v8n20 - Best of Jackson 2010 by Jackson Free Press Magazine

FREE Vol. 8 | No. 20 \\ January 28 - February 2, 2010

January 28 - February 2, 2010

jacksonian

Richard Stowe, 43, might have his own office but is rarely found there—he’d rather be working with his hands: constructing buildings, restoring old cars, painting landscapes and creating monotype prints. Stowe’s recent return to the Millsaps Arts District as the director of North Midtown Arts Center (formally known as One to One Studios) brings together those skills and his passion for Jackson to create a place for artists to thrive. A Clinton native, Stowe attended The Portfolio Center in Atlanta, Ga. receiving a degree in design and illustration. After graduating in 1990, he returned to Jackson and along with 40 other artists and found his niche in the thriving Millsaps Arts District where he rented a studio at 121 Millsaps Ave., the same building he now manages. Stowe also ran The Arts Scene, a co-op art gallery a few feet away from his studio. Stowe says that in the late 1990s artist started leaving the district for a mixture of reasons. Stowe left the neighborhood to start another art gallery, Studio 3 on State Street. “What probably happened more than anything was that artists my age or a little older moved,” he says. “They either went out of state or put their studios in their homes. … There also wasn’t a ton of young folks coming in and replacing them.” Stowe closed Studio 3 in 2005 and began working in construction on the Gulf

LACEY MCLAUGHLIN

richard stowe Coast after Hurricane Katrina. He returned to Jackson in 2008 and crossed paths with Austin Richardson. who had moved into an abandoned building on Millsaps Avenue and opened One to One studios, an arts and entertainment venue with low-rent studios for artists. Stowe said he saw the district coming back to life and wanted to be a part of it. “I wasn’t involved in the arts for the past couple of years, but it looked like Austin was drawing a younger crowd and creating a need. It was almost like a ready model that just needed some fine tuning,” he says. In 2008, Stowe rented a studio at One to One and started a printmaking business. He became involved with the daily operations, and joined Richardson as a partner in late 2009 when the studio underwent restructuring. The creation of North Midtown Arts Center is a part of a new model allowing the organization to have more community impact. “The business model that I wrote is to be able to purchase the property, and that’s the motivation behind North Midtown,” he says. In his spare time Stowe likes to work on his 1983 Porsche, spend time with his wife Nicole and teach printmaking classes at North Midtown Arts Center. —Lacey McLaughlin

Cover illustration and design by Kristin Breneman Januar y 28 - Febr uar y 2, 2 0 1 0

VOL.

8 NO. 20 LACEY MCLAUGHLIN; LYNETTE HANSON; FILE PHOTO; COURTESY JACKIE BELL

Community

Urban Living

Food & Drink

Nightlife

See who Jacksonians crowned for their favorite visionary, artists, public figures and more.

JFP readers have spoken on the best local places to shop and the best service providers.

Southerners know how to cook and how to eat. Jackson’s restaurants rank among the finest anywhere.

It’s time to socialize, grab some libations and head for the dance floor.

INSIDE THIS ISSUE: 4 Editor’s Note 57 8 Days

4 Slow Poke 58 JFP Events

6 Talk

12 Zuga

62 Music Listings

12 Kamikaze 64 Sports

64 Slate

12 Stiggers 65 Astro

12 Editorial 67 STF

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contents

Kristin Brenemen Editorial designer Kristin Brenemen is a local anime otaku with an ever-full mug of coffee and cream. She fears the inevitable Robot Apocalypse but is prepared for the oncoming Zombie Invasion. She designed the cover and many pages in this issue.

ShaWanda Jacome Assistant to the editor ShaWanda Jacome recently returned to Mississippi after living in California for more than 20 years. She loves spending time with her family and enjoys good food, movies, reading and music. She helped coordinate the issue.

Christi Vivar Production designer Christi Vivar is a native Jacksonian and honors graduate of Hinds Community College. She loves cooking, illustrating and playing video games with her hubby. A master of the art of sarcasm, she designed many pages for this issue.

Adam Perry Account executive Adam Perry is a local musician who lives in Flowood where he, his wife and daughter are herded through life by two supreme beings posing as unruly house-cats. He manages JFP distribution and sales accounts.

Ronni Mott Ronni Mott came to Jackson by way of D.C. in 1997. She’s a writer, photographer and the JFP’s new managing editor, where she practices her hobbies of herding cats and curmudgeonliness. She teaches yoga in her spare time She coordinated the issue.

Lacey McLaughlin News editor Lacey McLaughlin is a Florida native who loves riding her bike around Jackson. She’s always on the hunt for news tips; e-mail her at Lacey@jacksonfree press.com. She helped coordinate the issue.

Randi Ashley Jackson Account Manager Randi Ashley Jackson is a Brandon/Reservoirarea native. She loves organic gardening and her goldfish Gill-Bert. She strives to be the next Food Network star chef, if only in her own mind. She manages JFP sales accounts

January 28 - February 2, 2010

Lydia Chadwick

Advertising designer Lydia Chadwick enjoys crazy, awesome weekends with her husband and two kids. She thrives in the midst of procrastination, loves music as if it were a religion and prefers eating cereal from a cup. She designed ads in this issue.

editor’snote

by Donna Ladd, Editor-in-Chief

The Prosperity of Living

’ve never been all that good at the whole wealth thing. I grew up poor in Neshoba County, in one trailer park or another for a good chunk of my childhood, and we never had “wealth” to manage, fuss over or horde away. We worked hard, though—my mother sewing and then ironing in a pants factory; my daddy painting houses and driving a taxi; my stepdaddy fighting in Korea and Vietnam as a career army sergeant. My first job was washing hair in a beauty shop when I was in 8th grade; then baking pizzas and scrubbing sinks filled with endless pizza pans starting in 10th grade, as I juggled band practice and tried to keep my grades high. I had to work to help my mother pay the house and car notes and buy groceries after she had to leave my lovable, but alcoholic stepdad. He had started drinking heavily back in Korea to deal with the horrors, he told me later. What my household lacked in wealth and education, it made up for in fun and love, though. My mama was a “connector” (in Malcolm Gladwell parlance)—she was always surrounded by a rather ragtag group of friends of all ages and, later in life, all races. Both my daddies loved people and lively chatter. Each of them liked to hang out in “third places” like coffee shops and, too often, beer joints where everyone knew their name My parents were far from perfect, but I did inherit at least one thing from them, especially my mother and stepdad who came into my life after my “real” daddy died when I was 8. They had hope—especially for me. They believed I could do more, and do more for people around us, than their circumstances had allowed them to. They encouraged me to speak my mind, to get a good education. They put up with me angering their adult friends for saying racist drivel; they gave up so much for themselves to give me that extra push. I think back now on my mother “rolling nickels” to buy me an Easter basket, buying my school clothes on layaway and collecting quarters to help pay for my class ring; I remember my stepdaddy buying me a car he couldn’t afford when I was a teenager. My stepdaddy also taught me to love sports—he never had a son, so I would have to do—and to take politics seriously. He instilled in me a lifelong distrust of political parties (“this state would elect a jackass if it was a Democrat,” he’d say back before most of the Dixiecrats had switched to the Republican Party). He always told me: “Think for yo-self. Use yo head.” It breaks my heart the most to think that both my mother and my stepdad—whom I loved completely until he died of lung cancer at the VA Center here—pushed me to leave Mississippi, explore the world, learn, live, look for my bliss, even though I know they would have loved to have me nearer, and needed me in many ways. What none of us knew then was that my bliss was indeed here in Mississippi, down the

street from where my stepdaddy gasped for his last breath as I held his hand, and 90 miles from where I held my mom’s as her heart won the battle over her in a Meridian hospital. I think about all three of them regularly as we go about the work of the Jackson Free Press—connecting people, throwing parties, telling the truth even when it hurts, giving tough love to our city and state so we can keep more of our young people at home. And so we can all become something better than the sum of our pasts. My “real daddy” Cliff used to drive me all over the city when we’d visit my brother in west Jackson or my uncles in south Jackson. It was the first city lights I’d ever seen sparkle, and it awakened the desire in me to live amid urban vibrancy. When I hear the train whistles at night now, I always think of those jaunts (even if they did often end up with him tucking a paper bag behind the seat). But mostly I think of my mother— “Miss Katie,” everyone called her—and stepdad Willie Hoyt (the name of my oldest feline terror; Willie Hoyt the man adored cats as much as I do, always calling up to tell me what “that rascal” was up to). Both Miss Katie and Willie Hoyt would so love the Jackson Free Press and the community that gathers around us. Mama would cook for us—yes, figuring out how to use veggie broth and tofu—and my daddy would show up with arm loads of cookies and cakes for the staff. They would love all the young people who are drawn to the JFP as staffers, interns and readers; they’d dig the energy and the sassiness. And I know that Mama would say to me with a big smile after I read her one of my stories, “Donna, you gone get yourself run out of town.”

She’d also really like to dance to DJ Phingaprint’s music at the Best of Jackson party every year. I suspect Daddy would have loved to deliver the paper, just so he could visit all the coffee shops and barber shops around town, telling the same joke at every stop, and lamenting what “them young’uns” (Todd and me) are up to now. No doubt: Everyone would know his name. But I believe that what they would like the most is the optimism that the Jackson community has worked so hard to create, even as we’re often surrounded by so much negativity. Despite it all—my mother’s illiteracy; their lack of education and opportunity; his crippling alcoholism and war wounds that never healed; them so often barely having a pot to pee in (as my mama so eloquently put it)—despite it all, they both believed a bright future was possible, if not for them, for their daughter. And maybe even for their state. They managed to look for the best, no matter how tough life got. They knew, I believe now, that quality of life is not gauged by what’s in your bank account; true prosperity is found in the community you build around you. Here in Jackson something really special is happening. People are joining hands to face down the naysayers and forge a new future for our city. We’re putting our pennies together and investing locally. None of us is perfect, but we know that we are very strong when we put aside differences and work together for the city and her people. This week we celebrate the Best of Jackson for the eighth year, highlighting what is possible when we all believe that, together, we can be the best. Thank you, Jackson, for working so hard toward a glorious, inclusive future. Here’s to the prosperity of living.

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Catering & Banquets Planning an event? Steam Room may offer something you werenʼt even aware existing -- the exact right mix of sophistication, great food and affordability. Steam Room offers two different rooms where you can bring your party and trust the food preparation and atmosphere to the pros. The larger room seats 90 for a catered banquet or 125 for a cocktail event; the smaller room can fit 35 for a sit-down meal or 50 for a cocktail party. And Steam Roomʼs off-site catering offering is a robust one, with the ability to serve groups up to 2,500 people. The catering menu goes well beyond seafood and lunch to accommodate banquets; you may be surprised to learn that Steam Room can do catered breakfast (continental to country deluxe) for a minimum for 50 people with prices as low as $4.95 per person; lunches can be done for as low as $8 per person in a catering event, perfect for weddings -- but open to anything from crawfish boils to themed parties and business or non-profits events. Do you do the planning for a lunch group? From corporate to service groups and banquets, Steam Room is an excellent choice, with a low cost-per-head and plenty of room to accommodate your organization.

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Steam Room makes special wine selections available at happy hour pricing during Wine Down Wednesday, those and other cocktail specials run from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m.

news, culture & irreverence

Thursday January 21 The state Senate Appropriations Committee passes a bill making it easier for state agencies to fire workers. … Fearing an outbreak of disease from unsanitary conditions in camps, the Haitian Government and the United Nations moves 400,000 people, now homeless from the recent earthquake, to resettlement areas on the outskirts of Port-Au-Prince. Friday January 22 Gov. Haley Barbour promises to cut most state agencies by more than 8 percent after the Mississippi House of Representatives refuses to grant him power to selectively cut agency budgets by 10 percent. … A federal report finds unemployment rates have risen in 43 states, including Mississippi, in the last month. Saturday January 23 President Obama speaks out against the Supreme Court’s decision to allow more corporate influence over elections by throwing out parts of the law prohibiting companies and unions from using their funds to produce and run campaign ads. … Jackson State University defeats Grambling State 75-59.

January 28 - February 2, 2010

Sunday January 24 The Indianapolis Colts defeat the New York Jets 15-2, and the New Orleans Saints defeat the Minnesota Vikings 2128 during Super Bowl playoff games. … Jackson lifts a two-week boil-water alert for 16,000 residents in Byram and southwest Jackson.

Monday January 25 The state College Board approves tuition increases for Mississippi’s eight public universities to offset current and anticipated budget cuts. … President Barack Obama outlines a series of proposals for financial incentives for middle class families. Tuesday January 26 Parents of the Mississippi University of Women students killed in an Alabama motel fire, file a wrongful-death lawsuit.

Flurry of Businesses Slated for Farish ADAM LYNCH

Wednesday January 20 Gov. Haley Barbour speaks out against a bill the House passed that would exempt the budgets of certain stage agencies from being reduced when the state falls below revenue estimates. … A judge requires former Mayor Frank Melton’s bodyguards Michael Recio and Marcus Wright to pay $20,000 for their roles in a 2006 raid on a Ridgeway Street duplex.

The Jackson Free Press published its first issue, which contained a “Best of Jackson” ballot, in October 2002. This issue, our 338th, is also our eighth annual “Best of Jackson,” our biggest ever.

Gov. Haley Barbour moves ahead with budget cuts p. 10

The ﬁrst block of Farish Street remains closed this month as construction workers gut buildings in preparation for entertainment venues this fall.

he first block of Jackson’s Farish Street Entertainment District will be ready for new occupants by September of this year, Brad “Kamikaze” Franklin announced Tuesday. Franklin, a local musician and investor in Farish Street, also heads the public-relations department of Watkins Development, LLC. “We’re not big on rolling out press conferences, because the people in this neighborhood have heard bogus press announcements before on what’s about to happen on Farish Street, and they’re kind of numb to it,” Franklin said. “We want to prove what we’re doing through our actions,

and right now our actions are proving that we’ve started construction, and we plan to be done with the first block between Amite Street and Griffith Street by September of this year.” Construction is underway, as workers gut the proposed home of the Red Rooster Bar and Restaurant on the corner of Farish and Amite streets, after more than a decade of delay and under the guidance of Performa Entertainment. Performa, which transformed Memphis’ Beale Street, vowed to turn Farish Street into an resort district featuring entertainment and music venues, but suffered countless delays from construc-

tion setbacks and local banks’ unwillingness to invest in the Farish Street project. Performa suffered even heavier financial loss during the last two years as the economy crashed, and the company proved incapable of continuing the Farish Street Project. Developer David Watkins—the personality behind the recent renovation of the King Edward Hotel and the ongoing renovation of the Standard Life building into an elegant stack of condominiums— stepped in to continue Performa’s vision. Watkins argued that the success of the newly renovated Hilton Garden Inn (formerly the King Edward) and the Standard Life condominiums depended, in part, on the success of Farish Street. Franklin said the bricks are coming together, and the new owners of the businesses have committed to the development, which could eventually offer up to 680 new jobs. The west side of the street will sport a B.B. King’s Restaurant and Blues Club as an anchor feature. Franklin said the building directly beside it will be a “(New Orleans) Bourbon Street-type bar” called Tablet’s. Design plans also call for an open-air amphitheater featuring entertainment including plays, recitals, symphonic FARISH, see page 6

BEST -of theWORST

ke a m e s n se

“I don’t know about where you all live, but in my Walmart, in my barbershop, they’re telling us it doesn’t make sense to cut these agencies the way we’re cutting them, if you’ve got a half a billion dollars in the savings account.” —Rep. George Flaggs, D-Vicksburg, regarding Gov. Haley Barbour’s decision to cut state agencies and not use money from the state’s reserve funds.

by Adam Lynch

Earlier this month, we were amused to see that The CorporateLedger decided to do a mini-Best-of contest, called Best of Metromix. It’s like a multiple-choice exam: For a few days they tell who you can vote for, and you pick from the list. Our favorite part, though, is the name: Best of Metromix. Really? We were, thus, inspired to come up with some similar, um, niche ideas should they need to try something different in the future. Our ideas: • Best Anonymous Bloggers. • Best Radio Program Piped In from Another State. • Best of the Litter-Ledger. • Best of Learned (Miss.). • Best of the Media Corporations Getting Rich Off Mississippi. • Best of the Madison Gas Station Collective. • Best of My Gated Community. • Best of the Big-Box Outlets. • Best of My Own Hairy Butt. Remember to vote!

statetalk

news, culture & irreverence

Brad “Kamikaze” Franklin gave an update on Farish Street Tuesday.

performances and other shows. A Wet Willie’s daiquiri bar will border the amphitheater, and at the end of the first block will be what Franklin describes as “a new soul bar likely containing an element of comedy.” The soul bar is a step down from the Funny Bone Comedy Club originally envisioned by Performa for that spot, but developers fear a stand-alone comedy club may not fare well in the local environment and want to think conservatively in terms of initial businesses. “Many of the businesses occupying Memphis’ Beale Street now are not the first businesses that opened up there, but we can’t afford for businesses to come and go like that,” Franklin said. “We don’t have that kind of luxury with this economy. The first businesses have to endure.” Developers have plans for the other side of the street fit for the resort status the Jackson City Council awarded the district in 2004—a status similar to that of Beale Street and New Orleans’ French Quarter, which allows patrons to stagger from one bar to another with open containers filled with alcohol. The Red Rooster Restaurant will sit directly across from the B.B. King Restaurant. Developers plan to place an arts center on the other side of that, although the arts center is a complicated endeavor containing numerous galleries and individual vending areas for art, which will likely see the light of day during the second phase of the Farish Street development. “We want this to be used by folks who paint, and (by) poets and other artists,” Franklin told a crowd of about 30 who heard the presentation from the seats of the recently renovated Alamo Theater on Farish Street. “We want to give them an area to ply their trade. The way we envision the arts center, you’ll be able to look in the ground floor windows and see their art, and you will be able to buy their art.” Franklin said the other side of the arts center will host “a juke joint restaurant,” co-owned by Jackson contractor and musician Frank Dixon, who is currently involved in the construction of Jackson Public Schools’ new North Jackson middle school. Systems Consultants Associates, Systems IT, and Systems Electro Coating CEO Bill Cooley is the co-owner of the juke joint. A sports bar in the vein of a Dave & Buster’s restaurant will adjoin the other

side of the as-of-yet-unnamed music bar. Franklin describes the business as “a Chuck E. Cheese’s geared for adults,” run by the former owners of Last Call Sports Bar—the site of some of the best chili cheese fries in the city of Jackson, before the place closed down last year. Long-time Farish Street restaurant Big Apple Inn will move up to occupy the building directly beside the Dave & Buster’s knock-off, while the other side of Big Apple will contain a reincarnation of the popular Subway Lounge, formerly situated along the Jackson Metro Parkway. “(Subway Lounge owner) Jimmy King just had surgery, and said he wouldn’t be up to being inside the facility every day, but he plans to come down as often as he can,” Franklin said, referring to the business, which will sit directly across the street from F. Jones Corner. Franklin said F. Jones Corner, which opened only a few months ago, has manifested as a herald for development on the first block of the district. “You can’t park on this block on Friday and Saturday nights down here because of F. Jones. We could not have scripted them to be doing any better than they have, and they’ve actually been a catalyst for some of the development down here,” Franklin said. F. Jones Corner owners Daniel Dillon and Adam “Big Nub” Hayes say they don’t expect the extra competition to take any of their business. “The way we see it, the more the better,” Dillon told the Jackson Free Press. “We think the other businesses will be a draw for even more customers for us. We can’t argue with that.” One member of the audience, Neal Pullen, said he was worried about security on Farish Street. “The opinion outside the city is that this area is a problem area when it comes to crime, and I’d like to know how you intend to fight against that image?” Pullen asked. Franklin said the district will contain a new police precinct featuring 15 police officers, who will “walk around, ride Segways, and make themselves visible all hours of the day and night,” to promote the image of safety. Downtown Jackson Partners President Ben Allen remarked recently that the Downtown district remains one of the safest districts in the city, according to police records, while Franklin said he walks back and forth from his office at Union Station to construction sites on Farish Street without any crime issue. “Still,” he said, “one serious crime down here at this point in development could kill the whole project. We know this, so we’re going to be working extra hard to make sure that never happens.”

jacksonfreepress.com

ADAM LYNCH

FARISH, from page 6

IT’S

educationtalk

by Ward Schaefer KENYA HUDSON

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MOUND BAYOU: The Promise Land

January 28 - February 2, 2010

Begins February 1

n a year when Mississippi’s K-12 educational system faces potentially crippling budget cuts, a federal grant program promising up to $175 million has offered a bit of hope to state education advocates. But the Mississippi Department of Education has frustrated some of those advocates by forgoing an early application deadline that many believe would have improved the state’s chances. Originally passed as part of the federal stimulus package, “Race to the Top” is a $4.35 billion initiative that rewards states for education reforms and seeks to spur further innovation through competition for federal dollars. The first of two deadlines for applications passed Jan. 19. MDE announced Dec. 18 that it would apply in time for the second deadline, June 1, noting in a press release that “states … are not at a competitive disadvantage when applying in either phase.” States that applied prior to the first deadline will receive feedback on their applications from the U.S. Department of Education, however, which they can use to improve their chances in the second round if denied in the first. Forty states took advantage of that benefit and submitted first-round applications. “I think it’s unfortunate we did not apply (for Round 1), because the feedback alone would’ve strengthened our position for Round 2,” Mississippi NAACP President Derrick Johnson said. Along with 37 other education and business leaders, Johnson serves on an advisory committee for the state’s “Race to the Top” application. The committee includes Tougaloo College President Beverly Hogan; Mississippi Parents Campaign Executive Director Nancy Loome; Teach for America’s executive director for the Mississippi Delta, Ron Nurnberg; and representatives from Entergy, Bancorp South, State Farm and AT&T. MDE Deputy Superintendent Martez Hill said that the later deadline will give the department more time to earn the support of individual school districts, which would boost its application’s prospects. “We’re going to have to get each school district’s superintendent and board chair to

sign off on a memo of understanding saying that they ... will abide by the ‘Race to the Top’ plan,” Hill said. “Before we get local districts to sign off, we want to get their buy-in.” Hill acknowledged that the department’s deliberate pace in applying was in part due to changes in leadership. Former State Superintendent Hank Bounds left to become the state’s higher education commissioner in June 2009, and his permanent replacement, Tom Burnham, did not take over until this month. The state’s application had to reflect the new superintendent’s priorities, Hill said. Whether or not the delay hurts Mississippi’s chances, the state certainly lost an edge to its neighbors when it failed to win a $250,000 supporting grant from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation to fund the development of its “Race to the Top” application. After initially targeting 15 states for grants, in September, the Gates Foundation widened its assistance to any of the remaining 35 states that met eight reform criteria based on the “Race to the Top” application. Tennessee, Louisiana and Arkansas were among the original 15 states receiving grants, and Alabama was among the 10 selected in the second round. Louisiana, especially, has devoted considerable resources to its “Race to the Top” bid, devoting two staffers at the state Department of Education exclusively to preparing the state’s application. That effort may be necessary to prepare a winning proposal. In fact, on Aug. 11, 2009, Education Week reported that it would take states 642 hours to put together a “Race to the Top” application. That’s the equivalent of two staff members working fulltime for two months. MDE is adding manpower to its own application effort. Feb. 1, 2010, Dr. Lynn House will join MDE as a deputy superintendent, and “Race to the Top” will be among her first responsibilities. More than resources, though, actual policies will determine the success of Mississippi’s application. Federal officials will evaluate applications on a massive, 500-point rubric based on four basic criteria: aligning state standards with national and international ones;

President Barack Obama’s “Race to the Top” education program could bring $175 million to Mississippi, if the state’s reforms pass muster—and the application makes the deadline.

training teachers and school leaders; tracking and using student performance data; and turning around under-performing schools. Mississippi has the potential to impress in most of those categories. The state has no legal barrier to evaluating teachers based on student performance, a particularly valuable criterion. While it currently has no charter school law, state legislators appear poised to at least re-establish the old law, which expired last year, if they do not pass a new, more charterfriendly version. Hill said that the state’s Children First Act, passed last year, will also figure heavily in the state’s application. The law gives MDE the power to replace superintendents and school boards in consistently under-performing school districts. Rachel Hicks, an advisory committee member, still hopes to see more innovation in state policy. Hicks, who is executive director and founder of non-profit organization Mississippi First, believes that Race to the Top demands more than the small measures the state has adopted thus far. “Everything that the U.S. Department of Education has signaled is that they are looking for something that breaks the mold on education policy in the nation,” Hicks said. “They are not looking for the same-old, same-old; they are not looking for states to expand existing, run-of-the-mill programs. They are looking for something radically new and different. And I am afraid that many people do not grasp that.”

by Ward Schaefer

Fewer Profs, Higher Tuition COURTESY HANK BOUNDS

f current state budget cuts stand, Mississippi’s eight public universities will have to shed 1,000 jobs and raise tuition over the next two years. Higher Education Commissioner Hank Bounds delivered that dire message to the state’s Institutions of Higher Learning Board of Trustees at a Jan. 21 meeting. Days later, the Board approved recommended tuition increases at a Jan. 25 meeting. The increases, which will take place over two years, are necessary to offset current and anticipated budget cuts, Bounds said. Gov. Haley Barbour has called for a roughly 8 percent cut of $53.9 million in the state’s 2010 IHL budget, but Bounds instructed university presidents to prepare for even deeper reductions of about 10 percent. “As a person who really had to struggle to pay for college, it’s painful (for me) to ask for tuition increases,” Bounds said. “We have prepared for the worst, and now it’s time to pray for the best.” Tuition increases range from lows of 4.5 percent—in 2011 and 2012 at Mississippi Valley State University—to highs of 9 percent for both years at Delta State University and Jackson State University. At the Jan. 25 meeting, Bounds told Board members that uncertainty about the state’s budget means that the tuition increases are still provisional.“If the appropriations picture is better, then we would have the opportunity to reduce the amount of tuition that we’re asking for,” Bounds said. “However, if the appropriation is at a lower level than we projected, then we would reserve the opportunity to come back to the board and make additional cuts and tuition increases.” Bounds added that even with the hikes, tuition at all Mississippi public universities was still lower than the average for peer institutions in the South. With the projected increases, tuition at the University of Mississippi would still be 25 percent cheaper in 2012 than at the school’s peer institutions. By 2012 Delta State University would be closest to its peers in tuition, among Mississippi schools, but it would still cost nearly 12 percent less than those schools. “If there is a silver lining to this, it’s that we’re a lot cheaper than everyone else,” Bounds said. Even with the added revenue that higher tuition will bring in, state universities will need to cut personnel and programs to make up the budget shortfall. Bounds projected that the state university system will need to shed 1,042 jobs between now and 2013. The majority of those cuts would come from eliminating vacant positions, but 389 jobs would come from cutting currently filled posts. The bulk of those will come in the 2011 fiscal year, which legislators are preparing for during the current legislative session. In numerical terms, Mississippi State University expects to lose the most jobs, but Bounds acknowledged that personnel cuts at smaller universities could prove even more painful.

Mississippi Higher Education Commissioner Hank Bounds said the state’s universities still cost less than their peers, even after tuition hikes.

“Thirty jobs at Alcorn State may be more significant than 100 positions at Mississippi State,” Bounds said. Jackson State and the University of Mississippi both projected relatively small cuts to currently filled positions, with JSU predicting a loss of 16 filled positions and Ole Miss predicting layoffs of 33 personnel. Bounds also predicted a system-wide loss of 28 programs, 49 degrees and 33 departments by 2013. The board will not consider specific cuts to personnel, programs or departments for a few months, Bounds said. “As we move through this process, we’ll have a better handle on where those positions are,” Bounds said. “Campuses are still working; these are their best projections.” Derrick Johnson, president of the Mississippi NAACP said increased tuition could make a college education prohibitively expensive for some students. “In these economic times, there’s a question of affordability when you raise fees, and people have lost jobs,” Johnson said. “Before you put the burden on the student, the state really needs to do an assessment of all of its institutions of higher learning.” Johnson suggested that consolidation of the state’s 15 junior and community colleges might free up money to reduce the need for tuition increases. House Universities Committee Chairman Kelvin Buck, D-Holly Springs said the Board’s action was a “symptom” of Barbour’s budget cuts. Aside from a House proposal to offset this year’s shortfall with $15 million reserve funds, the House has few other viable options for averting tuition increases, Buck said. “There are ideas as to how we could get more dollars to our universities and colleges, but getting them passed in both the House and Senate and having the governor sign onto them is going to be very difficult,” Buck said. Buck charged Barbour with shirking the duty of state government to raise revenue for education.“If nothing else, people should see that when the Governor says, ‘No new taxes,’ that’s really not a true statement at all,” Buck said. “They’re talking (about) multi-year tuition raises. That’s nothing more than a diverted tax. It’s a transfer of the responsibility of getting the money.”

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collegetalk

Legislature: Week 3

by Adam Lynch BRYANT HAWKINS

Money and Marriage

he biggest fight in the Mississippi Legislature still centered on money in week 3 of the 2010 session. The House refused to consider a Senate bill giving Gov. Haley Barbour the power to selectively cut 10 percent of certain state agency budgets while sparing other agencies—namely the Department of Corrections. So Barbour responded with a more constitutional blanket cut. “I asked the legislative budget committee to change state law under which I am required to make budget cuts, to give me more flexibility. … The House chose not to do that and proposed spending $110 million more after we’ve spent $115 million,” he said during his State-of-the-State address. “To comply with state law, I am now ordering cuts that will bring the total cuts (this year) up to 8.193 percent for all departments and agencies, except for a small handful that are exempt.” Nobody’s arguing that the cuts aren’t big and nasty, but few people outside the Department of Corrections are saying the situation would have been better if Barbour had earned the ability to selectively cut agencies by 10 percent. If Barbour had his way, the Mississippi Adequate Education Program, for example, would have suffered a full 10 percent cut. But due to the House’s resistance, MAEP now only suffers an 8.2 percent cut. Similarly, the Department of Public Health, which would have lost 9 percent of its total budget under Barbour’s budget proposal, suffers an 8.2 percent cut under the current plan. The House passed HB 392, which would require—as Barbour claimed—to tap the rainy-day fund to fill budget holes, arguing that the bill would prevent severe layoffs of state employees. House members voted along party lines to pass the bill, with Republicans voting against it, after first trying to insert amendments giving the governor his requested 10 percent cutting authority. That amendment failed by a party-line vote of 69 to 51. The House also approved HB 965, which could help preserve some mental-

health facilities that Barbour has targeted for closure as a money-saving measure. The House describes the bill as “giving state mental-health leaders more flexibility in financing their operations.” The House bill specifically transfers money from the budgets of certain individual facilities of the Department of Mental Health to the department’s service budget, to avoid closing the mental-health centers. House members say closing the centers could threaten public safety by releasing mentally ill people into the streets. Other mental-health advocates predict that patients extruded from the closing centers could end up occupying prisons beds, even though they are not criminals. Rep. John Mayo, D-Clarksdale, embraced the state’s need to use more homecare nursing in place of institutionalized nursing homes for patients who qualify. “We learned that there is a … 17-year waiting list for persons with intellectual disabilities awaiting a bed in an intermediate-care nursing home,” Mayo wrote on his blog. “We also learned that there is a 7-to-8-year waiting list for persons who are awaiting services for home- and community-based health-care services. … In addition; we learned the cost of placing a mentally retarded person into an intermediate-care nursing home is about $95,000 a year vs. a cost of about $26,000 a year for (home- or community-based services). Everyone in a nursing home would not be able to take part in the HCBS, but we were also told there are a significant number of people in those nursing homes that could be.” The House Education Committee approved HB 837, which requires school boards to adopt some form of sex-education program, be it abstinence-only or abstinence plus sex-education curriculum. The state does not currently mandate school districts teach any form of sex education, even though Mississippi is one of the states with the highest incidence of teen pregnancy. The House also passed HB 884, which authorizes counties and municipalities “to

Thanks for Your Best of Jackson Votes!

s. K e t o AN !!! our v TH U r y

January 28 - February 2, 2010

Gov Haley Barbour said last week he is moving forward with budget cuts.

establish a local organization for emergency management.” A brief bickering match exploded on the House floor last Thursday over House Bill 412, which would have included compulsive gambling as legal grounds for divorce. Some legislators argued that grounds for divorce should be limited to things such as fooling around on your spouse, while others questioned if farming counted as “gambling.” The bill failed with a 75-to-40 vote against. The Senate passed SB 2775 last week, which changes laws regarding state employees. The bill, held on a motion to reconsider at the last minute, removes state employees from the protections of the State Personnel Board for a period of two years. The bill also makes the operation of a state-owned motor vehicle without a valid Mississippi driver’s license by an employee of any department grounds for dismissal, and it removes the possibility of promotion for any male state employee between the age of 18 and 26 who has not registered with selective service. The House will not likely pass the bill, with many Democrats in opposition to making the state’s workers easier to fire. The Senate also passed a bill imposing harsher penalties on motorists illegally passing stopped school buses. The bill increases the penalty to fines of up to $5,000 and five years in prison, and resulted from the death of 5-year-old Laurel resident Nathan Key, killed when a car hit him as he was exiting a school bus.

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statetalk

by Ward Schaefer

Rep. George Flaggs, D-Vicksburg, argued that the state had to rely on its “savings account” to protect public welfare.

of higher learning receiving $15 million. Even with that help, K-12 education funding for this year would still be 6.37 percent, or $151 million, below the original appropriations level, while higher education would still receive 5.86 percent, or $38.6 million, less than originally appropriated. The House plan would also provide $6.8 million to junior colleges, to offset $19.9 million in recent cuts. Of the $8.3 million going to the state Department of Mental Health, $6 million would be earmarked for community mental-health crisis centers. Also included in the House bill would be $2.9 million for the

Department of Revenue, $4.9 million for the Department of Health and $2.9 million to the Mississippi Highway Patrol. Rep. Cecil Brown, D-Jackson, told committee members that the House plan would provide $2.2 million to restore all assistant district attorneys positions in the state. Barbour slashed $1.4 million for those positions last week, and the shortfall has raised the possibility of furloughs and increased case backlogs at district attorneys’ offices. While Barbour has restricted the use of reserve funds in the past, he suggested in his Jan. 18 State of the State address that he may be amenable to using more one-time money in the current fiscal year. “(I)f it is the will of the Legislature, I will agree to spending down the ($220 million) balance of the existing fund, as long as it is done on a schedule of equal payments over a period of at least four years,” Barbour said. Similarly, Barbour has said that the $230 million rainy-day fund, officially known as the Working Cash Stabilization Fund, must last three more years. He rejected a previous House budget plan for the current fiscal year because it relied on an additional $50 million from the Rainy Day Fund. Rep. George Flaggs, D-Vicksburg, argued that current cuts, if allowed to stand,

would cripple many state agencies. The Mississippi Tax Commission would likely lay off 200 employees, forcing a delay in the processing of income tax returns. The state Highway Patrol would also be forced to furlough troopers or reduce their hours, Flaggs warned. “I don’t know about where you all live, but in my Walmart, in my barbershop, they’re telling us it doesn’t make sense to cut these agencies the way we’re cutting them if you’ve got a half a billion dollars in the savings account,” Flaggs said Jan. 25. “(If) you don’t vote for this bill, you can say, ‘I saved the state a half a billion dollars. I didn’t raise your taxes. But I didn’t guarantee no public safety; I didn’t guarantee no public education; I didn’t guarantee no public health.’” Voting on the bill fell largely along party lines. The House blocked an amendment proposed by Rep. Phil Gunn, R-Clinton, that would have left the rainy-day fund untouched while still taking $50 million from the Health Care Trust Fund. Gunn suggested that his amendment would be more palatable to Barbour, a Republican, and the more conservative Senate leadership. His colleague Mark Baker, R-Brandon, was more direct. “You know and I know that this bill will not become law the way it is,” Baker told House members. “It’s not going to pass.”

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“Colombo yogurt is the best brand of yogurt in the nation,” says Ferial Awabby. “We can add different toppings to our many different flavors of yogurt.” Toppings range from nuts, granola, bananas, Ferial Awabby strawberries, Oreo crumbles, sprinkles and more. The selection is endless and any yogurt creation imaginable can come to life atop chocolate or vanilla yogurt in a cup or waffle cone. Yum! Yogurt, however, is not the only healthy choice on the menu. We Love Yogurt offers a fresh and healthy selection for lunchtime or dinner from their salad and soup bar lined with freshly made tabouli, hummus, fresh vegetables, pasta and soups. “The salad bar is strictly vegetarian,” says Ferial Awabby. “That’s why a lot of people come in, because of the healthy selection, and of course because we provide a very fresh, clean and friendly atmosphere.” Variety is abundant at We Love Yogurt, located in Maywood Mart at 1220 E. Northside Drive, Suite 150, in Jackson. Deli sandwiches from chicken salad, smoked turkey, veggie burger or grilled cheese are made as soon as you place your order. Sandwiches come on wheat, rye, white and pita bread. If you are watching your waistline, We Love Yogurt also specializes in Slim Fast shakes and can add any fruit, such as strawberries, to it. For the more avid dieter, the restaurant makes protein shakes with whey protein and can add skim milk or water, mixed with your favorite fruit or just as it is. Yogurt smoothies and sundaes are also crowd-pleasers. Choose the yogurt smoothie that fits your craving: strawberry; strawberry banana; pina colada; strawberry colada; cappuccino; Oreo chocolate fudge, peaches and cream; and strawberry pineapple. Faithful customers make their way to We Love Yogurt, whether it’s a family after soccer practice or it’s the couple from Vicksburg stopping by for a bite to eat. “From all over Mississippi, we have people stop by,” says Ferial Awabby. “We have had generations of families come in over the years – from grandparents, parents, kids and grandkids.” “And, we love our customers,” she adds. Visit We Love Yogurt in Maywood Mart at 1220 E. Northside Drive, Suite 150, Jackson or call 601362-9380. They are open Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Saturdays from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. and closed on Sundays. Please note: they do not accept credit cards; cash or checks only!

jacksonfreepress.com

he Mississippi House of Representatives approved a plan Tuesday to use $100 million in reserve funds this year to shore up agency budgets that were slashed in Gov. Haley Barbour’s most recent round of budget cuts. “It makes the situation somewhat bearable; we can certainly say that,” Rep. Steve Holland, D-Plantersville, said of the bill during a Jan. 25 committee meeting. The House measure is a revision of Senate Bill 2495, which the Senate passed Jan. 13, granting Barbour authority to make selective cuts to any agency budget up to 10 percent. The House version reduced that figure to 5 percent. During floor debate, representatives also approved an amendment sponsored by Bennett Malone, D-Carthage, that would protect the Department of Corrections from further cuts. The measure would offset some of the $216 million in cuts for this fiscal year that Barbour announced Jan. 22, using $50 million from the state’s rainy-day fund and another $50 million from the Health Care Trust Fund endowed from the state’s 1994 tobacco settlement. Education would receive nearly $50 million of the reserve funds, with K-12 education getting $43 million and the state’s institutions

FILE PHOTO

House Votes to Tap $100 Million of Reserve Funds

jfp op/ed

opining, grousing & pontificating

EDITORIAL

A ‘Local’ Business Plan

he annual Best of Jackson reader’s choice awards began in the very first issue of the Jackson Free Press. We started the paper for two reasons (which are really the same thing): (1) to tell the whole truth about this region that no other media would report, positive or not, and (2) to celebrate all that is great about a city that so many people had dumped on for so long. When we published the first issue, and the first Best of Jackson ballot, in fall 2002, you could find very little positive in local media about the city. The news was filled with sensationalistic crime reporting (still is, too often), and other media outlets constantly hyped fatalistic myths such as nightlife is “nonexistent” in downtown Jackson (looking at you, Ledger). There was also no talk of the need to “think global, shop local” until we started immediately urging that mentality in our first few issues. Why would other media outlets urge Jacksonians to support our own? Most of them are owned by corporations out of town, too, and make money off big-box conglomerates. Local isn’t their business plan. Our attitude was, and still is, that we have got to take care of our own, believe in ourselves and each other, and tell the truth even if it stings people with their own quiet agendas. And a huge truth for Jackson is that thinking local first is key to our future. A strong locally owned business community is vital to Jackson being a place where people want to live, invest, raise kids and build strong communities. It is up to each of us to make sure that we are supporting and celebrating the diversity of people and businesses that make Jackson authentic. That is exactly why we put the word “Jackson” in the name of our newspaper, and it is why we put a “Best of Jackson” ballot in the very first issue. We don’t want to tell you who is “best”; we want all of you to decide, and then come together to help us honor this great city. In so doing, it will get greater. We are happy to see that many people have joined us on this “best” bandwagon (even if some are doing it to try to make money to send to the home office somewhere else). That is sure better than spending all their air time and print space talking about how awful and hopeless the city is. We are very proud of being the media outlet that others try to follow on celebrating what is great about this city. As always, it is up to each of us individually to figure out how to invest locally in Jackson. It may be by spending a few bucks buying a fabulous Best-of party outfit at Treehouse, Material Girls or Shoe Bar, for instance, or it may be by getting a hip $5 dress at Orange Peel, Repeat Street or Bargain Boutique. That is, it doesn’t matter how you support our own; it just matters that you do.

KEN STIGGERS

Do the Hustle

January 28 - February 2, 2010

rotha Hustle: “At this time of the year, the only thing on poor people’s mind is ‘Tax Refund.’ So, they grab their W2 statements and run to one of those well-known tax-preparation places. Last year, Rev. Cletus volunteered several of his Double-Dutch Church Buses to take ghetto residents to various tax-preparation centers. The Ghetto Science Team Community Service Board concluded that the Double-Dutch Church Bus method wasted too much time and fuel. The community service board decided on a more efficient method to serve ghetto residents during tax season. They commissioned Aunt Tee Tee and me to provide financially challenged individuals with convenient access to financial services through the Hustle Family Mobile Financial and Tax-Preparation Service. “Big Deacon Jones, head mechanic of Rev. Cletus Car Sales, refurbished a Mister Ice Cream truck as a favor to Aunt Tee Tee. Aunt Tee Tee and I transformed the ice-cream truck into a small mobile office, complete with small desk and file cabinet, printer, credit-card reader and administrative supplies. Aunt Tee Tee and other trained financial and tax-preparation specialists will use company laptop computers, with tax-preparation software and high-speed wi-fi cards, to file taxes. “Also, the Hustle Family Mobile Financial and Tax-Preparation Service will have mobile tax-preparation agents at Clubb Chicken Wing during Hot Wing Happy Hour. Let the Hustle family help you get your tax refund quickly and efficiently with the Mobile Financial and Tax-Preparation Service.”

KAMIKAZE

Here’s to the Big Dogs

he water crisis of last week is behind us, but the effects may remain for years to come. It proved to be a pivotal moment in this city’s Renaissance. We should heed the truths revealed to us during those days of crisis as we move forward. The first obviously is that Mother Nature is a powerful woman. Despite your best theories, the best-laid plans of mice and men go awry when the weather goes haywire. Houses are built to withstand tornados. Buildings are boarded up to survive a hurricane’s wrath. Walls are built to keep water out. But calamities are going to happen and sometimes, when they do, man will be defeated. So to me, the supposition that this can be laid at the feet of the current administration is a flimsy one. Especially when you are talking about a problem that began and even worsened several administrations ago. It’s easy to be a Monday morning quarterback when you spend most of your time watching the game from the sidelines. Unless you’re a public-works genius or a mutant that lives in the pipes under the city, no one knew when the water system would fail. The best we know is that they worked up until this month, and now we know that we need to replace them. The next thing we can surmise is that although he didn’t create the problem—or could have prevented it—this crisis happened during Mayor Johnson’s watch, and it’s his problem to fix. Right now. Another truth was revealed, although it’s no huge secret. There are a lot of folks in the surrounding bedroom communities who circle like vultures waiting for the demise of our fair city. You never know who your friends are until times of conflict. It’s time for all you ProJacks to circle the wagons and come to the sad realization that we need to look out for ourselves and demand our respect as this state’s capital city.

How many of us watched and read comment after comment in chat rooms gloating at our misfortune? How many of us heard folks denounce our “leadership”? How many saw non-Jackson businessmen, restaurateurs and lawmakers use the water crisis as a chance to coax people their direction? How many of us will continue to buy into this phantom “metro” concept when it’s clear that the cities around us don’t want to play ball? Methinks it’s time to embrace the fact that we are the big dogs of this state, and start acting like it. Those who criticize us bask in the very security and prosperity that we provide for them, and then summarily mock us. They openly compete for new business and attempt to steal our current businesses. A lot of suburbanites work in our city but pay no taxes to us whatsoever. I for one am sick of it! These communities would wither and crumble if Jackson fails, but don’t lift a finger to support the city. Legislators from outside the capital city do little to support it. As we celebrate the Best of Jackson this week, let us start believing that Jackson is the best. Our city is experiencing a rebirth—one I’m proud to say I’m a part of. But until we force a change in the mentality of those who surround us, it won’t be the huge victory we expect. We have a lot to celebrate. The best restaurants, the best musicians, the best festivals, some of the best and brightest people in the state. We don’t deserve the ridicule and definitely shouldn’t stand idly by and take it. This week spend your money exclusively in Jackson. Eat in Jackson. Shop in Jackson. Party in Jackson. Move back to Jackson. Play your part. And that’s the truth ... sho-nuff.

E-mail letters to letters@jacksonfreepress.com, fax to 601-510-9019, or mail to P.O. Box 5067, Jackson, Miss., 39296. Include daytime phone number. Letters may be edited for length and clarity.

LANGSTON MOORE

Love Story

EDITORIAL Managing Editor Ronni Mott News Editor Lacey McLaughlin Senior Reporter Adam Lynch Reporter Ward Schaefer Events Editor Latasha Willis Music Listings Editor Herman Snell Assistant to the Editor ShaWanda Jacome Writers Andi Agnew, Lisa Fontaine Bynum, Rob Hamilton, Carl Gibson, Deirdra Harris Glover, Anita Modak-Truran,Will Morgan, Larry Morrisey, Doctor S, Ken Stiggers, Valerie Wells, Neola Young Editorial Interns Will Caves, Darrell Creecy, Briana Robinson, Kalissia Veal, Jesse Crow, Eileen Eady Consulting Editor JoAnne Prichard Morris

ART AND PHOTOGRAPHY Editorial Designer Kristin Brenemen Advertising Designer Lydia Chadwick Production Designer Christi Vivar Editorial Cartoonist Chris Zuga Illustrator Melissa Webster Photographers Tom Beck, Pat Butler, Josh Hailey, Kenya Hudson, Kate Medley, Meredith Norwood, Lizzie Wright Design Intern Katy Wharton Founding Art Director Jimmy Mumford

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Jackson Free Press P.O. Box 5067, Jackson, Miss., 39296 Editorial (601) 362-6121 Sales (601) 362-6121 Fax (601) 510-9019 Daily updates at jacksonfreepress.com The Jackson Free Press is the city’s award-winning, locally owned newsweekly, with 17,000 copies distributed in and around the Jackson metropolitan area every Thursday. The Jackson Free Press is free for pick-up by readers; one copy per person, please. First-class subscriptions are available for $100 per year for postage and handling. The Jackson Free Press welcomes thoughtful opinions. The views expressed in this newspaper are not necessarily those of the publisher or management of Jackson Free Press Inc. © Copyright 2010 Jackson Free Press Inc. All Rights Reserved.

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e first met when I was only 3 years young. I had no idea of her deep yearning to simply be loved. Nor did I know the love I would have in my heart for her some day. It was the mid-1970s, and I went about my childhood in Jackson with a peaceful, tranquil feeling. I played kickthe-can and baseball in the street and football in the neighbor’s corner yard that was home to family, my friends and me. It was comfort. Our utopia was inside the “walls” of the pale streets and non-descript homes. These “walls” blinded me from seeing her beauty and tasting her hunger for love. At age 12 or so, I was overcome with disbelief that my Jackson was not utopia. That year, my father was the victim of an armed robbery and almost killed at his dream-come-true, self-employed establishment in west Jackson. How could it be? Shortly after this, he changed careers, and my family joined the white flight out of the city limits. We moved to the Byram area to escape “her” cruelty. It was about this time that I began believing the stigma that she—Jackson—began to take on, and none of it was her fault. None! Jackson, as I look back at my life, was my Forbidden Fruit for so many years. She tempted me. She smiled at me. She talked to me. I ignored her insistence. I would not taste her, accept her temptations or even smile back. There was no need. I saw ugly, felt crime and could not even cut a grin upon the vamp I was “educated” to believe she was. She called to me many times during the 1990s when I occupied an office in our state capitol building. I was with her every day and saw the blight that occupied her. It was much like the North Star zit on a forehead of a teenager: Eyes cast only on that one aspect and not on the person. I ignored her lure, again. For the first three decades of my life, not only did I judge the city by her cover, but I judged many people, places and ideals that way as well. Many others still do when they hear her calling for their love. I am taken aback with bewilderment when the naysayers still do not believe that the King Edward is back—the phoenix risen from the ashes. They still look at the King Edward, The Pinnacle building, Farish Street and Duling Street School as stories instead of realities. Stories, in my heart, are what my 6year-old tells when he wants to avoid the

truth. This love story is no longer a story; it is truth, not a myth. Do you, too, not believe her love to be true? I am here to tell you it is. It is the truest of passions known to mankind: She is loyal; she will embrace you. She will, already does, love you. Stretch out your arms and feel who she is. Although her cover has been redesigned, her pages of soul are the same. And no, her soul is not murder, homelessness or white flight. Her soul is deeply rooted with harmony among her citizens, a welcoming friend in times of need, and neighborhoods and apartments full to the brim. Is she perfect? Is any love perfect? No. Doesn’t every city and town have those deviants who settle their disputes by violence? They do. But the most defiant behavior I have seen on my most recent visits with my lady has been a local musician changing the key of a classic rock tune. Damn them. Damn the deviants in Jackson. I didn’t see a random mugging, murder or car break-in. Stroll into the downtown neighborhoods—which do exist—and you will see more neighbors smiling, laughing and exercising with each other than hiding from the violence and turmoil that is reported by the mainstream press. The streets of downtown are abuzz. Drive over to Jackson State and witness the rebirth of that historic area. That corridor has made her eyes sparkle as if seeing her youngest child become a successful adult. I finally opened up to her, and accepted what she was offering. Her inner beauty is striking. It is one that offers a mother’s unconditional feelings for her children. She is not going away, running, hiding. Her truth will continue to be told. She trusts you, trusts us! She will continue to reach out her arms, offer her heart and call for all to love her, including you. The courting for me was expeditious. I enjoyed it. I needed it. I have reciprocated the love and have accepted who she is. Love her, hold her, accept her. Jackson loves back. Langston Moore is lifelong Mississippian who resides in Flowood and is looking for that perfect place in Jackson. He enjoys flea marketing, exploring historic downtowns and photography. He has one son and is employed by a Jackson advertising agency.

Jackson was my Forbidden Fruit for so many years. She tempted me. She smiled at me. She talked to me. I ignored her insistence. I saw ugly, felt crime...

MOVIE LISTINGS FOR THE WEEK OF Friday, Jan. 29th - Thursday, Feb. 4th Edge of Darkness R

Nine

When In Rome PG13

Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakuel PG

Extraordinary Measures PG

Up In the Air

Legion

Avatar 3-D PG13

The Tooth Fairy PG The Book of Eli R The Spy Next Door PG Leap Year

PG13

Did You Hear About the Morgans? PG13 The Princess and the Frog G The Blind Side PG13

Sherlock Holmes PG13 It’s Complicated R

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Editor in Chief Donna Ladd Publisher Todd Stauffer

The Royal Treatment

Best Change to the City and Best Project Under Construction: The King Edward Hotel 235 W. Capitol St., 601-353-5464

THOMAS BECK

What better way to honor our local businesses, nonprofits and personalities than with a huge Best of Jackson awards issue every January? This is the eighth year the Jackson Free Press has conducted a reader’s choice contest—you make the choices over six weeks at the end of the year, and we count them and honor them. (Yes, even the ones that make us go hmmm.) This year, we got more votes than ever, yielding some perennial favorites as well as some new kids on the Best-of block. Remember: The spirit of Best of Jackson is Thinking Local First. Please get out and support these winners and congratulate them. They worked hard for these honors, and you went to the effort of crowning them the best. Now, bow to this year’s royalty.

January 28 - February 2, 2010

THOMAS BECK

Best Local Visionary: David Watkins

Visionaries are dreamers, but when a dreamer actually makes his dreams reality, watch out. We are beyond lucky to have that kind of a leader in our midst: developer David Watkins. Last year, he gave the city arguably one of the best Christmas presents ever: the reopening of the King Edward Hotel. The ubiquitous “they” said it couldn’t be done, but he (and his partners) did it. That achievement might have been enough for some, but not for Watkins, because he sees more. He sees all that Jackson can be. Even better, he has the gift to inspire others to share his passion for Jackson and to become a part of bringing that vision to life. Stay tuned: There’s much more to come from this visionary. —Julie Skipper Second: Ben Allen / Third: Brad “Kamikaze” Franklin / Good Showing: Austin Richardson, Leland Speed and Jeff Good.

The recently renovated King Edward Hotel—now a Hilton Garden Inn—won for both the Best Change to the City and Best Project Under Construction. Yes, the old King Edward, dilapidated pigeon roost and punch line to bad jokes about Jackson, is now one of the most beautiful landmarks gracing downtown, right alongside Union Station, the Electric 308 Building and that comfy gutter behind Hal & Mal’s that catches us as we topple over from one too many vodka shots. It’s a real hotel again, complete with a beautiful lobby and a bar that looks out on the storefronts across the street already slated for restaurants and services worthy of being next to such royalty. David Watkins: We don’t know how many ways we can thank you. —Adam Lynch Best Change to the City Second: The return of Mayor Harvey Johnson Jr. / Third: The opening of the Convention Center / Good Showing: Fondren; Downtown; Frank Melton no longer being mayor. Best Project Under Construction Second: Children’s Museum / Third: Farish Street Entertainment District / Good Showing: Standard Life Building

Best Radio Personality, Best Radio Station: Nate and Murphy, Y101 265 Highpoint Drive, Ridgeland 39157, 601-956-0102

JOSHHAILEYPHOTOGRAPHY.COM

Best Karaoke DJ Second: Matt Collette / Third: Angela Pittman / Fourth: (tie) Todd Stauffer; Dale Sandifer Best Photographer Second: Will Sterling (731 S. Pear Orchard Road, Ridgeland, 601-982-3032) / Third: Robby Followell (304 Jefferson St., Clinton, 601-488-4423) / Good Showing: Chris Grillis (2727 Old Canton Road, 601-362-9975), Christina Cannon (2906 N. State St., Suite 107, 601-713-1224), Thomas Beck (www.beckphotographic.net, 601-85BECK1) Best Visual Artist Second: Wyatt Waters (307 Jefferson St., Clinton, 601-925-8115) / Third: Ginger Williams-Cook (ginnylaine22@yahoo.com) / (tie) Fourth: Erica Flannes (Ink Spot Gallery, 300 W. South St., 601-352-4700); Anthony DiFatta (anthonydifatta.net)

Radio Personality Second: Carson (Y101) / Third: Little Dylan (Star 93.5) / Good Showing: Brad Stevens (Rock 93.9); Paul Gallo (97.3 Super Talk Mississippi); Scott Steele (U.S. 96.3) Radio Station Second: Rock 93.9 (222 Beasley Road, 601-957-3000) / Third: Mississippi Public Broadcasting (3825 Ridgewood Road, 601-432-6565) / Good Showing: WMSI, MISS 103 (1375 Beasley Road, 601-982-1062); Jack FM, WWJK, 94.7 (222 Beasley Road, 601-957-3000); Star 93.5 (100 S. Jefferson St., Clinton, 601-925-3903)

Best TV Station, Best News Anchor: WLBT, Maggie Wade

COURTESY WLBT

It’s a hat trick, a trifecta, a triple play for that energetic sprite of a man with the fitting last name who wears so little to the Best of Jackson party every year. Josh Hailey zooms across his beloved Jackson at warp speed, trailing high creativity and prolific output. He’s much better than the once-in-a-lifetime comet because he’s here, grounded in the now. Hailey likes to have a new hobby every year; that’s how he got into the karaoke deejay gigs, as “KJ Joosy” on Wednesdays at Ole Tavern, 10 p.m. until 2 a.m. It started with Cory Drake. Hailey saw him at a house party and realized he wanted to sing and dance. Now he works with Drake’s company, Full Frontal Entertainment. Hailey’s karaoke DJ goals are simple—get people singing and dancing. His karaoke adopts themes, like December’s Hanukkah and Christmas costume parties, and his favorite: “[T]he New Year’s Masquerade Ball based on David Bowie’s ‘Labyrinth.’ It’s my favorite movie!” With typical oomph, he told me: “I want people to relax, have a good time, come out, and quit being so domesticated in Jackson, Mississippi, damn it! Let it all hang out, damn it! Triple damn it with five exclamation points!” Thankfully, Hailey has enough energy for his thriving photography business, doing work for magazines, agencies and weddings. Then there’s his visual art of a little bit of everything, “buildings to boobies,” as he put it. On Feb. 4, he’s part of a group show at Fondren’s Fischer Galleries: Nudes. —Lynette Hanson

Mississippi’s third oldest television station has come a long way from its position during the Civil Rights Movement, when it framed itself as the city’s leading proponent of segregation by ignoring civil-rights coverage from its own NBC news feed. Today the station boasts some of the most recognizable local personalities, including Bert Case, Howard Ballou and, of course, the perennial Best News Anchor in Best of Jackson: Maggie Wade. Jackson Free Press readers can’t avoid enduring shows like “30 Rock,” while “The Office” is practically a household requirement these days. Our readers find the station a reliable source of local news on the weeknights—and its weekend news teams a reliable source of snafu humor, rumor has it. Is it really a surprise that news reporter and anchor Wade took the prize in the JFP Best News Anchor category? Wade and her adorable little 12-year-old face and intrinsic charm have always proved the envy of Jackson Free Press reporters, who never seem as capable of getting sources to answer the difficult questions. Something about her character unbalances you when that microphone of hers comes out, and you wind up ’fessing up about the cock-fighting ring you run in your backyard before you even realize you’ve let it all slip for those adorable chipmunk cheeks. —Adam Lynch Best TV Station Second: WAPT / Third: WJTV / Good Showing: FOX

1100 Carlisle St., 601-948-3533

Best News Anchor Second: Howard Ballou (WLBT) / Third: Bert Case (WLBT) /w Good Showing: Scott Simmons (WAPT); Brad McMullan (WAPT); Megan West (WAPT); Linda Allen (WJTV).

The theater darkens, and as the curtain opens, you catch your breath in anticipation of the journey you are about to embark on at New Stage Theatre. For its third year in a row, New Stage Theatre took top honors for Best Live Theater and Best Stage Play. Not only do New Stagers continue to amaze theatergoers with their annual favorite, “A Christmas Carol,” but they provide stellar performances in other productions. Last season opened with “Gutenberg! The Musical!” and continued with first place winner, “Cat on a Hot Tin Roof.” No doubt, later this season they will capture the fascination of children’s imaginations with their matinee series, “A Year With Frog & Toad.” You can take a journey with New Stage Theatre and “Boeing Boeing,” through Feb. 7. —Eileen Eady Best Local Live Theater Second: Fondren Theater Workshop (4094 Pine Hill Drive, 601-982-2217) / Third: Black Rose Theatre (103 Black St., Brandon, 601-825-1293) / Good Showing: Brick Street Players (Fairmont Street, Clinton, 601-925-9285); Thalia Mara Hall (225 E. Pascagoula St., 601960-1537) Best Stage Play Second: “Why Am I Single?” (J. Lee Productions) / Third: “Monster Monologues” (Fondren Theater Workshop) / Good Showing: “A Christmas Carol,” (New Stage Theatre)

LACEY MCLAUGHLIN

Best Stage Play and Best Local Live Theater: “Cat on a Hot Tin Roof,” New Stage Theatre

Best Barista: Cody Cox, Cups Fondren 2757 Old Canton Road, 601-362-7422

Cody Cox polls a frothy first place in the Best Barista category. His fellow Cups Fondren barista and past winner Eamonn Contrell takes second place. Cody is a personable, straight-shooting caffeine dispenser, mostly found on the evening shift—a good match for Cox’s musician bio-rhythms. Is his barista persona in some way reflective of his twin idols: rugged Johnny Cash and poetic Jack Kerouac? Yes: Cody is your man in black (leave room for cream), but beneath it all, he has the heart of someone as sweet natured as molasses lemonade. Lyrical references borrowed from Cody himself with (assumed) permission. —Ed Payne Second: Eamonn Cottrell (Cups Espresso Café, 2757 Old Canton Road, 601-362-7422) / Third: Joey Tannehill (Cups Espresso Café, 1855 Lakeland Drive, 601-981-9088) / Good Showing: Byron Knight, Sneaky Beans (2914 N. State St. 601-487-6349)

jacksonfreepress.com

www.joshhaileystudio.com, www.joshhaileyphotography.com

COURTESY Y101

Best Karaoke DJ, Best Local Photographer and Best Local Visual Artist: Josh Hailey

If it seems like Y101 monopolizes the “Best Of Jackson” radio awards, it’s because they have. This is the station’s fourth year to take the “Best Radio Station” award. As if that’s not enough, they also own the top two spots on the “Best Radio Personality” list: Winners Nate and Murphy managed to capture the hearts—or at least ears—of Jacksonians after teaming up barely six months ago. When asked what is responsible for the duo’s chemistry, Clinton native Nate West cites their differences. “Basically, I’m like an everyday kind of guy,” West says, characterizing Murphy as “more the intellectual.” Perhaps Tim Murphy, a transplant from Virginia, captures the spirit of the duo’s success most succinctly: “Really, we just like having fun and entertaining people.” —Brent Hearn

January 28 - February 2, 2010

Best Community Garden: Mynelle Gardens 4736 Clinton Road, 601-964-1894

Best Church Choir: First Baptist Church, Jackson 431 N. State St., 601-949-1900

Second: Pinelake Church (6071 Highway 25, Brandon, 601-829-4500) / Third: Galloway United Methodist (305 N. Congress St., 601-353-9691) / Good Showing: Greater Mount Calvary Baptist Church (1400 Robinson St., 601-352-8585); Anderson United Methodist Church (6205 Hanging Moss Road, 601-982-3997); St. Andrews Episcopal Cathedral (305 E. Capitol St., 601-354-1535); Christ United Methodist Church (6000 Old Canton Road, 601-956-6974)

Second: Tougaloo Rainbow Garden (500 W. County Line Road, 601-977-7700) / Third: Eudora Welty Garden (1119 Pinehurst St., 601-353-7762) / Good Showing: Mississippi Museum of Art (380 S. Lamar St., 601-950-1515); Jackson Medical Mall Garden (Jackson Medical Mall, 350 W. Woodrow Wilson Ave., 601-982-8467).

Best Curmudgeon: Bert Case WLBT news reporter and anchor Bert Case won Best Curmudgeon, though we’re not exactly sure how he qualifies. Yourdictionary.com defines the word “curmudgeon” as a “surly, ill-mannered, bad-tempered person; cantankerous fellow.” The Bert Case I know bravely runs down the street from irascible dogs and stands tall as former governors threaten to kick his ass. Case is a likeable fellow, who is quick to point out that you’ve put on a few pounds, or have less hair than you did 10 years ago. Bless his heart. We wouldn’t want him to be any different.

COURTESY BERT CASE

If you don’t know how important music ministry is in church, then you haven’t heard the Sanctuary Choir at First Baptist. This 330-member choir leads the congregation in worship every Sunday during the 9 a.m. and 10:30 a.m. services. If you spent the previous night partying and can’t make it to Sunday service, you can still catch the choir every Sunday on WJTV. The First Baptist Church choir also presents several concerts each year including “Carols by Candlelight,” “The Wonder of Easter” and “Let Freedom Ring,” just to name a few. Think your voice should be heard somewhere other than your shower? You can join First Baptist Church sanctuary choir just by attending one worship service and one rehearsal on Wednesday. —Pamela Hosey

In the midst of winter, the variant shades of the verdant plants at Mynelle Gardens make me pause. In a bed of mulch surrounded by green, a patch of purple violas makes its presence known. The phrase “dead of winter” has no place at this seven-acre respite. The combination of historic architecture and beautiful pathways relax me, regardless of the cooler temperatures. The garden is operating on winter hours right now, but take an afternoon and reclaim some peace for yourself. It’s well worth the low admission of $4. —Eileen Eady

—Adam Lynch

Best Community Activist: Brad “Kamikaze” Franklin

Second: Jeff Good / Third: Ben Allen / Good Showing: Rims Barber, Fran Leber and Knol Aust

Best Farmer’s Market Vendor: Doris Berry Jackson Farmer’s Market, 352 Woodrow Wilson Ave.

Doris Berry has fed Jacksonians fresh produce for a long time. This year Berry and her husband celebrated 60 years of Berry & Cody Produce Co. located at the old Farmer’s Market on Woodrow Wilson Avenue. Berry’s produce draws customers from all over the state, who are welcomed by large red tomatoes, okra, onions, squash and whatever else is in season. Her friendly smile and passion for fresh homegrown food leave customers more than satisfied. —Lacey McLaughlin Second: Brenda Langham (Jackson Farmer’s Market, 352 Woodrow Wilson Ave.) Third: Pattie “Hummus Queen” McGee (Mississippi Farmer’s Market, 929 High St.) / Good Showing: Sweet Magnolia Farms (Mississippi Farmer’s Market, 929 High St.)

The Clarion-Ledger

Best High School Band: Murrah High School 1400 Murrah Drive, 601-969-6602

Murrah’s band takes home top honors again this year, and it’s little surprise, considering the band’s nickname: “The Sound of Perfection.” Under seven-year veteran director Brian Jefferson, the Murrah band consistently receives “Superior” ratings at competitions, and its field show, boasting nearly 200 members plus dancers and a flag squad, is a sight to behold. Perfection sounds big, too, as Belhaven residents who have heard Murrah’s brass and drums booming out at night will attest. It provides the perfect neighborhood soundtrack. —Ward Schaefer Second: Madison Central High School (1417 Highland Colony Parkway, Madison, 601-8567121) / Third: Pearl High School (500 Pirate Cove, Pearl, 601-932-7931) / Good Showing: Northwest Rankin High School (5805 Highway 25, Flowood, 601-992-2242); Provine High School (2400 Robinson St., 601-960-5393); Jim Hill High School (2185 Fortune St., 601-9605354 ); Clinton High School (401 Arrow Drive, Clinton 601-924-5656)

COURTESY JOANNE PRICHARD MORRIS

Best Columnist: Rick Cleveland

Kindhearted. Loyal. Compassionate. Generous. Fun-loving. If you were to feel that the world’s falling apart and that meanness is lurking in every corner, just one evening with my friend Rick Cleveland and his family would turn it all around. You can’t have terrific kids like Tyler and Annie without doing most things right. Or a fantastic wife like Liz (a phenomenon in her own right). My favorite image of Rick is when he leans in to tell you something amazing that he’s seen or heard. As his storytelling becomes more exuberant, his voice lowers and his eyes start dancing, you know you would rather hear him tell about it than experience it yourself. Just like reading his columns, where his sports stories leap off the page and into your heart. —JoAnne Prichard Morris Second: Orley Hood (formerly of The Clarion-Ledger) / Third: Donna Ladd (Jackson Free Press) / Good Showing: Sid Salter (The Clarion-Ledger) / Felder Rushing (syndicated); Kamikaze (Jackson Free Press); Sherry Lucas (The Clarion-Ledger); Ronni Mott (Jackson Free Press)

jacksonfreepress.com

COURTESY KAMIKAZE

To paraphrase a well-known saying, some people look at the way things are and say, “Someone should do something about that.” Other people say, “I’m going to do something about that.” Jackson native Brad “Kamikaze” Franklin is one of the latter. He may have first gained his reputation as a hip-hop artist, but he used that platform to become a Renaissance man who’s a force to be reckoned with in the pro-Jackson movement. (“ProJack,” he calls it.) Whether it’s speaking out via his JFP column and blog, bringing young adults together through the Jackson Progressives, a non-profit organization he helped found, or becoming an investor and advocate in the Farish Street redevelopment, he’s always working to move the city forward and make us think. And our community will be better as a result. —Julie Skipper

Second: Chip Matthews (Owner, Dick & Jane’s, 206 Capitol St., 601-592-1000) / Third: Ward 3 Councilman Kenneth Stokes / Good Showing: Vince Falconi (Jackson Free Press Web designer); Gov. Haley Barbour; Hinds County Sheriff Malcolm McMillin

, 2009!

January 28 - February 2, 2010

Telephone:

601-665-4952

Malcolm McMillin looms large in Jackson history, having served as Hinds County sheriff since the mid-Pleistocene (actually, since 1991—just kidding, Sheriff!). He’s weathered frequent turnover at the Jackson Police Department, even becoming a part of that trend when he did double-duty as Jackson’s police chief for a while. But aside from shaving off a mustache—a loss we mourn; he now looks less like the Monopoly Man—McMillin has changed little in all that time, retaining the same gravel-voiced, down-home charisma and constant rattle of southernisms. That’s an achievement in itself. Pat yourself on the back, Big Mac Attack. Like Mac, runner-up Lee Vance, JPD’s assistant chief, can hold a room, and he’s not afraid to laugh at his own jokes. Along with honorable mention Deputy Chief Tyrone Lewis, Vance has also been known to arrest criminals on the weekend, while wearing shorts. And there’s nothing quite like seeing Officer Green on her Segway in downtown Jackson; she is the hipster’s police officer. Nice tweets, too. —Ward Schaefer Second Place: Lee Vance / Third Place: Colendula Green / Good Showing: Tyrone Lewis;

John Yeager

JARO VACEK

Best Local Cop: Malcolm McMillin

For the sizzling taste of real hickory smoke barbeque -

THIS IS THE PLACE! B.B.Q., Blues, Beer, Beef & Pork Ribs Saturday & Friday Night Blues Band Coming Soon! Lunch & Dinner Hours: Tuesday - Thursday 11a.m. to 8p.m. Friday & Saturday 11a.m. to 10p.m. 932 Lynch Street in Jackson

Italian Done Right. OPEN FOR VALENTINE’S DAY 910 Lake Harbour Dr. Ridgeland | 601-956-2929 Monday - Saturday | 5 - until

(Across from the JSU Baseball Field)

All Creatures

ANIMAL CARE CENTER Surgery and Dental • Large Animal Medicine • Grooming • Boarding Available

All Creatures Animal Care Center would like to thank the Jackson Free Press readership for voting Dr. Amanda Camp as a finalist for Best Veterinarian in the Best of Jackson 2010

262 New Mannsdale Rd., Madison 601-856-5333 | Fax: 601-856-1979

Best Local Jewelry Designer: Alex and Lele 1481 Canton Mart Square, Suite C, 601-206-7720

Hours: Mon - Fri 7:30am-6pm, Sat 8am-12pm, Sun 3:30pm - 5:30pm (Boarders Pick-up)

Tucked away in Canton Mart Square is Alex and Lele, a classy yet affordable jewelry boutique. Entering the shop, you find vintage glam presented in a modern way. In the center of the room, relax with girlfriends on the sofas. Tiers and tiers of shiny, dangly chandelier-like earrings—far more intriguing than any wall art—fill the far left wall. To the right, you will find shelves of chunky bracelets, bowls of charm-inspired earrings and suspended necklaces. Dotting the shop are velveteen busts proudly displaying intricate starburst necklaces and well-lit vanity mirrors, perfect for glimpsing how well your new jewelry will complement you. Grab your hipster daughters (or your equally trendy friends) and visit the charming Alex and Lele today. —Amanda Kittrell Second: Liz Henry Jewelry (2906 N. State St., Suite 101, 601-362-8337) / Third: LilMcKH Jewelry (200 Commerce St., above Hal & Mal’s, 601-259-6461) / Good Showing: Betsy Liles Studio-Art Jewelry (215 W. Jackson St., Ridgeland, 601-607-7741); Marie Designs (7128 Siwell Road, Byram, 601-346-0027); Kelly Marie Jewelry (P.O. Box 5928, Brandon, kellymariejewelry@gmail.com); Juniker Jewelry Co., (4500 Interstate 55 N., Suite 116, 601-366-3754)

Express Tokyo Fresh • Sushi • Fast

Sushi & Habchi

DAILY HAPPY HOUR 2-5 Free beverage with the $5 purchase

BAKERS Now with TWO locations to better serve you

DINE IN OR CARRY OUT

5050 I55 N Ste. D Jackson (Located in Deville Plaza) PHONE 601.957.1558 FAX 601.957.1368

(

still need help paying off our student loans

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NEW! FONDREN CORNER | 11AM - 2PM HIGHLAND VILLAGE | 10AM - 6PM 601.362.7448 • CRAZYCATBAKERS.COM

Best Mechanic: Freeman’s Auto Repair Service

Second: Putman’s (4879 N. State St., 601-366-1886) / Third: Tony’s Tire and Automotive (5138 North State St. 601-981-2414) / Good Showing: Richard Bradley (Preferred Automotive, 4715 Medgar Evers Blvd., (601-982-3113)

Thank You for voting us One of the Best Italian Restaurants in Jackson! Now Serving Brunch & Dinner on Sunday Lunch: Tuesday - Friday & Sunday | 11am-2pm Dinner: Tuesday -Thursday & Sunday | 5pm-9pm, Friday & Saturday | 5pm-10pm

601-919-2829 5417 Lakeland Drive ~ Flowood, MS 39232

jacksonfreepress.com

When your car is sick, the last thing in the world you need is a mechanic with poor bedside manners. You need to be able to communicate the symptoms, understand the diagnoses and options, and you need to know that you will receive the best possible treatment. Excellent bedside manners are what you will find at Freeman’s Auto. Mr. (or if you prefer, Dr.) Freddy Freeman has countless years of experience and knowledge of repairing broken vehicles. He greets his clients personally and takes them through thorough examinations before discussing the prognosis. He never resorts to hastily treating symptoms or charging for unnecessary parts or procedures. Mr. Freeman and his service-oriented staff are honest and forthright with impeccable reputations. —Beth Smith

Grazie!

847 S. State St., 601-948-3358

Holmes Community College

COURTESY JEAN POWERS

Best Professor: Jean Powers Ever been stuck in a job interview and don’t know what to say? Jean Powers can help you with that. As a speech and communications professor at Holmes Community College, Powers has been teaching for more than 12 years. Before coming to Holmes Community College, Powers was a business professor for Hinds Community College and Belhaven College. Her students admire her fun attitude and entertaining stories in the classroom. Often they find themselves staying after class while she finishes her latest story. Jean Powers is also a talented yoga instructor, working part-time at Courthouse. Powers also won the 2008 Best College Professor award. —Kate Brewster

Second: Stan Baldwin (Mississippi College) / Third: James Bowley (Millsaps College) / Good Showing: Bill Brister (Millsaps College); Katie McClendon (University Medical Center)

Best Local Writer: Jill Conner Browne When I hear the name Jill, I think of the nursery rhyme. When I hear the name Conner, I think of gymnast Bart Conner. When I hear the name Browne, I think singer/ songwriter Jackson Browne. How appropriate that together those three names equal the woman who wouldn’t let a man bring her to harm; who made her mark through determination and talent; whose way with words won her this category. She of the Sweet Potato Queens, tiaras, fringe, sequins and copious amounts of foam rubber writes from her heart using her head, collects stories, memories, then mixes them with her particular perspective on a plethora of topics, ranging from thighs to love, with the ever-present food and fun. And always she tells it like it was, is and shall be—we women are worthy. And Jackson is lucky to have her as one of our own. —Lynette Hanson Second: Ellen Douglas / Third: Beth Kander / Good Showing: Dr. Darden North

Best Public Art: Mississippi Museum of Art

January 28 - February 2, 2010

380 S. Lamar St., 601-960-1515

Right now you can walk across the Mississippi Museum of Art’s front porch and into “Jim Henson’s Fantastic World.” A whole lot of Jacksonians think it couldn’t get any better than that. MerriamWebster online defines public as exposed to general view—and the beautiful “new” MMA building is a work of public art in itself. Others favor the giant Obama head at Richard McKey’s studio at 3242 N. State St. in Fondren. McKey, a self-confessed pack rat, hates to throw things away if he sees life still there. He transforms those bits and pieces into art displayed at the curb, including the two figures standing in front of Fondren Corner. And how could anyone not appreciate the various vividly rendered catfish in downtown Jackson? Hands down, I’d call them a match for any other city’s painted critter campaigns. —Lynette Hanson Second: Richard McKey’s Obama Head / Third: Richard McKey’s Fondren Corner Sculptures / Good Showing: Downtown Jackson Catfish (various artists)

Best Massage Therapist: Martha Howell Baptist Healthplex (102 Pinehaven Place, Clinton, 601-925-7900) and Baptist Hospital (717 Manship St., 601-968-1766) JARO VACEK

Last year’s Best of Jackson third-place winner Martha Howell took top honors for the area’s best massage therapist this year. If you’ve never had the pleasure of getting a massage to ease away those everyday aches and pains, an appointment with Martha is a great introduction. A good massage is ever so much better than taking pain pills, that’s for sure. There’s just something about a caring human touch that makes everything feel so much better. One session with Martha, and you’ll feel those tight spots start melting away, and you’ll forget about the stress in your life—at least for a little while. —Ronni Mott

Second: Tara Richardson (Flowood, 601-936-2103) / Third: Tamar Sharp (NomiSpa, Fairview Inn, 734 Fairview St., 601-948-3429) / Good Showing: Zercon Smith (Mississippi School of Therapeutic Massage, 1935-A Lakeland Drive, 601-362-3624); Marty Bell (Body Benefits, 731 Pear Orchard Road, Suite 30, Ridgeland, 601-991-9904)

Best Nonprofit: Stewpot Community Services 1100 W. Capitol St., 601-353-2759

Since 1981, Stewpot has provided food, clothing, shelter, and care to children, elderly and the disabled in the Jackson metro area. They put faith in action, with several facilities catering to the needs of those less fortunate and providing more than 60,000 meals a year at their community kitchen. It holds its biggest fundraiser of the year, Taste of Mississippi, in March and has raised more than $100,000 from the event in the past. Stewpot uses donations from members of the community for various programs and services including meals, school supplies for after-school programs, shelter for children and transportation for people who needs assistance to get to work. Stewpot provides much-needed services here in Jackson, so let’s all continue to support their efforts with donations of time and money. —ShaWanda Jacome Second: Community Animal Rescue and Adoption (960 N. Flag Chapel Road, 601922-7575) / Third: The Junior League of Jackson (805 Riverside Drive, 601-948-2357) / Good Showing: Operation Shoestring (1711 Bailey Ave., Ellen Harris Center, 601-3536336); The Good Samaritan Center/N.U.T.S. (114 Millsaps Ave., 601-355-6276)

Best Real Estate Agent: Don Potts LIZZIE WRIGHT

Don Potts knows and loves Jackson. A native of the City with Soul, Potts has been a Fondren resident since 1989. His commitment to his home extends from the extremely local to the state level and beyond. Potts helped establish Fondren as a historic district and was a founding member of the Rainbow Co-op. He has also served on the boards of the Mississippi Opera and the Jackson chapter of the Mississippi Sierra Club. With deep roots in the city, it’s no wonder Jacksonians trust Potts when it comes to their homes. And, yes, he has a miniature horse in his yard in Fondren; her name is Willow. —Ward Schaefer Second: Traci Maloney (Traci Maloney Real Estate, 4243 Brussels Drive, 601-7133943) / Third: Henry LaRose (Henry LaRose Realtors, 944 Poplar Blvd., 601-9499999) / Good Showing: Becky Tann (Nix-Tann, 1776 Lelia Drive, 601-982-7918); Lynn Clark (Nix-Tann, 1776 Lelia Drive, 601-9820-7918); Hayley Hayes (The Overby Company, 2630 Ridgewood Road, Suite A, 601-366-8511)

Thank you for all of your 2010 Nominations! Best Gumbo • Best Red beans and Rice • Best Outdoor Dining Best Brunch • Best Hangover Food

Que Sera Best of Jackson Awards: 2004 - Finalist Best Bar and Bathroom, 2005 - Best Gumbo, Best Red Beans & Rice, Best Outdoor Dining, Best Weekend Brunch, 2006 - Best Gumbo, Best Red Beans & Rice, Best Outdoor Dining, 2nd Best Weekend Brunch, 2nd Best Fries, 3rd Best Server, Finalist Best Appetizer, Finalist Best Burger, 2007 - Best Gumbo, Best Red Beans & Rice, Best Outdoor Dining, 2nd Best Hangover Food, 2nd Sexiest Bartender, 3rd Best Burger, Finalist Best Champagne Brunch, Finalist Best Fries, Finalist Best Bartender, 2008 - Best Gumbo, Best Red Beans & Rice, Best Outdoor Dining, 3rd Best Champagne Brunch, Hon. Mention Best Server, 2009 - Best Gumbo, Best Red Beans & Rice, Best Outdoor Dining, Best Champagne Brunch, Best Hangover Food, Best Fries

2801 North State Street • Fondren District 601-981-2520 • www.QueSeraMS.com

jacksonfreepress.com

Nix-Tann & Associates, 1776 Lelia Drive, 601-982-7918

WE WOULD LIKE TO THANK OUR FRIENDS WHO

MON AMI SPA & LASER CENTER ONE OF THE BEST SPAS IN JACKSON VOTED

TwoforOne Early Bird Special

4pm – 6pm, Monday – Sunday Buy One Entrée, Get One Entrée Free

We would like to welcome the newest members to our staff: Jerusha Stephens/Licensed Acupuncturist & Herbalist and Rebecca Ingle/Aesthetician Drs. Blake & Elizabeth Mitchell

Julep Restaurant and Bar Highland Village Phone 601-362-1411 Fax 601-362-1482

Highland Village - Suite 128 Jackson, MS 39211 Make your reservation online at www.juleprestaurant.com

(601) 366-SPA1 (7721)

What greater gift can you offer than the time to listen to a troubled person? Please VOLUNTEER to be trained as a Certiﬁed Crisis Line Counselor

January 28 - February 2, 2010

Training begins Tuesday, February 9, 2010 at 1:30pm - 4:30pm BETH ISRAEL CONGREGATION 5315 Old Canton Road Jackson, Mississippi

(601) 982-9888 • Training Ofﬁce 601-713-HELP • 24-7 Conﬁdential Crisis Line ¿ Habla usted Español ? We also need bi-lingual volunteers for Contacto Línea de Crisis – our statewide Spanish language crisis line

For more information and to register online: www.contactthecrisisline.org

BRYANT HAWKINS

Best Public Figure: Gov. Haley Barbour

Gov. Haley Barbour wins the preference of JFP voters for best public figure as easily as he won the governor’s office in the last election. Few governors, outside of Minnesota’s former Gov. Jesse Ventura, or South Carolina’s former Gov. Mark Sanford, have such a colorful, national presence. The former Republican National Committee chairman—who has taken the political show back on the road as the current head of the Republican Governors Association—routinely fields calls from countless news organizations looking for a Republican take on national politics, and he holds his own behind a microphone, whether it’s talking up the problems of health-care reform or dodging questions as to whether former Alaskan Gov. Sarah Palin will make a good president. —Adam Lynch Second: Mayor Harvey Johnson Jr. / Third (tie) Brad “Kamikaze” Franklin; Malcolm McMillin / Good Showing: Ben Allen; Jeff Good; Margaret Barrett-Simon.

Best Veterinarian: Adrian Whittington, North State Animal & Bird Hospital

THANK YOU for continuing to vote us THE BEST!

BEST OF JACKSON FINALIST FOR 2010 Best Burger, Best Veggie Burger, Best Local French Fries, Best Vegetarian Options

Dream Beads

Make it. Wear it. Love it.

VALENTINE’S

DAY GIFTS SPECIAL PRICES ON NECKLACES, BRACELETS AND EARRINGS

5208 North State St., 601-982-8261

I cannot overstate how important Dr. Whittington and his crew at North State have been in my life over the last nine years. Since I moved back to Jackson, I have rescued some 20 cats. What can I say? They walk up to me, whether in random parking lots or on my back doorstep. I scoop them up, get them poked and prodded and tested and fixed, and find them homes. So when you have the, er, particular talent I have, you have to have a good vet hook-up to fix the strays, not to mention the three home-boys who like to get into fights, and have bizarre accidents like breaking a paw in four places while in the house. North State is an animal hospital that loves animals—and not just cats and dogs—they will work on birds and other injured wild animals that land in your path. They give discounts to folks like Jackson Friends. And when somebody’s loose dog killed my rescued tailless Miss S in my front yard in Belhaven, they were loving and gentle and made it seem a bit easier than it really was to let that crazy girl go. Oh, and did I mention they call all animals, no matter how nuts, our “babies”? I love those North Staters. So do my babies. —Donna Ladd Second place: Michael Randall, Randall Veterinary Clinic (5919 Terry Road, Byram, 601371-0895) / Third place: Troy Majure (995 Interstate 20, Frontage Road, 601-354-3622) / Good showing: Dana Ford, Canton Road Veterinary Hospital, 4960 Old Canton Road, 866-832-1832); Amanda Camp, All Creatures Animal Care Center (262 New Mannsdale Road, Madison, 601-856-5333)

Call about our FREE Saturday stringing classes

601-713-3020 | FAX: 601-713-3021 4654 McWillie Drive Jackson, MS Open Monday-Saturday, 10AM - 9PM

605 Duling - Jackson The Old Firefly Location

601-664-0411 www.2dreambeads.com

Jackson’s Newest Event Venue

Most Under-Appreciated Jacksonian: Frank Melton and Me/Us (tie)

Second place: Mayor Harvey Johnson Jr. / Third Place: Downtown Jackson Partners President Ben Allen / Good showing: North Midtown Arts Center founder Austin Richardson

Corporate • Weddings Christmas parties No Event too large or small

627 E Silas Brown Call Wendy Putt, 601.966.4518

jacksonfreepress.com

WILLIAM PATRICK BUTLER

Sometimes I think you people do this to me on purpose. You are determined that I keep writing about former Mayor Frank Melton, may he rest in peace. You know that he dominated my journalistic life for four years; you know I got to see inside his home (and his head); you know that the whole thing was a crazy roller-coaster ride. But here you come, voting for Melton again. You know what? I’ll take your bait. Most of you know as well as I do that Mr. Melton—I never called him “Frank,” remember—was OVER-appreciated, if anything. He was a sad, broken person in many ways with weaknesses that too many people were too willing to exploit for their own gain. He was not a folk hero; he was not a superhero; and he was not a good mayor or crime-fighter. In fact, many people in Jackson used him as a scapegoat: We would just let “Frank” fix all our problems for us so we wouldn’t have to; meantime Mr. Melton needed to be getting help, not giving it. That brings me to the other choice that many of you chose: either “me” (meaning, the person voting, probably as a joke) or “us” (which I think was meant seriously). The truth is: All Jacksonians have been under-appreciated, and by no one more than ourselves. We are living, and working, and uniting in a city that many have left behind, and usually for the worst of reasons. Now that Mr. Melton is gone—and, yes, I will admit missing him and his dog—we have no more excuses for thinking we need someone to save us as a city. Jackson, we have what we need for success. It is you; it is me; it is us. —Donna Ladd

Best Beauty Shop or Salon, Best Hair Stylist: Lacey’s Salon, Lacey Norris

JARO VACEK

1935 Lakeland Dr., 601-906-2253

I just got my eyebrows waxed at Lacey’s salon today, and they look fabulous. I love that I didn’t have to pay a lot to have hair ripped out of my face but still felt as if I got high-price quality. I’m always a little nervous going to a new salon, but walking into Lacey’s is kind of like going into your best friend’s bedroom to primp before a night out, only you would actually trust the stylists at Lacey’s with your hair and a pair of scissors. Lacey Norris is a young woman with a vision, and her success can be attributed to her personal relationship with customers and innovative style. She takes the crown once again for best hairstylist. —Caroline Crawford

Best Locally Owned Business: (tie) Mangia Bene (3317 N. State St., 601-982-4443);

Sneaky Beans (2914 N. State St., 601-487-6349)

Best Local Business Owner: Jeff Good (Mangia Bene) Jeff Good and his business partner, Dan Blumenthal, know the secret to success in the restaurant business, and it’s not rocket science: Provide top-notch service and delicious quality food every day. Jacksonians know that they can count on the three Mangia Bene restaurants—BRAVO!, Broad St. Baking Company and Sal & Mookie’s—to be consistently good, which is why you will find these businesses nominated over and over each year in the Best of Jackson polls. This year’s Best Local Business Owner Jeff Good loves Jackson, too, and he has shown that by being one of the city’s fiercest advocates. Mangia Bene (Latin for “Eat Well”) is also the catering arm of the business, providing tasty pastries, luscious lunches and perfect party food for all types of occasions. The relatively new Sneaky Beans has crept its way into Jacksonians’ hearts to tie with Mangia Bene for best locally owned business this year, and what’s not to love? With good coffee (and beer), outdoor seating perfect for people watching, and comfy couches indoors, free wi-fi, delicious desserts and some of the best local music featured weekly, Sneaky Beans has become the neighborhood meet-up spot. —Andi Agnew

Local Business Owner Second: Whitney Giordano, Material Girls (182 Promenade Blvd., Flowood, 601-992-4533 and 1000 Highland Colony Parkway, Ridgeland, 601-605-1605) / Third: Lacey Norris (Lacey’s Salon, 1935 Lakeland Drive, 601-906-2253) / Good Showing: Byron Knight, Sneaky Beans (2914 N. State St., 601-487-6349); Ron Chane, Studio Chane, Swell-O-Phonic and Soma Wilai (2906 N. State St., 601-981-3547); Daniel Dillon (F. Jones Corner) Kathy & Greg McDade, McDade’s (multiple locations)

Best Wedding Venue and Best Place to Book a Party/Shower: Fairview Inn 734 Fairview St., 601-948-3429

January 28 - February 2, 2010

Become Jackson’s “first couple” when you exchange your vows at the “White House.” I’m not referring to the White House that hosts long, boring meetings about our economy; I’m referring to the Fairview Inn in the historic Belhaven community, which has been a top location for immaculate weddings and jamming soirees for more than 30 years. With several rooms of different sizes, the Fairview can accommodate from 10 to more than 600 guests. Whether you choose to host your event outdoors under the gazebo, by the rose garden or next to the library fireplace inside, your guests are guaranteed to appreciate the beauty of this bed and breakfast. After you and your guests have partied the night away, unwind in one of Fairview Inn’s luxurious guest rooms. —Pamela Hosey

Place to Book a Party/Shower Second: The Cedars (4145 Old Canton Road, 601-366-5552) / Third: Easely Amused (2315 Lakeland Drive, Suite C, Flowood and 7048 Old Canton Road, Suite 1002, Ridgeland, 601-953-9786) / Good showing: Mint Restaurant (1000 Highland Colony Parkway, Suite 5002, Ridgeland, 601-898-6468); Old Capitol Inn (226 N. State St., 601-359-9000); Bon Ami (1220 E. Northside Drive, Suite 230, 601-982-0405) Wedding Venue Second: The Cedars (4145 Old Canton Road, 601-366-5552) / Third: Old Capitol Inn (226 N. State St., 601-359-9000) / Good showing: Luckett Lodge (214 Clark Creek Road, Brandon, 601-829-2567); Mynelle Gardens (4736 Clinton Blvd., 601-960-1894); Mississippi Museum of Art (380 S. Lamar St., 601-960-1515)

Best Beauty Shop or Salon: Second: Barnette’s (multiple locations, 601-362-9550) / Third: Ritz Salon (775 Lake Harbour Drive, Suite H, Ridgeland, 601-856-4330) / Good showing: Wavelengths (20 Northtown Drive, 601-956-6224); S’Moak (622 Duling Ave. Suite 206, 601-982-5313); Tangle (607 Duling Ave. 601-987-0123); Best Hair Stylist: Second: Griff Howard, Ritz Salon ( 775 Lake Harbour Drive, Ridgeland, 601-856-4330)/ Third: Claire Kinsey, Gloss Salon (733 Lake Harbour Drive, Ridgeland, 601-898-8640)/ Good Showing: Jennifer Robertson, Lacey’s Salon (1935 Lakeland Drive, 601-906-2253); Jesse Gallagher, Ritz Salon (775 Lake Harbour Drive, Ridgeland, 601-856-4330); Brian Brower, Tangle (607 Duling Ave. 601-987-0123); Eddie Outlaw, William Wallace (2939 Old Canton Road, 601-982-8300)

FILE PHOTO

Best Locally Owned Business Second: McDade’s (multiple locations) / Third: Cups (multiple locations) / Good Showing: Material Girls (182 Promenade Blvd., Flowood, 601-992-4533 and 1000 Highland Colony Parkway, Ridgeland, 601-605-1605); Easley Amused (7048 Old Canton Road, Ridgeland and 2315 Lakeland Drive, Flowood, 601-953-9786)

MEREDITH NORWOOD

Urban Living

Best Bookstore: Lemuria Books 4465 Interstate 55 N., 601-366-7619

Perennial winner for the JFP’s Best Bookstore category, John Evans’ Lemuria is a book oasis with plump sofas, ceiling-high bookshelves, book stacks on the floor and tables laden with delicious reading. Lots of nooks and great organization lend delightful intrigue and ease to browsing, and knowledgeable staffers fetch your requests and gift wrap your purchases. The young-readers section is an absolute goldmine, and the First Editions Club delivers a new fiction book monthly to members. Lemuria also offers numerous book signings and readings every month. Across the driveway, Lemuriabooks.com warehouses rare books and opens its doors for events—literary and otherwise—replete with tasty brews. —Jackie Warren Tatum Second: Choctaw Books (926 North St., 601-352-7281) / Third: The Book Rack (1491 Canton Mart Road, 601-956-5086) / Good Showing: Tattered Pages (719 N. Congress St., 601-352-3399)

Best Boutique: Materials Girls 182 Promenade Blvd., Flowood, 601-992-4533 and 1000 Highland Colony Parkway, Suite 7005, Ridgeland, 601-605-1605.

Material Girls, owned by the fashionable Whitney Giordano, wins JFP’s “Best Boutique” for the third year. This full-service boutique, which now offers on-line shopping (www.shopmaterialgirls.com), appeals to women who relish their individuality and dare to express their boldest ambitions. Celebrating an eclectic array of established designers like Betsey Johnson, Chinese Laundry, Jessica Simpson and HOBO International, as well as emerging designers such as Cupid and Flying Monkey, you can always find a one-ofa-kind-something-special. This boutique pampers the girl in all women and has chic and sassy, fun and fancy options for all budgets. —Anita Modak-Truran Second: Treehouse Boutique (3000 N. State St., 601-982-3433) / Third: Pink Bombshell (270 Dogwood Blvd., Flowood, 601-919-1366 and 1000 Highland Colony Parkway, Suite 5007, Ridgeland, 601-853-0775) / Good showing: Migi’s (131 Market St., Flowood, 601-919-8203); Libby Story (120 W. Jackson St., Suite A, Ridgeland, 601-717-3300) / Wilai (2906 N. State St., Suite 103, 601-366-9955).

Best Day Spa: Aqua the Day Spa 4465 Interstate 55 N., 601-362-9550 and 1000 Highland Colony Parkway, Suite 8001, 601-898-9123

Aqua has fans not only in the Jackson area, but also all over the state. I can’t imagine a better gift for a bride-to-be, or for the entire bridal party (guys included), than a day of pampering at Aqua. Of course, anytime you feel the need for delight is the perfect excuse to get a facial, massage or mani/pedi. But when you’re ready for the coddling big guns, go straight for the Aqua Ultimate Escape, which includes a one-hour massage, a kiwi and pomegranate hydrating facial, a Shea butter and wheat moisture drench, a manicure, pedicure and lunch. You might need to find someone to carry you home after all that; your very bones may have melted in bliss. —Ronni Mott Second: Trio MediSpa (4812 Lakeland Drive, Flowood, 601-608- 8746) / Third: NomiSpa (Fairview Inn, 734 Fairview St., 601-948-3429 x314) / Good Showing: Mon Ami Spa & Laser Center (4500 Interstate 55 N., Suite 128, 601-366-7721)

Best Dentist for Cowards: Dr. Jonathan Germany AMILE WILSON

2004 Courtside Drive, Brandon, 601-824-2280

Please. Who isn’t a coward at the dentist— mouth strapped open, a person probing around in it with needles and drills? Wouldn’t it be better to sit in a massage chair in natural sunlight surrounded by the clear sounds of XM satellite radio? Well, you can, according to Dr. Germany, who dubs Germany Dental “Dentistry with a Gentle Touch.” “Comfort is the key,” Germany says on his Web site’s video (www.germanydental.com), and he offers treatments from smile makeovers to complex oral-health problems. Sedation is optional. —Jackie Warren Tatum Second: (tie) Dr. Mike Harkins (5495 Robinson Road Extension, 601-372-3277); Dr. Michael T. Trammel (2525 Lakeward Drive, Suite 102, 601-982-7212 / Third: Dr. Danny P. O’Keefe (996 Top St., Flowood, 601-936-2526) / Good Showing: Dr. Brad Armstrong (459 Pebble Creek Drive, Madison, 601-856-3141)

Ethnic or Specialty Grocery: Rainbow Whole Foods 2807 Old Canton Road, 601-366-1602

LUNCH BUNCH February 3rd at 11:45 a.m. Jackson Medical Mall Community Room Children’s Defense Fund will present about the Cradle to Prison Pipeline ® RSVP to 601.969.6015 $5.00 for Lunch Join us. For our city. For our children. For our future. Founding Chapter, Parents for Public Schools, 1989 200 N. Congress, Suite 500, Jackson, MS 39201

www.ppsjackson.org All-Levels Anusara Yoga® WORKSHOP

If Rainbow wasn’t in Jackson, Todd and I wouldn’t be living here. You think I’m kidding? The first time we flew into Jackson from New York City to look around and see how living in Jackson might feel, our health-food homing device led us to the Rainbow Plaza. As vegetarians who try to eat everything possible organic and very little shot-up-with-chemicals food, having access to an excellent natural-foods grocery is key. We also like the community vibe that a good, locally owned natural grocer always creates. We crept into Rainbow, looked at the High Noon Café menu and cruised the Rainbow aisles looking for our favorite nutball food brands. We scanned the bulletin boards out front, noted the lack of a real alternative newspaper, and the rest is history. And it wouldn’t have happened without Rainbow. ––Donna Ladd Second: Aladdin Grocery (730 Lakeland Drive, 601-366-6033 / Third: Mediterranean Grocery and Café (6550 Old Canton Road, Ridgeland, 601-956-0082) / Good Showing: Spice Avenue (4711 Interstate 55 N., 601-982-0890; Patel Brothers (1999 Highway 80 West, # 15, 601-353-6611); Van Hung Asian Market (587 U.S. 51, Ridgeland, 601-856-9638

Anusara with Noah Maze’ Noah Maze’ is recognized in the yoga community as one of the most advanced & proficient practitioners and teachers of Anusara Yoga®, and is widely sought out as a teachers’ teacher.

January 29 - 31, 2010 Best Flower Shop: Greenbrook Flowers 705 N. State St., 601-352-5743

Second: A Daisy A Day (1220 E. Northside Drive, Suite 180, 601-982-4438) / Third: Green Oak Nursery and Florist (5009 Old Canton Road, 601-956-5017) / Good Showing: Mostly Martha’s Florist and Gifts (353 Highway 51, Ridgeland, 601-956-1474); Whitley’s Flowers (740 Lakeland Drive, 601-362-8844); Drake’s Designs Florist and Gifts (5731 Old Canton Road, Suite 105, 601-957-6983)

Teaching Mythically: How to integrate more complex mythic narratives into your class themes

Saturday, 10am-1pm Standing Poses & Backbends

Saturday, 3-5:30pm Meditation, Inversions, Forward Bends

Friday, 6-8:30pm

Sunday, 10am-1pm

Standing Poses, Twists & Hip Openers

Backbends & Arm Balances

3025 North State Street - Fondren District - 601.594.2313

To Register - www.butterﬂyyoga.net or call Scotta

jacksonfreepress.com

In business since 1917, Greenbrook Flowers cares, and it shows: Jacksonians have chosen Greenbrook the best for four years running. Its talented florists create magic with cut flowers, bouquets, gifts, centerpieces, corsages and green plants. You tell them the occasion and what you have in mind, and they’ll create the magic—whether you want elegant or quirky—for the effect you desire. Greenbrook always stays abreast of what’s in style and offers the most up-to-date advice and arrangements. Call today for your valentine’s arrangement, or go to www.greenbrookflowers.com and handle it all online. —Jackie Warren Tatum

Special Session Friday, 2:30-5:30pm

Best Kids’ Clothes/Toy Store: Popfizz Children’s Boutique

Urban Living

1481 Canton Mart Road, Suite E, 601-977-1000

I visited Popfizz while working on the back-to-school issue for the JFP in the fall. When I walked through the doors of the store, I knew I had found a special place with its whimsical decor and friendly service. Owners Julie Galloway and Susan Malouf, both graduates of the University of Mississippi, opened Popfizz in 2007 because they saw a need for a local kid’s apparel store that carries everything under one roof. They offer a variety of clothes, accessories and shoes for kids from newborns to size 16. And we’re not talking about just any clothes––but brand names like Flower by Zoe, Hanana Banana, Baby Lulu, Roxy and Quicksilver. Trust me when I say your child will be the envy of all their friends on the playground. —ShaWanda Jacome

Best Garden Supply/Nursery: Lakeland Yard and Garden Center 4210 Lakeland Drive, 601-939-7304

Outside, Lakeland Yard and Garden offers cedar furniture, blueberry bushes, fig trees, colorful Adirondack chairs, apple trees, wrought iron furniture, bottle trees and enough urns to fill a basketball court. A tropical-plant tent borders a huge expanse of covered concrete for bedding plants and shrubbery. Inside, it’s seeds, garden clogs, straw hats, funky frogs, Mississippi school paraphernalia, pottery, gifts, insecticides, furniture, ceramics and even funky kitchen towels. If it’s for your yard or garden, these folks will have it. —Jackie Warren Tatum

Second: Helen’s Young Ages (4750 Interstate 55 N., 601-362-0317) / Third: Lemon Meringue (1000 Highland Colony Parkway, Suite 1007, Ridgeland, 601-853-2611) / Good Showing: Cosmo Tots (2906 N. State St., Suite 103-B, 601-427-3322); Old Tyme Commissary (4500 Interstate 55 N., Suite 122, 601-366-1849)

Second: Callaway’s Yard and Garden Center (839 S. Pear Orchard Road, Ridgeland, 601-957-1731) / Third: Green Oak Nursery and Florist (5009 Old Canton Road, 601956-5022) / Good Showing: Hutto’s Home and Garden Center (1320 Ellis Ave., 601-9732277); Garden Works Nursery (650 Highway 51, Ridgeland, 601-856-3078)

Multiple Locations

Before you throw away that New Year’s resolution to shed some holiday pounds (courtesy of turkeys, hams and other calorie-laden dishes), head to Courthouse Racquet and Fitness, where you’ll find all the tools to stay fit and look great. With locations in Flowood, Byram and Madison in addition to downtown Jackson, it’s easy to find a Courthouse location nearby. Courthouse offers several sports training regiments, including basketball, golf, tennis and racquetball. If you’re into aquatics, Courthouse hosts swim lessons (adult and children), swim teams, lifesaving classes, scuba diving and even kayaking. Classes offer everything from Pilates to salsa aerobics, so there’s something for everybody. —Byron Wilkes Second: The Club at St. Dominic’s (970 Lakeland Drive, Suite 27, 601-200-4925) / YMCA (multiple locations) / Good showing: Fitness Lady (331 Sunnybrook Road, Ridgeland, 601-957-0045); Anytime Fitness (901 Lakeland Place, Suite #10, 601-946-8601); Baptist Healthplex (717 Manship St., 601-968-1766)

LYNETTE HANSON

January 28 - February 2, 2010

Second: Mistletoe Marketplace / Third: Jubilee!JAM / Good Showing: WellsFest; CelticFest

Wanting their child to have the most fun possible in a safe (affordable!) environment is only natural for a parent. Fortunately, WellsFest is an admission-free, alcohol-free atmosphere sponsored by Wells United Methodist Church and started in 1984. The entire fair is family friendly, but your kids will probably make a beeline for the fun fair, where the games and face painting are located, as well as a slide, jumpbounce and horseback rides. If your kids are into animals, there is even a pet parade for “leashable” friends. Enjoying the day with your family is made even easier with non-stop tunes; last year’s music spanned Latin rock to country to gypsy jazz. —Byron Wilkes Second: Mississippi State Fair (October, Mississippi State Fairgrounds, 601-961-4000) / Third: KidsFest (April-May, Freedom Ridge Park, 235 W. School St., Ridgeland, 601-8532011) / Good showing: Halloween at the Mississippi Agriculture & Forestry Museum (October, 1150 Lakeland Drive, 601-713-3365), Ice Cream Festival, aka Good Samaritan Scooper Bowl (May, Good Samaritan Center, 114 Millsaps Ave., 601-355-6276), Go Healthy (August, Metrocenter Mall, 1395 Metrocenter, 601-321-1200)

Best Liquor Wine Store: Kats Wine Cellar

Best Martial Arts Studio: Academy of Kung Fu

921 E. Fortification St., 601-354-9181

626 Ridgewood Road, Ridgeland, 601-856-5051

A Jackson staple since 1966, Kats moved into their spacious new building in 2007, offering plenty of selection and parking, and ultra organization. The store features an expanse of metal wine shelves, clearly marked as to types of wine, with critique hang tags scoring the wines from 1 to 100, and menu suggestions that makes it easy to pair wines and food. Hard liquor claims one wall, with a beverage cooler on the opposite side of the store. The master stroke is a ceiling-high corner of more than 90 wines priced under $20. Let the staff help you pick the perfect libation for your next event or dinner. —Jackie Warren Tatum Second: Briarwood Mart Wines and Spirits (4949 Old Canton Road, 601-956-5108) / Third: McDade’s Wine and Spirits (1220 E. Northside Drive, Suite 320, 601-366-5676) / Good Showing: Wine & Spirits In The Quarter (1855 Lakeland Drive, Suite A-10, 601-366-6644); Joe T’s, (286 Highway 51, Ridgeland, 601-605-7602)

BRANDI HERERRA PHREM

In 1982, Jill Conner Browne decided that the best way to enjoy a parade is to be in it. Now, nearly 30 years later, we have her and the other Sweet Potato Queens to thank for helping make our parade one of the largest in the country. But we can’t forget the father of our favorite event: Malcolm White has watched his baby grow up to be a hard-partying young adult with no signs of slowing down. St. Paddy’s Day is my favorite holiday because of the parade—Jackson’s first rite of spring and the best time of year to walk downtown, drink with your friends, and catch beads. And if you get a chance to be in the parade, do it. You won’t be sorry. —Andi Agnew

Jamie Fowler Boyll Park, 3601 Lakeland Lane, 601-353-0658 COURTESY PEGGY HAMPTON

Best Gym/Fitness Center: Courthouse Racquet and Fitness

Best Festival/Annual Event: Mal’s St. Paddy’s Parade

Best Kids’ Event: WellsFest

The martial arts may have originated far, far away in the east, but Jackson has more than a few schools for those interested in fine-tuning their minds and bodies. If you’re looking to hone your fighting skills, head to the Academy for Kung Fu in Ridgeland. The academy offers programs for various age groups, from “Little Ninjas” ages 4 to 6, to “Kung Fu Kids” ages 7 to 12. There are even classes for teens and adults. Instructor and owner Trey Crake will teach you or your child to sharpen your ability to physically defend yourself. The martial arts are also a great way to keep in shape. Head to the Web site (academyofkungfu.com) for more information on the academy. —Byron Wilkes Second (tie): Gracie South Martial Arts (1006 Top St. Suite H, Flowood, 601-502-7634); Jason Griffin Taekwondo Academy (125 Dyess Road, Ridgeland, 601-977-9000) / Third: Staples Martial Arts (5752 Terry Road, Byrum, 769-257-1749) / Good showing: Dettor’s School of Okinawan (5750 Interstate 55 S., Byrum, 601-946-4189)

Place to Buy Media: Be-Bop Record Shop

1841 Laurel St.

1220 E. Northside Drive, Suite 160, 601-981-5000 3887 Metro Drive, 601-969-3181

On any afternoon in the spring, cars line up along Laurel Street in the heart of Belhaven where the chatter of neighborhood children echoes through the hardwood trees from a lively little playground known as Laurel Street Park. In 2003, Friends of Laurel Street Park formed with the intention of sustaining the neighborhood park and to integrate it with local activities to ensure its vitality within the community. Laurel Park’s colorful murals and imaginative playground offers a tranquil but whimsical setting for picnics (the park contains a gazebo, picnic tables and a grill) fundraisers, and music that appeals to children and adults alike. The park is open year round from dawn until dusk. —Beth Smith Second: LeFleurs Bluff (2140 Riverside Drive) / Third: Strawberry Patch Park (corner of Old Canton Road and St. Augustine Drive, Madison) / Good Showing: Parham Bridges Park (5055 Old Canton Road) / Liberty Park (Madison Avenue, Madison) / Winners Circle Park (3531 Flynn Road, Pearl, 601-992-4440)

Best Place to Buy Antiques: Old House Depot

LYNETTE HANSON

Best Park or Playground: Laurel Street Park

As record shops across the nation are closing, Be-Bop is still going strong. Opened in 1974 at its original North State Street location, Be-Bop now operates four stores—two in Jackson, one in Tupelo and another in Vicksburg. With an ample selection of new and used CDs, you are sure to find just what you are looking for. Be-Bop carries all musical genres, prides itself on their customer service, and also carries T-shirts, incense, posters, music DVDs, and new and used vinyl and turntables at the Maywood Mart location. The store also holds in-store events to promote local music, and you can purchase tickets to just about everything in town there. —Mike Jacome Second: Heroes and Dreams (5352 Highway 25, Suite 1650, Flowood, 601-992-3100) / Third: Little Big Store (201 E. Main St., Raymond, 601-857-8579) / Good Showing: Action Island (579 Highway 51, Suite D, Ridgeland, 601-856-1789)

639 Monroe St., 601-592-6200

Finding antiques can be difficult, but finding that perfect piece after rifling through piles of archaic knick-knacks makes it all seem worth it. This year’s Best Place to Buy Antiques is Old House Depot, a self-professed “architectural salvage warehouse.” What makes Old House Depot unique is the diversity of old objects it has for sale. From doors to stained-glass windows to chandeliers, describing the sheer volume of seasoned stuff here is an intimidating task. The staff at the Old House Depot goes into homes slated for demolition, or that simply can’t be preserved, so finding authentic Mississippi antiques proves easy here. If you’re trying to redecorate your house with the vintage effects of the South, Old House Depot is the place to go. —Byron Wilkes Second: Interiors Market (659 Duling Ave., 601-981-6020) / Third: Interior Spaces (5060 B Interstate 55 N., 601-981-9920) / Good showing: High Street Antiques (806 Larson St., 601-354-5222); Belgique Inc. (320 Commerce Park Drive, 601-982-6060); Repeat Street (626 Ridgewood Road, Ridgeland, 601-605-9393)

Best Place to Buy Art: Brown’s Fine Art & Framing

Best Place to Buy Men’s Clothing: The Rogue & Good Company 4450 Interstate 55 N., Suite A, 601-362-6383

Men, if you’re looking to impress special someone, if you have an upcoming gala occasion, or you just take pride in looking dapper, head to The Rogue for your haberdashery needs. You’ll be in good hands with the sensibility and excellent taste of a clothing store that has clothed Jackson’s elite and powerful. You’ll find suits and fine shoes, as well as outerwear to keep your threads unscathed by the elements, with brands such as Riscatto-Italy, Cole Hahn and Zanella. If you want that shirt to fit just right, The Rogue can tailor to your physique. —Byron Wilkes Second: Great Scott (4400 Old Canton Road, 601-984-3500) Third: Kinkade’s Fine Clothing (120 West Jackson St. Suite 2B, Ridgeland, 601-898-0513,) / Good showing: Buffalo Peak Outfitters (Highland Village, 1300 E. Northside Drive, 601-366-2577); Red Square Clothing Company (1000 Highland Colony Parkway, Ridgeland, 601-853-8960)

630 Fondren Place, 601-982-4844

If you’re looking for a reliable, local venue from which to purchase art, look no further than Jackson’s Best Place to Buy Art, Brown’s Fine Art & Framing. James and Mary Grace Brown opened the business in 1965, but since then the gallery has moved and expanded its showroom to house the huge number of works there. Brown’s deals in traditional canvas work as well as pottery, sculptures and numerous other media, all of the highest quality. Perhaps the most alluring aspect of Brown’s is the focus on Mississippi artists. Brown’s is also the largest dealer of Walter Anderson prints. As the name implies, they also offer stock and custom frames, as well as art restoration, consulting and appraisals. —Byron Wilkes

Best Place to Take Dance Lessons: Salsa Mississippi

Second: Southern Breeze Gallery (1000 Highland Colony Parkway, Suite 5005, Ridgeland, 601-607-4147) / Third: One Blu Wall Gallery (2906 N. State St., 601-713-1224) / Good showing: Nunnery’s Gallery (426 Meadowbrook Road, 601-981-4426), Sanaa Gallery & Boutique (4795 McWillie Drive, 769-218-1655); Fischer Galleries (3100 N. State St., 601-366-8833); The Ink Spot (300 W. South St., 601-352-4700)

Second: Ballet Mississippi (Mississippi Arts Center, 201 East Pascagoula St., 601-9601560 and Madison Square Center for the Arts, 2103 Main St., Madison, 601-853-0291) (tie) / Third: Ballet Magnificat (5406 Interstate 55 N., 601-977-1001) / Good showing: Lumpkin’s BBQ (182 Raymond Road, 601-373-7707); Applause Dance Factory (242 W. Stephens St., Ridgeland, 601-856-6168).

community servies

“Faith meeting needs in our community.”

So you want to move like you’re the reigning champ on “Dancing with the Stars”? Salsa Mississippi, owned by Sujan and Sarah Ghimire, is the top place to learn the moves to take on the dance floor. The Ghimires have created not only a dance studio teaching the trendiest Latin moves, but a popular club bringing people to Fondren to salsa and socialize. So while the New Year’s resolutions linger with promise, it’s a good time to put on your dancing shoes and swing and swirl your way into fitness and fun. —Anita Modak-Truran

Thank you for voting us Best Non-profit in Jackson 2004 • 2005 • 2006 • 2007 • 2008 • 2009

We really appreciate your support and look forward to making 2010 our best year yet. Stewpot Community Services, Inc. - Metro Jackson’s Inter-Faith Ministry 1100 West Capitol Street, Jackson, MS 39203 • 601-353-2759

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STEWPOT

303 Mitchell Ave., 601-213-6350.

Best Place To Be Inspired: The Reservoir Jacksonians have consistently said that when it comes to inspiration, the 33,000 square acres of the Ross Barnett Reservoir—despite its namesake—is hard to beat. Watch the sunrise wake the world from the causeway on Northshore Parkway, aka Pelahatchie Bridge. Bike the excellent trails north of the bridge and take a break at Arbor Landing, a tucked away place along the half-moon view of the wide blue water. From there, the cars crossing Spillway Bridge look like dots darting to and fro. Picnic at one of the public parks south of the Pelahatchie Bridge or camp at Timberlake Campgrounds and listen to the night in the flicker of lights bouncing on the water. It’s a soul-stirring experience. —Jackie Warren Tatum Second: Mississippi Museum of Art (380 S. Lamar St., 601-960-1515) / Third: Downtown Jackson / Good Showing: Church; Fondren; Mynelle Gardens (4736 Clinton Blvd., 601-960-1894)

Best Place to Take Out-of-Towners: Fondren Every city has one: the cool, artsy district. Memphis has Midtown; Houston has Montrose; Jackson has Fondren. With more colorful buildings sprouting up each year, Fondren has become the hot spot in town. Take your friends on a walking tour, stop for coffee at Sneaky Beans, vintage records and clothing at The Orange Peel, or have a nice lunch at Fondren’s newest addition, Nick’s. Find art around every corner for purchase or pondering, and if it happens to be the first Thursday of the month, even more local art and music pours out into the streets for Fondren After 5. Take your guests to runner-up Mayflower Café for the comeback sauce and “Captain’s Platter.” They will definitely come back to Jackson again. — Andi Agnew Second: Mayflower Café (123 W. Capitol St., 601-355-4122) / Third: Renaissance at Colony Park (1000 Highland Colony Parkway, Ridgeland) / Good Showing: Walkers Drive-In (3016 N. State St., 601-982-2633); Fairview Inn (734 Fairview St., 601-948-3429); Keifer’s (705 Poplar Blvd., 601-355-6825 and 120 N. Congress St., 601-353-4976); Mississippi Museum of Natural Science (2148 Riverside Drive, 601-354-7303)

Best Reason to Live in Jackson: The People Jacksonians love each other. There’s no other explanation for how well we got along during the recent water crisis—despite the fact that we were wearing mismatched clothes and smelling to high heavens after a few days with no water. We know how to get through a disaster together, and we embrace our crazies rather than exile them to Madison. We actually miss Frank a little. We love Josh Hailey, and he runs around half-naked—a lot. Apparently, some of the people you think make Jackson more livable are women, and I say, “Damn straight.” Jackson women combine beauty, brains and awesome. And since the cost of living is so low, you can take us out on a date and still have money left over to buy us breakfast the next morning. —Andi Agnew Second: Fondren / Third: Food/Restaurants / Good Showing: Belhaven; Cost of Living; Women

Jackson Free Press readers chose the area outside the Capitol building as the best place to stage an uprising. This makes sense, actually. The steps of the Capitol have traditionally served as the gathering place to bring sickles, garden hoes, and other assorted farm instruments for a good old-fashioned, run-that-mad-scientist-and-hisugly-monster-out-of-town riot. These days it’s the spot of choice for protest rallies, so when you need to congregate and bravely share your feelings, there’s no better place to do it than among a crowd of people who think just like you do. ––Adam Lynch Second: Governor’s Mansion (300 E. Capitol St., 601-359-3200 / Third: Downtown Jackson / Good Showing: Intersection outside Rainbow Co-op (Lakeland Drive and Old Canton Road).

Best Place To Buy Unique Gifts: Mississippi Craft Center 950 Rice Road, Ridgeland, 601-856-7546

The Craftsmen’s Guild of Mississippi offers unique, high-art-quality crafts from hundreds of its guild artisans, mainly from Mississippi. The store, which occupies one end of the modern, two-story industrial-styled building, is flooded with light. You’ll find bowls, statuary, baskets, jewelry, paintings, wall art, metal art, quilts, haute couture clothing, pottery and woodcraft, including a White House-quality walnut rocker a la President John Kennedy. Out front in the smaller cantilevered-roofed building is a blacksmith’s shop, and the magnificent complex also has pottery studios and kilns. —Jackie Warren Tatum Second: The Pine Cone (1220 E. Northside Drive, Suite 220, 601-713-1421) / Third: Apple Annie’s (106 Autumn Ridge Place, No. 6, Brandon, 601-992-9925) / Good Showing: The Orange Peel (3026 N. State St., 601-364-9977)

Best Tanning Salon: Sun Gallery Tanning Studio 2720 N. State St., 601-366-5811 6712 Old Canton Road, Ridgeland, 601-957-7502

As a Florida native, I know the importance of getting a healthy tan. At the Sun Gallery, the staff looks out for you and will recommend which tanning beds to use and the time length, so you don’t turn into a lobster. From airbrush tanning to three levels of tanning beds, the studio offers a variety of equipment to suit your tanning needs at affordable prices. Wait times are short, business hours are long, and a friendly and knowledgeable staff will help you avoid that pasty winter prune syndrome. —Lacey McLaughlin Second: Solar 51 (398 Highway 51, Suite 130, Ridgeland, 601-898-1003; 136 S. Pearson Road, Pearl, 601-939-1990; 727 Clinton Parkway, Clinton, 601-925-9747) / Third: Tan Central Station (1000 Lakeland Square Ext., Suite 300, Flowood, 601-420-9555)

January 28 - February 2, 2010

Reflections on the Old Thoughts on the New

Thank you for entering our doors over the past year

free wireless internet Photo courtesy of a proud mom

LYNETTE HANSON

Urban Living

Best Place to Stage an Uprising: Outside the Capitol Building

Something New W W W. C U S T O M O P T I C A L . N E T

THANK YOU FOR at Jackson’s neighborhood market.

VOTING FOR US

IN THE 2010 BEST OF JACKSON AWARDS

To Our Customers: Thanks so much for making McDade’s a part of your life in the past year and for your votes in the Best of Jackson reader poll. We thank you for shopping with us and helping us grow! In 2010, we’re excited at the opportunity to offer you the fresh produce, choice meats, great everyday prices and friendly service that you’ve grown to expect from your local grocer. —Greg and Kathy McDade

Maywood Mart Woodland Hills 1220 E. Northside Dr. Shopping Center Fondren 601-366-8486 601-366-5273 Belhaven English Village 904 E. Fortiﬁcation St. 601-355-9668

Westland Plaza 2526 Robinson Rd. 601-353-0089

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661 DULING AVE. • JACKSON • 601.362.6675 • TRISH HAMMONS, ABOC

AND

We carry lenses with anti-glare coating for your wedding photos

Best Place to Buy Shoes The Shoe Bar at Pieces (425 Mitchell Avenue, 601-939-5203)

Songs are written about diamonds being a girl’s best friend, but for some women it’s shoes, and if they happen to have a few sparkles on them, all the better. Who would want to go barefoot, when you can slip your Cinderella tootsies into a pair of fashion forward, wickedly high pumps by L.A.M.B.? The Shoe Bar carries this and other grand brands like BeBe, Carlos by Carlos Santana and Jessica Simpson. The owners opened their first store, named Designer’s Shoe Palace, in 1993 on Lakeland Drive. In 2007 they moved to a residential street in the Fondren District, set up shop in an old house and renamed the store The Shoe Bar at Pieces. The store sets itself apart by carrying a variety of distinctive shoes that you won’t find in shopping malls. So the next time you want to spice up an outfit with a new pair of shoes, you know exactly where to go. —ShaWanda Jacome Second: Maison Weiss (4500 Interstate 55 N., Suite 109, 601-981-4621) / Third: Material Girls (182 Promenade Blvd., Flowood, 601-992-4533 and 1000 Highland Colony Parkway, Suite 7005, Ridgeland, 601-605-1605) / Good showing: Buffalo Peak (4500 Interstate 55 N., Suite 115, 601-366-2557); Swell-O-Phonic, 2906 N. State St., Suite 103 601-981-3547) / Soma Wilai (2906 N. State St., Suite 103, 601366-9955).

Best Tattoo/Piercing Parlor: The Ink Spot Gallery KENYA HUDSON

300 W. South St., 601-352-4700

HAPPY HOUR

January 28 - February 2, 2010

EVERYDAY FROM 3 TO 6 ENJOY FOOD AND DRINK SPECIALS

When asked what to see in Jackson, one of my top answers is always The Ink Spot Gallery. Even if you have no interest in getting a tattoo before you go, chances are that you’ll leave inked up and bandaged. Why? As soon as you enter the shop, you’re greeted by people who have a distinct passion for what they do, and once you see the unique, high-caliber art the shop’s staff puts on customers’ skin, you’ll itch for a custom-drawn piece of your own, different from the standard “flash” tattoos floating around. While waiting, you can also check out local artists’ work in the gallery, and get a laugh from the crew and characters that frequent the shop, making plenty of life-long memories. —Vince Falconi

HOURS OF OPERATION: Sunday-Thursday 11-10 | Friday and Saturday 11-11 910 HIGHLAND COLONY PARKWAY | RIDGELAND | 601-605- 4282 WWW.PFCHANGS.COM

Second: Squench’s (3780 Interstate 55 S., 601-372-2800) / Third: Eternal Body Art (3611 Interstate 55 S., 601-346-5963) / Good Showing: Twizted Images (557 Highway 49 S., Richland, 601-664-0000); Ritual Custom (1016 Hampstead Blvd., Clinton, 601-925-0205 ); House of Pain (22 Holiday Rambler Lane, Byram, 601-321-9040 )

Organizing Your Closets? Bring any gently worn, high quality items to Bargain Boutique and let us find them a new home. Bargain Boutique accepts donations of men’s, women’s and children’s clothing, household goods, furnishings, small appliances and décor from individuals and local retailers.

COLONIAL MART SHOPPING CENTER

5070 Parkway Dr. • 601.991.0500 Mon - Fri 9:30am - 6pm • Sat 9:30am - 5pm Donations accepted Mon - Fri 10am - 4:30pm and Sat 10am - 4pm *All donations are tax deductible to the extent allowed by law.

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Best Thrift/Consignment Store: The Orange Peel 3026 N. State St., 601-364-9977 RONNI MOTT

You can tell a lot about a city based on its restaurants and shopping. Lucky for us, both are neatly combined in Fondren. The Orange Peel is an exquisite shopping nook nestled between Walker’s restaurant and Fondren Place. It’s a breath of fresh air from the stale racks squished into department stores, and makes a mockery of the same old cuts, colors and styles folded neatly and stacked in the store next to it—all in the name of fashion. Peel away those layers, and you have The Orange Peel and its individual pieces of merchandise that become style statements for men and women of all sizes. That defines fashion: unique ensembles structured and accessorized to your liking; not duplicating what everyone else is wearing. —Beth Smith

LUNCH: MON.-FRI., 10AM-2PM See Us Come kfast! a e r B r o F

7AM -10AM

168 W. Griffith St. • Sterling Towers Across from MC School of Law

601-352-2364 • Fax: 601-352-2365 Hours: Monday - Friday 7am - 6pm

Come see Why We Were Voted One Of Jackson’s Best Mediterranean Restaurants

Second: Bargain Boutique (5070 Parkway Drive, 601-991-0500) / Third: Repeat Street (626 Ridgewood Road, Ridgeland, 601-605-9393) / Good Showing: N.U.T.S. (114 Millsaps Ave., 601-355-6276)

Best Yoga Instructor: Jean Powers

Mediterranean & Lebanese Cuisine

Courthouse Racquet & Fitness (multiple locations) AMILE WILSON

Lunch starting at just $6 .99 Hours of Operation: Everyday 11am-until

Come Play with the “ Inn” Crowd! Named “Best Place for a Wedding Reception” -- Mississippi Magazine - 2009

A good yoga instructor can be hard to find. Luckily, there are some great yogis in town, and Jean Powers takes the 2010 crown. Student and fellow fitness guru Kelly Bilbo had this to say about Jean: “The set of skills and knowledge she displays in her classes benefit everyone there, from the first-time participant to the experienced student. Oh, and the (herbal) China gel she shares at the end of her class with her thought or saying of the day is the icing on the cake for me personally.” Butterfly Yoga is represented well in this category, with founder Scotta Brady in second, Tara Blumenthal in third and Chris Timmins with a good showing. Never fear, Jackson—a quality yoga class is always near. —Andi Agnew Second: Scotta Brady (Butterfly Yoga, 3025 N. State St., 601-594-2313) / Third: Tara Blumenthal (Butterfly Yoga, 3025 N. State St., 601-594-2313) / Good Showing: Chris Timmins (Butterfly Yoga, 3025 N. State St., 601-594-2313); Barbara Nobles (Body Benefits, 731 S. Pear Orchard Road, Suite 30, Ridgeland, 601-991-9904); Debi Lewis (Joyflow Yoga, 7048 Old Canton Road, Suite 2-F, Ridgeland, 601-613-4317)

January 28 - February 2, 2010

Best Category We Left Out: Best Attorney

24 Designer Guest Suites Wedding Receptions · Rehearsal Dinners · Special Events Lunch · Monday – Friday

226 North State Street · Downtown Jackson, MS www.oldcapitolinn.com 601-359-9000

Good thing we left it out. With so many Jackson lawyers, imagine the competition: During Best of Jackson campaign season, you’d be assaulted at Tye’s with 15 precisely argued, esoterically worded pleas. No thanks. Now, tattoo artist—there’s one I can get behind. When I finally decide to get that manatee wearing Rollerblades on my chest, I want to know who’s got the steadiest hand. As for Best Actor, great suggestion—as long as we disqualify State Sen. John Horhn as CNN Reporter in “Ghosts of Mississippi”; dude would win every time. Some gems didn’t make the cut, ranging from the inexplicable (Best Car), to the oxymoronic (Best Shopping Mall), to the cute (Best Romantic Place for Sex, Best Place of Refuge from the Zombie Apocalypse). —Ward Schaefer Second: Best Tattoo Artist / Third: Best Actor, Actress / Good Showing: Best Doctor; Best Yoga Studio; Best Hookah Bar; Best Caterer; Best Personal Trainer

Three Great restaurants... One great cause!

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Present this coupon at any of our three restaurants on Feb. 2 and 3, 2010 and 10% of your purchase will be donated to the Womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Fund of Mississippiâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s endowment at the Community Foundation of Greater Jackson.

Best Restaurant and Best Place to Impress a Date: Walker’s Drive-In LYNETTE HANSON

3016 N. State St., 601-982-2633

If this were a question on the SAT, it might read: “Andre Previn is to the orchestra pit as Derek Emerson is to the (a) kitchen, (b) dining room, (c) menu, (d) all of the above.” The answer would, of course, be “d.” In order to be the best restaurant in Jackson, you must get it all right. You can’t just rely on your food to make up for service and atmosphere. Lucky for Walker’s, they don’t have to worry about that scenario. I have traveled my way across multiple continents and dined in the places you read about in the national press, and I can say without a doubt that Walker’s Drive In is on par with some of the best restaurants in which I’ve ever lifted a fork. So it is no wonder that Derek and his crew also brought home the trophy for where to take your date. The service is impeccable, and the laid-back atmosphere allows you to relax, sit back, and concentrate on your date without hassling with chasing down a waiter to fill your water glass or bring another bottle of wine. Although the menu is varied and enticing, I prefer to randomly pick one of the nightly specials, knowing that it will live up to my already high expectations. —Tom Ramsey Best Restaurant Second: BRAVO! (4500 Interstate 55 N., 601-982-8111) / Third: Char (4500 Interstate 55 N., 601956-9562) / Good Showing: Nick’s (3000 Old Canton Road, 601-981-8017); Julep (4500 Interstate 55 N., Suite 105, 601-362-1411); High Noon Café (2807 Old Canton Road, 601-366-1513) Best Place to Impress a Date Second: Char (4500 Interstate 55 N., 601-956-9562) / Third: BRAVO! (4500 Interstate 55 N., 601-982-8111) / Good Showing: Nick’s (3000 Old Canton Road, 601-981-8017); Mint (1000 Highland Colony Parkway, Suite 5002, 601-898-6468); Shapley’s (868 Centre St., Ridgeland, 601957-3753)

Best Brunch, Best Late-Night Dining, Best Cocktails and Best Martini: Julep 4500 Interstate 55 N., Suite 105, 601-362-1411

Thanks to Julep, my finicky tastes and my stomach can both be appeased after church and cocktails (but not at the same time). Julep offers a delicious brunch (complete with beignets and the perfect Bloody Mary!) on Saturdays and Sundays from 10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. During a night out and after a couple cocktails, it’s inevitable I will start thinking about food about 10 minutes after the kitchen closes. Julep, though, serves food as late as 1 a.m. Thursday through Saturday. So, after you do some cocktail sampling from the martini menu (you must try the Fantastic Jason and, of course, the Mint Julep), you don’t have to rush out for icky fast food. Julep offers options such as the Julep Cheese Plate for lighter snacking and heartier options like the Honey-Rosemary Chicken. —Caroline Crawford Best Brunch: Second: Char (4500 Interstate 55 N., Suite 142, 601-956-9562) / Third: BRAVO! (4500 Interstate 55 N., Suite 244, 601-982-8111) / Good showing: Bon Ami (1220 E. Northside Drive, 601-9820405); Que Será Será (2801 N. State St., 601-981-2520); Sophia’s at the Fairview Inn (734 Fairview St., 601-948-3429)

January 28 - February 2, 2010

Best Late-Night Dining Second: Underground 119 (119 S. President St., 601-352-2322) / Third: Time Out (6270 Old Canton Road, 601-978-1839) / Good showing: Fenian’s (901 E. Fortification St., 601-948-0055); F. Jones Corner (303 N. Farish St., 601-983-1148)

Best Cocktails Second: BRAVO! (4500 Interstate 55 N., Suite 244, 601-982-8111) / Third: (tie) Mint (1000 Highland Colony Parkway, Suite 5002, 601-898-6468); Underground 119 (119 S. President St., 601-352-2322) / Good showing: Sal & Mookie’s (565 Taylor St., 601-368-1919) Best Martinis Second: BRAVO! (4500 Interstate 55 N., Suite 244, 601-982-8111) / Third: Mint (1000 Highland Colony Parkway, Suite 5002, 601-898-6468) / Good showing: Char (4500 Interstate 55 N., Suite 142, 601-956-9562); Underground 119 (119 S. President St., 601-352-2322); Pan Asia (720 Harbour Point Crossing, Ridgeland, 601-956-2958)

622 Duling Ave., 601-982-0002

How can people doubt evolution? The concepts of Nathan Glenn prove it. He started with Rooster’s (classy burger joint), moved upscale with Basil’s (sophisticated sandwiches and salads), and then naturally evolved into the casual dining and live music blend at The Auditorium. No one would argue that he is a craftsman of the highest caliber when it comes to the burgers at Rooster’s and the lighter fare at Basil’s, so it should be no surprise his latest concept and the menu he and fellow South-Jacksonian Nate Bullard developed are winners. The atmosphere is electric and happening, and the food is spectacular. Start with the Sweet Potato Crawfish Cake and move on to the Shrimp and Grits or Pan-Broiled Delta Catfish (pictured), but save some room for the Mississippi Mud Brownie! —Tom Ramsey Second: Underground 119 (119 South President St., 601- 352-2322) / Third: Five Guys (1000 Highland Colony Parkway, Ridgeland, 601-605-1115) / Good Showing: Mermaid Café (652 Bellevue Drive, Madison, 601-605-8764); Kristo’s (971 Madison Ave., Madison, 601-605-2266)

Best Chef: Dan Blumenthal, Mangia Bene Restaurants Mangia Bene Executive Chef Dan Blumenthal impresses me, and I’m not easily impressed when it comes to dining. I want the whole package; atmosphere, incredible food and great service. Blumenthal’s restaurants around Jackson (Sal & Mookie’s, Broad Street Baking Company and Café, and BRAVO!) never leave me disappointed, thanks to his variety of culinary talents and careful restaurant planning. Blumenthal, a Murrah High School grad, learned his craft at the California Culinary Academy in San Francisco and then brought his skills back to his hometown. Blumenthal is not only a good chef, he’s a partner in a successful, vibrant restaurant chain and the leader of a team of chefs at some of the most popular restaurants in the city. And Blumenthal is not just adventurous when it comes to food; he enjoys a little spice and kick out of the kitchen as well. Watch out for him around town, you might see him cruising the streets in his Caterham Super 7 Hayabusa roadster. You’ll know it when you see it. —Caroline Crawford KATIE EUBANKS

R e st a u r a n t s

Best New Restaurant: The Auditorium

Second: Luis Bruno (Hilton, 1001 East County Line Road, 601-957-2800) / Third: Derek Emerson (Walker’s Drive In, 3016 North State St., 601- 982-2633) / Good showing: Nathan Glenn (The Auditorium, 622 Duling Ave., 601-982-0002); Bryan Carrero (High Noon Café, 2807 Old Canton Road, 601-366-1513); David Ferris (Mint, 1000 Highland Colony Parkway, Suite 5002, 601-898-6468)

Best Wine List: BRAVO! (4500 Interstate 55 N., 601-982-8111)

While the food at BRAVO! is fabulous, the wine is also wonderful, and I’m persnickety about pairing them. BRAVO!’s extensive wine collection, with hundreds of options from countries all over the globe at all different price levels, leaves no appetizer, entrée, or dessert without a perfect mate. BRAVO! offers more than two dozen red and white wines by the glass. Download a full wine list at www.bravobuzz.com to decide your vintage ahead of time. And don’t forget to get on the e-mail list to hear about the regular wine tastings BRAVO! hosts in order to keep us all educated and introduce us to new varietals. —Caroline Crawford Second: Julep (4500 Interstate 55 N., Suite 105, 601-362-1411) / Third: Mint (1000 Highland Colony Parkway, Suite 5002, 601-898-6468) / Good showing: Shapley’s (868 Centre St., 601957-3753); Nick’s (3000 Old Canton Road, 601- 981-8017)

Best Asian: Pan Asia 720 Harbor Pointe Crossing, Ridgeland, 601-956-2958

No matter what kind of food mood you are in, as long as it leans toward the Far East, you will find something to please your palate at Grant Nooe’s Pan Asia. From Indian dishes such as Tandoori Chicken to the Thai and Chinese-influenced stir-fry bar, to the sushi bar— your taste buds will be entertained and satisfied here, whether you’re a carnivore or a vegetarian. If you’re looking for a hip spot for happy hour, Pan Asia offers drink specials every night, most notably the half-price draft beer on Mondays and half-price martinis on Thursdays. The soothing sounds of the Gong Bar’s water wall will help drive away any leftover stress that lingers from your workday. —Andi Agnew Second: Thai House (1405 Old Square Road, 601-982-9991) / Third: Nagoya (6351 Interstate 55, 601-977-8881; 111 Crossing Drive, Madison, 601-856-5678) / Good Showing: Bonsai (1925 Lakeland Drive, 601-981-0606); Little Tokyo (876 Avery Blvd. N., Ridgeland, 601-9913800); Sakura Bana (4800 Interstate 55 N., 601-982-3035)

Best Barbecue: Hickory Pit

Best Breakfast and Best Plate Lunch: Primos Café

Best Catfish: Cock of the Walk

1491 Canton Mart Road, 601-956-7079

2323 Lakeland Drive, 601-936-3398 and 515 Lake Harbour Drive, Ridgeland, 601-898-3400

141 Madison Landing Ridgeland, 601-856-5500

From adversity to triumph! Despite foundation and utility problems, the relocation of the commercial bakery and a giant port-o-potty trailer in the parking lot for the better part of four months, Jeff, Dan and the rest of the Broad Street crew managed to come out on top. Whether you are a regular picking up your weekly Farmhouse or Sugarbuster’s Loaf, or on your lunch break and just hungry for the best-selling turkey sandwich, you can’t go wrong at Broad Street. For those of us with a serious sweet tooth, Pastry chef Mary Beth Addington’s creations are top-notch. My life would be incomplete without Gold Rush Bars. —Tom Ramsey

Back on top again is that Jackson temple of wood smoke, that Valhalla of pork, that place that makes grown men sob in ecstasy and dieters shriek in terror: the one and only Hickory Pit. What they can do with meat and fire is nothing short of artistry. I brought a client in there from Chicago one day, and he ate three sandwiches. Not because he was hungry, but because the flavor was so irresistible that he succumbed, willingly and happily, to the Deadly Sin of Gluttony. He still asks about the beef sandwich every time we have a conference call. Add to that the sweet potato fries, decadent pies and tea so sweet it is secretly sponsored by local dentists, and you have our winner. —Tom Ramsey

What better reward for running a 5K than a huge plate of pancakes from Primos? That is exactly how I treated myself after my last race, and it was worth every bite. Primos Café serves up big, fluffy flapjacks with just the right amount of bacon on the side. If savory breakfast fare is what you crave, try their biscuits and gravy or an Early Bird Platter, which begs four questions: Scrambled or over easy? Sausage or bacon? Grits or hash browns? Toast or biscuit? Get through that morning pop quiz, and you have earned your breakfast. If you wake up too late for breakfast, don’t worry—Primos has a different delectable plate lunch for every weekday. My favorites are countryfried steak and fried catfish. Hey, if it’s fried and/or served with a biscuit, it has to be good. —Andi Agnew

Jackson Free Press readers regularly select Cock of the Walk in Ridgeland as the metro area’s best source of catfish. The restaurant keeps its menu fairly simple, offering a hearty selection of fried southern favorites, including fried pickles. You can’t beat the freshly baked cornbread, which the waiter brings out in a cast-iron skillet and flips for you at your table. You don’t even get that kind of service from your mama—course you don’t pay her much, either. The helpings are huge, and most patrons end up taking leftovers home with them. The tarter sauce is memorable, and its recipe a guarded secret, apparently. The waiter wouldn’t clue me in on it, no matter how much I tipped him. —Jackson Breland

Second: Great Harvest (5006 Parkway Drive, 601-956-4406) / Third: Rainbow Whole Foods (2807 Old Canton Road, 601-366-1602) / Good Showing: Corner Bakery (108 Market St., Flowood, 601919-9797); Campbell’s Bakery (3013 N. State St., 601-362-4628); Primo’s (2323 Lakeland Drive, 601-936-3701 and 515 Lake Harbour Drive, Ridgeland, 601898-3400)

Second: E&L Barbecue (1111 Bailey Ave., 601-355-5035) / Third: Chimneyville BBQ Smoke House (970 High St., Jackson, 601-354-4665) / Good Showing: Haute Pig (1856 Main St., Madison, 601-853-8538); Lumpkin’s BBQ (182 Raymond Road, 601-3737707); Pig Shack (1598 W. Government St., Brandon, 601-825-1936, additional locations in Byram and Gluckstadt)

4465 Interstate 55 N., Suite 101, 601-362-2900

Best Breakfast: Second: Broad Street Bakery (4465 Interstate 55 N., # 101, 601-362-2900) / Third: Beagle Bagel (898 Avery Blvd. N., 601-956-1773) / Good showing: Julep (1305 E. Northside Drive, 601-362-1141), Scurlock’s Donut Shop and Eatery (4157 Robinson St., 601-922-8618 and 125 S. Congress St., 601-326-8520); Joe’s Diner (1149 Old Fannin Road, Brandon, 601-919-1944) Best Plate Lunch: Second: Cherokee Inn (1410 Old Square Road, 601-3626388) / Third: Walker’s Drive-In (3016 N. State St. 601982-2633) / Good Showing: Trace Grill (554 Highway 51, Ridgeland, 601-853-1014) and Two Sisters’ Kitchen (707 N. Congress St., 601-353-1180)

Circle,

Second: Penn’s Fish House (various locations) / Third: Jerry’s Fish (3326 Highway 49 S., Florence, 601-845-8860) / Good Showing: Catfish Haven (Highway 49, Pocahontas, 601-362-0438); Country Fisherman (3110 Highway 80 West, 601944-9933); Eddie & Ruby’s Snack Bar (1268 Valley St., 601-969-2723).

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Best Gumbo: Que Será Será

R e st a u r a n t s

2801 N. State St., 601-981-2520

Ichiban is definitely not your ordinary Chinese restaurant. Ichiban’s buffet offers more than 200 items, which include cuisines of Chinese, Japanese and plenty of American offerings for the kids. Stir in 40 to 50 types of sushi made fresh with seafood from the Coast, and you have the ingredients for JFP readers’ choice for Best “Chinese” restaurant. A nightly all-you-can-eat seafood buffet with fresh, never frozen fish, snow-crab legs and shellfish is a big hit with many Jacksonians. “We understand that this is a tough time for many locals, and we appreciate their continued support of our restaurant,” said Ichiban manager Fai Kim Ngay when told the restaurant was a finalist for this category. —Langston Moore Second: P.F. Chang’s (910 Highland Colony Parkway, 601-605-4282) / Third: Best Wok (225 Meadow Brook Road, 601-368-9555) / Good Showing: China Belle (1855 Lakeland Drive, 601368-9588); Five Happiness (2931 McDowell Road Ext., 601-371-8765); Wok 2 Go (4329 N. State St., 601-981-2112)

Best Doughnuts: Scurlock’s Donuts & Bakery 4157 Robinson Road, Suite D, 601-922-8618 and 125 S. Congress St., 601-326-8520

Tuesday through Saturday, 6 a.m. until noon, the donut shop is filled with happy customers. Now with the new downtown location, you might be able to get a bear claw or a biscuit sandwich before heading into work even if you’re not coming from south Jackson. Owner Mark Scurlock has been in the business for 20 years. “It’s all about quality; we don’t mass produce,” he says. Scurlock’s has a full assortment of pastries, from cream-cheese danish, éclairs, apple fritters and jelly-filled donuts to muffins to a traditional breakfast menu. My first visit, I ordered a cinnamon roll; Mr. Scurlock warmed it up, and that’s all she wrote … a perfect marriage, me and my cinnamon rolls from Scurlock’s! —Nicholas Jones Second: Donut Palace (5651 Highway 25, Flowood, 601-919-8601) / Third: Donut Barn (1069 Highway 51, Madison, 601-605-8100) / Good showing: Donut Shop & Bakery (718 Highway 49 S., Richland, 601-936-2037); Monroe’s Donuts & Bakery (6310 Medgar Evers Blvd., 601-981-3208)

Best Greek/Mediterranean and Best Outdoor Dining: Keifer’s 705 Poplar Blvd., 601-355-6825 and 120 N. Congress St., 601-353-4976

If an all-starch diet suddenly were to become fashionable, I would go to Keifer’s every day for an order of cottage fries. For now, I try to balance my potato intake with a delicious gyro or Greek salad (with lots of yummy feta dressing, of course), or a round of appetizers like hummus, dolmas and falafel—and wash it all down with an icy cold mug of some of the coldest draft beers in town. Keifer’s celebrates 30 years of making Jackson happy in 2010, and the restaurant has been imitated, but never duplicated. It’s also the first place voters think of when the weather turns warm, probably because of the plentiful seating, quick service and those ambient string lights on the patio—but more likely for that cold beer and feta dressing. —Andi Agnew Best Greek/Mediterranean Second: Aladdin (730 Lakeland Drive, 601-366-6033; 163 Ridge Drive, Flowood, 601-992-7338) / Third: (tie) Wraps (1220 E. Northside Drive, 601-366-2006) and Mediterranean Café/Grill (6550 Old Canton Road, 601-956-0082) / Good Showing: Jerusalem Café (2741 Old Canton Road, 601-321-8797) and Petra Café (104 W. Leake St., Clinton, 601-925-0016) Best Outdoor Dining Second: Que Será Será (2801 N. State St., 601-981-2520) / Third: Walker’s Drive-In (3016 N. State St. 601-982-2633) / Good Showing: Sal and Mookie’s (565 Taylor St., 601-368-1919)

Second: Hal & Mal’s (200 Commerce St., 601-948-0888) / Third: Fat Tuesday’s (6923 Old Canton Road, Ridgeland, 601-956-2971) / Good Showing: Char (4500 Interstate 55 N., 601-956-9562); Broad Street Baking Company (4465 Interstate 55 N. Frontage Road, Banner Hall, Suite 101, 601-362-2900)

Best Hangover Food: Cherokee Inn 1410 Old Square Road, 601-362-6388

Light causes searing pain. You pray for just one more hour of sweet, quiet repose. The smell of bourbon and cigarette smoke leaching from your pores is so acute that you wonder for just a moment if you are still at Martin’s. Your roommates refuse to turn down the television and the neighbor insists on mowing his lawn at the rude hour of 11 a.m. There is only one thing left for you to do—go to the Cherokee. You choke down a couple of aspirin with the watered-down Pepsi from last night’s Taco Bell run, hoping there’s not a cigarette butt floating in there, and seek salvation in the form of unapologetic greasiness. Oh excess! Your sting cannot prevail over the redemption found in Cherokee chili-cheeseburgers and onion rings! —Tom Ramsey Second: Keifer’s (705 Poplar Blvd., 601-355-6825) / Third: Que Será Será (2501 N. State St., 601981-2520) / Good showing: Fenian’s (901 E. Fortification St., 601-948-0055); Five Guys (1000 Highland Colony Parkway, Ridgeland, 601-605-1115)

Most Innovative Menu: Mint 1000 Highland Colony Parkway, Suite 5002, 601-898-6468

Mint’s menu is this food-loving, southern girl’s culinary heaven. Ingredients with the distinct flavors of the South make appearances in unexpected places, such as Delta Grind Grits paired with Moroccan glaze in the Rare Sea Salt Rubbed Tuna, watermelon mint salsa for the Smoked Chicken Quesadillas, and peanut brittle in the Watercress Salad. This menu is proof that the South isn’t lagging behind the rest of the culinary world, but can add its charm to the best of dishes. The selections are creatively sophisticated and modern, while hanging on to that comfortable soul-food feeling. The dessert menu is also wonderful. The Strawberry Shortcake is so good it makes me wiggle in my seat. —Caroline Crawford Second: Julep (4500 Interstate 55 N., Suite 105, 601-362-1411) / Third: High Noon Café (807 Old Canton Road Jackson, 601-366-1513) / Good showing: Walker’s Drive-In (3016 N. State St., 601-982-2633); Underground 119 (119 S. President St., 601-352-2322)

Best Italian and Best Pasta: Amerigo 6592 Old Canton Road, Ridgeland, 601-977-0563

Coming in first again this year in these two categories is Amerigo. Its Duck and Sausage Pasta alone could carry them to victory. Toss in a helping of lasagna, a plate of tiramisu and a collection of fine Italian wines, and you can see why the JFP readers routinely choose this eatery—that has been pleasing diners since 1987—as their favorite Italian restaurant and their favorite for pasta. Just think about that for a second ... Jacksonians have had their palates pleased at Amerigo since Reagan was in the White House. We’ve watched hair metal fade away and embraced hip-hop; we’ve put our parachute pants out of their misery and traded them for low-rise jeans; we’ve cut back our Flock-of-Seagulls hair into something much more mainstream. And yet we have clung to the fine Italian food served up daily at Amerigo. —Tom Ramsey Best Italian Second: BRAVO! (4500 Interstate 55 N., 601-982-8111) / Third: Biaggi’s (970 Highland Colony Parkway, Ridgeland, 601-354-6600) / Good showing: Cerami’s (5417 Lakeland Drive, Flowood, 601-919-2829); Fratesi’s (910 Lake Harbour Drive, Ridgeland, 601-956-2929) Best Pasta Second: BRAVO! (4500 Interstate 55 N., 601-982-8111) / Third: Biaggi’s (970 Highland Colony Parkway, Ridgeland, 601-354-6600) / Good Showing: Sal & Mookie’s (565 Taylor St., 601-368-1919)

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349 Ridge Way, 601-919-8879

LYNETTE HANSON

Best Chinese: Ichiban

As my grandfather would have put it, “They sure put a fine scald on that pot of gumbo!” Year after year, Que Será Será brings home the hardware when it comes to the best gumbo in Jackson. Is it the roux, the sausage or the seafood that makes it great? I doubt it. That kind of perfection only comes from love and skill. Let’s face it, you could hand me a load of bricks and a sack of mortar, and I couldn’t build you a cathedral. To take a collection of fine things and come up with a whole that is greater than the sum of the parts takes the hands and soul of an artist. —Tom Ramsey

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R e st a u r a n t s Best Burger, Best Fries and Best Veggie Burger: Cool Al’s 4654 McWillie Drive, 601-713-3020

If I were a snake, I could unhinge my jaws and not struggle to eat the massive burgers at Cool Al’s. I would also bite people who are mean, but that is the subject of a whole other story. The burgers are formed by hand, so Al Stamps must have the biggest hands since André the Giant. Don’t get me wrong: these things would be winners if they were tiny little sliders. The seasoning, the big ole’ flat-top griddle, the melted cheese dripping down the side of the burgers, it all comes together to create a winner. Being the sharp-toothed carnivore that I am, I’ve never ordered a veggie burger for myself at Cool Al’s. I did, however, take a bite from a friend’s burger when he got up to refill his tea. (Sorry you had to find out this way, man.) I must admit that my primitive palate was pleased. The flavor (and even the texture) was spot-on. So I guess when my evil cardiologist finally gets his way and forces me to modify my meaty-meaty ways, I’ll have at least one outlet for deliciousness. If Doc tries to tell me to give up the Cool Al’s fries ... well, then he will have stepped over from advising and “gone to meddlin’,” and I’ll have to find another saw-bones. Just remember, when you go see Al, be patient and pick up the latest JFP to pass the waiting time. Perfection can’t be rushed. —Tom Ramsey

Best Place for Dessert, Best Kid’s Menu and Best Place for Ice Cream: Sal and Mookie’s 565 Taylor St., 601-368-1919

The sweet sponge cake, cool mascarpone, coffee and rum syrup make a symphony in my mouth. I didn’t think tiramisu could be improved upon until I tried it at Sal and Mookie’s. For the third year, readers selected the Fondren eatery as their favorite ice-cream spot. Even during cold winter days, the 14 sundaes/ treats options alone—especially the Strawberry Fields Forever sundae— sounds scrumptious. Just bundle up and dig in to perfect ice cream. And with Sal and Mookie’s, there’s no fighting with your kids to clean their plates here—if you blink you might miss it. Kids can choose from pasta pizza and PB&J, all yummy choices. —Eileen Eady

Best Place for Dessert Second: Char (4500 Interstate 55 N., 601-956-9562) / Third: BRAVO! (4500 Interstate 55 N., 601-982-8111) / Good Showing: Amerigo (6592 Old Canton Road, Ridgeland, 601-977-0563); Primos Cafe (2323 Lakeland Drive, 601-936-3398 and 515 Lake Harbour Drive, 601-898-3400) Best Place for Ice Cream Second: Bop’s Frozen Custard (Multiple Locations, 601-952-0661) / Third: Marble Slab Creamery (1059 E. County Line Road, Suite B, 601-899-9060 and 178 Promenade Blvd. F-4, Flowood, 601-992-2772) / Good Showing: Cold Stone Creamery (1888 Main St., Suite B, Madison 601-853-7400) Best Kid’s Menu Second: Petra Café (104 W. Leake St., Clinton, 601-925-0016) / Third: Garfield’s (6340 Ridgewood Court Drive, 601-977-9920) / Good Showing: Newk’s Express Café (Multiple locations, 601-709-4990); O’Charley’s (1270 E. County Line Road, Ridgeland, 601-956-6693)

Best Local Burger Second: Mugshots (4245 Lakeland Drive, 601-713-0383) / Third: Stamps Superburger (1801 Dalton St., 601352-4555 and 5752 Terry Road, Byram, 601-373-7299) / Good showing: Rooster’s (2906 N. State St., 601-982-2001); Five Guys (1000 Highland Colony Parkway, Ridgeland, 601-605-1115); Majestic Burger (1491 Canton Mart Road, 601-899-8822)

Best Veggie Burger Second: High Noon (2807 Old Canton Road, 601-366-1513) / Third: Majestic Burger (1491 Canton Mart Road, 601-899-8822) / Good Showing: Sal & Mookie’s (565 Taylor St., 601-368-1919)

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Best Local Fries Second: Five Guys (1000 Highland Colony Parkway, Ridgeland, 601605-1115) / Third: Mugshots (4255 Lakeland Drive, 601-713-0383) / Good Showing: Keifer’s (705 Poplar Blvd., 601-355-6825)

JAPANESE S U S H I BA R & H I BAC H I G RI L L

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R e st a u r a n t s

Best Mexican and Best Margarita: La Cazuela Mexican Grill 1401 E. Fortification St., 601-353-3014

Best Local Fried Chicken and Best Soul Food: Two Sisters Kitchen 707 N. Congress St., 601-353-1180

If you want some fried chicken that tastes just like grandma’s, Two Sisters is the place. Two Sisters has offered the city 20 years of superb southern cuisine and has won Jackson’s Best Fried Chicken since 2003. I have no idea how you skin the chicken before frying it and get it so crispy! Diann Alford, the owner and manager, won’t divulge how it’s done. “That’s the big secret!” she says. Two Sisters is also the place if you’re looking for an excellent, southern-style lunch for under $12. You can sample angel biscuits that melt in your mouth, cabbage, grits, mustard greens, fried squash, all buffet style—and a different entrée every day. Finish up with a sumptuous cup of bread pudding served with chocolate or Jack Daniels whiskey sauce, or peach cobbler, or banana pudding, and head back to work if you can! —Nicholas Jones Best Local Fried Chicken Second: Julep (1305 E. Northside Drive, 601-362-1411) / Third: Mama Hamil’s (480 Magnolia St., Madison, 601-856-4407) / Good Showing: Primos Café (515 Lake Harbour Drive, Ridgeland, 601-898-3400 and 2323 Lakeland Drive, 601-936-3398) Best Soul Food Second: Peaches (327 N. Farish St., 601-354-9267) / Third: Mama Hamil’s (480 Magnolia St., Madison, 601-856-4407) / Good Showing: Collins Dream Kitchen (1439 Terry Road, 601353-3845); Lumpkin’s BBQ (182 Raymond Road, 601-373-7707)

Best Lunch Buffet: Mama Hamil’s Southern Cooking & BBQ

Several years ago, when La Cazuela had just opened its doors, the big sign that we all see now from Fortification Street had yet to be erected. Instead, a hand-painted plywood sign simply read “Mexican.” Intrigued by the simple sign and lured by the proximity to my home and office (both in Belhaven then), we gave it a try. From that first night to today, the little restaurant we call “the Mexican” has been our go-to choice when craving south-of-theborder delicacies. The fresh salsa goes fast and is quickly refilled by an attentive, friendly staff. My favorite, the Enchiladas Verdes, is creamy with a great contrast found in the hot greenchili sauce. The Fajitas come out steaming hot on an iron skillet, and one order is enough for at least two hungry diners. The lunch menu is portioned perfectly so you can enjoy the flavors without slipping into a food coma when you return to the office. Although not for the lunch crowd (unless your name is Keith Richards), the margaritas are clearly deserving of the top award. They are strong, tart and blessed with a generous pour. If you happen to see me at “the Mexican” one day, feel free to send over a round of margaritas. Kitty and I like ours on the rocks, with salt. —Tom Ramsey Best Mexican Second: Margarita’s (1625 E. County Line Road, 601-957-7672) / Third: El Potrillo (212 Dogwood Place, Flowood, 601-939-9900 and 123 Grandview Blvd., Suite H., Madison, 601-605-9320) / Good Showing: El Sombrero (249 Ridge Drive, Flowood, 601-919-8921; 5746 Highway 80, Pearl, 601-664-6764; and 12 Airstream Lane, Byram, 601-346-9299); El Charro (2086 Lakeland Drive, 601-362-4447) Best Margarita Second: Margarita’s (1625 E. County Line Road, 601-957-7672) / Third: Cinco de Mayo (880 Lake Harbour Drive, Ridgeland, 601-957-1882) / Good Showing: Papito’s Mexican Grill (111 Colony Crossing, Madison, 601-605-0275); Cozumel (823 South Wheatley St., Ridgeland, 601991-0577)

480 Magnolia St., Madison, 601-856-4407 LYNETTE HANSON

Second: Two Sisters Kitchen (707 N. Congress St., 601-353-1180) / Third: Ichiban Grill & Sushi (359 Ridgeway St., Flowood, 601-919-8879) / Best Showing: Country Fisherman (3110 Highway 80 W., 601-944-9933); Lumpkin’s BBQ (182 Raymond Road, 601-373-7707)

Best Pizza: Pizza Shack 1220 N. State St., 601-352-2001

WILL CAVES

Mama Hamil’s, serving masses of meats, various vegetables and delectable desserts to anyone who stops by for lunch, started out in a little log cabin on Highway 51 in Madison. Jackson’s favorite lunch buffet (10:30 a.m. to 2 p.m., Monday through Saturday) now occupies a countrychurch-sized brick building located out back of the cabin. Nothing’s changed but the elbow room—there’s more of it. You can still get your fix from among these daily offerings: seven to eight salads, 10 vegetables, four to five meats, five desserts and that perfect sweet tea. If you’ve got a craving for a particular favorite, just go to www.hamils.com to get a look at the daily menu. Got a big event in the planning stages? Hamil’s banquet room seats upward of 100, plus they’ll cater for you elsewhere. —Lynette Hanson

Pizza Shack was my welcome wagon when I moved to Belhaven recently—what better way to say “Welcome” than a hot slice of pizza? Their number is now in my phone, and if I don’t feel like cooking, I can have a hot Thai Chicken or Supreme pizza in my hands in no more than 15 minutes or so. See if your typical chain restaurant can top that! Pizza Shack’s crust alone is so delicious: It provides a solid, never-too-greasy foundation for whatever toppings you choose, even rare items like gyro meat and smoked Gouda. Dine in and expect cheap beer specials and friendly service—or do what I do: bring that bad boy home and pig out with your friends in the comfort of your own home. —Andi Agnew Second: Sal and Mookie’s (565 Taylor St., 601-368-1919) / Third: Soulshine (1139 Old Fannin Road, Brandon, 601-919-2000; 1111 Highland Colony, Ridgeland, 601-856-8646) / Good Showing: Mellow Mushroom (275 Dogwood Blvd., Flowood, 601-992-7499); BRAVO!, (4500 Interstate 55 N., Suite 244, 601-982-8111)

Best Meals Under $10: Newk’s Express Café

From the local minds that forged McAlister’s Deli comes the brilliance of Newk’s Express Café, which provides casual, affordable dining. Newk’s serves home-cooked, mouthwatering meals without sacrificing broad selection or superior quality. Newk’s combines southern classics—like its generous shrimp po’ boys and pimiento-cheese sandwiches—with a European flair, with sundry thin-baked pizzas like the Margherita or the Mediterranean, all of which are reasonably priced. Have your choice of sweet tea or a Pellegrino with your meal, and try a mountainous slice of cake if you feel like splurging. Newk’s makes crafting a hearty, modestly priced lunch or dinner simple. —Byron Wilkes Second: Basil’s (2906 N. State St., 601-982-2100; 120 N. Congress St., Suite L1, 601-944-9888; and 904 E. Fortification St., 601-352-2002) / Third: Keifer’s (120 N. Congress St., 601-353-4976 and 705 Poplar Blvd., 601-355-6825) / Good showing: Primos Cafe (2323 Lakeland Drive, Suite A, 601-936-3701 and 515 Lake Harbour Drive, Ridgeland, 601-898-3400), Lumpkin’s BBQ (182 Raymond Road, 601-373-7707), Mama Hamil’s (480 Magnolia St., Madison, 601-856-4407)

Best Vegetarian Options: High Noon Café 2708 Old Canton Road, 601-366-1602

I have a few die-hard carnivore friends who think a meal isn’t complete without chicken, pork of beef. Whenever these friends visit, I get a kick out of taking them to High Noon Café and watching their faces glow with delight while they eat a High Noon bowl, seaside cakes or a messy High Noon burger. Manager Brad Hooey and chef Bryan Carrero are passionate about serving people, and are forever perfecting the café’s daily specials. As a recently converted vegetarian, I’ve been begging Hooey to host a weekly vegetarian cooking class because I find myself craving their food on a daily basis. The fresh ingredients, perfectly cooked tofu and spicy peanut sauce are just a few reasons why High Noon is the best place to get your healthy eating on in Jackson. —Lacey McLaughlin Second: Aladdin (730 Lakeland Drive, 601-366-6033 and 163 Ridge Way, Suite E, Flowood, 601-992-7338) / Third: Cool Al’s (4654 McWillie Drive, 601-713-3020) / Good Showing: Spice Avenue (4711 Interstate 55 N., 601-982-0890); Petra Café (104 W. Leake St., Clinton, 601-925-0016.)

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4450 Interstate 55 N., 601-709-4990 and locations in Flowood, Ridgeland and Brandon

R e st a u r a n t s 2801 N. State St., 601-981-2520

Que Será Será has been dishing up award-winning red beans and rice for 20 years. Out of 26 competitions, the restaurant has won 21, most often for its red beans and rice, followed by its gumbo. Former New Orleans resident and owner Boo Noble knows just the right approach to creating the Cajun-American favorite (and he’s keeping it close to his vest). Second-place winner Hal & Mal’s starts with dried beans and no shortcuts, adds prime ingredients, and offers diners a choice between andouille or smoked sausage to create a hearty plate that keeps ’em coming back. Fat Tuesday’s signature red beans and rice involve a three-day wash, soak and seasoning process that means real bean business—the seasoning step alone takes a day and a half. —Dawn Macke Second: Hal & Mal’s (200 Commerce St., 601-948-0888) / Third: Fat Tuesday’s (6923 Old Canton Road, Ridgeland, 601-956-2971) / Good showing: Cherokee Inn (1410 Old Square Road, 601362-6388); Scrooge’s (5829 Ridgewood Road, 601-206-1211)

Best Sandwich and Best Salad: Newk’s Express Café Multiple locations, 601-709-4990

The sandwich is the Nicholas Cage movie of foods: It can range from lowbrow but satisfying entertainment to wildly complex works of art. The best sandwiches in Jackson strike a balance between the two (something that Nic Cage, alas, appears unable to do), pushing the envelope just a little bit with ingredients and combinations, while hitting all the familiar pleasure centers. This year’s winner, Newk’s, does the balancing act especially well—how many chain restaurants serve a pesto chicken sandwich with goat cheese? But runners-up Broad Street and Basil’s also turn out enticing variations on our favorite themes. It’s telling that Newk’s—along with many of the runners-up—also picked up Best Salad honors, since the same principle of balance also applies here. All of the honorees in this category understand that a salad isn’t a vegetable alibi for a carnivorous crime. Newk’s “Favorite” salad deserves special honors: With artichoke hearts, pecans and cranberries to complement its greens, it makes the addition of grilled chicken seem almost unnecessary, like so much of Nic Cage’s filmography. —Ward Schaefer Sandwich Second: Broad Street Bakery (4465 Interstate 55 N. Suite 101, 601-362-2900) / Third: Basil’s (multiple locations, 601-352-2002) / Good Showing: McAllister’s Deli (multiple locations, 601985-9108; Room Service (4107 Northview Drive, 601-362-4617) Salad Second: Room Service (4107 Northview Drive, 601-362-4617) / Third: Broad Street Bakery (4465 Interstate 55 N. Suite 101, 601-362-2900) / Good Showing: Basil’s (multiple locations, 601-985-9108); BRAVO! (4500 Interstate 55 N., Suite 244, 601-982-8111); High Noon Café/ Rainbow Co-Op (2807 Old Canton Road, 601-366-1513)

Best Seafood: Mayflower Café

January 28 - February 2, 2010

LYNETTE HANSON

123 W. Capitol St., 601-355-4122

The Mayflower Café is no stranger to the Best of Jackson’s Best Seafood slot, and once again the people have voted this Jackson landmark as the best place to enjoy the bounty of the sea. Opened in 1935 by George Kountouris and John Gouras, Kountouris’ great-nephew Jerry Kountouris now operates Mayflower, which is located in the heart of downtown Jackson. Currently in season is speckled trout (until about February), but wait around until April to sample the lemonfish. For firsttimers, I strongly recommend the succulent soft shell crab, lightly fried and shipped in freshly frozen yearround; palates inclined to even fresher tastes may opt to wait until March. It’s no surprise that this southern haven for seafood aficionados trumps all again. —Byron Wilkes

Second: A.J.’s on the Lake (361 Township Ave., Ridgeland, 601-956-2588) / Third: Walker’s DriveIn (3016 N. State St., 601-982-2633) / Good showing: Nick’s (3000 Old Canton Road, Suite 105, 601-981-8017), Sal & Phil’s Seafood Restaurant and Grill (6600 Old Canton Road, Ridgeland, 601-957-1188); Steam Room Grille (5402 Interstate 55 N., 601-899-8588)

Best Server: Janis Boersma, Nick’s 3000 Old Canton Road, 601-981-8017

An Oriental proverb reads, “In order to lead, one must first learn to serve.” If that adage holds true, we should elect Janis Boersma to some high elected office. Her smile is infectious, and her manners are light and airy. She has lingered at the table when I have dined alone at Nick’s to make sure that I haven’t felt so alone, and she has served business dinners to me and 11 out-of-towners with the efficiency of a train conductor. She possesses a knowledge of the dishes and the wines that allows her easily to guide your decisions. On second thought, let’s not elect her to high office ... Nick’s just wouldn’t be the same without her. —Tom Ramsey Second: Mandolin Goode, High Noon Café (2807 Old Canton Road, 601-366-1513) / Third: Emily Bertram, High Noon Café (2807 Old Canton Road, 601-366-1513) / Good Showing: Ann Friday, Hal & Mal’s (200 S. Commerce St., 601-948-0888)

Best Wings: Buffalo Wild Wings 808 Lake Harbour Drive, Ridgeland, 601-856-0789

Wing fanatics from all over the state scramble to Buffalo Wild Wings each week to chomp on some seriously delicious wings. Whether you choose to douse your wings in mild sauces or singe your gums with their signature Blazin’ sauce, Buffalo Wild Wings has a palette of sauces at your disposal. Fan the flames with Wild Drinks: fruity alcoholic beverages destined to numb any pain after your favorite team botches a last-minute field goal. Don’t forget Wing Stop (with its new location near downtown). They offer nine mouth-watering flavors, and Troy Aikman says, “Best wings I’ve ever eaten.” Thanks, Troy. And don’t forget Hooters. Oh, wait. Nobody can forget Hooters. —Adam Lynch

Second: Wing Stop (1430 Ellis Ave., 601-969-0606; 952 N. State St., 601-969-6400; and 398 Highway 51, Ridgeland, 601-605-0504) / Third: Hooters (4565 Interstate 55 N., 601-981-0480) / Good Showing: Pizza Shack (1220 N. State St., 601-352-2001); Sal and Mookie’s (565 Taylor St., 601-368-1919)

Best Sushi: Nagoya 6351 Interstate 55 N., 601-977-8881; 111 Crossing Way, Suite 380, Madison, 601-856-5678

As a professed sushi addict, I must admit the people’s choice of Nagoya is nothing but fitting. Nagoya serves traditional, nigiri-style (hand-formed) sushi like tuna, salmon and other raw fish, but also more familiar (and cooked!) Japanese favorites like the California roll and snow crab roll. Nagoya also puts a southern twist on sushi, with its crawfish roll and soft shell crab (fried, of course) roll. For fans of American portion sizes, try a specialty roll or two, like the Rainbow roll, Jackson roll or the Madison roll (a personal favorite), which has salmon, avocado, “crunches” and nectarous slices of mango atop. For fans of sushi everywhere, Nagoya promises an array of dishes all its own. —Byron Wilkes Second: Sakura Bana (4800 Interstate 55 N., Suite 11, 601-982-3035) / Third: Little Tokyo (876 Avery Blvd., Ridgeland, 601-991-3800) / Good showing: Bonzai Japanese Steakhouse (1925 Lakeland Drive, 601-981-0606); Ichiban Sushi Bar & Grill (153 Ridge Way, Suite 105, Flowood, 601-919-0097)

SHAWANDA JACOME

Best Red Beans & Rice: Que Será Será

Best Steak: Shapley’s 868 Centre St., Ridgeland, 601-957-3753

Steak. Just the word sends me reeling with culinary bliss. Add a few modifiers like “prime,” “marbled,” “aged” or “Shapley’s,” and you really get me going. The Shapley family established this temple of meat in 1985 as the pinnacle of what a steakhouse should be, and owner/chef Scott Koester has adhered to those traditions to keep them on top. I know people rave about the filet maison, but for my money you can’t beat their ribeye. Pair that with escargot in puffed pastry or Hudson Valley foie gras and a big, fat, jammy California Cabernet from the 750+ bottle wine list, and you’ve got a night to remember. I’ve heard they also have fine desserts, but I’ve never had the self-restraint to leave enough room. —Tom Ramsey Second: Tico’s (1536 E. County Line Road, 601-956-1030) / Third: Char (4500 Interstate 55 N., 601-956-9562) / Good Showing: Nick’s (3000 Old Canton Road, 601-981-8017); Olga’s Fine Dining (4760 Interstate 55 N., 601-992-1092)

Best Take-Out: O.E.C. Japanese 201 E. Layfair Drive, Flowood, 601-932-3588; 1139 Old Fannin Road, Brandon, 601-992-2988; 655 Lake Harbor Drive, Ridgeland, 601-853-4188; 1069 Highway 51, Suite C, Madison, 601-607-5888

Last January, when several JFP staff members were busy stuffing envelopes for the Best of Jackson 2009 party, our stomachs began to growl, and we needed food ... fast. Some wise woman suggested O.E.C, and we never looked back. It’s no shocker that overworked Jacksonians rely on O.E.C. to provide them with dinner in a pinch. O.E.C. is tasty, exceptionally affordable and with four convenient locations, always nearby. Best Wok is not far behind. With chicken that is seriously kickin’ and a staff that is all smiles, you can’t go wrong with dialing up Best Wok. Wanna trick house guests into believing you can whip up fine Italian cuisine? Call Tim at BRAVO! and order out-of-this-world pastas. —Jackson R. Breland Second: Best Wok (225 Meadowbrook Road, Suite 600, 601-368-9555) / Third: BRAVO! (4500 Interstate 55 N., Suite 244, 601-982-8111) / Good Showing: Newk’s Express Café (4450 Interstate 55 N., 601-709-4990 and locations in Flowood, Ridgeland and Brandon); Wok To Go (4329 N. State St., 601-981-2112)

Best Place for Coffee and Best Place to Hang Out with a Laptop: Cups Espresso Café

THANK YOU FOR YOUR VOTES IN BEST OF JACKSON 2010!

Multiple Locations, 601-835-2371, www.cupsespressocafe.com LYNETTE HANSON

A cold and bitter wind permeated our bones in Jackson earlier this month. Respite was not far as we waddled in our many layers toward the only thing that tames a cold winter wind—hot coffee (or tea). Cups in Fondren was crowded during those cold days, and no surprise, as cold-weather refugees huddled around their laptops with a beverage of choice. Voted Best Place for Coffee, Cups’ great menu and knowledgeable staff make this java joint a Jackson favorite. Cups has several flavors available year round, but also offers seasonal treats like “Frosty’s Favorite Mocha,” a mocha latté with cinnamon sure to take the frostbite out of your fingers. This keen coffee shop and its dependable wi-fi also took top honors as the Best Place to Hang Out with a Laptop. I highly recommend the red corner chair at their flagship store in Fondren, but you will find them in multiple locations throughout Jackson. —Eileen Eady

Best Place to Hang Out with a Laptop Second: Sneaky Beans (2914 N. State St., 601-487-6349) / Third: Broad Street Bakery (4465 Interstate 55 N., Suite 101, 601-362-2900) / Good Showing: Starbucks Coffee (1220 E. Northside Dr., 601-366-5332); Fusion Coffeehouse (1111 Highland Colony Parkway., Suite A, Ridgeland, 601-856-6001)

jacksonfreepress.com

Best Place for Coffee Second: Sneaky Beans (2914 N. State St., 601-487-6349) / Third: Seattle Drip (Multiple Locations, 601-605-5008) / Good Showing: Broad Street Bakery (4465 Interstate 55 N., Suite 101, 601-362-2900); Fusion Coffeehouse (1111 Highland Colony Parkway., Suite A, Ridgeland, 601-856-6001); Wired Espresso Cafe (115 N. State St., 601-500-7800)

Best Bar, Best Bar for Karaoke, Bar Where Everybody Knows Your Name, Best Bar Menu: Fenian’s Pub

N i gh t l i f e

JASON JARIN

901 E. Fortification St., 601-948-0055

Best Beer Selection (draft), Best Beer Selection (bottled) and Best College Hangout: The Bulldog 6111 Ridgewood Road, 601-978-3502 THABI MOYO

When you first darken the door of The Bulldog, the aroma of malt and heavy dark wood with just a hint of wheat, lemon or sweetness lures you to a heavy well-balanced pub chair. If you are someone who appreciates the sensory experience of drinking beer, look no further than The Bulldog where more than 50 delicately reared lager, ale and wheat taps are neatly arranged along the wall like crayons in a box. The Bulldog is most proud of their carefully handled draft beers from countries such as Germany, Australia, Ireland and Mexico, with an expanded selection in bottles, served in a frosty mug or a room-temperature pint glass of your choice. You can even select Mississippi’s own Lazy Magnolia or old standards like PBR and Miller Lite. The Bulldog also offers a hefty grub menu featuring standard bar food such as Buffalo wings and nachos, and heavier fares like sandwiches, burgers, Creole delicacies and pastas. But come on: The beer is really why we go there, right? An eclectic crowd abounds at The Bulldog, noisy but easy going, settled into an evening of brews, unwinding from the day now past. It is really a place to sit with an intimate crowd and enjoy the tour of beers, professionally and responsibly. Any regular will agree: “We’re not drunk, we’re just drinking.” —Beth Smith

Tradition isn’t something you mess with. So, nothing messes with my holiday rendezvous at Fenian’s. Sure, I may have to scout for a parking spot, stand for an hour waiting for a table or graciously accept the one open seat at a table full of strangers. Fenian’s is where everybody seems to meet up, the place to remember the ghosts of Jackson’s past or the place to run into a face you may have forgotten. There is nostalgia to this bustling Irish pub, a charm that makes it the best bar to retreat to. The fried dill pickles and abundance of heavy beers greatly contribute to any and all extra weight gain, and Fenian’s is the only bar in Jackson that serves Scottish Eggs (imagine, a hardboiled egg, wrapped in sausage, battered and deep fried, nom … nom). Monday night is always packed for karaoke with Matt Collette, and you can rest assured, between the hours of 8 p.m. to 1 a.m., you will more than likely hear a song from the “Grease” soundtrack. Not much has changed over the years except for no smoking inside the pub and the removal of the hundreds of old, written-on dollar bills tacked on the walls. Who cares if you have to stand half the night? If you get up from your seat, though, you’d better leave a purse or something of value in that chair or consider it taken. I swear, sometimes it’s like a never-ending game of musical chairs—but I’ve been playing it for years now, and I’m really, really good at it. —Jessica Mizell

Best Bar Second: The Bulldog (6111 Ridgewood Road, 601-978-3502) / Third: Underground 119 (119 S. President St. 601-352-2322) / Good Showing: Electric Cowboy (6107 Ridgewood Road, 601-899-5333); Hal & Mal’s (200 S. Commerce St., 601-948-8888); Ole Tavern (416 George St., 601-960-2700)

Beer Selection (Draft) Second: Fenian’s, (901 E. Fortification St., 601-948-0055) / Third: Sal & Mookie’s, (565 Taylor St., 601-368-1919) / Good Showing: Hal & Mal’s (200 S. Commerce St., 601-948-8888); Ole Tavern (416 George St., 601-960-2700)

Best Karaoke Second: Mc B’s (815 Lake Harbour Drive, Ridgeland, 601-956-8362) / Third: Ole Tavern (416 George St., 601-960-2700) / Good Showing: Hal & Mal’s (200 S. Commerce St., 601948-8888); Last Call Sports Grill (1428 Old Square Road, 601-713-2700)

Beer Selection (Bottled): Second: Martin’s, (214 S. State St.) / Third: Fenian’s, (901 Fortification St. 601-948-0055) / Good Showing: Sal & Mookie’s (565 Taylor St., 601-368-1919)

Bar Where Everybody Knows Your Name Second: Hal & Mal’s (200 S. Commerce St., 601-948-8888) / Third: Martin’s (214 S. State St., 601-354-9712) / Good Showing: Julep (4500 Interstate 55 N., Suite 105, 601-362-1411); Bravo! (4500 Interstate 55 N., Suite 244, 601-982-8111); Cherokee Inn (1410 Old Square Road, 601-362-6388)

College Hangout Second: Cups, (2757 Old Canton Road, 601-362-7422) / Third: Fenian’s, (901 E. Fortification St., 601-948-0055) / Good Showing: Sneaky Beans (2914 N. State St. 601-487-6349); Freelon’s (44 N. Mill St., 601-949-2535)

Best Bar Food Second: Underground 119 (119 S. President St., 601-352-2322) / Third: Julep (4500 Interstate 55 N., Suite 105, 601-362-1411) / Good Showing: The Bulldog (6111 Ridgewood Road, 601- 978-3502), Cherokee Inn (1410 Old Square Road, 601-362-6388)

Best Bartender: Kavan Wood, Electric Cowboy

January 28 - February 2, 2010

There is something about a bartender who works at a crazy, loud, crowded bar like the Electric Cowboy. This is the kind of club that one may dread initially—walking in to hundreds of people, thousands of tiny shots and lots of stumbling, bull-riding fools. Electric Cowboy’s secret weapon to calm your predrinking nerves and fulfill your drinking needs is Kavan Wood. No other bartender I know can sling beers and take numerous orders at once, while getting your correct change in a timely fashion, even when competing with the stumbling girls in heels shouting out orders for lemon drops. When you’ve given in to the crazy notion of riding the mechanical bull, it’s nice to know Kavan will always have a drink waiting for you when you fall off. —Jessica Mizell Second: Trevor Palmer (Electric Cowboy, 6107 Ridgewood Road, 601-899-5333) / Third: Toni Jones (Fenian’s, 901 E. Fortification St., 601-948-0055) / Good Showing: Justin Cook (Nick’s, 3000 Old Canton Road, 601-981-8017); Brad Regan (Julep, 4500 Interstate 55 N., Suite 105, 601-362-1411)

Best Cover Band, Best Country Artist: The Colonels Bust your butt over to the nearest saloon, and chances are you’ll bump into some city slickin’ guys and gals getting down to The Colonels, the best country group in town. These Brookhaven heart breakers have taken the Southeast by storm with country ballads and southern-rock revival songs, wailing about the aesthetic pleasures of mullets and beautiful belles. The band started off as a joke because none of the members were into country. After playing their first gig, however, the group decided that if it ain’t country, it ain’t cool. When they aren’t playing country, they’re playing groovy covers of doo-wop and hip-hop hits, ranging from the Jackson 5 to 2 Live Crew. Their live shows are highenergy and unpredictable. You might see a hillbilly doing the tootsie roll or a lovely couple making out on stage. Either way, be prepared to party. —Jackson Breland Best Cover Band Second: Molly Ringwalds / Third: Full Moon Circus / Good Showing: U.S.; Hunter & the Gators Best Country Band Second: Crossin’ Dixon / Third: Bill & Temperance / Good Showing: The Scramblers

FILE PHOTO

LIZZIE WRIGHT

6107 Ridgewood Road, 601-899-5333

N i gh t l i f e FILE PHOTO

Best Place to Drink Cheap and Best Dive Bar: Martin’s

BEST PLACE TO PICK UP DINNER AND PRETEND YOU MADE IT

214 S. State St., 601-354-9712

Ah, Martin’s, it would be wrong for any other bar to claim these titles. When one thinks of a dive, they think of a casual, dark, smoky establishment that has cheap drinks and usually a colorful variety of barflies. With Martin’s shift from the older day crowd to its hipster night crowd, the variety of people that enter and exit these doors are endless. What is amazing is that Martin’s doesn’t actually have a “happy hour.” Wednesday night is ladies’ night, with a mere $5 cover and free drinks all night. All domestic canned beer is $2.50, and most well drinks start at $5. My hair may smell like a cigarette when I wake up in the morning, but at least I know I got my money’s worth. —Jessica Mizell

We Do It All!

Place to Drink Cheap Second: Sam’s Lounge (5035 Interstate 55 N., 601-983-2526) / Third: Cherokee Inn (1410 Old Square Road, 601-362-6388) / Good Showing: F. Jones (303 N. Farish St., 601-983-1148), Fenian’s (901 E. Fortification St., 601-948-0055)

Hot Lunches and Dinners, Catering, Meals-To-Go, Rent-A-Chef, Gourmet Foods

Best Dive Bar Second: Sam’s Lounge (5035 Interstate 55 N., 601-983-2526) / Third:

Cherokee Inn (1410 Old Square Road, 601-362-6388) / Good Showing: F. Jones Corner (303 N. Farish St., 601-983-1148); Pop’s Around the Corner (2636 S. Gallatin St., 601-961-4747)

For catering, 601-978-7878 5050 I-55 N Jackson, MS www.foodiesjackson.com

Best Place to Hear Live Music: Fire 209 S. Commerce St., 601 592-1000

Well, let’s put on some leather pants and get ready to rawk! It’s big, it’s loud, and it could only be Fire. Located on Commerce Street, Fire has been bringing all sorts of shows to Jackson for quite a while now. Primarily a rock venue, Fire is the place to go when you want to let your hair down and party. From a musician’s standpoint, I’ve been told that the sound system is A+ quality, and the lighting rivals any in the city. The place is huge and open, so the sound is great, and there are plenty of booths and seating available. The bartenders are fast, the parking is free, and you’ll find shows going on almost every weekend. Hot. —Jessica Mizell

8 WEEKS TO WEIGH LESS. SMALL GROUP TRAINING (EMPHASIS ON WEIGHT LOSS)

Training starts February 9th

COURTESY AKAMI GRAHAM

Second: Hal & Mal’s (200 S. Commerce St., 601-948-8888) / Third: Underground 119 (119 S. President St., 601-352-2322) / Good Showing: Martin’s (214 S. State St., 601-354 9712); F. Jones Corner (303 N. Farish St., 601-983-1148); Ole Tavern (416 George St., 601-960-2700)

Best R&B Vocalist and Best Local Singer: Akami Graham

Continuing to imprint her stamp on the Jackson music scene and now being coined—by me—as the Vocal Vixen of Jackson, Akami Graham has again sealed the No. 1 slot for Jackson’s Best R&B and Best Local Singer. Graham is the total package, and if you’ve ever met her or seen her on stage, this is no surprise. She has a warm, welcoming personality and a smile that is as delightful as her vocals. As one of the house bands at Fitzgerald’s, Graham and the Key of G had a big year in 2009; Graham was only female performer there at that time. She also opened for Musiq Soulchild and for B.B. King at the Two Rivers Gala. She is working on her self-titled album with hopes of completion in 2011. —Queen Folayan

16 Total Sessions, 2 per wk. Tuesday & Thursday at 10 a.m. or 4 p.m. Here’s What is Included: One-on-one ﬁtness assessment (1 hr.) - $75 value, 16 group training sessions (1 hr. each) - $960 value, One-on-one check-up at week four (30 min.) - $40 value, Group check-ups at weeks two, six & eight, nutritional information, guidance and monitoring - Priceless

601-991-9904

731 Pear Orchard Road, Suite 30 • Ridgeland• Odyssey North Shopping Center      www.body-beneﬁts.com

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FREE ADMISSION with the purchase of one adult admission.

Bring in this ad!

Best Local Singer: Second: Keesha Pratt / Third: Cody Cox / Good Showing: Jackie Bell; Lisa Palmer; Taylor Hildebrand

jacksonfreepress.com

Best R&B Vocalist: Second: Recognition / Third: Keesha Pratt / Good Showing: AJC; ML; D’Mar

PETRIFIED FOREST A Registered National Natural Landmark

601-879-8189 124 Forest Park Rd., Flora, MS

www.MSPetriﬁedForest.com

Best Happy Hour: Pi(e) Lounge at Sal & Mookie’s

N i gh t l i f e

565 Taylor St., 601-368-1919

Sexiest Bartender (Male): Kurt Monaghan, Electric Cowboy 6107 Ridgewood Road, 601-899-5333 LIZZIE WRIGHT

We could have also called this category the “Tall, Dark, Broad Shouldered” award—or maybe the “When You See Him You Will Forget What You Wanted to Order” award. Kurt Monaghan is the one that makes the patrons blush. The Electric Cowboy ain’t exactly your neighborhood bar, and maneuvering the crowds that come through every week all while looking good is a talent all on its own. This man has to be doing something right because the city has spoken, and Kurt is the bartender we hate to see go but love to watch him leave. He will pour you a drink, flash a smile, and take your money and maybe your heart. —Jessica Mizell

Second: Brad Regan (Julep, 4500 Interstate 55 N., Suite 105, 601-362-1411) / Third: Michael Kennedy (Dick and Jane’s, 206 Capital St., 601-944-0123) / Good Showing: Justin Cook (Nick’s, 3000 Old Canton Road, 601-981-8017); Leo Turner (Ole Tavern, 416 George St., 601-960-2700)

Sexiest Bartender (Female): Toni Jones, Fenian’s 901 E. Fortification St., 601-948-0055

Second: Underground 119 (119 S. President St., 601-352-2322) / Third: Time Out Sports Cafe (6270 Old Canton Road, 601-978-1839) / Good showing: Julep (4500 Interstate 55 N., Suite 105, 601-362-1411); Fenian’s (901 E. Fortification St., 601-948-0055)

Best Hotel Bar: Fitzgerald’s at the Hilton 1001 E. County Line Road, 601-957-28001

Fitzgerald’s at the Hilton is an undisputed favorite—classy, laidback and sophisticated. Enjoy live music, big cozy leather chairs, dimmed lights and couples swing dancing while listening to the likes of Chris Gill and Andy Hardwick and the Rainmakers. Early in the week, enjoy an intimate moment with a special friend while sipping a Walk Me Down or a Tom Collins. If you like to party, go Friday and Saturday, have a couple of Long Island teas or a dirty martini and party the night away. Hungry? No worries: The bar menu boasts not only great food, but variety, too, from chili lime wings to a classic filet mignon. —Nicholas Jones Second: Sam’s Lounge (5035 1nterstate 55 N. Frontage Road, 601-983-2526) / Third: Roberts Walthall (225 E. Capitol St., 601-948-6161) / Good Showing: Hunt Club (1525 Ellis Ave., 601-944-1150); Regency Hotel and Bar (420 Greymont Ave., 601-969-2141);

JARO VACEK

To all the patrons who frequent Fenian’s, we all know that sometimes the place can become a bit, um, crowded—maybe even rowdy. Nothing is sexier than a woman who knows how to handle a crowd, and that is exactly what Toni Jones does every week. She’s been called a “siren of the sauce” and “a mixologist after your heart.” Tossing glasses up with the flick of her wrists, she sets them down on the tap and pours numerous drinks in one fluid motion. I have also witnessed an ESP-like ability to know when you want another drink before you realize you want one. Oh, and on top of that, she is a total sweetheart who can pour a drink quicker then you can say Makers Mark. —Jessica Mizell

The intimate setting and comfy sofas of Pi(e) Lounge (the bar at Sal & Mookie’s) win this year’s Best Happy Hour. The phenomenon of the bar’s namesake, the value pi, lies in its non-sequential decimal value, which continues infinitely (π=3.14159265… ad infinitum). With a 3.14 percent discount on beer, cocktails and wine every day but Monday, repeat customers are a regular occurrence here. The lounge’s happy hour runs from 3:14 p.m. to 6:28 p.m. (3 hours, 14 minutes), and on Saturdays and Sundays, Pi(e) offers $3.14 bloody Mary’s and mimosas. The added (e) of Pi(e) is a reminder of the unique pizza pies made fresh just on the other at Sal & Mookie’s, so be sure to order a slice with your liquid libation. —Byron Wilkes

Second: Holly Williams (Fire, 209 Commerce St., 601 592-1000) / Third: Laura Collins (Hal & Mal’s, 200 S. Commerce St., 601-948-0888) / Good Showing: Alyson Brady (Sam’s Lounge, 5035 Interstate 55 N., Frontage Road, 601-983-2526; Time Out Sports Bar, 6270 Old Canton Road, 601-978-1839); Jessica Rice (Fire, 209 Commerce St., 601 592-1000)

Best Jukebox: Sam’s Lounge 5035 Interstate 55 N. Frontage Road, 601-983-2526

It may not be the 1950s anymore, but that isn’t to say you can’t still rock a jukebox, especially one that’s hooked up to the Internet. The best place for doing just that is Sam’s Lounge where you can play the songs you want to hear while enjoying libations in a friendly atmosphere. Want to hear country, hip-hop, metal or pop? Sam’s has got you covered with what seems like an infinite number of choices—just don’t forget your change. —Lacey McLaughlin Second: Cherokee Inn (1410 Old Square Road, 601-362-6833) / Third: Sportsman’s Lodge (1120 E. Northside Drive, 601-366-5411) / Good Showing: Time Out Sports Bar (6270 Old Canton Road, 601-978-1839)

Best Club DJ: DJ Cadillac Best LGBT Hangout: Dick & Jane’s

January 28 - February 2, 2010

This year’s Best of Jackson GLBT (gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender) Hangout is none other than Dick and Jane’s, so if you’re looking for a carefree night, you know where to go. Open Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights from 9 p.m. until 4 a.m., Dick and Jane’s serves only beer (liquor can be brought in for a small fee) and is open to those 18 and older, so adults only. If you’re into singing, Dick and Jane’s hosts Gayraoke on Thursdays and house-party night on Saturdays. Come show your competitive side at Dick and Jane’s monthly Showdown variety show, held every third Thursday of the month. —Byron Wilkes Second: J.C.’s (425 North Mart Plaza, 601-362-3108) / Third: Fenian’s Pub (901 E. Fortification St., 601-948-0055) / Good Showing: Jack & Jill’s (no longer open)

DJ Cadillac has made a name for himself in Jackson and all over the world. He’s best known locally for turning up the heat at the Electric Cowboy and transforming the bar into an all-night dance party, but he’s also toured around the world, made appearances on MTV and started his own deejay company. He may have made it big in the world of deejays, but he still represents Jackson and is proud to call it home. —Lacey McLaughlin Second: Terry Edwards / Third: Mr. Nick / Good Showing: DJ Reign; DJ Phingaprint

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Back from Best of Jackson’s past is local rock band Storage 24. The previous winner of 2007’s best Rock Band category, Storage 24’s lineup has a few changes. Fronted by original band creator Baby Phred, Storage 24 has added deejay Unkl Ryan, bassist R.C., drummer Daniel G., guitarist Daniel W. and lyricist Kamikaze. Kaze is no stranger to the “Best Of ” awards, having won Best Hip-Hop Artist for several years. Infusing heavy rock with elements of R&B, this band is taking off into the music stratosphere. Storage 24 shows are loud, so be prepared to take it all in. This band can’t be described with just one or two genres, having taken aspects of rock, hip-hop and spinning, and fused it into one giant music machine. Recently winning Club De Villa’s “Band of the Year” award and a spot playing at MTV’s “Spring Break” in Panama City, these familiar faces will be on television in the next few months and has a new album in the works. —Jessica Mizell

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Best Original Band, Best Rock Artist: Storage 24

Original Band Second: No Lesser Beauty / Third: Furrows / Good Showing: Law School Rock Artist Second: Jeremy Rainey / Third: No Lesser Beauty / Good Showing: The Colonels; Brian Jones; Cody Cox

Best Place to Dance: Electric Cowboy

January 28 - February 2, 2010

COURTESY ELECTRIC COWBOY

6107 Ridgewood Road, 601-899-5333

I have a confession. I can’t dance, and out of shame I never do it in public. If I did, though, it would be at the Electric Cowboy, mainly because you wouldn’t see me in the massive sea of folks that frequent this club every weekend. Thursday nights, ladies get half off the cover charge, and Fridays and Saturdays are always packed. Go and dance off some steam and rest easy in knowing that you, too, can be that anonymous dancer that likes to “go fishing” every once in a while, maybe even pulling out the ole “lawnmower” move. If you do happen to see me one weekend dancing, just keep walking. If you bring it up in public, I will deny everything. —Jessica Mizell Second: Dick and Jane’s (206 W. Capitol St., 601-944-0123) / Third: Fire (209 Commerce St., 601 592-1000) / Good Showing: Martin’s (214 S. State St., 601354-9712); Freelon’s (440 N. Mill St., 601-949-2535)

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Best Gospel Musician: Dathan Thigpen

Place to Shoot Pool: The Green Room

COURTESY DATHAN THIGPEN

A perennial Jackson favorite for Best Gospel Musician, Dathan Thigpen and Holy Nation continue to lift up praise in a fresh, relatable way. Their youthful sound is filled with upbeat guitar, drums, keyboard and other instruments, and each soulful voice carries a rare authenticity. You can tell that Thigpen and the Holy Nation truly believe in their lyrics, and it shows in their fun, energized performances. Songs from their album “Get Up, Vol. 1” have that same energy—especially spirit-stirring tracks like “Bring the Praise” and “Just to Be Close to You.” Watch holynation.org for info on the release of a DVD from a live performance recording last May. —Maggie Neff

444 Bounds St., 601-713-3444

The repeat winner in this category is not a shocker to the many Jacksonians who have frequented this pool hall for years. Pool is the reason you go to The Green Room. This pool hall is serious, man. The tables are very well kept up, the sticks aren’t shredded at the ends, and you don’t have to share your chalk with another table. I have spent many a night trying to work on my game, choosing a table far in the back to avoid the prying eyes of more experienced players. The bar food is good, the drink selection is decent and, best of all, the patrons are nice enough to not laugh if don’t know how to break. —Jessica Mizell Second: Sam’s Lounge (5035 Interstate 55 N., 601-983-2526)/ Third: Reed Pierce’s Sportsman’s Grill (6791 S. Siwell Road, Byram 601-376-0777) / Good Standing: Time Out Sports Cafe (6270 Old Canton Road, 601-978-1839); Cherokee Inn (1410 Old Square Road, 601-362-6388)

1220 E. Northside Drive, 601-366-5441

I rarely have a negative thing to say about a bar with the NFL Sunday Ticket and the ESPN College Gameday package. I kind of enjoy the Sportsman’s ceiling, strung with hundreds of little lights, casting a soft glow on all the dead things that are stuffed and hung on the walls. There is a certain comfort in the Sportsman’s Lodge. A ridiculous guy-to-girl ratio, a huge bar with lots of beer and 20 flat screens make it a place I thoroughly enjoy going to. Order some wings and watch some football, or just use your peripherals and listen to the conversations around you. Keep it up, Sportsman’s, you’re doing something right. —Jessica Mizell Second: Buffalo Wild Wings Bar and Grill (808 Lake Harbour Drive, Ridgeland 601-8560789) / Third: Time Out Sports Cafe (6270 Old Canton Road, 601-978-1839) / Good Showing: Alumni House Sports Grill (110 Bass Pro Drive, Pearl, 601-896-0253)

COURTESY 7EVEN:THIRTY

Best Sports Bar: Sportsman’s Lodge

Second: The Williams Brothers / Third: Mississippi Mass Choir / Good Showing: Sherry Tate

Best Hip-Hop Artist Not Named Kamikaze: 7even:Thirty Cosmic. Inter-galactic. Other-worldly. These are just a few of the words you can use to describe the unique talent of 7even:Thirty. His hard work has amassed him a wide following, and he’s made his name by offering and energetic hip-hop extravaganza on stage. This guy is a star, and I’m proud to say he’s from Mississippi. —Kamikaze Second: David Banner / Third: Skipp Coon / Good Showing: 5th Child; Brad Franklin

Jazz Musician: Raphael Semmes

COURTESY SCOTT ALBERT JOHNSON

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Scott Albert Johnson is a regular on Jackson’s music circuit, playing at venues such as Underground 119 and Hal & Mal’s. Fusing rock, folk and blues into a fluid, southern sound, Johnson can belt out a ballad just as smoothly as he can deliver a foot-stompin’ jam song. And he’s never without his trusty harmonica. The singer-songwriter cites Randy Newman and Van Morrison (among others) as musical influences, and it shows on his 2007 album “Umbrella Man.” Look for Johnson to perform at this year’s Mississippi HeARTs Against AIDS benefit at Hal & Mal’s Saturday, Feb. 13. —Maggie Neff Second: Hunter Gibson / Third: Cody Cox / Good Showing: Johnny Bertram; Sherman Lee Dillon; Raphael Semmes

COURTESY JACKIE BELL

January 28 - February 2, 2010

Born in 1962 on the Fourth of July in Monroe, La., Jackie Bell has exploded on the Jackson music scene. She has also been graced with a national spotlight, singing with contemporary blues greats like Michael Burks, KoKo Taylor and Big Bill Morganfield. Bell is perhaps best known locally for her unapologetically raucous Jackson performances. You can see her perform with the house band at 930 Blues Café crooning seductively, dancing with audience members and even shedding parts of her wardrobe to drape over the heads of show goers. Jackie “Miss Sweetheart” Bell can also be frequently seen at Ole Tavern on George Street, and at F. Jones Corner on Farish Street. —Carl Gibson

Second: Jesse Robinson / Third: Virgil Brawley / Good Showing: Eddie Cotton; King Edward; Scott Albert Johnson

Second: Rhonda Richmond / Third: Barry Leach / Good Showing: Allison Jenkins; Lisa Palmer

Best Singer-Songwriter: Jeremy Rainey Front man Jeremy Rainey and his band, No Lesser Beauty, received 2009 awards for Best SingerSongwriter, Best Rock Artist and Best Original Band. Rainey and No Lesser Beauty have opened for several national acts and toured regionally but spent most of the past year staying close to home and performing at Hal & Mal’s, Sam’s Lounge and Fire. Rainey and his eclectic band mates not only make good music together, they make great memories. In the last year, the band has gone from playing heavy rock to performing more upbeat material: what Rainey calls party rock ‘n’ roll. “It’s all about having fun and creating a good time for those who come and see us play,” Rainey says. —Lacey McLaughlin

COURTESY JEREMY RAINEY

Best Local Blues Artist: Jackie Bell

Raphael Semmes is all about music The vocalist and bass player has a versatile repertoire, but his sound seems most at home when he’s playing be-bopping, foot-tapping jazz, which he performs at venues such as Underground 119 and Fusion Coffeehouse. Semmes says he had the “jazz itch” when he moved to Jackson in the early 1980s, and that itch has evolved into a quest to promote local music and artists in the metro. Chances are you have seen Semmes play at one time or another, whether it be in his funk/R&B band, These Days with Jewel Bass, or with the Raphael Semmes Ensemble, to name a couple of projects. “(There is) a burgeoning jazz scene in Jackson now—which is really, really inspiring,” he says. —Maggie Neff

WILL CAVES

Best Musician: Scott Albert Johnson

Second: Cody Cox / Third: Topher Brown / Good Showing: Johnny Bertram; Shaun Patterson

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Best Casino for Gaming and Best Casino for Restaurants: Ameristar Hotel Casino 4116 Washington St., Vicksburg, 601-638-1000

The chiming of slot machines welcomed me with their happy mantra: “Win money. Win money.” No, I wasn’t in Las Vegas, but at the Ameri star Casino Hotel in Vicksburg. Winner of Best Casino for Gaming and Best Casino for Restaurants, Ameristar houses a variety of fun. I was impressed with the number of tables for gaming and the vast array of affordable slots. (I opted for the penny slots myself.) Without leaving the casino, you can have a “N’Awlins” pizza at Bella’s Cafe and Bakery, then head to Bourbons for sweet-potato cheesecake. To round out the evening, mosey on over to the Bottleneck Blues Bar for a beer and some live music. The restaurants offer everything from barbecue to Chinese food at extremely reasonable prices. Opting for pizza was a great choice, but next time, I’ll have to try the chocolate fountain at the Heritage Buffet. Located only 40 minutes from Jackson, you won’t even have to deal with airport security to get there. — Eileen Eady

LYNETTE HANSON

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Best Casino for Gaming Second: Pearl River Resorts (13541 Highway 16 W., Choctaw, 866-447-3275) / Third: Beau Rivage Hotel Casino (875 Beach Blvd., Biloxi, 228-386-7111) / Good Showing: Hard Rock Hotel Casino (777 Beach Blvd., Biloxi, 228-374-7625); Riverwalk Casino Hotel (1046 Warrenton Road, Vicksburg, 601-634-0100) Best Casino for Restaurants Second: Beau Rivage Hotel Casino (875 Beach Blvd., Biloxi, 228-386-7111) / Third: Pearl River Resorts (13541 Highway 16 W., Choctaw, 866-447-3275) / Good Showing: Hard Rock Hotel Casino (777 Beach Blvd., Biloxi, 228-374-7625)

Best Place to Fish: Ross Barnett Reservoir 115 Madison Landing Circle, Ridgeland, 601-992-9703

If you’re hearing shuffling in the darkened house at 4:30 in the morning, it’s probably a man gathering supplies for an excursion. The rod, reel, bait and cooler are all packed into the truck; a neighborhood dog barks at the early morning intrusion as the truck starts up and heads out for a day of fishing. Where is he headed? Jacksonians say it’s most likely the Ross Barnett Reservoir, voted the best place to catch a bite. No surprise, the 33,000-acre lake is filled with a multitude of fish. The public boat launch at Brown’s Landing makes it easy for avid fisherpersons to put in and head out. —Eileen Eady Second: The Gulf Coast / Third: Eagle Lake (Vicksburg) / Good Showing: Pearl River; Calling Panther Lake (Crystal Springs)

January 28 - February 2, 2010

Best College Town: Oxford

The hometown of the University of Mississippi, Oxford affords a majestic, southern atmosphere that provides more than just your typical college experience. Entertainment melds with Mississippi tradition downtown, where students can find a serious music scene at annual festivals, like the Double Decker Arts Festival, and lively nightlife in bars imbued with noteworthy architecture from bygone eras. If you’re looking for something more historically significant than juke joints, perhaps, Oxford has that, too. The Square houses a plethora of local shops, like J. E. Neilson Co. (opened in 1839) and excellent restaurants including Ajax Diner and City Grocery. In the town Will Faulkner adopted as his own, students can find both a rowdy good time and pastoral relaxation. —Byron Wilkes Second: Starkville / Third: Hattiesburg / Good showing: Clinton; Jackson

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Best Casino Hotel and Best Casino for Shows: Beau Rivage Resort & Casino 875 Beach Blvd., Biloxi, 228-386-7111

Wrap yourself in a warm, moisturizing body cocoon at the spa, and then retreat to your luxurious 1,200-square-foot suite overlooking Biloxi’s historic downtown area for a soothing ocean view. Later, head to the Beau Rivage Theatre to catch a national headliner such as Tony Bennett, LeAnn Rimes or Montgomery Gentry. With amenities and attractions like these, it’s no wonder that Beau Rivage took first place for Best Casino Hotel and Best Casino for Shows. If the musical acts or headliners are not your style, you can coast into the nightclub for some dancing. Beau Rivage offers a consummate experience in luxury and entertainment. Check out their online specials at www.beaurivage.com. —Eileen Eady Best Casino for Shows Second: Ameristar Hotel Casino (4116 Washington St., Vicksburg, 601-638-1000) / Third: Hard Rock Hotel Casino (777 Beach Blvd., Biloxi, 228-374-7625) / Good Showing: Pearl River Resorts (13541 Highway 16 W., Choctaw, 866-447-3275) Best Casino Hotel Second: Ameristar Hotel Casino (4116 Washington St., Vicksburg, 601-638-1000) / Third: Hard Rock Hotel Casino (777 Beach Blvd., Biloxi, 228-374-7625) / Good Showing: Pearl River Resorts (13541 Highway 16 W., Choctaw, 866-447-3275)

Best Day Trip: New Orleans LYNETTE HANSON

Due south from Jackson lies the 2010 Best Day Trip, a city of intrigue and Mecca of wanderlust: aweinspiring New Orleans. Only three hours from Jackson, N’Awlins’ myriad secrets give you plenty to discover before the sun goes down, but if you’re feeling brave, schedule a nighttime graveyard tour to learn about the city’s former residents and the places they called home. Want something a little less macabre? Venture to the infamous French Quarter for indulgent, but thoroughly entertaining nightlife and live music, or the slightly hipper Faubourg Marigny next door, or the even edgier and arty Bywater neighborhood farther over. I recommend a trip to the pirate Jean Lafitte’s Blacksmith Bar, where they keep the lights low to hide patrons’ faces. Hundreds of specialty shops, local restaurants and sightseeing “musts” fill the city, making it an ideal one-day destination. —Byron Wilkes

Second: Natchez / Third: Gulf Coast / Good showing: Vicksburg; Oxford

January 28 - February 2, 2010

Best Reason to Visit the Coast: The Beaches

Whether it’s to hit the beaches or the casinos, to volunteer your time in rebuilding from Hurricane Katrina, or to spend money at the outlet malls and other fine shops, the Gulf Coast gives you plenty of reasons to grab your travel bag. Personally, I agree with those who voted for the beaches. There’s nothing like sand squishing between my toes and the smell of salt in the air as I take in the view of the water and listen to seagulls claim their prizes. Jacksonians say that the second best reason to visit the Coast is the casinos, and some even named their favorites. Of course, one should always take the opportunity to dine on fresh seafood during a visit to the Coast. —Eileen Eady Second: Casinos / Third: Seafood / Good Showing: Help rebuild/Volunteer; Outlets/ Shopping; Hard Rock Hotel Casino (777 Beach Blvd., Biloxi, 228-374-7625); Beau Rivage Resort & Casino (875 Beach Blvd., Biloxi, 228-386-7111)

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January 28 - February 2, 2010

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BEST BETS January 21 - 28 by Latasha Willis events@jacksonfreepress.com Fax: 601-510-9019 Daily updates at jfpevents.com

COURTESY MARCY NESSEL

The Dixie National Rodeo and Livestock Show continues at the Mississippi State Fair Grounds (1207 Mississippi St). $16, $20, $24 for rodeo; free livestock shows; call 601-961-4000. ... Enjoy the Winter Wine Dinner hosted by Chef Timothy Sims at Huntington’s Grille (1001 E. County Line Road) starting at 6 p.m. Reservations are required. $45; call 601-957-1515. … The D’lo Trio returns to the Cherokee Inn (960 Briarfield Road) to perform at 6:30 p.m. Free. … The comedy stage play “Boeing Boeing” continues nightly at New Stage Theatre (1100 Carlisle St.) through Feb. 7. $22; $18 seniors/students; call 601-948-3533, ext. 226. ... The Peoples play at Fenian’s 9 p.m.-midnight. Free.

at 9 p.m. $5. ... Doug Frank SurRealLife performs at Poets II at 9 p.m. Free.

TUESDAY 2/2

SATURDAY 1/30 The Diabetes Foundation of Mississippi’s Super Conference starts at 7 a.m. at the Marriott Hotel (200 E. Amite St.). Cost includes all sessions and lunch. Space is limited. $25, $40 for two, $10 children 12 and under; call 601-957-7878 or 877-DFM-CURE. ... “Creating New Legacies Inspired by the Dream” at Tougaloo College (500 W. County Line Road, Tougaloo) starts at 1 p.m. at Holmes Hall Auditorium. ... The Enneagram and yoga class with Debi Lewis at Joyflow Yoga (7048 Old Canton Road, Ridgeland) is from 2-5 p.m. $35; call 601-613-4317. ... Singer Robin Thicke performs at Thalia Mara Hall at 8 p.m. $35-$45; visit ticketmaster.com. ... Virgil Brawley performs at The Auditorium at 7:30 p.m. ... Gospoetry at Koinonia Coffee House from 8 p.m.-midnight. $5. ... Scott Albert Johnson performs at Underground 119 from 9 p.m.-midnight. $10.

SUNDAY 1/31 The beer and cheese tasting at Sal & Mookie’s (565 Taylor St.) starts at 4 p.m. Seating is limited; reservations are required. $35; call 601-368-1919. ... The “Pastor Brown” movie screening at New Jerusalem Church (5708 Old Canton Road) starts at 6 p.m. Seating is limited. Free; call 601-371-6772. … The best party of the year, the JFP Best of Jackson Party, at The South (627 E. Silas Brown St.), is from 6-10 p.m. By invitation only. Best of Jackson finalists, please call Kimberly Grifin at 601-362-6121, ext. 11, to get on the VIP list.

MONDAY 2/1 Sherman Lee Dillon performs during the blues lunch at F. Jones Corner at noon. Free. ... Head to Hal & Mal’s for the Central Mississippi Blues Society Jam from 8-11 p.m. $5. ... Open mic at Martin’s at 10 p.m. Free. Artwork by Martha Ferris (pictured), Ginger Williams, Josh Hailey and others will be on display at Fischer Galleries on Feb. 4 during Fondren After 5.

Attend the EITC (Earned Income Tax Credit) Awareness Day and Keep the Change Fair at the Jackson Medical Mall (350 W. Woodrow Wilson Ave.) starting at 10 a.m. Free; call 601-965-1354. ... Renee Fleming performs opera at Thalia Mara Hall at 7:30 p.m. Limited tickets remain. $39-$129; call 601-960-2300 or 877-MS-OPERA; visit msopera.org. ... The Lipizzaner Stallions perform at the Jackson Convention Complex (105 E. Pascagoula St.) at 7:30 p.m. Encore performance on Jan. 30. $20.50-$22.50 plus service charge; call 601960-2321 or 800-882-8258. ... The Fearless Four plays jazz at Underground 119 from 9 p.m.-midnight. $10. ... Simone, A Bullet Well Spent and Vertical Ascent perform during the CD recycling concert at Sam’s Lounge

WEDNESDAY 2/3 Millsaps professor Kristen Oertel discusses her book during “History Is Lunch” at the William F. Winter Archives and History Building (200 North St.) at noon. Bring your own lunch; coffee/water provided. Free; call 601-576-6850. ... Rick Carter performs at Hal & Mal’s at 8 p.m. Free.

THURSDAY 2/4 “Voices from the Past” at the Manship House (420 E. Fortification St.) is from 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Reservations are required. Free; call 601-961-4724. ... Mingle with artists, performers and Jacksonians at Fondren After 5 from 5-8 p.m. in the Fondren neighborhood. ... The “Nudes and Figurative Works” exhibit at Fischer Galleries (3100 N. State St., Suite 101) opens at 5 p.m. Free; call 601-366-8833. ... Watercolors by Darryl Anderson will be at Fondren Art Gallery (601 Duling St.) during Fondren After 5 and throughout the month of February. Call 601-981-9222. ... The Oxford Film Festival at the Malco Oxford Studio Cinema (1111 Jackson Ave. W., Oxford) starts at 8 p.m. and continues through Feb. 7. $10$45; call 877-560-3456. More events and details at jfpevents.com.

Emily Wright, Jessica Wilkinson and Ali Dinkins (pictured, left to right) are three of the cast members of New Stage’s current play, “Boeing Boeing.” COURTESY SHANNON FROST

FRIDAY 1/29

On Groundhog Day, watch Zoey the prairie dog predict the weather at the Jackson Zoo (2918 W. Capitol St.) at 9 a.m. $4-$6, kids 2 and under free; call 601-352-2580. ... “Black History: Road to the Vote” at the Old Capitol Museum (100 S. State St.) starts at 9 a.m. Free; call 601576-6920. ... The financial education seminar at the 3000 Fondren Building (3000 Old Canton Road) starts at 6 p.m. in suite 550. Free; call 601-969-6431. ... The Xtremes perform at Shucker’s from 7-11 p.m. Free. ... Open mic at Café 101 at 7 p.m. $5.

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THURSDAY 1/28

jfpevents JFP SPONSORED EVENTS Best of Jackson 2010 Party Jan. 31, 6-10 p.m., at The South (627 E. Silas Brown St.). The Jackson Free Press will honor local individuals and businesses who were nominated to be award finalists through public voting. Food will be served from 6-8 p.m.; the awards ceremony starts at 8:15 p.m. Complimentary beer, wine and soft drinks will also be served. Must be 18 or older to attend; must be 21 or older to drink. By invitation only; registration is required. Invited guests must print out their e-mail response and be prepared to show it at the door. Limit of two per invite. Finalists who would like to RSVP additional guests must call Kimberly Griffin at 601-362-6121, ext. 11. “Legends Idol: A Tribute to the Kings” Feb. 6, 7 p.m., at the Hilton Jackson (1001 E. County Line Road). The show includes performances by Emilio Donte as Michael Jackson and Shea Arender as Elvis Presley. $22, $32 VIP, $12 children under 13; call 601-53-EVENT. JFP Lounge at the Pi(e) Lounge Feb. 11, 6-10 p.m., at Sal & Mookie’s (565 Taylor St.). Enjoy a special JFP “Creative Class” martini, free munchies, and lots of fellowship with Jackson creatives and progressives. Free admission; call 601-362-6121, ext. 11.

COMMUNITY Dixie National Rodeo and Livestock Show through Feb. 21, at the Mississippi State Fair Grounds (1207 Mississippi St). The month-long event includes horse and livestock shows as well as a rodeo Feb. 11-17 and a parade Feb. 13. $16, $20, $24 for rodeo; free livestock shows; call 601-961-4000. Like Minds THINK Differently Empowerment Seminar Jan. 28, 11:30 a.m., at the Mississippi e-Center @ JSU (1230 Raymond Road). Motivational speaker and consultant Desire’ Hunter gives tips on reaching your goals in 2010. Lunch will be provided. Register by Jan. 25 at desirehunter.com or by calling 601-965-0345. $10 advance, $15 at the door; call 601-454-4171.

THIS WEEK COMMUNITY

HURRICANE ON THE BAYOU Russell C. Davis Planetarium 601-960-1552, www.thedavisplanetarium.com

CULTURE

JAZZ, ART & FRIENDS: NATHANIEL SMITH Mississippi Museum of Art, February 4th, 5:30pm $5.00 MMA Members, $7.00 Non-members 601-960-1515, www.msmuseumart.org

MUSIC

THE FEARLESS FOUR (JAZZ) Underground 119, January 29th, 9pm, $10.00 601-352-2322, www.underground119.com

January 28 - February 2, 2010

DINING

ELITE RESTAURANT Stop by the Elite Restaurant for the Mexican Enchiladas or the Chicken Fried Veal Steak.

Visit www.downtown-jackson.com for a complete calendar. Call 601-353-9800 for calendar information.

6th Annual Great Southern Showcase Jan. 28-30, at New Horizon Christian School (3565 Wheatley St.). This is an opportunity to watch some of the most talented and highly ranked basketball players in the country. Games geing at 1 p.m. daily. Sponsored by the National Post Graduate Athletic Association (NPGAA). $7, $5 students under 18; call 601-238-0849. Senior Care Education Program Jan. 28, 5:307:30 p.m., at Trace Pointe (501 E. Northside Drive, Clinton), in the conference area through the entrance at the Baptist Adult Day Care Center. Obtain resources for caring for loved ones suffering from dementia or other aging-related diseases. Refreshments will be served. Free; call 601-926-1224. Jackson Public Schools 7th Annual Dads of Destiny Conference Jan. 28, 5:45 p.m., at Murrah High School (1400 Murrah Drive). The keynote speaker is retired NFL player and All Pro Dad spokesman Freddie Scott II. On-site registration begins at 4:30 p.m. JPS fathers and father figures are encouraged to pre-register through their child’s school. Free; call 601-960-8878 or 601-960-8885. Winter Wine Dinner Jan. 28, 6 p.m., at Huntington’s Grille (1001 E. County Line Road). Enjoy a four-course wine dinner prepared by Chef Timothy Sims. Reservations are required; $45; call 601-957-1515. Precinct 4 COPS Meeting Jan. 28, 6 p.m., at Redeemer Church (640 E. Northside Drive). These monthly meetings are forums designed to help resolve community issues or problems, from crime to potholes. Call 601-960-0004. “High Noon” Brown Bag Luncheon Jan. 29, noon, at the B.B. King Museum and Delta Interpretive Center (400 Second St., Indianola). Leo Spencer Turnipseed, founder and executive director

of Clean BioFuels Coalition of Mississippi, will discuss alternative fuel sources. Call 662-887-9539. Diabetes Foundation of Mississippi 31st Annual Super Conference Jan. 30, 7 a.m., at the Marriott Hotel (200 E. Amite St.). The patient education event is for individuals with diabetes and their family, friends and health care providers. Speakers include Dr. Ann Albright, Chef Luis Bruno and Dr. Herman Taylor. Group discounts are available. Cost includes all sessions and lunch. Space is limited. $25, $40 for two, $10 children 12 and under; call 601-957-7878 or 877-DFM-CURE. Youth Leadership Training Seminar Jan. 30, 10 a.m., at Operation Shoestring (1711 Bailey Ave.). The topic will be smoking and marijuana. Parents can enroll their children ages 12-18 years old. Free; call 601-353-3663 or 601-957-2969. EITC Awareness Day and Keep the Change Fair Jan. 29, 10 a.m., at the Jackson Medical Mall (350 W. Woodrow Wilson Ave.). Free tax preparation will be available to those with household earnings under $49,000. Receive information on education, banking, health and government assistance programs. Sponsored by United Way and the Jackson Medical Mall Foundation. Free; call 601-965-1354. “Creating New Legacies Inspired by the Dream” Jan. 30, 1 p.m., at Tougaloo College (500 W. County Line Road), Holmes Hall Auditorium. The program will encourage people of all races to face history, share stories, make connections, heal trauma and take action that leads to community and national restoration. Call 312-927-7555. Beer and Cheese Tasting Jan. 31, 4 p.m., at Sal & Mookie’s (565 Taylor St.). Montie Moore will lead the tasting. Seating is limited; reservations are required. $35; call 601-368-1919. Free Tax Counseling and Filing Feb. 1-April 12, at the Richard Wright Library (515 W. McDowell Road). AARP volunteers will complete electronic filings Mondays from 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Bring all necessary documents. Joint filers must come together. Free; call 601-372-1621. USM Nursing Program Information Session Feb. 1, 3 p.m., at the University of Southern Mississippi (1000 Highway 19 North, Meridian). The session is for participants in the masters, Ph.D. and DNP programs in the School of Nursing. Call 601553-3463. Annual Legislative Appreciation Breakfast Feb. 2, 7:30 a.m., at Galloway United Methodist Church (305 N. Congress St.). Mississippi State Hospital and Department of Mental Health employees will gather to honor and thank state legislators for their continued support. Free; call 601-351-8018. “Black History: Road to the Vote” Feb. 2-25, at the Old Capitol Museum (100 S. State St.). This program for school groups provides a glimpse of African-American history in Mississippi, specifically relating to the struggle for voting rights. Sessions are at 9 a.m. and 11 a.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Reservations are required. Free; call 601-576-6920. “Groundhog Day” Feb. 2, 9 a.m., at the Jackson Zoo (2918 W. Capitol St.). Come celebrate and observe Groundhog Day with Zoey the prairie dog, who will predict the rest of this year’s season. $4-$6, kids 2 and under free; call 601-352-2580. Free Tax Counseling and Filing AARP volunteers will complete electronic filings at the following dates and locations. Bring all necessary documents. Joint filers must come together. Free. • Feb. 2-April 13, at Willie Morris Library (4912 Old Canton Road) on Tuesdays from 10 a.m.3 p.m. Call 601-987-8181. • Feb. 2-April 15, at the Clinton Public Library (111 Clinton Blvd.) on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 1-5 p.m. Call 601-924-5684. • Feb. 3-April 14, at the Margaret Walker Alexander Library (2525 Robinson Road) on Wednesdays from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Call 601354-8911.

Carbon Footprint Reduction Workshop: Greening Your Home Feb. 2, 6:30 p.m., at Rainbow Green Services (2807 Old Canton Road). Learn about maintaining your home in an environmentally friendly way. $15; call 601-987-0002. “History Is Lunch” Feb. 3, noon, at the William F. Winter Archives and History Building (200 North St.). Millsaps history professor Kristen Oertel discusses her book, “Bleeding Borders: Race, Gender, and Violence in Pre-Civil War Kansas” and cites Mississippi parallels. Bring your own lunch; coffee/ water provided. Free; call 601-576-6850. “Voices from the Past” Feb. 4-26, at the Manship House (420 E. Fortification St.). Students in grades 3-5 experience the history of their African American ancestors through hands-on activities and a special tour. Call for more information; call 601-961-4724. Fondren After 5 Feb. 4, 5 p.m., in Fondren. This monthly event showcases the local shops, galleries and restaurants of the Fondren neighborhood. Free; call 601-981-9606. Grant Writing for Artists and Arts Organizations Feb. 4, 6 p.m., at the Flowood Library (103 Winners Circle, Flowood). Mississippi Arts Commission staff will present an overview of the agency’s grant programs and other services, followed by an indepth discussion on how to prepare an application for the agency’s upcoming annual grant deadline on March 1. First-time applicants are especially encouraged to attend. Free; call 601-359-6030.

Public Policy Toastmasters Club 8689 Meeting through May 26, at the Jackson State University (1400 Lynch St.). The group meets Wednesdays at the 5:30 p.m. in the Sampson Library auditorium on the second floor. Improve you communication skills and become a better speaker and leader. Membership required. Call for details on membership dues 601-918-8523.

MUSIC Renee Fleming: The Voice of the Century Jan. 29, 7:30 p.m., at Thalia Mara Hall (225 E. Pascagoula St.). This joint production celebrates Mississippi Opera’s 65th anniversary and The University of Southern Mississippi’s centennial. Thirteen local area vocalists will appear onstage with Fleming. Limited tickets remain. $39-$129; call 601-960-2300. American Spiritual Ensemble Jan. 29, 8 p.m., at the Gertrude C. Ford Center for the Performing Arts (100 University Ave., Oxford). The group sings Negro spirituals. $20 mezzanine/balcony, $28 orchestra/parterre; call 662-915-2787.

“Excuse the Interruption” Jan. 29, 6:30 p.m., at the Power Academic and Performing Arts Complex (1120 Riverside Drive). Presented by the Middle School Theater Arts Production, the play explores what happens when students are in a locked-down classroom, unsure of what the lies beyond the door. Written and directed by Dorian Ophelia Myers. $3; call 601-960-5387. Lipizzaner Stallions Performance Jan. 29-30, at the Jackson Convention Complex (105 E. Pascagoula St.). The horses will perform in their 40th anniversary tour. Performances are Jan. 29 at 7:30 p.m. and Jan. 30 at 2 and 7:30 p.m. Tickets available at the Southern Feed & Supply or tickets.com. $20.50$22.50 plus service charge; call 601-960-2321 or 800-882-8258. “Between the Lions” Live Puppet Show Jan. 30, 9:30 a.m., 11:30 a.m., 2 p.m. and 4:30 p.m., at the Mississippi Museum of Art (380 S. Lamar St.) in the Grand Hall. After the show, have a picture taken with the puppets for $10 and go through the exhibition “Jim Henson’s Fantastic World.” $15; call 601-960-1515. “Pastor Brown” Movie Screening Jan. 31, 6 p.m., at the New Jerusalem Church (5708 Old Canton Road). Produced by Rock Capital Studios, the cast includes Sallie Richardson Whitfield, Nicole Arie Parker and Creflo Dollar. This is one of the final screenings before the movie is shown nationwide. Seating is limited. Free; call 601-371-6772. Oxford Film Festival Feb. 4-7, at the Malco Oxford Studio Cinema (1111 Jackson Ave. West, Oxford). The celebration of independent cinema includes: films such as “Wonderful World,” “Bicycle Lane,” “Handmade Nation” and “Cigarette Girl”; a filmmaking workshop; and an awards ceremony. $10$45; call 877-560-3456. “Sea Monsters: A Prehistoric Adventure” MegaHD Cinema through June 30, at the Russell C. Davis Planetarium (201 E. Pascagoula St.). Paleontologists explore sea habitats in search of new fossils and evidence of prehistoric reptiles. $6.50 adults, $5.50 seniors, $4 children; call 601-960-1550.

CREATIVE CLASSES Anusara Yoga Workshop with Noah Maze Jan. 29-31, at Butterfly Yoga (3025 N. State St.). Noah will return to Jackson to lead five classes, including a special teachers’ session on Jan. 29 at 2:30 p.m. Last class ends at 1 p.m. on Jan. 31. $45-$165; call 601-594-2313. Events at Millsaps College (1701 N. State St.). Call 601-974-1130. • Millsaps Enrichment Series: Advanced Precious Metal Clay Jan. 30, 10 a.m. Learn to create fine silver jewelry pieces using precious metal clay. Students will create an enameled pendant or earrings. Seating is limited; bring a sack lunch. $75 enrollment fee plus $70 materials fee. • Millsaps Enrichment Series: “Make It and Take It”: Painted Pots Feb. 4, 6 p.m. Using a

More EVENTS, see page 60

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Precinct 1 COPS Meeting Feb. 4, 6 p.m., at the Jackson Police Department, Precinct 1 (810 Cooper Road). These monthly meetings are forums designed to help resolve community issues or problems, from crime to potholes. Call 601-960-0001.

“Boeing Boeing” Jan. 26-Feb. 7, at New Stage Theatre (1100 Carlisle St.). The 1960’s French farce, adapted for the English-speaking stage, features self-styled Parisian Lothario Bernard, who has French, German and American fiancées, each beautiful airline hostesses with frequent layovers. Performances at 7:30 p.m. Jan. 26-30 and Feb. 3-6; 2 p.m. Jan. 30 and Feb. 7. $22; $18 seniors/students; call 601-948-3533, ext. 226.

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“Are You Acquainted with Fabulous Fondren?” Feb. 4, 6 p.m., at the St. Luke’s United Methodist Church (621 Duling Ave.). During Fondren After 5, Alison Davis, director of the Fondren Renaissance Association, and David Waugh, president of the Fondren Association of Businesses, will expound on what the Fondren has to offer. Free; call 601362-6381.

STAGE AND SCREEN

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“Dressing Professionally Within Your Budget” Seminar Feb. 2, 6 p.m., at the Ridgeland Library (397 Highway 51, Ridgeland). Cassandra HawkinsWilson gives advice on how to dress for an interview and shop for clothes. Free; call 601-856-4536.

CD Recycling Concert Jan. 29, 10 p.m., at Sam’s Lounge (5035 I-55 N. Frontage Road). Recycle your old CDs with touring indie/alt rock bands Simone, A Bullet Well Spent and Vertical Ascent. $5; call 601-983-2526.

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Financial Education Seminar Feb. 2, 6 p.m., at the 3000 Fondren Building (3000 Old Canton Road), Suite 550. Hosted by Consumer Credit Counseling Services of Jackson, certified budget and credit counselors will lead the seminar. This month’s topic is why advance loans and anticipated tax refunds should be avoided. Free; call 601-969-6431.

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Best Place to Get Coffee BEST OF JACKSON 2010

from page 59

terra-cotta flower pot and some unique painting techniques, you will create a beautiful container for yourself or as a gift. $30 enrollment fee plus $15 supply fee. Events at Easely Amused, Flowood (2315 Lakeland Dr., Suite C, Flowood). Call 601-953-9786. • “When the Saints Go Marching In” Feb. 1, 7 p.m. Learn to paint a fleur-de-lis design in New Orleans Saints or Mardi Gras colors. $26.75. • “Poppy Don’t Preach” Feb. 2, 7 p.m. Learn to paint a field of poppies in a contemporary style. $26.75. Stringing Class ongoing, at Dream Beads (605 Duling Ave.). This class is offered every Saturday from 10 a.m. to noon. Free; call 601-664-0411.

LITERARY AND SIGNINGS Events at Lemuria Books (202 Banner Hall, 4465 I-55 North). Call 601-366-7619. • “Little Boy Blues: A Memoir” Feb. 2, 5 p.m. Malcolm Jones signs copies of his book; reading at the 5:30 p.m. $24.95 book. • “I Love You – Now Hush” Feb. 3, 5 p.m. Melinda R. Thompson signs copies of her book; reading at the 5:30 p.m. $16.95 book.

THANK YOU FOR THE BEST OF JACKSON AWARDS NOMINATIONS

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SuperReader 50-State Tour Jan. 30, 10 a.m., at the Eudora Welty Library (300 N. State St.). Mississippi author Floyd “SuperReader” Stokes will read Dr. Seuss books and sing songs. The first 50 children to arrive will receive a free book. Refreshments will be served. Free; call 601-432-6683.

January 28 - February 2, 2010

“Jim Henson’s Fantastic World” through March 14, at the Mississippi Museum of Art (380 S. Lamar St.). This exhibition presents original artwork, including drawings, cartoons, puppets and movie props. $12 adults, $10 seniors, $6 students; call 601-960-1515. The Extreme Designers Fashion Show Jan. 30, 7 p.m., at the Jackson Medical Mall (350 W. Woodrow Wilson Ave.), in the Thad Cochran Center. The event showcases fashion designers, makeup artists and hair designers in Mississippi and beyond. Sponsored by Sanaa Galleries. $12, $15 VIP; e-mail extremedesignershowcase@yahoo.com. “A Walk Through the Arts” Feb. 2, 6 p.m., at the Power Academic and Performing Arts Complex (1120 Riverside Drive). The event includes a chili supper and a silent auction. APAC Fine Arts Tshirts will be for sale. Sponsored by A-Cubed (Artists, Advocates, & Accolades). $5 individuals, $10 immediate families; call 601-960-5387.

Brick Streets Press Short Story Contest through Feb. 1, at the Arts Council of Clinton (P.O. Box 572, Clinton). The contest includes a high-school juniors and seniors category and a category for those in college and beyond. The council will award cash prizes and announce winners April 3 at the Brick Street Press Writers’ Workshop and Awards Reception; winner’s stories will be published in the Winners’ Circle book. Entries must be postmarked by Feb. 1. $5, $15; send an e-mail with any questions to artscouncilofclinton@yahoo.com.

Art Exhibit Feb. 4, 5 p.m., at the Fondren Art Gallery (601 Duling St.). Artwork available for viewing during Fondren After 5. Free; call 601-981-9222.

GALLERIES

“The Mississippi Story” ongoing, at the Mississippi Museum of Art (380 S. Lamar St.). Comprised of artwork from the Museum’s permanent collection, The Mississippi Story reveals the remarkable history of visual arts in the Magnolia State. Free; call 601960-1515.

Renaissance Fine Arts Festival Call for Entries through Jan. 31, at the Renaissance at Colony Park (1000 Highland Colony Parkway, Ridgeland). The entries will be displayed during the Renaissance Fine Arts Festival May 22-23. $8,500 in cash prizes will be awarded. An online application is required at zapplication.org. $30 entry fee, $250 booth fee if juried; call 800-468-6078. Belhaven Faculty Exhibition through Feb. 15, at Belhaven University’s Bitsy Irby Visual Arts and Dance Center (1500 Peachtree St.). The exhibit features paintings, drawings, sculpture and photography by the Belhaven Visual Arts faculty. Free; call 601-965-7026. Glass Exhibit through March 31, at the Pearl River Glass Studio (142 Millsaps Ave.). Recent work by Andrew Cary Young and other studio artists will be on display. Free; call 601-353-2497.

“Just Dance” through April 30, at the Arts Center of Mississippi (201 E. Pascagoula St.). To commemorate the International Ballet Competition’s return to Jackson, the Greater Jackson Arts Council is calling for entries to its juried invitational in media such as painting, drawing, photography, sculpture, film/ video, mixed media and installation. Only photos, digital prints or digital files will be accepted; no slides or original artwork. Artists may submit up to three entries. Samples will not be returned. Contact the GJAC for official entry forms. $25 entry fee; call 601-960-1557.

2010 Exhibits at One Blu Wall (2906 N. State St.). Featured artists throughout 2010 include Katie Drummonds, Kyle Goddard, Allan Inman, LaTricia Graves and more. Photography by Christina Cannon, Howard Barron, Roy J. Gattuso, Gerard L. Howard, William Patrick Butler and others will also be on display. Free; call 601-713-1224.

EXHIBITS AND OPENINGS “Back to Nature” through Feb. 1, at the Mississippi Museum of Natural Science (2148 Riverside Dr.). Photographers are invited to submit photos of scenes from around and inside the Mississippi Museum of Natural Science, with the winners receiving awards and having their work displayed in the museum. Free; call 601-354-7303.

Art Exhibit Feb. 4, 5 p.m., at Brown’s Fine Art (630 Fondren Pl.). Open for Fondren After 5. Call 601982-4844. Nudes and Figurative Works Feb. 4, 5 p.m., at Fischer Galleries (3100 N. State St., Suite 101). Paintings, sculptures and other media work from artists such as Ginger Williams, Ellen Rodgers and Josh Hailey will be on display during Fondren After 5. Free; call 601-291-9115.

Icons of the Permanent Collection ongoing, at the Mississippi Museum of Art (380 S. Lamar St.). Paintings of the American landscape by artists such as John Marin, Will Henry Stevens and Kate Freeman Clark are on display. A 14-panel panorama by William Dunlap can be viewed in the Trustmark Grand Hall. Free; call 601-960-1515. Check jfpevents.com for updates and more listings. To add an event, e-mail all details (phone number, start/ end date and time, street address, cost, URL, etc.) to events@jacksonfreepress.com or fax to 601-510-9019. Deadline is noon the Thursday prior to the week of publication. Or, add the event online yourself; check out jfpevents.com for instructions.

BE THE CHANGE Goodwill Art Show Feb. 1-Feb. 21, at the Arts Center of Mississippi (201 E. Pascagoula St.). Over 200 artists with disabilities will showcase their artwork. Each contestant can enter up to three works in several categories, including watercolor, drawing and sculpture. The show is juried and awards will be given for each category. Artwork submissions are being accepted Jan. 19-22 from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. in the Greater Jackson Arts Council office. The awards ceremony is Feb. 21 at the 2 p.m. Free; call 601-960-1557.

SUPER BOWL PARTY 601.362.0313 BANDS/DJS FOR HIRE Disc Jockey (DJ) Service Professional DJ - 20 Years Experience - Holiday Parties/Weddings/Birthdays/Private Parties, Lights/Fog/Etc available, Photography Services Available, Live Band Availble (601) 850-4380

GEAR Wanted - Baritone Bugle Looking for B-ﬂat Marching Baritone Bugle in good condition. Reasonably-priced. Please call 769-232-2415 Bach stradivarius trombone Bach Stradivarius professional trombone w/ F -rotary valve, Excellent condition. Dynamic tonal quality. $1,600.00 Call:- 769 232 2415 Bass gear Quality professional gear. Swr Silverado combo. 350 watts RMS. $400. New aoustic 200 watt bass head $200. Two Swr 1 15’ and horn cabinets $250 ea. Loud and Clean Sold seperately or together. (601) 214-4412 Professional Sound Engineers Need sound equipment or just a couple of engineers at your next event call Daniel 601.488.0436 any venue large or small anywhere in the south. Complete PA Huge carvin pa for sale, all accessories, cables, processors, mics, stands, lights, amps, etc. Over $20,000 in gear to sell for best offers. Equipment is in as new condition. (225) 341-9391 Guitar Gear - Must Sell!! Vox AD120VTH Valvetronix Stereo Head $400, 1x12 and 2x12 cabinets- $80-$125. (601) 540-1739 Baby Blue Electric Bass Baby Blue Electric Bass, Excellent condition ’75 Fender Music Master, short scale. $600.00 ﬁrm. Call Tim or email reeves@cgdsl.net (601) 665-5976

MISCELLANEOUS Need A Few Good Musicians Interested in helping to set up music non-proﬁt organization (centered around the blues) for disadvantaged youths in the jackson metropolitan area? If so, i am looking to talk to you. Need musicians who can teach everything from banjo, guitar, dobro, mandolin, ﬁddle, accordion, harmonica, piano, etc., Etc. Come be a part of this great project! (601) 924-0210.

MUSICIANS AVAILABLE Party time I’m a 29 yo drummer. I primarily like hard rock and heavy metal. Hit me up at DrumminD21311@aol.com. (769) 798-8370 Drummer Available Mature/seasoned drummer available. Have played everything from country to Christian Contemporary. Would like to join existing band or form new one with seasoned musicians ONLY...no beginners please! Would like to play classic rock, blues and/or contemporary. Call if interested. (601) 613-5835

Looking to Start Band I am a bass player new in town and am looking to start a band in the Jackson area. I need a guitarist, drummer and lead vocals. No specific genre is preferred, but the band will be based on rock and metal (no death or black metal). I’ve played in several bands and played out hundreds of times and am able to get gigs. If interested or for more info please call Chris @ 386-365-2944 Drummer Available 41 Year old drummer looking to play with existing group or start one. Great love for the instrument and really want to put something together for fun and profit (gigs 1-3 month). Rock, classic rock, pop, jazz, and swing. Good chops and attitude, no ego, just want to play. Call bill @ 601-955-7924 or e-mail at wricha2796@aol. Com. (601) 955-7924 Female Vocalist Seeking Band I am a 16-year-old female vocalist seeking a synthpop or rock band. Ages of band members preferrably 25 years or younger due to parental objections. Contact by email at freezepopforever1029@hotmail.com. Old Drummer Available! Drummer available: most recently, i have played with the veterans of foreign bars band. Interested in playing blues, funk, soul, maybe country. I am an older guy and settled in for the duration. I would be interested in a steady band, fill-in, and, possibly, a new start-up. Let me hear: mcdrum89@yahoo.Com or call 601-832-0831 Musician Available 25 Years experience playing Drums, Guitar & Bass. Recently relocated to Jackson from Memphis, TN. All genres of music. Contact Tim at 601-665-5976. Or email: reeves@cgdsl.net Serious inquires only. Drummer Looking For Band I’m an experienced drummer looking to form/join a band. I have mostly played metal, but I am open to rock/hard rock/metal, etc. Call Dave at (769) 226-0845.

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MUSICIANS WANTED Deathcore guitarists Metal band looking for 2 exp’d guitarists. Inﬂuences include WhiteChapel, Carnifex, Opeth, etc. Call David for more info (601) 201-3815 Metal Singer & Bassist Wanted AnnX is looking for a Experienced Energetic METAL Vocalist and a Bass Player to play shows and write new material. (601) 383-4851 New band Experienced bass player/vocal and sound engineer/keyboard are forming a rock band. We are seeking experienced musicians to join. +30 age preferred. Open to music from 1960’s to current day. Must own equipment and no illegal habits. Call Charles at (601) 898-1628 or Gary at (601) 850-4380 Become our Next Instructor Major Scales Studio is accepting applications for a classical or rock or jazz guitar teacher. Must have professional appearance. Please email your resume to Majorscales@aol.com. Cellist Needed For Album/tour Cellist needed for my album and possibly to tour shortly after. I am signed with South City Records. I need to start recording ASAP! Must be reliable and dedicated. Please contact me at scorpiano31@gmail.com Drummer/Bassist needed - Metal We are in need of a drummer and a bassist. Experience in metal (death, black, etc.) is preffered, but not completely necessary. Call Buddy at (601)5025647. Thanks for reading. -Buddy

“Fondren Guitars Buys Guitars.” Looking for band mates? Wanting to sell your gear? Advertise here for free! Visit JFP Classifieds.com. If you are interested in sponsoring the Musicians Exchange call JFP Sales at 601-362-6121

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TATER FAMINE

THE COLONELS @ 9:30

2 for 1 Domestics TUESDAY - FEBRUARY 2 POOL LEAGUE NIGHT 2636 S. Gallatin Jackson, MS 39204

601-961-4747 www.myspace.com/popssaloon SATURDAY

1/30

GOOD ENOUGH FOR GOODTIMES (MEMBERS OF GALACTIC & CHARLIE HUNTER TRIO) SUNDAY

2/1

OPEN MIC JAM TUESDAY

2/2

MATT’S LATE NIGHT KARAOKE $2 MARGARITAS $1 HIGHLIFE & PBR

January 28 - February 2, 2010

WEDNESDAY

JAN. 28, THURSDAY F. Jones Corner - Sherman Lee Dillon (blues lunch) free Fenian’s - The Peoples (rock/blues) 9-12 a.m. free Hal & Mal’s - Dixie Nationals Underground 119 - Howard Jones Jazz 5:45-7 p.m. free; Lisa Mills (blues) 8-11 p.m. 930 Blues Cafe - Jackie Bell, Norman Clark & Smoke Stack Lightning 8 p.m. $5 Footloose - Karaoke 8-12 a.m. Cherokee Inn - D’lo Trio (Americana) Regency Hotel - Karaoke 7 p.m. Castaways - Karaoke 6-10 p.m. Fitzgerald’s - Adib 8-12 a.m. AJ’s Seafood - Hunter Gibson 6:30-10 p.m. free Huntington’s - Jimmy Jarrett 6-9 p.m. Time Out - Shaun Patterson 9 p.m. Poets II - Karaoke 10 p.m. Electric Cowboy - DJ Cadillac (country/dance/rock) 9 p.m. McB’s - Karaoke 7 p.m. free Eli’s Treehouse, V’burg - Karaoke 8 p.m.

1/31

KARAOKE MONDAY

JAN. 27, WEDNESDAY Fire - Sister Hazel (rock) 9 p.m. myspace.com/sisterhazel Underground 119 - Ben Payton (acoustic blues) 8-11 p.m. Fenian’s - Open Mic Contest Winner 9-12 a.m. free Hal & Mal’s Restaurant - Taylor Hildebrand 8 p.m. free Shucker’s - DoubleShotz F. Jones Corner - Sherman Lee Dillon (blues lunch) free Pelican Cove - Karaoke Contest 6-10 p.m. Fitzgerald’s, Hilton - Hunter Gibson & Rick Moreira 8-12 a.m. free Huntington’s - Adib 6-9 p.m. Kathryn’s - Larry Brewer 6:30-9:30 p.m. Ole Tavern - Karaoke The Auditorium - Karaoke 9-12 a.m. Footloose - Karaoke 8-12 a.m. free Time Out - Shaun Patterson Electric Cowboy - Karaoke McB’s - Houseband 7 p.m. free Eli’s Treehouse, V’burg - Karaoke 8 p.m. Lyric, Oxford - Gov’t Mule

2/3

LADIES NIGHT LADIES DRINK ALL YOU CAN 8PM-12AM FOR $5 - NO COVER 214 S. STATE ST. • 601.354.9712 DOWNTOWN JACKSON WWW.MARTINSLOUNGE.NET

JAN. 29, FRIDAY

TOPTEN SONGS THIS WEEK 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

MUDVAYNE – Scream With Me SLIPKNOT - Snuff CAVO - Crash PUDDLE OF MUDD - Spaceship THREE DAYS GRACE - Break SKILLET - Monster SHINEDOWN – If You Only Knew CHEVELLE – Letters From A Thief JANUS – Eyesore ALICE IN CHAINS – Your Decision

Thalia Mara Hall - Miss. Opera w/Renee Fleming & USM Symphony Orchestra: Voice of the Century 7:30 p.m. $39-$129 www.msopera.org Ole Tavern - Passenger Jones, Glasgow 10 p.m. Martin’s - Tater Famine (country-acoustic-punk) 10 p.m. www.taterfamine.com Fenian’s - Mike & Marty (classic rock) 9-12 a.m. free F. Jones Corner - Sherman Lee Dillon (blues lunch) free; Sherman Lee Dillon’s Miss. Sound w/ Jesse Smith 11:30-4 a.m. $5 Underground 119 - The Fearless Four (jazz) 9-12 a.m. $10 Pelican Cove - Eric & Lou 6-10 p.m.

1/27 2/03 1/30 2/04 2/09 2/10 2/13

The Auditorium - “Big Juv” Brawley (blues/rock) 7:30-9 p.m. free Fire - Soul Skard, Centerpeace 10 p.m. myspace.com/ theofficialsoulskard Soulshine, Old Fannin - Scott Albert Johnson (roots/juke) 7 p.m. Poets II - Doug Frank SurRealLife (blues/rock) 9 p.m. www.myspace.com/dougfrankmusic Sam’s Lounge - Simone, A Bullet Well Spent, Vertical Ascent 9 p.m. $5 930 Blues Cafe - Blues/Jazz 5:30-8 p.m.; Jackie Bell, 9 p.m. $10 Schimmel’s - Dr. D (blues) 6-9 p.m. free McB’s - Intangibles 8-11:30 p.m. Electric Cowboy - DJ Terry (country/dance/rock) 9 p.m. Cultural Expressions - Reggae/HipHop/Old School Night 9 p.m. $5 Fitzgerald’s - Tonya Youngblood 8-12 a.m. Huntington’s - Ralph Miller 6-9 p.m. Haute Pig - Larry Brewer 6-9 p.m. Regency - Faze 4 Hunt Club - Snazz $5 Kathryn’s - Fulkerson/Pace 7-10 p.m. Footloose - Karaoke 9-1 a.m. free Dick & Jane’s - Show Night/DJ Allen 9 p.m. $6; 18+ $10 Reed Pierce’s - Yankee Station RJ Barrel, Canton - Emma Wynters 7 p.m. Ameristar, V’burg - Party Planet 8 p.m.

JAN. 30, SATURDAY Thalia Mara Hall - Robin Thicke (Soul/R&B) 8 p.m. $35-$45 robinthicke.com Martin’s - Good Enough for Good Times (members of Galactic & Charlie Hunter Trio) 10 p.m. www.myspace.com/ goodenoughforgoodtimes Fenian’s - Brian Jones (rock) 9-12 a.m. free Underground 119 - Scott Albert Johnson (roots/juke) 9-12 a.m. $10 Hal & Mal’s Restaurant - Vernon Brothers (Bluegrass) 8 p.m. free Hal & Mal’s Red Room - Horse Trailer 9 p.m. $5 Ole Tavern - Sawyer Family+ 10 p.m. McB’s - PFC 8-11:30 p.m. Pelican Cove - Welch-McCann 6-10 p.m. 930 Blues Cafe - Blues/Jazz 5:30-8 p.m.; Jackie Bell, 9 p.m. $10 Schimmel’s - Houserockers (blues) 10-2 a.m. $5 myspace.com/ thehouserockers Cultural Expressions - Kamikaze & Yardboy (hip-hop/Soul) 9 p.m. $5 Electric Cowboy - DJ Terry (country/dance/rock) 9 p.m. Regency - Faze 4 Touch Nightclub - DJ 2 Tall 10 p.m. 18+ Fitzgerald’s - Tonya Youngblood 8-12 a.m. Footloose Bar, Hwy 80 - Doug Frank SurRealLife (blues/rock) 9 p.m. www.myspace.com/ dougfrankmusic Hunt Club - Snazz $5

Gov’t Mule - Lyric, Oxford G Love & Special Sauce - Lyric, Oxford Fiery Furnaces - One Eyed Jack’s, New Orleans The Residents - Hi-Tone, Memphis John Mayer / Michael Franti - BJCC Arena, Birmingham RJD2 - Lyric, Oxford Black Eyed Peas - BJCC Arena, Birmingham

Huntington’s - Ralph Miller 6-9 p.m. Dick & Jane’s - House Party/DJ Allen 9 p.m. $6; 18+ $10 Club Clarion - DJ Koinonia Coffee - Gospoetry 8-12 p.m. $5 Reed Pierce’s - Rainmakers (classic rock) 9-1 a.m. Ameristar, V’burg - Party Planet 8 p.m.

JAN. 31, SUNDAY Warehouse - Mike & Marty Open Jam Session 6-10 p.m. free Fitzgerald’s - Andy Hardwick (brunch) 11-2 p.m. Sophia’s, Fairview Inn - Knight Bruce 11 a.m. (brunch) Shucker’s - Rhythm Masters 3-7 p.m. free Martin’s - Karaoke 6 p.m. Pelican Cove - Dennis Key 2-6 p.m. The Hill - Open Blues Jam 6-11 p.m. Footloose - Karaoke 7-11 p.m. free Cultural Expressions - Open Mic Poetry 8 p.m. $5

FEB. 1, MONDAY Hal & Mal’s Restaurant - Central Miss. Blues Society Jam 8-11 p.m. $5 F. Jones Corner - Sherman Lee Dillon (blues lunch) free Martin’s - Open Mic 10 p.m. free Fenian’s - Karaoke 8-1 a.m.

FEB. 2, TUESDAY Hal & Mal’s Restaurant - Pub Quiz 8 p.m. Fenian’s - Open Mic 9 p.m. F. Jones Corner - Sherman Lee Dillon (blues lunch) free Martin’s - Karaoke 10 p.m. Shucker’s - The Extremez 7:30-11:30 p.m. free Fitzgerald’s - Rainmaker’s 8-12 a.m. Time Out - Open Mic 8 p.m. McB’s - Karaoke 7 p.m. free Cafe 101, 101 South St - Open Mic (blues/poetry) 7 p.m. $5, 601-353-0434 Final Destination - Open Mic

FEB. 3, WEDNESDAY Fenian’s - Open Mic Contest Winner 9-12 a.m. free Hal & Mal’s Restaurant - Rick Carter (of Rollin in the Hay) 8 p.m. free F. Jones Corner - Sherman Lee Dillon (blues lunch) free Pelican Cove - Karaoke Contest 6-10 p.m. Kathryn’s - Larry Brewer 6:30-9:30 p.m. Ole Tavern - Karaoke The Auditorium - Karaoke 9-12 a.m. Hunt Club - Broxton $5 Footloose - Karaoke 8-12 a.m. free Electric Cowboy - Karaoke McB’s - Houseband 7 p.m. free Eli’s Treehouse, V’burg - Karaoke 8 p.m. Lyric, Oxford - G Love & Special Sauce

venuelist Wednesday, January 27th Footloose Bar and Grill 4661 Hwy 80 West, Jackson, 601-922-9944 Freelon’s Bar And Groove 440 N. Mill St., Jackson, 601-353-5357 (hip-hop) Fusion Coffeehouse Highland Colony Parkway, Ridgeland, 601-856-6001 Garfield’s Restaurant & Pub 6340 Ridgewood Court, Jackson, 601-977-9920 Gold Strike Casino 1010 Casino Center Drive, Robinsonville, 888-245-7529 Grand Casino Biloxi 280 Beach Boulevard, Biloxi, 228-436-2946 Grand Casino Tunica 13615 Old Highway 61 North, Robinsonville, 800-39-GRAND The Green Room 444 Bounds St., Jackson, 601-713-3444 Ground Zero Blues Club 0 Blues Alley, Clarksdale, 662-621-9009 Grownfolks’s Lounge 4030 Medgar Evers Blvd, Jackson, 601-362-6008 Hal & Mal’s 200 S. Commerce St., Jackson, 601-948-0888 (pop/rock/blues) Hamp’s Place 3028 W. Northside Dr., Jackson, 601-981-4110 (dance/dj) Hard Rock Biloxi 777 Beach Blvd., Biloxi, 228-374-ROCK Hat & Cane 1115 E. McDowell Rd., Jackson, 601-352-0411 Hauté Pig 1856 Main St., Madison, 601853-8538 Here We Go Again 3002 Terry Road, Jackson, 601-373-1520 The Hill Restaurant 2555 Valley St., Jackson, 601-373-7768 Horizon Casino Mulberry Lounge 1310 Mulberry St., Vicksburg, 800-843-2343 Horseshoe Bar 5049 Hwy 80 West, Jackson, 601-922-6191 Horseshoe Casino Tunica, 800-303-7463 The Hunt Club 1525 Ellis Ave., Jackson, 601-944-1150 Huntington Grille 1001 E. County Line Rd., Jackson, 601-957-1515 The Ice House 515 S. Railroad Blvd., McComb, 601-684-0285 (pop/rock) JC’s 425 North Mart Plaza, Jackson, 601-362-3108 James Meredith Lounge 217 Griffith St. 601-969-3222 Julep Restaurant and Bar 105 Highland Village, Jackson, 601-362-1411 Kathryn’s Steaks and Seafood 6800 Old Canton Road, Ridgeland. 601-956-2803 Koinonia Coffee House 136 S. Adam St., Suite C, Jackson, 601-960-3008 LaRae’s 210 Parcel Dr., Jackson, 601-944-0660 Last Call Sports Grill 1428 Old Square Road, Jackson, 601-713-2700 The Library Bar & Grill 120 S. 11th St., Oxford, 662-234-1411 The Loft 1306 A. Washington St., Vicksburg, 601-629-6188 The Lyric Oxford 1006 Van Buren Ave., Oxford. 662-234-5333 Main Event Sports Bar & Grill 4659 Hwy 80 West, Jackson, 601-922-9987 Manda’s Pub 614 Clay Street, Vicksburg, 601-638-6607 Martin’s Lounge 214 S. State St., Jackson, 601-354-9712 (rock/jam/blues) McB’s Restaurant 815 Lake Harbor Dr., Ridgeland, 601-956-8362 (pop/rock) Mellow Mushroom 275 Dogwood Blvd., Flowood, 601-992-7499 Mississippi Academy of Ancient Music 103 Magnolia, Edwards, 601-977-7736 Mississippi Coliseum 1207 Mississippi St., Jackson, 601-353-0603 Mississippi Opera P.O. Box 1551, Jackson, 877-MSOPERA, 601-960-2300 Mississippi Opry 2420 Old Brandon Rd., Brandon, 601-331-6672 Mississippi Symphony Orchestra 201 East Pascagoula St., Jackson, 800-898-5050 Mississippi Veterans Memorial Stadium 2531 N. State St., Jackson, 601-354-6021 Monte’s Steak and Seafood 1855 Lakeland Dr., Jackson, 601-362-8182 Mugshots 1855 Lakeland Dr., Jackson, 601-713-0383 North Jackson Pockets 109 Culley Dr., Jackson, 601- 362-4939 Okasions 1766 Ellis Avenue, Jackson, 601-373-4037 Old Venice Pizza Co. 1428 Old Square Rd., Jackson, 601-366-6872

Ole Tavern on George Street 416 George St., Jackson, 601-960-2700 Olga’s 4760 I-55 North, Jackson, 601-366-1366 (piano) One to One Studio 121 Millsaps Ave., in the Millsaps Arts District, Jackson One Blue Wall 2906 N State St., Jackson, 601-713-1224 Peaches Restaurant 327 N. Farish St., Jackson, 601-354-9267 Pelican Cove 3999A Harborwalk Dr., Ridgeland, 601-605-1865 Pig Ear Saloon 160 Weisenberger Rd., Gluckstadt, 601-898-8090 Pig Willies 1416 Washington St., Vicksburg, 601-634-6872 Pool Hall 3716 I-55 North Frontage Rd., Jackson, 601-713-2708 Pop’s Saloon 2636 Gallatin St., Jackson, 601-961-4747 (country) Proud Larry’s 211 S. Lamar Blvd., Oxford, 662-236-0050 The Pub Hwy. 51, Ridgeland, 601-898-2225 The Quarter Bistro & Piano Bar 1855 Lakeland Dr., Jackson, 601-362-4900 Que Sera Sera 2801 N. State St., Jackson, 601-981-2520 Red Room 200 S. Commerce St., Jackson (Hal & Mal’s), 601-948-0888 (rock/alt.) Reed Pierce’s 6791 Siwell Rd., Byram, 601-376-0777, 601-376-4677 Regency Hotel Restaurant & Bar 420 Greymont Ave., Jackson, 601-969-2141 Rick’s Cafe 318 Hwy 82 East, #B, Starkville, 662-324-7425 RJ Barrel 111 N. Union 601-667-3518 Sal and Mookie’s 565 Taylor St. 601368-1919 Sam’s Lounge 5035 I-55 N. Frontage Rd., Jackson, 601-983-2526 Sam’s Town Casino 1477 Casino Strip Blvd., Robinsonville, 800-456-0711 Schimmel’s Fine Dining 2615 N. State St., Jackson, 601-981-7077 Scrooge’s 5829 Ridgewood Rd., Jackson, 601-206-1211 Shuckers on the Reservoir 116 Conestoga Rd., Ridgeland, 601-853-0105 Silver Star Casino Hwy. 16 West, Choctaw, 800-557-0711 Soop’s The Ultimate 1205 Country Club Dr., Jackson, 601-922-1402 (blues) Soulshine Pizza 1139 Old Fannin Rd., Brandon, 601-919-2000 Soulshine Pizza 1111 Highland Colony Parkway, Ridgeland, 601-856-8646 Sportsman’s Lodge 1220 E. Northside Dr. at I-55, Jackson, 601-366-5441 Steam Room Grille 5402 Interstate-55 Frontage Road. 601-899-8588 Stone Pony Oyster Bar 116 Commercial Parkway, Canton, 601-859-0801 Super Chikan’s Place 235 Yazoo Ave., Clarksdale, 662-627-7008 Thalia Mara Hall 255 E. Pascagoula St., Jackson, 601-960-1535 Thirsty Hippo 211 Main St., Hattiesburg, 601-583-9188 (indie/alt.rock/jam/world) Time Out Sports Bar 6270 Old Canton Rd., 601-978-1839 Touch Night Club 105 E. Capitol St., Jackson, 601-969-1110 Two Rivers Restaurant 1537 W. Peace St., Canton, 601-859-9979 (blues) Two Sisters Kitchen 707 N. Congress St. 601-353-1180 Two Stick 1107 Jackson Ave., Oxford, 662-236-6639 Tye’s 120 N. Congress St., Jackson, 601949-3434 Under the Boardwalk 2560 Terry Rd., Jackson, 601-371-7332 (country/classic rock) Underground 119 119 S. President St. 601352-2322 VB’s Premier Sports Bar 1060 County Line Rd., Ridgland, 601-572-3989 VFW Post 9832 4610 Sunray Drive, Jackson, 601-982-9925 Vicksburg Convention Center 1600 Mulberry Street, Vicksburg, 866-822-6338 Walker’s Drive-In 3016 N. State St., Jackson, 601-982-2633 (jazz/pop/folk) The Warehouse 9347 Hwy 18 West, Jackson, 601-502-8580 (pop/rock) Wired Expresso Cafe 115 N. State St. 601-500-7800

LADIES NIGHT w/ SNAZZ Ladies’ Cover Free - Guys Cover $5

8:30PM

Soulshine pizza would like to extend their thanks to everyonewho voted for us as a finalist for best pizza in Best of Jackson 2010!

FIRST PLACE FIRST PLACE in best of jackson in 2003,2004, 2005 & 2007

BUY ONE GET ONE Well Drinks Thursday, January 28th

Bike Night w/ Krazy Karaoke 7:00 PM - NO COVER

$2 MARGARITAS! Friday & Saturday, January 29th & 30th

Faze 4 Come byandtastethe pizzas that have made soulshine Jackson’s BEST for nine yearsand counting!

8:30 pm $5

Exquisite Dining at

The Rio Grande Restaurant

Voted“Best pizza in Mississippi” by mississippi magazine

TWO LOCATIONS

(601) 919-2000 Old FANNIN ROAD / Reservior

(601) 856-8646 THE TOWNSHIP AT COLONY PARK

www.soulshinepizza.com we cater in the metro area!

400 Greymont Ave., Jackson 601-969-2141 www.regencyjackson.com

2/7/10 - SAINTS VS. COLTS TAILGATE PARTY ON THE BIG SCREEN IN OUR PARKING LOT! lunch specials $7.95 - includes tea & dessert

Smoke-free lunch

weekdays 11am-3pm

WED.

LADIES NIGHT & KARAOKE

GO S! SAINT

Home Cookin’-Hot Lunches-Game Room-Cold Beer

THURS. $2 DOMESTICS LONGNECKS

FRI. THE WELCH BAND

9:30 - 1:30 NO COVER CHARGE

COLLEGE NIGHT BRING STUDENT ID

SAT.

THANK YOU FOR the Best of Jackson Votes

NCAA

BASKETBALL

MON. S.I.N. NIGHT

TUES. JACKPOT TRIVIA $2 DOMESTICS

, BLOODY MARYS & MIMOSAS $3 SUN. 2 FOR 1 MON., $1.50 PINTS THURS., ES $10 DOMESTIC BUCKETS DURING GAM

Mondays & Thursdays 4 p.m. - close

$2 Domestics 601-362-6388 1410 Old Square Road • Jackson

jacksonfreepress.com

61 South - Rainbow Casino 1380 Warrenton Rd., Vicksburg, 800-503-3777 88 Keys 3645 Hwy. 80 W in Metrocenter, Jackson, 601-352-7342 930 Blues Cafe 930 N. Congress St., Jackson, 601-948-3344 Alamo Theatre 333 N. Farish St, Jackson, 601-352-3365 Alley Cats 165 W. Peace St., Canton, 601-855-2225 Alumni House Sports Grill 574 Hwy. 50, Ridgeland, 601-855-2225 America Legion Post 1 3900 W. Northside Dr., Jackson, 601-605-9903 Ameristar Casino, Bottleneck Blues Bar 4146 Washington St., Vicksburg, 800-700-7770 Beau Rivage Casino 875 Beach Blvd., Biloxi, 800-566-7469 Belhaven College Center for the Arts 835 Riverside Dr, Jackson, 601-968-5930 Beef ‘O’ Brady’s 111 Colony Crossing, Suite 130, Madison, 601-607-3171 Bennie’s Boom Boom Room 142 Front St., Hattiesburg, 601-408-6040 Borrello’s 1306 Washington St., Vicksburg, 601-638-0169 Buffalo Wild Wings 808 Lake Harbour Dr., Ridgeland, 601-856-0789 Capri-Pix Theatre 3021 N. State St., Jackson, 601-981-9606 Castaways 135 Madison Landing Circle, Ridgeland, 601-856-1680 (pop/rock) Central City Complex 609 Woodrow Wilson Dr., Jackson, 601-352-9075 Cerami’s 5417 Highway 25, Flowood, 601-919-2829 Char Restaurant 4500 I-55, Highland Village, Jackson, 601-956-9562 Cherokee Inn 1410 Old Square Rd., Jackson, 601-362-6388 Club 43 Hwy 43, Canton, 601-654-3419, 601-859-0512 Club City Lights 200 N. Mill St., Jackson, 601-353-0059 Club O’Hara 364 Monticello St., Hazlehurst, 601-894-5674 Club Total 342 N. Gallatin St., Jackson, 601-714-5992 The Commons Gallery 719 N. Congress St., 601-352-3399 Couples Entertainment Center 4511 Byrd Drive, Jackson, 601-923-9977 Crawdad Hole 1150 Lakeland Dr., Jackson, 601-982-9299 Crickett’s Lounge 4370 Hwy 80 West, Jackson, 601-922-0500 Crossroads Bar & Lounge 3040 Livingston Rd., Jackson, 601-984-3755 (blues) Cultural Expressions 147 Millsaps Ave., Jackson, 601-665-0815 (neosoul/hip-hop) Cups in Fondren 2757 Old Canton Road, Jackson, 601-362-7422 (acoustic/pop) Cups in the Quarter 1855 Lakeland Dr., Jackson, 601-981-9088 Davidson’s Corner Market 108 W. Center St., Canton, 601-855-2268 (pop/rock) Debo’s 180 Raymond Road, Jackson, 601-346-8283 Diamond Jack’s Casino 3990 Washington Street, Vicksburg, 1-877-711-0677 Dick & Jane’s 206 Capitol St., Jackson, 601-944-0123 (dance/alternative) Dixie Diamond 1306 Washington Street, Vicksburg, 601-638-6297 Dollar Bills Dance Saloon 103 A Street, Meridian, 601-693-5300 Edison Walthall Hotel 225 E. Capitol St., Jackson, 601-948-6161 Electric Cowboy 6107 Ridgewood Rd., Jackson, 601-899-5333 (country/rock/dance) elixir 4800 1-55 N, Jackson, 601-981-7896 Executive Place 2440 Bailey Ave., Jackson, 601-987-4014 F. Jones Corner 303 N. Farish St. 601983-1148 Fenian’s 901 E. Fortification Street, Jackson, 601-948-0055 (rock/Irish/folk) Fire 209 Commerce St., Jackson, 601592-1000 (rock/dance/dj) Final Destination 5428 Robinson Rd. Ext., Jackson, (pop/rock/blues) Fitzgerald’s Martini Bar 1001 E. County Line Road, Jackson, 601-957-2800 Flood’s Bar and Grill 2460 Bailey Ave., Jackson, 601-713-4094

sports

by John Yargo

TWO FREE DRAFT BEER MUGS When you buy any menu item over $8 after 8pm every Fri. and Sat.

COURTESY OLE MISS

Dribble Drive Motion Watch all games for the NFL Sunday Ticket, ESPN Game Plan, and the NFL Channel here! 14 TVs - 1 projector screen - 2 big screens

Daily Lunch Specials - $9 Happy Hour Hour Everyday Everyday 4-7 4-7 Happy LIVE MUSIC Every Tues. thru Sat. LATE NIGHT HAPPY HOUR Sun. thru Thurs. 10pm - 12am Two-for-One, YOU CALL IT! “BADGE SPECIAL” Military, Fire, Police, & Emergency Personnel 2-for-1 drinks all day, everyday!

601.978.1839 6270 Old Canton Rd. Jackson, MS 39211

January 28 - February 2, 2010

CHEERS!

Thanks for the votes and a great 2009. We look forward to serving you in 2010! 4949 Old Canton Road | 601-956-5108

www.briarwoodwineandspirits.com NATHAN S. M CHARDY & LESLEY M C HARDY OWNERS & SOMMELIERS

Ole Miss basketball coach Andy Kennedy, left, with player Zach Graham.

tarting this Thursday, Ole Miss begins a 12-game run that will determine its seeding in the SEC Tournament. After playing Auburn and Arkansas, a highly anticipated matchup against John Calipari’s top-ranked Kentucky team looms for Andy Kennedy’s squad. Ole Miss is ranked 22nd and appears to be the strongest team Kentucky will face in their conference. The Rebels, though, were not competitive in losses to two elite Big East teams: Villanova and West Virginia. Next Tuesday, they will be expected to lose against the winningest program in college basketball history, the undefeated Kentucky Wildcats, in Lexington. But the course of college basketball is predictably unpredictable. In fact, it was a seemingly innocuous dinner conversation seven years ago between two perfect strangers—a head coach at Fresno City College and a bottomed-out NBA coach—that has tilted the balance of power in college basketball. Calipari had already passed through a job at the University of Massachusetts and had failed as a head coach for the New York Knicks. He was struggling to return to the sport’s elite, as he had done at UMass. Vance Walberg, an ambitious head coach at Fresno City College, was visiting his friend, Hubie Brown, and found an eager student in Calipari. (At the time, Hubie Brown was the coach of the Memphis Grizzlies, and Calipari was coaching the University of Memphis Tigers.) Though neither coach seems to remember what kind of meal was served, it was their mutual appetite for basketball that sparked an impromptu study session. Walberg explained to me: “I never met John before that introduction. But we instantly had a great relationship with each other because we both love the game and have a passion to get better. I did not go to visit John to show him my offense; I went there to learn.” Calipari quickly turned the tables on his new friend. He became curious about the offense Walberg designed at Fresno’s Clovis West High School and developed at Fresno City College. Walberg had conceived the offense to fit the unique abilities of the

high school and community college players he drew from the impoverished San Joaquin Valley. In designing the “dribble drive motion,” he took the disciplined, slow-paced Princeton offense and turned its principles into the framework for a dynamic and potent offensive system. That style took Calipari’s Memphis team from a regular 20-win Conference-USA champion to the brink of a national championship in 2008. With the dribble-drive-motion offense, Calipari took Memphis to the national stage. Though acknowledged as a brilliant recruiter, Calipari deserves more credit for his flexibility. “The area where John is further ahead of most is that he had the vision to see how this offense could help him in the long run and he was not afraid of trying it,” Walberg explained to me. “Most coaches would not have changed his style like he did.” When I asked Walberg about the offense he designed, he disclaimed the more popular name, “dribble drive motion,” preferring the acronym, AASAA. “AASAA means Attack, Attack, Skip, Attack, Attack,” he says. “The offense is predicated on attacking the hoop and getting to the free-throw line. You’re not going to get to the hoop on the first or second attack on any good team, so you have to be persistent. People have a thought that the dribble drive is a lot of dribbling. It really isn’t. It is a lot of attacking and it doesn’t consist of just dribble, dribble, dribble.” Tuesday’s game might not hinge on how the Rebels stymie Kentucky’s attacking offense, though. By failing to score at least 70 points in three of their conference losses, she Rebels’ offense has been the problem. In the last three games, though, point guard Chris Warren (16.6 points per game, 3.5 assists per game) has matured into the team’s offensive leader. The teams’ last two victories have been keyed by Warren’s improving range. Anthony Kennedy has seen progress in his relatively mature team, observing that the offense “is evolving.” Ole Miss is primed to hand Kentucky its first loss of the year. Their starters have almost twice as much experience as Kentucky. As of this printing, Ole Miss is on a two-game winning streak, with double-digit victories over possible NCAA Tournament teams South Carolina and LSU. Unfortunately, holding a late lead has not necessarily portended good things for the Rebels (Tennessee). Warren and the Rebels seem to thrive when down by a few baskets in the late minutes (Southern Miss, UTEP), but counting on a dramatic comeback against the Wildcats would be disastrous. Though the SEC is underperforming this year, Ole Miss has the ability to go deep in the NCAA Tournament. Or they could be another of the Tournament’s first-round casualties. Either way, Tuesday’s game in Lexington will mark the upper limit of what they can accomplish.

Doctor S sez: The Saints aren’t playing this week, but they’re still the biggest sports story in these parts. THURSDAY, JAN. 28 Men’s college basketball, Arkansas at Mississippi State (8 p.m., Starkville, ESPN or ESPN2, 105.9) and Ole Miss at Auburn (8 p.m., Auburn, Ala., ESPNU, 97.3 FM): What idiot came up with this schedule? Bulldog and Rebel fans don’t want to watch each other’s teams, anyway. FRIDAY, JAN. 29 College baseball, Mobile at Belhaven (3 p.m., Smith-Wills Stadium, Jackson): The boys of winter hit the diamond. Bundle up, folks. … College basketball, Sewanee at Millsaps (women, 6 p.m. and men, 8 p.m., Jackson): The Majors and Majorettes host a SCAC doubleheader at The Hangar. SATURDAY, JAN. 30 Men’s college basketball, Mississippi State at LSU (12:30 p.m., Baton Rouge, La., Ch. 12, 105.9 FM, 103.9 FM): The Bulldogs battle the Bayou Bengals in Red Stick. … Arkansas at Ole Miss (3 p.m., Oxford, Ch. 12, 97.3 FM): The Razorbacks roll into the Tad to face the Rebels. You can only take this alliteration so far. … Belhaven at Tougaloo (7 p.m., Jackson): The Blazers call on the Bulldogs in an intracity GCAC matchup. … Jackson State at Mississippi Valley State (7:30 p.m., Itta Bena, 620 AM): The Tigers invade the Delta Devils’ personal slice of hell. Burn, baby, burn. SUNDAY, JAN. 31 NFL football, Pro Bowl (6:30 p.m.): Every NFL player wants to be chosen for this game, but none of them want to play in it. Moving it away from Hawaii probably isn’t going to increase participation. MONDAY, FEB. 1 Men’s college basketball, Jackson State at Arkansas-Pine Bluff (7:30 p.m., Pine Bluff, Ark., 620 AM): The Tigers visit the Golden Lions in a SWAC feline fight. TUESDAY, FEB. 2 Men’s college basketball, Ole Miss at Kentucky (6 p.m., Lexington, Ky., ESPN, 97.3 FM): The Rebels haven’t had much luck in the Wildcats’ lair. WEDNESDAY, FEB. 3 Men’s college basketball, Mississippi State at Vanderbilt (7 p.m., Nashville, Tenn., Ch. 12, 105.9 FM): MSU’s women’s team has already beaten Vandy twice this season. The Bulldogs would settle for just one victory. The Slate is compiled by Doctor S, who hates the Saints haters (and you know who you are). Come find the love at JFP Sports at www.jacksonfreepress.com.

BY MATT JONES

QUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): n the coming week, I predict that you will NOT experience disgusting fascinations, smiling-faced failures, sensationalized accounts of useless developments or bizarre fantasies in the middle of the night. You may, on the other hand, have encounters with uplifting disappointments, incendiary offers of assistance, mysterious declarations of interdependence, and uproars that provoke your awe and humility in healing ways. In other words, Aquarius, it’ll be an uncanny, perhaps controversial time for you—but always leading in the direction of greater freedom.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20):

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22):

Congrats on your growing ability to do more ﬂoating and less thrashing as you cascade down the stream of consciousness. I think you’re ﬁnally understanding that a little bit of chaos isn’t a sign that everything’s falling apart forever, the entire planet’s crashing and evil is in ascension, but rather that a healthy amount of bewildering unpredictability keeps things fresh and clean. My advice is to learn to relax even more as you glide with serene amusement through the bubbling and churning waters of life.

French novelist Gustave Flaubert (1821-1880) is generally regarded as one of the greats. His book, “Madame Bovary” appears on many lists of the greatest novels of all time. And yet writing didn’t come especially easy for him. He worked as hard as a ditch-digger. It wasn’t uncommon for him to spend several agonizing days in squeezing out a single page. On some occasions he literally beat his head against a wall, as if trying to dislodge the right words from their hiding place in his brain. He’s your role model in the coming week, Virgo. You can create something of value, although it may require hard labor.

Shakespeare got modest respect while he was alive, but his reputation as a brilliant bard didn’t gel right away. It wasn’t until almost 50 years after he died that anyone thought his life and work were notable enough to write about. By then, all his colleagues and compatriots were gone, unable to testify. He himself left little information to build a biography around. That’s why next to nothing is known about the person who made such a dramatic impact on the English language and literature. I suggest you take this as a metaphorical prod that will inspire you not to be blasé about the greatness that is in your vicinity. Don’t take superlative intelligence, talent or love for granted. Recognize it, bless it, be inﬂuenced by it.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): You are the lord of all you survey—I swear to God. I’m almost tempted to say that you now have the power to command whirlwinds and alter the course of mighty rivers. At the very least you will be able to mobilize the ambition of everyone you encounter and brighten the future of every group you’re part of. Act with conﬁdent precision, Taurus! Speak with crisp authority. Your realm waits expectantly for the transformative decisions that will issue from the fresh depths of your emotional intelligence.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): It’s time for you to fly away—to flee the safe pleasures that comfort you as well as the outmoded fixations that haunt you, to escape at least one of the galling compromises that twists your spirit as well as a familiar groove that numbs your intelligence. In my astrological opinion, Gemini, you need to get excited by stimuli that come from outside your known universe. You need fertile surprises that motivate you to resort to unpredictable solutions.

CANCER (June 21-July 22): “I never meet anyone who admits to having had a happy childhood,” writer Jessamyn West said. “Everyone appears to think happiness betokens a lack of sensitivity.” I agree, and go further. Many creative people I know actually brag about how messed up their early life was, as if that was a crucial ingredient in turning them into the geniuses they are today. Well, excuse me for breaking the taboo, but I, Rob Brezsny, had a happy childhood, and it did not prevent me from becoming a sensitive artist. In fact, it helped. Now I ask you, my fellow Cancerian, whether you’re brave enough to go against the grain and confess that your early years had some wonderful moments? You’re in a phase of your cycle when recalling the beauty and joy of the past could be profoundly invigorating.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): Usually I overﬂow with advice about how to access your soul’s code. I love to help you express the unique blueprint that sets you apart from everyone else. Every now and then, though, it’s a healing balm to take a sabbatical from exploring the intricacies of your core truths. This is one of those times. For the next ten days, I invite you to enjoy the privilege of being absolutely nobody. Revel in the pure emptiness of having no clue about your deep identity. If anyone asks, “Who are you?” relish the bubbly freedom that comes from cheerfully saying, “I have no freaking idea!”

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): My theory is that right now the whole world is in love with you. In some places, this simmering adoration is bordering on infatuation. Creatures great and small are more apt than usual to recognize what’s beautiful and original about you. As a result, wonders and marvels are likely to coalesce in your vicinity. Is there anything you can do to ensure that events unfold in ways that will yield maximum beneﬁts for everyone concerned? Yes. Be yourself with as much tender intensity as you can muster.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): I hope that you saw the horoscope I wrote for you last week. And I hope that you acted on my advice and refrained from all sweating and striving and struggling. These past seven days were designed by the universe to be a time for you to recharge your psychic battery. Assuming that you took advantage of the opportunity, you should now be ready to shift gears. In this new phase, your assignment is to work extra hard and extra sweet on yourself. By that I mean you should make your way down into your depths and change around everything that isn’t functioning with grace and power. Tweak your attitudes. Rearrange your emotional ﬂow. Be an introspective master of self-reﬁnement.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): This horoscope borrows from one of my favorite Sagittarian visionaries, Jonathan Zap. The advice he gives below, which is in accordance with your astrological omens, is designed to help you avoid the fate he warns against. Here it is: “Many of the signiﬁcant problems in our lives are more about recognizing the obvious rather than discovering the mysterious or hidden. One of the classic ways we deceive and hide from ourselves is by refusing to recognize the obvious, and shrouding what is right before us in rationalization and false complexity. We often delay and deny necessary transformation by claiming that there is a mysterious answer hidden from us, when actually we know the answers but pretend that we don’t.” (More at bit.ly/ZapOracle and Zaporacle.com.)

“Best of the Decade, Pt.1”— starting with 2000-2001. Across 1 Health services provider for seniors 9 Goa garments 14 Vaporize 15 Dog tag, e.g.: abbr. 16 OutKast album that rated #1 on Metacritic’s Top Albums of 2000 17 Island in the Mediterranean 18 It can get high every day 19 Spine-chilling 21 Yellowﬁn tuna variety 22 Denom. of South Carolina’s Allen University 23 His “Goblet of Fire” was Amazon.com’s #1 best-selling book of 2000 26 Language that gives us “schadenfreude” 28 Pissed-off looks 29 Confesses (to) 33 H, in a fraternity 34 With “The,” sitcom that made Time’s 10 Best TV Series of 2001 list 38 Bolivian president Morales 39 “Pig’s blood at the prom” movie 40 Be ready for 43 May-December difference, perhaps

47 Gamespy.com’s PC Game of the Year, 2001 51 Junkyard dog’s warning 52 Former Texas Rangers pitcher Kameron 53 Swedish politician Olof assassinated in 1986 54 “Knowing” star Nicolas 55 Talk show ending in 2011 57 Compact that made Car & Driver’s Best Car of 2001 list 60 Rhone tributary 61 Complaint when the lights are out 62 Belly button that collects lint 63 Bases, chemically speaking

Down

©2009 Jonesin’ Crosswords (editor@jonesincrosswords.com) For answers to this puzzle, call: 1900-226-2800, 99 cents per minute. Must be 18+. Or to bill to your credit card, call: 1-800-6556548. Reference puzzle #0445.

Last Week’s Answers

1 Personal period 2 Dodgy sort? 3 Comedian Cook 4 Tats 5 Fortune magazine subj., perhaps 6 “Up” actor Ed 7 More wintry 8 Sweetums 9 San ___, CA (Hearst Castle locale) 10 Palindromic Oklahoma city 11 Be sympathetic with

BY MATT JONES

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): It’s a good time to take inventory of all the stories you allow to pour into your beautiful head. Do you absorb a relentless stream of fear-inducing news reports and violent movies and gossipy tales of decline and degeneration? Well, then, guess what: It’s the equivalent, for your psyche, of eating rotting bear intestines and crud scraped off a dumpster wall and pitchers full of trans fats from partially hydrogenated oil. But maybe, on the other hand, you tend to expose yourself to comedies that loosen your ﬁxations and poems that stretch your understanding of the human condition and conversations about all the things that are working pretty well. If so, you’re taking good care of your precious insides—you’re fostering your mental health. Now please drink in this fresh truth from Nigerian writer Ben Okri: “Beware of the stories you read or tell; subtly, at night, beneath the waters of consciousness, they are altering your world.”

Read all your long-term horoscopes here: http://bit.ly/BigLife. Then write your own long-term horoscope. Share it at Truthrooster@gmail.com.

Last Week’s Answers

“Greater-Than Sudoku” For this “Greater-Than Sudoku”, I’m not givin’ you ANY numbers to start off with! Adjoining squares in the grid’s 3x3 boxes have a greater-than sign (>) telling you which of the two numbers in those squares is larger. Fill in every square with a number from 1-9 using the greater-than signs as a guide. When you’re done, as in a normal Sudoku, every row, column, and 3x3 box will contain the numbers 1-9 exactly one time. (Solving hint: try to look for the 1’s and 9’s in each box ﬁrst, then move on to the 2’s and 8’s, and so on).

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ARIES (March 21-April 19):

12 How sugar is sometimes served 13 Elevator alternative 16 Men-only 20 Numerical Internet addresses: abbr. 23 Kate Hudson’s mom Goldie 24 Years, to Nero 25 [snicker] 27 Angel in Mormon history 30 “Hey, wait a ___!” 31 “Kill Bill” star Thurman 32 Course goal 34 Belize’s capital 35 She sings “Don’t Cry for Me, Argentina” 36 Ending for demo or Dixie 37 “Ah, whatever” follower 40 House Speaker Nancy 41 Greek god with a lyre, to the French 42 Grp. once battled by Jesse Helms 44 Showed up on (the cover of) 45 Defends one’s side 46 Current Palm products 48 Like Santa’s helpers 49 Oil company that merged with BP 50 Played on TV Land 54 “___ fan tutte” 56 Folk rocker DiFranco 58 CSI sample 59 U.S. consumer protection agcy.

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After receiving a report of a City Transfer truck broken down outside Renton, Wash., state police arrived to find a 19-year-old Tacoma man claiming the truck had run out of gas. At the same time, a City Transfer worker reported spotting the stalled vehicle, saying it had been stolen from City Transfer yard in Sumner. Shortly after police arrived, a City Transfer worker who witnessed the theft arrived and identified the 19-year-old as the thief. After the suspect’s arrest, Trooper Dan McDonald said the truck hadn’t run out of gas; the suspect had filled it with unleaded gas instead of diesel fuel. (Associated Press)

Where’s Waldo? Five years after Mark Weinberger, 46, fled from justice, authorities found him living in a tent high up in the Italian Alps, surviving on dried and canned food and snow he melted on a portable stove. Sought by U.S. law enforcement for performing unnecessary surgery to defraud insurance companies, Weinberger ran a clinic in Merrillville, Ind., and earned $200,000 a week before he wound up on the FBI’s most-wanted list, according to his abandoned wife, Michelle. He had been sighted as far away as China before two Carabinieri officers located him atop Mount Blanc. After his capture, Weinberger asked to use the lavatory, where he pulled a hidden knife and cut his throat. Despite being an expert surgeon and an ear, nose and throat specialist, he missed the artery he ap-

peared to be aiming for and was treated for a minor wound. (New York’s Daily News)

Justice Just Isn’t Munir Hussain, 53, fought off three knife-wielding intruders who broke into his home and threatened him, his wife and children, then chased them down the street in Buckinghamshire, England, joined by his brother. They managed to bring down one of the fleeing men, Walid Salem, and conked him on the head with a cricket bat. Salem, who has 50 previous convictions, received a two-year supervision order, but Munir Hussain was sentenced to 30 months in prison, and his brother, Tokeer Hussain, got 39 months, both for using excessive force. (The Independent)

Exploding Underpants Aftermath Full body scanners being introduced at British airports to improve security may be breaking that nation’s child pornography laws. Terri Dowty of Action for Rights of Children warned that the scanners could violate the Protection of Children Act of 1978, which makes it illegal to create an indecent image or a “pseudo-image” of a child. Dowty and others want the government to exempt people under 18 from the scans. (The Daily Telegraph) Compiled from mainstream media sources by Roland Sweet. Authentication on demand.

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