Amarillo Magazine | July 2009

meet the winners of restaurant roundup’s top Chef competition • PAGE 62

JULY 2009 • amarillomagonline.com

Travel in Style: Build your vacation wardrobe

the anytime, anywhere 30-minute workout

Why I Love this City Amanda Love, 6 year resident

meet the winners of restaurant roundup’s top Chef competition • PAGE 62 JULY 2009 • amarillomagonline.com

Why I Love this City Travel in Style: Build your vacation wardrobe

Bo Salling, 12 year resident

the anytime, anywhere 30-minute workout

meet the winners of restaurant roundup’s top Chef competition • PAGE 62

JULY 2009 • amarillomagonline.com

Travel in Style: Build your vacation wardrobe

the anytime, anywhere 30-minute workout

Why I Love this City Cherie Norman, 2 year resident

meet the winners of restaurant roundup’s top Chef competition • PAGE 62

Travel in Style:

JULY 2009 • amarillomagonline.com

Build your vacation wardrobe

the anytime, anywhere 30-minute workout

Why I Love this City Danny Phillips, lifelong resident

meet the winners of restaurant roundup’s top Chef competition • PAGE 62

Travel in Style:

JULY 2009 • amarillomagonline.com

Build your vacation wardrobe

the anytime, anywhere 30-minute workout

Why I Love this City José Garcia, 18 year resident

meet the winners of restaurant roundup’s top Chef competition • PAGE 62

JULY 2009 • amarillomagonline.com

Travel in Style: Build your vacation wardrobe

the anytime, anywhere 30-minute workout

Why I Love this City Pat Mathis, 44 year resident

Nice Lines.

2009 Nissan Cube

Nice Curves.

2009 Nissan Maxima

MCGAVOCK NISSAN

4121 South Georgia, Amarillo, TX (860) 354-3550 • www.mcgavocknissan.com

contents

Features

22 Easing Burdens

Meet super volunteer Cari Roach and learn about what she’s doing to help Amarillo’s homeless

population.

32 The Anytime, Anywhere

30-Minute Workout

Stay in shape during the busy

summer months with this simple yet effective workout from Amarillo Town Club’s Chuck Brorman.

62 Amarillo’s Top Chefs

Meet the winners of the annual Restaurant Roundup Top Chef competition, Alfonso Armstrong and Delvin Wilson, as they share their culinary history, a few winning recipes and their mutual love of gumbo.

sections

24 Travel in Style

Planning a vacation? Build a stylish wardrobe that will take you from the pool to an evening on the town.

2

Amarillo Magazine • amarillomagonline.com • JULY 2009

Online Page.................................10 Out & About.................................12 The Way I See It...........................20 Get Involved.................................22 Dress Code...................................24 To Your Health..............................32 Inside..........................................38 Outside........................................40 Inspire.........................................52 Color Me......................................58 Book Nook...................................60 What’s Cooking?...........................62 Events.........................................67 Let’s Eat!.....................................71 History 101.................................76 Spotlight......................................78 Local Exposure.............................79 Retro Rewind...............................80

cover story

43 Why We Love Amarillo

Six locals share why they’ve chosen a life in the real Texas, and they all agree - Amarillo is the place to be.

We have dental care down to an

art form

Exceptional Patient Care • Unwavering Standards Dr. Eddy Sauer • Dr. Ryan Brewster #9 Care Circle • 358-2472 • shemendental.com

editor’s letter

Publisher

Editor

Features Writer

Creative Services Manager

Les Simpson Michele McAffrey 806.345.3256 michele.mcaffrey@amarillo.com Jennie Treadway-Miller 806.345.3223 jennie.miller@amarillo.com

MEET THE

UP’S TOP URANT ROUND OF RESTA WINNERS

Jeremy Say Livia Woodburn

Staff Photographer

Kevin Briles

Advertising Director

62 MEET THE WINNERS OF RESTAURANT

URANT ROUN OF RESTA ROUNDUP’S TOP CHEF COMPETITION • PAGE 62WINNERS MEET THE

DUP’S TOP

• PAGE ETITION CHEF COMP

62

MEET THE

WINNER

S OF RES TAURAN

JULY 2009 • amarillomagonline.com

• amarillom JULY 2009

30-MIN TIME, ANY UTE WOR WHERE KOUT HERE IME, ANYW THE ANYTINUT E WORKOUT 30-M

Build your vacation

ANYWHERE THE ANYTIME, WORKOUT 30-MINUTE

is City

Why I Love th

Love Why y�I��I� Why I Wh Love LoveCity this City �this� �this�City TRAVEL IN STYLE: Build your

T ROU

NDUP’S

MEET THE WINNERS TOP CHE

F COM

PETITIO N • PAGE

OF RESTAURA

NT ROUNDUP’S

TOP CHEF COMPETIT

MEET THE WINNERS OF RESTAURANT

JULY 2009 •

JULY 2009 • amari

TRAVEL IN STYLE:

lloma gonlin

e.com

ION • PAGE 62

ROUNDUP’S TOP CHEF COMPETITION

• PAGE 62

62

magonli ne.com

TRAV IN STEL YLE: Build your TRAVEL vacation wardrobe YLE: ST be IN vacation wardro THE ANY Build your

• amarillo JULY 2009

agonline. com

TRAVELLE: IN STY wardrobe

Steven Adams

Designers

TITION • PAGE CHEF COMPE

Build your vacation

amarillomago nline.com

TRAVEL IN STYLE:

wardrobe

E, ANYWHERE THE ANYTIMWORKOU T 30-MINUTE

JULY 2009 • amarillomagonline.com

Build your vacation wardrobe

THE ANYTIME, ANYWHERE 30-MINUTE WORKOUT

�I� W�I� Why hy�I� Why Love� � ve LoL ov � this�City itye s�C is�C thith ity

Why I Love this City

vacation wardrobe

THE ANYTIME, ANYWHERE 30-MINUTE WORKOUT

cover photos by gray’s studio

Mike Distelhorst

Online Sales Director

Cindy Brown

Advertising Sales Manager

Jaime Pipkin

Major/National Accounts Manager

Dewey Shanks

Account

Representatives

Ad Services Manager

Kimberly Barclay Melissa Benson Laura Collins Sharon Denny Trish Faris Cory Griggs Rick Miller Hailey Morrison Michelle Parsons Crystal Tolleson Marcy Weldon

Sales Assistants

Cindy Ledesma Charla Moore Serena Twait

Jennifer Thomas 806.345.3226 jennifer.thomas@amarillo.com

To advertise in Amarillo Magazine, please contact Jaime Pipkin at 806.345.3432 or jaime.pipkin@amarillo.com To advertise on amarillomagonline.com, please contact Cindy Brown at 806.345.3373 or cindy.brown@amarillo.com

Production Director Circulation Director

Mike O’Connor David Brown

900 S. Harrison St., Amarillo, TX 79101 806.376.4488 • amarillomagonline.com

Amarillo Magazine is a monthly publication of Amarillo Globe-News Custom Publishing. 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.

J

uly marks our third anniversary, and we’re celebrating with a redesign.

Everything about the magazine has been expanded to build on the things that you already loved about Amarillo Uptown. We’ll continue to bring you the fashion, people and events that represent the best that Amarillo has to offer.

We hope you love our new look as much as we do.

In launching the new Amarillo Magazine, we sought out people who not only love this city but have chosen to live here on purpose. We loved their diverse perspectives so much, we couldn’t pick just one. That’s why you’ll see six different cover photos this month. Each one represents a different facet of the people who make Amarillo a great place to live. (It’s no coincidence that we suffered from a split personality in the planning.)

If you have vacation plans this summer, you won’t want to miss this month’s Dress Code. The outfits for “Travel in Style” will inspire you to have some fun away from home. And we’re pleased to include our first male model, as well. Welcome, Andrew! (Yes ladies, they are a married couple. You just can’t fake that kind of chemistry.)

So, enjoy our new magazine. It reflects the authenticity and diversity of this city, a place I’ve called home all of my life. I continually learn new things about Amarillo, and it’s a pleasure to share them with you, whether it be introducing you to new people or suggesting a new restaurant where you can take your family for a night out. Amarillo continues to be a place I’m proud to call home.

Our celebration this month wouldn’t be complete without you. To prove it, we’ve gathered up a few gifts from our gracious advertisers as our thanks to you for three successful years. Turn to page 11 to check them out and visit our new website, amarillomagonline.com, for your chance to win.

4

Amarillo Magazine • amarillomagonline.com • JULY 2009

GET A NEW PERSPECTIVE

ON LIFE

Using state-of-the-art technology, the Allegretto WaveLight laser, Dr. Robert Gerald performs Advanced Laser Vision Correction for the treatment of nearsightedness, farsightedness, and astigmatism. If you’re considering laser vision correction, a complete and thorough evaluation is crucial. Dr. Robert Gerald, co-founder of the Laser Center for Vision, and his staff invite you in for a free consultation.

Trust your vision to an expert, Robert Gerald, M.D.

Advanced Laser Vision Correction • 0% Financing • No Down Payment Financing • Free Consultation

Call today and see what you’ve been missing.

7308 Fleming Ave. Amarillo, Texas 79106

Robert Gerald, M.D. co-founder of the Laser Center for Vision

800.283.8018 806.359.7603 Affiliated with Panhandle Eye Group, LLP

publisher’s note

I

f there’s one thing I know from years in the newspaper publishing business, it’s that change doesn’t come easy. Whether it’s the comics, the television listings or a change on the weather page, readers often take note. Even when a change is for the better, it’s difficult to break tradition.

Today, you’re holding in your hands a magazine that has undergone a few changes of its own. First, it has a new name: Amarillo Magazine.

There are some new and exciting features, such as a column from Jon Mark Beilue, a restaurant guide, an event calendar and an Amarillo-focused photo feature. Most of the magazine still contains many of the same features that you’ve grown to love in the past three years with Amarillo Uptown.

So, why the change?

First, we wanted to redesign the magazine to bring it up to date with a more modern look and an easier read. Also, we wanted to broaden the interest. It’s not that men weren’t reading Amarillo Uptown, because many of them told me they were. Now men can find pages of information that pertains and speaks directly to them. Additionally, we felt that a broader audience would help this magazine continue its success.

Our staff has been working on this for months, and I’m extremely proud of their efforts. They have put their heart and soul into it and it shows in this first issue.

We hope you enjoy this next generation of the magazine about the city we love: Amarillo … in Amarillo Magazine.

6

Amarillo Magazine • amarillomagonline.com • JULY 2009

amarillo voices

Mail W

elcome to the new Amarillo Magazine, your resource for discovering all that is authentically Amarillo. We will detail everyday life in the real Texas with a savvy and sophisticated point of view, defining Amarillo living, covering everything from arts and dining to entertainment and style. We will continue to reflect the very best of this city, trusting that you will close each issue having learned something new. It will be entertaining and informative at the same time, never lifting its finger off the pulse of the Panhandle.

Some section names have changed, some new ones have been added, but you’ll still see some of your favorites as well. Regardless, we know you’ll enjoy each page, and we look forward to hearing from you.

In every issue: • The Way I See It

Columnist Jon Mark Beilue will offer his witty and clever take on everyday topics ranging from current events to the strange things you see on late night television.

• Dress Code

In addition to featuring the latest in women’s fashion, we’ll include what’s new for men and children, too.

• Calendar of Events

We’ll do our best to provide you with the most up-to-date, ongoing list of monthly events in the entire Panhandle area.

• Local focus in History 101

We’ve expanded the page to include local facts you may not know about our city.

• Let’s Eat! Dining Guide

Destined to be your one-stop spot when making dinner plans, we’ll update the restaurant listing regularly to provide hungry readers with the best food finds in town.

• Local Exposure

We’ll feature photos taken by our own photographers as well as reader submissions, to give you a new view of Amarillo.

• Spotlight

We’ll introduce you to new friends and neighbors through quirky Q&A on this special back-of-thebook page.

• What’s Cooking?

Featuring local chefs and their signature dishes, this new section will inspire you to create your own masterpieces at home.

• Book Nook

Get the scoop on new reads in the areas of non fiction, fiction, how-to, home & garden, teens and young readers.

• Inspire

This collection of poetry, anecdotes and personal stories are sure to stir the soul.

We want to hear from you! Your feedback helps us know what you want to read. Do you have a favorite section in the magazine? Let us know at amarillomagonline.com.

8

Amarillo Magazine • amarillomagonline.com • JULY 2009

go online

Introducing amarillomagonline.com

A

s the perfect compliment to the new Amarillo Magazine, we’ve created a website that’s easy to navigate and chock full of new features that change throughout the month. Readers can stay in touch through our blog and link to social networks, as well as read new web exclusives posted every week. Flip through online galleries and watch videos. Enter to win monthly prizes and answer the weekly poll. Scan restaurant listings and make your weekend plans from the local calendar of events.

We’re just getting started! Log on today and add Amarillo Magazine to your favorites list.

MEET THE WINNERS OF RESTAURANT ROUNDUP’S TOP CHEF COMPETITION • PAGE 62

TRAVEL IN STYLE: Build your vacation wardrobe

THE ANYTIME, ANYWHERE 30-MINUTE WORKOUT

Why�I� Love �this�City

Why I Love this City

Dive into the cover story, as well as additional features from the print version.

Let us help you make dinner plans with an ongoing dining guide showcasing different local specialties each month.

Web exclusives are updated daily, whether it’s our AM Blog, featured articles or quick tweets.

Enjoy slide show galleries of events around town.

Flip through the current issue with the virtual reader.

Enter to win!

In celebration of our third anniversary, we’ve collected an array of items from our advertisers to pass along to you. Log on to amarillomagonline.com by July 24th and enter to win one of the prizes listed on the next page.

10

Amarillo Magazine • amarillomagonline.com • JULY 2009

2

14

1. Hill’s Sport Shop, universal cycling helmet, $40 2. Budweiser, Coleman stainless steel cooler, $160 3. Janey’s, long necklace, $148 4. Advanced Skin Care, skin care for body, $97.38

3

15

5. Possibilities, Ed Hardy sunglasses, $225 6. The Secret Place, Jack Black men’s skincare, $58.50 7. The Wild Iris, Anne Koplik earrings, $35

4

16

R C L

Rick Lovelady CARPETS

CARPET | VINYL | TILE | WOOD GRANITE COUNTERTOPS

8. The Kitchen Gallery, serving bowl, $50 9. Barnes Jewelry, glass pendant, $40 10. D & D Mattress, two memory foam pillows, $200

17 5

11. Riley Blue, black shoulder bag, $92 12. The Tobacco Leaf, beeswax candle & stationary, $98

18

6

13. Eye Care Plus, Ray Ban sunglasses, $190 14. Lizzie Mae’s, angel figurine, $45 15. Sherwood Forest, any 3” caliber tree in stock (10-12’ tall). $240

7

19

16. Whispering Pines Antiques, “Cottages” hardback book, $29 17. Corbyn’s, t-shirt & hat, $58

8

20

18. Karen Wolfram Arts, signed print, $35 19. Nettez House of Desserts, 2 tiered fondant bumblebee cake with daiseys, $125

9 21

10 22

11

23

12

24

20. Red Door Antiques, silk floral arrangement, $68 21. Bloom by Freeman’s, one floral arrangement delivered every month for one year, $540 22. Jetty Bean Boutique, Darenda Hill custom designed multi-colored drop necklace, $67 23. Sunset Art Gallery, abstract painting by Ann Crouch, $400 24. David C. Woodburn, D.D.S., Sonicare toothbrush, $120 25. Shemen Dental, professional teeth whitening kit, $644

13 25

Gift Cards & Certificates Dillard’s, $50 Lonestar Lawn & Land, $250 D & D Carpet, $50

6400 I-40 WEST

F you can be PROUD of

13

1

6400 I-40 ,West AMARILLO TEXAS • Amarillo, Texas 806.352.3448 806.352.3448 1.800.687.3448 • 1.800.687.3448 M-F 8AM-6PMM-F | SAT 9AM -3PM- 6pm 8am Sat. 9am - 3pm

JULY 2009 • amarillomagonline.com • Amarillo Magazine

11

out and about

1

2

3

4

6

Ride of Silence

The 5th annual Ride of Silence, hosted by Old Tascosa Cycling, was dedicated to Tasha Enloe and all those who have lost their lives in a bike/motor vehicle accident. The ride started at the Amarillo Museum of Art. Participants do not talk during the seven-mile route that wound its way through neighborhoods and commercial districts led by two Amarillo Police Department squad cars and the COPPS bicycle unit.

1. Timothy Zinn, 2. Robert Whitaker, 3. Courtney, Tye and Gavin Jackson, 4. Crystal and Lexan Hammond, 5. John Brewer, 6. Brandon Annen

5

12

Amarillo Magazine • amarillomagonline.com • JULY 2009

PHOTos BY JEff harbin, Life of riley photography

out and about

1

2

3

4

5

6

8

7

9

Come and See Luncheon Downtown Women’s Center

The Downtown Women’s Center celebrated its 20th anniversary this year with a luncheon featuring guest speaker Linda Schaefer. The luncheon was held at the Amarillo Civic Center Grand Plaza. Linda, a photojournalist, spoke about the time she spent with Mother Teresa in India. The event also included a video history of the Downtown Women’s Center and testimonials from former residents of the Center.

1. Bishop Patrick Zurek, 2. Dr. Mary Vanek, 3. Msgr. Joseph Tash,, 4. Michelle Burton, 5. Diann Gilmore, 6. Edith Hall, 7. Marcella Cavazos, 8. Sister Cecilia Bushnell, Sister Maria Crucis and Sister Joan Rodrigues, 9. Linda Schaefer, 10. Mary Ann Keith and Pam Blatzheim

10

14

Amarillo Magazine • amarillomagonline.com • JULY 2009

PHOTos BY JEff harbin, Life of riley photography

out and about

1

2

3

7

8

9

10

12

4

5

6

11

13

14

Athlete of the Year Banquet

The annual Athlete of the Year Banquet, sponsored by Happy State Bank, was held on May 21st at the Amarillo Civic Center Grand Plaza. Twenty athletes received athlete of the year awards, as well nine scholar athletes, two overall athletes of the year and two coaches of the year.

15

16

1. Kami Runnell, 2. Michael Cobbins, 3. Melissa Velazco, 4. Kelby Allen, 5. Daffney Barbosa, 6. David Wood, 7. Sharon, Ashley and Brad Davis, 8. Katie Jones, 9. Steven Diaz and Jordan Griego, 10. Nick Hogue and Allison Thompson, 11. Andee, Sandy, Nancy and Bob Josserand, 12. April Romaine, Lorie Romaine and Lamar Keys, 13. Emily, Diana and David Smirl, 14. Mariah, Kalor and Cassie Williams, 15. Brady Webb and Nathan Gavina Amarillo Magazine • amarillomagonline.com • JULY 2009

PHOTos BY donna alexander

JULY 2009 • amarillomagonline.com • Amarillo Magazine

17

out and about

2

3

4

5

1

6

7

Charity Invitational United Supermarkets

The 16th annual United Supermarkets Charity Invitational was held June 7th at the La Paloma Golf Club. Twenty seven teams played a six-person scramble. The top three places were awarded prizes. Co-chaired by United Supermarkets, Amarillo National Bank and KGNC, the event raised over $37,000 to benefit the YMCA’s summer scholarship program.

8

18

1. Tracy Archer, 2. Price Ashley and Vicki Edwards, 3. Matt Edwards and Greg Ammons, 4. Wes Jackson and Fernando Noreiga, 5. Tommy Wells and Matthew Thrash, 6.Lisa Garza and Teri McKinney, 7. George, Meagan and Ronda Jennings, 8. Eddie Chavarria and Jesse Strong Amarillo Magazine • amarillomagonline.com • JULY 2009

PHOTos BY donna alexander

JULY 2009 • amarillomagonline.com • Amarillo Magazine

19

the way i see it

Jon Mark Beilue

An “Ab-Session” W

ell, there goes the neighborhood. Perhaps you’ve heard, but Amarillo Magazine is no longer the exclusive domain of women.

The content is changing to include the slovenly, the hairy, the foul-smelling, the panting. No, not women’s dogs, but their husbands. Us guys. We’re crashing the pages, baby.

This will be a work in progress, but already I see one mistake the new Amarillo Magazine has made.

There’s nothing about six-pack abs on the cover. If you want to attract the male species, it’s mandatory.

There has to be something about abs.

I did a quick perusal of a magazine rack just the other day. On the cover of a handful of men’s magazines — at least the ones that weren’t wrapped in cellophane — screamed these headlines: “Burn Your Gut Off! 27 Days to a Summer Six-Pack” “Amazing New Plan! Lose Your Gut — Sculpt Your Body in Just Minutes a Day” “The Cure for Flabby Abs” It goes on ab nauseum. I would be willing to bet the small amount of money in my wallet there has not been an issue of a national men’s magazine in this decade that didn’t have abs and sex on the cover. If there was, the editor was canned.

It should come as no great shock to you women that men occasionally think about sex.

That’s why you’ll also read on magazine covers “The Sex of Your Dreams (and Hers)” and “47 Things That Will Drive Your Woman Wild.”

But abs? Oh, most definitely. The only difference is men seem willing to actually do something about sex. But we think about abs a lot as if thinking about it long enough will drop a waist size.

Occasionally we do stupid things.

It takes a big man to admit this, but I actually bought something called an “Ab Roller” off an infomercial about eight or nine years ago. It looked like the back of a tricycle. Riding a tricycle would have been as effective.

Women should be comforted by this ab-session. If women obsess about their rear end, hips and thighs, the male version of this is the stomach. The spare tire. The love handles. It’s where fat goes to hibernate for the rest of our adult lives.

Supposedly, all men still have those six-pack abs that we took for granted back when we were 16, but they’re just buried by an avalanche of fat. It would be easier to find Amelia Earhart than it would be to uncover the Lost Six-Pack of Our Youth.

I don’t know the percentage of women who actually get a smaller behind, but it has to be much greater than any man who ever rediscovered “sculpted abs.”

Sculpted abs? Just saying that sounds ridiculous.

Sorry, but that ship has sailed. When you reach middle age and your body basically turns into a living, breathing practical joke, men should just try to hold on for dear life and not make a bad situation worse.

I run five days a week, about 35 miles a week. I do stomach crunches most mornings. I watch what I eat. Then I look sideways in the mirror and ask, “Why bother?” The one thing that keeps me going is the hideous thought of what I’d look like if I ever quit.

That won’t stop magazines from teasing us.

But surely there’s something that can be done about that receding hairline. am

JULY 2009 • amarillomagonline.com • Amarillo Magazine

21

get involved

Easing Burdens Cari Roach

What is the purpose of your ministry?

My husband Kyle, my best friend Betty Atkinson and I distribute approximately 200 sack lunches to the homeless population in downtown Amarillo every Sunday. Individuals from three different churches provide lunches. We reach out to them with no requirements or stipulations. We give food unconditionally and want to share the unconditional love of Jesus Christ.

How did you get started?

Cari works for Happy State Bank as Vice President, Director of Marketing. She has been recognized for her work with the homeless by the Amarillo Coalition for the Homeless and The Amarillo District United Methodist Church. She and her husband, Kyle, have one daughter, Kyla.

I was at a track meet 17 years ago with my nephews.

Since this was the last track meet of the season, we all brought sack lunches. On the way to the playground with them, we saw a man sleeping beneath a tree. My nephew said, “Aunt Cari, look at the bum.” I quickly said, “He’s not a bum, he’s homeless.” I don’t think I had ever used the word homeless before. After we ate, we took our leftover food to him. I told the children to stay away, tiptoed over and left the food. I realized that this was the very prejudice we had taught the children.

What motivated you to get involved with feeding the homeless?

After that encounter, I realized that I wanted to reach out to them and ease their burden if I could. I wanted

to reach out and share the love of Jesus. Prior to this event, I was not only disgusted by the homeless, but also taunted them. God had changed my heart.

Tell us about a treasured moment from your volunteer work.

In the winter, someone gave us some gloves to distribute to people in need. They were very inexpensive stretch gloves. When I gave a pair of gloves to a homeless man, he wept. I will never forget that. This inspired us to gather and distribute bags at Christmas that include thermals, gloves, a toboggan, socks and a Bible. We also try to collect coats and blankets as well.

What is your greatest life lesson that you’ve applied to volunteering?

Not to judge. We have all made bad choices in our lives, and it is by the grace of God that I’m where I am today.

What is your favorite thing about what you do?

That people we feed are waiting on us each week.

They know that they can depend on us, rain or shine. Another favorite is our annual cookout. One homeless person told me that he appreciated the food, but it was the fellowship that he enjoyed the most. He said that no one had called him by name in over a week. In August at Ellwood Park, we cook about 700 hamburgers with all the trimmings. They can eat all they want until the food is gone. We don’t just serve; we eat with them, play football and spend time with them.

What are a few compelling statistics related to your ministry?

One out of five homeless adults was homeless as a child. By the age of eight years old, one out of three homeless children has mental a disorder. Mental illness is one of the most prevalent reasons for homelessness, and I see this regularly. I also see many veterans. It is heartbreaking.

In what specific areas do you most need the help of volunteers?

We can always use more lunches. We can also use food donations for the cookout and items for the Christmas bags. am Photo courtesy of Trinity Fellowship Church

22

Amarillo Magazine • amarillomagonline.com • JULY 2009

hillssport.com

JULY 2009 • amarillomagonline.com • Amarillo Magazine

23

dress code

Travel in Style

24

Amarillo Magazine • amarillomagonline.com • JULY 2009

dress code

E

veryone likes a vacation, and if you’re going somewhere fun this summer, you’re gonna need some new threads to wear on location. It’s all about bright colors and patterns, and now isn’t the time to be shy.

We’ve dressed a couple from top to bottom in colors that compliment and accessories that sparkle.

Photos by Pam Lary Photography Stella Scooter courtesy of Danny’s Volks Stuff

Opposite page, on Andrew: Thomas Dean long sleeved dress shirt $99.50; Coconut Grove silk & linen blazer $275; Alpetora navy trousers $165; Tommy Bahama loafers $195, Raffkind’s On Ashley: Lucky Brand print dress $99, Raffkind’s Viscose wrap $12.99, Steinmart Jessica Simpson cuff $48; Jessica Simpson necklace $48; Gianni Bini black sandals $79, Dillard’s This page, on Andrew: Sperry Top-Sider loafers $99; Calvin Klein liquid cotton polo $48, Dillard’s Merona plaid shorts $21.99, Target Steve Madden sunglasses $12.99, Steinmart On Ashley: Bamboo Traders halter $24.99; Birch Hill silver bangles $9.99/ea., Steinmart Teal skirt $26.50, Old Navy Enjoy! Teal scarf $38; Lucky Brand Jeans bag $129, Raffkind’s Kenneth Cole Reaction wedges $49.99, Dillard’s Mossimo sunglasses $16.99, Target

JULY 2009 • amarillomagonline.com • Amarillo Magazine

25

dress code

On Ashley: Echo yellow cover up $78; Gianni Bini cork wedges $69, Dillard’s Floppy straw hat $24.50, Gap Striped beach bag $12.50, Old Navy Merona sunglasses $16.99, Target On Andrew: The North Face flip-flops $28; Tommy Bahama plaid vibrations swim trunks $90, Raffkind’s Sette Ponti linen shirt $24.99; Steve Madden sunglasses $12.99, Steinmart

26

Amarillo Magazine • amarillomagonline.com • JULY 2009

Home of Ron and Kendra Whittington

Moonwater Designs By Marci [h\ Over 30 Years Experience...

Specializing in Room Makeovers, Drapery, Bedding, Fabric and Paint Selections.

We make your home “YOU”.

For Consultation Call Marci

806.236.1799

RED DOOR ANTIQUES

Sam Pruitt, Owner Since 1993

2612 Wolflin Ave. Wolflin lflin Squar Square

352-4800

JULY 2009 • amarillomagonline.com • Amarillo Magazine

27

dress code

It’s Gone To Your Head NEWSBOY You might be a poet, you’re good about giving your girl a rose, and you prefer golf over Nascar.

You probably own more than one sweater vest.

The good news is that you’re wearing a classic hat that is always fashion forward.

To Buy: Dockers $9.99, TJMaxx

TRUCKER HAT A date night for you is a cold beer and chicken wings in your pickup (shotgun under the seat). By the end of the night, you’re in a corner bar belting out Sweet Home Alabama and making girls swoon with your country boy charm.

BALL CAP You’re an all-American guy with a sports addiction. You prefer beer over wine and, without sunflower seeds, you’re a nervous wreck. The ballet? Nah. Chick flicks? Nah. James Bond marathon? Cool.

To Buy: Rangers cap $15, Lids

CADET CAP You stay current with the latest fashion trends and like to be noticed.

You enjoy coffee shop conversations with intellects in your boot flare jeans and fitted tee. In your spare time, you might write a ballad for your best girl.

To Buy: Daniel Cremieux Collection $28, Dillard’s

To Buy: Cremieux $20, Dillard’s

FEDORA

T

he saying goes that “clothes make the man,” and we believe that extends to hats. What you put on your head tends to say a lot about you. Whether tongue-in-cheek or right on the money, we had a little fun decoding the secret language of men’s hats.

28

Amarillo Magazine • amarillomagonline.com • JULY 2009

You’re the leader of your own Brat Pack and take your fashion cues from Justin Timberlake. Forget ragged jeans. You’re hip enough to know this hat requires designer threads – complete with a Marc Jacobs timepiece.

To Buy: Tre Vero 29.50, Dillard’s

The Village Antique Mall

Antiques

Collectibles

Home Decor

Gifts

Monday - Saturday 10:00-5:30 2711 Stanley Street Amarillo 806.372.4472

3325 bell st. | 355.0141 www.belmarbakery.com

Custom Decorated Cakes Wedding Cakes

Consultation and Taste Testing by Appointment

JULY 2009 • amarillomagonline.com • Amarillo Magazine

29

dress code

Wear It Like You Mean It A

woman’s fashion sense is an interpretation of her personality, and what a lady wears around her neck or wrist is no exception. We’ve taken four jewelry styles and matched them with personality traits. Whether you are one or all four, depending on the day, we love the idea of expressing yourself through jewelry.

Eclectic

Romantic

Classic

Boho

You’re outgoing, adventurous, bold and in love with the idea of being completely original. You wear those one-of-a-kind pieces that get noticed and aren’t afraid to take risks.

It doesn’t offend you to be called a girly-girl. In fact, that might be how you describe yourself.

You look for dainty vintage pieces with ornate pendants and decorative patterns to create an overall polished look.

Your preference for timeless pieces shows your appreciation for the finer things, simple yet often expensive. You enjoy an evening at the symphony after a quiet romantic dinner, the perfect date on which to wear your favorite pearls.

Chic and stylish, you prefer bangle bracelets and long necklaces to compliment your long, flowing dresses. You appreciate the arts and the outdoors equally and love to let your hair down.

Natasha pink wooden bracelet $28, Dillard’s Schandras jeweled ring $139.50; Edna Designs necklace $245, The Loft Boutique

30

Michal Negrin pendant $170, Jetty Bean Large oval pendant with crystals $85, Panache Malvern Wedgewood bracelet $208, The Tobacco Leaf

Amarillo Magazine • amarillomagonline.com • JULY 2009

Seasonal Whispers NYC necklace $118, The Tobacco Leaf Carolee pearl necklace $50; Austrian crystal bracelet $32, Dillard’s

Kenneth Cole long necklace $62; Lucky Brand feather pendant $52; Jessica Simpson copper bracelets $28, Dillard’s African turquoise leather cuff $75, Panache jewelry displays courtesy of dillard’s

STOP DREAMING

TRIPP’S HARLEY-DAVIDSON

6040 W I-40 . AMARILLO . 352.2021 . TRIPPSHD.COM

JULY 2009 • amarillomagonline.com • Amarillo Magazine

31

to your health

The Anytime, Anywhere 30-Minute Workout Chuck Brorman, RN

I

n today’s busy world, staying physically fit is usually one of the first things that people neglect.

Unfortunately, lack of exercise is one of the leading causes of the obesity epidemic in the United States. Everyone should get at least 30 minutes of physical activity every day. This does not mean just cardiovascular conditioning, such as walking or jogging, but muscular strength training as well.

One of the best strength workouts that anyone can do anywhere is a body weight workout. Body weight exercises are a great way to build strength and lean muscle mass.

This type of workout targets every major muscle group and usually only takes about 30 minutes from start to finish. To prevent injury, you should warm up for about 5-10 minutes before beginning. Each one of these exercises should be performed for one to three sets and should be performed to exhaustion.

1. Push-ups Lay face down on the ground with your legs straight and your hands spread shoulder length apart. Raise your body off the ground by pushing against the floor, keeping your elbows close to the body. Keep your back and hips in line and completely straight.

Raise yourself up until your arms are straight. Slowly lower yourself back to the starting position. This is one repetition.

If you cannot push yourself up, you can place your knees on the floor instead of your feet. As you get stronger, you can move your hands to different positions to change which muscle group gets targeted.

1a

1b

2. Pull-ups

2a

Grab hold of a bar with your hands shoulder width apart and palms facing away from you. Pull yourself up while pulling your elbows behind you. Once you have reached the top of the bar, slowly lower yourself back to the starting position.

If you are unable to pull yourself up, you can stand on a chair and use your legs to help pull yourself up. Remember that pull-ups are one of the most difficult exercises, so don’t give up. For variety, you can change the position of your hands.

2b

3. Bench Dips

3a

32

Place your hands, shoulder-width apart, arms straight, on a bench or sturdy chair that is behind you. Place your heels on another bench in front of you. Lower your body until your elbow is bent 90° and then push yourself back to the starting position.

If you are unable to complete a full dip, you can start by placing your feet on the floor instead of a bench. You can place a weight in your lap to make the exercise more intense.

Amarillo Magazine • amarillomagonline.com • JULY 2009

3b

to your health 4. Sumo Squats Stand with your feet should-width apart and put your upper body into a “chest out, rear out” position (this protects the lower back). Grab a weight and let it hang between your legs and slowly squat down, lowering the weight to the floor. Once your thighs are slightly below parallel, raise yourself back to the starting position.

You can do this exercise without weight to begin with until you are comfortable with the movement. Remember that as you squat down, push your hips backward (like sitting down in a chair) to keep your knees behind your toes.

4a

4b

5. Lunges Grab a pair of dumbbells and stand with your feet shoulderwidth apart. Keeping your upper body straight, step forward, bending your back knee until both knees are at approximately 90°. Return to the starting position by pushing off with your front leg back to the starting position. Repeat with the other leg.

You can also do this exercise without using weights until you are comfortable with the movement. If you have knee issues, you can do a partial lunge.

5a

5b

6. Crunches

6a

Lie on your back, knees bent, feet flat on the floor. Cross your hands over your chest or place them beside your ears. Contract the abdominal muscles (suck your belly button to your spine) and curl your shoulder blades off the floor. Once your shoulder blades are off the floor, return to the starting position.

When you are comfortable with the standard crunch, you can then begin to come all the way up to a full sit-up. You can also add variety by twisting at the top of the movement to work the oblique abdominal muscles.

6b

7. Reverse Crunches

7a

Lie on your back with your hands next to your sides. Contract your abdominal muscles and roll your hips off of the floor, bringing your knees to your nose. Lower yourself back to the starting position and repeat.am Chuck A. Brorman, RN

Chuck has been in the medical field for more than 16 years and has been in the fitness field for more than 10 years. He holds degrees from Amarillo College and West Texas A&M University in both the healthcare and fitness fields. He is currently the Wellness Coordinator and a Personal Trainer at the Amarillo Town Club.

7b

Whitney Bartlett

Whitney has been in the fitness industry for more than 10 years.

She holds many certifications, including AFAA and Les Mills.

She is currently the Director of Group Exercise and the Business Office at the Amarillo Town Club.

JULY 2009 • amarillomagonline.com • Amarillo Magazine

33

to your health

Protect Your Eyes for Life Dr. Randal D. Jentzen

The number one strategy for protection of the eyes is to reduce UV exposure.

34

T

he threat from UV radiation is not only a risk for skin conditions such as premature aging or skin cancer, but is also a risk for damage to your eyes.

Longer life expectancies for people result in greater UV exposure than previous generations, and because the effects are cumulative, it is more important than ever to protect your eyes.

UV radiation affects all the tissues of the eye including the cornea, conjunctiva, lens and retina.

Excessive amounts of sunlight, especially when reflected from snow and water, can cause solar keratoconjunctivitis. This is similar to what welders call “flash burn” and is essentially a severe and painful sunburn of the eyes.

The conjunctiva, the white part of the eye, is vulnerable to excessive sun. The most common

Amarillo Magazine • amarillomagonline.com • JULY 2009

conjunctival condition is pterygium which affects more than 10 percent of people in southern climates and over 20 percent in central Mexico. A pterygium is an elevated, red growth on the conjunctiva that is cosmetically displeasing, causes drying of the eye and may grow onto the eye and distort vision.

When that happens, it must be surgically removed.

Excessive solar exposure of the crystalline lens, located behind the iris, is a risk factor for developing cataracts. Cataracts are the leading cause of blindness worldwide, and cataract surgery is the most commonly performed eye surgery in the United States.

The retinas are at risk, but in the healthy individual, very little exposure occurs as the UV rays pass through the tear layer, cornea and

crystalline lens. However, persons with surgically altered eyes such as LASIK and PRK or degenerative disorders of the cornea have somewhat less UV protection due to a thinner cornea.

The number one strategy for protection of the eyes is to reduce UV exposure. This can partially be accomplished by the use of a hat that shades the eyes. More importantly, the eyes should be protected with lenses that block the harmful rays of the sun from reaching the eyes, lids and the skin around the eyes. This protection should be used by not only adults, but children as well.

Sunglasses do not have to be expensive to protect the eyes, but they must be of adequate quality with a label that states they protect the eyes from UVA and UVB rays. A “one size fits all” approach is not adequate when selecting good eye protection. The type of sun protection varies from person to person and includes people who drive much of the time, construction workers, military personnel, motorcycle enthusiasts, skiers, fishermen, hunters, ranchers, farmers, cyclists and gardeners. Individuals who are outside frequently would benefit from sunglasses that wrap around to protect the sides of the eyes and from reflected light from behind.

Well-fitting sun wear not only protects the eyes from harmful UV rays, but can also enhance vision. Fishermen know that a good set of polarized lenses makes seeing fish in the water a cinch. The new Drive Wear cuts down glare and not only makes vision more comfortable, but also makes the image more vivid and clear. The good news is that these “cool” options are available to people who wear prescription eye glasses.

For the total care and protection of your eyes, we recommend routine comprehensive eye health examinations.

This begins with a child’s first vision screening at 6 months, preschool age and before beginning elementary school.

Adults should be seen at least every one to two years.

Eyewear purchased from a reputable dispensary with professional opticians will assure appropriately selected and properly fitting spectacles and sun wear. We are given one pair of eyes to last a lifetime, and we should never settle for less than the very best in eye care and eye care products. am Dr. Randal D. Jentzen

Randal received his education at Eastern New Mexico University, Northeastern State University College of Optometry and Texas Tech University. He is a fellow in the American Academy of Optometry and is in private practice at EyeCare Plus, LLP.

JULY 2009 • amarillomagonline.com • Amarillo Magazine

35

to your health

Where Patriotism and Nature Meet Susan Thompson

How can we expect kids to learn to love America the Beautiful without connecting with it?

36

T

here’s a new nature trail in the area – and families, especially, are invited to enjoy it.

The Veterans of Foreign Wars Audubon Nature Trail officially opens on July 4th. It’s located at the Canyon VFW on FM 2590 (South Soncy) in Canyon. High Plains dwellers who are accustomed to our vast stretches of open grasslands and rugged canyons may be pleasantly surprised by this little gem of a trail: the half-mile or so path will take walkers into the deep shade of tall trees and along a creek that holds water most of the year.

Amarillo Magazine • amarillomagonline.com • JULY 2009

The trail is the result of collaboration between the Texas Panhandle Audubon Society and the Canyon VFW. The Panhandle Chapter of the Texas Master Naturalists also lent their hand to the effort.

A fair question to ask might be why, in a town so close to the magnificent Palo Duro Canyon State Park, does anyone need this new nature trail? On the way to answering that question, allow me to ask another question. This one is especially for you moms and dads (and grandmas and grandpas, aunts and uncles) with young children in your family.

When you were a kid, did you have a “wildish” place near your home where you could spend time outdoors? Maybe it was just an empty lot where the wildflowers were allowed to grow up a bit or a small pond, a hideout you found in the woods. If you had such a place, then I bet you have a special collection of memories you made there – finding a killdeer nest, watching horny toads, catching fireflies.

Now be honest – do the kids in your life have the same chances you had to make those kinds of memories for themselves?

Chances are the answer is no. Research is accruing that suggests nature-deprived children have the following troubling tendencies: less creativity, shorter attention spans, a decline in social skills, double the childhood obesity rate, and increased likelihood of being prescribed antidepressants.

Traditionally, Americans take great pride in their country, and a significant part of that has to do with love of the land – the actual land – that makes up the United States. How can we expect kids to learn to love America the Beautiful without connecting with it? That connection is built in their own home turf. This new trail can become part of the home turf of a kid or two in your life. It’s a very doable trail that won’t require a large investment of time, unless you want it to. Take the time to visit the Veterans of Foreign Wars Audubon Nature Trail on July 4th and enjoy it for the first time. am For more information about connecting kids with the outdoors, see www.BeOutThere.org Susan Thompson

Susan is a Texas Master Naturalist who lives in Amarillo. Her special interests include horned lizards, hummingbirds, native plants and natural resource conservation.

Order A SUNROOM

by July 31st and Get An Attached PERGOLA for 1/2 PRICE!!

A Local Business Serving Local Customers

3307 I-40 West Amarillo, Texas 806.355.4000

JULY 2009 • amarillomagonline.com • Amarillo Magazine

37

inside outside

A Gem of a Display J

ewelry is one of the most commonly willed items among family members - old wedding rings, heirloom necklaces, and Grandma’s favorite pin she always wore on Easter Sunday. Chances are you have a few pieces, or maybe a drawer full, hiding in your dresser. Instead of leaving all those treasures in dusty boxes, Gayle Frick from the Wild Iris has a better idea.

Follow along as she shows us how to fasten brooches, earrings and necklaces on a wire dress form. Perfect for a mantle or as wardrobe topper, you can remember and honor your mom or grandmother by enjoying her old jewelry every day. am

Display Tips • Lay out the jewelry prior to fastening the pieces on the form.

Try grouping like colors together to create a visually- pleasing pattern.

• Rotate pieces throughout the year to reflect the season or upcoming holiday.

• Set your favorite family photo next to the form to complete the

treasured display.

Gayle Main Frick

A Borger native, Gayle graduated from WTAMU in 1990. She moved to Amarillo in 2005 and opened The Wild Iris in 2008. She and her husband, Mark, have two children and one grandson.

Dr. J. Brian Malone

A Doctor for Your Whole Family Dr. Malone joined our Clinic last summer after finishing his family practice residency at Texas Tech Health Sciences Center. He is a native of Amarillo who enjoys spending time with his family, attending the church he grew up in, reading and playing tennis.

As the newest addition to our family, he’s ready to care for your family.

Please call 359-4701 for an appointment.

Amarillo Family Physicians Clinic, PA �������������������������������359 -4701

JULY 2009 • amarillomagonline.com • Amarillo Magazine

39

inside outside

Backyard Party Prep Warren Reid

S

ummer is a great time to have friends and family over for a backyard barbeque or a family reunion. The heat of July can leave some plantings in ruins or reveal what was planted in the wrong type of conditions and even the wrong part of the country, for that matter.

Amarillo has very uncommon growing conditions when compared to the rest of the country. Even though our average temperature is 68 degrees, we still have quite an unpredictable weather pattern.

(We never get bored, that’s for sure.)

Growing flowers, shrubs, trees or grass isn’t hard, it’s just different here than in other places. Learning these differences is the main ingredient to enjoying your yard and not fighting against it.

The first step is to know that we are in Zone 6 on cold charts with Zone 5b to 7 surrounding the Panhandle area. Heat ranges are another factor to check into as well. For instance, the south or west side (sunny) of your home may be as hot as Phoenix for one day of the summer, and the North or East side (shady) might get as cold as Wyoming for one day in the winter.

These two extremes are where we get our challenges.

Now that summer is in full swing, it’s time to spruce up for backyard parties.

Consider plants that do well in hot weather for your patio pots and table displays.

Flowers that thrive in hot conditions are Moss Rose, Marigolds, Geraniums, Lantana, Salvia, Dew plant and Sweet Potato vine, to name a few. For those of you with shady areas, Impatiens, Begonias, Caladiums and Coleus make great summer time choices.

Adding a tall shrub or a tropical plant to your patio can also add a unique look.

Don’t expect any plants to survive our winters in pots though. Just enjoy them throughout the summer and fall.

Gardening is all about learning. Learn one plant at a time, and remember the mistakes of your past. Enjoy your yard, don’t fight with it. am

40

Amarillo Magazine • amarillomagonline.com • JULY 2009

Warren Reid

Warren’s parents, Jim and Sheila Reid, opened Coulter Gardens in 1979. He has seen many changes in the gardening industry over his 30 years at Coulter Gardens.

Warren’s two children, James and Madalynn, also help out at the Nursery occasionally.

inside outside

For Shady Areas

Plant: Impatiens with Dracaena Spikes

Break up the roots of each plant first. Start with the tallest plant in the middle with the shorter plants flanking it. For shady plants, water every 2-3 days, depending on heat. For an evening party, water in the morning so the plants soak up the water during the day and won’t wilt in the daytime heat.

For Sunny Areas

(at least four hours of sun) Plant: Geraniums, Petunias and Dracaena Spikes

Center a geranium in a round pot and offset a dracaena spike. Fill in with petunias. Plant singles directly, then separate four packs into singles to plant. Add root stimulator, such as Fertilome, and water every other day, or as needed depending on heat. Wait two weeks before fertilizing again to establish plants in the summer heat.

For Full Sun

Plant: Lantana tree with Verbena, Salvia, Cosmos and Cuphea

Start with 8” of potting soil in the bottom of a larger pot. (The bigger the pot, the better so the plant has room to grow.) Add the tree and hold it in place. Fill with potting soil to cover the root ball. Add cluster plants around the trunk to fill in the empty space.

Note: Use potting soil that contains vermiculite, a natural mineral that works as a soil conditioner to hold in more water.

JULY 2009 • amarillomagonline.com • Amarillo Magazine

41

we v amarillo

Why We Love veryone has a story to tell, and the best ones usually involve a twist, a turn in another direction, an unexpected tale that evolves out of another. This town is full of storytellers and not all of them involve a cowboy, a steak, or something else stereotypically Texan. Amarillo is more diverse than you might think, and while people come and go for different reasons, you’ll see a common thread in each story – Amarillo is a great place to live.

Amarillo

by Jennie Treadway-Miller

why we v amarillo

Amanda Love

photo by gray’s studio

n the middle of her cover photo session, Amanda Love wrapped up her story about how she came to Amarillo with one brief statement: “I followed the horses.”

For most of her 27 years, Amanda has loved them. Growing up in a Navy family, her parents always signed her up for riding lessons in an attempt to get her involved in whatever community to which they moved. When other kids played soccer, she rode horses.

“I originally wanted to go to school to be a geophysicist,” says Amanda, Head Coach of the WTAMU Equestrian Team. “But the door closed on that opportunity and one opened at Blackhawk.

As soon as I got into the program, I knew that’s where I needed to be - that horses would be the venue in which I could teach and help others.”

Blackhawk is the junior college in Kewanee, Illinois, where Amanda obtained two associates degrees in Equine Science and Horse Science Technology.

“I knew I didn’t want to give them up in college, so they ended up being the focus of why I went to college,” she jokes.

“Basically, I have four degrees in horses so I could work with people.”

Amanda started at WTAMU in the fall of 2003, graduated two years later with a degree in Agriculture Business and Equine Industries and was the assistant coach of the Equestrian Team.

By fall of 2007, she was hired as the head coach.

“We have all the same resources as the football team, so I have a team of 40 young women who compete from September to May in horsemanship, reining, equitation on the flat and over fences,” says Amanda.

The challenge comes when riders show up to a competition without their own horses. The host university provides all the horses, so riders draw a horse’s name from a hat, set their stirrups and compete. It’s at this point that riding becomes completely different from any other sport. It’s like a golf player showing up at a tournament and using someone else’s clubs.

“Nobody’s going to go to a tournament and get signed by Nike,” says Amanda. “You’re not going to make money off of this. Instead, we focus on life skills, communication skills and critical thinking. They are students first and athletes second.”

Her hard work and passion for the team is paying off.

Currently, the WTAMU Equestrian Team is ranked 5th in the nation, out of 350 schools. Fortunately for them, Amanda has no plans to leave Amarillo.

“I’ve lived here longer than I’ve lived anywhere. I think about moving sometimes when I’ve had other offers, but I have yet to find a good reason to leave. It’s the perfect size town for me,” she says. “I love the atmosphere, the agriculture and the way of life. I love living in a place where my closest neighbor is three miles down the road. Whether you work in cattle or in horses, the people understand why you’re here. They understand how to live off the land.”

why we v amarillo

Jose Garcia hen Meteorologist in Charge, José Garcia, sat down to be interviewed, a crash of thunder roared in his office. Considering the clear skies outside, it could only mean one thing.

“It means I got an email,” he laughs, and appropriately so.

It was in middle school when José became fascinated by the weather and made an early decision to become a meteorologist. Born in San Antonio and raised all over the country, the military brat experienced a wide range of climates. When his father retired from the Air Force and settled in Austin, it was just in time for José to attend the University of Texas and begin his study of meteorology.

“When I graduated the government wasn’t hiring, so I decided I’d go into the Air Force and do the weather for them,” he says. “I was close to going off to officer’s school when the national weather service called and offered me a position in Albuquerque.”

It was 1982 when José began his career as a meteorologist intern with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association. Four years later, he transferred to College Station to begin agricultural forecasting (specifically for farming) and continue his education at Texas A&M. Another three years passed and José, with his wife, Suzanne, moved to Washington D.C. for a two-year position. Finally, in 1991, the Garcia family arrived in Amarillo.

“The weather service is much like the military,” says José. “You move up the career progression and that means moving a lot. I thought we would be in Amarillo for only two or three years, but it’s been 18 years now. I’ve had opportunities to leave, but we‘ve always chosen to stay. And even if we move at some point, this is where we’d like to retire.”

When José was hired as the Warning Coordination Meteorologist in Amarillo, he was one of the first three to hold that position in the weather service across the country. Six weeks into his new job, José was selected to take the vacant spot of Meteorologist in Charge, and he’s held the position ever since.

“We love the weather here. We have all four seasons,” he says. “Even in the summertime, the temperature may rise into the 90s or even above 100, but when that sun goes down, it’s the best place in the world to be. You can sit on your porch, the heat goes away, and you get to see the beautiful sunset.”

As a husband, father to two daughters, choir member at church and weekend United States Soccer Federation referee, José has plenty to keep

him busy. But when the Panhandle weather turns ugly, he quickly returns to the NOAA office off Highway 60. As for the wind, the dryness, and other weather bits that make Amarillo unique, José just laughs when people ask if he could do something about it.

“I always get the blame and never the credit,” he laughs. “The good Lord decides what to do with the weather, and I’m just the messenger boy.”

photo by gray’s studio

why we v amarillo

Pat Mathis itting atop a tall file cabinet in her office, surrounded by pictures of her children and grandchildren, there is a plaque that reads: Life isn’t about waiting for the storm to pass… It’s about learning to dance in the rain. For Pat Mathis, her dance occurs at Opportunity School.

Born in a little town outside Waco, Pat moved to Amarillo in 1965. She was 16 years old when she moved in with her aunt to finish high school. At the time, Amarillo was a town caught in segregation, so as a young African American teenager, Pat couldn’t go to the theater and there were stores in which she couldn’t shop. Even her class textbooks were old hand-medowns from when the other schools in town got new ones.

“All of that has changed,” she says. “Amarillo has grown so much in the past 40 years. It’s my home.”

After graduation, Pat began what would turn into a 40-year career - still going strong - with Opportunity School, where the mission is to help young children, primarily from low-income families, succeed in school and in life. Her children, Vivian and Derek, were part of the inaugural class that started the school in 1969, and because she wasn’t ready to leave them yet, she volunteered in the classroom.

“I liked it so well that I went to the College of Santa Fe in the summer of 1970. They were teaching the Montessori method there,” she recalls. “By the fall, I started teaching.”

Additionally, Pat earned her Child Development Associate

46

Amarillo Magazine • amarillomagonline.com • JULY 2009

Credentials from Amarillo College and went on to teach for the next 33 years, along with doing every other job OS had to offer, until she finally became the director of the central campus in 2003.

“This is all I know. I am so committed,” she says. “I can’t imagine doing anything else. I want these children to be lifelong learners and fit into society.”

Pat comes from a family of 13, all of whom live in Waco. Even when her children graduated from high school, both attended Amarillo College for a few semesters but went on to live in Waco too. Four grandchildren and two great grandchildren later, Pat insists that Amarillo is the place she wants to be.

“My home is here, my church is here… My relatives all want me to come home, but I don’t know if I’ll ever go back,” she laughs. “People ask me why I live here. They say it’s windy, cold and dusty, but I’ve found that I have a lot to do here. There’s just enough social life for me. You never have to worry about traffic jams, and you can be anywhere in 15 minutes.”

It’s just as well that Pat never moves away because her commitment and relationship to the community are strong. She makes it a point to stay connected to as many school families as possible, as well as be involved with civic organizations and keeping to her mission.

“I’ve made a difference in a lot of lives, and I’ve always felt like I had a purpose in this city,” she says. “It‘s my heart.”

photo by gray’s studio

why we v amarillo

Danny Phillips hen Danny Phillips’ parents divorced and moved away from Amarillo, he decided at 15 years old that he wasn’t going to leave. Emancipated and under the wings of his grandparents, he got a job at the parts counter at a Volkswagen dealership and started what would end up being a lifelong career.

“I was an ITC student at Amarillo High,” says Danny, leaning back casually in an office chair next to the parts counter at Danny’s Volks Stuff on 6th. “That stood for Industrial Training Cooperative. I’d go to class in the mornings and then in the afternoons go to work. I worked at the dealership for 15 years, and then I opened up this place.”

One of Danny’s greatest influences in life was his grandfather, C.E. Birkmeyer, who built the building on 6th Street to be a hardware store. When C.E. passed away, Danny’s grandmother went on to rent the building to various businesses until he finally bought it from her to start his own. Thirty years later, Danny’s Volks Stuff remains the only place in town Volkswagen owners can get their vehicles or scooters - which he sells – serviced exclusively by folks who know the brand. As the “only show in town,” Volksspeaking, Danny has a faithful base of customers, including a few he used to wait on at the parts counter 45 years ago.

“This is what I learned to do, and I like it,” he recalls. “I never looked for anything else except one time when I had an itch I had to scratch in 1988.”

That itch turned into his seven-year spell as a nurse.

At 38 years old, married with two boys, Danny enrolled at Amarillo College and subsequently graduated with a nursing and EMT degree. He toyed briefly with the idea of medical school, but that meant selling his Volkswagen shop and moving away from Amarillo. That wasn’t an option.

“I like people. I like helping them, and I wanted to see if I could do something different from working on cars. And I did.”

Danny left nursing, went back to Volks Stuff full time, and the thriving business has since afforded Danny and Margaret, his wife of 35 years, the means to travel extensively. In fact, they just returned from an anniversary cruise to Costa Rica and Belize where the highlight of the trip was zip-lining through a rain forest.

“You know, we do a lot of traveling, especially in recent years, so it’s not like I’ve only been here and don’t know about the rest of the world,” says Danny. “Generally speaking, the people in Amarillo are much nicer than they are anywhere we’ve ever been. I never really considered moving away because wise people told me it would be a mistake. They said it was better to stay in your hometown and plant your feet where you’re at. I took that to heart.

Overall, it’s one of the nicest places to be.”

photo by gray’s studio

JULY 2009 • amarillomagonline.com • Amarillo Magazine

47

why we v amarillo

Cherie Norman hen Cherie Norman was a little girl, her father used to take her and her sister, Courtney, to the Hastings in Amarillo to rent a movie when the girls visited every other weekend. Now, twenty years later, she’s the Advertising Manager for the company and living a life she never imagined.

“Being a small town girl and wishing I were a big city girl, I moved away as fast as I could and drove nine hours to College Station to go to college,” laughs the 26-year-old Dimmitt native. “When I graduated, I planned on moving to Austin or Dallas, or anywhere besides Amarillo.”

Cherie graduated from Texas A&M University with her Masters in 2007, and in the midst of the program, Cherie worked on a consulting project with Hastings, which is when she met her future boss for the first time. He asked if she’d be interested in a job in retail, and Cherie respectfully declined. However, without a job in sight after graduation, she returned to Dimmitt to live with her mother and teach.

“I felt lead to come home, though I never thought that would happen. Here I was being humbled,” she recalls.

“There were three things I said I’d never do: move home, teach and manage a budget. There I was doing two of them.”

Little did Cherie know that the third never-do item would soon be sitting in her lap. An old professor emailed her in May 2007 about an opening at Hastings and Cherie promptly responded. Within the week, Cherie was hired as the Advertising Manager at Hastings, which meant she would be moving to Amarillo and managing the budget for its 153 stores nationwide.

“I immediately thought, ‘I don’t have to drive an hour to church. I can eat where I want and shop where I want. I’m moving to the big city! This is the life!’” she laughs.

Cherie quickly learned that you never know what life is going to bring you. The town she swore she’d never return to has ended up being the exact place she wants to be.

“I think Amarillo is full of surprises,” she says. “I wanted to be cultured. I wanted to learn about arts and entertainment, I wanted to go to museums, and I used to think that only existed in big cities. The truth is, we have all of that here. I don’t think most residents know how vital art is in our culture. There are some very talented people living here.”

Through her work at Hastings, Cherie has been able to play an active role in the things she loves most, whether it be the Museum of Art, the Opera or a program she helped start through the public library, Amarillo Reads.

“People assume there’s nothing here, but if you invest in the community, they invest back,” she says. “You can be blind, or you can be open. It’s your choice to go out and discover, and I have the intention to discover what’s in Amarillo beyond what I perceived it to be.”

48

Amarillo Magazine • amarillomagonline.com • JULY 2009

photo by gray’s studio

why we v amarillo

Bo Salling t was friend of Bo’s who predicted, “You’re gonna move to Amarillo, you’re gonna buy a truck, then you’re gonna meet a girl and be married in the first two years.”

Sure enough, that’s exactly what happened.

“I planned on moving to Amarillo for two years tops, but it’s been 12 years now,” laughs Bo Salling, owner of Crush Wine Bar on Polk Street. “One of the first things I did was buy a truck and then I met Jessica, so he totally called it.”

After graduating high school in San Antonio, Bo moved to Lubbock to attend Texas Tech, where he studied

economics and worked at Caprock Winery as a tour guide.

There, Bo learned about the vineyards, the horticultural side of a winery, and eventually went on to learn about marketing and selling wine. The on-the-job training paid off, and Bo was hired by Glazer’s, a wine distributor based in Dallas.

“I applied with them in hopes of moving to Austin because I had a budding music career in college. Instead they had a job for me in Amarillo, so I moved here in 1997 and worked as a sales rep for all of West Texas. I was the fine wine guy for restaurants in town.”

Fortunately, Bo found a place for both passions – wine and music – in Amarillo. Shortly after moving here, he started playing guitar and singing in local clubs a couple of nights a week and, before long, met a group of guys and formed Bo Salling and the Brakes Are All Gone Band. They toured Texas and put out their first album, Spitshine, in 2000, while Bo maintained his position at Glazer’s. The juggling act went on for several years.

“I talked to my boss about options, about maybe moving to Austin. In the midst of deciding what to do, he offered me a promotion in Amarillo, so stayed here and did the management thing for a while,” says Bo. “I finally decided to quit in 2003, and with my wife’s support, I went forward with music full time.”

Without a music manager however, it was hard for Bo to be both a businessman and musician at the same time. At 30-something, married, with a child on the way, he decided to move on to his long-time wine shop idea.

Bo met with friends and restaurateurs Brian Mason and Brian Singleton and, together, they formulated the plan for Crush, a wine bar, high-end deli and retail shop.

Polk Street presented the perfect location, and the multi-layered business has thrived since opening exactly one year ago. This summer, Bo plans on teaching wine classes for people who are interested in learning the basics.

“One of our goals here is to de-mystify wine. We want to take the snobbery out of it. It’s just grape juice,” he says. “I could talk about wine for days, from grape to glass.”

The European-style of the Crush experience has fit nicely into the Amarillo way of life. They strive to give patrons a place to relax, spread out, and enjoy their meal and wine with ease. It turns out this is the reason Bo has chosen to stay here.

“Amarillo is just an easy, laid back place to be. It’s a safe place to live and a great place to raise my family.

I’m happy with where my business is, and while we’d love to open another one of these in West Texas, it’s important to make sure the wheels are turning here.”

JULY 2009 • amarillomagonline.com • Amarillo Magazine

49

why we v amarillo

You Said It orn and raised in Hereford, taxi driver and roller derby fanatic Kim Monroe moved to Amarillo 15 years ago at a time when she was looking for a fresh start. Amarillo was the closest big city and since her family still lived in Hereford, it enabled her to remain nearby. Living in Amarillo, according to Kim, was worth the move.

“Sometimes I go visit places across the country and I’ll think that it would be nice to live somewhere that’s prettier, because you know we’re so flat here,” she says. “But the people keep you here. That’s what my customers say too, especially people from out of town.

They just always say the people here are so nice.”

Kim remembers a time when she picked up an Australian woman in her cab who was here on Quarter Horse business. Upon entering the cab, the woman told Kim how she’d dropped a bunch of papers outside and was shocked when 15 people came up to help her, saying that the people of Amarillo were so gracious.

“That’s what it’s about here. The people are good to each other. When you need something, you can call a friend.”

I like the things we have to do here like High Noon on the Square. And you don’t have to sit in traffic going from one place to another.

Can’t beat the weather.

The people are friendly. I like that there are actually seasons here.

Josh Watkins

Suzanne Allred

50

Amarillo Magazine • amarillomagonline.com • JULY 2009

I’m originally from Dalhart.

Amarillo has a big city feel, but I still see people I know. It’s a little bit of city life with a little bit of country life.

Lindi Pritchett

I love how diverse it’s becoming.

Downtown has really grown, and it’s become a place where young people can hang out and have a good time.

Caitlin Walker

It’s not too fast here.

The size isn’t overwhelming, but I like that it’s growing too.

Terrance Johnson

why we v amarillo

Jan Munch- Soegaard hen you hear 20-year Amarillo resident Jan MunchSoegaard talk, he doesn’t sound like he’s from around here. That’s because he was born and raised in Oslo, Norway, and moved to the States at 18 years old on a tennis scholarship to Murray State University in Kentucky. After college, he and his new wife, Melisa, returned briefly to Oslo before moving back to the States to Tyler, Texas, where Jan took a job teaching tennis at the Tennis & Swim Club.

“It was so hot and humid there, which is very different from Norway,” says the 51-year-old Parks and Recreation Tennis Director. “Oslo was right on the water and had lots of nature, and Kentucky was like that, too. It was just very humid.”

When the tennis director’s job came up in the late 80’s at Amarillo Parks & Recreation, Jan applied and relocated to the much drier, milder Texas Panhandle. Jan and Melisa gave brief pause to the thought of moving here as there had just been a bad dust storm prior to their visit. However, the two decided to move to Amarillo anyway and have made the city their home with two daughters, Nina and Thea.

“The people are very nice here, even compared to other places in Texas,” he laughs. “Even the athletes are better here.

We love it here. Amarillo’s been good to us.” am

To me, Amarillo is just about the center of everything. It’s just a great place to be.

West McKillup

I like Amarillo because it’s friendly and it seems like you know everyone.

It’s a great place to raise your kids.

Sherry Hanson

It’s a bigger town with a small town feeling.

Charity Cravy

Not too big, not too small.

Wayne Walton

I moved here from Germany because my husband is from here. It’s a very friendly and nice town to live in.

Heike Bowen

JULY 2009 • amarillomagonline.com • Amarillo Magazine

51

inspire

Together Strong Susan Gibson

A

s a touring singer/songwriter, I look for inspiration for songs everywhere. Sometimes it’s eavesdropping on someone’s conversation and filling in the blanks to make a vivid picture.

Sometimes it’s as I’m about to miss my exit off the highway. I realize that I have dilly-dallied for 200 miles, and at crunch time, I panic and have to cross three lanes to make the exit.

Many times I find the muse hanging out in my yard, when I walk through a spider web and think, “Ewwww, gross!” as I wipe the webs out of my face. Then I realize that perspective is everything, and while I’m momentarily inconvenienced by this run-in, I have just ruined the spider’s whole day’s work.

My song, “Together Strong,” is inspired by two trees that are growing along my driveway: an oak and a cedar. Oaks are slow-growing trees that will live for hundreds of years. Cedars, on the other hand, are considered weeds, sucking up the water. Their limbs were crossing and weaving and it was clear that if you had cut either one of the trees down fifty years ago, the other would have done fine, but at this point, if you cut one down, you would lose both trees. It reminded me of couples that you see and think, “I wonder how they got together?”

It reminded me of folks like my grandparents who were married for over 50 years and then died within three months of each other.

That’s commitment. The inspiration for the song was immediate when I saw the trees.

Crafting the song took a trip to Nashville to write with Randy Scruggs and then down to Houston for fine tuning by Jack Saunders. Inspiration is just the first step, and I’m sure glad the muse likes to travel. am

52

Amarillo Magazine • amarillomagonline.com • JULY 2009

Two folks, living together He’s an oak and she’s a cedar Over time, they’ve intertwined She tried to choke him out And now he needs her

They need sun

They need rain

And each other’s help to gain

The strength enough to bend or else they’ll break

They need room enough to grow

And the courage to get too close Alone they won’t last long But together strong Deep roots below the surface It’s the only way they can survive Without the roots the branches are worthless She should have killed him, now she keeps him alive They need sun

They need rain

And each other’s help to gain

The strength enough to bend or else they’ll break

They need room enough to grow

And the courage to get too close Alone they won’t last long But together strong Just like those two trees out in my front yard How did they get this far Thriving in spite of each other Instead of growing apart They had sun

They had rain

And each other’s help to gain

The strength enough to bend or

else they’d break

They had room enough to grow

And the courage to get too close Alone they won’t last long But together strong

Together Strong

Susan Gibson, Randy Scruggs & Jack Saunders

Susan Gibson

Susan, an established singer/songwriter/ musician, wrote the hit song “Wide Open Spaces.” She released her latest album, “New Dog, Old Tricks” in 2008. Check out Susan’s summer tour schedule at susangibson.com

“EXTRA! EXTRA!

READ ALL ABOUT IT!!”

In celebration of the 100th Anniversary of the Amarillo Globe-News, we will journal the life of the newspaper with a special exhibition through September 7, 2009

JULY 2009 • amarillomagonline.com • Amarillo Magazine

53

inspire

How’s Your Vision?

Dr. Jeff Raines

We have received wonderful gifts of liberty, choice and selfdetermination, but are the pursuits of our lives centered on things that are too small?

O

ur family recently received a letter from Emmanuel, a six year old boy in Apac, Uganda.

Apac, a town of 10,000-15,000, looks smaller than it is. As a market center town, the farmers in surrounding villages and fishermen from the Nile come to sell any excess beyond subsistence in Apac’s open air market.

They commute on foot and by bicycle, streaming into town in the mornings along muddy, pot-holed roads, then back in the afternoons. Apac itself has a couple of paved streets lined with rows of shops and stores, and pigs and goats conduct trash cleanup in between. Off the main roads, residents live in thatched roof, mud-walled houses about the size of a smallish American bedroom.

Emmanuel, like too many children in sub-Saharan Africa, is an orphan. He lives with a foster family.

As we read his letter, transcribed by a social worker, I smiled at his response to this question: “If you could visit anywhere, where would it be?”

54

Amarillo Magazine • amarillomagonline.com • JULY 2009

Emmanuel’s response was, “Lira—to see the story buildings.” Lira is another market-center town about thirty miles up the road which is slightly larger than Apac—but not by much. It may have three or four paved roads and a nicer gas station, but a visitor would be hard pressed to see too great a difference.

Evidently, though, Lira has a few two-story buildings which Emmanuel wants to see. As I first read his comment, I had to chuckle. If he wants to see multi-storied buildings, he should aspire to visit Kampala, the capital, with its downtown of 20-30 story buildings. I thought about how Dubai would strike him, with the Burj Dubai—162 stories tall.

I wanted to take Emmanuel to the top of the Empire State Building for the sweeping view of Manhattan. In all honesty, a bit of a judgmental thought struck me. It was something along the lines of, “What a small vision that is.” As I reflected further though, I had to wonder if a lack of vision afflicts most of us.

This month as we celebrate our freedoms, perhaps we should pause to consider how we are using our freedom.

We have received wonderful gifts of liberty, choice and self-determination, but are the pursuits of our lives centered on things that are too small? Are our lives dedicated to the collection of shiny gadgets to keep up with neighbors and acquaintances?

Is our time burned amusing ourselves, consuming entertainment and following the lives of celebrities? Have we limped along in the same well-worn ruts, having lost the purpose of our actions? Are we withdrawing in isolation from those around us? Have we set our sights too low?

It’s quite likely that Emmanuel has never been more than a few miles from his home, so that desire to visit Lira really is a challenging one for him. We have few good excuses, however, when our lives are dedicated to too-small things. We have the freedom to choose, to grow, to learn, to befriend, and to create. We have the example of people around us who have lived expansive, sacrificial lives.

We have neighbors near us to love and to encourage.

The early church leader, Irenaeus, made the comment, “The glory of God is a fully alive human being.” May we exercise our freedoms with our sights set high— wide awake, and fully alive. am Dr. Jeff Raines

Jeff has been the Associate Pastor at First Baptist Church in Amarillo since 1997.

He is married to Darcie, and they have one son, Mark. Jeff is a graduate of Baylor University, Truett Seminary and Princeton Theological Seminary.

JULY 2009 • amarillomagonline.com • Amarillo Magazine

55

inspire

Patsy Ruth Remembers Northwest Texas Weather Dr. Mary Vanek

M

y great-grandmother, Tommie Duffy Dever, lived at 307 S. Tennessee when San Jacinto was the outer edge of Amarillo. My mother, Patsy Ruth, worked as a laboratory technician when I was a kid while my grandmother, Ophelia, worked at AT&T full-time. My great-grandmother babysat me most of the time. In her two-bedroom stucco house framed by purple lilac bushes and silver maples, we spent hours going over photo albums. I must’ve been six years old in the summer of 1960.

We had the dark green leather photo album out—the one with black cardboard paper backing—balanced on our knees. I pointed at a grainy

black-and-white 5 x 7 photo of a thick black wall sweeping toward board and batten houses on the naked prairie.

My great-grandmother told me that it was a “dust tornado” that whacked through Amarillo back in 1935. I’d seen dust storms that turned my Amarillo skies dark yellow to a thick dirty gold, but nothing like that ink-black curtain whipping toward the houses on the flat plains. During those storms, she told me she soaked muslin sheets in cold water and tacked them up over windows then hung wool Army blankets back behind those sheets.

My mother, born with asthma, turned three that year. My greatgrandmother said she covered Mom’s

When the wind howls up there, You’d do well to air out any blankets Gone to must because the weather’s About to shut down most normal Operations. That’s not to say business Can’t be done. It can, but it’ll fail.

Always does when wind pushes ground Into sky so high you lose the horizon.

On the ninth day, you don’t much care why.

Pointing shotguns at a bloody red sky seems The only sane thing to try.

The morning you wake To quiet is almost too much to take. Ears ache Straining to make out what this sodden silence Might mean. Only after mud-wet sheets are down Do you dare to take a full breath in relief.

56

Amarillo Magazine • amarillomagonline.com • JULY 2009

crib with thick, dampened cheesecloth to protect her. My grandmother pulled overtime working the switchboard at the telephone company during those storms.

When I asked my mother about that photograph, she told me she remembered later storms that could turn full-on daylight into deeper midnight dark. Everybody got nervous.

She remembered her first deep breaths after the dirt lay and the sky cleared.

That was sweet, sweet air, easy on her overworked lungs. am Dr. Mary Vanek

Mary has a Ph.D in English and earned her Master of Fine Arts from the University of Montana in Missoula. She has been published in the Bloomsbury Review, Cimarron Review, Blue Mesa Review, CutBank and the Indiana Review, among others.

SUMMER’S HERE.

Enjoy your summer family time in good health. Visit us!

We provide a wide range of medical services to care for you and your family’s health needs.

2203 S. Georgia Wolflin Village 355-1152

1400 Coulter • Amarillo, Texas | For appointments call 354.5600

Tues., Wed., Fri., Sat. • 10 - 6 pm

Thurs. • 10 - 8 pm

JULY 2009 • amarillomagonline.com • Amarillo Magazine

57

color me . . .

sunflower yellow Coleman floating lantern $11.99, Ross Dress for Less

Beach towel $12.50, Old Navy

H

appiness is a vase full of sunflowers, or at least that’s what we’re saying this month when we tell you that this delightful shade of yellow is everywhere. Use it to accent your home, your wardrobe or your man, and let it lift your spirits

Trina makeup bag trio $9.99, TJ Maxx Lilly Pulitzer eau de parfum $48, Dillard’s

Vinyard Vines cap $20, Corbyn’s

58

Amarillo Magazine • amarillomagonline.com • JULY 2009

color me . . .

Zak! designs 4 piece bowl set $32, Copper Bottoms

Vase $99, Charlie’s Furniture

Sharon Young jacket $162, The Secret Place

Jig ‘n Shad $1.29; Wahoo! $.50; S Pro bronzey frog $7.99, Academy Sports + Outdoors

JULY 2009 • amarillomagonline.com • Amarillo Magazine

59

book nook

Non-Fiction

Driving Like Crazy: Thirty Years of Vehicular Hell-bending Celebrating America the Way It’s Supposed to Be – With an Oil Well in Every Backyard, a Cadillac Escalade in Every Carport, and the Chairman of the Federal Reserve Mowing our Lawn

By P.J. O’Rourke Atlantic Monthly Press, 2009

How To

Sneaky Uses for Everyday Things: How to turn a penny into a radio, make a flood alarm with an aspirin, change milk into plastic, extract water and electricity from thin air, turn on a TV with your ring and other amazing feats

Satirist P.J. O’Rourke celebrates cars and berates car haters, chronicling America’s relationship with automobiles with humorous anecdotes and stories told from the front seat.

Driving Like Crazy brings together thirty years of journalistic cornering on two wheels, none of which has been printed before. O’Rourke is the author of 12 books, two of which were #1 New New York York Times Times Best Best Sellers.

Sellers. the author of 12 books, two of which were #1 of which has been printed before. O’Rourke is of journalistic cornering on two wheels, none Driving Like Crazy brings together thirty years anecdotes and stories told from the front seat. relationship with automobiles with humorous berates car haters, chronicling America’s Sports Satirist P.J. O’Rourke celebrates cars and Home & Garden What Were They Thinking? The Brainless Blunders that Changed Sports History

By Kyle Garlett Harper Collins Publishers, 2009

Domino: the Book of Decorating

By Domino editors, Deborah Needleman, Sara Ruffin Costello, and Dara Caponigro Simon & Schuster, Inc./Conde Nast Publications, 2008

By Cy Tymony Andrew McMeel Publishing, 2003

What do you get when you cross MacGyver and the professor from Gilligan’s Island? The answer is author Cy Tymony, a man who can start a fire six different ways without matches.

He gives step-by-step instructions (with diagrams) for almost any out-of-theordinary situation.

60

Amarillo Magazine • amarillomagonline.com • JULY 2009

Sportswriter Kyle Garlett takes readers on an entertaining journey through sports history, trying to understand how and why usually brilliant coaches, managers and players could make such brainless decisions over the years.

This visually inspiring room-by-room guide with easy to follow steps and ideas is sure to motivate each reader to create a home that makes her happy. Each purchase of the book includes a subscription to Domino magazine.

Humor

Tell Me Where it Hurts: A day of humor, healing and hope in my life as an animal surgeon

By Dr. Nick Trout Broadway Books/Doubleday Publishing Group, 2008

Go with Dr. Nick Trout on a 24-hour, journey full of comedy and drama through the world of being an animal surgeon. It all takes place at the premier Angell Animal Medical Center in Boston.

Teens

The Naked Roommate: And 107 Other Issues You Might Run into at College

Exclusive Gated Community

Fifteen Private Addresses on Les’ Street A European setting of wrought iron gates, stone, yard lamps and story book design.

Watch For Our Upcoming Show HomeOpen House

d

By Harlan Cohen Sourcebooks, Inc., 2005, 2007, 2009

Take Harlan Cohen’s advice about roommates, relationships, classes, friends, finances, dorm life, Greek life, and everything that really matters in college. Perfect for graduating seniors, The Naked Roommate is an essential guide for young people heading out into the real world.

We Design We Build

“Amarillo’s Best Kept Secret” Located at Gem Lake Road & Mark Davis Drive North of Tealwood. Call Carol Potts for Lot Sizes and Prices 584 - 3844

Fiction April & Oliver

By Tess Callahan Grand Central Publishing, 2009

This is the story of April and Oliver, two inseparable childhood friends and soul mates whose existences again collide with the sudden death of April’s younger brother.

Young Readers (ages 2-5) Llama, Llama Misses Mama

By Dr. Nick Trout Broadway Books/Doubleday Publishing Group, 2008

For the third time, Anna Dewdney brings to young readers the warmth and charm of a young llama’s relationship with his mama.

It’s his first day of school and, after a few tears, little llama learns that he can love his mama – and school – at the same time.

JULY 2009 • amarillomagonline.com • Amarillo Magazine

61

what’s cooking?

Amarillo’s Top Chefs

by Jennie Treadway-Miller

Do the hardest thing first, the thing that takes the longest, and then go on to the other things.

Alfonso Armstrong

A

lfonso Armstrong and Delvin Wilson met 12 years ago in the Amarillo Country Club kitchen. With similar backgrounds, engaging personalities, and an equal passion for food, the two hit it off and have been bouncing recipes off one another ever since.

In fact, the pair won the last three Restaurant Roundup Top Chef Amarillo competitions, taking the prize in March for a southwestern spice rubbed beef tenderloin on a bed of peppers and mushrooms, with peppercorn and chipotle shrimp.

“We work well together,” says Alfonso. “We feed off each other because we know each other so well.”

Delvin adds, “We talk about it and make it happen.

Just shootin’ from the hip.”

Hailing from Houston, Delvin began his culinary career at age 14, acquired a sous chef position at 16, and became the executive chef of local hot spot Pier 21 at 19 years old. Though his mother, Mary Wilson, played an early role in developing his cooking style, along with a degree in Hotel and Restaurant

62

Amarillo Magazine • amarillomagonline.com • JULY 2009

management, Delvin credits the chefs who took him under their wing and taught him accountability, taking pride in what he cooked, and maintaining consistency in everything he did. In 1997, Delvin and his wife, Sheree, moved to the Texas Panhandle so he could take a position at the Country Club. Twelve years and five children later, Delvin is the executive chef at Park Place Towers.

Fresh with a degree in the culinary arts, Alfonso moved to Amarillo in 1989 when he and his thennew wife, Paula, agreed that this was the place to raise their family. (She is a Tascosa alum, after all.) Alfonso drew from his childhood love of food, when he was nine years old and too short to reach the stove. His mother, Audrey, along with his grandmother, Mama Fanny, taught him, among other things, that the longer you cook something, the more the flavor comes out.

“The more you cook, the less stressful it becomes.

You will overlook details if you don’t time it all right.

You have to be able to multitask. If you can’t, you’re

what’s cooking?

in trouble,” says Alfonso. “Do the hardest thing first, the thing that takes the longest, and then go on to the other things.”

Alfonso has been the executive chef at Physicians Surgical Hospital on Quail Creek for the past six years, as well as freelancing for weddings and special events. Together, the two have been discussing a plan to start a culinary school for teens in Amarillo, a place for budding chefs to gain on-the-job training

and get a leg up before going to college.

“I think every chef, at one point, thinks about running a restaurant” says Delvin.

“But we aren’t big,” Alfonso cuts in, “on taking risks with our families.”

Just as one finishes the other’s sentence, they make a great pair in the kitchen. Consider that a warning to future contestants in Top Chef Amarillo.

We talk about it and make it happen.

Delvin Wilson

JULY 2009 • amarillomagonline.com • Amarillo Magazine

63

what’s cooking?

If you’re feeling inspired to create your own version of Alfonso and Delvin’s winning dish, they have provided a starting point for your new recipe. (We couldn’t expect them to give all their secrets away.)

Beef Tenderloin with Tropical Fruit Pico Place a 1 lb. seasoned tenderloin in a pan on high heat with one tablespoon of oil.

Roll until all sides are brown and crisp.

Transfer to a 350 degree oven to roast for 30 minutes for medium rare. Let rest 1520 minutes before slicing.

Southwest Rub chili powder ground cumin garlic powder salt

Combine equal amounts of all spices in a bowl and season meat at least one hour before cooking.

64

Tropical Fruit Pico in Tequila ¼ cup fresh pineapple 2 strawberries 1 kiwi 1 mango 1 apple ¾ of a purple onion 1 orange chopped cilantro to taste 1 fresh jalapeno (seeds optional) 2 shots of tequila 1 teaspoon of sugar

Dice all the fruit, onion, and jalapeno.

Mix together with the cilantro and add the tequila and sugar. Toss and let marinate in the refrigerator while the tenderloin is cooking.

Amarillo Magazine • amarillomagonline.com • JULY 2009

Roasted Red Potatoes and Asparagus

Toss halved potatoes with salt, pepper, fresh rosemary and butter. Roast at 350 degrees for 45 minutes.

Sauté asparagus on medium-high heat in a teaspoon of butter. After several minutes, add enough water to cover the spears.

Add ½ teaspoon granulated chicken bouillon. Cook until tender.

Flank the meal with a spicy shrimp appetizer and a fresh fruit dessert. am Special thanks to Plug Piehl and Clay Jackson for the gracious use of their new kitchen.

Alfonso Armstrong Favorite family dish:

Gumbo, always. Chicken and dumplings and ribs, too.

Recipe requirement:

I use garlic in almost everything, if I can.

Gadget must-have:

I was raised to use a 10-inch French knife.

Stress reliever:

Listening to Jazz music

Delvin Wilson Favorite family dish:

Good gumbo is hard to beat.

Recipe requirement:

Fresh Herbs. There’s nothing like fresh basil.

Gadget must-have:

My own knives. I even take them on vacation.

Stress reliever:

Ice carving and playing golf

JULY 2009 • amarillomagonline.com • Amarillo Magazine

65

Find That Special Something

beautiful yards start with...

The Secret Gardener landscape contractor

806.373.5900 3,000 sq. ft. of gifts & home decor in a most unique cabin setting.

Lizzie Mae’s Mercantile

I-40 Exit (64) | Soncy, North to Amarillo Blvd. Go West, 1 1/4 mile 806-331-1710 | 10101 Amarillo Blvd. West

Possibilities THE FUTURE OF WOMEN’S HEALTH

Thomas J. Hickman, M.D. • Dudley E. Freeman, M.D. Sarah Bergeron, RNC, WHNP • George Barnett, M.D. • Cullen Hopkins, M.D. Gregory A. May, M.D. 7620 Wallace Blvd. • Amarillo, Tx. 79124 • 806-359-5468

66

Amarillo Magazine • amarillomagonline.com • JULY 2009

201 Westgate ParkWay 355.2955

events FEATURED EVENT

Celebrate the Red, White and Blue Whether a long time family tradition or your first Independence Day in Amarillo, John S. Stiff Memorial Park is the place to be on July 4th.

Presented by the Globe-News and choreographed by KGNC-FM, the fireworks display begins at dark and will light up the Panhandle sky with a continuous brilliant burst of colors.

While this is the 55th year of the display, 2009 brings the 6th annual Fireworks Festival, complete with food vendors, live music that begins at 6 p.m. and a performance by Vic Fontana and the Automatics before and after the fireworks show.

The event is free and families are encouraged to arrive early with lawn chairs and blankets. While food will be available for purchase, coolers without alcohol will be allowed.

THE DETAILS

The fireworks show will begin around 9:45 p.m. John S. Stiff Memorial Park is located at 4800 Bell Street. For additional information, please call 345.3363.

To have an event listed on the calendar, email details to michele.mcaffrey@amarillo.com or fax a press release to 806.345.3282.

View an updated listing of events throughout july at amarillomagonline.com

JULY 2009 • amarillomagonline.com • Amarillo Magazine

67

events July 1

Center City’s High Noon on the Square presents Andy Chase at 12p.m. at the Potter County Courthouse on 5th and Taylor. Lunch will be catered by La Fiesta. 372.6744

“Texas” 8:30p.m. Pioneer Amphitheatre in Palo Duro Canyon.

655.2181 for ticket information.

July 2

Amarillo Dillas vs. Coastal Bend Thunder 7:05p.m. at the Dilla Villa on 3rd and Grand. 342.0400

“Texas” 8:30p.m. Pioneer Amphitheatre in Palo Duro Canyon.

655.2181 for ticket information.

July 3

Amarillo Dillas vs. Coastal Bend Thunder 7:05p.m. at the Dilla Villa on 3rd and Grand. 342.0400

“Texas” 8:30p.m. Pioneer Amphitheatre in Palo Duro Canyon.

655.2181 for ticket information.

“Song of the Eagle” 7:30p.m. Kwahadi Kiva Indian Museum 335.3175 First Friday Art Walk with featured artist Richard Alan Nichols. The Galleries at Sunset 5 to 9p.m.

353.5700. Admission is free.

July 4

Amarillo Dillas vs. Coastal Bend Thunder 7:05p.m. at the Dilla Villa on 3rd and Grand. 342.0400

“Texas” 8:30p.m. Pioneer Amphitheatre in Palo Duro Canyon.

655.2181 for ticket information.

16th annual Amarillo Globe-News Fireworks Festival Food Vendors open at 5:30p.m. The first band begins playing at 6p.m. Vic Fontana and the Automatics start their show

at 8p.m. The fireworks program begins at dark, and Vic Fontana will play after the fireworks. Admission is free. 345.3363

July 5

Amarillo Dillas vs. Coastal Bend Thunder 6:05p.m. at the Dilla Villa on 3rd and Grand. 342.0400

“Texas” 8:30p.m. Pioneer Amphitheatre in Palo Duro Canyon.

655.2181 for ticket information.

July 6

Music in the Gardens at the Botanical Gardens from 7:30-8:30p.m. featuring classical, country, jazz and opera music.

1400 Streit Drive. 352.6513 for ticket information.

July 7

Starlight Theater presents Blue Denim II and Friends country/gospel/ western swing, 7 to 9p.m., Sam Houston Park, Line Avenue and Western Street. Admission is free.

“Texas” 8:30p.m. Pioneer Amphitheatre in Palo Duro Canyon.

655.2181 for ticket information.

July 8

Center City’s High Noon on the Square at 12 p.m. at the Potter County Courthouse on 5th and Taylor.

Lunch will be catered by Mr. Gatti’s.

372.6744

“Texas” 8:30p.m. Pioneer Amphitheatre in Palo Duro Canyon.

655.2181 for ticket information.

July 9

Summer youth musical, “Big River” 7:30p.m., Globe-News Center for the Performing Arts, 500 S. Buchanan.

378.3096 for ticket information.

“Song of the Eagle” 7:30p.m. Kwahadi Kiva Indian Museum 335.3175 “Texas” 8:30p.m. Pioneer Amphitheatre in Palo Duro Canyon.

655.2181 for ticket information.

July 10

Amarillo Dillas vs. Laredo Broncos 7:05p.m. at the Dilla Villa on 3rd and Grand. 342.0400 Summer youth musical, “Big River” 7:30p.m., Globe-News Center for the Performing Arts, 500 S. Buchanan.

378.3096 for ticket information.

“Song of the Eagle” 7:30p.m. Kwahadi Kiva Indian Museum 335.3175 “Texas” 8:30p.m. Pioneer Amphitheatre in Palo Duro Canyon.

655.2181 for ticket information.

July 11

Amarillo Zoo Play Days presents Kool Kats when cool tasty treats are served to the animals. Meet the Keeper at the enrichment activities and learn all about the animals. Enrichment activities are weather permitting. 11 a.m., 1:30p.m. and 3:30p.m. at 2400 N. Polk.

381.7911

Downtown Women’s Center Golf Classic 8 a.m. Presented by Barnes Jewelry. Ross Rogers Wildhorse Course. 372.3625

“Texas” 8:30p.m. Pioneer Amphitheatre in Palo Duro Canyon.

655.2181 for ticket information.

July 12

Summer youth musical, “Big River” 2:30p.m. Globe-News Center for the Performing Arts, 500 S. Buchanan.

378.3096 for ticket information.

“Texas” 8:30p.m. Pioneer Amphitheatre in Palo Duro Canyon.

655.2181 for ticket information.

Dog Show 7:30a.m. to 4:00p.m.

Amarillo Civic Center N. Exhibit Hall B. 378.3096 for ticket information.

Texas Gun & Knife Show 9a.m. to 6p.m. Amarillo Civic Center S. Exhibit Hall. 378.3096

July 13

Amarillo Dillas vs. Laredo Broncos 7:05p.m. at the Dilla Villa on 3rd and Grand. 342.0400 Music in the Gardens at the Botanical Gardens from 7:30 - 8:30 p.m. featuring classical, country, jazz and opera music. 1400 Streit Drive.

352.6513 for ticket information.

July 14

Amarillo Dillas vs. Edinburg Road Runners 7:05 p.m. at the Dilla Villa on 3rd and Grand. 342.0400

Dog Show 7:30a.m. to 4:00p.m.

Amarillo Civic Center N. Exhibit Hall B. 378.3096 for ticket information.

Starlight Theater presents The Average Joe’s country/rock/oldies, 7 to 9p.m., Sam Houston Park, Line Avenue and Western Street.

Admission is free.

Texas Gun & Knife Show 9a.m. to 6p.m. Amarillo Civic Center S. Exhibit Hall. 378.3096

“Texas” 8:30p.m. Pioneer Amphitheatre in Palo Duro Canyon.

655.2181 for ticket information.

Summer youth musical, “Big River” 7:30p.m. Globe-News Center for the Performing Arts, 500 S. Buchanan.

378.3096 for ticket information.

July 15

“Texas” 8:30p.m. Pioneer Amphitheatre in Palo Duro Canyon.

655.2181 for ticket information.

Center City’s High Noon on the Square presents Just 2Guys at 12p.m. at the Potter County Courthouse on 5th and Taylor. Lunch will be catered

by Desperado’s. 372.6744 Amarillo Dillas vs. Edinburg Road Runners 7:05p.m. at the Dilla Villa on 3rd and Grand. 342.0400

FEATURED EVENT

Starlight Theater This outdoor concert series presents local musicians from 7 to 9p.m. every Tuesday night through the end of August in Sam Houston Park, located at Line Avenue and Western Street. The atmosphere is perfect for a picnic dinner, complete with blankets and the family dog. The variety of music is diverse, from country and blue grass to gospel and rock, so there is sure to be something for everyone to enjoy. 378.9391

68

Amarillo Magazine • amarillomagonline.com • JULY 2009

July 16

“Texas” 8:30p.m. Pioneer Amphitheatre in Palo Duro Canyon.

655.2181 for ticket information.

Amarillo Dillas vs. Edinburg Road Runners 7:05p.m. at the Dilla Villa on 3rd and Grand. 342.0400

events Third Thursday Amarillo Museum of Art 6:3 pm – 9:00pm 371.5050 Admission is free.

July 17

“Song of the Eagle” 7:30p.m.

Kwahadi Kiva Indian Museum 335.3175 “Texas” 8:30p.m. Pioneer Amphitheatre in Palo Duro Canyon. 655.2181 for ticket information.

Amarillo Dillas vs. Edinburg Road Runners 7:05p.m. at the Dilla Villa on 3rd and Grand.

342.0400

July 18

Amarillo Zoo Play Days No Carb Protein snacks are served up to our meat eaters. Meet the Keeper at the enrichment activities and learn all about the animals. Enrichment activities are weather permitting. 11 a.m., 1:30p.m. and 3:30p.m. at 2400 N. Polk, 381.7911 Amarillo Dusters vs. Stockton, 7p.m. Summer Texas Luau, ladies night. Amarillo Civic Center Coliseum. 378.3096

“Texas” 8:30p.m. Pioneer Amphitheatre in Palo Duro Canyon. 655.2181 for ticket information.

“Song of the Eagle” 7:30p.m. Kwahadi Kiva Indian Museum 335.3175

July 19

“Texas” 8:30p.m. Pioneer Amphitheatre in Palo Duro Canyon. 655.2181 for ticket information.

July 20

Music in the Gardens at the Botanical Gardens from 7:30 8:30p.m. featuring classical, country, jazz and opera music.

1400 Streit Drive. 352.6513 for ticket information.

July 21

Starlight Theater presents Now & Again bluegrass/gospel, 7 to 9p.m., Sam Houston Park, Line Avenue and Western Street.

Admission is free.

“Texas” 8:30p.m. Pioneer Amphitheatre in Palo Duro Canyon. 655.2181 for ticket information.

July 22

Center City’s High Noon on the Square presents the Lone Star Ballet at 12p.m. at the Potter County Courthouse on 5th and Taylor. Lunch will be catered by Chick-Fil-A. 372.6744

“Texas” 8:30p.m. Pioneer Amphitheatre in Palo Duro Canyon. 655.2181 for ticket information.

“Texas” 8:30p.m. Pioneer Amphitheatre in Palo Duro Canyon. 655.2181 for ticket information.

July 27

Music in the Gardens at the Botanical Gardens from 7:30 8:30p.m. featuring classical, country, jazz and opera music.

1400 Streit Drive. 352.6513 for ticket information.

July 23

Amarillo Dillas vs. San Angelo Colts 7:05 p.m. at the Dilla Villa on 3rd and Grand. 342.0400

“Texas” 8:30p.m. Pioneer Amphitheatre in Palo Duro Canyon. 655.2181 for ticket information.

July 28

Chamber Golf Open 11a.m. Ross Rogers Golf Complex. 373.7800

Amarillo Dillas vs. Laredo Broncos 7:05p.m. at the Dilla Villa on 3rd and Grand. 342.0400

July 24

Amarillo Dillas vs. Laredo Broncos 7:05p.m. at the Dilla Villa on 3rd and Grand. 342.0400

“Texas” 8:30p.m. Pioneer Amphitheatre in Palo Duro Canyon. 655.2181 for ticket information.

July 25

Amarillo Zoo Play Days presents Crunch, Munch, Crunch. Watch as keepers serve up some tasty treats for our animals to munch. Meet the Keeper at the enrichment activities and learn all about the animals.

Enrichment activities are weather permitting. 11a.m., 1:30p.m. and 3:30p.m. at 2400 N. Polk, 381.7911

“Texas” 8:30p.m. Pioneer Amphitheatre in Palo Duro Canyon. 655.2181 for ticket information.

Amarillo Dillas vs. Laredo Broncos 7:05p.m. at the Dilla Villa on 3rd and Grand. 342.0400 Family Support Services Harley Party 4p.m. 10th and Polk.

Street Party with live music, food, beverages, plus chance to win a Harley Davidson motorcycle.

New this year, second chance to win opportunity. 373.7800 for ticket information.

Amarillo Dillas vs. San Angelo Colts 7:05p.m. at the Dilla Villa on 3rd and Grand. 342.0400

“Texas” 8:30p.m. Pioneer Amphitheatre in Palo Duro Canyon 655.2181 for ticket information.

July 29

Starlight Theater presents Just 2 Guys, country/rock, 7 to 9p.m., Sam Houston Park, Line Avenue and Western Street. Admission is free.

Center City’s High Noon on the Square presents Amarillo Opera at 12 p.m. at the Potter County Courthouse on 5th and Taylor.

Lunch will be catered by the Big Texan. 372.6744 Amarillo Dillas vs. San Angelo Colts 7:05p.m. at the Dilla Villa on 3rd and Grand. 342.0400 “Texas” 8:30p.m. Pioneer Amphitheatre in Palo Duro Canyon. 655.2181 for ticket information.

July 30

“Texas” 8:30p.m. Pioneer Amphitheatre in Palo Duro Canyon. 655.2181 for ticket information Amarillo Dillas vs. San Angelo Colts 7:05p.m. at the Dilla Villa on 3rd and Grand. 342.0400

July 31

“Texas” 8:30p.m. Pioneer Amphitheatre in Palo Duro Canyon. 655.2181 for ticket information.

July 26

Amarillo Dillas vs. Laredo Broncos 6:05p.m. at the Dilla Villa on 3rd and Grand. 342.0400 © 2009 Merle Norman Cosmetics, Inc. Merle Norman Cosmetic Studios have been independently owned and operated since 1931.

JULY 2009 • amarillomagonline.com • Amarillo Magazine

69

Beautiful Custom La Paloma Home!

Gorgeous fenced back yard with built-in fireplace makes this private golf club home uniquely suited to any family. Amazing views and tons of room to spread out. Huge 2nd living for entertaining with an attached media room. This home is equipped to accomodate a large family with a possible 5th bedroom on base floor. There are also 5 luxurious baths and a 4 stall garage plus a porticochair.

Seller is eager to make a deal!

Bedrooms: 4 Bathrooms: 5

$839,000

Incredible La Paloma Home!

Absolutely breathtaking views!

Anonymity guaranteed on this property. This home has unimaginable amenities. Central electrical command system, beautiful salt pool with fire pods, cedar lined safe room, granite, built in TV in many rooms. Why build? This home has all you could ever want for. After breathtaking views, insert: 5 bed, 7 bath, 4 stall oversized garage with attached indoor/outdoor kitchen .luxurylivingamarillo.com

$2,199,000

luxurylivingamarillo.com

70

Amarillo Magazine • amarillomagonline.com • JULY 2009

let’s eat!

RESTAURANTS • FOOD • SPIRITS

Macaroni Joe’s Garlic dill halibut with balsamic marinated portabella mushroom, wilted spinach and bacon salad, finished with a lemon buerre blanc Chef Will Owen brings his seafood expertise to Macaroni Joe’s coastal-inspired summer menu. As a Chesapeake Bay native, he combines simple, straightforward ingredients with fresh seafood shipped in twice a week. This halibut dish is the Chef’s Recommendation for July, and because Chef Owen insists on keeping fish the centerpiece, you can be assured a light, healthy meal that leaves you hearing ocean waves in the background.

Pair it with

Dumol Russian River Valley Chardonnay

PRICING GUIDE $ most entrees under $10 $$ most entrees $11 to $20 $$$ most entrees over $21

RESTAURANT KEY Outdoor Dining ☎ Reservations Recommended T Live Music y

c Full Bar C Beer and/or Wine only ^ Best of Amarillo Winner

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 michele.mcaffrey@amarillo.com.

JULY 2009 • amarillomagonline.com • Amarillo Magazine

71

let’s eat FIND YOUR

575 Pizzeria Toppings runneth over at 575 Pizzeria, not to mention the specials that rotate every month.

(Check the board when you walk in.) It’s familyowned and family-friendly, so it’s a great Friday night dinner choice. 2803 Civic Circle 331.3627 575pizzeria.com $$ C T Abuelo’s Mexican Food Embassy The authentic atmosphere and generous portions make for an enjoyable lunch or romantic evening out. If you’re stumped by the delicious menu, try the Enchiladas de Cozumel, three crepes filled with guacamole and topped with bountiful seafood, fresh spinach and roasted peppers. As a rule, always get the queso. 3501 SW 45th 354.8294 abuelos.com $$

^c

all down with their excellent flavored tea. 3440 Bell 358.8871 $ The Big Texan Steak Ranch Everyone knows about the 72-ouncer, but did you know the breakfast buffet is only $8.95? Yes, you read that right. Every morning from 7-11 a.m. you can pile your plate high with pancakes, sausage, and skillet potatoes. Top it off with a trip to the Omelet Bar before leaving completely satisfied.

7701 I-40 East 372.7000 bigtexan.com $$ c ☎ ^ T Blue Sky Blue Sky’s burgers and homemade fries are the perfect companions to a Lone Star Beer or an Oreo shake. Be prepared to share the one-size-feeds-a lot cheese fries. 4201 I-40 West 355.8100 $ C T ^ y

Acapulco Mexican Restaurant & Bar On warm summer nights, enjoy sitting outside while you enjoy a margarita and a traditional Mexican-style shrimp cocktail. 727 S. Polk 373.8889 acapulcomexicanrestaurant.net $$ c T y

Buns Over Texas The burgers are great and made to order. Pile them high with your favorite toppings from their veggie bar. Wet your whistle with some of the best tea in town. 3320 Bell 358.6808 $

Antonio’s Bistro Italiano If it’s authentic Italian food you’re after, drive over to Antonio’s. The tiramisu is made fresh daily, and that’s reason enough to go. Not to mention you can totally reenact the spaghetti scene from Lady & the Tramp with your sweetheart. 2734 Westhaven Village 331.4996 $$ C ☎ T

Café Marizon Enjoy the quaint café atmosphere in a historic building on Polk. Great home cooked taste with consistently tasty specials of the day. Go early so you can have a piece of the homemade pies and cake. 705 S Polk 374.3058 $ y

BL Bistro The intimate, cozy atmosphere creates the ideal date place, not to mention the food is plated perfection. Note: you might want to leave the kids with a sitter. 2203 S Austin 355.7838 blbistro.com $$$

c☎ ^

y

The Back Porch An Amarillo original, this quaint tea room serves up great lunch fare. The Chicken Avocado Sandwich on croissant is the way to go. Get the lunch plate with a cup of cheesy veggie soup and chips. Wash it

Calico County An Amarillo favorite for decades, the home cooked taste keeps people going back for more. You can’t beat the petite cinnamon rolls dripping in butter, the squash casserole and the chicken fried chicken.

Be sure to try their excellent waffles as well. 2410 Paramount 358.7664 $ Carolina’s Wood Fired Italian Despite the small interior, Carolina’s is great for a date or even the whole family. Start your meal off right with their first-rate Caesar salad and garlic bread. You can’t go wrong with any of the authentic pasta entrees. 2916 Wolflin Avenue 358.2099 $$ C

DINING SPOTLIGHT

Green Chile Willy’s

376-4792 • 4320 Lake Front Lane 45th & Coulter Showroom Hours Mon. - Fri. 8am.-5:30pm.

Sat. 10am.-2pm.

FREE Estimates! • Professional Installation Available!

72

Amarillo Magazine • amarillomagonline.com • JULY 2009

The chicken fried steak at Green Chile Willy’s is a trademark dish of the Amarillo area. The secret is in careful preparation. They carefully hand-bread each piece of fresh beef for a mouthwatering experience.

Top it off with a helping of banana pudding, and you’ll imagine you’re sitting around grandma’s table. Green Chile Willy’s is also the place to get a great burger, whether it be beef or buffalo, topped with raspberry chipotle, creamed blue cheese, or, obviously, green chilies. Try the weekday lunch special, an 8 oz. sirloin steak for only $9.99. Open Tuesday-Saturday 11-9. The truly Texan GCW is only a quick jaunt down I-27, nestled between exits 112 and 113. 13651 Interstate 27, 622.2200, greenchilewillys.com $$ ^

Country Barn The Country Barn serves up more than the expected steaks and BBQ. Home of the ultra tender Bonsmara beef, their steaks are sliced up and cooked fresh daily and served in an authentically western atmosphere. 8200 I-40 West 335.2325 countrybarnsteakhouse.com $$ c Coyote Bluff Café Don’t let the outside fool you. This is seriously good food. The full pound, green chili cheese burger is Southwest divine (add jalapenos for extra zip). Cool off with an ice cold beer. 2417 S Grand 373.4640 coyotebluffcafe.com $ C Crush Wine Bar & Deli Have you always wished for your very own Cheers?

A place where everybody knows your name? Forget the beer and peanuts, Crush Wine Bar & Deli has that beat by a mile. Not sure how to choose from the extensive wine list? No worries, they’ll school you on their favorites, and you can try a smaller pour just to be sure. Be sure to try the excellent tapas, sandwiches and desserts, 701 S Polk 418.2011 crushdeli.com $$ c y David’s Steakhouse The elegant renovations have even carried over to the revamped menu. New and improved is great, but David’s signature marinated filet is outstanding.

For die hard Seafood Galley fans, you can still get their yummy fish and chips. 727 S. Polk 373.8889 davidssteaks.com $$ c ☎ Eat-Rite The food at Eat-Rite isn’t just good for you, it’s delicious as well. Feast on the organic salad bar or choose from a variety of tasty sandwiches. 2441 I-40 West 353.7476 eat-rite.com $ Eddie’s Napolis As one of our favorite spots for outdoor dining, Napoli’s created an oasis away from Amarillo that cannot be missed. Indulge yourself in the garlic rolls while you browse the ample menu. We gently nudge you towards the Amarillo Special or a personalized New York Style Pizza. 700 S Taylor 373.0927 napolisonline.com $$ c ☎ T y El Tejavan Their Ceviche makes for a great starter or a light meal. For authentic taste, try the soft corn tortilla chicken tacos. 3801 I-40 East / 372.5250, 3420 I-40 West / 354.2444 $$ c English Field House Restaurant Visit a piece of Amarillo history at the English Field House. Named for Amarillo’s first air field, the restaurant offers great cooked fresh café food. Take the family for Sunday breakfast. It’s worth the drive.

10610 American Drive 335.2996 $ Golden Light Café The Golden Light has been in business since 1947, all in the same location. For a great burger and fries, this is the place to go. 2908 SW 6th 374.9237 goldenlightcafe.com $$ C T Hoffbrau Steakhouse Family-owned Hoffbrau’s has been serving Texas-style steaks and beer for three decades. We

JULY 2009 • amarillomagonline.com • Amarillo Magazine

73

let’s eat recommend one of their Gr8 Steaks or something from their Hill Country Favorites list upon your first visit. Guaranteed, you’ll go back again. 7203 I-40 West 358.6595 hoffbrausteaks.com $$ c

milestones, Joe’s offers excellent service and an exquisite food and wine menu. They’re at the top of our list. 1619 S Kentucky, Suite 1500 358.8990 macaronijoes.com $$-$$$ ^ ☎ C y

Joe Taco Great atmosphere and a variety of southwest favorites make Joe Taco a great place to sit and relax. Especially while enjoying one of their signature margaritas out on the patio. 7312 Wallace Blvd. 331.8226 joetaco.net $$ C ☎ T y

Malcom’s Ice Cream & Food Temptations Malcom’s offers the ultimate in classic soda fountain food: burgers, sandwiches, and salads - everything’s good. Be sure you save room for dessert. Better yet, start with a treat. After all, it’s the most important part of the meal at Malcom’s.

2100 Paramount 355.3892 $

K - N Root Beer K - N celebrated their 40th anniversary last year. If you’ve tried their yummy burgers and floats, then you know why they’ve been a success for so many years. The K-N Special, a double meat, double cheese burger melts in your mouth. There’s nothing like the old fashioned icy mug of root beer! 3900 Olsen 355.4391 $ Kabuki Romanza 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 353.4242 kabukiromanza.com $$-$$$ ^ C La Fiesta Grande Authentic taste and a lively atmosphere make La Fiesta a great place to take the whole family. From nachos to barbacoa, there’s something for every taste. 2200 Ross / 374.3689, 7415 SW 45th / 352.1330 lafiestagrande.com $$ C Las Brisas Las Brisas is the perfect place to unwind at the end of a hectic work week. Relax with friends, a great glass of merlot and a juicy steak served on sizzling butter. Heck, who needs to wait for the weekend?

3311 Olsen 331.2800 lasbrisassouthweststeakhouse.com $$ c ☎ y Macaroni Joe’s Macaroni Joe’s isn’t just a place to eat a great meal.

The Tuscan inspired rooms are the ideal place for creating memories. Whether for a first date, the start of a new life together, or celebrating important

OHMS Café & Bar Set in downtown Amarillo, OHMS serves lunch buffet style and dinner in style. The chefs feature specials each week that range from seafood to smoked duck to grilled beef tenderloin. Excellent cuisine and service make this a delightful place to linger. 619 S Tyler 373.3233 ohmscafe.com $$$ ☎ T C

Pacific Rim The Pacific Rim offers a variety of Asian Fusion cuisine in a unique setting. One of the best things about this place is the greeting you’ll get from Andy when you walk in. But let’s talk food. Their lettuce wraps are outstanding. In fact, everything is good.

They even offer speedy delivery. 2061 Paramount 353.9179 pacificrimam.com $ C The Plaza The many loyal customers of the Plaza can attest to the great food and affordable prices. The laid back atmosphere is great for a family night out. 2400 3415 Bell 358.4897 $ c Roosters Espresso Café Roosters offers more than just a good Cup of Joe. Stop in and plan on staying for a hot breakfast pastry or one of their delicious lunch specialties.

It’s the perfect place to relax with your friends for lunch. 3440 Bell 353.7309 $ y Ruby Tequila’s Mexican Kitchen Ruby’s is Tex-Mex at its best. Fajita burritos, crispy tacos, stuffed poblanos, and savory meats off the grill are just a short list of what they offer. Enjoy the vibrant atmosphere with a margarita in hand. 2001

DINING SPOTLIGHT

Barnaby’s Beanry Barnaby’s Beanery is celebrating 39 years as a 6th Street staple. Their cornbread cheeseburger is only part of the reason for their long-lasting success. Mix it up at Barnaby’s Beanery with homemade favorites like a steaming bowl of chili or fruit cobbler (we recommend the blackberry). Now open Tuesday-Saturday 11-8, they offer beer specials on Friday and Saturday evenings including $1 domestic and $1.25 premium beer. 3811 6th Street, 358.6998 $ 74

Amarillo Magazine • amarillomagonline.com • JULY 2009

S Georgia / 358.7829, 3616 Soncy rubytequilas.com $$

c☎ T

y

Sakura Choose from an extensive sushi menu that includes Nigiri style, cut rolls, special rolls, spicy rolls, sushi salads and for the beef lover, Texas sushi. At Sakura, be ready to be entertained by the chefs who prepare your meal at the table. We wholeheartedly recommend the swordfish. 4000 Soncy 358.8148 sakuraamarillo.com $$-$$$ c Scott’s Oyster Bar If you are a fresh oyster connoisseur, Scott’s is the place for you. Even though it’s a little on the small side, the outdoor dining is a great place to hang out and enjoy a great Amarillo evening. 4150 Paramount 354.9110 $$ C y Stockyard Café Experience the western heritage of Amarillo at the Stockyard Café. They serve up excellent steaks that will surely satisfy your beef cravings. Plus, the Stockyard also offers a hearty breakfast every day starting at 6 a.m. 101 S Manhattan 342.9411 $$ C Texas Firehouse Sports Bar & Grill More grill than bar, Texas Firehouse offers everything from a delicious fried green bean appetizer to steaks, all in a family friendly smokefree environment. Watch all your favorite sporting events while you eat. 3333 S Coulter 351.1800 $-$$ C Village Bakery & Café The Village offers a large selection of handmade European pastries and breads to complement their fresh gourmet style breakfasts, lunches and dinners. The casual bistro setting makes it perfect place for a special lunch date. 2606 Wolflin Village 358.1358 villagebakerycafe.com $ ^ y Vince’s Pizza Vince’s calzones are some of the best we’ve had.

He also offers wonderful Greek salads, gyros and a huge family sized pizza. The quirky atmosphere will make you feel like you’re in Little Italy. 2413 S Western 352.2656 $ Ye Old Pancake Station With breakfast this good, you’ll be glad to know that the Pancake Station serves it all day long. They also offer great café style meals. We recommend the huge omelets and fresh pancakes. 2800 Virginia Circle 355.0211 $ Young Sushi The friendly greeting you’ll receive when you walk into Young’s is your first clue that 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, they also offer authentic Thai cuisine. 2800 Virginia Circle 355.0211 $$ C Zen 721 Zen features Asian-American cuisine with a Japanese influence. The cozy atmosphere makes it a great place for a date night. The chef keeps things fresh with new nightly specials and excellent presentation for each dish. It’s a truly unique venue.

616 S Polk 372.1909 zen721.com $$ c ☎ T

Fiesta Favorites...

2600 Wolflin Square 806.359.9469

JULY 2009 • amarillomagonline.com • Amarillo Magazine

75

history 101 JULY

20

01, 1941

NBC airs first commercial. Thank you, DVR, for fixing that problem for us.

17, 1955

02, 1964

18, 1936

Disneyland opens in Anaheim, California. Who says dreams don’t come true?

Lyndon B. Johnson signs the Civil Rights Act. Let Freedom ring.

MGM screens a sneak preview of The Wizard of Oz, which was released the following month.

03, 1929

Col. and Mrs. Charles A. Lindbergh landed at the Amarillo municipal airport for a 30 minute stay.

19, 1918

Amarillo citizens found out that they would be fined $1 to $100 by the city if they did not keep their weeds trimmed.

04, 1776

The U.S. declares independence from England. Yet, we’re still obsessed with British royalty.

20, 1969

05, 1946

21, 1967

French designer Louis Reard introduces the first bikini at a swimming pool in Paris. As if we didn’t have enough to be selfconscience about.

11

Neil Armstrong becomes the first human to walk on the moon.

30

06, 1976

Women are inducted in the U.S. Naval Academy. And we’ve been steering ships ever since.

07, 1925

The Amarillo Daily News was 5 cents

24, 1913

Construction plans for the new St. Mary’s Academy started with an expected finish date of January 1, 1914.

Kevin Bacon is born. Soon after, so was the Six Degrees of Separation game.

09, 1877

25, 1928

Cattle sales reached the highest level in history when 4,200 two-year-old steers were sold at $87.50. The trade involved more than $367,000.

The Wimbledon tournament begins.

They probably didn’t predict Andre Agassi’s mullet would be more famous than his tennis game.

10,1965

08

11, 1914

Babe Ruth makes his Major League Baseball debut. The Sultan of Swing, The King of Crash, The Great Bambino and the official king of nicknames.

28, 1868

The 14th Amendment is adopted to the U.S. Constitution guaranteeing African Americans citizenship.

13, 1911

The population of Amarillo, including suburbs, was approximately 15,000.

29, 1981 30, 1932

14, 2003

Hurricane Claudette crashes into the Texan coast with 90 mph winds.

Catcher in the Rye is published. Long live Holden Caulfield.

76

Amarillo Magazine • amarillomagonline.com • JULY 2009

Prince Charles married Lady Diana.

Walt Disney releases his first cartoon in color.

15, 1927 16, 1951

The U.S. Postal Service is created with Benjamin Franklin as our first postmaster general.

The House of Representatives begins the impeachment process of Richard Nixon. “I am not a crook.”

Northern Exposure debuts.

Subsequently, so did our crush on John Corbett.

29

26, 1775 27, 1974

12, 1990

An Amarillo man was in jail for allegedly selling home brew at his hamburger stand. So much for a burger and a beer...

P.O.W. Army Private Jessica Lynch gets welcomed home a hero.

The U.S. Women’s Gymnastics team, known at the Magnificent Seven, win the gold at the Summer Olympics in Atlanta.

08, 1958

16

22, 2003 23, 1996

per copy.

The Rolling Stones single Satisfaction tops the Billboards chart. I can’t get none.

Basil Rathbone, known for his reoccurring role as Sherlock Holmes, dies.

05

31, 1929

Santa Fe Railroad advertised round trip tickets to Kansas City for $22.00 and to St. Louis for $31.75.

JULY 2009 • amarillomagonline.com • Amarillo Magazine

77

spotlight

Jodi Thomas

The greatest piece of advice I’ve ever received is… Put feet to your dreams. If you don’t work at a dream, it’s just that: a dream. But if you work toward it just a little everyday, it becomes reality.

Jodi Thomas grew up in Amarillo and attended Sunrise Elementary, Bowie Junior High, Caprock High School, Amarillo College and Texas Tech. While her husband was in the army, she taught first at Bowie, then Fannin and finally at Amarillo High School for 15 years.

When my children grow up, the one thing I want them to always remember is… In life, be in the game, not on the sidelines. Ask God for opportunities, not things.

Stories have always been a part of Jodi’s life. She moved into writing slowly, first with short stories and articles. Then a book idea came to her, and she started writing a few hours a week. Soon, fiction took over, and she was reading everything she could find on writing.

You may be surprised to know that I… Have no sense of direction. To me, north and south are sides of the Civil War and left and right only work if I have my ring on.

In 1987, she sold her first book. In 2009, she’s just finished her 30th novel. Eight have been New York Times bestsellers; three have won RWA RITAs for best book of the year.

Two of Jodi’s latest books are also finalists in the National Reader’s Choice Awards. She writes two books a year and serves as Writer in Residence at WTAMU. Jodi also founded and teaches at the WTAMU Writing Academy on campus every year in June.

Read more about Jodi at www.jodithomas.com.

My guilty pleasure is… Once a month, I go by the Donut Stop and have one chocolate cake donut. Once, the woman put two in the bag, and I was in heaven. Of course I rationalize that, with a Diet Coke, it cuts the calories.

I know every word to the song… From the movie Pillow Talk.

My favorite meal to make from scratch is… Chicken fried steak because when I make it, there are always extra people to dinner.

After a long, hard day, I love to… Water my flowers or take a walk through the neighborhood with my husband.

If I were a character in a book, I would be… That’s a hard one. I’m already lots characters in my books. Every one is a part of me.

78

New York Times and USA Today best selling author

Amarillo Magazine • amarillomagonline.com • JULY 2009

The thing I love the most about living in Amarillo is…The people. I think we have the best people in the world here. I grew up here and sometimes I think if I live here much longer, I’ll know everyone in town.

The most unique place I’ve ever traveled to is... I travel a lot, from walking on a glacier in Alaska to being lost on the back streets of London. History comes alive for me when I walk in Tombstone or stand beneath the Spirit of St. Louis at the Smithsonian.

local exposure Michael Norris/Amarillo Globe-News

Polk Street at Night Closed in the mid-70s, the

Paramount Theater on the corner of Polk Street and Ninth represents a piece of nostalgia for many Amarillo residents since it was the premier first-run theater in town for over 40 years. As part of the ongoing downtown revitalization project through Center City and the Amarillo Historical Preservation Foundation, the Paramount sign was given a facelift two years ago through their “Buy a Bulb” fundraiser. 850 light bulbs later, the landmark lights up the Amarillo skyline each night, bringing back old memories for some and creating new ones for others.

To submit photographs for consideration on our Local Exposure page, contact us at amarillomagonline.com.

JULY 2009 • amarillomagonline.com • Amarillo Magazine

79

retro rewind

R

emember getting up before the sun on Saturday mornings to throw in a few fishing lines with Dad or spending a warm, lazy afternoon in the grass dozing between bites? Fishing is a favorite summer pastime and these photos remind us of how simple life used to be when all a boy worried about was which worm to use on the end of his hook. Enjoy the nostalgia of summers past and tell us if you see someone you know on this page.

80

Amarillo Magazine • amarillomagonline.com • JULY 2009

Celebrate Your Independence.

W

W

W

W W

2009 Chevy Silverado

W

W

W W

2009 Cadillac Escalade Hybrid

W

W

W

W W

W 2009 Chevy Tahoe

Westgate Chevrolet Introducing Amarillo’s New Home for fo Sales & Service!

I-40 & Coulter (across from Westgate Mall) 806-356-5600