Paige Hughes
Hey, y’all! My name is Paige Hughes, but most of you know me as The Richardson Paige on Instagram. For those who don’t know me, I share about all things Richardson: small businesses, events, cool individuals, local favorites, hidden gems, news, and more
The Richardson Gobble Hobble
For the past 19 years, a Richardson pre-Thanksgiving race known as the Gobble Hobble has welcomed runners donning turkey hats or turkey attire, dressed as pilgrims, pushing strollers, walking dogs, or wearing balloons on their heads. A festive blend of competitive runners and casual walkers of all ages and abilities come out to enjoy this beloved annual tradition.
Friday Night Lights
Pageantry for high school football games is just as big as the games themselves. For our Fine Arts programs, this involves marching bands and drill teams who bring the energy and entertainment to all the varsity games
Gerald Bright
Albert Einstein once said, “Only a life lived for others is a life worthwhile.” Beloved community leader Gerald Bright has been quietly serving throughout Richardson for years and was recently bestowed the honor of being named Richardson’s 2023 Citizen of the Year.
La Casita Bakeshop: A Pastry Lover’s Paradise
[et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ admin_label=”section” _builder_version=”3.22″ global_colors_info=”{}” theme_builder_area=”post_content”][et_pb_row admin_label=”row” _builder_version=”3.25″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” global_colors_info=”{}” theme_builder_area=”post_content”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”3.25″ custom_padding=”|||” global_colors_info=”{}” custom_padding__hover=”|||” theme_builder_area=”post_content”][et_pb_text admin_label=”Text” _builder_version=”4.14.7″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” hover_enabled=”0″ global_colors_info=”{}” theme_builder_area=”post_content” sticky_enabled=”0″] Chefs and Co-Owners Maricsa Trejo and Alex Henderson Making Magic in Richardson By Patti Otte In Richardson’s sleepy, nondescript shopping center on Arapaho Road just west of Custer, smart and savvy husband-and-wife team Maricsa Trejo and Alex Henderson are busy creating the magic that is La Casita Bakeshop. At just 33 years old, Maricsa has already garnered multiple accolades. In 2022, she received her first nomination for the prestigious James Beard Award and was a Semifinalist for Outstanding Baker. In 2023, she was nominated again and became a finalist for the James Beard Award for Outstanding Bakery and La Casita was recognized as one of the five best bakeries in the country. Maricsa appeared on Food Network’s 2022 season of “Halloween Baking Championship.” D Magazine has recognized her on more than one occasion for her outstanding baking skills. She’s a big deal in the baking world. But sitting down to chat with Maricsa is more like catching up with a long-lost friend who walks out of her kitchen with a welcoming and infectious smile. BUILDING A DREAM Maricsa began working toward her dream of building a bakery of her own in a tiny Oak Cliff brew pub. While Alex worked the front of the house, Maricsa traded handmade burger buns for the space to bake pastries, which she sold at a few coffee shops around Dallas. Over time, her reputation grew and they were flooded with orders for Maricsa’s delicious pastries. The duo dreamed of opening their own brickand-mortar shop. Maricsa and Alex discovered Richardson thanks to a wholesale partner who had a small kitchen in the same shopping center where La Casita Bakeshop is now located. Having already establishing a name for themselves thanks to wildly successful pop-ups at places like Parks Coffee in Carrollton and other coffee shops plus a large Instagram following, the duo needed a place to establish roots and bake. They started out as a small “take out only” bakery and sold out on opening day within 45 minutes. People waited in a line that wrapped around the building for La Casita’s legendary cruffins and croissants, along with cakes and breads. D Magazine soon labeled them as the best takeaway bakery. Maricsa’s dream had become an exciting reality. LEARNING TO PIVOT But five weeks after opening, COVID hit. Maricsa and Alex took a couple of weeks off to reset and plan next steps. Determined to stay afloat but do so with integrity, the couple decided to pay their bakers as long as they could even though the bakers weren’t working. Says Maricsa, “They had families to feed and were depending on us.” Thankfully, La Casita already had an online ordering system in place, so they pivoted to pre-orders only and delivered the baked goods curbside. Most days the couple had orders for hundreds of items to be picked up within a six-hour window. With only two people working the front of the shop and Maricsa and Alex baking nonstop, the shop survived and earned a fiercely loyal customer base. ONE BIG FAMILYIt’s now La Casita’s fifth year in Richardson. The couple added a third partner, Brianna Short, to handle the operations-related side of the business and their 80 crew members are treated like family. Some sous chefs start at La Casita at 17 or 18 years old. Maricsa and Alex clearly love their employees and make a substantial financial commitment to them. La Casita’s payroll is high, but they want employees “to stay for the long haul,” says Maricsa. La Casita has 11 full-time bakers and are looking to grow that number. Not only are team members encouraged to opt in to La Casita’s healthcare plan, a rarity in the small business world, but Alex – known as the “mom” at La Casita – invests time and energy into making sure that employees are taking care of their mental, physical and financial health. He checks in on them regularly and offers guidance and support when asked. This sense of family extends to having FUN together! A highlight is the annual company-wide Field Day Maricsa and Alex host at Martha Point Park in Carrollton. Says Maricsa, “Field Day is HUGE! We shut all of our stores down on a Monday for Field Day. We play games and have gift cards for winners. It’s so much fun!” TAKING TIME TO REFLECT When asked what it’s like to own a business in Richardson, Maricsa compares the city to the small mountain town of San Jose Iturbide, Mexico, where her parents grew up. “Richardson is like a big family and we’ve become the family’s bakery. People who live here support us and we’ve felt a sense of ‘community’ here,” says Maricsa. Crediting her success to her “ancestors’ work ethic,” Maricsa smiles widely when sharing stories of her family. And she laughs at having “taken a few years off her life” from the fast pace of owning a successful business. But it’s clear that she and Alex don’t mind hard work. She also feels that their success rests on finding people who helped the couple along the way and fit various needs of the burgeoning business. States Maricsa, “You can have a great idea, but you have to have great people around you to make it happen.” PLANS FOR THE FUTURE Their booming wholesale business, retail restaurant and take out bakery are all run out of their 6,000 sq ft. Richardson location. They also own La Casita Coffee on Rowlett’s Main Street and have two exciting projects in the works. The next La Casita Coffee, opening by the end of 2024, will be located inside Half Price Books’ flagship store on Northwest Highway in Dallas. They’ll start with coffee and pastries and eventually offer brunch at that location. The shop will also have an outdoor patio space. A second
The Richardson Symphony League Rich in History, Focused on the Future
[et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ admin_label=”section” _builder_version=”3.22″ global_colors_info=”{}” theme_builder_area=”post_content”][et_pb_row admin_label=”row” _builder_version=”3.25″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” global_colors_info=”{}” theme_builder_area=”post_content”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”3.25″ custom_padding=”|||” global_colors_info=”{}” custom_padding__hover=”|||” theme_builder_area=”post_content”][et_pb_text admin_label=”Text” _builder_version=”4.14.7″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” hover_enabled=”0″ global_colors_info=”{}” theme_builder_area=”post_content” sticky_enabled=”0″] By Susan Kassen The Richardson Symphony League is rich in tradition and history, dating back to its establishment in 1966. The volunteer organization serves the Symphony and the Richardson community through contributions of time, talent and resources, all with a desire to see the Richardson Symphony prosper as a cultural and civic force. Besides price in supporting the highly regarded RSO, members enjoy invitations to special events related to the arts and Richardson community. The organization is open to middle school and high school aged students in Richardson and surrounding areas. All members receive season tickets to the RSO concerts and enjoy opportunities to meet other students, League members and even musicians within the RSO. The RSL works with students to help them achieve their goals of obtaining service hours as well as leadership development. While all members are open to participate in all activities, members are only required to attend two concerts, two meetings and two service events to be considered a member in good standing. The service events are often combined with meetings and concerts so students can maximize their time, given how overscheduled students can be these days and the organization tries hard to accommodate this busy lifestyle. The cost for each student to join the RSL is $75 per year and $100 per parent sponsor (each student must have a parent sponsor to become a member). If you would like to join this wonderful organization, follow the link in the QR code on this page, or simply reach out to Faith Townsend, Marketing & Development Manager, at ftownsend@richardsonsymphony.org. * Volunteer Opportunities * Support your Community and the Arts * Leadership Development [/et_pb_text][/et_pb_column][/et_pb_row][/et_pb_section]
Network’s Senior’s Net
When most people think of Network of Community Ministries, food distribution or clothing drives are usually top of mind. While these services are vital, Network’s impact runs much deeper.
The Richardson Gobble Hobble
For the past 19 years, a Richardson pre-Thanksgiving race known as the Gobble Hobble has welcomed runners donning turkey hats or turkey attire, dressed as pilgrims, pushing strollers, walking dogs, or wearing balloons on their heads. A festive blend of competitive runners and casual walkers of all ages and abilities come out to enjoy this beloved annual tradition.
Dr. Clayton Oliphint (Pastor, Leader, Family Man, Bridge Builder)
I was born a Methodist preacher’s son in Louisiana and my family moved to Texas when I was 12 years old. After high school, I attended Austin College in Sherman, graduating with a degree in religion and history.
RISD Educator’s Corner
RISD EDUCATORS’ CORNER Editor’s Note: In each issue of Richardson Life Magazine, we highlight individuals who are making a difference in the lives of Richardson Independent School District students. If you would like to nominate someone to be showcased in this section of RLM, email pmotte@hylogroup.com. RISD Culinary Arts Programs By Jason Philyaw, RISD Communications Specialist The Culinary Arts programs at Richardson and Pearce High Schools are providing students the ultimate in hands-on experiences. Students are getting their hands dirty prepping and cooking and plating and serving dishes to teachers, administrators, fellow students and the general public. In late April, about a dozen RHS students were at ACE Hardware serving pulled pork quesadillas and smoked buffalo wings to residents. Chef Devin Niederhauser, who runs the RHS Culinary Arts Magnet, which has 76 students this year, said the students ran out of wings that Saturday at ACE as they ended up serving about 100 community members. He knows preparing food is just one part of the industry and that students need to be good communicators as well. “Freshman year, we’re providing them with a base of knowledge about different cuts of meats so they know the difference between a lamb shank and a lamb chop and how to prepare both while also teaching knife skills, but we’re also teaching them about food nutrition and how to shop for themselves,” Chef Dev said. “They’re going off to college soon and I want them to understand how a whole chicken, as opposed to a few chicken fingers and fries, can provide them with four or five meals at half the price. I want them making fiscally sound decisions about nutrition while also enjoying the process of cooking.” Junior Yodha Ghattamaneni likes the freedom of expression when working in a kitchen. She took culinary courses at North Junior High and has now been in the program for five years. “Chef allows us to try different things and really express our identity through food,” she said. Sophomore Liliana Cardona said the hands-on aspect of the kitchen helps her. “I’m not really a book learner,” she said. “So, working with my hands and learning through failure, learning by trying things over and over is a great process for me. I feel like if you show effort, Chef notices and helps show you where the dish went wrong and how to make it better the next time. I really feel like you get out of it what you put into it.” The culinary arts program enables students to gain industry-based certifications through groups such as the American Meat Science Association. Sophomore Archer Dickey said the food handler certificate he received as a freshman helped him land a summer job as a line cook at a resort near his grandparents’ house in Wisconsin. RHS sophomore Chris Jones said he was initially motivated to apply for the culinary magnet because of the real world experiences students gain from working in a kitchen, coupled with the opportunity to work as a team and learn from others. “One specific example of working as a team in a high-paced environment is our grab and go’s that make up our junior year finals,” Jones said. “As a group, we have to work as a whole to communicate and execute multiple dishes to sell and present.” Other examples of the fast-paced, change-on-the-fly environment that students are engaging in are the on-campus events they cater. At one event this year, students prepped a full menu of modern French cuisine for 120 people and closer to 175 showed up. The sophomores were preparing the tiramisu and crème brûlée. “Chef came back and said, ‘We need 50 more of everything.’ We had to go next door to use the equipment in the Food Sciences room. When I got in there, I was able to take a breath and step away from the stress of needing to make it all, but I was also able to realize that somehow we were going to get it done,” Liliana said. The same excitement surrounds the Pearce Culinary Program. According to Jeremy Tilly, Culinary Arts teacher at Pearce, “Our program is showing dramatic growth since the opening of its new top-of-the-line Culinary Kitchen at the beginning of the 2023-2024 school year!” Upper level students at Pearce have gone through units on Italian cuisine, during which they learned how to make pasta, focaccia bread, and pizza, all from scratch. They then learned to make dumplings, stir-fry, and fried rice during their Asian cuisine unit, again all from scratch. Like their RHS cohorts, Pearce students complete industry-based certifications as part of the process, including Food Handler’s permits and Meat Cookery certifications. Says Tilly, “Students put together a few staff meals and also decorated cookies and prepared various desserts around the holidays for staff, all in support of the program. We have done Food Truck Wars with a special guest speaker, Cupcake Wars with special guest judges, and a pumpkin carving contest around Halloween. It has been an exciting year, and we are looking forward to continuing this growth in the future!” It appears that RHS and Pearce students are getting a lot done in their culinary arts magnet classes.