Living

SHE WAS ‘ALWAYS TAKING CARE OF PEOPLE’

Family remembers mother, grandmother who died early in pandemic

PANDEMIC MADE PERSONAL

This is the first in a series we’re planning about the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on families in our community. Visit www. peoplenewspapers.com/submit-atip/ to share your story.

By Rachel Snyder

Rachel.snyder@peoplenewspapers.com

Carol Wilson Watkins, a nurse by trade, was “always taking care of people.”

“She was good that way as a mom, too,” one of her three daughters, Ashley Watkins McDowell, said. “She was that person that when I needed something, she was there. She just kind of stepped in and did what she needed to do for us. She was my go-to. She was like that for my whole family. She had the best smile.”

McDowell is a co-founder of Turner McDowell Rowan family law, and one of her sisters also is a lawyer.

After moving to Dallas, Watkins worked in pediatric nursing at Children’s Medical Center and Pediatric Associates of Dallas before becoming a consultant on medical issues for the law firm Baron & Budd.

McDowell said Watkins enjoyed Carol Wilson Watkins enjoyed celebrating with family. (COURTESY PHOTOS)

lunches at the Zodiac Room at NorthPark Center and celebrating family birthdays.

“She always wanted to make all of our birthdays special,” McDowell said. “She loved her friends; she loved being around people.”

Watkins retired about six years ago and was diagnosed with dementia about four years ago.

McDowell said the family moved her mother into assisted living around March of 2020, and her facility was quickly closed to visitors.

McDowell got a call from her mother about a week later and learned something was wrong.

Watkins contracted COVID-19 and was hospitalized after her oxygen levels dipped dangerously low.

“I know doctors were doing everything they could,” McDowell said. “It’s just an awful thing for my mom being this caregiver that she was to be in a hospital alone.”

She just kind of stepped in and did what she needed to do for us. She was my go to. Ashley Watkins McDowell

Watkins died March 31, 2020, at 73.

“It was hard on all of us, and I think we all handled it in different ways,” McDowell said of her family. “You’re alone, and you have your family, but it’s just sort of surreal when you’re sheltering in place, and it can kind of seem not real because everybody’s just by themselves, but I think when we did start kind of easing into doing things it became real again.”

She also reflected on her mother’s influence.

“She did everything as a mom that she could for us even if that meant sacrificing something of her own, and I probably see that more as a mom, and I think that influenced us,” McDowell said. “I would generally say she taught me to be strong and independent and caring, and I hope I do all of those things in her honor for my whole life.”

Things To Do

Trains at NorthPark (PHOTO: COURTESY OF BRET REDMAN)

Trains at NorthPark

When: Nov. 13-Jan. 2, 2022. Where: second level of NorthPark Center, between Nordstrom and Neiman Marcus Admission: $5 for children ages 2-12 and seniors over 65, $10 for adults, free for children younger than 2

Texas’ largest miniature train exhibit boasts more than 1,600 feet of tracks and 750-plus railcars featuring the organizations, families, and individuals who make the event possible by purchasing railcars with customized artwork for $200 or more. Purchase one by Dec. 7 to guarantee it gets on the tracks before season’s end. Proceeds from the event help Ronald McDonald House Dallas provide a Chi Omega Christmas Market (PHOTO: COURTESY OF COCM)

Enchant Christmas (PHOTO: COURTESY OF ENCHANT CHRISTMAS)

home away from home for families with sick and injured children. Visit thetrainsatnorthpark.com.

Chi Omega Christmas Market

When: Nov. 17-20 Where: Automobile Building at Fair Park. Admission: $15-100

A 44-year-old tradition returns to in-person shopping with some 200 merchants and more than 11,000 shoppers anticipated. Organizers promise “gifts for every person on your list, including holiday décor, women’s clothing/accessories, home accents, children’s clothing/toys, food items and more.” Proceeds will benefit 15 nonprofits. Visit chiomegaxmas.org.

Dallas YMCA Turkey Trot

When: 8:30 a.m. Nov. 25 Where: Dallas City Hall Admission: $37 untimed, $42 timed, $15 ages 5 and younger

The YMCA of Metropolitan Dallas’ Thanksgiving Day event, themed “Thankful Together,” includes 5k and 8-mile courses and virtual and in-person options with proceeds supporting programs that help families dealing with diabetes, nutritional challenges, and weight loss struggles. e first 200 children to register are eligible to participate in the Junior Trot, a 1K fun run beginning at 8:15 am. Visit thetrot.org.

Enchant Christmas

When: Nov. 26 – Jan. 2, 2022 (but closed Nov. 29-Dec. 1, Dec. 6-8, and Dec. 13-15) Where: The Esplanade at Fair Park, Admission: Starting at $19 for children, $20 for adults

Enchant transforms Fair Park into “The World’s Most Magical Christmas Light Maze & Village” with an ice-skating trail, gourmet holiday treats from around the world, the artisan market, a light maze, and “ e Great Search” to find Santa’s nine missing reindeer. Visit enchantchristmas.com.

Cinnamon Ribbon Apple Cake (PHOTO: COURTESY CHRISTY ROST)

I can feel the excitement of this year’s holiday season building. During these final weeks before anksgiving, I’m grateful all our family remained healthy this year and that some of us may be able to share our anksgiving dinner together around the dining table. Other than preparing the feast, I think I’m all set.

CHRISTY ROST While most homeowners begin decorating for anksgiving a week or two before the big day, I began filming autumn and anksgiving recipes months ago, so my holiday décor received a jump start with the early appearance of autumn garland, colorful leaves, pumpkins, fragrant spicy candles, and fresh yellow chrysanthemums on kitchen counters and shelves. Such is the life of a culinary television personality, but it sure elimi television personality, but it sure eliminates a last-minute rush to decorate as the holiday approaches.

Having recipes on hand that perform double duty during the holidays is especially helpful, which is one reason I created this month’s for Cinnamon Ribbon Apple Cake. Moist and tender, with a drizzle of frosting, this easy Bundt cake is perfect for dessert, but it also makes a tasty breakfast treat for the family, and it’s company-ready when friends drop by in the afternoon. When covered, it stays fresh on the kitchen counter for several days, and for make-ahead convenience, this light and fluffy cake holds up well in the freezer.

Apples and cinnamon naturally go together, so one of the things I love is the ribbon of cinnamon that ripples through the cake’s center. is delicate, spicy cinnamon-and-sugar ribbon complements the apples without overwhelming the cake’s buttery, vanilla flavor. When selecting apples, purchase crisp varieties such as Granny Smith, Gravenstein, Braeburn, or even Gala which won’t dissolve into applesauce during baking. When I bake this cake in the mountains, however, Granny Smith apples are not a good choice because the cake will finish baking before the apples soften.

I received my first Bundt pan as a gift from my mother when we were shopping on the square in Bonham, Texas, many years ago, and it’s still the one I use. Bundt cakes have surged in popularity recently in an exciting array of shapes for every occasion. Still, it’s the sweet memory of a mother-daughter afternoon of shopping and an unexpected gift from a kitchen shop that will always make this holiday recipe extra special for me. Happy anksgiving!

Christy Rost is a cookbook author, chef on PBS stations nationwide, and longtime resident of the Park Cities and Preston Hollow. Her Celebrating Home 4-minute cooking videos are available at youtube.com/ChristyRostCooks and on her christyrost.com website.

CINNAMON RIBBON APPLE CAKE Ingredients:

2 ½ cups flour ¾ teaspoon baking powder ½ teaspoon salt ¼ teaspoon baking soda ¾ cup unsalted butter, softened 1 ½ cups sugar 4 eggs, at room temperature ¾ cup milk 2 teaspoons vanilla 2 large baking apples, rinsed, peeled, chopped into ¼-inch size

CINNAMON RIBBON

1 ½ tablespoons sugar 1 teaspoon Saigon cinnamon

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. In a medium bowl, stir together flour, baking powder, salt, and baking soda; set aside.

In the large bowl of an electric mixer, cream butter and sugar together until light and fluffy, about 6 minutes. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Gradually add the flour mixture to the creamed mixture, alternately with the milk, to form a thick, creamy batter. Stir in vanilla and chopped apples.

Spray a 12-cup Bundt pan with nonstick baking spray-with-flour. Spoon 1/3 of the batter into the pan. In a small bowl, stir 1 ½ tablespoons sugar and the cinnamon together until blended well. Sprinkle the mixture evenly on top of the batter, then spoon the remaining batter into the pan. Bake 50 to 55 minutes, or until a cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean.

Remove the cake from the oven and cool for 45 minutes on a rack. To remove the cake from the pan, place a rack on top of the pan, turn it upside down, and the cake should drop out of the pan onto the rack. Cool completely, then drizzle with frosting.

Frosting:

Whisk together 1 cup sifted confectioners’ sugar, 1 tablespoon milk, and ¼ teaspoon vanilla to form a smooth, thick frosting. Drizzle it over the cake. Yield: 1 Bundt cake

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A Designer’s Guide to Selecting the Best Tiles for Your Bathroom

CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT: The tiles in this master bathroom are cut in a fresh new version of a traditional pattern. The color is a biscuit white, matching the tub and sink. Margaret Chambers likes to run the floor tile into the shower whenever possible. The floor in this bathroom has small hexagon-shaped tiles, and the shower has a small herringbone tile pattern. Patterned tiles can add impact to small and often overlooked spaces such as this laundry room. (PHOTOS: MICHAEL HUNTER)

One of the reasons choosing tiles for your bathroom can be so tricky is that there are many MARGARET options, but not all

CHAMBERS of them will still look current in a few years. e most im look current in a few years. e most important factors to consider are the size of your bathroom, your preferred colors, and what installation pattern you want.

Tile Sizes

Different parts of your bathroom call for different sizes of tiles. For example, if you have a shower bench, a larger slab will feel more comfortable to sit on than a lot of smaller tiles. At my design firm, we usually use matching slabs of the same material for both the shower seat and the sink countertop. Mosaic tile has more grout lines, which makes it suitable for shower floors. More grout lines equal better drainage and more traction.

Tile Colors

e most popular tile for bathrooms is white subway tile. I recommend choosing a bright white tile if your toilet, bathtub, and sink are also bright white. Sometimes, a warmer white (such as a biscuit color) is preferable, especially in traditional houses.

I consider bold accent tiles to be dated. Instead, combine a neutral tile (like white, cream, or gray) with an interesting wallpaper or paint color.

Tile Materials

Ceramic is the most affordable tile, so it’s a good choice for covering large areas such as your floor. Porcelain is more expensive, but many people prefer it for the following reasons: It’s more durable, and the color goes all the way through the tile instead of being merely glazed on top. Glass tile is excellent for an accent wall, but it’s also slippery, so don’t use it on the floor.

Tile Placement

Tile should be used on every side of the shower. I like to encourage my clients to cover the shower ceiling with tile instead of paint since paint can peel in humidity. e right tile choices can make or break a bathroom, so it’s worth your time to research and proceed with caution. After all, it’s a costly mistake to pick the wrong tile.

Margaret Chambers, a registered interior designer (RID) and member of the American Society of Interior Designers (ASID), leads Chambers Interiors and Associates. Her colleague Caitlin Crowley helped edit this column. Find more design advice at chambersinteriors. com/blog.