MDDM | October 2020 | Vol. 3

OCTOBER 2020

ANTHONY TYLER The Do-it-All Designer You Need in Your Life

GRAPEVINE & WINE Grapevine Guides for Every Visitor

MASON & DIXIE One Woman's Incredible Story of Southern Strength

VOL. 3

PUMPKIN PLEASE! How to Keep Your Pumpkins Fresher Longer + Pumpkin Recipes That Aim to Please

Editor-in-chief Associate Editors Creative Director Art Director Editorial Designer Staff Writers

Mylo Draven Siobhan Miller Siobhan Miller Ashley Hahn Ashley Hahn Mylo Draven Ashley Hahn Branding & Logo Design SGI Creative In-House Ad Design SGI Creative Contributing Photographers Jason Kindig Photography LLC. Grapevine Convention & Visitors Bureau Kimberly - A Wonderful Thought Decorilla Grape Vine Springs Winery

EDITORIAL OFFICE & ADVERTISING INQUIRIIES Advertising Executive - Siobhan Miller 92 Piazza Lane St. 100, Colleyville, Texas 76034 outreach@mylodraven.com MDDM is published by ChatPress Media www.chatpressmedia.com | +1-210-396-0308 The opinions expressed in MDDM do not necessarily reflect those of the publisher.

Although all material is checked for accuracy, no liability is assumed by the publisher for any losses due to the use of this magazine.

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored or transmitted in any form without the prior permission of ChatPress Media.

table of contents 03 Letter from the Editor 06 Glam-ed Up Gourds 08 Grapevine & Wine 11 Anthony Tyler - The Life Designer of Dallas

08

06

11

14 Grape Vine Springs Winery & Ghost Tour 15 Mason & Dixie 18 Pumpkintini Time!

20 Mylo's Musings - The Art of Conversation

15

14

18

MYLO DRAVEN DIGITAL MAGAZINE

20

www.mylodraven.com

|

02

Always on your side A Letter from the Editor

We’ve made it to the 3rd issue of MDDM! I couldn’t be prouder of the great feedback that the magazine continues to receive as well as the support from subscribers. I want to take a moment to thank Ashley Hahn for all her contributions to Mylo Draven Digital Magazine for these first three issues. She is stepping down as Art Director and Editorial Designer after this issue. I am hoping she will continue to write an article here and there for MDDM in future issues. She has been a guiding force behind the scenes, and I am so so appreciative of her talent and efforts.

Ashley, as you read this, please know that you have a home in my heart, and with MDDM, always.

As things change, so they stay the same.

Mortgage interest rates are still at an all-time low. The refinance-loan boom has no apparent end in sight. The COVID-19 Pandemic is still prevalent in the United States. It has been more than 6 months since shelter-in-home was recommended in the United States.

www.mylodraven.com

|

03

Do you remember George Floyd? If you don’t, it may because his name has been replaced by others. The most recent of which is Breonna Taylor, and her shooting death. This Pandemic has really shed a spotlight on institutionalized racism. The unfortunate part is there has not been any real discussion or progress regarding change for the better where racism is concerned.

What has transpired is DIVISIVENESS. There has been finger pointing and blame assigned. There have been harrowing, shocking moments of violence.

There have been peaceful protests. There was a call for solidarity across all socio-economic and cultural lines. There is a continuing cry for change.

In the United States, citizens will have the opportunity to be heard come this November 3rd. Yes, it is an election year. Whatever side of any debate/issue you are on, use your Constitutional right to vote. If you’re a felon, oops, that right is gone. All kidding aside, I urge all of you to make sure you are registered to vote. You shouldn’t complain if you can’t be bothered to participate in the process.

Get educated and find out where you can cast your vote, or mail it in. Either is PERFECT. Be the change!

Remember if no one else tells you, I am on your side.

Mylo Draven EDITOR

To register in Texas or find out if you are registered to vote,

Click Here!

IN

CHIEF

These DIY Showstoppers Will Have You Reaching for the Glue Gun!

No-Carve Glamour Glitzed

Tips & Tricks

Add an edge to your decor!

Glitter your gourd with a bit of spray adhesive and embellish to your heart's content! Here's a similar step-by-step tutorial to get you started.

No Mess!

Painted We are in love with these tribal patterns from Decorilla!

Be sure to seal your designs with a clear coat for a beautiful finish!

Keep guts and gore from haunting your halls with faux carveable pumpkins.

Make It Last We love this video tutorial from the Daily DIYer on how to keep your display pumpkins fresh for longer.

Painting & Priming

Planted

Live pumpkins will need a primer if you are planning to paint! Latex spray or brush primers will keep paint from cracking and flaking.

Recommended paint types include acrylic, chalk and spray paints.

Also from Decorilla (they are full of great pumpkin ideas!), these succulent planters have us swooning.

Finishing Touches

Charmed ...It's for the kids.

Right.

Glue guns, gem stickers and slime charms are a must for this glorious explosion of whimsical design.

MYLO DRAVEN DIGITAL MAGAZINE

Use a finishing spray to seal your pumpkins for display! Be sure to use an outdoor sealant for pumpkins living in the elements and if you are planning to light your pumpkins, keep in mind that sealants are flammable and choose LED flames or alternate lighting.

www.mylodraven.com

|

06

Carving & Lighting Clean

Tips & Tricks

Kimberly's 2-minute pumpkin gut hack is genius (hint: it involves a drill and a mixerbeater!). Be sure to clean the surface of your pumpkins as well, for smooth carving.

Pattern First

Design Dampen patterns with water to smooth them out as you transfer them. If free-handing your design, sketch with whiteboard markers for a clean finish!

Carving Invest in a good carving kit, and make sure the pumpkin walls are no thicker than 1 in. for optimal cutting. Begin with larger cuts before moving on to detail work.

Selecting your pattern before your pumpkin can really bring a design together.

Patterns may fit exceptionally well with a green or white varieties verses an orange. Or try carving a misshapen gourd for an extra challenge!

Chimney, Please!

Try cutting a hole in the bottom of your pumpkin instead of the top for easy candle access. Light candle for one minute and check for burn marks. Vent a chimney there and voila!

If you are a top-lid-slicer, make cuts at a 45-degree angle to prevent your top from falling in as it ages.

Heaven Scent

Lighting Double carve your pumpkins for eerie shadows. For a colorful effect, try a string of Christmas lights or a filter of flame-retardant tissue paper.

Just be sure to use an LED candle for safety!

MYLO DRAVEN DIGITAL MAGAZINE

Sprinkle a bit of pumpkin pie spice into your pumpkin before lighting for a delicious, home-y aroma!

Gourgeous Who says you can only carve pumpkins? Pineapple, watermelon and other veg are becoming popular choices for carvings as well!

www.mylodraven.com

|

07

Market Spotlight

GRAPEVINE T E X A S

Grapevine & Wine Originally touted as an agricultural epicenter and the "Cantaloupe Capital of the World", Grapevine is still bursting with curiosities. The Tarantula Train. An entire tasting room dedicated to hard apple cider. And that crazy- huge Christmas thing. If the 'Rona tries to get the best of holiday travel, there are plenty of options here to stay-cation and check out award-winning wineries, culinary excellence and family-friendly entertainment. Here's a rundown of a few of our favorites!

The Tarantula Train Now known as the Vintage Railroad, this real steam engine pulls passengers in Victorian-era coach cars, traveling along the Cotton Belt Route from Grapevine to the Fort Worth Stockyards. There are regular tours available as well as themed trains for families and the 21+ crowd (upcoming are the Trick or Treat and Witches Brew trains.) Check here for tickets and a full schedule!

Hall's Pumpkin Farm & Corn Maze Hayrides, pumpkin pickin' and festive foods, this historic farm keeps serving up the fun! You don't need a reservation but they are a cash-only business. Get directions here!

MYLO DRAVEN DIGITAL MAGAZINE

 The Gaylord Texan Resort + The Glass Cactus Nightclub A destination itself, this resort boasts a 10-acre water park, 4.5 acres of indoor gardens, 10 restaurants and a convention center. The Glass Cactus nightclub is also a popular go-to for dancing. Or if relaxing is more your style, try the Relache Spa, set in the middle of the Gaylord Gardens.

The Christmas Capital of Texas Celebrating 175 years of Christmaspassion! For 40 days, Grapevine bedazzles itself with lights and festivities to host 1,400 different Christmas events.

From 'Rona-chic pajama events like riding the North Pole Express, (yes they also have wine trains!) to parades, shopping, and sampling local eateries.

Check out the list of events here.

If you'd rather stroll Main St. and experience a few oddities and local favorites check the Main St. Special guide!

Visit Grapevine!

Check out the Visitor Center website for more information, or give them a follow on social media for updates about this lovely town.

www.mylodraven.com

|

09

GRAPEVINE

MAIN ST. SPECIAL

401 S. Main

520 S. Main

701 S. Main

816 S. Main

Outlaw Hard Cider Tasting Room That's right. An entire tasting room dedicated to hard cider from the country's finest apples. Master craftsmen blend tart, crisp and delicious flavors you can't get enough of! Currently serving curbside or online only, but we are hoping the cozy tasting room opens soon.

Judy Pie After retiring as a special education teacher, Judy decided to act on her dream of opening a pie shop. With beloved recipes from her mother and family, some of which are over 100 years old, she shares her heart as well as slices of memories.

Vetro Glassblowing Studio & Gallery Browse, purchase or participate! This glassblowing studio offers creations for sale or you can sign up to make your own.

Upcoming classes include pumpkins and Christmas ornaments.

You can sign up here to reserve your spot!

The Texas Star Murder Mystery Dinner Theatre This hilarious whodunit dinner theatre serves up an immersive experience of great eats, laughs and history. They have hybrid virtual experiences now available as well as in-person shows coming up, so book your tickets for a fun night out!

MYLO DRAVEN DIGITAL MAGAZINE

www.mylodraven.com

| 10

ANTHONY TYLER

"When I'm styling someone, it goes beyond hair...

I want every client walking down the street to feel confident rocking their style."

THE LIFE-DESIGNER OF DALLAS From bedding to blending the perfect hair color, Anthony Tyler is passionate about beauty and people. That creativity translates into everything he does.

Drawing inspiration for beautiful living from his mother, an interior designer, Anthony began his career as a hair stylist and master colorist. From Savannah, Georgia to Seattle, Destin, and Dallas, Anthony has lived and become an expert in designing hair for every event, client and climate in the U.S. "I love the artistic side and beauty of hair ... and I love the chemical process as well. You can change someone's complete look just by adding highlights and color. And really thinking about that whole process, how the color is going to grow out ... it's a lot of fun for me. When I'm doing color a lot of times I just go completely silent. It's like a meditative state for me."

When COVID-19 began ravaging the city of Dallas, Anthony was concerned about his clients, many of whom have

MYLO DRAVEN DIGITAL MAGAZINE

become dear friends. Acting quickly, he decided to close his shop and open a private space in his own home, saying "The word of the year is flexible."

The historic home built in 1912, is a haven for his clients. Anthony books exclusive and private sessions in the space, making sure every environment and tool is sterile. "I leave 45-minute gaps after each client to clean and sanitize everything - the tools, the washbowl ... and at the moment I'm doing referral only, because my clients' safety is the absolute most important thing to me. Safety first."

Those fortunate enough to score an appointment will also get to taste of his other creative talents - interior design.

"When I'm styling someone, it goes beyond hair. I want every client walking down the street to feel confident rocking their style and if they don't love it, then let's work to change that ... I've been doing hair for 11 years now and in that time so many people would ask me

www.mylodraven.com

|

12

'Hey, can you help me design my space?'

Now, I'm not an interior designer, but I just love it. When I get to go shopping with them and put a space together, often times even just by styling items they already have, it just really brings it all together for me. It's something I really enjoy. A lot of people call me a 'lifestyle concierge'.

A quote I saw recently said 'Love what you do and the world will love you' and that is really a motto for me. When you do that, the Universe will just give it all back to you. My clients know that what's important for me is for you to be happy."

HOLIDAY

happiness

While Anthony won't be hosting his usual holiday parties or private styling events, he's looking forward to designing dream hair and spaces for his clients and friends this holiday season (in whatever form it takes this year)!

If you'd like to get on the waiting list for an appointment with Anthony, you can reach him here.

"My clients know that what's important for me is for you to be happy."

Product Tip:

Styling Tip:

"The product I have loved for five years and LIVE BY is Kevin Murphy's Shimmer.Shine. It's deep conditioning, adds a beautiful gold dust and smells fabulous. You can use it on wet hair or after a blow-dry. And it's universal too. When I'm doing a photo shoot, I'll spray it on the skin for a nice dewy glow.

"I always tell my girls to use a light spray of dry shampoo on day one of shampooing as a preventative for oily scalp, versus trying to spray it on later to soak up sweat and oil. It also gives you a little grit and volume in your style as an added bonus!"

www.mylodraven.com

|

13

www.mylodraven.com

A juicy, peach-infused semi-sweet wine sails over your tongue with a tart bite at the finish while you listen, quietly to your fellow travelers - who may have just seen a ghost.

Grape Vine Springs Winery is for the innovative and the lion-hearted. Boasting an award-winning lineup, these wines are made from California sunripened grapes, and crafted locally by blending masters. Top quality red, white and blush wines line the oak shelves of the tasting room on Main St. in Grapevine, alongside fruit-infused semisweets and dessert port wines. This small producer certainly packs a punch.

But if you're looking to stretch the limits of your imagination as well as your taste buds, there's more here than meets the eye. Creatives can book private blending classes, where you'll be guided through an extensive tasting and given the freedom to blend your own bottle. You can place orders for hand-crafted custom labels to gift your friends with some of your favorite wines. Or you can book the Night Watchman Ghost Tour.

After purchasing Cowtown Winery in the Stockyards in 2010, owner David Besgrove discovered that the building was haunted. He began conducting research and discovered that Grapevine itself also has a history of strange and inexplicable events.

The brave wine-lover seeking a paranomal experience can book the Night Watchmen Ghost

Tour on Friday and Saturday nights throughout the fall. The tour is a history lesson on the town, beginning and ending at Grape Vine Springs Winery. A glass of wine is also included in the price of your ticket.

If you're looking for a more delightful rather than strange surprise, Grape Vine Springs Winery also offers traditional winery tours. Led by a wine maker, the tours will take you on a journey from grape to glass with tastings along the way, and are conducted on-site in Fort Worth.

The tasting room is also open on Grapevine's Main Street, at 50% capacity and hosts an array of impressive charcuterie boards and gourmet snacks to sample as you taste. If you happen to drop by just after Thanksgiving, you just may catch the first glimpse of this years' limitededition Special Holiday Blend. In the works since February, this blend combines three robust reds formulating a memorable experience you'll want to pour all season long. Be sure to grab a bottle while supplies last!

Grape Vine Springs Winery is also offering remote experiences as well, with an online store and curbside pickup. They can also ship to 35 States, so your family and friends can share the tasting experience on your next girls night or Zoom family board game. But we hope you take the time to check out their warm and welcoming tasting room. And let us know if you see a ghost!

Grape Vine Springs Winery FOR THE ADVENTEROUS & BOLD

|

14

Mylo's Interview with Owner, Head Chef & Friend

Beth Newman

Mylo & Beth AN INTERVIEW If you have never met Beth, I can only humbly hope that you feel some type of connection by article’s end.

I have known Beth Newman for nearly 17+ years, which is pretty much the entire time I have been in Texas. She affectionately calls me her “first friend” in Texas after moving here from Florida. Our lives have been intertwined pretty much ever since. She was a hair client for many years throughout my 20-year career. She was my FIRST lash extension client when I added lash extensions to my menu at the salon.

Now, she is my FIRST LIVE INTERVIEW, and interview-based article for MDDM. Mason & Dixie will be 7 years old on November 1st, which she said, “gives her chills”. Mason & Dixie was born out of a catering business that she began out of necessity.

As her marriage was failing, Beth knew she had to find a way to not only survive, but to support her

children as well. With 4 children that is no small feat to achieve. “What the hell was I going to do to earn money?” she says she remembers thinking. Our festive giggle fest and gabbing shifts to the emotional realities of the past. The safe space that our mutual love provides allows her to be vulnerable…

“My babies ate baby food that I made.” Beth tells me about homemade pretzels, and how her home never had processed or packaged foods. She knows what a blessing it was that she was able to provide this for her children. She must have learned this from her mother, you are thinking. Think again folks. Her passion for cooking and food was born from an innate need for praise. Praise from her mother, who worked full-time. “I was 8 years old, and I made meatloaf. I burned myself, a burn that I still have to this day.” Her babysitter helped a little, but little Beth was the star in the kitchen that day, and so

"She is a from-scratch, one woman, creative tour de force in the kitchen."

www.mylodraven.com

|

16

many times since. “With that meal I (finally) received the praise I had been seeking. I got the eye roll because she loved my food.”

A CHEF IS BORN In 2013 Beth started Mason & Dixie officially by creating and cooking food in her home kitchen, and bringing it to the Antique Mall in Grapevine, TX. By 2017 she opened Mason & Dixie inside of the Antique Mall, which was the first brick and mortar incarnation. She designed an eclectic, vintage, and thoughtful Southern Shabby Chic décor to really seal the down-home feel of her food. The space could seat 38 patrons, had a front counter, and she was able to interact with her growing foodie fanbase. In less than a year she realized she needed a bigger space. Almost daily there were not enough seats causing a wait to sit down for service.

2018 saw the birth of the current brick and mortar location for Mason & Dixie. Currently located at 603 S. Main St. #303 in Grapevine, TX 76051.

“Food fills a void,” Beth says. Hers certainly does. Her tomato basil soup, her various grilled cheese delicacies like the brisket grilled cheese & grown-up grilled cheese, or the artichoke and goat cheese panini to mention some of the menu.

She is a from scratch, one-woman creative tour-deforce in the kitchen. She tells me with a smile, “I want the eye roll, the wiggle in your seat … I have achieved what I needed/wanted via food.” Her complete satisfaction comes from the sheer enjoyment people experience when eating her culinary creations. I tell her that she reminds me of Nacha, from the film “Like Water for Chocolate”, and she gives me a knowing nod.

The love that Beth pours into her cuisine is palpable.

Her comfort food creations do not disappoint in flavor

or affect. One meal from Beth and you are transported to a world where only love & happiness exist. There are no bad calories, and fat is a bad word not needing to be uttered or thought of at all. The expansion from the small location inside the Antique Mall allowed her to host private events, have seating, and stretch her interior design muscle once more. She currently has dine in, curbside pick up and deliver options during the Pandemic.

“I always want to be creative” she tells me with a Cheshire cat type grin. She then begins to tell me the story of the upcoming birth of the sibling location to Mason & Dixie. It will be called Chick & Biscuit: Southern comfort food with a Texas twang! “Who doesn’t love a biscuit??” says Beth. Well the selection committee of Harvest Hall, the location for Chick & Biscuit, agreed.

She went through a grueling selection process and came out a winner baby! As a friend and patron, I couldn’t be happier for Beth, or prouder of her. She is radiating as she tells me the details of the new food hall and entertainment destination opening in Grapevine on Nov 1st. On the day Mason & Dixie turns 7, Chick & Biscuit will be born. Most importantly, Beth Newman will solidify her spot in DFW as a culinary comfort food innovator, and chef of importance.

The time I spent with Beth reminded of just how special a woman, and human she is. Her story could have taken a much darker turn at many different junctures throughout her life’s journey. She is a fighter.

She is fragile, but a strong fortitude protects her from shattering. Through it all she has found not only her voice via food, but validation, adoration, and love. Her newfound shine is noticeable, and the warmth from her glow is healing. No matter where you are in DFW, find time to stop by Mason & Dixie, and soon Chick & Biscuit. Tell Beth Mylo sent you!

www.mylodraven.com

|

17

n i k p m u P ! i n i t

You'll Need

Equipment Cocktail Shaker Martini Glass

Rim Ginger Snap Cookie (Pulsed to crumbs) 1/2 tsp Pumpkin Pie Spice 1 TBSP Granulated Sugar Lemon Wedge

Directions Stir ginger snap cookie crumbs, pumpkin pie spice and sugar together. Line the rim of a martini glass with lemon juice.

Dip/roll in the cracker mix to coat. Set aside.

Prepare the Martini: In a cocktail shaker, combine the ice and remaining cocktail ingredients. Shake vigorously until shaker is chilled to the touch.

Serve: Strain and pour the cocktail into the prepared martini glass. Garnish with optional cinnamon and whipped cream.

Optional Garnish: Cinnamon Whipped Cream

Cocktail Ingredients 2 oz. Vodka 1 oz. Dark Rum 1 oz. Michael's Pumpkin Spice Celtic Irish Cream 2 TBSP Pumpkin Puree (canned or homemade) 1/2 oz. Maple Syrup 1/4 tsp. Pure Vanilla Extract 3 Ice Cubes

Enjoy! www.mylodraven.com

| 18

D

R k r a

un

Ginger Snaps

I ce

Ci

nna

Cu

b es

m on

Vanilla

L em o

n W ed ges

Maple Syrup

www.mylodraven.com

| 19

MYLO'S MUSINGS T H E

A R T

L I S T E N I N G

O F

C O N V E R S A T I O N

H A R D

&

S P E A K I N G

U P

SPEAK. HEAR. GROW. WRITTEN BY MYLO DRAVEN

When was the last time you listened to someone? I mean really heard what they had to say free from judgment. It is not an easy task to listen to a person or people when there is a differing opinion. When you are so convicted in your own beliefs. Do you expect to be heard? Do you expect others to listen to you? The Golden Rule is something most of us are taught at a very young age. “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.”

It is the simple principle of treating others the way you would like to be treated. The Golden Rule is the basis of reciprocity in relationships and life.

Somewhere along the way, The Golden Rule gets relegated in priority. Have you ever said or been told, “respect is earned, not given?”

urban high school. On the first day of class, she

That statement is in direct conflict with the

tells the class that they all have the grade of A,

Golden Rule. If you want respect, shouldn’t

and it is up to them to keep it. Great movie by

you then give it? Being decent and fair

the way if you haven’t seen it.

becomes so complicated, but really for no apparent reason. In the film “Dangerous

In America, we are innocent until proven guilty

Minds" Michelle Pfeiffer plays a teacher in an

in the legal system. In the real world where

MYLO DRAVEN DIGITAL MAGAZINE

www.mylodraven.com

| 21

judgment, prejudice, fear, and ignorance create a dangerous mental cocktail in the minds of many, the reverse is more accurate.

Walk like a duck, quack like a duck, then you’re a duck. When did we stop giving people the benefit of the doubt? When did we decide it was okay to devalue any culture, gender, workforce, etc. based on the actions of the few? When did ignorance and fear become the cornerstones of decision making?

We are in a time where all voices need to be HEARD. We are in a time where we need HEALING We are in a time where we need growth so that we can move ONWARD and

easy. Listening was not easy. Speaking so that I

UPWARD. We must remember what we have

could be heard was not easy. Living in the

all been taught: The Golden Rule. Listen

aftermath, the growth, was uncomfortable and

without prejudice so that you too may be

foreign to me. I can promise you all I am better

heard. Open your heart and mind so that your

as a result of giving the RESPECT that I also

words can have an impact as well. Eradicate

sought. I am more complete for giving out the

internal fear so that another is no longer

care and concern I wanted to receive as well.

fearful. We must DO BETTER.

Revisit using The Golden Rule in your day today, and I promise you won’t be sorry.

I challenge you all to live in discomfort.

Occupy a mental place of vulnerability so that your perspective may broaden. Hear words that may help you to become wiser. Offer up what it is you seek and need from others.

There is nothing wrong with disagreeing. It is wrong however to bully and berate. It is rude to not grant someone the same opportunity to be heard that you desire. Allow yourselves to see things that you have been closed off from in the past. Learning to understand differences is powerful. Become empowered to DO MORE. I have had some amazing conversations this past month with close friends and family, and

Remember, if no one else tells you, I'm on your side.

I am better for it. The conversations were not MYLO DRAVEN DIGITAL MAGAZINE

www.mylodraven.com

|

22

COMING SOON Remember When Family traditions and fond foodie memories are what we get nostalgic about this time of year. Stay tuned in November for Mylo's interview with his beautiful Mom, Ms. Betty, and tips from the experts on relationships and the holidays!

Do You Have a Story?

Do you run a business or service you think we should know about?

Or do you have a story tip for the writers? Contact us at magazine@mylodraven.com and let us know!

New Swag Challenge Find this comb hidden in the magazine and send us the page number for your chance to win this month's secret Mylo-licious swag bag, including a gift card for Anthony Tyler's hair services! DM our Instagram or email us at magazine@mylodraven.com.