Meierhofer is best known for envisioning and chairing Oktoberfest for the LH Exchange Club with buddy Tate Gorman, an event that brought more than 5,000 people to the Town Center site and raised thousands of dollars for Exchange Club outreach and programming. (They were all-Clooney-and-Pitt when they were here to podcast about the upcoming event, charming everyone in the Advocate offices and heckling each other about who had the best ideas.)

Adam served on the District Education Committee, appointed by State Rep. Kenneth Sheets, and the Texas Leadership Summit for Young Professionals, appointed by Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison. He and his wife Brandy are active in the Moss Haven Elementary PTA, and Adam currently serves on the PTA board.

When I asked how he felt about being seen as a “young, up-and-comer” in the community, Adam said that, when approached to run by people he respects, he was honored and humbled. “I thought – I said aloud, ‘aren’t there others wiser and more mature than I to do this?’ Of course there are, and they are on the board.” But having two young children gives him a unique perspective – Kris Oliver is the only trustee with kids still attending RISD, and his youngest attends Richardson high school – and “real skin in the game.” Adds Adam, “and with my youngest not quite 2, that’s real skin!”

Adam coaches Ava Grace’s soccer team (she’s a second grader) and leads her princess tribe (formerly Indian Princesses, if you’re old like me). He carves out time for daddy-dates with 4-year-old Elizabeth Kay, who’ll start kindergarten next year, and says her all-time favorite was the recent LHHS performance of Putnam County Spelling Bee. He describes not-quite-2 William Slade as “one ball of energy” who loves being chased and only slows down long enough to pop Disney’s Cars into the DVD player.

“In running my small business, I’ve learned to wear many hats,” said Adam. “This will be an asset to me in serving as a member of the Board of Trustees, but my biggest asset to this Board are the three children I am blessed to come home to every evening.  Having them grow up in theRichardsonSchool Districtis motivation for Brandy and I to sacrifice our time to ensure that RISD continues to be a leading school district inTexas.”

“Luke and Paula Davis have been a major source of inspiration for Brandy and I,” he added, “and I am not running to replace him.  He cannot be replaced.  I want to continue to ensure the policies and programs that have made RISD great continue and I want to provide insight from a parent/resident different from the current members.”

© Carol Toler for Advocate Magazine, 2012. | Permalink | No comment | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: adam meierhofer, kris oliver, luke davis, school board

Kittrell/Riffkind Art Glass Studio hosts an opening reception for its 19th annual Scent Bottle Invitational, which features more than 60 contemporary glass artists. The reception is 11 a.m.-5:30 p.m. Saturday, and the show runs through March 3.

Adventure Landing celebrates Super Bowl Sunday, offering a free round of miniature golf, laser tag or go-karts when you wear a sports jersey. Bring this coupon.

© Emily Toman for Advocate Magazine, 2012. | Permalink | No comment | Add to del.icio.us
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White wines from France’s Rhone region aren’t particularly well known and, at least in this country, don’t get all that much respect. You don’t see many of them on store shelves or restaurant wine lists, and you don’t see many of them reviewed, for that matter.

Which is a shame, given that white Rhones are usually different and interesting, and that’s something I’m always looking for. The Belleruche ($12, purchased, available at Spec’s), from one of the Rhone’s largest producers, has always been one of my favorite wines for just that reason. When I can find it, of course.

This is a previous vintage, and the extra year of bottle age has given the wine, a blend of grenache blanc, clairette and bourboulenc, a little more character. There is lots of white pepper, some oiliness and just a hint of a green fruit, like lime or apple. This is a not a white wine for people who need something fruit forward, like sauvignon blanc or chardonnay, but it’s not supposed to be.

And don’t worry that you haven’t heard of the grapes used to make it — almost no one who isn’t in the wine business has heard of them, either. Which is another reason why the wine is so interesting, and that’s three more grapes for your Wine Century Club effort. Chill this and drink it on its own or with something like goat cheese; roast pork with apples would be terrific, too.

© Jeff Siegel for Advocate Magazine, 2012. | Permalink | No comment | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: Chapoutier, French wine, Rhone wines, white wine, wine of the week, wine reviews

All of the costumes are based on the original Broadway play. The show will be complete with flying effects and pyrotechnics.

Theater director Heather Biddle said in a press release, “This show has been the most difficult I have ever been involved with in my 15 years of directing. I can’t believe we are at the finish line, and these students have knocked it out of the park. I know that the audience will be blown away by what they see.”

And get this. Pearce is one of the few non-professional theaters given rights to perform “Phantom of the Opera,” and it will be the first school in Texas to do it this year.

Performances run at 7 p.m. Feb. 2, 12, 13 and 16; 7:30 p.m. Feb. 3, 4, 17, 18, 24 and 25; and 2 p.m. Feb. 5, 19 and 26. Tickets are $5-$16 and available online or by calling the box office at 469.593.5136. Box office hours are 4-5:30 p.m. Monday-Wednesday and 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m. Thursday.

© Emily Toman for Advocate Magazine, 2012. | Permalink | No comment | Add to del.icio.us
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Pie Five is just Pizza Inn in a fancier package. So, if you like Pizza Inn …

On the day I went, the restaurant was blaring loud, obnoxious music. Call me an old fogie, but I don’t enjoy having to shout my order, which was a lengthy one considering you dictate the type of crust, sauce, cheese and unlimited toppings. Pie Five serves 9-inch pizzas at $6.49 a pop (specialty pizzas cost more). A bit much considering I could get a pizza triple the size for around $10 at some other chain or, better yet, a locally owned pizzeria with a nicer atmosphere.

But there’s a lot to like here, too. Pie Five has a great selection of toppings, and you can load up on as many as you want. I ordered the pan crust with Tuscan marinara, mozzarella, chicken, spinach and roasted onions and peppers. Then I had them top it off with feta when it came out of the oven. Pretty good for five minutes.

The place was packed with happy diners – lots of young families – who seemed to really like the concept. It’s a great way to mix it up if people can’t agree on one type of pizza. However, it still doesn’t beat out my favorite neighborhood BYOB spots like Bacci’s, Pizza by Marco and Besa’s Pizza and Pasta.

© Emily Toman for Advocate Magazine, 2012. | Permalink | No comment | Add to del.icio.us
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Have you ever found yourself in a room surrounded by people whom you suddenly realize actually both understand and can personally relate to exactly what you are going through? As a parent of two children who learn differently, I can tell you that this scenario is something that parents like me actually dream about. As one of the mothers in my neighborhood support & study group describes it, when seeking help for your child with a difference or special need, you often feel like you are alone on an island with no hope of help in sight; isolated, lonely and desperate for even one person who just “gets it.”

But Thursday night, at the RISD Parent Dyslexia Education Group (RISD PDEG) meeting led by guest speaker Dr. Jen Rawley, that dream, even for just an hour or two, became reality. I know it sounds pretty hokey, but it’s actually true. Sitting at a table in the library of the RISD’s Professional Development Center with two other moms from my elementary school who are also members of my neighborhood support group, and joined by 15-20 other RISD parents who were in the exact same boat, I found not only support, but a source of both knowledge and real-life expertise that I have long been seeking.

The parent education and information group, led by parent Debra Levy, meets about once a month to discuss topics related to dyslexia and other language-based learning disabilities. The group, which is endorsed, monitored and attended by RISD personnel, provides an open-discussion forum for parents of students with dyslexia and related disorders.

While the PDEG group is not advertised clearly on the RISD website nor to the general RISD parent population (only parents whose children receive dyslexia services from the RISD currently receive flyers and emails announcing the upcoming meetings), the group is open to all interested parents in the district.

While I have attended the PDEG meetings before, last night was different. Rather than the school district presenting parents with its definition of dyslexia and explaining what services it can and cannot provide for dyslexic students, the information shared was from a completely different and very refreshing source. Dr. Jen Rawley, Psy. D., came to the meeting armed with a wonderful set of tools, suggestions, resources and accommodations for parents to use when working with school districts to obtain appropriate help and services for their children with dyslexia, ADHD and other learning differences allowed and required by both the Federal 504 and IDEA laws.

Dr. Rawley, who is also the on-campus educational diagnostician at the Dallas Academy located in the Lake Highlands neighborhood, came prepared to not only share advocacy tips with parents, but to facilitate an honest and open discussion among the attendees about what our children are struggling with, and how to help.

Dr. Rawley started the evening by giving parents the three most important accommodations to focus on for LD kids (teaching them self-advocacy, helping them find an organizational tool that works for them and using your child’s educational evaluation wisely). She encouraged parents to educate their kids about their differences in a gentle but up-front way, reminding us to be honest with our kids about our own weaknesses as well as our strengths.

My favorite part of the night was just the sheer amount of open discussion that took place not only with Dr. Rawley and her team from the Dallas Academy, but among RISD parents – sharing their favorite websites, software, technology, books, blogs, films about kid’s with learning differences – you name it. It was this incredible open forum where we all just talked about our struggles with working with teachers to give our children the appropriate accommodations, and about our triumphs upon discovering a method, tool or even something as simple as a font that has helped our kids succeed.

I realized toward the end of the evening that it was the combination of both sympathetic parents who were dealing with the exact same scenario as I was, along with the guidance from a professional, qualified educational diagnostician and pediatric psychologist who was willing to spend unlimited time answering our questions and listening to our concerns, that struck just the right chord. We were able to get answers to questions that many had long been seeking, and feel a sense of support and camaraderie among parents in our own school district whom were seeking the same answers. The best way to describe it was that feeling of, “Oh, I’m NOT crazy!” or “This really IS hard,” because look at all of the other parents who live within a few miles of me who are struggling with the exact same thing.

The best takeaway for me, and several other parents based on our discussion, was some very basic advice suggested during the meeting. Ask your school this question if your child is continuing to struggle after accommodations or other help has been put in place: “What can we do if my child is not able to accomplish this?” Then start talking. The best tool you have at your immediate disposal is clear, open communication with your child’s teacher and school. If you don’t ask for it, your child may not get it. If you do ask for it, you might be surprised how open the school may be to figuring out a way to get it done for your child.

Feel like you are on your own island? Want to see more information on the RISD website about available services for dyslexia and other learning differences, ADHD, autism or special needs?  Comment below, and share what would help YOU.

Or maybe you are an RISD parent interested in joining the RISD PDEG? Contact parent leader Debra Levy to inquire about being added to the email group for frequent updates on parent dyslexia educational opportunities.

Also, visit the RISD’s Council of PTA’s website for more information about special education programs and the SAGE (Special and Gifted Education) PTA committee.

Contact Shannon Suess, the RISD’s Dyslexia Coordinator to ask about the Texas law that requires that all children attending public schools, starting in kindergarten, be assessed for language-based learning disabilities if they are continually struggling in the general classroom and/or are displaying characteristics of dyslexia. For a list of early signs of dyslexia visit the International Dyslexia Association’s website or access the Texas Dyslexia Handbook online and scroll down to pages eight and nine.

Click these links for information on the Federal 504 or IDEA laws. And, click here for an explanation of your child’s rights under the Texas Dyslexia law.

For more information about dyslexia, ADHD and other learning disabilities, visit my website at www.DifferentDoodles.com, send me a message by clicking “email her” to the upper right or comment here on the blog.  You can also follow me on Twitter @DiffyDoodles and on the Different Doodles page on Facebook.

And don’t forget to share this post with friends and family members who may have a child attending an RISD school who is struggling with a learning disability or other difference.  Ask them to take a few seconds to comment below, too, especially if they are interested in hearing about and attending similar RISD-sponsored events in the future.

© Lyn Pollard for Advocate Magazine, 2012. | Permalink | 16 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: 504, accommodations, adhd, council of PTAs, Dallas Academy, debra levy, Dr. Jen Rawley, dyslexia, dyslexia coordinator, IDEA, LD, learning difference, learning disabilitiy, parent dyslexia education group, PDEG, RISD, SAGE, shannon suess, Special and Gifted Education, special education, special needs, student services, texas dyslexia handbook, texas dyslexia law

North Dallas resident opens gluten-free bakery

North Dallas resident Linda Fitzerman, founder of Local Oven, has opened a 3,500-square-foot gluten-free bakery and manufacturing facility in the Midway Hills Shopping Center at the southeast corner of Midway and Trinity Mills. When Fitzerman was diagnosed with gluten intolerance a few years ago, she immediately began trying all of the gluten-free substitutes she could find, and what she found was disappointing. “The breads were rubbery or grainy, or just fell apart,” Fitzerman says. “After a year of eating like that, it got to me, and I knew I had to figure out a solution.” So, Fitzerman, who has more than 20 years of experience in the hospitality industry, rolled up her sleeves and got to work creating gluten-free baguettes, bread crumbs, biscotti, buns and more. “I love that I am able to fill a void and help people who have been deprived,” Fitzerman says. “No one should have to go without sandwiches and chicken Parmesan. Now they don’t have to.”

• Local Oven, 2650 Midway, Carrollton, 972.250.1818

Starbucks, Chipotle opening at Coit, Belt Line

Brewer Development has purchased the 28,000-square-foot tract of vacant land at the southwest corner of Coit and Belt Line, and Chipotle and Starbucks are moving in. The stores are scheduled to open this summer, and this means the Starbucks in Dal Rich Village will close. “It’s essentially relocating,” says UCR Realty’s Darrell Hernandez, who represented Starbucks and Chipotle in the sale. Although it’s just across the street, Starbucks saw a much greater value in southwest corner. “It’s more about getting on the right side of the road to catch that southbound morning traffic,” Hernandez says. Unlike the current store (which is more than 10 years old), Starbucks also will be able to install a drive-thru and have a larger patio at the new location.

Roasted Beet Salad at Nosh Euro Bistro

More business bits

• Nosh Euro Bistro has opened a location on Park in Plano (4701 W. Park). Chef Avner Samuel’s four-star, European/Mediterranean eatery features a “Chef Bar” surrounding an open kitchen where guests can interact with the chef.

• Aquadora restaurant, which opened in November in the Go Fish Ocean Club spot in Village on the Green, has closed.

• California-based specialty grocer Trader Joe’s has announced plans to open a store at Preston and Park in Plano this spring.

• Jakes in Addison, 5505 Belt Line, is now open for breakfast, serving huevos rancheros, hangover hash, eggs benedict, butter pecan pancakes and more.

Send business news tips to livelocal@advocatemag.com

© Advocate Staff for Advocate Magazine, 2012. | Permalink | No comment | Add to del.icio.us
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© Advocate Staff for Advocate Magazine, 2012. | Permalink | No comment | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: Advocate Magazine, advocatemag.com, far_north_dallas, neighborhood_life

I don’t spend a lot of time wondering what it would be like to be rich, but I have to admit it does cross my mind from time to time.

What would I do first, I wonder, if money was no object?

I saw a 139-day-long cruise listed in a travel brochure the other day; the cost was $49,000 per person for the least-expensive “discounted” cabin. So for just under $100,000, my wife and I could spend more than four months traveling the world without a care. Would I spend a fraction of my imaginary fortune on a trip like that, knowing that when I returned home, there would still be plenty of money left to live on?

There’s a car called the Lamborghini Reventon I could buy for $1.6 million; it takes only 3.3 seconds to reach 60 miles per hour, and it tops out at 211 miles per hour. I don’t know if that price includes a warranty or pre-paid legal assistance, but if I could afford to spend that much money on a car and still not worry about my next meal, I wonder what my life would be like?

Or what if, after my $100,000 cruise, I drove my $1.6 million Lamborghini to Las Vegas, where I could buy a $5,000 hamburger meal that includes a 1995 bottle of Petrus wine?

What if that kind of stuff happened to me every day because money was no object in my life?

Or instead of spending everything on myself, would I be a generous rich guy, showering money on nonprofits and churches and working to make life easier for my neighbors?

Of course, all of the time I’ve spent thinking about being rich isn’t really helping me or anyone else. And just thinking about it isn’t going to get it done, either.

And that’s what I like about this month’s cover story. The people we’re profiling are “regular” folks, and I say that in the nicest possible way. While many of us dream about what could be, they’re doing simple things to enjoy life and make the lives of others better, too. Money doesn’t seem to be much of an issue to them; I don’t know if they want to be wealthy or not, but they don’t seem to be spending any time worrying about it.

Instead, they’ve staked out some simple ways to make their lives fulfilling and rich, and I don’t mean in the bank-account way, either.

Be happy. Say “hello.” Care about customers. Help people. Be kind.

Those concepts are so simple, it’s almost laughable to think stuff so basic would make anyone happy over the course of a lifetime. But it’s working for these neighbors, and it would probably work better for me than worrying about cash.

Here’s betting that if someone served them a $5,000 hamburger, these neighbors would simply send it back to the kitchen for someone else to obsess about.

© Rick Wamre for Advocate Magazine, 2012. | Permalink | No comment | Add to del.icio.us
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Tiramisu. Photo by Mark Davis

Growing up in the Mediterranean, Sam Nimer has always been exposed to good Italian food. “Going to Italy was like going to Shreveport for people in Texas,” he says. “I’m inspired by the Italian kitchen.” So last June, he opened Tiramisu, focusing on traditional fare such as chicken, veal and seafood. And the affordable pasta dishes often outshine the more expensive items. Nimer’s favorite? The chicken cacciatore with a not-so-traditional ingredient — curry sauce. The menu features plenty of Italian staples, too, including the rigatoni carbonara with penne pasta and the spaghetti and meatballs. Don’t skip dessert. The restaurant is named after its specialty: tiramisu.

Spaghetti and meatballs. Photo by Mark Davis

Tiramisu

19009 Preston
972.267.2782
home.tiramisuitalianrestaurant.com

Price range: $11-$21
Ambiance: Quiet
Hours
11 a.m.-2 p.m. Mon-Fri
4-10 p.m. Mon-Sat
4-9 p.m. Sun
Tip: Stop by for reverse happy hour 9-10 p.m. daily.

More pasta spots in Far North Dallas

1 Besa’s Pizza & Pasta
For those on a budget, Besa’s has a variety of pasta for $7-$9. Try the baked ziti with ricotta and mozzarella.
14856 Preston
972.233.7227

2 Café Amore
This neighborhood favorite offers several homemade pastas at affordable prices. The spaghetti and meatballs dish is just $6.95.
600 N. Coit
972.699.8322

3 Mi Piaci
It’s hard to beat this romantic retreat for a Valentine’s date. Plus, all the pastas are made in-house.
14854 Montfort
972.934.8424

© Emily Toman for Advocate Magazine, 2012. | Permalink | One comment | Add to del.icio.us
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