march 2016 - absolutely memorial magazine

MARCH 2016

Blessings in a BACKPACKBoots, Buckles & BALLGAMESHome Is Wherethe Heart Is

SpringBranchFFA:

SpringBranchFFA:Raising More Than LivestockRaising More Than Livestock

Memorial VillagesFARMERSMARKET

INSIDE FRONT

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Texas Children’s is ranked #4 in the nationby U.S.News & World Report and is thehighest ranked children’s hospital in thesouthwest. The next time your childneeds medical care, come to us. We’re allabout kids. For maps and information, visit westcampus.texaschildrens.org.

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MARCH 2016 l TO ADVERTISE: 281.690.4242 or www.absolutelymemorial.com4

SPRING BRANCH FFA: Raising More Than LivestockSpring Branch Independent School District has supported Future Farmers of America (FFA) for more than 50 years, and students such as Nicholas Howard, Jessica Hollis, Samuel Vassar and Luke Snelling have experienced leadership and personal growth opportunities through Spring Branch FFA.

12

Nicholas Howard with “Pork Loin.”Photography by Hallie Keller.

M A R C H 2 0 1 6

C O V E R S T O R Y F E AT U R E S

16 12 PRESSING QUESTIONSFOR SPRING BREAK 2016With no lunches to pack, no carpoolsto run and plenty of good family time,these questions echo in the anticipationof amusements and relaxation.

20 BAYOU CITY BLESSINGS IN A BACKPACK

The local program of the nationalcharitable organization aims to feed1,200 students weekly in 2016.

22 THE MEMORIAL VILLAGES FARMERS MARKET AND THE REST OF THE STORY

The Memorial Villages Farmers Markethosts a variety of community vendorsand fun every Saturday.

29 EASTER SERVICESA Guide to Easter Services and Activities

32 HOME IS WHERE THE HEART ISUse these tips and resources to turnyour house into your dream home –or to find a new one!

C O L U M N S

14 absolutely! FABULOUS FINDS

24 JAN GLENN’S PAWSITEVLY PURRFECTOff to the (Pig) Races!

26 KIDS’ CORNERCo-Dependency: Affluenza Explained

28 FAMILY LAWSpring Break Checklist for Travel Involvinga Child of Separated/Divorced Conservators

38 ASK ALEX:Downton Abbey

43 SPRING BRANCH SPORTS SPOTLIGHT


M A R C H 2 0 1 6 | V O L U M E 1 2 | N U M B E R 3

a b s o l u t e l y ! H E A LT H Y L I V I N G

42 absolutely! Q & A Texas Children’s Hospital West Campus Answers Your QuestionsAbout Running and Safety

a b s o l u t e l y ! D E L I C I O U S

44 absolutely! DELICIOUS With Tony Vallone

46 VINESLEUTHGirl Scout Cookies and Wine: Two of My Favorite Things!

47 absolutely!DELICIOUS LISTING

I N E V E RY I S S U E

8 EXCLAMATION POINTS!

19 OUT AND ABOUT INTHE HEART OF MEMORIAL

21 COMMUNITY EVENTS

40 MEMORIAL MENTIONS

48 A LITTLE PIECE OF HISTORY

N E W S W O RT H Y

18 GIGI’S PLAYHOUSE

22 SPRING BRANCH-MEMORIAL SPORTS ASSOCIATION Presents 3rd Biennial Boots, Buckles and Ballgames Gala

30 71ST PIN OAK CHARITY HORSE SHOW ANDSPRING GATHERINGFeature PremierEquestrian Competition,Social Events, Fashion and Fun

37 BOYS & GIRLSHARBOR PRESENTS 2016 More ThanYou Can Imagine Children’sFashion Show and Luncheon

CONTRIBUTORS

26

Patrick BironBirons Youth Sports Center Page 26

16

Jennifer Elliottabsolutely! focus mediaPage 16

Nancy L. Rommelmann Family Law Attorney Page 28

28

Debbie Clemensabsolutely! Fabulous FindsPage 14

14

Laura Pennino Contributor Page 30

30

Alex Belt Silly Silly GirlsPage 38

38

Jeanne Polocheck Contributor Page 22

22

Stephanie ValtasarosContributor Page 21

21

Suzanne StilesMemorial MentionsPage 40

40

Tony ValloneVallone’s Page 44

44

24

Jan GlennJournalist Page 24

ON THE COVER:Samuel Vassar with “Bernie.”Photography by Hallie Keller.

20

Elizabeth KimzeyContributorPage 20

Tammy Hampton Contributor Page 43

43

Amy Grosswine4.mePage 46

46

Four Floors of Unmatched Orthopedic Expertise.Memorial Hermann Memorial City Medical Center proudly introduces the new Center for Advanced Orthopedics. The surgical home to our IRONMAN Sports Medicine Institute and one of eight Memorial Hermann Joint Centers, this new facility responds to the growing demand for high-quality orthopedic care. The result is a superior patient experience in an environment designed exclusively around the needs of orthopedic patients.

Learn what sets us apart: memorialhermann.org/orthopedics

ADVANCED ORTHOPEDICS.THE NEW CENTER FOR


EXCLAMATION POINTS!THE INSIDE SCOOP STRAIGHT FROM THE TOP

Associate Publisher, LARA BELL4655 TECHNIPLEX DR. STE 700

STAFFORD , TX 77477281-690-4242

WWW.ABSOLUTELYMEMORIAL.COM

absolutely! MemorialTM Magazine is published by absolutely! focus media, 4655 Techniplex Dr., Ste. 700, Stafford, TX 77477. Copyright © 2016 by absolutely! focus media. All rights reserved. Reproduction without permission is strictly prohibited. abso-lutely! MemorialTM Magazine does not knowingly accept false or misleading advertising or editorial, nor do the publishers assume responsibility should such advertising or editorial appear. abso-lutely! MemorialTM Magazine welcomes editorial submissions from its readers.

Vol. 12 No. 3March 2016

Subscription requests are free to all Memorial and Galleria addresses. Annual paid subscription

of $25 required outside the Memorial/Galleria area.

Publishedby

P U B L I S H E RPatti Parish-Kaminski

A S S O C IAT E P U B L I S H E RLara Bell

M A NAG I N G E D I T O RSarah Bearden

S E N I O R AC C O U N T E X E C U T I V EJessica Kij

AC C OU N T E X E C U T I V E SJennifer Elliott

Molly Ellis Kay Garrett

Andrea Rigamonti Suzanne Stiles

A RT DI R E C TORGrace Belleza

G R A P H IC DE SIG N E R Marinela Taylor

W E B DE SIG N E RJoey Belleza

P H O T O G R A P H YHallie Keller

C O N T R I BU T O R SAlex Belt

Patrick BironDebbie ClemensJennifer Elliott

Jan GlennAmy Gross

Tammy HamptonElizabeth Kimzey

Laura PenninoJeanne Polocheck

Nancy L. RommelmannSuzanne StilesTony Vallone

Stephanie Valtasaros

O F F I C E A D M I N I S T R AT O RAlexa Goldstein

I N Q U I R I E S281-690-4242

E D I T O R IA L SU B M I S S I O N [email protected]

Spring has finally sprung, and I am seeing colorful flowers and green grass sprouting up across Memorial. One of my favorite times of year is when the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo rolls into town! This month, we wanted to highlight the Spring Branch ISD Future Farm-ers of America. These kids are not only learning how to raise livestock but earning college schol-arships as well.

Also in this issue, learn about the upcoming Pin Oak Charity Horse Show set for Tuesday, March 22nd through Sunday, April 3rd. abso-lutely! Memorial Magazine is a proud media sponsor. Jennifer Elliott tackles some Spring Break questions on page 16, and of course St. Patty’s Day is March 17th. Gateway Memorial City is hosting a big green St. Patrick’s Day par-ty from 5:30 to 7:30 pm, so come on out! Easter is at the end of the month on March 27th, so check out some of the area’s Easter services on page 29.

Finally, I can’t close without thanking my mom, Bonnie Bell, who passed away January 17th at the young age of 68. She was a great lady who many in Memorial knew. She became great friends with the neighborhood advertisers as an account executive, but more importantly, she was a great mom and fantastic grandma who I’m embarrassed to say volunteered at my kids’ schools way more than I ever did.

She was also a girlfriend to all of my girlfriends. Yes, she was shining star to me and many others, and I’m going to miss her.

Absolutely! yours,

LaraLara [email protected]

READER FEEDBACK

Brooks, Brent, Lara and Dylan Milam.

@larabellBonnie Bell.

Dear Suzanne,

Thank you so much for your help in publishing the article about Good Steward in the January issue. It was wonderful, and we have gotten a lot of response and comments from your readers.

Peggy BurckGood Steward Global Initiative

Thrilled to see The Kids’ Reading Room in absolutely! Memorial Magazine! Thank you Jennifer Elliot for the great article!

The Kids’ Reading Room

Suzanne,

Thank you for the group photo inclusion of the Alexander Love members in the December issue. God bless.

Terry HebertAlexander Love Historian

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Spring Branch FFA:

O ne of the things I love about the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo has less to do about the concerts and more

about the students. However, the concerts are great too! This year, make a point to walk around NRG Arena to see the livestock and meet some of the kids showing their animals. You will have fun learning about these bright students and the animals they raise.

COVER STORYBy Lara Bell

Photos byHallie Keller Raising More Than Livestock

Spring Branch Independent School District (SBISD) has supported Future Farmers of America (FFA) for more than 50 years, and the students have experienced leadership and personal growth opportunities through the Spring Branch FFA.

FFA is a national organization that makes a real difference in the lives of students by developing their potential for pre-mier leadership, personal growth and career success through agricultural education. The Spring Branch FFA chapter in-cludes students from Memorial, Northbrook, Spring Woods and Stratford high schools, Westchester Academy for Inter-national Studies and the Academy of Choice, as well as junior members from SBISD middle schools.

Community SupportMany in the community have embraced the local FFA.

For instance, since 2003, MetroNational has supported the Spring Branch Future Farmers of America Show and Sale by purchasing multiple grand champions. In 2015, the company purchased a number of animals including the Grand Cham-pion steer, hog and goat and Reserve Champion goat. They then donated all of the purchased animals back to the FFA to

help fund future operating costs. “We don’t just work here – we live here, too. That’s why

MetroNational has been supporting the Spring Branch FFA program for more than 12 years. We consider it an invest-ment in our community,” said Perry Hicks, Executive Vice President, Corporate Affairs for MetroNational.

Every February, the SBISD Livestock Show raises mon-ey, and last year’s event raised more than $215,000! Proj-ects sell for as little as $250 on resale, after donated back by buyers, and in increasing amounts up to the champion levels. Last year, the large breed Grand Champion steers, swine, lambs and goats sold for between $5,000 and $15,000, depending on the animal type. Other animals that sell at the auction include rabbits, chickens, turkeys and non-livestock projects such as food, art and horticulture exhibits. Buyers may also support the students with add-on donations for as little as $25.

Buyers may keep any animal that they purchase, or they can donate the animal back to the chapter for resale. Nine-ty percent of sale proceeds go directly to students, with the balance used to support other educational opportunities for students, to underwrite the show and sale and to provide scholarships.

I recently met some of the students who work daily to care for and raise their animals. These kids are learning early how to hold a job, nurture something and grow a business.

Nicholas HowardNicholas Howard is a 13 year-old seventh grader at Me-

morial Middle School (MMS) and a junior member of the SBISD chapter of FFA. He became interested in FFA after visiting the chapter’s annual Santa’s Farm event and meet-ing other students in-volved, along with their animals. This school year, Nicholas is raising chickens, or “broilers,” for the Harris County Fair and raised a mar-ket swine for this year’s SBISD FFA Show and Sale. Nicholas will enter his best turkey in the Show and Sale, and the next best he will enter into the Houston Live-stock Show and Rodeo. The turkeys will weigh around 40 pounds.

Jessica Hollis was awarded Grand Champion Turkey and Samuel Vassar was awarded the Showmanship Award at the 37th Annual Spring Branch FFA Livestock Show in 2015.

Nicholas Howard with “Pork Loin.”


After processing them with the help of his dad, Tim Howard, and an-other FFA dad, Troy Snelling, Nicho-las sells many of the chickens he raised last fall on the Memorial Area Trading Facebook page. He uses that money toward raising his swine and turkeys. Nicholas looks forward to of-fering his turkeys on the same site and using that money for his next FFA project.

Jessica HollisJessica Hollis is a senior at Memo-

rial High School, and this is her second year with FFA, although she has been interested in raising a cow since fifth grade. Her first year, Jessica raised a pig and seven turkeys. Her pig Twig came in fourth place last year, and she won Grand Champion with her tur-key Wishbone at the Spring Branch FFA Show and Sale. “It has helped to build up my leadership, responsibility and time management skills as I take care of my animals every morning and night,” said Jessica.

Jessica is also a member of the Na-tional Honor Society, National Tech-nical Honor Society, Mu Alpha Theta Math Honor Society and FFA treasur-er. She plans to major in kinesiology at either Texas A&M University or Texas State University.

Samuel VassarSamuel Vassar first joined FFA as

a junior member while at MMS. His first year, Samuel raised a pig, broil-er chickens and turkeys. He also ran in the Houston Rodeo Calf Scramble, where he caught the very last calf! Samuel plans to raise a steer next year. He showed broilers and turkeys at the Houston Livestock Show, where he placed high enough to earn college scholarship funds at the Houston Live-stock Show Poultry Auction. Samuel is currently a freshman at Stratford High School where he is also on the Stratford Golf Team. He is now a full-time FFA member and enjoys taking elective courses in ag mechanics.

There are many college scholar-ship opportunities through the FFA program. Samuel will participate this year in some of the various contests within FFA, including public speaking, the wildlife contest and poultry judg-ing competitions this semester, taking the opportunity to build up his college scholarship funds. Samuel’s day starts early before school as he takes care of the animals he is raising for the Spring Branch Show and Sale, as well as for the Houston Livestock Show and Ro-deo. He also returns every evening to take care of them.

Samuel’s absolute favorite aspect of the FFA program is the friendships he has made with the students from the rest of the high schools within SBISD, the kind, personal mentoring from the older senior FFA members and the supportive agriculture teachers within the FFA program.

Luke SnellingLuke Snelling is an eighth grader

at MMS and joined FFA this year as a junior member. His first year’s attempt at broiler chickens was a success as Luke was a top 10 winner at the Harris County Fair.

Luke was so proud standing on the auction block with his chicken and welcomed the winnings that gave him the opportunity to build up his college scholarship fund. Now we know where the saying winner, winner chicken din-ner comes from! The entire Memorial community contributed in taking many processed chicken “dinners” home in an effort to show support of young FFA participants. Luke’s enthusiasm in FFA continues to grow, just like his pig Willie Nelson, which he raised for the Spring Branch FFA Show and Sale.

This semester, you can find Luke at the farm every day walking his pig, feeding his turkeys or sneaking in to see the baby rabbits. The FFA has been an amazing life experience in responsi-bility, hard work and commitment for Luke, and he looks forward to many more years in the FFA.

For more information about SBISD’s FFA program, visit guthriecenter.springbranchisd.com/ag.

Samuel Vassar at the 2015 Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo’s Junior Market Poultry Show.

Luke Snelling with “Willie Nelson.”

Jessica Hollis with “Happie.”

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You may know me as a Memorial mom of four fabulous boys and wife

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Mahabis Everyday SlippersDesigned for comfort, made for adventure and with simplicity, these slippers feature new technology with detachable outer soles for different activities. A cushioned insole provides comfort that is also breathable. All you have to do is slip them on and go! www.mahabis.com


WE GETCHILDREN

BETTER

Specialized care. Extra-special attention.At Children’s Memorial Hermann Hospital, children are our specialty. Our expertise spans all ages and conditions, from fetal surgery in the womb to the grade-schooler with epilepsy or the young athlete with a sports injury. In fact, the affi liated team of pediatric specialists from UTHealth Medical School brings the latest advances in dozens of specialties from neuroscience to orthopedics to cardiology – all in one very special hospital.

To lea rn more, visit childrens.memorialhermann.org

PUBLICATION:ABSOLUTELY MEMORIAL MAGAZINE

INSERTION:08-01-15MATERIALS DUE:07-10-15, Friday

LATITUDE JOB NUMBER: MHH-15-0023 CLIENT: Memorial HermannJOB NAME: CMHH Subspecialty AdLIVE: 7.25" x 9.5" TRIM 8.375" x 10.875"BLEED: 8.875" x 11.375"COLORS: 4cp/0, 150ls; SWOP 280 FORMAT: Press Ready PDF X email to Pub. QUESTIONS CALL: Pat Hartman @ 214-696-7913

I am looking forward to Spring Break: no lunches to pack, no carpools to run and plenty of good

family time. As I anticipate all of the amusements and relaxation, I have a few questions running through my mind:

1 How can I read in the sun? I need both my sunglasses and my

reading glasses at the same time. Are there tinted reading glasses, and if so, will I still be able to pick out my kids in the swimming pool while wearing them? Or, will I have to perch them on the end of my nose and look over them like a granny?

2 How much wood could a woodchuck chuck if a

woodchuck could chuck wood? Please ask Siri this question. It is hilarious.

She has several different answers, so ask a couple of times.

3 Why would it be 80 degrees and humid on Christmas Day, and then cold and windy in

March? Cruel joke Mother Nature, just cruel!

4 Is it mean of me to block my friends who like to post bikini photos on Facebook? Either they

are trying to make everyone jealous or they um . . . I can’t come up with another option.

5 Is there any scientific or biological purpose for mosquitoes?

6 I don’t miss swim diapers. Wait, that’s not aquestion. So here is the question: What will I do when

my kids are grown up and Spring Break has no meaning? I will take small comfort in not having to handle a full swim diaper.

7 Is it bad to take Prilosec to enable further margaritas, chips and queso as opposed to

cutting back on all of the offending foods and beverages?

8 Am I a bad mom if I unplug the Wi-Fi to prevent my daughters from looking up baking

recipes on Pinterest? It was fun at first, but I can’t take the mess. Chocolate drips down my baseboards. My dog can’t even keep up.

9 Can I throw away all of the self-tanners sitting in my cabinet? I am middle-aged and

pale, and I accept that. Just be glad I still shave.

10 How do I get guacamole off my keyboard?

11 What would possess someone over the age

of five to wear pajamas to the airport? I don’t care how early their flight is.

12 How can Easter be in March?

Wishing you and your family a safe and relaxing Spring Break!

By Jennifer Elliott

12 Pressing Questions forSpring Break 2016Spring Break 2016



NEWSWORTHY

GiGi’s Playhouse

A dedicated group of parents, sib-lings, friends, educators and self-advo-cates are working hard to open GiGi’s Playhouse Houston in Spring Branch. Founded in 2003, GiGi’s Playhouse is a series of Down Syndrome Achievement Centers serving thousands of individu-als and their families through free edu-cational and therapeutic programs. With 27 locations and growing nationally and internationally, the Spring Branch loca-tion will be the third Playhouse in Texas.

The mission of GiGi’s Playhouse is to increase positive awareness of Down syndrome through national campaigns, education programs and by empowering individuals with Down syndrome, their families and the community. Program-ming commences with prenatal cel-ebration groups and continues through post-high school education and career counseling. All programming is purpose-ful and aims to enhance achievement, foster confidence and encourage a per-sonal “Best of All.” The core benefits and impacts of a Playhouse include distinct brick and mortar locations, 30 educa-tional and therapeutic programs and 100 percent free programming for all indi-viduals.

To make the Playhouse a reality, the volunteer board of directors must raise the first year operating funds of $100,000. The Houston team is almost there, having garnered the support of family and friends, local businesses and hosted a successful Golf Tournament last fall. The First Annual GiGi’s Play-house Houston Walk and Kids Dash will take place on Saturday, April 23rd at Tul-ly Stadium in Spring Branch ISD. Family fun, music, food and entertainment will make this the perfect event for all!

For more information and to register, visit www.gigisplayhouse.org/houston or contact [email protected].


IN THEHEART

M E M O R I A L

OUT&ABOUT

Memorial High School Junior Emily Ellis was nominated to VYPE’s 2016 Preseason Softball Player of the Year poll. Emily landed in the top 10, finishing eighth in a field of 52 local high school softball players. “I am so honored that my friends at Memorial High School and the community took their time to vote for me,” said Emily. Undefeated in district play, Memorial expects to have another great season. Congratulations Emily!

Photo by Premier Sports Photos

Emily Ellis.

Heart Guild of Houston volunteers Lorraine Jacobs, Liz Jameson, Tracie Pierce, LaRetta Bertram, Robyn Barnes, Julie Haralson, Jessica Willey, Ilene Allen, Karen Miller, Beth Wolff, Rita Sulma, Lu Caltagirone, Laura Davenport, Joann Crassas and Susan Hansen.

The ladies of the Heart Guild of Houston are working behind the scenes to secure the most popular retailers and restaurants for this year’s 2016 Shop With Heart Card event set for April 22nd through May 1st benefiting the American Heart Association. Purchase a Shop With Heart Card for a minimum donation of $50 and receive a 20 percent discount at participating retailers and complimentary bites at participating restaurants.

Mary Doss, Mary Denney and Lynn Berryman.

The Women’s Business Forum held its 7th Annual Hearts in Heels Benefit Luncheon supporting local charities and non-profit organizations. The event, held at the Norris Conference Center at CITYCENTRE, brought out many professional women to enjoy an afternoon of shopping, friendship and networking all for a great cause.

Joann and Bill Crassas.

The Social Book recently held its annual event honoring the movers and shakers in the community’s philanthropic arena.

Warner Roberts, Betty Hrncir and Scott Evans.

Memorial couple Omana and Samuel Abraham hosted their popular holiday party that guests are still talking about!


Houston-Uptown Bakery5000 Westheimer Road #108

(713) 552-9100

Bayou City Blessings in a BackpackAims to Feed 1,200 Students Weekly in 2016

Kim Robinson, Bennie Thomas III, Jo Whitfield, Jayson Heard, Maria Schultz, Melissa Peter, Melinda Hickey, Linda Purvis and Kara McDuffie.

By Elizabeth Kimzey

I n Houston, like so many American cities, poverty and hunger affect thousands of vulnerable citizens. Hungry

children often live right around the corner. My daughter’s Brownie Troop visited Holy Spirit Episcopal Church to fill bags for Bayou City Blessings in a Backpack, our service project to help curb childhood hunger. Program Coordinator Melissa Peter taught the girls about “food deserts” and “food insecure” neighborhoods – areas where getting nutritious and affordable food was a challenge, if possible at all – and explained we would be helping children who live in such ar-eas. The 200 bags our troop filled, along with 538 more, are distributed to elementary school students every Friday so the recipients will have something to eat until they return for breakfast Monday morning.

The Third Ward is a true food desert, and all 538 students at Blackshear Elementary receive a weekly food bag thanks to Blessings in a Backpack. Sadly, 75 percent of Houston ISD families are economically disadvantaged. What shocked me was we were also feeding children in Spring Branch ISD, as 57 percent of our district is economically disadvantaged. Spring Shadows Elementary is in an area deemed food insecure. Blessings in a Backpack provides 200 bags per week, leaving 501 Spring Shadows students without food bags each Friday.

“We are so grateful for our corporate and community vol-unteers and for the support of Holy Spirit Episcopal Church for their help in preparing and delivering food to hungry children each week,” said Peter. “We hope that in 2016 we can increase our resources to reach every child at Spring Shadows so they may return to school each Monday with full stomachs ready to learn.” To assist in reaching this goal, Bayou City Blessings in a Backpack will host its second an-nual fundraising luncheon on April 26th at Lakeside Country Club. For tickets, e-mail [email protected].

For more information, visit www.blessingsinabackpack.org and indicate “Bayou City” in the drop down menu when making a donation.

By Stephanie Valtasaros


EVENTSBy Stephanie Valtasaros

March 1st – 3rd Chapelwood’s Spring Thing Market 2016This annual production is known for high-quality vendors featuring women’s and children’s clothing, home décor items, jewelry and accessories, specialty food items and colorful Easter designs. There is a Preview Party with $15 admission on Tuesday, March 1st from 5 to 8:30 pm. Held at Chapelwood United Methodist Church at 11140 Greenbay Drive, Spring Thing is free to the public on Wednesday, March 2nd from 9 am to 5 pm and Thursday, March 3rd from 9 am to 3 pm. Visit umwspringthing.org for more information.

March 8th – 20thMary PoppinsTheatre Under the Stars presents Disney’s Mary Poppins at The Hobby Center for the Performing Arts, located at 800 Bagby Street. Full of chimney sweeps, statues that come to life and toys that think for themselves, this wondrous, Tony Award®-winning musical soars to the highest height. For tickets and show times,visit www.tuts.com or call 713-558-TUTS.

March 11th – 13th The Azalea Trail Home and Garden TourView the spectacular gardens at Bayou Bend and Rienzi and visit River Oaks’ exquisite private homes with breathtaking gardens. The tour begins at the River Oaks Garden Club, located at 2503 Westheimer Road. For tickets, call 713-523-2483 or visit www.riveroaksgardenclub.org.

Londen Peebler, David Elder, Lindsey Blivenand Edward Sturm in Mary Poppins. Photo by Music Theatre Wichita.

SUBMIT YOUR EVENTS

E-mail [email protected] the event date, time, location and a short description of the event.

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S aturday mornings smell even sweeter thanks to the Memori-

al Villages Farmers Market, which hosts a variety of vendors curated for the community and is filled with incredible foods. To quote the legendary Paul Harvey, this is the “rest of the story” behind some of the people who bring their delicious products to our neighborhood.

Tim Carlson, patriarch of Hous-ton’s Swede Farm, is the market manager. Tim and his wife, Lee-Anne, along with their 12 children, make the best local goat cheese that has ever crossed my palate.

The Carlson clan was the subject of an award-winning film called Stop the Pounding Heart, which screened at the 2014 Cannes Film Festival and won five film festival awards around the world. Swede Farm goat cheese truly is famous, the world over.

Mike and Amy Richardson of Richardson Farms are third generation farmers. Mike’s Dad, Jim, is a retired vet-erinarian who spent 35 years focused on animal welfare. Richardson Farms’ beef comes strictly from grass-fed cat-tle, and their hogs and chickens are pastured. The Richard-sons pride themselves in making sure every part of their animals are used, nose to tail, for the greater good. They donate pig tracheas to medical science so they can be used in training first responders on lifesaving, emergency air-way procedures. My favorites at Richardson Farms are the 50/50 beef and bacon burgers, steaks and heavenly chorizo.

Lil’ Emma’s Seafood’s Emily Garcia and her husband, David, sell fresh Gulf shrimp straight from the family boats in Palacios, Texas. The business is operated by three generations of Garcias. Emily’s grandfather bought his first boat in 1952, the same year her dad, Ed-ward, was born. Their fresh brown shrimp is from the deepest waters of the Gulf of Mexico, and you can taste the difference.

The biggest benefit of having a farmers market is knowing where our food is grown, raised, fished and created. Thanks to First Con-gregational Church at 10840 Bein-horn, the Memorial Villages Farm-ers Market sets up every Saturday from 9 am to 1 pm, rain or shine.

NEWSWORTHY

Spring Branch-Memorial Sports Association Presents 3rd Biennial

Boots, Buckles and Ballgames Gala

This year marks the third biennial Boots Buckles and Ballgames Gala benefiting Spring Branch-Memorial Sports Association (SBMSA). After the inaugural event far exceed-

Keri Bassett, Caroline Bennett, Dinah Huthnance, Hilary Howard, Meredith Turner and Adrienne Cutter.

Delaney Polocheck with a baby goat from Swede Farm.

By Jeanne Polocheck


The Memorial VillagesFarmers Market

and The Rest of the Story

Tim Carlson.


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ed the board of directors’ expectations and such huge popularity in 2012 cel-ebrating SBMSA’s 50th anniversary, it was decided to keep hosting the event as the largest fundraiser for the associa-tion. This year’s “Texas Western” themed event will be held Saturday, April 2nd at Houston Farm and Ranch Club near Highway 6 at One Abercrombie Drive in West Houston.

The Boots, Buckles and Ballgames Gala is unlike any other in the communi-ty as guests get the chance to see famil-iar faces from all over the Spring Branch-Memorial area and socialize with friends and neighbors all in one place. Everyone is gathered together for the common ap-preciation for the role SBMSA plays in the development of children.

Events of the evening include dinner by Demeris BBQ, live and silent auc-tions, a big board, car raffle and live en-tertainment by Gary P. Nunn. Guests are invited to come wearing their best west-ern casual wear and ready to dance! This year’s gala proceeds will go toward a complete renovation of the SBEC fields and facilities, as well as upgrading and modernizing field lights at several loca-tions to enhance both play and safety.

Celebrating its 55th anniversary this year, SBMSA recently announced a change in leadership. Dee Aldinger stepped down after serving as president for 24 years and a total of 35 years dedi-cated to SBMSA. The SBMSA Board of Directors welcomes Lewis Gissel as president. Lewis stated he is “honored to assume the role of president of the association and humbled to work with such a talented and dedicated board of directors.”

For ticket information, visit www.sbmsa.org.

Gary P. Nunn.

Jan Glenn’sPawsitively Purrfect

The racers’ names are as entertain-ing as the race. “Miranda Ham-bert” or “Taylor Sow-wift” could be tough com-petition for the guy in the race, “Tim Pigraw.” One might also find a “Sponge-hog Squealpants,” “Kevin Bacon” or “Sean Pig-penn” in the mix.

A pig is not thought of as a mam-mal that wants to run around a track for a cookie. They usually take it easy, lie around or root for food. They are omni-vores and can consume a wide range of food similar to what humans eat. They are cute and cuddly when they are ju-veniles – piglets – but can grow quite large when they become female adults – sows. So, when someone calls you “an old sow,” they are not being kind!

“It’s an American tradition to see pig racing, and a lot of kids are seeing it for the first time,” said “pig buster” Emilie Owen. These races are fun, wild and crazy, and you won’t see them on any of the sports channels on television!

Off to the (Pig) Races!T he month of March is Rodeo time in Houston. That means

boots, belts, buckles and pigs! It all comes together at the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo, which takes place

at NRG Park Tuesday, March 1st through Sunday, March 20th. Back by popular demand are the pig races at the largest livestock show in the world!

show. For kiddos, there is the petting zoo, but be prepared to stand in line. It is one of the most popular attractions at the show.

Sheep and goats are a crowd favor-ite. The goat milking competition is an event where local celebrities use their expertise in milking a goat to win the title of World Champion Goat Milker. There are rows and rows of rabbits, chickens, llamas, alpacas, cows, cows and more cows!

Still, with all that happens at the Houston Livestock Show, the pig races are among the top family favorite attrac-tions. It makes one wonder why watch-ing these cute creatures running through dirt to get a cookie is so appealing. The pigs are always entertaining and always draw a happy, peppy crowd.

Whether you are yelling for Jen-nifer Lopigs, Tony Porker or Squeally Nelson, bring your “Whoo Pig Sooie” to the race and “ham it up” with the rest of the folks!

The Houston Livestock Show will have pig races occurring every day at different times of the day. Just get there early enough to get a good seat. Race times are posted each day at the track.

If pig races aren’t your thing but you love animals, you will be in animal heaven at the livestock show. There are plenty of different animals to enjoy at the

Pig racing is a sport where pigs of all shapes and sizes race around a small enclosed dirt, fake grass or gravel track. This racing is purely for entertainment, and betting is not part of it. After much anticipation and the call to the post, the gates lift and the pigs hustle around the track. They race with all of their might for that major prize. The winning pig gets an Oreo cookie!

Trying to pick a winner is tough. Good physical attributes for a champion pig are a skinny front end to handle the cor-ners and a bodacious rear end for com-ing out of the gate when the bell sounds. A hefty appetite for Oreo cookies gives the racer that special edge to be the first to the finish line. Pigs are not persnickety when it comes to food. They will give it their all when it comes to winning that Grand Prize.


This cutie patootie pig in a bucket is waiting for the big race.

A sow and her piglet.

Pigs racing from the starting gate.

Pigs running for the Oreo cookie.


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Kids’ CornerBy Patrick Biron

While the term affluenza was pur-posely picked for its headline potential, the real issue in that court case and many others is what psychologists di-agnose as a dysfunctional family exhib-iting co-dependent relationships. Co-dependency can have many manifes-tations, but in this sense it means that the child becomes more attuned to the parents emotions than vice versa, and the parental sacrifice reaches unhealthy and destructive levels. Let’s translate that mumbo jumbo.

I have an eight-month-old, and since being born, he has been 100 percent dependent upon my wife and me. Some would say that our focus and dedication to caring for his needs – at all hours of the night, I might add – is unhealthy for us, but it is necessary and normal for his developmental stage. He’ll grow out of it.

Co-dependency is when this cycle and a one-sided relationship between the parent and child is never broken, even after infancy. Once the child ma-tures to higher maturity levels, it is up to parents to, for lack of a better phrase, cut the cord. Children aren’t infants, but if they are treated as such, they are never forced to deal with negativity or accountability on their own. For a child

in a co-dependent relationship, instead of the child altering his behavior to fix his problems, the parents or another person are expected to alter their behavior to achieve that end.

The easiest way to avoid this is to allow logical consequences to happen with the child instead of swooping in to save him, as well as to ensure that the child respects the time and attention his parents dedicate to themselves and their other relationships. In reality, ac-countability can only be taught if a per-son is forced to feel and internalize the emotions that go along with reasonable punishments.

It’s natural for a parent to never want their child to hurt or feel sad, but those emotions are critical for their devel-opment. I like to say we “manage and minimize” disappointment and sadness,

W ith all of the headlines focused on “affluenza,”

it is important for all parents and caregivers to

consider what might lead to such circumstances. Their

legal defense that the child’s upbringing was “too affluent”

for the youth to be held accountable should be laughable,

and yet, it gets through court. Luckily, there’s a “vaccine”

for affluenza if we practice purposeful parenting.

Co-Dependency:Affluenza Explained

meaning we don’t try to ignore or pre-tend they don’t exist. By allowing my sons to go through those emotions, ac-knowledging their reactions and talking about how to deal with them, we are pre-paring them to do all of that on their own. Don’t let the pendulum swing too far in the opposite direction either. Children need to feel that their parents empathize with their emotions.

For my three-year-old son, it’s impor-tant for him to realize that while I love him infinitely, that does not meant that he always will get 100 percent of my at-tention immediately when he wants it. Sometimes when I am talking to Mom-my, he has to say excuse me and just wait. If he chooses to drink all of his juice in the first 43 seconds of the car ride, I’m not stopping to buy him more. He can wait until we get home, since he chose to drink all of the juice we had and I warned him not to. It’s easier said than done, I know, because the one sure way to ruin a good plan is to add a screaming child. But, with a little commitment, both my sons and I can avoid the affluenza bug.

If you have a topic or question you’d like covered or simply want more information, e-mail Patrick Biron at [email protected].


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“It is good to have an end to journey toward;but it is the journey that matters, in the end.”

– Ernest Hemingway

Spring Break Checklistfor Travel Involving a Child of Separated/Divorced ConservatorsBy Nancy L. Rommelmann, Family Law Attorney

For Domestic Travel Outside of Texas and International Travel Writtennoticeoftheintendedtravelnolater

than48hoursaftertravelplanshavebeen made,butnolaterthan21daysbefore departure.Includedatesoftravel,citiestobe visited,thename(s)ofaccommodations, airports,carriers,flightnumbers,departureand arrivalflightinformationateachdestination.

For International Travel Appropriatewrittenauthorization,within10

daysafterwrittenrequestisreceived,toallow achildtotravelwiththeotherpartybeyondthe territoriallimitsoftheU.S. WrittenconsentformfortraveloutsidetheU.S.

thatisrequiredbythecountryofdestination andcountriesthroughwhichtravelwilloccur. Timelyexchangepassportstoallowsuch

travel. Returnthepassportofthechilduponreturnof

thechild. Itineraryofeachdestinationoftheintended

travel,includingthename,addressandphone numberofeachinterimdestinationandthefinal travellocation. Adetailedstatementofeachportionofthe

intendedtravelduringwhichtheconservator providingthewrittennoticewillnotaccompany thechild. Thename,permanentmailingaddressandcell

phonenumberofeachpersonaccompanying thechildontheintendedtravel. Ifthetravelwillbewithagroup,noticeall

informationaboutthegrouptrip,itssponsor anditinerary.

The following information should be exchangedbetweenconservatorsforachildwhowillbetravel-ing.Provideorgive,asapplicable,totheothercon-servator:

Pre-Trip Planning:Maketwocopiesofyourchild’spassport ID page. Keep one copy at home, andhave your child carry the other copy in a separateplace from their passport. Scan the passport andsendacopytoyourowne-mailaccountsoitcanbeaccessedanywhere.

Bring along at least one passport photo. Theseare 2” x 2” photos taken in the last six monthswith a front view of the child’s face on a whitebackground. Have another form of photo ID also.Ifapassport islostorstolen,thiswillspeedupthereplacementprocess.


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NEWSWORTHY

By Laura Pennino

71st Pin Oak Charity Horse Show and Spring Gathering Feature Premier Equestrian Competition, Social Events, Fashion and Fun

The 71st Pin Oak Charity Horse Show presented by Irish Day Farm and Spring Gathering Charity Horse Show hosted by Great Southwest Equestrian Center in Katy offer three consecutive weeks of premier equestrian competi-tion in March and April. Most events are free and open to the public.

The Pin Oak Charity Horse Show is an all-breed horse show that will attract 1,000 horses and 1,200 riders from all over North America each week over two weeks – Tues-day, March 22nd through Sunday, April 3rd. The first week of The Pin Oak Charity Horse Show is one of the few re-maining all-breed horse shows featuring Saddlebreds, An-dalusians, Lusitanos, Hunters, Jumpers and ponies. Week two features Hunters and Jumpers. Riders and spectators can enjoy a third week of top competition and prize money by staying for the Spring Gathering Horse Show April 6th through 10th.

Pin Oak is in the process of planning and hosting “Katy Days” this year. Families and friends are invited to watch horse and human athletes compete for major prizes and ribbons. Pin Oak guests also will have the opportunity to sample assorted foods, walk around the show grounds and arenas and shop at vendor booths offering horse and pet treats, clothing, boots, saddle and tack, jewelry, art-work and other items.

The Pin Oak Charity Horse Show contributes $250,000 each year to Texas Children’s Hospital, Ronald McDon-

ald Family Rooms at Texas Children’s Hospital and Can-dlelighters Childhood Family Cancer Alliance. Since the show’s inception in 1945, Pin Oak has raised more than $7 million for its charity beneficiaries. Pin Oak recognizes two “Honored Heroes” each year who serve as ambassa-dors for Texas Children’s Hospital patients and their care-givers. The Honored Heroes and their family members get the “celebrity treatment” at Pin Oak’s ringside galas in the Sponsors Club.

In addition to the horse shows, Pin Oak hosts two oth-er major fundraisers each year – a fashion luncheon and sporting clays event. Volunteers, Pin Oak Club and Young Pin Oak Club members, sponsors and spectators are al-ways welcomed and appreciated.

absolutely! Memorial and absolutely! Katy Magazines are longtime media partners for The Pin Oak Charity Horse Show. Advertisers, readers and followers are invited to at-tend Pin Oak’s Saturday night Grand Prix events featuring Olympic caliber jumping.

For complimentary tickets, please contact Laura Pen-nino at [email protected] or call 281-28-9398. For more information, visit www.pinoak.org.

Carolyn Colter with horse Beanie.

Submit newsworthy [email protected]


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Why would anyone use an interior designer for furniture when there are so many furniture stores to choose from in Houston? Most people know a designer is in-valuable when building a house or remodeling, but why should they use one to purchase new furniture?

Designers have a way of pulling things together that most people are not able to do. It comes back to practice makes perfect. They can listen to their clients pick up on little things that can bring their ideas to life. Designers also will have a new perspective on existing pieces. Instead of searching for one piece at a time, a professional will put a whole room together at once so everything flows from the beginning. They will choose the right size and shape of sofas, chairs, rugs, tables and window coverings finished with the right lamps and wall art.

Designers also have special companies to order from that will not be found anywhere else. They coordinate everything, deliver it and set it up! It will not hap-pen overnight like on television, but when it is all done, the clients will be happy they have a room that is all about their style and didn’t have to deal with the hassle. Look for a designer who orders directly from the factories and does not charge by the hour.

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The Houston real estate market has been defined by many highs and lows over the past 40 years that Beth Wolff has been in the business. After a record-breaking 2014, Houstonians had optimistic hopes for the continu-ing flourishing market – that is, before oil fell to just $30 a barrel bringing ominous flashbacks to the 80s. Although still the energy capital and certainly impacted, Hous-ton has diversified. The world-renowned Texas Medical Center supports research and biotech. Houston is be-coming a manufacturing hub, bringing jobs back from overseas.

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Beth Wolff Realtors has a team of professionals to help facilitate home buyers in their next move. With a complex understanding of market changes and sea-soned expertise, Beth or Ed Wolff can introduce clients to their market specialist.

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Color and lighting play a major role in the ambiance and functionality of a room. Why does color matter? Color is the first thing one notices in a room and its fur-nishings. Most people love color and prefer vibrant interiors. Most are not afraid of color but of making the decision to use it. But, color can be overwhelming!

The way people see color depends on two things: the light that an object ab-sorbs and how the light source works. Black absorbs all colors, white absorbs none and blue absorbs red. Sunlight changes throughout the day and is affected by a room’s location. Artificial light changes with the type of bulb used.

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Led by Robin Mueck, one of Hous-ton’s most recognized real estate lead-ers, Heritage Texas Properties is one of Texas’ largest independent real estate firms. Since its inception, the firm has continued to grow through both reach and stature through the strategic ac-quisition of 15 leading real estate com-panies in the Greater Houston market. Today, Heritage Texas Properties em-ploys more than 300 licensed real estate professionals selling homes from mul-tiple office locations throughout Greater Houston, Galveston, nearby hill country and surrounding lake communities.

Beyond their regional presence, Heritage is affiliated with Leading Real Estate Companies of the World® and Luxury Portfolio International, which provides clients global exposure of listed properties within a network of more than 120,000 Realtors® in over 50 countries.

Recognized with a Most Innovative Brokerage Award by Leading Real Es-tate Companies of the World, Heritage Texas Properties was the first to intro-duce a variety of integrated digital tools and services. Bringing technology and tradition together, Heritage is a profes-sional, innovative and knowledgeable team wholly invested in providing a su-perior experience, leveraging cutting-edge technology to help clients receive maximum exposure, yet still adhering to the timeless traditions of personalized service and integrity.

For more information, call 281-493-3880.

See ad on Back Cover.

Heritage Texas Properties Celebrates

40 Amazing Years


77024 The Fountains atMemorial City is in the most

affluent zip code in Texas, where the privileged reside and enjoy a quiet

expression of a sophisticated lifestyle of luxury. It’s a place where the

address demands attention in even the most exclusive circles of high society.

9870 Gaylord Dr, Houston, TX 77024

p 713.932.6200 f 713.932.1044

HANDICAPPED ACCESSIBLE UNIT AVAILABLE. The owner and management company for The Fountains at Memorial City comply fully with the provisions of the Equal Housing Opportunity Laws and nondiscrimination laws. The apartments have been designed and constructed to be accessible in accordance with those laws.

Memorial’s Exclusive High Rise Community

thefountainsatmemorialcity.com


The Fountains at Memorial City offers a lifestyle of unparalleled luxury and the perfect location. With their world-class amenities, wonderful selection of unique designs and focus on premier resident service, The Fountains at Memorial City is truly inspirational. Featuring gorgeous accents, smart designs and wide-open floor plans, no detail has been forgotten at The Fountains at Memorial City. Resi-dents find upscale, high-rise living with granite and marble finishes, walnut cabi-nets, stainless steel appliances, hardwood floors, walk-in closets, luxury baths and much more.

From cozy one-bedroom to spacious three-bedroom urban retreats, The Foun-tains at Memorial City offers amazing floor plans that fit every lifestyle. Each resi-dence offers exceptional views and spacious living areas in one of the Houston area’s most upscale neighborhoods tucked away in a vibrant and dynamic Me-morial City location. Residents enjoy a panoramic view of the beautiful city with breathtaking views spreading from downtown to Reliant Arena.

There is something for everyone at The Fountains at Memorial City. Tantalize the palate with the many culinary options, take the entire family shopping at Me-morial City Mall, go ice skating, catch a movie or visit a park. There are hundreds of other retail and service options to meet the needs of an active life. Stop by for a tour of this gorgeous building by the friendly staff at The Fountains at Memorial City, located at 9870 Gaylord Drive.

For more information, visit www.thefountainsatmemorialcity.com or call 713-932-6200.

Luxury High Rise Sets New Standardsfor Distinctive Apartment Living in Memorial City

Advertorial

Even for those who can find the prop-erty of their dreams or are already sitting on the lot, finding a custom homebuild-er can still present a challenge. While there are certain things to look for in a homebuilder, one real criteria to look for in Houston’s current environment is a builder’s relationship with various trades.

Stetzer Builders is an innovative, Houston-based custom home building company specializing in new construc-tion in the Memorial Villages area. Erin Stetzer, professional graduate master builder, relies on her extensive experi-ence, neighborhood knowledge and solid relationships with trades to craft beautifully functional and refined living spaces on time and within budget. Erin has established an impeccable reputa-tion for quality, reliability, anticipatory skills, interactive communication and creative functionality.

Stetzer Builders has spent 20 years building solid relationships with key trades in the Houston area, many of whom work solely on Stetzer Builders projects. These strong, long-term re-lationships ensure that each project is completed with the expected level of ex-cellence and within agreed time frames. Stetzer Builders’ keen understanding of the way their partners work allows them to not only manage the overall collab-orative environment but also empow-ers clients throughout the custom home building process. From conversations to negotiations, Stetzer Builders advocates for clients while respecting the expertise and creativity of the skilled craftsmen in-volved.

When it comes to custom home building, Stetzer Builders gets it. In turn, clients get great value and less stress while pursuing the home of their dreams.

For more information, visit www.stetzerbuilders.com or call 832-527-6968.

Building a Dream Home:A Team Effort


281-497-8675 14532 Memorial Dr. @ Dairy Ashfordwww.bluewillowbookshop.com

Join us for Elevenses with Michelle GableFriday, March 4th at 11 am

NEWSWORTHY

Boys & Girls Harbor Presents2016 More Than You Can Imagine

Children’s Fashion Show and Luncheon

Boys & Girls Harbor will be hosting its annual Children’s Fashion Show and Luncheon on Saturday, April 9th at 10:30 am at the Houstonian Hotel. Co-chair-ing the More Than You Can Imagine Fashion Show event are Leisa Holland-Nel-son and Roz Pactor, honoring community supporter Vicki Rizzo. The day will be light-hearted with a silent auction, gourmet lunch and fashion show from Macy’s produced by Lenny Matuszewski. The show will feature Harbor children escorted by celebrities and children and grandchildren of those who support the luncheon.

Boys & Girls Harbor, Inc. has been providing quality residential care in Mor-gan’s Point outside La Porte for over 68 years for at-risk children from Harris and surrounding counties. The Harbor provides each child with a safe environment in a home setting where full-time house parents serve as role models.

The Harbor’s primary focus is caring for children 5 to 18 years of age who are no longer able to live with their families. About half of the children are referrals from public agencies who need to find a place to live while they help families in crisis. The remaining children come from private referrals when, for example, grandparents may no longer be able to care for the grandchildren they’ve been raising, or a single parent becomes ill and needs a place for their children to live until they are fully recovered.

In 2007, the Harbor founded The Harbor Academy charter school program. The school has a smaller teacher-student ratio than those found in public school classrooms, provides individualized education plans for each student, offers increased choices of learning opportunities, and uses different and innovative learning methods. The Harbor Academy serves children in kindergarten through the eighth grade.

Additional programs include athletics and team sports where children at the Harbor learn leadership skills as they compete against each other or local area church and school teams. The campus also includes a barn that is home for the Harbor’s agriculture program. Children at the Harbor raise animals to show at the La Porte and Pasadena Livestock shows. Both the athletic and agriculture programs teach the children valuable life skills.

Each of the program serves a different function in the overall continuum of care for children at the Harbor. To learn more about Boys & Girls Harbor, visit www.boysandgirlsharbor.org. For more information on the 2016 Fashion Show, contact Patricia Lind at 713-688-6262 x 300, or [email protected].

HIRING AN INTERIOR

DESIGNER?

Hiring an interior designer can be an intimidating process, but it doesn’t have to be! Stetzer Builders sat down with Marie Flanigan of Marie Flanigan Interiors to get the inside scoop on hiring a design professional and why it is helpful when

building a custom home.

Q: What is the relationship between designer and builder?

Marie: When brought in early, our team works very closely with clients and their

builders to ensure that architectural elements and finish selections are delivered from concept to completion in a seamless fashion. We love serving as a companion

to our clients throughout the construction process helping them transform their new

houses into cherished homes!

Q: What are the benefits of working with a design professional?

Marie: An interior designer will present you with a concept that offers up

a comprehensive look at your home’s design before you ever purchase a piece

of furniture. He or she will develop creative ways of using existing pieces found in your home and can guide you through

tedious selection processes, saving you time and money.

Q: How will I know which designer is right for me?

Marie: Most designers feature their premiere projects on their websites, so spend some time reviewing portfolios.

Once you’ve narrowed down your search, interview each designer in person to ensure that you connect and make a solid team.

Q: How much should I expect to pay for design services?

Marie: Fee structures can take many forms. Some designers charge an hourly rate

that can range from $50 - $250 per hour. Others charge a flat rate per project, which

is normally based on the square footage or number of rooms. Be sure to ask these questions up front during your interviews

to avoid any surprises.

Marie Flanigan Interiors979.574.9686 • www.marieflanigan.com


Ask Alex: Downton Abbey

Q What is the storylineof Downton Abbey?

A Downton Abbey is a British historical period drama by Julian Fellows. Its original air

date in the United Kingdom and Ireland was September 26, 2010. It is about a fictional Yorkshire country estate inhabited by the aristocratic Crawley Family and their domestic servants in the post-Edwardian era during the reign of King George V.

Q What is the history of the Abbey?

A Highclere Castle, the Victorian-era English manor, was built in 1839 and is where

the PBS series is shot. It is an actual working estate in the Hampshire Country. Highclere Castle currently is maintained by a staff of 70, and the estate is valued today at more than $240 million dollars.

Q How authentic is the set and the etiquette of the actors?

A Masterpiece Theatre and PBS have come out with a DVD entitled The Manners of

Downton Abbey hosted by the show’s historical advisor Sir Alastair Bruce. He is on set daily to make sure every single aspect on set is accurate of the post-Edwardian era. Bruce explains the differences between “upstairs

A lex Belt is a mom, business owner and all around in the know kind of gal. Friends call on her relentlessly for

advice on how to plan a party and what trend is “in.” In honor of the ending of the television show Downton Abbey, we’re doing what everyone else does – asking Alex!

not Mary. He can still be displaced by the birth of a male son to Robert and Cora. This law of only male heir was demolished by the end of the century. Did you get all of that?

Q What is the difference between a butler, footman and valet?

A A butler was originally in charge of the wine, but at the time of Downton Abbey, he

also organizes the maids and footmen and serves at dinner. The footman originally rode on the footplate of a carriage. Their main duty is to serve at dinner. A valet looks after clothes for the males, and the lady maids looks after clothing for the female.

Here are some more fun facts about Downton Abbey:

1 Gillian Anderson, Scully from The X-Files, was offered the role

of Lady Cora Grantham, Lord Robert Crawley’s Americanheiress wife.

2 Downton Abbey is the highest-rated PBS Masterpiece series ofall time.

3 The Turkish diplomat storyline was based on true events.

4 Maggie Smith, who plays Violet Crawley, Dowager Countessof Grantham, hasn’t watched asingle episode.

5 Queen Elizabeth is a fan and likes to point out errors.

etiquette” and “downstairs etiquette” of these topics: how to dine, how to marry, how to behave, how to dress and how to make money.

Q Why did the Crawleys’ property not go to Lady Mary, the firstborn?

A Family today usually refers to spouses, children, parents and grandchildren. But in the

early 20th century, “family” was a much broader concept with individuals as interchangeable commodities. How else can you explain making sure that property goes only to a male heir, including probably someone you’ve never met? The present owner or occupant was merely a temporary custodian for the next family member.

Matthew Crawley is related to Robert and Mary Crawley through Robert’s great-great grandfather, who may have been the 3rd Earl of Grantham. Patrick Crawley is related to Robert and Mary through Robert’s grandfather, who may have been the 5th Earl of Grantham and was higher in line of succession than Matthew to the Earldom of Grantham.

Matthew Crawley is the heir presumptive to the Earldom of Grantham and would be the 8th Earl of Grantham after the demise of Robert, the 7th Earl of Grantham. Matthew is the Earl’s third cousin once removed. This means that the Earl’s great-great grandfather is Matthew’s great-great-great grandfather.

After Matthew’s death, his son, George, became the heir presumptive,

Photo from am

azon.com


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MentionsMemorial

BY SUZANNE STILES

[email protected]

John Kafka, Major Tarwater, Ben Robishaw, Hannah Haygood, Ryan Kearns, Zachary Green, Sam Robishaw, Owen Weitzel, Chris Blundell, Connor Haygood, Blake Allen, Oliver Smith, Matthew Weaver and Michael Goolsbytook the Polar Bear plunge at Lakeside Country Club!

Phot

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Deacon Thomas, a sixth grader at Spring Forest Middle School, represented his hometown well when he received Second Place Silver at the 2016 Houston Tennis Association Houston Super Champ Major Zone Tennis Tournament, securing his Texas seventh place ranking in the Boys 12 Super Champ division.

Murphy Graham and Kelly Bennett have coached for 20 years together in the Spring Branch-Memorial Sports Association and were honored at the annual Irish Football Banquet.

Valley Oaks Elementary first graders Gunner Garcia and Hunter Guinn enjoyed a day at the Monster Truck Jam.

Girl Scout Troop 18454 members Audrey Burcham, Ana Rizo-Patron, Anna Brandt, Jade Lawson-Ho, Baker Berg, Kayla Mosley, Charlotte Stiles, Michelle Kosasih, Cora Howard and Tess Waggoner appeared on the Bunker Hill Elementary BHE TV program to promote their food drive benefiting the East Spring Branch Food Pantry.

Birthday girls Olivia Stuyck, Lizzie Gissel, Carolyn Blake, Lindsey Moore, Caroline Bullers and London Keller celebrated their 13th birthdays in the best way – with a fiesta!

Payton Ritchey performed in the City Ballet of Houston’s The Nutcracker at the Grand 1894 Opera House in Galveston.


The Spring Branch Middle School eighth grade A Team, led by coaches Dara Harris and Dave Roberts, won first place in the West Houston Middle School Basketball Tournament. Celebrating their win were Annie Valicek, Alessandra Garofalo, Ana Sophia Ruiz, Kate Weinstein, Reni Madden, Dara Harris, Olivia Cone, Hannah Schweitzer, Sienna Rall, Caroline Osbourne, Claire Bryant, Lissy Sturges, Gabriella Garofalo, Kate Majewski, Jackie Catalano, Grace Wilson and Claire Maxwell.

Bunker Hill Elementary fourth grade teacher Kendall Johnson and students Jade Lawson-Ho, Arden McKenzie, Daniah Salah, My Tran, Ana Rizo-Patron, Sophia Killgore, Peyton Long, Anna Brandt, Reagan Paulson, Matthew Nguyen, Luke Boehm, Charlotte Odom, Charlotte Stiles, Dan Blake, Mark Choi, Cameron Brenton, David Goddard, Richard Liang, Bennett Martin, Wesam Sleman and Joshua Tolentino celebrated before the holiday break.

Aniyah Silvain, A’Layia Collins, Edgar and Joshua Castro, Ryen Greenwood and Vonda Castro participated in the Nottingham Forest Turkey Trot at the Nottingham Forest Club, which partnered with Family Point Resources this year to bring the community together.

The Biron Elite Cheer Team named The Lady Sharks, coached by Traes Malbrough, Giselle Day and Doug Dorsten, as the American Cheer Power 2016 Mini National Champions. Congratulations to Myakela Lawson-Ho, Josie Grossman, Ellen Chamblee, MaryLee Dobson, Kelsey Dragan, Avery Harder, Jenna Hill, Ashley Holt, Nicole Joshi, Emma Jowett, Abby Ledbetter, Sarah Millan, Natalie Morrison, Claire Rider, Kiley Rogers, Amaris Smith, Camille Lavern and Arden Staples!

The Hunters Creek Elementary Team Sky received some inspiration by the best, the Memorial High School Girls Varsity Basketball team! Having a great time together were Sydney Gauss, Courtney Slattery, Lily Wilson, Kelsey Slattery, Jasmyn White, Adair Peeples, Ellie Kate Stephensen, Callie Hall, Draden Moss, Madison D'Agostino, Elliott Wagner, Avery Anderson, Mary Helen Turner, Ivy Oliver, Emma Shields, Amanda McCloskey, Jordan Kreindler, Elizabeth Eubank, Rachel Lai, Giuliana Madrigali, Claire Tate, Grace Yochum and Rebecca Coker.


Q: MY CHILD IS INTERESTED IN STARTING TO PLAY

ON A SPORTS TEAM. ARE THERE ANY PRECAUTIONARY STEPS I NEED TO TAKE BEFORE I LET HIM GET INVOLVED?

Prior to participating in any physical ac-tivity program, it’s important to have your child evaluated by a physician. Certain conditions may affect your child’s physi-cal activity program. A doctor may need to clear your child to play sports if he has a history of asthma, heart problems, previ-ous injuries that haven’t healed properly, pre-existing medical conditions or is over-weight or obese.

Q: HOW SHOULD I HELP MY CHILD PREPARE

FOR INCREASED PHYSICAL ACTIVITY?

The most important step is to establish a pattern or regular, daily physical activ-ity. Parents should strive for having their children engage in 60 minutes of activity every day. This includes free play, which is a great way to keep kids active and fit. If a parent has special concerns about a

child’s fitness for increased activity, such as concern over a previous injury, not having done much activity before or be-ing overweight, the parent should consult with a sports medicine or fitness profes-sional to come up with an age-appropriate conditioning program that can be done at home.

Q: TEMPERATURES IN HOUSTON CAN BE QUITE

SPORADIC. CAN MY CHILD STILL RUN OR PLAY SPORTS OUTSIDE EVEN WHEN THE TEMPERATURES INCREASE OR DECREASE DRAMATICALLY?

Most children can play in hot, humid conditions if precautions are taken. Dur-ing a heat wave, limit the amount of time spent outside and check on the condition of the child about every 15 to 30 minutes.

It is extremely important to ensure that your child is adequately hydrated. While sports drinks are appropriate for exercise longer than an hour and during hard train-ing, the best hydration fluid is water. En-courage your child to start drinking more water and save the sports drinks for during or after exercise, as they add little value in their lunch box or at meal times. Risk fac-tors for heat illness include fatigue, illness and even a sore throat. Make sure your children get plenty of rest, and they should not exercise in the heat if they are sick.

Q: SHOULD MY CHILD’S DIET CHANGE WHEN HE

STARTS TO TRAIN FOR A RUN OR PLAYS SPORTS?

Proper nutrition is essential to the health and wellbeing of children all of the time but especially when it comes to their success in sports. Balance is important. A young athlete’s diet should have plenty of

Whether you’re participating in a fam-ily-friendly walk or run or are the quarter-back of the high school football team, training is key. There are simple tips that everyone can use to make physical activ-ity fun and safe for the entire family.

If your family is looking for a fun activity you can train for

and compete in together, join the 2016 Texas Children’s Hospital

Family Fun RunSaturday, April 9th

Texas Children’s HospitalWest Campus

Participants of all abilities, including those needing walkers and wheelchairs, are welcome.

For more information and to register, visit texaschildrens.org/funrun. The deadline to register

is Monday, March 28th.

complex carbohydrates for energy, plenty of protein for muscle building and enough fat to stay healthy.

Eating the right foods at the right time, such as lean meats and whole grains, can help provide the sustained energy during exercise and promote the recovery mus-cles need after strenuous exercise. Ask a sports dietitian, sports medicine specialist or fitness professional about your child’s dietary needs.

Q: OUR FAMILY IS GEARING UP FOR AN UPCOMING

RUN. WHAT ARE SOME TIPS TO HELP US PREPARE?

Whether you’re running long distanc-es or training for an upcoming season of baseball, here are some easy-to-follow tips to help you prepare:

• Get a safe start to your running train-ing program. Avoid running in extreme temperatures.

• Wear white clothing or a reflector badge on your shirt to make sure drivers can see you.

• Lace up in proper running shoes and gear so your feet are comfortable and supported.

• Warm up and cool down with walking and good stretching.

• Drink even when you’re not thirsty. Your body loses fluid when you run or sweat.

• Balance your diet with fruits, vegeta-bles, whole grain, lean protein and dairy.

• Get eight or more hours of sleep so that you’re rested and ready to go every day.

• Try various types of exercise. This will give you extra strength and endurance.

EXPERT: Dr. Jorge Gomez, sports medicine physician at Texas Children’s Hospital West Campus

Running and Safety

abso

lute

ly!

Q A&


By Tammy [email protected]

Varsity Oilers and Redskins Football Friends Andre Parker II, Nathan Gonzales

and Thomas Ainsworth.

10U SBMSA Houston Heat Barry Houser, Tom Gilhooley, James Howard,

Lydia Howard, Ava Kirk, Sophia Cone, Hayden Houser, Grace Delpit, Mia Abello, Kelly Gilhooley, Claire Nockolds,

Lia Bonet and Ashlyn Gilhooley.

Wilchester Girls 8U All Star TeamMegan Hallmark, Elizabeth Byrd, Lucy Roche,

Hannah Haygood, Lucy Hamilton, Brooke McAfee, Hannah Ryan, Shayleigh Thomas, Gracie Howard,

Addison Medlock, Alex Shaw and Breanne Blaylock.

Firecrackers Elena Mandola, Emily Rogers and Grace Ann Magee.

It takes guts, hard work,dedication and energy to play sports!

salutes the kids and parentswho hit the fields week after week.

Congratulationsto these outstanding

Spring Branch-Memorial Sports Association

(SBMSA) team players!

SprinG Branch

Sports

Spotlight


That means it’s already time to gear up for the holidays, for the change in seasons and for the return of warm weather.

Easter and Passover, which begins Friday, April 22nd, are holidays that remind us of the

cycles of life and the time for renewal that comes with springtime. I have been reminded of this as my

kitchen staff and I work on our new menus for spring. Just as we do every year, we’re rolling out a number of

new Americana dishes to accompany our popular prime dry-aged steaks, fresh seafood and homemade pastas.

absolutely!DELICIOUS

By Tony Valloneabsolutely! Delicious

with Tony ValloneEaster comes early this yearon Sunday, March 27th.

With the arrival of spring, Tony Vallone has created an all-new menu for Vallone’s, “Memorial’s home away from home.”

And of course as I do at all my restaurants, we’ll begin to shift our menus from winter foods to the glorious bounty of spring: fava beans, fennel, asparagus and artichokes, not to mention strawberries and apricots, among many other wonderful fruits and berries that begin to reappear in these wonderful months when the food world becomes alive again with brilliant colors, rich aromas and mouth-watering, juicy flavors.

Spring is also the time when so many fantastic herbs come back into season: chervil, chives, marjoram, oregano, dill, rosemary, tarragon and thyme. And those are just a few of the fresh green flavors that will start to find their way back into our cooking.

It’s also a time when I begin to cook one of the meats I love most – lamb – which I source exclusively from an or-ganically farmed ranch in Colorado. There is a reason that we traditionally serve lamb at Easter and Passover, and that’s because it is the time it comes back in season. Thanks to the renewed abundance of fantastic things to cook and savor, it’s one of my favorite times of the year to be in the kitchen and to remember all of the things in life that we have to be thank-ful for.

As we all gear up for spring and the warm weather and rich aromas and flavors that it will deliver, I want to take this opportunity to wish all of you and your families a happy Eas-ter, a happy Passover and a happy spring. I hope we’ll have the opportunity of seeing you soon at our restaurant. We’re looking forward to serving you.

Email [email protected] to submit a food-related ques-

tion to Tony.


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Just recently I pulled together a few friends, opened a few boxes of Girl Scout cookies and, of course, opened a few bottles of wine. We mixed and matched and compared our favorite combinations. After lots of hard work and tasting, here’s what we found to be our favorite combinations.

With the Thin Mints, we liked Shi-raz and Syrah the best. A few super reasonably priced ones to try are Rose-mount Estate Shiraz, the Rosenbaum Cellar’s Vintner’s Cuvee Syrah and the Layer Cake Shiraz from Australia. Something about that hint of spice goes beautifully with the mint. Perfect!

For the Thanks-a-Lots and Trefoils, the Pinot Noir was the biggest hit. Try Erath Pinot Noir from Oregon or the Rodney Strong Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir from California.

A crowd favorite was the Peanut Butter Patties and Old Vine Zinfandel. Seriously, I think those were made to go together. Try the Renwood Old Vine Zinfandel or the Bogle Old Vine Zinfandel. You won’t be sorry – except

after you devour too many!For the Lemonades, try some Char-

donnay. If you want to feel like you are splurging on wine without spending to much, go for the Do-maines Barons de Roth-schild Lafite Los Vascos Chardonnay from Chile. You could also stay clos-er to home but spend a bit more on the Rombau-er Chardonnay from Cal-ifornia. Either one would be a good match.

Two of My Favorite Things!

Photos from w

ww

.littlebrowniebakers.com

/clipart/cookies

By Amy Gross

I’m a fan of Rieslings, and matched with the Peanut Butter Sandwiches, they do not disappoint. The Chateau St. Michelle Riesling is usually easy to find and is a fun pairing. You could also try the Hogue Cellars Riesling. Both are from the Columbia Valley in Washington.

The real fun of the get-together was mixing, matching and tasting. If you want to play it safe, we’ve done the work for you with our suggested pair-ings, but I challenge you to open a few boxes, then pull a few wines off your shelf and give it a go with some friends. With Girl Scout cookies and with wine, you’re bound to enjoy!

Cheers, friends!

W e’re wrapping up Girl Scout cookie time, and I know you have a few boxes just ready to be enjoyed. I bet you have a few bottles of wine also

ready to be enjoyed. So, what should you do? Enjoy them together, of course!

Girl Scout Cookies and Wine:



Most of the time, farmers gather the produce and eggs for sale at our corner market the morning of the day you buy them. L ikewise , our artisanal products such as cheese, jams, jellies, honey a n d b a k e d g o o d s a r e prepared within hours of sale, giving you the absolute best in taste and nutrition.

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Angela’s Oven, Houston, Texas

A B S O L U T E LY ! D E L I C I O U S L I S T I N G

MASRAFF’S1753 Post Oak Blvd.

77056713-355-1975

www.masraffs.com

Hands on proprietors, Russell and Tony Masraff, recognized premier Houston restaurateurs, offer affordable elegance, attentive yet unobtrusive service and ex-quisitely fresh American cuisine prepared with the best ingredients from around the world. Located in the heart of the Galle-ria, Masraff’s features the perfect ambi-ence for business and social gatherings. Whether dining in one of the elegant dining rooms, stunning bar area with the elevated fireplace or The Patio on the Boulevard by the waterfall, Masraff’s impeccable service offers a dining experience to remember.

JAPANESE CUISINE

KUU RESTAURANT 947 Gessner, Ste. A180

77024 713-461-1688

www.kuurestaurant.com

Situated in the new Memorial Gate-way complex, Kuu Restaurant has now opened to bring upscale Japanese dining to West Houston. Executive chef Adison Lee, formerly of Nobu, has brought his talent and passion for Japanese fusion cuisine to the Memorial area. Focusing on artistry and complementary flavors, Kuu has a constantly changing menu featuring locally raised ingredients. With an exten-sive wine list and private dining area, Kuu is well equipped to handle any event.

ITALIAN & AMERICAN CUISINE

THE DEVINE AFFAIRRESTAURANT & WINE BAR

14021 Memorial Dr.77079

281-759-6300 www.thedevineaffair.com

This casual, fine dining neighborhood res-taurant is located in the heart of the Memo-rial/Energy Corridor. Established in 2010, the restaurant is proudly owned by native Houstonian and Texas Aggie Lindsey Jef-fery. Recognized by Open Table and Trip Advisor as one of Houston’s “Top Best Italian Restaurants” and “Neighborhood Gem,” Devine Affair offers a variety of dishes including seafood, steaks, pastas, homemade desserts and daily specials. Devine Affair offers exceptional food, wine, service and ambiance in a friendly, com-fortable atmosphere at an affordable price.

CONTEMPORARY AMERICAN CUISINE

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713-789-49725860 San Felipe

TX 77057

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Limit 1 coupon per customer.Expires April 1, 2016

T he city of Houston is known for being a widely diverse place of opportunity for all. Today, Houston boasts the most diverse population of any city in the United

States and has one of the best job markets as well. These facts are often discussed as a recent or developing phenome-non, but truly, they have long been characteristic of Houston. One often overlooked group to exploit the early opportunity and contribute to the development of the city was the Irish.

A great example of the Irish contribution is the Houstonian hero Thomas Andrew O’Leary. O’Leary was born in 1860 in England to Irish parents. He immigrated to Houston in 1878 and met his future wife, music teacher Amelia Meyer. Thom-as and Amelia were married in 1889.

Amelia’s brother Joseph Meyer was the chief of the vol-unteer fire department at the time O’Leary immigrated, and perhaps this led to O’Leary himself enlisting as a firefighter. Both men operated out of Fire House Number Three.

In addition to the volunteer work O’Leary took on as a fireman, he found work in many different fields. Beginning in the late 1880s, he worked a variety of law enforcement positions, serving as a policeman, special police and deputy city marshal. He also worked as a laborer, city health in-spector and night watchman at the Magnolia Brewery. The job he is remembered for, however, is fire chief of the Houston Fire Department.

When O’Leary volunteered with his brother-in-law’s company, Stonewall 3, the city had not yet taken over the function of fighting fires. By the time O’Leary made chief of the department, it was a paid position as a city employee. O’Leary was chief from 1905 to 1908. The year his term be-gan, O’Leary reported 201 box alarms and 161 telephone alarms. Box alarms were freestanding, flashing signals that citizens could trigger to signal a fire needing attention.

The end of O’Leary’s term was a tragic one, sealing his

fate as a hero of the city. He died in the line of duty, trying to put out a railroad boxcar fire. On November 22, 1908, a fire started when a train car collided into another boxcar loaded with fireworks, causing an explosion. O’Leary was directing his men, unconcerned about his safety because the explosion had blown the roof off, seeming to lessen the danger. Howev-er, he couldn’t have known that more large shells for aerial fireworks were on board the boxcar. Investigators reported that one or more of the shells exploded where O’Leary stood. Five more firefighters were injured in the blast along with O’Leary. The chief survived for a few weeks, passing away on Christmas Eve 1908.

Prior to the disaster, O’Leary and his wife Amelia lived at 313 San Felipe, where they owned a modest home. They had three children there of which only one survived, their daughter Irene. Their home is now known as San Felipe

Cottage and can be seen at The Heritage Society in Sam Houston Park.

O’Leary was buried at Glen-wood Cemetery. However, in an unusual twist of fate for a city hero, his grave was never marked. Decades later, his wife was interred beside him, also in an unmarked grave. The reason for these anonymous burials is unclear. Fortunately however, the Houston Fire Memorial Committee was able to rem-edy the situation, providing O’Leary’s headstone in 2003, where it can be seen today in Section West Avenue.

A LITTLE PIECEOF HISTORY

By The Heritage Society


The O’Learys’ San Felipe Cottage is now located at The Heritage Society in Sam Houston Park.

A Houston fire box alarm.Photo courtesy of The Heritage Society Permanent Collection.

An Irish Hero in Houston

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