LOCAL WOMEN Pursuing Breakthroughs in Medicine
HILL COUNTRY GUIDE Adventures in Antiquing
GIRL SCOUTS Launch New Campaign for 2015
SUSAN G. KOMEN Race for the Cure SAWOMAN.COM
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Margaret Jabour IN THE BUSINESS OF CELEBRATING LIFE
San Antonio WOMAN
MARCH/APRIL 2015
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Contributors
16
What’s New
43
Fab Finds
45
Beauty
48
Health
68
Guys to Know
70
Business Woman Spotlight
72
According to Linda
74
Women in Business
82
CityScene
101
Mommy Matters
104
Role Model
107
Senior Care-Giving
113
Sustainable Gardening
116
Hill Country Guide
120
Artbeat
122
Entertainment Calendar
124
Wine
133
Dream Home Guide
143
Women on the Move
144
Weddings
32
SPECIAL SECTIONS
18 UP FRONT
Four San Antonio women
featured in this article are on the forefront of the battle against virulent pathogens, viruses, infections and communicable diseases.
10 | sawoman.com
26 PROFILE
Margaret Jabour is in the business of celebrating. As co-owner of the successful Twin Liquors stores, she sees her role as building relationships — with customers, family and staff.
32 AT HOME
This month we take a peek inside one of King William’s lovely homes, where new meets old and produces a charming abode.
51
Komen San Antonio Race for the Cure
83
Girl Scouts of Southwest Texas
126 DINING
A taste of New Orleans in San Antonio at The Cookhouse. Once a mobile truck, now a fledgling restaurant — ready to take San Antonio by storm.
San Antonio WOMAN FROM THE EDITOR Nicole Greenberg, Editor San Antonio Woman
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MARCH/APRIL 2015 PUBLISHER J. Michael Gaffney EDITOR Nicole Greenberg COPY EDITOR Kathryn Cocke LEAD COLUMNIST Jasmina Wellinghoff
Photgraphy by Marie Langmore
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Wendy Atwell, Robyn Barnes, Ron Bechtol, John Bloodsworth, Linda Elliott, Denise Easdon, Bonny Osterhage, Janis Turk, Cheryl Van Tuyl Jividen PHOTOGRAPHY Elizabeth Flowers, Casey Howell, Marie Langmore, Al Rendon, Janet Rogers GRAPHIC DESIGN Tamara Hooks, Maria Jenicek, Luis Portillo It is my pleasure to welcome you to our March/April issue of SAN ANTONIO WOMAN. Spring is in the air, Fiesta is upon us, and just like in issues past, we bring you another collection of colorful perspectives about living in San Antonio, from a woman’s perspective. Imbued in many of the stories that follow is the concept of building and maintaining relationships. Relationships are powerful things. Understanding and studying them can become an art form. For many of the women we feature in this issue, they do just that. We learn from our Profile subject, Margaret Jabour, who is co-owner of Twin Liquors, that she takes great care to make relationships with customers and co-workers central to her business strategy, community service and personal style. After all, she is in the business of celebrating life, and those bonds keep her tapped into helping people mark life’s moments in a special way. Our Up Front feature, one of the most intriguing and in-depth we have done on the subject, spotlights four of San Antonio’s leaders in the fields of epidemiology and infectious diseases. Each, in her unique way, are tracing the continually evolving connections germs and pathogens are making in the human body. Even our four Women In Business steer us on how personal relationships with customers are the driving force behind their new-found success in car sales. Not only are we a woman’s lifestyle magazine, but we are also one of the city’s premier goto publications for cultural happenings. Beginning this issue, we give you CityScene, by lead columnist Jasmina Wellinghoff, for a glimpse into the colorful history and behind the scenes of San Antonio’s many arts and culture fronts. And if you’re in the mood for a savory delight, check out our dining review spotlighting new favorite, The Cookhouse, a fantastic New Orleans-style eatery. While you sip your favorite Fiesta brew, feel free to check out our Hill Country Guide tips on antiquing for a fun weekend get-away, a great way to bond with friends. Our special section spotlighting the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure is an informative and beautiful tribute to the heroism we see every day by women like you either fighting breast cancer or caring for someone who has the disease. And our Girl Scouts 16-page special section honors the organization, local leaders as well as the girls and young women who have been transformed by the organization’s mission and achievements. Have a great season celebrating!
Nicole Greenberg Nicole@sawoman.com 12 | sawoman.com
BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT & MARKETING Steven Cox, Cindy Jennings, Madeleine Justice ADMINISTRATION & CUSTOMER SERVICE Nancy A. Gaffney PRINTING Shweiki Media, San Antonio, Texas EDITOR EMERITUS Beverly Purcell-Guerra FOR ADVERTISING INFORMATION call (210) 826-5375 email: info@sawoman.com
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CONTRIBUTORS
WENDY WEIL ATWELL
Wendy Weil Atwell, who wrote about women in the car sales business in this issue of SAN ANTONIO WOMAN, is a freelance writer living in San Antonio, where she eats chips and queso and runs intervals, in equal measure. Whether it’s excavating the multiple narratives that inform a work of art, or learning how to make an empanada, she likes the connections that arise between people by telling these stories. She received her MA in art history and criticism from the University of Texas at San Antonio in 2002. Since then, she has been actively writing poetry, fiction and nonfiction and reviewing art for various visual arts publications, both online and in print, including Art Lies, GlassTire, and … might be good. Atwell is the author of The River Spectacular, published in 2010.
ELIZABETH FLOWERS
Elizabeth Flowers’ photography can be seen in this issue's Business Woman Spotlight. Born and raised in the Washington, D.C., area, she relocated to San Antonio in 2013 after graduating from The Art Institute of Colorado in Denver. “Photography is my biggest passion, and San Antonio has provided me with many wonderful opportunities,” she says. “The photographers here are very welcoming and supportive of one another, and because of them, my experience has been very positive. I enjoy shooting events, corporate head shots, family portraits, food and products, and I keep myself busy with weddings,” explains Flowers. She enjoys spending time with her husband, their pet turtle and dog, and is partial to vegetarian food, sci-fi novels, playing video games and staying active.
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W WHATS NEW
JULIAN GOLD CELEBRATES 70 YEARS OF STYLE Julian Gold, established in 1945, celebrates 70 years of style this year. Over the decades, the store has carefully built its reputation for providing and maintaining its impeccable level of service and reputation as the one store with the best of everything. Local, regional and international customers in San Antonio, Austin, Corpus Christi and Midland have benefited from Julian Gold’s high standards of style and service. And today, Julian Gold remains at the forefront of the fashion industry and continues to offer discriminating customers the best that designers and collections from around the world have to offer.
RUTH’S CHRIS CONCORD PLAZA GETS $600,000 RENOVATION After 22 years, Ruth’s Chris Concord Plaza location has undergone a $600,000 renovation. The redo features 4,000 square feet of dining with a beautiful new bar, exciting outdoor patio dining and updated private dining rooms. PARRISH ON MAIN SHOWCASES REMODELED SHOWROOM When you visit Parrish on Main, you will see a newly remodeled showroom located at their retail store on 2500 N. Main Avenue. The showroom includes displays featuring the latest cabinetry from Merillat 16 | sawoman.com
and Woodmont. Whether your home is traditional or contemporary, you’re sure to find the perfect cabinetry style, along with an expansive selection of countertops and industryleading, energy-efficient appliances by Electrolux and GE. Professional design and installation services also are available. To learn more, call (210) 255-1125.
A BANNER BASKETBALL SEASON AT SAINT MARY’S HALL The basketball program at Saint Mary’s Hall has much to celebrate, as both the varsity men’s basketball team and Form 7 Middle School team recently closed out winning seasons. The varsity men ended their season with a 23-7 record and third place in the Southwest Preparatory Conference, while the Middle School team ended their season with a perfect 13-0 record, and brought home the Independent Schools Athletic League Form 7 Championship title! AUNTIE ANNE’S AND CINNABON OPENS IN NORTH STAR MALL Auntie Anne’s and Cinnabon hosted a Greater San Antonio Chamber of Commerce ribbon cutting ceremony for their opening at North Star Mall, with proceeds donated to the San Antonio Clubhouse Big Give Campaign on Feb. 13th. Guests were greeted by owners, Lisa and Jim Fullerton, Twisty, the company mascot, Mark Stoelje of the San Antonio Clubhouse and Richard Perez, President of the Greater Chamber.
W UP FRONT
Women on the Front Lines of
Pathogens Battling viruses, infections and communicable diseases By JASMINA WELLINGHOFF, Lead Columnist Photography by JANET ROGERS
Jan E. Patterson, M.D.
“There’s always something new every year,” says Dr. Jan Patterson, an infectious diseases physician and director of the Center for Patient Safety and Health Policy at the Health Science Center, where she is also a professor. “Influenza is an annual threat, even though we tend not to get too excited about it,” she says. “The H1N1 virus in 2013 was quite deadly. Many young adults died. Oddly, older adults showed a greater resistance, probably because they had had more exposure to the various flu strains over their lifetime. A new illness, SARS (severe acute respiratory syndrome) was first identified in 2003 when it sickened thousands in various parts of the world, including Canada. There is also the return of vaccine-preventable diseases such as measles and pertussis (whooping cough), which adults may have without being very sick, but if they pass it on to children, it can be dangerous.” Pneumonia is also fairly common, and even tuberculosis still exists. And though AIDS can be controlled by drugs, it remains a serious illness. But what worries Dr. Patterson and other specialists in the field most are the antibiotic-resistant infections, of which there are two types, referred to as gram-positive and gram-negative. Two challeng-
18 | sawoman.com
Not that long ago, most Americans
believed that infectious diseases were a
threat from the past, subdued by vaccines, improved sanitation and the momentous discovery of antibiotics.
Unfortunately, the situation is not quite
that rosy. The appearance of HIV, virulent
influenza and more recently the Ebola
scare have made us all pay attention to
communicable diseases again. The four
San Antonio women featured in this article are on the forefront of the battle against virulent pathogens, two as physicians
dealing with patients and epidemiological aspects of the battle, and two as research
scientists discovering the root mechanisms of infection and immunological approaches to protection.
ing infections in the first group are the highly virulent C. Difficile – or C.Diff. — which usually emerges in hospital settings, and MRSA (methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus), which can show up both in the community and in health care facilities. In the latter case, it may cause life-threatening blood infections. The best-known gram-negative bacterium is probably E-coli, though there are others with unwieldy names. Among Dr. Patterson’s current patients at University Hospital are individuals with a range of infections, including MRSA. She and her team have been part of the broader national effort to test new treatments for the multi-drug-resistant pathogens that show promise against the gram-positive infections. Unfortunately, there’s little progress in the fight against the gramnegative microbes. Not that many new antibiotics are being discovered, explains the doctor, because the pharmaceutical companies have little incentive to invest in their development. The cost of developing and testing a new drug is very high, and antibiotics have a relatively limited use. While blood pressure or AIDS medications must be used every day by patients with these conditions, the germ-fighting drugs are normally
taken for a number of days only, until the infection clears up. Yet the good news is that most infectious diseases are curable. That was, in part, why Dr. Patterson chose this specialty in the first place. A native of Fort Worth, she attended medical school in Houston, followed by a residency in internal medicine at Vanderbilt University Medical Center and a post-residency fellowship in infectious diseases at Yale University School of Medicine. (She also has a master’s in public health.) “Some of my mentors were in this field, and I found it interesting. You see what’s there under the microscope, you treat it, and you cure it. It became more complicated with the advent of HIV, but now even that is treatable,” she explains. “And it’s not just bacteria that you are dealing with but also viruses, fungi, parasites, a whole community of pathogens. So, it’s also challenging.” Indeed, she’s helping many people both through direct care of sick patients and with her interest in identifying best methods to improve patient safety and overall hospital care. Ultimately, the best treatment is prevention. Her expertise in both aspects of infection control has been sought at many levels. She is the chairwoman of the Texas Infectious Disease Readiness group formed to educate professionals and the public about Ebola and other contagious diseases and has recently been chosen to serve as an adviser in infection control for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Dr. Patterson believes that
San Antonio is well prepared to
handle major crises, including a
medical one, thanks to the work
of the Southwest Texas Regional
Advisory Council that develops and maintains an emergency
response system for the city and 22 counties in the area.
Dr. Jan Patterson, an infectious diseases specialist at the UT Health Science Center, and her team are testing new treatments for drug-resistant pathogens.
march/april 2015 | 19
W UP FRONT
Jean L. Patterson, Ph.D., chairs the virology and immunology department at Texas Biomedical Research Institute, where she supervises research on vaccine and anti-viral drug development.
Jean L. Patterson, Ph.D.
Jean Patterson has always known that she wanted to be a scientist. When she was in third grade, her parents presented her with her first microscope, an instrument that has been a part of her life ever since. Today, Dr. Patterson is the chair of the virology and immunology department at Texas Biomedical Research Institute, where she conducts and supervises breakthrough research in the field of vaccine and anti-viral drug development. Dr. Patterson was running a lab and teaching microbiology at the Harvard Medical School when she was approached by Texas Biomed with an offer she couldn’t refuse. “They basically said, ‘we will build the building for you if you would build the department from the ground up,’” she says. “How can a scientist decline such an opportunity? And I love San Antonio, too! When I was going through the interviewing process, I got the impression that everyone was talking about where they wanted the city to go, and there was a lot of collaboration and a generally friendly attitude.” The building in question is no ordinary office building. Since the scientists work with virulent pathogens, the hands-on experiments must be performed inside special biosafety labs following strict safety procedures. Texas Biomed has a number of those laboratories, including a BSL-4 lab, which is the highest safety level designation. It’s the only privately owned BSL-4 facility in the U.S. Dr. Patterson was researching potential antidotes for anthrax for a while when the infamous anthrax attacks happened in 2001, just a short time after the nation was badly shaken by the 9/11 events. 20 | sawoman.com
Looking for the culprit, the FBI made a visit to her department, but “fortunately we did not have the anthrax strains that were in those envelopes,” she recalls. However, these events led the government to focus on developing countermeasures to potential biological weapon attacks, and her department has been playing an important role in that plan ever since. In collaboration with a couple of other institutions, she and her team have so far developed three viable vaccines against Ebola and two vaccines against Lassa fever, both serious illnesses that cause hemorrhagic fever and infect and kill thousands of people in Africa. “Five people were killed by anthrax, and that is the reason that today we are close to having an Ebola vaccine,” says the scientist. Pre-tested in healthy volunteers in the U.S. and the U.K., the vaccines are now undergoing clinical trials in West Africa, where Ebola is still active. Dr. Patterson points out that there are six different strains of the Ebola virus and that her vaccines were not specifically designed for the current strain in Africa, but they still may work. “We are hoping to find a single vaccine that would work against all strains,” she says, and that may actually happen this year. Work on yet another vaccine, called the Marburg vaccine, is also in progress. But vaccines are only half of the battle. The other part is the development of anti-viral drugs to use once an epidemic starts. Dr. Patterson confides that such a drug will be announced in the very near future – “a major splash!” — but won’t tell us what it is before the official unveiling. She’s clearly excited about it.
Dr. Heather Yun, an infectious disease specialist In both cases, the painstaking and lieutenant colonel in work involves studying how the Air Force, helps to viruses replicate and multiply, educate military personnel how the immune system reacts to before they are deployed a virus and how to stimulate the around the globe. immune response to fight the attacker without destroying the organism. Before anything can be used in humans, there’s a long road of testing on mice and eventually on nonhuman primates such as the small marmoset for which her department has developed a testing protocol. The latter is a crucial step. “We cure a lot of mice of cancer and Ebola, but often those treatments fail in primates,” she explains. We take a break from our conversation to look at the BSL-4 lab via cameras that allow her to monitor the lab activity from the outside, and I ask her about the number of women in her field. Quite a few earn a Ph.D., she says, but a good number drop out after age 35 when the demands of having a family and pursuing academic research overwhelm them. Few women professors at Harvard were even married, she adds. Though she has no kids of her own, Dr. Patterson is married to James Drewry, an engineer whose firm designed the virology building, and a father of three children, now grown. Even without little ones at home, it may be stressful for a high-level scientist like herself to juggle home and work responsibilities, which, in her case, involve What Dr. Heather Yun likes about the infectious diseases spea lot of travel. The list of national and regional committees, panels cialty is that “you get to be the consummate physician” who treats and advisory boards that she is on is a page long, but she singles out the whole human being and deals with his/her whole story. As an Air two that are particularly important to her: the National Scientific Force lieutenant colonel and doctor, Yun works at the San Antonio Advisory Board for Biosecurity, appointed by the U.S. Secretary of Military Medical Center or SAMMC (formerly Brooke Army Medical Health and Human Services; and the External Advisory Committee Center) treating patients both in hospital and clinical settings who New Mexico-Imbre that guides the NIH-funded science program for may have tuberculosis, AIDS, pneumonia or complicated multidrugfaculty and students at the small college. resistant infections that require special vigilance. Research scientists face challenges few other professionals do, But a big part of her duties is also to help educate military pergiven that their business is to discover the unknown. But the resonnel who are being deployed to various locations around the wards are unique as well. Asked what the highlights of her career globe. In fact, the morning of our interview she had to teach a Naare, Dr. Patterson is more than happy to reflect on that subject. She tional Guard unit going to West Africa how to take care of themexperienced the thrill of discovery at least three times, first when she selves to avoid catching malaria, dengue fever, diarrhea or yellow figured out how a virus starts a replicating cycle, the second time fever. This group was not headed to Ebola-infected lands, but an earwhen she discovered a family of new viruses never identified before, lier unit was and “that was a different conversation,” says the doctor. and finally “the first time we proved that the Ebola vaccine worked. She also oversees post-doctoral fellows who are going through the “There’s nothing like looking at a result (of experiments) and refinal phase of their medical training. alizing no one else in the world knows about this but me,” she says. She herself was deployed once, to Afghanistan, for a period of six
Heather Yun, M.D.
march/april 2015 | 21
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months. “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times,” she notes, quoting Charles Dickens. “I was working in the intensive care unit where every American patient was sent for treatment before evacuation out of Afghanistan. I treated about 600 patients in six months, mostly trauma patients, but I also did a lot of infection control to prevent wound infection. It was very intense and challenging.” Wound infection is of special concern to her and other military doctors. At present, Dr. Yun is conducting a study in this area with the San Antonio-based company Xenex, which makes a promising disinfecting robot device based on ultraviolet light. (See Guys to Know in this issue). SAMMC is well known for its treatment of burn victims, who are exceptionally susceptible to infection. “We are interested to see if the Xenex device will reduce infection in this highrisk population,” she says. Her other research projects have included a study of conditions under which multi-drug-resistant diseases develop in combat casualties and an examination of occupational exposures of health care personnel in a deployed environment. As a military physician, she faces challenges her civilian counterparts do not experience. “Civilian doctors don’t get sent to 22 | sawoman.com
Afghanistan or Iraq,” she says. “We are just told, ‘Here’s where you will be going’ and you go. Also, we need to stay in good physical shape all the time. As senior officers in the Air Force, we undergo a lot of training and education for deployment as well, learning about leadership strategy, international security and other subjects. We do wear the uniform, and we are here to support the fighters.” Deployment can be hard on a mother of three young children like herself, but between her supportive husband, Ted Yun, and hired nannies, she managed to leave without too much anxiety. And her children are proud of their mommy. When she goes to their schools, she’s treated almost like a celebrity. And she is definitely a role model.
“My daughter recently said to me, ‘You can’t leave the Air Force because I want to become a doctor and work with you when I grow up,’” relates the doctor with a big smile.
This tough mom has an artistic side, however. In her spare time she sings with the San Antonio Choral Society and plays the guitar and piano.
Ruth Ruprecht, Ph.D., M.D., and her lab team at the Texas Biomedical Research Institute are working on a vaccine candidate for HIV. They are ready to begin testing.
Ruth Ruprecht, Ph.D., M.D.
Would she recommend this career to young women? we ask. “It’s not for everyone. Much is demanded of us, but for me it’s worth the cost,” she states. “Young women should definitely consider it. I often talk to young women about the impostor syndrome. That’s the feeling that many have that they really are not as capable as others think they are and that somehow they will be found out. Young women doctors have that fear. Confidence comes from making mistakes and realizing it’s not the end of the world. This environment builds your confidence. If all these intelligent people think I can do something I probably can pull it off.”
As she was finishing her Ph.D. in human genetics at Columbia University, Dr. Ruth Ruprecht received an unexpected piece of advice from her mentor, Dr. Sol Spiegelman. “Now you should go to medical school,” he told her matter-of-factly. “You are good, but you are only a woman, and you speak funny, so nobody is going to listen to you (her native tongue is German, and her English was not very good). If you go to medical school, the Ph.D.’s will listen to you because you have an M.D., and the M.D.’s will listen to you because you have a Ph.D.” This was in the 1970s, when few women reached the upper echelons of scientific research. The Swissborn young woman mulled it over for a while, then proceeded to do as the professor advised. It was during her internal medicine residency at UCLA that she first noticed “all these young men coming into the hospital with a strange infection that they later died from.” Those were, of course, the early AIDS victims, but back then no one knew anything about this disease. Life went on, she married, moved back East, had two sons, and eventually joined the prestigious Dana-Farber Cancer Institute of the Harvard Medical School, where she would stay for 29 years. By the mid-1980s, HIV had become a frightening but better known threat, and Dr. Ruprecht became interested in developing a drug against the deadly virus. It so happened that for her Ph.D. thesis she had already studied the working of an enzyme – called reverse transcriptase or RT – in the context of viruses that cause cancer in animals. Now she undertook to examine the role of RT in the replication of the AIDS-causing virus HIV. This work ultimately contributed to the development of AZT, the first FDA-approved antiviral drug that blocks the virus from replicating itself. In 1987, she and her team also demonstrated that AZT could prevent mother-to-infant transmission of an HIVlike virus in animals. (The actual HIV could not be used because it infects only humans and chimpanzees.) With that, the door was opened for subsequent human trials, which showed the same beneficial effect. “To see that the concept you developed is translated into clinical success is very rewarding,” admits Dr. Ruprecht. “When
difficulties come up, we can remind ourselves that we have made a difference and saved thousands of lives.” The scientist’s focus later shifted to the development and testing of vaccines. In the summer of 2013, Dr. Ruprecht and her entire lab team moved to San Antonio, where they now continue their research at the Texas Biomedical Research Institute. The new phase of the work requires testing on primates, our closest biological cousins, and TX Biomed has an established primate research center. “Here, we have the opportunity to work closely with veterinarians and get fresh samples of tissues and cells to analyze,” says the doctor. Also making the trip from Boston was a white office board that’s prominently displayed in her current office. Half of the board is for science doodling, while the other half features a soccer game as drawn by her son Adam when he was 7 years old. No one is allowed to erase the drawing that the proud mama enjoys showing to visitors, down to pointing out the details the young artist included. Long divorced, she reared her boys as a single mother. She uses the board to show us pictorially how HIV attacks living cells and how antibodies neutralize viruses. More than 90 percent of HIV infections occur through “mucosal exposure,” meaning exposure of the mucous membranes in various parts of the body, including the genital area. The potential vaccine – referred to as a vaccine candidate — that Dr. Ruprecht’s team is now investigating aims to stop transmission at the mucosal barrier, before viruses penetrate any deeper into the tissue. Developed by the Swiss company Mymetics, the vaccine is expected to accomplish its goal by stimulating the production of immunoglobulin IgA, a naturally occurring antibody that protects mucosal barriers. “Animals for the study have been enrolled, and we are ready to begin,” says Dr. Ruprecht. “We should know within a year if it will work in primates.” If it does, it may still be a while before an actual vaccine is ready for human use. “But it’s promising,” notes the doctor. “This vaccine takes a different approach to protection than typical vaccines. We hope to have a vaccine for the general population before too long.” march/april 2015 | 23
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PROFILE W
IN THE BUSINESS OF
Celebrating Life! A toast to Margaret Jabour, co-owner of Twin Liquors
I
By JASMINA WELLINGHOFF Photography by MARIE LANGMORE
t’s midmorning on a sunny January
day, and I have come to the Twin
Liquors Marketplace store on 281
near Bitters to meet with the com-
pany’s co-owner, Margaret Jabour. No
sooner have I approached the sales counter
to announce myself than I hear a friendly
voice from behind calling my name.
We start our visit by looking around the
attractively laid-out store.
“We like our stores to have a department-
store feel, to be female friendly,” she ex-
plains as we pass appealingly arranged
island displays in the front, a cafe-like tast-
ing bar area, impressive displays of wines
from different regions of the world, and fi-
nally stop to peek inside the Fine Wine
Room, where special fundraising dinners
are held for nonprofits supported by the
Jabour family. Then we settle in the educa-
tion room to talk.
Education of both customers and staff is an
important part of the business. Frequent
seminars are held on a variety of topics,
from Italian wines and cocktail mixology to
exploring the stories behind famous spirits
the customers properly, all staff members undergo a nine-week educational course
and must pass an exam at the end.
Old-time liquor stores didn’t bother with such things, but from the start, Jabour
wanted to “elevate the industry,” as she puts it, and she wanted to appeal to women
shoppers. And both she and her co-owner brother, David Jabour, visualized their
stores as friendly neighborhood hubs where customers and staff get to know each
other. The Austin-based chain has 12 stores in San Antonio and the surrounding
and mastering the art of food and wine
areas, often near H-E-B supermarkets with which they strive not to compete.
makers and distillers who present their
“Being in the neighborhoods helps us connect with people,” she notes. “You get to
pairing. The place also hosts visiting wine-
products to the public. Tastings make all
know your customers and through them the needs of the community, and we like
same principle that works for cosmetic
store to feel like home; I want to host my customers.” The Jabours even design
the difference, explains the owner. It’s the
counters – try it before you buy it. To serve
to respond to their needs. We never wanted huge, impersonal stores. I want the
their retail spaces themselves.
march/april 2015 | 27
W PROFILE Launched in 1982, the family-owned com-
pany now has 77 outlets across Texas and is
one of only 50 members of the Wine and
Spirits Guild of America, which bills itself as
“the most influential association of alcoholic
beverage retailers in the U.S.” Most of that
expansion involved opening new establish-
ments, but Twin Liquors also acquired a cer-
tain number of other family-run stores when
the owners could no longer operate them.
Jabour emphasizes that these owners came
to them, rather than the other way around,
because they liked the way the Jabours did
business. To reciprocate, David and Mar-
garet often kept both the old name and the
old look of each place for a time, only slowly
integrating them fully into the Twin Liquors
brand. The brother-sister duo also nurtures
long-term relationships with suppliers, dis-
tributors and others in the industry. “It’s
like a family,” she states simply.
These kinds of friendly connections are
clearly very important to her. In fact, the
terms “connecting” and “relationships” pop
up throughout our conversation. She’s
clearly a people person who believes that
God puts us in each other’s paths for a rea-
son. And she tries to incorporate that mes-
sage whenever she has a chance.
“I spoke yesterday at the Texas Business
Woman of the Year Award gala, and my
topic was how much more could be done if
women could connect better among themselves,” she says. “Women are often self-
conscious and keep to themselves, yet if we
truly opened up and shared with each other,
we’d be much more powerful. We could
move mountains.” In 2011, she herself was
the recipient of this award, given by the
Women’s Chamber of Commerce Texas.
All in the family
The inclination to put personal ties ahead of
cold figures is something Jabour learned growing up in a Lebanese-American cul-
Margaret Jabour looks over the wine selection at a Twin Liquors store, while wine specialist, Michael Flower checks a label. Upper right: Jabour enjoys a tasting with Sandra Spalding, director of marketing, and Michael Poremski, San Antonio regional manager for Twin Liquors. selling dry goods in downtown Austin. Post-Prohibition, the family opened Jabour’s
Package Store, a combination liquor- and drugstore with a soda fountain in the back.
There were no malls back then, and people actually shopped downtown. After return-
ing from the battlefields of WWII in the 1940s, her father, Theodore, and his twin
brother, Arthur, joined their parents’ business. Young Margaret was eager to get involved as well.
“I never liked staying home, playing with dolls, so as a 7-year-old I convinced Dad to
let me work in the store,” recalls Jabour. “I was a quiet girl, and I worked hard. When
I got a little older, I sold toys and drugs. Hanging around the store, you learn the
business, and I learned how important it is to relate to people. Dad loved people and
tural milieu and working with her relatives.
always talked to his customers.” At 13, Jabour got a job at a car stereo shop without
his wife, Mary, who opened the first shop
started their own audio electronics operation.
It was her grandfather, Albert Jabour, and
28 | sawoman.com
knowing anything about music, stereos or cars. And at 16, she and another uncle
contracted rheumatic fever as a boy, died prematurely in 1990 at
the age of 35, leaving a devastated family behind. Just a year ear-
lier, Jabour had gotten married. However, the marriage soured
rather quickly, leaving her to rear sons Michael and Joseph as a
single mother. Following her divorce, she redoubled her focus on
the business, and brother David eventually left his banking career
to do the same. That’s when Twin Liquors really took off. Today,
her older son Michael, 23, already has his own cubicle at the com-
pany’s headquarters in San Antonio.
In keeping with her desire to “elevate” the alcoholic beverage indus-
try, Jabour is also actively involved in lobbying as the vice-president
of the legislative council of the Texas Package Store Association. As already mentioned, the Jabours’ passion for connecting
extends to the communities they serve. In Austin, the family’s gen-
erosity is well known among arts and charitable organizations, and
more connections are being built in San Antonio, as well. Alto-
gether, Twin Liquors supports over 500 charitable events a year. In
recognition of the siblings’ community involvement, the industry
magazine Market Watch conferred on David and Margaret its Na-
The enterprising young woman was in college studying
business management when her father first brought up his
wish to retire. Jabour and her brothers — David and older brother Ralph — decided to follow in his footsteps but
with a twist: They would take a more upscale approach by selling only premium national brands and wines. “This
was 1982, and the industry was not what it is today,” ex-
plains Jabour. “Americans were just beginning to under-
stand wines, and Dad worried that we would go broke. But
we just said, ‘stay with us’ and opened a 700-square-foot
store in a nearby location.” They named it Twin Liquors in honor of their dad and his twin.
Unfortunately, not everything was rosy. Ralph, who had
tional Community Service Award in 2008.
Though she has no regrets and loves her work, the businesswoman
would nevertheless like to have more time to do a few other things,
like visiting her ancestral country of Lebanon or going to France to
meet in person the families that make the products she sells. “I
have always felt I needed to be the mother for my family, for the
business, for our industry,” she says. “Maybe now I can get to
travel a little.”
I can’t end our conversation without asking her what her favorite drink is: “I love Champagne, the sparkle and flair! It’s like life, always rising to the top.” Cheers to that!
march/april 2015 | 29
W AT HOME
Historic River Home A Convivial Confluence of Taste By JOHN BLOODSWORTH Photography by AL RENDON
Family heirlooms and modern art join time and space
Perched on a peninsula sloping gently down to the San Antonio River, a stately manse built in 1890 is a regal reminder of King William’s historic past. But a step into this wondrous world of architecture, art, antiques and avant-garde groupings reveals the spirited sensibility of owners Josephine Negley Gill Davidson and Marshall Davidson. An eclectic mix of family heirlooms, contemporary art, designer furnishings and funky finds fuses seamlessly in expansive rooms that open onto one another for friend-and-family gatherings both intimate and full of revelry. “I love high/low,” comments Josephine, resting comfortably on a contemporary divan by British designer Nina Campbell, whose designs work well paired with IKEA contemporary plastic stacking lounge chairs that are the go-to spot for the couple’s three children. With a storied past, the Victorian-style home was built for T. R. Hertzberg, who, as a young man, fled the Prussian Revolution and came to San Antonio. At age 72, he built his home on the banks of the San Antonio River. In 1909 the house was sold to the Sidney Brooks family. It was here that their son, Sidney Brooks Jr., heeded the call to service and enlisted in the newly formed air 32 | sawoman.com
services in 1917. Returning to Kelly Field from a training mission, Cadet Brooks was killed when his plane crashed. He was listed as the first San Antonio fatality of World War I, and Brooks Air Force Base was named in his honor. In the living room of the Davidsons’ home hangs the flag that draped his coffin, given to them by a close family friend. “We were told that the flag belonged here,” says Josephine. It hangs in a sleek, contemporary Lucite case etched with the words that were written in Cadet Brooks’ honor when his body was re-interred at Brooks Air Force Base. In juxtaposition, an oil on canvas by contemporary artist Kikuo Saito fills the space with fluidity and gestural sweeps of color that are both rhythmic and vibrant. Massive pocket doors open to the connecting dining room, where a portrait of Josephine’s grandmother, Carolyn Brown Negley, holds court. Commissioned by her great-grandparents, British portrait artist Douglas Granville Chandor painted portraits of the Browns’ three children to hang in the family home, Oak Court, on Ivy Lane in Terrell Hills. “From the time that I was 12 years old, I wanted my grandmother’s portrait,” says Josephine. The dining room fireplace mantel is flanked by a pair of antique urn-shaped mahogany knife boxes, while Texas artist Joey Fauerso’s video works that have been made into stills, hand-
Antiques and contemporary art easily share the space at Josephine and Marshall Davidson’s home in King William. Opposite, an antique Italian blackamoor purchased in New Orleans; above, art by Roy Lichtenstein.
march/april 2015 | 33
W AT HOME painted and degraded, surround the space. Fauerso took a trip to the Negley/Gill Swan Lake Ranch on the coast, riding on an airboat to capture some 200 abstract paintings she made of the river. She created a constantly shifting and changing video, Guadalupe-After Images, that comprises the Davidsons’ photographic collection. Victor Pagona’s large-scale photograph of an animal skull consumes the spacious room. As professor of photography at the Southwest School of Art and chair of the photography department, Pagona created a camera that extended the depth of field to shoot the found object, allowing light to hit prominent sections of the skull and extracting minute detail. A pair of 17th-century carved and polychromed Italian blackamoors that belonged to Josephine’s grandmother hold trays laden with crystal and silver liquor decanters. Purchased in New Orleans, these were her grandmother’s most cherished antiques. An exuberant assemblage of giant multicolored pinwheels sprouts from the dining room walls and spreads throughout the house. Innovative works by 14-year-old San Antonio artist Bygoe Zubiate, these paintings are executed on sheets of thick cardboard used to separate rolls of newsprint. Noted furniture maker and father of the promising young artist, Peter Zubiate fabricated a large spin art machine for his daughter to create ribbons of color on repurposed canvases. In a hallway adjacent to the dining area, a Claude Venard abstract of the Sacré-Cœur Basilica painted in 1954 hangs over a bar set for entertaining. Just down the main hallway, a powder room is a repository of family portraits and photographs dating back to the Civil War. Going through a chest of drawers that once belonged to her grandmother, Josephine found dozens of family images resting in worn envelopes. Each is simply framed and hangs in a grouping offering wonderful glimpses of dinner parties, family outings, military careers and sittings for formal occasions. Photographer Debra Sugerman was commissioned to create a series of photographs of the Davidson children, continuing the photographic lineage of the family. On the stairway to the upper floor, a massive pair of metal Negley Paint signs that were advertisement pieces from the 1930s hang in the stairwell on a hand-applied wallpaper that was Josephine’s inspiration and aptly executed by artists Ethel Shipton and Nate Cassie. “My color palette was inspired by a Kelly O’Connor painting, and the pattern was a collaboration between Ethel and Nate,” explains Josephine. A colorful composition depicts canine companions, including turquoise poodles, pink dachshunds, avocado bull-
At left, two views of the living room; upper right, Claude Venard’s abstract painting of the Sacre-Coeur Basilica over a bar set for entertaining; below, the well-equipped kitchen.
34 | sawoman.com
march/april 2015 | 35
W AT HOME dogs and taupe pointers, standing in their best Westminster form. Each vinyl piece was applied by hand, creating a patterned wall assemblage that is homage to popular wall texturing of the Victorian age. While performing utilitarian duty, family pieces hold places of significance in the children’s bedrooms. “When my mother was 6 or 7, my grandparents built their home in Terrell Hills,” recalls Josephine. “My grandmother (Carolyn Brown Negley) had phenomenal taste and was a great lover of contemporary art and architecture, yet my mother was less than impressed with the super-cool and modern bedroom furniture her mother had chosen for her.” Enlisting Josephine’s great-grandmother Emily Wells Brown to step in, Josephine’s grandmother was persuaded to commission a four-poster canopied bed to be made for her mother. While visiting Paris, Mrs. Brown picked out a very feminine, very beautiful Pierre Frey fabric for the bed’s canopy and matching window valances. The bed, with its original fabric canopy and valances, now belongs to Josephine’s daughter. “I added the curtains to the bed and had them made when we were living in Houston,” she says. “They are a direct copy
Top, the master bedroom; below, a pair of Negley Paint metal signs from the ‘30s displayed against custom-made wallpaper; at right, the canopy bed slept in by three generations of girls.
36 | sawoman.com
W AT HOME
of curtains I saw on the cover of one of the first issues of Domino Magazine, and the designer said she had been inspired by an Oscar de la Renta dress. The woman who made them for me said that all that pinch pleating had nearly killed her and that she would never make them again!” In the room shared by the Davidsons’ two young sons, a lacquered Chinese partners desk centers the room. It belonged to the children’s great-grandfather, Richard Gill. “After my grandmother Josephine Gill Hudson passed away in 2013, we unpacked her storage, which had a mind-bogglingly massive quantity of things, and that desk was amongst them,” Josephine recalls. “I had always known that I wanted a partners desk for them, and this one seemed destined to fall in my lap.” The desk, it seems, is yet another perfect example of how this family’s heirlooms and art join time and space. 38 | sawoman.com
W PARTY PICS Friends of Hospice Valentine Luncheon/Julian Gold Style Show at the San Antonio Country Club February 14, 2015 1. Mary Beth Frisk and Beverly Purcell-Guerra. 2. Cindy Arnold and Lisa Allisan. 3. Linda Hammond, Lois Jones, Susie Martin, and Xonia Kargl. 4. Sue Dullnig and Beverly Pace.
1
2
3
4
march/april 2015 | 41
W FASHION CALENDAR March 5 Neiman Marcus Up Close Cucinelli Spring Trunk Show March 5-6 Julian Gold Nicole Miller, Nicole Batki, Jay Godfrey, Gypsy Contemporary Evening Event March 13-14 Julian Gold Austin Scarlett Bridal Trunk Show March 13-14 Julian Gold Suzanna Dai Jewelry Trunk Show March 17 Julian Gold Johnston and Murphy Spring 2015 Shoe Trunk Show March 17-18 Julian Gold Dian Malouf Jewelry Trunk Show March 18-19 Julian Gold Christine Moore Designer Hat Trunk Show
March 24-25 Julian Gold Carolina Herrera Fall 2015 Designer Trunk Show March 26-27 Julian Gold St. John Fall 2015 Designer Knit Sportswear Trunk Show March 26 Neiman Marcus Ladies Shoe Extravaganza March 28 Neiman Marcus Jan Barboglio Personal Appearance March 31- April 1 Julian Gold Rebecca Isabella Jewelry Trunk Show April 1-2 Julian Gold Lela Fall 2015 Designer Trunk Show April 10 Meadow Me Golondrina Women’s Apparel Trunk Show
March 18-19 Julian Gold Tom and Linda Platt Couture Spring 2015 Collection Trunk Show March 19 Elaine Turner Spring Launch Party March 19 Neiman Marcus The CUSP Event Spring Trunk Show
42 | sawoman.com
April 12 The Tiny Finch Kathleen Whitten Personal Appearance April 14-15 Julian Gold Naeem Khan Fall 2015 Designer Trunk Show
March 19-20 Julian Gold Raoul Contemporary Spring 2015 Collection Trunk Show
April 30-May 2 Julian Gold Algo Swiss Designer Sportswear Trunk Show
March 19-20 Julian Gold Evocateur Jewelry Trunk Show
May 6 The Tiny Finch Mary Barker Personal Appearance
March 21 Neiman Marcus David Yurman Trunk Show
May 7-9 Julian Gold Lafayette 148 Fall 2015 Sportswear Trunk Show
FAB FINDS W
PEÑALOZA & SONS
STACK RINGS – If one is good, then two or three can only be better. Mix and match colors and styles to coordinate with the latest spring and summer fashion trends. Available at Peñaloza & Sons.
2001 NW Military Hwy, 78213
210.340.3536
penalozaandsons.com
ARMOIRES & ACCENTS
Savings by color on all accessories at Armoires & Accents. Visit the store today and grab a pricing legend while you meander their huge showroom stuffed full of furniture and accessories; each tag color indicates a different discount. Save now from 20%-60% on all accessories and then get ready for even more as the season goes on. It's a fun way to shop and a fun way to SAVE!!!
343 W. Sunset near the Quarry
210.805.9004
ArmoiresandAccents.com
DENNIS JEWELRY CO.
From the “Tango Collection,” by BELLARRI ... a gorgeous blue topaz and lolite ring set in 18kt white gold. This combination highlights the true beauty and elegance of the natural gemstones within the creation. To be exotic is beautiful, to wear BELLARRI from DENNIS Jewelry is to be remembered!
14701 N. Hwy 281
210.499.1212
www.SanAntonioBoutiques.com
dennisjewelry.com march/april 2015 | 43
BEAUTY W
Natural &
Bright for Spring By CHERYL VAN TUYL JIVIDEN
Newest trends in makeup
Spring offers the promise of fresh color and new styles for skin
and hair when things heat up here in San Antonio. In our search
for easy ways to help jump-start your freshened look for the sea-
son, we checked in with New York Fashion Week for overall color
trends that women here could embrace.
What we discovered was a kaleidoscope of color on faces wear-
ing bronzed skin, red lips and soft pastels in combination with
shockingly smoky eyes, all in a color called Marsala, the robust, earthy, wine-red Pantone Color Institute color of the year.
Lindsey Lopez, local makeup artist and owner of Demure
Beauty by Lindsey, says, “San Antonio women love their makeup,
Texas hair and bling. I love that they are embracing growing trends
by customizing them to fit their own unique style and taking these
trends to the next level. With these changes, it pushes women to
ditch the same old makeup look and dare to go bold.
“We are seeing a much more natural, clean complexion, so San
Antonio women may want to skip the foundation this spring,” rec-
ommends Lopez. She continues, “Tinted moisturizer can even out
skin tone and hide any imperfections in the skin. Use a very small
amount of concealer afterward, under the eyes and
Spring Cleaning: Makeup bag maintenance
Celebrity makeup artist and San Antonian Deborah Amar Schneider tells us how to purge the old expired makeup in your bag and make room for the new: “Generally speaking, there are no expiration dates for
makeup, and makeup companies are not required to put them on packaging. Skin care is a little different
because the expiration date applies once the lid is opened, especially for moisturizers. The Letter Y refers
to the year and M for month. 12M means the moisturizer can expire in 12 months, once the lid is opened.”
Deborah Amar Schneider offers these tips:
1
Makeup should be simple, fresh and modern.
2
Keep makeup out of the car and out of the heat. Room temperature is best.
3
Toss makeup you don’t use.
march/april 2015 | 45
W BEAUTY over any areas that you want to con-
ceal, and a cream blush on the face be-
cause it adds a natural, subtle and soft
look to the skin. Powder blushes can be
a little too heavy for a look like this.”
Quick-fix B eauty Tips Local experts share shortcuts to help you freshen your look for Spring.
Lopez sees eyes as the area where
you can have fun and express yourself through makeup. “We are seeing
bold fun colors on the eyes, from blue eyeliner to multicolored
mascara. If you find that you are
more conservative with makeup, then
start small. Use a navy blue, eggplant purple or smoky green eyeliner to re-
place your usual black and brown one.” As for the lips, brighten things up.
“Bold color is what is in. Fire-engine
bright red to magenta hot pink on the
lips will be your new best friend for
spring. Sometimes a shockingly gor-
geous colored lip can be the best acces-
sory to your outfit and look,” says
Lopez with delight.
Don’t overlook the fashion acces-
sory at your fingertips. “Nail art has
EYELASHES
will continue through spring. Why not
ham says, “Imagine no mascara needed — it’s just one of the benefits of lash ex-
become a fast-growing trend lately and
have some Swarovski sparkle on those
nails? When you look at them, you will have a guaranteed smile,” claims
Lopez. She adds, “The sparkle is also
showing up on pedicured toes.”
Whether you dabble in the trends or embrace them fully,
DON’T BE AFRAID TO EXPERIMENT. Lopez suggests, “Makeup washes
off, so have fun with it. Try new colors,
Licensed aesthetician and owner of the Vanity Room Lash Bar, Kellie Bucking-
tensions. They are also waterproof, so you can swim and shower with them and
they don’t require curling.” The lashes are very customizable in length and thick-
ness. Following a one-to-two-hour first application, they require fills about every three weeks. Lash tinting is a good choice for those with blonder lashes.
EYEBROWS
“The trend for eyebrows is thicker, more natural, grown-out brows with thin-
ner edges. Pretty and sharp,” says Pamela Morales, aesthetician and owner of the
Beauty Lounge at Blanco.
HAIR BLOW-OUT
No cuts, no color, just blow-out styles that last for days. “It’s an easy way to
look good between salon appointments or just to simplify your daily routine,”
says owner and franchisee Athena Boyd of the new Gwyneth Paltrow-affiliated
get feedback from your girlfriends and
Blo Blow Dry Bar. The bar offers seven different options and her favorite, Blown
able with expanding your makeup
smooth shine.
beauty professionals to feel comfortwardrobe choices.”
46 | sawoman.com
Beautiful’s Brazilian Blow Out, provides an estimated 12 weeks of frizz-free,
Makeup Maintenance Musts POWDERS and SHADOWS
Powder blushes and eye shadow don’t
expire. If you’ve had the same shadows for
years, most likely they have become faded
with less color and intensity. They may
also be more prone to crumble or break
quickly. The colors over time will lose
their vibrancy and have less impact. CREAM SHADOWS/BLUSHES
They can dry out and turn pasty or
gummy. Keep cream blushes or eye shad-
ows for no longer than six months. LIPSTICK, LIP LINER AND FOUNDATION
Don’t keep liquid foundation longer
than four to six months once opened.
Cream-to-powder compact foundations can
be kept a little longer. Toss them if they
smell bad or if color or texture has changed. MASCARA/EYELINERS
Keep no longer than six to eight weeks.
One month is best. Wash wands with
shampoo when they get clumpy — you will
see an improvement in application. Kevyn
Aucoin mascara’s Japanese tube technol-
ogy basically shrink-wraps each lash to
allow for zero flaking or smudging, and it is
easily removed with warm water. Makeup
artist Deborah Amar Schneider says, “I
don’t leave home without it… ever!’ MAKEUP BRUSHES
Shampoo your makeup brushes with
the shampoo you use for your hair. Do not use dishwashing detergent. Your makeup
brushes should have the same shine and
luster as your own hair. Don’t get the barrel of the brush wet, just the bristles. To
dry, lay them flat or on a downward angle
on a towel to avoid any excess water run-
ning into the barrel or brush shaft, potentially rusting and deteriorating the glue.
Good-quality brushes can last you a life-
time if cared for properly.
march/april 2015 | 47
W HEALTH MATTERS
Get your life back by
GETTING BACK TO
Simple steps may help
You’d be the rare woman indeed if you haven’t had some sort of sleep issue and suffered from its occasional effects. The concern is when it becomes chronic. Dr. Michael S. Boss, a chiropractor, health and well-
ness practitioner, and the co-founder, president and well-
ness director of Elevate Life Wellness in San Antonio, says,
By CHERYL VAN TUYL JIVIDEN
“A common complaint among women of all ages is poor
sleep. Many fall asleep only to wake up throughout the
night. Some struggle falling asleep, and others fall in and
out of sleep states all night long. Regardless, they com-
48 | sawoman.com
plain they are tired and fatigued most of the time and feel like
they never get enough sleep.
“Many things can contribute to sleep concerns,” says Dr.
Boss, “including chronic or acute injury, lack of regular exer-
cise, circadian rhythm disruption, neurotransmitter depletion,
faulty digestion and gut function, weight struggles and the stan-
dard American diet. This goes for young and old alike. Add in
the factors of raising children, having newborn babies and job
and family responsibilities, and you can see the rocky road of
metabolic dysfunction that awaits a young mom. When these
problems continue for years, it is easy to recognize the cycles of
poor health that ravage women of all ages.”
Sleep and health are related and can cause a myriad of is-
sues that prevent women from functioning optimally. “Re-
search on sleep and health has indicated that just one night of
interrupted sleep is all it takes to make you feel more de-
Better Ways to
pressed, fatigued and confused,” shares Dr. Boss.
“There are multiple metabolic causes of poor sleep. These
include physical pain issues, environmental issues and emo-
tional causes,” Boss explains. “Even makeup, other beauty prod-
ucts and chemical shampoos as well as endocrine disruptors
(substances that mimic and alter the function of hormones) like
soy foods and GMO products can affect sleep. In addition, hor-
mone imbalances usually related to stress physiology (adrenal
fatigue) and lack of production of neurotransmitters and sleep
hormones (serotonin and melatonin) are all it takes to cut short
a good night’s sleep. But it could be what you are or aren’t eating
that has you sleepless. The most common cause of poor sleep in
women, however, is one that most people never even consider:
poor nutrition and blood sugar dysfunction.
Most women don’t correlate their diet intake with poor sleep, but it is most often the critical factor. “If you don’t eat a nutritious diet full of the micronutrients
and macronutrients that your body requires, it cannot function at a high capacity. The ability to produce energy falters, and blood sugar levels will wax and wane, leading to sleep prob-
lems. A blood sugar issue called hypoglycemia could also be the
reason you wake up at night and can’t get back to sleep,” Dr.
Boss points out.
“Most who experience this sort of sleep concern don’t eat a
nutritious diet and often snack on unhealthy, sugary items after
dinner. Their glucose levels are on a twisted roller coaster ride,
and their overall health and function suffers. The result — in
the middle of the night, their blood sugar drops too low and
(Suggestions by Dr. Boss)
• Optimize your bedroom for sleep; keep H
Environmental factors
it pitch-dark and the thermostat between 62 and 68 degrees Fahrenheit.
• The use of certified pure therapeuticH
grade essential oils has shown great benefit. Numerous studies on the use of lavender oil for relaxation and sleep have indicated its effectiveness.
• Meditation and relaxation techniques H can also be effective.
Food/Nutrition
• A temporary fix is to cut out sweets H at night.
• Eat a good snack with protein and H
healthy fats an hour or so before bedtime. It doesn’t have to be a lot, just enough to sustain normal blood glucose levels overnight.
• Sleep is vital to overall health, wellness, H
Find Help
and happiness. If you suffer from sleep issues, consult a functional wellness provider to determine the root causes of the sleep disturbance.
march/april 2015 | 49
W HEALTH MATTERS
Sweet dreams. they wake up. The adrenal stress hormone cortisol is stimulated in this situation,
causing a person’s efforts to go back to deep sleep both futile and impossible,” he says. San Antonio sleep researcher and medical co-director for adult sleep disorders at
the Sleep Disorder Therapy and Research Center, Dr. Nagwa Lamaie sees women, in
particular, dealing with insomnia or lack of sleep that could be related to other medical
conditions. These include thyroid dysfunction, restless leg syndrome and pre- and
postmenopausal changes. Narcolepsy is also a condition affecting women. “In my
practice, it’s often females. I see about 50 percent of narcoleptics having fragmented
sleep at night and hypersomnia (excessive sleepiness) during the day,” she says.
A patient’s history or witness history is helpful in detecting conditions, especially
sleep apnea. “The typical symptoms are snoring or the elbow effect when a partner
nudges you because there’s been a stop in breathing, which is worrisome,” Dr. Lamaie
says. “Women are often surprised to learn they have sleep apnea. You think of an older
obese man with a big stomach, but that isn’t necessarily so. I’ve diagnosed it in young,
fit, petite women.”
Dr. Lamaie sees Upper Airway Resistance Syndrome occurring more in women. It
is a sleep disorder where there is a struggle to breathe, as well as sleeplessness and extreme fatigue. Additionally, she treats Nocturnal Panic Disorder, which occurs more
commonly in women than men. It is a condition where a patient will awake gasping or
choking, sweating, with a racing heart and an impending sense of doom and fear of
dying. “Often, typically about half the time, they suffer panic attacks during the day as
well,” she explains.
“Finding solutions for better sleep can be frustrating and exhausting,” shares Dr.
Boss. ”The healthier alternatives do not involve the use of sleeping medications that
lead to addictive issues and various side effects. I always recommend having an evalu-
ation with a functional wellness provider who has experience with the intricate
causative factors with sleep issues. It is often as easy as eating a nutrient-dense diet,
performing the right type of exercise, using specific supplements for your needs and practicing rest and sleep habits that work for you.”
Working with a psychologist, Dr. Lamaie uses cognitive behavioral therapy to treat
some sleep disorders like insomnia. An analysis to determine potential causes is essen-
tial to determining treatment. “Hearing about the quality-of-life improvements from
my patients after they have had sleep studies, thorough analysis and diagnosis, is very
rewarding,” says Dr. Lamaie. They see a return of energy, a decrease of irritability, improved relationships and, most importantly, “It’s wonderful to hear about their life changes and to hear them say, ‘I have my life back.’”
50 | sawoman.com
18TH ANNUAL SUSAN G. KOMEN SAN ANTONIO RACE FOR THE CURE速
SATURDAY, APRIL 11, 2015 ALAMODOME
Our promise is to save lives and end breast cancer.
OUR PROMISE The promise of Susan G. Komen® is to save lives and end breast cancer by: • Empowering people • Ensuring quality care for all • Energizing science to find the cures Komen has played a critical role in every major advance in the mission to end breast cancer, transforming how the world talks about and treats this disease. Millions of breast cancer patients are now breast cancer survivors!
Susan G. Komen is the world’s largest breast cancer organization, funding more breast cancer research than any other nonprofit while providing real-time help to those facing the disease. Since its founding in 1982, Komen has funded approximately $800 million in research and provided more than $1.7 billion to screening, education, treatment and psychosocial support programs serving millions of people in more than 30 countries worldwide. Komen was founded by Nancy G. Brinker, who promised her sister, Susan G. Komen, that she would end the disease that claimed Suzy’s life. Established in 1997, Susan G. Komen San Antonio has invested more than $16.5 million in our city.
2014 LOCAL FUNDING BREAKDOWN EDUCATION RESEARCH
12% 26% 32%
TREATMENT/ SURVIVORSHIP
SCREENING/DIAGNOSTIC
30%
1 IN 8 WOMEN will be diagnosed with breast cancer in her lifetime. The disease is the second most common cause of cancer deaths. Except for skin cancer, breast cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer among women.
A SPECIAL SECTION FOR SAN ANTONIO WOMAN
LOCAL DOLLARS HELPING LOCALLY Last year, Susan G. Komen San Antonio awarded $750,000 to nine area nonprofits providing life-saving breast cancer services to local families who need our help the most. Additionally, we invested $270,000 for breast cancer research taking place in our city. Through community support, Komen San Antonio is helping women in our neighborhoods suffering from breast cancer today, while fueling research to find the cures for tomorrow. Funds awarded were raised primarily through the 2014 Susan G. Komen San Antonio Race for the Cure. With your help, last year’s grants specifically addressed: Breast cancer screening including clinical breast exams, mammograms and biopsies. Treatment such as surgery, chemotherapy and radiation. Support and survivorship including counseling services, lymphatic drainage, wigs, bras, prosthetics, transportation, diet and nutrition classes. Neighborhood breast cancer education and outreach programs.
The funded breast cancer programs provided in Bexar County were selected by an independent grants review panel through a competitive application process.
2014-2015 Komen San Antonio Grantees: American Cancer Society: Transportation to treatment appointments CentroMed: Education, screening, diagnostics and case management services CommuniCare Health Centers: Screening and diagnostics Martinez Street Women’s Center: Educational outreach and support services SLEW Wellness Center: Emotional and physical support for survivors recovering from treatment including lymphatic drainage, counseling, wigs and more ThriveWell Cancer Foundation: Nutrition and exercise sessions specifically for cancer patients and survivors University Health System: Screening and diagnostics WINGS: Treatment support and patient assistance YWCA: Educational outreach and support services
PINK EMPOWERMENT PACKS FOR NEWLY DIAGNOSED PATIENTS Dealing with a cancer diagnosis is overwhelming. Many times patients have to make quick decisions about treatment plans, financing, work and personal arrangements. Empowerment Packs provide resources on treatment options, support groups, important questions to ask doctors, cancer journals and much more.
“It’s invaluable. Breast cancer is so overwhelming and it gave me clarity about what I needed to know and what questions to ask my doctor. I still refer to the package today.” Irene H., Survivor
“My Empowerment Pack couldn’t have come at a better time. The thought of knowing someone else is thinking about me as I go through my radiation treatment is encouraging.” Deborah C., Survivor
To request an Empowerment Pack for a breast cancer survivor or patient, please email info@sakomen.net or call 210-222-9009. Are you interested in sponsoring the Pink Empowerment Pack program, or providing cards of encouragement? If so, please email bre@sakomen.net or call 210-222-9009. A SPECIAL SECTION FOR SAN ANTONIO WOMAN
BREAST CANCER AMBASSADORS The Komen Breast Cancer Ambassadors (BCA) are a group of trained volunteers who participate in speaking engagements throughout the community. Ambassadors include survivors, co-survivors, advocates and anyone with a passion to serve!
Our Purpose To educate about Komen’s promise to save lives, discuss vital breast cancer information and share powerful testimonies on why breast cancer awareness matters.
"As a survivor and chairwoman of the Breast Cancer Ambassadors, I was saddened to find so many people who lacked information about our local resources. Through the BCAs, we are able to create a passionate group that has a desire to speak openly about their cancer journeys. Komen’s hope is to educate San Antonio in our efforts to encourage early detection." Lucie Arteaga
Why Should You Get Involved? You have the opportunity to make a real impact in the lives of others by educating people about breast cancer through presentations, distributing educational materials and sharing your personal story.
Are you interested in joining the Breast Cancer Ambassadors program? If so, please email bre@sakomen.net or call 210-222-9009.
COMMUNITY PROFILE The Community Profile allows Komen San Antonio to better understand local breast cancer issues and remain responsive to the needs in Bexar County. The project reviews the following: • Local breast cancer trends, including incidence, mortality, screening and stage of diagnosis • Strengths and weaknesses in the local health care system • Analysis of breast cancer public policy • Community feedback through focus groups and health care professionals
Priority Areas Two priority areas were identified based on demographic and socioeconomic information that may put certain areas within Bexar County at higher risk for late-stage breast cancer diagnosis and early death. Zip codes with higher percentages of Black and Hispanic/Latina women with lower education, employment and poverty levels, as well as higher medically underserved numbers, were chosen. These socioeconomic factors make it difficult for residents to access cancer care and prevention. Information gathered allows the Affiliate to effectively reach the Bexar County population through responsive grants, community outreach and public policy efforts. The full Community Profile Report will be available June 2015.
For questions or information about the Community Profile, please visit www.komensanantonio.org or call (210) 222-9009. A SPECIAL SECTION FOR SAN ANTONIO WOMAN
Be Bald and Be Free! by Dezare Cedillo
When I first got diagnosed with breast cancer at the ripe age of 28, one of the things they told me was that I would lose my hair. I remained hopeful that I would be one of the 5 percent that didn’t. Well, I wasn’t! Everyone said, “Shave your head before your hair starts falling out,” but I felt I was going through this for a reason beyond myself. So I decided to see what it’s like to lose the most precious possessions that society says makes us women beautiful. I wanted to use this opportunity to let inner beauty shine out and not follow the mold of how the world says you have to look. Well, I’m glad I did. Because throughout this journey of losing my hair, my eyelashes (which I loved so much, by the way), one of my breasts, which I now call my moob = missing+boob, I have learned how to feel beautiful in every season of my life–whether I have hair or no hair! I have embraced the phrase “NO HAIR, DON’T CARE” and made that my motto at how I look going through hard times. It isn’t just about your hair, it is a boldly positive outlook at any situation you go through. Whether you’ve been through cancer or not. Nothing that we go through in life defines who “you” are! You are not the mistakes you’ve made nor the cancer that may be inside you. All of us are fighters! Fighters at life! And survivors of life!
If you’re reading this now, you are a SURVIVOR!
Life can be tough, but it’s how you perceive situations that will make living worth it. I may be
battling cancer, but I don’t feel like it. I choose to believe that God created me for a purpose and it’s through his son, Jesus Christ, that I have come this far in my breast cancer battle journey. He has given me the supernatural strength, courage, love, support and hope! Through the Holy Spirit my perspective was changed to see the blessings and positivity in life. That’s what gets me through each and every day with great joy! I am grateful for today and pray for tomorrow. Thank you, Jesus! So go out there and be the beautiful YOU that you were created to be!
Forget what the girls on the magazines look like. Those girls don’t even look like “those girls” in the magazine. Forget about what society or social media says is beautiful….you go out there and be the best version of yourself in this season! Your time to shine is now! So be bald and be free!
A SPECIAL SECTION FOR SAN ANTONIO WOMAN
Learning to Speak Cancer by Eileen Lundin
I am fortunate to have learned several languages throughout my life: Southern, English, Spanish, Portuguese, French and Cancer. Whenever we can, my husband, Robert, and I travel, research travel, plan travel and pack suitcases for travel. We just love that brisk feeling of jet lag. We love the fascinating people we meet and the wonderful places we’re privileged to visit. I was found to have breast cancer in 1996: a routine mammogram, an impossible diagnosis and then the whirlwind of treatment. I learned about Komen San Antonio through my “chemo-buddy,” Gen, and I started working on the volunteer committee before my hair had grown out to a respectable length. I joined the board in 2001, and was elected president in 2003. During that time, Komen was housed at University Health System, Robert B. Green Campus (where I started my nursing career), and we had no paid staff. Finally we acquired an administrative person and a volunteer coordinator. When those two ladies went on to more lucrative jobs, I was the entire Komen staff for a summer. My first Race was Komen’s second in San Antonio, so I have been there practically from the beginning. From bald to blonde to grey. Through my many roles as a volunteer board member, board president, and involvement in Race for the Cure, community grants and the Community Profile, I’ve learned the most important function of
Komen has been, and continues to be, education and awareness. I am regularly amazed by how misunderstood breast cancer is, even today, as I work at the Cancer Therapy and Research Center. I want women to take control of their health. I want them to be intelligent consumers of health care services. And I want them to know what questions to ask. I wrote three guidebooks and participated in the production of a few more; I translated the language of breast cancer into Spanish; I helped run a support group for Latinas for several years — all in the name of education. For a woman who was a total disaster at teaching middle school Spanish in Biloxi, Mississippi, I think I’ve come a long way!
What does Komen mean? It means, I think, that there is help and hope for women who have breast cancer or who fear it. We show up with our bright, shiny smiles and our pink shirts and we hug. We find resources for those without, we hold hands as they navigate the path of treatments, and we inspire the terrified to embrace the process of cure. We raise the funds to help women and to underwrite the cure. It is my most fervent hope that someday, someday soon, we will hold a Race to Celebrate the Cure and that no woman need ever fear breast cancer again.
Now, It’s Personal by Debra Medellin-Beyer
I've always run for fitness, but more for my mental well-being. My first involvement with Susan G. Komen was the 1999 San Antonio Race for the Cure. I had never seen so much pink! There were participants with homemade signs on their backs running in honor or memory of those women in their lives who had survived, were currently in treatment, or had lost their battle with breast cancer. To say I was overwhelmed is an understatement! After completing the race I decided that next year I would do more than just run, so I volunteered and helped register people. Since then, each year I have become more involved, and now I take a week of vacation from my full-time job, and I organize registration and packet pick-up for the entire race. I’ve served on the Komen San Antonio Board of Directors and co-chaired the race two years in a row. People have often asked me why I volunteer, and I tell them that EVERYONE will be affected by this disease. They will either have a mother, sister or friend who will be diagnosed, and even ONE is too many. In all the years I have volunteered, served on the board or been in charge of the race, I have received far more than I have given. I've met some amazing women and have been truly blessed that our paths crossed. Throughout the years I've been a volunteer, not a week goes by when I don’t meet someone who has been recently diagnosed, is going through treatment, or has lost someone to this disease. If that isn't a validation of why I am involved with Komen or why we all need to do more, I don't know what is! My husband, Robert, has become involved as well and helps every year with race operations and puts up hundreds of pink lights for my registration tent. He always wears pink at any Komen event. Being in a male-dominated field as a paramedic with the San Antonio Fire Department, he has met and helped many of his fellow brothers and sisters just by listening. And he refers them to Komen for resources for their own loved ones who have been newly diagnosed with breast cancer. Since the beginning, I've never had any connection to breast cancer. I've always just been passionate about the cause. In September of 2014, it became personal. My mother was diagnosed with Stage IV breast cancer. The doctors called it “invasive ductal carcinoma.” I call it a monster. Because of the extent of this monster, my mother will succumb and lose her battle to breast cancer. As we care for my mother realizing this, not a day goes by that I don't wonder if she's in pain or if there is any more we can do to keep her comfortable. What I do know is that as long as I'm able, I will do whatever I can to educate people about early detection and prevention and to help find a cure! If you've never been to the Race for the Cure, I ask that you come see what it's all about. Celebrate with San Antonio the many women, and some men, who have fought this battle and won, those who are fighting now and honor those who have lost their lives. If you do, come by the registration tent and say “hello.” It’ll be the one lit up with hundreds of pink lights to honor my mother.
A SPECIAL SECTION FOR SAN ANTONIO WOMAN
A SPECIAL SECTION FOR SAN ANTONIO WOMAN
Register Today!
Join us on Saturday, April 11, 2015, at the Alamodome for the 18th Annual Susan G. Komen San Antonio Race for the CureÂŽ
Be part of Komen’s promise to save lives and end breast cancer by empowering people, ensuring quality care for all and energizing science to find the cures!
Visit www.komensanantonio.org to sign up online today.
Thank you to our local title sponsor:
A SPECIAL SECTION FOR SAN ANTONIO WOMAN
AROUND TOWN W CTRC 40th Anniversary Reunion Dinner announced a $5 million gift establishing the Mays Family Foundation Distinguished University Presidential Chair for the Director of the CTRC.
1. Margot and Randall Mays, Sheri Ortiz, Peggy Mays, Kathy Mays Johnson, Paige Johnson. 2. Rita Stich, Pat Frost, Dr. Kelley Frost.
3. Mark and Lori Wright, Taddy McAllister, Edith McAllister.
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march/april 2015 | 67
W GUYS TO KNOW
MORRIS MILLER CEO, Xenex Disinfection Services By JASMINA WELLINGHOFF Lead Columnist Photography by JANET ROGERS
68 | sawoman.com
Their germ-killing robot is a scientific breakthrough
efore my interview with CEO Morris Miller, Xenex technical director Rachael Sparks volunteers to show me Eden, the company’s innovative disinfecting robot that emits high-intensity UV light to kill germs in hospital rooms, operating rooms and other health care facilities. Eden looks like a compact cabinet on wheels, out of which rises a mushroom-like “tower” when the machine is in operation. Sparks presses a couple of buttons, and we rush out of the room to observe Eden through a glass wall as it emits bright pulses of light. It takes only minutes to disinfect an area. Xenex was founded by scientists Julie Stachowiak, Ph.D., and Mark Stibich, Ph.D., in 2008 in Houston. Looking for investors and business expertise to help them develop a viable company, the two were introduced to Miller, the cofounder and former managing director and co-chairman of Rackspace Hosting. With Miller at the helm, the company relocated to Austin and later to San Antonio and reincorporated as Xenex Disinfection Services in 2013. The first version of Eden became commercially available in 2010.
The technology that makes the robot work uses the nearly inert, nontoxic gas xenon, which emits powerful, broad-spectrum ultraviolet light (UVC) when activated by electrical discharge. A lawyer by education, Miller is also the founder of Sequel and Cutstone Ventures, through which he invests in and acts as adviser to numerous startups and established technology companies. How did you originally connect with Drs. Stibich and Stachowiak? They were looking for help to bring their idea to market. They were working on this idea of a germ-zapping robot that they thought could work, but they had never actually put it into practice other than in their garage. They came to meet with me here in San Antonio and presented their idea. I asked them about their mission, and when they shared that with me, I was sold on it. What was the mission? They were focused on environmentally caused infections in hospitals. Two million Americans get them each year, and 100,000 die from these infections. Their mission was to stop the suffering caused by the infections and stop the deaths. They felt that if they could prove that the environment was causing the infections and if they could prove that the germ-zapping robot stops the pathogens in the environment, they could have a dramatic effect on reducing both the infection rates and the deaths. Was there already some solid research to support their ideas? I think there was solid research that had been done on light devices sold on the market at the time. Almost all those devices at the time and still to this day are based on mercury light bulbs. Mercury light bulbs produce a narrow spectrum of UV light, and they were not very powerful. Ours is the first xenon-based system, which is broad-spectrum — 25,000 times as intense as sunlight — so they believed that it could be far more effective in disabling pathogens. How was your first robot tested? In 2010 we had the first workable robot that Mark and Julie took to the M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, where they ran trials, and those trials proved that it was 20 times better than standard methods of cleaning and disinfecting the rooms (traditionally done with bleach.) When we saw that — “20 times better” — we asked M.D. Anderson if they would publish that finding. They got it published in the Journal of Infection Control and Hospital Epidemiology. Then we asked them if they were going to buy it (the robot), and that was the true test. Once they bought it, we knew that they believed in the efficacy of the robot, and that’s when we started building the company in earnest. What germs does the Xenex device destroy? If you think of germs as a hierarchy, C. difficile is the hardest germ to kill. That means that if we can get C. diff on the top of the “mountain,” we can get everything under it more easily. We get C. diff in four minutes, which means we can get everything else faster, including things like Ebola. The military, at the Langley Air Force Base and at Fort Bliss, bought the robots as their No. 1 response should Ebola show up in soldiers returning to the U.S. Both hospitals where Ebola showed up in the U.S. were equipped with our devices, and the disease did not spread.
Are hospitals using it in conjunction with traditional cleaning and disinfecting or by itself? That’s changing. Some hospitals do their standard cleaning with bleach, which was the best thing that existed for a long time, and then follow up with the xenon robot. But at M.D. Anderson, they don’t even use bleach anymore. They just use some kind of surfactant (detergent) to clean the removable dirt and then use Xenex for disinfection. More hospitals will realize that they can skip bleach, which will save them time and money. How many health care facilities are using the Xenex robots? It’s approaching 300. How about San Antonio institutions? The University Health System has six robots; the VA here has several, and Morningside Ministries got one robot at first and had a huge success with it within a short time. So they bought two more. They had a huge reduction of infections. People think these infections hit only the elderly — not at all! We had a situation in a California hospital where a mother came to deliver her baby, and both mother and baby got MRSA. The hospital did everything it could to prevent the spread of it, but within the next two weeks two more mothers and newborns fell ill. The hospital followed all the established guidelines for disinfection, yet the number of infected mothers and babies eventually grew to 60. In desperation, the infection preventionist called us. A robot was dispatched with a qualified technician. Within two days they disinfected the entire labor and delivery suite, and they didn’t have a single additional infection. That’s very impressive.
People don’t realize that HAIs
(Healthcare-Associated Infections)
kill more people than auto accidents, breast cancer and AIDS combined.
That’s why I was excited to talk to your magazine. Mothers make the majority
of health care decisions, and they need to know that there’s a solution to this
problem. Talk about harnessing the power of the community to make a difference! We need to spread the
word about it.
Where are the robots manufactured? (Gestures toward the inner side of the building) About 100 feet from you. Almost every part is U.S.-made, and they are all assembled and engineered here. Mr. Miller’s comments have been slightly edited for reasons of space and clarity. march/april 2015 | 69
W BUSINESS WOMAN SPOTLIGHT
Sylvia N. Martinez, D.D.S. What do you do professionally? I am a family and cosmetic dentist and have been in practice for 31 years. For the first 16 years I worked side by side with my father, Ralph Navarro, who was also a dentist in San Antonio.
What is it that you like best about your job? Dentistry is constantly changing and developing new techniques and technology. It is important to keep up with advancements in my profession, and it is a continual learning process, which I enjoy. I receive the greatest satisfaction in helping people achieve the good dental health they want and deserve and ultimately seeing a patient walking out of the treatment room with a big smile on their face, knowing that I helped make that difference. When did you know that you were in the right place in your career? I knew I was in a good place in my career when I discovered that I was serving as a role model to other young women through my actions in and out of work. They saw that I enjoyed my profession while finding a balance between family and work. How would you describe your leadership style? Leading by example. Working alongside my team, encouraging them to be A-level members. Customer service is very important to me. In my office, we consistently hear from patients that theirs is the best dental experience they have ever had. Would you encourage your children to go into the same field? As a matter of fact, my daughter, Dr. Kelly Owen, is now a dentist who is completing a three-year ortho-
dontic dental program at Baylor College of Dentistry in Dallas. I never pushed her to go into my profession, but just like I did with my own father, my daughter was quietly taking notes. That is why it is so important that we lead by example.
Who were your mentors? My father definitely had the greatest influence on me. When I started in dentistry, there were very few female dentists as role models. While I was in dental school, I remember being told by certain people that I should be home making cookies and that as a student I was occupying a slot that should have been given to a man. My father was always there to offer support and advice, always believing in me. What do you enjoy doing in your spare time? I like experimenting in the kitchen with new recipes. Cooking is very much like chemistry; I guess that is why I enjoy it so much. I also enjoy going with my husband, Sean, to the various farmer’s markets, visiting art galleries and taking walks along the wonderful walking trails in our city. Who has been the biggest influence in your life personally and professionally? That’s an easy answer — my husband. He has been my biggest supporter and always encourages me to continue to find and maintain that balance in life and work. How do you find balance in your life? Career, community and home life. I always remember that I am a wife and mother first who just happens to be a dentist. Work should not be the only thing that defines you. If you enjoy life and your family, that will shine through in your profession.
What is the best advice you have ever received?
My father always told me the most important thing to remember at the end of the day is “Did you do your best, did you give it your all?” My husband’s advice is also very simple, but so true: “Enjoy life.”
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Photography by ELIZABETH FLOWERS
march/april 2015 | 71
W ACCORDING TO LINDA
secret to working *The networking events — What’s Relevant in San Antonio by LINDA ELLIOTT
it’s about them, not you.
This column comes from my heart, the core of my being. It’s how I make a living. I am a connector, a relationship builder. Note that I did not refer to myself as a networker. That’s a word I don’t like. Back in my earlier days, I was a networker and proud of it, perhaps because I was in the business of selling services or widgets. I was taught that the more people I had in my pipeline, the more successful I would be. Allow me now to dispel that age-old theory. What exactly is the difference between networking and connecting? Networking is all about quantity, and connecting is all about quality. Many would consider networking events as necessary business activity with the goal being to meet as many people as possible in a limited amount of time. I suggest that networking events can be effective, but only if you’re attending for the right reasons. Go with the mindset that you will make a few valuable connections that can develop into relationships. Here are a few pointers to follow: • When in a networking environment, don’t cling to one person or group. Move around, but not too much. You’re there for quality encounters, not quantity. • If at all possible, try to discover who is attending, and do a little research beforehand so that you have a good idea of whom you would like to meet.
• Don’t sit with or mingle with other people from your company. Pick a table where you don’t know anyone, or move in another direction if at a mixer.
• Be interested – not interesting! Use your very brief elevator speech when asked what you do and then redirect conversation to others by asking questions. Ambiguity stirs the curiosity and creates an opportunity to meet again for a scheduled appointment. If you focus on them, they will like you (because you let them talk about themselves), but they really won’t know much about you. That’s exactly where you want them!
• Accommodate your new-found friends by offering to make introductions to them or by suggesting ways you might be able to help them in a sincere and gracious fashion. Remember, it’s all about them – not you. You’re beginning to build relationships on first encounters. • It is always fun to meet new people, so make sure you go with the attitude that you are going to have fun.
We all learn by examples, so let me provide a few:
1
Many years ago I attended a few North Chamber events where a particular Chamber member, Joe, would walk in and light up the room. Everyone wanted to be in his presence. He never knew a stranger. He was genuinely interested in every single person he talked with. I didn’t know Joe, but I watched him closely. 72 | sawoman.com
He exuded confidence in the most understated manner. I wanted to emulate him. Joe is a masterful connector, and it has played very well in his business accomplishments and reputation. Yes, we are friends now, and I’ve shared with him how he impressed me in my earlier years. He was humbled and quite surprised by my confession. I am a better person through Joe’s example.
2
I met Paula at a North Chamber networking breakfast a few years ago, and I liked her. She knew how to engage people, which was exactly what she did with me. Paula kept the conversation focused on me, stroking my ego. I really didn’t know what she did professionally, but she asked if she could stop by my office to get some advice. There was no way I would say no. She came by my office and spent about half an hour. It was at that meeting I learned Paula had just started a corporate gifting business, and she asked me for advice on how she should promote her business. Later that afternoon, I received a beautifully personalized gift basket as a thank you. She had scoped out my office and seen a couple of pictures of a cat I had at the time and some other items. She included in the basket a cat pendant and other items she knew would be appropriate for me. Though she never asked for my business, she got it. I was so impressed with Paula and what she had done that I used her numerous times for creating gift baskets for me.
Now, let me give you an assignment that will pay off in spades if handled correctly.
• Make a plan to meet one significant person at a networking event. You probably have a good idea who some of the attendees will be. And if in doubt, try calling the host to see if a certain someone has responded. Do some discovery work. Do an Internet search on them. Check to see if they are on any of the social media sites. Learn about them and their company.
• Go prepared and confident to make a good impression. In your most congenial manner, approach your “prey” with an immediate compliment, preferably something positive you learned through your discovery process.
• Following the compliment, immediately ask a question, then another and then another. Let them talk and be genuinely interested.
• No doubt you will be asked what you do. Play it down and be vague. In that moment it’s all about them.
• End with, “I’ve taken way too much of your time, but I am sincerely fascinated. I really want to learn from you and would love to get your advice. Can I give you a call to see when we can get together? I’d greatly appreciate it.”
• And voila – you’ll likely be granted a meeting. Job well done!
march/april 2015 | 73
W WOMEN IN BUSINESS I shall be telling this with a sigh Somewhere ages and ages hence: Two roads diverged in a wood, and I – I took the one less traveled by, And that has made all the difference.
The
— Robert Frost (excerpt from The Road Not Taken)
Road Taken Four women shift gears to achieve success in car sales
E
By WENDY ATWELL Photography by CASEY HOWELL
ach of the four women we recently spoke to for this article are the most successful in
the field of car sales at their respective dealership. Yet, this path in the automotive
arena was not part of their original career plan. In fact, each overcame personal ob-
stacles and pursued other professional endeavors that eventually led them to their new-
found professional success in the automotive arena.
Selling cars used to mean long hours, being on one’s feet all day and haggling with
customers. While these four car saleswomen have certainly put in their time, the na-
ture of the business has changed. With the rise of Internet sales, many people do
their shopping online, allowing paperwork to be done before the customer even walks through the door. Behind the desk or on the floor, these women share in common
their love and knowledge for sales, personal service and working in a people-oriented
field. They not only know how to make a sale, but each woman seems driven to do so
for the right reason. They work hard to earn the trust of their customers, with the un-
derstanding that they want repeat sales, loyalty and referrals.
Kim Patterson and Riki Butler both had fathers in the Air Force, and this upbringing has
shaped each of them in ways that have been helpful to their careers. Rhonda Locke spent a
large part of her career honing her expertise in sales at Mary Kay, but when she switched to
car sales, she discovered that all of her skills applied to that business as well. Stephanie
Shoels sharpened her competitive spirit growing up with two older brothers. She continues to learn more about the business with the hopes of rising up to a management position. All
of them have expressed gratitude that their workplaces treat them like family.
74 | sawoman.com
Rhonda Locke – North Park Lexus Spend five minutes with Rhonda Locke, and you’ll understand
why much of her business is through repeats and referrals. “I lis-
ten and I get to be friends with my customers,” says Locke, who
Locke started as a sales assistant and quickly moved up to sales. “I knew how to sell, and I knew how to take care of people,” she
says. “In that sense, there’s not a big difference between a lip-
balances her professional demeanor with an open friendliness.
stick and a Lexus. The object is to learn the product.”
Lexus, where she has worked for almost four years. She is sur-
“I’ve always been very disciplined,” says Locke, who has never
of a parking lot filled with a shining array of new Lexus models.
North Park Lexus, but you have to take ownership. ‘If it is to be,
We are sitting at her desk located in the front of North Park
rounded by walls of clear polished glass, with crystal-clear views This premium spot is a perk for her success in selling 226 cars
last year.
missed a day of work for being sick. “I’m an employee here at
it’s up to me.’ That’s a phrase that Mary Kay said, and I’ve always
clung to it.” She feels surrounded by like-minded people at
Lexus, all with an incredible work ethic. “I’m a big goal-setter, I
For 25 years, she worked from home. “I never intended to do
track myself all the time,” she says.
company for years, teaching and training women to meet their
When her husband was diagnosed with stage 4 cancer, Locke’s
anything other than Mary Kay,” says Locke, who managed in the goals. Mary Kay allowed her the flexibility to work while raising
her two children. But when the economy declined and she and
her husband found themselves without insurance benefits, she
decided to search for employment that would provide it. She
found out about a receptionist job at North Park Lexus through
co-workers treated her like family. When she took her husband
to chemo on her days off, her co-workers’ encouragement and
assistance allowed her flexibility to make it possible. “My family is tops,” says Locke, who has one grandson and another on the
way. She and her husband dedicate their time to family and their
one of her Mary Kay customers. The general sales manager hap-
strong involvement with Madison Hills Baptist Church.
and he interviewed her on the spot.
“Being a woman, I’m definitely in the minority,” says Locke. “For
pened to meet her when she was dropping off her application,
“He asked, ‘Are you filling out an application to come work with
us?’ Not for us, but with us.’ I will never forget that,” says Locke.
“I told him I had really good people skills and would take care of his customers. He started laughing and said, ‘Why do you want
to be sitting behind the desk? You need to be out front, selling.’”
many years, the car world was a man’s world, but now some peo-
ple come through the door asking for a woman salesperson.”
They find a certain comfort level with women, she observes,
adding that many people feel anxious when buying a car. She
builds their trust through listening: “I want to find out, what do
they need? And go from there.”
march/april 2015 | 75
W WOMEN IN BUSINESS
Riki Butler – Toyota of Boerne
“Everything that I’ve done prior to this has led me to be successful in what I’m
doing now,” says Riki Butler. Since September of 2012, she has worked as a
sales consultant at Toyota of Boerne. By merging her multiple skills acquired
in banking, management and selling time-shares, she has built a successful
business. “It’s bits and pieces from each of those other companies” that have
helped Butler become an award-winning car saleswoman.
Butler’s work ethic all started at the bowling alley. She began bowling around
the age of 9 and did so for over 20 years. Her father was in the Air Force and
was stationed in San Antonio twice during his career. As a military brat, Butler
explains, “When you live overseas, there’s not a lot of things to do … it’s some-
thing basically to keep you out of trouble.” Working at the bowling alley as a
young girl, she was around 300 to 400 people seven days a week.
Being in car sales, Butler no longer has time to bowl, but her connections from
years of bowling continue to help her gain business. She explains, “The best per-
son to get a customer from is always a referral, because they already know who
you are, how you are; they know your personality and how you treat people, so
they know that you’re going to take care of their friends and family as well.”
Butler’s people skills also came from managing, but the most basic aspect of
sales, she explains, is “just being able to listen to what the customers’ wants
and needs are. Making a friend is the key to anything in sales, regardless of
what you’re selling; being able to treat someone like they’re your family and
not just another person coming in to get another vehicle.”
Butler recently received the inaugural Vic Vaughan RHINO Award this past
January, named after the owner of this family-owned business. The award is
given to “the sales associate who displays a lasting commitment and follow-
through for personal goals, who takes exceptional care of customers, and
shows enthusiasm for department responsibilities by adhering to measurable
processes and expectations.” The idea is taken from Scott Alexander’s Rhinoceros Success — as someone who puts their all into everything they do, “charg-
ing forth massively,” all day, every day.
As a single mother, Butler has learned how to balance her life. Now that her
two children are ages 16 and 19, she’s able to commit to the many hours this
business requires. She has to make time for her customers, and her days can vary from eight to 14 hours. “People — they have their own lives; they work. Not everyone can come in during the daytime, so you work around their schedules,” she says.
Butler works in Internet sales, and despite the many different opportunities that
she has been offered, she is happy where she is, because at Toyota of Boerne,
“they treat you as family, they want you be successful. I love what I do. I enjoy
making sure that you’re getting exactly what you want and leaving here happy.” 76 | sawoman.com
W WOMEN IN BUSINESS
Stephanie Shoels – Cavender Cadillac
One morning in 1999, Stephanie Shoels was reading the paper
when she came across an ad for a job that offered “training, no ex-
perience required, $2500 guaranteed.” Shoels was then a stay-at-
home mom in Port Arthur, where her ex-husband was stationed as
an Army recruiter. “I’ve been doing it ever since,” she says.
Shoels has a strong and powerful presence. She is calm and col-
lected when telling her story, which is full of obstacles that she
has overcome along the way. After returning home to San Anto-
nio in 2002, she was hit by a drunk driver. It took a year and a
half for her to recover from a broken pelvis and broken femur.
She eventually got back into car sales, and today she is at the top
of her field.
She has been a sales representative at Cavender Cadillac for two
years. “I chose to work for Cavender because I believe in A1 customer service, and Cavender’s reputation for 75 years proves
that.” The dealership opened its new location on Nov. 3, a show-
place filled with brilliant cars and wood paneling. As a mother of
three children, Shoels appreciates Cavender’s flexible hours,
which allow her to attend games and be there for her kids. This
positive work environment is “what encourages me to keep moving forward, and not consider any other career — just to move up,” she says. Shoels recently started taking online courses in
automotive marketing and management.
There’s another side hidden behind Shoels’ professional de-
meanor: “I am a professional singer. I’ve sung with professional 78 | sawoman.com
bands here, and my favorite artist is Joe Posada, a Grammy win-
ner. Whenever he’s playing, I’ll go out and sing a little jazz with
him. I also sing for weddings, funerals and special events — you
name it. I can sing anything for any occasion!” Cavender hired
her and Joe Posada for the Christmas party in 2013. Her co-
workers had the opportunity to experience her artistic side. She
also sings gospel music on Wednesday and Friday nights at her
church, Harvest Time Fellowship.
“When my co-workers came to hear me sing, they asked, ‘Why
don’t you dress like that at work?’” Shoels laughs. At work, she’s
well respected and feels like she’s one of the guys. She is dependable, a hard-working self-manager who doesn’t depend on any-
one to do anything for her. Growing up with two older brothers
has a lot to do with her independence and strength in a male-
dominant field.
She goes on to say, “When I meet someone for the first time, I get
a stare like who are you? They may mistake me for a greeter until
I introduce myself and show my professionalism. I build a rap-
port and sell myself first, which is an important factor in earning
a client’s business. Once they tell me what they’re looking for, it’s
obvious that they’re impressed with my product knowledge. You
can’t be just a pretty face. Helping and guiding customers in the
process of a major or first-time investment of their lives is a
memorable experience that I take a lot of pride in being a part of.
To earn their trust in referrals and repeat business has
earned great rewards in my sales.”
W WOMEN IN BUSINESS
Kim Patterson – Gunn Buick GMC in Schertz “Who would have thought it, but I’ve done
very well,” says Kim Patterson. She is being
modest. She started at Gunn Buick GMC in
October 2012, but by the end of 2013, she had
already won “Salesman of the Year.” Her
friends tell her that she has found her calling.
Patterson came to sales with a background as
an executive assistant. Her world was one of
administration, event preparation and plan-
ning. During the layoffs at the Scooter Store,
where she previously worked, she was forced into sales. The store eventually closed, and
Patterson started looking for another job as
an executive assistant. But since it had been
eight or nine years since she worked in that
field and the market was so competitive, she
decided, after three months of looking for
work, to “step out of the box. I went online,
applied for the job, went for an interview and
got hired on the spot.
“Sales is totally different,” Patterson explains.
“You have to really believe in something to
sell it.” And furthermore, “I can’t lie.” If a cus-
tomer asks her a question about a car detail
that she can’t answer, she looks it up. “Let’s
face it, I’m not a mechanic … I honestly tell them if I don’t know
the answer for something and get it for them.”
When she first started at Gunn, she worked on the floor, but
her high numbers allowed her to move up to the Internet sales
department. She spends time on the phone with people, trying
to help them locate the vehicle they are seeking. She loves
working for Gunn because “I like the fact that we don’t negoti-
ate, so I don’t have to dicker over pricing. This is it, we’ve im-
plemented all the discounts and rebates in the price, so we give
you fair numbers.”
Patterson has learned that “you have to pay attention and take
your time.” Instead of rushing customers in and out, she takes it
slow. Also, she appreciates the benefits of quarterly training,
where she learns important details about her products. There’s always something new. “It can be something as simple as the
80 | sawoman.com
camper’s mirrors, which have LED lights. So if you get a flat tire,
you can turn them on and turn them toward the flat,” she says. “I pick up these little tidbits and tell the customers,” Patterson
says. “Pay attention, because that little bit of information they
give you makes a difference.” When her numbers get low, she gets
her managers to help her take a step back and determine how she
needs improvement. “Don’t try to sell it,” Patterson says, “you
present the product.
“I’ve met the nicest people,” Patterson says warmly. “I think it’s
easy for women because people trust women more.” When she
isn’t working, she’s spending time with her parents and siblings.
She loves fishing and shopping. In the future, she says, “I would
like to advance to desk manager, go through finance to learn this
aspect of the business, so hopefully I will learn enough and that
will be my next step.”
SOCIETY W
Planned Parenthood Annual Luncheon Speaker: Tim Gunn March 5 Marriott Rivercenter (210) 572-5278
NAWBO San Antonio Annual Entrepreneurial Spirit Awards March 28 Grand Hyatt Hotel (210) 408-1220
Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation 2nd Annual Tee Up To Cure Diabetes April 13 Quarry Golf Club (210) 822-5336
Junior League of San Antonio Fete du Cuvee Fine Wine Auction March 7 The Bright Shawl (210) 225-1861
Assistance League of San Antonio Annual Treasures of Twilight Gala Starry Starry Night March 28 Omni Colonnade (210) 655-7732
University of the Incarnate Word The Cutting Edge Fashion Show April 14 Tobin Center for the Performing Arts (210) 829-2748
Alpha Home Doorways of Hope March 10 Omni Colonnade (210) 735-3822, ext. 108 The Village at Incarnate Word Champagne & Shamrock Gala March 19 Oak Hills Country Club (210) 829-7561, ext. 150 Panhellenic Association of San Antonio 2015 Recruitment Forum for High School Seniors and Parents March 22 DoubleTree Hotel (210) 862-5872 The Junior League of San Antonio 2015 Volunteer Extraordinaire Honoring Alison Boone March 24 The Bright Shawl (210) 225-1861, ext. 300 Zeta Tau Alpha Crown Affair Luncheon March 26 San Antonio Country Club (210) 862-5872 Friends of Hospice Annual Spring Lecture and Luncheon Speaker: Martha Jo Atkins March 27 San Antonio Country Club (210) 785-5850 Say Sí Small Scale Works for a Larger Cause March 27 Say Sí, 1518 S. Alamo St. (210) 212-8666 TMI-The Episcopal School of Texas Panther Scramble Golf Tournament March 27 Silverhorn Golf Club (210) 698-7171
The Briscoe Western Art Museum 14th Annual Night of Artists Art Sale and Exhibition March 28 The Briscoe Western Art Museum (210) 299-4499 Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation Annual San Antonio Promise Ball March 28 Hyatt Hill Country Resort (210) 822-5336 The Winston School 29th Annual Auction Gala and Dinner Viva Winston March 28 Don Strange Ranch (210) 615-7485 Respite Care of San Antonio Celebration of Love & Children April 9 Valero Energy Corporation (210) 737-1212 Los Compadres de San Antonio Missions Make it Your Mission Gala April 9 Mission San Juan Capistrano (210) 922-3218 San Antonio Book Festival Literary Death Match April 11 The Empire Theatre (210) 225-4728
Any Baby Can 11th Annual Walk for Autism April 18 AT&T Center (210) 227-0170 Brighton Center 16th Annual A Taste of the Northside April 22 Club at Sonterra (210) 481-1200 The American Heart Association Heart of Gold Gala April 25 La Cantera Hill Country Resort (210) 810-3108 Texas Biomedical Forum Annual Gala May 2 The Argyle (210) 365-7745 Boysville Gathering of Angels May 7 Boysville Campus (210) 659-1901 Cancer Center Council Annual Spring Lecture Luncheon Guest Speaker: Geralyn Lucas Omni Colonnade May 11 (210) 450-5571
SA Book Festival April 11 San Antonio Public Library (210) 225-4728 Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure April 11 Alamodome (210) 222-9009
march/april 2015 | 81
W SAARTS.COM
By JASMINA WELLINGHOFF I recently had an encounter that warmed my journalist heart.
Upon meeting this new person at a local company I greeted her
with the conventional phrase, “Nice to meet you,” but she re-
sponded with “It’s good to see you.” We had never met before, so
she explained: “I am reading you all the time so I feel like I have
been talking to you for a long time.”
Indeed. I have been “talking” from the pages
of SAN ANTONIO WOMAN for more than 12
years now. This new column gives me an addi-
tional opportunity to share my perspectives of
what is happening locally on the arts and culture
scene and hopefully establish a dialogue with you. I have been covering the arts in San Antonio
for 25 years and have been a performing arts re-
viewer for most of that time. So in this inaugu-
ral column I want to draw your attention to two
major month-long happenings in the cultural
life of our city: Contemporary Art Month in
March and National Poetry Month - San Anto-
nio in April.
March is Contemporary Art Month
Now approaching its 29th anniversary, CAM
started in 1986 with a show at the then-
are pluses and minuses to that. Obviously, it’s cooler in March, but
in July CAM stood out as the big happening of the month — in
fact, of the entire summer — while now it tends to blend with
everything else going on in the city. The kickoff party this year is
March 5 at Blue Star again, renamed the Blue Star Contemporary
Art Museum. You can get the 2015 calendar from www.contemporaryartmonth.com. If you are unsure about what
JASMINA’S PICKS MARCH 3-5: Contemporary Art Month Kick-Off Party/Blue Star Contemporary Art Museum 3-22: Open Studio Tour/Blue Star Contemporary Art Museum, Sala Diaz, REM Gallery 3-28: VIA Poetry on the Move/ The Twig APRIL 4-1: Slam The Town 4-25: Words for Birds/Mitchell Lake Audobon Center MAY 5-10: Motherworks multimedia presentation/ McNay Art Museum
makeshift gallery christened the Blue Star Art Space in the Blue
Star Complex. It was July and there was no air-conditioning, but it didn’t matter much. The crowd wanted to support the local artists
and was willing to suffer a little discomfort for the cause. From
that hurriedly put-together beginning grew a new tradition that pretty much spread to encompass the entire month of July and
multiple venues across the city. The sweating became part of the
fun … well, sort of. When the city tried to move CAM into fall with
the intention of bundling it up with other fall festivals for promotional purposes, many artists refused to cooperate. Nevertheless, in 2010 the event was moved to March, where it remains. There
to see, start with the major art institutions in
town, such as the Southwest School of Art, the
Guadalupe Cultural Arts Center, Artpace and, of
course, Blue Star, then venture into a few smaller
spaces such as Sala Diaz and the REM Gallery. To
meet artists in their studios and learn something
about their work, take part in the Open Studio
Tour scheduled for March 22.
April is National Poetry Month
Now, poetry. April has been National Poetry
Month since 1996, but the man we need to thank
for bringing it to San Antonio is Jim LaVilla-
Havelin, a poet, teacher and poetry advocate who,
with a few other volunteers, organized a number
of readings seven years ago, put the calendar to-
gether and invited others to produce their own
events. Today, the city’s Department of Culture and Creative De-
velopment is responsible for the calendar (www.npmsa.com), and
the events have multiplied many times over. Slam the Town on
April 1 gets things rolling with a big giveaway of poems, open to
everyone. The idea is to disseminate as many poems around the
city as possible. It can be your own creation or your favorite poem
from a famous writer or something you discovered by chance and
liked. Hand your poem out to folks on the street, email it to your
list, distribute among friends, etc. Also, if someone gives you a
poem, accept and read it. Most poetry is perfectly understandable
and enjoyable. Trust me!
I invite your comments, suggestions and news items relating to the arts and cultural life in San Antonio. Feel free to send them to me, Jasmina at jasmina@SAarts.com. 82 | sawoman.com
Bossy. Pushy. Domineering. Negative words like these discourage girls from taking the reins of leadership and holding tight. Especially for young girls, these words can have a huge impact and might explain why by the time a girl reaches middle school she is 25% less likely than her male peers to seek a leadership role. That’s why Girl Scouts of the USA and the Lean In Foundation teamed up to launch the Ban Bossy campaign. Ban Bossy aims to end the use of words like bossy by encouraging girls to lead at home and school. We want to Ban Bossy to teach girls to be strong leaders and show girls that leading is a strength, not a flaw. We spoke with three San Antonio leaders and asked them to share their path to leadership and vision for the next generation of leaders. A SPECIAL SECTION FOR SAN ANTONIO WOMAN
By the time a girl reaches middle school she is 25% less likely than her male peers to seek a leadership role.
THREE SAN ANTONIO LEADERS
share
their path to leadership
and vision
for the next generation of leaders.
Sheryl Sculley Sheryl Sculley has served as the San Antonio City Manager since November 2005. She is the Chief Executive Officer of the municipal corporation of 12,000 employees, an annual operating and capital budget of $2.4 billion and a city population of 1.4 million. Sculley has worked in city management for more than 40 years, standing out in a field that has only a handful of women executives nationally. She has led fundraising efforts for the education of single mothers, victims of domestic violence and research for the cure of autism. Sculley is a former Girl Scout. What is your impression of the word bossy? The word “bossy” has such a negative connotation. When was the last time you heard a man called bossy? It’s only used for women. I think strong, competent women are a threat to many men, not every man, but many men. It shouldn’t be that way but it still is. I’ve been in this business for 40 years. I’ve seen some progress but there is still a lot of work to do. Educating women about the positive ways they can handle themselves is the best approach. What the Girl Scouts do in terms of helping women in constructive activities and helping them build their self-esteem does that. What is your advice to the next generation of leaders? There are no entitlements in life. You have to work very hard. You have to be focused. You have to earn your education. Continue learning and honing your skills. You have to be strategic and focus on what you want to do this year, the next three years and beyond. Plans can change and need to be updated but you have to know where you’re going. Were you ever called bossy? Yes, I’ve been called bossy - but I’ve always been in a leadership role, in my family, in school, in Girl Scouts and in my professional career. I’ve always been the first woman in each of the professional positions I’ve held, except for here. So there are a lot of eyes watching you to see if you stumble. You have to exert extra effort because there are so many women coming up behind you, and if something goes wrong you know they’ll say “it’s because we hired a woman.” Who were your role models when you were a girl? My dad worked two jobs to support our family of nine. My mom managed the household and kept us very active in constructive activities. I’d describe her a little bit as a drill sergeant. I guess you have to be when you have seven kids. I was left in charge often and told, “Don’t mess up because you have six brothers and sisters following you in school.” There were high expectations of me. My parents expected us to be the best in everything we did. They instilled self-esteem and let me know I could be anything I wanted to be.
Janie Barrera Janie Barrera is the founding President and CEO of LiftFund, a nonprofit agency that provides small loans and management training to microenterprises. She has served on the Federal Reserve Board’s National Consumer Advisory Council and in 2011 was appointed to the President’s Advisory Council on Financial Capability. In January she began her second three year-term on the board of directors for the Federal Reserve of Dallas’ San Antonio Branch. Were you ever called bossy? I don’t know that I was ever called bossy but I was put in my place. There’s a saying “You should only speak when spoken to.” I was reminded of that a lot, but always questioned it. Growing up I had very strong women role models. My grandmothers were so strong. I grew up in a Catholic environment and all of my teachers were sisters (nuns). I saw that they lived by themselves and took care of themselves. So when I was told “don’t speak unless you’re told to speak,” but then I saw these strong women and I just knew those things didn’t connect. That’s what we need to teach young women. Being strong and being silent don’t go together. What is your leadership philosophy? Part of my philosophy is that you surround yourself with smarter people, passionate people and people that have big hearts who want to help. I used to think when I was younger that I had to please folks or do things that I didn’t want to do but I thought I had to do. As you get older you figure out, no I don’t. What is your impression of the word bossy? We need more awareness of that word and what it does. As we help young women mature we have to be cognizant of the fact that words do matter. To replace the word “bossy” with the word “leader” is a super idea. If we don’t take this on it’s not going to happen. San Antonio is unique and has a high number of women in leadership positions in both the public and private sectors. How do you think we’ve made these strides? It’s because women have brought up their sons to think about women as leaders. A generation ago young boys were not being told this. In my generation guys didn’t iron or wash the dishes. But now my great-niece’s husband is a stay-at-home dad and she’s the breadwinner. That would have never happened a generation ago. It’s not even questioned now. It’s not a big deal. There is change happening now. What is your advice to the next generation of leaders? I think girls need to remember that the world hasn’t always been this way. Struggle is good. Challenge is good. You have to remember that or we’ll go back to it. It’s scary when people forget history. Those of us who have been blessed with strong mothers know that strong role models are so important and not everyone has that. That’s why it’s so important for Girl Scouts to offer those strong female role models. We need that voice in our community that tells our girls they can be leaders and repeat it and repeat it!
Jackie Gorman Jackie Gorman is the immediate past Chair of the Board of Directors for Girl Scouts of Southwest Texas. Gorman served on the board for 12 years including four years as board chair. She is also the Executive Director of SAGE, a nonprofit that serves as the growth engine for San Antonio’s East Side. Gorman is a U.S. Army veteran and a lifelong Girl Scout. What is your impression of the word bossy? The word bossy and how it affects you depends on how you see yourself. I am in no way offended by the word bossy. I probably even own it. On the other hand I can imagine that a young woman who is not comfortable with herself and is trying to find her place would be very offended by that. What is your leadership philosophy? The first thing is you never ask anyone to do something you wouldn’t do yourself. You have to respect the people you are leading and know that everyone brings a different skill set. I believe in teams but don’t believe in leaderless teams. Someone has to be held accountable. If no one is accountable, nothing gets done. Girls are often deterred from leadership roles because they want to be liked, what advice would you have for them? You have to like yourself and not depend on someone else to tell you that you’re wonderful. You have to know you are wonderful in yourself. When you do that you’ll be surprised at how many people like you. But you have to have the confidence to be true to yourself. What are your thoughts on the Ban Bossy campaign? Ban Bossy is a good thing because people use the word as a pejorative. If we can stop making young girls feel bad about being natural leaders, about being that person that people push to the forefront, then we’ve done something great. Then we won’t lose our girl leaders when they become 12 or 13 and go to middle school and are called bossy. The reason I stayed involved with Girl Scouts no matter where I moved is because it was immediately a safe place for me. We have to be that place where girls can go and no one will call them bossy. Where leadership is rewarded and leadership is encouraged and they are trained to be leaders. What do you say to people who disagree with banning the word bossy? I don’t think it’s about the word as much as about what the word represents. It’s about the meaning behind the word. It’s about the feelings the word engenders. This is about instilling confidence in women. Bossy is not the problem. Bossy is a picture of the problem. Bossy is belittling women from being strong women and strong leaders. You can call me bossy though, I don’t care.
A SPECIAL SECTION FOR SAN ANTONIO WOMAN
Do Your Part to Ban Bossy Ban Bossy is a public service campaign with the mission to encourage leadership in girls and raise awareness of the power of words. Did you know that elementary and middle school boys receive eight times more classroom attention than girls? When students do not volunteer responses, teachers are more likely to encourage boys over the girls to give an answer or an opinion. It’s no wonder that between elementary and high school, girls’ selfesteem drops 3.5 times more than boys.
Girls who do not want to be leaders attribute their lack of motivation to fear of being laughed at, making people mad at them, not being liked or coming across as bossy. BUT THERE IS GOOD NEWS. We can reverse the trends that hold girls back. The Ban Bossy campaign is working to raise awareness. As parents, friends and educators we can make small changes that have big impact on a girl’s ambitions, whether that girl seeks to be the CEO of the world’s largest company or the CEO of her family at home. START BY MAKING SIMPLE CHANGES. Parents are children’s first role models and their words and actions shape a girl’s leadership potential. Unfortunately, as early as middle school, parents place a higher value on leadership for boys than for girls. Parents can encourage a girl’s most ambitious
dreams with acknowledgment and encouragement. Ask your daughter how she would change the world. Invite her to tell you what leadership means to her. Does she see herself as a leader? What are the ways she leads now, and in what ways would she like to lead more in the future? In the work place, managers can ensure women get the credit they deserve and look for opportunities to celebrate their success. Women get less credit than their male counterparts for their role on a team. Women often deflect praise with self-deprecating comments. Help women identify their own success on a regular basis with questions like “What progress have you made since we last spoke?” or “What are you most proud of this month?” Teachers and friends can start by changing their language. Avoid words that hold girls back. Calling a girl “bossy” sends the message that she should not speak up. These words can silence a girl during her most formative years. Constructive criticism is vital to learning but take care to avoid references to gender in your feedback. Encourage girls to avoid using words that reinforce stereotypes such as “Girls aren’t good at math.” Use this as a teachable moment to explain stereotypes and ask girls to find examples that defy these labels. Together we can encourage girls to become the leaders they are meant to be. Go to girlscouts.org/BanBossy or BanBossy.com for more leadership tips.
Widening Our Reach: West Side Girl Scout Leadership Center In partnership with the City of San Antonio, Edgewood ISD and the Westside Development Corporation, Girl Scouts of Southwest Texas expanded its footprint on San Antonio’s west side in October 2012 by signing a three-year lease to use 39,000 sq. ft. of the former Coronado-Escobar Elementary School, including the gym, cafeteria, green space and playground. The organization’s vision was to establish a West Side Girl Scout Leadership Center that would provide an array of holistic services for girls and their families. The center contributes to the economic development of the west side of San Antonio while delivering Girl Scout program to girls and adult leadership development opportunities for their families. The West Side Girl Scout Leadership Center represents a major expansion and a $2 million investment in the west side community. The center hosts troop meetings and houses a STEM (science,
technology, engineering and math) and robotics lab, art studio, Girl Genius tutoring center, a volunteer resource center and rooms for each membership level from Girl Scout Daisies to Gamma Sigma Pearls and Gamma Sigma Girls®. The center also hosts Camp Metro, eight weeks of summer day camp that provide girls the opportunity to spend time bonding with others their age while focusing on the arts, healthy eating, positive self-esteem and being active. The West Side Girl Scout Leadership Center is unique in its focus on comprehensive family services, strengthening parents and guardians so they can support their daughters’ leadership development, largely through partnerships with area agencies. Parents and guardians also benefit from a wide array of adult development courses in financial literacy, parenting styles, communication, computer skills and adult GED preparation.
A SPECIAL SECTION FOR SAN ANTONIO WOMAN
Be the Role Model She’ll Always Remember We all have a role to play in helping girls obtain a successful future. What is yours? As a Girl Scout volunteer, you belong to a network of adults who share an important commitment: preparing girls to lead successful lives. You'll serve as a partner and role model to girls, discover your own skills and abilities, meet new people, and "learn by doing" alongside girls at every step.
You'll be their cheerleader, guide and mentor, helping them develop the skills and confidence that will last long after the meeting is over. Imagine the smiles, the excitement, the memories made-those are the moments you'll share at Girl Scouts. Whether you have one weekend a year or several nights per week to contribute to the cause of furthering girl leader-
ship, Girl Scouts of Southwest Texas has a place for you. There is no Girl Scouting without Girl Scout volunteers. Be the role model she'll always remember. Volunteer today! For more information and to register as an adult member, visit girlscouts-swtx.org/join.
Calling all cookie lovers! Girl Scouts of Southwest Texas invites you to Fiesta® with this year’s cookie —the Tagalong! The third medal in this five-cookie series, the Tagalong is a crispy cookie layered with peanut butter and covered with a chocolaty coating. Which cookie will next year’s medal depict? Celebrate the Girl Scout Cookie Program, a $790 million girl-led business, by collecting them all! Girl Scout cookie Fiesta® medals are available at the Fiesta® Store and the Girl Scout Shop at the Sally Cheever Girl Scout Leadership Center (811 N. Coker Loop, San Antonio, Texas 78216) and the West Side Girl Scout Leadership Center (5622 W. César E. Chávez Blvd, San Antonio, Texas 78237).
A SPECIAL SECTION FOR SAN ANTONIO WOMAN
Other women who make a difference:
Trefoil Honorees For 27 years, Girl Scouts of Southwest Texas has selected an outstanding woman and dedicated community leader who embodies the beliefs and principles of the Girl Scout Movement. This exceptional woman is presented with the celebrated Trefoil Award.
Cyndi Taylor Krier-1988 Irene S. Wischer-1989 Edith S. McAllister-1990 Mary Nan West-1991 Elizabeth H. Maddux-1992 Josephine Musselman-1993 Sally Cheever-1994 Aaronetta H. Pierce-1995 Amy Freeman Lee-1996 Suzy Finesilver-1997 Janey Briscoe-1998 Charline McCombs-1999 Veronica Salazar Escobedo-2000 Jocelyn L. Straus-2001 Vikki Carr-2002 Rosemary Kowalski-2003 Lila Cockrell-2004 Nancy Zachry-2005 Nancy Loeffler-2006 Jimmie Ruth Evans-2007 Dela W. White-2008 Linda Whitacre-2009 Harriet Marmon Helmle-2010 Suzanne Goudge-2011 Esperanza “Hope” Andrade-2012 Carri Baker Wells-2013 Suzanne Wade-2014
Making All the Difference: Leading Businesses Invest In Girls What could the future workforce accomplish if all businesses— large and small—took a vested interest in advancing female leadership today? By investing in a girl’s success at an early age, each of us plays a vital role in ensuring the future of the community and the country is in good hands.
CPS Energy and Environmental Awareness Through CPS Energy’s Environmental Awareness Initiative, girls learn that reversing environmental threats and improving quality of life is the work of their generation. *Did you know: For girls ages 11-12, 73% reported improving the world around them as their favorite activity (e.g. activities related to the environment or helping others.)
H-E-B and Healthy Living Girl Scouts recognizes that physical health, emotional health and self-esteem are connected. H-E-B’s Healthy Living Initiative educates girls about keeping bodies healthy, minds engaged and spirits alive. *Did you know: Over the past 25 years, the percentage of overweight girls has more than doubled. Thirty-one percent of girls admit to starving themselves or refusing to eat as a strategy to lose weight.
With a combined contribution of $120,000 to GSSWT, CPS Energy, H-E-B, Valero Energy Corporation and Wells Fargo have all taken the lead in supporting innovative patch programs for each company’s area of expertise.
Valero Energy Corporation and STEM (science, technology, engineering and math)
Women continue to have a greater impact in the fields of science, technology, engineering and math than ever before. Whether they’re building robots, learning the mechanics of a car’s engine or creating a chemical reaction, girls are unlocking unexpected talents through Valero Energy Corporation’s STEM Initiative. *Did you know: When today’s girls graduate from college, America will need 3 million more scientists and engineers. However, girls tend to leave science to boys as early as the 5th grade.
A SPECIAL SECTION FOR SAN ANTONIO WOMAN
Wells Fargo and Financial Literacy Wells Fargo’s Financial Literacy Initiative provides girls the resources and knowledge to set fiscal goals and become financially accountable when earning and managing money. *Did you know: Women-owned funds significantly outperform funds in general, even during tough economic times. Yet women managed only 3% of hedge funds and 10% of mutual funds in the year leading to the 2008 recession.
Who We Are
Girl Scouts of the USA (GSUSA) is dedicated solely to girls in grades K-12. For 103 years we have enabled girls to build character and skills for success.
Girl Scouts of Southwest Texas (GSSWT) is chartered by Girl Scouts of the USA to provide program in 21 counties. We are headquartered at the Sally Cheever Girl Scout Leadership Center in north central San Antonio.
• Founded in 1912 by Juliette Gordon Low
TO VISIT OR CONTACT GSSWT
• More than 2.8 million members throughout the United States* (*including U.S. territories, and in more than 90 countries through USA Girl Scouts Overseas) • GSUSA is a member of the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts (WAGGGS) • WAGGGS is a family of 10 million girls and adults in 145 countries
HOW TO BECOME A GIRL SCOUT Call 210-349-2404/1-800-580-7247 or visit girlscouts-swtx.org to find out about Girl Scouts in your neighborhood! • Be a girl in grades K-12 • Accept the Girl Scout Promise and Law • Pay national membership dues of $15 (financial assistance is available)
West Side Girl Scout Leadership Center 5622 W. César E. Chávez Blvd. | San Antonio, TX 78237 Phone 210-319-5775 | 1-800-580-7247 Fax 210-349-2666
Frequently Asked Questions Q: What happens after a girl becomes a Girl Scout?
A: When a girl joins the organization, she becomes a Girl Scout member. All members may choose any one, all, or some of the flexible pathways to participate in during a single year.
Q: How can I support my daughter’s Girl Scout journey?
PARTICIPATE IN GIRL SCOUTS THROUGH ONE OR MORE PATHWAYS: CAMP. By day or overnight, she can explore nature on two wheels, by the light of the moon or through the lens of a camera. EVENTS. Most girls have more than one passion—maybe storytelling and acting or dancing. Choose events centered on your daughter’s favorites. SERIES. Everything’s more fun when you’re sharing it with others who love the same things. Our series let girls explore interests together in a way that fits their schedules. TRAVEL. Want your daughter to go places? Girl Scouts do. When they see and experience new things, it’s always an adventure they’ll never forget. TROOP. Meeting regularly, girls can share amazing experiences, learn to make a difference in their community and have lots of fun! GIRL SCOUT GRADE LEVELS: GSUSA program at all levels emphasizes development of personal values, appreciation of others, decision-making, leadership and service. Program is adapted for each grade level and for the needs and interests of individual girls. • • • • • •
Sally Cheever Girl Scout Leadership Center 811 N Coker Loop | San Antonio, TX 78216 Phone 210-349-2404 | 1-800-580-7247 Fax 210-349-2666
Girl Scout Daisy—grades Kindergarten-1 Girl Scout Brownie—grades 2-3 Girl Scout Junior—grades 4-5 Girl Scout Cadette—grades 6-8 Girl Scout Senior—grades 9-10 Girl Scout Ambassador—grades 11-12
GIRL SCOUTS OFFERS MORE CHOICES AND MORE REASONS THAN EVER TO JOIN. GET STARTED TODAY!
A: Parents/guardians should be familiar with the flexible pathways your daughter can experience. Help her identify her interests and encourage her to participate in various activities. All of the information a parent needs to support their daughter’s Girl Scout journey may be found at girlscouts-swtx.org.
Q: Where do funds come from to pay for books, pins and awards?
A: Through participation in product sales, such as the annual Girl Scout Cookie Program, which provides troops or individual girls with proceeds to help pay for books, earned awards or uniform pieces. Proceeds may also be used to pay for attendance at camp or to travel, as well as various activities offered by the council. Parents/guardians of girls will often pay some of the costs. If a troop is newly formed, a troop leader may request a small amount from the parents to begin the program year. Limited financial assistance for books, membership pins and uniform components is available.
Q: Are uniforms required in Girl Scouting?
A: Uniforms are not required, but are encouraged for visibility and Girl Scout spirit. A girl is always welcome to participate in Girl Scouting whether or not she chooses to have a uniform. The Girl Scout Membership Pin can be worn with or without the uniform. Girls are encouraged to purchase a sash or vest on which to display earned awards and other official insignia. Limited financial assistance is available.
Q: Is financial assistance available?
A: Yes. GSSWT believes no girl should ever be denied the opportunity to participate in Girl Scouts because of financial need. Funds are available to assist girls with council activities, membership dues, books, etc.
Q: Who can be a Girl Scout volunteer?
A: Anyone over the age of 18 and willing to accept the Girl Scout Promise and Law is welcome to volunteer for the organization. Adults go through the following steps when applying to become Girl Scout volunteers: application with criminal background check, appointment for one year, placement and required training. GSSWT offers adult learning opportunities online and in a live class format to provide volunteers with a solid foundation for guiding the leadership development of girls.
Q: Whom do I contact for information or help?
A: Much information may be found online at girlscouts-swtx.org, or call your Girl Scout staff liaison at 210-349-2404/1-800-580-7247.
A SPECIAL SECTION FOR SAN ANTONIO WOMAN
www.SAArts.com march/april 2015 | 99
100 | sawoman.com
MOMMY MATTERS W
By BONNY OSTERHAGE
How parents can help
Last month, my oldest son came home from school and announced that, for the third consecutive year, he had qualified to represent his grade in the school-wide spelling bee. “That’s wonderful!” I exclaimed. An awkward silence followed. “OK, mom, here’s the thing,” he finally blurted. “How mad would you be if I turned it down and let the runner-up take my spot?”
This gave me pause for two reasons:
1. This is my overachiever. The “can do” kid who eagerly seeks challenges. Something was definitely up and, 2. He thought I’d be MAD? I HATE calling out spelling words! Relief would be more accurate. “Why do you want to decline?” I asked. His response? “It’s just too much right now.” I listened as he went on to list his homework load, a looming SAT and an essay contest, not to mention basketball practice, games and Scout meetings. I have to say, I was a little shocked. Mike and I have always tried to be very mindful of not putting unrealistic expectations on our kids. We are big advocates of free time, and as such, we allow each child to participate in only one sport and one other hobby each semester. In fact, Jack’s list of “pressures” was very short compared to many of his peers’. But it was his concern over whether or not I’d be “mad” that made me wonder, are we stressing our kids out without even knowing it? Kids today have it much harder than my generation. When I was in kindergarten, staying inside the lines while coloring was a major accomplishment worthy of a coveted gold star. If today’s kindergartners haven’t read War and Peace, mastered a musical instrument, and become fluent in a foreign language, they are considered late bloomers! OK, I am exaggerating, but not by much. It’s a competitive world, and many of us try to give our kids a jump start on success before they are even out of the womb, wait-listing them at the “best” schools and enrolling them in every sport or activity, regardless of interest or aptitude. The result is that our children begin to realize at a very young age that when certain accomplishments or expectations are met, the adults in their world are happy—and that can lead to a lot of stress for a child. “When we make demands that are not developmentally appropriate for our children, it creates a stressful situation,” says Dr. Madeleine Reichert, DMH. “We don’t honor where they are because we want to get a job accomplished. That creates a sense of anxiety and dread in the child.”
ADVOCATE FOR SCHOOL
Schoolwork is one of the top stresses for our kids. Hours of homework, accelerated classes and competitive academic environments are the norm. However, if you think that you can’t do anything about it, you are wrong. “We feel overwhelmed by a lack of control over things that, in reality, we CAN control,” says Reichert. If the homework seems excessive, speak to the teacher. Ask questions to make sure your child is in the right class or whether he simply needs help organizing. Advocate for your child and work with his teacher to create an academic environment in which he can maximize his chances of succeeding.
march/april 2015 | 101
W MOMMY MATTERS So how can we eliminate stress from our children’s lives? We can’t, anymore than we can eliminate it from our own—nor should we! A certain amount of stress is necessary to effectively cause change. “Think of a muscle,” says Reichert. “You want to stretch it, not strain it. It’s all about managing the amount of stress you put on it.”
How do we allow our children to stretch without strain? Here are several ways that Reichert recommends:
Avoid sending mixed or conflicting messages
A mixed message might be something like telling your preschooler that he is capable of dressing himself, but then doing it for him when you are in a hurry. Or telling your adolescent that you expect her to spend more time reading, yet having a television blaring in every room.
“Mixed messages are confusing and stressful to a child,” cautions Reichert. “They become unsure of how to please you.” Consistency is key with expectations.
Avoid activities that are not developmentally appropriate
If you want to sign your 3-year-old up for T-Ball because he will get some exercise and have fun with his friends—great! However, if you sign him up because you expect him to be the next Babe Ruth, rethink it. “When we expect a child to perform a skill that they don’t yet have, it can make them feel inadequate,” explains Reichert. It can also lead to what she deems the “imposter syndrome,” where the child thinks that in order to please you, he has to pretend to know things that he doesn’t. When it comes to sports, music lessons and other activities, keep your expectations realistic. Your 5-year-old is NOT going to be drafted by the Spurs, so relax a little if he can’t hit that basket yet.
Be anti-social
Social media is taking the place of socializing, and kids are paying the price. It can be particularly stressful Rather than de veloping real during the middle school years when children are natrelationships an d having urally anxious about “fitting in.” Rather than developgrowth experie nc es, ing real relationships and having growth experiences, they are develop ing virtual however, they are developing virtual relationships and relationships an d becoming becoming concerned with quantity over quality. concerned with quantity “If we could design something that we do not want over quality. for middle school students, social media is it,” says Reichert. “Their sense of self becomes caught up in ‘likes,’ and that is horrible developmentally at a time when they should be discovering their own identities.” This in turn leads to a ridiculous amount of stress during a stage when they are already anxious about being inadequate, and they begin to obsess over things that are completely irrelevant. If you allow your child to engage in social media, monitor it closely and limit the exposure. Encourage real relationships rather than virtual ones—and lead by example.
Unplug
The Internet is one of the most useful tools that our children have at their fingertips. But it is also one of the most dangerous. Anything and everything is accessible with the click of a mouse, and children can find themselves in virtual worlds that they’re curious about, but not yet ready to experience. This can cause major stress and anxiety. “You wouldn’t drop your kid off at a bus stop downtown and say ‘have an interesting experience,’” says Reichert. “Yet we do it online all the time.” Again, monitor the time your child spends on the Internet, and if you can’t do that, then they don’t need access to it—period. 102 | sawoman.com
Stop overscheduling
Children need free time to be creative. But in today’s world, they are shuttled from a seven-hour school day to other organized activities. “But my child wants to play three sports, sing in the choir and be the class president,” you say. Be that as it may, no child can do it all, and balance is key. It is up to you to quarterback for your child and help her determine what it is that she is really interested in. Then help her understand that it is OK to say “no” to things that don’t fit into that category. “We understand the need to unwind when it comes to our own lives, yet we can’t see the need for it in the lives of our children,” says Reichert, who says that the overscheduling epidemic might have more to do with the parents than the child. “We have to overcome this narcissistic need of wanting our child to be the best,” she cautions. “We have to honestly pay attention to when our children are the happiest and most passionate. We need to get hold of what drives us to drive our children.” We aren’t talking about throwing
in the towel in the name of overstruc-
turing because of a setback or a disappointing outcome. We
are talking about helping your child assess what is really important to him and what he has the time and energy to do. “Kids need to understand that it is
OK to say ‘thanks, but no thanks,’” says Reichert.
Which brings us back to my oldest child and the spelling bee. After listening to Jack give his reasons for wanting to decline, I realized that I should be proud that my son recognized his “tipping point.” That he realized that this was not something he was passionate about and that he was OK with turning it down. I accepted that for the wonderful thing it was, told him that we were proud of him for qualifying and that if he wanted to turn it down, we would support him and we wouldn’t be “mad.” “Whew!” he replied. “Because I already did!” I guess he didn’t think I’d be that mad after all. march/april 2015 | 103
W ROLE MODEL
A Role Model for Giving Back
St. Mary’s alum Imelda Guzman will chair 99th Oyster Bake By CHERYL VAN TUYL JIVIDEN Photography by JANET ROGERS
Imelda Guzman knew she was going to St. Mary’s University just
like her sister Angelica. Guzman not only earned a Bachelor of
Arts in business administration, but also a Master of Arts in com-
munication studies. “I admired how the school develops well-
rounded leaders,” she says. “I grew at St. Mary’s and evolved
through leadership opportunities and loved my experience there.” That good education led to human resources work in the hospital-
ity industry, where she recruited personnel. Longing for some-
thing more fulfilling, she was drawn to health care, explaining, “I
wanted to find meaning in what I was doing.” Working for the
Methodist Healthcare System for almost nine years, she is the vice
president of human resources at Methodist Stone Oak Hospital.
St. Mary’s Oyster Bake, celebrating its 99th year. She learned a lot
from years of food booth work and section management and as
chair-elect to her best friend, last year’s chair, Chris Boone. The
event drew 70,000 in attendance last year. To pull off the popular
two-day Fiesta event on April 17 and 18, she’s logged an average of
10 to 12 hours weekly as she enlists a committee of 10 plus 7,000
volunteers. The work includes collaboration with school leader-
ship, interfacing with university staff and making decisions on
everything including food, advertising, entertainment, purveyors, a
collectible poster and a large kick-off party. Because of construc-
tion on campus she has had to creatively consider a different event
footprint. That creative thinking has led to a new “chill” section
that will have a food truck park, jazz bands and alumni in a
Helping find the right person for the job brings Guzman satisfac-
singer/songwriter showcase.
are a bonus. “The people I work with are one of the best parts of
Guzman wants others to know that there’s more to the event than
tion because she know it helps in a bigger way. Her co-workers my job,” she says; “the work can be stressful, but together we
make things happen.”
Throughout her career, she hasn’t forgotten her alma mater: “St. Mary’s is a big part of my life.” Guzman joined a new Young
Alumni chapter after graduation and became an active member. The group affords socializing, philanthropy, networking, career
services, volunteering, civic entertaining and the opportunity to
support university events. She is also on the executive committee
of the St. Mary’s Alumni Association’s board of directors, where she supports chapters here, in the Rio Grande Valley and in
Washington, D.C.
Of course, Guzman also supports the university in its role with the
San Antonio community, currently serving as the chairman of the
104 | sawoman.com
the revelry. “It’s not just partying — there’s a purpose. The tradi-
tion has grown, raising $2.6 million to help students through par-
tial and full scholarships,” she says. She’s enlisting the help of
current scholars in a way that allows them to develop a proposal
and plan for booths so that they can give back and support the
programs from which they benefit. The funds raised also support
alumni programs, chapter efforts, gifts to the university and
grounds enhancement.
Passion about her hometown is apparent, especially the South
Side. Guzman lives just five minutes from where she grew up, re-
marking, “I like staying in one place. It’s a great city.” She says
she’d like to think that her work, her giving back to the commu-
nity all contribute to developing a talented workforce right here:
“San Antonio has so much to offer.”
IMELDA GUZMAN Age: 36
Imelda Guzman, center, pictured with Corinne VelaZapata, the first female to chair the Oyster Bake, at left, and Madel Robles, the 2015 Homecoming chair.
Status: Single
Occupation: Vice president human resources, Methodist Stone Oak Hospital.
Role Models: Her parents, who retired early and filled their time with community
events and volunteerism.
“They taught us to give back
and showed us by example.” Included in events, espe-
cially festivals, as a child she witnessed their devotion to
their church and commu-
nity, recalling, “We stayed
the latest, set up chairs, and
cleaned up afterward. They also really pushed the im-
portance of education.”
Why she’s a Role Model: She’s only the third woman
to chair the St. Mary’s Oyster
Bake in 99 years and one of
the youngest. She’s devoted over a decade to volun-
teerism and is committed to
helping raise money to make
college possible for students. Her goals: Short term –
beat last year’s fundraising
total. Long term – would
love to have a family.
Favorite places in San
Antonio: La Tuna and
Rosario’s.
Best way to relax:
Confirmed homebody.
Having a beer close by,
watching a Spurs game.
Oysters: Yes, preferably raw. Favorite TV program:
Nashville. “I’ve visited twice
in the last year and really like
country music.”
Last book read: Gone Girl
march/april 2015 | 105
SENIOR CARE-GIVING W
For more info go to seniorsanantonio.com
Aging in Place OPTIONS FOR IN-HOME CARE By ROBYN BARNES It’s a fact that as our parents age, they will need our help.
appointments, shopping and restaurants. We can serve as a car-
caregivers for a relative or friend over age 50. 1
cialization. This kind of service can ease the burden adult
Nearly 44 million Americans – one in five adults — are family
It’s also a fact that we are more squeezed for time than ever
before. We have full-time jobs, children to raise, lives of our own.
ing companion, visiting to do light housekeeping and provide so-
children often experience when caring for aging parents.”
How can we provide the care our seniors need with all these other
Skilled care with love
situation and is responding with a variety of options.
by senior care agencies and nonmedical senior care services,
responsibilities? Fortunately, the marketplace is recognizing this
“When I was a nurse, I saw the kind of care being provided
and I wanted to provide something else,” says Daniel Castillo,
Concierge services
“Sometimes all you need is someone to handle the errands
and the little things,” says Belinda Torres Hernandez of Senior
Blessings. Her company offers a concierge service for seniors.
director of Exceptional Provider Service. “There was a need for
skilled in-home nursing with a loving touch, and that’s what I
provide. Families need someone not only to provide medical
care for a parent but also to serve as an information resource.
“We set up a personal care plan and handle daily living activ-
All kinds of assistance are available in San Antonio if you know
sonal assistance. We can transport and escort a senior to doctor
Like Hernandez, Castillo meets with the family to conduct an
ities for your senior,” she says. “This isn’t medical care — it’s per-
where to look.”
march/april 2015 | 107 SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION
W SENIOR CARE-GIVING assessment for a care plan. “Many seniors don’t want to accept nurs-
What if something happens? What will you do if your parent is hospitalized and requires extra care after discharge?
Lisa Mattingly-Brantley, business development spe-
cialist for Sorrento, a San Antonio transitional short-
term care facility, says your best option is to plan ahead. “Look around now for a skilled nursing or rehabilitation
facility,” she says. “Meet with the facility manager now.
Build the staff relationship early. The time to look for a
facility is not when the hospital discharge staff says your
mother needs to leave tomorrow. Tour facilities now to
save stress later.”
ing help,” he says. “The doctor or a medical professional usually de-
cides if skilled nursing is required. Sometimes all a patient needs is
assistance with daily living activities, and we do that, too. All of my patients seem to need some companion time, someone to talk to.”
Hospice care
Hospice is another alternative for in-home care. Hospice care-
givers coordinate patient support services, including pain and
symptom management, social services and emotional and spiri-
tual support for terminally ill patients and their families. Hospice
care is covered under Medicare, Medicaid and most private insur-
ance plans.
Hospice usually involves a team that develops a care
plan for pain management and symptom control. Team members often include:
• The patient’s personal physician
• The hospice physician or medical director
• Nurses
• Home health aides
• Clergy or other professional counselors
• Speech, physical or occupational therapists as needed
The hospice team provides a number of services for the patient
Mattingly-Brantley says Medicare will pay for skilled
and the family. Besides pain management, the team provides
pending upon the scale of illness, a patient may be eli-
family on how to care for the patient and assist with the emotional
nursing after a three-midnight stay in the hospital. Degible for up to 100 days at a skilled care facility.
“Medicare pays 100 percent of the cost of skilled care
for 20 days,” she says. “After that, there is a co-insurance payment set by the Center for Medicare and Med-
icaid Services. This is a federal program, so payment is
the same no matter where you go. The gap between the
co-insurance payment and the facility’s bill is where
supplemental insurance comes in.”
This is where building a relationship with a facility
ahead of time is so important. “We want to talk to fam-
ilies and verify benefits early,” she says. “We can check on Medicare benefits ahead of a hospital stay. We can
also confirm supplemental insurance plans; sometimes seniors purchase this gap insurance without under-
standing what they really bought. If we verify every-
thing ahead of time, there are no financial surprises.”
How do you know if a skilled nursing facility is re-
quired after a hospital stay? “The key is communication
with the doctor and the hospital,” Mattingly-Brantley
says. “Most of the time, the doctor will see the need. He
or she will know if your parent lives alone and is well
enough to go solo. But if you are not comfortable with the safety of the situation, talk to the doctor.”
108 | sawoman.com
needed drugs, medical supplies and equipment. They train the
aspects of dying. When symptoms become too difficult to manage at home, many hospice services make short-term inpatient care
available.
Memory care
With the rise in Alzheimer’s and dementia among the senior
population, memory care centers now provide these patients with a
secure assisted living or nursing care facility. Memory care centers
offer round-the-clock supervised care with meals, activities and
health management.
Ginny Funk is director of programs and advocacy at the
Alzheimer’s Association San Antonio & South Texas Chapter (AA).
She’s quite familiar with the challenges of caring for a senior with
this disease. “As a nonprofit organization, we do a lot of education
about Alzheimer’s and related dementias,” she says. “We help fam-
ilies throughout the journey of these diseases.”
While the association doesn’t do direct care and isn’t a memory
care facility, it does serve as a resource center for medical or nonmedical adult day care and long-term care for dementia. “We’re here
to help you find information and decide what you need for your de-
mentia patient,” she explains. “Our role is not to push for moving a person out of the home but to provide advice for dealing with the
situation. We can show you how to ask for help from family mem-
bers, friends, church or professional care service. Dementia is an
emotional issue, and families find it difficult to ask for help with it.” Funk says one of the most important services AA provides is
respite care for the caregiver. “I can tell you that often the caregiver’s health sur-
renders before the patient’s health gives out,” she says. “Caregivers for dementia
patients must have a break from the caregiving role. AA can arrange respite care
where a home health care staff member goes to the patient’s house for a certain
time each day to give you a break. There are also assisted living communities
we’ve identified that can offer a week-long respite stay for a patient. We have a
24-hour helpline staffed every day of the year to provide support for dementia caregivers. If you reach the end of your rope, call them for help.”
The number is (800) 272-3900. Funk also encourages caregivers to access
the national Alzheimer’s website at www.alz.org. You can call the local AA office
at (210) 822-6449.
Relocating a dementia patient to a memory care facility is only one option.
With the right support, your senior can remain at home in the early stages of the disease.
Plan ahead
Across the board, these professionals say the best choice for aging in place is
to plan ahead. Communicate regularly with your senior’s doctor so you know
where the person is on the health continuum. Shop for options before you need
them so you’re prepared for any eventuality. Evaluating your options is the first
step to caregiving success. 1
Caregiving in the U.S. The National Alliance for Caregiving and AARP 2009.
march/april 2015 | 109
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Sylvia C. Garza 210.326.9122
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SENIORS DIRECTORY ONLINE
Holly Weems Senior Real Estate Specialist Cell: 936.240.0250 Office: 210.979.6700
For additional information on resources for seniors visit:
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SUSTAINABLE GARDENING W
By CHERYL VAN TUYL JIVIDEN
The importance of good soil
Better dirt, better garden. It’s that simple and can make a big difference. Garden-Ville expert horticulturist William Green subscribes to the old adage to plant a 10-cent tree in a $10 hole. “That just means invest in the soil. Get a soil test done so you know if there is something anomalous in the soil around your area,” he explains.
G
eorge Gentry, Rainbow Gardens’ general manager, agrees that know-
ing what you have is the best place to start through analysis and says
there’s an even easier method: “You can identify the soil you have by
looking at it. Dark-colored with little sand is topsoil. A light-colored soil is a
subsoil (like what they use as a base for construction), and that won’t grow
TOPSOIL
SUBSOIL
anything worth growing.”
Gentry, a Texas Master Certified Nurseryman who began working in green-
houses as a child, says area soils can be clay, sandy or a sandy loam mixture of the two. Amendments to improve them fall into three categories
and variations of organics: compost, which is almost all organic;
peat moss, that is all organic but not sustainable; or organic mat-
ter, recycled materials that could be animal- or plant-based. The ad-
dition of organics is also essential for roots and water to penetrate the soil. “A vigorous, living soil is the absolute best thing for gardens,” suggests
Green. “You get that from high-quality, finished compost that reduces the bulk
density of soil, allowing it to absorb and hold water much more effectively and
for longer periods of time — a great asset when irrigation restrictions are in
place. Soils replete with organic matter and humus (the most stable form of
organic material) are disease-suppressive and supply a spectrum of nutrients. Compost softens the soil, lets roots mine nutrients, holds water, keeps dis-
eases at bay and just looks cool. After a while, you’ll see chunky earthworms
and strong root systems.” Green says your grandparents probably composted.
“It was a skill and a product that was really misunderstood by our parents’
generation, but is rapidly coming back due to its unrivaled performance and march/april 2015 | 113
W SUSTAINABLE GARDENING concerns about sustainability. Trust me, trust me;
compost is the soul of the soil.”
“More and more people are composting,” Gen-
try agrees, and he predicts increasing regulation
on the disposal of natural refuse like lawn clip-
pings, vegetation and branches, but said local gar-
deners shouldn’t toss one of the best organic
supplements — leaves. “You want decayed leaves, which are ideal for lawns, shrubs, flower beds and
garden soils,” he says. If you aren’t interested in
composting, Gentry recommends shredded
leaves. “The more surface area, the faster the microbes work to break it down into a rich product
you can use on the surface, allowing the natural
course of rotting.” At a minimum, take the abun-
dance of leaves your trees produce and spread them whole under shrubs. “It’s an easy way to
help your garden tolerate our high temps, prevent
rain and water loss, prevent weed germination
COMPOSTING Recycled Organic Matter Lawn Clippings • Vegetation Branches • Leaves
and provide a natural forest floor,” he says.
If you want to boost your soil with add-ins,
Gentry has a few go-to product lines. Both Lady
Bug natural brand and Happy Frog, from Califor-
nia’s Fox Farm Soil and Fertilizer Company, have
options in liquid, granular and compost varieties,
some with dormant microbes that hatch to help
break down organic matter and feed the plant
roots so you don’t have to wait for the enrichment
l i o S t s o o B
to begin.
Including some sort of nitrogen supplement
is a good targeted amendment for area gardens,
says Green: “Organic is best. Either applied every
Boost your soil with natural and organic add-ins:
two to three weeks as a liquid or six to eight weeks
as a granular fertilizer during the growing season.
Fish emulsion-based fertilizers are great, as are
Lady Bug All Purpose Fertilizer
cottonseed meal, alfalfa meal, and a whole host of
other locally available fertilizers.” Green says an
iron source is important too. “Glauconite, aka
‘greensand,’ is replete with iron, magnesium and
potassium; a veritable multivitamin for our soils,
which can benefit greatly from all three.”
If it’s too much work to improve the dirt you
Happy Frog Soil Conditioner
have, or you just need a fresh start, Garden-Ville
can fill your truck or provide home delivery of
whatever product you need. “We make soils that
are perfect for laying a fresh cut of sod, or topdress-
ing mixes to revitalize a pallid lawn,” says Green. 114 | sawoman.com
Soil s T ip
Compost:
“Look for the STA logo. That shows that the producer of the compost has chosen to
be transparent about the quality of their product. Composts are usually local too, as it is
too bulky a material to transport long distances. You’re usually supporting a local store
or farmer when you use compost, and your garden will thank you too. Make sure it
smells ‘earthy,’ and that you can’t tell what it’s made of; if you see discernible chunks of
twig, bark or anything else that doesn’t have a coffee grounds appearance, go somewhere that provides this. The last thing you need is mulch masquerading as compost; it can sit
on the soil just fine, but do some damage if it gets in the soil. Ask to see a sample, give it
a sniff, and make a good choice! We recommend our Garden-Ville Invigorator Compost.”
Suggestions from William Green Nitrogen supplements and fertilizer:
“Avoid any that show big double-digit numbers on the label. They can harm the water
“Use organic amendments like compost, greensand and fish emulsion not only to experience success, but because we all have a collective responsibility to reduce the nasty chemicals that go into the water we all share.”
Every garden needs:
under you and downstream from you and generally leave the soil saltier and less vibrant
than before, even if they do push a flower to be colorful for a couple of weeks. It leaves the soil chemically dependent, not a state that fosters long-term gardening success.”
About pH:
“Although you will see some books and pamphlets recommending ‘liming,’ don’t
bother. That is actually more of an advisable practice ‘on the other side of the Missis-
sippi,’ as my Mama says, and can raise the pH of your soil. You don’t need the pH any higher; it is really high already.”
march/april 2015 | 115
W HILL COUNTRY GUIDE
MAP OUT
Antique ROAD TRIP By JANIS TURK
s incredible as it sounds, sources estimate that 250,000-plus Americans have a fear of antiques. Even actor Billy Bob Thornton claims to suffer from this bizarre phobia, insisting he’s afraid of all furniture built before 1950. Of course, most San Antonio women don’t have this problem. In fact, many of us love antiques and can think of no better way to spend a Saturday than perusing the aisles of an antique mall in search of timeless treasures. “I’m sure my husband wishes I had that phobia!” chuckles Karen Anderson, a San Antonio-area estate sale expert who also loves to collect antiques for her early 1920s bungalow home. “If I did, I’d spend less time and money at antique malls and estate sales, and we might have more room in our house.” Anderson even belongs to a San Antonio antique club with other women who also have a passion for historic treasures. “When club members are not out shopping for antiques, we’re talking about them,” she says. “Together we’ve learned so much about antiques. The quality and fine aesthetic appeal of old furniture and other antique pieces appeal to us, as does the story behind each piece. Who owned this? Was it a wedding gift? What house did it come from? Who made this? I love thinking about those things.” If you love antiques, you probably already have your favorite little Alamo City shops where you know you’ll find pieces you like. But with springtime in the air, why not hit the road in search of antiques in other towns? Here is our guide to the best places to hunt for antiques and other collectibles in the Texas Hill Country and beyond.
A
BOERNE
You don’t have to drive far to find great deals on fine antiques and other treasures — some of the best places are just a short drive up Interstate 10, where you’ll find hundreds of antique shops, antique malls, boutiques, art galleries and other spaces. Many of the best stores are housed in historic buildings along Boerne’s Hauptstrasse (Main Street). They include the Antique Mall, the Emporium, the Landmark, the Iron Pigtail and many others. From antique crystal to wooden cradles, Fiestaware 116 | sawoman.com
Antique ROAD TRIP to first-edition books, vintage cowboy boots to chandeliers, Boerne shops offer merchandise to keep “pickers” interested. My favorite Boerne antique mall find? An antique map of Manhattan that predates the Brooklyn Bridge. Another favorite? A beehive-shaped sugar and creamer set matching one my grandmother had in her Missouri farmhouse. Keep in mind, though, that Boerne shops are closed on Sundays and Mondays. Best time to shop? Tuesdays and Wednesdays, when the stores aren’t crowded and new antiques may have come in over the weekend.
GRUENE HISTORIC DISTRICT AND NEW BRAUNFELS
BEST WHERE TO FIND THEIQUES ARCHITECTURAL ANT Head east on Interstate 10 to Gonzales, home of Discovery Architectural Antiques, a shop that is home to reclaimed objects, brass doorknobs, flooring, stained glass, lighting, vintage doors, beams, lumber, tubs, sinks, furniture, light fixtures, mirrors and more. 409 St. Francis St. (830) 672-2428. Open Thursdays-Saturdays, 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. JUST UP THE ROAD FROM AUSTIN: The town of Salado, just 50 miles north of Austin on Interstate 35, is fast becoming a shopper’s paradise, too — a town that rivals Fredericksburg for great little antique stores, Victorian shops, tea rooms and inns welcoming antique aficionados like you! www.salado.com.
Another great-to-seek antiques hub is at the gateway to the Hill Country in the former ghost town of Gruene, a historic district outside New Braunfels on the Guadalupe River, which has become quite a tourist destination over the past 30 years. Since 1986, the Gruene Antique Company has showcased 6,500 square feet of antiques, collectibles, gifts and décor in the impressive 1903 H. D. Gruene mercantile building, where tenant farmers bought their wares and did business on the weekends. Encompassing the large center room of the old building that once held dry goods for sale, the Gruene Antique Company is an antique mall space that’s a popular destination for antique collectors, “pickers” and browsers alike. Gruene, which also has more than 25 other shops, is just a few miles from downtown New Braunfels. There you’ll find the Downtown Antique Mall, Hausita Antiques, the old-fashioned Henne Hardware store, a French antiques furnishing shop La Belle Vie, and Red Stag with its “rustic-meets-regal” style home décor.
WIMBERLEY
Drive the twisted highway called “The Devil’s Backbone” through the Hill Country, and you’ll find some pretty scenery — and some extraordinary antiques, especially if you travel as far as Wimberley. Wimberley is the perfect Saturday road trip town, a place where you can stop and enjoy a slice of heaven at the Wimberley Pie Company before checking out all the antique stores, boutiques, fudge shops, candle shops and more in the little limestone downtown buildings along Cypress Creek and the Blanco River. With bed-and-breakfast inns and great little cafés and bars, you can spend the entire weekend searching for your favorite antique furnishings or home accessories. Check out Graeber Antiques, with its collector-quality European antique furnishings, clocks, glassware, pottery, silver and art. Or shop Star Antiques, a cute and quirky little place filled with one-of-a-kind antique light fixtures and lamps, as well as adornments for your garden and home. Best find in Wimberley? Hand-blown glass pieces and Tiffany-style chandeliers and lamps. march/april 2015 | 117
W HILL COUNTRY GUIDE
Antique ROAD TRIP BLANCO, STONEWALL, JOHNSON CITY, FREDERICKSBURG AND COMFORT
Most Texas womens know Fredericksburg is mecca for antique collectors in the
Hill Country, but those in the know never speed past all the small towns on the way there; they know to stop first at the little antique shops in Blanco, Stonewall, Johnson City and all the other rural communities nearby. Pieces of the Past in Johnson City may look like a quirky little salvage yard from the road, but looks are deceiving, and it’s worth a stop. Pieces of the Past specializes in architectural antiques, salvaged doors, authentic Mexican doors, vintage reclaimed lumber and more for the home and garden. Their hours are funky (only by appointment on most weekdays but open on weekends), but they may have just what you need if you’re renovating a historic home. Another must-shop Johnson City stop is the Old Lumber Yard, the largest dealer-managed mall in Blanco County. With more than 20 merchants providing a variety of goods, from 18th- and 19th-century antiques, new and trendy clothes, silver jewelry, home décor, collectibles and more, leave yourself plenty of time to navigate this shopping destination. Be sure to stop in Blanco, which serves as home to 20-plus antique and collectible shops, and take a break at the Real Ale Brewery, a microbrewery with tours and tastings. (The tasting room is open on Fridays from 2 to 5 p.m. with tours starting at 3 and 4 p.m.) Fredericksburg is home to more than antiques — its Main Street is lined with shops of every style, shape and size. If unusual antiques, oddities, architectural elements, handmade textiles, art pieces and unique home accessories are what you’re looking for, this is the town for you. One of the most special shops sits on Lincoln Street, just a few blocks from Main Street: Carol Hick Bolton Antiques has 14,000 square feet of magnificent antiques sourced from Europe and beyond. One-of-a-kind beds, French cabinets and curiosities, oversized farm tables, fabulous upholstery, romantic bed linens, industrial objects, illuminations and even taxidermy pieces fill the space. It is not like any other antique shop in Fredericksburg — or anywhere. Another fun stop is Larry Jackson Antiques & Estate Services art gallery and antique store featuring fine art and consignment pieces along with an impressive array of one-of-a-kind antiques. For a more traditional antique mall, visit the Red Baron Antique Mall. For a special experience (with new home furnishings and antiques, too) visit Vaudeville, which calls its merchandise “collections.” I once saw a giraffe skull on display here. This store is less an antique store than a home design showroom with attractive accessories and furnishings. Best of all, there is a lovely French bistro downstairs, along with retail displays featuring culinary arts accoutrements. There’s also an adjacent fine dining restaurant.
MAP OUT YOUR NEXT ANTIQUE ROAD TRIP
Spring is a great time to drive through the Hill Country in search of bluebonnets, Indian paintbrush and … antiques. So forget old furniture phobias. The only fear a San Antonio woman should have of antiques is that she’ll buy too many on her next antique-hunting Hill Country road trip.
118 | sawoman.com
OK, so it’s not so little — but the best place to find antiques, junk, oddities, art and collectibles in the Lone Star State will be at the 300-
plus acres of stands, stalls, barns and shops that line the road from LaGrange to Round Top twice a year during Antique Weekend. Happening for more than a decade, the Marburger Farm Antique Show, which is scheduled March 31-April 4, features offerings from across the United States and around the world.
According to www.antiqueweekend.com, Antique Weekend is an enormous “antique, craft, art and collectible gathering attracting thousands of dealers from across the country along with tens of thousands of buyers.” It all takes place in more than a half-dozen small rural communities along State Highway 159, with most of the vendors set up between the towns of Warrenton and Round Top. More than 2,000 antique, collectible and craft vendors and dealers attend each spring and fall – a “picker’s” paradise!
ANTIQUE WEEKEND SPRING 2015 SHOW DATES: March 26 - April 4. ANTIQUE WEEKEND FALL 2015 SHOW DATES: September 24 - October 3.
march/april 2015 | 119
W ARTBEAT
By JASMINA WELLINGHOFF
Photography by JANET ROGERS
A San Antonio-Style
BOOKFEST Director Katy Flato takes the reins
Back in 2013, during the first San Antonio Book Festival (SABF), Katy Flato served as moderator for a panel discussion between authors Stephen Harrigan and Bob Thompson, who had both written books about hunting elusive legends. It was her role to address the audience first. “So I welcomed them and then I said, ‘I am Katy Flato, the director of the San Antonio Book Festival,’ and they all started clapping. That’s when it hit me — we actually got it done!” says the now more seasoned director. “It was so heartwarming. We had been running on a very fast track to get the fest off the ground, a mad dash really, and it was actually happening, and everyone seemed to be jazzed up to be there.”
120 | sawoman.com
Though the audiences were relatively small that first year, the number of visitors more than doubled in 2014, and some 10,000 are expected this year. The 2015 event takes place on April 11 at the San Antonio Central Library and the Southwest School of Art across the street. Modeled on the Texas Book Festival in Austin and presented by the Library Foundation, SABF is a one-day free happening featuring readings, panel discussions, book signings and sales, music and food, as well as children and teen activities. Expected to take part are some 75 authors, whose books cover a range of genres, from fiction and poetry to all types of nonfiction, including cookbooks. Excluded are self-help, religion and self-published materials. In order to be invited, however, a writer has to have a new book to promote and sell. “We want to keep it fresh, exciting and current,” explains Flato. “Other writers, especially Texas ones, may be invited to serve as moderators. Since we are in San Antonio, we have our own personality and goals,” she adds. “We like to have books on military issues, the border, immigration, water and the environment.” The person in charge of selecting and contacting the authors is literary director
Clay Smith, who did similar work for the Austin fest. He is “everything” to the festival since he knows the publishing industry well and has personal connections with writers and their agents. “He puts together a wellcurated, multicultural, diverse program every year and figures out trends and themes for our panel discussions that are current and interesting,” says the director.
Current publishing trends — such as soldiers’ accounts of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, growth in young adult literature and new translations of world literature classics — will be reflected in the roster of writers and panel discussions. The 2015 invited writers include Phil Klay, the National Book Award winner for his war novel, Redeployment; the Marine-turned-novelist Michael Pitre, author of Fives & Twenty Fives; and Helen Thorpe, whose nonfiction work, Soldier Girls, deals with women’s war experiences. Two translators, Tomas Morin and Marian Schwartz, will discuss the challenges of literary translation, while young adult literature will be represented by Isabel Quintero and our own Naomi Shihab Nye,
who just published a new novel for youngsters titled The Turtle of Oman. Other participating San Antonio writers are David Liss, Sheila Black, Jan Jarboe Russell, Diane Gonzales Bertrand and possibly others. NPR’s Fresh Air book critic Maureen Corrigan, the author of a new work focusing on the importance of The Great Gatsby, will also be here, and many more. (At the time of this writing the list was not yet completed.) And there are new events, too. As the director, Flato oversees a fairly large group of Library Foundation staff and festival volunteers who are all pulling together to enhance the fest and make it fun “for the well-read and those who need to learn to read well,” as she puts it. One interesting new event is Pitchapalooza, a competition conceived by Book Doctors Arielle Eckstut and David Sterry, who describe it as “the American Idol for books.” Anyone with an idea for a book gets a one-minute chance to pitch that idea to a panel of four judges who offer a critique, with comments on marketability and more. At the end, they choose a winner who later receives an introduction to an appropriate agent or publisher. We bet this will be a popular event. Also new will be a documentary film screening and a new pre-fest fundraiser called the Literary Feast, featuring Shihab Nye and Lawrence Wright.
Not surprisingly, Flato grew up reading and loving books. One novel she remembers well is The Mill on the Floss by George Eliot, her first serious book. “I was just mesmerized by it. It was the first time that I was taken by the actual writing style instead of just following the plot,” she recalls. The young woman earned a degree in English from Colorado College in 1981 and later found work at Texas Monthly magazine, where she started as an editorial assistant but eventually rose to the position of managing editor before leaving to have her first child. For three years she also served as the editor of Domain, Texas Monthly’s now-defunct lifestyle supplement. In fact, she met her husband, San Antonio architect Ted Flato, while supervising a photo shoot for that publication. The couple have two daughters. Though she is not a writer, she missed
working with writers, she says. To alleviate the problem, she became a volunteer SAPLF board member and threw herself into organizing fundraisers, readings and performances, featuring well-known literati and entertainers. Since 1995, Flato has directed the foundation’s Copyright Texas program, a free series of presentations by regional authors. That work earned her an Imagineer Award from the Mind Science Foundation. Her other community interests include Planned Parenthood and KIPP San Antonio, a college preparatory charter school. “I have been on the SAPLF board for 20 years,” she says. “The book festival was a natural growing step for us to do together (the library and the foundation). It’s a way to invest in our library system and to promote it.” Since starting work on the fest, however, she hardly has time to read anymore. The various responsibilities keep her busy pretty much year-round, though the heavy lifting doesn’t start until January. One of those responsibilities that is close to her heart involves educational outreach. Last year some 300 underprivileged children were brought to the event to enjoy children’s activities and receive lunch and a free book. Another outreach effort involves writers going to speak to students and educators in schools and other child-centered organizations.
She is ready for this question: “Go online, print the schedule, study it, and plan your day. Otherwise you’ll miss something that may interest you. There are even apps to help you create your own schedule… If people just get to the festival, they will be swept away. My challenge is to get them there.” For a list of authors and schedule of events go to www.saplf.org/festival march/april 2015 | 121
W
Calendar ART // MUSIC // FILM // THEATER // DANCE // OUTDOORS
March 5
JOHN MELLENCAMP The Tobin Center, 7:30pm Grammy-winning musician John Mellencamp has touched the hearts and souls of music listeners and influenced American culture with his enduring songs. His new tour, Plain Spoken, is set to be hailed as an unparalleled new chapter in Mellencamp’s distinctive songbook. www.tobincenter.org
the Small Stuff, a one-hour special on Comedy Central. www.majesticempire.com
March 6-8
THE MUSIC OF ABBA The Tobin Center, showtimes vary Experience the music and excitement of one of the world's most popular and best-selling ABBA show bands, Arrival from Sweden. They have toured over 50 countries, and embarked on 30 sold-out tours in North America since 2005 and have appeared on several TV and radio shows all over the world. www.tobincenter.org
March 10
KEVIN JAMES LIVE IN CONCERT The Majestic Theatre, 7pm Kevin James began his career in stand-up on the Long Island comedy scene. After being discovered, James signed a network development deal to create his own sitcom, The King of Queens, and brought his stand-up act to TV with Sweat
The Red Enchilada Fest March 12th, 7:30pm The Central Library
March 12
March 14 - 15
RED ENCHILADA FEST
ST. PATRICK'S DAY PARADE & FESTIVAL
The Central Public Library, 7:30pm The First Edition Society of the San Antonio Public Library Foundation is excited to announce the first annual Red Enchilada Feast at our beloved Red Enchilada Public Library. Some of the city's best Mexcan food restaurants will gather to offer partygoers a sampling of their most popular red enchiladas. Guests will pair their enchiladas with great music and craft cocktails, all to the benefit of the San Antonio Public Library Foundation. www.saplf.org
March 10 - 15
March 12
DR. SEUSS'S THE CAT IN THE HAT PRESENTED BY THE MAGIK THEATRE
THE TEMPTATIONS AND THE FOUR TOPS
The Majestic Theatre, times vary From the moment his tall red-andwhite-striped hat appears around the door, Sally and her brother know that the Cat in the Hat is the funniest, most mischievous cat they have ever met. Don’t miss this classic book come to life on stage www.majesticempire.com
,
March 14
BUSH The Majestic Theatre, 8pm Bush has compiled an amazing string of 18 consecutive Top 40 hits, which include Comedown, Glycerine, Machinehead, Swallowed, The Chemicals Between Us and The Sound of Winter. www.majesticempire.com
March 15
CRAIG FERGUSON
7:30pm, The Majestic Theatre The Temptations and The Four Tops are two of the most successful acts to record for Motown Records. The Temptations No. 1 hits include My Girl, Ain’t Too Proud to Beg, Get Ready, Just My Imagination, and Papa Was a Rollin’ Stone. The Four Tops hits include Baby I Need Your Loving, I Can’t Help Myself (Sugar Pie, Honey Bunch), Reach Out (I’ll Be There), and “Ain’t No Woman (Like the One I’ve Got). www.majesticempire.com
Bill O’Reilly and Dennis Miller continue their wildly successful U.S. tour — Don’t be a Pinhead! With their unique mix of political commentary, good-natured humor, and this duo’s great rapport, this is one show you do not want to miss. www.majesticempire.com
March 12
March 13 - 15
MURPHY’S PUB CRAWL Pub Crawl begins at Rio Rio on the River Walk at 5:30pm Turn happy hour into happy night at the Paseo del Rio Association's annual Murphy's Pub Crawl. The crawl begins at Rio Rio, then continues on to The Original, The Worm, MadDogs, Biergarten, Swig and Dick’s. www.the sanantonioriverwalk.com
March 13
BILL O'REILLY AND DENNIS MILLER The Majestic Theatre, 8pm
( EDITOR’S PICK ) April 11 10am - 5pm
SAN ANTONIO BOOK FESTIVAL Central Public Library and Southwest School of Art This is an all-day, free event where book lovers of all ages and interests have a chance to get up close to their favorite authors at engaging readings, panel discussions, sales and signings. More than 75 acclaimed national and regional authors are slated to appear at readings, panel discussions, book sales and signings in addition to a performance by Magik Theatre and arts & crafts by San Antonio Children's Museum. For families and younger festival-goers, there are interactive bilingual areas with story time, art projects and learning activities. www.saplf.org
Get lost in a good book
122 | sawoman.com
Pu rphys b Cra wl Mu
The River Walk, 12 - 6pm A family-friendly festival of music, food and fun. Floats release 110 pounds of environmentally friendly green dye into the San Antonio River. The event transforms the 2.5-mile river into a miniature Emerald Isle where a proclamation is read, temporarily renaming the river "The River Shannon." www.thesanantonioriverwalk.com
ST. PATRICK'S DAY ARTS & CRAFTS SHOW The River Walk, 11am - 11pm Stroll along the River Walk and see one-of-a-kind fine arts and crafts available for purchase. www.the sanantonioriverwalk.com
March 13 - April 5
CRIME AND PUNISHMENT Playhouse SA, times vary A twisting, fast-paced thriller that draws the audience into its conversation on the nature of evil. www.playhousesa.org
The Majestic Theatre, 8pm The Hot and Grumpy Tour stars Craig Ferguson of CBS’s The Late Late Show. Ferguson has become a huge success on the North American comedy circuit, performing to sold-out theaters all over the country. www.majesticempire.com
March 15-17
SHEN - YUN 2015 The Tobin Center, showtimes vary Through the universal language of music and dance, Shen Yun weaves a wondrous tapestry of heavenly realms, ancient legends and modern heroic tales, taking you on an extraordinary journey through 5,000 years of Chinese culture. Its stunning beauty and tremendous energy leave audiences uplifted and inspired. www.tobincenter.org
March 18
AARON LEWIS LIVE The Majestic Theatre, 8pm A powerful, vibrant and unforgettable country music concert.
Have an Event to share? Contact us at editor@sawoman.com
March 27 - 29
PENN & TELLER The Majestic Theatre, 8pm Penn & Teller are two of the mostbeloved magicians in history, selling out shows in Las Vegas and now wherever they go on their nationwide tour. www.majesticempire.com
March 27-29
BLUE MAN GROUP The Majestic Theatre, times vary Experience the phenomenon. Blue Man Group is best known for their wildly popular theatrical shows and concerts, which combine comedy, music and technology to produce a unique form of entertainment. The New York Times heralds the show as “One of the most delightful performance pieces ever staged.” www.majesticempire.com
March 27-29
BALANCHINE’S DONIZETTI VARIATIONS The Tobin Center, times vary A first for San Antonio, the evening will include various works that spotlight the famed George Balanchine, widely heralded as the leading contemporary choreographer in the ballet world. With special permission granted by the Balanchine Trust, the company will perform “Donizetti Variations.” This work was last performed in 2011 by the New York City Ballet; the New York Times praised its “many delights,” including its “virtuosity” and “infectious” energy. www.balletsanantonio.org
April 2
HANDEL'S MESSIAH PRESENTED BY THE SAN ANTONIO SYMPHONY The Majestic Theatre, 7:30pm The greatest story ever told, set to the most exalted music. The San Antonio Symphony, four vocal
2015
FOR MORE ON ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT IN SA
soloists and the Mastersingers are joining forces to bring Handel’s most famous work, Messiah, to the Majestic Theatre during the week before Easter. www.majesticempire.com
April 3-4
SYMPHONY GOES TO THE MOVIES: BUGS BUNNY AT THE SYMPHONY II
2015
GO TO
MAR/APR
The Majestic Theatre, times vary A critically-acclaimed fusion of classic animation accompanied by original musical scores from the San Antonio Symphony. www.majesticempire.com
April 14
THE CUTTING EDGE FIESTA FASHION SHOW The Tobin Center, 7pm You are invited to enjoy the latest fashions created and presented by the fashion design students at the University of the Incarnate Word. Student designers present fashion collections they have illustrated, designed and constructed in a fashion course. www.tobincenter.org
FI E S T A EVENTS
April 17 - 19
TASTE OF NEW ORLEANS The Sunken Garden Theater Experience unique and exquisite New Orleans food and music at this festive event. Try mouth-watering Creole and Cajun dishes like gumbo, crawfish, shrimp etouffee, red beans and rice, boudin and many other favorite cuisines of the region. www.fiesta-sa.org
April 14-19
ANNIE The Majestic Theatre, times vary One of the world’s best-loved musicals is back in time-honored form. Directed by original lyricist Martin Charnin, this new production of Annie will be a classic incarnation of the beloved original. Featuring the book and score by Tony Award®-winners Thomas Meehan, Charles Strouse and Martin Charnin, Annie includes such unforgettable songs as It’s the Hard Knock Life, Easy Street, I Don’t Need Anything But You, plus the eternal anthem of optimism, Tomorrow. www.majesticempire.com
BLUE MAN GROUP March 27-29 The Majestic Theatre
April 17 - 18
FIESTA® OYSTER BAKE St. Mary's University Campus Join 70,000 patrons as they enjoy live music on 6 stages,over 100,000 oysters and food and beverages from over 70 vendors. www.fiesta-sa.org
restaurants and caterers. Culinary offerings include Texas-style barbecue, chocolate-dipped strawberries, fajitas, funnel cakes, gumbo, bean burgers, gyros, corn, turkey legs, shaved-ice, beverages and more. This familyfriendly atmosphere delivers live entertainment all night on multiple stages and a carnival midway with activities such as laser tag, rock climbing, Hamster Balls, slides, rides, face and hair painting and more! www.fiesta-sa.org
decorated food and drink booths and more than a dozen nonstop entertainment stages represent the diverse cultures and customs of our city in 15 heritage-themed areas. www.fiesta-sa.org
April 17
April 24
WEBB PARTY
BATTLE OF FLOWERS® PARADE
Lambermont Estate, 7:30 PM Sample cuisine and cocktails from local restaurants, bars, caterers and celebrated chefs and enjoy high-energy music from guest DJs at this alternative Fiesta event benefitting the San Antonio AIDS Foundation www.fiesta-sa.org
April 17
April 20
ALAMO HEIGHTS NIGHT
TEXAS CAVALIERS RIVER PARADE
The University of the Incarnate Word, 5:30 - 11:30pm Activities will highlight food from some of San Antonio’s leading
The River Walk, 7-10pm An evening of family fun with live music, celebrities and more than 40 festively decorated floats sponsored by local community organizations and military installations drifting down the San Antonio River. www.fiesta-sa.org
April 21 - 23
FIESTA® CORNYATION Charline McCombs Empire Theatre Cornyation is one of the most popular events of Fiesta. It can be traced back to as early as 1951;the rowdy show pokes fun at politicians, the prominent and the notso-prominent. www.fiesta-sa.org
April 21-24
NIOSA® La Villita, 5:30 - 10:30pm La Villita takes center stage as 85,000 visitors gather for four nights to celebrate the city's unique heritage at A Night in Old San Antonio. More than 250 elaborately
Parade Route, 11:30 - 4pm Glittering in the Texas sunshine, the parade moves down the route, thrilling the crowds with awe-inspiring sights and sounds. In 2015 the time-honored tradition continues with This Land is Your Land, highlighting our beautiful country and our American heritage. www.fiesta-sa.org
April 25
KING WILLIAM FAIR King William Historic District, 9am - 6pm A fair with arts and crafts, live music on four stages, food and beverage booths, a kids play area and a small but quirky parade that makes its way through the streets of the historic district with its stately homes and gracious gardens. www.fiesta-sa.org
April 25
FIESTA FLAMBEAU® PARADE Parade Route, 7:30 - 10pm This illuminated parade lights up the streets of downtown San Antonio. As the evening turns to night, the parade presents with spectacular lights and sounds from over 150 parade entries. Marching bands, dance groups and glorious glittery floats make this event a Fiesta favorite. www.fiesta-sa.org
march/april 2015 | 123
W WINE
Welcome Spring! The Bright Flavors of White Wines By DENISE EASDON
Sauvignon blanc offers different flavor profiles, each de-
pendent upon the origin of the grape, always representing the
terroir. California sauvignon blanc is herbaceous, offering nu-
ances of fresh-cut grass, with a crisp and vibrant acidity on the
palate. From New Zealand, this wine has a very prominent
grapefruit presence, accompanied by kiwi and other tropical
fruits such as pineapple and passion fruit. The sauvignon
blanc from South Africa has a distinct lemon zest presence, a
great pairing with grilled tilapia and a fresh squeeze of lemon. White wines labeled “Sancerre� are from the town of
Sancerre located in the Loire Valley of France. These wines
made from the sauvignon blanc grape are recognizable from
their steely mineral style with an appealing gooseberry charm.
The Sancerre wines can also be described as racy, pungent and
drier than other fruit-forward California and New Zealand
styles of wine. (Red Sancerre, made from the pinot noir grape,
is not to be confused with white Sancerre.) Some sauvignon 124 | sawoman.com
blanc producers include oak as part of the vinification process,
thereby changing the flavor profile and the weight of the wine.
Pinot grigio, also known as pinot gris, is best produced in
cooler climates. The typical flavor profiles can include melon,
peach, orange blossom, pineapple and apricot. Some of the best
pinot grigio comes from the northern area of Italy. The cool cli-
mate of this region equates to high acidity, giving the wine its
renowned crispness. Other planted areas for this grape include
Australia, New Zealand, California and Oregon. Pinot grigio is
great as a quaffing wine or can be paired with lighter salads such as
field greens topped with feta cheese and pine nuts with a light
vinaigrette dressing (a heavier dressing would overpower the deli-
cacy of the pinot grigio).
The albarino grape, most notably from Galicia (pronounced
apple. Although the viognier grape is produced in California and
other parts of the world, the best-known wines from this grape are
from the Rhone appellations of France known as Condrieu and
Chateau Grillet.
Chardonnay wine with a lighter body and fruit-forward expres-
sion (as opposed to a heavier, full-bodied oaky wine) is best suited to
warmer weather. Produced from numerous countries throughout
the world, chardonnay has one constant flavor profile — apple. Addi-
tional flavor profiles vary, and depending on where the wine is pro-
duced, include pear, peach, pineapple, banana and other tropical
fruits. White Burgundy, which can be produced in a soft French oak
style or stainless steel, is the most highly regarded of all chardonnay.
The smaller pores of the French oak have a softer influence on the
wine, emitting nuances of vanilla and caramel, while American oak
Ga-lee-thea), the northwest area of Spain, is distinctive with its flo-
can be harsh, imparting an oaky component.
Known as alvarinho in nearby northern Portugal, albarino has fla-
chardonnay from California is classic. The fruit for Heron is sourced
ral component on the nose and vibrant fruit flavors on the palate.
vor profiles typically including peach, apricot, green apple, pear, pineapple and mango.
Roussanne is a fashionable grape of the Rhone region of
France. Although it is not as well known in North America, there
are some plantings of this grape in California, and these can be
stunning wines. A unique and palatable wine, the roussanne has a
wide spectrum of aromas and flavors that can include pineapple,
passion fruit, apricot, orange zest, jasmine, vanilla and honey-
suckle. With age, the flavors of this wine have been known to tran-
sition into beautiful mandarin orange with an element of ripe
peach liqueur. Roussanne is one of a few white grapes approved
Although white Burgundy chardonnay is exceptional, Heron
from three significant and prominent California AVAs (American
viticultural areas) for chardonnay: Russian River, Carneros and
Santa Maria Valley. All three areas offer unique and complex com-
ponents to the wine with Russian River contributing to the elegance,
finesse and minerality of the wine; Carneros to structure and com-
plexity; and the Santa Maria area to fragrant aromatics. Along with
the exceptional fruit, Heron chardonnay is barrel-fermented in
French oak, and the average age of the vines is 22 years. Aromas of
white flowers, citrus, pear and apple fill the glass. The wine is fresh
and vibrant, showing elements of green apple, Bosc pear, caramel
and a hint of peach that mingle seamlessly on the palate, gaining
for the production of the red wine Chateauneuf-du-Pape.
depth and ripe tropical fruits on the finish.
matics in the glass, with a bouquet of flowers and a sweet essence
and summer. Enjoy the discovery of a new favorite white wine for
Viognier (pronounced vee-awn-yay) is best known for its aro-
of honeysuckle on the vine, distinctive and indicative of classic
viognier. This wine can vary in style from a thick, syrupy, one-di-
mensional wine to one of crisp acidity, with layers of flavors that
can include apricot, lemon-lime, melon, lychee, grapefruit and
Wine Terms Carneros An American viticultural area and a famous wine region in California.
Minerality A term describing the aroma and/or taste that reflects on where the grape was grown (i.e., the soil, the rock that exists in the area where the grapevine grows). Mineral notes can describe aroma or taste or both.
Think of the taste of the sea that you get from crunchy sea salt or oysters, the smell of a sidewalk after rain. Sometimes it’s like chalk — if you’ve ever stood next to a chalkboard. Sometimes it’s like crushed rocks or gravel. Saline and flint are other takes on minerality.
Whatever your style, white wines are right at home in spring
the change of season and warm Texas weather.
Denise Easdon is a certified sommelier and a certified specialist of wine.
Terroir Soil, atmosphere, environment and other components where the grape is grown can affect how a wine tastes. Vinification Wine word for winemaking. Sauvignon blanc, pinot grigio, albarino, roussanne, viognier All grape wine varietals.
march/april 2015 | 125
W DINING By RON BECHTOL
Photography by JANET ROGERS
The Cookhouse
New Orleans-style food is exemplary The Cinderella story of the last few years, at least in the food world, has been
the move of many a fledgling restaurateur from mobile truck to fixed location. Though there must be some folks content with the gypsy life, the urge to settle
down has got to be a powerful one, and when a chef makes a go of it, there’s a certain sense of we-knew-you-when. It’s as if we had collectively contributed.
One of the biggest recent successes has been New Orleans native Pieter
Sypesteyn’s transition from his perennially popular Where Y’At “New Orleans Gourmet Street Food” truck (which remains active, in this case) to permanent
digs at the old Carmens [sic] de la Calle space on Mistletoe. The place cleaned up
nicely, taking on a coat of unrepentant coral color paint in the process, and it
seems to have been packed from day one. Sensibly, lunch service retains a casual
vibe with orders taken at the counter and po’boys wrapped in paper—just as they Coral-colored walls and upbeat music enliven the ambience at the Cookhouse. Dessert, above, can be bread pudding with white chocolate sauce and a brown sugar lattice.
126 | sawoman.com
were when handed down to us from the truck window.
The Peacemaker, you’ll be happy to know, is as good as it ever was, its fried oyster
and bacon powerhouse pairing still accented with pickle, lettuce, mayo and, if you
take our advice, a jolt of the Crystal hot
sauce found on every table. The surprise, at least to this eater, is that the more hum-
calibrated cubes of ham and Brabant potato
that accompany it and the roseate sauce
choron (a tomato-tinged Béarnaise varia-
ble-sounding fried chicken liver po’boy is
tion) that pulls the plate together.
its modest price tag fool you. And don’t
What little we got of a plate of tomato ar-
beef with gravy ‘boy is somehow less au-
closer to the proper term) one night was
right up there with it in quality; don’t let
think, as we once did, that the hot roast
thentic; many call it the original version,
and consider it as iconic, in the sandwich
world, as the muffuletta (also on the
menu) with its classic layering of cold cuts dressed with olive salad. A bowl of deeply
tichoke “canoli” (cannelloni is likely impressive. “Each bit is a surprise,” said its fierce defender, and we’ll have to take
her word for it, knowing that it counts on
a combination of house-made pasta,
tomato confit, artichoke hearts and goat
satisfying gumbo makes a perfect partner
cheese to make its magic. We can more
rice, more mellow seeming than most, are
cutlets, topped with more crab meunière
to any and all of the above. Red beans and another superior sidekick.
But it’s at night, when service is more for-
mal (yet very cordial) and the coral color is
confidently comment on the panéed pork and served with tomato grits and wilted
spinach. The creamy grits may have
needed salt, but everything else was im-
peccable; in retaliation we didn’t share a
reduced to a more gentle glow, that the
lot of our plate, either.
own. We could eat the fried boudin balls
Aside from salt, about the only other
chef’s aspirations really shine on their
‘til the cows come home, reveling in the
complaint we have has to do with
crisp crust that cradles an interior of suc-
meringues: humidity is not their friend,
lighting in the simple slaw, and relishing
side a perfectly poached pear with Creole
culent Cajun rice and pork sausage, de-
and the piped orbs we were served along-
the house-made bread and butter-style
cream cheese, toasted almonds and a stiff
more luxurious-sounding starter, but they
adjective that comes to mind when con-
pickles. The charbroiled oysters may be a
sacrifice no flavor in the process of becom-
ing fancy; the challenge here is to make sure you consume every last drop of the
scintillating sauce they come adorned
with. Go ahead, order the full dozen.
If it appears as a special or has made it onto the fixed menu, we also suggest — no, in-
sist—that you order chef Sypesteyn’s bone
marrow ravioli. In less competent hands the
chocolate sauce were chewy. Sturdy is the
templating the bread pudding, but the
term is meant only in the best sense. And
if we tend to think of white chocolate as
being less worthy than dark, another ex-
ception apparently must be made; white
chocolate sauce is just the thing needed in this instance.
The Jim Cullum jazz band offers entertain-
ment on an occasional basis at Cookhouse.
plush packets, capped with crab bathed in
Cullum’s son, Chris, another food trucker
drils, might seem cloyingly over-the-top —
come a more permanent fixture when he
brown butter and decorated with pea ten-
putting down roots, is scheduled to be-
but not here. This rates as a favorite dish of
opens next-door Attagirl, an analogue to
accessory croutons and sweet potato
Sypesteyn is already sharing the use of bar-
2014, and that’s even before we consider the
nuggets. And though chicken dishes rarely
his
popular
Attaboy
burger
truck.
becue pits, left behind by the former Ja-
end up near the top of our best-of list, the
maican jerk place, for doing his own
exception. The bird itself is perfectly cooked,
us say this: Keep on truckin’. With or with-
Chicken Pontalba at Cookhouse merits an but almost as impressive are the precisely
bacon. To both reformed truckers, then, let
From top: Charbroiled oysters make a luxurious starter; trout amandine is one of the favorites on the dinner menu; fried boudin balls served with slaw and house-made pickles are a perfect reflection of the restaurant's New Orleans heritage.
out wheels.
march/april 2015 | 127
to RESTAURANT GUIDE AMERICAN BIGA ON THE BANKS BIRD BAKERY BLISS BOUDRO’S CAPPY’S CAPPYCCINO’S BISTRO CYPRESS GRILL ANNE MARIES’S BISTRO SAN ANTONIO CAFÉ CHEESECAKE FACTORY FEAST THE GRILL AT LEON SPRINGS GUENTHER HOUSE HOULIHAN'S J. ALEXANDER’S JOSEPHINE STREET KONA GRILL LIBERTY BAR MADRID ROOM MAGIC TIME MACHINE MAMA'S CAFE THE MONTEREY RAINFOREST CAFÉ RESTAURANT GWENDOLYN SCENIC LOOP CAFE SILO ELEVATED CUISINE STONE WERKS VINEYARD ZEDRIC’S
203 S. St. Mary’s 225-0722 5912 Broadway 804-2473 926 S. Presa 225-2547 314 E. Commerce 224-1313 5011 Broadway 828-9669 5003 Broadway 828-6860 170 S. Main St., #A, Boerne (830) 248-1353 555 Funston Place 826-5800 1150 S. Alamo 271-7791 7400 San Pedro 798-0769 1024 S. Alamo 354-1024 24116 IH-10 W. 698-8797 205 E. Guenther 227-1061 14601 IH-35 N. 651-4744 385 N. Loop 1604 W. 494-3371 555 E. Basse 824-0275 400 E. Josephine 224-6169 15900 La Cantera Pkwy. 877-5355 1111 S. Alamo 227-1187 300 E. Travis 227-4392 902 N.E. Loop 410 828-1470 2442 Nacogdoches 826-8303 653-2002 7929 Pat Booker Rd. 1127 S. St. Mary’s 745-2581 517 N. Presa 223-3297 152 E. Pecan #100 222-1849 25615 Boerne Stage Rd. 687-1818 1133 Austin Highway 824-8686 434 N. Loop 1604 483-8989 Broadway at Basse 823-3508 27315 FM 3009 (830) 980-8033 5231 Broadway 824-6000
ASIAN Hsiu Yu 8338 Broadway St San Antonio, TX 78209 (210) 828-2273
BIG KAHUNAS CHINA BISTRO DING HOW FORMOSA GARDENS FUJIYA GOLDEN WOK
ILSONG GARDEN INDIA OVEN INDIA PALACE KOI KAWA MANOLA’S THAI MENCIUS’S GOURMET MON THAI BISTRO P. F. CHANG’S SAWASDEE SUSHIHANA SUSHI ZUSHI
TAIPEI TASTE OF ASIA
128 | sawoman.com
741 W. Ashby Pl. 10103 Huebner Road 4531 N.W. Loop 410 1011 N. E. Loop 410 9030 Wurzbach 8822 Wurzbach 8230 Marbach 6905 Blanco Rd. 1031 Patricia 8440 Fredericksburg 4051 Broadway 7212 Blanco Rd. 7959 Fredericksburg 4901 Broadway 255 E. Basse 15900 La Cantera Pkwy 6407 Blanco Road 1810 N.W. Military IH-10 W. and Wurzbach 203 S. St. Mary’s 999 E. Basse 18720 Stone Oak 2211 N.W. Military 18802 Stone Oak 300 W. Bitters
733-8473 340-7944 340-7944 828-9988 615-7553 615-8282 674-2577 366-4508 366-1033 692-5262 805-8111 348-9071 615-1288 822-3253 507-1000 507-6500 979-9110 340-7808 691-3332 472-2900 826-8500 545-6100 366-3012 403-3316 496-6266
THAI LAO RESTAURANT TOKYO STEAK HOUSE TONG’S THAI
126 W. Rector 9405 San Pedro 1146 Austin Highway
524-9908 341-4461 829-7345
BARBECUE BUN ‘N’ BARREL THE BARBEQUE STATION CHIT CHAT BBQ THE COUNTY LINE RUDY’S COUNTRY STORE THE BIG BIB TWO BROTHERS BBQ
1150 Austin Hwy. 610 N.E. Loop 410 218 N. Cherry 111 W. Crockett 10101 I-10 W. 24152 IH-10 W. 15560 I-35 N. 10623 Westover Hills 104 Lanark Dr. 12656 West Ave.
828-2829 691-3332 271-2888 229-1491 641-1998 698-2141 653-7839 520-5552 654-8400 496-0222
CAJUN/CREOLE ACADIANA BIG EASY CAFE BOURBON STREET SEAFOOD THE COOKHOUSE PAT O’BRIEN’S
1289 S.W. Loop 410 4822 Walzem Road 2815 N. Loop 1604 720 E. Mistletoe 121 Alamo Plaza
674-0019 653-5688 545-0666 320-8211 212-8698
EUROPEAN ANAQUA GRILL CITRUS CRUMPETS FIG TREE FOLC FREDERICK’S FREDERICK’S BISTRO THE GAZEBO AT LOS PATIOS HOUSTON STREET BISTRO LAS CANARIAS LA FRITE BELGIAN BISTRO LION & ROSE ENGLISH PUB
555 S. Alamo 150 E. Houston 3920 Harry Wurzbach 515 Villita 226 E. Olmos 7701 Broadway 14439 N.W. Military #100 2015 N.E. Loop 410 204 E. Houston 112 College 728 S. Alamo 5148 Broadway 842 N.W. Loop 410 700 E. Sonterra Blvd. LÜKE 125 E. Houston MESON EUROPEAN DINING 923 N. Loop 1604 E. NOSH 1133 Austin Highway SAVEURS 209 209 Broadway WAXY O’CONNOR’S 234 River Walk
229-1000 227-9700 821-5454 224-1976 822-0100 828-9050 888-1500 655-6171 476-8600 518-1000 224-7555 822-7673 798-4154 798-5466 227-5853 690-5811 824-8686 639-3165 229-9299
HAMBURGERS BIG’Z BURGER JOINT BOBBY J’S BUCKHORN SALOON BURGER BOY CHRIS MADRID’S CHEESY JANE’S CHESTER’S HAMBURGERS
FATTY’S FUDDRUCKERS GOURMET BURGER GRILL LONGHORN CAFE MO MAK’S SAM’S BURGER JOINT TEXAS HAMBURGER CO TIMBO’S
2303 N. Loop 1604 W. 13247 Bandera Rd. 318 E. Houston St. 2323 N. St. Mary’s 1900 Blanco 4200 Broadway 1006 N.E. Loop 410 9980 IH-10 W. 16609 San Pedro 621 Pat Booker 1624 E.Commerce 115 Alamo Plaza 8602 Botts Ln. 18414 Hwy. 281 N. 17625 Blanco Rd. 13838 Jones Maltsberger 330 E. Grayson St. 9010 Huebner Rd. 1639 Broadway
408-2029 695-4941 247-4000 735-1955 735-3552 826-0800 805-8600 699-1222 494-3333 658-3000 299-8110 223-9944 824-6703 545-3800 492-0301 481-3600 223-2830 699-1189 223-1028
PALOMA BLANCA PALOMA RIVER WALK PAPPASITO’S CANTINA PERICO’S BAR AND GRILL
ITALIAN Scuzzi’s 4035 N Loop 1604 W San Antonio, TX (210) 493-8884 ALDINO AT THE VINEYARD 1203 N. Loop 1604 W. 8539 Fredericksburg ALDO'S RISTORANTE BRAVO CUCINA ITALIANA 15900 La Cantera Pkwy. CAPPARELLI’S ON MAIN 2524 N. Main CARRABBA’S ITALIAN GRILL 12507 IH-10 W. CERRONI’S PURPLE GARLIC 1017 Austin Hwy. DOUGH PIZZERIA 6989 Blanco 200 E. Grayson, #100 IL SOGNO OSTERIA 8032 Fredericksburg Rd. LORENZO’S LA FOCACCIA ITALIAN GRILL 800 S. Alamo 824 Afterglow LITTLE ITALY LUCE RISTORANTE E ENOTECA11255 Huebner LUCIANO’S 849 E. Commerce 401 South Alamo 521 River Walk MICHELINO’S MILANO RISTORANTE 11802 Wurzbach PAESANOS 555 E. Basse 111 W. Crockett Loop 1604 at N.W. Military 255 E. Basse PIATTI PIATTI EILAN 1701 La Cantera Pkwy., #7 PICCOLO’S 5703 Evers Rd. 16019 Nacogdoches POMPEII ITALIAN GRILL TRE TRATTORIA 4003 Broadway
340-0000 696-2536 877-9300 735-5757 694-4191 822-2300 979-6363 223-3900 692-9900 223-5353 349-2060 561-9700 223-0500 888-7030 223-2939 493-3611 828-5191 227-2782 493-1604 832-0300 251-3542 647-5524 946-5518 805-0333
MEDITERRANEAN DEMO’S COPA WINE BAR GREEK TO ME JERUSALEM GRILL JOHN THE GREEK MIMI & DIMI’S PAPOULI’S GRILL
7115 Blanco 2501 N. St. Mary’s 19141 Stone Oak Pkwy. 5440 Babcock Rd. 3259 Wurzbach Rd. 16602 San Pedro 7159 W US Hiwy 90 8250 Agora Pkwy., #120 255 E. Basse, #384 11224 Huebner, #201
342-2772 732-7777 495-2672 699-6688 680-8400 403-0565 674-3464 659-2244 804-1118 641-1313
SAZO’S LATIN GRILL SOLUNA COCINA MEXICANA TACO TACO TOMATILLOS CANTINA URBAN TACO
El Jarro 13421 San Pedro San Antonio, TX 78216 (210) 494-5084
822-6151 212-0566 691-8974 684-5376 402-6006 822-3797 225-6060 226-8462 223-1806 481-4100 646-8088 558-6788 223-1000 930-8070 822-9522 824-3005 332-5149
PIZZA BARBARO 2920 McCullough 7959 Broadway BRAZA BRAVA PIZZERIA CALIFORNIA PIZZA KITCHEN 11745 IH-10 W. 255 E. Basse Rd. FLORIO’S PIZZA 7701 Broadway 330 E. Basse, #101 GRIMALDI’S PIZZA GUILLERMO’S 618 McCullough 903 E. Bitters Rd MISS ELLIE’S SORRENTO 5146 Broadway TRILOGY PIZZA BISTRO 19141 Stone Oak Pkwy. 5054 Broadway VOLARE GOURMET PIZZA
320-2261 320-2100 699-4275 424-2014 805-8646 832-8288 223-5587 499-1258 824-0055 404-1818 828-3354
SEAFOOD FISH CITY GRILL FUSION SEAFOOD, STEAK LANDRY’S SEAFOOD PAPPADEAUX SEAFOOD OSTRA ON THE RIVER THE SANDBAR SILO TERRACE OYSTER BAR STARFISH WILDFISH SEAFOOD GRILLE
18130 Hwy. 281 N. 11703 Huebner Road 517 N. Presa 76 N.E. Loop 410 212 W. Crockett 200 E. Grayson 22211 IH-10 West 709 S. Alamo 1834 N.W. Loop 1604
495-3474 694-4201 527-1845 340-7143 396-5817 212-2221 698-2002 375-4423 493-1600
SOUTHWESTERN CALIZA GRILL CANYON CAFE FRANCESCA’S AT SUNSET ORO RESTAURANT AND BAR
MEXICAN/LATIN
ÁCENAR MODERN TEX-MEX 146 E. Houston AJUÚA! CUISINE DE MEXICO 11703 Huebner ALAMO CAFÉ 10060 IH-10 W. 14250 San Pedro ALDACO'S 100 Hoefgen 20079 Stone Oak Pkwy. AZUCA NUEVO LATINO 713 S. Alamo CASA RIO 430 E. Commerce BETO’S 8421 Broadway CIELITO LINDO 19141 Stone Oak Pkwy. EL CHAPARRAL 15103 Bandera 2838 N. Loop 1604 EL MIRADOR 722 S. St. Mary’s EL MIRASOL ALTA COCINA 13489 Blanco IRON CACTUS MEXICAN GRILL200 River Walk LA FOGATA 2427 Vance Jackson LA FONDA ALAMO HEIGHTS 1633 Crownhill LA FONDA ON MAIN 2415 N. Main LA FONDA OAK HILLS 350 Northaven LA HACIENDA DE LOS BARRIOS 18747 Redland Rd. LA MARGARITA 120 Produce Row LOS BARRIOS 4223 Blanco MAMACITA’S 8030 IH-10 W. MI TIERRA CAFE AND BAKERY 218 Produce Row ORIGINAL MEXICAN 528 River Walk
PICANTE GRILL PICO DE GALLO RIO RIO CANTINA ROSARIO’S ROSARIO’S NORTH SALSALITO’S
5800 Broadway 215 Losoya 10501 IH-10 W. 10820 Bandera 1439 E. Sonterra Blvd. 3810 Broadway 111 S. Leona 421 E. Commerce 910 S. Alamo 7915 San Pedro 14535 Nacogdoches 11523 Bandera 101 Bowie 7959 Broadway 145 E. Hildebrand 3210 Broadway 290 E. Basse, #105
420 W. Market 225 E. Basse 16641 La Cantera Pkwy. 705 E. Houston
224-6500 225-0722 558-6500 225-5100
STEAKS 222-2362 877-0600 691-8827 495-2233 222-0561 494-0561 225-5550 225-6718 930-9393 545-6965 695-8302 490-8302 225-9444 479-8765 224-9835 340-1337 824-4231 733-0621 342-8981 497-8000 227-7140 732-6017 341-5424 225-1262 224-9951
Chama Gaucha 18318 Sonterra Place San Antonio, TX 78258 (210) 564-9400 ANTLERS LODGE THE BARN DOOR BOLO’S ROTISSERIE GRILLE FLEMING’S GREY MOSS INN KIRBY’S STEAKHOUSE LITTLE RHEIN STEAKHOUSE MORTON’S STEAKHOUSE MYRON’S STEAKHOUSE J. PRIME STEAKHOUSE THE PALM PERRY’S STEAKHOUSE RUTH'S CHRIS
9800 Hyatt Resort Dr. 8400 N. New Braunfels 9821 Colonnade 255 E. Basse Rd. 10901 Scenic Loop 123 N. Loop 1604 E. 231 S. Alamo 849 E. Commerce 10003 N.W. Military 1401 N. Loop 1604 W. 233 E. Houston 15900 La Cantera Pkwy. 7720 Jones Maltsberger 600 E. Market Street
520-4001 824-0116 691-8888 824-9463 695-8301 404-2221 225-1212 228-0700 493-3031 764-1604 226-7256 558-6161 821-5051 227-8847
ENHANCE YOUR LISTING!
Call (210) 826-5375 for more information.
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DREAM HOME Guide Luxury homes available for purchase in San Antonio and the Surrounding Texas Hill Country Area
INSIDE
Women in Real Estate
SanAntonioDreamHomes.com
Find your dream home with the help of some of the best women in the business.
SanAntonioDreamHomes.com
W DREAM HOME GUIDE - WOMEN IN REAL ESTATE LISA D. GROVE
BRENDA WORSHAM
A consistent multi-million dollar producer, Lisa Grove’s experience in residential real estate is enhanced by her business and commercial real estate background. After earning a degree from the University of the Incarnate Word, Lisa furthered her expertise at a top commercial real estate firm in Dallas before joining Phyllis Browning Company in 1996. Her client testimonials attest to Lisa’s professionalism, responsiveness and dependability. She currently serves on the CTRC Council Board and will chair Partners Shopping Card in 2015.
Brenda Worsham is a lifelong Texan and has been a REALTOR® since 1996. She was born and raised in Bulverde before studying Communications and Business at Texas Tech University. Brenda prides herself on her accessibility to her clients and on going the extra mile while assisting them in the process of buying or selling their home. Her dedication and expertise has resulted in her status as a longtime multi-million dollar producer and Platinum Top 50 Finalist.
ABR, ALHS, CHMS, GRI, REALTOR®
6101 Broadway San Antonio, TX 78209 (210) 824-7878 (210) 857-7085 lgrove@phyllisbrowning.com
REALTOR®
14855 Blanco Rd., Ste. 403 San Antonio, TX 78257 (210) 215-7454 bworsham@phyllisbrowning.com
CLAUDIA NOLEN
JUDITH RIVERS
Claudia Nolen is a Certified Residential Specialist and has been consistently recognized by the San Antonio Business Journal as one of the area’s top 50 real estate agents. A native Texan, she holds degrees in both biology and business from Texas Christian University. Claudia has regularly received the honor of being ranked among the top-producing REALTORS® in San Antonio throughout her 26-year career at Phyllis Browning Company. She’s a member of the Tri Delta Alumni Association and Alamo Heights Methodist Church.
Judith Rivers has a reputation for creating results, and brings both a keen eye for what sells a home and extensive knowledge of the Hill Country and surrounding areas. She comes to real estate with over 25 years of home building experience and leadership in the mortgage industry. With a career dedicated to providing exceptional service and a positive, memorable experience for clients, Judith transitioned into real estate to share her passion for people and the Hill Country.
REALTOR®
6101 Broadway San Antonio, TX 78209 (210) 824-7878 x1133 (210) 827-4696 cnolen@phyllisbrowning.com
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REALTOR®
210 E. Blanco Rd. San Antonio, TX 78006 (210) 698-4700 (210) 393-3231 jrivers@phyllisbrowning.com
DREAM HOME GUIDE - WOMEN IN REAL ESTATE W KATE PARISH LANFEAR MBA, ALHS, REALTOR®
San Antonio native Kate Parish Lanfear is one of Phyllis Browning Company’s multi-million dollar producers with nearly 10 years of experience as a residential REALTOR®. Kate grew up in Terrell Hills with parents who are community leaders and entrepreneurs, adding to her high level of integrity, creative service and regional market savvy. Kate’s reputation for protecting her client’s best interests and effective problem solving began while serving 21 years as an international flight attendant and using her fluency in Portuguese. After graduating from the University of Texas at Austin, she went on to earn an MBA from Southern Methodist University with a focus on Negotiations and Business Law, which gives her an edge in helping her clients navigate the home buying and selling process.
6101 Broadway, San Antonio, TX 78209 (210) 824-7878 x1109 • (210) 363-4646 klanfear@phyllisbrowning.com
JUDY DALRYMPLE ABR, ALHS, CRS, GRI, REALTOR®
With over 25 years of real estate experience, Judy Dalrymple possesses the knowledge and skill to achieve your real estate goals. Her ability to build long-term client relationships earned her the title of #1 producer and agent at Phyllis Browning Company. To honor her commitment to excellent service for her clients, Judy leads a professional team tasked to guarantee customer satisfaction. She has created a work environment that empowers people and achieves results with integrity. Judy and her team have the resources and connections to adeptly complete your transaction. Judy’s honors include CRS Realtor of the Year, Platinum Top 50 Winner and Lifetime Achievement Award Winner, #1 REALTOR® in Scene in S.A. and Texas Real Estate Super Agent, which is awarded to fewer than 1% of all Texas REALTORS®.
14855 Blanco Rd., Ste. 403, San Antonio, TX 78216 (210) 408-4080 • (210) 854-8888 judy@goseejudy.com • www.goseejudy.com march/april 2015 | 137
W DREAM HOME GUIDE - WOMEN IN REAL ESTATE KATHLEEN O’SHEA, MBA
COLLEEN M. CASEY
A San Antonio native, Kathleen O’Shea is a REALTOR® who provides a level of expertise her clients have become accustomed to expect. Kathleen is knowledgeable of all areas of San Antonio and looks forward to guiding her clients through the many communities the city has to offer. With Kathleen, expect a professional who listens to your needs and advises you through every step of the home buying and selling process to reach the results her clients deserve.
Colleen Casey is a top producing REALTOR® with Phyllis Browning Company, specializing in listing and selling homes in Monte Vista, King William and the Tri-Cities area of San Antonio. Colleen's former profession as a designer, with completed projects in and around the Chicago region, is one she calls upon daily when working with clients. Offering advice, enthusiasm and professionalism to every client, whether their dream home is a Craftsman cottage, expansive estate, or rambling ranch property, is Colleen's mission.
14855 Blanco Rd., Ste. 403 San Antonio, TX 78216 (210) 264-3996 koshea@phyllisbrowning.com
6101 Broadway San Antonio, TX 78209 (210) 829-2554 direct ccasey@phyllisbrowning.com
ABR, CNE, GRI, REALTOR®
REALTOR®
NATALEE NEWELL
KIM SHEPPERD
Natalee Newell, a San Antonio native, has been matching extraordinary people with extraordinary properties since 1999. Her approach to real estate is based on a belief that having the knowledge necessary to complete each stage of a transaction – and providing careful attention to detail along the way – will lead to a successful conclusion. Natalee has been listed as a Platinum Top 50 REALTOR® Finalist and Winner. She is a consistent recipient of Phyllis Browning Company’s Silver and Platinum Circle awards.
Kim Shepperd specializes in the Tri-Cities area – Terrell Hills, Alamo Heights, Olmos Park and Monte Vista. She grew up in the area and knows it like the back of her hand! Kim has been in the real estate business for about 10 years and brings not only knowledge of the area, but a strong marketing background gained by her past experience working in marketing for HEB. Superior client service and attention to detail distinguish Kim and result in repeat business.
REALTOR®
6101 Broadway San Antonio, TX 78209 (210) 824-7878 x1145 (210) 215-1212 nnewell@phyllisbrowning.com
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REALTOR®
6101 Broadway San Antonio, TX 78209 (210) 824-7878 (210) 834-1004 kshepperd@phyllisbrowning.com
DREAM HOME GUIDE - WOMEN IN REAL ESTATE W CYNTHIA MARMOLEJO
ELLEN MCDONOUGH
Cynthia Marmolejo has experienced all aspects of real estate since she began her career in 1986 as an attorney for a local title company. She then worked as a title closer in New York and as an assistant city attorney in the Real Estate Department of the City of San Antonio. These experiences provide Cynthia a solid foundation to assist clients through the process of buying or selling a home. She’s a certified negotiator and is well-versed in contract language.
A San Antonio native and Alamo Heights graduate, Ellen McDonough’s client-focused expertise has made her a consistent multi-million dollar producer. She regularly ranks in the San Antonio Business Journal’s Top 50 REALTORS® and earns recognition with Phyllis Browning Company’s Circle Awards. Ellen earned a BBA from Southern Methodist University and worked in retail before embarking on her real estate career in 1992. This experience provides a foundation of service that results in prompt, proactive, and proficient communication with her clients.
REALTOR®
6101 Broadway San Antonio, TX 78209 (210) 824-7878 (210) 363-2379 cmarmolejo@phyllisbrowning.com
REALTOR®
6101 Broadway San Antonio, TX 78209 (210) 824-7878 x1189 (210) 912-9633 emcd@phyllisbrowning.com
TIFFANY STEVENS
JENNIFER PERLOFF
Tiffany has 10 years in the industry and over $50M in sales in her hometown. Your investment is safe with this Aggie as she will ensure that your transaction gets to the closing table! Her listings get professional photography, staging and free estimates for any repairs as well as frequent updates as she handles all of the details from staging to closing. Buying? She'll find you the best house, at the best price, on the best terms. Relocation specialist.
Born and raised in San Antonio, Jennifer Perloff’s dedication to our community is evident in her success as a REALTOR®. After graduating with honors from Goucher College and spending several years in Washington DC, she returned to San Antonio and has since lived in the tri-cities area. Since becoming a REALTOR®, Jennifer achieves multi-million dollar production each year. She enjoys working with buyers and sellers alike – helping clients during the negotiation, marketing, selling and/or purchasing process.
14855 Blanco Rd., Ste. 403 San Antonio, TX 78216 (210) 364-6862 tstevens@phyllisbrowning.com www.tstevensrealestate.com
6101 Broadway San Antonio, TX 78209 (210) 325-4955 jperloff@phyllisbrowning.com www.realluxurysa.com
CHMS, GRI, REALTOR®
ALHS, CNE, GRI, REALTOR®
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W DREAM HOME GUIDE - WOMEN IN REAL ESTATE LESLIE BROWN
TRACIE HASSLOCHER
Virginia native Leslie Brown is known as one of the hardest working and highest performing agents in San Antonio, and some of the city’s top commercial real estate brokers have chosen her to represent them in their residential real estate transactions. Leslie utilizes a consultant approach in representing clients; additionally, she is a member of Phyllis Browning Company’s highly respected relocation team. Integrity and discretion, combined with Leslie’s strong negotiating and communication skills, have become hallmarks of her business.
For the past decade, Tracie has served buyers and sellers as their realtor of choice, with professionalism and client confidentiality. Since 2007, Tracie has owned and operated Crownhill Properties, LLC, providing thoughtful one-on-one personal service. Tracie grew up in North Carolina and earned a degree in sociology and criminal justice from NC State University. After moving to San Antonio in 1983, she made serving her community a priority. Tracie is a lifetime member of the San Antonio Livestock Exposition, supports many child and education-related charities and enjoys playing golf.
CLHMS, REALTOR®
24200 IH-10 West, Ste. 101 San Antonio, TX 78257 (210) 698-4700 x1717 (210) 845-4484 lbrown@phyllisbrowning.com www.lesliebrownhomes.com
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CROWNHILL PROPERTIES, LLC
8520 Crownhill Blvd. San Antonio, TX 78209 Tel: 210-568-9595 Cell: 210-863-2629 Fax: 210-745-1615
DREAM HOME GUIDE - WOMEN IN REAL ESTATE W DEBORAH BAUER
Deborah is the Founder of Drake Commercial Group, a commercial real estate Brokerage Company created in 1992. Deborah and her son Travis specialize in representing investors and developers in purchasing tracts of land and selling office and multi-family sites, retail centers, pad sites and master planned communities. Deborah’s commitment to excellence has earned her numerous awards and accolades within the commercial real estate community as a top professional.
19310 Stone Oak Parkway Suite 201 San Antonio, TX 78258 Tel: 210-402-6363 Cell: 210-410-3565 Fax: 210-402-6767 www.drakecommercial.com
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WOMEN ON THE MOVE W
Kristen N. Brooks
Lisa Cruz
Nurse practitioner Kristen N. Brooks has joined Urology San Antonio, treating general urologic health issues and managing care for patients with kidney tumors in the office in the South Texas Medical Center. She has a master’s in nursing from Walden University and is certified by the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners. She previously cared for patients in the hospital and was head nurse at a breast cancer clinic.
Lisa Cruz is now director of public relations for Texas Biomedical Research Institute, overseeing national media relations, publications, social media and website activation. She has previously worked for the American Heart Association, Alamo Asian-American Chamber of Commerce, Dublin & Associates and the Mayor’s Fitness Council. She earned degrees in journalism and environmental studies at Baylor University.
Erika Lanciault
Larina Montejano
Broadway Bank announces that Erika Lanciault has been promoted to vice president, systems and innovation manager, in the personal banking department. She joined the bank in 2007 as a training officer and most recently served as retail systems manager, assistant vice president in the personal banking department. She earned a degree in finance from the University of Texas at Brownsville.
Larina Montejano has joined Broadway Bank as assistant vice president, benefits payroll and human resources information systems manager in the human resources department. She brings more than 18 years of experience to her position at Broadway Bank and is a member of San Antonio Compensation Association, ADP and American Accounting Association.
Tamara El-Amin
Tamara El-Amin has been promoted to compliance officer in Broadway Bank’s enterprise risk management department. She joined the bank in 2009 and became a regulatory compliance specialist in 2012. She previously worked as a loss prevention investigator in the financial industry and is now pursuing a degree in business with a minor in accounting.
Francine Pina
Francine Pina has rejoined Broadway Bank as a marketing communications services officer in the marketing communications department. She serves as the line of business interface for private banking and the Austin market. Pina earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the University of the Incarnate Word and has worked in marketing, advertising and communications in the financial industry for 10 years.
Tamra Gonzalez
Comerica Bank welcomes Tamra Gonzalez as relationship manager and commercial banking officer at its San Antonio headquarters. A finance major at Texas A&M Kingsville, she went to work at IBC Bank-Corpus Christi after graduation and became a senior loan review analyst. After a move to San Antonio, she transferred within IBC Bank to the San Antonio market. She accepted the position at Comerica Bank last October.
Samantha Price
Broadway Bank announces that Samantha Price is the leadership and organizational development manager in the human resources department. She previously worked as an organizational development consultant. She earned a master’s degree in organizational development at California State University and a bachelor’s in human resource management at San Diego State University.
Sue Graze
Sue Graze has been appointed interim executive director of Artpace, a position to which she brings more than 30 years of experience. She formerly served as a lecturer in the art and art history department at the University of Texas at Austin to develop and teach new artists professional practices curriculum for MFA candidates.
Natasha Rowan
Natasha Rowan is now banking officer, market manager at Broadway Bank Randolph AFB Banking Center, where she has been banking services manager for eight years. Previously she was a personal banker at Broadway Bank’s Brooks City Base and Lackland AFB Banking Centers. From a military family, she is familiar with the lifestyle of service members. Her business degree is from the University of Phoenix.
Dona Kotzur
Dona Kotzur is now senior vice president of business development and integration for PMG Retail and Entertainment, a San Antonio-based marketing and sales promotion company. Previously at H-E-B in various positions, including store-level management, she brings more than 25 years of retailing experience, including retail procurement, marketing, advertising, customer service and human resources.
Bronwen Scott
Deacon Recruiting/ Deacon Professional Services announces that Bronwen Scott has been promoted to vice president. A graduate of the University of Cape Town in South Africa, where she earned a degree in accounting, she has over 20 years of recruiting experience in several countries and has been recognized internationally for her superior leadership.
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W Weddings
David Sixt Photography
Mr. and Mrs. Michael Garza (Danielle Gonzaba) December 6, 2014
David Sixt Photography
Paul Overstreet Photography
Mr. and Mrs. Lucas Caussade (Heather Nicole Ford) December 20, 2014
Michelle Jones Photography
Mr. and Mrs. West Lewright Weilbacher (Melynda Marlenne Hooper) December 13, 2014
Mr. and Mrs. Erik Edward Rechsteiner (Caroline Cook Hoffman) November 15, 2014
Anthony Gauna, Tailored Filter
Mr. and Mrs. Jorge Rodriguez (Marlise Cox) November 22, 2014
Jenna-Beth Lyde/Parish Photography
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Mr. and Mrs. David Russell (Natasha Mallory) October 12, 2014
David Sixt Photography
Mr. and Mrs. Jeffrey Dauphin (Abbey Seeber) January 16, 2015
Jenna-Beth Lyde/Parish Photography
Jenna-Beth Lyde/Parish Photography
Mr. and Mrs. Graham Majure Smith (Elizabeth Anne Ballantyne) January 24, 2015
David Sixt Photography
Mr. and Mrs. Joe Gentry (Heather Patterson) January 24, 2015
Mr. and Mrs. Andrew Gant Smith (Catherine Alison Patton) January 10, 2015
Jenna-Beth Lyde/Parish Photography
Dr. and Mrs. Stephen Ramirez (Callie Bowman) January 10, 2015
Charlie Elizalde
Mr. and Mrs. Virgil Yanta (The Honorable Renee McElhaney) December 27, 2014
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W LOOKING BACK
San Antonio women get “gussied up” at a local beauty salon.
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