THE THEME SONG TO MY LIFE IS “PIANO MAN” BY BILLY JOEL . A ROOM FULL OF CHARACTERS, EACH WITH A STORY TO TELL . THAT’S WHEN A ROOM COMES TO LIFE.
MY GO-TO ORDER IN DALLAS IS AN ICE-COLD MARTINI, A CLASSIC CAESAR SALAD AND WHATEVER DISH MY WIFE CORRECTLY TOLD ME TO ORDER.
PRESTON EVANS
Dallas entrepreneur Preston Evans stays on the move.
“Can’t never did anything” is the advice Preston Evans has carried with him since childhood, when his father often repeated the phrase as a reminder not to count himself out before trying. Today, the Dallas native serves as president of J.T. Evans & Company and owner of Ten50 BBQ, balancing business with an unmistakable sense of style. What’s still on the dapper entrepreneur’s list? Mastering conversational Spanish, sharpening his tennis game and bringing a restaurant concept nearly a decade in the making to life.
IN THREE WORDS, I WOULD DESCRIBE MY STYLE AS UNDERSTATED, NEUTRAL AND TIMELESS.
WHEN I WAS A KID, I WAS ALWAYS REDECORATING MY ROOM! I STILL LOVE CHANGE. IT GETS ME EXCITED TO SUDDENLY SEE SOMETHING FROM A DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVE.
IF I COULD TURN BACK TIME, I WOULD TELL MYSELF TO MOVE ABROAD FOR A YEAR AND LEARN A NEW LANGUAGE. IN THE NEXT YEAR I HOPE TO EXPLORE THE CAMPANIA REGION IN SOUTHERN ITALY AND VISIT THE MEZZATORE HOTEL I N ISCHIA.
I’M CURRENTLY READING DAVID SEDARIS’ LATEST COLLECTION OF ESSAYS, THE LAND AND ITS PEOPLE.
THE THEME SONG TO MY LIFE IS “STRANGE OVERTONE” BY DAVID BYRNE AND BRIAN ENO. MY GO-TO ORDER IN DALLAS IS ROASTED CHICKEN AND ORZO FROM BOBBIE’S.
JAVIER HERNÁNDEZ BALCÁZAR
Three-time World Cup player Balcázar begins his next chapter in Dallas.
“My Way” by Frank Sinatra is the song soccer legend Javier Hernández Balcázar considers the theme song of his life. Having recently signed with USL expansion team Atlético Dallas, Balcázar, often referred to as “Chicharito,” boasts an impressive roster of career accolades, including winning the Premier League, playing in three World Cups, becoming Mexico’s all-time leading scorer, winning the Europa League, and capturing the Club World Cup. What’s next for the tour de force? “I hope to win a championship with Atlético Dallas.”
IN THREE WORDS, I WOULD DESCRIBE MY STYLE AS TEMPO-SETTING, COMMITTED AND INTELLIGENT.
THE BEST ADVICE I HAVE EVER RECEIVED IS “EVERYTHING PASSES, BOTH THE GOOD AND THE BAD MOMENTS IN LIFE.” IF I WEREN’T IN MY CURRENT CAREER, I WOULD BE A SOCCER MATCH ANALYST AND AN ACTOR.
IF I HAD THREE WISHES, I WOULD WIN A CHAMPIONSHIP WITH ATLÉTICO DALLAS, LIVE TO BE 1 10 YEARS OLD AND WIN AN OSCAR.
MY FAVORITE SPOT AROUND DALLAS IS CENTRAL MARKET.
DANIEL GAFFORD
Daniel Gafford helped the Mavericks reach the 2024 NBA Finals.
Photo by Roberto Hernandez/Dallas Mavericks
“Calm, relaxed and confident.” These are the three words Daniel Gafford uses to describe his sense of style. A center for the Dallas Mavericks, Gafford shines on and off the court. An avid animal lover, he happily cares for dogs, chickens, ducks and a cat on his property. On the court, his defensive dominance in the paint has earned him the nickname “The Landlord,” thanks to his knack for evicting opponents trying to score. So, if he weren’t dominating the basketball world, what would this boss be doing instead? “I have several things on my mind I could do: go back to school and get my degree to be a therapist, stream video games or any other lifestyle stuff I have going on, become a gunsmith or be a world traveler with my family,” he says. “Or honestly, all of the above!”
MY BIGGEST CAREER ACCOMPLISHMENT TO DATE IS DEFINITELY MAKING THE NBA FINALS IN THE 2023-24 SEASON, BEING NO. 2 ON THE LIST BEHIND WILT CHAMBERLAIN FOR MOST CONSECUTIVE FIELD GOALS MADE, AND REALLY MAKING IT AS LONG AS I HAVE IN THE NBA. IT’S NOT EASY STAYING IN THIS LEAGUE. GETTING MORE THAN ONE CONTRACT IS THE BIGGEST ACCOMPLISHMENT ANYBODY IN THIS BUSINESS COULD HAVE.
I AM CURRENTLY READING A LITTLE DEVOTIONAL BIBLE STUDY FOR MEN. IT HAS ONE A DAY FOR 365 DAYS. THAT’S THE ONLY THING I’M READING RIGHT NOW.
THE BEST ADVICE I HAVE EVER RECEIVED IS “FOCUS ON WHAT I CAN CONTROL RATHER THAN ON VARIABLES I CAN’T CHANGE. FOCUS ON THOSE THAT CAN BE MOVED EVER SO SLIGHTLY, AND PROGRESS WITH THE GOALS THAT THE MOVABLE VARIABLES AFFECT. AND STAY PATIENT. L IVE L I FE WITH A SMILE, BECAUSE THE WORLD DOESN’T CARE, REGARDLESS OF WHETHER YOU’RE HAPPY OR SAD.”