sweeteas magazine

I had been wanting to try the new Sissy's Southern Kitchen on Henderson Avenue (formerly Hector's locale) in Dallas since I heard their entire waitstaff would be donning Billy Reid bow ties. Last night I walked through the bright yellow door with a date impressed and warmed by the authentic Southern-nouveau atmosphere. True to my expectations, the hostess was wearing a bright red 60's style print dress with a white apron. The waitstaff buzzed around the back of house in their collared shirts and bow ties.

The hostess led us to our table and we pass owner, Liza Garza (think Lisa Garza Taste Kitchen, wife of Dallas Chef-in-his-own-rite, Gilbert Garza, and co-owner of Suze) on our way to the cozy booth for two. The decor is minimal but warm. A regal wood bar brims with bottles and pre-homemade cocktail mixes. The rear wall is adorned with a tasteful (yet not so original) mix of antique plates and animal heads. The right-hand wall is purely windows, opened to an outdoor area. This touch of openness makes the restaurant and brings a literal air of Southern charm to the Big D.

As my date and I became ensconced in our cosy little booth seats, I was impressed with Sissy's plays on traditional Southern cocktails and ordered a margarita-ish drink with muddled kumquat and 2 different kinds of tequila. Pretty tasty. Date ordered a play on a mint julep. Tasty as well, but as much as I yearned to see a traditional chilled silver julep cup arrive at our table, #fail...Sissy's serves her juleps in champagne flutes. 

Moving on to perusing appetizers, we spotted Purple Hull Pea Cakes, Chili Fried Oysters, and Low Country Gumbo - how could you resist?! The Purple Hull Pea Cakes killed me softly with salt and the Chili Fried Oysters echoed with sounds of flavoring silence.

We were told by our doe-eyed 20-something waitress that "they're still working out their wine and stuff." And surely they were. We found a satisfactory wine list, though certainly nothing to boast about and ordered a bottle of Riesling, only to be told/asked "I think we're out of that?" In fact, they were not as halfway through our entrees she sauntered to the table with the requested bottle. I ordered the Roasted Red Fish with Hominy Maque Choux. Date ordered Pan Seared Striped Bass. Both were fine, nothing surpassing a dusting of Tony Chachere's, a dollop of butter and a little overcooking (which is quite possibly the Southern-est of sins).

More...

http://thecordialchurchman.com/

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social media + retro-fab RV's = everyone wins

Down here...

Dallas, Texas http://www.thevintagemobile.com/

Baton Rouge, Louisiana http://rollienoelie.tumblr.com/

Up yonder...

Worcester, Massachusetts http://haberdashvintage.com/

The Avett Brothers will put on a big, humble show in the grand little Strand Theatre in Shreveport, Louisiana on June 5, 2012. This one's worth the drive folks.

You're joshing me.

Nope, it's true! Click here to see for yourself.

Does your Spring cleaning (thanks, Wiki) session require the accompaniment of a good playlist to truly accomplish an effective top-to-bottom, dust-bunny-chasing, bleach-slathering binge? Ditto. Here are some selections to kick your Risky-Business-like (don't be shy, you know you've done it) cleaning spree into high gear. Be assured that each selection stays true to good ole fashioned Southern soul. Homework, done. Because Mumford is soooo last season.

Gillian Welch http://www.gillianwelch.com/

The Wheeler Brothers http://wheelerbrothersmusic.com/

Feufollet http://feufollet.net/

Michael Donner and the Southern Renaissance http://michaeldonner.bandcamp.com/

The Head and the Heart http://www.theheadandtheheart.com/

The Tallest Man on Earth http://www.myspace.com/thetallestmanonearth

Sons of Fathers http://sonsoffathers.net/

Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros http://edwardsharpeandthemagneticzeros.com/

Ray Lamontagne http://www.raylamontagne.com/

Best Coast http://www.bestcoast.us/

The Local Natives http://www.thelocalnatives.com/

Alabama Shakes http://www.alabamashakes.com/

Young the Giant http://www.youngthegiant.com/

The Civil Wars http://thecivilwars.com/

Of Monsters and Men http://www.myspace.com/ofmonstersandmenmusic

Patterson Hood http://www.pattersonhood.com/

Uncle Lucius http://uncleluciusmusic.com/

The Dirty River Boys http://www.dirtyriverboys.com/

Futurebirds http://www.futurebirdsmusic.com/

Quiet Company http://quietcompanymusic.com/

Beach House http://www.myspace.com/beachhousemusic

Dexateens http://www.dexateens.net/

Andrew Bird http://breakityourself.andrewbird.net/

Walk softly and carry a big sticker.

Thick-rimmed glasses are still in. "Still in" in the world of fashion means "a hop, skip and a season's jump from being out". What's next on the list for men's Southern-chic-slightly-casual-yet-semi-refined-style? Moscot Eyewear says it's time to meet metal, so click to meet Mendel.