Holiday Home Tour - the Houston Heights Association

Newsletter of the Houston Heights Association
Holiday Home Tour
Volume 41, Number Eleven, November 2015
“I’ll Be Home for the Holidays”
Friday, Dec. 4, 6:00–9:00 PM
Saturday, Dec. 5, 3:00–9:00 PM
This year’s Heights Holiday
Home Tour will feature four
beautifully unique Heights homes
bedecked for the holidays with
musicians, carolers, and special
treats adding to the festivities.
Our featured homeowners and
volunteers are excited to welcome
you for the “I’ll Be Home for the
Holidays” 2015 tour.
Tickets
Tickets purchased before December 4 are just $20. Tickets
purchased on tour days will be $25. Please note that we will not be
selling tickets at the individual homes this year!
To buy tickets online, visit stores.houstonheightsstore.org/events
before 5:00 PM on December 3. Tickets will not be mailed. They can
be picked up at the “will call” table at the historic Houston Heights
City Hall & Fire Station, 107 West 12th Street, any time during the
tour. If you prefer, you can purchase locally at Jubilee, Another Place
in Time, or Buchanan’s Native Plants during their business hours.
Tour Headquarters/Shuttle Service
Tour Headquarters will be the Houston Heights City Hall & Fire
Station, 107 West 12th Street. Visitors can explore the renovated
100-year-old building and board the Home Tour Shuttle for a
comfortable ride to the homes, included in the ticket price. Tour
Headquarters will open one hour earlier than tour times: Friday,
December 4, 5:00–9:00 PM and Saturday, December 5, from 2:00–
...continues on page 2
MONTHLY MEETING
& HAPPY HOUR
Attendees at the October
general meeting met people
involved with various performing
groups and spaces including 14
Pews and Opera in the Heights.
Business Member Showcase
The November 9 Happy
Hour begins at 6:30 PM at
the Heights Fire Station. You
can mingle and meet business
members of the Houston Heights
Association and learn about the
goods and services they offer.
The program starts at 7:00 PM;
business members who have
signed up in advance will be
given a chance to introduce
themselves and their offerings,
and election results will be
announced.
Coming Up
Our December 14 meeting
will be our annual holiday party.
The FREE monthly mixers
and meetings are open to
everyone. As always, you can
learn about the Houston Heights
Association projects and parks at
the Welcome Table.
Holiday Home Tour from page 1
9:00 PM. Because parking can be limited at the homes, we encourage
you to park at or near the Fire Station and ride the shuttle.
For more information, email holidaytour@houstonheights.org,
visit http://www.houstonheights.org/html/holiday_tour.html, or
call 713-861-4002, opt. 6. [See pages 4–5 for pictures of the homes on tour.
See page 3 for information about the Thursday evening party. See page 6 for
information about volunteering as a docent or ticket seller.]
Look What’s New On Heights Boulevard!
On October 31, Lukas Scharning and the Boy Scouts of America
Troop 20 installed Mile Markers on the Heights Boulevard jogging
trail. Lukas chose adding the mile markers to the Boulevard because
he thought they would be a nice contribution to the trail. He felt they
would serve all who use the trail as informative and motivational.
Together Lukas and his father Knut Scharning made the makers
out of concrete. They were engraved by Robbins Monuments at no
cost. Many thanks to Robbins Monuments and to Troop 20 boys who
came out in the rain to get it done!
The Houston Heights Association gratefully acknowledges the
support of our Fall 2015 Sponsors:
Platinum
Diamond
2
Bronze
Bike Trail News
Work is now underway
on the “toucan” signal to
allow cyclists and pedestrians
on the Heights Hike & Bike
Trail to cross Yale more safely
at 7th Street. Completion is
expected by January according
to a spokesman for Trammell
Crow Residential, which is
underwriting construction.
The Heights is published monthly by
the Houston Heights Association, Inc. Its
purpose is to acknowledge achievements and
to inform HHA members of events.
Copyright © 2015, the Houston Heights
Association and/or the authors unless
otherwise noted.
Newsletter inquiries, suggestions, or
submissions should be directed to:
Editor, The Heights, 107 W. 12th Street,
Houston, TX 77008-6907,
email editor@houstonheights.org,
or leave a message on 713-861-4002.
Editor.............................Mark R. Williamson
Assistant Editor........ Kathleen S. Williamson
November contributors:
Stacey Courville, Angela DeWree,
Lauriel Hindman, Brie Kelman,
Lukas Scharning, Rose Scharning,
Marianne Terrell, Lanna von Baden.
Holiday Party
Don your favorite cocktail
attire for the Houston Heights
Association’s annual Holiday
Party “Martinis & Mistletoe” to be
held on Thursday, December 3,
from 7:00 to 10:00 PM at Redbud
Gallery and G Gallery located at 301 East 11th Street in the Heights.
Tickets are $100, and the event is open to advance ticket holders only.
The maximum number of tickets to be sold will be 150, so please get
your tickets early.
Guests will be treated to live music, gourmet hors d’oeuvres and
desserts, wine, beer, and of course, delicious martinis. Party tickets
also include visiting the homes on Friday and Saturday.
This year, patrons are in for a special treat as they will have an
exclusive look at the adjacent galleries as they co-host this year’s party.
Located on 11th Street, G Gallery opens into Redbud Gallery.
Redbud Fine Arts was opened in May 1999 by owner/director
Gus Kopriva. Redbud is nestled between G Gallery and Sharon
Kopriva’s Studio. Artists featured range from masters to first timers.
They show all variety of media with installations on a local, national,
and international basis. Gus Kopriva is also a key player in the project
that brought art to Heights Boulevard in the installations “True
North” and “True South.”
G Gallery is a contemporary art gallery with a decidedly grassroots
approach to building creativity, community, collaboration, and
cultural exchange. G Gallery is committed to forging partnerships
with artists and arts presenters to facilitate the creation, presentation,
and exchange of work as a means of broadening audiences for the
appreciation of contemporary art.
This party and fundraiser will be a great opportunity to get to
know your neighbors, visit with old friends, and make new ones as
you kick off the holiday season. We hope you can join everyone on
December 3 for Martinis & Mistletoe!
Tickets may be purchased online at our website. If you prefer, you
may write a check for $100 per guest payable to “Houston Heights
Association” and mail or deliver it to HHA Holiday Party, 107 W.
12th Street, Houston, Texas 77008. Either way, November 28 is
the ticket deadline. If you have any questions, please contact us at
holidayparty@houstonheights.org or 713-861-4002.
Did you know the Houston Heights Association owns and
maintains the Houston Heights City Hall & Fire Station, Donovan
Park (with the Heights Playground), and Marmion Park (with Kaiser
Pavilion)? HHA, with its many volunteers, also beautifies and
maintains Heights Boulevard’s esplanade and jogging trails, benches,
gazebos, water fountains, trees, and gardens for everyone to enjoy.
Community
Improvement
Nominations
Once again, it is time to look
around the neighborhood and
see who has been improving it.
The nomination form and rule
sheet for the 2015 Community
Improvement Awards is now
available onine. (Click here.)
Nominees and winners will be
announced at the annual
Volunteer Appreciation and
Awards Dinner on February 28. Constable Patrol
Sign-Up Time
While you have
your checkbook out or your
browser open to buy Holiday
Home Tour or Holiday Party
tickets, think about signing up
for the 2016 Constable Patrol
Program. Remember, the
additional patrolling is only made
available because of funding
through subscribers.
Paid subscribers have a direct
phone contact with the Precinct 1
dispatcher for a quicker response
time to any calls or reports of
suspicious activity, either by the
deputy on patrol or a nearby
deputy. Paid subscription even
comes with vacation watch
services, special watches for
unusual circumstances, and free
home security inspections.
There’s a subscription form
included in the paper edition of
this issue, or you can click here
to get more information and sign
up.
3
Holiday Home Tour
I’ll Be Home for the Holidays - a Holiday Celebration
2222 Cortlandt — Kathryn Hodge Sartor and Daniel Sartor
This 1940 bungalow of Kathryn
Hodge Sartor and Daniel Sartor
was restored to its former glory and
then some when it was completely
renovated in 2010. Kathryn is
inspired by the Victorian era as
well as midcentury modern design,
and the renovated home reflects
this. Custom paneling adorns the
dining room. In addition to keeping
the home’s original French doors,
another set was added. Modern
fixtures were installed throughout
the home, but it is the inclusion
of both modern and antique
chandeliers that makes this home
truly unique. The backyard has been suitably updated to match the home’s interior. Using Daniel’s
software, the Sartors created a modern rectangular courtyard design in which the concrete is intermittently
broken up with turf grass. The vibrant blues and yellows selected for the backyard furniture are countered
by the subtle earthiness of features like an herb garden and a bamboo lined fence. This home undoubtedly
still holds all the charm of a traditional bungalow but with a distinct modern flair.
1615 Cortlandt — Gayle and Michael Klaybor
This charming bungalow has
been lovingly renovated many times
over its 95-year history. Current
owners Gayle and Michael Klaybor
were proud to add their own
personal touches to this special
home by updating the kitchen and
baths. Most impressive of these
additions is the custom stained
glass window sitting over the master
bath. This gorgeous window is
truly a sight to behold! The home’s
sweeping backyard is one of its
greatest features, highlighted by a
stunning 18th century fountain
from a Japanese Shinto Temple. This
beautifully landscaped yard is always particularly lighted and decorated for the holiday season.
4
Holiday Home Tour
I’ll Be Home for the Holidays - a holiday celebration
706 Mosby Circle — Chris Silkwood and Gary Milnarich.
With the help of Sterling
Victorian Homes, Chris Silkwood
and Gary Milnarich were able to
build their dream home in 1994.
They decided on an Italianate style
for the home because it represents
clean lines but still includes all
the beautiful moldings. The
home’s stucco exterior sits behind
substantial front porch columns.
Curved windows decorate the
facade as is typical of the Italianate
style. With such vast outdoor
space on this 10,000 square foot
lot, landscaping was particularly
important to Chris and Gary. Their design and installation for the yard included the planting of seven
mature trees and a wide assortment of perennials. This lush landscape surrounds a 50-foot lap pool. Chris
and Gary are major art collectors and are actively involved in the Heights. As such, this home has been
featured on art tours sponsored by the Orange Show and has been host to numerous fundraising events
including the reforestation and beautification of Heights Boulevard and the current sculpture project on
the Boulevard esplanade.
915 Heights Blvd — Colby and Heather Whitfield
When Colby and Heather
Whitfield purchased this home in
2009, it had fallen on hard times
after years of neglect. The two
realized the 1919 Queen Anne style
bungalow was a diamond in the
rough just waiting to be saved, and
they were just the people for the
task. Fully updated and expanded in
2014, the improvements to the home
were so drastic that it was nominated
for a Houston Heights Association
Community Improvement Award.
The quintessential Heights home, it
features an eclectic mix of old and
new. While renovating, Colby and Heather took great care to match what was original to the interior and
exterior. Through the decades, some original features of the home have vanished, but subtle hints of its
age still remain. Proud Heights residents, the Whitfields couldn’t be happier with their updated bungalow.
They love the walkability of the neighborhood and appreciate the excellent people-watching afforded by
the home’s location right along the Heights Boulevard walking trail.
5
Donations
Our thanks to these donors for their generous support of the
programs of the Houston Heights Association.
Ashley Day, Realtor – Parks, Boulevard, Fire Station Restoration
Paul & Stephanie Babb – Parks, Boulevard, Flower Gardens, Fire
Station Restoration
Dean & Laura Bernshausen – Boulevard
Jane Bryant – Parks, Boulevard, Flower Gardens
Katie & Pete Coleman – Flower Gardens
Richard & Catherine Cottarel
Patrick & Gisele Dwyer – Donovan Playground
Tamarah Feigl & Karen Feigl – Parks
Peter & Kathleen Fender – Parks, Boulevard, Flower Gardens,
Fire Station Restoration
Thomas Gall – Bicycle Rally, Boulevard
Todd & Cindy Green – Parks, Fire Station Restoration
John & Patsy Howard – Constable Patrol Program
April & Randy Johnson – Fire Station Restoration, Flower
Gardens
Tom & Yvonne Miller – Boulevard
Moseley Commercial Real Estate – Bicycle Rally
Taylor Moore — Boulevard
Maria & Mike Onufrow — Boulevard
Jim & Barbara Potter – Boulevard
Marc Quenneville & John Klosterman
John & Carolyn Redfield — Boulevard
Noelle & Eric Reed — Boulevard
Christian Reigleman – Flower Gardens
John Rogers & Suzanne Labarthe – Flower Gardens, Boulevard
Karen Selmo – Parks
Jill & Sam Sisler – Fire Station Restoration
Jennifer Smart
Catherine Smith – Fire Station Restoration
Brian Stephens – Boulevard
Loring White & Susan Guidry — Boulevard
Catherine Wiejaczka – Boulevard
Help Wanted
6
Volunteers are needed for the Heights Holiday Home Tour to be
held December 4th and 5th. We are looking for docents and ticket
sellers to work the following three-hour shifts:
Friday, December 4: 6:00–9:00 PM
Saturday, December 5: 3:00–6:00 and 6:00–9:00 PM
Volunteers get a free ticket to the Home Tour and have lots of fun!
To volunteer, please contact volunteer@houstonheights.org.
New Members
Please welcome these new
members to the Houston Heights
Association.
Alamo Key & Lock,
Ron Pinhas
Allison & Matt Alexander
Stephanie & Danny Bonner
Lana & Robert Brown
Laura Carr
Tralee & Henry Chafetz
Ciccarelli-Pivnik Family
Richard &
Catherine Cottarel
Carlos Davila &
Valarie Cross
Wes & Terri Fiandt
First Methodist Church
Houston, Chris Taylor
Linda Fuller
Sean & Heather Golden
Merin & William Guthrie
Sarah Diez & Sean Harmeyer
Houston Methodist Primary
Care Group
Houston Yoga Journey,
Sandy Stutz
Don Hunt
Ryan Kistenmacher &
Kristen John
Ken & Sue Korthauer
Blake Liedtke
Rita Neagli
Marc Quenneville &
John Klosterman
Kimberly & Brad Rable
Daniel Reese
Emilee & Andrew Scott
Susan Romanelli, LCSW
Ed & Sally Thayer
Calendar (continued from back cover)
Sunday
December 6
Deadline for
next newsletter
13
20
27
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
Saturday
14
HHA General
“Holiday Party”
7:00 PM
Fire Station
15
Holiday Basket
Assembly
5:00 PM
Fire Station
16
Holiday Basket
Distribution
11:30 AM
Fire Station
17 - garbage
and recycling
18
19
23 - heavy trash
(junk waste in
even months)
24 - garbage
25
Christmas Eve
Christmas Day
30
31 - garbage
and recycling
January 1
7
HHA Land Use
6:30 PM
Fire Station
21
2016 Board
Organizational
6:30 PM
Fire Station
28
8
9
PIP Meeting
7:00 PM
1602 State Street
22
29
10 - garbage
11
12
Heights Garden
Club
10:00 AM
(varies)
26
2
New Year’s Day
Community Calendar
Future History
At The Properties
Mark Your Calendars
Events planned by other community organizations
Every Saturday, 8:00 AM, Heights Running Club will meet on
the Heights Boulevard jogging trail at 7th Street. To be added to the
weekly distribution list contact Meghan.olds@gmail.com.
First and third Thursdays, 7:30 PM, English Country Dancing
in the Heights, dances taught and called. For more information,
email jnjbloom@gmail.com or visit http://www.hatds.org/index.
php?page=ecd
February 5–13, Opera in the Heights presents Rossini’s La
Cenerentola at Lambert Hall, 1703 Heights Boulevard. For more
information, visit operaintheheights.org or call 713-861-5303.
Events at the Houston Heights City Hall & Fire Station, Donovan Park, and
Marmion Park
December 5, 10:00 AM to 1:00 PM, John Daugherty, Realtors and
the Houston Heights Association are once again hosting Photos with
Santa in Donovan Park.
Heavy Trash Notes
The heavy trash pickup date is the third Wednesday for most
of the HHA coverage area. Service schedules, including collection
dates and information, tree waste and junk waste collection, and the
Neighborhood Service Maps has been moved to
www.houstontx.gov/solidwaste/service-schedules-and-neighborhood-service-maps
February 28, 2016, Awards Dinner
April 1–3, 2016, Spring Home &
Garden Tour [tentative dates]
June 4, 2016, Fun Run [tentative
date]
October 2, 2016, Bicycle Rally
[tentative date]
December 2–3, 2016, Holiday
Home Tour [tentative dates]
December 13-14, 2016, Holiday
Food Baskets [tentative dates]
The Urban Forestry Committee
will present the Heights Annual
Gift of Trees on Sunday, February 21 at Historic Heights Fire
Station. More information will be
available in a future newsletter.
7
HOUSTON HEIGHTS ASSOCIATION
107 W. 12TH ST.
HOUSTON, TX 77008-6907
NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION
US POSTAGE PAID
HOUSTON, TX
PERMIT NO 2995
Return Service Requested
Calendar of Events for November 2015
Sunday
1
8
15
22
Monday
2
HHA Land Use
6:30 PM
Fire Station
Tuesday
3
NO PIP meeting
Wednesday
4
Thursday
5 - garbage and
recycling
Election Day
Friday
6
Saturday
7
Deadline for
next newsletter
9
HHA General
“Businesses”
7:00 PM
Fire Station
10
11
12 - garbage
13
14
Heights Garden
Club
10:00 AM
(varies)
16
HHA Board
6:30 PM
Fire Station
17
18 - heavy trash
(tree waste in
odd months)
19 - garbage
and recycling
20
23
24
25
26
27 - garbage
28
4
HHA Holiday
Home Tour
6:00–9:00 PM
5
HHA Holiday
Home Tour
3:00–9:00 PM
21
Thanksgiving
29
30
December 1
2
HHA headquarters: The Fire Station is on the corner of Yale and 12th Streets.
3 - garb. & recy.
“Martinis &
Mistletoe”
7:00–10:00 PM
301 E. 11th
continued within
HHA web site: <http://www.houstonheights.org>