Each group brought their culture with them, weaving their food, folktales, music, and art into the rich tapestry of Texan culture. Whether you want to head out for a day tour or a weeklong road trip, you’ll encounter glimpses of Europe in Texas towns and cities where the spirit of the settlers lives on.   

Start your journey in West, a small town on Interstate 35 where you’ve probably stopped for kolaches. This Czech community offers more than pastries. Thousands of Bohemian and Moravian immigrants flocked to Texas in the 1850s. Frugal and hardworking, they were looking for land and new lives in the countryside. Many followed the railroad to West in 1881. Within a decade, Czech culture and businesses were thriving.  

Descendants of these early homesteaders continue to run many of the businesses in West today, where a scattering of old-timers still speak Czech. West boasts a quiet downtown with little gift shops and antique stores. Try the Czech fries at Picha’s Czech-American Restaurant, with its tin ceilings and beers served in frosty goblets. Dive deeper into the past at the History of West Museum or check out the railroad exhibits inside the restored West Depot. 

For the ultimate Czech-Texan celebration, WestFest showcases traditional crafts, cuisine, and oompah music every Labor Day weekend. There’s a polka mass and a Taroky (Czech tarot card game) tournament, plus washer tossing and carnival rides. And of course, no visit to West is complete without picking up a few kolaches for the road.   

Once you’re stuffed with kolaches, drive 40 minutes west to Clifton for a touch of Norway. Norwegians first came to Texas in 1854, drawn to the region’s broad, fertile valleys (and free land grants). These settlers spread out in a triangle between Clifton, Norse, and Cranfills Gap. You can see the stunning handiwork of the Norwegian pioneers at Our Savior’s Lutheran Church, about 10 miles west of Clifton. Opened in 1875, the red brick church is still in use, and many of the original Norwegian settlers are buried in its cemetery.   

If you’re into pretty steepled churches, continue to St. Olaf’s Kirke (aka the Old Rock Church), located just east of Cranfills Gap. Throughout the area, keep an eye out for old limestone homes, some restored, some crumbling, from the mid-1800s. If you’re overnighting in Clifton, you’ll find a handful of eclectic eateries, a vintage theater, and an upscale mini hotel in a converted jailhouse.  

Scots loom large in the history of Texas, giving us Stephen F. Austin, Sam Houston, and Davy Crockett. Over 40% of the state’s original 300 colonists were of Scottish descent. These fiercely independent, freedom-loving Scots influenced the Texan identity so much that it can be difficult to spot Scottish heritage on its own.   

But you won’t have that trouble in Salado. In 1824, Salado was part the land that Mexico granted to Stirling Robertson for a colony. He brought in 600 families, almost all of whom were Scottish. Today, Salado hosts the Scottish Gathering & Highland Games every November. Strap on your kilt and kick up your heels with bagpipers and Highland dancers. Watch wild sports with medieval roots, like hammer throwing and caber tossing.   

If you can’t make the festival, the Salado Museum provides historical insight and help with genealogical research. Salado’s Stagecoach Inn (built in 1861) is the oldest hotel in Texas, and there are plenty of little shops and restaurants to peruse.  

Like their Norwegian cousins, most Swedish homesteaders came to Texas in the mid-1800s. They settled farther south, around Georgetown and Austin. It wasn’t a match made in heaven; the arid climate was too different from the one they left behind. Many Swedes headed to the northern Midwest or simply went home.  

But some stayed, and many of their descendants still live around New Sweden, which boasts a stunning relic from 1876: the New Sweden Lutheran Church. While the town of New Sweden has mostly disappeared, this picture-perfect chapel has a 104-foot-tall copper spire beside an unusual onion dome. Some say it’s the most photographed church in Texas.  

In the 1840s, great numbers of Germans began to come to Texas, with 40,000 coming between 1865 and 1890 alone. The farmers, craftspeople, and laborers put down roots in a region from Houston through Kerrville and beyond, creating a broad “German Belt” that’s known for its tasty craft brews and barbecue.  

No place in Texas is more German than Fredericksburg, where many of the original settlers’ limestone and half-timber houses still stand. Many are “Sunday Houses,” a phenomenon unique to Fredericksburg. Farmers lived in the countryside but built small homes in town to stay when they attended church. Many Sunday houses have been restored, upgraded, and turned into B&Bs.  

Stroll to Marketplatz (the main square) to find a replica of the original 19th-century octagonal church, Vereins Kirche. Two blocks away is the Pioneer Museum, where pecan trees shade 35 acres of historical buildings including a smokehouse, log cabin, and one-room schoolhouse. This popular getaway is home to beer gardens, breweries, and German restaurants, plus plenty of shops and wineries. Whether or not you’re one of the 3 million Texas of German descent, you can have a blast at festivals like Oktoberfest, Sangerfest, and Schuetzenfest.  

Sailing from Spain in 1527, conquistador Cabeza de Vaca was the first European to set foot in Texas. Spain dominated Texas for the next three centuries as explorers introduced the guns and germs that would forever change the world – not to mention the cattle, horses, and ranching lifestyle integral to the Texan identity. Spain’s widespread impact comes to a peak in San Antonio at the most famous Spanish mission in America: the Alamo.  

The Alamo was founded in 1718, joining a string of Spanish outposts designed to convert the natives to Catholicism (and to show France who was boss in the New World). Before the Texas Revolution, the Alamo was a self-sufficient microcosm of Spanish civilization, from religious education to farming and textile production. Today, this symbol of courage is still surrounded by Spain’s indelible imprint.  

One of the first French visitors to Texas was the pirate Jean Lafitte, who organized a short-lived “kingdom” on Galveston Island in 1817. In 1842, Henri Castro, an officer in Napoleon’s army, obtained a colony contract, settling 2,000 people from Alsace-Lorraine there. Located in northeastern France on the border with Germany, Alsace-Lorraine is a distinct mix of both cultures, which the farmers brought to their new home: Castroville.     

Castroville is distinctly Alsatian. Combining French flair with German precision, the pioneers constructed small half-timbered homes with steeply pitched roofs. Many still exist, giving tiny Castroville an air of rustic elegance. Several have been converted into B&Bs, which is convenient for antiquing and enjoying the outstanding Alsatian bakeries downtown.  

Head east to discover Eastern Europe in Serbin, established by a people you’ve probably never heard of: the Wends. While the Wends came from what is now Germany, they are ethnically Slavic, with their own folklore, food, and dress.  

The Wends arrived in the 1850s, speaking Sorbian, a language akin to Polish and Russian, and seeking religious freedom. St. Paul Lutheran Church is a beautiful example of Wendish architecture, with the pulpit in the front balcony. Next door is the original log church/schoolhouse, along with the Texas Wendish Heritage Museum, which documents Slavic heritage, from traditional black wedding dresses to elaborately decorated Easter eggs.  

Nearby Giddings is also a notable Wendish site with several 19th-century buildings and small museums. The quaint stop has dozens of eateries plus ice cream parlors, murals, and an antique carousel.  

On the northern edge of Port Arthur lies Nederland. Founded by the Dutch in 1897, it was advertised in Old World newspapers as a “tropical paradise” with land selling for $8 per acre. The flat, coastal terrain was similar to low-lying Holland, but the climate certainly was not. Early arrivals battled alligators, malaria, and hurricanes. The Dutch grew rice and started the area’s dairy industry, but the success of the colony was ensured with the discovery of oil nearby at Spindletop in 1901.  

As their language died out in the 1970s, Dutch descendants constructed the three-story Dutch Windmill Museum to preserve their heritage. This authentic replica houses quirky artifacts like wooden shoes, and its gift shop is stocked with imported treats from Holland.  

People from these nine European ethnic groups joined many others to shape Texas as we know it. Their histories have joined to create the Texan identity that we share today. So raise a glass and celebrate all the cultures that make Texas one-of-a-kind.   

Na zdravi! Skål! Slàinte Mhath! Skål! Prost! Salud! Salut! K strowosći! Proost! Cheers, y’all!  

Raised in the Fort Worth area, Shilo Urban moved to Austin, Maine, Paris, Seattle, New Zealand, and Los Angeles before finding her way home a few years ago. Along the way, she has had over three dozen different jobs, including high school French teacher, record label manager, and farmhand for endangered livestock breeds. She’s traveled to more than 50 countries and always has the next trip planned. Shilo has been a freelance writer for over a decade and has published in Fort Worth Magazine, Fort Worth Weekly, and Afar. Her interests include lost civilizations, jalapeño peppers, and Game of Thrones. She is currently writing a thriller and lives in Fort Worth with the stars of this article, Steve and Lenny.

The post Take the European Grand Tour – Texas Style! first appeared on Tanglewood Moms.

photo credit: Shannon Lange Photography

But for the people who know Joan, she is so much more than the name on one of Fort Worth’s preeminent cancer centers. She is the comforting voice on the phone, the outstretched hand, the warm words of encouragement at just the right moment. She’s the type of person who makes you feel like you matter and that you are not alone. She is a person who genuinely cares.   

Joan is also a four-time cancer survivor who has struggled with heart disease and infertility. She has faced the darkness; she has wrestled with overwhelming fear. Now she shines a light for others who must walk a similar path, determined to be a beacon of hope so that no one will have to face their journey by themselves. 

Joan was diagnosed with breast cancer for the first time when she was just 30 years old. It was 1982, long before our modern era of pink ribbons and walks for the cure. Today, “early detection” and “breast self-exam” are familiar buzzwords, and the National Football League plays in pink cleats for breast cancer awareness every October. In the early 80s, the disease was still quite stigmatized. “[Breast cancer] wasn’t talked about. I wasn’t educated about it,” says Joan. “Now there is a lot of information, but there wasn’t back then…I was so naïve.” After finding a lump, her doctor sent her to have a mammogram right away. “I had to call my mom on the way and ask her what that was.” 

Soon, Joan was being wheeled into surgery for a mastectomy, her world turned upside down. “In an instant, I had entered a scary world of unknowns,” she says. “People all around me, their lives were going on, and I was just… frozen, waking up in the operating room.” Joan had little idea of the difficult recovery process ahead. “I wondered if the knot in my stomach would ever go away.” At a doctor’s appointment with her husband Howard at her side, words swirled inside her head: radiation, chemotherapy, hysterectomy. “I was just so overwhelmed,” she recalls, emotion still rising in her voice all these years later. “My husband turned to me and asked, ‘How do you eat a really big elephant?’ The only way to do this is one bite at a time. That is what we did then, and how we still try to live our lives, focusing just on the step we are standing on.” 

Breast cancer wasn’t the first health issue that Joan had to cope with; she and her husband had struggled with years of infertility. When she was first diagnosed with cancer, the couple had just been approved by the Gladney Center for Adoption and were waiting for that magical phone call to tell them that they were going to be parents. “We were so excited to be approved and waiting to adopt.” Their nursery was already decorated and ready to welcome a child. “We did polka dot in primary colors,” she remembers. “We went bold… the dust ruffle was in one color polka dot, and the sheets were in another.” But her diagnosis put all their plans on hold. “We just shut the door [to the nursery], not knowing what would happen. We had to focus on my health.” 

Photo courtesy of Joan Katz

After the operation, the chemotherapy, and the hair loss, Joan’s oncologist encouraged her and Howard to rejoin the waiting list at Gladney. They became the parents of a little girl, Lori. The door of the nursery was back open. “I can totally remember the joy when we got that phone call.” she says. “[It] was beyond our greatest hopes, wishes, and prayers. Our daughter was a dream come true.” 

Lori was in the third grade when Joan was diagnosed with breast cancer for the second time, in 1992. “It’s so hard when you’re diagnosed with a little one. That made it much more real, having a child and wanting to be there for the child.” Joan’s cancer returned again in 1996, when Lori was just beginning the difficult transition from child to woman.  

“I was starting to do my treatment for that third diagnosis, and Lori and I went to Dillard’s to shop for bathing suits. Well, she was in seventh grade, and she was really very curvy. She was wanting to wear these skimpy little bathing suits, and we got in a huge fight over it. And I remember coming home thinking, ‘I am coping fine with cancer, but I am not coping fine with this fight over a bathing suit!’” Although motherhood and cancer have very different challenges, they are connected by the shadowy specter of uncertainty. “Going through a cancer diagnosis is so uncertain, and there are no clear answers. If you knew the answers, you would do it. And raising children is the same way.”  

Today, we’re all facing a fresh variety of uncertainty with COVID-19. Joan is in a higher-risk group, and like all of us, she has experienced the anxiety of the time. “We’re human, you know. It’s hard. I always say it doesn’t do any good to work yourself up, but we’re human beings, so sometimes you just have to give in to it.” To de–stress, she takes walks, does Pilates, and plays games on her iPad. “Certain television shows can help me relax. I probably don’t want to admit it,” she laughs, “but the Hallmark Channel is really good during the coronavirus, because it always has happy endings.”  

photo credit: Shannon Lange Photography

She also tries to prioritize self-care. “We are in charge of our health mentally, physically, and spiritually. We need to make this a priority. We cannot be there for anyone else if we do not take care of ourselves. Sometimes you feel like you are being selfish if you are doing something just for you. But you deserve it. Everyone does.” Still, she admits, “I’m probably one of the worst, because I’m always doing, always going, and busy. But over the last few years, I’ve realized that you can’t get everything done in one day. It will still be there tomorrow. Just try to remember to do something for yourself as much as you can. Every day.” 

Having cancer has given Joan unique insights for dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic. “No one chooses to have cancer. But actually, you live your life in a much better way because you’ve had cancer,” she explains. “[It] teaches you about what’s really important.”  

Cancer and the coronavirus offer similar lessons: Today is a gift. Don’t put things off because everything can change in an instant. If there’s something you really want to do, you should try to make it happen. Have as few regrets as possible. Hold on to the people that you love.  

“Whether you’re a cancer survivor or you’re living through a pandemic, the best way to go through any crisis is not alone.” 

Thanks to the Joan Katz Cancer Resource Center, no one will ever have to face the crisis of cancer alone. Located at Baylor Scott & White All Saints in Fort Worth, the Center offers a wide range of support for people who have been diagnosed with the disease, from nutritional counseling and exercise classes to state-of-the-art surgical procedures. All non-medical services are free to all patients and their families, regardless of where they receive their direct medical care.  

Photo courtesy of Joan Katz

“When your world gets turned upside down…you want it to be fixed, and you want to have the answers right away. And that’s why the Cancer Center was formed, so that people would have a place to immediately turn to for answers.” Each patient who calls the Center is connected with a ‘navigator’ for immediate help with any type of cancer. “That person will take your hand, and they will guide you through everything. They’ll be there to answer questions, they’ll be there to help you get resources,” explains Joan. “They will walk through this whole experience with you.” 

The navigation services offered at the Center are informed by Joan’s experiences with cancer, including a diagnosis of bladder cancer just a few years ago. “It’s overwhelming at first—totally overwhelming,” she says. “But I always tell other survivors that the knot in your stomach can go away. You can go on, and you’ll live your life in a better way because you have gone through this… If you had told me as that 30-year-old about all the things that I would get to do, and that I would still be here 38 years later, and that I would have gotten to be a mom, and now a grandmother, I would have never believed that.” 

“You have to hold onto hope and faith… We do not have a cure yet for cancer, but there have been amazing advancements and funding for scientific research. Every single day offers a brand new hope that medical breakthroughs will finally outrun the disease.” Joan advises to ask plenty of questions, and don’t forget to eat the elephant one bite at a time. “Don’t get too far ahead of yourself. Picking your medical team is important, so don’t feel like you have to do it so fast that you don’t form the right partnerships. You can get second opinions, and that’s all okay.” Most of all, “remember that it will get better. And let people help you – that’s the hard part… There are times in life when we all need help.” 

If you have a friend or loved one who has been diagnosed with cancer, it can be difficult to know what to do or to say. But you don’t need the perfect idea – just make sure that they aren’t having to go it alone. “Try to help them access support services… and just let them know you care… just feeling supported means everything.”  

Photo courtesy of Joan Katz

“Just do something for them,” says Joan. Bring them a plate of food. Show up with a bag of groceries. Give them a gift certificate to a house-cleaning service. Offer to do specific chores, like walking their dog or handling the laundry. “Emails and texts are really nice.” But be careful not to burden the patient with questions that put the ball back in their court, such as, “What do you need?” “What food do you really want?” “How can I help?” These offers seem kind on the surface, but someone dealing with a crisis is already juggling too many balls, so don’t ask them to figure out what you should do to help. Just help. “It’s not the size of what you do. It’s just mainly letting them know that they don’t have to do this by themselves… That’s really important.” 

We may not all be able to raise millions of dollars or launch a nationally renowned cancer resource center, but we can all send a text or an email. We can all sit with a friend who is hurting, as Joan has done so many times. Small acts can have a big impact, and great things are achieved with little steps. Joan’s mission to help cancer survivors started with a single 5K race and has grown into a lifelong journey, fueled by the support of countless others. “I feel so amazed that I’ve been able to be part of so many group efforts that have resulted in so many things for our community,” she says. “We’ve all done it together.” 

Joan’s contributions will last for many generations, echoing through the lives of so many families. But even beyond her many good deeds, she lights the way for others with her hope, strength, and perseverance. “I don’t want to just be known as a cancer survivor. I am grateful to be a cancer survivor, but I don’t want to be known just for what I’ve done. I want to be remembered for the person that I am… I want to be remembered as a good family member, a good mom, a good grandmother, a good person.” 

Bad things happen, but with the help of people like Joan Katz, we’ll get through them – together. From lofty accomplishments to small moments of kindness, she inspires us all to shine a light in the darkness.  

Raised in the Fort Worth area, Shilo Urban moved to Austin, Maine, Paris, Seattle, New Zealand, and Los Angeles before finding her way home a few years ago. Along the way, she has had over three dozen different jobs, including high school French teacher, record label manager, and farmhand for endangered livestock breeds. She’s traveled to more than 50 countries and always has the next trip planned. Shilo has been a freelance writer for over a decade and has published in Fort Worth Magazine, Fort Worth Weekly, and Afar. Her interests include lost civilizations, jalapeño peppers, and Game of Thrones. She is currently writing a thriller and lives in Fort Worth with the stars of this article, Steve and Lenny.

The post Good Deeds, Great and Small first appeared on Tanglewood Moms.

Photo courtesy of Trident Restaurant Group

Like every restauranteur in the city, Rishel found himself facing an unexpected challenge. He was tested like never before, and he made it through to the other side. “We’re very blessed,” said Rishel, who praises the people of Fort Worth for helping to keep his business open and prosperous.  

But in late March, that outcome was far from certain. About a week after the city’s dining rooms closed, the reality of his situation sunk in when Rishel ran the numbers – and there weren’t any. “To see a week with zero sales was quite disturbing,” he said. “That got us to the point where we had to get really creative with how we operate.”  

Rishel reached out to his mentors while his business partners at Trident Restaurant Group (Kyle Bryson and Wallace Owens) did the same. “We really dug in and listened to our clientele—what they wanted, what they didn’t want—and created a plan with that.” Wishbone & Flynt began offering family-sized meals of comfort food to go. “It worked really well for us due to the concept of the restaurant, which is about getting people back around a table and breaking bread and fellowship over food,” he explained. “It fit in quite perfectly with our mantra…it got families back around the dinner table at night.” 

It was a difficult time, but for Rishel, the obstacle is the way. “Challenge is fun. I wouldn’t do this business if it wasn’t hard. I know that sounds weird, but I like challenge. I like to work. A 40-hour workweek to me is pretty boring,” he said. “[The challenge] makes the reward that much better at the end of the day.” 

Another reward of this year’s travails for Rishel was the deepening sense of community for the small business owners in the South Main District. “The community here with us – Shannon Osbakken at Bearded Lady, Sarah Hooton and Matt Mobley at Hot Box, Shawn Howell at Southside Cellars, Chance and Kala Morgan at Morgan Mercantile, Tareka Lofton at Loft22 Cakes – our whole goal was to meet on the weekly and figure [things] out…what’s working for you, what’s not working for you, how do we get better, how do we help this person survive this. And what has happened is that we’ve created this pocket of this unbelievable neighborhood. We are always in each other’s establishments supporting, and it’s awesome.” 

Photo courtesy of Trident Restaurant Group

When the city lifted the shutdown in May, Wishbone & Flynt was ready. “Opening up with a new menu and with a new start was like opening a new restaurant,” said Rishel, who went on open a new restaurant a few months later: Berry Street Ice House. With a large green space outdoors for dining and games, this family-friendly hangout fits in well with the new abnormal. It’s available for private holiday parties, including buyouts of the entire space. 

The same is true for Wishbone & Flynt and The Amber Room, where Rishel is planning a special Christmas menu, a New Year’s Eve celebration, and some winter wine dinners, pandemic permitting. The speakeasy already hosts a socially distanced music show every month with acts like William Clark Green and John Baumann. 

Rishel is also planning a few pop-ups to let people know about Trident Restaurant Group’s next opening, Cast & Hook, which will be located inside of the Southside’s new Hotel Revel. “We’re just moving forward and really doing everything we can,” he said. His strategy of taking the bull by the horns has thus far paid off, but local restaurants aren’t out of the woods yet.

Photo courtesy of Trident Restaurant Group

“The big chains will be there after all this is gone, but your mom-and-pop places are struggling to survive day–to–day. Do your best to support them, and support all of them if you have the ability to. It doesn’t mean you have to go and have a $100 dinner. If you just stop in and have an appetizer and a cocktail or something like that, you’re showing support, and that’s the biggest thing,” he explained. “Some of us have our complete livelihoods on the line…like my house, my kids’ education—all of that depends on what I do here.” 

For Chef Stefon Rishel, the unprecedented challenges and unexpected blessings of 2020 have brought it all back to the basics. “We want to feed people,” he said. “That’s what we’re here for. We got into this business to make people happy.”  

Raised in the Fort Worth area, Shilo Urban moved to Austin, Maine, Paris, Seattle, New Zealand, and Los Angeles before finding her way home a few years ago. Along the way, she has had over three dozen different jobs, including high school French teacher, record label manager, and farmhand for endangered livestock breeds. She’s traveled to more than 50 countries and always has the next trip planned. Shilo has been a freelance writer for over a decade and has published in Fort Worth Magazine, Fort Worth Weekly, and Afar. Her interests include lost civilizations, jalapeño peppers, and Game of Thrones. She is currently writing a thriller and lives in Fort Worth with her faithful weenie dogs, Steve and Lenny.

The post Building a Restaurant in 2020: Wishbone & Flynt Survives, Twists & Sparks Something New first appeared on Tanglewood Moms.

Photo courtesy of Fort Worth Children’s Dentistry

Joining Dr. Morrow, Dr. Jamison, and Dr. Beville, Dr. Risner fits in like a puzzle piece at the kid-friendly practice, which caters to the unique needs of children. Dental drills are renamed “water whistles” and “tickle toothbrushes.” Hygienists don’t scrape tartar off teeth—they “draw” unicorns and superheroes. The doctors schedule extra time with patients and their parents to discuss cavity prevention and develop good relationships. It’s all part of the mission to establish healthy dental habits with children and to get them comfortable in the dental chair, both of which will serve them well for decades to come.

“Our goal with all of these techniques is to motivate kids to take pride in their oral health and have fun doing it,” says Dr. Risner. He was drawn to the field of pediatric dentistry because of its far-reaching consequences on children’s lives—and for the fun. A graduate of Samford University, Dr. Risner attended dental school at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, then received his postdoctoral certificate in Advanced Education in General Dentistry on the Navajo Reservation in Arizona. After two years practicing in San Antonio, Risner completed his residency in Pediatric Dentistry at the Children’s Hospital of Alabama.

Photo courtesy of Fort Worth Children’s Dentistry

Pediatric dentists are the pediatricians of dentistry. Most parents take their child to a pediatrician instead of a general practitioner because they know that kids benefit from  specialized care. But many don’t realize that their child will also benefit from specialized dental care—and that’s exactly what pediatric dentists like Dr. Risner provide. “I think we all agree that the stakes are higher for kids, and they should receive the highest quality care,” he explains.

For Risner and all the doctors at Fort Worth Children’s Dentistry, prevention is key. They strive to educate, motivate, and promote oral health. Routine check-ups should start at a very early age. For this reason, they recommend kids come to see them six months after their first baby tooth arrives or before they reach one year of age. By motivating kids at a young age to take pride in their teeth by establishing smart brushing, flossing, and eating habits, you are setting your child up for a lifetime of good oral health.

Pediatric dentists can also handle emergency situations and dental trauma. “If a 10-year-old has a bike accident and has a tooth pop out, improper treatment can result in a missing front tooth for a lifetime,” says Dr. Risner. “Thankfully, most of what we do isn’t urgent or emergent and allows us to progressively coach patients into better taking care of their teeth.”

Photo courtesy of Fort Worth Children’s Dentistry

Having four Board-certified pediatric dentists isn’t the only thing that sets Fort Worth Children’s Dentistry apart. The neighborhood practice is designed around caring for children’s distinct dental, medical, and emotional needs. Kids come back from the waiting room on their own, leaving behind their anxieties with their parents. They get to wear special sunglasses and sit next to fellow patients in the open bay office, which lets them see other children doing just fine. Fort Worth Children’s Dentistry is also involved in the local community, providing comprehensive dental health programs at schools (when they’re not closed due to Covid-19). In the office, precautionary measures against the virus include extra sterilization, temperature checks, face masks, and social distancing.

Practicing good oral hygiene can help your child stay healthy now and in the future. Poor oral health can contribute to numerous illnesses including heart disease, diabetes, and respiratory problems. With the help of the doctors at Fort Worth Children’s Dentistry, your child will develop the dental care habits that they need for a lifetime of good health—and they’ll have a little fun while they do.

Schedule an appointment today at Fort Worth Children’s Dentistry by calling 817.569.6633 or online at FWKIDS.com.

The post Fort Worth Children’s Dentistry Welcomes Dr. Jonathan Risner first appeared on Tanglewood Moms.

photo credit: Shilo Urban

Grab a globe or world map and start your adventure by choosing your destinations. You can focus on just one city, country, or continent, but for a true around-the-world experience, pick four or five locations that are spread out around the globe. Try to visit places that intrigue you, and your enthusiasm will spill over to your family.

Download free printable passports for kids (there’s a good one on MakeAndTakes.com) to keep track of your journey, and then gather your resources and start planning. The best way to make your lessons fun and memorable is by engaging your children’s five senses: taste, smell, sound, sight, and feeling.

photo credit: Shilo Urban

Stimulating the senses of taste and smell is easy: try the cuisine of the destination that you’re exploring. Cook a recipe together with older students or order takeout from a local restaurant. For busy moms and/or picky kids, just do something simple and snack-ish, like French baguettes and Brie cheese. You can shop for a variety of ethnic foods at local groceries. Before you eat, Google the name of the food you’re trying plus the phrase “fun facts” (e.g., “lomo saltado fun facts”) to discover fascinating tidbits to talk about. And don’t just chow down – really smell your food, taste it, feel it (if it’s not too messy), and talk about what makes it similar and different than what your family usually eats.

Music is the easiest way to incorporate sound into your globe-trotting adventure. Search Spotify, Pandora, or YouTube for playlists that will transport you to foreign lands. Traditional music and folk sounds are good but be sure to play tunes from the modern era, too. While France’s Edith Piaf is an undeniable musical legend, most young French people would rather listen to L’Impératrice, Lomepal, or Petit Biscuit, and your kids probably will, too.

photo credit: Shilo Urban

Engage the sense of sight with eye-candy travel pics and videos. Record family-friendly travel shows on good old PBS (channel 13), including “Globe Trekker,” “Rick Steve’s Europe,” and “Expedition.” You can also watch videos on streaming sites (like Netflix and Hulu) and cable (try the Discovery Channel, Science, or National Geographic). The Fort Worth Public Library maintains a stash of travel DVDs you can borrow plus numerous travel books and guidebooks with useful maps and information. There are plenty of travel videos online, of course, but your kids are probably already staring at their computer screens all day long. Keep things interesting by changing the setting. Hook up an old DVD player and hang blue sheets for a trip to the Greek Islands. Look at pictures of Egypt in the sandbox. Sit on the floor to read about Thailand, just like Thai schoolchildren do. A small change in your environment can make a big difference.

“Feel” your destination by getting hands-on. Rip out pictures in travel magazines and create collages. Design Indonesian-inspired textiles with markers and graph paper. You can also feel the enthusiasm of a person who’s been to the location that you’re studying. Do you know anyone from Paris, or who has visited South Africa on vacation? Many travelers are keen to talk about their trips and show off their photos. If they have souvenirs to pass around – postcards, foreign currency, ticket stubs – so much the better. These will give your kids a real, tactile connection to the country. If you need an excuse to shop, you can also find decor made in other countries at stores like World Market and HomeGoods. Or simply search your home for elements that evoke the spirit of a place, like brightly colored blankets for Guatemala or seashells for the Philippines. Bring all your plants into one room to visit the jungles of South Africa or cut the A/C low to explore the coast of Iceland.

photo credit: Shilo Urban

Most of all, let your children’s interests and unique personalities guide you. Have fun together and just do the best that you can—and perhaps someday, you can experience these far-away lands for real on a family vacation.

Raised in the Fort Worth area, Shilo Urban moved to Austin, Maine, Paris, Seattle, New Zealand, and Los Angeles before finding her way home a few years ago. Along the way, she has had over three dozen different jobs, including high school French teacher, record label manager, and farmhand for endangered livestock breeds. She’s traveled to more than 50 countries and always has the next trip planned. Shilo has been a freelance writer for over a decade and has published in Fort Worth Magazine, Fort Worth Weekly, and Afar. Her interests include lost civilizations, jalapeño peppers, and Game of Thrones. She is currently writing a thriller and lives in Fort Worth with the stars of this article, Steve and Lenny.

The post Destination Living Room: How to Take Your Kids Around the World in a Pandemic first appeared on Tanglewood Moms.

Do you dream of living in an elegant Victorian two-story with a wrap-around front porch? Perhaps you’re looking for a family-friendly ranch home or a tasteful Craftsman bungalow. In Fort Worth, you’ll find new, historic, and renovated homes in myriad architectural styles. While many styles root themselves in bygone eras, you don’t necessarily need a historic house to get the look you want. New builds draw inspiration from classic motifs and offer distinct twists on contemporary and traditional design. From charming Tudors to streamlined mid-century moderns, discover the most coveted architectural styles in the city.

Inspired by the Old World architecture brought to America with early settlers, Colonial architecture blends neoclassical stateliness with Puritan-style minimalism. It was the dominant design across the country in the 1700s – think Tara from Gone With the Wind. Although the style has many subsets (including Georgian, Dutch, and Cape Cod), the homes are usually symmetrical squares or rectangles with two or three stories. Dormer windows are a must. Living rooms and kitchens are located downstairs, and bedrooms are on the upper level. Side-gabled roofs and tall columns add grace and grandeur. Look for Colonial architecture in neighborhoods like Westover Hills, Ryan Place, and, of course, Colonial.

While Colonial architecture is more subdued, intricate gables, ornate trim work, and wrap-around porches make Victorian architecture easy to recognize. Hailing from the reign of England’s Queen Victoria (1837-1901), these homes are usually two or three stories tall and feature complex, asymmetrical designs. Hexagonal and octagonal shapes are often found in Victorian architecture, along with bay windows, towers, and turrets. Look for elaborate gingerbread cutouts and spindles, along with turned posts and decorative railings. Victorian architecture is most often seen in Fairmount, Ryan Place, and Berkeley Place.

Craftsman architecture’s clean lines and no-nonsense design came as a welcome reprieve after the embellishments of the Victorian era. Also known as Arts and Crafts, the aesthetic was spawned as a late 19^th-century British and American movement to revive handmade artistry. Simple yet tasteful, casual, and well-constructed, the Craftsman style has far-reaching influence. Many homes feature wide eaves and low-pitched roofs with triangular framing. Front porches are ubiquitous and often adorned with thick, tapered columns. Built-ins and exposed beams give interior spaces a hand-hewn feel. Craftsman is the most popular architectural style in America and dominates Mistletoe Heights, Arlington Heights, and the Near Southside.

Curved roof lines and decorative half-timbering are hallmarks of the Tudor style, an early 20^th-century revival of late medieval architecture from the reign of Henry VIII. With intricate chimneys and steeply pitched gable roofs, Tudor architecture embraces a nostalgic lean towards English pastoralism and simpler times. From fairy-tale folk cottages to king-worthy mansions that evoke a countryside manor, these homes often boast embellished doorways, decorative chimney pots, and a quaint, storybook vibe. While they’re more common up north, Tudor homes make regular appearances in Rivercrest, Westover Hills, Arlington Heights, and the neighborhoods around TCU.

Laid-back and low-slung, ranch style homes embrace outdoor living and open floor plans (usually in a rectangle or L-shape). This uniquely American style rose to prominence in the 1950s and ‘60s, and the single-story design is still one of the most popular today. Ranch homes emphasize natural light, and the backyard is usually just steps away from the living room or kitchen. Their aesthetic of modern simplicity extends to the exterior, which is often covered with brick for easy maintenance. You’ll find these family-friendly homes throughout the city, but especially in Tanglewood, Overton Park, and Ridglea/Ridgmar.

Referring to the years between 1933 to 1965, mid-century modern celebrates indoor/outdoor harmony with ample windows and natural light. Clean lines and organic elements dominate: warm woods, slate floors, travertine tiles, and voluminous stone fireplaces. Roofs are vaulted or flat. Sliding glass doors and clerestory windows let the outside in, while atriums create calm. Functional and futuristic at its inception, this style heralded a new era of progress and optimism in America that still rings true today. Most mid-century modern homes in Fort Worth are clustered in Ridglea Hills, Westcliff, and Morningside.

In other cities, these wildly diverse architectural styles could (and do) clash, but in Fort Worth, they harmoniously combine to create the city we know and love.

Raised in the Fort Worth area, Shilo Urban moved to Austin, Maine, Paris, Seattle, New Zealand, and Los Angeles before finding her way home a few years ago. Along the way, she has had over three dozen different jobs, including high school French teacher, record label manager, and farmhand for endangered livestock breeds. She’s traveled to more than 50 countries and always has the next trip planned. Shilo has been a freelance writer for over a decade and has published in Fort Worth Magazine, Fort Worth Weekly, and Afar. Her interests include lost civilizations, jalapeño peppers, and Game of Thrones. She is currently writing a thriller and lives in Fort Worth with her weenie dogs, Steve and Lenny.

The post Creating a Harmonious Whole first appeared on Tanglewood Moms.

With a rugged maritime culture rooted in its immense natural beauty, Maine’s fresh-air appeal is unlike any other place in America. Look far into the deep-green backwoods and out over the waters of Penobscot Bay to discover a vacation destination that soothes your soul. I lived in Maine for three winters and found a million reasons to love it – but here are ten of my favorites.

Why Travel to Maine?

To eat lobster on the beach along with clams and corn, all steamed next to the ocean under a bed of seaweed, followed by a jump in the cold Atlantic to wash yourself off.

To sail on a traditional wooden schooner up the coast and jam the wind with a crew of salty sailors – or maybe even become one yourself.

To ride the mountain at the Camden Snow Bowl, the only ski resort in the world with a panoramic view of the Atlantic Ocean. It hosts the National Toboggan Championships in February of each year.

To indulge in blueberry season with fresh pies, tarts, and pancakes – all served with Grade A maple syrup, of course. More about the chocolate than the fruit? Try a classic New England Whoopie Pie, a chocolate cake sandwich with oodles of white cream in the middle.

To go ice fishing. While sitting out on a frozen lake staring at a hole in the ice waiting for fish may seem a little boring, add a wood-fired sauna on shore and a glass of coffee brandy and milk (the unofficial Maine State Drink) and you will understand this New England obsession.

To tie a sled to the back of a snow mobile by a long rope and get your friends to pull you around. NOT recommended after indulging in the Maine State Drink.

To walk in a field of lupines, tall elegant flowers which dot the countryside in spring in a palette of purple, pink, white, yellow and fuchsia. Visiting in autumn? The bright red leaves of the sugar maple trees will blow your mind.

To truly understand the need for gloves, hats and scarves which are not accessories in Maine, but necessities (during the six-month snow season, anyway).

To share your days with the wildlife: sea lions who pop into bays at low tide, families of foxes playing in your backyard, bright birds of all colors, and the regal moose, lumbering through the backwoods of Maine and into your heart.

To breathe in the smell of the sea and the firmament of the forest, letting the raw salty air and deep piney green soak into your body and become part of your person.

While traveling feels far away now, we will be able to travel eventually. So while you’re still hunkered down, you can dream of Maine and plan one heck of a vacation!

Raised in the Fort Worth area, Shilo Urban moved to Austin, Maine, Paris, Seattle, New Zealand, and Los Angeles before finding her way home a few years ago. Along the way, she has had over three dozen different jobs, including high school French teacher, record label manager, and farmhand for endangered livestock breeds. She’s traveled to more than 50 countries and always has the next trip planned. Shilo has been a freelance writer for over a decade and has published in Fort Worth Magazine, Fort Worth Weekly, and Afar. Her interests include lost civilizations, jalapeño peppers, and Game of Thrones. She is currently writing a thriller and lives in Fort Worth with the stars of this article, Steve and Lenny.

The post Top Ten Reasons to Go to Maine first appeared on Tanglewood Moms.

photo credit: Andrea Pitti Photography

A native Texan, Christa spent several years in Fort Worth studying fashion merchandising at TCU. “I loved the small-town feel and all of the very close friendships I made,” she says. Her family has deep roots in Italy, where many of her aunts, uncles, and grandparents live today. She met her husband Federico in Italy in 2016, and they were married three years later. But a monster was lurking in the path ahead.

“The first thing I remember hearing about the coronavirus was that somehow a virus got out in China, and their whole country was basically closing down,” she recalls. “This virus was spreading like wildfire, and they needed to build more hospitals quickly. I couldn’t believe it.”

At the time, the problem seemed far away to Christa – like it did for most of us. “I NEVER thought it would spread to the rest of the world like it has,” she says. “I also didn’t know if I should believe the severity of it; everyone was talking about how it’s probably a political move.”

Italy was slow to prepare. “We didn’t have big concerns for it coming here. We lived life as normal. Even when the rest of the world was talking about how bad it was in Italy and spreading rumors – there was a lot of fake news at the beginning. I received so many pictures from friends, of towns here… that showed not one soul. These were all fake pictures at the time…” Misinformation spread even faster than the virus.

But soon the empty streets became reality, beginning in Lombardy, about four hours north of Christa. Italian authorities announced a quarantine over much of northern Italy on March 8, but the news leaked out the night before, resulting in a panicked rush on the rail stations. People packed into trains to flee south. “I realized that they were seeing how bad it was with their own eyes, they were scared, and they wanted to leave and go to other parts of Italy they felt were ‘safer,’” she says. “When I saw the pictures of the train station FULL in Milan, we decided to start staying in more ourselves.”

Two days later, Italy announced a nation-wide lockdown of its 60 million people. Businesses were shuttered, including nonessential departments at the public hospital and Federico’s medical clinic, the couple’s sole source of income. “Medical places don’t just close…I knew it was getting really scary and bad,” she says. “I was scared for the country.”

Now in quarantine for weeks, Christa has (mostly) adjusted to the new abnormal. “I have surprisingly felt very at peace. I don’t even go to the grocery store; my husband does all of that. I literally have not left the house.” She stays busy cooking and exercising and stays sane by sticking to a schedule. “I try to get somewhat ready daily, which is usually just blow drying my hair and putting on some mascara and get out of my pajamas! It helps mentally!” Facetime helps her stay connected with her family.

Under Italy’s strict lockdown orders, Christa can’t even go for a walk. Police check the documents of anyone outside their home and fine those who break the rules. “We haven’t seen ANY friends or family in weeks,” she says. These strict measures are just what it will take to beat the virus. “Stay put in your own house!!” she implores. “It seems so impossible to stay at home 24/7, but it’s not. We are doing it here.”

Although there’s no way of knowing when the pandemic will end, Christa’s hope is unstoppable. “We truly feel like Italy will come out of this stronger than ever,” she says. “[I hope] that it is going to ground all of us and bring us back to what is important in life…to teach all of us the importance of family time, of slowing down and appreciating what we have.”

Facing a crisis like the coronavirus is no honeymoon, but for Christa and Federico, life goes on. “We will all come out of it, if everyone does their part…Until a vaccine or cure is created, we all need to take care of each other,” says Christa. “Don’t lose hope!”

The post Glad You’re Not Here: A Pandemic Postcard from Italy first appeared on Tanglewood Moms.

Eating healthy foods is essential to keep your immune system strong and your body in balance. This is especially true during times of great stress – something like a global pandemic that has killed thousands of people, decimated your income, and forced you into isolation like a shaggy, bleach-scented hermit.

Yes, there are far better ways to deal with your negative emotions, like deep breathing, meditation, and exercise. But sometimes you need serenity NOW.

As children, food was one of the first things we learned to comfort ourselves with. It still works today. While stress-eating as a lifestyle probably isn’t the smartest choice, if you find yourself in your pantry shoveling in a fistful of feel-good – take it easy on yourself. You’re doing the best that you can, and that’s all we need to expect from ourselves right now.

Whether you like salty or sweet, gooey or crunchy – the best foods for stress-eating usually have a few things in common.

• They require zero preparation. Chopping things with a knife may have other therapeutic benefits, but slicing and dicing is generally not part of stress-eating.
• They can be eaten quickly, stuffed into your mouth before your kids or husband notice – and before your inner critic has time to point out all the healthy foods that you should be eating instead.
• These are not healthy foods. High levels of fat, salt, and sugar (or all three) trigger a dopamine release in your brain and calm your inner caveman. So you can go ahead and blame your ancestors for that third candy bar.

No Fork Needed: Top 10 Foods to Stress-Eat

#1. Cookies. That’s the way the cookie crumbles – a good motto for 2020, am I right? No matter what size of cookie you have, it can always be shoved entirely into your mouth. If you disagree – try harder.

#2. Trail mix by the handful. This salty-sweet combo gives you the satisfying feeling of marbles in your mouth. But you’re not Cory Feldman in Goonies – you can chomp down on those delectable gemstones and go back for more. Take that, Fratellis.

#3. Chips & salsa. Eating at Mexican restaurants has conditioned us all (in Texas) with the ability to cram in one spicy scoop after another and another – and then devour an entire plate of enchiladas if we so desire. It’s a SKILL, thankyouverymuch.

#4. Ice cream. I’ve left my house once in the past two weeks for an essential trip to Andy’s Frozen Custard. Don’t judge me.

#5. Pizza. But only if it’s already made – and why bother to heat it up? The quicker the pizza goes from the box or the fridge to your stomach, the less you have to think about the calories you just ate.

#6. Shredded cheese, straight from the bag. There’s something decadent in throwing your head back and dropping a wad of cheese into your mouth, like you’re a diamond-adorned heiress laughing at life’s little worries as you call for another round of Cristal.

#7. Popcorn. Light, airy, and crunchalicious popcorn is the healthiest food on this list – unless you drench it in melted butter or eat a whole bowl (which you probably will). And it’s the perfect companion to another night of binge-watching Schitt’s Creek.

#8. Jelly, jam, or preserves (this might only be me). I don’t keep sweets in my house because I have zero willpower not to Hoover them down. But sometimes when I get really stressed, I NEED a sugar fix. So I wind up knuckle-deep in a jelly jar eating orange marmalade with a spoon. Not proud – but at least I leave my dog’s sweet potato treats alone.

#9. Wine. First of all: Yes, wine is food. Second of all: Wine helps to relieve stress in the brain. It’s SCIENCE. Well, at least red wine does. It contains a plant compound called resveratrol, which reverses crappy moods.

#10. Chocolate. Chocolate stimulates the same pleasure centers in your brain as marijuana and sex. Need I say more?

Raised in the Fort Worth area, Shilo Urban moved to Austin, Maine, Paris, Seattle, New Zealand, and Los Angeles before finding her way home a few years ago. Along the way, she has had over three dozen different jobs, including high school French teacher, record label manager, and farmhand for endangered livestock breeds. She’s traveled to more than 50 countries and always has the next trip planned. Shilo has been a freelance writer for over a decade and has published in Fort Worth Magazine, Fort Worth Weekly, and Afar. Her interests include lost civilizations, jalapeño peppers, and Game of Thrones. She is currently writing a thriller and lives in Fort Worth with the stars of this article, Steve and Lenny.

The post Top 10 Foods for Stress Eating first appeared on Tanglewood Moms.

It seems like having a large variety of options would always be a positive thing. But it becomes a negative experience when there are too many choices and too much information to sort through in order to make confident decisions. This is true on the toothpaste aisle, and it is also true when it comes to the big question:

What do you want to do with your life? Who do you want to be?

In the past, this question had an easy answer (particularly for women) because our choices were extremely limited. You were a full-time mother and housewife. You worked on a farm or in a factory. You herded animals or sold your family’s oranges at the market. You survived.

Fast forward to 2020, when little boys and girls alike are told that we can be anything we want to be. You can run for office or open a bakery. You can be a high-powered professional or a zookeeper. You can raise chickens, travel the world, adopt seven children, or change careers mid-stream. You can do anything you want – but you probably can’t do everything you want.

We were told that we can be anything we want to be, but no one ever quite explained how exactly to figure out what that was. With so many options in life and so much information overload, it’s essential to determine your priorities. You can do that by identifying your organizing principle.

What is an organizing principle?

Your organizing principle is the axle of your life, your central reference point around which everything else revolves. Determining your core principle makes it much easier to make decisions about your environment, actions, and dreams – because they all come back to one center.

You may have known exactly what your organizing principle is since you were 14 years old. If so, consider yourself lucky. If not, it may take some soul-searching until you find the idea that works for you. But when you do, it will click. Everything will make sense, because your guiding principle comes from the deepest part of who you are.

No matter what, you must identify your organizing principle because it is true to you – not because that’s what you think you should do. And remember: your core principle may well change as you go through life.

FAMILY has been the core principle for many women for almost all of human existence. Putting your partner and children at the center of your life feels natural for many parents, but if it doesn’t for you – don’t beat yourself up about it. You can still be a good parent.

RELIGION is another age-old organizing principle that brings a sense of peace and centeredness to many people’s lives. Love, caring, and compassion are its compatriots

LEARNING about the world and the people is often the guiding light for those who are naturally curious and love getting out of their comfort zone to try new things.

CREATIVITY and self-expression can be a good organizing principle for those who are artistically inclined; in fact these types will find it hard balance their lives at all without some sort of outlet for their creative production.

HELPING OTHERS with compassion can be a profound source of strength and connection throughout life, for yourself as well as others.

CARING for ANIMALS can be a powerful raison d’être for humans who want to use their power to help creatures in need.

HEALING can be an essential guiding principle for those that have experienced trauma or painful pasts. Prioritize the healing of your soul so that it can be set free on your spiritual journey.

These are just a few options; perhaps you want to center your life around Zen-style self-acceptance, bold career ambitions, or becoming an Olympic archery champion. Whatever you choose for your central reference point, knowing it will help you to make decisions big and small. Will this choice hurt or help others? How will this decision affect my family? Should I make this purchase, or put the money towards something else?

Soon even smaller choices will become more manageable, because even if you don’t know your exact path in life, at least you know which organizing principle to start from.

Raised in the Fort Worth area, Shilo Urban moved to Austin, Maine, Paris, Seattle, New Zealand, and Los Angeles before finding her way home a few years ago. Along the way, she has had over three dozen different jobs, including high school French teacher, record label manager, and farmhand for endangered livestock breeds. She’s traveled to more than 50 countries and always has the next trip planned. Shilo has been a freelance writer for over a decade and has published in Fort Worth Magazine, Fort Worth Weekly, and Afar. Her interests include lost civilizations, jalapeño peppers, and Game of Thrones. She is currently writing a thriller and lives in Fort Worth with the stars of this article, Steve and Lenny.

The post What’s Your Organizing Principle? first appeared on Tanglewood Moms.