Sugar Lander Annie Rupani’s sweet life as a chocolatier

Written by Crystal Rawls | Select photography courtesy of Jay Marroquin

Sugar Land, TX News - Chocolate has a way of soothing the nerves. Art expands the mind for unlimited expression. Combine the two, and taste becomes more than a sense - it becomes an experience.

It was this experience that changed the course of Sugar Land native Annie Rupani’s life. She had her goals neatly outlined and was on track to becoming a successful lawyer. But her life soon took a sweeter turn.

Annie Rupani’s life as a chocolatier is an extension of artistry and displays her talent for combining flavors with aesthetics
Photo by Deborah Smail

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KPRC Channel 2 reporter and Sugar Lander shares how becoming a mother brought a new perspective to her life and career

Written by Gail G. Collins | Select Photography by Sara Isola

How did you get into television news?
I’d wanted to do TV since I was 12 years old, and I had a passion for writing. I used to set up my family’s video cameraand record fake newscasts. I earned a journalism degree from Michigan State University and have been in the business for 15 years. I bumped around from my home in Michigan to Florida and have been in Houston for four years now. KPRC is my fifth TV station.

Jennifer Bauer dreamed of becoming a TV reporter since she was a young girl

What do you love about being a reporter?
Every day is different. It is never boring; it’s one adventure after another. I love being at the scene of the story and meeting people.

What makes a good story?
My favorite stories are those that make a difference - people need help and call the station to resolve it. It may not even be complicated, butwe have the resources to connect. It makes for a good day.

What are some of the challenges you face?
I have those on a weekly basis. The tough stories involve children, crime on a family, or car accidents. I talk to the families, but it is important to
get the news out, and it can make for some long days and long nights.

Bauer has won two Emmy awards for her excellence in reporting

What is an average day like for you, balancing motherhood and work?
I have a great schedule for a working mom. My husband, Mike Guerrieri, is hands-on and also works for Channel 2. He is at the station first thing, and I work in the afternoon and evening. An au pair takes care of the time in between. My daughter Aubrey is 18 months old, and we can sleep in, play and read, and I can feed her lunch before her nap. I wouldn’t trade my mornings with her for anything. Then, I get some breathing space before I head to the station. There, I attend an editorial meeting, where we talk about recent news, tomorrow’s big story, and prioritize. The stories are assigned, and we head out, but often, we’re rerouted for breaking news. Then, I do my live shot, and sometimes, I have an appearance around town.

Has becoming a mom changed your point of view in covering the news?
Before I had Aubrey, I used to get upset if people said, “You don’t understand, because you haven’t had children yet.” I do understand, now, how much priorities shift. I have more compassion for family stories.

How does your family react to you being on TV?
My larger family is used to it after all of these years, but it’s new to Aubrey. She points at the screen and says, “Mama.” On delayed broadcasts, I may be at home next to her, and she’ll look from the screen to me, confused.

Bauer’s husband, Mike Guerrieri, also works at KPRC. Their daughter Aubrey sees her broadcasts and recognizes “mama”

What do you love about Sugar Land?
My husband and I adore everything about the area. We’d heard so much about the parks, community, and schools that three years ago we built a home in Riverstone. Weekends are spent hanging out at Sugar Land Town Square. There are movies, music, and lots to do. We’ve tried all of
the restaurants or get frozen yogurt. My daughter could sit in front of the fountain for hours.

Do you have any advice to anyone who wants to enter the news business?
You have to be passionate about it. The news is 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. It never stops. You will end up working holidays, but those who are passionate about it don’t mind. SLM

GAIL G. COLLINS has worked as a print reporter, and like Bauer, enjoyed meeting people and telling their stories.

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Fort Bend Cares, a local charitable foundation, celebrates 10 years of service to disadvantaged youth

Written by Crystal Rawls

Sugar Land, TX News - The first Fort Bend Cares fundraiser almost didn’t happen. Threatening thunderclouds rolled in above the golf green that spring day in May 2005 and organization co-founders and fundraising novices Bob McLendon and Jim Rice considered canceling the event. But McLendon’s faith wouldn’t let the pair quit so easily.

“Bob and I held a brief discussion, and he said, ‘We need to step forward in faith and hold the golf tournament,’” says Rice. “The sky cleared up, and we held the golf tournament netting $15,000. We donated all of this money to the Boy Scouts.”

Local charities are recipients of Fort Bend Cares’ grants

An Act of Faith
In 2005, McLendon and Rice were simply two doting dads trying to do a little more to fund their sons’ Boy Scout troops. But after that first golf tournament, they realized their newly formed organization had the capacity to help so many more.

“As we continued our work, we realized there were many children who were not in Boy Scouts who also were in need in our community and decided that Fort Bend Cares’ mission needed to expand to fill this gap,” says Rice.

Filling the gap required rolling up their sleeves. Bob and his wife Gail spearheaded the organization’s growth, recruiting volunteers, planning fundraising events, and promoting the organization’s cause. Rice admits the early years were a difficult balancing act of raising a family, maintaining a full-time job, and growing a grassroots organization. But the late hours and time-consuming planning was well-worth the effort.

“[It] reminds me of the story of an older man walking along the beach,” muses Rice. “Presently, he came upon a young boy who was busy throwing [dying] starfish that had washed up on the beach…back into the ocean. The old man observed there were more starfish on the beach than the young boy could save and asked him, ‘Do you think you are making a difference by doing that?’ to which the young man replied as he threw a starfish into the ocean, ‘It made a difference to that one.’” (more…)

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In celebration of our 10th anniversary and our final issue, Sugar Land Magazine caught up with a few inspiring Fort Bend people we’ve spotlighted over the years. Today, these individuals are living their dreams all while inspiring and empowering others to do the same

Written by Kennan Buckner

Marcia Holmes - Cancer Survivor
Marcia Holmes’ life has changed since she shared her story with Sugar Land Magazine in 2012. Holmes finds herself in a “new normal” as her battle with cancer has transitioned into a slow-moving recovery process. “During 2013, I had three reconstructive surgeries and went from wearing a wig to having very short hair,” says Holmes. “I was thrown into chemotherapy-induced menopause - which brings all sorts of changes.” She has come to accept that follow-up doctor appointments are a normal part of the survivor’s life. Today, she in cancer-free. “Whenever I begin to feel worried or overwhelmed, I just turn it over to God,” says Holmes. “He always gives me the hope and strength that I need to carry on-that is one thing that hasn’t changed.”

Marcia Holmes is a cancer survivor and mother who shared her story with us in 2012

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James Nelson of Bravado Spice tells Sugar Land Magazine about his experience making it to the top five on Fox’s MasterChef and where you can get a taste of this young entrepreneur’s zest for cooking

Written by Kennan Buckner

Sugar Land, TX News - How would you describe your experience on MasterChef?
It was quite the life-changing experience. I learned a lot about what I’m capable of, and it reinforced my passion for food. What cooking challenge were you most proud about the outcome? I loved the crab-catfish elimination challenge. It felt great to win, obviously - but I loved that my flavors finally impressed everyone.

James Nelson, a top five finalist on
Fox’s MasterChef, often sells his
Bravado Spice products at Sugar
Land Imperial Farmers Market,
but fans can also get a taste of
his pineapple and habanero hot
sauce or San Patricio hot sauce by
visiting bravadospice.com
Photo by Greg Gayne

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She stars in a hit sitcom on OWN, is a former Miss USA, and competed in the Junior Olympics. Sugar Land Magazine catches up with this versatile and talented Missouri City native.

Written By Tonya Ellis

Sugar Land, TX News - Since 2011, Fort Bend native Crystle Stewart has entertained audiences as Leslie, a character seeking love on the Tyler Perry sitcom For Better or Worse. Now, the former Miss USA is getting ready to begin her own real-life happily ever after with a Houston wedding set for Aug. 9.

Stewart met Tyler Perry in a restaurant; soon she was auditioning for a role while finishing studies at the New York Film Academy in Los Angeles
Photo courtesy of Tyler Perry Studios

Put a Ring on It
Labor Day weekend, Stewart’s fiancé, Belgian model Max Sebrechts, staged a romantic proposal with her family’s help. She had no idea the helicopter they’d chartered for a Houston tour would land in her neighborhood’s Missouri City cul-de-sac. In front of a group of family and friends, Sebrechts dropped to one knee and proposed. A stunned Stewart playfully got her friends’ approval before she said, “Yes.”

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A Sugar Land couple finds the perfect pooch at Poodle Rescue of Houston

Written by Gail G. Collins | Select photography by Marisa Hugonnett

Sugar Land, TX News - When Beverly was rescued from a local Houston shelter, she was a brown, matted mess. Poodle Rescue of Houston (PRH) cleaned her up and two hours later, she looked like a fluffy, cream dream. The non-profit poodle haven assisted 800 distressed and homeless poodles last year alone. “Once we rescue dogs, we rehabilitate them and offer them for adoption to carefully screened families and individuals,” says PRH executive director Guinnette Peebles.

Peebles is a dog obedience trainer and owner of Prestonwood Kennels and has an affinity for poodles. When Bluebonnet Poodle Club asked for a volunteer for rescues, Peebles had the land for a dedicated facility as well as the know-how, so she accepted the job. The small-scale endeavor began in 1999 and grew quickly. PRH typically has 50 dogs in its program ready for adoption.

Poodle Rescue of Houston’s executive director Guinnette Peebles with poodle rescues Madison, Beverly, and Cash

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Former Houston Texans linebacker and Fort Bend resident, Chester Pitts, competes on The Amazing Race

Written by Tonya Ellis

Sugar Land, TX News - When he retired from the NFL in 2010, former Houston Texans linebacker Chester Pitts thought his days of enduring physical trials in front of millions were over. Then his old teammate Ephraim Salaam asked him to be his partner on the 23rd season of The Amazing Race.

“I thought he was kidding,” Pitts says with his famous dimpled grin. “Five minutes later, I got a call from the show.”

The Amazing Race is an Emmy award winning reality TV series that pits 11 pairs of contestants against each other in a competition spanning the globe. Teams race to complete mental and physical challenges, traveling through four continents and nine countries. Each week, those last to complete the challenge are eliminated. The winning team receives $1 million.

Chester Pitts II and Ephraim Salaam were Houston Texans teammates from 2006 to 2009 and recently partnered
together on CBS’ The Amazing Race
Photo by Cliff Lipson/CBS Broadcasting Inc.

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