Amarillo Magazine | November 2020

NOVEMBER 2020

amarillomagonline.com

From 6th

Collective

Our guide to shopping local this holiday season $5.95 US AMARILLO MAGAZINE

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PLUS: CREATE A LIVING THANKSGIVING CENTERPIECE

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CONTENTS 7 CONTRIBUTORS 8 ANDY’S WORLD 10 CHIP’S CORNER HOME 13 HEY THERE, PUMPKIN

Create a living pumpkin centerpiece with Pete’s Greenhouse.

COVER STORY 18 SHOPPING LIST

This holiday season, shopping at local businesses is more important than ever.

13

FEATURES 35 HOLLYWOOD HANK

How a Panhandle ranch dog caught the attention of Tinseltown’s brightest stars

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PROVIDED PHOTOS

35 47 WHAT’S COOKING? 39 THE BEST APPLES FOR EATING, BAKING AND MORE 47 LET’S EAT! 54 EVENTS 56 PANHANDLE PERSPECTIVE 62 20 QUESTIONS

56 AMBER GLAWE, PRESIDENT AND EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, MEDICAL CENTER LEAGUE HOUSE

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ON THE COVER

FROM 6TH COLLECTIVE PHOTO BY SHANNON RICHARDSON

NOVEMBER 2020 • AMARILLOMAGONLINE.COM

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Editor’s Letter

Regional Director of Specialty Products/Editor Michele McAffrey 806.345.3256 mmcaffrey@amarillo.com Regional Designer Kayla Morris Contributing Writers Jonathan Baker Jason Boyett Chip Chandler Andy Chase Cundiff

Contributing Photographer Shannon Richardson

General Manager/Advertising Director Belinda Mills Account Representatives Sharon Denny Jaime Pipkin To advertise in Amarillo Magazine or on amarillomagonline.com, please contact Belinda Mills at 345.3373.

Regional Executive Editor Jill Nevels-Haun Regional Distribution Director David Morel Regional Accounting Manager Sheryl Rycerz

600 S. Tyler St., Suite 2300, Amarillo, TX 79101 806.376.4488 • amarillomagonline.com Amarillo Magazine is a monthly publication of AGN Media. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any form without prior written consent. Letters to the Editor are welcome but may be edited due to space limitations.

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AMARILLOMAGONLINE.COM • NOVEMBER 2020

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It’s hard to believe that it’s already time to publish our November issue, to think about the holidays, get our shopping lists started, and make plans in spite of the continuing pandemic. After spending the past 7 months working from home and practicing social distancing, it’s unreal to imagine the beginning of the winter season.

I’m pretty introverted. Staying solitary isn’t a huge discomfort to me. We’ve pivoted to meet the challenges to our industry, which have continued over these past months, and include changing how we gather content, making sure that content is relevant (we’ve changed our editorial plan again and again), and designing the whole magazine in a much more solitary fashion. It’s something I’ve grown accustomed to doing, and as I said, I haven’t suffered dramatically, although it’s certainly not my favorite experience.

And then it came time to contact the owners of our favorite local boutiques for our cover story this month. Connecting again with local businesses that work so hard to succeed, people I have had the privilege to get to know over the past 10-plus years, hearing their friendly voices and briefly catching up with each of them put me in a melancholy mood for a few days. I realized how much I missed all those connections, how being around creative, positive people is so vital.

Collaborating with others is one of my favorite things, sharing ideas and energy. Gosh, I’ve missed it. Each of the businesses we feature this month have partnered with us through the years in one way or another, whether that’s through their advertising dollars, creating features together, or sharing exciting giveaways with our readers. They were all good enough to share photos of their spaces with us this month, and for that, we’re so grateful.

The image you see on our cover is the entrance of the new From 6th Collective west of Amarillo on I-40. It’s the brain child of entrepreneur Kasey Tam. As we planned our “shopping list” feature, I kept an eye on Kasey’s social media posts about the Collective, and had to chuckle every time she announced another vendor at the Collective that we also had on our list of favorite boutiques.

I can’t wait to see the completed Collective just a few days after this issue publishes. I am so excited to be able to support small local businesses this season.

We hope that you’ll think of all the small businesses that have struggled to stay afloat through COVID as you tackle your holiday gift-buying. Our support this holiday season is particularly vital.

In hopes of a Happy Thanksgiving, a safe holiday season, and good health,

Contributors

JONATHAN BAKER

JASON BOYETT

CHIP CHANDLER

Jonathan’s copywriting has appeared in Esquire, Men’s Journal, and Popular Mechanics. In his spare time, he writes crime novels.

Jason has written more than a dozen books and is the host and creator of “Hey Amarillo,” a local interview podcast.

Visit heyamarillo.com and jasonboyett.com.

Chip Chandler is the senior communications specialist at West Texas A&M University. An awardwinning journalist, he has covered arts and entertainment in Amarillo since 1998 and is a member of the Amarillo Convention & Visitor Council arts committee. He is a 2020 Golden Nail Award winner and a 2017 National Philanthropy Day award winner. He is a member of the national GALECA critics group.

Writer

Writer

Writer

SHANNON RICHARDSON Photographer

Shannon has been photographing commercial/advertising work for more than 30 years.

See Shannon’s work at shannonrichardson.com and route66americanicon.com.

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NOVEMBER 2020 • AMARILLOMAGONLINE.COM

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Andy’s World

The Age of Convenience

I

t is SO nice to live in an age of convenience.

We have automatic, preheated, high definition, freeze-dried, digitally enhanced, super-sized, remote controlled, new-andimproved, upgraded and updated everything. Our cars have more stuff in the steering wheel than NASA had when we made the moon landing.

We have cellphones to keep us in touch with everybody who isn’t there, which always comes at the expense of whomever actually is there. We have phones in service lines at understaffed businesses that cost the person in line at the counter or register additional time. Back in ancient days, when it was cash only, each transaction took a fraction of the time, and counting out change was the only challenge to the service person. Then they introduced the credit card. Then the debit card. Blue, Gold, Platinum, Super Duper Customer Cards were just a natural follow-up. Now there are as many ways to jack up a simple transaction as there are fiber-optic wires in a big, sprawling nation.

I stood in line about a month ago at an unnamed home improvement store, for the second time, to get an appliance. On the first trip, I had made the mistake of wanting something that was out of stock. On the return trip, I thought, stupidly, Well, at least they have had time to get my order together, and it should be a few minutes to get home with it. Forty-five minutes later, everybody in the store was staring at the computer scratching their heads. “It’s not accepting the order.”

I said, just a bit testily, ‘I have a receipt here, so it managed to accept my cash.’ The millennials working there had to trick the system with a bogus gift card, reopen an entirely different account, give me back my money, and redo the transaction in order for me to get out of there with my goods. It was a singular experience. But so convenient.

Also, why do companies that spend millions in advertising crowing about their excellent “service” never have enough personnel at the point of sale to answer the phone? What ever happened to “service” in this country?

Who was it, I wonder, that came up with the “two-window” system at the fast food drive-thru? Remember when it was just one drive drivethru window and all you had to do was order and pick it up? I know, those squawky horns that you ordered into weren’t exactly Western civilization’s most impressive invention, but the next window was the one that had your food. Then somewhere, somebody had the bolt from above to put in, not one mind you, but TWO windows. Ostensibly, you could order and pay at the first, and receive your order at the second.

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Seems logical, but in the first month of its inception, the two-window system failed miserably. I was in college at the time. I never got an accurate order from any two-window drive-thu, and neither did anyone I knew. A lot of those fast food places, after spending a king’s ransom to knock a hole in the wall, finish out a new window, install a fancier intercom, renovate the inside work stations, and extend the parking lot and driveway simply boarded up their “first” window and placed a hand scrawled sign with an arrow that said, “next window.”

I have to admit, I laughed for a week the first time I saw that.

While I spend a lot of time complaining, I should give credit where credit is due: In a word, Chick-fil-A. Perfection.

Those people have the most well-oiled, coordinated, hot fresh food delivering system I have ever beheld. It’s like a Singer sewing machine, a purring cat, a 440 magnum Mopar engine, the way it runs.

At lunchtime, it has more moving parts, and people, than Cirque du Soleil, and they never miss. I have sat in their parking lot, munching on a Spicy Chicken Sandwich and watching the clockwork of Chick-fil-A, trying to get my head around how much training it must have taken to become that coordinated. And who the heck came up with that system?

It should be awarded and emulated. Seriously.

Why is it then that, after generations of time-saving and superefficient mind-blowing innovation and technology, we don’t have any more TIME than we had before?

You know, we can put a man on the moon, but ...

I think it has to do with our crazy tendency as humans to “throw out the baby with the bath water.” If you read my last column you understand how fond I am of cliches. “Throwing out the baby with the bath water” is one of my favorites. It means, simply, to miss the point.

Until we understand WHY we need time-saving, mind-blowing, totally earth-and life-changing technology, all of those things will just be gadgets.

Please excuse me – my brand-new Super Duper High Def, Multi-functional cell phone is ringing. I’m shopping for an upgrade, you know ...

ANDY CHASE CUNDIFF Andy is a local artist, singer and songwriter, and has called Amarillo home for more than 20 years. He plays at a variety of live music venues throughout the Panhandle. Contact Andy at 376-7918.

Janey’s Picks

Look for us on Spotify and Poshmark

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Chip’s Corner

T

hough 2020 has offered little more than an escalating series of nightmare situations, we can at least be thankful that Amarillo’s arts and entertainment organizations and performers have found ways to carry on. Though only a few movie theaters remain open and most major releases have been pushed into 2021, streaming services are bursting with new options, including some awards hopefuls. And after a delayed start, the fall TV season is finally truly underway. As always, all dates are subject to change.

JESS BENJAMIN S (BLACK), 2020 100TH MERIDIAN PERSPECTIVE 20X2 ¾ INCHES 56X , OOD PLYW AND ARE STONEW Y OF THE ARTIST RTES COU E IMAG IN: © JESS BENJAM

Hall Theatre on the Washington Street campus.

(806-372-7464, amarilloopera.org)

CHAMBER MUSIC AMARILLO’S COMPLETE BACH CELLO SUITES:

Frequent CMA collaborator Jeffrey Lastrapes will perform all six of Johannes Sebastian Bach’s suites for the cello in this intimate concert. It’s set for 7:30 p.m. on Nov. 14 in the Amarillo Botanical Gardens auditorium, 1400 Streit Drive.

(806-376-8782, amarillosymphony.org)

“BEATLES VS. STONES – A MUSICAL SHOWDOWN”: The tribute bands Abbey

Amarillo Arts and Entertainment

AMARILLO MUSEUM OF ART’S “PRECIPICE”: This ongoing exhibition, on view

through Dec. 31, features concurrent shows by photographer David Maisel, sculptor Jess Benjamin and painter Mark Messersmith. “Each artist is uniquely concerned with the interaction between humans, nature and the impact that this interaction has on the environment,” Alex Gregory, AMoA curator of art, said in a news release. Pay particular attention to the way each artist’s work relates to our region, our resources and our environment. (806-371-5050, amoa.org)

AMARILLO LITTLE THEATRE’S “GOOD PEOPLE”: This Boston-set drama

by Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright David LindsayAbaire (“Rabbit Hole”) won raves when it debuted on Broadway nearly a decade ago, and fans of thoughtful dramas will want to check it out. In it, a struggling single mother reconnects with a now-wealthy old fling in an attempt to get her life back on track.

Lindsay-Abaire’s work never reduces characters to simple types, so despite the generic title, expect some thoughtful, humane work from cast members Heather Manderson, Patrick Burns, Treva Oller and more. It’ll be staged Nov. 12 to 22 in the ALT Adventure Space, 2751 Civic Circle. (806-355-9991, amarillolittletheatre.org)

AMARILLO OPERA’S “REMOVE SHOES BEFORE ENTERING”: The latest

work from contemporary composer Michael Ching (“Speed Dating Tonight”) promises to be cuttingedge, said Mary Jane Johnson, the opera’s artistic director: “It’s a little edgy and talks about every problem we have in the world today. It’s really going to be powerful.” It’ll be staged at 7 p.m. and 9 p.m.

Nov. 13 and 14 in the Amarillo College Concert

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“BETWEEN THE WORLD AND ME”: A star-

studded cast – including Jharrel Jerome, Yara Shahidi, Wendell Pierce, Mahershala Ali and MJ Rodriguez – will bring to life this theatrical adaptation of Ta-Nehisi Coates’ acclaimed book. (HBO, Nov. 21)

“DOLLY PARTON’S CHRISTMAS ON THE SQUARE”: The ever-angelic Dolly plays a

heavenly visitor who comes to Earth to help scroogy Regina Fuller (Christine Baranski, “The Good Fight”) redeem herself before she evicts everyone from her town. (Netflix, Nov. 22)

Road and Satisfaction – The International Rolling Stones Show will return to the Amarillo Civic Center Complex Auditorium, 401 S. Buchanan St., for a highenergy rock concert celebrating the iconic rock acts.

The show is set for 7:30 p.m., Nov. 17, and COVID-19 protocols, including socially distanced seating, will be in effect. (806-378-3096, panhandletickets.com)

“THE CHRISTMAS CHRONICLES: PART TWO”: Kurt Russell again dons the red suit

AMARILLO SYMPHONY: The orchestra

“THE GOOD DOCTOR”: The ABC medical

will continue its season with another digital-only concert on Nov. 25. Conductor/music director Jacomo Bairos, now in his final season, will lead the symphony in Maurice Ravel’s “Introduction and Allegro,” Richard Wagner’s “Siegfried Idyll” and Dmitri Shostakovich’s Piano Concerto No. 1, featuring pianist Diego Caetano. The performances will be recorded and released in full to season subscribers via a private link in their email. Nonsubscribers can still enjoy the artistry on the symphony’s social media channels.

(806-376-8782, amarillosymphony.org)

Movies

“HILLBILLY ELEGY”: Amy Adams and Glenn

Close star in this Ron Howard-directed adaptation of the acclaimed memoir of a Yale law student (Gabriel Basso) who grapples both with his family history and the American dream when he returns to his Appalachian hometown. (Netflix release date to be announced.)

“MANK”: Director David Fincher’s first film since

2014’s “Gone Girl” is this highly anticipated biography about screenwriter Herman Mankiewicz’s tumultuous work in writing the all-time classic “Citizen Kane.”

(Netflix release date to be announced.)

“JINGLE JANGLE: A CHRISTMAS JOURNEY”: John Legend provides original

tunes for this fanciful holiday movie starring Forest Whitaker, Anika Noni Rose, Keegan-Michael Key and Hugh Bonneville. (Netflix, Nov. 13)

and beard for this sequel to the surprise hit holiday movie, this time on a mission to save Christmas’s cancellation via a mysterious troublemaker. (Netflix, Nov. 25)

Television

drama, starring Freddie Highmore as autistic Dr. Shaun Murphy, will return for a fourth season and plans to tackle the COVID-19 pandemic head-on.

(ABC, returns Nov. 2)

2020 ROCK & ROLL HALL OF FAME INDUCTION: The late Whitney Houston

and Notorious B.I.G. will join the hall alongside The Doobie Brothers, Nine Inch Nails, T. Rex and Depeche Mode. Look for appearances by Jennifer Hudson, Ringo Starr, Luke Bryan, Brad Paisley, Sean “Diddy” Combs, Dave Grohl, Don Henley, Miley Cyrus, Alicia Keys, Gwen Stefani, Adam Levine, St. Vincent, Billy Gibbons, Billy Idol, Iggy Pop and Lin-Manuel Miranda, among others. (HBO and HBO Max, Nov. 7)

“CHICAGO MED,” “CHICAGO FIRE” AND “CHICAGO PD”: Dick Wolf’s Windy City-set series all return for new seasons. (NBC, Nov. 11)

“STATION 19” AND “GREY’S ANATOMY”: Shonda Rhimes’ powerhouses plan to tackle pandemic-related storylines as they return from COVID-shortened seasons – “Grey’s” for an unbelievable 17th season. (ABC, Nov. 12)

“THE CROWN”: Olivia Colman wraps up her

tenure as Queen Elizabeth in the fourth season of this lush historical lesson. Even more exciting: the arrival of coltish Emma Corrin as the young Princess Diana

and the fierce Gillian Anderson as Iron Lady Margaret Thatcher. (Netflix, Nov. 15)

“THE LEGO STAR WARS HOLIDAY SPECIAL”: This Christmas special, irreverently

named after the infamously awful 1978 broadcast, takes inspiration from such holiday classics as “It’s a Wonderful Life” and “Christmas Vacation.” (Disney+, Nov. 17)

“BIG SKY”: David E. Kelley (“Ally McBeal,” “Big

Little Lies”) returns to network television with this procedural crime thriller starring Katheryn Winnick, Kylie Bunbury, John Carroll Lynch and Ryan Phillippe.

(ABC, Nov. 17)

PROVIDED PHOTOS JESS BENJAMIN DAM NEBRASKA, 2008-2016 SALT AND ELECTRIC FIRED STONEWARE, 3 ½ X 10 X 7 ½ FEET © JESS BENJAMIN: IMAGE COURTESY OF THE ARTIST

“SUPERNATURAL”: Bid farewell to the

Winchester brothers in the COVID-delayed final episode of this amazingly long-running spooky procedural. (The CW, Nov. 19)

“SMALL AXE”: Director Steve McQueen

(“Widows,” “12 Years a Slave”) created this anthology series depicting life in London’s West Indian community from the 1960s to the 1980s. Stars include Letitia Wright (“Black Panther”), John Boyega (“Star Wars”) and more. (Amazon, Nov. 20)

“SAVED BY THE BELL”: The ’90s kid favorite gets the reboot treatment, with plenty of original stars dealing with the problems of a new teen cast of Bayside High students. (Peacock, Nov. 25)

MARK MESSERSMITH UNLEARNED OR FORGOTTEN, 2020 OIL ON CANVAS, 87X65 INCHES ©MARK MESSERSMITH: IMAGE COURTESY OF THE ARTIST

SEE THE HOPE OF THE HOLIDAYS More than ever, we understand the strength we gain from the presence of friends and family. We value the presence of hope—hope for good health, a prosperous future, and a supportive community. As the holidays approach after an uncertain year, may you see those gifts with more clarity than ever before.

3408 OLSEN BLVD

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806.355.5633

WWW.EYECAREAMARILLO.COM

NOVEMBER 2020 • AMARILLOMAGONLINE.COM

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Reading Nook

BURROWING OWL FAVORITES Fall Reading Recommendation

“Big Wonderful Thing: A History of Texas”

by Stephen Harrigan

The story of Texas is the story of struggle and triumph in a land of extremes. It is a story of drought and flood, invasion and war, boom and bust, and the myriad peoples who, over centuries of conflict, gave rise to a place that has helped shape the identity of the United States and the destiny of the world.

“I couldn’t believe Texas was real,” the painter Georgia O’Keeffe remembered of her first encounter with the Lone Star State. It was, for her, “the same big wonderful thing that oceans and the highest mountains are.”

Big Wonderful Thing invites us to walk in the footsteps of ancient as well as modern people along the path of Texas’s evolution. Blending action and atmosphere with impeccable research, New York Times best-selling author Stephen Harrigan brings to life with novelistic immediacy the generations of driven men and women who shaped Texas, including Spanish explorers, American filibusters, Comanche warriors, wildcatters, Tejano activists, and spellbinding artists – all of them taking their part in the creation of a place that became not just a nation, not just a state, but an indelible idea. (University of Texas Press)

FIND YOUR NEXT FAVORITE READ AT: BURROWING OWL BOOKS 419 16TH ST., CANYON

BURROWING OWL BOOKS 34TH AND COULTER, SUMMIT SHOPPING CENTER, AMARILLO

SPONSORED BY:

Home

Hey There,

Pumpkin

PROVIDED PHOTOS

I

n addition to offering some of the best selections of seasonal plants in Amarillo, Pete’s Greenhouse schedules popular in-person workshops and other events on a monthly basis. In October, its annual Pumpkin Succulent Workshop sold out quickly and ended up being the local business’s most popular event this year. “We sold out with 52 people,” says Jordi Velasquez, who owns Pete’s with her husband, Devin. “We even had a wait list. We probably should have done more classes, and probably will next year.”

She thinks the popularity of the pumpkin-succulent combination reflects a couple of realities. One, after a hot, dry summer, people are ready for fall. Two, it’s a unique and adorable arrangement. Pumpkins are always popular in the autumn months and succulents have been growing in demand for the past few years. Put those two

things together and you have an ideal combination for a fresh, seasonal centerpiece.

“Everybody’s not used to seeing it all the time,” she says of the arrangement. “It’s a really unique statement piece and sets the tone for fall.”

She walked us through a step-by-step process to create your own pumpkin centerpiece at home, just in time for the Thanksgiving table. Thankfully, the process is much easier than the final result makes it appear. “It looks like it might be complicated, but it’s one of the easiest [classes] we do all year. The fun part for me is watching someone who says they’re not creative, and by the end of the class, they’ve created this amazing arrangement,” she says. “It happens every single time.”

NOVEMBER 2020 • AMARILLOMAGONLINE.COM

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Supplies

Pumpkin Sphagnum (peat) moss Spray adhesive Succulent variety, trimmed to fit design Dried botanicals (fallen leaves, pods, grass, pinecones)

Here’s how to do it: 1. Select a pumpkin. For best results, choose one that has a flatter top to provide a broad, horizontal base for the succulents. “It does work better if you have more of a flatter, Cinderella-type pumpkin,” says Jordi. Make sure the stem is cut as flush as possible with the top of the pumpkin.

4. Apply adhesive. Using spray adhesive (available at most craft stores), spray a saucer-sized area around the stem of the pumpkin.

2. Wash pumpkin and let it dry.

3. Soak sphagnum moss. Fill a large bowl with water and place the moss in it for around five minutes. This type of moss, which retains moisture and requires infrequent watering, comes in a bag and is available at most nurseries or home improvement stores.

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5. Pack the moss. After squeezing out any excess water, form the pre-soaked moss into a ball about the size of a softball.

Make sure to pack it tight!

6. Secure the moss. While the adhesive is still tacky, firmly press the moss ball onto the adhesive area of the pumpkin. You’ll want the layer of moss to be at least a half-inch thick.

7. Make a hole. Using a skewer, create a hole in the moss. You want it to be slightly larger than the stem of the succulent you’ll be placing within it. Velasquez recommends starting first with the largest or tallest succulent. “You can put it right in the center or, if you want to create something more asymmetrical, off to the side,” she says. “That personal preference is part of the fun.”

8. Glue the succulent. Using craft glue and/or a hot glue gun, apply glue on the side of the stem of the cut succulent and press firmly into the hole you created.

9. Work your way around.

Continue this process with succulents all the way around the top of the pumpkin. Focus on mixing up the colors and textures of the succulents as you arrange them.

10. Infill. To complete the appearance of the centerpiece, fill in the space between the plants with other organic matter. Velasquez suggests using dried botanicals like fallen leaves, pods, grass, pinecones, and more. “We used foraged botanicals from around the Panhandle to fill ours in,” she says of the workshop at Pete’s. “Your arrangement can keep evolving. You can keep adding to it.”

11. Let the glue and the arrangement dry.

NOVEMBER 2020 • AMARILLOMAGONLINE.COM

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Once completed, care for the pumpkin centerpiece by dribbling a teaspoon of water onto the moss once every week to keep it damp. “You want it to stay damp. That’s what gives [the succulents] water,” she says. Like any houseplant, the centerpiece needs bright, indirect light, so place it on a surface near a window.

Gradually, the pumpkin will begin to soften. When this happens, use a sharp knife to slice off the top of the pumpkin, removing the moss arrangement portion. Then, simply add it to a pot of soil. (The flesh of the pumpkin will rot away, fertilizing the soil.) “Pop that whole top off, put it in soil and you’ve got an arrangement,” says Velasquez. “Your succulents will root in and keep growing. That’s one of the coolest things. I had people in the workshop [this year] who had done it last year and still had their succulents planted in a pot.”

JORDI AND DEVIN VELASQUEZ OWNERS, PETE’S GREENHOUSE

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,

Cover Story

Shopping

List

This holiday season, shopping at local businesses is more important than ever

By Jason Boyett

R

emember when the City of Amarillo introduced its “Buy the Way: Keep It Local” campaign? That was early in 2019. The campaign was an attempt to help local shoppers understand the very real community impact of each dollar spent at a local business. When customers spend their money with local businesses – as opposed to simply ordering another product from Amazon – they inject revenue directly into the local economy. Those dollars ripple throughout residents’ lives. Buying local fuels our economy, funds our city and county governments, and keeps taxes low.

It was a fortuitous campaign, because a year later, we find ourselves

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AMARILLOMAGONLINE.COM • NOVEMBER 2020

needing to support Amarillo and Canyon businesses as much as possible. Being in the middle of a global pandemic has reminded us of the intense impact of local commerce. So many of our community’s retailers, restaurants, service companies and other entities have struggled since the shutdown, which means shopping at local businesses may just be more important than ever.

With that in mind, we identified a few of the small, local retailers that have become central to the Amarillo business community. We’d love for our readers to commit to shopping local. Once you make that decision, start here.

PROVIDED PHOTOS

Raffkind’s

Men

Sure, you can probably name a handful of local clothing stores.

But can you name one that has been around for 20 years? Fifty years? A century? That longevity sets Raffkind’s apart from the crowd. In 1910, founder Eli Raffkind emigrated from Russia to the United States and set up shop in downtown Amarillo. Several generations later, the luxury clothing store has become a fixture in Wolflin Village. Beyond its longstanding quality, Raffkind’s is known for a careful curation of its higher-end men’s lines, guided by a team of in-house stylists. Customers love the personal shopping service and attention they receive, along with giftwrapping and a fantastic selection of clothing and more.

2205 S. Georgia St., 352.3033, raffkinds.com

Top Notch Outfitters

Amarillo isn’t exactly known as a fly-fishing destination.

And while Palo Duro Canyon is in our backyard, we’re not an “outdoors” city like some of the mountain towns to our west.

But that hasn’t stopped Top Notch Outfitters from becoming one of the premier outdoor retailers between Dallas and Denver. The shop boasts a wonderful selection of menswear and gear from brands like Patagonia and Orvis. Its collection of leather luggage offers pieces as appropriate in boardrooms as in the outback, and the friendly service and attention from Top Notch staff reflect that traditional welcoming Amarillo spirit. 2617 Wolflin Village, 353.9468, topnotchoutfitters.net

Wyn’s Boutique and Dudes Men’s fashion has often been an afterthought in Amarillo. Maybe it’s our agricultural background or this area’s pioneering, blue-collar mindset. But finally, a few boutiques are beginning to take men’s fashion seriously, and the relatively new Wyn’s Boutique and Dudes is at the forefront of this movement. From products like Whiskers laces and Dapper Classic socks to designer shirts, Wyn’s sells durable, high-quality men’s clothing – all available to be custom-altered and tailored to a specific fit. Locally owned and operated, Wyn’s represents a new face in Amarillo fashion. 2612 Wolflin Ave., 803.9190, wynsboutiqueanddudes.com

NOVEMBER 2020 • AMARILLOMAGONLINE.COM

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Women 79 Salt

A recent transplant to Amarillo from its birthplace in Canyon, this locally owned boutique curates a different type of inventory from most other clothing stores in the area. A bit funkier and fresher than other boutiques – and catering to a slightly younger generation of women – this Town Square retailer showcases a solid selection of clothing and accessories across multiple price points. We love the modern lines they carry, the quality of the products, and the prompt and friendly customer service. 9181 Town Square Blvd., Suite 1271, 570.5896

Apricot Lane Boutique

Though Apricot Lane is a national chain, its Amarillo franchise is locally owned. We love its fun selection of women’s clothes and accessories, overseen by a knowledgeable and attentive team of stylists. The high-quality looks they offer are on the trendy side but always reasonably priced. While some local boutiques struggle to keep certain sizes in stock, Apricot Lane always seems to have a reliable inventory. 9180 Town Square Blvd., Suite 1151, 418.6604, apricotlaneboutique.com

Dotsys Boutique

Owner Kristin Babbitt has built an enormous social media following for Dotsy’s, which sells affordable clothing across a wide range of sizes and styles. Her friendly, personable approach trickles down to her employees, who make every shopper feel comfortable. One thing that sets Dotsy’s apart is the diversity of its affordable styles.

Local shoppers can find clothing appropriate for the workday as well as pieces for a night on the town. 2493 I-40 West, 418.6195, shopdotsys.com

Janey’s at 2500

Known citywide for having the best selection of denim in town, Janey’s is Amarillo’s premier destination for higherend women’s denim brands like Seven for all Mankind, CQY, J Brand Jeans and DL1961.

Along with these carefully curated designer collections, Janey’s offers exclusive accessory lines, personalized customer service, teen and tween sizes, and frequent trunk shows.

2500 Paramount Blvd., 349.4156, janeys.com

Vaughan’s

Vaughan’s is a newer addition to Amarillo’s boutique community, and we love its broad selection of clothing. Customers approve of the flattering cuts, stylish looks, and accessible price points from this retailer, which is located next to The Drunken Oyster on 45th Street. Owned and operated

by Amarillo’s Scottie Vaughan, the boutique also sells a surprisingly diverse collection of jewelry and other accessories.

7606 SW 45th Ave., Suite 300, 418.6367

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Children CB Boutique

The “CB” stands for custom bows, but those adorable, handmade products – 2,000 bows in stock! – are not the only reason we love this children’s boutique, which is located next to Corbyn’s on Civic Circle.

CB is stocked with an incredible selection of very cute clothes for little girls. The variety gives moms and daughters the ability to put together a custom look that stands apart from everything else in the children’s fashion world. 2819 Civic Circle, 356.5068, cbboutique.net

Fluffaholic

This eco-friendly boutique is relatively new to Amarillo, but a breath of fresh air in the children’s fashion scene. The chain stores all seem to carry the same styles, colors and collections, so we admire the enormous selection of out-of-the-box items for kids. We also love this shop’s commitment to the environment, with a solid selection of cloth diapers and other environmentally friendly items, including the baby shower gifts and other products that make parenting just a little bit easier. 2622 SW 34th Ave., 888.600.0047, fluffaholic.com

Unique Toys

This reincarnation of Amarillo’s legendary Great American Toy Co. is everything we want a toy store to be: imaginative, handson, and not beholden to video games or Marvel characters. The toys sourced by owners Mike and Virginia Nowak are creative and designed to spur kids’ originality. They make kids think, which makes parents and grandparents happy. Plus, the folks at Unique Toys never fail to offer attentive customer service and helpful recommendations.

7820 Hillside Road, 418.6186

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Home Evolé by Moonwater

Designer Marci Abrahamson has been a successful local decorator for decades, but when she’s not creating and working on new displays, she’s sourcing beautiful products available at this Sixth Street shop. Whether using new or antique items (or combining both), the vignettes she creates always inspire shoppers, at accessible price points. Even more exciting, her shop now offers a unique little restaurant in the back: The Mason Jar, from local restaurateur Brian Mason. It features healthy options, charcuterie boards, brunch and more. 3313 SW Sixth Ave., 236.1799, moonwaterhomedesigns.com

Parliament Haus

Known for a broad range of collections – from stylish and sophisticated pieces to fun, quirky home decor – Parliament Haus has become one of our favorite stops along Coulter Street.

Local owners Karen Kriegshauser and Tana Cline have a truly unique perspective and appreciation for colorful design, and it shows. Parliament Haus also offers a home design and decorating service and custom furniture orders. 5901 S. Coulter St., Suite 400, 731.4040, parliamenthaus.com

Pieces – A Design Mercantile

This mother-daughter shop on Duniven Circle has been around for almost two years, but we’re still seeing a lot of social media buzz about Pieces, and it’s well-deserved. Combining thoughtfully curated new and vintage items, this fun boutique offers a distinctive Bohemian vibe that feels fresh in Amarillo.

Owners Laurie Holland and Jade Johnson also provide home decorating services. 2740 Duniven Circle, 336.3389, piecesadesignmercantile.com

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Reserve

Reese Beddingfield is one of Amarillo’s most extraordinarily talented designers, and his decision to launch Reserve – a carefully curated retail shop with his eye and expertise – was a welcome addition to Wolflin Village. Reserve offers high-end luxurious decor, custom pillows and some of the most breathtaking accessories in the city. The custom faux floral arrangements courtesy of his mother, Ann, are practically works of art. More than almost any retailer on this list, Reserve looks and feels like a big-city shop. 2614 Wolflin Ave., 367.5567, reserveamarillo.com

Westhause The Urban Design Giraffe If any home decor shop feels quintessentially Amarillo, it’s this one. With the UG’s enormous collection of rustic furniture, fun and fresh accents, and a variety of textures and materials, we always feel like we could spend hours inside this delightful showroom. All those vignettes always capture our attention. Best of all, the items are affordable on “regular” days, but the sale prices are fantastic. 4000 SW 51st Ave., 418.8962, theurbangiraffe.com

This high-end retailer on Coulter Street benefits from a sleek and trendy atmosphere, advertising itself as a “life and style boutique.” We concur. From its sophisticated, eye-catching furniture to modern women’s tops and other fashion essentials, this mother-daughter business has become a local favorite. Alyx and Sarah have an incredible eye for modern decor and their home design service has become quite popular on the southwest side of the city.

5215 S. Coulter St., Suite 400, 367.5545

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Gifts

Et Cetera

Two decades after its introduction to the Amarillo market, Et Cetera has carved out a passionate local following, not least of which because they are the only licensed Mackenzie-Childs dealer in town. We’re big fans of the shop’s bath lines when we’re in need of pampering, but Et Cetera is also known for fun in-store events, gift wrap, custom stationery and friendly customer service. Owner Amy-Beth Morrison’s civic involvement and philanthropy have only bolstered that reputation. It’s clear the Et Cetera team has a blast working together and keeping the Wolflin Square store humming.

2479 I-40 West, 358.2333, etceteraonline.com

Purpose + Passion Boutique What we love about this philanthropic Wolflin Village boutique is built right into the name. Owner Kristin DeRight is just as interested in meaningful causes as she is contemporary women’s apparel, home decor and gifts. That purpose drives her inventory, as the shop stocks a large number of products that give back – for instance, DeRight prioritizes stylish, socially conscious brands like Headbands of Hope, WorldFinds, and DIFF Charitable Eyewear.

Meanwhile, Purpose + Passion offers a strong diversity of price points and quality. You can feel good about shopping here, and so will your bank account. 2612 Wolflin Village, 418.8920, purposeandpassionboutique.com

The Roseberry

There are plenty of fascinating shops on Sixth, but we’re pretty sure The Roseberry is our favorite. It’s almost an old-fashioned curiosity shop in historic San Jacinto, and every time we visit we find something unexpected and new. Nearly five years after opening, its stature as one of the most unique collections of clothing, gifts and more is well-deserved. Owners David Garza and Dirk Funk are friendly and welcoming, and have curated an environment that offers something for every shopper.

2816 SW Sixth Ave., 517.5713

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The Secret Place

Family owned and operated for more than four decades, there’s nothing secret about this celebrated local gift destination, which was founded by local philanthropists Sharon Oeschger and the late Hazel Kelley Wilson. The Secret Place carries upscale brands of apparel, jewelry, kitchenware, accessories and baby-care products – many of which are only locally available in this 4,000-square-foot shop on Soncy Road. Beyond that selection, The Secret Place offers some of the best gift-wrapping in the city and customer service that can’t be beat. 3690 S. Soncy Road, 467.9800, thesecretplacegifts.com

Two Loons Warehouse

Silverland’s Hallmark

Wall crosses. Brighton jewelry and handbags. Biblical decor and Christian principles. Silverland knows the Amarillo market and its inventory reflects those always popular trends. Founded by Todd and Karra Hill in 1999, Silverland has set itself apart with a faith-based retail perspective and the brands Amarillo loves. A few years back, they even merged with a nearby Hallmark store and now retail all the gifts and greeting cards you’d expect from that familiar brand.

2608 Wolflin Ave., 358.9524, shopsilverland.com

Weathered Elements

Located in Canyon, Weathered Elements is a beautifully curated gem of a gift shop tucked away on the Square. A popular stop for bridal and gift registries, it sells an eclectic selection of higherend brands, combined with vintage treasures that fit well within the rustic/farmhouse category and a surprising amount of baby and toddler gifts. The only thing better than the collection itself is the team’s small-town customer service.

1521 Fourth Ave., 655.7681, weatheredelements.com

Take the “warehouse” part of this shop’s name seriously. It’s a small place, but the amount of inventory they carry is mind-blowing. We love the quality brands, excellent bath lines, baby gift items and reliably friendly service. The frequent sales are appreciated, and every time we enter we know we’re going to find something unusual ... and we’ll probably end up buying it.

3210 SW Sixth Ave., 322.1059

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Burrowing Owl Books At one point, this independent bookstore on the Square in Canyon was the only indie bookseller between Dallas and Denver. (We couldn’t confirm this, but wouldn’t be surprised if it were still true.) Owner Dallas Bell has since expanded into an Amarillo shop as well, giving locals yet another quaint, cozy location to browse new and used books. It’s so important for our community to once again have a local bookstore.

From its commitment to local authors to its in-store events, storytime and custom ordering, we find ourselves returning here again and again.

419 16th St., Canyon, 452.8002; 7406 SW 34th Ave., Suite 2B, 367.8961, burrowingowlbookstore.com

Little Brown House

A fixture for decades in Wolflin Square, Little Brown House has a well-deserved reputation as a high-end gift registry for brides. This is the place in Amarillo to shop for gorgeous china, crystal, silver and other beautiful gift items. We head here on a regular basis for hostess or bridal shower gifts, as well as food gifts. The employees are friendly and helpful, especially when it comes to guiding brides through the potentially overwhelming registry process. 2610 Wolflin Ave., 352.0321, littlebrownhouseofamarillo.com

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PHOTOS BY EVERYTHING AMARILLO/ ASHTYN REAUGH PHOTOGRAPHY

Miscellany

Champion BBQ Supply

“Champion” isn’t just a name. It’s an actual title.

Owner Robby Staggs is a nationally competitive cook and was named World Champion at the 2017 Steak Cookoff Association World Championship, the largest steak cook-off in the world. (He won again in 2019.)

When Staggs couldn’t find a local place to meet all of his grilling needs, he decided to open his own shop.

Champion sells just about anything a barbecue fanatic can think of, including spices, utensils, smokers, grills, fire pits and more. Staggs even retails his own products, a line of seasonings under the brand Two Pig Mafia. 7306 SW 34th Ave., Suite 10, 418.6647, championbbqsupply.com

The Muse on 6th

This home-design boutique offers a truly distinctive selection of fabric and upholstery options. The available patterns are often unexpected. We’ll enter the shop browsing for custom pillows but end up distracted by other items, like the dazzling light fixtures and accessories. Owner Kelly Paulk gained media attention in Amarillo early in April for leading a team that sewed thousands of face masks for medical and dental staff, retirement homes and more. We love these kinds of small businesses that carve out a dedicated following while also giving back to their community. 3310 SW Sixth Ave., 373.8778

Nomads: A Collective

A relatively new boutique in Amarillo’s historic Route 66 district, Nomad’s is located right next to Evolé and offers a variety of clothing for women and children, along with antiques, home goods, and other accessories.

The “collective” designation is a big part of its appeal: Babe & Co., a women’s wear boutique from Memphis, Texas, also has a presence within Nomads. 3317 SW Sixth Ave., 437.1592

Pete’s Greenhouse

For more than 45 years, Pete’s has been an oasis of life and greenery within the arid Panhandle. It’s easy – and delightful – to get lost inside the greenhouse itself, which is filled with beautiful and intriguing plants. But we also love the high-end decorative items, including seasonal decor, high-end home goods, and some of our favorite candle lines in the city. Pete’s is also known for its popular (and regularly sold out) seasonal workshops. New owners Devin and Jordi Velasquez seem to be excited and well-equipped to carry on the Ruthardt family’s legacy. 7300 Canyon Drive, 352.1664, petesgreenhouse.com

Salt Spices and Specialties

Local owners Tucker and Miranda Norrell opened SALT four years ago with a passion for providing fresh, real spices for Amarillo chefs, home cooks, bakers and even brewers. They are so knowledgeable about their products that every visit to this small Wolflin Village shop becomes an education in itself. The Norrells sell more than 20 varieties of gourmet salt in addition to herbs, seasoning blends and many other common spices.

Pro tip: The products they offer are far superior – and much better-tasting – than the cheap stuff you’ll get at a grocery store.

There’s just no comparison. 2625 Wolflin Village, 350.7440, saltsandspices.com

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Makers

Blue Sage Pottery

Kent Harris is one of the most talented working artists in Amarillo, and his artistry is on display all over the city – in fact, internationally – in the form of handmade mugs, wine goblets, plates, pots and more. As practical as they are beautiful, Kent’s glazed creations reflect a joy and creativity that are on display every time we interact with him. We love the childlike enthusiasm he brings to his craft, from the classes he teaches to the way he describes a new glazing technique. You can see the mark of the artist on every piece in this Sixth Street destination.

3302 SW Sixth Ave., 282.2275, bluesagepottery.com

Creek House Honey Farm

Located on several acres immediately east of Canyon, this apiary sells far more than honey, but the sweet, sticky fluid is at the heart of almost everything owners Paige and George Nester produce. The honey itself is delicious – no surprise there – but the honey- and propolis-based skincare products smell terrific and really do heal what ails you. We’ve also heard great things about their beeswax candles.

The newest edition to the Nester’s honey empire is the Honey Buzz Winery, which produces several varieties of mead. 5005 Fourth Ave., Canyon, 381.3446, creekhousehoneyfarm.com

The Soap Box

Once you switch to fragrant, naturally sourced handmade soap, it’s hard to go back to the same old mass-produced beauty bars. This small, local business sells an incredible variety of amazingly aromatic soap bars, and they look as wonderful as they smell. The active charcoal and goat milk oat and honey varieties sell well, so snatch those up when you see them. We also appreciate additional handmade items like shave soaps, face and body scrubs, and beard products for the guys. 681.1968, squareup.com/market/thesoapboxstore

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House of Emana PHOTOS BY KH PHOTOGRAPHY

A local retailer with an upstairs booth at The Nat Antiques on Route 66 and a presence on Etsy, House of Emana is a true blast from the past. Owner and artist Ema Mowoe’s handmade macramé creations are colorful and one-of-a-kind, from artistic wall hangings to knotted earrings. Mowoe is a full-time nurse who gets her inspiration from African textiles and regularly includes unusual found objects into her beautiful, tactile designs. etsy.com/shop/ houseofemanamacrame

M Street Studio

Amarillo jewelry designer Becca White has carved out a dedicated national and international following for her elegant, understated designs.

Her delicate style definitely stands out during a moment when huge accessories and bling have been dominant. Even better, every piece she sells is made right here in Amarillo.

That’s a reason to be proud, especially since White and M Street have been highlighted in magazines like Vogue and Vanity Fair. mstreetstudio.com

Sire Leather Works

Owner and craftsman Tanner Ward got into leatherwork as a teenager. He wanted a minimalist leather wallet but couldn’t find anything in his price range. So he taught himself to make his own.

Today, he’s built a thriving small business based on affordable, quality, 100% handmade leather goods. His wallets, purses and other accessories are simple, durable and gorgeous. sireleatherworks.com

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KASEY TAM

Collective

Soul

On Nov. 6, From 6th Collective will open its doors to Amarillo shoppers and I-40 travelers alike

PHOTOS BY SHANNON RICHARDSON THE BUILDING WILL HOUSE A SMALL CAFE AND COFFEE SHOP BY EARLY 2021.

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FROM 6TH WILL OFFER LOCALLY FOCUSED, TEXAS-CENTERED PRODUCTS TO SHOPPERS.

THE LARGE-SCALE, CUSTOM MURAL ART THROUGHOUT THE BUILDING WAS CREATED BY THE STUDENT-RUN BLANK SPACES MURAL GROUP.

F

ive miles west of Amarillo, past Arnot Road and the Happy Tracks Horse Motel, an enormous white barn has been taking shape alongside Interstate 40. In the latter weeks of October, the 15,000-square-foot structure became a hive of activity in preparation for an early November opening.

Landscapers added drought-resistant plants along the outside perimeter. Sawdust spilled across the concrete floor as artisans assembled displays. Parking lot gravel crunched beneath the tires of delivery trucks.

Inside, employees sorted products as bright Texas sunlight spilled through enormous windows. Phones rang as vendors checked in, asked questions, and finalized schedules.

Owner Kasey Tam took it all in stride. She was nearing the completion of a project that’s been in motion for more than two years.

On Nov. 6, after months of intense work that reached its peak during a pandemic, From 6th Collective will open its doors to Amarillo shoppers and I-40 travelers alike. In the process, Tam will introduce her deeply personal, locally focused, Texas-centered retailing concept to shoppers.

“I have never seen anything like this,” she says of the Collective. “We wanted to create a place that showed that businesses do not have to compete against one another. They can collectively work together and support one another.”

Tam is the entrepreneur who owns The Nat Antiques on Route 66, as well as an acclaimed interior design business. A few years back, she began to recognize the need for a cultural hub in Amarillo that catered to the city’s artisans and makers. Historic 6th Street offers a taste of that, but many I-40 travelers never leave the highway – even to venture just a mile down Georgia to that historic stretch of Amarillo.

She also saw other burgeoning trends. For instance, she knew a number of creatives who poured their hearts into painting, printmaking or jewelry as a side hustle, but lacked the consistent revenue to consider a brickand-mortar business. At the same time, she heard from several brick-and-mortar shop owners with dedicated local followings, but who nevertheless didn’t have the budgets to advertise or grow their reputations outside a small community.

What if there were a place that brought all this local talent under one roof and turned into a hub for the city’s creative endeavors? What if she designed it from the ground up, allowed participating businesses to share advertising costs, and gave them a platform that would expose them to travelers as well as a new community of local shoppers?

From 6th Collective is the result. When it opens, the vast rustic-chic environment will feature local shops and makers showcasing their products within custombuilt vignettes. Kent Harris of Blue Sage Pottery will maintain a presence with his stunning, artistic creations.

Becca White from M Street Studio – whose jewelry has been featured in Vogue and Vanity Fair but who doesn’t operate out of a local storefront – will have her handmade products available. Top Notch Outfitters will feature some of its outdoor merchandise from a corner with a cabin-y feel. Other local offerings include books from The Burrowing Owl, clothing from Dotsy’s Boutique, NOVEMBER 2020 • AMARILLOMAGONLINE.COM

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gifts and collectables from The Roseberry and floral creations from Avant Garden.

From apparel to home decor to original artwork, the available products will be carefully curated to meet two distinct goals: One, they’ll cater to travelers looking for a slice of Texas as they speed through the Panhandle, and two, they’ll support local artisans and the local economy.

That’s by design. “Every single purchase here is going back into a small-business owner’s pocket,” Tam says. “Most of them are femaleowned. Most of the products are Texas-made. Every dollar you spend here has a direct impact.”

She and her husband, Josh, who co-owns the venture and has been building the custom displays for each business, recommitted to supporting local businesses during the pandemic. Tam embraces her identity within the millennial generation – she entered the workforce during the Great Recession of 2007-2008 – and has formulated the Collective to appeal to that kind of shopper. “A big thing I’ve noticed with my generation is that a lot of them have realized, if you want your voice to count, it’s with your dollars. With my husband, we’re not buying from Amazon. We’re not going to Hobby Lobby,” she says.

Instead, they are sourcing everything locally as much as possible.

That can be challenging, so she wants her new business to help improve the overall visibility of these makers and entrepreneurs.

“No one is really getting out of their neighborhoods,” she explains. A resident of south Amarillo might find her way to Wolflin Square and Dotsy’s but never encounter Blue Sage Pottery on Sixth. Likewise, a frequent Sixth Street shopper might never step into The Burrowing Owl’s location at 34th and Coulter.

“We wanted to make [the Collective] a destination. We wanted people to seek this out, and from here, maybe seek out the businesses they didn’t know were closer to them,” Tam says. “It’s a way for all of us to get a leg up.”

She also hopes the new business, which will have a prominent advertising presence along I-40, will serve as an advertisement

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for Amarillo itself. “There’s no way tourists can come in here and not think, ‘Oh my gosh, Amarillo is so much cooler than I thought it was,’” she says.

Beyond the products, the building’s interior is awash in exposed wood, combined with large-scale, custom mural art by the student-run Blank Spaces mural group. “Every single corner is so Instagrammable,” Tam says. “That was the goal.”

In addition to the retail space, From 6th Collective will have a classroom where vendors can teach introductory courses in painting, pottery, flower arranging and more to anyone who pays a membership fee for ongoing education classes. “We are wanting to do a membership model because we have so many people who keep saying, ‘I’ll do them all.’” The classes will likely take place monthly, and the rentable classroom space may also be used for book or poetry readings and other small events.

Tam has also set aside a corner of the expansive building for a small cafe and coffee shop – hopefully ready to launch in early 2021 – and envisions the external acreage even hosting a pumpkin patch and Christmas tree farm by the next holiday season. “It will probably evolve,” she says.

But for now, she’s ecstatic about the lineup of vendors who will be present when the Collective opens this month, and the potential impact it has on small, artisanal businesses in Amarillo. “We really just want this to be a place of gathering and inclusivity. We’re taking the full responsibility to support everyone in every way we can,” says Tam. Navigating around a sawhorse and empty cans of paint, she raises her voice to compete with the buzz of an electric saw. “People are somehow making Marfa [Texas] cool,” she says, shrugging about the ongoing buzz around the West Texas town that attracts artists, fashionistas and venture capitalists. “Amarillo has a lot more character and a lot more history and no one’s ever capitalized on it.”

Kasey Tam intends to do exactly that. Not just for her own benefit, but for the artisans, makers and small businesses that make Amarillo so unique.

PROVIDED ARTWORK

Feature Feature

Hollywood Hank HOW A PANHANDLE RANCH DOG CAUGHT THE ATTENTION OF TINSELTOWN’S BRIGHTEST STARS

By Jonathan Baker

I

f you don’t live in a cave in Palo Duro Canyon, you’ve probably heard the news already: Hank the Cowdog has hit the big time – if he hadn’t already, after 75 published outings and nearly 10 million books sold. In September, the news broke that Hank would be launching his own podcast, with Matthew McConaughey voicing the Panhandle’s favorite cowdog. It seemed, to those of us who grew up on the High Plains, somehow inevitable that Hank would catch the attention of Hollywood. After all, Hank the Cowdog has been such a vital part of Texas Panhandle life for so long, it was only a matter of time before the quality and unique humor of these stories gained an even wider audience.

And here in Amarillo, folks couldn’t be more proud. The Yellow City has long provided a sort of “second home” for Hank (aside from the ranch, of course). Author John Erickson has recorded every single one of the Hank stories in an Amarillo recording studio, and Erickson has two sons living in Amarillo. In fact one of those sons, Mark Erickson – who you may know as the lead singer of popular

local band Comanche Moon – was one of the driving forces behind the “Hank the Cowdog” podcast.

Now, sit back on the porch and get yourself an iced tea, as the autumn sun sets in the west, and hear a tale of how a canine Head of Ranch Security made his way to Hollywood.

A Nutshell History of a Famous Cowdog

A longtime cowhand and ranch manager (albeit an unusual one; he’d also spent a couple of years at Harvard Divinity School), John Erickson began writing about the ranching life long before he struck gold with the first “Hank” book. In the late 1970s, while working on a ranch in Oklahoma, Erickson began writing for ranching and livestock publications, primarily The Cattleman and San Angelo’s Livestock Weekly, as well as Rodeo Sports News and Western Horseman. He soon found that he preferred writing about daily life on the ranch, rather than attempting more lofty subject matter. “I started off trying to be a man of literature,” John says on a crackly, socially-distanced NOVEMBER 2020 • AMARILLOMAGONLINE.COM

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phone call from his ranch in the northern Texas Panhandle, “sending a lot of novels and query letters to New York publishers. And I just didn’t get anywhere with it.”

Most of those early articles, as John recalls, involved cattle and horses and coyotes and buzzards. Writing about animals was simply fun, he discovered. And, perhaps most importantly, John began to develop his sense of humor through those early stories – a sense that had been put into a deep slumber during his college and grad-school years.

“When you work around animals, you can’t escape having a sense of humor because you get into situations you can’t control. Universities didn’t have much of a sense of humor in the sixties, when I was there. And I don’t know that they do yet. But livestock publications did.”

It was in writing about those ranch animals that John received the first idea for what would become a nationwide phenomenon. The first “Hank the Cowdog” outing was a series of 12 short stories he wrote for The Cattleman, stories that were supposed to be about Erickson’s work as a cowboy. “The Cattleman did not publish fiction,” he notes, “but the first ‘Hank’ story was definitely a fictional short story. It was narrated by a dog. What else can you say?

Editors are usually very quick to notice things like that, but the lady didn’t say anything about it. They ran it.”

At the time, Erickson didn’t give much thought to the stories. But then he started doing live reading events in Perryton, Booker, Spearman, Liberal, and the Oklahoma Panhandle, events where he was handed a microphone and allowed to read a few stories. Inevitably, the Hank stories would get the biggest response. “I didn’t think it was necessarily the best story of the bunch,” Erickson recalls.

“But my audiences would say, ‘You need to do more with that dog.’ If they hadn’t told me that, I don’t know that I would’ve had sense enough to take the next step, which was to give Hank a whole book.”

By that time, still smarting from the memory of scads of New York rejection slips, Erickson made a decision that would prove remarkably prescient: He didn’t send the manuscript to a publisher. “I didn’t figure I really needed a publisher or an editor or an agent,” he says. “I needed readers, and I thought I could find them pretty close to home.” So, in the spring of 1983, John Erickson launched Maverick Books from his garage – and promptly brought out the first Hank book. “I didn’t think that Hank was going to be a star,” he admits. But that first Hank release was so easy to sell that he quickly penned a second book.

One surprising aspect of those early releases: Kids weren’t Erickson’s intended audience. “I was not writing for children. I was writing for adults involved in agriculture, and there were never any children in audiences when I went out and did programs.” Soon enough, however, that began to change. Kids started stealing the books from their parents,

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staying up late reading them, then, eventually, taking their parents’ books to school. Erickson began receiving calls from teachers and librarians, invitations to do programs in local schools. And he found that public schools were a great place to sell books. “It was pleasant work, and I got paid for it,” he remembers. “I kind of specialized in going into schools, usually in rural areas, small schools in the Panhandle, South Plains, Oklahoma, Kansas, Nebraska.”

Book by book, school by school, Erickson began to build a loyal audience. Today, he notes with pride, “We’re in the second and third generation of [that audience].”

As John’s son, Mark, proudly notes, “[The Texas Panhandle] doesn’t get much attention from the outside world, and as a result I think our geography, our culture and our people are a well-kept secret. The Hank stories are Panhandle stories, written by a Panhandle native about Panhandle people.”

Meant to Be

The funny thing is, Erickson never changed the way he wrote the Hank stories – it was simply that the right audience found Hank. And at some point, though he hadn’t changed his methods, John Erickson became known as an author of children’s books. “I always did the same program, whether I was doing a program for an audience of adults, or an audience of children, or a mixture of the two.”

Since 1983, Erickson’s been applying his rancher’s work ethic to writing about an imaginary ranch dog. Now, almost 40 years after that first release, John has written more than 80 Hank books (75 have been published, with more on the way). Seven days a week, he goes to the writing office on his ranch at 5 a.m. “I go whether I’m working on anything or not. I either write, or I sit there and read, but I’ve got to do something. For 4 or 4 ½ hours, that’s what I do.”

Every year during the fall or early winter, Erickson begins to gain the sense that it’s time to start another book, and he will start writing. And later, sometime in the late spring or summer, he’ll start another book. He rarely has any idea of where the story is going to go. He only knows what the first sentence will be – and he has a large cast of characters to play with. “I might begin describing the weather, as it is on that particular day, or something that I see in the trees or the grass, something my dogs have done that’s funny. And one thing just leads to another.”

Another vitally important aspect of the Hank empire has been audiobooks. Indeed, the “Hank the Cowdog” series was groundbreaking in this aspect. When Erickson started writing the Hank books, it was unusual for children’s books – or any books, for that matter – to have audio versions. “At the time I started,” John explains, “I was not patterning the books on a literary model. I was imitating the storytelling techniques of an oral tradition, which is natural to the

ranching and cowboy community. So they were always meant to be read aloud. When we brought out that first book, I’d never heard of an audiobook. I didn’t know of any author who had recorded his own books, but I wanted to have them in that format.”

There were a couple of issues, however. Erickson didn’t know anything about recording, and he couldn’t afford to hire any voice talent. He did, however, know he could do the 14 voices in the first Hank book, so he asked around about recording spaces and found that there was a sound studio in Amarillo. He recorded the first Hank book in December 1982, and he has recorded every single book since then at Carlos Casso’s Audio Refinery Recording Studio.

Hollywood Comes A-Callin’

The story of how Hank got hooked up with Matthew McConaughey has more to do with John’s son, Mark Erickson, than with John himself. As John put it, “Mark is kind of specialized in working with those people.”

John himself admitted his frustration with Tinseltown in the past. “I had my opportunity trying to work with movie people,” he told me. “I never had any success with it. We’ve been trying to get a decent movie made since 1986. I got a call from Disney, and I went out and spent four days with them.

That didn’t work out. They wanted all the rights to all of my characters. Then we tried with Nickelodeon, and that didn’t work. We’ve tried working with other groups, tried to start an investment group and do it on our own.”

All of that began to change about four years ago, when the Ericksons received a call from director Jeff Nichols – an Austinite whose films “Mud” (which starred McConaughey), “Loving” and “Midnight Special” had recently garnered major critical acclaim. “I didn’t know who he was,” says John, “but Mark definitely did.”

As Mark recalls, “Jeff Nichols and his son had been reading Hank together and he had a vision that he wanted to bring to the series. At the time, we were looking for a way to take Hank into new types of media. I knew Jeff’s movies and had a lot of respect for his work.”

Indeed, Mark Erickson was well aware that Nichols was an independently minded director who made his home in Texas, not Hollywood. So John and Mark started talking with Jeff’s people, and they began discussing the possibilities for a movie to be written and directed by Nichols. Soon enough, Nichols had come up with a script based on the 11th Hank book, “Lost in the Dark Enchanted Forest.” Nichols made a trip to California and began shopping the project, attracting interest

from five studios. But, for one reason or another, the film project never got off the ground.

“Maybe his budget was too high,” John conjectures. Or perhaps, John believes, the issue runs deeper than that. “I think the thing that’s haunted us from the very beginning is that these books are regarded as ‘hick literature’ by people who live on the coast. They think these are books read by ignoramuses, that they’re not relevant to the problems that people who live in New York and Los Angeles are thinking about. They’re simple stories, and they involve people who work for a living, live in the country, and are surrounded by livestock. So it’s been hard for us to get a serious hearing from people in the entertainment business.”

Regardless, Nichols and his production crew – along with the investor group that had been built up around the project – decided the best next step was to do a podcast that Nichols would write and direct. As Mark remembers, “After talking with Jeff about Hank, it became clear that his vision aligned very closely with ours. Making a narrative, episodic podcast was a way that we could develop Hank independently without getting a studio involved.” Nichols would bring in high-quality professional actors that he has worked with and has good working relationships with, a podcast that creates the kind of numbers that movie accountants take seriously.

“I don’t know a whole lot about that world,” says John. “But it’s hits and likes and the kind of things that happen in social media. That was our strategy. Then also, it might turn out to be a good way to make a living with stories.”

And the strategy has paid off. The cast for the podcast is truly stunning, with a host of highly respected actors and upand-coming actors, including Texan Jesse Plemons, Kirsten Dunst, Leslie Jordan, Joel Edgerton, and Michael Shannon.

Since its launch, the podcast has been a major success – and there are still rumblings that it may one day develop into a movie project. From our vantage point, it looks like this humble dog from the Panhandle will continue his path toward worldwide recognition. Not too bad for the canine Head of Ranch Security at a spread in Ochiltree County, on the High Plains of Texas.

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What’s Cooking?

The best apples for eating, baking and more

By Ryan Shepard Southern Kitchen

W

ho hasn’t been there? You find an amazing apple pie recipe and you’ve followed the directions to the letter.

Your house smells great and you can’t wait to take your dessert out of the oven and devour it. Only, once your culinary masterpiece is finished baking, the apple slices you painstakingly cut to perfection have all turned into something that is best described as a mushy pulp.

Selecting the right apples for the job is half the battle. There are more than 2,500 varieties of apples grown in the United States. That makes for many different textures and flavor profiles. Knowing which apples are best for pies, sauces and savory dishes will go a long way in making your baking life successful. Incorporate some of these apple recipes into your holiday celebrations this year; they’re sure to become family favorites for years to come.

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Baking

If you are planning on using your apples in a pie or tart, you’re going to want an apple that will hold its shape in the heat of an oven. The most widely available – and widely used – apple here is a Granny Smith. Tart, crunchy and firm, this apple not only holds its shape but keeps its texture, which makes it a baker’s favorite.

But there’s no reason not to branch out.

Here are three others you should try: • Honeycrisp: Honeycrisps are fairly new to the apple scene. They were developed by the Minnesota Agricultural Experiment Station’s Horticultural Research Center and introduced to the general public in 1991. The fruit itself is crunchy and sweet with little to no tartness.

• Pink Lady: Pink Lady apples get their name from their skin, which is reddishpink in hue. On the inside, the bright white flesh is firm, sweet and tart.

• Jonagold: The Jonagold apple is a genetic cross between Golden Delicious and Jonathan apples. Taking the very best characteristics from its parents, the Jonagold is bright, sweet and slightly sour.

This apple tends to be fairly large with a crisp texture. If you’re looking to get the most out of a baking apple, for size and taste, this might be your best bet.

Savory dishes

Apples are classic additions to fall dishes like stuffing, Brussels sprouts and pork.

They add a sweet element that often plays nicely with whatever savory ingredients you’re serving. Depending on what you’re cooking, there is certainly an apple that would work best for the occasion.

• Fuji: Fuji apples are famous for their sweet crunch and zippy flavor.

Fujis aren’t overwhelmingly sweet, so they’re a perfect addition to dishes where you want an apple flavor but nothing that overpowers your palate.

• Gala: Gala apples are the most popular variety in America today. This mild apple is perfect eaten on its own or added to any savory dish. The texture here is fairly soft, so keep that in mind when braising or sauteing.

• Winesap: Chances are you’ve never heard of a Winesap. This apple dates back to colonial days, where it enjoyed relatively high popularity for not only cooking but cider making. Recently it’s being rediscovered and put to good use.

This apple is on the smaller side but packs a good amount of sweet, tangy flavor.

Applesauce

Applesauce is a delicious, healthy and easy-to-make snack that you can enjoy at any age. Picking the perfect apples to make applesauce means considering a variety of factors. However, the most important is if the apples in question can be cooked down enough to lose their shape.

• McIntosh: McIntosh (or Mac) apples are native to Canada but have made their way into the hearts of Americans everywhere.

Unlike a Honeycrisp or Granny Smith, McIntoshes are incredibly sweet with a softer texture, making them ideal for dishes that need apple flavor with little to no crunch.

• Braeburn: Braeburn apples are probably not a conventional pick for making applesauce. They have a sweet-tart flavor that is similar to a Granny Smith and a firm texture, which means they don’t break down easily. However, combining this apple with McIntoshes will elevate the traditional sweet apple sauce into something extraordinary.

Molasses-Rubbed Pork Tenderloin

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For pork: 6 cups hot water 1 cup granulated sugar 3/4 cup kosher salt 4 pounds pork tenderloins, trimmed 1/2 cup molasses 1/3 cup brown sugar, packed 1/4 cup vegetable oil 1 tablespoon salt 2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper 4 rosemary sprigs, leaves finely chopped

Combine water, sugar and salt and stir until dissolved. Let cool to room temperature.

For Apple, Walnut and Onion Relish: 2 tablespoons vegetable oil 4 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored and diced into 1/4-inch cubes 1 large onion, diced 1 cup chopped walnuts, toasted 1 clove garlic, minced Salt and freshly ground black pepper 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves 1 teaspoon chopped fresh sage

Grill pork, turning every few minutes to brown evenly, until an instant-read thermometer registers 145 degrees. Transfer to a cutting board, cover with foil and let rest 5 minutes before slicing.

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Place tenderloins in cooled brine and refrigerate for at least 5 hours, or up to 24 hours.

In large bowl, combine molasses, brown sugar, oil, salt, pepper and rosemary.

Drain pork tenderloins and add them to marinade. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or up to 24 hours.

Heat grill to medium-high. Drain tenderloins and pat dry.

Meanwhile, make relish: In large skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Add apples, onion, walnuts and garlic and cook until onions are tender. Stir in thyme and sage, and season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve with pork.

Makes 10 servings

Easy Apple Galette wrap tightly in plastic wrap. Refrigerate while you make the filling. (If not baking right away, you can refrigerate dough overnight.)

For pastry dough: 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour 2 teaspoons sugar 1/4 teaspoon salt 8 tablespoons (1 stick) cold unsalted butter, cut into cubes 1/3 cup ice water

Core and halve apples (you can peel if you prefer). Chop half the apples into bitesize pieces. Slice other half 1/4 inch thick to decorate top of galette. You should have 2 1/2 to 3 cups chopped apples. Mix apples in a bowl with 2 tablespoons of sugar, lemon juice and cinnamon. Set aside while you prepare pastry.

For filling: 4 apples, preferably Honeycrisp or Golden Delicious 2 tablespoons plus 1/4 teaspoon sugar 2 teaspoons lemon juice 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted Ice cream, for serving

Pull dough from refrigerator. Using rolling pin, roll out dough on a lightly floured work surface. You can form into a circle or rectangle depending on which shape baking sheet you are using. Roll pastry dough to about 1/4 inch thick. Place chopped apples on the dough, leaving a 1-inch border along edge of pastry.

Decoratively place sliced apples on top in circles or overlapping rows. Fold pastry edge carefully over apples. Brush melted butter all over galette. Sprinkle remaining 1/4 teaspoon sugar over galette. Bake until apples are tender and crust is well-browned, about 1 hour. Let galette cool 10 minutes before serving.

Heat oven to 400 degrees.

In food processor, combine flour, sugar, salt and butter, and pulse just until mixture comes together, 5 to 10 seconds. Pour ice water over flour mixture, and pulse again until dough forms a rough ball, about 10 seconds. Gather pastry and

Makes 6 servings

Fresh Apple Cake For cake: 2 cups all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon cinnamon 1/2 teaspoon baking soda 1/4 teaspoon fine salt 1 cup peeled and chopped apples 1 cup chopped pecans 2 cups sugar 1 1/4 cups vegetable oil 1/4 cup fresh orange juice 3 large eggs 1 cup sweetened coconut For icing: 1 cup granulated sugar 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter 1/2 cup buttermilk 1/2 teaspoon baking soda Heat oven to 350 degrees. Spray bundt or tube pan with baking spray.

In medium bowl, sift together flour, cinnamon, baking soda and salt. In small bowl, combine apples and pecans. Add 1 tablespoon of mixed dry ingredients to apple mixture and toss to coat.

In bowl of mixer fitted with paddle attachment, combine sugar, vegetable oil, orange juice and eggs. Beat until well combined. Add reserved dry ingredients, apple-pecan mixture and coconut. Mix on low speed until just combined.

Pour batter into prepared pan and bake until sides start to pull away from pan, about 1 hour. Let cake cool in the pan for 5 minutes before inverting cake directly onto cooling rack. Place cooling rack and cake in a rimmed baking sheet.

When the cake is cool, make the icing. In medium saucepan, combine sugar, butter, buttermilk and baking soda. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat.

Reduce heat and cook, stirring constantly, until mixture turns pale golden brown, 8 to 10 minutes.

Drizzle warm icing over cake on the rack, letting the excess drip to the baking sheet below. Let icing set for 5 to 7 minutes before serving.

Makes 12 servings

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Apple and Crispy Brussels Sprouts Salad 2 1/2 cups apple cider 1/2 cup shelled raw pistachios 1 sprig rosemary, stem removed, leaves finely chopped 1 pinch fleur de sel Vegetable oil for frying 26 Brussels sprouts, trimmed and cut in half 2 tablespoons sherry vinegar Salt and freshly ground pepper 1/2 cup crème fraîche 2 tart apples, such as Granny Smith, peeled, quartered, cored and thinly sliced In a small pot over high heat, boil cider until it is reduced to a thin syrup, about 30 minutes (you will have about 1/4 cup). Set aside to cool.

Meanwhile, in a small ungreased pan over low heat, toast pistachios, stirring occasionally, until golden-brown, about 10 minutes. Remove from pan to cool

and chop them coarsely (by hand or in food processor). Combine chopped pistachios with rosemary leaves and fleur de sel. Set aside.

In heavy pot or fryer, heat oil to 350 degrees. Fry Brussels sprout halves until outside leaves begin to turn golden brown. Do not overfry, or they will turn mushy. Remove sprouts from oil and toss in bowl with sherry vinegar and dash each of salt and pepper.

On each of four plates spread 2 tablespoons crème fraîche in a line. Liberally drizzle with reduced apple cider. Arrange 6 or 7 sprout halves over crème fraîche. Top each with 1/4 of the apples. Top with remaining sprouts. Drizzle with remaining cider reduction, and then sprinkle each salad generously with pistachio mixture. Serve immediately.

Makes 4 servings

Milton Family Apple Butter Half bushel of apples (about 24 pounds; Granny Smith preferred) 3 to 6 cups sugar 8 to 10 cinnamon candies or Red Hots Peel, core and chop apples into 1- to 2-inch pieces. Transfer chopped apples to a stock pot. Add 1 inch of water to pot (approximately 1 to 1 1/2 cups, depending on the size of the pot).

Let apples cook, uncovered, on medium-low heat, until they are very soft, 60 to 90 minutes. Stir occasionally to prevent apples from sticking. The apples will start to brown as they oxidize; this is OK. Taste apples for their level of sweetness. Add approximately 3 to 4 cups sugar, adjusting the amount to taste. Stir in sugar to dissolve and mash any remaining chunks of apples. Stir in cinnamon candies, to taste.

Continue simmering apples until they’ve reached desired thickness, 1 to 2 more hours. Add up to 2 cups more sugar, if desired.

If storing in refrigerator, let apple butter cool to room temperature and transfer to four quart jars.

If canning apple butter for long-term storage, transfer hot apple butter to four sanitized quart canning jars. Leave 1/4 inch of headspace on top of jars. Seal jars fingertip tight and place in boiling water canner for 10 minutes. Remove from water bath and let jars cool to room temperature before storing.

Makes 4 quarts

Baked Brie with Bacon and Apples 3 strips bacon, diced 2 tablespoons unsalted butter 1 apple, such as Granny Smith, diced 2 tablespoons brown sugar 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt 1 (8-ounce) wheel Brie cheese Toasted and sliced baguette, crackers and/or apple slices, for serving Heat oven to 325 degrees. Line baking sheet with parchment paper.

In medium skillet, cook bacon over medium heat until brown and crisp, about 8 minutes. Using slotted spoon, transfer bacon to paper towel-lined plate.

Pour rendered bacon fat into bowl and save for another use, if desired.

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Melt butter in the now-empty skillet over medium heat. When butter is foamy, add apples and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes. Stir in brown sugar, cinnamon and salt, and continue to cook until apples are tender, about 2 more minutes.

Remove from heat.

Slice the rind off top of Brie and place on baking sheet. Bake until cheese is very soft, 8 to 10 minutes.

Slide baked Brie onto a serving dish and top with apple mixture, followed by bacon. Surround with baguette slices, crackers and/or apples; serve immediately.

Makes 8 servings

Stuffed Acorn Squash with Sausage and Apples 2 large acorn squash, halved and seeded 6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for serving Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper 4 links hot Italian sausage, casings removed (see note) 1/2 yellow onion, diced 3 ribs celery, finely diced 1 Granny Smith apple, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch pieces 3 tablespoons chopped fresh sage 4 cloves garlic, minced 1/2 cup chicken broth 1 cup panko bread crumbs 1/2 cup grated Parmigiano Reggiano, plus more for serving

8 minutes. Add onion and celery and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Add apples, sage and garlic, and cook until aromatic, about 1 minute. Stir in chicken broth and bring to simmer, scraping up any browned bits from bottom of pan.

When squash are cool enough to handle, scoop the flesh into large bowl, leaving 1/2 inch of flesh attached to the skin to help retain each squash’s shape. Add sausage mixture and stir to incorporate squash. Season to taste with salt and black pepper.

Heat oven to 400 degrees.

Stuff sausage mixture into hollowed squash halves and return to baking sheet.

Top with bread crumbs and Parmigiano Reggiano. Drizzle with a little more olive oil and roast until lightly browned, about 15 minutes. Sprinkle with additional Parmigiano Reggiano and drizzle with additional extra-virgin olive oil, as desired. Serve.

Place squash halves on baking sheet cut-side up. Drizzle 3 tablespoons olive oil over the flesh of the squash. Liberally season with salt and black pepper and roast until squash are fork tender and edges have started to curl, about 40 minutes. Let cool until easy to handle. Keep the oven on.

Note: If you’d like to make a vegetarian version of this dish, you can substitute 1 pound of mushrooms, sauteed in butter. We like shiitakes here, but you could also use a mixture of wild mushrooms or cremini mushrooms, cooked until all of their liquid has evaporated. Use vegetable broth instead of chicken broth.

While squash are roasting, heat remaining olive oil in large skillet over medium heat. When oil is shimmering, add sausage and cook, stirring frequently and breaking up any large pieces with a wooden spoon, until cooked through, 6 to

Makes 4 servings

Cornbread Dressing with Pecans and Apples

2 tablespoons unsalted butter 2 to 3 cups crumbled cornbread 2 to 3 cups cubed crusty sourdough bread 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil 1/2 cup chopped onion 1/4 cup diced celery 1/2 cup coarsely chopped pecans 1/2 small red apple, diced 1/2 pound pork breakfast sausage 1 large egg, lightly beaten 2 cups chicken stock 3 to 4 fresh sage leaves, finely chopped 3 to 4 fresh marjoram leaves, finely chopped Salt and freshly ground black pepper Heat oven to 375 degrees. Grease an 8-inch baking dish with 1 tablespoon of butter.

In large bowl, combine cornbread and sourdough bread.

Heat olive oil and remaining tablespoon of butter in skillet over medium

heat. Add onion and cook for 5 minutes, stirring often. Add celery and continue cooking until onion is getting soft and the celery is just losing its crunch, about 5 minutes. Stir in pecans and cook until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat and stir into bread mixture, along with apple.

Wipe out the skillet.

Brown sausage in skillet over medium-high heat, crumbling it as it cooks.

Spread on a paper towel to drain, then stir into bread mixture.

Stir eggs into bread mixture, followed by enough chicken stock to make the mixture very moist. (It may seem a little too wet, but that’s OK. Dressing needs to be very moist when it goes in the oven.)

Add sage and marjoram, and season to taste with salt and pepper. Turn mixture into prepared dish. Cover with foil and bake for about 45 minutes.

Remove foil and add a little broth (or drippings from a roasting bird) if it looks dry. Continue baking until top is starting to get crunchy, about 15 minutes.

Makes 4 servings

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Basic Fried Apple Cider Doughnuts 2 cups apple cider 3 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for shaping 1/2 cup whole wheat flour 2/3 cup packed brown sugar 2 teaspoons baking powder 3/4 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon baking soda 1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice 2 large eggs 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted, then cooled 1 1/2 quarts lard, shortening or vegetable oil, for frying Cinnamon sugar, for dusting or coating Bring cider to a rolling boil in saucepan. Cook over high heat until reduced by half, about 10 minutes. Let cool completely.

In large bowl, whisk together flours, brown sugar, baking powder, salt, baking soda and spices. In medium bowl, whisk together eggs, melted butter and cooled cider.

Stir egg mixture into flour mixture just until moistened. The dough will be a bit sticky. Refrigerate, covered, until firm enough to hold its shape, about 1 hour.

Divide dough in half. On well-floured surface, pat each half into a round about 1/2 inch thick. Using 3-inch doughnut cutter, stamp out 12 doughnuts.

In electric skillet, deep fryer or sturdy, deep pan, heat oil to 325 degrees. Fry doughnuts, a few at a time, until golden brown, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Fry doughnut holes, if desired, a few at time, until golden brown and cooked through, about 1 minute per side. Transfer all doughnuts to paper towel-lined platter and let cool slightly. While doughnuts are still warm, gently shake in a bag with cinnamon sugar, two at a time. Serve.

Makes 1 dozen doughnuts or more, if you use holes to create more rounds

Basic Baked Apple Cider Doughnuts with Maple or Apple Cider Glaze

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For doughnuts: 1 1/4 cups granulated sugar 1 cup unsweetened applesauce 1/3 cup vegetable oil 3 large eggs 1/4 cup boiled apple cider (see recipe above) 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1 teaspoon salt 2 cups all-purpose flour 2 tablespoons cinnamon sugar, for coating

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease two standard doughnut pans.

For glaze: 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar 3 tablespoons maple syrup or boiled apple cider 2 teaspoons milk or 1 tablespoon heavy cream Pinch salt

To make the glaze, in medium bowl, whisk together all ingredients until smooth.

Spread glaze over doughnuts. Let glaze set before serving.

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In large bowl, beat together sugar, applesauce, oil, eggs, boiled cider, vanilla, baking powder, cinnamon and salt until smooth. Add flour, stirring just until smooth. Fill wells of doughnut pans nearly to the rim, using about 1/4 cup of batter per doughnut.

Bake until cake tester inserted into center of doughnuts comes out clean, 15 to 18 minutes. Remove doughnuts from the oven, and loosen edges. After 5 minutes, transfer to a rack.

While doughnuts are still warm, gently shake in a bag with cinnamon sugar, two at a time. Cool completely before glazing.

Makes 1 dozen doughnuts

Let’s Eat!

Restaurants • Food • Spirits

Venezia Italian Restaurant & Pizzeria

A

newcomer to historic Sixth Street, Venezia Italian Restaurant & Pizzeria offers a taste of Italy on the High Plains.

Venezia’s ample menu is filled with pasta, pizza, hot subs, salads, and more.

The pizzeria offers lunch specials, dine-in, carry-out and Karma or Doordash delivery.

Locals rave about the excellent service, quality ingredients, and romantic live music. The fresh-made garlic cheese rolls just might ruin your appetite. We can’t wait to try the tempting homemade tiramisu.

2813 SW Sixth Ave. 367.6217 Open Tuesday through Sunday, 11 a.m.-9 p.m.

PROVIDED PHOTOS

PRICING GUIDE $ most entrees less than $10 $$ most entrees $11 to $20 $$$ most entrees more than $21 NEW New to Let’s Eat! UPDATE

Updated entry

THE LET’S EAT! GUIDE IS A READER SERVICE COMPILED BY THE AMARILLO MAGAZINE EDITORIAL STAFF. THE MAGAZINE DOES NOT ACCEPT ADVERTISING OR OTHER COMPENSATION IN EXCHANGE FOR A LISTING. THE GUIDE IS UPDATED REGULARLY. TO CORRECT A LISTING OR RECOMMEND A RESTAURANT FOR CONSIDERATION, CONTACT MICHELE MCAFFREY AT MMCAFFREY@AMARILLO.COM.

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Amarillo 575 PIZZERIA

Toppings runneth over at 575 Pizzeria, not to mention the specials that rotate every month. (Check the board when you walk in.) 575 is family-owned and family-friendly, so it’s a great Friday night dinner choice. 2803 Civic Circle/7710 Hillside Road, Suite 700322.5575, 575pizzeria.com $$

ALDACO’S TACOS

Located on historic Sixth Street you’ll find this small, authentic Mexican restaurant. The wait staff is friendly so it’s easy to have fun at Aldaco’s, especially on live music nights. Try not to fill up on the homemade chips and salsa so you can enjoy the rest of the delicious food. 3623 SW Sixth Ave., 374.4945 $$

ASPEN CREEK GRILL

One of only nine locations nationwide, Aspen Creek’s Amarillo restaurant offers its signature made-from-scratch food in a familyfriendly atmosphere. Step into the mountain-lodge inspired decor and you can expect to be greeted warmly by the friendly staff, receive excellent service, and over-sized portions on everything from appetizers to entrees to dessert. The Happy Hour at Aspen – one of the most affordable in town – is a welcome break after a challenging work day. 4110 I-40 West, 398.2776, aspencreekgrill.com $$

BAGEL PLACE

Whether for breakfast or lunch, the Bagel Place offers a wide variety of cream cheese and bagel flavors. Zip through the convenient drive-thru for a great, lazy morning take-home breakfast. For lunch, try the bagel sandwiches made with Boars Head cheese and meat, a generous salad, or a tasty bowl of soup. 3301 Bell St., 353.5985, bagelplace.net $

BAR 3

Located at Preston West Golf Course, this hidden gem serves a limited bar menu for lunch and dinner. Savor comfort food like smoked pulled pork sandwiches, pork shank, and hearty hamburgers, made fresh to order. Wash it down with an ice-cold beer or let the staff help you choose something from the drink menu. 9101 S. Coulter St., 353.7003 $

BUTTERLOVE BISCUITS

Eye-popping big biscuits are the draw at Butterlove Biscuits. And we’re not exaggerating – these things are gigantic. Comfort all of your cravings with savory and sweet biscuits, grab-and-go biscuits, waffles, and perfect brunch-inspired cocktails. 3440 S. Bell, Suite 130, 418.8966, butterlove.com $$

CADA VEZ COMIDA MEXICANA

Located in Town Square, Cada Vez serves Tex-Mex cuisine in a family-friendly atmosphere. Popular items include Mexican street corn, enchiladas, and a classic margarita. Choose from 22 beers on tap from the bar, enjoy the patio and live music, or host a large group inside the restaurant’s party room, which can accommodate up to 50 guests. 9200 Town Square Blvd., Suite 1000, 418.6976, cadavezamarillo.com $$

COYOTE BLUFF CAFE

Don’t let the outside fool you. This is seriously good food. The full pound, green chile cheeseburger is Southwest divine (add 48

AMARILLOMAGONLINE.COM • NOVEMBER 2020

jalapeños for extra zip). Cool off with an ice cold beer. 2417 S. Grand St., 373.4640, cbctogo.com $

DELVIN’S RESTAURANT & CATERING

Head to Delvin’s and fill up on some of the city’s finest comfort food. Long-time chef Delvin Wilson opened his small eatery in 2015, and it’s quickly become a favorite lunch and brunch stop. Sample a three-meat combination barbecue plate, or traditional American favorites like fried chicken, soul food, and fresh fried catfish. Finish with the homemade buttermilk pie.

1300 N. Hughes St., 803.9111/ 701 S. Taylor St., 350.7441, delvinsrestaurant.com $

ENGLISH FIELD HOUSE RESTAURANT

Visit a piece of Amarillo history at the English Field House, which sits just south of Rick Husband Amarillo International Airport.

Named for the city’s first airfield, the restaurant offers great, cooked-fresh cafe food. Take the family for Sunday breakfast.

It’s worth the drive. 10610 American Drive, 335.2996, englishfieldhouse.com $

FIREHOUSE SUBS

Firehouse’s sandwiches are set apart by the nationwide chain’s presentation. Every hot sub is steamed before serving, and features premium meats and cheeses. Founded by firemen, the eatery sets aside a portion of every purchase to donate to local first responders to provide them life-saving equipment. 1901 S. Georgia St., 418.6651, firehousesubs.com $

FRANK’S BAKERY

Transport yourself to Europe at the only boulangerie in Amarillo. No matter what you choose, you can’t miss with French specialties like fresh baguette sandwiches, quiche, feuillete (a puff pastry filled with chicken, bechamel, and mushrooms), crepes, and croissants – if you can break away from the divine pastry case to order an entree. We’re big fans. 1923 S. Western St., 352.8089 $

FUZZY’S TACO SHOP

Options are endless at Fuzzy’s with everything from a variety of Baja-style tacos to enchilada plates, over-sized salads, tamales, and breakfast all day, every day.

Party on the patio in this casual eatery that originated in the Fort Worth area.

7408 SW 34th Ave., 352.8226, fuzzystacoshop.com $

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GLORIA’S OYSTER BAR

Gloria’s menu consists of seafood, Mexican, Tex-Mex dishes and Salvadoran food.

The lightly spiced tamales are handmade, steamed in banana leaves and filled with chicken, potatoes, sweet peppers and tomatoes. The sopa siete mares, a brothbased soup made with shrimp, scallops, halibut, perch and vegetables, is full of flavor. 1300 S. Grand St., 373.2722 $

GOLDEN WAFFLE COMPANY

There are so many crave-worthy options at the Golden Waffle; it’s hard to know where to begin! Serving sweet and savory breakfast options focused on waffles (and brunch on weekends), choose from waffle bennys, chicken and waffles, huge waffle wraps, waffle sandwiches and more. A variety of mimosas and micheladas will hit the spot during a leisurely brunch.

6017 Hillside Road, Suite 250, 367.8141 $

THE HANDLE BAR AND GRILL

Open at 7 a.m. on Friday, Saturday and Sunday for the breakfast crowd, The Handle Bar serves Texas-style comfort food – the handmade burgers are a customer favorite. Dine outside on historic Route 66 or cool off inside while savoring an ice-cold beer. 3514 SW Sixth Ave., 803.9538, thehandlebarandgrill.webs.com $

HUMMERS SPORTS CAFE

Hang out with friends and eat your fill of Hummer’s great appetizers. Start off with a platter of raw oysters and a bucket of beer. We highly recommend the steak.

2600 Paramount Blvd., Suite B2, 353.0723, hummerssportscafe.com $$

IT’S A PUNJABI AFFAIR

If you were among the many Indian food fans that despaired when Amarillo Hut closed its doors, brood no more. Punjabi Affair serves Indian-style street food, available for dining in or to take out. Savor classics like flat bread, butter chicken and samosa, and a few you might not be accustomed to like lamb curry, or marinated and fried tilapia. You’ll also find options for vegans and vegetarians. The menu will change with the seasons in order to offer fresh local ingredients. 4201 Bushland Blvd., 414.2114, punjabiamarillo.com $

JACOBO’S CAFE

The shrimp tostadas with pico de gallo, cucumber, avocado and rice, and Don Jacobo Burger, two half-pound patties with ham and asadero cheese, caught our eye at 50

AMARILLOMAGONLINE.COM • NOVEMBER 2020

Jacobo’s Cafe. But if you’re in the mood for breakfast, the Belgian waffle or breakfast burrito will surely satisfy. 3701 Olsen Blvd., Suite L, 418.8850, jacoboscafe.com $

JOE’S PIZZA & PASTA

Joe’s has been an Amarillo favorite for years thanks to its dependable, prompt service and generous, satisfying Italian fare. The combination of the New York-style pizza’s crispy, thick crust with the perfect amount of sweet and zesty sauce is irresistible.

19151 I-40 West, 356.8191, joespizzanpasta.com $

KABUKI ROMANZA JAPANESE STEAKHOUSE & SUSHI BAR

Who says you can’t enjoy fresh sushi aboard a boat in the heart of the Panhandle? Kabuki Romanza serves teppan-style cooking and fresh-sliced sushi in a dining area that resembles a boat, surrounded by special effects that add to the tropical feel.

8130 I-40 West, 358.7799, kabukiromanza.com $$

LA BELLA PIZZA

With an expanded dining area and bar, the Olsen Boulevard location of La Bella Pizza gives diners more options than takeout.

Fill up on Sicilian-style pizza, subs, burgers, calzones, pasta, gyros – the list goes on and on – the hefty menu even includes seafood.

3801 Olsen Blvd., Suite 9, 352.5050, ilovelabellapizza.com $

THE LOST CAJUN

You’ll find southern-style comfort food at The Lost Cajun. Enjoy the open kitchen as you dine on New Orleans favorites like fried catfish, oysters, gumbo, po-boys and beignets. 2401 I-40 West, 576.0019, thelostcajun.com $$

MARIA’S COCINA MEXICANA

Find all your favorite Mexican dishes at Maria’s. We’re taken with the fresh tamales, but there’s plenty to choose from. In-theknow diners eat at Maria’s for the menudo, chile verde, and traditional enchiladas.

1316 SE 10th Ave., 373.8841 $

NORTH HEIGHTS DISCOUNT & CAFE

Part convenience store and part neighborhood eatery, North Heights Discount & Cafe serves made-to-order soul food every day but Sunday. Portions are huge at Discount, but can you ever have too much smoky ribs, fried catfish, french fries,

or mac-and-cheese? We don’t think so.

1621 NW 18th Ave., 418.6751 $

OHMS CAFE & BAR

Set in downtown Amarillo, OHMS serves a buffet-style lunch then switches to wait service in the evenings. The chef features specials each week that range from seafood and smoked duck to beef tenderloin. Start with daily Happy Hour and give the Bar Burger a try. (It’s not on the menu, but it might be the best burger in town.) Excellent cuisine and service make this a delightful place to linger. 619 S. Tyler St., 373.3233, ohmscafe.com $$-$$$

PUBLIC HOUSE

You’ll want to take your time to enjoy the ambience and upscale Southern comfort food at Public House. Savor the house favorite, a generous portion of meatloaf comprised of ground duck, pork and beef with mashed potatoes, a house-made pimiento grilled cheese sandwich, or enticing nightly specials. 3333 S. Coulter St., 398.7777, publichouseamarillo.com $$

RED RIVER STEAKHOUSE

Experience the flavor of Texas at Red River Steakhouse. With plenty of beef on the menu – customer favorites are the prime rib, barbecue ribs, and hand-cut steaks – and rustic windmill-themed decor, the wellknown steakhouse promises quality and quantity in every meal. 4332 SW 45th Ave., 367.9732, redriversteakhouse.net $$

SHARKY’S BURRITO COMPANY

Think of Sharky’s as a burrito assembly line, a place where you call the shots and load a tortilla (flavored or not) with all your favorite toppings. Start with the meat and work your way through a plethora of options including beans, rice, veggies and cheese. The endless combinations will keep you going back for more.

1612 S. Georgia St., 359.7330 $ UPDATE

SUNDAY’S KITCHEN

Open for lunch and dinner Tuesday through Friday, and lunch only on Saturdays, Sunday’s Kitchen cooks up Gulf Coast and Cajun cuisine with a West Texas twist.

During lunch choose from nachos, salads and sandwiches, like the popular pulled pork grilled cheese. For dinner, hearty entrees fill the menu. We’re drooling over the Atchafalaya Alfredo and classic shrimp and grits. 112 SW Sixth Ave., 418.6477 $

NOVEMBER 2020 • AMARILLOMAGONLINE.COM

51

TOKYO JAPANESE STEAKHOUSE

Sit back and enjoy the show at this Japanese steakhouse and sushi bar. The steak and yakitori are tender and juicy, and the seafood choices, such as the shrimp and soft shell crab, are cooked to perfection. 5807 SW 45th Ave., 358.8888, tokyoamarillo.com $$

TROPICAL SMOOTHIE CAFE

More than just a smoothie bar, national chain Tropical Cafe serves pressed sandwiches, grilled-to-order quesadillas, bowls, salads, and wraps. Smoothie offerings change with the seasons, and are bursting with flavor. 4820 S. Soncy Road, Suite 100, 353.1010/1909 S. Georgia St., 398.0025, tropicalsmoothiecafe.com $

TUMBLEWEED FARM BAKERY

This Keto-friendly bakery offers more than just sweet treats. With a full lunch and early dinner menu (the shop closes at 7 p.m.) enjoy gluten-free, low-carb entrees, sandwiches, and salads. 4137 SW 34th Ave., 223.6523, tumbleweedbakery.com $

VENEZIA ITALIAN RESTAURANT & PIZZERIA

Venezia’s ample menu is filled with pasta, pizza, hot subs, salads, and more. The pizzeria offers lunch specials, dine-in, carryout and Doordash delivery. The fresh-made garlic cheese rolls just might ruin your appetite. 2813 SW Sixth Ave., 367.6217 $$

WILD BILL’S

Wild Bill’s offers American food and friendly service. The green chile cheese burger with hand-cut, seasoned fries is our favorite.

Enjoy billiards, darts and arcade games while you wait, or after you dine.

3811 SW Sixth Ave., 372.4500, wildbillsbarandgrill.com $

YOUNG SUSHI “ROCKS!”

The friendly greeting you receive when you walk into Young’s is your first clue your experience will be a good one. The helpful staff is always willing to offer suggestions regarding the sushi. If sushi’s not your thing, try the authentic Thai cuisine. 202 SW 10th Ave., 371.7200 $$

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NOVEMBER 2020 • AMARILLOMAGONLINE.COM

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Events | November 2020 Arts & Entertainment

NOV. 6

FIRST FRIDAY ART WALK

5 p.m. Barnes Jewelry, 100 Westgate Parkway West, 355.9874

NOV. 8

AMARILLO LITTLE THEATRE PRESENTS “THE CURIOUS INCIDENT OF THE DOG IN THE NIGHT-TIME” 2:30 p.m. Amarillo Little Theatre Main Stage, 2019 Civic Circle, 355.9991

NOV. 12

AMARILLO LITTLE THEATRE PRESENTS “10 (THOUSAND) PROBLEMS OF TEENAGE GIRLS 7:30 p.m. ALT Adventure Space, 2751 Civic Circle, 355.9991

NOV. 13-14

AMARILLO OPERA PRESENTS “R.S.B.E. REMOVE SHOES BEFORE ENTERING”

7 p.m. and 9 p.m. Amarillo College Concert Hall, West 22nd Ave., 372.7464

As of press time, our November calendar was up to date. It is subject to change due to COVID-19 restrictions.

NOV. 20-21

AMARILLO LITTLE THEATRE PRESENTS “10 (THOUSAND) PROBLEMS OF TEENAGE GIRLS 8 p.m. ALT Adventure Space, 2751 Civic Circle, 355.9991

NOV. 22

AMARILLO LITTLE THEATRE PRESENTS “10 (THOUSAND) PROBLEMS OF TEENAGE GIRLS 2:30 p.m. ALT Adventure Space, 2751 Civic Circle, 355.9991

NOV. 25

AMARILLO SYMPHONY PRESENTS RAVEL’S “INTRODUCTION AND ALLEGRO,” WAGNER’S “SIEGFRIED IDYLL,” AND SHOSTAKOVICH’S “PIANO CONCERTO NO. 1”

Conductor: Jacomo Rafael Bairos. Digital concert only.

Check the symphony’s social media outlets for more details. 376.8782

Benefits & Fundraisers

NOV. 7

DAY OF THE DEAD CELEBRATION

4:30 p.m. Starlight Canyon Bed & Breakfast, 100 Brentwood Road, 622.2382

NOV. 21

JUNK HIPPY SHOW

9 a.m. Amarillo Civic Center Complex, 401 S. Buchanan St., 378.3096

NOV. 28-29

CHRISTMAS IN THE GARDENS

6 p.m. The gardens will host its annual light show Thursday through Sunday, through Dec. 20. Amarillo Botanical Gardens, 1400 Streit Drive, 352.6513

Sports & Recreation

NOV. 1

AMARILLO BULLS VS. LONE STAR BRAHMAS 3:05 p.m. Amarillo Civic Center Complex Coliseum, 401 S. Buchanan St., 378.3096

NOV. 12

SOLE 4 SOUL

WRCA 25TH WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP RANCH RODEO

8 p.m. ALT Adventure Space, 2751 Civic Circle, 355.9991

NOV. 12

NOV. 13-14

WEST TEXAS A&M UNIVERSITY THEATRE PRESENTS “CAUCASIAN CHALK CIRCLE”

6-9 p.m. 626 S. Polk St., 676.5556

AMARILLO LITTLE THEATRE PRESENTS “10 (THOUSAND) PROBLEMS OF TEENAGE GIRLS

7:30 p.m. The musical will be streamed online. wtamu. edu/theatre or 651.2804 for ticket information.

NOV. 14

CHAMBER MUSIC AMARILLO PRESENTS THE COMPLETE BACH CELLO SUITES 7:30 p.m. Amarillo Botanical Gardens, 1400 Streit Drive, 376.8782

NOV. 15

AMARILLO LITTLE THEATRE PRESENTS “10 (THOUSAND) PROBLEMS OF TEENAGE GIRLS 2:30 p.m. ALT Adventure Space, 2751 Civic Circle, 355.9991

NOV. 17

BEATLES VS. STONES – A MUSICAL SHOWDOWN

7:30 p.m. Amarillo Civic Center Complex Auditorium, 401 S. Buchanan St., 378.3096

NOV. 19

AMARILLO LITTLE THEATRE PRESENTS “10 (THOUSAND) PROBLEMS OF TEENAGE GIRLS 7:30 p.m. ALT Adventure Space, 2751 Civic Circle, 355.9991

8:30 a.m. 1-mile, 5K and 10K runs hosted by The PARC. 367.8024

“YES” HOUSE CHARITY BANQUET

NOV. 21

NUTCRACKER BALL 2020

6 p.m. Amarillo Civic Center Complex, 401 S. Buchanan St., 378.3096

NOV. 23-DEC. 1 THE PANHANDLE GIVES

Learn more at thepanhandlegives.org.

Music

AMARILLOMAGONLINE.COM • NOVEMBER 2020

WRCA 25TH WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP RANCH RODEO

1 p.m. and 7 p.m. Amarillo Civic Center Complex Coliseum, 401 S. Buchanan St., 378.3096

NOV., 13-15

MCCRACKEN TEAM ROPING PANHANDLE CLASSIC

8 a.m. Tri-State Fairgrounds Amarillo National Center, 3301 SE 10th Ave., 376.7767

NOV. 14-15

PANHANDLE CUTTING HORSE ASSOCIATION

WEDNESDAYS IN NOVEMBER

8 a.m. Tri-State Fairgrounds Amarillo National Center, 3301 SE 10th Ave., 376.7767

6:30 p.m. Public House, 3333 S. Coulter St., 398.7777

NOV. 15

ANDY CHASE

NOV. 14

WRCA 25TH WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP RANCH RODEO

9 p.m. Skooterz, 4100 Bushland Blvd, 310.9509

NOV. 25

A SPECIAL CASE WITH HAGGARDZ HELLRAIZERZ

2 p.m. Amarillo Civic Center Complex Coliseum, 401 S. Buchanan St., 378.3096

Special Events

AMARILLO BULLS VS. ODESSA JACKALOPES

NOV. 1

FALL DAYS & GIANT MAZE

1-9 p.m. Maxwell’s Pumpkin Farm, 12908 Bell St., 373.9600

54

7 p.m. Amarillo Civic Center Complex Coliseum, 401 S. Buchanan St., 378.3096

7:05 p.m. Amarillo Civic Center Complex Coliseum, 401 S. Buchanan St., 378.3096

NOV. 28-29

CHRISTMAS CASH BARREL RACE

10 a.m. Tri-State Fairgrounds Amarillo National Center, 3301 SE 10th Ave., 376.7767

Make the Holidays Happy & Healthy Are you struggling with depression or anxiety?

The Pavilion at Northwest Texas Healthcare System offers these tips to beat the holiday blues.

• You don’t have to do it all. Set realistic goals and expectations.

• Maintain your usual routine as much as you can.

• Be sure to get enough sleep.

• Plan a holiday budget you can stick to.

• Exercise regularly. A brisk walk counts!

7201 Evans Drive, Amarillo, TX 79106

We’re Here If You Need Us Call to schedule a confidential, no-cost assessment, 24/7: 1-800-537-2585 or 806-354-1810 pavilionnwtexashealthcare.com

SOURCE: National Alliance on Mental Illness Physicians are independent practitioners who are not employees or agents of Northwest Texas Healthcare System. The system shall not be liable for actions or treatments provided by physicians.

For language assistance, disability accommodations and the non-discrimination notice, visit our website. 200110-7791 9/20

NOVEMBER 2020 • AMARILLOMAGONLINE.COM

55

Panhandle Perspective

Bohemian Rhapsody

By Jason Boyett

T

here’s something about a vintage Volkswagen Bus that just makes people smile, and it turns out, that’s exactly what you want people to do in a photo booth. Amarillo couple Eric and Jill Albus are testing that logic with Wanderlust the Photo Bus, a restored bus they’ve renovated into one of the Panhandle’s most unique traveling photo booths.

“My dream car has always been a VW bus,” Jill says. “Even as a kid, I loved that era of music, cars, movies, everything. It just reminds me of old hippies, something they would pile their friends in and take to Woodstock.”

Three years ago, as luck would have it, she saw a 1977 Volkswagen T2 bus listed for sale on Facebook Marketplace. The owner lived right outside Amarillo. But by the time she asked about its availability, the bus had already been sold.

But the story doesn’t end there, because the buyer just happened to be a certain Eric Albus. He surprised Jill with the bus for her birthday. “We remodeled it together,” she says. They had 56

AMARILLOMAGONLINE.COM • NOVEMBER 2020

friends do the paint and body work, sourced original parts from the now-closed 66 Downtown Dub Wurks, and carefully restored the vehicle’s interior. “We didn’t want it to look like a shiny new bus. We wanted it to look vintage,” she says.

Then they turned it into a small business. They’ve rented out the bus itself as a prop for lifestyle photographers, including this dreamy boho wedding shoot at Caprock Canyons State Park. But Eric and Jill have also cleared space inside the vehicle for their own automated photo booth and lighting set. “The bus itself, people see it and can’t help but smile and laugh,” Jill says. “They gravitate toward the bus first and realize, ‘Oh, it’s a photo booth.’ We’ve had an overwhelming response of good feedback.”

Since launching their business in March – right before the COVID shutdown – the photo bus has made the rounds from golf tournaments and fundraising parties to the WTAMU Homecoming last month. See more photos on Instagram at @wanderlust.photobus.

PHOTOGRAPHY BY BREANNE GOMEZ FLORAL DESIGN BY WHAT IN CARNATIONS WEDDING EVENT DESIGN BY TULU EVENTS

NOVEMBER 2020 • AMARILLOMAGONLINE.COM

57

JILL AND ERIC ALBUS

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AMARILLOMAGONLINE.COM • NOVEMBER 2020

,

AMBER GLAWE PRESIDENT AND EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, MEDICAL CENTER LEAGUE HOUSE What is the best advice you received when you were beginning your career? I was 15 when I started my first job, and my father told me to always go above and beyond what is expected of you. That has stuck with me throughout all of my endeavors with successful results. How do you use social media to grow your network? As a nonprofit, we do not have a budget for advertising so social media is one way I can ‘advertise’ and inform the public about our services. How do you maintain balance? A good Pinot Noir! Seriously, my faith and my family keeps me balanced. The love and support from my husband has truly helped me maintain a positive balance between my responsibilities at home along with the demands of my career. How has your past work experience shaped you into a leader? Being the oldest of five, I was expected to be a good example for my siblings. Along with this and my past work experience, it gave me confidence to lead, inspire and motivate others to be the best they can be. What is the best part about your job? Serving our guests! The League House is a home away from home for families going through a medical crisis, and we try to be there for them physically and emotionally. It is extremely rewarding when guests tell us how thankful they are for our services. How has mentorship made a difference in your professional and private life? Mentors have shared their knowledge and skills but mostly have given that ‘pat on the back’ or encouraging words needed to propel me to succuss both professionally and personally. Which living person do you most admire and why? A dear guest we served at the League House would always walk in the door with a smile on his face and would answer the question, “how are you today” with an energetic response of “never better,” no matter how good or bad things were with his loved one. I so admired his positivity and generosity which made me want to be just like him. Which over-used word or phrase makes you cringe? Yadda, yadda, yadda … What is your business philosophy? My husband has always told our kids that your integrity is everything, and when it comes down to it, all you have is your word. Basically, say what you mean and mean what you say and live by that. I believe you must apply this in all your business dealings to be

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PROVIDED PHOTO

20 Questions

successful. Which quality do you most value in an employee?

Commitment to our mission. What personality trait has most helped you succeed? Compassion. As an executive director of a nonprofit serving the community, compassion for our guests’ situations is vital. Who is your favorite author? Danielle Steele What did you learn from your best boss? The best boss I ever had showed me how to treat my employees like family with the respect they deserve. Your worst? My worst boss was right after college, in which I was shocked at how degrading and critical she was of our staff. I learned how to use constructive criticism, when needed, in a way that is meaningful and beneficial to them. Most important tech tool: My iPhone.

Best time management tool: My calendar. I can’t live without my: family; they are my whole world. My favorite thing about Amarillo is: the generational history of the people.

3-D & Contrast-Enhanced Mammography at Texas Breast Specialists–Amarillo

Early detection is the best defense against breast cancer. That’s why Texas Breast Specialists–Amarillo uses leading-edge technology for breast imaging and diagnostics, including 3-D mammography and contrast-enhanced mammography. Leveraging these technologies provides patients with highly accurate results and may help detect some cancers earlier. At Texas Breast Specialists–Amarillo, we’re committed to helping patients get the care they need.

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TEXAS BREAST SPECIALISTS–AMARILLO 1000 S. Coulter Street, Suite 100 Amarillo, TX 79106 T: 806-457-2060 • F: 806-457-2061 For more information or to refer a patient, please call 806-457-2060.

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