic butterflies of every hue and size will be flying in the conservatory,” said Gail Manning, the Botanic Garden’s entomologist. “People will have a chance to walk among hundreds of fluttering butterflies from around the world, watch them land on tropical flowers and lush foliage — maybe even on their shoulders — and learn about the amazing life cycle of the butterfly.”

The exhibit will feature Central American butterflies such as the Starry Night Butterfly (Hamadryas Iaodamia), the Mosaic (Colobura dirce), the elegant Glass Wing (Greta oto), Small Postman (Heliconius erato), Pink-Spotted Cattleheart (Parides photinus), the green Malachite (Siproeta stelenes), Tiger Longwing (Heliconius hecale), and Blue Morpho (Morpho peleides). Of these, the Blue Morpho is the most striking and is a perennial favorite among visitors. Also included in the exhibit will be butterflies from North and South America, Africa and Asia.

Your Fort Worth Family Law Firm 1200 Summit Ave., Suite 760 | Fort Worth, Texas 76102 P 817.349.8120 | www.hattonfirm.com

Tickets for timed entrance may be purchased online at www.fwbg.org/bitg. Admission is $12 for ages 16-64; $10 for seniors (65+); $8 for ages 6-15; and free for children five and under. The BRIT’s GROW members receive a discounted price of $10 for adults, $8 for seniors, and $6 for children. For those who want to visit both the Garden and the butterfly exhibit, the price is $18 for adults and seniors and $10 for children.

by Angela Weaver Quite honestly, I am not sure how I got so lucky. It is easy to become overwhelmed by all of life’s stress and chaos, but when I stop and take the time to reflect and look at my life, I am just so thankful. As a single mother to two boys, life can sometimes seem like a day-in, day-out circus act or a full-on wrestling match. Time with our children is, as all parents know, so fleeting and so precious.

My boys and I do our best to make the most of our time together, but I know those teen years are looming over our heads. Until that time, however, my boys and I can be found out seeking adventures. I try to look at the world around us through their eyes and find things they will not only enjoy, but that will create life long memories for them. Looking at Fort Worth from a child’s perspective provides such a unique outlook on the city we love.

My eight-year-old, Hayes, may tell you that the only form of entertainment in Fort Worth is at Main Event; however, when pushed a little outside of his arcade game-infested comfort zone, he has found a few local favorite spots that we all can enjoy all while getting some much-needed fresh air and a break from the dreaded screens. Favorite spots on Hayes’ list include camping and hiking, Texas Nature Traders at the Fort Worth Zoo, the Saltgrass Steakhouse patio, bowling, and his favorite candy store.

The camping spot of Hayes’ dreams is hands down Mineral Wells State Park.

Only a 45-minute drive from Fort Worth, this state park has everything you need for a perfect weekend away. From star gazing parties at night, to a lake for kayaking and fishing, to the absolute best hiking trails, you won’t hear your kids ask for an electronic device all weekend. Cooking over a fire and roasting marshmallows while the deer walk straight up to your kids and allow them to hand feed them is hard for Mario and Minecraft to top. The hiking trails full of massive, yet climbable, rocks are always a hit. Hayes will race any kid to the top of the rocks and win every time. I’m pretty sure he’s part monkey!

Nature Traders at the Fort Worth Zoo is an interactive program that encourages kids to explore nature and the world around them. Kids can bring in any item they found in nature and learn what it is, where it came from, and then trade it in for points which they can then spend on any of the other collected items. Treasures Hayes has come home with include a cow pelvis (yep, it’s huge, and it’s in my house), antlers, obsidian pieces, and unique shells.

For parents and kids alike, the Saltgrass Steakhouse patio is a hidden gem.

Kids can feed the ducks day-old bread right from their patio table! Last on his list, but definitely the most important place in Fort Worth to Hayes is the candy store. I was told I couldn’t complete this article without mentioning his favorite place for a treat, Pop N Cream. Located in Montgomery Plaza this popcorn, candy, and ice cream store has everything a sugaraholic could desire. The old school candy selection and colorful jars are a win for any kid, big or small!

My ten-year-old, Carter, would survive on a diet of pizza if I would let him.

Top on his list are pizza places, Airfield Falls, Fort Worth Nature Center, fishing at Eagle Mountain Lake, and his number one love, baseball. When narrowing down his top pizza spots, he was able to trim the list to four. Partons Pizza, Fireside Pies, Mama’s Pizza, and the new Zoli’s made the cut. Each spot is totally different but all have

photos courtesey of Angela Weaver

their place depending on the occasion. For a fancy mother-son date night, Fireside Pies is the place.

Need a place for a pizza party with the team after a big game? Mama’s Pizza is the way to go. Old school night out with buddies is best at Partons Pizza. If it’s a beautiful day and you need a place for the kids to run around and play, the newly opened Zoli’s Pizza off Hulen is perfect and is attached to the Cow Tipping Creamery.

Win-win.

Of course, there is more to life for Carter than pizza. Airfield Falls is one of our favorite spots in the Fort. A short hike down the trail, and you will find yourself at a picturesque waterfall that the kids can run and play in, skip rocks on, and splash around in if it is warm enough. No one can skip a rock better than Carter, and he could spend hours here doing just that.

Hiking at the Fort Worth Nature Center is another great way to spend a Saturday. With trails all over and trees to climb, both of my boys can happily spend a day here. The Trinity Trails are also a great way to spend a pretty day.

There is an entrance to the trails just down the street from our house which we walk to often. Just a twenty-minute walk from our house, and we can be on the patio at Bar Taco or HG Supply. Both restaurants are dog- and kid-friendly.

Speaking of patios, the patio at Augie’s Sunset Café on a nice day followed by fishing on Eagle Mountain Lake never disappoints either boy.

If the weather isn’t cooperating, and we don’t have a baseball game or practice to get to, a favorite of my boys is old school bowling at Cowtown Bowling. You can’t go wrong with the classics, and this bowling alley is about as classic as it gets and is perfect for some family fun.

Lastly, I would be failing you all if I didn’t include TCU football, baseball, and basketball games on their list of fun things to do! As Fort Worth locals, supporting the Frogs is a must, and there is no way to have a bad time at a TCU game.

This, ladies and gentlemen, is Fort Worth in a nutshell from my boys’ perspective. Get outside and take in all the beauty and adventures this town has to offer and soak up every second with your kids while you can.

Hey Kids! can you help

The Moos Bros.?

Start with the #1 and connect the dots to complete the drawing.

BUY RODEO TICKETS TODAY! AT FWSSR.COM

PLUS • Cattle & Equestrian Competitions • Live Music Daily • Acres of Awesome Shopping • Children’s Barnyard • Food for Every Taste • Carnival/Midway... and lots more!

WILL ROGERS MEMORIAL CENTER | DICKIES ARENA | FWSSR.COM

Use the letters below to unscramble this animal’s name.

Find this and your other favorite barnyard animals atthe Stock Show!

AMBL

FROM EMMY TO EMPIRE

photo by Shannon Lange

by Julie K. Rhodes

She might just be the biggest TV star you’ve never heard of.

However, with three Emmy wins under her belt, plus a growing empire of media, books, and a new hair product line, Gaby Natale is well on her way to becoming a household name. And here’s the fun part: she’s also one of your neighbors. You might just run into her on a Magnolia Avenue patio eating dinner — her favorite Fort Worth pastime — or cross paths with her at DFW as she jets off to New York or LA. Her secret to so much success is simple but powerful: You can start small while thinking big.

I gave Gaby a call one sunny Friday afternoon for the interview. I was nervous, having never spoken with an Emmy winner before and was feeling more like Zach Galifianakis than Diane Sawyer.

Her cell went to voicemail. “Please call me again,” she texted 30 seconds later. “The phone was in the next room, and I couldn’t catch your call fast enough.” Something around my sternum relaxed;

here was a fellow juggler of life and cell phones.

Born in La Plata, Argentina, 41-year-old Gaby has always had a lot of irons in the fire. The daughter of parents who were both lawyers, she and her three older siblings enjoyed a “really happy childhood,” with a good education, vacations, and encouragement to explore the world and themselves. Self-described as “a good student, not the best,” Gaby was an adventurous kid who loved languages and learning. She began studying English at six, then German at 12. At 15, Gaby asked for a motorbike for her quinceañera so she could travel. She was able to travel to London, across Europe, and to the U.S., which broadened her imagination and gave her a sense of the world’s possibilities. But Gaby says she was not unusually ambitious with grandiose plans or dreams. Like most other girls her age, she was obsessed with crushes, loved exploring things she enjoyed (dance topped the list), and picked up through osmosis that she could be like the other women in her life — strong and capable of anything.

Most people don’t set out to be television stars or media moguls, and maybe in that lies the key 12

to their success: they have a flexibility, the ability to divert their course, the courage to walk through an open door and take a risk. Upon completing high school, Gaby was admitted to a prestigious university in Buenos Aires to study journalism, and that’s when those proverbial doors began opening, not the least of which was meeting and falling in love with her husband, Andy. She declared her love to him during the last week of classes, and they embarked on a long-distance relationship when Gaby was offered a job in Washington, and he was given a scholarship to an elite publishing program in London. On one of their scheduled visits, they were spontaneously married at City Hall — much to the dismay of Gaby’s mother. That was 18 years ago, and they have been life and business partners ever since.

Gaby’s foray into television began when she took a job as a journalist reporting at the TexasMexico border about immigration issues. She and Andy had settled in Odessa and were awaiting green cards. After a while, Gaby began to feel her job had been great but that she needed a new challenge. More importantly, she had come to understand something unsettling about being a

Latina TV persona: there were two stereotypes which she was expected to choose between.

The first was a hyper-sexualized Latina who only reports on entertainment and weather and is expected to be sexy all the time in tight-fitting dresses. “I was not that woman. I didn’t want to be that woman,” says Gaby. The second stereotype had a deep voice and a very serious, “constipated” persona, according to Gaby.

(Here she does a great impression of a very solemn news anchor: “Today in the news…”)

“That was not me either,” she says. “I didn’t want to contribute to those images. My friends are not that Latina. My family members weren’t those people. So that’s why I decided to take a risk with my job and start creating content that would represent Latinas with dignity and respect and the multilayered view that I believed we deserved.”

The risk paid off big-time. In 2007, Gaby launched her own talk show, SuperLatina, out of an old carpet warehouse she and Andy had renovated into a studio. They got their own sponsors and their own distribution and began building an audience. Through a connection at a DFW TV station, Gaby relocated to Fort Worth in 2009 where she currently owns her own studio and the rights to her show, both unique in an industry where the talent is usually separate from the business side.

When SuperLatina was picked up by VME TV (a member of the PBS family) in 2014, Gaby’s viewership potential skyrocketed. By that point, they had already taped 280 episodes and had built syndication steadily, but now she was in millions of homes across the country.

In 2016, Gaby found herself nominated for two daytime Emmy awards: Outstanding Daytime Talent in Spanish, and Outstanding Entertainment Program in Spanish. “When you know you are competing with companies that have such larger power, you don’t assume that you’re going to win,” says Gaby about the awards ceremony. “You have a camera in your face, you’re just waiting there, and you are prepared for everything, for your ‘gracious face.’ It’s likely not your name they’re going to call.” But her name was called. She won both Emmys that night. And ever flexible and ever prepared, she had come with a rousing speech written just in case with an intentional message of inclusion:

“This Emmy is dedicated the dreamers, to the rebels, the ones who wake up every day and do not allow anyone to define their capabilities.

You’re never too old, never too fat, too ugly, too gay, or too undocumented to make your dream come true.”

(She’s always prepared to speak, she told me. If there’s even a chance of her holding a microphone or addressing an audience, she never wants to be caught off-guard.)

In 2017, Gaby won a third Emmy for Outstanding Daytime Talent in Spanish, a first in Emmy history. In its run, SuperLatina has evolved from a hot topics and lifestyle show to exclusive interviews with headliners like Deepak Chopra, Enrique Iglesias, and President George

photo by Joel Pares Photography

W. Bush, to name a few of the diverse guests.

Gaby now reaches millions of viewers coast to coast and in Puerto Rico. (VME transitioned out of PBS and is now aired on cable.)

Gaby sees herself not just as a pioneer for Latinas, but for anyone who might feel marginalized. She receives messages from fans all the time who tell her she represents possibilities for them they hadn’t imagined before. “I feel a big responsibility,” admits Gaby.

“When you are a pioneer, your experience is not just your experience, it’s a case study for more people like you in that space. It’s not pressure but responsibility. I know I have to be responsible when I speak, and I have to be responsible in the way I am.”

To capitalize on her television success, Gaby leveraged her many celebrity connections to write her book, El Circulo Virtuoso (The Virtuous Circle, published in 2017 by HarperCollins Español), which explores the common denominator among elite achievers. The book has been so successful the Leadership Division within publisher HarperCollins has plans to re-release her book in English in 2020. This will make Gaby the first Latina represented in that field along with motivational/ leadership heavyweights like John C. Maxwell and Rachel Hollis. Writing has been a natural extension of Gaby’s interests. “I read self-help books in my free time. They nurture me. But I wouldn’t be productive if my everyday life was to be the best mechanic I could be because I don’t like cars,” she laughs.

The art of leveraging — both her connections and her true passions — is clearly one of Gaby’s defining superpowers. Her TV and book exposure have given Gaby a platform to reach everincreasing numbers of Latinas through social media and other channels like the motivational conference speaking circuit. In 2007, she created AGANARmedia, originally named SuperLatina Productions, a marketing company geared towards reaching Spanish audiences; clients include Fortune 500 companies such as Hilton Worldwide, Sprint, AT&T, eBay, and Amazon. (A ganar means “to win” in Spanish. Well-played.)

She has demonstrated huge skills connecting with her tribe, with over 52 million views on YouTube and more than 200,000 followers on social media, according to her website.

What’s next for Gaby? The answer may be surprising.

As of this writing, Gaby was two weeks from the public launch of welcomeallbeauty.com, a hair piece and extension line for jet-setting women who need to look camera-ready in five minutes or less. Over her years of travel and demanding location shoots, Gaby jokes that she has had 13

ten members in her beauty squad — her ten fingers. “They’re very loyal,” she quips. “They go everywhere with me.” Admittedly good at makeup and bad at hair, Gaby started noticing she wasn’t finding the products she needed. Some hair pieces were good quality, but the price was high, or the price was good, but the product looked like “doll hair, shiny and horrible.”

For the past 18 months, Gaby and her team have been working on product development, photography, and the website, to create the “first hair piece and extension line focused 100% on women’s productivity. We like to brag that it’s not about your hair, it’s about your potential.”

According to Gaby’s research, it takes the average woman three to four hours a week to style her hair; she’s touting Welcome All Beauty as a way for women to reclaim their time and eliminate another hurdle towards success. And if anyone can speak to the power of time management, it’s Gaby Natale.

So what does Gaby Natal see ten years from now? Is she able to predict what’s next in a life that’s been so full of twists and turns? “I do have a couple of things that might be planned, but I also leave a lot of room for life to surprise me as well.”

(There’s that flexibility again!) She laughs when she thinks about her current success and if she could have predicted it as a student in Argentina.

“Yeah, right!”

For Gaby, the key all along has been to pay attention and understand that “discomfort is your wake-up call.” If something wasn’t working, be it a television stereotype or a hair extension, Gaby paid attention to the discomfort, addressed it, and found success. But she’s quick to add, “Starting small is not the same as thinking small.

You can start small and think big. Like now, for example, I don’t know where the hair company will lead. Maybe it’s just another project I’m taking on. But the idea is that when we’re creating, let’s make the best products we can make.”

This is advice she frequently gives people who ask for her for career wisdom. “Whatever you have right now, make it work to the best of its capacity.

You cannot commit necessarily to a certain result, but what you can commit to is excellence.”

Good words from a reliable source. When we hung up, Gaby was about to head over to SMU to give a keynote speech. I imagined her standing in front of a crowd, mic in hand, speech written, and, of course, ready for just about anything.

Anything at all.

FAVORITE BREAKFAST FOOD: Croissants

WEIRDEST THING IN HER PURSE: Charger plug (but no wire!)

FAVORITE APP: Later (saves time by helping you schedule social media posts), Canva (image design for social media)

TOP TRAVEL GOAL: French Polynesia, Egypt, Morocco (the open markets!)

HER HAPPY PLACE: A quiet evening with Andy, curled up with a mug of tea and a vanilla candle burning

DOES NOT BELIEVE IN: Sleep deprivation

WORST HABIT: Being very anxious

BEST QUALITY: Loyal

photo courtesy of the Fort Worth Stock Show & Rodeo

The Fort Worth Stock Show & Rodeo Embraces Its Heritage in Its New Home

by Lee Virden Geurkink

GROWN

from

HIDE

In 1896,

a fat stock show was held alongside Marine Creek near the Fort Worth Stockyards. There were no buildings, no corrals – the exhibitors stood under the trees along the creek. From that rather humble beginning, the Southwestern Exposition and Livestock Show, known locally as the Fort Worth Stock Show and Rodeo (FWSSR), has grown into an annual tradition that not only provides entertainment for thousands but distributes grants and scholarships to future leaders in agriculture and livestock management.

A rodeo was added to the fat stock show in 1918. The world’s first indoor rodeo was held in the North Side Coliseum, where it remained until 1942, when the coliseum and exhibition buildings were requisitioned for assembly plants for the war effort. After a year-long hiatus, the FWSSR moved to the Will Rogers Coliseum in 1944, where it has remained until now.

When the city announced plans for a new arena in Fort Worth to house the FWSSR, many residents were skeptical. The rodeo in the Will Rogers Coliseum is a large part of our memories. Children who grew up going to the rodeo in the Coliseum now bring their children and even their grandchildren to the rodeo. How could a new arena hope to compare?

and

HORN

Also taking place in the Coliseum is the first FWSSR Texas Invitational Escaramuza Competition. Escaramuza is the only female equestrian event in the traditional Mexican charreria, or rodeo. Inspired by the adelitas, women who fought in the Mexican Civil War, escaramuza competitors wear traditional costumes, including beautiful dresses and sombreros, and ride side-saddle while performing synchronized equestrian “dances” to music. The Texas Invitational Escaramuza pays homage to the FWSSR’s long Latino heritage.

Texas poet Berta Hart Nance’s poem “Cattle” starts:

Other states were carved or born,

Texas grew from hide and horn.

Other states are long and wide,

Texas has a shaggy hide.

The Fort Worth Stock Show and Rodeo has long kept Texans connected to their roots in the farmyards and on the acres of the great ranches. In making the move from the Will Rogers Coliseum to the Dickies Arena, the FWSSR hopes to embrace its heritage while evolving into a true powerhouse in the world of rodeo. As announcer Bob Tallman always says, “This thing is legendary!”

Matt Brockman is the communications manager for the FWSSR. He’s been with the Stock Show for years, and he understands Fort Worthians’ concerns.

“We want to assure people that this is the same Fort Worth Stock Show and Rodeo that people have grown up with. The rodeo remains connected to its roots. We’re just evolving.”

Brockman is enthusiastic about the changes that the new arena have made possible. Dickies Arena has more seating than the Coliseum, allowing the FWSSR to streamline the rodeo schedule. In the old rodeo format, Brockman admits that “it was nearly impossible to keep up with the winners unless you were there every single night. The new bracket format makes it easier to follow...” Brockman hopes that the new bracket format, similar to the NCAA March Madness bracket, will give people a greater appreciation of the sport of rodeo. “Rodeo is a legitimate sport, like football or basketball, and we hope that [the move] finally gives us a way for people to have a greater appreciation of the people on the horses.”

In an effort to bring the FWSSR to a greater audience, the Cowboy Channel (its state-of-the-art production facilities are located in the Fort Worth Stockyards) will be broadcasting throughout the rodeo’s run. The technology of the Dickies Arena is the best of any venue of its kind in the nation, and it allows the Cowboy Channel to bring the rodeo to a nationwide audience, so be sure to smile for the camera!

Not only is the Dickies Arena bigger, the new Simmons Bank Plaza on the east side of the arena offers more opportunities for entertainment before and after the rodeo. The Bud Lite Roadhouse will move to the Plaza, allowing patrons to boot scoot the night away. If you’re feeling less honkey tonk, the brand new Corkyard on the Plaza offers a place to meet friends and enjoy wine and light fare before and after the rodeo. Little ones can watch the riders and animals getting ready for the rodeo through the glass walls of the Pavilion, and the views from the Plaza across Downtown cannot be beaten.

Many people have wondered what will happen to the Coliseum during the FWSSR, now that the rodeo has moved to Dickies Arena. For years, the Auditorium in the Coliseum sat vacant during the Stock Show. The area was needed for parking for box seat holders. Now that parking has moved to the spacious parking garage, the Auditorium is back in action. On January 24, the acclaimed country a cappella group Home Free will perform in the Auditorium, and on February 5, rock legends Foreigner take the stage where Duke Ellington and the Rolling Stones once performed.

A driving force behind the FWSSR has always been giving up-and-coming ranchers and farmers an educational showcase. The highlight of the Stock Show has always been the Steer Show. In the 1940s and 1950s, the Steer Show took place in the Coliseum but was moved as the rodeo gained in popularity. Now the Steer Show is back in the Coliseum, affording an opportunity for more people to watch this wonderful Fort Worth tradition.

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POP UP BAR

MAKES COCKTAIL DREAMS COME TRUE by Sarah Angle Pam Moncrief has long, honeyblonde hair that frames her picture-perfect face. When I meet with her to talk, she’s makeup-free, revealing a natural beauty paired with laser-focused blue eyes. She has a light that shines from inside that has no need for makeup. This single mom of two young kids left her job at the Usual, the popular Magnolia Avenue gathering spot, to launch POP UP BAR last year to great success. No matter how nicely I ask or how hard I prod her, Pam won’t tell me her favorite drink to make because every drink she makes is curated specially for a certain event, taking into account the guests and the location. No matter what the event or space, she’s making cocktail dreams come true — and her own dreams a reality.

Madeworthy sat down with this fascinating Fort Worth native to talk cocktails, single parenting, and how to run a small business with small kids without losing yourself along the way.

Madeworthy: How did you get started in the bar business?

Pam Moncrief: Well, I worked for American Food and Beverage for many years and then later at The Usual off Magnolia Avenue. I was trained to spare no expense when it comes to hospitality and to give the highest level of respect to every person who walks in the door, staff or customer.

MW: Good bartenders in Fort Worth now have their own reputation and following. How would you describe The Pam Brand?

PM: Cocktail Queen! Growing up working at The Usual, we cultivated a reputation of making interesting and high-quality drinks. By combining things most people assume wouldn’t go together, I became a leader in that space.

We all did.

DR. RITA WOOD, DO

MW: Why did you start POP UP BAR? PM: In January 2018, I felt a shift. People started asking me to do side work and parties. I’d been wanting to open a traditional bar, but the funding just wasn’t there. I decided to start my own thing and prove just how valuable I am. There was no turning back at that point. I had to be successful; I knew it was going to be hard.

Rita G. Wood, DO is a practicing Ob/Gyn who recently joined Eighth Avenue Obstetrics and Gynecology. She specializes in comprehensive prenatal care, contraception management, abnormal bleeding, infertility, preconception care, urogynecology, and minimally invasive surgery.

Dr. Wood cares for women of all ages, from adolescence through menopause and beyond, using state-of-the-art and evidence-based techniques.

Her patients enjoy her warm, compassionate bedside manner. Dr. Wood serves a diverse community and is fluent in Spanish.

She is currently accepting new patients and welcomes them to Eighth Avenue Obstetrics and Gynecology.

MW: Who are you as a person today?

PM: Determined. It’s been a long road. I’ve had to overcome a lot of things and learn to grow and change with each obstacle.

MW: What all does POP UP BAR do?

PM: We do consulting, private instruction, events, creative cocktail concepts, private parties, and event production. There’s not anything we won’t do. If I’m capable of it, then we’ll make it happen. It’s creativity at every level.

MW: What’s a signature “Pam Cocktail”?

PM: It’s just delicious! We use really interesting ingredients like turmeric and cumin syrup. Or a butter wash combined with a spirit. But I don’t have a signature; it’s all different. Our stuff is so outside of the box.

MW: How do you manage single motherhood and running a business?

PM: I ask myself that every day. It’s just survival mode. I knew starting a business now would be hard. My kids are with me four days a week. I try to bring them along for some of the stuff I have to do for the business. It all adds up to very long days, not a lot of sleep, and a messy house!

MW: What does it feel like to be starting a business now in Fort Worth?

PM: The community of creatives in Fort Worth is so strong. And there’s so many authentic and real people out there. We have hard conversations that are inspiring and stir the soul. I have a job that puts me in the middle of the community. And I see people trying to live a life that’s similar to how I want to live: authentically.

MW: What do you want for the future?

PM: I want so many things. I want to own a hotel. I want to buy a house to turn into a short-term rental. I want to have tons of stuff going on. A strong background in hospitality can open doors to so many different things. I want it all. Whatever my path leads me to greater success is where I want to go. But I do fantasize about the day when I can buy a $100 jar of face cream like it’s no big deal.

Learn more about POP UP BAR by following @wearepopupbar on Instagram.

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Blocking the Blue for a

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In 2011, Dan Huber got sick. Very sick. Nobody understood what was causing his symptoms. Huber’s health deteriorated until, at last, he figured out that the basement of his Northside home was harboring a silent assailant that was wreaking havoc on his body and wellbeing: black mold. Once he knew the cause of his symptoms, Huber immediately set about combatting them.

Over the ensuing eight years, Huber learned enough about human health and healing to fill volumes, but one of his most impactful discoveries is the importance of sleep. “One simply cannot overstate how important sound, restful sleep is to the body, mind and spirit”, says Dan, “Sleep, or lack of it, effects every aspect of our lives. Along with diet and exercise, it is one of the pillars of a healthy life.”

Huber discovered that sleep disorders are a fairly modern problem, and they have spiked dangerously in recent years, with nearly a third of Americans experiencing some sort of sleep disorder at some point. The king of sleep disorders is insomnia.

We all have the occasional bad night’s sleep, and we all know what that feels like the next day. Nausea, headache, brain-fog, detachment, and fractious ill-humor stalk us the day after a bout of insomnia. Now consider the cumulative effects of many sleepless nights; chronic insomnia can actually shorten a person’s life.

In researching how to heal himself from the effects of black mold, Huber came to understand our need for restful sleep. He learned that the blue light from electronic screens is a major contributor to our lack of sleep. We look at our screens all day then watch TV before we go to bed. The screens bombard our eyes with blue light. And blue light keeps you awake.

According to research published in The International Journal of Ophthalmology, “[blue light] can not only damage the retina… but can also stimulate the brain, inhibit melatonin secretion, and increase corticosteroid production… directly affecting sleep quality.” In short, blue light disrupts our natural circadian rhythms. Additionally, some studies have shown links between blue light exposure and a rise in diabetes, autism, and autoimmune disease.

Upon discovering the effects of blue light, Huber sought blue-blocking products for his family to help reset their melatonin production and re-establish healthful sleep cycles. Over-the-counter products were less than awe-inspiring. Getting prescription blue-blocking glasses proved difficult. Finding ones that his kids would even consider wearing that would stand up to the rigors of daily use proved impossible.

So Huber took matters into his own hands. He recruited the services of his 17-year-old daughter, Liz, and launched Lucia Eyes. Putting the fashion-minded and social media-savvy Liz in charge of curating a selection of stylish frames was step one. She understood that her generation spends a lot of time looking at screens, and she knew “that if we were going to bring a product to market, it needed to be something people my age would actually wear.”

Huber searched high and low to source the best lenses he could get. “The problem with most blue-blocking eyewear on the market”, explains Huber, “is that the lenses are only coated with a blue-blocking material. When the coating gets scratched, which is inevitable, the glasses are useless.” Huber worked with a lens manufacturer to blend the blue blocking material into the polycarbonate lens. “With our product, if your lens becomes scratched, it still blocks the blue-light. You’re still protected.”

To get a good night’s sleep, blocking blue light is a great start, but the father-daughter duo says there is even more you can do. “Switching to night mode simply isn’t enough. You have to protect your eyes from the damages of blue light both day and night, so we offer both day and night lenses available in all of our frames. Next, you need to turn off or put away all devices, including TVs, at least an hour before bed. Ditch the LED light bulbs and install halogen bulbs if possible. You can switch to candlelight if you really want to go all the way. Candles emit less blue light than the sun… how well our ancestors must have slept!” While turning off the lights completely is not feasible for most, a lack of sleepdisrupting blue light in days gone by was assuredly a good thing.

We live in a world lit not by fire but by LEDs, photo courtesy of Dan Huber phones, tablets, and televisions. They are entertaining, indispensable, and always shining brightly.

We live in an amazing time when we carry immediate access to the sum of human knowledge around in our pockets or purses.

However, knowledge is not wisdom. Sometimes, even in this age of technological wonders, wisdom of ages past is not only applicable but truly necessary.

O U R C O M M U N I T Y ’ S M O V E R S & S H A K E R S by Lee Virden Geurkink

photo courtesy of Chris Sagherian

photo courtesy of 76107 Collective The ladies of 76107 collective are dreamers. They’re artists and therapists, entrepreneurs and visionaries. In addition to a web design and hosting company, a soap maker, a holistic massage studio, a nutritionist, a truly unique retail shop, and two artists in residence, 76107 collective offers co-working space. It is the perfect workspace and haven for a diverse range of people to come together, share ideas and impart wisdom, all while getting inspired work done.

North Texas Community Foundation has appointed Laura Q. McWhorter, CFRE, as the Community Foundation’s first chief philanthropy officer. This comes as the Community Foundation implements a five-year strategic plan, expanding its reach and enhancing its services to effect positive changes in our community. McWhorter comes from the Texas Health Resources Foundation, where she has served since 1997. She was named a “Great Woman of Texas” in 2011 by the Fort Worth Business Press, as well as a “Forty Under Forty” recipient. Community Foundation Board Chair Al Saenz said, “Our community deserves only the best. I’m proud… that we are building the team to deliver on that promise.”

photo courtesy of Pressed Juicery Pressed Juicery, the leading cold-pressed juice and plantbased beverage brand dedicated to making high nutrition a realistic option for all people, has opened its third Dallas-Fort Worth location in WestBend. They carry cold-pressed juices, functional shots, plant-based milks, and plant-based vegan soft serve Freeze topped with decadent gluten free and vegan toppings. “Fort Worth has been on our radar…” said Blaine LaBron, Vice-President of Marketing Technology at Pressed Juicery. “We love the energy of the center and can’t wait to get to know the Fort Worth community…”

photo courtesy of Cecilia Chu

In November, Lena Pope announced the selection of Ashley Lind, PhD, as the agency’s new chief executive officer. Lind comes to Lena Pope with both clinical expertise and nonprofit leadership experience. Lind will oversee the agency’s evidencebased, research-tested programs, focusing on prevention and early intervention services that support child development. She previously served as chief executive officer of Promise House, an agency leading the charge to end youth homelessness in North Texas. “I am honored to be granted the privilege of leading Lena Pope,” Lind said. “I am beyond enthusiastic about what the future at Lena Pope holds.”

Third grade teachers Krysta Kick and Anna Adams, along with second grade teacher Angela Rolon have started the Lily B Broadcast Team at Lily B. Clayton Elementary School. This video production team is a group of fourth and fifth graders who share the daily announcements in a different medium.

Krysta Kick said, “We wanted to provide a space for students to utilize real work skills and student-led creativity to share with everyone on our campus.” photo courtesy of R. Watson Boots

Randy Watson has officially launched R. Watson Boots. As a native Texan, this isn’t Watson’s first rodeo as a “boot man.” For 40 years, Watson has been instrumental in building some of the largest boot brands in the business. Customers will appreciate the old-world craftmanship, highest-quality materials, quality construction, and classic designs that go into every pair of R. Watson Boots. “I love the western lifestyle and the people who understand it. R. Watson Boots is a collaboration of folks who appreciate and believe in making authentic, beautiful western footwear,” Watson said. photo courtesy of Hannah Lacamp

There’s a new boutique in town! Located in the former De Ma Fille spot off Park Hill and just a mile down from the TCU campus, I Dream is a bride-centered wedding dress boutique located right in the heart of Fort Worth. Upon entering the boutique, you will feel as though you have stepped straight into a New York City bridal shop. The renovated store feels modern, fresh and clean. Owner Cecilia Chu grew up in Paris and has had a lifelong love of fashion. She moved to Texas at nine years old and is now here in the Fort ready to find brides their perfect dress!

As the sun sets on a neighborhood firehouse at the end of the day, it’s time to say “goodnight” to fireproof suits, boots, and breathing masks; goodnight to hydrants, hoses, and water; goodnight to brave firefighters who protect us every day and every night. Author Jennifer Drez (Goodnight Cowtown, Goodnight Dallas) salutes firefighting heroes everywhere as she leads young readers through the comforting bedtime routine of saying “goodnight” to the equipment fire crews use to do their jobs. Illustrator Kyle Clay, a real-life firefighter, brings to life all the firehouse essentials, lights, sounds, and activities with vibrant original art.

photo by Juan Guajardo

WholeLife Authentic Care is pleased to announce that Melissa Weidert, MD, will be joining the clinic as an obstetrician and gynecologist. A graduate of the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Weidert comes to Fort Worth from Green Bay. Nicole Havrilla, President of WholeLife Authentic Care said, “We are excited and grateful to have Dr. Weidert on our team... her expertise and knowledge will allow us to offer comprehensive care to women and families across North Texas.” Striving to treat the whole person, Dr. Weidert said, “I feel very blessed to be joining WholeLife and the Dallas-Fort Worth community.”

photo courtesy of Roots Coffeehouse

On 8th Avenue stands a unique building with blue fins. Just as unique as the building it inhabits, The Merch is a revolutionary community of local artisans bridging the gap between e-commerce and direct consumer sales. The Merch takes the load off the shoulders of local boutique or direct-to-consumer brands that need a brick-and-mortar location but cannot afford a dedicated storefront, with all its attendant costs. By creating a “plug and play” environment, The Merch helps vendors on a quicker path to profitability based on the culture and spirit of the community marketplace which has stood the test of time.

Vivi Women’s Health is a new female-led obstetrician/ gynecologist provider at Baylor Scott & White All Saints.

Doctors Jamie Erwin, Lindsay Breedlove, Kathleen Cammack, Jennifer McLeland, Rebecca Rogers, Emily Maas, and Danielle Burkett empower their patients to become partners in their healthcare and live vivaciously. “The foundation of our care is that we’re patients, too,” said McLeland. “As mothers ourselves, we make sure our practices are not only safe… but [are] discussed in a two-way conversation. This is a partnership.” In addition to All Saints, they have locations on South Hulen, in Haltom City, and in Willow Park.

18

Vegan coffee lovers, rejoice! Roots Coffeehouse has opened in the heart of South Main Village and is serving up vegan and gluten-free goodies. Co-owner Janice Townsend said, “It’s a coffee house with vegans in mind.” But don’t worry if you’re not a vegan or following a plant-based diet; Roots has something for the carnivores and omnivores, too, serving a full menu of delicious drinks and locally sourced foods to delight all palates.

More than anything, Townsend wants Roots to be a gathering place for creatives, families, and friends. “When people get together with coffee, relationships and community come to life.

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rendering courtesy of City of Fort Worth

CULTURALLY RELEVANT DEVELOPMENT

by Brian J. Dixon, MD

TO EMBRACE ALL FORT WORTH Imagine sitting on an open patio, listening to Leon Bridges at a Puerto Rican-themed lounge. You pay your tab at the table using your smartphone and walk out to a vehiclerestricted plaza filled with musicians, vendors, street performers, and chess players. You meet your friends at an exhibit for African American art followed by a treat from a vegan ice cream shop.

Sounds good, doesn’t it?

As a resident of the Historic Southside for two years, I’m in love with this city’s vibe and opportunities. Over just the last few years, Fort Worth’s growth has been amazing to watch. With the development of areas like Clearfork, Alliance, West 7th, and downtown, showing my out-of-town friends a great time is easy. Even my Dallas peers are impressed.

Yet the racial and economic disparity within that growth and development is striking. I’ve been lucky to experience various housing situations, like renting a condo downtown and buying a house in the Historic Southside, but many in our community cannot say the same.

Cleo (not her real name) is a Fort Worth native and investor. A black woman, Cleo bought a property to develop but had a very difficult time maneuvering through the rules laid out by the Historic & Cultural Landmarks Commission.

Development was stalled until she found an expert through Tanglewood Moms who walked her through the process. Other small developers typically don’t have that luxury. This begs the question: does Fort Worth really want home-grown minority development?

Being a physician-entrepreneur, I’ve experienced board rooms and exam rooms, lead focus groups, plenaries and parties, wheelings and dealings.

I have come to the conclusion that the racialeconomic intersection necessary to improve minority neighborhoods doesn’t exist in Fort Worth.

As a psychiatrist, I don’t like to eschew the obvious; I prefer a “head-on” approach to addressing uncomfortable issues. To ignite development, Fort Worth can and should invest in their black entrepreneurs and minority neighborhood associations.

In 2014, I wanted to start a private practice.

I attempted to take out a small loan and was consistently denied by banks and small business funds throughout Fort Worth. This made me wonder: if a physician with a good credit history and solid earning potential can’t get a loan, how does anyone get one?

Without access to capital, entrepreneurs cannot

start their business and developers cannot develop properties. We must be willing to invest in black developers and entrepreneurs. Development of an idea or an area can require millions of dollars. There is a national gap in income and wealth between people of color and their white counterparts: a black man makes 72 cents to every dollar a white man makes, while black families have $5 of wealth for every $100 dollars of white family wealth. Given these differences, you can see just how difficult it is to be a black entrepreneur.

How do we improve black entrepreneurship?

Fort Worth can lead the nation in mindful investments for entrepreneurs of color by actively recruiting private developers of color to invest in Fort Worth. We also need to create easier pathways for those developers who already live in economically depressed neighborhoods to build/refurbish houses. Lending institutions could pioneer grants for developers and entrepreneurs of color to improve their financial competitiveness.

Fort Worth ISD has high school internship programs which can supply much-needed personnel for black startups. The possibilities are almost endless.

Neighborhood associations are miniature amalgamations of public entity and private business. Representing a diverse cast of residents using limited resources, neighborhood associations hope to make a maximum impact with a minimal amount of capital, a tall order for a group of volunteers. Relying on dues and donations, these people work hard to help their neighborhood.

When I rented a house in Ryan Place, I saw what money and marketing could do. The Ryan Place Improvement Association (RPIA) has a beautiful website, sends out engaging and informative monthly newsletters, has a community directory, and hosts a calendar of events including the annual Candlelight Christmas in Ryan Place Tour of Homes. In fact, the Tour of Homes began as an initiative by the RPIA to bring back the iconic gates at Elizabeth Boulevard and Eighth Avenue. By partnering with businesses in the neighborhood, the RPIA has the capital to create a strong community feel in the Ryan Place neighborhood.

This type of partnership is needed in other neighborhoods. When the City of Fort Worth

20

chose Hoque Global as the master developer of the Evans-Rosedale Urban Village commercial concept, both the city and Hoque Global asked the neighborhood association for feedback and guidance from the neighborhood perspective. The Historic Southside Neighborhood Association, of which I am president, created a committee and after weeks of work, released a document of 25 recommendations on how to incorporate the new development into the neighborhood’s existing infrastructure.

Since then, we’ve held meetings, hosted forums with politicians, increased membership in the neighborhood association, coordinated with TCU’s College of Fine Arts, provided feedback to newspapers and magazines, and more. Mimicking a visitors and conventions bureau model for this culturally significant area, our neighborhood association is uniquely positioned to facilitate thoughtful development while managing expectations from all interested parties.

The City of Fort Worth has a great opportunity to support their minority neighborhood associations.

Some ways that the City could help develop these historic neighborhoods and encourage minority developers and entrepreneurs include: 1. POOLED RESOURCES:

Some physical deliverables (signs for meetings, text reminders, robocalls, and mailings) are cheapest in-bulk. Having a city-wide vendor account that neighborhood associations can leverage would help everyone’s costs.

2. BLUEPRINT CLEARINGHOUSE:

Our neighborhood, like many minority neighborhoods, has a historic overlay designation from the Historic & Cultural Landmarks Commission. While protective and well-meaning, it has proved daunting to many home builders (small and large), as feedback is often contradictory and unclear. Allowing neighborhood associations to have a stronger voice in permits could be very helpful.

3. VETTED LENDERS:

To progressively tackle decades of redlining, discrimination, and subprime mortgages, Fort Worth can help us by providing access to solid lenders with competitive and fair mortgage rates.

4. KNOWLEDGE IS POWER:

Having a direct and public line of communication between neighborhood associations and the City Council would hold all levels accountable to one another.

Culturally relevant development in the Historic Southside and other minority neighborhoods requires strong black entrepreneurs and financially empowered neighborhood associations. Given Fort Worth’s renewed interest in improving race and culture disparities, we are ready to roll up our sleeves and turn Fort Worth into a premier cultural destination that embraces all our citizens… complete with vegan ice cream. photo courtesy of Brian J. Dixon, MD

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Chelsea Morgan Designs is a vibrant young interior design studio focused on residential interior design.

Chelsea is a TCU graduate with a Bachelor’s degree in Interior Design. As a designer, her goal is to work with her clients to create spaces that reflect the uniqueness of each client’s family. “We strive to incorporate timeless designs and carefully considered suggestions that can evolve with our clients’ families and inform their future design choices”, says Chelsea. “At the same time, we hope to heighten their everyday life with playful yet sophisticated comfort that brings together excellence in form, function and beauty.”

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The Meso Maya specialties don’t end with their amazing meals. Stick around for dessert and whatever you do, don’t miss their Pastel de Moras—skilletbaked blueberry cake with Mexican vanilla ice cream and a blueberry drizzle. Clearly, this isn’t the same old Tex-Mex.

Susan K. Linder, MD is the founder of HealthSpringMD. She has practiced medicine in Fort Worth for 25 years, is board certified in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation and subspecialty board certified in Pain Medicine. After completing a fellowship in anti-aging and functional medicine, she has devoted the last 13 years to the Integrative Medicine approach. Although antiaging is not always easy, by addressing aging holistically through functional medicine, weight loss and detox programs to gut restoration, bioidentical hormones and more, Dr. Linder makes sure her patients are happy with their end results. It is, in effect, a holistic facelift!

Dr. Linder offers free weekly educational seminars on various topics that are open to the public.

VOLARE, a Fort Worth based, woman owned branding company helps businesses nationwide connect with their customers by providing a dizzying array of affordable and timely marketing and promotional products. If VOLARE doesn’t have it, it likely doesn’t exist. Shawna Duckworth, owner of VOLARE, says “my mission is to help my clients create long-lasting, meaningful relationships with their clients.” Along with their enormous catalog of products VOLARE also provides printing, packaging, fulfillment, warehousing and e-commerce services and solutions for their happy clients.

The All Saints’ Exploratorium is a new collaborative, project-based learning center and design-thinking lab in the All Saints’ Episcopal Lower School. The Exploratorium allows students to use their creativity and imaginations in a hands-on learning environment, leveraging technology as needed. Students engage in authentic problem solving and build meaningful skills like resiliency, cooperation, design-thinking and creativity. The vision for, and execution of, this space has been led by Ann-Marie McCollough, STEAM and Project-Based Learning Coordinator, but all lessons and activities are co-planned and co-taught with the classroom teacher to ensure content connectivity between learning spaces.

Dr. Peter Ku has built his practice on always treating each patient as an individual and not just a set of teeth.

The desire to establish a relationship with each patient, provide the highest standard of care, and to place patient care ahead of finances, has resulted in a welldeserved reputation as one of the top dentists in Fort Worth. For 30 years, Dr. Ku has served our community by participating in short term missions both locally and aboard and serving on multiple boards such as the Salvation Army. He currently serves proudly as a trustee of the All Saints Episcopal School board where his children presently attend.

Dr. Elizabeth Laborde, pediatric dentist, Baylor College of Dentistry graduate and President Elect of the Fort Worth Dental Society, has opened a new pediatric dental practice in Clearfork. Dr. Laborde is passionate about her chosen field and is committed to making sure her patients feel empowered to take care of their dental health and wellness. Clearfork Pediatric Dentistry, right here in the heart of Fort Worth, sees children of all ages for all of their dental care from routine check-ups and cleanings to more unique dental issues.

Tribe Salon touts itself as more than just your typical hair salon, and their reputation backs up the claim.

Not only do the Tribe staff strive to make each guest (woman, man or child) feel at home, they have a deep knowledge of their craft. From tape-in extensions, balayage color techniques and Brazilian blow outs to skincare, permanent makeup, microblading and lash extensions, Tribe really is a one-stop salon. Interestingly, there is no chief at Tribe Salon, just good people doing good work with a collaborative spirit that bursts through the physical walls of their unique salon into Fort Worth at large. Through advocacy of other local businesses and regular charitable giving to organizations like Cook children’s heart center, Tribe members seek to elevate their peers and their community.

Orion Inspection Services inspects residential properties for individuals selling or buying a home.

Although they are located right here in Fort Worth, Orion will inspect properties in Tarrant, Parker, Johnson and Hood counties. Chris Clynch, owner of Orion Inspection Services, is a Professional Home Inspector, licensed by the Texas Real Estate Commission.

Chris also has a unique combination of experience as an electrician and as a maintenance mechanic in operations and engineering. For each inspection, Chris provides a verbal summary report highlighting any findings and an electronic report with pictures detailing items identified as deficient during the inspection process. TREC #22950

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The Painted Brow offers eyebrow microblading, Ombre brows, lip blushing, teeth whitening and piercing options. Owner, Payton Clynch started The Painted Brow with her family by her side, giving her the support she needed so she could confidently bring the rest of us the “Best Brows in Texas”. She is an internationally trained, highly experienced microblading and permanent makeup artist right here in Fort Worth. Ever the professional, Payton is always looking for more ways to grow and perfect her craft. Her goal is to bring all of her clients a positive and professional experience.

One of the most important decisions in life is demanded from 17-year old high school students who often admit they “have no idea” what college or career path to take.

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CREATING AN

ENTREPRENEURIAL ECOSYSTEM

by Edward Brown

photo by Jill Johnson

As the adrenaline-soaked opening of “Eye of the Tiger” blared overhead, several dozen spectators were glued to their smartphones at McDavid Studios in downtown Fort Worth. Two local entrepreneurs had just made their three-minute pitches to a live audience, and the attendees were voting on who would be eliminated. $10,000 dollars in start-up funding was up for grabs at Accelerate DFW: Pitch in the Round, part of the second annual Global Entrepreneurship Week Fort Worth.

Just minutes before, I chatted with one of the event organizers, Walker Lutringer.

“I moved here from the West Coast,” he said.

He noticed that the business pitches here “were not up to snuff. We want to give Fort Worth insight into what a good pitch looks like. The point is to pitch and articulately convey what your company is doing without support. No props. If they want to compete for financing, they need to step it up. Entrepreneurs should be comfortable being uncomfortable.”

Halfway through the ’80s rock song, the music faded, and Lutringer made the big announcement.

“The winner is Ampcare,” he announced to subsequent applause.

The competition continued unabated. Two more contestants were brought to a central stage that was surrounded by viewers. After both innovators pitched their ideas, the voters chose a winner to continue on.

The aim of Accelerate DFW and the dozens of innovation-minded events scheduled as part of Global Entrepreneurship Week Fort Worth is to create an “ecosystem” where local innovators can meet, share ideas, and inspire the next of entrepreneurs.

Spearheading that effort and many others like it is Cameron Cushman, Director of Innovation Ecosystems at UNT Health Science Center (UNTHSC). Cushman has the ambitious task of supporting Fort Worth’s pioneering innovators and inventors through several means. While UNTHSC is best known as a medical school that trains health care providers and public health professionals, supporting local entrepreneurs (specifically those in the field of medicine and biotech) has been a priority for UNTHSC president Michael Williams, Cushman said.

The Innovation Ecosystem team that Cushman leads has been at work for two years.

Innovators “don’t exist in a vacuum,” he said. “If we as the community can help these individuals grow, more jobs will be made, and more innovations will happen.”

The doctors, pharmacists, and other healthcare professionals who graduate from UNTHSC are generally not taught courses on entrepreneurship, and yet those same individuals are keenly positioned to develop and patent diagnostic

methods, medicines, and biotechnology innovations that are potentially worth millions (or billions) in revenue, he added.

To ensure that those pioneering developments originate in Fort Worth, UNTHSC offers rentable lab space that gives entrepreneurs access to advanced biotech equipment. If a researcher believes that he or she has found a new cure or technology, members of the Innovation Ecosystem team can determine if the discovery warrants legal protections such as a patent.

One of Cushman’s newest projects may have the most far-reaching impacts within Fort Worth’s innovator community. The podcast Innovate Fort Worth just wrapped up its second season. Each 20-minute episode features a local innovator who is trailblazing new possibilities for Fort Worth and North Texas. The episodes are recorded on the fourth floor of UNTHSC’s Gib Lewis Library, not far from classrooms full of future physicians and medical researchers.

Many of our students “know nothing about business or capital,” Cushman said.

“Our role is to bring some of those resources to bear, to help Fort Worth in general as an economic development strategy. As Fort Worth has grown, our entrepreneurial ecosystem has not kept up. We are trying to close that gap.”

The first season of the podcast opened with Marco Johnson, founder of Sparkyard. The new venture connects nonprofit services to entrepreneurs and business owners. Sparkyard is supported by UNTHSC, TCU, and the city of Fort Worth and provides services like business planning, financing guidance, marketing advice, and help with permitting/licensing.

“Fort Worth is growing,” Johnson said on the podcast. “We recently became the 13th largest city in the country. We’re also going through growing pains. It’s no longer adequate to rely on our identity as ‘Cowboys and Culture.’ We have a diverse population. Who are we? This initiative helps us understand who we are and what we’re trying to be.”

The second episode featured Cam Sadler, a former Dunbar High School teacher who cashed his retirement plan to launch Newcraft, the online recruiting platform for software engineers. For episode 2, Cushman queried Sadler on his impression of Fort Worth as an ecosystem for entrepreneurs.

“I think it has great potential,” Sadler said. “More than a lot of places, including Silicon Valley. Fort Worth is in a position to be one of the best [entrepreneurial] ecosystems in the world. My other impression is that we have gone through an identity crisis. We need a [large company] to solidify our identity” by headquartering here.

Veena Somareddy was featured in episode 4. Somareddy partnered with Bruce Conti to renovate a local furniture store into a state-ofthe-art rehab center that uses virtual reality to rehabilitate people with brain and spinal injuries.

When asked about the trials of being a female tech entrepreneur, Somareddy said, “As a female entrepreneur, you’re having to constantly try to prove yourself… having these programs are helping female entrepreneurs.”

Fort Worth has a long way to go in providing a sustainable ecosystem for innovators and entrepreneurs, Cushman said. He pointed to the WeWork space we were chatting in is one such step in the right direction.

“Five years ago, Fort Worth didn’t have coworking space,” he said. “Now we do.”

Innovators, he said, need spaces where they can meet, mingle, and share ideas.

24

Lockheed Martin’s Center for Innovation in Orlando, Florida, is one such example of what Fort Worth is still missing. The high-end laboratory features labs, research centers, and engineering facilities that are optimized for collaborative experimentation and analysis.

With so many corporate headquarters in Fort Worth, Cushman sees no reason why private business investment can’t play a more active role in cultivating the next generation of innovators.

“Fort Worth is a late adopter town,” he said, referring to our city’s penchant for adopting trends like craft beer and Aperol Spritz years or even decades after other U.S. cities. “Fort Worth has the capability, but we’re not leveraging it.”

Cowtown continues to have many advantages over other large cities, though. As areas and cities like Silicon Valley and Austin become saturated in startups, Fort Worth offers an opportunity to build a business under the radar. Fort Worth’s new businesses often adopt our city’s frugal and lowkey culture.

“People are making great businesses without financing,” he said. “I know four or five [new ventures] that are boot-strapped. It takes longer, but [they don’t] incur debt.”

He pointed toward one growing business as an example. Exact Diagnostics provides products and services to laboratories and manufacturers. The nearly four-year-old business ships to 30 countries and has 25 employees. Even with steady growth, the company benefits from working in the labs of UNTHSC. An entrepreneurial ecosystem “needs smart people who want to take a risk and start a company,” he continued. “I recently spoke with [MELT founder] Kari Crowe. She said she sells ice cream, but she’s really in the business of selling happiness. We are doing this podcast because no one is telling the stories of innovation in Fort Worth. These people are creating jobs, but they’re not in our public consciousness. Entrepreneurship has long been fuel for the American economy.

Hopefully, [this podcast] will encourage other people to take that jump, to work on that thing they’ve been tinkering with and take it to market.”

At its core, entrepreneurship is about problem-solving, Cushman said. If anyone wants to start a new business, he recommends “falling in love with the problem.” Not the solution. With climate fluctuations, infectious diseases, hunger and other ills afflicting humanity, there’s no shortage of problems that need solving. The solutions that move our society forward have traditionally come from individuals who have a supportive network of colleagues and resources.

“The problem solvers of the future will not be big business or government,” Cushman said. “It will be innovators and entrepreneurs. They need a lot. They need luck, a good team, a co-founder — all of those things. At the end of the day, it will be those people who will solve the problems that need to be solved.”

“The way I like to look at my life is a game where you level up from one year to the other, and going through those other companies [that she tried to start] and trying to build a company, I felt like now I understood… finding the right founder is really important and finding the right team is important… now when I recruit people I can understand what skills I want in them.”

Veena Somareddy, President, Neuro Rehab VR

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