A P R I L L B R A N D O N | P I C T U R E T H I S ! | FA S H I O N NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2018
COVER STORY
MIETTE WELLS
A Different Kind of Combat ALSO INSIDE
beauty
MICELLAR WATER CRAZE: cleansing product worth a try!
special advertising section:
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Contents NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2018
Beauty: Micellar water craze: cleansing product worth a try!
Feature: Stephani Chance, Decorate Ornate
Fashion: Ring In the Party Season
14
20
8
Beauty
Features 8
10
Cover Story: A Different Kind of Combat
20
Women in Business: Stephani Chance, Decorate Ornate
24
Aprill Brandon: Apparently, the Tooth Fairy got a Tax Break Too
Feature: Apparently, the Tooth Fairy Got a Tax Break Too
24
On the Cover
Micellar water craze: cleansing product worth a try!
Fashion 14
Ring In the Party Season
In Every Issue 22 27
A P R I L L B R A N D O N | P I C T U R E T H I S ! | FA S H I O N SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2018
Shop This! Picture This!
Miette Wells, who was a law enforcement canine handler in the U.S Air Force, served from 1987 to 1991, part of the time on alien soil. As with her fellow American military members, she faced a foreign enemy during Operation Just Cause in Panama and Operation Desert Shield/Storm in Kuwait. Her second foe: some fellow members of the military.
COVER STORY
Miss Hospitality
Spot the Charm
C.J. CLAYTON
Our September/October Spot the Charm winner was Carla Kupiec and she received a $100 Visa gift card. Carla spotted the Charm on Page 16 in our last issue! ALSO INSIDE
beauty
Meghan assistan n Louvier, wife of modelin t head coac Jon h for Glad ny Louvier, Stitch g football ewater, fashion Emb with stor roidery and Screfrom Classic es en Prin Hometow in Longview and Glad ting, n Hon ey dres ewater. Bracelet s, $12 , $5 .99 Earrings , $8
VAMPIRE FACIAL: creepy, mysterious, perfect for October!
special advertising section:
SIMPLY THE BEST!
16 CH
ARM
| SEP T
FLIP-the-ISSUE
EMB
ER/O
CTOB
ER
4 CHARM | N O V E M B E R / D E C E M B E R
We invite you to spot a special Charm logo in this edition. Hint: It’s not in the Picture This! logo or in one of the advertisements. If you locate it, sign on to mycharmonline.com and click the Spot the Charm link on the homepage.
Good Luck!
The
List Spirit & Lucky with all their pals - the original from Breyer - sets from $32
Fairy Blossom Musical Jewelry Box (shown) $33, Ballerina $29, large Unicorn Fairy $44
Assorted tea sets: ceramic or tinware in delightful picnic baskets or train cases...$22-$39
Amazing color-changing umbrellas - they “brighten up” in the rain! Themes for both boys & girls ages 3+...$16
Kids drive luxury - 12v electric cars: Mercedes G Wagon $399, Mercedes SLS $459, BMW Police Motorcycle $299 and McLaren (shown) $399
Reversible play mat rolls into a pillow! Comes with two delux plush toys - pups & bunnies...$55 Bruder - the BEST, perfect to-scale toy trucks. Made in Germany with elaborate details and rugged durability. Barron’s keeps a great selection. Shown: Volvo Dumper 26.8x8.9”...$110
Kids’ guitars reimagined - 3-string guitars reduce chords to basic triad for easier learning process - with bundled ash cards & accompanying free app - kids play songs on day one and keep on learning! Everything learned on a Loog can be applied to a 6-string. Learn on a Loog, then play any guitar! Acoustic $79, Pro Electric $199
LOOP 281 @ MCCANN | 903.663.2060 | MON-SAT 10-6 HOLIDAY HOURS BEGIN SUN, DEC. 2: SUN 1-5 MON-SAT 10-7 CHRISTMAS EVE 9-4 CLOSED DEC. 25, 31 & JAN 1 @SHOPBARRONS
CHARM / VIEW NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2018 PUBLISHER Stephen McHaney EDITOR Ric Brack • 903.237.7759 • rbrack@news-journal.com MANAGING EDITOR Jo Lee Ferguson • 903.237.7724 • jferguson@news-journal.com ART DIRECTOR Katie Case • 903.237.7715 • kcase@news-journal.com
October 27 Soweto Gospel Choir from South Africa Sponsored by Friends of the Belcher Center
November 10 Matt Maher and Zach Williams Sponsored by Chick-fil-A and KVNE 89.5
November 17 Josh Turner Sponsored by Eastman Chemical and Pelaia Law Center
December 14 Bill Engvall Sponsored by Longview News-Journal
PHOTOGRAPHERS Michael Cavazos • 903.237.7748 • mcavazos@news-journal.com Les Hassell • 903.237.7764 • lhassell@news-journal.com DESIGNER Sara Bryan ILLUSTRATOR Michelle Laverell CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Becky Bell • Aprill Brandon • Megan Byrd • Jo Lee Ferguson Andrew Griffith • Clare McCarthy • Amy McHaney • Ana P. Walker CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS Scott Brunner • Courtney Case • Kevin Green ADVERTISING DIRECTOR Darla Walker • 903.237.7727 • dwalker@news-journal.com ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES Thomas Bonner • 361.574.1249 • tbonner@vicad.com Sylvia Darden • 903.237.7721 • sdarden@news-journal.com Chris Dean • 903.237.7719 • cdean@news-journal.com Kerri Esposito • 903.232.7276 • kesposito@news-journal.com Jeff Martin • 903.232.7221 • jmartin@news-journal.com Tracy Stopani • 903.237.7726 • tstopani@news-journal.com CIRCULATION Josh Hart • 903.237.7765 • jhart@news-journal.com PRODUCED BY TCM PRINTING Sherri Goodwin • 903.232.7245 • sgoodwin@tcmprinting.com SPECIAL THANK YOU TO Models: Dillon Horton, Jessica LaRue, Chris Mayne, Kelsey Runge Fashion Photo Location: Pinecrest Country Club
Single Tickets on Sale Now! 6 CHARM | N O V E M B E R / D E C E M B E R
mycharmonline.com • news-journal.com
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HEALTH & BEAUTY
The use of micellar water and a cotton ball can really pare down your cleansing time. A word of caution, though; some dermatologists recommend using a product specifically for eye makeup removal in combination with micellar water, to protect the sensitive eye area. Have a favorite brand of makeup or skincare? Chances are, they have a micellar water product in their lineup — from lowend drugstore to high-end department store. Read the labels, too. Some include alpha hydroxyl acids to exfoliate as they cleanse; others contain elements to soothe, like aloe.
CLEANSING WATER MAKEUP REMOVER $24, 6 oz., Merle Norman The first brand I tried was Merle Norman’s Cleansing Water
MICELLAR WATER CRAZE: CLEANSING PRODUCT WORTH A TRY!
Makeup Remover. The product felt like water — not oily at all, as you might expect. I swiped it over my face, including my eyes (mine are not sensitive). After several passes all makeup was removed. My face felt clean and I did not immediately need to reach for moisturizer for my very dry skin, which was a bonus. It is worth noting that the directions do say to follow with cleanser toner and moisturizer.
GARNIER SKINACTIVE MICELLAR CLEANSING WATER $6.96, Walmart
Words by AMY MCHANEY
H
ave you noticed the influx of micellar water products on the shelves of the beauty aisles at your favorite stores? It seems everywhere I look
there is a new micellar-based product. What is micellar water, you ask? If you lived in France, you likely wouldn’t be asking that question — micellar cleansing has
Next I tried Garnier’s SkinActive Micellar Cleansing Water All-in-1 formula. I found this formula just as easy to use, and my makeup, including eye makeup, was erased after a few swipes of the cotton ball. As the name states, this product is intended to remove makeup, cleanse and refresh; the directions say that there is no need to rinse. I definitely think micellar water is worth a try!
been a part of the French beauty routine for years. Micellar water combines cleansing oil molecules, or micelles, with purified water. The micelles naturally attract and lift dirt
From time to time I like to re-examine the products I have
and oil from your face when micellar water is swiped across on
written about over the years — which ones do I continue to use,
a cotton ball. There is no need to rinse, and the result is clean,
and which have made their way to the back of the drawer? Here’s
moisturized skin.
a look back:
8 CHARM | N O V E M B E R / D E C E M B E R
BABY FOOT
BLINC MASCARA
This one-time-use foot exfoliant worked a miracle on my dry,
I discovered tubing mascara several years ago when I wrote
craggy heels. After years of excruciating cracks and every heel
a piece on lengthening mascaras. Tubing mascaras are made
treatment under the sun, a friend recommended Baby Foot.
up of polymers that form a tube around your lashes, unlike
The complete peeling of your foot is fascinating and the result is
conventional mascara. The blinc formula goes on smoothly and
outstanding. The packaging says to use every six months, but I was
stays put — no smudging, running or flaking until you wash it off.
able to go a year before my second application. I think I will use
An added bonus — it comes off with water, no special eye makeup
this one for the rest of my life.
remover required.
MAYBELLINE INSTANT AGE REWIND ERASER
EUCERIN INTENSIVE REPAIR RICH LOTION FOR VERY DRY SKIN
I have now acquired this fantastic, lightweight concealer in
I have continued to use this Eucerin lotion religiously for my
several shades. I love how easy it is to use — the eraser tip is
very dry skin. I like the way my skin feels moisturized for hours
so intuitive and the coverage is perfect for me. Great bang for
without feeling greasy. Ashy legs are a thing of the past.
your buck!
ZOYA NAIL POLISH
SEPHORA UNIVERSAL LIP LINER
Of the long-wear nail polish brands I reviewed in early 2016,
This invisible lip liner has been one of my favorite products. I
Zoya is the brand I pull out most often. With four children, I am
have always had a problem with wandering lipstick, and age is not
very hard on my nails. This polish easily lasts a week. Sometimes
helping one bit. This lip liner, which is clear, can be used with any
I only take it off because my nails have grown too much and my
and all lip products. You don’t even need a steady hand to apply
nailbed is too obvious — not because of chipping or wear.
— since it’s clear, nobody will ever see a jagged line.
RODAN & FIELDS
MERLE NORMAN MASCARA PRIMER
After seeing lots of social media hype over Rodan & Fields
I have tried, and reviewed, a ton of mascara primers and none
skin care, I took the plunge and embarked on a year-long review
hold a candle to Merle Norman’s. Where others are clumpy (even
of the Redefine product line. You may recall the VERY close-up
a new tube), Merle Norman’s is light and provides the perfect
photos of my 40-something face (yikes). In hindsight, I sure was
amount of lengthening and separation. It also makes my favorite
happy to have those photos because they told a pretty amazing
mascara last longer than any other primer I have tried. I don’t
story – the products really did live up to the social media hype,
have enough good things to say about the product; I use it every
and I continue to be a happy customer today. (No, I do not sell
day and I love it.
Rodan & Fields!) C
LET THE GIFTING BEGIN LIP DUO
SKINTELLIGENT GIFT SET
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Visit our Studio to find the perfect gifts for the beauty lovers on your list. Located in: Longview Mall 3500 McCann Rd, Longview, TX 75605 903-753-004 Hours: Mon-Sat 10-9 Sun 12-6 Merle Norman Cosmetic Studios have been independently owned and operated since 1931
Divided elastic mesh compartment inside
mycharmonline.com 9
COVER STORY
A Different Kind of
COMBAT Words by ANA P. WALKER | Photos by LES HASSELL
10 CHARM | N O V E M B E R / D E C E M B E R
S
he fought her wars on two fronts.
where we were going. It was because of the guys who I was going
Miette Wells, who was a law enforcement canine handler
with. They were very open about it. I mean it wasn’t something
in the U.S Air Force, served from 1987 to 1991, part
that was kept hush-hush. It was, ‘Hey, if you make it back, you’re
of the time on alien soil. As with her fellow American military members, she faced a foreign enemy during Operation Just Cause in Panama and Operation Desert Shield/Storm in Kuwait. Her second foe: some fellow members of the military. A survivor of military sexual trauma and a nationally known
lucky,’” she recalled. “They would put me in situations where if anything happened I was the first one dead.” They also warned that her death might not come at enemy hands, she said.
expert in that field, her current battle is on behalf of women,
“There were a couple of times that they actually tried themselves,
both veterans and active military, hoping to spare them her own
but I had a really good dog and a really good guardian angel,” she said.
experiences. As director of the G.I. Joan project and a military sexual assault counseling supervisor, she provides training for people who work with/serve women veterans as well as information and support for women veterans. She oversees art classes for both men and women veterans of all ages offering yet another way to shed the traumas they may have suffered. They may have served from the Vietnam war on or may be active military. She also works with veterans in other ways, including serving as commander of American Legion Post 105 in Hallsville and Veterans Affairs and Rehabilitation Program director for American Legion Auxiliary Unit 320 in Gilmer. During the year ending Sept. 30, 2017, 6,769 military men and women reported they were sexually assaulted in all branches of the U.S. military. Upon hearing the experiences Wells endured as a woman in a male-dominated sphere, the question arises whether she regrets having joined the military. The answer is a firm, pragmatic no. “People ask me was it worth it and all that,” she said. Certainly, no one wants to experience the pain she endured, but, “I wouldn’t be who I am now, and I like who I am now and I like what I’m doing. I wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t because of what I went through.” Wells, not long out of high school, knew college wasn’t for her. She decided the military could offer her training and education. She enlisted in the U.S. Air Force and chose law enforcement as her specialty and then became a canine handler. “I loved the military. I loved my job. I loved my dog,” she
Her efforts to find support were fruitless. “No, I got no backing,” she said. “I tried at first to do the military thing and go to (my) supervisor but I couldn’t because my supervisor was the one who was doing it, so I had to go to (his) supervisor.” She was told it was best for her to leave the base because she would never find support there. She described the encounter with the master sergeant who conceded that he could investigate her situation but it would do no good. “It’s not gonna change anything and, in fact, once I start investigating, it’s just gonna get worse for you,” he told her. When she joined the Air Force, she assumed regulations would protect her from the treatment she endured, calling herself naïve. “I knew it wasn’t going to be easy. I mean, I knew I was going into a male-dominated career field. I just didn’t realize I was actually putting my life in danger by going in, not because I was going into the military but because I was going into” law enforcement. Every patrol had deadly potential. “We went out every day and we could not come back, but when I went out, I didn’t just look at who was out there, I also had to figure out who was with me to figure out if I was going to come back or not.” She was by no means the only woman who experienced such trauma and although things have changed for the better, there is still a way to go. When she returned to civilian life, she still found no one who would speak on behalf of the women, so she did.
said. “It was just the people who at the time were idiots, and the
The woman without an advocate became the advocate.
career I picked was well, male-dominated. … I went into a male-
“There was pretty much nobody and I didn’t want that to
dominated career — the military — and then on top of that, maledominated for law enforcement, and then even on top of that, completely male-dominated for canine,” she said. Nevertheless, she met the challenges and survived, and in a calm deliberate voice, describes the threats by men who were supposed to be her allies. “There were times when I went out (to) places that I pretty much didn’t think I was coming back, and it wasn’t because of
happen to anyone else,” she said. “Overall, I think it’s getting better for women,” but changing a culture where simply being female equals being inferior takes a long time. In the military, being called a female was considered derogatory and anything female-related was looked upon as a character flaw, she said, drawing insults such as, “You throw like a girl. You’re girlie. You’re a sissy,” she said.
continued on pg. 12 mycharmonline.com 11
“One of the reasons my dog absolutely loved me was because
I didn’t treat him like the guys did.” Veteran Miette Wells paints while speaking about the trauma she endured while in the military and how art led her to apply for a grant to start a monthly veterans art program through the American Legion Auxiliary Unit 320 in August 2017 at Community Connections in Longview.
The message was, “You need to buckle up and be like a guy,” she said. “You need to be a man.” Wells wanted to know why. “Why can’t I be a woman and still get the job done and have the feminine characteristics,” she recalls thinking. The answer was that she could. “One of the reasons my dog absolutely loved me was because
served two purposes, she said. It was how she saw him and it was a jab at what she describes as the “huge testosterone guys” she served with. The military has since adopted positive reinforcement in canine training, she said. One reason is because dogs were being taken near civilians more and more, she said.
I didn’t treat him like the guys did,” she said. Military canines
Post-military, Wells worked with various groups and individuals
experienced deterrent training, she said, explaining it this way, “If
and eventually regulations were put on the books to protect
you don’t do what I say, I hurt you.
military members, but they don’t do enough, she said.
“It wasn’t positive reinforcement and I didn’t agree with it so I didn’t do it. I did positive reinforcement with my dog and my dog
“They start at, ‘OK, we’ll tell all of the soldiers and all the airmen how to stay safe and how to be a better unit,’” she said.
absolutely would have died before anybody got anywhere near me.”
“I keep saying ‘No, it has to start from the top down.’ If you
Every bit a military member, her canine partner, Killer, also
have a commander, somebody who’s in charge, who allows this to
became her guardian.
happen, it doesn’t matter if the person next to you gets as many
“When you’re with a military dog and you’re standing side by
briefings as they can about how you’re supposed to be, you know,
side … that means I treat you pretty much as my equal, but when
you’re supposed to cover my back, they’re not going to because
I stood by my dog, he always had his paw in front of my foot.”
they can get away with it.”
The dog’s message: “If you’re going anywhere near her, I will kill you,’” she said. “You would have had to kill him because he absolutely protected me from everything and he didn’t do that with his other handlers.”
Other changes had easier remedies. A few years after she left the service, she stumped the staff at the Veterans Administration facility. She needed a pregnancy test and they didn’t have any. They had to send her elsewhere to get one. That’s no longer a problem.
The special relationship the two had was born out in the
One ongoing battle is finding psychological care for veterans
moniker Fluffy Puppy, her private name for Killer. The nickname
suffering from PTSD and other mental trauma. Veterans face a
12 CHARM | N O V E M B E R / D E C E M B E R
Left: Veteran Miette Wells and her dog, Killer. Right: Miette Wells in September 2018 at Veterans Plaza at Teague Park.
three- to four-month wait to see a therapist and the VA finds it
online giving her counsel to veterans. She travels often to Fort
easier to administer drugs to treat mental trauma, Wells said, a
Hood to train and advise veterans and their caregivers.
move that also saves money. “It’s much easier to medicate a person so they don’t think about anything than it is to seek therapy so that they can work through whatever problem they’ve been through,” she said. “How about let’s just find out why you’re depressed first,” she said. The veterans pay the price. “… When you first walk in and you say, ‘I feel depressed,’ and they just hand you a pill, and then you
She and Doug are the parents of two adult children, a daughter and a son who is stationed in England, a member of the U.S. Air Force. She fails to hide the pride in her voice as she remembers when her son told her he wanted to join the military. When she asked which branch, he replied, “The Air Force, of course, Mom. I’m smart.” C
say, ‘I can’t sleep,’ and they say, ‘Oh, here’s another pill. Oh, I’m tired. Okay, here’s another pill. I don’t wanna think about things because I’m having flashbacks. Okay, here’s another pill.’” And pretty soon you’re sitting on the couch drooling and that’s your life,” she said. Of legislation that would allow veterans to access private doctors, including therapists, she raises another point. Many of the doctors who treat former military members, even those who work for the VA, were not in the military. “I spent probably more time in therapy teaching my therapist about what it was like to be in the military as a woman instead of actually getting therapy,” she said. Wells and her husband, Doug, moved to rural East Texas in 2004. From here, she conducts her work locally in person and
if
you go
THANK A VETERAN — VETERANS DAY OBSERVATION ORGANIZED BY THE VETERANS RECOGNITION FOUNDATION When: Noon Nov. 3 Where: Veterans Plaza, Teague Park, Longview
G.I JOAN PROJECT CHRISTMAS BOUTIQUE, BENEFITING WOMEN VETERANS When: 9 a.m. to 6 p.m Dec. 7 and 8 Where: Community Connections, 501 Pine Tree Road Details: Featuring handmade gifts by women veterans and designer namebrand items
2019 VETERANS CREATIVE ARTS EXHIBIT AND CONTEST When: 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. March 7 Where: Community Connections, 501 Pine Tree Road
mycharmonline.com 13
FASHION
Ring in the
PARTY SEASON Photos by LES HASSELL
‘Tis the season for parties. Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s, with gatherings for family, friends and work — the coming months deliver lots of reasons to get dressed up and celebrate. Charm magazine loves the warm elegance of the newly updated living room at Pinecrest Country Club, who graciously agreed to host our Charm Ring In the Party Season Fashion Shoot. Jessica LaRue and Kelsey Runge, president and president-elect of the Junior League of Longview, were the picture of holiday perfection in dresses from the organization’s Bargain Box, which features Neiman Marcus merchandise at significant discounts. Dillon Horton and Chris Mayne modeled class with fashions from Hurwitz. We hope your holiday season’s parties are as fantastic as this one we were dreaming of..... From left, Chris Mayne in an Allen O'Neal suit, $695, with an R Hanauer tie and pocket square, $135 and $65, from Hurwitz; Kelsey Runge in a Neiman Marcus Dress, $100 (originally $375) from the Bargain Box; Jessica LaRue in an Uprichard dress, $75 (originally $200) from the Bargain Box; and Dillon Horton, in a Coppley suit, $1,195, with a Peter Talbott tie, $155 and Peter Miller pocket square, $60, from Hurwitz.
14 CHARM | N O V E M B E R / D E C E M B E R
Kelsey Runge in a Neiman Marcus dress, $100 (originally $375), and earrings, $30, from the Bargain Box.
Neiman Marcus shoes, $179, from the Bargain Box.
CHARM FASHION SPONSORED BY
mycharmonline.com 15
Kelsey Runge wearing a Neiman Marcus dress, $100 (originally $375), Jimmy Choo shoes, $250 (originally $400) and earrings, $30, from the Bargain Box.
Chris Mayne in an Allen O'Neal suit, $695, with an R Hanauer tie and pocket square, $135 and $65, from Hurwitz.
Jimmy Choo shoes from the Bargain Box, $250 (originally $400).
16 CHARM | N O V E M B E R / D E C E M B E R
See more Fashion on
Jessica LaRue wearing an Uprichard dress, $75 (originally $250) from the Bargain Box. mycharmonline.com 17
2018 CHEVROLET SILVERADO 2500
F EATURE
WOMEN in business: STEPHANI CHANCE Decorate Ornate
Words by MEGAN BYRD | Photo SPECIAL TO CHARM
T
owering statues of bronze and
Chance’s store is filled from floor to
“I invited her to come speak to my local
intricately engraved doors radiate
ceiling with the antiques she collects and
rotary club, and gosh, after I heard her talk
all the mystery and charm of a
sells, working with builders and designers
about it, I wanted to go,” Murphy said. “I
and doing what she loves.
went, and took some girls with me, and we
time long ago. Take one step into Stephani Chance’s antique store and you’ll be
“(Decorating) is my passion, my heart
transported to another world: to the Old
and my excitement — making my home
World in Europe. “I love bringing the old, unique, unusual things for people to put in their homes,” Chance said. “The goal (of Decorate Ornate) is finding treasures for my customers and opening their eyes up to things of the Old World. By the time they leave they feel like they’ve taken a trip to Europe.” Bestselling author, traveler, and family business owner Stephani Chance made her childhood love of castle doors and decorating into her business. She purchased her first building 19 years ago in Gladewater, and has since expanded, buying merchandise on her trips across the ocean. “She brings back all these museum-
magical,” Chance said. Customer Jaque Gibbs also values Decorate Ornate’s one-of-a-kind merchandise. “My house is like a mini Decorate Ornate,” Gibbs said. “(Stephani) calls it her castle, and (says that) your house is your castle, and that’s exactly right.” In addition to bringing East Texas a slice of the Old World, Chance takes small groups of Americans from all over the United States on two-week trips to Italy two to three times a year. “We go to the storybook places that they will remember,” Chance said. “They’ll have memories that will be with them forever.”
were just blown away. It’s the way to go if you want to travel abroad.” Chance has customers who make repeat trips to Italy, including one woman, for instance, who has been 10 times in a row. “You go to places that ordinary tour guides wouldn’t take you,” Gibbs said. “It’s a fairy tale trip of a lifetime. I would recommend it to anybody and I hope to get to go again.” Murphy added that after spending two weeks with a group on the trip, she and the other group members became friends for life. “We all support each other, we go to each other’s events, and we go to Stephani’s Christmas party every year. We all keep in touch,” she said. For more information, visit Chance’s
quality things that are all for sale,” said Kathy
Taking tours on travel buses to monasteries
Murphy, president of what’s known as the
in the mountains, old palaces, seaside cliffs,
world’ largest book club, the Pulpwood
local eateries, and more, Chance uses her
“She’s a wonderful person, just real
Queens Book Club. “I go to museums
connections with locals to make the most
genuine,” Murphy said. “I really do feel like
everywhere, but I’ve never seen anything
of each trip. She enjoys taking people to see
Stephani is one of the best kept secrets in
like (Decorate Ornate).”
different sights in unique places.
East Texas.” C
20 CHARM | N O V E M B E R / D E C E M B E R
website or facebook page, or stop by her store in Gladewater and have a nice chat.
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Shop this! Complete the Party
We here at Charm magazine get a little giddy about the prospect of a fancy party, where everything is just right — from the wine glasses, decor and serving platters, to the food and beverages. Check out these fabulous finds from local retailers — the Junior League’s Bargain Box, featuring Neiman Marcus Merchandise; Louis Morgan Drugs No. 4; Skinner’s Grocery & Market; and Heritage Wine and Spirits. 8 Years in the Desert Red Blend — Zinfandel, Petite Sirah, Syrah, $45.99 HERITAGE WINE AND SPIRITS
Armand de Brignac — Aces of Spades Brut champagne $389.99 HERITAGE WINE AND SPIRITS
Thessaly Platter $299 LOUIS MORGAN DRUGS #4
Frutera Bowl, 10 inches $122 LOUIS MORGAN DRUGS #4
Regalia High Ball $65 LOUIS MORGAN DRUGS #4
Regalia DB Old Fashioned $65 LOUIS MORGAN DRUGS #4
Regular Aqua Planter $60 LOUIS MORGAN DRUGS #4
Slant Collections frost flex naughty/ nice cups $9.99 SKINNER’S GROCERY & MARKET
Wood serving board $8.99 SKINNER’S GROCERY & MARKET
22 CHARM | N O V E M B E R / D E C E M B E R
Slant Collections double-wall tumbler $9.99 SKINNER’S GROCERY & MARKET
Pineapple cocktail shaker $50 THE BARGAIN BOX
Santa Pants double wine bottle bag $9.99 SKINNER’S GROCERY & MARKET
Botox &
Fillers Laser Skin ResurFX HydraFacial P.R.P. Facials ORGANIC Make Up Lash Extensions
(903) 663-1515 303 W. Loop 281 Ste. 105 Longview, Texas 75605
Henry & Moore Jewelry
PERFECTING PRETTY Med Spa
Let us help deck your halls with Christmas Florals, Wreaths, Decor, and More! www.casafloraflowers.com
903.753.4492 mycharmonline.com 23
F EATURE
TOOTH FAIRY AP PA RE NT LY, TH E
O G O T A TA X BR EA K TO
LLE LAVERELL ON | Illustrations by MICHE Words by APRILL BRAND
C
onsidering my oldest child is only 4, I admit I’m still fairly new to the parenting game. However, I’m not so new that I don’t already have strong opinions on how the rest of you
are doing this wrong. (Oh, hush, you know we all do. The second my firstborn came out of my body I was already critical of how the doctor was holding him.) Now, let me clarify, I don’t care how you raise your children. I don’t care what you feed them. I don’t care what they watch or
Take the tooth fairy, for example. When I was a kid, the going rate was a quarter per tooth. So, you can imagine my surprise when I was scrolling through Facebook and discovered that some kid got an electric train set from the tooth fairy. AN ELECTRIC TRAIN SET. For sitting there and letting a body part fall out of his head. And not even a useful body part you can study for science or something. Just a gross useless one covered with the ghost dust of a thousand dead Goldfish crackers. Even worse, I found out the current monetary rate for a baby tooth is now apparently $20. Twenty American dollars. Do you know how many teeth there are in those little heads? Well, me neither, but it’s a lot. Who are you people? Don’t you have bills? Student loans? Is Grandma footing this expenditure? I mean, I could understand if this was like a limb fairy or
their “screen time” limits or if they do chores or how you discipline
something. I can see giving them $20 for an arm that falls off.
them. I don’t care what you name them or if they’re on a leash or
They only have two of those.
free range or home-schooled or fancy-private-schooled or even
“Oh, but it’s my choice what I give my kid from the tooth fairy,”
if they are occasional buttheads (because, hey, my kids also have
I hear you other parents haughtily declare as you spread diamond
butthead tendencies).
jelly on your artisan bread in front of your shrine to Gwyneth
I don’t care about any of that. You are the expert when it comes to your own kids.
Paltrow in your newly renovated kitchen. But it’s NOT your choice. Not this. Because do you know what
But there are certain things that affect all of us parents. Certain
happens when your adorable Sharpay gets an electric train set
things that we are all in together. And some of y’all are completely
from the tooth fairy? She tells all the other kids and then they
ruining it for the rest of us.
come home to us demanding to know why they only got a dollar.
24 CHARM | N O V E M B E R / D E C E M B E R
WE ’RE TA LK IN G TR IC KE D- OU T BI KE S. BA RB IE JE EP S. TIC KE TS FO R DI SN EY WO RL D. AN D, AGAI N, IP HO NE S BE CAUS E AP PL E MU ST GI VE MA SS IV E DI SC OU NT S TO
MYTHOLOGICAL
CREATURES. And let me tell you, answering “because the tooth fairy hates you” is NOT the correct response no matter how annoyed you are by their whining. In fact, there is no good response to that. It’s the same thing with Christmas. You want to get little Luxx an iPhone for Christmas? Great. Fantastic. I don’t care. But don’t say it’s from Santa. Because not all “Santas” can afford iPhones and/or think a 6-year-old should have one. Take credit where credit is due, say the good stuff is from you, and make the jolly fat man give them a ball or something. And then there’s Easter. Can someone please tell me at what point Easter became “Christmas: The Sequel”? For the past five years, I’ve made a drinking game out of scrolling on social media and taking a shot every time someone posted a photo of the loot their kids scored from the Easter Bunny alongside their baskets. We’re talking tricked-out bikes. Barbie Jeeps. Tickets for Disney World. And, again, iPhones because Apple must give massive discounts to mythological creatures. Needless to say, I’m usually drunk within 12 minutes. Just give them a basket of sugar and some gross eggs and call it a day, other parents. Come on. And yes, I understand that we all have to somewhat keep up with inflation. I don’t even think they make buffalo nickles anymore or where you would find a ha’penny. But they’re kids. They have very little concept of modern economics. We can underpay them. They have no idea. And they are very unlikely to form a union considering most of them haven’t even fully mastered the spoon yet. So let’s keep it simple. Kids shouldn’t be able to afford a semifancy bottle of wine because they lost a tooth. They should be able to buy gum. And not the good gum either. That junk that tastes like fruit-flavored chalk. Because childhood is already inherently magical. And because children actually like that disgusting cheap gum. And because it’s hard enough to parent without raising kids who expect high-end luxury goods for simply being kids. C mycharmonline.com 25
26
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We Cater!
office parties, lunches or casual open house holiday cheer parties
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903-247-8000 2002 JUDSON RD. SUITE 103 In The Village Shopping Center
Mon. - Thur. 11am-10pm Fri. & Sat. 11am-11pm
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2018
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26 CHARM | N O V E M B E R / D E C E M B E R
903-291-0020 AN ASSISTED LIVING & MEMORY CARE COMMUNITY 1408 LAGO TRAIL LONGVIEW, TX 75604
PICTURE
This!
CHARM/VIEW
NANCY DUKE, CATHY CACE, JANE TARVER
COVER REVEAL PARTY
LONGVIEW | CREATE ART & LA CABANE DE DESSERT | 9/13/2018 Photos by MICHAEL CAVAZOS & SCOTT BRUNNER
Create Art & La Cabane de Dessert hosted the cover reveal party for the September-October edition of Charm and View magazines. Heritage Wine and Spirits and Cace Kitchen completed the party. Charm featured “Miss Hospitality,” C.J. Clayton on C.J. CLAYTON
ROBERT ELLEY
the cover, while View highlighted Robert Elley and the East Texas Brewers Guild as the group prepared for its HomeBierFest, held in September at Longview’s newest park, The Green. Join Charm and View magazines for our next cover reveal party, from 5 to 7 p.m. Dec. 13 at Louis Morgan Drugs No. 4, at 110 Johnston St. in Longview. Heritage Wine & Spirits will bring the libations, with catering by Copeland’s of New Orleans.
MICHELLE SCUDELLA, MELISSA AZZAM
AMY MCCARTY, NIKKI BRISCOE
mycharmonline.com 27
P ICTURE THIS
5TH ANNUAL MERCY MANOR
BANQUET
KARRIE TRAYLOR, SUNNI NIX
LONGVIEW | MAUDE COBB CONVENTION AND ACTIVITY CENTER | 9/16/2018 Photos by LES HASSELL
Mercy Manor celebrated its fifth annual banquet “tailgate style” Sept. 16 at the Maude Cobb Convention and Activity Center. Attendees were invited to wear their favorite team’s jersey. Mercy Manor Maternity Home is a White Oak-based nonprofit organization with a mission statement “to offer a safe and loving environment for teens in crisis pregnancy as an alternative to abortion while meeting physical, spiritual and mental needs.” The organization’s services include
LAURA & KENT ABERNATHY
housing, food, transportation, clothing, parenting and life skills classes, prenatal care and child birth classes, as well as spiritual guidance.
TAMMY DAY, SUSAN BREITENBERG, LORRAINE FOWLER JANIS JONES, KOLTON WELLS, JEAN WHEATFALL
JAMES & DANNA GOOCH, LORI COX, LAURA BENSON
28 CHARM | N O V E M B E R / D E C E M B E R
AUTUMN & AUBREY ORMS
P ICTURE THIS
LADIES LUNCHEON
& FASHION SHOW LONGVIEW | PINECREST COUNTRY CLUB | 8/29/2018 ANDEE LUCAS, CHRISTY O’REAR
Photos by LES HASSELL
Pinecrest Country Club and Morgan Abbigail presented the Ladies Luncheon and Fashion Show to a sold out crowd on Aug. 29, at the country club in Longview. Morgan Abbigail, a womens’ clothing store, featured fall fashions during the show, with shopping offered beforehand.
STEPHANIE HUNT, REBECCA PARKER
BRANDI MCBRIDE, JENNIFER COLEMAN
BRANDI MCBRIDE, ANGELA HANLEY, JENNIFER COLEMAN, ANGELA GARRETT, TRINA JENNINGS
ANN CHINN, RAINA TACHIAS
MICHELLE HERRING, VEENA REDDY
mycharmonline.com 29
P ICTURE THIS
GOOD LIFE
MIXER
KRISTALA EVANS, LILLIE BLACK
LONGVIEW | MAUDE COBB CONVENTION AND ACTIVITY CENTER | 9/20/2018 Photos by LES HASSELL
The Longview News-Journal’s Good Life Senior Expo & Happy Hour drew hundreds of people Sept. 20 to the Maude Cobb Convention and Activity Center. Informational booths, entertainment, activities and more targeted specifically to seniors filled the first part of the day. A second session later in the day provided an evening happy hour with food and adult beverages for people after work hours, along with networking opportunities.
GWEN SMITH, JENNIFER SESSIONS
The 18th annual event featured 22 vendors, including hearing aid businesses, gyms, nursing homes and insurance agencies, with flu shots and other health services provided by Louis Morgan Drugs No. 4, dance lessons, bingo games, seminars, door prizes and more.
JESSICA TRAMEL, CHAZNEY SPEARS
AMANDA JOHNSON, SHAWN SAMS, MONTANA LOYD
30 CHARM | N O V E M B E R / D E C E M B E R
DIANNE MARTIN, BECKY MILLER