Welcome to Oxpatch

When I first came to Ole Miss, I thought I was in hell. Well, I was living on what was later to be called the worst dorm floor on campus (some guys once emptied 11 fire extinguishers in one room). I thought I hated it so much that I tried to transfer out. It wasn't until my second year that I began to explore the town and really find out what it had to offer. Oxford is exactly what a college town should be... It has low unemployment and crime, very little traffic, and that true southern friendliness. Like a lot of small towns, Oxford grew around the town square, which surrounds the courthouse and contains many of the shops (and bars).

• The Hoka. Named after a local Indian princess, the hoka has tasty but healthy food. It's known for its great fudge pie, avante garde movies, the local movie expert named Barton, and games of spades and chess. It's also a favorite hangout for Dick Waterman, former manager of Bonnie Raitt and the man looked for and rediscovered Son House.

  It was here that, while hunched over some nachos, I saw John Grisham walk in and stare up at the tv, which was showing O.J. Simpson's bronco fleeing the police. It was also here that I debated the role of religion in society, the idea of universal truths, and proved on a napkin that 45 degrees is indeed the angle to throw something to get the best distance.

• Square books. Called one of the best book stores in the nation, one can wander in, grab a cup of coffee, and plop down in a comfy chair with a book you haven't bought. It also has a great balcony on the square. (That's it in the photo above.)

• The Gin. At one time this bar once was an actual cotton processing center. This was a place I would go with some buddies for happy hour. After that, the local frat boys would show up with their dates and pollute the place.

• Frenchman's Bend. A good coffee shop with a lot of lighting and a great selection. (That got rid of a lot of high schoolers.) It was also cool because you could have control over the CD player.

• Proud Larry's. Another eating establishment that happened to sell mostly beer (that's the law in Oxford). It is known for its great music. At one time or another it has hosted Gatemouth Brown, John Hammond, Junior Brown, and a whole slew of other acts.

Last changed June 24 2005 18:18:54. David Coppit, david@coppit.org
There have been 51 hits since Thu Apr 17 22:34:40 2008