Preston Hollow People February 2020

COUPLE STRUGGLES WITH EXCLUSION AS METHODISTS CONSIDER SPLIT 8

FEBRUARY 2020 VOLUME 16 NO. 2

“THE BEST COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER IN TEXAS”

PRESTONHOLLOWPEOPLE.COM

I 

THE ART OF GIVING

Hospitality brand Ketsali plans a Latin-flavored auction to benefit storm-damaged Dallas ISD campuses. Page 32 COURTESY KETSALI

POSTAL CUSTOMER

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

COMMUNITY

REAL ESTATE

LIVING WELL

Jennifer Gates celebrated for leadership 12

Experts bullish on 2020 housing outlook 20

Doctors see vaping as a deadly habit 38

PrestonHollowPeople

February 2020 Vol. 16, No. 2 prestonhollowpeople.com   @phollowpeople  @peoplenewspapers

2 February 2020 | prestonhollowpeople.com

REMARKABLE WOMEN AND OTHER NOTEWORTHY NEIGHBORS

F

ebruary’s arrival prompts us to think about relationships. At Preston Hollow 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.

• Coverage of the challenges Marco’s Pizza is facing after last fall’s story drew comments on Facebook: “Sending love and prayers for everyone!! I lived on Northport, and we ordered from Marcos often. Hang in there, and I know the community will be happy to have you and the other businesses back,” posted Anne E. Ingwalson.

Andrea Solka added, “Been eating it since I was a kid living nearby and still get a fix sometimes when visiting family nearby.”

W I L L I A M TAY LO R • After sports editor Todd Jorgenson wrote, “Preston Stone could choose to go almost anywhere in the country to play college football” at the beginning of a story about the Parish Episcopal quarterback, we got a rebuttal on Instagram: “He did choose to go anywhere he wanted. He chose SMU!! It’s not instead,” insisted lynthomas2195.

• 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.’”

To all who read our papers faithfully and to all who bother to write to 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 .......................... 30 Schools .......................... 32 Society ........................... 33 Living Well.................... 38 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 | prestonhollowpeople.com

Crime

SSKU KULLDDUUGGGE G ERRY IES of the M MOO NNTH TH

EXPENSIVE SELFIE DIY DISASTER? It’s hard to do it right for less when someone’s done you wrong by taking your vehicle before 1:44 p.m. Dec. 11 from the parking lot of Lowe’s Home Improvement store at Inwood Road near Forest Lane.

HOLIDAY SALE?

While posing Before 1:07 p.m.outside Dec. 19, a of thewent Honor Bar inin an crook shopping the Highland unlocked vehicle Park in the 8500 block of Ridgelea Village, a visitor Street. in town for a wedding PAINFUL LESSON put down her purse At 5:33 p.m.

Dec. 30, a to take a few selfies Carrollton womanaround had just and sometime found out how easy it was 10:30 p.m. Dec. 30 her to get her vehicle stolen $350 black Gucci after leaving her keyswallet in it at was stolen.

The culprit Preston Valley Shopping attempted to take theand Center at Preston Road credit cards for a spin LBJ Freeway. at Kroger and 7-Eleven, DOGGONE IT! were but both charges Who needsbytothe steal a fire rejected bank. hydrant connector coupling?

Maybe officers will figure that out if they catch the thief who took one Jan. 8 at Sterling Plaza in Preston Center. The incident was reported at noon Jan. 9.

WANT TO READ WANT TO READ MORE CRIMES? MORE CRIMES? SIGN UP FOR SIGN UP FOR OUR OUR WEEKLY WEEKLY E-NEWSLETTER prestonhollowpeople.com/ peoplenewspapers.com/ subscribe-to-our-newsletter/ e-newsletters/

CRIME PLAN DRAWS UNDERWHELMING RESPONSE

By Bethany Erickson People Newspapers

L

ast month, Dallas mayor Eric Johnson sent City Manager T.C. Broadnax a message: The increase in crime in the city was “patently unacceptable.”

“But as we approach 2020, it is my expectation that our city staff and our police department will work more aggressively and transparently toward making Dallas safer,” he said. “While I believe Dallas remains relatively safe for a major U.S. city, the level of violent crime we have seen through 11 months of 2019 is patently unacceptable.”

Johnson asked for a “concrete plan” at that time, and Jan. 2, 2020, Dallas police chief Reneé Hall submitted a 26-page plan that includes increasing investigators, adding civilian analysts, and establishing a 100-person violent crime reduction team.

The response has been underwhelming, with council members criticizing the target (reducing violent crime by 5% this year), and a goal to reduce robberies, murders, and aggravated assaults by 10% in the four patrol divisions (southeast, southwest, south-central, and northeast) hardest hit by violent crime.

Hall told councilmembers that her goals were realistic and data-driven, but that she believed her department would exceed them.

Dallas Police Chief Reneé Hall presented her department’s violent crime reduction plan.

Councilperson Cara Mendelsohn felt the goals fell short of ideal.

“I would like to see a 50% goal, but if you don’t make a goal, well that’s OK, but if your goal is 5%, well, guess what, that’s probably the best we’re ever going to do,” she said, adding that she didn’t think Hall had a grasp of the underlying problems.

“I’m not sure how you can have this plan when you haven’t articulated what is the problem,” she said. “Is it drugs, is it gangs?

What’s the issue causing this?”

(COURTESY PHOTO)

Councilmember Jennifer Gates agreed.

“I don’t think our community is going to say, ‘Our sense of safety has improved because we have a 5% decrease,’” Gates said.

“The community does not feel safe. That’s what we’re hearing when we’re out at neighborhood meetings.”

On Twitter, Johnson echoed Mendelsohn and Gates, saying, “I won’t let ANYONE tell me that it is ‘unrealistic’ to lower violent crime in the City of Dallas to the level it was at just one year ago.”

CRIME REPORTS DEC. 9 – JAN. 12 DEC. 9

Before 4:06 p.m., a pickpocket pinched the credit cards out of a 30-year-old woman’s purse at an office in the 5600 block of Lovers Lane.

DEC. 10

Maybe get decaf next time and get it somewhere else. Before 1:23 p.m., a potentially violent unwelcome visitor got a criminal trespass warning at the Starbucks in Preston Forest Square.

DEC. 13

Before 6:09 p.m., a 45-year-old woman visiting a home in the 5300 block of Farquhar Lane got bit by a dog.

DEC. 14

Reported at 8:57 p.m.: a verbally-abusive photographer on Dec. 13 snapped a few shots of a 48-year-old woman and threatened her at Campisi’s Restaurant on Lovers Lane.

DEC. 15

Before 5:33 p.m., an ill-mannered lout spit on a 48-year-old woman in the 5900 block of LBJ Freeway.

DEC. 17

Before 5:34 p.m., an unskilled crook punched out the lock of a Mesquite woman’s pickup at NorthPark Center but was unable to take the vehicle.

DEC. 24

Before 10:36 p.m., a Christmas Eve criminal removed contents from a Pilot Point man’s vehicle in the 5300 block of Wenonah Drive.

DEC. 25

Some say a bearded fat man, dressed in red, snuck into area homes overnight through the chimneys, ate cookies, and left gifts.

DEC. 28

Amazon dropped off a package at a home in the 4700 block of Mill

Creek Road, and before 6:18 p.m., an opportunistic porch pirate took it.

old woman.

DEC. 29

Before 1:52 a.m. at Preston Center, a 36-year-old Trinidad, Texas man did not know the ruffian who hit and hurt him.

Before 10:13 p.m., one or more burglars broke the windows of three vehicles parked near Black Swan Yoga in the 5100 block of West Lovers Lane.

DEC. 30

JAN. 10

DEC. 31

JAN. 11

Before 2:55 a.m., a robber made threats while stealing from the 7-Eleven at Lovers Lane and Menier Street.

It’s no fun to be left without tires and wheels at the Semones Family YMCA (Town North) on Northwest Highway, but that was a young man’s fate 8:56 a.m.

JAN. 8

Before 1:53 a.m., an unannounced guest showed up at a home in the 5000 block of Purdue Avenue and harassed a 58-year-

JAN. 9

At 10:49 a.m., a lucky would-be shoplifter received only a criminal trespassing warning at NorthPark Center.

Damaged before 7:51 p.m. at NorthPark Center: a 25-year-old Shreveport, Louisiana woman’s vehicle by a motorist not courteous enough to stop and leave information.

JAN. 12

Taken before 4:14 p.m.: the tailgate off a pickup at NorthPark Center.

6 February 2020 | prestonhollowpeople.com

News

CROWD QUESTIONS DISTRICT PLAN FOR TORNADO-RAVAGED CAMPUSES Parents, neighbors concerned about asthetics, timeline, public input process

By Bethany Erickson People Newspapers

Classrooms Pre-K -1: Minimum of 36 square feet/ pupil, or 800 square feet/room Elementary grades: Minimum of 30 square feet/pupil, or 700 square feet/ room Secondary grades: Minimum of 28 square feet/pupil or 700 square feet/ room Specialized classrooms: Elementary computer labs: Minimum of 41 square feet/pupil or 900 square feet/room

M

any concerned neighbors and parents at a community meeting about the status of three schools ravaged

by October’s tornado wanted two things: to leave Tom Field Elementary as soon as possible and not to feel rushed through the public input process for designing and building the new campus.

The formerly closed Tom Field was quickly pressed into service to house Walnut Hill Elementary students after the storm.

Around 200 people showed up Jan. 15 to hear about the fates of Thomas Jefferson High School, Cary Middle School, and Walnut Hill Elementary School. The Walnut Hill Homeowners Association sponsored the meeting at the Episcopal School of Dallas.

Dallas ISD proposes combining Cary and Walnut Hill for a PreK – eighth-grade campus adjacent to Thomas Jefferson that would utilize the approach that made the elementary a two-time National Blue Ribbon school.

Other options involve either renovating Thomas Jefferson or completely rebuilding it.

The price tag would be $200 million for building two new schools, or $130 million to build the lower school and renovate Thomas Jefferson. Superintendent Michael Hinojosa hopes to open the schools by August 2022.

Dallas ISD school board trustee Edwin Flores and Dallas city council member Jennifer Gates were on hand to answer questions.

Flores outlined the goals for the new campuses that had been created after meetings with teachers, administrators, parents, and alumni from each school.

TEA SCHOOL RULES:

Secondary computer labs: Minimum of 36 square feet/pupil or 900 square feet/room Elementary science labs: Minimum of 41 square feet/pupil or 900 square feet/room Middle School science labs: Minimum of 50 square feet/pupil or 1,000 square feet/room High School science labs: Minimum of 50 square feet/pupil or 1,200 square feet/room Oct. 20’s EF3 tornado severely damaged three Dallas ISD schools. (COURTESY PHOTO) But it was a tough crowd. Neighbors of Thomas Jefferson wanted to know if the district would take into account aesthetics and how the school would look and fit in the neighborhood.

Several parents voiced concerns about Tom Field Elementary, including Walnut Hill parent Florence Durant, who said that while she was grateful to the district for the work it did after the tornado, Field’s location was troublesome.

“It is in an industrial area, about five miles to the west of us,” she said. “Junk auto parts spill over into the playground space through a broken chain link fence along the abutting used car lot.”

A nearby construction yard, she added, shares a barbed wire-topped fence with the

school, and the school has repeatedly contacted the city regarding industrial smells in the area.

And everything, she said, is too small – the library, the auditorium, and the classrooms.

Durant and other parents said they don’t know that they can wait until 2022. District officials told the board that enrollment is already down at Jefferson and Walnut Hill as parents are finding the extended commutes arduous.

Flores said moving back into the old Walnut Hill building would likely not happen.

The 73-year-old structure no longer fits Texas Education Agency requirements for square footage per pupil, based on 22 students per classroom in elementary grades and 25 students in middle and high schools.

Major support areas: Elementary gyms: Minimum 3,000 square feet Middle School gyms: Minimum 4,800 square feet High School gyms: Minimum 7,500 square feet Libraries “Libraries shall have a minimum of 3.0 square feet times the planned student capacity of the school.”

Elementary: Minimum 1,400 square feet Middle: 2,100 square feet High School: 2,800 square feet More Online Find more coverage of the district’s plans at peoplenewspapers.com.

8 February 2020 | prestonhollowpeople.com

Lifelong Methodist Waits for Denomination to Include Her LGBTQ members, others watch as global church considers potential split

By Bethany Erickson People Newspapers

Julie Reeves’ mother had a simple wish for her daughter when she sat down to inscribe her daughter’s Bible 54 years ago.

“My prayer is that you will study and use this Bible as a guide for your life and strive always to please God,” she wrote.

“And I feel I have done that,” the self-described “cradle Methodist” said. But Reeves said that while her church, Northaven United Methodist, has made her feel included, the larger denomination is an entirely different story.

Reeves and her partner of 22 years, Meg O’Malley, have watched the denomination dig in its heels on its official stance on same-sex marriage and LGBTQ clergy.

It would be more than just losing my denomination – I’d kind of lose the foundation on which my faith was built.

Julie Reeves At last February’s global general conference, delegates voted 438-384 to strengthen a ban on

Left, Meg O’Malley (top) and Julie Reeves. Right, the inscription in Reeves’ Bible, from her mother. (PHOTOS BETHANY ERICKSON) LGBTQ clergy and same-sex weddings, adopting a so-called “Traditional” plan that included harsher penalties for breaking the rules.

A rejected alternative, dubbed the “One Church Plan,” would have allowed individual churches to decide whether to perform same-sex marriages and accept gay and lesbian clergy members, and eliminated language that said homosexuality was at odds with the Bible.

“I didn’t have my hopes up,” Reeves said of the conference.

LGBTQ allies within the church, she said, had “big expectations.”

“I think the let down for them was bigger than the let down for me because I’ve been disappointed for decades. I think the most hurtful thing for me was that it got more punitive.”

Reeves said the church’s stance in its Book of Discipline, that “the practice of homosexuality is incompatible with Christian teaching,” is something she and other LGBTQ members have to “continue to fight

your way through.”

“And at some point, you tire, and you leave,” she said.

In December, a 16-member group of United Methodist leaders had hashed out a nine-page document called “Protocol of Reconciliation & Grace Through Separation.”

The protocol would allow the United Methodist Church to continue, but also allow the “Traditionalist” congregations to form a new denomination.

“It’s painful, but I think it’s

time to separate,” Reeves said of the plan.

For O’Malley, who is not a Methodist, watching Reeves navigate her faith in the face of the denomination’s stance can be hard – even with a church family like Northaven’s.

“A different general conference – about 10 years ago, in Fort Worth? – something similar happened,” O’Malley recalled. “I feel like you reacted more strongly to that one.”

“That the General Conference for me was more painful than this last one, not because I was actually there, but because I did have hope,” Reeves agreed. “I didn’t have hope last year.”

Reeves, like other Methodists, is watching the denomination to see what unfolds but knows there is a limit to her patience, too.

“It would be very hard to leave,” she said. “I really don’t know where I would go.

“It would be more than just losing my denomination – I’d kind of lose the foundation on which my faith was built.”

MORE ONLINE Read more of our extended interview with Reeves and O’Malley at peoplenewspapers.com as well as other coverage of the United Methodist Church.

10 February 2020 | prestonhollowpeople.com

Rapper Chases Music Career While Child Victim Suffers

Mother’s lawsuit blames Dallas ISD for enrolling 25-year-old hoops player

Registered sex offender Sidney Gilstrap-Portley is now chasing a rap career.

By Bethany Erickson People Newspapers

Sidney Bouvier Gilstrap-Portley, 25, served no jail time for posing as a 17-yearold hurricane evacuee to enroll in Hillcrest High School nor any time for his behavior with a then-14-year-old girl.

Nowadays, he’s working on a rap career as Syn Bou with numerous videos on his Youtube channel and songs listed on streaming services.

At the same time, the child he “dated” has continued to suffer, according to a lawsuit filed against Dallas ISD by her mother.

I have a client, a child, who is suffering emotionally still from this, who is suffering mentally still from this, and who may have long-lasting impact from her dealings with Mr. Gilstrap-Portley.

Mai Mullen Milton Gilstrap-Portley was known as Rashaun Richardson during his time at Hillcrest, was playing on the basketball team when a coach from North Mesquite High, his alma mater, recognized him in April 2018.

Last May, in two separate posts, he referenced the year anniversary of his arrest.

“It’s Been Bout A Yr Now Since I Went Viral For Being (Da 25 Yr Old Dat Went Back To Highschool),” he wrote, adding that he was now “Reapin Da Benefits Of Bein Viral And Well-Knowned.”

Gilstrap-Portley did not respond to questions for this story.

Mai Mullen Milton, the attorney representing the child Gilstrap-Portley “dated” at Hillcrest, said her client has had to move and change schools.

COURTESY PHOTO

Gilstrap-Portley, who pleaded guilty to three charges of tampering with government records and indecency by exposure, is on probation and was required to register as a sex offender.

In the lawsuit, Milton accuses Gilstrap-Portley of grooming the girl, who thought she was dating a 17-year-old, for a sexual relationship, and the district of failing to protect her and other students.

Dallas ISD does not comment on pending litigation. Still, the district’s communications director, Robyn Harris, said Dallas ISD – like other public school districts – must follow a federal law requiring the immediate enrollment of homeless students – even when they don’t have paperwork.

“We reviewed our processes and looked to see areas that could be changed,” she said. “Based on the falsifying of information as they were using the homeless status (protecting such students under McKinney Vento Law), we have no way to combat erroneous testimony.”

The suit alleges that Gilstrap-Portley was admitted to Hillcrest for the sole purpose of getting him on the basketball team, a violation of University Interscholastic League protocols.

Gilstrap-Portley was a significant part of the Hillcrest Panthers 11-10 season in 2017-2018, and the district’s high school coaches voted him offensive player of the year.

“Schools must submit comprehensive eligibility forms to their District Executive Committee,” UIL spokesperson Julia Atkins said. “The completed forms are to be signed by the superintendent or a designated administrator and the coach.”

It is unclear what the 25-year-old presented to coaches.

“Nothing was done (by the district),” Milton said. “And because of that, I have a client, a child, who is suffering emotionally still from this, who is suffering mentally still from this, and who may have long-lasting impact f rom her dealings with Mr. Gilstrap-Portley.”

12 February 2020 | prestonhollowpeople.com

Community

‘YOU STEP UP, AND YOU SERVE’

Finishing Her Final Term, Gates Wins Virginia Chandler Dykes Leadership Award

LEFT: Habitat for Humanity’s Tosha Herron-Bruff (left) and K104’s Lady Jade (right) listen to Jennifer Gates speak. RIGHT: Gates catches up with a constituent at a recent community meeting. (BETHANY ERICKSON)

By Bethany Erickson People Newspapers

T

he tornado sirens stopped, the winds calmed, and Dallas city council member Jennifer Staubach Gates took to the mode of transportation that would quickly get her to the damaged areas of her district the night of Oct. 20.

“I rode my bike into the neighborhood,” she said. “I just had to cross Royal, and I was just blocks away.”

As she pedaled down Lennox Lane, the amount of destruction became clear.

“I realized – obviously, I didn’t know it was an EF 3 at this point – that the damage to the area was incredible,” she said. “And I was just in that immediate neighborhood.”

Gates took her bike back home that night and headed downtown, but she said it became her preferred way to get around the area when trying to visit and check on constituents the first couple of weeks after the storm.

Gates’ brand of public service was

forged by a bit of a trial by fire in her first term. Not long after she took office, Dallas was the epicenter of international news when Thomas Eric Duncan became the first Ebola patient diagnosed in the U.S. Duncan had been visiting family who lived in Gates’ district.

The fact that her council career will likely be bookended by catastrophes hasn’t escaped Gates.

“I started, and there was probably an expectation and naivete on my part on what it was going to be like to represent District 13 at City Hall,” she said. “And, ironically, Ebola was in my first term, and I got thrown into that without a playbook. What is the role of a public servant during an Ebola crisis?”

From that crisis, Gates said she learned

that she could be an effective advocate for the people in her district. “You step up, and you serve,” she said. “And you create your own playbook. And I found my niche.”

Gates has been named the recipient of the 18th annual Virginia Chandler Dykes Leadership Award, presented

by Bank of Texas, Texas Woman’s University, and the Texas Woman’s University Foundation.

She will be honored at a luncheon on Feb. 20.

“Jennifer’s leadership in the community, her ongoing commitment to address issues critical to improving the lives of others, and her passion for the value of education make her an ideal recipient of this award,” said Texas Woman’s Chancellor Carine M. Feyten.

“Jennifer is someone who demonstrates a

What better opportunity to represent a community that I love and care for, and in a city that I think has meant so much to my family.

Jennifer Staubach Gates

A B O U T T H E AWA R D Established in 2002, the Virginia Chandler Dykes Leadership Award is given annually to Dallas leaders dedicated to improving the quality of life in the community and to furthering the importance of education. The award recognizes the life work of TWU alumna Virginia Chandler Dykes as an outstanding health care provider whose professional and civic achievements represent a lifetime committed to helping others.

Past award recipients: Dale Petroskey Norman P. Bagwell Stephen L. Mansfield Frances Anne “Francie” Moody- Dahlberg Ralph Hawkins Mary Brinegar Patricia and Curtis Meadows Myrna D. Schlegel and Kimberly Schlegel Whitman Joel Allison Kathleen Mason Caroline Rose Hunt T. Boone Pickens Lindalyn Bennett Adams Marnie and Kern Wildenthal Gretchen Minyard Williams and J.L. “Sonny” Williams Geraldine “Tincy” Miller Susan and Charles Cooper servant’s heart not only through her work as a councilmember but also in her daily life.”

Gates said she was “honored” to be considered. But as she finishes up her final 18 months or so as a councilwoman, don’t expect Gates to slow down.

“Who knows what to expect in the next 18 months,” she said. “But I was driven to run out of public service, and what better opportunity to represent a community that I love and care for, and in a city that I think has meant so much to my family.”

For an extended interview with Gates, visit peoplenewspapers.com.

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 | prestonhollowpeople.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

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 -

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 | prestonhollowpeople.com

Women’s Club Supports Preston Hollow School, Neighborhood Members establish friendships while serving community, giving generously

By Tina-Tien Nguyen

WA N T T O J O I N ?

Special Contributor

A club that started four decades ago as a group of Preston Hollow Elementary School moms getting together while their children played has grown to more than 286 members looking for ways to serve their community and form lifelong friendships.

The Preston Hollow Women’s Club remains a place where friendships grow as members host philanthropic activities, take on service projects, and engage with social interest groups each year.

“It’s a neighborhood organization helping a neighborhood school,” said club president Becky Burgett.

Throughout the years, the club has renovated Preston Hollow Park, worked on landscaping projects, and donated to the Preston Hollow Elementary School basketball team.

The vision is that this school is truly going to have it all.

Becky Burgett “We have given to fire stations, libraries, and, of course, back to the elementary school,” said Char Sutherlin, philanthropy co-chair. “It’s very rewarding to see our members coming together and to give generously and support our philanthropy for our school.”

Eligibility: Members of the Preston Hollow Women’s Club must reside within Preston Hollow.

Annual fee: $100 via check or $103 via credit card Applications: Visit prestonhollowwomensclub.org.

Preston Hollow Women’s Club members modeled fashions in December at Pinto Ranch in NorthPark Center and the shop gave a percentage of sales to the club’s efforts to support Preston Hollow Elementary School. FROM LEFT: Bettie Abio, Cindy Langford, Ann Kozlow, Karen Sandlin, Nancy Keene, Betty Harman, Suzanne Millet, Gayle Porter, and Kathy Weber.

(COURTESY ELAINE WALTERS)

Recently, the club celebrated its 40th anniversary with the installation of a new marquee at the school.

“Our members feel rewarded in seeing the fruits of our labor so to speak whenever we donate,” said Elaine Walters, publicity chair.

With Preston Hollow Elementary School being an international baccalaureate school, the members are always impressed by how far everyone has come and the progress that has been made.

“We get to see lower-income children that

get to come to this school, and the school has our support,” Burgett said. “It’s a great school, and they are truly trying their hardest with these kids.”

Club leaders also spoke of the importance socializing plays.

“It’s a great way to meet people and establish friendships,” Walters said. “Well, if you move into a neighborhood, and get a sense of the community, you can only get this if you know the neighbors.”

Members, meeting in smaller groups, en-

joy leisure and social activities such as wine night, girls’ night out, game night, book club, and a cooking class.

“You make friends by working together on things, and philanthropy is part of that,” Burgett said. “You’re learning through our speakers that we have. When joining the social aspects, it brings it all full circle. You’re so close together. You’re a neighborhood.”

The marquee project took a couple of years to achieve. Next, the club will focus on raising funds for building new soccer fields and supplying new whiteboards for the school. They hope to donate $15,000 to $24,000.

“We want equal footing; we want these children and neighborhood to have it all, and we want them to compete with the rest of the other schools in Dallas,” Walters said. “That is truly what they deserve.”

Added Burgett, “The vision is that this school is truly going to have it all.”

Noteworthy Neighbors

prestonhollowpeople.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 | prestonhollowpeople.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)

prestonhollowpeople.com | February 2020 19

Comings and Goings COMING

Foxtrot

6565 Hillcrest Avenue The modern corner store’s second area location features a selection of local 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 delivery using the mobile app.

Planet Granite

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 square-foot 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.

Iris Senior Living BRUNELLO CUCINELLI

Ventana Assisted Living and Memory Care

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

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 gar-

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

B.B. HAWK ments. He also provides repair, cleaning, and restyling services. Visit. bbhawk.com.

Class Studios

Preston Center Plaza The hybrid fitness studio opened its second area location in the plaza last year. The new studio features three concepts under one roof—Sprint, Sculpt, and Lab.

VENTANA ASSISTED LIVING AND MEMORY CARE (COURTESY PHOTOS)

Drake’s Hollywood

5007 W. Lovers Lane The restaurant serves pizzas, steak, and martinis plus weekly live jazz and a weekend DJ in a 4,000-square-foot space inspired by old Hollywood. Vandelay Hospitality CEO Hunter Pond worked with his executive chief on the menu.

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.

RENOVATED Brunello Cucinelli

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.

20 February 2020 | prestonhollowpeople.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

MARKET NUMBERS: PRE STON HOLLOW 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.

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

56

$1,140,000

$341

94%

277

91

5

Dec. 2018

58

$1,125,000

$396

95%

258

74

4.3

March 2019

63

$821,250

$297

96%

393

56

7.2

March 2019

62

$1,357,620

$392

96%

418

60

7.2

June 2019

70

$997,000

$273

96%

446

65

8.2

June 2019

97

$1,492,500

$387

95%

435

71

7.4

Sept. 2019

55

$932,500

$278

95%

435

80

8.1

Sept. 2019

58

$1,007,500

$360

93%

394

89

6.9

Dec. 2019

77

$1,080,000

$268

94%

254

96

4.5

Dec. 2019

70

$1,389,500

$417

94.9%

222

87

3.7

Source: North Texas Real Estate Information Systems Inc.

prestonhollowpeople.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 | prestonhollowpeople.com

The Signature Collection Boasts Incredible Pedigree New development allows buyers to downsize to still big homes

By Bethany Erickson People Newspapers

If you’ve lived in Preston Hollow for any length of time, you know Rosewood Preston Hollow. And if you’re a residential architecture buff who keeps tabs on local firms, you know SHM Architects.

So when the two principals of those firms – Luc Dauwe and Enrique Montenegro, respectively – partnered with Provident Realty Advisors to create The Signature Collection, a luxury residential community in Preston Hollow Village, people sat up and paid attention.

The community is an easy walk to dining options and Trader Joe’s, and even doctors’ offices. When it’s complete, there will be 3 acres of green space with a walking/jogging path included in the amenities.

And there are floorplans for every phase of life.

“I think we have floorplans that would appeal to a lot of people,” said sales director Nancy Holloway.

anywhere from 4,589 to 4,614 square feet of space, to slightly smaller courtyard homes with private terraces and shared landscaped mews and even single-level condominiums.

Holloway said the homes can also be perfect for empty nesters looking to downsize from a substantially larger house but aren’t looking for a drastic change, either.

“After doing a lot of market research, we found that people necessarily don’t want to be too small if they’re coming from bigger houses,” she said. “So what we’ve created is downstairs living, with the master on the first floor, and most of your primary living spaces are on the first floor.”

So even though the detached homes are two-stories, empty-nesters who still want to host Christmas can efficiently utilize the first floor the rest of the time.

“We have an elevator option, too,” Holloway said. “So if they wanted to have an elevator, they could have it. If they want to

A lot of people that have built the big homes, don’t want to go through all of that again, but this is still giving them lots of freedom and choices.

Nancy Holloway Homes range from two-story detached houses with private backyards that range

The Signature Collection at Preston Hollow Village offers floorplans for all phases of life.

(COURTESY PHOTO)

add it later, it’s certainly great to have for resale purposes, too.”

The single-level condos will offer two and three bedrooms, all on one level, and will have a smaller footprint.

Designer Stephanie Dauwe works with buyers on finish choices and other design elements, giving the experience a semi-custom feel.

“Rosewood Preston Hollow is offering buyers the same quality and finishes that they have been building for 38 years in Preston Hollow,” Holloway said. “A lot of people that have built the big homes, don’t want to go

through all of that again, but this is still giving them lots of freedom and choices.”

Holloway said that several buyers are finalizing contracts. “The reception has been really overwhelming,” she said. “And the price points are less than what you would see elsewhere in Preston Hollow based on our square footage – our entry price is $1.65 million.”

The attractive price point, the community, and the walkability, Holloway said, are the biggest drivers of interest.

“I truly believe that we’re selling a lifestyle.

It’s not all about the home – it’s about the walkability, it’s about the sense of community.”

28 February 2020 | prestonhollowpeople.com

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

The fifth floor of NOVEL Turtle Creek will include an outdoor deck with a swimming pool, numerous seating areas, outdoor kitchens, and views of Turtle Creek and downtown.

(COURTESY PHOTO)

By Bethany Erickson People Newspapers

A high-rise apartment building in Oak Lawn or Turtle Creek may not seem unusual, but Crescent Communities’ latest luxury project is well, NOVEL. On Jan. 9, the company announced plans to develop a high-rise multifamily community in the Oak Lawn/Turtle Creek area of

Dallas. NOVEL Turtle Creek will have 206 luxury residences on 20-floors.

“We couldn’t be more excited to be in this area of Uptown,” said Peter Petricca, managing director for the Texas region of Crescent Communities’ multifamily business. “This location is special; it is situated at the confluence of the South Highland Park, Turtle Creek, and Oak Lawn neighborhoods.”

“We specifically designed NOVEL Turtle Creek to target a more mature demographic by incorporating larger floor plans with an architectural/interior style that is classic and sophisticated, yet approachable. It is our intention to provide a living experience that blends luxury and comfort with a high level of service and upscale conveniences.”

The new high-rise will be located just off the intersection of Irving and Oak Lawn avenues, one block north of Blackburn Street and approximately one-half mile south of Highland Park. The community is within walking distance of Turtle Creek Village and The Shops of Highland Park, and a five-minute walk to Turtle Creek Park and the Katy Trail.

In addition to traditional amenities, NOVEL Turtle Creek will feature 24-hour concierge service and onsite pet facilities.

The fifth floor of the building is dedicated to resident amenities. It includes an outdoor deck with a swimming pool, numerous seating areas, outdoor kitchens, and views of the Turtle Creek and downtown skylines.

“It is designed to be an urban oasis, reminiscent of a luxurious residential backyard,” the company said.

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

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, and dry bar areas.

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

Peter Petricca Penthouse units, located on the top two floors, will include expansive terraces, upgraded appliances, and other unique features such as wet bars, wall ovens, and fireplaces.

Construction on NOVEL Turtle Creek was scheduled to begin by the end of January with delivery of the first residences expected in early 2022.

MORE PROJECTS NOVEL Turtle Creek is one of three residential projects that Crescent Communities has under construction or in lease-up in the Dallas area, including NOVEL Deep Ellum and NOVEL Bishop Arts.

prestonhollowpeople.com | February 2020  29

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.

30 February 2020 | prestonhollowpeople.com

Sports

AFTER THE TORNADO, RESILIENT LIONS HAVE THRIVED Star tandem has St. Mark’s basketball team poised to chase championship

SPC WINTER CHAMPIONSHIPS Local SPC schools will host championship events on Feb. 13-15 in basketball, soccer, swimming, and wrestling. Swimming will take place at the Lewisville ISD Natatorium.

Here’s a breakdown of the others: Greenhill — Boys basketball, boys soccer

By Todd Jorgenson

ESD — Girls basketball

People Newspapers

Hockaday — Girls soccer

S

St. Mark’s — Wrestling

t. Mark’s has defeated some of the top boys basketball teams in the Dallas area already this season. Even Mother Nature hasn’t slowed the Lions down.

After the campus took a direct hit from a tornado on Oct. 20, team members — like many of their classmates — came closer together. But despite their mental resolve, there were the physical realities. The Lions’ home gym was destroyed just weeks before the season.

That sent coaches into scramble mode.

St. Mark’s shuffled its game schedule. The team practiced at Highland Park and elsewhere, and even on the school’s track without a goal. The Lions played their home opener against Lancaster at Hockaday.

“I was just nervous that it might be a potential setback, but it was one of those community-strengthening moments,” said St. Mark’s head coach Greg Guiler. “I was extremely proud of our program.”

Indeed, numerous potential distractions could have derailed the season for the most

Andrew Laczkowski (No. 14) and Harrison Ingram (No. 13) aim to lead St. Mark’s on a deep championship tournament run. (PHOTOS ROB GRAHAM) talented St. Mark’s team in years, one that expects to contend for the program’s first SPC championship since 2007. That tournament will take place Feb. 13-15 at Greenhill.

The Lions have remained on track toward that goal in large part due to the standout tandem of Andrew Laczkowski and Harrison Ingram. Laczkowski is a 6-foot-6 senior, and Ingram is a 6-foot-7 junior, and both have the versatility to play in the post and on the perimeter. Opponents trying to shut down one of them are often burned by the other.

“One of my best attributes is my passing and playmaking,” said Ingram, who is being recruited by top college programs from around the country. “He just happens to be one of the best shooters to find.”

They haven’t only shared the court at St.

Mark’s for the past three seasons, but have starred together during the spring and summer for top select team Southern Assault.

tournament, the Lions have challenged themselves against some of the best public school teams in the area, scoring wins against Highland Park, Southlake Carroll, South Oak Cliff, South Garland, and Little Elm. At the end of January, they will travel to face national power Sunrise Christian in Wichita, Kansas.

Meanwhile, with its home court for the past two decades reduced to rubble, the squad has benefited from a quick renovation of Spencer Gym, used for middle-school games and physical education classes.

So at least there’s a sense of normalcy and stability for the foreseeable future.

“You want to finish with a trophy in your hand,” Guiler said. “We’ll have to play well. I think this group of guys is up to the challenge.”

I was just nervous that it might be a potential setback, but it was one of those communitystrengtheningmoments.

Greg Guiler “Every single day, we come with a mindset,” said Laczkowski, who will play college basketball next season at the University of Pennsylvania. “Every practice and game is another step toward our goals.”

In preparation for the grueling SPC

After 22 Years, Dallas Challenger Still Attracting Top Tennis Talent

By Todd Jorgenson People Newspapers

Mitchell Krueger’s praise of the RBC Tennis Championships of Dallas has little to do with the fact that he’s the defending champion or lives only a few miles from the venue.

Krueger said other factors have contributed to the longevity and reputation of the annual indoor stop on the ATP Challenger Tour event that has lured some of the top men’s players in the world for more than two decades.

“I’ve always been biased, obviously growing up here, but I’ve told a lot of people that it’s one of the best Challengers out there, especially in terms of the atmosphere and the support,” said Krueger, who grew up in Fort Worth and now lives in

Dallas. “I think everyone tends to agree with me. It makes playing here a lot more fun for the players.”

Challenger tennis is a lot higher level than I think some people realize.

Mitchell Krueger Krueger won the singles draw last year and will return to defend his title on Feb. 3-9 at T Bar M Racquet Club. The same event included doubles appearances from standouts John Isner and Nick Kyrgios. Two years ago, the singles champion was Japanese star Kei Nishikori, who later advanced to

Dallas resident Mitchell Krueger will attempt to defend his singles title at the RBC Tennis Championships of Dallas in early February. (COURTESY TESSA KOLODNY) the semifinals at the U.S. Open.

The Challenger tournaments typically attract a mix of up-andcoming players trying to break through on the ATP main tour, and established pros looking for a tune-

up during a break in the schedule.

This year’s field will include American standouts Jack Sock and Steve Johnson.

“Challenger tennis is a lot higher level than I think some people

realize,” Krueger said. “It’s definitely cool for someone who maybe only watches on TV to see the speed of the ball and the speed of the serves and returns, and all of the little nuances.”

The Dallas event, which has been held at T Bar M since 1998, also partners with several charities. Beneficiaries of the 2020 tournament include Susan G. Komen Dallas County, the Maureen Connolly Brinker Tennis Foundation, and the Isner Family Foundation.

Isner, who lives in the Park Cities, will hold a private clinic as part of the festivities.

“There’s a good buzz in the tennis community about our tournament,” said T Bar M owner Glen Agritelley. “We continue to try and raise the bar and make it better and better every year.”

32 February 2020 | prestonhollowpeople.com

Schools

Troop 125 HOSPITALITY COMPANY WILL HOLD ART AUCTION TO BENEFIT DALLAS ISD SCHOOLS Introduces

New Eagle Scouts

Troop 125 Grace Bible Church

(COURTESY PHOTOS)

Jack Barto

FROM LEFT: Keren and C.J. Martin of Ketsali receive a certificate of appreciation from Dallas Education Foundation executive director Mita Havlick and Dallas ISD trustee Justin Henry. The Martins will hold an art auction featuring works of Fernando Diaz to benefit the district’s tornado relief fund. (COURTESY PHOTOS)

K

eren and C.J. Martin, Dallas-based owners of the luxury hospitality brand Ketsali, are gearing up to host a Latin-flavored art auction, all as part of a promise they made in December to help Dallas ISD recover from a devastating EF3 tornado that severely damaged three schools.

The two launched their brand at a glitzy party at de Boulle Diamond & Jewelry. They announced there, with Dallas ISD school board president Justin Henry and trustee Edwin Flores, as well as Dallas Education Foundation executive director Mita Havlick, that they would raise $50,000 for the foun-

dation’s tornado relief fund.

“We want to start in our own community by helping the DISD schools affected by these devastating tornados,” Keren said.

A total of 10 Dallas ISD schools were impacted by the Oct. 20 tornado, with three – Thomas Jefferson High School, Cary Middle School, and Walnut Hill Elementary – receiving the brunt of the destruction.

Students from Jefferson and Walnut Hill were moved to the formerly mothballed Thomas Edison Middle School and Tom Field Elementary, respectively. Cary’s students were divided between

Franklin Middle School and Medrano Middle School.

The Martins also said they would personally match the funds raised from their hospitality events that feature art, sculpture, and cuisine from Martin’s native Mexico. They began their company, they said, to combine their love for community-building and their love of Latin American culture.

The brand will officially open this Spring.

“It is our goal to build a hospitality brand while building a sense of community locally and internationally,” said C.J. – Staff report

I F YO U G O What: A fundraiser evening for Dallas ISD with mezcal tastings, Latin art, culture, music, and style. It will feature paintings and sculpture by San Miguel de Allende-based artist Fernando Diaz When: 6 to 8 p.m. Feb. 20 Where: Stanley Korshak at the Crescent Info: Watch peoplenewspapers.com for more details.

Teachers Get Cotton Bowl Tickets, Gift Cards Among the winners of the College Football Playoff and the Cotton Bowl were more than 600 educators from Thomas Jefferson High School, Edward H. Cary Middle School, and Walnut Hill Elementary School.

The Cotton Bowl Foundation and the College Football Playoff (CFP) Foundation surprised them with tickets and parking passes to the Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic game at AT&T Stadium and, more importantly, $500 gift cards to use for classroom projects and wish lists.

“The gifts are a thank you to

Cynthia Izaguirre of WFAA-TV surprises Jefferson High School English teacher Erika James. (COURTESY PHOTO)

John William ( Jack) Barto, son of J.J. and Charlotte Barto of Dallas, is a senior at The Covenant School of Dallas. His Eagle project: planting four trees at Covenant between the football field and the LBJ access road to create a buffer from the noise and busyness of I-635.

the incredible educators who worked tirelessly at the three schools on behalf of students displaced for the remainder of the school year, due to the devastating tornadoes on Oct. 20,” according to a press release.

Fin Ewing of the Cotton Bowl Athletic Association Board of Directors, College Football Playoff Foundation executive director Britton Banowsky, and WFAATV news anchor and reporter Cynthia Izaguirre, a Thomas Jefferson graduate, made the rounds bringing teachers the news.

– Staff report

Charles Gum Charles Elic Gum, son of Russell and Rebecca Gum of Dallas, is a Junior at The Covenant School of Dallas. His Eagle project: building donation boxes for Trusted World, a charity that collects donations to distribute to other charities and individuals in the Dallas area.

Henry Schuhmacher Henry Stansill Schuhmacher, son of Darren and Casey Schuhmacher of Dallas, is a senior at The Covenant School of Dallas.

His Eagle project: improving the chicken coop and garden area at his school. He added a rainwater collection system, pavers, rose bushes, and benches.

prestonhollowpeople.com | February 2020 33

Society

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 PHOTO COURTESY BRUNO &

Drake’s exterior

Alexis Smith and Alex Perry

Isabel Ensminger, Downie Radcliff, and Maddy McGuire

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

R E N AT O R I M A C H

A set of socialites gathered in the Bluffview neighborhood of Dallas to celebrate the grand opening of Vandelay Hospitality’s newest restaurant and lounge, Drake’s Hollywood, on Dec. 6. Upon entering through the tufted red leather doors, the well-dressed group gathered around the bar for cocktail hour, sipping on Drake’s’ staple ice-cold martinis and browsing its impressive Los Angeles-inspired cocktail list.

34 February 2020 | prestonhollowpeople.com

PARK PLACE HOLIDAY SOIREÉ

Mark Porter and Anne Davidson

Heath Strayhan, Joanna Clarke, Paige McDaniel, Scott Gerths and Tiffany White

Nemesio Rodriguez, Marwa Ej, and Matthew Pedroza

Panerai

Dr. Becky and Jon Berry

Tonya Gee, Toya Tippins, and Shandrea Jeffery

Derick and Emerson Blanton with Karen and Matt Peters

Christian, Debra, and Jordan Moseley COURTESY PHOTOS

Jim and Steven Pounds

Calvin and Kelly Carter

Charles Ward and Ed Akin

Park Place Premier Collection recently held its Holiday Soireé with a progressive dinner and ultimate shopping experience spanning all four luxury showrooms at the Lemmon Avenue location. In total, more than 350 new, unwrapped toys have been donated to benefit Community Partners of Dallas, a nonprofit organization dedicated to ensuring safety and restoring dignity and hope to abused and neglected children.

36 February 2020 | prestonhollowpeople.com

ALLY’S WISH STARTS SIXTH BOOTS & BLESSINGS

Danielle Cornett and Jack Philips PHOTOS BY BOB MANZANO

Tony and Tamara Casillas with LeeAnne Locken and Rich Emberlin

Guests shop Kendra Scott jewelry

Brian McNatt, Melissa Cary, Missy Phipps, and Kim Bain

Joy and Easton Jenkins

Judy Philips and Charlotte Wilcox

On Dec. 3, Tamara and Tony Casillas opened their home to kick-off the sixth annual Ally’s Wish Boots & Blessings gala with a night of sips, shopping and holiday cheer. The team from Vestals Catering had a menu of appetizers and guests grazed on a beautiful charcuterie table. The Casillas home was decorated with holiday lights, multiple Christmas trees, and 25 family photos taken each year with Santa and their children; a family tradition started by Tamara and Tony when their son was born.

prestonhollowpeople.com | February 2020 37

YOUNG TEXANS AGAINST CANCER AT TOOTSIES

Leila Berquist, Jake Wikander, Savannah Thode, Justin Rains, Sarah Mclntosh, Jessica Cho, Olivia Utley, Nicole Tremblay, Phuong Tran, and Melanie Carroll

Jenn Hill (middle) with Campbell Models

Hunter Bell COURTESY PHOTOS

Shane Martin, Nerissa Von Helpstill, and Catherine Duong

Beneficiaries

On Dec. 5, Young Texans Against Cancer hosted the fourth annual holiday soirée at Tootsies. Guests enjoyed holiday cocktails, light bites, and mingling to celebrate a successful year of fundraising for local North Texas cancer charities.

Co-chairs, Sarah Mclntosh and Jessica Cho, presented checks to YTAC’s four beneficiaries including Mommies in Need, Camp iHope, Asian Breast Health Outreach Project, and Mary Crowley Cancer Research.

38 February 2020 | prestonhollowpeople.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.

prestonhollowpeople.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 | prestonhollowpeople.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

prestonhollowpeople.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.

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 on Feb. 29 at the South Frisco Village Shopping Center, 2930 Preston Road, in Frisco.

Wheel to Survive

COURTESY DALLAS ARBORETUM

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 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.

When: 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Feb. 23 Where: Gilley’s South Side Dallas Admission: Registration cost varies. Visit wheeltosurvive.org.

Be The Difference Foundation sponsors this uplifting, inspirational indoor cycling fundraiser to benefit programs for women currently battling ovarian cancer and to provide research dollars for a CURE. Cyclists of all skill levels are welcome to participate. Some 300 participants will ride for one or more hours during the eighth Wheel to Survive in Dallas. Previous events have combined to raise more than $2 million.

Katie Kardell survived cancer.

COURTESY BE THE DIFFERENCE FOUNDATION

42 February 2020 | prestonhollowpeople.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.

EBBY HALLIDAY REALTORS

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

Move-In Ready in Meadowood Estates

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 $1,499,000, 4223 Williamsburg features 5 bedrooms and 5.1 baths Combining a generously-sized home with tasteful updates and a large lot with proximity to some of Old Preston Hollow’s most exclusive estates, 4223 Williamsburg is ready for its next owners to call home.

The 5,700-square foot, 5-bedroom home uniquely boasts three bedrooms – including the spacious master suite – on the first level. All bedrooms feature an ensuite bathroom, with the study enjoying direct access to the powder bath.

Most ceilings have been taken to 10-feet on both the first and second floors, giving the home a modern, open feel. An upstairs game/media room allows flexibility for a larger family or even multigenerational living.

Additional updates include the open concept kitchen with Subzero refrigerator recessed lighting and designer paint colors. The .45+ acre lot allows for plenty of yard space in addition to a beautiful covered patio and pool/spa.

Located in exclusive Meadowood Estates, sharing private security patrols with the neighborhood’s estate properties.

Contact Jamie Kohlmann (214.669.6520) or Ryan Streiff 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.

prestonhollowpeople.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

C L ASSI F I EDS To place your ad in People Newspapers, please call us at 214-523-5239, fax to 214-594-5779, or e-mail to classified@peoplenewspapers.com. All ads will run in Park Cities People and Preston Hollow People and online on both websites. Pre-payment is required on all ads. Deadline for our next edition is Monday, Feb. 3. People Newspapers reserves the right to edit or reject ads. We assume no liability for errors or omissions in advertisements and no responsibility beyond the cost of the ad. We are responsible only for the first incorrect insertion.

ANNOUNCEMENTS

H E A LT H

H E L P WA N T E D

HOME SERVICES

HOME SERVICES

Dina Taylor

FIREWOOD DELIVERY SPLIT SEASONED OAK 972-333-7444 #1 Home Cleaning Service for a Reason! www.DallasMaids.com (469) 487-6669

Professional Organizer

EASILY ORGANIZED

941-921-5066 www.easilyorganized.com

BURIAL PROPERTIES

Premier Family Estate burial property at Sparkman/Hillcrest with Internment Rights for up to Twelve individuals.

Property is private, hedged and landscaped, and carries forward a Forever Perpetual Maintenance agreement.

For further detail please contact owner by telephone 214.585.2609 or via email: fmafg@mac.com HEALTH

Weight Loss, Energy, Focus,

Depression, Impotency and Fatigue etc.

Leslie Duong, 214-887-8325 LESLIEDUONG.COM BS Biology, Health Nutritionist, Licensed Herbalist HOME SERVICES

R E A L E S TAT E

Storage Building for Rent 8’ x 15’ storage building for rent in the 4300 block of Lovers Lane, $200/mo.

Call 214.540.7209 for more information.

BE SEEN. BE HEARD.

BE HERE.

Classifieds: 214.523.5239