best of
2008

COUNTY LINE MAGAZINE’S
2008 Best of the Upper East Side of Texas

“Best” is almost always subjective, often depending as much on personal preference as on any objective criteria. That said, here are the readers choices for the “Best of the Upper East Side of Texas” for 2008.

Take this list as an opportunity to congratulate familiar winners and to explore new and interesting places in the region, especially in these days of thrifty “staycations” instead of long-mileage vacations. For the many excellent places that didn’t make this year’s finalists, there’s plenty of opportunity to become better known during 2009.

Best Barbecue
Bodacious Barbecue, Winnsboro
Hickory-and- oak-smoked barbecued beef, pork ribs, ham, turkey, and sausage meals with choice of two vegetables (baked beans, potato salad, or coleslaw), and a drink runs about $7. Dine in, take out, or order a shipment right to the doorstep via FedEx. Fourteen locations in Texas; winning Winnsboro location: 328 E. Coke, 903.342.1210.
Runners-up:
Cripple Creek BBQ in Athens
Mack’s Split Rail in Mineola.

Best Breakfast
Winnsboro Bakery & Café
All egg dishes (sausage, bacon, country ham, pork chops, Benedict) prepared with two eggs and served with choice of toast (sourdough, wheat, rye) or biscuit plus choice of hash browns, grits, or home fries. Also pancakes, French toast, breakfast sandwiches, and variety of omelets. Served Monday-Saturday 7 a.m.-10 a.m. 210 N Main, 903.342.6119, www.winnsborobakery.com
Runners-up:
Granny’s Kitchen in Quitman, Edom Bakery & Grill.

Best Catfish
AJ’s Lake Fork Fish House, Alba
Southern-fried catfish tops the seafood buffet that also includes fried shrimp, boiled shrimp, corn nuggets, fried okra, potato wedges, baked potato, salad bar, and more. Entrees include grilled fish, frog legs, stuffed crab, chicken fried steak, chicken strips, boiled or fried shrimp, salad bar and cobblers. Take-out includes special family packs of fried catfish. Thursday-Saturday 4-9 p.m., Sunday 11a.m.-2 p.m. 903.473.4198. 5375 FM 17, 903.473.4198, www.ets-systems.com/ajsfishhouse
Runners-up: Red Barn Café in Wills Point and McCurdy’s in Mount Vernon

Best Chicken-Fried Steak
Double C Steakhouse, Winnsboro
The entrees include a chicken-fried steak that fills a plate. The cook won’t give up the recipe, relying on “secret ingredients” to satisfy customers’ cravings. Monday-Wednesday 4:30-8 p.m., Thursday-Friday 4:30-10 p.m., Saturday 11 a.m.-10 p.m. 206 Market, 903.342.3111, www.doublecsteakhouse.com.
Runners-up: Four Winds in Wills Point and Ole West Steakhouse in Athens.

Best Coffee
Canton Square Bakery
Full espresso bar featuring popular Community Coffees to go with breakfast, burgers, sandwiches, salads, side dishes, and baked goods. Monday-Saturday 7 a.m.-3 p.m. and Sundays during First Monday. 105 S. Buffalo, 903.567.4630
Runners-up: Caffe Tazza in Tyler and Holly Perk Coffee Co. in Mineola.

Best Place for Gas, Grub & Groceries
Brookshire’s, Various locations
With sales totaling $2 billion a year, Brookshire’s is easily the leading grocer in the Upper East Side of Texas. While this category was originally intended for the small mom-and-pop kinda gas stations that also provide some groceries and sit-down meals of various sorts, readers see Brookshire’s locations that also have gas stations as a logical choice; most of the stores serve grub, too
Runners-up: The Outpost in Winnsboro and Kidd Jones in Chandler.

Best Hamburger
East Texas Burger Company, Mineola
Customers Dan Rather and Sissy Spacek praise this place; so would Bonnie & Clyde if they were still alive. Big selection of quarter- and half-pound burgers along with fries and onion rings, grilled chicken sandwiches, chicken-fried steaks, catfish, and peanut butter, coconut, chocolate cream, and fried apricot pies until they run out. Monday-Saturday 11 a.m.-8 p.m., Sunday 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Hwys 80 and 69, 903.569.3140, www.easttexasburger.com
Runners-up: Dairy Palace in Canton and Lake Athens Marina.

Best Malt/Shake
Dairy Palace, Canton
Blue Bell ice cream, real milk, and 36 flavors including moo-lennium crunch, chocolate chip cookie dough, caramel pecan fudge, pecan pralines and cream, cotton candy, and banana pudding along with basic vanilla, chocolate, and strawberry at this consistently popular site with a wide-ranging breakfast, lunch, and dinner menu available 24 hours a day. 2203 N. Trade Days (Hwy 19), 903.567.6551, www.dairypalace.com
Runners-up: Braums in Athens and Kitchen’s in Mineola

Best Pie
Edom Bakery & Grill
All pastries and baked goods made fresh daily: pies, cakes, cookies, muffins, breads, and more to complement “country gourmet” menu that includes traditional breakfasts, eggs benedict, lox and bagels, frittatas, upscale sandwiches and soups, burgers and barbecue, shrimp louie salad, and other salads. Special-occasion cakes and desserts baked to order with 24-hour notice. Tuesday 7 a.m.-4 p.m., Wednesday-Thursday 7 a.m.-8 p.m., Friday-Sunday 7 a.m.-9 p.m. FM 314 and Hwy 279, 903.852.5552, www.edombakery.com.
Runners-up: Canton Square Bakery & Café and The Shed in Edom

Best Pizza
CiboVino, Winnsboro
CiboVino’s varieties of Napolitano style pizzas are unique in the Upper East Side of Texas, offering alternatives to the “pie” that’s become a casual American meal. There’s the margherita (named for the Queen of Spain, not the drink) with a light red sauce, fresh mozzarella, and basil; the Tuscan olive onion with feta and a variation known as Phyllis’ favorite without the cheese; the white cheese with asparagus and artichoke; the Quattro formaggi with mozzarella, feta, smoked gouda, and fresh shredded parmesan; and the balsamic glazed pomodoro with glazed grape tomatoes, olives, onions, mozzarella, and basil. They’re all flash baked in wood-fired ovens imported from Naples, Italy. Wednesday through Saturday 11 a.m.-2 p.m. and 5-9 p.m. 218 N Main, 903.342.0028, www.cibovinorestaurant.com.
Runners-up: Val’s Italian in Canton and Roma Italian in Athens

Best Produce
Cycle of Seasons, Lindale
In business for about 15 years, this eclectic place offers a selection of homegrown produce in season and vine-ripened tomatoes year-round, shell nuts from Texas and California, bedding plants and shrubs in the spring and summer, gift items, Watkins products, and a claim for the biggest selection of jellies and jams (especially sugar-free). Monday-Saturday 8:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m., Sunday 10 a.m.-3 p.m. 400 N Main, 903.882.8477, www.merchantcircle.com/business/cycle.of.season.
Runners-up: Handy Farms in Scroggins and Edom Market Place

Best Restaurant
CiboVino Italian, Winnsboro
Since it opened last fall, CiboVino has been one of the most popular restaurants in the Upper East Side of Texas, often with waiting lists to get a seat in the casually elegant place in downtown Winnsboro’s entertainment/dining/shopping/arts district. Menu items include lasagna, tilapia, veal rib chop, osso bucco pork roast, lamb chops, angel-hair pasta alfredo and pomadoro, penne pasta art, Italian chicken breast, stuffed pasta, honey-lemon chicken, and more. The menu also includes soups, salads, sandwiches, pizza, and desserts. Wednesday through Saturday 11 a.m.-2 p.m. and 5-9 p.m. 218 N Main, 903.342.0028, www.cibovinorestaurant.com.
Runners-up: Four Winds in Wills Point and La Waffalata in Mineola

Best Salsa & Tortilla Chips
Peralta’s, Quitman
Good hot sauce and salsa are about the taste, not the heat. And the chips have to be crisp, fresh, and complementary. Tasty chips that don’t break in the bowl or on the way to the mouth loaded with stuff. Lunch and dinner seven days a week. 607 S Main, 903.763.5020.
Runners-up: Jalapeno Tree in Athens and Two Senoritas in Canton.

Best Salad
Edom Bakery & Grill
Along with its full “country gourmet” menu, Edom Bakery & Grill offers a selection of salads beginning with its traditional favorite strawberry fields: mixed greens, strawberries, pecans, mozzarella, and homemade raspberry dressing. Other choices include blackened chicken Caesar, shrimp Louis, chicken salad, and more. The house salad is mixed greens, Greek olives, feta, and diced tomatoes with lemon garlic vinaigrette. Tuesday 7 a.m.-4 p.m., Wednesday-Thursday 7 a.m.-8 p.m., Friday-Sunday 7 a.m.-9 p.m. FM 314 and Hwy 279, 903.852.5552, www.edombakery.com.
Runners-up: Cherry Laurel in Athens and Winnsboro Bakery & Cafe.

Best Sandwich
Texas Tearoom & Grill, Quitman
Selection includes chicken salad, tuna salad, grilled chicken breast, and traditional Reuben each with choice of wheat, rye, croissant, herb focaccia, or French baguette; served with pasta salad or fruit salad. Monday-Wednesday 10:30 a.m.-2 p.m., Thursday-Saturday 10:30 a.m.-8 p.m. 405 S. Hart., 903.763.5154.
Runners-up: Canton Square Bakery & Café and Winnsboro Bakery & Café

Best Seafood
Four Winds, Wills Point
Quality selection of Seared Diver Scallops. Jumbo Lump Crab Cakes, New Orleans-Style BBQ Shrimp, Shrimp Remoulade, Shrimp Cocktail, Australian cold-water lobster tails, fried jumbo shrimp, pecan breaded catfish, and fresh fish of the day baked, grilled, or sautéed in a casual elegant atmosphere with a full bar and lounge. 211191 FM 47 just north of I-20. Tuesday-Saturday 5-10 p.m. 903.873.2225, www.fourwindssteakhouse.com.
Runners-up: Fisherman’s Market in Longview and Lake Athens Marina Restaurant

Best Steak
Double C Steakhouse, Winnsboro
Selection of hand-cut Angus steaks (rib-eye, flat iron, New York strip, top sirloin, chopped sirloin, country fried, and chicken-fried). Sides include potato salad, cole slaw, beans, home fries, fruit cup, house salad, and Caesar salad. Range of appetizers, salads, soups and stews, stuffed baked potatoes, chicken and fish dishes, sandwiches, and desserts. Saloon serves beer, wine, and other drinks. Monday-Wednesday 4:30-8 p.m., Thursday-Friday 4:30-10 p.m., Saturday 11 a.m.-10 p.m. 206 Market, 903.342.3111, www.doublecsteakhouse.com
Runners-up: Four Winds in Wills Point and Ole West Steakhouse in Athens
Best Sweets
Winnsboro Bakery & Café
Known first for its made-from-scratch sour cream pound cakes and German chocolate pound cakes, this cozy spot with a big back room also makes and serves cookies, muffins, cinnamon rolls, all kinds of cakes and pies, fruit bars, and brownies in addition to full breakfasts and lunches. Sweets shipped across the USA. Monday-Saturday 7 a.m.-3 p.m. 210 N. Main, 903.342.6119, winnsborobakery.com.
Runners-up: Edom Bakery & Café and Winnsboro Creative Cakes

Best Tex-Mex
tie: Peralta’s, Winnsboro and Quitman
Eclectic mix of authentic Mexican dishes and Tex-Mex, including special Mexican shrimp cocktail, a variety of enchiladas, carne asada, fajita dinners and quesadillas, chicken and beef, salads, and for dessert chocolate cheesecakes, sopapillas, and flan. Open seven days a week. 903.342.5303, 813 S. Main in Winnsboro; 903.763.5020, 607 S. Main in Quitman.
Runners-up: Jalapeno Tree in Athens and Two Senoritas in Canton

Best Winery
LouViney Winery & Restaurant
Sulphur Springs (formerly Winnsboro)
Sells its own home-grown blends of grape wines along with a selective salad, appetizer, sandwich, entrée, and dessert menus. Wines include blanc du bois, chenin blanc, Muscat cannelli, vin de la vigne, derby cabernet/merlot blend, belle sweet red, merlot, and rouge from its own grapes, and cabernet sauvignon and pinot noir from Homestead Winery. LouViney’s also created and sells the Miranda Lambert private label kerosene blanc du bois, crazy ex-girlfriend sweet white, electric pink blush, belle sweet red, country road 233 merlot, and red 55 blended dry red. Tuesday-Thursday: 11 a.m.-9 p.m., Friday-Saturday 11 a.m.-10 p.m. 206 Main in Sulphur Springs, 903.438.8320, www.louviney.com.
Runners-up: Tara Winery near Athens and Keipersol near Tyler

Best Annual Event
Winnsboro Autumn Trails
Month-long celebration every October includes arts & crafts; antique tractor parade, show, and pull; barbecue cook-off; tractor trail ride; trail rides; camp out; 42 tournament; black powder shoot; taste of Winnsboro; trade days and swap meet; antique car parade, show, and tour; sidewalk sales; pageant; livestock and dairy show; and more. 903.342.3666, www.winnsboro.com.
Runners up: Country Fest in Lindale and Tyler Rose Festival

Best Afternoon Stroll
Winnsboro
Stroll the downtown streets, shop for antiques, collectables, western-themed gifts, books, and more, and get a bit of genuine culture at the Trails Country Centre for the Arts and the Winnsboro Gallery. Take a break at one of the convenient mini-parks (one of them is shaded), and maybe take in some impromptu music at the new The Music Station/Guitars and Cigars. Then stick around for dinner at one of several fine restaurants and/or live music at Crossroads Coffeehouse.
Runners-up: Caldwell Zoo in Tyler and downtown Mineola

Best Bookstore
Hastings Entertainment, Tyler
During thrifty times – and all the time – it’s easy to find quality used books and music as well as a big variety of new books and music (including local and Texas musicians) all in one location with extended hours. Also buys selected books and music. Monday-Saturday 9 a.m.-11 p.m., Sunday 11 a.m.-11 p.m. 4015 S. Broadway, 903.534.9278.
Runners-up: East Texas Book Exchange in Athens and Barnes & Noble in Tyler

Best Camping Spot
Tyler State Park
985.5 acres in Smith County north of Tyler includes a 64-acre lake. Activities include camping, picnicking, boating (motors allowed with 5 mph speed limit), boat rentals, fishing, birding, hiking, mountain biking, lake swimming (in unsupervised area), and nature study. Deeded by private owners in 1934 and 1935; opened in 1939 with original improvements made by the Civilian Conservation Corps. 789 Park Road 16, 903.597.5338, www.tpwd.state.tx.us/park/tyler.
Runners-up: Purtis Creek State Park and Caddo lake State Park

Best Attraction
First Monday Trade Days, Canton
The world’s largest outdoor trade days takes place Thursday through Sunday before the first Monday of every month. Thousands of vendors offer antiques and collectibles, furniture, home decor, arts and crafts, clothing, jewelry, tools, produce, dogs and other animals, and much more. Founded more than 150 years ago. Sunup to sundown. Hwys 19 and 64. 903.567.6556, www.firstmondaycanton.com.
Runners-up: Lake Fork and Texas Freshwater Fisheries Center in Athens.

Best Bed & Breakfast
Thee Hubbell House Bed & Breakfast
Winnsboro
Southern plantation estate near downtown’s attractions, nestled among 400-year-old oak trees and landscaped gardens and a swimming pool. En-suite rooms furnished with period antiques and the modern convenience of high-speed wireless Internet. 307 W. Elm, 903.342.5629, www.theehubbellhouse.com.
Runners-up: Fall Farm in Mineola and Arabella Garden Retreats in Lindale.

Best Birdwatching
Mineola Nature Preserve
At various times of the year, diligent birders and other visitors might spot – take a deep breath and read this list – wood ducks; mallards; snowy and great egrets; great blue, little blue, and black-crowned night herons; belted kingfishers; great horned, eastern screech, and barred owls; red-tailed and red-shouldered hawks; Carolina chickadees and wrens; tufted titmouses; northern cardinals; red-bellied and downy woodpeckers; prothonotary warblers; northern parulas; swallow-tailed kites; painted and indigo buntings; blue grosbeaks; summer tanagers; eastern kingbirds and wood-peewees; blue-gray gnatcatcher; white eyed, yellow-throated, and red-eyed vireos; wood storks; northern bobwhites; greater roadrunners; various wading birds, and more. 7 a.m.-sunset. CR 2724 (Cap Ranch Road) off Hwy. 69. www.mnpfriends.org.
Runners-up: “my back yard” and Lake Palestine.

Best Courthouse
Wood County, Quitman
Designed by architect C.H. Leinbach in the classical revival style, this substantive brick building dates back to 1925. An addition was built in 1949, and the courthouse has undergone several remodelings since that time.
Runners-up: Hopkins County (Sulphur Springs) and Henderson County (Athens).

Best Dance Hall
East Fork Restaurant and Club, Yantis
2,000-square-foot dance floor with 500-plus seating capacity and a large parking area. Live bands on Saturdays. Other amenities include restaurant with hand-cut steaks and Mexican food, private sports club, Sunday tailgate parties, shuffleboard and pool tournaments, Thursday and Friday karaoke, and more. Monday-Friday 11 a.m.-midnight, Saturday 11 a.m.-1 a.m., Sunday noon to midnight. Hwy 154 at FM 515, 903.383.7007, www.eastforkrestaurantandclub.com.
Runners-up: Senior Citizens Building in Athens and Electric Cowboy in Tyler.

Best Fishing Hole
Lake Fork Reservoir
Five miles northwest of Quitman
Largemouth bass are the most popular sport fish in this 27,264-acre reservoir managed by the Sabine River Authority of Texas. A combination of restrictive harvest regulations, stocking of Florida strain largemouth bass, and good habitat contribute to Lake Fork’s development as one of the country’s premier trophy bass lakes. More than 65 percent of Texas’ top 50 largest bass (including the current state record held by County Line contributor Barry St. Clair) and more than half of those entered in the Budweiser ShareLunker Program were caught at Lake Fork. Other predominant fish species include white and black crappie, channel catfish, and sun fish. 903.878.2262.
Runners-up: Lake Athens and Horseshoe Bend Lake.

Best Golf Course
The Links at Land’s End, Yantis
Rated #1 hidden gem (and best place to fish) by Avid Golfer, and #5 among top 25 high-priced courses in Texas and #19 “top 50 courses you can play,” Course designed by Williams, Gill and Associates, which designed several of the nation’s top 50 public courses as selected by Golf Digest. Club and restaurant. Rates begin at $26. 903.383.3290, 285 Private Road 5980, www.golflakefork.com.
Runners-up: Twin Lakes in Canton and Garden Valley Golf Resort.

Best Hotel/Motel
Best Western, Mineola
This 50-room, two-story hotel on the Lindale side of Mineola gets a three-diamond rating from AAA. In addition to furnishings, guest rooms include cable or satellite television with 32-inch LCD flat panel screen, microwave, refrigerator, free high-speed Internet access, AM/FM alarm clock and radio stereo, coffee/tea maker, and DVD player available at front desk. There’s also a swimming pool, hot tub, a fully equipped exercise facility, and business center. Continental breakfast is complimentary. Service is efficient and friendly. 100 Debbie Lane at Hwy 69, 903.569.5331.
Runner-up: Holiday Inn Express in Athens.

Best Improved Small Town
Winnsboro
Rich and varied history from the days of the Caddo Indians to the French settlements and from the wild logging era to the visits of Bonnie Parker and Clyde Barrow. Downtown is in the midst of a renaissance of daytime shopping and nighttime dining and entertainment with the Crossroads Coffeehouse music venue and restaurants including CiboVino, Double C Steakhouse, and Winnsboro Bakery & Café (with more on the way) drawing visitors from the Dallas area and neighboring states. 903.342.3666, www.winnsboro.com.
Runners-up: Mineola and Lindale.

Best Lakeside Town
Gun Barrel City
Incorporated on May 12, 1969, soon after the construction of Cedar Creek Lake, this rapidly growing community has twice won second place in the Governor’s Community Achievement Awards. One of the most popular areas in Northeast Texas for those seeking lake activities, lake living and leisure, it’s surrounded by 13 incorporated communities and five school districts. From restaurants to shopping, there’s plenty to offer residents and visitors. 903.887.3152, www.cedarcreeklakechamber.com.
Runners-up: Cypress Springs and Malakoff.

Best Live Music Venue
Crossroads Coffeehouse
Winnsboro
Attracts some of the best music in Texas nearly every Saturday night to its intimate stage which resembles the front porch of a Mississippi Delta farmhouse nearly every weekend. Operated by musicians Lindy Hearne, Lynn Adler, and Lindy’s daughter Kate, the venue also hosts everything from grassroots community events to catered organizational meetings, luncheons and dinners, birthday parties, family gatherings, and even a wedding. 216 N. Main, 903.342.1854, www.crossroadsmusiccompany.com.
Runners-up: Bluegrass Show in Quitman and Texas Gospel Music Hall in Athens.

Best Museum
Light Crust Doughboys Hall of Fame and Museum, Quitman
The 70-year history of the Light Crust Doughboys is one of Texas’ most enduring stories. Bob Wills founded the group as the Wills Fiddle Band, which later took the name The Light Crust Doughboys after their sponsor, Light Crust Flour. In addition to displays and exhibits of historic memorabilia from the band, the living history of this important musical group lives on through live performances sponsored by the Quitman Heritage Foundation. Governor Jim Hogg Park, Hwy 37 just south of downtown. 903.763.2701, www.quitmanheritage.org.
Runners-up: Henderson County Museum and Gilmer Museum.

Best Nature Walk
Mineola Nature Preserve
2,900 acres dedicated to preserving a wetlands area for bird-watching, hiking, fishing, picnicking and other activities. Now three miles of concrete and gravel walking trails, much of it shaded along the Sabine River. 7 a.m.-sunset. CR 2724 (Cap Ranch Road) off Hwy. 69. www.mnpfriends.org.
Runners-up: East Texas Arboretum and Tyler State Park.

Best Park
Governor Jim Hogg Shrine Ranch and State Park, Quitman
Historic site with buildings, museum, and mementos related to the historically and politically prominent Hogg family. The Miss Ima Hogg Museum displays memorabilia of Northeast Texas and the family. There is also the Honeymoon Cottage of Miss Ima’s parents, the Governor and Sarah Ann (Sallie) Hogg and the Stinson House, which is the restored home of the late Miss Ima’s grandparents plus the Light Crust Doughboys Hall of Fame and Museum, an old settlers nature trail with 23 stops and four foot bridges along a half mile trail, picnic sites, children’s playground, and outdoor theater. 518 Main (Hwy 37), 903.763.2701.
Runners-up: Faulkner Park in Lindale and Tyler State Park.

Best RV Park
Staway Ranch RV Park, Murchison
Has 135 sites with full hookups; 30- and 50-amp service; large pull-through; shaded sites; paved roads; four clubhouses including one with kitchen, restrooms, showers, laundry, telephone, and game room with pool tables; propane; cable TV; Pea Shed with seasonal fresh produce; unlimited boondocking area; picnic tables; access to 12-acre lake for fun and fishing. 10101 Hwy. 31East, 903.469.4477, www.stawayranch.com.
Runners-up: Whispering Pines in Red Springs and Mineola Civic Center/RV Park.

Best Slogan
Athens: Home of the Original Hamburger. The city and other experts but not all of them) claim that Fletcher Davis, who owned a downtown restaurant, invented the popular sandwich in the 1880s, and took it to the l904 St. Louis World’s Fair, where the hamburger was introduced to the world.
Runners-up: Mineola: “Where People Make the Difference!” and Trails Country Center for the Arts in Winnsboro: “Embracing the Spirit of Creativity.”

Best Small Town Downtown
Winnsboro
This quiet community of 3,584 residents has in recent years developed one of the busiest nighttime scenes in the Upper East Side of Texas with Crossroads Coffeehouse, CiboVino, Double C Steakhouse, Winnsboro Bakery & Café, Arts & Espresso, Trails Country Centre for the Arts, the Winnsboro Gallery, and shopping attractions. 903.342.3666, www.winnsboro.com.
Runners-up: Mineola and Edom.

Best Art Gallery
Winnsboro Gallery
An upscale blend of modern displays with antique furnishings, and a living-room atmosphere frequented by customers and friends who gather for a cup of tea and to soak up the artsy vibe. In fact, owner Mary Smith recently opened the adjoining Art & Espresso shop with coffee, cookies, and it includes more art. The gallery is also a popular framing site. 214 N. Main, 903.342.3438, www.winnsborogallery.com.
Runners-up: Tyler Museum of Art and Mineola League of the Arts Center.

Best Artist
Kathy Rachal, Winnsboro
Works in original oil, acrylics, collage, and more in a remodeled barn, often painting but not limited to nature, Native American images, and sea life. Kathy studied art at the University of Texas at Arlington and El Centro College, and developed the Art Spa workshop to inspire others’ creativity. She also operates Gloryhaven Cottage, a remodeled, 100-year-old farmhouse as a retreat for ladies’ groups, missionaries. 972.897.2399, www.kathyrachal.com.
Runners-up: Karen Musgraves of Mineola and George & Lavana Hitz of Winnsboro.

Best Barber/Hair Stylist
Amy Martinez
Identity Day Spa & Salon, Lindale
Amy has been with the spa as a hair stylist since it opened a little more than four years ago, and has a total of nearly 10 years of experience in razor cuts and other in-fashion styles. She’s got a reputation for working well with clients. The 5,400-square-foot day spa, full service salon, and gift shop offers massage, facials and skin repair, chemical peels and microdermabrasion, body wraps and treatments, cosmetics services, manicures and pedicures, artificial nails, waxing, and spray tanning in addition to hair cuts and styles, colors and highlights, perms, straighteners, and conditioning treatments. 2808 S. Main, 903.882.0609, www.identitydayspa.com.
Runners-up: Michael Lenz of Agape Salon in Athens and Kay Thrash in Quitman.

Best Chef
Frank Rumore
Four Winds, Wills Point
Frank spent 25 years with Del Frisco, 15 of those as executive chef at Del Frisco’s Double Eagle Steak House in Dallas. His specialties range from 26-ounce rib eyes with a brandy peppercorn sauce, pecan-breaded catfish, fried shrimp, and marinated grilled chicken breast served with fresh vegetables. There’s also the tomato mozzarella salad and New York-style cheesecake (with sour cream topping) made in the restaurant on an 1,100-acre tract next to a 15-acre pond.
Runners-up: Jackson York at Edom Bakery & Café and Rick and Brennan Murray at Cibo Vino in Winnsboro.

Best Play
Smoke on the Mountain
Quitman Community Theatre
This gospel musical comedy filled with spirituality, pathos, humor, and loads of peppy gospel songs was the group’s eleventh production in 2008, and was its first dinner theater performance. Produced in conjunction with the Quitman Rotary Club, it featured a terrific cast and marvelous musicians.
Runners up: On Golden Pond and Thoroughly Modern Millie, both from Lake Country Playhouse in Mineola.

Best Radio DJ
Jason Hightower, KMOO 99.9 FM, Mineola
Along with his commitment to “real” country and a broad musical selection that has room for lots of Texas artists, Jason also recognizes KMOO’s commitment to serve the community that basically extends 30 or so miles in any direction from Mineola, loosely between Interstates 20 and 30 west of Hwy. 19. At any given time during the day, as many as 25,000 people tune in; anybody in the world with Internet capabilities can pick up the broadcasts. Jason is also chairman of the Texas Association of Broadcasters. 903.69.3823, kmoo.com.
Runners-up: Tom Perryman at KKUS and KMOO General Store.

Best Small Theatre Company
Quitman Community Theatre
QCT has just completed its third season, and its next production will be “From Hollywood With Love,” an evening of love songs from the movies to be performed as a dinner theatre on Saturday, February 7, 2009. The group is the brainchild of Becky (production coordinator) and Bob (artistic director) Hibbard, who share almost 60 years of stage experience. It is their passion to seek out and nurture undeveloped talent in East Texas communities. Home base is the Carroll Green Civic Center, which is off Hwy 37 behind the Dairy Queen just south of downtown. 903.967.2164, becky@qctheatre.org.
Runners-up: Lake Country Playhouse in Mineola and Henderson County Performing Arts Center in Athens.

Best Theatre Actor/Actress
Keith Haisten
Keith is a mainstay in Quitman Community Theatre, appearing onstage in productions of “Animal Farm,” “Dearly Departed,” “The Fantasticks,” “Facets of Love,” and “Faith County” as well as the lead role of Burl Sanders in “Smoke on the Mountain.” He’s also vice president/loan officer for Bank Texas in Quitman. QTC: 903.967.2164.
Runners-up: Bob Hibbard from Quitman Community Theatre and Hanna Campbell from Lake Country Playhouse in Mineola

This page last updated January 5, 2009