We’re casting a “swing vote” for June.
WHERE TO EAT:
Your regular reviewer, Bobbie Cupell, didn’t write this review, so be forewarned that the Bobbie-type repartee is issing-may. Be that as it may, I know of a great eatery. Anyone lucky enough to find themselves around Abilene at mealtime has a must-go in Casa Herrera. I’m a regular at the place—so much so that the wait staff already knows my “usual” of low-fat cheese enchiladas—but for this visit I asked for the house favorite, the Chile Relleno plate, and oh-my-goodness. Slightly spicy, yet with a succulence and sweetness in the chiles themselves, this entree is muy bueno. Replete with refried beans, Mexican fried rice, tortillas, corn chips, and salsa, it’s something special—a repast to remember. It’s made fresh daily—Herrera’s sells a lot of these. Sunday brunch here is a buffet you won’t want to miss. You’ll appreciate the atmosphere too. Fancy enough for a date night, casual enough for anytime dining, Casa Herrera is an all-around, go-to kind of establishment. Enjoy.
—Jesse Mullins
WHERE TO BE:
“It makes no difference / If it’s sweet or hot / Just give that rhythm / Everything you’ve got.” June means hot summer nights, and with those nights come “Hot Summer Nights with Cool Music,” the program put on at Noel Heritage Park at 5th and Lincoln Streets in Odessa. And it don’t get much cooler than Eddie Irving and the Classic Swing Band, which’ll get in full swing at 8 p.m. on June 27. These guys have been favorites here for years. The five-piece band highlights the vocal stylings of lead singer Eddie Irving, as well as the multi-horn chops of Tom Lepper and the keyboard skills of Randy Wills, the group’s music director. It don’t mean a thing if it ain’t got that swing. Get more info at mainstreetodessa.com/hotsummer.htm.
WHAT TO GET:
You might want to pay close attention to this sentence because it’s likely to bring a “wha..?” when we say that the Biolite Basecamp stove is a handy device that’ll let you burn wood for warmth, for cooking, and for charging your cellphone, headlamp, or almost any gadget that can use a USB port. Yes, the thing has an onboard thermoelectric generator that converts heat into a 5W electric current and outputs it to your devices. Considered ideal for car camping and tailgating, it comes with a nifty lever that allows you to focus the heat for tasks like boiling water or disperse the flame for grilling. Get it for $300 from biolitestove.com.