Class Note 1997
Issue
November-December 2021
Congratulations to Carolyn Wolff Dorros, who recently opened Agnes Café & Provisions, a Mediterranean-inspired neighborhood restaurant in Houston. Carolyn teamed up with her childhood friend Molly Voorhees to launch the new all-day café and boutique grocery. Carolyn, who is the executive vice president of the commercial real estate firm Wolff Cos., told the Houston Business Journal, “I love cooking, entertaining, and traveling, and, over the past year, have truly missed some of my favorite dishes from around the world.” She continued, “With only a few restaurant options in the area, we wanted to create a relaxed yet elegant gathering place, walkable for neighbors to catch up with friends over a fantastic meal, coffee, or glass of wine.”
I checked in with Carolyn, who wrote, “Agnes Café & Provisions has been open for three months and is doing well! We are lucky to have a large, airy space and patio. Definitely looking forward to some fall outdoor dining weather!”
She and husband Chris Dorros are parents to 11-year-old Sam and 14-year-old Eliza, who works as a barista at Agnes, along with Amelia Montgomery, the daughter of Joel Montgomery and wife Sarah.
In keeping with the restaurant theme, I caught up with Raul Avila, who is the chief financial officer of El Tiempo Cantina, a chain of Tex Mex eateries in the Houston area. Raul started his position there in March 2020, right as Covid was shutting down the country. One of his first tasks was especially challenging: laying off hundreds of employees, something he said he had prepared for analytically but not emotionally. “That changed me,” he said. “My mantra now is to ensure the financial viability of the company and to protect and create jobs.” More than a year-and-a-half later, Raul happily reports all employees who wanted to return to work and were in good standing have been rehired. Raul and wife Keveney have been married for 10 years. Keveney practiced law in Houston for a decade and left about five years ago to open her own business providing spiritual direction and animal communication and healing. She has human and furry clients across the country and often travels to the Northeast and California to visit clients and facilitate workshops. The couple has two dogs, Sophie, an English cream golden retriever, and Kinley, a red Labrador retriever. Raul said he stays in touch with Sandy Alexandre, Joe Casal, and Justin Merrill.
Mark your calendars for June 16-19, 2022, for our 25th reunion. It is going to be a blast! Look for more information in the coming months or go to https://dartmouth97.org.
Take care and keep sending your news.
—Jason Casell, 10106 Balmforth Lane, Houston, TX 77096; jhcasell@gmail.com
I checked in with Carolyn, who wrote, “Agnes Café & Provisions has been open for three months and is doing well! We are lucky to have a large, airy space and patio. Definitely looking forward to some fall outdoor dining weather!”
She and husband Chris Dorros are parents to 11-year-old Sam and 14-year-old Eliza, who works as a barista at Agnes, along with Amelia Montgomery, the daughter of Joel Montgomery and wife Sarah.
In keeping with the restaurant theme, I caught up with Raul Avila, who is the chief financial officer of El Tiempo Cantina, a chain of Tex Mex eateries in the Houston area. Raul started his position there in March 2020, right as Covid was shutting down the country. One of his first tasks was especially challenging: laying off hundreds of employees, something he said he had prepared for analytically but not emotionally. “That changed me,” he said. “My mantra now is to ensure the financial viability of the company and to protect and create jobs.” More than a year-and-a-half later, Raul happily reports all employees who wanted to return to work and were in good standing have been rehired. Raul and wife Keveney have been married for 10 years. Keveney practiced law in Houston for a decade and left about five years ago to open her own business providing spiritual direction and animal communication and healing. She has human and furry clients across the country and often travels to the Northeast and California to visit clients and facilitate workshops. The couple has two dogs, Sophie, an English cream golden retriever, and Kinley, a red Labrador retriever. Raul said he stays in touch with Sandy Alexandre, Joe Casal, and Justin Merrill.
Mark your calendars for June 16-19, 2022, for our 25th reunion. It is going to be a blast! Look for more information in the coming months or go to https://dartmouth97.org.
Take care and keep sending your news.
—Jason Casell, 10106 Balmforth Lane, Houston, TX 77096; jhcasell@gmail.com