Matt Lafata’s Weekly Community News

December 13, 2007 – Volume 6, Issue 50

matt@mattlafatamarketing.com – www.mattlafatamarketing.com

Thank you to everybody for the well wishes and notes of congratulations after I posted a picture from our recent wedding in the last newsletter. The wedding was three weeks ago and was absolutely wonderful. I promise to include more pictures in the future.

But on to the picture above…The day after the wedding, we flew to Miami and took a cruise on the beautiful Norwegian Pearl. The six day cruise stopped in Cozumel and Grand Cayman. We really enjoyed Grand Cayman and hope to go back there some day.

There were a lot of great activities to do on the boat and we even got to bowl one night! Every time we missed a pin it was naturally blamed on the boat rocking.

This picture was taken in one of the ten restaurants they had on board. Practically everywhere we went on the ship there was somebody taking a picture so they could “capture the moment” and then charge you some outrageous price later on. The tourist industry sure knows how to maximize the amount of money they can make off of each person.

All in all it was a successful and fun cruise. Successful because we didn’t end up like the Titanic although they make you go through a drill at the beginning of the cruise just in case we encountered any icebergs in the Caribbean, or Pirates, or Fidel Castro’s army…

Have a great week and with all the holiday parties taking place over the next couple of weeks, please be extra cautious on the road.

Life is great!

This newsletter and information source is designed to bring us all a little closer together each week by providing coverage of so many things going on in our community. There are so many amazing things in this newsletter, as there are every week. Please forward this newsletter to all your friends and neighbors and encourage them to sign up to receive it themselves. They will greatly appreciate you for it as no citizen should be without this important information at their fingertips.  Let’s work to get all Frisco citizens on this list as a more informed society is a more functional society.

If you have questions or have any community events, people or groups you want to recognize, fundraising events, or any newsworthy items you would like to see added and shared with more than forty thousand residents and businesses in Frisco and the surrounding areas, please send me an email so I may include them. The newsletter goes out each Thursday and I need materials by the end of the day on the preceding Wednesday if you want something to be included.

If you received this from somebody else and would like to be added to the list, just send me an email. Your email address will never be sold or given to anybody else for any reason. All newsletters can also be found on our web site at www.mattlafatamarketing.com.

Inspirational Quote of the Week:

"Wisdom is divided into two parts: (a) having a great deal to say, and (b) not saying it.

For advertising opportunities, please contact sales@mattlafatamarketing.com

As always, this newsletter is absolutely packed with information – something for everyone. There is always something going on in our great city and I try to include everything I can. In this jam packed issue you will find lots of great information. There is something for everyone including the following…

TxDOT Creating Advisory Committees for Input on TTC: 31

Newsletter Staff Members and Contributors

Matt Lafata – Editor and Publisher – 214-336-3355

Kaleigh Lafata – Tornado Talk

Sarah Ianace – Happenings in the

Frisco ISD

Glenn Kopanski – Landscape Design

Pedro Checo – Advice from Dr. Checo

Joe Hockaday, CPA – Today’s Tax Talk From Joe

Citizen of the Month and Neighborhood of the Month Details

If you have a citizen or neighborhood you would like to nominate, please send it to me.

The Citizen of the Month will focus on a person or group in Frisco who has been nominated by another individual. He, she or they could be a person or a group who has recently done something special that contributes to the well-being of our city and/or its citizens, or it could be somebody who has had (or currently has) an interesting career or experiences that could be shared with our readers.

The Neighborhood of the Month will highlight a particular neighborhood in our city. I am looking to hear from you as to why your Neighborhood is so special.

City of Frisco Related Question of the Week:

Q. What is the actual code for replacing a water heater on personal property? I recently had one replaced and the plumbing company did not pull the work permit and is now upset that they have been required to do so. It also failed inspection because it was not installed to code, 18 inches above the garage floor.

A. Minimum requirements for water heater installations are in the International Residential Code, International Fuel Gas Code and International Plumbing Code. Permits are required by the State Plumbing License Law as well as local codes. Licensed plumbers who perform work without permits are subject to penalties and should be reported to the Texas State Board of Plumbing Examiners. You may contact the Chief Plumbing Inspector at 972 292-5329.

This Day in History – December 13, 2003: Saddam Hussein Captured

From the History Channel…

After spending nine months on the run, former Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein is captured on this day in 2003. Saddam's downfall began on March 20, 2003, when the United States led an invasion force into Iraq to topple his government, which had controlled the country for more than 20 years.

Saddam Hussein was born into a poor family in Tikrit, 100 miles outside of Baghdad, in 1937. After moving to Baghdad as a teenager, Saddam joined the now-infamous Baath party, which he would later lead. He participated in several coup attempts, finally helping to install his cousin as dictator of Iraq in July 1968. Saddam took over for his
cousin 11 years later. During his 24 years in office, Saddam's secret police, charged with protecting his power, terrorized the public, ignoring the human rights of the nation's citizens. While many of his people faced poverty, he lived in incredible luxury, building more than 20 lavish palaces throughout the country. Obsessed with security, he is said to have moved among them often, always sleeping in secret locations.

In the early 1980s, Saddam involved his country in an eight-year war with Iran, which is estimated to have taken more than a million lives on both sides. He is alleged to have used nerve agents and mustard gas on Iranian soldiers during the conflict, as well as chemical weapons on Iraq's own Kurdish population in northern Iraq in 1988. After he invaded Kuwait in 1990, a U.S.-led coalition invaded Iraq in 1991, forcing the dictator's army to leave its smaller neighbor, but failing
to remove Saddam from power. Throughout the 1990s, Saddam faced both U.N. economic sanctions and air strikes aimed at crippling his ability
to produce chemical, biological, and nuclear weapons. With Iraq continuing to face allegations of illegal oil sales and weapons-building, the United States again invaded the country in March 2003, this time with the expressed purpose of ousting Saddam and his regime.

Despite proclaiming in early March 2003 that, "it is without doubt that the faithful will be victorious against aggression," Saddam went into hiding soon after the American invasion, speaking to his people only through an occasional audiotape, and his government soon fell. After declaring Saddam the most important of a list of his regime's 55 most-wanted members, the United States began an intense search for the former leader and his closest advisors. On July 22, 2003, Saddam's sons, Uday and Qusay, who many believe he was grooming to one day fill his shoes, were killed when U.S. soldiers raided a villa in which they
were staying in the northern Iraqi city of Mosul.

Five months later, on December 13, 2003, U.S. soldiers found Saddam
Hussein hiding in a six-to-eight-foot deep hole, nine miles outside his hometown of Tikrit. The man once obsessed with hygiene was found to be unkempt, with a bushy beard and matted hair. He did not resist and was uninjured during the arrest. A soldier at the scene described him as "a man resigned to his fate."

Saddam is now in Iraqi custody with U.S. security and faces trial in front of a special tribunal on several criminal cases pending against him. The first began in October 2005. On November 5 of the next year, he was found guilty of crimes against humanity and sentenced to death by hanging. After an unsuccessful appeal, he was executed on December 30, 2006. Despite a prolonged search, weapons of mass destruction were never found in Iraq.

December is Safe Toys and Gifts Awareness Month:

So far this month we have covered AIDS Awareness and Identity Theft Prevention…

This is from the “Prevent Blindness America” web site

Young children are often described as "accidents waiting to happen." Too often, accidents do occur and may result in eye injuries. Every year, thousands of children age 14 and younger suffered serious eye injuries, even blindness, from toys.

There are three important ways you can protect your child's eyes from injuries while playing with toys:

1. Only buy toys meant for their age.

2. Show them how to use their toys safely

3. Keep an eye on them when they play.

Toy selection guidelines

Before you purchase a toy:

·         Read all warnings and instructions on the box.

·         Ask yourself if the toy is right for your child's ability and age.

·         Avoid purchasing toys with sharp or rigid points, spikes, rods, or dangerous edges.

·         Check the lenses and frames of children's sunglasses; many can break and cause injuries.

·         Buy toys that will withstand impact and not break into dangerous shards.

·         Look for the letters "ASTM." This means the product meets the national safety standards set by the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM).

·         Avoid toys that shoot or include parts that fly off.
Remember that BB guns are NOT toys.

Before letting children play with toys:

·         Inspect toys for safe, sturdy construction.

·         Explain how to use the toy.

·         Fix or throw away broken toys.

Always:

·         Keep young children away from toys meant for older children.

·         Supervise your children while playing.

·         Store toys properly after play to avoid risks or falls.

·         Supervise children's craft projects (scissors and glue can be extremely dangerous to a child's eyesight).

·         Have children wear the right eye protection for sports (face shields, helmets, eyeguards).

For advertising opportunities, please contact sales@mattlafatamarketing.com

Homeowner Association Meetings and Other Group Meetings:

If you have an upcoming meeting that you would like a city official at, just to be available to answer any questions, please let us know. If Matt’s schedule permits, he would love to attend.

Answering Questions for Kids and Young Adults:

As you know, communication and sharing information is something that I spend a lot of time doing. I frequently get asked to answer questions for kids and young adults for school projects or leadership programs. Usually the project involves getting these questions answered from somebody in a leadership position, and as a City Council member, I’m always happy to take the time to do this. If your son or daughter ever needs questions answered from a leadership figure for projects of any kind, please feel free to contact me or have them contact me directly.

Alternatively, if your child is interested in learning more about city government and has questions, feel free to contact me.

Finally, if you are looking for a speaker to talk to a group of kids or young adults about city government or Frisco in general, I’m happy to try and schedule something.

All the opinions, endorsements or recommendations in this newsletter are mine alone and they do not necessarily reflect the opinions or views of any organization or group with whom I am affiliated or the individuals who are a part of such organizations and groups.  You should not rely on any statement made in this newsletter as evidenced of how I may act as a member of any organization or group.  Inclusion of news, events and other information in this newsletter does not imply an endorsement; it merely serves as my effort to be of service to the readers.

All About Frisco:

In our continuing efforts to bring information to our great community, we have updated our web site with listings of:

·         Frisco Neighborhoods and Homeowner Associations

·         Churches and other places of Worship

·         Clubs and Organizations

·         The Frisco Independent School District and other Schools

Visit www.friscocommunity.com to access this information and I look forward to your feedback. This site will continue to grow and evolve over time.

Clubs, Groups and Organizations in and around Frisco:

Frisco is home to a very diverse and numerous set of clubs, groups and organizations. If your group or organization is missing, and you would like to get it listed, please send me an email so we can list it and continue to maintain the most comprehensive list available.

 
AARP – 972-335-2478

Alcoholics Anonymous Frisco – 972-708-5086

Allen-Frisco-Plano Autism Spectrum Parent Group

American Cancer Society of Collin County – 214-819-1221

American Legion Post 178

American Red Cross of North Texas – 972-542-5642

Angel Food Ministries – 214-282-5576

AroundTown Kids

Arts of Collin County

Association of Frisco Retired School Personnel – 972-335-3040

Boy Scouts of America – 214-902-6754

Boys and Girls Club

CASA of Collin County – 972-529-2272

Celebrate Recovery – 214-282-5576

Chamber of Commerce

Christian Community Action – 972-436-4357

City of Frisco – 972-292-5000

Collin County – 972-424-1460

Collin County Association of Realtors – 214-618-3800

Collin County Community College

Collin County Community College Education Foundation

Collin County Connection – 214-544-0666

Collin County Early Childhood PTA – 972-712-3634

Collin County Gay and Lesbian Alliance – 214-521-5342

Collin County Genealogy Association – 972-231-4190

Collin County Republican Party

Dallas Athletic Rugby Club

Daughters of the American Revolution – 972-307-5906

Democratic Party of Collin County

Denton County

Downtown Advisory Board – 972-292-5108

Downtown Merchants Association – 972-292-5108

FamilyWatchdog.com

FC Dallas

Frisco A&M Club – 972-897-7765

Frisco American Business Women’s Association (ABWA)

Frisco Al-Anon Family Group – 972-978-8757

Frisco-Allen Texas Area Alumnae Panhellenic

Frisco Area Children’s Theater – 972-377-2675

Frisco Area Republican Women

Frisco Association For the Arts

Frisco Athletic Network

Frisco Bar Association

Frisco Baseball/Softball Organization – 972-712-2288

Frisco Business and Professional Women – 972-377-0335

Frisco Chamber of Commerce

Frisco Chorale

Frisco Community Band – 972-668-5315

Frisco Community Theatre – 972-377-3868

Frisco Convention and Visitors Bureau

Frisco Cycling Club

Frisco Democratic Party

Frisco Dog Park

Frisco Ducks Unlimited – 972-712-5049

Frisco Early Childhood PTA

Frisco Economic Development Corporation – 972-668-5550

Frisco Education Foundation – 469-633-6066

Frisco Family Services Center – 972-335-9495

Frisco Family YMCA – 972-335-3222

Frisco Fire Department – 972-335-5525

Frisco Football League – 972-712-0558

Frisco Garden Club – 972-335-3812

Frisco Gymnastics Center – 972-377-0888

Frisco Humane Society – 972-498-8980

Frisco Independent School District – 469-633-6000

Frisco Kiwanis Club

Frisco Noon Lion’s Club – 972-335-2487

Frisco Music Teachers Association

Frisco Neighborhood Watch

Frisco Police Department – 972-292-6000

Frisco Post Office – 972-335-7453

Frisco Pride

Frisco Public Library

Frisco Quilt Guild

Frisco Republican Men’s Club

Frisco Republicans – 972-335-9176

Frisco Residents of Color

Frisco Rotary Club – 972-701-2801

Frisco RoughRiders

Frisco Soccer Association – 972-712-4625

Frisco Square

Frisco Sunrise Rotary

Frisco Swim Team

Frisco Thunder Professional Football

Frisco Veterans of Foreign Wars Post #8273 – 972-712-5611

Frisco Women’s League – 972-712-8890

Frisco/Plano Christian Women’s Club – 972-668-4464

Frisco Youth Volleyball Leagues

Heritage Association of Frisco – 972-335-6684

Heroes for Children – 214-256-5824

Kids Kaleidoscope

KittiCo Cat Rescue – 214-826-6903

Labrador Retriever Rescue of North Texas

Lewisville Independent School District

Meals on Wheels – 972-562-6996

Miracle League of Frisco

MOMS Club of Frisco – East Central Chapter - 972-712-1789

MOMS Club of Frisco – South Chapter – 214-336-8001

MOMS Club of Frisco – SE Chapter – 214-2272418

MOMS Club of Frisco – SW Chapter – 469-384-8002

MOMS Club of Frisco – West Central Chapter

MOMS Club of Frisco – West Chapter – 214-504-9223

Mothers of Preschoolers (MOPS) – 972-668-7458

North Texas Tollway Authority – 214-461-2000

OU Club of Collin County – 972-797-9708

Overeaters Anonymous – 972-832-5263

Play Pals – 972-839-0312

Senior Center at Frisco Square – 972-292-6550

SPCA of Texas – 972-562-7387

Speak Up – Frisco Toastmasters Group – 972-881-9989

Stonewall Democrats of Collin County

Texas Democratic Women of Collin County

Texas Tornado Hockey

Toastmasters Club of Frisco – 972-712-4611

Visual Arts Guild of Frisco

Volunteer Center of North Texas

Voter Registration Information – Collin County

Voter Registration Information – Denton County

Women Encouraging Business – 972-335-9522

Word of Mouth Productions

Young Life Frisco – 972-424-6339

Youth Leadership Frisco

Churches and other Places of Worship in and around Frisco

One of the wonderful things about Frisco is the many diverse religions you can find. If your Church is not listed, please contact me at matt@mattlafata.com so we can list it and continue to maintain the most comprehensive list available.

Apostolic Temple – 972-712-5673

Assembly of God Cornerstone Community Church – 972-335-4704

Celebration Covenant – 214-387-9833

Central Christian Church – 972-377-2608

Church of God in Christ – 972-377-3649

Church of Living Stones – 972-335-3499

Compass Christian Church – 972-335-7546

Congregation B’nai Israel

Cornerstone Christian Reformed Church - 469-362-7844

Cornerstone Community Church – 972-335-4704

Crossroads Community Church – 972-712-0582

Crosswalk Community Church

Faithbridge Presbyterian – 972-377-9560

Fellowship of Frisco – 972-335-1700

First Baptist Church of Frisco – 972-335-9830

First Pentecostal Church – 972-292-3174

First United Methodist – 972-335-4380

Frisco Bible Church – 972-335-8150

Frisco Church of Christ – 972-335-2118

Frisco Trails Fellowship Bible Church – 972-731-5999

Genesis Metro – 469-450-6277

Grace Avenue United Methodist – 972-335-2882

Grace Church - 469-633-9104

Grace Pointe – 972-292-3174

Hamilton Chapel Baptist Church – 972-377-3348

Hope Fellowship – 972-377-8855

Kingdom Life Christian Center – 214-618-1500

Lebanon Baptist Church – 972-377-3348

Liberty Baptist Church – 972-625-3546

Living Waters Family Worship Center – 214-387-9602

Lone Star Baptist Church – 469-358-7089

Newstart Church of the Nazarene – 214-282-5576

Northstar Church – 972-712-8282

Praise Fellowship Worship Center – 214-387-9397

Preston Ridge Baptist Church – 972-712-7007

Preston Trail Community Church – 972-668-1244

Rejoice Lutheran Church – 972-335-6411

Revolution Ministries – 214-649-0623

Rock Hill Church of Christ – 972-346-2710

Shawnee Trail Church of Christ – 972-377-9106

St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church – 972-712-2645

St. Philips Episcopal Church – 214-387-4700

Stonebriar Church of Christ – 972-712-9264

Stonebriar Community Church – 469-252-5000

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints – 972-377-4724

The Journey – 214-529-8873

Turning Point CMA Church – 469-733-3196

Water’s Edge Lutheran Church – 972-712-7377

About Matt Lafata:

Matt Lafata and his wife Erika share six children between the two of them. In January 1999, Mr. Lafata moved to Frisco from Gloucester, MA. Mr. Lafata has helped build several highly successful businesses for more than 20 years. A long-time business consultant, entrepreneur and human resources professional, he is the Director of Business Development with the Frisco-based HR strategy and technology consulting firm HRchitect (www.HRchitect.com). He is also the founder of several marketing and public relations agencies including The Matt Lafata Marketing Group (www.mattlafatamarketing.com). Previously, Mr. Lafata was an Executive Vice President of a computer software company where he was responsible for corporate development, marketing, sales, product development and more. Mr. Lafata studied finance and business management at Salem State College in Salem, Massachusetts.

Mr. Lafata is involved in numerous organizations throughout Frisco. He is in his 2^nd term as a Frisco City Council member and has been involved in the following…

·         Former Deputy Mayor Pro Tem on the Frisco City Council

·         Former Planning & Zoning Commissioner

·         Graduate of Leadership Frisco

·         2005 recipient of the “21 Leaders of the 21^st Century” by Inside Collin County Business

·         Graduate of the Citizen’s Police Academy and a member of the Alumni group

·         Youth sports coach

·         Past board member for the Frisco Family Services Center

·         St. Francis of Assisi Knights of Columbus Member

·         Member of the Frisco Heritage Association

·         Member of the Frisco Association for the Arts

·         Member of the Frisco Community Theatre

·         Community Advisory Board member for the Frisco Women’s League

·         Friends of the Frisco Public Library Member

·         Board member for the Frisco Square Municipal Management District

·         City of Frisco Technology Committee member

·         City of Frisco Budget and Audit subcommittee member

·         Tax Increment Finance board member

·         Wakeland High School PTA Technology/Publicity Committee Chairperson

·         Co-Director of the Mrs. Texas United States Pageant

·         Honorary Chair for World AIDS Day 2007 in Collin County

Since 2001, Matt and his marketing company have produced this very popular e-newsletter that goes out every week to over 40,000 people and businesses which keeps the Frisco community in touch with local events and businesses.

In July 2007, Matt announced his bid for Mayor of Frisco in the May 2008 election. Visit www.matt4mayor.com for more information about his candidacy.

How to “Whitelist” this Frisco Community Newsletter in Your Spam Filter:

With the advent of outrageous volumes of unwanted email these days, of which I get a ton, it's unfortunate that legitimate email publications like this are not being seen by some of the readers who enjoy those publications. There is much fear today that the email publishing/marketing industry is in serious trouble, due to mistakes in filtering when legitimate email is erroneously tagged as unwanted email.

While we applaud the anti-spam industry for removing the plethora of unwanted email from many of our mailboxes, from time to time, some legitimate email publications are mistaken as unwanted.

Sometimes, this results in our mailings bouncing back, with requests for us to respond to challenge/response messages to prevent future filtering. However, due to the size of our list, it's nearly impossible for us handle the volume of such requests.

To that end, please realize that we want our readers to always anticipate and enjoy the valuable information that this community newsletter delivers.

If you currently use an anti-spam program or service, we ask that you take just a minute or two to add this newsletter to your "safe" or permitted email sender list. This usually involves simply adding our sending address (From:) to your whitelist, safelist, or list of privileged senders. This is commonly known as whitelisting a publication. Simply add the email addresses of matt@mattlafata.com and matt@mattlafatamarketing.com.

If you wish to be removed from this list, please send an email to matt@mattlafata.com.

Dear Friends,

This week’s newsletter is Proudly Sponsored by Rudy’s Bar-B-Q and their great selection of meats for the holidays. Also check out the Spotlight on Isabella’s Italian Restaurant, one of our favorites. A lot of work goes into putting this newsletter together and I greatly appreciate the support of our sponsors so please patronize them wherever possible.

I hope everybody is having a great holiday season and I hope all of my Jewish friends had a great Chanukah. Please keep those less fortunate than you in your daily prayers during this holiday season and if you get a chance, please volunteer to help or do something nice for others.

If you are a married woman in Frisco, now is the time for you to think about interviewing to be the next Mrs. Frisco! Details are below and the deadline to enter is January 9. Don’t let this great opportunity pass you by!

This is a community newsletter and as such, I want to encourage you to send me community events as well as write-ups about people or groups who should be recognized and/or commended for what they do or have done. This is a newsletter about Frisco for all of us to play a part in. It is designed to bring our community closer together so please submit stuff to me at any time.

If you have a business, restaurant or a service and are interested in advertising and reaching more than 40,000 individuals and businesses in Frisco and the surrounding areas, please email us at sales@mattlafatamarketing.com for more details on the various options available to you. The newsletter is also included on the web site www.mattlafatamarketing.com and www.frisco-online.com for additional exposure. It’s a great way to promote your business, promote an event at your place of business and is the most cost effective and efficient way to reach a large segment of the Frisco population. You may want to also consider providing a special offer to newsletter readers only.

Newsletter Sponsor – Rudy’s BBQ:

If you haven’t been to Rudy’s yet (just east of the Tollway and north of Main Street), I strongly recommend you check them out soon. They have great BBQ at any time of the day and great tacos for breakfast.

We’re smoking whole turkeys ($29.50 10-14lbs.), hams (boneless pit ham, $37.50 7-9lbs) and turkey breasts (market price) for Christmas, as well as all our meats.

We will be closed Christmas Day but open regular hours every other day (6:00AM-10:00PM, daily 11:00PM weekends). We begin every day at 6:00AM with Breakfast Tacos, fresh coffee and whatever you need to start your day. (Fill up with FINA)

We do have private rooms for any special event, and plenty of room for the kids.

Call ahead, drive thru, bring yourself or swing by with a hundred of your close friends, we’ll show you a great time and the famous Bar-B-Q you’ve heard about on the “Food Channel” and “The Travel Network”.

Rudy’s is a Meat Market selling “Smoked Meats by the Slice or by the Pound”.

Spotlight on…Isabella’s Italian Restaurant:

Isabella’s was in the spotlight a couple of months ago and are here again in case you missed it the first time…

Kenyon, please tell us about your business:

Both my business partner Craig Vaught and I have been involved in restaurants for many years.  We both also worked with luxury hotels, Craig with Four Seasons and I with Rosewood & St. Regis Hotels & Resorts world wide.  What we liked most about our work was that the focus on the individual guest experience.  We continue to focus on the guest and the overall guest experience by working the dining room each and every day. 

Having said that we have a beautiful restaurant with many unique elements that make it quite special.  We have a spectacular fountain, outdoor fire place, outside terraces, a beautiful wine room and a very special bar.

With all of the restaurants in Frisco and the North Dallas area, what's unique about your business?

I think what makes Isabella’s so unique is that we have created an Italian Restaurant that represents Italy today.  Having worked in Italy for more than ten years we have utilized our first hand knowledge and have created an Italian Restaurant that combines traditional and modern.  Also Craig and I along with Chef Turner have been a part of many Italian restaurants in our past.  But having worked in Italy we have created an Italian Restaurant concept based upon Italy today. 

As you enter Isabella’s, it’s like arriving inside a private Italian residence.  Isabella’s is truly “Italy Today,” with a unique blend of traditional elements and the excitement of modern influences within every aspect of the restaurant, displayed through the architecture, art, and music from Italy. 

Italy today is also represented within our food and wine. Italy continues with traditional ways of cooking as one finds in our Bolognese Pappardelle and our Tuscan-style beef with Chianti sauce.  Italy today has a modern style of cooking, emphasized in our sautéed shrimp wrapped in Italian bacon with Lemoncello dressing. Isabella’s kitchen serves many combinations of pizzas, pastas, fresh vegetables, sea foods, and Italy’s finest cheeses. 

Kenyon, Erika and I love how your restaurant resembles Italy in so many ways. So how does someone find you so that others can enjoy this great experience?

That seems to be the more difficult question these days but actually we have a perfect location.  We are located at the intersection of Highway 121 and Legacy Drive in Frisco at the Stonebriar Commons Center, also just in front of the Westin Stonebriar Hotel.  Once you find either Cantina Laredo or Silver Fox, we are actually behind everyone located on the main piazza.  You will know you have arrived when you see the Piazza with a spectacular European Fountain center stage. 

Kenyon, this is the part of the spotlight where people get to know a little more about you. One of my passions is music. What kind of music do you like to listen to and what kind of music do you play in the restaurant?

Music in Italy is like many Latin countries, it is very special and always with great passion.  I have personally seen Andrea Bocelli play in the 2000 old year arena in Verona Italy and in a former restaurant company with my partner we hosted Luciano Pavarotti for a black tie dinner in New York City.  Having said that we have brought some of the finest Italian music direct from Italy, where we feature classical Italian like Bocelli, true Italian Jazz that one could never find here in the United States and the most exciting and progressive music in Italy today, like the band Eros, Carmen Consoli, Mina and more.   And as Italy is very progressive, we added some modern Spanish Guitar that one would easily find along the Mediterranean.  Very unique…

Thanks Kenyon. I love the way you blend music in with your restaurant. It truly is unique. I also want to thank you and Craig for being such gracious hosts with our wedding rehearsal dinner a few weeks ago. Everybody had a great time and were well taken care of. Ok, is there anything else you would like to share with readers of this newsletter?

I think the most important thing for us is we are a family business.  Both my partner and I have wonderful families and we run the business in the same fashion.   Our goal is to be received into the community and build a reputation for just great food, warm service and a place you feel taken care of.  We look forward to meeting you soon.

It’s time to “just do it!” -- Interview to be Mrs. Frisco 2008 and represent married women of Frisco!:

Many times, wives and moms get so busy with the day-to-day activities of life that they forget to do something *just* for themselves. Sound familiar? If so, you could be on your way to a new journey of self-exploration, all the while making new friends! If you are a resident of Frisco, at least 21, and married, you’re eligible to compete for the title of Mrs. Frisco United States® 2008. Represent this amazing city and have a year you and your husband will always remember! The new Mrs. Frisco will get her state entry fee paid to compete at the Mrs. Texas United States® competition at the host hotel Westin Stonebriar Resort this coming April in Frisco!  This will be the fourth year the state competition has been held in Frisco. The new Mrs. Texas gets an all-expense paid trip to compete at the televised Mrs. United States® competition July 2008 in Las Vegas. Other contestants interviewing for Mrs. Frisco also will have a chance to compete at the state Mrs. Texas pageant at a discounted entry fee!

There is no talent competition, no platform, & no experience is necessary. Age and having children have no bearing on judging. We have had winners of various age ranges. This will be a fun, laid back weekend filled with great memories and lots of new friends for you and your husband!

The reigning Mrs. Frisco, the amazing Sheila Elliott, will be passing on her title to a new winner on SUNDAY, JANUARY 13 at Lenz Boutique in Frisco. If you would like to interview for Mrs. Frisco, please email Erika Lafata at or visit the Mrs. Texas website to get the entry form. Deadline to enter is January 9.

Legacy Advantage Storage Special Offer For Newsletter Readers:

Mention This Coupon and Receive…

·         1/2 Off First Month’s Rent

·         10% off all boxes & Packing Supplies

Offer expires 12/31/2007

Come see us at 3540 Legacy Drive, Frisco 75034 - Located at the corner of Warr