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M M A A G G A A ZZ II N N EE
SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2019
Munster Mansion Jefferson Tours Rainbow Vomit
Fall Festivals Futuro House Cajun Cafe Winnsboro West Bob Mauldin, Georgia Christensen, Jim Willis, Meredith Crawford, Beth Hubbert
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V VAANN Z ANNDDT T Z A ARTS & CULTURAL DISTRICT ARTS & CULTURAL DISTRICT
Art Galleries. Live Music. Restaurants Lodging. Shopping. Theatre Wineries. Parks & Golf Museums. History. Nature Special Events
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CONTENTS DEPARTMENTS
30
5 Editor’s Note
THIS TIME OF YEAR
18 Book Exhibition, Stevie Ray Vaughan, National Coloring Day, Brookshire Brothers, and Charline Arthur
24
CULTURE & ENTERTAINMENT 15 Visit Winnsboro For Cowboys and Culture 22 Event Picks 24 Out of this World Treasure 25 Munster Mansion
42
16
THE ARTS 28 New Winnsboro Art Center, Noises Off, and Victor Thall 29 Art and Stage Shows 30 Partners Share Exploding Rainbow Vomit 31 Artist Pops Color into Nac History 32 Edom Art Festival 34 Artist Beth Hubbert
FILM 36 New TV Show, Adventure and Romance
34
LITERARY
8
12
10
39 Is It Ever Enough by Will Brule
MUSIC 40 ZZ Top Turns Fifty 41 Music Picks
FOOD & DRINK 44 Cajun Tex in Marshall
FEATURES
8 Christensen Lives Life By Design
Georgia Christensen shares her creative design skills in her new country community. By P.A. Geddie
20 Jefferson Tours
Numerous adventures await with historic home, hotels, and railway tours. By Judy Peacock
46 Castle Oaks Winery, First Monday Wine Garden, Annie Mae’s Coffee Cafe
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10 Bob Mauldin Shares Texas Love “Expedition Texas” host Bob Mauldin talks about his show, his music, and family. By Tom Geddie
42 Meredith Crawford
M M A A G G A A ZZ II N N EE
Singer-songwriter Meredith Crawford releases her new CD and talks about transitions in her life. By Tom Geddie
12 Willis Keeps Music Flowing
The Bowery Stage in Winnsboro and other community service keeps Jim Willis happily living a good life. By Judy Peacock
Cover: The Munster Mansion in Waxahachie
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SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2019
Munster Mansion Jefferson Tours Rainbow Vomit
Fall Festivals Futuro House Cajun Cafe Winnsboro West Bob Mauldin, Georgia Christensen, Jim Willis, Meredith Crawford, Beth Hubbert
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EDITOR’S NOTE
MAGAZINE
Dear Readers, Serving those living & playing in the Upper East Side of Texas
PUBLISHER & MANAGING EDITOR P.A. Geddie COPY EDITORS Tracy Torma Judy Peacock
CONTRIBUTORS Judy Peacock Krista Leard Dave Hensley Tom Geddie Will Brule Jim Willis Wendy Floyd Kristi McDonald
Digital Publications & Graphic Design Assistant Krista Leard
ADVERTISING
We are introducing you to a few people who make the Upper East Side of Texas a great place to live, work, and play. Meet Georgia Christensen from Edom, Jim Willis from Winnsboro, and Bob Mauldin who makes his home in Whitehouse but is known to many around the state of Texas.
The Munster Mansion is a favorite find this time of year, a replica of the house on Mockingbird Lane from the old TV show, The Munsters. Some of our young staff had no idea about the popular show while others got a kick out of a walk down memory lane while keeping as far away from Spot the dragon under the staircase as possible. This gem is located in Waxahachie and available for tours and murder mystery dinners.
Also get to know artist Beth Hubbert who lives in Sherman and is one of the artists this year at the Edom Art Festival in October.
Many, many fall festivals to choose from this year and historical tours in Jefferson are perfect for history buffs.
Singer-songwriter Meredith Crawford graced our cover when she was just 16 years old in 2006. She was good then and has only gotten better over the years. She’s got a new CD out and talks here about transitions.
And finally, we’re all so happy to see the UFO house in Royse City get a new coat of paint. Read how these two men fixed it up on page 24 and go check it out yourself next time you need to stretch your imagination.
It’s not hard these days to find art in every corner of the region so we’ve rounded up some news for our art lovers including two big festivals coming up this fall and exhibitions in Longview and Tyler.
Hope you enjoy and cherish our little piece of the universe during this beautiful time of year. P.A. Geddie
pa.geddie@countylinemagazine.com
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SUBSCRIPTIONS info@countylinemagazine.com County Line Magazine is published every other month, 6 times a year. Subscription costs: $15 per year. Bulk rate postage paid at Ben Wheeler, Texas. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to County Line Magazine, P.O. Box 608, Ben Wheeler, TX 75754. Contents COPYRIGHT 2019 County Line all rights reserved. Material may not be reproduced without written permission. Opinions expressed in articles or advertising appearing in this magazine do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher. Mailing address: P.O. Box 608, Ben Wheeler, TX 75754 Phone: 903.963.1101. E-mail: info@countylinemagazine.com Website: www.countylinemagazine.com. Free listings are entered on a space available basis. Advertising space may be purchased by calling 903.963.1101.. We reserve the right to refuse any advertisement we deem incompatible with our mission.
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Explore Wood County!
EXPLORE WOOD MeetingCOUNTY the locals has never been so memorable
www.woodcountytx.com “Beyond the Lure of Big Fish”
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MARSHALL TEXAS shines year round • 2nd Saturday Car Show & Concert March through November • Market on the Square May through September; featuring growers, vendors, live music and children's crafts • Visit the Starr Family Home, Harrison County Historical Museum, T&P Railroad Depot, and Michelson Museum of Art @VisitMarshallTX @MarshallMainStreet @MarketOnTheSquare WWW.MARSHALLTEXAS.NET
Explore the Upper East Side of Texas
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Christensen Lives Life By Design
Georgia Christensen retired from Neiman Marcus a couple of years ago and now lives in Edom where she runs her own design consulting business from her country home. TOP RIGHT: A coffee table book of a client’s art collection is one of her recent projects. BOTTOM: Pairing a spiked shoe with a black balloon for a Neiman Marcus photo shoot is the kind of creativity that keeps her in demand. Courtesy photos.
By P.A. Geddie Imagine daily life swirling with high fashion, art, runway models, photographers, and bold magazine covers. A world filled with a continuous flow of ideas that help create the distinctive design that makes department store Neiman Marcus — in high-rise, bustling downtown Dallas — a household name synonymous with luxury and lavish lifestyles.
Georgia Christensen was born in 1958, a fourth generation Dentonite, with two older brothers.
The contrast is not lost on former Neiman Marcus marketing director Georgia Christensen — in fact, it’s a well-designed work of art.
Her mother, Vera Davidson Laney, worked in the Denton County Clerk’s office until her retirement in 1991. Her father, William Roland Laney III was born and raised in Denton. He had his own architecture practice in Denton during the 1960’s. It was during this time that he designed several residences and commercial buildings in Denton and worked in partnership with architect O’Neil Ford on several significant projects including the Denton Civic Center, Denton City Hall, and Fairhaven, a retirement home. He then worked for international architecture firm Harwood K. Smith and Partners for 25 years.
She and her husband Chris made the move to Edom, Texas, after leaving her corporate career in 2017.
Though she didn’t know it at the time, her father’s work made a big impact on how she sees the world.
“I wanted a change and we decided to pursue a dream we’ve had for many years — live on some land in the country,” Christensen says.
“My childhood home was designed by my father and sat amongst a series of identical tract homes. Needless to say, our house and how it was furnished didn’t
Now, imagine daily life in a small rural East Texas town surrounded by vast rolling hills of thick green grass and massive trees, dotted with cows and chickens and occasional herds of wild pigs.
8 • WWW.COUNTYLINEMAGAZINE.COM • SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2019
look like anyone else’s house. It wasn’t until I was in college that I truly appreciated how special our home was. Before then, I yearned for wall-to-wall shag carpet to replace our gleaming hard wood floors with sheepskin rugs. And while our living room was populated with Eames chairs, long day beds that my father designed, walls of floor-to-ceiling cream draperies, and marble slab floating shelves, I coveted the Ethan Allen furniture that furnished friend’s homes.” That desire to be like all the other kids in the neighborhood eventually went away. “I now treasure that environment as it completely informed my view about design.” In contrast to her city life in Denton, Christensen enjoyed summers on her grandmother’s farm. “Mornings were spent doing outdoor chores or running errands then coming inside for lunch and a nap,” she fondly recalls. “In the afternoon, we would clean up, pile on the talcum powder and then tackle afternoon indoor projects on her
screened porch where she taught me to sew on a treadle sewing machine.”
They try to get together with them each week for “Sunday Suppers.”
From the time she was a small child, Christensen knew she would grow up to do something in a creative field. She was in her teens when she began to get a better sense of what that might be.
“We all gather for dinner and catch up with everyone. It’s a lovely experience.”
“The marketing bug bit me when I was in high school working at the Shoe Shack, a clothing and shoe store in Denton. The owner allowed me to design the window displays and I witnessed how the design influenced customers and drove action.” From there, her first job after graduating from college gave her the opportunity she credits with shaping her career. “It was a very small design firm focused on luxury mail order catalogs. I was exposed to a whole new world and level of sophistication.” Designing and producing the catalogs soon broadened to the creative arm of marketing for fashion retail and ultimately to her position as Vice President Creative Director for Neiman Marcus. Since moving to Edom, Christensen continues to help others with design projects through her own business, GLC&Co. Design. She’s currently cataloging an extensive art collection for a client with homes in Dallas and Santa Fe. “I’ve established a database for the inventory of art and have also created coffee table books that feature the artwork. The books are truly a reflection of her, her philosophy on collecting art, her art, and her homes.” Christensen works from the country estate in Edom that she and her husband share which includes 12 acres of luscious land frequently visited by deer and other friendly critters. Their home is an elegant, energy-efficient, modern farmhouse with concrete floors and traces of their creativity on every wall, furniture grouping, and counter top. They enjoy watching nature’s “zoo” and often entertain friends and family from all over the country as well as new friends they’ve made in Edom. She says the thing she loves most about living here is their new circle of friends. “These individuals are smart, talented, open minded, and very fun. We treasure them.”
Besides finding a meaningful social circle, Christensen didn’t hesitate to dive right in to community service.
“I want to start painting and creating art again,” she says. “I began painting when we lived in Connecticut and fell in love with it. When we moved back to Texas I sadly broke the cycle and allowed other things to make their way onto my list of ‘to do’s.’ I’m taking a painting class and I’m hoping this will kick-start me again.”
“I’m very active in the Edom Area Chamber of Commerce and on the board of the Van Zandt Arts & Cultural District Foundation.”
Diving in to creative projects is a way of life for Christensen, and especially important after a time of distress she experienced a few years ago.
Projects where she can use her creative mind are where she excels, noting graphics, interiors, landscapes, events, and many other forms she enjoys shaping into beautiful design.
“It was a series of life’s greatest challenges — moving across country, losing parents and a sibling, illness, and job changes to name a few — packed into five short years. It was simply a matter of waking up each morning and putting one foot in front of the other.”
She has redesigned Edom’s website to better highlight its art and creative nature to lure visitors to come experience the town. Earlier this year, she and a team of coworkers created the first Art of Food & Wine Long Table Dinner, a successful event that brought people from around Texas and beyond to experience the artists shops and enjoy local food and wine. As Vice President of the Van Zandt Arts & Cultural District Foundation she frequently serves as a consultant on projects from art fairs to arts education for children, as well as destination tourism. Her greatest achievement Christensen says is her marriage and children. She and Chris are into their 35th year of marriage. He is a photographer who spent more than 30 years in Dallas in the commercial photography industry with a focus on aviation, food, and jewelry. It’s no surprise to learn their two children inherited their parents’ creative talent. “Our oldest, Lizzy, is a fashion designer in New York City where she previously headed up women’s design for Everlane and has recently joined an exciting new start-up that focuses on sustainability. “Our son, William, earned his master’s degree in cinematography from the American Film Institute in Los Angeles where he is now living and pursuing both commercial and narrative projects. His most recent project was the commercials for the 2019 Emmy Awards.” Christensen says her immediate future includes extended visits with her children and she wants to get back to an old hobby — oil painting.
Good advice coming from someone whose very nature allows her to constantly see positive solutions. “As a designer, I’m continually focused on improving things. The world is moving so fast now, that it seems that teaching quality design and originality (regardless of the media) is going to the wayside, which makes me very sad.” Always the consultant, she offers sage advice for those just starting their careers. “Think big and reach for the stars while also giving yourself time. Time to learn your craft and develop life skills — those things only come with time. Each informs the other. The world is more competitive today than it ever has been and I see many individuals expecting to be the vice president by the time they are 27. You need time to learn your craft as well as the skills to effectively interact with colleagues and successfully reach a goal. That, and a good dose of humility, is what makes great leaders.” Christensen says she developed a list of life philosophies more than 30 years ago that remain on her bulletin board today that includes making mistakes and learning from them, shooting for total quality and not shaving standards, listening to understand, and not being afraid of breaking things — it’s the first step in the creative process. Most importantly, her goal is to have fun and enjoy the moment while making life better by design.
SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2019 • WWW.COUNTYLINEMAGAZINE.COM • 9
Bob Mauldin Shares His Love of All Things Texas By Tom Geddie Bob Mauldin is a familiar face in the Upper East Side of Texas with his syndicated TV show “Expedition Texas,” and a familiar voice from earlier days as a morning personality on Tyler-based KKUS classic country radio. The journey began many years ago. “I knew early in life that I wanted to entertain,” he said. “I have been told that from early childhood I’d get up and sing in front of people. Anything I can do that brings a smile to people’s faces makes me happy.” Some may know him from his stage shows at local venues, which he began again in 2016, six years after he released his first album, “Van Zandt County Line,” and a little more than two years before his most recent one, “Summer Days.” “I wanted to jump back into music and I had all these songs ready to go. This album of personal songs “is more of an art piece for me, not necessarily designed to be a hit factory. It may be different, but it’s as real as you will ever get from me.” While the album is a labor of love, “Expedition Texas,” which picks up again in September, is a labor of, well, love, too. And curiosity. The show, seen on TV stations across much of the state, features places that help give Texas its color, whether it’s back roads or city streets. “Mauldin said he found his groove traveling across Texas to share the histories of small communities that might otherwise be lost. “When ‘Expedition Texas’ became a success, I had to step away from my music and focus on my show,” Mauldin said. “I took a hiatus from the show this past spring to create the album, but we’re back at work on a new fall season.” Mauldin was born in Dallas in 1978, the son of Robert and Sandy Mauldin, and moved to Canton five years later where his father established an air conditioning business. He has a younger sister, Angela, and learned his work habits from his parents. “I’m not afraid to work hard and see it as my responsibility to my family to use my talents to earn my living.” Growing up, he inherited his family’s sense of play. “My dad was a prankster and always coming up with jokes. One night he pretended to lock me out of the back of the house. I quickly remembered that the front screen door was open and ran around the house and slipped in the front door. Mom, my sister, and dad were quietly giggling about me being stuck outside when I slipped back in the kitchen and took my seat. Dad was surprised but got a huge laugh out of it. He had us join hands around the table and said, ‘We’re this! (meaning a family) I could see how much all of us sharing laughter together meant to him and that I always wanted to be that way with my kids. Firm when I had to be, but truly a family man, not afraid to share a laugh with my kids.” Bob and his wife, Tessa, live in Whitehouse now. “Tessa and I have four boys. On the weeks the boys are with me, it’s 10 • WWW.COUNTYLINEMAGAZINE.COM • SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2019
controlled chaos and all the fun of being a parent. On the weeks they are at their mom’s, Tessa and I get to spend our evenings together. It’s nice to come home and relax and share your day with someone who cares.” He calls his sons – Jacob, Ryan, Trevor, and Clay – his greatest contribution. Divorce has been his greatest challenge. “I’ve been through that twice and they were both extremely low points in my life. I dealt with it. I stayed strong and kept working at life and making myself better, and as it turns out God was really getting me ready for something amazing. If I hadn’t grown and learned from those experiences, there is no way I would be ready for the precious love I have found in Tessa.” Whether spending time with family or on his music or TV show, Mauldin has always got something going on. “After dabbling in a lot of things, I find myself more and more wanting to just focus on one thing for a while,” he said. “Lately, I’ve always got several things going and I’m not content to slow down. I’d love to finish what I started, buy some land, raise some animals, and live quietly for a while. That would be nice.” His advice for people considering a life in broadcast or music: “It doesn’t matter how much money you make. Get
up and go do something you love and find a way to make a living at it. If you’re doing what you’re meant to do, it will come easy. I spent a lot of time trying to make things happen. When I finally just fell into what I was good at, it came easy, and people paid me to do it.” Burnout – overworking and over committing – can happen. “Maybe it sounds selfish, but sometimes it’s okay to rest. I love hanging out with my wife and kids. I love scooting across the lake on my old boat. I just hope it takes me to a few acres in East Texas where Tessa and I can raise chickens, goats, and llamas.” Not quite yet, though. “Right now, at this moment, I want to have a great season of ‘Expedition Texas’ and I want people to hear my music. That would make me extremely happy. Ask me tomorrow, and the answer may be different.” Aside from his childhood, experience shapes him. “Just that realization that comes only with age that if you don’t slow down and enjoy what you have, you might not have it tomorrow. It could be people, nature, things, or whatever. But always be mindful of blessings because sometimes the biggest ones are almost too small to see.
People from different backgrounds working together inspires him. “There are two very prominent men in Tyler, one a Muslim and one Jewish. They are opposites in politics and religion, but they are best friends. Their work together in their community is one of the most inspiring things I’ve witnessed. “I misspent a lot of my young adulthood worrying about what people thought of me or, worse, what I thought about them. When I learned to celebrate what makes us all the same and less on our differences, I found a peace within, and made many new friends.” His philosophy is that “God made us all. He loves us, so let’s work on loving each other like he does.” In the future, he says, laughing, “I’m most likely going to be a mall Santa. Seriously, I’m definitely going to be more settled down. I feel like I’m easing into a groove that I like in life and I’m happy to coast along here. He hopes to be remembered as a good man. “Really nothing else I do matters. I’m never going to be perfect, but I want people to remember me fondly for who I am, not what I did.”
SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2019 • WWW.COUNTYLINEMAGAZINE.COM • 11
Jim Willis Keeps the Music Flowing
By Judy Peacock As a recipient of Winnsboro’s Man of the Year Award, many of Jim Willis’ deeds for the town obviously get noticed. But mostly, he slips quietly in and out of downtown businesses and the Winnsboro Center for the Arts bringing people and ideas together that make a positive difference for the community. Sharing his love for music, photography, and all the arts, continues to help keep one of Texas’ best small towns thriving for visitors and residents alike. He is quick to give credit to others, but those who work with Willis know his talents and hard work are invaluable for the good of this community he chooses to serve on a daily basis. Deep family roots enticed he and his wife Glynda to enjoy a weekend country place nearby since 1981 and they made it officially home when he retired in 2008. “I first came to Winnsboro in 1940 a few months after I was born to visit my
grandparents who lived north of town,” Willis says. “I spent a lot of time with them growing up first near Winnsboro and then later near Quitman.” His grandparents ran a small dairy herd in both places and his grandfather ran a milk route where he hauled the heavy milk cans to the processors. “Without knowing it at the time, I learned to appreciate the simple country life.” Willis grew up with his parents and sister in Dallas. His father ran a house painting business and was later an aircraft painter. “My father was a quiet, principled and respected man. Though he was orphaned at an early age, he lived a life where doing a good job and being fair were important to him,” Willis says. His mother was a housewife and involved in church work and scouting programs for him and his sister. The family devotion to doing a good
12 • WWW.COUNTYLINEMAGAZINE.COM • SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2019
job stuck with Willis. “I was fortunate enough to spend most of my working life with the same company,” he says, noting they were a family of about 450 people, many of whom he is still friends with now. He held many positions over the 27 or so years that he worked for Thermalloy, Inc., one of the largest semiconductor accessory providers in the world. Some included materials and inventory management, international sales, and data and systems design and implementation. “These were some of the most formative years of my life, and when we moved from manual to computer systems, I ABOVE: Jim Willis is a familiar face around downtown Winnsboro. OPPOSITE TOP: Willis takes photos of Sgt. Peppers Lonely Bluegrass Band and all the performers that come to The Bowery Stage. BOTTOM: Willis makes all the posters for music and theatre performances -- providing a nice visual of the work he does for the art center. Photos by Judy Peacock
discovered that I had an unusual understanding of and respect for data.” During these years, Willis also honed his photography skills, combining that with his love of music when he attended the first Kerrville Folk Festival in 1972. He was one of three staff photographers for this Texas Hill Country event for more than a dozen years. “I learned a lot about both interests during that time, meeting many folks in the music business and watching the festival struggle and grow into a major U.S. event.” Now in its 49th year, the Kerrville Music Festival is the longest continuously running music festival in the country. Willis’ work and volunteer history landed him perfectly in place at the Winnsboro Center for the Arts (WCA) when he joined the board of directors in 2013.
ter, Paul and Mary) to our little 120seat venue in Winnsboro,” Willis says. “That was followed by a number of the musicians I listened to in the 60’s and 70’ like Judy Collins, Tom Paxton, Melanie, and Michael Martin Murphey.” He notes others that have played The Bowery Stage in the past like Maria Muldaur, George Winston, John Sebastian, and Eric Andersen and says future concerts include those by Mairead Nesbitt of Celtic Woman, Nobody’s Girl (BettySoo, Grace Pettis, and Rebecca Loebe), Hannah Kirby, Eliza Gilkyson, Sofia Talvik, and Mary Gauthier to name a few. While taking a humble bow for keeping the music flowing at the art center, Willis knows no man accomplishes anything alone. “Producing concerts is the result of the work of a lot of dedicated and talented volunteers,” he says, “and those folks
are a subset of an equally dedicated and talented group of members of the WCA.” Willis’ road to this point in his life was a fairly steady one with a few challenges along the way but overall, he says, “life’s challenges have been few and well scattered.” Today, he says he likes where he is. “My wife likes to say that I’m ‘boring and conservative’ and it’s true that the line on the excitability chart doesn’t move around a lot. But, for the most part, the line on the happiness chart stays well onto the plus side. “My plan now is to continue living life in the way my father taught me and doing the things I’m doing now. I enjoy the fact that most days begin with a WCA to-do list, many with deadlines. I hope to continue booking concerts until the day that we have one and I forget to go.”
“It was just in time to head up a renovation project of the center,” Willis says. “I’ve always loved project management.” The renovation included space for live music and The Bowery Stage was born with Willis assigned the job of booking and hosting concerts. “That proved to be a very meaningful turn of events, like a career change,” Willis says. He combined his photography skills with promotions and booking of musicians and the center produced their first concert in April of 2014. Willis also enjoys creating posters and other promotional pieces for all the shows. “I get a great deal of fulfillment in sitting down to create a poster or artwork or ad and watch an idea hatch and morph into a pleasing design that will hopefully translate into people deciding to come to the concert,” he says. Since 2014, The Bowery Stage has presented about 110 concerts with roughly 240 musicians of all kinds and Willis says he’s pleased by the array of talent that’s come to Winnsboro. “I’ve always loved folk music and by the time a year had gone by a series of events let us bring Peter Yarrow (of PeSEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2019 • WWW.COUNTYLINEMAGAZINE.COM • 13
ENJOY AUTUMN ADVENTURES
Gary Robertson, Lavern “Straw” Berry, Teresa Burleson, Conrad Wolfman, Bob Campbell, Jay Snider, Allan Chapman, “Doc” Davis, Don Cadden, Doug Tolleson, Pipp Gillette, Chris Isaacs, Joe Dan Boyd, Linda Kirkpatrick, Haley Sandoz and Kristyn Harris
Winnsboro Cowboy Poetry Gathering OCTOBER 19TH • POETRY • MUSIC • ART Michael Martin Murphey
Concert October 18, 7:30 p.m. The Bowery Stage at Winnsboro Center for the Arts
Cowboy poets and musicians from Texas, Oklahoma, and Arizona gather in Winnsboro.
Julie Howard
Continuous sessions in two venues provide opportunities to hear them all.
Cowboy Art September 14 - October 26 Winnsboro Center for the Arts
See the full schedule and purchase tickets on the website.
Jerry Goodale
Cowboy and Western Photography September 28 - November 2 Winnsboro Depot
WINNSBORO CENTER FOR THE ARTS 200 Market Street, Winnsboro, TX 903-342-0686 • www.winnsborocenterforthearts.com
WWW.WINNSBOROCOWBOYPOETRY.COM • 903.342.0686
14 • WWW.COUNTYLINEMAGAZINE.COM • SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2019
WINNSBORO, TEXAS Visit Winnsboro This Autumn for Cowboys and Culture
November 9 & 10 Historic Downtown Winnsboro, Texas Cowboy art by Julie Howard is on exhibit at the Winnsboro Center for the Arts September 14-October 26.
There’s not a bad time of year to visit Winnsboro, Texas, but for some the turning of the leaves provides the perfect backdrop for fun activities in this lively rural village in the Upper East Side of Texas. Every year since 1958, a team of Winnsboro folks start planning trail rides on their horses among the fall foliage. In addition to the rides, Winnsboro Autumn Trails covers almost daily activities throughout the entire month of October. There’s barrel racing, chili cookoff, arts and crafts, pie contest, pet show, outhouse race, beard contest, car shows, and livestock and dairy shows. Go to www. winnsboroautumntrails.com for the detailed schedule. The Winnsboro Center for the Arts (WCA) gets on board with the cowboy spirit with an art exhibition by Julie Howard from September 14 to October 26. It curated art as well by cowboy and western photographer Jerry Goodale which is on display September 28 to November 2 in the Winnsboro Depot. On Friday, October 18, the WCA features Michael Martin Murphey in concert on The Bowery Stage.
On Saturday, October 19, WCA holds the first annual Winnsboro Cowboy Poetry Gathering with cowboy poets and musicians from Texas, Oklahoma, and Arizona. See www.winnsborocowboypoetry.com for the full schedule and to purchase tickets. That weekend Autumn Trails presents the Trail Riders Parade and more trail rides and Saturday night it holds a street dance on Market Street with entertainment by Sunny Sweeny and her band. In November the cowboys move over as artists and culinary culture takes over the downtown streets with the annual Winnsboro Art & Wine Festival. This year’s show features more than 50 juried artists, numerous Texas wineries and craft breweries, gourmet chocolates, olive oils, and a new Emerging Artists Tent giving up-and-coming talents a place to shine. Get all the details on the festival on www.winnsboroonlineguide.com where visitors can also find lodging. Downtown Winnsboro also has outstanding dining and shopping that make this a complete destination experience this time of year.
A Texas Official Cultural Arts District 50 Juried Artists Emerging Artists Tent 10 Texas Wineries 3 Craft Breweries Premier Chocolates Regional Honey Baked Goods Olive Oils Interactive Wall Mural So Much More! Friday: 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday: 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Unwind with art and wine in Winnsboro! Sponsored by First National Bank City National Bank Texas Country Ford City of Winnsboro Winnsboro EDC Patrons of the Arts
WinnsboroOnlineGuide.com
888-559-4333
f
SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2019 • WWW.COUNTYLINEMAGAZINE.COM • 15
WINNSBORO CULTURAL ARTS DISTRICT
ANNIE MAE’S COFFEE SHOP & CAFE 108 W. Elm St. - (903) 347-6510
LIEFIE LI VINE 302 N. Main St. - (903) 347-1111
Neptune’s Car COPPER LEAF DAY SPA 209 N. Main St. - (903) 342-7772
WINNSBOROCULTURALDISTRICT.COM Texas Certified Cultural Arts District
DIRECTIONAL WELLNESS 213 N. Main St. - (903) 342-7772
LA CONCHITA 205 N. Walnut St. - (903) 347-1213
Mairead Nesbit of Celtic Woman September 21 & 22
Nobody’s Girl October 5
100 East Cedar Street 903-588-0465 CYPRESS CREEK SOUTHERN ALES 200 E. Carnegie St. - (208) 841-4159
THE BOWERY Dining, Music, Arts, & Entertainment
BARREL HOUSE BAR & GRILL
STAR DRAGONFLY HERBS 300 N. Main St., Suite C - (903) 588-4313
204 Market St. - (903) 347-1282
200 MARKET STREET • 903-342-0686
16 • WWW.COUNTYLINEMAGAZINE.COM • SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2019
903-342-3666
DINE. SHOP. STAY. ARTS. ENTERTAINMENT.
ORIGINAL WORKS BY LOCAL ARTISTS
ASHLEY’S FLOWERS & SODA SHOP 306 E. Coke Rd. - (903) 342-0607
CLARA IDA FRANCES 219 N. Main St. - (903) 342-6137
r June 25 Mercury Chamber Orchestra October 13
Michael Martin Murphey October 18
BEAUWEEVILS 205 N. Main - (903) 342-6800
HEROES COMICS AND GAMES 111 E. Elm St. - (903) 342-2055
BONNIE’S LUNCH BOX 210 N. Main St. - (903) 347-6075
THEE HUBBELL HOUSE 307 W. Elm St. - (800) 227-0639
(903) 440-5392 FARMERS MARKET APR-NOV winnsboro.locallygrown.net
Rich in history. Steeped in country. First in class. Logos represent donors or supporters and are utilized by permission only.
FINDERS KEEPERS ANTIQUES 304 N. Main St. - (903) 347-1271
COUNTRYBOYS BBQ & SWEETS 414 W. Broadway - (903) 347-6512
CULTURE CLUB, GALLERY OF ARTISTS 107 E. Elm St.
www.WINNSBOROCENTERFORTHE ARTS.COM SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2019 • WWW.COUNTYLINEMAGAZINE.COM • 17
THIS TIME OF YEAR OCTOBER 3, 1954
THROUGH NOVEMBER 10
See Books Exhibition at Tyler Museum of Art
MANUAL (Edward Hill, b. 1935 & Suzanne Bloom, b. 1943). End Papers, 2017. Archival pigment print, 37 x 44 inches
The Tyler Museum of Art (TMA) is embarking on another historic collaboration with a fellow Smith County nonprofit while exploring the printed word as a work of art in its major exhibition, “Books, Books & More Books: Works by MANUAL,” presented in collaboration with Literacy Council of Tyler (LCOT). The exhibition runs through November 10. Organized by the TMA and curated by Caleb Bell, the exhibition spotlights a series of photographic works from the ongoing Book Project by MANUAL, the artistic collaboration of Suzanne Bloom and Ed Hill that began in 1974. The photographs from this series spotlight a wide variety of books in dynamic compositions, “visually exploring their importance in our lives,” Bell said. Though created within the classic genre of still life, the artistic duo sees its work in the Book Project more as “staging discrete dramas on a very small stage,” they wrote. “What we may be doing in this extended project is just a different form of ‘romance’ with the book than is reading and researching.” The idea of an exhibition celebrating
the physical, bound book as a work of art in and of itself — and a gateway to the imagination — attracted not only the TMA staff but the LCOT leadership as well, and seemed a natural fit for the occasion of two organizations that share complementary educational missions to collaborate for the first time. “Many of our students, like others in Tyler, have never had the chance to interact with visual art in a museum setting, and to be able to introduce them to this world through the medium of books is a uniquely approachable and relatable opportunity,” said LCOT Executive Director Nancy Crawford. “I think this exhibition reveals the true nature of books as works of art, from the standpoint of the content inside, the cover art, and even the tactile experience of holding a book and turning its pages. We think the exhibition will show our students that reading is truly an artful experience that they can begin to enjoy and appreciate on so many new levels as they pursue their educations at Literacy Council of Tyler.” For more information visit www.tylermuseum.org or call (903) 595-1001.
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New Book Features the Life of Guitar Legend Stevie Ray Vaughan Guitar legend Stevie Ray Vaughn would have turned 65 this year. He died in 1990. Born October 3, 1954, in the Oak Cliff area of Dallas, he grew up in his brother Jimmie’s footsteps to become not only a guitarist, but a coveted singer and songwriter. His songs like “Pride and Joy,” “The Sky is Crying,” “Life By the Drop,” “Cold Shot,” and so many more continue to grace the music lists of his fans. A new biography, “Texas Flood, The Inside Story of Stevie Ray Vaughan,” released this summer, with words from his brother Jimmie, and his bandmates Chris Layton and Tommy Shannon. Written by Alan Paul and Andy Alert, they talk about how well his life was going at the time of his sudden death August 27, 1990, when he was killed in a helicopter crash following a performance with Eric Clapton. Just 35 years old, he left behind a powerful musical legacy. “Texas Flood” is available on Amazon.
SEPTEMBER 14
SEPTEMBER 2, 1929
PAPER
National Coloring Day Encourages Young and Old To Get Out the Crayons
Indulge Charline Arthur’s “Unladylike” Style Was Banned in Nashville
National Coloring Day is September 14, a reminder to get out the crayons and enjoy the experience. Always a great activity for children, adult coloring books became popular the last few years. Studies show that coloring improves overall wellness no matter the age. ColorIt says therapeutic elements parents sought to keep their children calm or entertained before dinner, are now being applied to adults, to help distract them from the daily pressures of life. Here are their top seven benefits of coloring for adults:
Charline Highsmith Arthur was born in September 2, 1929, in Henrietta, Texas, in a railroad boxcar. Her family moved to Paris, Texas, when she was four. She was a country music singer that Elvis Presley once described as “one of the finest.” Charline’s bluesy, rocking country sound and her wild stage antics are considered to have influenced Patsy Cline and Presley. She is now considered a pioneer of rockabilly music. She was the first female country musician to attempt to express a unique, “unladylike” style that was not accepted in Nashville.
Brookshire Brothers Started Grocery Chain in Lufkin
5. Unplugging from technology promotes creation over consumption. 6. Coloring can be done by anyone, not just artists or creative types. 7. It’s a hobby that can be taken with you wherever you go.
Still just $15 per year! SUBMIT ORDER ON WEBSITE OR MAIL TO P.O. BOX 608 BEN WHEELER, TX 75754
county line
2. Stress and anxiety levels have the potential to be lowered.
4. Focusing on the present helps you achieve mindfulness.
SUBSCRIBE!
SEPTEMBER 21, 1921
1. Your brain experiences relief by entering a meditative state.
3. Negative thoughts are expelled as you take in positivity.
YOU DESERVE IT
On September 21, 1921, brothers Austin and Tom Brookshire opened the first “Brookshire Brothers” grocery store in Lufkin, Texas. They wanted a regional presence so they grew to operating 33 grocery stores in East Texas. Two other family members broke off in 1929 to form what is now the Brookshire Grocery Company with four stores in Tyler. And the rest is history. See County Line archives for more, www.countylinemagazine.com.
Upper East Side of Texas Regional Magazine
fl&g 903.963.1101 countylinemagazine.com
SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2019 • WWW.COUNTYLINEMAGAZINE.COM • 19
CULTURE & ENTERTAINMENT
Check out the eMAGAZINE www.countylinemagazine.com for extended event listings.
Jefferson Tours Give Visitors A Look Back in Time
The House of the Seasons is one of numerous historic buildings available for tours in Jefferson. Photo by Heavenly Reflections Photography
By Judy Peacock There are many ways to tour historic Jefferson, Texas, a pre-Civil War town with scenic streets, charming restaurants, quaint bed and breakfasts, historic hotels, and picturesque landscapes. The town was founded in Marion County in the late 1830s to early 1840s and named in honor of the third President of the United States, Thomas Jefferson. Jefferson’s historic vibe is palpable all around the downtown area -- below are a few must-see locations for those who like to explore the details.
House of the Seasons Historic Home Tour House of the Seasons is a historical home in Jefferson that offers bed and breakfast accommodations in its carriage house, and tours are available of
the home and gardens. The original owner was Colonel Benjamin H. Epperson, a Texas lawyer and confidante of Sam Houston who built the home in 1872. Richard H. Collins acquired the home in 1973, and spent three years restoring it. It is now owned by the Collins Family Foundation. Guests have included President George W. Bush and First Lady Laura Bush; Former First Lady, Lady Bird Johnson; singer-songwriter Lyle Lovett; movie star Karl Malden, and authors Pat Conroy and Fannie Flagg. The architecture of the house is an example of the transition period between the Greek Revival and Victorian style. The most unique features are the cupola and the murals. The cupola — a dome on the top of the house — features four walls, each containing a different colored stained glass that creates the illusion of the seasons of the year.
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Construction of a Victorian garden on the north lot of the property at House of the Seasons includes native plants, a pergola, gazebo, birdbaths, and more. A crushed granite walkway allows guests to explore the landscape. Architecture featured in the garden was designed to reflect the 1872 design of the house. House of the Seasons is located at 409 S. Alley, and tours are scheduled daily at 11 a.m. for $15 per person. Tours must include a minimum of four people, and people should call ahead to make sure the time they want is available. For more information, call (903) 665-8000 or visit houseoftheseasons.com.
Excelsior House Hotel and Jay Gould Railcar Tour
Named County Line Magazine’s most recent Best Hotel in the Upper East Side of Texas, The Excelsior House has wel-
comed travelers to Jefferson since the late 1850’s. Famous people registered at the Excelsior House included Ulysses S. Grant, Oscar Wilde, Rutherford B. Hayes and Lady Bird Johnson. The hotel features Southern charm and elegant decor with rich rosewood, cherry, and mahogany furnishings and the outside is constructed with brick, timber, and lacy iron work. The Excelsior House is an antique lover’s delight. It has a beautifully appointed ballroom and dining room and manicured grounds, and excels in southern elegance and taste, including the World Famous Orange Blossom Muffins served on the weekends at breakfast. It is also within walking distance to downtown Jefferson’s retail shops and entertainment venues. Across from the Excelsior House Hotel on Austin Street is Jason “Jay” Gould’s private train car, “The Atalanta,” named for the Greek Goddess of Speed. Gould lived from 1836 to 1892 and was a leading American railroad developer and speculator. His private parlor car has a luxurious interior with four staterooms, lounge, dining room, kitchen, butler’s pantry, and ballroom. It is ironic the train car ended up in Jefferson, because the town rejected Gould’s bid to pass his railroad through the town. After his rejection, he wrote in the hotel guest register “the end of Jefferson” and now the trophy car is owned and operated by the Excelsior Foundation. The Excelsior House Hotel is located at 211 W. Austin. Tours of the hotel and the Jay Gould Railcar Tour are offered daily at 1 p.m., for $8 for the hotel and $5 for the railcar. Call (903) 665-2513 at least a day ahead for reservations, and go to www.theexcelsiorhouse.com for more information. Visitors can also contact The Excelsior House for information on the nearby Jefferson Playhouse, which was once a Catholic convent, then a Jewish Synagogue, built in 1876. Theater seating, a stage and lighting system have been added to the Synagogue and it is now used as a local theatre and event venue with seating for 92.
Singleton’s Virginia Cross Historic Home Tour
Tours are also available at the Singleton home, built in 1859. It is an excellent example of early Greek Revival architec-
ture that was patterned after 18th Century Virginia houses of the cross plan, hence the nickname "Virginia Cross." This home is located in the older portion of Jefferson, close to the Jefferson Historic District, and an easy walk from downtown. The Virginia Cross is constructed of cypress lumber and the exterior walls are covered with cypress clapboards. All the floors are original wide plank, heart pine floors. The parlor and central hall are decorated with period wallpaper. This significant example of antebellum architecture is a recorded Texas Historic Landmark, is on the National Register of Historic Places, and is recorded in the Historic American Building Survey in the Library of Congress. The home is completely furnished with American empire and Renaissance Revival antique furniture and accessories in keeping with the 1860 to 1885 time period. Singleton’s Virginia Cross is located at 401 N. Soda Street, and tours are conducted on select Saturdays at 1 p.m. for $7 per person. Call (903) 665-3938 to confirm tour dates and to make reservations. For more information, visit www. virginiacross.com.
Jefferson Historical Museum and R.D. Moses T&P Model Railroad
The Jefferson Historical Museum is housed in a historical building and offers objects relating to the history of Jefferson, Marion County, and Texas. It was constructed from 1888 to 1890 as a federal courthouse and post office, remaining in use until 1961. Then it was purchased in 1965 by the Jefferson Historical Society as the permanent home of the museum. Artifacts are found there from the Caddo Indians which lived at the only natural lake in Texas, Caddo Lake, just east of Jefferson. Also on display are early pioneer implements, art, and antiquities, including the bell from the Mittie Stephens Steamboat which sank in 1869, leading to the loss of life of her 61 passengers. Along with the museum, there is a depot behind the main building especially built to house the R. D. Moses T&P Model Railroad exhibit. This model train in a 1950’s setting fills the entire depot. The museum and depot are located at
223 W. Austin. Museum hours are 9:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. daily except for New Years Day, Easter Sunday, Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Eve, and Christmas Day, and the depot is open varying hours. Prices vary. For more information, call (903) 665-2775 or visit www.jeffersonmuseum.com.
Historic Tours of Jefferson and Bicycle Rental Kennedy Manor Bed & Breakfast offers historic tours of Jefferson on its 15-passenger “limo golf cart.” The one-hour narrated tour includes a quick tour of the bed and breakfast which was built in 1860, then on to historic places around Jefferson, including other bed and breakfasts and buildings and places of historical significance. Kennedy Manor is located at 217 W. Lafayette Street. Tours are offered Saturdays at 11 a.m., 12:30 and 3:30 p.m., Sundays at 11:15 a.m., and weekends and other times by appointment. They also rent cruiser bicycles -- $10 for half-day, $15 for full-day, and $25 for an entire weekend – for people to ride around town at their leisure and discover all that Jefferson has to offer. Call ahead for reservations at 903-6650359 or visit www.kennedymanor.com for more information.
Lonestar Carriage Company Take a historic narrated tour of Jefferson by horse-drawn carriage down the red brick streets. Learn the rich history of the town as the carriage passes beautiful homes and churches. Lonestar Carriage Company offers historic, adventure and romantic carriage rides weekly. Starting the first week in October, after 5:30 p.m. it has Halloween rides available. Then starting November 30 through the end of the year, all trips at 5:30 p.m. and later are Christmas light rides. Lonestar Carriage Company is located at 222 W. Austin Street. Prices vary. Call (903) 926-8216 or visit www.jeffersontexascarriage.com for more information on tours and pricing. For more information on Jefferson go to www.visitjeffersontexas.com.
SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2019 • WWW.COUNTYLINEMAGAZINE.COM • 21
School,” Thall abandoned New York for a worldwide tour of indigenous cultures to find a solution to the crisis of abstraction. What might have been had Thall Stayed in New York?Would he be revered with the likes of William De Kooning and Jackson Pollock? LMFA tells his story in this impressive retrospective.
The Art of Listening:
Discovering Abstract Expressionist
Victor Thall
Portraits from the Memory Bridge Project New York artist Josh Dorman exhibits his series of paintings illustrating the internal world of Alzheimer’s patients.
Thall abandoned New York in 1950 as the Abstract Expressionist movement rose to fame. For the first time, a retrospective of Thall’s body of work will be on display and his story will be told.
O C T O B E R 5 to D E C E M B E R 21
Dates and times are subject to change. Always call ahead before planning a visit.
Every Saturday Thru September 28
Celebration Market, Celebration Live! Downtown Sulphur Springs. (903) 885-7541, www.sulphurspringstx.org
Second Saturdays
Mimosas at the Market. Downtown Corsicana. (903) 654-4851, www.corsicanamainstreet.org
903.753.8103 LMFA.org
August 29-September 1
215 E. Tyler St. Longview, TX 75601
First Monday Trade Days. Canton. First Monday Trade Days, (903) 567-6556, firstmondaycanton.com
Discovering Abstract Expressionist
elling the story of an elusive talent.
EVENTS
Victor Thall
Thall abandoned New York in 1950 as the Abstract Expressionist movement rose to fame. For the first time, a retrospective of Thall’s body of work will be on display and his story will be told.
September 6-14
Gregg County Fair & Exposition. Longview, Gregg County Fair (903) 753-4478, greggcountyfair.com
Sept. 7, 21; Oct. 12, 26
Cleveland Armory Black Beauty Ranch Tours. Murchsion, Cleveland Armory Black Beauty Ranch, (903) 469-3811, www.fundforanimals.org/blackbeauty/visit-the-ranch
September 13-22
Four States Fair and Rodeo. Texarkana, Four States Fair, (870) 773-2941, fourstatesfair.com
September 13
Corsicana Ghost Walk. Corsicana Opry, (903) 872-6779, visitcorsicana.com
September 14 CORSI CANA , TX
COMING THIS SEASON September 30 – October 25 Piecemakers’ 38th Annual Quilt Show Photo: Across the Street Diner, formerly Dee’s Place, 125 North Beaton Street in historic Corsicana, Texas.
When you find one of the oldest soda fountains in Texas and become smitten with the whole town.
It’s Corsicana. Of course.
WAREHOUSE LIVING ARTS CENTER
October 10 – January 4 The American Plains Artists 34th Annual Juried Exhibit & Sale PEARCE MUSEUM OF NAVARRO COLLEGE
November 2 Leftyfest with David and Allen Frizzell & the Lefty Frizzell Tribute HISTORIC PALACE THEATRE
November 16 Open Studios
100W ARTIST & WRITER RESIDENCY
JOIN US IN
CORSICANA TEXAS
Browse our event calendar and book your weekend stay at visitcorsicana.com 903- 654- 485 0
November 22 Annual Christmas Tree Lighting Celebration & Fireworks DOWNTOWN
December 7 Heritage Bowl Division II collegiate football TIGER STADIUM
Every Second Saturday “Say Cheers Here” Mimosas at the Market DOWNTOWN
Classics Round the Square. Emory, Downtown Square, (903) 473-2465, www.emorytx.com
Sept. 14, Oct. 12
Second Saturdays in Downtown McKinney. Historic Downtown McKinney, (972) 547-2660, secondsaturdaymckinney.com
Sept. 14, Oct. 12, Nov. 9
Marshall’s Second Saturday. Downtown Marshall, (903) 702-7777, marshalltexas.net/ Saturday
September 15
East Texas Music Awards 2019. Athens, The Texan, (903) 677-5943, etxmusic.com/
September 18-22
Texas State Forest Festival. Lufkin, George H. Henderson, Jr. Exposition Center, (936) 6346644, www.texasstateforestfestival.com
September 20-22
Rally Round Greenville. Downtown Greenville, (903) 455-1510, greenvillechamber.com
September 21
Uncle Fletch Hamburger Festival. Athens, (903) 677-5333, unclefletchfestival.com
September 27-28
Iron Horse Festival. Downtown Mineola, (903) 569-2087, mineolachamber.org 22 • WWW.COUNTYLINEMAGAZINE.COM • SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2019
September 27-29
Red River Valley Fair. Paris, Community Exhibit Center, (903) 784-2501, paristexas.com
September 27-29
Oktoberfest. McKinney, (972) 547-2660, www.visitmckinney.com
Fridays/Saturdays, Sept. 27-Oct. 26
Screams Theme Halloween Park. Waxahachie, (972) 938-3247, screamspark.com
Every Weekend in October
Winnsboro Autumn Trails. Winnsboro, Various locations, (903) 342-1958, www.winnsboroautumntrails.com
October 3-6
October 26
Texas Country Reporter Festival. Historic Downtown Waxahachie, (469) 309-4040, www. waxahachiecvb.com
October 26
Ennis Autumn Daze. Ennis Main Street, (972) 878-4748, www.visitennis.org/index.htm
November 2
Fall Farm-to-Table Feast. Downtown Waxahachie, (469) 309-4040, waxahachiecvb.com
November 9
Annual Heritage Syrup Festival. Henderson, Various locations, (866) 650-5529 ext. 268, visithendersontx.com
October 27
Hot Pepper Festival. Historic Downtown Palestine, (903)731-8437, cityofpalestinetx.com
October 31 - November 3
SEE MORE EVENTS ON
First Monday Trade Days. Canton, First Monday Trade Days, (903) 567-6556, firstmondaycanton.com
COUNTYLINEMAGAZINE.com
First Monday Trade Days. Canton, (903) 567-6556, firstmondaycanton.com
October 5
IOOF Oddfest. Waxahachie, Singleton Plaza, (469) 309-4040, www.waxahachiecvb.com
October 5
Denison Fall Fest. Downtown Denison, (903) 465-1551, www.denisontexas.us
October 9-13
Piney Woods Fair. Nacogdoches Civic Center, (936) 564-0849, nacexpo.nett
October 10
Bra’s for the Cause Hunt County. Downtown Greenville, (903) 456-2257
SINCE 2008
October 12
Van Oil Festival and Parade. Van City Park, (903) 963-5051, vantx.com
October 12
37th Annual FireAnt Festival. Downtown Marshall, (903) 935-7868, marshalltexas.com/ fireant-festival
October 16-19
East Texas Yamboree Festival. Gilmer Area Chamber of Commerce, (903) 843-2413, www. yamboree.com/1720/
October 17-20
Texas Rose Festival. Tyler Rose Garden Center, (903) 531-1212, texasrosefestival.com
October 19
Lufkin Heritage Festival. Lufkin, (936) 6330349, visitlufkin.com/events/annual-events/heritage-festival
October 20
Annual Taste of Jefferson. Downtown Jefferson, (903) 665-3733, www.jefferson-texas. com
October 23-27
Annual Hopkins County Fall Festival. Sulphur Springs, Hopkins Civic Center, (903) 885-8071, www.sulphurspringstx.org
October 26
Kaufman Scarecrow Festival. Historic Kaufman Downtown Square, (972) 932-3118, kaufmanchamber.com
Prost Y’all! SEPT. 27-29
DOWNTOWN McKINNEY ENTER TO Win a Trip to Munich! Visitmckinney.com/okt SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2019 • WWW.COUNTYLINEMAGAZINE.COM • 23
Out of This World Treasure Gets New Start Photo by Dave Hensley
By P.A. Geddie Residents traveling regularly on State Highway 276 in Royse City, Texas, grew used to seeing an old spaceship-looking structure standing alone in an overgrown field. To many it fired imaginations, bringing to mind a forgotten alien crash site and for others it was a magnet for graffiti and trash. The structure is one of a few Futuro Houses designed by Finnish architect Matti Suuronen in the late 1960s. It was manufactured to be portable with raised legs. In its heyday, guests entered through a hatch to an elliptical space with a bedroom, bathroom, fireplace, and living room. The Futuro Corporation built the lightweight houses as a prefabricated, compact housing solution for any corner of the globe. An article by Dallas American Institute of Architects (AIA) a couple of years ago says the design was reflective of an optimistic post-war era, intended for a future-thinking population immersed in space travel, the growing influence of technology, and a newfound desire to live designed lives. The project was ultimately too forwardthinking for its own good they say, for be-
ing “unnatural” and some cities banned them. Fewer than 100 of these homes were built before the project was decommissioned in the early 1970s. Today, it is estimated only about 50 remain. It’s not clear how the Royse City Futuro house came to reside in the field on 276. It had some tenants from time to time, and went through a few renovations, but in recent years it was abandoned and became more and more dilapidated.
First they painted the outside a bright orange and in a nod to Nevada’s Air Force “alien” location Area 51, they painted Area 276 on the side. Then they painted the inside, getting rid of all the graffiti. “I’m pretty happy with the end result,” Elkins says. “We really had a lot of fun painting it and I enjoyed everyone who stopped to show their appreciation.”
One day this summer, 26-year-old local Gunderson Elkins decided he was just tired of looking at it.
He says they are not done yet and he hopes to install windows and a mural on the inside.
“I’ve always loved this UFO and thought of it as an important landmark in our community,” he says. “It broke my heart when I moved back and saw it in such poor shape. It was littered with graffiti and wasn’t even recognizable.”
“We want to make it a cool landmark,” he says.
He and his friend Chris Shelton decided to take action. “I wanted to repaint it, and restore it back to something the community could be proud of.” They approached the current property owner, Santiago Rivera, with an offer to fix it up and he agreed.
24 • WWW.COUNTYLINEMAGAZINE.COM • SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2019
Rivera’s daughter Jaelle is grateful to the guys for their work and she has ideas of her own about what the future may hold for the Futuro house. She is currently in chef training at the Art Institute of Dallas and when she graduates she’s thinking about opening a restaurant or burger joint there. Her food is sure to be out of this world. The Royse City Futuro House is located at 9573 State Highway 276 W, Royse City, TX 75189.
Munster Mansion Recreated in Waxahachie Offers Adventures By Krista Leard On September 24, 1964, The Munsters TV show aired their first episode. The show depicted the home life of a family of funny “monsters” with a goofy Frankenstein-looking father, Herman; his vampire wife, Lily; her old, complaining vampire father, Grandpa; a half-werewolf son, Eddie; and Marilyn the “beauty” that makes her the family outcast. The show was a satire of both traditional monster movies and the wholesome family fare of the era. Although no more episodes were made after 1966, the family that lives at 1313 Mockingbird Lane in the fictional suburb of Mockingbird Heights in California is still entertaining fans in reruns. For those that want a more interactive view of the “Munsters” they might consider checking out Munster Mansion in Waxahachie. Owners Sandra and Charles McKee decided in 2002 to recreate a Victorian mansion into an almost-perfect replica of the Munster home. Trouble was, no floor plan was ever released by the producers of the show. So the McKees rewatched all 70 episodes observing carefully to create their own floor plan one room at a time. In building out the rooms, they added every minute detail all the way down to the cobwebs, the family car, and even Spot, the pet dragon under the grand staircase. Many of the pieces in the house came from the TV show they say or are exact matches. Munster Mansion tours are available by appointment only and during ticketed special events like a murder mystery dinner taking place once a month. Each tour lasts about an hour. Information on their website is a bit out of date but still useful: www.munstermansion.com. Call (469) 305-0033 to book a tour and get directions, or email munstermansion02@aol.com. SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2019 • WWW.COUNTYLINEMAGAZINE.COM • 25
VISIT HENDERSON, TEXAS
The Only Folk Life Festival in East Texas
Henderson Civic Theatre 122 E. Main St. 903-657-2968 www.hendersoncivictheatre.org
Frankenstein
Sep 27-30 & Oct 4-6
PRCA Rodeo
31st Annual
Oct. 18-19, 7:30 p.m.
HERITAGE SYRUP FESTIVAL November 9, 2019 www.VisitHenderstonTX.com 1-866-650-5529
Sugar Cane Syrup Making Antique Cars and Tractors Folk Art Demonstrations Music, Shopping, and More
Rusk County Expo Center 3303 FM 13 W. Henderson
www.blackgoldstampede.com 903-658-4404
Emory, TX Let us lure you
“The Land Between the Lakes”
EXPLORE EMORY Girl’s Day Out
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Saturdays from 10 am to 2 pm Sept 7th, Oct 12th, Nov 9th, & Dec 14th Chance to win $100 Shopping Spree!
381 381W. W.Lennon LennonDr. Dr. 903-473-0061 903-473-0061
Girl’s Day Out in Point, TX facebook.com/emory-girlsnightout rainscountychamber.wildapricot.org
3rd Saturdays from 10 am to 2 pm Sept 21st, Oct 19th, Nov 16th, & Dec 21th Chance to win $50 Shopping Spree!
www.emorytx.com
26 • WWW.COUNTYLINEMAGAZINE.COM • SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2019
1026 1026 E. E. Lennon Lennon Dr. Dr. 903-473-2022 903-473-2022
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THE FUTURE OF THE UPPER EAST SIDE OF TEXAS NEVER LOOKED SO GOOD
20th Anniversary Special Offer
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JUST $10 FOR ALL UPCOMING ISSUES THRU THE END OF 2020! Pay online or call with credit card
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SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2019 • WWW.COUNTYLINEMAGAZINE.COM • 27
THE ARTS Victor Thall’s Abstract Expressionism is Featured in Longview
New Arts Center Is Coming to Winnsboro Winnsboro Center for the Arts (WCA) engages people in the arts through educational opportunities, cultural experiences, and entertainmen, and integrates the arts into community life. When people experience the arts and learn creative processes, it enriches the community and leads to a stronger economy. Over the past several years, the WCA has experienced consistent growth and now finds itself “bursting at the seams” to accommodate all the activities it oversees.
A new building is planned for the vacant lot at the corner of Elm and Walnut Streets in downtown Winnsboro to help with their mission. It is slated to include a large, multifunctional space for theater productions and art exhibitions and seating for 250 or more. In addition to classrooms and a conference room, the new building will feature a children’s discovery area, and a sculputure garden is planned in an adjacent lot. To learn more about WCA visit www. winnsborocenterforthearts.com.
Noises Off Is Greenville’s Newest Play
“Noises Off” comes to the Greenville Municipal Auditorium September 13 15 as Greenville Theatre Works’ third production this year. This three-act play is their most ambitious show yet with a large cast and a two-story set built on a turn-table. Guests watch as a theatre troupe is staging a fictitious play and pretty much everything that could go wrong does. In Act 1, the cast is doing their final rehearsal before opening night, still miss-
ing cues and not quite getting it right. In Act II, meet the cast a few weeks into their multi-week run, only this time from backstage and see that relationships are deteriorating. Then in Act III, the cast is near the end of their run, and at this point the set is falling apart, props are missing, and the plot is all but gone. Tickets are $20 and are available at www.showtimeatthegma.com or call the box office at (903) 457-3126.
28 • WWW.COUNTYLINEMAGAZINE.COM • SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2019
The work of Victor Thall is featured in “Discovering Abstract Expressionist” from October 5 through December 21 at the Longview Museum of Fine Arts. Thall abandoned New York in 1950 as the Abstract Expressionist movement rose to fame. This exhibition reveals a retrospective of his body of work and his story. A rugged individualist, throughout his life he strove to define and produce art at its most fundamental level. Fiercely uncompromising in his opinions and with a lack of regard for “success” in the art world, he remained consumed with his artistic projects until his death in 1983.
Attention Artists Send high resolution photos of your art and your bio to editor@countylinemagazine.com for possible inclusion in a future County Line Magazine.
ARTS EVENTS Dates and times are subject to change. Always call ahead before planning a visit.
Through September 21 Intimate Immensity with Liz Hickok. Longview Museum of Fine Arts, (903) 7538103, www.lmfa.org
Through September 21 Simon Waranch-- Young Maestro. Longview Museum of Fine Arts, (903) 753-8103, www. lmfa.org
Through November 10 Books, Books & More Books: Works by MANUAL. Tyler Museum of Art, (903)5951001, www.tylermuseum.org
September 7 - November 9 Wild Things. Athens, Gallery 211, (903) 2921746, www.artgallery211.net
September 11 Adventures of an Art Quilter -Tea & Conversation. McKinney, Heard-Craig Main Museum, (972) 569-6909, www.heardcraig.org
September 24, October 22 Ladies’ Night at LMFA. Longview, LMFA ArtWorks, (903) 753-8103, www.lmfa.org
September 27 Art After Hours. Historic Downtown Corsicana, (903) 654-4851, visitcorsicana.com
October 5 - December 21 Victor Thall-- Abstract Expressionist. Longview Museum of Fine Arts, (903) 7538103, www.lmfa.org
October 5 - December 21 Josh Dorman-- The Art of Listening: Portraits From the Memory Bridge Project. Longview Museum of Fine Arts, (903) 7538103, www.lmfa.org
October 10
STAGE EVENTS September 6-8, 13-15
Greater Tuna. Sulphur Springs, Main Street Theatre, (903) 885-0107, www.communityplayersinc.com
September 14
Bill Engvall. Greenville, Texan Theater, (903)259-6360, texantheatergreenville.com
September 19-28
September 20-22, 27-29
Cast your nominations for your favorite people, places, food, and other things in the Upper East Side of Texas. Winners are announced in the January/February 2020 issue and promoted throughout the year.
The Women of Lockerbie. Mineola, Select Theater, (903) 569-2300, www.lakecountryplayhouse.com
September 26
DIAVOLO Architecture in Motion. UT Tyler Cowan Center, (903) 566-7424, www.cowancenter.org
October 6
The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night Time. Corsicana, Warehouse Living Arts Center, (903) 872-5421, visitcorsicana.com
October 11-13, 17-20, 24-27
Monty Python’s Spamalot. Allen Community Theatre, (844) 822-8849, allenscommunitytheatre.net The Mousetrap. Sherman, SCP Main Stage, (903 )893-8525, www.scptheater.com
October 12
Driving Miss Daisy. Greenville, Texan Theater, (903) 259-6360, texantheatergreenville. com
October 18-20, 25-27
The NeverEnding Story. Sulphur Springs, Main Street Theatre, (903) 885-0107, www. communityplayersinc.com
October 22
October 25-27
Beauty and the Beast. Waxahachie, University Assembly of God, (972)646-1050, www.waxahachiecommunitytheatre.com
October 28
Jersey Boys. UT Tyler Cowan Center, (903) 566-7424, www.cowancenter.org
November 2 SEE MORE EVENTS ON
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October 11-27
October 12-13
Winnsboro Art and Wine Festival. Downtown Winnsboro, (903) 850-1772, winnsboroonlineguide.com
Sep 1 - Nov 15
BEST OF 2019
Taj Express: The Bollywood Musical Revue. UT Tyler Cowan Center, (903) 5667424, www.cowancenter.org
November 8-9
OPEN
Irving Berlin’s White Christmas. Athens, Henderson County Performing Arts Center, (903) 675-3908, www.hcpac.org
ArtWalk Downtown. Downtown Longview, (903) 753-2098, www.artwalklongview.com Edom Art Festival. Edom, (903) 852-6473, visitedom.com/edom-art-festival
NOMINATIONS
The Magic of Bill Blagg. Longview, SE Belcher Center, (903) 233-3080, www.belchercenter.com
November 9-10
The Hallelujah Girls. Edom Community Center, (903) 352-3158
Books, Books & More Books Works by MANUAL through November 10 Tyler Museum of Art 1300 South Mahon Avenue • Tyler, TX www.tylermuseum.org
SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2019 • WWW.COUNTYLINEMAGAZINE.COM • 29
Creative Partners Share Exploding Rainbow Vomit By Krista Leard Father-son duo Jason and Julian Mendez teamed up with entrepreneur Deanna Theis to create Rainbow Vomit this year, an immersive art exhibit and Instagram museum designed to bring to life comic books in a technicolor world of light, sound, and color. Completing the management team is their experience director, “Rainbow” Rob Andrews. Located near Fair Park in Dallas, the business features ongoing exhibitions and special events throwing guests into a world exploding with all the colors of the rainbow, and filled with more than 20 unique, Instagramable photo opportunities. Theis and Andrews led a core creative team dubbed the Vomiteers to get the inside of the building the way they wanted it. “The group worked together using many mediums including vinyl, painting, graphic design, spray paint, lighting, sound design, and comic book art, putting in thousands of hours to bring to life the artwork inside Rainbow Vomit,” Theis says. The exhibit encourages selfies and is home to more than 6,000 LED lights, 100 pounds of cotton, 25 pounds of glitter, five miles of ribbon and one secret unicorn. The name Rainbow Vomit came about one day while Theis was working on a particular design and Andrews commented on how it looked like rainbow vomit. “This was the light bulb moment where the concept of Rainbow Vomit came about as a mish-mash of art styles all wrapped around a central theme of love and acceptance of individuality,” Theis says. “The name Rainbow Vomit encapsulates the beautiful mess of art that makes up the exhibit.” The owners say their immersive art exhibit is designed to transport visitors to a world of color and imagination in which a comic book comes to life. “The exhibit incorporates many different styles of art, particularly pop-art in the vein of Lichenstein and Warhol, along with comic-book and fantasy elements,” Theis says. “Together it all blends into a unique place to take fun photos with your loved ones while finding one’s inner child, as visitors try and discover the secret of Rainbow Vomit hidden in the art.” From time to time they add and make changes to the exhibit. 30 • WWW.COUNTYLINEMAGAZINE.COM • SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2019
“Ever since opening we have been adding touches big and small to the exhibit. New pieces have been created, more clouds were made, new props were added, and an entire new lighting setup was installed in conjunction with the recently launched ‘Night Mode,’ where visitors can experience Rainbow Vomit in a new light,” Theis says. “We are always looking for ways to add to the enjoyment of the exhibit, and will soon be adding new secrets as well as hosting more events such as art classes and a ‘Pics & Paws’ event where visitors can bring their dog to take pictures.” Theis says since opening about 15,000 people have visited Rainbow Vomit and they are considering opening locations in other cities. “After many months of observing visitors, we see them exude feelings of joy and love after visiting the exhibit, taking the experience of Rainbow Vomit with them.” Rainbow Vomit is located at 3609 Parry Avenue, Dallas, TX 75226. Visits last an hour and are set to scheduled times. General admission tickets are $23 on weekdays and $28 on weekends, and a discount for seniors and military members. Children under three have free admission. For more information on the exhibit, call (469) 248-0953 or visit their website at www.rainbowvomit.com.
Artist Pops Color into Nacogdoches History Artist Dixie Rose Daniels recently completed historical portraits with a modern pop of color on large windows on the side of the Wyatt building in downtown Nacogdoches. The building is currently empty so the paintings give “life” to it
even though the subjects are long gone and it makes for fun selfies to boot. Paintingss include (l-r) pioneering Nacogdoches settler, Gil Y’Barbo; the “Father of Texas,” Stephen F. Austin; Republic of Texas president Sam Houston; and Texas Revolutionist, Adolphus Sterne. Photo by Wendy Floyd
Landscapes Art Show Crumbzz • 212 S. Bois D Art St. • Forney, Texas SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2019
Featuring artwork by Kushal Bastakoti, Esther McCord, Amy Buyers, Stephanie Lawhorn, David Coffey, and more. (513) 849-8858 • www.forneyarts.org SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2019 • WWW.COUNTYLINEMAGAZINE.COM • 31
Edom Art Festival Welcomes New and Returning Artists The arrival of young artists and new art establishments in Edom, Texas, over the past year has brought an infusion of excitement to the annual Edom Art Festival. The famous East Texas art festival is now celebrating its 47th anniversary and this time there are 20 first-time participants joining the dozens of returning crafts people and artists. On the weekend of October 12 and 13 the hamlet swells with thousands of visitors who make the regular pilgrimage. On the town’s main thoroughfare visitors find the new Edom Art Emporium with a collective of four artists, plus rotating exhibitions by 30 or so more. Across the street is The Experience, a large building currently housing a restaurant, gallery, shops, and a yoga studio. These entrepreneurs join the Edom pioneer artists jewelers Zeke and Marty and Potters Brown as well as longtime residents Arbor Castle Birdhouses and The Old Firehouse Visual Art Gallery. All this activity and the annual Edom Art Festival makes even regular visitors notice the enthusiasm that has come to town. First-time participants in the festival this year include Weatherford-based ceramicist Cathy Crain, photographer Steve Riley, and jeweler Mary Geisler. The acceptance process is by jury, and the festival is run by artists. It is one of the few in the state that can boast that. It has kept the festival vital and tries to make the experience as rewarding for the participants as possible. Geisler says she can only make it to two or three shows a year, as she is the curator at the Winnsboro Center for the Arts and has a thriving custom jewelry business. Participating in festivals is stimulating she says, “I love it. It is very exciting to see so many people buying art. Bringing people into a gallery and seeing them leave the gallery with art
Artist Cathy Crain is bringing her art to the Edom Art Festival for the first time this year. 32 • WWW.COUNTYLINEMAGAZINE.COM • SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2019
is good but a festival is like a feeding frenzy. It’s exciting in so many ways.” Multi-dimensional artist Gail Delger also finds the festival atmosphere more conducive to sales. For years she owned a gallery on the square in McKinney and still participates in a large artist coop there but over the years found that when the art was placed on the sidewalk more people bought. “The sales were out front, not in the gallery,” she says. So now that she has more time she is planning on traveling to the art fairs. Regionalism plays a part of the artist’s success, either because the artists feel more comfortable, or the area attracts buyers who are enthusiastic about their work. A rural setting brings in the people who gravitate to Sandy Shiroma’s paintings on bird feathers. She meets many hunters with whom she barters for feathers. “Hunters and birders like what I do,” she says. The feathers speak to her. “They tell you what will look good, their shape and size does not limit me to a rectangular canvas.” Photographer Kimberly Clark, who is new to the art circuit, found that the art fair scrum in Dallas’ Deep Ellum neighborhood was not a venue where she felt comfortable. “While it was successful, people were there for other things. It was stressful being in a downtown atmosphere. While I appreciated all the customers I probably won’t go back,” she says. Clark spoke to a mentor who lives in the Hill Country and he suggested she look into Edom, “He thought the area might appeal to me. I went looking and found it.” One thing they all seem to enjoy is watching visitors respond to their work. “It’s immediate feedback,” Clark says. “You can’t get that anywhere else. It’s feeding why I do this. Getting immediate connection is really fulfilling.” Go to www.visitedom.com to learn more about Edom and the artists attending the art festival.
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VisitEdom.com
Arbor Castle Birdhouses
arborcastlebirdhouses.com (903) 316-9580
Mariposa Cabin (903) 571-2423
a r t di s t r ic t
Potters Brown Gallery pottersbrown.com (903) 862-6473
The Experience
experienceedom.com (817) 721-7778
Zeke & Marty Jewelry Studio
Corner of fm279 & fm314
Edom Art Emporium
zekeandmarty.com (903) 852-3311
edomartemporium.com (903) 920-2323
Edom Cafe
Blue Moon Gardens
bluemoongardens.com edomcafe.centurylinksite.net (903) 852-6948 2019 • WWW.COUNTYLINEMAGAZINE.COM (903) 852-3897 SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER • 33
Artist Beth Hubbert Lives, Paints in Full Color
By P.A. Geddie Artist Beth Hubbert creates impasto, textured paintings with numerous bright, happy colors. “Art is a thread that has run through my very being and core ever since I was old enough to hold a crayon,” she says. “I use art to express myself and how I reflect upon the world and its experiences.” She was born in Paris, Texas, and after living in Dallas for a time, she now resides in Sherman. Her mother was a big influence on her journey into art. “As a child, my mother was very influential and encouraging to me in my creative efforts from art and dance lessons to becoming involved in the local community theater,” Hubbert says. “Cre-
ative encounters with the world were part of my upbringing which included visits to art museums and going to see a variety of theatrical experiences in our area. My upbringing always pointed me to my true north which I had no doubt would entail artistic aspirations. Of all the creative experiences I had, I knew my direction would specifically be focused on art because that was my language. Art is the way I see, interpret, and translate the world. I have such respect for people who start with the seed of an idea and nurture it and make it grow and flourish into something that can make a difference.” Hubbert received a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in painting and drawing as well as an all-level art certification at the University of North Texas in Denton. She met her husband John and a cou-
34 • WWW.COUNTYLINEMAGAZINE.COM • SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2019
ple of years later they were surprised with triplet daughters and a son soon followed. She focused on her family and teaching art for a number of years. “I had a very fulfilling creative job teaching art to elementary students,” Hubbert says. “Every year I had a school-wide art auction at our school to raise money for our local no-kill animal shelter and also to raise money for art supplies at our school. I felt it was very important for my students to understand what it means to collaborate with others for a specific purpose as a school community and give back and also help each other.” Besides helping a community, Hubbert knows the arts are imperative as part of kids education curriculum. “I witnessed what they could do for my students to enrich their lives and assist
in their emotional development and creative thinking skills. I truly loved teaching children about art and seeing the joy it could bring to them, be they happy or not when they entered my classroom. If they walked away with a smile on their face or had some sense of accomplishment, then I felt I had succeeded.” Understandably, with four kids at home and her teaching job, she put her own art on the back burner until her children were in high school. “Painting had been a luxury when I was raising our kids, but I knew there would be a time and place when I could let that voice be heard again. Little by little this grew until a full-fledged direction to paint as much as possible emerged,” she says. Today, she says she paints almost daily. “Having the freedom to completely focus on my art is such a gift. In my art studio, I am enveloped in an environment where I am free to be imaginative as I start a new painting. I have focused on my art in a way that I have never been able to in my entire life.” Travels with her husband fed her creative spirit. “My vision of the world and everyday experiences includes living in full color and texture,” she says. “I paint from a happy place whether I start from a happy place or not. Art is very therapeutic for me. I cannot paint the darkness, although I know many can, because I have always been drawn to create when I am introspective about anything, be it good or bad.” Hubbert says she tries to tone down the colors sometimes but the bright ones always make it on to the canvas. “I embrace and celebrate the fact that I am able to do this at this time in my life,” she says. “My opportunity to make someone smile when viewing my art is a gift.” Beth Hubbert’s art is sometimes featured in galleries in the Upper East Side of Texas and is in Mila Delfin in McKinney. She does art shows from time to time including the Edom Art Festival taking place October 12 and 13. Learn more on www.bethhubbertart.com.
Schedule of Events:
9:00 am to 1:00 pm Visit the Farmers’ Market • Local Vendors
12:00 to 5:00 pm at The Texan
• Children’s Wild Things Art Show and Contest • Professional Art Exhibits • Live Music and Art Demos All Day • Food Trucks • Free Admission
5:00 to 7:00 pm at Art Gallery 211
• • •
Various Pieces of Art. Art Gallery 211 T-shirts 20% Off One Piece of Art Coupon
Grand Prize ($400 Value) Personal Commissioned Portrait by Steve Willis Raffle Tickets on Sale at Art Gallery 211 Artist: Jane Joplin
Artist: Carol Morton
• Wild Things Opening Reception • Raffle Drawing • Refreshments
7:00 to 10:00 pm at The Texan
• Free Concert o Featuring Shane Rendon and Other Local Musicians Artist: Celine Terry
Artist: Thalla Barentine
Artist: Orlando Guillen
Children’s Wild Things Art Show and Contest Rules
Age Group Judging: 7 to 10, 11 to 13 and 14 to 18
• • • •
Contest only open for children from the Athens area. Artwork must fit within the theme of Wild Things. Cash prizes awarded. Pick up registration forms and additional information from Art Gallery 211 o 211 N. Palestine St., Athens – 903-292-1746 o Artgallery211@gmail.com
903.677.5943
Thetexanathens.com
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SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2019 • WWW.COUNTYLINEMAGAZINE.COM • 35
FILM Announcing Season 1 of Adventure and Romance Airing on Amazon Prime
A new Amazon Prime TV show called “Adventure and Romance Show,” features couple Lee and Alicia DuCote taking viewers on some adventurous “date nights.”
county line
MAGAZINE
“A relationship that is adventurous is a relationship that will last,” Lee says. “ The couple created a streaming TV show that combines adventure and romance for couples to gain ideas of how to get out and enjoy one another. “A & R is full of crazy but fun adventures that are inspiring and affordable for those wishing to add something to their relationship,” Lee says. Some of their adventures include frog “grabbin” in a swamp, driving race cars
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Bottom of page, click on LOCAL ONLINE 36 • WWW.COUNTYLINEMAGAZINE.COM • SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2019
in Texas, spelunking caves in Arkansas, hunting Sasquatch, and more. Lee, a seven-time published novelist and author, says he hopes the show encourages couples to push past simple dinner-and-a-show dates and get outside and be adventurous. Alicia, a college professor, co-hosts with Lee. “She keeps viewers laughing and on the edge of their seats with her willingness to try anything,” he says, noting their predicaments push their fears and nerves to the next level. Visit www.leeandalicia.com for the lineup of season one and more information.
MINEOLA FALL FUN Iron Horse Heritage Festival Friday, September 27 Kickoff Community Hobo Stew
benifitting Mineola Historical Museum
Saturday, September 28 Arts, Crafts & Food Vendors • Live Music • Weenie Dog Races Entertainment • Pie Baking & Canning Contests Texas Pistoleros Train Robbery Re-enactment 2nd Annual Pietenpol Fly-In at Wisner Field Iron Horse Rhythm Run 5K Race at the Nature Preserve Mineola Chamber of Commerce 903.569.2087 • www.mineolachamber.com
Lake Country Playhouse Presents… “The Women of Lockerbie” Lake Country Players September 20-22 & 27-29 “Make Mine Music” Lake Country Symphonic Band October 6 & 8
www.lakecountryplayhouse.com 903.569.2300
Fall Quilt Show Mineola League of the Arts October 11 - 12 200 West Blair • www.mlota.org 903-569-8877
Mineola Mini Train Special Fall Schedule Iron Horse Square, 200 West Front St. Hobo Stew: Sept. 27 from 5 p.m. – 7 p.m. Iron Horse Heritage Festival: Sept. 28 from 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. Halloween Train: Oct. 19, 26, 31 from 7 p.m. - 9 p.m. Antique Car Show: Oct. 26 from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.
Mineola Main Street 903-569-6183 • www.ironhorsesquare.org Sept. 28-29 Second Annual Pietenpol Airplane Fly-In Wisner Field, 1412 Country Club Drive mineolawisener.com, 903-569-1929 Oct. 10 Carnival – L & D Carnival Company Mineola Civic Center, 1114 Newsom St 903-569-6115 www.mineolaciviccenterandrvpark.com Oct. 12 – 31, 8 a.m. until Dusk 2nd Annual Mineola Pumpkin Patch First Methodist Church 319 N Pacific Street, 830-515-3028
Oct. 18-20 Historic Highway 80 Sale Oct 26 Fall Antique Car Show Downtown Mineola at The Gazebo Chamber of Commerce 903-569-2087 Oct 31 Trunk ‘R Treat Commerce Street, 5 p.m. Chamber of Commerce 903-569-2087
Farmers Market
Saturdays, September & October 8 a.m. – 1 p.m.
100 Front Street Pavilion west of the Depot 903.569.6183 www.mineolafarmersmarket.com
1.800.MINEOLA • WWW.MINEOLA.COM SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2019 • WWW.COUNTYLINEMAGAZINE.COM • 37
BLUES AND HERITAGE FESTIVAL TM
TM
OCTOBER 25-27, 2019 Salmon Lake Park, Grapeland, TX
Celebrate the living history of Texas music on the 80th birthday of Gilmer’s native son, blues legend Benny Turner, at the inaugural Lone Star Blues and Heritage Festival!
Benny Turner and big brother Freddie King, ca. 1943
LIMITED TIME OFFER - GET YOUR TICKETS TODAY! Use code CLM19 to receive $10 off all advance ticket purchases (single and 3-day passes available) OFFER EXPIRES 9/27/2019
TICKETS, LODGING, FULL LINEUP, AND MORE AT
(717) 208-6807
38 • WWW.COUNTYLINEMAGAZINE.COM • SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2019
POETRY
VISIT
Is It Ever Enough Is it ever enough to let go, once all that is needed is finally done and put away? The final spade of earth replaced, tamped down. The last hint of smirk softly brushed from the face of her grave. Is it ever enough to serve coffee, quietly accepting the “Sorry for your loss” too many times and words of a better place you know does not exist?
Gun Barrel City ...Shootin' Straight for 50 Years
Come Stay & Play. We Aim to Please!
I slip up to her room, empty of all but light that slides beneath eaves late in the day. The song of a wren at the sill. Shucking my old suit, I lower my body and heart to the cold floor to think about Mother, then wonder how the tender skin of fruit withstands the crush of heaven. Is it ever enough? At times I wake in the night thinking of peaches, ripe and ready to eat and I know that it is.
903.887.1087 • www.gunbarrelcity.net Will Brule Palestine
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Weekender MAGAZINE
FUN GUIDE for the Upper East Side of Texas
SIGN UP to receive our picks every Thursday morning in your email box for current and upcoming events and attractions. Go to CountyLineMagazine.com and click on SUBSCRIBE to find the Weekender or email your address to krista@countylinemagazine.com with WEEKENDER in the subject line.
SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2019 • WWW.COUNTYLINEMAGAZINE.COM • 39
MUSIC
See www.countylinemagazine.com for extensive music listings.
ZZ Top Celebrates Turning Fifty able this summer. Goin’ 50 spans the band’s entire musical career, from its 1969 debut, and its multiplatinum zenith during the ’80s, to its most recent releases. This new retrospective includes material from each of the 15 studio albums they’ve recorded since 1970. Two bonus tracks, “Salt Lick” and “Miller’s Farm,” a single and b-side respectively, were recorded in 1969 by the original incarnation of ZZ Top.
Texas-based ZZ Top is still going strong with the same members — Billy Gibbons, Dusty Hill, and Frank Beard — and the same timeless hit songs for 50 years now. Known by fans from all over the world for “La Grange,” “Legs,” “Sharp Dressed Man,” and “Tush,” the group has a few projects underway to help celebrate this accomplishment. First, a documentary was produced by the Emmy award-winning Banger Films, “ZZ Top: That Little Ol’ Band From Texas.” It’s playing in select theaters in 11 states through November. See www.zztopfilm. com for locations that include screenings in Dallas September 12 and in Shreveport November 14. The film tells the story of how three oddball teenage bluesmen became one of the biggest, most beloved bands on the planet, all while maintaining a surrealist mystique that continues to intrigue fans
and entice onlookers 50 years after the band’s inception. Buoyed by candid band interviews, neverbefore-seen archive, animation, celebrity fan testimonials (Billy Bob Thornton, Joshua Homme and more), and an intimate performance at the legendary Gruene Hall shot exclusively for this documentary, “That Little Ol’ Band” runs the gamut, from the absurd to the poignant, from squalid Texas bars to MTV heroics, all in celebration of this notoriously private, but larger than life, power trio. ZZ Top continues to tour weekly and after European stops this summer they returned to the states and perform November 9 in Shreveport. They also recently released a comprehensive 50-song anthology, Goin’ 50 as both 3-CD and 180-gram, 5-LP sets. A singleCD version with 18 tracks was made avail-
And, finally, ZZ Top members Gibbons, Hill, and Beard are executive producers of a new rock musical featuring their hits which is in development. The Las Vegas-based Caesars Entertainment, led by Michael Gruber and Jason Gastwirth, are developing the show, titled Sharp Dressed Man, set to premiere in 2020. “Sharp Dressed Man is an outrageous, bawdy musical romp about a Lone Star auto mechanic who becomes a modernday Robin Hood, stealing hearts — and car parts — with the help of his merry band of beer drinkers and hell raisers,” a press release for the show stated. Also producing the show are Prem Akkaraju and Carl Stubner, ZZ Top’s longtime manager. The show’s book was written by Robert Cary and Jonathan Tolins, who together wrote the teleplay for Fox’s Grease Live! “We’re excited about this fantastic project and look forward to hearing our music in a new innovative context,” said Gibbons in a statement. “Fans have often told us that we’ve provided the soundtrack to their lives, and this is very much in line with that kind of enthusiastic thinking.”
LIVE MUSIC EVERY WEEK UPPER EAST SIDE OF TEXAS
www.countylinemagazine.com/Arts-Guide
40 • WWW.COUNTYLINEMAGAZINE.COM • SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2019
MUSIC
September 27
October 18
Dates and times are subject to change. Always call ahead before planning a visit.
Floyd Void Pink Floyd Tribute. Big Sandy Music Hall, (903) 345-4289, bigsandymusichall.com
MUSIC EVENTS
September 27
October 19
Thurs-Sat. Through October 26
Rockwall’s San Jacinto Music Series. Rockwall, San Jacinto Plaza, (972) 771-7740, playrockwall.com/san-jacinto-plaza
September 6
Kilgore’s Fridays After 5. Kilgore, Under the derricks, (903)984-2593, welcometokilgore.com Gary Patrick Trio. Lindale, Texas Music City Grill and Smokehouse, (430) 235-2100, texasmusiccity.net Jeff Plankenhorn. Greenville, Texan Theater, (903) 259-6360, texantheatergreenville.com
September 7
The Reverend Horton Heat. Greenville, Texan Theater, (903) 259-6360, texantheatergreenville.com
Shawn Mullins. Greenville, Texan Theater, (903)259-6360, texantheatergreenville.com
October 2
Jimmy Fortune. Tyler, Liberty Hall Theatre, (903) 595-7274, libertytyler.com
October 4
Lee Mathis. Longview, Lone Star Ice House, (903) 753-5885, www.lonestaricehouse.net
Michael Martin Murphey. Winnsboro Center for the Arts, (903) 342-0686, winnsborocenterforthearts.com/ The Haggertys. Longview, Lone Star Ice House, (903) 753-5885, www.lonestaricehouse. net Sherman Symphony Orchestra Fall Opening Season Concert. Sherman, KiddKey Auditorium, (903) 267-3227, shermansymphony@gmail.com
October 20
Little River Band. Horseshoe Bossier City, LA, (800) 895-0711, www.caesars.com/horseshoebossier-city/shows
Tribute to The Electric Light Orchestra - A New World Record. Greenville, Texan Theater, (903) 259-6360, texantheatergreenville. com
October 5
October 25
Chonda Pierce. Longview, SE Belcher Center, (903)233-3080, www.belchercenter.com Nobody’s Girl. Winnsboro Center for the Arts, (903) 342-0686, winnsborocenterforthearts.com/
Floyd Void Pink Floyd Tribute. Big Sandy Music Hall, (903) 345-4289, bigsandymusichall.com
October 26
September 10
Pat Benatar & Neil Giraldo. UT Tyler Cowan Center, (903) 566-7424, www.cowancenter.org
Miranda Lambert. Bossier City, LA, CenturyLink Center, (318) 747-2501, www.centurylinkcenter.com/
Jason Boland. Yantis, Neon Moon Restaurant and Club, (903) 383-7008, texasneonmoon.com
September 13
October 6, 8
Make Mine Music! Mineola, Select Theater, (903) 569-2300, lakecountryplayhouse.com
Darrin Morris Band. Longview, Lone Star Ice House, (903) 753-5885, www.lonestaricehouse. net
October 11
November 1-2
The Lost Immigrants. Lindale, Texas Music City Grill and Smokehouse, (430) 235-2100, texasmusiccity.net
September 14
Adrian Johnston Band. Lindale, Texas Music City Grill and Smokehouse, (430) 235-2100, texasmusiccity.net The Hot Club of Cowtown. Lufkin, The Pines Theater, (936) 633-0349, thepines.visitlufkin.com
September 19
Mark Wills. Greenville, Texan Theater, (903) 259-6360, texantheatergreenville.com
September 20
Kody West W/ Zach Romo. Terrell, Silver Saloon, (972) 524-7111, www.silversaloonterrell.com
September 21
Jason Cassidy Concert. Downtown Waxahachie, (469) 309-4040, www.waxahachiecvb.com Creedence Clearwater Revisited. Horseshoe Bossier City, LA, (800) 895-0711, www.caesars. com/horseshoe-bossier-city/shows
September 21-22
Mairead Nesbitt. Winnsboro Center for the Arts, (903) 342-0686, winnsborocenterforthearts.com
September 25
The History of County Music with Jake Penrod. Tyler, Liberty Hall Theatre, (903) 595-7274, libertytyler.com
Darrin Morris Band. Longview, Lone Star Ice House, (903) 753-5885, www.lonestaricehouse. net
November 2
Bob Wills Fiddle Festival & Contest. Downtown Greenville, (817) 875-6022, www. bobwillsfiddlefest.com
county line
MAGAZINE
Reach those who Live & Play in the Upper East Side of Texas
ADVERTISE — IT WORKS! www.CountyLineMagazine.com • (903) 963-1101 SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2019 • WWW.COUNTYLINEMAGAZINE.COM • 41
Meredith Crawford Delivers In Transit By Tom Geddie Chandler-born Meredith Crawford’s new, second solo CD begins with a song she didn’t want to write about a person she didn’t like. The tall, red-haired singersongwriter with the penetrating voice delivers lyrically meaningful, often wistful originals on “Transit.” Transit, as in transition: “the act of passing over, across, or through; passage.” “I started working on this album in winter 2017 and I’ve grown with its development,” she said. “I was still finishing my accounting degree at UT Tyler when I started this project, and, though it’s taken me a long time to finish this album, I feel like it as well as myself underwent several major milestones.” She credits producer Darrell Edwards and guitarist Chris Rasco for the sound of “Transit.” “I met Chris in spring 2017. We started playing shows together and played so many that eventually the sound he was creating live at shows had become so infectious that it needed to be shown in the album. I owe a lot of the shape of these sounds, these songs, to him and Darrell.” Known improperly in the Upper East Side of Texas as a country singer, Crawford began recording in fall 2018 with half of the songs still unwritten. “Music should be a place where freedom of expression is invited,” she said. “I’ve always wanted this album to exemplify freedom from being boxed in a genre because there are so many styles of music I enjoy. I couldn’t stand just saddling these songs down to one style.” Transit. As in transition. Thirteen years ago, about to become a junior in high school, she’d spent two years competing at opries: Gladewater, Texarkana, the Cotton Pickin’ Theater in Point, Mount Pleasant Jamboree, Johnnie High’s Country Music Revue in Arlington, and as far from home as the Texas Jamboree in Houston. Never won one. The night Crawford turned 16, she won the Texas Talent Search by belting out Gretchen Wilson’s “Here for the Party” and Sugarland’s “Baby Girl.” “The opries are where I kinda really got into country,” she said back then in the
interview for her first feature in County Line Magazine. “I like the opries because you kinda test your stage skills that way. You get to see what you’re made of, what your talent is, if it’s worth anything, and to see what other people think. The opries are almost like going to a dress rehearsal. “I didn’t even want to enter the Texas Talent Search. Before I did that competition, I had lost my confidence. I thought that if you had what it took to be a recording artist, you would win everything. But that’s not the way it is. If I had won my other competitions, I probably would have gotten spoiled. But this was the perfect time – my birthday – for me to win something really great.”
before going on stage one recent night at The Forge in Ben Wheeler. Now, Crawford is a full-time accountant with two children: 10-year-old Wyatt and 9-year-old Annie. “They’re wonderful kids who continue to teach me every day.” She also averages about 10 gigs a month, often with Chris Rasco. High school influences included Tanya Tucker, Loretta Lynn, and Tammy Wynette.
Transit. Since 2006, Crawford’s grown up.
“When you’re young, sometimes your voice stays where you live,” Crawford said. “Your voice is influenced by all these people around you, and you get your accent and that kinda reflects when you start to sing. You pick up things when you’re young.”
“I got knocked up,” she said, laughing,
She also liked Sheryl Crow and Lynyrd
42 • WWW.COUNTYLINEMAGAZINE.COM • SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2019
Skynyrd, and Janis Joplin; the Mamas and the Papas; Simon and Garfunkel; Gordon Lightfoot; Peter, Paul, and Mary; The Byrds, The Youngbloods, Steve Miller, etc. “I really love Loretta Lynn for her country spirit. Her songs inspired me to be who I am. Janis Joplin was just wild, totally far out man,” she said, laughing. Today’s influences for the singer-songwriter-guitar player-keyboardist include Bobbie Gentry for her vocal stylings and local singer-songwriter Heather Little; “Heather challenges me.” Plus Jackson Browne and Joni Mitchell, and 70s’ folk, classic rock, blues, and the loosely defined Americana genre with its mix of country, rock, and folk roots. Transition to Betty Lou Beets, who the state executed by lethal injection on February 24, 2000, for killing her fifth husband. Wikipedia summarizes her marriages this way: Married to her first husband when she was 15, her supporters said she was a victim of sexual abuse and domestic violence and had a criminal history prior to her arrest for murder, including public lewdness, and shooting former husband Bill Lane in the side of the stom-
ach. Married six times, twice to the same man, Beets shot her second husband, Billy York Lane, twice in the back of the head in 1970; she was acquitted and the two remarried, divorcing again a month later. She later tried to run over her third husband, Ronnie C. Threlkold, with her car in 1978. Both men survived and testified at her murder trial.
PRESENTS
The first song on “Transit” is “Beets.” “Writing a song about her was mom’s idea at first. But it developed into a story as I researched. She was a terrible person but makes an interesting story.” The song, one of several memorable ones on the CD, begins with death row-sounding harmonica; it’s a bluesy rock song with electric guitar mayhem. Other highlights among the 13 strong songs include the near-rockabilly sounding “(ain’t nothing sweeter than a) Heart That Takes You High; “11 Years,” which recalls hometown heartache; “(I don’t want to be walking alone on a) Two-Way Street;” and the nearly eight-minute long, anthem-like title song which shares the thoughts of a woman with a past, who wants to believe in the future.
EQUINOX BLOCK PARTY WITH RAZZMAJAZZ! SATURDAY, SEPT. 21 AT 7:00 PM HAPPY HOUR 6:00 - 7:00 Catered buffet, whiskey tasting, and online auction benefiting Mount Vernon Music’s Youth Outreach
Mount Vernon Music Hall
903.563.3780 WWW.MOUNTVERNONMUSIC.ORG
as Playboys - Nov 2
Riders in the Sky & Bob Wil s'Tex
Bob Wills Fiddle Con test - Nov 1-2
FREE Live Music and Much
More!
• Saturday Concert: Riders in the Sky AND Bob Wills’ Texas Playboys under the direction of Jason Roberts, with special guest Teea Goans • Bob Wills Fiddle Contest • FREE Saturday Outdoor Stage featuring: • Jody Nix & The Texas Cowboys • Billy Mata & The Texas Tradition • Kristyn Harris & Hailey Sandoz • Friday Evening Big Ball in G-Town Dance • Custom Car & Tractor Show • And much more!
Downtown Greenville, TX · BobWillsFiddleFest.com SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2019 • WWW.COUNTYLINEMAGAZINE.COM • 43
FOOD & DRINK
Try Cajun Tex in Marshall for Family Dininig Cajun Tex 104 West Grand Avenue Marshall, TX 75670 (903) 935-7719 www.cajuntx.com Monday-Thursday 11 a.m.-8 p.m. Friday - Saturday 11 a.m.-9 p.m. Closed Sundays Review and photos by Judy Peacock Cajun Tex in Marshall is a staple for locals and visitors alike to enjoy good food and fast courteous service in a casual, family friendly atmosphere. The restaurant is decorated in Cajun style with Mardi Gras beads at the order counter, colorful lights hanging from the ceiling, a lot of fishing décor including fishing boats on the wall and suspended from above, and a salad bar made out of a fishing boat with giant bobbers on each end. They also offer live music from local musicians on the second Saturday of each month. Cajun Tex’s food was founded on the owners’ roots from Louisiana and Texas. It offers a variety of foods ranging from gumbo, etouffee, boudin, poboys, and seafood to some Texas cuisine, too, such as steaks, barbecue, burgers, chicken fried steak, and much more. They use local ingredients from Bear Creek Smokehouse in some of their meals. I visited with my family, including a growing, hungry son-in-law and two little granddaughters, and everyone in our party was very pleased with the taste of the food, and thanks to their large portions, none of us left hungry. At our table, among other things, we tried their Cajun burger, fried pickles, chicken fried rib-eye, and I had the shrimp and crab cake pasta with wonderful toasted garlic bread. It tasted fresh and delicious. And everything was delivered to us by friendly, helpful staff who told us some things about Marshall and made our visit even more enjoyable. This family-owned restaurant started in Marshall more than 12 years ago and they recently opened a second location in nearby Hallsville. 44 • WWW.COUNTYLINEMAGAZINE.COM • SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2019
An East Texas Tradition Burgers, Premium Hand-Dipped Ice Cream, Breakfast Anytime, and more
Open 24/7 at
Best Steakhouse
County Line Magazine Hall of Fame
I-20 & Hwy 19 in Canton, TX An East Texas Tradition
903-567-6551 • dairypalace.com
Burgers, Premium Hand-Dipped Ice Cream, Breakfast Anytime, and more
An East Texas Tradition
I-20 & Hwy 19 in Canton, TX
Open 24/7 at
e t a r b e l e Come C s! With U Open 24/7 at
903-567-6551 • dairypalace.com
Burgers, Premium Hand-Dipped Ice Cream, Breakfast Anytime, and more
I-20 & Hwy 19 in Canton, TX 903-567-6551 • dairypalace.com
Tuesday & Wednesday
DINNER SPECIAL
Mixed Green Salad Choice of Fresh Fish of the Day, Ribeye Steak, or Filet Mignon Served with Whipped Potatoes and Green Beans $29.00
Top 100 American Steakhouses
Celebration Dining District
OpenTable.com
Located in a beautiful lakeside lodge at 21191 FM 47 in Wills Point,one block north of Interstate 20, Exit 516 Open Tuesday - Saturday 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. Available for Special Events
Make A Reservation
903.873.2225
www.fourwindssteakhouse.com
“Where the Locals Eat!”
Fb.com/SulphurSpringsTexas
www.sulphurspringstx.org
RESTAURANT LIVE MUSIC FULL BAR MOORE FUN! Ben Wheeler, TX
mooresstore.com 903.833.5100
SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2019 • WWW.COUNTYLINEMAGAZINE.COM • 45
Castle Oaks Winery & Vineyard Offers Good Wine and Hospitality p.m. On Saturdays they offer assorted tapas and bread and cheese platters to pair with a glasses of wine. The driveway to Castle Oaks leads through the vineyard. The beautiful deep purple grape called “Black Spanish” or “Lenoir” is grown in the Castle Oaks Vineyard. This grape was originally brought over from Spain and was used by the monks for the purpose of sacrament wine. Just past the vineyard is a tasting room where guests can choose the interior comfort of a tasting room or a fun courtyard with table seating and outdoor love seats.
10367 County Road 3909, Athens, TX www.castleoakswinery.com (903) 677-3776 Review by Kristi McDonald Castle Oaks Winery and Vineyard in Athens stole a “peach” of my heart when they met me and my Sip & Shop Texas tour buddies recently with a tray full of their handmade peach sangria. Greeted by owners Roger and Benita Middleton, the hospitality of Castle Oaks is unmatched. The family owned and operated vineyard nestled in East Texas is truly a treat for the taste buds. On Friday evenings, Castle Oaks is open for fire cooked pizzas from 5 - 9
Just like duct tape and a hammer, chocolate and wine can fix most problems too and Castle Oaks has combined the best of both and created a divine chocolate wine called Chocolate Abyss. It doesn’t get any better. It tastes like a smooth sip of creamy chocolate right from your glass. I tried by bottle poolside with some ice cream when I got home.
Wine Garden Debuts at First Monday Trade Days in Canton The City of Canton teamed up with Sip and Shop Texas to bring a wine garden to the First Monday Trade Days grounds in Canton during the monthly market shows. The World Famous Canton First Monday Trade Days has 6,000 vendors located on hundreds of acres with more than 700,000 square feet of covered shopping. It is known by shoppers from Texas and beyond as a place to buy home decor, furnishings, antiques, clothing, crafts, jewelry, gifts, and collectibles. The wine garden adds more to the First Monday experience. It is located in Trade Center 1 on Highway 19 just north of Highway 64. Parking is available at the main gate. It has a selection from several local wineries. Guests can get tastings, glasses, or bottles of favorite local wines. The wine garden also has the Canton Farmer’s Market, live music and First Monday Sip & Shop merchandise.
If chocolate isn't your thing, the tasting room now has homemade cupcakes to soothe your sweet tooth.
The wine garden is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on market Fridays and Saturdays and 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Sundays.
The peach sangria was a group favorite and Benita was kind enough to share her special sangria ingredients with us.
Sip and Shop Texas offers regional tours that start at the First Monday Wine Garden. The tours are $99 per person and include three to four local wineries.
Castle Oaks Peach Wine Ginger ale Orangeade Flavor Simple Syrup (she uses Hurricane)
Fresh Peach Slices & Blueberries
Go to www.sipandshoptexas.com for more information or call (903) 3939737.
Annie Mae’s Coffee Cafe Moves to New Location in Downtown Winnsboro Annie Mae’s Coffee Cafe has a new location in downtown Winnsboro at 303 North Main Street. They are open from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday and 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday. Much more than a coffee shop, they offer numerous omelettes, French toast, pancakes, waffles, biscuits and gravy, and specialty sandwiches for lunch including patty melt, French dip, Reuben, and handmade burgers. For more information, call (903) 347-6510. Photo by Jim Willis 46 • WWW.COUNTYLINEMAGAZINE.COM • SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2019
Enjoy Farmers’ Markets in the
Upper East Side of Texas
SOME OPEN YEAR ROUND. CHECK WEBSITES FOR DAYS AND TIMES AND INDIVIDUAL MARKET AND FARM OFFERINGS.
CANTON
www.CantonMainStreet.org
GREENVILLE
www.ci.Greenville.TX.us/market
LONGVIEW
www.HistoricLongviewFarmersMarket.com
McKINNEY
www.ChestnutSquare.org
MINEOLA
www.MineolaFarmersMarket.com
MOUNT VERNON
www.MountVernonTxFarmersMarket.com
PARIS
www.ParisTexas.gov
ROCKWALL
www.RockwallFarmersMarket.org
SULPHUR SPRINGS
www.SulphurSpringsTx.org
WINNSBORO
www.WinnsboroFarmersMarket.com
SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2019 • WWW.COUNTYLINEMAGAZINE.COM • 47
YOU GATHER THE CREW WE'LL HANDLE THE FOOD
Sensory Overload
OCTOBER 26, 2019 9AM-7PM
quenching more than your appetite
visitpalestine.com/hotpepperfestival
Live Music All Day featuring The Magills, Roadkeeper, The Pushwater Band & Diamondback TX 200 +Vendors Free Kids' Activities Hot Pepper Eating Contest Chili's Street Dance 7pm-10pm