Surprises: Dame Edna and mah jongg
This past Saturday night turned out to be a rowdy one for some of Rene’s ourtowners. Leon Brachman, Gail Granek, Debby Rice, Carole Rogers and Roz Rosenthal expected to have an enjoyable and entertaining evening when they went to dinner and to see Dame Edna at Bass Hall. For those of you who don’t know, Dame Edna is a man dressed as a woman who does a real kitschy comedy routine. Well, it seems Dame Edna also likes to involve the audience … and on this particular evening our own Leon Brachman was part of the entertainment. He couldn’t have been a better sport — answering her questions, laughing at her jokes and getting on stage to thunderous applause from the audience. Dame Edna even gave him a Polaroid souvenir of the two of them. It was a splendid evening and a good time was had by all.
On another note, the Monday night mah jongg group which was held at Pat Davis’ house also had a surprise. Seems that Pat had a family friend in from Albuquerque for the week who happens to also run JAS Catering … and since she doesn’t play mah jongg, she whipped up some wonderful goodies for the group: Mary Frances Antweil, Gail Granek, Carole Rogers and Roz Rosenthal. Ruthie Hamill was with her husband, Milton, celebrating his birthday. The mini quiches were the biggest hit, as was the fact that the caterer did all the serving and cleaning. The group is anxiously awaiting her next visit.
Movie, ice cream for ‘Daytimers’
Beth-El Synagogue will be the only place that anyone can get a great film, free popcorn and unlimited ice cream at the program on Wednesday, July 15, when the “Daytimers” holds its annual movie party and ice cream social. Featured will be the classic comedy, Mel Brooks’ original film “The Producers” starring Zero Mostel and Gene Wilder.
“Daytimers” will have all flavors of ice cream including Dutch chocolate, coffee, pecan praline, natural vanilla bean (no corn syrup), fat-free and low-fat frozen yogurt, lactose-free and sugar-free.
Cost is only $5 for the film, free popcorn and ice cream. For reservations, call Barbara Rubin, 817-927-2736, or Sylvia Wexler, 817-294-1129, or checks can be mailed to Daytimers, Beth-El Congregation, 4900 Briarhaven Road, Fort Worth, TX 76109.
The Sylvia Wolens “Daytimers” is a program of Congregation Beth-El with financial support from the Jewish Federation.
Trinity Valley alumni news
As a mom of two former Trinity Valley grads — attorney Steve Wisch, who resides and practices in Houston where he happily resides with his wife, Fern, and Sharon Wisch-Ray, TJP editor, who resides in Dallas with husband, Alex, and sons, Benjamin, Sam and Jimmy — I enjoy browsing through the Trinity Valley school magazine, and reading about our youngsters. In the current issue I noted that:
Stephanie Rapfogel Topper (Class of ‘85), daughter of Judy Cooper and granddaughter of Morty Rapfogel and the late Bernice Rapfogel, writes: “I’m loving being a full-time mom in Plano, where Steve and I try to keep up with our big ‘Topper bunch’ (six kids at six different schools): Ryan (20) is a sophomore at A&M in the Corps Cadets; Melissa (18) a recent Greenhill grad where she served as student body president and homecoming queen; Michael (16) loves having a car and playing lacrosse; Reed (14) is unbeatable on the Wii; Mandy (7) is thrilled to have her pierced ears and is passionate about ice skating, while littlest sister Sammie (5) is our own personal tornado who can’t wait to join the big kids at kindergarten next year.”
Linda Ravech Mesnik (Class of ‘83) lives near Boston in the town of Needham. Her mother (Sara Ravech) still lives in Fort Worth. Life in New England is similar to Texas with three kids ages 12, 10 and 7 and schedules full of soccer, baseball and dance class. “It just gets colder here,” she said.
Danny Cohen (Class of ‘75), son of Judy and Don Cohen, traveled from his home in Yardley, Pa., to spend a week of unstructured play with his ol’ buddy, Warren Stadler, a resident of Park City, Utah. Danny said, “We cycled, hiked, and mountain-biked on the trails in and around Park City, Zion and Bryce Canyons and Hurricane City, Utah. We even enjoyed (survived) a mountain-bike ride on the fabled Gooseberry Mesa.”
Melissa Minker Miller (Class of ‘92), daughter of Carol and Richie Minker, wrote that she had a chance to introduce her son, Jake, to Trinity Valley’s well-loved Mr. (Dennis) Fleming, who has been a fixture at Trinity Valley since 1977 and is associate head of school and social studies teacher, during the recent TVS eighth-grade trip to Washington, D.C. Melissa said, “We had a great time reminiscing about the fun days at TVS and as always Mr. Fleming didn’t forget one thing!” And, she said, “I had to keep reminding Jake that UT is the best school — not Villanova. Ha!”
Press note
On the business scene, good wishes to Marvin Blum, and The Blum Firm, a Fort Worth–based law firm, which has opened an office in Dallas’ Crescent Court complex at 200 Crescent Court.