EGuide Magazine May 2014 edition

May 2, 2014 • Issue 5, Volume 2

EGuide’s Cover and Scholarship Contest Winners Are Announced

Happy’s Fish House:

From Scratch Cooking Plus Large Portions

Ally Venable Band:

A Young Heart and A Talented Band

David Wallace Explored: A Downtown Legend of Creativity

The Tyler Yacht Club:

More Than Just a Hobby, It’s In Our Blood

Get your tickets now!

May 2 at 8 p.m.

The Bellamy Brothers May 10 at 3 p.m.

“Steel Magnolias” (1989) June 5 at 7 p.m.

“Some Like it Hot” (1959) June 7 at 8 p.m.

“Sound Spectacular: The Golden Era of American Popular Music” June 12 at 7 p.m.

“To Have and Have Not” (1944) June 13

E-Cigarettes - E-Juice Accessories 2 locations to serve you!

Lindale: 3222 South Main St. (903)882-9621 Tyler: 5th St across from Posada’s (903)593-5586

www.paradisevapor.us

atur Open Fridays & S

The East Texas Comedy Festival w/ Jimmy Pardo June 14

The East Texas Comedy Festival with

Frank Caeti and Susan Messing June 19 at 7 p.m.

“Rope” (1948)

June 21 at 3 p.m.

“E.T. the Extraterrestrial” (1982) June 23-27, 9 a.m. - noon

“So You Think You Can Act?”

Children’s Theater Camp with APEX & Felicity Enas (M-F with Performance on Saturday 6/28) June 26 at 7 p.m.

“Citizen Kane” (1941)

Downtown Tyler 103 E. Erwin, Tyler

A department of the City of Tyler

days

11am-10pm!

$3.95 Specia

l

LIVE MUSIC EVERY FRIDAY NIGHT!!!!!

May 2nd - Hoss Huggins May 9th - Todd Rinlee May 16th - Darien Morris May 23rd - Patrick James May 30th - Kenna Danielle 2 • EGuideMagazine.com

The Entertainment Magazine for East Texas May 2, 2014 • Issue 5, Volume 2

Contents 4-5 Dining

» “Happy’s Fish House: Fresh Ingredients, From Scratch Cooking, Large Portions and Excitement” by Jodie Meyer

» “It’s Mudbug Time” by Gini Rainey 6-7 Movies: by Dustin Chase, Film Critic

» Reviews for “Locke,” “Chef,” “Blue Ruin,” “Cuban Fury,” “Neighbors” and “Brick Mansions” 8-10 Music

» “Ally Venable Band: A Young Heart and a Talented Band” by Amanda Main

» Kilgore’s “After 5” Concert Series and Many Events

» The Complete Music Guide for Live Music 11 Festivals

» The Jacksonville Tomato Festival and the Red Dirt BBQ & Musical Festival: The Biggest BBQ Party on Earth 12-13 Things to Do

» “Tyler Yacht Club: More Than Just a Hobby” by Lynn Dark

» East Texas Bombers Roller Derby Home Opener, Donkey Basketball, Kilgore Geekend Festival, Health and Wellness Explosion, Rose City Farmer’s Market, Susan G. Komen Tyler Race for the Cure, UT Tyler Patriot Million Dollar Hole in One Contest, 27th Annual I-20 Team Real Estate Championship Rodeo, Tyler Tech Expo, Texas State Railroad’s “Salute to the Armed Forces” and more 14-15 Theatre

» Cherokee Civic Theatre Awash with Laughter and Tears During “The Dixie Swim Club”

» The Complete Theatre Show Guide 16-20 Art

» “What Do NASA, Google and Tyler, Texas Have in Common?” by A. C. Slaughter

» “The Artist of Ordinary Objects: David Wallace”

by Gini Rainey

» EGuide’s Cover and Scholarship Contest: The Winners: We Are Artists, No Matter What!”

» The Complete Museum and Gallery Art Guide plus Competitions, Festivals, Classes and Workshops 21 Books

» “Bad Medicine” by Eileen Dreyer, “Lost Cat – A True Story of Love, Desperation and GPS Technology” by Caroline Paul with drawings by Wendy McNaughton and “Let’s Explore Diabetes With Owls” by David Sedaris reviewed by Gini Rainey

» Tyler Library Happenings, A Spoken Word Event and more 22 Family

» “Summer Camps: From Western to Christian, There’s a Little Bit of Everything” by Kelly Griffith-Fields

» Movies in the Park Returns this Spring

Staff Publisher

Tena Jerger

Sales Manager Louie Jerger Copy Editors

Dana Khan, Gini Rainey Editorial

Jimmy Arbor, Dustin Chase, Lynn Dark, Kelly GriffithFields, Amanda Main, Jodie Meyer, Gini Rainey, A. C. Slaughter

Distribution

Robin Butt, Dwain Hare, Louie Jerger, Patrick Tilton

Deadlines On Stands Deadline June 2nd....................................... May 20th July 1st..........................................June 20th August 1st......................................July 21st September 1st......................... August 20th October 1st......................September 22nd FUN MAP INSERT! November 1st.......................October 20th December 1st...................November 19th

“EGuide Magazine” is an event-driven magazine focusing on ‘things to do’ in East Texas. We are published once a month. We are distributed free in our unique stands at over 340 locations in Tyler, Whitehouse, Bullard, Flint, Gresham, Edom, Ben Wheeler, Lindale, Jacksonville and Rusk.

We will list at no charge most events open to the public. All necessary information should be included such as date, time, ticket cost, description of event, phone number for the public, website address, photos - the more the better. Submit your event at EGuideMagazine.com.

PO Box 130133 Tyler, TX 75713 (903)330-2165 EGuideMagazine@gmail.com

The Entertainment Magazine for East Texas EGuideMagazine.com

Attn: Writers

We are currently looking for freelance writers.

If you have a love for writing, send samples to:

EGuideMagazine@gmail.com

Eagerness trumps experience every time. Therefore, experience is not necessarily needed. If you want to gain experience and get samples for your portfolio, e-mail us.

EGuideMagazine.com • 3

Dining

customers tell me they don’t have to go to Dallas for Pappadeaux anymore.”

I was curious to see where Kevin saw Happy’s Fish House in the future. His response showed some wisdom about the food industry.

“To predict the future is really hard” he said. “But with quality food and service we may open other locations.”

When you go to Happy’s get your sea legs ready. I’m pleased Happy’s Fish House has come to our port. You will be, too.

Happy’s Fish House:

Happy’s Fish House

2202 E 5th, Tyler (903)944-7921

Fresh Ingredients, Scratch Cooking, Large Portions and Excitement

By Jodie Meyer

Another new restaurant has sailed its way to Tyler, Texas! Happy’s Fish House has docked here, and based on my visit, I think it will be moored here for a long time. This is a good thing. I went to discover this place for myself and found treasure in a building that was previously a sunken ship.

As I walked up to the entrance, I met an older couple who was just leaving. I asked, “How did you like the place?” I was hoping to get a scoop before I even entered the building. The gentleman replied, “We don’t know - they don’t have any more catfish, so we’re leaving.”

I admit I was taken aback by his answer. But as I continued inside to complete my mission, I saw a server literally run out the door to get this couple back. Apparently the couple had been misinformed, and this server was not going to let them leave unhappy. They came back, and from what I observed they enjoyed their meal very much.

WOW! You don’t see this level of care for guests at many places in Tyler, but only three weeks in and the servers in this restaurant “get it.” This kind of care was the theme throughout my visit. Everyone on staff had it. The hostesses looked great. I let them know I was there for EGuide and they went and got Scott Nordon, director of operations. He sat down with me and we started to chat. I had yet to look at the menu.

Scott gave me the story of Happy’s. First, this is a flagship restaurant, the first one. Owned by Andy Gugar who owns the Mercado’s here and the Posado’s restaurants all over Texas. The name Happy’s is after Gugar’s grandfather. It was his nickname. (That’s super sweet!)

As a Tyler restaurateur, Andy felt there was a niche that needed to be filled in the area. So he spent over a year conceptualizing and testing the menu. His goals were fresh ingredients, from scratch cooking, large portions, and excitement with the brand - all things that draw me to a new eatery.

Scott fielded questions, one after another. He was excited about it. And I heard words I love to hear when talking about food - freshness, quality, high standards and made from scratch.

I also wanted to be sure about the catfish.

Let’s face it, we’ve all had catfish done poorly. But at Happy’s, the chefs use only excellent quality American catfish.

Every single dessert is made in-house (the bread pudding is made fresh twice a day because they sell so much). They have oysters on the half-shell, shucked to order. Signature dishes are gumbo, etouffee and anything fried. All fried foods here are hand-battered. He also mentioned that their chicken fried steak is excellent - and that they hand-pound it, if fish is not your thing.

We discussed the culture of Happy’s, which to me, was apparent everywhere I looked. From the curb appeal coming in, to the décor, to the warm staff, I was impressed by the atmosphere the management worked hard to create.

Scott made a point of talking about how

FRESH Children’s Miracle Network Wine Dinner

When: Thursday, May 15th, reception 6pm and dinner will be at 6:30pm Where: FRESH, 6991 Old Jacksonville Highway, Tyler Cost: Tickets are $100 per person You can make miracles happen! Join us for our charity wine dinner benefiting Children’s Miracle Network.

Since 1983, the organization has raised more than $4.7 billion - most of it $1 at a time - for 170 children’s hospitals across the United States and Canada, which, in turn, use the important the staff is to creating and preserving that welcoming atmomoney where it’s needed sphere. The overall goal, Scott said, is “treating the guest like family, the most. These donaand giving them an experience.” tions have gone to supThe restaurant puts every staff member through a four-week port research and training, training period and it shows. purchase equipment, and pay for uncompensated care, all in support of the mission to save and improve the lives of as many children as Finally, it was time to order. Brianna was my server. At 18 possible. years old, this girl had it together. She was a pro, able to answer any question I had about the menu and confident enough to make Menu suggestions.

• Seared Scallop w/ Tamari Glaze, Sweet Corn Puree and Fennel I decided on the shrimp and crawfish fondue. It was amazing.

Wine Pairing: Poet’s Leap Riesling – Washington The cheese was gooey and there was a lot of flavor in this dish. Most • Yellow Fin Tuna Tartare w/ Citrus Soy Vinaigrette, Quail Egg and importantly, the shrimp was not overcooked. It was a lot of food, so Yucca Chip I never actually made it to the entrée! I did have dessert - the bread Wine Pairing: Chamisal Chardonnay – Central Coast, California pudding. This thing, too, was gigantic. It was hot and came with a • Roasted Pork Belly w/ Green Tea Honey, Cilantro, Scallions and scoop of ice cream. Who doesn’t love a hot/cold Granny Smith Apple dessert party in their mouth?

Wine Pairing: Complicated Red Wine – Central Coast, California On a second visit, I ordered the Shrimp • Shitake Crusted Wagyu w/ Black Garlic Sauce, Beech Mushrooms Etouffee and Shrimp Salad. It was very good, and Sesame Udon Noodles and served as a Lunch Special. The spicy Wine Pairing: Castello di Verrazzano – Chianti Classico, Italy etouffee was smothered a juicy sauce, served • Kobucha Cake w/ Green Tea Gelato, Apple Compote and Pumpover white rice. It came with a Shrimp salad kin Seed Brittle that was a large portion of salad with three large Wine Pairing: De Bortoli Willowglen Reserve Tawny – Australia boiled shrimp on top.

Proceeds will be donated to Children’s Miracle Network. Call Fish and Chips was sampled as well. The FRESH Catering at (903)747-3503 to secure your seat. Limited seatfish was a white fish in a crunchy seasoned bat- ing available. ter, fried and served with fresh-cut french fries.

We tried the Happy’s All Purpose Seasoning Salt Thursday-Saturday, May 16th - 24th - The 3rd annual Taste of Texas at FRESH by Brookshire’s is a charity event that benefits The that was on the table on the fries which lent a East Texas Food Bank. From Family Movie Night to the Strut Your nice seasoned cajun-style salt to them.

Mutt Contest, Taste of Texas is a nine-day occasion full of fun TexasWhile I was enjoying the food -- food sized activities. This signature event not only profits a local charity; that was above my high expectations – I was it also promotes Texas brand products. FRESH by Brookshire’s is joined by General Manager Kevin Aburayan.

His enthusiasm was contagious. I could not get located at 6991 Old Jacksonville Hwy., Tyler, (903) 747-3503, www.freshbybrookshires.com. enough of it. Like Scott, Kevin could not tell me enough about the quality and freshness of Saturday, May 24th - The Steak Cook-off Contest is where local the ingredients. He spoke more in-depth about teams battle it out for the “Ace of Steaks” Championship belt! Steaks Andy Gugar and his dedication to his product. will be sampled, music will be heard, vintage cars will be showcased, “Andy is so knowledgeable about food he and fun will be had by all. The Steak Cook-Off will be followed by should be on TV with his own show,” Kevin a Steak Buffet Dinner. We hope to see you soon, partner! FRESH by confided. Kevin continued talking about how Brookshire’s is located at 6991 Old Jacksonville Hwy., Tyler, (903) great the customer feedback has been. “My 747-3503, www.freshbybrookshires.com.

903.825.1975 ~ 903.565.6262 Steaks - Burgers - Seafood - Crawfish......Karaoke Saturday Nights......2 Locations - Hwy. 155 South, Flint & Highway 64 East in Chapel Hill 4 • EGuideMagazine.com

It’s Mudbug Time!

By Gini Rainey

In the world of Cajun cooking there’s one thing that separates the men from the boys. That would be crawfish and where you get them, how you cook them, and how you eat them! Crawfish – also called crawdads or mudbugs – are freshwater crustaceans that resemble small lobsters. They can be found in brooks and streams that do not freeze to the bottom. Because of the unusually cold weather that we’ve experienced this winter, crawfish season has gotten off to a slow start, but that hasn’t slowed down the lovers of mudbugs! The season normally runs from March through June, so right now we’re smack-dab in the middle of prime bug time and the guys and gals are doing their best to make up for the late start to the feast! I’m here to help you find the best crawfish in the Tyler area so you can chow down with the best of them.

When I say you can tell how much somebody loves their crawfish, you can figure that one out just by watching them chow down on a platter. There’s a special technique involved, and if you’re afraid of making a mess, crawfish just might not be for you. The first thing to do is pick out one of those hot little babies, hold its tail with two fingers of one hand, its head with two fingers of the other hand, twist and pull. Now here’s where we separate the men from the boys. Men (and women) that are serious about this sport suck the juice out of the head, toss it, and pull the meat of the tail and, oh my! Yumm. Not so serious diners, well they just throw away the head and pull the meat. Their loss!

If you want to feel like you’ve been dropped right down into the middle of Louisiana and eat some of the best crawfish in the area, drive 12 miles south of Tyler from Loop 323 to Crawdaddy’s Cajun Grill. Close to the shores of Lake Palestine, Crawdaddy’s boasts that it serves the best Louisiana cuisine for Texans. With a great view and atmosphere you can get your mudbug bad on with Crawdaddy’s Special, a 5 pound serving of mudbugs, potatoes, and corn. The bugs are big and plump and the flavor is spicy enough to make you want to set fire to the night. They serve ice cold sodas and tea, but you’ll have to BYOB if you want to indulge in adult beverages.

In the opposite direction from Crawdaddy’s, just this side of Big Sandy on 155, you’ll find Circle M Crawfish and The Crawfish Stand. Started 17 years ago by Rodney Murphy, you’ll be sure to get your fill of some of the best crawfish around, and if you don’t want to eat there, you can take a sack of live mudbugs home to boil up in your backyard for all your friends and neighbors.

A little closer to town is Razoo’s Cajun Café, a newcomer to Tyler, but not to the restaurant market. They post with pride on their website when the bugs hit town, just so the lovers will be able to get their tastes buds ready to go. Razoo’s doesn’t take anything seriously, except serving excellent Cajun grub, including platters of crawfish that will put a fire in your heart as well as your mouth. The t-shirts

Bringing Fresh Produce and Local Food to Tyler Beginning May 3rd The East Texas Community Food Coalition is proud to announce two new locations for the Rose City Farmers Market.

Beginning May 3rd, the “South” market will be sharing a space with Juls Restaurant, located at 7212 Old Jacksonville Hwy., every Tuesday and Saturday.

Beginning May 8th, the “North” market will be located at 723 N. Broadway Ave., in the Salvation Army parking lot, every Thursday. Both markets

Disney Commercialism, Did I Say That?

By Gini Rainey - BlogAboutIt: The Cookbook Junkie at eguidemagazine.com

Now, either I am tired or just not a huge fan of the Disney empire. Either way, “The Disney Bakery - 30 Magical Recipes” does not do much magic for me! Yes, it’s true that I have purchased a ton of cook books that are celebrity-generated, but this one is geared for little folks and it just smacks of commercialism. Written by Adrienne Berofsky, with photography by David Roark, this slim book (64 pages) was published in 2000 by Disney Enterprises, Inc., and is loaded with ten chapters that are tied to ten Disney movies.

With the encouragement of “Dream a dessert and bring the magic of Disney into your kitchen!” this book begins with two pages of do’s and don’ts to keep in mind while in the kitchen. Although the description on the back cover says the all of the recipes are vividly inspired by one of the classic Disney films, I’m thinking that they lack imagination and inspiration, but then I’m an adult. They are definitely geared more towards children between the ages of 6 and 10.

Perhaps I should have test driven this book today with my younger grandchildren!

If you have a youngster in your life who is in love with the Disney Classics, then you might really want to add this cook book to your collection. Maybe a rainy afternoon spent watching “The Lion King” could really be tied into cooking up some “I Just Can’t Wait to Be King” pudding for you and your little chef. Watch “Aladdin” and whip up some of “Aladdin’s Magic Carpet Cakes” that are covered with “Flying Colors Glaze.”

You say your a fan of “Dumbo?” Well, then you should create “Peanut Butter Dumbo Dunkers” or “Timothy Peanut Butter Mice.” Your preference is “101 Dalmations?”

Well, the “101 Dalmation Cookie Sensations” are mighty cute, but they lose points because they have inedible red ribbon bows on them. “A Bug’s Life” offers “Frozen Francis Far-from-Feminine Ladybugs” that in my humble opinion, are totally uninspired, as are “Flik’s Shortcake Birds.”

Now “Fantasia” does show us how to make “Mickey’s Magic Multiplying Brooms,” which are kind of cute, as are the “Mickey Mouse’s Sorcerer’s Hats,” which would definitely need to be executed by an older pint-sized chef. Lest you think I’m leaving out the recipes tied to “Cinderella,” never fear, as we find out how to make “Mirror, Mirror Cookies” but, if I were you, I wouldn’t even think twice about not making “The Seven Dwarfs’ Caps.”

So, if you’re up to it, grab your favorite little chefs, a stack of Disney movies, and this book. If you have lots of patience, tons of love, don’t mind lots of giggles, this book will fill the bill and create some good memories for all who believe!

that they sell says it all when it comes to how seriously crawfish connoisseurs take their addiction “I’ve Got OCD – Obsessive Crawfish Disorder.” Located at 7011 S. Broadway, Razoo’s is ready and waiting for you to come in and make a mess!

Rumor has it that Fish City Grill, located in the Macy’s shopping center, also serves bugs. They are good sized and cooked to order, so you know they are very fresh. They are also served with new potatoes and corn that’s cooked right in the pot with all of the good flavor of the spices and crawfish soaked in. They also give you the option of how you want them seasoned by choosing to have them done with the regular flavoring or the nitro/extra hot spices. Don’t worry, they also serve up a lot of ice cold beer to help cool off your palate.

If you’re thinking that you might want to invite a bunch of friends over so you can enjoy your bug feast in the privacy of your own backyard, here’s what you will need to make everybody happier than a pig in the mud. First you’ll need the bugs. My suggestion is that you buy live bugs. Most of our local grocery stores carry frozen crawfish. I don’t think I’d go there if I could get them fresh, which Circle M Crawfish sells by the bag. You should plan on buying at least two pounds or more for each person that you’ve invited for dinner. Not everyone does, but you might want to initially put the live crawfish in salt water, rinse and repeat before you cook them. This purges their digestive track and makes them more appealing to eat.

Here’s the good stuff! This recipe is for 30-40 pounds of crawfish (special thanks to Brad Emge – chef extraordinaire at Tyler Yacht Club). Using a 80-100 quart pot, filled halfway with water, add the following ingredients and bring to a boil over a large burner. Remember, bigger=better! 6 halved lemons, 2 - 26 oz. containers of salt, 2 - 14 oz. bags of Zatarain’s Pro Boil seasoning, 1 cup of vegetable oil, 1 large bottle of Worcestershire sauce, and 8 oz. of cayenne pepper.

When the water boils, pour in the live crawfish, bring back to a boil as quickly as possible and boil for 7 minutes and drain. After the cook time, pour the bugs into a cooler and let “rest” for 20 minutes before serving. You can dump them out on a table covered with newspaper or into a cooler to keep them warm. But, what’s crawfish without corn on the cob and new potatoes, you say! It’s best to boil them in the Find more blogs at same water as the crawfish and will need 30-40 minutes to cook. So timing is everything.

Whether you choose to visit one of our area’s outstanding seafood restaurants, or enjoy the meal at home, the best thing is to gather all your friends around and laissez les bons temps rouler!

will run through November.

At the “South” market at Juls, members of the open-air market will offer freshly picked fruits and vegetables, local honey, free-range eggs, grassfed beef and pastured chicken, locally roasted and brewed coffee, and hand-crafted art. Vendors will also be selling a variety of baked goods, jams and jellies, pickles, canned goods, as well as nut and fruit butters.

At the “North” market at the Salvation Army, members will be selling freshly picked fruits and vegetables, baked goods, free-range eggs and other seasonal offerings. Situated on the edge of one of Tyler’s four food deserts, this location is poised to make a direct and substantial impact on the community and will improve access to fresh, nutritious food.

Founder of the East Texas Community Food Coalition, Carmen Sosa also serves as Market Director. She says the goal of the Rose City Farmers Market is to “provide our community with a fun, family-friendly place to buy fresh, seasonal fruits and vegetables and to support our local farmers, food artisans, and artists.”

EGuide Magazine.com

According to Juls’ owner Jay Schulz, “we are very excited to be partnering with the Rose City Farmers Market and promoting locally raised and produced products. We enjoy being able to help our community and are looking forward to tapping into our new local connections to provide the freshest products possible in our restaurant.”

The partnership with Juls is a boon for the local food movement Ms. Sosa is working to strengthen.

Juls’ Executive Chef, Philipp Norsetter, has a rich history in promoting farm-to-fork menus at his restaurants. He is planning to conduct food demonstrations and provide other local food-centric opportunities so the community can learn how to prepare simple meals using local and seasonal ingredients.

Farmers Market Nutrition Program vouchers for WIC participants will be accepted again this year. The amount of each voucher has increased from $20 to $30, and the program has been extended through November. The market will also be accepting Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits, also known as the Lone

Star card.

This is the first year a farmers market in Tyler has been approved to accept both of these nutrition assistance programs. Ms. Sosa said, “This is a true testament to the many volunteers, sponsors, and supporters it has taken to help bring such a well-organized market to our community.”

The mission of the East Texas Community Food Coalition is to encourage good health through better access to fresh and delicious food, and to support sustainable agriculture, community placemaking, and the local economy.

If you are interested in participating as an artist, musician or volunteer, go to www.foodcoalition.org.

If you would like to participate as a member, please apply at www.managemymarket.com.

EGuideMagazine.com • 5

Movies Movie Reviews By

Dustin Chase

www.texasartfilm.com Dustin is a Member of the “Houston Film Critics Society” Film Critic/Assistant Editor for “Texas Art & Film” (texasartfilm.com) Film Critic for “The Daily News” (Galveston) Entertainment Reporter for “Galveston.com” Film Critic for “Island Guide,” (Galveston) & “EGuide Magazine” (Tyler) and Online Air Entertainment News Commentator at “News 92FM’s Livin’ Large”

most impressive element out of everything I have mentioned is Hardy himself, who listens as much as he talks. Therefore, the performance is mostly in his eyes that are gleaming with pain and often streaming tears. It’s a triumph for him as an actor, but very likely not a film you would ever want to see twice.

Final Thought – Hardy gives another challenging and superb performance.

“Chef”

Starring Jon Favreau, Sofia Vergara, Scarlett Johansson, John Leguizamo, Emjay Anthony, Bonny Cannavale Grade B+ When Jon Favreau, director of the first two “Iron Man” films, stepped out at SXSW to open the festival with his Starring Tom Hardy admittedly smaller new film “Chef,” he Grade B said this might not be a film for everyFilms with one actor on screen for the entire duration seem to one, but that he was so glad indepenbe gaining in popularity. In 2013, “Gravity” was a success while “All dent film was alive and well. The cast is Lost” was a failure. Most of the films with just one actor on screen Favreau has assembled for a script exist within the thriller or action genre (“Cast Away,” “Phone Booth”), he also wrote is a mixture of those he but “Locke,” as tense as some of the moments are, has a calming admires and has worked with previously, including Iron Man himself, pace. The entire film takes place in an SUV as our lead actor Tom Robert Downey Jr. Favreau takes the lead on this one and the film is Hardy (“The Dark Knight Rises”) is driving to a hospital in London. better for it. The entire film is a metaphor for Favreau’s career. Big stuThe majordio films are represented by the restaurant he works in and the food ity of the 90 truck represents indie film and a new realized sense of self-discovminutes are ery. If you look deeper not only is “Chef” one of his most entertaining spent on the films but his most personal. phone to varChef Carl Casper doesn’t know how to use social media corious people, rectly, and when he gets into a Twitter battle with one of Los Angeles’ as Hardy’s most well known food critics (Oliver Platt), he singlehandedly grabs character the attention of the entire city. While Casper is a respected chef and explains his now has a daily line of people trying to taste his food, Casper’s frusactions and tration with the restaurant owner (Dustin Hoffman) ends his reign as predicament. the head cook. Forced to get back to a place where he can cook what Through all he wants for who he wants, Casper takes up the suggestion of a food of this we get truck with the help of his son (Anthony) and buddy (Leguizamo). a very good They decide to make the best Cuban sandwiches and hit the road to sense of his redefine what Chef Casper is all about. character, as well as his background. ​ After covering the SXSW film festival for five years, “Chef” is I​ van Locke (Hardy) leaves the construction site of what is to be the only film that truly captures the essence of what Austin is really the largest non-government building in Europe on the most imporabout. The crowd let out a cheer when Casper’s son tweets “Get ready, tant day of his company that is pouring the foundation concrete.

Texas…” and it’s obvious they are headed to Austin. Local establishLocke is also supposed to be heading home after work to spend ments like Franklin’s BBQ are prominently featured in the film and the evening with his wife and two boys as they watch an important it’s no coincidence that Favreau and the festival decided to host the sports game. As soon as he gets in his vehicle, however, he begins his film here. As a comedy, Favreau’s tone never ventures into the silly many phone calls to Bethan, a woman he met 9 months ago who is or schmaltzy on the drama side, and he keeps it and the food truck about to have his child. Locke must break the news to his family over headed in the direction it needs to be. A few times I wondered if the the phone as he drives quickly toward the hospital. He continually film wanted to be about a middle aged man rediscovering his passion explains to Bethan and the doctors at her side that he is the father, or a father son film, but Favreau suggests he is and can be both. but not her partner.

The food really becomes one of the characters. Don’t go into this The first thing I thought of as I watched and listened to Locke’s hungry or you will be salivating at the delicious and delectable items journey away from everything he loves, his work and family, toward Chef Casper cooks up. The language is a big vulgar throughout the a mistake that had returned to haunt him, is how this film could also film, but I think it’s used wisely to convey the passion Casper feels work as a radio program. We never see the people he is on the phone towards his career. Hoffman has never been more stubborn as a charwith, but the script and Hardy’s performance gives us more than we acter, Leguizamo is a terrific sidekick and Vergara makes a successful need to create the images in our minds. While the audio and spoken transition to feature films. Assuming I didn’t see the final cut, “Chef’s” dialogue are arguably the most important elements of the film, writer/ road trip does run a long course, as a couple of different subplots fall director Steven Knight (“Redemption”) offers us really beautiful cinby the wayside, most noticeably Scarlett Johansson. Favreau’s notion ematography, and that’s saying a lot since most of the shots are inside that this is a niche film should prove incorrect, as “Chef” is a heartthe vehicle. The cinematography and editing in “Locke” go hand in warming crowd pleaser, far more significant than his superhero past. hand, however. The score by Dickon Hinchliffe is another element, Final Thought – Favreau serves up his best entertainment yet. as in all the other single actor films, that makes it less of a one person show and more like an experience. ​The script on which everything is built on is extremely clever with the order of the calls, which callers hang up, and which callStarring Macon Blair, Devin Ratray, Amy Hargreaves ers call back, etc. The viewer is more of a voyeur in this film, as we Grade C+ are privy to all these conversations, while the recipients on the other What “Blue Ruin” lacks in character development it makes up for end do not get a full picture of the anxiety and stress Locke is facwith suspenseful silence. Winning a best directing prize at the 2013 ing as he drives. It’s a juggling act, an in motion office, as he tries to Cannes film festival, Jeremy Saulnier has created a revenge thriller that calm his family, be there for Bethan and guide his second hand man subtracts famous faces, an embedded plot, and literally everything we through the technicalities of his absence at the jobsite. However, the have come to expect in this genre of film. Instead, he focuses on our

“Locke”

“Blue Ruin”

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lead character fumbling around trying to kill those who destroyed his family.

Macon Blair is such an antihero that part of the suspense in the script relies on his social awkwardness trying to survive or retaliate. The big question is if Blair is a strong enough unknown actor to satisfy the audience’s lack of character development the way a bigger name would. ​A local Virginia Beach police officer informs Dwight (Blair), who lives in his car by the beach, that the man imprisoned for murdering his parents is being released. Dwight’s nomad existence is abruptly cut short as he heads for the prison and follows the accused to their hideout. Dwight does what he sets out to do, injuring himself in the process, and leaves his car which connects him to the crime. Now the retaliation is coming his way, as the entire Cleland clan comes after Dwight and his sister, who he races to protect and confess what he has done.

The suspense really is in the silence. Most of the build up to action is Dwight having inner dialogue, which is expression through his breathing patterns, trembling, or trying to heal himself from wounds. Dwight’s klutz-like behavior also sets the suspense in a way that no one believes this guy will be able to defeat these backwoods redneck murderers. The few scenes of interaction Dwight has with the local police officer, his sister and friend from school all give us insight into the situation and our leading man’s motives. Is it enough? That’s the real question. Do we as an audience feel satisfied about all this bloodshed over a story we barely understand? ​The most interesting scene for me was Dwight’s need for assistance from his best friend from years ago with a supply of firearms.

Devin Ratray (“Nebraska”) is the friend Dwight needs at that moment.

With a man in the trunk, the entire field sequence is the centerpiece of the film, the turning point of either walking away from the killing or continuing to erase the entire clan. The short running time and the suspense might be enough to sustain those of us looking for an alternative to big budget thrillers.

Final Thought – Suspenseful silence sustains Blue Ruin as a partially satisfying thriller.

“Cuban Fury”

Starring Nick Frost, Rashida Jones, Chris O’Dowd, Olivia Colman, Ian McShane Grade B ​It seems that comedic partners Nick Frost and Simon Pegg (“Hot Fuzz,” “Shaun of the Dead”) have parted ways after the conclusion of their trilogy last year. Frost breaks out on his own in “Cuban Fury,” based on a script idea he pitched starring himself as a has been salsa dancer.

“Cuban Fury” could have easily been another “Joe Dirt,” but thankfully those Brits are just smarter and better at comedy scripts than most of the trash we see in the US. Frost and Jon Brown have a script that never elevates itself outside the realm of reality; the comedy and jokes stay grounded and make for an enjoyable film with really colorful characters.

As a pre-teen Bruce Garrett was a salsa dancing sensational regionally, winning trophies and on his way to the big time. That all changed the night of the national championships, when bullies overtook him and forced him to eat nearly all the 100 sequins on his shirt.

Twenty-five years later, working in an office and 200 pounds heavier, his interest in salsa dancing is reignited when his new boss (Jones) is not only beautiful, caring and a true professional, but she is also a salsa dancer. He hunts down his dancing teacher (McShane) and prepares for a local competition in hopes of wooing the woman he can’t get off his mind.

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The main ingredient in the Edgar Wright films, which were all co-written by Simon Pegg, was the colorful characters; not just supporting players, but characters that you actually wanted to see more of when they were off screen. Frost has learned a thing or two from his buddies (Pegg appears in a cameo) and manages to retain some of that same creativity for “Cuban Fury.” In some ways Frost might look like the British equivalent to our Kevin James, but their size is the only thing they have in common.

Frost is charismatic and funny without being stupid or sacrificing reality for pratfalls or kindergarten humor.

With the outrageous staying on the minimal side, “Cuban Fury” allows O’Dowd (“Bridesmaids”) to play against type and Kayvan Novak to basically steal the show as the gay Persian dancer Bejan; “Boom, shake the room please!” “Cuban Fury” isn’t a perfect comedy, but it’s almost impossible not to fall for its charm, even at the stupidest moments.

If the film has a must see moment, it would be the dance off battle between Frost and O’Dowd on the rooftop parking lot.

Final Thought – Frost trades in the Fuzz for Fury, proving he can go it alone.

“Neighbors”

“Neighbors” mostly pertained to the script, including scenes like Mac and Kelly arguing about who is more like Kevin James or discussions about which actor played Batman better in the various films (that conversation also continued in the post Q&A). The questions, from the audience to the cast and crew following the film that was admittedly “a work in progress,” were lacking. “Does anyone have any good questions,” Rogan asked the audience of over 1500. How do you ask questions about a film that has no meaning, value or depth? “Neighbors” will only appeal to the lowest common denominator due to its predictable factor and lack of creativity.

Final Thought – Efron shows off his body and Rogan delivers the same jokes--can we get some new neighbors?

“Brick Mansions”

Starring Paul Walker, David Belle, Rza Grade CIt’s a remake and a film that might have ended up going straight to On-Demand or DVD release if it wasn’t for the death of Paul Walker. Now in his final fully completed film, “Brick Mansions” is getting a more royal theatrical treatment. This film, with lackluster performances and hip-hop action, will do nothing for his memory. Editor of the “Transporter” films, Camille Delamarre leaves the cutting room for the big chair this time in his directorial debut (he will also be directing “Transporter 4”). “Brick Mansions,” as you might expect, focuses on car chases, street battles and lots of runaway dance moves by Belle that do everything but tell a story.

Detroit continues to be the most dangerous and corrupt city in the US even in 2018, where the residents of Brick Mansions find themselves walled off from the rest of the city. An undercover detective out to avenge his father is sent in to stop drug lord Tremaine (RZA) and stop a bomb that the gang stole from the military and now have aimed at the city.

Damien (Walker) is partnered with do-gooder criminal Lino (Belle); both have very different methods but have the same goal: to rid the city of Tremaine.

“Brick Mansions” makes it very clear in the opening sequence with Belle doing some impressive escape moves that this is more about the flair than the story. The plot is pretty simple: rescue the girl and stop the bomb. However, in over 90 minutes we have our two leads doing everything but the obvious. No Paul Walker film would be complete without a certain amount of car chase sequences, and there are plenty here complete with crashes.

Nearly all the chase sequences are full of implausible sequences, one in which a man is thrown from a car traveling at a high rate of speed through a windshield and directly into the police station for booking.

“I didn’t create the reality, I just help ease the pain,” Tremaine says, defending his drug deals that have half of the city hooked. The story quickly forgets about the drugs when city corruption becomes involved, and all parties are forced to work together for the greater good. In fact, a lot of opinions change very quickly in this film; not that the lowest common denominator it’s catering to will notice or care.

They want action sequences, cheesy one-liners and lots of brutality, and that’s precisely what Brick Mansions aims to give them.

Final Thought – Walker in a different movie, same results.

Starring Seth Rogan, Rose Byrne, Zac Efron, Dave Franco, Christopher Mintz Platz Grade D+ Director Nicholas Stoller (“Forgetting Sarah Marshall”) has his check list of vulgar comedy items to get through in his latest film, “Neighbors.” What started off as an idea of 30 year olds reaching that point where they still crave fun but need the calm and quiet to function as parents provides the conundrum for the raunchy comedy. It’s old versus young in the most basic and uncreative ways. Let’s face it, “Neighbors” is about comedian Seth Rogan (cowriter) giving his face another onenote performance and story. Combined with the sex appeal of Efron and Franco (who in reality are closer to 30 than they are to frat boys), “Neighbors” sounds like a hit and will be for those who crave repetition. The film establishes itself very quickly in a realm of impossible antics and sits there for the duration.

Kelly (Byrne) and Mac (Rogan) are trying to have sex in every room, but their baby keeps staring at them. They have the occasional illegal substance to feel young and escape the monotony of mature existence, but they fully come to realize their age when a fraternity moves next door. President Teddy Sanders (Efron) and VP Pete (Franco) plan to party every night, contrary to their promise to keep the noise down. The disagreement between the two neighbors quickly escalates into calling the police, which doesn’t work; then things get nasty when one side starts physically and mentally challenging the other. Kelly and Mac are pushed to extremes when they cannot sell their house or get a peaceful night’s rest, and they will stop at nothing More movie reviews are at.... to get the frats out of their neighborhood.

“Neighbors” feels more like a string of vulgar scenes strung together instead of a fully functional comedy. Efron lends his muscles and good looks to the role, but little else. For nearly his entire Dustin’s 2014 “Best” & “Worst”...So Far career he has chosen roles that seem to suggest he is more interested in the craft. Now, following “That “Worst” Movies “Best” Movies Awkward Moment” and “Neighbors,” he is using “Hellion” - A“I, Frankenstein” - Dhis ripped body and moneymaker face to sell a “Labor Day” - A“The Bag Man” - Dless than stellar project. Efron admitted that when “Chef” - B+ “300: Rise of An Rogan called him for the part, he said ‘yes’ instantly. “Grand Budapest” - B+ Empire” - DFranco, who continues to struggle in his career to “Boyhood” - B+ “3 Days to Kill” - D find roles to challenge him as an actor, seems highly “The Railway Man” - B+ “Adult World” - D miscast and results to full backside nudity for his “Kelly & Cal” - B+ “Legend of Hercules” - D character’s depth.

“At Middleton” - B+ The moments that felt the weakest in “Predestination” - B+

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Liberty Hall, located in downtown Tyler, offers entertainment through film, theater, comedy and music. There is not a bad seat in the house only 315 to choose from! Most movies are only $5.

Upcoming movies are: May 10th at 3pm.................................................................................................“Steel Magnolias” (1989) June 5th at 7pm.................................................................................................“Some Like it Hot” (1959) June 12th at 7pm....................................................................................“ To Have and Have Not” (1944) June 21st at 3pm.................................................................................................................. “Rope” (1948) June 21st at 3pm.......................................................................................“E.T. the Extraterrestial” (1982) June 26th at 7pm..................................................................................................... “Citizen Kane” (1941)

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Music

The Ally Venable Band: Young and Full of Spunk

By Amanda Main

For being only 15, Ally Venable has the makings of a strong force in the world of blues music. Ally is lead vocalist and guitarist of the Kilgore-based Ally Venable Band, and her bandmates are blown away by the talent the Kilgore High School freshman possesses for her age.

We recently sat down for a Q&A session with this young talent.

EGuide: How long have you been writing your own songs?

Ally: I’ve been writing probably about a year or so, maybe a year and a half. I try to write about what goes on in my life because other people can relate to it.

EGuide: What kinds of things that go on in your life do you write about?

Ally: Most of my songs are about how people interact with me...like one song was about how I got bullied in middle school. It’s not like a normal bullying; I remember how at lunch, I would sit by myself in the cafeteria, or in the library or somewhere else, and nobody wanted to sit with me. And whenever I would have my shows, people would always throw parties at their house and be like, “Oh, well you were singing,” or something like that. So I wrote “Woke Up This Morning” about how I was through with them, and after that, they didn’t bother me anymore. Other songs that I have written were about stuff that I saw on TV. I wrote “Wise Man” while I was watching “Gossip Girl,” which is about how a boy cheating on the girl which turned out really cool. I just write about different stuff, whatever inspires me. We try to stay in a blues-rock type of feel with our music, and it’s really cool how the band combine our ideas together to make a song.

EGuide: What are you hoping to do with your music, like when you’re writing about bullying?

Ally: That it reaches out, and that other people feel that they are not alone. When I talk to other people at my shows, they’ll say, “Oh, I can really relate to that, and now I don’t feel like I am the only one.” This makes me feel that my music reaches out to other people, so its satisfying and I feel good that I am expressing myself and in turn it makes me feel better as well as helps others. That’s what it’s about for me.

EGuide: So are you still being bullied?

Ally: Oh no. Now that I’m in high school, it’s a whole different persona. It’s a whole different idea. But that time in my life was very hard and I am grateful to be past it. I hope that my music can help get others through hard times if they are going through it.

EGuide: How did you get your start in music; have you been playing instruments since you were a little kid?

Ally: I started playing about three years ago, playing guitar. I’ve always sung in church, like when I was really little, I would sing in the choir. And I remember going into a music store and asking my grandma for a guitar at a very young age. Looking back, that’s how it started. I’ve always had a love for listening to music. At first I sang a bunch of country music, but later in life I began to listen to more varieties of music. My dad likes to listen to blues and my mom likes to listen to metal and ‘80s music. They both love all that stuff and I liked blues a lot. I don’t know why, but I like it a lot. It called to me so I started listening to Stevie Ray Vaughan, Buddy Guy and Bonnie Raitt, and all those blues artists. I liked it and felt a sincere draw to that style and I started playing it and listening to them and trying to emulate them. Eventually it worked out.

EGuide: How did you learn the guitar? Did you take any lessons?

8 • EGuideMagazine.com

Ally: I took lessons at first to understand it, the mechanics I guess. Then I started teaching myself and have continued learning on my own for the majority of the time I’ve been playing. Now I’m taking lessons again in Tyler from Tony Marsh and I’m taking vocal lessons. I had never taken any vocal lessons at all before so this is new to me and I love it. Like in church, in the choir, they would teach us a little bit of stuff, but I’ve never had any vocal lessons until the past couple of months. It’s a lot more challenging than I expected.

EGuide: So how did your band come together?

Did you already know these guys?

Ally: Well, Elijah, we just got him, and he’s a really good bass player.

He goes to school with me and is a senior. Bobby, who plays guitar in the band, we met him through networking. We also got together with Brett through online networking.

EGuide: How would you describe your collaboration?

Ally: I write the lyrics. Everybody else contributes to whatever and it’s amazing how it comes together. Sometimes it just comes, whatever they think of, and it’s easy. Others times it’s not but we work at it until the ‘magic happens.’ Brett, of course, comes up with the drum parts, and Elijah comes up with the bass. And Bobby and I mainly do the guitar and vocals. Bobby wrote some of the vocals on the CD such as “Wise Man,” which the band put out in 2013. We collaborate, and we tell each other kind of what we want.

EGuide: So you already said that bullying inspired some of your songs.

What other things have inspired your lyrics?

Ally: Um, let me think. “No Glass Shoes” is about wanting someone to love you — one of the lyrics is, “She wants a love like her mama has.” It’s like Cinderella — “only fools wear glass shoes,” it’s like how fairy tales are kind of elaborated to an extent, I guess, and how movies want you to have this perfect boy, and that you are suppose to have this perfect person, and you just can’t find him. I’m only 15 years old, but that’s what all these girls want - a perfect boy to love you; and you see your mom and dad happy together, and I guess that’s what “No Glass Shoes” is about.

EGuide: What is your favorite place to play, and why?

Ally: Ooh … there are so many great venues in East Texas to play at. I love playing at The Back Porch because it’s in Kilgore, and a lot of people go there. I like playing at festivals where there’s a lot of exposure, and a lot of people to watch us play. I just like playing anywhere, its so fun, and everywhere we play it’s a different experience.

EGuide: What’s the farthest away you’ve ever heard you have a fan?

Ally: We have a fan in Mexico. He put on our Facebook page, “So excited to listen to this,” and when we looked in up, the fan was in Mexico. We have another one in Boston that liked our music on iTunes, so that was cool.

EGuide: What is the farthest from home that you’ve ever played?

Have you ever been outside of Texas?

Ally: I guess it would be Louisiana. Also, I went on vacation in Jamaica, but it wasn’t with the band, but I played a guitar from someone on the street. That was fun even though it was in no way a gig.

EGuide: What kinds of things, besides music, do you like to do?

Ally: I like to play tennis. I play mixed doubles. At school, our team got first place overall in district so we’re going to regionals. I like to play soccer too, for the school. And I like to play cello for the school orchestra.

EGuide: How long have you been playing cello?

Ally: Since sixth grade.

EGuide: Is there anything else you would want to say about playing in a band?

Ally: Playing in a band, its weird. Whenever I play a song, I don’t feel like I’m playing a song, I feel like it just comes out. It’s natural feeling. Like I’m in a zone, and I don’t feel — I feel something, but I can’t explain how I feel. It’s just a weird feeling I have whenever I play.

EGuide: Is it like a spiritual thing?

Ally: Yeah, kind of. Almost like that. I don’t even have to think about the words sometimes, it just happens. And a lot of times whenever I play licks on the guitar, I don’t think about what to play. I just play. It’s a weird feeling. And that goes with all of my bandmates. It’s not a certain chord progression, it’s just what we feel, and it just comes out and it sounds good. I love playing. It’s a good way to express myself and a good way for other people to just let loose and have fun and have a good time. I like to see people in the crowd too - to see them let loose and let go of their worries and listen to our music. It’s fun to watch.

EGuide: Do you have any aspirations for your life other than music, or is this what you are hoping to do full time when you get older?

Ally: I would love to do music as a full-time job. But if I don’t, I don’t know what I want to do when I grow up. But if I had the chance to do music for a living, I would definitely do it.

Talking with the band, we began to dive into the magic....to drummer Brett Engel, 44, of Tyler: EGuide: How did you get involved with this band, and what is your background?

Brett: Oh, boy. I played in bands from Minnesota all the way to Houston. I toured with a band out of Houston back in 2000 to 2003. We toured all over the United States, New York, everywhere else. Then I got into another band in Houston in 2004, and played with them until 2010. Then I kind of took a little break for a while and when I saw Ally playing at an outdoor festival, I said, “I’ve got to play with them,” so I kept in contact with them, and as soon as a position became available, I came aboard.

I started playing when I was probably 7, and I started playing professionally when I was Ally’s age but not to the caliber she is.

EGuide: How do you like being in East Texas?

Brett: I love being in East Texas; I love Tyler. It’s a lot of fun. There’s a lot of talented musicians here.

From Lindale resident Bobby Wallace, 45, who plays guitar for the band: EGuide: How did you get involved, with music and with Ally’s band?

Bobby: I’ve been playing guitar for 32 years. I started playing when I was a little bit younger than Ally. And I played for many, many, many different people. I was just about ready to retire when I met Ally. She is so good that she made me change my mind and want to keep playing. She’s the main reason I like to play these days. I’ve never met a girl guitar player that can play like Ally (he laughs). She’s really good. She’s just — it kills me. If I was as good as she was at her age, that would’ve been really cool. She’s an inspiration for me playing. She’s done really well.

I have three children; they’re all musicians, and before joining up with Ally, we were a family band.

We traveled and played all over. But when the children got older they didn’t need me anymore, so I found a new band.

From bass player Elijah, 18, the newest member of the band: EGuide: How did you get with Ally and the band?

Elijah: When I auditioned they gave me 40 songs to learn in about a week, and I had to learn them.

Ally interjected: He learned all the songs! I was surprised and happy that he played them very well,

so we knew right then that Elijah was going to work.

EGuide: And you said you know each other through school?

Elijah: I remember hearing about her, maybe like last year, and I said, half joking, “If you ever need a drummer or a bassist, if a spot ever comes up, I’d be glad to fill in or do something.” This year she asked me if I was still interested and I was like, “Yeah.

That’d be awesome.”

Elijah started playing stand-up bass six years ago, and he’s been playing electric bass for four or five years. His after-graduation plans are to attend school for music, first at Kilgore College, and then he hopes to transfer to the University of North Texas.

EGuide: I guess that wraps it up. Thank you for your time. Do you have any last thoughts that you would like to share.

Ally: No, well, yes, only that I would like to thank our fans for always supporting us and coming out to our shows. We love what we do and without our fans, we couldn’t do what we do. Like, thanks, is all - for supporting our passion of music.

The band continues to write original songs and perform and build their portfolio of gigs and experience. They have come together and formed a welloiled machine that is admired by many fans in East Texas. Ally’s father, Jack, says that during a typical 1-2 hour concert, about half the songs played are the band’s originals. In a club setting, though, during a 4-hour show, the band plays more covers. Artists the band has covered live include Jonny Lang, Buddy Guy, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Jimi Hendrix, The Black Keys, Outkast, Beth Hart, B.B. King and Bonnie Raitt.

Ally Venable Band will be playing AlleyFest in Longview at 5:30pm on May 9th, and at XL’N on Fifth St. in Tyler at 9pm on May 17th.

Their music can be heard online through Spotify and through their website, allyvenable.com, and can be purchased on iTunes or online at cdbaby.com/cd/ allyvenableband.

Ally lives in Kilgore with her father Jack (who also is the band’s manager), mother Cindy, and 11-year-old brother, Dylan.

Kilgore announces “After 5” Concert Series

Blues, Fabulous Thunderbirds, or Louisiana’s LeRoux.

Four evenings of entertainment are on tap for this year’s “Fridays After 5” concert series, kicking off Friday, May 2nd with Nouveaux Cajun Xpress.

“Our 2014 concert series will run monthly, typically from 8-10pm, the World’s Richest Acre Park.

The later schedule works better for the performers and the crowd in the Texas summer heat. Organizers are also looking for a secondary venue in case of inclement weather; if we’re not at the World’s Richest Acre, visitors should look for a sign directing them to the night’s venue.

The 2014 lineup includes:

Friday, May 2nd – Nouveaux Cajun Xpress (8-10pm)

Nouveaux Cajun Xpress is four former members of the popular Cajun band Tout Les Soir.

Butch Landry, Butch Golsan, John Ortis, and Clyde Thompson have been playing music together for more than a decade. After recruiting versatile Cajun accordion player Wallace Trahan, their first goal was to create a new kind of Cajun/Louisiana music sound. Although they bill themselves as a Cajun band, Nouveaux Cajun Xpress is much more than that. They perform many genres of music including Zydeco, Louisiana swamp pop, blues, and even some old school rock and roll.

Friday, August 15th – Daniel Foster and Levi Kitchen (9-12pm)

This is our Back to School Party! Daniel Foster has a unique style of music, traditional country with a hint of early gospel exposure. Daniel also covers many classic country tunes as well as Daniel Foster “original” songs you are sure to love. Levi Kitchen, minister of music at Kilgore’s Cornerstone Fellowship, is a singer/songwriter who has been performing and recording music most of his life.

Levi plays a broad range of styles from Hard/ Progressive rock to Acoustic Blues/Jazz.

All concerts are free to the public and family friendly.

Events

Saturday, May 10th - “Newsboys We Believe Tour” with Rapture Ruckus and Bob Lenz will be at Carthage Civic Center, 1702 S Adams St., Carthage. Tickets are $12-$35 and available by calling (903)693-8544.

Sunday, May 11th - Tyler Community Band Concert will take place 3-4pm. Tyler Community Band presents a spring concert featuring music from “The Wizard of Oz”, “The William Byrd Suite,” “The Cowboys” by John Williams, and a special tribute in honor of Mother’s Day. This will Friday, June 6th – Dazed and take place at Caldwell Auditorium, 300 S. College, Ally Venable Band (8-10pm) We’ll be entertained by two bands, Dazed and downtown Tyler. This is free to the public to attend.

Ally Venable Band, for this Friday evening. Dazed Friday, May 16th - Marvin Concert Series: Denyce Graves in Concert will be held starting at 7pm at is a young classic rock band from East Texas that includes, Lance Hampton (lead guitar and vocals), Marvin United Methodist Church, 300 W. Erwin St., downtown Tyler. The World renown MetroCaleb Cannon (bass guitar and vocals), and Drew politan Opera Star Mezzo-soprano will end the Theiring (drums and vocals). These young musicians have been called the band with “young hearts 25th anniversary celebration of the Marvin Concert Series. Admission is free. Reception to follow in and old souls.” Ally Venable is a young local guitarist and vocalist with an amazing voice and a big Pirtle Hall. For more info contact (903)592-7396 or facebook.com/MarvinConcertSeries. sound. Her favorite styles of music include blues and country music and her major influences are May 17th - John Batdorf: Live, Original Stevie Ray Vaughan, Gretchen Wilson, Buddy Guy, Saturday, Music Concert will take place at The Old Orinthia and local band The Darby Warren Project. Folk Firehouse in Edom, 8241 FM 279, Edom. Doors Friday, July 25th – The Bluebirds (8-10pm) open at 7pm. Hailing from the seventies, John This will be a street dance! The Bluebirds have Batdorf has continued to write and sing his heartfelt been performing as a 6-7 piece Blues/Soul/Dance songs for over four decades. As one half of the band. Dirty Redd on trumpet and Omenka on sax group Batdorf and Rodney, John is experiencing along with Ben Kitterlin on drums are the core a comeback through house concerts, civic events, unit. Jason Coffied is first call guitarist and Julieann and recognition of his albums old and new. John’s Banks has been the female vocalist and plays bass recent solo album “One Last Wish” returns to his for the Van Morrison Tribute featuring Bruce Flett. friendly, warm brand of singing stories. At times The players and singers may change, but the confessional, at others flowing with emotion, John’s Blues/Roots/R&B keeps the dance floor packed. songs cover the human experience we all share.

One might compare Bluebirds to other peren- This is a concert for 14 years old plus or with adult nial favorites that have evolved like Roomful of please. Call (903)852-2781 for more info.

EGuideMagazine.com • 9

Live Music Gig Guide Thursday, May 1st

Circle M Crawfish – Karaoke, 5-9 Cork – Jazz Trio, 7-9, DJ, 9-12 The Forge, Ben Wheeler – Van Darien, 7-10 Iron Horse – Cody Riley, 8-12 Half Moon – DJ, 8-11 Moore’s Store, Ben Wheeler – Karaoke, 8-11 Potpourri House – Paul Ruark, 6:30-9 Purple Pig – Open Mic, – 6-9 Shoguns – Open Mic, 7-10 Stanley’s – BBQ & Blues, 6-9 Friday, May 2nd

The Back Porch, Kilgore – Thieves Of Sunrise, 8-12 Clicks – Lulu & The Vipers,Walker & The Texas Dangers, The Rest, 9-1 Cork – Jazz Trio, 6-9, DJ Mike, 9-12 Crossroads – Karaoke, 8-12 Dick’s Cajun Grill, Mt. Selman – DJ Krash Karaoke, 8-12 The Forge, Ben Wheeler – Travis Bolt, 7-10 Fresh – Johnny & The Nightcrawlers, 6-9 Iron Horse – 4 Wheel Drive, 8-12 Jakes – Randy Brown, 8-11 Juls – Dustin Becker, 7-10 Lago Del Pino – Texas Rebellion, 8-11 Liberty Hall – The Bellamy Brothers, 7-11 Mario’s – Live Jazz 6-10 Moore’s Store, Ben Wheeler – Johnny Lee, 8-12 Potpourri House – Bobby & Ken, 6:30-9 Purple Pig live acoustic music, 6-9 Ricks – Safety Patrol, 8-12 Stanley’s BBQ – Graham Wilkinson, 9-12 World’s Richest Acre Park (Kilgore) - Nouveaux Cajun Xpress, 8-10pm Wrights BBQ – Hoss Huggins, 7-10 Yamato – DJ, 9-12 Saturday, May 3rd

The Back Porch, Kilgore– Nouveaux Cajun Xpress, 9-1 Breakers – Live Music, 8-10 Circle M Crawfish – Live Music, 7-10 Clicks Live – Bleed The Rain, Adamantium,3rd Dilemma , 9-1 Cork – Cris Oliver, 7-10, DJ Rufus, 10-1 Dick’s Cajun Grill, Mt. Selman – Darrin Morris Band, 8-12 The Forge, Ben Wheeler – Craig Wallace, 3-6, Stefan Cotter, 7-11 Fresh – Locked & Loaded, 3-6 Half Moon – Austin English Band, 9-1 Iron Horse – I20 Band, 9-1 Jake’s – Remedy Stick, 8-11 Juls – DJ 80N3, 10-1 Lago Del Pino – Ben Balmer, 8-12 Mario’s – Live Jazz, 6-9 Moore’s Store, Ben Wheeler- Jaime Richards, 8-11 Potpourri House – Bobby & Ken, 6:30-9 Rick’s – Blue Finger Disco, 9-1 Shoguns – Live Music, 8-12 Stone Country Dance Hall, Lindale – Matt Begley & Bitter Whiskey, 9-1 XLN – Something Blue, 9-1 Where’s Rufus – DJ 8-12 Wrights BBQ – Karaoke, 7-10 Yamato – Karaoke, 9-1 Sunday, May 4th

Circle M Crawfish – Karaoke, 6-10 Iron Horse – open Mic, 3-7 XLN – Karaoke, 8-12 Tuesday, May 6th

Coach’s & Cowboy’s – Karaoke, 8-12 The Shed, Edom – Pickin & Grining, 6-9 Where’s Rufus – DJ , 8-12 Wednesday, May 7th

The Back Porch, Kilgore – Bo Brumble, 7-10 Click’s Live – Karaoke, 8-12 Coach’s & Cowboy’s – Chris Knight, 8-12 Cork – Dustin Becker 7-9, The Forge, Ben Wheeler – Open Mic, 6-9 Lago Del Pino – Open Mic, 9-12 Leon’s, Longview – Blues Jam with Jonny & The Night Crawlers Stanley’s BBQ – Mike Acoustic, 7-10 Thursday, May 8th

Circle M Crawfish – Karaoke, 5-9 Cork – Jazz Trio, 9-12 The Forge, Ben Wheeler – Nightwork Jazz, 7-10 Iron Horse – Karaoke, 8-12 Half Moon – DJ, 8-11 Moore’s Store, Ben Wheeler – Karaoke, 8-11 Potpourri House – Paul Ruark, 6:30-9 Purple Pig – Open Mic, – 6-9 Rick’s – Purple Velvet Fox, 8-12 Shoguns – Open Mic, 7-10 Stanley’s – BBQ & Blues with Blue Louie, 6-9

10 • EGuideMagazine.com

Friday, May 9th

The Back Porch, Kilgore – Darrin Morris Band, 8-12 Clicks – The Komplex, Other Lovers, Channel 8, A Disco For Ferns, 9-1 Coach’s & Cowboy’s – Cody Johnson, 8-12 Cork – Jazz Trio, 6-9, DJ Rufus, 9-12 Crossroads – Karaoke, 8-12 Dick’s Cajun Grill, Mt. Selman – Hubcap & The Loose Nuts, 8-12 The Forge, Ben Wheeler – John Thomas Cleveland, 7-10 Fresh – Bobby Edwards & The Blue Cats, 6-9 Halfmoon – 7 Years Today, 8-12 Iron Horse – Shinebox, 8-12 Jakes –Levi Kitchen, 8-11 Lago Del Pino – Daniel De La Rocha, 8-11 Mario’s – Live Jazz 6-10 Moore’s Store, Ben Wheeler – Captain Legendary Band, 8-12 Potpourri House – Bobby & Ken, 6:30-9 Purple Pig live acoustic music, 6-9 Ricks – The Stars, 8-12 Stanley’s BBQ – Shinyribs, w/ The Bigsbys, 9-12 Wrights BBQ – Todd Rinlee, 7-10 Yamato – DJ, 9-12 Saturday, May 10th

The Back Porch, Kilgore – Clayton Jones, 8-12 Belcher Center, Longview – Ernie Haase & Signature Sound, 7:30pm Breakers – Live Music, 8-10 Carthage Civic Center - Newsboys We Believe Tour” with Rapture Ruckus and Bob Lenz Circle M Crawfish – Live Music, 7-10 Clicks Live – By The Machine, Autumn, Unit 21, 9-1 Cork – DJ Austin Day, 9-12 Dick’s Cajun Grill, Mt. Selman – King Richard & The Bayou Boys, 8-12 The Forge, Ben Wheeler – Heather Little & Matt Bradshaw, 7-10 Fresh – Tuxedo Cats, 6-9 Iron Horse – Bullet Proof, 9-1 Jake’s – Rev. Edwards & The Blues Cats, 8-11 Lago Del Pino – Something Blue, 9-12 Mario’s – Live Jazz, 6-9 Moore’s Store, Ben Wheeler – Aaron Einhouse 8-11 Potpourri House – Bobby & Ken, 6:30-9 Rick’s – Rat Ranch, 9-1 Shoguns – Live Music, 8-12 Stone Country Dance Hall, Lindale – Mark Wilson Dirt Water Social Club, 9-1 Where’s Rufus – DJ, 8-12 Wrights BBQ – Karaoke, 7-10 XLN – Tyler Lenius Band, 9-1 Yamato – Karaoke, 9-1 Sunday, May 11th

Circle M Crawfish – Karaoke, 6-10 Iron Horse – Open Mic, 3-7 XLN – Karaoke, 8-12 Tuesday, May 13th

Coach’s & Cowboy’s – Karaoke, 8-12 The Shed, Edom – Pickin & Grinin, 6-9 Where’s Rufus – DJ , 8-12 Wednesday, May 14th

The Back Porch, Kilgore – Jedidiah Crisp, 7-10 Click’s Live – Karaoke, 8-12 Cork – Dustin Becker 6-9, The Forge, Ben Wheeler – Open Mic, 6-9 Lago Del Pino – Open Mic, 9-12 Leon’s, Longview – Blues Jam with Jonny & The Night Crawlers Sports Zone – DJ Cicero, 8-12 Stanley’s BBQ – Mike Acoustic, 7-10 Thursday, May 15th

Circle M Crawfish – Karaoke, 5-9 Clicks Live – The Foundation, 9-12 Cork – Acoustic, 9-12 The Forge, Ben Wheeler – Stephen Blackwell, 7-10 Iron Horse – Karaoke, 8-12 Half Moon – DJ, 8-11 Moore’s Store, Ben Wheeler – Karaoke, 8-11 Potpourri House – Paul Ruark, 6:30-9 Purple Pig – Open Mic, 6-9 Shoguns – Open Mic, 7-10 Stanley’s – BBQ & Blues, 6-9 Friday, May 16th

The Back Porch, Kilgore – Dale Sullivan Band, 8-12 Clicks Live – Young Ones, Moving Castles, Babe, 9-12 Cork – Jazz Trio, 6-9, DJ Cicero, 9-12 Crossroads – Karaoke, 8-12 Dick’s Cajun Grill, Mt. Selman – DJ Krash Karaoke, 8-12 The Forge, Ben Wheeler – Lacie Carpenter, 7-10 Fresh – Lauren Alexander Band, 6-9 Half Moon Grill – DJ, 8-12 Iron Horse – Bobby Edwards & The Blue Cats, 8-12 Jakes – Bongo and The Point, 8-11 Lago Del Pino – Mike & The Moonpies, 8-11

Mario’s – Live Jazz, 6-9 Marvin Concert Series - Denyce Graves, 7-9 Moore’s Store, Ben Wheeler – Matt Dunn, 8-11 Potpourri House – Bobby & Ken, 6:30-9 Purple Pig – Live Acoustic Music, 6-9 Rick’s – Big Daddy, 8-12 Stanley’s BBQ – Oil Boom, W/ Babe & Tennessee Jet, 9-12 Wrights BBQ – Darin Morris, 7-10 Yamato – DJ, 9-12

Saturday, May 17th

The Back Porch, Kilgore – Teazur, 8-12 Breakers – Live Music, 8-10 Circle M Crawfish – Live Music, 7-10 Click’s Live – Warbeast, 9-1 Cork – DJ Austin, 10-1 Dick’s Cajun Grill, Mt. Selman – Chris Wallace, 9-1 The Forge, Ben Wheeler – Craig Wallace, 3-6, Larry Hooper, 7-10 Fresh – Stevie Jo, 6-9 Iron Horse – Jeremy Peyton, 9-1 Jakes – Live Music, 9-12 Lago Del Pino – Chase & The New South, 8-11 Mario’s – Live Jazz 6-9 Moore’s Store, Ben Wheeler – John Slaughter, 8-11 The Old Firehouse (Edom) - John Batdorf, 6-9 Potpourri House – Bobby & Ken, 6:30-9 Ricks – Electric Circus, 9-1 Shoguns – Live Music, 8-12 Stone Country Dance Hall, Lindale – Brent Maris, 9-1 Where’s Rufus DJ , 9-1 Wrights BBQ – Karaoke, 6-9 XLN – Ally Venable Band, 9-1 Yamato – Karaoke, 9-1 Sunday, May 18th

Circle M Crawfish – Karaoke, 5-9 Iron Horse – Open Mic, 3-7 XLN – Karaoke, 8-12 Tuesday, May 20th

Coach’s & Cowboy’s – Karaoke, 8-12 The Shed, Edom – Pickin & Grinin, 6-9 Where’s Rufus – DJ JB, 8-12 Wednesday, May 21st

The Back Porch, Kilgore – Matthew Marcus McDaniel, 7-10 Circle M Crawfish – Live Music, 5-9 Click’s Live – Karaoke, 8-12 Cork – Dustin Becker 7-9, Coach’s & Cowboy’s – Josh Grinder, 7-11 The Forge, Ben Wheeler – Open Mic, 6-9 Lago Del Pino – Open Mic, 9-12 Leon’s, Longview – Blues Jam with Jonny & The Night Crawlers, 8-11 Sports Zone – DJ Cicero, 8-12 Stanley’s BBQ – Mike Acoustic, 7-10 Thursday, May 22nd

Circle M Crawfish – Karaoke, 6-10 Click’s Live – DJ , 8-12 Cork – Acoustic, 9-12 The Forge, Ben Wheeler – Thomas Lynn Wade, 7-10 Half Moon – Live Music, 8-12 Iron Horse – Karaoke, 8-12 Moore’s Store, Ben Wheeler – Karaoke, 8-11 Potpourri House – Paul Ruark, 6:30-9 Purple Pig – Open Mic, 6-10 Shoguns – Open Mic, 7-10 Stanley’s – BBQ & Blues with Blue Louie, 6-9 Friday, May 23rd

The Back Porch, Kilgore – Voodudes, 8-12 Circle M Crawfish – Live Music, 7-10 Cork – Jazz Trio, 7-9, DJ Mike, 9-12 Cross Roads – Karaoke, 8-12 Dick’s Cajun Grill, Mt. Selman – Karaoke, 8-12 The Forge, Ben Wheeler – John E. Dosher, 7-10 Fresh – Kevin Hahn Band, 6-9 Iron Horse – Karaoke, 8-12 Jakes – King Paloot, 8-11 Lago Del Pino – Carter Beckworth, 8-12 Mario’s – Live Jazz, 6-9 Moore’s Store, Ben Wheeler – Ray Johnston, 8-11 Potpourri House – Bobby & Ken, 6:30-9 Purple Pig – Live Acoustic Music, 6-9 Ricks – Platinum 5, 8-12 Stanley’s BBQ – Buggaboo, 9-12 Wrights BBQ – Patrick James, 7-10 Yamato – DJ, 9-12 Saturday, May 24th

The Back Porch, Kilgore – Doctor Doctor, 8-12 Breakers – Richard Callahan, 8-10 Circle M Crawfish – Live Music, 7-10 Cork – Lauren Alexander, 7-10, DJ Austin Day, 10-1 Dick’s Cajun Grill, Mt. Selman – Dazed, 9-1 The Forge, Ben Wheeler – Craig Wallace, 3-6, Ben Lowery & Wes Hendrix, 7-10

Fresh – Stefan Cotter, 3-6, Taylor Heard Band, 6-9 Halfmoon Grill – Sam Cox Band, 9-1 Iron Horse – Amy Riley, 9-1 Jakes – Live Music, 9-12 Lago Del Pino – The Elegant Few, 9-1 Mario’s – Live Jazz, 6-9 Potpourri House – Bobby & Ken, 6:30-9 Ricks – Live 80, 9-1 Shogun – Live Music, 7-11 Stone Country Dance Hall, Lindale – Richard Stuart, 9-1 Where’s Rufus DJ , 9-1 Wrights BBQ – Karaoke, 6-9 XLN – Shinebox, 9-1 Yamato – Karaoke, 9-1

Sunday, May 25th

Circle M Crawfish – Karaoke, 5-9 Iron Horse – Open Mic, 3-7 XLN – Karaoke, 8-12 Monday, May 26th

Half Moon Grill – Texas KGB, 9-12 Tuesday, May 27th

Coach’s & Cowboy’s – Karaoke, 8-12 The Shed, Edom – Pickin & Grinin, 6-9 Where’s Rufus – DJ, 8-12 Wednesday, May 28th

The Back Porch, Kilgore – Cole Allen, 7-10 Clicks live Karaoke, 8-12 Coach’s & Cowboy’s – Live Music, 7-11 Cork – Dustin Becker 7-9, Lago Del Pino – Open Mic, 8-12 Leon’s, Longview – Blues Jam with Jonny & The Night Crawlers, 8-11 Stanley’s BBQ - Mike Acoustic, 7-11 Thursday, May 29nd

Circle M Crawfish – Karaoke, 6-10 Click’s Live – DJ , 8-12 Cork – Acoustic, 9-12 The Forge, Ben Wheeler – Matt Bradshaw & Heather Little, 7-10 Half Moon – DJ, 8-12 Iron Horse – Karaoke, 8-12 Moore’s Store, Ben Wheeler – Karaoke, 8-11 Potpourri House – Paul Ruark, 6:30-9 Purple Pig – Open Mic, 6-10 Shoguns – Open Mic, 7-10 Stanley’s – BBQ & Blues with Blue Louie, 6-9 Friday, May 30th

The Back Porch, Kilgore – What The Funk?, 8-12 Circle M Crawfish – Live Music, 7-10 Click’s – Live Music, 8-12 Coach’s & Cowboy’s – Wade Bowen, 8-12 Cork – Jazz Trio, 7-9, DJ Cicero, 9-12 Cross Roads – Karaoke, 8-12 Dick’s Cajun Grill, Mt. Selman – Karaoke, 8-12 The Forge, Ben Wheeler – Victor Andrada, 7-10 Fresh – Pocket Tangerine, 6-9 Half Moon Grill – Chris Wayne Band, 8-12 Iron Horse – Karaoke, 8-12 Jakes – The Magills, 8-11 Lago Del Pino – Lauren Alexander, 8-12 Mario’s – Live Jazz, 6-9 Potpourri House – Bobby & Ken, 6:30-9 Purple Pig – Live Acoustic Music, 6-9 Ricks – Safira, 8-12 Stanley’s BBQ – Shane Smith & The saints, 9-12 Wrights BBQ – Kenna Danielle, 7-10 Yamato – DJ, 9-12 Saturday, May 31st

The Back Porch, Kilgore – Dazed, 8-12 Breakers – Live Music, 8-10 Circle M Crawfish – Live Music, 7-10 Cork – DJ Rufus, 10-1 Dick’s Cajun Grill, Mt. Selman – Shinebox, 9-1 The Forge, Ben Wheeler – Craig Wallace, 3-6, Jimmy Wallace & Jerry Don Branch, 7-10 Fresh – Rafael Espinoza, 6-9 Halfmoon Grill – DJ, 9-1 Iron Horse – Waylon Hicks, 9-1 Jakes – Eric Moseley, 9-12 Lago Del Pino – Graceland Ninjaz, 9-1 Mario’s – Live Jazz, 6-9 Moore’s Store, Ben Wheeler – Westley Pruitt, 8-11 Potpourri House – Bobby & Ken, 6:30-9 Ricks – Big Mouth, 9-1 Shogun – Live Music, 7-11 Stone Country Dance Hall, Lindale – Darrin Morris, 9-1 Where’s Rufus DJ , 9-1 Wrights BBQ – Karaoke, 6-9 Yamato – Karaoke, 9-1

Festivals The Jacksonville Tomato Festival:

Everything’s Coming Up Tomatoes

By Lynn Dark

When: Saturday, June 14th, 9am-4pm Where: The area of The Tomato Bowl and the Norman Activity Center on Commerce Street Cost: Free to attend I love Jacksonville tomatoes. Red ones or green ones, it doesn’t matter. They are amazingly good. You really can’t help but be impressed by all of the uses our Jacksonville neighbors have come up with for their tomatoes.

The city of Jacksonville will be hosting their 30th annual Tomato Festival on June 14th. Peggy Renfro with the Jacksonville Chamber of Commerce kindly took time out of her busy schedule to sit down with me and discuss what we can look forward to at this year’s festival.

Most events will take place from 9am-4pm in the area of The Tomato Bowl and the Norman Activity Center on Commerce Street.

Shuttle services will be available for those parking closer to the overpass.

There are 200 vendor slots and they are expected to be full. There will be booths offering everything from East Texas arts and crafts, food items, clothing, cowboy hats, woodwork, and a multitude of other items. There will also be plenty of food vendors, information booths, raffles, and items for children. Some of the vendors are local, but other vendors will be coming in from as far away as Houston, Dallas, Central Texas and Louisiana.

This is the first year the city will be presenting specialty label salsas for sale. Several different flavors will be offered, ranging from hot to sweet. In addition, a tomato based salad dressing will be available for purchase.

Be sure to visit the Farmer’s Market, located in the parking lot across from the Tomato Bowl and adjacent to the Norman Activity Center. All of the produce available for sale is of the finest quality and grown by local farmers. All of the Cherokee County Tomato growers are being encouraged to gather up their tomatoes and be a part of the festival. The categories they will be competing in are Commercial Grower-Biggest and Best Plate of Three. Individual Grower-Biggest, Best Plate of Three, Best Plate of Three-Heirloom Variety, and Best Plate of Three-12 and under. Open categories include Most Unusual and People’s Choice. All of these categories have a cash prize of $75.

There will be several new events this year, including a tomato packing contest, a 5K run, a baby crawling contest, and a photo contest. $1000 in prizes will be awarded for the best photos taken at the

festival. Is your baby the fastest crawler in town?

The Kid’s Klub Baby Crawling Contest will be held inside the Norman Activity Center beginning at 9am. To participate in the contest, your baby must be 6-12 months old and only crawlers are eligible. Registration for this event begins at 8:30am and prizes will be awarded to the top 3 crawlers.

Another new addition to this year’s festival is a designated area for children’s activities, called the Kids Zone. Administered by the Health Department, this area will be located in the building next to the Norman Activity Center and will be entirely devoted to providing fun activities specifically designed for kids.

The salsa contest is divided into four categories: Fire Engine Hot, Medium, Sweet, and Pico de Gallo. All entrants must use Jacksonville tomatoes in their salsa. Judging is based on taste and texture.

If you are interested in participating in the Tomato Eating contest, be prepared to attempt to eat five “nice sized tomatoes” in three minutes. The winner is the person who eats the most in that time or who finishes the fastest.

The Homegrown Tomato contest is open to Cherokee County residents. The Chamber of Commerce works with the County Extension Agent and Master Gardeners to award monetary prizes in several different categories.

Something that I can’t quite wrap my mind around is the tomato peeling contest. Put your paring knives away. If you want to participate in this contest, be prepared to peel an entire tomato with your teeth.

Competitors range in age from 5 to 80 years old. Judging is based on who can peel their tomato the fastest while leaving something that still resembles an intact tomato.

A talent contest takes place between 1-4pm. $500 in prize money is up for grabs and the only caveats are that the talent must be family friendly, and if you’re singing, you must know your song. Karaoke is not allowed. Prizes will be awarded for 1st, 2nd and 3rd place.

One of the most exciting things going on after the main festival events are over is the 9th annual Street Dance that will take place in front of Chili’s from 7-10pm. Several hundred people are expected to turn out to enjoy the free music. Those interested in attending are encouraged to bring lawn chairs and listen to the live band, Lady Chazz and the Tramps. In addition to the band, Boogie Butt Productions will be providing DJ entertainment. Local bands will be playing throughout the day during breaks between contests. There will also be a gospel concert starting at 5pm in the Norman Activity Center.

Anywhere from 40 to 60 cars participate in the Car Show each year. The show is divided into three categories: street cars, custom cars, and custom trucks. There will be awards in each category. The Motorcycle Show was added a couple of years ago, and it continues to grow every year. There were 30 participants last year and even more are expected this year. Awards will be given in this show as well. An average of ten tractors participate in the Tractor Show each year. There are no prizes for this event. Participants meet up to visit and enjoy the festival going on around them.

For those who are interested, shed tours are available. The public has the opportunity to observe the way tomatoes are sorted and packaged prior to being sent out to buyers. The shed tours take place just a few blocks from the main festival.

The fishing tournament takes place on Lake Jacksonville. Prizes awarded for total catch and the biggest bass. Approximately 60 teams participated last year.

There will also be a USPTA Gran Prix Juniors Tennis Tournament taking place at Jacksonville High School. Entry fees go into Jacksonville Tennis Association scholarship fund. Trophies will be awarded to winners in each age division, and all entrants get a t-shirt.

If you aren’t overwhelmed by all of the things going on, there will also be a soccer tournament. Last year, 66 teams entered this event.

For more info, including contest rules, prizes, entry forms and fees, eligibility, calendar of events, e-mail and telephone contacts, visit the festival’s website at www.jacksonvilletexas.com/pages/TomatoFest/.

Red Dirt BBQ and Musical Festival:

The Biggest BBQ Party on Earth

When: Saturday, May 3rd, VIP entry is at 2pm with general admission (combo tickets) at 3pm. Gates open for the concert at 6pm Where: Downtown Tyler Cost: Tickets are $20 for the GA for the concert only, GA Combo tickets are $45 to sample the bbq and see the concerts and $90 for the VIP experience The Red Dirt BBQ and Music Festival celebrates the best in Texas barbecue, music and beer in the first event of its kind in Tyler‘s history. Fifteen of the best barbecue restaurants from all over the state will be on hand to let you sample their tasty smoked meats, some of the best bands in Texas music will entertain you during the concert and Shiner Bock will be there to keep you properly hydrated. Honestly, who can say anything bad about this fantastic combo - its the best of all worlds.

The Food

On Saturday, the downtown square in Tyler will be filled with the smells of tasty smoked meats. There will be fifteen of Texas’ best barbecue restaurants set up around the square, giving you the opportunity to sample meats from each one.

As you go from one BBQ joint’s booth to the next, you’ll get to shop with various vendors, enjoy some tasty beverages from Shiner, spend some time with the state’s most prolific pitmasters and just have a good time.

You can expect about a two-ounce sample of meat from each of the following restaurants: Black’s Barbecue (Lockhart), Buzzie’s BBQ (Kerrville), Country Tavern (Kilgore), Cousin’s BBQ (Fort Worth), Hutchins BBQ (McKinney), Lockhart Smokehouse (Dallas), Louie Mueller Barbecue (Taylor), Micklethwait Craft Meats (Austin), Opie’s BBQ (Spicewood), Joseph’s Riverport Bar-B-Que (Jefferson), Schmidt Family Barbecue (Bee Cave), The Slow Bone (Dallas), Stanley’s Famous Pit Bar-B-Q (Tyler), Stiles Switch BBQ and Brew (Austin).

The Music

You’ll experience some fantastic Texas tunes throughout the festival, but the night is when we’ll bring out some of the heavyweights in Texas music for our three-part concert. Scheduled music is Randy Rogers Band (10:15pm), Whiskey Myers (8:30pm), Green River Ordinance (7pm) and The Bigsbys (4:30pm).

Tickets

There are three options for tickets.

VIP - A VIP ticket entitles you to enter the BBQ festival an hour earlier than the rest, plus you’ll get a t-shirt, your first two drinks are included and you’ll have a sweet spot right in front of the stage for the concert. Tickets are $90 per person.

General Admission Combo - The GA Combo ticket gives you access to both the BBQ festival and the concerts. Paying for a general admission ticket to the BBQ event includes samples from every restaurant. Tickets are $45 per person.

Concert Only - Gates will open for the concerts at 6pm, with music beginning at 7pm. Tickets are $20 per person.

Tickets are available at the gate and at reddirtbbqfest.com/tickets.

5304 Old Bullard Rd, Tyler “A unique Shopping Experience for you and your pet!”

www.alifewithpets.com Thursday 12-5:30pm, Friday & Saturday 10am - 5pm

Bring your dog to shop for basics and discover unique items from Molly Mutt, PetKiss, AromaPaws and more.

EGuideMagazine.com • 11

Things to Do Tyler Yacht Club: More Than Just a Hobby

Written and Photographed

By Lynn Dark There is no denying the beauty of East Texas. One of the favorite pastimes of many East Texans is spending time on one of the many gorgeous lakes in the area. No one appreciates this more than the members of the Tyler Yacht Club (TYC).

I met with TJ Mathis, this year’s TYC Commodore, at their impressive facility on Lake Tyler to learn more about the organization.

Instead of heading inside the clubhouse for the interview, Mathis suggested that we sit outside on the deck to enjoy the lake while we visited.

This is one of his favorite things to do, and I can certainly understand why. The view is fantastic and the sounds from the lake are peaceful and relaxing.

Founded in 1954, the TYC is located on Lake Tyler approximately 5 miles east of Whitehouse, Texas. Specific directions from Tyler can be found on the website.

The TYC is home to a fleet of Catalina 22 sailboats, as well as 5 Sunfish and several offshore (larger) sailboats. The largest boat at the club is around 28 feet.

The Sunfish boats are owned by the club and are available for use by club members. It is not necessary to own a boat to join the club. Some members have boats, and some don’t.

The TYC boats can be sailed by one to three people, depending on size of the boat, and whether the boat is being used for cruising or racing. The club does both social sailing and speed sailing.

The TYC has weekly races for its spring, summer, fall, and winter series.

There is a club winner for each series, and the prize is bragging rights for the season. Racing is conducted on a handicap system to make for some exciting finishes.

You don’t have to be a member to participate in the weekly races, but you do have to be a member to be a part of the point scoring series.

Races are designed to last about an hour and the course is determined by wind conditions. The public is encouraged to come out and watch, either from the water or the shore. The stipulations for weekly races are that the temperature must be above 40 degrees, the wind must be over 6 and less than 20 miles per hour. If a wind advisory is issued, the race is cancelled.

The club hosts two regattas each year. (Mathis explained to me that a regatta is a pretty big race.)

The Rush Hour Regatta will be Saturday, May 3rd, and the Rose Regatta usually coincides with the Rose Festival. These are all day events which start at 9am and last until about 5pm.

Roughly 22 boats participated in the last competition. Racers from the Shreveport and Longview Yacht Clubs often participate if the level of the lake is up. Anyone interested in coming out to watch should contact the TYC to get information about the best places to do that.

People in the area who would like to learn to sail through the TYC are encouraged to send them an e-mail expressing their interest. The next step is joining a crew to literally learn the ropes. Many members are happy to have people on their boats and love to teach. Mathis himself got into sailing this way.

The TYC is constantly doing projects to improve the facility including maintaining the docks, building up the seawall, painting the clubhouse, staining the deck, etc. The club also allows the Boy Scouts to come out and help with projects, as well as sail.

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The club membership is a family membership and there are quite a few women who participate in sailing as well as social events. This year’s Vice Commodore is Cyndi Bolding.

The TYC hosts many social events for its members. This year’s calendar of events included a Christmas wine and cheese party, a Mardi Gras party, a St. Patrick’s Day party, and a crawfish boil.

Upcoming is a Cinco de Mayo party, a summer luau, and an Oktoberfest party. The club pays for the food, and members bring desserts, appetizers, and their own drinks. Some events are more adult oriented, but most are intended to be social and family friendly.

In addition to sailing, members use the facility to kayak, play volleyball, swim, play, and enjoy the clubhouse, which is impressive. It has a full kitchen, a microwave, a fireplace, a comfortable lounging area, books, and separate men’s and women’s restrooms. Outside is a large deck with three picnic tables and lots of chairs.

Next to the building is a nice sized grill. One of the perks of membership in the TYC is the ability to reserve the clubhouse for private events.

Membership fees include a $40 per month charge, as well as slip/storage fees, which Mathis describes as, “stupid cheap,” compared to other facilities in the area. But like any other hobby, sailing has expenses.

The TYC currently has 70 members, and membership is capped at 75 members, according to club bylaws.

The cap is based on available space.

To become a member, a person needs five references from other members. The way to get those references is to come out and sail, meet members, and participate in the club’s social events.

For more information about the Tyler Yacht Club, including contact information, please visit their website at www.tyleryachtclub.onefireplace.org.

Events

Saturday, May 3rd - Princess Pampering Party Hear ye, hear ye, calling all princesses! Join us for a day of pampering at the “Princess Pampering Party.”

Girls will be able to receive a fabulous facial, get their nails done, get a light make over, make a craft project and watch a princess themed movie. PJ’s and slippers are encouraged. Lunch will also be provided along with a photo of your princess. Sign up early, spaces are limited. This is for 5-12 year olds and the cost is $15 per child. To be held at Glass Recreation Center, 501 W. 32nd, Tyler, (903)595-7271, parksandrec. cityoftyler.org/Facilities/GlassRecreationCenter.aspx.

Saturday, May 3rd - East Texas Bombers Roller Derby Home Season Opener will be at 5pm. Are you ready East Texas? It’s time to get loud with the Bomb Squad! Whether you are a long-time fan or this is your first bout, it is our pleasure to welcome you to the exciting world of Roller Derby. This is great family fun. The hits that happen on the track are full body contact and skaters may go flying into the suicide seats section. Roller Derby is the fasting growing women’s sport in the World and is well on it’s way to being in the Olympics. Make your plans to come out and see your local ladies take on the tough teams of Derby South. This season games are: May 3rd - Capital City Roller Girls June 14th - Mountain Gateway Sisterhood Of Steel August 2nd - Northside Fury October 18th - Bat City Rebellion

Tickets are pre-sale, $10; and at the door, $12. Suicide (track side seating) is $15 and children under 10 are free. Doors open at 4pm and the bouts start at 5pm.

A portion of the proceeds go to local charities. No outside food or drinks are allowed.

Saturday, May 3rd - Donkey Basketball - Jacksonville College is hosting a hilariously entertaining family event of Donkey Basketball. Teams competing include the Jacksonville Police and Fire Departments and Jacksonville College Faculty and Students. This event will serve as a fundraiser for the Police and Fire Departments to award two high school seniors from Jacksonville High School a scholarship to attend Jacksonville College in the fall. Advance tickets are $10, and sales end Friday, May 2nd at 12 noon.

Preschool and under are free. Tickets are available at the Jacksonville Police Dept., Jacksonville Fire Dept., Jacksonville Chamber of Commerce, or Jacksonville College. Tickets will be sold at the gate on game day, but it is recommended to purchase in advance to ensure seating. The games will begin at 8pm on Saturday, May 3rd at Curtis Carroll Field House on the Jacksonville College campus. For more information, contact (903)589-7144. This will take place at Jacksonville College Curtis Carroll Field House, 105 B.J. Albritton Dr., Jacksonville, (903)589-7144.

First and Third Saturday of each month - Free C & W Dance Lessons will take place at TASCA from 5:30-6:30pm. Join instructor Hugh Wallace for some great Country & Western dance tips and steps. Then stay to practice your new skills during the C & W dances the same nights, 7-9:30pm. Don’t miss the fun!

For more information call (903)871-3217. TASCA Activity Center Ballroom is located at 10495 CR 2167 (Jim Russell Rd) in Whitehouse.

Saturday-Sunday, May 3rd-4th - “Kilgore Geekend” is the first annual RC Comics event to celebrate Free Comic Book Day May 3rd and 4th in downtown Kilgore. RC Comics in collaboration with Tours of Tyler and Geek Eazy are presenting the event. Kilgore Geekend is a combination celebration of Free Comic Book Day and International Star Wars Day. Free Comic Book Day is always on the first Saturday in May each year, when participating comic book shops across North America and around the world give away comic books absolutely free to anyone who comes into their stores. International Star Wars Day is ‘May the Fourth,’ a play on words “May the Force Be With You.” Kilgore Geekend is free to the public and will have vendors from all over East Texas as well as performers, costumed characters and demonstrations from professional costumers and business owners.

There will be a costume contest for children, adults and pets as well as games and fun for the whole family.

Admission is free to the public. You can sign up to participate in the costume contests by stopping by RC Comics located at 207 East Main St., Kilgore. For more info, call (817)715-2925.

Saturday, May 3rd Tyler Junior College Colorguard and Twirling Clinic will take place 8am-5:30pm.

Want a taste of what it’s like to be an Apache? Join TJC’s Touch of Gold and Touch of Gold Alumni for a day filled with hard work and everlasting memories as we lead you through the experience of what it is to be a member of Touch of Gold. This will be held in the Tyler Junior College Band Hall on the TJC campus.

Fees are $45 for advanced registration or on site registration. Go to www.tjc.edu/touchofgold for more info.

Saturday, May 3rd - Health and Wellness Explosion will take place 9am-1:30pm. Omega Ministries Presents Health and Wellness Explosion. Several services will be provided including body mass index, prostate health education, mammograms/breast care and many more services. This will take place at 202 N. Parkdale Tyler, (903)872-8100.

First Tuesday of the Month - The IDEA Gardening Series is an informative lecture series covering gardening topics suitable for a particular month. The lectures are held on the patio in the IDEA garden, which is located in the southeast corner of Tyler’s Rose Garden starting at 12 noon. There is limited seating.

You may want to bring a lawn chair for your comfort.

The lecture will run for about 30 minutes followed by a question and answer session. The dates for the spring “First Tuesdays” are May 6th: Butterflies and Hummingbirds; and June 3rd: Succulents. Lectures are sponsored by the Smith County Master Gardeners Association and the Texas Agri-Life Extension Service.

It is held at The Tyler Rose Gardens, 420 Rose Park Dr., Tyler, (903)670-3302.

Every Tuesday and Saturday - Rose City Farmers Market will take place 8am-1pm, featuring the best in locally grown produce, local artists, and local music.

We are a vibrant community marketplace promoting fresh, healthy, local foods grown within 75 miles of the market, handcrafted art and artisan products, local music, sustainable living, education, and entertainment. Loretta Callen and David Jennings will perform

May 3rd. This will take place at Juls Restaurant, 7212 Old Jacksonville Hwy. For more info call (903)4846120, foodcoalition.org. Admission is free.

Every Thursday - East Texas State Fair Farmers Market will be held starting at 7am. Located under the south pavilion at the Fairgrounds, 2112 W. Front St., this farmer’s market features all of it’s favorite farmers that the heart of Tyler has known for years. There has been a market at the fairgrounds for decades and this year will be no different. For recent updates and info visit the East Texas State Fair Farmers Market’s Facebook page or www.etstatefair.com. This will continue through November. For more info (903)597-2501. It is free to attend and parking is free as well.

Tuesday, May 6th - AFP Program, “Living the Fall” by Robyn Burchfiel with the LIVESTRONG Foundation - Robyn Burchfiel is proud to be a part of the LIVESTRONG Foundation’s senior management team. In her role as Vice President of Development, she brings a diverse and wide range of experiences in major gift fund-raising and corporate management. Before joining LIVESTRONG, Robyn held the positions of Director of Gift and Estate Planning and Director of Leadership Gifts at a national liberal arts college. In these roles she was responsible for preparing and executing a major gift fund-raising plan while facilitating long-term relationships between donors and the University. Robyn has presented on topics including “Fundraising in a Climate of Crisis,” “Is a Career in Fundraising Worth Pursuing,” and “Trends in Fundraising” to a wide range of audiences.

She was the inaugural guest speaker at the University of Texas’ Young Development Professionals lecture series. In addition, Robyn has been cited in AFP’s Advancing Philanthropy 2014 Winter Issue for her team’s cultivation and stewardship strategy while forging an independent path from the organization’s infamous founder. Ticket are available for AFP members for $10 and $30 for non-members. This will be held 11:30am-1pm at Hollytree Country Club, 6700 Hollytree Drive, Tyler.

Friday, May 9th - 2014 Leadercast “Beyond You” will take place at Green Acres Baptist Church, Crosswalk Conference Center, 607 Troup Hwy., Tyler. This takes place 8am-3:30pm. Broadcasted live from Atlanta, GA to hundreds of locations around the world, this one day leadership event is changing the way the world thinks about leadership.

For details, contact (903)592-1018. Tickets start at $80 and can be purchased at www.eventbrite.com/e/ leadercast-tyler-tickets-10080365645.

Saturday, May 10th 16th Annual Susan G. Komen Tyler Race for the Cure will take place starting at 8am at Bergfeld Park, Tyler. The Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure® Series, the largest series of 5K runs/ fitness walks in the world, raises significant funds and awareness for the fight against breast cancer, celebrates breast cancer survivorship and honors those who have lost their battle with the disease. Since its inception in 1983, the Komen Race for the Cure series has grown from one local Race with 800 participants to a global series of more than 120 races with more than 1 million people expected to participate in 2014. The Tyler Race for the Cure attracts thousands of participants. To register go to www.komentyler.org. You can register yourself, a team or your company. Fees are Adult $25, Adult Competitive (chip) $30, Children $15, Child Competitive (chip) $20, Sleep In for the Cure $35 and V.I.P. $50. For additional information contact Info@komentyler.org or (903)561-6992.

Saturday-Sunday, May 10th-18th - UT Tyler Patriot Million Dollar Hole in One - This contest offers amateur golfers age 18 and older the opportunity to compete, at $1 per shot, in preliminary daily rounds.

Daily qualifiers are those who hit a hole-in-one, as well as those who hit closest to the hole during the daily qualifying rounds. Those who qualify, advance to the finals which are set to take place at Hollytree Country Club on Sunday, May 18th at 4pm. Qualifiers have the opportunity to win $1 million dollars, a Cadillac SRX or $25,000 with a hole in one. The chance to qualify on Saturday, May 10th as well as Friday, May 16th will feature extended hours and allow contestants to try and qualify until 11pm under the “The Night Lights.”

The tee box and green will be well lit for players and will feature one additional qualifier each hour from 8-11pm. Bring your family and friends and come on out to enjoy this addition to a great event. The Wagner Cadillac Music Series will feature a different acoustic acts each night beginning Monday May 12th, with Kylie Rae Harris at 8pm at the Hole in One site on the campus of UT Tyler. Cody Canada will perform at 8pm on Wednesday May 14th, and Mike and the Moonpies will perform on Thursday May 15th.

Sunday May 18th, at Hollytree Country Club will be the Hole in One Finals. Three holes are set up on the green during the finals, one pin worth $25,000 from KLTV, another worth a Cadillac SRX from Wagner Cadillac, and the final pin worth $1,000,000, spon-

sored by Suddenlink. Up to 50 qualifiers will take their shot. If no one scores a hole in one, the closest to the pin will receive six Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail passes presented by KLTV Channel 7. Contact the UT Tyler Office of University Advancement at (903)5667411 or go to www.uttylerholeinone.com.

Monday, May 12th - 2014 getIT on the Green Golf Tournament - GetIT’s 2nd Annual Golf Outing Tournament sponsored in association with the Technology Committee of the Tyler Area Chamber of Commerce will be held at The Cascades Golf Club. 100% of the proceeds of this event will be donated to our getIT Scholarship Fund, which will be awarded annually to students interested in pursuit of information technology curriculum. For more info or to register call (903) 574-3679. This will be held at Cascades Golf Club, 4511 Briarwood Rd., Tyler. Shotgun T Time is at 8:30am, Putting Contest is 9-11am and 2-4pm, lunch is at 11:30am and the Celebration Party and Awards will take place 6-8pm. Registration fees are $99 and can be made in advance or at the door.

Tuesday, May 13th - 2014 Tyler Tech Expo will take place 8:30am-3pm at Cascades Golf Club, 4511 Briarwood Rd., Tyler. There will be an exhibition hall, door prizes and educational classes. Cost to attend is $20, breakfast and lunch will be provided. Register at easttexasit.com. GetIT is a group for Information Technology Professionals, created to facilitate exchange of technology information between businesses in the community. GetIT is a program sponsored by the Tyler Area Chamber of Commerce. Ticket cost is $20.

Thursday-Saturday, May 15th-17th - Tops in Texas Rodeo will take place at the Rodeo Grounds, Mulberry Street in Jacksonville. The rodeo begins at 7pm. Put on your jeans, boots and western hat and join us for a week jam-packed with fun activities such as saddle bronc riding, bull riding, steer wrestling, calf roping, bareback riding and girl’s barrel racing. Come early so you can visit this year’s sponsors, Bill McRae Ford, East Texas Medical Center, Trinity Mother Frances Hospital and Classic Pro Rodeo. For a list of rodeo events, go to topsintexasrodeo.com.

Thursday-Saturday, May 15th-17th - 27th Annual I-20 Team Real Estate Championship Rodeo will be held at the Lindale Rodeo Arena located on Highway 16 West, three blocks from downtown. Nightly entertainment will begin each evening at 6:15pm, with the Rodeo Events following at 7:30pm. Highlighting the Thursday event will be Mutton Bustin’ starting at

6:15pm. Friday night pre event entertainment will also be Mutton Bustin’ for the kids. Saturday Night rodeo fans will listen to live music before the event.

Entertainment for all performances will include the spectacular Cowgirl Chicks from Weatherford, Texas.

The Cowgirl Chicks warm up the crowd with familyfriendly dance choreography and trick riding that is show stopping. Over 500 contestants will compete for over $60,000 in prize money in exciting events like bull riding, bareback and saddle bronc riding, steer wrestling, team roping and more. Children seven to twelve can compete for prizes in the calf scramble, while children six and under can compete for cash in the fan favorite “cash scramble.” Call (903)882-7181 for ticket locations or go to www.lindalechamber.org.

Adult tickets at the gate are $8 and $5 for children.

Saturday, May 17th - “Saving Water with Drip: Drip Irrigation Basics and Applications” gardening class will be held at Tyler Rose Garden Center, 420 Rose Park Dr., Tyler at 9am. The Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service – Smith County, invites you to participate in 7 seminars, addressing various topics.

Bring your questions, a Q/A session is scheduled at the end of each session. Come to this morning program where Dr. Dotty Woodson, Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Water Specialist from Dallas and Brad McCullough, Licensed Irrigator with Ewing Irrigation, will explain, and then show, how a drip irrigation system can be easily be installed to save you time and money. Part of the program will be in the IDEA Garden in the Tyler Rose Garden where they will show how easily an existing spray irrigation section can be retrofitted and converted to a drip system. Cost is $15 (or $45 for a season pass to all seven Lecture Series programs). For more info call (903)590-2980, facebook.com/ETGardenConference.

Saturday, May 17th - Adrian Peterson’s All Day Foundation Comedy Tour will take place at the Oil Palace starting at 8pm with the doors opening at 7pm. Tickets start at $35 and are available at www.oilpalace.com or (903)566-2122. The Oil Palace is located at 10408 Tyler 64, Tyler.

Saturday, May 17th - Riverfest 2014 will be in Chandler, 11am-7pm. Events include a mud run, crawfish boil, fishing contest, entertainment and vendors.

Sponsored by Chandler Chamber of Commerce, the event funds improvements to Chandler River Park.

May 17th - 15th Annual Hershey’s Track and Field Meet - With childhood obesity on the rise, what

better way to combat the disease than by participating in the City of Tyler Parks and Recreation Department’s 15th Annual Hershey Track and Field Meet. The Whitehouse/Tyler Metro Track Club, along with the Tyler Parks and Recreation Department, is hosting this special track meet planned for youth ages 7 to 14 on May 17th. The Hershey Youth Program promotes physical fitness, participation, friendship, sportsmanship and teamwork. It is open to both girls and boys to compete in running, jumping and throwing events.

This event is free to all children ages 7-14. Finalist in ages 9-14 years will be eligible to advance to the Summer State Track and Field Meet. Registration is going on now through May 17th. The Hershey Track and Field Meet will take place at Robert E. Lee Track complex. Participants should report for registration at 8am on the event day. Copies of birth certificates are required to show verification of age. For more info, call (903)595-7271 or download the entry form online at www.TylerParksandRec.com.

Saturday, May 17th - Compassionate Friends Butterfly Release will be held at First Baptist Church Tyler, South Campus, starting at 1pm. This is a butterfly release program in memory of children who have died. Anyone can participate. Free.

May 22nd-27th - 2014 NCAA Division III Softball Championship will begin daily at 11am at the UT Tyler’s Suddenlink Field. Don’t miss this chance to catch some of the country’s greatest softball talent right here in East Texas. Daily Pass tickets are adults, $9 and students for $7.

May 23rd-25th - Texas State RR’s Salute to Armed Forces - This year’s event has been expanded to three days and will feature the travelling replica of the Vietnam Memorial Wall and its accompanying Cost of Freedom Tribute. At 80% the size of the original wall in our nation’s capital, this replica contains every name engraved on the original. The purpose of this annual event is to pay tribute to all branches and all eras of service to our country. The Patriot Train departs at 10am, 1:30pm and 3:30pm each day for a short, (approximately 1-hour) roundtrip run to the Jarvis Wye and back. Texas State Railroad Depot is in Palestine. Tickets are: Lone Star Premium Price, $30 for adults, $20 for children 2-12 (children under age 2 ride for free) and $27 for seniors. Standard Price: $20 for adults, $15 for children 2-12 (children under age 2 ride for free) and $18 for seniors. We want to honor those who have served or are currently serving

in the military with a free ride on this special train that will be decked out in red, white and blue. Call for tickets at (877)726-7245.

Saturday, May 24th Children’s Village Benefit Barrel Race will be held 9am-5pm. This is an annual event and major fundraiser for Children’s Village Home for Children of Tyler and the East Texas area. The Benefit Barrel Race is always held on a Saturday each year. Come out and enjoy the competition or come to register to ride. The barrel race is hosted by the Tyler Saddle Club at the Mt. Selman Arena on CR 855 off Hwy 69 South of Tyler. Visit the website at childrensvillageoftexas.org or the Tyler Saddle Club website, tylersaddleclub.com for more info or to register to participate. Call (903)592-3421 for more info. Admission is free and Barrel Racers will pay per event and can register on site or online.

Saturday, May 31st - “Walk a Mile in Her Shoes “The International Men’s March to Stop Rape, Sexual Assault and Gender Violence” benefiting the East Texas Crisis Center will take place Saturday, May 31st during Fiddlers Festival. There is an old saying, “You can’t really understand another person’s experience until you’ve walked a mile in their shoes.” Walk a Mile in Her Shoes asks men to literally walk one mile in women’s high heeled shoes. It’s not easy walking in these shoes, but its fun and it gets the community to talk about something that is really difficult to talk about: gender relations and sexual violence. Special shoes designed for men size will be provided. You can walk as an individual or have a team (teams limited to 3 to 6 men). Come by the East Texas Crisis Center to register or call (903)675-2137 for more info.

Saturday, May 31st - Vince Vance and the Valiants Sock Hop and Twist Record Breaker will be held 7-11pm at Harvey Hall Convention Center. Vince Vance and the Valiants will help place Tyler, Texas on the map as over 1700 twisters attempt to break a world record at 9pm. The concert will start at 7pm and the sock hop will be at 8pm. There will be a car show earlier that day to make it fun for the family.

This event will benefit Shrine Hospital (Veteran Amputee) and the Salvation Army Women’s Auxiliary Building fund. For more info call (903)881-9733 or go online at josefelicianofoundation.org. Fees are $100 per person for private party with Vince Vance at 7pm and sock hop. This open to anyone, cost is $50 per person for sock hop only at 8pm, and $10 per person to break twist record on parking lot at 9pm.

FIRE

MOUNTAIN

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Theatre

Energy Center, 719 W. Front St. Suite 20 in the basement, Tyler. Entrance on the north side of the building.

Tickets available at the Box Office: (903)740-5387 or apextheatre20.com

“Night, Mother” will on stage May 16th-24th starring Felicity Enis and Hannah Morris.

The Bohemian Variety Show will be Friday, May 30th at 7:30pm, cost is $5, BYOB, coffee and water provided. This fun night will host a huge variety of art, stage and more.

Also coming up...

Saturday, May 17th Saturday Morning Kidcom Saturday, June 21st Saturday Morning Kidcom Cherokee Civic Theatre 157 West 5th Street Rusk, Texas 75785 (903)683–2131 www.cherokeetheatre.net

Cherokee Civic Theatre Awash with Laughter and Tears During “The Dixie Swim Club”

Dive into fun as “The Dixie Swim Club” comes to the Cherokee Civic Theatre for a five performance run starting on Friday May 9th.

This ‘southern-fried comedy’, centers on five friends – former members of a college swim team – who have an annual reunion at a beach house to revive their friendship, relive their glory days and recharge their lives.

The CCT ensemble cast ‘age’ from their 30s to their 70s as they portray the friends supporting each other through the perils and pitfalls of marriage, parenthood and careers. Performing in the ensemble production are Amy McCalister of Rusk (‘Sheree Hollinger’) and Karen Hirschfeld Hendley of Maydelle (‘Jeri Neal McFeeley’). From Jacksonville come Rachel Joseph (‘Dinah Grayson’), Laura Cunningham (‘Lexie Richards’) and Ann Kelley (‘Verndette Simms’). Their characters approach the inevitability of aging with grace, bravery and wry humor. Their very different approaches to life often causes conflicts but the bond of sisterhood is too strong to be denied.

Jon Paul Kelley of Jacksonville directed the show and asserts that “the show’s fun will not be watered-down!” He also cautions that there will be poignant moments as well – such is the balance of life’s laughter and tears. Jessica House serves as the show’s producer.

Performances will be just in time to celebrate Mother’s Day with evening shows May 9th, 10th and 17th as well as two Sunday matinees on May 11th and 18th. The evening performances are at 7:30pm and the matinees start at 2pm.

“The Dixie Swim Club” was written by Jessie Jones, Nicholas Hope and Jamie Wooten. This talented trio is three of the most produced playwrights in America today (over 2,800 productions and counting). They have entertained millions on television, in film and on stages across the U.S. and around the world. Between them, they’ve written classic television, hit movies, Off-Broadway comedy including the “Dearly” trilogy (“Dearly Departed” is now a film, “Kingdom Come” starring LL Cool J and Whoopi Goldberg), and many award-winning shows and scripts for the USA, SYFY, Nickelodeon and Fox networks. CCT has previously presented their “Dearly Beloved” and “Dearly Departed” comedies.

Tickets for “The Dixie Swim Club” are on sale now. The CCT Box Office is open from 12 noon – 1pm and from 6-8pm on weekdays as well as one hour before each performance. Tickets are also available by phone at (903)683-2131 or purchase tickets online at www.cherokeetheatre.net.

Tyler Community Concert Series

To purchase SEASON tickets, visit www.tcca.biz.

All concerts are held at Caldwell Auditorium at 7:30pm.

For more info call (903)592-6266.

The new concert season runs from September to April 2015.

This fall Al Simmons will begin the season on October 16th. Al has an award-winning slap-stick comedy act full of jokes, gadgets and gags. This world-renowned comedian delivers classic Vaudevillian comedy and musical humor.

Then on January 13th, 2015 The Rob Verdi SAXsational will perform. Rob will be entertaining you with 50 years of Jazz and Pop standards. He also shares his rare and unusual instrument collection and he will be accompanied by a local band or ensemble.

Next on February 5th, 2015, Good Company will be inspiring nostalgia with vintage music from across the United States. They will bring a kaleidoscope of R&B, Rock, Gospel and Bluegrass. This will be iconic American roots music for you to remember and enjoy.

On March 15th, 2015 will be Live from Nashville, a highoctane country show with song, dance, breathtaking scenery and costumes. Hear the songs that gave Music City its name.

Ending the season April 14th, 2015 William Florian will present “Those Were the Days.” He is the perfect combination of musician and storyteller.

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All tickets are reserved seats with member prices of $9 adults, $6 students and general prices of $12 adults and $10 students. All at the door tickets are $15.

“The Dixie Swim Club” will be held May 9th, 10th, 11th, 17th and 18th. “The Dixie Swim Club” is a hilarious and touching comedy about the lasting friendships of five southern women whose friendships began many years ago on their college swim team. The ladies set aside one weekend every August to recharge their friendship and meddle in each other’s lives. The story spans 30 years and focuses on four weekends that the quintet spends together.

All ETSO performances will be at the UT Tyler Cowan Center.

Tickets available at the box office, located at 3900 University Blvd.

(903)566-7424 or online at www.uttyler.edu/cowan

ETSO at Liberty Hall

Nuevo Tango

Latin Flair ~ Musical Passion Friday, May 9th, 7pm at Liberty Hall Join us for an evening of tangos and chamber music featuring Mariano Dugatkin, bandoneon, and the Orchard Ensemble. The Orchard Ensemble includes ETSO Concertmaster Mark Miller and principal viola Ute Miller, along with Elizabeth Elsner, violin, and Craig Leffer, cello. It will be a dramatic and exciting evening or music.

114 North Johnson Street Mineola, Texas 75773 For more information call 903-569-2300 Playhouse Season Tickets are $15-20

“Ghosts: The Musical” On stage May 23rd, 24th, 25th, 30th, 31st and June 1st “Ghost The Musical” delivers a visual experience unlike anything you’ve seen before. Relive the iconic and magical moments from the Oscar-winning movie in a brand-new Broadway-style musical that takes you on a thrilling adventure to the afterlife. You will be amazed to see inanimate objects take on a life of their own, a person walk through a solid door right before your eyes and other special effects that will astonish and leave you gasping.

“Ghost The Musical” features an original pop score from multiple Grammy Award-winners Dave Stewart (one half of the ‘80s pop duo the Eurythmics) and Glen Ballard (co-writer with Alanis Morissette on the multi-platinum album Jagged Little Pill, among many other notable credits and collaborations). It is adapted from the hit film by its Academy Award-winning screenwriter Bruce Joel Rubin (“Ghost,” “Jacob’s Ladder,” “The Time Traveler’s Wife”).

Ghost follows Sam and Molly, a young couple whose connection takes a shocking turn after Sam’s untimely death. Trapped between two worlds, Sam refuses to leave Molly when he learns she is in grave danger. Desperate to communicate with her, he turns to a storefront psychic who helps him protect Molly and avenge his death. “Ghost The Musical” is “eye-poppingly brilliant with glorious songs” (AP) and is “one of the most adventurous and modern musicals ever seen.” (WOR Radio). Believe in love, believe in fate, believe in forever with “Ghost The Musical.”

“Ghost The Musical” is recommended for ages 13+. Please be advised that there is mild violence, mature themes and dialogue.

Henderson County Performing Arts Center

...to entertain, to educate, to change lives 400 Gibson Rd., Athens, Texas 75751 Tickets are available at the door, by calling (903)675-3908 or at www.hcpac.org.

“Picnic” will continue on stage nightly thru May 3rd with 7:30pm nightly performances. This play is about a neighborhood preparing for a picnic. It is Labor Day, and everyone is getting ready.

Since shy Millie does not have a date, neighbor Mrs. Potts suggests that Hal accompany her, much to the chagrin of Flo. Hal agrees, but he is much more interested in Madge. There is an undeniable attraction between the two, as much as they try to fight it.

While getting ready for the picnic, the family and friends dance in Flo’s backyard to music playing nearby. Hal grows on each of the women, and they both vie for his attention.

“Picnic” was Paul Newman’s Broadway debut.

AUDITIONS: “Daddy’s Dyin’ Who’s Got the Will” (production will be June 12th-20th) - auditions on May 12th and 13th at 7:30pm “Once Upon A Mattress” (production will be August 7th - 16th) - auditions on June 16th and 17th at 7:30pm 122 E. Main St. Henderson, Texas For information call (903)657-2968 or hendersoncivictheater.com

Located on Heritage Square in downtown Henderson, a National Register Historic District, in the original Opera House which was built in 1885.

“The Odd Couple” directed by Jimmy Fitzgerald will be presented May 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 9th, 10th, 11th at 7:30pm nightly and 2pm for Sunday matinees.

Compulsive neatnik Felix Unger is thrown out of his house by his divorce-bound wife. He wanders aimlessly through the streets of New York, toying with the idea of suicide, before gravitating to the apartment of his best friend, incorrigibly sloppy sportswriter Oscar Madison. Worried that Felix will try something desperate, Oscar, himself in the process of being divorced by his wife, invites Felix to move in with him. Within a few days, this mismatched pair is on the verge of mutual murder: Felix cannot abide Oscar’s slovenliness, while Oscar is driven insane by Felix’s obsession with cleanliness.

A potentially passionate evening with Oscar’s neighbors, the “coocoo” Pigeon sisters, is ruined when Felix, ruminating over his wife and children, reduces the two ladies to remorseful tears.

Pushed to the brink, Oscar stalks around the apartment making as big a mess as possible. Comes the next week’s poker game, and the previously vengeful Oscar is worried that Felix might have attempted to do away with himself again. Instead, a surprisingly self-confident Felix shows up to collect his belongings and announces that he’s temporarily moving upstairs with the toothsome Pigeon sisters.

There’s a laugh a second in this adaptation of Neil Simon’s hit Broadway play.

Saturday, May 3rd, 6pm at First Presbyterian Church, 230 W. Rusk St., Tyler. Free admission. This is a spring concert presented by the University of Texas Tyler Patriot Singers and the University Chorale. More info at www2.uttyler.edu/music/ news.htm.

Sunday, May 4th, 4pm, at First Presbyterian Church, 230 W. Rusk St., Tyler. Free admission. This is a spring concert by the Tyler Youth Orchestra. More info at www.tyleryouthorchestra.org.

East Texas Handbell Ensemble will present their Annual Spring Concert featuring “An Experience of American Music,” Sunday, May 25th at 5pm in the Sanctuary of 1st Presbyterian Church, 230 W. Rusk, Tyler.

Admission is free For more info or tickets go to www.easttexashandbellensemble.com For even more theatre productions go to....

EGuideMagazine.com

LINDALE COMMUNITY THEATRE

Rockin’ out your......

“Dearly Beloved” will be performed May 2nd, 3rd, 4th with Friday and Saturday performances at 7:30pm and Sunday matinees at 2pm.

Doors open 45 minutes prior to show time. Tickets for adults are $15, students $12, 12 and under $8 and available at the door or online.

Casino Casino Parties Parties Client Client Appreciation Appreciation

Corporate Corporate Events Events Award Banquets Award Banquets

www.lindalecommunitytheater.org Call (903)638-0402 for more information.

Fashion Fashion Shows Shows Grand Openings Grand Openings Holiday Holiday & & Christmas Christmas Parties Parties Meetings Meetings & & Conferences Conferences

“Cheaper by the Dozen” - May 9th-18th

Friday-Saturday, 7:30pm, Sunday matinees 2:30pm Suppose you’re an attractive high school girl and you’re not only a member of a large and unique family but your father is, in fact, one of the great pioneers of industrial efficiency. Then suppose he decides, for 400 Rose Park Drive in Tyler, no apparent reason, to apply his unorthodox methods to you and to next to the Tyler Rose Garden the rest of your big family. The results are terribly embarrassing, funny and - it must be admitted - extremely effective.

Center To Anne, however, the chief effect seems to be that of making them For more info call (903)592- seem ridiculous to everyone else at school - especially to the boys.

Dad pushes ahead with better organization for his large and 0561 delightful family. He puts up a chart for the young people to initial after or tylercivictheatre.com completing each household task, uses a rung as an imaginary bathtub The Box Office is open to demonstrate how to take a really efficient bath and appoints a utiliMonday - Friday, 10am - 1pm ties officer to levy fines on wasters of electricity. While the situations and 2pm - 5pm are often uproarious, there’s a serious reason. Dad has a heart condition which he’s keeping secret.

Anne, the oldest, rebels. Both Dad and she are miserable at the lack of understanding between them. Then in a deft and moving scene, Dad becomes aware of how much Anne has grown up.

Recognition Recognition Dinners Dinners Retirement Retirement Parties Parties Sales Sales Banquets Banquets Staff Staff Training Training

Entertainment Specialist

Trade Trade Shows Shows

“Always Patsy Cline & KE Bushman’s Celebration Center” 3 Performances only! June 13th - June 15th Intimate seating = $40 / Premium seats = $50 This will be a sell-out guaranteed, get your tickets today!

“Hairspray - The Musical”

July 10th-July 27th “Hairspray” is a musical with music by Marc Shaiman, lyrics by Scott Wittman and Shaiman and a book by Mark O’Donnell and Thomas Meehan, based on the 1988 John Waters film “Hairspray.” The songs include 1960s-style dance music and “downtown” rhythm and blues. In 1962 Baltimore, Maryland, plump teenager Tracy Turnblad’s dream is to dance on The Corny Collins Show, a local TV dance program based on the real-life Buddy Deane Show. When Tracy wins a role on the show, she becomes a celebrity overnight, and meets a colorful array of characters, such as Corny Collins (The show’s singing host who shares Tracy’s liberal political views) and Velma Von Tussle (The villainous producer of the show who does everything in her power to further her daughter’s career and destroy Tracy’s and Corny’s). She then launches a campaign to integrate the show. Hairspray is a social commentary on the injustices of parts of American society in the 1960s.

Located at 3900 University Blvd. on the UT Tyler campus Tickets are available at the Box Office, at (903)566-7424 or online at uttyler.edu/cowan

Belushi Out, Brady In: “Whose Line Is It Anyway?” Star, Wayne Brady - Friday, May 2nd at 7:30pm

Due to a movie role, Jim Belushi has canceled the Jim Belushi and the Chicago Board of Comedy performance.

For over a decade, Wayne Brady has been entertaining audiences with his acting, improv, singing and dancing on television, film and the stage. He began his career in Orlando, Florida, working for both the Disney World and Universal theme parks. He can currently be seen on CBS’s “Let’s Make a Deal” and “How I Met Your Mother.” He is also the star and executive producer of the CW’s “Whose Line Is It Anyway.” Wayne is the voice of Clover the Rabbit on Disney Jr.’s #1 rated animated series, “Sofia the First.” A triple threat, the singing, dancing and acting comedy man will appear at the Cowan Center as part of his national “It’s My Line” tour.

Ticket prices are $27-$62 and can be purchased at the UT Tyler Cowan Center box office.

2014-15 Cowan Center Circle presents...

“Larry the Cable Guy”

The upcoming 2014-15 season brings lots of funny, big-name talent, splashy shows and top-notch music. Get ready to laugh and move to the music! It will be a full season of great programming and Cowan Center Circle members are part of the exclusive inner circle with many benefits and perks.

“Larry the Cable Guy” kicks off the season, September 13th at 7:30pm for the Cowan Center Circle Members Gala. As a circle member, you get the chance to be first to buy single tickets every year.

Join the Circle today at www.cowancenter.org. There are many different levels available. Stay connected, enjoy your benefits and make your support of the Cowan Center count in many ways.

All Members who join by August 1st are recognized on the member lobby sign all year.

Haase + Signature Sound S.E. Belcher Ernie Saturday, May 10th, 7:30pm Chapel and your normal Gospel Quartet. Ernie Haase & Signature Sound (EHSS) have Performance Forget broken the mold. Their unconventional approach to communicating the Good Center at News with groundbreaking originality has blazed a trail that will go down in music history. Across Europe they have been nicknamed the “Ambassadors LeTourneau gospel University of Joy” because of the message of hope and joy that permeates their performances.

2100 S. Mobberly, Longview, TX 75607-7001 903-233-3080 Box Office Hours M-F 10-5

Please Join

East Texas Handbell Ensembell for their

Annual Spring Concert featuring

An Experience of American Music Sunday, May 25, 2014 at 5:00pm in the Sanctuary of

1st Presbyterian Church 230 W. Rusk - Tyler, Texas Admission is Free More Info: www.easttexashandbellensemble.com

EHSS’ success continues with each new release, but perhaps their most rewarding achievement is the new generation of gospel music lovers emerging across the globe. The group’s contagious energy spreads through entertaining performances ... bringing listeners around the world their refreshing approach to gospel classics and new material that is uniquely Signature Sound.

Come see Ernie Haase & Signature Sound at the LeTourneau University Belcher Center for the “Oh What A Savior” tour.

EGuideMagazine.com • 15

Art

What do NASA, Google and Tyler, Texas have in Common?

By A. C. Slaughter

Many people think Velcro was invented by NASA but that simply isn’t true. Velcro was invented by a Swiss engineer who one day, after hiking in the woods, wondered to himself how all those little burrs cling so desperately to his clothing, but come off with ease.

So he studied them and discovered that thousands of tiny hooks, on the burrs, and thousands of tiny loops, in his clothing, made for a dynamite combination and after eight years of study and perfecting his invention he patented Velcro in 1955 only to be adapted and used in 1960 by the space program NASA, which brought it to the everyday lives of Americans and households worldwide. No, NASA did not invent Velcro, but they adopted it as their own and along with many other inventions, have made our everyday lives quite a bit more enjoyable. Let’s look at some of these inventions that NASA patented and you decide whether or not your life would be better or worse without them.

Insulation: We live in Texas, I have no need to explain this any further. Memory foam, that wonderful feeling that supports you as you sleep, also led to the development of shoe insoles and air pockets in shoes. Air Jordans anyone? What about water filters? Do you like drinking lake water in the heat of summer? Umm, lake water…

Speaking of summer how about the Super Soaker! Fun fun as a kid and as an adult. You can’t deny how giddy you get once you are commandeered into a fight with your friends at a pool party or afternoon bash, soaking each other to the core with these, oh, so fun, summer toys. Since summer is coming, maybe you go to the gym. Ever wondered who thought up those machines you workout on? How do you stay fit in zero gravity? Solar energy!

A big favorite these days among liberals and people who like tax breaks.

Hearing aids and ear thermometers, a much better way to take a child’s temperature than the old school way. Smoke detectors, flame resistant materials worn by our fire fighters, scratch resistant lenses, enriched baby food, freeze dried food, invisible braces, cat scanners, the microchip, insulin pumps, LEDs, and everyone’s personal favorite, your cell phone. Yes, that’s right, long distance communication first found its way into the world so that astronauts and persons at NASA could communicate.

So let me ask you a question How would your life be different if these or any of the 6,300 patents NASA engineered over the past 50 years were suddenly removed from your life?

And what on earth does this have to do with art?

Everything.

Creation, invention, inspiration all feed our world. There isn’t an item you use in your daily life that wasn’t invented or created by someone. Where does this creativity come from? Do people just sit around and out of the blue think, wow, this or that would be awesome! It doesn’t usually happen like that. Creativity spawns from a need, an idea, and sharing these ideas with other creative persons who have like minds and a willingness to share ideas, give feedback and make stuff. This is how inventions and ideas are fostered. Think of Google, everyone’s dream job, right? Those guys get to hang out, play, sleep, eat, then play some more. They do this with the intention of being immersed in an environment conducive to thought and imagination in the hopes that ideas will spark and innovation will emerge spawning ideas that will be relevant now and in the future. This type of creative space is sometimes called a Maker’s Space and a Maker’s Space is exactly what the city of Tyler, Texas wishes to bring to you.

In 2007 Tyler created a task force called Tyler 21 whose main objective is the aesthetics and functional use of space in Tyler, Texas.

Their Downtown Revitalization Project has been their main focus since their inception. “Authenticity and diversity; every city has their downtown and it is the heart of the city for everyone,” says Beverly Abell, Gallery Main Street director. Gallery Main Street has been one of the projects put into action from the Tyler 21 group, and what a success it has been. Designed to host multi-artist shows encompassing all walks of art, Gallery Main Street has pulled artists from over 50 Texas zip codes. Openings are crowded and entry numbers growing with each show; the gallery is delighted and beaming at their success.

August 29th, 2014, will mark their 5th year anniversary.

Also a part of Tyler 21 is the ArtWalk, which first made its way on the scene December 4, 2009, when, of course, it snowed. But Tyler people are hungry and if there’s an art function downtown, they will come and they did, and each ArtWalk since has been an even bigger success than the last. Tyler also has a film festival which has been in 16 • EGuideMagazine.com

the shadows for four years, but last year there were over 80 entries!

There are filmmakers right here in Tyler, living and working downtown. And lest not forget Liberty Hall. In 2011, the Liberty theatre turned our downtown around. Hosting films, music, comedy, and shows, Liberty has made a solid draw to the brick streets and they aren’t looking back. Coming up in June is the Wine Swirl in downtown Tyler, and combined with all the live music festivals we have had over the years, one would think Tyler has a booming artistic community, and we do. The point is, we are growing. And with growth comes change and newness.

Back to the Maker Space.

In 2010 the S.A. Lindsey building, located at 123 S. Broadway on the corner of Elm and Broadway, was gifted to the city of Tyler by the R.W. Fair Foundation. This building has 8 stories, with over 50,000 square feet of space. In 2013, Mayor Barbara Bass appointed a task force to come up with ideas for that space.

And after a bit of deliberation and many ideas, it has boiled down to this: An Arts and Innovation Center for the city of Tyler. Now the city has received and approved the plans for the space. Building plans, cost estimates and phases were designed by Butler Architectural Group. So let’s talk about this space.

The project is divided into “phases” and what that means is that as money comes in parts of the project can be completed and put to use. For instance, Phase 1 is the first and second floor, 8,000 square feet of space, which will include the new Gallery Main Street plus offices, a gift shop and conference rooms.

The third floor is the Art Incubator space. This will be the business floor for the building. It will contain studio space for artists, office space with fax machines, copiers, printers, a lounge etc. - all the resources budding artists need to start their business. The studios will be different sizes and rents, each with glass walls, so that even if you are not present, potential customers and other artists may peruse your work. Each studio, having private access, will allow artists to work at their leisure and allow for a bubbling creative community to emerge, something Tyler artists have desired for a long time. Also, there is a multi-purpose space that can be used as a stage for performances, theater in the round, culinary exhibits, speakers, poetry, music, all complete with a kitchen space.

This area can be rented out and what better way to host a party than by surrounding yourself by working artists and gallery space.

This past March, Tyler for Tech set up a booth at SXSW in Austin. It was Tyler’s first time expressing their desire as a potential “tech town” at South by Southwest and Tyler was a huge hit. Developers love a budding, hungry community with space and young minds available. So what could be better for techies than a whole department floor dedicated to their needs?

The fourth floor will be all tech: film equipment, monitors, computer software for editing and making films, lighting, computers - all geared towards beginning artists; a space where you can film and edit all in one. As a filmmaker you will have the resources of the 3 floors beneath you, including all the artist interviews, art and energy you could desire from an art space in a downtown area.

But we’re not finished!

Next door to the Lindsey building is another space, on Elm Street, which will be used in conjunction with the Arts Innovation Center.

This space is reserved for the Maker Space - 3,500 square feet of raw downtown, get down and dirty, extreme creative space. All the tools, equipment and room an artist needs for robotics, metals, wood making, and pottery, including large doors for product maneuverability,

proper ventilation and an adjoining courtyard for tea time. All of this will be connected to the gallery, allowing for an artist to build a gigantic metal sculpture, then wheel it right into the gallery. Once it sells, the 3rd floor business area can finalize your funding and back to your studio you go to create more stuff.

When is all this happening?

That’s a good question. And the answer is funding, funding, funding. The Arts and Innovation Center will come to fruition when the funds are there just like anything else. The project is relying primarily on private funds, which means fundraisers and donations. The Liberty Theater was built this way and it seemed to happen over night.

It can be done, but we need you, Tyler, to do it. Total project is $5.4 million. Each phase, as I mentioned earlier, can be developed one by one, and each require different amounts. Stage one, being the largest, needs $3.8 million. Just think of all the jobs and ideas that will come from this. You want bicycle lanes, galleries and local cafes all over Tyler? These are the types of projects that will make that happen. City planning takes time but when done right you, the people, will reap wondrous rewards.

Below is a link to the PayPal account where you can donate any amount you wish; or you can be a sponsor by calling (903)533-7444.

“How do you influence the future? Start now,” Mike Butler of Butler Architectural Group states and he has got it right. Tyler has always been a grassroots community and this new space will be an “educational process for the community and because of that cultural development in our community it will continue to grow.”

Thank you to all the artists in Tyler who have stuck by and continued to create here, even when there was very little, say 5 years ago.

Think of how far we have come as an arts community in that short time. Think of how many artists have emerged, moved here or moved back in that short time. Tyler is no longer a place to run away from when you turn 18, it’s becoming a destination, a place to become part of something new, a new arts collective. It IS happening. Good job East Texas. Now go sling some paint around and support local art.

For more info or to donate go to www.tylerartscenter.com.

Tyler Museum of Art presents Williford Collection’s ‘Mediterranea’ Through June 29

The enduring fascination with the landscapes, seascapes and culture of Europe, the Middle East and North Africa among American artists – and an East Texas collector – is the focus of the Tyler Museum of Art’s next exhibition, Mediterranea: American Art from the Graham D. Williford Collection.

The exhibition opens April 13 and continues through June 29 at the TMA, 1300 S. Mahon Ave. on Tyler Junior College main campus.

Mediterranea features close to 70 works by acclaimed late 19th and early 20th century painters including Frank Duveneck, Charles Caryl Coleman, William Merritt Chase and Elihu Vedder, each offering a uniquely American view of the aspects of nature and culture they believed to define the Mediterranean.

The distinctive flora, the legacy of the Greco-Roman past, and the influence of Christianity and Islam in the region are just a few of the subjects committed to canvas in this unique exploration of the ways American artists understood, interpreted and portrayed Mediterranean culture in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

Mediterranea was organized by the Fred Jones Jr. Museum of Art at the University of Oklahoma. The exhibition is made possible through a loan from the Jean and Graham Devoe Williford Charitable Trust, an organization devoted to preserving the philanthropic legacy of the late Graham D. Williford (1926-2006), a native of Fairfield, Texas, who spent several decades traveling the globe to compile one of the most extensive collections of late 19th and early 20th century American art in the U.S. and helped reintroduce the era to art collectors and scholars worldwide. Collectors’ Circle Platinum sponsorship for Mediterranea is provided by the Williford Trust, with Collectors’ Circle Gold sponsorship by June and Steve Hillis.

The Tyler Museum of Art, accredited by the American Alliance of Museums, is located at 1300 S. Mahon Ave., Tyler, on the east side of the TJC main campus off East Fifth Street. Regular hours are 10am5pm. Tuesday-Saturday, and 1-5pm. Sunday (closed Mondays and most major holidays). For information, visit www.tylermuseum.org or call (903)595-1001.

The Artist of Ordinary Objects:

David Wallace

By Gini Rainey

When was the last time you had a conversation with someone who was so inspired by what he does that you wanted to run right out and go dumpster diving?

That’s how I felt recently after talking with David Wallace in his “gallery,” that he has fittingly named ART LAB, and is located next door to Jake’s on the south side of the square in downtown Tyler. Wallace, who is the front house manager and interim chef at Jake’s, creates a unique form of art from ordinary objects that other people may overlook in second hand stores, dumpsters, and curbside trash.

David’s art is amazing and it grew from the need to furnish the basement apartment, just off the downtown square, that he and his wife Annell moved into several years ago after selling their suburban home, along with pretty much everything in it. His first creation was made from a rescued desk whose bent legs refused to be straightened.

David diligently dissected the desk, placed all of its components on a piece of board, spray painted it white, and called Annell in to see his work of art. She suggested that he paint some highlights on the piece in a contrasting color, which David did. What David determined, however, is that a lot of the interest formed by each of his pieces was by using a flat white paint and letting the natural peaks and valleys create their own shadows and highlights.

No stranger to the kitchen, David has been cooking since he was thirteen and attributes his unique sense of design to the care with which he plates food, holding to the mantra that “people eat with their eyes.” Among some of the kitchens that his culinary skills have graced in Tyler are Tracy’s, The Tea Room at Tyler Square Antiques, Your Personal Chef, and most recently, The Downtown Coffee Lounge, as well as Jake’s.

A few years ago, Jakes’ owners, Kamla and Alan Utz, decided to gut the building next door to their restaurant in preparation for a future expansion of their business. The resulting demolition left a less than pretty view of the interior through the big glass windows that faced the square. About the same time, the Downtown Tyler ArtWalk was about to take place and Wallace offered to dress the windows of

the building with a display of his art. With the attitude that “imagination is a doorway; inspiration is the key,” “The White Album” exhibition was born.

Something you need to know about David is, he has an exceedingly witty sense of humor and his exhibits’ names are pure evidence of that.

The “Breaking Bold” exhibition, named after the “Breaking Bad” television series, broke away from the stark whiteness of his previous exhibit by using bold primary colors to create a brightly colored meth lab. Then there were the “Green is Gold,” “The Art of In” (“In Magazine,” for which he writes columns about art projects), “You Will Be Assimilated” that featured a huge Moai head (think Easter Island), “Welcome to the Machine” (David’s interpretation of Stonehenge), and “The Wonderful Wizard of Ahhhhs” exhibitions, among others.

Add to these wonderful works of art, David’s latest endeavor – what he has befittingly named “Smart Art.” This involves taking up-close and personal digital photographs of ordinary objects from interesting angles and having them blown up and printed on canvas through an online source. By utilizing this method David says anyone can produce an incredibly impressive work of art that will compliment just about any setting, for a minimal price.

Although The ART LAB is not a business and is only open during the Tyler ArtWalks (next one is in September), there is always something interesting to look at in the windows. Wallace emphasized to me more than once how grateful he is that the Utz’s have allowed him to continue to use their space for his exhibits, but I have a sense that there is a deep appreciation on their part that David has turned their empty storefront into a work of art that brings many people to the downtown area.

Along those lines, David is very pro-revitalization of our downtown area, but feels the only way that it will be successful is if it is turned into a true art district, citing Deep Ellum in Dallas as an example. I personally think that the Downtown Tyler Arts Coalition is definitely headed strongly in the right direction. It will takes the support of a lot of people to keep the momentum growing and going.

As I was getting ready to leave David’s creative wonderland, he told me something that I love about his friends who help keep him supplied with the components for his art. He said “I’m so glad when people think of trash – they think of me!” For me, I know I won’t look at trash the same way anymore – David has opened my eyes to beauty and the art that can be found in the ordinary things that are all around us.

Located in the Historic Brick Streets of Tyler College St., Phillips St., Bois D’Arc, & Rusk St.

Crafts & Quilting Etc. Making Memories One Stitch at a Time Tuesday, Thursday & Friday 10:00 am - 5:00 pm Saturdays in December and During the Azalea Trails

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Owner: Rhonda J. Reuter

715 S. College Ave. Tyler, Texas 75701 903.533.1771

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Blooms, Herbs & Succulents are in!

“Inspiration Awaits Beyond the Lavender Gate” 304 West Phillips, Tyler Thur-Fri 9-5, Sat 9-3 903-330-4663 dorysgardens.com

From Our House to Your Home Antiques 903-939-8878 722 South Bois D’Arc, Suite 2, Tyler, Texas 75701 etctyler@gmail.com EGuideMagazine.com • 17

Sponsored by:

EGuide’s Cover Art & Scholarship Contest:

Winners: Artists, No Matter What!

Greater East Texas Information Technology Association Tyler Area Chamber of Commerce

TYLER TECH EXPO

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18 • EGuideMagazine.com

Recently EGuide Magazine held a scholarship contest in which we gave away three scholarships to students at area colleges. Students were encouraged to enter by creating a cover design inspired from the word “Celebrate.”

“We are excited at the level of participation for the students,” stated Tena Jerger, owner and Publisher of EGuide. “We had over 45 entries and I am amazed how creative and talented these students are.” First place winner was Kayla Suverkrubbe, a senior at the University of Texas at Tyler. Her creation, “Flying High,” is featured on this months cover. EGuide recently sat down with her and talked about her career as an artists, her inspirations, and such.

EGuide: What is your major?

Ms. Suverkrubbe: My major is Studio Art and I am working towards a BFA .

EGuide: Are you from Tyler?

Ms. Suverkrubbe: I grew up in Tyler but moved to South Carolina during my teenage years. I came back to Tyler when I was about 18 to live with my mother. I applied to different schools, but decided to go to UT, which is why I have stayed in Tyler. I love it here and the university turned out to be a really great school. I am glad I stayed or I wouldn’t be where I am now, art wise.

EGuide: Who are your influences?

Ms. Suverkrubbe: My initial influences were anime and comic books, which I believe developed my love for figures and an ‘over the top’ atmosphere.

I also loved fashion magazines because I am in love with patterns and the drama that goes into posing the figure. Once I learned what the color wheel was, I became obsessed with complimentary and analogous colors - you know, opposites like purple and yellow and the colors next to each other, like blue and green for example. I experimented a lot with color combinations and it became a key point to my work.

EGuide: Any favorite artists?

Ms. Suverkrubbe: Once I got into school, all these “ingredients “really began to develop, and when I discovered German expressionism they exploded. It is one of the movements from the first half of the 20th Century that I embraced. It focuses primarily on the figurals and expressing larger ideas with them. My favorite artist is Ernst Kirchner. I especially like his Berlin Street scenes, which are dominated by striking figures with hollow eyes and a lot of moody colors.

I am also interested in other painters from around this era, from before the 50s. I share their interest in the art of other cultures, especially masks and their

patterns. I appreciate their focus on abstraction of forms and any emphasis on figures and a charged atmosphere. There is something extremely emotional about the expressionists that I aspire to use in my art.

I really love the ingenuity regarding form and composition of the artists Picasso and Kandinsky, conceptually, I am interested in the interaction between the crowd and the individual. Identity involves conformity and individuality, and is defined by their relationship to each other. I want to investigate these interactions between one and many, which affects everyone and everything.

EGuide: When did you begin drawing and when did you decided that you wanted to be an artist?

Ms. Suverkrubbe: If you mean when I started to draw in a constant and consistent manner, I was probably 16 or 17 (I am 22 now). If you mean when was it that I decided I wanted to be an artist ‘no matter what,’ I was 18 and it was during my last semester of high school. I didn’t exactly have a grasp on art, but I decided it was what I wanted to do. Though I have kept determined, it’s only been within the last year I have felt comfortable calling myself an artist. Before that, I felt more like I was just in training or something. My attitude towards art feels differently now. I fell in love with painting and though it wasn’t that long ago - it feels like forever - that art is more than just a part of me. I feel now that I cannot separate it from who I am. I guess it is like the difference between being married and just dating.

Anyway, it has been five years since I started with my scribbling and about two years with painting.

EGuide: Future plans?

Ms. Suverkrubbe: I plan on applying to graduate school and to work on my MFA in painting this next fall.

After that, I am not really sure, but I believe I have a long life of painting ahead of me.

Other winners were: Second place winner was Jessica Sanders, Tyler Jr. College.

Third place winner was Megan Fox, Tyler Jr. College, freshman.

Thanks to all the participants! We look forward to next year and seeing the cool submissions, they are inspiring.

Events

Art Competition Part of New Downtown Wine Swirl Event - The historic heart of the city will celebrate a new event, the Downtown Tyler Wine Swirl, in late June, and part of that event will be a commemorative limited-edition poster print available for sale to the public. Artists are invited to submit images of their artwork in a contest to select a work of art to be reproduced for the print. The artist whose work is selected will receive a $250 prize and the honor of having their work represent the Wine Swirl online and in publications. “The Downtown Tyler Wine Swirl is brand-new for us,” said City of Tyler Main Street Department Leader Beverly Abell, “and is critical to us in many ways. First, the Wine Swirl will give our downtown and local restaurants great exposure, and it will also pair those restaurants with area vineyards,” Abell said. “In addition, it is a fundraiser for our Main Street Department, which has the mission of downtown revitalization.” Abell explained that a Wine Swirl is a pairing of locally owned restaurants with vineyards. Ticket-holders will be able to “swirl” from site to site downtown to sample food and wine while enjoying live entertainment and art. Artists are encouraged to go to www.DowntownTylerArts.com for full rules on the art contest. In essence, Abell said, the contest is open to all media, though the artwork itself must translate well to print. In addition, the artwork must communicate the enjoyment of wine and food, in keeping with the Wine Swirl event. Those who want more information should go to www.

DowntownTylerArts.com or call Gallery Main Street at (903) 593-6905. The deadline for entry is May 9th.

Saturday, May 10th - Reception for The Architectural Aesthetic Exhibit at Gallery Main Street - Join us to celebrate the grand opening of Gallery Main Street’s ‘The Architectural Aesthetic’ exhibit. The event will feature music, refreshments, and an opportunity to meet the artists. It’s free and open to the public, so make plans now to attend. Gallery Main Street is located at 110 W. Erwin St., downtown Tyler, (903)593-6905, www.heartoftyler.com/ downtowntylerarts.

6x6@110 Entries wanted! The City of Tyler’s Main Street Department announced that its award-winning 6x6@110 project, begun in 2012, is back for 2014. The project, “6x6@110” will take place in June, but now is time for preparatory work according to Main Street Department Leader Beverly Abell. The project is a major fundraiser for operations of Gallery Main Street and arts programming emanating from the gallery. The department has to fundraise a large percentage of its operating costs and depends on projects such as 6x6@110 to meet budgetary and operational goals. The idea of 6x6@110 is to get artists and arts supporters to create art on small canvases distributed by Gallery Main Street. The canvases are returned back to the gallery, and then are sold via special exhibit for $20 each. All proceeds will go to the gallery and arts programming. The 2013 version of the event almost doubled in size, with more than 1,000 canvases being turned in by participants. The project was also recognized by the Texas Downtown Association’s Best Promotional Event award.

The 6x6 part of the project’s title is, of course, due to the use of 6” x 6” canvases. The 110 in the title refers to the gallery’s address, 110 W. Erwin. Artists are being asked to create art on 6” x 6” canvases that the gallery supplies. Not only will oils and acrylics be part of the event, but watercolors, photography and even 3-D items will be accepted for the exhibit as long as they can be mounted to the gallery-provided canvas and not extend beyond the 6” x 6” dimensions of the canvas. This year’s goal is to have more than 1,000 canvases to hang in an exhibit that will begin with an opening party on June 6th at 6pm. Part of the fun of the purchasing process is that the purchaser will not know who painted the piece until the purchase is completed

when the canvas is turned over to reveal the artist’s name. Each participant 18 years of age or over can request a maximum of three canvases each. Those who complete three canvases and turn them in to the gallery can request three more. Youth 17 and under are eligible to receive one canvas each. The gallery will retain ownership of unsold canvases and will sell them at a later date. Canvases are due back at the gallery no later than 4pm on May 31st. The exhibit will open on June 6th and will conclude in early July.

“Scott M. Liberman, M.D.: At the Vantage Point” will be on exhibit through July 13th - This exhibit represents the first-ever solo museum exhibition of Lieberman’s photography. This exhibition brings together more than 90 images representing Lieberman’s body of work as a photojournalist with the Associated Press and numerous publications, encompassing a broad spectrum of subject matter including celebrity portraits, sporting events, nature tableaus, and aerial photography.

This exhibition, organized by the TMA and guest curated by photographer Robert Langham, displays Lieberman’s ability to combine the fundamentals of photography with his acute sense of being “in the right place at the right time” to create a memorable image. Admission is adults $5, seniors and students $3, and children (12 and under) are free. Tyler Museum of Art is located at 1300 S. Mahon Ave., Tyler, (903)595-1001, www.tylermuseum.org.

“Mediterranea: American Art from the Graham D. Williford Collection” will be on exhibit through June 29th at the Tyler Museum of Art. This exhibition explores the major cultures and monuments of the Mediterranean region through the art works of American artists of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. American tourism of Europe before the Civil War usually followed that of the Grand Tour, which included all the important cultural centers of France, Italy and Germany, but in the late 19th century, American artists showed increasing interest in points abroad, including Spain, the Holy Land, Egypt and much of northern Africa.

American artists became interested in the aspects of nature and culture that they believed to define the Mediterranean: its distinctive flora, the legacy of the Greco-Roman past and the influence of Christianity and Islam. The results rarely depicted a homogenous image of the Mediterranean, but often focused on the visual signs of cross-sea warfare, trade and religious influence. The reasons for this expanded awareness are numerous. Popular travel writers such as George William Curtis, Bayard Taylor and Mark Twain attracted American attention to North Africa and the Middle East. Some American artists were encouraged to visit Spain, the Middle East and Africa by their European teachers. Wealthy collectors also drew artists to popular vacation spots such as Venice and the Nile River. Finally, religious faith prompted some Americans to visit the Holy Land and other sites important to their beliefs. While the respective reasons for Mediterranean travel differed among American artists, the visual records of their travels demonstrate a growing awareness of a palpable unity in the region. Mediterranea provides contemporary viewers with an exploration of the ways American artists understood, interpreted and portrayed Mediterranean culture in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Tyler Museum of Art is located at 1300 S. Mahon Ave., Tyler, (903)5951001, www.tylermuseum.org.

Seniors’ Day - Join Tyler Museum of Art for Seniors’ Day as they say ‘thank you’ to all of their visitors ages 65 and up. The third Monday of every month, seniors are invited to enjoy free, guided tours of the current exhibitions. Tyler Museum of Art is located at 1300 S. Mahon Ave., Tyler, (903)595-1001, www.tylermuseum.org.

Family Day - Drop by the Tyler Museum of Art on the second Saturday of every month and enjoy a fun-filled event, perfect for the entire family. Family Days are held in the classroom and children are Cont. Page 20

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Cont. from Page 19

invited to stop in from 2-4 and participate in free art activities. Kids will also like the tasty refreshments provided during the event. Family Day activities enhance the current TMA exhibitions by reflecting similar themes, artistic styles, techniques, and other artistic aspects. Tyler Museum of Art is located at 1300 S. Mahon Ave., Tyler, (903)5951001, www.tylermuseum.org.

“Constancy & Contentment: MFA Thesis Exhibition Miles Mayfield” will be on exhibit.

The Meadows Gallery is located within the R. Don Cowan Fine and Performing Arts Center on the campus of The University of Texas at Tyler and features rotating exhibitions throughout the year.

The Meadows Gallery exhibition schedule includes nationally known guest artist exhibitions, the Annual International Exhibition (in its 29th year), faculty curated exhibitions, MFA thesis exhibitions, and a student juried exhibition each summer. A MFA Thesis Exhibition is the culminating event of three years of exacting studio art work. Meadows is located at 3900 University Blvd., Tyler, (903)5667250, www.uttyler.edu/meadowsgallery.

AD Maddox and Ed Anderson at LMFA - Join Longview Museum of Fine Arts for a fun weekend celebrating the paintings of AD Maddox and Ed Anderson, both of whom design for Patagonia.

The weekend kicks off at 7pm on Friday, May 16th with a fish fry and music concert featuring Brian Martin. His Front Porch Soul music can be heard at BrianMartinMusic.com. The evening is $25 for the fish fry and concert; reservations are a must - go online to www.LMFA.org or call (903)753-8103.

Then Saturday, May 17th, we kick off the morning with a watercolor class painting trout at 10:30am for all ages for $20 each. Come downtown between 10am-2pm for fly tying and casting demonstrations by the East Texas Fly Fishing Club. At 7pm, AD Maddox and Ed Anderson will give gallery talks in the museum and their art will be open for members and guests to view from 7-9pm with refreshments served. Longview Museum of Fine Art is located at 215 E. Tyler St., downtown Longview, (903)7538103, www.lmfa.org.

LMFA summer art classes in ArtWorks Creative Learning Center - Don’t miss these ten weeks of wonderful classes for all ages in so many media!

Come learn and grow your artistic talents. Sign your kids up for these classes soon, there is limited spaces available. Classes are: • May 15th, Ladies Night - Floral Arranging Basics.

• June 2nd-4th - Hat or Jewelry Holders - taped mache’ heads with base.

• June 2nd-6th - Meow-Crazy Lazy Cats, drawing and painting cats.

• June 5th-6th - Van Gogh-Starry Student Painting, painting with tempera on watercolor paper • June 7th - Drawing Lessons, learning drawing techniques to enhance your natural abilities.

• June 9th-12th - Intro to the Potter’s Wheel, Fall in love with the potter’s wheel (for the first time or all over again)! You should feel comfortable at week’s end throwing a variety of objects. Finished work will be kiln fired and ready for glazing.

Clay and tools provided. Wear your grubbies: we will throw clay on Day 1.

• June 9th-13th - Watercolor Fundamentals, adding oil pastels, tissue paper, glue and salt to watercolor pictures.

• June 9th-13th - Ballerinas & Fashion Meet, cut out ballerinas (one day), Painted Degas Dancers (two days) and students design clothing on their fashion model they learn to draw in proportions by folding paper (two days).

• June 16th-19th - Intro to Clay Building, learn the hand building techniques that have been used thousands of years to create your own pots, vessels, or sculptural forms. Using these techniques you should have numerous pieces built by week’s end. All work will be kiln fired and ready for glazing. Wear your grubbies: we will get our hands dirty on day one.

• June 16th-20th - Giacometti Tape Mache’, make bronzed looking sculptures using twisted paper sacks.

• June 19th, Ladies Night - Still Life Fruit Bowl on Canvas.

• June 23rd-26th - Intro to Welded Metal Sculpture, explore the fun world of welded metal sculpture.

Create 3D sculptures using the MIG Welding process. Bring long sleeve shirt, long pants, closed toe shoes, and safety glasses/goggles. Welding gloves and helmets are provided. You will weld the first day, bring your imagination so you can create finished sculptures this week.

• June 23rd-27th - Mosaics (2 classes with 1 for different age groups), learn the art of mosaics by designing your own letters 7” tall and approx. 6” wide, 2 “ thick, designed to stand or hang. Morning classes (10:30-12 noon) are for ages 12-14, afternoon classes (1:30-3pm) are for adults.

• June 30th-July 2nd - Red, White & Blue Flowers & Vase, make flowers and a vase out of red, white and blue fabrics. Great to take to grandmas house, use as a hostess gift or keep.

Cost varies per class and spaces are limited. More classes are listed online. Reserve your spot online or by calling (903)753-8103. Longview Museum of Fine Art is located at 215 E. Tyler St., downtown Longview, (903)753-8103, www.lmfa.org.

Saturday-Sunday, May 3rd-4th - “Kilgore Geekend” is the first annual RC Comics event to celebrate Free Comic Book Day May 3rd and 4th in downtown Kilgore. RC Comics in collaboration with Tours of Tyler and Geek Eazy are presenting the event. Kilgore Geekend is a combination celebration of Free Comic Book Day and International Star Wars Day. Free Comic Book Day is always on the first Saturday in May each year, when participating comic book shops across North America and around the world give away comic books absolutely free to anyone who comes into their stores. International Star Wars Day is ‘May the Fourth,’ a play on words “May the Force Be With You.” Kilgore Geekend is free to the public and will have vendors from all over East Texas as well as performers, costumed characters and demonstrations from professional costumers and business owners.

There will be a costume contest for children, adults and pets as well as games and fun for the whole family. Admission is free to the public. You can sign up by stopping by RC Comics located at 207 East Main St., Kilgore. For more info, call (817)715-2925.

Council adopts Rose Garden Master Plan

20 • EGuideMagazine.com

During their regularly scheduled meeting, the Tyler City Council adopted the Rose Garden Master Plan that was presented by MHS Planning and Design, LLC of Tyler.

“The Tyler Rose Garden attracts thousands of tourists to Tyler every year,” said Parks Director Stephanie Rollings. “It makes sense for us to make updates allowing for increased use of the facility.”

The Plan addresses visitation and programming, ADA accessibility, signage, restroom locations, new gardens, lighting, site furniture, incorporating more variety of plants in with the roses, the possibility of adding a café and other key findings.

The plan was created in phases so construction can be completed as funding becomes available.

Additional programming events include: • Concerts in the park • Plays • Art classes • Art exhibits • Date nights • Holiday events • Civic Theatre camps • Wedding packages • Hands-on educational events for children On April 14, 2014, MHS Planning and Design, LLC presented the final version of the Master Plan for review and comment at the City of Tyler Park Board Meeting. After favorable discussion, the Park Board unanimously approved the Master Plan.

Funding for construction could be initiated from a variety of public/private partnerships as well as possible hotel occupancy tax funding as a tourism venue.

Books

Cats, Owls, and Medicine

By Gini Rainey

“Bad Medicine” by Eileen Dreyer

“Bad Medicine” was written

by New York Times bestselling author Eileen Dreyer, who has been inducted into the Romance Writers of America Hall of Fame, was nominated for the Anthony Award, and is a retired trauma nurse who has been trained in forensic nursing and death investigation. This book is set in and around the metropolitan area of St. Louis and the fictional emergency room at Grace Hospital. Because Eileen Dreyer possesses a unique blend of dark humor, complex motivations, and riveting suspense, she was able to create a character like Molly Burke, who is the heroine of this book. Burke is an extraordinary character whose life experiences have made her a woman performing a delicate balancing act with mental and emotional stability.

The storyline is centered around Burke, a veteran of the Vietnam war who still carries the scars from the traumas that she dealt with in the course of her tour of duty as a nurse.

Now an emergency room nurse at Grace Hospital, she’s fighting wars of a different kind in a more sterile environment, but still involving the traumas of life and death decisions with the medical cases that come through the doors of Grace’s ER. Interestingly enough, she is also a member of the county’s medical examiner team and helps to determine the cause of death of a lot of the victims she has seen while on duty in the ER. At the core of this book are the investigations into the suicide deaths of one lawyer after another, until the count reaches five. Although the medical examiner would prefer to close the cases as singular incidents, Molly has a sense that something connects the lives of the five lawyers that have brought them all to a point in their lives where suicide seemed to be the only way out. Not willing to leave well enough alone, she begins her own investigation to discover the commonality among the group of lawyers known as the “Shit Kickers” that met monthly for lunch at the MAC Grille.

Add to all of these a love interest in the persona of Frank, another hot shot lawyer who had represented a former patient of Grace Hospital who had had won a lawsuit against Peg, a few smarmy city councilmen, and an unethical mayor. Oh, and did I mention a drug company? Stir them once or twice and you have all of the makings necessary for an interesting suspense novel that will keep you turning the pages until you find out who dunnit!

Copyright 2013 - ePublishing Works!

“Lost Cat – A True Story of Love, Desperation and GPS Technology” by Caroline Paul with drawings by Wendy McNaughton

Sometimes, if your mind is open and you are adventuresome, you might stumble across something that is amazing. That would be the case with this book. I had just finished reading “Bad Medicine” on my Kindle and was looking for something new to read. Amazon.com is really nice about keeping track of everything that you’ve purchased and then making suggestions of what you should buy next. This book was one of the suggestions I received in the middle of the night. (I love my Kindle Fire – and no, I do not get any friendly perks from either Kindle or Amazon – drat!)

On the surface, this book comes across as a story about someone who has had her cat go AWOL. This true story is about Caroline, who was recovering from a bad accident and thought things couldn’t get any worse. But then her beloved cat Tibia, who had been displaying signs of extreme anxiety after Caroline’s accident, disappeared. Caroline and Wendy (Caroline’s significant other) had no idea what had happened to Tibia, but then, after six weeks of being gone, “Tibby” reappeared, no worse for the wear!

Caroline and Wendy were overjoyed, but they also had feelings of jealousy and betrayal because they had no idea where the well-fed Tibby had been hanging out. Had he become a swashbuckling cat adventurer? Did he love someone else more?

His owners were determined to find out.

Using GPS technology, cat cameras, psychics, the web, and animal communicators, Wendy and Caroline embarked on a quest to discover what their cat did when they weren’t around.

This tale, told through writer Caroline’s rich and warmly

poignant narrative and illustrator Wendy’s stunning and hilarious 4-color illustrations, is a book for animal lovers, pet owners, and anyone who has ever done anything desperate for love. By the way, did I mention that this is a true story?

Although this book might actually seem that it would be more appealing to the younger reader, don’t think for one moment that there isn’t a deeper level of meaning contained in its text. Within the final chapter is a list of seven possible morals for their story. It embodies the theories that although technology is awesome, in personal relationships, this isn’t what you should rely upon. If you are depressed, it will make you bonkers and bonkers is always in the eyes of the beholder, so get out and do something. Sooner or later, everyone becomes a cat lover and you can never know your cat and you can never know anyone as completely as you want. And, always, always, always – love is better.

Copyright 2013 - Bloomsbury USA “Let’s Explore Diabetes With Owls” by David Sedaris

I believe I have already stated (if you’ve been keeping up with my reviews) that I love Amy Sedaris. Well, I also love David Sedaris. “Let’s Explore Diabetes With Owls” is a book that made me laugh out loud, and even snort, in the presence of my in-laws! (they probably thought I was having an allergy moment – never know) If you’ve never read Sedaris, what the heck are you waiting for? Sedaris is a remarkably skilled storyteller and a savvy essayist. He cracks me up! That alone should make you run out to purchase one of his books!

My policy is that when someone tells me about an event they are/were involved in (fish tales, doncha know!), is to take what they say and divide the emotions in half and you might come up with what actually happened. I’m telling you, if even half of what is in this book is the truth, Sedaris has survived enough family goofiness to earn himself a Purple Heart!

From Sedaris’ tales about his father’s dinnertime attire that consisted of his shirt and underpants, to David’s first colonoscopy, and the time David considered buying the skeleton of a murdered Pygmy, Sedaris turns each of his essays into a love story of how it feels to be in a relationship where one loves and is loved over many years. His shared feelings of what it means to be a part of family is something many of us can relate to.

The best part of all of his essays is that David shares that after living through all of life’s absurdities, it really is possible to grow to love oneself. Finally, the thing about David Sedaris is he always makes me laugh out loud whenever I read his books.

The best part being that he will admit to thinking things that none of us ever dare to say. He cracks me up! Even though I have said that I love Amy Sedaris, I have to admit that I envy her because I can only imagine how much fun it must have been growing up with David as a brother.

Copyright 2013 - Little, Brown and Company

Book Events

Saturday, May 4th - Artists Nation will be hosting a Tyler Spoken Word Event every First Sunday of the month with our partners APEX Theatre 20 (Actors Preparatory Exchange).

No auditions are necessary and this is open for everyone to participate. They encourage everyone to act out their poetry but reading is also allowed. There’s really no rules and we are very laid back. All ages are welcome to attend but be aware that we do not censor anyone. This is a BYOB event for 21 years old and up, IDs will be checked and enforced. Entry for performers is free and there is a $5 cover for all others. This will be held 6-8pm at Actors Preparatory Exchange (rear entrance), 719 West Front Street, Suite 20, Tyler. For more info call (903)883-6288.

Sunday, May 4th - Texas Writer’s Network Monthly Meeting - Held the first Sunday of the month, Texas Writer’s Network is held 2-4pm at the Tyler Library Auditorium. No registration is required. The meeting is an open forum for published, unpublished and friendly “wannabes” to generally network and discuss the trials, tribulations and joys of writing. Tyler Public Library is located at 201 S. College Ave., downtown Tyler. For more information call (903)593-7323, www.tylerlibrary.com.

Monday, May 12th - East Texas Writer’s Guild General Meeting - “Nothing Happens Until Somebody Sells Something: All My Secrets, Strategies, Magic Tricks, and Slights of Hand I Use to Sell Books” by Patty Wiseman. May 12th is our 10th Anniversary celebration and will be held at the Traditions Restaurant on South Broadway, starting at 6pm. Our speaker will be James R. Callan with a presentation on Character Development. The cost is free but you must pay for your meal if you eat. Call (903)534-0655 with questions or go online at www. etwritersguild.org.

Saturday, May 31st - TACHE (Tyler Area Christian Home Educators) Used Book Sale will take place from 9am-12 noon.

We will also offer a 1/2 Price Hour from 1-2 pm. The sale will be held at the Shiloh Road Church of Christ Gate 11 Building.

This used book sale is organized to benefit everyone in the community and in surrounding areas. There are no fees for the buyers or sellers to participate in this event. We have thousands of used books for sale and welcome everyone to attend our annual book sale this year. Shiloh Church of Christ is located at 1801 Shiloh Rd., Tyler.

Weekly Storytime - Held every Friday at 5:30pm, join Cari for out of this world adventures. There will be amazing treats and activities for both parents and children. This will be at Barnes & Noble Bookseller Tyler Broadway Pavilion, 4916 S. Broadway, Tyler, (903)534-3996.

Tyler Public Library Events

Tyler Public Library is located at 201 S. College Ave., downtown Tyler. For more information (903)593-7323, www.tylerlibrary.com.

Events for Children

Toddler Time (Every Wednesday at 10:30am except June 4th) Story time for families followed by a short film. Directed toward children up to age 3, but all ages welcome. Free. Held in the Story Room.

Read Aloud Crowd (Thursdays at 10:30am except June 5th) Story time for families followed by a short film. Directed toward children ages 3 through 6 years of age, but all ages welcome. Free. Held in the Story Room.

Starry Time Story Time (Every Thursday at 6pm through May 28th) Join us for stories, songs and a short film the whole family can enjoy. Free.

Family Movie Matinee (Saturday, May 3rd at 11am) Join us for a popular feature length film to whole family can enjoy. Please contact the library for movie title, rating, and length. Free, no registration is required. Held in the Taylor Auditorium.

Family Story Time (Saturday, May 3rd at 10:30am) Join us for stories, songs, and a short film the whole family can enjoy. Free, no registration is required.

American Girl Party (Saturday, May 17th, 10am-12 noon) The American Girl Book Club “Mad Hatter Tea Party” will be held for girls ages 5 to 12. You are invited to come dressed in their fanciest frock or funkiest costumes with a plain hat in tow ready to decorate. Using their hat and accessories provided by the library, girls can design a “Mad Hat Creation” that will be modeled in a Mad Hatter style show. After the style show the girls will enjoy tea, lemonade, and cookies while enjoying a brief presentation about hats. The American Girl Book Club meets monthly from September through May. Free.

Lego® Block Party (Saturday, May 17th, 1:30-3:30pm) Children ages 3 and up, bring your imagination for an afternoon of building and playing! LEGO® Blocks and refreshments are provided. LEGO Block Party meets monthly from September through May. Free, no registration is required. Held in the Taylor Auditorium.

Kids Movie Matinees (Mondays and Fridays, June 13th-July 28th) Popular feature length films will be shown on the library’s big screen for everyone to enjoy. For movie titles and information please contact the library. Open to ages 12 and up. Free.

Lego League (Tuesdays beginning June 10 th-July 29th, except July 1st, 1:30pm) This is a creative time with Lego and Duplo blocks. We provide the Legos you provide the imagination. Open to ages 3 to 12.

Kid Buzz (Wednesdays beginning June 11th-July 30th, except July 2nd, 1:30pm and 3:30pm) This program, designed for students entering 1st through 5th grades, includes creative crafts, activities, and guest speakers from Caldwell Zoo, Texas parks and Wildlife, and KETK NBC. Free, registration required at www.TylerLibrary.com. Held in the Library Auditorium Fab Friday (Fridays beginning June 13th to July 25th, except July 4th, 1:30pm) Fabulous performers the whole family can enjoy. Events include a local author visit and performances from the Texas State Railroad, Texas Parks and Wildlife, local educator Tom Young, and the Chemistry Road show from Texas A&M. Free.

Events for Teens

Teen Advisory Council (Saturday, May 3rd, 1-2pm) A group for teens looking for a more active role in library happenings for them and their peers. Open to ages 12 to 18. Free.

Teen Movie Matinees (Saturday, May 3rd, 2pm) Popular feature length films will be shown on the library’s big screen for everyone to enjoy. For movie titles and information please contact the library. Open to ages 12 and up. Free.

Teen Thursdays (Thursdays beginning June 12th-July 31st, except July 3rd, 2pm) Events for students entering 6th through 12th grade. Activities include a Downtown Scavenger Hunt, CSI – Crime Scene Investigation, Zombie Apocalypse, Deco the Library and guest speakers from Caldwell Zoo and Texas Parks and Wildlife. Free, registration required at www.TylerLibrary.com Movie Marvels for Teens (Every Thursday beginning June 12th to July 31st, except July 3rd, 4pm) Popular feature length films based on Marvel Comics will be shown on the library’s big screen for teens to enjoy. For movie title and information please contact the library. Open to students entering 6th through 12th grade. Free, no registration is required.

Events for Adults

Using e-Resources with your Digital Device (May 3rd and June 7th, 2pm) Learn how to use the library’s e-resources from OverDrive and OneClickDigital on your Kindle, Nook, iPad or Android device. Also, the use of Ebsco e-books on your computer will be covered. Please contact the library for more info and a schedule. Free. Held in the Story Room.

Art Cards (Tuesdays, May 6th and June 3rd 10:30am) Learn the art of rubber-stamping, embellishing and card-making from a pro. This is offered the first Tuesday of each month. $10 fee, registration preferred.

ClubRead (Tuesdays, May 27th and June 24th, 10am) Join us for in depth book discussions. March book selection: “Flight Behavior” by Barbara Kingsolver. April book selection is “Sweet Tooth” by Ian McEwan. This is free.

Held in the Taylor Auditorium.

Celebrate Diversity (Tuesdays, May 20th and June 17th, 5:30pm) The Tyler Public Library and the Tyler Together Race Relations Forum join together to learn about diverse cultures—ethnic, religious, and regional. Each gathering will include a mixer with refreshments, a main event and discussion.

Diabetes Empowerment Education Program (DEEP) (Thursdays, May 1st - 22nd, 5pm) This FREE program has eight sections covering diabetes topics such as risk factors, complications, nutrition, and physical activity. Participants will receive instruction on how to correctly use a glucose meter and guidance on accessing community resources and building partnerships with a diabetes health care team. DEEP is based on national diabetes care and diabetes selfmanagement education recommendations and guidelines.

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Family

Summer Camps:

From Western to Christian, To Collegiate Academics, Athletics or General Recreation - There is Something for Everyone

By Kelly Griffith-Fields

As the weather warms up and the school year draws to an end many area summer camps are beginning to accept enrollment. There is no shortage of camp options in East Texas. Camp experiences range from sports to science to the arts. Most camps intend to embrace fun while still putting an importance on education.

Rasure said. “But also get hands on experience with science through a variety of activities and lessons.”

For the complete list of camp topics and more information visit discoveryscienceplace.org.

Tyler Jr. College

Jan’s Art Academy in Tyler

Tyler Junior College offers athletic summer camps. Athletes of varying ages are able to develop new skills, improve technique and endurance while practicing good sportsmanship.

The college also hosts day camps regarding art, physics, history, technology and more.

There are morning and afternoon camp sessions. A supervised lunch hour is provided and will include an instructor escort to the next camp if a child is signed up for both sessions.

Aquatic Camp promotes fitness and water safety while introducing swimming skills. Aquatic games, snorkeling and diving are also covered in the session. This camp is for ages 8-11 years old.

Make Your Own Video Game camp is for ages 8-11 and 12-14 years old. No previous experience is needed for campers to create their first video game in this one of a kind class. Student created games will be available on Black Rocket website to share following the session.

Babysitter Lessons and Safety Training, also known as B.L.A.S.T. teaches students the basics of child care. B.L.A.S.T. is for students 9-years-old and older. In addition to teaching care and safety the camp prepares students to find a job; helping construct an appropriate resume and providing ten free babysitting business cards.

That is only a few of many camps being offered through TJC. For more details and the complete list visit tjc.edu/summercamps

Pine Cove

Pine Cove offers many different Summer Camp options such as, overnight youth camps, family camps, day camps and camps in the city. Their mission statement is, “Pine Cove exists to be used by God to transform the lives of people for His purpose and His glory.” It is a Christian camp hosting fun theme night and activities such as paintball, wake boarding, climbing and swimming. There is lots of friendly competition, fun and more.

For more information visit pinecove.com.

Rockin’ C Ranch

Rockin’ C Ranch in Lindale is a Christian camp with a western twist. They offer day programs for ages 5-10 years-old and overnight camps for ages 7-16 years-old. Day camp provides the camp experience and fun of fishing, swimming, horseback riding and more for University of Texas at Tyler those children that may not be ready for overnight stays away from The University of Texas at Tyler also offers both recreational and home. This Christ centered camp overnights hope to build a strong athletic camps. Each Summer Fun Camp begins with fifty minutes work ethic in campers as well as leadership skills. Campers will take of swim lessons. The camp puts emphasis on athletics and recreation part in character building adventures and enjoy fun activities as well. with problem solving games and activities.

Visit rockincranch.org for more information.

“Children will be able to participate in many fun activities as well as learn wellness and healthy living,” Jameson Adams, Associate Green Acres Baptist Church Green Acres Baptist Church will be hosting summer day camps as Director of Recreation Sports said. well as sports camps.

There are many fun activities for the students, ages 5-10 years Day camps have a variety of themes covered. At Rodeo Roundup old, but Adams explained the time campers spend in the canoe on week campers will learn to lasso and pan for gold. They will also have the campus lakes is always one of their favorites. a barrel race. Independence Day will be celebrated during the days of For more information on Summer Fun Camps visit uttyler.edu Stars and Stripes camp. Children will enjoy America’s favorite pastimes For UT athletic camp information visit uttylerpatriots.com/ and enjoy some good old-fashioned fun in the sun. athletics/camps In addition to those and more, GABC provides Camp Joy – Rodeo Discovery Science Place Roundup. It’s a special needs camp for ages fourteen and up. Camp Joy “Discovery Science Place has been offering science-based educa- is limited to the first forty-five campers. tional summer camps for many years,” Chris Rasure said. Rasure is a For more information on all the camps visit gabcrecreation.org.

Texas Master Science Teacher and assists with the educational proWhether students are looking to develop a new skill or hone an gramming at the DSP. This summer they are offering eight different, existing one there is surely a camp to suit them. With Western and week long camps. Over the summer a variety of topics will be covChristian settings to collegiate academics, athletics or general recreation ered from “The Art of Science,” to “Lego Robotics,” to “Green Week – there is a camping experience for everyone. Space is limited. Do not hesitate to register to ensure your child’s place is reserved for a sumthe 3 R’s,” and more. mer of fun.

“Campers not only get to enjoy the exhibits of the DSP itself,”

Movies in the Park Returns for Spring

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Jan’s Art Academy in Tyler has been offering summer art camps for the past eight years. Catering to different age groups or to fit themes, each week explores various art techniques. Students study and practice drawing, painting, clay, acrylic, watercolor, paper mache, abstract, design, construction and more depending on the camp, Jan Widner explained.

“The summer camps provide a cache experience of art experiences and lots of summer fun and new friends,” Widner said.

More information may be found at jansartacademy.com.

Warmer spring temperatures mean the return of the Tyler Parks and Recreation’s popular ‘Movies in the Park’ series, thanks largely to public support.

The new spring season for the outdoor film series is sure to please and is recognized locally as a budget-wise, family friendly way to enjoy pleasant evenings in Bergfeld Park.

“We started showing movies in the park in the fall of 2004 and we have shown 71 movies so far,” said Debbie Isham, special events/recreation manager.

The film line-up for the new season includes: • May 10th, 8:15pm – “Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory,” from 1971 starring Gene Wilder; Rated G. • May 17th, 8:15pm– “Captain Courageous,” from 1937 starring Spencer Tracy; Rated G. Free admission and free soft drinks will be provided by Tyler Beverages. Visitors can bring a blanket, a picnic and enjoy the show.

Sponsors for the Movies in the Park series are still needed. For details, contact Debbie Isham, special events/recreation manager, at (903)531-1214.

“Bears:” A Family Friendly Movie

Starring John C. Reilly, Narrator Grade: A Disneynature has created a documentary with a storyline about a mother bear and her two cubs, following them just before they emerge from hibernation through a summer of foraging for food and managing to stay alive. John C. Reilly narrates an engaging story about Sky, the mother bear, and her two cubs, Amber and Scout. They are followed in real life against a backdrop of breathtakingly beautiful snow-covered, mountainous terrain in Alaska and amidst avalanches, rainstorms, and sunshine. Predators like wolves and male bears are always lurking about, and sometimes Sky has to fight them off. They swim in ocean water, where they find mussels and clams, but their journey culminates in splashing over waterfalls to end up at Golden Pond, rife with salmon, where Sky will be able to eat enough to nurse the cubs through another winter.

Reilly’s playful narration is entertaining, and he has the perfect voice for it. As an example, one comment goes, “Scout does take-out, while Amber and her mother have a little sushi date” when they have found some seafood—not their favorite—but a kind that will tide them over until they can get to the more tasty and plentiful salmon. It is very interesting to see Sky open up clams and mussels with her paws, and to see many of the animals fishing.

The two cubs are very different; Scout is always running about exploring or almost getting left behind and eaten by a wolf, while Amber rides on her mother’s back or sticks very close to her. In consideration of children, the film shows endangerment, but never shows an attack on the cubs. Likewise, when it shows two male adult bears fighting for supremacy, it’s done in slow motion and we see no blood or gore.

I especially appreciated the calm, story-telling nature of this film; it really does have the feel of Reilly reading us a story, but in addition, we get spectacular visuals.

I recommend this as a great documentary film for children.

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