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DISCOVER PINNACLE Pinnacle by Rockrose is a neighborhood of open spaces and parkways in an area where walkways are planned to reach area schools for K-4, 5-6 and 9-12. *Coming Fall of 2022, Randall Jr High 7th and 8th

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WHERE TRUE BEGINS “We chose Northwest. And I would do it all over again!” Having delivered her first child pre-term, Taylor was deemed high risk for future pregnancies. When she became pregnant with her second, she reached out to moms in similar situations through social media for recommendations on where to deliver her baby. The response was overwhelming … Northwest Texas Healthcare System®! Taylor and her husband chose NWTHS® and were glad they did. “The nurses made me feel that I was the only one they were caring for … and no matter what the circumstance, they would have been prepared to handle it.” The Childbirth Center at NWTHS offers expectant mothers a warm environment, skilled care team and a wide range of specialized services. We provide a family-centered approach with:

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• A Level III neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) Plus, we offer the YoMingo® Pregnancy App Guiding new moms through the first year of pregnancy with valuable resources, tools and more— available any time, on any device! Taylor and her beautiful daughter, Swayde

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To hear Taylor’s story or for more information, visit nwths.com/baby. To request a tour, call 806-351-7610. Physicians are independent practitioners who are not employees or agents of Northwest Texas Healthcare System. The hospital shall not be liable for actions or treatments provided by physicians. For language assistance, disability accommodations and the nondiscrimination notice, visit our website. 22615980-974407 6/22

Meet THE AMARILLO WEALTH TEAM Suzanne Wheeler, CFP®, AIF®, CeFT® Managing Director

Forbes 2022 Top Women Wealth Advisors Best-In-State - #22 in Texas

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When you become our client, we get to know you first then create a wealth plan that meets you where you are today and where you hope to be tomorrow. Your Amarillo wealth team is committed to being here for everything life brings your way. Contact us to learn more about how our 360° advice is designed just for you. 806-513-1120 | www.marinerwealthadvisors.com 7971 SW 45th Ave., Suite 100, Amarillo, Texas 79119

*Barron’s awarded the 2021 and 2020 #5, 2019 #4 and 2018 #3 Top RIA Firms ranking to Mariner Wealth Advisors based on data compiled for Mariner Wealth Advisors and the 2017 #2 and 2016 #1 rankings to Mariner Holdings based upon data compiled for Mariner Holdings’ registered investment adviser subsidiaries. The number of firms included in the rankings were: 20 (2016), 30 (2017), 40 (2018), 50 (2019) and 100 (2020 and 2021). Barron’s publishes rankings based upon a number of criteria and the firms’ filings with the SEC were used to cross-check the data provided. The listing includes numbers of clients, employees, advisors, offices and state locations. The award is not indicative of future performance and there is no guarantee of future investment success. For additional information visit www.barrons.com. The Forbes Top Women Wealth Advisors Best-In-State Wealth ranking by SHOOK Research is based on an algorithm of qualitative criteria, gained through due diligence interviews, and quantitative data. Those advisors that are considered have a minimum of seven years’ experience, and the algorithm weights factors like revenue trends, assets under management, compliance records, industry experience and those that encompass best practices in their approach to working with clients. Portfolio performance is not a criteria due to varying client objectives and lack of audited data. Neither Forbes nor SHOOK receive a fee in exchange for rankings. Third party rankings and recognitions are no guarantee of future investment success and do not ensure that a client will experience a certain level of performance or results. These ratings should not be construed as an endorsement of the adviser nor are they representative of client evaluations. Generally, ratings, rankings, and recognition are based on information submitted by the adviser. Mariner Wealth Advisors (“MWA”) is an SEC registered investment adviser with its principal place of business in the State of Kansas. Registration of an investment adviser does not imply a certain level of skill or training. For additional information about MWA, including fees and services, please contact MWA or refer to the Investment Adviser Public Disclosure website (www.adviserinfo.sec.gov). Please read the disclosure statement carefully before you invest or send money.

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A Guide to the Local Brunch Scene

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PHOTO BY SHANNON RICHARDSON

CA N’T M ISS

The top things on our radar

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Who did we spot at area events?

SPOTLIGHT Storybridge

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Get up in the city’s business

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With Andy Chase Cundiff

FO RWA R D

With Patrick Miller

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Amarillo’s Lo Van Pham becomes the first Asian-American official in the NFL

Amarillo’s Convention & Visitors Bureau markets the city to tourists and locals alike

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PHOTO COURTESY OF AMARILLO CVB

EL EVAT E YOU R P L ATE

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AMARILLO’S PREMIER LIFEST YLE MAGAZINE EMIER AZINE

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am continually amazed at the number and quality of home-owned restaurants P U B L I S H ER S in Amarillo and Canyon. The Panhandle Michele McAffrey is known for its hard-headed perseverance and mm@brickandelm.com ingenuity that’s often surprising to outsiders. We enjoy some of the best cuisine you’ll ever Jason Boyett hen I look back over the pasteat few thanks to a determined bunch of talented jb@brickandelm.com months, it feels like ages since I last entrepreneurs dedicated to sharing their best. wrote an editor’s note, and then From comfort food to vegan fare to delectable D E Stimes I G N ER at other the weeks have flown by. Inbaked the goods, we feature the city’s best brunch Kayla Morris middle of January, it seemed my days of typing locales in our summer edition. Yes, we ate great km@brickandelm.com up my last-minute thoughts prior to printing food aeveryday for about two weeks. No, we did magazine were over. And then … a miracle. not get tired of it. How can you not love brunch CONTRIBUTING food? It’s an invitation to slow down and enjoy P H OTO G R A P H ER S My longtime writing partner Jason Boyett a decadent meal on the weekend. Discover your Ralph Duke became my new business partner and next favorite brunchery starting on page 34. Venice Mincey

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Brick & Elm was born. This “hyper-local” Shannon Richardson magazine was created in meetings at our This July, we will launch our newest project, a food-centric newsletter dedicated respective homes, and it’s the compilation of we’ve ever hoped awill bring the latest restaurant and entertainment theeverything local dining scene. Flavorillo C O N T R I B U T I N Gpublication could be.toThe Panhandle-focused community outpouring for our new news, and engaging food columnists directly to your inbox. We’re really excited W R I T ER S project has been overwhelming in the best way. My friends and local businesses about this endeavor and the opportunityhave to celebrate the hardworking restaurant Jon Mark Beilue sent streams of encouraging messages of support. Now I truly know what it means to on page 47. Best of all? It’s totally free owners in the area. Learn more about Flavorillo Tricia Bradford say my cup overflows. to sign up and stay in the know. Chip Chandler This is the first of many fantastic Amarillo-centric created by true dream As always,issues it’s a privilege to aproduce Brick & Elm, celebrating the best Amarillo has Andy Chase Cundiff team—Jason and the incomparable KaylatoMorris. I’m thrilled beyond measure to offer. Thanks for reading. Ruthie Landelius share Brick & Elm with you. Thanks for reading. Patrick Miller Wes Reeves

TO S U B S C R I B E : brickandelm.com Print subscription: $34.99/year A DV ER T I S I N G I N Q U I R I E S: mm@brickandelm.com 806.414.5235

or Father’s Day last month, our youngadult kids joined my wife, Aimee, in ll the best parts of my career began the kitchen to make us a late-morning breakfast of French toast, hash browns and in the Amarillo College Journalism Department. There, in the mid-scrambled eggs. They know breakfast is one of my favorite meals of the day—any time of day, 1990s, I learned to write fast. I learned to and any day of the week. edit. I learned desktop publishing, design and photography. But what I learned most of all is that I really liked magazines. I endedThat appreciation finds its expression in this issue. For our cover feature, we visited more up the editor of AC’s award-winning campus than magazine, AC Current, and fell in love with the20 local restaurants, where we heard the area’s best local chefs give their take on process of creating a publication, start to finish.

brunch. I sampled amazing eggs Benedict. I sipped Bloody Marys. Then I wrote more than 4,500 words aboutMichele the bestand brunch and breakfast dishes in the city. Magazine Here I am again, more than a quarter-century later. For years, I have feature writing is definitely hard work. Sometimes it’s also delicious work. worked together telling stories about our city. A few months ago we decided the All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or part At a recent game night, a friend complained about the lack of good restaurants in was right toislaunch a new, sophisticated, independent magazine about Amarillo. withouttime written permission prohibited. Amarillo. I told how I’d spent the last two weeks, how this city was experiencing It feels appropriate that our first issue covers topics likethem trail-building, business BRICK & ELM (ISSN 2770-2529), is published bi-monthly a brunch renaissance, andhistoric how—respectfully—they were just wrong. You can read reopenings, and breathing new life into structures. by Edgebow Media LLC, 1610 S.creative Washingtonproblem-solving St., Amarillo, my defense on pages 34-46. TX 79102. Periodicals Postage paid at Amarillo, TX, and at We feel like all of those are metaphors for Brick & Elm, and maybe for print magazines

published additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes in general. to Edgebow Media LLC, PO Box 2104, Amarillo, TX 79105. dia. All rights So here’s to fresh starts and a new way to shine a spotlight on the city we love. whole or part Thanks for reading. We’re honored that you’re here with us, at the beginning. n is prohibited.

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CHIP CHANDLER

Chip is the senior communications specialist at West Texas A&M University. A Canadian High School graduate and award-winning journalist, he has covered arts and entertainment in Amarillo since 1998, and is a member of the Amarillo Convention & Visitors Bureau Arts Committee. He is a 2020 Golden Nail Award winner and a 2017 National Philanthropy Day award winner. He has seen every Best Picture Oscar winner and watches way too much television.

SHANNON RICHARDSON

Shannon has been a commercial/advertising photographer for almost 35 years. His work can be seen at shannonrichardson.com.

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Kayla has been designing professionally for local businesses and nonprofits for more than 10 years. Kayla was raised in the Panhandle and graduated with a design degree from West Texas A&M University. When not designing she loves spending time outdoors with family and friends.

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10 VENICE MINCEY

Venice is a natural light photographer, specializing in senior, family and child photography. Her passion is photographing high school seniors, especially those who might not have the opportunity to have professional photos taken. Venice has been taking photos for more than 20 years. See her work at veniceminceyphotography.com.

PATRICK MILLER

Patrick is President of the Amarillo Branch NAACP and assistant principal at Eastridge Elementary. In 2021, he completed a 6-year term on the Amarillo College Board of Regents, to which he was elected at the age of 25. He has earned master’s degrees in both teaching and educational leadership from WTAMU and has served in a variety of leadership roles within the Amarillo Independent School District.

JON MARK BEILUE

Jon Mark worked at the Amarillo Globe-News from 1981 until his retirement in 2018. He spent 17 of those years as sports editor, and the last 12 as the newspaper’s general columnist. Beilue received 16 statewide and national awards for his work. He has written five books—two are collections of his columns, and the other three are on Amarillo lawyers Wales Madden and Robert Templeton, and Canyon girls basketball coach Joe Lombard. Beilue is a native of Groom and graduate of Texas Tech University. He and wife Sandy have two adult sons.

WES REEVES

Wes was raised in the Texas Panhandle and has been a resident of Amarillo for almost 30 years. He has been active in the Amarillo Historical Preservation Foundation for the past 15 years, and works in his spare time to bring history alive through historical preservation and engaging new generations in the appreciation of the region’s colorful history.

RALPH DUKE

Ralph has been peering through the viewfinder of his camera for more than 40 years. His images have appeared in newspapers, magazines, advertisements and Web pages. He has spent his career perfecting what he loves to do best. Each photographic assignment combines those years of experience with the immediacy of the moment of light. When the shutter clicks, he freezes a moment in time. See his work at ralphduke.com.

RUTHIE LANDELIUS

Ruthie owns Black Fig Food catering and is proprietor of the online cooking platform Elevated Plant Plate. She has a degree in fine art but has been cooking professionally for more than two decades as a caterer, personal and private chef, college cooking instructor and certified plant-based chef. Learn more about Ruthie at blackfigfood.com and elevatedplantplate.com.

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nce you’ve started your weekend off right with a tasty brunch, stretch the day out by taking in these hot summer fun ideas throughout July and August. (And if they’re not taking place on a day that begins with brunch, go ahead and pour a mimosa or two anyway. It’s summer, it’s hot, and you deserve it.)

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July

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CHARLEY CROCKETT: One of the finest singer-songwriters on the Texas scene today, Crockett makes his return to Amarillo for a July 5 show in the Globe-News Center for the Performing Arts, 500 S. Buchanan St. Other red-hot concert offerings in July will include hometown boy Aaron Watson with Triston Marez on July 30 at Starlight Ranch Event Center, 1415 Sunrise Drive; Texas country star Jon Wolfe kicking off Fourth of July celebrations on July 1 at Starlight Ranch; fellow Texas country singer Austin Meade with area native Logan Samford on July 9, also at Starlight Ranch; and venerable Americana favorites Micky and the Motorcars on July 16 at Hoots Pub, 2424 Hobbs Road. Plus, don’t miss the continuing slate of summer outdoor concert series: Starlight Theatre on Tuesdays at Sam Houston Park, Line Avenue and Western Street; High Noon on the Square on Wednesdays at the Potter County Courthouse, 501 S. Fillmore St.; Songwriters in the Canyon on Wednesdays and Concerts in the Canyon on Fridays at Starlight Canyon Bed & Breakfast, 100 Brentwood Road; Music at Wellington Square Courtyard, 1619 S. Kentucky St., on Thursdays; and Music in the Gardens on Thursdays at Amarillo Botanical Gardens, 1400 Streit Drive. SUDS & SOUNDS: Hit the road and head to Nazareth on July 9 for the annual German Fest and music festival, this year celebrating 50 years with Reckless Kelly, Kyle Park, Dale Brisby and more. Other unmissable events will include the Amarillo Sod Poodles’ home stands against the Northwest Arkansas Naturals from June 28 to July 3, the San Antonio Missions from July 12 to 17 and the Corpus Christi Hooks from July 26 to 31; a salute to of Amarillo landmark The Nat’s centennial on July 16; community celebration Las Fiestas de Amarillo on July 16 and 17; the original Harley Party for Family Support Services, now at Amarillo National Center on July 30; the Koben Puckett Professional Bull Riders event on July 9; Kwahadi Dancers’ summer shows on July 9, 16 and 23; and West Texas Drums, featuring some of the country’s top drum corps, on July 18 at Bain-Schaeffer Buffalo Stadium at West Texas A&M University in Canyon. And don’t forget July 4 celebrations including Don Harrington Discovery Center’s Explode! on July 1 and Kickin’ It in Canyon (featuring Casey Donahew) on July 3. 42ND STREET: Amarillo Little Theatre Academy tackles one of the giants of the musical theater world with a two-weekend run

July 8 to 17 on the Allen Shankles Mainstage, 2019 Civic Circle. Other arts highlights will include the public announcement of the Amarillo Symphony’s new music director and conductor on July 9 in the Globe-News Center; and the traditional summer run of outdoor musical Texas on Tuesdays through Sundays in Pioneer Amphitheater in Palo Duro Canyon State Park. THOR: LOVE AND THUNDER: The Norse god with the rockin’ bod returns July 8 in another film from wacky director Taika Waititi, featuring guest appearances by the Guardians of the Galaxy and Natalie Portman’s Jane Foster as a female Thor. Also hitting big screens this month: animated prequel-sequel Minions: The Rise of Gru on July 1; literary adaptation Where the Crawdads Sing on July 15; and director Jordan Peele’s Nope on July 22. Among the special screenings are a 25th anniversary revival of Men in Black on July 3 and 4, and a 50th anniversary run of Cabaret on July 17 and 20.

August AARON LEWIS AND THE STATELINERS: The former Stained lead singer brings his country band to town for an Aug. 20 show in the Civic Center Complex Auditorium. Other concert highlights will include Mexican singers Amanda Miguel & Ana Victoria Verdaguer on Aug. 19 in the Civic Center Auditorium; Pony Bradshaw on Aug. 19 at Hoots Pub; and golden-voiced Texas troubadour Zac Wilkerson on Aug. 18 at The Golden Light Cantina, 2906 SW Sixth Ave. AMA-CON: The Amarillo Public Library’s celebration of all things pop-culture returns after a pandemic hiatus for a twoday party Aug. 6 and 7 in the Amarillo Civic Center Complex, 401 S. Buchanan St. Other top events for the month will

Visit brickandelm.com for Chip’s expanded event coverage and movie reviews. Better yet, subscribe to our newsletter, Brickly, for breaking entertainment news every week!

C H I P C H AN D L E R Chip is the city’s arts and entertainment expert, having covered area events since 1998. Stay up to date on local happenings with Chip’s Can’t Miss picks in every issue.

can’t miss WITH CHIP CHANDLER

BULLET TRAIN: Brad Pitt, Joey King, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Brian Tyree Henry, Andrew Koji and Bad Bunny star as assassins all stuck on the same train to Kyoto in this madcap thriller opening Aug. 5. Also in theaters this month: survival thriller Beast on Aug. 19, starring Idris Elba and Sharlto Copley; and Three Thousand Years of Longing, director George Miller’s Scheherazade-style fable, opening Aug. 31 with Elba and Tilda Swinton. Among the special screenings is a live broadcast of Drum Corps International finals on Aug. 11.

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MISSA SOLEMNIS: A veritable slew of musicians from Amarillo Symphony, Chamber Music Amarillo, Amarillo Master Chorale, Lubbock Chorale, West Texas A&M University, Amarillo College and more will join forces for a rare performance of Beethoven’s massive work, timed to commemorate the 250th anniversary of his birth. The concert is set for Aug. 27 in the Globe-News Center. Also on the arts scene: Amarillo Little Theatre’s season-opening of romantic comedy

Significant Other from Aug. 18 to 28 in the Adventure Space, 2751 Civic Circle.

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include Jackass star Steve-O’s Bucket List tour on Aug. 6 in the GlobeNews Center; the Spicer Gripp Memorial Roping from Aug. 3 to 7 in Hereford; and the Amarillo Police Department Motorcycle Rodeo on Aug. 5 and 6 at the Civic Center Complex.

social seen ONE ENCHANTED EVENING

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Panhandle-Plains Historical Museum transformed Pioneer Hall for the debut of the exhibit, “Objects of Enchantment,” and a gala on May 7. Dinner was served in PPHM’s Derrick Room, with stunning decor by designer Parie Donaldson, a four-course meal, live auction and dancing. (Photos by Kelsey’s Photography)

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KIDS CAFE GOLF CLASSIC The annual Kids Cafe Golf Classic was held on May 13 at Ross Rogers Golf Course. Presented by Amarillo National Bank, the tournament raised funds for children at risk of food insecurity. (Provided Photos)

2 6 4 6 W O L F L I N AV E . R OYA L B A R .C O @ R OYA L B A R .C O

STRAW B E RRY FIELD S 1 ½ ounces cucumber-infused Libelula Tequila ¾ ounce yellow chartreuse ½ ounce lemon juice ¼ ounce simple syrup 1 ounce butterfly pea tea 2 dashes peppercorn tincture 1 strawberry

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Muddle strawberry in a shaker, then add other ingredients (except butterfly pea tea). Shake and strain into a Collins glass over ice. Float butterfly pea tea on top and garnish with a pineapple leaf and dehydrated lime.

A portion of the sales of Strawberry Fields will benefit the Amarillo Little Theatre. Look for Strawberry Fields on the menu at Royal and learn how to make it on Studio 4 next month!

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BUSINESS CONNECTION 2022

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The Amarillo Chamber of Commerce’s Business Connection filled the Amarillo Civic Center on May 19. The 29th annual event is the area’s largest business-to-business trade show. (Provided Photos)

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A D V O S P E C I A L O LY M P I C S SEND-OFF CELEBRATION Street VW hosted a pep rally and send-off celebration for local members of the ADVO Special Olympics teams. The group participated in events in the Special Olympics USA Games in Florida in early June. (Photos by Yolanda Mendoza, AM de Amarillo)

social seen SQUARE MILE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT

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On June 3, local nonprofit Square Mile Community Development hosted a farm-to-table dinner at St. Peter’s Episcopal Church, the site of Square Mile’s new collaborative community garden space. The dinner featured locally sourced, Latin-inspired cuisine by Chef Paul Leal of Mi Gente. (Provided Photos)

EYE CARE IS ELEMENTARY Don’t let eye strain impact their education. A back-to-school eye exam helps your child start the year with focus. Before school begins, stop by Broome.

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social seen AMOA ART AFTER DARK

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On June 10, the Amarillo Museum of Art held its sixth annual Art After Dark event, an evening of art + music + food + drink, as a unique way to explore all facets of the exhibitions on view. Hands-on art activities and an artist’s talk further enhanced the experience. (Provided Photos)

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JUNETEENTH CELEBRATION 2022 Amarillo’s community Juneteenth celebration dates back to the early 1980s and celebrates the 1865 announcement that proclaimed freedom to enslaved Texans. Locals celebrated on June 18 with a parade down North Hughes Street, followed by a picnic at Bones Hooks Park. (Photos by Jason Boyett)

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AMARILLO COMMUNITY MARKET Saturdays, 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. June 11 to Sept. 10 Historic Bivins Home, 1000 S. Polk St. Local vendors selling fresh produce, baked goods, arts & crafts Live music Free parking, free admission amarillocommunitymarket.com

spotlight

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PROVIDED PHOTOS

STORYBRIDGE

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C H A N G I N G T H E S TO R Y

ounded by former schoolteacher Chandra Perkins in 2016, Storybridge is a grass-roots organization working to get books into the hands of local children. Research shows that one of the most significant factors in a child’s educational success is the presence of appropriate books in the home. From school book fairs to a partnership with Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library—Storybridge is now the biggest Imagination Library affiliate in the state—the organization has successfully delivered more than 260,000 books to Amarillo children. The summer of 2022 marked several big changes for the organization. “We’ve finally bought our own building,” says Perkins. With an expected move-in completion in August, the 2,400-square-foot warehouse at 4468 Canyon Drive will house all Storybridge operations. “Ideally, I want it to be a place where we can keep office hours and stay open to the public,” she says. It will start, however, as a storage facility for thousands of books. In another first, the organization also introduced Storybridge Summer Storytimes this year, thanks to donations following the January 2022 passing of Elaine Basham, a longtime director of the Amarillo Area Adult Literacy Council. “Her family designated donations in her name be sent to Storybridge, and lots of people wanted to give,” Perkins says. “We wanted to do

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something creative with [those funds].” These weekly storytimes are the result. They rotate from one city park to the next, offering snacks, crafts and books for young participants. “It’s a cool, themed storytime every Wednesday morning at 10 at a different location in town. The first 15 families to arrive get a copy of the book we’re reading aloud,” she says. Hundreds of children have been participating, and the weekly schedule is listed at storybridgeama.org. Kinderbridge is another new program. This partnership with the Amarillo Independent School District offers free, guided playgroups for children 5 years old and younger, along with their caregivers. “One meets at Hillside North and another meets at Heal the City,” explains Perkins. “It’s partly a parent support group and partly a safe place to keep kids busy and learning. It’s off to a phenomenal start.” Every six months looks a little different at Storybridge. “We’re lucky to be nimble enough to try new ideas,” she says. “We have more capacity and more growth. We couldn’t have tried these things three years ago but now we can. I’m really grateful.” The organization is always seeking volunteers at its events, as well as book donations. “Start a tub of books that your kids have outgrown,” Perkins suggests. “At the end of the summer, bring them to our drop-off locations to get us set up for our school-year book fairs.” For a list of drop-off sites and volunteering information, visit storybridgeama.org.

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biz Physicians Surgical Hospitals was selected by Modern Healthcare as one of the 2022 Best Places to Work in Healthcare, sponsored by Healthcare Plus Solutions Group. This is the ninth time PSH has been named to the list.

Dr. Kristina Drumheller was awarded the Chancellor’s Medallion for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion. The medallion is one of three honors given by TAMUS to recognize outstanding System employees.

Bryan Bateman was named chief executive officer of Physicians Surgical Hospitals effective June 15. Bateman has more than 18 years of healthcare leadership experience, having spent the majority of his career with Community Health Systems.

WTAMU’s online MBA program is one of the Top 10 in the country after moving up in Fortune Magazine’s rankings. WT’s program, part of the Paul and Virginia Engler College of Business, ranked No. 9 this year, according to the magazine. In 2021, the program ranked No. 12.

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For a third consecutive year, an independent analyst ranked West Texas A&M University’s nurse practitioner program as the best in Texas. Nursing Process ranked WT’s program No. 1 out of 11 programs across the state.

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West Texas A&M University was ranked No. 6 in Texas, No. 32 in the South and No. 152 overall in Money’s 2022 Best College listings. Texas A&M AgriLife Research and Extension Center of Amarillo will move to Canyon to complete an agricultural research, education and outreach powerhouse on the West Texas A&M University campus. The Small Business Administration’s West Texas District named Kim May with Nobox Creative, LLC the 2022 West Texas Small Business Person of the Year and 2022 Exporter of the Year Buffalo Technology Group Products. The West Texas A&M University Woman and Man of the Year were honored in April. Hannah Scarborough and Allan Baltazar were given the respective honors during the All-University Honors Ceremony, held by the Office of Student Engagement and Leadership in Legacy Hall in the Jack B. Kelley Student Center. Lauren Gaston was named WTAMU Employee of The Year in a ceremony in June. The 4 ½-year veteran is a community outreach and event coordinator for the Sybil B. Harrington College of Fine Arts and Humanities. Judy Fugate, an Amarillo resident who played badminton and bowled for WT in the 1960s and early 1970s, has set up the Judy Fugate Lady Buff Scholarship endowment, a $1.85 million legacy gift that will ensure scholarships to top female athletes.

The City of Amarillo was awarded the Distinguished Budget Presentation Award from the Government Finance Officers Association for the current fiscal period. This award is the highest form of recognition in governmental budgeting. The award is for the fiscal year beginning Oct. 1, 2021. The Texas Municipal League appointed City of Amarillo Director of Communications Jordan Schupbach as a Leadership Fellow during an awards ceremony May 13 in Round Rock. Schupbach was named COA director of communications in March 2019. The Don Harrington Discovery Center and Wildcat Bluff announced inclusion in the Blue Star Museums initiative as the exclusive participating Amarillo museum. This summer, the Blue Star Museum initiative provides free admission to currently-serving U.S. military personnel and their families through Sept. 5, 2022. DHDC has also pledged to extend free admission to veterans in addition to currentlyserving personnel. Blue Star Museums is a partnership between the National Endowment for the Arts and Blue Star Families, in collaboration with the Department of Defense and museums across America. Local radio station KGNC celebrated 100 years of broadcasting in May 2022. Morgan Tanner, DJ Stubben and Charlie Singleton were inducted into the KGNC Hall of Fame during the anniversary celebration. KGNC, then known as WDAG, began broadcasting May 19, 1922 with just 10 watts of power. In 1935, the station was bought by the Globe-News Publishing Company, changing its callsign to KGNC for the first time. The station began broadcasting at the current 10,000 watts in 1947. Adrian Rodriguez was named president, Xcel Energy–Southwest, effective June 1. Rodriguez is succeeding David Hudson, who is retiring after 38 years of service to the company.

Brooke Trammell accepted the position of regional vice president for Regulatory and Pricing for the Texas and New Mexico system, succeeding Bill Grant, who retired June 1. Trammell has been with Xcel Energy for almost a decade. Samuel Reese was named to the post of manager for Community and Economic Development in Xcel Energy’s Borger and Dumas area, succeeding Jesse Shuffield, who retired June 10 after more than 42 years of service.

Grace Kuo, Ph.D., Pharm.D., has been named dean of the Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center Jerry H. Hodge School of Pharmacy. Kuo began her new position as dean May 16.

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Education Credit Union announced it will use funds deposited by Apple via CNote, a women-led impact platform, to expand access to capital and provide essential financial products and services in the Panhandle of Texas. This deposit to ECU is part of a $25 million commitment from Apple to support communities of color across the U.S. through CNote.

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Justin Smiley was named director of Business Customer Relations as of May 2 upon the retirement of Bryan Kauffman. Smiley is an Amarillo native and joined Xcel Energy in 2001 as an engineering intern in Amarillo.

TXAutoInc. donated $15,600 to the 24 Hours in the Canyon Cancer Survivorship Center this year after a May fundraiser. The donated funds were raised through the group’s Amarillo dealerships, including Texas Dodge, All Star Dodge, Autoplex BMW, Tri-State Ford, Amarillo Hyundai, and All Star Family Ford. Dr. Tori Marnell joined Family Medicine Center Canyon in June. The United Family raised more than $187,000 for the Save the Children Ukraine nonprofit through a company-wide donate-at-the-register campaign. The nonprofit provides relief efforts to children impacted by the ongoing war in Ukraine.

The Aspen Institute named Amarillo College a Finalist for the 2023 Aspen Prize. AC is one of the 10 Finalists for the 2023 Aspen Prize for Community College Excellence. Started in 2010 and awarded every two years, the $1 million Aspen Prize is the nation’s signature recognition of community colleges that are achieving high, improving, and equitable outcomes for students. Dr. Bruce Lin, assistant professor of music, and Dr. Asanga Ranasinghe, assistant professor of chemistry, were named recipients of the prestigious 2021-2022 John F. Mead Faculty Excellence Award. Each received AC’s foremost faculty accolade during commencement exercises on May 13 at Hodgetown Stadium.

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Mindi McLain was reappointed to the Texas Medical Board District Three Review Committee for terms set to expire on January 15, 2028. McLain is a partner and attorney with Wright Law TX, PLLC. Amarillo Professional Firefighters formed the Amarillo Professional Firefighters Charitable Foundation to help local charities and give back to local organizations. The foundation will be funded from community and member donations and proceeds from fundraising.

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U-Haul Company of Texas announced that 287 Body Shop signed on as a U-Haul neighborhood dealer to serve the Amarillo community. 287 Body Shop will offer U-Haul trucks, trailers, towing equipment, support rental items and in-store pickup for boxes.

Kristi Van Winkle from Lakeview Elementary was named Elementary Teacher of the Year, and Aly Harmon from Canyon Junior High was named Secondary Teacher of the Year by Canyon ISD. FirstBank Southwest announced the appointment of David M. Jones as Executive Vice President, General Counsel and President of Covenant Title, a subsidiary of FBSW. Jones will be part of the executive management team, in addition to providing legal advice to the Board of Directors. As President of Covenant Title Company, David will oversee all activities of the company, including underwriter relationships, strategic planning and closing services. Josh Butler of Butler Benefits was named the 2022 Broker of the Year by BenefitsPRO. The award was announced in Austin in late May.

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THE POWER OF THE WRITTEN WORD

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was always the kid in English class who looked forward to the poetry section. Fully understanding that I was in the vast minority, I kept that little bit of info to myself. Upon reaching that part of the semester, or book, or school year, I heard the overwhelming groans from the other students. Secretly smiling to myself, I relished the time that we spent on what I considered to be a cerebral playground—though I would not have had these words in those days.

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After all, we were taught that no one could really strictly interpret the absolute, sole and final meaning of any poem, and that meant there were no wrong answers, as long as the general drift was caught. This placed poetry into my world, the world of art, imagination. Breathing room at last. Enduring my well-known mathematical disability, suddenly the shoe, for me, was on the other foot! A lot of kids—and even a lot of teachers—hated poetry because of that latitude, that extra leeway for interpretation. It was funny to me to observe a teacher who was obviously passionate about poetry, singing into the air about the beauty of a rose, or the color of one’s true love’s hair in the morning, while all the students were making rude noises and being generally inattentive. It was even funnier, however, to see a teacher who had no affinity for poetry trying to grit and grind through the section, trying to force analytical or mathematical principles onto the flower petals of a love poem. I remember some very grim faces from those days. They looked like a 20-mule team slogging uphill with a lead mule that they weren’t sure would make it. Probably some time around fifth grade, my eyes were opened to the delightful world of poetry when I first heard what is still one of my favorite poems. It was the masterpiece by Charles Lutwidge Dodgson, better known to you and me as Lewis Carroll. It was, of course, “Jabberwocky.” I can still recite it verbatim. “’Twas brillig, and the slithy toves did gyre and gimble in the wabe...” The piece was a little like impressionist art. The textbook called it things like “nonsensical” or “whimsical,” but it made perfect sense to me. It was written in a style that barely used proper modern English, and a lot of the words were only comprehensible in context. Once read in its entirety, it gave you the feeling that somehow you had just read something written in a foreign language, and by some miracle, completely understood it. That was like magic to me. The biggest tragedy to me about poetry is that, very much like visual art, we tend academically to over-analyze it before we learn to enjoy it. If you start with “Jabberwocky,” you can’t help but have fun. In college, I had several great English professors who were eager and astute in the subject of poetry. We learned how to construct a poem, how to use both sides of our brains to interpret poetry, and

the deep, rich history of poetic writing. We learned rhythms, meters, and devices to delight the reader. The best attempt at a definition for poetry that I remember from the textbook was the “fusion of sound and sense,” though that definition, appropriately I guess, still left some ends untied. A great and passionate teacher of words at Campbellsville University, Professor L.M. Hamilton got our attention one day in class. He said, “these words will mean something to you for the rest of your life. You will remember them into old age.” And he quoted the last line of William Cullen Bryant’s “To a Waterfowl”: “He, who from zone to zone, guides through the boundless sky thy certain flight, in the long way I must tread alone will lead my steps aright.” “What a silly old man,” I thought to myself. “I won’t memorize those words past midterms.” But those words are still in my heart to this day. Stop me on the street and I’ll quote them to you. God bless L. M. Hamilton. After years, I came to realize that I’d had a head start in poetry. My mother loved the Psalms, and she can still quote more of the prosaic books in the Old Testament than probably anyone I know. Psalms, Proverbs, Song of Solomon. She read those to me when I was very small. She quoted them to me from memory as I grew. Wisdom in poetry. Well-written, intentional words that can guide a person in any kind of situation or circumstance. Words of life. So many years and poems later, AN DY C H A S E C U N D I F F my beautiful daughter came home Andy is an artist, singerfrom elementary school one day and songwriter, music producer blew my mind. and musician. In every issue, his column explores the parts of his She said, “I learned a great poem life that don’t always make it into today called ‘Jabberwocky.’ Wanna his songs, accompanied by his hear it?” own illustration. She quoted it word for word.

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t’s hard to believe that almost two months have passed since the school year ended. However, if you are a public school educator or someone else who cares for children, summer causes as much anxiety as excitement. We all need a break from a routine sometimes, but extended breaks from education can cause unnecessary mental anguish for educators.

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Whether you choose to believe it or not, educators are constantly concerned about the well-being of the children in our care—even when they are away from us. The conclusion of a school year does not mean the expiration of our love and support. We want to see our scholars thrive academically without exceptions, and despite the rest it promises, summertime makes us more concerned about the academic, behavioral and social well-being of the students we serve each day. You may have heard of summer learning loss, summer setback, or summer brain drain. These are legitimate challenges for educators, parents and other stakeholders. Research published in the American Educational Research Journal estimates that “the average student lost 17 to 34 percent of the prior year’s learning gains during summer break.” This is a disconcerting percentage considering the herculean efforts made to help students achieve academic growth throughout the school year. Poverty makes the effects of the summer learning loss worse. Students in poverty often do not have the same access to quality experiences others may have during the summer. They don’t always travel. They don’t benefit from exposure to culture and unfamiliar places. To make matters worse, far too many students are forced to share time in close proximity to those who would do them harm when they are away from school. According to data from The Bridge Children’s Advocacy Center in Amarillo, “the most common age for cases [of abuse] is between 4 and 6 years of age.” When children are away for summer break, the mandatory reporters entrusted to provide education and even protection to students are unable to file the requisite reports on behalf of those we serve. The digital divide is another prevalent issue. Until recently, it affected at least 9 million Texans—including public schoolaged children. Texas House Bill 5, signed into law following the second legislative special session of 2021, created the Broadband Development Office (BDO), operated by the Comptroller’s Office.

According to its website, this program “awards grants, low-interest loans, and other financial incentives to internet service providers who expand access to broadband service in underserved areas.” These are important changes, and the Amarillo City Council’s approved use of American Rescue Plan funds to expand broadband access is just as important. But this remains a long-term solution to a problem students are facing this summer. All of this is to remind readers that our students benefit from some form of education during the summer months. Parents have many options, ranging from summer academy at your child’s school, Amarillo College Kids’ College, or the community programs offered by other reputable nonprofit and civic organizations. As an educator, I would be remiss if I neglected to mention the significance of summer literacy. One of the ways to close learning deficits is to provide equitable access to books year-round. According to an influential report, “the most successful way to improve the reading achievement of low-income children is to increase their access to print” (America’s Child Care Crisis: A Crime Prevention Tragedy). When students attend summer school or any of the various reading and learning programs during the summer, the probability of summer learning loss precipitously decreases. Children who have access to a school community have access to essential resources. During the school year, children who attend our public schools have access to at least two hot meals a day, health services, social and emotional learning, and high-quality instruction from teachers devoted to students’ welfare and growth. So as you drive past our schools this summer, take note of parking lots and the flashing school-zone lights. Despite what many presume, our schools remain open for business year-round. Learning is a PAT R I C K M I L L E R lifelong process, and the support A passionate local educator and President of the Amarillo Branch of parents and other stakeholders NAACP, Patrick writes in every helps ensure our students’ learning issue about education, faith and never takes a summer break. forward momentum.

mindset A D A P T I N G TO C H A N G E

Finding joy in the new normal

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wake up in my warm, comfortable house and hear the familiar sounds of family and pets stirring. I smell coffee brewing and listen to the neighborhood birds as the sun rises and my day starts. Then I remember—and heaviness sets into my heart.

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I turn on the news. I empathize as I try to comprehend the loss of the people experiencing the devastation of the war in Ukraine. I see a girl on the screen around the age of my granddaughter, wrapped in a torn, dirty blanket. She’s crying and looking around frantically for help. Tears come, and I know that I have to turn off the images, re-group and get ready for work. Work doesn’t offer much escape from those emotions, because I work with survivors of trauma. My clients are survivors of extreme circumstances and violations, as well as sudden or devastating life changes, losses, rejections and disappointments. And while I can’t impact lives in Ukraine, here in Amarillo I can help someone find healing. I can point them to the path toward feeling better. Think of some of the trials this world has faced in the past few years. We’ve been through two-plus years of the COVID-19 pandemic. This gave us an opportunity to practice gratitude for the small things— such as a decent supply of paper goods—as well as the big things, like having in-person contact with family and friends without fear. For so many, the pandemic has transformed our perspectives on life and connected us to the world in new ways. We can’t hide from the changes around us, but we can grow stronger and more resilient when we recognize them and choose to embrace them. This is part of our path toward finding joy in this new normal. The researcher and psychologist Nilufar Ahmed points out that, even though a situation like the war in Ukraine is far away, it can still impact our mental health. This is due to our innate response to fear and danger. Our brains are wired to protect us, so even a short exposure to difficult news or images can trigger the fight, flight or freeze response. This protective instinct leaves us on high alert and increases anxiety and stress. That’s why humans are drawn to news that creates negative emotions. Staying up-to-date on current situations can feel like a form of protection, even if experts advise us to avoid doom-scrolling or fixating too much on the news. Here are some ways to cope with stress and anxiety while staying aware of current news and events:

Acknowledge your feelings. Despite our distance from Ukraine, for example, it does not help to minimize or invalidate your own emotions. Talking with others and naming your thoughts and feelings may help you more than dismissing them as irrational. Don’t worry about having mixed feelings, either—like being grateful that you are safe and sad that others aren’t. Engage with your feelings. In trauma work, we often identify triggers that are connected to personal experiences where we feel helplessness, fear or lack of control. Hearing about the pandemic or news and images from Ukraine can trigger these memories and thoughts. It’s important to get grounded. Express your feelings rather than ignoring them. Decrease stress and anxiety by reminding yourself that you are OK, you are not alone, and you are managing life in the moment. Take action. Are there any practical things you can do to help? Pay attention to these options, such as donating toward a fundraiser, checking in with a friend or family member who might be struggling, or being creative through songwriting, poetry or art. Doing something proactive with your feelings can diminish the intensity of your emotions and help you cope. Set limits and prioritize. It’s not always a good idea to ignore the news altogether, so give yourself boundaries, like avoiding the news right before bed and immediately after you wake up in the morning. Increased alertness in the brain at these times can actually make stress worse. Remember that sleep, nutrition and exercise are keys to both physical and mental health. Taking time to breathe, pray, engage with nature, spend time with a pet, move your body or express yourself through creativity can help build resilience and a more positive mindset. Adapting to change is a constant in our lives, and so much is unpredictable at this moment in history. Finding ways to care for yourself and others is the key.

TRICIA BRADFORD Tricia is a Licensed Professional Counselor and works with clients of all ages at Family Support Services of Amarillo. She graduated from West Texas A&M University with her master’s degree in counseling and a Bachelor of Music in Music Therapy. She has worked in the field of mental health for more than 30 years. Tricia has a special interest in using the expressive arts in the healing process.

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PHOTO BY SHANNON RICHARDSON

KYLE BARRERA DEMONSTRATES GRILLING SAFETY AT AFD’S CENTRAL STATION

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HOT GR IL L S U M M E R

uly is a peak month for grill fires,” says Jeff Justus, community liaison for the Amarillo Fire Department and a longtime firefighter. “We can’t tell people they can’t cook on a grill. All we can do is just recommend you use good common sense.”

With the Panhandle still deep in a drought and with hot, windy conditions the norm—some counties remain under outdoor burn bans—the conditions are right for fire danger, whether that’s a wildfire outside the city limits or an unexpected backyard inferno. But that doesn’t mean local grillmasters can’t light up their gas or charcoal grills. On behalf of AFD, Justus offers these tips for safe summer grilling. Go outside. This seems like a common sense suggestion, but AFD has seen it all. Most grilling-related home fires result from poor location choice. “Usually it’s someone trying to get out of the wind or get into the shade. They’ll move the grill inside a garage or under a covered patio,” explains Justus. “The smoke and heat have nowhere to go. The next thing they know, they’ve caught the ceiling on fire.” Steer clear. “Make sure you place your grill well away from your home or deck railings,” says Justus. “Don’t put it under tree branches or under the eaves of a house.” Sparks from a charcoal grill or flares from dripping grease can quickly grow out of control in high winds, so even grilling under a covered porch can be dangerous without enough clearance. Stay aware. “Never leave your cooking unattended,” says Justus. That means don’t walk away from a lit grill and don’t get too engrossed by something on your phone. And keep children and pets

away from the grill, he adds. He recommends a 3-foot safe zone around the grill. Protect yourself from burns by using long-handled barbecue tools. Plan ahead. Clean your grill before and after each use to avoid grease or fat buildup, which can lead to unexpected flares. Always open the lid before firing up a gas grill—after you check the hoses. “You want to make sure everything’s connected properly before use,” he says. “If the flame goes out, turn the gas off and let it clear for 5 minutes before relighting. If any gas is trapped inside the grill, you don’t want it to flash on you.” Limit lighter fluid. The use of lighter fluid with charcoal grills can easily result in an unintentionally larger fire, Justus warns. Electric charcoal starters or charcoal chimney starters tend to be safer. Regardless, “never add lighter fluid to the fire once it’s going,” says Justus. Cool the coals. After using a charcoal grill, let the coals cool off completely before disposing of them in a trash can or dumpster. “We see a lot of people who dump hot coals into a trash can, and then we’ll have a dumpster fire,” he says. Watch the wind. Accidental grill-related fires are much more common on windy days. Sometimes the wind even dictates a change in plans. “If it’s super-windy, be respectful and don’t grill,” says Justus. “Or, at least, have a bucket of water or a water hose nearby, just in case. Make sure you’re not out grilling in the middle of a field. Grill somewhere you can control it and watch over it.” And if a grill fire does get out of hand, don’t hesitate to call the Fire Department. It’s easier to replace a ruined burger, steak or even a grill than to replace a home.

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BY JASON BOYETT

he popularity of brunch may feel fairly recent, at least here in the Texas Panhandle, but the idea dates back as far as the late 1800s, when a British writer used the word to describe a Sunday-morning meal suitable for “Saturday-night carousers.” The late meal allowed those carousers to sleep in, of course. But the breakfastlunch combo meal should also be filled with good conversation and good cheer in order to end a worrisome week on a high note.

In recent years, brunch has taken on even more meaning. It remains a social meal, offering a way to introduce good food and face-to-face conversation into family or friend groups. But it’s also a social-media meal, with many restaurants building their menus around buzzy cocktails and dishes that beg to be photographed and shared. Whether you dismiss it as a passing trend or embrace it as a new tradition, brunch has blossomed in the Panhandle. We visited more than 20 local restaurants in Amarillo and Canyon to identify a few of our weekend favorites. PHOTOS BY SHANNON RICHARDSON

DRUNKEN DECADENCE

on’t let the heavy drapes and gas lanterns fool you: The interior atmosphere of this early New Orleans-style restaurant may be moody, but the brunch is undeniably bright. Owned by Rory Schepisi, The Drunken Oyster gives a French Quarter twist to traditional brunch fare, served Saturdays and Sundays from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. “Our eggs Benedicts are very popular,” says Executive Chef Alberto Vargas, who lists several unique varieties of the wellknown dish. He says the Snapper Cake Benedict and N’awlins Benedict are brunch-time customer favorites. “And our pain perdu sells quite a bit,” Vargas adds, referencing this rich take on classic French toast. The fried chicken and waffles are served with andouille sausage gravy, topped with fried leeks. And the croque madame— loaded with smoked pork shoulder and plenty of cheese sauce—packs a savory punch. The brunch cocktail list is just as indulgent, including a maple syrup-sweetened Breakfast Old Fashioned and Diablo Bloody Mary, which uses tequila infused with five peppers.

THE DRUNKEN OYSTER 7606 SW 45th Ave., Suite 100 806.418.6668 drunkenoysteramarillo.com

35 BRICKANDELM.COM

A Guide to the Local Brunch Scene

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BEST OF THE BRUNCH

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BISCUIT BUSINESS

ost restaurants on this list offer a brunch menu on Saturdays and Sundays. But Deanna Hurt, the owner of Butterlove Biscuits, describes her restaurant as “brunch all the time.” Hurt conceived of the idea when it became time to move her beloved bakery, The Ruffled Cup, around the corner in Puckett Plaza. She didn’t want to lose the original space, though. “Baking is my backbone so the biscuit idea came into play. We grew the business around that biscuit,” she says. Hurt knew a lot of customers viewed brunch as a leisurely weekend-morning meal, but that’s not how she designed Butterlove. “Weekends are busy. You don’t always have a lot of time, so you can get in line, get your food, and you’re in and out in less than an hour,” she says. The counter-service ensures a faster experience. Even so, Butterlove’s food and full bar are worth lingering over. The summer drink menu changes frequently, but customers love its Instagram-worthy cocktails, along with mimosas featuring fresh-squeezed orange juice and “ice cold” champagne on tap. Its signature “Honey Hush” biscuit—with fried chicken, honey butter spread and a honey drizzle—is among the most popular dishes, as are the Butterlove Rancheros, drenched in housemade chile verde.

BUTTERLOVE BISCUITS 3440 Bell St., Unit 130 806.418.8966 butterlove.com

GIRASOL GOOD

“A

s a chef I love serving food to people because, as a person, I like eating food with people,” says Jessica Higgins at Girasol, a cheerful cafe on Coulter. “I always loved going out on the weekends for brunch with my girlfriends.” She brought that love to Amarillo when she opened her cafe and artisan bakery in 2016, and you can taste the joy in her fresh, scratch cooking. Brunch is served all day at Girasol on weekends— best enjoyed on its simple, sunny outdoor patio—as well as on weekday mornings. Higgins says she has regulars who show up every Saturday and a steady stream of out-of-towners who make a point to stop at Girasol whenever they pass through Amarillo. They love the cafe’s “no-gluten multigrain pancakes,” French toast made with custard-dipped brioche, and Santa Fe Eggs Benedict, which is served on a house-made green chile cheese biscuit. For Brick & Elm, Higgins prepared her specialty corn fritters, which she features just a couple times a year when corn is fresh and in season. “It’s really popular,” she says. “People love it.”

GIRASOL CAFE & BAKERY 3201 S. Coulter St. 806.322.0023 facebook.com/girasolcafeandbakery

his upscale, contemporary restaurant in west Amarillo was one of the first to offer a regular weekend brunch and has been a reliable source of attentive service, exceptional dishes and trendy cocktails. The signature bloody mary, with houseinfused spicy vodka, is one of the city’s best. “We make everything from scratch,” says Front-of-House Manager Tina Brown. “People really love the atmosphere and the higher quality of food.” That food includes the Salmon Benny, a traditional eggs Benedict that adds salmon to the mix. (When fresh and available, there’s also a Sea Bass Benny.) Topped with two eggs, the southwest enchiladas are also popular at brunch, along with French toast topped with an orange zest cream cheese drizzle. Last year, to give employees a day off, Public House began closing on Sundays, which makes its Saturday brunch even more special.

PUBLIC HOUSE

3333 S. Coulter St. 806.398.7777 publichouseamarillo.com

“B

runch” is in the name of this downtown delight, and a Saturday brunch has been one of its highlights since Nicole Fleetwood and McKinzie Hodges opened Scratch Made in 2016. There were few brunch options in Amarillo at the time. “Brunch culture in Amarillo has really come a long way,” Fleetwood says. “And this is definitely brunch,” says Hodges, pointing out Scratch Made’s quiche, salad and fruit options. “It’s not just breakfast.” The duo recently expanded its brunch menu into the rest of the week, and it’s proven a hit. “I think it’s just the happy combination between lunch and breakfast, with nice savory options,” says Fleetwood. “And free mimosas all week long,” Hodges adds. “Brunch has to have mimosas.” Aside from the mimosas, the Scratch Made French Toast is extremely popular. And available on Saturdays only, the B.A.C. never fails to get attention. “The B.A.C.—the big-ass cinnamon roll—is always a hit,” says Hodges. “People think it’s fun.” Scratch Made is currently in growth mode, preparing to expand everything from its kitchen to its front bakery cases. Across the street, Fleetwood and Hodges also operate a coffee, breakfast and lunch nook on the first floor of FirstBank Southwest Tower. “We’re also doing pop-up brunken events and private parties,” adds Fleetwood. Yes, that’s brunken: brunch food for late nights and tipsy crowds.

SCRATCH MADE BAKERY & BRUNCHERY 118 Sixth Ave. 806.731.4477 scratchmadebakery.com

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UP TO SCRATCH

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PUBLIC OPINION

UNCONVENTIONAL CREOLE

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ocated downtown near FirstBank Southwest Tower, this cozy eatery serves food with a Cajun-Creole flair, and that includes its brunch menu, available every Sunday and from Tuesday to Friday. Chef Ron Granger recognizes that his Creole cooking stands out in a world of pancakes and waffles. “Sausage and shrimp are not conventional breakfast items,” he says, pointing to his popular Creole Breakfast Bowl. This hash-style meal contains onions, peppers, shrimp and smoked sausage served over a bed of potatoes or southern-style grits. His inspiration for the dish came from the Ruby Slipper Cafe in New Orleans’ French Quarter, where southern brunch is a specialty. “Everything there seemed to be deconstructed,” he says. “Now this is our most popular brunch item.” But Granger serves standard brunch fare as well, including waffles. Topped with pecans or mixed berry compote, these happen to be fully constructed and are beloved by his customers. In fact, Chef Ron’s weekend brunches became so popular over the past year that Sunday’s Kitchen recently expanded the brunch menu to weekdays.

SUNDAY’S KITCHEN

112 Sixth Ave. 806.418.6477 facebook.com/Sundays-Kitchen

“T

PICK SIX

he idea is that brunch should be both sweet and savory,” says Executive Chef Cole Craven, who has been in the Six Car kitchen since this Polk Street establishment first opened. “It shouldn’t just be pancakes.” He has the right idea, at least according to the crowds who show up every Saturday and Sunday morning. “We have a line for every brunch,” Manager Rachael McClung says. Everything at Six Car is made completely from scratch, from the fresh bread and biscuits to the secret ingredients in the bloody mary mix Craven developed with the Six Car bar staff. He says the “pretty accessible” Chicken & Waffles is definitely a crowd favorite, but he prefers the Eggs in Hell—three eggs poached in a spicy chile and tomato sauce, served with chorizo and sourdough toast. “We also sell a lot of omelets, and I cook every one of them,” he says. Eager to try one of these menu items? “Get here early on Sundays,” advises McClung. Six Car serves brunch from 10:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. every weekend.

SIX CAR PUB & BREWERY 625 S. Polk St. 806.576.3396 sixcarpub.com

FLAVOR TO SAVOR

his restaurant is new and its brunch is even newer. Fresh off its opening in 2021, Rory Schepisi’s upscale local restaurant began opening for brunch on Mother’s Day. It’s known for tapas-style small plates in the evenings, but for brunch Savór relies on Spanish-themed flavors. “It’s a lot of spice but not spicy,” says Chef Tyler Ryen. “A lot of paprika, saffron, chorizo, cured meats and eggs.” Local favorites include the Spanish Benedict and its smoky, spicy serrano ham, or the hearty Matador Breakfast, featuring potatoes, marinated tomatoes, eggs, bacon and chorizo. It’s served with torrijas—the Spanish version of French toast. “It’s probably our most approachable brunch item,” says Ryen. Savór’s brunch fans are also glad to approach its indulgent Mimosa Flight, choosing four of five flavor combinations for the bright and boozy drink—tequila sunrise, blackberry mint, cherry bomb, colada and strawberry. The restaurant is open for brunch on Saturdays and Sundays from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. 7669 Hillside Road, Suite 600 806.310.2600 savortapasbar.com

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SAVÓR TAPAS BAR

METRO MATCH

“O

ur brunch is growing like nobody’s business,” says Laura Sellers at Metropolitan. But it’s definitely her business as the owner of this swanky New American spot in Town Square. “Sunday is our busiest day, but the other days are creeping up.” Once only available on weekends, Sellers recently made the brunch menu available on Fridays. “People were requesting it. It’s the start of the weekend,” explains Chef Shelby Swindell. While Metropolitan offers standard fare like made-to-order omelets and Belgian waffles, the brunch menu also includes a few surprises. “We try to offer varieties of things you wouldn’t necessarily find at other restaurants,” says Sellers. One of those is the breakfast pot pie, served with eggs atop a gravy-smothered puff pastry. The chicken-fried steak with green chile gravy is another favorite, as is the Pancake Board for Two. Stylized on a wooden slab, it comes with six thick pancakes, mixed berries and a variety of toppings. Customers wash these treats down with hand-crafted drinks from a stunning bar, including the Metropolitan Dirty Bloody. That’s a traditional bloody mary plus olive juice—another salty surprise for the weekend.

METROPOLITAN-A SPEAKEASY 9181 Town Square Blvd., Suite 1201 806.242.0117 metroofamarillo.com

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“I

LOCAL FARE

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never thought we’d sell this many chicken-fried steaks,” says Brent Lancour, who owns his namesake cafe with his wife, Heather. The chicken-fried-steak-and-eggs on the brunch menu is their best-selling dish. “I had to get a bigger fryer,” he says with a chuckle. The couple is known for using locally sourced ingredients whenever possible, including farm-fresh eggs from local suppliers. Everything else is housemade as well. The smoked ham on the eggs Benedict is house-brined. Brent smokes his own bacon. The Lancours are also known for accommodating most food allergies, offering gluten-free versions of most dishes and tofu substitutions for vegan customers. There’s a steady stream of those customers during each Saturday (10 a.m. to 2 p.m.) and Sunday (11 a.m. to 2 p.m.) brunch. “Sundays are usually booked the day before,” Heather says, though the restaurant always tries to leave a few tables open for walk-ins. Brent’s also offers a bright, sunny patio—weather-permitting— as well as espresso-based drinks and full bar. Regular patrons love the Mexican Sunrise, which combines champagne with pineappleinfused tequila, as well as the signature bloody mary.

BRENT’S CAFE 3701-B, Olsen Blvd. 806.398.2160 brentscafe.com

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GOOD MORNING

elcome to the cutest diner and best-kept secret in the Canyon brunch scene: Buenos Dias, where you’ll drink coffee out of a random mug, choose from a variety of mismatched chairs and enjoy some of the best eggs and waffles in the Panhandle. “It’s nothing too crazy,” says Xavier Villalobos about the counterservice cafe’s menu, which includes brunch staples like chicken and waffles, huevos rancheros and a sausage hash dish known as the Roger Special. Villalobos co-owns Buenos Dias with Brenda Lopez. The couple opened Buenos Dias four years ago. Both had a background in food— Lopez had been running a meal prep service and Villalobos’ mother, Teresa, had worked in the Canyon Country Club restaurant. Together they decided to take a chance on the building that had once housed KJ’s Cafe. Unfortunately, Teresa passed away in 2019, leaving them to “figure it out on our own,” Brenda says. They made it work. Today, the site hosts a bustling breakfast scene from Wednesday through Sunday, opening at 7 a.m. on weekdays and 7:30 on weekends, through 1 p.m. “Saturdays and Sundays are pretty wild,” Villalobos says about the traffic. “People in this part of town want eggs and bacon.”

BUENOS DIAS

1202 23rd St., Canyon 806.452.7277 facebook.com/buenosdiaskitchen

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fter a lengthy career in the restaurant industry, including 14 years managing a gourmet Mexican cantina in the suburbs of Phoenix, Arizona, Mickey Foster brought his family to Canyon. They’d vacationed in the Panhandle at a friend’s ranch and Lake Tanglewood home, and the small town atmosphere of Canyon felt like a reprieve. It just so happened that two restaurants on the Square had closed down prior to the Fosters’ arrival. He jumped at the chance to start something new, and Mickey’s Place at the Square opened in late 2021. The restaurant serves Italian specialties for lunch and dinner, but has recently expanded its brunch offerings to Saturdays and Sundays from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. “There was nothing open on Sundays,” Foster says. “A lot of people tended to go into Amarillo for brunch.” That’s no longer necessary. Foster says his brunch menu has turned Sunday into a “true weekend sales day,” especially with dishes like the salmon cake eggs Benedict, Italian sausage and eggs, and the Perfect Frittata, which includes roasted red peppers and asparagus. Foster says the brunch menu reflects the kinds of things he likes to cook for his family on weekend mornings. “Everything is generated from my family,” he says.

MICKEY’S PLACE 1512 Fifth Ave., Canyon 806.452.7320 mickeysplacetx.com

POP THE CORK

lenty of local restaurants serve great brunch food, says Don Rhode, general manager of Cask & Cork. But none of them can match the sunny, scenic rooftop patio of this restaurant near Town Square. The all-year space truly shines during the spring and summer months—especially on Sundays, the restaurant’s busiest day of the week. With the main campus of Hillside Christian Church just a short walk or drive away, the Sunday traffic is steady before and after services. “We get a double-dip,” Rhode says of the churchgoing crowd. “The early rush tends to be more breakfasty, and the later push after church tends to be more of a brunch mix.” Regardless of the day, though, those patrons gravitate toward the Three-Egg Benny, a dish with country ham and cheesy hashbrowns, or the Country Benedict, which serves fried chicken and sausage gravy Benedict-style on a sweet cornbread muffin. “For Amarillo, it’s recognizable and not weird,” he says of the unique dish. Cask & Cork opened in 2017 and has served brunch from the start. “As you see people travel more or move here from other places, brunch is becoming a much more focused part of the week. What used to be 150 people on a great Sunday has turned into 400 people,” says Rhode. The restaurant serves its weekend brunch from 10:30 a.m. until 3 p.m.

CASK & CORK

5461 McKenna Square, Suite 101 806.410.1113 caskncorkamarillo.com

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MICK OF TIME

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GOING VEGAN

hree years ago, the Greyhound bus station at Seventh and Tyler closed its restaurant. Paul Olivarez had been thinking about opening a restaurant next door, but ultimately decided a food truck was a better option—and the station manager allowed him to operate out of the parking lot next door. The Brunch Truck of Amarillo opened in July 2022 and the brunch business is booming. “I’ve served 40 Kitchen Sink Burritos already today,” Olivarez says at 10 a.m. on a midweek morning. He opens at 5:30 a.m. when the early crowds begin to gather. “People come and go all day long.” Closed Mondays and Saturdays, Olivarez serves Sunday brunch from 5:30 a.m. until 3 p.m. The Sunday hours are significant, because The Brunch Truck serves a full vegan menu, and those options are limited locally— especially on Sundays. “That’s our busiest day of the week,” he says. “It’s amazing how many vegan customers come out.” He’ll add meat or cheese for any diner, but the base of every dish is vegan-friendly and includes substitutes like vegan eggs, cheese and soyrizo. Popular dishes include the migas plate, tacos al pastor (which is marinated a minimum of two days), French toast and the Kitchen Sink Burrito, which is rich and flavorful and decidedly non-vegan.

THE BRUNCH TRUCK OF AMARILLO 213 SW Seventh Ave. 806.373.4199 thebrunchtruckamarillo.com

CRUSHING IT

efore the ballpark and the murals and the restoration of neon-lit nightlife, locals tended to forget about downtown on weekends. A newly thriving restaurant scene is bringing them back, starting with Saturday brunch. It’s been part of Crush’s menu since the restaurant moved into its new building in 2018. “It’s really popular during spring and summer,” says General Manager Seth Quinn. Locals love the covered streetside patio in warm weather, and recently the restaurant has also opened its rooftop patio for brunch-goers. Available between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. every Saturday, Crush sometimes seats as many as 100 tables for the meal. Those numbers are growing. “I’ve definitely seen a heavier push the past few months,” he says. At the heart of the upscale menu are three varieties of eggs Benedict, including a crab cake version with chipotle hollandaise sauce. The Brunch Board is another favorite. Think of it as a shareable breakfast charcuterie plate with waffles, pancakes, sausage, bacon, cheesy eggs and more. “I had that idea one night and we introduced it five months ago,” says Quinn. “It just took off.” Unlike other restaurants, Crush’s full dinner menu is also available during brunch hours. “You can order our filet if you want.”

CRUSH

627 S. Polk St. 806.418.2011 crushamarillo.com

BREAKFAST ALL DAY

f menu items like quiche or pain perdu seem a little too fussy—or if you find yourself at brunch ordering eggs and pancakes— then you’re not really a brunch person. You’re a breakfast person. In a recent national survey, 62 percent of adults identified breakfast as their favorite meal of the day. Those patrons would be right at home in the city’s treasured all-day breakfast establishments. These places aren’t always fancy. But they are incredibly popular. At the top of the list is Ye Olde Pancake Station, which is acclaimed on both Yelp and Tripadvisor for the best breakfast in town. The sign outside echoes that sentiment, proclaiming it’s home to the “world’s best pancakes.” Plenty of locals—and a steady stream of tourists—likely agree. Though relatively tucked away a block east of Paramount Boulevard, the Pancake Station is almost always busy between its 6 a.m. opening and 2 p.m. close. “We’re full probably 90 percent of the time, every single day of the week,” says owner Mike Fogiel, who bought the restaurant from the original family owners around 7 years ago. (He also owns Hoffbrau and The Lost Cajun restaurants.) “It still amazes me how many people come in. We have people from all over the world.” That clientele includes regulars who eat there on a daily basis. In addition to weekly lunch specials, those locals frequent Pancake Station for the restaurant’s expansive and traditional breakfast menu, including omelets, eggs Benedict, and those fluffy pancakes. “Everybody loves breakfast,” Fogiel says. “I’ll make eggs and sausage [myself] for dinner. It’s just something that works here. The public likes having the option.”

YOLO’S FOOD TRUCK & RESTAURANT

CALICO COUNTY

ENGLISH FIELD HOUSE RESTAURANT

2800 Virginia Circle 806.355.0211 pancakestation.com

2410 Paramount Blvd. 806.358.7664 calicocountyrestaurant.com

YOUNGBLOOD’S CAFE 620 SW 16th Ave. 806.342.9411 youngbloodscafe.com

316 Sixth Ave. 806.337.0508 yolosfoodtruck.com

10609 American Drive 806.335.2996 englishfieldhouserestaurant.com

RANCH HOUSE CAFE 810 23rd St., Canyon 806.655.8785 theranchhousecafe.com

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YE OLDE PANCAKE STATION

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FIND A NEW FAVORITE BREAKFAST SPOT:

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WAFFLE AROUND

“F

or me, it’s the comfort of breakfast food,” says Rosario Ortega about the focus of Golden Waffle Company, a brunch spot in southwest Amarillo she owns with Angela Corpening. “You get to sleep in a little bit, have a slower morning, and then enjoy breakfast food later.” Golden Waffle is built around that idea, and the two friends launched it in 2019 after bemoaning the lack of “cool breakfast spots” in Amarillo. (For what it’s worth, this article offers proof that the city has come a long way in the past three years.) The sweet and savory waffle dishes have attracted a solid customer base at the counter-serve restaurant, which is open Wednesday through Sunday, 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. On weekends, expect to find a line developing around mid-morning. Everything on the menu is worth a try—including the non-waffly breakfast tacos—but customers are drawn to the waffle-based sandwiches and dessert-like dishes, including the Short Cake, which pairs a sweet waffle with strawberries, whipped cream and cookie crumbles. Our photo pairs it with a piña colada, which began as a weekly special until the high demand earned it a place on the drink menu. This summer’s drink special? Peaches and Cream.

GOLDEN WAFFLE COMPANY 6017 Hillside Road, Suite 250 806.367.8141 goldenwafflecompany.com

BAR NONE

eekend travelers who stay at The Barfield are almost always in the mood for Saturday or Sunday brunch at this boutique downtown hotel. But so are locals. “We definitely have regulars,” says Executive Chef Joseph Guzman. His Toscana Italian Steakhouse is the upscale restaurant on the hotel’s first floor, and it serves brunch every weekend until 2 p.m. Guzman’s menu applies Italian flair to traditional brunch fare, like the Fried Chicken & Zeppoles, which combines handbreaded chicken breasts with fresh Italian donuts in a twist on chicken and waffles. Likewise, the Barfield Smoked Salmon Benedict stacks salmon, a fried green tomato and avocado atop a toasted English muffin. “People love it,” he says. “We’re just trying to create a menu that hits each area. If someone wants a good breakfast, we have a good breakfast selection. If people want lunch, we have a reasonably priced lunch selection, as well.” He points out that Toscana is one of just a few downtown restaurants open for Sunday brunch. “That brings more traffic to us. It makes people want to go downtown and that’s what we want.”

TOSCANA ITALIAN STEAKHOUSE 600 S. Polk St. (The Barfield) 806.414.2200 toscanaamarillo.com

FIND A NEW FAVORITE MEXICAN BREAKFAST SPOT: LA FIESTA GRANDE 2200 S. Ross St. 806.374.3689

7415 SW 45th Ave. 806.352.1330 fiestagrande.com

TAQUERIA EL TAPATIO 3410 S. Coulter St. 806.331.6248 tapatiotx.com

LA CAMPANA RESTAURANT 2220 Canyon Drive 806.373.4486 facebook.com/La-Campana-Restaurant

JACOBO’S CAFE 3701 Olsen Blvd. 806.418.8850 jacoboscafe.com

GRANDMA’S COCINA 3609 SW 45th Ave. 806.398.9999 facebook.com/grandmascocina

LA FRONTERA MEXICAN FOOD RESTAURANT

1401 S. Arthur St. 806.372.4593 facebook.com/La-Frontera-Mexican-Food-Restaurant

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marillo loves its wealth of traditional Mexican and Tex-Mex restaurants. And Amarillo loves brunch and breakfast foods. What happens when you merge those two passions? You get the hearty menus at places like La Fiesta Grande, which has been serving a weekend brunch longer than almost any other restaurant in the city—and which predates any recent trends. “We were one of the first places to have a brunch,” says Ashley Bara, one of the owners of this iconic family restaurant. La Fiesta introduced its weekend brunch—now available from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays—around 12 years ago. “Our menudo is very popular,” she says. This spicy soup, which features tripe (stomach lining) and hominy, is as much a traditional Saturday-morning dish in Mexican-American culture as pancakes or eggs-and-bacon. “There’s an art behind it. Everybody measures it by their own family recipe.” La Fiesta Grande also offers breakfast burritos, huevos rancheros, chilaquiles (fried tortilla chips in a guajillo sauce) and a Mexican breakfast plate, which combines eggs, beans and tortillas with a protein like barbacoa or carne guisada. The brunch drink menu includes mimosas and a bloody mary featuring the family’s special tomato juice blend. But it’s another blend—the combination of traditional Mexican flavors and the love of a weekend-making breakfast—that keeps customers coming back. “It’s the best of both worlds,” Bara says.

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MEXICAN BREAKFAST

BUZZWORTHY

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ast of Canyon on Highway 217—still within sight of the WT campus—Creek House Honey Farm and Honey Buzz Winery offer one of the most unique brunch settings in the area. “We work hard to make everything from scratch,” says Paige Nester, who owns the honey farm and winery with her husband, George. “We can make a lot of our menu gluten-free. We try to do a little of everything with a honey twist.” That twist reflects the heart of this working honey farm and its spacious outdoor patio. As Paige speaks, a family decked out in full beekeeping suits embarks on a bee tour of the property, where they’ll learn about honeybees and their hives. The brunch menu is simple: a brunch board stocked with fruit, cheese, Edes sausage, egg frittatas, blueberry muffins, cinnamon rolls, honey-glazed donut holes and waffles, served with local honey and chocolate honey for dipping. The winery’s mead—an alcoholic beverage made from fermenting honey—serves as the basis for four delicious fresh-fruit slushies. The honey-rimmed mimosas are also refreshing favorites. The Nesters serve brunch every Saturday starting at 10 a.m. The lunch sandwich menu opens at 11.

HONEY BUZZ WINERY 5005 Fourth Ave., Canyon 806.381.3446 honeybuzzwinery.com

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“B

STREET-STYLE

runch is madness up here. It’s bigger than all the other days,” says Rin Buchanan, who co-owns Yellow City Street Food with her husband, Scott. Both Buchanans estimate they’ve offered a Saturday brunch menu since the restaurant’s early days, back when they were operating out of a shack on 10th. “We’ve done it all nine years,” Scott says. Like everything else, the brunch menu at YCSF rotates between a number of favorites, including chilaquiles, chicken and waffles, brunch gravy fries and more. YCSF is one of the most reliable vegan-friendly restaurants in the city, and the Buchanans always make sure to serve vegan options—like Rin’s new caramel apple hand pies, a melt-in-your-mouth puff pastry with a hint of miso. It’s practically a dessert. “Our desserts are always vegan,” Rin says. The visually stunning avocado toast is also a hit. Listed on a brunch menu, the dish seems simple. “We had a lady [last] Saturday who said, ‘I can make that at home.’ Then she saw the table next to her get it. She asked to take a picture of their food,” Rin says, laughing. It’s topped with a slow-poached egg and a spiralcut potato nest. “It’s got some crispy onion hidden in there and some cotija cheese,” Scott says. YCSF also serves mimosas and beer-mosas for brunch, and is in the process of applying for a liquor license to serve other mixed drinks, like the Yellow City Sunrise, a concoction of mezcal, orange juice and citrusy curaçao. The brunch menu is available Saturdays from 11 a.m. until 3 p.m. “or until sellout,” says Rin.

YCSF

2916 Wolflin Ave. 806.353.9273 yellowcitystreetfood.com

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SELLING AMARILLO BY JASON BOYETT

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“I

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can’t think of anything more fun than what we do,” says Kashion Smith, Executive Director of the Amarillo Convention and Visitors Bureau. “We love our city and we go out and tell everybody why.”

After several months as the interim director in 2020, Smith was named executive director in January 2021, and has guided her team through a reorganization. Once known as the Amarillo Convention and Visitors Council, the organization separated from a management agreement with the Chamber of Commerce in late 2020, received a new name, and is now a standalone entity. Smith’s job—and the job of her team—mostly involves marketing. And the product they’re pushing is the City of Amarillo. The targets of those efforts are individual tourists as well as convention planners, tour guide operators, travel journalists and more. “We’ve always known that pass-through traffic was our bread-and-butter,” Smith says, referring to the incredible amount of traffic barreling down Interstate 40 on a daily basis. “We used to market to people coming into town, hoping to get an extra night out of them.” But coming out of the pandemic, the thinking changed. “Instead of just yelling at them to stay longer, we’re really talking to them while

they’re still on their couch—in the booking window—and making sure we’re being considered as a destination before they book their travel. We’re seeing really good results.” What does that look like? There’s traditional advertising, of course, from digital ads to the visitamarillo.com website, which is managed by the CVB. But sometimes the marketing takes a more hands-on approach, like a recent invitation to tour bus operators to spend time in the city.

G E T T I N G FA M I L I A R Every year, the American Bus Association (ABA), which represents motorcoach-based travel and tour companies, plans its ABA Marketplace convention, gathering more than 400 tour operators from across the United States. The 2022 event took place in Grapevine, Texas, and all participants had the option to book “familiarization tours” with Texas cities around the conference. The industry calls these “fam tours,” and one of those tours brought operators to Amarillo. Group bus tours are still big business and have quickly rebounded this summer, putting the uncertainty of COVID in the rearview mirror. Predominantly filled with Baby Boomers, more than 300 of these tour buses come through the city every year, bringing more than 55 individuals per tour. That represents a significant economic impact—as long as those tourists spend money here. “We are a natural overnight stay between Oklahoma City and Albuquerque,” says Smith. “What we struggle with is them having actual activities in Amarillo. We aren’t always on their published itineraries. But if they’re in Oklahoma and then they’re in Albuquerque, then we know they’ve stayed in Amarillo.” So the CVB works to earn a dedicated place on those itineraries, and the ABA fam tour represented the ideal way to convince tour operators Amarillo was worth more than a hotel stay. “We brought them in and showed them three full days of activities,” says Smith. Her team worked to provide a balance between expectations— giving these visitors a taste of the “real Texas”—and surprising them with modern shopping, art and culture. The Amarillo “fam tour” itinerary was purposefully diverse. It included major Old West stops like Palo Duro Canyon State Park, Panhandle-Plains Historical Museum, The Big Texan Steak Ranch, the Kwahadi Museum of the American Indian and Oliver Saddle Shop. But it also introduced these tour operators to the new film production company Sharpened Iron Studios, to restaurants like Butterlove Biscuits and Cask & Cork, and to unique retailers like

BLUE SAGE POTTERY

PHOTOS COURTESY OF AMARILLO CVB

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PALO DURO CANYON STATE PARK

Creek House Honey Farm near Canyon, Blue Sage Pottery on historic Sixth, and From 6th Collective near Bushland. “The goal of this familiarization tour was to not only encourage participating tour operators to include Amarillo in their itineraries, but to help spread awareness of Amarillo as a destination to the 447 tour operators that attended the ABA Marketplace conference in Grapevine that immediately followed the tour,” says Hope Stokes, director of marketing for the CVB. Consider that goal met. The tour was a hit. “They were shocked—unexpectedly hit with experiences,” says Smith. “I’ve brought in operators from China, travel writers from France, and the ABA tour was a reflection of all those tours. They have a blast while they’re in town and they always want to come back to Amarillo.”

T H RO U G H A N E W L E N S It was also fun for the destinations themselves. Anna Parsons, a marketing specialist for Panhandle-Plains Historical Museum and the TEXAS Outdoor Musical, hosted fam tour participants. “My favorite thing about hosting

TYLER’S BARBEQUE

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THE BIG TEXAN STEAK RANCH & BREWERY

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OLIVER SADDLE SHOP

the ABA fam tour was the amazing personalities in one room from area has to offer,” she says. “We showed them a mix of Western different states. They were curious about the museum, and what the heritage and modern culture topped off with a lot of incredible food.” local community and weather were like. We talked about Georgia She heard plenty of compliments, including multiple comments O’Keeffe, the tornadoes that pass through this area of the Panhandle about the kindness and hospitality of local business owners. and so many more topics,” she says. It also gave CVB team members an opportunity to experience Bobby Lee of The Big Texan is no stranger to tour groups. “Over the city like a tourist. Marketing Manager Jackie Phommahaxay had the past 62 years, we have learned to watch what visitors see and recently joined the CVB staff a few weeks before the tour. “It was a joy what excites them about the magical experience of entering The Big getting to see Amarillo through the lens of our fam tour attendees,” Texan,” he says. “This group was genuinely excited about getting back she says. “It’s so easy to get bogged down by our routine lives that to what they love we forget just and so enthusiastic how much It’s so easy to get bogged down by our about planning for Amarillo offers.” routine lives that we forget just how much Amarillo offers. their future travel That’s easy for tours. A couple of residents to forget — Jackie Phommahaxay members of their as well, and the CVB group were so knows it. That’s enamored with our Shooting Galley that we thought we were going to why Smith and company also find themselves educating locals—even have to serve their lunch while they shot.” though that’s not technically in their job description. According to George Nester, who owns and operates Creek House Honey Stokes, being aware of Amarillo’s attractions improves residents’ Farm with his wife, Paige, saw an opportunity not just to educate quality of life, and gives each business owner, restaurant server, participants about their apiary and business, but about bees in family member or anyone else the tools to promote the city. general. “Our main goal is to educate the public about the plight of “Every time a local tells a visitor there is nothing to do in Amarillo, it honeybees. Without honeybees our world would lose a third of its results in a loss of potential economic growth,” says Stokes. With crops,” he says. “Our favorite thing is getting to meet people from all 60 percent of the city’s annual sales tax revenue generated by over and making a connection with them. We love spreading the word visitors, that’s a lot of money. Those funds lower the cost of living and about bees and helping the environment to everyone.” lessen the burden on local municipal revenue, like property taxes. Christy King, director of tourism for the Amarillo CVB, took the In other words, the more tour groups, the better. lead in putting the tour itinerary together. “My favorite thing was the “We really are a destination,” Kashion Smith says. “People don’t shock each attendee expressed when they realized all the Amarillo look at us that way, but we know that we are.”

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TH E S E LO CA L STOP S WERE ON THE AB A FA M TO UR PUT TO GETHER BY A M A R IL LO ’ S CV B: Cadillac Ranch Sharpened Iron Studios The Nat The Big Texan Steak Ranch Butterlove Biscuits

Creek House Honey Farm Tyler’s Barbeque Cask & Cork Panhandle-Plains Historical Museum Palo Duro Canyon State Park

From 6th Collective Oliver Saddle Shop Blue Sage Pottery

5k & 1 Mile Fun Run/Walk

SEPTEMBER 24TH

2022

Celebrate Remember Honor

COMPETITIVE: 9 AM I NON-COMPETITIVE: 10 AM START/FINISH AT AMoA PARKING LOT • FUN FOR THE WHOLE FAMILY • LIVE MUSIC • KIDS AREA WITH ACTIVITIES

Why we

RUN:

We run to provide FREE resources and financial assistance to LOCAL cancer survivors who are being treated in our community.

HCHFAMARILLO.ORG 5K COMPETITIVE

$35

5K NON-COMPETITIVE

$30

1 MILE FUN RUN/WALK

$30

KIDS (UNDER 12)

$30

Support

0 $2SWAG

HE JU S T T

$20 S H IR T

Stay in the Know! Questions? 806-331-6936 An event of the Harrington Cancer and Health Foundation

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51 BRICKANDELM.COM

ITʼS TIME! LETʼS RUN TOGETHER

EARNING HIS NFL STRIPES Amarillo’s Lo Van Pham becomes the first Asian official in the NFL

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BY JON MARK BEILUE

BRICKANDELM.COM

y the time he was at Travis Junior High in the mid-1980s, Lo Van Pham had spent about as much time in the United States, specifically Amarillo, as he and his family had as South Vietnamese refugees.

In escaping the Vietnam War and the eventual fall of South Vietnam to the Communists in the 1970s, Pham, his parents Paulo and Maria, and two brothers lived in Pakse, Laos. Then they moved to refugee camps in Thailand and the Philippines for three years before Catholic Family Services brought them to Amarillo in late 1979. Lo was 7 years old when he arrived around New Year’s 1980. His parents faced a tougher adjustment to a different culture and language than their children. Lo didn’t speak English, but picked up the new language quickly enough through school at Eastridge Elementary, through CFS, through watching cartoons on Saturday morning and television sitcoms and other programming. He was becoming Americanized, even Texanized. His first sport was softball, but coming right behind was football with a Kids, Inc. team out of Eastridge. Football opened his eyes to what fun could really be. “I loved it,” Pham says. “It was kind of like being free. It was like learning to ride a bike. I didn’t want it to stop. That was the feeling I got playing football.” At Travis, he played football for the Texans during the week. Sundays, he parked himself in front of the television to watch the NFL. Television brought the game’s greatest players to life. Late on those Sunday afternoons, Lo and his buddies would play outside, emulating football legends like Joe Montana and John Elway whom they had just watched. “Living where we lived, that was the greatest thing to be able to watch those guys on Sunday,” Pham says. “Kids being kids, those NFL players were as big as it gets.” Pham is no longer an impressionable junior high student. In 2022, on the second Sunday in September, this 49-year-old husband and father of two will walk into an NFL stadium. He won’t enter as a fan. He’ll enter as an employee, taking the field with six others in striped shirts. Beginning this season, Pham is an NFL official, a side judge. He will wear No. 99 on his black-and-white jersey and be the first Asian-American official in NFL history. “I’m just so proud of him,” says Phillip Woodburn, a longtime local

football official. “He should have been there five years ago. He’ll do magnificently. He’ll be around the NFL a long time, I promise you.”

CRUNCH TIME

It was the Bedlam Game in 2017—No. 3 Oklahoma vs. No. 11 Oklahoma State at Boone Pickens Stadium in Stillwater. It was late in the fourth quarter. A sold-out crowd was standing and in full throat. OSU was in the hurry-up offense as the Cowboys trailed the Sooners, 55-52, in a wild one. With just more than two minutes left, the Cowboys had the ball near midfield. Quarterback Mason Rudolph fired a pass over the middle at the Sooner 38 to running back Justice Hill. Two Sooners arrived about the same time, the ball popped into the air and was intercepted by Trey Brown. Game over. Well, not quite. A flag came flying almost immediately, a flag thrown by side judge Lo Pham. Wait, what’s going on? Mike Defee was the veteran white-hat head referee of his Big 12 crew. He and Pham ran to meet each other. “It was a huge moment in the game,” Defee says. “I told him, ‘I don’t know what you have, but whatever you have, you better be right.’ I thought it was going to be a pass interference call.” No, not pass interference. Pham, who two days earlier had been refereeing a ninth grade B basketball game in Amarillo, had his eyes trained where they were supposed to be. What he saw at the time the ball arrived was targeting—a helmet-to-helmet call against OU defensive back Will Johnson. It had gone unnoticed by the announcer and fans. “All I know is I saw this hit on the back of the receiver’s head and pitched on it (threw the flag),” Pham says. “Mike said, ‘OK, you better be right.’ I said, ‘Yes, sir.’ Mike doesn’t mess around. “He asked me, ‘Was that before or after the interception?’ I said, ‘Your guess is as good as mine. I’m not sure.’” The game stopped for an inordinate length of time as replay officials reviewed the play, seeking to determine if the targeting happened and if it came before or after the interception. If it was targeting after the interception, it was OU’s ball. If it happened before the interception, OSU retained possession. Finally, Defee announced it was definitely targeting, verifying Pham’s call. Secondly, it happened before the interception. This was a huge call in a huge moment in a huge game. Even so, OU would

PHOTOS BY RALPH DUKE

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stop Oklahoma State and go on to win, 62-52. “That was the most memorable call of his time with me,” Defee says. “That was his coming of age, if you will. A diamond is made two ways—with time and pressure. Time in football means experience. “Pressure means being in a situation where you have to perform at the highest level at crunch time. Some shrink from that moment and some really step up. Lo stepped up at that moment.”

winter, he officiated basketball games. It didn’t take long to move up the high school ladder, and before too long, he was officiating highest classification games. He spent the off-season at officiating clinics to improve on the little things that often become big. He was also seen by supervisors of more prestigious officiating pastures. “You have to be in the right place at the right time and be seen by the right individual, but you also have to have the talent, and Lo has that,” Woodburn says. “You didn’t have to teach him a whole lot of Pham has been rising to the moment as a football official since mechanics. Lo is no dummy.” the 1990s, when a small newspaper advertisement—a local youth In 2006, he was chosen to work NCAA Division II games in the football league needed officials—caught his eye. Lone Star Conference. A year later, he was working Division I games At Palo Duro High School, Pham played as a defensive back. as part of College Football Officiating-West Region. His senior year ended in the regional round of the 1990 playoffs. Pham started in the Southland Conference, advanced to the After earning a civil engineering degree at Western Athletic Conference and to the Texas Tech University, he hightailed it to Mountain West before landing a coveted Boulder and the University of Colorado to seek 2015 spot in the Big 12, one of the five power his master’s degree. conferences in college football. “I couldn’t wait to get away from the flatness His first Big 12 game was at hallowed of the South Plains to the lush greenery of Notre Dame—the Fighting Irish vs. Texas—in Colorado,” Pham says. front of 85,000 fans. The next week, when He got his master’s in civil engineering with 105,000 showed up to watch Tennessee against an emphasis on social engineering at CU. He Oklahoma, Pham worked in front of the loudest filled any spare time with intramural sports. crowd he had ever heard. This was a long way After graduation, he took a job in Denver from River Road vs. Spearman. helping to design bridges. It kept him busy “Working the Big 12 is something else,” Pham during the week, but not on weekends. says. “It’s up-tempo football. You have to be Single at the time, Pham looked for an outlet. mentally focused.” That’s when he saw the newspaper ad. Pham soon was assigned to Defee’s crew. “I was scanning the sports section, and Defee, now retired from Big 12 officiating and thought it sounded fun,” Pham says. “I had no supervisor of officials for Conference USA, was kids to coach. I thought I’d give it a try. I just considered the top referee in the Big 12 and wanted to do something, and two to three demanded a top performance from his crew. games on the weekends sounded like it could On Defee’s crew, Pham received some plum be fun.” assignments, not only in conference with two — Lo Van Pham The organization needed willing bodies, Texas-Oklahoma games, but intersectional and Pham was willing. As he was learning the games, bowl games and post-season all-star nuances of the rules, one of the hazards of the games. He called a Rose Bowl game and a job—getting yelled at—didn’t bother him. national semifinal playoff game. “I really didn’t look at it that they were yelling at me,” he says. “If He still attended clinics in the off-season, and Pham was again they yelled at me, they probably had a good reason. I was just happy getting noticed after some solid seasons as a back judge in the Big to be out there and learn the game.” 12. Walt Anderson, supervisor of Big 12 officials and an NFL referee In 2000, Pham returned to his hometown to take a position with himself, was in his corner. Western Builders, where he had interned while at Tech. He had Pham was grading out high. He had worked springtime enjoyed officiating younger kids in Denver, so he reached out to the professional minor league games. He also looked the part. He was fit Amarillo chapter of the Texas Association of Sports Officials. and carried himself well. Woodburn was the assigning secretary. The Amarillo chapter had So in 2018, Pham was added to a prestigious list, one of about a mentoring program that connected an experienced official with a 50 on the NFL’s Officials Development Program (ODP)—a list of green one. Woodburn served as Pham’s mentor. possible successors in the NFL when openings occur. Only a handful “I first got to watch him work a scrimmage at River Road, and it open up each year. didn’t take long to see he had a feel for the game and the rules,” Pham began working scrimmages at NFL mini-camps and training Woodburn says. “He knew the rules and wasn’t timid around players camps. There he could experience the different rules, acclimate or coaches. He had potential, and was going to have potential at himself to the increased speed of the game, familiarize himself with any level.” NFL passing routes and what to expect. Pham started where most officials did. He worked middle school It was three summers of orientation that helped Pham become a games in Amarillo, and on Friday nights, polished up on the rules to better official. As far as getting to the NFL, that was no given. There work six-man games in towns like Groom, Happy and McLean. In the are 121 NFL officials, and many stay for years and years. It’s harder

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OFFICIATING ‘SOUNDED FUN’

BRICKANDELM.COM

“

I’ve been able to do what I’ve done because of the people who have helped me. When I step onto the field in my first NFL game, I’ll carry those people with me.

”

Pham’s phone buzzed in May. It was a call from a familiar voice within the NFL officials program, a “deep wing coach” that Pham had worked with through the process. “We’re going to bring you in,” he told Pham. Bring me in? In where? A training camp, to a city? “It was just a casual conversation,” Pham says. “There was no ‘Welcome to the NFL, you’re hired.’ It was, ‘We’re going to bring you in.’ It was real nonchalant.” To say that Pham had realized his dream would not be accurate. It’s often like a dog chasing his tail for an official, especially one who started officiating Pee Wee football, to believe the NFL is one day going to call. There are just too many variables. “I really didn’t expect to be in the NFL. I never did,” he says. “That’s never been a goal of mine. When I was in the Southland, I wanted to be the best side judge in the Southland. When I was in the Mountain West, to be the best in the Mountain West. Same with the Big 12. I never did any of that with the intention of it being a step to the NFL. I thought if I did well enough where I was at, and continued to learn in the offseason, I’d get noticed.” Then he began to receive congratulatory texts and calls from colleagues and friends. It began to sink in just what he had accomplished. “It’s a big deal,” he says. “The more I thought about it, the more excited I got. It’s a huge honor.” Preparation time will increase. Travel will be more as he will be away from his children, Boulder, 7, and Axton, 2 ½. As is standard for any new NFL official, the FBI has paid a visit to vet his background, which alone says this is a big stage. When Pham and his wife Kelly discussed his move to the NFL and all that it would entail, she put the specialness of the promotion into perspective. “She said, ‘Do you know how rare this is?’” Pham says. “ ‘You’re part of just 121 in the NFL—do you know what a big deal that is? In my lifetime, I can go anywhere and not know an NFL official. You’re

‘THIS IS FOR THE 806’

As the first Asian official in the NFL, it’s a landmark that Pham accepts, but does not overly embrace. “This is not easy for me,” he says. “First, I believe in merit, even as a minority. I never expected a handout. My parents taught me not to expect a handout. To me, I’m an American. I tell people I’m an American-Asian, not Asian-American. I twist it around. This is my home and I believe in the American spirit. “Yes, to some extent, it’s historical and if that’s positive, I’m on board. I’m proud to be the first but it’s a bigger deal than I thought it would be. I never expected to be on the ‘Today Show’ or NFL Network. I’m just glad I have the opportunity to enjoy doing what I do.” When his first game— and the schedule won’t be known until August— arrives in the second week of September, Pham will walk into that stadium like he has in his previous 20-plus years. He has a job to do, but he has a feeling of gratitude, as well. It’s an appreciation for those in Amarillo who not only helped a new family from Southeast Asia, but ones that guided him as an official along the way—those locally like Washburn, Tom Panger and Mike Vance, and collegiately, like Defee. They feel like proud parents, and Pham will take that with him as he goes forward. “This is for the 806,” Pham says. “My success I attribute to all the people who’ve been around me and my family, from Kids, Inc. to high school to veteran officials who helped me. They are just great people. “I’ve been able to do what I’ve done because of the people who have helped me. When I step onto the field in my first NFL game, I’ll carry those people with me.”

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‘WE’RE BRINGING YOU IN’

one of 121 officials at the pinnacle of American professional sports.’ “That’s when it hit me. I look at it, too, that I have a job to do. They talk about the [NFL] shield and protecting the shield. It’s a huge privilege.” Pham is now a building consultant, though not employed fulltime. The time demands of an NFL official, plus the increased pay, made the split reasonable. This spring and early summer, Pham has worked weekly USFL games in Birmingham, Alabama, and will mix in NFL training camps, as well. He will be assigned as a side judge with the crew of referee Clete Blakeman of Omaha, Nebraska. Blakeman, who refereed a Super Bowl and three conference title games, is considered among the best in the NFL.

55 BRICKANDELM.COM

to get an NFL job than it is to become a player, where the average career is 3 1/2 years. “A lot of guys, when they get on the ODP list, they expect to be hired,” Pham says, “and when that doesn’t happen, it’s like a big blow to their ego. When you have high expectations, you just set yourself up for failure like you weren’t good enough. I never approached it that way. It was just a bonus to get to experience these camps.”

e l e va t e y o u r p l a t e

WITH RUTHIE LANDELIUS

C U LT I VAT E S E L F- LO V E T H R O U G H N O U R I S H M E N T

t’s no secret that what we put into our bodies can profoundly affect our overall health and well-being. This past Mother’s Day, I ate so many delicious treats, and I loved every bit of it! But my body screamed, “Aren’t you done yet, sis?” There’s no shame in what I’ve done. Nope … zilch.

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However, I do realize that the nourishment I give myself goes beyond simply eating healthy or unhealthy foods—it’s also about taking the time to appreciate and celebrate our unique selves. I love myself with each dish I cook and each bite I take, because that is what my body needs in those moments. I shelve the words “healthy” and “unhealthy” because I don’t need the shame that goes along with them. So to answer my body: No, I’m not finished. I will continue to cultivate and celebrate self-love through the foods I eat, and I’m going to show you how to do the same.

BRICKANDELM.COM

Why Self-Love?

Because without it, self-care means nothing. I had a problem understanding the difference between self-love and self-care until I met Paul Fishman, a self-love coach and “you do you” activist. He explained that most people gravitate toward self-care because it’s tangible. You’ve heard the term “Self-Care Sunday.” It’s what some might use as a label for getting your drink on with friends, getting a massage, or getting your hair and nails “did.” Those things are physical acts. Self-love is an emotional act. Fishman goes on to say, “It’s about the individual and devotion you give to that individuality.” When we try to practice self-care without self-love, we work toward destruction. I’ve treated myself to an expensive brunch with friends before, having mimosas and desserts, and felt guilty for doing it. In the back of my mind, I’d say to myself, “What are you doing? You don’t need to put this into your body. You should be eating healthier.” And there it is— that should word. I lost the enjoyment of saying instead, “I’m so glad I am doing this for myself right now.” Do you see the difference?

Why Do Food and Cooking Matter?

Now that you can differentiate the two, how does cooking fit into cultivating and celebrating self-love? It’s an emotional act. It’s an act of love! You enjoy gifts, right? Who doesn’t? • Cooking for yourself gives you the opportunity to show appreciation for all the hard work that goes into making something delicious. • If you’re just beginning to cook, try a recipe that’s simpler or requires fewer ingredients. Be gentle with yourself, and take it easy—like you would with anything else that’s new to you. • Eating foods that give you more energy can motivate you to get your body moving or start working on projects around the house. • The transformation you make with your food will trickle into a positive transformation within yourself through the cooking process.

Ways To Cultivate and Celebrate Through Food

• Introduce yourself to international cuisines. Educate your taste buds and explore new flavors. • Understand that you don’t need to get recipes right the first

time. Simply enjoy the process of creating. • Identify the foods that make you feel good inside. Take note of the ones that work in real-time: comforting soup when you need warmth or a crispy cold salad when you’ve been in 100-degree weather all day. • Appreciate the work that goes into growing, harvesting, processing and distributing the food you choose to cook. • Eat with others so you can share in their joy of eating tasty foods. There’s nothing better than creating a community around your table for a lovely meal. In the end, cooking and eating are all about nourishing yourself. You can do so through your diet, and you can also cultivate self-love by savoring every bite of a meal through mindfulness. Eating is an act of love for ourselves, friends and family who enjoy what we make. So give yourself some extra TLC to feel better inside and out! Start with this simple Pesto Brunch Toast with Cherry Tomatoes and Avocado: 8 slices ciabatta bread Olive oil, for drizzling Kosher salt to taste Fresh-cracked pepper 1 small container cherry tomatoes 1 half small red onion, finely chopped 5 sprigs fresh thyme, pulled off stems 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar ¼ cup pesto sauce 8 slices of your favorite cheese 2 large avocados, sliced Alfalfa sprouts 4 cloves fresh garlic, peeled and finely chopped Hot pepper sauce, for drizzling Balsamic glaze, for drizzling Heat oven to 350 degrees. Place ciabatta slices onto baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Lightly drizzle olive oil over each slice, then sprinkle with salt and pepper. Toast bread in the oven for 10 minutes or until crispy. Remove from oven and set aside, leaving oven on. Slice tomatoes in half and place in a medium bowl. Add garlic, red onion, thyme, a dash of salt and pepper, 1 teaspoon olive oil, and balsamic vinegar. Stir to combine and set aside. Smear 1 tablespoon pesto on each slice of toasted ciabatta. Then top with cheese slices and place back in the oven to melt cheese. Remove from oven once the cheese melts and place toast on a serving platter. Top with sliced avocado, cherry tomato mixture and sprouts. Drizzle with hot pepper sauce and balsamic glaze before serving. Makes 4 servings

R U T H I E L AN D E L I U S Ruthie owns Black Fig Food catering and is proprietor of the online cooking platform Elevated Plant Plate. Learn more at elevatedplantplate.com and blackfigfood.com.

SCHOOL I

t’s still summer, but school will be back in session before we know it. And that includes locals of all ages, from preschoolers first entering a classroom setting to college students, physicians-in-training and beyond. We’re excited to bring readers this special section about education, which covers everything from private academies to public schools, from nonprofits to financial institutions.

[ SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION ]

SCHOOL

[ SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION ]

Ascension Academy

f you’ve not looked west past the bustling businesses on Soncy, or kept driving down 45th Street where the road seems to transform from city to country, then you may have missed the 75,000-square-foot school and gym with a red roof, sitting on 42 acres with an outdoor track, football field, and windmill perfectly placed on the horizon. Here is where you will find Ascension Academy, a private independent school founded in 2000, and the only college preparatory school in the Panhandle. Ascension Academy serves 180 students from grades six to 12 who range in social and economic status, athletic ability, artistic expression and academic skills. What these diverse students have in common is a desire to be challenged in an environment where they can be themselves and be an important part of a close-knit community that recognizes their individual gifts and talents. Each day, the staff and faculty at Ascension Academy strive to live their mission of providing an exemplary college preparatory education in a challenging, faith-affirming environment to maximize the potential of every student. This unique mission enriches not only the lives of their students, but also the community of Amarillo and the surrounding area. Ascension is a special place. It is a place where students can find themselves and their passion. It is a place where they can be challenged academically in a safe environment. It is a place where they can branch out and try new things. All of this adds up to make Ascension a unique school community that doesn’t exist anywhere else in the Panhandle—it is the Ascension Difference. Ascension students are encouraged and supported to become well-rounded individuals who can call themselves Scholars, Artists, Athletes, and Leaders—our Four Pillars. Grounded in our Four Pillars, and given opportunities to grow, an Ascension graduate becomes a confident, collaborative, lifelong learner who is well-prepared for success in college and in life. How are students grounded in the Four Pillars? The school offers unique electives in addition to advanced core classes, athletic programs, fine arts courses, clubs and academic competitions. SCHOLARS Ascension Academy is committed to offering an exemplary collegepreparatory education to its students. It offers a number of AP, DualCredit, and Pre-AP courses. All core classes are vertically aligned, beginning in middle school. Students have earned prestigious recognitions as National Merit Scholar, National Hispanic Scholar, Texas Aerospace Scholar, AP Capstone Diploma Scholar, DAR Award Scholar, and National AP Scholar. Ascension Academy is also a member of the Cum Laude Society and National Honor Society, and inducts members each spring. Ascension Academy is 1 of only 14 schools in the state of Texas to be accepted as a Cum Laude Society school. The Cum Laude Society, which numbers 383 chapters worldwide, honors the scholastic achievement of secondary school students. The academic performances of recent graduates were examined and judged to meet the Cum Laude Society’s rigorous standards.

ARTISTS The opportunity for creative expression is both valued and encouraged at Ascension Academy. Ascension offers several levels of orchestra, band and choir, in addition to studio art and theater. Ascension artists are passionate about their craft, and spend countless hours practicing on and off campus. The result is award-winning programs and coveted memberships, such as the International Thespian Society. Ascension recognizes the importance of fine arts development in a student’s overall growth, and many students are enrolled in multiple fine art disciplines. ATHLETES Ascension Academy recognizes the need for students to develop physically as well as mentally. Athletics offers abundant opportunities for character development—from teamwork and coachability to perseverance and humility. Ascension offers a robust number of sports. In addition, many students participate in off-campus athletics that support their passion. LEADERS Leadership is a quality that Ascension intentionally works to develop in all of its students. Students are members of councils and ambassador groups and are the face of Ascension at all campus ceremonies and events. They plan, execute and lead these important activities, in addition to setting an example for their fellow classmates. Students are encouraged to engage in a number of activities and groups that take them beyond the classroom in order to foster a deeper understanding of their responsibilities to their community. Ascension Academy has a 100 percent acceptance rate for its graduating classes every year. The Class of 2022, a small but mighty group of 14 students, received more than $1.7 million in universityoffered, merit-based scholarships from more than 40 colleges and universities. Ascension Academy graduates attend colleges across the country, ranging from every major college and university in Texas to East Coast schools, such as Yale, Princeton, and NYU to West Coast schools, such as Whitman College, UCLA, Stanford, and Pepperdine, and many more in between. The Ascension Difference creates confident, independent learners who are successful in college and beyond, as they begin careers or go on to graduate school. Ascension graduates are those college students who excel in their fields of study and are the students their classmates depend on to get help in advanced math or to review an English paper. They take leadership roles in the groups and organizations on their campuses and communities. They take their knowledge, compassion, and leadership skills with them wherever they go, because they learned and practiced what being a global citizen means as Cardinals at Ascension Academy. This is the Ascension Difference.

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Amarillo College

oing off to college does not mean the same thing for every person. We envision different paths for ourselves and our children depending on our own circumstances. We might want a quick certificate that will give us leverage for a promotion at work. We could work through an entire program to become a licensed health professional and go straight to the workforce. We might take a handful of classes (or several handfuls) to transfer elsewhere when ready. What we sometimes forget is that all of these ambitions are served right here in the heart of our community, at Amarillo College. For decades, two-year institutions haven’t always had a stellar reputation. You might have heard terms like “cheap,” “basic” or “not for everyone” used to describe a typical community college. But Amarillo College is not your typical community college. Examining the assumption that community colleges are cheap: It is a fact that Amarillo College is an affordable place to get an education. Tuition and fees are a fraction of what you’ll see at the closest university, and the college has not increased those amounts in at least six years. The majority of Amarillo College students qualify for grants or scholarships to help offset tuition and fees. Affordability aside, though, consider what you get for the cost. All Amarillo College students have access to free tutoring in every subject; free access to technology for coursework; free career and employment guidance; free admission to activities hosted by Student Life on all campuses; free access to all library resources, including databases from around the world; curriculum rich with real-world exposure to employers and workforce-specific training; and class ratios so low the instructor knows every student individually. Because the class sizes are small, students also engage in meaningful conversations in the classroom and are exposed to different cultures and interests in a safe learning environment. While the cost is certainly lower than most institutions, the experience is anything but cheap. Many arrive at Amarillo College hoping to “just get their basics” before moving on to a specialized degree at a four-year institution. While AC undoubtedly provides the basic general education requirements that any Texas institution will require for a bachelor’s degree, the college is rarely accused of being basic. Study abroad opportunities, internships with leading employers in the area, and leadership conferences and seminars elevate the college experience beyond basic expectations. If someone considers Amarillo College to be not-foreveryone, they have not looked at all that is available for

them. Offering more than 140 unique credentials, the institution provides immersive learning experiences within trade programs including machining, welding and HVAC, a state-of-the-art greenhouse, a recording arts studio, and fully functioning public television and radio stations. Even if a student chooses a traditional classroom experience, they have access to more than 40 clubs and organizations, which focus on student interests and majors. Clubs exist for students who like to skate, are interested in photography, enjoy playing video games, want to give back to their community, or a number of other hobbies. Major-specific clubs help keep nursing students on track, STEM majors on top of their rigorous math and science courses, and future teachers in the loop on lesson plan activities. With the return of college sports in Fall 2022, our community will get to enjoy collegiate baseball and volleyball games in addition to cross country meets. If someone says Amarillo College doesn’t have something for them, they could benefit from a tour of the campuses to see the available possibilities. Innovation keeps Amarillo College relevant to its community. By adding new resources, updated technologies, redesigned degree plans, and alternative learning opportunities for its students, the college is able to provide the top talent that local and national employers need. Career accelerator sprints allow learners to receive intense education for 8 to 10 weeks at a time and emerge fully certified in cloud computing or full stack web development. When a student chooses a major that requires transferring for a bachelor’s degree, the college works with the student to determine where they want to get that next credential. Then the advising team puts together an individualized transfer plan to ensure all coursework taken at Amarillo College goes with the student to their next destination. This is one of the many ways the college focuses on the student first and foremost. Amarillo College is staffed with people who believe it is their mission to guide others, because it makes our whole community stronger in the end. Whether you are seeking the traditional college experience of lectures and study sessions—or something a little more unique—Amarillo College provides a broad range of learning opportunities and environments to suit your needs. Perhaps we need to re-evaluate what it means to go off to college—after all, many local students choose every year to go “off” to Amarillo College East, West, Hereford, Moore County, and Washington Street campuses and they continue to do incredible things for our community.

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More Than a Childcare Program

pportunity School has been providing high-quality, early childhood education for local families since 1969. That’s more than a half-century of giving at-risk children a solid foundation for learning before they enter the school system. But Executive Director Jill Goodrich still encounters people who are surprised by what the organization offers. “I’m always struck by people who say, ‘I didn’t know you did that,’” Goodrich says with a smile. “We have two campuses and have reached nearly 5,000 children over the years, but a lot of people still aren’t sure what sets us apart.” The core of what Opportunity School provides is affordable education during the early years of a child’s life—from birth to 5—primarily to children from low-income families. But a few of the organization’s benefits are less familiar. Early Intervention: Until children enter the classroom, their families often aren’t aware of developmental delays, learning disabilities or medical diagnoses that may be impacting a child’s ability to learn. The teachers and staff at Opportunity School are trained to watch for these potential barriers, under the supervision of a full-time intervention specialist. “Some kiddos struggle with communication or may not be as verbal as they should be for their age,” says Goodrich. “A new parent without a support system may not realize their child is delayed in that area, but those are things that can be super-important to address early.” Providing early intervention and supporting families in the process is vital to Opportunity School’s work. For instance, the organization has partnered with the Department of Communication Disorders at WTAMU to provide speech and language screenings. “We have WT interns who are learning to be speech and language therapists,” says Goodrich. “They come to work with children at all our locations.” Student assessments help teachers monitor progress and age-related milestones. “We are very intentional about that. Our curriculum and lesson plans involve age-appropriate activities that help develop foundations for reading literacy, math, using the right muscle groups and more,” she says. Children’s brains develop rapidly during these years—80 percent of the brain is “wired” by the age of 3—so what they learn in preschool impacts them for years to come, explains Goodrich. “We start early so they get on the right pathway. They won’t need as much intervention as they get into school.”

Social & Emotional Problem-Solving: Many parents think the most important things children learn in preschool are basics like shapes, colors, numbers and the alphabet. Those are facts and figures—the so-called “hard skills.” But Goodrich says soft skills may be even more important. “You have to teach social and emotional skills just like you teach a child to tie her shoe or write his name,” she says. “We can’t just tell kids to ‘behave’ and expect them to know what that means or how to do it. So we focus on teaching a very broad set of social skills.” For instance, many kids haven’t learned how to handle intense emotions like sadness or anger. “Kids need to know that we understand they’re having big feelings, but we also have to put the tools in their toolbox so they know what to do with those feelings,” she says. “That’s what gives them the confidence to stand up to a bully in middle school or, in third grade, to tell someone ‘I don’t like you pulling my hair.’ We all need those skills in every walk of life.” Professional Development: Every business and organization is struggling in the current job market, and Goodrich admits it can be hard to find qualified early childhood educators. But Opportunity School isn’t just looking for warm bodies to babysit toddlers. “The level of professional development we offer our staff is unique,” she says. “It is very specific to this age group and focused on developmentally appropriate practices.” Many staff members at Opportunity School are beginning educational careers and value the training they receive. “In addition to our internal professional development, we also bring in great outside speakers,” says Goodrich. “They might be from our national accrediting body or might provide training about our curriculum.” As a nonprofit that depends on donated funds, Opportunity School is always careful with how it spends money. But Goodrich views professional development as one of the most important expenditures in her program’s budget. “We emphasize and spend those funds on things that will help us maintain a high-quality program,” she says. With a new Edwards Campus at 406 S. Osage and a recently renovated Central Campus at First Presbyterian Church, Opportunity School students are enjoying spacious new classrooms and a fun, intentional learning environment. “We’re not just plopping kids in front of a TV,” Goodrich says. “We are a high-quality program that prepares young kids for school while supporting parents who need to be at work.”

OPPORTUNITY SCHOOL CENTRAL CAMPUS 1100 S. HARRISON ST. 806.373.4245

EDWARDS CAMPUS 406 S. OSAGE ST. 8 0 6 . 3 8 1 .0 5 51

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Where the Learning Continues BY JON MARK BEILUE FOR WT*

he Learning Continues at West Texas A&M University provides a higher education experience for students with intellectual disabilities. Now in its 21st year and part of WT’s Extended Studies department, the eight-semester program strengthens their academic and social skills and prepares them for the job market. Three years ago, WT President Walter V. Wendler moved the WTLC classroom to the third floor of Old Main, symbolizing the importance of the program. Students also will participate this year in two degree-classified courses—a communications disorder class taught by Landon Brown and wife Morgan from the College of Nursing and Health Sciences, and an adaptive physical education class for future teachers and WTLCA students taught by Dr. Trisha Brown. “Our focus is on what these students want to be long-term,” Landon Brown says. “I love working with them. It is the highlight of our week. Their attitude is truly inspirational, and they have made a huge impact on us.” While students who complete eight semesters participate in University commencement and receive a completion certificate, there is now an added emphasis on honing job and interview skills thanks to a 90-minute employment class. In today’s economy, more employers are open to hiring the intellectually disabled. “When we started this a long time ago, one of the things we said is that we didn’t want this to be a warm and fuzzy thing that people could feel good about,” says Brad Thompson, co-founder of WTLC. “We wanted it to be a place where our kids—they are always kids to me and that’s an endearing term—could continue to learn and continue to develop their social and independent skills to maximize their potential.” Including a freshman class of five, there are currently 11 students in the program. They attend four days a week learning math, science, writing, computers and social studies. On Monday mornings they study at the Harrington Academic Hall WTAMU Amarillo Campus. The remaining days are spent on the WT campus, from 8 a.m. to 11 a.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays and a full Wednesday from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Pam Hicks has taught WTLC students since 2014, following a career in special education with the Highland Park Independent School District. After Hicks heard Andrea Porter, director of Extended Studies, speak on WTLC at a conference, she reached out. “I told Andrea if you ever need another teacher to let me know,” Hicks says. “Two months later, I saw her and she said that we need teachers in the fall. I prayed about it, and here I am. I love these kids and their personalities. To see how excited they get when they learn is

just heartwarming.” Students must be between the ages of 18 to 23, have completed a four-year high school program, have minimal medical and no behavioral issues, and a minimum level of independence. Tuition is $1,500 per semester. Ariana Trevino, 20, is a freshman student and Tascosa High School graduate. The youngest of five sisters—three of whom are WT graduates—Ariana’s goal is to work at Chick-fil-A. Her family believes the WTLC program has sharpened her job skills while broadening her knowledge. “I like school and counting money,” Ariana says, “and I like riding the bus.” Students in Amarillo are provided transportation to and from campus through the Thunder Express, a bus in the Panhandle Transit system. “The Thunder Express delivered her safely to school and back to very nervous parents,” wrote Monica Ybarra, older sister of Ariana, in an email to Toot ‘n Totum, sponsor of the Thunder Express. “We are thankful for this amazing program in our community and a big part that makes it possible is the transportation from Amarillo to Canyon.” When Thompson started the program 20 years ago, he was inspired by his daughter, Hali, born in 1989. Brad and his wife Karen noticed Hali struggling to learn as she grew older. Tests revealed intellectual disabilities. “When we asked the diagnostician what this meant, she said, ‘Practically speaking, Hali will not graduate from high school. She will never graduate college. She will never leave home. She will never get married,’” Thompson says. “Those are the generic dreams parents have for their children, so after hearing those, you ask, ‘What’s left?’” A special education teacher in Canyon provided a ray of hope, talking about what Hali could do, not couldn’t. A few years later, another elementary teacher shared life-altering news: “Hali told me today that she is going to college,” the teacher told Thompson. “You better get to work.” The Thompsons took that advice. At WT, they found a university eager to host students like Hali on campus—along with a business community to fund it. “I’m not sure any of us knew what we were doing,” Thompson says, “but the grace of God saw us through.” At a recent orientation, Thompson says watching the program grow was “the greatest blessing” of his life. “You have no idea how rare these teachers are,” he says. “They will pour and pour and dream and dream for your kid. Because of that, you are incredibly blessed.” *Original article shortened for space

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AmTech Raises the Bar for Education BY APRIL M. BROWNLEE, AMARILLO ISD COMMUNICATIONS

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hen I said this was the premier career school in the state, I may have misspoken. It may be the premier career school in the nation,” muses AmTech Career Academy Principal Jay Barrett. “Experts who’ve been here and see schools like this all the time say they’ve never seen anything like it.” AmTech is Amarillo ISD’s new state-of-the-art career and technical education high school. The massive 235,000-square-foot building partially opened to students in the fall of 2021 and is ready to welcome a full cohort of students in August. AmTech is a training ground for Amarillo’s next-generation labor force, thoughtfully planned with extensive research and expertise, input from business and community leaders and stocked with technology. When students leave AmTech, they leave with a proven skill set that sets them up to earn a living wage right out of high school or work their way through college. Each of AmTech’s nine schools and 28 career pathways leads to an industry-based certification. “Meaning our students are getting in high school what adults pay for in college,” says Barrett. In May, as the 2021-2022 school year wrapped up, AmTech students earned a whopping 560 industry-based certifications. That is exactly how AISD hopes to energize the local workforce. AmTech’s experiential education is tailored for the Panhandle and on pace with future career trends. A 3,500-square-foot robot and drone coliseum gives students plenty of room to become remote pilots—think drones. They can also learn to pilot a Cessna with the VR-type experience of the Red Bird Flight Simulator. In AmTech’s dental lab, students learn to create dental implants and dentures, “because there’s a need for that in this community,” Barrett explains. An Anatomage Theater table in the cadaver lab was custom-made for AmTech. Students can conduct an EKG with a beating heart on a 3D virtual cadaver generated on the Anatomage Table. Students in the animal science program who typically spend time working with rabbits, ferrets and various lizards, will now gain experience with large animals thanks to an outdoor animal yard.

The school is even big enough to encourage creativity unencumbered by space in an indoor/outdoor construction yard. On the flip side, students can build a city to scale in the architecture lab and modeling studio. At Cafe 21 Bistro, which is open to the public a few days a week during the school year, every customer experience has the student touch. The cafe’s logo was designed by AmTech graphic design students. Culinary arts students prepare the food and also staff the business side. In a room designed to look like a modern courtroom, students in the law enforcement track put on a Kevlar vest and Oculus headset and learn how to de-escalate a situation and make split-second judgment calls while face-to-face with a suspect. All this happens in the safest, most realistic setting possible—virtual reality—with the Apex VR package. AmTech is the only high school in the state with this particular technology. Beyond the student experience at AmTech is the way the community can experience the school. A customer, for example, can drop their car off at AmTech’s garage for an oil change, do their banking at the student-run branch of Education Credit Union and then have coffee and a muffin at Cafe 21 while they wait, all without leaving AmTech. “People say we’re trying to think outside the box. We don’t even know there is a box,” Barrett says. “We want to keep doing the next greatest thing.”

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AP R I L B R OW N L E E April is a Panhandle native and a media and communications professional. She is part of the Lone Star Emmy-winning communications team at Amarillo ISD, sharing with the community the people and programs that make public education in Amarillo top-notch.

AISD provides excellent opportunities for students to learn. My three students all had many opportunities and were well-prepared for college and beyond.

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We are new to the district from private school and I have been thoroughly impressed with their response to our concerns and also they are accessible.

By AISD Students and Parents

I was homeschooled and I can say my kids flourish in a school setting more than they do at home so I am glad AISD has kept its doors open.

The teachers reach hearts and not just the brain.

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Making Educated Decisions About Routine Vaccines

hannon Herrick’s face lights up when she sees her little patients waiting on her in the exam rooms at Texas Tech Physicians Pediatrics. She’s been a board-certified pediatrician since 2004 and has practiced in Amarillo for 18 years. Her love for her work shows the minute she walks through the door, even though sometimes those patient visits end in tears. After all, routine vaccinations are a big part of a general pediatrician’s practice. Herrick says they’re a critical part. “Routine vaccines prevent disease,” Herrick says. “The diseases that childhood vaccines prevent can harm a child. In developing countries, children continue to be severely impacted by diseases like measles, whooping cough and pneumonia. Vaccines in this country help protect children from these illnesses.” During the pandemic, she says she saw a drop in vaccination rates. A recent CDC report confirms that. Nationwide, there was a 1-percent drop in the 2020-21 school year from the previous year. There are many theories as to why the country experienced that decrease. “Over the span of my career, I think the opinions on vaccines have waxed and waned,” Herrick says. “There has consistently been concern about the measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine causing autism due to a single non-peer-reviewed article written in 1998. Although there was no validity to this claim, physicians continue to hear this as a concern when discussing vaccines. In this part of the country, most parents still believe in vaccines and get their children

vaccinated to protect them.” Even still, Herrick says the pandemic and the subsequent introduction of the COVID-19 vaccine caused opinions related to vaccines to shift. Mattie Been, a mom of three children, who are all patients of Herrick, just welcomed a new baby and noticed things were a little different this time around. “The COVID-19 pandemic brought such a heightened awareness to vaccines and how they are made. I know many parents wanted to learn more about the other vaccines we give our children,” she says. “I am thankful that I can trust the health care workers and providers at Texas Tech Physicians to be a great resource for my family.” “More parents are hesitant about the COVID vaccine, and then project that into concerns with all vaccines, regardless of the relevance or history of the vaccine in question,” she says. “Most concerning is that some parents are distrusting of the medical community. We have seen more parents choose to not protect their infants through standard, well-accepted vaccines.” The most common reasons that parents cite for not wanting to vaccinate are religious reasons, personal beliefs or philosophical reasons, safety concerns or a desire for additional education. Herrick says some parents want their child to get the disease to bolster a stronger immune response than what they would have with the vaccine. Others say that the disease is no longer prevalent in the United States so there isn’t a need for the vaccine. “These responses reflect the effectiveness of vaccines in public

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health to the point that society has forgotten how deadly these diseases can be for children,” she says. “The risks with vaccinations are extremely low and almost never outweigh the risk of the underlying disease.” The most common reactions related to vaccines are pain at the injection site and low-grade fever. Occasionally, patients can get some swelling at the location of the shot. A very low percentage of children may have an allergic reaction to the vaccine. If a child has had a severe allergic reaction to a vaccine, they should not receive it again. Also, certain immunocompromised children should not receive certain types of vaccines. For new parents, though, the routine vaccine schedule can seem rather intense. There are many shots, and they happen very early in a child’s life. “I recently had to get vaccines for my daughter Helen, who is 5 months old,” Been says. “Shots are never fun for new babies, but the nurses assured me that it would only hurt for a minute and that she would be OK. They provided information on what to do if I had any questions or concerns.” The first Hepatitis B vaccine is usually given in the hospital, right after the baby is born. Multiple vaccines are given at the 2, 4 and 6-month-old well-child visits. “There are now combination vaccines that help reduce the number of shots an infant is getting when receiving their vaccines,” Herrick says. “Although there are multiple vaccines in each shot, children do

well with them.” Some parents want to stretch out that schedule— giving one shot at a time, but Herrick advises against that. “Stretching out the schedule to give one shot at a time just gives children more shots over time. This may increase the anxiety level and pain associated with vaccines,” she says. “Delaying vaccines also reduces the immunity to certain diseases at peak times when children get these diseases.” Another subset of vaccines is given at the 1-year, 15-month and 18-month-old well-child visits. Many series of vaccines are also completed at the 4-year well-child visit. When a child turns 11, a new subset of vaccines is given to add protection in the adolescent years. Herrick says the Centers for Disease Control website is a great resource for parents on all of the vaccines their child needs to receive. The website discusses each vaccine, the disease it prevents and any side effects. The American Academy of Pediatrics website and its Healthy Children website are additional resources for parents to get information on these vaccines. Herrick says it is vital that the child’s doctor partners with parents to make educated decisions on what is best for their child’s health. The provider should ask questions to better understand the reasoning behind any reluctance. A better understanding on the part of the provider can support the education of the family and can provide resources to help a family make an important decision.

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Budgeting: Looking in the Mirror BY COLTEN HIBBS, EDUCATION CREDIT UNION

ow did it feel when you realized you’d spent 20 minutes talking to someone in a meeting with spinach in your teeth? Disheveled hair, stains on your clothes, a blemish on your nose—those moments when people look in the mirror and think some version of, “Ugh!”—happen to everyone. Mirrors not only help us see ways we can fix or improve our appearance, but also can increase the amount of light in a room, and provide the illusion of more space. Prized in antiquity, the use of mirrors dates back 4,000 years. Ancient mirrors were made of obsidian or polished metal. Mirrors made of glass did not become more common until the 1500s when artisans in Venice created elaborate mirrors for the French aristocracy. These mirrors were bought and sold for more money than pieces of Renaissance artwork from the same time period. As demand grew for these fragile items, the manufacturing process spread geographically, allowing the public to enjoy locally made mirrors that did not have to travel so far. New innovations made the mirror more affordable and more commonplace in the lives of middle and lower classes. Mirrors allow people more control over their appearance and awareness of how they engage with the world. We can see things we would like to improve, and observe things we enjoy. Budgets are like mirrors. How we spend our money reveals what matters to us. It may also show us more fruitful ways to enhance our lives (adding light to a room), or help us make the most of our current means (creating the illusion of space). A common—but inaccurate—view of budgeting sees it as a limit on how much a person can spend. A better approach is to view it as a plan for how to use your money. A budget is as much of a limit as a mirror is a beautification device. Mirrors do not make you more or less attractive; they allow you to see ways to highlight your best features. A budget is not going to stop you from spending money or help you earn more money. It is going to show how you use your money wisely and how you can improve your financial well-being.

Currently, more than 65 percent of people in the United States live their lives without a budget. Most of those who do budget fall into the middle- or upper-class range. Their budgets are often maintained by financial advisors or accountants who curate investment plans and spending reports. In this illustration, modern Americans with advisors and accountants would be much like the French bourgeoisie—and their financial teams would resemble the Venetian glassblowers and artisans. At the time of this writing, corporate profits sit at a 50-year high and inflation is at a 40-year high. Given that reality, it appears many professional accountants—those mirror-makers—are crafting budgets that enable companies to envision and achieve financial gain (using mirrors to improve their appearance). A budget becomes a reflection of what a person prioritizes in their life. A person who prioritizes financial wellness would have a budget that reflects saving for specific goals, contributions to at least one retirement account, as well as a healthy emergency savings. A person who prioritizes the appearance of status and wealth over financial well-being may have high vehicle payments, expensive rent or mortgage payments, and little in the way of emergency or personal savings. When people are new to budgeting, their reflection in that mirror can be startling. The mustard on their shirt might be the amount of delivery fees and convenience charges they pay for food service apps. The blemish on their face might be the interest rate they’re paying on a vehicle loan. Like a mirror, budgets reveal the truth of what you actually look like compared to what you imagine. When the difference is too drastic to manage, a person might dismiss a budget as useless or ineffective in order to avoid dealing with difficult financial issues. Perhaps they made a budget but only used approximate numbers—nothing exact—and neglected lesser, regular expenses like streaming service subscriptions. That’s like using a dirty, or distorted mirror. No, it is not as useful

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as one in which the image is clear and exact. Today, a clear and exact mirror is not just the one provided by accountants and financial advisors. Like the mirror-making knowledge of antiquity, tried-and-true budgeting methods and technology are now widely available for anyone with a firm grasp of math, an internet connection, or both. There are numerous budgeting apps for your mobile device, and many of them are free and effective. Your financial institution is also likely to have free software to help you build and maintain your budget. For example, Education Credit Union provides its members access to a Money Management tool which members can use to track spending or set savings goals. Users receive a monthly report with a pie-chart on how they use the cards attached to the Money Management system—and it is entirely free. Budgets don’t have to be that techoriented. Some may prefer to review the past three months of expenses using a pen and paper. Others may choose to use digital spreadsheets, online tools, or apps. A few people may choose to let financial advisors or accountants help them budget. Just remember this: Looking in the mirror is an important step every morning, but most people don’t look in the mirror only once per day. Not only are the best budgets clear and exact, but people who check them often and make necessary adjustments tend to be more financially successful. Just like we use a mirror to enhance our physical appearance, we should use a budget to make adjustments to our spending until our savings accounts, homes, closets, cars, pantries, hobbies— everything we pay for—reflects the best of ourselves.

C O LT E N H I B B S Colten is passionate about teaching members of the community “everything I wish I had known when I was younger” about financial literacy. He is a local artist, as well. His academic yet dynamic presentation style blends engaging entertainment and useful information.

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ummers are for road trips, and plenty of amazing destinations are a short drive from the city. The wonders of Panhandle-Plains Historical Museum are just a few minutes away, as are the scenic views and authentic experiences of Cowgirls and Cowboys in the West. Tucumcari awaits just a couple hours down I-40. And a little further north, on your way to the mountains, be sure to grab a bite and a drink at Cold Beer, New Mexico.

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wo hours west of Amarillo on I-40, Tucumcari, New Mexico (pronounced “TWO-come-carry”) is a relaxed, rural community packed with Route 66 nostalgia, Old West history, and wide-open vistas. Originally founded as a railroad camp in 1901, the town was incorporated in 1908, and became part of Route 66, also known as the Mother Road, in 1926. Route 66 runs through Tucumcari and is lined with historic motels, classic neon, and unique shops and eateries. Most known for the moniker “Tucumcari Tonite!” there is a wide variety of lodging for people traveling the highway to stop for the night and enjoy comfortable accommodations. Museums and murals draw visitors into Tucumcari. The Mesalands Dinosaur Museum and Natural Science Laboratory features a 40-foot-long skeleton of Tovosaurus (a carnivore relative of Tyrannosaurus rex), many interactive displays, and the world’s largest collection of bronze skeletons and fossils. History buffs will enjoy exploring the Tucumcari Historical Museum, which is located in a 1903 schoolhouse. Each room has themed exhibits filled with artifacts and memorabilia. The displays also fill annex buildings on the property, two of which house a 1926 Chevrolet Fire Truck and an original chuck wagon. The Tucumcari Railroad Museum is located along the tracks in the recently restored, 1926 Spanish-style historic depot. It offers a step back into the history and development of the Union Pacific Railroad in Tucumcari with pictures and artifacts. Visitors can even take a turn at the controls of a GP38 diesel locomotive simulator. Classic car lovers will not be disappointed with a stop at the Route 66 Museum where there are several on display, including a 1929 Ford Model A Sedan and a 1956 Mercury Montclair, along with historic photos and other memorabilia. There are nearly 100 murals in Tucumcari. Most of them are easily sighted and accessed along Tucumcari Boulevard, while others can be found on businesses and buildings throughout town. A mural map is available at the Tucumcari Chamber of Commerce to help visitors explore these unique pieces of art, many of which have a hidden object or message. Come discover our stretch of the historic mother road and experience the small town charm and hospitality of Tucumcari, New Mexico.

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Colfax Tavern & Diner aka Cold Beer, NM Why should Texas Panhandle residents visit Colfax Tavern & Diner? Folks should visit Colfax Tavern & Diner at Cold Beer, New Mexico, to experience a unique atmosphere in the middle of nowhere. It’s a convenient stop on a trip to the mountains for a relaxing, entertaining break. We have great food, more than 20 draft beers on tap, a full bar and cornhole boards on the patio. Our place is family- and dog-friendly. How long has Colfax Tavern & Diner been open? Colfax has been a historic local watering hole since 1929. The current owners, Danny and Shelly Quartieri, since 2016 have expanded and improved the overall integrity of the establishment. Since then it has become a favorite for tourists and locals to visit. What do visitors seem to enjoy the most? Our visitors enjoy the green chile cheeseburgers and fresh pizza! The choice of draft beers (28 to be exact) is exceptional and reflects the entire state of New Mexico. The outdoor patio is a fan favorite, too. What do you consider a “must-see” or “must-do”? The scenery of Northern New Mexico is exceptional. Hiking, fishing, and our Annual Honky-tonk Hodgepodge (FREE music festival!) Aug 5-6, 2022. Visit our Facebook page for more event details. What’s one thing that will surprise visitors? We have a lot of wildlife in the area. Many of our patrons have seen elk, antelope, deer and even bears while visiting Cold Beer, New Mexico.

32230 US 64 CO L FAX CO U N T Y, N E W M E X I CO 575.376.2229 COLDBEERNM.COM

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Cowgirls and Cowboys in the West Why should Texas Panhandle residents visit Cowgirls and Cowboys in the West? We are a true and authentic Western experience. Our beautiful Texas ranch, our incredible Quarter Horses, and our knowledgeable wranglers make our horseback riding and chuck wagon experiences a lifetime memory for all who visit us. How long has Cowgirls and Cowboys in the West been in business? Cowgirls and Cowboys in the West just celebrated its 11th year in operation. What do visitors seem to enjoy the most? Our horses, land and our history. We are the No. 1-rated attraction in Amarillo on Tripadvisor! What do you consider a “must-see” or “mustdo”? Our 2-hour and sunset riding experiences are phenomenal! Our guests love them! What’s one thing that will surprise visitors? Our guests are amazed at how well we—and our horses—take care of them on our horseback rides. They feel like they are real cowgirls and cowboys when they are finished!

19100 FM1258 | AMARILLO, TX 806.672.9256 COWGIRLSANDCOWBOYSIN THEWEST.COM [ SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION ]

TRAVEL

PanhandlePlains Historical Museum Why should Texas Panhandle residents visit PanhandlePlains Historical Museum? In PPHM’s tremendous holdings, visitors find the heart of Texas art, the free spirit of the Taos and Santa Fe schools of art, and unsurpassed Southwest American Indian art. They can unlock the hidden world of the ancient past through the paleontology, geology and archeology areas, while learning about the rich history of the region and seeing some of the finest examples of fashion in the Textiles Gallery. Exhibits change constantly and there is always something new to see. From dinosaurs to modern art, from saddles to automobiles, PPHM has it all. How long has PPHM been open? Since 1933. What do visitors seem to enjoy the most? Visitors love our Pioneer Town because they are immersed in the “Old West” and truly experience it firsthand, from pumping water at the well to sitting in the old school house. We also know people love our paleontology and imagining what life was like when dinosaurs roamed the earth. What do you consider a “must-see” or “must-do”? Pioneer Town, dinosaurs and of course, our amazing art collections. We have two very special exhibits this summer: “Objects of Enchantment,” which is about our favorite fairy tales and “Quinceañera Traditions.” Our special exhibits are always a must-see. What’s one thing that will surprise visitors? PPHM always surprises people by the sheer size and the amount of things you can learn and engage with. It is truly a place that all generations can enjoy.

2503 FOURTH AVE. | CANYON, TEXAS 8 0 6 .6 51 . 2 2 4 4 | PA N H A N D L E P L A I N S .O R G

PHOTO BY SHANNON RICHARDSON

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HOOK & REEL CAJUN SEAFOOD & BAR

ne of nine Texas locations of this Cajun/Creole seafood franchise, the newly opened Hook & Reel is already drawing schools of diners to a corner of Bell Plaza at 45th & Bell. The restaurant entered the Amarillo market in March and business is cracking—especially on weekends.

Customers rave about the mix-and-match seafood boils, which allow patrons to pair a favorite catch—everything from snow crab legs to lobster tail to crawfish—with a flavorful sauce, preferred spice level and extras like sausage, hard-boiled eggs or rice. The amazing aroma of these boils hits you the moment you enter. The breaded-and-fried baskets are also made to please, including flounder, catfish, oysters and more served with fries. This isn’t frozen fish, either. “Our fresh seafood is flown in three or four times a week,” says manager Brian Chen. The full bar at Hook & Reel offers a variety of daily drink specials. Most of the signature cocktails were on the sweeter side, but a solid selection of draft beers helps manage the spice. Hook & Reel operates seven days a week: 11 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. on weekdays and 11 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays. 5807 SW 45th Ave., Suite 205 806.803.3133 hookreel.com

575 PIZZERIA

Owned by an Amarillo native, the two 575 locations serve the best pizza in the city. Locals rave about the incomparably thin crust, the way the thin-sliced pepperoni crisps up in the oven, and the fresh ingredients. Their easy to-go ordering includes craft beer and wine by the bottle. 2803 Civic Circle/7710 Hillside Road, Suite 700, 322.5575, 575pizzeria.com $$

ASIAN BISTRO

AMARILLO PEOPLE AMARILLO’S PODCAST

Here’s what we know: A recent Hey Amarillo guest of Laotian descent identified this spot on the Boulevard, across from Sonic, as her absolute favorite place for Asian food in Amarillo. It serves Lao, Thai and Vietnamese dishes and its pho is among the best in town. 1006 Amarillo Blvd. East, 418.6143 $

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Look, if your name rhymes with “taco,” then it’s pretty much just fate. Tucked away on Sixth street in one of those iconic, recognizable old Toot-n-Totum buildings, this is the spot for affordable, authentic tacos and tamales. 3623 SW Sixth Ave., 374.4945 $$

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THE BIG TEXAN STEAK RANCH & BREWERY

This tourist destination is packed at all hours of the day. Everyone talks about the 72-ounce steak challenge, but other standouts include the popular “Mountain Oysters,” normal-sized steaks, chickenfried steak and ribs. The onsite brewery recently added a hard seltzer to its menu. 7701 I-40 East, 372.6000, bigtexan.com $$

BOMB CITY KITCHEN SCAN TO LISTEN >>>

This meal-prep service opened in 2018 in Western Business Park serving two things: prepared meals to take home and coffee. The food is healthy, high-protein and low-carb, with a willingness to swap ingredients by request. Think breakfast (bagels, scones, cinnamon rolls, breakfast burritos) and lunch. Closes at 3 p.m. 4132 Business Park Drive., 677.92419, bombcitykitchen.com $$

This is not a comprehensive list of local restaurants. From issue to issue, we will try to include a wide variety of dining options based on the space available. If you notice an error, please email mm@brickandelm.com.

BURRITO STOP

A mainstay for downtown workers, this unique, collaborative restaurant between Taylor and Polk offers menu items from some of the city’s favorites: coffee from Roasters and food from Belmar Bakery and The Bagel Place. The tortillas are always fresh and the breakfast burritos are some of the best in town. Open early for breakfast and closes at 3 pm. 114 SE Ninth Ave., 418.2705, burritostop.com $

CAFE MARIZON

Lots of nostalgia here, from the daily desserts (BTS cake!) to the historic photos and Amarillo memorabilia on the walls. The down-home burgers are favorites, served on homemade bread. Try the French dip, the spicy chicken salad, or lunch specials like the green chile pie. 6151 Hillside Road, 352.2046, cafemarizon.com $$

CEDAR’S MEDITERRANEAN

One of the only true Mediterranean places in town—the owner immigrated from Lebanon—Cedar’s serves a simple and authentic menu. The flavors are fresh and the house-made hummus is delicious. The traditionally prepared gyros, falafel and kebabs are popular. 2110 S. Western St., 437.1133, cedarsmediterranean.com $$

CRAZY LARRY’S FINE TEXAS BBQ On the Hey Amarillo podcast, Brick & Elm cofounder Jason Boyett once named this his favorite restaurant. It’s famous for its Frito pie, delicious beans, and nostalgic chopped beef sandwiches, all made from scratch by husband-and-wife owners. 4315 Teckla Blvd., 359.3176, crazylarrysbbq.com $$

DAVID’S MEXICAN RESTAURANT

Maybe you haven’t heard of this River Road mainstay. Also, the name “David” doesn’t exactly scream DELICIOUS MEXICAN FOOD. But the hundreds and hundreds of reviews tell another story. This little dive needs to be on your radar, especially if you love fajitas, enchiladas, and margaritas. 400 E. Hastings Ave., 418.6333 $

$ $$ $$$

Most entrees under $10 Most entrees $11 to $20 Most entrees over $21

f+d EAT-RITE HEALTH FOOD & RESTAURANT

This legendary cafe is nestled inside a longtime health food store in Wolflin Square, so you can feel good about everything on the menu. Its owner pioneered serving organic food in Amarillo. We’ve always loved the marinated carrots and enchiladas. Thirsty? Try the juice bar. 2425 I-40 West, 353.7476, eat-rite.com $$

EL JALAPEÑO CAFE

Located in the Southlawn Shopping Center, this simple, small cafe serves breakfast and lunch only—with a traditional (not Tex-Mex) menu. The home-style Mexican breakfast plates are great, but so are the pancakes. The enchilada sauce is among Amarillo’s best. 4400 S. Washington St., 352.2879 $

2611 Wolflin Village (806) 331-2002 marcellas.com

FUN NOODLE BAR

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A relative newcomer to the city’s Asian restaurant scene, this is one of just a few places with decent ramen, dumplings and bao in Amarillo. The lunch specials are served until 3 p.m. and the orders arrive fast. Like most new restaurants around here, it stays busy. 2219 S. Georgia St., 803.2219 $$ The owners at Furrbie’s are quirky and fun, the burgers are delicious, and the desserts are definitely worth the extra calories. But the best thing about this downtown lunch stop is the fact that they’ve figured out how to replicate Char-Kel’s cheese fritters from the 1980s and ’90s. YES. 210 SW Sixth Ave., 220.0841 $

GOONEY’S

The recent growth of downtown restaurants hasn’t stopped Gooney’s from thriving. This mainstay on Polk has been around for years in the setting of an old department store. The inventive pan-Asian food is amazing—locals love the kimchi fries and wontons—but get ready to wait a while for your meal. Full bar. 705 S. Polk St., 367.9585 $

GRANDMA’S COCINA

Just like Abuela’s house, the full menu is available all day long at this little spot on 45th. New owners took over in early 2021, but the quality continues. Locals swear by the breakfast burritos as well as the fresh-cut fries and burgers and Tex-Mex favorites like asada and chile verde plates. 3609 SW 45th Ave., 398.9999 $

CREDIT & DEBIT CARD PROCESSING GIFT CARDS CHECK SERVICE ONLINE BILL PAYMENT MOBILE MARKETING E-COMMERCE PAYMENTS POINT OF SALES SYSTEMS ONLINE ORDERING

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FURRBIE’S

HOFFBRAU STEAK & GRILL HOUSE

Locally owned for three decades, Hoffbrau is exactly the kind of steak place you’d expect to find in a city like ours—no-fuss and delicious. The I-40 location is both family-friendly and traveler-friendly, with Texas steaks, comfort food, outdoor dining and a separate bar area. 7203 I-40 West, 358.6595, hoffbrausteakandgrill.com $$

THE HOT DOG HUT

Hot dogs aren’t just meat, bun and mustard at this relatively new downtown dive, known for gourmet dogs. There are plenty of fun, flavorful options featuring all-beef franks, hot links, or jalapeño Polish sausage. The corn dogs, fried pickles, and real ice cream floats are also worth an order. 518 SE 10th Ave., 318.3228 $

INDIAN OVEN

Tikka bite at this long-standing Indian restaurant, where everything— from the homemade naan to each item in the lunch buffet—is worth a try. The samosas are crispy and the chicken vindaloo tangy. A number of meals are offered as vegan options. 2406 Paramount Blvd., 335.3600, indian-oven.com $$

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JOE TACO

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SATURDAY, JULY 23 CRAFT BEER & live music Sample local indie breweries from Amarillo, Dumas, Borger & Lubbock (must be 21+)

Sample Texas craft beer lines (must be 21+)

Food trucks and vendors Def Leppard tribute band concert

starlightranch.com

This Amarillo stand-by has a solid reputation for fast service and great Tex-Mex, with two Amarillo locations and one in Canyon. The bar and outdoor patio at the Wallace location, near the hospitals, are always hopping with live music on weekends. 7312 Wallace Blvd., 331.8226/600 S. Buchanan St., 350.8226, joetaco.net $$

KATHY’S KITCHEN

Breakfast is drive-thru only from 5 to 8 a.m., then the dining area opens at 10 a.m. for breakfast and lunch only. The northeast Loop location and homestyle food are perfect for drives up to Lake Meredith/Borger or northeast to Pampa. Low prices and generous portions. 4517 Highway 136, 383.2513 $

LANDSHARK BURGERS

The FM 1151 location south of town isn’t particularly convenient for Amarillo residents. But this takeout-only shack is worth the bite. The big cheeseburgers are amazing, as is the busted-egg sandwich. (For a side, get the cheese curds.) Then grab a cherry-lime or Mexican Coke and enjoy it on the nice, sunny patio. 1505 E. FM 1151, 335.5644 $

LUPITA’S

The original Lupita’s tortilleria is home to the best tortillas, burritos and tamales in town—that means something in Amarillo—and this family restaurant has now expanded to multiple locations. Some are takeout only. All are good. So good. For holiday tamales, order early! 4013 SE 10th Ave., 372.3537/3221 S. Western St., 350.7638/ 2403 Hardin Drive, 350.7637/1706 Amarillo Blvd. East, 350.7614/ 1901 SE 11th St., 350.7398/3309 Bell St., 350.7297 $

MACARONI JOE’S

Always a popular date-night choice, Mac Joe’s is an Amarillo institution known for elegant ambiance and attentive service. The menu relies on Italian dishes but also offers fantastic steaks— with one of the best wine lists in all of the Texas Panhandle. 1619 S. Kentucky St., Suite D1500, 358.8990, macaronijoes.com $$-$$$

NORTH HEIGHTS DISCOUNT & CAFE

If you’ve ever thought twice about dining inside a convenience store, this will change your mind. This place serves some of the best soul food in the city. It’s known for huge portions—the nachos probably weigh three pounds—as well as its ribs, pork chops, fried catfish and breakfast items. 1621 NW 18th Ave., 418.6751 $

purposeandpassionboutique.com 806.418.8920

OHMS CAFE & BAR

The Fuller family has operated this eatery for more than 25 years, and it consistently offers Amarillo’s best fine dining. We love the bar area and outdoor patio, as well as its buffet-style lunch and weekly chef specials from Chef Josh Fuller. Pro tip: The Bar Burger is the best burger in town. 619 S. Tyler St., 373.3233, ohmscafe. com $$-$$$ This longtime establishment on Paramount is one of our favorites, thanks to its excellent Asian-Fusion cuisine and huge portions. We love the build-your-own stir fry options and speedy delivery. Pay attention to the menu’s spiciness levels, though. Level 5 (“Hurting”) is no joke. 2061 Paramount Blvd., 353.9179, pacificrimam.com $

Passion for fashion Styles for All (Sizes XS - 3XL)

PIZZA PLANET

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We don’t know exactly what’s in the ranch dressing at Pizza Planet, but we are hopelessly addicted to it. The pizza at this Amarillo original may be legendary, but locals swear on the chef salad, which is piled high with fresh grated cheese, shredded Canadian bacon and black olives. 2400 Paramount Blvd., 353.6666/ 6801 Bell St., Suite 100, 352.6666, pizzaplanet.com/335 E. Hastings Ave., 381.2333, amarillopizzaplanet.com $$

THE POTATO FACTORY

Think potatoes aren’t exciting? Then you’ve never had one of the gigantic spuds at this local institution, where you can load your tater with one of more than 20 unique toppings. The prices are affordable and the hot dogs are good, too. (Surprise: There are hot dogs!) Decadent and delectable. 4631 S. Western St., 463.7783, thepotatofactory.net $

RED RIVER STEAKHOUSE

It’s not hard to find a decent steak in the Panhandle, so when a local steakhouse earns a reputation for its hand-cut steaks, you pay attention. The Amarillo version of the owner’s original Red River Steakhouse in McLean, this old-fashioned establishment may be one of the area’s best-kept secrets. 4332 SW 45th Ave., 367.9732, redriversteakhouse.net $$

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PACIFIC RIM

TRAVELING THIS SUMMER? Don’t let piles of laundry get you down. Let us do your laundry for you! We offer sameday service on most items, wash & fold services, and even free pick-up and delivery!

Three locations to serve you | uscleanersamarillo.com

SHARKY’S BURRITO COMPANY When a national build-your-own-burrito place opened up in Amarillo, locals were largely unimpressed. Because Sharky’s is far better, and it’s been here way longer. Besides, the owners are very community oriented. Sharky’s catering is one of our favorites for large groups. 1612 S. Georgia St., 359.7330, sharkeysburritocompany.com $

SINALOA HOT DOGS AND MEXICAN FOOD

If you’ve never had a Mexican hot dog, then stop reading and head over to the Boulevard right now. This is a small place but the flavor is huge. We also love the fire-grilled chicken, tacos, tortas, carne asada, quesadillas, burritos, and mulitas. But that hot dog! (You’ll need napkins.) 2618 Amarillo Blvd. East, 367.8935 $

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SPICY MIKE’S BAR-B-Q HAVEN

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The spice is nice at this very popular barbecue joint in west Amarillo, known for chopped brisket sandwiches, tender pork ribs and more. We also love the daily specials—like Saturday’s smoked turkey

sandwich—and homemade cobbler for dessert. 6723 S. Western St., 358.8550, spicymikes.mymobisite.us $

TEDDY JACK’S ARMADILLO GRILL With a vast, no-frills menu, this regional restaurant concept was created by former NFL safety and Texas Tech standout Curtis Jordan, who turned to the food biz after retiring in the 1980s. The outdoor area is great and so is the brick-oven pizza. A fun place to watch the big game. 5080 S. Coulter St., 322.0113, teddyjacks.com $$

TYLER’S BARBEQUE

Amarillo has no shortage of authentic Texas barbecue, but Tyler’s always seems to be residents’ first choice. Maybe it’s because he’s got a reputation all over the Lone Star State. Or maybe it’s secretly because of the Frito pie and green chile stew. Plan ahead: Most menu items sell out. 3301 Olsen Blvd., 331.2271, tylersbarbeque.com $$

WESLEY’S BEAN POT & BBQ

River Road restaurants aren’t always on the radar of every local resident, but Wesley’s

has been around forever and deserves its legendary reputation. Loyal customers return again and again for the genuine Texas-style barbecue, especially the babyback ribs, brisket and—yep—the beans. 6406 River Road, 381.2893 $

YOUNGBLOOD’S CAFE

An Amarillo classic, where you can grab a hearty breakfast starting every day at 6 a.m. or wait a few hours to try its illustrious chicken-fried steaks. Our favorite thing at Youngblood’s? It’s gotta be the free banana pudding for dessert (while supplies last). 620 SW 16th Ave., 342.9411, youngbloodscafe.com $$

X– STEAKHOUSE

The name is a play on cattle brands—say “X-Bar”—and this newish Town Square steakhouse definitely knows beef. It’s locally owned, has a full bar, and the prices are extremely reasonable for such a swanky atmosphere. We hear great things about the weekend brunch, too. 9181 Town Square Blvd., Suite 1311, 322.4227, xbarsteakhouse.com $$-$$$

FO OD TR UC KS: AM E R IC AN

DA SPOT 2.0

Stuffed turkey legs. Comfort food like macand-cheese, jalapeño cornbread dressing and greens. 1102 Amarillo Blvd. West, 678.9333

FRY DADDY J’S

TANK’S BURGERS Classic handmade burgers and more. 6701 S. Washington; other locations

YOLOS

Breakfast and classic American comfort food offerings. 626.9813

GLADYS’ RIB SHACK

373.4199 thebrunchtruckamarillo .com

PORK N THINGS BBQ

TACOS KALIFAS

881.6222

433.5666

COFFEE

CADDY SHACK COFFEE STOP

Cajun-style fried fish, shrimp boils and more. 310.8034

YUM IN A BUN

Handheld comfort food. 420.1969

Specialty coffee, tea, Italian cream sodas, baked goods and more. 641.0823

J & L GOOD GRUBS

AS IAN

REVIVIFY COFFEE

Gourmet tacos, burgers and brats. 336.6162

HIBACHI KINGDOM

KOUNTRY KITCHEN

BAR BEC UE

Burgers, chicken-fried steak, chicken bites. Washington Street and Old Claude Highway, 382.0682

Traditional hibachi dishes. 316.1487

BBQ REVIVAL 713.304.5470

ELEMENT CRAFT BBQ 420.1093

Proceeds benefit Life Challenge of Amarillo. Specialty coffee drinks, smoothies, waffles and more. 352.0385

MEXICAN

THE BRUNCH TRUCK OF AMARILLO

213 SW Seventh Ave.

L.A.-style street tacos and more. I-40 and Grand 410.7216

PIZZA

CORTEZ JERKY

Homemade beef jerky, corn-in-a-cup, clamato and more. 433.3694

SWEETS

CHEESECAKE HSTL Choose-your-owntoppings cheesecake. facebook.com/ cheesecakehstl

PIZZA NOMAD

REAGAN’S BRICK OVEN

Smoothies, aguas, tea, bubble waffles and more. 1606 Amarillo Blvd. East, 680.7656

SNACKS

PURPLE FLAMINGO POPS

Wood-fired pizza, appetizers and specials. 477.2660

Wood-fired pizza. 433.5793

CORN EXPRESS

Corn-in-a-cup, roasted corn, snow cones, lemonade and fruit cups. 812 Amarillo Blvd. East, 373.1900

POOKIE BEAR SMOOTHIES

Offers a rotating menu of handmade popsicles. 517.2131

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Since 1899… We have been the leader in the Amarillo commercial real estate market

Sheril Blackburn Bo Wulfman CCIM

Cathy Derr CCIM

Gabe Irving CCIM

J. Gaut Ben Whittenburg Aaron Emerson CCIM, SIOR CCIM, SIOR

BROKERAGE SERVICES

207 active listings for sale or lease 110 transactions closed YTD

GWAMARILLO.COM

Kristen Chilcote

Miles Bonifield

Jeff Gaut

Jennifer Webber

PROPERTY MANAGEMENT

700,000 sf currently under management

806-373-3111

HAIR AND MAKEUP BY CHERYL SMITH; STYLED BY CHARLOTTE GOLDEN

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PERRY’S TINTYPES

orn and raised in Amarillo, Adam Baker graduated from the University of North Texas School of Fine arts in 2009, and spent the following decade as a commercial photographer in the Metroplex. In that capacity, he worked with clients including Joanna Gaines, Leon Bridges and Erykah Badu, as well as entities like the Dallas Cowboys and At Home.

But while shooting high-end photography in that world, he began seeking less flashy creative endeavors and, with one of his best friends from art school, taught himself the old craft of tintype photography. “The tintype was one of the first photography processes made,” he says, citing its origins in France in the middle of the 1800s. The tintype method made its way to the United States in time for the Civil War and Westward Expansion. It works by creating a direct positive of an image on a thin sheet of enamel-coated metal. Baker fell in love with the gritty, haunting photos that resulted. After the pandemic brought him home to Amarillo in 2020, he began offering this hands-on photography style locally through Perry’s Tintypes, which makes regular popup appearances at From 6th Collective near Bushland and Hotel Turkey in Turkey, Texas, as well as for private events. “In a world of fast-paced digital images, the ability to slow down and capture an unedited photo is something that I love to be a part of,” he says. “I find that my portraits really help capture the essence of a person and the process offers an often-forgotten practice that trusts the unfolding of the art without the ability to edit the image.”

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in focus

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ADAM BAK E R Find his work on Instagram at @perrys_tintype_studio and @adam_baker_photography.

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back when WITH WES REEVES

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More than one summer, I journeyed to Panfork Baptist Encampment for just a few days in the wilderness near Wellington not planning to be tempted, but that’s how it sometimes turned out. And like so many kids from the Panhandle, the summer church camp experience provided me with multiple opportunities to get things right with the Lord before school started in the fall. Panfork is one of several Christian camps that sprang up across the area in the 20th century to inoculate kids against the influences of growing secularity. Anywhere with a muddy watering hole and a hidden canyon would do. The idea was to drop kids out in the fullness of God’s creation, even if it was a mite drouthy at times, feed them a steady diet of fish sticks and Bible lessons and hope by the end of the week that something took. Church camp is rooted in the summer camp movement of the late 19th century when America became increasingly industrialized and more urban, cutting kids off from the great outdoors. Protestant Christians already had embraced pastoral settings for tent revivals known as camp meetings where backslidden disciples could make a fresh start. Church camps that proliferated in the Panhandle were a bit of both, and by the 1940s and 1950s, attending a church camp became a summer ritual for many area kids. Every denomination had their spot. For the Methodists it was Ceta Canyon near Wayside, with the Disciples of Christ next door at Ceta Glen. The Baptists in the Amarillo area had High Plains Assembly northwest of Canyon. Panfork opened in 1947 on the grounds of the old Wellington Country Club as a joint venture between the Panhandle and North Fork Baptist associations representing towns in the eastern Panhandle. Most participating churches built and maintained their own cabins, with some of the wealthier churches putting up some pretty decent accommodations. Wellington, decidedly not wealthy, provided a back-to-the-basics experience in an ancient hostel at the summit of a sun-baked slope seething with grasshoppers. But there was a sleeping porch that wasn’t half-bad. While we had both boys and girls at Panfork’s youth camp, we couldn’t participate in certain activities together, notably swimming. In fact, everyone had to wrap towels around their legs on the way to the pool so as not to present a temptation. I don’t think the sight of my legs, wrapped or otherwise, had much effect on anyone in 1982 and still don’t, but by Day 2 at youth camp I had paired up with a feisty little blonde from Clarendon who seemed to think I was at least funny. At some point in the daily schedule there was free time to buy snacks at the canteen or maybe a Sandi Patty or Dallas Holm cassette in the camp gift shop. The Clarendon girl suggested we take a nature walk instead, and I managed to get my first open-mouthed kiss down on the banks of the Salt Fork of the Red River. I was thrilled, but obviously she wasn’t because on Day Three she was holding hands in worship with a boy from Memphis who was just as skinny as I was, but probably a better kisser. Those Memphis kids were pretty worldly. I think I rededicated my life to the Lord that evening as a result of this rejection. Looking back, I’m amazed adult counselors would choose to spend a week with adolescents who mostly were thinking about nature hikes and not much else. Little kids were likely even worse. After my third grade year I went to an all-boys camp at Panfork and our minister of music was one of the adult guides. All I recall were mournful groans from the direction of Bro. Charles’ cot that first night, possibly because we were engaged in flatulence competitions into the wee hours (there’s nothing in the Bible that explicitly prohibits that, by the way). The next day his wife came to get him and he didn’t come back. The aforementioned church camps are still a thing, though slightly less rustic than before. They’ve rolled with society’s ever-changing needs, often rebranding themselves as retreat centers with ropes courses and the like to supplement income from ongoing youth programs. But somewhere in a hidden canyon near a stream that has likely run dry by now, the sun still burns just the same, the bugs still bite and Jesus, ever so patient, softly and tenderly calls over the tumult just as always.

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hree of the four Gospels tell us Jesus went into the wilderness specifically to be tempted by the Devil for 40 days.

PHOTO BY VENICE MINCEY

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DAVID M. LOVEJOY PROGRAM, AG AND NEWS DIRECTOR, KGNC 710 AM The best advice I ever heard is ... from my grandmother: “Never be afraid to stand up for what is right. Never follow a preacher that says, ‘My ministry…’ He don’t own the business, he just works there! Never eat in a restaurant with pictures on the menu—fresh-cooked food don’t look like that.” My three most recommended books are ... I like to read at least two classics a year. The beginning of this year, I read To Kill A Mockingbird. Now I am deep into On Walden Pond, by Henry David Thoreau; The Autobiography of Malcolm X, by Alex Haley and Malcolm X; and The Art of War, by Sun Tzu. To me, success means ... effort. You can’t have success without it. Show up early. Work hard. Leave late. People who know me might be surprised that I ... am shy and reserved, an introvert. My biggest pet peeve is ... anyone or anything who carries on with a lack of civility.

Everyone in Amarillo needs to experience ... a sunrise and sunset on the Golden Spread. If I could change any one local thing it would be ... the idea of sides. Sides of town, of political parties, of races and religions. We need to be all on the SAME SIDE! The side of what’s good for me is good for my neighbor, too. This city is amazing at ... helping out when there is a need. My favorite place in Amarillo is ... the garden in my backyard. A local organization I love right now ... There are so many. Beth Duke and Center City, Tremaine Brown and his Vessel of Humanity and Compassion. He proved that one person can make a huge difference. Amarillo Area Foundation. I have seen them change peoples’ lives. Family Support Services. They do such an amazing job getting help to those who really need it. But the top of my list would be the Amarillo Police Department and Amarillo Fire Department. AFD will put their lives on the line to keep any and everyone safe. The APD, while not perfect, has been ahead of the curve in being a well-trained, fair, honest and hardworking department.

Saturday, July 30th, 5-9pm Amarillo National Center Music by The Stray Sons, Touching Voodoo, & Lindsey Lane Food - Beverages - Vendors - Fun Run $20 per bike Grand Prize: 2022 Low Rider S or $15,000 Visa Gift Card Tickets: $90 admits 2 - purchase at Trippʼs Harley-Davidson, FSS 7136 W I-40, or online at fss-ama.org/Harley For information, call 806.342.2503. Sponsors (through 6-8-22): Tripp’s Harley-Davidson, 47th District Attorney Randall Sims; All-Star Dodge Chrysler Jeep Ram, Amarillo National Bank, Atmos Energy, Ben E. Keith, Custom Specialities, Xcel Energy, AIG, Plains Dairy, Open Air Imaging, Walk-On’s, Rick Looby Homes, Rounders Club, Bank of America, Ed’s Liquor, Happy State Bank, Merrick Pet Care, NWTH Behavioral Health, FirstBank Southwest, Steakhouse Meats, Alice Brooks Insurance, Duke Electric, Insurica, Street Volkswagen, Texas Panhandle Centers

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