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Catching up with singer Tippy Balady 16
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Muslims adapt to distanced Ramadan 36
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2 June 2020 | prestonhollowpeople.com
SAFER-AT-HOME IS A LEARNING EXPERIENCE
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hen safer-at-home orders began, our household entered the same state of chaos that many readers experienced - suddenly becoming teachers while also trying to do our jobs. The week we were due to start the grand adventure, I asked my colleagues a simple question one afternoon: Should I be documenting this whole thing for posBETHANY terity? ERICKSON From that, the Sheltered Diaries were born, publishing almost daily on peoplenewspapers.com. From the first entry on March 23, I’ve talked about my son’s (a third-grader we refer to as Tiny) opinion on things, ways we’re beating the cabin fever, and even great conversations with Sisters of Red Erin Duvall and Molly Duvall Thomas and Momentous Institute executive director Jessica Trudeau. The first entry had Tiny telling us that he was “not in the mood” to get COVID-19. His journal entry that day gutted me: “I miss my friends. I miss my teacher. I miss my school.” But a month later, we had a conversation about how things were going. Me: What do you think about having to stay at home? Tiny: “Oh, it’s pretty much fine. I like getting to spend more time with you guys, and I like having more time to play. But I can’t go anywhere that much, and I miss my friends a lot.” Me: What is one thing that surprised you during all of this? Tiny: “I didn’t think my birthday would be so fun, but it was fun to be with you guys all day
Contents
and to have a virtual birthday party. I still want a real one, though, so don’t think you’re not going to do that or something.” Me: What’s one thing you would like to tell everyone? Tiny: “Stay home so everyone can keep from getting sick, and then we can all go out again and create mayhem.” Me: What are some things kids can do around the house to help keep people safe from COVID-19? Tiny: “I wipe down the doorknobs, the remote controls, the Xbox controllers, and the light switches every day. I do it for money because nothing is free in this world. I have over $100 now.” With the diary, I hope we’ve also let everyone know that we’re not homeschool masters. We’ve shared the anxieties, the tears, the days when nothing went right (March 31: “The wheels on the bus fell off today, off today, off today, The wheels on the bus fell off today, so Mom hit the sauce”) and the days where nearly almost everything went right. I’ve also written about the pivoting you have to do to help a child with special needs (Tiny is on the autism spectrum) navigate a whole host of things - anxiety, disruptions to schedules, general irritation with his completely uncool parents, and more. We’ve learned a lot, and I’m sure you have, too, over the past couple of months - including that I like my family a lot, even when we’re all angry about math. Bethany Erickson Deputy editor bethany.erickson@peoplenewspapers.com
Crime ............................ 4
Schools ........................ 28
Community ................. 12
Living Well................... 34
News .............................. 6 Business ....................... 23 Sports .......................... 26
Society ......................... 32 Obituary ...................... 39 Classifieds .................... 39
EDITORIAL
A DV E R T I S I N G
O P E R AT I O N S
Editor William Taylor
Senior Account Executive Kim Hurmis
Distribution Manager Don Hancock
Account Executives Tana Hunter Quita Johnson
Distribution Mike Reinbolt
Deputy Editor Bethany Erickson Deputy Editor Rachel Snyder Sports Editor Todd Jorgenson Production Manager Melanie Thornton
Client Services and Marketing Coordinator Kelly Duncan
Publisher: Patricia Martin
Interns Dalia Faheid Susie Avila Bria Graves
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.
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
prestonhollowpeople.com | June 2020 3
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Crime
S KU L D U G GE R I E S of the MO NTH
HALL TALKS COVID-19 CRIME FIGHTING STRATEGIES
CHEAPSKATE DIY? When is home improvement wrong? When the rascal fraudulently uses a 68-year-old man’s bank card information to shop May 9 at Lowe’s Home Improvement store on Inwood Road near Forest Lane. The incident was reported two days later.
SORRY, IT’S A YAWNER Officers responded at 8:30 a.m. April 28 to a report of a motor vehicle burglary in progress at Flatt’s Shell station at Preston Road and LBJ Freeway, where they found someone sleeping.
CLUB CAPER We don’t know whether the burglar who broke into the Jimmy John’s at Northwest Highway and Lemmon Avenue was freaky fast, or even hungry, but the rogue worked quickly enough to steal from the sandwich shop before 7:44 a.m. April 23. WANT TO READ MORE CRIMES? SIGN UP FOR OUR WEEKLY E-NEWSLETTER peoplenewspapers.com/ e-newsletters/ peoplenewspapers.com/ category/crime/
Dallas Police Chief Renee Hall participates in a Zoom meeting of the Preston Center Rotary Club. (PHOTO: WILLIAM TAYLOR)
By William Taylor People Newspapers
D
on’t look for the Dallas Police Department to issue citations and haul people to jail for social distancing violations. COVID-19 presents enough challenges for law enforcement without having to contend with residents and businesses over shelter-inplace orders, Chief Renee Hall said. “We are focused on education, letting people know what the laws are and asking for voluntary compliance,” she said. “The Dallas Police Department has not issued any (COVID-19) citations.” The notorious incident that led to the jailing of Salon a la Mode owner Shelley Luther originated with citations issued, not by police, but by code enforcement, Hall said. In a decision that earned rebukes
from Gov. Greg Abbott and President Donald Trump, State District Judge Eric Moyé found Luther, who refused to comply with closure orders, in contempt of court and sentenced her to seven days in jail.
The impact on crime is going to increase because people out of work do strange things. Renee Hall Hall spoke about the incident and other matters to the Preston Center Rotary Club during a Zoom meeting on May 6, one day before Luther’s early release as ordered by the Texas Supreme Court.
Arrests have remained a concern during the pandemic with the Dallas County officials hoping to reduce the potential for outbreaks in jail. Hall said her officers have assisted the Dallas County Sheriff ’s and District Attorney’s offices. “Those minor offenses where we can cite and release, we’ve done that,” she said. “But violent offenders are going to jail, and they can figure it out.” Early on during the shutdown of the economy, department officials figured out how to adjust police operations. Much like businesses, the department stopped in-person meetings and took other precautions such as distributing gloves, masks, and hand sanitizer, she said. Department and crime watch meetings are conducted on online platforms such as Zoom. “Because of that, we have been blessed and not seen what other cities have,” Hall said. A department with about 4,000 employees has only had 17 diagnosed with COVID-19, and, of those, nine have returned to work, she said. Still, the pandemic has created an increasingly stressful situation for officers, Hall said. “They are out in the community interacting with individuals who may be infected.” To reduce interactions, the department has gone to having lower priority calls such as vehicle burglaries reported on its Dallas Online Reporting System (DORS). Visit dallaspolice.net and click on the
“File a Police Report Online” tab. Hall said she doesn’t consider that a lower level of service. “These reports will go to a detective and the detective will follow up the same as if an officer came to take the report. The next COVID-19 challenge for Hall could come as she seeks to avoid staffing reductions while city leaders wrestle with a projected $25 million shortfall in revenues this year and potential $100 million decline next. “The impact on crime is going to increase because people out of work do strange things,” the chief said. “We have to police this city, we have to keep the city safe, and we can’t do that without manpower.”
LEARN ABOUT DORS What: The Dallas Online Reporting System (DORS) is for non-emergency and property-related offenses How: Visit dallaspolice.net and click on the “File a Police Report Online” tab. Examples: Burglary of a Coin Operated Machine, Burglary of a Motor Vehicle, Criminal Mischief, Debit/ Credit Card Abuse, Graffiti, Harassing Phone Calls, Lost Property, Reckless Damage, Theft/Shoplift/ Identity Theft/Property Theft (Auto Accessories)/ Theft of Service.
CRIME REPORTS APRIL 13 – MAY 10
APRIL 13 Stolen before 10:16 p.m.: a vehicle from a home in the 4900 block of Allencrest Lane.
APRIL 17 Before 1:39 p.m., a gun-toting, would-be robber threatened to harm a 20-year-old man at a home in the 4900 block of Forest Lane.
store at Preston Forest Village.
APRIL 29 At 9:31 p.m., police hadn’t determined what object a vandal used to damage a window at a home in the 4600 block of Willow Lane.
APRIL 21 Before 8:39 a.m., an unknown rude bully threatened two employees of BB&T in the parking lot at Inwood Village.
APRIL 30 The Wrightway Moving Company complained at 9:23 p.m. of getting way wrong treatment from a client that did not pay for agreed to and rendered services in the 4200 block of LBJ Freeway.
APRIL 25 Before 8:25 p.m., a gun-toting robber took money from the CVS
MAY 1 Before 12:51 p.m., a bully slapped a 61-year-old man working
at the 7-Eleven at Preston Royal Village.
MAY 2 Longhorn hating? Before 7:20 p.m., a motorist pointed a gun at a University of Texas student in the 6100 block of Northaven Road and demanded to know where the 20-year-old man went to school. MAY 3 Before 12:13 a.m., a prowler cut the cords on a car cover at a home in the 7500 block of Malabar Lane. MAY 5 Before 6:05 p.m., a tricky
customer used counterfeit cash while shopping at the 7-Eleven store in Preston Royal Village. MAY 7 Armed robbers entered an unlocked van before 1:25 p.m. near a home in the 4600 Watauga Road and used their guns to steal from a 57-year-old Royce City man and a 32-year-old Forney man.
MAY 10 Before 8:46 a.m., an intruder grabbed and shoved a 25-yearold woman after forcing his way into her apartment in the 3800 block of West Northwest Highway.
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News
COME FALL, SCHOOL COULD REMAIN MUCH DIFFERENT
Dallas ISD eyes options such as blending online, in-person classes By Bethany Erickson People Newspapers
W
ith one pandemic-altered school year at an end, Dallas ISD officials must now figure out how to open a new one that will arrive before COVID-19 concerns are history. The Texas Education Agency has advised schools to rethink next year, potentially adding optional summer instruction, having school year-round with more frequent breaks, or even a potential full-year redesign. Even if students report as usual in the fall, they will likely come back to a school utilizing one-way hallways, masks, lunches in the classrooms, buses with fewer riders, and temperature checks before entering buildings. Dallas ISD will need a way to get fewer students in a school at any given time, given that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention also recommends placing desks 6 feet apart and keeping groups of children together with no intermingling to reduce transmission risks.
Most of our parents are hourly. They can’t work remotely; we have to take that into consideration. Michael Hinojosa TEA guidelines that put minimum classroom sizes at anywhere from 700 square feet per classroom to 800 square feet and place
Dallas ISD may need to spread out its younger students in the fall beyond Preston Hollow and other elementary school campuses to have room for adequate social distancing. (PHOTO: COURTESY DALLAS ISD) children 6 feet apart would leave schools short of space, too. “Right now, we don’t know what we don’t know,” Dallas ISD superintendent Michael Hinojosa said of the virus and what the landscape will look like come August. But he did know that it was “highly doubtful” that students and teachers would return to schools operating as in the past. He was equally sure that the current model of all-distance learning was unsustainable for an entire school year. Instead, the district is looking at three scenarios: • Plan A: All schools open Aug. 17 under normal conditions for in-school learning • Plan B: All students continue with the current at-home learning model
• Plan C: The district opens with a blended model that combines some form of in-school and at-home learning There are several scenarios within that “Plan C under consideration, too. A “hybrid opening” is likely, with students attending a brick-and-mortar school only part of the week. But the district is looking at variations of the model depending on the age range of the students served. For older students requiring less supervision from parents, it may look like an alternating two-day schedule for in-person learning with online learning the rest of the time. For elementary students, attendance may be more frequent, but students may see themselves reporting to a different campus come fall.
“Most of our parents are hourly. They can’t work remotely; we have to take that into consideration,” Hinojosa said. Hinojosa suggested the potential for spreading elementary schools out in multiple buildings “so at least we had that covered for parents that have to go to work,” Any decision made, Hinojosa stressed, would factor in advice from state and local officials. The district, he said, will need a clear plan on enforcing social distancing in classrooms, lunchrooms, and buses, as well as proper cleaning, screening of students, and the use of masks (and how to provide them to students and teachers) and other personal protective equipment.
What Will November Voting Look Like? Stay Tuned By Bethany Erickson People Newspapers
It seems like a million years since the primaries in March, but any voter likely remembers the lines, communal pens, touchscreens, and baskets of stickers. What seemed so easy in March now sounds fraught with danger - which is why many are lobbying to allow any voter who feels concerned about potential exposure to COVID-19 to request a mailin ballot under the disability provision. Last month, Dallas County commissioners voted 4-1 on a resolution supporting residents who want to claim disability if they are worried about exposure. Commissioners also approved about $600,000 for equipment to sanitize polling places and plexiglass shields as well. Current law limits the use of mail-in ballots to people over 65, those who are sick or disabled, the military, or anyone who will be away from home when it’s time to vote.
Five states wholly hold elections by mailed ballot, and 28 more allow voters to ask for mail-in ballots without needing an excuse. The commissioner’s court resolution is in stark opposition to Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton’s opinion.
Voter fraud in Texas is not happening in mail-in ballots; it’s happening in the office of the Attorney General. Kendall Scudder “Mail ballots based on disability are specifically reserved for those who are physically ill and cannot vote in-person as a result. Fear of contracting COVID-19 does not amount to a sickness or
Voting meant longlines in March. Could more mail-in ballots change that in November? (PHOTO: BETHANY ERICKSON) physical condition as required by the Legislature,” Paxton said. Texas Democrats filed suit in Travis County in April to let anyone concerned about COVID-19 claim a “disability” and vote by mail. By mid-April, Travis County District Judge Tim Sulak ruled that voters who are not immune to COVID-19 could qualify for mail-in ballots under disability provisions in the Texas election code.
Paxton followed that ruling with a letter to local election officials where he told them that because he had appealed, eligibility had not expanded and that voters cannot legally ask for mail-in ballots by just claiming they’re worried about contracting the virus. “The lawsuit recently filed in Travis County District Court does not change or suspend the disability requirements required by the Texas Legislature,” Paxton’s letter
said. “Pursuant to Texas law, the District Court’s order is stayed and has no effect during the ongoing appeal.” That letter prompted local businessman Kendall Scudder and Dallas lawyer Woot Lervisit to file a complaint with the Dallas County District Attorney, claiming that Paxton deliberately misled election officials with his claims. “It is against Texas Elections law to lie to and mislead elections officials in the State of Texas,” Scudder said when announcing the move on Facebook. “Voter fraud in Texas is not happening in mail-in ballots; it’s happening in the office of the Attorney General.” “This complaint is an outrageous effort by those who would mislead the public about Texas voting law in order to advance their own political agenda,” Marc Rylander, a spokesperson for the attorney general’s office, responded. At press time, Paxton had asked the Texas Supreme Court for a ruling.
prestonhollowpeople.com | June 2020  7
8 June 2020 | prestonhollowpeople.com
The Great Mask Debate: Who Should Be Required to Wear Them? State, county officials argue enforcement; restaurant worker sues her employer By Bethany Erickson and Rachel Snyder People Newspapers
After People Newspapers broke the story that Hillstone Restaurant Group forbid its workers at R+D Kitchen, the Honor Bar, Hillstone, and Houston’s from wearing masks, we asked our readers: Is mask use in restaurants and retail establishments important to you? It didn’t take long for most to vote in our non-scientific polls, which ran on the Park Cities People and Preston Hollow People Facebook pages for seven days. In Preston Hollow, 82% of the 104 who voted said it was important. In Park Cities, the margin was slightly lower at 78%. The story started with a tip submitted through our news tip form, and we heard from many now-former and current employees of Hillstone Restaurant Group’s Dallas locations, who said they were not allowed to wear masks while working as a company policy. “It is true. We’re not allowing masks,” the R+D Kitchen manager, who identified herself as Emily, said. State guidance for restaurants says that if staff and patrons cannot maintain a 6-foot distance, face masks should be used. “Have employees maintain at least 6 feet separation from other individuals. If such distancing is not feasible, measures such
INFORMAL POLL Is mask use in restaurants and retail establishments important to you? Preston Hollow
82% yes, 18% no Park Cities
78% yes, 22% no *47 voted on the Park Cities People Facebook page; 104 voted on the Preston Hollow page.
(GRAPHIC: MELANIE THORNTON, PHOTO: 123RF)
as face-covering, hand hygiene, cough etiquette, cleanliness, and sanitation should be rigorously practiced,” the guide said. Employees told us that they were told that if they insisted on masks, they would not be scheduled hours. “We are scared,” one employee told us. “Please don’t use my name. I have to have a job. We just wanted people in the community who have dined with us a lot to know we are not safe. It’s
not safe for anyone. We should have at least been given a choice.” One R+D Kitchen employee, identified in her request for an injunction as Jane Doe, went to court for the right to wear a mask while working. “She wants to be able to go to work and go to work safely,” one of her lawyers, Brent Walker said. “That’s all she wanted when she came to us.” State District Judge Tonya Parker granted the temporary
restraining order. Compounding the issue, Doe’s lawyers said, is that Abbott’s orders seem to say that restaurants are required to use masks, but enforcement is a loose end since it says individuals cannot be fined or jailed for refusing to wear a mask. “But that doesn’t excuse a company who is governed by the other parts of this that say you should follow the recommendations of the CDC,” he said. By May 14, the company had quietly changed its
wording on its website to indicate that staff could wear masks if they chose to. In early May, Dallas County Judge Clay Jenkins amended his orders to require businesses to follow Abbott’s guidelines as law in the county, even if they were just suggestions. In mid-May, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton issued a letter to Jenkins chastising him for that measure, among others, and calling it unenforceable.
prestonhollowpeople.com | June 2020  9
10 June 2020 | prestonhollowpeople.com
The Politics of Parking in Dallas
Requiring too much stifles green space, other development amenities, some say
Saturdays are likely not high-demand days for the parking near the SMU/Mockingbird Station DART rail stop. (PHOTOS: WILLIAM TAYLOR)
By Rachel Snyder People Newspapers
While people may not naturally make the link between parking and housing affordability, Coalition for a New Dallas co-founder Patrick Kennedy does. He insists parking policy brings plenty of side effects for cities such as higher rents and less affordable housing and land available for sidewalks and greenspace. “I’ve seen it estimated that we have “Confirming that you can fit enough as many as, if not more than, 30 park- parking spaces to meet code and how ing spaces for every single vehicle that that works and whether the parking is is owned by a city of Dallas resident, going to be below grade or above grade, meaning we likely have more park- and all of those components are a major ing than we’ll ever need, which is why I factor,” Slade said. “What ends up hapwould contend that parking is not a sup- pening in terms of the cost is that the ply problem, but one that requires prop- focus becomes solely on parking rather er management,” Kennethan actually providdy said. Other coalition ing something valuI would contend able to the commufounders include Wick nity. If parking is the Allison, principal ownthat parking is not er of People Newspapers, right, then...de facto, and his daughter Gillea a supply problem, it eliminates the abilAllison. ity to have great sidebut one that Travis Liska, a senior walks, great trees.” transportation planner at requires proper She said reducing the North Central Texas parking requirements management. Council of Governments, may also allow for said the square footage Patrick Kennedy lower rent demands required for surface parkon people. ing in developments could lead to situ“When we’re looking right now at ations where more land is used for the parking spaces and the heavy cost of all parking than for the building. these parking spaces, if we can at least “It’s an amenity to the development,” reduce parking by 10% of the requireLiska said. “But then why don’t (we) ment, it gives us the ability to reduce subsidize other transportation modes the amount of rent that we’re charging,” through development amenities, such Slade said. As for how to develop infrastructure as having really great streetscapes, sidewalks, and bike parking as well?” that works for the future, Liska said it’s His organization studied 16 tran- essential to look at transportation and sit-oriented developments along the red parking as public utilities. and blue DART lines in 2018 and found “We’ve got to get to a more sustain13 of those never peaked above 80% uti- able funding source, and part of that is being more efficient with our systems,” lization during data collection. “We think there’s a relationship there he said. “Related to how it’s more susbetween the sort of income profile and tainable for the future, is ensuring that travel behavior of folks who are generally we still have the funding mechanisms more transit-dependent and the need for and the self-funding capacity that comes with treating transportation and subseless parking,” Liska said. Katy Slade of Mintwood Real Estate quently parking as a priced public utility sees how parking policy impacts devel- where...it’s priced according to what reopers. ally results in optimal use.”
prestonhollowpeople.com | June 2020  11
12 June 2020 | prestonhollowpeople.com
Community
IMAGES OF PRAYER, LOVE, AND SUPPORT By William Taylor People Newspapers
Y
ou don’t have to be one of the best pilots in the world to demonstrate unity with and care for others during these challenging times. But it doesn’t hurt. The U.S. Navy’s Blue Angels took to North Texas skies in May, roaring over hospitals and buzzing other parts of the city in a show of support that made it hard not to take notice. The flyovers came as part of American Strong, a shared mission that has involved the U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds in some cities. The message from the flight demonstration squadrons: Thank you to health care professionals, frontline workers, and first responders. Lesser-known acts of love and support also are captured in photos submitted to People Newspapers this month. We see that Romeo and Juliet is more than just a tragic tale of young lovers. The Preston of the Park Cities used the balcony scene as a how-to guide f rom Shakespeare for making connections when typical visits to a senior living community are off-limits. Can’t go to concerts? Visiting Nurse Association of Texas of Dallas Meals for Wheels program sometimes serves up music along with dinner. VNA Hospice music therapists created the “Front Porch Concert” series so clients can get the extra attention they sometimes need. Can’t gather for worship? Members of Park Cities Baptist Church, Wilshire Baptist Church, and First Baptist Dallas stood in the parking lots outside the Ventana by Buckner on the National Day of Prayer. There they waived at and prayed for residents and employees of the senior living community. “We have over 100 employees at Ventana who are working tirelessly to mitigate risks associated with the pandemic for our members,” community chaplain David Mann said. “They are frontline heroes worthy of our prayers, love, and support.” Caring also comes in partnerships for giving. Mimi’s Pizzeria on Northwest Highway teamed up with Robert S. Hyer Elementary’s Dad’s Club to donate more than 200 meals to workers at nearby hospitals. “We’re grateful for the support during these uncertain times,” Mimi Ahmedi said, “and will continue to do what we can to help the community.”
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YO U R P H O T O ASSIGNMENT Seen other acts of kindness in your neighborhoods? Please email high-resolution photos with explanations to editor@ peoplenewspapers.com.
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5. 4.
1. The U.S. Navy’s Blue Angels put on a show May 6 over Dallas skies. (PHOTO: COURTESY MEDICAL CITY) 2. Preston of the Park Cities residents gather on balconies as singer Marty Ruiz serenades them from a parking structure below. (COURTESY PHOTO) 3. Visiting Nurse Association of Texas Hospice music therapists provide “front porch concerts” for Meals on Wheels clients. (PHOTO: COURTESY VNA) 4. Members of Park Cities Baptist Church gather in the parking lot outside Ventana by Buckner to pray for residents and workers at the senior living community. (PHOTO: COURTESY VENTANA BY BUCKNER) 5. Workers for Mimi’s Pizzeria deliver donated meals for hospital workers. (COURTESY PHOTO)
‘June is Busting Out All Over’
“June is busting out all over; the feeling is getting so intense…” So begins a stanza of Rodgers and Hammerstein’s popular tune of my childhood. It might well be the national LEN BOURLAND anthem, for by the time this is printed, those rebellions in state capitals may have spread all over. People accustomed to freedom, the rugged individualists of our country, want to assess their own risks. Plus, there’s no place like home until you have sheltered in place too long. I haven’t cleaned and cooked so much since I was a newlywed. Housework is booooring. I am so grateful I was not a pioneer woman who lived on the plains doing chores all her life. Holy Martha Stewart, I even got so bored I found an old hot glue gun and repaired picture frames. When I turned my attention outside, I noticed just how many feral cats were in my yard. I made a post on Nextdoor asking for help. Don’t do that! People are so bored and tuned into their phone, the flood of messages nearly crashed my phone. After turning to my closets, I wondered if I should throw out all the contents and start over instead of decluttering. I’m so weary of streaming everything. Have I read all the great books, organized great projects, or written another book? Nope. I can’t fight my restlessness despite long walks, porch parties, and many Zooms. Have I participated in charitable giving, calling the elderly, doing drive-by celebrations? Of course. Is my home more organized? Yes, so? What I miss most is society and tactile experience (hugs). Too much sheltering in place is numbing. But I have made resolutions. I will not bellyache so much about traffic ever again; people are working. I will go to the gym and enjoy it until I shed my COVID kilo. I will go to a playground and enjoy watching children playing, especially my grandkids. Another dog will grace my life. Appreciating those who are delivering my mail, picking up my garbage, checking me out at stores, making deliveries is my new M.O. Healthcare workers and teachers rock. I will take a road trip. But when? Bit by bit as things unfold into the new normal methinks. Which reminds me of that other popular tune from my childhood: “Que Sera sera, whatever will be will be, the future’s not ours to see. Que sera, sera.” Contact Len Bourland at lenbourland@gmail.com.
prestonhollowpeople.com | June 2020 13
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14 June 2020 | prestonhollowpeople.com
Collaborating For Community
Blogger Sophie McGuire, Koch clothing brand partner to design stylish masks By Rachel Snyder People Newspapers
think of this idea? (to make face masks) You have the manufacturing (capability) in place,” Musselman said. McGuire explained, “Nicole and I both wanted to spread joy during this uncertain time in our country. We designed face masks using Koch’s fabrics, and the masks were made in the Dallas factory. “The first half were given away at zero cost to those interested in acquiring one for their own safety,” McGuire said. “The first two releases were sold out in minutes, and due to high demand, more masks became available for sale, with 10% of the proceeds going to the North Texas Food Bank.” McGuire also answered some questions.
The author of the fashion blog Much Love Sophie used her keen sense of style to help design non-medical face masks during the COVID-19 pandemic. Sophie McGuire, who’s preparing to start at SMU in the fall, started her blog when she was 13 as a way to “express my creativity and passion for style, beauty, and lifestyle.” She’s since amassed a following of more than 18,000 followers on Instagram. Nicole Musselman, owner of the clothing brand Koch, said she first met McGuire when the then 16-year-old applied for a social media manager position. “We want girls to What are some of your favorite stores? make a mark on the world through joy-makShop Koch is ing and risk-taking. Soamazing. I love visitphie has a similar mising the Koch House sion in that she’s trying and seeing all of the to spread joy and posi- FROM LEFT: Sophie McGuire of the beautiful pieces. The tivity,” Musselman said. blog Much Love Sophie and Nicole Market in Highland “She’s one of the hard- Musselman of the clothing brand Koch. Park Village is anothest workers I’ve ever (COURTESY PHOTO) er favorite. Their Love seen.” Shack Fancy SelecMcGuire worked on social media for tion is amazing. I also love Cabana/Canary. Koch while being homeschooled. She’s been There are just so many great places to shop homeschooled since her sophomore year. in the Park Cities. “Because the program is self-paced, I made it a big goal to graduate a semester ear- What’s a fun fact about you? ly. I graduated in December,” McGuire said. Hope it’s OK if I share two... Being ReShe said she also found working on social wardStyles’s youngest influencer when I was 14 was really awesome. Also, I don’t know media for Koch to be a good fit for her. “I looked at it as an incredible opportunity how to ride a bike, but one of my summer for me to learn from The Koch crew. I man- goals is to learn. aged their social account for one year, and loved every second,” McGuire said. LEARN MORE So when the novel coronavirus brought To order a Much Love Koch mask, stay-at-home orders to Dallas and Musvisit shopkoch.com/products/muchselman was searching for a way to keep her love-koch-mask workers employed, the women found collaborating again – this time on face masks – a natural fit. Sophie’s blog: muchlovesophie.com “Sophie called and said, ‘What do you
prestonhollowpeople.com | June 2020 15
Advanced neurosurgical care with you in mind.
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16 June 2020 | prestonhollowpeople.com
Anxious Tippy Balady Sings of Stress and Swashbuckling
Pandemic postpones USC studies, summer tour for Preston Hollow musician By Bill Miller
Special Contributor In late February, singer/songwriter Tippy Balady was planning a summer tour of a half-dozen states, stretching from the Deep South to her hometown, Dallas. A month later, however, the deadly coronavirus pandemic had struck the U.S., hurling the nation’s economy into uncertainty. Likewise, the tour planning froze.
I can make a song about my anxiety or even a song about pirates. It’s all over the place. Tippy Balady And Tippy, a college freshman studying pop music at the University of Southern California, retreated home to Dallas. Also postponed for this graduate of the Booker T. Washington High School for the Visual and Performing Arts was a late-April performance at Fortress Festival in Fort Worth. Tippy has composed music
With her University of Southern California studies interrupted, Tippy Balady has spent her unexpected return to Dallas honing her music. (PHOTOS: JOSHUA KIM AND KATHERINE XIANG) about anxiety and how she strives to manage it. Not surprising, turmoil spun from the COVID-19 emergency offered new material. “Being so isolated has definitely started turning the wheels in my brain for self-reflection,” she said. “I think about how important it is seeing someone in person, rather than on a screen. “I’m in a unique position. I can make music anywhere so this has
been an awesome opportunity to hone in on those abilities.” Tippy’s musical style has been called a blend of alternative pop and R&B, delivered with poignant, sometimes searing vocals. But there’s more to it, she said. “I like to think my songs are colored with rose-tinted glasses, but can also be stripped down, raw and real. It’s coming from my true experiences, whatever’s
on my mind. “I can make a song about my anxiety or even a song about pirates. It’s all over the place.” Wait ... pirates? Yes, she confirmed, laughing. “My little brother, when he was a baby, was obsessed with pirates,” Tippy explained. “My dad would tell us pirate stories, and it was one of my favorite things, so I became fascinated with the pirate culture.
“And going through life, I also had a huge obsession with the story of Peter Pan; obviously, there are pirates in that story as well.” However, this songwriter is so intrigued by anxiety that it fuels her growing collection of original music. She faced the topic headon two years ago with her single “Merry Go Round.” In the video, featuring fellow Booker T. students, she tells her audience that anyone with anxiety is not alone. “I’ve learned the whole process is breaking things down to little bits,” Tippy said. “That’s what I have to do to be less anxiety-filled. “Sometimes I don’t listen to my own advice; I become paralyzed by my thoughts, and I wind up watching the wall.” The July tour originally scheduled stops in Alabama, Florida, Mississippi, Tennessee, and finally Texas. “I don’t want to say completely off the table at the moment,” Tippy said. “It’s not postponed, just bookmarked. “Literally, everything in the world is on pause now, and if for some reason this doesn’t work out, something else will come about. “And who knows? Maybe it’ll be sooner than I think.”
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18 June 2020 | prestonhollowpeople.com
Noteworthy Neighbors COMMON GROUND FOUND IN LEARNING ‘HEART WORDS’ Wesley Prep fourth-graders, refugee children put alphabet to verse Editor’s note: Rex’s Seafood & Market is sponsoring this monthly feature.
By Dalia Faheid
People Newspapers
A
work of whimsical illustration and heartwarming poetry expresses the magic that occurs when two seemingly different groups open their hearts to one another. Heart Words is an alphabet book authored by Wesley Prep fourth-graders in collaboration with kindergarten through second-grade students at Heart House, a program that helps refugee children acclimate to resettlement in Dallas. Wesley Prep is a private school ministry of Lovers Lane United Methodist Church. Exploring the concept of belonging, the book is replete with comforting life lessons for adults and children alike. “We’re all on a journey to find our way home, to a place where we’re seen, where we’re loved, where we’re known,” the book begins. Wesley Prep and Heart House students found that place of belonging within each other. Friendships blossomed during weekly after school meetings where they wrote and illustrated together, said Wesley Prep teacher Lori Cousino. “I think there’s something really magical about the creative process and going through something like that with other people,” she said. “The feeling of putting a beautiful thing in the world is definitely a unifying bonding experience.” As the older group, the fourth-graders gained confidence in teaching the younger students,
The fourth annual “Common Ground Experiment” brought Wesley Prep fourth-graders together with refugee children served by Heart House to create a book together. The group photo was taken before the pandemic closed the campus. (COURTESY PHOTOS) Cousino said. “It’s so easy to reach out and make new friends and have fun,” said Wesley Prep student Emilio. For safety reasons, Wesley Prep doesn’t release student’s last names. Heart House students, most of whom have experienced traumas such as war or poverty, developed social skills from meeting new kids outside of their classroom environment, said their teacher Christina Park. Translating the book into 10 languages made it more easily accessible to Heart House students. Wesley Prep students empathized with the hardships of moving to another country. “I feel like we are just so privileged, and it was probably a hard journey for them. So it felt re-
ally important to try to help change that,” Lyla said.
I think there’s something really magical about the creative process and going through something like that with other people.
Lori Cousino
This was the fourth annual “Common Ground Experiment,” in which Wesley Prep fourth-graders partner with nonprofit groups on
creative projects meant to inspire unity over division. They’ve written books with the Austin Street Center, Bonton Farms, and Cafe Momentum, raising a total of $36,000 in proceeds. Enduring relationships have continued to form, Cousino said. “They’re at an age where they’re really thinking about where they fit in the big picture of the world. And I want them to be curious and learn about other people and not assess someone’s value by anything other than the fact that we’re all human,” said Cousino. Though Heart Words won’t be launched in-person as the books from previous years were, the students will instead host a virtual bed-
time story event. Cousino hopes the project will make her students braver and more open to creating connections with new people in the future. She looks forward to reuniting with the young authors so she can have a signed copy of Heart Words. “I learned that even if you’re a kid, you can change the world,” said Lila.
LEARN MORE: Copies of Heart Words are $30 with proceeds supporting Heart House. Visit commongroundexperiment.org.
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Business
‘IT’S GOING TO CHANGE THE WORLD FOREVER’ Celebrity chef weighs in on post-pandemic dining in Dallas
Comings and Goings CLOSED Bartaco
Preston Center “We want to thank our hardworking team and our loyal Dallas guests for a great year,” said General Manager Javier Montemayor. “Though we are closing our doors in Dallas, our Fort Worth location will continue to serve up our signature fresh food and specialty cocktails in a relaxed, coastal atmosphere.”
Highland Park Cafeteria
1200 N. Buckner Boulevard The comfort food eatery had been a fixture in the area since 1925 but announced online that it would not re-open even when stay-at-home orders to prevent the spread of COVID-19 were lifted. “We have been blessed to serve you for many years, to have been part of family celebrations and holiday traditions,” the statement read. “One final word – HPC is not tables and chairs and stoves, it is generations of cooks faithfully preparing special recipes and lovingly serving generation(s) of diners. We are safeguarding the secret recipes, all 932 of them. So making no promises, but who knows? Zucchini muffins may one day make a comeback!”
Stella Nova
FROM LEFT: Todd Boren and Chef Ken Rathbun. Rathbun says his restaurants have seen 50% of their normal sales during the pandemic, thanks largely to curbside and to-go options and operating at 25% capacity. (PHOTOS: SCOTT HARBEN)
By Bethany Erickson People Newspapers
W
hen COVID-19 came to Dallas, safer-at-home orders left restaurants scrambling, and the pandemic may have changed the landscape of dining out in Dallas for a long, long time. The Texas Restaurant Association estimates that more than 688,000 lost jobs in the restaurant industry, and restaurants lost $80 billion in sales revenue since March. Thirty-four percent of all restaurants in Texas closed.
This is a time if ever there were a time in our life and our career to re-evaluate what we do, how we do it, what is making us happy, what is making us a living, and re-evaluate whether we want to continue doing the things that don’t meet those criteria. Kent Rathbun
“What I feel like most people don’t really understand is how fragile that most restaurants run on a daily basis anyway,” said Kent Rathbun, who owns several Dallas establishments, including Imoto and Rathbun Curbside Barbecue, along with Lovers Seafood and Market and Shinsei with wife, Tracy. “Obviously there are varying degrees of success with all restaurants, but I would say, by and large, most restaurants run on a very tight, tight margin and a bad month or two can really make a big difference in a restaurant,” he explained. Rathbun has been able to reopen Shinsei and Lovers Seafood but said Imoto would remain shuttered for the time being. Rathbun is also offering barbecue curbside at the Lovers Seafood location. He said thanks to to-go and limited inside dining, business is running at about 50% of normal. But what worried Rathbun the most, he said, was how the public was maintaining social distancing - especially since restaurants began opening up just as Dallas County started posting some of the highest new case numbers yet. “Hey, I’m telling you, I was watching the Today show, and I’m seeing this graph, and there is not even a bend in it,” he said. “No, this thing is straight up. It hasn’t even begun to start the curve. And I’m like, OK,
that’s not good.” Even with the rosiest of scenarios, Rathbun said where and how Dallas dines may continue to shift. “My crystal ball is out in the shop, but I think, as I’ve said to many people, my biggest struggle right now is just not having the right answer,” Rathbun said. “I just don’t know what to do next because you know, every, every five o’clock on the news, you have to be able to adjust what you’re thinking. “I think it’s probably going to be longer before things even remotely start to get back to normal. I think that it’s going to change the world forever.” Rathbun said that the seriousness of the pandemic also has him re-evaluating what comes next. “I’m not too germaphobic, but right now, I’m definitely making some different choices,” he said. “And I think the thing that I have sort of kind of thrown out there for myself and my wife - and we both agree on this - is that this is a time if ever there were a time in our life and our career to re-evaluate what we do, how we do it, what is making us happy, what is making us a living, and re-evaluate whether we want to continue doing the things that don’t meet those criteria.” Read more of our conversation with Rathbun at peoplenewspapers.com.
Snider Plaza John Kennedy of Stella Nova called the combination of sidewalk construction (COURTESY PHOTO) in front of the brand’s first Texas shop after it opened in January and the COVID-19 pandemic as “devastating.” “We will not be able to recover,” Kennedy said in an email. “We love this neighborhood and are very sad we couldn’t stay,” The brand has four locations around Oklahoma City, including one near the University of Oklahoma in Norman.
NOW OPEN Cerón Hair
Highland Park Village The salon opened in the former Fredric Fekkai salon, (PHOTO: CODY BESS) between Carolina Herrera and Frame May 18. “I’ve long loved the stylish ladies – and gentlemen – of Dallas, so I could not have been more excited with this opportunity presented itself,” Cerón said. “I have to pinch myself when I think about my new salon being in the iconic Highland Park Village. It really is a dream.” It will be staffed by the team from the former Fekkai salon, including artistic director Tony Salle, Joey Flores, Errin Haddock, Delores Villanueva, and more.
24 June 2020 | prestonhollowpeople.com
You Know the Landmarks; Now Meet the Engineering Firm By William Taylor People Newspapers
Admire the impressive architecture around Dallas but, like Caleb Duncan, know that “fun, creative, and interesting” structural engineering made it possible. As president of L.A. Fuess Partners (LAFP), Duncan leads a company with four decades of experience tackling “interestingly complicated” projects. The work ranges from terminal renovations at Dallas Love Field and the American Airlines World Headquarters to exquisite homes in the Park Cities and Preston Hollow.
We loved the opportunity for creativity in solving the engineering challenges and making all of this work. Caleb Duncan “We’re fortunate to work with some of the best architects, developers, and municipal and institutional clients in the world on truly landmark projects in North Dallas and
Caleb Duncan
Mark Peterman
Will Pender
L.A. Fuess Partners provided engineering services for such projects as SMU’s Robson and Lindley Aquatics Center and Barr-McMillion Natatorium, the Moody Performance Hall, and the Ventana by Buckner high-rise senior living community. (PHOTOS: STEVE HINDS, SARGENT PHOTO, HEDRICH BLESSING) the Park Cities, as well as around the country,” Duncan said. The late Larry Fuess founded the company in 1979 and receives credit from LAFP leaders today for his congenial entrepreneurial spirit and a firm culture built on a commitment to collaborative excellence. LAFP has grown to include a branch office in Boston, Massachusetts. Dallas projects have included the ballroom expansion, golfers bridge over Mockingbird Lane, and tennis buildings at the Dallas Country
Club, the Hamon Art Library and Greer Garson Theatre at SMU, and The Plaza at Preston Center office and garage. Other collaborations include the center court and several stores at Highland Park Village, The Hotel Lumen, and multiple projects for the Highland Park United Methodist Church. Blending a replacement addition into the 1925 church building came with the added challenge of aligning new spaces with ones built when
story heights were much shorter. “The expansion looks just like a three-story building, but it has a basement two-stories-tall, classrooms in the upper levels, and trusses the full depth of the upper story spanning across a large auditorium space,” Duncan said. “It was also great fun to work with the existing drawings from 1925, including an original book of specifications which we found in the church’s library.” Another project involved installing two new, organ cabinets behind
a choir loft enlarged to accommodate more seating. “We loved the opportunity for creativity in solving the engineering challenges and making all of this work,” he said. Will Pender, as vice president of Rogers-O’Brien Construction, worked with LAFP and HH Architects in recent years on the Tolleson Family Activity Center at HPUMC. “L.A. Fuess is an innovation frontrunner in structural engineering,” Pender said in a press release. “They combined concrete and steel to make this intricate structure work beautifully on a small, tricky, and somewhat challenging site. The associates in the firm are very adaptable and open to new ideas in working with the contractor to determine the best solution for the structural design. That makes it possible to come up with the absolute best solutions, and we did.” Other projects have included The Mansion Condominiums on Turtle Creek, Nebraska Furniture Mart, and the headquarters for Toyota, State Farm, Liberty Mutual, and JPMChase. LAFP principal Mark Peterman said, “We are continually grateful and inspired by the magnificent projects we have in our portfolio and ever excited about what’s on the horizon for tomorrow.”
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Virtually Building Relationships HOUSE OF THE MONTH During Social Distancing Era 4161 Beechwood Lane By Bethany Erickson People Newspapers
When your business thrives on relationship building, how do you pivot during a time of social distancing? Ebby Halliday CEO and president Chris Kelly said that the umbrella of services his company offered helped quite a bit in the first few fraught weeks of the safer-athome orders. In addition to real estate brands that include Ebby Halliday Realtors, Dave Perry-Miller Real Estate, and Williams Trew, the company also owns Prosperity Mortgage, Home Team Insurance, and Tex- Chris Kelly as Premier Title. Having a title company inhouse, for instance, meant that the company could quickly come up with a plan while waiting for Gov. Greg Abbott to sign an order that would allow notaries to witness signatures virtually. “We would send mobile notaries who would pull into your driveway, hand you the papers with gloves on and everything, and you sign it on the hood of the car or inside your house, bring it back out to them, and they’d drive off,” Kelly explained. A lot of things may remain after business opens back up as usual, just because they’re so much more convenient for buyers and sellers, Kelly said. Virtual closings - which were allowed by law in 2018 - have become more common. “Now, especially on the seller side, we can do the entire seller closing over online - and cash buyers,”
Kelly explained. “And then we, in theory, should be able to do buyers as well, but the secondary lending markets are where most mortgage companies then sell the loan to, not all of them have said they’re on board with that yet - but it’s accelerating, and we hope to be there with kind of what they call a hybrid closing. “That, to me, is one of those things that will likely be a lasting change within the real estate industry,” Kelly added. “That’s not to say that no closings will take place in person anymore, but it’s one of the things you look at and say, well, why would you not continue to do this practice even when we’re through the COVID-19 era?” House-hunting, Kelly said, has also changed during the pandemic. “I just think that the number of buyers that are just out there, you know, kicking tires is, it’s going to be relatively low,” he said. “I think buyers are much more mindful of the different environments they want to walk into right now.” One other thing that is helping buyers hone their lists? Kelly said the video tours of homes have been instrumental during the pandemic. “Something that has just become almost a stable in their toolkit right now is the video tour of the property,” he said. “Some of them are fancy, some of them are having videographers do it, and then they’re narrating or whatever, and a lot of our agents are literally just taking their iPhone, and we’ve kind of taught them all how to do it.” See more of our conversation about the real estate market during the pandemic at peoplenewspapers.com.
F
ind this stunning five-bedroom, five-bath custom modern home on an oversized lot in sought after Midway Hollow. This modern lover’s showplace offers large walls for art, walls of glass, an open concept floorplan, and beautiful outdoor space for entertaining. The main living level features a chef ’s kitchen with Viking appliances and an abundance of cabinet-
(PHOTOS: COMPASS)
counter space in addition to a study, flex room, guest suite, and a formal dining area. Upstairs find a serene master retreat, three additional bedrooms, and a central game room. The master includes a spa-like bath and oversized walk-in closet. Outdoors enjoy the large pool with LED lighting, covered patio, and glass-enclosed garage that doubles for entertaining with a full bath.
26 June 2020 | prestonhollowpeople.com
Sports
JESUIT SET TO MAKE A SPLASH WITH NEW NATATORIUM New venue to open in early 2021, allowing school to host meets on campus By Todd Jorgenson People Newspapers
J
esuit’s rich tradition in swimming dates back almost a half-century, but one thing it’s never had is an on-campus pool of its own. That will change next year when construction is scheduled to finish on a standalone natatorium adjacent to Jesuit College Preparatory School of Dallas athletic tower. The project became a reality after the largest donation in school history. The source has remained anonymous thus far but will likely be formally recognized at a later date.
We control our own destiny when we want to get in the water. Doug Moyse “So many different things have had to come together,” said Jesuit trustee Alex Soich. “We’re really hoping to utilize this space in
Images from an online video show what the new swimming venue will look like at Dallas Jesuit. (PHOTOS: JESUITDALLAS.ORG) ways that will benefit the entire school.” When it opens in early 2021, the 29,000-square-foot facility will house Jesuit’s swimming and water polo teams. It also will aid in training and physical rehab for athletes in all sports.
Academic benefits will range from scuba and lifeguard certification to marine biology. The state-of-the-art venue includes an eight-lane competition pool with fully automated timing and scoring systems as well as a four-lane warmup pool
with separate climate and pool water controls. “It puts us on a different level. It’s a game-changer,” said Jesuit swimming coach Doug Moyse. “All these other teams have to share pool time with each other. This is our pool. It’s incredible
what it allows us to do.” Among other amenities, the natatorium will feature two one-meter springboards for diving, full-sized locker rooms, a climate-controlled gallery with chair-back seating for about 250 spectators, and a high-tech video board. Due to city zoning regulations, the pool won’t be available for public use — only those sponsored by Jesuit, including practice time for other area private schools. Over the past two years, the Rangers have practiced at eight different pools, each of which is shared with other programs or uses. Their primary home was Loos Natatorium in Addison, which is almost 50 years old and suffers from maintenance issues. Jesuit will be able to host meets on campus for the first time, as will the school’s upstart water polo program. Moyse said that’s an advantage both physically and psychologically. “We control our own destiny when we want to get in the water,” Moyse said. “If it’s closed, it’s our fault, and that’s great.”
Andrews Rebounds from Injury to Lead Resurgent Yale
Former Greenhill standout honored by teammates for toughness, named captain
Ellen Margaret Andrews scored 24 points as Yale upset North Carolina in December on its way to a 19-win season. (PHOTO: SAM RUBIN)
By Todd Jorgenson People Newspapers
Just one victory away from making history, the Yale women’s basketball season was cut short by the COVID-19 pandemic. Ellen Margaret Andrews could dwell on the what-ifs after the Bulldogs tied the school record with 19 wins this year. But instead, the
Park Cities native reflects fondly on her junior campaign, which saw her average career highs in points (12.3 per game) and rebounds (4.2), while finishing fifth in the Ivy League in steals. Her efforts earned the former Greenhill standout the team’s Bulldog Award for her toughness. Next season, she will be a team captain.
“It was a really great season overall,” Andrews said. “We were disappointed that we weren’t able to get a spot in the NCAA tournament.” The resilient Andrews bounced back after a severe knee injury during a November 2018 game at Cincinnati forced her to miss the final 24 games of her sophomore season. “I was still there for every practice and every game,” she said. “It was physically challenging, but I didn’t feel like an outsider. I felt so supported. It made me a lot hungrier.” That sisterhood with her teammates and coaches drew Andrews to Yale in the first place. Plus, her grandfather David Sears played basketball for the Bulldogs in the 1950s. “Yale didn’t have the same reputation basketball-wise as other schools I was looking at,” said Andrews, a history major. “It was more about the team and the coaching staff and how happy I would be. Over the past
three years, that foundation of team chemistry and a desire to work hard has provided that jumping-off point to thrive and get better. It’s been really exciting. “Even if we weren’t winning, I wouldn’t have regretted my decision at all. My teammates are some of my best friends, and it’s really allowed me to grow as a person.” The versatile Andrews started her first career game early in her freshman year, in front of family and friends during an upset win at TCU. But perhaps her biggest highlight came in December 2019, when she tallied a career-best 24 points as Yale scored a stunning 66-63 win at North Carolina. “We were playing in the stadium Michael Jordan played in. We had nothing to lose,” Andrews said. “When I don’t feel as much pressure, sometimes I play better. It was an awesome experience.”
Over the past three years, that foundation of team chemistry and a desire to work hard has provided that jumping-off point to thrive and get better. Ellen Margaret Andrews
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28 June 2020 | prestonhollowpeople.com
Schools
BORDER PHOTOGRAPHER CHRONICLES PANDEMIC DALLAS St. Mark’s student and his sister seek Perspectives of these times A few years down the line, these pictures will serve as a stark reminder of times when the world came to a standstill. Ekansh Tambe Ekansh Tambe
Ashna Tambe
By William Taylor People Newspapers
A
s a high school freshman, Ekansh Tambe gained notoriety with his images of contentious borders. He photographed along those separating the U.S. and Mexico, Israelis and Palestinians, and North and South Koreans. People Newspapers published some of his images in the spring of 2019. He gets invited to speak to civic and educational groups about his project. See his border photography at thousandwords-photography.squarespace.com. Lately, the St. Mark’s School of Texas sophomore has turned his lens on a story closer to home – a story close to all of us. His latest photographs explore the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on communities around Dallas. “A few years down the line, these pictures will serve as a stark reminder of times
when the world came to a standstill,” the 15-year-old said. He has photographed businesses and places around the community and protestors in downtown McKinney. Ekansh and his sister, Ashna, a 14-year-old eighth-grader at the Hockaday School, also have conducted interviews for a project they call Perspectives. He finds positive lessons in the pandemic experiences but can’t help but notice similarities with his border projects and the political divides. “The virus has no borders, yet it has created both a 6-foot and a mental border between all of us, hitting every community hard and confining (us) inside our own homes,” Ekansh said. “Most importantly, I believe, the virus reminds us that we are all connected and created equal, which is something I value highly, especially considering my extensive work on world borders and perspectives.”
Ekansh Tambe visited closed businesses, usually busy spaces, and protests to capture images of the pandemic times. (PHOTOS: EKANSH TAMBE)
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30 June 2020 | prestonhollowpeople.com
Videos Help High School Mentors Stay Connected, Earn Service Hours Through United to Learn, volunteer teen tutors help Dallas ISD elementary schoolers By Todd Jorgenson People Newspapers
As a student tutor, Cate Goglia misses her face-to-face interaction with Dallas ISD elementary schoolers. So she wanted to find a new way to touch their hearts and minds. The Hockaday School sophomore is part of a network of area high school students that visited weekly with youngsters at 27 campuses through United to Learn, a nonprofit focused on literacy and community activation in Dallas public schools.
There’s all of these little kids now who have a bunch of time on their hands. We wanted to be able to give them a safe and trusted resource. Cate Goglia But all that changed when schools closed in March, prompting
Teens make videos reading for elementary school children or demonstrating music or other skills the high schoolers know. (COURTESY PHOTO) Goglia and some of her Hockaday classmates to move their efforts online. The teenagers started creating short videos, targeted to younger children, which were both informative and entertaining. In many cases, the teens could still accumulate campus-mandated service hours in the process. “You’re still looking for a way to
connect with those kids,” Goglia said. “There’s all of these little kids now who have a bunch of time on their hands. We wanted to be able to give them a safe and trusted resource.” Goglia’s team began curating and uploading the videos to YouTube. Some involved reading books, while others covered science
and art. From sports to careers to even magic tricks, the idea is to share what you know and have fun doing it. “We didn’t want to limit the subjects too much. We’ve been getting all kinds of videos,’ she said. “We saw this gap. Parents didn’t have time to be with their kids 24/7, and the schools can only
do so much. We wanted to make sure they have more resources.” Within the first month, the YouTube channel had almost 200 completed videos. United to Learn sends weekly email updates to campus principals and school counselors to help spread the word. “It started by reading to students and has kind of grown from there,” said Katherine Tagtmeier, chief programs officer for United to Learn. “Schools are really embracing it, too. They’re making it a classroom experience.” Building on the positive feedback, Goglia would like to keep broadening the network of student mentors and amateur videographers. And the online effort can continue once school is back in session, too. “We can see it growing and always being an option for kids to engage in that way,” Tagtmeier said. “Many of the students are doing it because they’re intrinsically motivated. For students who need hours, it’s a way to be engaged and do it in a safe place at home.”
LEARN MORE Visit: unitedtolearn.org/ videoseries Email: videos@unitedtolearn.org
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Trinity Christian Students Take Classic Art Challenge
Latin teacher encourages recreation of Greek, Roman inspired works
David Wyant becomes a Roman gladiator, mimicking an uncredited 19th century piece. Eliot Brookshire employs her fourth-grade brother, Knox, as the model to recreate an Emperor Augustus painting. (COURTESY PHOTOS)
By William Taylor People Newspapers
Who knew that boredom could prove so inspirational? Sheltering-at-home people all over have taken to recreating classic works of art using, as The Washington Post put it, “their pets and whatever else is lying around.” Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram users have taken to the art bootlegging craze as have
students and their teachers. Among the innovative artists are seventh-grade Latin students at Trinity Christian Academy. Kathryn Goldsmith, one of the school’s two Latin teachers, challenged students to recreate classical pieces inspired by the ancient Romans and Greeks. She identified 20 works from a Britannica database to which the school library subscribes. Preston Hollow residents David Wyant
and Eliot Brookshire and their classmates tackled the assignment using sheets, skateboards, tin foil, and toilet paper to achieve their humorous results. Forbes magazine noted, “Art recreation challenges are the latest trend in museum engagement as cultural institutions look for ways to engage the public while virtually all physical locations are shut out of fear of the coronavirus.” The Washington Post credited the Getty
Center in Los Angeles with sparking the recent trend after the museum encouraged people to recreate classics from its online archives. But museum officials were “inspired by the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam and a brilliant Instagram account called Between Art and Quarantine,” according to a post by Getty bloggers Sarah Waldorf and Annelisa Stephan. They wrote, “we’ve been delighted by countless creative interpretations of iconic artworks — both on our feed and across the web.”
32 June 2020 | prestonhollowpeople.com
Society
DON’T DRESS UP: DO GALAS IN YOUR PAJAMAS
Nonprofit world forced to pivot after pandemic spawns cancelations By Bethany Erickson People Newspapers
“
I miss Home Goods so much,” proclaimed radio personality Kellie Rasberry during a virtual party designed as a fundraiser for Dallas Habitat for Humanity. The host of the nationally syndicated Kidd Kraddick show took part in the Home Sweet Home party as part of North Texas Giving Tuesday, designed to help charities and nonprofits struggling to raise funds during the pandemic. In Habitat’s case, funds raised were to help homeowners struggling to pay their mortgages due to job loss and other issues related to COVID-19. Tickets were $75, and some guests purchased virtual tables and invited friends to join. Rasberry gave everyone a glimpse into her home and chatted about her job, home life, and more. Participants were eligible for door prizes, and one would also win a meet and greet with Rasberry later this fall. But Habitat isn’t the only charity that found itself turning to the internet to fundraise. Several organizations, including AWARE, Rainbow Days, Dallas Symphony Orchestra League, the Dallas Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, Girl’s Inc., and The Texas Ballet Theater launched virtual events since April. “We wanted to engage our community during this crisis and continue to help fund life-changing T1D research and progress,” said JDRF Dallas executive director Amy Camp. “We decided a virtual silent auction is the best
way to do both.” Equest provided comic relief in the form of horses and donkeys that crashed conference calls. For $50, one of Equest’s 30 therapy horses, or Taco, the miniature donkey, made cameo appearances in video conferences. In the case of TITAS/Dance Unbound, pivoting has meant asking patrons to donate or defer their season tickets. It’s also meant that executive director Charles Santos has spent a lot of time in conference calls with other arts organizations, discussing best practices when theaters can open up. “There are no bad ideas,” Santos said. “Everything is on the table.” For TITAS, which brings dance troupes to the area, a festival and gala planned for August were ultimately eliminated. “ We had to scratch that ‘cause we were going to do the gala command performance, but we’re not secure enough that the theaters will be open,” he explained. Instead, the organization will concentrate on U.S.-based dance companies for its upcoming season, and an opening night event in October - provided it’s safe. In the meantime, Santos said they are potentially bringing “behind the scenes” type content and virtual salons online. “There’s nothing like seeing a live performance,” he said. “But what we’re trying to get put together are process stories where we’re meeting with the choreographer, and there’s footage of the rehearsal process and interviews with dancers and then a snippet of a work to sort of build excitement.”
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VIRTUAL EVENTS COMING UP • Rainbow Days Silent Auction, June 16-25 • Rainbow Days Pot of Gold Virtual Event, June 25, noon • Texas Ballet Theater Relief Fund, ongoing • TACA Relief Fund, ongoing Check with peoplenewspapers.com for up-to-date event information.
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1. The Texas Ballet Theater launched a relief fund to help pay furloughed employees. (PHOTO: STEVEN VISNEAU) 2. Former Dallas Cowboy Darren Woodson will be a keynote speaker at the Rainbow Days Pot of Gold Virtual Event this month. (COURTESY PHOTO) 3. AWARE auctioned off several items, including a golf package to Dallas National Golf Club. (COURTESY PHOTO) 4. Equest offered up therapy horses and donkeys to liven up video conferences. (COURTESY PHOTO)
Dallas Symphony Orchestra League Gives $955K for Education, Outreach The Dallas Symphony Orchestra League capped its year May 13 with an annual meeting on Zoom, followed by a surprise parade. League President Kim Brannon announced a gift of $954,722 to the Dallas Symphony Orchestra’s Education and Outreach initiatives before turning over league leadership to the new president, Anne Ligon. An hour later, DSO president and
CEO Kim Noltemy arrived for the check exchange at Brannon’s home, where board members surprised the outgoing president with a drive by parade. The members kept 6 feet social distancing requirements while driving by in their cars decorated with festive signs and balloons. DSO Trumpet player Kevin Finnamore also made a surprise visit and played a brief celebratory serenade from the sidewalk.
Members say thanks to President Kim Brannon (RIGHT) with a Drive By Parade. (PHOTO: DEBORAH BROWN)
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34 June 2020 | prestonhollowpeople.com
Living Well
A FEW MOVES TO AVOID GAINING QUARANTINE POUNDS By William Taylor
T RY T H E S E AT H O M E
People Newspapers
W
hen the possibility lurks that COVID-19 could become not just the name of a disease but the number of pounds you’ve gained while sheltering at home, it could be time to consult some fitness experts. We talked to Larry North, owner of Larry North Fitness, and Tamra Michelle, owner at District Climb, both in Preston Center. Michelle noted that trainers are not immune to boredom and temptation while sheltering at home. “I have not been working out as much,” she confessed, adding she’s also picked up a new affinity for craft beer. “Not the best hobby to have picked up during my time at home, but with the nice weather outside, I find myself grabbing one and sitting in the backyard on a Tuesday,” Michelle said. “I can tell you I was more than a little disappointed two weeks ago as I stepped on the scale and saw my 7 pounds weight gain.” She knew she needed to alter her daily routines, but not so much she could not stick to it. Michelle cut out drinking during the week and swapped restaurant delivery for Snap Kitchen’s weekly meal plan at 1500 calories. “I do still allow myself to order take-out from local restaurants on the weekends, not only to support local but also to keep me sane,” she said. North said he’d kept fit with protein drinks and blender-prepared smoothie ingredients on-hand. He takes vitamins, supplements, and walks around the neighborhood, stays hydrated, and does a one-minute muscle building exercises like lunges, squats, and pushups. His suggestions: use an app or YouTube video for home workouts, practice meditation to maintain a positive mindset, eliminate snacking, and “Read!”
Fitness trainers Larry North and Tamra Michelle suggested a couple of moves try at home, one regular and one advanced each. Advanced: Bird Dog Michelle: Get into a high plank position with your arms placed below the plane of your shoulder. Bring your left arm up with your right leg hold for a few seconds while you squeeze your glutes and hold your core tight. Repeat on the other side. Regular: Half Kneeling Row North: Begin with an elastic band attached to a point in front of you. Create tension in the band, holding your arms straight and placing one knee on the ground. Slowly pull your hands toward your chest in a rowing motion, squeezing the shoulder blades together. Hold for 1-2 seconds and return to the start position. Repeat 15 times and perform three sets of this exercise. Advanced: Alternating V-ups North: Begin by lying with your back on the floor with your right hand over your head, your left leg flat, and your right knee bent. Lift your chest and left leg off of the floor, bringing your right hand up to touch your toe at the highest possible point. Do this five times. Change positions so that your opposite arm and leg will do the same motion and do five on that side. Repeat this six times until you have done a total of 30 on each side. Regular: Wall Sits Michelle: Make sure your back is against the wall, setting your feet shoulder-width apart. Slide down the wall, bending your legs until they’re at 90 degrees. Hold your position while contracting your abs. When you’re done with your hold, slowly stand up as you keep your back pressed against the wall (COURTESY PHOTOS)
Graduating to the Front Lines
New doctor begins career during pandemic By Bethany Erickson People Newspapers
Becoming a doctor during a pandemic was not necessarily what Priyanka Gaur envisioned when she started medical school. Still, as she heads to Johns Hopkins Hospital to begin her residency, she’ll be tasked with reassuring and treating frightened patients.
I think we have to understand that we’re all in this together. We can only get out of this together. Priyanka Gaur “I think it feels almost like you are getting recruited to a war of sorts,” she said. “Usually, match day is a celebration, and
it’s a drawn-out thing filled with happiness and excitement. I do feel like there was an undertone of, ‘Oh, what’s to come?’ and fear and anxiety this year. “But I think all of us take the physician’s oath, and we feel it’s our moral obligation to help others through medical service.” If ever there was a doctor up to the task, it’s likely Gaur, who was presented with the Ho Din Award at the UT Southwestern Medical School commencement ceremonies on May 2. While at UTSW, Gaur earned her medical degree and a master’s degree in public health. Established in 1943, the Ho Din Award goes to graduates who have exemplified the traits of compassion, human understanding, and medical wisdom. “I think that tenets of the Ho Din Award - medical wisdom and human understanding - are so important now more than ever, Gaur said. “I want to be sure to always present the facts to patients and
Drs. Priyanka Gaur and Richard Hoffman discuss values in medicine. (COURTESY PHOTO) practice evidence-based medicine and really understand the science behind what I’m prescribing and what I’m counseling. “I think we have to understand that we’re all in this together,” she added. “We can only get out of this together. Carrying the Ho Din spirit in those ways is really important as a practitioner - but also I think every human should try to consume good science and practice kindness as well.” Dr. Richard Hoffman, a UTSW grad who has served with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, presented the award.
“She gives me great hope because of her energy and her understanding of medicine and her willingness to, and dedication to, medicine and her patients,” he said. “That’s exactly what we need right now - the young doctors who are willing and able to help us through this pandemic. Gaur played a pivotal role in creating a new facility for parents in need of daycare while they receive treatment at Parkland Hospital. The center, called Annie’s Place, will open this fall. For more of our conversation with Gaur and Hoffman, see peoplenewspapers.com.
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36 June 2020 | prestonhollowpeople.com
Ramadan During Pandemic Calls for Creative Family Celebrations Socially-distanced Muslims embrace month of fasting without their gatherings By Dalia Faheid
People Newspapers Rania Kabbani decorated her dining room with lanterns, crescent ornaments, prayer rugs, and festive bowls filled with dates and sweets to recreate the mosque experience for her family of six. Shortly after breaking fast, her family gathers at 9:45 p.m. nightly to pray and read the Quran. Her husband, Dr. Ihsan Housini, serves as the imam. “We are experiencing a completely different atmosphere this Ramadan, and it’s a completely different experience for us as a family,” she said. The holy month when Muslims fast f rom dawn to dusk is usually a time of togetherness characterized by reflection, worship, and giving. Muslims congregate at the mosque for prayers and Quran recitation, attend gatherings full of abundant food and bustling conversation, and stay up late with friends to go on 4 a.m. breakfast runs. Families like Kabbani’s have adjusted but can’t help but feel nostalgic for the missed communal times. Still, Kabbani said she’s grateful to bond with family while
Ayah Housini, Rania Kabbani, Ihsan Housini, Zeena Housini, and Mohammad Housini find new ways to celebrate Ramadan. (PHOTOS: RANIA KABBANI) sheltering in place. They pass time cooking, baking, gardening, and exercising together. Her older kids pitch in to teach the youngest, 12-year-old Abdullah, new skills like videography when he completes his online classes. Kabbani hopes to read the entire Quran by the end of Ramadan. Dr. Farah Masood, a physician at Baylor Scott & White Medical Center in Dallas and Sunnyvale and City Hospital at White Rock, grew accustomed to such precautionary measures as
filling out forms, checking her temperature, and wearing protective gear. This month she does it all while fasting.
We are praying for everybody to be healthy, God willing, and for everything to go back to normal. Rania Kabbani
“Whenever I come home, it’s always at the back of my mind,” she said. Fasting during her demanding job has impelled Masood to put more effort into staying healthy. Masood’s family spent past Ramadan evenings at the Islamic Association of North Texas or East Plano Islamic Masjid. But this year, her four children’s schedules make praying together challenging. “My oldest will be taking a quiz, my little one will be in a Girl Scout meeting,
and my daughter will be working on a project, so it’s hard to catch up with them.” When gathered, they discuss what’s going on around the world, how they can contribute to those less fortunate, and increase their good deeds during Ramadan. Eid al-Fitr falls on May 24. It marks the end of Ramadan when Muslims wear formal clothing and attend morning Eid prayer, followed by festivities and gift-giving. Though Eid will look different this year, Masood still hopes to celebrate with a small number of Preston Hollow neighbors. Because one of the virtues of Ramadan is charitable giving, Muslims donate to various causes. Kabbani supported an initiative that delivers meals from Muslim-owned restaurants to families experiencing food insecurity. Mosques like the Islamic Association of North Texas host weekly food drives and provide drivethrough meals on weekends. Kabbani reminds her children to count their blessings and to supplicate for those experiencing hardship. “We are praying for everybody to be healthy, God willing, and for everything to go back to normal.”
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prestonhollowpeople.com | June 2020 37
Monsignor’s Retirement News Merits Massive Parish Parade
Christ the King Catholic Church’s Rev. Donald Zimmerman to step down July 1 By Kirk Dooley
Special Contributor When Monsignor Donald Zimmerman announced his retirement, parishioners at Christ the King Catholic Church were unable to flock to him to express their gratitude for their pastor’s 26 years of service. Social distancing and the church being closed nixed any mass gatherings in April. With a quarter-century worth of gratitude bottled up, his followers creatively found a way to honor their shepherd in a socially responsible way.
With the challenges we’re facing with the coronavirus, we are learning new ways to communicate, and maybe some of them are better. Monsignor Donald Zimmerman Under the guidance of Alan and Kathy Stewart, the various church ministries and Christ the King School leaders rallied together to throw a surprise parade on Sunday afternoon, April 26. While the unsuspecting monsignor was escorted to the front of the school on
Monsignor Donald Zimmerman says he loved seeing children waving at him from sunroofs. His favorite car was Tom Merkel’s 1949 Cadillac limousine. (PHOTOS: KIRK DOOLEY)
Colgate Avenue by the Revs. Sean Martin, Tony Lackland, Arthur Unachukwu, and Bishop Greg Kelly, hundreds of parade participants surreptitiously lined up their cars behind the school. Police officers gave the green light, and the parade entered Preston Road then turned west onto Colgate. With the Kingsmen (the
church men’s group) directing traffic, cars passed Zimmerman’s viewing area as television cameras rolled. He stood and greeted his well-wishers as they rolled by. Dozens of decorated cars full of children, dogs, and hand-made signs poking out of sunroofs put a smile on the beloved pastor’s face. He was touched to have
a parade in his honor and was stunned that it just kept coming ... and coming ... and coming. In all, there were 350 cars and more than 1,000 Catholic well-wishers. That made it the second-largest parade on Preston Road in University Park after the giant Park Cities Fourth of July parade. Zimmerman’s favorite car in the parade was Tom Merkel’s 1949 Cadillac limousine. He loved all the children waving at him from the sunroofs and the dogs smiling at him from the windows. And in one car two rabbits seemed to congratulate him. “It was a great deal of fun,” said Zimmerman, who will officially step down July 1. “It was a glorious day, and the parade – like a carpool line – was invigorating. With the challenges we’re facing with the coronavirus, we are learning new ways to communicate, and maybe some of them are better.” A 1965 graduate of Jesuit Prep, he knew at an early age that he wanted to answer the call of the priesthood. His teachers – the sisters and Jesuit fathers who taught there – had a profound influence on him. The Cistercian monks who taught him theology at Holy Trinity Seminary on the campus of the University of Dallas had an impact on him also. In his retirement, he’ll continue to live in the neighborhood; he’ll continue to love his rescued Cavalier King Charles companion and will travel to Rome as much as he can. He will not miss the administrative pressures of his job but will miss being of service to his flock, especially during the key moments in people’s lives – weddings, funerals, baptisms, and parades.
Common Problems With Falls, Balance, & Losing Independence With Mobility After Being Isolated Because of COVID-19 (Corona Virus). Now What To Do About It? 3 FREE SESSIONS TO GET STARTED! By Leading Balance Expert, Dr. Jeffrey Guild, Physical Therapist We are seeing an epidemic of people suffering from loss of independence with their mobility, falling, and losing their balance. This is because people over the age of 70 are being isolated and staying in their homes because of COVID-19 (Corona Virus). Does this sound like you or someone you know? Have you noticed you or someone you care about falling over the past month? Are you feeling less steady on your feet? Are you feeling weaker in your legs and simply walking around is harder than before? Here is the reason why… If you don’t use it you lose it. Right now, most people are not using their muscles and their balance like before this COVID-19 (Corona Virus) problem. So many people are isolated in their homes, NOT walking out in the community like before, and NOT attending their usual exercise programs. The decline of people over the age of 70 will be the next health crisis! In order to combat this upcoming problem, we are offering 3 FREE SESSIONS to get people
started. We are doing this because it is our responsibility as licensed healthcare providers and balance specialists to share our services to help people in the community. What To Do Next? Call: (214) 712-8242 (Leave a Message 24/7) & Choose: • Option 1: Schedule 3 FREE Visits In The Comfort of Your Own Home (We Come To You!) • Option 2: Schedule A FREE Phone Conversation With A Physical Therapist Text “I Want Free Sessions” To: (214) 712-8242 (24/7) AS AN “ESSENTIAL SERVICE”, WE COME TO YOU WITH PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT (PPE) IMPORTANT: This offer is first come first served, so it’s critical that you call TODAY and request your 3 free visits.
Author Dr. Jeffrey Guild, Physical Therapist is owner of Optimove Physical Therapy & Wellness. -
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38 June 2020 | prestonhollowpeople.com
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9119 Guernsey Lane, represented by Melissa Jennings for $3,250,000 On a quiet cul-de-sac in the Preston Hollow estate area, this coolly designed Contemporary is sited on a lush .78 acres — a serene setting that feels like an escape from the city. Most of the living space is on the main level, with an open floor plan that is inviting and efficient. Oversized windows throughout the home provide abundant natural light and picturesque views of the sparkling pool and verdant backyard. There are four bedrooms and four full baths in all. A showstopper is the sleek kitchen, with chef-grade appliances and a long island that makes the perfect breakfast bar. The outdoor entertaining spaces include such luxuries as a drop-down movie screen, multiple flat-screen TVs and an outdoor pavilion complete with grill and built-in heaters. The Control4 smart-home system has been updated to include the home’s indoor and outdoor spaces. Other updates include a new metal roof, powered blinds and a full renovation of the security system and audiovisual (AV) wiring. 9119 Guernsey Lane in Dallas is represented by Melissa Jennings for $3,250,000 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.
ALLIE BETH ALLMAN
This exceptional new construction home boasts contemporary sophistication and exceptional designs that heighten your senses the moment you walk in. Offered by Deanna Castillo for $2,075,000 the five-bedroom, five-bath home with two half-baths is located at 6839 Orchid Lane (6839orchid.dpmre.com). Inside the 5,998-square-foot (per builder) residence, the grand gallery entrance showcases the beauty of indoor/outdoor living. The light-and-bright open floor plan has a wonderful flow for entertaining, and the main living/dining areas enjoy views of the covered outdoor living center and pool. If you are not already a cook, the impressive chef’s kitchen equipped with high-end appliances and a stunning waterfall island, will inspire you to become one. The elegant first-floor master features a fire-glass fireplace and beautiful marble bathroom with illuminated features. All bedrooms offer en suites and large walk-in closets. This home’s layout offers thoughtful spaces for every lifestyle, including the four-legged kind. To schedule a virtual or in-person showing that follows CDC-recommended guidelines, contact Deanna at dcastillo@daveperrymiller.com or 214-850-8307. Dave Perry-Miller Real Estate (dpmre.com) is a division ofEbby Halliday Real Estate, Inc., a Berkshire Hathaway affiliate, with four locations that specialize in Preston Hollow, ParkCities, North Dallas, Lakewood, East Dallas, Uptown, Kessler Park and Farm & Ranch properties.
President & CEO Chris Kelly The COVID-19 pandemic is changing the way homes are bought and sold and Ebby Halliday Realtors is at the forefront of combining agents’ hard-earned expertise and the latest technology to ensure easy, efficient and safe transactions for clients. “We believe some of the new ways of doing business are here to stay,” says Ebby Halliday Companies President & CEO Chris Kelly. “Simply put, they are safe, streamlined and very efficient.” While residential real estate was, and always will be a “relationship” business, there are safe, innovative solutions that are enabling today’s buyers and sellers to take advantage of a multitude of technologies across the entirety of the home buying and selling journey. “Too often, consumers are being asked to choose between a technology or a traditional company to fulfill their real estate needs,” Kelly says. “From home showings, to mortgages, to insurance, to closings, when you choose Ebby Halliday everything can be completed efficiently and virtually – and when combined with the personal touch of a local expert associated with North Texas’ leading residential real estate brokerage, it simply is an unmatched experience.” For more information about Ebby Halliday’s brokerage, mortgage, insurance and title services, visit the awardwinning ebby.com.
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Offered for $2,195,000, 10877 Crooked Creek features a fully-remodeled home on a 2/3 acre creek lot. Contemporary-style homes are so popular, it is hard for Allie Beth Allman & Associates to keep up with buyers’ demand. Designed to balance style with utility, contemporary homes are built to be in sync with the lifestyles of their inhabitants. Their common characteristics include simple, clean lines with open floor plans and large windows devoid of decorative trim. Here are two contemporary-style homes that Allman associates recommend. The two-story penthouse at the Vendome on Turtle Creek offers a rare opportunity to live above the crowd. The modern, four-bedroom home at 3505 Turtle Creek Blvd. #18C has more than 6,600 square feet of luxury urban living space. It was custom designed for flexible living and great entertaining, including a well-equipped kitchen and a 2,200-bottle wine room. Both floors have restricted elevator access A four-bedroom, newer construction home is found at 4678 S. Versailles Avenue. Features include hardwood floors throughout, museum finish walls, a wall of windows in the living room leading out to the back yard, home office and a master down. The kitchen includes a quartzite waterfall island, a Wolf convection over and Wolf gas cooktop. The lush backyard was designed with marble pavers and includes an outdoor gas pit. Visit www.alliebeth.com to find your contemporary-style home.
What is the right size home for your life? We all have a sweet spot or two that tends to ebb and flow in our lives. But the central question remains: how much space do we really need? Every year it’s a good idea to take a serious inventory of your life, as well as your home, and ask a few important questions in the process. For example: is your current space benefitting or impeding you? Do you need multiple living areas or will a single one work? If you think your home is too large now, it might be time to explore right-sizing. At Allie Beth Allman & Associates, we have experienced agents who are condominium specialists and know the ropes. From financial ramifications to exactly what type of home might be a better fit for a given lifestyle, our agents are experts in this area. Right-sizing can also be an emotional experience, especially for those who may have lived in a home for many years. But size matters, after all, and an expert with a depth of experience in the area can help clients move beyond emotions to gain a more practical outlook on the options, and contributing factors including health, finances, family, and lifestyle.
This striking modernist home is set on 2/3 acre against the limestone bluffs of Bachmann Creek, shared with multi-acre estates on Strait Lane. An entertainer’s dream, 10877 Crooked Creek features multiple living areas in an open concept floorplan, with four kitchen areas! The indoor living spaces include a dining room, study and high-ceilinged living room open to a gourmet kitchen with top of the line appliances. The outdoor living area features a full-size kitchen and a custom-built fire pit with adjacent grassy play area. The master bedroom, bathroom and closet just underwent a complete $115,000 makeover – creating a spa-like retreat with sweeping views of the pool. Luxurious materials and a chic color palette of cool grays and warm whites add to the sense of serenity. The free-standing soaker tub is highlighted by a dramatic feature wall of roughhewn statuary marble. The oversized shower has multiple heads and a custom glass enclosure. The newly designed master closet is huge with divided spaces featuring custom builtins and cabinetry. There is also a separate walk-in closet that is perfect for luggage storage. A newly created half bath now services the pool and outdoor entertaining area. A secondary bedroom and game room or possible 4th bedroom are also on the first floor. Upstairs is a wonderful guest suite with a sitting area, kitchenette and wraparound deck overlooking the creek. The large circle drive and three-car garage create plentiful parking options. Contact Charles Gregory (charleshgregory@daveperrymiller.com) or Ryan Streiff (ryan@daveperrymiller.com) or for more information or visit DPMFineHomes.com.
ALLIE BETH ALLMAN
Allman Sells Most Estates
When it comes to buying and selling estates in Dallas County, Allie Beth Allman & Associates remains the leading real estate firm. Last year, the Allman firm represented the seller or the buyer and sometimes both on 15 homes valued at more than $5 million. Here are two estates currently on the market. One of the last great estates on Lakeside Drive has come on the market after 40 years. The Old Highland Park estate at 4712 Lakeside Dr. sits on 1.3 acres. The majestic residence in one of the best neighborhoods includes a five-bedroom main house with a stunning entry, elegant living and dining rooms. There is detached quarters, and a cabana, tennis court and putting green. A five-bedroom estate at 9207 Sunnybrook Lane is a contemporary showplace on three acres. Features include stone and hardwood flooring, a culinary center and a temperature-controlled, walk-in wine room. The master suite has a fireplace, secret garden and a spa-like bath with dual closets including a washer-dryer, as well as access to the backyard. The upper level features four bedrooms, a utility room and game room. Outdoors is a pool and spa. There is also a guesthouse. To find your estate home, visit alliebeth.com/estates.
ALLIE BETH ALLMAN URBAN
5506 Waneta Drive 3 Bedrooms | 5.1 Bathrooms | 5,753 SqFt Listed At $2,500,000 Elegant executive home meticulously finished. Located on one of the few corners in Greenway Parks. Home has been completely updated, remodeled and expanded. Venetian plastered walls, custom painted finishes throughout, French doors, unique vaulted ceilings with wood beams, slate roof and copper gutters. Master suite has a bedroom, sitting room, his and her bath, dressing rooms, large closets, exercise room and office. 5 zones of high efficiency HVAC, five custom fireplaces, oak hardwood floors, shutters on most windows plus many more amenities. Entire systems of the house have been replaced; plumbing, electrical, lighting, air-conditioning. Residence has 4 bedrooms; owners are using 3rd and 4th as library and study. For more information please contact Kyle Crews (214) 538-1310 | kyle. crews@alliebeth.com or Sanders Avrea (214) 458-1964 | sanders.avrea@alliebeth.com
ALLIE BETH ALLMAN
Kitchens That Sizzle
Kitchens are the heart of the every home, and wannabe chefs today are looking for a home with a kitchen that is more than just a place to rustle up dinner. Modern kitchens have become artistic studios, showcasing cutting-edge equipment in a beautiful environment where the latest recipes can be plated for family and friends. Here are some homes the experts at Allie Beth Allman & Associates believe will wow any culinary artist. The kitchen in the four-bedroom home at 3504 Mockingbird Ln. features elegant Carrera marble countertops, an island and commercial-grade, stainless-steel appliances. In a large, 20-foot by 16-foot space, the kitchen has two pantries. The home has a wonderful floor plan with elegant living spaces, ideal for entertaining and family living. There is a wet bar with a Sub-Zero wine refrigerator and ice maker near the family room. The four-bedroom estate at 4424 Manning Ln. was built for entertaining and beautiful living. The eat-in kitchen, near a dining room that seats 12, has a custom-built French worktable, two dishwashers and three ovens, including a Lacanche model beneath an inlaid tile backsplash. It has natural stone countertops, an island and a walk-in pantry. The home has a wine cellar and two wet bars. To find your perfect kitchen, visit alliebeth.com.
prestonhollowpeople.com | June 2020 39
Saying Goodbye at a Distance Last responders balance ensuring safety with bringing closure By Dalia Faheid
People Newspapers How do you decide who gets to say goodbye to their loved one, and who doesn’t? That’s a question many in the funeral industry have been grappling with since limiting funerals to 10 people. “We always deal with people on the worst day of their lives, that hasn’t changed, but the worst day of their life is harder,” said Stephanie Hughes, who owns Hughes Family Tribute Center with husband DeWayne. What Stephanie Hughes misses most is hugging families. Still, she comforts grievers with regular phone calls, worrying that isolation will make matters worse. “I think the grieving process has become harder for some because they are not only struggling with the loss of a loved one, but they are also trying to navigate the changes in daily life with a pandemic,” said Dan Adams, funeral director at
Sparkman/Hillcrest Funeral Home. Because experiencing loss without community support can result in unresolved grief, Hughes plans to redo life celebrations at no cost after the crisis is over. Other funeral homes have made similar offers. “It’s just harder to be in the profession right now, but we love what we do, and we work really hard to make sure that they have healing,” she said. Funeral homes have taken precautions like sanitizing regularly and wearing face masks. “Funeral service professionals are proficient in managing pressure under normal conditions,” Adams said. “As long as we understand the regulations, we’ll find a way to serve and honor the families that put their trust in us.” Hughes sets up stations so that guests are 6 feet apart and locks the doors so as not to exceed the maximum capacity. Her staff uses an ozone generator to disinfect the funeral home. Restland Funeral Home staff
members assume that every deceased individual they come in contact with is a potentially infectious case, said cemetery manager Mike Day. After a person is embalmed, open-casket viewings are allowed at the service but not graveside, per CDC guidelines. For those not embalmed, families can view the deceased through a glass barrier. Day has been arranging funerals through video conferencing. If an in-person meeting is necessary, only two family members are allowed to attend. “Not being able to comfort grieving individuals in our typical process is upsetting,” Day said. Hughes, Restland, and Sparkman/Hillcrest all offer live-streaming options, so hundreds of those unable to attend can view funerals virtually. Restland calls those “viewnerals.” With restrictions loosening throughout May, larger gatherings that still involve social distancing were beginning to occur. “Once families are able to not have to choose the ones that will be allowed to attend the services of their loved ones and not have the added stress of who can attend, they can focus their entire mindset on remembering their loved one and arranging the ultimate tribute to the deceased,” Day said.
OBITUARIES
JAMES FRANKLIN RUSSELL
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J
ames Franklin Russell passed away on April 26, 2020, in Dallas, Texas, at the age of 78. James (known by friends as “Jim” or “Jimmy”) was born on October 10, 1941, to John Bedford and Ruth Russell in Jackson, Mississippi. Jim graduated from Murrah High School (Class of ’59). He went on to earn Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Mathematics from Ole Miss University, where he was President of the Sigma Chi fraternity. He served in the US Army from 1965-1969, achieving the rank of 2nd Lieutenant, before earning an MBA from Harvard Business School in 1970. Throughout his 35-year career
in business, he worked as a financial officer for companies including IBM, The Beck Group, Jackson-Shaw, and Collegiate Development Services. He was also a long-time active member of University Park United Methodist Church. Jim wore many hats throughout his full life, but his friends and family will best remember him as a loving husband and father, as well as a warm, charming gentleman. He is predeceased by his parents and brother, John Bedford, Jr; and survived by his wife of 38 years, Katherine Lynn Davis Russell, and children: Steffen Paul of CA, James Mark (Amy) of Parker, CO, and Lauren Stephenson (Brad) of Salisbury, NC. His grandchildren are Talia Grae Russell (13), Jeffrey Davis Stephenson (9), and Emmett James Stephenson (6). In lieu of flowers, please make memorial donations to the Lewy Body Dementia Association at www.lbda.org/donate. A graveside funeral service for family will be on May 5 at 2 pm at Restland Funeral Home and Cemetery in Dallas.
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, June 1. 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. ANNOUNCEMENT
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