Park Cities People February 2020

TENNIS QUANDARY: COULD HIGHLAND PARK HAVE TOO MANY COURTS? 6

FEBRUARY 2020 VOLUME 40 NO. 2

“THE BEST COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER IN TEXAS”

PARKCITIESPEOPLE.COM

I 

LOVE AGAIN A mother’s observation about a list of ideal husband traits prompts Scots sweethearts to rekindle their high school romance.

Page 12

JESSICA ROSS

POSTAL CUSTOMER

PRSRT STD U.S. POSTAGE PAID DALLAS, TX PERMIT NO. 3210

REAL ESTATE

SOCIETY

LIVING WELL

Experts bullish on 2020 housing outlook 20

2020 duchesses practice that La Fiesta ‘dip’ 34

Doctors see vaping as a deadly habit 38

Park CitiesPeople

February 2020 Vol. 40, No. 2 parkcitiespeople.com   @pcpeople  @peoplenewspapers

2 February 2020 | parkcitiespeople.com

REMARKABLE WOMEN AND OTHER NOTEWORTHY NEIGHBORS

F

ebruary’s arrival prompts us to think about relationships. At Park Cities People, that includes readers and advertisers.

This month we’re introducing monthly features sponsored by two advertisers.

Comerica Bank is presenting Remarkable Women. Read deputy editor Rachel Snyder’s interview with Dana Blankenship on Page 14.

Rex’s Seafood & Market is presenting Noteworthy Neighbors. Read Rachel’s story about Dr. Michael Rainwater and Dentistry with a Heart on Page 17.

With these features continuing in the months ahead, we welcome your suggestions for others to consider interviewing. Email editor@peoplenewspapers.com or submit on our site, peoplenewspapers.com.

As a community newspaper, we value hearing from our readers. I especially enjoy opportunities to run your Letters to the Editor on all variety of topics of concern.

Comments on our website and Social Media channels, including Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter also foster valuable community dialogue.

Deputy editor Bethany Erickson compiled some of your recent online comments.

• Our Best of 2019 online series story, “Al Hill Jr.’s Legacy,” drew this comment on our website signed, Patrick J. Bricker: “I remember Al proudly showing me a photo of one of his racehorses and talking tennis at his house when I went to thank him in person for his generous gift. The Al Hill Jr. Family Arena will be a lasting tribute to this

wonderful gentleman while providing much-needed space for children and adults with disabilities to benefit from therapy with W I L L I A M TAY LO R a horse.”

• A reader identified as “Tex,” responded to our online report, “Hundreds Gather for Inclusive Vow Renewal Service,” about a gathering at First United Methodist Church of Dallas: “The temptation to engage in snark is great. However, at its most basic, what’s at stake are people’s very souls. We are not called to be tolerant or inclusive. We are called to follow Jesus and all that it implies.

What this church and others like it are doing is prideful. And, pride is the deadliest sin of all. ‘…go and sin no more.’”

• And Sarah Bearden Smith responded on Instagram to our online Best of 2019 series story, “Beauty in Alzheimer’s”: “Oh, my goodness! Can’t believe I’m seeing this! I’m incredibly humbled and honored. . . . It’s still my prayer it helps even one person! ” To all who read our papers faithfully and to all who bother to write us or share a comment, thank you, and please keep in touch.

William Taylor Editor william.taylor@peoplenewspapers.com

Contents

Crime .............................. 4 News ............................... 6 Community ................... 12 Business ......................... 18 Real Estate Quarterly .... 20

Sports .......................... 28 Schools .......................... 32 Society ........................... 34 Living Well.................... 38

Obituary ...................... 41 Classifieds ..................... 43

EDITORIAL Editor William Taylor Deputy Editor Bethany Erickson Deputy Editor Rachel Snyder Sports Editor Todd Jorgenson Production Manager Melanie Thornton

A DV E R T I S I N G

O P E R AT I O N S

Senior Account Executive Kim Hurmis

Distribution Manager Don Hancock

Account Executives Tana Hunter Quita Johnson

Distribution Mike Reinbolt

Client Services and Marketing Coordinator Kelly Duncan

Production Assistant Imani Chet Lytle Park Cities People is 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.

Publisher: Patricia Martin

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 2020. 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

4 February 2020 | parkcitiespeople.com

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

HORSE POWER MYSTERY

Which hit first, the Chevrolet Tahoe or the horse-drawn carriage?

Officers responded at 9:11 p.m. Dec. 14 to a crash at Lakeside Drive and Lexington Avenue. The Tahoe driver said he was going southbound on Lexington and trying to get between two parked cars on the other side of the road when the horse-drawn carriage carrying 8-10 people northbound on Lakeside Drive tried to go between the same two vehicles and hit his vehicle. The carriage driver said the Tahoe hit the carriage.

UPDATES: DRUG TRAFFICKING INDICTMENT, MURDER ARREST, PARK VANDALISM

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n eleventh person has been indicted in relation to an alleged drug trafficking operation authorities say was led by a Park Cities man.

Peter Yin, 36, was included in the eight-count indictment filed Dec. 12. His arraignment was Jan. 9.

Gary Bussell, 50, of the Park Cities, Gina Corwin, 51, also a Park Cities resident, Ben Westin, 28, of Carrollton, Scott Perras, 27, of McKinney, William Allbrook, 32, of The Colony, Austin Seymour, 24, of Dallas, Lisa Young, 32, of Dallas, George Wagner III, 46, of Garland, Todd Shewmake, 34, of McKinney, and Yin are accused of involvement in the operation, according to the indictment.

Juan Antonio Cardenas, 19, was arrested on a murder complaint in December, about 11 months after the former Highland Park High School student was shot in a parking garage in the Shops at Park Lane.

Cardenas remains in custody in the Dallas County Jail.

Another defendant in the case, Rene Eduardo Montanez Jr., 23, was arrested on Jan. 26, 2019, days after Pintucci was found slumped over in the driver’s seat of a white 2002 sedan with a gunshot wound.

Pintucci was a former Highland Park High School student but had transferred out in 2018, according to the school district.

Pintucci Murder Arrest

The playground under construction at Bradfield Elementary School at 4300 Southern Avenue was nearly done when a vandal damaged the just-installed rubber safety surface Dec. 7.

At the time, an employee of the company in charge of installing the surface told police the vandal likely got in through the

Dallas police have apprehended anJuan Cardenas other suspect (COURTESY PHOTO) in the death of Joseph Anthony Pintucci.

peoplenewspapers.com/ e-newsletters/

gate. The employee found shoe imprints across the playground surface and suspected the surface would have to be replaced at a cost of $34,084.24.

Highland Park ISD communications director Jon Dahlander, however, said the damage and cost weren’t as significant as first thought, and HP Department of Public Safety spokesman Lt. Lance Koppa said crews finished the repairs at no cost to the district.

HPISD spokeswoman Emily Conklin said the playground opened for use in early January.

HPISD officials didn’t provide answers before press time about what additional work had to be done to the playground before it opened.

The Highland Park Department of Public Safety had not yet identified the vandal.

Visit peoplenewspapers.com for more on these and other crimes.

— Compiled by Rachel Snyder

CRIME REPORT DEC. 9 - JAN. 12 DEC. 9

Out of luck: A 19-year-old woman in the 3800 block of Gillon Avenue reported at 12:45 a.m. that she lost her wallet with two credit cards inside. She said it was likely lost in her Denver, Colorado dormitory, but she won’t be able to get in until classes start back in January.

DEC. 11

WANT TO READ MORE CRIMES? SIGN UP FOR OUR WEEKLY E-NEWSLETTER

Playground Damaged

The Bradfield Elementary School playground is now open after repairs to its vandalized surface. (PHOTO RACHEL SNYDER)

Before 6:11 p.m., a thief broke the window of a woman’s BMW at Highland Park Village and took a $2,700 purse from a shopping bag inside.

DEC. 14

Reported at 9:30 a.m.: A driver knocked over a tree in the 3700 block of Armstrong Parkway.

DEC. 16

Reported at 7:47 p.m.: Two men

DEC. 23

shattered vehicle windows in the Whole Foods parking lot in the 4100 block of Lomo Alto Drive and sped away from the parking lot in another vehicle.

At 2:37 a.m., four men were smoking marijuana in a Mustang in the 7000 block of Westchester Drive.

DEC. 17

DEC. 25

A woman reported at 6:03 p.m. that she lost a diamond ring in the parking lot at Highland Park Village.

DEC. 18

A woman reported at 1:52 p.m. that a crook took her wallet from her unlocked SUV in the 4000 block of Caruth Boulevard and fled on foot.

DEC. 19

Officers didn’t have to go far while responding to a box truck that hit a pole near the Highland Park Department of Public Safety station on Drexel Drive at 10:07 a.m.

Before 10:40 a.m., an uninvited guest went in a home in the 3200 block of Centenary Drive via an unlocked door and took $100, photo equipment, a Nintendo, identifying documents, and more.

JAN. 5

A man reported at 9:22 a.m. that he left his car unlocked in the 4400 block of Fairfax Avenue and returned to it to find a charger and a Carhartt jacket missing. A wrench was taken from a second vehicle.

JAN. 6

A man in the 4200 block of

Amherst Street got an expensive surprise. Before 6:31 p.m., he was charged $61 for a food delivery that he didn’t order.

JAN. 8

Can you porch pirate a bicycle?

Before 10:02 p.m., a crook took a $600 Trek 3500 bicycle from the 4300 block of Normandy Avenue.

JAN. 11

Another open garage, another theft: Before 12:50 p.m. an opportunistic crook took a S-works Roubaix bicycle from a home in the 3700 block of Colgate Avenue.

JAN. 12

Who says criminals are afraid of illumination? Before 1:19 p.m., a burglar took 50 recessed can lights from a construction area in the 3400 block of Beverly Drive.

6 February 2020 | parkcitiespeople.com

News

TENNIS-LOVING TOWN PLANS PARK IMPROVEMENTS

Will fewer courts boost usage, provide better playing experiences?

By William Taylor People Newspapers

F

ive, six, seven, eight, how many tennis courts does Highland Park rate?

Kirk Smith, assistant director of town services, cited United States Tennis Association (USTA) guidelines calling for one court per 2,000 population.

“Based on this standard, the town has an excess of three tennis courts,” Smith said.

But Mayor Pro Tem John McKnight and other tennis aficionados don’t view it that way.

“We are not an average tennis community,” McKnight said, noting Highland Park High School’s state-best tennis team as an example of how the sport has more support here than elsewhere.

The quantity and quality of Highland Park’s tennis courts are recurring topics as Town Council members consider park improvements. The town has eight courts but could end up with only six, depending on what council members decide about pending projects.

In recent years, the town has rebuilt Court 7 at 4501 St. Johns Drive in Davis Park and Court 8 at 4814 Abbott Ave. in Abbott Park and resurfaced Court 2 at 5300 Drexel Drive in Hackberry Creek Park.

Next up: Courts 3 through 6 at Fairfax Park, 4525 Edmondson Ave. By replacing four there with three, the town can space the courts the USTA preferred 12-feet apart and offer a higher-quality tennis experience, town leaders said.

Fairfax Park improvements will include replacing tennis courts, adding a walking path, and regrading and sodding the playing field area. Other changes include landscaping upgrades, a new water fountain, and new benches. (COURTESY MESA) With four jammed in there now, the spacing is only 9-feet 6-inches.

Individually, the Fairfax courts have been the least used, according to town records.

“I do think if you have new courts, you are going to get more usage,” council member David Dowler said.

The town has budgeted $889,615 for Fairfax improvements, including $292,586 for waterline replacement. Phase I would begin this spring on the area with the tennis courts. The court farthest from the North Dallas Tollway will

be striped for pickleball as well as tennis.

Phase II, which includes redoing the athletic field area and adding a 6th-of-a-mile gravel walking path, will wait until next winter to provide adequate time for new sod to take hold. The field would be closed through the summer of 2021 to protect the grass.

Another project that could reduce the town’s number of tennis courts involves Hackberry Creek.

The master plan for the Hackberry Creek corridor recommends the removal of court No. 1 because

its fencing and windscreens block picturesque views of the exposed stone facing in Prather Park.

“It should be available for enjoyment by more than just one user group,” the plan notes, suggesting yoga, music, and picnics as potential alternative uses.

But Scott Pollock, who has played tennis since age 5 including for the Scots from 1978 to 1982, called that idea absurd.

“It’s the most beautiful court the town has ever had,” he said. “Having something to do at a park is the most important part of a park.”

RESERVATIONS FROM 2017-AUGUST 2019 1 (Prather Park) – 2,573 2 (Hackberry Creek Park) – 4,037 3 (Fairfax Park) – 870 4 (Fairfax) – 503 5 (Fairfax) – 643 6 (Fairfax) – 1,080 7 (Davis Park) – 2,342 8 (Abbott Park) – 2,807

Source: town of Highland Park

8 February 2020 | parkcitiespeople.com

Early-Decision Transfer Process Used To Prepare For Boone Opening

HPISD aims to nail down enrollment numbers soon, balance campus populations

By Rachel Snyder

program only offered at a certain campus, grandfathered status for those starting their last year at a campus (fourth grade for elementary), being approved for voluntary transfers within the district two years in a row, involuntary transfers (transfers required by administration to attend a school other than the one closest to them for reasons like space), or other compelling circumstances students might be facing.

People Newspapers

If you want your child to be a Hyer Husky rather than a Boone Bulldog, there’s still time to submit transfer requests.

But if you missed the early decision deadline on Jan. 17, your request likely won’t get processed until August.

HPISD officials implemented an early-decision transfer request process ahead of the new attendance zones taking effect for the 2020-2021 school year to accommodate the district’s fifth elementary school, Michael M. Boone Elementary.

District leaders revealed the mascot and colors, ‘Carolina’ blue and gold, for Boone Elementary on Jan. 13 at the school’s soonto-be home at 8385 Durham Street.

It’s the district’s first new elementary school since 1949.

“No matter if you go to Armstrong or Bradfield or University Park or Hyer Elementary, we’ll all eventually be Scots,” Boone Elementary Principal Amanda Reyes said at the reveal.

The early-decision transfer request process helps families prepare for the new school year and allows district officials to make staffing decisions ahead of the new attendance zones taking effect, HPISD leaders said.

“Our goal with this process is to best serve the needs of every child, respect parents’ rights, while implementing the new school boundaries as recommended by the Rezoning Committee and approved by the Board of Trustees in October,” Superintendent Tom Trigg said.

“Opening a new elementary school next year requires significant planning, and the

TOP: Mike and Marla Boone and family stand with the Michael M. Boone Elementary mascot, the Bulldog.

(PHOTO COURTESY MARLA BOONE)

BOTTOM: The Michael M. Boone Elementary Bulldog takes the stage with the Bradfield Bronco, the University Park Panther, the Hyer Husky, the Armstrong Eagle, and the Highland Park Middle School Raider.

(PHOTO RACHEL SNYDER)

district needs to have reliable enrollment information so that the appropriate staffing decisions can be made,” he said.

A committee of district and campus

administrators will evaluate early-decision transfer requests.

Situations the committee will consider: bullying issues, enrollment in a special

Opening a new elementary school next year requires significant planning, and the district needs to have reliable enrollment information so that the appropriate staffing decisions can be made.

Tom Trigg HPISD officials said they’d notify parents by email of the committee’s decision regarding the early-decision transfer requests by Feb. 7. If a request is denied, parents are still able to appeal the committee’s decision to the board of trustees.

Officials are recommending parents file those petitions by Feb. 14. The board will then have 30 days to review and act on the petition.

10 February 2020 | parkcitiespeople.com

Snider Plaza Remains A ‘Hot Spot’ For Parking Enforcement

Parking dominates discussions whenever University Park leaders talk about Snider Plaza, City Manager Robbie Corder says. (PHOTO RACHEL SNYDER)

By Rachel Snyder People Newspapers

Snider Plaza is known for its long-standing businesses and, for city officials, as a hot spot for parking enforcement.

“The two big (parking enforcement hotspots) are Snider Plaza and the ‘Miracle Mile,’” said Bill Mathes, University Park’s assistant police chief for the operations division. The Miracle Mile is a section of Lovers Lane near the North Dallas Tollway.

Snider Plaza, which opened in 1927 at the corner of Hillcrest Avenue and Lovers Lane, has roughly 350 timed spaces, most of which are for two hours, in the plaza and streets adjacent to it, as well as about 15 handicapped spaces.

Most businesses there also have some designated employee parking in the rear of the stores through the alley. Still, Max Fuqua, of Plaza Health Foods, complained that too many workers use customer parking regularly.

“This is one of the main reasons Snider Plaza parking is so bad: Employees do not use the alternatives available to them,” he said.

Mathes said the city has three dedicated parking enforcement officers.

In 2019, the police department issued 228 overtime parking violations, 18 for parking and failing to display a handicapped placard, five for blocking a handicapped access lane, four for parking in a no-parking zone, one for parking and blocking an alley, one for parking facing traffic, and one for an expired

handicapped placard.

He said the department uses cameras that read license plates and mark the location of vehicles so their computer system can alert parking enforcement officers if the vehicles moved within their designated time and issue citations if they haven’t.

“We’ve had the GPS-equipped vehicle for a long time, about 12 years,” Mathes said. “I would say (parking) has become a bit more of an issue as more people come to the Metroplex.”

In the 2008 master plan, the city worked to find ideas to address parking in Snider Plaza, among other issues, University Park City Manager Robbie Corder said.

He said the study estimated the center is short between 120 and 700 parking spaces.

“Every time we’ve looked at Snider Plaza, parking is a dominant issue that rises to the discussion,” Corder said.

One option for adding more parking spaces was working with private property owners in the area to provide more spaces for Snider Plaza employees.

To that end, the city council approved a parking license agreement with SPC Park Plaza Partners in November to allow Snider Plaza tenants to use spaces, at a discounted rate, in the parking garage at Hilltop Plaza, at the south end of Snider Plaza.

The garage opened in October, and the public was allowed to use it for free for one hour, then $3 per hour after that. SPC Park Plaza Partners offered the use of 50 spaces for 65 cents per hour.

12 February 2020 | parkcitiespeople.com

Community

SCOTS SWEETHEARTS GOING EVERYWHERE TOGETHER AGAIN

Rediscovered love makes for a high school reunion-like wedding

Will Mitchell and Melissa Fisher stand in front of his parent’s door with a photo of themselves from 1999. (BY RACHEL SNYDER) The high school sweethearts still have a memento from their prom. MIDDLE AND TOP RIGHT: Wedding photos capture a slow dance and a funny family photo. (BY JESSICA ROSS). BOTTOM RIGHT: The couple shows off their dance moves. (BY HEIDI CRUZ)

By Rachel Snyder People Newspapers

F

or Melissa Fisher and Will Mitchell, love found a way – again.

They met during their freshman year at Highland Park High School and went everywhere together.

“We learned to drive together,” she said. “We ate at Bubba’s before school together; we participated in every theater performance together (he designed lights, I performed); I went to every football game for him; he endured swim meets for me.”

Will had a significant impact on her brother. Fisher appreciated Will’s very loving parents.

But then the high school sweethearts graduated in 1999.

“As college came into view, we went our separate ways,” she said.

He went to the University of Texas in Austin, and she started at SMU.

You always have a fond memory of your (teenage) relationship.

Will Mitchell Melissa ended up working in real estate development. Will chose architecture and has worked at Corgan for the last 15 years.

Around April of 2018, after Melissa had had two children (now 8 and 10 years old) from a previous relationship and was

ready to date again, she wrote a list of traits for her ideal partner.

“Well, you’ve just described Will from high school,” her mother said.

They’d remained friends over the years but hadn’t been close for some time when Melissa called Will to take him for drinks at Saint Ann for his birthday.

“We reconnected like we hadn’t missed a beat,” he said, recalling their intense high school relationship. “You always have a fond memory of your (teenage) relationship.”

They soon discovered there were more memories to make.

“She’s grown a lot personally and professionally… but deep down, she’s the same person I was drawn to back then,” he said.

After a few months, she introduced him to her children, and by December 2018, Melissa and Will moved in together.

I went to every football game for him; he endured swim meets for me.

Melissa Fisher Becoming involved in her children’s lives was a new experience for Will to navigate, but Liam and Avery, quickly embraced him, Melissa said. “They absolutely love him.

“He’s very calm and very patient,” she said. “He goes upstairs

every night and reads, ‘Harry Potter’ to them. It’s something that they share.”

As for Will’s parents, they “were so excited about my kids because they don’t have any other grandkids,” Melissa said.

Will and Melissa wed in October 2019 at the Filter building on White Rock Lake.

“Jumping into a relationship that includes a family that you already love, baggage that you’re already familiar with, and a person that comes with a lovely unconditional love that has withstood the test of 20 years right out of the gate, was pretty amazing,” Melissa said. “Having a party full of Highland Park grads and their parents from both sides was such a fun dynamic. It was almost like a high school reunion.”

Of Old Dallas Landmarks and Young Struggles to Fit In Authors often advise: Write what you know.

The local writers of this month’s selections got personal with their distinctly different books.

One adopted a new workout regimen before taking the first photographs that would fill his pages.

The other drew on her experiences as an Asian girl trying to find her place in predominantly white schools to create a heroine for her children’s fiction.

“Doug’s Gym: The Last of Its Kind.”

By Norm Diamond $45 normdiamondphoto.com

We wrote in early 2018 about this retired Dallas doctor turned photographer whose debut book, What is Left Behind – Stories f rom Estate Sales, featured images of unexpected items people no longer wanted. Before he could begin shooting pictures for his newest book, Diamond had to spend a month working out three days a week at

the legendary “no frills” gym, a downtown Dallas landmark operated for 55 years by cigar-smoking owner Doug Eidd.

“Mindy Kim and The Yummy Seaweed Business” “Mindy Kim and The Lunar New Year Parade”

By Lyla Lee $16.99 each lylaleebooks.com

S ome readers may know this Korean-American

author, who first moved to Dallas when she was 5, for the tutoring she does in our markets. Two of her children’s chapter books came out in January, featuring Mindy Kim, a plucky protagonist working to fit in at a new school where most students don’t look like her.

– Compiled by William Taylor

February 2020 13

Irritations Out in February

What do answers, combs, debts, phlegm, and February have in common? Those pesky silent letters which drive kids nuts on spelling tests.

That brings me to what drives adults LEN BOURLAND nuts: Despite the Oscars, Super Bowl, Chinese New Year, Valentine’s, and Mardi Gras, February is still right in the middle of the bleak midwinter blahs.

People get grumpy. Spring is still pretty far away. Taxes are looming.

The presidential ads are on ad nauseam. Some of this is caused by the seemingly insoluble I’s: impeachment, Iran, and Immigration. Most of us feel powerless about much of that.

Plus, all those New Year’s resolutions and diets are fading like tans after the beach without huge success.

But February might just be the month where we can control some of life’s chronic personal irritations and lift our spirits Like what?

That gunk on top of the toothpaste tube. Once toothpaste went gel, it was Yuk. Remember tooth powder? It’s still a thing, and I’m making the switch.

Potholes. Ubiquitous potholes.

My neighbor just got a couple of sacks of sand and filled in the one in front of her house before calling 311.

Squirrels. Mothballs in the attic, charcoal around the plants, and wild bird calls blaring over your outdoor speakers, I’ve found helpful.

Buffering. That annoying red line that halts your favorite episode while binge-watching on Netflix.

For a quick fix, try calling your wifi or TV provider and threatening to cancel service. Immediate speed up!

Pump action bottles that leave an inch of the product at the bottom. My friend assures me a serrated bread knife can saw through the plastic for the residue.

Siri in your car. “Call the Kimbell Art Museum” comes back with “Calling Kennebunkport.” The car dealer says to use your phone, not the car for directions and phone calls because your phone Siri knows you better. Ahh, Siri, be my Valentine.

People who get on planes sick.

Take sanitary wipes and face masks.

The noise of leaf blowers. It might take a GoFundMe page to get a guy who can muffle that, but it seems possible. I would nominate him or her for the Nobel Peace Prize.

Computer glitches. Nope. It doesn’t begin with an I, but it’s up there with Iran. Can’t be done.

So soothing life’s little irritants might be the best way to sail through Febyooooary.

Contact columnist Len Bourland at lenbourland@gmail.com.

14 February 2020 | parkcitiespeople.com

Mom Returns to Workforce as Company Owner, CEO

Blankenship aims to help other women balance family life, career demands

By Rachel Snyder People Newspapers

Why was it important for you to have your business certified by the Women’s Business Enterprise National Council? How does that help your business?

Several of my clients greatly value this certification. They use this certification to help ensure they have a diverse portfolio of suppliers.

Dana Blankenship worked in the change management practice at Accenture for nearly 15 years until she and her husband left their jobs to better care for their oldest daughter, who was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes.

Blankenship started her own consulting firm a couThere are comparatively few female CEOs, parple of years later.

“I started out taking a gig ticularly of Fortune 500 at Frito Lay for a consultant companies. What do who used to work for me,” you think can be done she said. “Then another conto bridge the gap? sultant who worked for me Finding good mentors and coaches is esgave me a (second) gig, and it was bigger than I could do sential to helping everyalone, so I asked some othone develop the skills ers to join me.” to advance their careers.

The 55-year-old ownWomen have had a er and CEO of Blankenharder time finding peoship Change Consulting ple who look like them will be among six women at the levels they aspire to be. recognized for leadership We have to find betand service at the Texas ter ways to keep women Women’s Foundation’s annual leadership forum and engaged in the workDana Blankenship awards dinner April 30. force, so they are on Her firm, founded in the slates for key roles.

2005 and certified by the Women’s Business When women tap out to raise families full Enterprise National Council, helps organiza- time, it is often difficult to re-engage at the tions with change management, communica- same level they left at. That’s not a show tion, organization design and development, stopper for a rewarding career; it just means training design and development, and cre- the path is a little different than (for) those ative services. Clients include Neiman Mar- who didn’t take a break from the workforce. cus, 7-Eleven, and Southwest Airlines.

Women sometimes self-select out of She has lived in the area for 20 years and high-powered roles due to social or family sent two daughters to the Episcopal School pressures.

We need more female role models to of Dallas. show different ways to have a career and a What impact do you hope your work has life outside of work. on your community?

I strive to give women exciting career What’s a fun fact about you?

I love to travel and have been to 52 opportunities while allowing them to still achieve their desired balance between work countries. In October, I will get (to) three and family/personal life. I am proud to have more and will be caught up with my age – encouraged women to return to the work- 55 countries and 55 years. force who had left because they didn’t see a place for them in traditional consulting as For an extended interview with Blankenship, they started having families. visit peoplenewspapers.com.

16 February 2020 | parkcitiespeople.com

Sure Signs From Traffic Operations Crew

UP workers churn out markers for speed limits, crosswalks, etc.

By Rachel Snyder

TROUBLE SIGNS

People Newspapers

Call the University Park Police Department at 214-363-3000 to report a damaged traffic sign or signal.

University Park residents see signs of the city’s traffic operations department’s work all the time but may not realize it.

Unlike most cities its size – population of 22,910, according to the 2010 Census – University Park makes signs in-house instead of purchasing them elsewhere, spokeswoman Paige Ruedy said.

“The consensus is that, overall, it’s pretty rare,” Ruedy said.

The town of Highland Park, for example, buys its signs.

(Inevitably) someone will knock a sign down.

Fernando Zavala Other mid-sized cities in the area that make their traffic signs include Addison, Carrollton, and DeSoto. SMU uses Fastsigns now, but University Park previously made them.

The city’s traffic operations department includes seven people

At the Peek Service Center, University Park employees make the city’s traffic signs. (PHOTOS BY RACHEL SNYDER) and a supervisor in the Peek Service Center on Worcola Street.

“We make decals for the police cars, and all city vehicles and service vehicles aside from (fire trucks),” said Fernando Zavala,

who’s worked for the department for 14 years.

To make the signs, employees utilize a computer program loaded with hundreds of pre-programmed templates.

They also have a book, the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices, that specifies details such as the font each sign needs to use, the size the sign needs to be, spacing, kerning, and more.

The signs are made using 3M diamond-grade sheeting that’s adhered to aluminum. A plotter scores the design for the signs in the sheeting, and employees finish cutting the design out by hand.

“It’s the most reflective sheeting on the market,” said Randy Brown, who’s worked in the department for 23 years.

Employees then use a pressure roller to adhere the sheeting to the signs.

Brown said signs last about seven years. Workers keep a stockpile of the various ones and produce about 15 per week. Crew members also are responsible for maintaining pavement markings, which takes up most of their time, and the decorative street signs along Hillcrest, Snider Plaza, Preston, and Lovers Lane.

Signs are replaced as needed. “(Inevitably) someone will knock a sign down,” Zavala said.

Noteworthy Neighbors

parkcitiespeople.com | February 2020 17

Dr. Rainwater Leads Dentists With A Heart For Service

Rotary Club of Park Cities project helps needy patients get vital tooth care Editor’s note: Rex’s Seafood & Market is sponsoring this new monthly feature.

By Rachel Snyder People Newspapers

Dr. Michael Rainwater continues traditions of service both in his family’s dental practice and as an organizer of the Dentistry with a Heart project for the Park Cities Rotary Club.

The family practice was started by his father, Gary, but Michael Rainwater has run it for the past 15 years.

The Rotary Club project he’s helped organize gathers dental professionals to provide free services to people in need who otherwise wouldn’t be able to afford them. Services provided include extractions, fillings, cleanings, and dental education.

“We meet (the patients) that day and take care of them,” he said. “It’s interesting and rewarding and challenging. Rotary provides a great path to serve others.”

Rainwater said volunteers are not able to serve every dental need at the event on-site but do their best to care for the patients they see.

He, along with fellow Park Cities Rotarians Dr. Moody Alexander and Dr. Roy Washburn, started the Dentistry with a Heart event in 2010. Alexander, an orthodontist, was the initial catalyst and helped recruit volunteers, Rainwater helped, and Washburn hosted the event for its first five years until he retired.

We meet (the patients) that day and take care of them.

Dr. Michael Rainwater These days the event is held at Agape

TOP PHOTO, FRONT, FROM LEFT: Happy Franklin and Jina McDaniel. MIDDLE: Fred Brown, Kathleen Klaviter, Ruth Alhilali, Patsy Watson, Janie Loveless, Keith Loveless, Karen Farris, Dr. Michael Rainwater, and Stephanie Bohan.

BACK: Tom Loveless and Phillip Bankhead. BOTTOM LEFT: A volunteer cares for a dental patient. Dr. Michael Rainwater sits with a patient in 2010. (COURTESY ROTARY CLUB OF PARK CITIES) Clinic, 4104 Junius St., a nonprofit medical center.

Alexander died in 2018, and past Park Cities Rotary Club president Fred Brown has helped take up a leadership role in the event along with Rainwater.

Rainwater said volunteers had provided

$317,385 in dental services to 529 low-income Dallas residents since 2010.

The most recent event in October provided more than $37,000 in dental services to 39 patients. It involved eight dentists, two oral surgery residents, three hygienists, three dental assistants, and five dental students

volunteering.

Organizations including the Salvation Army, Senior Source, All Nations Church, and Bonton Farms help identify patients for the event, and the Texas A&M Dental School, the Dallas County Dental Society, and the Agape Clinic help provide additional volunteers.

18 February 2020 | parkcitiespeople.com

Business

MOM’S FLORAL INVENTION MAKES Snider Plaza Antiques ‘COUTURE’ ARRANGEMENTS EASY Under New Management

By Rachel Snyder People Newspapers

Snider Plaza Antiques is under new management after more than 30 years.

Bill Sheahan took over the shop at 6929 Snider Plaza on Dec. 1 after Allan and Martha Woodcook retired.

There’s a real community (at Snider Plaza Antiques).

Bill Sheahan Patricia Schmidt with some designs made with her floral insert mold, the Koo-toore-a. (RACHEL SNYDER)

By Rachel Snyder People Newspapers

A

Highland Park mom’s design for a pre-arranged floral insert mold is heading to the International Home and Housewares show in Chicago in March.

The inventor Patricia Schmidt has long had a creative streak, having done design work for shopping centers and supplied a line of products for e-commerce furniture and home goods company Wayfair.

“Since people know (about the line on Wayfair), I’m often asked to help with (designing arrangements for) charities and parties (in the area),” Schmidt said.

Her design experience led her to come up with the idea for the pre-arranged floral insert, the

Koo-toore-a, about two years ago.

“Charities are limited in what they can spend for their events,” she said. The Koo-toore-a makes floral arrangements “cheap to do.”

The inserts feature five tubes to place flowers in surrounded by mixed greens. The inserts can go in vases or other containers, and the flowers are easily switched out in the tubes. The tubes come with caps, so the arrangements can also be hung or tilted. The inserts can also be combined to create larger arrangements.

“I thought, ‘Wouldn’t it be nice to have something interchangeable that looks like fresh greenery?’”

Schmidt said. “Today’s trend is all about re-usable (items).”

Now, she’s filed a patent application for her product, which,

while she’s a supplier for Wayfair, is exclusively available through her floral design studio, A Fleur Couturier.

Jeanne Claire of And! Sales, a marketing firm that represents houseware and gift lines, said the patent application puts Schmidt among a comparatively small group of other women.

“Only 12% of all patents applied for are those by women,” Claire said. “However, not all inventions are necessarily manly, and an idea that comes out of a woman’s head can be just as… rewarding and successful.”

Sheahan said he’d been a vendor in the store for about three years offering jewelry design and repair before taking over the store and bringing Laura Williams on full time to manage the antiques side of the business.

Williams has extensive retail experience and had been helping with Bill Sheahan Designs on a part-time basis.

“Having all the experience (from the about 22 other vendors) here has been great,” Sheahan said. “There’s a real community (at Snider Plaza Antiques). The trust has been felt.”

He’s hoping in January to update the signage for the business to include antiques, art, and jewelry.

“We want to make it a true Dallas destination,” Sheahan said, adding he’s seeking more quality dealers to join the existing mix of vendors at the shop.

He also wants to host club meetings and educational events related to antiques and arts.

The Woodcooks retired in late November 2019 to have more time to spend with family after running the store since 1989.

ON THE INTERNET Visit afleurcouturier.com or email afleurcouture@gmail.com

New Snider Plaza Antiques owner Bill Sheahan, Laura Williams, and the rest of the team at the store. (RACHEL SNYDER)

parkcitiespeople.com | February 2020 19

Comings and Goings COMING

Ventana Assisted Living and Memory Care

Planet Granite

8301 N. Central Expressway Ventana by Buckner, which opened its high-rise independent living units in the fall, recently opened its 38 assisted living residences, 48 skilled nursing units, 26 memory care residences, and 24 rehab suites. Visit VentanaByBuckner.com

The Hill at North Central Expressway and Walnut Hill Lane The gym for climbers will open in the second half of 2020 with a 37,000 squarefoot rock climbing gym, a yoga studio, climbing classes, and an outdoor fitness area operated by El Cap. The new building, powered by roof-top solar arrays, will offer a property-wide restaurant composting station and recycling program and 12 Tesla charging stations. Other Hill tenants set to open this year include the Hello Dumpling restaurant, Hiatus Spa + Retreat, and a Keller Williams real estate office.

RENOVATED Alice + Olivia BRUNELLO CUCINELLI

Lucky’s Hot Chicken

4505 Gaston Ave. A new eatery is coming to the 5,000 square-foot, historic former home of Brinks early this year. The menu will feature chicken tenders, wings, and more, with classic sides like mac n’ cheese, coleslaw, baked beans, collard greens, and more.

NOW OPEN B.B. Hawk

Brunello Cucinelli

B.B. HAWK The new studio features three concepts under one roof — Sprint, Sculpt, and Lab.

3419 Milton Avenue The luxury leather and fur apparel store recently opened in Snider Plaza and offers both new and refurbished fur and leather garments. Owner Bennie Lin said producers in Germany, China, and Italy make his garments. He also provides repair, cleaning, and restyling services. Visit bbhawk.com.

Drake’s Hollywood

Class Studios

Foxtrot

Preston Center Plaza The hybrid fitness studio opened its second area location in the plaza last year.

Highland Park Village After debuting the only Dallas storef ront in Highland Park Village in 2017, Alice + Olivia has renovated what was once a pop-up location and unveiled a new, bold design as a permanent tenant.

5007 W. Lovers Lane The restaurant serves pizzas, steak, and martinis and offers weekly live jazz and a weekend DJ in a 4,000-square-foot space with a lounge inspired by old Hollywood.

Vandelay Hospitality CEO Hunter Pond created the menu with his executive chef.

6565 Hillcrest Avenue The modern corner store’s second area location features a selection of local

VENTANA ASSISTED LIVING AND MEMORY CARE (COURTESY PHOTOS)

goods, including options from Joy Macarons, Bisous Bisous Pâtisserie, Emporium Pies, Flower Gals Co., Oak Cliff Coffee Roasters, and The Mozzarella Company.

There’s also a full-service coffee bar, local beer on tap, wine by the glass, and gifts.

Those who live nearby can also order items for delivery using the store’s mobile app.

Iris Senior Living

3611 Dickason Avenue The senior care provider recently launched its newest memory care community and is welcoming new residents as renovations continue.

Highland Park Village The Italian luxury fashion brand recently doubled its size to 3,484 square feet and updated to the most current design. A re-opening celebration is in the works for March.

CLOSED…BUT ONLY TEMPORARILY Peggy Sue BBQ 6600 Snider Plaza The longtime Snider Plaza eatery has closed for remodeling while sidewalk construction is ongoing. Snider Plaza Merchants Association president Jerry Washam expects sidewalk work to take about three weeks. A new lease agreement allows the restaurant to close for a maximum of four months for remodeling.

20 February 2020 | parkcitiespeople.com

Real Estate Quarterly DALLAS EXPERTS BULLISH ON 2020 REAL ESTATE

MetroTex Association of Realtors communications director. “We did experience some very accelerated price increases in 2017 and 2018, followed by some market correction last year.”

By Bethany Erickson People Newspapers

W

hile the days of bidding wars and blink-and-you-miss them hip pocket listings are over, the Dallas real estate market is still a good bet, experts said.

The metro area that includes Dallas, Fort Worth, and Arlington was among the 10 markets the National Association of Realtors identified as expected to outperform over the next three to five years.

“Some markets are clearly positioned for exceptional longer-term performance due to their relative housing affordability combined with solid local economic expansion,” said NAR’s Chief Economist Lawrence Yun. Yun’s prognostication jibes with what local experts expect, too.

Ebby Halliday Companies president and CEO Chris Kelly said that job growth had positioned the North Texas market for real estate growth as well.

“Because of the continued job growth and companies migrating to North Texas, we are positioned to have a sustained above-average housing market for the next several years, barring unforeseen circumstances,” Kelly said. “Other markets are not experiencing this type of population infusion, which gives North Texas an advantage for continued housing and homeownership growth.”

In December 2019, Dallas County saw median home prices rise 5.3% to $252,800, with closings up 14.1%. Listings stayed on the market an average of 56 days in December.

Months of housing inventory held steady year-over-year at 2.4 months, a far cry from the six months economists say is a sign of a balanced market.

“I’m not one to get cocky about the marketplace, but it’s very fair right now – you’re seeing a lot of equilibrium,” said Steve Collins, a real estate agent with Dave Perry-Miller Real Estate. Collins said that he’s seeing buyers and sellers approach the negotiating

Because of the continued job growth and companies migrating to North Texas, we are positioned to have a sustained aboveaverage housing market for the next several years, barring unforeseen circumstances.

Chris Kelly

SOURCE: NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS

SOURCE: MYMETROTEX.COM

table a bit more reasonably now, too.

“You don’t see multiple offers with the frequency that we did three to five years ago,” he said. “The market is very efficient.

Sellers can price smarter, and buyers can offer smarter.”

“We feel quite optimistic about the market staying strong,” said Bill Head,

MARKET NUMBERS: PARK CITIE S Month

Closed Median sales price

But even in a recession scenario, all three were optimistic to cautiously optimistic about how it would impact the local market.

“Any national recession is going to impact and be felt in nearly every market,” Kelly said. “However, historically, housing has not always been dramatically impacted by an economic recession. It is because of the severity of the last recession that we assume housing will be significantly impacted. North Texas’ diversified economy provides us an advantage in reducing the severity of any national recession.”

Collins said he thinks the area is well-positioned to weather the storm.

“There are too many fundamentals in place here for there to be a serious slide,” he said. “I don’t see anything that can upset the apple cart.”

“Due to the high level of relocation, there is no reason to think that pricing will drop that rapidly over the next few years,” Head agreed.

MARKET NUMBERS: PRE STON HOLLOW

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

Month

Closed Median sales price

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

Dec. 2018

58

$1,125,000

$396

95%

258

74

4.3

Dec. 2018

56

$1,140,000

$341

94%

277

91

5

March 2019

62

$1,357,620

$392

96%

418

60

7.2

March 2019

63

$821,250

$297

96%

393

56

7.2

June 2019

97

$1,492,500

$387

95%

435

71

7.4

June 2019

70

$997,000

$273

96%

446

65

8.2

Sept. 2019

58

$1,007,500

$360

93%

394

89

6.9

Sept. 2019

55

$932,500

$278

95%

435

80

8.1

Dec. 2019

70

$1,389,500

$417

94.9%

222

87

3.7

Dec. 2019

77

$1,080,000

$268

94%

254

96

4.5

Source: North Texas Real Estate Information Systems Inc.

parkcitiespeople.com | February 2020 25

Need Commercial Space? Sign on The Dottid Line

SMU grad aims to simplify leasing process with digital platform

tenant to get a better view into what’s happening.”

So far, the company has raised $3.85 million f rom six investors, including Transwestern Investment Group president Laurie Dotter and Invesco chairman David Ridley. The company’s team includes chief technology officer Senneca Miller, formerly of Toyota Connected and Varidesk.

By Bethany Erickson People Newspapers

It’s not always easy to lease a commercial space – even if you have a real estate agent helping you.

SMU grad and Preston Hollow native Kyle Waldrep saw an antiquated system and decided to bring it into the 21st century.

The result was Dottid, a technology platform that streamlines the office, industrial, and retail leasing process.

“Our goal is to make leasing transactions quicker, faster, and cheaper for everyone involved,” Waldrep explained.

The Dottid platform provides a virtual way to keep all stakeholders up to date in a lease transaction by “connecting both the asset team and the tenant team in one location from the first inquiry to the day they move-in,” he said. “Email, or the phone, or even fax machine are the older guard way of doing things. Dottid modernizes that and gives everyone a workflow to implement their best business practices and make deals happen faster.”

Unlike residential real estate, which has been at the foref ront of embracing technology to improve transactions and workflow, Waldrep said commercial real estate has been slower to innovate.

“Our goal is to make the owner’s life as easy as possible, and in turn, if we

Our goal is to make leasing transactions quicker, faster, and cheaper for everyone involved.

Kyle Waldrep

CLOCKWISE, FROM TOP: Dottid company officers. Dottid CEO Kyle Waldrep. Family and friends celebrate the company’s launch. (COURTESY PHOTOS) make the asset team’s life as easy as possible, we make the tenant’s life better,” he explained.

“Often, that prospective tenant may

not know where something stood as the lease transaction was progressing,” he said. “So, if we can increase efficiency on the asset side, we can also allow the

But while they officially launched in November, Dottid didn’t happen overnight. The team has been quietly building its platform for several years – a feat made more impressive by the fact that Waldrep is only 26.

Waldrep said his team is excited about the launch. “It gives us great excitement as a team because we know we’re building something new, fun, and innovative,” he said. “And commercial real estate has always been kind of older, and Dottid will hopefully be a conduit of innovation in property tech space for years to come.”

26 February 2020 | parkcitiespeople.com

NOVEL Concept Will Come With Dallas, Park Cities Views Crescent Communities projects to include new Turtle Creek high rise

the company said.

Indoor amenities include a comprehensive fitness center, resident lounge, and two guest suites for family and friends who come to visit.

This location is special; it is situated at the confluence of the South Highland Park, Turtle Creek, and Oak Lawn neighborhoods.

Peter Petricca One-, two-, and three-bedroom residences will be available, all with private balconies with unobstructed views of Dallas and the Park Cities. Finishes and amenities will include real wood floors, gas appliances, wine refrigerators, The fifth floor of NOVEL Turtle Creek will include an outdoor deck with a swimming pool, numerous seating areas, outdoor kitchens, and dry bar areas. and views of Turtle Creek and downtown. (COURTESY PHOTO) Penthouse units, located on the top two floors, will include expansive terraces, upgradCommunities’ multifamily business. “This lo- approximately one-half mile south of High- ed appliances, and other unique features such

By Bethany Erickson People Newspapers cation is special; it is situated at the confluence land Park. The community is within walk- as wet bars, wall ovens, and fireplaces. of the South Highland Park, Turtle Creek, and ing distance of Turtle Creek Village and The Construction on NOVEL Turtle Creek A high-rise apartment building in Oak Oak Lawn neighborhoods.”

Shops of Highland Park, and a five-minute was scheduled to begin by the end of January Lawn or Turtle Creek may not seem unusual, “We specifically designed NOVEL Turtle walk to Turtle Creek Park and the Katy Trail. with delivery of the first residences expected but Crescent Communities’ latest luxury proj- Creek to target a more mature demographic In addition to traditional amenities, in early 2022. by incorporating larger floor plans with an ar- NOVEL Turtle Creek will feature 24-hour ect is well, NOVEL. On Jan. 9, the company announced plans chitectural/interior style that is classic and so- concierge service and onsite pet facilities. The MORE PROJECTS to develop a high-rise multifamily community phisticated, yet approachable. It is our inten- fifth floor of the building is dedicated to resNOVEL Turtle Creek is one of three in the Oak Lawn/Turtle Creek area of Dallas. tion to provide a living experience that blends ident amenities. It includes an outdoor deck residential projects that Crescent NOVEL Turtle Creek will have 206 luxury luxury and comfort with a high level of service with a swimming pool, numerous seating arCommunities has under construction residences on 20-floors. eas, outdoor kitchens, and views of the Turtle and upscale conveniences.” or in lease-up in the Dallas area, “We couldn’t be more excited to be in this The new high-rise will be located just off Creek and downtown skylines. including NOVEL Deep Ellum and area of Uptown,” said Peter Petricca, manag- the intersection of Irving and Oak Lawn ave“It is designed to be an urban oasis, remNOVEL Bishop Arts. ing director for the Texas region of Crescent nues, one block north of Blackburn Street and iniscent of a luxurious residential backyard,”

parkcitiespeople.com | February 2020  27

HOUSE OF THE MONTH

10754 St. Michaels Drive

COURTESY MANCHESTERLIVING.COM

M

anchester Place Care Homes opened in 2009 and now operates this luxury residential care house and three other assisted living boutique homes across Dallas: 7701 Queens Ferry Lane, 1438 Tranquilla Drive, and 7109 Spring Valley Road. Each light and bright, newly-constructed house has eight private suites with ADA-compliant en-suite bathrooms so residents may feel comfortable

and safe in familiar, home-like surroundings with flat-screen, high-definition televisions.

Residents get three home-cooked meals daily and customized snacks. A concierge doctor/medical director manages the staff of certified nursing assistants, who provide 24-hour care with a four-to-one resident to staff ratio. Parent company Manchester Living also operates Cambridge Caregivers, a division that provides in-home care.

28 February 2020 | parkcitiespeople.com

Sports

SENIOR SCORER: HAGER GETS HIS SHOT FOR SCOTS

Last year’s backup becomes this year’s star as team eyes playoffs again

By Todd Jorgenson People Newspapers

A

year ago, Jacob Hager watched most of the action from the sidelines as Highland Park won 26 games and made a deep playoff run.

But he never lost his confidence, and neither did his coaches. They knew Hager’s turn to shine was coming up.

That approach has paid off this season for the sharpshooting senior, who has paced the Scots in scoring as they regroup for another postseason push.

“He learned a lot last year, not just on the court but off the court,” said HP head coach David Piehler. “We did a lot of work on shooting. He’s made tremendous strides.”

By moving from a reserve role into a starting spot this year, Hager has helped to fill a perimeter

After playing a reserve role last year, Highland Park senior Jacob Hager has emerged as one of the team’s most reliable perimeter shooters this season. (PHOTO ROB GRAHAM) shooting void left by Reilly Seebold, who was the most prolific 3-point shooter in the Dallas area last season and now is a freshman at Loyola Marymount.

“Over the summer, coach Piehler told me I had the green light.

That gave me a lot of confidence,” said Hager, who played with the Texas Dynasty select team during

the offseason. “I worked harder this summer than I ever have.”

At 6-foot-5, Hager also is one of the team’s top rebounders and has improved his defense, too. But firing from beyond the arc is his specialty, and Piehler has installed some plays specifically for that purpose.

Hager made seven 3-pointers and scored a game-high 25 points during HP’s narrow loss to Class 6A power Hebron in late November.

His biggest highlight came a few weeks later.

The Scots trailed Burkburnett by one point with four seconds left in a semifinal game at the Union Square Bulldog Classic in Burkburnett. Hager caught a baseline pass from Lake Needleman and drained a 3-pointer from the corner as time expired. Behind Hager’s game-high 28 points, including the buzzer-beater, HP advanced

and wound up winning the championship game the next day.

Over the summer, coach Piehler told me I had the green light. That gave me a lot of confidence.

Jacob Hager These days, Hager looks back on last season as a valuable learning experience that made him appreciate the value of patience and perseverance.

“His shot has always been fundamentally sound, but now it’s more consistent,” Piehler said.

“When he shoots it, I expect it to go in.”

Catching On: Dabboussi Leads From Behind Plate

Experienced Lady Scots softball enters season with high expectations

By Todd Jorgenson

HP SOFTBALL SCHEDULE

People Newspapers

You wouldn’t know it these days, but Dawson Dabboussi got a late start as a catcher.

Her relatively quick study of the sport — and her position — has the Highland Park senior poised to lead a team with the experience to match its high expectations this season. She’s among six seniors returning from a squad that reached the second round of the playoffs a year ago, and many of those already have been in the starting lineup for multiple seasons.

You have to be very vocal, and you have to know where the play is going.

Dawson Dabboussi “She’ll be really important, especially behind the plate,” said HP head coach Michael Pullen. “Her game knowledge is amazing.

She very rarely makes mistakes. She catches and blocks everything.”

Dabboussi began playing softball as a corner infielder before shifting to catcher late in her eighth-grade year at the urging of her coaches on the HP Bombers select

Highland Park senior Dawson Dabboussi is entering her fourth season as the starting catcher for the Lady Scots. At right, she talks to pitcher Lilli Reenan. (PHOTOS CHRIS MCGATHEY) team. They saw an upcoming void at the position on HP’s varsity squad and thought she should fill it.

Dabboussi did just that as a freshman, enduring some growing pains that have paid dividends entering her fourth year as a starter.

“It was a big responsibility. I was kind of scared because I had never done it before. I caught on quickly and began to love it,” Dabboussi said. “You have to be very vocal, and you have to know where the play is going.”

Dabboussi’s leadership includes plenty of encouragement and positivity when her teammates are struggling. Perhaps that stems from personal experience. Dabboussi first

turned to softball as a coping mechanism after her mother, Kim, died from breast cancer when she was 5.

“It was a way for me to be happy,” said Dabboussi, who still wears a pink headband during most games in her mother’s memory.

“She’s always been with me.”

In November, Dabboussi signed to play college softball at St. Edward’s University in Austin. She became the first Lady Scots player to earn a softball scholarship in almost two decades.

Dabboussi’s fellow seniors include shortstop Ava Sims and outfielders Grace Brown and Ciara Fortenberry. Meanwhile, HP

February at McKinney 7 p.m.

18 20-22 Mid-Cities Classic^ TBA Richardson 7 p.m.

25 27-29 Richardson ISD tourn. TBA March Newman Smith* 5 p.m.

3 6 at Conrad* 5 p.m. at Bryan Adams* 4:30 p.m.

10 21 Carr. Creekview* 11 a.m.

Carr. R.L. Turner* 5 p.m.

24 Thomas Jefferson* 5 p.m.

27 31 at Woodrow Wilson* 5 p.m.

April 3 at Newman Smith* 5 p.m.

Conrad* 5 p.m.

7 9 Bryan Adams* 5 p.m.

14 at Carr. Creekview* 5 p.m. at Carr. R.L. Turner* 5 p.m.

17 21 at Thomas Jefferson* 4:30 p.m.

Woodrow Wilson* 5 p.m.

24 * — District 11-5A game ^ — at Colleyville

pitcher Lilli Reenan leads a talented sophomore class.

“These girls have a lot of experience, and they know what it takes to get there,” Pullen said. “A district title is definitely within reach.”

30 February 2020 | parkcitiespeople.com

Could Chandler Morris Become Oklahoma’s Next Great QB? Scots standout chooses the Sooners after reopening his recruitment

37 rushing scores. He led the Scots to an unbeaten season and a Class 5A Division I state championship as a junior when he was named the offensive MVP in the title game.

At Oklahoma, Morris will reunite with former HP receiver Finn Corwin, who was his favorite target during the 2018 season.

Corwin was a freshman at OU this season.

However, he will become a rival for ex-teammate Prince Dorbah, the standout defensive end who signed with Texas last month.

After leading Highland Park to a 27-2 record and a state championship in two years, Chandler Morris will play college football at Oklahoma.

(PHOTOS MELISSA MACATEE)

By Todd Jorgenson People Newspapers

The recruiting odyssey of Chandler Morris ended with the Highland Park quarterback choosing one of the country’s top programs.

Morris signed with Oklahoma in late December, and unveiled that choice on national television on Jan. 2 in Orlando, Florida, before the kickoff of the Under Armour All-America Game, with his family and HP head coach Randy Allen at his side.

Morris originally committed to Arkansas,

where he would have played for his father.

But after Chad Morris was dismissed as the head coach of the Razorbacks in early November, Chandler re-opened his recruiting.

His father recently became the offensive coordinator at Auburn, but Morris didn’t follow, instead opting for a school that showed interest in him for quite some time.

He also considered offers from TCU, Virginia Tech, USC, and others.

Sooners head coach Lincoln Riley “kept a relationship with me the whole time in this recruiting process, and he’s a man of his word,” Morris told ESPN. “There’s a list of

coaches [my father] trusts that I could go play for, and coach Riley was one of them, and he was at the top of that list.”

The Sooners have featured a handful of prolific dual-threat quarterbacks during their recent run of success, including current NFL starters Baker Mayfield and Kyler Murray. Morris has trained extensively with Murray’s father, noted quarterback guru Kevin Murray.

Morris leaves HP as one of the most decorated quarterbacks in program history, with more than 7,600 passing yards and 88 touchdowns in two years, along with

There’s a list of coaches [my father] trusts that I could go play for, and coach Riley was one of them, and he was at the top of that list.

Chandler Morris Led by senior Jalen Hurts, Oklahoma earned 12 victories, won the Big 12 crown, and reached the College Football Playoff semifinals this season before falling to LSU in the Peach Bowl.

After all the fanfare, Morris proceeded to complete six of 12 passes for 77 yards in the all-star game, which featured senior standouts from around the country.

32 February 2020 | parkcitiespeople.com

Schools

ONE DAY NOT ENOUGH FOR HIGH SCHOOL TECHNOLOGY FESTIVAL Highland Park adds keynote session featuring virtual reality innovators

By Rachel Snyder People Newspapers

V

irtual reality innovators John Carmack and Palmer Luckey will speak to Highland Park High School students at a new keynote event leading up to the school’s annual science and technology festival.

Carmack co-founded game developer id Software in 1991 and served as chief technology officer of Facebook’s VR subsidiary Oculus. Luckey, one of the founders of Oculus, also founded Anduril Industries, a defense technology company.

It helps (students) understand what’s out there and what they can study.

Amy Shawver Ticket availability for the keynote session from 5-7 p.m. Feb. 1 at the Frontiers of Flight Museum at 6911 Lemmon Ave. is limited. Contact hpscitechfest@ gmail.com for more information.

New Highland Belles, Lieutenants Named for 2020-2021 The award-winning Highland Belles have added 25 new team members to a 2020-2021 roster that also includes 38 returning members and selected five dancers to serve as lieutenants.

The roster was chosen in independently judged tryouts after hopefuls and returning Belles completed a weeklong training process.

Also, The Highland Belles Lieutenants were selected on Jan. 9

John Carmack

A student tries out a da Vinci Surgical System robot used to assist doctors with minimally invasive procedures.

Dr. Richard Salter, who brought the device in 2019, will speak again this year. (COURTESY PHOTOS) Festival co-chair Amy Shawver said the festival plans to create a video library featuring the keynote event and other speakers.

The festival, scheduled during science classes Feb. 7, traditionally features more than 50 speakers from careers including science, engineering, medicine, research,

and technology.

Last year, 2,500 students registered for the event, which featured 53 speakers, and Oculus donated 10 Oculus Go devices for a raffle.

“It helps (students) understand what’s out there and what they can study,” Shawver said.

This year’s festival will feature about 52 speakers in fields including geology, VR, artificial intelligence, law, medicine, chemistry, engineering, film, epidemiology, physics, robotic surgery, video games, cybersecurity, social media data, blockchain, aviation, computer science, genetics, wild-

Palmer Luckey life management, sports nutrition, veterinary science, energy conservation, and more.

Parent volunteers help run the event and secure the speakers. Between 30 and 50 volunteers work the day of the festival, and Shawver said student ambassadors would likely help as well. after a demanding try-out process in front of a panel of judges. Hannah Stone, Chloe Walsh, Ava Tiffany, Devoney Duclow, and Emerson Mason will take the field in the white fringe worn by lieutenants for the first time when Scots football opens its season in the fall.

Workout and off-season training got underway in January with the first team performance scheduled for late spring.

Dancing under the direction of Shannon Phillips, Belle performances include military, jazz, pom, high kick, prop, and novelty selections.

– Staff report

TOP FRONT, FROM LEFT: Elaine Allison, Hannah Jackson, Maura Maguire, Carley Hutchison, Devyn Schaller, Olivia Jackson, Logan Parette, and Kate Perdue. MIDDLE: Kaycee Nieuwendyk, Sophia Wright, Ellie Williamson, Charlotte Omundson, Maron Shiller, Alexis Jackson, Riley Laine Peterie, Ande Dugas, and Reagan Hoctor. BACK: Katie Shults, Marin Davenport, Gigi Hagen, Greer Dunston, Lyla Gaubert, Shelby Sides, Kenna McCarter, and Anna Cooke.

BOTTOM FROM LEFT: 2020-2021 lieutenants Hannah Stone, Chloe Walsh, Ava Tiffany, Devoney Duclow, and Emerson Mason. (COURTESY PHOTOS)

34 February 2020 | parkcitiespeople.com

Society

LA FIESTA KICK’S OFF 2020 SEASON

2020 La Fiesta Duchesses practicing the dip 2020 La Fiesta Duchesses

Charlie Craft, Luke Sobolevitch,Will Kozmetsky, Parker Clark, and Andrew Stanzel

J.R., Caroline, Madelaine, and Natalie Thomas

Ryan Fuller,James McGinley, and Kennedi Feigl

Fran Matise and Mary Deaver Elizabeth Brimmage, Sarah Dalton, and Courtney Cooper PHOTOS BY JAMES FRENCH PHOTOGRAPHY

Ryan Fuller, Kathryn Walton, Mary Claire Leather, Reagan Van Eaton, and Courtney Cooper

Caroline Thomas

Randi Eiland, Tracy Martin, Michaels Dyer, and Kay Herrin

Anastasia Helms and Ryan Butz

La Fiesta de las Seis Banderas kicked off the 2020 season with an Announcement Party on Dec. 19 at the Belo Mansion. This year’s theme is “The Royal Celebration” to commemorate the organzation’s 35th anniversary. Earlier in the day, Tootsies rehosted the La Fiesta Duchess “dip,” which was taught by Britney Tynan Sisk, a dance instructor with Park Cities Dance. The 2020 Duchesses and Escorts will be formally presented at the presentation gala on June 6 at the Hilton Anatole Hotel.

parkcitiespeople.com | February 2020  35

36 February 2020 | parkcitiespeople.com

DRAKE’S HOLLYWOOD VIP OPENING

Leisa Street and Kristie Ramirez Drake’s General Manager Glenn Govias greets guests Anais Nussbaumer and Payton Harris

Nikki Shah and Isabella Gerstein Drake’s exterior

Isabel Ensminger, Downie Radcliff, and Maddy McGuire

PHOTO COURTESY BRUNO & R E N AT O R I M A C H

Alexis Smith and Alex Perry

Dr. Nimesh Patel and Bina Patel with Joe and Melissa Pastora

A set of socialites gathered in the Bluffview neighborhood of Dallas on Dec. 6 to celebrate the grand opening of Vandelay Hospitality’s newest restaurant and lounge, Drake’s Hollywood.

Upon entering through the tufted red leather doors, the well-dressed group gathered around the bar for cocktail hour, sipping on ice-cold martinis and browsing Drake’s impressive Los Angeles-inspired cocktail list.

Common Unknown WARNING SIGNS That Falls Will Soon Be A Problem.

It’s Never Just Because Of Age...

There’s Always A REASON! – Now What To Do About It?

By Leading Balance Expert, Dr. Jeffrey Guild, Physical Therapist Are you worried about losing independence because of falls? Are you seeing your friends falling and losing independence and you want to act proactively? Are you worried about someone you love falling?

Here are some common WARNING SIGNS that falls may be creeping up and a SOLUTION to prevent it from happening…

1: Furniture Walking: You may have seen people walking by touching furniture or walls as they walk. This is showing the legs are not being used like they should to balance the person. Using our hands to help us balance is not normal, and leads directly to falls.

2. Walking More Slowly: Seeing a loved one walk slower is not a part of age. IT IS A WARNING! Walking slower shows there is something wrong with the person’s balance. Also, we are PHYSICALLY less balanced when we walk slower.

3. Not Being Able To Walk & Talk At The Same Time: Walking should not take much mental energy. If a person has to stop walking in order to talk to someone, this is a sign that the brain cannot do either task well enough if done at the same time. Something is wrong!

4. Feeling That The Legs Will Not Go

Where You Want: I hear this ALL THE TIME. “My legs just won’t go where I tell them anymore.” This is a sign of a specific problem with the nervous system, but something that be worked around.

Want more information & solutions?

My new special report provides Actionable Tips that will help you keep or regain your independence. And the best thing is it’s 100% FREE, and you’re under no-obligation to buy anything when you call.

IMPORTANT: My offer to send you this report FREE must come with a restriction on the number I can mail out this week… so it’s critical that you call TODAY and request your free report now. What To Do Next?

Call: (214) 712-8242 (Leave a Message 24/7) & Choose: • Option 1: Have your FREE Report mailed or emailed to you • Option 2: Free Report + FREE Balance/Fall Screen Or Discovery Visit Author Dr. Jeffrey Guild, Physical Therapist is owner of Optimove Physical Therapy & Wellness.

You can contact him at (214) 712-8242 or email at J.Guild@OptimoveDFW.com

- Advertisement -

38 February 2020 | parkcitiespeople.com

Living Well

DOCTORS SEE VAPING AS ANOTHER DEADLY HABIT Inhaling vaporized poison causes chemical burns in lungs

By Bethany Erickson

LEARN MORE

People Newspapers

A

• Contact a healthcare provider or poison control center at 1-800-2221222 if concerned about your health after using an e-cigarette or vaping product.

• For an extended look at our interview with Dr. Magee, check out peoplenewspapers.com.

Dallas teen died at the end of last year from a lung injury associated with the use of E-cigarettes, and Dallas County health officials say about a third of vaping hospitalizations have been patients younger than 18.

Dallas County Health and Human Services said that as of Dec. 30, 2019, the agency had received 53 reports of patients hospitalized with EVALI – E-cigarette or Vaping Associated Lung Injury. Of those, 45 percent were younger than 21, and 72 percent were male.

We are seeing that severe lung damage, and even death, can occur with just shortterm use of these products.

Dr. Philip Huang The median age, the county said, is 22 years, but the cases range in age from 13 years old to 52. One case, officials said, involved a teen who reported only starting vaping a month prior.

“Reporting a death in a teen due to EVALI is so tragic,” said Dr. Philip Huang, DCHHS director. “We are seeing that severe lung damage, and even death, can occur with just short-term use of these products.”

Dr. Mitch Magee, the surgical director of thoracic oncology at Medical City Dallas, said he’s been ringing the alarm bells regarding the dangers of vaping for a while. He likens the misconceptions and

A test tube rack holds examples of various electronic cigarettes, referred to as e-cigarettes, or e-cigs, and vaping pens ready to undergo testing inside a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) laboratory. (COURTESY VON ROEBUCK/CDC) marketing around e-cigarettes to the early years of cigarette sales when tobacco products were touted as safe and sometimes even healthy.

“That’s exactly what’s going on right

now with e-cigarettes, and the epidemic, in particular, that’s been going on with our kids,” Magee said, adding that smoking, in general, has declined in the U.S. Magee, who has a child in high school,

said he frequently finds that parents and teens are unaware of the dangers, too.

“I talk to parents of kids at social gatherings, and you know, it’s amazing to me how educated people can be so uninformed about something as dangerous as e-cigarettes,” he said. “A large percentage of high school kids right now don’t even know that all of these products contain nicotine, and how they work.”

What makes e-cigarettes so dangerous, Magee said, is that “you’re inhaling vaporized poison that causes a chemical burn to the inside of the lung.”

And in many cases, he said, users have used THC-containing vaping products, and the CDC reports that 78 percent of cases reported buying those products from “informal” sources – not regulated ones.

Those unregulated sources often “cut” their products with things that may be causing or exacerbating EVALI, too, things like vitamin E acetate and other additives.

Is there a “safe” way to vape? Magee said that e-cigarettes were designed to help smokers quit gradually. “If you’re going to use these products, buy them over the counter, use them as the manufacturer intended and FDA-approved to be used, don’t add any products in, and use them as little as possible,” he said.

parkcitiespeople.com | February 2020 39

Celebrating A Love Affair with Crêpes My love affair with crêpes began in high school when my mom treated me to lunch at a tiny French restauCHRISTY ROST rant in Westport, HOME + KITCHEN Connecticut.

S he and I lunched there occasionally to share mother-daughter time during my final year of high school and when I was home from college. The chef served fabulous onion soup, but their chicken crêpes were also one of my favorites.

Once my parents moved to Dallas, Mom and I discovered The Magic Pan – a crêperie at NorthPark Center that was all the rage. They specialized in savory and dessert crêpes of every description, and I have wonderful memories of dining there with my mom and sisters.

After I married and lived in Paris, Randy and I found the crêpe carts in Montmartre. The irresistible aroma of hot, sweet batter filled the air and drew me toward where vendors slathered dinner plate-sized crêpes with f ruit jam, folded them into quarters, dusted the tops liberally with powdered sugar, and wrapped them in parchment paper for eager customers.

Savory crêpes with hearty fillings are soul-satisfying on cold winter nights and are delicate enough for springtime brunches.

Crêpes Ingredients:

CRÊPES SUZETTE

CHRISTY ROST

Still, dessert crêpes remain my favorite.

The addition of sugar and vanilla transform a standard batter into dessert crêpes so tasty, I usually scarf down the first one unadorned while the second crepe cooks.

Fillings can range from fresh strawberries or peaches in the summer, to bananas foster in colder months.

Making crêpes is fun, and they’re easy to do, so if you’ve never tried, a quiet afternoon

flour, whisking until the batter is smooth. Stir in salt, sugar, melted butter, and vanilla. The batter 2 eggs should have the consistency of fresh cream.

2/3 cup milk Preheat a greased 8-inch nonstick skillet ¾ cup flour over medium heat. When it is hot, add a scant dash of salt ¼ cup of batter and swirl to coat the bottom of 1 ½ tablespoons sugar the pan. Return the skillet to the heat and cook 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted just until the edge begins to brown. Loosen the 1 teaspoon vanilla edge of the crêpe with a fork, turn it over, and Directions: cook the other side 10 seconds. Transfer it to a In a medium bowl, beat eggs with a whisk, add platter and cover it with a towel. Continue with milk and whisk until well blended. Gradually add remaining batter and stack the crêpes, covering

is an excellent time to experiment.

A nonstick skillet is essential for success. Once the skillet is hot, pour a scant one-fourth cup of batter into the center, swirl the pan to coat the bottom with batter, and place it on the heat just until the edges begin to brown. Using a fork to lift the edge, flip the crepe over to cook briefly on the other side, transfer it to a platter, and continue with the remaining batter.

On Valentine’s Day, my husband Randy and I prefer to dine at home by the hearth. I carefully plan the menu weeks ahead, including a dessert course that feels romantic, but has make-ahead components so we can easily transition from the main course to dessert. This year, I’m recapturing romantic moments in Paris and celebrations in stateside French restaurants by serving Crêpes Suzette as our Valentine’s grand finale.

Crêpes Suzette is a traditional French dessert. Crêpes are bathed in a sauce made f rom f reshly squeezed orange juice, sugar, Grand Marnier, and cold butter, which is slowly whisked into the sauce to thicken it as it simmers. I make the crêpes a day ahead, cover them tightly with plastic wrap, and chill until ready to serve. Then, several hours before dinner, I juice the oranges, cut the butter into small pieces, and return it to the fridge to stay cold, measure out the sugar, and set aside the Grand Marnier and cognac, so preparing the Suzette sauce takes only five minutes. By the time Randy has removed our dinner plates and refilled our wine glasses, our Valentine dessert is ready.

For additional recipes and tips from public television chef and cookbook author Christy Rost, a longtime resident of the Park Cities and Preston Hollow, visit christyrost. com or follow her on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter @ChristyRost

with a towel so they don’t dry out.

Directions:

Yield: 10 crêpes

In a large skillet, stir together orange juice, sugar, salt, Grand Marnier and cognac. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, stirring until sugar melts. Whisk in butter two pieces at a time, whisking until it is smooth before adding more. Simmer several minutes until the sauce thickens.

To serve, fold each crêpe in half and in half again, place one or two on a dessert plate, and spoon some of the sauce over the top. Garnish with fresh orange zest.

Suzette Sauce Ingredients: ½ cup freshly squeezed orange juice (2 medium oranges) ½ cup sugar dash of salt 2 tablespoons Grand Marnier 1 tablespoon cognac 6 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

40 February 2020 | parkcitiespeople.com

Biscotti Mama Left Corporate Gig To Launch LulaMade Brand When I attend dinner parties, I like to bring a host gift that’s good for breakfast, such as pastries or muffins, thinking it will be a relief for the hosts not to KERSTEN RET TIG have to prepare anything the next morning.

Thanks to Zoe Horton, I now have an infinitely better hostess gift to bring: LulaMade’s Biscotti.

Zoe Horton is a 32-year-old entrepreneur who started a little business in late fall of 2018 and has since made and sold more than 12,000 biscotti. Herself.

That’s right, Zoe is the company’s one and only employee who is responsible for creating recipes, sourcing ingredients, schlepping to and from the commercial kitchen space she leases to mix, bake, bake again (as one does with biscotti), box up, and deliver. She is also the sales and accounting departments.

Based on the quality of the biscotti she bakes and the energy surrounding her business, she might need to start hiring.

Named for her 2-year-old daughter, LulaMae, Zoe’s enterprise grew out of her desire to do something creative at home after her daughter was born. Originally from

Zoe Horton named her biscotti brand after her daughter LulaMae. (COURTESY PHOTOS)

Lubbock, where her Greek family owns and operates diners, Zoe graduated from Texas Tech, where she met her husband.

She has always loved to bake and would bring her biscotti to her corporate marketing job for a mid-morning snack that she’d dunk in her coffee. Soon, co-workers were

asking for batches of their own.

Then friends were asking Zoe to bake them for baby showers, bridal showers, and birthday parties.

Zoe eventually left the marketing job to commit fully to LulaMae, the baby, and LulaMade, the biscotti.

The biscotti comes in sweet and savory flavors, each creatively named

for people she loves.

The LulaFetti is made with coconut flour, almond paste, and rainbow sprinkles; Vasili’s Valentine (named for her grandfather) is red velvet flavored and seriously the most delicious biscotti I’ve ever tasted.

The Mother-in-Law is savory

and made with olive oil, lemons, rosemary, and Dallas Mozzarella Company’s Montasio cheese, a nutty, vibrant semi-hard cheese.

Other flavors include Lemon Lavender, Strawberry Shortcake, Blueberry Lemon, and Peanut Butter and Jelly. Availability varies seasonally, so check the website to scope out flavors and gluten-free options.

One of the great things about biscotti is that it was created to have a long shelf life and be sturdy so Roman soldiers could take it on bumpy roads when they went a-conquering.

Since we don’t need post-decimation sustenance, merely a snack that won’t go stale after three days, biscotti is a treat to have around the office or house or bring to your Valentine.

The biscotti can be ordered online and delivered locally for a small fee, or shipped. Pricing is $12 for a half dozen and $18 per dozen. It’s also sold in a handful of retail outlets and markets, so check the website for the full list: LulaMadeBiscotti.com and IG LulaMade Biscotti.

S O N G PA I R I N G : “I have a Dream” – Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again

parkcitiespeople.com | February 2020 41

THINGS TO DO

COURTESY TURK STUDIOS

Chinese New Year Festival

When: 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Feb. 1 Where: NorthPark Center Admission: Free Celebrate the Year of the Rat. The Crow Museum of Asian Art of The University of Texas at Dallas will present this family event with stunning dragon and lion dances, musical and martial-arts demos, art-making, calligraphy, specialty booths, wellness activities, colorful entertainment, and cultural performances.

Groundhog Day

When: 7 to 9 a.m. Feb. 2 Where: Dallas Arboretum and Botanical Garden Admission: General garden admission is $5 from Feb. 1 to 28.

Gather as early as 6:30 a.m. at A Tasteful Place, a garden area overlooking White Rock Lake and the Dallas skyline. Breakfast items and beverages will be for sale. After the sun rises at approximately 7:22 a.m., Kalee Dionne, WFAA meteorologist and emcee, and Ken Barth, Arboretum public events board

GROUNDHOG DAY

COURTESY DALLAS ARBORETUM

chair, will release Arboretum Annie to see if she sees her shadow. After that, guests are welcome to take selfies with the famous groundhog, make groundhog crafts, and watch the Groundhog Day movie starring Bill Murray.

Dallas Summer Camp & Activities Expo

When: 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Feb. 22 Where: Frontiers of Flight Museum, 6911 Lemmon Ave. Admission: Free Check out options for keeping children enriched, engaged, and entertained the whole summer. Meet face-to-face with more than 40+ local and out-of-state summer camps, summer activities, family exhibitors, and vendors. Miss the expo on Feb. 22?

There’s another Feb. 29 at the South Frisco Village Shopping Center, 2930 Preston Road, in Frisco.

O B I T UA RY

JOAN HARRIET HIVELY OCHEL

1/1942 - 12/2019

J

oan Harriet Hively Ochel joined the Lord on December 12, 2019. She was born in Williamsport, Pennsylvania in January 1942 and graduated from Concordia Lutheran High School in Williamsport.

She attended Juanita College, then graduated from The University of Pittsburgh Nursing School with honors, and became a nurse for the U.S. Navy. She later worked at Mass General in Boston and Presbyterian Hospital in Dallas.

Joan switched careers and became a real

estate agent for over 20 years representing many repeat clients across different generations with multiple firms. She sang in the HPUMC choir and volunteered at the Dallas Arboretum. She was passionate about her church, singing, gardening, the beach, the mountains, Maine and traveling the world.

Joan was beautiful, strong, classy and full of love. She loved the Lord, her family, and her friends dearly. Family gatherings with the NY and NJ Ochel clan were always a fun and cherished time.

The family will miss her beautiful smile, contagious laugh and great sense of humor, but know she’s in a better place with the Lord. The family thanks you for all the love, support and prayers over the years in the Park Cities community and beyond.

She was preceded in death by former husband of 37 years Henry “Hank” Ochel and is survived by sons Henry Jr., Austin, TX; Paul (Stephanie), Dallas, TX; Eric (Edie), Dallas, TX; and Peter, Dallas, TX; grandchildren Azalea Norwood, Austin, TX; Spencer and Audrey, Dallas, TX. A memorial service was held at Highland Park United Methodist Church (Cox Chapel) on January 4, 2020 at 10:00 am. In lieu of flowers, donations to the Alzheimer’s Association would be appreciated.

42 February 2020 | parkcitiespeople.com

SPECIAL ADVERTISING CONTENT BRIGGS FREEMAN SOTHEBY’S INTERNATIONAL REALTY

The brilliant blend

DAVE PERRY-MILLER REAL ESTATE

Lovers Lane Heights home delivers modern luxury, functionality

5923 Park Lane, represented by Susie Swanson for $5,495,000 Nowhere does French country flair so seamlessly blend with contemporary living than in this new estate home in coveted Old Preston Hollow. From its grand foyer with silky Venetian plaster walls to its sparkling pool and three-car garage, the house brilliantly walks the line between style and substance.

Crafted by Milan Design + Build, the home offers more than 8,500 square feet of luxuries, including five bedrooms, five full baths, a study, two dining areas and a wine room.

The richly appointed kitchen is a magazine-worthy showstopper. Its sophisticated cabinetry is of a two-tone, inset-panel design like no other, and the honed, gray-granite countertops are positively stunning. The kitchen is fitted with a Wolf six-burner, double-oven gas range; a Wolf microwave and steamer oven; two Asko dishwashers; and a Sub-Zero refrigerator. It also boasts an island, a walk-in pantry and a breakfast area with views and access to the loggia.

Other perks abound: a sumptuous, first-floor master suite with floor-to-ceiling views of the backyard; an expansive game room; outdoor entertaining terraces and much more.

To explore all the homes, ranches and land offered by Briggs Freeman Sotheby’s International Realty — across North Texas and around the world — go to briggsfreeman.com.

Jeremy Whiteker and R.A. Millennium Properties present this sophisticated, new construction residence at 7527 Morton St. (7527morton.dpmre.com) near Inwood Village.

The four-bedroom, five-bath smart home with two-car garage covers 4,037 square feet (per building plan), and is priced at $1,350,000.

Exceptional native landscaping softens the crisp, clean lines. Inside, luxurious qualities such as white oak hardwood flooring, Venetian plaster, Kelly Wearstler lighting, a state-ofthe-art kitchen, Spanish and Italian cabinetry and more, all combine to create a memorable first impression.

The flow is intuitive, and spaces are open yet defined.

Beautiful outdoor views are standard from every room through Quaker windows.

There is a secluded first-floor master bedroom with patio access, and upstairs, a landing living room/game room with reading nook and three en suite bedrooms.

Overall, the home incorporates a bevy of energy efficient and smart home features, including tankless hot water heaters, radiant barrier, Vantage smart lighting system and prewired audio/visual and security system.

To schedule a showing, contact Whiteker at 214-729-1293 or jeremy@jeremywhiteker.com.

Dave Perry-Miller Real Estate (daveperrymiller.com) is a division of Ebby Halliday Real Estate, Inc., a Berkshire Hathaway affiliate, with four locations specializing in Park Cities, Preston Hollow, North Dallas, Lakewood, East Dallas, Uptown, Kessler Park and Farm & Ranch properties.

Firm Celebrates Milestone Anniversary

Throughout 2020, Ebby Halliday Companies is celebrating 75 years of serving the residential real estate needs of North Texas. It all began in 1945, when one bold woman parlayed her wisdom, generosity and business acumen into what is today the No. 1 residential real estate brokerage in Texas.

“2020 will be a memorable year for our company as we look back with pride and move forward in anticipation,” says Ebby Halliday Companies President & CEO Chris Kelly. “While we celebrate 75 years of success, we can’t wait to see what the next 75 will bring.”

Acquired by HomeServices of America, a Berkshire Hathaway affiliate, in 2018, the widely admired company has implemented a concerted effort to modernize homeownership services.

Since the acquisition, Ebby Halliday Companies’ expanded leadership team has focused intensely on ensuring agents and clients benefit from the latest technology.

“While our skilled agents help you navigate the market, our family of core-services companies will handle your mortgage, insurance and title needs with the utmost care,” Kelly says. “For 75 years, our clients, agents and employees have been the reason for our success, and we intend to honor their loyalty by becoming stronger and better than ever.”

ALLIE BETH ALLMAN

THE PERRY-MILLER STREIFF GROUP

Robert Elliott Custom in University Park

EBBY HALLIDAY REALTORS

ALLIE BETH ALLMAN

Home Sells in 11 Days Once Strategically Staged

A Dream Mansion that Pays the Mortgage

ALLIE BETH ALLMAN URBAN

3030 McKinney Avenue #701 2 Bedrooms + Study off Master | 2 Bathrooms | 1,971 SqFt For Sale: $644,000 | For Lease: $5,750/month

Fully renovated custom contemporary highrise home in prestigious La Tour in Uptown! 2 bedroom plus study off master. Open kitchen adjoining spacious living and dining area with downtown views makes this an ideal home for entertaining. Light-filled master bath features dual vanities. Wood floors and custom lighting throughout! 24 hr Concierge and Valet. 2 assigned parking spaces plus climate-controlled storage. Fitness center with sauna adjoins lap pool and Jacuzzi!

For more information please contact Robin Brock (214) 543-8963 | robin.brock@alliebeth.com.

ALLIE BETH ALLMAN

Find the Right Size Home for You

Sometimes bigger isn’t better. A grand estate may be beautiful, but does is it fit your lifestyle?

A “right size” home is one that meets your needs and complements your lifestyle. Housing goals change through our lives. At one point when kids were running around space may have been a priority. Now maybe it’s convenience and maintenance that take precedence. Many people have discovered that a townhome or condominium better suits them today.

Before making a change, consider where you spend time in your current home. Start by quantifying the square-footage you use and search for properties of similar size. If you are a collector, maybe extra room is necessary. If you are willing to part with some of your treasures, a smaller home may be a good option.

One of the keys to successfully moving into a “right size” home is planning for what to do with your belongings. Only bring things that have a place. It may be necessary to donate items or even hold an estate sale. While it can be hard to part with some possessions, most people find that the benefits of their newly streamlined lifestyle make it worthwhile.

Visit alliebeth.com to find an agent who can help find your “right size.”

ALLIE BETH ALLMAN Offered for $3,295,000, 3528 Marquette features 6 bedrooms and 6.2 baths This Robert Elliott custom home was completed in 2015 and offers a graceful blend of modernism and warmth. 3528 Marquette is set on a 70x150 lot and exudes a commanding presence on one of the most desirable blocks in University Park.

Offered for $3,295,000, this very special home has been featured in several publications highlighting its masterful architecture and designer finishes. Soaring ceilings, walnut floors, and natural light work in tandem with a wall of sliding glass doors opening to the covered outdoor living area with Phantom screen, turfed yard and putting green.

The kitchen, outfitted with Wolf and Subzero appliances, Downsview cabinetry, Caesarstone counters and island, overlooks the spacious family room. The Master suite is generously appointed and boasts a luxurious master bath. Additionally, a guest suite located on the first level could serve as a second Master bedroom if desired.

The floorplan offers flexibility with its living spaces and entails approximately 6,833 square feet (per appraisal) featuring six bedrooms, study, library, two flex rooms, and a two-car garage.

Contact Laura Michelle (laura@daveperrymiller.com) or Ryan Streiff (ryan@daveperrymiller.com) for more information or visit DPMFineHomes.com.

Making changes to get your home ready for buyers can seem daunting. Some sellers even find it unnecessary, but an impressive sale by Julie Haymann and Lauren Savariego proves that it can make a difference. The expert team gained a listing sitting on the market for three months, and with some strategic changes, it sold in 11 days.

After viewing a presentation by Allie Beth Allman & Associates about staging to sell, the agents hit the ground running. The first step was removing as much of the dated light fixtures, fans and hardware as they could. Small details like this are inexpensive to change and have major pay off. A stylish new light fixture can change a room.

The next step was simplifying spaces. It’s important to remove distracting artwork and patterns so buyers can visualize themselves living there instead of fixating on the seller’s customizations. The agents infused the house with a neutral color palette to help the rooms shine.

With these changes, the home was transformed. In fact, a couple that toured the house before the staging purchased it. They were amazed how it looked, proving that you can’t leave it to the buyer to imagine the potential. In today’s market, you must show it.

Have you dreamed of living in a Gone With the Wind Taralike estate where you could raise horses? But you worried you couldn’t afford the mortgage for such a spectacular property?

Ask Juli Harrison or Kimberly Rote to show you the famous Lone Star Mansion on more than 17 acres in Burleson.

This unique property is an antebellum mansion set in the Texas horse country south of Fort Worth. Offered for $2,685,000, the Lone Star Mansion at 629 John Charles Dr. is a 7,676 square-foot, five-bedroom estate, originally constructed in 1985. Like the plantation home in the famous Civil War movie, the home is set back along a curved driveway between white wooden fences. It leads to a circular drive in front of the two-story columned veranda.

Inside are exquisite interior finishes, crown moldings, marble fireplaces, hardwood flooring and glass half-moon transoms above double doors. The kitchen has curved walls and features stainless-steel appliances. The large, oval-shaped master bedroom has spectacular views. Relax in steam and dry saunas or enjoy a game of billiards in the media room down a curved flight of stars in the finished basement. Outside, a pool has a broad terrace.

A gem of this estate is the Carriage House, built in 2015, which is perfect for wedding receptions and other special events. The Carriage House has a commercial kitchen and walk-in cooler for catered events.

Picture perfect grounds feature a pond with a gazebo that would be a perfect background for wedding photos.

For more information, visit www.alliebeth.com.

New Report Confirms Impact of Home Staging

Homeowners looking to sell may want to pay attention to the way their property is presented. According to a recent report from the National Association of Realtors (NAR), 83 percent of agents representing buyers said staging a home made it easier for clients to visualize a property as their future home. Additionally, about quarter of those agents reported the way a home was presented increased the amount buyers were willing to spend.

Real estate professionals have long preached the value of staging. It is a premarketing activity in which a home is decorated to make it appealing to more potential buyers. The numbers indicate that touches like paint and minor carpentry can have an enormous impact. Research also shows that most today’s homebuyers want a property that is move-in ready. Therefore, despite what they may have seen on TV, sellers should not expect buyers to be in the market for a “fixer-upper.”

The Internet has completely changed the way people shop for homes. Today, most buyers have already conducted extensive online research before ever stepping foot in a home. If buyers don’t see what they want online, they are unlikely to give the home a second thought.

To find a real estate consultant, visit alliebeth.com.

parkcitiespeople.com | February 2020 43

National Geographic Partners With EarthX EarthX will join forces with a significant partner to mark the 50th anniversary of Earth Day. During Earthx2020 at Fair Park in Dallas, National Geographic Society and EarthX aim to shine light on the critical issues facing the planet. Their partnership was announced in January.

“We look forward to engaging

with the hundreds of thousands of attendees at Earthx2020 as we further our mission to illuminate and protect the wonder of our world,” said Michael L. Ulica, president and COO of the National Geographic Society.

Earthx2020 – billed as the world’s largest Earth Day celebration – will include interactive

experiences and a congregation of leading voices in environmental conservation, organizers said.

“This joint collaboration for Earth Day’s 50th anniversary will both increase the level of the EarthX experience and further enhance the depth of the incredible knowledge provided at our expo, affiliated conferences, and film

festival – all of which serve to instigate and inspire people to drive positive action for our planet,” said Tony Keane, CEO of EarthX. More than 200,000 anticipated attendees will interact with National Geographic Explorers and staff to learn about the growing single-use plastic issue. National Geographic Explorers will also

take the stage at the expo, conference, and banquets and participate in the EarthxOcean Conference.

– Staff report

ON THE INTERNET nationalgeographic.org EarthX.org

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