San Antonio Woman July/August 2018 by PixelWorks Publications

GAME CHANGERS

Tiffany Searls

Three Powerhouse Women Changed the Face of San Antonio

FINDING SUCCESS THROUGH FAITH, FAMILY & BYGONES

HILL COUNTRY WOMEN: Growing Business Beyond San Antonio City Limits

WOMEN IN BUSINESS: Treating Women with More Than Just Medicine

SPECIAL SECTIONS The Dossier: SA Advertising Agencies 2018 Private School Guide

table of contents

JULY/AUGUST 2018

W 10

Contributors

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Whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s New

30 At Home 39 Fashion 42 Beauty 68 Mommy Matters 70 Sustainable Gardening 73 SA Woman Connect 80 Women on the Move 82 Spotlight 94 Health 96 Giving Back 100 Active Living

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106 Artbeat 114 Hill Country Eats 116 Role Model 118 Guy to Know 120 Entertainment Calendar 122 Dining 124 Coffee to Cocktails 129 Weddings

SPECIAL SECTIONS

20 16 PROFILE Tiffany Searls proves that a positive attitude and love of family are keys to overcoming obstacles and finding happiness.

6 | sawoman.com

20 GAME CHANGERS Three powerhouse ladies who paved the way for future San Antonio women reflect on the things they experienced when they broke out of the mold more than fifty years ago.

75 WOMEN IN BUSINESS Meet four San Antonio physicians who recognize that helping women takes more than just medicine.

43 The Dossier: Advertising Agencies 53 2018 San Antonio Private Schools 83 2018 SAW Medical Directory

109 HILL COUNTRY WOMAN We are featuring three women from Spring Branch, Bulverde and Blanco who have created a nicheâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; for themselves and their businesses in the Texas Hill Country.

from the editor

JULY/AUGUST 2018

Susan Thornton, Editor SAN ANTONIO WOMAN

PUBLISHER J. Michael Gaffney EDITOR Susan Thornton COPY EDITOR Haylee Uptergrove FASHION & BEAUTY EDITOR Aquila Mendez-Valdez ARTS EDITOR Jasmina Wellinghoff CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Robyn Barnes, Iris Gonzalez, Reeth Magoo, Pamela Miller, Jennifer O’Neill, Dawn Robinette PHOTOGRAPHY Janet Rogers, Al Rendon, David Teran GRAPHIC DESIGN Tamara Hooks, Maria Jenicek ONLINE MEDIA Raleigh Hart, Tuesday Shaw

dear readers, It has been two months since I joined San Antonio Woman and what a two

BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT & MARKETING Cindy Jennings, Patricia McGrath

months it has been! I’ve had the opportunity to meet some incredible women

ADMINISTRATION & CUSTOMER SERVICE Nancy A. Gaffney

extraordinary women of all ages with one common thread: they haven’t taken

PRINTING Shweiki Media, San Antonio, Texas

and hear their stories of success and challenges. In this issue you will meet “no” for an answer.

EDITOR EMERITUS Beverly Purcell-Guerra

and carrying on the family business following in her mother’s footsteps.

FOR ADVERTISING INFORMATION call (210) 826-5375 email: info@sawoman.com

Our cover girl, Tiffany Searls, is raising 2 boys while overcoming breast cancer I know you’re familiar with our game changers, Lila Cockrell, Rosemary

Kowalski and Edith McAllister. These three San Antonio powerhouse women

have combined experiences that have made a significant impact on our city for

PUBLISHED BY

for today’s San Antonio women in business and society. They’ve got priceless

8603 Botts Lane, San Antonio, TX 78217

more than fifty years. They share the secrets that allowed them to pave the way wisdom that all of us could learn from.

Our role model, Spensha Baker, started her singing career when she was

only 14. She shares her story and the ups and downs of breaking into the music business. Her most recent experience on “The Voice” was invaluable.

I hope you’ll be as inspired by all of these women as I am. Their stories,

although different, teach us that through hard work, drive and determination we can achieve our dreams!

Susan Thornton

Susan@SAWoman.com

8 | sawoman.com

210-826-5375 www.pixelworkscorporation.com

San Antonio Woman is published bimonthly by PixelWorks Corporation (Publisher). Reproduction in any manner in whole or part is prohibited without the express written consent of the Publisher. Material contained herein does not necessarily reflect the opinion of the publisher or its staff. San Antonio Woman reserves the right to edit all materials for clarity and space and assumes no responsibility for accuracy, errors or omissions. San Antonio Woman does not knowingly accept false or misleading advertisements or editorial, nor does the Publisher assume responsibility should such advertising or editorial appear. Articles and photographs are welcome and may be submitted to our offices to be used subject to the discretion and review of the Publisher. All real estate advertising is subject to the Federal Fair Housing Act of 1968, which makes it illegal to advertise “any preference limitation or discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, handicap, familial status or national origin, or an intention to make such preference, limitation or discrimination.” Printed in the U.S.A.

contributors

Pamela Miller

Pamela V. Miller is a former banker turned digital strategist, freelance writer, and blogger in San Antonio. Originally from the Northeast, she spent some time living in the Pacific Northwest before settling down in (and falling in love with) San Antonio. She has three wonderful children and a husband from where she pulls inspiration for her writing work which includes the topics of mom life, parenting, frugal living, San Antonio and wine. Her educational background includes a Bachelor of Arts in liberal arts with an emphasis on culture and media studies. You can find her on her blog at: www.wineandlavender.com.

Robyn Barnes

Robyn Barnes' passion is writing about homes and the people who live in them. As a regular contributor to the Home column for 78209 MAGAZINE, she has seen all kinds of homes. "I've seen historic homes and cutting-edge modern penthouses," she said. "It's a privilege to share a family's home and a slice of their lives with readers. A house can be a fabulous monument to design and architecture, but it isn't really interesting until you meet the family who lives in it." Robyn also writes the Home column and is a regular contributor to the Senior Caregiving column for SAN ANTONIO WOMAN. 10 | sawoman.com

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Check out the stories and the extraordinary women making it all happen in the current issue of

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catch us on the web and through our social media for these and other trending stories

on the cover Tiffany Searls talks about what it’s like being a mom, carrying on the family business and being a breast cancer survivor. Read about her strength and determination to overcome the obstacles of cancer while raising her two boys.

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@SanAntonioWoman We just reached close to 11,700 followers.

Photography by David Teran

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pet fostering

summer spritzers

school supplies

Summer is a perfect time to foster a pet to see if your children are ready to take care of one on their own.

Cool down this summer with a flavorful spritzer made with your favorite fruit.

It’s time for Back to School shopping with your kids. And don’t forget to grab the BIG box of crayons.

Don’t wait for an opportunity.

Create it! SAN ANTONIO WOMAN wants to inspire you. Sharing events and stories of local women via social media.

rio frio

entertaining

hair color

did you know?

Try tubing on one of the beautiful rivers nearby. The perfect way to cool down on a hot Texas day.

Cheese trays with proscuitto, fruit and other goodies paired with your favorite wine make for the perfect spread.

Champagne is the hottest new hair color trend this summer.

We distribute 30,000 copies of SAN ANTONIO WOMAN to nearly 500 locations throughout San Antonio and surrounding areas and to subscribers in 244 cities throughout the U.S.

12 | sawoman.com

whats new

JULY/AUGUST 2018

Grand Hyatt Completes $19 Million Renovation

From left to right:, Chris Valentino, Director of Engineering, Kyle Stevens, Director of Sales and Marketing, David Wirebaugh, Executive Chef, Monique De Leon, Colleague Experience Manager, Jeffrey Callendar, Area Director of Finance, Danielle Kitson, Assistant Director of Operations, Penny Nichols, Area Director of Colleague Experience, Roman La Rose, Director of Operations, Ed Bucholtz, General Manager, (Not pictured – Lauren Love, Director of Events).

In honor of their 10th anniversary on March 22, the hotel, located on the San Antonio River Walk, completed a $19 million remodel that included 1,003 luxurious guestrooms, 46 suites, corridors and meeting spaces, as well as the bar and lobby.

Shotgun House Coffee Roasters Shotgun House Coffee Roasters opened to fawning fans on April 15, 2018. Tucked away inside Warehouse 5 — a longtime sewing factory turned multi-suite creative space — Shotgun House Roasters is a hidden gem on San Antonio's near Westside. They roast and package specialty coffee on-site with their San Franciscan coffee roaster and sell a full lineup of espresso drinks, teas, breakfast tacos, and pastries. With the exception of their salted-caramel sauce (crafted by fellow Warehouse 5 tenants Wildflower Caramel Co.) all of their syrups are handcrafted in-house. Customer favorites include the iced horchata latte, salted caramel latte, chai, cold brew, and their rotating options on pour-over. Follow them on Instagram or visit their website: www.shotgunhouseroasters.com.

NAWBO We are excited about the new NAWBO year and look forward to a fun filled and fruitful 2018-2019 year fulfilling our members interests and serving them to the best of our ability. We are committed to helping our chapter thrive. 14 | sawoman.com

profile

FUELED BY STRENGTH, PASSION AND APPRECIATION By Dawn Robinette Photography By David Teran

16 | sawoman.com

Spend any time with Tiffany Searls and you’ll be entranced by her boundless energy, passion and warmth. With a smile that lights up the room and a welcoming grace that puts you at ease, it’s no wonder that customers love to see her at Bygones of Castle Hills, the consignment store that’s been part of her life for 22 years. Founded by her mother Kaye Taylor in 1991, Bygones is a San Antonio institution that offers 10,000 square feet of pre-owned treasures. Searls joined the business after graduating from college. “I never dreamed I would follow in my mom’s footsteps, but my love for beautiful things and my love for her quickly turned into a passion that I was made for,” she said with an excited smile. “I cherish each day and cannot imagine doing anything else.” Part of what makes the store stand out is its customer service, where customers are treated as friends. Searls said customer service is number one to her. “Mom always said, ‘Remember the golden rule — Do unto others as you’d have done to you’. If everyone did that in this world, what an amazing place we would have,” she said. “We aren’t perfect by a long shot, but we strive for perfection. At the end of the day, I’m going to attack anything that went wrong head-on, and when somebody leaves, hopefully they’re going to be happy.” Searls began working at the store in 1996. Taylor had a successful consignment store in Fort Worth, which she sold to move to San Antonio. Searls was a sophomore at Texas Tech University looking to furnish her apartment, and the two set out to shop in their new hometown. “What we found was slim pickings. Those stores aren’t even in business here anymore,” she explained. “Mom asked one shop why they called themselves a consignment when everything they sold was new. ‘Well, that’s just a trendy name. San Antonio wouldn’t support a consignment store.’ It wasn’t two weeks later that my mom called and said, ‘This town needs me. I’m going to open another store.’” Taylor was right. The store ultimately grew into two locations, one on Broadway and one in Castles Hills. Searls decided to close the Broadway store at the end of 2016. Though she said it was a tough decision, she could not be in two places at once, so Castle Hills became the store’s primary location. Bygones is known for its high standards of quality and condition. Searls dedicates her time to going on “previews”, during which she

visits customers’ homes to review the merchandise they’d like to consign. Searls then has the items picked up and delivered to the store, saving customers a lot of time and hassle. Previews were the first tasks that Taylor assigned to her, telling Searls, “You’re going to sink or swim. You’ve got to know more than the customer knows. If you go out to their home and you don’t know the kind of wood it is or you don’t know your brands, you’re going to lose your credibility.” Searls’ mother was a designer with a keen eye. “She really educated me,” said Searls. “Presentation is everything. Mom always told me that I was blessed with balance, perspective and scale.” When merchandise comes in, it is displayed in vignettes, marrying items together with accessories to give customers a vision of how things can look when placed together. “People will come in and literally buy a whole vignette. To me that’s so rewarding,” said Searls. “One day, a girl was sketching what I’d done with glasses and a tray so when she got home, she could duplicate it. That just made my day.” Searls learned by working side-by-side with her mother. “We were a forced to be reckoned with. We didn’t need anybody else. I went out and got it all, she put it all together.” It wasn’t until Taylor had a stroke in 2010 that Searls took on the task of creating the vignettes. Though doctors warned Searls that her mother probably wouldn’t survive, Taylor made a full recovery. Searls said she remembers the day she returned to the store. “She walked in, she walked the whole store,” she said. “She walked back up front with tears in her eyes and said, ‘You don’t need me.’ I said, ‘Of course I need you!’ And she replied, ‘No, you don’t need me at all. This just shows me that an apple doesn’t fall far from the tree.’ Her telling me that, then losing her four years later, I feel really blessed that I got to have had her here for four more years. It also let me know that I had her approval.” Though Taylor passed away suddenly in 2014, Searls’ mother was and remains her source of inspiration. She said Taylor taught her how july/august 2018 | 17

profile

to work hard and be confident, and though she misses her immensely, their bond will never disappear. “She was my biggest advocate. She told me I could do anything. I believe that,” said Searls. “She made me a very strong lady.” Perhaps the biggest lesson Searls learned from Taylor was how to be a great mom. “I have big shoes to fill,” she noted. “Her being such a great mother made me want to be a great mother.” Searls works hard at all her endeavors, but her two boys, Sheppard, 13, and Taylor, 9, are her primary focus. Searls said the two are strong students and great athletes. “They play baseball and basketball, so I’m at sports a lot. I’m that mom,” she said with a laugh, “screaming, yelling, and cheering.” The three are extremely close. “We do everything together. We’re like the Three Amigos, or the Three Musketeers. Anyone who knows me knows my boys are my whole life. They are my passion,” she explained. “I would rather be with them than anyone else in this world.” As busy as she is with Bygones, Searls’ days revolve around her boys. A typical day for her includes getting them up and off to school before she heads to the store, where she works on the décor, chats with customers, checks on employees, or goes on previews, all before picking up her sons from their various activities. She tries to keep her afternoons for them, turning off her phone to give them her undivided attention. “I try to build memories with them,” she said. “I want them to remember me as a loving, doting mother. To me, family relationships are the most important relationships to have. In the end, they are the people you can always count on.” When Searls was diagnosed with breast cancer at the age of 42 after her first-ever mammogram, her family was what made Searls determined to fight it. “My children were 5 and 9 at the time. I knew how much they needed me. Failure was not an option. I gave it 18 | sawoman.com

everything I had to beat it.” Searls worked through almost all of her chemotherapy and radiation treatments. “I give God all the credit for healing me, but I definitely kept a positive attitude. My mother told me, ‘How you act in front of the boys is how they’ll react to you.’ Those words rang in my head every day, so I put up a good front because I didn’t want the boys to feel they might lose me.” Searls said she worked hard to keep her cancer from defining her. Although she said some days made her want to stay in bed and hide under her covers, she knew maintaining her daily routine would serve her better. “I got up every day, got dressed, put on makeup and my wigs and put a smile on my face,” she said. When she was sick, Searls said a lot of people in the community came to her aid. Although she said helping others has always been in her nature, it was hard to let them do the same for her. However, her battle with the illness made her appreciate the aid of others, as well as see the value in each day. More than simply surviving cancer, Searls has thrived, and said she embraces each day to the fullest. “After cancer, I realize what a blessing life is and that each day is truly a gift. I look forward to waking up and wow — another day. Every day that I wake up and I’m cancer free, that’s a good day. That’s a great day.” She did admit her battle changed her. “Cancer humbled me,” she said. “I thought I was in control of my life, and now I realize that couldn’t be further from the truth.” Searls also added that she worries about her boys should she get sick again. Although she said she constantly lives in fear that her cancer will return, she said she is confident in her sons’ strength should the worst happen. “I’m very proud of their values, what they know, how kind they are, their manners,” she said. Although Searls has faced her share of struggles, she said she has come through them and is proud of where she is now. “Every time I’ve been knocked down, I get back up.” “People always tell me, ‘You’re so strong’. I always laugh and say it’s the only way to be. What choice do I have? I’m proud that I’m resilient, that I’m an over-comer. I’m blessed; I’ve had a really great life.” That positive outlook keeps her moving forward no matter what the obstacle. She said as a mother and a businesswoman, certain challenges are harder than others, the easier being in her career. Through it all, she said any situation can be turned around. “Some days I have it all together, some days I am so in the weeds I want to run for the hills,” she said. “But this is real life, and we all experience those feelings. How I face those challenges is by trying to always make the best decision for the situation.” As a mom, her boys fuel her. “I want them to be proud of me. I want them to be proud of the woman I am. It warms my heart to heart to hear them talk about me to other people.” She said hearing Sheppard describe her as superhuman, tenacious and nurturing makes her smile. However, in spite of that praise, Searls remains ever humble, never letting the compliments go to her head. “People give me way more credit than I think I deserve.” She also admits to being her own worst critic. “I push myself,” she said. “If I can please myself, then I’m doing OK.” While she didn’t land on her intended career path, Searls said she is pleased with where she is. “When she (Taylor) first passed away,

people would say, ‘Do you think you’ll be able to keep the store?’ I felt like I had to prove myself, to prove that I could do this. The store is better than ever.” Sales prove that. Bygones sells 78 percent of its merchandise in 21 days or less. Searls also attributes this success to the advice of her mother. “Mom always told me to set my goals high,” she said. “If you want to be successful, you go after it. Don’t rely on a man to make you successful. You’re born with it, you marry it or you make it. Your best job is to make it.” Searls said sometimes, her job feels a little bit like Christmas. “Even though I go out and preview it and I know what’s coming in, I never know what someone is going to walk in the door with,” she said. “It’s like being a kid in a candy store or like Christmas morning.” She said she looks forward to not knowing what’s going to come in that day. “I love handling beautiful things, then putting them out in the store,” Searls said. “I love helping people find something they love. I always tell people to never make do or do without. If you buy something you love, you’re going to always love it and you’ll find a home for it.” Searls home is a showplace — and it doesn’t even include all of her collection. “I have three storage areas of furniture!” she laughed. However, she doesn’t add anything unless she gets rid of something else. Searls said her perspective on success has changed over the years. “For so long in my life, success to me was whether I bought a certain purse I wanted, or a car. But really, I think success is about being happy where you are in life,” she said. “I am in charge of my own happiness. I have been down, but never out, and I don’t have any regrets

in life. I think everything in life makes you - shapes you - into who you are. So I don’t have any regrets. I wouldn’t change anything.” With all that’s on her plate, it’s hard for Searls to slow down. It’s just not who she is. “From the time I get up to the time I go to bed, I don’t sit down. I just go, go, go, go.” That pace keeps her brain flying, so much so that she often has trouble winding down to go to sleep, or finds herself awake at 3 a.m. because she can’t turn her brain off. “I’ll wake up, go on Facebook, answer questions, send emails. I always think people are going to think I’m nuts.” She turns to gardening and working in her yard to relax, even finding the act of watering plants to be relaxing. “It’s meditational, being outside. I’m an outdoorsy girl. I love to be at the beach, putting my feet in the sand,” she said. She also likes to read motivational books, something she’s done more of since her cancer diagnosis. Of course, nothing means more to her than family time. “I look forward each day to making new memories with my boys,” Searls said. “At the end of the day, it’s all about the memories in life. I hope that long past my sight, they know how much they were loved and how very proud of them I am.” “I hope to be remembered as a great mother, good friend, successful business owner and that I liked to have fun,” she said. “Laughing is good for your soul.” Her strength and tenacity shine through when she offers advice to others. “I would tell any young woman starting her career that she can do anything she puts her mind to,” Searls said. “Many doors may be closed along the way. Keep knocking! If it doesn’t open, move on to the next door. Women are strong by nature. We can achieve anything if we put our minds to it.” july/august 2018 | 19

game changers

INVENTING THE GAME AND PLAYING IT THEIR OWN WAY BY DAWN ROBINETTE

PHOTOGRAPHY BY DAVID TERAN

Above (L-R): Lila Cockrell, Rosemary Kowalski, and Edith McAllister.

20 | sawoman.com

Lila Cockrell, Rosemary Kowalski and Edith McAllister are familiar names in San Antonio, and for good reason. As the first female mayor of

San Antonio, the chairman emeritus of

The RK Group and a philanthropic

powerhouse who has touched more causes in San Antonio than can be listed here, the three have left indelible marks on the Alamo City. Their hard work and

contributions began in the age of black

and white television and rotary phones, but continue to impact us today.

ach of them carved paths of their own, following their

instincts to leave their mark. These women didn’t change

the game — they invented it. However, it wasn’t a game then. It was

just doing business.

It was San Antonio in another time, but a San Antonio not much different from the one we know now.

At 93, 96 and 100, the three San Antonio legends have 289 years of

life lessons between them, giving their observations, memories and

stories depth and wisdom. Despite their advanced years, their energy

and enthusiasm rivals that of a much younger set. They love life, the

city they’ve helped shape and, perhaps most of all, each other. Edith: “I absolutely love each of these ladies,” gushed Edith

McAllister as the three friends gather to chat at her home, the same

“I just hadn’t gotten acquainted with caterers.” Rosemary:“Really, there was no such thing,” noted Kowalski. “No one knew what catering was. It wasn’t a thing yet. The real ‘09ers

(those who live in the 78209 zip code) taught me how to cater. There was nothing to teach you, so they all helped me.”

Help from others is something that Cockrell relied on as well.

“If you’re very honest, say you don’t know and you need help, people are so happy to help you. I accepted a lot of coaching.”

house she and her late husband bought in 1950. Their admiration,

Kowalski and her husband Henry got their start opening a small

as they tell stories, compliment each other and share the insights

War II. Henry’s family had run a successful bar in Michigan, and he

care, respect and true friendship for each other is clearly on display they’ve gained as members of the 90s club. Of course, McAllister has

already hit the century mark, but, other than a daily nap, shows

barbeque restaurant after he came back from being a pilot in World worked there all his life because they lived upstairs.

no signs of slowing down.

Rosemary: “He thought, well, I can run a restaurant if I can run a

As San Antonio marks its tricentennial — and 50 years since

was. If you just had nerve enough to get a stove and make up a menu

HemisFair helped mold San Antonio into the city it is today —

talking with women who helped the Alamo City grow and prosper in those most recent decades provides a living history lesson with

insights everyone can take to heart.

bar,” Kowalski explained. “You don’t realize how small San Antonio

… It’s all so homemade.” Over time, they were hired to serve food at office parties and in people’s homes. The restaurant evolved into

Catering by Rosemary. The company got its big break when it won

the catering contract for HemisFair ’68. Four years later, the company won the catering contract at the city’s then-new Henry B. Gonzalez

These nonagenarians and centenarian are examples of lives well-

Convention Center, a contract The RK Group still holds.

exactly who met whom first, how or when that was. However a

The company had proven itself on the large, public stage of

lived. Their minds and quick-wit are sharp as ever. They’re not sure

common thread between the three is “Mayor Mac”, Walter W.

McAllister Sr., San Antonio’s mayor from 1961 to 1971. Mayor Mac

was McAllister’s father-in-law, helped recruit Cockrell to run for city council and launched the future of Kowalski’s business when the company won the catering contract for HemisFair ’68.

Rosemary: “Mayor Mac was always so gracious to me. He told me

HemisFair.

Lila: “When we opened the convention center, Mayor McAllister

said, ‘I just want to tell you all that there’s no choice in the world

except Rosemary Kowalski,’” explained Cockrell. “And we (the city council) all agreed.”

one day, ‘Young lady,’ — I can still see him shaking his finger — ‘One

None of the three were educated or trained for what became their

Kowalski, imitating the shaking finger to accentuate the story.

teacher at Southern Methodist University, then served in the

of these days you’re going to amount to something’,” recalled The three laughed. As they talked and reminiscenced, their personalities shined and laughter came easily.

Edith: “I had not known Rosemary because I had always

entertained my friends by my own cooking,” explained McAllister.

career paths, but that didn’t stop them. Cockrell studied to be a WAVES branch of the United States Navy as an ensign during World War II.

McAllister’s time at the University of Texas at Austin included an intensive bookkeeping course, which would prove to be helpful

during her volunteer service on nonprofit boards. She graduated july/august 2018 | 21

game changers

“Start wherever you are. There are people who think ‘I’m not a person of great means,’ or ‘I’m not an impressive person in the community,’ or ‘I can’t do anything.’ You can start in your neighborhood or you can start in your circle of friends or you can volunteer somewhere. If you just start, the more you do, your horizons grow.”

Below left: Mayor Cockrell signs the "Semana de la Raza" proclamation for Fort Sam Houston on Sept. 11, 1975 as Colonel Krueger, Colonel Cunningham, and Colonel Williams look on. (Photo Credit: Turner Central Photo Facilty, Ft Sam Houston, Texas)

Below right: An afternoon spent at City Hall (From Mayor Cockrell’s personal collection)

22 | sawoman.com

college knowing how to read a budget and understand finances. Edith: “We (women) were not expected to do that,” she explained.

“It surprised a good many businessmen in San Antonio that I was

track of her meetings and contacts, she dryly said, “You used your

head,” to which both Kowalski and Cockrell quickly agreed.

Lila: “I’m very thankful I have a retentive memory,” said Cockrell,

way ahead of them in many ways.”

before sharing the story of a meeting where she didn’t take notes and

Kowalski went to Incarnate Word (the high school, not the college).

the meeting. When it came time for questions, Cockrell kept asking

Rosemary: “When people ask me where I went to school and I say

he said, ‘Excuse me, I beg your pardon’,” apologizing for earlier

Incarnate Word, they assume the college, but I have no college

education. I’m not proud of that, but it’s the truth. No one cares where you went to high school,” she laughed. “I was just blessed.

We were working to make a living.”

In those days, women holding political office, running a business or sitting on a board were anomalies. Navigating what was a man’s world was certainly different than today.

Lila: “I think it helped me to be a happily married woman with

children, and I always tried to be a lady,” noted Cockrell. “I was in a

new role, but I was trying to look traditional myself. I think that’s

was somewhat chastised by a gentleman who was writing throughout questions that showed she had retained everything she’d heard. “So commenting on her lack of notes.

Cockrell easily recounts minute details of negotiations and deals

made decades ago, sharing stories about events as if they happened yesterday. She and her husband Sidney moved from Dallas to San

Antonio in 1956. She served in the League of Women Voters, just as

she had in Dallas, and was eventually recruited to run for the city

council. “Of course, when I was invited, I made the usual response of a happily married woman, ‘I’ll need to talk this over with my husband’. He said, ‘I guess if this is something you want to do, that would be alright’.”

how I got through.”

She said she also discussed it with her two daughters. "They were a

In 1972, McAllister was the first woman in the United States to serve

had ever done anything like that,” she said. “ To a teenager or

as a Campaign Chair of United Way.

Edith: “I was lucky to be married with a house full of children. I

knew everybody. I’d been here for years, my kids had gone through

school and I knew all of the parents and teachers. Those contacts made me more valuable than some stranger no one knew.”

However, it was more than her contacts that earned her the task of

working to fundraise for United Way. “Those of us who didn’t have sense enough to have paid jobs, we did volunteer work,” she joked.

McAllister’s volunteering began with the Alamo Heights PTA and was

little bit more reluctant because no one else's mother that they knew near-teenager, what everybody else's mother does is important, too."

Ultimately though, they agreed Cockrell could run.

Cockrell was elected to the San Antonio City Council in 1963. After

serving for a decade, including service as the city's first female Mayor Pro Tem, she was elected in 1975 to the first of four two-year terms

as Mayor of San Antonio. She served as Mayor from 1975 to 1981 and

from 1989 to 1991. The Lila Cockrell Theatre, named in her honor, is

part of the Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center. She was inducted into the Texas Women's Hall of Fame in 1984.

furthered through the Junior League of San Antonio. She became a

While Cockrell was working in city government to make a difference

often working with a boardroom full of men to get things done.

through nonprofit efforts. From her time with the Alamo Heights

Those men didn’t always know how to handle McAllister, but she

causes and organizations benefiting the arts, medicine, higher

problem solver for nonprofits, someone who could step in and help,

usually managed to get what she wanted. She didn’t have a secretary,

so she handwrote all of her letters, using pink stationery and red ink. “A bunch of men were together and one of them said, ‘Did you get a letter?’ The other fellow said, ‘A pink letter?’ ‘Yeah, a pink letter.’

Then a third man said, ‘I got it too. I guess we better do what she

for San Antonio, McAllister was focused on improving the city

Parent/Teacher Organization, she has lent her time and talents to education and youth. Over the years, she has been chairwoman,

president, co-chair or vice president of at least 25 major San Antonio nonprofit organizations and their campaigns. She has also served on the boards of more than 25 nonprofit organizations.

McAllister’s family moved to San Antonio in 1929 when her father

wants’,” she recalled with a laugh.

invested in a business venture to revive the former Hot Wells Bath

of computers and smartphones, but that was the norm. “I wrote

future husband Walter in high school. The couple had four children

The idea of writing anything by hand is almost foreign in today’s world everything by hand,” explained McAllister. When asked how she kept

Spa and Resort. The family stayed in San Antonio, and she met her and as they grew, so did her volunteerism. Thanks to the time she

july/august 2018 | 23

game changers

Rosemary’s advice to the younger set?

“Attitude is everything. If you say please and thank you, write notes and be yourself and just be happy. God put us here to help everybody else — you would be as happy as I am right now.”

Below left: Kowalski and her “Ladies in White” served exquisite food at the opening of North Star Mall on September 23, 1960. Below right: Kowalski exemplifies service with a smile, seen here with a beer in hand at Uncle Ben’s Barbecue on N. Zarzamora in the 1940s.

24 | sawoman.com

spent working to support San Antonio area museums, her children jokingly called her “Myrtle Museum”.

One position she is particularly proud of is serving as a founding

trustee and later president of the Southwest School of Art. In addition

to her glass ceiling-shattering role with the United Way, McAllister was

also the first woman to chair the San Antonio Area Foundation.

Honored by the San Antonio chapter of the Association of Fundraising

Professionals as Philanthropist of the Year twice (1977 and 2013),

McAllister prefers being a participant over a spectator. That's not

surprising from someone who was still waterskiing at 92. She also swam

every day for 43 years but stopped at 95 on doctor’s orders.

Edith: “I’ve lived long enough to deserve not to do too many

exercises,” she said with a laugh.

Exercise is something the three agree has helped them achieve

Cockrell said she believes that longevity comes from laughter. Lila: “One of the things that I think is the most helpful attribute

you can have is a sense of humor. If you can look at a situation that could be grim and suddenly notice there’s some rather humorous

aspects to what’s happening, start thinking about that. It lightens the load.”

Kowalski’s happiness flows from her gratitude for every day. Rosemary: “After you pass 90, you’re living on borrowed time,” she

said. I have a wonderful prayer next to where I get my coffee. I say it every morning, thanking God that I’m still alive, that I’m able to be

reading it [the prayer]. I can see it, I can read it, I understand it and

pray. That God gives me all those graces is what my life is at the end. I’m enjoying every minute. I never thought I’d live this long.”

McAllister echoes that and credits her active volunteerism for part

such longevity.

of her longevity.

Rosemary: “You’ve got to keep going. Use it or lose it.”

Edith: “I’ve had such a good time. It kept my mind going," she

She certainly follows her own advice. She goes to her office at

alive. I keep up with all of those old, old friends that we did so

The RK Group every day. Kowalski is quick to point out that her

son Greg and the team at The RK Group “do all of the work”, but as

the “RK” of the business, she maintains a daily presence in the

company’s community efforts, placing her focus on philanthropic, nonprofit ventures. “I’m really blessed, she said. “ I feel very

explained. "I've made so many good friends. Many of them are still many interesting things together. It gives you a depth of interest and affection that you don't get any other way. I'm still well and still going strong to keep giving at 100, and still having a really good time."

fortunate to be able to go all the time. I am happy and enjoy life.

The idea of enjoying your life is something Cockrell believes in.

KLRN produced a documentary on Kowalski’s life and legacy, “From

a human being,” she said. “If you can get through those times —

I’ve had a good life.”

Rosemary to The RK Legacy,” but she said she’s still working on the

legacy part. You will still find her at any number of events across the

city, where she likes to see old friends and make new ones. “I get upset when I go to an event and I don’t know everyone there,” she said.

Lila: “Everybody has some bad times in their life. You can’t help it as have faith.”

For those who aren’t sure how to jump into community service, or don’t think that they can make a difference, Cockrell offered this advice: “Start wherever you are. There are people who think ‘I’m

However she’s quick to clairfy she’s a not a networker — a term that

not a person of great means,’ or ‘I’m not an impressive person in

She’s a genuine connector — someone who enjoys meeting people,

neighborhood, or you can start in your circle of friends or you

didn’t exist as she and her husband built their catering company. getting to know them and keeping in touch. She’s warm and

inquisitive, making conversation with everyone she meets, especially millennials. “It’s fun because our lives are so different,” she said.

the community,’ or ‘I can’t do anything.’ You can start in your can volunteer somewhere. If you just start, the more you do, your horizons grow.”

“The way we were brought up is so different. Some of them like me

Edith: “It’s so much more fun than sitting around playing bridge,”

Her advice to the younger set? “Attitude is everything. If you say

women filled their free time playing bridge at the country club. “Get

and some of them probably think, ‘What do you know, old lady?’” please and thank you, write notes and be yourself and just be

happy — God put us here to help everybody else — you would be as happy as I am right now.”

said McAllister, who started volunteering at a time when many out and get on board.

While the three are close friends who have known each other for july/august 2018 | 25

game changers

“I’ve had such a good time. It kept my mind going,"

she explained. "I've made so many good friends.

Many of them are still

alive. I keep up with all of those old, old friends. We did so many

interesting things

together. It gives you

a depth of interest and

affection that you don't get any other way."

Below left: Pictured with McAllister are three of her four children, sons Bo and Reagin, and daughter, Taddy. Her other daughter, Eloise, is not pictured. Below right: McAllister celebrated her 100th birthday at a black-tie dinner with 100 of her closest friends at the Witte Museum’s Hall of Dinosaurs.

26 | sawoman.com

years, Kowalski, a true San Antonio native who grew up on the south

Looking back on her time in office, Cockrell said she’s proud to have

while Cockrell hosted Queen Elizabeth II during her visit to the city,

what she calls her efforts to keep San Antonio’s energy costs low to

side, noted the differences in their experiences, she recalled that

Kowalski served the queen a drink. However, those differences fade alongside the similarities of how everyone is treated.

Rosemary: "The three of us have entirely different backgrounds.

Our lives have been together but at different levels, but the people of San Antonio who were here and have been here are still the

fostered economic growth, much of that due to the “Utility Wars”, attract business and residents alike. One of her many battle

negotiations included winning the relocation of a soon-to-be-started

company to San Antonio. The company? Valero, a major asset to the

city that was won through her determined negotiations.

Cockrell is working on her memoir and anticipates it will be released

same. They're still friendly,” explained Kowalski. “I think the

this fall.

city because of our friendliness to everyone. We never meet a

Lila: “How do I end it? I’m still here,” questioned Cockrell, laughing.

families of the people who have been here have helped grow our stranger, and we always welcome everyone.”

With decades of service and accolades under their belts, each of the

three have much to be proud of. First and foremost though, they

each list their families and marriages. However, they are not shy of

These three incredible women have all made a difference, and San Antonio is better for it.

stating their pride in their accomplishments, most especially when it

EDITORS NOTE:

her work with the Southwest School of Art stands out, while for

on July 1, 2018 at the age of 100. She wrote the book on philanthropy in

comes to what they’ve been able to do for the city. For McAllister,

Kowalski, it’s the growth from a small barbeque diner to the size and scope of The RK Group today.

As we went to press we were saddened that Edith McAllister passed away

San Antonio and impacted people of all walks of life with her unselfish

giving, not just financially, but more important of her time and talents. july/august 2018 | 27

28 | sawoman.com

Collections See Light W

at home

After Years of Storage “Collect things you love, that are authentic to you, and your house becomes your story.” - Erin Flett, American Interior Designer

By Robyn Barnes

Photography by Al Rendon

hese two quotes perfectly describe the homeowners

of a traditional brick two-story home on a tree-lined drive in Terrell Hills. Through a long and happy

marriage, they have created a home first to raise their family and, later in life, to curate their extensive collections.

“I believe your home tells a story about who you are and who you aspire to be. We represent ourselves through the things we own. I don’t believe in trends. I believe in collecting things that you connect with. We should surround ourselves with things we care about, that have meaning.” - Nate Berkus, American Interior Designer

Derrick Dodge of Derrick Dodge Interior Design had the

privilege of working with the couple through several renovations. They’ve become good friends over the years, and he’s been privy to many of their worldwide adventures.

“These two are the nicest people you could ever hope to meet,”

Dodge said. “They are very unpretentious. He is an Anglophile, meaning he loves all things English! He’s not only amassed an

amazing collection of British monarchy items, he’s also made sure that each has the authentic signature of the monarch or royal family member associated with it.”

For years, all these items were housed nearby in two storage

units. After their children were grown, the couple decided to

remodel their kitchen and asked Derrick if he’d help. The late

Ken Graves of Thorn+Graves Architects designed the addition,

which quickly morphed from just a kitchen to three or four thousand square feet of new living space.

“The homeowner told me he had a lot of collections he wanted to display,” Dodge said. “This included all the English items, signed

watercolor etchings dating from the 17th century, baseball Opposite page: Gorgeous drapes showcase the impressive floor-to-ceiling windows in the home’s dining nook.

memorabilia and presidential items. I was overwhelmed when I

saw it all. After a good deal of thought, I told them the priority of the design should be the collections, so lighting and cabinetry became the focus of the new rooms.”

30 | sawoman.com

at home

Dodge divided up the collections according to type and created a room for

each of them. The color schemes for the rooms were taken from the beautiful Persian rugs that covered the floors.

In the dining room, Dodge had taped up five variations of salmon-colored

wallpaper and one of an ivory shade. He asked the wife which she’d like and she chose the ivory, wanting to play it safe.

“I told her no, a dining room should be dramatic!” Dodge said. “And we really needed to pick up the color in the carpet. We finally chose a salmon-damask wallpaper and hung salmon-colored draperies with teal accents. The colors bring out the tones in her china displayed in the china cabinet.”

“The family room has a 26-foot ceiling,” he continues. “We hung art in this room on the paneled walls from the floor to the ceiling. The pictures are all autographed and authenticated works of American presidents and British royalty.”

Above: The home’s stunning family room features paneled walls and a striking 26-foot ceiling. Lining the walls are autographed, authenticated works of American presidents and British royalty. Left: Hung above an ornate wooden table is a striking portrait of an English monarch from days gone by, mirroring the elegance and regality of this San Antonio home.

32 | sawoman.com

at home

The formal living room takes its color scheme from the light green tones in the huge Persian rug. Dodge had carpenters build cabinets with glass shelves and special lighting to feature the wife’s porcelain collection.

This room also features photos of Fiesta queen and duchess robes and family photos.

The upstairs game room centers on the pool table and the museum

cabinetry that lines the walls. Here you’ll see dolls from around the world,

a splendid Pez collection, a group of Russian Matryoshka dolls, autographed sports memorabilia – the list goes on.

“They have dozens of collections, but they didn’t collect just to acquire things. Every item has meaning to the husband and the wife. From the

beginning to the end, I’m very happy with the result we achieved in this

home,” Dodge said. “I’m glad those old boxes of collectibles found a home worthy of them.”

Above: The formal living room features soft pastel walls that mirror the color of the Persian rug, and offer a subtle backdrop for photos of Fiesta trains and family portraits. Left: Tucked away in a little corner is one of the home’s unique features: a stone lion’s head fountain in a redbrick courtyard.

34 | sawoman.com

at home

Top: The upstairs game room boasts a more neutral pallet, as well as illuminated cabinets to showcase a few of the homeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s more unique collections, including dolls from around the world, sports memorabilia and an impressive Pez collection. Above: The kitchen maintains the elegance of the rest of the home, and provides ample counter and storage space. Right: A blue jay perches in the running waters of the homeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s outdoor waterfall.

36 | sawoman.com

july/august 2018 | 37

fashion

What to wear on a weekend trip By Aquila Mendez-Valdez

Summer is in full bloom, as evidenced by the empty streets each weekend as San Antonians head for the beach, the lake, or the river. We don’t care where we’re going, just anywhere to escape the insufferable heat. What you shouldn’t avoid on summer road trips, however, is style. It’s still easy to pack a weekender bag with light, easy pieces that will look as good as you feel on your getaway. Take the following options with you the next time you’re headed out of town. But first, sunscreen

Fiesta Feet

If you’re looking for your sunscreen

you’ve probably seen on the feet of every stylish chica in San Antonio.

Don’t step outside this summer without SPF.

to do a little double duty, I’m obsessed with Supergoop’s

Healthy Glow Sunless Tan.

It’s SPF 40, and builds a slight amount of color every time

That’s not a cute pun, that’s the actual name of this local footwear brand They’ve expanded their line of colorful Mexican huaraches to include

flatforms, kid’s styles, and even these Susana wedges. Perfect for an outfit that needs to shout, “I’m on vacation!” This pair retails for $89.00 and is available on their website or local boutiques across town.

you use it. So you can be at

the pool, and still look like

you were out in the sun

without the damage to your

skin. It’s brilliant, it doesn’t have an unbearable smell, and it retails for just $38.

The cherry on top?

Supergoop is founded

by San Antonian Holly Thaggard!

july/august 2018 | 39

fashion Over-the-top sunnies

Go with the flow

The pièce de ré-sis-tance of any summer

about the juxtaposition of excess in fabric that’s

transition with you from beach, to pool, to dinner

Caftans, kimonos, or similarly casual dresses, it’s all magically lightweight this summer. Expect to see

dramatic pieces like this Elaine Turner Larissa dress floating

their way down the boardwalks in fun multi-color palm prints or bold monochromatic

statements. This chiffon number hits at the knee and ties at the waist,

retailing at $69 from the Texas brand. And if full length is more

your style, don’t miss their newest “Global Tropical” summer

line with plenty of

lightweight, travelfriendly options.

40 | sawoman.com

look is one’s eyewear, since it will

al fresco. Stand out while shielding your eyes with tortoise frames like

the Alright model from Quay for just $55. The gold-tinted lenses add a hint of luxe, but the neutral tones will go with every outfit change.

Bag It Up

A great weekender bag should be both stylish and functional, proving its worth in both the heads it turns and the years it lasts. Look no further than San Antonio-based Jon Hart Designs for this very on-trend millennial pink overnight bag that is as utilitarian as it is adorable. You’ll be on your way in style with plenty of room to spare, and although it retails at a hefty $270, you can add a personalized monogram for just $10 more. Wear what makes you feel comfortable above all, because a get away should never get you down. But there’s something to be said for putting a little effort into your look in the heat of Texas, and you never know when a summer romance might be around the corner.

fabfinds

PEÑALOZA & SONS

Beads, BEADS, BEADS... Enjoy the latest fashion trends. Mixing and matching various types and lengths of bead and pearl strands can give your wardrobe a fun fashion update. All available at PENALOZA & SONS. 2001 N.W. Military Hwy.

210.340.3536

penalozaandsons.com

JUNK STAR HANDCRAFTED FURNITURE Custom, Transitional Dining, Furnishings, and Accent Pieces “Love the dining room you design.” Hours: 10-5p Tues-Sat, 12-6p Sunday, Closed Monday 140 Fredericksburg Road

210.449.7960

YARNIVORE

Feed your need at Yarnivore! Yarn, tools, instruction for all levels. Crocheting, knitting, spinning, weaving. 2357 NW Military Hwy

210.979.8255

yarnivoresa.com

july/august 2018 | 41

beauty oranges

THE TOP TRENDS FOR YOUR TIPS By Aquila Mendez-Valdez ew things make San Antonio women happier than a fresh set —

on their fingertips that is. We love to express ourselves with the

latest shapes and shades, changing it up as often as our mood

shifts. But for those of us less daring, we want to know what’s next in nail care before pulling the trigger. Two local nail artists sat down with us to paint the future for us — and what a fabulous future it is.

Sonya Perez, owner of Color Me Polish on Broadway, says she’s seeing

natural nails becoming a trend. “As a CND Master Painter and artist

I’m seeing dessert colors like subdued yellows, oranges, sienna reds and pastel colors. With the Royal Wedding frenzy, Essie’s “Ballet

Slippers” shade of pale pink is sure to resurface, reportedly the Queen’s

natural pastels

manicure choice since 1989.

Perez says shapes, as well, have taken a turn from almond and the more

ominous coffin to more natural choices like square and round. In terms

of trends just on the horizon, she says bling is on the way. “I do see

Swarovski crystals being more prominent in everything from fashion to

nails,” Perez says. “We just saw Blake Lively at the Met Gala decked-out in jewels from her dress to her nails. Manicures with Swarovski are basically

jewelry for your nails! As a Swarovski® Certified Nail Artist we can go

from blinged out to a elegant accent for a more delicate manicure.”

Owner of North by Northwest Salon on Huebner Road, Veronica Medina says white will continue to big a big hit for summer. “It really pops on

tanned skin”, she says. And if you’re a bit more daring she recommends florescent shades for true vacation vibes. “Nail art is also huge right

now; everybody wants it,” says Medina. “Glitter, chrome, holo, foils, florals: the possibilities are endless!”

If you’ve always stuck to a more mainstream manicure, Medina says to

choose the right nail technician when you’re ready to go out on a limb. “A good nail tech will listen to you first but also push you to try new

things,” she says. “They should be honest with you and encourage you

to speak up about what you like and what you don't like. Nail design is usually a collaborative effort, so finding a nail tech you can trust will give you the confidence to try more bold and adventurous looks!”

42 | sawoman.com

bling

THE DOSSIER

Focus: Advertising Agencies

Marketing and advertising are key to successful business. Hiring an ad agency can be a great way to accomplish your business goals of establishing a brand or image, creating awareness for your product or service, and increasing sales. San Antonio is fortunate to be home to some of the most creative minds. Look through the following pages to learn more about these people and the agencies they represent. SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

THE DOSSIER

Focus: Ad Agencies

The PM Group Fran Yanity, COO and President 7500 West Interstate 10, Ste. 510 • San Antonio, Texas 78229 EXPERTISE: We are a full-service advertising agency with 30 years of experience in traditional advertising – broadcast, digital, print and outdoor – as well as brand promotions and custom videos for B2B and B2C messaging. Getting measurable results matters most. We work with clients to create comprehensive marketing plans that meet their goals and generate sales growth and profitability. UNIQUE TOOLS: Our agency understands the economic insight of today’s consumer and how to activate sales. From furniture to eyewear to consumer-packaged goods to health club memberships, we’ve represented clients in a diverse field of industries that require quick, thoughtful activations to motivate consumers.

210.490.2554 thepmgrp.com WHAT MAKES A SUCCESSFUL CLIENT: In order to create a memorable brand today, a successful client isn’t afraid to take a chance. We’re always thinking how we can push the envelope together and stand out from the competition in a unique and memorable way while being relevant to the consumer. WHAT SETS YOU APART? We don’t develop ads, we develop business. We have the largest media buying department of any South Texas advertising agency. We are adept at culling out those special differences that set businesses apart from the competition. This better allows us to drive business results for our clients while they get more bang for their advertising budgets.

Noisy Trumpet Digital & Public Relations Fran Yanity, CEO, pictured with the Noisy Trumpet Leadership Team 7500 West Interstate 10, Ste. 150 • San Antonio, Texas 78229 EXPERTISE: Alongside a commitment to stay abreast of industry trends, Noisy Trumpet has strong experience in digital, web, social media and public relations. As an integrated agency, we give your brand a voice and activate the relevant platforms to tell your story. UNIQUE TOOLS: We are driven by statistical insights, designed to elevate a brand as a leader across all marketing channels. Our understanding of business and the customer’s journey through the buying process allows us to be innovative in our approach as we increase brand awareness, credibility and drive new business for our clients. WHAT MAKES A SUCCESSFUL CLIENT: One that speaks to their

210.582.0505 noisytrumpet.com

differences – things the average consumer might not expect – in a clear and concise way. Brands should embrace those differences because they can become opportunities for greater success. WHAT SETS YOU APART? We work to develop campaigns for our clients in which all marketing elements are synergistic. Content across all marketing channels must communicate the same message and work together to best resonate with the target audience in the strongest way possible. We are a unique blend of experienced industry veterans and the youthful, tech savvy consumers of today. We deliver the best of both advertising worlds to craft unique cammarch/april 2018 | paigns that are seen, remembered and move a client’s business. 45

THE DOSSIER

Focus: Ad Agencies

Penguin Suits Debi Burrows, CEO 106 Austin Drive S • Boerne, Texas 78006 EXPERTISE: We specialize in planning, marketing, branding, and digital services (website development, SEO and digital marketing). With a combined 60+ years experience in marketing and advertising, we recognized early-on that digital marketing was the wave to ride, but we also maintain a balance with the traditional services that still produce results for our clients. As “Your Marketing Department,” we take on the marketing tasks to help our clients grow their businesses. UNIQUE TOOLS: At Penguin Suits we are big on analytics, providing options and working transparently with our clients. We want them to understand what we are doing for them and we have

830.816.8238 penguinsuits.com found it to be a key for customer retention. We also like to stay on the cutting-edge and specialize in big business marketing solutions scaled for the small business. That is why we are launching our new initiative - Red Penguin Studios, which will give us the ability to provide original engaging video content for our clients. WHAT MAKES A SUCCESSFUL CLIENT? One that knows they want to grow and knows they need help. They are lead by someone with vision and their team works hard to provide great customer service and a great product. Someone that will appreciate what we do, because they take care and great pride in what they do.

McBad Creative, LLC 118 Broadway Street, Ste. 517 • San Antonio, Texas 78205 Info@McBadCreative.com EXPERTISE: We are a full-service boutique agency, but we are best known for our Website Design & Development and Branding. Since we work with many small businesses and startups, one of the main things they need right away is a new or redesigned website and help developing their brand. In regards to our client’s business and their online presence, their website is usually the first thing their customers see. UNIQUE TOOLS: Whether our client needs an entire rebranding or a simple website redesign, we approach every project with STRATEGY. It is important to us that we balance our CREATIVITY with STRATEGY in order to ensure our client’s return on investment they seek

210.886.8274 McBadCreative.com when marketing their business. Any agency can design a website that works - what we accomplish is balancing form with function, and we design our websites to work for our clients. WHAT MAKES A SUCCESSFUL CLIENT: Like the saying goes, “Teamwork makes the Dream Work.” As an agency, we are more than our client’s marketing agency, we work as a team in order to achieve a common objective. Our successful clients usually have many things in common: they are actively involved in how their business is marketed, understand the value of marketing and the necessary investment needed to get results, and acknowledge that developing a successful business takes time, dedication, and hardwork.

THE DOSSIER

Focus: Ad Agencies

Creative Noggin Trish Rawls and Tracy Marlowe, Owners San Antonio based virtual agency serving clients worldwide EXPERTISE: Branding — hands down. Whether developing a new brand, refreshing an old one or jumping in on an existing one, our team has unrivaled experience in guiding clients to authentic and strategic branding success. UNIQUE TOOLS: Put simply, the best tools we have are each other. Our team consists of San Antonio’s top subject matter experts working in marketing, branding, public relations, social media, digital and interactive marketing, media planning and placement. Individually, each team member shines on her own merit, but combined we are a powerhouse of creative and strategic solutions.

830.981.8222 creativenoggin.com WHAT MAKES A SUCCESSFUL CLIENT: A successful client is one that doesn’t see us as a vendor, but as a partner. We work proactively and collaboratively to seamlessly integrate into the client’s business and become an extension of their in-house marketing team. WHAT MAKES YOUR AGENCY SPECIAL? Our 100% virtual business model is not set up to train, monitor and groom entry-level professionals. At Creative Noggin, we only hire seasoned marketing professionals. That's not a practice you'll find at most firms and it brings immeasurable value to our clients.

Anderson Marketing Group Kim Gresham, President/Owner 7420 Blanco Road • Suite 200 • San Antonio, TX 78216 EXPERTISE: We excel in creating effective multi-layered marketing campaigns as well as developing comprehensive strategic plans for our clients. Our agency provides the full spectrum of marketing and advertising services in-house, including media research, planning and buying, creative services, interactive development, broadcast TV and audio development, and social media marketing. UNIQUE TOOLS: Our tool kit contains one important, multi-purpose tool — our people. Each person on our staff brings unique talents and experiences. Some bring a wealth of strategic marketing experience developed by years of working at their craft, while others have an expertise in media planning driven by a passion for discovering the most efficient way to communicate a message to the right au-

210.223.6233 andersonmarketing.com dience at the right time. And then there are those who bring their creative talents — skills that cannot be taught and are mostly innate in nature. These individuals have a knack for writing compelling copy, that persuade people to think a certain way or act upon the message, or those gifted with an artistic talent to deliver the message in a beautiful visual or thought-provoking graphic. WHAT MAKES A SUCCESSFUL CLIENT? It comes down to one word. Trust. We create our best work when a client trusts in our team and the creative process. We look to solve that client’s problems in the most effective, yet creative way possible. This may result in moving out of their comfort zone, but in the end they feel fully invested in the process and the results.

THE DOSSIER

Focus: Ad Agencies

Robot Creative Laura August, Owner 1114 S. Saint Mary’s • Suite 200 • San Antonio, Texas 78210 EXPERTISE: Robot specializes in three areas: branding, website development and digital marketing. We are a small but powerful team of twelve, staffed very specifically for expertise in these areas. Robot has over 20 years of experience working with industries as varied as healthcare, non-profit, B2B services, and technology on both local and national digital campaigns. UNIQUE TOOLS: Our clients tell us that our team is just plain smart. The tools for digital marketing, websites and social media are ever-evolving. It is our depth of knowledge and years of experience across a variety of tools and mediums that makes us different. We are tool and vendor-agnostic, with the goal to provide the best solution for each client’s specific needs.

210-476-8801 robotcreative.com WHAT MAKES A SUCCESSFUL CLIENT?: We look for organizations with leadership teams that are as passionate and results-oriented about their business as we are about ours. When we can work collaboratively with engaged and committed clients, we have the right recipe for success. ROBOT PHILOSOPY: Honesty and Transparency. We do not follow the traditional agency model with respect to purchased media and technology. We set up all advertising accounts in our client’s names, there is no mark up and we provide complete transparency in our reporting. It keeps everyone results-focused and empowers our clients with full ownership their own data.

july/august 2018 | 51

2018-2019

TMI – The Episcopal School

St. Thomas Episcopal School

Saint Mary’s Hall

San Antonio Academy

SAPRIVATESCHOOLS.COM

Central Catholic High School

Saint Lukes Episcopal School

SAN ANTONIO AREA DIRECTORY OF PRIVATE SCHOOLS

New Year,

St. Thomas Episcopal School

New Classroom Time to Get Educated on Your Child’s Schooling Options By: Reeth Magoo

Providing your child with an exemplary education is one of the greatest gifts you can give them, as the eight hours they spend at school each day greatly contribute to their intellectual and character development. In an environment where your child is able to thrive, they can realize their potential to be an inquisitive thinker, a life-long learner, and a remarkable leader, making choosing a school a weighty decision.

inding the right fit for your child all depends on their needs and the needs of your family, including location, family values, tuition fees, and an endless list of other factors. Private schools can offer an incredible academic experience in a nurturing community dedicated to your child’s growth, making them worth looking into. Saint Luke's Episcopal School Director of Admissions Margaret Ann Casseb explains that her school’s “student-centered approach allows us to meet children where they are and challenge them to reach their greatest potential. Our holistic approach and joyful learning environment develop the mind, body, and spirit of each child,” making St. Luke’s just one of many San Antonio private schools dedicated to not only educating a student, but molding a well-rounded individual. If you are currently on the school search, you may find one of the many local private schools to be a great place for your child to grow.

Small Communities

The small class sizes private schools provide give students more individualized instruction and investment from teachers in their students on a personal basis, a preferable option for many students. Parents also benefit from a smaller community as they are afforded the opportunity to get well acquainted with faculty members, schools administration, and other families, enabling parents to play a very active role in their child’s education. Because of the small student body, private schools have a close-knit community feel that you don’t always find in other schools. 54 | sawoman.com

Saint Mary’s Hall

Curriculum Flexibility

Many San Antonio private schools allow their teachers to craft a curriculum that includes all the skills they believe students need to find success at college. By offering AP classes alongside unusual course selections, students are able to keep their academic edge and also pursue unique interests under the instruction of a teacher who shares their passion.

Extracurricular Activities

In the past school year alone our private schools have dispelled concerns of weak extracurricular programs. San Antonio Christian School’s athletic program earned the Texas Association of Private and Parochial School’s Henderson Championship Cup, a testament to the strength of their sports programs. Saint Mary’s Hall won the

SAN ANTONIO AREA DIRECTORY OF PRIVATE SCHOOLS

San Antonio Academy

2018 Texas Forensic Association State Tournament Sweepstake Award, lauding their Speech and Debate program as the finest in the state. Keystone students were awarded an incredible eighteen San Antonio Scholastic Art Awards for a variety of visual arts submissions, including several gold keys. San Antonio private schools have come a long way in providing opportunities to nurture your child’s extracurricular talents.

TMI

Foreign Language Experience

In may private schools, students enrolled in foreign language programs experience true linguistic and cultural immersion on field trips to museums or historical sites, community service projects in areas which only speak their studied language, or even trips abroad, helping bring to life their textbook lessons. In a world that is increasingly connected, the cognitive skills, communication skills, and courageous curiosity gained by being fluent in a foreign language will prove an invaluable asset for your student.

The College Process

Private schools also support their students in the process of seeking their dream institution of higher education. Your child’s college counselor will be dedicated to providing your him or her with ample time, whether it be spent helping them navigate the CommonApp, reading over their essays, or counseling them through identifying college and career preferences. These counselors play an integral part in supporting families through what can be an intensely emotional and stressful process and ensure that your child finds a college where they can thrive and prepare for adult life.

Talk About Tuition

Although many parents associate private schools with a hefty price tag, these schools also cater to a myriad of families facing different financial situations. Many private institutions are dedicated to ensuring children, regardless of their socioeconomic standing, have access to an incredible educational experience by offering both financial aid and scholarship opportunities to prospective students. If you wish to send your child to private school, do not let the cost of tuition dissuade you from looking into it. Ask questions of admissions officers at the school you are looking into who may be able to provide an affordable option for your family. 56 | sawoman.com

Saint Mary’s Hall Upper School

Consider Carefully

Each San Antonio schools offer a unique combination of programs suited to different needs and talents. No school is perfect, but by asking questions of both prospective institutions and your child, you can find one that perfectly caters to your child’s unique personality and skill set. Schedule tours, meet with admissions counselors, and ask lots of questions to help you find the right fit for your child: the right school, where your child can bloom into all they are capable of, is indeed out there.

SAN ANTONIO AREA DIRECTORY OF PRIVATE SCHOOLS The Academy at Morgan’s Wonderland Special Needs 5235 David Edwards Drive San Antonio, TX 78233 (210) 479-3311 www.morganswonderland.academy Acorn School Preschool – Kindergarten 3501 Broadway San Antonio, TX 78209 (210) 826-8804 www.theacornschool.net

The Atonement Academy PK – 12th 15415 Red Robin Rd. San Antonio, TX 78255 (210) 695-2240 www.atonementonline.com

Brighton Center Special Needs School 14207 Higgins Rd. San Antonio, TX 78217 (210) 826-4492 www.brightonsa.org

Blessed Hope Academy 9th – 12th 28604 Interstate 10 Frontage Rd, Boerne, TX 78006 (210) 697-9191 www.blessedhopeacademy.com

The Buckner Fanning School at Mission Spring PK – 12th 975 Mission Spring San Antonio, TX 78258 (210) 721-4700 www.tsams.org

Antioch Christian Academy K-6th Elementary School 227 Eross San Antonio, TX 78202 (210) 222-0159

Blessed Sacrament Catholic School PK – 8th 600 Oblate Dr. San Antonio, TX 78216 (210) 824-3381 www.blessedschool.com

Antonian College Preparatory 9th – 12th 6425 West Ave. San Antonio, TX 78213 (210) 344-9265 www.antonian.org

Bracken Christian School PK – 12th 670 Old Boerne Rd. Bulverde, TX 78163 (830) 438-3211 www.brackenchristian.com

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Calvary Chapel Christian Academy K – 12th 2935 Pat Booker Rd., Ste. 118 San Antonio, TX 78148 (210) 658-8337 www.calvarysa.com/academy The Christian School at Castle Hills PK – 12th 2216 N.W. Military Hwy. San Antonio, TX 78213 (210) 377-8485 www.castlehills.school

SAPRIVATESCHOOLS.COM Central Catholic High School 9th -12th 1403 N. St. Mary’s San Antonio, TX 78215 (210) 225-6794 www.cchs-satx.org

Concordia Lutheran School

Crossroads Christian Academy

PK – 8th 16801 Huebner Rd. San Antonio, TX 78258 (210) 479-1477 www.clssatx.com

PK – 6th 5834 Ray Ellison Blvd. San Antonio, TX 78242 (210) 623-4500 www.wherelifechanges.com/academy

CHILD Montessori School Age 2 – 5th grade 2829 Hunters Green St. San Antonio, TX 78231 (210) 493-6550 www.childmontessori.org

Converse Christian School and

Discovery School of San Antonio Inc.

Learning Center PK – 4th 9146 FM 78 Converse, TX 78109 (210) 659-0203 www.conversechristianschool.org

Ages 18 months – 1st grade 222 Salem Dr. San Antonio, TX 78201 (210) 344-3472 mydiscoveryschool.com

The Circle School Pre-K – 8th 217 Pershing Ave. San Antonio, TX 78209 (210) 822-0461 www.thecircleschool.org

Colonial Hills United Methodist School PK – K 5247 Vance Jackson San Antonio, TX 78230 (210) 349-1092 www.colonialhills.info

Cornerstone Christian School

Eisenhauer Road Baptist School

Kinder Campus 4K– 5K 8755 Stone Oak Parkway San Antonio, TX 78258 NW Military Campus 2nd – 12th 17702 NW Military Hwy, San Antonio, Texas 78257 (210) 979-6161 (Elementary) (210) 979-9203 (High School) www.sa-ccs.org

PK – K 3950 Eisenhauer Rd. San Antonio, TX 78218 (210) 655-6831

First Baptist Academy PK – 12th 1401 Pat Booker Rd. Universal City, TX 78148 (210) 658-5331 www.fbauc.com

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SAN ANTONIO AREA DIRECTORY OF PRIVATE SCHOOLS Gateway Christian School

Hill Country Montessori School

K – 12th 6623 Five Palms San Antonio, TX 78242 (210) 674-5703, ext. 35 www.gw-school.org

Ages 18 months – 8th grade 50 Stone Wall Dr. Boerne, TX 78006 (830) 229-5377 www.hcmontessori.org

Geneva School of Boerne

Holy Cross of San Antonio High School

K – 12th 113 Cascade Caverns Rd. Boerne, TX 78015 (830) 755-6101 www.genevaschooltx.org

6th -12th 426 N. San Felipe St. San Antonio, TX 78228 (210) 433-9395 www.holycross-sa.com

The George Gervin Academy Pre-K – 12th 6944 South Sunbelt Dr. San Antonio, TX 78218 (210) 568-8800 www.gervin-school.org

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Ages 6 weeks – K5 16245 Nacogdoches Rd. San Antonio, TX 78247 (210) 599-7640 www.holytrinitypres.org/ministries/ day-school

Incarnate Word High School 9th -12th 727 E. Hildebrand San Antonio, TX 78212 (210) 829-3100 www.incarnatewordhs.org

Holy Name Catholic School K3 – 8th 3814 Nash Blvd. San Antonio, TX 78223 (210) 333-7356 www.hncstx.org

Grace Christian School K4 – 12th 7760 Prue Rd. San Antonio, TX 78249 (210) 265-8166 www.gracechristianschool-sa.com

Holy Trinity Presbyterian Day School

Holy Spirit Catholic School K – 8th 770 W. Ramsey San Antonio, TX 78216 (210) 349-1169 www.hscssa.org

St. John Paul II Catholic High School 9th -12th 6720 FM 482 New Braunfels, TX 78132 (830) 643-0802 www.johnpaul2chs.org

Keystone School K – 12th 119 E. Craig Pl. San Antonio, TX 78212 (210) 735-4022, ext. 325 www.keystoneschool.org

SAPRIVATESCHOOLS.COM Little Flower Catholic School

Montessori School Int’l

New Braunfels Christian Academy

K3 – 8th 905 Kentucky Ave. San Antonio, TX 78201 (210) 732-9207 www.littleflowercatholicschool.org

Ages 18 months – 6 years 8222 Wurzbach Rd. San Antonio, TX 78229 (210) 614-1665 www.msitexas.com

Pre-K – 5th 995 Mission Hills Dr. New Braunfels, TX 78130 (830) 629-6222 www.nbcatx.org

Lutheran High School of San Antonio

Montessori Schoolhouse

New Braunfels Christian Academy

Ages 12 months – 6 years 10711 Dreamland Dr. San Antonio, TX 78230 (210) 341-0731 www.mymontessorischoolhouse.com

6th – 12th 220 FM 1863 New Braunfels, TX 78132 (830) 629-1821 www.nbcatx.org

The Montessori School of San Antonio

New Life Christian Academy Hybrid

MacArthur Park Lutheran Preschool Ages 18 months – 1st Grade 2903 Nacogdoches Rd. San Antonio, TX 78217 (210) 822-5374 www.macparkschool.org

Ages 3 years –14 years 17722 Rogers Ranch Pkwy. San Antonio, TX 78258 (210) 492-3553 www.montessorisa.org

Montessori Children’s House of SA

Mount Sacred Heart School

Infant – 6 years 4911 Golden Quail Rd. San Antonio, TX 78240 (210) 558-8339 www.montessorichildrenshousesa,com

Ages 2 years – 8th grade 619 Mount Sacred Heart Rd. San Antonio, TX 78216 (210) 342-6711 www.mountsacredheart.org

9th – 12th 18104 Babcock Rd. San Antonio, TX 78255 (210) 694-4962 www.lhssa.org

PK – 12th 6622 Hwy. 90 West San Antonio, TX 78227 (210) 679-6001 www.newlifehybrid.com

Northwest Hills Christian School K – 8th 8511 Heath Circle Dr. San Antonio, TX 78250 (210) 522-1102 www.nwhcs.org

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SAN ANTONIO AREA DIRECTORY OF PRIVATE SCHOOLS Our Lady of Perpetual Help School

River City Christian School

K – 8th 16075 N. Evans Rd. Selma, TX 78154 (210) 651-6811 www.olphselma.org

K – 12th 5810 Blanco Rd. San Antonio, TX 78216 (210) 384-0297 www.rivercitychristianschool.org

Providence Catholic School for Girls

Rolling Hills Catholic School and Antonian Middle School

St. Anthony Catholic High School

6th -12th 1215 N. St. Mary’s St. San Antonio, TX 78215 (210) 224-6651, ext. 210 www.edline.net/pages/providence_HMS

PK3– 8th 21240 Gathering Oak San Antonio, TX 78260 (210) 497-0323 www.rollinghillscatholic.org

9th -12th 3200 McCullough Ave. San Antonio, TX 78212 (210) 832-5600 www.sachs.org

Legacy Christian Academy

Royal Point Academy

St. Anthony Catholic School

PK – 12th 2255 Horal St. San Antonio, TX 78227 Elementary: (210) 674-0490 Jr./Sr. High: (210) 645-4081 www.rainbowhillsschool.net

PK3 – 6th 9965 Kriewald Rd. San Antonio, TX 78245 (210) 674-5310 www.royalpointacademy.com

K3-8th 205 W. Huisache San Antonio, TX 78212 (210) 732-8801 www.stanthonysa.org

Saint Mary’s Hall

St. David’s Episcopal School

K – 12th 9401 Starcrest Drive San Antonio, TX 78217 (210) 483-9100 www.smhall.org

Ages16 months – K 1300 Wiltshire Ave. San Antonio, TX 78209 (210) 824-2481 www.saintdavidschool.net

River City Believers Academy PK – 12th 16765 Lookout Rd. Selma, TX 78154 (210) 656-2999 www.rcbaonline.com

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St. Andrew’s Weekday School and Great Beginnings PK – Kindergarten 722 Robinhood Pl. San Antonio, TX 78209 (210) 824-8737 www.standrewsumcschool.org

SAPRIVATESCHOOLS.COM St. George Episcopal School PK – 8th 6900 West Ave. San Antonio, TX 78213 (210) 342-4263 www.saintgeorgeschool.org

St. John Berchmans Catholic School PK – 8th 1147 Cupples Rd. San Antonio, TX 78226 (210) 433-0411 www.sjbschool-sa.com

St. Gerard Catholic High School and Regional Middle School

St. John Bosco School

6th –12th 521 S. New Braunfels Ave. San Antonio, TX 78203 (210) 533-8061 www.stgerardsa.org

K3 – 8th 5630 W. Commerce San Antonio, TX 78237 (210) 432-8011 www.stjohnbosco-satx.org

St. Gregory the Great Catholic School

St. Luke Catholic School

St. Mary Magdalen Catholic School PK – 8th 1700 Clower St. San Antonio, TX 78201 (210) 735-1381 www.stmmsa.org

St. Matthew Catholic School PK – 8th 10703 Wurzbach Rd. San Antonio, TX 78230 (210) 478-5099 www.smcssa.org

St. Monica Catholic School

PK3 – 8th 700 Dewhurst San Antonio, TX 78213 (210) 342-0281 www.saintgregorysa.org

PK – 8th 4603 Manitou Dr. San Antonio, TX 78228 (210) 434-2011 www.stlukecatholic.org

St. Paul Catholic School St. Luke’s Episcopal School

St. James the Apostle Catholic School PK3 – 8th 907 West Theo Ave. San Antonio, TX 78225 (210) 924-1201 www.stjamesschoolsa.org

PK – 8th 515 North St. Converse, TX 78109 (210) 658-6701 www.saintmonica.net

PK – 8th 15 St. Luke’s Ln. San Antonio, TX 78209 (210) 826-0664 www.sles-sa.org

PK – 8th 307 John Adams Dr. San Antonio, TX 78228 (210) 732-2741 www.stpaulroyals.org

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SAN ANTONIO AREA DIRECTORY OF PRIVATE SCHOOLS St. Paul’s Episcopal Montessori School Ages 18 months – 12 years 1018 E. Grayson St. San Antonio, TX 78208 (210) 271-2861 www.stpaulsmontessori.org

St. Thomas More School PK3 – 8th 4427 Moana Dr. San Antonio, TX 78218 (210) 655-2882 www.st-thomas-more-school.org

San Antonio Country Day Montessori School Ages 2 years – 6th grade 4194 Jung Rd. San Antonio, TX 78247 (210) 496-6033 www.countrydayschool.net

Salem Sayers Baptist Academy St. Peter, Prince of the Apostles School Ages 18 months – 8th grade 112 Marcia Pl. San Antonio, TX 78209 (210) 824-3171 www.stpeterprince.org

St. Pius X School PK – 8th 7734 Robin Rest Dr. San Antonio, TX 78209 (210) 824-6431 www.stpiusxsa.org.

St. Thomas Episcopal School Ages 2 years – 3rd grade 1416 N. Loop 1604 E. San Antonio, TX 78232 (210) 494-3509 www.stthomaskids.com

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PK – 12th 5212 FM 1628 Adkins, TX 78101 (210) 649-1178 www.sayersacademy.com

Scenic Hills Christian Academy PK – 9th 11223 Bandera Rd. San Antonio, TX 78250 (210) 523-2312 www.scenichills.academy

San Antonio Academy of Texas PK – 8th 117 E. French Pl. San Antonio, TX 78212 (210) 733-7331 www.sa-academy.org

San Antonio Christian School PK – 12th 19202 Redland Rd. San Antonio, TX 78259 (210) 340-1864 www.sachristian.org

Shepherd of the Hills Lutheran School and Childcare Ages 6 weeks – 8th grade 6914 Wurzbach Rd. San Antonio, TX 78240 (210) 614-3742 www.shlutheran.org

Sunnybrook Christian Academy PK – 12th 1620 Pinn Rd. San Antonio, TX 78227 (210) 674-8000 www.sunnybrooklions.com

SAPRIVATESCHOOLS.COM Sunshine Cottage School for Deaf Children PK – 5th 603 E. Hildebrand San Antonio, TX 78212 (210) 824-0579 www.sunshinecottage.org

Trinity United Methodist School Ages 18 months – 5th grade 5319 Newcome Dr. San Antonio, TX 78229 (210) 684-5214 www.trinityums.org

Village Parkway Christian School TMI — The Episcopal School of Texas 6th – 12th 20955 West Tejas Tr. San Antonio, TX 78257 (210) 698-7171 www.tmi-sa.org

Town East Christian School PK – 12th 5866 U.S. Hwy. 87 East San Antonio, TX 78222 (210) 648-2601 www.teeagles.org

Trinity Christian Academy K – 8th 5401 N. Loop 1604 East San Antonio, TX 78247 (210) 653-2800 www.trinitychristianacademy-sa.com

PK – 5th 3002 Village Pkwy. San Antonio, TX 78251 (210) 680-8187 www.villageparkwaychristian.net

The Winston School San Antonio K – 12th 8565 Ewing Halsell Dr. San Antonio, TX 78229 (210) 615-6544 www.winston-sa.org

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mommy matters

By Pamela V Miller

Every year, we set our children up for â&#x20AC;&#x153;1st day of schoolâ&#x20AC;? pictures and then we blink an eye and find ourselves celebrating their last day of school. This phenomenon occurs when we, very innocently, give our kids the gift of having a wide range of experiences or sign them up for anything and everything that peaks their interest. The result? Our schedules fill up and time flies by, turning our tots into teens before we know it. 68 | sawoman.com

How do we savor moments and grow together as a family when each family member has their own schedules and agenda? While it’s important to allow our children to

it’s had, the comfort of gathering with your family, on a regular basis,

the basic foundations of family sometimes

power to keep you growing together.

with multiple commitments per week.

in multiple activities is often compounded

Family Days/Times

activity to another and are left with short, car

you book events and activities into your calendar, try blocking out one

try new things and have experiences, one of

gets lost in the process. Enrolling our children

From dusk ‘till dawn, we’re running from one

discussions that lack in depth and meaning. Quality family time gets lost.

Coupled with responsibilities, our schedules

keep us from having regular and profound

conversations with our children. Our role as

chauffeurs supersedes our role as parents

to relax and talk about the various events in each other’s lives has the

Making family time a priority is just as important, if not more, than

showing up for other commitments. Consistency is key here. Just as

day a week or a regular time slot for family time. Spend this time

wisely, too. Try hiking, camping, bike riding, or any other activity that

doesn’t include easy distractions from wireless devices. Family game

nights are always popular with younger children and quick day trips to various local points of interest are great for older kids. In the end, growing together through interaction and discussion is the goal.

Conversations become short, or not long

trying to guide our children through life.

Get Involved

enough to teach our young ones not only how

to deal with life, but how to love it. They learn

quality time spent together that they can appreciate. If your child takes swimming lessons, take some time to swim together once a

more about their activities and less about us. More drastically, we end up becoming so

adjusted to not having to have these crucial

discussions that when we do, they don’t

Involving yourself in your children's' interests opens the path to

week. If your child plays soccer, challenge them to a weekly match. Open the lines of communication as you’re participating in these

activities and reap the benefits of great memories made together.

feel natural.

Routines Turned into Quality Time

Growing as a family requires spending time

before bed qualifies as quality time, too. You don’t have to spend money

discussions. This goes beyond everyone being

your child. Working together as a team can also initiate some great

together regularly and having meaningful

in the same room with their electronics and

beyond watching our children from a sideline.

To gain the full benefit of quality time

Something as simple as a quick walk at sunset or just some time together

or create trips away from home to have a meaningful discussion with

conversation. Performing chores together and talking throughout the process is another great way to spend some time together.

should be time spent getting to know each

together, it has to be just that: quality. It

Dates

other, hearing each other’s thoughts and

experiences, learning from each other, and

relationship and create some lasting memories. Especially if you have

more than one child, dedicating a special time alone can help balance

discussing plans for the future.

Quality time should be meaningful and done on a regular basis. Sounds easy enough, but how can we work

both the gift of experiences and the gift of

quality time together into our schedules on a regular basis? Here are a few ideas to get you started: Family Dinner Time

Making an effort to spend dinner time together every night can reap

some wonderful rewards. Despite what type of meal is made or when

Dating your children on a regular basis can strengthen your

the scales and help you learn about your child as an individual.

Try breakfast or lunch dates during the week if your schedule doesn’t

allow for quality time later in the day.

We often think about how fast our children grow up, but truth be told, we are growing and learning just as much as they are. We’re

experiencing new things, learning how to work through new

problems, and how to manage in an ever-changing world. We need regular time with our children just as much as our children need

regular time with us. The years are going to go by fast whether we want them to or not and focusing on the most important family

foundation- quality time together- can help us to all enjoy the time before it passes.

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sustainable gardening

By Iris Gonzalez

hile gardeners in other parts of the country are enjoying the height of the year’s growing season, Stage 2 watering restrictions are already in place in South-Central Texas. Gardeners here need to make every drop of water counts in their edible landscape. You may garden early in the morning or at dusk, but your plants cannot avoid the dry heat and blazing sun in July and August.

With some planning and technique, it is possible to garden in San Antonio’s summers. Here are some tips on how to plan your harvest for the height of summer heat and drought.

Plant drought-tolerant vegetables. The types of drought-tolerant vegetables that work best in a low-water garden are the ones not planted in summer. Sowing seeds or plants earlier in the spring gives them time to get established, as extreme drought and heat will kill even the hardiest crops. Planting in the fall when the worst heat has passed allows for a late harvest of tomatoes to mature in time for Thanksgiving. If you planted fennel, Swiss or rainbow chard, rhubarb, asparagus, artichokes, and okra earlier in the year, they should be well established enough by July to survive with hand watering. In mild winters, chard and fennel will overwinter and continue to grow next spring. Asparagus survives summer’s heat year after year once its spring harvest is over. Artichokes and okra are unfazed by the heat, while rhubarb can be grown as an annual if started in late winter or early spring. 70 | sawoman.com

Consider planting Mediterranean natives like olive trees, figs and pomegranates in the late fall. They adapt well to our climate and once established, flourish year after year in the garden. Remember to harvest olives around Labor Day and process them into brine-filled jars. By the holidays, you will have olives ready to eat and share. Tomatoes, peppers and eggplants are heatloving plants, but they drop their blossoms when daytime temperatures are above 95 degrees and nighttime temperatures remain above 85 degrees for an extended period. Shade cloth can protect eggplants, peppers and tomatoes for a while, but it’s best to pull unproductive plants and plan on a fall planting instead. The exception will be hot peppers and sweet peppers such as banana, 'Gypsy' and pimento, which produce well despite the heat. The star of the summer garden is still okra. Because okra is native to tropical Africa, it never gets too hot for plants to produce pods. Once the okra seedlings are a few inches tall, they should be thinned to 12 inches between plants, as their attractive large blooms need room to spread open for pollination. Harvest frequently when pods are about three inches long and still tender. Recommended varieties for our area include ‘Oscar,’ ‘Emerald,’ ‘Clemson Spineless,’ ‘Cajun Delight,’ ‘Dwarf Green’ and ‘Lee.’ Use mulch and drip irrigation to conserve water. Plan on adding a three- to four-inch layer of mulch such as grass

clippings, dried leaves, pine needles, straw or shredded bark to keep the soil cooler and reduce evaporation. Raised beds help retain water better than open flatbeds. Planting in clusters rather than in rows can provide shade from the leaves for conserving water. Shade cloth can also give plants some relief from the heat of the direct sun. Consider using a drip irrigation system to water the garden in the late evening or early morning. Water more heavily when the plants are very young and reduce the amount as they mature, except as the plants set fruit. For best fruit production, reintroduce additional water for a

time and then reduce it again. Apply enough water to wet the soil to a depth of at least six inches. Most gardens require about an inch of rain or irrigation per week during the growing season. Plant your fall garden in August. Gardening in the fall can be much more challenging than spring planting because crops need to mature before the first fall frost, typically between Thanksgiving and Dec. 1 depending on your area. Double check the "Days to Harvest" needed for each variety between planting and picking, as the length of time can vary widely between different varieties of the same kinds of plants.

Garden centers should have tomatoes, peppers and eggplant transplants for fall planting. These vegetables need about 100 days to harvest, so plan on transplanting them around Aug. 17. San Antonio gardeners need to plant seeds directly into the garden about Aug. 12 for hot weather vegetables like squashes, pumpkins, cucumbers, watermelons and gourds grown for a fall harvest.

Resources Creating a Drought-Resistant Garden in Central Texas is available at many local nurseries and gardening stores or online here: https://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/travis/mastergardeners/creating-a-drought-resistant-gardenin-central-texas/ Photos of top vegetables to grow in the heat: www.hgtv.com/outdoors/flowers-and-plants/vegetables/15-top-veggies-to-grow-in-the-heat-pictures When to plant vegetables in San Antonio: https://garden.org/apps/calendar/?q=Persimmon+Gap%2C+TX

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WOMEN IN BUSINESS

sawomanconnect.com

women in medicine

By Dawn Robinette

Photograpy by David Teran

Not many business decisions are life or death, but for physicians in private practice, their daily business is exactly that. These doctors excel at providing patient care while juggling the demands of growing their practices, running their businesses and balancing family demands around the often 24/7 schedule required of doctors. While each of them has a different medical specialty, at the heart of their success is just that, heart: care for their patients, commitment to excellence and a love of what they do. Surrounding themselves with strong teams, putting their patients first and working hard is also part of their prescription for success. And of course, they wouldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t be good doctors if they didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t add some health advice to their thoughts on business. In this case, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s to make ourselves and our health a priority, eat a sensible diet, exercise and of course, wear your sunscreen.

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women in medicine

Dr. Diane Greiner

Diane Greiner, M.D., a fellow of the American College of Cardiology with the Heart Clinic of San Antonio, puts her own heart into patient care. “Patients always ask ‘how would you advise your mom?’ And that’s how I think of my patients: if this were a family member, what advice would I give them?” She feels that personal approach, as well as attention to detail, make a difference. “Patients notice detail, just like any other business. They notice when you know their names, you remember things about their family.” Greiner, 51, is a United States Air Force veteran who has been in private practice since 2003. She believes the key to building a successful practice, or business, is being a good listener. She hears patients frequently say that previous doctors didn’t listen or didn’t want to take time to work with them to find the solution that was best for them. “A lot of doctors are ‘It’s my way or the highway’, but that’s not how I would want to be treated.” Patience also hits home.

“When you have the patience to sit there and listen to somebody, it makes a big difference. I think people remember that.”

Greiner keeps in mind something one of her attending physicians in medical school said. “Medicine or life is a multiple exposure sport,” she explains. “Something may be hard the first time, but the next time you encounter that problem, you’re going to already have that experience and it’s going to be easier for you.”

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Dr. Catherine Tisdall

Catherine Tisdall, M.D., a partner at Dermatology San Antonio, wishes everyone would wear their sunscreen. “It’s not going to put me out of business. It’s a really simple thing. There’s good evidence it prevents skin cancer and it helps prevent wrinkles.”

Simple guidance is also the basis of how Tisdall has built her practice. “When I was in residency, one of my mentors said, ‘Do the right thing always. Everything will follow from that.’,” she explains. “We take excellent care of our patients. And we treat our staff well. If you treat your staff well, you create a positive environment for the whole practice.”

“Be explicit about your vision with yourself and your staff: this is our priority, this is our goal, and it will take care of itself.”

A board-certified dermatologist, Tisdall, 44, recognizes the value of a team. “As a business owner, you can’t do it all. You have to empower your staff to make decisions in their own areas. You get a better running business that way.” She also believes in not being afraid of hard work. “In cycling, when you’re going up a hill, you might have to find another gear. Then you might have to find another one. And you don’t think you have that next gear. Then you find you’re capable of working a lot harder than you thought. Not being afraid of hard work, not being afraid to find that third gear, will increase your ability to work and learn.”

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women in medicine

Dr. Jeni Vela

As a child, Jeni Vela, M.D., thought she’d become a park ranger, but watching a beloved cousin tragically lose his life to medical malpractice changed all of that. “I saw that there was a lack of quality healthcare. From that point on, I volunteered at hospitals, learning as much as I could.” An obstetrics and gynecology physician with the Institute for Women's Health in San Antonio, the medical field, and her specialty definitely suits her. "You're going to be involved in big decisions in their life—big moments. It's so rewarding because you're with them eight or nine months, they have their baby and you get to be a part of that special moment in their lives. It never gets old." “I try to talk to my patients and really listen. I take time to explain things and why I recommend one way over another,” she explains when asked about how she maintains a successful practice. I try and talk to them and treat them like they’re family.” Vela, 35, is also the mother of two children under the age of two, a balancing act for any mom. “I don’t recommend it to my patients,” she laughs. But she’s up to the challenge. When issues arise, “I try to attack the problem from a different angle and not get caught up in it,” she explains.

“I try to always go back to my roots and remember why I went into medicine in the first place — to make a difference.”

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Dr. Michelle Welch

Michelle Welch, M.D., the founder of Diabetes and Metabolism Specialists in San Antonio, started her practice with two employees, renting a small office from another doctor. She now has 25 employees. “If you know in your heart that you’re doing the right thing and can do a good job, there’s always a better way to skin a cat. If you think you know that way — what’s that quote from ‘Field of Dreams’? — ‘If you build it, they will come.’”

“If you have a philosophy, a vision, you can make it happen. There are a lot of bumps in the road. The most important thing is to seek out mentors,” she offers as advice.

Board Certified in Internal Medicine, Diabetes, Endocrinology, and Metabolism, Welch, 48, has been treating some patients for more than 15 years. "Getting to know them, their lives, being able to help them is rewarding — especially seeing them get better," she explains.

“It’s really bringing medicine to the patient level, teaching them, engaging them and being a team. I work on educating them and I think they see the value in that knowledge base and the value in being engaged.” The mother of three founded and expanded her practice while growing her family as well. Along the way, she learned the importance of cooperation and letting the little things go. “You have to focus on the big things. Keep an eye on things that really matter and don’t worry about the rest.”

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women on the move COURTNEY LAVERTY

Courtney Laverty is the new development director of Hemisfair Conservancy. Hemisfair is in the midst of an exciting transformation, and is on its way to becoming a world-class urban park. Courtney is originally from Chicago, but fell in love with San Antonio when she visited in 2015. Within four months of that initial visit, she and her husband relocated with their three children and are thrilled to call San Antonio their home. Courtney has over 15 years of fundraising experience, and looks forward to working with the community to build a vibrant and sustainable Hemisfair that will be enjoyed for generations to come!

MICHELLE LUGALIA-HOLLON

Michelle Lugalia-Hollon is the director of initiatives and partnerships at Kronkosky Charitable Foundation. She graduated from the Harvard School of Public Health with a Master of Science in society, human development and health in 2010 and with Bachelor of Arts in comparative human development from the University of Chicago in 2007. She has worked in government, philanthropy and with several nonprofits focusing on maternal and infant HIV/AIDS prevention, sexual and youth violence prevention, homelessness, trauma, youth development, restorative justice, and public health.

LISA MOCHEL

Nita Martin joins the San Antonio Board of REALTORS® (SABOR) as its government affairs director of advocacy. In this position, she is responsible for developing political strategies and building relationships that will help protect private property rights, as well as advancing the real estate industry in and around the San Antonio area. Martin previously served as the communications and governmental affairs director for central Mississippi REALTORS® and as a home ownership counselor and education trainer at the University of Southern Mississippi.

NITA MARTIN

Lisa Mochel has joined Texas Capital Bank as vice president, treasury solutions officer on Texas Capital Bank’s Treasury & Liquidity Solutions team in San Antonio. Lisa will be working with businesses providing guidance and working capital solutions to improve their processes, optimize cash positions and streamline their business operations through treasury and liquidity management. Lisa has over 20 years banking experience.

CHRISTIE STREICHER

Christie Streicher has over 20 years of property management experience and currently manages a commercial property portfolio of 654,000 square footage consisting of office, multi-use and flex space in San Antonio and Laredo. She also holds an RPA designation, earned through the Building Owners and Managers Association, and is also a member of the Institute of Real Estate Management and holds a Texas Real Estate License.

ANGELA THEESFIELD

Angela Theesfield, SGS has joined Davidson Camp Insurance Services, LLC as director of group sales. She brings 18 years of experience in the employee benefit industry, most recent nine years with United HealthCare as a sales account executive. Her first benefits position found her on the customer service line at CIGNA, assisting 9/11 victims and families. Theesfield is currently serving her 2nd term as president of the San Antonio Health Underwriters.

SUSAN THORNTON

HAYLEE UPTERGROVE

Susan Thornton has joined PixelWorks Corporation as editor of San Antonio Woman, 78209 Magazine, Texas Dove Hunters Magazine and their respective websites. Her background includes a combined 26 years in education and counseling in Texas and California, director of marketing for a therapy clinic in the Rio Grande Valley, and director of operations for a local non-profit association, as well as editor of their magazine.

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Haylee Uptergrove has joined PixelWorks Corporation as the copyeditor for San Antonio Woman, 78209 Magazine, Texas Dove Hunters Magazine and their respective websites. She is a recent graduate of Texas Tech University and brings a new perspective on journalism, copyediting and digital media to the 25-year-old publishing company. “I have always loved publications,” said Uptergrove. “I am so excited to work with a company that cares about the people of San Antonio and makes telling their stories a priority.”

business calendar

July 18, 25 Rotary San Antonio Weekly Meeting The Witte Museum – Prassel Auditorium 11:30 pm July 10 National Association of Women Business Owners Cocktail Connections SAKS/Off 5th at The Rim 5 – 8pm July 10 North San Antonio Chamber Power Networking Breakfast Norris Conference Center 7 – 9am July 10 San Antonio Chamber of Commerce Business Connections Mixer Bob’s Steak & Chop House 5:30 – 7pm July 12 Commercial Real Estate Women 2nd Annual Mega Mixer The Well 4 – 7pm July 11 National Association of Female Executives Monthly Meeting Old San Francisco Steakhouse Check-in and Networking: 11:30 – 11:45am Lunch and Speaker: 11:45am – 12:30pm Opportunity Networking: 1 – 1:30pm July 12 San Antonio Hispanic Chamber of Commerce New Member Orientation 200 East Grayson St Suite 203 8:45 – 10am

July 26 8th Annual Commercial Real Estate Women Movie Mixer Alamo Drafthouse Park North 5:30 – 9:30pm August 1, 8, 15, 22, 29 Rotary San Antonio Weekly Meeting The Witte Museum – Prassel Auditorium 11:30 pm August 8 San Antonio Hispanic Chamber of Commerce New Member Orientation 200 East Grayson St Suite 203 8:45 – 10am August 8 National Association of Female Executives Monthly Meeting Old San Francisco Steakhouse Check-in and Networking: 11:30 – 11:45am Lunch and Speaker: 11:45am – 12:30pm Opportunity Networking: 1 – 1:30pm August 10 North San Antonio Chamber 2018 Mayors’ Vision for San Antonio Marriott Rivercenter 11am – 1pm August 28 San Antonio Women’s Chamber Bloomberg Business Program Old San Francisco Steakhouse 11am – 1pm September 13 CREWtini 2018 8th Annual CREW San Antonio Fundraiser at Weston Centre

July 24 San Antonio Women’s Chamber Bloomberg Business Program Old San Francisco Steakhouse 11am – 1pm

September 19 San Antonio Women’s Chamber of Commerce Back-to-School (Summer) Networking Mixer Location: TBD 5:30 - 7pm

July 26 National Association of Women Business Owners Monthly Meeting Petroleum Club 11am – 1pm

September 27 San Antonio Women’s Chamber of Commerce New Member Mixer Location: TBD 5:30 - 7pm

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spotlight

Denise Krajewski CHIEF NURSING OFFICER, SOUTH TEXAS SPINE & SURGICAL HOSPITAL

What do you like best about your job?

Everyday is something new and it is always a challenge. I have the ability to positively impact the quality of patient care delivered at my facility.

What career path led you to where you are today?

When I was 12 years old my father had a heart attack and was hospitalized for several weeks. I was mesmerized by the excellent care he received and the teamwork between the nurses. It was then I decided to become a nurse. My first position was at Denver Children’s Hospital for 16 years. I was blessed to work with extremely supportive leaders in a wonderful environment which helped form the path to leadership for me.

When you were young, what did you want to be when you grew up?

I always knew I wanted to be in healthcare and I had a passion for caring for others early on. I started in healthcare as a nurse’s aide when I was in high school. 82 | sawoman.com

What is the best advice you ever received?

Listen to everybody before you make up your own mind — when you listen, you learn.

What community or non-profit groups do you support?

Meals on Wheels, March of Dimes, ASPCA and Special Olympics.

What do you think makes being a “San Antonio Woman” so special?

It recognizes the unique talents we bring to the table in one of the best communities in the United States. It makes me proud that my accomplishments and leadership are recognized.

What do you do to relax outside of work? My family loves the water — boating, fishing and jet skiing. Family fun in the sun is always very relaxing. I also enjoy landscaping and gardening.

What is your favorite event in San Antonio in the summer? Why?

The first day on Canyon Lake with my family because it is the first sign summer is here! We also spend time at the Botanical Gardens in June because it gives me ideas for my yard.

What is your favorite local San Antonio restaurant? Why?

Papasitos because it was the first place we went after we relocated here 14 years ago and it has been a family favorite ever since!

What is the most inspirational book you have read this year?

The 5 Second Rule by Mel Robbins. It pushed me to be better than my excuses and has taught me a new way to push myself.

What would people be surprised to know about you? That I own and manage a small real estate business working with rental properties and farm land in Nebraska and Arizona.

sanantoniodoctors.com

2018 medical directory Reproductive Endocrinology Dr. Jaye Adams will soon be joining the Fertility Center of San Antonio, and is excited to be accepting new patients. Dr. Adams is board certified in both Reproductive Endocrinology and Obstetrics and Gynecology. Dr. Adams completed her residency training in Obstetrics and Gynecology as an Air Force physician at Wilford Hall Medical Center and Brooke Army Medical Center in 2000. She subsequently went on to complete fellowship training in Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, TX; allowing her to practice full-time helping couples to experience the joy of building a family. She has retired from the Air Force after 22 years of service and looking forward to continuing to serve local San Antonio families with their fertility aspirations.

Jaye Adams, MD, FACOG • Reproductive Endocrinology & Infertility

Years in San Antonio: 14 years CONTACT: Fertility Center of San Antonio 4499 Medical Drive #200, San Antonio, Texas 78229 (210) 692-0577 www.fertilitysa.com

Obstetrics and Gynecology Allison R. Cavazos, M.D. joined the physician staff at Oak Hills Women’s Center, P.A. on August 1, 2017, upon completion of the residency program in Obstetrics-Gynecology at Parkland Hospital, the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas.

Allison R. Cavazos, MD Dr. Cavazos accepts appointments for patients who have obstetrical or gynecological needs and will see patients in all age groups.

A native of San Antonio, Dr. Cavazos graduated from Tom C. Clark High School and received a Bachelor of Science in Biological Sciences from Stanford University, where she earned highest honors for Academic Achievement. She received her Doctorate of Medicine from the University of Texas Health Science Center San Antonio in 2013. She also completed a Master of Public Health degree from the University of Texas Health Science Center School of Public Health, Houston, Texas in 2013. She was an outstanding resident at Parkland Hospital, one of the busiest OBGYN training programs in the United States, and upon graduation, won the residency award for Excellence in Pediatric Gynecology. Dr. Cavazos is a junior fellow of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, as well as a member of the American Medical Association and the Texas Medical Association. CONTACT: Oak Hills Women’s Center 9639 Huebner Rd., San Antonio, TX 78240-1512 (210) 692-3636 oakhillswomenscenter.com

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2018 medical directory Obesity Medicine Jennifer Seger, MD has extensive knowledge and training related to obesity and other diseases closely tied to obesity. She is passionate about healthy living, wellness and disease prevention. Dr. Seger is board certified in Family Medicine and is a Diplomate of the American Board of Obesity Medicine. A Texas native, Dr. Seger was born and raised in Houston. She earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology from the University of Texas at Austin. She attended the University of Texas Medical School at San Antonio and completed her residency training at Texas Tech Medical School. Dr. Seger is an active member of the Obesity Medicine Association, whose focus is on the treatment of patients with overweight and obesity and the resulting co-morbidities. She is also the co-author of The Obesity Algorithm.

Jennifer C. Seger, MD CONTACT: BMI of Texas 9910 Huebner Road, Suite 250 San Antonio, TX 78240 (210) 615-8500 www.BMIofTexas.com

Endocrinology Kathleen Hands, M.D., is board-certified in both internal medicine and Endocrinology with sub-specialty training in thyroid disorders. Dr. Hands is the first Ultrasound Certified endocrinologist from AIUM and trains other endocrinologists in thyroid ultrasound guided biopsy techniques. Recognized nationally for her expertise in lymph node assessment in patients with thyroid nodules to determine risks for cancer, she is one of few physicians who perform molecular studies on thyroid nodule biopsies, increasing accuracy in assessing cancer risks and avoiding unnecessary surgery. Dr. Hands has received “Compassionate Doctor Award” from independent patient review groups.

Kathleen Hands, MD, FACE, ECNU • Thyroid nodules & Thyroid cancer • Parathyroid disease • Pregnancy-related thyroid disease • Autoimmune thyroid diseases • Hyperthyroidism and hypothyroidism

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EDUCATION: • Fellowship: UTHSC, San Antonio • Diplomat of the American Board of Internal Medicine • Diplomat of the American Board of Endocrinology and Metabolism • Asst. Professor, Univ. of Texas Health Science Center SA, Dept. of Medicine Years in San Antonio: 14 CONTACT: Thyroid & Endocrine Center of South Texas 540 Madison Oak Drive, Suite 270, San Antonio, Texas 78258 (210) 491-9494 www.thyroid-center.com DrHands@thyroid-center.com

2018 medical directory Modern LASIK Gregory D. Parkhurst, MD, FACS, is a Global Top 40 Under 40 Eye Surgeon, who lives and practices right here in San Antonio. Dr. Parkhurst has performed tens of thousands of successful procedures, such as Modern LASIK and its 7 advanced alternatives, for professionals including country music stars, military fighter pilots, pro athletes, and the most important women in his life - his wife and mother. Dr. Parkhurst specializes in procedures to restore reading vision after 40, as well as Modern LASIK and Laser Cataract Surgery, all of which are designed to help people see their best without being dependent on glasses or contact lenses at almost any age.

Gregory D. Parkhurst, MD, FACS

Dr. Parkhurst leads an international society of more than 250 of the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s leading vision correction surgeons as President of the Refractive Surgery Alliance, and he teaches the next generation of eye doctors as a member of the teaching faculty at UIWâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Rosenberg School of Optometry. CONTACT: Parkhurst NuVision 8725 Datapoint Drive, Suite 200 San Antonio, TX 78229 (210) 615-9358 www.SanAntonio-LASIK.com

Rehabilitation

Mary Lou Lugo, PT, DPT

Dr. Mary Lou Lugo received her degree from The University of Texas Health Science Center- San Antonio in 1994 and has acquired a vast array of experiences. She obtained an Orthopedic Specialist Certification and completed a fellowship program thru The American Academy of Orthopaedic and Manual Physical Therapist in 2006. In addition, she obtained her Clinical Doctorate in Physical Therapy at Regis University in Denver, CO. Her interest is in health and preventative wellness and utilizes her skills as a physical therapist and a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist to rehabilitate her patients. Dr. Lugo utilizes various tools to facilitate healing patients including manual therapy, dry needling, Instrument assisted soft tissue mobilization, laser therapy, and exercise amongst many others. She joined the team at Liberty Rehab in 2009 and purchased the practice in 2013. Her passion remains treating patients but also enjoys the challenges of running a busy practice. Her mission is to continue to provide quality Physical and Occupational Therapy to her community and provide a family atmosphere to allow patients to heal. She is a native of San Antonio and attended Incarnate Word High school. Her Catholic upbringing has helped mold her beliefs about community and common good and strives to make a positive impact in clinic as well as the community. CONTACT: Liberty Rehab Mary Lou Lugo PT DPT 415 Embassy Oaks Suite 202 San Antonio TX 78216 Marylou@liberty-rehab.com (210) 490-4738

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2018 medical directory Rehabilitation Rebecca R. Cantu, PT, DPT

Dr. Rebecca R. Cantu. Dr. Cantu brings her knowledge and experience as a recent 2017 graduate of University of Incarnate Word. Dr. Cantu. Her experiences include a pediatrics to high intensity sports specific rehabilitation, but her area of interest includes neurological rehabilitation, with a special interest in vestibular therapy. She is currently holds a Parkinson's Wellness Recovery Certification.

CONTACT: Liberty Rehab 2130 NE Loop 410 Suite 212 San Antonio, TX 78217 Rebeccal@liberty-rehab.com (210) 656-5848

Rehabilitation Kirsten Harper, PT, DPT

Dr. Kirsten Harper. Harper brings a wealth of knowledge and experience with her background spanning from 1992. Dr. Harper obtained an Orthopedic Specialist Certification and completed a fellowship program thru The American Academy of Orthopedic and Manual Physical Therapist in 2006. Dr. Harper received her Transitional Doctorate of Physical Therapy, with highest honors from Regis University in Denver Colorado. She works diligently to stay active in the professional industry and has been the recipient of various professional awards and accomplishments. Dr. Harper brings much expertise in physical therapy with an emphasis in orthopaedics, and interests in functional mobility, chronic pain, wellness and vestibular rehabilitation. CONTACT: Liberty Rehab 2130 NE Loop 410 Suite 212 San Antonio, TX 78217 Kirsten@liberty-rehab.com (210)656-5848

Rehabilitation Phyllis Monroe, OT, CHT

Mrs. Monroe received her Bachelor of Science from Texas A&M University followed by her Masters in Occupational Therapy from Texas Womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s University in 1986. She received her Certification in Hand Therapy (CHT) in October 1993. Mrs. Monroe is proud to be one of the few therapists in the country to have attained this level of specialty. Today, Mrs. Monroe has more than 25 years of experience, specializing in not Occupational Therapy but also Upper Extremity Rehabilitation. She has special interest in custom splints and traumatic hand injuries.

CONTACT: Liberty Rehab 415 Embassy Oaks Suite 202 San Antonio TX 78216 Phyllis@liberty-rehab.com (210)490-4738

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Rehabilitation Cheryl Villaret, PT, CLT

Mrs. Villaret received her Masterâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Degree in Physical Therapy from University of the Pacific, Stockton, CA in 1989. Her varied background includes experience working in hospitals, acute rehab, nursing homes, outpatient and home health. Mrs. Villaret completed certification course in lymphedema therapy from Klose Training in 2011 and holds an advanced qualification as a Cancer Exercise Specialist. Mrs. Villaret areas of clinical focus include the treatment of lymphedema of the extremities, trunk, head and neck, as well as post breast cancer surgery rehab. CONTACT: Liberty Rehab 2130 NE Loop 410 Suite 212 San Antonio, TX 78217 Cheryl@liberty-rehab.com (210)656-5848

2018 medical directory Obstetrics & Gynecology

Obstetrics & Gynecology

Yadira Ayleen Anca, MD

Luis Morales, MD

Education: BS: Biology, 2003, University of Puerto Rico MD: 2007, Ponce School of Medicine, Puerto Rico Residency: 2011, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio

Education: BS: Chemistry, 1985, University of Puerto Rico MD: 1989, University of Puerto Rico Residency: 1993, University District Hospital, Puerto Rico

Dr. Yadira Ayleen Anca earned her B.S. in Biology in 2003 from the University of Puerto Rico and an M.D. degree in 2007 from Ponce School of Medicine in Ponce, Puerto Rico. She completed her residency training in Obstetrics and Gynecology at the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio in 2011. In 2017, Dr. Anca joined CommuniCare Health Centers as a Women’s Health Provider. Her special interests include contraception, minimally-invasive gynecologic surgery, high-risk obstetrics, and teen health.

CONTACT: CommuniCare Health Centers San Antonio – Potranco Campus 10002 Westover Bluff, San Antonio, TX 78251 (210) 521-9500 Hours of Operation: Mon-Fri (8:00am to 7:00pm) www.communicaresa.org

Obstetrics & Gynecology Kendra L. Thorn, MD, FACOG Education: BS: Biology, 1995, Trinity University MD: 1999, Baylor College of Medicine Residency: 2003, Obstetrics and Gynecology, The University of Texas Medical Branch

Dr. Kendra Thorn, MD, FACOG earned her BA degree in Biology in 1995 from Trinity University and an MD degree in 1999 from Baylor College of Medicine. She completed her residency training in Obstetrics and Gynecology from The University of Texas Medical Branch in 2003. She practiced privately for 11 years in Cibolo, Texas before joining CommuniCare Health Centers as an OB-GYN provider.

CONTACT: CommuniCare Health Centers San Antonio – East Campus 3066 E. Commerce St., San Antonio, TX 78220 (210) 233-7000 Hours of Operation: Mon-Fri: 8:00am to 7:00pm www.CommuniCaresa.org

Dr. Luis Morales is a qualified and adept obstetrician and gynecologist working at CommuniCare Health Centers since 2005. Dr. obtained his B.S. in Chemistry from the University of Puerto Rico in 1985. He obtained his medical degree from the University of Puerto Rico School of Medicine in 1989. He advanced his medical training by completing a residency in obstetrics and gynecology at University District Hospital. His special interest lies in high-risk obstetrics and gynecology surgery.

CONTACT: CommuniCare Health Centers San Antonio – Metropolitan Women’s Campus 1200 Brooklyn Ave, Suite 300, San Antonio, TX, 78212 (210) 233-7230 Hours of Operation: Mon-Fri (8:00am to 5:00pm) www.communicaresa.org

Obstetrics & Gynecology Nichole K. Van de Putte, MD, FACOG Education: BS: Music Therapy, 2002, Loyola University MD: 2008, University of Texas Health Science Center of San Antonio School of Medicine Residency: 2012, Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Texas Health Science Center of San Antonio Obstetrics and Gynecology

Dr. Nichole K. Van de Putte, MD, FACOG earned her BA degree in Music Therapy in 2002 from Loyola University and an MD degree in 2008 from University of Texas Health Science Center of San Antonio School of Medicine. She completed her residency training in Obstetrics and Gynecology from University of Texas Health Science Center of San Antonio Obstetrics and Gynecology in 2012. She had been practicing for 6 years prior to joining Communicare Health Centers. CONTACT: CommuniCare Health Centers San Antonio – West Campus 1102 Barcaly Street, San Antonio, TX 78207 (210) 233-7000 Hours of Operation: Mon-Fri: 8:00am to 7:00pm www.CommuniCaresa.org

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health

By Dawn Robinette

There’s no doubt that what you eat is connected to physical health. Food also impacts your mental health. From helping you maintain focus to potentially fighting off dementia, what’s on your plate impacts your brain.

Healthy Mind “Your brain operates on fuel, even when

processed foods, you’re shooting your blood

nothing other than salt — no palm oil or

healthy fuel so our brains can operate at their

which causes your mood to drop.”

roasted or pan-toasted, then tossed in salads.

you’re sleeping. We have to put in good,

best,” explains Jan Tilley, MS, RDN, LD, and

President/CEO of JTA Wellness, a nutrition

consulting firm promoting healthy living

through nutrition and fitness.

If you put in the wrong fuel, like sugar and saturated fats, “Our brains can’t function like we want them to,” notes Tilley. The right diet can also help your brain to

sugar up quickly and dropping it back down,

So what should you be eating to keep your mind focused, sharp and growing? "One of the most important things you can do for brain health are food

coach. “Your ability to generate new brain

cells depends on your diet, exercise, being

curious and constantly learning new things.” “Food can affect every part of your being,

including your mental clarity and ability to

focus,” explains Scoblick. Tilley agrees.

“We tease about being ‘hangry’. It’s true.

If you’re eating a lot of refined products and

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right foods can keep you

on a more even keel, so

pairing a complex

and energy level, giving you fuel throughout

avocados, nuts, and olive protect and regenerate synapses in the brain

owner of Health Inspires in Austin, where

carbohydrate. "Eating the

Healthy fats include

something that occurred only prenatally,” she works as a certified health and wellness

healthy fat with a complex

carbohydrate with lean protein or healthy fat

fats," details Tilley.

oil. The fat in avocados

notes Kathryn Scoblick, author and the

Tilley recommends pairing a

that are high in healthy

grow. “Adults can generate up to 700 brain neurons per day — once thought to be

hydrogenated oil.” She suggests trying some

has even been shown to help

to help prevent cognitive decline, so guacamole really is your friend.

Nuts and seeds are also good sources of

healthy fats. Walnuts and almonds top the nutritional list, but sunflower, flax, chia,

pumpkin and hemp seeds are all

good to enjoy. “Nut butters are a great option too,”

says Scoblick. “Check the

ingredients and choose

those with only the nut, and

to slow your digestion helps your blood sugar the day," Tilley notes that carbohydrates — even complex ones — should not fill more than a quarter of your plate. Complex

carbohydrates are high in fiber and slow to

break down, like quinoa, brown rice, whole grain pasta and even sweet potatoes. "Aim

for one-third to one-half cup per serving." From a protein standpoint, both Scoblick and Tilley recommend fish,

especially fatty ones like salmon, halibut, cod,

mackerel or sardines. "Salmon's

omega-3 fatty acid content has it on every

superfood list," notes Scoblick. “Omega 3s are

attributed to lowering risk of heart disease,

Another brain food to

helping arthritis and preventing Alzheimer's.”

enjoy is berries. From blue to black, as well

To round-out a healthy-mind diet, keep your

as strawberries and

plate focused on vegetables. “Half of your

plate should be vegetables," notes Tilley. A recent

study found that eating one to two servings a

day of green leafy

vegetables (such as spinach,

kale, Swiss chard, and arugula) had a powerful

raspberries, they have a

low sugar impact and are

packed with antioxidants, lowering your risk of heart disease and cancer while stabilizing brain function. “All berries are good, yet

choose blueberries for the most powerful punch,” notes Scoblick.

impact on preventing cognitive decline and

And to boost your overall health, drink up.

is likely from important nutrients found in

ounces of water each day,” advises Tilley. “It

dementia. "The findings suggest this benefit these vegetables, such as

folate, lutein, and nitrate,

which are known to be

associated with slowing

cognitive decline," she explains.

“You should drink half of your body weight in does so much to remove the toxins in your body and clean things up.” If water isn’t your thing,

unsweetened tea, coffee or sparkling waters are also good.

It’s little surprise that both Scoblick and

Tilley advise that clean eating is best for both body and brain health. To eat your way to a healthy mind, Tilley has a great reminder:

Food is medicine. It has this incredible power to heal, repair and restore our bodies when we put it in right.

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giving back

By Jennifer O’Neill he city of San Antonio and its people are known for their hospitality and generosity, and one such charitable organization, the women-led Impact San Antonio, embodies those very qualities with its annual giving. It is one-of-akind in that it allows members to participate first-hand in giving back to the local community. The president of Impact San Antonio, Lora Watts, described this unique concept as the catalyst for her desire to become a member back in 2010, just one year after retiring from a career with AT&T and attending her first recruitment event for the organization. “I joined immediately,” Watts said. “I loved the model of the organization.” What sets Impact San Antonio apart from other grant-making organizations is how member contributions make their way to local agencies, because not only does 100% of a member’s $1,000 contribution go directly to grants, but each member plays a part in hand-picking grant recipients with a vote on grant awards night. Memberships can be on an individual basis or shared, with two to four people contributing to the $1,000 membership. Impact SA awards $100,000 grants in five focus areas: Arts and Culture; Education, Environment, Recreation, and Preservation; Family; Health; and Wellness. Last year’s grant recipients include the Magik Theatre, Northside Education Foundation/Construction Careers Academy, The Ecumenical Center, and Project Mend. Watts explained this year’s grants are special, because it will mark the first time in Impact SA’s history where it can award over $500,000 in grants. “As long as Impact has been in existence, its vision as an organization has been to have a membership of 500 or more,” she said. This year’s membership of just fewer than 700 helped it come a long way from its start back in 2004 when Kelly Hutchinson first began Impact SA. Her mother was part of an Impact in Florida, and taking what she learned from there to bring it to the Alamo City, Impact SA was able to award a grant of $25,000 during its first year. In its almost 15-year tenure, Impact SA will have awarded over $3.2 million in grant awards.

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Another stand-out quality of Impact SA is not only is it contributing financially to local agencies in the greater SA area and the seven surrounding counties, but its members work to guide agency applicants through the entire process from beginning to end, all as a volunteer organization. Members train agencies to be helpful with their applications, and if chosen as a finalist, offer more guidance in preparing a presentation for grant awards night. Once grants are awarded, oversight is provided to agencies where they are assigned liaisons, consisting of members, who track the progress of the project. These member liaisons ensure the money is spent as outlined in an agency’s application, and in turn, members love seeing how well the financial contribution is being invested and managed. All of this contributes to Impact SA’s ability to empower women to make a difference. Watts said this is something she enjoys most about being part of the organization. “I love that I have met so many different women that are like-minded, who want to make a difference in their community,” she said. “That is so special to me, and I take great pride in that.”

july/august 2018 | 97

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active living

The Business of Family Cohabitation

WHAT TO CONSIDER BEFORE MOVING YOUR PARENTS IN By Dawn Robinette

older parent passes away, leaving the surviving parent on their own in a bigger house than they need. Everyone loves having grandma or grandpa around, so why not have them move in? It’s something many families have considered, but there are things to think through before adding a room for grandma or grandpa — or moving in with your own children. “It takes a lot of cooperation and a lot of open communication,” outlines Kim Ford, president of theKFORDgroup, certified public accountants in San Antonio. Ford speaks from personal experience as she is in the midst of a family transition, helping her mother move in with her daughter. Despite three generations of family being involved, looking at it as a simple family issue can create problems. Ford suggests that families 100 | sawoman.com

look at it as a transaction. “Treat it like a business,” sugests Ford. “If you went into a partnership with a third party that wasn’t part of your family, wouldn’t you want to know what would happen if something happened to them or if they became disabled?” In Ford’s family, her daughter and son-in-law are building a casita on their property for Ford’s mother. The 86-year-old will have fully separate living quarters and is part owner of the property. A business point of view also guided how Ford’s family documented everything. “We did everything just like you would for a business,” she explained. “We’ve assessed all of the risks and we’ve gotten insurance in place to mitigate those. We talked about it all, written it down in an agreement and everyone signed off so everyone can feel secure,” she explained.

They also updated wills and made sure that all potential scenarios were discussed, including if her mother becomes disabled or if her daughter and son-in-law divorce. Ford admits there were a few heated discussions and probably a couple of tears.

more so than they might have thought.”

“It’s the bad stuff you don’t want to talk about,” she said. “What if we don’t live happily ever after? You have to talk about that. Anything where you’re dealing with money needs to be documented. It’s an insurance policy against misunderstanding,” said Ford. “It’s really about communication, about what’s fair for expense allocation.”

Although there are many positives in her family’s situation, Ford details some of the downsides as well. “It’s hard. It sounds great when you’re thinking about it, but now you’ve got extra people in your house. There’s some lack of privacy on everybody’s part.”

Marty Roos, partner-in-charge of the San Antonio office of Clark Hill Strasburger, said he agrees. “Upfront communication about expectations is key to avoiding conflicts down the road,” he explains. “And not just with mom and dad, but with all of the children. What are the expectations of moving mom and dad in? Is there an expectation of a reward or reimbursement? Roos notes that “A harmonious family can be turned upside down,” and outlined questions that should be addressed, such as “How will expenses be handled? What are the expectations of that child? Will there be any reimbursement? Will they pay rent?,” Roos said. “All of that should be up front in an agreement.” The answers to those questions also carry tax implications for caregivers. “If a parent is paying rent, that becomes rental income for the child,” Roos explained. He said that needs to be reported as income to the Internal Revenue Service. Another alternative is that the parent “gifts” money to the child to help cover costs. Under the new tax laws, gifts are limited to $15,000 per year, per person.

Ford suggests, “Think through what it would look like if the parent needs to go to assisted living or can’t do in-home care.”

Ford, Roos and Giltner all recommend that families entering into a cohabitation arrangement make sure that all legal documents are updated, including both medical and statutory power of attorneys, living wills and traditional wills. “Those documents take care of financial and other situations,” notes Giltner, who also recommends that families think through the implications of mom or dad selling their home. “Your home is an exempt asset. Selling converts an exempt asset into cash, which has implications for those receiving Medicaid.” For individual guidance, consult your attorney, accountant or financial advisor. Giltner also recommends that an exit plan be part of pre-planning. “You need a Plan B in case it’s not working out,” she said. “There should always be some conversation about if this doesn’t work out, if this gets too hard. If you don’t think about an exit plan, that’s where you’re going to have more problems.” Or move in, if it’s the right choice for everyone involved.

No matter what the arrangement is, it needs to be documented and pre-planned. Maggie Giltner, a partner in the estate planning and probate department of Clark Hill Strasburger, explains, “We see a lot of problems when a family moves parents in and just deals with it as it comes instead of having an understanding ahead of time.”

“If you’re going to pay rent, or have some financial arrangement, put that in writing.”

The situation can be exacerbated when multiple siblings are involved. “It gets complicated. Parents may outlive their assets and all of the children may not pitch in evenly,” Giltner said. “You can then see lawsuits between the children.” Thinking through potential health concerns and care that might be needed is something both Roos and Giltner recommend. “If you only think of the good that’s going to come of it and you don’t think to the future — two years, five years, seven years down the road, you may not be prepared for what’s ahead,” explains Roos. “Many people think of it just like a parent coming to visit, but as their needs increase, the child can’t take care of all of the physical needs,” he said. “As their health declines, it can become a considerable responsibility on the child that brought them in —

“Once you have the business part down, you can go live your life. There’s no element of unknown, no elephant in the room,” explains Ford. “Once you do it, it’s a freedom. Everybody knows where they stand, everyone is in agreement and you move on.” july/august 2018 | 101

around town

CREW LUNCHEON AT SACC

Above left: Marilyn Hartman, Cheryl Pyle, Delma Pacheco. Above right: Suzanne Clements, Destini Cavazos, Brandey Orsak. At left: Maitlyn Youngblood, Eva Osborne, Helena Hauk, Virginia Santiago.

GREATER SAN ANTONIO BUILDERS ASSOCIATION MIXER

At the Tile Shop on June 21. (Clockwise from top left): Mike Holllaway and Laura Graff; Shawn Prestidge and April Powell; Keller Parrish Walker, Vicki Lynn Lewis and Tessa Burns; Mat Subbert, Shawn Greteman, Annie Isah and Dawn Johnson.

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NAFE LUNCHEON

Nicole Jackson and NAFE President, Robbie Motter.

SAN ANTONIO AVANCE LUNCHEON

May 10 at Valero. (L-R) Shannon Badger, Deborah Valdez, Kim Ford, Jean Chesney, Nancy May, Beth Eby and Susan Thornton.

SAN ANTONIO WOMENâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S CHAMBER LUNCHEON

At the Old San Francisco Steakhouse. Left: Sheila Mery, Diane Mery Palasita, Mona Helmy and Chayda Tawil. Right: Lucy Rumfelt, Tina Maldanado, Kathy White.

july/august 2018 | 103

around town

WARHOL/SCHENCK EXHIBIT OPENING

A private preview party was hosted in the Jack Guenther Pavilion at the Briscoe Western Art Museum on May 24 celebrating the opening of Andy Warhol’s Cowboys and Indians and Billy Schenck’s Myth of the West exhibits. These two exhibitions-rooted in American Pop Art pay tribute to America’s collective mythology of the West.

Pictured at right (clockwise): Patricia Rishebarger & Joe Martin; Rebecca Carter, Diane Gustafson & Rebecca Carter enjoying the candy bar; Camilla Kampmann, Liz Jackson, Jonathan Cluck & Karen Cluck; Lida McAllister, Bo McAllister, Lisa Kopplow & Ed Kopplow.

104 | sawoman.com

art beat

Her Arte & Pasión By Jasmina Wellinghoff

Photography by Janet Rogers

106 | sawoman.com

TAMARA ADIRA is a woman who takes matters into her own hands. A passionate flamenco dancer, choreographer and producer, she has built a dance studio right in her house, so that she can practice and develop her choreographic ideas on a daily basis. The studio is also where she holds rehearsals, as was the case on a particular day in June when three collaborators — singer Chayito Champion, guitarist Randy Cordero and cellist Luke Bonecutter — joined her to work on several pieces she choreographed. While traditional flamenco song and dance styles, such as alegrias, siguiriyas or tarantos, are distinguished by characteristic rhythmic patterns, individual artists have considerable freedom to create original choreography within those rhythmic frameworks. So, during the rehearsal, Adira repeatedly showed the musicians how she envisioned her taranto while they tried to develop musical accompaniment that could fit both the tarantos rhythms and her choreographic ideas. Even during a rehearsal, Adira gave it her all, pounding the floor with strong footwork, gracefully but sharply twirling her long bata de cola (long ruffled skirt) while engaging arms, head and upper body in an eloquent dialog with the music.

This particular dance will be part of Siete Aguas (Seven Waters), a show she created in honor of San Antonio’s Tricentennial celebration. The work will be performed at various locations throughout the rest of the year, with July performances at the Pearl and the San Antonio Museum of Art, in conjunction with SAMA’s historic exhibit of Spanish art from the museums in Madrid. “The idea for Siete Aguas was born from thinking about how San Antonio was founded on seven -acequias (canals) which made life at the early missions possible,” explained Adira. “The technology for building them came from Spain, and was brought there by the Moors from North Africa. So, I drew a parallel with flamenco, which also comes from Spain, from Andalusia where Gypsies, Moors, Christians, and Jews lived relatively comfortably together for a number of centuries. Like acequia technology, flamenco found its way to America and to Texas. Basically, what I want to show with Siete Aguas is that we are all connected, that culture stretches across the ocean.” In addition to the artists already mentioned, the shows may include famed flamenco dancer Melissa Cruz, spoken word artist Andrea “Vocab” Sanderson and possibly additional musicians. All performances are produced by Adira’s company Arte y Pasion, which has been active on the San Antonio cultural scene since 2010. While focusing on flamenco, the company is not afraid of exploring new territory, and more importantly, to use flamenco dance within broader theatrical concepts. In fact, over the years, Adira has established Arte y Pasion as a producer of thematic works, which makes the company virtually unique in the San Antonio flamenco community. Another recent piece, for instance, was Sanctorum, presented as part of “the internment of a musical time capsule ceremony” during the 2018 Multicultural Conference at San Antonio College. The piece strove to convey “a safe space to dream in” while touching upon troublesome contemporary issues.

“Flamenco is a medium of expression just like paint," said Adira. “When we are performing we want to express an idea, a story, a subject matter.”

Adira is the recipient of the 2010 Artist Foundation of San Antonio

Bernard Lifshutz Award for Original Theatrical Production and the same organization, in partnership with the city, honored her with the Original Choreography Award in 2015. Both awards consist of grants for artists to develop new work.

Love at First Sight

Growing up in Richmond, Virginia, little Tamara attended ballet school and dreamed of becoming a ballerina or an astronaut. In college, however, the young woman chose to pursue architecture at MIT while also taking courses in landscape design at Harvard. Following graduation in 1991, she headed to Paris to study French architecture, returning home after a year with $50 to her name. At loose ends for a while, she eventually joined the Air Force to satisfy her wanderlust. It was there that she met her husband with whom she would later have two children. Since the two later separated, Adira now shares her home with her teenage kids. “I wouldn’t trade my Air Force experience for the world,” she said emphatically. “It really grounded me. Prior to joining, I felt like I was flying around, unable to settle on anything. The military taught me how

to work with others to make things happen on a large scale and how to lead others so everyone feels good about the outcome of the work. I think that Arte y Pasion has benefitted from that. It’s run like a military group,” she added with a laugh. Among her many military projects was one in Saudi Arabia that she still remembers as particularly challenging. As the base architect, Adira was given the task of relocating 5,000 Allied troops from their tent city to newly constructed dormitories, a massive undertaking that required her to work with a wide range of people, from Saudi royals to French and British officers and ordinary Saudi workers. Thanks to six years of working on projects such as these, she honed her organizational and management skills. Today, that’s something she would like to teach fellow artists. “I want to help them develop both their right and left- brain capacities in order to be more successful,” she noted. “For instance, I am very comfortable working on spreadsheets to manage my work and budgets, but most artists are not.” Adira uses both sides of her brain, not only as the artistic director and choreographer for Arte y Pasion, but also in her other job as a management consultant, an occupation she has pursued since leaving AF. She said it’s hard to make a living and support two children with art alone. At first, the projects were mostly defense contracts but eventually expanded to include civilian companies and institutions. Her latest client is a dental clinic that hired her to assist them with expansion and restructuring. As busy as she was with life — including getting a master’s degree at Tulane University — the ballet aficionado did not discover flamenco until the age of 29 when she walked into a New Orleans nightclub called the Red Room. There, she fell in love with this passionate dance. “I didn’t know what hit me but I knew I had to see more of it,” she recalled. “I went up to the primary dancer and asked ‘When is class?’ And she said, ‘There’s one tomorrow.’ And I said, ‘I’ll see you tomorrow.’” Before long, Adira was in class five times a week. It’s rare for any kind of dancer to start a career at 29, but she was determined, eventually pursuing studies with the famed maestro Teo Morca and other flamenco luminaries. By 2010, she felt confident enough to found Arte y Pasion to pursue her own vision and provide work for other flamenco performers. Not even a hip replacement could stop her. Since its founding, the company has produced 12 major productions while staging about 20 appearances a year. For Adira, she said it’s a dream come true in more ways than she could imagine. “I have always dreamed about working in dance and working in multiple languages, and it kind of happened without me noticing. While I am working with Arte y Pasion, sometimes I am speaking in French, Spanish and English in the same session because I work with artists from all those cultures. And I feel like we have the courage to do things that you might see in Paris or San Francisco. I feel that what we are doing is really exciting, allowing us to have an active role in shaping the culture of San Antonio.” july/august 2018 | 107

hill country woman

BULVERDE, SPRING BRANCH & BLANCO

Working & Living the Hill Country Way Wriiten by Jennifer O’Neill

Photography by: David Teran

For the following women, the Texas Hill Country

represents more than just it’s picturesque beauty

of vast rolling hills, small quiet towns, and relaxed

way of living, but it’s also the people who make up the region. Working and living in the Texas Hill

Country go hand in hand, because they not only

love what they do, but they enjoy doing it for and

with the people of their communities in the places

they choose to call home.

july/august 2018 | 109

hill country woman

Pamela Arnosky Texas Specialty Cut Flowers and Arnosky Family Farms

griculture in Texas requires reverence for the unexpected changes Mother Nature will throw at you and love for

the land to bring your harvest to life. Pamela Arnosky

of Texas Specialty Cut Flowers and Arnosky Family Farms has shown

artists of the Guadalupe Cultural Arts Center since before 2000 for the

Dia de Los Muertos (Day of the Dead) Celebrations, and year-round

they supply HEB Central Markets and several HEB Bloom Stores.

With all the success Texas Specialty Cut Flowers has experienced,

that same love and reverence for the Texas Hill Country since 1990

especially within those first 20 years, Arnsoky’s favorite part as a

small greenhouse business along the Hays/Blanco County Line.

children grew up in the business and learned to grow, process and

when she and her husband Frank, a horticulturist, first began their

They started out delivering high-quality bedding plants and poin-

settias to Austin, College Station and Houston garden centers, By 1993, they had tilled up a 1/4 acre of ground right in front of their cabin to plant their first cut-flower garden.

When the first Austin HEB Central Market opened and word first

got out about their “Fresh from the Texas Hill Country” flowers, they sold out every week. Locally, they have provided flowers to various

110 | sawoman.com

flower grower was having her family there with her. All four of her

market flowers.

She and her husband recently decided to establish a peony farm

in the Minnesota Northwoods, and the first peonies are due in San

Antonio by next summer. This new venture currently places peonies as her favorite flower, but she confessed that she loves them all.

“After nearly 30 years of growing,” she said, “one never tires of

growing flowers because there is always something new to learn.”

Mechelle Salmon H.I.S Centre (Healthcare Innovative and Sciences Centre)

the Hill Country area of Bulverde Spring

Branch, it’s the people

and the opportunity to serve those in

her community that make Mechelle

Salmon’s work with the Bulverde Spring Branch Fire & EMS (BSB Fire & EMS)

so enjoyable.

She and her husband, along with

two of their five children and their

grandchildren reside in the area giving her a first-hand look at the hospitality

of the people. Over the past 20 years,

Salmon has placed focus on the safe and efficient delivery of pre-hospital emergency services,” she said. Her favorite

part of what she does is collaborating

with different groups of people all who

have the common goal of saving lives and improving the quality of life for their community.

In January of this year she stepped

into the role of chief executive director

of the H.I.S. Centre (Healthcare

Innovative and Sciences Centre), and

she expressed enthusiasm for this new direction of services they can provide for those in the medical field.

“In this exciting new role, I now have the opportunity to focus on how we practice medicine.”

The Centre is a new nonprofit

originating from a previous emergency

sciences division and community health

programs once under BSB Fire & EMS.

development platforms. The reach of these services extends to many: from physicians to residents, to

change the way medicine is practiced

anesthesia, and emergency medicine, as well as law enforcement specialists in the out-of-hospital area,

How the Centre takes these strides to

is through the delivery of high-level bio-skills training, coordination of

surgical experiences, and research and

faculty, specialty nurses, and to fellows in all areas such as orthopedics, trauma, hematology/oncology, the Centre is expected to benefit the medical community in numerous ways..

With her recent appointment to the Bulverde City Council, Place 6, she said she is looking forward

to the continued opportunity to serve the community.

july/august 2018 | 111

Catherine Wheeler Blanco A/C Electrical & Plumbing

he beauty of the Texas Hill Country and the people who

doing a/c work. By 2002 they added electrical, and then plumbing in

Wheeler and her husband to choose Blanco, Texas, as their

other ventures the two have worked on together.

make up the inviting area are all it took for Catherine

place to call home. As she puts it, â&#x20AC;&#x153;We fell in love with the beautiful

2006. In 2010, her husband stepped away to concentrate on the Today, Blanco A/C Electrical & Plumbing employs a staff of

Hill Country after our first visit.â&#x20AC;?

more than 45 people, who Wheeler refers to as "the best team

Texas at Austin. She worked in Austin for a bit before making the

the common workplace activity of laughs, headaches, challenges

Originally from El Paso, Wheeler attended the University of

move to Blanco, where she and her husband started their family of four children and eventually opened what is now known as Blanco A/C Electrical & Plumbing. Her husband started the business in November of 1994, and she came on board in 2001.

During those early years, they worked with a small staff only

112 | sawoman.com

members we could ask for." In a typical workday, she encounters and opportunities, but Wheeler credits working with the best people, both in her office and out in the field, as part of their

success. They work together discussing department goals, reviewing areas for improvement, and celebrating achievements and customer praises.

Bulverde/Spring Branch EVENT CALENDAR

Every Wednesday Live Latin Music at Ay Chiwawa 403 Singing Oaks 5:30 – 8:30pm Every Saturday Honey Creek Saturday Morning Guided Hike Honey Creek State Natural Area – starts at the Rust House inside the park 9 – 11:30am Every Saturday Night Tejas Rodeo 401 Obst Road 7:30 – 10pm July 3 Hill Country Fun Fest Jumbo Evans Sports Park 6 – 10pm July 7 Gary P. Nunn Twin Sisters Dance Hall 8pm July 8 & August 12 Sunday Morning Yoga Real Ale Brewing Company 11:30am – 12:30pm July 12 Ribbon Cutting for Guadalupe River Gallery 8603 US Hwy 281 N Suite 401 5:50 – 6pm July 13 July’s Movie in the Park – LEGO Batman Movie Hosted by the Bulverde Police Department Bulverde Community Park 6pm July 14 South Texas Swing – A Tribute to the Texas Swing Bands Twin Sisters Dance Hall 8pm

July 21 Honey Creek Market Days 27450 Hwy 47 West 10am – 5pm July 21 & August 18 Low-Country Boil with Hoodoo Crawfish Real Ale Brewing Company 12pm – 3pm July 21 & August 18 Blanco Market Days Historic Blanco County Courthouse 9am – 4pm July 21 Teen Art – Acrylic Abstract with Leila Reynolds Bulverde/Spring Branch Library Annex 3 – 4:45pm July 26 & August 9 Kids Camp – Fairy Garden Spring Creek Gardens 9am – 2pm July 26 Chambers Business Networking Mixer River Crossing Club 5:30 – 7:30pm August 4 Justin Trevino Twin Sisters Dance Hall 8pm August 17 – 20 Blanco County Fair and Rodeo Texas 281 N. August 22 Jazzercise Bulverde Bulverde Community Center 8 - 9am August 26 Live Music at Specht’s Country Store 11am – 11pm

july/august 2018 | 113

hill country eats

San Antonio Woman has selected the top twenty restaurants in Bulverde & Spring Branch local women will want to visit! Take a road trip or two, and check them out! 46TH ST. NEW YORK STYLE PIZZERIA Laid-back joint serving up unique pies and classic pastas, plus sandwiches and salads. 121 Bulverde Crossing, Bulverde, TX 78163 (830) 980 – 4678 46stpizzeria.com MARISCOS EL PAISA Fresh and reasonably priced Mexican seafood restaurant serving up fish tacos and shrimp baskets. Family friendly! 29094 US-281, Bulverde, TX 78163 (830) 980-1724 RICHTER’S ANTLER CAFÉ Casual eatery with lodge-style décor and a patio specializing in traditional, hearty Texan dishes. 1 Sun Valley Dr., Spring Branch, TX 78070 (830) 885 – 6328 FRONT PORCH BAR & GRILL American restaurant with fresh homestyle food. The food is prepared to order, not frozen or fast. Try their burger… made to order with a brioche bun! 2265 Bulverde Rd, Bulverde, TX 78163 (830) 438-3344 frontporchbarandgrill.com TEXAS 46 BBQ Casual BBQ joint serving up BBQ, burgers, beer, whiskey, wine and more! 2 Sun Valley Dr, Spring Branch, TX 78070 (830) 743-9885 texas46bbq.com WINE 101 BULVERDE A unique Hill Country gem! The Wine101 wine club features hard-to-find wines from leading wine producing regions around the world. Also, enjoy their pet-friendly patio! 2295 Bulverde Rd, Bulverde, TX 78163 (830) 438-8721 wine101bulverde.com MOMMA JEAN’S KITCHEN Momma Jean's is a scratch kitchen with almost everything made to order and prepared in house by Gina/Momma Jean. But if Bob / the Dishwasher is there, ask him to make the sausage gravy! Ste 4 8545 US 281 N, Spring Branch, TX, 78070 (830) 885-6556 TEJAS RODEO, STEAKHOUSE AND SALOON Seasonal rodeo venue also offers a live-music stage, a steakhouse, a bar, lodging and special events. 401 Obst Rd, Bulverde, TX 78163 (830) 980-2226 114 | sawoman.com

VERDE BISTRO – TAPAS & MARTINI BAR A Latin fusion bistro and martini lounge located in the heart of Bulverde Village – Downtown. 2355 Bulverde Rd #3, Bulverde, TX 78163 (830) 714-7886

OLD WEST BURGERS Sports bar-style spot where beef, bison and chicken burgers are served up with brews and big screens. 1005 Laswell Ln, Bulverde, TX 78163 (830) 438-0323 MAX’S ROADHOUSE Casual sports pub doling out burgers and bar bites in a festive, lofty space with a fireplace and patio. 5375 US-281, Spring Branch, TX 78070 (210) 352-0820 4TH STREET BISTRO With a menu that changes weekly, they offer fresh, exciting and elegant meals — whether you're celebrating a special occasion, or dinner with friends, anticipate the unexpected! 307 4th St., Blanco, TX 78606 (830) 833-3026 THE BEAN & BISCUIT Stop in for a breakfast biscuit, scone, apple turnover, coffee, latte, and more. 310 Pecan St., Blanco, TX 78606 (830) 833-3129 thebeanandbiscuit.com COPALLI CAFÉ Excellent coffee, health-conscious eats, and everything you need to feel right at home. 17080 TX-46 #101, Spring Branch, TX 78070 (830) 228-5233 copallitx.com THAI LAO ORCHID Authentic Thai cuisine and sushi! 20540 TX-46, Spring Branch, TX 78070 (830) 438-3379 AY CHIWAWA! MEXICAN CAFE Family-style Tex-Mex restaurant with live music! 403 Singing Oaks, Spring Branch, TX 78070 (830) 980-8887 myaychiwawa.com THE LOFT COFFEE HOUSE | COFFEE FOR A CAUSE The Loft Coffee House serves fresh ground coffee brewed just minutes before ordering and homemade pastries baked daily. They are a nonprofit ministry of Riverside Community Church. Proceeds go toward other charitable organizations. 6260 US-281, Spring Branch, TX 78070 (830) 228-5638 loftcoffee.com OLD 300 BBQ Rustic, Western-themed outpost for meat & sandwiches with patio seating & a banquet/dance hall. 318 4th St, Blanco, TX 78606 (830) 833-1227 old300bbq.com BLANCO RIVER PIZZA COMPANY Family-friendly pizza joint with live music! 306 Pecan St, Blanco, TX 78606 (830) 833-3221 CHESS CLUB CAFÉ Delicious comfort food in Blanco serving pastries, sandwiches, salads and excellent breakfast! 1020 US-281, Blanco, TX 78606 (830) 833-4930 july/august 2018 | 115

role model

Spensha Baker INNER DRIVE OUTSHINES THE SPOTLIGHT By Dawn Robinette Photography by David Teran

116 | sawoman.com

erforming at churches and military bases across Texas, landing a spot on “Christian Artist Talent Search”, then on CBS’s “Star Search”, signing a record deal, releasing an album and embarking on a three-year international tour, plus performing for thousands of fans — and the president — all before graduating high school sounds like something straight out of a movie. For Spensha Baker, those details are just part of her life story. What has her on everyone’s radar though, is the incredible

would prove her mother wrong. “’I’m going to go audition and you’re going to see that it’s not going to work,” Baker explained, recapping briefly the conversation she had with Marcy. “’I just want you to stop talking about it,’” she said. Based on her audition and subsequent success on the show, it turned out Mom really did know best. “It was the greatest ‘yes’ I could have said,” Baker said with a smile. “It was the best ‘OK’ I could have given, because on the other side was an opportunity I could not have imagined.”

ground up, artists such as Faith Hill, Carrie Underwood and Miranda Lambert, Baker said her greatest inspiration comes from much closer to home. “My greatest role models are my mother and grandmother. They are faithful, hardworking women who have come from nothing and achieved everything,” she explained. “I want to take every good thing about them and hopefully become half of the women that they are.” She said she hopes her story helps others pursue their dreams. “Wherever you are in

As great as her voice is, however, it’s Baker’s personality and the drive that fuels her talent that shine brighter than any accomplishment. Despite the praise, Baker said that was not always the case. During a three-and-ahalf-year hiatus, her musical dreams disappeared. She stopped singing, not even humming to music in the car. “I got distracted,” she said simply. “I lost my motivation for music. I wasn’t as passionate anymore.” She compared that hiatus to a break-up: “‘We went through this relationship, it’s over now, we’re going to go our separate ways and pursue other partners in life.’ For me, that’s how it was with my career,” she explained. “I broke up with it and went my own merry way. I had no intention of returning.” She paused, quirking a smile. “It’s funny how you can try to run away or walk away from your purpose, but God always has a way of bringing you right back around to it.” As the daughter of Marcy and Wayne Baker, who both served in the military, Baker spent much of her childhood in Texas. She

and reconnected me with who I was as a person, who I was meant to be and who I was ultimately becoming. It’s been quite the journey back, and I’m grateful for that.” Baker’s social media presence helps provide her fans with a glimpse of who she is, although she said she often has no idea what to post. “People keep telling me to post more pictures of my face, more pictures of me, but that’s not what I’m about,” she said. “I like my dog, my food, and inspirational quotes.”

Baker said the road to success — and life in general - are never easy. “It’s not going to be perfect. Everything’s not going to be laid out for you. There are things you are going to have to work hard at,” she noted. “You are going to come into contact with rough times. When you face that, go through it. Feel it. Cry. Let it out, talk about it, work through your frustrations, and you’ll see that on the other side of all of that are your dreams, all of the possibilities, and all of the opportunities.” Taking her own advice this time, Baker is now pursuing new opportunities and possibilities full-force. Although she currently resides in Boerne, she plans on moving back to Nashville with a renewed focus and passion. “People say you never know what you have until it’s gone,” she said. “I have such a different perspective on it now. Had I not given up, I would probably be somewhere else right now, but then I wouldn’t have this story. My story could have been different, but it’s a blessing that I came back to it.” Looking back on her musical hiatus, Baker said she hopes others learn from her choices, mistakes, and ultimately her own life lessons. “Don’t walk away from your dreams,” she said. “Don’t walk away from your goals. Even when things get hard, don’t walk away from it. I lost time. Yes, it’s an inspirational story; I left it, I came back, and there may be a success story that comes out of it. But I lost three-and-a-half years. It’s not worth it, the time that you’ll lose. Keep pushing, keep moving forward because on the other side of hardship is always something great in store for you.”

talent that earned her a coveted spot on “The Voice” this past season. As she proved herself week after week, fans took notice and helped her land in the show’s top four.

attended Judson High School for two years before moving to Nashville to focus on her music career. Her family ties are strong, including a relationship with her mother that spans from mom to manager. Her mother is the one who discovered Baker’s musical talent at the young age of six, and she also had a hand in Baker’s run on the hit television show. While watching “The Voice” one night during her hiatus, her mother suggested she audition. “She never stopped encouraging me,” Baker said. That encouragement made Baker begrudgingly audition, thinking she

Baker said the show brought her so much more than just exposure and opportunity; it took her back to the person she feels she was made to be. “It reconnected me with my gift,

Much of the inspiration that drives her comes from the advice of her mother. Marcy would often tell Baker,

“Whatever you look at longest becomes strongest. Focus on your dreams. You have to keep your eyes on things that are above, not beneath.”

Baker said her mother told her to use what she has, wherever she may be. Whatever gift she was given, Marcy said to work with it and use it, and to wait and see all of the possibilities that come from that. “I’m always looking for role models and women that inspire me — people that inspire me to be better, that I can look up to and grow from,” she said. While many of the people she looks up to are women who have built their careers and their lives from the

your journey,” she said, “it’s important that you’re in the moment, that you’re present and making decisions that from this day on are going to move you forward.”

july/august 2018 | 117

guy to know

GUY TO KNOW

Ernest L. Brown IV, CCIM By Jasmina Wellinghoff Photography by Janet Rogers

With 34 years of experience in the commercial real estate field, Ernest L. Brown is well

acquainted with all sides of the industry, including selling, leasing, foreclosing and managing

properties for a range of individual and institutional clients. He is currently affiliated with Rohde, Ottmers & Siegel where he is specializing in high-worth individual client services.

Brown had previously spent 16 years as executive VP and managing director for Grubb &

Ellis, followed by shorter periods with two other companies. Throughout that stretch of 20

years, he oversaw all aspects of the companiesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; operations, including the work of more than 30 commercial brokers.

Brown is a member of the Certified Commercial Investment Member Institute (CCIM

Institute), a prestigious industry achievement, and has served on the organizationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s national board of directors. Active in other industry groups as well, he also serves on the board of

trustees for TMI, the Episcopal School of Texas, which all three of his children attended. He

is a native San Antonian who, as a youth, spent his summers in Port Aransas as a fishing guide.

118 | sawoman.com

Could you define for our readers what you do?

I am a commercial real estate investment adviser. There are many

ways you can be in commercial real estate business. Some people rep-

Do most of your individual clients want to invest in projects that do not require hands-on involvement?

That depends on the age of the client. You typically find younger

resent sellers, some represent buyers, some do only apartment sales,

and middle-aged people looking to still put some sweat equity into

looking to invest $500,000 to $2 million into properties valued be-

older clients, however, tell us that they don’t want to deal with over-

etc. I tend to work with small private capital clients, people who are

tween $1M to $6M. I have done a number of things in commercial

the property in the hope of getting higher returns. A number of

sight and management. So, we move their assets into single-tenant,

real estate, including managing a real estate firm that had an appraisal

long-term leases. Then they don't have to make monthly decisions

I eventually realized that I needed to stop that and do what I really

the lease expires.

department, property management department, as well as a brokerage. love, which is what I do now. I can’t tell you how happy I’ve been since.

Why is it more satisfying than running a company or making huge institutional sales?

I like working with individuals who really need advice and guidance

to make sure they are doing the right thing…. Every single transaction is different. When clients come to me, I ask them things like: What is

your risk tolerance? What sector are you familiar with? Why do you want this investment? Is it ego? If so, you may want to buy a high-rise

office building, or maybe you want a high return and you don’t care

what the property looks like. In that case, an industrial park may be

right for you. Also, do you want something that doesn’t come with

and look at reports. They simply get a check from the tenant until

Is San Antonio an active market?

Yes, active, but a tight market. There isn’t that much to buy. San

Antonio is growing and is doing great and it’s projected to continue to

grow and do well. So, if you have a property here, why sell it? We would

love to buy more industrial properties here and we approach owners all the time. When a property becomes available, the transaction is usually quick.

What personality traits must a broker/adviser like you have to succeed?

Persistence. It's a huge component of this business. There's a lot

management hassles whatsoever? So, it's a process and it takes time. A

of psychological warfare. You are battling with yourself and everybody

come in. For instance, we had a gentleman from Mexico who had $1M

to March without closing a single deal. But you just have to keep on

lot of people don’t really know what they want to buy when they first

to invest. We spent almost two years working with him on pros and

cons of different types of property. To me, developing a relationship

and helping somebody buy something that they really want, feels good.

What did the Mexican buyer opt for in the end?

He ended up buying a multi-tenant industrial property because that

fit the parameters of what he was looking for – higher returns, low maintenance since the tenants take care of their own businesses.

What are some crucial things that investors should know before buying?

Different types of properties have different risks associated with

them. An industrial facility is totally different from, say, a retail one. If

else. I've been doing this for 34 years, yet I went from last November working. Now we are going to have several closings in June in July.

What do you do when you are not working on a deal?

I run a couple of interesting groups. One is called Dive Bar Ban-

dits. Most members are in commercial real estate in some way,

lenders, title companies, service providers, landscaping companies, etc. We go to a different dive bar every month. It’s part of network-

ing, which is very important. The more networking you can do, the

better. I am also on the board of CCIM Institute’s San Antonio

chapter. CCIM certification is considered to be the Ph.D. of real es-

tate. And I am a member of other organizations, too, including

CREW (Commercial Real Estate Women) and RECSA (Real Estate

the investors don’t know that, they can make a huge mistake. Retail

Council of San Antonio).

borhood, signage, available parking, tenant mix. What’s important for

How do you recharge your personal batteries?

height, and such. The owner deals with completely different tenants

ing, scuba diving, and bungee jumping to hunting, fishing and bird

tenants operate on demographics, traffic, gentrification of the neighan industrial property is power, dock heights, the warehouse clear and he is making the decisions about which tenants to let in.

Can you mention some properties that you are dealing with right now?

Right now we have an office building under contract in San Anto-

nio, two industrial buildings in Houston, and another one in Dallas, as

well as an office building in Laredo, a retail center in Sequin and others. Our work is really state-wide.

I am an avid outdoorsman. I have done everything from parachut-

watching. My wife and I are both avid bird watchers. We are going to

Scotland this summer and we have already bought the bird book about

the birds in Scotland. We do that everywhere we go. When you go

somewhere and focus on something specific like bird watching, you pay a lot more attention to the entire environment. It’s eye-opening to me. Here in Texas, I spend at least three weekends a month away

from the city, even if just clearing brush on the family ranch. I am try-

ing to learn all about the trees, grasses, and flowers we have.

july/august 2018 | 119

Calendar

Every Tuesday WITTE MUSEUM 3 – 8pm Every Tuesday admission to the museum is free. Tour the exhibits to learn more about Texas history and see historical artifacts.

Thursday evening of each month! Live music and dining and shopping will also take over Pearl, offering a chance to eat, sip and explore goods while shopping local. atpearl.com

Arts & Entertainment

is the theme for 34th Annual Fourth of July Patriotic Ceremony which honors all who have made the ultimate sacrifice in defense of our country from the American Revolution to today.

wittemuseum.org

sanantonio300.org

Every Wednesday SOUND CREAM SUNSET SESSIONS: OLÉ EDITION

July 4 - 19 BRAVO! AN EVENING OF SONG AND DANCE Arneson River Theatre

Pearl Park

5:30 - 9pm Sound Cream Sunset Sessions is a weekly dance party and DJ showcase. For this special Olé Edition, Sound Cream draws inspiration from Spanish influences with ALL female DJs from across Texas and finishing strong with a heavy hitter from Brooklyn. atpearl.com

First Thursday THE PEARL’S FIRST THURSDAY NIGHT MARKET The Historic Pearl

4 – 8pm Local vendors from the Pearl Farmers Market will now join Pearl every First

Every Sunday ALAMO HEIGHTS FARMERS MARKET 225 E Basse Rd

9am – 1pm Free and open to the public. Alamo Heights Farmers Market will feature over 25 vendors with farm fresh selections including fresh produce, grass fed/grass finished beef, lamb, goat and wild hog meats, chicken, eggs, kombucha, pecans, honey, gourmet coffee, lemonade and many more exciting products. July 4 34TH ANNUAL 4TH OF JULY PATRIOTIC CEREMONY IN 2018 Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery

10 – 11am July 4, 1776 in San Antonio

8 & 10pm Enjoy an award winning dance and musical performance that captures the flavor and passion of San Antonio and its cultural roots in Mexico this summer during the month of July. sanantonio.gov

July 6, 13, 20, 27 BALCONES HEIGHTS JAZZ FESTIVAL Ampitheater at Wonderland of the Americas

July 10 ALISON KRAUSS Majestic Theatre

8pm Hear the iconic American bluegrass-country musician and 27-time Grammy winner, Alison Krauss at the Majestic this summer!

reachfortheheights.org/ja zz-festival

July 17 ¿QUÉ PASA, PASA?

July 13 - 14 SOUL FOOD FESTIVAL

Southside Lions Park

La Villita Historic Arts District

Explore in the African American culture at the 2018 Soul Food Festival at Maverick Plaza. This free 2 day event will showcase local and national gospel and soul artist, traditional soul food and fun and games for the entire family. June 16 – August 26 JUNGLE BOOGIE NIGHTS San Antonio Zoo

5 – 9pm Every Saturday night from June 16 – August 25 the zoo is open late to enjoy cooler evening

( EDITOR’S PICK )

MEDITATION IN THE JAPANESE GALLERY Every Saturday 10:15 -11am |

San Antonio Museum of Art

Practice serene, guided meditation in the Japanese art gallery. Cushions and stools provided. Free with admission.

120 | sawoman.com

sazoo.org

majesticempire.com

lavillitasanantonio.com

7:30 – 9pm For four consecutive Friday evenings, the festival’s laid back and family-friendly atmosphere will welcome an estimated 4,000 jazz fans.

temperatures. Guests can enjoy live music and happy hour specials on food and beverages throughout the zoo, plus, it’s FREE for zoo members.

samuseum.org

6:30 - 8:30pm Community artists, art enthusiasts, transplants and San Antonio natives… join Public Art San Antonio (PASA) for a family-friendly, interactive event to learn more about Public Art San Antonio, give input for future arts and culture projects, and engage in conversation about the local arts community and San Antonio's cultural districts.

getcreativesanantonio.com

JUL/AUG

2018 Artisans, Vendors, Vintage, Readers, Home Baked Goods, Fod Trucks,

by bringing them out to enjoy safe and supervised outdoor activities including: target practice, shooting clays, simulated dove hunt game, bird identification, safety in the field and more! Food and drinks will be available.

July 28 - 29 RENAISSANCE ART FESTIVAL The Historic Jackson Ranch skinnyllamaproductions.com/blog/event/renaissance-shopping-fest-4

jeff@txdove.org

July 20 AMERICAN IDOL LIVE! 2018 Tobin Center

7pm American Idol is back on tour! American Idol: Live! 2018 is coming to The Tobin Center featuring your Top 7 LIVE, on stage, including your 2018 American Idol Winner! tobincenter.org

July 27 FILM ON THE GREEN: THE ROYAL TENENBAUMS San Antonio Museum of Art

8 – 10pm Bring your lawn chairs or blankets for a Wes Anderson classic. Specialty drinks by The Brooklynite will be available for purchase. Food trucks on site. Please no pets and no outside alcohol. samuseum.org

July 28 - 29 RENAISSANCE ART FESTIVAL The Historic Jackson Ranch

11am - 6pm Be the first to attend a true Renaissance Festival in San Antonio! Enjoy two full days of shopping at artists booths, and pop-up shops. Also....Knights in Action, Shakespeare Performances, Live Music,

Jewelry, and more. August 1 - 5 SAN ANTONIO FILM FESTIVAL Tobin Center

SAFILM attracts film lovers, and the audiences include press, filmmakers, industry leaders and diehard fans. The San Antonio Film Festival sets up an amazing, creative innovative environment for just a few days every year where opportunities for one-on-one networking abound, connections are forged and filmmakers have a slew of unique opportunities to share ideas and advance their careers.

August 20 LYLE LOVETT AND HIS LARGE BAND Majestic Theatre

8pm A singer, composer, and actor, Lyle Lovett has broadened the definition of American music in a career that spans 14 albums. Coupled with his gift for storytelling, the Texasbased musician fuses elements of country, swing, jazz, folk, gospel, and blues in a convention-defying manner that breaks down barriers.

11415 Blue Wing Road

Get your kids geared up

AT&T Center

7:30pm Shakira was originally set to perform in San Antonio this past January, but has rescheduled for August 24th! attcenter.com

7pm Don’t miss Def Leppard and Journey, two of the word’s greatest rock bands come together for a massive co-headlining North American tour. And the tour will rock the AT&T Center in San Antonio! attcenter.com

Zoo

Various Locations

August 18 TDHA FIRST FLIGHT YOUTH DAY

August 31 DEF LEPPARD AND JOURNEY

San Antonio

August 11 - 25 CULINARIA SAN ANTONIO RESTAURANT WEEKS

culinariasa.org

August 24 SHAKIRA

Through August 26 ZOORASSIC PARK

tobincenter.org

San Antonio restaurants are on display showcasing the finest Alamo City Cuisine. Restaurants will offer special three-course prixfrixe menus for lunch and dinner throughout the city. Reservations are not required but strongly encouraged.

majesticempire.com

August 21 TONY BENNETT IN CONCERT Majestic Theatre

8pm His signature tunes, such as “Steppin’ Out With My Baby” and “I Left My Heart In San Francisco” form part of the fabric of American music culture. Often billed as the world’s most boyish octogenarian, Tony Bennett is a vital musical artist at the peak of his powers.

In Summer 2018 San Antonio Zoo transforms into Zoorassic Park. More than a dozen prehistoric creatures will fill the zoo, challenging guests to rethink extinct! Come face-to-face with life-sized dinos for an engaging and memorable experience for the entire family. Stare into the eyes of a full-grown Tyrannosaurus rex and learn how dinosaurs teach us about today’s wildlife and the threats they face. This event will be included with standard admission and FREE for members! sazoo.org

july/august 2018 | 121

dining SIGNATURE Inspired by Chef Andrew Weissman

Signature

BECKONS WITH DESTINATION DINING AT LA CANTERA By Iris Gonzalez

Photography by Janet Rogers

hef Andrew Weissman, known for his restaurants Le Rêve,

food, including quail, pheasant and house-made charcuterie. The

has created a restaurant experience that transports diners to

charred baby octopus, great northern white beans, littleneck clam

Osteria Il Sogno and The Sandbar Fish House and Market,

highlights of the new summer dinner menu include Diver sea scallops,

a refined French auberge set firmly in the Texas Hill Country.

broth, roasted Branzino, crab cake, and crispy skin snapper. The

possible, to enjoy Weissman’s newest restaurant Sigature. Surrounded

fresh vegetables beautifully composed with each dish.

sun, the restored building that houses Signature has been transformed

” Weissman said. “It’s difficult to imagine eating heavily when it is so

Plan to arrive at the La Cantera Resort and Spa before dusk, if

by a lush landscape and illuminated by the golden light of the setting with white plastered walls, reclaimed wood, limestone, antiques and

wagon-wheel chandeliers, mounted animal heads, and a posh bar that together convey a rustic mansion in the countryside.

Signature’s reclaimed wood came from Joske’s, a bygone

department store here in San Antonio, while its limestone fireplace

mantle was salvaged from an old property in France. The eclectically elegant ambiance reflects Signature’s cuisine, rooted in French traditions with South Texas accents to appeal to a variety of diners.

Chef Weissman is a four-time James Beard Award finalist who

graduated from the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park in

1996. He uses seasonal South Texas ingredients for his New American 122 | sawoman.com

restaurant’s kitchen garden supplies fresh tomatoes, herbs, and other “Inspiration for the summer menu is totally weather-driven,

hot outside.”

One refreshing option on Weissman’s menu is the Stawberry

Smash, an aptly-named cocktail made up of strawberry-infused Buffalo

Trace Bourbon with cool hints of lemon and basil, making it perfect for a warm summer day. Infused strawberries allow the drinker to discover different flavors with each sip, and the award-winning bourbon speaks

for itself.

Feel free to pair the summertime beverage with a delicious

appetizer, such as the lobster and snapper spring rolls. Stuffed with

julienned vegetables, mint, and basil, and topped with tahini sauce and

grilled lemon, this is sure to become a favorite among Signature

SIGNATURE Inspired by Chef Andrew Weissman

Above (L-R): Black tea smoked Pekin duck breast, Chef Andrew Weissman. Below (L-R): Lobster and snapper crudo spring rolls, chip and dip ahi tuna with crushed avacado, and strawberry smash cocktail.

frequenters. Other new appetizers include the Chip ‘N’ Dip, with ahi

tuna, crushed avocado, soy wasabi and eel sauce, which Weissman said is an excellent divergence from traditional South Texas fair.

“I recommend that people try our ‘Chip ‘N’ Dip’ on their next visit

brunch and weekday happy hour service. Brunch is offered Saturday

and Sunday from 10:30 am to 2 pm and includes French-style omelets,

Southern-inspired tenderloin chipped beef on a biscuit, New England-

style lobster rolls, and even a dressed up breakfast burger for a varied

as it is a really great play on the standard format of chips and salsa in

brunch menu.

dish that we had on the menu at Sandbar.”

offers a choice of $5 select beers and $7 glasses of wine and cocktails

kitchen is his Black Tea-Smoked Pekin Duck Breast, a crispy, tender

Signature Hour include charcuterie, Prince Edward Island mussels,

San Antonio,” Weissman said. “It is similar to an extremely popular

For dinner, one of the most appetizing offerings from Weissman’s

entrée served with black Chinese rice, Asian cabbage, and a refreshing

daikon slaw. There is nothing quite like the unique flavors Weissman is

Tuesday through Saturday from 4:30 to 6 p.m, the "Signature Hour"

that changes weekly. Happy hour menu items available during the new petite burgers and venison carpaccio, priced anywhere from $5 to $15. “The brunch and Signature Hour have definitely expanded our

able to blend together in his entrées, and this one is truly no exception.

demographics to include a younger segment of the population,

the Fig Tree, and new general manager and hospitality veteran Michael

a situation where people can have fun with the menu without having to

Together with executive chef Laurent Rea, formerly of L’Etoile and

McClellan, who came to Signature from Hotel Emma’s Supper,

Weissman ensures the restaurant offers both the fine dining experience of a one-star Michelin restaurant, yet offer flexible options for more

casual experiences.

Since its launch in 2016, Signature has introduced a weekend

especially at brunch,” Weissman said. “The Signature Hour has created

commit to a full meal or extended dining experience.”

Signature was nominated for Best New Restaurant in the 2016

CultureMap Tastemaker Awards, and Texas Monthly listed Signature

as one of the best new restaurants of 2016. Signature serves dinner

Tuesday through Sunday; reservations are suggested.

july/august 2018 | 123

Coffee to Cocktails!

san antonio eats

We all know women have distinctive tastes when it comes to dining out. So, ladies, this restaurant guide is custom tailored just for you. Let us know about your favorite places on Instagram. (www.instagram.com/sanantoniowoman/) Bon appetit!

Coffee, Tea, Treats

Breakfast & Brunch

BROADWAY DAILY BREAD This bakery offers breads with no artificial ingredients or preservatives & an assortment of sweets. $ 5001 Broadway St. and 5011 De Zavala Rd.

Lunch

Dinner

BENJI’S MUNCH TRUCK It’s all about the flavor! Everything Benji creates is cooked from the heart with unique flavors. $

CANYON CAFÉ An oldie but a goodie, Canyon Café prides itself on always fresh, chef-driven menu items. Ask for the table-side guacamole. $$

1218 W Bitters Rd Suite 107

PAULA DEEN’S FAMILY KITCHEN Southern cooking from the famous Paula Deen! Served family style. $$

GRANMA’S KITCHEN Irresistible sweet treats for every occasion! Special order cakes and pies. $$ 4710 Broadway St

LOCAL COFFEE Completely focused on the taste and quality of the coffee, including their own Merit Roasting Company brand, in an eclectic neighborhood setting. $ Shavano Park, Leon Springs, Alamo Heights, Pearl Brewery, Medical Center and Stone Oak

17907 W IH 10

MAX’S WINE DIVE Fried chicken and champagne for brunch? Yes, please! $$

TORRO Cool option for classic Spanish cuisine like tapas & paella paired with wine, cocktails and beer. $$

340 E. Basse Road

PIG PEN “Soul Full Sunday Brunch” at Pig Pen is a southern buffet for the ultimate brunch smorgasbord! $ 106 Pershing Ave

MAGNOLIA PANCAKE HAUS Popular mainstay known for its ample breakfast options, with a lunch menu, served in homey environs. $$ 10333 Huebner Rd

STEEL CITY POPS Popsicle specialist known for its creative, customizable frozen treats inspired by Mexican paletas. $

255 E Basse Rd. #600

EL RAFAS CAFÉ Breakfast tacos…but supersized! They are known for their delicious homemade salsa, corn and flour tortillas. But get here early, they fill up fast! $ 1535 W Hildebrand Ave

115 N Loop 1604 W #1105

SALATA Build your own salad bar with always fresh ingredients and made-from-scratch dressing! $

Park North Shopping Center, Huebner Oaks Center, The Alamo Quarry Market and Sonterra Blvd

BOSS BAGELS Unique bagel sandwiches, smears and coffee from exceptional farms, created by Chef Brannon Soileau. $ 6458 N New Braunfels Ave.

SANGRIA ON THE BURG Specialty sangrias, plus BBQ sliders, brisket tacos and bar fare in a modest space with a patio.

FRATELLOS DELI Casual fixture with outdoor seating featuring pizza, pasta and panini, plus a small Italian market. $$ 2503 Broadway St.

$$ 5115 Fredericksburg Rd.

812 S Alamo St, Suite 101

staffpicks

Our favorties for breakfast TACO GARAGE — Chilaquiles with pico de gallo PANCAKE JOES — Pancakes with eggs and bacon GUENTHER HOUSE — Waffles SNOOZE — Eggs MAGNOLIA PANCAKE HAUS — Pecan waffles with peaches LA PANADERIA — El Favorito BLANCO CAFE — Migas

Happy Hour

CLEMENTINE A menu created by Chef Russ highlighting the flavors of the season. $$$ 2195 NW Military Hwy

THE PALM Storied chain serving high-end steakhouse fare, seafood and diverse wines in clubby surrounds. $$$ 233 E Houston St.

SHUCK SHACK Rustic-chic joint serving oysters, lobster rolls & other seafood bites, plus tap brews and cocktails. Happy Hours is Tuesday – Friday from 3 – 6pm and Tuesday – Saturday from 9pm – close. $$

CURED Buzzy, rustic-chic restaurant serving charcuterie-focused New American cuisine and craft cocktails. $$$ 306 Pearl Pkwy #101

Late Night

520 E Grayson St.

THE WINCHESTER Old English pub atmosphere known for excellent service, hamburgers, beer and fun. Happy Hour is all day on Tuesday! $$

BOMBAY BICYCLE CLUB Mainstay serving American eats, beer & margaritas in a comfy space with pool tables and kitschy decor. $$ 3506 N St. Mary’s St.

5147 Broadway

CADILLAC BAR Enduring venue with Mexican fare, a full bar and live bands playing everything from Tejano to rock. $$

THE DOGFATHER Gourmet hot dogs that will hit the spot for a late night snack! $ 6211 San Pedro Ave

212 S Flores St.

RUTH CHRIS Fine cuts of USDA Prime beef, award-winning wines and an unforgettable night. Join them for their $9 Happy Hour! $$

Concord Plaza, Grand Hyatt SA and La Cantera Terrace

Fine Dining THE BROADWAY 50/50 Retro, unpretentious sports bar with brunch, burgers, pub grub and American entrees. $$ 5050 Broadway St GYPSY CAFÉ Café and Hookah bar offering Mediterranean grub and exotic tobacco flavors in relaxed digs with a patio. $$ 2813 Thousand Oaks

FREDERICK’S A must try version of pho at this Asian-Fusion restaurant in an elegant setting. $$$ 14439 NW Military

GREY MOSS INN Rustic, romantic spot from 1929 with steaks, seafood, a long wine list, patio dining & scenic views. $$$ 19010 Scenic Loop Rd., Helotes, TX 78023

Eclectic HOT JOY Happening locale with eclectic, colorful decor offers creative Asian dishes & cocktails. $$ 1014 S Alamo St

FEAST Stylish New American eatery with an eclectic menu, unique cocktails, patio dining & a buzzy brunch. $$$ 1024 S Alamo St

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san antonio eats ERNESTO’S Old-school spot with refined Mexican fare, seafood, an array of signature sauces and a long wine list. Hint: Let Ernesto select your sauce! $$

Paula Deen

2559 Jackson Keller Rd

By Jennifer O’Neill

Photo by David Teran

any believe the kitchen is the heart of the home, and no one knows these words to be more true than Southern food expert, Paula Deen, who attributes her love for her own kitchen as part of her inspiration to becoming a chef. “I had fallen in love with my kitchen years before, and I relished every minute in my safe place which was my home,” says Deen who at the time came out of 20 years of agoraphobia. That love, coupled with the necessity to take control of her own life and show her two sons, then 19 and 21, they could have direction in their lives as well, motivated her to start her own business with just a $200 tax refund check her husband had given her. Stepping into that role was a natural one as she comes from a family of cooks, beginning with her grandparents who ran a lodging and restaurant business. She recalls every dish her grandmother and mother made as good, with her mother’s pot roast and dressing and her grandmother’s ham and fried chicken as some of her childhood favorites. Today in her restaurants, she still has trouble choosing just one explaining, “that would be like you asking me which child is my favorite,” but her aunt Peggy’s meatloaf is among them, along with the smothered pork chops and ribs. While learning about her family’s treasured recipes and her decision to get herself where she is today, you sense the passion, forethought, and, specifically, the detail she places in preparing her own meals whether it’s for family during her favorite holidays of Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Easter or simply just for someone having a bad day, “I would make a real honest meal, no froufrou, just honest to goodness food,” she says. That attention to detail can even be seen in the décor of her restaurants where she relies on her decorator, Carolyn Haulton, to assist in having something from the area of the restaurant’s location while also including things from her home of Savannah, wanting a piece of the area to be a part of them. Her restaurants are what she enjoys most in her career right now even with all the success she has seen with her line of pots and pans, appliances, and furniture. And given the late start she had in her career at 42, she has no intention of slowing down even after being diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes several years ago. After that point she knew she had to do something to make a change so five years ago she decided to throw out all the white in her kitchen, except for cauliflower, and over time she learned about moderation to still enjoy her favorite dishes. But with all the changes she has made including the first thing she gave up when diagnosed, which was sweet tea, the one thing she’ll never give up — butter, “God made the cow, and the cow made the butter, but butter is one of those good fats.” 126 | sawoman.com

BREW’S LEE TEA Guests can expect to experience a variety of unique teas including milk teas, specialty teas, and hot teas. Don’t forget to try Mama Lee’s Noodles or the Rice Bowl with minced pork. $$

OCHO @ HOTEL HAVANA Pan-Latin fare, mojitos and old-world charm in a chic riverside restaurant and lounge in Hotel Havana. $$ 1015 Navarro St

#Only in SA

4009 Broadway St

MADHATTERS TEA HOUSE & CAFÉ Buzzy spot with breakfast, lunch, brunch and tea parties in an eclectic setting with outdoor dining. $$ 320 Beauregard St

Best Kept Secrets MA HARPER’S If you are looking for good ‘ole creole cooking, Ma Harper’s is the place to be. Alice Harper’s gumbo can’t be beat! $

THE COOKHOUSE A seasonal menu of modern Cajun and Creole food is offered by this quaint eatery with beer and wine. $$$ 720 E Mistletoe Ave

1816 N New Braunfels Ave

BATTALION Stylish spot for classic Italian plates and cocktails served in a historic, restored firehouse. $$$ 604 S Alamo St

THE MAVERICK A Texas brasserie serving up inventive appetizers, fire-kissed steaks and French fare, as well as homemade desserts, a curated wine list, Texas beer on tap and craft cocktails.. $$ 710 S. Saint Mary’s St

KOI KAWA Low-key Japanese eatery serving sushi and hot dishes in bright, riverfront surrounds. $$ 4051 Broadway St

PESTO RISTORANTE Pesto Ristorante is a casual, energetic, affordable neighborhood Italian restaurant serving celebrated Executive Chef Alejandro Santoyo’s soul-satisfying riffs on Italian cooking. $$ 15179 Judson Rd #107

TACOS & SALSA An easygoing Mexican hangout with a drive-thru. Offering familiar eats and many hot sauces. $ 12820 Jones Maltsberger Rd

TYCOON FLATS Kid-friendly burger joint and beer garden with Tex-Mex grub, a full bar, craft brews and live music. $$ 2926 N St Mary’s St THE FRIENDLY SPOT ICEHOUSE Kid-friendly ice house with 250-plus brews, Mexican and American fare and brunch in a relaxed setting. $$ 943 S Alamo St

128 | sawoman.com

Weddings W

Mr. & Mrs. Blake A. Rodgers (Rebecca Hensley Brosseau) April 14th , 2018

Pine & Blossom Photography

Mr. & Mrs. Zeke Riser (Priscilla Pompa) June 16, 2018

Photographer: Matthew Dunn

Two Pair Photography

Mr. & Mrs. Coy Aune (Heidi Hansen) April 28, 2018

Pine and Blossom Photography

Mr. & Mrs. Chip Linahan (Megan Philips) April 14, 2018

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looking back

1956 The latest shipment of Modern Portable Television Sets were eagerly anticipated at Brown Appliance Co. at 700 Fredericksburg Road.

130 | sawoman.com