View Magazine - January/February 2019 by news-journal

C A L E NDA R OF EVEN TS | PI C TUR E TH I S! | N O N PR O FI T V I E W

VIEW JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2019

COVER STORY

Erika & Preston Rader

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JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2019

contents RE VIEW

TO EAT: Fuji Japanese Restaurant

HEALTH VIEW

Diet Changes for a Healthier You

COVER VIEW

Committed to Community

FESTIVAL VIEW

Jefferson Mardi Gras

HOME VIEW

The Bramlette Estate

EVENT VIEW

Texas Bourbon Shootout

NON-PROFIT VIEW

Longview Symphony

IN EVERY ISSUE 24 26 28

Calendar of Events To Eat, Drink & Do in East Texas Picture This!

14 ON THE COVER Love of community. Love of family. It’s at the heart of what drives Preston and Erika Rader. The husband and wife team are this year’s co-chairs of Longview’s premier spirited event: Bourbon & Bowties, which benefits Longview World of Wonders, at 7 p.m. Feb. 2 at the Maude Cobb Convention and Activity Complex in Longview.

4 VIEW | J A N UA R Y / F E B R UA R Y

Dear readers,

The couple has renovated this Longview landmark and

Is it too late to say Merry Christmas? I hope Santa Claus was good

furnished it with carefully selected antiques. Now, they’ve opened it up for use by local nonprofit organizations. Did I

to you, and I hope you have big plans for ringing in the new year. We here at Charm and View magazines are kicking off 2019

mention it’s beautiful? Actually, that’s an understatement. It’s stunning. Breathtaking. Spectacular. This home is actually not too

with a great first edition for the year. In Charm, you’ll read about a woman who is responsible for

far from my house, and it’s always been a great mystery to me

inspiring and guiding generations of young dancers in Longview.

and my children. It’s tucked away at the end of a long drive, on

Pat George Mitchell is celebrating her 50th year as founder and director of the Longview Ballet Theatre, which in addition to providing classical ballet training also brings professional ballet to Longview to perform with local dancers. She’s been assisted for 14 years by Executive Director Toni Erskine, who is handing off the reigns to Courtney Woodall Armstrong. The dedication these women have to this art form, specifically, and the arts in Longview, in general, is beautiful. In View magazine, you’ll read about Preston and Erika

a beautifully wooded property that conceals the house from the road. I hope you enjoy peeking inside this elegant home as much as I did. Of course, there’s lots more: a feature on successful local businesswoman Wanda Minx; the 50th anniversary of the Longview Symphony; the 30th anniversary of Jefferson’s Mardi Gras celebration; a local dietitian’s recommendations for eating better in the New Year; and a new event that’s certain to be popular while also raising money for Longview World of Wonders — the Texas Bourbon Shootout.

Rader. The next generation of the Rader Funeral Home family,

In our fashion and Shop This features, we’ll show you some

they’re making their mark in Longview. They are co-chairs of

great finds for getting dressed up and staying warm now that

the upcoming Bourbon & Bowties, a popular annual event that

winter is settled in.

benefits Longview World of Wonders, a children’s hands-on

Thanks for another great year

discovery center in downtown Longview, and they give their time

with Charm and View magazines. We

to other community organizations as well.

look forward to telling more of your

I’m particularly excited about a new feature on the View side of

stories in 2019.

the magazine — Home View. With each edition of the magazine we’ll feature a home we’re all dying to see the inside of, starting this month with the beautiful Bramlette Estate in Longview, jferguson@news-journal.com

owned by Nelson and Misty Roach.

100 E. Tyler St. | Longview, Texas | 903.753.5896 • 800.253.2961 | www.mastertrvl.com

Corporate

Cruise

Group

Wedding & Honeymoon

Adventure

We’ve been there. news-journal.com 5

REVIEW

eat

Fuji Japanese Restaurant Words by FINN O’CONNOR

I love reviewing sushi restaurants because there is so much

We had two appetizers. The Yellowtail Jalapeno was served

that they can do right to make the evening wonderful. They are

with a yuzu truffle oil. It was very good, but perhaps a bit too

great places to go for a date night.

much yellowtail for an appetizer. We also had the Squid Salad and

Fuji Japanese Restaurant has the best sushi in Longview — hands down the best. It is always good. I do hold sushi restaurants to a higher standard, especially in the presentation and in their eel sauce. I base a lot of my judgment of a sushi restaurant on how good their eel sauce is, and I am not alone. I once had an owner/chef of a sushi restaurant tell me

it was delicious. I was able to taste several different flavors in the sauce that was blended with the squid and greens. One other fun part of going to a sushi restaurant is drinking sake. Fuji has a great selection of sake and they are all reasonably priced. Here is a little-known fact about drinking sake: It is not

the same thing, that he judges all sushi restaurants by their eel

proper for the person pouring the sake to pour some into their

sauce. So, I am sure you are asking, “How is Fuji’s eel sauce?” It is

own bowl. So, when I needed more, my wife would pour it and

wonderful. Perfect. Not too sweet and not too thick.

vice versa. We chose the Nigori which is the cold, creamy white

And while we are on eel, I did ask the waitress one question

sake. The clear sake is normally served warm. Fuji also has a full

that she answered incorrectly. (Every sushi restaurant in

bar, which I think is a nice addition for those who would like to

Longview has gotten this question wrong, including once by the

have a drink but do not like sake.

owner himself at another sushi restaurant.) I asked her if the eel was fresh water eel or salt water eel. She looked at me bewildered for a moment and said, “It is just eel.” Okay it might have been an unfair question but not really, especially since the menu says, “fresh water eel.” Waiters and waitresses should know their menu. The pieces of fish in the sushi at Fuji are never too small or

Fuji had a small selection of desserts, including fried, tempurastyle ice cream and tempura bananas. The presentation was better than the dessert itself. There was not much of a taste to them. Finally, about the atmosphere: Fuji’s interior looks like a sushi restaurant. From the minute you open the door, the décor says

too big. Yes, for me, pieces of raw fish can be too big. Also, the

Japanese restaurant. There are, or better put, were several sushi

presentation of each dish is picture perfect.

restaurants in Longview that had no décor to suit the style of

I love the boat they use when serving multiple rolls and sushi. In our boat, we had four pieces of yellowtail, four pieces of of tuna

restaurant. In fact, they had no décor at all. Atmosphere helps when enjoying a restaurant. Fuji has that and at a very reasonable price.

and two rolls: the Fuji roll, which is shrimp tempura, crabmeat

If you are now hungry for sushi or if you are looking for a great

and avocado wrapped in soybean sheet topped with salmon,

place for a date night, I highly recommend Fuji. I give Fuji an A

avocado and tobiko; and the Volcano roll which is baked crabmeat

for food and service and a A+ for its décor and atmosphere.

and avocado, topped with crawfish, kani, massago and crunch. Both were delicious. I enjoy dipping them in a bit of eel sauce, so I always ask for a side of eel sauce.

FUJI JAPANESE RESTAURANT 3098 N. Eastman Road, Suite 106, Longview | (903) 663-9888 11:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday to Thursday 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday

6 VIEW | J A N UA R Y / F E B R UA R Y

HEALTH VIEW

diet changes for a healthier you Words by CLARE MCCARTHY

WE’VE

all heard the phrase “you are what you eat.”

you are giving the power to someone else to determine the quality

While we can’t blame all our problems

and ingredients of your food.”

on what we put into our bodies, the foods we consume play a crucial role in how we feel, physically and mentally. Danielle Heard is a certified clinical and functional nutritionist and owner of Artemis in the City, a local business that offers nutrition services. She said the foundation of our health is within the foods we eat and what we put into our bodies.

3. Eat four to six servings (1/2 cup = 1 serving) of non-starchy vegetables per day (i.e. broccoli, Brussels sprouts, asparagus, green beans, collard greens, bok choy, cabbage, radishes, onions, leeks, scallions, celery, snow peas, zucchini, etc.) 4. Drink plenty of water (preferably reverse osmosis, filtered or spring water that is free of chemicals). Heard said many

“It’s important for people to eat a healthy diet to supply their

underlying health issues are caused by dehydration, and when

body with the necessary nutrients it needs,” Heard said. “When

people begin to increase their intake of water, they often see those

we’re eating healthy diets, we’re helping our bodies detoxify

issues reverse.

naturally, so we’re able to reduce inflammation and excess fluids and essentially improve our moods.”

5. Increase intake of omega-3 fatty acids in foods such as quality fish and fish oil, hemp seeds and oil, flax seeds and oil, chia seeds,

Heard has spent the past 12 years training in biochemistry

walnuts, etc. “What science actually shows is that omega-3 fatty

and functional medicine and helps people with a wide range of

acids actually are really important for protection and reducing

health conditions. She uses diagnostic labs to treat patients with

inflammation in the body,” Heard said. “And they’re also healthy

more personalized nutrition therapy, but she also provides clinical

for our brain functioning.”

nutrition services to people across the country via telephone. She said the key to being healthy is eating the right foods for your body, since we all react differently to certain diets and nutrition. “We’re all bio-individually different,” Heard said. “So what’s good for one person may not necessarily be good for another person.” According to Heard, our bodies send us messages that we often try to ignore. Headaches, fatigue, gas, diarrhea, itchiness and dandruff are a few of the ways your body might be trying to tell you it isn’t happy with what’s being put in it, Heard said.

6. Choose steaming, stewing, boiling and poaching as methods of cooking to help reduce the formation of harmful advanced glycation end products (AGEs) and advanced lipoxidation end products (ALEs). These are pathogenic glycotoxins and lipotoxins that can cause oxidative damage and inflammation leading to the progression of chronic diseases such as atherosclerosis, diabetes, Alzheimer’s disease, cancer, heart disease and kidney disease, Heard says. 7. Incorporate herbal teas that are rich in antioxidants and can help your body detoxify (i.e. rooibos, chamomile, milk thistle,

Along with getting seven to eight hours of sleep per night, reducing

mint, nettles, etc.) “These provide antioxidants for the body,”

stress and limiting caffeine and alcohol intake, Heard has dietary

Heard said. “Some of them help with relaxation and they also can

suggestions for people looking to live a healthier lifestyle in 2019:

help with liver detoxification.”

1. Select unprocessed foods in their natural forms. Eliminate processed foods (i.e. refined sugar, processed flour, junk foods, transfats, artificial chemicals and colorings, partially hydrogenated oils, etc.) 2. Cook and prepare your own foods so that you can control the quality and the ingredients. Heard said this is critical to leading a healthier lifestyle because “if you don’t prepare your own foods,

DANIELLE HEARD

certified clinical and functional nutritionist and owner of Artemis in the City news-journal.com 7

COVER VIEW

COMMITTED TO

COMMUNITY Words by ANNTOINETTE MOORE | Photos by LES HASSELL

8 VIEW | J A N UA R Y / F E B R UA R Y

Erika, left, and Preston Rader at Longview World of Wonders.

ove of community. Love of family. It’s at the heart of what drives Preston and Erika Rader. The husband and wife team are this year’s co-chairs of Longview’s premier spirited event: Bourbon & Bowties, which benefits Longview World of Wonders, at 7 p.m. Feb. 2 at the

Maude Cobb Convention and Activity Complex in Longview. LongviewWOW, a children’s hands-on discovery center, opened in August 2016 in downtown Longview, about seven years after a group of volunteers resurrected an idea for a children’s museum that first surfaced in the late 1990s. “We’ve seen how LongviewWOW has benefited children in our community. … Our kids love it,” Erika Rader said. She and Preston have an 8-year-old son, Benjamin, and a 4-year-old daughter, Abigail. “If we want to do something on a Saturday, we can go 5 minutes down the road and do physics experiments or creative play. We look forward to our kids growing up and talking about the memories they have of WOW,” Erika said. “Before, families had to travel to Tyler or Dallas to get this sort of experience. Not every family can do that. Some of the children who visit the museum have never been to one,” she said. It was 2014 when Cole Tomberlain approached the LongviewWOW board and offered to produce a bourbon-themed fundraiser. At that time, the museum had yet to open. “I committed to a three-year deal, and that I would raise at least $20,000 each year,” he said. Tomberlain, his wife, Kendall, and their friends organized the first event, which grossed $290,000. Bourbon & Bowties remains wildly successful, and the children’s museum is now a reality at 112 E. Tyler St. in Longview.

continued on pg. 10  news-journal.com 9

The Raders attended the first Bourbon & Bowties and have continued to support it. “We felt honored and humbled by the opportunity (to be cochairs), and up to the challenge. And Preston loves bourbon, so it was an absolute yes,” Erika said, laughing. About 550 people attended Bourbon & Bowties in 2017, which raised $242,000, Erika said. After expenses, LongviewWOW received $142,000. The goal is to raise $300,000 this year just for the museum. As co-chairs, “We are having so much fun! It reminds me of what a great listener Preston is,” Erika said. “It’s me and my best friend planning a really big party for a community and organization that we really love. I don’t think it can get better than that,” she said. Erika is a Hallsville graduate, while Preston graduated from Pine Tree. She attended Arizona State University, and he attended Texas Tech. They met through mutual friends after they returned to Longview after college. They both work for Preston’s family business, Rader Funeral Abigail and Benjamin Rader help place flags on veterans’ graves at Rosewood Park Cemetery, which also was developed by the Rader family. The children have been helping with the flags their entire lives, their mother, Erika, said. Photo Special to View

Homes in Longview and Henderson. Preston is funeral director and Erika is community relations coordinator. Preston’s great-grandfather, LeRoy Rader, came to East Texas from Illinois and started the family business in the late 1930s. LeRoy’s son, Charley, opened the Rader funeral home in Longview in 1953. Charley’s son, Charles (Preston’s father) is now co-owner, president and general manager of the company, which opened a funeral home in Henderson in 2006. Just 3 percent of family-owned businesses survive for four or more generations, according to the Family Business Alliance, which provides training and resources. “I really enjoy working with my family. I’m grateful for that,” Preston said. The funeral home business “has always been a part of my life. I picked weeds at the cemetery when I was 13 or 14 years old,” he said of Rosewood Park Cemetery, which the Rader family also established. “My grandmother, my aunts, my mom and dad – everyone is involved in the business,” Preston said. It has succeeded because of “the perseverance of my great grandfather, grandfather and my dad. I’m taking it over at the peak of its success,” he said. Preston also credits the firm’s employees. “They are great at their jobs. They are great at taking care of families and the deceased and honoring them,” he said.

Erika Rader is chairwoman of Asbury House’s Art Days and helped walk children from the preschool to the Longview Museum of Fine Arts. Photo Special to View 10 VIEW | J A N UA R Y / F E B R UA R Y

Erika said, “There’s also a lot of trust in the family. … (Charles Rader) trusts Preston with the legacy of his family; he trusts me as well.”

Family members talk to each other and are willing to learn from each other, she added. Being involved in the communities in which they work and live also has contributed to the success of his family’s business, Preston Rader said. He’s a member of the Rotary Club of Henderson, and supports Buckner, the Christian charitable organization, and its local, annual sporting clays tournament. Preston also participates in the Heartsway Hospice Golf Tournament each year. He is a member of the East Texas Funeral Directors Association, including serving as board member and president, and he’s on the board of the

Rader Funeral Home donated supplies to assist with Longview’s homeless outreach efforts. Photo Special to View

Texas Funeral Directors Association. His wife points out with a smile that he’s also the current Young Professional of the Year for the East Texas region of the Texas Funeral Directors Association. He and Erika also are active in the International Order of the Golden Rule, an association of family owned funeral homes. He led a new young professionals branch of that group that was started in the past five years, and Preston is a member of the Trinity School of Texas Board of Trustees. Erika also assists with the Heartsway golf tournament and Asbury House — a preschool for low-income families, and the Longview Wine Festival benefiting the East Texas Alzheimer’s Alliance. She’s also a member of the Junior League of Longview,

Erika Rader assists with Asbury House’s Arts Days, at Longview Museum of Fine Arts, as chairwoman of the program this year. Photo Special to View

chairing the group’s Kids in the Kitchen program, past president of Leadership Henderson Alumni Association and involved in her children’s schools — Trinity School of Texas and Hudson Pep. Erika organizes community and veteran support events through Rader Funeral Home. She also created a hospice outreach program and trains and supports funeral homes across the country on hospice support and relations. “Whether it’s Kilgore, Longview or Henderson, you have to care about the communities that you serve,” Preston said. Because of a related Longview fundraiser, the Texas Bourbon Shootout on Feb. 1, as many as 10 Texas bourbon distillers will be at Bourbon & Bowties this year, Tomberlain said. They’ll have samples of their bourbons and will be available to field questions from bourbon aficionados and would-be connoisseurs. In addition to dinner and dancing, party-goers can “tour” the Kentucky Bourbon Trail, as well as taste bourbons from Buffalo Trace, a key Kentucky distiller, he added. A full-service bourbon bar with more than a hundred bourbons will be on hand, plus mint, bacon and everything else needed to make cocktails.

Preston Rader helps place flags around Henderson as part of Henderson’s Rotary Club. Photo Special to View

you go

BOURBON & BOWTIES, BENEFITING LONGVIEW WORLD OF WONDERS When: 7 p.m. Feb. 2 Where: Maude Cobb Convention and Activity Complex, 100 Grand Blvd, Longview Tickets: $100 for general admission; VIP Tickets $175 Information: www.longviewwow.org/bourbon-bowties; Bourbon & Bowties on Facebook; (903) 746-5115

news-journal.com 11

FESTIVALVIEW

jefferson

mardi gras

Words by BECKY BELL | Photos by MICHAEL CAVAZOS

FOR

the 30th year in March, Jefferson will celebrate

start time of 2 p.m., said Kelli Smith, president of this year’s

its early beginnings as a famous inland port by

Krewe of Hebe Mardi Gras Upriver.

holding its Krewe of Hebe Mardi Gras Upriver festival. In the early years, from the late 1800s to the early 1900s, Jefferson was a port town much like Galveston and New Orleans and was the the most northern port from New Orleans, said former Jefferson Tourism Director Kevin Godfrey. “That’s how we got a lot of these French and Cajun influences in town, and that is where Mardi Gras comes from in Jefferson,” Godfrey said. “The roots of why we have Mardi Gras run deep back to the 1840s to the 1870s. This was the biggest turning basin, and the paddle wheels would come in and stop in Jefferson and unload and load up goods and turn around and go back to New Orleans.” Godfrey said Jefferson is home to the world’s first ammonia refrigerant ice plant and joked about the importance of ice in Mardi Gras celebrations. “We supplied all the ice from Jefferson to New Orleans, and you can’t have your hurricane (drink) without ice, right?” Godrey said. “This Mardi Gras is a several day and night event. As long as someone is still standing, we will have Mardi Gras.” If weather cooperates, Jefferson’s Mardi Gras is the largest in Texas other than Galveston’s, he said. This year’s Mardi Gras, scheduled March 1 to 3, has a theme

Smith, a Shreveport native, said she knows of the success of that city’s Mardi Gras, but said she believes the variety of offerings at the Jefferson Mardi Gars are more inviting to families. The March 3 children’s parade begins at 2 p.m. and is followed by a pet parade. Live music also is planned, beginning with the band Identity Crisis performing 7 to 10 p.m. Friday in the festival area in the alley on Austin Street. From 7 to 10 p.m. Saturday, headliner the Kentucky Headhunters, which is a mix of country and Southern rock, will take the stage. And from 3 to 5 p.m. Sunday, Snakebone will perform. Smith said the band has an 1980s rock vibe. “I’ve talked to several people who used to go over to Shreveport and decided to come to ours,” Smith said. “It’s so crazy and spread out over there, and ours is there together, and we have different entertainment for everyone.” The parades will pass the statue of Hebe at the intersection of Lafayette and Market streets. Smith said the event takes yearlong planning. “It’s Thanksgiving, then Christmas, then Mardi Gras, bam, bam, bam,” she said.

of “The Games that People Play.” The kickoff parade is the March

Smith said the population of Jefferson is 2,500 people while

1 Doo-Dah parade, where participants dress in kooky outfits and

Marion County’s is 10,000, but during Mardi Gras, the city

decorate their golf carts to begin the event.

sometimes welcomes almost 40,000 attendees.

The largest event — the grand parade — begins with

Victor Perot, a member of the Jefferson City Council who also

motorcycles in the lead at 1:30 p.m. March 2, but it has an official

was mayor the year Mardi Gras began, said the event started as

12 VIEW | J A N UA R Y / F E B R UA R Y

something officials expected to have a positive economic impact

great injection for their businesses, and that helps them survive

on the city.

the winter a little better,” he said. “I’m in the insurance business,

“We were elated because we probably did have about 15,000

and if it wasn’t for these others, I wouldn’t be in business. Just like

to 18,000 people the first year,” Perot said. “People were parking

any other city, we are trying to get the tourist’s dollars. Each and

as far as two and three miles from town and walking into town.”

every thing they do helps to create tax income for the city.”

Perot said Jefferson’s Mardi Gras was the brainchild of Greg

Weather is the one thing organizers of Krewe of Hebe Mardi

Garvey, who at that time owned the Auntie Skinner’s Riverboat

Gras Upriver have no control over. And although weather has

Club. After visiting local churches and civic clubs to gauge how

cooperated in past years, sleet ended this past year’s event. “We pray the good Lord shines upon us and lets us have a good

supportive members would be of such a festival, he brought it to the City Council, which gave its approval. Perot said at the time,

year,” Perot said. Other than downtown, parking also is available at the Jefferson

Garvey’s mother lived in New Orleans. “He knew people who lived here were not making any money at that period of time because people were not coming during

Convention Center and near the Historic Jefferson Railway at 400 E. Austin St. For information go to mardigrasupriver.com.

the winter months, and he thought it would be a good idea to put heads in bed,” Perot said. “He thought everyone could thrive, and

it worked out just the way he drew the thing up.” Perot said it is impossible to talk about Mardi Gras without

you go KREWE OF HEBE MARDI GRAS UPRIVER

When: March 1 to 3

talking about how important it is to sustaining businesses. “It’s just a great time of year to have it because people have gotten their taxes after the first of the year, and that helps give a

Where: Downtown Jefferson Cost: Free admission Information: www.mardigrasupriver.com

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news-journal.com 13

HOMEVIEW

the

bramlette estate Words by ANA P. WALKER | Photos by MICHAEL CAVAZOS

14 VIEW | J A N UA R Y / F E B R UA R Y

The Bramlette Estate holds a significant place in Longview’s history, but it is love that propels it toward the city’s future: the love of childhood dreams, of nature, of hard work, of beautiful things, and the love between a husband and wife.

continued on pg. 16  news-journal.com 15

THE

Bramlette House, as some call it, sits on 22 acres at the corner of H.G. Mosley

and McCann Road, screened from view by lush greenery and enclosed by a white fence. A brick-paved drive winds through sculptured grounds and leads to the colonial revival home built in 1932 by Erskine Bramlette and now owned by Misty and Nelson Roach. Bramlette built the home on what was the family farm, according to Preservation Longview. His oldest son, Joseph, a graduate of the Harvard School of Architecture, designed the estate and the formal English gardens that boast several fountains.

Misty Roach speaks about her McCann Road home

Information provided by Misty Roach said Joseph lived in the home after his father’s death and was known for hosting lavish parties. Guests included Liberace and other celebrities such as Rock Hudson and Truman Capote. The home’s formal living room graced the cover of Architectural Digest in 1968. Since Bramlette’s death, the home has had two owners, Dr. David Sadler, who bought the home in 1991 and made extensive renovations, and the Roaches. Nelson, an attorney, bought the estate for Misty in 2016, and the couple has transformed the 7,000-squarefoot home’s interior that holds art, china and furniture, much of it from the 17th and 18th centuries. For Misty, it was a childhood dream come true. She has chosen each item herself, including a set of chairs that once belonged to Napoleon Bonaparte and countless other rare items. Not one to sit back and watch, Misty has taken an active role in the home’s transformation and now has taken aim at restoring even more of the grounds, at times working side by side with the grounds crew. She wants to see what emerges there as undergrowth is cleared and graceful oak trees are exposed along with some surprising finds, including a creek and structures that may have served as hideouts for people fleeing raids at local speakeasies in the last century, she said. The grounds were what drew the couple to the estate, having enjoyed the landscape for some time as they drove by. They have planted 7,000 daffodils and increased the azalea and rose bush populations by several thousand. In addition to living there, the Roaches want to to share the estate with as many people as possible, she said. Area nonprofit groups have benefited from events hosted by the Roaches. These include the Gregg County Historical Museum and the Longview continued on pg. 19  16 VIEW | J A N UA R Y / F E B R UA R Y

Nelson Roach in his home office

Nelson and Misty Roach in the main entry to their home

Jazz & Gin 1920â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s-themed fundraiser benefiting Longview Ballet Theatre. Photo Special to View Jazz & Gin 1920â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s-themed fundraiser benefiting Longview Ballet Theatre. Photo Special to View

news-journal.com 17

18 VIEW | J A N UA R Y / F E B R UA R Y

Ballet Theatre. During events, docents are assigned specific areas of the house to guide guests on tours. A self-taught designer, Misty owned a hair salon in Pittsburg for 25 years and sold home décor from there. Design continued to take a larger role in her life, and eventually she began designing entire homes. Now she searches the internet and Dallas antique shops for the items that inhabit the home she once dreamed of with the antiques that graced those dreams. The kitchen is Misty’s favorite room in the house, and she says the heart of any home is in its kitchen. The stove, manufactured in France, is flanked by a pair of 19th century Italian lion sculptures. A pair of white Ridgway pitchers and a silver centerpiece from the same era also sit in the room. In the evening, Misty and Nelson, whose law firm is in Daingerfield, exchange stories about their days, and she cooks dinner. After they began to date, the couple, married in 2015, found they shared a love of architecture and a passion for giving. When they bought the home, they wanted a place where they could entertain and share their good fortune. She had long admired the estate “with all the azaleas” but doubted it was for sale. To their surprise, it was, and Misty laughs as she recalls asking Nelson, “Did you bring your checkbook?” A few days later, it was theirs. “ ‘I want you to make this into our dream,’ ” he told her. “I was a dreamer, and Nelson has made it real.” She called longtime friend Pam Storey from Austin, who revived the home’s walls with Venetian plaster, providing the palette for Misty’s design acquisitions. General contractor David Calhoun shares Misty’s enthusiasm for reviving the estate. “I don’t think you realize what this place will be one day,” he told her. Surrounded by furnishings from past centuries when art lived not only in paintings but furnishings, tools, clothing, dishes and décor, Misty extends her dream outdoors. “The grounds I’ll work till the day I die,” she said, planning for the day when underprivileged children will hunt Easter eggs on the grounds, or just play. “This is what I’ve always wanted to share with someone who really loved me,” she said. “It’s our own private arboretum that we can share with others.” news-journal.com 19

EVENT VIEW

texas

bourbon shootout Words by ANNTOINETTE MOORE | Photos by LES HASSELL

BOURBON

connoisseurs will have a

champion. The live tasting will allow 250 lucky ticket-holders to

ringside seat when Lone

sip the bourbons along with the master.

Star distilleries duke it out to be named “The Best Bourbon in

Murray is being flown from his home in Great Britain just for the

Texas” at the first Texas Bourbon Shootout on Feb. 1 in Longview.

event. He is world-renowned for his expertise in all types of whiskeys.

“Bourbon is every man’s drink. It’s ingrained in our history.

Bourbon is truly an American product. It can only be made in

George Washington had a distillery,” Cole Tomberlain said.

the United States, a restriction which is written into U.S. trade

“Bourbon was a way of life. There’s so much history. That’s what’s

agreements, Tomberlain said.

intriguing to me.”

A liquor is not bourbon unless made of 51 percent corn, aged

The shootout, organized by local bourbon enthusiasts

in a new charred oak container and distilled to at least 80 proof

Tomberlain and Andrew Griffith, is scheduled for 7 p.m. at the

and no more than 160 proof when bottled, he said. And those are

Hilton Garden Inn, 905 E. Hawkins Pkwy. in Longview.

just some of the requirements.

The event is sponsored by the East Texas Bourbon Society

The shootout is unique — there has never been a contest

and proceeds benefit Longview World of Wonders, a hands-on

between bourbons produced in a single state before, Tomberlain

children’s museum. The museum’s annual fundraiser, Bourbon

said. To qualify for the contest, a bourbon must have been

and Bowties, will be held the following night, Feb. 2.

distilled, aged and bottled in Texas.

Jim Murray, author of “The Whiskey Bible,” will judge the best bourbons that 10 Texas distillers can produce and decide the 20 VIEW | J A N UA R Y / F E B R UA R Y

Bourbon is experiencing a boom right now, which is why he and Griffith decided it was time for such a contest.

“Our Texas bourbon distilleries are putting out incredible

“We wanted to dig into the history of it, the history of

products. … The distilleries are excited that they have an event

distilleries, the aging process, so we could understand what we

solely dedicated to their product,” continued Tomberlain, who

liked and didn’t like,” said Griffith, a food and beverage industry

grew up in Longview and works in his family’s business, the

consultant who works with restaurants.

Charles Tomberlain Insurance Agency.

The society has two chapters; the Longview one meets on the

Griffith agrees that Texas bourbon is unique.

third Tuesday of the month, and the Tyler group meets on the

“A lot of folks think you can only make bourbon in Kentucky,

fourth Tuesday of the month, Tomberlain said.

which is not accurate at all,” said the president of the East Texas

“We do a tasting, and it always has a theme, whether it’s Texas

Bourbon Society. “Texas is going to be to bourbon what California

bourbons or bourbons by a particular distillery,” he said. They also

is to wines. Love it or hate it, there’s something special about it.

taste and discuss other whiskies such as scotch and rye.

“High humidity is really good for aging bourbon. In Texas, we can age bourbon about three times as fast as they can in Kentucky, just because of the humidity,” he said. Garrison Brothers, the first Texas bourbon distillery, had some initial setbacks until the company realized that what worked for bourbon in Kentucky didn’t necessarily work here, Griffith said. “You may have the best recipe, but it’s going to take three or four years to find out” because the bourbon has to age, he added. Griffith and Tomberlain started the nonprofit bourbon society after the 2018 Bourbon & Bowties. They didn’t want to wait another year before getting together to taste, evaluate and discuss

“To me, what I enjoy is a rich, creamy bourbon. It’s smooth, but it’s a little bit thicker on the palate. I like a little bit of spice in there, a little bit of the char,” Tomberlain continued. Maker’s Mark, Buffalo Trace and Yellow Rose bourbons are good liquors to start with if you’re unfamiliar with bourbon, he said. There’s a saying: “Bourbon is 51 percent corn and 49 percent BS. The history, the stories, that’s part of the enjoyment,” Tomberlain said. “When you sit around with your friends drinking bourbon, that’s when the stories get told — and maybe embellished a little bit.”

you go THE TEXAS BOURBON SHOOTOUT

the finer points of bourbon.

When: 7 p.m. Feb. 1 Where: Hilton Garden Inn, 905 E Hawkins Pkwy., Longview Sponsored by: East Texas Bourbon Society

COLE TOMBERLAIN & ANDREW GRIFFITH Local Bourbon Enthusiasts

Supporting: Longview World of Wonders Tickets: $250 each Information: Call (903) 806-3338 or go to www.texasbourbonshootout.com East Texas Bourbon Society: www.easttexasbourbonsociety.com

news-journal.com 21

NONPROFIT VIEW

longview

symphony

Words by CLARE MCCARTHY | Photos by MICHAEL CAVAZOS & LES HASSELL

the fall of 1968, a group of local high school students and

took a unique approach in the way the Longview Symphony

adult community musicians came together under the

was formed.

leadership of Dr. James Snowden to form a community orchestra.

“Our original approach was to create a true community

Fifty years later, that orchestra is still an integral part of the

orchestra, where we weren’t bringing in a bunch of paid

Longview community and is known as the Longview Symphony.

professionals from outside (the Longview area),” he said. “Of

To celebrate its anniversary, the symphony is set to perform

course, we had to do that to a certain extent when we had openings

Feb. 8 at the Mickey Melton Performing Arts Center at Longview

and we didn’t have anyone to fill them, but that was kind of our

High School, the same date the group first performed for the public in 1969. “I think it’s amazing that a town the size of Longview has had a symphony for 50 years,” says Erin Tooley, executive director of the Longview Symphony. “The fact that Longview has made that commitment as a community to keep the symphony, I think that’s incredible.” The symphony now is made up entirely of professional musicians from Longview, the Dallas and Forth Worth area, Shreveport and around East Texas. Many members are on staff at area universities and colleges, while others are music educators

guiding principle back in those days.” Snowden will conduct the upcoming anniversary concert, just as he did 50 years ago on the same date. He said he’s looking forward to it, especially since the orchestra plans to perform one of the original pieces played at the first concert in 1969, “Dvorak Slavonic Dance 8.” “There’s a cultural connection there to the first concert,” Snowden said. “I’m excited that they asked me.” Snowden also will speak at the Longview Symphony’s anniversary gala on Jan. 18. He said it’s important to continue educating the community about symphonic music and believes music is a building block of American culture.

in primary and secondary schools or teach music lessons privately.

“When you consider public education, would you consider

Numerous music directors have led the symphony over the

leaving out science or history? English literature? Mathematics?”

years, including conductors Dr. Frank Carrol, Tonu Kalam and

Snowden said. “To block off classical music — the music of our

Dr. Gene Moon.

English/Northern European culture — just doesn’t make any more

Snowden, who was the conductor of the symphony for about 10 years after its founding, said he and the other symphony founders 22 VIEW | J A N UA R Y / F E B R UA R Y

sense than leaving out mathematics or science. If the education of our kids is going to be complete, it’s got to have music.”

Symphony President Justin McFaul said the anniversary concert is a way to give a nod to the symphony’s founding and past but also look forward to what’s to come in the next 50 years. “I think this is a really neat way of recognizing how far the orchestra has come, how far our community has come in the past 50 years,” he said. “This is a way to look back and reflect on that past, but recognize also that we’ve got a long road ahead of us.” McFaul said the symphony has had to adapt and change over the years to please listeners, which often means changing the way concerts are programmed to appeal to a broader audience. He said there’s plenty of room still to grow and adapt in order to keep the symphony a part of the Longview community. “What has worked for the last 50 years has been terrific,” he said. “But we have to also look forward to what will sustain us for the next 50 years and be progressive with ourselves as an organization to keep bringing in new patrons and keep interest alive for the entertainment we provide.” Tooley said she’s also looking forward to the future of the Longview Symphony. “I think the most important thing is that we’re going to celebrate that we’ve made it 50 years — all of the past and the contributions and all of the sacrifices that people have made,” she said. “But we’re also going to

Top: Russell Lewis, Shane Almendarez, Sherry Paetznick, and Pam Martin of the Longview Symphony Orchestra Quartet perform at the Longview Mall in 2016. Bottom: Former Conductor Dr. Gene Moon rehearses with members of the Longview Symphony Orchestra in 2016 for an upcoming performance.

you go “CELEBRATING 50 YEARS” LONGVIEW SYMPHONY CONCERT

look towards the future. We’re going to look towards the future and hope

When: Friday, Feb. 8 at 7:30 p.m.

for another 50 years and what great things there are to come.”

Where: Mickey Melton Performing Arts Center, Longview High School Cost: $20 for general admission, $10 for students, $5 for children ages 12 and under Information: (903) 236-9739 or www.longviewsymphony.org

LONGVIEW SYMPHONY 50TH ANNIVERSARY GALA

DR. JAMES SNOWDEN Founder and Former Conductor of Longview Symphony

When: 6:30 p.m. cocktails, 7:30 p.m. dinner, Jan. 18 Where: Longview Museum of Fine Arts, 215 E. Tyler St. Cost: $75 or $600 for table of eight Information: www.longviewsymphony.org

568 East Wilkins Road Gladewater, TX www.neptunesgrille.com

OPEN TO THE PUBLIC Lunch served 11a-4p. Happy hour 4p-7p. Everyday.

Located inside Tempest Golf Club news-journal.com 23

EVENTSVIEW

calendar of events LONGVIEW

Nutrition Classes Jan. 7, Jan. 14, Jan. 28, Feb. 4 Longview Public Library

https://tinyurl.com/y8rkkdy2 Stars Over Longview Jan. 10

Maude Cobb Convention and Activity Center

www.LongviewRegional.com Go-Giver Gala Jan. 12

Maude Cobb Convention and Activity Center

www.longviewtexas.gov/GGG 2019 Focus on Photography, A Juried Exhibition Jan. 12 to Feb. 16 Longview Museum of Fine Arts

www.lmfa.org

Longview Jaycees Trade Days Jan. 12 and 13

Classic Arms Production Gun & Knife Show Jan. 19 and 20

Maude Cobb Convention and Activity Complex

Maude Cobb Convention and Activity Center

Martin Luther King Jr. Day Jan. 19 to Jan. 21 Activities TBA

Color My World Gallery Opening Feb. 8

www.capgunshows.com

The Rise Jan. 24 to Jan. 26

Letourneau University Belcher Center

www.belchercenter.com

Longview Chamber of Commerce Annual Banquet Jan. 29 Maude Cobb Convention and Activity Center

www.longviewchamber.com Black History Month February

Gregg County Historical Museum

Longview Exhibit Building

www.gregghistorical.org

East Texas Boat & RV Show Jan. 18 to Jan. 20

A Midsummer Night’s Dream Theatre Longview February www.theatrelongview.com

www.boatrvshow.com

Texas Bourbon Shootout Feb. 1

www.greggcountyfair.com/Trade_Days

Maude Cobb Convention and Activity Complex

The Longview Symphony 50th Anniversary Gala Jan. 18 Longview Museum of Fine Arts

longviewsymphony.org John Crist Jan. 19

Letourneau University Belcher Center

East Texas Builders Association Home & Design Show Feb. 8 to Feb. 10

Hilton Garden Inn

www.texasbourbonshootout.com Bourbon & Bowties Feb. 2

Maude Cobb Convention and Activity Center

www.facebook.com/ bourbonandbowties

www.belchercenter.com

www.easttexasbuilders.org

Longview Museum of Fine Arts

https://tinyurl.com/yd3jbm8f Celebrating 50 Years of the Longview Symphony Feb. 8 Longview High School

www.longviewsymphony.com Kilgore to Longview Run Feb. 9 Kilgore/Longview

https://tinyurl.com/yc95yhgv Hallsville High School Bobcat Belles Show Feb. 9

Letourneau University Belcher Center

www.belchercenter.com

Starry Starry Night Gala Feb. 9

Longview Museum of Fine Arts

www.asburyhouse.net

Longview Jaycees Trade Days Feb. 9 to Feb. 10

LeTourneau University Belcher Center

www.etsymphonicband.org

DORS Youth Transition Fundraiser “Music, Mystery, & Murder” Feb. 15 Infinity Center at Holiday Inn

dorscommunityservices.org 50 Years of Rock and Roll Feb. 15

Letourneau University Belcher Center

www.belchercenter.com Shen Yun Show Feb. 19

Letourneau University Belcher Center

www.belchercenter.com Feminar Feb. 22 and 23

Letourneau University Belcher Center

www.belchercenter.com

KILGORE

A Touch of Fame and Fashion Style Show Feb. 2

Dodson Auditorium, Kilgore College

(903) 988-3901, ext. 2137

Maude Cobb Convention and Activity Complex

MARSHALL

Riverside Trade days Feb. 9 and Feb. 10

Jan. 16

www.greggcountyfair.com/Trade_Days

(903) 295-9800

The House That Love Built Luncheon Feb. 10 First United Methodist Church Longview

https://tinyurl.com/ydcwn7y3

24 VIEW | J A N UA R Y / F E B R UA R Y

East Texas Symphonic Band Winter Concert Feb. 11

Marshall Music Club Shaped Note Hymn Singing Schools & Founders Day Central Baptist Church https://tinyurl.com/ya3p8rwz

Whitetails Unlimited Sportsman Banquet Jan. 24 Convention Center

https://tinyurl.com/ybp5a37u Marshall Symphony Orchestra: Heroes, Monsters & Madmen Feb. 9 Marshall Convention Center

(903) 926-4413

Chamber Cheers to 100 Years Centennial Celebration Feb. 19 Marshall Convention Center

marshalltexas.com

Marshall Music Club: Hymns with a Twist Feb. 20 Central Baptist Church

https://tinyurl.com/y7gteqhe ”Men on Boats” by Jaclyn Backhaus Feb. 20 to Feb. 24 Mabee Recital Hall, Jenna Guest Music Building

East Texas Baptist University https://tinyurl.com/yalo3qrc

JEFFERSON

2019 Pulpwood Queens Girlfriend Weekend Jan. 17 to Jan. 19 305 E. Austin St., Jefferson

www.thepulpwoodqueens.com

Queen Mab Ball Jan. 27

Jefferson Visitors Center

www.mardigrasupriver.com

TYLER

”Something Rotten!” Jan. 24 Cowan Center

www.cowancenter.org ”The King and I” Feb. 4 Cowan Center

www.cowancenter.org Michael McDonald Feb. 20 Cowan Center

www.cowancenter.org Los Vivancos — Born to Dance Feb. 26 Cowan Center

www.cowancenter.org Want your event listed in the Calendar of Events? Please send information to jferguson@news-journal.com with the subject line “View Calendar.” The deadline to submit March/April events is January 31.

Inflatable animals being sold by a vendor are reflected in a rain puddle on Jan. 14, 2017, during Jaycees Trade Days at the Longview Fairgrounds.

Cover Reveal Party

? ?

VIEW

Thursday, February 21st • 5-7pm

Make the short drive to Gladewater and join us at East Texas’ newest country club, Tempest Golf Club for our Cover Reveal Party for the March/April issue of Charm/View. Enjoy the delightful food and beverages provided by the Tempest’s full service restaurant, Neptune Grille & Bar. Experience the ambiance in the restaurant and take in the beautiful views of the golf course from the patio. Food, fun, door prizes and the big unveiling. What a treat!

TEMPEST GOLF CLUB 568 E. Wilkins Rd., Gladewater