v9n20 - JFP Issue: 2011 Best of Jackson

Margaret Walker Center and the

Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame & Museum PRESENT

The Future of the SWAC February 8, 2011 at 6:30 p.m.

Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame & Museum 1152 Lakeland Drive | Jackson, MS Participants Include: Moderator Roscoe Nance, Former USA Today Reporter Marino Casem, Former Head Coach Alcorn State University W. C. Gorden, Former Head Coach Jackson State University Lonza Hardy Jr., Athletic Director Hampton University Eddie Payton, Jackson State University Golf Coach Donald Ray Sims, MS Valley Athletic Director

January 26 - February 1, 2011

7:30PM

2

Jackson’s Thalia Mara Hall http://ticketmaster.com 800.745.3000

January 26 - February 1, 2011

jacksonian

VOL.

9 NO. 20

contents

Community Jacksonians pick the winners from arts organizations to columnists to TV preachers and visionaries.

COURTESY CHRISTOPHER PAIGE;WILLIAM PATRICK BUTLER; COURTESY AMERIGO;AARON PHILLIPS

LEAH OVERSTREET

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Cover illustration

by Kristin Brenemen

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THIS ISSUE: Urban Living .............. Editor’s Note

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.................... Slowpoke

6

............................. Talk

12

...................... Editorial

12

........................ Stiggers

12

............................ Zuga

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................... Your Turn

13

...................... Opinion

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.......... Best of Jackson

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......................... 8 Days

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.................. JFP Events

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........... Music Listings

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............................ Food

69

............................ Astro

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......................... Puzzles

From best annual events to yoga studios, here’s your guide to shopping, service and more.

ellen douglas The literary world knows her as Ellen Douglas, critically acclaimed writer. Many Mississippians fondly recognize her as Josephine Haxton, mother of three accomplished sons, a Democrat, an Ole Miss graduate. To her friends, she’s just Jo, full of life and camaraderie and fun, someone you want to hang out with. By whatever name, this Jacksonian is her own woman.

In her life and in her writing, Jo has always addressed the tough issues—race, women’s rights, sex. She was an outspoken and committed activist for civil rights before most white Mississippians dared say a word.

In her short stories and novels, she explored the complexities of race relations in the Deep South. Anyone who enjoyed “The Help” or who wished for more insight will want to read “Black Cloud, White Cloud” (1989, University Press of Mississippi, $30) and “Can’t Quit You, Baby” (1989, Penguin, $18).

As she approaches her 90th birthday on July 12 of this year, Jo is back at her Belhaven home after a brief hiatus spent with her sons and their families—Ayres, a lawyer and lobbyist in Jackson, musician Richard in California and poet Brooks in New York—and at her family’s 19th-century farmhouse near Natchez. Now, in addition to her attentive son Ayres, she enjoys the full-time companionship of Martha Gomez, who returned with her from California.

Born in Natchez, Jo grew up mostly in Louisiana, married Kenneth Haxton in 1945,

and brought up her children in Greenville. She moved to Jackson in 1983. An avid reader of serious literature, she began writing when her youngest child entered kindergarten. The New Yorker published her story, “On the Lake,” in 1961, and her first novel, “A Family’s Affairs,” came out to enthusiastic praise in 1962.

Since then she has written dozens of stories and essays, published nine books, and won a passel of literary awards and accolades.

In addition, she has guided scores of aspiring writers at Ole Miss, Sewanee and other literary venues around the country. It was Jo, in fact, who recognized the talent of an Oxford fireman named Larry Brown and helped him improve his early work.

To celebrate her remarkable literary career, the Eudora Welty Library inaugurated the Ellen Douglas Meeting Room last fall with a marvelous program of tributes and a standingroom-only crowd of friends, family and fans.

Jo is less active now, of course, and she no longer spends her days writing books, but her spirit is going full tilt. “She’s an inspiration to me every day,” Gomez says, “the way she keeps going and stays focused on the future—what to do about global warming, for instance.”

Jo loves, as always, to discuss literature and current politics. She has the same hearty guffaw and that amused, sometimes wicked twinkle in her eye. And, yes, she can still spew forth the F-word with more gusto than anyone I’ve ever known!

—JoAnne Prichard Morris

34 Food & Drink One thing’s for sure: Southerns know good food. Here’s where to find the best eatin’ in Jackson.

45 Nightlife Ready for a grownup beverage and a thumping dance beat? Get your groove on at Jackson’s best clubs.

jacksonfreepress.com

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publisher’snote

Kristin Brenemen Art Director Kristin Brenemen is a local otaku with penchant for dystopianism. Her Zombie Survival Kit is getting a new flint fire starter soon. She designed this year’s Best of Jackson theme.

ShaWanda Jacome Assistant to the Editor ShaWanda Jacome is learning to pray without ceasing, to trust in the Lord completely and to have hope and faith in his timing. She compiled and helped edit Best of Jackson blurbs.

Lacey McLaughlin News Editor Lacey McLaughlin is a Florida native who enjoys riding her bike around Jackson. She is always on the hunt for news tips.

E-mail Lacey@jacksonfreepress. com or call 601-362-6121 x. 22.

She edited Best of Jackson blurbs.

Natalie A. Collier Associate Editor Natalie A. Collier is originally from Starkville and is a graduate of Millsaps College.

She lived in Chicago for a while, but is now back in Jackson. She’s not easy to impress. Try. She edited Best of Jackson blurbs

Shannon Barbour Marketing and Events Coordinator Shannon Barbour sometimes answers to the name Events Girl.

She enjoys the chaos of the JFP as it reminds her of home, which she shares with her husband and their amazing little girl. She is coordinating the Best of Jackson party.

Kimberly Griffin Advertising Director Kimberly Griffin is a Jackson native who likes yoga, supporting locally owned businesses and traveling.

In her spare time she plots how she can become Michelle Obama’s water holder.

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

January 26 - February 1, 2011

Randi Ashley Jackson

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

by Todd Stauffer, Publisher

The Secret is ... People

I

thought about going back into the JFP archives to check and see how many of these publisher’s notes in previous Best of Jackson issues I’ve started with, “You hold in your hands the largest-ever issue of the Jackson Free Press.”

But then I figured, who’s counting?

You hold in your hands the largest ever issue of the Jackson Free Press! (And if you’re reading this online ... you know what I mean.) Despite our best efforts to rein in the length of the ballot, there are more categories than ever, more votes to count than ever, more winners to cover ... and more advertisers packing the pages of this “keeper” issue.

And, of course, it’s all worth it.

As in years past, the Best of Jackson 2011 issue is a celebration of everything that’s authentic, unique and so quintessentially Jackson about Jackson. It honors entrepreneurs, civil leaders, scalawags, trendsetters and a few cagey self-promoters. Herein, you will find triumphal acclamations, the occasional sly dig and well-deserved rounds of applause. We love it all.

The Best of Jackson is a celebration of the creative spirit of Jackson and an expression of our editorial thesis that the “creative class”—as defined by Richard Florida’s seminal book, “The Rise of the Creative Class”—is not only alive and kicking in Jackson, but indeed, is the city’s future. (Long-time readers may have been wondering how long it would take before I brought up Florida.)

As a “creative class” town, Jackson actually has a lot going for it. It’s cheap to live here— cheap enough, in fact, to make a big change or take a risk. New business? Try it. Want an MD or JD or MBA or MS in public planning? How about adult-ed classes, a technology associates’ degree or a professional degree in graphic design? Jacktown is a college town, believe it or not—you’ll be joining well over 30,000 other students at universities, colleges, professional schools and community colleges in the Jackson metropolitan area.

Jackson is the medical technology center of Central Mississippi, and it’s the capital of the state. That means entrepreneurship, technology, medical service and support jobs, legal work, politics and non-profits—tons of talent and opportunity.

Oh—and, of course, there are the artists, musicians, designers, venue managers, galleries owners and teachers who make up the core of creativity that makes a creative town hum.

I just finished reading “The Great Reset,” Richard Florida’s latest book. (Him, again.)

The basic thesis of the book is that the current “Great Recession” is analogous to two other “resets” in American economic history—the Great Depression of the 1930s, of course, and the Long Depression of the 1870-90s.

Florida makes the case that the current recession is similar to those earlier depressions in that we’ll see dramatic changes to our economy like those that came out of the previous two events. In the late 1800s, we moved from an agrarian economy to an

industrial economy—off the farms and into cities; in the 1940s, suburbanization drove growth, with a focus on high-paying bluecollar jobs, home ownership, and a culture of cars and high consumption.

Now we face another change—from an industrial economy to a “creative” economy; one where knowledge work and creativity are the primary drivers of industry, products and services. Along with that “Creative Class” comes the need to focus on the service industry as well; Florida makes the point that it’s critical that we, as a nation, come up with ways to make service-industry jobs both (a) more creative and (b) better paying, family-supporting jobs that blue-collar work once was.

Most of all, cities have to change to survive and thrive in the coming economy. Jackson can do it, but it’ll take work.

Perhaps my favorite result in the Best of Jackson was the “Best Reason to Live in Jackson” answer: The People. I could almost guarantee you that the result would not be the same in any of the other places I’ve lived for an extended period—Texas, Colorado, California, New York—in their “best of” balloting.

Not that there’s something wrong with the people in those places; it just wouldn’t be the No. 1 answer.

But in Jackson, that’s the answer that people typed into their online ballot or wrote on that line and mailed in. And a LOT of you said it.

It so happens that’s one of the same answers that Richard Florida has in “The Great Reset” when it comes to the “small stuff” that can make a city attractive to younger professionals, new industries and, indeed, the growth required for future prosperity.

Here, according to Florida, is what can

“really make a difference to the people living in cities”: (1) physical beauty, aesthetics and public spaces, (2) ease of meeting people and plugging into social networks and (3) diversity, open-mindedness and acceptance.

That’s it. It’s not all about pro teams, stadiums, arenas, country clubs, private lakefront property or even access to JetBlue. (Mind you, many of those things can help, but not if the fundamentals aren’t in place.)

It is about building places for diverse people to meet, work, love and live—great neighborhoods, public spaces and relying on the engine of local commerce—not massive public projects—to get a lot of this stuff done.

It’s also about smart government. Just this week I’ve been hearing about critical work being done by area mayors—Jackson together with the suburbs—to build out walking and biking trails in and around the Pearl, and tie them all together as transportation corridors.

That’s beautification, transportation and bringing people together using our unique ecological assets.

Jackson’s future is found right here in the Best of Jackson issue: the people, the sense of place and all the gathering spots for community—venues, restaurants, local retail, peoplecentric neighborhoods and outdoor spaces.

I encourage you to use this issue to become (or continue to be) an urban warrior— try all this cool stuff! If you live outside the city, you’re part of our renaissance as well: just take advantage of local amenities and businesses.

There’s more here than ever before—even in hard economic times, there are new restaurants, new neighborhoods opening up, new (and renewed) leaders to celebrate, and an excellence in Jackson that’s tons of fun to celebrate. Enjoy!

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The Legislature revisits animal cruelty and more. p 9

This issue marks the ninth annual “Best of Jackson” readers’ poll for the Jackson Free Press. Our first regular issue, in October 2002 (and 389 issues ago), included a “Best of Jackson” ballot. news, culture & irreverence

Compromise Ahead on Payday Lending?

ADAM LYNCH

Wednesday, Jan. 19 Common Cause files a petition with the Justice Department to investigate a possible conflict of interest by U.S. Supreme Court Justices Antonin Scalia and Clarence Thomas in last year’s Citizens United decision lifting a ban on corporate spending for political campaigns. … The Mississippi Senate passes an anti-immigrant bill that mirrors that of Arizona.

Thursday, Jan. 20 Suicide bombers kill dozens of Shiite Muslim pilgrims in a third day of attacks during the annual 10-day religious event. … A joint Mississippi legislative committee hears opinions on a statewide smoking ban.

Friday, Jan. 21 South Korean special forces rescue a hijacked freighter from pirates. They rescue all 21 hostages and kill eight pirates. …

China’s President Hu Jintao returns home after a three-day state visit to the United States. …The state Senate passes a bill increasing penalties for violating Mississippi’s Open Meetings Act. Saturday, Jan. 22 Afghan President Hamid Karzai backs off threats to delay convening the country’s new Parliament for a month. … Jackson State defeats Grambling State 69 to 57. … Apple announces its App Store has had more than 10 billion downloads since its 2008 launch.

January 26 - February 1, 2011

Sunday, Jan. 23 Jack LaLanne, founder of the modern U.S. fitness movement, dies at age 96. …

In advance of the president’s State of the Union address, congressional Republicans warn that they will oppose any new spending initiatives. … Ole Miss beats No. 23 Arkansas in a 69-65 squeaker.

6

Monday, Jan 24 A suicide bomber kills at least 35 and wounds 168 in an attack at Moscow’s busiest airport. … Raycom Media and other news organizations petition the Mississippi Supreme Court to allow viewers to see a video showing alleged abuse in the Forrest County Juvenile Detention Center in Hattiesburg.

Tuesday, Jan. 25 President Barack Obama delivers his third State of the Union address in front of a Congress not seated by party. … Marcus Ward pulls out of the race for Jackson’s Ward 1 city council seat.

Breaking news at jfpdaily.com.

Legislators are deciding the fate of payday lender companies this year as they consider exempting such companies from the state’s 36 percent annaul percentage rate cap.

T

he Mississippi House of Representatives and Senate likely will have to work out a compromise on a bill that allows payday lenders to exceed a statewide cap on annual percentage rates.

Mississippi currently exempts short-term lenders from a 36 percent annual percentage rate cap imposed upon most other lenders.

Current law allows them to charge customers $21.95 for every $100 loan, up to a total loan of $400, which includes customer fees.

The Mississippi Department of Banking and Consumer Finance calculates the fee into an annual percentage rate of 572 percent, which opponents of check-cashing services say is too high. The payday-lending exemption expires in 2012, and short-term lending opponents are pushing this year for legislators not to renew the exemption.

To qualify for a $300 payday loan, a customer writes a $365.85 check to the lender—a check that includes three $21.95 fees for three

short “The cost of housing an inmate is about $36 a day, so that’s $16 short.” —Hinds County Sherriff Malcolm McMillin in response to a section of Senate Bill 2179 (which mirrors a controversial anti-immigrant Arizona law) that provides reimbursements to local law enforcement of up to $20 a day to jail arrested immigrants.

I • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

by Adam Lynch

bundled $100 loans. The lender then hands the customer $300 and holds the customer’s $365.85 check for the duration of the loan, which usually matches the customer’s twoweek pay period, before cashing it.

Dan Robinson, president of Financial Services Center and owner of numerous payday-lending outlets, argues the Banking and Consumer Finance Department’s APR translation is not an accurate unit of measurement for a loan that is many weeks short of 365 days. “(APR) is designed for 365 days or longer, and anytime you’re talking about a very short amount of days you’re talking about an astronomical APR. There’s really nothing we can do about that, except extend the number of days (of the loan). (But) we have to show that APR because we do our charges up front,” Robinson said. He added that fees charged by banks for overdraft protection—unlike payday-lending fees—kick in after the check has come though.

Both the House and Senate voted to extend the exemption for payday lenders by approving HB 455 last week, but both also extended the repayment period of the loans, depending upon the size of the loan. The House version of HB 455 delays the lender’s deposit of a customer’s personal check of an amount smaller than $200 up to 21 days. It also delays the lender’s deposit of a customer’s personal check of an amount larger than $200 PAYDAY, see page 7

f life strives for balance, we would be remiss to not vent a bit in our annual Best of Jackson issue. After all, no one and nothing is perfect, right? The nominees are …

Condition of Fortification Street.

Still workin’ on those pipes.

Slow response to open-record requests.

Flood-control politics.

Trying to stuff the Best of Jackson ballot box. Schmucks.

Using “ghetto” as a synonym for “black.”

Anonymous Internet whiners.

The Clarion-Ledger’s commenters.

Payday-lender clusters.

Stray, unleashed dogs.

Playing the crime card.

Traffic on Lakeland Drive.

Abandoned houses.

The new federal courthouse.

The McCoy Federal Building’s mutant statue.

talk

news, culture & irreverence

PAYDAY, from page 6 ADAM LYNCH

for up to 30 days.

The House bill caps the total possible amount of a loan at $500, which must include all fees. Loans under $200 could cost the customer up to $20 per $100 loaned, instead of $21.95, while loans of $201 or more (up to the $500 maximum allowed, including fees) could cost a $21.95 fee per $100 for the customer.

When the bill reached the Senate, however, senators passed an amendment applying the Hope Enterprise Corp.Vice President of Policy Ed Sivak 21-day repayment period be- said House Bill 455, which extends an exemption allowing fore cashing a customer’s check payday lenders to exceed a 36-percent annual percentage to loans of up to $300. The rate cap, still makes an extraordinarily high APR rate possible. same amendment also delays the lender’s deposit of a customer’s check for loans of more than $301 or more around that is you can make two $200 loans (again, up to the $500 maximum allowed by for 14 days.” the House version) for up to 30 days, as opSivak called the practice “loan-splitting,” posed to the House version, which marked the which he said would slightly lower fees, but esbeginning of the second tier at $201. sentially remove the consumer protection ofThe Mississippi Department of Bank- fered by the 28-day repayment period. Legislaing and Consumer Finance says that ex- tors need to restrict lenders from loan-splitting tending the duration of these loans brings in the new bill and create a policing departdown the equivalent APR; on a 30-day ment within state government to monitor the loan at $21.95 per $100 loaned, the APR industry for compliance with the law, he said. is about 267 percent.

Robinson said an attempt by the House “The House and Senate version is rough- or Senate to reduce fees on payday loans too ly the same APR because they did not change much would make the industry unprofitable the fees or the days, and those are the actual and force companies to close their doors. things that juxtapose the APR,” said DepartBiloxi resident and former business owner ment of Banking and Consumer Finance Ricky Easterling, who lives on a fixed income Commissioner John Allison. after breaking his back in a work-related inciAllison added that the duration of dent five years ago and frequently uses payday the loans for both chambers suggest can be lending, said the loan industry in Mississippi rounded to about 30 days. Allison submitted does not offer alternatives to payday lenders. a report to Rep. George Flaggs, D-Vicksburg, “There are no options for same-day lendlast week determining that the 21-day loan of- ing in this state. I play golf with the board fered in the House bill with a $20 lending fee of directors at my bank, and I still can’t get achieves an APR of 347.62 percent. a loan,” Easterling said. “Credit scores along Robinson said the industry would be the Coast have gone down, and most lending “taking a cut on both versions of those bills,” agencies take your credit score into account but said he was willing to compromise. before offering you a loan.”

“Either way, those are large-dollar amount The Mississippi Economic Policy Center (loans), and I wasn’t as opposed to that because claims the state contains almost 600 businesses most people who get paid bi-weekly can’t qual- offering “small-dollar loans and payday-loan ify for over $300 on a 14-day deal, anyway,” alternatives,” but Sivak said no company ofRobinson said. “You’d have to be making fers a same-day loan like a payday lender. $800 net on your paycheck to qualify for that “When (payday advocates) talk about with our company.” (there being) no alternative product that looks However, short-term lending opponents and acts like theirs, they’re right. There’s no complain that neither the House nor Senate place you can go to get money that day withversion of HB 455 sets a 21-day to 31-day out a credit check, but there are places that minimum lifespan to the loan. offer small loans, like credit unions and Bank“(Legislators) enlarged a loophole,” said Plus. Our own Hope Credit Union here in Hope Enterprise Corp. Vice President of Poli- Jackson offers low-cost loans to its members.” cy Ed Sivak, who is also the founding director Sivak pointed out, however, that Hope of the Mississippi Economic Policy Center, an Credit Union offers the loans as a service to initiative of Hope Enterprise Corp. its members, and requires a minimum num“Say you can make loans up to $300 at ber of days as a union member before maka repayment rate of zero to 21 days—up to ing the loan available. Sivak said small loans 21 days—what they can do is make two loans with lower rates and longer terms were a better simultaneously. Say you need a $400 payday alternative to payday loans, by allowing familoan. Technically, you’ve got one $400 loan lies to spread out payments over a manageable that would be subject to the 28-day repay- number of months. ment term. However, the way you can get Comment at www.jfp.ms.

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smoketalk

by Adam Lynch

Partial Smoking Ban Sets Stage for Confusion

A

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8

now-closed Zydeco restaurant, told the Jackson Free Press last year that he believed his restaurant was not ducking city codes as long as he monitored the amount of alcoholic drinks his restaurant sold. He believed, inaccurately, KENYA HUDSON

1935 Lakeland Dr. 601.906.2253

confusing Jackson ordinance could prove to be a case study on the frustration of a statewide partial smoking ban before the Mississippi Legislature.

Last week, a joint House and Senate Public Health Committee heard opinions from health advocates and business representatives about the potential consequences of a statewide total smoking ban, as proposed by Senate Bill 2726, but Republicans appear to favor a partial ban instead.

The partial-ban bill, SB 2514, authored

by Public Health and Welfare Vice-Chairman Sen. Briggs Hopson, R-Vicksburg, proposes to restrict smoking in restaurants and other businesses, including retail stores, sports arenas and convention centers, as well as banning smoking within 20 feet of any entrance to smokingrestricted facilities and businesses.

The bill gives many exemptions, however, including to any business regulated by the Mississippi Gaming Commission, which includes casinos and bingo halls. It also exempts smoking in hotel and motel rooms, cigar bars, and retail tobacco and convenience stores.

To further complicate matters, the bill would exempt bars, including bars inside restaurants, “if secondhand smoke does not infiltrate into areas where smoking is not permitted under the bill.”

The bill defines a “bar” as “a business that is devoted to the serving of light wine or beer for consumption by guests on the premises.”

However, the state tax commission conflates the definitions of bars and restaurants in their qualifying language for alcoholic-beverage licenses. Businesses that sell hard liquor and wine and beer with alcohol contents higher than 5 percent must also generate at least 25 percent of their gross receipts from food sales.

In Mississippi, a “bar” that does not sell food can sell only light wine and low-alcohol beer.

The city of Jackson instituted a similar partial smoking ban in 2008. Some restaurant owners complained they were unsure of whether their restaurant fell into the category of “bar” because alcohol comprised the majority of their sales.

Patrick Barnes, general manager of the

Former Ward 2 Councilman Leslie McLemore said the state would suffer Jackson’s enforcement headache if it enacts a partial statewide smoking ban.

that his business qualified as a “bar” under city codes because liquor sales comprised the majority of his revenue.

Jackson simplified its smoking ban last June by extending it to all bars and restaurants, after yielding to pressure from businesses that were adhering to the ban.

Former Ward 2 Councilman Leslie McLemore said last week that businesses obeying the ordinance complained that smoking patrons moved their business to restaurants and bars not complying with the ban.

“As long as (the ban) is partial, you’ll have the same level of complexity and confusion, and it’ll cause heartburn in the business community with the merchants and businesses that are trying to abide by the ban,” McLemore warned.

American Cancer Society Coordinator Anita Bales said the simpler total ban is easier to follow. Bales lobbies for the complete ban, authored by Sen. Hob Bryan, D-Amory, which prohibits smoking of tobacco products in all public buildings and places of employment, including bars, and further restricts smoking in many non-enclosed areas such as arenas, amphitheaters, stadiums and zoos, and

other forms of outdoor amusement parks, including playgrounds.

Bryan’s bill would restrict smoking in casinos and bars, but it exempts private clubs that have no employees and, of course, private residences.

Another advocate of a total ban, Dr. Robert McMillen, assistant professor at Mississippi State University’s Social Science Research Center, cited an MSU report that suggests the cities of Hattiesburg and Starkville witnessed a drop in their heart-attack rates after enacting city-wide smoking bans.

But Mississippi Hospitality and Restaurant Association Executive Director Mike Cashion warned legislators last week that enacting a statewide smoking ban would hurt businesses whose customers prefer to smoke.

Mississippi Health Officer Mary Currier, who supports the total smoking ban, said she did not think the ban would adversely affect businesses because of the extent of the ban.

“If it’s statewide, then everybody’s working under the same policy, so you don’t have people who are going to other places to smoke.

It makes the playing field more even,” Currier said this week.

Still, Senate Republicans appear more willing to support the Republican-authored partial ban over the complete ban. At the joint public-health committee hearing last week, Sen. Joey Fillingane, R-Sumrall, asked Currier repeatedly if she would be willing to support a statewide partial smoking ban, such as that offered by SB 2514.

Currier repeatedly answered that she only advocates for a total statewide smoking ban.

McLemore was the Jackson City Council’s chief advocate in favor of a complete ban in 2008, but grudgingly passed the partial ban when it became clear that a total ban would not garner majority support from the Council at the time. He said if the state passed a partial ban, lawmakers would soon get a full helping of Jackson’s frustration.

“If anything, (the partial ban), if passed, will likely provide a foundation for a complete statewide ban later on,” McLemore said. “So goes Jackson, so goes the rest of the state.”

by Adam Lynch

8IJUBLFS &TUIFUJDT

L

ast week marked the final week for general bill submissions in this session of the Mississippi Legislature, and much legislation is already clearing the House and Senate. Committees in both chambers are also up against a Feb. 1 deadline to pass or dump bills in their own chamber.

Representatives of the state’s eight universities addressed the House Appropriations Committee last week, complaining that Congress’ decision to temporarily end “earmark” funding will have a dire impact on Mississippi’s colleges and universities.

“Earmarks” are U.S. senators’ or representatives’ insertions into a federal budget bill allocating already budgeted funds to local targets, such as institution research, highway construction or infrastructure maintenance. Last month, the lame-duck Congress—driven by a conservative and Tea Party anti-earmark mantra—failed to pass an annual budget omnibus bill containing millions of dollars in local earmark money. Mississippi Institutions of Higher Learning Commissioner Hank Bounds said the lack of earmarks will cost some state campuses up to $50 million and could cost the entire IHL system about 1,000 jobs.

Mississippi State University’s John C. Stennis Institute of Government Director Marty Wiseman told the Jackson Free Press last week that be believed that Mississippi State University and the University of Mississippi “will lose $104 million in combined research money,” compared to last year because of the Tea Party success in killing the omnibus bill.

Bounds asked the House Appropriations Committee to be mindful of the upcoming IHL research shortfall as they craft the state’s FY 2012 budget.

Immigrant Hysteria The House Judiciary A Committee is now mulling a controversial anti-immigrant bill fired from the Senate floor last week.

Senate Bill 2179, authored by Sen. Joey Fillingane, R-Sumrall, forces local and state law officials to ask about a suspect’s legal residential status during routine police stops and public interactions, and to arrest violators of

MATT HEINDEL

IHL and Other Kicked Puppies

Legislators are pushing again this year for a new law making it a felony to torture animals and to press persons convicted of torture to seek mental therapy.

federal immigration laws.

As outlined by the bill, any documented immigrant who does not carry some form of “alien registration document” faces a possible $100 fine and 30 days in jail for the misdemeanor.

The U.S. Department of Justice sued the state of Arizona for passing a nearly identical bill last year, arguing that immigration enforcement is the duty of the federal government, not the states.

Fillingane’s bill will create an Immigrant Reimbursement Program within the Department of Public Safety that will reimburse local jails for detaining immigrants. The fund proposes to pay a daily maximum of $20 per inmate, regardless of his or her health condition, or the local agency’s transportation costs to the nearest U.S. Immigration and Customers Enforcement facility.

Hinds County Sheriff Malcolm McMillin said $20 a day won’t handle the costs of detaining immigrant inmates at the county jail.

“The cost of housing an inmate is about

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$36 a day, so that’s $16 short,” McMillin said, while adding that inmate health issues would also inevitably be an issue. “I would assume whatever health issues the new inmates have would be the responsibility of the state.”

Tortuous Endeavors Legislators are again plying the waters seeking to establish felony animal cruelty laws. House Bill 373, co-authored by Rep. Cecil Brown, D-Jackson, and Rep. Linda Whittington, D-Schlater, creates a felony charge for torturing any animal, including burning or mutilation. The law creates a penalty fine of up to $5,000 on conviction and up to five years behind bars. It also creates the possibility for a judge to impose psychiatric evaluation and treatment for a person convicted of the crime.

Over on the Senate side, J.P. Wilemon, D-Belmont, submitted a similar bill, SB 2780, which imposes a maximum $2,000 fine and two years incarceration upon conviction and limits the bill to domesticated dogs and cats.

Wilemon’s bill also opens the possibly of mandatory psychological counseling.

Animal-cruelty bills historically have not survived judiciary committees to achieve a floor vote in either chamber.

Greenville Democrat Rep. Willie Bailey fears that a House bill designating “Juneteenth Freedom Day” as a day of commemoration in the state of Mississippi will not survive the Senate. House Bill 938, like many bills before it, establishes June 19 as the “oldest traditionally celebrated commemoration of the ending of slavery.” The date marks the day in 1865 when slaves in Galveston, Texas, heard the belated news that President Abraham Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation freed them from slavery in 1863.

The bill commemorates the date, but does not designate the day as a paid legal holiday, so Bailey said he remains puzzled by the poor survival rate of similar bills in the conservative-dominated Senate. “It doesn’t cost the state anything—nothing,” Bailey said. “I just don’t see why they can’t pass it.”

Comment at www.jfp.ms.

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jacksonfreepress.com

Legislature: Week 3

9

medicaltalk

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Cutting Out The Pigs FILE PHOTO

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The University of Mississippi Medical Center’s use of live pigs to train doctors has attracted the attention of an animal-welfare group.

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January 26 - February 1, 2011

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he University of Mississippi Medical Center is one of only seven medical schools in the United States that still uses live animals to teach medical students basic physiology, pharmacology or surgery. Every year, UMMC uses roughly 32 pigs to train students in basic cardiovascular procedures. After the pigs are anesthetized, students place catheters in the pigs’ veins and arteries.

The animals are then euthanized.

Last week, the advocacy group Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine accused UMMC of violating animal-welfare law. The advocacy group has asked UMMC to reconsider its use of pigs since 2006, PCRM Senior Medical and Research Adviser John Pippin said. Nobody at the school, from individual instructors to administrators, has responded, though.

On Jan. 20 Pippin wrote to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, claiming that the Jackson medical school violated the federal Animal Welfare Act by not considering nonanimal alternatives to the live pigs that its students cut open to practice heart operations.

The complaint to USDA’s animal-welfare division was a familiar move for PCRM. For several years, it has waged a campaign to convince medical schools to switch from live animals for training to human simulations.

The campaign has been successful.

More than 90 percent of the country’s medical schools have stopped using live animals to train students, PCRM states. To teach basic physiology, the majority of medical schools now rely on computer-based simulations or mannequin-like devices that can simulate human physiology and responses like bleeding.

In 2009, the University of Southern Alabama stopped using live pigs after pressure from PCRM. Last year, two more schools, the University of Tennessee at Memphis and the University of Wisconsin, also discontinued the use of live pigs in medical training.

Another school, the Medical College of Wisconsin, changed its practices last year after a multi-year battle. In 2006 PCRM filed a similar USDA complaint against the school and won a finding that the school did violate the Animal Welfare Act by not justifying its use of live dogs in a physiology lab. The MCW lab stopped using pigs as well in February 2010.

Richard Katschke, MCW’s associate vice

president for public affairs, said that the decision to eliminate the live-pig lab was part of an overhaul of the entire medical curriculum and not influenced by pressure from PCRM. The school now gives its first-year physiology students more time to observe hospital treatment of actual heart patients. Students also work with the mannequin-like simulators that PCRM promotes, but the devices are not a substitute for experience with living patients, Katschke said. “Students always know you’re working on a hunk of plastic,� Katschke said. “You’re not dealing with a living being. It is far different when you’re working with a live animal that’s under anesthesia, as a pig would be, compared to working with a plastic model that has electrodes.�

MCW still uses live frogs, rats and mice in some of its physiology labs, however. Katschke said that PCRM is pressing the school to discontinue those labs as well.

PCRM’s opposition to the use of animals in medical education is part of a broader platform that also includes advocating for a vegetarian or vegan diet and opposing even the use of animals in basic research, which is still common in medical schools and universities.

The group’s platform figured in UMMC’s Jan. 20 response to the USDA complaint.

PCRM has “a single-minded focus to force schools like ours to discontinue these labs,â€? the statement began. “Organizations such as (PCRM) ‌ should not make this decision for medical schools,â€? the statement said. “Abandoning animal procedures, as PCRM suggests, would dramatically impede biomedical discovery and prolong suffering caused by diseases.â€?

The statement also maintained that students treat the pigs “humanely� and that veterinary staff are present during the entire laboratory process.

Tom Fortner, UMMC’s public affairs chief, said that USDA has not yet contacted the medical center about the committee’s complaint.

Dave Sacks, a spokesman for USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, said that the agency has referred the complaint to a regional office and that an inspector will visit the school “in the near future.�

USDA automatically responds to complaints with a facility inspection, but medical research facilities are also subject to regular yearly inspections as well, Sacks said. UMMC had three routine inspections by the agency’s animal-welfare inspectors, from 2008 to 2010.

None of the visits found any violations of federal law or regulations. “We don’t have the regulatory authority to step in and say, ‘You, as the University of Mississippi, cannot conduct this type of research,’ � Sacks said. “That’s outside the scope of our authority. The only thing we’re going to do is make sure that the animals are being cared for.�

Comment at www.jfp.ms.

publiceye

by Ward Schaefer

Sen. John Horhn says stiffer penalties for open-meetings violations are unnecessary.

W

hen does sunshine become an invasion of privacy? Television station WDAM, an NBC affiliate in Hattiesburg, has what it says is video evidence of abuse at the Forrest County Juvenile Detention Center—a physical altercation between staff and six youth detainees.

A Youth Court judge has blocked the station from broadcasting the videotape, however, on the grounds that the footage isn’t essential to the station’s reporting and that airing it would

endanger the juveniles’ right to privacy.

Youth Court Prosecutor Pamela Castle requested an injunction from Youth Court Judge Mike McPhail after a WDAM reporter asked her to comment on the alleged abuse.

With the injunction forbidding it from directly airing the video, which it received from a former employee, WDAM has relied on interviews and comments from former detainees and employees. “These kids’ civil rights (are) being violated, and they’re being mistreated for no reason,� a former staff member with the pseudonym “Alice,� told WDAM’s Mike McDaniel on Jan. 5.

WDAM has appealed McPhail’s injunction to the Mississippi Supreme Court. The station’s case has also drawn the support of the Society of Professional Journalists and a host of news organizations.

The station preemptively offered to assuage any privacy concerns by digitally blurring the faces of any juvenile detainees in the video, its attorney Leonard Van Slyke said. He argued that McPhail’s prohibition amounts to telling a media outlet that it cannot publish certain material. “That’s a very rare and onerous kind of restraint,� Van Slyke said.

Opening Government There’s hope again that the Mississippi

Legislature will increase penalties for violations of the state’s Open Meetings Act. On Jan. 20, the Senate passed a bill that would allow citizens to file a civil complaint in chancery court against a public body that violates open-meetings requirements.

Current state law only allows citizens to file open-meetings complaints with the state Ethics Commission. They can then appeal the Ethics Commission’s findings to chancery court. State law protects individual members of a public body by only allowing complaints and fines—of up to $100—against the entire body. Public bodies can pay those fines using taxpayer money.

Sponsored by Sen. Merle Flowers, RSouthaven, Senate Bill 2289 would raise the maximum fine for a violation to $1,000, plus reasonable attorney’s fees, and make officials individually liable for the payment. Only the “person found to have violated (open-meetings law)� would pay. The measure would also bar public officials from paying the fines with public funds. Chancery court rulings could nullify decisions made by public bodies during an improperly closed meeting.

The Senate passed the bill with a 31-15 vote Jan. 20. Among the bill’s opponents were Jackson Sens. John Horhn and Alice Harden.

Horhn told the Jackson Free Press that he con-

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sidered the creation of a civil complaint “an invitation to litigation.� He added: “We have a good law on the books right now. It’s a matter of enforcement.�

Horhn said that only nine infractions were reported to the state Ethics Commission last year. “So it doesn’t seem to be a widespread problem,� he said.

The small number of complaints could indicate that citizens are not filing complaints—not that public bodies are following current laws as they might if penalties were stiffer. The bill included a provision strengthening the penalty for wrongfully denying access to a public record, which Horhn said he supported. Current law puts the civil fine at $100, but the Senate bill would allow courts to fine that amount for each violation, plus attorney’s fees.

The bill now goes to the House, which just passed a weaker bill that would increase Ethics Commission fines for violations, but not give chancery judges authority to nullify decisions or access fees. The House is also where open-meetings reform died last year.

Immediately after the House passed Senate Bill 2373 March 4, 2010, Rep. Ed Blackmon, D-Canton, held the bill on a motion to reconsider. The measure stayed in limbo and died on the calendar a week later.

PA I D A DV E RT I S E M E N T

o you have those days where you just want to escape for an hour from workrelated stress in the office? Steam Room Grille Downtown CafĂŠ is the place to go.

Break away from the hustle and bustle and savor a nice, affordable dinner in a relaxing atmosphere.

Soft music and stress-free menu selections are on tap at Jackson’s newest downtown restaurant at 105 E. Steam Room Grille Downtown Cafe Capitol Street.

Try the New Orleans Style Red Beans & Rice & Andouille Sausage—smoked andouille sausage, onions, and peppers sautÊed in olive oil and added to slow-cooked red beans—or the Chicken Tetrazzini—baked spaghetti and chicken topped with shredded cheddar cheese.

Wednesdays are busy: Fried Chicken—tender, hand-battered, and golden-fried chicken—is the express lunch specialty. Express lunch items coupled with the choice of two side orders, bread, and beverage for $7.95 show that this downtown cafĂŠ is serious about making lunch affordable and classy at the same time. “Nothing on the menu is over $11,â€? says Owner Aubrey Norman. “We cater to the everyday downtown worker: we give them the fine dining experience for an affordable cost. The classy atmosphere and trendy design of the restaurant are going in the direction of downtown Jackson’s contemporary look. We want to provide class, but also a dinner that a patron can enjoy with their lunch hour, so that’s why we are fast, convenient, and affordable.â€?

Open from 6:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday through Friday, Steam Room Grille Downtown CafÊ also serves up breakfast for those wanting to have a meeting or some down time before their first morning meeting. Grab a muffin, biscotti, or a 16-ounce cafÊ special with fresh ground coffee beans for $1.29, and there’s no excuse for starting your day off on the wrong foot. They are very tech-savvy too: the WiFi lounges are designed with plush couches and comfortable areas where you can work on your computer in quiet. Computer plug-in outlets are at every booth to meet the clientele’s needs.

For health nuts, or if you are simply watching your waistline, Norman has created Healthy Selections for each month. For example, January is the Grilled Chicken Spinach Wrap—marinated chicken grilled with onions, melted provolone and mozzarella, lettuce, tomatoes, and mayo on a spinach wrap. Together with Baked Lays and a Coke Zero, it is a healthy 346 calories and six grams of fat.

Coming soon: Wine Down Wednesday every Wednesday from 4 to 8 p.m., where the everyday worker can relax, enjoy low lights, soft music, and time with friends or coworkers.

Also planned Monday through Friday 4 to 8 p.m. is a special downtown Happy Hour.

Find them on Facebook at Downtown CafĂŠ JXN, or on their website at www. downtowncafe.comcastbiz.net, or call 769-251-1681 for more information.

jacksonfreepress.com

KENYA HUDSON

Airing Abuse

11

jfp op/ed

opining, grousing & pontificating

EDITORIAL

State Needs Real Transparency

M

ississippi, we have a problem. Governmental bodies and agencies from right here in Jackson (city, JPS and JPD) all the way up through state (secretary of state’s office) have a really bad habit of trying to hide public information from you the taxpayer, or at least delaying it. Although some elected officials are better than others and despite the fact that we supposedly have laws on the books to force “sunshine” in government, the idea of an accountable open-records culture in our state is a joke.

We live in a climate where public servants routinely thumb their noses not only at the law, but at the spirit of the law. And there is very little done to them for dragging their feet on releasing information, charging way too much for copies, closing meetings to the public with a vague excuse or even ignoring publicrecords requests outright.

The Jackson Free Press has long fought public-records battles with government bodies. Sometimes the person who supposedly is there to respond to our requests belittles us for wanting the information. Often, they suddenly decide to charge high fees for copying (including the time of the public servant charged with doing it) and sometimes even expensive hourly legal fees (looking at you, JPS). The result is that the person or outlet requesting the info can’t afford the fees.

Of course, these are the same folks who will spend time faxing, PDFing and copying information they want us to see free of charge, and then give us piles of paper and sometimes even fancy press kits at their press events. Our response: If you can afford a PR person or resources for press releases, you can afford to respond to public-records requests and give us the information we ask for, and quickly.

The disgusting response time for requests is another huge problem. The spirit of sunshine laws is that a taxpayer should get public information on demand. Does this mean the public servant drops everything and gets it that second? No, but it should be forthcoming within a day.

Sunshine laws build in maximum times (ours is now seven days) that are supposed to be used only when information is stored in a warehouse or is hard to retrieve. But public servants routinely ignore these laws. This month, for instance, we requested an incident report from JPD that took 10 days; when you see that one paragraph took that long, you really wonder what people are being paid to do.

This kind of stonewalling is counter-productive; it only makes us wonder what people are hiding. State lawmakers should take seriously the bills before it to put teeth into public-records law. Any person denying or delaying information to a taxpayer should be held personally accountable, as they are in some other states. The exorbitant fees must stop, and information must be provided on demand or an immediate reason offered for any delay of more than a day.

Bottom line: Anyone who doesn’t like this kind of public rigor should not be on the public payroll. They work for the taxpayers.

KEN STIGGERS

Hustle and Barter

January 26 - February 1, 2011

B

12

ig Roscoe: “During the recession, I worried about the future of my growing business and the community it served. I presumed that my newly unemployed clientele would stop coming to the plethora of events held at the Clubb Chicken Wing Multipurpose Complex. What would things be like if the Hot Wing Happy Hour, Friday Night Fish Fry, Saturday Evening Old School Disco and Electric Slide Marathon, Flat-Screen TV World-O-Sports and Late Night Bingo cease to exist? The scenario of financially challenged people without recreational activity is a nightmare.

“Despite this country’s and the world’s financial battles, I’m happy to report that business is great at Clubb Chicken Wing. I’m amazed that people still patronize my business after I raised the prices of my food and drink items.

And the Ghetto Stimulus Package Grant helped me employ more workers and schedule more weekly events. Nevertheless, people continue to come and spend some of their money just for the sake of needed recreation.

“I’m very thankful for the love the community has shown toward my business and me. Therefore, I want to show my gratitude to my customers by having a weekly Clubb Chicken Wing Customer Appreciation Party, Networking Session and Disco during black history month. I invite you to come and enjoy the Half Price Hot Wing Happy Hour, Clubb Chicken Wing Know Your Black History Quiz Challenge, Hustle and Barter Small Business and Independent Contractors Networking Session, and more.

“Thank you for keeping hope and my business alive in 2011.”

LETTER TO THE EDITOR Dear Sirs (really just Todd Stauffer), I should have written this letter while the last issue was still on the newsstands, but I had to summon the courage. As a frequent reader and left-of-left liberal, I was appalled to read in your Dec. 29 Publisher’s Note “Common Sense in 2011” (Volume 9, Issue 16) the line in which you say President Obama’s tax compromise is “probably good economic policy in the short term.” I think my jaw actually dropped.

I’ve always pictured you being the kind of guy capable of understanding what a terrible, terrible travesty this tax compromise actually is. It rewards the ultra-wealthy and punishes the poor. You mention the payroll tax holiday, but nowhere in this piece do you mention that 45 million American households who earn less than $20,000 a year will see a tax increase.

In other words, according to economist David Cay Johnston, who was interviewed recently by Amy Goodman, the worse off you are, the more taxes you pay, and the better off you are, the less you pay. Moreover, the passage of this tax compromise is accompanied by some incredibly insulting remarks from incoming House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Dave Camp, who believes that allowing people who live in poverty to not pay income taxes creates “moral hazard” and “incentives for perverse behavior.”

Camp said: “I believe you’ve got to have some responsibility for the government you have.” Of course, he means the poorest of us have to sacrifice more so that the wealthiest can sacrifice nothing.

The hypocrisy is almost blinding. How can you defend this policy?

Maybe I’m one of those liberals just “complain[ing]” that my party didn’t get what it wanted out of this tax compromise.

If that’s what you think, that would be fine. I will

continue to complain and shout and fight for what I believe is right.

Apathetic pseudo-liberals like you are the problem: You advocate common sense and accountability, but actually, you’re just willing to let the Republicans (and the conservative Democrats) have whatever they want. Furthermore, you are entirely unwilling to hold President Obama accountable for his cowardly betrayal of his left-wing supporters. If you continue to defend him no matter what he does, and it seems that you are, you are only helping drive the country farther to the right. This is tragic, because your publication provides the only significant liberal voice in this state (where many, many people will be affected by a tax increase on the poor).

You are letting down your readers. When I believed that you and the JFP truly had social justice and human rights at heart, I wanted to intern for you and maybe even work for you, but now I see that you are just another mouthpiece for Obama and his corrupt corporate lackeys.

You should be ashamed.

—Emma Spies, Jackson [Todd responds: True, the compromise did not extend the Make Work Pay tax credit—part of 2009 Stimulus—that was set to expire in 2010 and which no party put on the table. Instead, the compromise cut payroll taxes and increased the Earned Income Tax credit to nearly offset this change. The result is, indeed, a 0.5% decrease in take-home pay compared to 2010, which, nevertheless, remains an increase compared to Bush-era 2008 take-home pay. And you seem to be forgetting the rather significant extension of unemployment benefits to people who are unemployed and, therefore, very much in need.]

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

REV. CJ RHODES

Jackson: A Beloved Community

EDITORIAL Managing Editor Ronni Mott News Editor Lacey McLaughlin Associate Editor Natalie A. Collier Senior Reporter Adam Lynch Reporter Ward Schaefer Events Editor Latasha Willis Music Listings Editor Natalie Long Assistant to the Editor ShaWanda Jacome Writers Quita Bride, Lisa Fontaine Bynum, David Dennis Jr., Scott Dennis, Bryan Flynn, Carl Gibson, Brandi Herrera, Garrad Lee, Lance Lomax, Anita Modak-Truran, Larry Morrisey, Chris Nolen, Robin O’Bryant, Casey Purvis,Tom Ramsey, Doctor S, Ken Stiggers, Jackie Warren Tatum, Valerie Wells, Byron Wilkes Editorial Interns Holly Perkins, J. Ashley Nolen, Dorian Randall, Dylan Watson Consulting Editor JoAnne Prichard Morris

ART AND PHOTOGRAPHY Art Director Kristin Brenemen Designers Lydia Chadwick, Holly Harlan, Andrea Thomas Production Designer Latasha Willis Editorial Cartoonist Chris Zuga Photographers Christina Cannon, Jert-rutha Crawford, Josh Hailey, Charles A. Smith, Jerrick Smith, Amile Wilson,Tom Beck, William Patrick Butler

SALES AND OPERATIONS Sales Director Kimberly Griffin Account Executive Randi Ashley Jackson Account Executive and Distribution Manager Adam Perry Events and Marketing Coordinator Shannon Barbour Accounting Montroe Headd Marketing Interns Xavia McGrigg, Nikki Williams Distribution Lynny Bradshaw, Cade Crook, Clint Dear, Linda Hamilton, Matt Heindl, Aimee Lovell, Steve Pate, Jim Poff, Jennifer Smith

ONLINE Web Producer Korey Harrion

CONTACT US: Letters letters@jacksonfreepress.com Editorial editor@jacksonfreepress.com Releases releases@jacksonfreepress.com Queries editor@jacksonfreepress.com Listings events@jacksonfreepress.com Advertising ads@jacksonfreepress.com Publisher todd@jacksonfreepress.com News tips news@jacksonfreepress.com Internships interns@jacksonfreepress.com

Jackson Free Press P.O. Box 5067, Jackson, Miss., 39296 Editorial (601) 362-6121 Sales (601) 362-6121 Fax (601) 510-9019 Daily updates at jacksonfreepress.com The Jackson Free Press is the city’s award-winning, locally owned newsweekly, with 17,000 copies distributed in and around the Jackson metropolitan area every Wednesday. The Jackson Free Press is free for pick-up by readers; one copy per person, please.

First-class subscriptions are available for $100 per year for postage and handling.

The Jackson Free Press welcomes thoughtful opinions. The views expressed in this newspaper are not necessarily those of the publisher or management of Jackson Free Press Inc. Š Copyright 2011 Jackson Free Press Inc. All Rights Reserved.

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“The end is reconciliation, the end is redemption, the end is the creation of the beloved community.� —Martin Luther King Jr.

I

n 2009 I returned to the City with Soul on a mission. My theological vision of a better world was affirmed during my three years at Duke Divinity School, and I was ready to put my faith to work in Jackson. Call me crazy, but I believed that God was up to something in our capital, and I wanted to be a part of it.

When I shared with family and friends my desire to return to Mississippi and to participate is something great here, I was understandably greeted with their skepticism. How they yearned for me to be successful in some cosmopolitan Promised Land far away from the land of my birth. Too many years of backward thinking, racial politics and status quo leadership convinced them that if I moved back home, my vision would soon become a nightmare. But I came home anyway, being led by the Spirit to a place that shaped me more than I desired to admit.

My dream was neither deferred nor denied, thank God. I arrived to a Jackson that was being blessed by a kind providence. A lot of good was happening, and a discernable excitement abounded in the streets and in hushed conversations around the city. There were many problems still plaguing the capital city, to be sure, but I sensed the Lord was up to something marvelous.

I still believe that. The city’s urban renaissance and beautiful people of good will have granted me sustained hope in that not-yetseen something that compelled me to return nearly two years ago. Jackson is changing, being renewed day-by-day, and I’m humbled to say I’m here at such a time as this. And though this chocolate-vanilla swirled city has the usual litany of problems of comparable metropolises, too many of us have an indefatigable faith, hope and love for Jackson to be great.

We have glorious days ahead. We will see the best of Jackson.

But before we pour the celebratory wine (or grape juice, for the prohibitionists out there), we must understand that there are things that could indeed defer our dream of a better, more blessed Jackson. I am admittedly afraid that all our development will make us blind to the need for us to cultivate commu-

nity—beloved community. The only way to sustain our growth is to make Jackson increasingly safe for dreamers of a better world.

As a Christian preacher, I am always concerned about the least of these, those whose backs are against the walls. I’m concerned about absolute gentrification that treats poor brothers and sisters like lepers needing to be quarantined. I’m concerned with sinful racism, sexism and classism continuing to limit our collective vision of the somebody-ness of all God’s children. I’m concerned with the dearth of visionary, moral leaders who will inspire diverse peoples to imagine together a just and open society for everyone who will call our city and our state home.

This isn’t liberal romanticism, a utopian dream. The hope for a beloved community is the solution to preventable but potential chaos.

Love, truth and justice are as important—no, more important—than rehabilitated houses and new businesses downtown. We need our tribalism to give way to a deep sense of interdependence, a sense that we need each other to survive and thrive.

This new way of living together as strangersturned-friends will come about not by sheer inevitability but though sincere intentionality. We have to be co-creators of the community we want to see in Jackson. God willing, we’ll do just that. If we don’t, the City with Soul just may lose its soul.

My prayer is that all of us, especially those of us in religious communities, will see the greater need for a human renaissance in Jackson. My prayer is that we will lead with civility, compassion and courage toward a more perfect union, starting in our own backyards.

May God hasten the day when all God’s children will dwell together in unity, in the bond of peaceful sibling-hood. On that day, the world will look upon Jackson and see the kindom come to earth. They will see, in flesh and blood reality, the beloved community.

Rev. CJ Rhodes, a native of Hazlehurst, attended Ole Miss and Duke Divinity School in North Carolina, where he earned his master’s of divinity. He then worked as the administrative assistant to Dolphus Weary at Mission Mississippi, a Christian organization that works to bring people together. He was ordained in July 2010, and is currently the pastor at Mount Helm Baptist Church, the youngest in the church’s history.

My prayer is that we will lead with civility, compassion and courage toward a more perfect union, starting in our own backyards.

CORRECTION: In the Vol. 9, Issue 19, Jacksonian (Jan. 19-25, 2011) we gave Kimberly Jacobs’ age as 24. She is 25. In the same story, we wrote that Figment is an art show. It is a two-day art event. The Jackson Free Press apologizes for the errors.

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jacksonfreepress.com

Editor in Chief Donna Ladd Publisher Todd Stauffer

13

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14

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Now is a great time to start.

15

W

hen the Jackson Free Press published our first issue nine years ago this fall, the issue included a Best of Jackson ballot. We were shocked that the city didn’t have a readers’ choice contest for locals to nominate and vote for the best local personalities, businesses and organizations, so we didn’t waste any time making it happen. Since the first Best of Jackson issue hit the streets in January 2003, BOJ has become a community mainstay with awards gracing walls throughout the metro. Now we’re more high-tech—most votes are cast online these days—and the campaigning can get fast and furious. But we still have the same purpose: to honor the absolute best of Jackson.

Congrats to the winners and finalists for a job well done in 2010.

16

Jackson’s first African American mayor has been through it. Since he was first elected to the seat in 1997, he has weathered belittlement, racism, jealousy, direct attacks, vicious media coverage, being labeled “Election Man,” being compared to a slow turtle—all while trying to govern a city decimated by its history and white—hen-economic—flight.

Then came the walloping by the extremely unqualified Frank Melton in 2005 when Johnson ran for this third term. The forces had aligned against the Democratic mayor of the state’s most progressive city, and were bolstered by cheap, statistically challenged sensationalism spread by most of the city’s media. (The JFP tried to bring sense to it all, but we were too young to make a difference then.)

Still, in our 2005 Best of Jackson contest, Johnson pulled what could be described as an upset, or a premonition if you think about it, when our readers selected him the city’s Most Under-appreciated Jacksonian, in addition to Best Elected Official. We believed then that Johnson was certainly under-valued and, boy, did the city learn that lesson during the painful four years when Melton was mayor and made a mockery of our city.

But this year’s Best Public Figure award isn’t about Melton. It is squarely about Mayor Johnson, the son of a cleaner and a garbage collector from Vicksburg, who waged a serious, focused comeback election in 2009, even as donors tried to secretly fund opponents for their own purposes. When we endorsed him—which he well knew was not a foregone conclusion—we believed he was wiser and a bit humbled and more confident at the same time than during his last term.

Johnson’s third term is much more peaceful. Sure, the media lunacy over crime (and the finger-pointing at Johnson and whatever police chief was at his side) has calmed, considering that the same media got egg on their faces for supporting Melton. (Ahem.)

But the new detente is also due to Johnson himself. He is more willing to question ideas like the unworkable Two Lakes scheme. He has less of a bunker mentality than he did pre-Melton; he reaches out to serious media and asks to talk; and then he answers questions in great detail (which he always would do, should people have cared to listen closer to his warnings about, say, paying for infrastructure). He has a mess to clean up between Melton’s legacy, a shrinking tax base and the recession, and he has the inevitable political firebombs lobbed from Ward 1 and beyond the city limits, which will increase as his re-election campaign approaches. But he is managing it all with aplomb, at least most of the time.

Does this mean he is perfect? No. Neither are his opponents or any of us. But he is passionate about the city, and he takes a whole heck of a lot in stride these days. And it doesn’t hurt that a ton of roads are repaved. Let’s just say that, for various reasons, a whole lot of people appreciate Harvey Johnson Jr. more than ever these days.

Now, about the turnaround time on public-records requests, mayor …

—Donna Ladd Second: Gov. Haley Barbour / Third: Brad “Kamikaze” Franklin / Good Showing: Sheriff Malcolm McMillin, Barbie Bassett

Best Business Owner: Jeff Good Mangia Bene 3317 N. State St. 601-982-4443

Basketball legend John Wooden’s Pyramid of Success includes 15 building blocks, including poise, confidence, team spirit, initiative, enthusiasm, friendship and competitive greatness. If Jeff Good hasn’t mastered all 15, he’s pretty close. Good, a Salt Lake City, Utah, native, is the co-owner of the Mangia Bene franchise. The company whose name means, “eat well,” includes a catering company and three popular Jackson eateries: Bravo! Italian Restaurant & Bar, Broad Street Baking Co. and Sal & Mookie’s New York Pizza & Ice Cream Joint. After graduating from Millsaps College and working in technology sales, in 1992, Good went into business with long-time friend and chef Dan Blumenthal. Although each restaurant has a distinct identity with its own menu choices, they share the high-quality food, comfortable atmosphere ,and friendly and knowledgeable staff. All these things don’t just happen; they are marks of a great leader.

You never know where Jeff might show up—at the Pepsi Pops as an emcee, modeling for the Diabetes Foundation of Mississippi fashion show or serving drinks at the BOOM fashion show to benefit Dress for Success. Not only does he give his time to better the community, he gives of his resources including the annual Sal & Mookie’s Street festival that raises money for the Blair E. Batson Children’s Hospital, an endowment contribution to the Community Foundation of Greater and countless other causes.

Good has been married for over 20 years to Debbie and is father to twin-teen daughters, Carly and Alex.

—ShaWanda Jacome Second: Christopher Paige, Custom Cuts & Styles (2445 Terry Road, 601-321-9292) / Third: Whitney Giordano, Material Girls (1000 Highland Colony Parkway, Suite 7005, Ridgeland, 601605-1605; 182 Promenade Blvd., Flowood, 601-992-4553) / Good Showing: Patrick Harkins (Fondren Guitars, 607 Fondren Place, 601-362-0313); Lacey Norris (Lacey’s Salon 1935 Lakeland Drive, Suite C, 601-906-2253)

COURTESY JEFF GOOD

January 26 - February 1, 2011

KENYA HUDSON

Best Public Figure: Mayor Harvey Johnson Jr.

Best Visual Artist, Best Photographer: Josh Hailey

“Based in Los Angeles, the South, the world,” 601-214-2068, josh@joshhaileystudio.com joshhaileyphotography.com

Best Rising Entrepreneur: Christopher Paige

Best Photographer/ Photo Studio Second: Will Sterling, Sterling Photography (731 S. Pear Orchard Road, Ridgeland, 601-9823032) / Third: Robby Followell, Followell Fotography (304 Jefferson Street, Clinton, 601-4884423) / Good Showing: Christina Cannon, Photography by Christina (2906 N. State St., Suite 107, 601-713-1224); Chris Grillis, Chris Grillis Photography (2727 Old Canton Road, 601362-9975)

Second Place: Patrick Harkins, Fondren Guitars (607 Fondren Place, 601-362-0313) / Third: Brad “Franklin” Kamikaze (175 Fairfield Drive, 601-317-5444) / Good Showing: John Skelton, Reservoir Wine & Spirits (775 Lake Harbour Drive, 601-856-2712); Erick Montgomery, The AKIRE Company (121 N. State St., 601-497-7028); Brad Reeves, Brent’s Drugs (655 Duling Ave., 601-366-3427); Craig and Michele Escude, circa. Urban Artisan Living (2771 Old Canton Road, 601-362-8484)

Best Jackson Visual Artist: Second: Wyatt Waters (307 Jefferson St., Clinton, 601-925-8115) / Third: Ginger Williams (ginnylaine22@yahoo.com) / Good Showing: Ellen Langford (601-316-2944, ellenlangford.com, contact@ellenlangford.com); William Goodman (williamgoodman@enhancedmixture.com)

Author, playwright and educator Beth Kander won this title amid stiff competition including Jacksonian Kathryn Stockett, author of the No. 1 New York Times bestseller “The Help.” Kander’s latest play, “Unshelved” is about a women suffering from Alzheimer’s disease, and just finished a run with the Fondren Theatre Workshop at the Eudora Welty Commons. Her life and history shines through her writing, as does her penchant for creative prose, imagery and even the occasional groan-inducing pun. While she acknowledges the importance of writing what you know, Kander believe the imagination can paint just as poignant of a picture. Her muse for “Unshelved” came from family history and the stories of friends. Kander says she’s working on multiple projects in her free time, when she’s not teaching literature at Millsaps College.

—Carl Gibson

Best Jewelry Designer: Alex and LeLe

1481 Canton Mart Road, Suite C, 601-206-7720

SHAWANDA JACOME

THOMAS BECK

Best Jackson Writer: Beth Kander

Second: Kathryn Stockett / Third: Jill Conner Browne / Good Showing: Ellen Douglas

Second: Liz Henry (2906 N. State St., 601-362-8337) / Third: Betsy Liles/b. Fine Art Jewelry (215 W. Jackson St. Ridgeland, 601-607-7741) / Good Showing: Lil McKinnon-Hicks (200 S. Commerce St., 601-259-6461) / Marie’s (Stephanie Marie Robertson, 7128 Siwell Road, Byram, 601-346-0027)

Best Arts Organization: Mississippi Museum of Art 380 S. Lamar St., 601-960-1515

From development to pre-production, production, post-production—the cycle—local filmmakers do everything big-time Hollywood filmmakers do to produce films. But they do it the way only those whose feet have touched Mississippi’s soil, who have breathed the air here, and seen the city and state through Jacksonians’ eyes can: They do it with a southern truthful elegance. Leading the best of the best this year is Anita Modak-Truran. This filmmaker is an authority on cinema and diligently works to share its beauty with us through her films, her pieces about film in the JFP (and formerly The Clarion-Ledger) and on Mississippi Public Broadcasting. Thank you Anita, Robby, Damien, Edward, Jef and Monte for telling our stories, no matter who we are.

—Natalie A. Collier Second: Robby Piantanida / Third: Damien Blaylock / Good Showing: Edward St. Pé; Jef Judin; Monte Kraus

COURTESY OF ANITA MODAK-TRURAN

Second Place: Mississippi Arts Commission (501 N. West St., Suite 101, 601-359-6030) / Third Place: Craftsmen’s Guild of Mississippi (950 Rice Road, Ridgeland, 601-856-7546) / Good Showing: Greater Jackson Arts Council (255 E. Pascagoula St., 601-960-1557); Jackson Arts Collective (jxncollective.org, 601-497-7454); Mississippi Symphony Orchestra (201 E. Pascagoula St., 601960-1565); New Stage Theatre (1100 Carlisle St., 601-948-3531)

Filmmaker: Anita Modak-Truran

GREG CAMPBELL

Singling out an arts group in Jackson’s tight-knit, heavily collaborative arts scene is a bit like picking your favorite child. Still, the Mississippi Museum of Art has distinguished itself since re-opening in a new $14 million facility in 2007. It has boasted crowd-pleasing exhibits—like an exhaustive show on puppeteer and Muppets creator Jim Henson, and selections from Herb and Dorothy Vogel’s world-class contemporary art collection—as well as intriguing lesser-known work like Oraien Catledge’s haunting photographs of Cabbagetown, Ala. The museum’s Art Remix series has become a marquee summer event. And now, a 1.2-acre art garden between the museum and the Arts Center of Mississippi is under construction.

––Ward Schaefer

The childhood photograph on Alex and LeLe’s website reveals the love Alexandra Wilkes (pictured, left) and Leslie Decker (right) have for jewelry and style. The discovery of a box of vintage beads led to the start of this artistic jewelry business. The two cousins work hard to create jewelry that mixes “vintage charm with modern style.” Every piece is uniquely handcrafted. Though Alex and LeLe started with one location in 2007, there are now multiple stores showcasing their jewelry. Taking care of clients is something Alex and Lele take pride in. In the rare case that you don’t find something you like, Alex and Lele will design a piece just for you.

—J. Ashley Nolen

jacksonfreepress.com

COURTESY CHRISTOPHER PAIGE

Christopher Paige knows hair. He has been a stylist for the past 12 years, and opened Custom Cuts and Styles last year on Terry Road. Paige’s business goes beyond standard haircuts. He wants customers to feel comfortable and strives to create a family-friendly atmosphere where anyone is welcome. His customer base extends to Brookhaven, Clinton and Brandon. In order to be a better communicator, Paige participates in Toastmasters, a public-speaking organization. Paige doesn’t just see himself as a business owner; he’s a part of the community.

—Lacey McLaughlin

COURTESY JOSH HAILEY

Josh Hailey’s point-and-shoot camera is an extension of his right arm. A ubiquitous presence at every fun Jackson event (until he relocated to California in December), Hailey rarely bothers to look at those off-the-cuff pictures before snapping the photo. His attention is on the subject, not his camera, believing even a “happy accident” can become a work of art. He takes his effervescence and casual approach to professional gigs as well, putting even the most skittish subject at ease. But personality plus a buck or two would buy him a cup of coffee without talent, and that he has—by the fistful. Whether on assignment or in his personal work, Hailey seems to pull souls, not just images and faces, through his camera lens for all to see.

—Ronni Mott

Custom Cuts and Styles, 2445 Terry Road, 601-321-9292

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January 26 - February 1, 2011

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

Live Theater: New Stage Theatre

Second: Fondren Theater Workshop (601-982-2217) / Third: Black Rose Theatre Company (103 Black St., Brandon, 601-825-1293) / Good Showing: Thalia Mara Hall (255 E. Pascagoula St., 601-960-1537)

Best Radio Personality Second: Scott Steele (U.S. 96.3, WUSJ-FM) / Third: DJ Unpredictable (Hot 97.7 WRBJFM)/ Good Showing: Bo Bounds (SuperSport 930-AM); Rick Adams; Brad Stevens (Rock 93.9, WRXW-FM); DJ Jonasty (99 Jams, 99.7/WJMI-FM)

Best Stage Play: “Revenge” They say living well is the best revenge. But “Revenge,” Jimmie Lee and his J. Lee Production’s third premiere staging in the capital city, may tell a different story. The play about love, faith and hot-topic social issues tells how just one decision can affect your entire life. And other’s lives, too.

Lee, a Jackson State University alumnus, wrote, produced and directed the play that you, Jackson, loved. We can only imagine what intensely dramatic, quickly comedic, thought-provoking work he’ll produce next.

J. Lee Productions isn’t the only entity in the city staging work you like. New Stage Theatre’s “A Christmas Carol” saw plenty of visitors and filled the hearts of many a tot (and the tots at heart) with holiday wonder. Fondren Theatre Workshop’s “Rocky Horror Show” reminded us that live singing, dancing and a little over-the-top makeup goes a long way for out-of-the-box entertainment.

—Natalie A. Collier

Best Radio Station Second: WJMI-FM (731 S. Pear Orchard Road, Suite 27, Ridgeland, 601-957-1300) / Third: WRBJ-FM (745 N. State St., 601-944-9885) / Good Showing: WLEZ-FM (916 Foley St., 601-948-7018); Mississippi Public Broadcasting (3825 Ridgewood Road, 601-432-6565)

Best TV News Reporter: Maggie Wade

Second: “A Christmas Carol” / Third: “Rocky Horror Show” / Good Showing: “Cabaret”; “Miracle Worker”

FILE PHOTO

Rick Cleveland has been writing for 42 years. The University of Southern Mississippi graduate has spent the last 30 of them writing for The Clarion-Ledger. For many, Cleveland has put a face and voice, through the use of words, to Mississippi sports. His ability to write about sports and make you feel like you were in the stadium is one of the things most appealing about his writing. Cleveland was the first sports writer to influence me, and his c“Notes, Quotes and an Opinion or Two” columns were always my favorite. The National Sportswriters and Sportscasters Association selected Cleveland as the Mississippi Sportswriter of the Year in 2010. He will be honored in May of this year at the group’s 52nd Annual Awards Weekend.

—Bryan Flynn

Second: Barbie Bassett (WLBT) / Third: Bert Case (WLBT) / Good Showing: Megan West Allen (WAPT) / Howard Ballou (WLBT)

Best Visionary: David Watkins

Second: Brad “Kamikaze” Franklin (Jackson Free Press) / Third: Sid Salter (Clarion-Ledger) / Good Showing: Donna Ladd (Jackson Free Press); Sherry Lucas (Clarion-Ledger)

Best Project Under Construction: Farish Street

When David Watkins talks about the future of Jackson, he might remind you of a small child who is eagerly anticipating Christmas. Watkins has a unique vision and doesn’t look at developments solely in terms of dollar signs. He wants a city where his grandchildren can prosper and that more families will call home.

He’s one of the biggest players in Jackson’s Renaissance with the renovation of the King Edward Hotel and the Standard Life Building. What does the future hold for Watkins? We hope to see the fruits of his labor soon with the Farish Street Entertainment District and the revitalization of the Metrocenter Mall. While Watkins’ recent project, Whitney Place, has met mixed reviews from Fondrenites, if anyone is going to listen to and work with neighbors to keep Fondren’s unique charm intact, we think he’s the man to do it.

—Lacey McLaughlin Second: Jeff Good / Third: Ben Allen / Good Showing: Mark Wilson / Harvey Johnson Jr.

FILE PHOTO

TATE K. NATIONS

Second: Mississippi Children’s Museum, (2145 Highland Drive, 601-981-5469) / Third: Fondren Park (corner of Northview Drive and Dunbar Street.)

Many Jackson Free Press readers tune to WLBT-TV to see coanchor Maggie Wade’s charm and warm smile as she recounts the day’s news. Wade, who takes top honors in Best of Jackson every year among local TV broadcasters, is as friendly and humble as they come. Wade has a long list of accomplishments since she started her career at WLBT as a college senior. She has won more than 500 awards, and in 2001, the U.S. Congress recognized her for her role in “Wednesday’s Child,” a weekly segment where she features foster children who need permanent homes.

—Lacey McLaughlin

jacksonfreepress.com

FILE PHOTO

Best Columnist: Rick Cleveland

Nothing seems to be able to stop the construction on Farish Street. So far, the entertainment district’s promised renovation has survived a national economic downturn, a former developer’s bad checking account, tough historical building regulations and a flurry of bad information and poor construction assessments.

David Watkins, if you get it through this, we’ll erect a statue in your honor on Farish’s picturesque brick streets.

Keep your fingers crossed, everyone.

—Adam Lynch

COURTESY Y101.7

When my friend answered the phone, I said, “Scrooge is black.”

I had gone with another friend to see “A Christmas Carol” at New Stage Theater to get ourselves in the holiday spirit, and my already large eyes grew saucer-sized when a tall, solidly built middle-aged black man stepped onstage when it was time for Scrooge to enter stage left. Or maybe it was stage right.

New Stage is serious about on-stage productions, period. From their opening season as Jackson’s first racially integrated theater and audience, to their current productions and provocative Unframed series, the thespians at New Stage wanted to, as Jane Reid-Petty says, bring a “new philosophy of theater to Jackson.” Teach us your ways, savants of the stage.

We’re listening.

—Natalie A. Collier

TATE K. NATIONS

1100 Carlisle St., 601-948-3533

Nate and Murphy together once again claim the coveted title of Best Radio Personality. The two have only been on the air for roughly a year and a half at Y101. Nate West (pictured, left) is a Clinton native who injects his west Jackson roots into the program, and his counterpart Tim Murphy (right) is a transplant from Virginia who gives listeners his classy, well-rounded academic opinion on current issues. Both of them are known for making bets whenever a celebrity gets arrested. The odd couple is undoubtedly the jewel on Y101’s crown for Jackson’s Best FM Radio Station once again. And maybe next time Busta Rhymes gets busted in Brooklyn for a suspended license, someone will be $5 richer.

—Carl Gibson

19

In 2010, Kamikaze spoke out passionately on topics ranging from the aftermath of Haiti, the effects of Katrina, race, becoming a parent, Mississippi musicians and his beloved Jackson. He used the word “rebirth” in several of his JFP columns as he’s spoken about rising entrepreneurship and development in Jackson.

Most recently, he helped light a firestorm of outrage over a (now fired) Ruth’s Chris manager who called a black customer “ghetto” in a work e-mail, apparently based on her name. “In 2011, I urge you to ‘Buy Jackson’ and to ‘Eat Jackson.’ … Don’t spend money where it doesn’t benefit you. Speak up where you see wrong. Call out hateful speech immediately. Refute propaganda with facts. Organize. Act. Identify leaders in your community. Train them and urge them to act.

—ShaWanda Jacome

When it comes to blasting eardrums, Murrah High School’s band tops the charts. It’s clear that the school has dedicated some serious resources to the band department when you watch band members march by in full uniform on a Christmas parade. For the students, who take considerable pride in the horn and drum section, it’s a matter of priorities.

—Adam Lynch

Second: Paved roads / Third: Downtown revitalization / Good Showing: Fondren; Mississippi Children’s Museum

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

Best Curmudgeon: Kenneth Stokes

1400 Murrah Drive, 601-960-5380

ADAM LYNCH

Rejuvenation never fails to touch our hearts, and few things in Jackson have captured our imagination like the King Edward Hotel downtown. Once the home-away-from-home for cigarchomping state legislators during the annual session at the Capitol, lawmakers abandoned the King en masse when it dared register its first African American guest in the 1960s. The old hulk stood abandoned and decaying for decades, a constant reminder of the city’s ignominious past and questionable future, until David Watkins, Deuce McAlister and friends rescued it from oblivion, reopening its doors as a Hilton Garden Inn and apartments in December 2009. More than the sleek glass Convention Center, the Manhattan-esque Standard Life Building or any other new development, the King’s re-ascension to downtown’s throne is simply the best.

—Ronni Mott

COURTESY KAMIKAZE

235 W. Capitol St. 601-353-5465

Best High School Band: Murrah High School

WWW.MURRAHBAND.COM

Best Change to the City: The King Edward Hotel

Best Community Activist: Brad “Kamikaze” Franklin

Second: Madison Central High School (1417 Highland Colony Parkway, 601-8567121) / Third (tie) Jim Hill High School (2185 Fortune St., 601-960-5354) and Northwest Rankin High School (5805 Mississippi Highway 25, Brandon, 601-9920290)

We’re not sure why Ward 3 Councilman Kenneth Stokes won Best Curmudgeon. He’s not a classic grump; he usually jovial and shakes hands with just about everybody during council meetings, especially Clarion Ledger reporters. His opinion is certainly out there.

Nobody is as good at broadcasting their opinions better than Stokes. He has no problem taking as much time as he needs during City Council sessions to get across his point. And, yes, his fellow council members and city employees notice. You can see it in their faces, usually at the meeting’s three-hour mark.

—Adam Lynch Second: Bert Case / Third: Chris Jones / Good Showing: Vince Falconi

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Best Non-Profit Organization: Stewpot Community Services

Best Local Cop: Trena Yarber

1100 W. Capitol St., 601-353-2759

The Bible urges us in 1 John 4:7 to love one another. Since 1981, Stewpot Community Services has put love in action by helping the less fortunate in our city. The organization provides food, clothing, shelter, and care to children, elderly and the disabled in the Jackson metro area. Almost 1,000 people benefit from the food pantry at the Stewpot every month, and more than 60,000 meals are served each year in their community kitchen. Stewpot’s goal is to feed people, both physically and spiritually. It has recently embarked on its firstever capital campaign to raise $4 million to upgrade its current infrastructure to better serve the community.

—ShaWanda Jacome Second: CARA (960 N. Flag Chapel Road, 601-922-7575) / Third: Operation Shoestring (1711 Bailey Ave., 601-353-6336) / Good Showing: The Good Samaritan Center (114 Millsaps Ave., 601-355-6276); Junior League of Jackson (805 Riverside Drive, 601-948-2357); The Salvation Army (110 Presto Lane, 601-982-4881)

JASON MEEKS

When the Jackson Police Department took away Trena Yarber’s car and put her on the walking beat in Fondren, she first interpreted it as an insult.

But now, the 31-year-old friendly neighborhood cop loves the gig so much that she gives her cell phone number out to residents. “When people drive by and honk their horn, and I hear, ‘Thanks for all the work you’re doing.’ That makes it all worthwhile,” Yarber says. The Fondren neighborhood, once known as a haven for run-down property and illegal activity, is now the hub of Jackson’s creative scene and home to dozens of thriving, small businesses.

Officer Yarber believes it is important to know community stakeholders and business owners as well as enforce the law. “Everyone in Fondren is so supportive,” Yarber says. “Whether on a bike, in a car, on a horse, or on foot, I love what I do.” Yarber has been a member of the JPD force for two years. When she’s not at work, she’s at home taking care of her three children, ages 4, 5 and 11.

—Carl Gibson

Best Local Professor: Jean Powers, Holmes Community College

Second: Malcolm McMillin / Third: Colendula Green / Good Showing: Lee Vance

412 West Ridgeland Ave., Ridgeland

Jean Powers is calm and seeks serenity in her yoga class, but in her speech class at Holmes Community College, her expectations are a bit different. She has been teaching for 25 years, and was a business professor for Hinds Community College and Belhaven College before she began teaching at Holmes. While she has taught business classes before, she enjoys teaching speech the most. Most college students, no matter their age, are fiercely intimidated when they first walk in a speech classroom, but Powers works to inject laughter and reward good behavior in her classroom. She maintains a positive outlook in life and encourages her students to do the same.

—J. Ashley Nolen

Best Community Garden: Mynelle Gardens 4736 Clinton Blvd., 601-960-1894

In the spring, this seven-acre site surrounds visitors in lush shades of green as the first life of the year begins budding. Even in the winter, this peaceful abode captures its patrons with its still serenity. Once visitors pay the $4 entry fee and make their way past the outer façade just off Clinton Boulevard, they’re treated to a quaint scene reminiscent of a colorful postcard; hand-built wooden bridges, cascading waterfalls, and rich history surrounded by some of the rarest, most lush plants in existence. Community volunteers and City of Jackson employees care for the garden. Mynelle was an easy choice for JFP readers in 2011; the gardens took the Best Community Garden crown in 2010 as well.

—Carl Gibson Second: Rainbow-Tougaloo Garden (500 W. County Line Road) / Third: Belhaven Park (Poplar Boulevard and Kenwood Street) JEAN POWERS

Second: James Bowley, Millsaps College (1701 N. State St.) / Third: Bob Pennebaker, Belhaven University (1500 Peachtree St.) / Good Showing: Jay Long, Hinds Community College (3925 Sunset Drive)

Best TV Preacher: Chip Henderson Pinelake Church, 6071 Highway 25, 601-829-4500

Every bride searches for the best location to have her unforgettable day. Fairview Inn vows to help accommodate any size wedding. The venue offers indoor and outdoor wedding spaces partnered with small or large reception areas. The folks at Fairview Inn want their clients to feel comfortable on what can sometimes be a stressful day. To help ease the bride, groom and bridal party, the historic inn in the Belhaven community also offers the opportunity to relax at their on-site day spa. Out-of-town guests can also stay in luxurious rooms and suites. For the couple that wants to stay close, Fairview Inn even offers honeymoon suites.

—J. Ashley Nolen Second: The South (627 E. Silas Brown St., 601-968-0100) / Third: The Cedars (4145 Old Canton Road, 601-366-5552) / Good Showing: Luckett Lodge (214 Clark Creek Road, Brandon, 601-829-2567); Old Capitol Inn (226 N. State St., 601-359-9000); Mississippi Craft Center (950 Rice Road, Ridgeland, 601-856-7546)

jacksonfreepress.com

734 Fairview St., 601-948-3429

ACORN STUDIO/ERIN FULTS

Second: Stan Buckley, First Baptist Church of Jackson (431 N. State St., 601-949-1987) / Third: Connie and Joey Shelton, Galloway United Methodist Church of Jackson (305 N. Congress St., 601-353-9691) / Good Showing: Dwayne K. Pickett, Sr., New Jerusalem Church of Jackson (1285 Raymond Road, 601-371-6772); Dr. J. Ligon Duncan III, First Presbyterian Church of Jackson (1390 N. State St., 601-353-8316)

Best Wedding Venue: Fairview Inn

PINELAKE CHURCH

Not only have I seen Chip Henderson on TV, but I visited Pinelake Church last year after a friend who had been attending the church invited me. I later asked her what she liked about the church, and she said: “Pastor Chip Henderson never ceases to deliver such an incredible, inspiring message every week. Chip’s passion for Christ is evident; his leadership has impacted my spiritual life in many ways. His messages leave you craving more—more scripture, more knowledge, more evidence of Christ in your life!”

Henderson, who has a doctorate in New Testament Studies, came to Pinelake in 1999 and shepherds a church flock of more than 7,000 people. The church has a 170-acre main campus off Lakeland Drive in Rankin County and satellite campuses in the Madison/ Ridgeland area, Clinton and Starkville.

When Henderson is not preaching or serving in the community, he hunts or hits the pavement for a run. He also co-created the L3 journal, which is a scripture reading and journaling tool to help believers connect with the Bible. He lives in Flowood with his wife Christy and their three children, Rachel, McKenzie and Reagan.

— ShaWanda Jacome

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C alled to Teach?

Best Place to Hold a Party or Shower: The South 627 E. Silas Brown, 601-968-0100

The Belhaven Teacher Education Program is for those who desire to pursue a career in teaching or advance in their current positions. Fulfill your passion for teaching today!

• Master of Education • Teacher Certification • Master of Arts in Teaching • Teacher Certification, • P.A.C.E. (Bachelor Program) Online INFORMATION SESSION:

Thursday, February 3, 2011 – 6:00 to 7:30 p.m.

McCarvey Triplett Student Center, 2nd Floor, Theater

Second: Fairview Inn (734 Fairview St., 601-948-3429) / Third: The Cedars (4145 Old Canton Road, 601-981-9606) / Good Showing: Easely Amused (7048 Old Canton Road, Suite 1002, Ridgeland; 2315 Lakeland Drive Suite C, Flowood , 769-251-5574); Duling Hall (622 Duling Ave., 601-362-8440)

Best Real Estate Agent: Don Potts

Nix-Tann & Associates (1776 Lelia Drive, 601-982-7918) LIZZIE WRIGHT

Please call the Office of Graduate Admission, 601-968-8947, to RSVP. Light refreshments provided.

The South’s inventory is sure to impress collectors and admirers of antiques. Handcrafted furniture, home accessories, luxurious fabric, china and glassware are just a taste of what retail part of the mammoth warehouse space holds. The South is also a fabulous place to hold an event. Weddings, receptions, rehearsal dinners, corporate luncheons, holiday parties, business receptions and fundraisers are all events that are nicely accommodated at The South—as was the huge 2010 Best of Jackson party last January. Guests of any party are sure to be impressed. Ours sure were.

—J. Ashley Nolen

YOUR PLACE. YOUR PURPOSE. b e l h a ve n . e d u Applicants to Master Programs must hold a bachelor’s degree.

Don Potts has his name all over Jackson. Literally. It’s not just those Nix-Tann signs, either. The city’s best real estate agent (again) is also a native son and a stalwart community member. Catch him on the board of your favorite local nonprofit: Rainbow Cooperative Grocery (he’s vegan), the Jackson Bike Advocates and the Mississippi Opera, to name just a few. Or check out his own delightful Fondren residence, with a vibrant backyard garden and a miniature white horse named Willow, complete with a little barn.

A man with a manse like that must know real estate.

—Ward Schaefer Second Place: Hayley Hayes (The Overby Company, 2630 Ridgewood Road, Suite A, 601-3668511) / Third Place: John Skelton (601-540-8099) / Good Showing: Eugenia Hines (P.O. Box 1116, Madison, 601-291-0232)

January 26 - February 1, 2011

Best New Slogan: The City With Soul

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Our winning slogan this year could be considered “new” only in a city that still calls a building finished in 1903 the “new” Capitol. It’s relative, of course, to your point of reference. Some southerners will argue for days that nothing implemented after the Civil War … er, the War of Northern Aggression is worth a Yankee damn. On the other hand, slogans bemoaning a grievance (Fix Fortification; Don’t Shoot) ran neck and neck with ambivalence (Thankfully Not Madison; Better Than Bovina; At Least It’s Not Detroit) and the moderately hopeful (Barbour Will Be Gone Soon; We’re Working On It). Overall, though, suggestions emphasized the positive, with only a few being downright nasty.

But you know who you are, and you’re going to hell.

—Ronni Mott Second: (Four-way Tie) Jack is Back; Best of the New South; Crossroads of the South; Fix Fortification / Third: Mississippi on the Rise

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Most Unappreciated Jacksonian: Bill Kehoe

208 North State St., 601-982-8261

When I think of under-appreciated Jacksonians, I see visions of working moms who juggle children and careers, or maybe firefighters and emergency room doctors. However, voters in Jackson took a more musical approach. Bill Kehoe’s fans must not think enough people come to hear him play in The Common Ground Blues Band and his jazz trio. Kehoe, 62, has been playing drums professionally for more than 40 years and plays the guitar for fun. He was Jimmy Buffett’s first drummer, but now Kehoe takes the lead. Currently, he is working on his first album. You can often find Kehoe at Hal & Mal’s, Burgers and Blues, and the annual Fondren Arts, Eats, and Beats.

—J. Ashley Nolan

My middle cat (“2 of 3” we call him sometimes), King Edward, is my JFP boy, whom I rescued after I heard his tiny little guttural self yowling from under the hedge across Fortification Street when three of us were (inappropriately) starting the JFP in a two-bedroom apartment in 2002. (He was named for our then-obsession with a certain hotel revival, and a fabulous local bluesman.) I rescued tiny Eddie, gave him wet food, and he’s never let go of me since. This little mama’s boy exploded into a humongous puma fit for the zoo when he was a year old, and has since been a favorite target of (smaller) brothers Willie and the irascible Deuce (long story).

The last time I found Eddie with teeth marks on his butt, I stuffed him in to his box and rushed up North State to North State where they know and somehow love my little monsters. They still marvel about my felines’ great adventures, and they calm my sometimes-imaginative fears (we rushed Deuce to ER one night for biting into a praying mantis). Last time I picked him up, Dr. Jed Cade referred to him as “Big Ed” as if he was his next-door neighbor. I just love me some vets who give my crazy cats nicknames and who, so obviously, love their work and their wards. Thank you, North State, for making our often-animal-unfriendly city a bit safer for all God’s critters. Y’all are bona fide angels.

—Donna Ladd

January 26 - February 1, 2011

Second: Briarwood Animal Hospital (471 Canton Mart Road, 601-956-5030) / Animal Medical Center/Dr. Troy Majure (995 S. Frontage Road, 601-354-3622) / Good Showing: Jackson Animal Clinic (1740 S. Gallatin St., 601-355-5113); All Creatures Animal Care Center/Dr. Amanda Camp (262 New Mannsdale Road, Madison, 601-856-5333; Hometown Veterinary Service, (1010 Highway 471, Brandon, 601-825-1697)

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Second: Funmi “Queen” Franklin / Third: David Watkins / Good Showing: Leo Huddleston

HOLLY PERKINS

Best Veterinary Clinic/Veterinarian: North State Animal & Bird Hospital/Dr. Adrian Whittington

Best Day Spa: Aqua the Day Spa (Barnette’s)

4465 Interstate 55 N., 601-362-9550 1000 Highland Colony Parkway, Suite 8001, Ridgeland, 601-898-9123

Best Annual Event, Best Outdoor Event: Mal’s St. Paddy’s Parade

Aqua the Day Spa, owned by Susan and Ralph Barnette, takes top honors again.

This iconic spa reminds me of that commercial where a Russian gentlemen, surrounded by bodyguards, poker-playing dogs and gorgeous women, looks into the camera and says “Opulence, I has it!” Aqua the Day Spa definitely has “it.” The spa offers beauty and bliss in an opulent setting designed to relieve stress, sooth tension and enhance well-being. If you want something yummy, try the ylang-ylang and sweet-orange age-recovery facial, the sheabutter-and-wheat moisture drench or the black-pepper slim-and-detox body treatment.

Deliciously relaxing. Opulence: Aqua the Day Spa has it!

—Anita Modak-Truran

If you want to be part of a party—a colorful crowd that carpets downtown Jackson’s streets with revelers on the sidewalks and in the streets, walking or riding floats for a good cause—then Mal’s St. Paddy’s Parade, which benefits the Blair E. Batson Children’s Hospital, is just what you’re looking for. Every year there’s a parade theme, a creative play on words with a visual twist to inspire float-makers and parade-goers from all over. I talked with Hal White and asked about this year’s theme. “Haven’t come up with it, yet,” he said. Like all parade veterans, though, he did know that it takes place the third Saturday in March. So on March 19, 2011, go be part of the crowd.

—Lynette Hanson

Second: Trio Medi Spa (4812 Lakeland Drive, Flowood, 601-608-8746) / Third: Laya’s Skin Care (5352 Lakeland Drive, Suite 100B, Flowood, 601-992-7980) / Good Showing: The Skin District (2629 Courthouse Circle, Suite B, Flowood, 601-981-7546); Nomi Spa (Fairview Inn, 734 Fairview St., 601-948-3429); Spa at St. Dominic’s (971 Lakeland Drive, 601- 200-5961)

Best Beauty Shop/Salon: Lacey’s Salon & Accessories Best Hair Stylist: Lacey Norris

Best Annual Event Second: Mistletoe Marketplace (Mississippi Trade Mart, 1200 Mississippi St., 601-948-2357) / Third: Fondren Unwrapped (Fondren neighborhood, 601-981-9606) / Good Showing: Chimneyville Crafts Festival (Mississippi Trade Mart, 1200 Mississippi St., 601-856-7546)

1935 Lakeland Drive, Suite C, 601-906-2253

Best Locally Owned Business, Best Boutique: Material Girls

182 Promenade Blvd., Flowood, 601-992-4533 1000 Highland Colony Parkway, Suite 7005, Ridgeland, 601-605-1605

I recently needed a reasonably priced cute dress, quick—as in an hour before the event. I headed straight for Material Girls and found so many options it was hard to decide on just one. And I also picked up an accessory or two that I just couldn’t resist. Whether you’re looking for something specific or just browsing, you’re sure to find something fun and hip at one of this boutique’s two Jackson-area locations. The boutique has been favorite of stylish Jacksonians for years, and this is their fourth year to win “Best Boutique.”

Material Girls has prospered in the Jackson area. So much so that last year, owner Whitney Giordano opened a third location in Oxford. The expansion to the college town is fitting; Giordano opened the first Material Girls’ in Flowood’s Dogwood Promenade in 2004 when she was still six months away from her college graduation. She opened her second location at The Renaissance in Ridgeland in 2008. Material Girls offers hard-tofind brands, and their website makes it easy to shop the latest trends online. They’ll even keep you in the loop on what’s new via text messaging, so you can snatch up those new riding boots before your friends do and find out about sales and coupons. Giordano’s crew definitely keeps you on trend and within budget.

—Julie Skipper Best Locally Owned Business Second: Mangia Bene (3317 N. State St., 601-982-4443) / Third: La Cru Salon (5352 Highway 25, Suite 100, Flowood, 601-992-7980) / Good Showing: Sneaky Beans (2914 N. State St., 601487-6349); Custom Cuts & Styles (2445 Terry Road, 601-321-9292); Fondren Guitars by Patrick Harkins (607 Fondren Place, 601-362-0313)

WILLIAM PATRICK BUTLER

Best Boutique Second: Treehouse Boutique (3008 N. State St., 601-982-3433) / Third: Pink Bombshell (270 Dogwood Blvd., Flowood, 601-919-1366; 1000 Highland Colony Parkway, Suite 5007, Ridgeland, 601-853-0775) / Good Showing: Libby Story and Company (120 W. Jackson St., Suite A, Ridgeland, 601-717-3300); Migi’s House of Style (5352 Lakeland Drive, Suite 100, Flowood, 601919-8203; 1000 Highland Colony Parkway, Suite 9005, Ridgeland, 601-898-1126)

Best Dance Lessons: Salsa Mississippi 303 Mitchell Ave., 601-213-6355

The founders and owners of Salsa Mississippi, Sujan and Sarah Ghimire, may have been teaching dance in Jackson for five years or so, but they’ve only been in their current location in Fondren for a little more than two years. Now that they have their own venue and don’t have to rent space, you can trust that these two dance instructors will keep things hot and fresh

MEREDITH NORWOOD

Best Outdoor Event Second: Pepsi Pops (Old Trace Park, Post Road, Ridgeland, 601-960-1565) / Third: Wellsfest (Jamie Fowler Boyll Park, 3601 Lakeland Lane, 601-353-0658) / Good Showing: Jubilee! JAM (no longer held); Pickin’ and Paddlin’ (Mayes Lake at Lefleur’s Bluff State Park, 2140 Riverside Drive, 601-354-8855)

Lacey’s Salon blends the comfort of a southern beauty parlor with the sassy spirit of its owner, Lacey Norris. “This is a place where you can be comfortable,” Lacey says, and she practices what she preaches. Like Truvy’s Beauty Parlor in “Steel Magnolias,” Lacey makes her customers feel part of a close-knit group of friends. Through excellent service and word-of-mouth referrals, she has built a loyal customer base. A true testament to the terrific services provided is that even the manliest of men feel at home at Lacey’s Salon.

JFP readers also voted Lacey Norris, the super stylist with a pink passionate spirit, as top hair stylist for the fourth year in a row. The secret to Lacey’s success is doing things the old-fashioned way: outstanding service and affordable prices (haircuts for women begin at $17 and color begins at $55).

—Anita Modak-Truran Best Beauty Shop/Salon Second: Barnette’s Salon (4400 Old Canton Road, 601-362-4040; 4465 Interstate 55 N., 601-3629550; 1000 Highland Colony Parkway, Suite 8001, Ridgeland, 601-898-9123) / Third: LaCru Salon Tan & Spa (5352 Highway 25, Suite 100, Flowood, 601- 992-7980) / Good Showing: Molecules Hair Salon (794 Highway 51 N., Suite A, Madison, 601-605-4511); Custom Cuts & Style (2445 Terry Road, 601-321-9292); William Wallace Salon (2939 Old Canton Road, 601-982-8300) Best Hair Stylist Second: Petra Coleman, Custom Cuts & Styles (2445 Terry Road, 601-3219292) / Third: Claire Kinsey, Gloss (733 Lake Harbour Drive, Suite D Ridgeland, 601-898-8640) / Good Showing: Griff Howard, Ritz Salon (775 Lake Harbour Drive, Suite H, Ridgeland, 601- 8564330; JoAnne Hartley, Molecules (794 Highway 51 N., Suite A, Madison, 601-605-4511)

Best Barber Shop: Custom Cuts and Styles 2445 Terry Road, 601-321-9292

For Chris Paige, manager of Custom Cuts and Styles, being voted the best barbershop in Jackson is big for more reasons than one. First, the win will hopefully bring in more customers. But beyond that, Paige sees the win as another step in the “community revitalization of south Jackson as a whole.” The shop, located across the street from up-and-coming Jackson Square on Terry Road, attracts customers from all over the metro area, and regulars come from as far as Brookhaven. But, according to Paige, Custom Cuts and Styles, like many barbershops before it, is a business that serves the community. Ultimately, Paige says, “a win for us will help the community.”

—Garrad Lee Second: Maurice’s Barber Shop (1060 Highway 51, Suite D, Madison, 601-856-0015) / Third: Razor Sharp Barber Shop (405 Beasley Road, 601-982-9762) / Good Showing: Bob’s Cut & Curl (3015-1/2 N. State St., 601-362-0326)

nearly every night of the week. “It’s energetic; it’s great exercise,” Sarah Ghimire says. “It’s a very diverse crowd. On an average party night, we’ll probably have 10 or 12 different countries represented.”

—Byron Wilkes Second: Dance Connection Ballroom Dance Center (306 N. Bierdeman Road, Pearl, 601-9322374) / Third: Ballet Mississippi (201 E. Pascagoula St., Suite 106, 601-960-1560) / Good Showing: Dance Unlimited (6787 S. Siwell Road, Suite A, Byram 601-373-6143; 3091 Highway 49 S., Suite E., Florence, 601-373-6143); Rhonda Whitehead’s Studio of Dance and Gymnastics (111 Grants Ferry Road, Brandon, 601-992-0490)

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TATE K. NATION

Downtown Jackson, 601-948-0888

25

No matter what the category,

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January 26 - February 1, 2011

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Best Tailor: Al Guevara of Custom Tailoring by Al 111 Colony Crossing Way, Suite 280, Madison, 601-607-3443 258 Dogwood Boulevard, Flowood, 601-992-1373

Best Dentist: Jim Ed Watson, Center for Smiles

COURTESY OF JIM ED WATSON

When it comes to comprehensive dental care, the people of Jackson trust Dr. Jim Ed Watson with their smiles. Patients go to Watson not just for cavities or root canals, but also for cosmetic dentistry like porcelain veneers and braces. Watson reiterates that his office emphasizes preventative care first and foremost. “We try to get patients focused on not only going to the dentist when they have a toothache,” he says. “A lot of dental problems are detected before patients are aware that there’s a problem, and treatment can be much more conservative and less costly if it’s done that way.” —Byron Wilkes

Second: The Rogue (4450 Interstate 55 N., 601-362-6383) / Third: Finishing Touch Alterations (4551 Office Park Drive, 601-362-5288) / Good showing: Michael Armstrong (Tom James Co., 1775 Leila Drive #D, 601-713-2013)

Second: Lewis Grubbs (1771 Lelia Drive, 601-362-2660) / Third: Brad Armstrong (459 Pebble Creek Drive, Madison, 601-856-3141) / Good Showing: Wendy Lewis (1350 W. Government St., Brandon, 601-825-3807); Amy Sherman (1004 Hugh Ward Blvd., Flowood, 601-992-9975)

Best Plumber: Wesley Brisendine at Skeen Plumbing & Gas

Best Doctor: Dr. Manisha Sethi

220 Christopher Cove, Suite A, Ridgeland, 601-856-5758

Second: Dr. Bard Johnston (7724 Old Canton Road, Madison, 601-856-1262) / Third: Dr. Barbie Sullivan (501 Marshall St., Suite 400, 601-354-0869) / Good Showing: Dr. Shannon Carroll (1020 N. Flowood Drive, Flowood, 601-932-2230); Dr. Leo Huddleston (6500 Old Canton Road, Ridgeland, 601-956-0010)

COURTESY OF WESLEY BRISENDINE

COURTESY OF MANISHA SETHI

6919 Old Canton Road, Ridgeland; 601-956-0911

Dr. Manisha Sethi opened Internal Medicine and Pediatrics in 2005, fulfilling a lifelong dream of owning a medical practice. In recent years. private practices have struggled due to the economy, but Internal Medicine and Pediatrics has flourished. Sethi’s compassion for and dedication to her patients is easily evident, and this reputation helps her practice grow. A Greenwood, Miss. native, Sethi graduated from Millsaps College at 18 and at 22 finished medical school at UMMC, where she became the chief resident of pediatrics.

—Jesse Crow

SHAWANDA JACOME

Off-the-rack clothing rarely seems to fit me well. After tiring of wearing my pants either rolled or duct-taped to the appropriate length, I asked for the name of a good tailor. The name given to me by numerous people was Al Guevara of Custom Tailoring by Al, and it seems that most in the Jackson area agree. I can personally attest that Al and his crew of tailors are quick, affordable and, most importantly, masters of their craft. In addition to basic alterations, Guevara creates custom suits and other clothing.

For the past 16 years, I’ve turned to Al and his talented staff for alteration needs through pregnancy, weight loss and, well, just being short.

—Crawford Grabowski

1437 Old Square Road, Suite 203, 601-366-7645

As someone who worked in plumbing, it’s not the most glamorous job, but it’s a vital profession. Wesley Brisendine, 23, specializes in trenchless drain repair and video inspection. The 2005 Terry High School graduate found himself at a crossroads during his final semester at Holmes Community College. He wanted a career where his technology training would benefit others. “I feel like I’ve mastered the technology available and even created some of my own,” he says. When he’s not attending to plumbing catastrophes, you might find him creating graffiti art, doing motocross, getting a new tat or spending time with his daughter and fiance.

—Michael Jacome Second: T.J. Hare, T.J. Hare Plumbing Repair & Services (1204 Spring Ridge Road, 601-3725600) / Third: Chris Wright, Right Plumbing (P.O. Box 1157, Madison, 601-898-9161) / Good Showing: Buford Plumbing & Heating Co. (5625 Highway 18 W., 601-372-7676); Albert Grube, Albert’s Plumbing (115 Ambrose Lane, Florence, 601-941-1086)

Best Lawyer: Bob Owens

Benjamin Franklin once said, “God works wonders now and then; behold a lawyer, an honest man.” Attorneys often find themselves the butt of jokes and the subject of less-than-complimentary comments.

Since Jackson has lots of lawyers, we have plenty of fodder. But most lawyers entered the profession with noble intent and work hard to serve their clients. The winner of this year’s Best Lawyer Category, Bob Owens, a personal injury attorney, is an example. That’s certainly one of the reasons his law firm, Owens Moss, is listed among Martindale-Hubbell Barr’s Register of Preeminent Lawyers. Next time you see a lawyer around town, give ’em a pass and hold the jokes until next time. —Julie Skipper Second: David McCarty (David Neil McCarty Law Firm, 416 E. Amite St., 601-874-0721) / Third: Jeff Williams (Wells, Moore, Simmons & Hubbard, 4450 Old Canton Road, Suite 200, 601-354-5400) / Good Showing: Kathryn White (Shannon Law Firm, 100 W. Gallatin St., Hazlehurst, 601-894-2202); Pat Zimmerman (Mississippi Gaming Commission, 620 North St., Suite 200, 601-576-3883)

Best Ethnic or Specialty Grocery: Rainbow Natural Grocery Cooperative (2807 Old Canton Road, 601-366-1602)

I’ve never vegged out on anything I bought at Rainbow and been filled with regret later, because even their junk food is healthy. Not that it’s “healthy” to eat an entire pack of cookie dough in one sitting, but if you’re going to, get it at Rainbow where it’s made with organic sugar or is free of dairy products and gluten. Instead of a pack of greasy potato chips, grab some sweet potato or kettle-cooked chips. Trust me; they’re just as delicious. Try some of their organic or locally grown produce. It’s at least as good as (and usually better than) the fruit and vegetables at big grocery chains, and it’s healthier and supports your local economy.

—Holly Perkins Second: Aladdin’s Grocery Store (740 Lakeland Drive, 601-366-2102) / Third: Patels Grocery (6800 Old Canton Road, Ridgeland, 601-952-0332) / Good Showing: Mediterranean Fish and Grill (6550 Old Canton Road, Ridgeland, 601-956-0082); Van Hung Asian Market (637 Highway 51 N., Ridgeland, 601-856-9638)

Best Flower Shop: Greenbrook Flowers 705 N. State St., 601-519-4735

Flower arranging requires more than sticking a bunch of twigs and roses in a vase. Like gardening, flower arranging is an art form that fuses nature and human expression through color, shapes, lines, forms and composition. To paraphrase from the French writer George Sand, some flowers speak with strong and powerful voices, proclaiming their beauty and dominion. Others speak in “murmured tones, scarcely audible, but exquisitely soft and sweet,” whispering, “I am little, and I am beloved.” With five generations dedicated to the art of floral expression, Greenbrook Flowers has mastered this art form, making stunning original creations to celebrate in all its stages. Flower power: Pass it on.

—Anita Modak-Truran Second: A Daisy A Day Flowers & Gifts (4500 Interstate 55 N., Suite 194, 601-982-4438) / Third: Mostly Martha’s (353 Highway 51, Ridgeland, 601-956-1474) / Good Showing: Green Floral (210 E. Capitol St., 601- 969-4050; 210 Town Square, Brandon, 601-825-8374), Green Oak (5009 Old Canton Road, 601-956-5017), Whitley Flowers (740 Lakeland Drive, 601- 362-8844)

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

Lakeland Yard & Garden is as big outside as it is inside. Walk in, and a simple description to one of the employees of what you’re looking for—even if you don’t know the name—will keep you from wandering aimlessly around the 17-acre nursery. Inside, there are all sorts of decorative items for the garden and kitchen, from pottery and sculptures, to fire pits and yard and patio furniture. They also have the necessities: bird seed, insecticides and inflatable 6-foot-long snakes to scare away the bunnies. —Briana Robinson Second: Callaway’s Yard & Garden Center (839 S. Pear Orchard Road, Ridgeland, 601-957-1731) / Third: Green Oak (5009 Old Canton Road, 601-956-5017) / Good Showing: Martinson’s Garden Works (650 Highway 51, Ridgeland, 601-856-3078); Hutto’s Home and Garden Center (1320 Ellis Ave., 601-973-2277)

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OWENS MOSS, PLLC

Owens Moss, 770 N. West St., 601-352-8443

27

Best Yoga Instructor: Jean R. Powers, RYT, CCYT

Courthouse Racquet & Fitness (Lakeland and Northeast locations)

Best Bookstore: Lemuria Books

One of the first things you will notice about Lemuria is just how comfortable it is. Does the Jackson area have larger bookstores? Yes, but no other bookstore gives you handpicked selections and personal service like Lemuria.

You can easily spend an entire day perusing books that interest you while taking advantage of the comfortable couches. Lemuria hosts frequent book signings and readings, has a huge selection of books on Mississippi and by Mississippi authors, and will find and order anything not in stock. Locally owned Lemuria also takes care of your kids with a children’s section they’ll love and events just for them. Last year, the Junie B. Jones bus and the “Diary of a Wimpy Kid” van came to visit.

—Michael Jacome

AMILE WILSON

FILE PHOTO

Banner Hall, 4465 Interstate 55 N., Suite 202, 601-366-7619

Multiple Locations

Best Liquor/Wine Store: Kats Wine and Spirits

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

Best Martial-Arts School: Academy of Kung Fu

COURTESY ACADEMY OF KUNG FU

626 Ridgewood Road, Ridgeland, 601-856-5051

Second: The Club (multiple locations) / Third: YMCA (multiple locations) / Good Showing: Anytime Fitness (multiple locations), Fitness Lady (5720 Highway 80 E., Pearl, 601-939-2122; 331 Sunnybrook Road, Ridgeland, 601-856-0535), Baptist Healthplex (717 Manship St., 601-9681766; 102 Clinton Parkway, Clinton, 601-925-7900)

Best Bridal/Gift Registry: The Everyday Gourmet 1625 E. County Line Road, 601-977-9258 1107 Highland Colony Parkway, Suite 111, Ridgeland, 601-898-9292

The Everyday Gourmet owner Marlana Walters, who bought the store from her friend Carol Puckett, celebrates the art of everyday entertaining. “Many people don’t realize that this is a family-run business,” says Walters, who has always had a passion for cooking, gadgets and entertaining. Marlana’s mom works at the store, and her dad helps with “fetching and toting. He doesn’t like being around the pretty, sparkly things,” Marlana says.

Every product offered for sale at The Everyday Gourmet is chosen with care, from the cutlery and cookware by Viking and other makers, to the dishes and tableware. “A $5 bottle of wine in the right wine glass can taste like $20,” Marlana says. —Anita Modak-Truran Second: Batte Furniture & Interiors (1010 E. Northside Drive, 601-366-0335) / Third: Belk (1200 E. County Line Road, Suite 300, Ridgeland, 601-977-0101; 150 Dogwood Blvd., Flowood, 601-919-5000) / Good Showing: Persnickety (2078 Main St., Madison, 601-853-9595); David’s Bridal (1039 E. County Line Road, 601-957-0505); Bridal Path (4465 Interstate 55 N., Suite 104, 601-982-8267)

Second: Jason Griffins TaeKwonDo & Jiu-Jitsu Academy (125 Dyess Road, Ridgeland, 601-9779000; 103 Christian Drive, Brandon, 601-824-0058) / Third: Gracie South (1006 Top St., Suite H, Flowood, 601-502-7634) / Good Showing: Knock-Out Fitness (205 Belle Meade Point, Flowood, 769-233-7901)

Best Caterer: Fresh Cut Catering & Floral

3025 N. State St., 601-594-2313

January 26 - February 1, 2011

Year after year, Jacksonians say Courthouse Racquet and Fitness is the best fitness center in the area. With six locations in the metro area from Byram and Madison to downtown Jackson, you’re sure to have one near you. Courthouse offers a solid range of classes and services from aquatics to yoga, spinning to weight training, tennis to golf, physical therapy, personal training and more, and members can combine free classes with state-of-the-art machines and free weights to achieve and maintain optimum physical conditioning. You can count on a professional staff no matter which location you choose. Most locations even offer child-care services, and the Byram location has an after-school program.

—Julia Hulitt

I have always admired individuals who know how to protect themselves without losing their cool or needing a weapon. That’s exactly what martial arts can do for you. Forget about those flaky kung fu movies. Practicing martial arts can be a life-changing experience that teaches self-discipline, reduces stress and promotes a healthier lifestyle. Winning best martial-art school for the second year, Trey Crake and his team at the Academy of Kung Fu offer fun and effective programs for individuals from age 4 to adult. Along with its mental benefits, Kung Fu provides a full-body workout that will get you into the best shape you’ve ever been in. Sign up for a free trial period online (academyofkungfu.com) to see if Kung Fu is for you.

—Julia Hulitt

Best Yoga Studio: Butterfly Yoga

28

FILE PHOTO

Second: Reservoir Wine & Spirits (775 Lake Harbour Drive, Ridgeland, 601-856-2712) / Third: Briarwood Wine & Spirits (4949 Old Canton Road, 601-956-5108) / Good Showing: Joe T’s Wine and Spirits (286 Highway 51, Ridgeland, 601-605-7602); McDade’s Wine & Spirits (1220 E. Northside Drive, 601-366-5676), Wine & Spirits in the Quarter (1855 Lakeland Drive, Suite A-10, 601-366-6644)

Second: Scotta Brady (Butterfly Yoga, 3025 N. State St., 601-594-2313 / Third: Tara Blumenthal (Butterfly Yoga, 3025 N. State St., 601-594-2313 / Good Showing: Debi Lewis (Joyflow Yoga, 7048 Old Canton Road, 2F, Ridgeland, 601-613-4317); Wendy Crumpton (YMCA Metro Jackson, 800 E. River Place, 601-948-3090)

Best Fitness Center/Gym: Courthouse Racquet & Fitness

Second: Choctaw Books (926 North St., 601-352-7281) Third: Heroes & Dreams (5352 Highway 25, Suite 1650, Flowood, 601-992-3100) / Good Showing: Afrika Book Café (404 E. Mitchell Ave., 769-251-1031); Pentimento Books (302 Jefferson St., Clinton, 601-925-4662)

Whether you believe a good bottle of wine is nectar of the gods or consolation for mere mortals, having the right folks help you pick out the good stuff is important. Kats has been helping Jackson mortals find the perfect bottle since 1966. Tasho Katsaboulas and his staff know their stuff and will help you find something awesome within your budget, whatever it is. Be sure to browse the racks for tags marking the specials for great deals on some high-scoring wines, and take advantage of their half-case discount. Tasho believes in carrying the highest-quality wines he can at great prices, and he always delivers.

—Julie Skipper

A state of ease and satisfaction is where Jean Powers will take you when you attend one of her yoga classes. As a registered yoga instructor, during each session. Powers provides one-on-one attention for each student to ensure proper technique. She also offers a variety of styles, including Ashtanga, Hatha, Hot 26, Iyengar and Vinyasa..

—Diandra Hosey

Although the building was re-staged to its original purpose as a gas station for the filming of the “The Help,” Butterfly Yoga is a dedicated yoga studio founded on freedom and passion. With an array of instructors, Butterfly’s classes range from belly dancing to gentle yoga and yoga basics, to beginner, intermediate and advanced yoga to the more fast-paced Vinyasa. Owner Scotta Brady, a certified Anusara teacher, also provides teacher trainings and conducts workshops around the world. In addition, Butterfly frequently hosts nationally recognized yoga teachers for weekend workshops.

—Diandra Hosey Second: Joyflow Yoga (7048 Old Canton Road, 2F, Ridgeland, 601-613-4317) / Third: Courthouse Racquet & Fitness (multiple locations)

108 Cypress Cove, Flowood, 601-939-4518

There’s little doubt about it: Jackson folks love a good party. There’s also little doubt that we love to eat, so naturally, good food is really important. For a one-stop shop for beautiful food and flowers, Wendy Putt of Fresh Cut Catering & Floral is the go-to gal.

Whether it’s working her magic to turn The South Warehouse into a wedding reception fantasy for a bride-to-be or creating a killer menu for an office party, she always brings deliciousness to the function with a wide variety of offerings and the ability to accommodate the venue and concept with finesse. Party on, Jackson: Know that you’ll eat well doing it thanks to this category’s winners.

—Julie Skipper Second: Mangia Bene (4465 Interstate 55 N., Suite 101, 601-362-2900) / Third: VIP Grand Events (4500 Interstate 55 N., 601-713-4040) / Good Showing: Rainbow Whole Foods (2807 Old Canton Road, 601-366-1602); Coolwater Café (1011 Lake Harbour Drive, Ridgeland, 601956-6332)

Best Mechanic: Graves & Stoddard Inc. 722 Highway 80 E., Flowood, 601-939-3662

Second: Freemanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Auto Repair (847 S. State St., 601-948-3358) / Third: Tonyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Tire & Automotive (5138 N. State St., 601-981-2414) / Good Showing: Putmanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Automotive Service Inc. (4879 N. State St., 601-366-1886); Bullockâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Auto Repair (404 Gallilee St., 601-355-2052)

Best Monogram Shop: Bridgetteâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Monograms and Gifts

G2 Fitness Institute, 1867 Crane Ridge Drive, Suite 125A, 601-366-2223

A long, relaxing massage is just the thing after a tiring day. Especially when youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re aching and exhausted, your body needs to loosen up to get good rest and feel refreshed.

Jacksonians say that G2 Fitness Instituteâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Allin Kimbrough is the person to trust when it comes to massaging away those aches and worries. His deep-tissue, full-body massages will put your body at ease and your worries in perspective. Whether youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve experienced the bliss of a massage or not, do yourself a favor and allow Kimbrough to transport you to cloud nine. â&#x20AC;&#x201D;Julia Hulitt

G2 COMPANIES

When Willie Graves and Tom Stoddard opened their mechanic shop 25 years ago, they specialized in servicing Asian automobilesâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;a strong point of knowledge that they retain today. Since then, their business has grown and so has the variety of cars they service.

Their knowledgeable and trustworthy mechanics now also work on domestic vehicles, like Chevys and Fords, and have serviced Volkswagens and Subarus. Graves & Stoddard is open 7:30 a.m. to 5:50 p.m., Monday through Friday. â&#x20AC;&#x201D;Jesse Crow

Best Massage Therapist: Allin Kimbrough

Second: Martha Howell (Baptist Healthplex, 102 Clinton Parkway, Clinton, 601-925-7900) / Third: William Boren (Mississippi Medical Massage Therapy, 4500 Interstate 55 N., Suite 239, 601-942-5014) / Good Showing: Kali Horner (2807 Old Canton Road, 601-366-1602); Brad Jackson (Trio Medi Spa, 4812 Lakeland Drive, Flowood, 601-608-8746)

2725 N. State St., 601-362-9947

Monogramming seems to be a staple of southern living. From diaper bags to stationery, purses to towels, thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s little that canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t be personalized. At Bridgetteâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s you can bring in your personal items to be monogrammed, or you can choose from the vast and stylish selection. Their friendly and helpful staff is sure to help you find exactly what you need.

Bridgetteâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s takes pride in providing great gifts at great prices, and you wonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t go wrong in choosing this store for all your monogramming needs. And you can buy great bags and skip the monogram if you prefer. â&#x20AC;&#x201D;Jesse Crow

LYNETTE HANSON

Best Thrift/Consignment Shop: The Orange Peel

4450 Interstate 55 N., 601-362-6383

It is easy for me to put the needs of my family above my own, but sometimes, I need to remember that my appearance is important, too.

Going to a shop like The Rogue gives every man the chance to look his best. While the clothes are name brand, every man can find something here that fits his budget, whether it is a sport coat, business suit, shoes, shirts or more casual clothing. What makes the Rogue different is quality and 200 years of experience. Yes, we are husbands and fathers, but we were men long before either of those, and everything we need to dress well is at The Rogue and Good Company. â&#x20AC;&#x201D;Michael Jacome

THE ROUGE

Second: Monogram Express (131 Gateway Drive, Suite A, Brandon, 601-825-1248) / Third: Monogram Magic (1481 Canton Mart Road, Suite D, 601-956-7117) / Good Showing: Monogram It (500 Highway 51, Suite Q, Ridgeland, 601-607-4115); Lilâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Ms. Sew & Sew (1679 Old Fannin Road, Suite H, Flowood, 601-992-3279)

Best Menâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Clothes: The Rogue and Good Company

Second: Red Square Clothing Co. (1000 Highland Colony Parkway, Suite 9004, Ridgeland, 601853-8960) / Third: Kinkadeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Fine Clothing (120 W. Jackson St., Suite 2B, Ridgeland, 601-8980513) / Good Showing: Great Scott (4400 Old Canton Road, Suite 101, 601-984-3500)

3026 N. State St., 601-364-9977

Second: Repeat Street (626 Ridgewood Road, Ridgeland, 601-605-9393) / Third (tie): Bargain Boutique (5070 Parkway Drive, 601-991-0500); N.U.T.S. (117 Wesley Ave., 601-355-7458) / Good Showing: Private Collection (101 Village Blvd., Suite A, Madison, 601- 607-6004)

Best Unique Gifts: Mississippi Crafts Center 950 Rice Road, Ridgeland, 601-856-7546

At Mississippi Crafts Center, you will be amazed at amount of love poured into row upon row of unique crafts, almost all them by Mississippi artisans. Explore the one-of-akind selection including birdhouses, stained-glass pieces and iron works. You will see how talented Mississippiansâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; really are when you see the hand-blown glass creations, quilts and fine woodwork craftsmanship. The Mississippi Crafts Center is also a great place to hold an event. Weddings, receptions and parties are common on the grounds, as are demonstrations and classes. The center also holds an excellent kidsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; art camp every summer. â&#x20AC;&#x201D;Michael Jacome Second: circa. Urban Artisan Living (2771 Old Canton Road, 601-362-8484) / Third: Pine Cone (1220 E. Northside Drive, Suite 220, 601-713-1421) / Good Showing: Apple Annieâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s (106 Autumn Ridge Place, Suites 5 and 6, Brandon, 601-992-9925)

Grazie!

3PECIALTY #OFFEE $RIVE 4HRU

Thank You for voting us One of the Best Italian Restaurants in Jackson!

Now Serving Brunch & Dinner on Sunday Lunch: Friday & Saturday | 11am - 2pm Dinner: Tuesday - Saturday | 5pm - 9pm, Sunday Brunch: 11am - 2pm

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

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jacksonfreepress.com

If it werenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t for The Orange Peel, Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d be known as Jacksonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s bag lady. On any given day, I am usually wearing one item of clothing from the consignment store. Today itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s three: A gray dress jacket, a black jean skirt and a turtleneck sweater. Going to the Peel is like going on a treasure hunt.

You never know when you are going to find the perfect shoes, bag or dress. When you do find that one-of-a-kind item, it feels like the universe is smiling on you. I call it karma shopping, because when I consign my own clothes, I know they will find a happy home. I will admit, though, that sometimes itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a little strange when you see your neighbor sporting the sweater you wore last season. Thank you Orange Peel for keeping us Jacksonians in style on the cheap. â&#x20AC;&#x201D;Lacey McLaughlin

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Best Place to Buy Antiques: Antique Shop of Jackson

Best Kids’ Clothes and Toys: Helen’s Young Ages

4525 Interstate 55 N., 601-982-1881

4750 Interstate 55 N., 601-362-0317

Kids’ sense of individual style starts when they’re young. They can get away with so much more than adults, and, hopefully, they’ll figure it out by the time they show up for their first job interview. Helping parents and kids foster that sense of style is this year’s first place winner for kids’ clothes and toys: 45-year-old Jackson staple, Helen’s Young Ages. Owner Shannon Vaughan and her staff work to provide only the best selection of clothing for children, from sizes for preemies up to size 16 for girls and size 13 for boys.

—Julia Hulitt

Antiques have the extraordinary power to introduce people to real, lived-in history.

At the Antique Shops of Jackson, you’ll find plenty of history that you can take home with you. Chandeliers of all colors, textures and sizes hang from the ceiling. Animal prints are scattered throughout, and colorful items fill each booth. You’ll find chairs with unique styles and fabrics and, in the back corner, vintage clothing and accessories. One vendor offers to build custom tables and chandeliers according to customer’s preferences, while others show off what their ancestors preferred. This special store has far to many items to describe here. If you’re like me, you’ll wonder about each piece’s personal history.

—J. Ashley Nolen

Second: Pop Fizz (1481 Canton Mart Road, 601-977-1000) / Third: Lemon Meringue (1000 Highland Colony Parkway, Ridgeland, 601-853-2611) / Good Showing: Olde Tyme Commisary (4500 Interstate 55 N., Suite 122, 601-366-1849); Sweet Dreams (1896 Main St., Suite D, Madison, 601-856-2080); Cosmo Tots (2906 N. State St., 601-427-3322)

Second: (tie) Belgique Inc. (320 Commerce Park Drive, 601-982-6060, 601-955-7214) and Repeat Street (626 Ridgewood Road, Ridgeland, 601-605-9393) / Third: Antique Mall of the South (367 U.S. Highway 51, Ridgeland, 601-853-4000) / Good Showing: Old House Depot (639 Monroe St., 601-592-6200)

Best Kids’ Event: WellsFest

September, Jamie Fowler Boyll Park, 1398 Lakeland Drive, 601-353-0658

Best Art/Gallery Place to Buy Art: Brown’s Fine Art & Framing 630 Fondren Place, 601-982-4844

COURTESY OPERATION SHOESTRING

Since 1965, Brown’s Fine Art & Framing has displayed some of the finest artwork in the area. While the location has changed since it first opened, Brown’s has always been synonymous with quality, both in the gallery and in framing. Brown’s is also notable for services including art appraisals and cataloging, restoration, consultation and artwork installation. The gallery boasts a wealth of renowned Mississippi artists including Andrew Bucci and Walter Anderson, and the space is invitingly lit and massive in scope. Brown’s website also offers the additional services of their “Buy – Sell – Trade” gallery, a newsletter, and an online print gallery. The gallery averages six to eight openings a year to showcase new works by their artist clients.

—Chris Zuga Second: Southern Breeze Gallery (1000 Highland Colony Parkway, Suite 5005, Ridgeland, 601607-4147) / Third: Fischer Galleries (3100 N. State St., 601-291-9115, 601-366-8833) / Good Showing: One Blu Wall Gallery (2906 N. State St., Suite 107, 601-713-1884), Mississippi Crafts Center (950 Rice Road, Ridgeland, 601-856-7546

Best Place to Buy Musical Instruments: Morrison Brothers Music

The term “Best Kids’ Event” gives the impression that, like an amusement park, Wellsfest is just for kids, when the festival really has something for everyone. Last year’s 27th annual festival featured a rock wall for the kids (and dads trying to remember their youth), a semi truck full of video games, vendors with carnival goodies, live music and a variety of local artists showcasing their wares. Everyone seemed to go home happy. Wellsfest ensures that the more fun you have, the more you contribute to a great cause. Organized by the Wells Memorial United Methodist Church, last year’s proceeds went to the Mississippi Families for Kids program, which helps children in the foster system find loving homes.

—Michael Jacome Second: KidsFest (April, Freedom Ridge Park, 235 W. School St., Ridgeland, 60-853-2011) / Third: Bright Lights, Belhaven Nights (August, Belhaven neighborhood, 601-352-8850) / Good Showing: Sal and Mookie’s Street Festival (565 Taylor St., 601-368-1919)

127 Dyess Road, Ridgeland, 601-956-0135

The Doors’ Jim Morrison once said, “How can I set free anyone who doesn’t have the guts to stand up alone and declare his own freedom?” For nearly 40 years, Morrison Brothers Music has been living this ideal and serving the community. Morrison Brothers can take care of your musical needs, and it doesn’t matter what genre of music interests you. From grunge rock to classical, Morrison Brothers can outfit you with a piano, a drum kit, a guitar or whatever you need. They also offer DJ equipment and can help you set up a recording studio. You provide the guts to declare your musical freedom, and Morrison Brothers will take care of the rest.

—Michael Jacome

Best Reason to Live in Jackson: The People As a non-native Jacksonian, I’ve come to love and appreciate our capital city for its greatest resource: its people. Working and living in Jackson introduced me to a diverse group. My experiences here have allowed me to interact with everyone from local business owners, artists and writers, to Grammy-award winning musicians, all of whom helped me feel welcome in a new city. A friend who recently moved to Jackson from the West Coast summed it all up by explaining that “people here actually think and care about people other than themselves,” something she’d rarely seen in her hometown. Anyone who’s lived in the city for any time knows this to be true; Jackson is both literally and figuratively the “heart” of the Hospitality State.

—Crawford Grabowski

Second: Fondren Guitars by Patrick Harkins (607 Fondren Place, 601-362-0313) / Third: Mississippi Music (1001 Sara Lane, Flowood, 601-922-1200) / Good Showing: Guitar Center (1189 E. County Line Road, 601-956-8053); Lakeland Music (5200 Highway 25, Flowood, 601-9920089)

Second: Fondren / Third: Rainbow Natural Grocery Cooperative (2807 Old Canton Road, 601366-1602)

Best Place to Buy Shoes: Shoe Bar at Pieces

30

Shoes can make or break an outfit. As far as I’m concerned, the more unique the shoes are, the better. Shoe Bar at Pieces has the fiercest and funkiest shoes Jackson has to offer. The store is located in an old house in Fondren, fostering a comfortable and personal shopping experience. Its staff is friendly, helpful and has a great sense of style, but you will never feel pressured to buy. Be warned, though, it’s hard to leave Shoe Bar at Pieces without a new addition to your wardrobe. They have great clothes and accessories, too.

—Jesse Crow Second: Material Girls (182 Promenade Blvd., Flowood, 601-992-4533; 1000 Highland Colony Parkway, Suite 7005, Ridgeland, 601-605-1605) / Third: Maison Weiss (4500 Interstate 55 N., Suite 109, 601-981-4621)

Best Category We Left Out: Best Detail Shop

COURTESY SHOE BAR

January 26 - February 1, 2011

425 Mitchell Ave., 601-939-5203

It’s always fun to check out the categories folks think we ought to include in Best of Jackson. Based on the votes this year, I have deduced the following about Jacksonians: We love our cars and buildings. We want to look good in them, whether we’re in town or representing our fair city in exotic locations. It’s really important to know who to see when we bring back interesting illnesses and overdo our recreation, though. We also have one heckuva sweet tooth. OK, I know. I just couldn’t manage to work Best Teacher into that scenario. Sue me. Personally, I think we should include Best Place to Survive the Zombie Apocalypse, ’cause we all know it’s coming. Don’t we?

—Ronni Mott Second (tie): Best Make-up Artist; Best Travel Agent / Third (tie): Best Nurse; Best Chiropractor; Best Architect; Best Church; Best Cupcakes; Best Teacher

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31

Best Tattoo/Piercing Parlor: Squench’s Tattoos and Body Piercing 3780 Interstate 55 S., Eastside Frontage Road, 601-372-2800

Best Nature Walk: Lefleur’s Bluff State Park/Mayes Lake Growing up in the City of Angels (that’s Los Angeles to y’all), I naturally assumed the sky was supposed to be blueish-gray due to smog. Mississippi can rest easy knowing that smog is not a concern, so why not take a walk? There is no better place than the nature trails at LeFleur’s Bluff State Park. With more than 300 acres just minutes from downtown Jackson, the park also includes a nine-hole golf course, bird watching, fishing and canoeing.

LeFleur’s is an oasis in the city, just the place to relax and just enjoy the scenery.

—Michael Jacome

COURTESY SQUENCHES

2140 Riverside Drive, 601-987-3923

Second: Natchez Trace (Information cabin at milepost 102.4, 1453 Natchez Trace Parkway, Ridgeland, 601-898-9417) / Third: Clinton Community Nature Center (617 Dunton Road, Clinton, 601-926-1104)

Second: Twiztid Images (557 Highway 49 S., Richland, 601-664-0000) / Third: House of Pain (Swinging Bridge Shopping Center, 22 Holiday Rambler Lane, Suite 300, Byram, 601321-9040) / Good Showing: Eternal Body Art (3611 Interstate 55 S., 601-346-5963); Ink Spot Gallery (closed)

Best Playground/Park: Laurel Street Park

Best Tanning Salon: Sun Gallery Tanning Studio

Laurel Street Park in Belhaven is the perfect place to spend an afternoon. The park, known for its sea creaturefilled mural that greets you on arrival, is filled with candycolored playground equipment including purple slides and a dragon made from tires with a fiery red tongue. Open year round from dawn until dusk, the park also has tables that make it a fantastic spot for picnicking. On any given day of the week, the park is filled with excited children, but with its close vicinity to Belhaven University and Millsaps College, you’ll usually find a group of equally excited college students taking a break from the stress of growing up by acting like kids. Young or old, Laurel Street Park is guaranteed fun.

—Holly Perkins Second: LeFleurs Bluff State Park (2140 Riverside Park, 601-987-3923) / Third: Winner’s Circle Park (100 Winners Circle, Flowood, 601-992-4440) / Good Showing: Liberty Park (810 Madison Avenue, Madison); Parham Bridges Park (5055 Old Canton Road); Strawberry Patch Park (corner of Old Canton Road and St. Augustine Drive, Madison)

Best Museum: Mississippi Museum of Natural Science 2148 Riverside Drive, 601-354-7303

One afternoon, a group of my classmates and I were about to leave the Museum of Natural Science after a morning of landscaping, when we were informed no one could leave due to President Bush passing through the neighborhood. I couldn’t think of a better place to be stuck for a few hours. The museum’s permanent features include aquariums with local marine life, story time for kids, science lectures and five natural trails where you can explore the surrounding woods and sloughs, the Pearl River and Eubanks Creek. Now that the megalodon exhibit is gone, there’s room for butterflies (Feb. 5-May 8) and frogs (June 4-Jan. 9). The Mississippi Museum of Natural Science is a little piece of nerdy heaven everyone should experience.

—Jesse Crow Second: Mississippi Museum of Art (380 S. Lamar St., 601-960-1515) / Third: Mississippi Children’s Museum (2145 Highland Drive, 601-981-5469) / Good Showing: Mississippi Agricultural and Forestry Museum (1150 Lakeland Drive, 601-432-4500)

January 26 - February 1, 2011

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2720 N. State St., 601-366-5811 6712 Old Canton Road, Ridgeland, 601-957-7502

SHAWANDA JACOME

GREATER BELHAVEN NEIGHBORHOOD FOUNDATION

1841 Laurel Street

STEWPOT

While tattoos are no longer a “trendy” show of rebellion among angsty teens and 20somethings (I’m looking at you, tribal arm bands), getting inked is still something that can symbolize a significant event in one’s life, a show of patriotism or self-expression. If getting ink or pierced is for you, then you can’t go wrong with Squench’s Tattoos & Body Piercing. Serving the Jackson area for the past 25 years, Squench, Curtdog, Jack and Mallory can help you design just about anything you want in a variety of styles. If quick and simple is your style, see Chad about a piercing, anything from subtle to extreme. The Squench’s team has tattooed everyone from your neighbor to country singer David Allan Coe. —Michael Jacome

As a transplanted Californian, I’m accustomed to seeing tanning salons on every corner. While Mississippi does not share California’s addiction to ultraviolet light, the icicles on the roof of my house recently reminded me that looking pasty is not tasty. Along with tanning beds, available services at Sun Gallery include facials, massages and waxing. Can’t wait for your tan? Try the popular airbrush tanning technique where you’ll be treated like the masterpiece while getting a quick tan that lasts up to 14 days.

The Fondren location is even open seven days a week, so you really don’t have an excuse.

And fellas? The women in your life love being pampered, so think of Sun Gallery for your next special occasion.

—Michael Jacome Second: Solar 51 (398 Highway 51, Ridgeland, 601-898-1003; 136 S. Pearson Road, Pearl, 601939-1990; 727 Clinton Parkway, Clinton, 601-925-9747) / Third: Reservoir Tan & Salon (132D Lakeland Heights Blvd., Flowood, 601-992-3535)

Best Campaigner for a Best of Jackson Award: Brad “Kamikaze” Franklin You’ve got to admire people who see an empty ballot as a challenge. All the folks who placed in this category accepted that challenge with gusto. Wielding the social-networking tools of Twitter and Facebook plus word-of-mouth, they went on missions to get the vote out … for themselves. And as the list of top vote-getters in this category indicates, no sphere is safe from best-of campaign fever—chiropractors, restaurateurs, radio personalities—everyone wants to win, and why not? Congratulations to all of them for a great effort. Something tells me that these folks will stay on our minds—and in our Facebook feeds—even after the polls have closed.

—Julie Skipper Second: Dr. Leo Huddleston / Third: Jeff Good / Good Showing: Jennifer Robertson (Lacey’s Salon); Janis Boersma (Nick’s); Nate and Murphy (Y101)

Thank You for voting us 2011 finalists:

Best Non-profit in Jackson

community servies

Winner for the years of 2004 • 2005 • 2006 • 2007 • 2008 • 2009 • 2010

“Faith meeting needs in our community.”

We really appreciate your support and look forward to making 2011 our best year yet.

Stewpot Community Services, Inc. - Metro Jackson’s Inter-Faith Ministry 1100 West Capitol Street, Jackson, MS 39203 • 601-353-2759

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jacksonfreepress.com

Best Restaurant: Walker’s Drive-In 3016 N. State St., 601-982-2633

COURTESY PARLOR MARKET

115 W. Capitol St., 601-373-9841

Best New Restaurant: Second: Local 463 (121-A Colony Crossing, Madison, 601-707-7684) / Third: Babalu Tacos & Tapas (622 Duling Ave., 601-366-5757) / Good Showing: Burgers & Blues (1060 E. County Line Road, Suite 22, Ridgeland, 601-899-0038); Mimi’s Family & Friends (3139 N. State St., 601-366-6111) Most Innovative Menu Second: Mint (1000 Highland Colony Parkway, Suite 502, 601898-6468) / Third: Walker’s Drive-In (3016 N. State St., 601-982-2633) / Good Showing: Julep (4500 Interstate 55 N., Suite 105, 601-362-1411); Local 463 (121-A Colony Crossing, Madison, 601-707-7684) Best New Bar Second: Babalu Tacos & Tapas (622 Duling Ave., 601-366-5757) / Third: Underground 119 (119 S. President St., 601-352-2322) / Good Showing: Hilton Garden Inn Downtown, King Edward Hotel Bar (235 W. Capitol St., 601-353-5464) Best Cocktails: Second: Julep (4500 Interstate 55 N., Suite 105, 601-362-1411) / Third: Mint (1000 Highland Colony Parkway, 601-898-6468) / Good Showing: Bravo! Italian Restaurant & Bar (4500 Interstate 55 N., Suite 244, 601-982-8111); Char (4500 Interstate 55 N., Suite 142, 601-956-9562); Pi(e) Lounge at Sal & Mookie’s (565 Taylor St., 601-368-1919); Underground 119 (119 S. President St., 601-352-2322)

Best Wine List/Selection: Bravo! Italian Restaurant & Bar

January 26 - February 1, 2011

4500 Interstate 55 N., Suite 244, 601-982-8111

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Bravo! is known for many things, including its food, courteous and attentive service, and the wine list. The Italian fusion restaurant that opened April 7, 1994, has won 10 Wine Spectator Awards for its extensive wine selection. You’ll travel the world right at your table as you sip domestic and international red and white table wines and sparkling wines, with varietals coming from places like the coast of California, New Mexico, Oregon, Argentina, France, China, Italy and Australia. Although former sommelier Kelly Boutwell left the company in October 2010, her legacy is still strong through the restaurant’s impressive wine list. While dining, the staff will be more than happy to make recommendations of food and wine pairings. Bravo! also holds several wine tastings throughout the year.

—ShaWanda Jacome Second: Shapley’s Restaurant (868 Centre St., Ridgeland, 601-957-3753) / Third: Julep (1305 E. Northside Drive, Suite 105, 601-362-1411) / Good Showing: Char (4500 Interstate 55 N., Suite 142, 601-956-9562)

Second: Parlor Market (115 W. Capitol St., 601-373-9841) / Third: Char (4500 Interstate 55 N., Suite 142, 601-956-9562) / Good Showing: Bravo! Italian Restaurant & Bar (4500 Interstate 55 N., Suite 244, 601-982-8111); Julep (1305 E. Northside Drive, Suite 105, 601-362-1411); Nick’s (3000 Old Canton Road, 601-981-8017)

Best Chef: Craig Noone, Parlor Market 115 W. Capitol St., 601-373-9841

There’s something to be said for combining confidence, drive and skill. Noone, 31, returned to his hometown and promptly took his place at the top of a list that includes guys who have been revered Jackson chefs for quite some time, as well as other rising-star newcomers. While away, he studied at the Texas Culinary Academy (now Le Cordon Bleu) in Austin where he perfected his knack for updating traditional southern cuisine. His dedication to crafting a menu that changes with every season and features nothing (not even the ketchup and pickles on the burger) that isn’t made in-house by the most talented kitchen staff in Jackson is one to be rivaled.

Craig has raised the bar, and it will be interesting to see how the other lions in this pack respond. My guess is that everyone in Jackson is in for a treat as the established chefs and the new guys battle it out for next year’s top spot.

—Tom Ramsey Second: Derek Emerson, Walker’s Drive-In (3016 N. State St., 601-982-2633) / Third: Luis Bruno, Hilton Jackson, Huntington Grille (1001 E. County Line Road, 601-957-1515) / Good Showing: Dan Blumenthal, Bravo! Italian Restaurant and Bar (4500 Interstate 55 N., Suite 244, 601-9828111); Brian Cartenuto (in Jackson, currently available for hire, 202-210-8776); Gary Hawkins, Sophia’s (734 Fairview St., 601-948-3429)

Best Steak: Tico’s Steak House

1536 E. County Line Road, Ridgeland, 601-956-1030

The outside of Tico’s Steak House in Ridgeland resembles a rustic log cabin and the inside a winter lodge with wood-paneling and a jade-green granite-tile bar. But their menu is anything but quaint or rustic. Tico’s offers a classic, high-end meat-and-potatoes menu of homemade onion rings, baked potatoes, in 8-ounce, 12-ounce and 14-ounce filets, ribeyes, New York strip, porterhouse and steak with rock lobstertail. Tico’s offers plenty of alternate choices of shrimp cocktail, lamb chops and daily dessert specials. Listed in many regional top-10 lists for steak houses, Tico’s is an intimate spot, where you can enjoy a firstrate meal by the crackling fireplace.

—Michael Jacome Second: Shapley’s Restaurant (868 Centre St., Ridgeland, 601-957-3753) / Third: Char (4500 Interstate 55 N., Suite 142, 601-956-9562) / Good Showing: Olga’s Fine Dining (4760 Interstate 55 N., Suite D, 601-366-1366); Ely’s Restaurant & Bar (115 W. Jackson St., Ridgeland, 601-6056359); Crechale’s Cafe (3107 Highway 80 W., 601-355-1840)

Best Place to Eat When Someone Else Pays: Char 4500 Interstate 55 N., Suite 142, Jackson, 601-956-9562

The first time I went to Char was on a date with my wife. I sampled the 18-ounce, wood-grilled, bone-in ribeye steak with cured butter and baked-potato croquettes, and my wife had the pan-seared duck breast and confit leg with honey-merlot sauce, and a salad of kohlrabi and pear with a side of grits. Both were excellent. Char has been in Jackson since 2002. Not only is it a great place for a date, but it’s also a fine choice for family gatherings, rehearsal dinners or as a place to take out-of-town guests. With executive chef and co-owner Paul Schramkowski at the helm since 2006, Char has followed his culinary philosophy of “simple, fresh, rustic dishes well-prepared and executed.”

—Michael Jacome Second: Walker’s Drive-In (3016 N. State St., 601-982-2633) / Third: Nick’s (3000 Old Canton Road, 601-981-8017) / Good Showing: Parlor Market (115 W. Capitol St., 601373-9841); Shapley’s Restaurant (868 Centre St., Ridgeland, 601-957-3753)

COURTESY CRAIG NOONE

Craig Noone and his crew hit Jackson like a madhouse toque-wearing, knife-wielding, sauce-reducing wrecking crew. They have shaken up the restaurant scene and put everyone on notice that Jackson can become the next food Mecca in the Deep South. I never thought I would see the day when a downtown Jackson restaurant had the stones and dedication to do a seasonal menu that featured bold flavors and techniques unheard-of in a town known for fried food and lump crabmeat swimming in heavy cream.

To pull off such a feat, Craig enlisted the talents of so many great cooks one would think he was shooting a season of “Top Chef.” These guys and gals are culinary rock stars with dedication to match their talents. When Jesse Houston and Ryan Bell needed cash to pay for furniture and lodging, they held a yard sale where the star attraction wasn’t bric-abrac and used stuff; it was the gourmet hot dogs they served. And when Craig wanted to wow his patrons with cool libations, he turned to his new friend, the bon vivant Arthur Jones, who painstaking researched prohibition-era and pre-prohibition cocktails that Parlor Market’s resident mixologist Robert Arender features on a menu you’d expect to find at the Savoy in London. Reservations are a must, and when you go, try the aviation cocktail.

From the supper menu, there are delights from land, air and sea. Raw oysters are available in the half or dozen served with your choice of bacon mignonette, lime guajillo granita, bloody mary cocktail sauce or apple celery sorbet. Or consider the red snapper with frogmore stew, shrimp hush puppies and delta-ground grits. From land you’ve got a bounty of options including braised pork belly, cowboy ribeye, brown sugar and tea-brined chicken or a farmer’s vegetable plate. To satisfy your sweet tooth, pastry chef Whitney Evans has a spread of fun inventions like mason jar cake, chocolate peanut cake, or a harvest tart with a seasonal fruit, a walnut crust, brown sugar ice cream and rum-raisin sauce. The Walk Down Memory Lane features homemade childhood favorites like ding-dongs and tartand-tangy push-pops.

—Tom Ramsey

TATE K. NATIONS

Best New Restaurant, Most Innovative Menu, Best New Bar, Best Cocktails: Parlor Market

Once again, Derek Emerson’s gastronomic pleasure palace has come out on top. Did you have any doubts that he would? Just the mention of word “Walker’s” makes me salivate like Pavlov’s dog standing beneath St. Mark’s Campanile. I don’t care if you are as broke as an Arizona ice fisherman, save up your pennies, dimes and dollars and blow it all on three or four courses and a bottle of wine at Walker’s. Your options include: lobster mac and cheese, Walker’s tamales, miso-marinated Chilean sea bass, Mediterranean-style bronzini, or veal piccatta with lumpcrab meat. For dessert, try the crème brulee, Walker’s bread pudding with vanilla sauce, Chef Emerson’s cheese plate for two or request a dessert sampler. You might have to take up residence under a bridge, but the memory of that meal with keep you happy as a clam while the cars rumble overhead.

—Tom Ramsey

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Best French Fries: Stamps Superburger 1801 Dalton St., 601-352-4555

Good French fries are hard to come by. Not every restaurant serves up fries that could be a meal on their own. Stamps, however, has mastered the talent. In business since 1971, owner Phil Stamps knows that no burger is complete without fries. The fries they prepare are freshly cut daily and seasoned to your exact specifications. You have a choice of salt and pepper, lemon-pepper, Cajun or any combination of those flavors. —Briana Robinson

Best Seafood: AJ’s Seafood Grille 361 Township Ave., Ridgeland, 601-856-2844

Great chefs will tell you, fish is an unforgiving protein. You can fudge it a little with pork or beef, but if you mess up a fish, there’s no way to fix it or fake it. The good news for us ichthyophiles is that with AJ’s around, we never have to worry about sole that tastes like foot. John and Lucy Taylor treat fish the way Indiana Jones treated the Holy Grail—with love, respect and a big spoonful of beurre blanc sauce. Well, maybe not, but you get the point. Try the pesto salmon roulade, Cajun crawfish risotto, Mayan-spiced chicken breast or AJ’s special, which is fresh Gulf redfish topped with jumbo lump crabmeat and whitewine sauce or blackened with Cajun crawfish sauce served with scallion mashed potatoes and a vegetable medley. Whether you crave fish, shellfish or mollusks, you’ll be thrilled with anything on the AJ’s menu.

—Tom Ramsey

Second: Five Guys Burgers and Fries (1000 Highland Colony Parkway, Ridgeland, 601-605-1115) / Third: Cool Al’s (4654 McWillie Drive, 601-713-3020) / Good Showing: Burgers & Blues (1060 E. County Line Road, Suite 22, Ridgeland, 601-899-0038); Mugshots Grill & Bar (4245 Lakeland Drive, Flowood, 601-932-4031); Rooster’s (2906 N. State St., 601-982-2001)

Best Veggie Burger: Cool Al’s 4654 McWillie Drive, 601-713-3020

While Cool Al’s is known for its huge hamburgers, the menu there also fulfills the taste buds of vegetarians. Their original veggie-burger recipes are unique and delicious.

The menu warns that the Jamaican and West African veggie burgers are spicy. Made with a blend of spices, beans and peas, each burger is a representation of the restaurant’s perception of the regions. Cool Al’s also offers the Pineapple Veggie Delight on a whole-wheat bun. For vegetarians who like to pretend they’re eating a real burger loaded down with fixins, try the Garden Burger.

—Briana Robinson

Second: Mayflower Café (123 W. Capitol St., 601-355-4122) / Third: Walker’s Drive-In (3016 N. State St., 601-982-2633) / Good Showing: Sal & Phil’s (6600 Old Canton Road, Suite B, Ridgeland, 601-957-1188)

Best Burger: Burgers & Blues

1060 E. County Line Road, Suite 22, Ridgeland, 601-899-0038

Second: High Noon Café (2807 Old Canton Road, 601-366-1602) / Third: Burgers & Blues (1060 E. County Line Road, Suite 22, Ridgeland, 601-899-0038) / Good Showing: Majestic Burger (1491 Canton Mart Road, 601-899-8822) SARAH RIBSTEIN

Al Stamps’ reputation clearly followed him from restaurants he helped start, Stamps Superburger and Cool Al’s. Since opening in April, Burgers & Blues has made its way to the top of everyone’s favorite burger joint list. Another Al Stamps restaurant, in collaboration with Steven Sahler, turned out to be just what the public was looking for. Burgers & Blues is both a family-friendly restaurant and a sports bar with live blues and southern rock music every Tuesday through Sunday nights. The menu is filled with signature burgers such as “The Stamp” and “The County Line,” and customers can choose from 4-ounce, 8-ounce or 16-ounce patties. If you are brave, try “The Whammy Challenge,” three one-pound patties with all the trimmings and a pound of fries. If you finish this eating challenge in 30 minutes or less, the meal is free, and you get your photo on the Whammy Wall of Fame.

—Briana Robinson Second: Mugshots Grill & Bar (4245 Lakeland Drive, Flowood, 601-932-4031) / Third: Stamps Superburger (1801 Dalton St., 601-352-4555) / Good Showing: Cool Al’s (4654 McWillie Drive, 601-713-3020); Majestic Burger (4943 Old Canton Road, 601-899-8822); Five Guys Burgers and Fries (1000 Highland Colony Parkway, Ridgeland, 601-605-1115)

Best Asian (not Chinese): Pan-Asia

720 Harbor Pointe Crossing, Ridgeland, 601-956-2958

January 26 - February 1, 2011

Second: Thai House (1405 Old Square Road, 601-982-9991) / Third: Bonsai Japanese Steakhouse (1925 Lakeland Drive, 601-981-0606) / Good showing: Nagoya (6351 Interstate 55 N., Suite 131, 601-977-8881; 111 Colony Crossing, Suite 380, Madison, 601-856-5678); Little Tokyo (876 Avery Blvd., 601-991-3800); Saigon Vietnamese Restaurant (2640 Lakeland Drive, Flowood, 601-420-4848)

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

After 30 years, Keifer’s is far and away a Jackson institution. For some, it’s the comforting atmosphere and great open-air dining of their porches; others rally under the flag of pita, feta and salads, but for nearly everyone Keifer’s is the place for a delicious selection of wraps.

While feta pita, Grecian salads, classic gyros, and suvlaki are all well and good, the real secret to Keifer’s success is their feta sauce. Smooth, creamy and bursting with feta goodness, the sauce goes well with everything at Keifer’s.

—Andrew Dunaway

2807 Old Canton Road, 601-366-1513

Being a vegetarian is hard. I lasted about two days when I went meat-free. So when my vegetarian friend invited me to lunch at High Noon Cafe, I was skeptical. To top it off, she suggested the High Noon Burger. I’d tried veggie burgers before that tasted like dirt, so I wasn’t looking forward to it. But then it arrived, and it put other veggie burgers, and even other meat burgers, to shame. I now eat there all the time. I love all their menu items, whether it’s the burger or a “Blue” Bowl that’s so tasty it makes me, a meat-eater, crave tofu. High Noon isn’t just great because they have tons of vegetarian options; they’re great because all of them are delicious.

—Holly Perkins Second: Aladdin Mediterranean Grill (730 Lakeland Drive, 601-366-6033; 163 Ridgeway, Suite E, Flowood, 601-992-7340) / Third: Cool Al’s (4654 McWillie Drive, 601-713-3020) / Good Showing: Spice Avenue (4711 Interstate 55 N., 601-982-0890)

Best Falafel: Aladdin

730 Lakeland Drive, 601-366-6033; 163 Ridgeway, Suite E, Flowood, 601-992-7340

Long a favorite of the University of Mississippi Medical Center crowd, Aladdin has established itself as one of the best Mediterranean restaurants in Jackson. Featuring a menu of Middle Eastern favorites such as tabouli, kabobs, housemade hummus and gyros, there’s something to suit every facet of your sumac-loving taste buds. As good as Aladdin’s other offerings are, it’s the falafel that puts it on top of this year’s Best of Jackson voting. Made from chickpeas and accented with plenty of garlic, onion and parsley, Aladdin’s falafel are deep-fried and served with a silky tahini yogurt dipping sauce.

While the rest of the meat-centric menu is quite tempting, the perfectly fried falafel at Aladdin makes a compelling argument for a vegetarian diet.

—Andrew Dunaway Second: Keifer’s (705 Poplar Blvd,, 601-355-6825; 120 N. Congress St., 601-353-4976) / Third: Jerusalem Café (2741 Old Canton Road, 601-321-8797) / Good Showing: Petra Café (104 W. Leake St., Clinton, 601-925-0016); Mediterranean Fish and Grill (6550 Old Canton Road, Ridgeland, 601-956-0082)

Best Mediterranean/Greek: Second: Aladdin Mediterranean Grill (730 Lakeland Drive, 601-366-6033; 163 Ridgeway, Suite E, Flowood, 601-992-7340) / Third: Wraps (1220 E. Northside Drive, 601-366-2006) / Good Showing: Kristos (971 Madison Ave., Madison, 601-605-2266); Jerusalem Café (2741 Old Canton Road, 601321-8797); Mediterranean Fish and Grill (6550 Old Canton Road, Ridgeland. 601-956-0082) Best Outdoor Dining: Second: Que Será Será (2801 N. State St., 601-981-2520) / Third: Walker’s Drive-In (3016 N. State St., 601-982-2633) / Good Showing: Burgers & Blues (1060 E. County Line Road, Suite 22.

Ridgeland. 601-899-0038); Sal & Mookie’s New York Style Pizzeria & Ice Cream Parlor (565 Taylor St., 601-368-1919)

SHAWANDA JACOME

Tucked away in Ridgeland, you’ll find Pan Asia with its modern and Zen décor complete with a 32-foot indoor waterfall. It offers a huge selection of Asian fusion dishes made from the fresh ingredients inspired by flavors from regions of Thailand, Japan, India, Vietnam and China. It’s so fresh, in fact, their ahi-tuna is flown in from Hawaii daily. The full menu includes: appetizers, sides, soups, salads, sushi (maki rolls, donburi, nigiri and sashimi), noodle and rice dishes, stir-fry bar and desserts. Choose from one of the signature dishes: firecracker shrimp, panko soft shell crabs, grilled filet mignon or roast duck breast.

The Gong Bar offers an extensive martini, wine list and some interesting libations like the Fortune Cookie (Godiva White, Smirnoff Vanilla, White Creme de Cacao served with a chocolate-covered fortune cookie). Enjoy drink specials—draft beer, sake, wine, martinis and frozen drinks—on different nights of the week.

—Pamela Hosey

Best Vegetarian Options: High Noon Café

Best Gumbo, Best Red Beans & Rice: Que Será Será

Best Chinese: Ichiban Sushi and Chinese Buffet

For more than 20 years, Boo and Cyndi Noble have owned and operated Que Será Será on North State Street where many Jacksonians turn for their Cajun culinary needs.

While their menu features Louisiana classics like fried crawfish tails, catfish po-boys and Cajun pizzas, it’s the Duggan’s Seafood Gumbo that truly sets them apart from the competition. A perennial Best of Jackson Best Gumbo winner, it is rife with andouille, shrimp, crab and oysters. Combine that gumbo with the stellar red beans & rice, and the trademark outdoor dining, and it should come as no surprise that Que Será Será once again takes home their fair share of the Best of Jackson awards.

—Andrew Dunaway

For access to a nearly unlimited variety of food, it’s hard to beat the classic Chinese buffet. Where else can you find snow crab legs, fried rice, General Tso’s chicken, Crab Rangoon, and all your other Chinese favorites in row after row of gleaming stations? While Jackson may offer a wide selection of Chinese restaurants, it’s Ichiban that garners this year’s award for the best in Jackson. At Ichiban, they go above and beyond your average Chinese buffet by offering freshly made sushi and a selection of dim sum dumplings. The only real problem is deciding where to start, but with an all-you-can-eat policy, feel free to make multiple trips to the buffet to sample the full variety.

—Andrew Dunaway

Best Gumbo Second: Hal & Mal’s (200 Commerce St., 601-948-0888) / Third: Char (4500 Interstate 55 N., Suite 142, 601-956-9562) / Good Showing: Fat Tuesday’s (6923 Old Canton Road, Suite 105, Ridgeland, 601-956-2971); Broad Street Baking Company (4465 Interstate 55 N., Suite 101, 601-362-2900); Nick’s (3000 Old Canton Road, 601-981-8017)

Second: China Belle (1855 Lakeland Drive, Suite E10, 601-368-9588) / Third: P.F. Chang’s China Bistro (910 Highland Colony Parkway, Ridgeland, 601-605-4282) / Good Showing: Ding How Asian Bistro (6955 Old Canton Road, Ridgeland, 601-956-1717); Five Happiness Chinese Restaurant (2931 McDowell Road Extension, 601-371-8765)

Best Red Beans & Rice Second: Hal & Mal’s (200 Commerce St., 601-948-0888) / Third: Fat Tuesday’s (6923 Old Canton Road, Suite 105, Ridgeland, 601-956-2971) / Good Showing: Cherokee Drive Inn (1410 Old Square Road, 601-362-6388)

Best Sushi: Nagoya Japanese Restaurant

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

359 Ridgeway, Flowood, 601-919-8879

6351 Interstate 55, Suite 131, 601-977-8881

Nagoya Japanese Restaurant once again wins the Best of Jackson award for best sushi.

Clearly the chefs and staff are doing something right there. From its showy hibachi grill to its traditional sushi, Nagoya offers an array of selections across the Asian cuisine spectrum.

If you want some more adventurous dishes, try one of the specialty rolls (like the Rainbow Roll or the Rock & Roll). If you want to get in touch with your traditional side, try the California Roll or the Nagoya Roll. Jackson actually has plenty of sushi restaurants, like Little Tokyo and Sakura Bana (a Jackson staple), so have fun exploring them all.

—Byron Wilkes

6592 Old Canton Road, Ridgeland, 601-977-0563

Best Italian Second: Bravo! Italian Restaurant & Bar (4500 Interstate 55 N., Suite 244, 601-982-8111) / Third: Fratesi’s (910 Lake Harbour Drive, Ridgeland, 601-956-2929) / Good Showing: Cerami’s Italian Trattoria and Café (5417 Lakeland Drive, Suite I, Flowood, 601-919-2829); Biaggi’s Ristorante Italiano (970 Highland Colony Parkway, Ridgeland, 601-354-6600) Best Pasta Second: Bravo! Italian Restaurant & Bar (4500 Interstate 55 N., Suite 244, 601-982-8111) / Third: Biaggi’s Ristorante Italiano (970 Highland Colony Parkway, Ridgeland, 601-354-6600) / Good Showing: Fratesi’s (910 Lake Harbour Drive, Ridgeland, 601-956-2929); Cerami’s Italian Trattoria and Café (5417 Lakeland Drive, Brandon, 601-919-2829); Sal & Mookie’s New York Pizza and Ice Cream Joint (565 Taylor St., 601-368-1919) Best Place for Dessert Second: Char (4500 Interstate 55 N., Suite 142, 601-956-9562) / Third: Sal & Mookie’s New York Style Pizza and Ice Cream Joint (565 Taylor St., 601-368-1919) / Good Showing: Bravo! Italian Restaurant & Bar (4500 Interstate 55 N., Suite 244, 601-982-8111); Primos Café (2323 Lakeland Drive, 601-936-3398; 515 Lake Harbour Drive, Ridgeland, 601-898-3600); Parlor Market (115 W. Capitol St., 601-360-0090)

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

In the cutthroat world of hand-tossed pizza, it is often difficult to choose where to go.

The Pizza Shack beckons you to try something new, even as it offers excellent standards, such as cheese and pepperoni. The Pizza Shack has also designed more than 15 specialty pizzas for any type of customer. You’re in the mood for shrimp, but don’t want to get seafood? Bam! The Shrimp Alfredo might be for you. Maybe you are feeling tropical, but just can’t get away? Pow! The Hawaiian can be just what the doctor ordered. Or maybe you are just a glutton for punishment? Then Shazam! The Chicken Curry Delight might be right up your alley.

—Michael Jacome Second: Sal & Mookie’s New York Style Pizza & Ice Cream Joint (565 Taylor St., 601-368-1919) / Third: Soulshine Pizza Factory (1139 Old Fannin Road, Flowood, 601-919-2000, 1111 Highland Colony Parkway Suite 1, Ridgeland, 601-856-8646) / Good Showing: Mellow Mushroom (275 Dogwood Blvd., Flowood, 601-992-7499)

COURTESY AMERIGO

If you’re seeking the best Italian, pasta and desserts in the city, then you’ll be pleased to discover you can enjoy them all in one meal. Since 1987, Amerigo is where many Jacksonians have turned to satisfy their itch for high-quality Italian cuisine. The only real problem with eating at Amerigo is knowing where to start. I suggest beginning with their cheese fritters. Featured in Bon Appetit, they are what mozzarella sticks want to be when they grow up. It’s obvious that pasta is your main course and from the cannelloni al forno to the shrimp scampi, you really can’t go wrong with any pasta selection. As for the generous-sized desserts, tiramisu may seem to be a clichéd answer, but can you really turn down a helping of vanilla cream and Kahlua chocolate sauce with your tiramisu? With that three-course menu being just one of the hundreds of combinations that Amerigo has to offer, it shows they have the chops to consistently win this trio of awards.

—Andrew Dunaway

Second: Little Tokyo Japanese Restaurant (876 Avery Blvd., Ridgeland, 601-991-3800) / Third: Sakura Bana (4800 Interstate 55, 601-982-3035) / Good Showing: Ichiban (153 Ridgeway, Flowood, 601-919-0097); Bonsai Japanese Steak House (1925 Lakeland Drive, 601-981-0606)

Best Take-Out: OEC Japanese Express

Multiple locations, 201 E. Layfair Drive, Suite 200, Flowood, 601-932-3588

Sometimes you find yourself hungry and cannot decide what to eat. Fast food is boring, steak is too heavy, but sushi hits the spot. OEC offers both hibachi and sushi for those undecided times. Try the sushi rolls, including the crab roll, dancing eel, volcano, tornado and caterpillar. Their hibachi grill, ranging in price from $4.95 to $10.95, is available at both lunch and dinner. Options include: chicken, steak, salmon, vegetables, shrimp, scallops or combination plates. Add a side of fried rice, salad (house, cucumber, seaweed, squid or crab), miso soup or edamame to any meal. OEC, with its casual diner-style atmosphere, is a great place to go for a quick lunch, dinner or to carry out. This Japanese fare will keep you fully satisfied.

—Michael Jacome Second: Wok to Go (4329 N. State St., 601-981-2112) / Third: Sal & Mookie’s New York Pizza and Ice Cream Joint (565 Taylor St., 601-368-1919) / Good Showing: Bravo! Italian Restaurant & Bar (4500 Interstate 55 N., Suite 244, 601-982-8111)

Best Mexican/Latin, Best Margaritas: La Cazuela 1401 E. Fortification St., 601-353-3014

With three simple ingredients, the margarita is an ethereal combination. Yes, every Mexican restaurant offers some form of this classic cocktail, but the people have spoken, and they have again crowned La Cazuela as the home of the city’s best margarita. Of course, this begs the question: “If a margarita is just a mixture of tequila, triple sec, lime juice and a little salt, what sets La Cazuela apart from the rest?” Well, it’s a trade secret at La Cazuela.

The only hint is that just one person makes the margaritas there. So take advantage of their 5-8 p.m. happy hour Sunday through Thursday, and savor the best Mexican food and Margaritas that Jackson has to offer.

—Andrew Dunaway Best Margaritas Second: Las Margaritas Mexican Restaurant (1625 E. County Line Road, Suite 120, Ridgeland, 601-957-7672, 737 Clinton Parkway, Clinton, 601-924-0005) / Third: Papitos (111 Colony Crossing Way, Suite 1200, Madison, 601-605-0275) / Good Showing: El Potrillo (210 Dogwood Blvd., Flowood, 601-992-9260) Best Mexican/Latin Second: Papitos (111 Colony Crossing, Madison, 601-605-0275) / Third: El Potrillo (210 Dogwood Blvd., Flowood, 601-992-9260) / Good Showing: Las Margaritas Mexican Restaurant (1625 E. County Line Road, Suite 120, Ridgeland, 601-957-7672; 737 Clinton Parkway, Clinton, 601-924-0005); El Sombrero (640 Highway 80 E., Clinton, 601-925-8282)

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Best Italian, Best Pasta, Best Place for Dessert: Amerigo Restaurant

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Best Deli/Sandwiches, Best Meal Under $10, Best Salad or Salad Bar: Newk’s Express Café TATE K. NATIONS

multiple locations

If you’re looking for a freshly made sandwich, look no further than Newk’s Express Café. Sandwiches at Newk’s range from the Chicken Salad Sandwich (with grapes, pecans and provolone cheese) to the Newk’s “Q” (grilled chicken topped with bacon, Swiss cheese and Newk’s own white barbecue sauce). For lighter fare, try the vegetarian club with grilled portabella mushrooms, bell peppers, goat cheese and pesto.

At Newk’s, customers don’t have to sacrifice portion sizes for cash, as making a meal with only $10 is easy and delectable. You can purchase a full-sized sandwich with sides or soup for $10, and you’ll likely have leftovers. “I can’t finish it all,” says Nick Nastasi, associate manager of the Newk’s in Flowood.

Newk’s selection of salads is the envy of most any eater, chief among these is the Newk’s Favorite Salad. It features cranberries, artichoke hearts, pecans and Gorgonzola cheese (if you’re not a meat-eater, ask for no chicken) and Newk’s own homemade sherry-vinaigrette dressing. They also offer Grab-n-Go salads and sandwiches.

—Byron Wilkes Best Deli/Sandwich Second: Broad Street Baking Co. (4465 Interstate 55 N., Suite 101, 601-362-2900) / Third: Beagle Bagel (4500 Interstate 55 N., Suite 145, 769-251-1892; 898 Avery Blvd. N., Ridgeland, 601-9561773) / Good Showing: Basil’s (904 E. Fortification St., Suite B, 601-352-2002; 2906 N. State St., 601-982-2100; 120 N. Congress St., 601-944-9888); McAlister’s Deli (multiple locations) Best Meal Under $10 Second: Keifer’s (705 Poplar Blvd., 601-355-6825) / Third (tie): Basil’s (904 E. Fortification St., Suite B, 601-352-2002; 2906 N. State St., 601-982-2100; 120 N. Congress St., 601-944-9888); High Noon Café (2807 Old Canton Road, 601-366-1602) / Good Showing: Beagle Bagel (4500 Interstate 55 N., Suite 145, 769-251-1892; 898 Avery Blvd. N., Ridgeland, 601-956-1773); Lumpkin’s BBQ Restaurant (182 Raymond Road, 601-373-7707) Best Salad or Salad Bar Second: Rainbow Natural Grocery Cooperative (2807 Old Canton Road, 601-366-1602) / Third: Cool Water Café (1011 Lake Harbour Drive, Ridgeland, 601-956-6332) Good Showing: Room Service (4107 Northview Drive, Suite D1, 601-362-4617)

Best Kids’ Menu Best, Place for Ice Cream: Sal & Mookie’s New York Style Pizza and Ice Cream Joint 565 Taylor St., 601-368-1919

January 26 - February 1, 2011

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Best Kids’ Menu Second: Newk’s Express Café (multiple locations) / Third: McAlister’s Deli (multiple locations) Best Place for Ice Cream Second: Marble Slab Creamery (1057 E. County Line Road, 601-899-9060) / Third: Bop’s Frozen Custard (1173 E. County Line Road, 601-952-0661) / Good Showing: Maggie Moo’s (1000 Highland Colony Parkway, Suite 8003, Ridgeland, 601-898-5993); Cold Stone Creamery (1888 Main St., Suite B, Madison, 601-853-7400) Sweet Tree Yogurt (772 Lake Harbour Drive, Suite 5, Ridgeland, 601-707-5491)

WILL CAVES

If my son had his way, we would have pizza every day. And not just any pizza: Sal & Mookie’s pizza. I first experienced Sal & Mookie’s while visiting my folks one Christmas prior to moving here in 2008. It was a cold and dreary day, but I was determined to try out this “pizza joint” I’d read about. The trek from Canton was well worth it.

I could rave on about the adult menu, but the kids’ menu is equally satisfying. Kids have a choice of pizza (of course), chicken tenders, hamburgers, PB&J, grilled chicken with fries and fruit, chicken parmesan, panini grilled provolone cheese sandwich or pasta with a choice of sauce. And to keep the kids busy while you wait, they can sculpt their own artwork with a free pack of wiki sticks. Sometimes they’ll even let you put it up on the wall.

A family meal is not complete without dessert. The ice cream selection at Sal & Mookie’s has more 20 flavors, which can be served in a dish, cake cone, sugar cone, waffle cone or chocolate-dipped candy-rolled waffle cone. They also have shakes, malts, floats, banana splits and sundaes. Try their “I’m all about the Candy” served with vanilla or chocolate ice cream, crumbled Snickers and Butterfinger bars, caramel sauce, crushed peanuts, whipped cream and a cherry. Or how about the Strawberry Fields Forever with strawberry ice cream, strawberry sauce, mini marshmallows, whipped topping, a cherry and a dusting of powdered sugar?

—ShaWanda Jacome

THANKS FOR THE BEST OF JACKSON VOTES!

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Always Drink Responsibliy

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Mon. - Sat., 10 a.m. - 9 p.m. • Maywood Mart Shopping Center 1220 E. Northside Dr. • 601-366-5676 • www.mcdadeswineandspirits.com

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Northeast Jackson’s Largest Showroom

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circa.

urban artisan living in Historic Fondren

Thank You Jackson

MEDITERRANEAN GRILL

4HANK YOU FOR THE "EST OF *ACKSON 6OTES 6ISIT ALADDININJACKSON COM

for choosing us as 2011 Best of Jackson finalists: â&#x20AC;¢ Place to Buy Unique Gifts â&#x20AC;¢ Rising Entrepreneurs: Michele & Craig Escude

An Intimate Evening with

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January 26 - February 1, 2011

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210 E Capitol Street â&#x20AC;¢ Region Plaza Downtown Jackson â&#x20AC;¢ 601.944.1188 clarkejewelersdowntown@gmail.com

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Operation Shoestring thanks our children, families, supporters and the greater Jackson community for a very blessed 2010. By teaching kids and inspiring families, Operation Shoestring ensures we all rise together.

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www.OperationShoestring.org www.facebook.com/OperationShoestring

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Helping Families in Crisis with Practical Solutions! !"#$%&'()"*++"&$,&%$"&$-".,(/0"1'/0"2%,/0'()

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Thank You

for voting us One of the Best Places to Buy Cakes!

Cakes and Cupcakes for ALL Occasions!

Owner - Dani Mitchell Turk, featured on the Food Network’s Ultimate Recipe Showdown

Photo by Hull Portraits

4950 Old Canton Road Jackson, MS 39211 Phone: 601-991-2253

Custom cakes for all occasions

Candy Cocktails & Frappe

Gourmet chocolates & truffles

Freezes at our “Candy Bar”

Bulk candy

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10% off any bakery order with presentation of this ad.

(Applies to any order over $25)

Located in Fannin Market 1149 Old Fannin Rd. Ste. #7 in Brandon MS Call 601-992-9623 or e-mail jgstewart@bellsouth.net

January 26 - February 1, 2011

Catering to your every need.

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To have us cater your next event, come by any of our convenient locations.

Locations in Ridgeland, Jackson and Madison WWW.BEAGLEBAGELCAFE.NET Follow us on Facebook for the latest specials.

Text “Beagle” to 90210 to be eligible for Beagle Bagel give-aways!

Best Donuts: Scurlock’s Donut Shop and Eatery 125 S. Congress St., Suite 106, 601-326-8520

When it comes to donuts, Jackson is home to many local shops. Instead of facing the County Line traffic for mass-produced donuts, enjoy Scurlock’s freshly baked glazed, jellyfilled or chocolate-covered homemade donuts. The assortment of pastries is endless: buttermilk cakes, cream-cheese Danish and more. Breakfast starts at 7 a.m with the traditional breakfast menu. They also serve lunch items. Drop by Monday through Friday, 7 a.m.-1 p.m. and the first Saturday every month from 7 a.m.-noon.

—Briana Robinson

3000 Old Canton Road, 601-981-8017

Second: Mandalyn Meadows-Goode, High Noon Café (2807 Old Canton Road, 601-366-1602) / Third: Anne Friday, Hal & Mal’s (200 S. Commerce St., 601-948-0888) / Good Showing: Jennifer Breaux, Parlor Market (115 W. Capitol St., 601-373-9841); Corinn Escude, Sal & Mookie’s New York Style Pizza and Ice Cream Joint (565 Taylor St., 601-368-1919)

Best Brunch/Sit-down Breakfast, Best Place to Buy Cakes, Best Plate Lunch: Primos Café 2323 Lakeland Drive, 601-936-3398; 515 Lake Harbour Drive, Ridgeland, 601-898-3600

Primos first opened its doors as a bakery in 1929. Although the café has been moved and remodeled several times, it still offers amazing food. I go there often for breakfast (try the biscuits and cheese grits), and no matter how hard I try, I can never avoid the bakery case. I suggest the strawberry cake and the caramel cake. Primos offers a choice of two blueplate specials Monday through Friday. Primos traditional southern lunch and dinner fare in addition to their yummy homemade desserts will have you hooked. —Pamela Hosey Best Brunch / Sit-down Breakfast Second: Julep (4500 Interstate 55 N., Suite 105, 601-362-1141) / Third: Broad Street Baking Company (4465 Interstate 55 N., Suite 101, 601-362-2900) / Good showing: Mimi’s Family and Friends (3139 N. State St., 601-366-6111); Char (4500 Interstate 55 N., 601-956-9562) Best Place to Buy Cakes Second: That Special Touch (2769 Old Brandon Road, Pearl, 601-932-5223) / Third: Campbell’s Bakery (3013 N. State St., 601-362-4628) / Good Showing: Dream Cakes (1006 Top St., Suite D, Flowood, 601-992-2708); Cakes and Candles (670 Highway 51, Suite H, Ridgeland, 601-6052646); For Heaven’s Cakes (4950 Old Canton Road, 601-991-2253) Best Plate Lunch Second: Walker’s (3016 N. State St., 601-982-2633) / Third: Cherokee Inn (1410 Old Square Road, 601-362-6388) / Good Showing: Trace Grill (558 Highway 51, Ridgeland, 601-853-1014) and McDade’s (653 Duling Ave., 601-366-5273; 904 E. Fortification St., 601-355-9668; 1220 E. Northside Drive, Suite 320, 601-366-5676)

Best Bakery, Best Breakfast on the Run: Broad Street Baking Company 4465 Interstate 55 N., Suite 101, 601-362-2900

We take birthdays seriously at the JFP. That often means desserts from Broad Street— most recently Italian cream cupcakes and New York-style cheesecake. You can also choose cookies, brownies, crispy treats, pots de creme and fruit tarts. Broad Street has a large array of breads and other baked goods: scones, muffins, croissants, cinnamon rolls and focaccia bread. Breakfast includes homemade granola, Belgian waffles, hash-brown casserole, cheese grits and fruit salad. The quiche and omelets of the day feature ingredients like goat cheese, sun-dried tomatoes, basil, onions, peppers, spinach, mushrooms and any other number of items. Wash it down with a bottomless cup of coffee.

—ShaWanda Jacome Best Bakery Second: Campbell’s Bakery (3013 N. State St., 601-362-4628) / Third: Primos Café (2323 Lakeland Drive, Flowood, 601-936-3398) / Good Showing: Great Harvest Bread Company (5006 Parkway Drive, 601-956-4406); Beagle Bagel (4500 Interstate 55 N., Suite 145, 769251-1892; 898 Avery Blvd., Ridgeland, 601-956-1773); Gigi’s Cupcakes (730 Makenzie Lane, Flowood, 601-919-1566) Best Breakfast On the Run Second: Beagle Bagel (4500 Interstate 55 N., 769-251-1892; 898 Avery Blvd. N., Ridgeland, 601956-1773) / Third: Primos Café (2323 Lakeland Drive, 601-936-3398; 515 Lake Harbour Drive, 601-898-3600) / Good Showing: Mimi’s Family and Friends (3139 N. State St., 601-366-6111); Scurlock’s Donut Shop and Eatery (125 S. Congress St., Suite 106, 601-326-8520); Corner Bakery Café (108 Market St., Flowood, 601-919-9797)

SHAWANDA JACOME

Perennial Best Server Janis Boersma will have been with Nick’s for 22 years this coming May, but she hardly considers her job work. “I really love my job; I really, truly do,” she says.

“I might be in a bad mood, but when I see my customers I brighten up, because I love them.” She starts to name off her customers, but for lack of space they can’t all be listed here. Boersma is the kind of waitress who’ll make a card, or on occasion a cake, for customers when she knows it’s their birthday.

“I think everybody brings something to the party,” she says. “Everyone has a gift, and you have to be open and receptive to that.”

—Byron Wilkes

Second: Donut Palace (5651 Highway 25, Brandon, 601-919-8601; 1716 Highway 51, Madison, 601-898-8781) / Third: Shipley Do-Nuts (103 Highway 80 E., Clinton, 601-925-0020) / Good Showing: Monroe’s Donuts & Bakery (6310 Medgar Evers Blvd., 601-981-3208); Pillow Donuts (5036 Parkway Drive, 601-572-8332)

Best Buffet, Best Soul Food: Mama Hamil’s Southern Cookin’ 480 Magnolia St., Madison, 601-856-4407

The word “buffet” conjures up images of bookoodles of choices. The words “soul food” bring to mind what for many of us Mississippians is a necessity: home-cooked comfort food, often as filled with good memories as it is with exceptional flavor. Head up to Madison on Highway 51 to Mama Hamil’s to partake of the veritable definition of all that.

Say hallelujah! You’ll find food perfect for the present, with the history of four generations of southern cooks behind it.

Every day of the week you can select from various meats, with that ol’ favorite, fried chicken, topping the list daily, lunch and dinner. Then there are the sides and salads that feed our southern souls, including at least a couple of favorites for everyone who walks through the door. I am partial to butter beans, fried okra and mashed potatoes. Your choice of eight salads and two breads can join your meat and three on your plate—that is if you were able to limit yourself to only three sides. And don’t forget, you’ve got to leave room for dessert, which means selecting from seven. Mercy!

—Lynette Hanson Best Buffet Second: Ichiban Chinese Buffet (359 Ridge Way, 601-919-8879, Flowood) / Third: Two Sisters’ Kitchen (707 N. Congress St., 601-353-1180) / Good Showing: Country Fisherman (3110 Highway 80 W., 601-944-9933) / Lumpkin’s BBQ Restaurant (182 Raymond Road, 601-373-7707) Best Soul Food Second: Two Sisters’ Kitchen (707 N. Congress St., 601-353-1180) / Third: Collins Dream Kitchen (1439 Terry Road, 601-353-3845) / Good Showing: Peaches (327 N. Farish St., 601-354-9267) / Bully’s Restaurant (3118 Livingston Road, 601-362-0484) / Lumpkin’s BBQ Restaurant, (182 Raymond Road, 601-373-7707)

Best BBQ: Hickory Pit

1491 Canton Mart Road, 601-956-7079

When I think of barbeque the words Texas and Memphis come to mind. The Hickory Pit, started in 1980, considers itself to be Mississippi-style barbeque and has proclaims it has the “Best Butts in Town.” The scent of that sweet barbeque in the air is the first thing that draws you in as you pull into their parking in Canton Mart Square. The menu includes barbeque chicken, pork, beef (served with a slaw relish), smoked ham, smoked turkey and po-boys. Load up your plate with “extra fixins” like garlic bread, Brunswick stew with homemade cornbread, tater salad or baked beans—you will be in hog heaven.

Finish your meal off with a slice of homemade lemon, pecan or Hershey bar pie, or a piece of carrot or coconut cake if you possibly can.

—Michael Jacome Second: E&L Barbeque (1111 Bailey Ave., 601-355-5035) / Third: Lumpkin’s BBQ (182 Raymond Road, 601-373-7707) / Good Showing: Sonny’s Real Pit Bar-B-Q (2603 Highway 80 W., 601-355-7434

Best Ribs: E&L Barbeque 1111 Bailey Ave., 601-355-5035

Mississippians like their ribs wet, slathered in sauce, not dry-rubbed Memphis-style.

And in Jackson, E&L Barbeque’s sauce is the reigning champ, giving its ribs the leg up on other worthy challengers. The legendary Georgetown barbecue joint’s reputation extends far and wide: no-nonsense furnishings, long lines at lunch and a rib plate to break your diet for—meaty, sweet, spicy and smoky in perfect proportion. Hickory Pit, which tends to dominate the Best Barbecue category, gets honorable mention here, while runners-up Lumpkin’s and Sonny’s mean that E&L has to stay on its game for 2012.

—Ward Schaefer Second: Lumpkin’s BBQ Restaurant (182 Raymond Road, 601-373-7707) / Third: Sonny’s Real Pit Bar-B-Q (2603 Highway 80 W., 601-355-7434) / Good Showing: Hickory Pit (1491 Canton Mart Road, 601-956-7079)

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Best Server: Janis Boersma, Nick’s

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Best Beer Selection, Bottled; Best Beer Section, Draft: The Bulldog

Best Fried Fish: Cock o’ the Walk

141 Madison Landing Circle, Ridgeland, 601-856-5500

When pretty much all you serve is one kind of fried fish, you better be pretty damn good at it. Cock o’ the Walk is so good that catfish tremble in fear at the mention of its name. This local landmark has been serving fish, flipping cornbread and feeding the masses for as long as I can remember, and I’ve yet to be disappointed with any meal I’ve had there.

The fish are always fresh and tasty, the fries are always crisp, and the service is always spoton. Keep up the good work.

—Tom Ramsey

COURTESY OF THE BULLDOG

6111 Ridgewood Road, 601-978-3502

The Bulldog is a Promised Land for lovers of beer. Self-declared “draft freaks” use a combination of nitrogen and CO2 to pump their draft, so it never touches the air, which can kill the flavor. They use a state-of-the-art dishwasher to wash their pint glasses so glasses are squeaky clean and ready for your beer-drinking enjoyment. You can enjoy yours in the bar, at a pub table or on the tree-lined patio.

Choose from more than 50 varieties of beer on tap from the lager, ale and wheat family originating from places like Germany, Australia, Ireland and Mexico. The Bulldog offers drink specials different nights of the week like $2 off select pitchers on Monday, $1 off local pints on Tuesday and happy hour every day until 7 p.m. On Wednesdays, for every two collectible pint glasses returned to the bar, The Bulldog will donate $1 to the local SPCA. For the ultimate beer-drinking fan, The Bulldog offers a Beer Journey card. Once you complete your card with all 50 drafts, you’ll go home with some Bulldog swag and be immortalized on the “Adventurers” plaque hanging in the bar.

To help soak up all that beer, they offer an extensive menu including finger foods, sandwiches, wraps, salads, burgers, desserts and what they call “Other Grub” and “Fork Food.”

—ShaWanda Jacome

Second: Penn’s (2085 Lakeland Drive, 601-982-9004) / Third: Jerry’s Catfish House (3326 Highway 49 S., Richland, 601-845-8860) / Good Showing: Eddie & Ruby’s Snack Bar (1268 Valley St., 601-969-2723); Martin’s Fish House (5249 Clinton Blvd., 601-922-1150)

Best Fried Chicken: Two Sisters’ Kitchen 707 N. Congress St., 601-353-1180

It’s no surprise that this year is Two Sisters’ Kitchen’s seventh consecutive year to win Best Fried Chicken. After more than 20 years of service, this downtown Jackson buffet has remained one of Jackson’s top lunch spots for workdays and after church on Sunday. The buffet line features various healthily cooked southern sides such as cabbage, mustard greens, grits and cornbread. The star, the chicken, is fresh (never frozen) and prepared with the skin off and dusted with a special seasoning. Owner Diann Irving Alford, who runs the restaurant with her daughter Amanda Griffin, says their special recipe has been passed down for four generations.

The dessert line always proves to be delicious, featuring bread pudding, peach cobbler or banana pudding, and sometimes, chocolate cake. Guests can choose to enjoy their meal inside the cottage-styled restaurant or out on the patio.

—Briana Robinson

Beer Selection, Bottled Second: Martin’s Restaurant & Lounge (214 S. State St., 601-354-9712) / Third: Sal & Mookie’s New York Pizza and Ice Cream Joint (565 Taylor St., 601-365-1919) / Good Showing: Parlor Market (115 W. Capitol St., 601-373-9841); McDade’s (multiple locations) Beer Selection, Draft Second: Sal & Mookie’s New York Pizza and Ice Cream Joint (565 Taylor St., 601-365-1919) / Third: Mellow Mushroom (275 Dogwood Blvd., Flowood, 601-992-7499) / Good Showing: Burgers & Blues (1060 E. County Line Road, Suite 22, Ridgeland, 601-899-0038); Fenian’s Pub (901 E. Fortification St., 601-948-0055)

Second: Julep (4500 Interstate 55 N., Suite 105, 601-362-1411) / Third: Mama Hamil’s Southern Cookin’ (480 Magnolia St., Madison, 601-856-4407) / Good Showing: Primos Café (2323 Lakeland Drive, Flowood, 601-936-3398; 515 Lake Harbour Drive, Ridgeland 601-898-3400); Rooster’s (2906 N. State St., 601-982-2001)

Best Barista: Eamonn Cottrell, Cups Fondren

Best Hangover Food: Cherokee Drive Inn

I’ve never had a coffee shop that I frequented enough to know the barista’s name. However, during my almost two years at the Jackson Free Press, I’ve made frequent morning trips over to the Fondren Cups.

I am greeted every weekday by Jackson’s favorite barista, Eamonn Cottrell (or Ramone, as one voter called him). He’s always poised and ready behind the counter to whip together your usual, whether it is a soy latte, a Capitol Street caramel or a fruit smoothie during the warmer months.

Cottrell will remember your order right down to whether you like yours with or without whipped cream.

Cottrell, who is a native of Knoxville, Tenn., has been living in Jackson and working at Cups since 2003 and lives by the motto of “progress, not perfection.” He’s currently pursing his degree in business administration at Millsaps College. When he’s not working, this 27-year-old piano man (he plays in his spare time) likes to spend time with his girlfriend, Angela, or take it easy with some rest and relaxation.

His favorite coffee? He keeps it simple and classic with a double-shot of espresso.

—ShaWanda Jacome Second: Cody Cox, Cups Fondren (2757 Old Canton Road, 601-362-7422) / Third: Leslee Foukal, Sneaky Beans (2914 N. State St., 601-487-6349) / Byron Knight, Sneaky Beans (2914 N. State St., 601-487-6349); Caitlin McNally, Sneaky Beans (2914 N. State St., 601-487-6349)

Best Taqueria: Taqueria La Guadalupe

January 26 - February 1, 2011

6537 Old Canton Road, Ridgeland, 601-206-7776

44

The tacos at Taqueria La Guadalupe made me forget every stomach-churning experience I’d had at a certain unmentionable taco drive-through. The traditional-style tacos range from chicken (pollo) to Mexican sausage (chorizo) and everything in between. The perfectly seasoned meat is served inside a homemade tortilla topped with a bit of cheese, lettuce, cilantro and fresh avocado with a sauce that takes the taco to another level of tastiness. If you’re looking to change it up a bit, they also have Mexican-style sandwiches called Tortas, that are so big you could share—although they’re so good you might not want to—as well as fajitas, enchiladas, burritos and traditional desserts like tres leches and flan.

—Holly Perkins Second: La Morena (6610 Old Canton Road, Ridgeland, 601-899-8821) Third: Babalu Tacos and Tapas (622 Duling Ave., 601-366-5757)

1410 Old Square Road, 601-362-6388

LYNETTE HANSON

SHAWANDA JACOME

2757 Old Canton Road, 601-362-7422

Nothing coats the stomach better after a night of beer drinking like the awesome dishes served at the Cherokee Drive Inn. On many Saturdays, my hungover pals and I have quarantined ourselves in the back booths to compare notes on the previous night’s adventures, while chugging some of the best sweet tea made, along with heaping piles of onion rings, chicken sandwiches and fried pickles doused in comeback sauce. And now the Cherokee is now open on Sundays. While the sounds of crashing dishes and children playing may make your head throb a little more, the food, atmosphere and service totally make up for it.

—Natalie Long Second: Keifer’s (705 Poplar Blvd., 601-355-6825) / Third: Pizza Shack (1220 N. State St., 601352-2001) / Good showing: Burgers & Blues (1060 E. County Line Road, Ridgeland, 601-8990038); Cool Al’s (4654 McWillie Drive, 601-713-3020); Que Sera Sera (2801 N. State St., 601981-2520)

Best Wings: Wingstop multiple locations

I once had a dream. It was an amazing dream. It had nothing to do with equality between all races; Dr. King already had that dream covered. It was a dream where my love of wings met my passion for lemon in an explosion in my mouth. That dream becomes reality at Wingstop. More than hype, Wingstop has won the Miller Lite Wing Tour two years in a row, in 2009 and 2010. Besides the dream-worthy lemon pepper wings, Wingstop has eight other flavors to choose: atomic, Cajun, original hot, mild, hickory smoked BBQ, garlic parmesan, Hawaiian and teriyaki. All flavors are available as regular wings, boneless and chicken strips.

Also try the fresh-cut seasoned fries, potato salad, coleslaw, hot cheddar-cheese sauce, bourbon-baked beans or crispy veggie sticks as you watch the game on one of their flatscreen TVs with an ice-cold beer in hand. If you don’t have time to eat there, you can call ahead or order online. With two locations in Jackson and one each in Clinton and Ridgeland, wings are only a short drive away.

—Michael Jacome Second: Buffalo Wild Wings Grill & Bar (808 Lake Harbour Drive, Ridgeland, 601-856-0789) / Third: Sal & Mookie’s New York and Ice Cream Joint (565 Taylor St., 601-368-1919) / Good Showing: Hooters (4565 Interstate 55 N., Frontage Road, 601-981-0480)

Best Live Music: Hal & Mal’s

Best Gospel Artist: Dathan Thigpen It is no surprise Dathan Thigpen has once again been voted Best Gospel Artist. Jacksonians have been blessed to witness Dathan’s ministry, and recently, the entire nation has been as well, when he appeared as one of the top 10 finalists on BET’s “Sunday Best.” Dathan, along with his choir, Holy Nation, has received glorious praise for their first CD, “Get Up, Vol. 1.” He’s ours, and we’re proud of him.

—Pamela Hosey

Whether you are getting off work and just need to unwind, or you’re going out with some friends, Hal & Mal’s is a great place to have a drink and catch some of the best live music in the area—from great local acts like Horse Trailer and Los Papis, to regional and national bands such as the North Mississippi Allstars, Drive-By Truckers and Old Crow Medicine Show. You might catch a hot hip-hop artist there, or enjoy the jazz of Lisa Palmer and the Knight Bruce Group, or the best upcoming talent singer-songwriter Wednesdays hosted by the JFP’s own Natalie Long. Local bands and a nice frosty beverage (I recommend the pear cider, but their selection is huge) go together like the restaurant’s excellent red beans and rice. Casual attire is the way to go, and while there is a takeout option, you’re robbing yourself of the full Hal & Mal’s experience if you don’t sit and stay for a while. This place pretty much started the downtown Jackson revival, and it’s still the best place to hear live music, even as other good ones pop up nearby.

—Michael Jacome

COURTESY DATHAN THIGPEN

Second: Mississippi Mass Choir / Third: Cedric Brinson / Good Showing: Stan Jones; Patrice Moncell; Williams Brothers

Best Original Band: Horse Trailer AARON PHILLIPS

LYNETTE HANSON

200 S. Commerce St., 601-948-0888

Second: Underground 119 (119 S. President St., 601-352-2322) / Third: Fire (209 Commerce St., 601-592-1000) / Good Showing: Martin’s (214 S. State St., 601-354-9712); Shucker’s (116 Conestoga Road, Ridgeland, 601-853-0105)

COURTESY AKAMI GRAHAM

Best Local Singer, Best R&B Artist: Akami Graham Once you hear Akami Graham’s soulful voice belt out songs

by Sade, Betty Wright and Chaka Khan (especially “Sweet Thang,” you’ll immediately understand why she has been a consistent winner for the Best R&B Artist and Best Local Singer categories. If you haven’t had an “Akami” experience, you can hear her along with The Key of “G” on Thursdays at Dreamz JXN or Fridays at Freelon’s Bar and Groove.

—Pamela Hosey

What started as a one-off project masterminded by Jamie Weems, Horse Trailer shows became a phenomenon in 2010. The band features Weems on mandolin, Valley Gordon on bass, Dave Hutchison on drums, Johnny Bertram on guitar, Bryan Ledford on guitar and banjo, and Taylor Hildebrand on guitar. Hildebrand, Bertram and Ledford handle vocals and songwriting with Weems adding instrumental songwriting to the mix, which Hildebrand describes as a folky-sounding culmination of “all those songwriters.” A favorite on the Jackson music scene, Horse Trailer’s band of dedicated musicians and blend of lyricists keep crowds coming back again and again. A collaborative effort that is at once both informal and formidable, Horse Trailer is one hometown band worth hitching your wagon to. And they are extremely nice people, to boot.

—Chris Zuga

Best Local Singer Second: Taylor Hildebrand / Third: Jason Turner / Good Showing: Lisa Palmer; Hunter Gibson; Natalie Long Best R&B Artist Second: Recognition / Third: Lou Writer / Good Showing: AJC

Second: The Colonels / Third: Storage 24 / Good Showing: Furrows

Best Singer/Songwriter Second: Jason Turner / Third: Cody Cox / Good Showing: Johnny Bertram Best Local Musician Second: Jason Turner / Third: Scott Albert Johnson / Good Showing: Patrick Harkins; Hunter Gibson

Best Rock Band: Storage 24 What can you say about a band that takes the Best Rock Band category three times in the last four years? You can say that it’s a band that has taken the time to understand its loyal fan base’s everevolving musical needs, keeping them constantly satisfied, and is also able to continue to appeal to new crowds. Not limiting shows to the same venues could also be a huge factor of the broad span of their following. Call them rock, call them hip-hop, call them whatever you must, but don’t just call them one thing, because the duality of Storage 24’s music has allowed them to walk away with the Best Rock Band award once again.

—Chris Zuga Second: Jason Turner Band / Third: Furrows / Good Showing: The Colonels

jacksonfreepress.com

When he isn’t busy as one-sixth of Horse Trailer, Taylor Hildebrand is carving out a name for himself as a solo act.

Hildebrand’s rootsy playing and earnest writing match perfectly with his inspired and raw vocal delivery. The release of his debut CD “Nena,” named after his grandmother and influenced by letters his grandfather wrote her during World War II, was fittingly in front of Jackson’s own tourist attraction, the War Memorial Building on South State Street, and is a particular point of pride with the musician. Never one to settle, Hildebrand confided that he is busy reinventing his sound for his next album, hopefully drawing in more fans as he continues to be a vital contributor to Jackson’s music and culture scene. —Chris Zuga

PIPPIN & MAXX

FRANK EZELLE

Best Singer/Songwriter, Best Local Musician: Taylor Hildebrand

45

Best Martinis, Best After-Work Drink, Best Place for Cocktails, Best Late-Night Dining, Best Appetizers: Julep

COURTESY THE COLONELS

Best Country Artist, Best Cover Band: The Colonels Rolling out of Brookhaven, Miss., The Colonels offer up modern rollicking country music in the vein of Garth Brooks, Tim McGraw and Brooks & Dunn. The Colonels crowd-pleasing anthems and sly humor are balanced by heartfelt ballads and a flair for incorporating honest southern boogie verve into the mix, thanks, in large part, to keyboardist Marvin “Chatty” Curtis. Topher Brown and Chuck Diesel’s vocals give-and-take and guitar interplay are backed up by the solid rhythm section of Donnie Hollis on bass and Brett Hart on drums. The recent addition of vocalist Jessica Curtis only sweetens the already simmering pot. Country fans should make a point to sample the band’s potent brew.

The band also takes the award for best cover band. Keith Urban, Brad Paisley, Justin Timberlake, T.I., Rick Springfield, Whitesnake, Alicia Keys and Joan Jett are just some of the artists The Colonels have been known to pay a little tribute to. Good music is where you find it, and a good time can be found in the audience whenever The Colonels take the stage.

—Chris Zuga

SHAWANDA JACOME

1305 East Northside Drive, Suite 105, 601-362-1411

Best Martinis Second: Bonefish Grill (201 Colony Way, Madison, 601-607-3334) / Third: Pan Asia (720 Harbour Pointe Crossing, Ridgeland, 601-956-2958)/ Good Showing: Bravo! Italian Restaurant (4500 Interstate 55 N., Suite 244, 601-982-8111)

Best Country Artist Second: Jeff Maddox / Third: Crossin’ Dixon

Best After-Work Drink Second: Parlor Market (115 West Capitol St., 601-373-9841) / Third: Bravo! Italian Restaurant (4500 Interstate 55 N., Suite 244, 601-982-8111) / Good Showing: Mint (1000 Highland Colony Parkway, 601-898-6468); Char (4500 Interstate 55 N. Suite 142, 601-956-9562); Nick’s (3000 Old Canton Road, 601-981-8017)

Best Cover Band Second: The Molly Ringwalds / Third: Clearform / Good Showing: Diesel 255, Guns of Addiction, U.S.

Best Cocktails Second: Parlor Market (115 W. Capitol St., 601-373-9841) / Third: Mint (1000 Highland Colony Parkway, 601-898-6468) / Good Showing: Bravo! Italian Restaurant (4500 Interstate 55 N. Suite 244, 601-982-8111); Char (4500 Interstate 55 N., Suite 142, 601-956-9562); Underground 119 (119 South President St., 601-352-2322)

Best Jazz Artist: Barry Leach

January 26 - February 1, 2011

COURTESY BIG K.R.I.T.

Second: Rhonda Richmond / Third: Raphael Semmes / Good Showing: Cassandra Wilson; Lisa Palmer

46

Best Hip-Hop Artist: Big K.R.I.T Big K.R.I.T may not call Jackson home, but you wouldn’t have known that on a chilly December night in the tent outside of Club Fire, where the Meridian native opened for Wiz Khalifa. K.R.I.T owned the more than 2,000 in attendance, even solidifying his Jackson connection with an appearance by David Banner that set the crowd wild (best moment in 2010 Jackson hip hop?). And speaking of David Banner, his recently released collaboration album with producer 9th Wonder, “Death of a Popstar,” is considered by most an instant classic. Banner continues to elevate Jackson’s place on the hip-hop map while laying the foundation for the next generation of local talent. Watch out for Jackson in 2011.

—Garrad Lee Second: David Banner / Third: Skipp Coon / Fourth: Rashad Street; PyInfamous; Noo-Noo

Best Late-Night Dining Second: Underground 119 (119 South President St., 601-352-2322) / Third: F. Jones Corner (303 North Farish St., 601-983-1148) / Good Showing: Bravo! Italian Restaurant (4500 Interstate 55 N., Suite 244, 601-982-8111); Sportsman’s Lodge (1220 East Northside Drive, Suite 100, 601366-5441)

WWW.THEVAMPS.COM

Barry Leach has spent the last few years on the outside looking in. Not to say that he has not been an integral part of the Jackson jazz scene, because he has. But, for the past several years, he has maintained his spot with the voters as the number-two jazz musician in the city. That changed this year. Jazz guitarist Leach is a fixture in the local jazz scene, staying busy with his ensembles The Vamps and The Fearless Four, along with solo gigs at virtually every club, bar and restaurant that books jazz shows. With a steady stream of performances booked through March, Leach looks to hold on to his hard-earned number one ranking through the new year. And that couldn’t happen to a nicer guy.

—Garrad Lee

Read that list of first-place finishes again; notice a pattern? If I were a younger man with no strings attached (not that I’m complaining about the strings, my Dear Dear Kitty) this sounds like the place I would frequent to the point that they would start delivering my mail there. Who could blame me? For the young, hipster cocktail set, this is the place to be. The room fills up around 5-ish and swells to a pulsating mob by midnight with free-flowing cocktails, a steady stream of taste-tempting appetizers (the butter-to-bread ratio in the shrimp toast is 1-to-1), hip music and throngs of beautiful people.

If you’re looking for a contemplative glass of Yellow Tail Chardonnay, some ignorable music and a menu with pictures of factory-fresh food, this ain’t your place. Try something further up the road, perhaps a national chain restaurant that caters to the bland and boring Dockers and sneakers crowd. But for local flavor to please all your senses, hit Julep. Just make sure you take a nice, long nap first; it will be a long night.

—Tom Ramsey

Best Restaurant for Appetizers Second: Parlor Market (115 West Capitol St., 601-373-9841) / Third: Bonefish Grill (201 Colony Way, Madison, 601-607-3334) / Good Showing: Bravo! (4500 Interstate 55 N., Suite 244, 601982-8111); Nick’s (3000 Old Canton Road, 601-981-8017)

Best Dive Bar, Best Place to Drink Cheap: Martin’s 214 S. State St., 601-354-9712

The actual term “dive bar” comes from the early 1800s when most bars were located in cellars or basements. In effect, patrons would “dive” into the establishment without being noticed. Most modern definitions describe it as a casual establishment that serves cheap drinks to neighborhood regulars in an obscure location. Martin’s isn’t the easiest place to spot. There are no fancy neon signs or billboards on the interstate. In fact, someone has asked me before if the name of it was Jägermeister because of the large sign hanging above the entryway. Either way, if you are looking for the neighborhood haunt that has been passed down from one generation to the next (just watch the day-to-night transition of patrons), a place to get your money’s worth (“heavy handed” comes to mind) and a crew that is outgoing and friendly (and a few pretty good looking), then Martin’s is your dive. Known for almost a decade for bringing new and interesting acts to its stage, modern updates in the last few years have given the back area a new look and sound system. But never fear, it’s still really, really dark.

—Jessica Mizell Best Dive Bar Second: Sam’s Lounge (5035 Interstate 55 N., 601-983-2526) / Third: F. Jones Corner (303 N. Farish St., 601-983-1148) / Good Showing: Cherokee Inn (1410 Old Square Road, 601-3626388); Pop’s Around the Corner (2636 S. Gallatin St., 601-355-3853) Best Place to Drink Cheap Second: Ole Tavern (416 George St., 601-960-2700) / Third: Sportsman’s Lodge (1220 E. Northside Drive, Suite 100, 601-366-5441) / Good Showing: Cherokee Inn (1410 Old Square Road, 601-362-6388)

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jacksonfreepress.com

2475 LAKELAND DRIVE FLOWOOD MS 39232 601.933.0074

47

And the award for ‘most loyal customers’ goes to....

Best Hotel Bar: King Edward Hotel

235 West Capitol St., Jackson 601-353-5464

DRIVE-IN

Second: Hilton/Fitzgerald’s (1001 E. County Line Road, 601-957-2800) / Third: Sam’s Lounge (5035 Interstate 55 N., Frontage Road, 601-983-2526) / Good Showing: Regency Hotel & Conference Center (400 Greymont Ave., 601-969-2141); Alumni House (574 Highway 51, Ridgeland 601-855-2225)

cry. I t o n l l i w I cry...

T O N l l i w

901 E. Fortification St., 601-948-0055 TATE K. NATIONS

Accepting on behalf of our patrons is... chef and co-owner Derek Emerson!

Best Bar, Best Bar Where Everyone Knows Your Name, Best Open-Mic Night: Fenian’s Snagging the prestigious title of Best Bar category is Fenian’s Pub. What more can one say about this magnificent pub tucked away in Belhaven? Well, first off, it reminds me of Switzerland because so many times it’s the only bar that all my friends can agree on. The beer is ample; the food is fried; and they have some of the most hardworking staff in the city. Have you ever tried to carry numerous drinks in your hands all while navigating open spots between tables and chairs that are mere inches apart?

Another thing that makes this bar unique is the staff doesn’t change too often, so they actually take the time to get to know you. Sure, over the years people have come and gone, but some of the bartenders and staff have been Fenian’s employees for years and years. If they don’t know you when you first come in, just stick around for a month or so. And even when the staff doesn’t know you, they treat you like an old friend. Fenian’s open-mic is a midweek night staple.

To the best bar in Jackson, two years in a row, I drink my imaginary Irish Car Bomb, and cheers to you, Fenian’s! Thank you for bringing so many memories and all the while remaining comfortably the same.

—Jessica Mizell Best Bar Second: The Bulldog (6111 Ridgewood Road, 601-978-3502) / Third: Ole Tavern (416 George St., 601-960-2700) / Good Showing:: Underground 119 (119 S. President St., 601-352-2322), Hal & Mal’s (200 S. Commerce St., 601-948-8888) Best Bar Where Everyone Knows Your Name Second: Hal & Mal’s (200 S. Commerce St., 601-948-8888) / Third: Ole Tavern (416 George St., 601-960-2700) / Good Showing: Martin’s (214 S. State St., 601-354-9712), The Bulldog (6111 Ridgewood Road, 601-978-3502) Best Open-Mic Night Second: Ole Tavern (416 George St., 601-960-2700) / Third: Time Out Sports Cafe (6270 Old Canton Road, 601- 978-1839) / Good Showing: Last Call Sports Grill (1428 Old Square Road, 601-713-2700), Martin’s (214 S. State St., 601-354-9712)

Best GLBT Hangout: Bottoms Up

January 26 - February 1, 2011

3911 Northview Drive, 601-362-8818

48

Thanks for

your support!

3016 NORTH STATE STREET - FONDREN ARTS DISTRICT 601.982.2633 - WALKERSDRIVEIN.COM 121A COLONY CROSSING • MADISON, MS 601.707.7684 LOCAL463.COM

At 3 a.m. on a Saturday night, er Sunday morning, Bottoms Up is still packed to the gills with more than 300 white, black, gay, straight, old, and young men and women dancing to “Bottoms Up,” a song by Trey Songz and Nicki Minaj, among other popular hits. I watch from my post as a bouncer as fog comes out of the roof and laser lights of all colors flash onto the crowd sporadically. In a smaller room, the Cabaret Room, Mia dominates the stage during a drag show. Formerly known as Jack and Jill’s, the popular 18-and-up gay hangout, Bottoms Up has been the favorite LGBT club since its September 2010 opening.

The cover is $7 for 21 and up and $5 for 18 to 20. If you didn’t know, now you do; the secret is out.

—Carl Gibson Second: Dick & Jane’s (closed) / Third: JC’s Construction Site (425 N. Mart Plaza, 601-3623108)

TATE K. NATIONS

Open for a year now, one of Jackson’s bestknown structures, the King Edward Hotel, quickly became a hot spot for libations and conversations.

The King Edward is casually classy, with dishes and drinks named in homage to neighboring railroad tracks. The wait staff is quick and efficient (Erin is my favorite), and the service is impeccable. The King Edward is one of the many places in Jackson where you can become acquainted with construction workers, cancer researchers, writers, civil-rights activists, and other interesting people. Their beer and wine choices are some of the best I’ve seen in the city. While the drinks are a little pricey, the quality of service, atmosphere and patrons are worth it.

—Natalie Long

Just In Time for

Valentine’s Day

10% Off All Gift Certificates 2084 Dunbarton Drive

(Behind Penn’s on Lakeland)

Jackson MS 39216 601.896.6022

jacksonfreepress.com

THANKS FOR VOTING US ONE OF JACKSON’S BEST

49

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Capital City Beverages M I S S I S S I P P I â&#x20AC;&#x2122; S C O M P L E T E B E E R S O U RC E

Best Bartender, Sexiest Male Bartender: Brad Regan

Julep Restaurant 1305 E. Northside Drive, 601-462-1411

Sexiest Male Bartender Second: Curt Monahan, Electric Cowboy (6107 Ridgewood Road, 601-899-5333) / Third: Vince Falconi, Ole Tavern (416 George St., 601-960-2700) / Good Showing: Justin Cook, Nick’s (3000 Old Canton Road, 601-981-8017); Trevor Palmer, Electric Cowboy (6107 Ridgewood Road, 601-899-5333)

Sexiest Female Bartender: Alyson Brady

COURTESY OF ALYSON BRADY

Time Out Sports Café (6270 Old Canton Road, 601-9781839) Sam’s Lounge (5035 Interstate 55 N. Frontage Road, 601-983-2526)

Laurel native Alyson Brady struts her stuff while bartending at Sam’s Lounge and Time Out Sports Café. Alyson is known around town as not only drop-dead hot, but also the sweetest, often making her customers happy by serving off-the-wall mixed drinks (ask her about her favorite shot called Red Beard.) Her favorite event (which no doubt helped her seal the coveted Sexiest Female Bartender award) as a bartender was Jell-O wrestling one night to rave reviews from her patrons. Alyson’s favorite things about bartending in Jackson are the people she’s met, the friendships that have been formed. Alyson is not only gorgeous on the outside, but also on the inside.

—Natalie Long Second: Jennifer Leavell, The Bulldog (6111 Ridgewood Road, 601- 978-3502) / Third: Laura Collins, Hal & Mal’s (200 S. Commerce St., 601-948-0888) / Good showing: Kat Hazlip, Olga’s Fine Dining (4760 Interstate 55 N., 601-366-1366); Kristen Veal, Sportsman’s Lodge (1220 E. Northside Drive, 601-366-5441); Toni Jones Francis, Congress Street Bar and Grill (120 N. Congress St., Suite L3, 601-968-0858)

Best Biker Hangout: Shucker’s Oyster Bar 116 Conestoga Road, Ridgeland, 601-853-0105

Shucker’s Oyster Bar, or Shucker’s On the Rez if you’re a regular, has been a metro area mainstay for years. While it has undergone different ownerships and a leap from Belhaven to the reservoir area, its biggest change has been its regulars.

Frequented by hospital staff when it was in its original location across from Baptist Hospital, Shucker’s has become a watering hole for bikers in its current spot. We’re not talking Hell’s Angels, mind you, but riding clubs from around the area hold meetings and hang out here. The Shamrocks from Simpson County, The Spiritriders from the Pearl area, as well as The Freebirds all stop in for a little socializing. So hop on your hog and cruise on

by Shucker’s. Did I mention the oysters?

—Chris Zuga Second: Hooters (4565 Interstate 55 N. Frontage Road, 601-981-0480) / Third: Pop’s Around the Corner (2636 S. Gallatin St., 601-355-3853) / Good Showing: Crossroads Bar & Lounge (3040 Livingston Road, 601-984-3755)

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WEDNESDAY 1/26

Natalie Long & Steve Deaton (Rock) THURSDAY 1/27

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Joe Carroll Gang (Blues) SATURDAY 1/29

Scott Albert Johnson (Rock/Blues/Jazz) SUNDAY 1/30

Open 11am Midnight

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Karaoke w/ Matt TUESDAY 2/1

Open Mic with A Guy Named George WEDNESDAY 2/2

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Grilled Tilapia or Fried Chicken w/ Cream Gravy WEDNESDAY

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Meatloaf or Chicken & Dumplings Includes Drink & Choice of Fresh Vegetables

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Special thanks to our patrons & those who voted us Best of Jackson! jacksonfreepress.com

Best Bartender Second: Trevor Palmer, Electric Cowboy (6107 Ridgewood Road, 601-899-5333) / Third: Vince Falconi, Ole Tavern (416 George St., 601-960-2700) / Good showing: T. Francis, Martin’s, (214 S. State St., 601-354-9712); Laura Collins, Hal & Mal’s (200 S. Commerce St., 601-948-0888); Tara Lynn Pike, Pi(e) Lounge at Sal & Mookie’s (565 Taylor St., 601-368-1919)

JERRICK SMITH

It’s easy to see how Brad Regan was voted not only Jackson’s best bartender, but sexiest male bartender. With his casual badass attitude, flirtatious yet charming personality, and awesome hair, this guy’s known to mix the best drinks in the capital city while swaying the customers with his urban swagger and potent concoctions. Since learning the ropes as a bar “bitch” at Headliners from former bartenders of The Dock, Brad has been honing his craft for almost seven years. Between getting his fair share of phone numbers on the job, Brad works on serving up Julep’s most popular drink the ladies love: the plumtini.

Regan works behind the bar all week but doesn’t drink much alcohol himself, citing sweet tea as his poison of choice. The bartender credits his titles (though he says he doesn’t consider himself sexy) to serving the best clientele in the Jackson metro area. He’s also known as the quickest bartender around, serving drinks upon drinks in an expeditious manner. Brad’s favorite things about being a bartender in Jackson is knowing everyone, from lawyers to average Joes, getting the chance to encounter diverse people from all over, and he claims his social skills wouldn’t be where they are now if it wasn’t for his love of bartending. Come visit Brad at Julep’s every day except Wednesdays (his off day), and let him hook you up. Just be sure to leave a gracious tip.

—Natalie Long

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Best Place to Chill: Sneaky Beans

2914 N. State St., 601-487-6349

FILE PHOTO

6107 Ridgewood Road, 601-899-5333

Hats off to the Electric Cowboy for wrangling this title again! Thursday night is Ladies Night, and ladies get in at half off the cover, and Friday and Saturday nights are the time to come and dance along with hundreds of other partiers from all over the city.

With a huge dance floor and an experienced bar staff, you won’t ever wait for a drink too long and will always find a spot to shake loose. Looking for that someone special? You probably won’t find them in a bar, but you never know. Electric Cowboy has massive crowds, so your chances are better then some smoky bar. I have to admit, even for a non-dancer like me, I kind of like those odds.

—Jessica Mizell Second: Freelon’s Restaurant Bar and Groove (440 N. Mill St., 601-949-2535) / Third: Dreamz JXN ( 426 W. Capitol St., 601-979-3994) / Good Standing: Fire (209 S. Commerce St., 601 5921000), Shucker’s (116 Conestoga Road, Ridgeland, 601-853-0105); Underground 119 (119 S. President St. 601-352-2322)

444 Bounds St., 601-713-3444

I remember watching an epic pool game one night at the Green Room that had gone past closing time. This poor guy had been taken for everything he had on him, and now the lovely lady that had wiped him clean was shooting for one last item, the man’s shoes. I almost cried. People surprise you sometimes, but having a pool player of that caliber in the Green Room doesn’t surprise me because it is just a great pool hall. I’ve seen some amazing shots go down, and you never know who will make them. So be careful whom you start a game with; you may want to leave some flip flops in your car, just in case.

—Jessica Mizell Second: Reed Pierce’s Sportsman’s Grill (6791 S. Siwell Road, Byram, 601-376-0777) / Third: Sportsman’s Lodge (1220 East Northside Drive, Suite 100, 601-366-5441) / Good Showing: Cherokee Inn (1410 Old Square Road, 601-362-6388); Sam’s Lounge (5035 Interstate 55 N., 601-9832526); Last Call Sports Grill (1428 Old Square Road., 601-713-2700)

COURTESY MATT COLLETTE

Best Karaoke DJ: Matt Collette Like it or not, karaoke is a huge part of the local music scene in Jackson. On any given night, at least one, if not several, local bars host karaoke, allowing their patrons a chance to make fools of themselves while desecrating classic songs all at the same time. This year’s winner, Matt Collette, is a karaoke journeyman; in fact, since 2004 he has been a full-time KJ. Each week, he takes his show on the Jackson bar road, watching over bad singing and good times everywhere from Fenian’s to Martin’s to Sportsman’s Lodge and all points between. With the Jackson karaoke scene showing no signs of slowing, Collette should be a very busy man in 2011.

—Garrad Lee

January 26 - February 1, 2011

Second: Angela Pittman, Krazy Karaoke / Third: Josh Hailey / Good Showing: Casey Hardegree, Ole Tavern (416 George St., 601-960-2700)

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Second: Fenian’s Pub ( 901 E. Fortification St., 601-948-0055 ) / Third: Cups Espresso Café (Multiple Locations) / Good Showing: Underground 119 (119 S. President St., 601-352-2322); The Bulldog (6111 Ridgewood Road, 601-978-3502)

Best Place to Get Coffee, Best College Hangout, Best Place to Hang Out with a Laptop, Best Place to Break Up: Cups Espresso Café (Multiple Locations)

I practically grew up at Cups. I remember spending nearly every night of the summer there before I was in high school and before I liked coffee. I’m in college now, and on any given weekend night you’ll probably still find me at Cups, because it’s still fantastic. Cups is a Jackson institution. When most Jacksonians hear the term “Blondie,” we don’t think of a hair color, a dessert treat or Debbie Harry, we think of the caramel and white-chocolate coffee creation available only at Cups. That’s just one of the many delicious drinks concocted

by Cups baristas that’s helped Cups snag Best Place for Coffee award for nine years now.

But it’s not just the coffee that makes Cups fantastic. The baristas are always smiling, even early in the morning, and the atmosphere is relaxed and comfortable. With free Wi-Fi with purchase, Cups is the perfect place to hangout with your laptop no matter if you’re just browsing the Internet, blogging, working, or logging onto Facebook to change that relationship status to single.

—Holly Perkins Best Place to Get Coffee Second: Sneaky Beans (2914 N. State St., 601-487-6349) / Third: Starbucks (Multiple Locations) / Good Showing: Seattle Drip (multiple locations); Fusion Coffeehouse (1111-A Highland Colony Parkway, Ridgeland, 601-856-6001) Best College Hangout Second: The Bulldog (6111 Ridgewood Road, 601-978-3502) / Third: Sneaky Beans (2914 N. State St., 601-487-6349) / Good Showing: Fenian’s Pub ( 901 E. Fortification St., 601-948-0055); Freelon’s Bar and Groove (440 N. Mill St., 601-949-2535) Best Place to Hang Out with a Laptop Second: Sneaky Beans (2914 N. State St., 601-487-6349) / Third: Broad Street Baking Company (4465 Interstate 55 N., Suite 101, 601-362-2900) / Good Showing: Fusion Coffeehouse (1111-A Highland Colony Parkway, Ridgeland, 601-856-6001); Rainbow Plaza (2807 Old Canton Road, 601-366-1602) Best Place to Break Up Second: Electric Cowboy (6107 Ridgewood Road, 601-899-5333) / Third: Facebook / Good Showing: The Ross Barnett Reservoir

TATE K. NATIONS

Best Place to Shoot Pool: The Green Room

TATE K. NATIONS

Best Place to Dance: Electric Cowboy

Nobody seems out of place at Sneaky Beans.

You might see a businessman on a laptop sitting across the room from an artist working on a painting next to a student quietly studying, and everyone seems at home. Sneaky Beans is just plain ol’ comfortable, making it the perfect place for anyone to chill. If you’re not in the mood for coffee or one of their drink creations, Sneaky Beans also has smoothies, a selection of bottled beers and baked goods.

They even offer Saturday breakfast. The staff at Sneaky Beans will fill your order with a smile, then you can hang out on the porch or in any of their rooms that have everything from tables and chairs to comfortable couches and lounge chairs.

—Holly Perkins

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Best Sports Bar, Best Jukebox: Sportsman’s Lodge

I like to frequent Sportsman’s Lodge for a few reasons. First, they have a great happy hour; second, there are tons of televisions to watch all your favorite events on; and, third, they have a jukebox that was made by magic elves. There is nothing better then going to a sports bar with more animal pellets then an 1800s frontiersman and finding “Chilly Down” by David Bowie as a selection choice on a jukebox. That’s, logically, only something that could come from the work of tiny elves. This is a sports bar!

Whatever you’re looking for in your sports bar, check this place out. Many times, I have been in a party of 20 with no issues getting drinks or a place to sit. And about that jukebox again: There’s an option to bump your song to the front of the line for a few extra quarters. I wouldn’t do that too often, though. After a while, you just turn into that girl with a bag full of quarters who keeps bumping some dude’s Skynard songs. Truthfully, I am pretty much OK with that title.

—Jessica Mizell Best Sports Bar Second: Buffalo Wild Wings Bar and Grill (808 Lake Harbour Drive, Ridgeland 601-856-0789) / Third: Time Out Sports Café (6270 Old Canton Road, 601-978-1839) / Good Showing: Alumni House Sports Grill (110 Bass Pro Drive, Pearl, 601-896-0253); The Bulldog (6111 Ridgewood Road., 601- 978-3502); Last Call Sports Grill (1428 Old Square Road, 601-713-2700)

January 26 - February 1, 2011

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Second: DJ Phingaprint / Third: DJ Jonasty / Good Showing: DJ Unpredictable; DJ Reign

Best Blues Artist: Jackie Bell Titled Miss Sweetheart of Blues, Jackie Bell is best known for her long residency at the 930 Blues Café where she always held the audience in the palm of her come-hither hand. Her album, “Old Man’s Sweetheart,” gained local and national recognition. In her slinky sequins, Jackie has opened for blues legacies such as Koko Taylor, Sam Myers, Nappy Brown and Roy Roberts. Jackie Bell is truly a crowd-pleaser, and her music assures that the blues are defiantly here to stay.

—Pamela Hosey

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

IMPACT ARTIST PROMOTIONS

Best Jukebox Second: Crechale’s (3107 Highway 80 W., 601-355-1840) / Third: Cherokee Inn (1410 Old Square Road, 601-362-6388) / Good Standing: Sam’s Lounge (5035 Interstate 55 N., 601-9832526), J.C’s (425 North Mart Plaza, 601-362-3108)

Bo Trebotich, also known as DJ Cadillac, takes his third straight Best Club DJ of Jackson in stride. “Man, I don’t think about myself anymore, just the crowd,” he says. It is a recipe that is obviously working for Trebotich, the house DJ at The Electric Cowboy. After travelling around the country, Trebotich returned to Jackson a few years ago to start a business and raise his family in his hometown. The rest is three-part history. “I pay attention to what Jackson wants to hear. To be a great DJ in Jackson, you can’t just be a great scratcher,” he says. “I am the best person to acknowledge what the crowd wants to hear.”

—Garrad Lee

ROY ADKINS

TATE K. NATIONS

1220 East Northside Drive, Suite 100, 601366-5441

Best Club DJ: Cadillac

Thank You Jackson for voting us

Best of Finalists - Salad - Reason to Live in Jackson - Speciality Grocer - Community Garden

(in conjunction with Tougaloo College)

- Places to Hangout with a Laptop 1428 Old Square Road in Jackson | 601.713.2700 lastcallsportsgrill.com

Thank You Jackson for voting us

Best of Finalists

jacksonfreepress.com

- Caterer - Vegetarian Burger - Vegetarian Option - Meal Under $10 - Server: Mandolyn Goode

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FEB 6TH: ANNUAL PARTY FOR THE ‘BIG GAME’!

Best Day Trip: NOLA (New Orleans)

ALL DAY: GIANT OUTDOOR SCREEN & 25 TVS INSIDE! 2011 SAINTS TICKET GIVEAWAY!

New Orleans is known for Mardi Gras and Second Line parades, a million music festivals and bars out the wazoo. Hear great music at One Eyed Jacks, Tipitinas or Howlin’ Wolf; admire street performances on Jackson Square. Pick up a mufaletta at Central Grocery, or Mid-Eastern fare at Mona’s. Stay overnight, get up early for Café Du Monde’s beignets and coffee, and meander to the River Walk to watch the boats and barges go by on the Mississippi River, and hit up the aquariums, including one at the Audubon Zoo, and insectarium. Pick up an Off Beat or Gambit for current haps.

—Charlotte Blom

PLUS: Kid Rock tickets • Drink specials • Free Swag!

WEEKLY SCHEDULE:

& KARAOKE

- THURSDAY -

NBA BASKETBALL DRINK SPECIALS

KS N A H T OUR Y R O F S, VOTEON! JACKS

- FRIDAY BLACK WOLF NO COVER

- SATURDAY NCAA BASKETBALL

- SUNDAY NFL PLAYOFFS

1/2 OFF BLOODY MARYS

- MONDAY IN-DA-BIZ 2-FOR-1 SPECIALS

- TUESDAY JACKPOT TRIVIA

THE VOTES ARE IN...

2011 FINALIST: SPORTS BAR, CHEAP DRINKS, PLACE TO SHOOT POOL, LATE-NIGHT DINING, SEXIEST BARTENDER!

Best College Town: Oxford

OXFORD CONVENTION AND VISITORS BUREAU

- WEDNESDAY LADIES NIGHT

Second: Natchez / Third: Vicksburg / Good Showing: Oxford

Home of Ole Miss, Oxford’s town square has a 19thcentury courthouse and three bookstores: Square Books, Square Jr., and Off Square Books with the Thacker Mountain Radio Show and resident cat Mamacita. Concerts at The Lyric or The Library have featured bands like Modest Mouse. The upstairs bar at John Currence’s City Grocery attracts writers, and dishes at Currence’s Big Bad Breakfast are named for local authors. Newer venues include Bottletree Bakery, Amelia’s (with cupcakes from Oxford’s Honey Bee Bakery and goods from local artisans), and Maker’s Market (spotlighting local art). Double Decker (art & music) and the Oxford Film Fest are stand-out annual events. Check out a Quaker Friends meeting or tour Rowan Oak, Faulkner’s house, where you can literally see his writing on the walls.

—Charlotte Blom Second: Starkville / Third: Hattiesburg / Good Showing: Clinton; Jackson

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

Aside from its famed and well-choreographed Cirque du Soleil performances, the Beau Rivage is known for big-name headliners in its Magnolia Ballroom, with upcoming performers like Gladys Knight, Huey Lewis and the News, Tony Bennett and Lord of the Dance. The casino also offers special-event big-bang parties, as well as a theater, a jazz bar and a nightclub. With 12 restaurants, including a buffet that has a cook-to-order station, you won’t go hungry. And for beer drinkers, the Beau houses the oldest microbrewery in Mississippi: Coast Brewing Company. It’s a bit of a maze, but find your way to the solarium to get some sun, take a breather on the off-site Fallen Oak Golf Course, or head to the spa or salon to relax. When you’re ready to chill, the 1,780 rooms boast top-of-the-line accommodations. All rooms include Wi-Fi, flat-screen TVs, and panoramic windows with views of the Gulf or overlooking downtown Biloxi and the gardens of the Beau Rivage. More upscale suites offer amenities like wet or dry bars, separate living rooms and/or dining areas, whirlpools, and luxurious spa robes and slippers to wrap up in.

—Charlotte Blom Casino Hotel Second: Hard Rock Hotel Casino (777 Beach Blvd., Biloxi, 228-374-7625) / Third: Ameristar Hotel Casino (4116 Washington St., Vicksburg, 601-638-1000 / Good Showing: Golden Moon (13541 Highway 16 W., Choctaw, 601-663-0066) Casino for Shows Second: Hard Rock Hotel Casino (777 Beach Blvd., Biloxi, 228-374-7625) / Third: Pearl River Resorts (13541 Highway 16 W., Choctaw, 601-663-0066) / Good Showing: Ameristar Hotel Casino (4116 Washington St., Vicksburg, 601-638-1000)

Best Casino for Gaming: Ameristar Hotel Casino

January 26 - February 1, 2011

4116 Washington St., Vicksburg, 601-638-1000

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Floating in place on the Mississippi River in Vicksburg, the 70,000-square-foot Ameristar Casino is just a 45-minute trek away. Whether it’s for an all-night poker tournament—or some other table game, with 32 to choose from—playing video poker, or simply slotting with only a (virtual) penny from your pocket, this casino offers complimentary drinks to get you toasty. Also, the Bottleneck Blues Bar, the Casino Café and live performances will keep you entertained. If you’re going to stay the night, keep in mind that the hotels are separate, but a free shuttle ride can get you to your bed.

—Charlotte Blom Second: Beau Rivage Hotel Casino (875 Beach Blvd., Biloxi, 228-386-7111) / Third: Pearl River Resorts (13541 Highway 16 W., Choctaw, 866-447-3275) / Good Showing: Hard Rock Hotel Casino (777 Beach Blvd., Biloxi, 228-374-7625)

www.thepizzashackjackson.com

VOTED BEST PIZZA - BEST OF JACKSON 2010 AND 2009 -

2 NEW PIZZAS & NEW BEERS! Stop in and try our Pizza Margherita and our Cordon Blue Pizza Now Serving Tall Grass Ale and Diamond Bear Pale Ale Mon - Thur: 11am-10pm Fri - Sat: 11am-11pm Sun: 11am - 9pm

601-352-2001 1220 N. State St.

(across from Baptist Medical Center)

CATERING AVAILABLE

jacksonfreepress.com

Dine-In / Carry-Out

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CHEERS!

Thanks for the votes and a great 2010.

We look forward to serving you in 2011!

4949 Old Canton Road | 601-956-5108

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

Have You Been Denied Social Security Disability Benefits?

THANK YOU

for continuing to vote us THE BEST!

BEST OF JACKSON FINALIST FOR 2011

January 26 - February 1, 2011

Best Burger, Best Veggie Burger, Best French Fries, Best Vegetarian Options

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866-588-4369 or

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The Amazin’ Lazy Boi Fri, Jan 28th cover $5, $10 after midnight

Jesse Robinson 500 Pounds Blues Band

Sat, Jan 29th cover $5, $10 after midnight

The Ceaser Bros Funk Box Fri, Feb 4th & Sat, Feb 5th cover $5 $10 after Midnight Serving lunch Mon - fri, 11am - 2pm

Thank You Jackson 601-713-3020 | FAX: 601-713-3021 4654 McWillie Drive Jackson, MS

Mon-Thur, 10AM - 9PM | Fri-Sat, 10AM-12AM Sun 11AM-5PM

for Voting Us:

-One of the Best Places For Late Night Dining -One of the Best Dive Bars

BEST BETS January 26 - February 2, 2011

by Latasha Willis events@jacksonfreepress.com Fax: 601-510-9019 Daily updates at jfpevents.com

Get 25 percent off vases, baskets and other décor at the “Update Your Home Sale” at N.U.T.S. (114 Millsaps Ave.) through Jan. 29. Call 601-355-7458. … Mississippi Film Commission manager Ward Emling speaks during History Is Lunch at the William F. Winter Archives and History Building (200 North St.) at noon. Bring a lunch; call 601576-6998. … Jeanette Walls signs copies of “Half-Broke Horses: A True-Life Novel” at Lemuria Books (202 Banner Hall, 4465 Interstate 55 N.) at 5 p.m.; reading at 5:30 p.m. $15 book; call 601-366-7619. … Natalie Long and Steve Deaton perform at “Natalie’s Big Ol’ Birthday Bash” at Fenian’s. … Swing d’ Paris is at Underground 119. … Poets II has music with DJ Phingaprint.

FRIDAY 1/28

Art House Cinema Downtown at Russell C. Davis Planetarium (201 E. Pascagoula St.) includes the films “Waste Land,” The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo” and “The Girl Who Played With Fire.” $9 per film; visit msfilm.org for show times. … Organist David Higgs performs at St Andrew’s Episcopal Cathedral (305 E. Capitol St.) at 7:30 p.m.

Free. … Larry Brewer and Hunter Gibson are at Kathryn’s. … M.O.S.S. plays at C-Notes. … Snazz performs at Reed Pierce’s. … Ghosthand performs with The Bills at Ole Tavern. … Maxxed Out plays at ToMara’s at 9 p.m. $5.

JARO VACEK

SATURDAY 1/29

Livestock shows leading up to February’s Dixie National Rodeo at the Mississippi State Fairgrounds (1207 Mississippi Street) begin today. Free; call 601-961-4000. … The Mississippi Farmers Market (929 High St.) reopens, including the Greater Belhaven Market. Hours are 8 a.m.-2 p.m.

Saturdays. Call 601-354-6573. … The So Fresh Hip-Hop Dance-a-Thon at Courthouse Racquet and Fitness Club (2625 Courthouse Circle, Flowood) is at 12:45 p.m. $20, $10 per person in groups of four or more; call 601-853-7480. … A River Blue hosts a fundraiser for Northern Uganda at Hal & Mal’s Red Room at 6:30 p.m. with music by Taylor Hildebrand, Blue Mountain and Kudzu Kings. … The Mississippi Symphony Orchestra presents “Pops II: Classical Mystery Tour” at Thalia Mara Hall at 7:30 p.m. $15 and up; call 601960-1565. … Cultural Expressions has Gospoetry. … Blind Dog Otis performs at Blind Pig Saloon. $5. … Banner Fair plays at Martin’s at 10 p.m.

SUNDAY 1/30

The invitation-only Best of Jackson party at the Old Cola Plant () is at 6 p.m. If you are a finalist and did not receive an invitation, call 601-362-6121, ext. 11 to get on the guest

Taylor Hildebrand (pictured, right, with Jamie Weems) performs at the Music Fundraiser for Northern Uganda Jan. 29 at Hal & Mal’s.

Jesse Robinson performs during lunch at Lumpkin’s BBQ. … The Festival of Writers at Eudora Welty Library (300 N. State St.) in the Ellen Douglas Reading Room is at noon. Bring a lunch; call 601-968-5820. … The play “The 39 Steps” at New Stage Theatre (1100 Carlisle St.) is at 7:30 p.m. and runs through Feb. 6. $25, $22 students and seniors; call 601-948-3533. … Music students perform “The Beggars’ Opera” at Millsaps College, Ford Academic Complex (1701 N. State St.) at 7:30 p.m.; another performance Jan. 29 at 2 p.m. Free; call 601-974-1422. … Shaun Patterson performs at Georgia Blue. … Suite 106 hosts Pandora’s Box at 5:30 p.m. Free. … Dreamz Jxn hosts its weekly Centric Thursday.

MONDAY 1/31

Schedule a tour to see the “Alsace to America” exhibit at the Museum of the Southern Jewish Experience (3863 Morrison Road, Utica). $5, $4 students and groups of 15 or more; call 601-362-6357. … The “Attention to Detail” art exhibit at Cups in Fondren closes today. Free; call 601-3627422. … Irish Frog has karaoke with Kokomo Joe from 6:30-10 p.m. … The weekly football mixer at Dreamz Jxn is at 7 p.m. Free admission; call 601-979-3994.

TUESDAY 2/1

The “Pieces of the Past” exhibit at Old Capitol Museum (100 S. State St.) shows through April 10. Free; call 601-5766920. … Jason Bailey performs at F. Jones Corner’s blues lunch. Free. … Music in the City at the Mississippi Museum of Art (380 S. Lamar St.) is at 5:45 p.m. Free.

WEDNESDAY 2/2

Roy Adkins and Jerri Sherer’s art exhibit at the Mississippi Library Commission (3881 Eastwood Drive) shows through Feb. 28. Free; call 601-432-4056. … Former Mississippi governor William F. Winter speaks during History Is Lunch at the William F. Winter Archives and History Building (200 North St.) at noon. Bring a lunch; call 601-576-6998. … Bill and Temperance perform at Underground 119.

More events and details at jfpevents.com.

Samuel “Sam-U-El” Roberson performs at The Church Triumphant’s Sunday Night Live Jan. 30 at 5 p.m.

COURTESY SAMUEL ROBERSON

THURSDAY 1/27

list. … See the film “Stravinsky and the Ballets Russes” at Russell C. Davis Planetarium (201 E. Pascagoula St.) at 2 p.m. $16; call 601-960-2300. … Mike and Marty’s jam session at ToMara’s is from 4-9 p.m. Free. … Gospel hiphop artist Sam-U-El performs during Sunday Night Live at The Church Triumphant (Odyssey North, 736 S. Pear Orchard Road, Suite 43, Ridgeland) at 5 p.m. Free; call 601-977-0777. … Meagan May is at Burgers and Blues.

jacksonfreepress.com

WEDNESDAY 1/26

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jfpevents JFP-SPONSORED EVENTS

9th Annual Best of Jackson Party Jan. 30. This annual celebration of the Best of Jackson winners and finalists is an invitation-only, 21+ event at the Old Cola Plant (1421 Highway 80 W. ) this year.

If you are a finalist and have not received an invitation, please e-mail shannon@jacksonfreepress.com or call 601-362-7121 ext. 11 to get on the guest list.

Fondren After 5 Feb. 3, 5-8 p.m. This monthly event showcases the local shops, galleries and restaurants of the Fondren neighborhood. Free; call 601-981-9606.

Valentine’s Date Night Feb. 4, 6 p.m., at circa.

(2771 Old Canton Road). Artist Christy Henderson debuts her exhibit of intriguing abstracts and love-themed works. With artisan-made gifts and a scent bar, you’re sure to find a perfect Valentine’s gift for someone special and yourself. Free admission; e-mail shannon@jacksonfreepress.com.

“The Future of the SWAC: Facing the Threat of Consolidated HBCUs” Feb. 8, 6:30 p.m., at Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame and Museum (1152 Lakeland Drive). Panelists include W.C. Gordon, Eddie Payton and Roscoe Nance. The event is part of the Medgar Evers/Ella Baker Lecture Series. Free; call 601-979-2735.

COMMUNITY Events at Baptist Medical Center (1225 N. State St.). Call 601-948-6262 or 800-948-6262.

• Cervical, Uterine and Ovarian Cancer: Symptoms and Treatment, Jan. 28, 11:45 a.m., in the Baptist for Women Conference Center. Join gynecologic oncologist Dr. Mildred Ridgway to learn about risk factors, preventive screenings, symptoms and treatments, including robotic and minimally invasive surgeries. Lunch is provided, and registration is required. Free.

• Heart Day 2011 Registration through Jan. 28.

Baptist Cardiovascular Services will host its annual Heart Day on Feb. 5 in the Baptist Cardiovascular Center. Pre-registration is required by Jan. 28 to participate. $50.

January 26 - February 1, 2011

Blood Pressure Checks for Seniors. The City of Jackson’s Department of Human and Cultural Services and the staff of St. Dominic Health Service’s Care-A-Van outreach program provides blood-pressure checks and glaucoma awareness information to qualifying individuals ages 55 or older living within the Jackson city limits. Free; call 601-960-0335.

• Jan. 26, 11 a.m., at T.L. Love Senior Center (2912 Holmes Ave.) • Jan. 31, 11 a.m., at Johnnie Champion Senior Center (1355 Hattiesburg St.).

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Greater Jackson Chamber Partnership Annual Meeting Jan. 26, 11:30 a.m., at Jackson Convention Complex (105 E. Pascagoula St.). The keynote speaker is retired NCAA basketball coach Don Meyer. $50, $450 table; call 601-948-7575.

“History Is Lunch” Jan. 26, noon, at William F. Winter Archives and History Building (200 North St.). Mississippi Film Commission manager Ward Emling speaks on the topic “Mississippi in the Movies.” Bring a lunch; coffee/water provided. Free; call 601-576-6850.

Computer Class for Adults Jan. 27, 10 a.m., at Pearl Public Library (2416 Old Brandon Road, Pearl). Learn the basics of preparing documents with Microsoft Word. Free; call 601-932-3535.

Precinct 4 COPS Meeting Jan. 27, 6 p.m., at Redeemer Church (640 E. Northside Drive). These monthly forums are designed to help resolve community issues or problems, from crime to potholes.

Call 601-960-0004.

LGBT Support Group for Youth/Young Adults Jan. 27, 6:30 p.m., at A Brave New Day (Fondren Corner, 2906 N. State St., Suite 204). Rise Above for Youth welcomes youth and young adults age 14-24 to connect with others in the community and to share experiences and resources. Free; call 601-922-4968.

Brown Bag Luncheon Jan. 28, noon, at Pearl Public Library (2416 Old Brandon Road, Pearl). Author Melanie Calvert Benton tells her weight loss story.

Bring a sack lunch; drinks and dessert provided.

Free; call 601-932-3535.

Friendship Ball Honoree Call for Nominations through Jan. 28. Jackson 2000 is seeking nominations for Friendship Ball honorees for 2011. Individuals nominated must be involved in building bridges among races in the community and must promote racial harmony in their personal and professional lives. The deadline for submissions is Jan. 28. E-mail todd@jacksonfreepress.com.

Dixie National Rodeo and Livestock Show Jan. 29-Feb. 16, at Mississippi State Fairgrounds (1207 Mississippi St.). The 46th annual event includes shows featuring horses and other farm animals and a rodeo from Feb. 10-16. The rodeo includes clowns, bull fighters, barrel racers, bull doggers and ropers all competing in various events. The entertainment lineup includes Easton Corbin, Little Big Town, Marty Stuart, Bellamy Brothers, Josh Turner, Rodney Atkins and Craig Morgan. $15 and up, free livestock shows; call 601-961-4000.

Porsches & Coffee Breakfast Jan. 29, 8:30 a.m., at Broad Street Baking Co. (4465 Interstate 55 N. Suite 101). The Magnolia Region Porsche Club of America’s monthly meeting will be on the second floor. Prospective members are welcome. E-mail magown@yahoo.com.

Monday Night Football Mixer Jan. 31, 7 p.m., at Dreamz JXN (426 W. Capitol St.). Each week, come to watch football on the big screen television and enjoy burgers, wings and drinks. Wrestling fans can watch WWE matches in the VIP Lounge. Free admission; call 601-979-3994.

“Snow Happy for our Patrons!” Contest through Jan. 31, at Pearl Public Library (2416 Old Brandon Road, Pearl). Come inside and guess the number of snowflakes on display in the library. The person who guesses the exact number or comes the closest wins a prize. Call 601-932-2562.

A Woman’s Body Owner’s Guide Feb. 1, at Baptist Health Systems, Madison Campus (401 Baptist Drive, Madison), in the Community Room on the first Tuesday of each month through March. Each meeting will focus on a specific women’s health topic, and questions are encouraged. Registration is required. Free; call 601-948-6262 or 800-948-6262.

FARMERS’ MARKETS Farmers’ Market Jan. 29-Dec. 17, at Mississippi Farmers Market (929 High St.). Shop for fresh locally grown fruits and vegetables from Mississippi farmers, specialty foods and crafts from local artisans, including the Greater Belhaven Market. The market is open Saturdays from 8 a.m.-2 p.m. During the peak growing season, hours are 8 a.m.2 p.m. Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays. Call 601-354-6573.

Classic Sounds, Tight Beats

I

t’s the thumping bass drum that gets your foot tapping, and then the hypnotic rhythms coming from the snare, quad and quints that impress you. You wonder if your wrists would be that strong.

Then the cymbals start swirling, and you’re hypnotized. At least that’s what should happen if you’re watching a drumline perform that’s worth their weight in gold. “Drumline Live,” an international tour based on the band traditions of historically black colleges See a half-time show take the stage in and universities, is that and then some.

“Drumline Live” at Mississippi State In 2009, “Drumline Live” was a sell- University’s Riley Center in Meridian. out show at the MSU Riley Center. Yes, a performance you’d expect to see at a football game’s half time made its way to the center of a performing stage. Expect to hear everything from Earth, Wind & Fire jams, to Top 40 hits and original pieces, all in the same show. It’s soul, hip-hop, R&B and all that jazz for everyone from grandma to Uncle Jimmy and cousin Ashley, who thinks everything is “so lame.”

—Natalie Collier See “Drumline Live” at the MSU Riley Center in Meridian Thursday, Jan. 27, at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $36 and $42 and available by visiting msurileycenter.com or calling 601696-2200.

STAGE AND SCREEN Art House Cinema Downtown Jan. 28-29, at Russell C. Davis Planetarium (201 E. Pascagoula St.).

Jan. 29, “Waste Land” shows at 7 p.m., and “The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo” shows at 8:45 p.m.

Jan. 29, “The Girl Who Played With Fire” shows at 8:50 p.m. $9 per film; visit msfilm.org.

“Gold in the Hills” Auditions Jan. 29, 2 p.m., and Jan. 31, 6 p.m., at Vicksburg Theatre Guild/Parkside Playhouse (101 Iowa Blvd., Vicksburg). Actors ages 6 and up, and teen/adult singers and dancers may audition. Production dates are March 11-26.

Call 601-636-0471.

“Stravinsky and the Ballets Russes” Jan. 30, 2 p.m., at Russell C. Davis Planetarium (201 E. Pascagoula St.). The ballet film is presented by the Mississippi Film Institute. $16; call 601-960-2300.

Crossroads Music Video Showcase Call for Entries through Feb. 1. Musicians or filmmakers in or near Mississippi are eligible to participate. All music videos are due by 11:59 p.m. Feb. 1. The director of each music video selected for inclusion by the screening committee in the Crossroads Film Festival in April will receive tickets to the Music Video Showcase, as will each band member. Please submit a separate entry form for each video. Free entry; visit crossroadsfilmfestival.com.

Poetry Out Loud Central Region Competition Feb. 2, noon, at Jackson State University Student Center Ballroom (1400 John R. Lynch St.). The program encourages high school students to learn about poetry through memorization, performance and competition. The winner will advance to the state competition. Free; call 601-979-3935.

“The 39 Steps” through Feb. 6, at New Stage Theatre (1100 Carlisle St.). Written by Alfred Hitchcock and adapted by Peter Parlow, the comedy play is about a man on the run after being accused of murdering a spy. Show times are 7:30 p.m. Jan. 25-29 and Feb. 2–5, and 2 p.m. Jan. 30 and Feb. 6. $25, $22 students/seniors; call 601-948-3533.

Jackson Comedy Night ongoing, at Dreamz JXN (426 W. Capitol St.). Stand-up comedians perform every Tuesday night at 8 p.m. Doors open at 7 p.m. $7; call 601-317-0769.

MUSIC Music Student Performance: Beggars’ Opera Jan. 27 and Jan. 29, at Millsaps College, Ford Aca-

demic Complex (1701 N. State St.). Vocal students of Dr. Cheryl Coker and James Martin will perform. Show times are 7:30 p.m. Jan. 27 and 2 p.m.

Jan. 29. Free admission; call 601-974-1422.

American Guild of Organists Concert Jan. 28, 7:30 p.m., at St. Andrew’s Episcopal Cathedral (305 E. Capitol Street). Internationally-acclaimed organist David Higgs will perform. Free; call 601-362-3235.

Pops II: Classical Mystery Tour Jan. 29, 7:30 p.m., at Thalia Mara Hall (255 E. Pascagoula St.). The cast from the Broadway musical “Beatlemania” performs with the Mississippi Symphony Orchestra. $15 and up; call 601-960-1565.

Music in the City Feb. 1, 5:15 p.m., at Mississippi Museum of Art (380 S. Lamar St.), in Trustmark Grand Hall. In partnership with St. Andrew’s Cathedral, the museum brings a series of free concerts one Tuesday a month. Hors d’oeuvres will be served first, and the performance is at 5:45 p.m.

Free, donations welcome; call 601-354-1533.

Cotton District Arts Festival Songwriters Competition through Feb. 1. The Starkville Area Arts Council invites amateur and professional songwriters to submit an original, lyrical song. Songs are judged on melody, composition, structure and lyrics. All genres of music accepted. Applications available online at starkvillearts.org. Deadline for entries is Feb. 1 at 4:30 p.m. First, second and third place prizes will be $250, $100 and $75 cash, respectively.

All winners get to perform their song on one of the Cotton District Arts Festival main stages on April 23. $15 per song; call 662-325-3070.

Chris Austin Songwriting Contest through Feb. 18. The contest recognizes winners in four categories—country, bluegrass, gospel/inspirational and general. To be eligible, a songwriter must not derive more than 50 percent of his or her total income from songwriting or music publishing. All entries must be received by Feb. 18. Twelve finalists will be announced during the first week of April and will compete at MerleFest in Wilkesboro, N.C. $30 entry fee; call 800-799-3838 or 336-838-6158.

LITERARY AND SIGNINGS “Half Broke Horses: A True-Life Novel” Jan. 26, 5 p.m., at Lemuria Books (202 Banner Hall, 4465 Interstate 55 N.). Jeanette Walls signs copies of her book; reading at 5:30 p.m. $15 book; call 601-366-7619.

SONYA N. HERBERT

Radio JFP on WLEZ ongoing, at WLEZ 100.1 FM and wlezfm.com. Join Donna Ladd and Todd Stauffer every Thursday from noon-1 p.m., where they discuss vital issues and play local music. This week’s guests include Peter Kelly and Thomas Leonard discussing the formation of the Jackson Patriots football team, and Whitney Grant discussing the FIGMENT art event. Listen to podcasts at jfpradio. com. Free; call 601-362-6121, ext. 17.

Jackson Public Schools Dads of Destiny Conference Jan. 27, 5:45 p.m., at Cardozo Middle School (3180 McDowell Road Ext.). The conference for fathers and father figures of JPS students includes workshops, a dinner, door prizes and other giveaways. On-site registration begins at 4:30 p.m. Free; call 601-960-8878 or 601-960-8945.

6A0=3E84F

jfpevents

University of New Orleans’ Seventh Annual Writing Contest for Study Abroad through Jan. 31.

Three prizes to attend the University of New Orleans’ writing workshops in Edinburgh, Scotland, awarded to a poet, a fiction writer and a creative nonfiction writer. Writers who have not published a book of 45 pages or more in the genre in which they are applying are eligible. The award includes tuition and lodging, and the winning works are published in The Pinch. Submit up to three poems totaling no more than five pages or up to 4,500 words of prose by January 31. $25 entry fee; visit unopress.org/writingcontest/.

CREATIVE CLASSES Events at Viking Cooking School (1107 Highland Colony Parkway, Ridgeland). Call 601-898-8345.

• Southern Cookin’ Jan. 26, 6 p.m. Learn to make classic Southern dishes such as fried chicken, skillet cornbread and banana pudding. $79.

• Pies and Tarts Workshop Jan. 28, 9 p.m. Learn techniques such as tenderizing and rolling out pie dough, lining a pie pan, making a lattice-top pie crust, baking tart shells, and filling and glazing tarts. $69.

Landscape Design Jan. 27-March 17, at Millsaps College (1701 N. State St.). Rick Griffin will teach the course on Thursdays from 7-8:30 p.m. The first part of the course involves the design of residential landscapes. The second part involves participants bringing examples of their own site problems to discuss. The course includes a trip to the instructor’s garden. $150; call 601-974-1130.

Analog Recording Workshop Jan. 28-30, at DreamTime Productions (931 Highway 80 W., Suite 236). Nashville recording engineer Chris Mara is the instructor. Learn techniques such as aligning, tracking, overdubbing, punching and comping.

Registration is required. The Jan. 28 workshop is limited to six people, and the Jan. 29-30 workshop is limited to 10 people. $200 for Jan. 28, $200 for Jan. 29-30; e-mail cym@mindspring.com.

“Fleur” Painting Class Jan. 28, 7 p.m., at Easely Amused, Ridgeland (Trace Harbor Village, 7048 Old Canton Road, Suite 1002). Learn to paint a modern fleur de lis. This class is a treat for the New Orleans Saints fan. $32.10; call 769-251-5574.

How Not to Be a Starving Artist, Part 1 Jan. 29, 9 a.m., at Millsaps College (1701 N. State St.). This new workshop will bring the business world to the artist and help him or her develop an effective plan for making a living with art. Tracie James-Wade is the instructor. $40, $10 materials fee; call 601-974-1130.

So Fresh Hip-Hop Dance-a-Thon 2011 Jan. 29, 12:15 p.m., at Courthouse Racquet and Fitness Club, Flowood (2625 Courthouse Circle, Flowood). The workshop includes high-energy hip-hop dance choreography, freestyle techniques and more.

Open to ages 15 and older. $20, $10 per person in group of four or more; call 601-853-7480.

“Little Piece of My Heart” Painting Class Jan. 29, 7 p.m., at Easely Amused, Ridgeland (Trace Harbor Village, 7048 Old Canton Road, Suite 1002, Ridgeland). Students will paint a multicolored heart. Recommended for ages 8 and up. Registration required. $26.75; call 769-251-5574.

Salsa Mississippi Dance Classes through Dec 31, at La Salsa Dance Club and Studio (303 Mitchell Ave.). Zumba class is held Mondays at 5:30 p.m.

Tuesdays, take the bachata class at 6 p.m. or the mild salsa class at 7 p.m. Wednesdays, beginners salsa is taught at 6 p.m., and intermediate salsa is

taught at 7 p.m. Advanced salsa class is on Thursdays at 6 p.m. A beginner’s salsa class is also taught at the Chapatoula Building (115 Cynthia St., Clinton). $10 per class; call 601-213-6355.

Jewelry Making Class, at Dream Beads (605 Duling Ave.). This class is offered every Saturday from 10 a.m. to noon. Free; call 601-664-0411.

Adult Modern Dance Class, at YMCA Northeast Jackson (5062 Interstate 55 N.). Front Porch Dance offers the one-hour class on Fridays. Students will learn dance moves that will help them grow in strength, flexibility and coordination. A YMCA membership is not required. $10 per class; e-mail krista.bower@gmail.com.

Fitness Center, at Jackson Roadmap to Health Equity Project’s Farmers’ Market (2548 Livingston Road). Options include aerobics and Zumba classes, equipment for resistance training and toning, and access to a personal trainer. No joining fee or longterm commitment required. Open 8 a.m.-9 p.m. weekdays. $20 per month; call 601-987-6783.

EXHIBITS AND OPENINGS “Attention to Detail” through Jan. 31, at Cups in Fondren (2757 Old Canton Rd). See drawings and paintings by Scott Penman and graphic designs by Jesse Stribling. Free; call 601-362-7422.

“I Love My Pet” Contest through Feb. 13, at Fondren Art Gallery (601 Duling Ave.). Bring a head shot of your pet to the gallery. A drawing will be held Feb. 13, and the winner will receive a free portrait of the photos painted by Richard McKey. Free; call 601-981-9222.

Mississippi Celebrates Architecture Photography Contest through Feb. 15. The Mississippi chapter of the American Institute of Architects Mississippi Chapter is calling for photographic submissions for an upcoming exhibition highlighting Mississippi’s modern architecture. The competition is open to amateur and professional photographers, with a special portion of the exhibit reserved for student photographers through the 12th grade. The submission deadline is Feb. 15. Selected prints will be exhibited at the Municipal Art Gallery (839 N. State St.) March 31-April 30. E-mail john@ccdarchitects.com.

A M A LC O T H E AT R E

South of Walmart in Madison

ALL STADIUM SEATING Listings for Friday, Jan. 28th - Thursday, Feb. 3rd The Rite

PG13

The Mechanic R No Strings Attached

R

True Grit

PG13

Little Fockers PG13 Black Swan

R

3-D Green Hornet PG13

Gullivers Travels (non 3-D) PG

The Dilemma

3-D Tron Legacy PG

PG13

The King’s Speech R Season Of The Witch PG13 Country Strong PG13

The Fighter Yogi Bear (non 3-D)

R PG

Tangled (non 3-D) PG

GIFT CARDS AVAILABLE DAILY BARGAINS UNTIL 6PM

Online Tickets, Birthday Parties, Group & Corporate Events @ www.malco.com

Movieline: 355-9311

THE GREEN ROOM FOR SERIOUS BILLIARDS

Voted Best Place to Play Pool!

Best of Jackson 2010

$25,00ou0t Handicapped Total Pay

8-Ball League

Starts Feb. 8 & 9

JOIN A LEAGUE NOW! Handicapped In-house League Call 601-718-POOL to find out how you or your team can win big bucks!

444 Bounds St in Jackson www.greenroomms.com | greenroomms@yahoo.com

Check jfpevents.com for updates and more listings.

To add an event, e-mail all details (phone number, start/end date and time, street address, cost, URL, etc.) to events@jacksonfreepress.com or fax to 601510-9019. The deadline is noon the Thursday prior to the week of publication. Or add the event online yourself; check out jfpevents.com for instructions.

BE THE CHANGE Music Fundraiser for Northern Uganda Jan. 29, 6:30 p.m., at Hal & Mal’s (200 Commerce St.). The event includes a silent auction of art and music memorabilia, and music

by Taylor Hildebrand, Blue Mountain and Kudzu Kings. Proceeds benefit A River Blue, a nonprofit that supports vocational training and rehabilitation of displaced youth in northern Uganda. $20; e-mail chandler.griffin@ ariverblue.org.

“Roof, Repair and Refresh” Project through Jan. 31. Habitat for Humanity/Metro Jackson needs your votes for Pepsi’s Refresh Grant.

HFH/MJ is in the running for a $250,000 grant to “Roof, Repair and Refresh” the homes of low-income families. The grant will go toward critical home repairs for 50 inner-city households and will provide continued resources for the families. Vote online at refresheverything.com/habitatmetrojackson or send a text message of 104866 to 73774. Voting ends Jan. 31, and you may vote daily.

jacksonfreepress.com

Festival of Writers Jan. 27, noon, at Eudora Welty Library (300 N. State St.), in the Ellen Douglas Meeting Room. Authors such as Alexander Brown, Katrina Byrd and Rick Ward will speak and sign books. Light refreshments served. Free; call 601-968-5820.

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livemusic

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Opens at 4pm Wednesday-Friday and 6pm on Saturday Entertainment starts at 8pm Wednesday-Thursday and 9pm Friday-Saturday

Home of the blues, jazz, bluegrass music, and something or â&#x20AC;&#x2122;nother.

119 South President Street in Jackson, Mississippi | 601.352.2322

Weekly Music Listings

Wednesday, January 26th

SWING DE PARIS

Wednesday, February 2nd

BILL & TEMPERANCE

(Gypsy Jazz) 8-11, No Cover

(Bluegrass) 8-11, No Cover

Thursday, January 27th

Thursday, February 3rd

OSGOOD & BLAQUE

ALLISON JENKINS & SWING STATION

(Blues) 8-11, No Cover

(Gypsy Jazz) 8-11, No Cover Friday, February 4th

ANDY HARDWICK TRIO (Jazz) 9-1, $10 Cover

Friday, January 28th

JUVENATORS

(Blues) 9-1, $10 Cover Saturday, January 29th

SCAVENGERS

(Blues) 9-1, $10 Cover

Saturday, February 5th

THE VAMPS

(Soul Jazz) 9-1, $10 Cover

Thank you for voting us one of the best: jacksonfreepress.com

venuelist

63

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January 26 - February 1, 2011

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64

STOCK PHOTO

dining

by Robin O’Bryant

Grill Away Winter’s Chill

W

hen it’s cold outside, I crave comfort food: macaroni and cheese, pot roast, soups and stews that warm you from the inside out. But it’s inevitable, after two months of overindulging and several weeks of chili, soups and stews, I start fantasizing about summer food.

The smell of charcoal burning and the sound of meat sizzling on the grill call to me like a siren song as I glob another helping of “something warm and filling” in a bowl.

I long for fresh, sweet corn, crisp cucumbers and juicy vine-ripened tomatoes. I want a salad full of farmers’ market veggies and a steak hot off the grill.

So I fake it.

I make my husband drag out the grill, and I pretend it’s summer time. Steaks, chicken, vegetables—no edible item is safe from my summer-food craze. He’s freezing out there holding his barbeque tongs, but it’s worth it—to me, anyway.

Here are two grill recipes to pull you through until the frost thaws.

KNOCKYOUR SOCKS OFF FLANK STEAK

1/4 cup soy sauce 2 tablespoons vinegar 1-1/2 teaspoons ground ginger (fresh or powdered) 3/4 cup olive oil 2 green onions, diced 1 flank steak, 1 to 1-1/2 pounds

Unfold the flank steak as it is usually folded in half in the package. With a sharp knife, score the steak, by carefully slicing into the surface of the meat diagonally, across the grain. Do this on both sides of the steak, scoring the meat about every inch. Marinate overnight. (I know it’s a long time to wait, but really, it’s going to be so worth it.)

Drain the marinade off of the steak and grill to desired doneness.

MATT’S KICKIN’ CHICKEN

1/4 cup apple-cider vinegar 3 tablespoons spicy brown mustard 3 cloves garlic 1 lime juiced 1 lemon juiced 1/2 cup brown sugar 1-1/2 teaspoons salt 1/4 cup olive oil ground black pepper to taste 2 pounds of chicken (I prefer boneless, skinless breasts; but you could also use bone-in, skin-on chicken pieces)

This is my favorite chicken marinade of all time. Trust me on this.

Marinate chicken overnight if you can, or at least for two hours before grilling. I’ve gotten desperate and cooked this on the stovetop, and I’ve baked it in a 400-degree oven until the center of the chicken breasts is no longer pink.

It’s almost as good, but for best results, throw those babies on the grill, even if it is snowing.

Grilling Tips

Chicken • Cook chicken breast (5 to 6 ounces) six to seven minutes each side.

• Cook chicken legs 15 to 22 minutes each side (grill with chicken legs placed 5 to 6 inches above direct fire.)

• Keep grill covered.

• Chicken is generally safe at an internal temperature of 160 degrees, but 180 degrees is recommended.

Steak • For a 3/4-inch cut, cook eight to 12 minutes on direct heat; flip at four minutes) • The internal temperatures for steak are: rare, 140 degrees; medium-rare, 145 degrees; medium, 160 degrees; medium-well, 165 degrees and well-done, 170 degrees. Source: grillingtips.com

DECADENT MAC-N-CHEESE

by Tom Ramsey

2 medium yellow onions 12 cloves garlic 2 tablespoons fresh rosemary 1 bunch parsley 2 teaspoons fresh thyme 6 cups milk 1 cup heavy cream 1 cup chicken stock 2 pounds small elbow macaroni 4 slices thick-cut bacon 4 tablespoons butter 4 tablespoons all purpose flour 6 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese 4 cups shredded pepper jack cheese 3 16-ounce packages cream cheese Kosher salt Black pepper Olive oil

Finely chop onions, garlic, rosemary, parsley and thyme. Combine milk, cream and chicken stock.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add macaroni and cook until al dente (firm but not hard). Drain, do not rinse, and return to pot, removed from the heat.

In a large saucepan, cook bacon until fat renders and bacon is crispy.

Remove from pan and place on a paperlined plate. Add butter, yellow onion and garlic. Cook until onions are translucent.

Add flour and whisk until flour forms a thick, uniform paste. Add rosemary and thyme, and whisk. Slowly incorporate liquids, whisking as they are added. Add a handful of cheese at a time until all of it is blended and melted. Taste and add salt and pepper as desired. Crumble bacon and add to the cheese sauce.

Pour the cheese sauce into the pot of macaroni, scraping down the sides to ensure that all of the sauce is used.

Serve hot and garnish with finely chopped parsley. Drizzle with olive oil.

Serves six.

Soulshine pizza would like to extend their thanks to everyone who voted for us as a finalist for best pizza in Best of Jackson 2011!

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

Come byandtastethe pizzas that have made soulshine Jacksonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s BEST for nine yearsand counting!

Votedâ&#x20AC;&#x153;Best pizza in Mississippiâ&#x20AC;? by mississippi magazine

Join us for the

Big Game

on February 6th!

20+ TVs and a Projector Screen!

Daily Lunch Specials - $9

Happy Hour Everyday 4-7 LATE NIGHT HAPPY HOUR

Sunday - Thursday 10pm - 12am

2-FOR-1, YOU CALL IT!

TWO LOCATIONS

(601) 919-2000

Old FANNIN ROAD / Reservior

(601) 856-8646

THE TOWNSHIP AT COLONY PARK

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

601.978.1839

6270 Old Canton Rd. Jackson, MS 39211

LUNCH

STARTING AT

$7.00

THURSDAY - JANUARY 27 LADIES NIGHT: DRINK FREE 9-11PM FRIDAY - JANUARY 28 & SATURDAY JANUARY 29

SUNDAY - JANUARY 30 8 BALL TOURNAMENT MONDAY - JANUARY 31 BAR IS OPEN TUESDAY - FEBRUARY 1 POOL LEAGUE NIGHT

WEDNESDAY - FEBRUARY 2 MIKE MOTT KARAOKE 2636 S. Gallatin Jackson, MS 39204

601-961-4747

www.myspace.com/popsaroundthecorner

HAPPY HOUR 5 - 7 NIGHTLY $2 OFF WELL DRINKS AND WINE BY THE GLASS

,$ ,* "", % #!&, # ,* # , +,' , " &&

FFacebook.com/ParkerHse ACEBOOK.COM/PARKERHSE

Twitter @ParkerHse TWITTER @PARKERHSE 104 EAST MADISON DRIVE RIDGELAND, MS 601.856.0043 W W W . T H E PA R K E R H O U S E . C O M

jacksonfreepress.com

WILLY WAGGS

65

Ladies Night

%*/&+BDLTPO

is Thursday Night

Free Apple Martini or Cosmo

Live Music

No cover.

Thurs. 1/27 - Gunter Cheatham Fri. 1/28 - Jason Bailey Sat. 1/29 - Karaoke

Acoustic Crossroads

January 29th, 2011 9:00pm | $5.00 Cover 601-362-6388

6720 Old Canton Rd., Ridgeland | 601.812.6862

1410 Old Square Road • Jackson

601.812.6862

6954 Old Canton Rd. Ridgeland, MS

601-956-5040

Open daily 11 am-2 pm and 5-10 pm for dinner

Eslava’s Grille Seafood, Steaks and Pasta

ONLY $13.95!

STEAK & SHRIMP DINNER 5-10p.m. Fri-Sun

Danilo Eslava Caceres, Executive Chef/GM 2481 Lakeland Drive Flowood, MS 39232

601-932-4070 tel 601-933-1077 fax

THANK YOU FOR THE BEST OF

JACKSON AWARDS NOMINATIONS

January 26 - February 1, 2011

Catering services available anytime

66

SUNDAY

BUFFET 11 AM - 3 PM

Tues. - Fri. 11am - 3pm, Closed Sat. 182 Raymond Rd. in Jackson, MS Telephone: 601-373-7707 E-mail: lumpkinsbbq@comcast.net

Paid advertising section.

Hal and Mal’s (200 S. Commerce St. 601-948-0888) Pub favorites meet Gulf Coast and Cajun specialties like red beans and rice, the Oyster Platter or each day’s blackboard special. Plus sandwiches, burgers, nachos and other staples. Repeat winner of Best of Jackson’s “Best Place for Live Music.”

Last Call (3716 I-55 N. Frontage Road 601-713-2700) Burgers, sandwiches and po-boys, plus sports-bar appetizers and specialities. Try chili cheese fries, chicken nachos or the shrimp & pork eggrolls. Pay-per-view sporting events, live bands.

Martin’s Restaurant and Lounge (214 South State Street 601-354-9712) Lunch specials, pub appetizers (jalapeno poppers, cheezsticks, fried pickles) or order from the full menu of po-boys and entrees. Full bar, massive beer selection and live music most nights.

Time Out Sports Café (6720 Old Canton Road 601-978-1839) 14 TVs, 1 projector and two big-screens. Daily $9 lunch specials, pub-style appetizers, burgers, seafood and catfish po-boys, salads, and hot entrees including fish, steak and pasta.

Ole Tavern on George Street (416 George St. 601-960-2700) Pub food with a southern flair: beer-battered onion rings, chicken & sausage gumbo, salads, sandwiches and weekly lunch specials. Plus, happy hour 4-7pm Monday through Friday.

Poets Two (1855 Lakeland Drive, Suite H-10, 601-364-9411) Pub fare at its finest. Crabcake minis, fried dills, wings, poppers, ultimate fries, sandwiches, po-boys, pasta entrees and steak. The signature burgers come in bison, kobe, beef or turkey!

Happy hour everyday til 7 p.m.

Sportsman’s Lodge (1120 E Northside Dr. in Maywood Mart) 601-366-5441 Voted Best Sports Bar in 2010, Sportman’s doesn’t disappoint with plenty of gut-pleasing sandwiches, fried seafood baskets, sandwiches and specialty appetizers. Try the award-winning wings in Buffalo, Thai or Jerk sauces!

Underground 119 (119 South President St. 601-352-2322) Jumbo lump crabcakes, crab quesadillas, beef tenderloin parfaits, orange-garlic shrimp, even “lollipop” lamb chops. Add a full bar and mix in great music. Opens 4 p.m.-until, Wed-Sat. Wing Stop (952 North State Street, 601-969-6400) Saucing and tossing wings in a choice of nine flavors, Wingstop wings are made with care and served up piping hot. Every order is made fresh to order; check out the fresh cut seasoned fries!

SOUTHERN CUISINE Mimi’s Family and Friends (3139 North State Street, Fondren) 601-366-6111 Funky local art decorates this new offering in Fondren, where the cheese grits, red beans & rice, pork tacos and pimento cheese are signature offerings. Breakfast and lunch, new days are Tuesday-Sunday.

Primos Cafe (2323 Lakeland 601-936-3398/ 515 Lake Harbour 601-898-3400) A Jackson institution featuring a full breakfast (with grits and biscuits), blue-plate specials, catfish, burgers, prime rib, oysters, po-boys and wraps. Save room for something from their famous bakery!

Sugar’s Place (168 W Griffith St 601-352-2364) Hot breakfast and week-day lunch: catfish, pantrout, fried chicken wings, blue plates, red beans & rice, pork chops, chicken & dumplings, burgers, po-boys...does your grandma cook like this?

Located downtown near MC Law School.

The Strawberry Café (107 Depot Drive, Madison, 601-856-3822) Full table service, lunch and dinner. Crab and crawfish appetizers, salads, fresh seafood, pastas, “surf and turf” and more. Veggie options. Desserts: cheesecake, Madison Mud and strawberry shortcake.

Two Sisters Kitchen (707 N. Congress St. 601-353-1180) 2010 Best of Jackson winner for fried chicken offers a sumptious buffet of your choice of veggies, a salad bar, iced tea & one of three homemade desserts. Lunch only. Mon-Friday & Sun.

STEAK, SEAFOOD & FINE DINING Crab’s (6954 Old Canton Rd., Ridgeland, 601-956-5040) Crab’s Seafood Shack offers a wide variety of southern favorites such as fried catfish and boiled shrimp. Full bar complete with multiple televisions for all of your favorite sporting events.

Eslava’s Grille (2481 Lakeland Drive, 601-932-4070) Danny Eslava’s namesake feature Latin-influenced dishes like ceviche in addition to pastas, steaks, salads and other signature seafood dishes.

Rocky’s (1046 Warrington Road, Vicksburg 601-634-0100) Enjoy choice steaks, fresh seafood, great salads, hearty sandwiches and much more in the “polished casual” dining room. Open 24/7 in the Riverwalk Casino.

Parker House (104 South East Madison Drive, Ridgeland 601-856-0043) European and Creole take on traditional Southern ingredients in Olde Town Ridgeland. Crawfish, oysters, crab and steaks dominate, with creative option like Crab Mac ‘n Cheese, Oysters Rockefeller and Duck Jezebel. Or enjoy lighter fare (and a plate lunch special) during lunch hours!

Paid advertising section.

A True Taste

%*/&+BDLTPO

Huntington’s Grille (1001 East County Line Road, 601-957-3191) Huntington Grille has received Wine Spectators Award of Excellence and Americas Top Restaurant Award from Wine Enthusiast magazine for four years. Menu offers fine Southern food and Gulf Coast choices with a “big game” twist.

Baker lumbian

n & Co

Mexica

of Italy

y/Deli

ASIAN Nagoya (6351 I-55 North #131 @ Target Shopping Ctr. 601-977-8881) Nagoya gets high marks for its delicious-and-affordable sushi offerings, tasty lunch specials and high-flying hibachi room with satisfying flavors for the whole family.

Ichiban (153 Ridge Drive, Ste 105F 601-919-0097 & 359 Ridgeway 601-919-8879) Voted “Best Chinese” in 2010, cuisine styles at Ichiban actually range from Chinese to Japanese, including hibachi, sushi made fresh with seafood, and a crowd-pleasing buffet.

Pan Asia (720 Harbor Pines Dr, Ridgeland 601-956-2958) Beautiful ambiance in this popular Ridgeland eatery accompanies signature asian fusion dishes and build-your-own stir-frys using fresh ingredients and great sauces.

Lunch Special - $7.75 + Tax

3 Tacos + Fountain Drink Tortas • Tacos • Antojitos • Burritos • Bebidas Quesadillas • Empanadas... And MORE! 1290 E County Line Rd (next to Northpark Mall) Ridgeland, MS 39157 | 601-983-1253

910 Lake Harbour Dr. Ridgeland | 601-956-2929 Monday - Saturday | 5 - until

ITALIAN

Mellow Mushroom (275 Dogwood Blvd, Flowood, 601-992-7499) Pizzas of all kinds, munchies, calzones, grilled hoagies, salads and more make up the extensive and “eclectic” menu at Mellow Mushroom. Award-winning beer selection. Dine in or carry out.

The Pizza Shack (1220 N State St. 601-352-2001) 2009 and 2010’s winner of Best Pizza offers the perfect pizza-and-a-beer joint. Creative pizza options abound (“Cajun Joe, anyone?”), along with sandwiches, wings, salads and even BBQ. Great beer specials!

Sal & Mookie’s (565 Taylor St. 601-368-1919) Pizzas of all kinds plus pasta, eggplant parmesan and the local favorite: fried ravioli. Voted Best Chef, Best Dessert, Best Kid’s Menu and Best Ice Cream in the 2010 Best of Jackson reader poll.

Downtown Jackson • (601) 353-1180 Open 11am-2pm, Sunday thru Friday

W

i r e d

p

re

Byram 5752 Terry Road (601) 376-0081 Fax: (601) 373-7349

VASILIOS

a sso C

GOOD

• Fresh Seafood Daily

Cof fee!

Every Coffee Bean We Brew Supports Non-profi ts Worldwide.

M-F -, - S - C A

.. |  H M

MEXICAN/LATIN AMERICAN King Tortas International Deli (1290 E. County Line Rd, Ridgeland, 601-983-1253) Bakery and taqueria; try the fried plantains!

VEGETARIAN High Noon Café (2807 Old Canton Road in Rainbow Plaza 601-366-1513) Fresh, gourmet, tasty and healthy defines the lunch options at Jackson’s own strict vegetarian (and very-vegan-friendly) restaurant. Daily lunch specials -- like Mexican day and the seaside cakes on Fridays -- push the envelope on creative and healthy; wonderful desserts!

Jackson 1801 Dalton Street (601) 352-4555 Fax: (601) 352-4510

AUTHENTIC GREEK DINING s

PIZZA

707 N. Congress Street

E

Aladdin Mediterranean Grill (730 Lakeland Drive 601-366-6033) Delicious authentic dishes including lamb dishes, hummus, falafel, kababs, shwarma and much more. Consistent award winner, great for takeout or for long evenings with friends.

Kristos (971 Madison Ave @ Hwy 51, Madison, 601-605-2266) Home of the famous Greek meatball! Hummus, falafel, dolmas, pita sandwiches, salads, plus seasoned curly fries (or sweet potato fries) and amazing desserts.

Mezza (1896 Main St., Suite A, Madison 601-853-0876) Mediterranean cuisine and wood fired brick oven pizzas. Come experience the beautiful patio, Hookahs, and delicious food. Beer is offered and you are welcome to bring your own wine.

Vasilios (828 Hwy 51 in Madison 601-853-0028) Vasilios offers authentic Greek dining featuring fresh seafood daily along with gyros, greek salads, appetizers and signature Mediterranean desserts. Their Redfish is a standout, earning rave reviews.

2003-2010, Best of Jackson

a Th

n

ou Y k

n” g us ks o 10 t i n n Ja c 9 • 20 o V Fo r e c ue i • 200 a r b 008 B st 06 • 2 e B “ • 20 3 200

!

Best Butts In Town!

since 1980

601-956-7079

1491 Canton Mart Rd. • Jackson

jacksonfreepress.com

MEDITERRANEAN/GREEK/INDIAN

Monday – Saturday, 10 a.m. – 8 p.m.

e

BRAVO! (4500 Interstate 55 N., Jackson, 601-982-8111) Wood-fired pizzas, vegetarian fare, plus creative pastas, beef, and seafood specials. Wonderful atmosphere, service and award-winning wine list. Bravo! walks away with tons of Best of Jackson awards every year.

Cerami’s (5417 Lakeland Drive, Flowood, 601-919-28298) Southern-style Italian cuisine features their signature Shrimp Cerami (white wine sauce, capers artichokes) along with veal, tilapia, crawfish, chicken and pasta dishes. Full bar.

Fratesi’s (910 Lake Harbour, Ridgeland, 601-956-2929) “Authentic, homey, unpretentious” that’s how the regulars describe Fratesi’s, a staple in Jackson for years, offering great Italian favorites with loving care. The tiramisu is a must-have!

f

section.

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Where We Dress You From Shoe Up! Bebe Spring 2011

Marketing

& Events

Interns Wanted

Want to learn more about Marketing and Events Production in a fast-paced environment?

Need college credit* or marketing experience?

Jackson Free Press is looking for dynamic marketing/event interns.

425 MITCHELL AVE. JACKSON’S HISTORIC FONDREN MON - SAT 10AM-6PM 601-939-5203

Interested? Send an e-mail to: kimberly@jacksonfreepress.com, telling us why you want to intern with us and what makes you the ideal candidate.

*College credit available to currently enrolled college students in select disciplines.

We Serve Lunch Too! Happy Hour Everyday until 7PM

Wednesday Nights

Shows & Karaoke 9p-1a

THURSDAY, JANUARY 27

17 =56;4.=?6;A 9pm to 1am

KARAOKE W/ KOKOMO JOE $5 Bud Light Pitchers

FRIDAY JANUARY 28

The Amazin’ Lazy Boi Band

January 26 - February 1, 2011

2-for-1 Gin & Tonic $5 Bud Light Pitchers

70

SATURDAY JANUARY 29

Jarekus Singleton Band $10 Cover 2-for-1 Cranberry & Vodka

$5 Bud Light Pitchers

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WE DELIVER WITH 5 OR MORE ORDERS!

follow us!

1855 Lakeland Drive Jackson, MS 39216 | Ph: 601-364-9411 F: 601-364-9462 WWW.POETS2.NET

Zannish Frazier, 28, called police in West Linn, Ore., to say she was stranded in a park and needed a ride to the transit station. Officers who showed up found the woman toting six duffel bags, two of which turned out to be filled with stolen laptops, clothes and jewelry. “It was almost like she went Christmas shopping,” police Sgt. Neil Hennelly said after arresting Frazier for burglary and theft. (Portland’s The Oregonian)

Hard Times Executions in the United States declined 12 percent in 2010, in part because of “the high costs of the death penalty at a time when budgets are being slashed,” according to the Death Penalty Information Center’s annual report.

Texas led the nation, carrying out 17 of the 46 U.S. executions. (Reuters)

Second-Amendment Follies When Johnathan W. Hartman, 27, got into an argument with a woman while sitting in a car in a parking lot in Billings, Mont., police said he pulled out a gun, threatened to kill the woman and then fired two shots, one of which went through the car’s roof. A delayed third shot fired when Hartman tried to tuck the gun into his waistband but accidentally wounded himself in the buttocks. (Billings Gazette)

Dupe of the Week Joseph Jones, 73, told sheriff ’s investigators he was awakened by a phone call to his motel room in Spartanburg, S.C., from someone

claiming to be the manager. The caller explained that a prior guest had left behind some “highly sophisticated cameras” that were hidden and needed to be gotten rid of. Following the caller’s instructions, Jones smashed the television with the ceramic toilet tank cover, then threw the set outside and shattered all the mirrors in the room.

Next, the caller said that a midget was trapped in an adjoining room, and Jones “needed to help police get to him.” Jones dutifully broke through the wallboard. By then, the real motel manager had received noise complaints from nearby guests and called the authorities, who concluded that Jones was the victim of an elaborate prank, which had targeted guests at other motels. No charges were filed, but the manager asked Jones to leave. (Spartanburg’s WXII-TV)

Overreaction of the Week When his girlfriend turned down his marriage proposal at a Burger King in Pico Rivera, Calif., Francisco Hernandez, 22, went to his car, which still had “Stacy Will You Marry Me?” written on the back window. He drove onto the sidewalk, through some bushes and into the restaurant parking lot, where he reportedly tried to run the ex-girlfriend down. He narrowly missed, then tried to drive away with two flat tires. He abandoned the car and ran, according to Los Angeles County sheriff’s Lt. Andrew, Hernandez, but “then our helicopter guys spotted him walking down the street carrying a bouquet of flowers.” (Los Angeles Times) Compiled from mainstream media sources by Roland Sweet. Authentication on demand.

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LUNCH BUFFETT $7.99 -All You Can Eat-

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Neil B. Snead

Aď?´ď?´ď?Żď?˛ď?Žď?Ľď?š ď&#x153;Ś Cď?Żď?ľď?Žď?łď?Ľď?Źď?Żď?˛ Aď?´ Lď?Ąď?ˇ Jackson â&#x20AC;˘ (601) 316-7147 FREE BACKGROUND INFO. AVAILABLE UPON REQUEST

OPEN MON-SAT Located at 3716 I-55 N Jackson, Ms in the old Last Call location 601-487-8370

Art Deco Apartment $550 and up

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Space available for Showers, Engagement Parties & Weddings

,A -ORENA

Everything you need for a moment like this...

125 S Congress Street in Jackson, MS Phone: (601) 326-8520

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Authentic Not Tex-Mex Homemade Tortillas Steak, mmmmmmmmmmmmmmm Chicken & Pork Tacos.

Sweetness in 2011!

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