Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
Lazy Sundays mean omelets, time for family, for former weatherman
Asked to submit a favorite recipe for “Local Flavors,” Garrett Lewis — a popular TV weatherman in Northwest Arkansas for many years — suggests his “Lazy Sunday Omelets.” He’s had more time to make them lately, having left television for a job at First National Bank NWA.
“Seasons of life are a lot like the weather,” he says. “It’s difficult to know when one stops and the other starts, but like our recent fall weather, you can definitely feel it when it happens.
“I struggled with worklife balance and had been trying to find a way to make it work for a few years,” Lewis goes on. “I have two children — 6 and 10 — and my wife Ashley and I will celebrate our 20th wedding anniversary this upcoming July. We’ve never experienced our marriage without being on-call 24/7, planning vacations around weather, working on holidays, short staffing, ratings, etc. For instance, during my 20-year stretch in TV, I only had two Thanksgivings off; I’ve never taken off for my wife’s birthday in February because it fell within a ratings month, as did our anniversary, along with my daughter’s birthday. Life became really difficult.
“Being a parent is challenging and to make a marriage work you have to put in the work. It was just time for a change to put both myself and my family first.”
Lewis became interested in meteorology growing up in Utah.
“During those Utah years, my friend’s dad worked for KSL-TV. The snowstorms in Utah were fun as a kid, and it was always impressive to me that you could predict the future. Yes, I was the kid that used to call in to radio stations with weather reports.
“My parents met in Arkansas, and we relocated to The Natural State when I was in sixth grade. The severe weather here was fascinating and intense,” he goes on. “My hobby eventually turned into a 20-year career in broadcast meteorology.
“My career in TV is something I will always
treasure,” Lewis adds. “The most wonderful thing about TV news is seeing the humanity in the wake of devastation. The heart of our community shines brightest when the weather has been at its worst. In TV, I saw firsthand the hope and resilience of others despite circumstances that probably felt hopeless and helpless.”
The new job — his title is commercial loan and community relations officer — lets Lewis focus on “helping others and playing an active role in our local economic growth.”
“My first project here has been reaching out to our community to sponsor Christmas ornaments that will decorate the trees in our Fayetteville and Bentonville branches, with all the money raised going directly to the Children’s Advocacy Center of Benton County and the Children’s Safety Center in Springdale,” he explains. “Even our buildings were designed with the community in mind with our space available for non-profits to use.
“Community banks and local television overlap in their shared investment in our community,” Lewis concludes. “The audience in television is our family, friends and neighbors; it’s the same with local banking. The heart and strength of our community is equal to the degree we’re willing to think outside of ourselves to improve the quality of life for all.”
Lazy Sunday Omelets
3 tsp. butter
1 tbsp. milk
3 eggs
1 small onion
1 small bell pepper
Shredded cheese of choice
Onion powder
Garlic powder
Salt & pepper
Dice onion and bell pepper and set aside.
Heat a large skillet on low and let butter slowly melt and coat skillet.
In a large bowl, scramble eggs and milk.
Sprinkle and blend onion and garlic powder into the eggs.
Pour egg mixture into skillet and cook on low heat.
Cook low for around 5 minutes or until eggs no longer appear wet.
On one side of the large egg circle, add bell pepper and onion and cover with cheese.
Using a spatula, fold the other side covering the vegetables and cheese.
Watch for cheese to melt and then season with salt and pepper to taste.
*For different variations, consider using ham, bacon or diced tomatoes.
Best served with acoustic music playlists, iced coffee and long conversations with the one you love.
Suggest your favorite Northwest Arkansas celebrity, and we’ll ask them for a recipe! Email bmartin@nwadg.com.