Hot Springs Hot Spots Magazine - May 2013

MAY 2013

ARKANSAS ENTERTAINERS HALL OF FAME PG 28

HOT SPRINGS MUSIC FESTIVAL PG 24

FOOD TRUCK AFICIONADO PG 36

HISTORIC FARMERS MARKET PG 20 ROCK 4 REVIVAL pg 8

LIVE VENUE LISTING PG 10

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We will be kicking off a summer weekend concert series beginning this month! With solid Arkansas bands like Flint Eastwood playing on May 26th, Brothers with Different Mothers on June 8th and the always popular Tragikly White on June 28th. Another exciting summer addition will be the Rock4Revival Tour, featuring live acoustic performances by Saving Abel, Art of Dying, and Blacklite District on Friday, May 31st. So for some of the best pizza in town, tasty drinks, and plenty of outdoor fun and good music take a spin out to Jim’s Razorback Pizza in the corner of Temperance Hill Square.

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IN THIS ISSUE: ON THE COVER

MESILLA CAMILLE SMITH

MR. WHISKERS

PG 6

FRIED CATFISH AND MORE

ROCK 4 REVIVAL

PG 8

SAVING ABLE

PG 28 THE LATE SISTER ROSETTA THARP: ONE OF THIS YEAR’S FIVE INDUCTEES TO THE ARKANSAS ENTERTAINERS HALL OF FAME

FOLLOW US ON FACEBOOK! FACEBOOK.COM/HSHOTSPOTS

ALBUM REVIEWS

PG 9

VENUES OF HOT SPRINGS: LIVE SHOWS LISTING

PG 10

WARREN CRISWELL

PG 14

THE UNCONVENTIONAL ARTIST OF ARKANSAS

RESTAURANT LISTING

PG 16

WHAT’S HAPPENING IN THE SPA (EVENT CALENDAR) MAY

PG 19

FARMERS MARKET

PG 20

MARKET CULTIVATES THE UPCOMING SEASON

COMING OF AGE

HOT SPRINGS HOT SPOTS STAFF: PHOTOGRAPHER

PUBLISHER

JEREMY RODGERS jeremy@hshotspots.com

RJ WELLS rj@hshotspots.com

ART DIRECTOR

CONTRIBUtiNG WritERS

MARISA RODGERS marisa@hshotspots.com

CIARA CERRATO ciara@hshotspots.com

SALES

JIM G. MILLER jim@hshotspots.com

AMANDA LEDBETTER amanda@hshotspots.com

PG 24

HOT SPRINGS MUSIC FESTIVAL - YEAR 18

ENTERTAINERS HALL OF FAME

PG 28

NATURAL TALENT IN THE NATURAL STATE

VACATION THERAPY

PG 31

THE LAKES OF HOT SPRINGS

FOOD TRUCK AFICIoNADO

PG 36

GREAT MOBILE EATS IN THE SPA CITY

ADVERTISE WITH US! MAKE YOUR BUSINESS A HOT SPOT OF THE SPA CITY — CONTACT US AT 501.276.8267 TO LEARN MORE ABOUT OUR PROMOTIONS, RATES, AND HOW WE CAN HELP YOU WITH YOUR ADVERTISING NEEDS.

5

EATS

MR. WHISKERS If you love good, old fashioned southern cuisine, and if you are looking for a great place to dine this summer, you have got to visit Mr. Whiskers.

Catfish is the Mr. Whiskers specialty, lightly dipped in cornmeal and fried to perfection. Not stopping at fish, the owner and creator of Mr. Whiskers, Scott Irwin, and his excellent crew, can make all the southern staples like fried shrimp, chicken, and oysters which are served, of course, with golden fries and fresh coleslaw, but the menu doesn’t stop here.

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Scott Irwin learned to cook these simple but delicious southern dishes by working in the restaurant business for most of his life. He began his career at Gene’s Fish Fry in 1983, carefully perfecting the art of the hushpuppy, and once you try one, you’ll taste the difference that twenty years of practice makes.

Irwin eased his way into restaurant ownership by starting out with a food truck from which he served his southern fare. Parked near Lakeside school, his bright, stainless steel

FRIED CATFISH AND MORE

Story by Ciara Cerrato

truck was a good place to get started, and his fledgling business did well.

with makes all the difference: “My crew is why I do this,” he declares.

His business grew, and Irwin soon desired to open a restaurant in the spa city. This huge step proved to be yet another good move, and Irwin ran The Ole Feed House for fifteen years.

With his local success, Irwin decided to share his homemade, southern cooking beyond the borders of the state and moved to Dallas, Texas. While he did well in Texas, he eventually headed back to his home in Hot Springs, Arkansas to share his talents.

The success of the menu attests to the cooperation and skills in the kitchen that is crucial to Irwin and the restaurant. Continually adding to the menu, Irwin and his crew also make excellent southern style ribs that fall off the bone. If you love the catfish, he now also grills herbed tilapia that is served over rice, a dish that is a lighter option. And, while everyone expects baked beans to be on a southern menu, Irwin’s barbecue baked beans, sweet, tangy, and with savory, barbecued pork, are one of a kind and could be a meal in and of themselves. And don’t forget to try his bourbon bread pudding topped with cream: the perfect, sweet ending to a proper, southern, summertime meal.

It seems that cooking near his home, family, and a familiar crew were most important to Irwin. Admitting that early in his career he had tried to do everything himself, he later realized how important it is to have a dedicated crew.

He mentions how the leader of his staff, Darius McDaniel, has been with him for years, working his way up from bus boy to manager. Having people that you are close to and have learned

Stop by Mr. Whiskers at 1538 Malvern Avenue #B this month, say hello to the friendly crew, and get a taste of homemade, southern goodness.

MUSIC

ROCK 4 REVIVAL Saving Abel has been peddling their own blend of Southern Rock around the Bible belt and beyond for nearly a decade now. They have even had the chance to play shows at Guantanamo Bay Army Prison and for the American military in Kuwait. This summer the band is showing their support for their country again by headlining the Rock4Revival Tour that will provide funding for disaster relief efforts in America. Named after the Bible story of Cain and Abel, the band’s roots are steeped in what would be considered traditional southern values, and it’s reflected not only in their songwriting but also their current mood while on this tour.

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“During previous concerts and live shows we would break into an acoustic set somewhere in the middle. The response we would get from the audience has always been positive,” says guitarist/ backup vocalist Scott Bartlett. “Rock-n-roll is going through some changes and we’re going to give our fans what they want.” Being true to themselves as artists and going where the wind takes them, the band just finished playing a small gig in Mountain

Story by Jim G. Miller

TOUR SWINGS THROUGH HOT SPRINGS

Home, Ark. at a bar venue called Route 66 and will be touring throughout the month of May in many cities throughout the US. Touring with bands like Nickelback, Hinder and Papa Roach, Saving Abel has established their place in the genre of contemporary rock-n-roll, and on May 31st they will be coming through Hot Springs to play at Jim’s Razorback Pizza in the outdoor patio and bar. This will not be the first time that the band has played in Hot Springs. “We used to play Club 2720 which has since closed. We actually had a signing party there when we found out that we were releasing our major label debut with Virgin Records,” says Bartlett, reminiscing about the days when they were still struggling musicians playing house shows in small towns throughout the South.

The majority of the Rock4Revival tour will be done purely acoustic with a handful of shows that will be done electric during their tour with Lynyrd Skynyrd.

“When Lynyrd Skynyrd comes and knocks on your door and asks you to come play some shows with

them, you don’t say no,” explains Bartlett. This tour goes back to the Mississippi front porch stomp style of music featuring a full drum kit, piano, lap steel guitar, banjo and other instruments that evoke an intimate feeling of moonshine and still summer nights in the South.

Presented by Kayla Riley, Ghost Rocket Music and 3Thirteen Entertainment, the show with Saving Abel will include bands, Art of Dying and Blacklite District. Reverbnation has also hopped on board with the tour and will be accepting the submission of one local band or musical artist to open for the tour in each city that they perform.

Booked by Ghost Rocket Music, the selected artist will perform an opening set and will be featured in all applicable radio, print and online advertisements.

Proceeds will be donated to Mercury One Foundation, a charity organization that supports disaster relief efforts in the United States. For more information regarding the tour and Saving Abel, visit their website at savingabel.com.

hot springs

ALBUMS ON REVIEW Contribution Courtesy of & Written by Drew Martin

MARNIE STERN CHRONICLES OF MARNIA

Oberhofer Notalgia

ALEX G. TRICK

In the past year we have seen so many strong releases from acts led by women: White Lung, Congenital Death, Cerce, Colleen Green, Wax Idols, Bleached, Nü Sensae, and numerous others. But lately everyone on the massive, corporate review sites (may rhyme with Switchpork) have been hailing Marnie Stern. And now I know why, but I feel late to the game knowing this is her fourth release. Chronicles of Marnia, aside from being a great title, is a story. A trip. Marnie starts us off with “Year of the Glad,” a track that is reminiscent of Karen O’s songs for “Where the Wild Things Are.” (Well, if Karen O was a massive stoner punk.) This is followed up by “You Don’t Turn Down.” In the chorus, we hear a Gwen Stefani style chant about “losing hope in my body.” Her versatility maintains throughout the album, going between surfy riffs and almost metal licks. I really enjoy how she somehow can fit Jonsi-esque vowel chants in her songs, also.

The repetitiveness is so damn catchy and, even if you put the album on repeat, new sounds seem to pop out at you with every listen. The album takes you into the skies - then, with the closing song “Hell Yes,” drops you to majestically soar back down to reality on the wings of Marnie. Back to reality.

Refresh button has been hit. This isn’t simply an album; this is a fantastic journey. Grab this release and others at marniestern.bandcamp.com.

Last year’s release of Time Capsules II from Oberhofer could only lead to great things. With an album produced

by Steve Lillywhite and a fantastic live show, it was hard for them to fail. A crowd favorite at the 2012 VOV, Brad and friends wooed all with their boyish good looks and sweet melodies. With the release of Notalgia Brad has calmed down a bit, but it’s still very much the Oberhofer sound we know and love. He starts us out with “You + Me (Still Together in the Future)” a hopeful song. “Earplugs” is most reminiscent of Oberhofer’s past releases, but the subject matter has changed.

There’s a cry out for help, a need for understanding.

“Can you hear me now?” There’s more emotion in Oberhofer’s newest release. It’s become obvious that Brad isn’t a child anymore, and his music is growing with him. The release is heartfelt, but still remains playful with the help of well thought out melodies.

The message comes across that, yes, life is terrible sometimes, and it’s ok to cry and ask questions, but in the end one must still accept what life has thrown their way. Get this release and others on iTunes.

II discovered Alex G fairly recently when surfing bandcamp and simply have fallen in love. It’s very reminiscent of Chad VanGaalen but more stripped down and with darker themes. The pungent acoustic guitar leads one into the depths and the storyteller begins. Each song is bizarre and anecdotal, but, with a sweet, soft voice and intricately creative lyrics, Alex G is able to somehow keep the listener attached. This album is something that really shouldn’t be missed.

You’ll find yourself laughing at the absurdity of the lyrics. You’ll find yourself in love with the melodies. You’ll find yourself a bit baffled at how well he can alter his style to fit really any genre he pleases. And you’ll be addicted to Alex G. If you missed this, check it out while it’s still free. Get this release and more at sandy.bandcamp.com.

Released March 19, 2013 on Kill Rock Stars

HHHH

Released April 23rd, 2013 on Glassnote

What you probably missed - Independently released Nov. 6, 2012

HHHH

HHHHH ABOUT THE CONTRIBUTOR: Drew Martin is an avid music snob. He is a local historian at the Gangster Museum of America in Historic Downtown Hot Springs and also works with Low Key Arts to put on the Valley of the Vapors Independent Music Festival, the Hot Water Hills Independent Arts & Music Festival, and various events throughout the year. He’s an Aries, and loves caffeine and nicotine. Do you agree with our Reviews? Leave your feedback on our reviews at hshotspots.com.

Submit your own Reviews! Send your new release album reviews to info@hshotspots.com

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VENUES

LIVE SHOW LISTINGS EVERY WED

7pm Wednesday Night Poetry, 9pm Karaoke—FREE

THURS 5/9 NEW YORK CITY QUEENS—FREE Pop/Rock FRI 5/10 MODOC, THE SEE Pop/Rock SAT 5/11 WALKER AND THE TEXAS DANGERS, 800 MILE MONDAY, BRIAN MARTIN Bluegrass/Cowpunk/Country/Americana/Roots THURS 5/16 CHRIS MILAM—FREE Pop/Singer/Songwriter FRI 5/17 THE FOULPLAY CABARET Burlesque SAT 5/18 THICK SYRUP RECORDS ANNIVERARY SHOW w/

GINSU WIVES, EZRA LBS, BURNT Rock THURS 5/23 BEN ROBBINS—FREE Indie/Rock/Folk FRI 5/24 THE SIDESHOW TRAGEDY, DAMN ARKANsAN Rock/Blues/IAlt Country SAT 5/25 OPPORTUNIST, BOOYAH! DAD, TIGER HIGH, BLACK HORSE Rock/Dance Rock/Punk/Garage Rock THURS 5/30 JASON AND THE PUNKNECKS—FREE Punky-Tonk/Punk-Country FRI 5/31 GASHCAT, GHOST FOOT, FITRA Fuzz/Folk/Rock/Alternative

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FRI/SAT 5/10-11 FRI/SAT 5/17-18 FRI/SAT 5/24-25 FRI/SAT 5/30-6/1

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MON 5/6 Tues 5/7 FRI/SAT 5/11 MON 5/13 Tues 5/14 FRI/SAT 5/17-18 MON 5/20 Tues 5/21 FRI/SAT 5/24-25 MON 5/27 Tues 5/28 FRI/SAT 5/31-6/1

CHRIS HENRY (5-8pm) christine demeo (5-8pm) CRASH MEADOWS [9PM-1AM] MUSTANG SALLY (5-8pm) LARRY WOMACK (5-8pm) SALT AND PEPPER [9PM-1AM] CHRIS HENRY (5-8pm) SHANE SIMANTON (5-8pm) JOHN CALVIN BREWER BAND [9PM-1AM] MUSTANG SALLY (5-8pm) DEAN AGUS (5-8pm) TIN PAN ALLEY [9PM-1AM]

EVERY TUES/THURS/SUN LIVE MUSIC [7-11PM] EVERY WED HUMP NIGHT BLUES JAM [8pm-12AM] FRI/SAT 5/10-11 FRI/SAT 5/17-18 FRI/SAT 5/24-25 FRI/SAT 5/31-6/1

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BRIAN BEARDEN or DAVID BALL Lightnin Lee Langdon OR CHRISTINE DEMEO

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ALBUM RELEASES

RELEASES TO LOOK OUT FOR IN MAY

New York-Style Pizza • Mouth-Watering Burgers Philly Beef & Swiss • Appetizers “Appreciation Night” Monday Pitcher of Beer $4 Domestic-Longnecks $2 Friday & Saturday Nights 9pm - Closing Live MuSiC Domestic-Longnecks & Jello Shots $3 Sunday-Thursday Happy Hour 4-9pm Jagar Bombs $3 Domestics: Pints $1.25 Longnecks $2 OPEN DAILY 11:00AM - SUNDAY AT NOON

711 Central Ave. • 501-622-2570

MAY 7 VAMPIRE WEEKEND MODERN VAMPIRES OF THE CITY (XL) DEERHUNTER MONOMANIA (4AD) STILL CORNERS STRANGE PLEASURES (Sub Pop) NOAH & THE WHALE HEART OF NOWHERE (Mercury Records) MIKAL CRONIN MCII (Merge) SAVAGES SILENCE YOURSELF (Matador) SHE & HIM VOLUME 3 (Merge)

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May 21 JAPANTHER EAT LIKE LISA ACT LIKE BART (Recess Records) DIRTY BEACHES DRIFTERS/LOVE IS THE DEVIL (Zoo Music) THE NATIONAL TROUBLE WILL FIND ME (4AD) SATURDAY LOOKS GOOD TO ME ONE KISS ENDS IT ALL (Polyvinyl) ALEX BLEEKER AND THE FREAKS HOW FAR AWAY (Woodsist)

MAY 28 BATHS OBSIDIAN (Anticon)

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ARTS

WARREN CRISWELL I first encountered Warren Criswell at the 2010 Arkansas Shorts Film Festival where I had just watched his animated film “Moments” in which he drew himself getting lap dances from strippers, being drug away by winged hyenas, and finally getting struck by lightning. It left an impression on me just as his oil paints do on his canvas. Movement and symbolism have long been characteristics of both his 2-D and film art.

Arriving to Arkansas in true bohemian fashion—on a bus named “Toad Hall” with a pet fox, a raccoon, his wife and child, and some other dude whose name has long ago been forgotten, Criswell’s presence has since changed the Natural State.

Jettisoning into the rural landscape like a rocket ship from some other dimension, he warped from West Palm Beach Florida to Central Arkansas.

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Prior to arriving, Warren was an environmental activist and writer working on his post-apocalyptic novel called “The Last Supper”. “Writing, for me, had such a delayed kind of gratification to it, whereas with

painting, the sense of gratification I get is immediate,” admits Criswell. Though he still drives a Prius and still loves the written word, the environmental activist and post apocalyptic novelist inside Criswell have transformed into a rabid artist whose profound work has impacted many around the world.

“I didn’t want to offend anyone by showing his work, but I just wanted to make a statement that the art scene was changing and becoming more progressive,” says Carolyn Taylor who has carried Criswell’s work for more than two decades at Taylor’s Contemporanea Fine Art Gallery. Criswell’s work depicts a type of dark realism married with ancient mythology that conveys nudity, death, sex, longing and the post apocalyptic.

His intimately flawed self-portraiture grasps at that organic and self-sustaining redemptive quality of humanity. Perhaps this dark humor lends itself to the quality of his work. In the piece “Crab King Crossing” you cannot help but laugh at the figure of Criswell, a little old man crawling among a black background with a dozen King Crabs all around him. The defeated

Story by Jim G. Miller

THE UNCONVENTIONAL ARTIST OF ARKANSAS self-realization that all of our problems will never cease and never change almost demands that we have a sense of humor albeit perhaps dark at times.

Pentesilea (Love is a Dog Bite), another of his works exhibited at Taylor’s Contemporanea, depicts a dismal, mythical scene taking place at sunset on Interstate 30 complete with a nude Amazonian woman riding on an elephant past a turned over 18-wheeler. Beside the fuselage of the downed semi-truck you see a man who represents Achilles being eaten by dogs. In “The Death of Li Po” Criswell depicts the story of a man who mistakes his lover for the moon and drowns himself while attempting to reach her. The painting invokes a calmness that suggests peace rather than sadness in Li Po’s fatal journey.

Still occasionally writing essays, Criswell is a multifaceted artist who does sketches, animations, sculpture, linocuts & monotype prints and watercolors. You can see his work at both Taylor’s Contemporanea of Fine Art at 204 Exchange Street in Hot Springs.

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EAT/DRINK

RESTAURANT LISTINGS GRILLED TILAPIA FROM MR. WHISKERS

16

Akers Market & Deli

Cajun Broilers

4198 Malvern 262-0500

2806 Albert Pike 767-5695

ANDREW’S

CENTRAL PARK FUSION

410 Central 623-3200

200 Park Ave 623-0202

Angel’s in the Park

Cheese Corner

211 Fountain Street 609-0767

303 Broadway 624-3040

Back Porch Grill

Classics Bar & Grill

4810 Central 525-0885

4813 Central 525-7172

Belle Arti

Colorado Grill

719 Central 624-7474

320 Ouachita 623-7992

Belle of Hot Springs

Diamondhead grill

5200 Central 525-4438

245 Independence 262-1565

BLEU MONKEY GRILL

Doc’s Pizzeria

4263 Central 520-4800

1018 Airport 760-2227

BOATHOUSE

Don Juan

4904 Central 525-8585

1311 Albert Pike 321-0766

Brick House Grill

English Muffin

801 Central 321-2926

4307 Central 525-2710

Buffalo Wild Wings

FAT JACKS

4104 Central 525-9453

101 Central 623-5225

BUBBA’s CATFISH TO GO

Fisherman’s Warf

5411 Central 762-3474

5101 Central 525-7437

CAFE 1217

Fuji Japanese SteakHouse

1217 Malvern 318-1094

608 E. Grand 321-1688

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Gilligan’s on Lake

McClard’s BBQ

Roland’s BBQ

5200 Central 525-3319

505 Albert Pike 624-9586

200 Higdon Ferry 625-3079

Hawg’s Pizza

Mel’s Diner

ROLANDO’S

1442 Airport 767-4240

1603 Airport 767-0595

210 Central 318-6054

Higdon Square Café

Mi Pueblito

Salsa’s

706 Higdon Ferry 623-7744

2070 Airport 760-4647

4324 Central 520-5305

Hollywood Pizza

MOOYAH

Sam’s Pizza Pub

5737 Central 520-0900

3954 Central 520-5000

401 Burchwood Bay 525-0780

HUNAN PALACE

MR. WHISKERS

Smokin’ in Style

4737 Central 525-3344

1538 Malvern 262-3474

2278 Albert Pike 767-9797

Jason’s Burgers

MUELLER’s BISTRO

Smyly’s Crab Shack

148 Amity 525-0919

111 Crawford #B 501-623-7005

4916 Central 525-3442

Jose’s

Osaka Japanese

Stubby’s BBQ

5361 Central 525-9797

3954 Central 525-9888

3024 Central 624-1552

Kings Restaurant

PARK ISLAND CAFE

TACO MAMA

3310 Central 318-1888

250 Park 547-7172

1209 Malvern 624-6262

KJ’s Grill

Porterhouse

Taco Pronto

1834 Airport 767-0063

707 Central 321-8282

423 Central 525-7309

La Hacienda

RAZORBACK PIZZA

TREJO’s MEXICAN

3836 Central 525-8203

4330 Central 525-1616

3040 Albert Pike 760-2316

Longshots Bar/Grill

Rocky’s Corner

WELDON’S MEAT MARKET

2720 Central 624-4344

2600 Central 624-0199

3911 Central 525-2487

LUNA BELLA

Rod’s Pizza Cellar

ZOE’s CAFE

104 Grand Isle 520-5862

3350 Central 321-2313

2230 Malvern 321-2921

SHRIMP SCAMPI FROM THE BOATHOUSE

CHIPOTLE VEGGIE BURGER from PARK ISLAND CAFE

STRAWBARRY CHEESECAKE FROM BELLE ARTI 17

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EVENT CALENDAR MAY 5

A TASTE OF SONOMA at The Wine Rack & Spirits Shoppe

18 8th STUEART

PENNINGTON RUNNING MAY MOVIE NIGHT at Low Key Arts, 118 Arbor | 8 p.m.

OF THE TUBS

9“WILD ZERO” MAY MOVIE NIGHT

at Historic Downtown Hot Springs

at Low Key Arts 118 Arbor | 8 p.m.

at Hot Springs Convention Center

11WARRIOR DASH at TImber Lodge Ranch 966 Lodge Rd., Amity, AR

18th annual cruisers antique/ collectors car show at Hot Springs Memorial Field, 525 Airport Rd. | 8 a.m.-3 p.m.

HOT SPRINGS MUSIC FESTIVAL PRESENTS TUSCAN FEAST & MUSICALE at Chris Rakhshan’s Italian Garden

12 RINGERS OF HOPE

MOTHER’s DAY CONCERT at Garvan Woodland Gardens

16 “HONEYDRIPPER” MAY MOVIE NIGHT at Low Key Arts 118 Arbor | 8 p.m.

17 CHILDREN SERIES: “NIGHT HIKE” at Garvan Woodland Gardens

30 “WHAT I LOVE ABOUT CONCRETE”

OFF THE CHAIN MMA

19 E-dAY FESTIVAL at Historic Famer’s Market 121 Orange St. | 11 a.m.-3 p.m.

23 “KING OF KONG: A FISTFUL OF

QUARTERS” MAY MOVIE NIGHT at Low Key Arts, 118 Arbor | 8 p.m.

JUNE 1 MAGIC SPRINGS CONCERT SERIES “NIGHT RANGER” at Magic Springs

ROCKIN IN THE CITY at Horner Hall, Convention Center

JUNE 2-15 HOT SPRINGS MUSIC FESTIVAL SEASON 18

at Various Locations

JUNE 6 25 SAWYER BROWN IN CONCERT MAGIC SPRINGS CONCERT SERIES “COLLECTIVE SOUL” at Magic Springs

LITTLE MISS ARKANSAS PAGEANT at Hot Springs Convention Center

dinosaurs! and skycycle EXHIBIT opening at Mid-America Science Museum midamericamuseum.org

at Oaklawn’s Finish Line Theater

MAGIC SPRINGS CONCERT SERIES “LYNYRD SKYNYERD” at Magic Springs

SATURDAYS Hot Springs

Farmers Market at Transportation Depot 121 Orange St

27 HOT SPRINGS CONCERT BAND:

“Salsa Night” Dancing

at Whittington Federal Park

at Vina Morita Restaurant and Winebar, 610 Central, Suite B

Memorial DAY CONCERT

19

FARMERS MARKET

HISTORIC FARMERS MARKET

Story by Jim G. Miller

HOT SPRINGS MARKET CULTIVATES THE APPROACHING SUMMER SEASON

20

The Historic Downtown Farmers Market of Hot Springs located at 121 Orange Street has seen its fair share of ups and downs over the years. With city budgets being cut and having no budget of its own, only a couple of years ago there was a lot of work that needed to be done. Luckily that was when a guy by the name of Pete Greenway rolled into town from out West. “The people in the community

of Hot Springs and the farmers all came together and said this is going to go away if we don’t step in to do something,” said Greenway who has been Executive Director of the Market since the Fall of 2011. Since then the market has become more up to date with social media and has a much better relationship with the state of Arkansas and the city of Hot Springs: “Last year we were just happy that

hot springs

we figured out how to pull it off, now we have a pretty committed following.”

The community vibe at the market is a very positive and uplifting one that is helped by the incorporation of live music and art contributed by the local Fine Arts Center, and it is organized largely in part by their Executive Director Donna Dunnahoe. “One of the best times was when band members from “Don’t Stop Now,” a band from Conway, came to the market the next day after playing a show at Maxine’s and decided to do an impromptu performance for everyone at the market,” said Dunnahoe.

It often seems that those unexpected moments feel the most real and honest, and at the Hot Springs Farmers Market you can sustain an honest and wholesome lifestyle by buying your food locally.

This is not a new idea, and communities across the country are beefing up their local farmers markets and attempting to promote them through other various local restaurants and businesses.

Pasture raised beef, free range chickens, farm fresh chicken eggs, and slow grown pasture pork inspected at a USDA facility is available at the Farmers Market. Cypress Valley Meats, located in Hot Springs, is the only certified USDA facility in the region which is a major key to helping local farmers in the area sell their meat.

The Farmers Market is also fundraising for the upcoming summer market season in order to bring in more traffic to the market. “It’s really all

about the farmers,” said Greenway. On May12th it’s going to be all about both the farmers and all the moms out there as Chef Matt Fuller of Central Park Fusion will be hosting a reservation only “Farm to Fork Menu” dinner on Mother’s Day with three seatings from noon to 5pm. All of the food including the meat will be from local farmers, and there will be nothing that goes to waste as Chef Matt Fuller will be using everything from nose to tail of each chicken, hog, and beef option featured on the menu in order to boost the locally grown food available at the market.

The Farmers Market kicks off its summer season on May 4th with the opening of their summer season that lasts until October. The late sleepers and the party animals who won’t awaken by noon may miss out on Saturday mornings as the market opens from 7am to noon, but don’t despair because the market is also open on Tuesday evenings from 5pm to 8pm. Check out the evening market on May 7th where the Itinerant Locals will be bellowing out their staple twist of polka.

In a natural state ironically filled with Wal-Marts, Sam’s Clubs, and wholesale tomato peddlers, it’s nice to know that 75% of what the farmers sell at the historic downtown Farmers Market has to be grown by the farmers, and the other 25% can be from another farm. Everything at the market has to be homegrown, homemade or handmade.

Farmers Market Artists Applications can be picked up at the Farmers Market or at the Fine Arts

Center located at 626 Central Avenue in downtown Hot Springs.

This Farmers Market, like many across the nation, is working to become a producer only market.

When they say local farmers, they are talking about farms within a 100-mile radius of Hot Springs. “If it’s an Arkansas Producer or Farmer we welcome them because that’s what the people are looking for,” said Greenway. Why buy local? Well, it simply tastes better, and if you are buying freshly grown local food, there are fewer or no preservatives and additives. By supporting local farmers, you are putting money back into your community rather than handing it over to a corporation.

Beginning in 1995, the market now has 130 registered artisans, bakers, and farmers. There are of course the anchor farms that have been established with the market the longest. These old school farmers have established the roots for other vendors and future farmers of Arkansas to begin selling and growing their crops and vegetables, and now that it’s well into spring, their gardens will be producing plenty of fresh vegetables for local consumers. Supporting your local farmers and your local growers is not just a choice but also an action that improves the health and prosperity of the community. If you are new to shopping local, you will find that it is a life changing, unique, and fun cultural experience. For more details about the market and what the farmers will have to offer, visit their website at www.hotspringsfarmersmarket.com

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HOT SPRINGS MUSIC FESTIVAL

COMING OF AGE HOT SPRINGS MUSIC FESTIVAL USHERS IN 18TH YEAR

Story by Chuck Dodson

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hot springs

The 18th annual Hot Springs Music Festival kicks off Sunday, June 2, and runs through Saturday, June 15. The popular festival draws hundreds of musicians from all over the world, and has made creative use of many venues, from churches and art galleries, to parking lots and basketball courts.

Determined to shatter the mold of traditional classical music festivals, HSMF continues to come up with out-of-the-box ways to present some of the best music ever written.

The festival will begin outdoors, on the front porch (Terrace) of the Arlington Hotel, at 6:45 pm, Sunday, June 2, with a free concert by the Festival Brass Ensemble that includes Wagner’s Pilgrim’s Chorus, from Tannhauser, and Verdi’s Grand March, from Aida. Then, at 7:30, the action moves indoors to the Arlington’s ballroom, where the Festival Chamber Players put on a full-length concert featuring music by Verdi (from Rigoletto), Whitacre, and ending with Mendelssohn’s Piano Trio No. 2 in C Minor, Opus 66 (tickets are $15 for the indoor concert).

Please understand that this isn’t your grandma’s music festival. Over the years, HSMF has come up with all kinds of surprises (how about a symphony of motorcycles?), and this year they have a few more tricks up their sleeves (like, where else can you be a member of a moving audience, or experience an explicatrix?).

Last year, in a concert sponsored by Low-Key Arts - the org that brings us the Valley of the Vapors (VOV) indie rock fest - the festival put on Multimedia, a concert combining live music with video and recorded sounds. Thanks to Low-Key’s involvement, the audience was full of younger music fans who weren’t in the habit of attending classical concerts.

HSMF Executive Director Todd Cranson explained, “These were people who like going to hear live music, but who don’t usually go hear classical music, and they found something unexpected and enjoyable there.” Multimedia returns this year, a bit kicked up. Among the selections are the Kick-ass Sonata for Tuba (not kidding), and Synchronisms No. 5 for Percussion and Tape (7:30 pm, Thurs.

June 13, Central Theater, $10).

The HSMF is built on a “first-of-its-kind” concept.

Young musicians - called apprentices - rehearse and perform alongside experienced professional musicians - called mentors - under a tight schedule. Cranson says, “The apprentices may have only a few days to prepare to perform a major work, but they’re doing it alongside a mentor musician. This helps prepare them for careers as professional performers.”

A good example of how HSMF creates professional careers is the trio Kanade (kah-nah-day). At the 2010 festival, Erika Tazawa, pianist from Japan, met Mao Omura, violinist from Japan, and the two

began performing together. They later added Tatsuro Terada, cellist with Japan’s Osaka Philharmonic, to make it a trio. Kanade comes to the HSMF this year for two performances: playing the Mendelssohn Piano Trio on opening night, and their own full-length concert that ranges from the music of Argentinian tango master Astor Piazzola, to the Piano Trio No. 2 in E Minor, Opus 67, by Dmitri Shostakovich (6:30 pm, Thurs. June 13, Kirk in the Pines Presbyterian Church, Hot Springs Village, $10).

Since 2011, HSMF has been under the musical direction of Peter Bay, who is the conductor of the Austin (TX) Symphony Orchestra. Cranson says, “Having someone of Peter’s stature is really taking the festival to new levels. He’s absolutely top-notch.” Festival-goers will have a chance to get close-up and personal with Peter Bay at a very interesting event called Inside Looking Out. During this rehearsal-performance, audience members can actually sit inside the orchestra while they rehearse Verdi’s Overture to La Forza del Destino (The Force of Destiny). According to the festival brochure, Bay and the players will take this eight minute-long piece of music “from scratch to performance in one hour.” (7:30 pm, Mon. June 3, Arlington Hotel ballroom, $10, students under 17, or any age with valid student ID, free).

A few events have become beloved traditions, and are repeated this season. I mentioned the Opening

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HOT SPRINGS MUSIC FESTIVAL

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Fanfare, when people gather around the front steps of the Arlington Hotel to hear the first sounds of the festival ring through downtown. The popular Pianomania! also returns, with piano mentor Michael Gurt going head to head with his apprentices (7:30 pm, Mon. June 10, Central Theater, $15). And the festival builds on its creole tradition this year with New Orleans Dance Orchestra and the music of John Robichaux, telling the audience to “Bring your dance shoes!” (7:30 pm, Wed. June 5, Arlington Hotel ballroom, $20, cash bar).

will conclude with Scheherazade, Opus 35, by Rimsky-Korsakov (7:30 pm, Sat. June 15, $20).

Another concert fans have come to expect is the big finale with the full orchestra that brings the festival to an end. This year, that concert will happen, but not in the usual place. Since 2002, the Field House at the historical Hot Springs High School has been the home of the Festival Orchestra. But recently, the Field House - where President Bill Clinton played saxophone in the band when he was a student - was deemed “unsafe” by the City of Hot Springs. Even though HSMF holds a lease granting them use of the building until 2015, they were forced to find another venue for their full orchestra performances. This year, the final concert, featuring the Festival Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Maestro Peter Bay, will be held at Oaklawn Magnet School. The program will include pianist Michael Gurt performing Grieg’s Piano Concerto in A minor, Opus 16, and

Todd Cranson, vainly trying to hide a proud smirk, said, “What do people want to see when they come to Hot Springs? It’s world famous Bathhouse Row. So we decided to make a concert venue out of Bathhouse Row.”

HSMF has always shown a remarkable talent for making concert venues out of spaces we all thought were only good for other things. This year, perhaps the most ambitious and unusual event of the festival not only makes use of a place that wasn’t originally intended to be a concert venue, but actually re-defines the entire relationship between performer and audience.

Did I say ambitious? Perhaps you’ve been to a progressive dinner, where you go from place to place eating courses of food. Well, ladies and gentlemen, HSMF brings you the Progressive Concert Down Historic Bathhouse Row. Get this: On the lawns and porches of the bathhouses will be performing ensembles. Starting at the Ozark Bathhouse, the audience will move north on the sidewalk, from bathhouse to bathhouse, each one having an all new concert experience. When we reach the Stephen’s Ballestrade, the Natural State Brass Band, from Little Rock, will perform. At the

same time, concerts will be happening inside the Hale (featuring The Muses), Maurice, and Ozark Bathhouses (these indoor concerts cost $10).

Then, according to Cranson, “We’ll make sure all the concerts end at the same time…” so everyone can go to the Superior Bathhouse Brewery & Distillery (north end) for an after-party co-sponsored by the National Park Service - which is allowing use of their magnificent lawn, where there will be more live music. All this starts at 7:30 pm on Saturday, June 8, and is free (except for the indoor concerts).

There are two general methods of attending the Hot Springs Music Festival. One of these is to get a free event brochure and pick the concerts you want to catch. But more hardcore fans may opt for a Festival Pass ($150) that gets them preferred seating at all concerts, into exclusive receptions with musicians, discounts at certain local restaurants, and a souvenir program book.

You can learn more about this at www.hotmusic.org.

The theme of this year’s festival is Coming of Age. Now eighteen years old, and with leaders like Todd Cranson and Peter Bay, and with a solid foundation in one of most uniquely fascinating towns in the United States, the Hot Springs Music Festival is poised to become an adult festival, and take its place among the great music festivals of America.

ENTERTAINERS HALL OF FAME

THE ARKANSAS ENTERTAINERS HALL OF FAME Story by Ciara Cerrato

NATURAL TALENT IN THE NATURAL STATE

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Every two years, the Arkansas Entertainers Hall of Fame recognizes and inducts talented Arkansans who have made lasting contributions to the world of art and entertainment. Since the first induction in 1996, seventy-six artists, actors, musicians, and innovators and champions of the entertainment industry have been instated, and in 2013 five more gifted and accomplished individuals will be added to the list.

Gary Weir, Mike Utley, Bill Carter, Louie Shelton, and Sister Rosetta Tharpe will be inducted this year, and all but the late Sister Rosetta Tharpe will be in attendence at the 2013 induction ceremony. There will be special performances by Mike Utley, the keyboardist for Jimmy Buffet and The Coral Reefers and by session artist Louie Shelton who has recorded with the likes of The Jackson Five and John Lennon.

The Arkansas Entertainers Hall of Fame Museum is located in the Pine Bluff Convention Center, but past inductions as well as this year’s ceremony will be held in Hot Springs’ Horner Hall in the Hot Springs Convention Center. This year’s inductees are a widely varied group including a lawyer as well as a clown, but they all have their birthplace of the great natural state of Arkansas in common.

The public is invited to this historic red carpet event, which will be held June 8. The award reception will start at 6 p.m., dinner will be served at 7:30 p.m., and cocktail attire is suggested. Tickets are available at $75 per person and can be purchased at the Hot Springs Convention Center (501-321-2027) or at hotsprings.org.

Gary Weir

For decades, children all over Arkansas grinned and giggled at the antics of Bozo the Clown.

Greeted by him after school and on Saturday morning, kids were delighted by the wacky humor of the friendly clown in the blue suit. Weir began playing Bozo on Little Rock’s KATV in 1966, and he soon played the clown all over the state.

Weir has worked in media for much of his life, but when he donned Bozo’s big red wig and floppy shoes, he won over the hearts of young Arkansans.

The Bozo Show quickly became the most popular children’s television show in the state. When the show ended after a successful twenty-five year run, Weir continued to clown around on several Arkansas stations and programs.

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After Weir finally retired from children’s television, he decided that he would share another passion with the public. Weir has loved and cared for horses for much of his life, and several of his horses have raced at Oaklawn. While most race tracks had replay shows, Hot Springs’ Oaklawn race track did not, so in 1994, Oaklawn decided to ask Weir to host a show because of his television experience and his knowledge and love of the sport. The Oaklawn Report was aired for the first time the following year, and it delighted racing enthusiasts for eighteen years. Being broadcast both regionally and nationally, Weir’s program brought the thrill of Hot Springs thoroughbred horse racing to people all over the nation. Whether with flashy horses or a big red nose, Gary Weir has brought smiles to Arkansans for decades.

Mike Utley

When you feel the need for a little rest and relaxation, you can always conjure the easy going mood of a lazy, seaside afternoon, margarita in hand, if a Jimmy Buffet album is playing. Though it seems that Key West and its leisurely, not-a-careunder-the-sun attitude would be far removed from Arkansas, the tropical rhythms of Jimmy Buffet and the Coral Reefer Band are inspired in part by keyboardist and Arkansas native Mike Utley.

Utley was born in the tiny town of Blytheville, Arkansas, and eventually moved to Fayetteville to study at the University of Arkansas where he also found more musical opportunities. Shortly before graduating with a B.A. in Zoology, Utley did recordings in Memphis with various artists, and after he received his degree, he moved to Memphis to play music professionally.

As Utley worked his way up in the music industry, he began playing in Miami as a backup musician at Criteria Studios. During his time at the studio, he backed artists such as the Allman Brothers and Aretha Franklin to name only a few. His most fateful encounter, however, was with Jerry Jeff Walker because when Jimmy Buffet heard Utley’s work on one of Walker’s albums, he asked Utley to play on A White Sport Coat and a Pink Crustacean, Buffet’s first major album.

Since the success of the first album, Utley continued to work with Buffet and eventually became a permanent member of the Coral Reefer Band. Utley has made

several albums with Coral Reefer member Robert Greenidge as well. Also a seasoned producer, Utley has produced many albums including Roy Orbison’s Greatest Hits as well as eleven Jimmy Buffet albums.

Bill Carter

Bill Carter is an Arkansan who has done a little bit of everything. A reading of his resume might require an intermission, and those who do brave the intimidating document might need to suspend some skepticism. Can it really be that one man can do so much? Surely Carter must employ some kind of secret doppelganger to have fulfilled such varied roles like airman, attorney, Secret Service agent, and producer to name only a few. More mindboggling are the high-profile figures with which he has worked; not many of us in Arkansas can tout a business relationship with The Rolling Stones or the Kennedys. And yes, perhaps most unbelievable of all, Bill Carter really is from Rector, Arkansas.

Somehow, after the Air Force, law school, the Secret Service, and his Little Rock law firm, Carter eventually found himself enmeshed with many music and entertainment giants, and it all began with a big-name arrest in the small town of Fordyce, Arkansas. In 1972, The Rolling Stones had actually been banned from the United States for supposedly causing riots and corrupting America’s youth during their 1972 tour through the states, so of course the very next year the band was back in America and arrested while traveling through Fordyce. Congressman Wilbur Mills called on Carter to help clear up the issue, and the ban was soon revoked. This moment in his legal career set a precedent, and his involvement with American entertainers steadily increased.

The more stars noticed his work, his role with entertainers expanded beyond just legal representation. When Steve McQueen died in Mexico in 1980, and the Mexican government refused to release him for burial in the U.S., it was Bill Carter who brought him home. In 1983, Carter began working for David Bowie and eventually helped orchestrate publishing deals and HBO specials. Since moving his law firm to Nashville, Bill Carter has also represented and managed the likes of Reba McEntire, Waylan Jennings, and Bill Gaither as well as many other famous musicians. For decades Carter has helped

musicians and entertainers thrive, and this Arkansas native’s work has since helped shape American entertainment within and without the continent.

Louie Shelton

You may not have heard his name, but if you have watched television, turned on the radio, or even vaguely have been involved in American culture within the last half of the twentieth century, you have more than likely grooved to the sweet riffs of Louie Shelton. If you aren’t sure whether you have heard him, just peruse your music collection and pick out the best albums you have ever owned, and chances are you will discover you have been listening to and loving Shelton’s work for years. The master session guitarist and producer has worked on a staggering amount of albums – Shelton himself has said he cannot keep up with everything he has done – and a great number of the albums and artists he has worked with are chart-topping and legendary.

The Little Rock native has simply lived for the guitar since he first picked one up at the age of nine, and little did he realize just how important this moment would prove to be. After teaching himself to play and only three years later, twelve-year-old Shelton was featured regularly on Arkansas radio and television stations like KATV and soon became one of the most famous and sought after performers in the south as part of the country band The Dixie Mountaineers. It seems though that teenaged Shelton had a revelation when he watched Elvis Presley perform at his high school. A fire was lit within him, and he expanded his guitar playing into the ground breaking world of blues and rock.

With great passion and dedication, Shelton traveled the country playing and performing with many bands.

He worked with artists like Mama Cass and Tiny Tim, but meeting and working with Seals and Crofts brought him new notoriety and opportunities. He soon landed a gig with the new TV series, The Monkees, and wrote “The Last Train to Clarksville” which became a #1 hit. From that point forward, every producer in the industry wanted to meet Mr. Shelton.

Over the next several decades, Louie Shelton recorded with and produced many of the most loved and successful albums ever created. To merely scratch the surface, he is the recorded session

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ENTERTAINERS HALL OF FAME guitarist for classics like The Jackson 5’s “I’ll Be There” and “ABC” and Neil Diamond’s “Play Me.” He has also recorded with The Carpenters, Ella Fitzgerald, and John Lennon. Shelton continues to record his own original music as well as produce albums for musicians all over the world.

Sister Rosetta Tharpe

Cotton Plant, Arkansas is one of the tiny, rural towns that comprises East Arkansas’ Woodruff County. With a population of roughly 650 and an area of about one square mile, it is a mild and modest place. Other than a Civil War skirmish in 1862, things have been mostly quiet in Cotton Plant – except for the birth of rock and roll.

When Rosetta Nubin was born in Cotton Plant, Arkansas in 1915, the town, the country, and even the world would never be so quiet again. Now known as Sister Rosetta Tharpe, the gospel and rock legend began her musical journey with her mother in the churches in and around Cotton Plant. Her mother played mandolin, and encouraged Tharpe to pick up the guitar at four years of age. The two played in an evangelical traveling troupe. Word of the young prodigy quickly spread as it was rare to hear about southern, black females wailing on the guitar as well as into the microphone.

Her passion and virtuosity captivated audiences in the South, so Tharpe and her mother eventually moved to Chicago to pursue a career.

Once in Chicago, Tharpe continued to perform within the religious market, but the move was the beginning of a great change. At first, she was involved with groups tied to the Church of God in Christ (COGIC), but she was urged to expand her career and move to New York. The Big Apple was where Tharpe developed her stage moniker, and in 1938 she was signed to Decca records. Now with Lucky Millinder’s jazz orchestra backing her, her success was instantaneous and her new cross over style was widening and diversifying her fan base.

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During the peak of her career, Tharpe performed all over the world and accomplished prestige that few black, female artists--or few artists in general--had experienced. She performed in Carnegie Hall in 1938 and toured with legends such as Cab Calloway. During the 1940s, the U.S. government sent her uplifting music to soldiers overseas to boost their morale.

Artists like Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, and Bob Dylan are forever indebted to her for revolutionizing the definition of rock music in America. Her impact on her contemporaries was great, and her successive legacy has largely been preserved in the hearts and souls of the musicians and music lovers who were changed by her.

aRkanSaS FReeDoM FUnD and FReeDoM anGLeRS oF aRkanSaS Presenting a

Day on the Lake with a Vet

Providing injured servicemen the opportunity to get out of the house and into a boat for a great day of fishing.

Saturday, May 11, 2013 8:00 a.m. andrew hulsey Fish hatchery

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VACATION THERAPY The other day I saw a billboard with a man jumping off a boat into one of the nearby Lakes of Hot Springs. The billboard said, “Be the Life of the Party Barge” and it made me realize that yes, Hot Springs people do like to party. It just makes sense as the town is bubbling over with water. It’s flowing everywhere around it and beneath it. This city is afloat and if you don’t know how to swim or fish then you are in the wrong place my friend. But

DO NOT PEE IN THE WATER & NEVER FORGET YOUR PERSONAL FLOTATION DEVICE — A RUNDOWN OF THE LAKES OF HOT SPRINGS Story by Jim G. Miller

if you’ve somehow ended up here anyway then just relax and let your feet rest in the water and remember everything will be okay because you are now in an outdoor paradise nestled safely within the confines of the Ouachita Mountains.

Many people really do love Hot Springs and Arkansas in general for its variety of lakes and streams. Like the Native Americans and explorers

of the past the water has guided many settlers, newcomers and voyagers who are either looking for a new beginning or who are looking for some simple rest and relaxation.

Now fully immersed into the month of May with June quickly approaching the spa city tourists and locals yokels will all be feverishly trying to stake out their specific sandbar, lake island, or shore

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TRI-LAKES

to rest their weary sun tanned bones. While these spots are relatively easy to stumble upon this quick rundown will provide you with the best places to fish, swim and just get your recreational ideas flowing for later in the summer when it starts getting nice and toasty.

Lake Catherine is the smallest of the three lakes found within the narrow valleys of the Ouachita Mountains between Malvern and Hot Springs.

Fed by Lake Hamilton this lake is known for its excellent fishing abundant with bass, crappie, catfish, walleye and brim. Also if you are into rainbow trout fishing the best spot is supposedly below Remmel Dam. Lake Catherine State Park also offers cabins, campsites, guided hikes, boat tours, picnic areas, canoe rentals and more.

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The Arkansas Game and Fish Commission helps to stock and preserve the abundant assortment of fish to be found in many of the lakes and streams of Arkansas. You can see part of what they do at the nearby Andrew Hulsey State Fish Hatchery located at Fish Hatchery Road on Lake Hamilton.

This is one of five State owned warm water fish hatcheries. Totaling forty-two ponds the hatchery provides around three million fingerling to the state’s lakes and ponds making it one of the most

successful sport fish hatcheries in the nation.

The facility primarily hatches striped bass, a very popular fish in the Hot Springs area, as well as hybrid striped bass and walleye.

One of Arkansas’ most popular lakes, Lake Hamilton was created in 1932 and features numerous resorts, condos, motels, restaurants and private homes. Definitely a recreational lake this body of water is chalked full of opportunists who enjoy water skiing, jet skiing, tubing, wake boarding, and just all around pleasure boating.

There are also of course plenty of opportunities for great fishing on this lake - just be sure to watch out for the jet skiers and drunken party boaters as the summer begins to wane.

Lake Ouachita is Arkansas’ largest lake and is also considered one of the cleanest lakes in the country. Covering a surface area of 40,000 acres you will not find any condominiums on the 600mile tree shoreline of Lake Ouachita and the few homes that are to be seen from the lake have been there for a very long time. The first of three lakes built on the Ouachita River; Lake Ouachita, also known as the “Striped Bass Capital of the World” is the go to fishing grounds for novice and experienced fishermen and is host to professional

bass and angler tournaments throughout the season. So don’t forget your fishing license and if you are in need of fishing gear, bait or tackle then check out Trader Bill’s at 1530 Albert Pike, Wetline Outfitters at 1880 Airport Road or the guys in Atchley’s Outpost at 5430 Central Avenue.

They will have everything you need to get ready.

The land beneath the lake was not clear-cut prior to being filled so there is literally a forest beneath the surface. The lake also boasts one of the largest crystal veins in the world. Scuba divers and spear fishermen travel from all over to take advantage of the water’s clarity along with the several other unique and unusual features of the lake. Popular also for sailing the lake boasts several islands, which are great for groups of friends wanting to get away from the everyday annoyances of life.

There is truthfully something unique to the peace and calm of being out on the open water. It’s this feeling of contentment felt by fisherman and water enthusiasts alike that bring them out to enjoy the lakes. They are lake people, water people, they are just people exploring the world attempting to find a tranquility that cannot often be felt on land but only in the water.

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FOOD TRUCKS

FOOD TRUCK AFICIONADO

Story by Jim G. Miller

DEBUNKING THE ROACH COACH MYTH — SPA CITY STYLE

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What’s really so weird about eating food that was cooked in a truck? They have everything you need; hell there is even a kitchen sink, I mean sure it’s attached to a water hose being fed from the outside of the truck and ok, the nearest bathroom is inside the gas station next door but hey, they have hand sanitizer right here. Come on, you only live once right? Seriously though,

inside these trucks and trailers are minds and hearts dedicated to preparing food to the best of their native culinary knowledge.

As the weather grows nicer it just makes more sense to eat outside where you can soak up some vitamin D and maybe work on your farmers tan. If you have ever lived in a major city food

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trucks are some of the best and most popular places to chow down especially when it is late at night. In many cities, including Little Rock, they even have festivals for food trucks. If it’s too hard for you not to believe that they are boiling the water on their radiator for cooking then I definitely suggest that you throw the roach coach misconceptions and OCD out the window.

Many of the vendors in Hot Springs have been parked in the same lots for quite a while so they must be doing something right.

There is also one other argument to eating at a food truck and it is the fact that these are independent business owners. Sure many of them would probably much rather prefer to have their own restaurants, and some of them do, the owner of “La Pasadita” recently opened his own restaurant called “Tacos Mi Casita” at 3205 Albert Pike Road but you can still find him vending his amazing burritos and other Mexican delicacies every Monday at the Godbehere Auction on Airport Road or twice a year at Low Key Arts during the Valley of the Vapors Independent Music Festival or the Spa City Metal Fest. Many food vendors are upstarts looking to provide for their families or possibly build enough of a nest egg to start their own restaurant. They all for the most part only take cash (no plastic) and in most cases you will find that you also walk away feeling

very full with more bang for your buck than you would by going to the nearest fast food chain.

The ingredients seem fresher and there is love and soul put into the food. There are no rapid assembly lines with different and unfamiliar face sgreeting you at the drive thru window.

Food trucks are among the last vestiges of the independent business owner. These explorers of the food industry are capable of moving to make money wherever or whenever they please. This too is a terrifying reality especially when you have fallen in love with a truck and its food or its dirty white colorful exterior only to see it gone the next day – so get a taste of something unique and different while you can. You’re being inundated with culture simply by ordering through that small screened in window and you’re also helping to promote a small business.

One other thing with food trucks is that they are sometimes hard to find or track down. Where did you say that place was again? That’s why I’m going to give a quick rundown attempting to map out the best in fine vendor dining in Hot Springs.

Hitting the taco trucks first there are quite a few to choose from which makes sense in a town overflowing with Mexican cuisine. The best

and most authentic hands down would be the Taqueria La Guadalupana. “Taqueria” of course is Spanish for Taco Shop, but their burritos and their enchiladas are really the best things on their menu. Parked beside the Citgo this truck is adorned with colorful lettering on the outside and a painting of Guadalupe or Mother Mary on the outside. Park it on one of their long picnic benches with a nice cold Jarritos and soak up some rays while you eat and don’t forget the lime and cilantro.

The second best and by far the most authentic is the “Pupuseria Mi Chalateca” located at 509 Garland Street near Falk Plumbing Supply. This truck is adorned with the colors of El Salvador and inside the truck you will find a bright smiling Salvadoran woman cooking the finest food that her native cuisine has to offer. Everything that they offer on the menu is good but I definitely recommend trying the pupusa with the loroco flowers and cheese. Loroco flowers are a vine flower indigenous to Latin America and are a natural aphrodisiac rich in vitamins, calcium and iron. Try all of the pupusas they have to offer as well as their traditional Salvadoran breakfasts and other Salvadoran dishes including the tamales wrapped in plantain leaves. Remember the whole point of eating out is to eat it while you’re there so just relax and drink a horchata with extra ice while you wait.

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FOOD TRUCKS

While visiting a food truck you also may find yourself engaged with someone who speaks little to no English. This is common but there is no need to become frustrated because we all need to eat and food is what unites us all as human beings. Be sure to ask for a menu and if all else fails point to what you want on the menu and don’t be afraid to try new things.

If taco shops or pupusas are not your thing and you’re looking for something a little less south of the border there are also options available in Hot Springs like Rendi’s Mudbugs at 815 Higdon Ferry behind the Flea Market on Central Avenue, Rendi’s boasts some of the best crawfish you can find in Hot Springs or anywhere else in the region. If you are craving catfish check out Bubba’s Catfish 2 Go 5411 Central Avenue, voted best catfish in Hot Springs on numerous occasions this outdoor eatery is a great stop.

True Blue BBQ is a relative newcomer to Hot Springs. Parked near Stephens Jewlery on Central Avenue their menu offers up everything from brisket to “wangs” and they offer specials daily.

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Last but not least on our trip down food truck lane there has to be a mention of a little hidden place called Cajun Paradise. Not actually located in Hot Springs proper, this taste of Louisana is located at 3822 Highway 7 North in Hot Springs Village across from the Fiesta Bowl. The man and wife who run this establishment whip up a smorgasbord of delectable Cajun fusion with a menu that includes BBQ, Peroques, Gator tacos, fresh oysters (when in season) and occasionally rattlesnake, yes rattlesnake. If they have recently hosted a crawfish boil ask about their amazing etoufee, which you won’t find on the menu. With fresh seafood coming in weekly from the gulf this outdoor eatery is well worth the scenic drive.

Remember to dine at your own risk whenever eating out at any restaurant, café, bar, or food truck. Also bear in mind that the State Board of Health has certified all of the establishments listed above so it won’t kill you if you eat at one of them, it will just make you stronger and more satisfied. It may also broaden your mind as well as your palette.

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