Operator of a splendid East Texas B&B forges on after lover's savage murder

Mount Vernon, Texas Robert Whiteside had to have it. That was how he was about everything. Whenever there was anything he wanted to have or see or do, he went after it.

So in 1990 after seeing 68 gorgeous, available acres of Piney Woods in East Texas, Whiteside bought them up. And in 1991, he purchased a 1914 Sears kit house and moved it to the Mount Vernon spread, about 100 miles east of Dallas.

But once it was all in place, he wasn't quite sure just what to do with it.

He decided it would be ideal for a bed and breakfast. And in 1998, he opened The Veranda.

Divine design, top-drawer decor

In typical Whiteside fashion, he had to do all of the necessary renovation designs and interior decoration himself. People who knew Whiteside described him as a Renaissance man. His interests and talents ran the gamut from crafting jewelry and gourmet cooking to being an instrument pilot and accomplished musician.

The house is a clever update of the original that Whiteside had had moved to the property in 1991. Whiteside designed a second story addition with three guest rooms and one owner's suite. Interesting angles and excellent views characterize the well-planned design.

The interior is elegant without being fussy. Antiques and other fine furniture fill the rooms. And original artwork, much of it done by Whitehall himself, covers the walls.

Visiting the property is like heading to your own house in the country for the weekend. It's intimate and elegant but not the least bit stuffy.

Whiteside had an eye not just for the artistic and the antique, but for the romantic as well. An arched bridge crosses over a rippled stream on the walk from the house toward the pool. A gazebo, also of Whiteside's own design sits lakeside. Outfitted with tables and chairs, it's easy to imagine guests gathering in its shade.

The great outdoors

Just outside the dining room window, hummingbirds flit around brightly colored feeders hanging from the porch rafters. And The Veranda's "official hostess," a dog named Rachel with the personality of everyone's favorite aunt, often lounges on the wide green slats of the porch floor when she's not taking guests on "tours" of the property.

The pool offers full sun during most of the day and welcome shade in the late afternoon. And if you are there alone or fill the B & B's rooms with guests you know, bathing suits are optional. A hot tub sits alongside the pool house that doubles as an exercise room.

A stay at The Veranda offers as many opportunities for outdoor activities as it does for doing absolutely nothing at all. The property boasts a fully stocked, 4.5-acre lake, which Whiteside designed and added. There are marked trails for biking and hiking (also mapped out by Whiteside) and fishing poles for borrowing although you have to buy your own bait in town.

LOUNGE POOLSIDE: The Veranda’s probably East Texas’ best gay-operated B & B where guests can tastefully enjoy “clothing optional” sunning. (JENNY BLOCK/Dallas Voice)

Coupling up

Whiteside ran the place by himself and a small staff until he met Warren Butler. The two met in Dallas and soon fell in love. And like Whiteside, Butler was taken with the lakeside home the instant he saw the house and surrounding grounds.

"It just had an aura about it. I first came out here New Year's of 2001. It was colder than blazes. And big, fat, feathery flakes were falling from the sky," remembers Butler. "Robert shot off bottle rockets that crashed through the sheet of ice covering the lake. It was such a romantic evening."

In May of 2001, Butler moved in with Whiteside. And when a waitress hastily quit one night, Butler quickly became part of the daily operations at The Veranda.

The funny thing was, Butler had no experience in the hospitality industry, and he was a little nervous his first night waiting tables in The Veranda's restaurant.

"I was in a panic," he remembers.

He quickly took to the task however, immensely enjoying both the customers and working with Whiteside.

Mouthwatering meals

As part of their stay, guests enjoy breakfasts that are beautiful, bountiful and delicious. The rotating offerings include tasty frittatas and thick slices of French toast made from homemade bread served with fresh fruit and savory sausages.

But the B & B's restaurant also offers fine dining on Friday and Saturday nights, with live piano music by Rebessa Ratliff, with a regular clientele made up of everyone from locals to out-of-towners. Entrees range from crawfish cakes to trout almandine. But their specialty is a Prime nine-ounce charcoal-grilled, aged Black Angus tenderloin that chef David Lichty prepares and presents with enough skill to give any Dallas steakhouse a run for its money.

One of the greatest charms of The Veranda is the attention to detail. Real cream is served in chilled, sterling pitchers atop tiny lace doilies when guests order tea or coffee. A chandelier of Whiteside's own creation graces the center of the dining room. The amenities in the bathroom are Gilchrist & Soames and include salts for the tub. And should you find yourself wanting to connect with the outside world, there's free wireless Internet throughout the house.

Then the unspeakable

But despite all appearances, this gracious and welcome escape was recently stricken by a horrific tragedy.

In November 2006, Whiteside was murdered in his own bed.

He had been a favorite of the Dallas social set and the White House designing pieces that both resided there and that were given as gifts of state. Those accused of his murder knew of Whiteside's work and came to the B & B, looking for jewels for cash. To say Butler was devastated would be a gross understatement. But there are no other words.

Perseverance and independence

After losing Whiteside, it would have been so easy for Butler to walk away from The Veranda. Not that anything has been easy for Butler since Whiteside's death.

"I thought about closing this place," Butler says. "But how could I? Robert's thumbprint is all over it."

Butler motions to Whiteside's drawings and paintings on the walls. Some of them are designs for the jewelry for which he was famous.

"I've always been a supporting player in my relationships. Being thrust into the spotlight [of running the Veranda] is a whole new role."

It's a legacy of sorts, keeping The Veranda alive.

After shutting down the B & B for six months, Butler has now reopened the doors and is up and running at full speed once again. No easy task.

"You should see my collection of hats," Butler jokes. "I'm the pool boy. The grounds boy. The laundress. The waitress. I just had to keep telling myself, "'You can do this. You just have to learn how. Show me the lawn mower. Show me the weed eater. I can drive a vehicle. Surely I can drive a tractor."

The Veranda will never be exactly the same as it was with Whiteside running it, Butler says. But he's doing it the best he can, honoring all that Whiteside taught him and all that Whiteside loved.


NEARBY WEEKEND GETAWAY

Jump on I-30 E, and the Veranda Bed & Breakfast is about 100 miles east of Big D. 3264 County Road SE 4115, Mount Vernon, TX.
Rates start at $150 per night: double occupancy, breakfast included.
903-588-2402

www.ourveranda.com


ON THE AIR

Whiteside's not the only one who has made The Veranda experience what it is. Butler's creativity is certainly a part of it as well. He's created a "radio station" by turning a collection of nearly 4,000 record albums into MP3s and transmitting his playlists right from his home office.

The radios in all of the rooms and in the pool house, pick up the mix of '40s, '50s and '60s music that Butler calls "easy listening." He's even downloaded era-appropriate commercials so that when you're listening to the "station," you would swear it was live radio.

"For me it's all about listening to radio the way I remember it," Butler says.



This article appeared in the Dallas Voice print edition September 14, 2007