Mailbag - January 2015

Memorial Villages ​p​olice chief J.D. Sanders and West University ​p​olice ​chief Ken Walker (from left) share holiday safety concerns for their residents. (Photo: stpimages.com)

Thanks for the help, Chief

Thanks for taking the time to write an article about Avoiding Christmas Crooks [Holiday safety tips from our police chiefs, by Andria Frankfort, November 2014]. I appreciate being included in the well-written piece on how to prevent being a crime victim. The tips shared by Police Chiefs Holloway, Walker, and me hopefully will help everyone as they go about their busy lives during the Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s holidays. 

The Buzz proves again to be great community partners in informing our friends and neighbors about important and timely topics. Those that follow those helpful tips throughout the year will greatly improve their chance of not being a crime victim.

Thanks for producing such an outstanding monthly magazine. The Memorial Villages Police Department appreciates your desire to partner with us and others to make ours the best community in all of Texas and beyond.

JD Sanders, Chief of Police, Memorial Villages

More on the Festival of Lights

Thank you for writing the Chanuka article [Happy Hanukkah: Celebrating the Jewish Festival of Lights, by Russell Weil, December 2014], which I enjoyed reading. Like the gentleman who helped you with the Passokkah story I wish to make a few comments. The word Gelt is money in Yiddish. Kessef is the word for money in Hebrew.  Chanuka Gelt (in Hebrew: Dmey Chanuka) is a Jewish European/East European tradition when the grandparents or the parents give some money to their grandchildren/children for the holiday. Thus, there is no gift giving on Chanukah in Israel. It is a new Jewish American custom undoubtedly taken after Christmas gift giving. (I love Hanukkah Harry.) 

Having a collection of Maccabee statues is new to me. Isn’t it an oxymoron? A major Jewish strife against the Greeks was to abolish statue worshiping. But this is probably another new idea. The statues look to me like the figures from The Nutcracker. 

Have a wonderful Hanukkah with Latkes=Levivot in Hebrew, and Sufganiyot, and with lighting the Menorah=Hanukkiya, and playing the Dreidel=Svivon. 

Devora Borik

Remember the Sky Terrace?

I love the article [Restaurant Memories: A look back at Houston’s dining past, by Russell Weil, November 2014]. My favorite and most missed place is the Sky Terrace downtown, with a fountain like a wishing well where I threw in coins for wishes. My younger brother fell in one time. Very funny moment. The fashion shows in the restaurant were so fun for a young girl to see models and hope one day she could look that great. The models came down from the pedestals and came to the table to show off their fashion and visit with my grandmother and me. My favorite dessert was the ice cream ball covered in toasted nuts with hot fudge sauce, but when I was younger I loved the clown cone. As I grew older my one and only thing to order was the salad symphony with the trio of chicken salad, fruit with poppy seed dressing and shrimp remoulade with avocado and large shrimp. Then the waiters would walk around with their white gloves and silver trays with pop-up lids to give us cinnamon rolls or the best cheese straws. I dined at all the places you mentioned, and it was great fun to share memories with you.

Chef Ellen Schwartz

Brookwood article was worthy

Just wanted to say thank you for doing such a nice article on The Brookwood Community [Brookwood Community: Where there’s opportunity for all, by Cheryl Ursin, November 2014]. You did such a great job describing the citizens and the impact Brookwood has had on them. I’ve been there several times – the staff is incredible, and the citizens are so proud of what they do. I can’t wait to share this article with my friends.

Kathy Preston

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