Oxford Magazine July/Aug. 2021, Best of Oxford Edition

• PLENTY OF WAYS TO PAMPER PETS WITH LOCAL FAVORITES • CHADWICKS’ HOME FILLED WITH LOVE, MUSIC • RETIRING HONORS DEAN IS A MAN OF MANY TALENTS

CELEBRATING EVERYDAY BEST OF OXFORD’S TOP CHEF MAKES THE EVERYDAY EXTRAORDINARY

Best Of

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FEATURES

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MAN OF MANY TALENTS From fighting fires to expanding academic horizons, a look at Douglass Sullivan-Gonzalez’s passions

WELCOME HOME Settling in to life in Oxford and Ole Miss

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BEST OF OXFORD 2021 You voted. We tallied.

See who’s who in the LOU.

PHOTO BY BRUCE NEWMAN AND OLE MISS DIGITAL IMAGING SERVICES

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arts & culture

27 Playwright brings his story full-circle

OM in every issue 6 Contributors

7 From the Editor

home & style

20 Chadwicks create a life, history with ‘fishing cabin

9 The Guide

10 5 Questions 33 Book Picks

80 Out and About

food

& drink

39 Elizabeth Heiskell always finds some hing to celebrate

77 Style Guide

82 Marketplace

79 Said and Done

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contributors EDITORIAL

Jake Thompson Maya Martin

CONTRIBUTORS Davis Coen Lyn Richardson Lauren Jones Thad Lee Sarah Gray Bruce Newman Joey Brent Ben Williams

Joey Brent, Photographer

Joey Brent is a local photographer in Oxford, Mississippi.

DESIGN

Allison Dale Stacy Graning

MARKETING

Lyn Roberts, Book Expert

Lyn Roberts has been general manager at Square Books for more than 20 years and can usually be found behind the counter at Off Square Books.

Delia Childers Amelia Miller

ADMINISTRATION

Rebecca Alexander, Publisher Nikki Buford

Thad Lee, Photographer

Thad Lee is an award-winning filmmaker from Hattiesburg. He has earned English and Philosophy degrees from the University of Mississippi and an MFA in Screenwriting from the University of New Orleans. His film, All That You Love Will Be Carried Away, based on a short story by Stephen King. It is currently screening at festivals in America and Europe.

Davis Coen, Writer

Davis Coen is a freelance writer and newspaper reporter from Oxford by way of South Carolina. He’s had stories published in various local publications including Oxford Eagle, Oxford Citizen and Daily Journal. He also maintains a music career with over a dozen tours of Europe and regular airplay on SiriusXM Satellite Radio.

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from the editor

W ON THE COVER

What a difference from last year. As we were creating the content for this edition of Oxford Magazine together we were able to include so many more local events for the calendar and for the first time in forever more spotted galleries as live in-person events have returned.

The home feature we had waited several months to be able to bring you – former Ole Miss tennis coach Billy Chadwick and his wife Julie’s dreamy farmhouse renovation – was worth the wait as you will see in Thad Lee’s article and photos.

We are so excited reveal the Best of Oxford 2021 in this edition. You had a part in helping recognize local businesses that you feel deserve to be awarded Best of Oxford 2021. This year set a record for votes – more than 192,000 individual votes were cast. The huge number of votes prove that you are passionate about recognizing LOCAL and having your voice heard.

We congratulate the winners and finalists. You did not have an easy year staying in business, so this year’s award winners should feel especially proud to win their titles this year. The list of winners will also be online on The Oxford Eagle’s website, Best of Oxford 2021 for the next year.

There are dozens of small profiles on the Best of Oxford businesses. We wish we could feature all, as they are all deserving.

We also get to know the beloved “DSG,” retiring dean of the UM Honors College and a man of truly many talents.

Last but not least, we have two features for our in-coming University of Mississippi students who will be arriving in August. You will want to read the story for newcomers about settling in to Oxford. Also, our Style pages feature on what to wear and how to prepare for sorority recruitment So we celebrate our Best of Oxford 2021 title holders and look forward to the season to come.

Rebecca Alexander Publisher rebecca.alexander@oxfordeagle.com

Elizabeth Heiskell Best Chef Photo submitted Design by Allison Dale Stacy Graning

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WHAT TO DO IN OXFORD

OXFORD COMMUNITY MARKET Old Armory Pavilion - Free, seasonal goods from local vendors Every Monday of July | 3 p.m. - 6:30 p.m.

PROUD LARRY’S PRESENTS... GEORGE MCCONNELL Proud Larry’s - Free admission, Age 18+ July 6 | Show: 7 p.m.

OPEN RIDES NIGHT Lafayette County Multipurpose Arena Events - $5 per horse July 8, 15, 29 | 5 p.m. - 9 p.m.

PROUD LARRY’S PRESENTS... THE B3 Proud Larry’s - $10 admission, 18+ July 10 | Doors: 8 p.m. / Show: 9 p.m.

PROUD LARRY’S PRESENTS... GEORGE MCCONNELL Proud Larry’s - Free admission, 18+ July 13 | Show: 7 p.m.

PROUD LARRY’S PRESENTS... BUFFALO NICHOLS WITH KEL KELLUM Proud Larry’s - Free admission, 18+ July 21 |Show: 7:30 p.m.

OXFORD COMMUNITY MARKET Old Armory Pavilion - Free, seasonal goods from local vendors Every Monday of August | 3 p.m. - 6:30 p.m.

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JULY 2

Goodnight Market 4th of July Edition 6 p.m. - 8 p.m.

This Goodnight Market is a special event to celebrate Independence Day at the Old Armory Pavilion featuring complimentary hot dogs and beverages, live music, games and local vendors with shares and share pickups. Be sure to bring your blankets and chairs for the screening of “Independence Day’’ on the lawn at 8 p.m. Free event.

JULY 3

Karen Brown LIVE @ The Martin Center 6 p.m.

Enjoy an evening listening to the Oxford native and award-winning vocalist Karen Brown at The Martin Center. Brown is known for her soulful artistry, with her background in the church choir. Brown blends Soul, Gospel and R&B into her sound to move her audience. For ticket information, call (662) 607-0245.

JULY 6

Artist Talk: Kelly Spivey 5:30 p.m.

MFA Candidate Kelly Spivey discusses her thesis, audio documentary “The Bake Sale” at the Old Armory Pavilion with moderator John Rash. “The Bake Sale,” is an audio documentary about the rise in bake sales as a response to recent civil rights violations and police brutality across the United States. Free event.

JULY 11

Chickens in Texas: a table reading of a new play 6p.m.

Come down to the Powerhouse where Quasar is hosting an open table read of a comedic, whimsical story of a family and the lengths they will go to for an inheritance. Guests will be provided complimentary food and drinks and can participate in a Q&A following the table read. Get your free tickets at http://oxfordarts.com/quasar.

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GOODNIGHT MARKET Old Armory Pavilion Free, Outdoor market featuring music, art & crafts and food August 6 | 5 p.m. - 8 p.m.

PROUD LARRY’S PRESENTS... COUNTRY WESTERNS Proud Larry’s - 18+ August 12 | Doors: 8 p.m. / Show: 9 p.m.

THE HEARTBREAK HENRY, DIR. DAVID SHEFFIELD The Gertrude C. Ford Center - More information on ticket prices will be available closer to performances.

August 12-15 | Doors: 8 p.m. / Show: 9 p.m.

JULY 12

Ace Atkins in Conversation with Jack Pendarvis for “The Heathens” + Signing 6 p.m. - 7 p.m.

Hosted by Square Books, bring along a chair to the Old Armory Pavilion for a Tibbehah County Picnic in celebration of the latest installment in Ace Atkins’ Quinn Colson series, The Heathens. There will be music, a catfish inner and cocktails for guests. Free event.

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JULY 27

Pop Up Signing: A Good Meal is Hard to Find 3 p.m. - 6:30 p.m.

Join Amy C. Evans and Martha Hall Foose at the Old Armory Pavilion for a pop up signing to celebrate their new cookbook, A Good Meal is Hard to Find. Free samples will be distributed, and you can purchase a raffle icket for a chance to win a free dessert from Martha and an art print from Amy. Free event.

AUGUST 12

LOFT Night for Nonprofit 6 p.m.

WHAT TO DO IN OXFORD FUTUREBIRDS LIVE @ THE LYRIC OXFORD The Lyric Oxford - Tickets: $22.00 - $24.00 18+, Minors must be accompanied by a guardian, $5 for all persons under 21 August 26 | Doors: 7 p.m. / Show: 8 p.m.

ROBERT EARL KEEN LIVE @ THE LYRIC OXFORD The Lyric Oxford - 18+, All minors (18 and under) will be charged with a $5 fee at the door. Cash only.

August 26 | Doors: 7 p.m. / Support: 8 p.m. / Show: 9 p.m.

The Sixth Annual Night for Nonprofits is sponso ed by the Lafayette Oxford Foundation for Tomorrow, a foundation that supports and invests in the arts and cultural, civic, educational, health and human services, and municipal activities. The event will begin with a catfish inner, afterwards guests can browse displays and tables set up to showcase the work of local nonprofits. Tickets a e $15 per person, children 10 and under are free. Tickets can be purchased at http://oxfordarts. com/nightfornonprofits or at he door.

PROUD LARRY’S PRESENTS...

WARD DAVIS Proud Larry’s - Tickets: $20.00$60.00, 18+ August 28 | Doors: 7 p.m. / Show: 8 p.m.

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SCHOOLS

& SPORTS

MAN OF MANY TALENTS

From fire trucks to bee hives, retiring Honors College dean pursues his passions

BY JAKE THOMPSON PHOTOS BY BRUCE NEWMAN AND OLE MISS DIGITAL IMAGING SERVICES OxfordMag.com 13

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Not many people are able to say they’ve helped transform an honors college, served as a volunteer firefighter and managed bee hives in their spare time, but Douglass Sullivan-González can.

The Sally McDonnel Barksdale Honors College at the University of Mississippi is seeing the end of an era as “DSG,” as he is affectionately called, is retiring after 18 years as dean.

With a desire to let the younger generation take over, González is content with his decision to leave the Honors College in new hands and fresh eyes.

“I had almost 20 great years, but I came in as a 46-year-old and we’ve got a rising faculty that are very sharp, and they need opportunities to express themselves to the administration,” González said. “I enjoyed two great years where I set the questions to be debated, and it’s time for someone else to do that.”

González began his career at Ole Miss in 1993 as an assistant professor before spending a year in New Orleans as a visiting assistant professor in the Department of History at Tulane University from 1999 to 2000.

A second tenure began for González at Ole Miss in 2003 when he returned to lead the Honors College.

He returned at the request of then-chancellor Robert Khayat, who was in the peak of his tenure.

“I wrote an honors thesis as an undergraduate at my institution, and Robert Khayat’s pretty hard to say no to,” González said as his reasons for wanting to lead the Honors College. “There was a chance to sort of really weigh in at a crucial time at the University. We built a great staff and the staff has done a majority of the work. You try to hire people that are smarter than you, you know, and just let them go.”

Five years into González’s tenure the 2008 collapse of the stock market happened, which in turn led to a boom in applicants and enrollment numbers at the Honors College.

Currently, the Honors Colleges accepts around 350 students each year — which used to be the total number of students enrolled when González took over— and currently has around 1,700 students enrolled.

“I got real lucky,” González said. “We made

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preparations to grow. We changed the institution and the crash of ‘08 happened and our numbers went out the roof. Because the middle class lost its liquidity and the public made sense, particularly the honors college experience where our students are graduating and competing, not only with the regional elites but also from the national elites.”

Leading a university’s honors college was not originally what González envisioned for himself.

When he was a child he informed his third-grade teacher that he wanted to drive the rear end of a hook and ladder fire truck and be a fireman.

While that is not exactly what transpired for González, he found a way to still achieve his childhood goal of driving that fire truck by becoming a volunteer firefighter in every community in which he has lived.

The drive of his third-grade teacher dousing the flames of his childhood dream served as motivation to still find a way to become a fireman.

“I hate to be told, ‘that’s not going to happen.’”

Gonzalez said. “So, I’ve been doing it since 1978.”

González joined Pelham, Alabama’s, volunteer

fire department as his first stop in his firefighting career. His former captain, Gary Waters, is now the mayor of Pelham and even named one of his children after González.

During his time in Princeton, New Jersey, González was a member of the volunteer fire department. His two worlds of academia and firefighting combined one day when he was walking out of his class at Princeton Theological Seminary when his fire company rolled by on the truck.

“I remember coming out of the library at the seminary and here came Mercer Engine No. 3, my engine, and I had my backpack and I had just gotten out of class and I was talking to my friends and they stopped and said, ‘Jump on, Rebel. We got a big one!’” González said laughing.

The engine company in New Jersey gave González the nickname “Rebel” due to his Southern roots.

González joined Lafayette County’s volunteer fire department in 2005 and is still an active member today, driving the firetruck and helping recruit new members.

Due to his work schedule and working his way

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back into a routine after the COVID-19 pandemic forced him to be sidelined most of the past year, González is still living out his childhood dream.

When not spending his days helping mold the minds of the future at Ole Miss and not driving a fire truck in the evenings, González has also found time to carve out a new hobby: beekeeping.

The new passion began when he started maintaining a beehive at a church between Batesville and Charleston, where he also serves as minister.

From there, the one hive has grown to 14 and offered another outlet for González to express himself.

“I’ve been doing beekeeping now for about five years,” González said. “It’s just intellectually fun to stay alive with a new hobby like that. As I taper down my fire work, I’ve started turning more to bees and learning how to talk to them.”

Bees will not be the only thing González will be speaking to as he will still be a professor at the history department at Ole Miss after he takes a semester or two off to work one some research and book projects he has wanted to begin.

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Welcome Home

Simple tips help make the transition to Oxford, Ole Miss a happy one

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Welcome home! In August many students, faculty, staff, and community members will begin calling Oxford home.

Transitioning to a new home can feel both exciting and overwhelming. While you may be eager to explore all that your new town has to offer, you may also experience a sense of loss for the familiar faces and places you left.

The acclimation process varies for everyone, but here are a few things that might GRAY help you to settle into your new surroundings: Pack favorites: Bring items that make you feel comfortable in your new room/home.

Favorite pictures, scents, blankets, and favorite snacks may help reduce stress that comes with moving in general.

Including these familiar comforts and memories in your new space will create a sense of home from the start.

Research your new town: Find the basics first - where is the grocery store, bank, nearest gas station, and emergency medical care.

Look for amenities like libraries, parks, coffee shops (a basic need for some), and shopping destinations after you are familiar with the basics.

Explore: Be a tourist for a day.

Check out websites for the area and make time to explore the landmarks and popular spots.

Look into restaurants that feel

BY SARAH JAY GRAY PHOTO BY BEN WILLIAMS

familiar as well as those offering a new cuisine experience. Ask locals what their favorite spots are.

Get social: Social media has made it even easier to learn what’s going on in town. Follow community groups that pique your interest and choose a few trusted profiles for your news and information. Connect with old friends who may be in the area and with new friends you meet along the way.

Enjoy hobbies: You should make an effort to continue hobbies you enjoy. This is a

integrated into the community.

Greek life is a common way for college students to get involved, but there are hundreds of groups in the community that you can explore whether you want to volunteer for a cause important to you, find a church home, explore leadership opportunities, or seek academic or social connections.

Check-in: Make sure you stay connected to your family and friends from home. Share your new experiences and friendships with them. It is normal to miss home but commit to embracing your new community too.

Schedule trips to visit but make sure you aren’t going home just to avoid getting out of your comfort zone.

Be patient: There are ups and downs with any move. Getting in a groove will take some trial and error. Remember to reach out for support if you are struggling to adjust or feeling lonely. Your community has shaped and great way to meet new people influenced you, and in time, with common interests. Oxford will too.

Introduce yourself, and let them Community members who know you are new to town. Ask bring fresh perspectives from about any unique information their experiences elsewhere are about your hobby in Oxford, part of what make Oxford, and and share any relevant previous any town, special. I encourage experiences you have had. you to embrace differences, and Being new to town may give you be curious about others and new the courage to try a new hobby. experiences. We can’t wait to Go for it! show you our Oxford!

Get involved: One of the Sarah Jay Gray is a counselor biggest factors in feeling welcome in Oxford. You can connect with in a new community is finding her on instagram @ ways to get involved. Finding an Sarahjaygray_counselor Contact established group, whether off or her 662-260-6543 or www. on campus, is key to becoming thriveoxford.com

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HOME

& GARDEN

HARMONY AT HOME

Chadwicks build a life around former ‘fishing cabin

BY THAD LEE PHOTOS BY THAD LEE OxfordMag.com 21

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Julie Chadwick of Brookhaven graduated from Belhaven and moved to Oxford in 1978 to attend the University of Mississippi’s School of Law. Her fiancé was “a gorgeous, long-haired, musician, tennis player” named Billy Chadwick, who followed her to pursue an MBA degree. Four years later Julie Chadwick, who only lasted one week as a law student, was finishing up a graduate degree in Communicative Disorders, and Billy was Head Coach of the Women’s Tennis Team.

One spring Friday, he was in the locker room of the main athletic facility and overheard Ole Miss football legend Buster Poole say, “I’ve got the prettiest piece of land in Lafayette County, and I’m thinking about selling it.” Poole called it his “fishing cabin,” but really it was 160 acres of mostly woods on Highway 334.

“We spent the weekend plotting how we might could swing it,” recalls Julie. “We knew we wanted to live out in the country and were looking for land.”

Billy then “used his MBA degree for the first and only time” and sold 80 acres of property to his older brother.

He then used that money as a down payment to Poole, who admired the Chadwicks’ moxie and let them finance the rest at a time when interest rates were over 20 percent. “When we were able to buy the land, Coach Buster literally threw in the house,“ remembers Julie.

“You could see daylight between the walls.”

With a baby due in the winter, the Chadwicks asked their friend, an architecture student named Buddy Faulkner to inspect the dwelling. “His advice was to level it. But we couldn’t afford to do that,” recounts Julie. So, they worked all summer to make the house livable and moved in during the fall. Their son, Lyon, was born in February 1983. “We all lived in the single bedroom.” Two years later they had another boy, Carr, and added two more bedrooms to the home.

Billy thinks back to Lyon and Carr’s childhoods and declares, “Everyone should grow up on a farm. They were able to experience firsthand the love of nature.

They grew up swimming in the lake, riding the ponies in the pond, and caring for every critter imaginable.”

Julie agrees. “Raising the kids on a farm was a dream for me. They were my playmates in the woods. And our shared music always filled the house.”

“I come from a musical family,” Billy explains. “My dad’s family had a ‘Big Band’, and my aunt was a concert pianist. I started writing songs after high school with my cousin, Vernon Chadwick and my twin brother Barney. My first rock band was The Innovations. We had the honor of being the first rock band to play the Mississippi Coliseum. My favorite will always be playing in my son’s band, Sleeping Bulls.”

Music has also been a thread throughout Julie’s life.

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Encouraged by her childhood piano teacher, Celeste Robbins, Julie learned how to play many instruments including guitar, which she currently plays for the Chadwick Band alongside Billy, Barney, and percussionist Ricky Burkhead. They were slated to play the 2020 Double Decker Festival before it was canceled. Covid also nearly canceled Julie’s “highlight of every year, a Christmas Eve performance of our friend Bonnie Rideout’s arrangement of Greensleeves. The piece starts with a slow air on the violin and ends with a rollicking jig. Lyon is a beautiful violinist and is at the center, joined by Carr on bodhran, nephew Hudson on mandolin, me, Billy, and Barney on guitar. We carried the tradition from our wonderful, diverse church in Jackson to First Presbyterian in Oxford. When church was virtual during the pandemic year, Carr and his true love, Kate, put together a wonderful video of the jig to share with the church, family, and friends. It was our best Christmas gift.”

Not surprisingly, the heart of their home is what the Chadwicks call the music room. The space is centered by a baby grand piano that previously lived in the Carr house in Brookhaven. It is surrounded by vintage guitars, basses, and Julie’s new and beautiful harp. Above it is a vaulted area that holds Carr’s drums, and there is basket full of children’s instruments under the piano.

Julie says, “It was our second big addition.”

“The house was originally a tenant house, over a hundred years old” Billy reveals. “We found newspaper for wall insulation dated 1905. It had two rooms and a kitchen. We’ve been adding to it for the last forty years, using the same the original structure with reclaimed materials like heart pine floors and beams and wood OxfordMag.com 23

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planked walls. It’s a very organic house.”

“I love that so many of the materials came from old places,” Julie adds. “Billy has procured and curated every board, every material that we have used.”

Billy also designed the home’s newest addition. A room that he describes as “mainly windows and a vaulted ceiling that truly takes in the light and beautiful view of our catfish pond and pastures.”

The design took months to refine. After receiving a blessing from architect and friend, Tom Howorth, concerning the blueprint, Billy hired Jeff Stone and Bobbye Ingram to build the room. Once constructed, it was decorated, like the rest of the house, with the art of friends like Ron Dale, Jere Allen, Robert Malone, Carlyle Wolfe Lee, and Treehouse Gallery owners Walter and Vivian Neill.

“Our friends love to gather in the woods,” explains Julie. “Much of the art in the house was inspired by our land.”

And what rich land it is. The Chadwicks plucked oak leaf hydrangeas, ferns, beauty berry, and buckeye from the woods and planted them in the beds that surround the house alongside blackeyed Susans and daisies that were transplanted from Billy’s parents’ home in Jackson and English dogwoods from Julie’s parents’ yard. Their garden produces lettuces, greens, blueberries, and thornless blackberries. There is a creek and a spring-fed lake that Julie calls “the best swimming hole in Lafayette County.” They swim in it most days between spring and Thanksgiving.

Behind the house stands a barn that is home to three horses.

Julie is thankful that they are part of her routine throughout the

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day. “Looking out the window and seeing them play in the pond is my favorite vision.” She also loves to ride on the property’s trails that “usually follow old deer trails or an old logging road.”

Julie also used her horses for hippotherapy at the North Mississippi Region Center, where she was a speech pathologist for 33 years. “Using horse movement as a modality can really provide good therapy support across the spectrum. NMRC supported my being trained and certified and built a lovely space on campus for our program.”

Julie was also busy in those days helping Billy become one of the most successful coaches in Ole Miss

history. He won the NCAA Championship titles in both singles and doubles in Men’s Tennis. “Julie was the secret to our success,” confesses Billy. “We created a family away from home for the players, and Julie was the heart of it.” The Chadwicks recruitment trips to Sweden, France, England, and South Africa assembled an international team that won five overall SEC Championships which tied football coach Johnny Vaught’s university record.

Billy retired in 2016. Julie followed in 2018. Since then, they’ve devoted their lives to nurturing the farm, making music, and spending time with family. “My 97-year-old mother has lived in assisted living in OxfordMag.com 25

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Oxford for going on 11 years and is a big part of our lives. Our sons live in cities now, Nashville and New York, and I love how they relish being back on the farm.” Julie savors how Lyon and his wife, Toni’s daughter, Harper, has taken to the farm. “She loves riding her horse, jumping in the lake, and being in the woods. She’s learning about trees and critters. Growing up in Nashville, she could be in danger of becoming a city girl, and we love to get her on the farm as much as possible.”

The home Billy and Julie have made from an old tenet house turned fishing camp is enchanting. Its allure goes beyond the architecture, art, and landscaping. What makes the farm special is Julie and Billy’s love. Their shared interests blind them to each other but also protect their first and only home. “Billy’s as committed to conservation and preserving the beauty and wonder of nature as I am,” Julie proclaims. “Our farm, which is now the original 160 acres, gets more beautiful every day.”

Billy smiles. “When we first moved to Oxford it was a small, sleepy town. We knew everyone and it was a special time. Where else could you hang with the likes of Willie Morris, Larry Brown, John Grisham, and Ronzo at the Hoka? With all the development in Oxford, it is great to have a place where everything that surrounds us is ours. Our vision is for this beautiful place to remain a paradise.”

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ARTS

& CULTURE

COMING FULL CIRCLE Playwright brings Oxford-based work back home after 50 years

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A

An Oxford-based play more than 50 years in the making has “come home.”

Mississippian David Sheffield, best known as a writer for Saturday Night Live and Eddie Murphy’s “Coming to America” and “The Nutty Professor” movies, brings his play “The Heartbreak Henry” to The Gertrude C. Ford Center for the Performing Arts.

The performace is presented in partnership with Theatre Oxford from August 12-15.

“It’s come home,” said Sheffield about his Oxfordbased play. “It feels right that it’s finally being seen in Oxford, which is where the whole idea was birthed.”

The story takes place in fall of 1967 when Sheffield was a 19-year-old freshman at Ole Miss and worked as the manager of the notoriously seedy Henry Hotel, earning $100 a month. The hotel was located just off the Square in the spot on East Jackson Avenue now inhabited by Rafters.

In his own words, it’s a coming-of-age story about a young man who finds both love and depravity. It’s set in a unique time in history following the Summer of Love social movement, and that aspect plays a big part

in this play, which Sheffield also directs.

The rooms at the hotel were $4.50 a night (a dollar more if you wanted a private bath) and the clientele consisted of drunks, ramblers, gamblers, liars, pool sharks and – as it turned out – prostitutes, according to Sheffield. “Several of those people show up as characters in the play,” he said. “Names have been changed to protect the guilty.”

Sheffield recalled one night when he was trying to write a term paper, and the police broke in and charged him with soliciting. “I had no idea what they were talking about. Two waitresses from Leslie’s Drug Store shared a room at the Henry and ... they had an avocation.”

Young Sheffield was eventually told by the police chief that he’d be in the clear as long as he ousted the ladies, which he did reluctantly. “They were about the only residents at the hotel who actually paid their rent on time.”

There was also an older woman who lived at the Henry whose “drink of choice was witch hazel.” After falling behind on rent, the owner forced Sheffield to

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“

eject her on the coldest night of the year while it was snowing, which is rare in Oxford.

“So, I have to admit that I threw an old lady out in the snow,” he said.

Sheffield also shared one of the bitter lessons learned at the Henry: “Don’t ever take a check from a guy wearing fancy cowboy boots and a string tie.”

Although he came to Oxford for an education at the university, he got his “real education” at an “old rundown hotel,” he said.

Theatre Oxford returns to a live audience The comedy will kick off the nonprofit community theatre company’s 2021-’22 season, which is about to “hit the ground – Naomi Levin running,” said Assistant Director Assistant Director Naomi Levin, who is also chairman of the play selection committee.

The group has been streaming their shows in the recent past due to the pandemic, and “actors have had to wear masks and keep socially distant,” said Levin, “and all of that complicates the theatrical process ... so this is a big

When I read it I couldn’t stop laughing.

I think it’s delightful.

thing for Oxford.”

When the play was introduced to Levin and fellow committee members by producers Kathleen Wickham and Larry Wells, they jumped at the opportunity to present a play about Oxford by a prominent writer.

“When I read it, I couldn’t stop laughing. I think it’s delightful,” said Levin.

Theatre Oxford Cinematographer Antonio Tarrell shared Levin’s enthusiasm about kicking off the season.

“I think it’ll be cool,” said Tarrell, who’s worked with the company for about two years. “I’m definitely excited about bringing in the audience.”

Although Tarrell admitted his job had its advantages without an audience, but likewise, the overall drawbacks were greater. He was free to move the camera around and film the productions easier, but at the same time the cast had no crowd to feed off of, which can be critical.

Tarrell said he looks forward to Sheffield’s vision of the play, as far as how it will affect the filming and editing.

Levin described Sheffield as “a blast to work with.

He’s funny, he’s fun, and he’s very kind,” she said. She also complimented his willingness to embrace her ideas and suggestions.

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“Even though he is the writer and the director, he treats me like I’m valued,” she said.

The kind sentiment was reciprocated to the company by Sheffield. “The people at Theatre Oxford are just the best,” he said.

“They’ve given me everything I asked for and more.”

With regard to the venue, Sheffield said, “The studio theatre at the Ford Center is intimate, which I like.”

He also addressed his tendency not to resist the temptation to add more and more characters, due to writing screenplays for so long. “The play calls for 17 actors, a huge cast,” he said. “I found some wonderfully talented actors in Oxford so I’m hoping for the best.”

Sheffield said people in Oxford should like it, at least because of the “local connection.” Also, that anyone who remembers the Henry Hotel “will probably be laughing up their sleeves at memories of it, because it was a helluva place.”

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READ THIS BOOK

BOOKS FOR SUMMER

This issue’s book picks were hand-selected by Lyn Roberts, General Manager at Square Books for more than 20 years. She can usually be found behind the counter at Off Square Books – along with many of the titles below.

Recommendations from

LYN ROBERTS General Manager, Square Books

The Heathens (A Quinn Colson Novel #11)

By Ace Atkins | $27, signed copies available Sheriff Quinn Colson and his former deputy Lillie Virgil find themselves on opposite sides of a case for the first time after a woman is found dead and three delinquent teens go on the run.

The Ones Who Don’t Say They Love You: Stories

By Maurice Carlos Ruffin (Grisham riter in Residence 2020-2021) | $26 A collection of raucous stories that offer a panoramic view of New Orleans from the author of the “stunning and audacious” (NPR) debut novel We Cast a Shadow

Bring Your Baggage and Don’t Pack Light: Essays

By Helen Ellis | $27 In these twelve gloriously comic and moving essays, Helen Ellis dishes on married middle-age sex, sobs with a theater full of women as a psychic exorcises their sorrows, gets twenty shots of stomach bile to the neck to get rid of her double chin, and gathers up the courage to ask, “Are you there, Menopause? It’s Me, Helen.”

The Turnout

By Megan Abbott | $27 Bestselling and award-winning author Megan Abbott’s revelatory and mesmerizing new novel set against the hothouse of a family-run ballet studio.

What Strange Paradise

By Omar El Akkad | $26 From the widely acclaimed, best-selling author of American War, a new novel--beautifully written, unrelentingly dramatic, and profoundly moving--that looks at the global refugee crisis through the eyes of a child.

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5

FIVE QUESTIONS FOR

Bradley Roberson Oxford School District Superintendent

BY JAKE THOMPSON

Bradley Roberson was tapped in May 2021 to lead the Oxford School District as its new superintendent. Here he shares some of his thoughts on the opportunities and challenges ahead for the district.

A : Without any doubt, it is the people of our district and community.

In any organization, the people are the number one resource. It is not programs or initiatives that lead to success or failure, it Q: What is your most memorable is those implementing them. As a leader, it moment or experience throughout your is important to always remember that materialistic things come and go or they get career at Oxford School District?

A: That is a tough question to answer. I used up or worn out. People stay. have had a lot of incredible moments as an Oxford Charger. I guess I would say Q: What is your message to the parents celebrating the first ever baseball state and students of Oxford School District as Q: What goals or challenges have you set championship in Oxford School District you enter your first years as for yourself in your first year as history with a great group of players and superintendent?

A: I need your help – every student and coaches. It is always special to be a part of superintendent? parent in our district. We must work a team that is the first to accomplish A: We have an incredibly successful school district, but sometimes our success something. I learned a lot from being a part together to transition the Oxford School can make us complacent and in turn of that team as a young coach. They were District from a school system to a school become an obstacle in continuous an unselfish group of players that were community. At the root, we must assume improvement. It is also important that we willing to give a part of themselves to make responsibility for one another. Those remember improvement is a journey that the team better. The synergy we had as a children become our children, and parents never ends; not a race to an imaginary baseball team in 2005 is my desire for us as are not external agents but full partners in the education of their children and of each finish line. My goal is to transition the a school district and community. other’s children. It is the only way we will Oxford School District from a school system into a school community. Working Q: In your opinion, what makes Oxford see ALL children in our community collectively, being willing to give a part of School District one of the most successful succeed. I look forward to working with members of the Oxford community. ourselves to make those around us better, is school districts in the state?

Q: What does it mean to you to lead Oxford School District into the future after being a part of it in different capacities?

A: There are not enough words to express what this school district and community mean to me and my family. As I said when I was interviewed, this is home. We are deeply invested here. It is truly an honor and blessing to serve the Oxford School District and the Oxford community.

the only way we will continue to improve and meet the needs of all kids in our district.

I look forward to being a part of this journey with the Oxford community.

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& DRINK

FOOD

A REASON TO CELEBRATE 2021 Best Chef winner releases fourth cookbook

BY DAVIS COEN SUBMITTED PHOTOS OxfordMag.com 39

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T

The Debutante Farmer Elizabeth Heiskell recently released her fourth book “Come On Over! Southern Delicious For Every Day and Every Occasion,” which aims to bring fun to what some might consider the ordinary days of the year.

The book promotes the positive notion that every day of life is cause for celebration, and that festivity should not be reserved just for the holidays.

A regular food contributor on the TODAY show and event caterer for over 20 years, Heiskell – a Mississippi Delta native – is brimming with enthusiasm about the timing of her book’s release.

“Now with things starting to open up again, and we’re starting to have friends and family over, it is absolutely perfect for making sure that even a Monday is celebrated,” she said. “Because, they’re a helluva lot more Mondays in a year than there are New Year’s Eves.”

According to the sharp-witted and always on-point Heiskell, folks who wait all year for a reason to put flowers on the table – or to pull a favorite piece of china or silver out – are “wasting so much fun that could be had.”

In her own words in the book’s introduction; “It doesn’t take much effort to make a meal or any average

day a little more special ... Live a lot and celebrate it all.”

In her latest, Heiskell challenges cooks to focus on the more common moments of their lives – ones that don’t necessarily stand out on the calendar. It’s a departure from her previous best-sellers “What Can I Bring?” and “The Southern Living Party Cookbook,” which focused on crowd-pleasers and menus for entertaining. According to Heiskell, this book “serves up everything else.”

Heiskell writes: “In these pages you will find the recipes my oldest daughter begs me to make when she’s on break from college, the dishes my husband, Luke, requests when our girls have scattered and our nest is empty, and the ones my momma made for me that bring me comfort and joy when I need a boost.”

The writer-chef divides the chapters into nine occasions: Weekdays, Party Days, Delta Days, Summer Days, Beach Days, Game Days, School Days, Diet Days, and Cheat Days.

One of the “Weekdays’” standout dishes, is named after what the middle of Heiskell’s three daughters refers to as “The Good Chicken.”

Heiskell introduces the dish, talking about the dreaded question of “What’s for supper?” that she’ll

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often hear while her girls are eating breakfast – to which the proper response will set the mood for the entire day. “Is it the good chicken?” her middle child will ask her. “Yes, the good chicken,” Heiskell will reply. And the celebration begins, as the girls will have something to look forward to all day long.

The reasonably-priced, colorful, page-turner is chock-full of enticing food photos and charming images of family and friends enjoying everyday gatherings. Many of the recipes also lean toward foolproof, making the book very accessible all-around.

An Oxonian of nearly 10 years, Heiskell celebrates her Delta roots in the “Delta Days” chapter, which includes some savory decadence in the form of Beulah Ribs, and Fried Pork Chops; a few no-frills, widemouth mason jar cocktails; and some regional

favorites, like deviled eggs, coleslaw, Mississippi ‘caviar’ dip and skillet cornbread. The “Summer Days” chapter honors her Momma’s Bread and Butter Pickles, which she introduces by recalling a story told by her aunt about how Heiskell was a week-and-a-half late to be born, and her mother insisted on “putting up bread and butter pickles” – to the family’s disapproval – and canning until she finally went into labor.

“Game Days” includes easy-to-make PB & J Wings (also shown on one of her many TODAY show appearances), Simple Potato Salad, Grillades and Grits, and Chili-Rubbed Pork Shoulder Sliders with Candied Jalapenos – all ideal for tailgating at The Grove.

In the introduction to “Diet Days,” Heiskell writes, “I have a recipe for every single diet in existence, so when it comes to eating healthy, I’ve got you covered.”

Recipes in the chapter include her slant on the Mediterranean chopped salad; a Shaved Carrot and Walnut Salad; Kale Yes Juice; Disappearing Vinaigrette; and “Bland and Boring” Turkey Soup.

Honored but humbled to win ‘Best Chef’ in Oxford Heiskell said she was “honored and truly, truly grateful” to win the Best Chef category in the Best of Oxford 2021 poll, which took place online. Voting ran between April 14-May 8, and the results were released on the Oxford Eagle website on July 1.

“This is the biggest thing in the world to me, to be recognized by my hometown,” she said. “I’m certainly not the best chef in Oxford, but I do appreciate it, knowing how much talent there is in our town. It is very overwhelming to have that honor.”

One could say that Oxford could not be treating Heiskell any better. Since relocating her family, and starting Woodson Ridge Farms with her husband – where they grew high-quality vegetables, supplying restaurants in Oxford, Memphis, and Nashville – it’s been all up-and-up. Much of Heiskell’s success roots from utilizing the farm’s abundance of tomatoes for her Debutante Farmer Original Recipe Bloody Mary Mix, which helped solidify her brand.

Another career breakthrough occurred at none other than Rowan Oak, home of William Faulkner. Heiskell was invited to prepare a dinner that included the president of NBC as a guest, who she said was “extremely complimentary.” Upon returning to New York, he asked her to sign a contract for numerous appearances on the popular daily live broadcast, which she continued to do remotely throughout the pandemic.

“It all happened right here in Oxford,” said Heiskell.

In the last couple of years, she and husband Luke have purchased another farm, which will eventually become a venue for large group dinners. Luke has become further devoted to the beef business, following his goal of running a cattle farm in the hills of North Mississippi. “We’ve got a lot of work to do on it,” she said of the new farm.

With regard to what’s in store for the future, Heiskell said, “the thing is, when one dream comes true, it fuels the fire for all of your other dreams. I have some really wild dreams.” More specifically, she said she hopes “to work on another book and possibly a television show.”

“There are lots of things that I’ve got going on right now, so we’re just going to have to wait and see,” she said. “Stay tuned.”

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THANKS FOR VOTING US

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BEST OF OXFORD 2021 You voted. We tallied.

Keep reading to see who’s who in the LOU.

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FOOD AND DINING BEST “TO GO” BEVERAGE

Winner: Sonic DriveIn Finalists: Common Ground Coffee Bar and The Daiquiri Barn

BEST ASIAN RESTAURANT

Winner: Jinsei Sushi Finalists: Toyo Japanese Sushi Bar & Hibachi and Rice & Spice

BEST BAKERY

Winner: The Cakery Finalists: Bottletree Bakery and R&R Cookies

THE SIPP ON SOUTH LAMAR BEST GIRL’S NIGHT OUT

With an upscale atmosphere and nice patio space, the Sipp on South Lamar is a natural choice for a girl’s night out. Their customizable charcuterie boards are perfect for sharing with a group, and their wine flights are a great way to test out their unparalleled wine list. Make sure to check out their schedule of themed tasting nights—upcoming events include Sipps & Seafood, featuring wine and seafood pairings, and Local Libations, where guests will sample a variety of local spirits.

If you’re looking for an extra special night out, their tasting room can be rented for private events.

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NEILSON’S

BEST WOMEN’S CLOTHING On the Oxford Square since 1839, the South’s oldest department store has set quite the standard for southern shopping. For decades, the family-owned store has preserved its reputation for providing its customers with an up-scale shopping experience paired with a friendly customer service team always happy to assist. With a variety of high-end styles offered for the whole family, Neilson’s women’s department takes the spotlight with an exquisite display of on-trend, high-end fashion that greets you at the door. Amanda Lewis Hyneman and her team attend market several times a year to provide you with the latest from designers such as Joseph Ribkoff, Bella Dahl, Karlie, Wilt, and many more! From finding the perfect pair of Joe’s jeans to splurging on a glamorous party dress, Neilson’s continues to be the go-to place for women of all ages, for any occasion.

PHOTO BY BRUCE NEWMAN

BEST BANG FOR YOUR BUCK

Winner: Handy Andy Grocery Finalists: Larson’s Cash Saver and Cookout

BEST BAR

Winner: The Library Finalists: Saint Leo and The Blind Pig Pub

BEST BARBEQUE

Winner: Moe’s Original BBQ Finalists: Handy Andy Grocery and B’s Hickory Smoke BBQ

BEST BREAKFAST

Winner: Big Bad Breakfast Finalists: First Watch and Beacon

BEST BRUNCH

Winner: First Watch Finalists: Big Bad Breakfast and Grit Restaurant

BEST CASUAL DINING

BEST CHARCUTERIE

Winner: Oxford Gourmet and Gifts Finalists: Saint Leo and Snackbar

BEST CHICKEN SALAD

Winner: Volta Taverna Finalists: Ajax Diner and Oby’s of Oxford

Winner: Chicken Salad Chick Finalists: James Food Center and Lindsey’s Chevron

BEST CATERING

BEST CHILDREN’S BIRTHDAY

Winner: Taylor Grocery Finalists: Tallahatchie Gourmet and My Michelle’s Restaurant Caterer

BEST CATFISH

Winner: Taylor Grocery Finalists: Oby’s of Oxford and Ajax Diner

Winner: Premier Lanes Finalists: Lost Pizza Co Oxford and The Oxford Creamery

BEST CHOCOLATIER

Winner: Rocky Mountain Chocolate Finalist: The Cakery

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THANKS FOR VOTING US

Best Women’s Health Care

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BEST COCKTAIL

Winner: Saint Leo Finalists: The Sipp on South Lamar and Snackbar

BEST COFFEE

Winner: Common Ground Coffee Bar Finalists: Uptown Coffee and High Point Coffee

BEST COOKIE

Winner: Insomnia Cookies Finalists: R&R Cookies and The Cakery

BEST CUPCAKES

Winner: Small Cakes Finalists: The Cakery and Two Cracked Eggs Bakery

BEST CURBSIDE SERVICE

Winner: Ajax Diner Finalists: Tarasque Cucina and Newk’s Eatery

BEST DATE NIGHT

Winner: Oxford Grillehouse Finalists: Saint Leo and Boure Restaurant

BEST DELI

Winner: Newk’s Eatery Finalist: The Blind Pig Pub and McAlister’s Deli

BEST DELIVERY

Winner: Fetcht Delivery Finalists: Marco’s Pizza and Papa John’s Pizza

BEST DONUTS

Winner: Community Donuts Finalists: Ollie’s Donuts of Oxford and High Rise Doughnuts

BEST FINE DINING

Winner: Saint Leo Finalists: Ravine and City Grocery

BEST FOOD TRUCK

Winner: Taylor Grocery Finalists: Fergndans Wood Fired Pizza Café and Jake’s Craft BBQ

BEST FRIED CHICKEN

BEST ICE CREAM

Winner: The Oxford Creamery Finalist: Yaya’s Frozen Yogurt and Marble Slab Creamery

BEST INTERNATIONAL Winner: Volta Taverna Finalists: Rice & Spice and Toyo Japanese Sushi Bar and Hibachi

Winner: Mama Jo’s Country Cookin’ Finalists: Southern Coop and Larson’s Cash Saver

BEST ITALIAN FOOD

BEST GAS STATION FOR FOOD

BEST KIDS MEAL

Winner: Lindsey’s Chevron Finalists: B’s Hickory Smoke BBQ and Chevron on South Lamar

BEST GIRL’S NIGHT OUT

Winner: The Sipp on South Lamar Finalists: Saint Leo and Funkys Pizza and Daiquiri Bar

BEST GUY’S NIGHT OUT

Winner: The Blind Pig Pub Finalists: The Library, Rooster’s Blues House

BEST HAPPY HOUR

Winner: Funkys Pizza and Daiquiri Bar Finalists: Volta Taverna and Saint Leo

BEST HOT DOG

Winner: Swayze Field Finalist: Handy Andy Grocery and Sonic Drive-In

Winner: Tarasque Cucina Finalists: Saint Leo and Old Venice Pizza Co

Winner: Chick-fil-A Finalists: Oby’s of Oxford and Newk’s Eatery

BEST LATE NIGHT FOOD

Winner: Lindsey’s Chevron Finalists: Chevron and Funky’s Pizza and Daiquiri Bar

BEST LOCAL BURGER

Winner: Handy Andy Grocery Finalists: Phillips Grocery and Oxford Burger Company

BEST LUNCH

Winner: Ajax Diner Finalists: South Depot Taco shop and Volta Taverna

BEST LUNCH UNDER $10

Winner: Handy Andy Grocery Finalists: Larson’s Cash Server

BEST MARGARITA

Winner: El Agave Finalists: Volta Taverna and Uno Mas Tacos y Tequila

BEST MEDITERRANEAN FOOD

Winner: Volta Taverna Finalists: Tarasque Cucina and Saint Leo

BEST MEXICAN

Winner: El Agave Finalists: La Perla Tapatia of Oxford and Uno Mas Tacos y Tequila

BEST MILKSHAKE Winner: The Oxford Creamery Finalists: Cook Out and Chaney’s Pharmacy

BEST NEW RESTAURANT

Winner: The Sipp on South Lamar Finalists: SoLa and Uno Mas

BEST PATIO

Winner: Lost Pizza Co. Oxford Finalists: Volta Taverna and Proud Larry’s

BEST PIZZA

Winner: Lost Pizza Co. Oxford Finalists: Fergndans Wood Fired Pizza Café

BEST PLACE TO GRAB DESSERT

Winner: The Oxford Creamery Finalists: Yaya’s Frozen Yogurt and City Hall Cheesecake Oxford

BEST PO BOY

Winner: Oby’s of Oxford Finalists: Ajax Diner and Boure Restaurant

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BEST RESTAURANT

HEALTH AND FITNESS

BEST ROOFTOP BAR

BEST ASSISTED LIVING

BEST SALAD SPOT

BEST AUDIOLOGY

Winner: Saint Leo Finalists: El Agave and Ravine

Winner: The Blake Finalists: Elmcroft of Oxford and Hermitage Gardens

Winner: Graduate Oxford Finalists: The Coop and Green Roof Lounge

CENTER

Winner: Newk’s Eatery Finalists: Volta Taverna and Proud Larry’s

Winner: Ear Nose and Throat Consultants Finalists: Hearing Aid Consultants of North Mississippi and Dr. Danton Dye

BEST SANDWICH

Winner: The Blind Pig Pub Finalists: Newk’s Eatery and Oxford Canteen

BEST SEAFOOD

BEST BOUTIQUE FITNESS STUDIO

PHOTO BY BRUCE NEWMAN

Winner: HOTWORX Finalists: Orangetheory Fitness and Core Fitness Oxford

Winner: Snackbar Finalists: Taylor Grocery and Jinsei Sushi

SAINT LEO

BEST SOUL FOOD

With two James Beard Award nominations and devine culinary creations to please even the critics’ pallets, there is no question why Saint Leo is a popular dining destination for both locals and out-of-towners. Owner, Emily Blount, believes that detail is a key ingredient in the Italian inspired cuisine, which is demonstrated with her unique twist on delicious menu items such as freshly made wood-fired pizzas, various seasonal selections, and daily specials that rotate each day and are made with fresh, local ingredients. While the lunch, brunch and dinner menus are all worth writing home about, their cocktail menu is equally impressive thanks to bar director Joe Stinchcomb, the man behind all the unique cocktails on Saint Leo’s regular and seasonal menus. From girls’ nights to family dinners to happy hour, Saint Leo provides the perfect atmosphere for any occasion.

Winner: Ajax Diner Finalists: Mama Jo’s Country Cookin and Larson’s Cash Saver

BEST SPECIAL OCCASION

Winner: Oxford Grillehouse Finalists: Ravine and City Grocery

BEST SPORTS BAR

Winner: The Library Finalists: The Blind Pig Pub and Funkys Pizza & Daiquri Bar

BEST STEAKHOUSE

Winner: Oxford Grillehouse Finalists: King’s Steakhouse and Sizzler Steakhouse

BEST RESTAURANT

BEST SUSHI

Winner: Jinsei Finalists: Toyo and Kabuki Sushi Bar

BEST TAKEOUT

Winner: Tarasque Cucina Finalists: Rice and Spice and Oby’s of Oxford

BEST WINE BAR

Winner: The Sipp on South Lamar Finalists: Saint Leo and SoLa

BEST WINGS

Winner: Southern Coop Finalists: Jinsei Sushi and Moe’s Original BBQ

BEST CARDIOLOGY

Winner: Dr. Mark H. Strong, MD Finalists: Charles A Laney, MD and Justin May, MD

BEST CHIROPRACTOR

Winner: Henderson B Tripp DC Finalists: Oxford Chiropractic, Dr. Gianni and Anna Wood – Recurve Health Center

BEST DENTAL CLINIC Winner: Ross Family Dental Clinic Finalists: Oxford Dental and Stubblefield Dental Clinic

BEST DENTIST

Winner: Dr. Andrew Ross Finalists: Dr. Walker Swaney and Dr. Earl Stubblefield

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BEST DERMATOLOGY CLINIC

Winner: Dermatology Associates of Oxford Finalist: Oxford Dermatology

BEST ENT

Winner: Ford Dye, MD Finalists: B. Pearson Windham MD and John F Laurenzo, MD

BEST ESTHETICIAN

Winner: Pam Littlejohn Finalists: Anna Thames and Sarah Marsalis

BEST EYE CARE

Winner: Rayner Eye Clinic Finalists: Oxford Eye Clinic & Optical PLLC and Mississippi Eye Consultants

THE DELTA DOG BEST GROOMER

The Delta Dog was named “Best Groomer” in the 2021 Best of Oxford awards. Founded in 2019

by Chip Brown, The Delta Dog specializes in luxury dog boarding, dog daycare and dog grooming.

Brown began training dogs in college and continues to make a significant impact on the pet community in Oxford. Brown said his company’s primary goal is to help the customer in any way necessary to make sure their pets’ needs are met. This company acts as a safe haven for dogs to have the freedom to do whatever they want. In their suites, each dog has their own personal television and a web camera so they can still see and interact with their pet owners. Pets also have access to play areas located inside and outside the building where they can play with other dogs and have fun.

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BEST GYMNASTICS STUDIO

BLIND PIG PUB

Winner: Oxford Cheer and Tumble Finalist: Wink Tumbling Academy

BEST GUY’S NIGHT OUT

Located on the Square, this pub is known for its sandwiches, wide beer selection, and laidback atmosphere.

Make sure to play a game of pool or darts while you’re enjoying your drink or check out their rotating entertainment schedule, including trivia nights and live music. Whether you choose to sit on the patio upstairs or in the cozy basement space, the spot is a great choice for a relaxed night out.

BEST HEALTH AND FITNESS CENTER Winner: Orangetheory Fitness Finalist: HOTWORX, Oxford YMCA

BEST MARTIAL ARTS

Winner: 662 Jiu Jitsu Finalists: Team RA Martial Arts and Hit Fitness LLC

BEST MASSAGE

Winner: Shell Plastic Surgery Finalists: Live Well Therapeutic Massage

BEST MEDICAL CLINIC

Winner: Oxford Orthopaedics and Sports Medicine Finalists: Oxford Urgent Care and Internal Medicine Associates of Oxford

BEST NURSE/NURSE PRACTITIONER

Winner: Stephanie Barrett , FNP-C Finalists: Miranda Bennett, FNP-C and Lauren Durham, FNP-C

BEST ONCOLOGY

Winner: Baptist Cancer Center North Mississippi Finalists: Ryan Yates and Surgery Consultants of Oxford

BEST ORAL SURGEON

Winner: Tyler Lovelace Finalists: Allen Ligon and Scott Whitaker

BEST ORTHOPEDIC SURGEON Winner: Dr. Kurre Luber Finalists: Dr. Cooper Terry and Dr. Rowland Roberson

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BEST PAIN MANAGEMENT

PICKENS PEST CONTROL

Winner: Willow Pain and Wellness, LLC Finalists: Henderson B Tripp DC and Professional Therapy Services, INC.

Family-owned-andoperated Pickens Pest control has been serving north central Mississippi for over 15 years.

The company prides itself on placing the safety and health of you and your family above all, using only odorless products proven to be safe. They service both commercial and residential clients, and specialize in complete inspections and terminations of insects, bugs, termites and rodents.

BEST PEDIATRICIAN

Winner: Catherine Phillips, D.O Finalists: Doug Sanford, MD and David M. Dennis, MD

BEST PHARMACY

Winner: Chaney’s Pharmacy Finalists: Oxford Rx and G&M Pharmacy

BEST PHYSICAL THERAPY

Winner: Endurance Physical Therapy Finalists: Cornerstone Rehabilitation and Elite Physical Therapy

BEST PLACE TO BUY EYEGLASSES

Winner: Oxford Eye Clinic and Optical PLLC Finalists: Rayner Eye Clinic and Wal-Mart Vision and Glasses

BEST PODIATRIST

Winner: M. Shaun Lund DPM Finalists: Chris Varva, DPM, Craig Williams, DPM, FACFAS

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BEST SPA

Winner: Shell Plastic Surgery Finalists: LaRousse and Epicure Day Spa

BEST URGENT CARE

Winner: Oxford Urgent Care Finalists: Urgent Care Clinic of Oxford and RedMed Urgent Clinic

BEST WOMEN’S HEALTH CARE

Winner: Oxford Obstetrics and Gynecology Associates Finalist: Oxford Clinic for Women

BEST YOGA STUDIO Winner: Southern Star Yoga Center Finalists: Baptiste Power Yoga Oxford

HOME AND GARDEN BEST CARPET/ FLOORING

Winner: Stout’s Finalists: Kizer Flooring and Signature Flooring II

BEST CONSTRUCTION COMPANY

Winner: Grantham Construction Co. Finalists: MR Construction and Side Coleman

BEST ELECTRICAL REPAIR

Winner: Walker Electric Company Inc. Finalists: Rick’s Electric and Joe Pace

LOST PIZZA

BEST PATIO AND BEST PIZZA

Known throughout the state for their fresh, homemade pies, Lost Pizza couples their award-winning pizza with an engaging, eclectic atmosphere. Their pizzas, which have been voted the best in Mississippi, are made from scratch every day, and the spot boasts a wide variety of regional beers for pairing. When the weather’s nice, take your meal outside on one of the two patios—whether you choose their street level patio or upstairs deck, there’s ample outdoor space to enjoy.

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SMALL CAKES

With 12 signature cupcakes to chose from, Small Cakes, a locally owned bakery and creamery on Merchant Drive, has something to satisfy every sweet tooth. The familyfriendly spot serves up cupcakes with flavors like hot fudge sundae, peanut butter cup, and cookies and cream, as well as a selection of house-made ice creams with flavors inspired by their cakes. They also take custom orders for special occasions.

BEST FURNITURE

BEST LIGHTNING STORE

BEST REAL ESTATE AGENCY

BEST HEATING AND AIR

BEST MATTRESS STORE

MOST MISSED DURING COVID

Winner: Johnson’s Furniture Finalists: Something Southern Design & Furnishings and Jones At Home Interiors

Winner: Brunner Heating and Air Finalists: Walker Electric Company Franklin’s Heating & Air Conditioning

BEST HOME BUILDER

Winner: Brad Grantham Finalists: MR Construction and New Life Construction

BEST HOME DÉCOR

Winner: Magnolia Lighting Finalists: Home Depot and Unique Furnishings

Winner: Johnson’s Furniture Finalists: Oxford Home Furnishings and Bedzzz Express

BEST MOVING COMPANY

Winner: Three Men Moving & Storage Finalists: Pack Move Solutions and J&N Moving

Winner: Discount Building Materials Finalists: HomeGoods and Something Southern Design & Furnishings

BEST NURSERY

BEST INTERIOR DESIGN

BEST PEST CONTROL

Winner: Something Southern Design & Furnishings Finalists: Aynslee Smith Designs and Jones at Home Interiors

BEST LANDSCAPER

Winner: Good Earth Landscape and Design Finalists: Smith Lawn Management and Grasshopper

Winner: The Barn Trading Company Finalists: Garden Gin and Smith Lawn Management

Winner: Pickens Pest Control Finalists: Drewery’s Termite & Pest Control and Action Pest Control

BEST PROPERTY MANAGEMENT COMPANY:

Winner: Summit Management Services Finalists: Heritage Properties and MR Rentals

Winner: Cannon Cleary McGraw Finalists: Kessinger Real Estate and REMAX

BEST DANCE SPOT

Winner: The Library Finalist: The Lyric and Tango’s Patio and Kitchen

BEST DAY TRIP

Winner: Safari Wild Animal Park Finalist: Sardis Lake Marina and Como Steak Hosue

BEST LOCAL EVENT

Winner: Double Decker Festival Finalists: Christmas Parade and Thacker Mountain Radio

BEST MUSEUM/GALLERY

Winner: University of Mississippi Museum Finalist: Southside Gallery and Powerhouse

BEST MUSIC VENUE

Winner: The Lyric Finalists: Proud Larry’s and Ford Center

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FNB

VOTED AS OXFORD’S

BEST BANK

Thank you for your support!

Thank you for voting us

BEST ONCOLOGY PROGRAM

VOTED AS OXFORD’S

BEST BANKER FNBOxford.com | (662) 234-2821 Oxford’s Friendly Neighborhood Bank

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thank you for voting us best wedding venue

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BEST PLACE TO TAKE VISITORS:

Winner: The Square Finalists: The Grove and Rowan Oak

BEST RUNNING EVENT

Winner: Double Decker Finalists: The Great 38 (Chucky Mullins Run) and Color Run

BEST TRIVIA

Winner: The Blind Pig Pub Finalists: Moe’s Original BBQ and The Sipp on South Lamar

OUT AND ABOUT BEST GOLF COURSE

Winner: The Ole Miss Golf Course Finalists: The Country Club of Oxford and Goose Creek Club

CANNON CLEARY MCGRAW

Cannon Cleary McGraw is dedicated to staying on the pulse of Oxford’s evolving real estate market, understanding today’s latest trends, technology, and economics to provide the best service in town. Their staff of knowledgable agents are prepared to assist you with all of your real estate needs, helping you find the perfect lot, condo, or home in the Oxford area.

BEST HOTEL

Winner: The Graduate Finalists: The Chancellor’s House and The Inn at Ole Miss

BEST KEPT SECRET

Winner: Secret Grilled Cheese Finalists: Oxford Community Market and Lenora’s Restaurant

> edwardjones.com | Member SIPC

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The 2021 U.S. Full-service Investor Satisfaction Study is based on responses from 4,392 investors who make some or all investment decisions with a financial advisor. The study was fielded from December 2020 through February 2021.

For more information, visit jdpower.com/awards.

Rating may not be indicative of future performance and may not be representative of any one client’s experience because it reflects an average of experiences of responding clients.

MKT-11677A-A-AD-JDP EXP JUN 2022 © 2021 EDWARD D. JONES & CO., L.P. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

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Thank you for voting us

Best Hotel & Best Rooftop Bar Graduate Oxford & The Coop 400 N Lamar Blvd • graduatehotels.com/oxford

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BEST ROOFTOP

Winner: Graduate Oxford Finalists: The Coop and The Chancellor’s House

BEST WALKING TRAIL

Winner: Lamar Park Finalists: South Campus Rail Trail and Rowan Oak

BEST WEDDING VENUE

Winner: The Jefferson Oxford Finalists: The Mill at Plein Air and Castle Hill Resort

UBREAKIFIX

BEST COMPUTER REPAIR

uBreakiFix specializes in fixing electronic devices of all types. From shattered phone screens to water logged computers, their friendly and knowledgeable staff is committed to fixing your devices to get you back online and connected, and their quick service makes them popular with students, professionals, and everyone in between.

BEST PARK FOR A PICNIC

Winner: The Grove Finalists: Lamar Park and Sardis Lake

BEST PLACE TO TAKE THE FAMILY

Winner: Swayze Field Finalists: Sardis Lake and Avent Park

PETS BEST ANIMAL HOSPITAL

Winner: Crossroads Animal hospital Finalists: Animal Clinic of Oxford and Bottletree Animal Hospital

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BEST PET GROOMER

Winner: DELTADOG OXFORD Finalists: Crossroads Animal Hospital and Homeward Bound

BEST PET SUPPLIES

Winner: Hollywood Feed Finalists: Pet Smart and Crossroads Animal Hospital

BEST PET TRAINER/ OBEDIENCE SCHOOL

Winner: Wildrose Kennels Finalists: Crossroads Animal Hospital and DELTADOG OXFORD

BEST VETERINARIAN

Winner: Dr. Hannah Heaton Finalists: Dr. Whitney Rayner and Dr. McQueen

PROFESSIONALS BEST ARCHITECT

Winner: Corey Alger Finalists: Jonathan Maddox and DEVELOP Design Studio

BEST BANKER

Winner: Lauren Pace Finalists: Charlie Edwards Mechanics Bank and Melanie Thompson, FNB

BEST BARTENDER

Winner: Peyton Attaway Finalists: Reid Bankston and Taylor Pugh

BEST CHEF

Winner: Elizabeth Heiskell Finalists: Vishwesh Bhatt and Erika Lipe

BEST COLLEGE PROFESSOR

BEST LAW ENFORCEMENT

BEST FIREFIGHTER

BEST LAWYER

BEST HAIR STYLIST

BEST LOCAL ARTIST

BEST INSURANCE AGENT

BEST LOCAL

Winner: Julie Anderson Finalists: Morris Stocks and James M. Thomas

Winner: Jason Gossett Finalists: Jeffrey Taylor and Jamie Phillips

Winner: Christy Parker Finalists: Dallas Nutt and Macy Keith

Winner: Jason Burns Finalists: Tom Davis and Allison Burrow

Winner: Joey East Finalists: Jeff McCutchen and Timmy Pruitt

Winner: Rhae Tannehill Finalists: Swayze Alford and Jay Carmean

Winner: Bradley Gordon Finalists: Lee Harper and Glennray Tutor

MUSICIAN

Winner: Tate Moore Finalists: Joe Austin and Will Griffith

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CROSSROADS

BEST ANIMAL HOSPITAL Crossroads Animal Hospital in Oxford has been named the “Best Animal Hospital” in the 2021 Best of Oxford awards. The clinic is known for its exceptional quality of care and service. The staff are experts in pet care and pride themselves on helping pets get the proper treatment and recovery for a myriad of issues. The center also provides dog daycare, baths, grooming, ultrasounds, acupuncture, and so much more. Crossroads is a part of the American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA), which is the only organization that accredits animal hospitals throughout the United States and Canada. AAHAaccredited hospitals are also recognized as the best in the industry.

BEST LOCAL WRITER

Winner: Ace Atkins Finalists: Wright Thompson and Randy Weeks

BEST MORTGAGE LENDER

Winner: Jake Ott Finalists: Michelle Mason and Andrea Rutherford

BEST OXONIAN TO FOLLOW ON SOCIAL MEDIA Winner: John Cofield Finalists: Lane Kiffin and Jason Plunk

BEST PHOTOGRAPHER

Winner: Bruce Newman Finalists: Joey Brent and Taylor Square Photography

BEST PLUMBER

Winner: Rick’s Plumbing Finalists: Tim Traylor and Adam Roland

BEST POLITICIAN

Winner: Robyn Tannehill Finalists: Nicola Boyd and Clay Deweese

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BEST REALTOR

BEST AUTO DEALER (NEW)

BEST BOUTIQUE

BEST RESTAURANT SERVER

BEST AUTO DEALER (USED)

BEST BRIDAL REGISTRY

BEST AUTO REPAIR

BEST BUSINESS

Winner: Tim Phillips Finalists: Keith Kessinger and Matt McGraw

Winner: Terry Moon Finalists: Judy Pettit and Brittany Case

BEST TEACHER (K-12)

Winner: Laurie Beth Ellis Finalists: Donna Boyd and Kakky Brown Shopping and Services

BEST ACCOUNTING FIRM

Winner: Kinney & Associates PLLC Finalists: Swetland Cook PLLC and Grantham Poole PLLC

BEST ANTIQUE STORE

Winner: The Mustard Seed Antique Mall Finalists: Sugar Magnolia Antique Mall and The Depot Antique Mall

Winner: Cannon Motors, LLC Finalists: Oxford Toyota and Belk Ford Inc.

Winner: Cannon Motors, LLC Finalists: Oxford Toyota and Belk Ford Inc.

Winner: Southland Body & Paint Shop Finalists: Kenny Warren’s Auto Repair and Deal’s Auto Repair

BEST BANK

Winner: FNB Oxford Finalists: Regions Bank and Oxford University Bank

BEST BOOKSTORE

Winner: Square Books Finalists: Square Books Jr. and Off Square Books

Winner: Lulu’s Shoes and Accessories Finalists: Jack and Claire’s Boutique

Winner: Oxford Floral Co Finalists: Neilson’s Department Store and Katherine Beck, Inc.

Winner: Oxford Urgent Care Finalists: FNB Oxford and jack and Claire’s Boutique

BEST CAR WASH

Winner: Car Wash USA Express Finalists: Elite Mobile Car Wash and Detailing and L&M Car Wash

BEST CHILDCARE

Winner: First Baptist Child Care Finalists: Creative Learning Center at North Oxford Baptist Church

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BEST CHILDREN’S BOUTIQUE

BEST DRY CLEANER

BEST HUNTING STORE

BEST COMPUTER REPAIR

BEST FLORIST

BEST INSURANCE COMPANY

BEST GIFT SHOP

BEST INVESTMENT FIRM

Winner: Jack and Claire’s Boutique Finalists: Belles and Beaus Neilson’s Department Store

Winner: ubreakiFix in Oxford Finalists: Rockett Inc.

BEST CONSIGNMENT/RESALE

Winner: Holding Hands Resale Shop Finalists: The Mustard Seed Antique Mall and Oxford Weecycle

BEST COSMETICS

Winner: Zoe Finalists: Ulta Beauty and Neilson’s Department Store

BEST DEPARTMENT STORE Winner: Neilson’s Department Store Finalists: Marshalls and Belk

Winner: Rainbow Cleaners Finalists: Lapels Dry Cleaning Oxford and University Cleaners

Winner: Oxford Floral Co. Finalists: Bette’s Flowers and Twisted Twig

Winner: Chaney’s Pharmacy Finalists: Olive Juice Gifts and Oxford Floral Co

BEST GROCERY STORE

Winner: Larson’s Cash Saver Finalists Kroger on Chicory Market

BEST HAIR SALON

Winner: Hunter’s Hollow Inc. Finalists: The Range at TGC Outdoors and Mississippi Auto Arms

Winner: Farm Bureau Insurance Finalists: Tom Davis – State Farm Insurance Agent and Oxford Insurance

Winner: Edward Jones Finalists: Reid Sherman Investment Group and Giles McPhail Wealth Management

BEST JEWELRY STORE

Winner: Lammons Fine Jewelry Finalists: Van Atkins Jewelers and Kay Jewelers

Winner: Southern Chic Salon and Spa Finalists: The Studio and Amara Salon

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BEST LAW FIRM

Winner: Tannehill. Carmean & McKenzie PLLC Finalists: Swayze Alford Attorney at Law and Hughes Brown PLLC

BEST LIMO/TAXI

Winner: Angel Taxi Finalists: Austin Taxi and Oxford Limo

BEST LIQUOR STORE

Winner: High Cotton Wine and Spirits Warehouse Finalists: Kiamie Package Store and Social Wine & Whiskey House

BEST MEN’S CLOTHING STORE

Winner: Hinton & Hinton Finalists: Neilson’s Department Store and Landry’s

BEST NAIL SALON

Winner: Nail Bar & Co. Oxford Finalists: My Girl and Bella Mia Salon

CHANEY’S PHARMACY

Chaney’s Pharmacy has been locally owned and operated by Brent and Laura Smith since 1980. The store’s unique combination of goods and services, including a soda fountain, full-service salon, pharmacy, and gift department, makes it more like a boutique department store than a standard pharmacy. ` “It’s a real humbling thing to win both of these,” Laura Smith said. “It’s an honor. And it makes me feel like maybe people really get it and get our store.”

The family-run store strives to curate a unique selection of gifts that you can’t find anywhere else in town, carrying a variety of specialty bath and body products, loungewear, jewelry, home goods, and boutique party supplies.

“Aynslee, our daughter, is great at finding those original things and trying to secure them for us,” Laura said.

Aynslee, who was runner up in this year’s contest for best interior designer (Aynslee Smith Designs), can often be found coming up with creative new product displays to showcase the store’s unique goods. Laura and Brent’s son Bart also works as a pharmacist, working with his father to develop innovative systems to keep the pharmacy working smoothly.

“Looking back now that we’ve been here 41 years, just the fact that not many husbands and wives can work together like we do,” Brent said. “I just think that’s the secret sauce, the two of us having the same vision.”

While the store’s singular combination of goods and services is unique in the Oxford area, the Smiths say that what really sets Chaney’s apart is the relationships formed with employees and customers alike.

“The whole thing is the commitment of being here and making relationships,” Brent said. “The older I got, the more I gave to the community. Not monetarily, but myself. It seems like it came back tenfold.”

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BEST NEW BUSINESS

Winner: Oxford Gourmet and Gifts Finalists: Common Ground Coffee Bar and NE SPARC

BEST OFFICE SUPPLY

Winner: Pitner Office Suppl Finalists: Office Depot and Panola Paper Co.

BEST PACKING AND SHIPPING Winner: The UPS Store Finalists: PakMail

BEST PAWN SHOP

Winner: Oxford Pawn Shop Finalist: Dash for Cash Pawn Shop

BEST PLACE TO FIND OLE MISS GIFTS

Winner: Rebel Rags Finalist: University Sporting Goods and Olive Juice Gifts

THE LIBRARY BEST DANCE SPOT

An Oxford staple, the Library has been a favorite amongst locals for game day happy hours and late-night dance parties for years. The space, which holds a patio bar, sports bar and dance hall, often hosts live music, making for an exciting atmosphere for dancing the night away.

BEST PRINTING COMPANY

Winner: Callahan’s Quick Printing Finalist: Pitner Office Supply and Documart

BEST SEAFOOD MARKET

Winner: LB’s Meat Market Finalists: Chicory Market and E.C. Moore General Store

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BEST SHOE STORE

Winner: Lulu’s Finalists: My Favorite Shoes and Austin’s Shoes

BEST SIGN COMPANY

Winner: 1-day signs Finalist: Callahan’s Quick Printing

BEST SMALL ENGINE REPAIR

Winner: Southland Body & Paint Shop Finalists: Deal’s Auto Repair and Oxford Muffler and Auto Service

BEST SPORTING GOODS

Winner: University Sporting Goods Finalists: Hunter’s Hollow Inc. and DICK’S Sporting Goods

BEST TANNING SALON

Winner: Oxford Super Tan Finalists: Sunsations and Hotty Toddy Tan & Glam Services

LINDSEY’S CHEVRON BEST LATE NIGHT FOOD

If you’re looking for a bite to eat after going out, wind down with some classic comfort food from Lindsey’s Chevron , conveniently located right off of the Square.

Before heading home, grab any of their home-cooked favorites, including their famed fried chicken, for the perfect end to any night out.

BEST TATTOO SHOP

Winner: Oxford Tattoo Finalists: Opus Land and Oxford Social Club

BEST TIRE STORE

Winner: Gateway Tire & Service Center Finalists: Oxford Tire Inc. and Goodyear University Tire & Auto

CCm

CANNON CLEARY MCGRAW OXFORD'S BEST REAL ESTATE AGENCY

Thank you for your support!

O. 662-371-1000

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BEST TOWING

Winner: Shivers Towing Finalists: Marquis Towing and Caines Towing

BEST T-SHIRT SHOP

Winner: Cat Daddy’s Finalists: Oxford T-shirt Co and B-Unlimited

BEST WINE STORE

Winner: High Cotton Wine & Spirits Warehouse Finalists: Kiamie Package Store and Social Wine and Whiskey House

BEST WOMEN’S CLOTHING STORE Winner: Neilson’s Department Store Finalists: I Just Have To Have It and Cicada Boutique

EL AGAVE

BEST MEXICAN AND BEST MARGARITA

Serving up fresh Mexican food and frosty margaritas, El Agave is a local favorite for families and date night alike. Regulars recommend their authentic street tacos and made-to-order guacamole.

Their large margarita selection has something for everyone and includes favorites like the Skinny Mamacita, Margarona, and Tropical Margarita, as well as a customizable “made from scratch” option.

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••The Style Guide••

August 19 & 20: Round 3 – Sisterhood Day

What to Wear: Dressy casual attire such as a dress, skirt or pants with a blouse, paired with flats so you can walk comfortably! panhellenic.olemiss.edu/recruitment Pearl & Jade Drop Earrings Hemline

Navy Smocked Top/Skirt Set I Just Have to Have it

Tory Burch Miller Sandal Village Tailor

ENewton Designs Stackable Bracelets Olive Juice Gifts

Ruffled Pink Party Dress D Squared

August 21: Round 4 – Preference Day What to Wear: This round is more formal attire, such as a Sam Edelman semiformal or cocktail dress.

Block Heels panhellenic.olemiss.edu/recruitment

Beaded Clutch Katherine Beck Gifts

Neilson's

Virtue Drop Earrings Hinton and Hinton HER

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SAID AND DONE

A

QUALITY CONTROL

COUNTRIBUTING EDITOR JIM DEES is a writer and longtime host of Thacker Mountain Radio. He is the author of The Statue and the Fury - A Year of Art, Race, Music and Cocktails.

Around these parts, when the little orange flags show up, the trouble begins. Their appearance, fluttering innocently in the wind, means the bulldozers will soon come and “progress” will alter the landscape. Somebody, somewhere sees green in the green.

Imagine my horror then, when I awoke last month to find a series of those little doomsday flags fluttering in MY OWN YARD. Even worse, there were yellow arrows spray-painted in my grass, pointing to the flags.

Had I been co-opted in the night? While I slept, dozing away in my false security, were the marauders outside my window, stomping around in the dew, committing yard graffiti? A coup de Bubba?

The horror!

Soon enough the appropriately named, Ditch Witch, arrived with a crew of five wielding shovels and it was on! Before I could make sure I had pants on, the crew had sliced through my yard, accidentally busting a pipe and disconnecting my water, and kept right on moving.

After some discussion that included standing around staring into a muddy hole in my yard, my water was restored and I was assured there would soon be faster internet. I thanked them and as they were leaving, they advised me that, oh by the way, my pipes were of shoddy construction with cheap materials. “Really cheap,” they repeated.

This is the new customer service. Pipe-shame the customer because the customer is always a cheap schmo. I ’m aware that faster internet is much needed over portions of Lafayette County and I’m happy people have access. As it happens, my internet speed was just fine – how much faster can a cat video play? What was alarming was the lack of notice that the diggers were coming, unless flags and spray paint are notice.

Then it hit me that perhaps this was my karma for working on highway crews in my youth. I’ve set out my share of orange construction flags and followed that by driving stakes into the ground as exclamation points.

Forty years ago, I was a rookie on the road crew that built the four-lane highway from Oxford to Batesville. I’m sure people hated to see us coming knowing we were going to take a sling blade to a piece of earth that had a place in their heart. Like today’s marauders, we were just following orders.

Unlike today’s workers, my wage was indeed minimum at $2.65 an hour. No worries though, I was living in a renovated chicken coop – with a roommate - that rented for $40 a month and my share was $20.

During the rainy winter months, most of our highway work came to a halt. Our six-man crew would pile into our truck, leave the office and go hide. Our foreman would drive us into the woods, park it and break out the cards. Four of them would play Spades while another napped and I would usually read.

I can’t remember what I had for lunch today but I can remember the book I was reading that long ago summer. It was Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance by Robert M. Pirsig. The book sold five million copies and went on to become the largestselling philosophy book of all time. It was a counterculture touchstone, one of the books you simply had to read.

Zen is an autobiographical novel that concerns a 1960s-era motorcycle trip from Minnesota to Montana to California with an unnamed father and his 11-year-old son, Chris. Along the way, in the era before GPS or cell phones, the two focus on nature and discuss values, the fundamental questions of how to live, the idea of “quality” and the notion that anything worth doing is worth doing well.

Pretty heady stuff for a 19-year-old sitting in a crew truck that’s supposed to be busy paving paradise. I remember the book having its tedious moments but overall, it was a thought-provoking travelogue with heart and smarts and a high quirk factor.

So much of the book dealt with the idea that you can keep yourself grounded, and not drown by technology, if you can understand how things work, i.e., motorcycle maintenance. I’m not sure if Pirsig could envision how prevalent and complicated technology would become in our lives.

Who among us can fix their own computer or phone?

For now, we depend on the experts, the orange flag crowd, to show up and give us service without a smile. They keep our cat videos running ever faster and throw in free lessons on “quality.” Forty-dollar chicken coops are relics now.

Computer speed is fine but, for me, it’s all good as long as the A/C works.

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OUT & ABOUT

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MUSIC IN THE GROVE

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PHOTOS BY JOEY BRENT

The LOU community gathered June 20 for the Summer Sunset Series in the Grove. Live music, good friends and beautiful weather made the popular event a success again this year.

1. Cindy Veazey, Mason Myers, Sean Collins and Amelia Szot 2. Robert Saarnio and Luke Fisher 3. Frances Lasky with Pressley, Jessica and Molly Michael Windham 4. Jan and Randy Burchfiel 5. Kitty Cox, Karen Lee, Wayne and Ouida Drinkwater with Hugh Lee 6. Lana Jane, Norman, Riley and Kim Orr with Chamberline and Guiness 7. Chris McAlilly and Sam Blade 8. Josh, Annie, Sarah and Neil Condon 9. Jennifer and Paul Edwards

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Marketplace Oxford Magazine • 662.234.4331

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Est. 1949. 70 years experience. Delivering quality ready-mix concrete since 1949.

662-234-7088 Read Romans every day! Chapters – not Verses. Be obedient to what it says. Roman Road Bible Ministry.

For Sale: Rent to Own Buildings (662) 4171256. Quality Buildings at Affordable Prices!

H&L Underbrush, Yard Work & Much More. 662473-4974 662-714-0132 Precious Angels Home Care. Private Duty, Nonmedical, In-home care.

Caregivers, homemakers & sitters. Does your loved one need care at home? Contact us today.

662-821-6787. email: wecare@preciousangels homecare.org Southern Healthcare Agency. LPN’s Needed Day Time Hours. Home Care Setting. $18 per hour. Oxford, MS. Call 601-933-0037 Or email resumes to: jscott@ southernhealthcare.com Office space for ent: Single office includes all utilities and use of common area. Also 2500 square feet available.

662-902-7135 or w.stevecox@gmail.com

TALLAHATCHIE GENERAL HOSPITAL HAS IMMEDIATE OPENINGS FOR: 2 Fulltime openings for Lab MLT/MT, 7a-7p 3/2 split, 7p-7a 5/2 split. Full-time openings for Hospital and ECF CNA’s, 7a-7p and 7p-7a. Contact: Alan Yeager (662) 625-7106 or email ayeager@mytgh. com Tommy’s Refinishing & Repair LLC Professional antique restoration since 1974. 188 CR 215, Oxford. 662-8167135 Estate purchasing/ appraisal services.

Professional Office Space for Lease. Good location on N. Lamar, available immediately, appx 1100 sf, 3 offices, large conference & reception spaces. 662638-3844 For Rent. 1 Lot Space For a 62 foot mobile home. Oxford Wheel Estates at Oxford Wheel Estates Mobile Home Park (662)380-5086 Immediate opening for both full-time Medical Assistant and full-time Physician Secretary in Oxford, MS Cardiology office. Medical experience required.

Must have strong computer and people skills. Submit resume to sternhr@sterncardio.com HAWKINS HANDYMAN Lawn & Tree Removal.

24/7. Bonded & Insured. Plumbing, Electric, Excavating, Bush Hogging, Lawn Care, Leaf Removal, Dozer Work, Gravel/ Dirt Hauling, Welding Service, Trailer Repair.

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For your home & outdoor needs. Oxford, MS. 662-473-8139 TRAILER WORLD Goosenecks, Equipment, Stock & Enclosed Trailers. Mid-South’s Largest Selection.

SOUTHLAND CO. Batesville, MS 662-5639428 A & A Care at Heart Please let us provide you with great service & companionship to your loved ones! Let us give your loved ones the best care at heart in the comfort of their own homes. Call (662)8161589 Stonewater Adolescent Recovery Center in Oxford, MS is seeking LPN’s to join our team!

Full-Time and PRN positions available. To apply please contact Sandy Lott, D.O.N. at 662-259-8474.

CDL Class A Drivers D&S Haulers, LLC Water Valley, MS Requirements: •23+ years of age •2 years driving experience •no more than 2 violations on license. All dry van freight, no touch.

Home base in North MSBe home weekly!401-K, Health/Dental/Vision offered. Starting pay .38/ mile with bonus. $1000 Hiring bonus! Call 662473-1100 A&J Mulchers •Forestry Mulching •Land Management •Disaster Relief •Land Grading Call Joey Cox: 662-2667448 Office Manager Assistant with Oxford consulting fi m. Microsoft Office ( ord/Excel/

Powerpoint) required.

Access & Quickbooks a plus. Health/vision/ dental insurance & 401k plan provided.

Salary commensurate with education and experience. Please email resume to Mike Slaughter: mslaughter@ saplanners.com Licensed Massage Therapy Position at The Gracious Face Part-time with potential to turn to full-time All equipment provided. Space is rent free! Call 706-691-5772 Immediate Opening Receptionist Optometrist’s Office Duties: •Filing insurance •Making appointments •Filing records •Light cleaning •Ordering, assisting patients with frame selection, etc.

Must be a people person with computer skills.Send resume: Receptionist, PO Box 1097 Oxford MS 38655 Cambridge Station Apartments 662-2341801 801 Forntage Rd. Oxford, MS 38655 NOW LEASING FOR 2020 www.liveatcambridge stationapts.com PEACHES Cherry Creek Orchard Opening MidMay Call:662-489-7783 Also Taking Pre-Orders: •Purple Hull Peas •Tomatoes •Blackberries •Watermelons Call:662760-0672 or 662-4897783 Communicare Overdose Prevention/Education Grant Positions •Project Director - Master’s Preferred, Bachelor’s and Mental Health Experience Required •Outreach Coordinator/

Trainer - Bachelor’s Degree or Experience in Mental Health/ Training Submit Resumes: kclinton@ oxfordcommunicare.com Faulkner Flats Apartments 662-2341801 2998 Old Taylor Road Oxford, MS 38655 NOW LEASING FOR 2020 www. liveatfaulknerflats.co Lexington Pointe Apartments 662-2810402 2000 Lexington Pointe Dr, Oxford, MS 38655 NOW LEASING FOR 2020 www. liveatlexington pointeapts.com Allied Universal Security Services Employment Opportunities in Oxford FULL AND PART TIME POSITIONS ALL SHIFTS AVAILABLE Competitive starting salary Security Experience Preferred NC Driver’s License required $500 sign on bonus after 90 days of employment Visit www.

AUS.com/search-jobs for additional employment opportunities Drivers Wanted Gasoline Haulers Neeed CDL req w/tanker and Hazmat endorsement Benefit package including: health, dental, life and 401k Exp w/ hauling fuel preferred, but will train Graves Oil Company 226 Pearson St. Batesville, MS 38606 662-563-4604

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