Sugar Land Mayor Joins Local Kazakh Community in Celebrating Loyal Regular's 90th Birthday
Kazakh-owned Mood Coffee surprised longtime customer with birthday celebration featuring the mayor of Sugar Land, a dombyra performance and lots of community love.
Mood Coffee co-owners Amanbek Abshukur and Doubara Forun, joined City of Sugar Land Mayor Carol K. McCutcheon on October 28, 2025 in celebrating the 90th birthday of longtime Sugar Land resident Alice Mondshine, far right. Photo courtesy of Mood Coffee
Sugar Land-based Mood Coffee marked the 90th birthday of longtime regular Alice Mondshine with a surprise celebration that brought together Sugar Land’s mayor, the local Kazakh community and loyal customers. The event featured traditional pastries, a dombyra performance and a special recognition from the city, highlighting the café’s role as a gathering place for culture and connection.
SUGAR LAND, Texas — Mood Coffee became the site of an unexpected tribute Tuesday, October 28 as Sugar Land Mayor Carol K. McCutcheon honored longtime resident Alice Mondshine with a City of Sugar Land Certificate of Recognition on her 90th birthday.
Café co-owners Amanbek Abshukur, originally from Kazakhstan, and Doubara Forun, originally from Nigeria, organized the celebration with Mondshine’s friend of 20 years Jane Moye. They decorated the Sugar Land space with fresh roses, pastries popular in Kazakhstan and the shop’s signature honey cake.
Mondshine entered to applause and a rendition of “Happy Birthday.” “She came in dancing,” Abshukur said. “Ninety years old but full of life. She brings light wherever she goes.”
Also in the festivities were Mondshine’s 93-year-old husband, Thomas, far right, and, from left, American Turkic Business Council President Orhan Osman and Happy Cake founder Askhat Soltanov. Photo courtesy of Mood Coffee
McCutcheon delivered a framed letter from the city, praising Mondshine’s warmth, optimism and lifelong service. Mondshine has lived in Sugar Creek, one of Sugar Land’s oldest master-planned communities, since 1994. She has remained active in the arts and civic life, volunteering with the Houston Grand Opera and participating in area clubs and hiking groups.
Adding to the festivities, a special birthday cake was personally delivered by Askhat Soltanov, owner of Happy Cake, also based in Sugar Land.
“She’s the most positive person I know,” Moye said. “She doesn’t think about yesterday or tomorrow. She just lives in the moment.”
Mood Coffee, originally opened as Embedo Coffee in 2022 and rebranded in January 2025, has built a loyal following for its Turkish-inspired breakfasts and specialty drinks. The café is located in Sugar Land, a fast-growing city southwest of Houston known for its cultural diversity and strong community spirit. The menu also includes regional favorites like baursak, a fried dough popular in Kazakhstan.
A brief performance on the dombyra—a traditional two-string instrument central to Kazakh music and oral storytelling — was offered by Berik Ospan, president and founder of the Texas Qazaq Foundation, a nonprofit supporting the Qazaq community in the state. The dombyra’s rhythmic melodies, often compared to galloping horses on the steppe, drew smiles from guests and added a cultural note to the morning.
Forun said the birthday celebration reflected the café’s mission. “Seeing Miss Alice’s happiness, her family gathered and the mayor sitting among everyone — it was emotional for all of us.”
As Mondshine posed with her 93-year-old husband, Thomas Mondshine, family and recognition letter, Abshukur said she embodied the spirit of Sugar Land. “She’s kind, graceful and full of life—just like the mood we try to serve every day.”