February 2015 - Fort Bend Focus Magazine - People • Places • Happenings

absolutely! VALENTINE'S

Look andFeel YourBest with

Dr. Shel

FEBRUARY 2015

Fort Bend's SMILE DOCSFITNESS MotivationGet Readyfor Spaghetti

Together, we are saving more lives than in any other era in medical history.

I am living proof. Debbie Rothschild Cardiac Arrest Survivor | Sugar Land Hospital Patient

Debbie was found lying unconscious in a neighbor’s yard after experiencing a cardiac arrest during her usual bike ride. She was rushed to CHI St. Luke’s Health–Sugar Land Hospital after one neighbor gave her CPR and another called 911. Yassir Sonbol, MD, and his team initiated therapeutic hypothermia to prevent brain injury and Debbie walked out of the hospital just nine days later after receiving a pacemaker/defibrillator. She is now an advocate for women’s heart health and is working to start a support group at CHI St. Luke’s Health–Sugar Land Hospital soon.

CHI St. Luke’s Health is an alliance of hospitals, physicians,

researchers and scientists that are dedicated to

working together to help people like Debbie live

longer, healthier lives. Why trust your heart to anyone

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C O V E R S T O R Y

F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 5

LOOK AND FEEL YOUR BESTAT ANY AGE . . . WITH DR. SHELWith 20 plus years of experience in the medical profession, Dr. Shelena Lalji is considered an expert in the field of anti-aging, wellness and aesthetics. A physician, author, educator, philanthropist, wife and mother and wellness advocate, Dr. Shel has been speaking, educating and inspiring doctors and other professionals internationally for years. At the Dr. Shel Wellness & Medical Spa, wellness means empowering patients to live their best lives possible – both inside and out.

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F E AT U R E S

22 ENDING THE PAIN AND HELPINGPATIENTS ENJOY LIFE AGAINLauren Anderson’s search for answers to cure her debilitating migraines brought her to Houston Methodist Sugar Land Hospital’s Headache Center, where a specialized team of neurologists worked to enable Anderson’s return to normal living. With personalized, hands-on care, the center’s experts help patients suffering from headaches of any kind.

27 SMILE DOCS Meet the Finest DentalProfessionals in Fort Bend

38 LIVING IN CUTTHROAT KITCHENOne mom faces a myriad of sabotages in her quest to get food on the table.

65 absolutely! VALENTINE’SFort Bend’s Valentine’s Day Guide

Valentine’s Day For The Kids

Brain Teaser: How Do You Spell Love?

Things We Love

Show Off Your Sweet SideThis Valentine’s Day

C O L U M N S

18 FOCUS ON FINANCENo More Pain at the Pump

26 HIGH SCHOOL HOT SHOTMeet Vance Vaughan

34 LOVE AND MARRIAGEOF MIXED CULTURES Meet Fort Bend couples who have found a common ground: love.

80 LIVING THE SWEET LIFEI Am “Owned,” Are You?

Dr. Shelena Lalji.Photography by Nesossi Studios.


CONTRIBUTORS

F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 5 | V O L U M E 1 1 | N U M B E R 4

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Zeenat Kassam MithaCultural CorrespondentPage 34

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Joan FrancesContributorPage 26

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Jennifer Elliottabsolutely! focus media Page 38

Steve KursarAuto EnthusiastPage 76

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Will HardeeHardee Investment GroupPage 18

18

N E W S W O RT H Y

32 GET READY FOR SPAGHETTI

35 COLONY MEADOWSELEMENTARYWins OverallSweepstakes in Math Contest

36 ATHLETE SIGNING DAY: TIRR Hotwheels Athleteto Play at Collegiate Level

40 HOPE FOR THREEGears up for Strike Out Autism

41 THE FORT BEND COUNTY MUSEUMPresents Docent Enrichment Lecture Series

46 FORT BEND WOMEN’S CENTERLaunches Online Fashion Store

48 THE FORT BENDEDUCATION FOUNDATIONPresents 22nd Annual Gala

THIRD ANNUALReading Between the Wines

55 CHILD ADVOCATESOF FORT BENDOffers Weeklong Training Class

M E D I C A L & B U S I N E S S

42 FORT BENDCHAMBER OF COMMERCEReceives 5-Star Accreditation

44 RIVERSTONE MAINTAINS NO. 4 RANK Among Nation’s Top Communities

DAVID CROWLNAMED VICE PRESIDENTFort Bend Chamber of Commerce

62 MEDICAL FOCUS

N E W T O T H E N E I G H B O R H O O D

47 DR. PETER OSBORNEOpens State-of-the-Art Nutritional Facility

absolute ly!H E A LT H Y L I V I N G

52 FITNESS MOTIVATION

absolute ly!D E L I C I O U S

72 EMBRACE CHILDHOODWith Fun and Flavors of Winter

74 WINTER & WINE

absolute ly!A U T O R E V I E W

76 2015 TOYOTA CAMRY

ON THE COVER:Dr. Shelena Lalji

Photography by Nesossi Studios.

Alisa MurrayAlisa Murray PhotographyPage 80

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52

Lara Bell absolutely! focus media Page 52

67

Myles MellorContributorPage 67

I N E V E RY I S S U E

10 PUBLISHER’S POINT OF VIEW

20 SEEN ON THE SCENE

56 OUT & ABOUT IN THEHEART OF THE BEND

77 AMATEUR PHOTO CONTEST

78 COMMUNITY EVENTS

Tim Cashion, DDS Teresa Cody, DDS

Call us now!281-206-4482

17003 SW Freeway, Suite 100, Sugar Land, TX 77479Formerly Cashion & Cody Family Dentistry and Orthodontics

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Valentine Specials

BeautyBecomesYou.comI’m in love with February. I get to

wear red as much as I want, there’s an abundance of chocolate, hearts abound and flowers are likely to appear in my office. What’s not to love?

This issue is all about love. In fact, we have an entire section on Valentine’s Day including a fabulous gift guide to help the men in your life buy their valentine the perfect gift, activities for the kids, recipes and even a How Do You Spell Love crossword puzzle. You’ll also meet some Fort Bend couples who have found a common ground – love – while coming from different cultures and backgrounds.

As most of you know, I’m all about words, so I absolutely love what these couples – the Clancy’s, the Yan’s, the Motiwala’s and the Mohammedin’s – had to say about their marriages, their lives and living the American dream. I truly value a written sentiment, and the ones that I absolutely love, I carry with me every

day. I have two poems with me always, a favorite of my grandmother’s that I read at her funeral and another original poem written by my daughter when she was 10 years old given to me on Valentine’s Day.

Roses are red,Violets are blue,Flowers are beautiful,And so are you! – Kassidi Kaminski, 2006

In my humble opinion, Kassidi and Napoleon both got it right expressing their heartfelt appreciation for their valentines. Napoleon wrote, “As for me, to love you alone, to make you happy, to do nothing which would

contradict your wishes, this is my destiny and the meaning of my life.” Of course, another way to phrase Bonaparte’s philosophy on love is simply: “If momma ain’t happy, ain’t nobody happy.”

Gentlemen, remember your wives and mommas on Valentine’s Day. You’ll be glad you did. Happy Valentine’s Day!

Stay focused!

[email protected]

4655 TECHNIPLEX DR. STE 700STAFFORD, TX 77477

281-690-4242

WWW.FORTBENDFOCUS.COM

Fort Bend FocusTM Magazine is published by absolutely! focus media, 4655 Techniplex Dr., Ste. 700, Stafford, TX 77477. Copy-right © 2015 by absolutely! focus media. All rights reserved. Reproduction without permission is strictly prohibited. Fort Bend FocusTM Magazine does not knowingly accept false or mis-leading advertising or editorial, nor do the publishers assume responsibility should such advertising or editorial appear. Fort Bend FocusTM Magazine welcomes editorial submissions from its readers.

Vol. 11 No.4February 2015

EXCLAMATION POINTS!THE INSIDE SCOOP STRAIGHT FROM THE TOP

Subscription requests are free to all Fort Bend addresses. Annual paid subscription

of $25 required outside the Fort Bend area.

P U B L I S H E RE DI TOR- I N - C H I E FPatti Parish-Kaminski

A S S O C IAT E P U B L I S H E RJessica Kij

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

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

Molly EllisKay Garrett

Juliet HubbellAndrea Rigamonti

Suzanne StilesBonnie Bell Woodrow

A RT DI R E C TORGrace Belleza

G R A P H IC DE SIG N E R SCamille Hay

Erin De Veyra

W E B DE SIG N E RJoey Belleza

O F F I C E A D M I N I S T R AT O RAdrienne Boring

P H O T O G R A P H E RNesossi Studios

C O N T R I BU T O R SM.G. Angulo

Lara BellJennifer ElliottJoan FrancesWill HardeeSteve KursarElsa Maxey

Myles MellorZeenat Kassam Mitha

Alisa Murray

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]

Publishedby

Publisher/Editor-in-Chief, PATTI PARISH-KAMINSKI

Roses are Red . . .

Patti and Tim Kaminski at the 2015 Lincoln Reagan Dinner.

www.FortBendFocus.comFacebook.com/FortBendFocus

Ticket giveaways to area attractions and events.

Patti and 18 year-old Kassidi Kaminski.Photo by Nesossi Studios.

Eric Humble, M.D.Board Certified Plastic Surgeon

281•313•055516926 Southwest Freeway

Sugar Land, TX 77479

Valentine Specials

Buy 2 Juvederm Syringes for $949

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Some restrictions apply. While supplies last.(Offer expires February 28, 2015)

Voted Top Doc 3 years in a rowBeautyBecomesYou.com

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Lunch & Learn Events:

Wednesday, February 11th • 11 am-1 pmTake a bite out of Aging with our Vampire Facial!

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TO ADVERTISE: 281.690.4242 or www.fortbend .com • February 2015 12 IT TAKES A TEXAN

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here are lots of unexplored tastes in the world of wine. Braman Wines will navigate

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For Dr. Shel, wellness means much more than its definition of being in good physical and mental health. At the Dr. Shel Wellness & Medical Spa, wellness means empowering patients to live their best lives possible – both inside and out.

“Our mission is to provide the most in-novative integrative medical treatments and the latest in aesthetic technology to attain both inner and outer well-being,” explained Dr. Shel. “Understanding our patients, their symptoms, their wellness goals and helping them achieve those goals is our main priority.”

Dr. Shel’s unique approach to wellness via customized care of the whole patient is achieved by relying on her 20 plus years of experience in the medical profession and her compassion for patients’ well-being. She is considered an expert in the field of anti-aging, wellness and aesthet-ics and has been speaking, educating and inspiring doctors and other professionals internationally for many years.

Achieving inner wellness is the first priority for Dr. Shel with her patients. “Feeling your absolute best is an integral part of our philosophy of care.” Dr. Shel

offers a variety of wellness services from nutrition, hormones, weight loss to more innovative wellness therapies including:

Intravenous Vitamin Therapy

Ninety percent of us are deficient in many key nutrients that are vital for op-timal health. Intravenous Vitamin Ther-apy is a method of feeding essential nutri-ents – vitamins, minerals and other natu-ral substances – directly into a patient’s bloodstream. Bypassing the digestive sys-tem allows 100 percent of the nutrients

to enter the bloodstream as compared to around 15 to 20 percent absorption in most over-the-counter oral supplements.

Dr. Shel offers several types of In-travenous Vitamin Therapies including Vitamin C Infusions, Myer’s Cocktail, Skin Brightening IV and Glutathione to name a few. The various therapies can help to treat many conditions including fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue, migraines, adrenal fatigue, cancer, arthritic pain, allergies and sinus infections – even the common cold. “Glutathione is our master antioxidant, and this IV Therapy aids in protecting the cells of the body from harmful toxins, helping to prevent can-cers and other chronic diseases. We are seeing tremendous improvements in our patients’ health,” said Dr. Shel. The treat-ments typically last less than an hour and patients can easily return to their normal routine without any disruption to their schedule.

Bio-IdenticalHormone Replacement

Hormonal imbalance remains one of the most common issues affecting wom-en’s health. Symptoms can include de-pression, weight gain, hair loss, insomnia, anxiety, low libido and fatigue. “Many of my patients are told that their symp-toms are a part of aging and nothing can be done. At times, they are prescribed medications such as antidepressants or

with Dr. ShelP hysician, author, educator, philanthropist, wife and mother all

describe Dr. Shelena Lalji, medical director of Dr. Shel Well-ness & Medical Spa, but perhaps the most important descriptor of Dr. Shel, as her patients know her, is wellness advocate.

COVER STORYPhotos by Nesossi Studios

Look andFeel Your Bestat Any Age . . .

Providing customized care to patients like Carole Brown is paramount to Dr. Shel.

The staff at Dr. Shel Wellness & Medical Spa:

Christina, Mia, Caitlyn, Glenda,Missy, Dr. Shel, Dawn, Vickie,Megan, April, Craig and Lori.

sleeping pills among other things. What I have found is that once I balance their hormones and thyroid, they feel revitalized, energized and sexy once again.” said Dr. Shel. Dr. Shel’s phi-losophy of inner wellness includes using natural, bio-identical hormones rather than synthetic hormones, thyroid, nutrients, supplements and lifestyle modifications, which are customized for each patient individually.

Men’s HealthThough Dr. Shel is best known for women’s health, she also

treats men in the same philosophy of overall well-being. One of the most common issues that Dr. Shel sees in men is low testos-terone or “Low T.” According to Dr. Shel, there is an actual time period in men’s lives where their testosterone declines called Andropause, or male menopause, where men may suffer from loss of muscle mass, weight gain, irritability, insomnia, brain fog, low energy and lower sex drive. “Men are often uncertain what to do about these symptoms, so we work with them to replace testosterone if needed, balance nutrients, lose weight and help bal-ance their lives with the appropriate proto-cols to help them re-gain vitality, drive and overall well-being.”

Adrenal FatigueAdrenal fatigue can wreak havoc on your life. In the more

serious cases, the activity of the adrenal glands is so low that you may have difficulty getting out of bed for more than a few hours per day. “Once we have determined that a patient is show-ing symptoms of Adrenal Fatigue, we test their salivary diur-nal cortisol levels and then determine a customized program to help the adrenal glands function better through various courses of treatment including IV therapy, nutrition, hormonal balance and stress management techniques.” Dr. Shel has a counselor and meditation instructor, Dr. Anand Vyas, who helps patients achieve inner harmony and manage stress.

Weight Loss & DetoxificationDr. Shel’s weight loss program is ideal for those who desire

to lose weight and keep it off. Testing is done for each patient and a customized program is cre-ated that may include hCG, dieti-cian services, lifestyle counseling, supplementation and detoxifi-cation under the guidance of a medical professional. Dr. Shel believes that any wellness pro-gram should include detoxification. “The purpose of detoxification is to improve your overall state of health and well-being through internal cleansing and purification. We find that detoxification further assists the weight loss process. Not only do our patients experience weight loss and all of the noticeable improvements that come along with it, but their overall health greatly improves as well. We see our

Dr. Shel conferring with patient Shawn Taylor.

Wellness & Beauty: The Ultimate Combination

Dr. Shel believes you should look and feel your best. By offering both aesthetic and wellness services, Dr. Shel Wellness & Medical Spa is your one stop shop for health and beauty services. Dr. Shel Wellness & Medical Spa services include:

• Injectables• Botox / Xeomin• Juvederm

• Radiesse • Voluma™ XC Filler

Advanced Beauty Treatments & Aesthetic Services

• Ultherapy® Skin Lifting and Tightening

• Titan Skin Tightening• Pearl / Pearl Fractional Resurfacing

Advanced Aesthetic Treatments

Non-Laser Skin Rejuvenation• Microneedling / Platelet Rich

Plasma• Collagen Induction Therapy• Hydrafacial• Microdermabrasion

• Limelight IPL Photofacial• Laser Genesis Skin

Rejuvenation

• Dermaplaning• Mole & Skin Tag Removal• Chemical Peels• Digital Skin Analysis

• CoolSculpting® Fat Reduction• Reaction Tightening & Cellulite Reduction

Body Contouring

Aesthetic Services• BLU-U Acne Treatment• Photo Dynamic Therapy• Laser Hair Removal• Laser Spider Vein Removal• I-Grow Laser Hair Regrowth• LATISSE Eyelash Treatment

• Neotensil for Under-Eye Bags

• Skin Medica / Obagi / Biopelle

• Hair Loss Products

Health & Wellness Therapies• Customized Wellness Programs

for Men & Women• Bio-Identical Hormone

Replacement• Hypothyroidism• Weight Loss / Detox / Dietician

Services• Low Testosterone• Adrenal Fatigue• Yeast Overgrowth (Candida

Treatment)

• Gluten / Food Sensitivities• Nutritional Testing &

Supplements• Intravenous Vitamin

Therapy• Seasonal Allergies• Meditation• Sexual Health / G-Shot /

Vaginal Rejuvenation

Visit www.drshel.com or call 281-313-7435for a free consultation.Mention Fort Bend Focus and receive up to 20% offLaser and Wellness treatments.

Dr. Shel’s insightful book guides readers through a journey of self-discovery and awareness of womens’ health issues by focusing on preventive and integrative aspects of medicine. Visit www.drshel.com to order.


patients coming off of their meds for diabetes, hypertension, cho-lesterol and much more.”

Gluten & Food SensitivityFor years, many gastrointestinal issues such as Irritable

Bowel Syndrome, Crohn’s Disease, Acid Reflux and Colitis have affected millions of people. Many of these conditions along with symptoms such as chronic fatigue, headaches, brain fog, consti-pation and others are greatly improved by eliminating reactive and inflammatory foods such as gluten, yeast and dairy to name a few. “I believe in a scientific approach, so we conduct advanced tests to check for gluten and other food sensitivities, yeast over-growth and allergies to determine the true cause of gut health is-sues. I don’t believe in labeling patients with diagnoses; I strongly believe in identifying the root cause of patients’ symptoms. We then formulate a customized healthy eating program and treat the gut with medical grade probiotics and necessary enzymes. The results we see are remarkable. My patients are truly getting their lives back.” Dr. Shel also has a dietician on staff who works with her patients one-on-one.

Looking your best is an integral part of feeling your best, and the Dr. Shel Wellness & Medical Spa offers the latest, most effec-tive technologies for aesthetic treatments including:

Micro-NeedlingMicro-Needling with Platelet Rich Plasma, or PRP, is used to

treat moderate acne, fine lines, wrinkles, lax skin, burns, scars, broken capillaries and stretch marks. PRP, used for decades to help athletes recover from surgery, is known to help wounds heal faster and improve the texture and color of skin by encouraging new tissue growth.

CoolSculpting®

CoolSculpting is the only FDA-cleared, non-surgical fat re-duction treatment. By literally freezing the fat and reducing the volume, CoolSculpting is perfect for individuals wanting a non-invasive solution for areas of stubborn body fat, including on the abdomen, flanks, and thighs. In line with Dr. Shel’s commitment to being the most cutting-edge practice, Dr. Shel has the latest CoolSmooth flat applicator to be able to treat even the smallest areas of unwanted fat, including the outer thighs. The procedure is relatively painless, and patients can resume their daily activi-ties.

Get Your Sexy Back!Get Your Sexy Back!Women’s Sexual Health Seminar

February 11th, 5 - 7 pmRSVP today to: [email protected]

or by calling 281-313-7435

Find Out About:• Vaginal Rejuvenation• Eliminating Vaginal Dryness• Enhancing Libido & Orgasm• Feeling Confident & Sexy• Hormonal Balance

1437 HIGHWAY 6, SUITE 100, SUGAR LAND, TX

UltherapyUltherapy aesthetically tightens, lifts and tones skin – much

like a face lift but without the surgery, risks and down time. It is the only FDA-cleared procedure for non-surgical neck, brow and under-chin lifts. It is a very safe treatment, which uses ultra-sound energy to stimulate the body’s own collagen to both lift and tighten skin.

Hair Loss TreatmentsDr. Shel takes the same holistic approach to hair loss. By get-

ting to the root causes of hair loss, she is able to create a custom-ized plan to address those issues. Some of the common causes of hair loss that Dr. Shel addresses are hormonal imbalances, nutritional deficiencies, unhealthy scalp and chronic stress. Dr. Shel also offers the IGrow Laser, which is one of the world’s most advanced, effective methods of hair rejuvenation for both men and women. Dr. Shel offers her patients a special line of natural hair care products and supplements that help to stimulate hair growth and healthy, beautiful hair. These products can be found on Dr. Shel’s online store at www.DrShel.com/products.

“I strongly believe in the art of beauty and the science of well-ness as key ingredients for a balanced and vital life. My mission is to reach as many patients as possible and help them attain true health and well-being, both inside and out. I am grateful to have this opportunity to make a difference in people’s lives … Mind, Body and Spirit!” said Dr. Shel.

To look and feel your best at any age, call Dr. Shel’s office at 281-313-7435 or go to www.DrShel.com and schedule your free consultation.

Follow Dr. Shel on social media to getdaily inspiration, tips and educational content:

facebook.com/drshel Twitter.com/drshel Blog: drshel.com

1. Food Choices: Get tested and avoid foods such as gluten, yeast, dairy, etc. that you may be sensitive to and heal your gut by reducing inflammation.

2. Adrenal and Thyroid Balance: Have your adrenal function and thyroid levels tested and corrected.

3. Bio-Identical Hormones: Get your hormones tested withsalivary testing and balanced using Bio-identical hormones.

4. Unwind: Manage your stress. Consider yoga andmeditation.

5. Look your Best with Noninvasive Treatments: Pursue thelatest, safest treatments to help you put your best self forward. Don’t change your look, simply enhance it.

6. Out with the Toxins / In with the Nutrients: Considerclean, organic eating. Drink 8 to 10 glasses of water per day. Test your nutritional deficiencies with SpectraCell Micronutrient testing.

7. Understand your Body, Mind and Spirit: Balance your lifeand spend time in silence reflecting on your passion and pursuit of true happiness.

8. Sleep and Exercise: 7-8 hours of sleep per night iscrucial. Exercise at least 4 to 5 times per week to be at peak performance.

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I t sure is nice to see gasoline on its way to $2 per gal-lon. The collapse in oil prices has been amazingly swift, but you shouldn’t have been surprised. In 2012, we pub-

lished our four themes for the next decade, and the number one theme was to invest in commodity users, not producers. It’s fair to say few paid any attention, because the oil shale boom was underway. Millionaires were being made every day, and the Eagle Ford Shale, south of San Antonio, was the newest gold rush. Oil prices hit $110 a barrel, and gasoline approached $4 a gallon.

The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) brought the party to an end last Thanksgiving, with oil prices down almost $50 a barrel from its peak. Now, gaso-line is selling as cheaply as $1.99 a gallon in some parts of the country.

This is bound to have an effect on Texas and our area. We believe we will see budget cuts and layoffs and a slowdown in housing, which we’ll discuss in the next issue. Texas is still greatly dependent upon energy prices.

So what do you do? The themes remain strongly in force. We think we should invest in commodity users, invest in growth such as healthcare and technology and invest in the rebirth of American industrial companies. About 15 percent of America prospers when oil goes up. As oil goes down, it’s the other 85 percent’s turn.

Visit with us today to learn how we can help streamline your investment portfolio to try to make the most of the other 85 percent’s turn. Call us at 713-853-0879 or visit us anytime online at www.HardeeInvestmentGroup.com.

The views presented herein are solely those of H.H. “Will” Hardee, and do not nec-essarily represent the views of RBC Wealth Management. Current status of issues dis-cussed in this letter is subject to change based upon market conditions and industry fundamentals. Clients should work with their Financial Advisor to develop invest-ment strategies tailored to their own financial circumstances. Past performance is no guarantee of future results. The name Hardee Investment Group refers to a group of Financial Advisor working in the Houston, Texas office of RBC Wealth Management. The Hardee Investment Group is not a separate legal or corporate entity. All services offered and all memberships referenced in the presentation refer to the services offered or registrations held through RBC Wealth Management. RBC Wealth Management, a division of RBC Capital Markets LLC, Member NYSE/FINRA/SIPC.

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Now expert breast radiologists from MD Anderson Cancer Center are interpreting mammograms and performing diagnostic procedures at five Memorial Hermann breast imaging

locations. The same breast centers you count on for a great experience, leading-edge 3-D imaging technology and advanced diagnostic tools are now staffed by MD Anderson doctors.

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Anderson’s search for answers brought her to Houston Methodist Sug-ar Land Hospital’s Headache Center, where a specialized team of neurolo-gists works to help patients manage their conditions and return to normal living. Today, Anderson is on a custom-ized treatment plan that is minimizing her headaches and allowing her to enjoy life again. “It’s working,” she said. “I’m excited about the progress I’ve made.”

The Headache Center at Houston Methodist Sugar Land Hospital helps patients suffering from headaches of any kind including cluster headaches, migraines and tension headaches. With personalized, hands-on care, the cen-ter’s experts can help anyone who expe-riences recurring headache pain.

“An individualized approach to head-ache care is a necessity because there is no blanket approach that works for

L auren Anderson has struggled with migraine headaches for most of her life. When her head-aches struck, as they did again and again, she

often missed out on the every-day joys of being a mom, like spending time with her daughter reading or work-ing on a coloring book together.

“I was at the point where I was getting migraines every single day,” Anderson said. “They take up so much of your life – you have no idea. I decided it was time to see a specialist.”

By M.G. Angulo

Houston Methodist Sugar Land Hospital’sHeadache Center:

Larry Tran, M.D.; Irfan Lalani, M.D.; Eddie L. Patton Jr., M.D.; Amitabh Shukla, M.D.; Carisa Liew, M.D. and M. Faisal Khan, M.D., D, ABSM.

Ending the Pain and HelpingPatients Enjoy Life Again


Lauren and Peyton Anderson. Photography by Nesossi Studios.

everyone,” said Maureen Lall, NP, the center’s neuroscience coordinator. “Every individual is different, and every patient requires a customized treatment plan that is tailored to his or her unique needs.”

Migraines typically cause a throbbing pain on one side of the head. They can last for hours and are usually accompa-nied by extreme sensitivity to light and sound, along with nausea and/or vomiting. The discomfort is often so intense that the only relief is a dark and quiet place to rest and ride out the pain. But while patients are suffering, life around them keeps on going on – and they miss out.

BringingSolace to Suffering

Specialists with the Headache Center begin by discus-sing patients’ medical history as well as the possible factors triggering headaches. “Our first goal is to really listen to our patients and understand how headaches are impacting their lives,” said Dr. Eddie Patton Jr. “The more we know, the bet-ter we can address the problem and find solutions.”

That means identifying all of the factors that may be con-tributing to headaches, such as diet, stress levels, family his-tory and the patient’s work and home environment. A full physical exam follows.

Building communication and trust is the key to unlocking answers for each patient. “From the moment I arrived to my appointment, the staff made me feel like family,” said Ander-son. “Immediately, my doctor, Dr. Jeffrey Jackson, made me

“I have over 22 years of experience pro-viding compassionate and comprehensive care, as well as specialized, evidence based treatment for adult neurological conditions and diseases. I treat all my patients with

excellence, care, compassion, respect and integrity.”

- Amitabh Shukla, M.D.

“My mission is to provide personalized and compassionate neurological care utilizing the latest advances in medicine. I believe in respecting and honoring the individual while working as a team to achieve health and well-being.”

- Carisa Liew, M.D.

“My mission is to provide quality and com-passionate neurological care to my patients. I strive to establish trust and good commu-nication with patients and their families re-garding care and treatment. I am commit-

ted to ensuring that I keep my patients at the forefront of advances in neurological treatments and technology.”

- Eddie L. Patton Jr., M.D.

feel like I could tell him anything. He was open and honest, and he explained everything in terms I could understand – what I call ‘real people talk’ – not with heavy medical jargon. It was a nice experience. Dr. Jackson has since retired from clinical practice, but I look forward to working with Dr. Eddie Patton, Jr. to continue my treatment plan.”

Anderson also likes the ability to quickly and easily make an appointment to see a specialist. When she first came across Houston Methodist Sugar Land Hospital’s Headache Center online, she sent an email requesting more informa-tion. The following day, she received a call from the center, and two days later, she was in the doctor’s office. “The turn-around time to schedule an appointment happened in less than 48 hours, and the staff is very professional and compas-sionate,” Anderson said.

According to Lall, Anderson’s situation is not unique. All patients receive expedited access to the center’s world-class team of headache specialists, usually within five or fewer days. Additionally, there is no so-called “headache require-ment” to call – no need to keep track of how many headaches you have a week or their intensity. The rule is simple, Lall said. “If headaches are bothering you, you should be seen by a specialist. If you are concerned, we are here to help.”

Treated by the Best

The Headache Center at Houston Methodist Sugar Land Hospital is staffed by six physicians, all of whom are board certified by the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology. They specialize in identifying the causes of headaches and developing treatment plans that work.

“The doctors at the Headache Center truly care about get-ting you out of your pain,” said Anderson, “but they also care about why you’re in the situation you’re in. They want to help you return to a normal lifestyle.”

Eddie L. Patton Jr., M.D.conferring with Lauren Anderson.Photography by Nesossi Studios.


H eadaches can come and go with no warning and no clear cause. Other times, they can be a

symptom of another disease or condition. Knowing the symptoms of different types of headaches can help you get the appropriate treatment.

- Irfan Lalani, M.D.

“My mission is the service of my patients through the complexity that is the field of neurology while delivering quality care in a patient oriented environment. I strive to achieve open communication with my pa-

tients in an effort to work as a team to develop treatment plans, all the while

keeping them updated on the latest advances in treatment and care.”

- Larry Tran, M.D.

“My goal is to provide superior care to my patients. I am in a profession known for constantly advancing technology, and I’m always at the forefront of these advances. I provide each patient with a full understand-ing of treatment options, with the goal of

achieving the highest quality of life with the least amount of risk.”

- M. Faisal Khan, M.D., D, ABSM

With more than 22 years of experience providing compre-hensive and specialized care, Dr. Amitabh Shukla said he treats all of his patients with “excellence, care, compassion, respect and integrity.” It’s a sentiment that runs throughout the Headache Center’s team.

“My goal is to provide superior care to my patients,” said Dr. Irfan Lalani. “I work with my patients to evaluate and formulate comprehensive diagnostic and treatment plans. My goal is to improve the quality of life for my patients."

The treatment options at the Headache Center include life-style and dietary counseling; stress and medication manage-ment; infusion therapy and Botox treatments, which are used for chronic migraines.

“The Headache Center is just part of the comprehensive neuroscience services that Houston Methodist Sugar Land Hospital brings to Fort Bend and surrounding areas,” said Dr. Rajesh Bindal, a neurosurgeon who serves as the hospital’s neuroscience medical director. “Our community benefits from having this type of expert care close to home along with other neuroscience services such as stroke, spine, epilepsy, memory disorders, movement disorders, etc.”

To schedule an appointment with the specialists at Houston Methodist Sugar Land Hospital’s Headache Center, call 281-276-8999 or email [email protected].

The Varietiesof Headaches

Tension HeadacheYour headache might be due to tension if the pain is dull and

achy. Tension headaches are also usually accompanied by a sore neck and can often be treated with over-the-counter pain medi-cations.

MigraineA migraine is characterized by throbbing, severe pain that

lasts from four to 72 hours. The pain can also be accompanied by nausea, vomiting and sensitivity to light and sound. If you feel the symptoms of a migraine coming on, rest in a quiet, dark room. A hot or cold compress on the forehead can help, as can trying to sleep. If home remedies don’t work, talk to your physi-cian about other non-drug therapies or prescription medications.

Chronic HeadacheIf you experience headaches more than 14 days in a month,

you might have chronic headaches. They can feel moderate to severe, and they may be a sign of an underlying condition.

Rebound HeadacheSometimes, the solution to a headache can make them

worse. If you take pain medication for headaches often, and the headache returns, you might be experiencing a rebound head-ache. The only way to stop the cycle of rebound headaches is to discontinue the use of that particular medication.

Cluster HeadacheA cluster headache is a rare condition that affects fewer than

one percent of adults. It is characterized by a sharp, severe pain that is often only on one side of the head. It is very painful, but lasts a short time — about 45 to 90 minutes.

If you suffer from frequent headaches, contact:Houston Methodist Sugar Land Hospital’s Headache Center

16655 Southwest Freeway, Sugar Land, Texas 77479281.276.8999

[email protected]

“I have an in-depth understanding of the structure and function of the nervous sys-tem. I work with my patients to evaluate and formulate comprehensive diagnostic and

treatment plans. My goal is to improve the quality of life for my patients.”



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Meet Vance Vaughan

By Joan Frances

Fort Bend Independent School District (FBISD) is home to 11 high schools that offer the

highest caliber of learning for students. Ridge Point High School in FBISD val-ues “uncompromising integrity and relentless work ethic focused on excel-lence.” The school engages students in academics, the arts and sports with the high expectation that anything can be achieved with hard work and diligence. One Ridge Point High School senior who is an accomplished leader, scholar and humanitarian is Vance Vaughan.

Vance is a respected leader. For the past three years, he has been the stu-dent body president, representing the school by keeping the line of communi-cation open between his peers and ad-ministration. This year, he is president of the Texas Association of Student Councils, the largest 501(c)(3) non-prof-it organization in the state of Texas. This past June, Vance was the featured speaker before 4,000 secondary princi-pals at the annual Texas Association of Secondary School Principals confer-ence. His speech focused on educating principals on ways in which student council can help implement projects that benefit the school and community.

As a sophomore, Vance testified as a proponent of House Bill 5 in front of the Texas House Public Educa-tion Committee. The major aspects of the bill concentrated on reducing the number of end of course exams from

HOT SHOTHigh School

15 to five and focused on community and student engagement. His speech, fea-tured in Academy Award winning direc-tor Vanessa Roth’s The Texas Promise, made an impact, and the bill was passed.

Vance is also the founder of Ridge Point High School’s World Affairs Forum. “The purpose of this forum is to provide a school outlet in which students can be-come more knowledgeable about global issues and begin to formulate their own opinions based on the facts,” said Vance.

Vance’s class schedule includes all Advanced Placement (AP) classes, and he ranks number five and in the top one percent of his senior class. He was given the AP Scholar with Distinction award last August and the Academic Excellence award for the past three years. Vance’s favorite subject is one he took as a junior, AP Human Geography. “It encompasses the study of the development of cultures and politics. Exploring the nature and impact of cultural, social, economic and political processes from all areas of the globe was engaging and exciting to study.”

Vance’s favorite teacher is Rusty Hill, his ninth grade English teacher and stu-dent council sponsor. Hill taught Vance the skills to be a good leader, including confidence, determination and credibil-ity. “I strive to live each day by saying

‘Carpe diem,’ meaning seize the day, and not just today or the next day but every day. Never miss an opportu-nity, and you will go far,” said Vance.

Vance has an impressive list of ac-tivities he has been involved in during his high school career. He is a member of Pete Olson’s Congressional Youth Advisory Council, the Mayor’s Youth Commission, the Freshman Mentor-ship program, National Honor Society, the Spanish and French National Hon-or Societies, the Red Cross Club, Inter-national Culture Club as a sophomore, yearbook as a freshman and soccer and cross country his freshman and sopho-more years. Vance is the founder of Super Kids-Special Needs, as well as a volunteer at Fort Bend Human Needs Ministry, Galveston Beach Cleanup, Houston Food Bank and is the chief or-ganizer for the high school blood drive.

“I strive to live each day by saying ‘Carpe diem,’ meaning seize the day, and not just today or the next day but every day. Never miss an opportunity, and you will go far.” – Vance Vaughan

Vance aspires to major in Inter-national Politics. He has received an acceptance letter from Georgetown School of Foreign Service in Washing-ton D.C. With such an impressive resu-mé, Vance is destined for prominence. Congratulations, and good luck as you continue to accomplish your goals.

Vance


SMILEDOCS

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Meet the Finest in Fort Bend

Royal Dental

Samuel E. Cress, DDS Lake Pointe Dental and Specialty

Shehnaz Shirazi, DDS

Larry Caldwell, DDS


R oyal Dental is a state-of-the-art office that combines the art and science of dentistry to improve the lives of pa-tients. Formally Anderson Dental Group, The Royal Dental

team makes every effort to ensure that each visit is as comfortable and stress free as possible.

Royal Dental’s approach to dentistry is to find out what is most important to the patient in terms of dental health. Then, they pro-vide care centered on those needs and desires that are important to the patient. Using the latest in advanced dental technology, Royal Dental’s treatment rooms are equipped with state-of-the-art digital imaging equipment, which is a safer and more efficient way of taking x-rays, reducing the amount of radiation significantly. Royal Dental is also one of the few dental practices to incorporate the use of award-winning 3-D Cone Beam Dental Imaging (iCAT) in their office. All of this technology is used to create dazzling smiles that will last a lifetime.

Royal Dental offers friendly, experienced professionals provid-ing dental care for families. From a child’s first dental visit to great grandma’s dentures, Royal Dental values every patient and un-derstands their time is valuable. The office is open from 8 am to 7 pm to meet the needs of patients. In addition to offering General and Restorative Dentistry, Royal Dental has a team of dental spe-cialists on staff who have extended education and training in the fields of Periodontics, Orthodontics and Oral Maxillofacial Surgery.

The staff at Royal Dental: Christina Faust, Michael Morresey, Dr. Sheryl Stewart, Maree Bigby, Dr. James Strickland, Case Stephens, Krystal Giles, Shumaila Altaf, Kristina Esquivel, Aura Rodriguez, Antonia Flores, Mary Amey, Shamicka Donahue, Sheniz Datoo and Shkira Siddiqui.

Royal Dental is usually able to care for families’ dental needs with-out the cumbersome need to refer them to another dental office, which means no more driving from office to office, no extra pa-perwork to fill out and no time wasted searching for an in-network dental specialist who accepts the patient’s dental insurance. Royal Dental takes all of that hassle away!

Royal Dental understands that a smile is as important to pa-tients as it is to them. In an effort to help patients reach their dental needs both physically and financially, Royal Dental will assist in designing a comfortable financial solution to meet the patient’s personal situation. They accept most dental insurance plans, in-cluding PPOs, DMO/DHMOs and Medicaid plans for children and adults. Royal Dental will file the claims on the patient’s behalf. This takes the burden and stress off of the patient. To help patients pay for dental needs, Royal Dental offers easy payment plans for pa-tients to achieve the smile of their dreams and get the dental care they need and deserve without putting severe burden on finances.

Visit Royal Dental’s newest office in Sugar Land on 226 Flour Daniel Drive, or visit one of their eight family-friendly offices in the Houston area. Call 713-330-7700 to schedule an appointment to-day. Follow Royal Dental on Facebook and Twitter for informative dental information and a monthly newsletter. Get royal treatment at Royal Dental!

226 Fluor Daniel Drive, Sugar Land, TX 77479281-242-2040

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ROYAL DENTAL

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W hat is the difference in dentistry? Ask Dr. Samuel Cress, and his answer is simple: “Technology, education, ex-perience and exemplary patient care.”

For nearly twenty years, Samuel E. Cress, D.D.S., Director of The Center for Craniofacial & Dental Sleep Medicine, has been a visionary in the field of Craniofacial Pain and Dental Sleep Medi-cine treating not only his patients for their general and cosmetic dental needs but utilizing the state-of-the-art DNA (Daytime Nigh-time Appliance) technology to treat the symptoms associated with Sleep Apnea.

“Certain disorders, including Sleep Apnea, Sleep Bruxism, TMD and chronic pain have a direct bearing on the practice of dentistry,” explained Dr. Cress. “Therefore, gaining a working un-derstanding of Craniofacial Pain and Dental Sleep Medicine great-ly enhances what dentists can offer their patients who need help in these areas.”

The new DNA appliance technology has made a difference in over 350 of his patient’s lives providing relief from Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA). Now, Dr. Cress is utilizing the latest technol-ogy in porcelain restorations to help make his patient’s smiles even more beautiful and long-lasting: Elite Porcelain Restorations®.

“Elite Porcelain Restorations create much more than just a beautiful smile. They are the highest expression of today’s dental technology in strength and vitality. The Elite Smile enhances an individual’s own beauty and quality of life,” said Dr. Cress.

Crafted by Arrowhead Dental Labs, the makers of the suc-cessful DNA appliance, each smile is meticulously crafted by Ar-

Samuel E. Cress, DDS

rowhead technicians to meet the specific aesthetic and functional needs of the patient. “As a result of this custom process, Elite Porcelain Restorations have enabled me to achieve remarkable outcomes that were not possible using other dental porcelain res-torations.”

Because of this customization, Elite Smiles are as unique and distinctive as the individual for which they are made. “I only pre-scribe Elite Porcelain Restorations using e.max® material,” said Dr. Cress. “Elite conveys warm, naturally magnificent smiles that enhance a person’s youthful appearance and improves overall health.”

And, Dr. Cress speaks from personal, as well as profession-al, experience. A firm believer in “practice what you preach,” Dr. Cress has had his own smile transformed with Elite Porcelain Res-torations. “The promise of the Elite Smile experience is simple: you will receive the confident, youthful, natural-looking smile you’ve always wanted.”

In addition to his practice specializing in Dental Sleep Medicine, TMD, Full Mouth Rehabilitation and Cosmetic Dentistry, Dr. Cress is a clinical instructor in the prestigious Dr. Dick Barnes Group, where he teachers other dentists the benefits and application of DNA Therapy and mentors in the area of full mouth rehabilitation. He is also a featured speaker at industry conferences and educa-tional seminars in the field of Dental Sleep Medicine.

Take Dr. Cress’ advice: “Transform your smile today to Elite, and experience the difference. I did.”

4545 Sweetwater Blvd., Sugar Land, TX 77479281-565-4100

www.cfsdm.com

PROFILES

THE CENTER FOR CRANIOFACIAL & DENTAL SLEEP MEDICINE

SMILE DOCS


PROFILES SMILE DOCS

L ake Pointe Dental and Specialty is a high-tech, spa-like specialty dental practice that caters to the treatment of Orthodontics, Oral Maxillofacial Surgery, Periodon-

tics and the treatment for TMJ and sleep apnea. Lake Pointe Dental and Specialty ac-cepts most dental insurance plans, as well as some medical plans, leaving the head-ache and stress of filing claims to them.

Lake Pointe Dental and Specialty’s orthodontist can straighten misaligned teeth us-ing traditional treatment methods or offer trendier options using clear liners to straight-en teeth. Both options achieve the desired effect, but one uses no metal, which is a preferred aesthetic option. Patients can discuss these options with the orthodontist and choose which one is best for them.

Lake Pointe Dental and Specialty is a leader in tooth replacement. By using dental implants, Lake Pointe Dental and Specialty’s oral surgeon and periodontist can replace one or more missing teeth. Some replacements can be done as same-day proce-dures, and the results can be life changing. Patients walk away no longer needing to wear uncomfortable dentures or partials. In addition, Lake Pointe Dental and Specialty treats TMJ symptoms and sleep apnea, two conditions that can worsen over time if not treated.

For more information about Lake Pointe Dental and Specialty and the services they offer, visit their website or call to schedule a complimentary evaluation today.

Tiffany Grant, Saphia Sheikh, Mini Huynh and Sandra Jones.

Lake PointeDental and Specialty

1437 Highway 6 South, Ste. 200Sugar Land, TX 77478

281-242-4433www.lakepointedentalusa.com

Lake Pointe Dental and Specialty

D r. Shehnaz Shirazi is happy to announce the opening of her practice, located at 4502 Riverstone Boulevard. She has practiced dentistry for 23 years and earned

her dental degree from NYU College of Dentistry in 1992. Dr. Shirazi has practiced in three states: New York, New Hampshire and Texas. She had a private practice in New Hampshire and then relocated to Texas. She is the current owner of a Cosmetic and Implant Dental office in Northwest Houston and has been there for over 15 years.

Dr. Shirazi is very gentle, patient, and most importantly, committed to providing her patients with the best treatment. A firm believer in staying up-to-date with the latest technology and techniques, Dr. Shirazi ensures that the most effective treatment is provided for her patients. She is certified in placing dental implants surgically, thus be-ing able to provide her patients with implants and crowns in the same location. She is also certified in Cad Cam 3-D technology used for fabricating crowns.

Dr. Shirazi is a member of the Texas Dental Association, the Ford Bend Chamber of Commerce and Better Business Bureau. Treating patients of all ages, she is very com-mitted to providing cosmetic dentistry and has successfully changed many smiles. Dr. Shirazi lives in Houston with her husband and two daughters. While her hobbies are reading and traveling, her passion is donating her dental skills to the less fortunate, and she travels worldwide on mission trips. She is also a co-founder of a local charity that helps the destitute.

Shehnaz Shirazi, DDSShehnaz M. Shirazi, DDS, PC

4502 Riverstone Blvd., Ste. 501Missouri City, TX 77459

713-480-5048www.shirazi-dds.com

Shehnaz M. Shirazi, DDS, PC


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Get Ready for Spaghetti

Save the date for The Exchange Club of Sugar Land’s 28th Annual Spaghetti Dinner on Friday, February 20th from 5 to 8 pm at the Fluor Corporation Caf-eteria, located at 1 Fluor Daniel Drive in Sugar Land. This fundraiser supports Exchange community service projects and provides over $100,000 annually to local non-profits, including Child Advo-cates of Fort Bend, Fort Bend County Women’s Center, Texana Center for Au-tistic Children, Fort Bend Seniors Meals on Wheels, Fort Bend Council on Sub-stance Abuse, Crime Stoppers, YMCA, DePelchin Children’s Center, ESCAPE Family Resource Center, Literacy Coun-cil of Fort Bend and many others.

Local law enforcement agencies and firefighters compete in a Spaghetti Sauce Cook-off. Their eccentric cos-tumes are always a hit. A children’s area with a cake walk, face painting, games and prizes is just part of the fun-filled event. A live and silent auction, raffle and live entertainment complete this enjoy-able evening.

Dinner tickets are $10 in advance or $15 at the door, and children 12 and un-der eat free! Raffle tickets for a chance to win a $5,000 gift certificate from Gal-lery Furniture or a seven-day stay at an RCI Resort including airfare can be pur-chased for $100 and include two spa-ghetti dinners. Raffle and dinner tickets may be purchased at www.ecsl.org/spaghetti-dinner.php.

xxKevin Barker, Jan Poscovsky and Rod White are busy planning for over 2,000 guests at the 28th Annual Spaghetti Dinner.Photo by Amy Mitchell.

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of Mixed Cultures

By Zeenat Kassam Mitha

Monica Garcia and Jay Clancy met in January of 1995. Garcia was born

LinLin Hsiung and Gary Yan

Hsiaolin Hsiung and Irfan Motiwala

Four of the six partners of Aling’s Restaurant in Sugar Land, Gary Yan, LinLin Hsiung, Irfan Motiwala and Hsiaolin Hsiung, are family members through marriage. Hsiung worked at a pharmacy in Toronto, Canada, where Yan went every day to buy something to get a glance at Hsiung. Yan finally found the courage to ask her out, and they fell in love and married in 1992 in Toronto. Yan and Hsiung are Chinese, but culturally they are Indian. Yan is from Poona, India, and Hsiung is from Bombay, India (currently called Mum-bai). Yan’s family owned a prestigious restaurant, Kamling’s, in Poona that served Chinese food made with Indian

Love and Marriage

L ove stories are some of the best stories to hear about be-cause they involve the heart. Emotions are at an all-time high when they involve falling in love. It is common for

either party to feel like they have butterflies in their stomach. They are tongue-tied, their knees shake or their hands sweat, all simply because their beloved is near.

Love often leads to marriage, and when people of different cultures marry, the stories involve a passion that only the heart understands. In Fort Bend, we have several such stories. Here are a few of these during this auspicious month when love is celebrated in such grandeur. Happy Valentine’s Day!

Monica Garciaand Jay Clancy

in Guadalajara, Mexico. She moved to Houston and was working as a social worker with her mother and Clancy’s mother, who introduced the two. Clan-cy was born in Jacksonville, Florida, but he had recently moved to Texas. He was finishing his master’s degree in corporate training and develop-ment.

When Garcia and Clancy first met, they felt an instant connection. They couldn’t keep their eyes off of each oth-er. After their very first lunch date at the Cadillac Bar, they knew their re-lationship was special. They were en-gaged after six months on Christmas Eve 1996, and they were married on November 29, 1997. The Clancy’s now live in Sugar Land with their three boys and are working together to build Clancy Learning LLC, a corporate training consulting company.

Gary and LinLin Yan.

Monica and Jay Clancy.



TO SHARE YOUR IDEASfor upcoming cultural stories and events, contact Cultural Correspondent Zeenat Kassam Mitha at [email protected]

Ike and Zeenat Mitha with Stella and Hassan Mohammedin.

spices. Yan worked in the restaurant industry before becoming an owner and the head chef at Aling’s.

Linlin Hsiung’s sister, Hsiaolin Hsi-ung, met Irfan Motiwala in college in Bombay. She was 16 years of age, and he was 18. Motiwala said it was love at first sight for him when he met Hsi-ung, but it took a motorcycle accident that left him hospitalized when Hsi-ung knew she was in love with him. The Hsiung family also owned and operated two of Bombay’s prominent restaurants, Bombay Gym and Regal Restaurant. The food was Chinese but made with Indian spices to please the Indian palate. Hsiung worked in her parents’ restaurants since the age of 12 and loved creating new recipes, which she now does at Aling’s.

Motiwala moved to the United States in 1992. Hsiaolin Hsiung fol-lowed in July 1992, and they married that same month in Austin, Texas. Motiwala explained, “I love the USA

because differences in race and reli-gions are much more accepted here.” Together, the two have made Aling’s a successful Chinese-Indian restaurant.

Stella Guzman was born in the out-skirts of Cali, Colombia. Hassan Mo-hammedin was born in a town called Barzok in Iran. Through much hard work, Mohammedin and his nephew began their own retail chain of busi-nesses that sold pagers, keys, passport photos and various accessories. From there, it grew primarily into a cell phone retail business, and at one point, Mohammedin and his nephew owned 24 stores. A few years ago, they decid-

ed to sell the majority of the stores and now own two stores.

Guzman and Mohammedin came to the United States within 10 days of each other in December 1985. They met riding the bus to the University of Houston. Mohammedin mustered up the courage to ask Guzman out on a date. After that first dinner, they dated six more years before getting married in February 21, 1992.

Over the years, the couple has en-joyed traveling and exposing their three kids to the cultures that they grew up in, as well as visiting tourist destinations. The Mohammedin’s say they are grateful for everything and consider themselves lucky to be living the American dream.

Stella Guzmanand Hassan

MohammedinHsiaolin and Irfan Motiwala.

NE

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The Colony Meadows Elementary (CME) math team participated in the MathLeague.org math contest in Sugar Land on December 6, 2014. Students in third through sixth grades were organized into four-person teams, and over 50 teams competed in the contest. The CME team won the overall sweepstakes, beating the runner-up by over 50 points.

In addition, CME students Andrew Cai, Jarvis Xie and Sreeja Thipireddy received top 10 individual awards. The following stu-dents also qualified for the state championship contest: Sriram Padmanabhan, Ashmit Bhatnagar, Andrew Cai, Pratyushram Jayaramakrishna, Poorva Phatak, Vikram Prabhu, Kishlaya Rastogi, Sreeja Thipireddy, Mark Wang, Jarvis Xie and Wesley Yuen. The state championship contest will take place in Austin in May 2015. Congratulations to these students on a job well done!

Math team members Kishlaya Rastogi, Mark Wang, Pratyushram Jayaramakrishnan, Ashmit Bhatnagar, Jarvis Xie, Vikram Prabhu, Sriram Padmanabhan Iyer, Wesley Yuen, Sreeja Thipireddy and Poorva Phatak.

Colony Meadows Elementary Wins Overall Sweepstakes in Math Contest


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Athlete Signing Day: TIRR HotwheelsAthlete to Play at Collegiate Level

Signing day for college athletes usu-ally revolves around blue-chip recruits, and January 8th at Elkins High School was no different. Senior Fabian Romo signed to play with The University of Texas Arlington’s Movin’ Mavs wheel-chair basketball team.

Romo was just four-years-old when his life changed dramatically. As a result of a congenital defect called proximal focal femoral deficiency (PFFD), Romo had a left leg above the knee amputa-tion. When he found wheelchair basket-ball three years ago, he found a way to pursue his dreams, allowing him to never consider himself disabled.

As a member of the TIRR (The Insti-tute for Rehabilitation and Research) Me-morial Hermann Junior Hotwheels team, Romo helped the team win a National Championship his sophomore year and was chosen 1st Team All Tournament

Fabian Romo.


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Male. The Movin’ Mavs have a long history of consistently producing All-American athletes and winning National Championships – seven in all – while having an extraordinarily high graduation rate. Romo looks forward to playing in college and said the sky is the limit when it comes to competitive sports after col-lege.

Prior to his disorder, Romo was an ac-tive child who loved sports. After his in-jury, he found it difficult to keep up with other kids because of his prosthetic, but he didn’t let his disability stop him. Romo found ways to play the sports he loved from his wheelchair – never letting his disability become his excuse. His motto: “I just try and make the most of what I have.” Romo’s parents, Arturo and Silvia, are proud of their son. They hope that his success in wheelchair basketball will in-spire others to participate.

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By Jennifer Elliott

The Homework SabotageThis challenge seems to come in direct proportion to the

difficulty of the dinner being prepared. If I already have la-sagna in the oven and am simply tossing the salad, I might get a question like, “Is 23 a prime number?” So easy. “Yes!” However, if I am flying around the kitchen making a stir-fry, I’ll get a hard question like, “Can you describe the irony in Arthur Miller’s The Crucible? And of course, we can’t forget the homework sabotage that keeps on giving: “Mom, I need to make a 3-D model of an atom, and it’s due tomorrow.”

The Group Text Sabotage

Just as I am getting all of the pots boiling, my phone goes crazy. It’s not one simple text, it’s the dreaded group text. Messages fly in as I attempt to stir and respond. Usually, the group text must be attended to because it involves a crucial birthday party carpool or volleyball team sign up. I feel like Pavlov’s dog as I have been trained to respond immediately to that little ping sound. My hand moves to the phone before I even have time to think about what I’m doing. I have to really focus to make sure I don’t burn myself!

The reward for successful completion of the meal is not a bundle of cash like on the show, but it’s something even bet-ter. I get to sit down with my family, eat a warm meal and catch up on all of the events of the day. I’ll take that prize any day of the week!

A lton Brown doesn’t hang out in my kitchen tossing out cooking show sabotages as I attempt to make dinner, yet sometimes I feel like I am on the show and fending off a

variety of challenges on my quest to get food on the table.

Cutthroat Kitchen

Living in

The Missing Ingredient Sabotage

On step five of the eight-step recipe, I can’t find one of the ingredients. This sabotage actually takes several forms. If the missing ingredient is cheese, then most likely someone in my house ate it all. Alternatively, I may have thought I had plenty of an ingredient, such as chicken stock, when re-ally there is none in the pantry. What kind of person has no chicken stock? Finally, there is the ingredient that is past its expiration date. Eggs or milk one day out of date might be okay, but I can’t use anything growing mold. On rare occa-sions, I can find a substitute, but more often than not, this sabotage sends me racing to Randalls.

The Pet Sabotage

One of the most serious sabotages is the pet sabotage, specifically by my adorable dog Lucy. I can have three burn-

ers fired up and be feeling good about my progress when I hear, “Lucy is eating

something!” I must drop everything and investigate. In the past six months, sweet Lucy has ingested a whole bar of soap, shards of glass from a bottle of olive oil I dropped and nine pieces of Extra sugar

free gum mixed berry flavor. Those are extreme sabotages, whereas her

standard ones are items like socks or hair bands.



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Hope For ThreeGears up for Strike

Out Autism

It’s a home run as Hope For Three, presenting sponsor Rangeland Energy and the Sugar Land Skeeters partner for the third consecutive year in an effort to Strike Out Autism! The Family Fun Day event will take place at Constellation Field during Opening Weekend on Sun-day, April 26th as the Skeeters take on the Lancaster Barnstormers.

Several activities and celebrations are planned in honor of the many families in the community living with autism. “Strike Out Autism is Hope For Three’s largest ongoing autism awareness event,” said Katie Wiseman, Hope For Three’s execu-tive director. “Our goal is to educate and empower a captivated audience, as well as provide an opportunity for families living with autism to connect. We could not ask for better supporting partners on deck to serve up a family fun day for all concerned.”

The Family Fun Area/Picnic Pavilion will allow 100 families living with an au-tism spectrum disorder to be treated to an exciting day of exclusive events, in-cluding a meet and greet with Skeeters players, a parade, fun time on the field, food and entertainment. Because it is Skeeters opening weekend, Hope For Three families will be part of a sell-out crowd of 7,500 fans and supporters.

Founded in 2011, Hope For Three is a local non-profit dedicated to rais-ing awareness and providing financial support to families living with the chal-lenges of autism spectrum disorders. For more information, visit hopeforthree.org/strike-out-autism-2015/ or contact Christina Guerra at 1-800-317-0787.

Submit newsworthy [email protected]


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The Fort Bend County Museum Presents

Docent Enrichment Lecture Series

As part of the Fort Bend County Mu-seum’s docent enrichment program, the Museum will host a three-part lecture series focusing on its rich collection of artifacts and personal history. On Friday, February 6th, the Fort Bend County Mu-seum’s Jessica Avery will present Life in the Cottage: The Smith/Bassett Family History, as it relates to the Long Smith Cottage. Shereen Sampson of the Fort Bend County Museum will then pres-ent The Artifacts and Architecture of the Long Smith Cottage, giving the au-dience a broader understanding of the architectural history of the house and its contents.

On Friday, March 6th, a lecture on Life on the Home Front in Fort Bend County will enhance the audience’s knowledge of the role of women from the antebel-lum years to the beginning of World War II in Fort Bend County. Joyce Kennerly of the Fort Bend County Library will speak about life during the Civil War, and author and historian Theresa Jach will speak on home front life during World War II.

On Friday, April 3rd, Robert Frost will present a lecture about the early days of colonial Texas with Gone to Texas: Aus-tin’s Old 300. Wrapping up the series is Kaitlin Thompson, who will take guests on a journey back to 1830s Texas during a talk on the importance of living history interpretation.

Each presentation and luncheon will run from 10 am to 1 pm. The cost for each event is $5 for members and $10 for the general public. For more informa-tion and to make a reservation, call 281-342-6478.

The Long-Smith Cottage in Richmond.Photo courtesy of Djmaschek.


U.S. Chamber Awards the Fort Bend Chamberof Commerce with 5-Star Accreditation

The United States Chamber of Com-merce has awarded the Fort Bend Chamber of Commerce with 5-Star Accreditation for its sound policies, ef-fective organizational procedures and positive impact on the community. With 7,077 chambers in the United States, 207 of these are accredited with only 82 receiving a 5-Star designation. Accredi-tation terms are valid for five years.

By earning Accreditation from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, a chamber shows its dedication to: reviewing, im-proving, and promoting strong business practices; recognizing leadership and outstanding contributions to the com-munity; supporting the principles of free enterprise and promoting pro-growth policies at federal, state and local lev-els and establishing best practices and staying in-step with industry changes.

“Accreditation validates a chamber as having programs that benefit their lo-cal economy and for positively influenc-ing action in their community,” said Ray-mond P. Towle, IOM, CAE, U.S. Chamber Executive Director of Political Affairs and Federation Relations. “We applaud these organizations for advancing the principles of free enterprise.”

Accreditation is the only national program that recognizes chambers for their effective organizational procedures and community involvement. In order to receive accreditation, a chamber must meet minimum standards in their operations and programs, including ar-eas of governance, government affairs and technology. This extensive review and audit can take six to nine months to complete. Five-Star Accreditation is awarded to those chambers that have gone above and beyond the minimum standards.

“Being recognized as one of the top chambers in the nation is a significant

honor. We are extremely proud to be the only 5-Star chamber in the Greater Houston region. Meeting the highest standards in the industry shows that we have established the necessary pro-cesses and measures to bring value to our membership,” said Keri Schmidt, President and CEO of the Fort Bend Chamber of Commerce. “This achieve-ment would not be possible without the support of our members and the lead-ers in our community, as well as the fantastic culture and team we have es-tablished within the Chamber office. The 5-Star designation illuminates Fort Bend County as a place with a thriving econo-my and community, a place that the Fort Bend Chamber of Commerce is proud to represent and be a part of.”

Local chambers are rated Accred-ited, 3-Stars, 4-Stars, or 5-Stars. State chambers are recognized as either Ac-credited State Chamber or Accredited State Chamber with Distinction. The final determination is made by the Accredit-ing Board, a committee of U.S. Chamber board members.

“I have been a member of many good chambers through the years but never have I experienced the level of com-mitment evident within the Fort Bend Chamber,” said Glenn Smith, Chairman of the Fort Bend Chamber of Commerce, “Becoming a 5-Star Accredited Cham-ber says it all! It demonstrates the com-mitment of the board, the staff and the members themselves. I’m grateful to be one of the many Chamber members who make this an extraordinary organization, and I share this honor with them.”

The Fort Bend Chamber of Commerce is the largest single county chamber in the Houston region. More than 1,200 companies and organizations, small to large, know that “success is just around the bend” at the Fort Bend Chamber of Commerce. Membership provides mea-surable benefits, along with access and influence in a dynamic business climate. As the voice and advocate for business excellence, the Fort Bend Chamber of Commerce is a catalyst for economic prosperity, tourism and community in-volvement.

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Stewart Jacobson, Brian Machart, Keri Schmidt and Glenn Smith.


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Riverstone Maintains No. 4 RankAmong Nation’s Top Communities

Riverstone has again been ranked No. 4 on two lists of the nation’s top-selling master-planned communities. The lists, compiled by independent research firms John Burns Real Es-tate Consulting and Robert Charles Lesser & Co. (RCLCO), have the Fort Bend community as the highest-ranked Texas development, with 719 homes sold last year. Riverstone was ranked No. 6 when the lists were released at this time last year and then moved up to No. 4 mid-year in a report by RCLCO.

“Many new neighborhoods were opened last year, and buy-ers looking for the perfect location to call home with high-end amenities continued to choose Riverstone,” said Trey Reichert, vice president and general manager of Riverstone. “In addition, opening The Club at Riverstone last year was a draw for buy-ers.”

Eight Texas communities earned a place on the national lists of top 20 developments. Three of those eight are projects of The Johnson Development Corp., the developer of Riverstone. “2015 already is shaping up to be another successful year,” Reichert said. “Builders have already opened new model

homes, and new neighborhoods are selling quick.”Nineteen builders offer designs in Riverstone, with prices

from the $300,000s to the millions. For more information on the Fort Bend development, visit www.riverstone.com.

BUSINESSBRIEFS

An aerial view of Riverstone.

David Crowl, Director of Com-munications at the Fort Bend Chamber of Commerce, has re-cently been named Vice President. Crowl has over five years of expe-rience with the Fort Bend Cham-ber. “David has always served as a mentor to our new staff mem-bers and provides tremendous support to the entire team,” said Keri Schmidt, President and CEO. “Through David’s hard work, loy-alty and dedication, he has earned the title Vice President.”

Crowl is a graduate of the United States Chamber of Com-merce Institute of Organizational Management at Loyola Mary-mount University in Los Angeles, a premier four-year profes-sional development program. He is also a graduate of the Fort Bend Leadership Forum Class of 2011 and a 2010 graduate of the Leadership Excellence for Nonprofits. Prior to joining the Chamber, Crowl was a research analyst and office assistant in-tern for Austin Parks department. Crowl received a Bachelor

of Arts degree in Urban Studies from the University of Texas in 2007.

The Fort Bend Chamber serves its membership with the be-lief that a positive business climate is a key to the quality of life of the community and has diligently fulfilled its mission to serve as the advocate for business excellence in Fort Bend County by creating, enhancing and promoting the thriving economic envi-ronment in which residents work and live. Whether it’s through the Education Division, Infrastructure Planning, Government Relations, Community Resources, Business and Professional Development, Economic Development, Healthcare and Mem-ber Services, the Fort Bend Chamber of Commerce brings value to the business community.

David Crowl Named Vice President of the Fort Bend Chamber of Commerce

David Crowl




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Fort Bend Women’s Center Launches

Online Fashion Store

Fort Bend Women’s Center is offering an online store, Thrifting Fashionista, for dedicated thrift shoppers searching for in-dividual looks at www.thriftingfashionista.com. Thrifting Fashionista is a new initia-tive by PennyWise, the resale division of Fort Bend Women’s Center. In addition to offering some of PennyWise’s higher end merchandise to a wider audience, the ini-tiative also includes a Junior Fashionista volunteer program, in-store events and online advice on how to turn thrift store finds into fun, fashionable looks.

“We have seen a growth in online con-signment stores selling high quality, gen-tly used fashion and home ware, but not many non-profits have extended their re-sale program into e-commerce,” said Pen-nyWise Director Joy Dowell. “We believe that our Thrifting Fashionista initiative pro-vides consumers with a unique opportuni-ty to snap up stylish bargains and support our mission at the same time. Shopping with us has the added appeal of knowing that every dollar spent will help survivors of domestic abuse and sexual assault and their families.”

Thrifting Fashionista’s product range in-cludes women’s clothing and accessories, home décor and collectibles. The website even offers a dedicated Baby Fashioni-sta section. Prices vary depending on the original value of the item and its condition. For most items, mailing is free of charge within the continental United States.

PennyWise stores will also host on-going Thrifting Fashionista workshops, offering practical advice on making over furniture, home accessories and pulling together a stylish look from low cost pur-chases. Through the Junior Fashionista program, high school and college age vol-unteers are trained to offer in-store style advice and serve as ambassadors for Fort Bend Women’s Center in their schools and community.

To learn more about Thrifting Fashioni-sta, visit www.thriftingfashionista.com.


Thanks Customersfor 10 Great Years

Treasure Hunters Gallery, located in Historic Downtown Richmond, offers old-time charm with the latest assortment of gifts, clothes, shoes and jewelry. Our artisans collectively contribute to the variety of one-of-a-kind

products. For 10 years, we’ve provided customers the most unique shopping experience each and every time they walk in the store.

On Valentine’s Day, we want to say thanks to our current customers and welcome to new customers. On this day, we are

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Dr. Peter Osborne recently opened a brand new nutritional facility in the Sugar Land Physicians Center building of Telfair, located at 7616 Branford Place, Suite 110 in Sugar Land. Those who are tired of visit-ing the doctor, having a five minute or less conversation and walking out with a pre-scription for a drug that masks symptoms without actually solving the origin of the problem may want to visit Dr. Osborne at Origins Health Care.

Dr. Osborne’s new, state-of-the-art fa-cility opened in December 2014. The cen-ter offers functional nutritional medicine and specializes in food sensitivity testing, including gluten and dairy, as well as nu-tritional and genetic testing to customize nutritional wellness plans. Dr. Osborne is one of the world’s leading authorities on gluten-free living, the paleo diet, func-tional medicine and how nutrition can play a role in the body’s ability to heal. He has been a featured expert on Fox News, Re-uters, CBS, Celiac.com, Peoples Rx Ra-dio, KSEV AM 700 and many other news sources.

Origins Health Care Center also offers a monitored weight loss and fitness pro-gram using start-of-the-art, whole body vibration platforms and customized nu-tritional programs. Dr. Osborne has been practicing in Sugar Land since 2003, and the opening of his new facility brings an extremely valuable resource to Sugar Land and Fort Bend County residents. For more information, call 281-240-2229 or visit www.DrPeterOsborne.com.

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NEWSWORTHY

The Fort Bend Education Foundation Presents Its 22nd Annual Moonlight

Masquerade in Venice Gala

The Fort Bend Education Foundation’s Moonlight Masquer-ade in Venice, presented by Perdue Brandon Fielder Collins & Mott, LLP, will be a magical, mystical, moonlit ball that is sure to be the event of the season. This elegant and refined evening will occur on February 28th at the Sugar Land Marriott Hotel.

Dressed in regal jewel-tone attire that will reflect off the glis-tening Venetian waterways, guests will don their favorite bejew-eled masks for ultimate intrigue as they mix and mingle with Fort Bend’s finest in support of children’s education. The evening will feature fabulous fair and enchanting entertainment as guests cruise the waterways and glide, swish and sway to music from the band Password.

The silent auction and bid board area will include a myriad of must-have items. The highlight of the evening will be the un-matched bidding on the live auction items, where guests can place a bid or band together with friends as masked marauders for more buying power. The tantalizing auction items and pack-ages will be auctioned off by none other than James Patterson. Don’t mask bidding enthusiasm!

Venture into a whole new world at the Moonlight Masquerade in Venice. Experience all that the night has to offer while basking in the moonlight and dining, dancing and bidding the night away. For table sponsorships, individual tickets or auction donations, visit www.fortbendisd.com/foundation.

Ron Bailey, Lina Sabouni, Jonathan Pursch, Vijay Bhuchar, Marty Garza, Carol Voelkel, Mike Siwierka, Mary Ahner and Sonal Bhuchar. Photo courtesy of Mary Favre.

The Literacy Council of Fort Bend County is gearing up for their largest fundraiser, the third annual Reading Between the Wines, presented by Classic Chevrolet Sugar Land and Safari Texas Ranch on Friday, February 6th at 7 pm at Safari Texas Ranch in Richmond. Individual tickets are $100 and include live music, wine, small bites from local chefs and restaurants and the opportunity to meet featured authors and bid on live and Pulitzer Prize auctions. An exciting new feature to the event this year is a Kendra Scott Jewelry pop-up store from which a portion of the evening’s sales will be donated to the Literacy Council.

New York Times best-selling author Linda Castillo is the fea-tured author for 2015. Castillo’s works include The Dead Will Tell, Gone Missing and Sworn to Silence. Guest authors and their publications are Lynda Rutledge, Faith Bass Darling’s Last Garage Sale; Janice Scheve, Grandma Rocks!; Ben Lewis, So-cial Studies and Dr. Rebecca Deurlein, Teenagers 101.

Participating restaurants and chefs this year include An-tonia’s Italian Ristorante, Anna’s Gourmet Greek Catering, Churrasco’s, Italian Maid Café Events and Catering, M&M’s Southern Creole Kitchen and Catering, Raising Cane’s Chicken Fingers, S&S Steaks & Spirits, Saltgrass Steakhouse and So-to’s Kitchen.

Third AnnualReading Between the Wines


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Sponsorship opportunities are cur-rently available and range from $500 to $5,000. Sponsor benefits include admis-sion to a pre-event reception with the authors, an autographed book of choice, reserved premier seating, complimentary program advertisement and more. Spon-sors to date are Fort Bend Focus Maga-zine, Pamela Printing, Fred and Mabel Parks Foundation, Pamela M. Logsdon, CPA, Karen and Alan Harding, John-son Development, CHI St. Luke’s Sugar Land Hospital, Gena and Paul Horak & Terri and Steve Smith, Lucy Thompson, Arlene and Leonard Rolsen, Angela M. Pfeifer Ph.D., Mary and Carl Favre, Am-egy Bank, CHI St. Luke’s Sugar Land Hospital, Michael Schiff and Sharon Hymes, NALCO Champion, St. Michael’s Emergency Center and Mitchell & Duff, Bill and Michelle Hickl/BDO USA, The Gerke Law Firm, Texas State Technical College, Kelli and Steve Metzenthin, Dr. Subodh and Sonal Bhuchar, EOR Energy Services, Cartridge World Missouri City, Carpenter & Carpenter, P.C., Rosemary Jones, Sanderson Knox & Co. and Sch-ramme Construction.

For more information on sponsorship and tickets, contact Cari Middaugh at the Literacy Council at 281-240-8181 or [email protected] or visit www.ftbendliteracy.org.

Author Linda Castillo



ALLOW US TO SPOTLIGHT YOUTO YOUR COMMUNITY

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FITNESS MotivationT hey say February is the busiest time of the year for gyms, weight loss products

and trainers. Many people start off the new year with strong intensions of weight loss and fitness but blow their New Year’s fitness resolutions by the third week of January. Check out these cool gadgets and gear to keep you motivated through spring break!

techGLAMMany fitness gurus received a Fitbit for the

holidays, but some are reluctant to use it due to the limited looks of the rubber bands. The Etsy company techGLAM combines designer Joann Mantovani’s passions and being inspired by all of the colors, im-ages, people and places that surround her every day. The Bohemian style leather wrap bracelets are made of genuine leather cord, as well as stone, czech glass, semi-precious and Swarovski beads in a variety of colors.

Dress up your look with this beautiful piece instead of wearing the traditional rubber wrist band that seems to clash with dressy outfits. In addi-tion to this bracelet, Mantovani has also designed pendants and bracelets that store the Fitbit Flex, Fitbit One and Fitbit Zip devices, as well as beaded sliders for Up Band by Jaw-bone. Visit www.techGLAM.net to see the full collection.

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One of the best ways to stay healthy and flush toxins is to drink plenty of water throughout the day. Motivate yourself to consume more water

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HAPIfork

Eating too fast leads to poor digestion and poor weight control. The HAPIfork is an electronic fork that helps monitor and track your eating habits, as well as coach you into healthier eating habits. Pair the tool with your smart phone or tablet over Bluetooth to see your eating stats, such as how long it took to eat your meal, the amount of fork servings taken per minute and intervals between fork serv-ings. Then, upload your eating data for analysis and coaching on an online dashboard. For more infor-mation, visit www.hapi.com.

PortionMate is a set of six color-coded cylinders with volumes from largest diameter to smallest diameter: green is one cup, yel-low is 3/4 cup, orange is 1/2 cup, blue is 1/3 cup, red is three ounces and purple is one ounce. The pur-pose of these products is to help you lose weight and stay on track with portion control as you measure foods directly into your plate or bowl. Brilliant!

These measuring tools work with any diet plan. Each set includes a detailed 64 page Nutrition and Meal Planning Guide, which contains carbohydrate and calorie counts for over 500 whole foods. Visit www.portionmate.com for more information.

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NEWSWORTHY

Are you looking for something mean-ingful to do in the new year and inter-ested in making a difference in the lives of children? Beginning February 2nd, Child Advocates of Fort Bend is offer-ing a weeklong training class to train volunteers to advocate for abused and neglected children. This is one of two opportunities in 2015 to complete the volunteer training class in a single week.

Child Advocates of Fort Bend is a non-profit agency dedicated to providing a voice for abused and neglected children in Fort Bend County. With an army of vol-unteers, Child Advocates of Fort Bend currently serves more than 400 children each month through its Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) Program and Children’s Advocacy Center.

Child Advocates of Fort Bend Offers Weeklong Training Class

Fall training class graduates Lisa Tennison, Jeff Oliver, Sharon Kratz, Kristin Hesser, Emily Gresham, Dawn Anderson, Sandra Rios-Bond, Wyneatte Fox, Maria Barreiro and Malik Kutty with Judge Ronald Pope.

Volunteers must be over 21 years of age, complete an application and sub-mit to background screening. For more

information or an application, contact Volunteer Services at 281-344-5100 or [email protected].


IN THEHEART

O F T H E B E N D

OUT&ABOUT

Sponsors of the 23rd annual CASA Christmas Home Tour benefiting Child Advocates of Fort Bend were treated to a special Preview Party the weekend before the tour at the home of Misty and Jay Bennett.

Ruthanne Mefford and David Shaw.

Misty and Jay Bennett.

Naughty or nice? Santa was the judge at Johnson Development’s Annual Thank You Lunch and Party, featuring food, drinks, gifts and surprise guests!

Christen Johnson, Gay Thomas, Sherry Dansby and Susie Goff.

Mary Favre and Brenna Cosby. Tracy Golden and Nicole Gonser.

Fort Bend residents Arlene and Len Rolsen celebrated 30 years in Texas with a Christmas Open House. In the spirit of giving, guests donated gift cards, games and toys to Impact a Hero.

Joe and Tina Sifuentes, Arlene and Len Rolsen, Jim Hoelker, Steven May and Chelsea Eastin.


Many Fort Bend residents supported Pratham Houston at its Holiday Luncheon featuring Keynote Speaker Ingrid Vanderweldt and a fashion show by Chloe Dao. The organization supports education for girls.

Ratna Sinha, Marie Goradia and Latika Bhatija. Prina Shah, Farah Gandhi and Sejal Choksi.

Reji Joseph, Savita Rao, Sarah Abraham and Manisha Gandhi. Ike and Zeenat Mitha.

Leena Shah and Madhavi Ghatge Kavadi. Salima Merchant, Ira Nicky Singh, Asra Oberoi, Soha Haque and Anjali Khanna.


IN THEHEART

O F T H E B E N D

OUT&ABOUT

Dr. Shel Wellness & Medical Spa’s Annual Holiday Soirée featured a silent auction, light bites and drinks, door prizes, drawings and more. One hundred percent of the proceeds from the silent auction were donated to Dress for Success Houston.

Nikki Rosenberg, Shelena Lalji and Lindsey Norlander.

Ross Hyde and Pam Lorentz.Chanel and Alex Bermudez.

Shar-Day Campbell and Vickie Michaels.

Kim Padgett and Shelena Lalji.

Al Alamia, Tammy Cheatham and Ayeez Lalji.

Glenda Bible, Craig Tippit and Caitlyn Barton.


J Loggins Jewelers’ One of a Kind Pieces Lagos Trunk Show gave guests an opportunity to do some fabulous Christmas shopping.

Friends of Fort Bend Cares hosted a Cookie Exchange with champagne and dessert. Each member brought a favorite cookie in multiples of one dozen and took home an equal number of cookies to take home to their families.

Dee Sullenger and Jennifer Blancas.

Carlye Ferrill and Rose Harris. Nancy Wall, Jan Loggins, Sandra Livernois and Brit Cafferena.

Jeanne Lonati and Jill Curtis. Tracey Shaw and Dee Koch. Stephanie Silva, Debbie Gavre and Angie Wierzbicki.

Patty Ward and Dorothy Goforth.

Katie Fox and Kathy Hensler.Kim Icenhower, Mary Favre and Liz Furman.


IN THEHEART

O F T H E B E N D

OUT&ABOUT

Mustafa Tameez and former Mayor Bill White engaged in a brilliant conversation on White’s new book, America’s Fiscal Constitution, at Ismaili Jamatkhana and Center in Sugar Land.

Mustafa Tameez and Bill White. Saleena Jafry, Shahnaz Nathoo and Farah Lalani.

Arif Momin, Nizar Virani, Shiroz Virani and Zeenat Mitha. Farha Ahmed and Munira Panjwani.

Shape Up Fort Bend (SUFB) challenged Fort Bend County residents to collectively lose one million pounds this year during a wellness launch announced January 8th. The featured speaker was Fort Bend County Judge Bob Hebert, who presented a proclamation to the local non-profit organization. Photos by Elsa Maxey.

Curtiss Grant and Eugenia Blomstrom.

Sandy Olive was among the SUFB supporters.

Nicole Volek accepted a proclamation from Bob Hebert.


Fort Bend Children’s Center honored donors and friends at a holiday brunch at the home of Rachel Leaman. Santa Claus even made a special appearance!

Steve and Nancy Porter. Tracy Pipes, Santa and Diana Null. Charlene Pate and Lynn Halford.

Lucilla Henderson and Rachel Leaman.

May Tape and Monica Mondrik. Peggy Mays and Judy Ukle.

Congratulations to the Fort Bend Christian Academy Boy’s JVB Basketball team on winning the Fort Bend Christian Academy Freshman Classic 2014.

Coached by Steve Smith, team members included Jared McDonald, Anthony Aniekwe, Grant Olson, Aaron McDougal, Life Granville, Mannie Igbo, Kolton Kaminski, Davion Malone, Luke Richards and Sean O’Brian. Way to go Eagles!

MEDICALFOCUS

Think of the heart as the body’s deliv-ery system. It pumps out the good stuff – oxygenated and nutrient-rich blood – to every inch of the body via a network of arteries.

But, heart disease throws a wrench into things. “The most common form, coronary heart disease, is the number one cause of death for both men and women in most countries,” said Dr. Tous-saint Smith, board certified cardiologist with Methodist Sugar Land Cardiology Associates.

Coronary artery disease starts with artery damage caused by smoking, high blood pressure or a number of other fac-tors. The damage triggers the buildup of plaque, which narrows the arteries and limits blood flow to the heart. If the heart can’t get the oxygen and nutrients it needs, it struggles to function properly. Worse yet, plaque can break loose and form a clot, causing a heart attack when blood supply is cut off.

The best way to beat coronary artery disease? Never get it in the first place. You can do that by managing risk fac-tors: Reduce high blood pressure or cholesterol levels, quit smoking, lose weight if overweight or obese and lead an active lifestyle. “The combination of living healthier, knowing your blood pres-sure and cholesterol numbers and tak-

The Heart Truth: Free Heart Health Screeningsat Houston Methodist Sugar Land Hospital

ing medication if you need to is the formula for preven-tion,” Dr. Smith said.

The pulmonary artery carries blood out to the lungs, where it is oxygen-ated. The pulmo-nary veins transport

the oxygen-rich blood back to the heart. The aorta then distributes this oxygen-ated blood to the rest of the body. Once depleted of oxygen, blood returns to the heart and the process restarts.

Aortic stenosis – When it comes to the

arteries, the aorta is the main workhorse. This main artery is responsible for carry-ing most of the blood to the body. In a condition called aortic stenosis, calcium deposits can build up in the aortic valve, causing it to narrow and limit blood flow.

Atrial fibrillation – In people with atrial fibrillation, the heart’s upper chambers beat erratically, causing an irregular pulse. When left untreated, it can double the risk of a heart-related death and dra-matically increase the chance of having a stroke.

Heart failure – In some cases, the heart struggles to pump enough blood to the body. Heart failure is measured by ejection fraction (EF), the percentage of blood pushed out with each heartbeat. An EF under 40 may indicate heart fail-ure.

Cardiomyopathy is a disease that causes the heart muscle to become enlarged or stiff. Both blood flow and maintaining a regular heartbeat become tough tasks. The condition can be inher-ited, or it can surface because of another medical condition, such as high blood pressure.

To schedule an appointment with Dr. Smith or another cardiologist at Meth-odist Sugar Land Cardiology Associ-ates, visit houstonmethodist.org/online-scheduling or call 281-491-6808.

Houston Meth-odist Sugar Land Hospital is pleased to welcome Nicho-las Desai, D.P.M., M.B.A., as he joins Houston Methodist Podiatry Associates. Dr. Desai is an active member of the Sug-

ar Land community, the Houston Meth-odist Sugar Land Hospital medical staff, and he serves as the Chief Medical Infor-

Dr. Nicholas Desai Joins Houston Methodist Podiatry Associates

mation Officer for Houston Methodist. Dr. Desai completed his medical

school training at the New York College of Podiatric Medicine, followed by a surgical residency in foot and ankle surgery within the St. Barnabas and New York Presbyte-rian Hospital Network. “I’ve been a mem-ber of the Houston Methodist Sugar Land Hospital medical staff for many years, and joining Houston Methodist Podiatry Associates is a great next step, one that will benefit my patients,” said Dr. Desai. “I’m excited about joining Houston Meth-

odist and continuing to work with the outstanding staff at Houston Methodist Sugar Land.”

Dr. Desai is seeing patients at his office on the campus of Houston Methodist Sugar Land Hospital in Medical Office Building Three, Suite 350. To schedule an appointment, call 281-240-3338. To learn more about Houston Methodist Podiatry Associates, visit www.methodistsugarlanddocs.com or www.FB.com/methodistsugarland for the latest news, events and information.

Dr. Nicholas Desai

Dr. Toussaint Smith

Join Houston Methodist Sugar Land Hospital on Thursday, February 26th from 5:30 to 7:30 pm at Hous-ton Methodist Sugar Land Hospital’s Conference Center to learn your 10 year risk for heart disease and re-ceive cholesterol and blood pres-sure screenings. Screenings are by appointment only, followed by an opportunity to speak to specialists. Registration is required. Register on-line at houstonmethodist.org/events or call 281-274-7500.

Free HeartHealth Screenings


OakBend Medical Center Announces Physician of the Year

Dr. James R. McClamroch, cardiolo-gist, has been named OakBend Medical Center’s 2014 Physician of the Year. The presentation was made at the annual physician party at the home of Dr. Owen and Dr. Lorelei Capocyan.

The Physician of the Year award is an honor given annually to one outstand-ing physician who possesses significant practice experience, compassion, kind-ness and sincerity that translate not only to their patients, but to their nurses and other staff members that work closely with them. The hospital received several nominations for the award. Colleagues, nurses and patients praised Dr. McClam-roch for his dedication to his patients and the OakBend staff.

“Dr. McClamroch is soft spoken, pas-sionate about his work and caring of his patients. Dr. McClamroch never expects recognition or praise for his work; he is

satisfied with a positive patient outcome. He is easy to work with and a credit to his profession,” wrote a staff member at OakBend Medical Center.

McClamroch received his medical degree from Louisiana State University School of Medicine in New Orleans and completed his internship and residency

Dr. James R. McClamroch

at Louisiana State University, where he was named Chief Medical Resident in Internal Medicine. Dr. McClamroch is married with two daughters and three grandchildren.

“Dr. McClamroch is an outstanding doctor and very deserving of the Phy-sician of the Year award,” stated Joe Freudenberger, CEO of OakBend Medi-cal Center. “His dedication is recognized and appreciated not only by his patients and their family but by his colleagues as well.”


Houston Methodist Sugar Land Hos-pital is the first in Fort Bend County to treat peripheral arterial disease (PAD) us-ing a new drug-coated balloon catheter during angioplasty, a surgery to restore blood flow through an artery in the heart. Vascular Surgeon Imran Mohiuddin, M.D., performed the procedure in early November 2014 on a patient in Houston Methodist Sugar Land Hospital’s state-of-the-art cardiac catheterization lab.

PAD is a life-threatening condition that affects millions of Americans. Nar-rowed arteries can reduce blood flow to the extremities and create a number of serious medical conditions, including the need for limb amputation. Tradition-ally, PAD has been treated by inserting a catheter into the artery and inflating a small, balloon-like device to compress the buildup of plaque on the arterial wall and widen the artery.

The new Lutonix® system takes that process one step further, with a balloon that is pre-treated with the drug pacli-taxel, which is typically used in chemo-therapy to prevent cell growth. When the

balloon is inflated within the artery at the site of the narrowing, paclitaxel is trans-ferred to arterial walls, where it reduces the amount of scar tissue at the site.

“The combination of plaque compres-sion and paclitaxel enables physicians to treat the initial blockage, as well as help prevent the recurrence of stenosis, or the narrowing of arteries,” said Dr. Mohiud-din. “Re-stenosis is a common problem with traditional percutaneous translumi-nal angioplasty. But the Lutonix system makes it possible to keep the treated ar-tery open and allow sufficient blood flow for a longer period of time, reducing the risk of PAD in many patients.”

Studies show that the Lutonix drug-coated balloon improves patient blood flow by about 30 percent when com-pared with traditional balloon angioplas-ty. Approximately 90 percent of patients treated with the Lutonix system did not

Houston Methodist Sugar Land Hospital Is First in Fort Bend to Use New Angioplasty System

require further re-intervention within one year.

To schedule an appointment with Dr. Mohiuddin or another vascular surgeon on staff at Houston Methodist Sugar Land Hospital, call 281-274-7500. Visit www.houstonmethodist.org/sugarland or FB.com/methodistsugarland for more information, for the latest news, events and information.

Imran Mohiuddin, M.D. and patient Lorraine Morton.


MEDICALFOCUS

In January of 2011, the first baby boomer turned 65 years old. With ap-proximately 79 million baby boomers, for the next 18 years there will be almost 8,000 boomers turning 65 each day. In 2013, OakBend Medical Center held its “Patchwork of Life…Putting the Pieces Together” fundraiser to begin preparing for the increased need in elder care. The community gave generously to support the building of an ACE (Acute Care for the Elderly) Unit at the Jackson Street campus of OakBend Medical Center, the only one of its kind in Fort Bend County.

New Acute Care for the Elderly UnitOpens at OakBend Medical Center

physical therapists, pharmacist, case manager and NICHE trained nurse man-ager to provide a specialized care en-vironment for the elderly that promotes a home-like feel, encourages family in-volvement and decreases length of stay. From low-glare flooring and a warm col-or palette to a community dining area, the Unit was designed to promote mo-bility and socialization, two cornerstones of recovery for the elderly patient.

“We are excited to have the ACE Unit open,” stated Joe Freudenberger, CEO of OakBend Medical Center. “Being able to offer this service to our community means a great deal to me and to my staff. As a son with two elderly parents, I know how important it is to have them receive the best care possible by some-one who understands the special needs of seniors, and I can think of no better place than a Unit dedicated solely for the purpose of caring for seniors.”

The ACE Unit is designed to treat pa-tients with a variety of issues, such as pneumonia, anemia, GI bleeding, dehy-

The ribbon cutting for OakBend Medical Center’s new ACE Unit.

dration, compression fractures, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), weight loss/anorexia, or those who may need medical observation for weakness, imbalance or falls.

OakBend Medical Center is an in-dependent, community-minded health care organization located in the heart of Fort Bend County, providing quality care and exemplary service with its two full-service hospitals, as well as many spe-cialty centers. For more information, visit www.oakbendmedcenter.org. Owen Capocyan and Crystal Lewis.

Barry Beard, Jeff Council, May Tape and Joe Freudenberger.

Bob Brown and Patti Parish-Kaminski.

On Thursday, January 8th, the hospi-tal held the Grand Opening and Ribbon Cutting in celebration of its new unit. The Unit, headed up by Dr. Owen Capocyan, is specifically designed with the elderly in mind. Utilizing the most recent research on geriatric care, OakBend designed the Unit to prevent the loss of physical and mental abilities that can occur in the el-derly when hospitalized.

The unit takes a multi-disciplinary ap-proach involving a geriatrician, dietitian,


Valentine’sARTS & CRAFTS | BRAIN TEASER | GIFT GUIDE | RECIPES

FORT BEND’S VALENTINE’S DAY GUIDE

F E AT U R I N G

Valentine’s DayFor The Kids

How Do You Spell Love?

Things We Love

Show Off Your Sweet Side ThisValentine’s Day

absolutely


Some couples opt to leave children in the capable hands of a babysitter come Valentine’s Day and enjoy the evening solo. But for those who want to include youngsters in their fun, they can explore the many enjoyable and clever crafts and other activities available.

Learning Games

Valentine’s Day can be turned into a learning opportunity for children. One idea is to create an “Attracting Love” game that illustrates the power of mag-nets and the laws of attraction. Fill an empty glass jar with various items made into heart shapes. These can include small pieces of pipe cleaner, paper clips, paper and even aluminum foil hearts. Put the top on the jar and shake up the contents. Let children guess which items will be attracted to a magnet, then have them test their theory with a strong mag-net rubbed on the outside of the jar. See which hearts are attracted to the magnet.

Other learning games can include matching or finding the differences be-tween pictures, counting paper hearts or making recipes of modeling dough.

Dessert Fun

Invite youngsters into the kitchen to try their hands at different recipes, making sure that they have a chance to sample their handiwork afterward. Faux chocolate truffles made with chocolate sandwich cookies can be a tasty treat for little hands. Start by mashing up some Oreo® cookies, then add them to a bowl with one 8-ounce package of cream cheese. Mix until everything is incorpo-rated into a sticky batter. Truffles can be made into balls or heart shapes. For children celebrating winter fun, turn the truffles into edible snowmen. Dip the truffles into melted chocolate or colored candy melts to coat. Place on a wax pa-per-covered cookie sheet and refrigerate for an hour, or until the truffles are firm.

Crafts

Children can have fun cutting out cu-pids, making coloring pages or doing just about any other Valentine-inspired craft, like making their own cards.

Another craft idea is to write secret love notes with invisible ink. Lemon juice can be used as invisible ink. Have chil-dren write a message by dipping a cotton swab or their finger in lemon juice and then writing words on a white piece of paper. Once the papers have dried, an adult can reveal the message by placing the paper in front of a heat source, such as an iron or a light bulb. The message will magically appear and reveal those secret sentiments.

Children can get crafty by making gifts for the special people in their lives. Combine the concept of valentines with the ambiance of a candle. For an even safer alternative, opt for an LED-flame candle instead of traditional candles.

Kids can glue foam conversation hearts, sold at many craft stores, to the outside of the candle. Wrap the middle of the candle with ribbon, and they’ve just created an easy, heartfelt gift.

Kids’ Dinner

Encourage the next generation of chefs to create culinary masterpieces, which they can then serve to family members or friends. Children can even prepare dinner as a token of appreciation to their parents.

Plan recipes with kids in advance, but look for age-appropriate menu ideas, par-ticularly those that will not require much use of the stovetop or other dangerous kitchen appliances. Kids can always do the prep work and then ask an adult to put the food into the oven for cooking.

One easy idea is to create heart-shaped hamburger sliders and Valentine-colored mashed potatoes. Use red potatoes with the skin on to create the potato mash. The sliders can be shaped by hand or us-ing a heart-shaped cookie cutter.

Valentine’s Day is just around the cor-ner and presents many opportunities for children to share in the festivities.

Kids

A lthough Valentine’s Day may be geared toward adults, children are quite drawn to the celebration as well. Perhaps it’s the promise of candy or choco-

late that gets their attention, but Valentine’s Day annually appeals to the younger set.

Valentine’sDay

For The

Source: metrocreativeconnection.com


Have your weddingdetails and photospublished in print

and online inour magazine!

Remember the day you said “I do” like

it was yesterday.

Real Weddings

If you or your children have recently married and you would like to enter for a chance to be featured in our Real Weddings, all you need is at least ten high-resolution photos of the ceremony and/or reception. It doesn’t matter where the wedding took place, as long as it was in the last year and you or your parent(s) reside in the Fort Bend area. Photographers are also welcome to submit photos – all absolutely free!

Visitwww.fortbendfocus.com

Coming in June

BRAINTEASER

By Myles Mellor

How Do You Spell L O V E ?Crossword by Myles Mellor

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

9

10 11 12 13 14 15

16 17 18

19 20 21 22 23

24 25

26 27 28 29 30

31 32 33 34

35 36 37 38 39

40 41 42

43 44 45

46

47 48 49 50

51

52 53 54

Across

"____ believing in just one mind" Phil Collins (2 words)

1

Rose holders5"I ___ you" Bob Dylan9Dream for the future (3 words)10Main squeeze14Toni Morrison's "___ Baby"16Girl's name in Hawaii that means "beautiful"18"Come Away with Me" singer, first name19Aragorn's love in "The Lord of the Rings"21Armand Hammer art museum is here23Ego's pals24Well-kept secret, for some25"__ of a Woman" movie26For ever Valentine's Day gift28Hospital show31

Down

Katie's beau1Yellow ribbon location? (2 words)2Longoria of "Desperate Housewives"3International Bollywood star (last name)4Kilmer of "At First Sight"5Any day now6Time for love messages (3 words)7Celebs' cute daughter8Cheyenne locale11Bering, e.g.: abbr.12Romantic island13"Bambi" character15Boat races17What an eskimo kisses with19Will Smith romance movie20Oakland baseball players21

Across1 “____ believing in just one

mind” Phil Collins (2 words)

5 Rose holders9 “I ___ you” Bob Dylan10 Dream for the future

(3 words)14 Main squeeze16 Toni Morrison’s “___ Baby”18 Girl’s name in Hawaii that

means “beautiful”19 “Come Away with Me”

singer, first name21 Aragorn’s love in “The

Lord of the Rings”23 Armand Hammer art

museum is here24 Ego’s pals25 Well-kept secret, for some26 “__ of a Woman” movie28 For ever Valentine’s Day

gift31 Hospital show33 “What was ___ think?”

(2 words)34 Haul

35 Cleopatra’s valentine?39 Long for40 Date41 Award43 Sweet Valentine’s day gift45 MJ’s sweetheart, in film47 Boldly49 Diamond or heart, e.g.50 Average name52 “Casablanca” pianist53 Actress who plays

Spiderman’s love54 Coyly

Down1 Katie’s beau2 Yellow ribbon location?

(2 words)3 Longoria of “Desperate

Housewives”4 International Bollywood

star (last name)5 Kilmer of “At First Sight”6 Any day now7 Time for love messages

(3 words)8 Celebs’ cute daughter11 Cheyenne locale

12 Bering, e.g.: abbr.13 Romantic island15 “Bambi” character17 Boat races19 What an eskimo kisses

with20 Will Smith romance movie21 Oakland baseball players22 Lost fish27 Film about racism and

tolerance - that won an Oscar in 2006

29 Juan starter30 Gotten to fall in love with,

in a way (2 words)32 Nicole Kidman’s

character’s lover in “Cold Mountain”

36 Keanu Reeves role37 Sherlock Holmes, for short38 To this day42 Take off43 Celebration items?44 Gazed amorously46 Keats’ creations48 Bottom line51 Hot

See answers on page 79.


F O RT B E N D VA L E N T I N E ’ S D AY G I F T G U I D E

Lovethings we

TEXAS MUSCAT BLANC

The Braman Eaglefire 2013 Texas Muscat Blanc was selected by Texas Monthly as one of the best Texas wines in 2014. Enjoy a glass in their tasting room.Braman Winery, 3333 FM 359 in Richmond. Call 281-762-1375; www.bramanbrands.com.

RIDE IN STYLE

Give your sweetheart a hot new ride this Valentine’s Day from TexasDirectAuto.com. With thousands of vehicles in stock, you’re sure to find a ride that you will love! Texas Direct Auto, 12053 Southwest Freeway in Stafford. Call 281-499-8200; www.TexasDirectAuto.com.

LOVE AT J LOGGINS JEWELERS

Show her your love this Valentine’s Day with the simply divine Black Spinel with Pearl necklace. Just one of many items in our affordable jewelry collection J Loggins Jewelers, 14015 Southwest Freeway in Sugar Land. Call 281-242-2900; www.jloggins.com.

CLARISONIC SMART PROFILE

Give the gift of beautiful skin! The new Smart technology enables the device to automatically adjust between gentle and deep cleaning for an optimal experience. It can be used on all skin types. Sugar Land Face & Body Plastic Surgery, 16926 Southwest Freeway in Sugar Land. Call 281-313-0555; www.beautybecomesyou.com.

DETOX MADE EASY

Dr. Shel’s Advanced 14 Day Detox Kit is a comprehensive, science-based nutritional program designed to support safe and effective detoxification. Everything you need is consolidated into daily packets to ensure that you don’t miss any necessary nutrients! Dr. Shel Wellness and Medical Spa, 1437 Highway 6, Suite 100 in Sugar Land. Call 281-313-7435; www.drshel.com.


THE SEIKO SPORTURA SOLAR ALARM CHRONOGRAPH

No battery change is required for the Seiko Sportura Solar Alarm Chronograph, which is powered by light. It is 100 meters water resistant, measures up to 60 minutes in 1/5 second increments, and its alarm hands can indicate the time in a different time zone. Zeeneez Watches & Sunglasses, 2735 Town Center Boulevard N, Suite E in Sugar Land.Call 281-491-2930;www.zeeneez.com.

FALL IN LOVE WITH OBAGI

Stay youthful during this Valentine season using Timeless Plastic Surgery’s Obagi Hydrate Facial Moisturizer. It provides long-lasting moisture protection designed for all skin types. Timeless Plastic Surgery is holding special pricing! Timeless Plastic Surgery, 1327 Lake Pointe Parkway, Suite 300 in Sugar Land. Call 281-242-TIME (8463); www.timelessplasticsurgery.com.

ENCHANTED GIFTS

Nothing shows your Valentine how much you care like a miniature fairy garden! Stop by Enchanted for all of the supplies you need, as well as ready-made gardens to choose from. Enchanted Forest, 10611 FM 2759 in Richmond; Enchanted Gardens, 6420 FM 359 in Richmond. Call 281-937-9449 or 281-341-1206; www.myenchanted.com.

BEAUTIFYING CAREFOR YOUR VALENTINE

Give your Valentine an at home spa bath experience with a gift set of beautifying composition, cleanser and lotion. Salon Eben & Day Spa, 15510 Lexington Boulevard, Suite G in Sugar Land. Call 281-980-5160; www.salonebendayspa.com.

PERFECT FOR THE PILOT

The Pilot Shop at Anson Aviation is loaded with great ideas for your pilot Valentine! Visit Anson Aviation at Sugar Land Regional Airport. Anson Aviation. Call 281-242-2555; www.ansonair.com.


F O RT B E N D VA L E N T I N E ’ S D AY G I F T G U I D E

Lovethings we

HANDSTAMPED JEWELRY FOR SOMEONE SPECIAL

The Vintage Pearl creates meaningful custom handstamped jewelry with any names, dates or inspirational quotes! The Vintage Pearl, 16049 City Walk in Sugar Land Town Square. Call 281-325-0169; www.thevintagepearl.com.

HAPPY VALENTINE’S DAY FROM SUGAR LAND PLASTIC SURGERY

Don’t know what to get your loved ones for Valentine’s Day? Avene Cold Cream Lip Cream is the perfect gift for soft, subtle kissing lips, in combination with the all-in-one day cream Journee, for a complete rejuvenated look. Purchase both in February and receive 10% off with a free makeup bag. Sugar Land Plastic Surgery. Call 281-980-8000; www.mybodysurgeon.com.

PICK SOMETHING DIFFERENT THIS YEAR!

Give a new backyard this holiday season. Purchase a Garden Guy gift certificate in any amount, and give a loved one the backyard of his dreams! Garden Guy.Visit www.garden-guy.com orwww.facebook.com/GardenGuyHouston.

VALENTINE’S DAY TREASURES

One of several Valentine-themed screens sold at Treasure Hunters Gallery, this handmade screen was designed by Peri Woltjer. Each screen has a unique shape and personality. Purchase one today! Treasure Hunters Gallery, 304 Morton Street in Richmond. Call 281-239-0043.BEAUTIFUL SKIN REVEALED

Take 20% off Obagi Products for your Home Treatment Regimen. Forever Young Skin Care by Linda, Gallery of Salons, 11333 Fountain Lake Dr. in Stafford. Call 713-269-9955; www.lindasforeveryoung.com.

absolutely!DELICIOUS

Source: Family Features

Show Off Your Sweet Side ThisValentine’s DayT reat family, friends

and co-workers to

something they will all love

this Valentine’s Day by making

easy and impressive cookies.

Start with your favorite roll-

out cookie recipe, or simply

dress up store-bought ones

by adding some simple details

with icing.

• Prepare and roll out cookie dough following recipe directions. Use the three smallest cutters from four-piece heart nesting cookie cutter set to cut out shapes. Bake and cool cookies.

• Divide royal icing into three equal portions, and tint three shades of rose. Thin aportion of each shade following recipe directions. Use tip three and full-strengthtinted icing to outline cookies. Use thinned tinted icing in cut decorating bag tofill in cookies; gently tap to smooth icing. Let dry overnight.

• Use icing to attach cookies, stacking largest to smallest; place icing decorationon top.

Stackable Ombre Heart Cookies

Favorite Roll-out Cookie RecipeRoyal Icing – Recipe on wilton.com

Rose Icing ColorHeart Micro Mini Icing Decorations

Scalloped Heart CookiesEach cookie serves 1.

• Prepare and roll out dough following recipe directions. Use largest cutter fromthe four-piece heart nesting cookie cutter set to cut out shape. Bake and coolcookies.

• Divide icing into four equal portions. Tint one of each portion light burgundy,dark burgundy and combination of red-red/Christmas red. Reserve last portionwhite.

• Starting from top edge of heart, use tip 102 and icing in dark burgundy, lightburgundy, red and white to pipe V-shaped groups of two petals, one piped fromleft and one from right, to create row of petals in alternating colors. Repeat with second row between petals in first row. Continue to repeat pattern until cookies are covered.

Each stacked cookie serves 1.

Favorite Roll-out Cookie RecipeReady-to-Use White Creamy Decorator Icing Icing Colors: Burgundy, Red-Red and Christmas Red

From the cupids at Wilton, here are three ways to leave them smitten with sweets this Valentine’s Day.

• Desserts with dimension.Triple your treats by stacking three decorated cookies in different sizes together and attach them with icing.

• Complement with color. A simple piping technique looks stunning when piped in different colors on your cookies.

• Get to gifting.Wrap your finished treats in a Valentine’s Day treat bag or box.

For more fun and delicious Valen-tine’s Day recipes, baking tips and inspiration, visit www.wilton.com.


Nearly 70 percent of Americans agree that hot chocolate is the drink that most reminds them of their child-hood, according to a new survey by Wakefield Research. This winter, while the weather is brisk, warm up by tak-ing a flavorful walk down memory lane with these fun takes on the classic hot chocolate.

The Rocky Road Hot Chocolate and Gingerbread Hot Chocolate are heartwarming treats that ward off winter chills and satisfy sweet, nostal-gic cravings. The rich, velvety-smooth milk combines your favorite chocolate and marshmallow flavors into a drink that’s delicious when enjoyed cold and equally good when tried hot. For more recipe ideas, visit www.TruMoo.com.


Embrace Childhood with Fun and

Flavors of Winter


• In a small a saucepan over mediumheat, heat chocolate marshmallowmilk, cinnamon, ginger and clovesuntil just boiling.

• Remove from heat. Garnish with cinnamon stick and favorite gingerbread cookies if desired.

• To heat in microwave, combine above ingredients in glass measuring cup or bowl. Heat on high one minute or until warmed through. Garnish as above.

A s a kid, the win-

ter season was

always a special

time of year filled with ice-

skating, favorite movies and

fun board games. Bringing

back carefree moments from

winters past can be as easy

as gathering together family

and friends for game night

and sipping your favor-

ite wintertime drink – hot

chocolate.

• In a small saucepan over medium heat, heat chocolate marshmallow milk,graham crackers and vanilla until milk is hot.

• Pour into mugs. Garnish with chocolate chips, graham crackers, toastedalmonds and mini marshmallows if desired.

• To heat in microwave, combine milk, graham crackers and vanilla in largeglass measuring cup or bowl. Heat on high one minute or until warmedthrough. Garnish as above.

Tip: For an extra toasty flavor, broil mini marshmallows until lightly browned before garnishing.

Rocky Road Hot ChocolateServings: 2

2 cups TruMoo ChocolateMarshmallow milk or TruMoo Chocolate milk

1/4 cup coarsely broken graham crackers

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Chocolate chips, graham cracker pieces, mini marshmallows and toasted almonds for garnish

Gingerbread Hot ChocolateServings: 2

2 cups TruMoo ChocolateMarshmallow milk or TruMooChocolate milk

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon1/2 teaspoon ground gingerDash ground cloves,

Cinnamon sticks and gingerbread cookies for garnish


Let our awards speak for usHERMES• 2014 Platinum Winner: Fort Bend Focus

100 Most Fascinating Things About Fort Bend

• 2014 Gold Winner: Fort Bend FocusFirst Annual Focus Favs

• 2014 Honorable Mention: absolutely! MemorialMemorial’s Model Gardener Kelly Emberg

• 2014 Honorable Mention: absolutely! BrazosLunches of Love

MARCOM• 2013 Platinum Winner: Fort Bend Focus

100 Most Fascinating Things About Fort Bend

• 2013 Gold Winner: Fort Bend FocusFort Bend Focus Honors the 2012 Jewels of Fort Bend

• 2013 Gold Winner: absolutely! focus mediaMarketing/Promo Campaign/Branding Refresh

TEXANA• 2013 - 2014 Platinum Winner: absolutely! Brazos

Media of the Year Award

• Hermes Creative Awards is an international competition for creative professionals involved in the concept, writing and design of traditional materials and programs, and emerging technologies.

• MarCom Awards is a creative competition for any individual or company involved in the concept, writing and design of print, visual, audio and web materials and programs.

• Texana Center’s Media of the Year Award received at the organization’s 4th Annual Reaching for the Stars Awards Ceremony.

BRAZOS • FORT BEND • KATY • MEMORIAL

www.absolutelyfocusmedia.com281.690.4242

absolutely!


W inter is a great time to experiment with new culinary

creations that incorporate the bold flavors of wine for delicious results. Nothing pleases the senses quite like a comfort food dish on a chilly evening. If you’re planning a menu for just you and your mate, a small group of close friends or a full-blown dinner party, stock up on great wine selections to complete the menu.

Chicken Thighs with Potato, Lemon and Castelvetrano Olives

Recipe created by Tracey Shepos on lacrema.com


Winter & WineWinter & Wine

Servings: 48 sprigs oregano, leaves picked

(1/2 cup packed) 5 cloves garlic 2 lemons, one zested and one

cut into eight wedges2 teaspoons cumin 3 tablespoons olive oil

8 chicken thighs (1 1/2 pounds), bone in, skin on

2 large Russet potatoes, peeledand cut into 1/2 inch circles

4 teaspoons kosher salt 1 cup Castelvetrano olives,

pitted and drained

Preheat oven to 350°F. In food processor, combine oregano, garlic, lemon zest, cumin and two tablespoons

oil. Process until chopped. Place mixture in large bowl and toss with chicken thighs. In 10 inch cast iron pan, layer one tablespoon oil and top with potatoes and sprinkle

with two teaspoons salt. Place chicken thighs on top and sprinkle again with two tea-spoons salt. Scatter lemon wedges in between chicken thighs.

Place pan over medium heat, cook for five minutes or until edges start to brown. Immediately place pan on top rack in oven and bake for 10 minutes. Adjust oven tem-perature to 400°F and cook for another 25 minutes or until chicken is browned and internal temperature reaches 160°F. Scatter olives on top and serve.

Classic Roast Chicken and La Crema Sonoma

Coast Chardonnay

Fresh oregano, fragrant garlic and buttery Castelvetrano olives star in this tra-ditional chicken dish, which pairs wonder-fully with vibrant La Crema Sonoma Coast Chardonnay. Just as in the Burgundy region of France, these vineyards offer an unusually long, cool grow-ing season, so grapes develop complex flavors. The Sonoma Coast Chardon-nay is beautifully aromatic, with an intriguing interplay of lively citrus and subtle toasted oak, laced with just a kiss of butterscotch.


Servings: 10 – 126 Dried chili pods, seeds and stems removed

Salt and pepper, to taste1 1/2 pounds top round cut into cubes1 1/2 pounds chuck steak cut into cubes1 cup vegetable oil1 Medium onion, chopped3 Small cloves garlic, minced1 1/2 ounces chili powder1 tablespoon paprika3 tablespoons cumin2 tablespoons oregano steeped

in 1 cup of red wine1 tablespoon cider vinegar

Smoky Chili and Murphy-GoodeHomefront Red

Just as a robust chili calls for a blend of signature ingredi-ents, so does the perfect wine to complement it. The smoky fla-vors of seasoned steak cubes and dried chili pods will please the palate when united with Murphy-Goode Homefront Red – a blend of syrah, merlot, petite sirah and zinfandel. This wine is comfort food friendly and fruit forward. Plus, for every bottle sold, the winery donates 50 cents to Operation Homefront, a national non-profit that provides assistance to service members and their families.

Toast dried chilies over medium heat for about two minutes. Add two cups of water and simmer for 10 minutes. Strain out chilies to cool, then chop and reserve.

Season meat liberally with salt. Heat oil over high heat in a large, heavy bottom pot until it begins to smoke. Carefully place beef into pan and brown on all sides until moisture cooks out and light brown film forms on bottom of pan. Reduce heat to medium. Drain meat of oil and fat.

Add onions and garlic, cooking until soft. Add chili powder, paprika and cumin. Cook until fragrant. Add reserved chopped chilies and rest of ingredients except for cheese and stir well with wooden spoon, scraping browned bits off bottom of pot.

Reduce heat to low and simmer for one hour, occasionally stirring. To serve, place in bowl and sprinkle with grated cheese.

Chili with Pepato CheeseRecipe created by Dirk Yeaton on murphygoodewinery.com

1/2 teaspoon cocoa powder2 cups beef broth10 ounces stewed tomatoes1/2 cup grated Pepato cheese

Phot

o co

urte

sy o

f Get

ty Im

ages

.

Toasted S’mores and Kendall-Jackson Grand

Reserve Pinot Noir

Take the traditional fireside treat to a new, gooey level with homemade, wine-infused marshmallows served with a glass of Kendall-Jackson Grand Reserve Pinot Noir. Please your sweet tooth and palate with lively berry pie notes defined in wild strawberry and black cherry, with hints of vanilla and earthy aromas.

In a bowl, combine powdered sugar and corn-starch. Grease two loaf pans or one 8 or 9 inch square pan and dust with half of powdered sugar mixture. Pour out any ex-cess mixture back into bowl.

In bowl of stand mixer with whisk at-tachment, combine pinot noir and 1/4 cup water. Sprinkle gelatin over liquid. In small saucepan, combine remaining 1/4 cup of water, sugar, corn syrup and salt. Clip on candy thermometer. Heat mixture over medium heat until it reaches 240°F.

Turn mixer on low and drizzle sugar mixture in slow and steady stream down side of bowl. Once entire mixture is in, increase speed to high and let it mix for 10–12 minutes, until lukewarm and fluffy.

Using greased spatula, scrape mix-ture into pans and spread out evenly. Dust tops with remaining powdered sugar mixture and use hands to flatten mixture out completely. Set for one hour, cut into squares and dust squares with remaining powdered sugar mixture.

Pinot Noir Marshmallows

Recipe created by Molly Yeh on mynameisyeh.com

Servings: 161/4 cup powdered sugar1/4 cup cornstarch1/4 cup Kendall Jackson

Grand Reserve Pinot Noir

1/2 cup water2 packets unflavored

gelatin powder3/4 cup sugar1/2 cup light corn syrup1 pinch salt



absolute ly!AUTO REVIEW

absolute ly!AUTO REVIEW

By Steve Kursar

T he Toyota Camry is the best-selling car in the country, and it holds that distinction for a

reason. It’s simply a very well de-signed and made car. But it has also suffered from the reputation of a car that was boring to drive and bland as plain vanilla. The 2015 Toyota Camry blows that reputation away with an all-new design that will turn heads and change minds. The new car looks more like a sports sedan than the fam-ily mover that has been a mainstay on the American highways for decades.

The credit for this transformation goes to Toyota’s race car enthusiast, President and CEO Akio Toyoda, for recognizing that the family sedan de-serves to be as exciting as a roadster. But it wasn’t always that way. The Toy-ota Camry first made its appearance

on American highways back in the early 1980s, and it was boxy, relatively underpowered and pretty undistinguished. It caught on with U.S. car buyers because it was remark-ably reliable, especially compared to its American competitors.

This new Camry is very different from past generations at first glance. The big, aggressive grill reflects the Toyota family resemblance with its luxury cousins at Lexus, as well as its sporti-er cousins at Scion. The bold exterior design carries through to the interior, where the driver is the star. The steer-ing wheel has a more contemporary, thicker feel, and the stick shift hints at being a sporty manual transmission even though it’s an automatic. These design cues cleverly combine to en-able this new Camry to throw off the boring characteristics that bedeviled past iterations.

The base 2015 Toyota Camry comes with a MSRP sticker price of $22,970 and is equipped with a 178 hp, 2.5 liter four-cylinder engine that

delivers EPA fuel economy ratings of 25 mpg in the city and 35 mpg on the highway. It’s not the peppiest engine on the road, but the reward is impres-sive gas mileage. And for those of you who need a bit more zip, the Camry’s 268 hp, 3.5 liter V6 engine gives it some of the best acceleration of any car in its segment and makes for a fun ride every time you get behind the wheel.

The 2015 Camry’s makeover may shock some Toyota owners who in the past happily traded dull design for engineering reliability. This new car is sure to win over families who realize they can have it all.

Follow Steve Kursur at KursarOnCars.blogspot.com.

TOYOTA CAMRY 2015


ENTER TO WINFort Bend Focus Magazine is looking for great amateur photos. Think you have a great shot? Any subject matter will be considered, black and white or color, special effects and/or edited are not necessary.

A WINNER EVERY MONTHEach month’s winner receives a $50 gift certificate to a restaurant and the winning photo will be published in our magazine. To claim your prize, call Adrienne at 281-690-4242. Runner-up photos may be published in our “Readers’ Photo Album.”

NO LIMIT TO ENTRIESTo submit a digital photo, e-mail the jpeg file to [email protected]. Digital photos must be HIGH RESOLUTION at least 300 dpi at actual size of at least 4” x 6”.

Please make sure to send some basic information about every photo you submit such as: who, where, when, a title, your name and daytime phone number.

By submitting an entry, the photographer gives the Fort Bend Focus Magazine the right to use and publish their photograph. There is no contest deadline.

February 2015 Winner

“Frog Rests on a Water Lily”By Nick Perezous

Congratulations Nick, you’ve earned a $50 gift certificate to a restaurant!

A M A T E U R P H O T O C O N T E S T


E V E N T S

Every Saturday, 9:00 am to 1:00 pm, rain or shine

Presented By:

198 Kempner St. at Imperial Sugar Land

Water Treatment Specialists

ENVIRONMENTALPROTECH

February 7th, 6 – 9 pm Dad and Daughter DanceThe 19th Annual Dad and Daughter Dance themed Southwestern Fiesta will provide an unforgettable experience for all ages at Missouri City’s Community Center, located at 1522 Texas Parkway. In addition to dancing the night away, dads and daughters will get to create their own feast at the nacho bar, be serenaded by a mariachi band and take a professional photograph.For tickets, visit the Missouri City Recreation and Tennis Center, located at 2701 Cypress Point Drive, or call 281-403-8637.

February 11th, 10:30 amDaughters of the American Revolution Meeting Join the Fort Bend Chapter National Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution for a meeting featuring Carol Lane on Concerns of Police Survivors. The event will be held at First United Methodist Church, located at 3900 Lexington Boulevard in Missouri City. Contact [email protected] or visit www.texasdar.org/chapters/FortBend.

February 6th, 4 – 9 pmA Speaking Engagement with Dr. Temple Grandin Hope For Three and presenting sponsor Fred and Mabel R. Parks Foundation are honored to present Dr. Temple Grandin at Sugar Creek Baptist Church, located at 13223 Southwest Freeway in Sugar Land. The interactive speaking engagement will give guests a startling, no-nonsense insight of a person living with autism, as well as ideas on how others can overcome obstacles and improve their quality of life. Tickets are $15 each and can be purchased at www.hopeforthree.org.Contact [email protected] or call 800-317-0787.

February 7th, 6 – 11 pmBoots and Badges GalaJoin Behind the Badge Charities for an evening honoring local heroes – police, fire, EMS and other emergency response personnel – with dinner, dancing and live and silent auctions at George Ranch Historical Park, located at 10215 FM 762 in Richmond. Proceeds will benefit Behind the Badge Charities and support assistance grants and scholarships for heroes. Call 281-815-4980 or visit www.behindthebadgecharities.org.

February 7th, 10:30 – 11:30 amLearn How to Create Pop-Up Valentines Impress your loved one with a handmade love note for Valentine’s Day! Learn how to create pop-up Valentine’s Day cards in Conference Room 2A at the Sienna Branch Library, located at 8411 Sienna Springs in Missouri City. The library will provide basic materials, but those attending may wish to bring their own paper and decorative trimmings. Call 281-633-5100.

February 7th, 6:15 pm10th Annual Road Trip to the French CountrysideJoin Fort Bend Cares, along with Presenting Sponsors Memorial Hermann Sugar Land and Spectra Specialty, in celebrating their 10th Annual Road Trip at Fluor, located at 1 Fluor Daniel Drive in Sugar Land. Enjoy food, entertainment, auctions and more! Share in fellowship and fun to raise funds for programs and services for disadvantaged youth and children in Fort Bend County. Call 832-819-2005 or visit www.fortbendcares.org.

February 9th and 10th, 5:30 – 8:30 pmLearn Job Search Survival Tips The First Colony Branch Library will present a free, two-part workshop designed to help all job-hunters, from those applying for a position at a fast food restaurant to executives looking for a position at a large company. Learn tips on writing a better resumé, researching prospective employers, interviewing and non-verbal skills, making a great first impression, networking and much more. By developing an organized plan of action, applicants can experience a more efficient job hunt with an increased chance of success. Call 281-238-2800.


E V E N T S

Submit calendar events atwww.fortbendfocus.com

February 21st, 8 am 6th Annual Campbell Elementary Fun Run and Cougar Carnival Bring family and friends to Campbell Elementary, located at 1000 Shadowbend Drive in Sugar Land, for its Annual Fun Run and Carnival benefiting the educational needs of Campbell Elementary teachers and students. Whether you’re looking to set a new 5k personal record or in need of family fun, this is the event for you! To register, visit www.campbellpto.org.

February 28th, 2 pmSugar Land Branch Library Hosts Rumpelstiltskin The Sugar Land Branch Library invites families to attend a special marionette puppet show in the Meeting Room of the library, located 550 Eldridge. Master puppeteer Jean Kuecher will entertain children of all ages with her beautifully handcrafted marionettes on an elaborate stage. After the performance, stay to learn some of the backstage secrets. Call 281-238-2140.

February 11th, 4:30 – 8:30 pmOutreach Program About the Lessons of the HolocaustClements High School, the Southwest Region of the Anti-Defamation League and the Holocaust Museum of Houston will present a free program exploring the pains of prejudice through lessons learned from the Holocaust. The evening will feature a documentary screening, followed by a question and answer session. Over 200 projects, murals and multi-media presentations will be exhibited, teaching lessons of the Holocaust. The event will take place at Clements High School, located at 4200 Elkins Road in Sugar Land. Contact [email protected].

February 11th and 25th, 6:30 – 8 pmThe Southwest Project Management Toastmasters Meeting Improve communication, public speaking and leadership skills with the Southwest Project Management Toastmasters club, which is open to everyone. Meetings are held at the Schlumberger Forum, located at 210 Schlumberger Drive in Sugar Land. Come early to socialize. Visit www.swpmt.org or e-mail [email protected].

February 19th, 6 – 7:30 pmSenior Bingo NightSenior citizens ages 50 and up are invited to fellowship with peers, enjoy refreshments and play competitive rounds of bingo for great prizes. Get your ticket at Missouri City’s Recreation and Tennis Center by paying the $5 program fee. The event will take place at the Recreation and Tennis Center, located at 2701 Cypress Point Drive. Call 281-403-8637 or visit www.missouricitytx.gov.

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February 22nd, 2 pmStormy Weather with the Fort Bend Symphony OrchestraChase the clouds away with electrifying music about storms, including Beethoven’s Sixth Symphony. Add to this a dramatic storm at sea, a polka of thunderous proportions and a great arrangement of classic Tin Pan Alley songs about rain, and the audience will be blown away! This concert will also feature the winner of the Fort Bend Symphony Orchestra’s 15th annual Young Artist Concerto Competition. To purchase tickets, visit www.fbso.org or call 281-276-9642.

February 25th, 10 amIntroductory Blogging Class For BusinessThe Sienna Branch Library will present a free, introductory computer class in the Computer Lab of the library, located at 8411 Sienna Springs Boulevard in Missouri City. The class will consist of a hands-on introduction to basic skills for people who would like to learn how to set up and maintain a blog, as well as earn money by blogging. Reservations are required. To register, visit www.fortbend.lib.tx.us or call 281-238-2952.

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Answers to puzzle on page 67.

How Do You Spell

L O V E ?


By Alisa Murraywww.AlisaMurray.comNationally recognized

portrait artist and award-winning columnist.

D o you own your pet, or does your pet own you? It’s a perplexing question, isn’t it? After much

thinking on the subject, and since I do not live with dogs, I have come to terms with the fact that cats at least decide this for you. Let me first say that I don’t mind the ownership part either way, although being the one in charge usually suits me best! Either way, you better believe that life is really grand when you have a cat. I cannot imagine living without them. Like many humans, I have come to discover that some attach themselves to everyone, while others just pick their person and they act as if they own them. Currently, I am an owned person.

working each day so he could sit with his paw on my hand and watch TV. He was like one of our children. You can read more about him in Living the Sweet Life in March 2014.

And then there was William. From day one, he thought he was ruler over all things me. William loves only me, and his days are spent trying to keep track of me. He loves me like no other animal has ever before. When Christopher Thomas died, William immediately took up residence in all of his old spots and stopped doing the things that had driven me crazy for years! It was like he was saying, “We are best friends now, and I will prove it to you!”

Living the Sweet Life:I Am “Owned,” Are You?

stopped. Every night, William finds me, and the conversations begin. After finding me and insisting on smothering me with head butts, he finally settles on a velvet pillow at my right side.

We have a baby here at our house, and his name is Ninja. Last May, when he was only a few days old and nearly dead, he became a part of our family. I got up every three hours and fed Baby Ninja kit-ten milk and watched him grow. Today, he is a magnificent black panther of a fe-line. He is big and full of himself.

In the beginning, I was owned. From day one, Charlie wanted just me. He was so taken by me that he would poop in my shoes if I stayed gone too long, and he would nip at my ankles as I walked through the house at night, most proba-bly trying to get me back to bed to cuddle! He was passive aggressive about how he treated me if I got out of line.

Christopher Thomas stole my heart from the moment I laid eyes on him, and we were an inseparable pair for 19 years. He loved all of us. He would sit with Brian. He would watch the children, and when they were babies, he would let me know they were crying by getting me and flicking his tail in a hook. He’d go a few paces and then stop as if to say, “You coming?” He taught me a lot about rou-tine and balance, and he made me stop

William – no words describe!

At first I was annoyed, because I was grieving. William had not been my cat, and furthermore, I did not particularly want to have one just then. Here’s the thing though. William had always wanted to be mine; I just did not see it. Occasion-ally, he would pee in my Louis Vuittons, and Brian would just shake his head in disbelief that a cat could do that to my bag and not be kicked out of the house. I guess I am patient. Maybe it’s from shooting newborns for so long. Strangely, as soon as Christopher Thomas died, the peeing

Being the now well-trained human that I am, I have come to observe those who own me. Occasionally, I catch Ninja staring at William. He makes this little noise that’s not a meow or a growl but more of a little squeak. At night when I take my bath, he sits on the side of the tub and dips his paws into the water to “bathe” with me. If I lean toward him, he will lick the bubbles off of my face to “groom” me.

Lately, Ninja has taken up stealing my shoes, especially the Yellow Box flip-flops, the ones that aren’t exactly cheap. Sometime in the night he takes them up the stairs, hiding them one by one under James Edward’s bed, where he chews them to a big, fat mess. He knows I am not happy about it, but he cares not! I no longer wonder if he is perhaps trying to tell me something. I am destined to be owned for years to come, and truth be told, I would not have it any other way!

Take Care of YOU!

Christopher Thomas with Alisa watching over a very tiny Victoria Ann Murray.

Baby Ninja, the flip-flop eater.

Charlie, Alisa Murray’s first owner.

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February 2015 - Fort Bend Focus Magazine - People • Places • Happenings

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