Mailbag - March 2017

Oh, the castanet memories

With reference to your December 2016 issue, More Restaurant Memories [by Russell Weil], you highlight Felix Mexican Restaurant. I recall that Felix Tijerina had a restaurant on Westheimer, almost across the street from the Tower Theatre. My parents owned Southern Importers and Exporters, which my father founded in the early 1930s. As they catered to the dancing schools with a large selection of theatrical fabrics and accessories, I was enrolled in Hallie Pritchard Dance Studio at an early age. My parents were personal friends of the Tijerinas, and upon the grand opening of their new restaurant on Westheimer @ Montrose (to which your article references) my sister and I (dance team) performed several dance routines for the customers. I was 11, and my sister was 9. Our “Spanish” dance routines included the playing of castanets to accentuate the “dance.” The music, as I recall, included España Cani and El Relicario. Our dance instructor was a man by the name of Pat Evers. It was a very memorable “opening” for the restaurant. The Tijerinas lived above the restaurant at that time, and continued to expand their operation with other restaurants in the Houston area.

Michael L. Richker

Editor’s note: Thank you for sharing these memories and the wonderful photo of you and your sister dancing.

Where are the guys?

The article on “Cooking that clinched the deal” [Back Porch, by Andria Frankfort, February 2017] was all about women cooking for men. I bet there are many examples of men cooking for women and showing off their culinary prowess! Hopefully, some will share their experiences. Men can make excellent cooks!

Sherry Crossin

Editor’s note: You can bet we were saying the exact same thing when we were reading the story. We have some Buzz staffers who are happy to be married to culinarily inclined guys. We’d love to hear stories about Buzz-resident men who cooked to earn the love of their partners. Email [email protected], and we can share the love.

And thanks to you, Chef

Happy new year, Dai [Huynh]! Your Chef’s Corner article for this month in The Buzz was great [Chef’s Corner: Nicole Routhier, January 2017]. Thank you! Many people saw it before I even had a chance to look it up. Last Friday, new customers came in and told me they had to try Le Colonial because they read your article. They also wanted to return and try the tet’s specials that we talked about! I’d better be prepared for the occasion.

Nicole Routhier

Editor’s note: We are big fans of Dai’s Chef’s Corner column too, and we especially enjoyed reading about the two of you brainstorming on Vietnamese New Year dishes. 

We tri

Loved this issue [January 2017]. The headline, “Women Who Tri,” is so clever. Please give kudos to whoever came up with it. If there is a headline contest, “Women Who Tri” should win. Looking forward to the next issue.

Cyndy Sax

Editor’s note: We will tell associate editor Cheryl Laird you like her headline on Angie Frederickson’s story. Cheryl lives for that sort of thing, so you will make her happy.

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