Lubbock Magazine | September 2020

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Contents

SEPTEMBER 2020

On the Cover

12 THE ART OF RESILIENCE State of the Arts 2020

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Features

18

THE KIDS ARE ALL RIGHT

How Lubbock’s legendary Caldwell Kids are coping with crisis

22 WILD WEST TEXAS

A local photographer finds her true calling

18

25 A BUZZWORTHY PURSUIT

Beekeeping has become a popular do-ityourself movement.

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Sections

HOME

How to create an eye-catching gallery wall

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CONTRIBUTORS/ONLINE..............3 HOME...........................................8 EAT DRINK..................................29 CALENDAR OF EVENTS............... 35 YESTERYEAR..............................36

Contributors

JONATHAN BAKER

JASON BOYETT

SYLVIA JENNINGS

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

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

Visit heyamarillo.com and jasonboyett.com.

A Lubbock native and former state trooper, Sylvia has been a photographer for more than 30 years. Her work ranges from editorial to portraiture. Learn more at sjphotography-sylviajennings.com.

Writer

Writer

Photographer

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From T H E Editor

Regional Director of Specialty Products/Editor Michele McAffrey 806.345.3256 mmcaffrey@lubbockonline.com Regional Designer Kayla Morris Contributing Photographer Sylvia Jennings Contributing Writers Jonathan Baker Jason Boyett

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W

e love our friends in the arts! We have long been committed to supporting local performers and artists in our pages, and to being a steady source of information about the arts in our area.

As we looked forward to September, we were concerned about how we’d pursue our annual arts issue. With all the cancellations and postponements in the event world, we wondered if we should publish as usual or push an arts focus to next spring. But we couldn’t let the customary launch of the 2020-2021 arts season go by without celebrating our creative local arts entities. They’ve continued to inspire us throughout the pandemic in spite of strained (or nonexistent) budgets, dark stages, and closed galleries.

This issue doesn’t follow our usual format of serving as a preview of the upcoming arts season; rather, it’s a way for us to offer our thanks to our friends in the arts for continuing to create, lift our spirits, share their gifts, and entertain us through the long, long days of lockdown. Our aim was twofold: first, to help readers see the crisis through the lens of local creatives, and second, to shed light on their ability to tackle the unforeseen challenges of COVID-19. We salute them!

Another local group that has certainly missed the stage – and we’ve missing see them – is the Caldwell Kids. Learn more about their very talented performers in our feature on page 18. Undeterred by COVID, the Caldwell Group continues to train the city’s future stars.

Are you afraid of bees? Members of the local Caprock Beekeepers Association help explain why you shouldn’t be in our informative feature, “A Buzzworthy Pursuit,” on page 25. I have always been fascinated by these industrious insects, and enjoy watching them work their way through our lavender each summer.

We look forward to a lifting of local restrictions, and vow to never again take for granted the ability to enjoy a live concert, play, musical or exhibit in the company of kindred art lovers. And when the city once again fully reopens, you’ll find our official arts preview on the stands, and see us out supporting the people who continually brighten our horizons and challenge our perspectives.

Michele McAffrey | Editor

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Hit the Wall How to create an eye-catching gallery wall

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he internet loves a crisp, colorful gallery wall. So do Lubbock residents. Whether it’s a collection of family photos, a curated gathering of paintings and drawings, or a chaotic arrangement of art, photography and three-dimensional objects, there’s something about a gallery wall that captures attention in a home or office.

That’s one reason why they’re so popular right now. Gallery walls are a creative way to fill an open space with color and interest. They’re ideal for showing off your personality and what you love.

But they can also be intimidating. What should you include in your wall? What are the rules? How do you even begin?

For those answers, we turned to Carla Spahr, owner/operator of Timeless Custom Frames & Art Gallery at 3501 50th St. A certified master framer, Spahr is an artist who has been framing for two decades and opened her business in 2015. “It’s

basically a one-woman operation – a woman-owned business,” she says. Unlike big-box supply stores like Hobby Lobby or Michael’s, Spahr doesn’t just order her frames “pre-chopped” from her suppliers, but does all the cutting and framing on site. Her craft is closer to wood-working and furniture-making than anything else.

Spahr has framed artwork and diplomas, created custom gun and sword cases, and helped her customers preserve their most precious family heirlooms. “I’m certified in framing and try to keep up with continuing education in preservation, like how to handle artifacts and [delicate] materials. Most of my clientele bring in things they want to pass down for generations,” she says.

Between customers one weekday morning at Timeless Custom Frames, Spahr offered us these tips on creating a gallery wall.

Collect and consider all your pieces. Obviously this depends on your personality, but be strategic about what you want to include. Some choose to use only photographs on a gallery wall. Others prefer a mixedmedia approach, with paintings, prints, drawings and more. Let the wall reflect your passions and interests. If your collection is in its beginning stages, Spahr says, consider sourcing art from a consignment shop.

Better yet, buy from a local artist. “Mix it up with etchings, drawings, paintings and color,” she says.

A room with sleek, modern decor may benefit from matching frames – like fixing every piece of artwork with a white matte and black frame.

Homeowners with a more rustic style may want to experiment with different frames and colors.

Sketch it out. Before you just start putting holes in your wall, plan ahead. “What is very helpful is to measure [the perimeter] of each piece, then get a scratch piece of paper and draw the shape of each piece,” she says. “Get a concept of what you’re going to put on the wall.”

Start big. “The least time-consuming method is to start with the biggest piece you have and work around that piece,” says Spahr, who compares the process to assembling a puzzle. “One good rule of thumb is to put [the large piece] over a couch, with the bottom of the frame 52 inches from the floor.” Arrange the other pieces around that central point, trying to maintain a similar margin between each perimeter. “Use the same space between where the pictures are, top to bottom and left to right. That will help give you a better alignment.”

If it helps, use painter’s tape to mark the potential positioning of an artwork before actually mounting it to the wall.

Keep it organic. While some gallery walls adhere to a tight grid, Spahr prefers a less rigid arrangement. “You want it to appear natural. I don’t want the tops to all align. Keep it balanced and use patience [when arranging the pieces].” If your wall includes multiple colors, take care to spread those out. For instance, you don’t want all your predominantly blue paintings to cluster in one corner.

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Think in groups. Few things in nature are all the same size, so an organic look also includes size diversity. A collection of small 5- by 7-inch frames can carry the same visual weight as a larger piece of art, so look for opportunities to inject a variety of art or photograph sizes into your gallery wall.

Consider lighting. Not many collectors will have the resources to recreate museum-quality lighting on a gallery wall, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t pay attention to how your wall is lit. “Track lighting would be ideal,” says Spahr. While track lighting is much less expensive these days than it once was, she recognizes that it may not fit within every budget. “If you can’t afford to do track lighting, a floor lamp that can angle toward [the wall] works sufficiently as well.

There are plenty of different options.”

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Protect your art. Framers like Spahr can put valuable art behind antireflective, museum-quality glass that protects it against harmful UV rays, which can degrade art and photography. “If there’s a wall that’s going to be in a very highly lit room, it’s definitely advisable to use a good UV glass,” she says. Archival paintings can also be protected by a museum-quality UV varnish, though generally that needs to be applied by an expert. “Don’t put anything over 50 years old on a gallery wall unless it has a protective varnish,” she says.

Once you’ve collected, arranged, hung and cared for your wall, sit back and enjoy it. But don’t consider it finished. The possibilities of a well-curated gallery wall are endless, and with enough space your wall can continue to evolve as your collection grows. L

How to Start Collecting Art

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n 2012, a former U.S. Postal Service employee named Herbert Vogel died in a nursing home in Manhattan. He never finished high school and never earned more than $23,000 a year. But he amassed one of the most important art collections in the United States.

Herb and his wife, Dorothy, left behind a literally priceless collection of more than 2,400 works of 20th-century art. Today, paintings belonging to the Vogels’ collection hang in more than 50 art museums, including the National Gallery.

How did they do it? As a mail carrier, Vogel delivered to neighborhoods where many up-and-coming artists lived, and as he built relationships with them, he began using any extra income to buy their unknown early works. Eventually the Vogels’ tiny apartment included drawings by Richard Tuttle, sculptures from Steve Keister and a collage made by Christo.

“They had a fortune in an art collection, but all they did was start collecting,” says Linda Cullum, curator at the Louise Hopkins Underwood Center for the Arts (LHUCA). We asked her and LHUCA Executive Director Lindsey Maestri for advice on starting an art collection.

Develop your aesthetic sensibility. Go to galleries. Attend art shows. Follow artists on Instagram. This helps you begin to determine what kind of art you enjoy. Like any hobby, it takes time to become comfortable doing something new. “That’s how you start developing your taste in art in general,” says Maestri. “You figure out ‘that appeals to me’ or ‘that doesn’t really appeal to me.’” Art is subjective and your opinion definitely matters. “Use your own taste to determine what’s good and what’s bad,” she says.

Pursue art you like. “A lot of people are intimidated [by collecting art] because there are lots of choices out there,” Maestri says. When it comes to your personal collection, don’t let the voices of art critics carry too much influence. “Don’t worry about whether so-and-so thinks it’s a good piece or a bad piece,” says the LHUCA executive director.

Instead, focus on whether a piece of art makes you happy.

“It’s just like anything in fashion or the books you read,” adds Cullum.

“Do aesthetically what you want to do in your home. If you see something you like and it happens to match your couch, go for it. When you get a new couch, you’re still going to love that artwork.”

Set a budget and start small. Don’t feel like you have to shell out thousands of dollars on your first piece of art, and don’t worry about trying to identify art that will increase in value. “Just spend a little on your first piece,” Cullum says. Start a collection of work you can afford.

There are multiple avenues to discover artwork. Reputable galleries can connect you to artists they represent – especially emerging artists – and help you work within your budget. But other artists work outside the gallery system and sometimes sell directly to collectors via Instagram or other online platforms.

“Do be mindful that you’re not overstepping a gallery,” says Maestri.

Sometimes artists prefer to sell through a gallery, but occasionally a gallery will forge a connection and then step out of the way.

Consider limited prints. If an original painting lies outside your budget, one option might be to purchase a print – especially those offered in a limited release. “These are less costly up front but there are only so many out in the world,” says Maestri. For instance, a photographer or painter might sell 50 prints of an image. Some collectors want to have the lowest numbers in a limited release. Others might try to purchase a specific number, like number 12 in every series.

Cullum once worked with a couple who had accumulated one of Lubbock’s largest collections of art, and they insisted that the very first print the husband and wife bought together be used in the exhibit. “It was very important to her. Being that first piece of art does make it special and people really do remember that,” says the curator.

Think beyond your walls. Don’t forget: There’s more to artwork than paintings, drawings or photography. “Handmade ceramics are a great place to start collecting, too,” Maestri says. “It doesn’t have to be a huge painting. A ceramic artist might make 20 mugs, but that’s a handmade collectible you can enjoy every day. They’re still an individual artwork in your home.”

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COVER STORY

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State of the Arts 2020

By Jonathan Baker

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here’s an old saying: When the going gets tough, the tough get organized. At least, that’s how we remember the saying. Regardless, when it comes to the success of Lubbock’s arts scene, it’s important to give credit where credit’s due. And the credit for much of that success belongs with certain organizations that have a gift for organizing.

In the days and weeks of COVID-19, the arts were hit as hard as any other industry. Perhaps even harder, when you consider that the arts community relies so heavily upon live performance, audiences packed tightly into seats, and indoor art exhibitions.

But we are a resilient city, and art lies lie at the very heart of what makes Lubbock unique. The arts community will continue to show Texas how a small city can shine brightly.

Art for All

The Lubbock Arts Alliance has never been known for shying away from difficulties, and this year is no different in that respect. In the earliest days of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Board of Directors for the Lubbock Arts Alliance decided to rise to the challenge. “Many things are different,” says Elizabeth Grigsby, the Alliance’s executive director. “And in some cases more difficult. But we’re continuing to fulfill our mission of making sure that the arts are available to every member of our community.”

Back in April, the burgeoning pandemic forced the Arts Alliance to cancel its annual Lubbock Arts Festival, which is one of the largest fine art events in West Texas and the marquee project of the Arts Alliance. “We spent more than two years working on the 2020 event,” laments Grigsby.

“We were one month away from opening the doors when the prohibition against mass gatherings was enacted by state government officials.” It would have been the first time in 42 years that the event had not been held – and Grigsby and crew weren’t going to allow that to happen. Instead they took the event online, hosting a “Virtual Lubbock Arts Festival.” The virtual exhibition featured video showcases of artists who would have been at the live event, as well as some of the Arts Alliance’s favorite Arts Festival memories. The online event was coupled with live social media posts every 15 minutes, during what would have been Arts Festival weekend. “The results were amazing,” says Grigsby. “We had over 40,000 views of our videos and 10,000 engagements on social media in two days. We sent out a survey after the virtual event and the vast majority of attendees responded that they loved it.”

As this complicated era marches inexorably onward, the Arts Alliance is getting better at helping the city cope through art. “Right now,” Grigsby says, “our focus is on delivering arts programming in accordance with health recommendations, including social distancing and mask wearing.”

Meanwhile, over at the Louise Hopkins Underwood Center for the Arts (LHUCA), the COVID pandemic has had a major impact on all of the year’s planned events. The center was closed for all of April and May, and many of the center’s scheduled exhibitions were set to come from out of state – with some shows coming from as far away as Miami and New York. Fortunately, these exhibitions have been rescheduled for 2021, with new exhibitions being curated by local and regional artists.

However, the folks at LHUCA are creative, and they’ve been using their imaginations to keep things rolling. “We began developing virtual content as soon as we had to start cancelling in-person programs,” says Executive Director Lindsey Maestri. The center’s virtual programs now include gallery tours, step-by-step art projects, artful family hours, “life and art of” lectures presented by Dr. Christian Conrad, sound meditation with Infinite Sound 360, Tai Chi in the Gallery, and the Virtual First Friday Art Trail.

In addition, LHUCA recently began adding in-person programs back to its schedule. Our galleries are open again,” says Maestri, “with timed registrations to ensure a limited number of visitors per hour and to allow for more cleaning between visitor groups.”

The center is hopeful that, by 2021, many of its programs – including theater productions and the First Friday Art Trail – will return to their regular in-person formats. Maestri adds, “We do, however, understand that these programs may still look different than they did preCOVID -19. As an organization, we are adaptable and know our patrons will support us as we navigate bringing our programs back in a safe and responsible way.”

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Get Your Guns Up

Over at Texas Tech University, the 2020 performing arts season has been almost completely shut down. However, says Dr. Noel Zahler, who is a professor and the dean of the J. T. & Margaret Talkington College of Visual and Performing Arts, “We’re hopeful that we will be able to provide performances and exhibitions virtually in the coming season for a large audience of remote viewers.” Dr. Zahler is also looking forward to the possibility of limited cultural events for a socially distanced and masked audience.

In the meantime, adds Dr. Zahler, “Our faculty continue to work with students and guest audiences in a virtual environment. Our theater program has taken it upon themselves to stretch the training of actors, asking questions like: If you’re performing a love scene and you must be socially distanced on stage, how do you relay those emotions and body language under such circumstances? It really calls for an entirely new set of skills for actors.”

Other tricky questions include: “How do we give music performances with instruments spaced six to 13 feet apart and still maintain a kind of intimacy and ensemble?” Or, How do we “create an art exhibition to maintain coherence when we hang works at larger distances and move viewers through a gallery virtually, or at a much slower rate of speed?” The answers, as you can imagine, are rarely simple.

And like the city’s other arts organizations, The Museum of Texas Tech University is making the best of a bad situation. The museum has been closed to the public since March 17. Some exhibit runs have been cut short, and others were canceled altogether. Still other exhibits have been postponed in hopes of opening when the museum reopens.

Laura Ray, the museum’s manager of communications and marketing, notes that, if the pandemic has taught the museum’s staff anything, “it’s that we need to have a more focused online presence. So we’re doing just that. We are working on some virtual projects and incorporating a virtual aspect into each exhibit, as well as our collections in general. We also have some really exciting and interesting virtual exhibits we’re looking forward to presenting, which will be available to tour online.”

A Little Song and Dance

Nicholas Dragga, executive director of Ballet Lubbock, sees both tragedy and opportunity amid the pandemic – and he holds a great deal of faith in the Lubbock arts community.

“Honestly, I think people are optimistic but tired. The shutdown created a tremendous amount of additional work for my colleagues as we had to unwind plans, come up with countless contingencies, and then ‘re-invent’ the arts experience. I think the term ‘brained-out’ has been used a bit. And, of course, people are worried about financial resources. The arts were the first to close, and we’ll be the last to get to reopen due to not only the safety of mass gatherings and audiences that are necessary to make large shows financially viable, but the ability to even have performers on the stage. How do you socially distance a pas de deux? How do you have an orchestra in a pit? So yes, people are worried. But optimistic. After all we’re the arts.

We’re creative. And tough times … that’s when artists go to work. So it’s also, in a weird sense, exhilarating trying to figure out how to fulfill your mission with a new set of challenges.”

The ballet has had a rough year, no surprise. “We had to cancel our April 2020 production, shut down classes for two months, and significantly alter our summer program offerings,” opines Dragga. “So, to state the obvious, it’s not going great.” With that said, Dragga and co. have been “overwhelmed by the support of our community. The financial support, grace and patience have reminded us what a great place West Texas is – especially in trying times.”

Meanwhile, the Lubbock Symphony Orchestra has adjusted its season to begin in January 2021, postponing or canceling all its fall events. “Thankfully,” says LSO President & CEO Galen Wixson, “we were able to schedule a full Masterworks series, with five Masterworks concerts beginning in January and extending through June 2021 – a little later than a typical season.” The symphony has also rescheduled its Kristin Chenoweth concert for May of next year.

Additionally, in order to remain alive and relevant amid the shutdown, the symphony has been developing and presenting its Virtual Concert Series, which provides critically important opportunities for musicians who would otherwise be unable to perform. “By engaging our audience with this new frontier,” says Wixson, “we know our patrons will remain plugged in with our organization.” Wixson says LSO’s education programs will also remain active as schools reopen. LSO is currently refocusing its season on the spring, when it will celebrate

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the completion of the city’s magnificent new Buddy Holly Hall of Performing Arts & Sciences.

Backstage Dreaming

As with the symphony, COVID has caused CATS Playhouse (Children and Adults Theatrical Studio) to postpone most of its productions until 2021. “We’re tightening our belts to help keep [ourselves] alive,” says CATS President Pat Price. “We own our location, which means we do not have rent. Therefore we will come through this pandemic and be stronger than before.”

Meanwhile, the playhouse has managed to make some lemonade out of these pandemic lemons. The staff has taken the opportunity to do some much-needed updates to the building, including giving the front of the building a new look, replacing old house lights with new LED’s, rearranging and cleaning the entire building, and refreshing the concession area. CATS is also working to stay relevant with fall workshops that will be available online. Still, Price and the CATS staff are confident that this next year they should return to some semblance of order. “We’re looking at possibly moving our Shakespeare production and Melodrama back to a local park in order to allow crowds that can easily social distance during the show,” Price says.

And of course, like pretty much every theater in America, the Lubbock Community Theatre has had its struggles. “After a while of not doing anything at all,” says Artistic Director Jay C. Brown, “we decided we needed to make sure that people in the Lubbock area were able to find entertainment through the Lubbock Community Theatre. The Board of the Lubbock Community Theatre is aware of the fact that people are needing some type of diversion, so we put together an online sketch comedy show called “LCT Liveish,” Drawing on the format of “Saturday Night Live” sketches and, with the help and talent of local Lubbock actors, writers and videographers, the gang at LCT put together a fun-filled evening of comedy and song.”

Also, coming up next month will be “a live theatrical performance, which will be filmed and streamed to the audience.”

In the meantime, the theater will continue to post information on its Facebook page and website.

Phoenix Rising

It’s clear that local arts entities feel optimistic about the future of Lubbock’s arts scene – and that says as much about the quality of character on the South Plains as it does about the quality of art.

For example, in the face of so much uncertainty, the staff of the Arts Alliance remains undeterred. “We believe the arts in Lubbock are very resilient,” says Elizabeth Grigsby, “and [we] understand

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that the COVID-19 pandemic is not a sprint, but instead a marathon.

We need to contain the spread of the virus as much as possible and have the lowest infection rate that we can.”

Lindsey Maestri and her LHUCA colleagues are also hopeful about the future of Lubbock’s arts scene. “The Lubbock Arts Community was in an incredible place before COVID-19. Arts organizations here are great at collaborating and understanding that rising tides raise all ships. We also enjoy an extremely supportive community. Together, I know we can keep the arts alive in Lubbock.”

Dr. Noel Zahler, dean of the Talkington College of Visual & Performing Arts, has a positive outlook as well. “The arts are creative,” he says. “We will find ways to express ourselves and communicate with the public in new and innovative ways. The arts are integral to life, and will always be a vehicle for understanding the world, asking big questions, and finding imaginative and creative solutions to new challenges.”

In the end, it’s all about the art – and the Tech Museum’s Laura Ray can’t wait for things to return to normal. “I think Lubbock is starving for its arts! It’s difficult to not be able to enjoy what the arts brings to an individual, and it’s equally difficult not to be able to share art. I think the Lubbock community is ready to experience the arts in person again and support it. However, it needs to be done safely, and for everyone’s welfare, it’s important to adhere to safety protocols.”

The Ballet’s Nicholas Dragga notes, above all, the importance of donations and financial support through this difficult time. “To be direct, the arts need money right now. We’re not allowed to enact our revenue-generating programs, and we have staff to pay. We’ll get creative and figure out different offerings, so if people will ‘show up,’ buy tickets, tell their friends, and certainly come back in droves once it’s safe to do so, that will be huge!” Finally, like many of his colleagues in the arts, Dragga requests patience from the community. “Know that we’re going to make mistakes, not have the perfect response … but in the end, we’ll make some really neat things together. Because we’re all in this together.”

“The Lubbock community is overwhelmingly supportive of the arts,” says LSO President Galen Wixson. “From patrons’ spontaneous generosity in donating their canceled concert tickets this past spring to the continued support of the LSO’s COVID-19 Musician Relief Fund, the LSO’s future is secure in the hands of Lubbock’s music lovers. While the coming months might pose additional challenges to Lubbock’s arts community, every indication is that we will all rise to the occasion. The investment in the astounding Buddy Holly Hall of Performing Arts & Sciences is a great testament to the value Lubbock places on the arts as well as a promise of brighter days ahead.” L

First Friday Art Trail

PROVIDED PHOTOS

The First Friday Art Trail is the largest monthly art event in the region, and despite recent travails, the monthly event remains the crown jewel of the city’s art culture. In 2017, Americans for the Arts found that arts and culture audiences in Lubbock contribute more than $43 million a year to the local economy. “[First Friday Art Trail] brands our city as an artistic and vibrant place to live,” says LHUCA’s Lindsey Maestri. “It also brings together a diverse mix of Lubbockites and tourists, all in support of the arts.”

Pre-COVID-19, the Art Trail was regularly seeing 5,000-plus visitors every month, with families, students, and art lovers converging to view art, devour food truck cuisine, and enjoy the open air. Even in normal times, notes Maestri, “an event of that size can be difficult to manage.” But given the crowd size of First Friday Art Trail, and the risk of community spread of COVID, the folks at LHUCA feel a responsibility to the Lubbock community to keep the Art Trail virtual until they can safely reopen it. “We’ve had a lot of fun with Virtual First Fridays,” says Maestri, “and we’re thankful to our many venues and arts groups who have participated. The hashtag #VirtualFirstFridayLBK has provided a great way to see what the arts community has been up to during COVID.” In the interim, the LHUCA staff continues to plan for the return of First Friday. Maestri says she and her staff are hoping to return in October with a mostly outdoor version of the Art Trail, allowing visitors to stroll throughout downtown Lubbock and view art. “The health and safety of our visitors was the impetus for developing more outdoor content for our first in-person First Friday,” she says.

“We’ll have hand sanitizing stations, encourage social distancing, and follow any state or city mandates, such as mask requirements.”

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FEATURE

The Kids Are All Right How Lubbock’s legendary Caldwell Kids are coping with crisis

By Jonathan Baker

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t’s no secret that Lubbock’s creative scene has boomed in the past decade. But as with many “sudden” successes, the development of the Hub City’s cultural landscape is the result of decades of preparation and groundwork. A perfect example of such success is Lubbock’s Caldwell Kids, a group of stunningly talented youngsters who’ve captured the hearts of South Plains residents – while even wowing audiences on national television.

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If you’ve been in Lubbock for any length of time, you’ve probably heard of the Caldwell Kids (perhaps under their previous name, the Cactus Kids.) You may have even seen their bright faces and heard their pitch-perfect harmonies at a local event. But the energizing simplicity of these children’s performances belies years of training and hard work – the kind of hard work that Lubbock artists and performances are becoming known for statewide.

PROVIDED PHOTOS

THE CALDWELL KIDS PERFORMING WITH RICHIE MCDONALD AT THE CALDWELL KIDS 2019 SPRING CELEBRITY SHOW.

You’ve heard them sing. Now, hear their story.

The Caldwell Kids: A Brief History The history of the Caldwell Kids actually begins nearly 40 years ago, in a recording studio on Avenue Q. An 18-year-old woman walks into the studio, in hopes of recording. Not only does the studio’s young owner, Don Caldwell, record the pretty singer’s voice – he marries her. What follows is something of a South Plains fairy tale: a lifetime of musical partnership that would produce some of the most talented young students and performers the region has ever seen.

But, of course, it would be some years – a quarter of a century, in fact – after that initial meeting before the Caldwell Kids would come to be. After their marriage, the young Caldwell couple took up residence in Don’s hometown of Slaton, where Terri began teaching voice lessons.

Word of mouth began to grow about the high quality of the instruction, and soon Terri had more students than she knew what to do with.

Meanwhile, Don purchased Lubbock’s Cactus Theater – and Terri and Don both felt that the theater would be the perfect venue to showcase the talents of Terri’s pupils.

So, in 1996, Terri Caldwell Music was born, and the first iteration of the Caldwell Kids came to be. Even in those years, the Cactus Kids spanned a huge age range, with students from 6 to 18 years old. The

Kids began performing at the theater, as well as at various events and celebrations around town.

In the meantime, the Caldwells had a child of their own – Cami Caldwell, who, upon graduating from Texas Tech University, took over the instruction of the youngest kids, calling them the “Cactus Cuties.”

Don still owned his studio in Lubbock, and in the early 2000s the Caldwell operation was becoming so successful that it seemed like time for an upgrade. So the Caldwells moved into a bigger studio, which they called “The Hall,” and which Cami used for her lessons with the Cactus Cuties. At that point, the Caldwells hired a few teachers to come on board. In 2016, the operation changed its name to “Caldwell Kids Entertainment.”

“We just began growing through the years,” says Terri. “These last couple of years, we’ve added instruments and instrumental teachers to our faculty.” Today, the program consists of more than a hundred students and eight teachers – and, despite the years of success, it feels like the Caldwells are just getting started.

The Boom However, in our brief history of the Caldwell operation, we glossed over the most exciting part of the story – a period, lasting several years, when the Cactus/Caldwell Kids went from being a successful regional SEPTEMBER 2020 • thelubbockmagazine.com • Lubbock Magazine

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operation to appearing regularly on national television.

It all started simply enough in 2008. Cami Caldwell received an invitation for her Cuties to sing the national anthem at a Texas Tech basketball game. Someone in the crowd recorded the performance and uploaded it to YouTube. And the rest is history.

“I didn’t actually even know it was on YouTube,” Cami remembers.

“But, maybe a month later, we started getting calls from the ‘Today Show.’ I just kept getting messages. And I was like, ‘What is happening?’”

What was happening, of course, was that the Cuties had so lived up to their name that the Tech national anthem performance had gone viral. “It had millions of views,” Cami says. A whirlwind followed. From that point on, the group spent the next two years traveling almost every weekend for appearances. They were featured on “Oprah” and “Rachel Ray”; they were on the Disney Channel and “The 700 Club” and the Jerry Lewis telethon – several years in a row. They even had the honor of performing at the White House Christmas Party for George and Laura Bush.

Around that same time, “America’s Got Talent” began calling. But Cami had already committed the Cuties to another program, Maury Povich’s “Maury’s Favorite Kids.” But Simon Cowell’s crew was persistent. “They really wanted the Cactus Cuties on their show,” says Cami. “They said, ‘Well, do something, put something together.’ So I said, ‘I’m going to put a trio together around one of the girls, which we call Avery and The Calico Hearts.’ And they ended up going out to ‘America’s Got Talent,’ and they advanced. They made it pretty far. They made it to the live show and then were booted off.”

However, Avery and The Calico Hearts weren’t quite finished – they were asked back as a favorite during the show’s “Wild Card” series. “We got to perform in front of millions,” Cami remembers, “and that kind of took on a life of its own. It was a fun adventure. We had another duo that was on Simon Cowell’s ‘X Factor’ a few seasons later, called Yellow House Canyon. We’ve always said it’s kind of been a God thing, because we weren’t out there scouting out opportunities. We were just doing what we love and trying to put together quality music. And good things happened.”

The Current Landscape Today, the Caldwell Kids have been around for long enough that they’re beginning to see even the tiniest of former students grow up and become teachers in the operation. Those original Cactus Cuties are grown, and so are Avery and The Calico Hearts. Some are married, and many are still performing and studying music. “One of the members of Avery and The Calico Hearts is now a mentor with our program,” says Cami. “She comes in every week and mentors one of our little ones who’s got a ton of potential. And then one of The Cactus Cuties is also involved with us as well. It’s been neat to see them grow up and start giving back.”

Furthermore, Cami says the Caldwells are currently developing two other kids’ groups. “We have a trio, a brother and a sister and their best friend; they’re 15, 13 and 12, and they’re all instrumentalists as well. They play fiddle, mandolin and guitar.” The group is called Blackwater Draw.

In addition, Caldwell Kids is developing another sister duo. “They’re harmony whizzes!” exclaims Cami. “Their little sister started singing harmony at age 4, so that’s been fun. We’re seeing what the future holds for those two groups. And then, of course, there’s our whole program; we’re pouring everything we have into that. Now we offer songwriting, as well as mandolin, banjo, guitar, ukulele, bass, drums. It’s just been incredible to see how it’s grown through the years. Our teachers, our staff is incredible.”

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The COVID Effect Cami says the shift to teaching during the pandemic has actually been easier for her than it might have been. That’s because several years ago she and her husband bought a place in Nashville. “So I’ve been teaching all of my students online for part of the year. Every couple of months I would be in Nashville, and then I would come back and spend a couple of weeks in Lubbock, then go back to Nashville.”

For this reason, Cami had already transitioned all of her students to online lessons. “And so when COVID happened, it was thankfully an easy transition for my students because they were already adjusted to virtual lessons.”

Amid the growing crisis, the Caldwells moved the other teachers and students to online learning. “It’s such a blessing,” says Cami, “that that technology exists. Thankfully, we lost very few students. A couple of our littlest ones couldn’t handle online, so they took a break for a while, but the majority of our students were able to stay in and stay engaged.”

During these turbulent times, many of the kids don’t view the online learning as “distancing.” “A lot of our program has really become a family,” explains Cami. “So we really encourage mentorship between our older, advanced kids and our younger, newer kids. There are tons of mentor duos, where the older students help the younger kids learn harmony.” In many cases, these relationships have continued during the pandemic.

“It has been challenging,” adds Terri. “But we managed to work through it. The parents have been great and supportive of the online classes. So it really has worked very smoothly.”

No Message could’ve Been Any Clearer Nevertheless, all too often amid the COVID crisis, “that connection part is missing.” To combat the isolation, Cami decided to do something to unify the kids and show them that they could still perform together, even if they couldn’t physically be near one another. “So we put together a performance of [Michael Jackson’s] ‘Man in the Mirror.’

We divided it up, arranged it, and had everyone record their solo lines at home on their cell phones.” Then Cami and her staff compiled the sections together into a single video and uploaded it to YouTube, where it has garnered thousands of views. “We found a way to have them still be connected virtually,” says Cami proudly.

In some cases, the Caldwell Kids and teachers have also returned to in-person training. “We just recently went back to our office building,” notes Cami. “We’ve implemented some procedures to make sure that everyone stays healthy and safe.” Those protocols include an attendant at the door that checks temperature and makes sure the kids are sanitizing their hands upon entering the building. Beyond that, the parents are now asked to wait in the car instead of sitting in the lobby, and screens have been installed to divide the teacher from the students.

Unfortunately, no amount of safety measures could prevent the Caldwell Kids from cancelling performances. “COVID wiped out all of our performances, for our family as well,” Cami laments. “My dad runs Caldwell Entertainment and does shows at the Cactus every couple of weeks as well as outside gigs, and every single one of those have been canceled during COVID. As an entertainer, it’s been very challenging to lose those performances.” However, the Caldwells are looking forward to a small outdoor performance in the Founder’s Park area of Vintage Township on Sept. 12.

In the end, despite the current challenges, Terri Caldwell sees nothing but bright futures for these kids. “There is so much talent here in Lubbock. These kiddos just continually amaze us. It’s exciting to see the kids grow and develop vocally, and I think the sky’s the limit. We’re just enjoying the ride, enjoying working with these kiddos and trying to help them be the best they can be, musically and vocally. We’re excited about the future.” L

BERKLEE TIMMONS IN HER VOCAL LESSON WITH CAMI CALDWELL IN 2020.

GABE RAMOS AND BACKGROUND VOCALISTS PERFORMING “SANTA’S GOT A BRAND NEW BAG” ON THE CALDWELL KIDS CHRISTMAS SHOW AT THE CACTUS THEATER

LEX & MONROE PERFORMING ON 4TH ON BROADWAY’S 2020 TV SPECIAL

BLACKWATER DRAW PERFORMING ON 4TH ON BROADWAY’S 2020 TV SPECIAL.

MADALYN FRANKLIN AND BACKGROUND VOCALISTS SINGING “SANTA CLAUS IS COMING TO TOWN” ON THE CALDWELL KIDS CHRISTMAS SHOW AT THE CACTUS THEATER

AVA JENNINGS IN HER VOCAL LESSON WITH TERRI CALDWELL IN 2019

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FEATURE

PROVIDED PHOTOS

“WILD WEST TEXAS”

Wild West Texas A local photographer finds her true calling

By Jonathan Baker

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T

his year, a new photographer burst onto the Lubbock artistic scene. Initially, a photo Heather Eaton took of a cold front moving into Lubbock took first place in a photography exhibit. Then another of her photographs, entitled “Sunny Shower,” was selected for exhibition at the Dallas Metro Arts Contemporary in Plano. Eaton’s rapid rise to the upper echelons of South Plains shutterbugs is especially surprising given that, two years ago, Heather Eaton knew almost nothing about photography. In fact, the extent of her experience consisted of images taken with her phone or a disposable camera. But the passion was always there.

Humble Roots, Big Ideas

Born and raised in Weatherford, Eaton moved to Lubbock as a teenager to attend college at Texas Tech University. She’s been here ever since; indeed, she now works in the registrar’s office of her alma mater. But her true passion has always been photography – before she was even quite aware of it.

As Eaton explains, “I’ve always loved taking photos. For my honeymoon, we went to Mexico and I just couldn’t stop taking photos. I had a little point and shoot camera and my husband was so irritated. He was like, ‘How many photographs do you need of an iguana?’ I didn’t have an answer for that because I thought every one of the pictures looked different. I came home with over a hundred photos of an iguana.”

Then, in 2018, her grandmother passed away and gifted Eaton and her family with a trip to Ireland. “I was like, ‘You know what? I’m buying a camera. I’m going to take a good camera to Ireland, because I’m never probably going to go there again.’” On the Emerald Isle, Eaton ended up taking one particular photo that would set her on the path to a life as a professional photographer.

That image was taken at Blarney Castle.

“It’s of this red chair. It was March and it was really, really rainy, so it was kind of dark, but the flowers had started blooming. I took this photo, down this really long corridor, of this bright red chair. I came back and looked and the photo was beautiful! My friends and family just kept saying, ‘That’s a really interesting photo.’”

So she submitted the image to a Tech exhibit called “The Texas Tech Family Abroad.” And it was accepted. “Ever since then, it’s been a crazy ride.”

The Long Focus

Despite the COVID crisis, things have been looking up for Eaton recently. A year after buying her first “real” camera, Heather has turned her hobby into a successful artistic and professional venture.

“I actually decided to start a small business during a pandemic, which was super smart on my part,” she jokes. “But, hey! I’d been getting a lot of inquiries about my photographs, and a lot of them are on exhibit, and so I said, ‘Let’s just try this and see what happens.’ My photos just keep getting recognized. I’ve just been in exhibit after exhibit.”

Amid these troubled times, Eaton sees a lot of hope in Lubbock’s cultural scene. “I feel like everybody is so ready to get out and do stuff but, of course, everybody’s pretty nervous to do so. I work with a lot of the people that have exhibits in the First Friday Art Trail, and they just can’t wait to get out there and meet with people in the community.

I think our art scene is changing. When I first got here, there was no art

scene at all. And now I’m so impressed.”

Eaton first noticed how much the scene had changed a couple of years ago, when visiting the Art Trail after a long hiatus. “I was shocked. I couldn’t believe how it exploded and the different types of art that you can see too, from metal art, glass blowing, to photographs, to paintings.”

In the meantime, Eaton is now, herself, a vital part of that scene, thanks to her burgeoning photography career. “It’s an obsession,” she says. “Once you see the light, it changes the way you see everything.”

“Wild West Texas”

This photo was taken in January, Eaton recalls, as a snowstorm descended on the South Plains. The photographer, who lives on the northwestern edge of the city near Shadow Hills Golf Course, saw the weather rolling in and turned her car down the road, heading out of town. “You can take Erskine pretty far,” she says, “and it’ll go out to farm roads. I just happened to come across a farmer plowing the field, and the sky was insane. I mean it was so wild that I didn’t even see the tractor. The first thing I saw was the weather. I just thought.

‘What is happening?’”

The most remarkable aspect of that moment, says Eaton, was the preternatural calm. “There was hardly any wind. It was eerie, this weird feeling. I took one photo, one shot and I decided to go home because the weather looked so weird. I didn’t know what was going to happen.”

Later, when she began uploading all the photos from her camera, “That one stood out to me. And it has ever since. It’s one of my favorite photos that I’ve ever taken. I think it has to do with the fact that I’m out there taking pictures every single day. That day, I just got really lucky.”

“Wild West Texas” won first place in the “Listening to the Land” photography exhibit. The exhibit will open on Sept. 8 at Landmark Arts at Texas Tech, and run until Nov. 22. The reception on Oct. 2 will align with October’s First Friday Art Trail. This photo was selected by Joel Salcido, renowned fine art photographer and former photojournalist based in San Antonio, Texas. The “Listening to the Land” exhibition highlights photographic-based work that spotlights the evolution of Texas’s natural resources, geography, agriculture and ecological environment, while also capturing the essence of its rural communities.

“Sunny Shower”

The events leading up to this second celebrated photo were similar to those for “Wild West Texas. “I went out like I usually do every day and saw a storm coming in. This was in the fall, in October. Of course, the sun was setting earlier in the day. I had just gotten off work, and I saw the storm rolling in, and I chased it from my house in Shadow Hills all the way to almost the Hockley County line. As soon as I got there, the sun was going down, and it lit up the whole sky – and lit up the cotton at the same time.”

“Sunny Shower” is currently on exhibit at the Dallas Metro Arts Contemporary in Plano. The image was selected for exhibition by Byrd Williams IV. At 66, Williams is an internationally exhibited photographer, and the subject of two PBS documentaries, as well as a number of books.

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“Red Chair”

After her 2019 visit to Ireland, the photographer submitted this photo of Blarney Castle to the “Our TTU Family Abroad” photography exhibit – and she was chosen as July 2019’s featured artist. “As you can image,” says Eaton, “I have thousands of images from Ireland, but this one stood out to me.

It felt almost haunting. This is the only image I have of this chair because it started to pour rain right after I took it. I really feel like this image is what kicked off my journey into photography.

It gave me that boost that I was doing something right.”

“Haboob”

“RED CHAIR” “HABOOB”

Eaton took this photo in June 2019, as a Haboob (a massive, oppressive sandstorm) approached Lubbock. “I got off work at 5 and noticed that the winds were howling and dirt was being picked up,” she recalls. “For someone who has been through many haboobs, you just know when one is about to hit. You can just feel it in the air. So, unlike everyone else who was hurrying to get home, I ran towards it. There is a dirt road about five miles from my house, so that’s where I went. I jumped out of my car and just started shooting. By the time I got back in my car, the haboob was on top of me. I couldn’t see anything but the red dirt.”

In September 2019, Eaton submitted the photo to the 19th Annual “High and Dry: A Photographic Exhibition of Peoples and Places of the World’s Dry Lands.” In October, she learned that she was selected to be a part of the exhibit. Later, she was given an honorable mention award for the photo. She cried when she saw that she’d been recognized. “I was so overwhelmed with emotion. At this point I was completely obsessed with photography and wanted to do something with it.

The winners and honorable mentions had to speak about their photo when we accepted our certificate. I was so nervous, but I got up there and told my story. When I told the audience that I had only started earlier in the year, everyone was shocked.

Afterward, several people came up to me and congratulated me and told me to keep doing what I was doing. It was truly one of the most memorable moments of my life.”

“Attraction” and “Hard October Freeze”

After finding some success in photography, Eaton decided to go back to school and pursue a master’s in Interdisciplinary Studies – a program that allows students to choose three different topics of study. Eaton’s areas are photography, communication, and higher education. Her final project will be a photographic book about her experiences, entitled “Wild West Texas: A Photographic Journey of the Texas South Plains.”

“Attraction” was taken at E&J Smokehouse in Lubbock. “I was heading towards the airport to go to Tampa Bay for a work conference,” recalls Eaton, “when I decided to stop and snap a few photos of the peacocks.

There were three that had their feathers up and most people would be drawn to the bright colored ones, but I was fascinated with the brown peacock. I just thought he was unique.”

“Hard October Freeze” was taken in Lubbock in October. “That morning, we woke up to a hard freeze, and the day was insanely cold. All day, I was hoping that everything would still be frozen because I really wanted a photo of a frozen cotton boll. I drove toward Shallowater, where there was a beautiful cotton field. I was in luck because everything was still frozen. I got out of my car, braved the cold air and got this shot.”

A photography instructor encouraged Eaton to submit these photos to the National Critique and Contest with National Agriculture Communicators of Tomorrow. “Attraction” placed first in the animal category and “Hard October Freeze” won first prize in the plant category. L

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“HARD OCTOBER FREEZE”

FEATURE

A BUZZWORTHY PURSUIT

By Jason Boyett

PROVIDED PHOTOS

“I

t’s a great conversation starter,” Daniel Lee says of his hobby. “A lot of people think it’s fascinating. But a lot of people say, ‘Oh, I could never do that.’”

Some people jog as a hobby, he explains. Some people golf.

Lee puts on a veiled hat, jacket, long pants and protective gloves – a beekeeper’s suit.

He’s been pursuing the hobby since it first piqued his interest several years ago. Though a South Plains native, he was living in Alaska at the time, performing recreation therapy at summer camps. “I bought some local honey from a market up there. When I moved back, I bought a little hive,” he says.

That single hive turned into five near Levelland. Now Lee manages a total of 11 hives in the Pecos area, where he works a few days a month in the oil and gas industry.

“It’s enough time to check on the bees,” he says.

He’s not alone. From inside the city limits to the cotton and alfalfa fields surrounding Lubbock, amateur beekeepers are as busy as the honey-producing insects they’re managing. With an endless supply of specialty products and countless YouTube tutorials, beekeeping has become a popular do-it-yourself movement. President Obama installed beehives at the White House in 2009. Then in 2017, Second Lady Karen Pence installed a beehive on the grounds of the Vice President’s residence, several years after having done the same thing at the governor’s mansion in Indiana.

Both steps were taken to draw attention to the importance of these tiny insect pollinators, who are so important to the agriculture industry but have declined significantly in recent decades. Around 2.5 million

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LOCAL BEEKEEPERS CAN HELP WITH SAFE HIVE REMOVAL (HERE AND FACING PAGE) RATHER THAN DESTROYING IMPORTANT BEE POPULATIONS.

honeybee hives exist in the U.S. today, less than half the population that buzzed through the country in the 1940s. Despite the decreasing numbers, honeybees remain essential pollinators for more than 90 crops, including cotton. Beekeeping is critical to a healthy agriculture industry.

Thom Jackson grew to recognize this when he was a kid on his family’s farm east of Abernathy. “My grandfather had a whole mess of hives out on the farm,” he remembers. “He would have a commercial beekeeper come out each year and run bees on it.”

So when Jackson saw a beekeeping flyer at Gebo’s a few years back, it reminded him of his childhood. He was intrigued. “I started watching a couple of YouTube videos about it and doing a little reading and I thought, ‘It can’t be that hard. I’ll jump into this!’”

Much like Lee, Jackson started with one hive on his property in Abernathy. “Now we’re up to 10,” he says. Jackson has access to 50 acres of surrounding farmland and has spread his hives across it.

Each hive may be home to 60,000 to 100,000 bees. “So I’ve got a million-plus bees that I manage, plus probably [another] 200,000 in feral hives in the vicinity,” he says. He collects and sells the honey they produce at places like the Wolfforth Farmer’s Market, under his Grunt’s Bee Farm label.

Like anyone sharing about a beloved hobby, Jackson’s passion for beekeeping shines through as he explains why he likes it. “When you start reading about bees, you see what kind of amazing creatures they are. You get into the hives and start watching them build a colony, watching the little larvae grow, seeing them searching for the queen,”

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he says. “It’s exciting.”

Part of what makes it so exciting is the community aspect. Jackson is president of the Caprock Beekeepers Association, a club where he and his fellow beekeepers exchange ideas and promote the art of beekeeping across the South Plains. They regularly speak to civic and church groups about the importance of bees, working to dispel common fears related to the insects.

But they also give each other advice – and that’s part of the fun.

“When you talk about beekeeping, there’s no one right answer,” says Jackson. He contrasts it with hiring a mechanic to figure out why a car isn’t running. “There’s one way to fix a fuel pump, or a carburetor. But if you ask a question of three different beekeepers, you’ll get five different answers. There’s no definitive way to do it. I can try 10 different ways to manage 10 different hives and have different outcomes because there are so many variables.”

Beekeeping is a family affair for the Jackson family. Thom’s father, Lee, also keeps bees on his property. “I love honey but it was hard to find local honey,” Lee Jackson says. “That’s one of the reasons we started. It’s got benefits for your allergies so we thought we’d try raising them here.”

Lee Jackson keeps four hives near his house, which is surrounded by 160 acres of farmland where he rotates milo and cotton. “We’ve taken the bees over to the cotton field when it’s blooming, and they help with pollination there. We had some extraordinarily good honey last year with bees foraging on sorghum blooms – the blossoms on milo,” he says.

The elder Jackson explains that bees travel two to three miles to feed and forage as they search for nectar. He and his son, Thom, live about three miles apart. That three miles makes a notable difference in crop availability, along with the presence of wildflowers and other flowering plants. It makes a significant difference in the taste and color of the honey. “His honey and our honey is way different,” Lee Jackson says.

Near Pecos, Daniel Lee’s bees gather pollen from flowering mesquite trees, which results in a much lighter-colored honey. “You can definitely tell a difference,” he says. In addition to the color, “mesquite honey crystallizes a lot faster than clover or wildflower honey. Pure honey is going to crystallize over time, especially when it’s cold and cool.” This doesn’t mean it’s gone bad, though. “It can be warmed back up to its original liquid content. When it crystallizes, you know it’s honey in its purest form.”

If collecting honey is a natural by-product of beekeeping, so is the desire to educate the public. As a group, the Caprock Beekeepers Association loves to share with locals about the importance of bees.

Each of these local beekeepers often finds themselves acting in a teaching capacity. They’re quick to take on a protective, concerned role as apologists for the insects.

Their universal message? Don’t be afraid of bees.

“If you go out and see a bee on a flower, that bee is out there for one purpose only,” says Lee Jackson. “That’s to feed and gather pollen and nectar. Unless you try to block it or harm it, you can get really close and watch the bee work its way around the flower collecting pollen – with little, if any, chance of that bee becoming aggressive and trying to

sting you.”

Of course, anyone who disturbs a beehive shouldn’t be surprised if consequences result. “If you start messing with hives and honey stores, well, that’s like someone breaking into your house. Bees get a little bit aggressive about it,” he says. That’s why protective equipment is critical for local beekeepers, and that’s why they use a smoker to pacify bees before approaching the hive.

Most people won’t have a smoker handy should they encounter bees in the wild. But away from a hive, bees just aren’t likely to be aggressive. Jay Smith, another beekeeper with the group, often asks people to try to resist the instinctive urge to swat at bees. Smith lives in Littlefield and manages 65 hives within 20 minutes of his home. Like many of the others, he grew up in agriculture and still owns a family farm near Crosbyton, where his dad had used hundreds of bee hives to pollinate alfalfa, cotton and sunflowers.

As an illustration, Smith paints a picture of a family enjoying watermelon at a local park. Depending on the park’s location, the sweetness of the watermelon may attract nearby bees. “The first thing people start doing is swatting them away. Stop. The bee is curious.

She’s just there because she smells the sweetness of the watermelon,” he says. If you start showing aggressive behavior toward the bee, you’re likely to stir up her alarm pheromones. “That pheromone attracts more bees. It’s a chain reaction and you’ll have angry bees coming to defend their sister. Just let them be curious. They’ll buzz around and absorb the odors and then move on. Bees just want to do their thing and be left alone.”

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Contrary to those who fear bees, Smith says working with his hives actually helps lower his blood pressure. “When I’m fooling around with my bees, I’m a lot more relaxed. I can tune out the nonsense that’s around so much today,” says Smith, who describes himself as “semi-retired” from a 30-year career in the agchem industry. (He still works part time as a commercial insurance consultant.)

His bees mostly forage on wildflowers, and he sells his honey at the Wolfforth market while also supplying to a dedicated clientele of friends and family. “Some people golf and it comforts them. I’ve settled in on the bees. It’s a getaway that allows some internal comfort. It’s a kind of sanctuary,” he says.

Daniel Lee echoes that experience when asked what he loves most about beekeeping. “It’s got me bamboozled,” he says. “Part of it’s an adrenaline rush.

But it’s something you have to give your time to for them to be healthy and survive. It’s a little out of the ordinary and there’s a small percentage of people who do it, but it’s almost therapeutic.”

As much as beekeeping may add to the mental and physical health of these hobbyists, the health of the bees themselves is even more important.

A productive South Plains bee population is far more of a benefit than it is a nuisance. It improves local agriculture, provides local honey, and continues to fascinate the region’s small but buzzing beekeeping community. L

BEES AND DROUGHT With much of the South Plains region under drought conditions during the first half of 2020, the decline in flowering crops made beekeeping a little more complicated. A lack of spring and summer rain impacts everything from the local agriculture yields to the availability of wildflower pollen. And those things can make it difficult for beekeepers to keep their hives healthy. It’s just one more concern – along with parasites and the much-discussed colony collapse disorder – that has plagued the bee population for the past couple decades.

“This year, we’re in the middle of a drought and there’s not as much for them to feed on,” says Thom Jackson, president of the Caprock Beekeepers Association. With fewer flowering plants for foraging, he’s been resorting to a supplemental bee feed. “Sugar water keeps them going,” he says. “During a drought, our expenses and time involved with managing goes up exponentially. They almost become like your children, the way you have to manage them and check in on them and make sure they’re growing the way they should be.”

In June and July, Jay Smith had to feed his 65 hives around 600 pounds of sugar syrup. But the cotton harvest this fall makes him more hopeful. “Now that we have cotton blooming, we’ve got the bees on good cotton. The question is: Will they be able to fill their winter stores and make extra for me? I don’t get mine until they get theirs.”

Beekeepers that are harvesting honey have to be careful not to take too much, making sure they leave enough for the colony to survive the winter.

Removing too much honey can literally starve the hive. “The honey they’ve produced is their winter feed,” says Lee Jackson. “You have to leave adequate stores for the winter.”

GOT BEES? CALL AN EXPERT. If you’re concerned about bees or suspect a natural hive in your area, ask your exterminator to contact a beekeeper rather than destroying the bees with pesticides. Local beekeepers are available via the “Beekeepers of Lubbock TX” Facebook page, which is the social interaction page of the Caprock Beekeepers Association. You can also find registered local bee removal services, county by county, by visiting https://txbeeinspection.tamu.edu/bee-removal/.

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PHOTO BY SYLVIA JENNINGS

Eat Drink

TOM & BINGO’S HICKORY PIT BAR-B-QUE

I

n business since 1952, Tom & Bingo’s is a local staple. Three generations have kept Tom & Bingo’s traditions alive, as the beloved local eatery continues to serve its nostalgic Texas-style barbecue.

Feast on mesquite-smoked brisket, thin-sliced brisket sandwiches, pork ribs, house-made sausage, pulled pork and traditional sides.

The popular handcrafted burgers made from brisket trimmings topped with chipotle mayo, onions, pickles and cheese, are a local favorite.

Tom & Bingo’s offered curbside and carry out during the first few months of the pandemic. Follow Tom & Bingo’s on Facebook for menu updates, specials and more.

3006 34th St. 799.1514 Open Tuesday through Saturday, 11 a.m.-3 p.m.

PRICING GUIDE $ most entrees less than $10 $$ most entrees $11 to $20 $$$ most entrees more than $21

NEW New to Eat Drink UPDATE

Updated entry

THE EAT DRINK RESTAURANT GUIDE IS A READER SERVICE COMPILED BY THE LUBBOCK 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 THE EDITOR AT MMCAFFREY@LUBBOCKONLINE.COM.

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RESTAURANT GUIDE 50TH ST. CABOOSE Fuel up on Mexican-American food after hours of fun arcade fun. Daily lunch, appetizer, and kid’s discounts abound. 5027 50th St., 796.2240, cabooseonline.com $ ALBARRAN’S MEXICAN BAR & GRILL There’s plenty of room to unwind in Albarran’s expansive indoor and outdoor dining areas. A cold margarita is the perfect complement to popular fish tacos or steaming fajitas. 7722 Milwaukee Ave., 771.2869, albarrans.com $$ ATOMIC LOUNGE & PIZZA KITCHEN Atomic specializes in fire roasted pizzas. Feast on favorites like The Roni, extra-large slices of pepperoni atop melted mozzarella and smoky tomato sauce. Atomic’s ovens cook a pizza in 2 ½ minutes so your hunger pangs are quickly satisfied.

2420 Broadway Ave. Suite A, 407.3221 $$ BANGKOK THAI RESTAURANT This tiny hole-in-the-wall serves fresh Thai entrees and soup bowls. Customer favorites are the beef noodle soup, spicy chicken, and tom kha gai.

4624 34th St., 791.7787 $ BIG E’S BARBEQUE This late-night haunt in The Depot District serves take-and-eat barbecue, specifically meat burritos with pork, sausage, chicken or brisket, and your choice of condiments. 1802 Buddy Holly Ave., 441.6703 $ BRYAN’S STEAKS A traditional buffet-style steakhouse, Bryan’s offers steaks cooked to order with self-serve salads, sides and soft-serve ice cream. 1212 50th St., 744.5491 $$ CAGLE STEAKS Step into a true West Texas experience at Cagle Steaks. After walking around the ranch, feast on hand-cut steaks with all the fixings. Save room for fresh cobbler topped with ice cream.

8732 Fourth St., 795.3879, caglesteaks.com $$ CAPITAL PIZZA Don’t let Capitol’s nondescript storefront fool you.

Quality ingredients, creative specialty pizzas, and hundreds of craft beers certainly impressed us.

2705 26th St., 368.3603/8211 Slide Road, 701.4062, capitalpizzalubbock.com $$ CATTLE BARON With locations in West Texas and New Mexico, Cattle Baron features steak and seafood along with a generous salad bar. 8201 Quaker Ave., Suite 170, 798.7033, cattlebaron.com $$

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CHINESE KITCHEN This humble eatery is a local staple for Chinese food, especially on the go. 5308 Slide Road, 792.9142, eatchinesekitchen.com $ COCINA DE LA SIRENA Located in the historic Cactus Alley courtyard, La Sirena serves modern Latin American food in a cozy dining room. The menu changes regularly to accommodate local produce, but it’s a delight no matter the season. 2610 Salem Ave., 368.7960, lasirenacocina.com $$$ CRAWDADDY’S SPORTS GRILL & BAR Cajun favorites, seafood, burgers, and fries round out the menu at Crawdaddy’s. Enjoy a drink from the bar while you dine. 5725 82nd St., 771.4455 $$ DOUBLEDAVE’S PIZZAWORKS Feast on the buffet or order a whole pie at DoubleDave’s. Customers love the stromboli and generous portions. 6023 82nd St., Suite 4, 763.3283, doubledaves.com $$ EAST MOON ASIAN BISTRO East Moon specializes in Pan-Asian food, with a focus on Thai dishes, sushi, noodles and curries.

Regulars love the affordable lunch specials and quick delivery service. 5028 50th St., 712.8888, lubbockeastmoon.com $ EL CHARRO Open early for breakfast, El Charro serves traditional Tex-Mex favorites like burritos, tacos and enchiladas. Use the drive-thru for a hot breakfast to go. 5011 I-27, 747.5790, elcharrotexas.com $ FIREHOUSE SUBS Founded by firemen, the eatery sets aside a portion of every purchase to donate to local first responders to provide them life-saving equipment.

2510 Marsha Sharp Fwy., Suite 150, 747.9600/ 5027 Milwaukee Ave., Suite 200, 799.1098/ 9810 Slide Road, Suite F, 702.8251, firehousesubs.com $ FUDDRUCKERS This fast-casual chain bills itself as making the “world’s greatest hamburger.” Fuddruckers lets diners choose the size of their burger, how they’d like it cooked, and which toppings they’d prefer.

5501 Slide Road, 687.3833, fuddruckers.com $ THE FUNKY DOOR BISTRO & WINE ROOM With everything from mac ‘n cheese to fondue, lobster to steak, and more than 800 wine labels, The Funky Door is a divine place to linger.

6801 Milwaukee Ave., 687.0505, thefunkydoor.com $$-$$$

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THE GAS LIGHT Relax with a handcrafted cocktail and one of the shareable plates while you listen to live music in the lounge. 5212 57th St., Suite 100, 785.1720, thegaslight.net $$ GATOR’S BAYOU CAJUN GRILL & BAR Gator’s Bayou’s fun atmosphere and extensive food and drink menus ensure that you’ll enjoy your experience. Fans of Gator’s enjoy the Sunday brunch and sheltered patio. 5217 98th St., 698.6900, gatersbayou.com $$ GEORGE’S CAFE The cafe serves breakfast all day, every day, with daily specials that are sure to please. You’ll find friendly service and Texas-style comfort food at George’s. 5407 Fourth St., 795.6000 $ GIORGIO’S PIZZA Giorgio’s longstanding downtown location offers counter service and some of the city’s most beloved pizza by the slice, calzones, pasta, and daily lunch specials. 1018 Broadway St., 765.9330 $ GOHAN JAPANESE FUSION A fast-casual eatery, Gohan serves hibachi-style build-a-bowl meals, specialty rice bowls, and bubble tea. 1003 University Ave., 368.8048 $$ HARRIGAN’S PRIME GRILL Remember Harrigan’s? Well, the beloved chain is back as Harrigan’s Prime Grill, and locals are thrilled. Open for lunch and dinner, the menu includes plenty of steaks to satisfy beef lovers, along with plenty of options for the entire family.

Don’t’ leave without indulging in a Black Magic Cake. 11814 Indiana Ave., 368.8008, harrigans.com $$-$$$ HEALTHY ESSENTIALS Part nutrition shop, part cafe, Healthy Essentials serves low-calorie breakfast and lunch items, coffee and smoothies. 8008 Abbeville Ave., 771.5959, healthytastegreat.com $ HEFF’S BURGERS A winner in the Best Burger category of Best of Lubbock since 2010, Heff’s serves nine different fresh, half-pound burgers, and sandwiches, home-style fries, and ice cream. 5727 82nd St., 698.0900/2401 Glenna Goodacre, 589.5555, heffsburgers.net $ HOLLY HOP ICE CREAM SHOPPE This charming, old-fashion ice cream and soda shop also serves pizza, hot dogs and sandwiches for lunch and dinner. 3404 34th St., 792.2756 $

HUB CITY WINGS Offering more than just wings, Hub City also cooks up burgers, hot dogs, chicken strips and more.

1902 34th St., 687.3332, hubcitywingslubbock. com $ IKE’S WOODFIRE GRILLE Ike’s offers handcrafted steaks, seafood, woodfired pizzas, calzones, burgers and more. Save with Ike’s daily specials and enjoy daily Happy Hour Monday through Friday. 4414 82nd St., Suite 218, 368.8036, ikesgrill.com $$

JAZZ, A LOUISIANA KITCHEN A national chain, Jazz serves New Orleans-style classics and features nightly live music.

3703 19th St., 799.2124, jazzkitchen.com $$ JIMENEZ BAKERY & RESTAURANT Jimenez has offered traditional Mexican baked goods to the Lubbock area since 1969. Breakfast items lean toward Texas-style comfort food, while lunch and dinner focus on more traditional items.

Don’t leave without trying something from the bakery. 1217 Crickets Ave., 744.2685 $

KIN KOREAN BBQ & SUSHI LOUNGE Traditional Korean BBQ is designed for sharing. At Kin, choose your meat and cook it yourself at the table. Or choose sushi from Kin’s “Sushi Conveyor Revolution,” which features fresh-made sushi.

6810 Milwaukee Ave., 368.3830 $$ LA DIOSA CELLARS From the funky decor to the perfectly prepared tapas to the extensive wine list, La Diosa promises a top-notch experience. 901 17th St., 744.3600, ladiosacellars.com $$

INDIA PALACE RESTAURANT A little aging gem, you’ll find cooked-to-order Indian standbys like naan, samosas, masala and mango lassi. Be prepared to wait, but the food is worth every minute. 3021 34th St., Suite A, 799.6772 $

JIMMY JOHN’S Jimmy John’s prides itself on fresh ingredients and friendly service. We love the endless options for topping combinations. 4730 Slide Road, 795.0800/ 2413 Broadway St., 740.0002, jimmyjohns.com $

LA MADELEINE Charming chain La Madeleine keeps customers coming back for more with French-style baked goods for breakfast, lunch or dinner. 8201 Quaker Ave., Suite 118, 698.6313, lamadeleine.com $$

J&B COFFEE CO. Generously portioned sandwiches, baked goods and specialty desserts make the perfect complement for freshly roasted coffee or flavored tea. 2701 26th St., 796.1114, jandbcoffeeco.com $

JUMBO JOE’S A true burger joint, Joe’s offers dine-in, carry-out and a convenient drive-thru. Extra-large portions and affordable prices keep diners going back for more. 3310 Fourth St., 747.7900, jumbojoes.com $

LAS BRISAS SOUTHWEST STEAKHOUSE Elegant Southwestern-style fare awaits at Las Brisas. Feast on a 24-ounce bone-in rib-eye paired with the perfect craft cocktail or a

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selection from the wine list. 4701 112th St., 687.6050, las-brisas.com $$$ LEAL’S TAMALE FACTORY AND MORE Leal’s serves dishes that blend the traditional flavors of Mexico with a few twists that will delight you. 6205 19th St., 780.5325, lealstamalefactory. com $$ LILLIE’S PLACE Lillie’s affordable Mexican food and breakfast all day are made even better by great customer service and special attention for pups in the drivethru. 6313 19th St., 701.5206 $ LISA WEST’S DOUBLE NICKEL STEAK HOUSE Voted one of the top 10 best steak houses in Texas, the Double Nickel specializes in traditional steakhouse fare. While beef rules the menu, you’ll find plenty of chicken, seafood and salads to delight the pickiest eater. 5405 Slide Road, 792.0055, doublenickelsteakhouse.com $$$ LITE BITE MEDITERRANEAN CAFE This simple Mediterranean diner also has a specialty market and deli on site. Customer favorites include the fresh gyros, baklava, and hummus. Order online for quick pickup or delivery. 3624 50th St., 788.0215, litebitemediterraneancafe.com $ LONE STAR OYSTER BAR A Lubbock staple for more than 30 years, Lone Star serves shrimp and oysters, and burgers and bar food. Listen to live music on the patio or watch the game on the big screens inside the restaurant.

5116 58th St., Suite C, 797.3773/3040 34th St., 796.0101 $$ LONGHORN STEAKHOUSE Stand-outs on LongHorn’s extensive menu include Grilled White Cheddar Stuffed Mushrooms, the hearty LongHorn Gourmet burger, a variety of steaks, and the lighter Spinach Feta Chicken.

4805 S. Loop 289, 783.0015, longhornsteakhouse.com $$ LUBBOCK’S BREAKFAST HOUSE & GRILL Serving breakfast daily from 6 a.m. to 2 p.m., the Breakfast House also serves lunch, and dinner until 10 p.m. A huge menu means you can go back again and again to discover a new taste treat.

7006 University Ave., Suite 17, 687.8912/ 3515 50th St., 308.0010/2422 19th St., 701.5351, lubbockbreakfasthouse.com $ LUCKY CHEN CHINESE RESTAURANT Luck Chen serves familiar favorites like fried rice, chow mein, and moo goo gai pan. Daily lunch specials cost a low $5.95. 1803 Seventh St., Suite 801, 749.7888, luckychentx.com $

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MAMA JOSIE’S KITCHEN A staggering amount of burritos for breakfast or lunch means making a decision will be difficult.

Multiple locations help satisfy those pesky cravings for Tex-Mex. 5719 66th St., 741.0588/ 212 University Ave., 747.8546/ 318 N. University Ave., 744.6268 $ MAMARITA’S BORDER CAFE MamaRita’s fast casual Tex-Mex is a regular Best of Lubbock winner. In business since 1989, locals love the salsa bar, margarita’s, and affordable daily specials. 6602 Slide Road, 794.4778, mamaritaslubbock.com $ MANARA CAFE Family-owned and -operated, Manara serves authentic Mediterranean cuisine. Customers love the swarma and gyro sandwiches and saffron rice.

2623 34th St., 701.4190 $$ MESQUITES BAR & GRILL The busy bar serves a limited menu to enjoy while watching the big game. 2419 Broadway St., 744.9277 $ MI TACO VILLAGE This humble eatery offers dine-in or carry-out, with live music on weekends. In business since 1975, the family-owned restaurant serves fresh and delicious Tex-Mex. The chile rellenos are renowned.

220 Regis St., 747.9700 $ MISS ANN’S CLASSIC DINER A true Lubbock classic, Miss Ann’s serves burgers, hot dogs, boxed meals, and ice cream. (Save room for a malt!) 3218 34th St., 792.2729 $ THE OFFICE GRILL AND SPORTS BAR Known for great live country music, The Office offers all-day Happy Hour and a simple menu with grill items like sandwiches and burgers.

5004 Frankford Ave., Suite 900, 687.6242 $ O’HANA JAPANESE STEAKHOUSE & SUSHI BAR Choose from hibachi service or fresh sushi when you dine at O’hana. Reservations are suggested for busy weekend evenings. 5510 Fourth St., Suite 100, 792.0144/ 5217 82nd St., 783.8298 $$ ONE GUY FROM ITALY Fresh, hot, cheesy calzones are the star at One Guy, but the pizza, pasta, and garlic bread are also noteworthy. You’ll find traditional Sicilian recipes and great conversation when you dine in.

4320 50th St., 791.1210, oneguyfromitaly.com/ 1101 University Ave., 747.1226 $ ORLANDO’S ITALIAN RESTAURANT Generous portions of Italian mainstays dominate Orlando’s menu, with a southwestern influence peppered throughout. Customers rave about the potato and green chile soup, burgers, and all-you-

Lubbock Magazine • thelubbockmagazine.com • SEPTEMBER 2020

can-eat spaghetti and meatballs. 6951 Indiana Ave., 797.8646/2402 Avenue Q, 747.5998, orlandos.com $$ PANCAKE HOUSE This cozy diner fills up fast, so expect a wait time.

Enjoy home-style breakfast until 2:30 p.m. daily, with lunch items available after 11 a.m.

510 Avenue Q, 765.8506 $ PARMA ITALIANO RISTORANTE Offering cuisine inspired by Northern Italy, Parma serves lunch Monday through Friday, brunch on weekends, and dinner nightly. Feast on tender ribeye au piovre, fresh seafood, and satisfying pasta entrees. Enjoy Happy Hour during the week and Daily Deals for students, military and seniors.

4646 50th St., 368.7055, parma-ristorante.com $$-$$$ THE PECAN GRILL Located inside the Overton Hotel & Conference Center, The Pecan Grill serves upscale breakfast, lunch and dinner. We’re fans of the Texas redfish and NY strip steak. 2322 Mac Davis Lane, 776.7010, overtonhotel.com $$$ PEPE’S PIZZA & ICE CREAM Is there a better combination than pizza and ice cream? We don’t think so. Feast on hand-tossed pizza made to order, and ice cream loaded with your favorite mix-ins. 3704 98th St., Suite 900, 993.7373, pizzabypepes.com $$ PHO CALI Specializing in Vietnamese noodle soup, Pho Cali also offers barbecued pork chops, fried vermicelli, and coffee. 4636 50th St., 784.2882, phocalillc.com $ PINKIE’S BARBECUE In business since 1962, Pinkie’s specializes in brisket, pork ribs, ham, and sausage with all the fixings. 4704 Fourth St., 687.0795, pinkiesbarbecue.com $ QUEEN OF TARTS BAKERY & CHEESE SHOP Handmade artisan baked goods are perfectly paired with a selection of gourmet cheeses. Put together a picnic basket-style takeaway for a romantic evening in. 8004 Indiana Ave., Suite B18, 993.1009, queenoftartslubbock.com $$ RAIDER BURRITO Serving breakfast, lunch and dinner, Raider Burrito caters to those pesky Tex-Mex cravings. Locals love the street-style tacos and breakfast burritos.

2102 19th St., 771.1178 $ RAZZOO’S CAJUN CAFE Open in Lubbock since August 2018, Razzoo’s serves Cajun specialties in a fun, friendly atmosphere. Unwind on Winey Wednesdays with half price wine all day.

4805 S. Loop 289, 783.3032, razzoos.com $$ RED ZONE CAFE This casual college football-themed eatery serves home-style fare for breakfast, lunch and dinner. 3602 Slide Road, 784.0010, redzonecafe.org $ RIVER SMITH’S CHICKEN & CATFISH A Lubbock mainstay, Rive Smith’s serves fried catfish and chicken battered to perfection. Chargrilled options, and oysters, shrimp and crab round out the menu. 406 Avenue Q, 765.8164, riversmiths.com $$ ROYAL SEAFOOD SHACK From traditional Cajun seafood boils, to fried or grilled fish, to sandwiches and gumbo, the Royal Seafood Shack’s menu is brimming with fresh seafood, paired with down-home comfort food sides like corn on the cobb, cornbread, french fries and coleslaw. 6012 82nd St., 368.8537, royalseafoodshack.com $$

ONE QUARTER SQUARE 3.9” x 4.875”

SABROSO MEXICAN RESTAURANT AND BAR Traditional Tex-Mex is a staple in West Texas, and Sabroso does not disappoint. You can’t go wrong with a taco special, enchiladas, or the popular breakfast migas, offered at breakfast or brunch. 5812 34th St., 702.8959, sabrosomexicanrestaurant.com $ SAIGON CAFE An extensive variety of Vietnamese entrees fill the menu at Saigon Cafe.

Photos of the food make it easier to choose something off the menu.

4515 50th St., 788.1367 $

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SANCTUARY BAR & CAFE Sanctuary offers specialty cocktails like its nitrogeninfused “NitroMargarita,” and classic bar food like burgers, dip and chips, and chicken wings.

The eatery expects to release a full food menu in the coming months. 8209 Slide Road, Suite 900, 368.3867, sanctuarybarandcafe.com $$

SMOKIN JOE’S Get your Tex-Mex fix at Smokin’ Joe’s. In-the-know locals favor the flavorful cheeseburgers and fruit waters. Head through the convenient drive-thru for a refreshing snow cone. 2001 Clovis Road, 749.5637 $ STACKED BREAKFAST & LUNCH Open early for breakfast and serving lunch daily, Stacked also caters and offers a convenient drive-up window for meals on the go. We’ve got our eye on the pancakes at Stacked, with four tempting flavors: original, chocolate chip, sweet potato, and bacon. 6015 82nd St., Suite 5, 317.1101, stackedlbk.com $ TABLE 82 Table 82’s cuisine ranges from hearty Italian entrees to high-end steaks to an abundance of seafood to burgers and pizza. We’re impressed with the variety and outstanding ingredients.

4210 82nd St., Suite 240, 799.3408, table82.com $$-$$$ TEXAS BURRITO For breakfast on the go, Texas Burrito is the spot. Generous portions and affordable prices keep loyal diners going back for more. 2167 50th St., 744.7373 $ TOM & BINGO’S HICKORY PIT BAR-B-QUE In business since the 1950s, Tom & Bingo’s is a local staple. Feast on mesquite-smoked barbecue, sausage, burgers, and traditional sides. Grab a bottle of the famous barbecue sauce to go. 3006 34th St., 799.1514 $$

Picoso’s Mexican Kitchen serves great food while also serving their staff and families by re-investing their profits into bettering their lives outside the workplace. Making classes available on parenting, marriage, personal finance and healthy lifestyle has made a huge difference in their lives. Jeremy & Heather Waller want Picoso’s to be a light in a sometimes dark world.

7611 Milwaukee LB-16075310

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Sun - Thurs 11AM - 10PM Fri & Sat 11AM - 11PM

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TOMMY’S FAMOUS BURGERS This family-run franchise promises the perfect fast food burgers, hot dogs and chili to end late-night cravings.

Order a hot dog with the works – you won’t be disappointed.

117 University Ave., 763.5424, tommysfamousburgers.com $ WALK-ON’S BISTREAUX & BAR Walk-On’s serves Louisiana-inspired cuisine like seafood, traditional Cajun favorites and biggerthan-average burgers. The like to call it “Game Day with a Taste of Louisiana.” We call it just plain tasty.

2630 W. Loop 289, 793.1845, walk-ons.com $$ THE WEST TABLE KITCHEN AND BAR The West family’s hip eatery inside the Pioneer Condos building downtown serves outstanding, creative food. The menu changes daily to accommodate seasonal foods, but we enjoyed the crab hushpuppy starter, hearty burger, and roasted beet salad on our last visit. 1204 Broadway St., Suite 103, 993.9378, thewesttable.com $$ WING DADDY’S SAUCE HOUSE Available for dine or carryout, Wing Daddy’s serves cravable wings, bar-style appetizers burgers and more. Enjoy lunch specials weekdays, and weekly specials Monday through Thursday.

7706 Milwaukee Ave., 698.9464, wingdaddys.com $$ WOODY’S BRICK OVEN PIZZA & GRILL A family-owned and -operated establishment, Woody’s serves Chicago-style pizza, wings, calzones, burgers and sandwiches. Daily specials, especially at lunch, make this place a great value. 3135 34th St., 368.5263, woodysbrickovenpizzaandgrill.com $$ WORLD OF BEER World of Beer features more than 500 global beers, craft beer on tap, and tavern-style food.

Enjoy “Beerunch” on Sundays and lunch on lunch and dinner daily. 2910 W. Loop 289, 785.1386, worldofbeer.com $ YAMAGATA JAPANESE STEAKHOUSE & SHABU SHABU Yamagata’s shabu shabu (hot pots) set it apart from other hibachi-style restaurants in town.

Choose a variety of thinly sliced meats and vegetables to cook tableside. 5905 82nd St., Suite 104, 687.5620 $$

Calendar OF EVENTS SEPTEMBER 2020

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

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

MUSIC

SPECIAL EVENTS

Sept. 4-5

Sept. 4

Thursdays in September

“Cinderella” 7:30 p.m. C.A.T.S. Playhouse, 2257 34th St., 792.0501

Tanner Usrey 8 p.m. Cook’s Garage, 11002 Highway 87, 893.2491

Peace on the East Park Night 7-10 p.m. Butler Park, 2700 E. Fourth St., 335.5159

Jesse Day & The Texas Knights 9 p.m. Table 82, 4210 82nd St., Suite 240, 799.3408

Saturdays in September

BENEFITS & FUNDRAISERS Sept. 1-30 Feed Seniors Now A partnership between Lubbock Meals on Wheels and Comfort Keepers.

For more information, visit comfortkeepers.com or call 806.687.7800.

Sept. 12 Show & Shine Car Show 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Benefiting the Lubbock Lupus Group. Jackie’s Automotive & Service Center, 6615 19th St., 793.6699 Third Annual Suicide Awareness & Prevention Showcase 3 p.m. Prima Vista Lubbock, 402 N. FM 179, 392.5729

Sept. 5 Blue Light Street Party 5-8 p.m. Lineup will include Read Southall Band, Kody West and more. The Blue Light Live, 1806 Buddy Holly Ave., 762.1185

Buddy’s Birthday Bash 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Annual celebration will include virtual and in-person events. Buddy Holly Center, 1801 Crickets Ave., 775.3560

Carmen 7-10 p.m. The Cactus Theater, 1812 Buddy Holly Ave., 762.323

Sept. 11

Sept. 12 Cook’s Garage Showdown 8 a.m.-8 p.m. Cook’s Garage, 11002 Highway 87, 893.2491

Sept. 13 Sept. 16 Jesse Day & The Texas Knights 6 p.m. Teddy Jack’s Hub City Grill, 7205 Milwaukee Ave., 698.6997

Sept. 16 Champions for Children 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m. Early Learning Centers of Lubbock, 1639 Main St., 765.9981

Sept. 21

Food & Wine Market 5-8 p.m. English Newsom Cellars at Caprock Winery & Event Center, 408 E. Woodrow Road, 863.2704

Sept. 7

Sept. 9

Moon Jelly Music 9:30 p.m. Table 82, 4210 82nd St., Suite 240, 799.3408 Out of the Darkness Walk 12 p.m. Walk for suicide prevention and awareness. Frazier Alumni Pavilion, Red Raider Avenue, 893.2525

Lubbock Downtown Farmers Market 9 a.m.-1 p.m.

19th Street and Buddy Holly Ave., 441.8564

50th Annual Fall Arts and Crafts Festival 9 a.m.-5p.m. Municipal Garden & Arts Center, 4215 University Ave., 767.3724 Annual Iris Sale 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Lubbock Municipal Garden 7 Arts Center, 4215 University Ave., 767.3724

Sept. 18 Tracy Byrd 7 p.m. Cook’s Garage, 11002 Highway 87, 893.2491

Sept. 23

13th Annual Live United Golf Tournament 7 a.m.5p.m. Hillcrest Golf & Country Club, 4011 N. Boston Ave., 747.2711

Sept. 19

Sept. 25

Sept. 25

Moon Jelly Music 7-10 p.m. Teddy Jack’s Hub City Grill, 7205 Milwaukee Ave., 698.6997

Women of Distinction 12 p.m. Location TBD, 800.582.7272

Sept. 24 Boots and Badges Ball 2020 6:30 p.m. Eberley Brooks Events, 8602 CR7000, 535.1660

Sept. 26 Lubbock Pediatric Cancer Walk 9 a.m. Funds will benefit Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation and local pediatric cancer foundations. Buddy Holly Park, 775.8657

Sept. 28 SW Parkinson Society Golf Tournament 8 a.m.3 p.m. LakeRidge Country Club, 8802 Vickburg Ave., 745.0767

Randall King 7 p.m. Cook’s Garage, 11002 Highway 87, 893.2491 Jesse Day & The Texas Knights 7 p.m.

Back 40 Grill, 5214 98th St., 853.8715

Fall into Autumn Show 7 a.m.-5 p.m. Texas Tech Equestrian Center, 5712 CR1500, 792.4682

Sept. 25-30

Sept. 26

South Plains Fair 8 a.m. Annual fair includes rides, games, food vendors, exhibits, commercial vendors, petting zoo, concerts, free shows, animal exhibits and more. South Plains Fair, 105 E. Broadway St., 763.2833

Jesse Day & The Texas Knights 7:30 p.m.

The Funky Door Bistro & Wine Room, 6801 Milwaukee Ave., 687.0505

Sept. 29 2019 Service and Leadership Symposium 8 a.m.

Lubbock Memorial Civic Center, 1501 Mac Davis Lane, 775.2242 SEPTEMBER 2020 • thelubbockmagazine.com • Lubbock Magazine

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UNION BUS TERMINAL

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ubbock’s current bus station is located at the intersection of 13th Street and Avenue M, but its original station was a block to the east. The Union Bus Terminal helped passengers travel routes throughout Texas, New Mexico and Oklahoma. The architecturally unique station offered a cafe next door for hungry travelers. The cafe was known, simply,

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Lubbock Magazine • thelubbockmagazine.com • SEPTEMBER 2020

as the Bus Terminal Coffee Shop.

A close look at this undated photo – likely from the 1940s – shows a departing bus on its way to San Angelo. Midcentury bus lines provided service from Lubbock to Big Spring, Sweetwater, San Angelo, Clovis, Levelland, Morton, Amarillo, Wichita Falls, Vernon, Floydada, Odessa, Hobbs, Carlsbad and Oklahoma City. L

COURTESY OF TEXAS TECH’S SOUTHWEST COLLECTION/SPECIAL COLLECTION LIBRARY

Yesteryear