BEST OF THE UPPER EAST SIDE OF TEXAS
county line JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2018
M A G A Z I N E
MARDI GRAS LET THE GOOD TIMES ROLL
FAT TUESDAY FEAST
Around the World in Two Days WWW.COUNTYLINEMAGAZINE.COM
Andy Warhol Hank O’Neal James Surls Blaze Foley Matthew McConaughey Freeze Your Fanny Cultural Diversity Remembering Columbia
CONTENTS 8
22
THE ARTS 26 Rediscovering Andy Warhol in Longview, McKinney Performing Arts Center, Portraits of Jews in Shreveport, and Yayoi Kusama in Dallas.
STAGE 28 H enderson County Performing Arts Center Shares Season of Classics.
LITERARY
29 Pulpwood Queens and Timber Guys meet in Nacogdoches and Jeff Campbell pens “My Morning Ride.” 30 Photographer and author Hank O’Neal has a new book and a photo exhibit highlighting his East Texas roots.
FILM
32 James Surls documentary, Mars Colony of East Texas, Ethan Hawke’s Blaze, and catching up with Matthew McConaughey.
MUSIC
34 Round up of Grammy nominees with ties to the Upper East Side of Texas.
46
FOOD & DRINK
36 Shreveport food and drink reviews just in time for Fat Tuesday.
COUNTY LINE KIDS
42 Robotics made in Greenville help kids get excited about learning.
FEEL GOOD 44 Freeze Your Fanny and other winter bike rides. 46 Women of different cultures are gathering in Tyler to discover commonalities. BEST OF THE UPPER EAST SIDE OF TEXAS
county line JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2018
FEATURES
8 Best of the Upper East Side County Line’s annual awards for the Best of the region.
DEPARTMENTS 5 Editor’s Note & Letters
THIS TIME OF YEAR
16 Tenaha, Timpson, Bobo, and Blair.
18 Mardi Gras Celebrations
Numerous Fat Tuesday parades and parties are taking place in the region. By Tracy Torma
22 Around the World in Two Days
A trip around the region takes in towns with European names including Athens, Paris, Naples, Geneva, and Moscow. By Tracy Torma
17 Hemphill Remembers NASA Tragedy.
M A G A Z I N E
MARDI GRAS LET THE GOOD TIMES ROLL
FAT TUESDAY FEAST
CULTURE & ENTERTAINMENT
21 Olympian Jackie Joyner-Kersey speaks in Longview.
SEE WEBSITE EXTRAS! www.CountyLineMagazine.com 4 • COUNTYLINEMAGAZINE.COM • JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2018
Around the world in two days
COUNTYLINEMAGAZINE.COM
Andy Warhol Hank O’Neal James Surls Blaze Foley Matthew McConaughey Freeze Your Fanny Cultural Diversity Remembering Columbia
COVER: Athens Brewing Co., downtown Athens. Photo by Tracy Torma
county line Since 2000
MAGAZINE
EDITOR’S NOTE Dear Readers, Welcome to the 18th year of County Line Magazine! There are certainly many changes we’ve seen over the years most notably that there’s an ever-increasing list of fun things to do and see and good food to eat. The annual Best of the Upper East Side of Texas highlights many of these and there are so many more gems in the region to experience. I always start making a list of all the places I want to visit about this time every year and this one is no exception. I am genuinely excited about the places we’ll go!
Serving those living & playing in the Upper East Side of Texas
PUBLISHER & MANAGING EDITOR P.A. Geddie COPY EDITORS Steve Freeman Tracy Torma
CONTRIBUTORS Gaile Robinson Jeff Campbell Hollis Shaden Stuart Whitaker Tyler Tindall
County Line Magazine is reaffirming our commitment in 2018 to highlight our small towns and countryside as well as the special things we find in our larger towns and the metroplex. Our readers like to travel to other towns within and nearby the region for “staycations” and weekend getaways. For those of us that live in small towns and country, it’s just part of what we do — it keeps things interesting.
DESIGN & PRODUCTION P.A. Geddie Krista Leard
ADMINISTRATION Misty Florey
pa.geddie@countylinemagazine.com
SUBSCRIPTIONS info@countylinemagazine.com County Line Magazine is published every other month, 6 times a year. Subscription costs: $15 per year. Bulk rate postage paid at Ben Wheeler, Texas. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to County Line Magazine, P.O. Box 608, Ben Wheeler, TX 75754. Contents COPYRIGHT 2018 County Line all rights reserved. Material may not be reproduced without written permission. Opinions expressed in articles or advertising appearing in this magazine do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher. Mailing address: P.O. Box 608, Ben Wheeler, TX 75754 Phone: 903.963.8306. E-mail: info@countylinemagazine.com Website: www.countylinemagazine.com. Free listings are entered on a space available basis. Advertising space may be purchased by calling 903.963.8306. We reserve the right to refuse any advertisement we deem incompatible with our mission.
Thank you so much for the incredible story. (July/August 2017: Predictions Are Good for Old Omen). We’re both so excited and proud we can hardly stand it. And the writing on the story was so lovely and elegant and accurate. Cannot thank you enough for such a superb story. Old Omen Band Tyler
(RE: Sissy Spacek Takes Quitman Roots to Hollywood Fame and an Ordinary Life in the Hills of Virginia, CL Archives: May Texans for the Texans forArts the Arts 2012) over 20 years, For over For 20 years,
has consistently worked to: worked to: has consistently
Protect Hotel Occupancy Tax (HOT) arts funding
Protect Hotel Occupancy Tax (HOT) arts funding
Sissy became friends with my twin sisters who lived in Mineola: Brenda and Linda Blackmon. Linda ran into Sissy in a WalMart not many years back, and Sissy remembered her. We are proud of you, Sissy, but most of all for remembering the value in your roots of growing up in a small town. We grew up in Mineola and it holds such amazing memories that kids no longer experience. (It was the life before electronics.) I loved
Increase funding for the Texas Commission on the Arts
Increase funding for the Texas Commission on the Arts
The Official Arts Advocacy
arts leaders, committed supporters, and citizen activists like Texans for the Arts is at the forefront of empowering artists, you! Together we can amplify our powerful voices to increase artsboth leaders, publiccommitted and private supporters, resources to and buildcitizen strong,activists dynamic, like you!andTogether can amplify our powerful creative we communities all across Texas. voices to increase
Expand the conversation about the vital role the arts Expand theand conversation play in our schools communities about the vital role the arts
in our and schools communities Support play tax policies otherand measures that help artists arts organizations and Support tax policies and other measures that help
Advocateartists for increased for the National and artsfunding organizations Endowment for the Arts and for federal policies that Advocate for increased funding for the National support artists and arts organizations.
both public and private resources to build strong, dynamic, and creative communities all across Texas.
CHECK OUT COUNTY LINE DIGITAL PUBLICATIONS www.CountyLineMagazine.com
This year’s Best Slogan comes from Denison: “Moving Forward. Kicking Back.” I think that pretty much sums up the whole region. The world is getting smaller as they say and in this issue we take a trip around the world without leaving Texas. It’s fun to discover European-named communities and what they have to offer. We’re also getting ready for Mardi Gras in the region along with our Louisiana neighbors and we’ve even crossed over the county line into Shreveport to sample some of their best food and drinks just in time for Fat Tuesday. Laissez les bons temps rouler in 2018! P.A. Geddie
LETTERS
ADVERTISING
TheOrganization Official Arts Advocacy for Texas Organization for Texas Texans for the Arts is at the forefront of empowering artists,
Our readers have sophisticated tastes, love art and good music, are happy to know our neighbors, and fully embrace the need for honoring our history while always moving towards better lives for ourselves and others.
Endowment for the Arts and for federal policies that support artists and arts organizations.
running barefoot on the hot-oil-topped road and looking for shady spots to cool off a minute. Lainey West Van A couple visited the museum a few weeks ago and they mentioned that County Line was their favorite magazine and that this is their source as they travel through East Texas to enjoy museums and culture. Thank you for all you do to bring the arts to life. Tiffany Nolan Jehorek Longview Museum of Fine Arts
Please feel free to send us your comments. County Line Magazine P.O. Box 608, Ben Wheeler, TX 75754 email: info@countylinemagazine.com Find us on Facebook and Twitter. Go to LETTERS on www.countylinemagazine.com.
JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2018 • COUNTYLINEMAGAZINE.COM • 5
Best of the Upper East Side of Texas In its 14th year now, County Line Magazine’s annual survey keeps uncovering more and more local gems in the Upper East Side of Texas. Nominations more than doubled this year showing that our region continues to grow as a Texas treasure with delicious food, wonderful attractions and beautiful backdrops, one-of-a-kind shops, exciting entertainment, and many talented individuals. This year’s winners represent a great selection of the Best in the Upper East Side of Texas.
Best Barbecue TIE Big Smith’s BBQ, Sulphur Springs. Who needs the frills? This humble restaurant serves straight-on good BBQ and fixings, as well as home-fried potato chips and delicious desserts. 4858 Texas 154 South. 903.438.1547.
Texas Bar-B-Que Corral, Mount Vernon. Customers rave about the smoked brisket, but there’s more! Try the ham, turkey, ribs, sausage, downhome sides and a loaded baked potato. 201 I-30 Frontage Road. 903.537.4848. Honorable Mention: Cowburners, Mineola Hall of Fame: Stanley’s Famous Pit Bar-B-Q
Breakfast
The Cake Lady Bakery Cafe, Mount Vernon. Find out what the locals already know. For fluffy pancakes, filling eggs and bacon, biscuits and gravy, or melt-in-your-mouth cinnamon rolls, head to this family-run eatery. 209 Main Street. 972.948.8636. Honorable Mention: Spit and Whittle Cafe, Winnsboro
Best Brew
What are the odds that two winning breweries are located at the same address in different towns? Athens Brewery Co. is located at 101 East Tyler Street in Athens and Oil Horse Brewing Co. is at
101 West Tyler Street in Longview! Sounds like an East Meets West brew challenge is in order.
Under 50k
Athens Brewery Co., Athens. Rave reviews for Athens Brewery Co. state good beer and food, friendly staff, and laid-back atmosphere that encompasses a historic building and courtyard in downtown Athens. They also have live music. The ABC Nitro Stout is tasty and not too heavy and others really like their IPAs. Included on the menu is Apricot Ale, The Funk, Wit of Premonition, Red Dog Red IPA, Piney Woods DIPA and homemade root beer. 101 East Tyler Street. 903.952.7493. athensbrewingco.com. Honorable Mention: Pittsburg Feed & Seed/ Anvil Brewing, Pittsburg
Over 50k
Oil Horse Brewing Co., Longview. Beer fans love this place. The house brews — including an Irish red, a Texas brown, and a pale ale — are complemented by seasonal favorites. Regulars recommend the milk stout and the “Lavender Ossamus.” 101 West Tyler Street. 903.241.4686. oilhorsebrewing.com.
Best Catfish
Vaughan’s Catfish Restaurant, Pittsburg/ Lake Bob Sandlin. For those who like the view of a lake with their seafood, this place is the full package. The catfish comes in whole or filet portions, and on Thursdays the “All You Can Eat” option is specially priced for seniors and kids 12 and under. 741 County Road 2920. 903.572.3474. Honorable Mentions: AJ’s, Lake Fork; Sidekicks, Emory; Seth’s Lake Fork Creek; and The Marina at Lake Cypress Springs
Best Chicken Fried Steak
Lone Star Republic Steakhouse, Winnsboro. The chef here gets rave reviews for their “gourmet” take on this Texas classic. It’s deep-fried to golden crunchiness and covered in sage gravy. 206 Market Street. 903.347.6526. lonerepublicsteakhouse.com. Honorable Mention: The Fatted Calf, Rockwall Pier 101, Rockwall
Best Coffee
Speakeasy, Quitman. Besides the usual “suspects” like Americano and hand-crafted espresso, the latte line-up includes creations named Al Capone, Greta Garbo and others. 103 North Main Street. 903.760.2739. speakeasycoffee.net. 8 • COUNTYLINEMAGAZINE.COM • JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2018
Honorable Mentions: Book Club Café, Rockwall; Coffee off the Square, Sulphur Springs; Jo’s Downtown, Mount Pleasant; Watermelon Mills, Mount Vernon; and Clean Brew, Van, (a combination laundry mat/coffee bar).
Best Hamburger Under 50k
While Athens may be the home of the original hamburger, Winnsboro is certainly the place for burger lovers to go for delicious and unusual choices in three restaurants in the downtown arts district, which earned the town a three-way tie this year. The Barrel House Bar & Grill. When a standard burger won’t do, try this restaurant’s creation with smoked Gouda cheese, bacon, fried egg, lettuce, onion and avocado. 204 Market Street. 903.347.1282. Rooster Café. Look no further than the newly famous Winnsburger to satisfy that hunger. It’s made with brisket, short rib, and chuck combined. 111 East Broadway Street. 214.762.8901. Lone Republic Steakhouse & Bar. True Texans love the mouth-watering flamegrilled burger choices like the Alamo, Santa Anna, and the Republic burger. 206 Market Street. 903.347.6526. lonerepublicsteakhouse. com. Honorable Mentions: The Liberty Bell, Nacogdoches; Boots Burger, Rockwall; The Dairy Bar, Mount Vernon; The Forge, Ben Wheeler; and East Texas Burger Company, Mineola Hall of Fame: Dairy Palace, Canton
Over 50K
Jucy’s, Tyler. A traditional tasty burger at a good price sets this restaurant apart. There are plenty of other options on the menu, but people keep coming back for the burgers. 2330 East 5th Street and 6421 Old Jacksonville Highway. 903.939.2395. jucyshamburgers.com.
Best Malt Shop
Spurlock’s Malt Shop, Anna. It’s not uncommon to hear a friend say “Get your own” when considering sharing at this ‘50s-style shop. The 15 flavors include marshmallow, pumpkin spice, banana, coffee, and peppermint. 504 North Powell Parkway. 972.924.7217. spurlocksdrivein.com.
Best Pie
Bonafide Bettie’s Pie Company, Rockwall. The mathematical formula “pi r squared” simply won’t be heard here. There’s nothing “square” about such creations as Merry
Cranberry, Boozy Betty, or Hott Mess, a buttermilk pie with coconut pecan praline topping. 103 S. San Jacinto. 970.692.1457. bonafidebettiespieco.com. Honorable Mentions: Ain’t Just Pie, Greenville; Ganny’s, Winnsboro; Odie Fae’s, Omaha; and Oxbow Bakery, Palestine
Best Pizza Under 50k
Steve O’s, Mount Vernon. Located on the downtown square, Steve-O’s Pizza and Pub gets great reviews for its pizza, friendly staff and live music. And don’t forget to order the fried pickles. 114 East Main Street. 903.270.2515 Honorable Mentions: Arturos, Sulphur Springs; Nardello’s, Mount Pleasant
Over 50K
Roast Social Kitchen, Tyler. Eclectic brickoven pizzas, small plates and a full bar in a convivial, industrial-chic atmosphere, Roast Social features great pizza, freshly prepared with handmade dough and loaded with unique toppings roasted fresh onsite daily. 1125 E 5th Street. 903.202.0295. roastsocialkitchen.com.
Best Produce
Efurd’s, Pittsburg. What started out as a simple family business in a little dirt-floor shed has quickly grown to a national operation with customers all over the country. Owners Greg and Amy Efurd provide the freshest fruits and vegetables at great prices. Call ahead to check produce availability. 4004 US-271. 903.856.2253. efurdorchard.com.
Best Restaurant Under 50k
Love and War in Texas, Lindale. Serving up Texas food, heritage, and music, diners won’t find “sushi” or “Alaskan snow crab” on the menu. They stick with tried and true Texas Gulf seafood, and Texas grown produce and meats. They have an all-Texas wine list and a collection of Texas beers. Texas singer-songwriters are featured every week. The space is large with several choices for seating on a patio, at indoor picnic tables, in a dining room or the bar. It’s also attached to Miranda Lambert’s store, The Pink Pistol, so diners can easily shop a bit before or after their meal. 114 East North Street, Suite 4. 430.235.2100. Loveandwarintexas.com Honorable Mentions: 107 Paris Texas; Roosters, Winnsboro; KenSal’s Cuckoo Nest, Mount Vernon; Odie Fae’s, Omaha
Over 50k
The Grove Kitchen and Gardens, Tyler. The
ambience at The Grove makes diners feel like any day is a special event. They feature chef-crafted menus with made-from-scratch meals that promise to take the best of healthy and mix it with updated Southern comfort. On the grounds is a place for playing games like corn hole and shuffleboard, an amphitheater for live music and performances, and outdoor seating. Inside facilities include the main dining area with wallto-wall glass to view the beautiful outdoor area, the Smoke Shack with Texas barbecue, and an impressive bar lounge with a cozy fire. 3500 Old Jackson Highway. 903.939.0209. thegrovetyler.com.
Best Salad
Zanata, Rockwall. This is not the first time Zanata in historic downtown has claimed the Best Salad prize – they beat out the competition in 2013 as well. They continue to listen to what customers want and today offer delicious flavor combinations including Spinach & Gorgonzola Salad (pecans, dates, pears, grapes), “Z” House Salad (figs, candied pistachios, red onions, feta cheese, cabernet vinaigrette), Brushetta Salad (avocado, tomato, mozzarella, bacon, toasted ciabatta), Steak Salad (roasted jalapenos, crumbled blue cheese, avocado, tomatoes, buttermilk chive dressing), Crab Salad (field greens, toasted pine nuts, strawberries, mozzarella, red onion) and not your average Chopped Chicken Salad (roasted butternut squash, cranberries, walnuts, goat cheese, balsamic vinaigrette). 202 East Rusk Street. 972.722.2822. zanatas.com.
Best Sandwich
Pint and Barrel Drafthouse, Palestine. The Pint and Barrel offers a diverse sandwich menu. Pulled pork choices include one, two, or three little piggies, two of which come with fried SPAM. Also on the menu is Grilled Cheese and Soup (tomato soup, fried green tomatoes), Green Grilled Cheese and Soup (spinach artichoke dip, cheese, tomatoes, onions, grilled on sour dough), BLT (served with poblano soup), Meatloaf Sandwich, Cuban Sandwich, Buffalo Chicken and Bacon, Philly Cheese (steak or chicken), and Reuben. 302 E. Crawford Street. 903.727.2711. pintandbarrel. com Honorable Mention: Book Club Café, Rockwall
Best Seafood Under 50k
Pier 101 Seafood Bar & Grill, Rockwall. Established in 2016, Pier 101 is the spot for Continued Page 10
JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2018 • COUNTYLINEMAGAZINE.COM • 9
BEST continued from page 11
Best Live Music Venue
Henderson; Northeast Texas Children’s Museum, Commerce
The Back Porch, Kilgore. This venue with a charming outdoor stage does a great job of providing live music several times a week featuring local and touring bands and singersongwriters. And they mix it up every now and then with something new like the Dueling Pianos coming up March 9. The adjoining restaurant serves soups, salads, loaded baked potatoes, burgers, and southern fried dinners. 904 Broadway. 903.984.8141. thebakporchkilgore.com.
Best Nature Walk
Honorable Mentions: The Bowery Stage, Winnsboro; The Forge, Ben Wheeler; The Liberty Bell, Nacogdoches
Coleman Park, Sulphur Springs. Coleman Park features a 2.5-mile walking trail which circles a lake, taking visitors past two breathtaking waterfalls, over three bridges, and through a tunnel, connecting to soccer and baseball fields. The park also offers two tennis courts, a fishing pier, several picnic areas with charcoal grills and tables and a playground area. 125 Davis St. South. 903.474.7478.
Hall of Fame: Moore’s Store, Ben Wheeler
Best Museum
Longview Museum of Art. The museum hosts exhibits about six times a year and displays a permanent collection as well with more than 700 paintings, etchings, woodcuts, photographs, works on paper, lithographs, and pieces of sculpture. Works from contemporary regional artists (Texas, New Mexico, Colorado, Oklahoma, Arkansas, and Louisiana) are the primary sources for the collection. Their long-standing mission to create interest in and promote knowledge of the visual arts is commendable. 215 East Tyler Street. 903.753.8103. lmfa.org. Honorable Mentions: Texas Museum of Broadcasting & Communication,
Northeast Texas Trail, Farmersville to New Boston. An ideal choice for hikers, this 70-mile-long stretch of abandoned railroad routes cuts across seven counties with numerous entry points along Texas state highways 82 and 34. netexastrail.org. Honorable Mention: Dogwood Trails, Palestine
Best Park
Best RV Park
Mill Creek Ranch Resort, Canton. Striving to be a different kind of cabin resort, Mill Creek Ranch Resort features fully equipped cottages with a modern feel and rustic charm, including Tiny Homes available to rent or purchase. Its RV resort has won several awards, including the Good Sam Top RV Park Award and County Line Magazine’s Hall of Fame. 1880 North Trade Days Blvd. 877.927.3439. millcreekranchresort.com.
Best Shopping Experience
First Monday Trade Days, Canton. This unique shopping experience started in the 1850s when the circuit judge stopped in Canton on the First Monday of each month and people came to town to conduct business and sell or trade their own goods, produce, and livestock. Today, people from all over Texas come to browse the mix of antiques, collectibles, home furnishings and crafts at the massive shopping center, featuring indoor and outdoor vendors. While today the event runs from Thursday through Sunday on the weekend of the first Monday of the month, it will forever be known as First Monday Trade Days. 800 Flea Market Road. 903.567.6556. firstmondaycanton.com. Honorable Mentions: M.L. Edwards, Mount Vernon; Paul Michael Company, Canton; Downtown Sulphur Springs; The Pink Pistol, Lindale; Downtown Rockwall
Best Sign
SMILE!, Paris. The folks in Paris erected a billboard on top of a downtown building last year to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the “Great Fire of 1916” that wiped out much of the town. Through tremendous courage and determination, the town came back even better. “Smile! The slogan that rebuilt the City of Paris in 12 months” reminds all that pass by what people can accomplish when they put their minds to it.
Best Slogan
Moving Forward. Kicking Back, Denison. Denisonlive.com Honorable Mention: Life Is Sweeter Here, Mount Pleasant
Best Downtown Under 50k
Northeast Texas Trail
Rockwall. The downtown area of Rockwall has a nice variety of options available for shoppers (some late-night opportunities) and delicious dining choice like Bin 303, Book Club Café, Charlie’s Burgers & Street Tacos, Pier 101, Zanata, and The Fatted Calf. There’s plenty of activities in this inviting historic downtown district going on from live music, to special events, and its farmers market is open May through October. Uptown Downtown Art Gallery & Studio holds classes and exhibits throughout the year. A self-guided historical walking tour tells about the history and architecture so carefully maintained since the late 1800s. With history as its foundation, the town has revitalized with specialty shops and boutiques and offerings to rival any town of its size. rockwalldowntown.com. 12 • COUNTYLINEMAGAZINE.COM • JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2018
Over 50k
Tyler. The non-profit group Heart of Tyler has spearheaded projects now totaling more than $100 million in reinvestment in downtown Tyler. There are active art projects at Gallery Main Street with exhibits and public art on buildings and downtowns streets and numerous events throughout the year. Some of the downtown attractions include Discovery Science Place, Innovation Pipeline, and Liberty Hall. Downtown food and drink places include Jack Ryan’s Steak & Chophouse, Rick’s on the Square, Don Juan’s, Strada Café, Janie’s Cakes, ETX Brewing Company, and The Foundry Coffeehouse. cityoftyler.org.
Best Chef
Enam Chowdhury, Chophouse on Bankhead, Mount Vernon. Formerly at Los Pinos Ranch Vineyards in Pittsburg and Lombardi Family Concepts Restaurants in Dallas before that, Chef Enam Chowdhury is now at the brand new Chophouse on Bankhead in Mount Vernon. Located in a renovated historic 1890s building the restaurant includes a menu of steaks, fresh fish, poultry, wild game, salads, pasta, and there’s a full bar. 102 E. Main Street. 903.270.2600. Chophouseonbank head.com. Hall of Fame: Frank Rumore, Four Winds Steakhouse; Jackson York, various locations
Best Artist
David Tripp. Former Arlington ISD teacher David Tripp now enjoys spending time painting nostalgic watercolor scenes from small Texas towns and countryside. His latest endeavor had him spending most weekends working at The Gallery at Redlands in Palestine on “The American Railroad Odyssey” train exhibit during the holidays. See some of his amazing work on his website recollections54.com. Honorable Mention: Valery Guignon, Winnsboro
Best Local Band
Blindpursuit. Michael Paul, Katie Reed, John Reed, Craig Jones, and Marc Mitchell make up the Palestine, Texas, based Blindpursuit, an independent southern rock band with music that’s “one part soul, two parts rock and roll, a little splash of country, and a whole lot of good times.” They recently released their debut album, Offramp. Blindpursuit.com. Honorable Mentions: Dubb & The Luv Machines, Jason Waldon Band, The Kid Icarus Project, Miss Demeanor and the Groove Felons, Chris Colston
Best Local Singer/Songwriter
Matt Dunn. He lists his hometown as Sulphur Springs but he’s called the road home for several years opening for the likes of Cody Jinks, Jack Ingram, Bart Crow, Raney Foster, Brandon Jenkins, Max Stalling, and The Damn Quails. He and his band, The Runaways, have a new debut album, Desire. Upcoming shows include January 27, Lone Republic Steakhouse, Winnsboro; February 3, Sundown at The Granada, Dallas; March 10, The Texan, Greenville; and April 6, Love and War, Lindale. mattdunnmusic.com.
PAPER
Indulge YOU DESERVE IT
Best Play
One Toe in the Grave, Winnsboro Center for the Arts. Directed by Bob and Becky Hibbard of the former Quitman Community Theatre (they closed the curtains in 2015), this tale of a rising young bachelor executive and his antics won big accolades from all that saw it on The Bowery Stage in Winnsboro at the end of 2017. Honorable Mention: Dixie Swim Club, Lindale Community Theater
Best Theatre Company
Henderson County Performing Arts Center. The group performs about eight plays each year and always gets heavy applause. As well they should since they’ve been around for more than 50 years, always with a mission to bring quality entertainment and education to East Texas. 400 Gibson Road. 903.675.3908. hcpac.org.
Best Actor/Actress
Noel Weems, Lindale Community Theater. Noel Weems was a crowd favorite in a couple of plays in 2017 including The Boys Next Door, as the innocent Sheila and in The Dixie Swim Club where she played Lexie, at first a flamboyant man chaser whose character gets a bit more serious when she discovers she has cancer. LCT Executive Director Tim Mitchiner says, “In The Dixie Swim Club, she played the beautiful Lexie— the quintessential narcissist — and as that character, she had the audience in the palm of her hand, usually laughing out loud at her antics, her never-ending string of men and her interaction with the lifelong friends that join her. “The Boys Next Door was a 180-degree turn as she portrayed Sheila, a mentally handicapped woman with a fascination for keys and not missing the bus. Poorly dressed and unkempt, the audience never once doubted Noel was Sheila and was entranced by the simple filter she applied to everything in her very different reality.”
SUBSCRIBE!
Still just $15 per year! SUBMIT ORDER ON WEBSITE OR MAIL TO P.O. BOX 608 BEN WHEELER, TX 75754
county line Upper East Side of Texas Regional Magazine
903.963.8306 www.countylinemagazine.com
JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2018 • COUNTYLINEMAGAZINE.COM • 13
THIS TIME OF YEAR
Knowing yourself is the beginning of all wisdom. Aristotle
JANUARY 23, 1943
CATCHY PHRASE
Tenaha, Timpson, Bobo, and Blair
Tenaha, Timpson, Bobo, and Blair were communities along a railroad in Shelby County made famous by a crapshooters’ phrase and a song by the singing cowboy Tex Ritter who grew up nearby. Here are his own words on the subject from a recording around the early 1950s: “Tenaha, Timpson, Bobo, and Blair. Those are four little East Texas towns in Shelby County. Now I was born in the southern part of Panola County in Murvaul Creek. They were on the HE and WT (Houston East and West Texas Railway). Now they used to call that little line ‘a railroad to hell any way you take it.’ But to tell the story, the conductor would holler them all at one time. He went through the coach hollering in each town and before he got through the fourth one, the train had been through all four of them. It became a saying in dice games when you’re trying to make ten — ‘Tenaha, Timpson, Bobo, and Blair.’ That saying went all over the world during WWII, but it’s four little towns in Shelby County very near to where I was raised.” It was said that HE&WT became specifically know to stand for “Hell Either Way Taken.” The first railroad in East Texas was sometimes a rough ride and the locomotive was known to jump from the track from time to time. As for how the phrase “Tenaha, Timpson, Bobo, and Blair” began, most agree with Ritter’s account that the conductor’s words caught on and, adding to
that, it is believed that a National Guard Unit during World War I composed of men from Shelby County started using the phrase in place of “hup, two, three, four,” to honor their hometowns. That spread the chant further out into the world where dice players started using it for good luck when trying to roll double fives. Ritter’s song surely added fire to make it a worldwide term. Some of the words of “Tenaha, Timpson, Bobo, and Blair” are: On the HE&WT line, Old East Texas sure looks fine Drop me off just anywhere, Tenaha, Timpson, Bobo, and Blair Hear those drivers pound the rails, Takin’ me back to Texas trails,
Casablanca Celebrates 75th Anniversary
Said by some to be the most romantic of all movies, Casablanca, starring Humphrey Bogart and Ingrid Bergman, released in the United States on January 23, 1943. Tickling the ivories and crooning the famous love song “As Time Goes By,” was Dooley Wilson, as Sam. Wilson was born in Tyler in 1886 and went on to star in many movies, plays, and a TV sitcom called Beulah. He died May 30, 1953. In 2014, the piano he so famously played in Casablanca sold in a New York auction for $3.4 million. It’s pictured here (above) with Wilson (right) and Bogart. JANUARY 20, 2018
Bought my ticket, paid my fair, Tenaha, Timpson, Bobo, and Blair Let’er highball, engineer, Pull that throttle, track is clear, There’s a gal just waitin’ there, Tenaha, Timpson, Bobo, and Blair. Tenaha and Timpson are still active small communities with about 1,200 people according to the 2010 census. Bobo and Blair are basically gone now with the exception of a few houses, a church, and a historical marker. The phrase continues today among those who like to play dice games and in songs like “Ping Pong, Pool” by Texas singer-songwriter Max Stalling, whose love song states he’s not playing games.
16 • COUNTYLINEMAGAZINE.COM • JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2018
Eagle Capital of Texas Readies for Annual Festival
Rains County is the official Eagle Capital of Texas. Every year in January, the county welcomes visitors from all over the world to celebrate the eagle population. Bus and barge tours are available for eagle and other wildlife spotting. There’s live entertainment, wildlife exhibits, food, vendors, and more from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday, January 20, in Emory. Go to visitrainscounty.com for more information. Photo by Lisa Hilbers
Hemphill Remembers Fatal NASA Tragedy all our astronauts were recovered and their remains were sent home.” Eight years later, with the help of public and private contributions, the community opened the NASA Columbia Museum in Hemphill. Its excellent exhibits tell the story of both Columbia’s 28 missions and the fateful day — February 1, 2003 — that the airship and its occupants came to rest on Sabine County soil. Besides the artifacts and information, an introductory video helps tell the story. The museum plans to mark the day of the tragedy on February 1 with special events. A program is scheduled at 7:45 p.m. at First Baptist Church and all visitors to the museum that day get in free, as they do on February 1 of every year to honor the anniversary. Guest speakers are on hand at the museum throughout the day to randomly discuss various topics related to Columbia and the recovery effort. Volunteers also tell of their memories from that time 15 years ago. Crew members of the fateful final flight of the Columbia were (left to right) David Brown, Commander Rick Husband, Laurel Blair Salton Clark, Kalpana Chawla, Michael Anderson, William McCool, and Ilan Ramon.
By Steve Freeman People living in Hemphill, Texas — and in much of Sabine County, for that matter — don’t think of February 1 as just another day. It was on that date 15 years ago that Space Shuttle Columbia rocketed to the earth due to a malfunction in reentry to the Earth’s atmosphere in route to Kennedy Space Center in Florida. All seven astronauts on board were killed. Much of the debris landed in and around Hemphill, including the flight recorder that helped NASA piece together what went wrong. Stunned and overwhelmed, the small community and unpopulated rural areas surrounding it sprang into action much to the admiration of NASA, Texans, and Americans alike. Their mission was to help anyway they could for investigators and salvagers to do their job. The story of how a small community served up thousands of meals, cooperated with needs for property and
resources, and made ground zero as much like home during the massive effort is inspirational. Members of the Hemphill community assisted NASA in accomplishing an unprecedented air, ground, and water search. Their dedication was instrumental in the recovery of more than 80,000 pieces that helped NASA understand the accident, and provided the groundwork for the agency’s successful return to flight. The debris was spread from Corsicana to western Louisiana. The flight recorder was found in Hemphill. “Their mission became our mission,” volunteer Belinda Gay says. “At every recovery of our astronauts, a memorial service was performed. By day 12,
Pawpa’s House in the country
1601 VZ County Road 1512 Van Texas
903.571.3620 • fb.com/PawpasHouse www.vrbo.com, VRBO#421840
Authors Jonathan Ward and Mike Leinback are on hand with their book Bringing Columbia Home. Activities of the day and throughout the year at the museum include a tour taking visitors on a journey through Columbia’s first historical flight through its last mission. It also provides a glimpse of the recovery of Columbia and the crew, along with two people who lost their lives in the recovery efforts. This museum has many items and artifacts from NASA and its contractors, the families of the crew, as well as from other individuals. Regular hours of operation are Tuesday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday and Monday by appointment only (excluding holidays). Admission is $5 for adults and $3 for students. Go to nasacolumbiamuseum.com or call 409.787.4827 for more information.
Near Canton, Ben Wheeler, Lindale, Tyler, Mineola. One hour to Dallas.
A Great Satellite • Wireless Internet Jacuzzi Tub • Hot Tub Getaway! Fully Equipped Kitchen Handicap Accessible
JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2018 • COUNTYLINEMAGAZINE.COM • 17
Around the World in Two Days Visiting Athens, Paris, Naples, Geneva, and Moscow in the Upper East Side of Texas By Tracy Torma County Line took to the road for a worldwind trip throughout the region to cities with famous European names. What unfolds is a beautiful drive with some fun attractions, interesting history, great shopping, and delicious food and drink options along the way. We started our journey from Palestine (Texas, that is) and traveled in a large circle to Moscow, Geneva, Naples, Paris, and Athens. While it was fun going “around the world” in two days (plus, it makes for a great headline), the journey can also break into a few day trips to adequately enjoy the sights and scenery these Texas towns with European names offer.
MOSCOW
Population 170 Polk County At the junction of U.S. Highway 59 and FM Road 350, 90 miles north of Houston, the community was named for the distant city of Moscow, Russia, after postal authorities refused to accept the townspeople’s first choice of Greenville, after the founder David Green. (Another post office in the state claimed that name.) Moscow incorporated in 1856 and became a trading center for Polk County farmers during the latter 1850s, with
cotton gins, sawmills, and various businesses and shops. Today, Moscow offers a brief respite for travelers on the Interstate 59 corridor to Houston. The town consists of a post office next to a convenience store and service station and a lovely community park dedicated to William P. Hobby, publisher of the Houston Post and the 27th governor of the State of Texas (1917 to 1920).
sion marker that commemorates El Lobanillo, a ranch established during the mid 1700s by Antonio Gil Ibarvo. When Spain evacuated colonists from western Louisiana and East Texas in 1773, Gil Ibarvo’s mother and other refugees remained at the ranch. In 1794, it was granted to Juan Ignacio Pifermo and was later inherited by John Maximillian in the early 1800s.
Those visiting Wednesday through Saturday, be sure to eat at the popular local restaurant, Big Jake’s Western Dive. It’s a classic Texas diner, with framed local rodeo pictures on the wall. Big Jake’s gets rave reviews for its burgers, chicken-fried steak, and chargrilled ribeyes. They serve down-home cooking at its finest that’s definitely worth the drive.
The drive through Sabine County features a wealth of other historical markers, including one honoring Mial Scurlock, an early Texas settler who was killed in the Battle of the Alamo; the County Line Baptist Church and Cemetery, which began soon after the end of the Civil War; and the site of the Battle of Fredonia, the first Anglo American rebellion in East Texas in 1826.
GENEVA
NAPLES
Population 100 Sabine County If you enjoy Texas history and driving beautiful less-traveled back roads, journey to Geneva in Sabine County. Located at the intersection of El Camino Real (Texas Highway 21) and Farm Road 330 in northwestern Sabine County, the site is considered to be the oldest one continuously occupied in East Texas. Today, Geneva is just a spot in the road marked by a Texas Historical Commis-
22 • COUNTYLINEMAGAZINE.COM • JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2018
Population 1,348 Morris County Located in northeast Morris County, Naples developed around a railroad station on the Texas and St. Louis Railway, which built through the area in 1880. The town grew to become an important shipping point and supply center in the late 1880s. During the early 1900s, Big Jake’s on U.S. 59 in Moscow is known for its chicken-fried steak (that’s the small portion at right) and its chargrilled ribeyes. Photos by Tracy Torma
around, offering the finest of East Texas rolling hills, woods, and farmlands. And not one car was encountered on the drive. Nice.
PARIS Population 25,005 County seat of Lamar County No visit to Paris is complete without visiting the Eiffel Tower. And visitors to Paris, Texas, won’t be disappointed as France’s Texas counterpart has its own 65-foot-tall Eiffel Tower, topped with a 10-gallon red cowboy hat.
The City of Geneva is noted by two roadside markers, one as a location on the El Camino Real and the other a Texas Historical Commission marker commemorating El Lobanillo, a ranch established during the mid 1700s by Antonio Gil Ibarvo. Photo by Tracy Torma
when it was incorporated, lumber became an important local industry. By the late 1920s, the town had grown to 1,500 people. Today, the city stretches for several blocks on one side of the railroad tracks, with several shops, a local pizza place, and Don Juan’s, a popular familyowned Mexican restaurant chain. The city hosts an annual Watermelon Festival the last weekend in July.
If visiting on a Saturday, see the Red Road Vineyard and Winery for a wine tasting and plate of cheese and crackers. The winery is open from noon to 6 p.m. on Saturday at 105 W. Front St. on the other side of the train tracks across from downtown. The 13-mile drive on Texas Farm 67 from Hughes Springs to Naples is one of the prettiest winding country roads
Start your tour by visiting the impressive Red River Valley Veterans Memorial, located next to the Eiffel Tower. The memorial features a “Ring of Honor” – a circle of granite walls with the names of the veterans from the Red River Valley area (Lamar, Fannin, Red River, and Delta counties in Texas and Choctaw, County in Oklahoma) who gave the ultimate sacrifice while serving our country in a war zone. Visit the Lamar County Historical Museum, which features artifacts, photogcontinued Page 24 Established along the railroad tracks in the 1880s, today Naples offers visitors several places to shop and eat (pizza and Mexican food) on one side of the tracks and taste local Northeast Texas wine from Red Road Vineyard and Winery on the other side. Plus, the quiet drive to Naples on Texas Farm 67 features beautiful back-road scenery. Photos by Tracy Torma
JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2018 • COUNTYLINEMAGAZINE.COM • 23
Some of O’Neal’s views of East Texas include a group of domino players at Starnes Store in Winona, 1972 (above) Price Killion, Horace Chaney, Dow Graham, Emmit Cagle, and Clyde Dale. (Left) McCann’s Cafe in Tyler,1972, and an abandoned church near Jacksonville, 1972 (below). O’Neal hopes to publish a coffee table book of his photos of East Texas in the near future. (Right) A familiar image one might see of O’Neal with his camera in New York City (corner of Spring Street and Bowery, Lower East Side), or in other captivating parts of the world like East Texas.
30 • COUNTYLINEMAGAZINE.COM • JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2018
Renowned Photographer and Author Releases New Book on East Texas Roots The book is published by TCU Press and releases early this year for sale on Amazon. O’Neal — who frequently leaves his New York home to shoot photos of “Heavenland” as his father called East Texas — is planning several book signings in the region.
Preserving Lives: An American Family’s Scrapbook, 1920-1950 is the story of two ordinary people living ordinary lives in East Texas almost a century ago. Presented by Kilgore-born Hank O’Neal about his parents, Harold and Sarah, he shares their stories from what he gathered from old scrapbooks, photographs, letters, postcards, illustrations, and bits of memorabilia of their lives together. The book takes readers through the Roaring Twenties, the Great Depression, World War II, and the emerging supremacy of what came to be known as the American Dream.
O’Neal was born in East Texas in 1940 and the family moved to Fort Worth, Indiana, and New York. In 1962, he was about to graduate from Syracuse University when he was recruited by the CIA and worked for the organization as a contact specialist. He lived in Greenwich Village and immersed himself in Harlem’s jazz scene. His artistic interests overtook his world of espionage and by 1972 he founded a small independent record label called Chiaroscuro Records. In 1973, he published his first book and held a photography show, “Winona, Texas,” in Manhattan. O’Neal has taken photographs all over
He’s collaborated on many other creative projects with the likes of Clint Eastwood, Stevie Ray Vaughan, and counted guitar legend Les Paul among his friends. He’s photographed and befriended Andy Warhol, Elie Wiesel, Ray Charles, Tony Bennett, Dizzy Gillespie, Cab Calloway, and Jacqueline Kennedy, just to name a few from his world in New York and beyond. O’Neal’s photos from around the world are displayed on his website hankoneal. com. Under “Places” he has categorized his favorites into France, England, Norway, the Far East, and other adventurous lands. At the top of the list sits East Texas. Maude Cobb Convention and Activity Center is located at 100 Grand Boulevard in Longview and is open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday and during special events. Call 903.237.1230 for the best times to see the O’Neal exhibit.
Photo by Ian P. Clifford
The story began and thrived in the rough and tumble world of the East Texas oil patch, making it all the more compelling.
In addition to the new book, many of O’Neal’s East Texas photographs are in an exhibit at Maude Cobb Convention Center in Longview throughout 2018 from the Longview Museum of Art’s permanent collection.
the world, but none better than those in East Texas where he has emotional attachments.
JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2018 • COUNTYLINEMAGAZINE.COM • 31
FILM
Documentary Features the Life of Sculptor James Surls The House, The Hand, and the Hatchet: The Odyssey of American Sculptor James Surls is a documentary film scheduled for release in 2018, says producer Barclay Lottimer. The feature explores the life, art, and philosophy of Malakoff-born and raised and world-class artist James Surls. Lottimer says the show includes the telling of Surls’ upbringing in Texas and parts of it was filmed at his childhood Malakoff home. Born in East Texas in 1943, Surls graduated from Sam Houston State Teachers College in 1966 and from Cranbrook Academy of Art in 1968. He taught at Southern Methodist University in Dallas from 1969 to 1976 and then moved to Splendor, Texas, with his wife Charmaine Locke. They had seven daughters and were there for more than 20 years before moving in 1997 to the Roaring Fork Valley of Colorado where they still live today. His outstanding artwork continues in exhibits and collections in museums and on city streets throughout the world. See the film trailer and get more information at thehousethehandandthehatchet.com. Read more about Surls in the County Line archives, countylinemagazine.com. (Left) James Surls poses with his piece “Seeing Around the Thorn Vine.”
Movie Centers Around a Fictitious Mars Colony Called East Texas The Space Between Us is an American romantic science fiction film released in 2017 starring Asa Butterfield, Britt Robertson, Gary Oldman, and Carla Gugino. It’s about a teenage boy who is born on Mars when his mother, the lead astronaut, discovers she’s pregnant and can’t get back to earth before the child is born. He grows up on this Mars colony called East Texas along with about 14 other people. As a teen, he meets a girl online from Earth and he eventually gets to go there despite how risky that is for his health.
While there is not a real East Texas colony on Mars (that we know of), there is a real Mars community in East Texas. Or there was. The Mars community was settled in the mid-1800s a few miles south of Ben Wheeler in Van Zandt County. There’s a Texas Historical Marker noting the area as the site of the “nearlyvanished” Mars community, a cotton gin settlement that flourished from the 1890s until about 1930. It’s at the intersection of FM 2339 and 773.
32 • COUNTYLINEMAGAZINE.COM • JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2018
Blaze Set for Sundance Film Festival
Ethan Hawke’s new film Blaze premieres at the Sundance Film Festival in Utah January 18-28. Blaze is a biographical drama based on the life of musician Blaze Foley. The screenplay was co-written by Hawke and Foley’s girlfriend, Sybil Rosen. Musician Ben Dickey (pictured above) plays Foley and others in the film include Alia Shawkat (as Rosen), Sam Rockwell, Wyatt Russell, Steve Zahn, Kris Kristofferson, and Richard Linklater. Charlie Sexton plays Townes Van Zandt. Foley was an up-and-coming singer-songwriter (real name Michael David Fuller) until his untimely and tragic death in 1989. His music still has a huge following and numerous entertainers covered his songs. “If I Could Only Fly” became a hit by Merle Haggard and “Election Day” was covered by Lyle Lovett. John Prine covered “Clay Pigeons” on his Grammy Award-winning 2005 album Fair and Square. Marsha Weldon is Foley’s sister. She lives in Athens and manages the Blaze Foley Facebook page among other family interests. Although someone else plays her in the movie, she does make a cameo appearance. Recently one of Mike Judge’s new “Tales from the Tour Bus” animated episodes is about Foley and numerous other tributes to his life are available including Duct Tape Messiah, a documentary by Kevin Triplett. His story and his big personality are sure to continue for more decades to come. Go to blazethemovie.com for updates on the film and learn more also at blazefoley.com.
(Top left) McConaughey plays Richard Wershe, Sr., the father of the youngest undercover informant for the FBI; (Top right) The Beach Bum has McConaughey as a rebellious stoner called Moondog; and bottom is McConaughey with his co-star Anne Hathway in Serenity. Courtesy photos
Catching Up With McConaughey Matthew McConaughey hasn’t slowed down much in the last few years, and 2018 is going to be no exception. Set to release January 26 is White Boy Rick, based on a true story of teenager Richard Wershe Jr. who became an undercover informant for the FBI at the age of 14 during the 1980s and was ultimately arrested for drug trafficking and sentenced to life in prison. Richie Merrit plays the teen with McConaughey playing his father Richard Wershe Sr. Jennifer Jason Leigh, Eddie Marsan, and Bruce Dern are but a few of the actors portraying a long list of characters in the film directed by Yann Demange. Releasing soon after is Serenity, the tale of a fishing boat captain living in
the Caribbean whose mysterious past comes back to haunt him. Directed and written by Steven Knight, the film also stars Diane Lane, Anne Hathaway, Djimon Ounsou, Jeremy Strong, and Jason Clarke. Also releasing in 2018 is The Beach Bum with McConaughey playing rebellious stoner Moondog. Isla Fisher plays his wife. Also in the film are Bria Vinaite, Snoop Dogg, and Jimmy Buffett, who plays himself. Harmony Korine (Spring Breakers) wrote the script and directs. Read more about McConaughey’s Longview days in the County Line’s exclusive interview in the archives, countylinemagazine. com.
JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2018 • COUNTYLINEMAGAZINE.COM • 33
FOOD & DRINK
Shreveport Serves Great Feast for Fat Tuesday and Throughout the Year
By Gaile Robinson Shreveport is upping its food game with many new chefs, new restaurants, and aspirants at the local farmers’ market and mobile food trucks. They are making their names and edging out some of the less inspired eateries, leaving a landscape of old, entrenched, but beloved, stalwarts and dazzling newcomers. Here’s but a sample of culinary delights found in “Louisiana’s Other Side” just in time for Fat Tuesday or any time of the year.
THE NEW
Well+Fed Louisiana
One of the new dining locations in Shreveport is this juice bar and café that caters to foodies with lists of imperatives
— organic, vegan, gluten free, sugar free, and paleo compliant — whatever needs to be eliminated, owners Lindi Martin and Ashley Everage have figured out a way to do it. They recently teamed up with Scratch House Kitchen to offer foods that pair with their juices. They claim they serve the only avocado toast in Shreveport, and they have developed the After Booze juice for morning after ills that contains activated charcoal, lemonade, agave nectar, and alkaline water. It may not be as tasty as their most popular juice made of rose water, pineapple, green apple, lemon, pear, and beet, but it will cure what ails you. A kid favorite is the beet, carrot, apple, and lemon juice with a pound of carrots in each drink. The $8-a-bottle juices don’t have ador-
able names, they are simply referred to by their list of ingredients. One recent morning on their outdoor patio, plates of organic breakfast items included black pepper biscuits, maple oat scones, cinnamon rolls, avocado toast, biscuits (made by baker/nurse practitioner Monika Thompson) without wheat, eggs or dairy — not that you’d notice —and a pumpkin bowl smoothie with pumpkin, dates, cashew milk, ice, and bananas. Oatmeal cookies made the breakfast menu because, you know, oatmeal. Well+Fed Louisiana, 687 Egan Street. 318. 779.0030. wellfedLa.net
Whisk Dessert Bar
Last year the winner of the Golden Fork, Shreveport’s chef smack-down competition was caterer Blake Jackson. After his triumph, Jackson opened a charming dessert café. “The food scene is crowded now so it’s hard to have an original dish,” Jackson says, “but the dessert landscape is wide open. We have so much room to play.” That may explain his mocha, green tea, and white chocolate cookie, and the stunning chocolate doma, an igloo-shaped plated dessert, with interior layers of varying chocolate densities, including a bouchon (a cork–shaped brownie), dark chocolate mousse, a caramel crack layer, then the whole thing is enrobed in a glossy dark chocolate outer layer. It is served with three cocoa dusted truffles because you can never have enough chocolate. Or maybe you can. This definitely tests the endurance level of a dedicated chocoholic. The French pastries, cookies, and gelatos are all on display. His most spectacular and creative offerings, such as the doma, are not available for ogling, as they have to be handmade, but are worth the wait. Whisk Dessert Bar, 724 Azalea. 318.459. 8771. facebook.com/whiskshv/
36 • COUNTYLINEMAGAZINE.COM • JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2018
Best Steakhouse
County Line Magazine Hall of Fame
The morning offering at Well+Fed (opposite) boasts a bounty of baked goods, many made without wheat, eggs, or dairy — not that one would ever know — to go along with their juice bar offerings. The beautifully plated cannoli (above) at Whisk Dessert Bar is a cannoli in shape only, the waffle exterior encases a filling of champagneroasted strawberries and Chantilly mascarpone cream. Flights of margaritas (right) at El Cabo Verde include the traditional lime as well as mango, cucumber, and spicy versions. Photos by
Tuesday & Wednesday
DINNER SPECIAL
Mixed Green Salad Choice of Fresh Fish of the Day, Ribeye Steak, or Filet Mignon Served with Whipped Potatoes and Green Beans $27.00
Gaile Robinson
El Cabo Verde Gabriel Balderas began his chef journey in a taco stand at the local farmers’ market. He climbed the food ladder and moved to a taco truck and was so successful with such an avid clientele base following him from location to location, he hit the brakes and made it easy for them by opening El Cabo Verde a year ago. The minimalistic, all white interior of his restaurant, named for Caddo and Bossier parishes, is not what a Texan expects of a Mexican restaurant. It’s so nouvelle.
most delicious appetizers found at any Mexican restaurant.. Smooth, just the right amount of kick, and bereft of needless chunky additives that seems to do little but make it difficult to wield a chip.
Balderas is a proponent of the slow food movement and insists that his ingredients are fresh, organic, and locally sourced. In 2016, he was named a Chef to Watch by Louisiana Cookin’ Magazine.
Their flight of margaritas come with large glasses in a three-carrier tray. The traditional lime margarita is the best, as the mango and cucumber tended toward too much sweetness and could be mistaken for daiquiris. The spicy version looked like a mojito it had so much greenery floating in it. The taste seemed to come straight from the pickled jalapeno jar, with way too much jalapeno burn for
The queso and guacamole are two of the
continued page 38
Top 100 American Steakhouses OpenTable.com
Located in a beautiful lakeside lodge at 21191 FM 47 in Wills Point,one block north of Interstate 20, Exit 516 Open Tuesday - Saturday 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. Available for Special Events
Make A Reservation
903.873.2225
www.fourwindssteakhouse.com
JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2018 • COUNTYLINEMAGAZINE.COM • 37
KIDS COUNTY LINE f
CountyLineKids
Shaping the Future of the Upper East Side of Texas
Greenville-Based Robotics Help Kids Learn
By Steve Freeman
while “playing” with toy robotics.
Something happens when a kid gets the components of a robot and is challenged to make it work, make it perform some task or even compete against other robots.
Thanks to a unique company in Greenville, robotics motivate and thrill students to learn more and more in Texas and across the nation.
Snap this piece with that. Make sure the gears mesh. Position the battery for maximum efficiency. Make sure the components respond well to the onboard artificial intelligence. A kid engages imagination and draws on everything learned and everything that can be learned up to that point. In short, a desire for learning is created — and not just any learning. Students of all ages explore concepts of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics — better known as education’s often missing STEM proficiencies —
“I didn’t want to be in the program at first, but then I joined in high school and I learned design principles,” says Madison Kroncke, a senior at Greenville High School. Even before pursuing the study of mechanical engineering at the University of Texas, she has already created six tech products for a company through sophisticated CADD design. This year, Greenville Independent School District (GISD) has more than 100 robotics teams made up of 513 students in grades five through 12. “Through the robotics program, I’ve
42 • COUNTYLINEMAGAZINE.COM • JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2018
also learned other things like advocacy, public speaking, collaboration, communications, and mentoring,” Madison says. Innovation First International produces VEX Robotics — the kits, components, and curriculum that gave rise to this learning phenomenon. The company was the brainchild of Tony Norman, an electrical engineer, and Bob Mimlitch, a mechanical engineer, who nurtured a love of robotics from Tony’s garage in Greenville to become an educational force through their high school mentoring service. The company now has more than 300 employees and nine offices worldwide. “We know what it’s like to get excited about something cool,” Norman says. “We know the magic a student experiences the moment they create some-
thing with technology. We’re providing tools which are easy for beginners to master, but will expand with the imagination and experience of their users.” Students’ love of robotics draws a wider audience when student competitors gather at state, regional, and national locales annually for the VEX Robotics Competition. Houston is the national site for the next three years, but in the past, it’s been held in Orlando, St. Louis, and Atlanta. Each year in April, Innovation First puts out guidelines and kits for any school’s students to compete. Year-long curriculum aids are available for elementary, middle school, and high school students. University students also participate. The competition is
also open to Scout troops, 4H Clubs, and other non-profits. VEX Robotics projects encourage creativity, teamwork, leadership, and problem solving among groups. The resulting robots are required to accomplish some task like throw or dump cubes across a two-foot fence or hang on a bar. Work by college teams simulate real-world challenges. The robotics program began in GISD in 1992, due in a big part to the close proximity of Innovation First. One of the first teams from the district — The Robowranglers — has won numerous regional, state, national, and world awards since then, says Adrienne Emerson, GISD director of robotics for grades 9-12.
The robotics curriculum gives kids an expanding knowledge and interest in math, physics, language arts, speech, social skills, art, and research. Ironically, robotics also works to interest students with discipline problems or kids at risk of failing in some subjects, too. “There are benefits for both ‘booksmart’ and ‘street-smart’ kids,” Emerson says. Already disciplined and studious students get real-world applications and “street-smart” kids are attracted by their love of video games to learn some math and science along the way. “Robotics makes math and science ‘cool’ by allowing students to design ‘cool’ robots and take them ‘cool’ places for them to compete,” says Johnny Tharp, GISD’s director of VEX Robotics.
(Opposite) Teamwork and good communication helps the Greenville team of (left to right) Wyatt Spivey, Jessi Molina, Josue Adame, Kamden Priest, and Kian Smith ready their robot for a trial run. Photo by Tyler Tindall. (Left) VEX Robotics held its first Girl Powered Flagship event in October at Texas Instruments in Dallas. The mission was to get girls more interested in STEM disciplines. Photo by Innovation First. (Left Bottom) All hands on deck as Greenville students work on a practice robot during the build session at a 2014 competition. Photo by Greenville ISD. (Below) The robot named “Vipe” brought Greenville students a fourth-place finish (out of 4,000 teams) at the 2013 world championship competition in St. Louis. The robot amazed the crowd and judges by climbing up and hanging onto a pyramid, as shown here, as well as shooting frisbees into a goal 10 feet away. Photo by Greenville ISD.
JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2018 • COUNTYLINEMAGAZINE.COM • 43