Way to go, Ralph!

CultureMap contributor Ralph Bivins honored in Best Real Estate Columnist awards

CultureMap columnist Ralph Bivins has been named a winner in the “Best Columnist” category of the National Association of Real Estate Editors 61st Annual Journalism Awards.

Award winners in 25 categories were selected by a panel of expert judges from the E. W. Scripps School of Journalism at Ohio University.

A collection of Bivins’ columns for CultureMap received a second place in the national competition for best real estate columnist. Ken Harney, a national columnist for the Washington Post Writers Group, took the first place prize.

Judges provided this comment about Bivins’ work for CultureMap: “This writer has the ability to be entertaining, thus keeping a reader wanting more, while discussing serious topics dealing with real estate. This makes not only for a lively read but an informative one. Clearly, this writer knows the difference between a column and a feature.”

The award ceremony took place at the NAREE Annual Real Estate Journalism Conference in San Antonio last week.

Shannon Behnken of the Tampa Tribune was honored with NAREE’s annual award for Best Overall Entry by an Individual. The best Freelance Collection Award went to Mary Umberger for her freelance contributions to the Chicago Tribune. The Ruth Ryon Best Entry by a Young Journalist honor went to Alyssa Abkowitz of SmartMoney Magazine.

The National Association of Real Estate Editors (NAREE) is a non-profit association founded in 1929.

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No Stiffs

The dead pool: Funeral bars shoot for a swimming time

A look in at the pool that will be the centerpiece of one of the bars.
Photo by Caroline Gallay
Will the funeral bars really be ready to open by Wednesday as advertised?
Photo by Caroline Gallay
Photo by Caroline Gallay
Photo by Caroline Gallay
Photo by Caroline Gallay
Photo by Caroline Gallay

We got a tip over the weekend that those bars being constructed on Upper Kirby out of the old Settegast Kopf funeral home had opened.

Given the mess of the construction site, we had our doubts, but we went by Tuesday afternoon to check things out. What we can tell you is the following: The bars do not appear to be open, but that rumor about the pool in the funeral bar is definitely true.

As we reported earlier, despite the lawsuit and some serious parking issues, Roak, Twist and Hendrick's Pub have, as a collective, obtained a liquor license from the TABC and all the necessary permits for construction.

On Friday we noticed that an event on our calendar that's scheduled for Wednesday, July 13 is to be hosted at Roak (and it boasts "sipping specialty cocktails" by that pool we mentioned.)

By the looks of these pictures we took Tuesday evening, we're not sure what shape it will be in by then — but we've seen crazier stuff happen. What do you think?