Sarah Williams

Fellowship on the Vine

March 2008
Walter Christopherson's wine collection includes one of the rarest wines in the world, Domaine de la Romanée Conti Montrachet. (Photo: ##http://www.andrewsphoto.com##www.andrewsphoto.com##)

Merlot, pinot noir, Burgundy, sauvignon blanc. The world of wine is large, varied—and hard to navigate. Hoping to bridge the information gap, wine collectors share why they love wine and why you should too.

Walter Christopherson has been interested in wine since early adulthood. “My parents always had something nice with dinner,” he says. “That sparked my interest.” He’s since …

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Legal Briefs

February 2008
Tree

The law is an intimidating thing, and chances are you might feel overwhelmed when faced with a real life legal conflict with friends or neighbors. To help, local lawyers have clarified the law on common legal situations that parents and homeowners face.

Your tree falls, damaging your neighbor’s home. Are you liable?
A property owner is responsible for damage to …

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Sneakerheads

December 2007
With a collection of 75 pairs and counting, you might say that 15-year-old Ross Steinberg has a thing for sneakers. (Photo: ##http://www.andrewsphoto.com##www.andrewsphoto.com##)

Chances are you own a pair of sneakers. Maybe you own two or even three pairs. But can you recall what brand they are? And do you know what they really, truly stand for? You might not realize it, but many people put a great deal of stock in their sneakers and have a collection of 15, 30, and even …

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Be True to Your School

November 2007
When spouses Jeanne Dupre and Anthony Weido say they are devoted alumni, they mean it.

Wild about your alma mater? Most people are, but some take to it to the extreme. With college football season in full swing and school spirit on display all over town, two of the area’s most fanatical fans shared what’s behind their intense devotion.

Anthony and Jeanne Dupre Weido are a pair of fanatics—Anthony for the University of Texas Longhorns and …

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A Fighting Spirit

August 2007
Mary Ann Weiser, shown here with her two daughters at her medical school graduation, worked hard to provide her girls with a top-notch, debt-free education.

Daughters honor mother’s legacy at M.D. Anderson

During her life, friends, family, colleagues, and patients always thought of the late Dr. Mary Ann Weiser as a hero. As an esteemed internist at the M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, she helped to start its Suspicion of Cancer Program. Now, just over a year after her death from cancer, her daughters, Lauren and …

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Wakeboarding

August 2007
13-year-old Brianna Vazquez demonstrates her wakeboard style at Houston’s M2 Sports.

With summer in full swing, chances are you are looking for a way to log some quality time with family and friends before fall sets in and schedules fill up. If you’re feeling adventurous, why not get out on the water? Wakeboarding is the nation’s fastest growing water sport and a fun way to beat the heat.

Ben Ghazi has …

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A New Leash on Life

May 2007
Loyal friends like Thumper, Lucy, and Barkley have seen Rose Schwartzel through good times and bad. Lucy was a special gift from Rose’s husband to help lift her spirits during treatment for breast cancer. (Photo: ##http://www.andrewsphoto.com##www.andrewsphoto.com##)

Are you thinking of bringing a new dog or cat into your family? Before you call a breeder to find your picture-perfect pet, consider saving a life by bringing home one of Houston’s homeless animals. From purebreds to trendy mix breeds and mutts, shelters all across the city are packed with thousands of animals. And one of these potential pets …

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Love Thy Neighbor

April 2007
Adult members of Club Marlowe enjoy an informal Sunday afternoon gathering. Left to right: Tom Wilson, Kathryn Wilson (seated), Lisa Hall, Behnaan Azhang, Lori Britton, Brenda Wilson (seated), and Jimmy Britton. (Photo: ##http://www.andrewsphoto.com##www.andrewsphoto.com##)

Club Marlowe creates friendships among neighbors

Living in West University, chances are you know your neighbors. You are probably even friends. But there’s friendship and then there’s friendship. We located one tight West U group that is so close they are practically family. They’ve even given themselves a name—Club Marlowe.

Lisa Hall, who lives in the 3800 block of Marlowe, …

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Downhill Friends

March 2007
Space City Ski Club members gather at the bottom of the mountain after a great day of skiing and fun at Winter Park, Colorado.

Ski clubs create lasting bonds

With spring break just around the corner, no doubt many residents are heading for tropical locations and sunny beaches. Others may be hitting the slopes, at the tried and true snowy vacation spots—Aspen, Breckenridge, and Vail. But there’s also a great way to try out some of the lesser-known spots, and several residents want to …

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Addicted to Art

February 2007
Considered to be among the top 200 art collectors in the world and among the top 100 art collectors in the United States, Lester Marks says art has come to both define him and to energize him. (Photo: ##http://www.andrewsphoto.com##www.andrewsphoto.com##)

For some of your neighbors, it’s a way of life. The art scene. Whether art deco, modern, abstract or contemporary, many resident art collectors feel fervently about their art collections. Here they share what’s behind their passion.

West U has a gem of an art collector in Lester Marks. Lester has been identified as one of the top 200 collectors …

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Neighborhood Holiday Traditions

December 2006
The Wolff family are always eager to help light up the neighborhood. Pictured left to right are Hana 11, Amanda 10, Kasey 13, Cara , 7 , with mom Lorri and dad Scooter. (Photo: ##http://www.andrewsphoto.com##www.andrewsphoto.com##)

Christmas and Hanukkah lights are alive and well in the West University community. But some of your neighbors take things a step further with coordinated decorations the entire area can enjoy. Robinhood and Purdue are two streets that join together each year to decorate for the holiday season.

Jeannine Heavin and husband Bill started the tradition of wrapping the trees …

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Do You eBay?

November 2006
Cameron and Andrew Chan could get lost in all of these legos from Ebay. (Photo: ##http://www.andrewsphoto.com##www.andrewsphoto.com##)

Are you looking for new toys for your kids? Nolan Ryan’s rookie baseball card? An authentic Louis Vuitton bag at bargain-basement prices? How about prime real estate? Believe it or not, you can find it all in one place—eBay. The popular online auction site is a hot one-stop-shop for bargain hunters, so we asked several area residents to share their …

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A Season of Change

October 2006
Rice's new Head Coach Todd Graham is shaking things up for the Owls, on and off the football field.

Change is in the air at Rice Stadium. When the Owls took the field for their opening game last month, there was a palpable energy that’s been missing from Rice University’s football program in recent years. In the words of new Owls Head Coach Todd Graham, for the first time in a long time, “It looked like a big time …

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The Green Life

September 2006
Kathleen Carrier stands behind her belief that solar panels are a smart and responsible means of using energy efficiently.

Forget what Kermit said. These days, it is easy bein’ “green.” Several area residents are doing their part to give Mother Nature a break, and offer tips here for those of you that want to do more.

One of the most obvious green efforts in West U is its extensive recycling program. The city offers both curbside recycling and has …

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Back to School Basics

August 2006
The Bernica family of West U at Joey's graduation in May. Pictured in back row: Timothy, Greg, Joey, and Liz. Front row: Annie.

August is here, and it’s time for kids—and parents—to go back to school. If you’re like most moms, in the spirit of a fresh start, you might resolve that this will be your family’s best year yet—you will be more prepared, more organized, and your kids more studious. How long those goals actually last, however, is something you might want …

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