PC 0217

SMU HELPING REFUGEES TRANSITION TO NEW HOME 12 February 2017 I Vol. 37, No. 2 I parkcitiespeople.com I    @pcpeople I 214-739-2244

STOP FOR THE SCHOOL BUS RESIDENTS WARN: IMPATIENT DRIVERS ENDANGER STUDENTS

NEWS

By Joshua Baethge

North Texas Food Bank looks to carry on Pruitt’s legacy 8

People Newspapers Chris Murzin has heard all the excuses. Drivers who pass the school bus when the stop signal is out tell him they didn’t see the bus, or didn’t know they were supposed to stop for it.

A few respond with hostility. Most are surprised to see the University Park father approaching their vehicles to demand a word.

“ALL IT ’ S G O I NG TO TAKE I S O NE W RONG MOV E W HI LE JACK I S I N HIS WHEEL CH A I R ON T HE LIFT.” CHR I S M UR ZI N

“Most people are not going to confront somebody else,” Murzin said. “I do with the hope of driving awareness and hoping they will understand and not do it again.”

Murzin is motivated by the plight of his son Jack, a junior at Highland Park High School.

While most students drive or ride to school without much thought, Jack waits patiently

SPORTS

TA N N E R G A R Z A

Bus driver Alphonso Polk (left) helps Chris Murzin unload his son Jack from the school bus on a recent afternoon. Murzin is one of several residents concerned that careless drivers could cause a tragic accident.

each morning for his dedicated bus driver, Aphonso Polk, to pick him up. When Polk arrives, Murzin or his wife, Christina, slowly roll Jack in his wheelchair to the curb. A hydraulic lift raises Jack from street level to the bus, where Polk secures him for the short trip. It’s a monotonous routine that is repeated twice a day throughout the school year.

“All it’s going to take is one wrong move while Jack is in his wheel chair on the lift,” Murzin said. “You can imagine the scene.”

CONTINUED ON 10

COMMUNITY

Beloved Highland Park librarian retires after 42 years 12

Scots’ Smith heading to SMU next fall 22

BUS SAFETY RULES ➊ Drivers traveling in either direction must stop when approaching

a school bus that is stopped and operating a visual signal.

➋ Drivers may not proceed until the school bus resumes motion, the

driver is signaled by the bus driver to proceed, or the visual signal is no longer activated.

➌ If a road is divided only by a left-turning lane, drivers on both

sides of the roadway must stop for school buses with alternating red flashing lights.

➍ If the lanes are separated by an intervening space or physical

COMMUNITY

➎ Fines: $500- $1,250 on first offense; $100- $2,000 for subsequent

Photos: relive the Parade of Champions 16

barrier, only motorists going in the same direction as the bus are required to stop.

violations.

Source: Texas Transportation Code

FOCUS ON PHILANTHROPY

Nonprofit leads women on path to “happy kitchen” 47

R E A L E S T A T E Q U A R T E R LY

Long-vacant Armstrong development up for grabs 24

2 FEBRUARY 2017 | PARKCITIESPEOPLE.COM

CONTENTS FROM THE EDITOR

Newspaper for Sale In mid-January, D Magazine Partners Chairman and CEO Wick Allison made it known that he was actively seeking buyers for this publication. I’ll admit to being a little bummed by the news at first.

D is a great company to work for. I think I speak for the whole staff when I say that we love coming to work here every day, or at least most days. However, we are also confident that this change will allow us to better serve you, the people of our community.

“Park Cities People has always been a consistent performer, and especially so the last three years. But in a company devoted to the D brand, it has also been a sort of stepchild,” Allison said. “The Park Cities are a very important and tight-knit community, and they rightly expect the very best. We’ve come to believe that a new owner could better serve the community by giving the newspaper the energy and attention it deserves.”

According to our publisher Patricia Martin, many people have inquired about buying the publication over the years. The timing just hasn’t been right until now.

“It’s a good time for community newspapers. They are the sweet spot in the world of newspaper publishing,” Martin said. “While many dailies have been struggling for years, hyper-local community newspapers have continued to carve out a profitable niche. People Newspapers continues to perform well with consistent revenues and profit. “ There will surely be more news to come in the ensuing months, but for now it’s business as usual, until it isn’t anymore. We are all going to miss working

POLICE .............................................................. 4 NEWS .................................................................. 8 COMMUNITY ���������������������������������������������� 12 SCHOOLS......................................................... 18 SPORTS ............................................................ 22

JOSHUA BAETHGE

“ T H E PARK CIT IE S ARE A VE RY IMPO RTAN T AN D T IG H T-KN IT C O MMUN IT Y, AN D T H E Y RIG H T LY E X PE CT T H E VE RY BE ST. ” WICK A LLIS ON

with our friends at D, but we look forward to soon being able to share your stories better than we ever have before.

Joshua Baethge Editor editor@peoplenewspapers.com

REAL ESTATE QUARTERLY .................... 24 SOCIETY ......................................................... 36 WEDDINGS ��������������������������������������������������� 45 FOCUS ON PHILANTHROPY.................... 47 LIVING WELL ���������������������������������������������� 48

Publisher: Patricia Martin EDITORIAL

A DV E R T I S I N G

O P E R AT I O N S

Editor Joshua Baethge

Senior Account Executives Kim Hurmis Kate Martin

Business Manager Alma Ritter

Assistant Editor William Taylor Digital Editor Annie Wiles

Account Executives John G. Jones Rebecca Young

Distribution Manager Don Hancock

Production Manager Craig Tuggle Production Assistant Imani Chet Lytle People Newspapers are printed on recycled paper.

Help us show love for the earth by recycling this newspaper and any magazines from the D family to which you subscribe.

Park Cities People is published monthly by CITY NEWSPAPERS LP, an affiliate of D Magazine Partners LP, 750 N. Saint Paul St., Suite 2100, Dallas, TX 75201. Copyright 2016.

All rights reserved. No reproduction without permission. Submissions to the editor may be sent via e-mail to editor@peoplenewspapers.com.

Correspondence must include writer’s name and contact number. Main phone number, 214-739-2244

SIGN UP FOR OUR CRIME NEWSLETTER:

POLICE S KU L D U G G E RY of the MONTH

UN-GUARDIANED ANGEL

Between 12:30 p.m.

Dec. 24 and 7 a.m. Dec. 25, a thief stole a 6-foot-tall white fabric angel with gold trim, valued at $600, from the front lawn of a house in the 4400 block of Edmondson Avenue.

parkcitiespeople.com/ policereport

Crime Report: Dec. 13 – Jan. 8 H I G H L A N D PA R K Dec. 17 Highland Park police say they have apprehended the package thief who terrorized front porches across town, stealing Hanes men’s underwear, size 3 girls’ Uggs, socks, peanuts, coffee mugs with people’s faces on them, and a copy of Atlas Obscura from houses in the 4500 block of Belfort Place and Rheims Place, among others. He was found trying to return stolen shoes to Jimmy Choo’s in Highland Park Village at 2:20 p.m. Dec. 15 and was identified by an eyewitness description and his getaway car, a silver Ford Fusion found in the parking lot with a pile of packages in it. The stolen items ranged in value from $16 to several thousand dollars.

Dec. 22 At 10 a.m., workers at the Mondara Apartments in the 4500 block of Abbott Avenue arrived to find a neighbor in the utility room tampering with the breaker box. The contractor told police that for the past two months, the neighbor had been coming in and breaking light fixtures and shutting off breakers, trying to shut off the power.

The neighbor had admitted to breaking the lights in the past because they bother him.

Between the light fixtures, recess lighting cans, and damage to the hardwood floors due to temperature change, damage to the property is an estimated $5,000. The neighbor was issued a criminal trespass warning.

Dec. 28 At 11:17 a.m., a hacker sent an email to an employee of William Noble Rare Jewels in Highland Park Village under a fake identity, convincing the employee to wire $46,570 to a Wells Fargo account.

Dec. 30 At 4:33 p.m., a thief stole a gold-looking Giuseppe logo bracelet from Giuseppe Zanotti in Highland Park Village.

Jan. 1 Between midnight Dec. 31 and 1 a.m. Jan. 1, an intoxicated Uber rider in the 3400 block of University Boulevard called the police stating that he left his $1,000 Botega wallet in an Uber vehicle, and that when

he called, the Uber driver told him he was keeping it.

Jan. 4 Between noon and 1 p.m., a thief stole a Milwaukee Impact drill with two batteries and a charger from a second-floor bedroom in a house in the 4200 block of Belclaire Avenue.

Jan. 5 After 11 p.m., a thief stole the side view mirrors from a black 2015 GMC Sierra in the 4600 block of Fairfax Avenue.

Jan. 7 Between 11:58 a.m. and 12:20 p.m, a person lost a $400 space gray iPhone 6s that was then stolen in the 3400 block of Beverly Drive.

U N I V E R S I T Y PA R K

$11,050 The amount two thieves on bicycles made off with at 5:15 a.m. Dec. 17 when they stole a $1,000 Tumi rolling suitcase left on the front porch of a house in the 4200 block of Beverly Drive containing diamond earrings, clothes, toiletries and beauty products, glasses, and Ray Bans.

WANT TO READ MORE CRIMES? SIGN UP FOR OUR WEEKLY POLICE REPORT E-NEWSLETTER parkcitiespeople.com/ newsletter

Dec. 13 At 2:54 p.m., a thief stole several pairs of women’s tights from Luke’s Locker in the 3000 block of Mockingbird Lane.

Dec. 14 At 9:13 p.m., a thief stole a $179 LG Led TV from the front porch of a house in the 3200 block of Lovers Lane.

Dec. 17 At 11:50 a.m., a driver in a white 2012 Ford Fusion intentionally hit a victim in a black 2011 Ford Escape in the 3800 block of University Boulevard.

Dec. 22 Between 8 p.m. Dec. 21 and 11 a.m. Dec. 22, a vandal egged a black Jeep Wrangler in the 4400 block of San Carlos Drive.

At 9:29 a.m., a victim reported being harassed in Snider Plaza.

Dec. 24 Between 2:50 and 3:08 a.m., a victim was assaulted by a friend while sitting in a vehicle in the 5800 block of Key Street.

Dec. 26 Between 9:29 and 10:29 p.m., a burglar broke into a black 2014 Cadillac Escalade in the 3400 block of Amherst Street and stole the third row seat, valued at $1,500.

Dec. 27 At 11:27 a.m., a victim reported that $15,000 of Gorham Melrose silverware was stolen from a house in the 3500 block of Centenary Drive sometime in the last year.

Between 10:30 and 11:20 a.m., a burglar broke into a green 2002 GMC 1500 in the parking lot of Cafe Brazil in the 6400 block of North Central Expressway while the victim was eating inside and stole $2,675 of property.

Dec. 28 At 12:40 p.m., a victim reported a wallet stolen from a Highland Park High School locker room sometime between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. Dec. 12. The wallet contained $200 cash, as well as a debit card and a driver’s license.

Dec. 30 Between 8 and 9:30 p.m., a thief stole a garage door opener from a vehicle parked in the 4300 block of Shenandoah Avenue and entered a detached garage and stole $1,115 of tools.

Dec. 31 At 11:54 p.m., police busted a party in the 3400 block of Asbury Avenue after observing parking violations and issued a citation for minor in possession of alcohol.

Jan. 3 At 1:17 a.m., a thief stole a black 2012 Jeep Cherokee from a parking garage in the 6400 block of North Central Expressway.

Jan. 6 Between 7:45 and 11 a.m., a thief stole $1,565 of property from a teal BMW in the 4200 block of Larchmont Avenue.

Jan. 8 At 3:45 p.m., a trespasser returned to a residence in the 4100 block of Druid Lane after receiving a criminal trespass warning.

8 FEBRUARY 2017 | PARKCITIESPEOPLE.COM FOR MORE NEWS:

NEWS

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‘Moonshot’ to End Hunger Gap Food Pruitt’s legacy Bank grows as NTFB Friends pursues goal

By William Taylor

People Newspapers North Texas Food Bank leaders know they can’t feed the hungry with food donations alone. Tackling challenges, creating awareness, and helping people takes ideas, too.

Jan Pruitt, who died Jan. 2, led the food bank for 20 years and championed the idea that “it’s everyone’s responsibility to help our food-insecure neighbors achieve what so many of us take for granted.”

Residents of Preston Hollow, the Park Cities, and elsewhere assist with old fashion ideas, such as writing letters; artsy ideas, such as canned-food sculptures; and entrepreneurial ideas such as turning nuisance mistletoe into cash for the cause.

And agency leaders, prompted by Pruitt, are employing their boldest ideas yet in a decade-long effort to remake the food bank and close the hunger gap in North Texas by 2025, NTFB board chairman Tom Black and interim president and CEO Simon Powell said.

“The leadership that Jan Pruitt provided to feeding the hungry must now be replaced by all of us who she inspired to join the cause,” said Joanne Teichman, the Ylang 23 co-owner who has been involved with the Food 4 Kids Letter Writing Campaign.

Pruitt had discontinued treatment at MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston and stepped down as president and CEO, effective Dec. 17.

Black described how Pruitt’s passion for community service began with a priest prompting her to work at a small nonprofit in Lancaster.

“For this former stay-at-home mother, that opportunity was the spark for her life work,” he said.

Pruitt also served as board chairman for Feeding America, a network of more than 200 food banks, and mentored many other food bank executives, Black said.

“Jan has played an important role in hunger relief in North Texas and throughout the United States, and has left an indelible mark on the mission of both organizations,” Black said.

Her legacy is expected to grow as NTFB pursues a plan that began forming three years ago when Pruitt realized the agency needed disruptive change to pursue an audacious goal, Powell said.

He likened it to President John F. Kennedy calling on the nation to put a man on the moon.

Pruitt challenged board members and

C O U R T E SY S T E V E W R U B E L

Quinn Graves (red hat) and Stella Wrubel count mistletoe stand sales.

C O U R T E SY N T F B

The legacy of Jan Pruitt, who died Jan. 2, is expected to grow as the North Texas Food Bank pursues her goal of closing the hunger gap in 13 counties.

staff to find a way to provide the 92 million nutritious meals needed annually in the NTFB’s 13-county service area, a 50 percent increase from what it was providing in 2015, he said.

“There are not many leaders of organizations that are willing to do moonshot goals, so it is a credit to her that she did,” Powell said.

The plan, unveiled in September 2015, calls for increasing annual food donations by 33 million pounds, recruiting 30,000 more volunteers and adding 40,000 square feet of refrigeration space while also transforming food distribution and relationships with partner agencies.

NTFB doesn’t distribute directly to the hungry, but rather works through hundreds of partner agencies much like a wholesaler does through retailers.

To distribute more, it must increase the capacity of its partners as well as its own, Powell said.

To that end, NTFB officials are sharing their expertise with fundraising and operations. The hope is that partners will grow in capacity to store and distribute food and also add services aimed at helping those in need achieve greater independence.

NTFB also aims to get food closer to those who need it by identifying partners who can become distribution hubs.

Other partners would pick up food from

the hubs and distribute it the same day, eliminating the hassle and expense of onsite storage, Powell said.

One such hub, Sharing Life Community Outreach in Mesquite, opened in June 2016, and Powell expects another to open in 2017.

Other goals include building support – volunteer and financial – for agencies serving the highest need areas.

NTFB also recognizes the connection between food and health and so is collaborating with the Parkland Center for Clinical Innovation on a data sharing program to help partner agencies understand and meet the dietary needs of their clients.

With that partnership a medical provider at Parkland could refer a client showing signs of malnutrition to a food bank and know whether the client picked up produce, Powell said.

NORTH TEXAS NEEDS 856,000 area residents, including 1 in 4 children, live in food insecure homes.

92 million meals are needed annually to meet the needs in 13 counties.

70 million meals were provided by NTFB in the 2016 fiscal year.

Source: ntfb.org

Former Lamplighter School classmates Stella Wrubel and Quinn Graves, both 11, have a knack for turning mistletoe into meals.

Wrubel, now at The Hockaday School, and Graves, now at Greenhill School, mobilize family, friends, and other volunteers to run their Quinn + Stella’s Jingle Bell Mistletoe stand each year near Royal Blue Grocery in Highland Park Village.

Their fathers and Wrubel’s grandfather harvest mistletoe from the Perini Ranch near Buffalo Gap. Their moms and Wrubel’s grandmother trim it and add bows. Prices vary by size – $5, $10, $20, or more. Visit kissandtella.com.

“It’s become what we look forward to every Christmas,” Wrubel said.

NTFB recognized Stella and Quinn in 2016 as its Youth Leaders of The Year for providing more than 168,000 meals by raising $56,000 in donations in two years.

Canned Construction Themes may vary from Thanksgiving turkeys to election year donkeys and elephants, but the concept remains constant at Highland Park ISD’s University Park and Bradford Elementary Schools: collect food donations, build sculptures, give to the food bank.

The elementary school contests mimic a State Fair of Texas program where design firms compete to build the best sculptures using only cans of food, said Brett Gray, chief marketing officer for NTFB. For Junior Canstruction, fourthgrade art students submit designs and build a campus sculpture, UP Elementary art teacher Jennifer Torres explained. “We select the winning design based on balance, creativity, and quality of meal.”

10 FEBRUARY 2017 | PARKCITIESPEOPLE.COM

NEWS CONTINUED FROM 1 State law forbids drivers in both directions from passing school buses that are stopped with their stop signs extended. Those who do face fines of up to $2,500. The Parks Cities have few school buses since HPISD only provides transportation for special needs students. Still, the same laws apply.

Kelly Waterman, whose daughter Happy is in the HPHS Transitions program, said she once saw five people speed by stopped buses as she was taking her daughter to school.

“I was horrified at how many were going by,” she said.

“It made me furious because these weren’t kids — the drivers were adults. They should know better.”

Murzin said he sees violators on a regular basis.

“I wish I could get into the psyche of people that choose not to accept what the law is,” Murzin said.

He surmises that many of them are simply in a hurry and looking for a reason to justify

TA N N E R G A R Z A

Twice a day, Jack’s bus stops so he can be slowly rolled up the ramp to the bus and strapped in. what they are doing. He often sees people pause but not completely stop.

“One driver passed the bus and another car that had stopped behind it,” Murzin

said. “He told me he thought the car ‘was with the bus.’”

According to HPISD Police Chief Mark Rowden, there have been no recent incidents reported near school facilities.

District officials add that, while the violations may not be happening within their jurisdiction, they are sensitive to the issue and encourage drivers to obey the rules of the road.

Murzin describes Jack as a “lively, social, lovable kid.”

While Jack’s mental capacity is roughly the equivalent of a 1-year-old, he loves being around other children. Jack is a regular at Scots sporting events, where he thrives off the energy of the crowd.

He’s a manager on the basketball team, and loves it when his teammates rub him on the head. Jack celebrated with everyone else in Arlington last month when the football team won the state championship.

“We try to keep him involved and doing as much as he can,” Murzin said.

A November bus crash in Chattanooga that killed six children really affected Murzin. While those circumstances were entirely different, it made him ponder how one misstep could affect so many lives.

“As adults we’re OK with calling out our kids for their wrongdoings, but when we get called out, we get very defensive about it,” Murzin said.

“My goal is education and awareness, but the bottom line is to avoid a tragic accident.”

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COMMUNITY

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LAPTOPS FOR REFUGEES SMU students aim to help new residents learn English

By Lisa Ferguson

Special Contributor SMU students recently provided international refugees living in Dallas with computer equipment, with the goal of making the adjustment to life in the U.S. easier.

In November, six students from the university’s Cox School of Business partnered with SMU’s Engaged Learning Fellowship program, which provides grants to fund various research and service projects.

As part of their Project Management class, students teamed with the local office of the global humanitarian aid organization International Rescue Committee (IRC) and gave 11 refugee clients laptop computers, free of charge

and loaded with Rosetta Stone English-language software, to help the refugees teach themselves English.

The students purchased the refurbished devices and software with grant money awarded to them through the Engaged Learning program.

During a training session at IRC’s offices the SMU students, assisted by translators, taught refugees how to operate the computers and software.

By learning to speak English, refugees greatly improve their chances of landing stable employment and connecting with vital services, as well as better acclimating in their new communities, according to Alex Laywell, volunteer coordinator for IRC.

IRC’s clients hail from Iran, Eritrea, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Burma, among other nations. Last year, the local office helped resettle nearly 1,000 refugees in North Texas.

“This is a huge need,” Laywell said. “The reality is so many of our clients, when they’re new here and they don’t speak the language, they’re having to work odd jobs or odd shifts.”

Being able to speak English, as well as having computer access, is critical for them, he said. “You’re able to apply for your own jobs. You’re able to make your own medical appointments, pay your bills. ... It really just puts you in the driver’s seat of your life.”

C O U R T E SY A L E X L AY W E L L , I N T E R N AT I O N A L R E S C U E C O M M I T T E E

Burma native Sum Pi (left) learns laptop basics with his nephew.

The SMU students also secured a donation of several computer CPUs from ForeRunner Recycling in Dallas. The units will be given to other IRC clients who live in ethnically diverse neighborhoods

such as Vickery Meadow, where they will be shared among residents.

While other local organizations offer ESL classes, oftentimes

CONTINUED ON 13

Beloved Librarian Closes Chapter at HP Library

By Carly Danner

gest one was the Highland Park community.

“They appreciate the value of education and reading,” Case said.

“Getting to help these people all day long and never knowing what the topic will be is the greatest part of my job.”

Special Contributor Take a few steps inside Highland Park Library and you’ll be greeted with a sense of warmth, comfort, and the magic of stories waiting on the shelves.

Walk alongside beloved librarian Bonnie Case, and you’ll discover she is the root of the library’s energy.

For Case, her job was about more than helping people find stories. It was about connecting with people who, in turn, brought their own stories to share with her.

Case was presented with the opportunity to work in Highland Park while working at the Dallas Public Library. Having grown up in a small town, the idea of working in a smaller, community-based environment appealed to her.

Flash forward 42 years and Case has not only a lifetime of service under her belt but also endless connections with the Highland Park community.

“You don’t stay somewhere for 42 years if it isn’t a good situation,” Case said. “Thankfully this was a wonderful situation.”

Many factors kept Case around the library for so long, but the big-

“ T H A N K YOU FOR L ET T I N G M E BE A PA RT OF YOU R STO RY ” BONN IE CA S E

K E LS E Y K R U Z I C H

Bonnie Case holds a book she was given for her retierment.

Case witnessed the evolution of how readers chose to consume stories, from cassette tapes and audio books to downloadable magazines.

Though technology crept its way into the library over time, Case was always pleased that most of the community preferred to sit down with an old-fashioned book. This meant more time to connect with readers.

The library also underwent a huge renovation that Case says brought it to life, from the warm fireplaces to the welcoming children’s area.

What won’t change are the lasting friendships Case made with the community. She got to know people so well that she’d set aside books for library-goers based on their interests and favorite authors.

She has seen children she knew from her earlier years at the library grow up and bring their own families back to read the books they grew up with.

Though Bonnie retired from the library at the end of December 2016, it will still be an important place in her everyday life.

“I’ll definitely stay around, because this is my library,” Case said.

“I’m excited to come in and be on the other side of the shelf.”

In her retirement, Case hopes to remain involved through volunteer work and participating in community events. She’s also excited that her schedule will finally permit her to catch a movie on a Wednesday afternoon.

As for her final message as library director, she has nothing but thanks to a community that quickly became her family.

“I’d like to say thank you for a wonderful 42 years,” Case said.

“Thank you for letting me be a part of your story.”

C O M M UNIT Y CONTINUED FROM 12 refugees are unable to attend due to unpredictable work schedules, as well as a lack of reliable transportation and childcare options, Laywell said.

By having a laptop or desktop computer at their disposal, he explained, “They can be [learning English] on their own time and at their own pace.”

The technology will likely prove beneficial for all family members, said SMU junior Uroob Haris, a chemistry and business management major who participated in the class project.

“These parents are not only educating themselves, but [are] also opening up doors to opportunities for their children,” she said. “Their acquired English-language skills [will] help them advance their careers, find social networks, navigate healthcare, just make so many aspects of daily life accessible to them.”

The refugees at the IRC event were “just ecstatic over receiving the technology,” said senior Anna Landreneau.

“They were really touched by the fact that, especially with the current political climate, students in the local community would reach out to them and teach this class and help guide them.”

The marketing major said she is passionate about the “empathy gap” that exists for many refugees in the U.S. “Everyone has their experiences and fears, and sometimes those fears are backed up by legitimate concerns,” Landreneau said. “But I feel like when it comes to the needs of the community, that surpasses political ideology, that surpasses the fear of what’s going on abroad. ... It’s our job to reach out and be compassionate to people who we have no idea what they’ve been through.”

Since the event, the students have received additional donations of computers and software, and plan to host another training session with IRC’s clients this spring, according to Dr. Karin Quinones, an SMU adjunct professor who teaches the Project Management course.

This project was particularly inspiring, she said, because the students “had a chance to see the families receive the computers and begin to work on learning or improving their English right away. There was a great connection between the refugees and the students.”

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14 FEBRUARY 2017 | PARKCITIESPEOPLE.COM

C O MMUN I T Y

Rejoicing in ‘Sacred Chaos’

By William Taylor

People Newspapers No need to fret on Sunday evenings if instead of singing a smiling choir member waves, claps to her own beat, and spontaneously hugs the director during a song or two.

That’s a blessing, not a problem, during The Feast, Highland Park United Methodist Church’s special needs service where what the Rev. Ramsey Patton calls “sacred chaos” proves the norm.

“It’s lots of joy,” Patton, an associate pastor, said. “It’s lots of fun, singing and dancing. It’s a place where everyone can participate.”

If Patton needs a show of hands to make sure everyone received Communion, that’s OK. If some got served more than once, well, John Wesley, Methodism’s founder, did call it “the duty of every Christian to receive the Lord’s Supper as often as he can.”

Patton joined the staff at HPUMC in 2011. In 2014, she said, the Holy Spirit prompted her to start a service where those of varying cognitive and physical abilities and their fami-

C O U R T E SY C H R I S TAY LO R

The Kingdom Singers, directed by Terrie Preskitt-Brown, lead the music each week at The Feast.

“WHEN WE GO TO THE FEAST, YOU GET A GLIMPSE OF WHAT THE KINGDOM OF GOD IS.” T H E RE V. R AMSE Y PAT TON

The Photo Booth your guests can’t stop talking about.

lies could enjoy greater levels of participation and leadership.

The name for the service refers to “the heavenly feast to which all are invited and included,” Patton said. “When we go to The Feast, you get a glimpse of what the Kingdom of God is. We are all together. We are all rejoicing in the Lord.”

Music associate Terrie Preskitt-Brown views the service as a life-changing miracle and an opportunity to witness the “spiritual growth and spiritual gifts everyone can offer.”

“We need our special people as much as they need us,” she said.

During rehearsals, an hour before The Feast, Preskitt-Brown encourages members of the inclusive Kingdom Singers choir to count her mistakes, because doing so helps them pay attention. One week those mistakes kept coming, she recalled, until a choir member insisted, “Stop everything.

We need to have a prayer for Miss Terrie.”

The Feast started out as a monthly service in June 2015, but went weekly in January 2016.

“When we were meeting once a month, it felt more like a special event,” Patton said.

Having weekly services matches Christian tradition and has created a sense of community among those who attend, she said.

Regular attenders have developed new friendships and grown to care for each other, she said.

Attendance averages 50 to 60 with most coming from the Park Cities and nearby parts of Dallas, but some traveling from as far away as Melissa, Fort

Worth, and Irving, Patton said.

The choir has grown from five participants the first week — only one of whom was verbal — to 40 people on the roll with about 18 to 20 participating each week.

Preskitt-Brown picks familiar hymns and choruses or writes original songs to go with Patton’s message each week.

Hand motions and instruments such as maracas and shakers are typically involved.

Patton describes her own role in services as that of an emcee. She gives a brief reflection.

Special needs participants provide the music, give Scripture readings, lead prayers, take up offerings, and serve Communion.

On a recent Sunday evening, key roles went to Leah Battalora, Scripture reading; Kinsey Boozer, prayer; Constance Lewis, Communion liturgy; and Scott Spitler, post-Communion prayer.

John McKinley, as usual, offered a closing meditation before the Kingdom Singers led the congregation in the final two songs.

“To tell you the truth, we are all a little disoriented,” said McKinley, a 69-year-old who controls his epilepsy with medication.

He enjoys the friendships he’s made through The Feast, as well as the opportunity to share inspiration from the Bible.

“Basically, it’s people that care about you and encourage you to do this,” he said. “We are here for an hour, but we get a lot of spiritual guidance during that hour.

“Everyone can come and see and get to know us better.”

THE FEAST

Private Parties • Birthdays • Holiday celebrations Weddings • Company Events

The Photo Bus DFW • Owner: Kyle Coburn - HPHS ’02 214-702-4141 • ThePhotoBusDFW.com

Special needs service 5 p.m. Sundays HPUMC 3300 Mockingbird Lane, Room 120 Kingdom Singers rehearsal 4 p.m.

Contact Terrie Preskitt-Brown at preskittt@hpumc.org

PARKCITIESPEOPLE.COM | FEBRUARY 2017 15

C O MMUNIT Y

Got a Story?

Come to The Booth

By William Taylor

People Newspapers In Surviving Through Faith, Dallas author Zoltan Zsohar uses 304 pages to describe his family’s escape from Hungary ahead of Russian soldiers at the end of World War II. For a recent audio recording, he condensed a refugee story steeped in “hope, faith, love, devotion, and determination” to about 25 minutes.

“Normally I speak without notes, but because I have to maximize the use of the time in The Booth, I had notes to be sure I did not ramble and covered everything I wanted to cover,” he said.

Preston Hollow Presbyterian Church describes The Booth as a place for people to tell stories of where they have experienced the holy in their lives.

An anonymous donor made it possible for the church to purchase the recording space from the company that supplies spaces used by StoryCorps, whose podcasts are available at npr.org.

“ WE ARE EAGER TO SEE WHAT OTHER PEOPLE FROM THE COMMUNITY MIGHT WANT TO USE IT FOR.” R ICK B E ST StoryCorps travels the nation collecting people’s stories in hopes of building connections and moving toward a more compassionate world.

Similarly, Preston Hollow Presbyterian decided to get its own story booth to build relationships within families, the congregation, and the community.

“We are eager to see what other people from the community might want to use it for,” church member Rick Best said.

Best has been working with the Rev. Paul Seelman, the church’s executive pastor, and church member Rick Wyman to promote the new ministry.

The church opened its volunteer-manned booth at the end of October 2016.

The idea emerged in August as the church’s generosity team was planning for the annual stewardship campaign, when members commit to supporting the work of the church with their time and money.

Nina Rayburn, a young adult on the team, talked about “the importance of being able to share our stories of where

C O U R T E SY P R E S T O N H O L LO W PRESBY TERIAN CHURCH

Dalene Buhl tries out The Booth, a new space Preston Hollow Presbyterian Church offers for members and area residents to share and record their stories. we’ve seen God active in our lives and seen God’s generosity,” Seelman said.

The Booth is available for one-hour sessions. Participants get copies of their recordings — either on a compact disc or a thumb drive — and get to decide how their stories are used.

“They have the option of having it completely private for use by their family or sharing it for use with the church staff,” Best said.

The church’s senior pastor, the Rev. Matthew Ruffner, has talked with other religious leaders about using The Booth for relationship-building conversations.

“We are not looking for a religious story in every regard,” Seelman said.

Many could involve children asking grandparents about life experiences or spouses interviewing each other.

The theme for The Booth comes from Scripture. Psalm 22:22, (from the New Revised Standard Version), reads, “I will tell of your name to my brothers and sisters; in the midst of the congregation I will praise you.”

Wyman recently interviewed Joan Curtis, who talked about how enduring grace and the support of church members helped her emerge with a deepened faith after the death of her husband in 1995.

“People in PHPC were there with love to help me time and time again until I could stand on my own feet,” she said.

Preston Hollow Presbyterian, which primarily draws from the Preston Hollow and Lake Highlands areas but also other parts of Dallas including Highland Park, has about 2,700 members, according to Sara Stoltz, director of communications.

That’s plenty of potential stories to share.

FOR APPOINTMENTS The Booth, an 8-square-foot recording space set up in the Preston Hollow Presbyterian Church atrium, is free and available to the community. Visit phpc.org/thebooth for hours.

16  FEBRUARY 2017 | PARKCITIESPEOPLE.COM

C O MMUN I T Y

THE PARADE OF CHAMPIONS

Highland Park and University Park joined to celebrate the Highland Park High School state championship tennis team and football team Jan. 7 with school officials, alumni, and students marching in the Parade of Champions, which ended with a pep rally at Goar Park.

P H O T O S B Y K E LS E Y K R U Z I C H

18 FEBRUARY 2017 | PARKCITIESPEOPLE.COM FOR MORE E D U C AT I O N N E W S :

S C H O O LS

parkcitiespeople.com/ category/education

‘BEE-LIEVE’ IT TO ACHIEVE IT ESD all-girls robotics team researches declining bee populations in Texas Amber Hamilton

Special Contributor

K E LS E Y K R U Z I C H

Four ESD eighth-graders got 180 signatures for their petition to Save the Bees.

The four members of the only allgirls robotics team at the Episcopal School of Dallas had more than competition on their minds when they entered the First Lego League Robotics Competition at Parish Episcopal School in Dallas.

Eighth-graders Mary and Katherine Cowser, Sumner Wooldridge, and Jiaying Fu are also passionate about bees.

The competition called for teams to build a robot and have it navigate an obstacle, and also to work on a project that addresses an aspect of humanity’s negative impact on the environment.

The girls, who call themselves the “Bee-Lievers,” called their robot “Do Not Phil” as a play on the words “Do Not Fail.”

The Bee-Lievers researched declining bee populations in Texas and set about raising awareness. They launched a “Save the Bees” petition drive, and even reached out to the White House for support.

“It was challenging implementing the course of action we wanted to take,” Jiaying said. “We sent out tweets to celebrities or letters asking them to promote it, but since they’re celebrities, none of them replied.”

Nevertheless, the petition garnered

around 180 signatures. The girls plan to keep promoting their concerns.

“There are a lot of issues that need solving and sometimes you just have to research and focus on an issue you feel passionate about,” Katherine said. “If you feel passionate about a problem that needs solving then it’s really easy to do something about it.”

Initially, the team focused on domestic bees raised by beekeepers, but Sumner’s father (a beekeeper himself ) alerted the girls to the threats feral bees face.

“The feral, or lone, bees such as bumble bees or the bees that drill holes in the ground, are the ones that are really at stake,” Sumner explained. “Beekeepers can split the hive if part of it is dying, which keeps the population growing so they can breed. The lone bees don’t have anyone to watch over them and they’re the ones that are really affected.”

The girls learned many facts about bees, and the threats to their survival, during the project.

“I learned how important bees were,” Mary said. “They pollinate plants, and we need them to survive.”

As for their robot, the girls didn’t place in the competition, but they were recognized for good sportsmanship and professionalism.

“Working under stress was hard but we got it done,” Katherine said.

of m wn e o G pt U

HOLY TRINITY CATHOLIC SCHOOL EST 1914

Keeping Faith in Education 214-526-5113 3815 Oaklawn Ave. admissions@htcsdallas.org www.htcsdallas.org To Learn, To Serve, To Lead

Photo by Will Rain

Photo by Will Rain

NITY

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3815 Oak Lawn Ave. Dallas, TX 75219 214-526-5113 www.htcsdallas.org

Serving Students in Prek3-8th Grade Call or email for tour information.

20 FEBRUARY 2017 | PARKCITIESPEOPLE.COM

SCH O O LS BRIEFS

Four Singing Scots Advance to State

C O U R T E SY K A R E N K R A S O V E C

From left: Gracie Nunneley, Avery Davis, HPHS Choral Director Natalie Walker, Sarah Grace Zandstra, and Cailin Jordan Four Highland Park High School students earned All-State honors during the Jan. 7 Texas Musical Educators Association (TMEA) choir competition.

Cailin Jordan was named second chair, soprano 1; Gracie Nunneley, second chair, soprano 2; Avery Davis, second chair, alto 2; and Sara Grace Zandstra, third chair, alto 2.

The students will perform with the All-state Choir in San Antonio during the TMEA Convention Feb. 8-11.

“Placement in an All-State Choir is the highest individual honor a choral student can receive,” HPHS choir director Natalie Walker said. “These students have been working towards this audition since last summer.”

Highland Belles Announce New Lieutenants for 2017-18 Season

C O U R T E SY H P B E L L E S

The Highland Belles announced their new 2017-18 Lieutenants, who were chosen by a panel of judges: from left, Jillian Ellis, Catherine Magee,

Grace Dodd, Talle Olsen, and Claire Lake. They will take the field in their new roles for the first time during the Scots football season opener in August.

UP Planning and Zoning Commission Delay Decision on Elementary Rebuild The University Park Planning and Zoning Commission postponed the decision to approve a rezoning so Highland Park ISD can demolish and rebuild UP Elementary until the next meeting, on Feb. 14.

Staff recommended the decision be put off until a new traffic study could be performed. The current traffic study being used was conducted in June 2015, and the entrance has since changed.

Under the current plan, the

unloading site for the school will be a 5-foot sidewalk on Amherst, possibly to be increased to 8 feet.

The district will also look into the capacity for a storm sewer system and the possibility of adding drainage lines, as well as ways for the school to reduce its water intake.

HPISD’s plans for the new Seay Center, which also falls under the 2015 bond program, were also pushed off to the February meeting, after neighbors expressed concerns over traffic.

PARKCITIESPEOPLE.COM | FEBRUARY 2017 21

S C HOOLS

Imagining Life Diabetes-Free “ I T H AS N OTHING TO D O W I TH W H AT I E AT OR H OW MU CH I E X ERCI S E . A PART O F MY B ODY JU ST STO P PED WO R KI N G.” M A LLO RY R I C H A RDS

By Maria Adolphs

Special Contributor Parish Episcopal School student Mallory Richards can’t describe how a life without diabetes would feel, but theater helps her imagine it. “[Theater] has always been an outlet for me when having a tough day with my diabetes. [It allows] me to become a completely different person — a per-

C O U R T E SY M A L LO RY R I C H A R D S

Theater provides an outlet for Parish Episcopal School students. son without diabetes,” she said.

Richards has been involved in theater for seven years, since the fifth grade, and has lived with diabetes even longer. She was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes (T1D) at the age of 6.

“I was scared and had no idea what was happening with my body, but ... the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF)

was there to help my family and me through all of it,” she said.

Unlike Type 2 diabetes, Type 1 usually develops at a young age and the exact cause is unknown.

“It has nothing to do with what I eat or how much I exercise,” Richards said. “A part of my body just stopped working.”

In December, Richards’ passion for theater and her strug-

gle with diabetes came together when she directed and choreographed the fifth annual Parish Family Performs, raising money for diabetes awareness and research.

Each year, a junior from Parish is chosen to lead the show, a Broadway-style revue featuring singing, dancing, and acting performances by parents, faculty, staff, and alumni.

Teachers and parents took direction from a teenager well, Richards said. “They were really attentive and actually listened to me, but we also laughed a lot and had tons of fun.”

Proceeds from the performances go to the director’s organization of choice.

When it came time to choose an organization that would benefit from her school community service project, she knew at once it would be JDRF. Drawing a full crowd to the school’s 120-seat Black Box Theater on Dec. 8 and 9, the performances raised more than $4,000

for the JDRF Dallas Chapter.

“I love seeing everyone in the Parish community come together and help raise awareness for something that means so much to me,” Richards said.

People forget that living with diabetes is 24/7, she said.

Although Richards makes time management, taking care of herself, and having patience look easy, it is work.

She said her mom equates living with diabetes to being “like a duck on a pond: it looks graceful and calm just swimming along, but below the surface, you don’t see the paddling, and all the work it’s doing to keep moving forward.”

Richards stays busy. In addition to theater, the 11th grader is a cheerleader, student government member, and ambassador for the school.

With directing experience under her belt, Richards is looking forward to continuing acting after she graduates from Parish.

22 FEBRUARY 2017 | PARKCITIESPEOPLE.COM FOR MORE SPORTS NEWS:

SPORTS

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GOOD NEIGHBOR HP Point Guard to Fulfill Division I Dream at SMU

By Todd Jorgenson Sports Editor

Growing up in the Park Cities, Morgan Smith had always been a casual follower of the SMU women’s basketball program, but she never imagined playing there.

After all, it’s not often that a teenager with dreams of playing NCAA Division I basketball gets the opportunity to fulfill that goal practically in her own backyard.

So when the Mustangs offered her a scholarship, Smith knew it was a perfect fit. The Highland Park High School senior signed a letter of intent with SMU in November.

Smith credits the opportunity to her success both with the Lady Scots — where she’s been a three-year starter — and with her select team, the Dallas Hurricanes, for whom she had a strong showing last summer in a handful of high-profile tournaments.

“We started playing better competition, so more people came out,” Smith said. “I’m super excited [about SMU]. It’s a good atmosphere.”

Smith is part of the first recruiting class

for new SMU head coach Travis Mays, the former Texas assistant who took over the Mustangs program last fall.

“She is a combo guard who can play the one or the two,” Mays said. “She is the type of player who can stretch the defense with her ability to knock down three-point shots.

She has an incredible work ethic and is a great teammate.”

HP head coach Nicole Fleming has seen Smith boost her versatility during the past three years, despite standing just 5 feet, 6 inches.

“If you watch her play, you can see there’s a fire in her,” Fleming said. “There’s a focus in her and a passion that you can’t coach.”

Smith is the top scorer this season for HP, which is in contention for another playoff spot in District 15-5A. But as a team captain, she’s also become more of a vocal leader, which is a new role for her.

“She was very quiet. She knew what to say, but she wasn’t always comfortable saying it,” Fleming said. “This year, with her being a senior and being a captain, it’s made her more comfortable in giving direction.

She’s come a long way in that regard.”

C H R I S M C G AT H E Y

Morgan Smith is getting a shot at NCAA Division I basketball at SMU. The volume of her game has likewise continued to increase, as Smith’s perimeter skills have been complemented by improved ballhandling and defense.

“I needed to take some scoring responsibility on myself because we lost a lot of scoring from last year,” Smith said. “It’s made me attack the basket a lot more and look for my shot.”

New Softball Coach Aims to Build on Recent Success

By Todd Jorgenson Sports Editor

When Michael Pullen graduated from Highland Park High School, the school’s struggling softball program was still in its infancy.

Two decades later, as Pullen takes over as head coach, the Lady Scots are coming off a district title and back-to-back playoff appearances.

Pullen, an assistant coach for the past two seasons, is taking over for Meredith Townsend, who left HP for a job in Sulphur Springs. And he hopes to continue that recent run of success while building for the future.

“There’s something to be said about consistency,” Pullen said. “We’re trying to remain true to a lot of the things that she did, because it’s working.”

Pullen’s coaching background is primarily in baseball, but there’s plenty of

softball experience in his family. His wife, Rachel, played softball at HP during the late 1990s.

Last season, HP had its best season in program history, winning a District 10-6A title before being eliminated by Rockwall in the area round of the playoffs.

However, that team was loaded with seniors, and just two starters return this spring — slugging shortstop Amanda Reenan and first baseman Sidney Thompson.

The Lady Scots must find a new pitcher to replace Katie Bell, who patrolled the circle for the past four years.

“It’s a brand new crop out there,” Pullen said. “We’ve got a really good group of young kids who have been playing for a long time.”

Thanks to recent efforts to improve depth at the subvarsity and middle-school levels, participation numbers throughout the program remain high. Yet the varsity roster will include at least five freshmen

and just one senior.

Among the top newcomers will be freshmen Ava Sims and Dawson Dabbousi, along with junior Sadie Banks, a transfer from McKinney Christian.

Pullen knows that scrimmages and early-season tournament play will be critical for gaining experience, shaping the lineup, and developing chemistry prior to the start of the rigid District 155A schedule on March 7 against Lovejoy.

Eventually, he hopes that this year’s freshman class can replicate the accomplishments of last year’s seniors — and that’s a realistic goal.

“We have freshmen in the right spots. That’s what you want,” Pullen said. “We have quite a few that can help us.”

SCHEDULE February 14 16-18 21 23-25 28

Richardson Pearce Forney tournament Terrell Richardson tournament Argyle

March 7 10 11 13 21 24 28 31

Lovejoy* at North Forney* Mesquite Poteet* at West Mesquite* at Forney* Royse City* at Wylie East* at Lovejoy*

April 4 7 11 13 18 21

North Forney* West Mesquite* at Mesquite Poteet* Forney* at Royse City* Wylie East*

* — District 15-5A game

7 p.m.

TBA 7 p.m.

TBA 7 p.m.

7 p.m.

7 p.m.

1:30 p.m.

11:30 a.m.

7 p.m.

7 p.m.

7 p.m.

7 p.m.

7 p.m.

7 p.m.

7 p.m.

7 p.m.

7 p.m.

7 p.m.

24 FEBRUARY 2017 | PARKCITIESPEOPLE.COM

R E A L E S TAT E Q U A R T E R LY

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GATEWAY UP FOR GRABS Vacant property on HP border could soon be sold

C O U R T E SY A L L I E B E T H A L L M A N

The vacant land near the convergence of Armstrong Avenue, Lakeside Drive, and Oak Lawn Avenue where it becomes Preston Road is on the market.

By Joshua Baethge

People Newspapers One of the last undeveloped tracts of land in the Park Cities is drawing intense interest, according to representatives from Allie Beth Allman and Associates.

The 1.17-acre triangular plot bordered

by Lakeside Drive, Armstrong Avenue, and Oak Lawn Avenue is being marketed as the “Gates of Highland Park.” While the land has been for sale since mid-fall, tall wooden signs erected just before New Year’s have generated increased attention.

“I can’t think of another location that would be more desirable,” former High-

land Park mayor William D. White Jr. said.

In 1906, real estate developer John Armstrong purchased a large amount of land just north of Dallas for $276 an acre.

The city’s population had more than doubled following the turn of the century, and was fast approaching 100,000.

Armstrong saw enormous potential in the area he dubbed “Highland Park,” so named because it sat on high terrain overlooking downtown.

Armstrong formed a real estate company with his sons-in-law Hugh Prather and Edgar Flippen, and together they hired William David Cook — the master planner behind Beverly Hills — to create

a similar design for their development.

The result was a blueprint for the treefilled residential community that exists today, complete with ample space set aside for parks. At the time, Armstrong remarked that a hill on the southern edge of the development would serve as “the gateway and entrance of Highland Park.”

Over the following decades, development consumed most of the surrounding area, yet the small hill remained virtually untouched. A church considered buying it at one point, but a deal was never reached. There were also proposals for a city park that never quite came together.

“The opportunity that is there is really unique because there is no land like that

left,” said real estate agent Juli Harrison.

The area is zoned for two home sites, though it is possible that a buyer could decide to build one large estate instead.

The land includes 22 large oak trees that were recently trimmed for the first time in ages. The property owner joked that they hadn’t been touched since “Crockett went down to the Alamo.”

According to the Town of Highland Park’s building regulations, any construction plans will have to be approved by the city council after considering public input.

“We hope to find someone who will carry on the architecture and the history of the area,” Harrison said.

New Year, New Home.

Here are just a few of the homes we’ve helped our clients buy and sell in the last year.

Where will 2017 take you?

Dave Perry-Miller Real Estate

Paige & Curt Elliott facebook.com/elliott&elliott elliott@daveperrymiller.com elliott.daveperrymiller.com 214.478.9544

An Ebby Halliday Company

30 FEBRUARY 2017 | PARKCITIESPEOPLE.COM

R E AL E STAT E QUARTERLY

Balanced Market Brings Opportunities for Buyers, Sellers

By William Taylor

PA R K C I TI E S

People Newspapers While active home listings in Preston Hollow and the Park Cities dipped in the fourth quarter, 2016 brought greater housing inventory overall, creating opportunities for buyers as well as sellers.

New listings may not be likely to go under contract instantly in a wave of multiple offers like they would a few years ago, but home prices remain strong and sellers who have done quality renovations are still rewarded, according to Shell Stegall, senior vice president and broker with Briggs Freeman Sotheby’s International Realty, who has spent 25 years in real estate.

“It’s not quite so chaotic now,” she said.

“It’s becoming a little more balanced between the power of buyers and sellers.”

Active listings in 2016 averaged 22 percent higher than in 2015, according to data from North Texas Real Estate Information Systems Inc. With that increase in inventory came more days on market — an average of 13 days more in the Park Cities and four days more in Preston Hollow.

“It feels like days on market is longer to all of us,” Stegall said. “It also feels like pricing is more fragile or sensitive, and I think

Month

Closed sales

Median price

Price per Sold to Active Days on Months’ sq. foot list price listings market supply

Sept. 2016

65

$1,151,000

$364

94%

363

82

6.3

Dec. 2016

70

$1,250,000

$381

95%

262

79

4.5

699

$1,210,000

$374

95%

343

69

5.9

Total for year

PR E STON HOLLOW Month

Closed sales

Median price

Price per Sold to Active Days on Months’ sq. foot list price listings market supply

Sept. 2016

64

$952,500

$269

93%

325

71

5.6

Dec. 2016

53

$891,500

$248

92%

237

79

4.3

Total for year

669

$805,000

$257

95%

304

60

5.5

Source: North Texas Real Estate Information Systems Inc.

it’s because there’s a little more inventory available and so buyers will walk away from a house if you overprice.

“If a house comes on the market, and it’s pristine, and it’s fantastic, and it’s priced right it will be gone in two days,” she said.

“If it’s not quite priced right or has a quirky floor plan, it will sit a while.”

On the plus side, Stegall expects that to encourage quality renovations.

Jumping into the renovating business and making only cosmetic changes won’t

be enough, she said. “I end up locating the higher-end renovators’ work and that’s what [clients] are buying. That’s a shift in the market that I hope we continue to see.”

Median home prices were up in 2016 from the previous year — 7.5 percent in the Park Cities and nearly 3 percent in Preston Hollow — but total sales were down nearly 5 percent in Preston Hollow.

“The difficulty was trying to find the right product for my buyer,” said Anne Bingham, a real estate agent with Dave Per-

ry-Miller who has 31 years of experience.

While her Park Cities buyers tend to be families attracted by the schools, her Preston Hollow buyers tend to be older clients seeking larger lots with three-car garages and media rooms, she said. “It’s a buyer who wants all the bells and whistles. They want rooms for their toys.”

Bingham suggested the presidential election may have contributed to the fourth-quarter decline in housing inventory and the shortage of the products her clients were seeking.

“People were waiting with the election,” she said. “I think they were just holding on.”

Bingham said people in her office have been talking about the election and the new president and don’t know what to expect.

“I think we feel like we are going to have a solid market in 2017 if nothing crazy is happening in the world,” she said.

Early indications suggest a fast start.

Bingham was anticipating a quiet period from Jan. 1 through Jan. 10, but clients began calling Jan. 2.

“I’ve been running around previewing houses,” she said.

Stegall has been busy early, too.

“Used to be people would start calling toward the end of February,” she said.

“Spring market now starts in January.”

PARKCITIESPEOPLE.COM | FEBRUARY 2017 31

SPECIA L A DV E RT ISING C O NT E NT ALLIE BETH ALLMAN & ASSOCIATES

Haven Group Comes Home to Allie Beth Allman

In 2016, the Haven Group re-joined Allie Beth Allman & Associates after spending several years at a different brokerage. Chris Pyle, and the rest of the team, decided to come back because of the firm’s core values, which set it apart from other Dallas-area real estate companies.

“My team and I returned to ABA because we recognized that it is led with an attitude of results, market knowledge and sales,” he said. “As an entrepreneur, I want to build a business and a brand that best serves my clients, and Allie Beth Allman & Assoicates allows you to do that. Allie Beth Allman is more than one person—it is a company that stands for its agents and about getting the job done for its clients.”

The Haven Group primarily works in the Park Cities, Preston Hollow, Uptown and East Dallas, and did roughly $125,000,000 in production in 2016. Members include: Erin Ballard, Ashley Beane, Thomas Bellinger, Shirley Cohn, John Eller, Sara Johnson, Ryan Naggar, Chari Oglesby, Sharon Palmer, Alexis Pearl, Chris Pyle, Kate Looney Walters, Catherine Wilson. To learn more about these agents, visit www.alliebeth.com.

BEACON HILL

Cedar Creek Lake’s Newest Luxury Townhomes

James A. Stewart, President and CEO of Beacon Hill on Cedar Creek Lake, is announcing the release of a limited number of 4 Story Luxury Townhomes on Summit Drive, located at the Community’s highest point.

“These select homesites are at the highest point on the lake with 360 degree panoramic views”, quotes Stewart. “Each 4 story home will feature large floor to ceiling windows, rooftop terraces and their own private individual glass enclosed elevator which will feature breathtaking views as they ascend on each level of the 4 story home” Due to the limited number of townhouse offerings, Beacon Hill on Cedar Creek Lake has set up a Sneak Preview VIP Registration Hotline at 903-498-LAKE (5253).

You can also visit www.liveatbeaconhill.com/contact to register online.

ALLIE BETH ALLMAN & ASSOCIATES

63 New Agents Join in 2016

THE RHODES GROUP

Secluded Two-story Simplifies Daily Living

Rusty Goff built this HPISD district home at 7831 Amherst to suit day-to-day life.

Situated on a Cul-de-Sac, traffic is minimal. Four bedrooms each feature bathrooms, including a master retreat. Formals facilitate entertaining, while the den and flexible upstairs space create ease.

A spacious kitchen with breakfast bar encourages company.

Even dogs get a shower in the large laundry room.

To view this easy-living home, listed at $1,395,000, contact Dan Rhodes at 214-415-4642.

Since becoming part of Berkshire Hathaway a little more than a year ago, Allie Beth Allman & Associates has grown in an unprecedented way, adding 63 new agents who joined ABA because of the entrepreneurial spirit that has been set by the CEO herself.

Allie Beth Allman agents understand that technology and marketing play key roles in real estate, but they also recognize that it takes a strong leader who has an expertise in sales and who truly knows how to connect people to homes.

“I have never gotten out of real estate listing and sales because I believe there is no better way to train and coach agents than leading by example. I want each agent who joins to know it is a company that infuses and empowers people so that they can build a business for themselves and achieve the goals of their clients. That is who I am. That is Allie Beth Allman & Associates.

For a list of all of our agents, and to see our current listings, visit www.alliebeth.com.

W hen buying a home, or selling your own home, hire the Realtor, not the Company. Having an estab-

lished, working relationship with a Realtor will remain no matter what agency they work from. As in a doctor/patient or attorney/client relationship, so it is with the Realtor. Keep in mind, it is the Realtor with whom you work. I meet you face-to-face. I handle the details of the purchase or sale, and take much Kathy Henry is a Sales Associate with Keller of the burden off my clients in the multi-phased transaction. I Williams Preston Road, and has been licensed listen to your needs, and have Realtor of over 20 years your best interests in mind. As specializing in the sale, with any service provider, listing and leasing of including a Realtor, establish- residential properties.

She is a native of Dallas, ing a relationship is the key. and a Certified I build a long term business Negotiation Specialist. relationship with my clients Kathy Henry handles and am happy to extend my residential transactions throughout DFW, expertise to your friends and including Park Cities relatives with your referrals for and Preston Hollow. many years to come.

KATHY HENRY

Keller Williams Realty 18383 Preston Rd., #150 Dallas, Texas 75252 214-497-5198 kathy.henry@sbcglobal.net

32 FEBRUARY 2017 | PARKCITIESPEOPLE.COM

RE A L E STAT E Q UA RT ERLY

From Black Box to Information Onslaught

ALEX DOUBET

CAMPS SPECIAL SECTION MARCH ISSUE SPACE RESERVATION: JAN. 30TH CONTACT YOURACCOUNT EXECUTIVE: 214.739.2244

For every generation before us that dreamed of one day purchasing a home, the process was opaque and incredibly complicated. Buyers sought out real estate agents not just for their charm and hand-holding through the process, but because those agents were the only ones who knew which homes were actually on the market. Short of slowly driving block-by-block through your dream neighborhood and writing down addresses with For Sale signs in the front yard, choosing a real estate agent was the only way to ensure that you could even find a home to buy.

I don’t have to tell you that this is clearly no longer the case. With the advent of companies like Zillow and other online real estate databases, today’s consumers have access to nearly as much information as those very same agents. Just 10 years after its founding, Zillow says that nearly nine out of 10

homebuyers now use the Internet when searching for a home.

And we’re not just talking about Millennials here. 71 percent of those over the age of 65 search for their next home online. And that figure skyrockets up to 90 percent for those between 18 and 35.

But a funny thing has happened along the way. Even in the face of all of this information becoming available online — the floor plans and photo galleries and school district maps — the percentage of homebuyers who use a real estate agent has actually increased since the beginning of the decade, from 69 percent in 2001 to 87 percent in 2015.

So what gives? Real estate information can hardly still be accused of being held out of consumer view in an impenetrable black box. Instead, the box in today’s market is completely transparent, and accessible to anyone with a cell phone or library card. Access to all of that valuable information has been completely democratized.

But having access to information and understanding what to do with it are two very different things. And therein lies the new role that today’s real estate agents have embraced. Agents have evolved from gatekeepers

to interpreters, helping people to sort and synthesize the massive amount of data out there.

And while that evolution has surely been transformative, agents as a whole have handled the transition with grace and the industry’s hallmark charm, combatting ever-increasing amounts of technological innovation with an equal measure of good old-fashioned hospitality.

While vacationers don’t hesitate to book their own flights and hotels in 2016, eschewing travel agents, the home purchase or sale transaction is a large, infrequent, and scary one. Is it really so bad that people want a little hand-holding when making the most expensive purchases of their lives?

The technological tide that has swept through our modern lives shows no sign of retreating anytime soon. Far from it! Someday our grandchildren will look back at today’s so-called innovations and roll their eyes. But as future technologies enhance and sometimes encroach upon our lives, I expect that the real estate industry will continue to match that momentum with warmth and humanity.

Alex Doubet is the founder and CEO of Door, a Dallas-area tech-driven real estate brokerage.

PARKCITIESPEOPLE.COM | FEBRUARY 2017 33

S P E C I A L A DV E RT I S I N G C ON T E N T ELLIOTT & ELLIOTT

Adam Whitmire Joins Group

Clients of Dave Perry-Miller Real Estate’s Paige and Curt Elliott consistently speak of their detailed professionalism, dedicated customer service, and market knowledge. Since forming in 2007, these top producers have gradually built their team and business, mainly through referrals.

In late 2016, Adam Whitmire returned to Dallas and joined the team, adding his experiences in lending and real estate to their already extensive industry arsenal. “Adam’s solid banking background makes clients feel confident about what is often perceived to be the most intimidating aspect of a home sale,” Curt Elliott says.

DAHLBERG LANDSCAPE DESIGN STUDIO

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• Swimming pools and water features, retaining walls, terraces, arbors, play areas, parking and motor-court facilities, landscape lighting, outdoor sculpture selection, irrigation, mosquito control, • Essentially all aspects for enjoyment of your outdoor

living environs Life is Good! 214.379.2099 www.dahlbergstudio.com

BRIGGS FREEMAN SOTHEBY’S INTERNATIONAL REALTY

Five Steps to Prepare Your Home to Sell

ALLIE BETH ALLMAN & ASSOCIATES

Allman is Market Leader

6131 Mimosa Lane is listed by Katherine Roberts and Pete Ryan for $2,350,000.

Preparing your home to sell is a great time to consult your Realtor to make a beautiful first impression and attract maximum attention – and buyers. These tips from the National Association of Realtors will help your home shine!

Clean out, declutter and repair— Consult with your Realtor about which repairs are needed to make sure your home is in tip-top shape to attract desired buyers.

Stage to perfection—A stager, working closely with your real estate agent, will help you set the tone for that first look.

Elevate curb appeal—Power wash all exterior surfaces and freshen landscaping with seasonal plantings and a layer of mulch.

Hire a professional house photographer—Data shows that 97 percent of new home searches start online. Eye-catching photography is the first opportunity you have to engage potential buyers.

Price strategically—Today’s buyers know what home values are. They’re willing to pay full price but will pass on a home they don’t think is worth what the seller is asking.

President and CEO Robbie Briggs independently owns and operates Briggs Freeman Sotheby’s International Realty. For more information see briggsfreeman.com.

At the beginning of 2017, Allie Beth Allman & Associates has the most listings and highest volume of listings and $1 millionplus listings in the Park Cities. In Preston Hollow, the firm has the highest volume of listings and $1 million-plus listings. The company has the most listings in the Turtle Creek/Oak Lawn area and the highest volume of listings and $1 million-plus listings in East Dallas.

“We sell 97% of our listings,” noted Ms. Allman. “We respect our clients and the trust they place with us.”

For 2017, Ms. Allman reaffirms her belief in optimism and opportunity. “Dallas is the second-fastest growing metro area in the U.S. Our job growth paces the nation. So even with a genuine housing shortage and potential increases in interest rates, Dallas is the place to be for the next decade. The market is there - let’s get it done.”

Ms. Allman continued: “Our firm has the earned reputation of making the deal work. As an entrepreneur, you approach each day, each deal with fresh vision and open mind. The question is not about commission, or competing with another agent - it’s how can we meet this client’s needs by getting this deal done? If it doesn’t work, that’s the time to learn, not mourn... and fear of failure is the biggest roadblock to success. “

VIRGINIA COOK, REALTORS

Greg Pape of Virginia Cook, Realtors Offers New Home in University Park

Located one block from Germany Park and about 1.5 miles to Highland Park Village, this new home exemplifies Park Cities living with easy accessibility to neighborhood schools and shops.

Built by the acclaimed luxury home builder, Ellen Grass & Sons, with approximately 5,600 square feet of comfort and quality. Center hall design, high ceilings, wood floors, granite and marble keynotes handsome interiors.

Elegant 2 story foyer opens to beautiful area for entertaining and relaxing including but not limited to a large living room with built-ins and fireplace, study, spacious formal dining room and a second floor game room. Fireplace also in Study, and the Outdoor Living area. Two car Attached rear entry garage.

Pool-size back yard where an outdoor living area awaits gatherings complemented with adjacent handsome 10 ft. metal/window doors. The home offers a gorgeous culinary island kitchen with beamed ceiling treatments and stainless appliances that includes gas cook-top, double ovens and a builtin refrigerator, freezer and microwave.

Additional amenities include up-stairs utility room with builtins and sink, wiring for flat screens, as well as for sound and security systems.

Offered at $2,775,000, the home is located 4416 McFarlin.

For additional information, please contact Greg Pape at 214546-4066, gregpape@att.net

VENTANA BY BUCKNER

Luxury Meets Life Care in the Park Cities

BRIGGS FREEMAN SOTHEBY’S INTERNATIONAL REALTY

BRIGGS FREEMAN SOTHEBY’S INTERNATIONAL REALTY

Extraordinary Homes Sold in Dallas

ALLIE BETH ALLMAN & ASSOCIATES

Dallas Brokerage Makes History

3800 Normandy Avenue

3800 Normandy Avenue is listed by Shell Stegall for $3,342,000.

Located in the prestigious Mount Vernon enclave of Highland Park, this contemporary home manages to be inviting and gracious while still standing out in its bold, unique style – perfect for the homeowner who is more of a trendsetter than trend follower.

This one-of-a-kind home is a stunning example of the primary goal of California Modernism: to bring the outdoors inside.

From sunrise to sunset, gentle rays of light flood in through the broad, floor-to-ceiling windows. The floorplan has an elegant flow and a luminous, neutral palette. The exceptional materials and designer finishes were thoughtfully selected and inspired by the natural light. American Clay plaster harmonizes with the outdoors and elegant terrazo floors add a luster rarely seen in homes and are virtually indestructible.

Designed for avid cooks and entertainers, the unapologetically modern kitchen is clad in custom Poggenpohl cabinetry, quartz countertops, Dombracht fixtures, and Wolf, Sub-Zero and Miele stainless steel appliances. The dynamic space becomes the life of the party once food and friends are introduced.

President and CEO Robbie Briggs independently owns and operates Briggs Freeman Sotheby’s International Realty. For more information see briggsfreeman.com.

As of today, only a limited number of opportunities remain to save $50,000 or more while securing a luxury apartment home in Dallas’ first and only high-rise Life Care community, Ventana by Buckner. Offering spacious, modern apartment living with floor-to-ceiling windows and panoramic views of the Park Cities, Ventana is extending a package of pre-construction savings for a limited time just for those who reserve one of a few remaining available apartments. Simply by making a fully refundable deposit, you or your family members can be assured savings of $50,000 or more over the cost of entry when Ventana opens to the public in 2019.

VENTANA: THE HIGH POINTS • Dallas’ only high-rise, Life Care Community • Panoramic Views/Floor-to- Ceiling Windows • 26 Customizable Floor Plans • One All-inclusive Monthly Fee • Heated, Salt Water Indoor Pool • Three Dining Venues • Sky Lounge/Rooftop Garden/ Patio Grill • Fitness Center, Salon and Spa • On-site Health Care Accommodations • 95% Refund of Deposit • Predictable Future Fees for Life!

To secure your future and $50,000 or more in savings 469.452.2703 VENTANABYBUCKNER.COM OPENS EARLY 2019

New owners will enjoy the sleek, modern interiors at 4437 Livingston Avenue. Listed for $1,725,000. Sold by Will Seale.

4437 Livingston Avenue | Highland Park The traditional exterior of this Highland Park home belies its sleek, modern interior and grounds. The previous owners transformed this five-bedroom residence into a bright, cleanlined interior that is both breathtaking and livable. The master suite is spectacular and features sleek built-in drawers, a custom closet, and a beautiful spa-like bath. Listed for $1,725,000. Sold by Will Seale.

10024 Rock Hill Lane | Preston Hollow With thoughtful architectural design and extraordinary quality, this home is situated in Preston Hollow’s gated Walnut Estates. Find unique walnut floors, high ceilings, solid core doors, traditional millwork and tremendous storage throughout.

A bright kitchen with black granite counters, glass-front cabinets, two dishwashers and a Sub-Zero refrigerator opens to a spacious breakfast room and sizable den. Listed for $1,695,000. Sold by Gretchen Brasch and Elly Holder.

President and CEO Robbie Briggs independently owns and operates Briggs Freeman Sotheby’s International Realty. For more information see briggsfreeman.com.

When asked to reflect on 2016 and project for 2017, Allie Beth Allman, founder and CEO of the Dallas-based firm that bears her name, smiled and said: “Well, we started strong and finished strong.”

Allie Beth Allman & Associates began 2016 by making history.

The residential brokerage accomplished the largest single residential sale in Dallas and Texas history with closing on Walnut Place, the Hicks estate, listed at $100 million. This epochal event was followed by achieving the second-biggest sale in Dallas history, the Crow estate, listed at $59 million.

Making history is not unusual for the Allman firm. In 2012, Allie Beth Allman & Associates became the first single-office firm in Dallas history to achieve $1 billion in sales, a mark the company has exceeded every succeeding year. This tradition goes back to the mid 80s, when Allman opened her own firm and immediately was recognized as the Top Producer in Dallas for three straight years.

These core values attracted the Berkshire Hathaway housing company HomeServices of America, who acquired the Allman firm as their first affiliate in Texas.

Staying active in the market is vital for Allman. “You have to know the market - what’s really going on. I spend time coaching agents and sharing experience, so I need to know the neighborhoods. And market knowledge is vital to understanding value for the client. “

34 FEBRUARY 2017 | PARKCITIESPEOPLE.COM FOR MORE BUSINESS NEWS:

BUSINESS

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GOOD VIBES

Snider Plaza goes coastal

By Fallon Lineberger

Special Contributor

K E LS E Y K R U Z I C H / C O U R T E SY P H O T O S

West Coast Vibes brings a California edge to Snider Plaza.

Dallas may be far away from the West Coast, but it’s managed to pick up some of the quintessential California style.

Lori Landes’ beachy, edgy boutique West Coast Vibes took the place of an old 1930s movie theater in Snider Plaza in October 2016. For Landes, a Highland Park mom with two sons at Highland Park High School and three younger kids, opening the store has been a labor of love.

“I want the [clothing] to be comfortable and still be fashionable,” Landes said. “Nothing in Dallas has been this edgy and this sort of feel.”

West Coast Vibes sells a lifestyle, with trendy apparel for men, women, and children, from brands of a certain ilk — Alo, J Brand, Toms, Spiritual Gangster, good hYOUman. Brand names are featured on wooden signs in the shape of surfboards. The shop is decorated in bright colors and hashtags.

The clothes are made from soft, comfortable materials and sold at a comfortable price point for the pocket.

Landes hopes the variety of prices will help attract a wide range of customers.

In choosing brands that are not frequently sold in Dallas, the store has cultivated a look that is in high demand, store manager Cody Mowat said. “Everyone is already wearing these clothes;

[West Coast Vibes] is just giving them a place to shop.”

West Coast Vibes’ own line includes hats, Levi’s vintage denim jackets, tote bags, and the signature bomber jacket with the West Coast Vibes logo embroidered on the back. The jackets have become such a hit that Lane has had to open an e-commerce store on westcoastvibes.com.

Landes, who has a second home in Santa Monica, has been asked to open stores in California and New York, but for now, she wants to keep the business specific to the Park Cities.

“My reasoning behind doing this was to make a fun and casual boutique that caters to our neighborhood so that [Dallas] could have all the brands [we] wanted, while having a passion to bring a different environment to Dallas,” Landes said. “California is my happy place, and hopefully, I can instill a little of that at the store.”

“ I H AVE A PAS S IO N TO BRIN G A D IFFE RE N T E N VIRO N ME N T TO DALL AS . ” LORI L A N D E S

Go for Poke in Preston Center

By Elizabeth Djinis

Special Contributor

TA N N E R G A R Z A

Go Fish Poke brings the latest trend in seafood to Preston Center.

For Dallas-area fans of poke, the trendy Hawaiian raw fish salad, the first week of February brings exciting news.

Never to be behind in a trend, Dallas is getting its own fast-casual poke restaurant in Preston Center.

Dallas-based restaurateur Tony Lin, 35, decided to open Go Fish Poke after seeing the dish’s increasing popularity in California.

“The [location] is so perfect for poke because you have so many healthy people who want to have something healthy,” Lin said. “In the shopping center, you don’t have much like what

we’re offering there, so I think it’ll be a great fit for the location.”

The quintessential Hawaiian dish is influenced by Asian traditions, Lin said. Poke (pronounced “po-kay”) is a Hawaiian word meaning to cut into pieces and has been eaten for centuries on the islands, but has only recently become popular in the rest of the country.

At Go Fish Poke, Lin wants to create a mom-and-pop feel, but more upscale.

Customers can customize their bowls, served over rice, with a variety of raw or nearly raw fish options, such as salmon, yellowtail, or shrimp.

Lin said it is important to use sushi rice rather than tradi-

tional white rice. “I want to do it a little bit different, but [the bowls have] still got those sushi qualities in there,” Lin said.

He’s not too concerned about local competition, since his restaurant is the only one of its kind in the area, according to Lin. Lin owns two other restaurants, both focused on Japanese cuisine — one in Alabama, and a Hibachi steakhouse and sushi joint in Rockwall.

His eventual goal is to expand within the Dallas area.

“This [poke restaurant] will be our first one, but hopefully in the future we are going to expand in the next three to five years,” Lin said. “We want to have at least 10 in DFW.”

PARKCITIESPEOPLE.COM | FEBRUARY 2017 35

BU S I N E S S

Yolk Hatches Expansion Plan

C O U R T E SY P H O T O S

Breakfast in Preston Center just got serious with the arrival of Chicago-bred Yolk.

By Elizabeth Djinis

Special Contributor Fans of downtown Dallas’ breakfastand-lunch-centered Yolk restaurant will be glad to know there’s a new Yolk in town.

Owner Taki Kastanis opened the 10th location of his Chicago-bred restaurant in Preston Center to target residential Dallas.

“Preston Center seemed like the perfect mix of residential and commercial. It’s just a good high-volume area, high density,” Kastanis said. “As soon as the location came up, we took a run at it and we grabbed the location.”

Yolk’s egg-heavy breakfast menu includes pot roast and a poached egg on an English muffin, a three-egg scambler with sautéed kale, caramelized onion, tomato, and goat cheese, and several combination dishes and omelet options.

There’s also chicken and waffles, potato pancakes, and a smoked salmon platter as well as sweeter options such as french toast, crepes, and Nutty Monkey Cakes — bananas, chocolate, peanut butter, and pancakes.

The lunch menu includes a variety of burgers, sandwiches, soups, and salads.

Yolk opened in December 2016. Since then, Kastanis said, business has been going well. The holiday season made for a particularly busy month, so Kastanis is

waiting to settle into the normal pace of business.

Preston Center is Yolk’s third North Texas location, after One Arts Plaza and Fort Worth’s Sundance Square. The idea to expand to Dallas was a logical next step for Kastanis.

“Everybody’s moving down to Texas. A lot of companies are moving down there and the state of Texas is growing,” Kastanis said. “It seemed like Dallas out of all the cities in Texas was the most similar to Chicago as far as the type of people.”

Kastanis opened Yolk 10 years ago in Chicago after he saw a need for a breakfast-oriented restaurant. He grew up in the restaurant business and wanted to continue in his parents’ industry while at the same time making his own mark.

“I always liked the breakfast aspect [of the business],” Kastanis said. “I felt no one was doing it well or as well as I thought it could be [done].”

Yolk now boasts five Chicago locations.

Eventually, Kastanis hopes to expand further into Dallas and move out into the suburbs, possibly considering restaurants in rapidly-growing Frisco and Plano.

“After we’re done with Dallas, at that point we’ll probably jump over to another city: Houston, Austin, San Antonio,” Kastanis said.

36 FEBRUARY 2017 | PARKCITIESPEOPLE.COM FOR MORE SOCIETY NEWS:

SOCIETY

parkcitiespeople.com/ category/society

CAROLINE ROSE HUNT SOCIETY DINNER

Kathleen Cunningham and Randy Willis Lyda Hill, Caroline Rose Hunt, Robert Brackbill, and Laurie Sands Harrison P H O T O S C O U R T E SY D A L L A S A R B O R E T U M

Ross and Margot Perot with Nancy Shutt and Mary Anne Cree

Kris and Ed Burks

Joan and Alan Walne

Houston Hunt, Caroline L. Hunt, Betsy Hunt, and Bob White

Steve Coke, Nancy Rutchik, and David Goyer

Chick and Jane Pierce

Rick and April Morris Lafitte

The Caroline Rose Hunt Society hosted 75 members at a dinner Nov. 30 at the home of Marianna Planke. Caroline Rose Hunt attended, along with members of her family. Guest enjoyed hors d’oeuvres while listening to a trio of violinists during the cocktail hour and dinner. The Caroline Rose Hunt Society provides support for the Dallas Arboretum and Botanical Garden and its expansion projects.

PARKCITIESPEOPLE.COM | FEBRUARY 2017 37

S O CIET Y

VOICES FOR A CAUSE

Madeline Littrell, Dana Swann, Kelcey Hamilton, and John Stefanski PHOTOS BY ROSANNE LEWIS / DALLAS CASA

Rob and Linda Swartz

Sarah Crowder and Ken Smith

Emma Carter and Mark Hiduke

Dallas CASA Young Professionals held an inaugural benefit concert, Voices for a Cause, Nov. 17 at The Rustic. Performances, which included the Ray Johnston band as headliner, drew a sell-out crowd of 300.

Proceeds from the event benefit Dallas CASA’s mission to advocate for abused and neglected children and help them find safe, permanent homes.

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Chinese New Year!

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Come and join the celebration and let the lion visit your table to bring you good luck and happiness in the New Year!

3180 Welborn St, Dallas, TX 75219 • (214) 219-9908

38 FEBRUARY 2017 | PARKCITIESPEOPLE.COM

S OCI ET Y

DMA ART BALL ANNOUNCEMENT PARTY

Jeff Ellerman, Steve and Barbara Durham, and Pam Ellerman

Sogand Shoja and Jeanne Berry Ann Hobson and Brian Bolke P H O T O S B Y TA M Y T H A C A M E R O N

Cynthia Calabrese, Rebecca Fletcher, and Terri Provencal

Hale Hoak, Catherine Rose, and Dee Dee Hoak

Michael and Rachel Osburn with Carlos Gonzalez-Jaime

Morgan Williams and Justin Meyer

Jeanne Marie Clossey and Cynthia Calabrese

Sara Stroud, Chesie Breen, Brooke Hortenstine, and Jessica Garrison

Melissa Fetter, Greg Venker, Sheryl Adkins-Green, and Geoff Green

Capera Ryan and Cathy Kincaid Hudson

The Dallas Museum of Art announced at a party hosted

by Cathy Kincaid Hudson that Ann and Lee Hobson will serve as 2017 Art Ball chairs and “All That Glitters” will be the theme of the fundraiser, to be held April 22 at the DMA. Proceeds from the event will support the DMA’s commitment to providing free access to its collections, as well as various exhibitions and educational programs.

40 FEBRUARY 2017 | PARKCITIESPEOPLE.COM

S OCI ET Y

DYKES LEADERSHIP AWARD

Chuck Chandler and Jim Fite

Kevin Dahlberg, Francie Moody-Dahlberg, Virginia Chandler Dykes, Mary Pincoffs Wilson, Dr. Stephen Mansfield, and Bob White PHOTOS BY KRISTINA BOWMAN

Don and Carol Glendenning Laurie Stelter and Dean Chris Ray

J.C. and Lark Montgomery, Diane Dillion, and Mickey Price

Noralyn Pickens and Kyle Nayfa

Kristie Konstans, Kathy Parker, Susan and Ralph Hawkins, and Nat Parker

Katheryn Courville, Laurie Stelter, Julie Southward, and Kamica King

Ted and Nancy Paup

Mike and Sharon McCullough

Texas Woman’s University will honor Dr. Stephen Mansfield, president and CEO of Methodist Health System, with the 15th annual Virginia Chandler Dykes Leadership Award at a luncheon March 8 at the Belo Mansion and Pavilion. The announcement was made at the home of Francie Moody-Dahlberg, the 2015 award recipient, on Nov. 9, 2016. The award honors Dallas leaders committed to improving quality of life in the community and to furthering the importance of education.

PARKCITIESPEOPLE.COM | FEBRUARY 2017  41

S OC I ET Y

SENIOR SOURCE SPIRIT OF GENERATIONS

Linda and John McFarland Larry and Kathy Helm, Vince Ackerson, and Jan and Fred Hegi P H O T O S B Y L I S A S T E WA R T A N D K R I S T I N A B O W M A N

Lydia Novakov, Caren Prothro, and Ruth Altshuler

Carolyn and David Miller

David and Cortney Nicolato with Monica Egert Smith

Tucker Enthoven, Barbara Stuart, and Suzy Gekiere

The Senior Source presented Jan and Fred Hegi with the 2016 Spirit of Generations Award during its annual luncheon Nov. 14, 2016, which exceeded $1 million in fundraising. The Senior Source assists more than 30,000 older adults annually by providing community engagement, support, independence, advocacy, financial security, and protection.

42 FEBRUARY 2017 | PARKCITIESPEOPLE.COM

S OCI ET Y

JLD MILESTONE LUNCHEON WITH VENUS WILLIAMS

Caren Prothro, Linda McFarland, Pat Prestidge, and Kittye Peeler P H O T O S B Y R H I L E E A N D TA M Y T H A C A M E R O N

Junior League of Dallas President Bonner Allen and Sustainer President Kittye Peeler

Dr. Claude Prestidge and Brent Christopher

Jan Baldwin, Dr. Marvin Stone, and Becky Odlozil

Betsy Nelson, Karen Shuford, and Pat Schiff

Kristin Cordiack and Bernadette Schaeffler Venus Williams and Joe Trahan

Caroline and Nicole Kohl

Isabell Novakov and Linda Secrest

Junior League of Dallas Milestones Luncheon co-chairs Amanda Shufeldt and Pat Prestidge

The Junior League of Dallas’ Milestones Luncheon at the Hilton Anatole’s Chantilly Ballroom Nov. 16, 2016, featured Olympic gold medalist Venus Williams as guest speaker. The JLD also recognized the 2016-17 Sustainer of the Year, Linda McFarland, and 95th Anniversary Lifetime Achievement Award recipient Caren Prothro. Amanda Shufeldt and Pat Prestidge co-chaired the event.

44 FEBRUARY 2017 | PARKCITIESPEOPLE.COM

S OCI ET Y

DSOL DEBUTANTES COCKTAIL PARTY

The 2017 DSOL debutantes PHOTOS BY DEBORAH BROWN AND JAMES FRENCH

Jolie and Bart Humphrey

Harriett and Chuck Gibbs

Ann and Mitch Rogers

Stan and Sara Lee Gardner with Richard Eiseman

Karen, Stephen, Caroline, Jerry, and Gene Jones

William and Heather Hall

Presentation Ball co-chairs Therese Rourk, Eleanor Bond, Lissy Donosky, DSOL President Sandy Secor, Presentation Ball chair Jolie Humphrey, co-chairs Dixey Arterburn, Ginger Sager, and Kim Brannon D’Andra Simmons Lock and Ryan Anthony Wendy and Ellie King

Bill and Lori Bush

Marina Frattaroli and Caroline Pratt

Lissie and Stephen Donosky with Cynthia Beaird

The 2017 Dallas Symphony Orchestra League debutantes were honored at a cocktail reception and buffet dinner Nov. 23, 2016, at the Meyerson Symphony Center and at a holiday party for debutante and Honor Guard parents hosted by Richard Eiseman at his NorthPark store Dec. 1.

After a busy season of holiday parties and bow practice, the DSOL debs will be celebrated at the DSOL Presentation Ball Feb. 18.

PARKCITIESPEOPLE.COM | FEBRUARY 2017 45

WEDDINGS WEDDING

ENGAGEMENT

KATHERINE CULWELL & POWELL PORTER

C A R L A G AT E S P H O T O G R A P H Y

K

atherine Adrianne Culwell and Powell David Porter exchanged sacred wedding vows at The Estate in Atlanta on October 8, 2016. Rev. Winslow Thomas officiated the ceremony with the reception of dining and dancing following in the historic antebellum mansion that was built in

1797 and later moved to its current location in the middle of Buckhead in Atlanta. The couple chose “Crazy Girl” performed by US Beat for their first dance.

The bride is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Michael Wendell Culwell of Dallas. She is the granddaughter of Mr. and Mrs.

FARRIS - THOMPSON Brantley Cleveland Booe Jr., and Mr. and Mrs. Charles Wendell Culwell, all of Dallas.

The groom is the son of Ms. Cynthia Wolfston Porter of Atlanta and Mr. William Albright Porter of Hardeeville, S.C. He is the grandson of Mrs. Helen Lloyd of Olive Branch, Miss.

The bride was presented in marriage by her parents and escorted down the aisle by her father. For her wedding the bride chose the heirloom gown originally worn by her mother, maternal aunt and sister. Patti Flowers of Dallas redesigned the candlelight dress of fine English net and Schiffli lace, that was re-embroidered with French Alencon lace.

The molded lace bodice was intricately beaded with clusters of tiny seed pearls, featuring a sweetheart neckline, with the sheer beaded English net continuing to her neckline and accenting her shoulders with a cut in design.

The slim controlled skirt fell from a fitted natural waistline to slipper length. The skirt of Schiffli lace with accents of beaded Alencon lace swept from gentle gathers to a chapel-length train in scalloped panels of lace.

To complement her gown, Katherine wore her mother’s original ivory veil of silk illusion.

The delicate scalloped-edged design was accented with clusters of seed pearls and cascaded past the length of her train.

Katherine’s “something blue” was a small bow-shaped heir-

loom broach of turquoise and silver that she wore attached to her bouquet.

Attending the bride as matron of honor was her sister, Blair Culwell Staky, and as maid of honor, her other sister, Caroline Christianson Culwell. Her bridesmaids included Carrie Cathleen Gorman, Jessica Fitzgerald Porter, and Sarah Candace Wroblicky.

Assisting the groom as best man was Richard William Doverspike. His groomsmen included John William Harden, Sean Cowen Joseph, Robert Scott Libby, and Patrick Neal Nilan. William Ryan Mason and Alexey Mikhailovich Tsyrenov were ushers.

The bride is a graduate of Highland Park High School.

She received a Bachelor of Science in business and a Masters of Science in finance from Auburn University, where she was a five year member and two year captain of the Auburn Volleyball Team. Katherine is an investment analyst for Aon Hewitt Investment Consulting.

The groom attended high school at the Woodward Academy in Atlanta. He received a Bachelor of Science in business from Auburn University where he was a member of the Auburn University Tennis Team. Powell is an enterprise account manager for Hortonworks.

Following their wedding trip to St. Lucia, the couple have made their home in Atlanta.

LARRY SENGBUSH - PHOTOGRAPHER

M

r. and Mrs. John Charles Farris of University Park are pleased to announce the engagement of their daughter, Lora Kathryn Farris, to Joseph Landon Thompson, son of Mr. and Mrs. Joe William Thompson of Plano, Texas.

The bride is a graduate of Highland Park High School. She received a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from Washington and Lee University.

Lora is the Director of Marketing for the North Texas Food Bank.

The groom is a graduate of Plano Senior High School and is owner of a commercial construction and demolition company.

The couple plan a July 1, 2017 wedding at The Vintage Estate in Yountville, Calif.

46 FEBRUARY 2017 | PARKCITIESPEOPLE.COM

W EDDING S WEDDING

ELIZABETH YGARTUA & SPENCER KNAPP

S

arah Elizabeth Ygartua and Spencer Gerald Knapp joined hands and hearts in holy matrimony at St. Michael and All Angels Episcopal Church on Oct. 22, 2016. The bride was the third generation of her family to be married at the church.

Rev. Bill Murray officiated the ceremony, which was followed by dinner and dancing at the Trinity River Audubon Center. A rehearsal dinner, hosted by the parents of the groom, was held at City Café the evening before.

The bride is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Louis John Ygartua of Dallas. She is the granddaughter of Mr. and Mrs. David Oakes Turner Sr. of Highland Park, Mr. and Mrs. Carlos Lee Ygartua Sr. of Athens, Ga., and Mrs. William Parker and the late Mr. Parker of Hendersonville, N.C. The groom is the son of Dr. and Mrs. Michael Knapp of Joplin, Mo. He is the grandson of the late Dr. Gerald Knapp, the late Mrs. Jeane Knapp, the late Mrs. Helen Knapp, and the late Mr. and Mrs. Charles Heimann, all of St. Louis.

The bride was given in marriage by her parents. She was escorted down the aisle on the arm of her father.

Elizabeth selected an elegant ivory ball gown by designer Maggie Sottero.

Its floral lace covered the bodice and illusion V-neckline while lace appliqués tumbled down a tulle skirt. A sparkling Swarovski crystal belt highlighted the natural waistline. A plunging V-back studded with crystal buttons led to a chapel-length train. The bride also wore an heirloom pin, concealed in the folds of her skirt, that had been worn by 18 women in her family on their wedding days since 1885. The couple both wore blue suede shoes, perfect for dancing.

Assisting the bride as maid of honor was Sarah Margaret Mannes. Her bridesmaids included Sarah Bennett, Mackenzie Trice Cho, Katie Frink,

M AT T H E W S H E L L E Y P H O T O G R A P H Y

Amanda Maunoury, and Erin Wainscott.

Junior bridesmaids were her cousins Rebecca Russell, Ashley Turner, and Virginia Turner. Members of the house party included Rianna DiBartoloCordovano, Hannah Ramsey, and Sarah Hazlett Tichenor. Allison Turner was the flower girl.

Attending the groom as best man was his brother, Bradley Knapp. His groomsmen included Adam Erdmann, Andrew Gisleson, Brent Owens, Nicholas Rago, and Jack Ygartua. Jeremiah McLaughlin, Juston Michealson, and Thomas John Crane were ushers.

The bride is a 2008 graduate of Highland Park High School. She graduated Magna Cum Laude with a Bachelor of Arts in Studio Art from the University of Richmond, where she was a member of Alpha Chi Omega sorority and the national leadership fraternity, Omicron Delta Kappa. Elizabeth was a Dallas Symphony Orchestra League debutante. She is a founding member of the Hope Cottage Leadership Council, which supports Hope Cottage Pregnancy and Adoption Center. She is currently an Editorial Designer for WorldVentures.

Elizabeth is the former Art Director and Editor for People Newspapers.

The groom is a 2004 graduate of Thomas Jefferson Independent Day School in Joplin. He received a Bachelor of Arts in Biology from Luther College.

Spencer is a member of the Rotary Club of Dallas and a Paul Harris Fellow. He is an enterprise account manager for IBM Cloud and IBM Millennial Corps Ambassador. Spencer is also a former delegate and current ambassador for One Young World.

Following their delayed honeymoon to Copenhagen, Denmark, Elizabeth and Spencer have made their home in Dallas.

PARKCITIESPEOPLE.COM | FEBRUARY 2017 47

FOCUS ON PHILANTHROPY

COOKING UP MORE THAN HEALTHY MEALS

By Carly Danner

Special Contributor Every year as fall and spring roll around, 15 women meet at Wesley-Rankin Community Center for a cooking class where they learn how to create healthy meals.

At the end of each class, the women take home several ingredients so they can recreate those same recipes with their families. Though the ingredients change with each class, one ingredient in particular remains a staple of the cooking course: newfound confidence in the kitchen.

La Cocina Alegre (Happy Kitchen) provides West Dallas women a hands-on culinary and nutritional education that they otherwise may not have had access to. Many face socioeconomic challenges when trying to feed their families a nutritious meal. However, the curriculum at La Cocina Alegre is proving that eating healthy doesn’t have to cost more.

The classes are provided by GROW North Texas, a nonprofit dedicated to connecting North Texans with local and sustainable resources that inspire a healthy lifestyle. While Happy Kitchen and its curriculum stemmed from the Sustainable Food Center in Austin, members of GROW North Texas quickly discovered that certain pockets of the

C O U R T E SY G R O W N O R T H T E X A S

The West Dallas cooking classes at Happy Kitchen empower women by giving them confidence in the kitchen.

“ TH E S E WO M EN K E E P C O M IN G BAC K BE CAU SE T H EY WAN T TO L E AR N MO R E . ” S U S IE MAR SHALL

Dallas community could also benefit from community cooking classes.

“These women keep coming back because they want to learn more,” said Susie Marshall, executive director of Happy Kitchen. “It’s more than food that they’re taking home; there’s something more compelling.”

Each class follows a specific cookbook and is always led by a trained facilitator who was previously a student in the program. Marshall and her team wanted to ensure that facilitators come from the same community and relate to the women taking the classes.

“They appreciate being led by clear and patient women who are similar to them because it creates a comfortable environment to ask questions,” explained Amanda Whatley, program designer and facilitator.

The classes include a segment focused on nutrition and interactive activities such as reading labels, milk tastings, and understanding sugar and salt.

The women then prepare a recipe based on the topics discussed earlier. At the end of class they reflect on their plans to modify recipes for their own families.

“It’s been a powerful thing for the women to have an opportunity to say that they want to learn more about feeding their children or their husband who has diabetes,” Marshall said.

The team at GROW North Texas uses donations to purchase cookbooks, food, and cooking utensils so that women can focus on learning and having fun in the kitchen. The team always makes a conscious effort to purchase supplies from places where students shop, making it easier for them to keep up their new habits outside the classroom.

Since the classes began in 2013, the program has evolved into more than cooking. Recently, Happy Kitchen began a community garden class to continue education in sustainability practices.

“The way we approach our program is from the bottom up,” Marshall said.

“There’s no huge numbers, it’s much more about the people.”

Not only are Happy Kitchen students taking initiative to improve their eating habits, they’re also taking ownership of the education they want to receive.

The group recently decided to change the program name to Cocinando Tu Vida, or “cooking with your life,” because they felt that the classes left an impact that went beyond the kitchen.

“I encourage people to not always look for the flash or big programs, look and see who is on the ground and in the community doing the work,” Marshall said.

Learn more: visit grownorthtexas.org.

48 FEBRUARY 2017 | PARKCITIESPEOPLE.COM FOR MORE WELLNESS NEWS:

LIVING WELL

parkcitiespeople.com/ category/living-well

FROM SPORTS INJURY TO MED SCHOOL Former NFL player Dr. Michels gives injury advice

By Meredith Carey

Special Contributor C O U R T E SY D R . J O H N M I C H E LS

In 1998, Green Bay Packers offensive tackle John Michels tore his anterior cruciate and medial collateral ligaments, leading to six reconstructive knee surgeries and the end of his NFL career.

Nearly 20 years later, Michels’ career still involves sports. But instead of a field, he goes to work in an office in Preston Center, where he helps prevent other athletes from suffering the same fate.

Today, Dr. John Michels, who went to medical school at the University of Southern California after his injury, works at Interventional Spine and Pain, treating patients with tendonitis, sprains, and other conditions often caused by repetitive sports.

“I had no plans of becoming a doctor before my injury,” he said. “Through the course of those six knee surgeries and seeing that an injury had stolen my greatest passion in life, I said, ‘You know what, if I can keep that from happening to other people then that would be a life well lived.’”

The University Park resident, who treats everything from migraines to tendonitis to chronic joint pain, spoke re-

Former Green Bay Packers offensive tackle Dr. John Michels works at Interventional Spine and Pain in Preston Center, where he helps other athletes avoid sports injuries.

“L ET SP O RTS B E A PA RT O F T E AC H IN G [K I D S ] G R E AT ER L IF E LE S S O N S . ” DR . JOHN MI C HE LS cently about how to prevent injuries big and small for adults and especially for young athletes.

“Encourage your kids to get involved in sports, but if your child is really, really not interested, then their likelihood of getting injured is far greater than that of a child who is out there having fun and actively willing to play the sport,” he said.

DR. MICHELS’ TIPS FOR ATHLETES: Play more than one sport.

“Kids are being asked to specialize

in a sport at a younger and younger age.

What we’re seeing are repetition injuries, over-use injuries that are very preventable. Multi-sport athletes tend to be the ones that are the most successful, because they’re better all-around athletes.

Allowing kids to play multiple sports is only going to help them prevent injuries and become better all-around athletes.”

Speak up.

“If something hurts, tell someone about it. Because oftentimes if we catch it early enough, a serious injury can be prevented. Younger people tend to bounce back from their injuries faster. Most injuries that children suffer, with a little bit of rest, they heal very quickly.”

Give yourself time to rest.

“Have at least one day off a week to allow your body to rest and recover. The American Academy of Pediatric Medicine actually recommends at least one month off of a sport in any given year.”

Make sure your equipment fits.

“When you’re performing your sport and your shoes don’t fit right, your helmet or shoulder pads don’t fit right, any of your protective equipment isn’t fitting right, you’re more prone to injury.”

Warm up and warm down.

“Make sure you’re loose, stretched, and that your muscles and joints are properly warmed up prior to playing the sport to reduce injuries. And then, warming down afterwards, making sure you’re stretching after your performance and that your muscles are nice and loose will also help prevent injuries in the long run.”

Have fun.

“Let’s not forget the whole reason we play in the first place: It’s to go out and really just have fun. Parents need to take the pressure off our kids, let them find their passion, and let sports be a part of teaching them greater life lessons like team work, self discipline, and the value of preparation.”

PARKCITIESPEOPLE.COM | FEBRUARY 2017 49

L IV ING W ELL

Veg Out in Trinity Groves

STEPHANIE CASEY

There are plenty of reasons to eat plants instead of animals at V-Eats.

STEPHANIE CASEY Finally, Dallas, FINALLY! We got one.

Our very own casual, yet finer-dining, plant-based restaurant. I’ve had the opportunity to enjoy similarly innovative veg spots and have been awaiting the day one would pop up in my home base.

Ta-da! Executive Chef Troy Gardner gives us V-Eats Modern Vegan, which opened in Trinity Groves last fall. Troy has dipped his culinary skills into the veg pool at his other spots, such as Samson’s Gourmet, but this is his first fully plantbased restaurant. What does that mean?

It means no animal products whatsoever — no dairy, meat, animal stocks, fish, or derivatives of any of those things. Instead, the kitchen makes in-house plant proteins, creams, and cheeses that are top of class.

You can find Salisbury steak, smoked artichoke and sausage pizza, beautiful and delicious nutrient-dense salads, chicken fried steak, mac and cheese, a brisket sandwich, gelato, and cheese cake on the menu.

Chef Gardner wanted to offer dishes familiar to and beloved by Dallas diners — hence all the “meat” choices. “We wanted to make it approachable,” he says. “Somebody who is not vegan can come with a couple of vegans and not feel awkward trying to figure out what to order.”

Let me tell you — I have tried many variations of faux meat and I have never, ever had a patty that emulated the red meat experience like they have created here. I

inhaled the Salisbury steak plate. I haven’t tasted vegan southern comfort food that solid since Kate’s Joint in New York City’s East Village in the ‘90s. They nailed a Worcestershire, concocted a winning mushroom gravy, whipped up the perfect mashed potatoes, and topped it all off with a couple of onion rings and some sprouts.

I know, I know — you might be asking — what’s the point? Why not just eat actual meat? There are many reasons to choose eating plants instead of animals, the main ones being your health, the environment, and animal welfare. There is zero cholesterol in plants so subbing in plant-based proteins and fats every now and again (or always) will cut that offender from your diet. Three quarters of the world’s antibiotics are fed to livestock so you are cutting out ingestion of those as well. It takes immense amounts of resources to farm animals for meat and dairy — land, water, feed crops, energy. And, of course, most animals slaughtered for food are kept in stressful, unnatural, cramped environments you wouldn’t dare allow your family pets to endure.

Listen, I’m not vegan. Neither is Troy Gardner. You don’t have to be to enjoy this stuff. To choose it sometimes. Every other major western city has had many of these types of restaurants for at least a decade, and more commonly for several decades.

I’m so excited to have this new option locally and hope it means others will pop up, too!

Find more innovative food spots and plant-based ideas at realfinefood.com

MORE INFO V-Eats Modern Vegan 3011 Gulden Lane, Ste. 102, Dallas, TX 75212 v-eats.com Open for Dinner 5-9 p.m. Sun.-Wed., 5-9:30 p.m. Thurs.-Sat. | Lunch 11 a.m.-3 p.m. weekdays | Sunday Brunch 10 a.m.-3 p.m.

50 FEBRUARY 2017 | PARKCITIESPEOPLE.COM

L IV ING W ELL

Cut the Cord

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February. A cold, short little month with the Super Bowl, Valentine’s, and finally, the all-important Oscars. We coccoon around the TV and huddle up. I’ve scaled back on the Tube, since I want a clear line of demarcation between politics, news, and entertainment. Now it’s all just infotainment.

How irksome when the talking heads become the news rather than report or spin it. Do I really need to know about Megyn Kelly and her 15 million dollars per annum for changing channels?

So I’ve switched off TV and gone to the movies. A lot “with buzz” come out right before the Oscars, although Jeff Bridges in Hell or High Water still gets my vote. I do enjoy the Academy Awards’ spectacle and joining in the national sport of betting on who’s going to win what while critiquing all those designer clothes and cutting-edge hairdos. It’s just fun and fantasy right? Scifi, romances, shoot-em-ups, even musicals are back. And billions tune in. Billions. So very much more than any other spectacle, except maybe the Olympics and the Super Bowl.

We project all kinds of feelings about those folks who resonate with us on the big screen. And it’s big, big bucks. I’m getting old, I guess, since there is a sameness about so many films with prequels and sequels, and I abjure the heavy-handedness of the gospel according to whatever agenda for political correctness Hollyweird is cramming down our unpolitically correct brains until we “get it.”

The Academy Awards are pointed reminders of who Hollywood celebrities are.

Performers. Actors. Entertainers. They are not statesmen, philosophers, social critics, or role models. They bring to life characters created by writers. They give performances which are then enhanced by others in

the industry. It only takes one bleary-eyed actor who can’t read a cue card or open an envelope onstage to underscore that.

Film stars have average educations and insights and are lucky people who photograph and take direction well. Some are truly gifted with timing and nuance of acting. Yet this talent gives them no keener insight or authority on the problems in healthcare, the environment, foreign policy, or social mores than your next-door neighbor. It is absurd to adopt a position on anything because of a movie star. George Clooney is not your friend because you have spent intimate hours in a dark room watching him act. Barbra Streisand is not your spokesperson because she can belt out a tune. Charlton Heston is not Moses because he played the part in a movie.

Actors and actresses often have screwed up marriages and kids, struggles with addictions, battles with depression; in other words they are just people who muddle through life without a whole lot of clarity, certainly not more than me or you. Why then would their viewpoints on politics and society have any relevance unless it just happens to coincide with your own?

Some years they must have had laughing gas as well as the drug of choice in the Green Room before the stars were escorted out to make presentations or accept awards. Once Elizabeth Taylor was in such an altered state that Dick Clark had to lead her through the difficult task of holding on to an envelope and opening it. But my biggest disappointment was the year Al Pacino was being honored for a lifetime achievement award. His endless, unintelligible, pointless ramblings were so ill-crafted that the presenters lurched forward several times to try to get him offstage.

Occasionally, one of our idols does emerge with grace and transport us to that fantasyland of glamour and happiness: think Audrey Hepburn, Jimmy Stewart, and it’s magic time. Ah, such a Valentine is then. Finally, after February comes March, when we can all cut the cord and go outdoors again.

Len Bourland can be reached through her website www.lenbourland.com and is the author of a new book, Normal’s Just a Cycle on a Washing Machine.

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Great Guest Rooms

To place your ad in People Newspapers, please call us at 214-523-5239, fax to 214-594-5779, or e-mail to classified@peoplenewspapers.com. All ads will run in Park Cities People and Preston Hollow People and online on both websites. Pre-payment is required on all ads. Deadline for our next edition is Mon., Jan. 30. People Newspapers reserves the right to edit or reject ads. We assume no liability for errors or omissions in advertisements and no responsibility beyond the cost of the ad. We are responsible only for the first incorrect insertion.

This unique, totally renovated one-bedroom, one and a half-bath is in the iconic mid-century modern building designed by George Dahl.

Judith Lifson has the corner unit (#301) listed for $759,500. Features include a wrap-around terrace that’s approximately 500 square feet, with views of the park and the famed Kalita Humphries Theater designed by Frank Lloyd-Wright.

The opaque glass front door leads to a spacious entry and living area with oak hardwoods. The open kitchen features Pietro Grigio marble counters, a mosaic tile backsplash, Vent-a-hood® and stainless steel Fisher & Paykel appliances.

The master suite has a custom walk-in closet and hidden computer area, and its marble bath has a soaking tub, separate shower with rainhead and dual sinks. Amenities of the building include 24-hour valet, private storage, a workout facility, guest suite, a salt-water pool and party room.

For more information or to request a showing, contact Judith at 214-727-8146 or judithlifson@ daveperrymiller.com.

Dave Perry-Miller Real Estate (daveperrymiller. com) is a division of Ebby Halliday Real Estate, Inc., with five locations that specialize in marketing the key areas of the Park Cities, Preston Hollow, North Dallas, Lakewood, East Dallas, Uptown, and Kessler Park.

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Spending time together with friends and family over the holidays often leads to New Year’s resolutions to do it more often throughout the year. The homes listed below have gracious guest rooms and plenty of space to help you ensure this resolution is one that you keep. To see more, visit briggsfreeman.com.

4441 S Versailles Avenue | Highland Park The seven bedrooms in this home, including the luxurious master suite, are all distinguished with special touches and private baths. The south guest suite has a breakfast bar with a sink and refrigerator and a pretty view of the pool. Listed by Joan Eleazer for $8,495,000.

4519 Bobbitt Drive | Luna Park Estates This 2016 transitional has unique New Orleansstyle drive-up appeal. The first floor is complete with a guest suite with private bath. The second floor has four additional bedrooms, each with custom-tiled bathrooms and walk-in closets.

Listed by Sam Kincaid and Tom Hughes for $2,599,000.

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Designed by Robert A. M. Stern, the classic design of Regency Row manor homes at The Tower Residences at the Ritz-Carlton Dallas allows owners the flexibility to finish their homes to their exact specifications.

“Only three of these new homes remain, ranging in size from 5,000 - 6,000 square feet,” said Kyle Crews with Allie Beth URBAN, exclusive listing agent, “Regency Row homes have completed exteriors and interiors outfitted with high-speed elevators, connecting the private garage to the four levels of living space and the top floor terrace. Buyers can arrange floor plans and finishes as they would do when building a custom home.”

Regency Row owners enjoy all the 5-Star services and amenities of the adjoining RitzCarlton Dallas Hotel and Spa. The new McKinney and Olive retail and office development recently opened across Olive Street, providing Regency Row owners a new pocket park and restaurant access.

For more information or to schedule a private tour of Regency Row, contact Kyle Crews at 214538-1310.

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