R A CE F OR T HE CUR E | BL UF F CI T Y L AW | O S T R A NDER S AT 36 | D Z UB A S AT T HE DI X ON | R AW GIR L S Memphis • THE CITY MAGAZINE • W W W.MEMPHISMAGAZINE.COM
THE WOMEN’S ISSUE
THE CITY MAGAZINE
VOL XLIV NO 7 | OCTOBER 2019
MIRIAM DECOSTA-WILLIS PR O F E S S O R , AU T H O R , CI V I L R I G H T S PI O N E E R . USA $4.99
1 0
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DISPLAY UNTIL NOVEMBER 10, 2019
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THE WESTIN MEMPHIS BEALE STREET & BLEU HAVE SOME EXCITING HOLIDAY NEWS! We are already celebrating the season with a sleigh full of incentives for holiday party planners. Book by November 25, 2019 and receive additional incentives! Holiday revelers are encouraged to book now to secure desired dates. For more information please call Lorraine Chatman at 901.334.5924 or email Lorraine.chatman@westinmemphis.com The Westin Memphis Beale Street • 170 Lt. George W. Lee Ave., Memphis, TN 38103 • www.westin.com/bealestreet
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DISCOVER THE
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Dogwood Canyon Nature Park is a 10,000-acre paradise that has been largely left untouched since its earliest settlers. Here, conservation and education have become the cornerstones for developing this authentic wilderness experience. Natural beauty abounds in the towering bluffs, cascading waterfalls, crystal clear streams, hand-crafted bridges and wildlife ranging from bison, elk and deer to hummingbirds, owls and eagles. The park offers guests miles of hiking and biking paths, Segway tours, group tram or private guided tours, horseback riding, and trout fishing for the novice and experienced fly-fisherman alike. You’ll also find the full-service Canyon Grill and a treehouse built by Animal Planet’s Treehouse Masters!
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V O L X L I V N O 7 | OCTOBE R 2019
59
Up Front 10 14 16
IN THE BEGINNING OUT AND ABOUT FICTION
22
On the Cover
Miriam DeCosta-Willis PHOTOGRAPH BY KAREN PULFER FOCHT
Features
18 Women of Achievement 2019
Nine honored leaders who have changed Memphis for the better.
22 And the Award Goes To . . .
A look at the Ostranders — past, present, and future.
~ by jon w. sparks
30
30 Behind the Scenes of Bluff City Law
The new NBC series puts Memphis in the spotlight.
~ by chris mccoy
40 The Colorful World of Friedel Dzubas
The Dixon Gallery and Gardens hosts the first major exhibition in 40 years on this Abstract Expressionist. ~ by michael finger
40
50 Be Chattanooga 59 63
50
The same state, but a different world. ~ by chris mccoy LOCAL TREASURE
Miriam DeCosta-Willis
The lion's tale continues to unfold. ~ by jon w. sparks GARDEN VARIETY
A Living Legacy
100
Planting trees can bring families together and provide memories.
98
~ by john a. jennings ASK VANCE
The Medicine Factory Our trivia expert solves local mysteries of who, what, when, where, why, and why not. ~ by vance lauderdale
100 DINING OUT
The Plant Whisperers Chefs Amy and Hannah Pickle finesse plant-based food into a delicious and happy place. ~ by pamela denney
102 CITY DINING
Tidbits: El Mero Taco; plus the city’s most extensive dining listings.
112 LAST STAND
A Divided World Memphis gathers for festivals and football games. But how much do we truly gather? ~ by maya smith
63
Memphis (ISSN 1622-820x) is published monthly for $18 per year by Contemporary Media, Inc., P.O. Box 1738, Memphis, TN 38101 © 2019. Telephone: 901-521-9000. For subscription info, please call 901-521-9000. Subscription customer service mailing address is Memphis magazine, P.O. Box 1738, Memphis, TN 38101. All rights reserved. • Periodicals Postage Paid at Memphis, TN. Postmasters: send address changes to Memphis, P.O. Box 1738, Memphis, TN 38101.
102 Special Section 65
R ACE FOR THE CUR E PROGRAM W O M E N T O WAT C H
OC T OBER 20 19 • MEMPHISMAGA ZINE.COM • 7
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Memphis THE C IT Y MAGAZ INE
General Excellence Grand Award Winner City and Regional Magazine Association 2007, 2008, 2010, 2014
&7
CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER anna traverse EXECUTIVE EDITOR michael finger MANAGING EDITOR frank murtaugh SENIOR EDITORS shara clark, jon w. sparks ASSOCIATE EDITOR samuel x. cicci ARTS & LIFESTYLE EDITOR anne cunningham o’neill FOOD EDITOR pamela denney CONTRIBUTING EDITORS jesse davis, michael donahue,
vance lauderdale, maya smith EDITORIAL CONTRIBUTORS john a. jennings,
melinda keathley, chris mccoy EDITORIAL ASSISTANT julia baker EDITORIAL INTERN caroline o'connor
4
CREATIVE DIRECTOR brian groppe PRODUCTION OPERATIONS DIRECTOR margie neal SENIOR ART DIRECTOR carrie beasley ADVERTISING ART DIRECTOR christopher myers GRAPHIC DESIGNERS rachel li, bryan rollins PHOTOGRAPHY justin fox burks,
karen fulfer focht, mike kerr, don perry
4
SENIOR ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE sloane patteson taylor ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES sheryl butler, kelli dewitt, chip
googe, michelle musolf, tabitha wadkins, jacob woloshin
4
published by contemporary media, inc. memphis, tennessee 901-521-9000 p • 901-521-0129 f subscriptions: 901-521-9000
4
CONTROLLER ashley haeger CHIEF REVENUE OFFICER jeffrey a. goldberg DIGITAL SERVICES DIRECTOR kristin pawlowski CIRCULATION MANAGER julie ray BILLING COORDINATOR lynn sparagowski SPECIAL EVENTS DIRECTOR molly willmott EMAIL MARKETING MANAGER britt ervin IT DIRECTOR joseph carey RECEPTIONIST kalena mckinney
4
PUBLISHER EMERITUS kenneth neill
&7
october 2019
SEMMES-MURPHEY.COM
|
(901) 522-7700
member: City and Regional Magazine Association member: Circulation Verification Council
8 • MEMPHISMAGA ZINE.COM • OC T OBER 20 19
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IN THE BEGINNING | by anna traverse
On Falling and Rising
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all has come early to the fig tree in the backyard, in the sense that its leaves are yellowing, skating to the ground. But not any kind of real fall; as I write this, the days continue to broil and scorch. It’s been one month and five days since rain last fell. The poor fig doesn’t know what to do: it’s hustling through the motions it remembers, too soon. Ready to rest a while. We’re all feeling a little scorched, these thoroughly as we can. That means telling stodays. I sense it in the warm weariness of ries that better reflect the whole of Memphis, people’s faces on the street — bustling and so that anyone who picks up this magazine hustling, doing what we’ve trained ourselves will get some whiff of the city’s dirty-divine to do. Ready for a change. And one will come, perfume. And it means publishing stories by and about a broader swath of Memphians, of soon enough, I tell myself. As I write, it’s been three months and three all backgrounds, races, and ages. Walking days since I took on the role of CEO of Con- into the future, we’ll be intentional about weltemporary Media, Inc., the parent company of coming more of our neighbors into these pagthis magazine. We’d been preparing for a lead- es and into the newsroom that produces them. ership transition for a while, since at least the We’ll welcome new voices, new faces, new beginning of the year, but ideas. (Email me — anna@ seeing those three fraught contemporary-media. letters behind my name still com — to propose any of takes me by surprise every the above.) so often. My path to this If nothing else, people role has been circuitous; are still paying attention: A couple of unfortunate chapI’m not even sure you’d call ters during these past three it a path, except that it led me to exactly here, exactly months have confirmed it. now. I was raised in MemFirst, we learned, along with phis with the expectation media companies around the country, that Kroger that I’d leave, and so I did, will stop distribution in first to our kindred-spirit Anna Traverse city Baltimore, and then to their vestibules of free pubCambridge, Mass., where I lications — like the Memphis studied English Renaissance poetry and also, Flyer and Memphis Parent, both published by a decade ago, grew very ill. Contemporary Media. By mid-October, we Illness brought me back to Memphis, but must find new homes for many thousands of Memphis kept me here. I found the city some- papers. In a city like Memphis, we know that access to free, print media remains vital. how more home than I’d known it to be before I left. I discovered a city full to overflow with And you’ve no doubt heard some things creativity, with possibility, with an openness about our September cover, featuring an ugly to build something magnificent together out caricature of three Memphis mayoral canof our shared troubles. I’m planted here firmly didates. Many of you found that illustration these days, in a house not too far from the one distressing, calling to mind vicious, racist where I grew up. My partner — soon to be my cartoons of an era that only sometimes feels husband — has moved to town, along with past. And others saw it differently. For myself, his sweet and creaky pointy-eared yellow I stand by the public apology I posted on our dog, who submits patiently to being herded website and by the decisions that followed. around by my sweet and bossy pointy-eared We pulled the issue before it went to newsblack dog. stands – a financial hit we could ill afford, My deep and abiding love of this place, but a choice I made unwaveringly. Growth is not in spite of but in full sight of its troubles, rarely painless. guided my decision to say yes to doing one The next three months, I have to hope, won’t of the crazier things a person can do in 2019: be so tumultuous. We’ve got plans, good ones, captaining a ship in the roiled waters of print and good people to keep us on track. Fall media. This isn’t a course to riches, fame, or always, always returns a deeper kind of breathmuch sleep. But local media outlets around ing to the lungs and soul. In my small world, the country are falling away, and fast. With- there will be a small wedding for a big love. out them, we lose access and accountability, And maybe, just maybe, the fig tree won’t be too scorched to bear fruit once more. inspiration and connection. If we are determined to continue this enterprise, and we are, we must do it as well and as Anna Traverse is CEO of Contemporary Media, Inc.
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LETTER TO THE EDITOR
Where to Go from Here?
M
emphis magazine was rocked after its September cover ensnared the publication in an ugly, self-induced controversy about racist caricatures of black people. Where to go from here? The moment can mirror the norm and fade into memory without having made a positive difference – or it can be a catalyst for change at the magazine and for a community-wide focus on problem-solving. That would mean translating the episode into a teachable, galvanizing opportunity. A solid first step would be to identify the
ican population, it’s morally responsible, good
problem. For years it has been generally ac-
business practice, and common sense that
cepted that Memphis has race issues, but no
editors of the city’s widely circulated general
broad agreement on an exact definition of the
interest magazine are racially cognizant. That
problem. Community conversation starting
should be a non-negotiable staffing essential.
point: Get consensus around core elements of
The September magazine cover didn’t happen in a vacuum and barely scratches the
the Memphis “race problem.” Use precise terminology. Highly charged
surface of a long string of racial insults for
words like racism, bigotry, and prejudice
many of us. People who genuinely don’t know
tend to be used without specificity. Although the terms are connected, racism is foremost a tactic of division and not automatic character assault, which seems to be the way many people take it.
Strings Attached Guitarist Lily Afshar joins the Blair String Quartet in Boccherini’s D Major Quintet and the Usher Waltz Fantasia for Guitar and String Quartet by Nikita Koshkin. The Blair Quartet performs the gorgeous A minor Quartet by Johannes Brahms. JOIN US
SUNDAY OCTOBER 20,
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2019
PM at 343 River Oaks Road Memphis, TN 38120
Decades-long, entrenched problems can’t be effectively addressed without clear-eyed self-awareness.
why the September cover was racist might benefit from probing their own connections to racism. I’ve seen the results. Where events in Memphis go from here is a work in progress. This is a certainty:
Second, help open more hearts and
Race will be a factor in a city with a majority
minds through dialogue and self-examina-
African-American population, where nearly
tion, culminating in comprehensive policy
one-fourth of blacks are in poverty, and where
solutions. This may be the toughest hurdle:
unemployment rates are higher for minorities,
Decades-long, entrenched problems can’t
among other disparities.
be effectively addressed without clear-eyed self-awareness. Choosing the September cover art was a
Race issues in Memphis are sensitive, nuanced, and rarely get the spotlight until controversy erupts. That makes the Memphis
critical lapse in editorial judgment, which
magazine cover firestorm an opportunity to
gives me no pleasure to say about a publica-
turn from outrage and contrition to an ener-
tion I have enjoyed reading for many years.
gized, sustained, community-wide pathway
The magazine’s initial statement lacked sin-
to deconstruct race as a barrier to the city’s
cerity and unqualified ownership of the of-
long-term progress.
fense. A subsequent apology was fulsome, honest, and took full responsibility. The
Anthony Hicks, a Memphis public relations
magazine’s leadership said the publication is
professional, brings to this issue broad experience
committed to being better.
as a newspaper reporter and crisis manager, with a
In a city with a 63.91 percent African-Amer-
master’s degree in public policy.
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OU T A ND A BOU T |
OCTOBER 2019 | compiled by caroline o’connor breweries, including Ghost River and Wiseacre, as well as food from local food trucks. The fundraiser’s proceeds are used to keep Cooper-Young clean, welcoming, and safe. Midtown Autowerks, 795 Cooper St. cybeerfest.org
Dear Evan Hansen
10.8-10.13
Dear Evan Hansen
The Broadway hit musical Dear Evan Hansen arrives at the Orpheum to tell the story of an anxious teenage boy who stumbles upon the chance to finally fit in. The musical’s showstopping music and moving message about contemporary life earned six Tony Awards, including Best Musical. Orpheum Theatre, 203 S. Main St. orpheum-memphis.com
10.19-10.20
Mempho Music Festival
Crosstober Fest
Mempho Music Festival
E
xperience good times and discover great music at the third annual Mempho Music Festival, with a line-up that includes the Raconteurs, Wu-Tang Clan, Brandi Carlisle, and the Revivalists. All held within Shelby Farms, the festival encourages concertgoers to bring a blanket or chair to enjoy the park. Food from local restaurants and food trucks will also be available.
Shelby Farms Park, 6903 Great View Dr. N. memphofest.com
10.5
Wine on the River
Shell Yeah! Ben Folds
10.4
Shell Yeah! featuring Ben Folds
Levitt Shell continues their Shell Yeah! benefit concert series with singer-songwriter Ben Folds. Known for both his solo career and his work with the group Ben Folds Five, Folds has performed his genre-bending music with orchestras all over the world. All proceeds from the Shell Yeah! series support Levitt Shell’s mission to build a stronger Memphis community through free music. Levitt Shell, 1928 Poplar Ave. levittshell.org
10.12
Travel the world in Mud Island River Park by going to the fifth annual Wine on the River and sampling wine from national and international vineyards. The “Around the World” theme allows eventgoers to explore cultural regions through their food and wine in Downtown Memphis, all while enjoying live music. Proceeds from the event benefit Best Buddies. Mud Island River Park wineontherivermemphis.com
Wine on the River
Celebrate Oktoberfest in Memphis by heading to Crosstown Brewing Company’s Crosstober Fest. The event offers attendees the chance to try a collection of German beers, as well as participate in the Fest’s stein hoisting competition and bratwurst eating contest. Bring the whole family to enjoy authentic Oktoberfest décor, German food, and live music. Crosstown Brewing Co., 1264 Concourse Ave. crosstownbeer.com
10.19
Cooper-Young Beerfest
Pink Palace Crafts Fair
10.1-10.13
Pink Palace Crafts Fair
Experience one of the oldest and largest crafts fairs in the country at the 47th Annual Pink Palace Crafts Fair, where more than 100 craftsmen gather to celebrate everything from woodworking, glass work, pottery, and more. The Fair is the Pink Palace’s biggest fundraiser, and offers fun for the whole family with activities like craft demonstrations, shopping, train rides, and a petting zoo. Audubon Park, 751 Cherry Rd. memphismuseums.org
Experience Memphis’ local and regional breweries at the CooperYoung Community Association’s 10th Annual Cooper-Young Beerfest. Attendees can choose samples from over 35
is Memph
PRESENTED BY
10.25
Memphis Tequila Festival
Sample 15 types of tequila at the third annual Memphis Tequila Festival in Overton Square. The festival also encourages attendees to get in the Halloween spirit with spooky face painting, music, and a costume photo booth. Hosted by our sister publication, Memphis Flyer, the event’s proceeds benefit Volunteer Memphis. Overton Square, 2101 Madison Ave. memphistequilafestival.com
10.25-26
Elmwood: Soul of the City Tour
Guided tours with historical reeinactments. Experience the saints and sinners, patriarchs and politicians, suffragists, scoundrels, leaders of the civil rights movement, lovers, and epidemic victims, as actors tell their life stories. Elmwood Cemetery, 824 S. Dudley St. elmwoodcemetery.org
Cooper-Young Beerfest
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STANDARD OF EXCELLENCE SINCE 1950 Memphis Magazine’s
THE 2019
FACE OF
ORIENTAL RUGS
Elmwood: Soul of the City Tour
10.26 COIN
Indie pop band COIN takes the stage at Minglewood Hall to perform hits like “Talk Too Much” and “Crash My Car.” The Nashvillebased group has performed at major festivals like Lollapalooza and Firefly, and is known for their unforgettable and dynamic live performances. Minglewood Hall, 1555 Madison Ave. minglewoodhall.com
COIN
10.26-27
arts projects, scholarships, and other arts-related organizations and events throughout the year. Riverside Drive between Jefferson and Beale Street riverartsmemphis.org
10.30
Elton John: Farewell Yellow Brick Road
Elton John’s three-year farewell concert tour arrives at FedExForum to deliver audiences an exciting and magical journey through John’s legendary catalogue. The Farewell Yellow Brick Road tour, with 300 dates around the world, celebrates John’s 50-year career and offers a glimpse into the artist’s life and hits with never-before-seen photos and videos. FedExForum, 191 Beale St. fedexforum.com
RiverArtsFest
More than 200 artists from around the country will gather at RiverArtsFest to exhibit and sell their work. The street celebration also features live art demonstrations and hands-on activities for all ages. Proceeds from the festival support community
appraisals handwash/cleaning sales reweaving repairs color run restoration pet and other stain removals moth damage odor removal and much more
Elton John
Master Weaver Ali Taghavi Restoring a antique Persian Farahan rug.
3554 Park Avenue, Memphis, TN • (901) 327-5033 • taghavirugs.com
Memphis Magazine’s
THE 2019
FACE OF ALTERNATIVE DISPUTE RESOLUTION (ADR)
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OCTOBER’S VERY SHORT STORY CONTEST WINNER
The Price He Would Pay by melinda keathley
W
illiam Jr. and Papa worked the river docks loading and unloading the cargo ships from St. Louis and New Orleans. It was August of ’73. Papa took sick first, but it was William Jr. who succumbed to its ravages. Although Papa was still as weak as a kitten on the night William Jr. died, he mustered the strength to help Mama wash and dress him in his suit. Our beloved son and brother lay for three days till Papa felt strong enough to construct the coffin and lift it into the wagon. We counted seven other funerals that day at Elmwood. All of them had died in the same quick and cruel manner. The fever’s effects left Papa unfit for working, so we didn’t have the money to leave. We just waited, prayed, and clung to hope, never leaving the house for more than what was necessary. The rest of us were spared that year, but not in
’78. We couldn’t get out in time. Mama’s people in Arkansas sent us what little money they could afford, but it was too late. Both Mama and Alma got sick. Once again we were powerless. Through the headaches and fever and the violent vomiting, Papa and I could only offer them minimal comfort. Their pain was unbearable, and I will never forget the sounds of their screams and then the heavy silence of their death. By mandate, the dead were buried quickly and together. Papa thanked God Mama and Alma would at least be near to William Jr. We sat in silent dread as we waited for the call of the dead collector, “Bring out your dead! Bring out your dead!” I kissed Alma’s little hands and Mama’s cheek. Papa carried Alma out first. We both gasped when we saw the bodies piled on top of one another. The man tried to help
PHOTOGRAPH BY ROBERT BUTLER, COURTESY UNIVERSITY OF THE SOUTH
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Papa with Alma, but Papa wouldn’t let him touch her. As gently as possible he laid her on top of that putrid pile of men, women, and children. Papa said a silent prayer over Mama before he gently lifted and carried her to the wagon. The collector held his hand out in expectation of payment. Papa gave him the coins he had in his pocket and said, “Only God knows what could drive you to do such wretched work.” That summer was a living nightmare. Anyone who had the means and was able-bodied left Memphis. All my friends were either dead or dying or had gone to safer cities, probably never to come back. Memphis itself seemed to die. The city completely shut down. There were no police, no government. There was no work. Papa had eventually returned to the docks, but as soon as the fever hit, they stopped the boats from coming up. The little food and lamp oil we had dwindled down to nothing. Despite the risk, I took to caring for the sick at St. Mary’s with Sister Constance. It didn’t pay anything, but they fed me what dinner and supper they could, which lightened Papa’s burden a little. The fever had killed so many that it soon became the only means to life for the rest of us. To survive, you cared for the sick or removed the dead. As the summer dragged on and the fever claimed more lives, our resolve and hope for better days dimmed. I could think only of Mama and Alma and saw their suffering in every face on which I laid a wet cloth or gave a sip of water. I took sick in late September. The night my fever spiked was the one and only time I ever saw Papa cry. Doctor Parson’s diagnosis of exhaustion and malnutrition brought us the only joy and relief we had known in weeks. Papa dropped to his knees in prayer and vowed to provide for me no matter the cost to him. When I awoke the next day, Papa was already gone. By dusk I was growing fearful Papa might not come back. We had heard stories of children left to fend for themselves. But as my fears of abandonment were lifted, my heart drowned in regret and pity for Papa, because I knew then the price he would pay to provide for me. I knew he was coming home when I heard his voice, stronger than it had been in years, calling, “Bring out your dead! Bring out your dead!”
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 9 at 6:00 p.m. Jamie Sumner Roll with It
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 10
MELINDA KEATHLEY is a native Arkansan. “Twenty years ago, I was drawn to the bright lights on the bluff. I graduated from the University of Memphis, married a native Memphian, and proceeded to make two additional native Memphians. I
at 6:00 p.m. Paul Tough The Years That Matter Most: How College Makes or Breaks Us
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 12
at 6:00 p.m. Damon Young What Doesn’t Kill You Makes You Blacker: A Memoir in Essays
SUNDAY, OCTOBER 13
little transportation company. I’ve
at 3:00 p.m. Murray Riss, Rabbi Micah Greenstein, and Susan Adler Thorp Beloved: A View of One of the South’s Oldest Jewish Cemeteries
written songs, poetry, and stories
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 16
now live in Collierville with my three native Memphians and work for a
my entire life, but only recently have summoned the courage to share them with strangers. I love to read, do yoga, and hike, and I constantly take one step forward and two steps back in my quest to be a better person.”
at 7:00 p.m. Grady Hendrix Skype Event A Novel Book Club
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 17
at 6:00 p.m. G. Wayne Dowdy Lost Restaurants of Memphis
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 19
at 2:00 p.m. Moziah Bridges with Tramica Morris Mo’s Bows
SUNDAY, OCTOBER 20 at 2:00 p.m. Larry Moore Images of Beale Street
MONDAY, OCTOBER 21 at 6:00 p.m. Mark Barr Watershed
SHORT AND SWEET (or not-
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 23
Contest welcomes entries of up to
at 6:00 p.m. Emily Roberson in conversation with Erin A. Craig Lifestyles of Gods and Monsters
750 words, maximum. Writers are
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 26
so-sweet), the Very Short Story
into their work. Winning stories
at 3:00 p.m. Novel presents Judy Christie & Lisa Wingate at Benjamin L. Hooks Central Library
are published in Memphis and
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 31
encouraged to incorporate the city
archived on memphismagazine. com. The Very Short Story
at 6:00 p.m. Novel Presents Gloria Steinem in Conversation with Tami Sawyer at the Orpheum Theatre
Contest recognizes ten winning entries annually, every month except February and August.
Novel is the presenter of Memphis magazine’s
The Very Short Story Contest is presented by Novel, Memphis’ newest independent bookstore, where each winning author will be honored with a $200 gift certificate. To submit: fiction@ memphismagazine.com
Mon–Sat: 9AM–9PM • Sun: 10AM–5PM 387 Perkins Ext. Memphis, TN 38117 (901) 922-5526 • novelmemphis.com O C T O B E R 2 0 1 9 • M E M P H I S M A G A Z I N E . C O M • 17
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pr e se n t i ng t h e
2019 Women of Achievement
left to right: Mary E. Mitchell for Determination, Maxine Starling Strawder for Initiative, Carol Danehower for Vision, Jane Hooker for Steadfastness, Rachel Coats Greer for Determination, and Mildred Richard-Edwards for Courage.
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COURAGE For a woman who, facing active opposition, backed an unpopular cause in which she deeply believed.
Mildred Richard-Edwards Born to a drug-addicted mother, Mildred dropped out of school in 1990 (at the age of 12) to care for her infant twin siblings who had been abandoned. In 2000 Mildred found out she was HIV-positive after she gave birth to her son, a pregnancy that was the result of rape. Overwhelmed, she was referred to Hope House. There she met staff members Maria Randall and Melissa White. For the first time, she met other women like herself. There she learned how to live with HIV and she earned her GED. Asked to speak at a Hopes and Dreams luncheon to raise funds for a new space, Mildred was terrified but Maria convinced her she could do it and stood by her side as she spoke. The experience was life-changing and she’s been speaking about living with HIV ever since. Mildred is a tireless advocate on behalf of people living with HIV, counseling them through Hope House and Friends for Life. She has been a peer mentor, patient navigator, and case manager. “You don’t leave someone who is living with HIV,” she says. Mildred received the National Public Citizen of the Year Award in 2016 from the National Association of Social Workers for her work advocating on behalf of people living with HIV/AIDS. She is founder of “My Sista’s Keeper,” which started as a small group for women impacted by HIV. Her siblings and son are grown and she now works for a pharmaceutical company, traveling to teach people how to live and thrive with HIV. Mildred is a force of nature who, through her courage, has transformed countless lives.
PHOTOGRAPH BY ANDREA ZUCKER
F
or 35 years now, Women of Achievement has recognized and honored female leaders who have changed Memphis — and sometimes the world — for the better. Be they educators, artists, CEOs, or simply agents of change, more than 250 women have been saluted for their distinctive impact. New in 2019 — and more than nine months in the making — is the Memphis Women’s Legacy Trail, a guide to places where women made history or where they are memorialized today. The trail stretches from Downtown (Beale Street) to Soulsville and Elmwood Cemetery, then east along Central Avenue to Christian Brothers University, the Pink Palace, and the University of Memphis. Chosen as exemplars in seven categories — Courage, Determination, Heritage, Heroism, Initiative, Steadfastness, and Vision — the honorees will be celebrated at an awards ceremony next March. We celebrate the examples they’ve set every day.
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DETERMINATION
HERITAGE
For women who solved a glaring problem despite widespread inertia, apathy, or ignorance around them.
For women whose achievements still enrich our lives.
Mary E. Mitchell Born in 1936, Mary Mitchell has lived in the same home in Orange Mound since she was 6. Developed in the late 1800s as one of the nation’s first planned African-American communities, for decades Orange Mound was a source of pride to the business owners, lawyers, teachers, and professionals who called it home. Today, many of those homes and businesses stand empty, and the local news media often reports stories of the neighborhood’s poverty and violence. To Mary, however, Orange Mound is sacred ground. She watched its slow decline, but was determined that the rich historic and cultural heritage of Orange Mound deserved to be preserved and celebrated, and she has worked to make that happen. In 1980, at age 44, she enrolled at LeMoyne-Owen College, graduating with a degree in philosophy. After graduation, she started her own business, but continued to promote the importance of Orange Mound at every opportunity. From 2000 through 2005 she chaired the Orange Mound Collaborative, which stressed education through empowerment, with an Early Childhood Institute, an oral history project, and a community newspaper. When grant funding ended, Mary enlisted the help of the University of Memphis Journalism Department to keep the paper running for several more years. In 2006, determined to maintain the momentum of the Collaborative, she co-founded the Melrose Center for Cultural Enrichment in Orange Mound, committed to the preservation and restoration of the Historic Melrose School building, which includes a genealogy center and a museum. Mary unites teams around historical, cultural, and socioeconomic factors to advocate for “The Mound.” She embraces opportunity and progress when faced with challenges. Thanks to her extraordinary determination, the history of Orange Mound has been documented through newspaper articles, tours, speaking engagements, and documentaries.
Rachel Coats Greer In 1958, Rachel’s father started Rachel’s Flowers, and in 1997, the florist moved to 2486 Poplar on the edge of Binghamton. The neighborhood suffered from crime, poverty, and hopelessness. One day a young boy asked for a job to buy clothes and school supplies. Rachel hired him, and when he brought friends along, also needing work, she hired them, too. She soon realized they needed more than money. With help from her parents and late husband, Harry Greer, she tutored them and bought school clothes. She mobilized friends, family, and employees, and Central Christian Church provided support. In 2002, Rachel’s Kids, Inc. became a nonprofit. The mission: Provide opportunities and improved quality of life for the children of Binghamton. The method: Call Rachel. Rachel does what is needed when it is needed. Help with school? Tutors are hired. Need food? It is delivered. Transportation? It is arranged. Need a safe haven from domestic violence? It is found. In 2003, Rachel and Harry moved their home to Binghamton and opened their door to the neighborhood. Over the years, more than 300 kids have been helped by Rachel and her volunteers. She takes them to football games, doctor appointments, and camps. She reminds them to believe in themselves and not allow their circumstances to define their future. A long-time customer says, “Rachel is a shining light of hope in a neighborhood where there are growing opportunities but still devastating challenges. She is a mentor, a counselor, a business partner, a problem-solver, a go-to person, and a humble servant leader for this neighborhood.” The many young Rachels and Haleys living in Binghamton named for Rachel and her daughter show how much Rachel’s determination has made a difference in the lives of children in Binghamton.
Cornelia Crenshaw (1916-1994) Cornelia Crenshaw was born in Millington, and at age 5 her family moved to Memphis, where she lived until her death in 1994. She attended Booker T. Washington High School and LeMoyne-Owen College. One of the few African-American professional women working outside the field of education, Cornelia was employed for 27 years by the Memphis Housing Authority. Her advocacy for workers’ rights got her fired from the MHA. She then sued, unsuccessfully, under the new Civil Rights Bill of 1964, to get her job back. At the age of 49, Cornelia became a full-time community activist. Noted for her stylish clothing and hats, she regularly attended city council meetings and made her voice and views known. Well before Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. came to Memphis to support the Memphis sanitation workers, Cornelia was collecting food and necessities for the strikers’ families. She was the person who told the union about Robert Worsham’s poem “I Am A Man,” which then became the iconic slogan of the entire civil rights movement. The only African-American woman on the strategy team headed by Rev. James Lawson, she walked in the daily protests Downtown and was tear-gassed during the first march led by Dr. King. Cornelia was ahead of her time in recognizing institutional racism. In 1969 she protested an increase in garbage collection fees by refusing to pay her Memphis, Light, Gas & Water bill. After MLGW turned off her utilities, she continued to live in her well-appointed home without gas or electricity for ten more years until she was forced to abandon it. Because of her protest, however, MLGW began to accept partial payments on bills, thus allowing customers to spread out their utility costs. Cornelia’s long-time advocacy was officially recognized when the Memphis Public Library named the Cornelia Crenshaw Branch at 536 Vance in her honor.
Estelle Axton (1918-2004) Estelle Axton co-founded Stax Records with her brother, James Stewart, the name a combination of STewart and AXton. Stax became renowned as a leader in soul music, rivaling the Motown sound in the 1960s. Born in Middleton, Tennessee, Estelle taught school in Memphis, married Everett Axton, raised two children at home, and worked as a bank teller. When her brother decided to open a record company, she persuaded her husband to mortgage their house and joined James as a full partner in 1959. Together they bought the old Capitol Theater on McLemore and turned it into a recording studio and a record shop. Jim managed the studio and Estelle ran the Satellite Record Shop. “The record shop was a workshop for Stax,” she once explained. “When a record hit on another label, we would discuss what made it sell.” Musicians recall Estelle as the one who encouraged them and sometimes made her brother sign them. She promoted the careers of Rufus and Carla Thomas, Otis Redding, Wilson Pickett, and Isaac Hayes, who said of her: “Estelle was a very generous woman, with her time, her counsel, and her advice. I think she was responsible for the racial harmony at Stax. Mrs. Axton, you didn’t feel any back-off from her, no differentiation that you were black and she was white. … Being in a town where that attitude was plentiful, she just made you feel secure. She was like a mother to us all.” “Were it not for her, there’s no way Stax could have become what it became,” says David Porter, the songwriter who wrote many Stax hits, such as “Soul Man” and “Hold On, I’m Coming.” After leaving Stax in 1970, she founded the Memphis Songwriters Association and co-founded the Memphis Music Association, the umbrella organization for all Memphis music. The Stax Museum of American Soul Music opened in 2003, and she lived to see it, dying in 2004 at age 85. In 2007 she was posthumously awarded a Grammys Trustee Award, given to “individuals who, during their careers in music, have made significant contributions, other than performance, to the field of recording.”
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HEROISM
STEADFASTNESS
For a woman whose heroic spirit was tested and shown as a model to all, in Shelby County and beyond.
For a woman with a lifetime of achievement.
Gabriela Salinas
Dr. Jane Howles Hooker
INITIATIVE
Jane Hooker was a mother of three and pregnant when she entered then-Memphis State University in 1961. Now 81, she really has never left the university. And the change she led while there — to revive and develop intercollegiate athletics for women, to teach and inspire generations of teachers — is legendary. From the 1930s until 1972 (when Title IX became law), many American colleges and universities provided no athletic programs for women. Instead, female athletes joined the Association for Intramural Athletics for Women. Jane spent summers playing sports at Cliff Davis Park and, as a teen, competing thanks to the YWCA’s Y-Teen basketball team. In 1956, while still at Messick High School, Jane married the love of her life, Joe Hooker. She became pregnant with their first child and hid her pregnancy until after graduation. Soon she was the mother of four. When she enrolled part-time at Memphis State in 1961, Jane majored in Health, Physical Education and Recreation. She earned a bachelor of science degree in 1968, followed by a master’s in 1969. She played basketball and badminton as a Tiger and served as head coach for women’s volleyball from 1970 to 1972. But Jane’s real love was teaching, so she left coaching and commuted to Oxford, where she earned her Ph.D. in 1988 at the University of Mississippi. In 1969, along with Elma Roane, Jane and several women across the state started a Tennessee Women’s Sports Foundation. Their mission was to provide intercollegiate varsity sports for women. Her interest in providing sports opportunities for children led her to accept responsibilities in the AAU Junior Olympics and Special Olympics. A recipient of countless awards, she taught and held U of M administrative positions until retiring in 1998. Jane is an active member of Bethany Christian Church and has written its history. She is a proud lifetime member of the University of Memphis Alumni Association and until recently could be found in the stands rooting for the Tigers.
For a woman who seized the opportunity to use her talents and created her own future.
VISION
Maxine Starling Strawder
For a woman whose sensitivity to women’s needs led her to tremendous achievements for women.
Gabby’s story of survival and courage has been told all over the world. In 1996, her father brought her to the U.S. from Bolivia at age 7 to be treated for cancer, but was unable to pay for her life-saving treatment at a New York Hospital. Actress Marlo Thomas heard of her plight and had her flown to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital — where no patient ever pays. The medical team treated the cancer in Gabby’s spine, helped allowing her to walk again. Barely a year after arriving in Memphis, however, her father and younger sister died in a car crash that paralyzed her mother. In 2001, she was granted U.S. citizenship and attended St. Agnes Academy and Christian Brothers University. During this time, she was treated again for cancer. In 2010, still a student at CBU, she joined the St. Jude Department of Chemical Biology and Therapeutics, where she helped establish “Danny’s Dream Team,” composed of former patients who run races to raise funds in honor of founder Danny Thomas. That year, she lobbied for expansion of Medicaid after the passage of the Affordable Care Act in 2010. She watched as that effort was defeated and saw the hospital that treated her family close. That sparked her political awakening. In 2018 Gabby ran for state senate. She defeated two opponents to become the Democratic nominee, facing a nine-year incumbent in a solidly Republican district. On election day, her opponent won by only 1,520 votes. Her spirit has been tested over and over again, but Gabby has emerged as a true hero.
In Beckley, West Virginia, Maxine was born with poor vision. The family moved to Cleveland, where 10-year-old Maxine saw legendary African-American dancer Katherine Dunham. That performance gave Maxine a life-long passion for dance. Her parents enrolled her at Cleveland’s Karamu House, one of the oldest African-American theaters in America, where she danced without her Coke-bottle glasses, barely able to see the stage. She attended Fisk University, which had no dance program, so cleaned houses to pay for travels to Europe, studying in Denmark and Germany. Back in the states, she worked with dancer/choreographer Bob Johnson’s Pittsburgh Black Theater Dance Ensemble. She earned a master’s degree in library science from Indiana University and took a job with the Memphis and Shelby County Public Library system. One of the first African-American librarians in Memphis, she became manager of the Gaston Park Branch. Maxine never gave up her passion, and in 1973 helped organize the First National Congress of Blacks in Dance. She remained active in the Memphis arts community for decades, involved with the Harry Bryce Dance Company, the Memphis Black Arts Alliance, and Project: Motion. When she turned 75 she choreographed the annual show for Project: Motion. 75 Rotations: Celebrating Maxine Strawder’s Passion for Dance had three sold-out performances, benefiting the Maxine Strawder Dance Enrichment Scholarship at the University of Memphis. While in Cleveland she fought housing discrimination and participated in marches and sit-ins for civil rights. In Memphis she continues to advocate for social justice. “Both my mother and grandmother lived to be 96 years old,” she says. “Both faced many obstacles in life and possessed a loving fierceness. They instilled that in me.”
Dr. Carol Danehower Every day dozens of women and girls in Memphis and Shelby County endure beatings, sexual abuse, verbal abuse, and emotional violence that strip them of their health, their sanity, their confidence, and their capacity to study or to work. Every year 15 to 20 local women are killed by men who have claimed to love them. Dr. Carol Danehower is committed to giving of her time, her expertise as a researcher and educator, and her passion for helping women to fulfill a vision of safety and fairness for women in their homes, at work, everywhere. Carol is an associate professor in the Department of Management at the U of M Fogelman College of Business and Economics. She became aware of the deadly extent of domestic violence locally and nationally as a board member with the Memphis YWCA. She came to the Memphis Area Women’s Council in 2011 as a volunteer concerned about women and violence, and how domestic violence limits women’s capacity to be productive and maintain careers. With the Women’s Council, she created a two-hour training workshop, “Violence at Home. Victims at Work. Employers Confront Domestic Violence,” which she presents to classes at the university every semester. With Deborah Clubb, co-founder of Women of Achievement, she has trained nearly 1,000 people in workplaces across the city about confronting domestic violence. Carol began chairing the Women’s Council board of directors in 2013 and continues in that capacity. Carol’s vision for safe, secure, productive homes and workplaces for all is critical and just. She has made generous and persistent efforts toward that vision. O C T O B E R 2 0 1 9 • M E M P H I S M A G A Z I N E . C O M • 21
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A LOOK AT THE OSTRANDERS — PAST, PRESENT, AND FUTURE.
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by jon w. sparks
T
he Memphis Theater Awards took its first bow at the Old Daisy Theatre in June 1984. It came about because, well, that’s what cities did when they had vibrant performance communities.
It was felt, with some justification, that if New York could have its Tony and Obie Awards, and Chicago its Jeff ceremonies, then why couldn’t Memphis reward its own stage folks? At the time, there was a restlessness among the theater people. Robert Jennings of The Commercial Appeal and Edwin Howard at the Memphis Press-Scimitar were the town’s theater critics and were fiercely competitive. Sally Thomason, who then headed the Greater Memphis Arts Council (now ArtsMemphis), felt there should be something the performing arts community could rally around,
left: Lance Raikes and the cast of Theatre Memphis’ Hairspray performed a high-energy number at the Ostrander Awards in August. The production won four of the trophies. right: Ostrander director Elizabeth Perkins presiding at the 2019 awards ceremony. PHOTOGRAPHS BY DON PERRY
something they could all participate in other than grumbling about what the critics were writing. She got together with Bob Towery and Kenneth Neill, then the publisher and editor of Memphis magazine, respectively, to come up with something. O C T O B E R 2 0 1 9 • M E M P H I S M A G A Z I N E . C O M • 23
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The idea of an annual competition Design. And two years ago, I won a and celebration seemed the natural Best Original Play Ostrander for When thing to do with the combined support It Rains, so as you can see, I will always of the Arts Council and Memphis mag- have a certain connection to Jim.” azine. The Arts Council took the job of wrangling a panel of judges and, in t was about three years that first year, a group of conscientious into the existence of the awards theater lovers were called to pass judgthat the Arts Council decided to ment: Walter Armstrong, Gene Crain, hand over the duties of running the Amy Dietrich, Levi Frazier Jr., Stephen show to Janie McCrary, who dealt with Haley, Emily Ruch, C. Lamar Wallis, marketing for the council. and Miriam DeCosta-Willis (see our She would coordinate the event for cover story on page 59). some 25 years and from the very start That first ceremony was basic recognized that the judging was at the — largely an announcement of the core of the awards. She sought to get winners accompanied by the sipping the most qualified people on the panels of wine. A special award for lifetime and looked for those with degrees, who achievement went to were directors, knowl“Jim Ostrander was a Eugart Yerian, deedgeable about plays scribed as “an aesthete and musicals, and who consummate performer, and adventurer” who were involved but not one that I greatly was director of the so close to the theater admired, with enormous community that they Memphis Little Theatre from 1929 to 1961. couldn’t be impartial. energy.” — Levi Frazier The award would there “One thing I did,” after be named for Yerian and the next McCrary says, “was to get professionals year, Jackie Nichols took home the in the field to give me definitions of the prize. It has been presented to local categories, like lighting and design, and theater luminaries ever since, the most tell us what we should look for in excelrecent being Christina Wellford Scott lence. And there was always a question about who has the major role and who (see Q&A sidebar). The awards themselves are now has the supporting role. The definitions called the Ostranders, named in hon- really helped the judges look at the right or of Jim Ostrander, one of the city’s things when they were judging. It was most popular actors, who died of can- all a process and fortunately I had 25 cer in 2002 at age 53. Ostrander was a years to refine it, and now they’ve taken powerful presence on local stages from it on to new heights.” the time he came to Christian Brothers Over time, more special awards were College in 1967, where he studied drama added on top of the Eugart Yerian Award. and music while involving himself in ◗◗ In 1994, the Larry Riley Rising Star Award was started to acknowledge productions in the area. and benefit — with a $500 stipend Frazier is a playwright, actor, direc— promising young talent. Memtor, and professor at Southwest Tenphis-born Riley had studied drama nessee Community College who has at Memphis State University and been deeply involved in local theater would go on to national acclaim for since high school. He was one of the his stage, film, and television work first judges of the awards and knew before his death in 1992 at age 39. Ostrander well, having done voiceover work for him and once losing out to him ◗◗ The Behind the Scenes Award was first given out in 2006 to acknowlin an audition. edge contributions by those who “Jim was a consummate performer — weren’t in the typical categories, inone that I greatly admired,” Frazier says. cluding stage managers, volunteers, “I constantly bring up his name when patrons, donors, and the like. I speak to my Intro to Theater classes as well as my acting classes because of ◗◗ The Putting It Together Award was first given in 2011 to McCrary his extraordinary talent. He had this to mark her contributions to enormous energy that he’d bring to the theater and the arts. Subsequent stage. And he knew everybody’s lines. awards, which bear her name, So if you ever dropped a line, he worked have been given to those who have it out and got you back on course.” been instrumental in managing Frazier has earned a couple of Ostheater companies. trander Awards along the way: “Years ago when I was teaching at the Univer- ◗◗ In 2013, the Gypsy Award was established to honor those who appeared sity of Memphis, my play, For Our Chilfrequently in ensembles or choruses. dren, won an Ostrander for Best Scenic
I
CHRISTINA WELLFORD SCOTT The award-winning actress looks at a lifetime of achievement. by chris davis
C
hristina Wellford Scott has mixed feelings. “It’s about awards in general,” she says, reflecting on previous Eugart Yerian honorees, and her reaction to learning that she would receive this year’s award for lifetime achievement in Memphis theater. Scott, a formidable performer and longtime upper school English instructor at Hutchison, wonders if she’s contributed enough to merit this kind of distinction. “I don’t think of this particular award as being for people who are just actors,” she says. Of course Scott, who started out in the chorus of Carousel at Front Street Theatre, and whose resume includes so many great roles from classical and modern canons, as well as the part of monster-slugging heroine Penny Carson in the cult horror film I Was a Zombie for the FBI, isn’t JUST an actor. Memphis: I wouldn’t describe you as, “just an actor.” Christina Wellford Scott: Way back when I started, I asked Jeff Posson, my ex-husband, “When can I start feeling good about calling myself an actress?” He said, “When you’ve done 40 shows.” That’s a very specific number. It is. And I just love doing it. There are plays that fascinate me, but I can’t evaluate my standing as an actor, or my work in the craft. If I start to try and do that I’m inevitably humbled by the next project. Because I always feel like I’m starting over from scratch every time I work on a new role. All my insecurities come out. Can I do this? Maybe this is the one where I’m going to make a total fool of myself and fall down and pass out on the stage and have to be carried out. But don’t most actors experience at least some of that? You train, obviously, so there are things you carry with you role to role. I think it’s dangerous to carry too much with you. Because the thing I notice the most — the pitfalls I see with friends and with myself — is the minute you’ve got it all figured out and you’re going with some preconceived notions about how something should be, or what your process is, you’re defeating yourself.
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You’re probably best known for your work on plays, dramas, etc. But you started out singing. I started singing when I was in high school. I loved singing even though I probably, in some respects, wrecked some of my voice being a high school cheerleader. My great love is music. I love it as much as theater and more, and whenever I think about a character, I have to find the music in the character. There’s a sort of musical through-line through everything, even if you’re just speaking it. And if I can’t find that I can’t find my way. I can’t have a character enter me or enter into the character. It’s just the basis of everything. My master’s degree is in vocal performance and so I was doing all that and majoring in English and falling into texts before I ever started doing theater. And if you can’t find the music? If I read a part and it doesn’t say anything to me — because I don’t get paid very much — my first thought is, “Why would I want to do this?” Some people have said, “I won’t cast actors that won’t take any role I offer them. I’ve had that said to me. And I think, “You’re not paying enough to say that.” Directors want commitment and working actors don’t always have a choice. But it’s a little self-important. To me it’s so wrongheaded. If something doesn’t speak to you, and you don’t treat it as something that’s going to be exploratory to your life and psyche, why would you do it? Unless you have a contract with the theater and you have to do it. Just being on stage doing anything isn’t what motivates me. Or even attracts me. You started out in opera. You toured with … With Southern Opera Theatre. I was also at the Cincinnati Conservatory for three or four years. Five years? Something like that. I’d majored in English at Rhodes. I thought I really wanted to go to law school but then decided I wanted to go to music school instead. I was in school with Faith Prince and folks who went on to major careers on Broadway. Then I came home and worked for Southern Opera, and then later for Opera Memphis and managed the tour. How did that evolve into acting? I was singing a lot until I married [actor/director] Jeff Posson, and I’d started acting under his influence. Then he had that terrible cerebral hemorrhage and the stroke during the surgery. I was pregnant with little Jeffrey, and I just couldn’t sing. Every time I’d start to sing I’d cry. Once you stop singing like that it’s hard to get back, especially with children. That’s why I was so happy to play Maria Callas in Master Class. It was a wonderful spilling of my heart. I know you’re musical, but still associate you more with dramatic work. People have forgotten that I even sing. I love opera. I love choral singing. I like musicals, but I’m very picky about them. I loved doing Sweeney Todd but there aren’t
a whole lot of musicals I’d just kill to be in. But sometimes … I remember when [Playhouse on the Square Executive Producer] Michael Detroit called me about A Man of No Importance. He gave me a demo tape to listen to and I listened to it for five minutes and I said, “I love this.” And I loved every minute of doing it. Then other people sent me things and I’d say, “No, not interested.” And then that would be the kiss of death for the next five years for working with that person. Because after you say no to somebody, they don’t want anything to do with you. When did you finally start to feel okay about calling yourself an actor? Normally, when I would do something, I would ask Jeffrey, “What did you think?” And he would say, “Holy buckets!” And “holy buckets” meant “you were terrible.” And that was a source of pain for me. But one show he didn’t see, for a variety of reasons, was a show called, Angel’s Fall, a Lanford Wilson play. It was my first time working with Bennett [Wood]. Jerry [Chipman] was directing. I’d just been playing Portia in Julius Caesar with [Ostrander Awards namesake] Jim Ostrander, who I loved. Jim and I had been in our first acting class together with [Front Street Theatre founder] George Touliatos. In any case, Angel’s Fall was a wonderful experience. Then I got married, he had the stroke, I had little Jeffrey, and all that slowed me down a bit. But then, sometime after that, I did The Heiress at Theatre Memphis, and that really kind of launched me. You co-starred in that with last year’s Eugart Yerian honoree, Tony Isbell... He played Morris. Jo Malin directed. We’d done Quartermaine’s Terms just before that. The Heiress is also where I got the terrible reputation for not being able to handle props. I was always having to enter with a million props. Then I accused Bennett and Jerry of always casting me in prop-heavy shows and making fun of me when I couldn’t handle them. What sorts of things do you do with props? Oh, you know — wrong props wrong scene. And I’m notorious for getting really in the moment and not putting a prop down when I’m supposed to. “Oh look, I’m carrying the gun that’s supposed to be up stage right.” So then I have to work my way back across a room to put it where it’s supposed to be. Oh, I bet that’s resulted in some fun situations. I was doing an Agatha Christie thing at Germantown Community Theatre and the actor playing the police inspector asked a yes or no question and I gave the wrong answer. I don’t know what it is — I think because my approach to acting is “don’t anticipate, just go.” I try to forget that I know all the lines and just walk out there and go, and respond, and sometimes that backfires on you.
Favorite shows? I was pretty proud of Tourvel in Les Liaisons Dangereuses where I met my husband Terry. And I love doing Tennessee Williams. Suddenly Last Summer was my first Tennessee Williams show. And of course A Streetcar Named Desire. Rose Tattoo. Night of the Iguana. Streetcar always spoke to me because my mother and I had both struggled with depression — she more so than I — and that’s so real to me. And Chekhov’s The Seagull. And I really enjoyed doing Gypsy although I was sick the first week. That’s the worst! Wouldn’t you love to have the luxury to play a part you love for six months? Long Day’s Journey Into Night — I loved doing that. But two or three weeks, two or three nights a week? That’s just not going to do it for roles like that. I know you’d like to direct. But are there dream roles you’re waiting for? I would do any Tennessee Williams or Arthur Miller. And I’m very interested in new plays. But if I say something like, “I’ve always wanted to play Martha in Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf,” it’s not going to happen. Every time I mention something, it’s death to that. I mentioned a show three or four years ago and somebody immediately put it on their season and precast it. It happened twice with this particular role. That sounds ridiculous, but I have no way to cast myself in anything. I don’t have the resources to mount things on my own. I can beg somebody to think about doing it, but you know I have to depend on the kindness of strangers.
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The first awards shows were simple affairs where winners were announced and toasted. “They gave out awards and everybody went home,” McCrary says, realizing that the presentations needed to become more entertaining. “We got a musical presentation from each of the nominated musicals,” she says. And for a few years there was Sister Myotis, the hyper-righteous church lady created by Steve Swift, as emcee.
R
andall Hartzog is now the director of marketing and communications at Theatre Memphis and remembers going to that first ceremony and many subsequent ones. “It was always like our own Oscars or Tonys type thing and there was always a sense of excitement,” he says.
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Veteran actor Curtis C. Jackson (left) with Karl Robinson, winner of 2019’s Larry Riley Rising Star Award. PHOTOGR APH BY JON W. SPARK S
“People would get so wound up about what to wear — and it’s still that way. I still have no clue what to wear.” While it was and is a competition, the overarching feeling, he feels, is that there is recognition for the people in theater. He also remembers the notorious Losers Awards, largely populated by those who did not take home a trophy and felt the need to compensate in a theatrical fashion. “I believe it was Deborah Harrison and Brian Mott who were behind it,” Hartzog says. “There were people off in the corner of the P&H Cafe, pissed off about not winning an award, and they started making up their own awards. It may, at one point, have been more popular than the Ostranders. The P&H would be absolutely packed. It was rowdy and obnoxious and great fun. Sometimes we’d have certificates with stupid stickers on them. Some people even got upset that they didn’t get a Loser Award. That’s how weird it was.” Hartzog didn’t acknowledge if he won any of the Losers Awards, but he did win three acting Ostranders for his work in Love! Valor! Compassion! at Circuit Playhouse, Ruthless! The Musical at Theatre Memphis’ Next Stage, and The Lisbon Traviata also at Theatre Memphis’ Next Stage. 26 • M E M P H I S M A G A Z I N E . C O M • O C T O B E R 2 0 1 9
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ver time, the ceremonies were held in various places, including the McCoy Theatre at Rhodes College, Memphis Botanic Garden, The Peabody, Memphis Brooks Museum of Art, and one year at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. The 2011 Ostranders were the last helmed by McCrary. “I decided I had done all I could do and that they needed younger blood,” she says. “We were getting more and more theaters wanting to be involved and that meant a total reshuffling of the way the judges did their work. And I had gotten some models from other cities that I showed Lindsey Roberts, so she took the show to the Orpheum.” Roberts had been understudying the role for a few years and in 2013 moved the Ostranders to the Orpheum, which became a sponsor. She overhauled the judging system and raised the bar for the ceremonies and the process. Two years ago, she turned the operation over to Elizabeth Perkins, who is putting her own
Elizabeth Perkins says there’s a lot of opportunity to really step back and say, “Where do we want to go, and what do we want to do?” mark on the Ostranders. Perkins, looking back, says that when Roberts took over, “she had this crazy idea that she wanted to expand the number of shows that were being seen.” There were newer companies that wanted Ostrander consideration, and that meant increasing the number of judges. But as Roberts worked with McCrary before taking over, she realized she would need someone to assist and eventually take over from her. So Perkins, whose theater background is in stage management, came aboard. “We recruited 18 extra judges that first year with Lindsey,” Perkins recalls, “and were able to add some of those companies like New Moon, Hattiloo, Voices of the South, and the Harrell Theatre.” The judging process is now a complicated thing but always operates with a priority of fairness. Perkins says with these changes and the dynamic state of Memphis theater, “there’s a lot of opportunity to really step back and say, where do we want to go and what do we want to do?” One such challenge Perkins acknowledges is this: “There’s a lot of awesome theater that’s happening that’s not part of the Ostrander community, for whatever reason. Some of that is [because] we’ve had in place guidelines that left them out.” To be considered for the awards, a company has to have three productions a year, but you’ll find some, like Quark Theatre, have only two. But the two they do are dynamite. So Perkins is looking at ways to bring them into the fold. One way, she says, could be with another
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category of independent productions. The Ostranders has always had the community division and the collegiate division. If it added an indie division, it might be able to include Quark, Cloud9 Memphis, and other companies that currently aren’t eligible for consideration. This is all happening as the Ostranders organization is contemplating making a big leap by becoming an official 501(c)3 nonprofit, a move that Perkins announced at this year’s ceremonies. “It’s a scary deal,” she says. “We have been very lovingly hosted under ArtsMemphis for 36 years, but it was born out of convenience. And they don’t do an awards ceremony for any other arts in Memphis.”
“After years of research, we decided it was time to pull off the Band-Aid and become our own entity.” — Perkins
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In this year’s Ostranders, Ariona Campbell won Best Supporting Actress in a Drama in the collegiate division for Crumbs from the Table of Joy at Southwest Tennessee Community College. With her is her daughter, London. PHOTOGRAPH BY JON W. SPARKS
It’s more than that. Perkins says the financial structure is such that the Orpheum writes off a certain amount of the production cost and Contemporary Media, Inc. (publisher of Memphis magazine) covers some. But some of the support is in-kind and some, as she says, “they just kind of do for us.” She says that she wanted to add a house band last year but there was nowhere that the money could come from and they couldn’t raise funds since potential donors couldn’t get a tax deduction. She ended up paying for it herself. “So, after years of research, we’ve decided it’s time to pull off the Band-Aid and become our own entity,” Perkins says. “That way we can fund-raise, we can better serve the community, and we can put some measures in place so that if any one of our three sponsors has to bow out for whatever reason, we won’t fold. Hopefully we’ll still have the generous support from those three organizations, but we can expand if we want to and do greater things.”
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BEHIND THE SCENES OF
BLUFF CITY LAW THE NEW NBC TV SERIES PUTS MEMPHIS IN THE SPOTLIGHT.
by chris mccoy
J
immy Smits jumps up and down like a basketball player staying loose between plays. It’s the first day on Bluff City Law’s brand-new set, constructed inside an undisclosed
location in East Memphis. The faux federal courtroom features “wild walls,” sections of finished scenery that blend seamlessly into the background, but which can be quickly removed to accommodate camera angles which would be impossible in a real building.
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PHOTOGRAPH BY MIKE KERR
9/17/19 3:46 PM
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The place is swarming with people. Three ARRI digital cameras and their crews are preparing to shoot Smits in a bench conference with the judge. Occasionally, a grip’s shoes squeak on the polished hardwood floor. Smits retreats to the jury box, trying to block out all the activity while he prepares for the scene. His co-star, Caitlin McGee, trades Birkenstock sandals for high heels as she walks onto the set to find her mark. Outside the fake window is a giant matte painting of the Memphis skyline and a blinding tungsten light to simulate the sun. “We had been using Memphis courtrooms,” says Andy Wolk, who is directing this episode of Bluff City Law, “but this is more flexible than a location shoot. It’s pre-lit.” Checking his voluminous call sheet, the director says they’re trying to shoot four and seven-eighth pages of episode 4, where Smits’ character in Elijah Strait’s firm takes on the Army Corps of Engineers over a faulty levee that flooded Arkansas farmland. “If we were watching this shoot a hundred years ago, the only thing that would be the same is the call sheet,” muses Wolk. Outside the set, Smits is one of the most loved and respected stars of his generation. Here, he’s just another member of the cast. And that’s how he likes it. “The best people to work with have no ego,” says Barry Sloane, who plays Jake Riley, an attorney with Strait and Associates. “That’s been without fail. Every-
one at the top of their game I have worked with has been similar. They don’t have to have that, because they have the innate understanding of what their talent is. That’s definitely the case with Jimmy. He’s very giving, he’s very welcoming, he’s very playful. … He leads with grace. It always stems from the top.”
CHALLENGING INJUSTICE
I
n terms of both budget and prestige, NBC’s Bluff City Law is the biggest television production ever to film in Memphis. It is the brainchild of executive producers Dean Georgaris, Michael Aguilar, and David Janollari. The show revolves around the Strait and Associates Law Firm, led by founder Elijah Strait, a legendary civil rights lawyer. In the pilot episode, he is reunited with his estranged daughter, Sydney, played by McGee, following the death of her mother. As the series progresses, the father and daughter must repair their relationship while they take on challenging court cases. “The centerpiece of the show is Elijah Strait,” says Janollari, a veteran producer with more than 30 credits to his name, including the HBO hit Six Feet Under. “We started off talking about a character like Atticus Finch — a real man who raised himself up to Memphis royalty from modest means, and has become kind of the unofficial mayor of the city, and the most famous lawyer in the entire state.”
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JIMMY SMITS
CAITLIN McGEE
BARRY SLOANE
JAYNE ATKINSON
ELIJAH STRAIT
SYDNEY STRAIT
JAKE REILLY
DELLA BEDFORD
PHOTOGRAPHS BY DON PERRY
THE CAST
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Smits began his television career with a guest shot on really want to root for him to repair the fractured relationship with his daughter. And yes, there’s a list of Miami Vice in 1984, but it was his role as attorney Victor actors who could do that, but when you really pare it Sifuentes on L.A. Law, which he played for six years, down, Jimmy has all of that in one package.” that catapulted him to stardom. For ten years, he was Detective Bobby Simone on NYPD Blue, then moved “If you spend five minutes with him, you’re going onto two years on The West Wing — which Bluff City Law to know he’s one of the nicest people on the planet,” producers cite as a major influence. says Caitlin McGee, who plays SydOn the big screen, he’s portrayed ney Strait, an ace attorney in her “I just can’t wait for own right. “I’ve worked with some everyone from Geronimo to Prinamazing actors who are completely cess Leia’s adoptive father, Senator American audiences different in how they treat their coBail Organa, in three Star Wars films. stars and how they treat their crew, Sit across a table from Smits, to get to see this but he is genuinely one of the best. and you’ll find him soft-spoken and thoughtful. “I’ve met lawyers … He cares about not only the acvery versatile cast. and people in the legal profession tors on the show, but the message of who say that L.A. Law really influthe show. When we’re in the courtThey’re hugely room, he asks the lawyers we have enced them, and made them want on set if things are by the book. Obto become a lawyer,” he says. “It’s talented and diverse.” viously some things are exaggerated interesting, because I get different generations who come to me and for television, but he wants to be as — j i m m y sm i t s say different things resonate with realistic and authentic as possible them. I met a reporter not too long — which I love.” ago who was the greatest Sons of Anarchy fan ever.” Smits says the dynamic between Elijah and Sydney “He’s a legend,” says Janollari. “To play the role of is crucial to the show’s success. “I’m happy that they’re Elijah Strait, we felt like we needed somebody who trying to keep the relationships complicated. At the could command that kind of screen presence. He needcenter of this is a father-and-daughter relationship. ed authority and intelligence to make you believe he’s The jumping-off point is grief and loss, and how they the best lawyer in the land, and that warmth, so you process that. The past has bumps in it, whether it was
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MICHAEL LUWOYE
MAAMEYAA BOAFO
STONY BLYDEN
JOSH KELLY
ANTHONY LITTLE
BRIANA JOHNSON
EMERSON HOWE
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tough love that forced her to go off and pursue another area of the law. All of these things in regards to the relationship keep it vibrant and textured for me. It doesn’t feel pat. I’m very thankful for that. And, on top of that, we’re tackling some great issues, in terms of what we’re doing in court.” The cases Strait and Associates will be taking on
will be familiar to contemporary America, says writer/ producer Bill Chais. “We’re not doing ripped-fromthe-headline stories, exactly. But we’re trying to talk about things that people are talking about today in the world. … Being a former lawyer, I’m the one in the room who is always trying to be sure that the other side has a strong argument. If not, it makes our job too easy, and our heroes don’t seem that heroic.” Janollari says the writers are striving to make the show relevant. “The best goal we can achieve is to connect with an audience so it speaks to them a little bit about the world we live in,” he says. “We’re not trying to be on a soapbox. We’re not trying to be preachy. But we are doing a show about the legal system, which is essentially the only place in our civilization right now, and certainly in our nation, where we can have a say in what’s right and what’s wrong and which injustices can be challenged.”
PHOTOGRAPHS BY JAKE GILES NETTER / NBC
above: Caitlin McGee and Jimmy Smits as father/ daughter legal team Sydney and Elijah Strait land in hot water in the pilot episode of Bluff City Law. above right: Stoney Blyden plays Emerson Howe, whose identity is an early season surprise. far right: Barry Sloane and Michael Luwoye are veteran theater actors recruited to play Jake Riley and Anthony Little, associates in the Strait firm. right: MaameYaa Boafo plays private investigator Briana Johnson.
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T
A DEEP BENCH
he father-daughter relationship between the Straits is the emotional core of Bluff City Law, but it has the bones of an ensemble drama, with an entire law firm’s worth of fleshed-out characters. Smits is quick to praise his co-stars. “I just can’t wait for American audiences to get to see this very versatile cast,” he says. “They’re hugely talented and diverse. It’s like having a team with a deep bench.” Many of the actors have a theatrical background, which is unusual for network television. Barry Sloane is an English actor who appeared in the Tony Award-winning drama Jerusalem with Mark Rylance. “There’s a theatrical nature to attorneys,” he says. “There’s a performance that is required that lends itself to that type of performer. It’s cast really well. There are some actors who have not been showcased yet who have got an incredible chance to shine. There are fresh faces, but they’re seasoned, not green.” Michael Luwoye took over the title role of Hamilton on Broadway from creator Lin-Manuel Miranda in 2016. He plays Anthony Little, a former Memphis police officer turned
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“What has been fascinating to me is that there’s an awareness of the show that
a rt s t h e p e r fo r m i n g r fo r e t n e c n o n the can
crosses social strata and racial and ethnic bounds.” — j i m m y sm i t s Strait and Associates attorney. He says acting for television requires “a different kind of stamina, a different kind of trust, a different kind of intimacy. The basics are the same. It’s still storytelling, engaging with your scene partners, and the world around you. But it’s just smaller. You’re not trying to project to the back of the house. You’re just there with another person.” The daughter of a diplomat who hails from the West African nation of Ghana, MaameYaa Boafo has a shelf full of acting awards from her days on the stages of Broadway and Los Angeles. She plays Briana Johnson, “a skilled private investigator, who is also Sydney’s oldest and closest friend. It’s cool working for your best friend and her dad. She’s kind of a wild card, and you guys will find that out in the second part of the season. But she is also unapologetic and unafraid to do the dirty work.” Josh Kelly doesn’t have an extensive theater background, but he is a former Army Ranger who did three tours of duty in Afghanistan
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Memphis Magazine’s
THE 2019
FACE OF
GIRLS EDUCATION
and one in Iraq. He plays Sydney’s ex-husband, Robbie Ellis. “She chose her career over him a couple of years prior,” he says. “Now she’s back, and he didn’t expect her to be back, because she left to be a bigwig lawyer. But he’s still in love with her.” Kelly says everyone on the set looks up to Smits. “People like Jimmy Smits. I’ve always called them marathon actors,” he says. “They’ve been doing this for a long time, and they’ve had ups and down, but they always keep running. They’re not sprinters. I always love working with them, because I hope to learn something. He’s an incredible gentleman to everyone on set. I’ve heard that about other people, like Keanu Reeves, who just seem to work forever. That’s a great lesson to learn.”
STARRING MEMPHIS
M
emphis has been associated with legal dramas since The Firm, the John Grisham novel turned into a Tom Cruise movie, became a hit in 1993. Janollari says it was Memphis’ long and sometimes tragic civil rights legacy that led the creative team to bring the show here.
“We’re trying to represent the city visually on camera, and put our characters in the city so that we’re not just featuring establishing shots,” he says. “We’re having walk-and-talk scenes on the banks of the Mississippi, in the clubs on Beale Street, and out on the street. Wherever real Memphis lives, we’re trying to capture that on screen.” Filming on location, outside of production hubs such as New York, Los Angeles, and Atlanta, is a rarity in network television. Smits says he appreciates the opportunity. “The location tends to focus you, because you don’t have to deal with the laundry, or whether the bills are paid,” he says. “It focuses you in
PHOTOGRAPH BY MACON WILSON / INDIE MEMPHIS
Caitlin McGee appeared recently at the Indie Memphis Youth Film Festival, shown here on stage with moderator and Indie Memphis Executive Director Ryan Watt.
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We make it easy to make time for your mammogram. Mammos ‘Til Midnight on October 25th. There aren’t a lot of hours in the day, and sometimes it feels like you spend them all taking care of someone else. That’s why we’re adding hours to our day to take care of you. Mammos ’Til Midnight is the ultimate “me time”— a nice glass of wine and hors d’oeuvres for you and a mammogram for your health. Join us on October 25, and let us spend our time on you. To make an appointment at Saint Francis HospitalBartlett, go to MammosTilMidnight.com. To schedule at Saint Francis Hospital-Memphis, call 901-765-3279.
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a way that tends to bond the cast together. I think that really happened during the pilot episode. We had a rehearsal period, which was unusual for pilots, and we were all here and rehearsed during the day, then get in a van and go to St. Jude together, or go to some of the museums together. It gelled the group in a really positive way.” The cast and crew report being welcomed to the city by Memphians. “What has been fascinating to me is that there’s an awareness of the show that crosses social strata and racial and ethnic bounds,” says Smits. “All the cast will tell you this. People are aware the show is shooting here, and there’s a gratitude for us showing the city in a positive light.” Smits, who founded the National Hispanic Foundation for the Arts, says he has already connected with the city’s Latino population. “No matter where I go, I try to find them, to see what’s out there. It always starts with food and church.”
“Wherever real Memphis lives, we’re trying to capture that on screen.” Memphis Magazine’s
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Luwoye says he has been exploring the city’s culinary scene. “What I love is being here and asking people from Memphis, what’s the best barbecue? It’s competitive. I listen to all the different answers, and then being an outsider, being like, ‘I’m just going to try them all and figure out for myself.’” Kelly has fallen in love with one of the city’s premier attractions. “I just came from bowling at the Bass Pro Shop,” she says. “People make fun of me on the set, because I’m the biggest Bass Pro Shop Pyramid fan ever. It’s a mini amusement park! They just need an indoor zip-line.” McGee believes Bluff City Law wouldn’t work anywhere else. “Filming in Memphis was really important to all of us, actors and producers alike,” she says. “How can you ask for anything better than acting in a barbecue restaurant that actually smells like barbecue? Or being in a courthouse while actual lawyers and judges are walking through? “The authenticity of the show relies on it being in Memphis, and Memphis itself is a character. It’s a city that has been misrepresented, especially with the National Civil Rights Museum being here, and its acknowledgement of its history, and its wanting to be better. That’s the entire message of our show.”
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9/23/19 8:37 AM
The Colorful World of
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by Michael Finger C rouched before a blank canvas
The Dixon Gallery and Gardens showcases an “A-List” Abstract Expressionist artist in the first major exhibition of his work in almost 40 years.
ABOVE: Friedel Dzubas, Kay’s Travel, 1959 Oil on canvas, 55 7/8 x 102 1/8 in., Ira A. Lipman Family Collection
that stretched more than ten feet on the bare floor of his studio in New York City, Friedel Dzubas peered at the small sketch taped to the wall in front of him. After a few moments, he dipped a wide brush into the can of acrylic, a new product he had discovered called Magna. He pondered how to improve the effect he had created on the sketch, then carefully began to create a band of darkened purple across the top half of the canvas, a solid color close to the edge, fading out as it reached the center. Later, he would add bands of black, orange, and pale blue, with the colors simultaneously pulling away and yet blending into each other. Days later, finished with the painting that he would title Nightroot, Dzubas carried it to the gallery that sold his artwork. He would paint in this fashion, off and on between stints as a visiting professor at half a dozen colleges and universities, for the rest of his life, enjoying a considerable measure of fame along with his contemporaries in the burgeoning Abstract Expressionist movement. He was praised in the art journals of the day, and his paintings were included in major exhibitions. By the time of his death in 1994, the powerful works of Dzubas, some of them painted on relatively small four-foot canvases, others stretching for ten feet or more, found homes in museums, galleries, and private collections throughout the country. Over a 38-year period, more than 40 of his greatest works — one of the largest private collections of Friedel Dzubas in the world — had been acquired by an art connoisseur, philanthropist, and businessman well-known to Memphians. Ira A. Lipman, founder of the security firm Guardsmark, began collecting the art of Dzubas in 1980, when he came across the dramatic painting Reflex at the Audrey Strohl gallery in Memphis.* Lipman, who passed away in September, once wrote that he considered the artist “an indefatigable human being, who through his art wields persistent and persuadable powers.”
* Ira A. Lipman was also a stockholder in Contemporary Media, Inc., publisher of Memphis magazine. See page 48.
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ABOVE: Friedel Dzubas, Nightroot, 1973 Magna (acrylic) on canvas, 60 x 139 1/4 in., Ira A. Lipman Family Collection
Earlier this year, the Lipman family’s entire collection was showcased in the book Friedel Dzubas: Our Collection, written by art historian Patrician L. Lewy and published by the Creative Content division of Contemporary Media. More than 30 works from that collection — including Nightroot — go on display October 27 through January 5, 2020, at The Dixon Gallery and Gardens. “Friedel Dzubas: The Ira A. Lipman Family Collection” is the first full-scale retrospective of
the artist’s work since 1982, which was held at the Hirshhorn Museum in Washington, D.C. “Freidel Dzubas is an A-List Abstract Expressionist painter,” says Kevin Sharp, the Herbert S. Rhea Director of the Dixon. “He’s working in the same idiom as Helen Frankenthaler, Morris Louis, and the Washington School in general — but in my opinion, he’s doing it better, and the beautiful thing about this exhibition is how it spans his entire career.”
B orn in 1915 in the formative years
of the German republic, Friedel Dzubas spent time as a young man learning book design and layout from an uncle, Wilhelm, a successful illustrator. Worried that the growing power of Adolf Hitler would block his attempts to work as an artist in Germany, Dzubas joined his uncle when he moved to London, and from there emigrated to the United States. He first began working at a farm in Virginia — a collective called the Hyde Farm-
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lands that was designed to help Jewish immigrants from Germany assimilate to life in America — before making his way to Chicago, where he illustrated books for Ziff-Davis and other prominent publishers. As Lewy writes in Friedel Dzubas: Our Collection, “Dzubas’ passion to become a successful artist drove him to New York City, fast becoming the center of the art world. … [He] spent these first years absorbing the styles of the artists around him, … develop-
ing a distinctive voice that would characterize his production to the end of his life.” He met the influential art critic Clement Greenberg, who introduced him to Jackson Pollock, Willem de Kooning, and other prominent artists in the burgeoning Abstract Expressionist movement. During the late 1950s and early 1960s, Dzubas began to develop his unique style, using whatever medium and material appealed to him. At one point, he created a
series of works on cotton bedsheets. Displayed at the prestigious Leo Castelli Gallery in New York City, these and other works quickly attracted the attention of the art world. “Critics remarked on their painterliness and tactile appeal,” writes Lewy, noting that “one reviewer described them as formulating chaos into a total movement of restless detail and cloud-like battle, with a tranquility at center like a shaft of light that breaks through
a banked storm.” Dzubas made extensive use of large canvases, bright colors, washes, open fields of white gesso, and other techniques that came to define his style. As Sharp points out, his work is distinctive because “his paintings are so meticulously crafted. The way he paints, there’s no turning back.” Unlike many of his contemporaries, Dzubas often made a small, preliminary sketch of exactly what he hoped to achieve, though sometimes modifying it to
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RIGHT: Friedel Dzubas, Arch, 1963 Magna (acrylic) on canvas, 86 5/8 x 59 3/4 in., Ira A. Lipman Family Collection
suit his purposes once he began to paint on the much larger canvas. As a result, says Sharp, “We are used to thinking of Abstract Expressionist painting like the works of Jackson Pollock, but Dzubas was more careful in his ‘mark making.’ There’s a kind of confidence in the way he paints that I find incredibly impressive.” Julie Pierotti, the Dixon’s Martha S. Robinson Curator, agrees, noting, “There’s a tendency to think that all abstract painting is just random and spur-of-the-moment. But you can tell by looking at Dzubas’ paintings that everything is very carefully planned and very careful.” A close look at most of his paintings reveals no overpainting, no “correcting” of the final design. In the mid-1960s, Dzubas had discovered a newly developed acrylic paint called Magna.
“Its characteristics appealed to Dzubas,” writes Lewy. “It dried quickly to a matte finish; it held its highly loaded pigment over time, creating a rich and bright optical effect; paint could be applied thinly without losing this intensity of hue; and most importantly, it encouraged wet-on-wet painting, and with this technique, spontaneous painterly effects could be achieved before the paint dried.” Dzubas himself once remarked that Magna “didn’t let itself be pushed around. It was resistant.” The artist drew his inspiration from multiple sources: nature (Arch, 1963, or Condor (For Ned), 1966), Christianity (Lazarus, 1959), Greek mythology (Cyclops II, 1985), journeys (Kay’s Travel, 1959), urban scenes (Night Ferry, 1975), and myriads. During his career, he worked with several
important dealers for the sale and promotion of his work, chief among them the Robert Elkon Gallery, the André Emmerich Gallery, and the Lawrence Rubin Gallery, all located in New York City. He worked from large, light-filled studios at different locations in the metropolis, but as his fame grew, in the late 1960s and into the 1970s, he would from time to time leave New York entirely, to serve as artist-in-residence at Dartmouth College, the University of South Florida, Cornell University, Sarah Lawrence College, and the University of Pennsylvania. In 1978, he accepted a position advising art students at the School of the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston, a role he continued until 1990. Over a career that spanned some 40 years, he refined his style, and even his format, for a while working with perfectly square three-foot canvases, and then stretching his paintings onto canvases measuring as large as 6 by 12 feet. Even though the works themselves are carefully designed and crafted, Dzubas explained the passion behind his art to students during a workshop in 1979: “You take that red, and you take account of its dynamic, of the experience, of it at this moment. You place it there: a loose movement, we hope, an unpretentious movement, naturally, because honesty is dependent on looking unpretentious, yes? … Once you have the first thing down, you have heart ….” This “painting process” is, Sharp says, “the thing that I love most about his work — this notion that the process is actually the work of art, and the finished painting being more or less the result of that process. That’s pure expression.”
The works of Friedel Dzubas were featured in countless shows and exhibitions, beginning with a penand-ink drawing that was accepted into the “47th Annual Exhibition by Artists of Chicago and Vicinity” in 1949, and continuing throughout his lifetime. Two major presentations of his work took place at the Museum of Fine Arts in Houston in 1974, and the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston in 1976. However, the
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Also on display at the Dixon at the same time as the Dzubas exhibition will be “Abstract Expressionism: A Social Revolution.” Drawn from a private collection in Jacksonville, Florida, this exhibition will showcase seminal works by 25 “bigname” artists such as Willem de Kooning, Hans Hoffman, Mark Rothko, Helen Frankenthaler, Franz Kline, and others prominent in that movement. “These works challenged the institutional status-quo and altered the course of art history,” says Kristen Rambo, the Dixon’s digital communications associate. “They abandoned narrative painting, focusing instead on the relationships between color, gesture, and texture.” Each show is designed to complement the other, says Dixon Director Kevin Sharp. “You have a broad survey of abstract painting in ‘A Social Revolution’ and then you have the Dzubas exhibition that really focuses on one artist who did this across a fairly long career.”
CLOCKWISE FROM TOP: Helen Frankenthaler (American, 1928-2011), February’s Turn, 1979. Acrylic on canvas. 48 1/8 x 108 1/4 inches. The Haskell Collection. ©2018 Helen Frankenthaler Foundation, Inc. / Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York
Mark Rothko (American, b. Russia, 1903–1970), Untitled, 1968. Oil on paper mounted on canvas. 39 3/8 x 25 inches. The Haskell Collection. ©2018 Kate Rothko Prizel & Christopher Rothko / Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York
Willem de Kooning (American, b. the Netherlands 1904–1997), Woman II, 1961. Acrylic on canvas. 48 1/8 x 108 1/4 inches. The Haskell Collection. ©2018 Helen Frankenthaler Foundation, Inc. / Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York
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ABOVE: Friedel Dzubas, Break-Through, 1987 Magna (acrylic) on canvas, 40 x 40 in., Ira A. Lipman Family Collection
only full-scale retrospective was held in 1982 at the Hirshhorn Museum in Washington, D.C. — until now, when “Friedel Dzubas: The Ira A. Lipman Family Collection” goes on display at the Dixon. Sitting in his office overlooking the Dixon gardens, Kevin Sharp holds a copy of Friedel Dzubas: Our Collection. “To give you the background of how all this got started, it was this publication,” he says. “Josh Lipman [Ira Lipman’s oldest son] told me about the book project. I was among the first in Memphis to see a copy of it. And that’s really all it took to know that I wanted to show this work at the Dixon.” Sharp met with Lipman to view the collection. “After Kevin first saw the artwork in person, he came
back and said, ‘You are not going to believe this,’” says Pierotti. Sharp was so excited about presenting the show, he says, that “we walked around with a tape measure and figured out the maximum number of works that we can fit into the Dixon.” Three of the larger works are even going on display in the Catmur Foyer, normally not used for changing exhibitions. “We are incredibly grateful to the Lipman family for this opportunity,” says Sharp. “We are thrilled and honored that they have entrusted us with their collection.” Pierotti hopes the exhibition will focus more attention on the legacy of Friedel Dzubas: “The work is such high quality that I hope it’s the beginning of more exhibitions on
this artist.” The paintings will be arranged chronologically, as much as possible, with almost every gallery at the Dixon devoted to Dzubas, with the exception of a concurrent exhibition featuring other abstract expressionists (see sidebar on page 45). “It’s really interesting to see the subtle changes in his style from the early work in the 1950s into the work that he makes in the late 1980s,” says Pierotti. “Those from the 1950s have a lot of energy and tension in them, a lot going on, while some from the 1960s and 1970s have more of a quieter presence. “There’s something about that experience of walking through an exhibition like this,” she continues,
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ABOVE: Friedel Dzubas, Lazarus, 1959 Oil on canvas, 60 5/8 x 91 7/8 in., Ira A. Lpman Family Collection
BELOW: Friedel Dzubas, ca. 1980 Photograph courtesy Friedel Dzubas Estate Archives
“Friedel Dzubas: The Ira A. Lipman Family Collection” and “Abstract Expressionism: A Social Revolution” October 27, 2019 — January 5, 2020
Remembering Ira A. Lipman In 1985, Ira Lipman was one of several partners who formed what would become Contemporary Media, Inc., this magazine’s parent company. In addition to his business acumen as founder and long-time president of Guardsmark, the Memphis-based security firm, he was a passionate advocate for civil rights, as well as a lover of history and the arts. As a teenager, Lipman attended Little Rock Central High School, where he assisted NBC news reporter John Chancellor with his coverage of the 1957 integration by the Little Rock Nine and the crisis that followed. The two became lifelong friends, and in 1995 Lipman created the John Chancellor Award for distinguished journalism, now presented annually at Columbia, where that university in 2018 established the Ira A. Lipman Center for Journalism and Civil and Human Rights. A fierce defender of the First Amendment, his influence was profound for all who worked here at Memphis magazine and our other publications. Mr. Lipman passed away on September 16, 2019. We mourn his family’s loss, and our own. —Kenneth Neill
“and tracing the artist’s career that can really teach you about the artist, and really make an impression on you. In fact, it kind of chokes you up, to let it wash over you a little bit at a time. I think it’s going to be a show you’ll want to come back and see again and again. Everyone who sees it is going to be blown away by it.” Based on interviews with critics, Dzubas would have enjoyed creating that experience for his viewers. In that 1979 workshop, he explained it this way: “To experience high art all you need is a hunger for larger experiences than we in our lonely souls feel; a larger thing touching us, and at that moment we become the larger thing, that instant: That’s the way it is. We are touched by something outside of ourselves that is larger, and we are equally as large. It’s a great feeling; it’s a little ecstasy.”
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9/18/19 11:29 AM
BECHATT ROAD TRIP
The same state, but a different world. On the Waterfront
I
t’s a sunny afternoon and the Chattanooga riverfront is packed with people. Some meander along the Riverwalk, a series of paths along the southern bank of the Tennessee River. Below, paddlers navigate the gentle currents. A pontoon boat filled with swimsuited partiers bellies up to the dock, the only visible sign of civilization on wooded Maclellan Island. Above, the Walnut Street Bridge is alive with activity. Built in 1891, the Walnut Street Bridge was the first non-military road bridge across the Tennessee River. It was closed to traffic in 1978, a casualty of Downtown’s long downward spiral. The bridge’s conversion to a pedestrian span in the early 2000s was one of the harbingers of change for the better. On the bluff overlooking the bridge is the Hunter Museum of American Art. The institution’s exterior traces the last century of the city’s history. At the center is a neoclassical mansion built in 1905 for insurance magnate Ross Faxon. On the east side is a concrete brutalist addition to the museum built in the 1970s. Nearest the Walnut Street Bridge is the West Wing. The postmodern design, with curling roof clad in shiny zinc and glass exterior walls that invite light into a sprawling interior atrium, was the Hunter’s $22 million contribution to the Chattanooga riverfront project that transformed Downtown.
This fall, the museum is celebrating itself with an exhibit exploring its history and the legacy of its founding benefactor, George Thomas Hunter, who was one of the original bottlers of Coca-Cola. Also opening in October is “Noel W. Anderson: The Blak Origin Moment.” Anderson’s textile art uses found images of black men from media and distorts them until they are unrecognizable to comment on the shameful legacy of media outlets perpetuating racial stereotypes. It’s especially fitting that the Louisville native’s work is being featured at this spot on the Chattanooga riverfront. The Walnut Street Bridge was originally built to connect Chattanooga with the North Shore, then a predominantly black town. Today, Chattanooga’s population is about 30 percent African American. In front of the Tennessee Aquarium, the tents of an arts and crafts fair dot the carefully manicured public space. Inside, there are so many people crowded around the towering transparent tanks that it’s sometimes hard to move. Kids’ jaws drop as sharks circle overhead. Visitors press their faces against the glass to get a better look at the pulsating jellyfish, transformed into psychedelic ghosts by carefully designed lighting. At the peak of the aquarium’s Ocean Journey building, the Butterfly Garden, one of my personal favorite spaces in all of Tennessee, is alive with flapping wings. Kids chase after the colorful sprites, and their parents chase after them to try and enforce the aquarium’s “no grabbing” rule.
PHOTOGRAPH BY BG
by chris mccoy
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PHOTOGRAPH BY CHRIS MCCOY
T ANOOGA The riverfront in Chattanooga sets the tone for such as a small amphitheater tucked beneath a shelDowntown in a way that Memphis can only aspire tering bluff. The riverwalk area came about because to. Both cities spent decades building up their cenof a coordinated capital campaign between the Hunter ters, then decades watching them crumble. Both cities Museum of American Art, the Tennessee Aquarium, began to turn around at approxiand the Creative Discovery Mumately the same time, the turn of seum, who pooled their resourcthe twenty-first century. Memphis’ es and came up with $150 million Downtown revitalization has takto transform the area. One of the en many forms; tens of thousands main innovations that made the of people now live in spaces that riverfront such a success was priwere vacant wastelands less than oritizing pedestrians over cars, says 20 years ago. But we have continStacy Richardson, chief of staff for Chattanooga mayor Andy Berke. ued to struggle to make use of what should be one of our greatest civic “The main road that intersects assets, the Mississippi riverfront. between our Downtown and our Chattanooga, on the other waterfront is Highway 58. When hand, started with the riverfront they did the twenty-first-century and worked outward. First, they riverfront plan, a good part of it was unf linchingly confronted a dark about downsizing that road — givThe riverfront in Chattanooga ing it a road diet,” says Richardson. part of their history. Ross’ Landing sets the tone for Downtown “Now, it’s a single, cohesive experiwas the eastern beginning of the in a way that Memphis Trail of Tears, where the Cherokee ence from the Hunter to Downtown expelled from East Tennessee and to the waterfront, so you can stroll can only aspire to. Georgia by Andrew Jackson beand feel comfortable. We not only gan their involuntary journey to Oklahoma. The Ross’ doubled down on physical space, we doubled down on Landing monument memorializes the awful moment cultural institutions. How do we make this a great city? with a long, gentle waterfall. Artwork by a collective We’re going to focus on the cultural institutions as the cornerstone of that effort.” of Cherokee artists called Gadugi tells the story of the Native Americans who lived in the region, tried to assimilate, but who ultimately paid the price for The Poet Whisperer American progress. rika Roberts is a poet, mother of two, Beyond the somber beauty of Ross’ Landing, the grandmother of two, and a lifelong Chattanoogan. She remembers the bad old days. Riverwalk offers nooks and crannies for exploration,
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E
above: The pedestrianonly Walnut Street Bridge connects Downtown’s riverfront with the popular North Shore district. inset: The West Wing of the Hunter Museum of American Art clings to a bluff overlooking the Tennessee River.
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9/16/19 10:45 AM
PINK PA L A C E CRAFTS FA I R AUDUBON PARK MEMPHIS
OCTOBER
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F R I D AY - S U N D AY
11-13 P L AY Entertain your playful side with live music from local bands. Feast on our food truck smorgasbord.
SHOP Shop for eclectic, one-of-a-kind arts and crafts. Handcrafted pottery, glass, woven goods & much more!
EXPLORE Explore intriguing crafts demonstrations and hands-on learning. Entertain your brain at the Pink Palace Crafts Fair.
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“Downtown was not a fun place to go when The Great Clean-Up I was younger. If you did, people looked at he biggest reason young peoyou like, ‘What?’” she says. “Those of us who ple have been f locking to Chattanooga in recent years is its natural remember it, love it even more. We’ve seen beauty. But it wasn’t always like that. In its growth, and we’re like, ‘Yes! This child has grown up to be great!’ Sometimes I just 1969, an EPA official told Walter Cronkite walk Downtown. I don’t have any destination that Chattanooga was the dirtiest city in America. A combination of mining and meant. I just walk, sit at a bus stop, and listen to the conversations. It’s like a soundtrack of metal smelting and the city’s famed railroad life Downtown.” hub had polluted the skies, water, and land. Roberts calls herself a creative. She says “Because the city is down in a bowl, the she’s seen an explosive growth in the populagreatest concentration of heavy industry tion of people like her: painters, writers, and was also the greatest concentration of cars tech workers of a creative bent attracted to and trucks,” says Coulter. “There were no the area in the last few years. She’s sometimes pollution controls on any of that stuff. And known as “The Poet Whisperer” for her knack when the pollution would come out of the for getting people togethplants and out of the cars, er, and creating scenes it didn’t go anywhere. It that encourage creativity, just stayed in the valley.” with shows at places like The city took Cronkite’s The Palace Theater. Chatreport as a wake-up call. tanooga’s revitalization “It wasn’t just the pollution. It was the dead “has allowed the creatives Downtown, too,” says to be creative. It has given Coulter. “We had made us places to be creative in. It’s not abnormal.” a city unlovable, and we The Palace Theater is were well on the way to located on the ground making it unlivable.” f loor of the Tomorrow Coulter says cleaning Building, one of Downup the polluters uncovered the area’s natural town Chattanooga’s prebeauty. “Younger genmier examples of creative re-use. “There was no one erations seem to look as here who thought there much for the quality of was any way you could life they want to live away renovate that building, from work as they do at which has been rotting work opportunities. And Chattanooga’s revitalization for decades,” says Ann we look pretty good in “has given us places to be Coulter, an urban planthat way.” ning consultant who grew Developer Ken Hays, creative in.” — Erika Roberts who recently stepped up in Chattanooga. Ted Alling, Barry Large, and Allan Davis, down as chairman of the Chattanooga EnChattanooga logistics entrepreneurs who terprise Center, says, “One of the things that has really put us on the map is our outdoors. created a Downtown startup incubator, invested $8 million in the four-story, 120-yearYou can go out rafting, canoeing, and kayaold former hotel to create a unique co-livking. Bob Corker, when he was mayor, put a ing space designed to attract the young and strong focus on promoting and organizing tech-savvy. Coulter sees it as one of the great our outdoor community. … These developsuccess stories of the last decade. All cities ments weren’t necessarily to bring tourists in. want growth and new investment, but that They were just for the locals. If you make life often comes with a loss of civic character, as better for the local community, the tourists historic buildings are sacrificed to the highwill come. That’s happened. rise cult of glass and steel. “If you go to a lot of these bigger cities, it “Comparing us to Nashville, their pace of could be anywhere,” he continues. “We’re growth has worked against re-use,” Coulter trying to be unique and keep that character. says. “Everybody seems to be in such a rush Be Chattanooga. There’s been a lot of focus on to get the next big project done. We’ve had technology and innovation. There were some the benefit of a little bit slower timeframe for stories that said we were the next Silicon ValDowntown redevelopment. We still occasionley. That’s not the case. You are who you are.” ally lose something, but we’ve had people put more money into building redevelopment that The Grand Canyon of Tennessee makes any kind of economic sense. People hattanooga is amazing, in know that. I wouldn’t say it necessarily sets a that you have every possible outdoor standard, but it does move the bar higher for activity available to you here,” says the next one.” Captain Matt Schubert. “You’ve got more
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PHOTOGRAPH BY CHRIS MCCOY
47TH ANNUAL
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A Walk in the Woods
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’m climbing up rugged Stringer’s Ridge with Jenny Park, Tennessee state director of the Trust for Public Land (TPL). The trailhead where we started this wooded journey is only minutes away from her offices on Chattanooga’s North Shore. Not long ago, this natural area was the crosshairs of developers seeking to profit from the influx of people. “The developer was going to build some high-density condos,” Park says. “Residents got mad, because they were seeing Chattanooga changing already.” TPL, a national nonprofit which has been operating in Chattanooga for 25 years, stepped in to preserve the land and create park space. “This is protected forever,” says Park. “It can be used only for light recreation and conservation. It was a big win for Chattanooga, because it started with a grass-roots effort to prevent something from happening that a lot
of the city didn’t feel like was the right thing.” When we pause for a drink of water at an overlook providing a spectacular view of the city, we meet Elliot Stahl, walking the trails with his friendly dog. Stahl worked for the U.S. Geological Survey in Atlanta before moving to Chattanooga three years ago. Now he manages The Crash Pad, a hostel for climbers in the heart of Downtown. “This has always been my destination city, because I’m really into caving,” he says. “It’s a hotbed, because we’re right in the middle of TAG [the area where Tennessee, Alabama, and Georgia meet]. Some of the best caves in the country are right here. Then I got into climbing, too, so it’s just the perfect place for me to live.” Of the hundreds of caves that riddle the karst topography of TAG, Stahl says his favorite is Ellison’s Cave, the second-deepest in North America. “It’s got a 500-foot rappel next to a waterfall. At the bottom is a mile of beautiful passage to the other side of the mountain, where there’s another 400-foot pit. It’s one of the most exceptional caves in the country, and it’s right here.”
The recently completed Chickamauga Creek Greenway has 23 miles of trail snaking around the area, connecting the city with the forested mountains and rivers. Today, 23 miles of greenway snake around the area, connecting the city with forests, mountains, and rivers. The South Chickamauga Creek Greenway, which includes a spectacular stretch of elevated walkway, is the final, 12-mile piece of the puzzle connecting these trails. TPL considers it their crowning achievement. But just because you build it doesn’t necessarily mean they’ll come. “There’s a perception which I feel is really unhealthy that the outdoors are for wealthy white people,” says Park. ”If that’s who is actually using places like Stringer’s Ridge, that’s even more of a problem that should be addressed. We know
there are a lot of historic reasons why African Americans in particular haven’t felt comfortable recreating outdoors. I feel a responsibility to do what I can with my organization to provide more access and opportunities for enjoying nature in communities that are very different from one another. … We’ve got neighborhoods that are half a mile from the river, but the kids haven’t been to the Riverwalk. We partnered with an after-school program that takes kids to parks. They love it! They were just in a different world. And it’s in their backyard!”
Choo Choo Me Home
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here are literally thousands of songs about Memphis, but only one famous one about Chattanooga. Glenn Miller and the Andrews Sisters made “The Chattanooga Choo Choo” into a monster swing hit a few months before America entered World War II. Then, tens of thousands of travelers went through Terminal Station in Downtown Chattanooga. In 1973, after the railroads abandoned this hub, Terminal Station became the city’s first historic preservation project. Now the Chattanooga Choo Choo Hotel is a center of activity in Downtown, with restaurants, retail, and even an arcade, well stocked with classic and contemporary video games that ate an embarrassingly large amount of this columnist’s quarters. Close by is the Terminal Brewhouse, one of several craft brew pubs that have flourished in the city. The Terminal Brewhouse’s vertically oriented architecture makes it a spectacular space in which to quaff a sampler flight of the beer brewed on-site. The menu is much more extensive than you find in most brew pub situations, with a smashed pepper steak and salmon marinated in the brewery’s White Shadow Belgian Wit on the high end. There’s also a selection of beer-friendly pizzas. I choose the “Galactically Famous” bison burger with a side of chipotle baked beans. As the night gains steam, many wellheeled professionals head for the lobby bar at The Moxy. The long, moodily lit bar features an outdoor area that is teeming with life on a temperate weekend night. Other Chattanooga regulars head for the Pickle Barrel, the venerable watering hole that has been a fixture for decades. The flatiron-style, three-story restaurant and bar — once the site of Jimmy Hoffa’s favorite restaurant— has the most charming patio experience in the city. Inside, they’ve been serving shots backed with pickle juice way before it became fashionable elsewhere.
PHOTOGRAPH BY MARK GILLILAND PHOTOGRAPHY
trailheads within 20 miles of this city than anywhere else in the country. You can go fishing, paddle boarding, kayaking, whitewater rafting, rock climbing, any of the above. If you like outdoor stuff, this is the place to be. And it’s close to everything — two hours to Atlanta, two hours to Nashville, two hours to Knoxville, two hours to the Smoky Mountains, two hours to Huntsville, five hours to the beach.” Schubert commands the Southern Belle riverboat, which plies the Tennessee River to give tourists and locals the best views of the city. A typical trip in the daytime lasts about 90 minutes, with lunch and a tour. Dinner cruises last longer, and include live entertainment. But the must-do trip is the fall leaf cruise, which is just coming into season. “Just below us is the Grand Canyon of the Tennessee, the River Gorge. Between October 1st and November 15th, we do a three-hour day trip down into the canyon. It’s beautiful. Right around the end of October, the leaves tend to peak. We’ve had so much rain this year that the leaves are going to be brilliant. It’s a great year for a gorge leaf cruise.”
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Chattanoogan Spirit
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f you’re looking for a place to stay, I can’t recommend The Chattanoogan highly enough. The city’s premier luxury hotel features spacious, well-appointed rooms and a spa that sprawls over the second floor, including a workout room and indoor pool with jacuzzi. Three restaurants grace the property: the Broad Street Grill, with an award-winning weekend brunch; The Foundry, where you can get a steak and hand-crafted cocktail; and Stroud’s Sidewalk Cafe, where you can grab a quick bite on your way out the door to explore the Moon Pie General Store.
say, “Break a leg!” Of course, the last thing you want to wish on an elite footballer is a femur fracture. Fortunately, he laughs at my gaff, before pointing at me and saying, “If I break a leg tonight, I’m coming for you.” He needn’t have worried. The minor-league team plays at Finley Stadium, a short walk from The Chattanoogan. Where most teams in their league play in high school stadia, Chattanooga FC regularly attracts big crowds. I watch the team romp over Asheville City 3-1, egged on by the rabid fan club known as The Chattahooligans. Chattanooga FC is the pride of the city,
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The Pickle Barrel, a flatiron-style, three-story restaurant and bar — once the site of Jimmy Hoffa’s favorite restaurant — has the most charming patio experience in the city. The Terminal Brewhouse’s vertically oriented architecture makes it a spectacular space in which to quaff a sampler flight of the beer brewed on-site. Situated on Broad not far from the Creative Discovery Museum, the Moon Pie General Store has all the flavors you didn’t know the quintessentially Southern snack cake came in. While browsing the aisles, I run into Phil D’Amico, goalie for Chattanooga FC. The city’s soccer club, I had heard, is a point of pride. “The community is the reason why we have a club,” he says. “If it wasn’t there, we wouldn’t be as successful as we are.” As I shake his hand, I want to wish him luck, but my performing-arts background unexpectedly kicks in, and I hear myself
and representative of its innovative, cando spirit. This mountain town is an unlikely place to find a championship soccer team, but it has been f lourishing for a decade, seemingly willed into existence. I think back earlier to my breakfast with poet Erika Roberts. “I think creativity is a currency, and people are starting to recognize its value,” she told me. “If I can, you can. If you can, they can. I’m forever saying: Create what you don’t see. If you want to see something happen, and you don’t see it happening, go make it happen.”
PHOTOGRAPH BY CHRIS MCCOY
CHATTANOOGA’S BROADBAND EXPERIMENT
Ask the young people who have been coming to Chattanooga how they found the place, and odds are they’ll answer, “I saw it on the internet.” Chattanooga has the fastest and most reliable internet service in America, thanks to the public utility EPB. It began, says Rick Hitchcock of Chambliss, Bahner & Stophel, outside legal counsel for EPB, when the utility upgraded the electrical grid. Fiber-optic cable was strung alongside the electrical wires to allow computer coordination of the distribution of power. But there was a lot more bandwidth than needed for that purpose. “The communications use of excess fiber capacity was not the primary purpose for building the fiber,” says Hitchcock. “The fiber side pays the electric side for access to the fiber, which is an electric system asset. As a result of that payment for use of excess capacity on the electric system fiber, the fiber business is supporting lower electric rates in the community.” In addition to lowering electric rates up to 7 percent, EPB’s broadband service offers its customers speeds up to three times faster than what is commercially available in Memphis. This has led to a businesses relocating to Chattanooga to take advantage of the state-of-the-art system. “But there were naysayers,” he says. “There were predictors of great doom. But none of that came true. It’s been wildly successful.”
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LOC A L TR E A SU R ES
Miriam DeCosta-Willis The lion’s tale continues to unfold. by jon w. sparks
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PHOTOGRAPH BY KAREN PULFER FOCHT
he is the very picture of grace and elegance, welcoming a visitor to her beautiful home, the walls and shelves of which hold dozens of artworks from African masks to a recent George Hunt acquisition. There are books galore. Miriam Delores DeCosta-Willis brings her guest a cold ginger tea blend that is the perfect counterbalance to a punishingly hot day.
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eCosta-Willis was a natural student. She got her bachelor’s degree at Wellesley College and an M.A. and Ph.D. at Johns Hopkins University. In between, there were, to say the least, adventures. Her junior year at Wellesley, she married attorney Russell B. Sugarmon, who had graduated from Rutgers and gotten his law degree from Harvard. He came from a well-established family in Memphis and the young couple started their own family. Sugarmon would go on to be involved in Memphis politics and If you’d never met her before, had been a judge for many years you could be forgiven if you did before his death last February. not see in her the fighter, the rebel, Miriam DeCosta-Sugarmon the warrior for change. She began blazed trails in college. She was to forge those identities some 81 one of very few black students years ago when she was a 3-yearat the all-female Wellesley, one old growing up in Charleston, of very few black women at South Carolina. A little white girl Hopkins, became the first Afrishouted at her, “What are you?” can-American to graduate with To which she replied, with pride, a Ph.D. from Hopkins (earning “I’m an American!” The girl said, that degree in only one year) and, “No you’re not. You’re a colored.” in 1965, was the first black faculty member at Memphis State At that age, she wasn’t offended, but she was puzzled, not University. That last achievement knowing quite what that meant, was particularly satisfying since so she asked her mother, who MSU had rejected her application told her more by tone of voice for graduate school in the late than anything that such a judg1950s. She was highly qualified, ment was disrespectful. It was but she was black. the beginning of an education When she came to Memphis after Wellesley with her husand a mission that would thrust band and children, she was alDeCosta-Willis into the civil rights struggle and take her into ready primed to get involved in a long career in academia. the civil rights struggle. As a Today, she says, there is a child in Montgomery, Alabama, memoir in the works, and she is where she had come with her family from Philadelphia, she immersing herself into it as she has her many other published was baffled at having to sit at the back of the bus. works, from Erotique Noire/Black Erotica to Daughters of the Diaspora: “From that moment, I deterAfra-Hispanic Writers. mined not to ride the bus,” she “The memoir has made me resays. And just before graduating Miriam DeCosta-Willis: The story of the hunt — as told by the lion. flect back on my life,” she says, from college, visiting her parents “And I see it divided into two in Montgomery, she witnessed parts. There’s my civil rights activism, which in a large sense came her mother standing up to the police. The occasion was the 1956 from my mother, and the second part where I’m shifting my gears. I bombing of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s house. haven’t decided what to call my second period, although I like armThe police had secured the scene and Dr. King was on his way and chair revolutionary.” had not yet arrived. “A policeman said, ‘Get back, all of you people!’ O C T O B E R 2 0 1 9 • M E M P H I S M A G A Z I N E . C O M • 59
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LOC A L TR E A SU R ES
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And my mother just stood there, determined. I still have this image of my tiny mother facing this burly policeman with his billy club and pistols. Others in the crowd, including me, moved back. She would not.” Soon after, DeCosta-Sugarmon would move to Memphis, where her husband wanted to be. He was one of several influential African Americans who came back to the city at that time, just a few years after the powerful Boss E.H. Crump had died and left the city’s political establishment up for grabs. She credits Memphis Press-Scimitar reporter Clark Porteous with calling the returning African Americans the “young Turks.” They included Maxine and Vasco Smith, H.T. Lockard, and Jesse Turner. “All of these people were determined to change things in Memphis,” she says. “And that was exhilarating.”
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t age 84, DeCosta-Willis declares, “I’m getting older but I’m not getting old. I can’t live any other way.” With all of her achievements and milestones in her life, the indisputably best of them all is her family. “I have my four kids, my eight grandkids and my five great-grands. They come first.” Her offspring have acquired the taste for public service. Her son, Tarik Sugarmon, is a municipal judge and daughter, Erika Sugarmon, is running for city council. The family was naturally part of her life as an academic and an activist. She was interested in feminist theory and felt it important to be able to say she studied and taught at school, participated in civil rights actions, and raised her children. She was on the NAACP’s Education Committee and led a move to boycott Memphis City Schools to achieve equality on the school board. She was arrested and she and her children were maced during civil rights activities in the 1960s. She marched and demonstrated when Dr. King was in town to support the striking sanitation workers. When she was teaching at Memphis State, she was an advisor to the Black Students Association and organized a sit-in of the president’s office. She fought for change even as her life was changing. In 1966, DeCosta-Sugarmon divorced her husband. They were a highly visible and accomplished couple and the split was much discussed in the community, although it certainly wasn’t the end of anything for either. She was becoming more and more involved in academia. She went to teach at Howard University in Washington in 1970 and figured she’d left Memphis for good. But in 1972, she married A.W. Willis Jr., who, like Sugarmon, was an activist lawyer involved in
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local politics and civil rights. She was, again, a member of a Memphis power couple.
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t was my second husband who really started me on this journey because he was working on a project related to Beale Street,” she says. She was now known as Miriam DeCosta-Willis and took over the project. “I didn’t know anything about the history of Beale Street or the history of Memphis,” she admits. “And I really got interested and went to the Library of Congress, studied it, and thought that this history is fascinating. That led me to write Notable Black Memphians,” which has become an essential work of local history. “I kept on being rebellious, but my activism took the form of my books,” she says, “because I was very influenced by other liberation movements in the 1970s, particularly the feminist rebellion and the gay rebellion.
“I was very influenced by other liberation movements in the 1970s, particularly the feminist rebellion and the gay rebellion. I protested in front of the White House and participated in the gay rights movement. I also remember demonstrating in Washington, in the
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Latino parade, chanting, ‘¡Sí Se Puede!’” (Yes we can). I protested in front of the White House and participated in the gay rights movement. I also remember demonstrating in Washington, in the Latino parade, chanting, ‘¡Sí Se Puede!’” (Yes we can). DeCosta-Willis has published 15 books, the most recent in January, and she’s written some 200 papers. On returning to Memphis and with a new husband, she amped up her teaching. She taught first at LeMoyne College, then Owen College, and then Memphis State University. Then it was on to LeMoyne-Owen College. A.W. Willis died of cancer in 1988, and she cared for him. They talked about what she would do and she determined that she needed to continue with what she knew and loved. She’d taught at Howard University in the 1970s and that was important to her because, as she says, “in my graduate work, I had studied primarily European literature, Spanish literature, and I didn’t know that there were blacks actually writing and publishing books in the Caribbean, Central America, Latin America and everything. So my real educa-
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A HELPING HAND AT HOME
tion began at Howard, which was so exciting.” “After A.W. died, I taught,” she says. “I went back to Washington to live and taught at George Mason University. Then I went to the University of Maryland, where I retired in 1999.” As she had with A.W., she found herself as caregiver to her mother, who had Alzheimer’s disease from 1999 to 2008. Even during those times, she wrote books.
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eCosta-Willis has long been involved in commissions and organizations at the national and local levels. Those experiences have given her an outlook on the state of the nation and the state of Memphis. She thinks the city is doing much better than the country. As for the local scene, she says, “I am a little
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deserts, and other things.” concerned about the direction our city is going in terms of the development focus being on Downtown and not on our neighborhoods, which are suffering from poverty, crime, food deserts, and other things. But I am strengthened by the leadership of Mayor Strickland and Mayor Harris and other people. But with all of these businessmen and developers getting on the council, there also needs to be people from the neighborhoods, grassroots people who want to fight for their areas.” She says her memoir is going slowly, and she smiles as she says she hopes she can finish it. “It’s called The Lion’s Tale and I’m dedicating it to Sally, my oldest African relative who came from Dahomey in 1670. I represent the seventh generation, and besides my mother it’s my great-grandfather who is my main inspiration. He was born a slave and when he died, he was a millionaire. He built a large home for his 12 children and he sent all of them to college. And he gave back to his community.” DeCosta-Willis pauses a moment and says, “The title The Lion’s Tale is derived from an African proverb that says, until the lion tells his or her story, the tale of the hunt will always glorify the hunter.” Get ready. The lion is speaking.
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GARDEN VARIETY
A Living Legacy Planting trees in Memphis can bring families together and provide memories as well as beauty and shade. PHOTOGRAPH BY PHOTO RAWPIXILIMAGES | DREAMSTIME
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O
PHOTOGRAPH BY ALEXANDER POTAPOV | DREAMSTIME
ne of my best memories with my mother, when I was a small child, was planting a tree at a home we had just moved into on a small barrier island in coastal South Carolina. I don’t remember the species of tree now. But I remember the feeling of doing something together with her and being taught how to plant a tree. of your tree planting endeavor. We talked and labored together under the First, most trees are best planted in Memphis in the Spanish-moss-covered live oaks and the palmetto fall. Temperatures are moderate during those months, trees that dominate the South Carolina coast. It was in the spring, I think, after the dogwoods had already but there are usually no serious freezes. Evaporation bloomed out, as the azalea blossoms were just beginslows and rains pick up. Moreover, deciduous trees, ning to open. The process of planting the tree with a after their leaves drop, go into dormancy, a self-profamily member obviously holds greater value in my life tective mode. Second, determine where the tree will be sited and than the mature tree does. Planting a tree together bonded us, giving me a memory of her that I still cherobserve the conditions of the site. Note how many ish 40 years later. hours of full sunlight that area gets When planning this month’s coleach day. Also, note whether the If you have never done so, umn, I posted a request on Facebook soil into which it is to be planted is consider planting trees for stories from Memphians about compacted or loose and whether the together as an important way spot is higher or lower than the surplanting a tree. At first, I received few responses. But then, by the time rounding grade. Observe whether of bonding with others. I went to bed, I had been blessed with the ground dries quickly or slowly a plethora of deeply meaningful experiences from more after a heavy rain. Note also whether the site is on the people than I could possibly relay in this brief space. north, south, east, or west side of the closest building. For instance, Lindsey Hanna wrote that she and her Armed with this information, visit local nurseries husband lost their child during the second trimester of that have good reputations and ask them to show you trees that they think will do well in your site, writing her pregnancy. They later planted a Nyssa sylvatica (black down the names of all the trees they recommend. Ask gum) in their yard during a memorial service to which they invited close family and friends. as many local experts as you can find, rather than lookMary Ann Gibson wrote, “Early on, [my father] planting to articles on the internet written by people who ed three ginkgo trees for my sisters and me on the don’t live in Memphis and may or may not have the corner of Moore Road and Poplar Pike. Each fall we expertise they claim. marvel at the beauty and are so grateful for a Dad who One such expert is Rick Olson, operations managknew the value in planting a living, breathing legacy er for English Gardens, a local landscape design-infor us to enjoy.” stall-maintain company that has had an excellent repuIf you have never done so, consider planting trees tation in Memphis for many years. In our conversation, together as an important way of bonding with others. we discussed his favorite trees and he made some great Of course, planting a tree is more than just digging a points. hole and sticking the roots in it. Accordingly, there are The first tree Olson mentioned is Magnolia grandiflora a few things to keep in mind to improve the outcome ‘little gem’ (little gem magnolia). This tree is a dwarf
above: Planting can forge bonds between generations. below: With its beautiful leaves and fragrant blooms in the spring and summer, the magnolia is an excellent choice for Memphis yards and gardens.
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SUMMON YOUR CREATIVITY IN OUR FIRST-EVER
version of the large Southern magnolia. It grows 20-25 feet tall, and though it can get 10-15 feet wide, with enough time, it spends most of its life no more than 6 feet wide. With wonderfully fragrant blooms in the warm months, the cultivar is perfect for small landscapes. Rick has also enjoyed success with Chiananthus retusus (Chinese fringe tree), Quercus shumardii (shumard oak), and Ginkgo biloba (maidenhair tree) in Memphis. Consider the tree’s size at maturity in relation to adjacent buildings. Generally, big shade trees should not be planted too close to buildings. They can weigh tens of thousands of pounds at maturity and every tree will eventually fall.
IT’S THAT TIME. SHOW OFF YOUR LIT TLE GHOULS! SOME TIPS!
1. Get Creative The costume may be spoo ky, but think about dressing up your surroundi ngs! 2. Keep it practical A little color correction is fine, but keep the Photoshop magic in the spell book. 3. Have fun There’s more to Halloween than creepy creatures. Be whatever you want to be!
E N T E R
OCTHTRU18 NOV1
For example, I love Taxodium distichum (bald cypress), but it is just too big for many yards. Thankfully, growers have managed to breed dwarf cultivars, like ‘Lindsey’s skyward,’ and ‘falling waters.’ If you like a species of tree a lot, but it is too big for the spot, research whether there are any dwarf cultivars of that species. Research and apply the best planting techniques. I asked Olson to identify the single biggest mistake he sees in planting. He said it is digging the hole too deep. The root crown should be 3-4 inches higher than the surrounding grade, the soil sloping down from the bottom of the trunk. Finally, don’t be afraid of making a mistake. If the tree fails, evaluate what might have gone wrong, reach out to local experts for suggestions, and replace it with another. Regardless of the longevity of the tree, you will have already derived its main value, doing the task in communion with others.
Visit MEMPHISPARENT.COM for more info and prize details.
901.833.YARD (9273) • theyardmemphis.com 1735 Thomas Road, Memphis, TN 38134
John Jennings is an experienced garden designer, garden writer, and nursery manager. He also holds degrees from both the University of Richmond and the University of Memphis.
PHOTOGRAPH BY MARINA DENISENKO | DREAMSTIME
Autumn yellow and gold leaves of a Ginkgo biloba.
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R A C
E
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C U R E
H E
F
O R
SATURDAY
OCTOBER 26, 2019 Downtown Memphis A SPECIAL PUBLICATION OF MEMPHIS MAGAZINE Race for the Cure 2019 1
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G I
S P E C I A L I S T S
F O U N D A T I O N
Left to right: Edward Friedman, MD; Randelon Smith, MD; Paul Bierman, MD; Gerald Lieberman, MD; Kenneth Fields, MD; and James Whatley IV, MD
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The physicians and staff focus on each patient’s comfort in their on-site endoscopy center. For added convenience, choose from five other satellite locations: Brighton, Collierville, Covington, Millington, and Marion. Whether you need screening or treatment, our group is passionate about providing excellent care for every patient.
BMG/GI SPECIALISTS FOUNDATION MAIN OFFICE AND ENDOSCOPY CENTER
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I
THE RACE CONTINUES
n 1993, the relative survival rate for all stages of breast cancer was 85 percent and for localized breast cancer was 96.5 percent. The same year, Susan G. Komen Memphis-MidSouth held its first Race for the Cure. Today the 5-year survival rate for early detected breast cancer is 99 percent.
Over the last quarter-century, we have funded nearly $11.3 million in local community grants and over $3.5 million in breast cancer research, all raised right here in the Mid-South. Even though we have a national name, we are a local non-profit. We are locally owned and governed and what we raise here is what we grant here. Emily (pictured) has been gracing the October issue of Memphis magazine since she was an infant at her first Race for the Cure in 2010. Our aim remains to end breast cancer in her lifetime. In 2018 we merged with a Komen Affiliate in Mississippi to become Susan G. Komen MemphisMidSouth Mississippi and our service area is 14 counties in West Tennessee and the entire state of Mississippi, from the boot hill of Missouri to the Mississippi Gulf shores. We are THE provider of breast health care for all members of our community. We fund health care for the uninsured and the under-insured. For women and for men. For the 29-year-old and the 59-year-old. We believe that where you live should not determine if you live. We act on that belief every day. Our grants ensure that our local non-profit hospitals and health care providers have the funds to continue to provide the best breast health care for all that everyone in our community deserves. There are millions of “pink” dollars being raised in this community every year that do not fund health care or research. We believe it is time to go beyond breast cancer awareness. We encourage donors to review 990’s, to be aware when messaging says you can go on a cruise or to a party and the entire ticket price is deductible, to ask the percentage of your donation that stays local and how much of that is directed to mission. Every step we take helps our neighbors right here in the Mid-South and brings us closer to a world without breast cancer. Fighting breast cancer and saving more lives takes more than just a pretty color. It takes cuttingedge RESEARCH, CARE, COMMUNITY, and ACTION. Breast cancer was for years the leading cause of death in women, but the almost $1 billion that Susan G. Komen has invested in breast cancer research alone has made an impact. There are indeed other great organizations that fund breast cancer research but only the U.S. government has funded more.
Author Seth Godin says, “The only way to really care is to have human beings who care.” And we care. We make sure everyone who reaches out to us receives the help they need from one of our health care grantees. Together we are saving lives, right here at home. Together we can make an impact, we can make a difference. – Elaine Hare, Chief Executive Officer, Susan G. Komen Memphis-MidSouth
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Memphis Magazine’s
THE 2019
Creating Families Together
FACE OF
REPRODUCTIVE
MEDICINE
Fertility Associates of Memphis is a state-ofthe-art practice providing comprehensive reproductive health care to couples of the Mid-South and beyond…treating patients struggling with infertility, recurrent pregnancy loss and reproductive disorders. Our highly specialized team utilizes cutting edge techniques including in vitro fertilization with laser blastocyst biopsy, preimplantation genetic diagnosis and fertility preservation. Our compassionate physicians, board-certified in reproductive endocrinology and infertility, have been bringing dreams to life for over 20 years.
SUSAN G. KOMEN MEMPHISMIDSOUTH RACE FOR THE CURE®
CERTIFIED 5K AND FAMILY FUN 1-MILE WALK
Race Location: Downtown Memphis, corner of Union and B.B. King (3rd) Race Start Time: 9:00 am Race Expo:
William H. Kutteh, M.D., Ph.D. Raymond W. Ke, M.D. Amelia P. Bailey, M.D. Paul R. Brezina, M.D.
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AutoZone Park
SCHEDULE 7:45a Survivor Photo (inside gated AutoZone Park, must have Survivor Bib) Entertainment 8:00a National Anthem Honorary Chair Introduction
Presenting Sponsor Presentations
Team T-Shirt Design Winner Announced
8:40a Stretching/Warmup 9:00a Certified 5k and Family Fun 1-Mile Walk
Follow us on
As dog owners ourselves we have always sought the finest accommodations and personal attention for our dogs whether just for daily daycare or overnight stay while we go out of town. We also wanted a relaxing spa experience for our dogs rather than a quick “haircut”. We wanted all of this in a convenient location too! With that in mind, BrownDog Lodge was born in 2007. We opened our second location further east to serve our growing customer interest. Our original East Memphis lodge and Germantown lodge are conveniently located to serve our loyal customers throughout the city. We offer your dog the best accommodations and personal attention for daycare, overnight stays and spa treatments where your dog is always a VIP. We are now offering excellent Veterinary Medicine, BrownDog Lodge Veterinary is a full-service hospital with the BrownDog name and service you know and trust. Come meet Dr. Jason Robinson and Dr. Lauren Fox at our Arlington location! If your schedule is too busy, we will gladly pick up and drop off your pet at your house in our BrownDog Shuttle. So, please call or stop by to visit either one of our locations and learn more about BrownDog Lodge. We look forward to seeing you soon! EAST MEMPHIS: GERMANTOWN: ARLINGTON: 426 S. Germantown Pkwy 9765 US-64 4953 Black Road (next to Lowe’s) Arlington, TN 38002 (near Poplar & Mendenhall) 901.266.9100 901.382.0330 901.767.1187 info@browndogvet.com germantown@browndoglodge.com memphis@browndoglodge.com https://www.browndogvet.com BrowndogLodge.com
9:30a Expo opens 9:45a Timed Runner Winner Presentation (medals and prizes are in Expo at Timing Booth) Entertainment
10:00a Survivor Brunch After the festivities, continue to enjoy the day Downtown. Your Race Bib entitles you to free admission to RiverArts Fest! Team Photos will be made by Memphis Camera Club and are available by appointment from 8:00 am to 11:00 am.
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Memphis Magazine’s
THE 2019
Jim Holloway
FACE
Holloway Furs
OF
FURS
Established 1992
Various Fur Accessories & Outerwear HOURS: Monday-Friday 10am-5:30pm & Saturday 10am-4pm
901-685-FURS (3877) 404 Perkins Ext. Memphis, TN 38117
SUSAN G. KOMEN MEMPHIS-MIDSOUTH MISSISSIPPI STAFF, COMMITTEE AND BOARD STAFF
Chief Executive Officer Elaine Hare Grant Director Lisa Mischke Operations Manager Heather Kee Senior Vice President Catherine Young Community Engagement Coordinator Barbara Gaston
RACE COMMITTEE Race Chair Dana Mann Sloan
Photography Regina Presley-Hill Tim Wheat Race Expo Production and Logistics Charlotte Bray Race Day Activities and I Am Komen Marty Fernandes Morgan Rittenhour Emily Schneider
A L D E R S L AW Austin Alders
Legal Expertise You Can Rely On Personal Injury • Car Accidents • Tractor Trailer Accidents Motorcycle Accidents • Premises Liability • Slip and Falls • Wrongful Death 119 S. Main Street, Suite 500, Memphis, TN 38103 AldersLaw.com • 901.602.5700
Race Day Volunteers Emilie Unglesby Becca Vaughn Race Store Check In, Pick up and Shop Pink Pat Russell Race Store Shirt and Packet Prep Cheyenne Harris Judy Weddle
Race Store Preview Party Cristi Mann Registration Debbie Coletta Survivor Brunch Tracey Dillihunt Rita Holden Team Packing Mary Ann McCaleb
BOARD OF DIRECTORS President Raphael McInnis
Vice President Michael Davis Treasurer Kyle McGowan Secretary Gretchen Reaves Compliance Officer Ormonde Landry Ex-Officio Elaine Hare
MEMBERSAT-LARGE
John Anthony Danielle Bowlin Barbara Bowman Tammy Burnett Eddie Jean Carr Sophia Cole Barbara Craft Leslie Daniel Odesa Hawkins Nikki Huffman Melody McAnally Christy Moore Rochelle Sandifer Karen Sock Lakesha Williams William Winstead Lorraine Wolf
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Parking Map for Race for the Cure
$1 Parking for Race Participants Parking Garage
Downtown Memphis!
PARKING MAP Exchange
Third Street
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Paulin
Danny Thomas Blvd
y
B.B. King Blvd
Danny Thomas Blvd et h Stre
80
1600
61
65
167
250 Peabody Garage
87
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60
55
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61
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524
65
1500
60
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150
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346
Street
Street Front
t
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47 Pontot
56
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100
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1500
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100 47
82
215
Aven u
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MLK
Westin Hotel
271
346 MLGW
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1050
Main
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Double Treel
The Edge
55 87
36
150
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Peabody Hotel
600
35 Gibson Guitar 65
AutoZone Park 80
1600
Hampton Inn
524
65
Beale Street
126
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Driv e
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Main
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Riv
River
190
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203
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110 Peabody Westin Peabody Office271 675 Hotel Tower Tower ue e Aven ac Pl abody
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56
Union Ave
Street
Rivers
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47
510
215
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1050
47
36
Square
756167
Gayoso Avenue
AutoZone HQ
MLK
Double Treel 125
600Avenue Monroe
65 Beale Street
15
STUTTERING FOUNDATION Mississippi
First Tennessee
Peabody
FirstHotel Place 450 Parking
Second
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190
84
Madison Avenue
Second Street
Office 675 Tower ue e Aven 15 y Plac 402 od Peab
THE
®
Second Street
Main Street
Front Street
Riversi
126
Court Ave N Holiday Inn Select
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88 Union Peabody Tower
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AutoZone 92 337 Park
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15
Court Ave
203
Gayoso Avenue One Commerce
638
39
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215
200
32
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304 Brinkley Plaza
84
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If you stutter or know someone who does, visit us online or call for help and information.
One Commerce Square
402
AutoZone HQ
90
Monroe Avenue
U of M Law School
15
65 First Jefferson Avenue Tennessee
125 Court Ave S
110
88 Union Tower
128 One Memphis Place
Fourt
Raymond James 450
Plaza
200
84
B.B. King Blvd
Madison 624 Avenue
Maidson Hotel
1,000 29
90
300
304 Brinkley
638
337
Court Ave N
25
39
215 Stree t
Drive
U of M Law School
50
200
Court Ave
92 Adams Avenue Spring Hill
230 Suitesl 340
15
32
70
62
84
Paulin
50 Court House
225
Third
Riverside
190
City Hall
185 50
M
The fear of speaking keeps many people from being heard.
Court Ave S
50
146
28 129
Bldg
Washington Ave
110
28 65 33
82
Memphis 542 Place Archives
Federal Bldg Avenue State County Jefferson Bldg Bldg
Raymond James
41
197
128 64 56
90 90
70
For detailed parking info, visit 200DowntownMemphis.com 80
29
197
Poplar Avenue One
65
50 of on-street parking Lots in The Pinch and South Main. Park 25and take a Trolley Shuttle for $1.
1,000
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Federal Reserve
Metered on-street parking is free on Saturdays.
62
Fourt
Front Street
Drive
624
146
Market
15 230 50 20
Court House Exchange
Convention Center
740
300
340
Archives Bldg
Washington Ave
1,086
Memphis
6005 Park Ave, Suite 704, Memphis, TN 38119 (901) 761-8100 www.midsouthwellnessclinicformen.com
Second Street
I-40
State County Bldg Bldg
Please refer to the Trolley Shuttle Map for routes and stops.
65
129
64
Federal Bldg
33
197
197
Poplar Avenue Main Street
740
57
Federal Reserve
Adams Avenue Cook
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Parking Lot
For detailed parking info, visit DowntownMemphis.com
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y Dudle
230
City Hall
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Market
Dudle
1,086
Memphis Cook Convention Center
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Parking Map for Race for the Cure
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9/20/19 1:19 PM
Moving Cancer Care Forward
Breast cancer is a life-changing event for our patients and everyone who is a part of their lives. At Baptist Cancer Center, our cancer specialists are dedicated to delivering expert care, treatment and support — when and where our patients need it most. Our commitment to an unwavering mission of providing expert care and world-class cancer treatment delivers new hope to breast cancer patients through groundbreaking treatment options, surgical technology and access to clinical trials across the Mid-South. Our care team focuses on the person, not just the disease. They spend countless hours meeting with patients, reviewing their cases and consulting with other breast cancer specialists before recommending a treatment. This collaborative, multidisciplinary approach results in customized treatment plans that include the latest technology, therapies and research with a keen focus on helping our patients surpass national survival rates. In fact, Baptist’s breast cancer specialists are often pioneers in the field and the first to offer new best practices, treatment therapies and surgical options to Mid-South patients. Some of the latest leading edge surgical technology treatments, many of which are only offered at Baptist, include the following: • Breast Intraoperative Radiation Therapy (IORT). IORT is a more convenient way of providing radiation therapy for certain patients with early-stage, hormone-
sensitive breast cancer. It delivers a single concentrated dose of radiation during breast conserving cancer surgery, thereby, eliminating the need for weeks of radiation treatment. IORT is currently only available at Baptist Memorial Hospital for Women. • SPY Elite® Fluorescence Imaging System. This technology was first introduced at Baptist Women’s Hospital and has significantly reduced the complications and number of procedures following a mastectomy and breast reconstructive surgery. Using imaging technology, this procedure offers extra precision during breast reconstruction surgery after a mastectomy by allowing surgeons to view blood flow to the remaining skin after the breast has been removed. This clear delineation between healthy and unhealthy skin can reduce the need for multiple follow-up surgeries. • Seed Localization. This procedure, provided exclusively by our radiologists at Baptist Women’s Health Center along with breast surgeons within the Baptist system, minimizes pain and discomfort for breast surgery patients. A tiny radioactive seed is placed into the breast prior to surgery to mark the location of benign or cancerous breast tumors which cannot easily be felt on exam. Additionally, the research investigators at Baptist Cancer Center hold grants for groundbreaking national research and
clinical trials resulting in unprecedented access to clinical research trials across the Mid-South: • Since 2014, Baptist Cancer Center has been awarded a National Cancer Institute Community Oncology Research Program (NCORP) grant. These clinical trials include brand new cancer therapies which can improve patients’ quality of life by addressing fertility, treatmentrelated pain and heart side effects from treatment. The NCORP program is one of only 12 nationwide bringing these critical clinical trials to rural and minority patients, who sometimes are not able to access important clinical trials. For a complete list of clinical trials, please visit baptistcancercenter.com/trials. • In 2019, Baptist Cancer Center was one of only six cancer centers in the country tapped to participate in a National Cancer Institute Moonshot initiative using modern technology to help patients manage symptoms of cancer chemotherapy and surgery. Cancer patients will be able to use an app from any electronic device to get tips on managing side effects and can notify their physician offices if their symptoms are severe instead of calling the office. From diagnosis to survivor care, Baptist Cancer Center offers patients throughout Arkansas, Mississippi and Tennessee access to comprehensive, world-class cancer care close to home.
baptistcancercenter.com
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F
ive years ago Jennifer Winstead, library director at St. George’s Independent School, was diagnosed with breast cancer. Winstead is now cancerfree, and has been named the 2019 honorary chairperson of the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure. She spoke with Memphis magazine about her career as an educator, her battle against breast cancer, and her work as a survivor with the Susan G. Komen Foundation.
Q&A
each day and serving the students and families of St. George’s. The support from families, the faculty, and everyone in our community was such a blessing. We had meals provided, our house cleaned, things I would not have even thought about were taken care of for our family.
How did you feel after emerging from that process cancer-free? It’s a good feeling. I was happy to get my port removed!
How have you felt in the years since then? My health has been great. I have graduated to yearly check-ups instead of every 6 months.
M
You were named 2019 honorary chairperson of the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure – Memphis. What does that role involve?
emphis: How long have you worked at St. George’s? Winstead: I am starting my 18th year as an
My responsibilities include making everyone aware of all of the important work Komen is doing in our community, raising awareness about the race, and encouraging participation in the race.
educator at St. George’s.
What do you do as library director at St. George’s? I work with all students, families, and teachers. We are a community of readers, and building lifelong readers has always been an important goal.
How has your career as an educator helped you serve as honorary chairperson?
When were you diagnosed with breast cancer, and how long have you been cancer-free?
As an educator for over 20 years, one of the most important things I have learned is building relationships, and making positive connections is essential in whatever you are doing.
I was diagnosed with breast cancer in February of 2014. I have been cancer-free for five years now.
How did you feel when you were diagnosed, and how did you overcome that moment? It’s a scary thing when you first hear the word cancer. I was 39 years old and found the lump myself. I think that once I met the surgeon and we came up with my treatment plan I was focused on taking it one step at a time. I was reassured that they have come so far in cancer treatment with targeted therapies. I had more options than someone diagnosed even 10 years ago.
How did your St. George’s community support you throughout the treatment process? I was able to continue work throughout most of my treatment. I loved coming to work
WITH
Jennifer Winstead BY CAROLINE O’CONNOR
THE LIBRARY DIRECTOR AT ST. GEORGE’S INDEPENDENT SCHOOL IS THE HONORARY CHAIRPERSON OF THE 2019 RACE FOR THE CURE.
What does it mean to you to be the face of the organization this year? I’m proud to represent Komen and all of the initiatives that help Memphis and MidSouth families facing breast cancer — especially those that are uninsured or underinsured.
You recently spoke at the annual Susan G. Komen Memphis-MidSouth Mississippi & Those Living with MBC Luncheon in July. As a five-year survivor, what is the most important message you want to communicate to other survivors and those living with breast cancer?
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I think remaining positive is essential in any treatment. You must realize you do not have to do it alone, and there are lots of places to turn to for help.
Why is it important to have an organization like Susan G. Komen working in Memphis? Komen Memphis-MidSouth has provided over $11.2 million to area health centers, hospitals, education programs, and support groups since 1993. Komen has funded almost $3.5 million of breast cancer research since 1993. The Race for the Cure is the only Race/ Walk to give grants to health centers and h os pi t als s p e ci fi c all y f or s cre e nin g, mammograms, diagnostics, and treatment for women and men of all ages, both uninsured AND underinsured.
Beyond Susan G. Komen, how have you advocated for women with breast cancer in the Memphis community? I have kept in touch with my surgeon. Both my husband, William, and I have spoken with other young families who have a new diagnosis. It helps to show them that there is life after a diagnosis.
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Q&A WITH
Pat McRee
BY JULIA BAKER
P
From left to right: Pat McRee, Lainey Turner (granddaughter), and Amber McRee Turner (daughter). Both Pat and Amber have fought with cancer.
THE 25-YEAR SURVIVOR IS LEADER OF THE SUPPORT GROUP HOPEUP.
M
emphis: When were you first diagnosed with breast cancer?
McRee: During the huge Memphis ice storm of 1994, a lump appeared in my breast and the Baptist Women’s Health Center graciously stayed open to do a mammogram and ultrasound. Dr. Lynn Gayden gave me the news that I likely had breast cancer and my journey began.
What were your first thoughts after receiving this news? I didn’t hear a voice but did feel the presence of this message in my head: “There’s something for you to learn here that you couldn’t learn any other way.” Soon, an additional message appeared: “You’re going to need to pass it on.” Wow! My life’s work was right there before me; I just didn’t know it yet!
How did you channel these thoughts?
That October after completing surgery and chemo I found myself in the middle of a pink sisterhood walking though Germantown in the second annual Race for the Cure. It’s funny to think back how my neighborhood had been closed for the first Race and I had been annoyed at the inconvenience! That would never be true again as I joined these pinkcapped women who would become lifelong friends raising money to find an all-important cure. Within two years, I stepped out of a marketing career and helped oncologist, Dr. Kirby Smith, start the Flying Colors Cancer Network, a full-time support center for survivors of all cancers. After many years we merged into the cancer support services at Baptist Cancer Center. Komen provided early and continued support for Flying Colors and has provided vital breast cancer resources at Baptist for decades.
Breast cancer runs in your family. How have you and your loved ones been able to cope?
at McRee has been living with breast cancer for 25 years, and since her diagnosis in 1994, she has striven to make the best of her situation and help others dealing with the disease. McRee continues to seek opportunities to spread awareness, provide support, and advocate for a cure. She spoke with Memphis magazine about her story of survival, her involvement in advocacy groups, and her participation with Susan G. Komen Memphis-MidSouth and Race for the Cure.
My daughter, Amber McRee Turner, and my sisters eventually were diagnosed with breast cancer, and we have alternated caring for each other after surgery and during treatment. We often joke that while we have a genetic predisposition to getting breast cancer, we also have a predisposition to having fun in the midst of it! The Bible’s message, “A merry heart does good like a medicine,” is our motto and we try to pass that on to others on this journey. Amber and I collaborated on the Support to Go Unbooks which have been distributed around the country, to share the stories of survivors of all kinds of cancer with people who have been newly diagnosed.
In your 25 years of living with cancer, you have developed Metastatic Breast Cancer (MBC). How have you managed this?
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I’m the first of our family (and hopefully the last) to have Metastatic Breast Cancer (MBC), having been treated first for it in 2012. When that showed up in 2016, I retired from my work in Flying Colors but not from the work and the joy of lifting up others. Elaine Hare, Komen’s CEO, approached me this year about starting the HopeUp (Together We Rise Over MBC) group and we joined breast-cancer survivor and long-time chemo nurse, Mindi Abernathy, in creating this circle of healing for MBC survivors. Meeting at 2 p.m. on the last Sunday of each month at the Komen office, we celebrate our victories and share our fears. MBC, once considered a surefire end-of-the-road for those diagnosed, has become a chronic disease with hope for a cure in sight and we consider our group to be pioneers. You might call Mindi and me the official cheerleaders, but actually every single person who participates takes on that role. Everyone diagnosed with this disease quickly becomes an expert!
What other routes of advocacy have you pursued?
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I’m excited to have recently accepted the position of vice president of the Memphis Cancer Foundation and look forward to exploring ways to help more survivors along with Kirby and Chris Smith.
You recently spoke at the 2019 S u r v i vo r/ L i v i n g w i t h M B C Luncheon. When you’re in front of a large group of survivors, what is the most important message you want to get across?
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It was an honor to speak at the recent Komen Survivors Luncheon, passing on the lesson promised at the beginning of this 25year breast cancer journey: There is joy in your journey if you remember that it’s about helping the next person to thrive. There is always hope Road no matter what the statistics say about your 1527 BREAM ROAD So Liz just sent1 OF meSNOWDEN these photos ofBream clients toSNOWDEN use forHOUSE October's Race for the Cure TRACT BANK 747 Currently being operated as a Bed & Breakfast, the Snowden House Lake Front 295’ water frontage, odds since none of us has an expiration date. section.multiple Wanted tosites, seeDeeper if you could implement as well asdevelopment. pink leaves building Water! has 5BR 6BA onthe 300 ftphotos of lake frontage prime for A breast cancer cure is in the cards and $676,000 $1,155,000 everything we do to raise money brings it closer in the Hair Transition Studios logo and a pink ribbon of some sort in their 1/6 to reality. With God all things are possible. I PROPERTIES FOR SALE. Contact: Joey Burch 501-454-1782 or Pat Burch 901-490-4841 ad. Let meMORE know what's possible and what would look best so I can get back to plan to continue passing on this message for her at some point soon. another 25 years or so!
What does it mean to you to represent Race for the Cure? Susan G. Komen started as a shot in the arm for people with breast cancer and has become the dynamic leader of our battle. We’ll never know how many lives were saved by their early- detec tion mes sages or by the mammograms provided routinely to the underserved. For people with MBC, the hope and high expectations of a cure mean the world. Many of us are on life-saving drugs brought to market through Komen-funded research, and it doesn’t get any bigger than that! I believe Komen and Race for the Cure are interchangeable and am honored to play a small part in their work.
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COMMUNITY PARTNER RESOURCES
Out of
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Susan G. Komen Memphis-MidSouth Mississippi 901-757-8686 www.komenmemphisms.org
16 Race for the Cure 2019
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WOMEN to WATCH YOVANA AVALOS Medical Assistant
BETHANIA BARAY
McCleave Fellow in Directing
VICKI BLACKWELL
FARA CAPTAIN
Yovana Avalos was born and raised in Zacatecas, Mexico. As a child, Yovana’s parents moved to the U.S. looking for a brighter future with unlimited opportunities. Currently, Yovana is a Certified Medical Assistant at AM Diabetes Center. Yovana is attentive and detail-oriented and considers it a privilege to work with Dr. Kashif Latif. Yovana’s goal is to achieve a degree in nursing.
A first-of-its-kind program launched in 2018, The McCleave Fellowships are designed to identify and nurture emerging artists, directors, and conductors of color in opera. Bethania will assistant-direct each of Opera Memphis’ mainstage productions for the 2019-20 season, as well as direct Mozart’s Bastien and Bastienne in April 2020. She is designing and facilitating new community programs, including several created for Memphians who speak Spanish as a first language. From Bethania: “Communities that have felt marginalized need programs like these to reach out so that we can open our eyes to the views of others and see a variety of visions of the world.”
Your Trusted Real Estate Advisor. With over 30 years in Real Estate, Vicki is Vice President and Managing Broker with Crye-Leike Realtors. A Lifetime Member of the Multi-Million Dollar Club, Vicki has taken an active role in the real estate industry, serving on the Realtor Political Action Committee, The Grievance Committee, and Past President of the Young Realtors Group. She is a Certified Real Estate Specialist. Vicki received the Lion Heart Award for Volunteer Service for Youth Villages and served as two-term Race Director for the YV5K Run. In 2014 she established BARC, Blackwell Animal Rescue Center, a 501(c)(3) Charitable Organization to rescue, rehabilitate, and rehome abused and abandoned animals. Over 1400 dogs and cats rescued since the beginning. In 2016 she was awarded the RotaryPaul Harris Fellow Award as recognition for exceptional service. Vicki is licensed in TN and MS.
Fara Captain is the Broker/Owner of Captain & Co. Real Estate LLC. The company’s mission is to deliver a high level of customer service while also giving back to the Memphis community one home at a time. Her recent recognition as a Young Memphian Honoree-Class of 2019, is just the start of her journey toward the contributions she will make in Memphis. Fara Captain is a changeagent and a champion for the City of Memphis. Fara Captain is consistently ranked in the top 3% amongst Memphis Area REALTORS®. Captain & Company Real Estate (Brokerage License # 264340). GRI, SRS, CRS, ABR®, Ninja, Multi-Million Dollar Club (Broker License # 00327698).
CRYE-LEIKE, REALTORS
CAPTAIN & COMPANY REAL ESTATE
901.500.8034 (c)• 901.390.HOME (o) CaptainandCo.RealEstate
Broker/Vice President
Broker/Owner
AM DIABETES & ENDOCRINOLOGY CENTER
OPERA MEMPHIS
3025 Kate Bond Road
operamemphis.org
901.521.9736 (o) 901.335.1441 (c) vblackwell@crye-leike.com
KRISTEN CLARK
SUSAN AKIL EWING
KAREN GARNER
GLENDA HASTINGS
Kristen Clark always aspired to be in the field of medicine and, with a nursing education, started pursuing her dream of helping people. Kristen is a clinical supervisor at AM Diabetes and Endocrinology Center, where she is chartering new territories, and playing an active role in developing the fitness center for patients with diabetes. Precision therapy is delivered for patients with diverse needs. Additionally, Kristen is the clinical lead in the development of Eversense, a center for implantable glucose-monitoring devices. Kristen’s team leads all others in the nation and has experienced the highest number of implants to date in the United States.
Susan Akil Ewing is Founder and Chief Strategist of Ewing Marketing Partners, a boutique marketing firm that helps organizations grow through practical, effective marketing strategies. Susan’s specialty is developing streamlined solutions for even the most complex marketing problems by using innovative thinking, extraordinary attention to detail, and more than two decades’ worth of experience. Her business acumen, strategic expertise and collaborative relationships enable her to help clients build brands, increase visibility, and achieve sales growth while increasing market share.
Magnolia Homes Founder and President Karen Garner has been a staple in custom home-building in the Memphis area for over 30 years. She has an unwavering belief that she will succeed, and that drive has led Magnolia Homes to be an award-winning and highly regarded homebuilder. Karen is also committed to making Memphis a better place to live, supporting numerous causes such as Methodist Hospice, My Town Miracles, Make-A-Wish, and St. Jude. She is proud to have served hundreds of families, and wants nothing more than to continue her tradition of quality and service for many years to come.
Glenda Hastings, owner of Napa Café, continually gives of herself and her business to benefit Memphis. She’s the founder of multiple events benefitting the community such as Heart Full of Soul, a dinner raising over $250,000 for STAX Music Academy; Donna’s Table, a free Thanksgiving feast for the underprivileged; and heARTful Dining, a dinner benefitting Carpenter Art Garden. Hastings is also a board member of AngelStreet Memphis and Boys & Girls Club of Greater Memphis. Glenda was awarded a 2019 Top Tiger Award by the University of Memphis Alumni Association for her entrepreneurial spirit and success in business; she was also named as the 2018 SPARK Award’s Legacy Winner for Lifetime Achievement.
Clinic Supervisor
AM DIABETES & ENDOCRINOLOGY CENTER
kclark@amdiabetes.net
MM_WomenToWatch_October2019.indd 17
Marketing Consultant
Homebuilder
EWING MARKETING PARTNERS
Susan@EwingMarketingPartners.com 901.517.4634 EwingMarketingPartners.com
MAGNOLIA HOMES
3023 Centre Oak Way 901.755.4258 • yourmagnoliahome.com
Owner
NAPA CAFÉ
5101 Sanderlin Suite 122, Memphis, TN 38117 901.683.0441 • napacafe.com
9/20/19 3:17 PM
WOMEN to WATCH ERICA HUMPHREYS
SHAZIA M. HUSSAIN, MD Pediatrician
Board Certified Family Nurse Practitioner
Veteran Talk Show Host
Erica Humphreys’ twenty years of retail experience coupled with her knowledge of public relations has helped her turn Cordelia’s Market, located in the heart of Harbor Town, into the city’s most unique and forward-thinking fullservice grocery store and deli. Not only has she overseen the recent remodel of the store, but she is also the visionary behind their serve-everybody selection of products, their many communityinvolving events and classes, and their progressive environmental mindfulness. Erica constantly moves forward and takes great pride in motivating others to join her!
Dr. Hussain works at Pediatrics East, where her passion for taking care of children and young adults shines. A strong breast-feeding advocate, she believes in the pivotal role of proper nutrition and exercise at all stages of a growing child’s life. Her focus on family “unit” and understanding of human development is evident in her strong following. She has 3 children, an avid reader, traveler and philanthropist. A strong leader, her work is focused on community issues related to education.
Jennifer is a medical provider, and Certified Diabetes Educator. She has a passion for helping patients gain control of their own health. Jennifer is particularly interested in the ways a whole-food plant-based diet can reverse insulin resistance, leading to a reduction in diabetes medications needed while also decreasing the risks of developing heart disease and cancer.
Betty LaMarr, media professional and wellness advocate, has been a constant fixture in regional broadcast media. Ms. LaMarr creates “lights, camera, action” dynamic interviews with celebrities, medical, and healthcare professionals. Among the luminaries: Golden Globe winner, Blair Underwood; “the Godfather of Soul”, James Brown; celebrated media host, Tavis Smiley; and Endocrinologist, Dr. Kashif Latif. No matter who or what the subject, Betty discovers uniquely positive stories to share with her audience.
General Manager
JENNIFER JURADO
BETTY LAMARR
CORDELIA’S MARKET
737 Harbor Bend Rd, Memphis, TN 38103 901.526.4772 • erica@cordeliasmarket.com cordeliasmarket.com
PEDIATRICS EAST
AM DIABETES & ENDOCRINOLOGY CENTER
LAMARR ENTERTAINMENT
2002 Exeter Road
3025 Kate Bond Road
thebettylamarrshow.com
ANGELINA MAZZANTI Artisan
MELINDA NELSON
Executive Office Manager
MANDY PECK
RENEE PINLAC, MSN, FNP
Angelina Mazzanti’s love of art began as a young child. While navigating the difficulties of dyslexia growing up, she found a passion for arts and crafts. After graduating from Ole Miss with a BFA in sculpture and photography, she began working in the Memphis craft beer industry. It was during this period that Angelina’s entrepreneurial spirit turned her love of art into AMBeerings; AM being her initials and “Beerings,” earrings made from recyclable craft beer cans. Angelina can be identified by the “hop crown” she wears daily at Cordelia’s Market where, when she is not creating jewelry, she is manager of the Beer, Cheese and Wine Department.
Melinda Nelson, Executive Office Manager at AM Diabetes & Endocrinology Center. Melinda’s background is accounting and business management. During her tenure at AM Diabetes Center she has assisted Dr. Latif in launching various new business ventures, including AM360 Fitness Center, KloseCare E-learning website for diabetes management, and developing systems for each enterprise to ensure that our comprehensive diabetes center achieves specific business strategies.
A native Memphian, Mandy was practically born into the grocery business. Her grandfather was a wellknown buyer and seller of Piggly Wigglys and Mega Markets while her uncle opened up Donnie’s Corner Market and Deli, owning the business for 27 years. Mandy began working there as a child and developed a lifelong passion for the business. Years later, she was introduced to Cordelia’s Market, located downtown by the river on Harbor Town. Mandy continues her journey with the grocery business at Cordelia’s Market where she has worked for the past nine years and is Café Manager. Her free time is spent with family and fundraising for Muscular Dystrophy.
Renee Pinlac is a Family Nurse Practitioner and the owner of De La Belle Wellness & Spa. Renee received her Master’s of Science in Nursing from Arkansas State University and is certified in Family Practice. She specializes in weight-loss management, endocrinology, and advanced aesthetics, such as platelet-rich plasma injections. Renee also holds certifications in Botox, dermal fillers, laser hair reduction and resurfacing, as well as cellulite reduction and fat destruction. Renee’s 17-plus years at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital have allowed her to bring a higher level of professionalism and compassion when working with her patients.
AMBEERINGS
AM DIABETES & ENDOCRINOLOGY CENTER
737 Harbor Bend Rd., Memphis, 38103 901.526.4772 • mandy@cordeliasmarket cordeiasmarket.com
Manager
Family Nurse Practitioner & Owner
CORDELIA’S MARKET
@ambeering • 870.897.7158 ambeering.com
MM_WomenToWatch_October2019.indd 18
mnelson@amdiabetes.net
DE LA BELLE WELLNESS & SPA
3086 Poplar Ave, Memphis, TN 38111 901.433.9024 • delabelle.net
9/20/19 3:17 PM
WOMEN to WATCH COLLEEN RADISH
MAGGIE COOPER RONEY Attorney
DEONNA SHAHEEN
Dance Director — Owner
LINDSAY SMITH
Colleen Radish is a partner at inferno, a full-service advertising, public relations, design and digital marketing firm. She joined the agency in 2005 as an account executive, quickly transitioned to account manager and later served as an account supervisor. In her new role as partner, she shares oversight of the agency’s account service and project management responsibilities. She received a Bachelor of Science in business administration from Saint Louis University, and is a graduate of the Leadership Memphis Executive Program. She has volunteered with several organizations throughout the Mid-South, most notably with the American Cancer Society.
Maggie Cooper Roney is a shareholder with the Memphis office of Lewis Thomason, a Tennessee law firm with offices across the state. Ms. Cooper defends medical providers, professionals, and corporate entities in malpractice, product liability, and premises liability litigation. She has tried numerous cases to verdict and has been a Mid-South Super Lawyer in general civil litigation since 2012. Outside of the office and courtroom, she serves on the board of Memphis College Prep Elementary School. She has also held leadership positions with the Memphis Bar Association, Junior League of Memphis, and the American Bar Association TIPS Section.
Deonna Shaheen, owner of Visions Academy of Performing Arts (formerly e.Studio Performing Arts), has trained extensively in nearly every style of dance from a young age. She received her bachelors at Middle Tennessee State University in microbiology and health sciences with a minor in dance. At MTSU, she was captain and choreographer of the dance team. Deonna has taught over 200 dance teams, in 20 dance studios and judged numerous competitions for the UDA. After college, she was a Grizz Girl for the Memphis Grizzlies Dance Team while pursuing her graduate degree in medical science from UT. Her goal is to instill confidence and experience in young performers to pursue their own vision.
Lindsay Smith began working full-time at her father’s wine store, the Wine Market, in 2014 after graduating with a Marketing degree from the University of Alabama. She has worked there fulltime since, helping customers choose wines, running the store’s marketing and social media all while studying wine every chance she gets. She has recently been appointed Wine Director for the Across the Board Restaurant Group. She hosts monthly staff training for the servers of Sweet Grass and 117 Prime along with the restaurant group’s newest place, 3rd and Court Diner. Lindsay Smith is passionate about bringing wine education to the city of Memphis.
LEWIS THOMASON
VISIONS ACADEMY OF PERFORMING ARTS
ACROSS THE BOARD RESTAURANT GROUP
40 S Main Street #2900, Memphis, TN 38103 901.525.8721 • lewisthomason.com
901.729.6801 • visionsacad@gmail.com visionsacad.com
lindsay.smith@eatacrosstheboard.com eatacrosstheboard.com
NATALIE STIVER
JULIE UPCHURCH
JESSICA VAN EYCK
DR. CHARLYN WILSON
Natalie Stiver has been a professional hair stylist for over 18 years. She was a network educator for Bumble and Bumble in New York and Unite Eurotherapy out of California. Due to her thirst for knowledge, she has continued her education in cities all over the world. In the spring of 2018 she was awarded an all-expense-paid trip to Rome, Italy, to participate in a Master Color Class. She has worked on film and editorial shoots. In 2013 she opened her own salon located in the heart of Germantown, called House of Aglaia. Aglaia (latin for Beauty), strives to stay on top of all the newest hair trends and techniques in order to provide the best for every client.
Anyone in Memphis’ residential real estate community will recognize Julie Upchurch as a rising star. Earning her place in the prestigious Multi-Million Dollar Club in her first year as a Realtor, it’s easy to see why she was voted a Top 3 Realtor in Best of Memphis 2019. Her passion for marketing and residential real estate collided in 2017 when she partnered with the boutique-style brokerage, McWaters & Associates. The firm’s client-focused strategy, market knowledge, and innovative marketing tactics have become a perfect fit for Julie as she guides her clients through the buying and selling process.
Jessica is a lifelong Memphian and has worked in executive recruiting for the last 13 years, bringing the best and brightest talent to our city. She currently works at Vaco as a Director specializing in placing HR, Marketing, Admin, and Sales professionals. She is an avid runner, volunteers for Girls On The Run, sits on the board of her Midtown condo community, and is the Honorary Chair for the 18th annual DeNeuville Learning Center Auction.
HOUSE OF AGLAIA SALON
MCWATERS & ASSOCIATES REALTORS®
Dr. Wilson has served the Mid-South area for 25 years in the field of general dentistry. Her office treats all ages in providing preventive, restorative and cosmetic care. Dr. Wilson’s team is trained with a high level of customer service as a top priority. Their office provides the latest technology dentistry has to offer. Dr. Wilson has been featured in the “Top Dentists” issue of Memphis magazine, an award voted on by her peers in the dental community. Dr. Wilson is committed to missions both locally and abroad. She especially enjoys partnering with her team to give patients back their smile and helping them overcome their fears. She is also a member at Harvest Church of Memphis.
7503 Queens Ct. Ste. 2 Germantown, TN 38138 901.443.5533
2851 Stage Village Cv., Ste 2, Memphis, TN 38134 901.412.0111 (c) • 901.372.6611 (o) TN License #343132 • julie.m.upchurch@gmail.com
Partner
inferno
505 Tennessee Street, Suite 108 Memphis, TN 38103 creativeinferno.com
Owner — Hair Stylist
MM_WomenToWatch_October2019.indd 19
Realtor Multi-Million Dollar Club, SRS, PSA
Director; HR, Marketing & Sales Recruiter
VACO
6000 Poplar Avenue, Suite 216 Memphis, TN 38119 901.240.7381 (c) • 901.333.2250 (o) vaco.com
Wine Director
Dentist
WILSON DENTAL CARE
7520 Enterprise Ave., Germantown, TN 38138 901.751.1100 • wilsondentalcare.net
9/20/19 3:17 PM
W H AT ’ S I N S I D E D E F I N E S
BAPTIST TAKES THE FIGHT TO BREAST CANCER BY SAMUEL X. CICCI
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A
t this year’s Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure, take a good look around the event. Chances are, you’ll see staffers from the Baptist Women’s Health Center in the thick of the event, whether that means running, walking, or even supporting other entrants. Of course, that’s a familiar sight for frequent racegoers, as Baptist’s involvement with the Susan G. Komen Foundation stretches back over a quarter century. For Nikki Gast, administrative director at the Women’s Health Center, it’s always been important for their organization to partner with Susan G. Komen. “I really think we have some of the same messaging,” says Gast. “The race is based around raising awareness of breast cancer and having women take charge of their health.” Those two qualities perfectly align with the
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World Class Pain Management right here in the Mid-South.
As the premier comprehensive pain center in the Mid-South, Mays & Schnapp Pain Clinic and Rehabilitation Center offers advanced technology with physician practice, ambulatory surgery center and a physical therapy department at one location. The Center continues to be the only pain clinic in the Mid-South accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities (CARF), which is a testament to the clinic’s comprehensive treatment philosophy.
World Class Pain Management Right here in the Mid-South As the premier comprehensive pain center in the Mid-South, Mays & Schnapp Pain Clinic and Rehabilitation Center offers advanced technology with physician practice, ambulatory surgery center and a physical therapy department at one location. Dr. Kit S. Mays and Dr. Moacir Schnapp are delighted to welcome Dr. Ryan McGaughey
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Medical Director: Moacir Schnapp, MD Patient referrals can be made at maysandschnapp.com or call 901-747-0040. Patient referrals can be made at
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A co-ed, 2-year-old – 8th grade independent school in the heart of East Memphis. | woodlandschool.org ©2019 Woodland Presbyterian School. All rights reserved.
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Center’s mission. Many nurses from Baptist join up with breast cancer patients and run the race together, and Gast says that will continue to be the case. In addition, she is happy to see that the results of the fundraiser are very communityoriented. “A lot of the fundraising that goes on stays within Memphis and lets us provide direct patient care,” says Gast. In the case of breast cancer, early diagnosis can make all the difference when it comes to getting a positive outcome; the earlier a diagnosis happens, the more likely the patient is to survive. To that end, Baptist offers a wealth of healthcare options to keep women ahead of the curve. The hospital was one of the first places to introduce a mobile mammography unit to the Memphis area, and it’s been active for over 20 years. During that time, it has allowed Baptist to provide healthcare to communities that may not have had access to it before. “If you take a look at a map of Memphis, there were 14 ZIP codes with a large disparity in coverage,” says Gast. “There are other organizations that are active in those communities, but they don’t have mammograms or screening. So we’ve partnered with places like Church Health and Christ Community Health Services so we can take these services to patients.” To ensure the best possible care, Baptist brings in specialists in all the relevant fields. “All of our radiologists are breast specialists, and we’re the only ones here who have that,” says Gast. “They read breast imaging all day long, so they’re very keyed in to what they’re looking for. Since they look through patients from previous years, they have the ability to look at just a small list of changes and catch something from earlier on.” On the mammography side, Gast says that plenty of staff members have tenures beyond 20 years with the organization. “We go through a long process with anyone looking to join our team to make sure they’re a good fit and can really help the community.” But while going directly to patients who need treatment is already an honorable goal, Baptist didn’t want to rest on its laurels. Earlier this year, the hospital launched its intraoperative radiation program. Essentially, patients receive what equates to a six-week dose of radiation in the ER while having surgery done. After receiving the sufficient dosage, patients don’t need to continue receiving radiation therapy. Going forward, Gast and Baptist want to continue partnering with the foundation. When the results are always a net positive for Memphis, it’s a no-brainer. “The Susan G. Komen Foundation has allowed us to provide over 2,000 screening and diagnostics services since 2013,” she says. “We’ve been able to use that to make many diagnoses, which is significant because those are patients that may never have known they had breast cancer until it was too late, and we want to continue to make sure women remain in good health.”
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IP RACES ON
I
BY JULIA BAKER
CURRENT STATISTICS • Breast cancer is the most common cancer among women in the U.S., accounting for 30 percent of newly diagnosed cancers. • Women in the U.S. have a 1 in 8 lifetime risk of being diagnosed with breast cancer. • Every 2 minutes, one case of breast cancer is diagnosed in the U.S. • In 2019, more than 268,000 new cases of invasive breast cancer are expected to be diagnosed in women and more than 2,600 cases in men in the U.S. • In 2019, more than 42,000 women and men in the U.S. are expected to die from breast cancer. • Improvements in early detection and treatment led to a 40 percent decline in breast cancer deaths in the U.S. between 1989-2016. • In the U.S., it is estimated more than 154,000 women are living with metastatic breast cancer. • There are more than 3.5 million breast cancer survivors in the U.S. • According to a recent study published in the American Journal of Medicine, 42 percent of new cancer patients lose their entire life savings in two years because of treatment.
nternational Paper is proud to join Susan G. Komen Memphis-MidSouth in the Race for the Cure for the 13th consecutive year. One of International Paper’s main goals is putting a strong emphasis on investing in people within its communities. And, with its headquarters being in our own backyard, it’s only natural that the corporation would support a cause so close to home like Susan G. Komen Memphis-MidSouth. “With us having our global headquarters here in Memphis, I think the Race for the Cure, and everything that the Susan G. Komen organization represents really aligns with what we stand for,” says Adam Ghassemi, staff communications manager in Corporate Communications at International Paper. International Paper’s HP Papers brand donates $50,000 to Race for the Cure each year, but their support doesn’t end there. Every October during Breast Cancer Awareness Month, HP Papers packages its HP Multipurpose Paper in pink packaging. “We call it our Pink Ribbon Ream,” says Mandy Tenent, HP brand manager for International Paper. “But something we’re doing different this year is, rather than taking the pink ribbon off at the end of October, we’re going to keep it on all year long. Breast cancer doesn’t just go away in October, so we feel like it’s important to keep that reminder all year long.” Also throughout the month of October, International Paper will be sewing port covers for chemo patients. “We’ve had a couple of survivors at International Paper who said that when they have the port in for their chemo treatment, it hurts to wear a seatbelt,” says Tenent. “So the cover is like a pillow that makes riding in the car more comfortable for them.” Other breast cancer awareness events include a “Lunch and Learn” seminar led by radiologist Dr. Christopher Boals, MD, and a yoga workout to promote health and wellness. “We’ll also have a big kickoff event at our campus on October 1st where we’ll give out all sorts of pink goodies to encourage International Paper employees to sign up for our race team for Race for the Cure,” says Tenent. Tenent says that last year, International Paper had the biggest corporate race team at Race for the Cure. This year, their team, IPink, will sport special race shirts, and they will be accompanied by HP Papers’ ream mascot and International Paper’s pine tree mascot, otherwise known as Pinelope. “We’re excited to be able to partner with Susan G. Komen again, and we’re looking forward to the race day,” says Tenent.
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METHODIST LE BONHEUR HEALTHCARE CONTINUES FIGHT AGAINST BREAST CANCER
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ethodist LeBonheur Healthcare is proud to partner with Susan G. Komen Memphis-MidSouth and Race for the Cure for the eighth year in a row. “We’re truly proud to serve as the presenting sponsor for the 2019 Susan G. Komen MemphisMidSouth Race for the Cure,” says Monica Wharton, Methodist’s chief legal counsel. “We have supported the mission of Susan G. Komen to combat breast cancer at every level over the past few years, particularly because it’s our goal to achieve outreach, advocacy, education, and then partner with other nonprofits to provide breast health services.” Through their partnership with Susan G. Komen Memphis-MidSouth, Methodist has been able to carry along their goal of reaching breast cancer patients in underserved communities in Memphis. “We are driven by providing equal quality care to every member of the community,” says Wharton. “And for us, that means that we’re also committed to combating healthcare disparities, such as breast cancer mortality. With that, we are located in various areas of the community, because we want to be in areas where people actually have a need.” The hospital credits Susan G. Komen as being the primary non-profit they work with to help fund services like mammograms, diagnostics, ultrasounds, and public transportation to better serve these patients in need. “In total, we’ve been able to provide more than 3,500 free screenings to women who are in need,” says Wharton. “Additionally, with Susan G. Komen’s support, we’ve been able to address the lack of transportation through the launch of our mammography bus and the provision of free transportation so women are able to attend their screenings.” Methodist strives to pursue various other
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avenues of outreach to provide comprehensive breast cancer services to the Memphis community. “We offer a number of services throughout our system that are consistent with our 100-year-old mission of the faith-based healthcare system,” says Wharton. Since 2013, MLH has been able to conduct more than 7,000 mammograms through their mobile mammography unit to employees of more than 300 organizations, such as FedEx, St. Jude, and International Paper. “This ensures that associates can make time for screenings during their work day,” says Wharton. Methodist offers the latest innovations in mammograms and breast cancer screening and detection technology at its Methodist Comprehensive Breast Centers in Germantown and Midtown, as well as at three other diagnostic and imaging centers in and around Memphis. The hospital’s SmartCurve system features a curved design to distribute pressure evenly, offering a more comfortable alternative to older mammography technology. Methodist’s breast centers also use digital and 3D mammography, which provide clearer imaging to help radiologists better detect abnormalities. Because of these advancements in technology and medicine, Methodist has been able to provide more than 20,000 mammograms in the past month. “One out of eight women will be diagnosed with breast cancer in their lifetimes,” says Wharton. “So, any opportunity to raise awareness of this issue and to raise funds is critical to ensuring that people within our community are getting the access to care that they need. We think it’s very important to make sure that we are educating women and that we’re providing care to them, and that they know that we are united in this effort.”
THE GOOD FIGHT
A few tips to help keep breast cancer on the sidelines.
1. MAINTAIN A HEALTHY WEIGHT. For some of us that ship has sailed. So if you have gained weight, then you need to make it a priority to lose it. Changing our diet is the quickest way to make an impact. No sugar and no flour is one option that works. Eat fruits and vegetables, 100% whole grain foods, and limit red meats, processed meats, and saturated and trans fats.
4. LIMIT MENOPAUSAL HORMONES.
For each year that combined estrogen plus progestin hormones are taken, the risk of breast cancer goes up. Once they are stopped, in about 5-10 years, the increased risk returns to that of a woman who has never used hormones. Menopausal hormones also increase the risk of ovarian cancer. Talk to your doctor about risks and benefits.
2. ADD EXERCISE TO YOUR ROUTINE.
Physical activity not only burns calories but can help lower your risk of breast cancer. Exercise fights obesity and can lower estrogen levels. It also may boost your immune system. You might need to see a doctor before you start a strenuous exercise plan. There are little things you can do that will add some steps to your day: park farther from the store when shopping, walk around the table 10 times before you grab a snack, stand up and take a stretch and some steps every hour, and go down every aisle in the grocery store even if you don’t need anything on that aisle.
3. LIMIT ALCOHOL.
There is research that shows having a glass of red wine reduces the risk of heart disease, but also many studies show that drinking alcohol increases the risk of breast cancer. The more you drink, the higher the risk. If you drink, have less than one drink a day.
5. BREASTFEED IF YOU CAN. Breastfeeding protects against breast cancer.
HERE IS THE MESSAGE FOR A HEALTHY YOU 1. Know your risk (family history) 2. Get screened 3. Know what is normal for you 4. Make healthy lifestyle choices. Another available option for us in the fight against breast cancer is genetic testing. Genetic testing gives people the chance to learn if their breast cancer or family history of
breast cancer is due to an inherited gene mutation. It’s strongly recommended you speak with a genetic counselor (or other healthcare provider trained in genetic counseling) before deciding whether to be tested for BRCA1, BRCA2 or other inherited gene mutations. Race for the Cure 2019 27
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MEMPHIS-MIDSOUTH GRANTS 1993 - 2019 Alliance Charitable Foundation $97,416.00
Children and Family Services $417,663.00
Baptist Healthcare Foundation $34,105.00
Christ Community Health Services $399,240.00
Mississippi Department of Health $15,593.00
Tipton County Commission on Aging $78,014.00
Pink Sunday $74,472.00
Tishomingo Health Services $6,000.00
Church Health Center $1,360,815.00
Reach for Recovery $5,000.00
Baptist Memorial Hospital Booneville $95,595.00
DeSoto Health and Wellness Center $130,000.00
St. Andrew AME $8,000.00
Total Women Body System/ Necessities Bag $5,000.00
Baptist Memorial Hospital Cancer Center $35,400.00
Healthy You Project $20,000.00
Baptist Medical Group, Memphis Breast Care $116,304.00
Baptist Memorial Hospital DeSoto $464,887.00 Baptist Memorial Hospital East/ Women’s $3,019,346.00 Baptist Memorial Hospital Tipton $30,000.00 Breast Cancer Institute $30.000.00 Carpe Diem of the Mid-South $8,950.00 Center for Healthcare Quality $67,500.00
Julie B. Baier Foundation $882,918.00 Memphis Cancer Foundation $206,831.00 Memphis Center for Reproductive Health $750.00
St. Francis Hospital $52,800.00 STAARS $56,500.00 Tennessee Men’s Health Network $8,649.00 Tennessee Department of Health $96,950.00
Memphis Chapter of Hadassah $1,100.00
The Good Samaritan Medical Clinic $8,900.00
Memphis Health Center $77,000.00
The Memphis Cancer Center $30,453.00
Memphis-MidSouth Affiliate $10,000,00
Regional One Health (Regional Medical Center at Memphis) $974,260.00
Methodist Healthcare $805,803.00
University of Tennessee $25,500.00 University of TN/West Institute for Cancer Research $258,300.00 Urban Health Education & Support Services $278,556.00 West Tennessee Area Health Education Center $278,556.00 Wings Cancer Foundation $123,082.00 YWCA of Greater Memphis $141,655.00
TOTAL $11,282,462
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30 Race for the Cure 2019
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C O M E TA K E
A PEEK
AT LAUSANNE. At Lausanne’s Open House on November 3, you’ll have a chance to see how we engage students and grow their love of learning. Come explore Lausanne and see why our co-educational, PK through 12th grade campus is the best place for your child to thrive. Visit lausanneschool.com/openhouse today.
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Pink is for Power. Schedule your mammogram today. Call 901-227-PINK (7465) today to schedule your mammogram at:
October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month and
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ASK VANCE
The Medicine Factory Our trivia expert solves local mysteries of who, what, when, where, why, and why not. Well, sometimes.
by vance lauderdale
DEAR VANCE: My band recently filmed a video in an old building near Crump Blvd. called “The Medicine Factory,” and I hope you can tell me the story behind that name. — j.d., memphis.
above: This building on Virginia Avenue was once home to a company whose products were sold from a catalog called “The Rainbow Road to Health and Happiness.” The former factory floor (top right) now serves as an art gallery.
DEAR J.D.: I know that building — a rambling two-story
brick structure at 85 W. Virginia (or, more accurately, Virginia Avenue, West). Since it’s located on a dead-end street, few people probably notice it, but that etchedglass “Medicine Factory” sign by the front door is certainly intriguing. The sign itself isn’t that old, but it pays tribute to the colorful history of what was at one time an office and factory for one of this country’s largest mail-order suppliers of products for people as well as poultry. Poultry? I’d better explain. The McConnon Company was founded in 1870 by Henry J. McConnon, who opened a drug store in the little town of Winona, Minnesota. Almost 30 years later, his brother, Joseph, would join him in the business, and they decided to branch out by selling their products through the mail. As best I can determine, in 1912 a second branch opened in Memphis. Why they chose this city, some 600 miles away from their headquarters, is somewhat of a mystery, but the range of products the McConnon Brothers made and distributed here is quite astonishing. I know this because the Lauderdale Library contains an early copy of “The Rainbow Road to Health and Happiness.” It’s certainly one of the most entertaining catalogs I’ve ever encountered. On the very first page, the booklet describes the company as “Manufacturers of Helps to Good Housekeeping and Household Necessities,” bragging that they offered a complete range of
“Flavoring Extracts, Baking Powder, Purity Spices, PyAde-Cocoa, Fly-Nocker, Liquid Polish, Toilet Articles, and Family and Veterinary Medicine.” Wait. Did they say “Veterinary”? Oh yes, and hold onto your horses (ha) — I’ll get to that shortly. Pages and pages are devoted to their “Yvonne” line of “articles that should be on every lady’s dressing table.” This included all kinds of soaps, powders, creams, pomades, perfumes, and such oddities as “comb-ade” and “shampoo jelly.” Other McConnon’s products were devoted to the care of the teeth, hands, and feet, with a special warning about stockings: “If they are too small, they cramp the feet; if too large, they cause corns and callouses.” And of course, McConnon’s sold products for that. This initial chapter featured dozens of products for the dressing and bathrooms. Then McConnon’s moved into the kitchen, where they sold plenty of good things to eat: Boston Brown Bread, corn meal, griddle cakes, one-egg muffins, salads, desserts — the list goes on and on. Two pages are devoted to spices alone, in addition to “pudding sauces” and mustards and cakes and sugar and powder. They were especially keen to persuade customers that food was worthless without spices, and so that’s why, to this day on eBay or even at garage sales, you can turn up colorfully labeled bottles of McConnon’s “compounds” for vanilla, caramel, strawberry, chocolate,
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maple, cinnamon, pineapple, orange, apple — I think you get (and taste) the picture. And besides enhancing the f lavor, McConnon’s even helped cooks enhance the colors of their foods. I happen to own a vintage bottle of “McConnon’s Green Color” (I guess they didn’t want to call it “dye”) “for coloring candies, beverages, cakes, frostings, etc.” Now that the company had you looking beautiful, and helped you prepare mouth-watering (and brightly colored) meals, what about your general health? Well, of course McConnon’s had that covered, too. After all, the firm originally started as a drug store. According to the catalog, “Sickness and disease stand on the threshold of every home, ready to cast its reflection of suffering and sorrow upon every member of the family.” With that cheery thought, the company offered a mind-boggling selection of liniments, laxatives, cough mixtures, ointments, salves, “Pain Ease,” “Universal Healing Ointment,” and even something called “McConnon’s Ak-O-Dyne.” My goodness, just one tablespoon of this stuff, taken in conjunction with their “Rheum-Nall,” promised to cure sufferers of headaches, neuralgia, toothache, ear ache, colds, grippe, sciatica, rheumatism, and lumbago. I’m surprised any hospital in Memphis stayed in business, when all their patients had to do was take a spoonful of Ak-O-Dyne. Now, earlier I had mentioned poultry, and yes, McConnon’s took care of critters, too. That seems a strange combination to me; it would be like sitting in a doctor’s waiting room with people who had brought in their beagle for a rabies shot. But the McConnon Brothers thought it was fine to offer plenty of practical advice — and products, of course — “For the Relief and Cure of Ailing Stock.” And by stock, they meant cattle, hogs, and chickens. I’ll spare you the horrifying details of their ailments, but thanks to McConnon’s, they at least got some relief with the company’s Sanitary Healing Powder, Barb Wire Balm, and even their vaguely named “Stock Tonic.” Perhaps my favorite farm product, of all their curious offerings, was the gallon can of “Kre-Ol No. 1.” Never heard of it? Well then, you apparently never owned pigs or hogs, because this was expressly designed to “keep your wallow in a sanitary condition.” Now, if that doesn’t sound like a contradiction, I don’t know what is. A wallow, if you ask me, is not supposed to be sanitary. As mentioned (if you’ve been following me this far),
McConnon’s didn’t sell their products in stores. Quite frankly, I don’t think any building in Memphis would be large enough to display all their offerings. Instead, they were sold “direct from wagon to consumer” by mail, or by placing an order when a dealer dropped by your home, farm, or hog wallow. Despite what seemed to be a booming business, the McConnon Brothers closed their Memphis operation in 1930; that’s the last year the business is listed on Virginia Avenue. The company continued to operate out of its main complex in Winona, before closing for good sometime in the 1960s. The old building in Memphis stood vacant for several years, then changed hands, serving as a home to Magee Truck Lines and later Dixie Shellers (though I can’t say what they shelled, exactly). In 1940, a fellow by the name of William Stewart opened a coffee company there, and within a year, he had expanded production to include potato chips, mayonnaise, almonds, vanilla wafers, and other tasty snacks. As far as I can tell from the old city directories, Stewart’s stayed in business until the early 1950s, when 85 Virginia, West, was taken over by the National Rose Company, which didn’t sell flowers at all, but produced a line of mattresses. The building stood vacant for almost three decades. In 2005, Memphis businessman Phillip Lewis bought it and converted the old factory into studio space for artists. He’s the one who put the “Medicine Factory” sign by the door, while also making major renovations, including a new roof, heating and air conditioning, and replacing more than 150 broken-out windows. Last year, he sold the property to his father, also named Phillip, and his brother, Joseph. A few weeks ago, Joseph was kind enough to give me a tour of the old building, and it was a delightful place — a beehive of activity with some 15 painters, sculptors, photographers, and even an audio-visual company working in spacious studios on two floors. Downstairs, the old factory floor has been transformed into a large, high-ceiling gallery space and, as J.D. has written, original factory areas have even been used as sets for music videos. All too often, when I write about old buildings, I end the column by saying the site is now a parking lot. I’m glad to see that the McConnon Brothers’ old “medicine factory” is still alive and well, offering its resident artists their own “rainbow road to health and happiness.”
A page from McConnon’s “Rainbow Road to Health and Happiness” introduced customers to the brothers who founded the company and listed some of their products, such as the bottle of “Green Color” (left).
Got a question for vance?
EMAIL: askvance@memphismagazine.com MAIL: Vance Lauderdale, Memphis magazine, 65 Union Avenue, Suite 200, Memphis, TN 38103 ONLINE: memphismagazine. com/ask-vance
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DINING OUT
curated artisanal gifts. The store is set to open in October, and Amy and Hannah are exuberant. They talk about electricians and grab-and-go refrigerators and white-washed walls. In one moment, they are business owners focused on details and numbers. In the next, they are a humble tumble of wonderment at their personal and professional success. “Our souls long to help people,” Amy says. “It’s not enough just to make good food.” The couple certainly didn’t foresee their circuitous paths a decade ago. Although both were raised in Memphis, Amy lived away from the Bluff City for decades. She worked first as a software engineer and then as a CIA-trained chef in Chicago
The Plant Whisperers
For almost 10 years, Raw Girls Amy and Hannah Pickle have enticed the city’s healthy eaters with smoothies, cold-pressed juices, shots of exotic elixirs, and plant-based entrees, both raw — their original mantra — and now oftentimes cooked.
Hannah and Amy Pickle
With two trucks and a pop-up store ready to open, chefs Amy and Hannah Pickle finesse plant-based food into a delicious and happy place.
by pamela denney / photographs by justin fox burks
T
he interminable stretch of September heat when 95-degree days and no rain turns cooking dinner into a daily chore: That’s when I tote home a brown paper bag packed with Raw Girl dishes. Mung bean pasta with tomatoes and pesto; watermelon gazpacho studded with almonds and croutons; scrumptious Tuscan vegetable soup with the taste of fall; and for my afternoon pick-up, raw almond butter cookies, two to a pack. At home, I line up my purchases and make a plan. Gazpacho for dinner with chilled rosé and cold pasta for tomorrow’s lunch. In the freezer, I snuggle the quart of vegetable soup next to hamburger buns and think how the plump silver pouch, the company’s goto packaging, looks like spaceage astronaut food. And those
almond butter cookies, molded into mini-muffins with syrup and dates? I eat them right away, a new guilty pleasure, like peanut butter from a Jiffy jar, scooped up with a spoon. For almost 10 years, Raw Girls Amy and Hannah Pickle have enticed the city’s healthy eaters with smoothies, cold-pressed
juices, shots of exotic elixirs, and plant-based entrees, both raw — their original mantra — and now oftentimes cooked. Certainly, I know the Raw Girls distinctive rainbow food trucks parked in Midtown at Cooper and Peabody and in East Memphis beside Hollywood Feed. But except for an occasional soup or juice, I am new to the Raw Girls brand. Curious to know more, I meet Amy and Hannah for coffee at City & State, the couple’s new partner at a pop-up storefront in Germantown’s Saddle Creek shopping center. The pop-up will feature Raw Girls entrees, beverages and curative shots, along with Lisa and Luis Toro’s coffee bar and
and New York City. In San Francisco, she cooked with Chef Judy Rodgers at the famed Zuni Café, an experience that still shapes her cooking today. Hannah was a master yoga teacher with an East Memphis studio on Mendenhall. She had-
Cold-pressed juices
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ed ginger, and fresh herbs. The menus, which have evolved over the years, ref lect the couple’s travels, lifestyles, and curiosity. “We hit a cold winter where eating just raw foods didn’t feel right,” Amy says. “I wanted something more comforting, like lentil soup.” Hannah concurs: “For the most part, we do for our business what we feel called to do for ourselves and our family. What happens on the truck happens first in our kitchen at home.” Customers of all kinds support the couple’s culinary finesse and positive approach (no healthy food preaching here). Home deliveries of cleanses continue to thrive, as do sales of cold-pressed juices. (Between the two trucks, Hummus toast customers buy 400 bottles of been juicing since the birth of juices a day.) Food production is constant with no shortcuts. “Evher son — now 17 — and was knowledgeable about raw food ery day, I cook for six or seven diets and the medicinal qualities hours,” Amy says. “I make 10 galof nutrient-rich superfoods. She lons of medicinal broth, 10 galtaught a superfood workshop, lons of Thai broth, five gallons and Amy, who had returned of vegetable soup, five gallons of to Memphis to care for dahl. It’s crazy.” her grandmother, Intrigued, I make attended . “ The arrangements to v isit the Raw workshop was all Girls kitchen, about throwing tucked in the together gross a l ley b eh i nd things in a blender to make Mollie Fontaine. you feel good,” When I arrive at Hannah recalls. the wood-frame b u i l d i n g w it h Afterward, Amy Thai soup showed up with her bright yellow doors, take on raw cantathe kitchen is bustling. loupe soup. “It was so deliFive cooks, all women, have cious, it blew my mind,” Hannah been busy since 6 a.m. prepping ingredients, all cut by hand, and says. For Hannah, the gift was more pragmatic. “I only made packaging food for deliveries, which move from kitchen to it because I liked her,” she says, laughing. “But I also loved the trucks throughout the day. challenge of making this weird At the 16-burner stove, Thai stuff taste good.” pho broth simmers in large stockAs the couple’s relationship pots, and fragrant herbs and grew, so did their business. Amy spices — cloves, garlic, fennel, taught Hannah how to cook. lemongrass, star anise, Thai chili, Hannah taught Amy about the and thick chunks of cinnamon healing properties of Ayurvedic stick — waft through the kitchen, a soothing culinary lullaby. medicine and ingredients like Before I leave, Amy hands me shilajit, a decomposition of plants from the Himalayan mountains. a carton of steaming hot broth, At friends’ requests, they startand I breathe in the goodness ed juice cleanse deliveries. Next as I walk to my car. By the time came cold-pressed juices, raw I’ve driven two blocks, the broth foods, and eventually, expanded is gone, consumed in big hapmenus with cooked entrees like py gulps. It is restorative, like a Tuscan soup, a hearty combinahomemade bowl of chicken nootion of seasonal vegetables, roastdle soup. Only this broth — plant-
The Raw Girls food truck at 242 S. Cooper St.
RAW GIRLS POPUP: 2055 West Street, Germantown
we sell out completely.”
MIDTOWN FOOD TRUCK: 242 S. Cooper St.
EXTRAS: A recent collaboration with
EAST MEMPHIS FOOD TRUCK: 5502
Lydia’s Healthy Edibles brings more baked goods to Raw Girls, including ginger cookies, dinner rolls, and carrot cake. UP NEXT: As the weather turns cool, look for broth bars in the trucks, with add-on shots such as Thai coconut milk.
Poplar Ave. FOOD: Salads, soups, and entrees —
both raw and cooked — are vegan and gluten-free, but seasonal and chef-driven to taste delicious. DRINKS: More than a dozen cold-pressed juices make up the beverage menu, along with superfood smoothies and cure-alls like charcoal lemonade, a popular remedy for hangovers. “Charcoal pulls outs poisons,” Hannah says. “On the weekends, based, no bones — feels lighter and brighter with a taste that lingers. Hannah’s heartfelt praise of her kitchen staff and the food they make also stays with me as I make my way home. “Our staff
Curry dahl
PAM’S PICKS:
Hummus toast, curry dahl, French lentil soup, and CBD brownies. PRICES: Food and broth ($7-13); baked goods ($3-7); beverages ($9); juice 6-packs ($49); shots ($3-5). is wonderful, big-hearted and kind and delicate with the food, and that’s on purpose,” she says. “We want a peaceful kitchen, and we want that feeling to translate into all the food that goes out.”
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the
MEMPHIS DININGguide
At El Mero Taco, chef/owners Jacob and Clarissa Dries meld influences from Mexico and Memphis into tacos and dishes such as homemade tortilla chips topped with cheese, salsa, Mexican crema, and a fried egg; cauliflower ceviche; and craft cocktails, including the salt-rimmed margarita made with fresh squeezed lime juice pictured above.
Tidbits: El Mero Taco Opens in Cordova
F
ried chicken taco fans don’t despair. The customer favorite from El Mero’s taco truck still leads the menu at El Mero’s new restaurant, located inside a Cordova shopping center off Macon Road. Chef/owners Jacob and Clarissa Dries understand the taco’s appeal: “Southern fried chicken, white queso and jalapenos pickled in-house,” Jacob says. “Now that’s happiness.” Clarissa smiles but adds this: “Our sister tried to get the recipe. She didn’t get it.” Open since mid-July, the couple’s new restaurant is cheerful and contemporary with space to expand their signature cooking, a fusion of influences from Mexico, Texas, and Tennessee. Clarissa grew up in Oaxaca, part of a family of restauranteurs. Jacob is from Memphis, where he cooked alongside his grandmother. In Austin, they both attended Le Cordon Bleu. “We fuse our two cultures together with a little bit of
Texas because that’s where we met,” Clarissa says. Jacob agrees: “We are playing with U.S. culture and Mexican culture and clashing them together and having fun.” The expanded El Mero menu does indeed tell a story that is delicious and free-spirited. Consider the tacos (there are 10) served also as quesadillas. The chorizo verde, made inhouse with herbs, roasted carrots, and Brussel sprout leaves, is lighter and brighter than the traditional sausage. Shrimp is cooked in smoked habanero sauce and served with avocado-lime slaw. And for the steak and potatoes taco, seared steak joins crispy potatoes, chile con queso, and a spicy peanut salsa called macha. (Pro-tip: Try this.) While the menu is taco-centric, other items are more far-reaching, such as cauliflower ceviche, a colorful and refreshing dish that Clarissa’s grandparents always made. There’s also smoked cheddar grits
with roasted Poblano peppers; a rotating selection of desserts like churros with chocolate sauce, tres leches bread pudding, and icebox pie; and a curated cocktail list including rum-spiked horchata and mimosas for brunch. “We make sorbet [hibiscus and orange] and add prosecco to make it our own,” Clarissa says. Along with the restaurant, the El Mero taco truck is still rolling, as is the couple’s catering business. Within a year, the chefs hope to offer grab-and-go options like smoked chicken enchiladas and seasonal soups. And in October, look for the start of a different taco each month. Up first: albondigas, or small Spanish meatballs, topped with collard greens, queso, and roasted tomato chipotle sauce. El Mero Taco, 8100 Macon Station, Suite 102, Cordova (901-308-1661) $-$$
We celebrate our city’s community table and the people who grow, cook, and eat the best Memphis food at M E M P H I S M A G A Z I N E . C O M / F O O D - D I N I N G
PHOTOGRAPHS BY JUSTIN FOX BURKS
by pamela denney
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A Curated Guide to Eating Out
emphis magazine offers this curated restaurant listing as a service to its readers. Broken down alphabetically by neighborhoods, this directory does not list every restaurant in town. It does, however, include the magazine’s “Top 50” choices of must-try restaurants in Memphis, a DINING SYMBOLS group that is updated every August. Establishments open B — breakfast less than a year are not eligible for “Top 50” but are noted as L — lunch “New.” This guide also includes a representative sampling D — dinner of other Bluff City eating establishments. No fast-food SB — Sunday brunch facilities or cafeterias are listed, nor have we included WB — weekend brunch establishments that rely heavily on take-out business. X— wheelchair accessible Restaurants are included regardless of whether they adMRA — member, Memphis vertise in Memphis magazine; those that operate in multiRestaurant Association $ — under $15 per person without ple locations are listed under the neighborhood of their drinks or desserts original location. This guide is updated regularly, but we $$ — under $25 recommend that you call ahead to check on hours, prices, $$$ — $26-$50 and other details. Suggestions from readers are welcome; $$$$ — over $50 please contact us at dining@memphismagazine.com.
CENTER CITY 117 PRIME—Restaurateurs Craig Blondis and Roger Sapp teamed up with Chef Ryan Trimm to recreate the traditional American steakhouse. Serving oysters on the half shell and a variety of surf and turf options. 117 Union. 433-9851. L, D, WB, X, $-$$$ 3RD & COURT—The latest from Ryan Trimm and Across the Board Hospitality is a retro diner with an upscale twist. Includes a three-meat meatloaf and pound cake French toast. 24 N. B.B. King. 290-8484. B, L, D, X, WB, $-$$ ALDO’S PIZZA PIES—Serving gourmet pizzas — including Mr. T Rex — salads, and more. Also 30 beers, bottled or on tap. 100 S. Main. 577-7743; 752 S. Cooper. 725-7437. L, D, X, $-$$ THE ARCADE—Possibly Memphis’ oldest cafe. Specialties include sweet potato pancakes, a fried peanut butter and banana sandwich, and breakfast served all day. 540 S. Main. 526-5757. B, L, D (Thurs.-Sat.), X, MRA, $ AUTOMATIC SLIM’S—Longtime downtown favorite specializes in contemporary American cuisine emphasizing local ingredients; also extensive martini list. 83 S. Second. 525-7948. L, D, WB, X, MRA, $-$$$ BARDOG TAVERN—Classic American grill with Italian influence, Bardog offers pasta specialties such as Grandma’s NJ Meatballs, as well as salads, sliders, sandwiches, and daily specials. 73 Monroe. 275-8752. B (Mon.-Fri.), L, D, WB, X, MRA, $-$$ BEDROCK EATS & SWEETS—Memphis’ only Paleocentric restaurant offering such dishes as pot roast, waffles, enchiladas, chicken salad, omelets, and more. Closed for dinner Sun. 327 S. Main. 409-6433. B, L, D, X, $-$$ BELLE TAVERN—Serving elevated bar food, including a butcher board with a variety of meats and cheeses, as well as daily specials. 117 Barboro Alley. 249-6580. L (Sun.), D, MRA, $ BLEU—This eclectic restaurant features American food with global influences and local ingredients. Among the specialties are a 14-oz. bone-in rib-eye and several seafood dishes. 221 S. Third, in the Westin Memphis Beale St. Hotel. 334-5950. B, L, D, WB, X, MRA, $$-$$$ BLUEFIN RESTAURANT & SUSHI LOUNGE— Serves Japanese fusion cuisine featuring seafood and steak, with seasonally changing menu; also a sushi bar. 135 S. Main. 528-1010. L, D, X, $-$$ BRASS DOOR IRISH PUB—Irish and New-American cuisine includes such entrees as fish and chips, burgers, shepherd’s pie, all-day Irish breakfast, and more. 152 Madison. 572-1813. L, D, SB, $-$$ CAFE KEOUGH—European-style cafe serving quiche, paninis, salads, and more. 12 S. Main. 509-2469. B, L, D, X, $
CAPRICCIO GRILL ITALIAN STEAKHOUSE— Offers prime steaks, fresh seafood (lobster tails, grouper, mahi mahi), pasta, and several Northern Italian specialties. 149 Union, The Peabody. 529-4199. B, L, D, SB, X, MRA, $-$$$$ CAROLINA WATERSHED—This indoor/outdoor eatery, set around silos, features reimagined down-home classics, including fried green tomatoes with smoked catfish, a buttermilk fried chicken sandwich, burgers, and more. Closed Mon.-Thurs. 141 E. Carolina. 321-5553. L, D, WB, $-$$ CATHERINE & MARY’S—A variety of pastas, grilled quail, pâté, razor clams, and monkfish are among the dishes served at this Italian restaurant in the Chisca. 272 S. Main. 254-8600. D, SB, X, MRA, $-$$$ CHEZ PHILIPPE—Classical/contemporary French cuisine presented in a luxurious atmosphere with a seasonal menu focused on local/regional cuisine. The crown jewel of The Peabody for 35 years. Afternoon tea served Wed.-Sat., 1-3:30 p.m. (reservations required). Closed Sun.Tues. The Peabody, 149 Union. 529-4188. D, X, MRA, $$$$ COZY CORNER—Serving up ribs, pork sandwiches, chicken, spaghetti, and more; also homemade banana pudding. Closed Mon. 745 N. Parkway and Manassas. 527-9158. L, D, $ DIRTY CROW INN—Serving elevated bar food, including poutine fries, fried catfish, and the Chicken Debris, a sandwich with smoked chicken, melted cheddar, and gravy. 855 Kentucky. 207-5111. L, D, MRA, $ EVELYN & OLIVE—Jamaican/Southern fusion cuisine includes such dishes as Kingston stew fish, Rasta Pasta, and jerk rib-eye. Closed for lunch Sat. and all day Sun.-Mon. 630 Madison. 748-5422. L, D, X, $ FAM—Casual Asian restaurant serves sushi rice bowls, noodle bowls, sushi rolls, and spring rolls. Closed Sun. 149 Madison. 701-6666. L, D, X, $ FELICIA SUZANNE’S—Southern cuisine with low-country, Creole, and Delta influences, using regional fresh seafood, local beef, and locally grown foods. Entrees include shrimp and grits. Closed Sun. and Mon. A downtown staple at Brinkley Plaza, 80 Monroe, Suite L1. 523-0877. L (Fri. only), D, X, MRA, $$-$$$ FERRARO’S PIZZERIA & PUB—Rigatoni and tortellini are among the pasta entrees here, along with pizzas (whole or by the slice) with a variety of toppings. 111 Jackson. 522-2033. L, D, X, $ FLIGHT RESTAURANT & WINE BAR— Serves steaks and seafood, along with such specialties as bison ribeye and Muscovy duck, all matched with appropriate wines. 39 S. Main. 521-8005. D, SB, X, MRA, $-$$$ FLYING FISH—Serves up fried and grilled versions of shrimp, crab, oysters, fish tacos, and catfish; also chicken and burgers. 105 S. Second. 522-8228. L, D, X, $-$$ THE GRAY CANARY—The sixth restaurant from chefs Andy Ticer and Michael Hudman, offering small plates and entrees cooked on an open flame. Oysters,
octopus, and hearty steaks are among the menu options at this eatery in Old Dominick Distillery. Closed Mon. 301 S. Front. 4666324. D, WB, X, MRA, $-$$$. GRECIAN GOURMET TAVERNA—Serves traditional favorites like spanakopita, pastitso, moussaka, and hand-rolled dolmathes, as well as lamb sliders and pita nachos. Closed Mon. 412 S. Main. 249-6626. L, D, X, $ GUS’S WORLD FAMOUS FRIED CHICKEN—Serves chicken with signature spicy batter, along with homemade beans, slaw, and pies. 310 S. Front. 527-4877; 215 S. Center St. (Collierville). 853-6005; 2965 N. Germantown Pkwy. (Cordova). 373-9111; 730 S. Mendenhall. 7672323; 505 Highway 70 W., Mason, TN. 901-294-2028. L, D, X, MRA, $ HAPPY MEXICAN—Serves quesadillas, burritos, chimichangas, vegetable and seafood dishes, and more. 385 S. Second. 529-9991; 6080 Primacy Pkwy. 683-0000; 7935 Winchester. 751-5353. L, D, X, $ HU. DINER—An extension of Hu. Hotel, diner serves such dishes as country-fried cauliflower, cornflake-fried chicken, and octopus and grits. 3 S. Main. 333-1224. L, D, X, $-$$ HUEY’S—This family-friendly restaurant offers 13 different burgers, a variety of sandwiches, and delicious soups and salads. 1927 Madison. 726-4372; 1771 N. Germantown Pkwy. (Cordova). 754-3885; 77 S. Second. 527-2700; 2130 W. Poplar (Collierville). 854-4455; 7090 Malco Blvd. (Southaven). 662-349-7097; 7825 Winchester. 624-8911; 4872 Poplar. 682-7729; 7677 Farmington Blvd. (Germantown). 318-3030; 8570 Highway 51 N. (Millington). 873-5025. L, D, X, MRA, $ HU. ROOF—Rooftop cocktail bar with superb city views serves toasts with a variety of toppings including beef tartare with cured egg, cognac, and capers or riced cauliflower with yellow curry, currants, and almonds. Also salads, fish tacos, and boiled peanut hummus. 79 Madison. 333-1229. D, $ ITTA BENA—Southern and Cajun-American cuisine served here; specialties are duck and waffles and shrimp and grits, along with steaks, chops, seafood, and pasta. 145 Beale St. 578-3031. D, X, MRA, $$-$$$ KOOKY CANUCK—Offers prime rib, catfish, and burgers, including the 4-lb. “Kookamonga”; also late-night menu. 87 S. Second. 578-9800; 1250 N. Germantown Pkwy. 1-800-2453 L, D, X, MRA, $-$$$ THE LITTLE TEA SHOP—Downtown institution serves up Southern comfort cooking, including meatloaf and such veggies as turnip greens, yams, okra, and tomatoes. Closed Sat.-Sun. 69 Monroe. 525-6000, L, X, $ LOCAL—Entrees with a focus on locally sourced products include lobster mac-and-cheese and ribeye patty melt; menu differs by location. 95 S. Main. 473-9573; 2126 Madison. 725-1845. L, D, WB, X, $-$$ LOFLIN YARD—Beer garden and restaurant serves vegetarian fare and smoked-meat dishes, including beef brisket and pork tenderloin, cooked on a custom-made grill. Closed Mon.-Tues. 7 W. Carolina. 249-3046. L (Sat. and Sun.), D, MRA, $-$$ THE LOOKOUT AT THE PYRAMID—Serves seafood and Southern fare, including cornmeal-fried oysters, sweet tea brined chicken, and elk chops. 1 Bass Pro Dr. 620-4600/291-8200. L, D, X $-$$$ LUNA RESTAURANT & LOUNGE—Serving a limited menu of breakfast and lunch items. Dinner entrees include Citrus Glaze Salmon and Cajun Stuffed Chicken. 179 Madison (Hotel Napoleon). 526-0002. B, D (Mon.-Sat.), X, $-$$$ MACIEL’S—Entrees include tortas, fried taco plates, quesadillas, chorizo and pastor soft tacos, salads, and more. Downtown closed Sun. Bodega closed Wed. 45 S. Main. 526-0037; 525 S. Highland. 504-4584. L, D, SB (Highland), X, MRA, $ THE MAJESTIC GRILLE—Housed in a former silent-picture house, features aged steaks, fresh seafood, and such specialties as roasted chicken and grilled pork tenderloin; offers a pre-theatre menu and classic cocktails. Well-stocked bar. 145 S. Main. 522-8555. L, D, WB, X, MRA, $-$$$ McEWEN’S—Southern/American cuisine with international flavors; specialties include steak and seafood, sweet potato-crusted catfish with macaroni and cheese, and more. Closed Sun., Monroe location. 120 Monroe. 527-7085; 1110 Van Buren (Oxford). 662-234-7003. L, D, SB (Oxford only), X, MRA, $$-$$$
We celebrate our city’s community table and the people who grow, cook, and eat the best Memphis food at M E M P H I S M A G A Z I N E . C O M / F O O D - D I N I N G (This guide, compiled by our editors, includes editorial picks and advertisers.)
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Broadway Pizza House Legendary Pizza Since 1977
2581 Broad Avenue (901) 454-7930
629 South Mendenhall
(901) 207-1546
Memphis Magazine’s
THE 2019
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PIZZA
MESQUITE CHOP HOUSE—The focus here is on steaks, including prime fillet, rib-eyes, and prime-aged New York strip; also, some seafood options. 5960 Getwell (Southaven). 662-8902467; 88 Union. 527-5337; 3165 Forest Hill-Irene (Germantown). 249-5661. D, SB (Germantown), X, $$-$$$ MOLLIE FONTAINE LOUNGE—Specializes in tapas (small plates) featuring global cuisine. Closed Sun.-Tues. 679 Adams Ave. 524-1886. D, X, MRA, $ THE NINE THAI & SUSHI—Serving authentic Thai dishes, including curries, as well as a variety of sushi rolls. Closed for lunch Sat. and Sun. 121 Union. 208-8347. L, D, X, $-$$ PAULETTE’S—Presents fine dining with a Continental flair, including such entrees as filet Paulette with butter cream sauce and crabmeat and spinach crepes; also changing daily specials and great views. River Inn. 50 Harbor Town Square. 260-3300. B, L, D, WB, X, MRA, $-$$$ PEARL’S OYSTER HOUSE—Downtown eatery serving seafood, including oysters, crawfish, and stuffed butterfly shrimp, as well as beef, chicken, and pasta dishes. 299 S. Main. 522-9070; 8106 Cordova Center Dr. (Cordova). 425-4797. L, D, SB, X, $-$$$ PONTOTOC LOUNGE—Upscale restaurant and jazz bar serves such starters as alligator filet fritters; entrees include Mississippi pot roast with jalapeño cornbread and tagliatelle with braised beef. 314 S. Main. 207-7576. D, X, $-$$ PUCK FOOD HALL—Food hall featuring a variety of vendors serving everything from bagels and beer to comfort food and healthy cuisine. 409 S. Main. 341-3838. $-$$ REGINA’S—New Orleans-inspired eatery offering po’boys, Cajun nachos topped with crawfish tails, catfish platters, oysters, and more. Closed Mon. 60 N. Main. 730-0384. B, L, D, SB, X, $-$$ RENDEZVOUS, CHARLES VERGOS’—Menu items include barbecued ribs, cheese plates, skillet shrimp, red beans and rice, and Greek salads. Closed Sun.-Mon. 52 S. Second. 523-2746. L (Fri.-Sat.), D, X, $-$$ RIZZO’S DINER—Chorizo meatloaf, lobster pronto puff, and lamb belly tacos are menu items at this upscale diner. Michael Patrick is among the city’s best chefs. 492 S. Main. 304-6985. L (Fri.-Sat.), D, SB, X, MRA, $-$$ SABOR CARIBE—Serving up “Caribbean flavors” with dishes from Colombia, Venezuela, Puerto Rico, and Cuba. Closed Sunday. 662 Madison. 949-8100. L, D, X, $ SAGE—Restaurant and lounge features daily lunch specials and tapas with such dishes as braised short ribs, teriyaki pulled pork, and the Sage burger made with Angus beef, avocado mash, fried egg, and flash-fried sage. 94 S. Main. 672-7902. L, D, WB, X, $-$$ SLEEP OUT LOUIE’S—Oyster bar with such specialties as char-grilled Roquefort oysters and gulf oysters on the half shell with Prosecco mignonette; also serves flatbread pizzas and a variety of sandwiches. 150 Peabody Place, Suite 111. 707-7180. L, D, X, $ SOUTH MAIN SUSHI & GRILL—Serving sushi, nigiri, and more. 520 S. Main. 249-2194. L, D, X, $ SPINDINI—Italian fusion cuisine with such entrees as woodfired pizzas, Gorgonzola-stuffed filet, and fresh seafood; large domestic whiskey selection. 383 S. Main. 578-2767. D, X, $$-$$$ SUNRISE MEMPHIS—From owners of Sweet Grass and Central BBQ. Serves breakfast all day, including house-made biscuits, frittatas, kielbasa or boudin plates, and breakfast platters. 670 Jefferson. 552-3144. B, L, X, MRA, $ TERRACE—Creative American and Continental cuisine includes such dishes as filet mignon, beef or lamb sliders, chicken satay, and mushroom pizzetta. Rooftop, River Inn of Harbor Town, 50 Harbor Town Square. 260-3366. D, X, MRA, $$ TEXAS DE BRAZIL—Serves beef, pork, lamb, and chicken dishes, and Brazilian sausage; also a salad bar with extensive toppings. 150 Peabody Place, Suite 103. 526-7600. L (Wed.-Fri.), D, SB, X, $$-$$$ UNCLE BUCK’S FISHBOWL & GRILL—Burgers, pizza, fish dishes, sandwiches, and more served in a unique “underwater” setting. Bass Pro, Bass Pro Drive, 291-8200. B, L, D, X, $-$$ THE VAULT—Oysters, shrimp beignets, flatbreads, stuffed cornish hen, and Smash Burger featured on “Late Nite Eats” are among the dishes offered at this Creole/Italian fusion eatery. 124 G.E. Patterson. 591-8000. L, D, SB, X, MRA, $-$$ WESTY’S—Extensive menu includes a variety of wild rice dishes, sandwiches, plate lunches, and hot fudge pie. 346 N. Main. 543-3278.L, D, X, $
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COLLIERVILLE CAFE EUROPE—From Italian chef Michele D’oto, the French, Spanish, and Italian fusion cuisine includes a variety of dishes like Rosette al Forno, fish ceviche, and sole meuniere. Closed Sun. 4610 Merchants Park Circle, Suite 571. 286-4199. L, D, X, $$-$$$$ CAFE PIAZZA BY PAT LUCCHESI—Specializes in gourmet pizzas (including create-your-own), panini sandwiches, and pasta. Closed Sun. 139 S. Rowlett St. 861-1999. L, D, X, $-$$ CIAO BABY—Specializing in Neapolitan-style pizza made in a wood-fired oven. Also serves house-made mozzarella, pasta, appetizers, and salads. 890 W. Poplar, Suite 1. 457-7457. L, D, X, $ COLLIERVILLE COMMISSARY—Serves barbecue sandwiches, sliders, ribs, shrimp, and nachos, as well as smoked barbecued bologna sandwiches. 3573 S. Houston Levee Rd. 979-5540. L, D, X, MRA, $-$$ DAVID GRISANTI’S—Serving Northern Italian cuisine and traditional family recipes, like the Elfo Special, shrimp sauteed in garlic and butter, tossed with white button mushrooms and white pepper, and served over vermicelli with Parmigiano-Reggiano. Closed Sun. 684 W. Poplar (Sheffield Antiques Mall). 861-1777. L, D (Thurs.-Sat.), X, $-$$$ EL MEZCAL—Serves burritos, chimichangas, fajitas, and other Mexican cuisine, as well as shrimp dinners and steak. 9947 Wolf River, 853-7922; 402 Perkins Extd. 761-7710; 694 N. Germantown Pkwy. (Cordova). 755-1447; 1492 Union. 274-4264; 11615 Airline Rd. (Arlington). 867-1883; 9045 Highway 64 (Lakeland). 383-4219; 7164 Hacks Cross Rd. (Olive Branch). 662-890-3337; 8834 Hwy. 51 N. (Millington). 872-3220; 7424 Highway 64 (Bartlett). 417-6026. L, D, X, $ EMERALD THAI RESTAURANT—Spicy shrimp, pad khing, lemongrass chicken, and several noodle, rice, and vegetarian dishes are offered at this family restaurant. Closed Sunday. 8950 Highway 64 (Lakeland, TN). 384-0540. L, D X, $-$$ FIREBIRDS—Specialties are hand-cut steaks, slow-roasted prime rib, and wood-grilled salmon and other seafood, as well as seasonal entrees. 4600 Merchants Circle, Carriage Crossing. 850-1637; 8470 Highway 64 (Bartlett). 379-1300. L, D, X, $-$$$ JIM’S PLACE GRILLE—Features American, Greek, and Continental cuisine with such entrees as pork tenderloin, several seafood specialties, and hand-cut charcoal-grilled steaks. Closed for lunch Sat. and all day Sun. 3660 Houston Levee. 861-5000. L, D, X, MRA, $-$$$ MULAN ASIAN BISTRO—Hunan Chicken, tofu dishes, and orange beef served here; sushi and Thai food, too. 2059 Houston Levee. 850-5288; 2149 Young. 347-3965; 4698 Spottswood. 609-8680. L, D, X, $-$$ OSAKA JAPANESE CUISINE—Featuring an extensive sushi menu as well as traditional Japanese and hibachi dining. Hours vary for lunch; call. 3670 Houston Levee. 861-4309; 3402 Poplar. 249-4690; 7164 Hacks Cross (Olive Branch). 662-8909312; 2200 N. Germantown Pkwy. (Cordova). 425-4901. L, D, X, $-$$$ P.O. PRESS PUBLIC HOUSE AND PROVISIONS—Featuring house-aged meats and locally sourced produce, the menu changes with availability, with such items as seasonal fish, local beef, and fresh vegetable dishes. Call for location: 457-7655. D (except Sunday), SB, X, $-$$ RAVEN & LILY—Eatery offers innovative Southern-inspired cuisine with such dishes as crispy shrimp and cauliflower salad, spiced lamb sausage and parmesan risotto, and bananas foster pain perdu. Closed Monday. 120 E. Mulberry. 286-4575. L, D, SB, X, $-$$ SEAR SHACK BURGERS & FRIES—Serving Angus burgers, fries, and hand-spun milkshakes. Closed Mon. 875 W. Poplar, Suite 6. 861-4100; 5101 Sanderlin, Suite 103. 567-4909 ; 7424 Stage Road, Suite 121 (Bartlett). 382-3083; 6518 Goodman (Olive Branch). 662-408-4932; 427 E. Commerce (Hernando). 662-469-4114. L, D, X, $ STIX—Hibachi steakhouse with Asian cuisine features steak, chicken, and a fillet and lobster combination, also sushi. A specialty is Dynamite Chicken with fried rice. 4680 Merchants Park Circle, Avenue Carriage Crossing. 854-3399. L, D, X, $-$$
ZOPITA’S ON THE SQUARE—Cafe offers sandwiches, including smoked salmon and pork tenderloin, as well as salads and desserts. Closed Sun. 114 N. Main. 457-7526. L, D, X, $
CORDOVA BOMBAY HOUSE—Indian fare includes lamb korma and chicken tikka; also, a daily luncheon buffet. 1727 N. Germantown Pkwy. 755-4114. L, D, X, $-$$ THE BUTCHER SHOP—Serves steaks ranging from 8-oz. filets to a 20-oz. porterhouse; also chicken, pork chops, fresh seafood. 107 S. Germantown Rd. 757-4244. L (Fri. and Sun.), D, X, $$-$$$ FOX RIDGE PIZZA—Pizzas, calzones, sub sandwiches, burgers, and meat-and-two plate lunches are among the dishes served at this eatery, which opened in 1979. 1769 N. Germantown Pkwy. 758-6500. L, D, X, $ GREEN BAMBOO—Pineapple tilapia, pork vermicelli, and the soft egg noodle combo are Vietnamese specialties here. 990 N. Germantown Parkway #104. 753-5488. L, D, $-$$ KING JERRY LAWLER’S MEMPHIS BBQ COMPANY—Offers a variety of barbecue dishes, including brisket, ribs, nachos topped with smoked pork, and a selection of barbecue “Slamwiches.” 465 N. Germantown Pkwy. #116. 509-2360. L, D, X, $ JIM ’N NICK’S BAR-B-Q—Serves barbecued pork, ribs, chicken, brisket, and fish, along with other homemade Southern specialties. 2359 N. Germantown Pkwy. 388-0998. L, D, X, $-$$ EL MERO TACO—This food truck turned restaurant serves up Mexican and Southern-style fusion dishes, including fried chicken tacos, chorizo con papas tacos, and brisket quesadillas. 8100 Macon Station, Suite 102. 3081661. Closed Sun.-Mon. L, D, WB, X, $ MISTER B’S—Features New Orleans-style seafood and steaks. Closed for lunch Sat. and all day Sun. and Mon. 6655 Poplar #107. 751-5262. L, D, X, $-$$$ PEI WEI ASIAN DINER—Serves a variety of Pan-Asian cuisine, including Japanese, Vietnamese, Korean, and Thai. Noodle and rice bowls are specialties; a small plates menu also offered. 2257 N. Germantown Pkwy. 382-1822. L, D, X, $-$$ SHOGUN JAPANESE RESTAURANT—Entrees include tempura, teriyaki, and sushi, as well as grilled fish and chicken entrees. 2324 N. Germantown Pkwy. 384-4122. L, D, X, $-$$ TANNOOR GRILL—Brazilian-style steakhouse with skewers served tableside, along with Middle Eastern specialties; vegetarian options also available. 830 N. Germantown Pkwy. 443-5222. L, D, X, $-$$$
EAST MEMPHIS
(INCLUDES POPLAR/ I-240) ACRE—Features seasonal modern American cuisine in an avante-garde setting using locally sourced products; also small plates and enclosed garden patio. Closed for lunch Sat. and all day Sun. 690 S. Perkins. 818-2273. L, D, X, $$-$$$ AGAVOS COCINA & TEQUILA—Camaron de Tequila, tamales, kabobs, and burgers made with a blend of beef and chorizo are among the offerings at this tequila-centric restaurant and bar. 2924 Walnut Grove. 433-9345. L, D, X, $-$$ AMERIGO—Traditional and contemporary Italian cuisine includes pasta, wood-fired pizza, steaks, and cedarwood-roasted fish. 1239 Ridgeway, Park Place Mall. 761-4000. L, D, SB, X, MRA, $-$$$ ANDREW MICHAEL ITALIAN KITCHEN— Traditional Italian cuisine with a menu from two of the city’s top chefs that changes seasonally with such entrees as Maw Maw’s ravioli. Closed Sun.-Mon. 712 W. Brookhaven Cl. 347-3569. D, X, MRA, $$-$$$ ANOTHER BROKEN EGG CAFE—Offering several varieties of eggs Benedict, waffles, omelets, pancakes, beignets, and other breakfast fare; also burgers, sandwiches, and salads. 6063 Park Ave. 729-7020; 65 S. Highland. 623-7122. B, L, WB, X, $ BANGKOK ALLEY—Thai fusion cuisine includes noodle and curry dishes, chef-specialty sushi rolls, coconut soup, and duck and seafood entrees. Closed for lunch Sat. and all day Sun. at Brookhaven location; call for hours. 715 W. Brookhaven
Cl. 590-2585; 2150 W. Poplar at Houston Levee (Collierville). 854-8748. L, D, X, $-$$ BENIHANA—This Japanese steakhouse serves beef, chicken, and seafood grilled at the table; some menu items change monthly; sushi bar also featured. 912 Ridge Lake Blvd. 767-8980. L, D, X, $$-$$$ BLUE PLATE CAFÉ—For breakfast, the café’s serves old-fashioned buttermilk pancakes (it’s a secret recipe!), country ham and eggs, and waffles with fresh strawberries and cream. For lunch, the café specializes in country cooking. 5469 Poplar. 761-9696; 113 S. Court. 523-2050. B, L, X, $ BROOKLYN BRIDGE ITALIAN RESTAURANT— Specializing in such homemade entrees as spinach lasagna and lobster ravioli; a seafood specialty is horseradish-crusted salmon. Closed Sun. 1779 Kirby Pkwy. 755-7413. D, X, $-$$$ BRYANT’S BREAKFAST—Three-egg omelets, pancakes, and The Sampler Platter are among the popular entrees here. Possibly the best biscuits in town. Closed Mon. and Tues. 3965 Summer. 324-7494. B, L, X, $ BUCKLEY’S FINE FILET GRILL—Specializes in steaks, seafood, and pasta. (Lunchbox serves entree salads, burgers, and more.) 5355 Poplar. 683-4538; 919 S. Yates (Buckley’s Lunchbox), 682-0570. L (Yates only, M-F), D, X, $-$$ CAPITAL GRILLE—Known for its dry-aged, hand-carved steaks; among the specialties are bone-in sirloin, and porcini-rubbed Delmonico; also seafood entrees and seasonal lunch plates. Closed for lunch Sat.-Sun. Crescent Center, 6065 Poplar. 683-9291. L, D, X, $$$-$$$$ CASABLANCA—Lamb shawarma is one of the fresh, homemade specialties served at this Mediterranean/Moroccan restaurant; fish entrees and vegetarian options also available. 5030 Poplar. 725-8557 ; 7609 Poplar Pike (Germantown). 4255908; 1707 Madison. 421-6949. L, D, X, $-$$ CIAO BELLA—Among the Italian and Greek specialties are lasagna, seafood pasta, gourmet pizzas, and vegetarian options. Closed for lunch Sat.-Sun. 565 Erin Dr., Erin Way Shopping Center. 205-2500. L, D, X, MRA, $-$$$ CITY SILO TABLE + PANTRY—With a focus on clean eating, this establishment offers fresh juices, as well as comfort foods re-imagined with wholesome ingredients. 5101 Sanderlin. 729-7687. B, L, D, X, $ CORKY’S—Popular barbecue emporium offers both wet and dry ribs, plus a full menu of other barbecue entrees. Wed. lunch buffets, Cordova and Collierville. 5259 Poplar. 685-9744; 1740 N. Germantown Pkwy. (Cordova). 737-1911; 743 W. Poplar (Collierville). 405-4999; 6434 Goodman Rd., Olive Branch. 662893-3663. L, D, X, MRA, $-$$ ERLING JENSEN—For over 20 years, has presented “globally inspired” cuisine to die for. Specialties are rack of lamb, big game entrees, and fresh fish dishes. 1044 S. Yates. 763-3700. D, X, MRA, $$-$$$ FLEMING’S PRIME STEAKHOUSE—Serves wet-aged and dry-aged steaks, prime beef, chops, and seafood, including salmon, Australian lobster tails, and a catch of the day. 6245 Poplar. 761-6200. D, X, MRA, $$$-$$$$ FOLK’S FOLLY ORIGINAL PRIME STEAK HOUSE—Specializes in prime steaks, as well as lobster, grilled Scottish salmon, Alaskan king crab legs, rack of lamb, and weekly specials. 551 S. Mendenhall. 762-8200. D, X, MRA, $$$-$$$$ FORMOSA—Offers Mandarin cuisine, including broccoli beef, hot-and-sour soup, and spring rolls. Closed Monday. 6685 Quince. 753-9898. L, D, X, $-$$ FRATELLI’S—Serves hot and cold sandwiches, salads, soups, and desserts, all with an Italian/Mediterranean flair. Closed Sunday. 750 Cherry Rd., Memphis Botanic Garden. 766-9900. L, X, $ FRANK GRISANTI’S ITALIAN RESTAURANT— Northern Italian favorites include pasta with jumbo shrimp and mushrooms; also seafood, filet mignon, and daily lunch specials. Closed for lunch Sunday. Embassy Suites Hotel, 1022 S. Shady Grove. 761-9462. L, D, X, $-$$$ THE GROVE GRILL—Offers steaks, chops, seafood, and other American cuisine with Southern and global influences; entrees include crab cakes, and shrimp and grits, also dinner specials. Founder Jeff Dunham’s son Chip is now chef de cuisine. 4550 Poplar. 818-9951. L, D, SB, X, MRA, $$-$$$ HALF SHELL—Specializes in seafood, such as king crab legs; also serves steaks, chicken, pastas, salads, sandwiches, a ”voodoo menu”; oyster bar at Winchester location. 688 S. O C T O B E R 2 0 1 9 • M E M P H I S M A G A Z I N E . C O M • 105
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Mendenhall. 682-3966; 7825 Winchester. 737-6755. L, D, WB, X, MRA, $-$$$ HIGH POINT PIZZA—Serves a variety of pizzas, subs, salads, and sides. Closed Monday. A neighborhood fixture. 477 High Point Terrace. 452-3339. L, D, X, $-$$ HOG & HOMINY—The casual sister to Andrew Michael Italian Kitchen serves brick-oven-baked pizzas, including the Red-Eye with pork belly, and small plates with everything from meatballs to beef and cheddar hot dogs; and local veggies. Closed for lunch Mon. 707 W. Brookhaven Cl. 207-7396. L, D, SB, X, MRA, $-$$$ HOUSTON’S—Serves steaks, seafood, pork chops, chicken dishes, sandwiches, salads, and Chicago-style spinach dip. Farmous for first-class service. 5000 Poplar. 683-0915. L, D, X $-$$$ INTERIM—Offers American-seasonal cuisine with emphasis on local foods and fresh fish; daily chef specials. Closed for lunch Sat. 5040 Sanderlin, Suite 105. 818-0821. L, D, SB, X, $-$$$ LA BAGUETTE—An almond croissant and chicken salad are among specialties at this French-style bistro. Closed for dinner Sun. 3088 Poplar. 458-0900. B, L, D (closes at 7), X, MRA, $ LAS DELICIAS—Popular for its guacamole, house-made tortilla chips, and margaritas, this restaurant draws diners with its chicken enchiladas, meat-stuffed flautas, and Cuban torta with spicy pork. Closed Sunday. 4002 Park Ave. 458-9264; 5689 Quince. 800-2873. L, D, X, $ LIBRO AT LAURELWOOD—Bookstore eatery features a variety of sandwiches, salads, and homemade pasta dishes, with Italian-inspired options such as carbonara and potato gnocchi. Closed for dinner Sun. 387 Perkins Ext. (Novel). 8002656. B, L, D, SB, X, $-$$ LISA’S LUNCHBOX—Serving bagels, sandwiches, salads, and wraps. 5885 Ridgeway Center Pkwy. 767-6465; 2650 Thousand Oaks Blvd., Suite 1200; 730-0064; 6070 Poplar. 233-5875; 50 N. Front. 574-0468. B, L, $ LOST PIZZA—Offering pizzas (with dough made from scratch), pasta, salads, sandwiches, tamales, and more. 2855 Poplar. 572-1803; 5960 Getwell (Southaven). 662-892-8684. L, D, X, $-$$ LYNCHBURG LEGENDS—This restaurant with a Jack Daniels’ theme and Southern cuisine serves such entrees as Bourbon Street salmon, buttermilk-fried chicken, and grilled steak and wild mushroom salad. DoubleTree Hotel, 5069 Sanderlin. 969-7777. B, L, D, X, $- $$$ MAHOGANY MEMPHIS—Upscale Southern restaurant offers such dishes as coffee-rubbed lamb chops and baked Cajun Cornish hen. Closed for dinner Sun. and all day Mon.-Tues. 3092 Poplar, Suite 11. 623-7977. L, D, SB, X, $-$$$ MARCIANO MEDITERRANEAN AND ITALIAN CUISINE—Veal Saltimbocca with angel-hair pasta and white wine sauce is among the entrees; also steaks, seafood, and gourmet pizza. 780 Brookhaven Cl. 682-1660. D, X, $-$$ DAN MCGUINNESS PUB—Serves fish and chips, shepherd’s pie, burgers, and other Irish and American fare; also lunch and dinner specials. 4694 Spottswood. 761-3711; 3964 Goodman Rd. 662-890-7611. L, D, X, $ MAYURI INDIAN CUISINE—Serves tandoori chicken, masala dosa, tikka masala, as well as lamb and shrimp entrees; also a daily lunch buffet, and dinner buffet on Fri.-Sat. 6524 Quince Rd. 753-8755. L, D, X, $-$$ MELLOW MUSHROOM—Large menu includes assortment of pizzas, salads, calzones, hoagies, vegetarian options, and 50 beers on tap. 5138 Park Ave. 562-1211; 9155 Poplar, Shops of Forest Hill (Germantown). 907-0243. L, D, X, $-$$ MOSA ASIAN BISTRO—Specialties include sesame chicken, Thai calamari, rainbow panang curry with grouper fish, and other Pan Asian/fusion entrees. Closed Mon. 850 S. White Station Rd. 683-8889. L, D, X, MRA, $ NAM KING—Offers luncheon and dinner buffets, dim sum, and such specialties as fried dumplings, pepper steak, and orange chicken. 4594 Yale. 373-4411. L, D, X, $ NAPA CAFE—Among the specialties are miso-marinated salmon over black rice with garlic spinach and shiitake mushrooms. Closed Sun. 5101 Sanderlin, Suite 122. 683-0441. L, D, X, MRA, $$-$$$ NEW HUNAN—Chinese eatery with more than 80 entrees; also lunch/dinner buffets. 5052 Park. 766-1622. L, D, X, $
ONE & ONLY BBQ—On the menu are pork barbecue sandwiches, platters, wet and dry ribs, smoked chicken and turkey platters, a smoked meat salad, barbecue quesadillas, Brunswick Stew, and Millie’s homemade desserts. 1779 Kirby Pkwy. 751-3615; 567 Perkins Extd. 249-4227. L, D, X, $ ONO POKÉ—This eatery specializes in poké — a Hawaiian dish of fresh fish salad served over rice. Menu includes a variety of poké bowls, like the Kimchi Tuna bowl, or customers can build their own by choosing a base, protein, veggies, and toppings. 3145 Poplar. 618-2955. L, D, X, $ OWEN BRENNAN’S—New Orleans-style menu of beef, chicken, pasta, and seafood; jambalaya, shrimp and grits, and crawfish etouffee are specialties. Closed for dinner Sunday. The Regalia, 6150 Poplar. 761-0990. L, D, SB, X, MRA, $-$$$ PARK + CHERRY—The Dixon offers casual dining within the museum. Seasonal menu features sandwiches, like rustic chicken salad on croissant, as well as salads, snacks, and sweets. Closed for breakfast Sun. and all day Mon. 4339 Park (Dixon Gallery). 761-5250. L, X, $ PATRICK’S—Serves barbecue nachos, burgers, and entrees such as fish and chips; also plate lunches and daily specials. 4972 Park. 682-2852. L, D, X, MRA, $ PETE & SAM’S—Serving Memphis for 60-plus years; offers steaks, seafood, and traditional Italian dishes, including homemade ravioli, lasagna, and chicken marsala. 3886 Park. 458-0694. D, X, $-$$$ PF CHANG’S CHINA BISTRO—Specialties are orange peel shrimp, Mongolian beef, and chicken in lettuce wraps; also vegetarian dishes, including spicy eggplant. 1181 Ridgeway Rd., Park Place Centre. 818-3889. L, D, X, $-$$ PHO SAIGON—Vietnamese fare includes beef teriyaki, roasted quail, curry ginger chicken, vegetarian options, and a variety of soups. 2946 Poplar. 458-1644. L, D, $ PYRO’S FIRE-FRESH PIZZA—Serving gourmet pizzas cooked in an open-fire oven; wide choice of toppings; large local and craft beer selection. 1199 Ridgeway. 379-8294; 2035 Union Ave. 208-8857; 2286 N. Germantown Pkwy. (Cordova). 207-1198; 3592 S. Houston Levee (Collierville). 221-8109. L, D, X, MRA, $ RIVER OAKS—Chef Jose Gutierrez’s French-style bistro serves seafood and steaks, with an emphasis on fresh local ingredients. Closed for lunch Sat. and all day Sun. 5871 Poplar Ave. 683-9305. L, D, X, $$$ RONNIE GRISANTI’S ITALIAN RESTAURANT— This Memphis institution serves some family classics such as Elfo’s Special and handmade ravioli, along with house-made pizza and fresh oysters. Closed Sun. 6150 Poplar #122. 850-0191. D, X, $-$$$ RUTH’S CHRIS STEAK HOUSE—Offers prime steaks cut and aged in-house, as well as lamb, chicken, and fresh seafood, including lobster. 6120 Poplar. 761-0055. D, X, $$$-$$$$ SALSA—Mexican-Southern California specialties include carnitas, enchiladas verde, and fajitas; also Southwestern seafood dishes such as snapper verde. Closed Sun. Regalia Shopping Center, 6150 Poplar, Suite 129. 683-6325. L, D, X, $-$$ SEASONS 52—This elegant fresh grill and wine bar offers a seasonally changing menu using fresh ingredients, wood-fire grilling, and brick-oven cooking; also a large international wine list and nightly piano bar. Crescent Center, 6085 Poplar. 682-9952. L, D, X, $$-$$$ STAKS—Offering pancakes, including birthday cake and lemon ricotta. Menu includes other breakfast items such as beignets and French toast, as well as soups and sandwiches for lunch. 4615 Poplar. 509-2367; 7704 Poplar (Germantown). 800-1951. B, L, WB, X, $ STRANO BY CHEF JOSH—Presenting a Sicilian/ Mediterranean mix of Arab, Spanish, Greek, and North African fare, Strano serves hand-tossed pizzas, wood-grilled fish, and such entrees as Chicken Under the Earth, cooked under a Himalayan salt block over a seasoned white oak wood-fired grill. 518 Perkins Extd. 275-8986. L, D, WB, X, MRA, $-$$$ SUSHI JIMMI—This food truck turned restaurant serves a variety of sushi rolls, fusion dishes — such as kimchi fries — and sushi burritos. Closed for lunch Sat. and all day Mon. 2895 Poplar. 729-6985. L, D, X, $ SWANKY’S TACO SHOP—Taco-centric eatery offers tortas, flatbreads, quesadillas, chimichangas, burgers, and more. 4770 Poplar. 730-0763; 6641 Poplar (Germantown). 737-2088; 272 S. Main. 779-3499. L, D, X, $
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2019
Join representatives from public, private, charter, parochial, and other community schools and programs at the second annual Mid-South School Expo!
SATURDAY
Oct 26
M E M P H I S B OTA N I C G A R D E N I N H A R D I N H A L L
10AM until 1:30PM For more info, please visit
MEMPHISPARENTSCHOOLEXPO.COM
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9/20/19 12:39 PM
THREE LITTLE PIGS—Pork-shoulder-style barbecue with tangy mild or hot sauce, freshly made coleslaw, and baked beans. 5145 Quince Rd. 685-7094. B, L, D, X, $ TOPS BAR-B-Q—Specializes in pork barbecue sandwiches and sandwich plates with beans and slaw; also serves ribs, beef brisket, and burgers. 1286 Union. 725-7527; 4183 Summer. 324-4325; 5391 Winchester. 794-7936; 3970 Rhodes. 323-9865; 6130 Macon. 371-0580. For more locations, go online. L, D, X, $ VENICE KITCHEN—Specializes in “eclectic Italian” and Southern Creole, from pastas, including the “Godfather,” to hand-tossed pizzas, including the “John Wayne”; choose from 50 toppings. 368 Perkins Ext. 767-6872. L, D, SB, X, $-$$ WANG’S MANDARIN HOUSE—Offers Mandarin, Cantonese, Szechuan, and spicy Hunan entrees, including the golden-sesame chicken; next door is East Tapas, serving small plates with an Asian twist. 6065 Park Ave., Park Place Mall. 763-0676. L, D, X, $-$$ WASABI—Serving traditional Japanese offerings, hibachi, sashimi, and sushi. The Sweet Heart roll, wrapped — in the shape of a heart — with tuna and filled with spicy salmon, yellowtail, and avocado, is a specialty. 5101 Sanderlin Rd., Suite 105. 421-6399. L, D, X, $-$$ WOMAN’S EXCHANGE TEA ROOM—Chicken-salad plate, beef tenderloin, soups-and-sandwiches, and vegetable plates are specialties; meal includes drink and dessert. Closed Sat.-Sun. 88 Racine. 327-5681. L, X, $ ZAKA BOWL—This vegan-friendly restaurant serves buildyour-own vegetable bowls featuring ingredients such as agave Brussels sprouts and roasted beets. Also serves tuna poke and herbed chicken bowls. 575 Erin. 509-3105. L, D, $
GERMANTOWN BLUE HONEY BISTRO—Entrees at this upscale eatery include brown butter scallops served with Mississippi blue rice and herb-crusted beef tenderloin with vegetables and truffle butter. Closed Sun. 9155 Poplar, Suite 17. 552-3041. D, X, $-$$$ FARM & FRIES—A burger-centric menu features 100 percent grass-fed and finished beef served in creative combinations like roasted portobellos and Swiss cheese. Try the Brussels with cheddar, bacon, and quick-fried sprout leaves on fries, house-cut with dipping sauces. Closed Sun. 7724 Poplar Pike. 791-2328. L, D, X, $ FOREST HILL GRILL—A variety of standard pub fare and a selection of mac-and-cheese dishes are featured on the menu. Specialties include Chicken Newport and a barbecue salmon BLT. 9102 Poplar Pike. 624-6001. L, D, SB, X, MRA, $-$$ GERMANTOWN COMMISSARY—Serves barbecue sandwiches, sliders, ribs, shrimp, and nachos, as well as smoked barbecued bologna sandwiches; Mon.-night all-youcan-eat ribs. 2290 S. Germantown Rd. S. 754-5540. L, D, X, MRA, $-$$ LAS TORTUGAS DELI MEXICANA— Authentic Mexican food prepared from local food sources; specializes in tortugas — grilled bread scooped out to hold such powerfully popular fillings as brisket, pork, and shrimp; also tingas, tostados. Closed Sunday. 1215 S. Germantown Rd. 751-1200; 6300 Poplar. 623-3882. L, D, X, $-$$ MISTER B’S—Features New Orleans-style seafood and steaks. Closed for lunch Sat. and all day Sun. and Mon. 6655 Poplar #107. 751-5262. L, D, X, $-$$$ MOONDANCE GRILL—From the owners of Itta Bena and Lafayette’s. Serves steak cooked sous vide and seafood dishes including Abita-barbecued shrimp and pan-seared sand dab, in addition to an extensive wine and cocktail list. 1730 S. Germantown Road, Suite 117. 755-1471. L, D, X, $$-$$$ NOODLES ASIAN BISTRO—Serves a variety of traditional Asian cuisine, with emphasis on noodle dishes, such as Singapore Street Noodles and Hong Kong Chow Fun. 7850 Poplar #12. 755-1117. L, D, X, $ PETRA CAFÉ—Serves Greek, Italian, and Middle Eastern sandwiches, gyros, and entrees. Hours vary; call. 6641 Poplar. 754-4440; 547 S. Highland. 323-3050. L, D, X, $-$$ RED KOI—Classic Japanese cuisine offered at this family-run restaurant; hibachi steaks, sushi, seafood, chicken, and vegetables. 5847 Poplar. 767-3456. L, D, X $-$$
ROCK’N DOUGH PIZZA CO.—Specialty and custom pizzas made from fresh ingredients; wide variety of toppings. 7850 Poplar #6. 779-2008. L, D, SB, X, MRA, $$ ROYAL PANDA—Hunan fish, Peking duck, Royal Panda chicken and shrimp, and a seafood combo are among the specialties. 3120 Village Shops Dr. 756-9697. L, D, X, $-$$ RUSSO’S NEW YORK PIZZERIA AND WINE BAR—Serves gourmet pizzas, calzones, and pasta, including lasagna, fettuccine Alfredo, scampi, and more. 9087 Poplar, Suite 111. 755-0092. L, D, WB, X, $-$$ SAKURA—Sushi, tempura, and teriyaki are Japanese specialties here. 2060 West St. 758-8181; 4840 Poplar. 572-1002. L, D, X, $-$$ SOUTHERN SOCIAL—Shrimp and grits, stuffed quail, and Aunt Thelma’s Fried Chicken are among the dishes served at this upscale Southern establishment. 2285 S. Germantown Rd. 754-5555. D, SB, X, MRA, $-$$$ WEST STREET DINER—This home-style eatery offers breakfast, burgers, po’boys, and more. 2076 West St. 757-2191. B, L, D (Mon.-Fri.), X, $ WOLF RIVER BRISKET CO.—From the owners of Pyro’s Fire Fresh Pizza, highlights include house-smoked meats: prime beef brisket, chicken, and salmon. Closed Sun. 9947 Wolf River Boulevard, Suite 101. 316-5590. L, D, X, $-$
MIDTOWN (INCLUDES THE MEDICAL CENTER) ABYSSINIA RESTAURANT—Ethiopian/Mediterranean menu includes beef, chicken, lamb, fish entrees, and vegetarian dishes; also a lunch buffet. 2600 Poplar. 321-0082. L, D, X, $-$$ ALCHEMY—Southern fusion, locally grown cuisine features small and large plates; among the offerings are pan-seared hanger steak, quail, and lamb chops; also handcrafted cocktails and local craft beers. 940 S. Cooper. 726-4444. D, SB, X, $-$$ ART BAR—Inventive cocktails feature locally foraged ingredients; snacks include house-cured salt & vinegar potato chips and herb-roasted olives. Closed Mon. 1350 Concourse Avenue #280. 507-8030. D, X, $ ATOMIC TIKI—Island-inspired dishes such as barbecue nachos with pineapple mango relish, Polynesian meatballs, and shrimp roll sliders are served in a tiki bar atmosphere. Closed Mon. 1545 Overton Park. 279-3935. D, $ BABALU TACOS & TAPAS—This eatery dishes up Spanish-style tapas with Southern flair; also taco and enchilada of the day; specials change daily. 2115 Madison. 274-0100; 6450 Poplar, 410-8909. L, D, SB, X, MRA, $-$$ BAR DKDC—Features an ever-changing menu of international “street food,” from Thai to Mexican, Israeli to Indian, along with specialty cocktails. 964 S. Cooper. 272-0830. D, X, MRA, $ BAR-B-Q SHOP—Dishes up barbecued ribs, spaghetti, bologna; also pulled pork shoulder, Texas toast barbecue sandwich, chicken sandwich, and salads. Closed Sun. 1782 Madison. 272-1277. L, D, X, MRA, $-$$ BARI RISTORANTE ENOTECA—Authentic Southeastern Italian cuisine (Puglia) emphasizes lighter entrees. Serves fresh fish and beef dishes and a homemade soup of the day. 22 S. Cooper. 722-2244. D, SB, X, MRA, $-$$$ BARKSDALE RESTAURANT—Old-school diner serving breakfast and Southern plate lunches. 237 S. Cooper. 722-2193. B, L, D, X, $ BAYOU BAR & GRILL—New Orleans fare at this Overton Square eatery includes jambalaya, gumbo, catfish Acadian, shrimp dishes, red beans and rice, and muffalettas. 2094 Madison. 278-8626. L, D, WB, X, MRA, $-$$ BEAUTY SHOP—Modern American cuisine with international flair served in a former beauty shop. Serves steaks, salads, pasta, and seafood, including pecan-crusted golden sea bass. Perennial “Best Brunch” winner. Closed for dinner Sunday. 966 S. Cooper. 272-7111. L, D, SB, X, MRA, $-$$$ BELLY ACRES—At this festive Overton Square eatery, milkshakes, floats, and burgers rule. Burgers are updated with contemporary toppings like grilled leeks, braised tomatoes, and sourdough or brioche buns. 2102 Trimble Pl. 529-7017. L, D, X, $ BHAN THAI—Authentic Thai cuisine includes curries, pad Thai noodles, and vegetarian dishes, as well as seafood, pork, and duck entrees. Closed for
lunch Sat.-Sun. and all day Mon. 1324 Peabody. 272-1538. L, D, X, MRA, $-$$ BLUE NILE ETHIOPIAN—Kabobs, flavorful chicken and lamb stew, and injera (flatbread) are traditional items on the menu, along with vegetarian options. 1788 Madison. 474-7214. L, D, X, $-$$ BOSCOS—Tennessee’s first craft brewery serves a variety of freshly brewed beers as well as wood-fired oven pizzas, pasta, seafood, steaks, and sandwiches. 2120 Madison. 432-2222. L, D, SB (with live jazz), X, MRA, $-$$ BOUNTY ON BROAD—Offering family-style dining, Bounty serves small plates and family-sized platters, with such specialties as chicken fried quail and braised pork shank. 2519 Broad. 410-8131. L (Sat. and Sun.), D (Mon.-Sat.), SB, X, MRA, $-$$$ BROADWAY PIZZA—Serving a variety of pizzas, including the Broadway Special, as well as sandwiches, salads, wings, and soul-food specials. 2581 Broad. 454-7930; 627 S. Mendenhall. 207-1546. L, D, X, $-$$ CAFE 1912—French/American bistro owned by culinary pioneer Glenn Hays serving such seafood entrees as seared sea scallops with charred cauliflower purée and chorizo cumin sauce; also crepes, salads, and onion soup gratinée. 243 S. Cooper. 722-2700. D, SB, X, MRA, $-$$$ THE CAFE AT CROSSTOWN—Features plantbased meals, with such menu items as a fried oyster po’boy and bibimbap, as well as daily chef specials. Closed Sun.-Mon. 1350 Concourse Avenue #280. 507-8030. B, L, D, WB, X, $ CAFE BROOKS BY CITY & STATE—Serving grab-and-go pastries, as well as lunch items. Menu includes soups, salads, and sandwiches, such as the Modern Reuben and Grown-Up Grilled Cheese. 1934 Poplar (Memphis Brooks Museum of Art). 544-6200. B, L, X, $ CAFE ECLECTIC—Omelets and chicken and waffles are among menu items, along with quesadillas, sandwiches, wraps, and burgers. Menu varies by location. 603 N. McLean. 725-1718; 111 Harbor Town Square. 590-4645. B, L, D, SB, X, MRA, $ CAFE OLÉ—This eatery specializes in authentic Mexican cuisine; one specialty is the build-your-own quesadilla. 959 S. Cooper. 343-0103. L, D, SB, X, MRA, $-$$ CAFE PALLADIO—Serves gourmet salads, soups, sandwiches, and desserts in a tea room inside the antiques shop. Closed Sun. 2169 Central. 278-0129. L, X, $ CAFE SOCIETY—With Belgian and classic French influences, serves Wagyu beef, chicken, and seafood dishes, including bacon-wrapped shrimp, along with daily specials and vegetarian entrees. Closed for lunch Sat.-Sun. 212 N. Evergreen. 722-2177. L, D, X, MRA, $-$$ CELTIC CROSSING—Specializes in Irish and American pub fare. Entrees include shepherd’s pie, shrimp and sausage coddle, and fish and chips. 903 S. Cooper. 274-5151. L, D, WB, X, MRA, $-$$ CENTRAL BBQ—Serves ribs, smoked hot wings, pulled pork sandwiches, chicken, turkey, nachos, and portobello sandwiches. Offers both pork and beef barbecue. 2249 Central Ave. 272-9377; 4375 Summer Ave. 7674672; 147 E. Butler. 672-7760 ; 6201 Poplar. 417-7962. L, D, X, MRA, $-$$ CHEF TAM’S UNDERGROUND CAFE—Serves Southern staples with a Cajun twist. Menu items include totchos, jerk wings, fried chicken, and “muddy” mac-and-cheese. Closed Sun. and Mon. 2299 Young. 207-6182. L, D, $ THE COVE—Nautical-themed restaurant and bar serving oysters, pizzas, and more. The Stoner Pie, with tamales and fritos, is a popular dish. 2559 Broad. 730-0719. L, D, $ THE CRAZY NOODLE—Korean noodle dishes range from bibam beef noodle with cabbage, carrots, and other vegetables, to curry chicken noodle; also rice cakes served in a flavorful sauce. Closed for lunch Sat.-Sun. 2015 Madison. 272-0928. L, D, X, $ ECCO—Mediterranean-inspired specialties range from rib-eye steak to seared scallops to housemade pastas and a grilled vegetable plate; also a Saturday brunch. Closed Sun.-Mon. 1585 Overton Park. 410-8200. L, D, X, $-$$ ELEMENTO NEAPOLITAN PIZZA—Crosstown pizzeria specializes in Neapolitan-style, wood-fired pizza with from-scratch dough. 1350 Concourse Avenue. 672-7527. L, D, X, $
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ELWOOD’S SHELLS—Cajun/Creole eatery offers po’ boys and such specialties as Red Fish Courtbouillon, fresh Gulf red-fish pan-seared in authentic Creole sauce, topped with shrimp and crawfish. Closed for dinner Sun. 916 S. Cooper. 552-4967. B, L, D, X, $-$$ FARM BURGER—Serves grass-fed, freshly ground, locally sourced burgers; also available with chicken, pork, or veggie quinoa patties, with such toppings as aged white cheddar, kale coleslaw, and roasted beets. 1350 Concourse Avenue #175. 800-1851. L, D, X, $ FINO’S ITALIAN DELI & CATERING—The newly revived Fino’s offers the old favorites such as the Acquisto as well as a new breakfast menu. 1853 Madison. 272-FINO. B, L, D, X, $ FRIDA’S—Mexican cuisine and Tex-Mex standards, including chimichangas, enchiladas, and fajitas; seafood includes shrimp and tilapia. 1718 Madison. 244-6196. L, D, X, $-$$ GLOBAL CAFE—This international food hall hosts three immigrant/refugee food entrepreneurs serving Venezuelan, Sudanese, and Syrian cuisines. Samosas, shawarma, and kabobs are among the menu items. Closed Mon. 1350 Concourse Avenue #157. L, D, X, MRA, $ GOLDEN INDIA—Northern Indian specialties include tandoori chicken as well as lamb, beef, shrimp, and vegetarian dishes. 2097 Madison. 728-5111. L, D, X, $-$$ GROWLERS—Sports bar and eatery serves standard bar fare in addition to a pasta, tacos, chicken and waffles, and light options. 1911 Poplar. 244-7904. L, D, X, $-$$ HATTIE B’S—Fried chicken spot features “hot chicken” with a variety of heat levels; from no heat to “shut the cluck up” sauce. Sides include greens, pimento mac-and-cheese, and black-eyed pea salad. 596 S. Cooper. 424-5900. L, D, X, $ HM DESSERT LOUNGE—Serving cake, pie, and other desserts, as well as a selection of savory dishes, including meatloaf and mashed potato “cupcakes.” Closed Monday. 1586 Madison. 290-2099. L, D, X, $ HOPDODDY BURGER BAR—Focus is on locally sourced ingredients, with freshly baked buns and meat butchered and ground in-house. Patty options include Angus or Kobe beef, bison, chicken, and more; also vegetarian/vegan. 6 S. Cooper. 654-5100; 4585 Poplar. 683-0700. L, D, X, $ IMAGINE VEGAN CAFE—Dishes at this fully vegan restaurant range from salads and sandwiches to full dinners, including eggplant parmesan and “beef” tips and rice; breakfast all day Sat. and Sun. 2158 Young. 654-3455. L, D, WB, X, $ INDIA PALACE—Tandoori chicken, lamb shish kabobs, and chicken tikka masala are among the entrees; also, vegetarian options and a daily all-you-can-eat lunch buffet. 1720 Poplar. 278-1199. L, D, X, $-$$ INSPIRE COMMUNITY CAFE—Serving breakfast all day, in addition to quesadillas, rice bowls, and more for lunch and dinner. 510 Tillman, Suite 110. 509-8640. B, L, D, X, $ LAFAYETTE’S MUSIC ROOM—Serves such Southern cuisine as po’boys, shrimp and grits, and wood-fired pizzas. 2119 Madison. 207-5097. L, D, WB, X, MRA, $-$$ LBOE—Gourmet burger joint serves locally sourced ground beef burgers, with options like the Mac-N-Cheese Burger and Caprese. Black bean and turkey patties available. 2021 Madison. 725-0770. L, D, X, $ THE LIQUOR STORE—Renovated liquor store turned diner serves all-day breakfast, sandwiches, and entrees such as Salisbury steak and smothered pork chops. Closed for dinner Sun.-Mon. 2655 Broad. 405-5477. B, L, D, X, $-$$ LITTLE ITALY—Serving New York-style pizza as well as subs and pasta dishes. 1495 Union. 725-0280; L, D, X, $-$$ LUCKY CAT RAMEN—Specializes in gourmet ramen bowls, with such ingredients as braised pork belly and housemade blackened garlic, made with rich broth. Bao, steamed buns filled with various meats and veggies, also grace the menu. Closed Sun. 2583 Broad. 208-8145. L, D, X, $-$$ MARDI GRAS MEMPHIS—Fast-casual establishment serving Cajun fare, including an etouffee-stuffed po’boy. Closed Mon.-Tues. 496 N. Watkins. 530-6767. L, D, X, $-$$ MAXIMO’S ON BROAD—Serving a tapas menu that features creative fusion cuisine; entrees include veggie paella and fish of the day. Closed Mon. 2617 Broad Ave. 452-1111. D, SB, X, $-$$ MEMPHIS PIZZA CAFE—Homemade pizzas are specialties; also serves sandwiches, calzones, and salads.
SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 9TH | 6PM At The Warehouse — 36 E GE Patterson LIVE & SILENT AUCTIONS + FOOD & DRINKS + GREAT MUSIC To purchase tickets, visit streetdogfoundation.com. THE QUINA FAMILY
Love a little die a little and break the law. Trey Milligan did all three in the summer before his 14th birthday.
From Sartoris Literary Group, the debut novel by Frank Murtaugh. Available NOW at Amazon.com. Paperback ($19.95) and eBook ($8.95). Also available at Burke’s Book Store (936 S. Cooper) and Novel (387 Perkins Extd).
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2087 Madison. 726-5343; 5061 Park Ave. 684-1306; 7604 W. Farmington (Germantown). 753-2218; 797 W. Poplar (Collierville). 861-7800; 5627 Getwell (Southaven). 662-536-1364. L, D, X, $-$$ MOLLY’S LA CASITA—Homemade tamales, fish tacos, a vegetarian combo, and bacon-wrapped shrimp are a few of the specialties. 2006 Madison. 726-1873. L, D, X, MRA, $-$$ NEXT DOOR AMERICAN EATERY—Serves dishes sourced from American farms. Menu features chorizo bacon dates, spicy gulf shrimp, and dry-aged beef burgers. 1350 Concourse Avenue, Suite 165. 779-1512. L, D, X, $ ONIX RESTAURANT—Serves seafood dishes, including barbecued shrimp and pecan-crusted trout, and a variety of salads and sandwiches. Closed Sun. 1680 Madison. 552-4609. L, D, X, $-$$ PAYNE’S BAR-B-QUE—Opened in 1972, this family-owned barbecue joint serves ribs, smoked sausage, and chopped pork sandwiches with a standout mustard slaw and homemade sauce. About as down-toearth as it gets. 1762 Lamar. 272-1523. L, D, $-$$ PHO BINH—Vietnamese, vegetarian, and Cantonese specialties include lemon tofu and spring rolls. Closed Sunday. 1615 Madison. 276-0006. L, D, $ RAILGARTEN—Located in a former rail station space, this eatery offers breakfast items, a variety of salads and sandwiches, and such entrees as short rib mac-and-cheese and fish tacos. Also serves shakes, malts, floats, and cream sodas. 2166 Central. 231-5043. B, L, D, $-$$ RED FISH ASIAN BISTRO—In the former Nineteenth Century Club building, serves sushi, teriyaki, and hibachi. Specialties include yuzu filet mignon and Chilean sea bass. 1433 Union. 454-3926; 9915 Highway 64 (Lakeland). 729-7581; 6518 Goodman (Olive Branch). 662-874-5254. L, D, X, $-$$$ RESTAURANT IRIS—French Creole-inspired classics, such as Gulf shrimp and rice grits congee served with lap chong sausage and boiled peanuts, are served at this newly remodeled restaurant owned by Chef Kelly English, a Food and Wine “Top Ten.” 2146 Monroe. 5902828. D, X, $$-$$$ ROBATA RAMEN & YAKITORI BAR—Serves ramen noodle bowls and Yakitori skewers as well as rice and noodle dishes. 2116 Madison. 410-8290. L, D, X, $ SABROSURA—Serves Mexican and Cuban fare, including arroz tapada de pollo and steak Mexican. Closed Sun. 782 Washington. 421-8180. L, D, X, $-$$ SALTWATER CRAB—Offers an array of seafood dishes including boils with blue crab, crab legs, lobster tails, and more, and specialty sushi like the Dynamite or Royal King rolls, in addition to signature sangrias and cocktails. 2059 Madison Ave. 922-5202. L, D, X, $$. SAUCY CHICKEN—Specializes in antibiotic-free chicken dishes with locally sourced ingredients, with such items as hot wings and the Crosstown Chicken Sandwich, and a variety of house-made dipping sauces; also, seafood, salads, and daily specials. 1350 Concourse, Suite 137. 203-3838. L, D (Mon.-Fri.), $ THE SECOND LINE—Kelly English brings “relaxed Creole cuisine” to his newest eatery; serves a variety of po’boys and such specialties as barbecue shrimp, andouille shrimp, and pimento cheese fries. 2144 Monroe. 590-2829. L, D, WB, X, $-$$ SEKISUI—Japanese fusion cuisine, fresh sushi bar, grilled meats and seafood, California rolls, and vegetarian entrees. Poplar/Perkins location’s emphasis is on Pacific Rim cuisine. Menu and hours vary at each location. 25 Belvedere. 725-0005; 1884 N. Germantown Pkwy. (Cordova). 309-8800; 4724 Poplar. 767-7770; 2130 W. Poplar (Collierville). 854-0622; 2990 Kirby-Whitten (Bartlett). 377-2727; 6696 Poplar. 747-0001. L, D, X, $-$$$ STONE SOUP CAFE—Cooper-Young eatery serving soups, salads, quiche, meat-and-two specials; and daily specials such as Italian roast beef. Closed Monday. 993 S. Cooper. 922-5314. B, L, SB, X, $ SOUL FISH CAFE—Serving Southern-style soul food, tacos, and po’boys, including catfish, crawfish, oyster, shrimp, chicken, and smoked pork tenderloin. 862 S. Cooper. 725-0722; 3160 Village Shops Dr. (Germantown). 755-6988; 4720 Poplar. 590-0323. L, D, X, MRA, $-$$ SWEET GRASS—Chef Ryan Trimm takes Southern cuisine to a new level. Low-country coastal cuisine includes such specialties as shrimp and grits. Closed
Mon. Restaurant’s “sister,” Sweet Grass Next Door, open nightly, serves lunch Sat.-Sun. 937 S. Cooper. 278-0278. D, SB, X, $-$$$ TROLLEY STOP MARKET—Serves plate lunches/dinners as well as pizzas, salads, and vegan/vegetarian entrees; a specialty is the locally raised beef burger. Also sells fresh produce and goods from local farmers; delivery available. Saturday brunch; closed Sunday. 704 Madison. 526-1361. L, D, X, $ TSUNAMI—Features Pacific Rim cuisine (Asia, Australia, South Pacific, etc.); also a changing “small plate” menu. Chef Ben Smith is a Cooper-Young pioneer. Specialties include Asian nachos and roasted sea bass. Closed Sunday. 928 S. Cooper. 274-2556. D, X, MRA, $$-$$$
SOUTH MEMPHIS (INCLUDES
PARKWAY VILLAGE, FOX MEADOWS, SOUTH MEMPHIS, WINCHESTER, AND WHITEHAVEN)
COLETTA’S—Longtime eatery serves such specialties as homemade ravioli, lasagna, and pizza with barbecue or traditional toppings. 1063 S. Parkway E. 948-7652; 2850 Appling Rd. (Bartlett). 383-1122. L, D, X, $-$$ CURRY BOWL—Specializes in Southern Indian cuisine, serving Tandoori chicken, biryani, tikka masala, and more. Weekend buffet. 4141 Hacks Cross Rd. 207-6051. L, D, $ DELTA’S KITCHEN—The premier restaurant at The Guest House at Graceland serves Elvis-inspired dishes — like Nutella and Peanut Butter Crepes for breakfast — and upscale Southern cuisine — including lamb chops and shrimp and grits — for dinner. 3600 Elvis Presley Blvd. 443-3000. B, D, X, $-$$$ DWJ KOREAN BARBECUE—This authentic Korean eatery serves kimbap, barbecued beef short ribs, rice and noodles dishes, and hot pots and stews. 3750 Hacks Cross Rd., Suite 101. 746-8057; 2156 Young. 207-6204. L, D, $-$$ THE FOUR WAY—Legendary soul-food establishment dishing up such entrees as fried and baked catfish, chicken, and turkey and dressing, along with a host of vegetables and desserts. Around the corner from the legendary Stax Studio. Closed Monday. 998 Mississippi Blvd. 507-1519. L, D, $ INTERSTATE BAR-B-Q—Specialties include chopped pork-shoulder sandwiches, ribs, hot wings, spaghetti, chicken, and turkey. 2265 S. Third. 775-2304; 150 W. Stateline Rd. (Southaven). 662-393-5699. L, D, X, $-$$ LEONARD’S—Serves wet and dry ribs, barbecue sandwiches, spaghetti, catfish, homemade onion rings, and lemon icebox pie; also a lunch buffet. 5465 Fox Plaza. 360-1963. L, X, $-$$ MARLOWE’S—In addition to its signature barbecue and ribs, Marlowe’s serves Southern-style steaks, chops, lasagne, and more. 4381 Elvis Presley Blvd. 332-4159. D, X, MRA, $-$$ UNCLE LOU’S FRIED CHICKEN—Featured on Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives for good reason: fried chicken (mild, hot, or home-style); jumbo burgers four patties high; strawberry shortcake, and assorted fruit pies. 3633 Millbranch. 332-2367. L, D, X, MRA, $
SUMMER/BERCLAIR/ RALEIGH/BARTLETT ASIAN PALACE—Chinese eatery serves seafood, vegetarian items, dim sum, and more. 5266 Summer Ave. 766-0831. L, D, X, $-$$ ELWOOD’S SHACK—Casual comfort food includes tacos, pizza and sandwiches. Specialties include meats smoked in-house (chicken, turkey, brisket, pork), barbecue pizza, and steelhead trout tacos. 4523 Summer. 761-9898. B, L, D, X, $ EXLINES’ BEST PIZZA—Serves pizza, Italian dinners, sandwiches, and salads. 6250 Stage Rd. 382-3433; 2935 Austin Peay. 388-4711; 2801 Kirby Parkway. 754-0202; 7730 Wolf River Blvd. (Germantown). 753-4545; 531 W. Stateline Rd. 662-3424544 (check online for additional locations). L, D, X, MRA, $ GRIDLEY’S—Offers barbecued ribs, shrimp, pork plate, chicken, and hot tamales; also daily lunch specials. Closed Tues. 6842 Stage Rd. 377-8055. L, D, X, $-$$ LA TAQUERIA GUADALUPANA—Fajitas and quesadillas are just a few of the authentic Mexican entrees offered here. A bona-fide Memphis institution. 4818 Summer. 685-6857; 5848 Winchester. 365-4992. L, D, $
D, X, $
LOTUS—Authentic Vietnamese-Asian fare, including lemon-grass chicken and shrimp, egg rolls, Pho soup, and spicy Vietnamese vermicelli. 4970 Summer. 682-1151.
MORTIMER’S—Contemporary American entrees include trout almondine, chicken dishes, and hand-cut steaks; also sandwiches, salads, and daily/nightly specials. A Memphis landmark since the Knickerbocker closed. Closed for lunch Sat.-Sun. 590 N. Perkins. 761-9321. L, D, X, $-$$ NAGASAKI INN—Chicken, steak, and lobster are among the main courses; meal is cooked at your table. 3951 Summer. 454-0320. D, X, $$ PANDA GARDEN—Sesame chicken and broccoli beef are among the Mandarin and Cantonese entrees; also seafood specials and fried rice. Closed for lunch Saturday. 3735 Summer. 323-4819. L, D, X, $-$$ QUEEN OF SHEBA—Featuring Middle Eastern favorites and Yemeni dishes such as lamb haneeth and saltah. 4792 Summer. 207-4174. L, D, $ SIDE PORCH STEAK HOUSE—In addition to steak, the menu includes chicken, pork chops, and fish entrees; homemade rolls are a specialty. Closed Sun.-Mon. 5689 Stage Rd. 377-2484. D, X, $-$$
UNIVERSITY NEIGHBORHOOD DISTRICT (INCLUDES CHICKASAW GARDENS AND HIGHLAND STRIP)
A-TAN—Serves Chinese and Japanese hibachi cuisine, complete with sushi bar. A specialty is Four Treasures with garlic sauce. 3445 Poplar, Suite 17, University Center. 452-4477. L, D, X, $-$$$ THE BLUFF—New Orleans-inspired menu includes alligator bites, nachos topped with crawfish and andouille, gumbo, po’boys, and fried seafood platters. 535 S. Highland. 454-7771. L, D, X, $-$$ BROTHER JUNIPER’S—This little cottage is a breakfast mecca, offering specialty omelets, including the open-faced San Diegan omelet; also daily specials, and homemade breads and pastries. Closed Mon. 3519 Walker. 324-0144. B, X, $ CHAR RESTAURANT—Specializing in modern Southern cuisine, this eatery offers homestyle sides, char-broiled steaks, and fresh seafood. 431 S. Highland #120. 249-3533. L, D, WB, X, MRA, $-$$$ DERAE RESTAURANT—Ethiopian and Mediterranean fare includes fuul, or fava beans in spices and yogurt, goat meat and rice, and garlic chicken over basmati rice with cilantro chutney; also salmon and tilapia. Closed Monday. 923 S. Highland. 5523992. B, L, D, $-$$ EL PORTON—Fajitas, quesadillas, and steak ranchero are just a few of the menu items. 2095 Merchants Row (Germantown). 754-4268; 8361 Highway 64. 380-7877; 3448 Poplar (Poplar Plaza). 452-7330; 1805 N. Germantown Parkway (Cordova). 624-9358; 1016 W. Poplar (Collierville). 854-5770. L, D, X, MRA, $-$$ JOES’ ON HIGHLAND—Specializes in fried chicken and comfort sides such as warm okra/green tomato salad and turnip greens. Entrees include salmon patties and chicken-fried steak. Closed Mon. 262 S. Highland. 337-7003. L, D, X, $ MEDALLION—Offers steaks, seafood, chicken, and pasta entrees. Closed for dinner Sunday. 3700 Central, Holiday Inn (Kemmons Wilson School of Hospitality). 678-1030. B, L, D, SB, X, MRA, $-$$$ OPEN FLAME—This authentic Persian and Mediterranean eatery specializes in shish kebabs as well as kosher and halal fare. 3445 Poplar. 207-4995. L, D, X, $
OUT-OF-TOWN BOZO’S HOT PIT BAR-B-Q—Barbecue, burgers, sandwiches, and subs. 342 Hwy 70 (Mason, TN). 901-294-3400. L, D, $-$$ CATFISH BLUES—Serving Delta-raised catfish and Cajunand Southern-inspired dishes, including gumbo and fried green tomatoes. 210 E. Commerce (Hernando, MS). 662-298-3814. L, D, $ CITY GROCERY—Southern eclectic cuisine; shrimp and grits is a specialty. Closed for dinner Sunday. 152 Courthouse Square (Oxford, MS). 662-232-8080. L, D, SB, X, $$-$$$
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COMO STEAKHOUSE—Steaks cooked on a hickory charcoal grill are a specialty here. Upstairs is an oyster bar. Closed Sun. 203 Main St. (Como, MS). 662-526-9529. D, X, $-$$$ LONG ROAD CIDER CO.—Specializes in hard apple ciders made with traditional methods. Cafe-style entrees include black-eyed peas with cornbread and greens, chicken Gorgonzola pockets, cider-steamed sausage, and housemade ice creams. Closed Sun.-Wed. 9053 Barret Road. (Barretville, TN). 352-0962. D, X, $ MANILA FILIPINO RESTAURANT—Entrees include pork belly cutlet with lechon sauce, and shrimp and vegetables in tamarind broth; also daily combos, rice dishes, and chef specials. Closed Sun.-Mon. 7849 Rockford (Millington, TN). 209-8525. L, D, X, $ MARSHALL STEAKHOUSE—Rustic steakhouse serves premium Angus beef steaks, seafood dishes, rack of lamb, and more. Breakfast menu features griddle cakes, and lunch offerings include hamburger steak and oyster po’ boys. 2379 Highway 178 (Holly Springs, MS). 628-3556. B, L, D, X, $-$$$ MEMPHIS BARBECUE COMPANY—Offers spare ribs, baby backs, and pulled pork and brisket, along with such sides as mac-and-cheese, grits, and red beans. 709 Desoto Cove (Horn Lake, MS). 662-536-3762. L, D, X, $-$$ NAGOYA—Offers traditional Japanese cuisine and sushi bar; specialties are teriyaki and tempura dishes. 7075 Malco Blvd., Suite 101 (Southaven, MS). 662-349-8788. L, D, X, $-$$$
CASINO TABLES BOURBON STREET STEAKHOUSE & GRILL AT SOUTHLAND CASINO RACING—1550 Ingram Blvd., West Memphis, AR, 1-800-467-6182. CHICAGO STEAKHOUSE AT THE GOLDSTRIKE—1010 Casino Center Dr., Robinsonville, MS, 1-888-24KSTAY /662-357-1225. FAIRBANKS AT THE HOLLYWOOD—1150 Casino Strip Blvd., Robinsonville, MS, 1-800-871-0711. JACK BINION’S STEAK HOUSE AT HORSESHOE—1021 Casino Center Drive, Robinsonville, MS, 1-800-303-SHOE. LUCKY 8 ASIAN BISTRO AT HORSESHOE—1021 Casino Center Drive, Robinsonville, MS, 1-800-303-SHOE. SAMMY HAGAR’S RED ROCKER BAR & GRILL AT SOUTHLAND PARK—1550 Ingram Blvd., West Memphis, AR, 1-870-735-3670 ext. 5208 THE STEAKHOUSE AT THE FITZ—711 Lucky Ln., Robinsonville, MS, 1-888-766-LUCK, ext 8213. PANCHO’S—Serves up a variety of Mexican standards, including tacos, enchiladas, and mix-and-match platters; also lunch specials. 3600 E. Broadway (West Memphis, AR). 870-7356466. 717 N. White Station. 685-5404. L, D, X, MRA, $ PIG-N-WHISTLE—Offers pork shoulder sandwiches, wet and dry ribs, catfish, nachos, and stuffed barbecue potatoes. 6084 Kerr-Rosemark Rd. (Millington, TN). 872-2455. L, D, X, $ RAVINE—Serves contemporary Southern cuisine with an emphasis on fresh, locally grown foods and a menu that changes weekly. Closed Mon.-Tues. 53 Pea Ridge/County Rd. 321 (Oxford, MS). 662-234-4555. D, SB, X, $$-$$$ SAINT LEO’S—Offering sophisticated pizzas, pastas, sandwiches, and salads. A James Beard nominee for Best New Restaurant in 2017. 1101 Jackson (Oxford, MS). 662-234-4555. D, L, WB, $-$$ SNACKBAR—Billed as an intriguing mix of “French Bistro with North Mississippi Cafe.” Serving a confit duck Croque Monsieur, watermelon-cucumber chaat, pan-fried quail, plus a daily plate special and a raw bar. Chef Vishesh Bhatt was named as Best Chef South by the James Beard Foundation in 2019. 721 N. Lamar (Oxford, MS). 662-236-6363. D, $-$$$ STEAK BY MELISSA—Aged, choice-grade, hand-cut steaks are a specialty here. Also serving fresh seafood dishes, plate lunches, burgers, and sandwiches. 4975 Pepper Chase Dr. (Southaven, MS). 662-342-0602. L, D, WB, X, $-$$$ WILSON CAFE—Serving elevated home-cooking, with such dishes as deviled eggs with cilantro and jalapeño, scampi and grits, and doughnut bread pudding. 2 N. Jefferson (Wilson, AR). 870-655-0222. L, D (Wed. through Sat. only), X, $-$$$
The Memphis magazine Fiction Contest for Mid-South writers is back ...with a lean and hungry new look!
T
he Very Short Story Contest welcomes entries up to 750 words, maximum. Winning stories will be published in Memphis and will be archived on memphismagazine.com. Whereas the fiction contest was in years past a once-a-year event, the Very Short Story Contest will recognize the winning entry every month. The Very Short Story Contest is presented by Novel, Memphis’ newest independent bookstore. Winning authors will be honored with a $200 gift certificate at Novel.
CONTEST RULES: 1. Authors are strongly encouraged to bring Memphis or the Mid-South into their stories. How to do this is open to your interpretation. 2. Entries will be accepted throughout the year. The winning entry in any given month must have been received by the end of the second month prior (i.e. December’s winner must be received by the end of October). 3. Each story should be typed, double-spaced, and should not exceed 750 words. 4. With each story should be a cover letter that gives your name, brief author bio, address, phone number, and the title of your story. Please do NOT put your name anywhere on the manuscript itself. 5. Manuscripts may not have been previously published. 6. Manuscripts should be sent to fiction@memphismagazine.com as .doc, .rtf, or .pdf files. O C T O B E R 2 0 1 9 • M E M P H I S M A G A Z I N E . C O M • 111
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LAST STAND
A Divided World Memphis gathers for festivals and football games. But how much do we truly gather?
by maya smith
I
strolled down a crowded Cooper Street last month at the 32nd annual Cooper-Young Festival. It was hot that day, with the sun relentlessly beaming and the air sweltering. The heat, as unforgiving as it was, didn’t stop me and some 100,000 other people from heading to the festival that day, though. At the same time, less than two miles away, it didn’t stop thousands from gathering at the Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium.
That crowd gathered for a different reason — to witness the 30th annual Southern Heritage Classic, a rival football game between two Historically Black Universities, Tennessee State University and Jackson State University. That Saturday, black Memphians, white Memphians, Latinx Memphians, gay Memphians, straight Memphians, and Memphians of all genders braved the late-summer heat to gather, to celebrate, to partake in two cultural experiences — separated largely by skin color. As my sister and I made our way down through the masses that day, passing various tents selling hand-crafted jewelry and artisan soaps, that divide hit me right in the face. Both events are traditions, mainstays in households, and a reliable yearly highlight to many. Each has a different significance for those who attend. Each has its own history and tells a different story. Together, the two events tell a story of a divided city. The festival-goers around me were mostly white, while a few blocks away, at the Liberty Bowl the attendees were predominantly African American.
That’s okay, I guess. But that divide extends well beyond festivals and football games, and into the very fabric of this city and this country in ways that have more serious implications. That’s not okay. I grew up in Whitehaven and lived there until recently. I lived a few miles from a number of pawn shops, hot wing joints, and an apartment complex known for the constant echo of gunshots. But I would be lying if I said I didn’t grow up with a significant amount of privilege. I never went without what I needed or wanted. I grew up in a two-parent home. My family traveled to the Bahamas every summer. I went to White Station High School, where I was in the optional program and played on the tennis team. I grew up in a neighborhood with people who looked like me, but in most cases, whose stories varied vastly from my own. I went to school with people who didn’t look like me, yet their stories were much like my own. Therefore, I have the unique knowledge of two worlds. A world of privilege, in which I mostly live, and a world of disadvantage, one that many of our fellow Memphians
know all too well and one that I room for our differences to justify witnessed first-hand through so a divide. many around me. Instead of focusing on our differences, we have to start realizThere are people in this city ing how we are alike. who live completely different lives than you and I. They lack Though each person’s life tune advantages, avenues, and access. sounds a little different than Because of that, their recreation our own, we all share a familiar looks different, how they get rhythm, a similar commonality around the city looks different, — the human condition. We all their grocery shopping looks struggle in one way or another. different, and their work looks We rise, we fall. We fight. Other different. We dress differently, times we concede. We all love and want to we talk differbe loved. We ently, we listen to dif ferent all want to be music. heard, to be valued, and So when I think of the ultimately acconcept of cepted. Memphis magThe thread of humanity azine, a magatethers us to zine by Memphians and for one another in Memphians, one way or anit seems like other. We all a tall task to share motifs re a ch b ot h of each othMaya Smith er’s story. So worlds, to tell the challenge stor ies t hat Instead of focusing on our is learning to not only people living near differences, we have to start understand the Poplar that though we realizing how we are alike. corridor or in differ, there is Central Gardens can relate to, more uniting us than separating us. but stories that those in South Memphis and Orange Mound That’s a challenge that not can appreciate as well. only should we be up for in newsTruthfully, I don’t know how to rooms, but in all rooms and in all aspects of our lives. fairly and effectively reach everyone, in every corner of this city. It’s time for everyone to open But, it’s a challenge well-worth their minds, but more importantly their hearts, to people undertaking. with a different life tune. UnI think we start by acknowltil we do that, we will forevedging our differences and celebrating them. I don’t think we er live in a divided world. should stop there. Merely recognizing diversity isn’t enough Maya Smith is a staff writer for the Memphis Flyer. because then we are still leaving
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