Letter From the Editor

Sandy Cerna knew she didn’t want to be in the restaurant business — it wasjust too much hard work. Having grown up in a family that ran a small breakfastand lunch café called El Jarro, she knew whereof she spoke.

However, today she runs a much larger restaurant, El Jarro de Arturo, with herhusband, Arturo, who is executive chef. She’s enjoying it, and she’s just as busyas she knew she would be. Read about her and the family’s award-winning restaurantin our Profile article.

Up Front introduces three women who have been through, and moved on,after divorce. Margaret Priesmeyer Masinter went from being a faculty wife andcommunity volunteer to a lawyer with her own firm. She’s now married to a musician,and they enjoy life in separate residences. Lucie Frost left a law career behindand has opened Paseo, a shop selling women’s fashions, with her friendKathy Kelleher. Dancer/choreographer Erica Wilson-Perkins is the lead dance instructorat Palo Alto College. After a relatively brief but troubled marriage, she ison good terms today with her ex, and their son spends summers with his dad.

Women in Business focuses on women who live in other cities but maintainbusinesses in San Antonio. Melissa Guerra, a nationally recognized expert on LatinAmerican food, opened her gourmet food and craft store, Melissa Guerra Tiendade Cocina, at The Pearl 18 months ago. Dr. Jui-Len “Lillian” Chou of Lubbock, aradiation oncologist specializing in breast cancer, has opened the Aurora Center,with advanced MRI machines to detect breast cancer, here. And New Orleans residentLana Duke owns our two Ruth’s Chris Steak Houses and is a dedicated advocatefor the Roy Maas Youth Alternatives organization.

During these warm days it’s fun to contemplate a home on the water, and Environmentstakes you to La Casita at Lake Placid near Seguin, a small jewel box of ahome that has survived three floods. Fashion spotlights swimsuits, cover-ups andseasonal accessories, while Focus on Food inspires with summer soups and salads.

Shopping gives you pointers on the fashionable items you may want to buy aswell as advice on summer sales. ArtBeat introduces printmaker Janet Flohr, whois having a solo exhibit at the McNay Art Museum. She and her partner, GaryNichols, also run Hare & Hound Press, used by several nationally recognized artistsfor their fine art prints.

Our Role Model is a young pianist, Emily Townsend, who is making a name forherself as a piano technician extraordinaire.

You can also read about cellulite and what to do about it in Beauty & Fitness,varicose and spider veins in Health Matters, tips for selling your home in a buyer’smarket in Dollars & Sense, instilling attitudes of gratitude in your children inMommy Matters, highlights of the spring social season in Scene Around Town anda rundown of late summer events in Arts and Culture. Dining reviews the Braziliansteak house Chauma Gaucha.

Please take time to look at our special sections — a guide to private schools andthe Texas Organ Sharing Alliance, with information on procuring and donating organs.

Enjoy your summer.

Beverly Purcell-Guerra