April 2014

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April CONTENTS 2014 • VOLUME 11 • NO. 4

features 42 Yesterday’s Florida The charm of Florida’s Anna Maria Island. By Bobby Hickman 54 Time for Summer Camps! Ideas for keeping kids busy. By Chelle Ellis 64 Rambling Steve Gardner Mississippi blues artist living abroad in Japan. By Lazelle Jones

departments 10 Dear DeSoto Letters from readers 18 Living Well Dental emergency while traveling? Hernando Dental Group guides travelers. By Dr. Amy Wadsworth 22 Living Real The art of keeping chickens. By Chelle Ellis 24 Exploring Art The colorful world of painter Kristen Morrison. By Karen Ott Mayer

30 Exploring Books Newly-released “Travel Forward” inspires good travel vibes. By Sarah Vaughan

60 Exploring Destinations A toast to art and wine: Ridgeland Fine Arts Festival and Santé South 2014. By Jill Gleeson

34 Exploring Cuisine In search of the perfect Southern ham. By Ashley Buescher

68 Table Talk Restaurateur Jeff Johnson goes local - again. By Adam Mitchell

38,39,40 Greater Goods Travel guide - by air, by land & by sea.

70,71 Exploring Events

46 A Day Away.... in Senatobia, Mississippi. 52 Homegrown Crafting crosses inspired by one special child. By Corey Latta

72 Reflections Economic recovery through more time off. By Karen Ott Mayer

APRIL 2014 • VOL. 11 NO. 4

Publisher & creative director

adam Mitchell associate Publisher &

We can learn so much from other places, people, and cultures--as Lazelle illustrates with his story about musician Steve Gardner on page 64. How many Mississippi blues artists call Japan home? Poetic irony, to say the least. With summer around the corner, it's almost instinctive to think about the coast. Writer Bobby Hickman takes us to a part of Florida, Anna Maria Island, that transports beach-goers to a gentler, less commercial time. Take a stroll with him on page 42. Wine and art lovers may want to pack an overnight bag and head to Jackson for the newly-combined Santé South and Ridgeland Fine Arts Festival. Jill brings us all the details-and how exciting for Mississippi to host international vintners and growers! In his new book "Travel Forward", author Mark Murphy reminds us all of the power of positive connections. Travel, he believes, is so much more than just getting on an airplane to head to an exotic locale. We can certainly leave a place better than we found it, and that includes right here at home. Chelle confirms this theory by helping us learn how to keep backyard chickens on page 22.

advertising director

Paula Mitchell account executive

Mandy armstrong editor

Karen ott Mayer art director

sarah vaughan PhotograPhy

mickey bailey adaM Mitchell jim sherry editorial contributors

If this month finds your travel plans leading no further than your front door, ask yourself: How can I make a new friend or connection right here at home? Those moments can transport us further than any car, train or plane ever could. When the world calls, it’s time to explore. We hope this issue inspires your travel imagination. Bon Voyage!

Karen

The historic pier at Anna Maria Island could covince anyone to take a long walk on a short pier, especially when peaceful blue waters await. Photo Courtesy of Jim Sherry: grandpasphotography.smugmug.com

ashley beuscher chelle ellis Jill gleeson bobby hickman laZelle Jones corey latta Karen ott Mayer adaM Mitchell sarah vaughan amy wadsworth Published by desoto Media co.

2375 Memphis st. ste 205 hernando, Ms 38632 662.429.4617 Fax 662.449.5813 www.desotomagazine.com

Find us on: © 2014 DeSoto Media Co. DeSoto Magazine must give permission for any material contained herein to be reproduced in any manner. Any advertisements published in DeSoto Magazine do not constitute an endorsement of the advertiser’s services or products. DeSoto Magazine is published monthly by DeSoto Media Co. Parties interested in advertising should email paula@desotomag.com or call 662.429.4617. Visit us online at www.desotomagazine.com.

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dear desoto} cooking out Dear Readers: We love hearing from you. Drop us a line if you have comments, questions or suggestions related to our editorial features and/or departments. Email our editor, Karen, at karen@desotomag.com or write to: 2375 Memphis St., Ste 205, Hernando, MS 38632.

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living well} hernando dental group

fAcing A DentAl emergency While trAveling By Dr. Amy Wadsworth, DDS

ometimes while we are on vacation, a dental emergency occurs. A tooth breaks. A crown comes off. We have a painful toothache and swelling. What to do? No matter the emergency, it’s helpful to consider the following prior to boarding that plane or leaving home. If you see a dentist for regular cleanings and checkups, it would be helpful to have his or her name and office phone number available. If you have dental insurance, carry a copy of your card with you. Be aware of your medical history, have a list of your

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current medications, and know if you have any allergies – specifically to things that are used in a dental office like latex gloves or local anesthetics. Sometimes a visit to the dentist can wait until you get back home. For example, if a crown breaks off or a filling comes out, a temporary solution may be found at the drugstore or pharmacy such as a dental cements that can be found in the dental aisle. These can temporarily recement a crown or replace a filling. The instructions are easy, and the cements are relatively inexpensive. If a crown falls off, you can also use a

denture adhesive, a dab of toothpaste or even a small piece of sugarless gum inside the crown and placed on the tooth. In these cases, it’s important to be mindful of what you eat, especially avoiding sticky things until you can get in to see the dentist, but these can work in a pinch. If you have the tooth permanently cemented while out of town, remember to tell your hygienist at your next visit or have the out-of-town dentist forward any treatment done or any further treatment recommendations to your regular dentist. Certain symptoms can’t be ignored. If you have a fever or any facial swelling with acute pain, you should go to a dentist or even a minor medical clinic or emergency room. An infection requires an antibiotic and needs prompt medical attention. If you are visiting family or friends, ask for their personal recommendation. Look in the Yellow Pages guide, ask the hotel concierge, or Google “dentist” to find someone who can help. Often, the dentist will include their operating hours listed on their ad. What can you expect to happen when you visit an out-of-town dentist? Your past medical and dental history, current medications, allergies and your chief complaint will all be reviewed. An X-ray is usually taken so that a diagnosis can be made. Treatment options will be discussed, and your dental emergency may be resolved during the visit. Again, it is always a good idea to follow-up with your regular dentist once you are back at home. Meanwhile, enjoy your vacation! A native of Memphis, Tennessee, Dr. Wadsworth graduated from Millsap’s College in Jackson Miss. with a Bachelor of Science in Biology and a minor in Music. Dr. Wadsworth graduated from the University of Tennessee College of Dentistry in 1997. While attending UT College of Dentistry, Dr. Wadsworth was a representative to the Honor Council, Secretary of her Class and President of the American Association of Women Dentists. •

Hernando Dental Group 2264 McIngvale Rd. Hernando, MS 38632 (662) 429-6736 www.hernandodentalgroup.com

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living real} backyard chickens

Here, Chick, Chick, Chick. By chelle ellis • Photography courtesy of Amy Killian

Amy Killian’s da ughter, Kenzie Ki llian, with her Bantam hen, Goldie.

"Regard it as just as desirable to build a chicken house as to build a cathedral.” - Frank Lloyd Wright

ach Spring, farm stores and coops fill up with chicks bought in a frenzy by parents for children at Easter. As chick becomes chicken, enthusiasm wanes, leaving the adult chicken’s family wondering: Now what? Planning and commitment are necessary components of keeping chickens, and with the growing knowledge of horrid living conditions inflicted on our feathered, tasty friends, backyard chicken keeping has drawn new interest. Knowing the food chain linked to your fork is quite a benefit, but first it’s a good idea to consider a few things. IS IT LEGAL FOR ME TO KEEP CHICKENS? Your local city ordinances regarding backyard 24 DeSoto

chickens can be determined by contacting your local health and zoning boards. If you are a member of a homeowners association, you will want to pass it through those powers-that-be, as well. In many cases, it is legal to keep hens but not roosters, but even if you can have a rooster, you should consider whether you should. It is advisable to consider your relationship with your neighbors and gain their permission before picking out your rooster. WHAT DO I WANT TO DO WITH MY CHICKENS? Do you plan to eat their eggs? Will you have the stomach to kill them for their meat? Do you just like watching chickens act like chickens? If you don’t know for sure, you should probably start out small, if at all.

WHAT CAN I DO WITH THE WASTE? Chicken poop is worth it’s weight in...well, chicken poop. Re-purposing the manure to your garden (sparingly, if fresh; liberally, if composted) would be the best use of this “waste” but if you or someone you know and love doesn’t have a garden, list it on Craigslist as a free gift from a stranger. One man’s trash is another’s treasure and someone will, no doubt, show up to haul it off. One half dozen chickens will produce as much waste as a medium sized dog. HOW TIME CONSUMING WILL THIS BE? The greater amount of time will be in the set up of the coop and run, and getting used to your new routine of feeding, watering and cleaning every few days. But after the initial set up of your new hobby, everything is fairly simple, especially if you enjoy the novelty of watching your chickens live and explore. WHERE DO I PUT THEM? You can buy starter kits and coops from places like Tractor Supply Company, as well as chickens, their feed and other necessities. Each chicken should have three square feet of livable space plus a run, to keep everyone comfy and cozy. WHAT DO THEY EAT? Special feed is packaged and formulated to address your chicken’s needs at every stage of life, and eliminates the need for supplements like vitamins, grit and calcium. A Starter/Grower feed is designed with high levels of protein to give chicks everything they need during this period of fast growth. A Grower /Finisher feed follows, cutting back the protein for chickens as they mature, since their bones have completed their growth. Once hens go into egg production, a layer feed will provide them with everything they need to produce good strong eggs. Allowing your chickens to free range provides them with tasty insect nutrients while giving them space to exercise, and an outlet for boredom. All God’s children love a chicken. Snakes, rats, weasels, hawks, owls, skunks, raccoons, opossums, foxes, coyotes, feral cats and your neighbor’s dog, are a few creatures that make up a woefully vast enemy list on the hunt for your chicken. Laying a cement floor will keep rodents from tunneling their way into your coop, while doubling as a surface that is easily cleaned of waste. Confining your birds at night and in the early morning will make them less attractive to predators. Other methods include playing a radio near the coop, scattering dog hair and human urine around the chicken yard and installing black crow decoys. Amy Killian started backyard chicken keeping when her brother-in-law brought her the adult versions of their Easter chicks. “He brought them to us because he didn’t know what to do with them. Thankfully, we live in the country so we can have whatever we like - hens and roosters - without breaking any city ordinances,” Killian explains. Killian’s recent count of her flock was up to 40, comprised mostly of mutts or cross breeds of Rhode Island Reds, Buff Orpington and Barred Rock she classifies as yard birds. Scattered in the mix are three Ameraucana that lay green eggs, a tiny egg-laying Bantam hen that fits in your hand, and one fifteen dollar Maran hen that in the past year has yet to lay one of the chocolate colored eggs that made it a tempting addition. “I don’t raise birds for meat, they are all egg layers and pets. I couldn’t raise a chicken and turn around and kill it,” she says. Anyone who keeps chickens could easily agree. Keeping backyard chickens can be just as addictive as productive. • DeSoto 25

With brush strokes like quick sketches, a Kristen Morrison painting exudes movement.

exploring art} kristen morrison

The Artful World of Kristen Morrison By Karen Ott mayer • Photography courtesy of Kristen morrison

“The artist is a receptacle for emotions that come from all over the place: from the sky, from the earth, from a scrap of paper, from a passing shape, from a spider’s web.” - Pablo Picasso

hen it comes to her work, painter and licensed interior designer Kristen Morrison prefers to start with sketches and conversations. When standing in front of her visually bold and colorful works of art, it’s easy to feel a sense of polished sketching. "When I work with clients, we start with a conversation. I do a lot of listening, trying to figure out what they want." For this native Memphian, an empty room or blank canvas generate the same level of creative curiosity that began in her childhood. She particularly remembers days spent with her two aunts in a small, quaint home full of art. "Sisters Hazel and Myrtle Cox lived together; one never married. Upstairs, they had a room used as a studio that was filled with paintings. As a young girl, I just remember being fascinated with the colors and subjects," says Morrison.

That same fascination never waned. She took her first watercolor class in the seventh grade and continued taking art classes all through college. "I knew I wanted to be an interior designer. I was always rearranging furniture in my room!" Graduating from the University of Alabama at Birmingham with a degree in interior design, Morrison dove into her new career, working with Looney Ricks Kiss in Memphis for two years before moving to Nashville. There, she continued to work with LRK for ten years while painting as a hobby. "My girlfriends and I would have a girls' night out paint party once a month." She takes a pragmatic view of both her passions. "Interior design is my job and painting is my hobby." In 2003, Morrison shifted gears, opening her own business, Kristen Morrison Interiors. Working primarily with residential customers, Morrison helps clients put their preferences into words DeSoto 27

Below: One of Morrison’s rural landscapes. Right: The artist’s interpretation of a Southern food staple.

“Painting is poetry that is seen rather than felt, and poetry is painting that is felt rather than seen.” - Leonardo da Vinci

1. Morrison’s artwork is second only to her interior design. • 2. Morrison gravitates towards modern fabrics. • 3. An example of Morrison’s love of bold colors. • 4-5. Landscapes are one of Morrison’s favorite subjects. • 6. Morrison draws inspiration from many sources, especially architecture and animals.

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- and spaces. It’s at that point during those initial meetings when she begins to put pencil to paper, creating quick sketches. Understanding both her talents as designer and painter, it’s clear they definitely connect at that sketchy intersection. Her inspiration comes from specific images around her, especially those related to architecture and animals. “I’ve always liked cows.” Drawn to bright colors like turquoise and lime green, her works possess an abstract nature. “They’re abstract but you can see the subject,” says Morrison. Oils, Acrylics and oil pastels are her primary mediums. She paints on wood, canvas and handmade paper. With a young son and busy work schedule, Morrison limits her show schedule, but she has been featured in a few exhibits recently. In 2012, she participated in her first art show at Harding Academy in Nashville and also submitted to the Brentwood Academy show. She exhibited again in 2013. This year, she will exhibit only in the Harding Academy show in May, the oldest art show in Nashville. Morrison usually paints from photos but hopes to do more plein air painting with The Chestnut Group, a group of plein air painters. Using her dining room as a studio, Morrison cheerfully encourages new artists. “You can do it. Anyone can be an artist. The more you paint, the better you get.” Morrison accepts commissions and her works range from $50 to $1,500 depending on the size and subject. One day she hopes to travel to Florence, Italy and indulge her fascination with architecture. For today, she’s set on painting landscapes and figures, and yes, even furniture. “My work continues to evolve and art just makes me happy.” To view more of Morrison’s work or contact her directly regarding commissions, visit www.kristen-morrison.com. •

Morrison’s interior design skills on display.

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Mark Murphy is a leading travel industry expert and the owner of some of the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s most well-known travel sites, including TravelPulse.com. In addition to his first book, Travel Unscripted, his second, Travel Forward, encourages readers to explore the unexplored while living life to the fullest.

exploring books} travel forward

move life ahead “Travel Forward” Inspires More Than Travel By Sarah vaughan • Photography courtesy of xxx

ou could say Mark Murphy knows a thing or two about exploring. As the owner of some of the travel industry's most well-known companies, including TravelPulse.com, Agent@Home magazine, and Vacation Agent magazine, Murphy has earned the title of travel industry expert several times over. In his second highlyanticipated book, “Travel Forward”, the entrepreneur and adventurer takes readers on a journey that explores the importance of travel in everyday life and how it can impact ourselves and the world around us. “This journey is about doing something for yourself and the idea that when you do something for someone else, like holding a door for someone, and that someone stops and looks you in the eye and says thank you, that is the travel forward moment. The moments you can create walking down the street in New York City where you wouldn't necessarily think you would feel warm and fuzzy, those are travel forward moments,” Murphy says. A regular contributor to national media outlets like CNN, FOX, NBC, and ABC, Murphy has experi-

enced plenty travel forward moments of his own. Working with a film crew, Murphy travels around the world documenting life in unexpected ways. “What I want people to take away from my work is that you don't need a plan. You don't need to think things through. Just do it and get out there and travel and try to connect with people in the local community and live like a local in those places. Find someone in that community and pick their brain and get insights and then shoot video, go with the flow and work without a script,” Murphy says. Murphy says the idea for “Travel Forward” was inspired by an innate desire to experience travel in a new, cutting-edge way. “I've been in the travel media business since January of 1991. In my travels, I have been to many countries and discovered similarities and differences in people and cultures, and the idea behind “Travel Forward” is that it would inspire and motivate people by using travel as a metaphor to move life forward.” He explains that “Travel Forward” is not necessarily a travel book in the traditional sense, but more of a

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motivational and inspirational book. Readers can expect hilarious essays about people and places Murphy has encountered throughout the years, as well as people who have inspired him in some way, including Nelson Mandela. A main theme throughout the book is the idea of the power of forgiveness. Murphy asks readers to think about the idea of forgiving and how one can overcome. Exercises provided at the end of each chapter allow readers to interact with the material and consider how they see themselves in order to improve their outlook on life. Murphy encourages and inspires us to see the value in traveling and exploring new places and experiencing things that most people will never have the opportunity to do. “I want people to think of travel as a way to move their life forward,” he says. “If I feel like I'm not doing something, then I'm not moving forward.” Those looking for a more traditional travel book will enjoy Murphy’s first book, a memoir titled “Travel Unscripted.” “My first book is exactly the opposite of “Travel Forward.” “Travel Unscripted” is more about my travels around the world with video production crews shooting videos. The nature of what we do involves showing up in areas where we don't know anybody and shooting video on location, so what happens when you shoot without a script is that things go awry. We've been taken out by locals and taken into situations the average person doesn't find themselves in.” From Chicago to Cairo to the Caribbean, Murphy and his crew have explored just about every nook and cranny of every single town on every continent. The content varies from practical (like tips on maneuvering Moscow by subway) to comical (like some of Murphy’s culinary adventures) and includes footage from Murphy’s travels around the world. To find out more about Murphy and his work, visit his website at www.markmurphytravels.com. •

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With Easter and Spring comes ham. The ham, as in a premium cut of meat that undergoes the Southern culinary art of curing and smoking a piece of meat to perfection, takes center stage on many tables.

exploring cuisine} southern hams

ham it up By Ashley Buescher â&#x20AC;˘ Photography courtesy of the good ham company

istorically hog country with family-operated farms and smokehouses, the South today still produces pork, transforming hams into delicacies for purchase. Young producers like Marshall Bartlett, founder of Home Place Pastures in Como, Mississippi, believes conventional hog farmers are reviving the farm-totable concept with a vengeance. Bartlett and his brother Jemison officially founded Home Place Pastures, LLC in January 2014, operating from their family farm which has been in the family since 1870. Bartlett explains while large corporations controlled the hog industry in the South for years, local conventional farmers are making a comeback by working with local restaurants and retailers in North Mississippi and West Tennessee. Bartlett also feels the relationship between local retailers, restaurants and hog farmers creates a positive economic cycle. â&#x20AC;&#x153;It keeps our dollars circulating locally, strengthens business relationships, and contributes to the cultural richness of our area,â&#x20AC;? says Bartlett.

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The original Bryan Meat Market in West Point, Miss.

One local ham retailer, The Good Ham Company, sources local pork and believes in supporting the needs of local communities. The company was started in spring 2013 by Suzanne Bryan Sampietro of Memphis, Tenn. with the production center of the company based in McGhee, Miss. Sampietro is the granddaughter of John H. Bryan who started the Bryan Market in 1936 in West Point, Miss. The Bryan Market grew to be the meat empire Bryan Foods. When developing the concept of a food product company, Sampietro knew she wanted a product that not only tasted good, but one that did some good. The concept was an easy one for Sampietro. For every ten hams sold, The Good Ham Company donates one ham to the Mid-South Food Bank, which serves Arkansas, Tennessee and Mississippi.Just recently, Sampietro’s company delivered 100 hams to the food bank. “My family has always been involved in the food industry, but also very committed to the community. It was a natural progression to combine the two,” says Sampietro. The Good Ham Company offers a five-pound premium, boneless ham which is cured in a secret Bryan family blend of spices and slowly-smoked to perfection. One ham will feed 12-15 people. She is collaborating with one of her 19 Bryan cousins, Margaret Bryan French, and local chefs to create healthier options for serving ham. The company website highlights Sampietro’s own recipes. 38 DeSoto

In addition to The Good Ham Company, a long time local favorite is George Canale & Sons Grocery in Eads, Tenn. George Canale launched the store in 1960, and today, the legacy lives on through George’s son, Conn Canale, “Uncle Conn”. Canale’s hams are purchased from a hog farmer in Tennessee. Uncle Conn smokes the cured boneless hams over five hours in a stainless steel charcoal smoker located on the property. "During our 50 years of service, the hog industry has remained strong in the South,” says Conn Canale. Whether feeding a small crew, a large bunch or just needing a good ole ham sandwich, visitors will find George Canale & Sons Grocery just the place. Another ham retailer keeping local hog farmers busy is Benton’s Smoky Mountain Country Hams founded in 1947. Despite the evolution of food industry technology, Allan Benton and his employees uphold the traditions of their forefathers. Benton hams are slow cured in a culinary combination of salt, brown sugar and sodium nitrate. Benton ages the hams at least nine months. However, one may be fortunate to purchase a ham one year or older if available. The hams are smoked in a small, wood stove smokehouse behind the retail store. Due to the wild popularity, customers routinely wait over a month for a ham. When thinking about the South, it’s hard not to think about ham. This year, finding one just became a little easier.

Benton's Smoky Mountain Country Hams 2603 Hwy. 411 North Madisonville, Tennessee 37354 423.442.5003 423.442.5003 Mon. - Sat.: 8:30 a.m.- 5:00 p.m. George Canale & Sons Grocery 10170 Raleigh Lagrange Eads, TN 38028 901.853.9490 M-F 6:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m., Sat 6:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m. The Good Ham Company Order online: www.thegoodhamcompany.com OR order through SOCIAL a store for gracious living 901.766.6746 660 S Perkins Rd Memphis, TN 38117 Holiday Deli & Ham www.holidaydeli.com Honeybaked Ham www.honeybaked.com 400 store locations Lighter option - Logan Farms Honey Glazed Hams Hams are 90% fat free 1220 E Northside Dr #250 Jackson, MS 39211 601.366.4267 800.280.4267 Home Place Pastures Raising heritage breeds like Red Wattle, Berkshires, Duroc available wholesale to chefs and restaurants Marshall Bartlett Como, Miss. 662.526.5327

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greater goods} travel guide

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greater goods} travel guide

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Yesterdayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Florida By Bobby hickman Photography courtesy of the Bradenton Area cvB

The inviting, relaxing atmosphere of Anna Maria Island is filled with history and Old World charm. Take a stroll down one of the white sandy beaches along the crystal clear ocean or go for a bike ride along the famous pier. Anna Maria Island offers a little piece of heaven for every visitor.

One of the Gulf Coast’s best-kept secrets, Anna Maria Island offers quaint shops, cozy cottages and tempting dining choices.

nce upon a time – not that long ago - people flocked to Florida simply for the warm sunshine, sandy beaches, fresh seafood, lush semi-tropical scenery, 10-cent orange juice, and laid-back Caribbean lifestyle. Today, the state’s annual tourist count is approaching 100 million visitors who crowd into high-tech theme parks, highrise condos, high-octane nightclubs, and high-priced attractions. Fortunately, there are a few pockets of resistance where “Old Florida” not only survives but thrives. And the best place to sink your toes in the sugarwhite sand for a laid-back family vacation is Anna Maria Island, located on the west coast of Florida. Whether you just want to relax under a palm tree, collect tropical shells, swim in the salty sea or plunge into outdoor activities, this is the place to unwind. Located on the southern rim of Tampa Bay, where the Manatee River flows into the Gulf of Mexico, Anna Maria Island (AMI to residents) is far from commercial Florida yet convenient to major airports and Interstate 75. The seven-mile-long barrier island lies 10 miles west of Bradenton, 15 miles north of Sarasota, and is only an hour’s drive from Tampa. The island and its towns (Anna Maria, Holmes Beach and Bradenton Beach) are connected to the mainland by two drawbridges spanning the Intercostal Waterway, plus a third to Longboat Key and Sarasota. The area has long been a “hidden gem” with its quaint shops, cozy cottages and tempting dining choices. However, the secret is getting out! Last year TripAdvisor ranked AMI the number three island destination in the United States (one spot higher than in 2013). Forbes magazine also named the city of Anna Maria to the third spot on its list of “America’s prettiest towns”

Originally occupied by the Timucan and Caloosaan tribes, Hernando de Soto claimed Anna Maria Island for Spain when he sailed past the island in May 1539. He entered Tampa Bay and made landfall a few miles away in what is now Manatee County. There he began the historic 4,000-mile expedition that took his party deep into what is now the southern United States. His journey ended three years later with his death and burial in the Mississippi River. DeSoto National Memorial marks the approximate location where the conquistadors entered “La Florida.” The 26-acre park has more than 3,000 feet of shoreline, several small secluded beaches, and a nature trail where boardwalks let you explore mangrove forests and watch fiddler crabs scurry in the sand. The De Soto Visitor Center offers handson exhibits for young and old alike. Kids of all ages enjoy trying on helmets and pieces of armor like the original Spanish explorers wore. After de Soto sailed on, Anna Maria Island remained relatively untouched until the first permanent residents arrived in the 1890s, including co-founder George Rosen, inventor of Fig Newtons. Early town leaders built a tourist colony and had some success in the early 20th century. Many of their cottages, fishing piers and streets remain intact today (although refurbished many times over the years). No buildings on Anna Maria Island can be more than three stories tall, so even the modern resorts built in recent years cannot overshadow the rustic bungalows, seaside motels and picturesque rental properties that dot the island. There are no major hotel chains on AMI and no high-rise condos, but there are plenty of other options for accommodations. The only restaurant chain here is Subway, but plenty of great dining choices abound. Floribbean DeSoto 45

cuisine – that unique blend of Caribbean and Floridian seafood dishes - is plentiful at such local favorites as Moore’s Stone Crab Restaurant, the Sandbar and Anna Maria Oyster Bar. For breakfast laced with local color, try Peach’s Restaurant or Cortez Kitchen in the historic fishing village of Cortez. There are plenty of options for exploring Anna Maria Island. A free trolley runs every 20 minutes from the Anna Maria Pier on the north end of the island to Coquina Beach at the southernmost tip. Along the way, you can stroll through unique shops like Island Bazaar and Beach Unlimited; sunbathe under a lifeguard’s watchful eye at Manatee or Coquina beaches; play miniature golf at The Fish Hole; indulge at Joe’s Sweets and Eats; or hike the 17-acre Leffis Key Baywalk. You can rent bicycles, take a Segway tour, parasail, jet ski, boat, paddleboard or kayak your way around the island. Kayaking and biking are also great 46 DeSoto

Photos: Relax and enjoy the many beautiful views Anna Maria Island has to offer.

There ar e plent y of opt ions for explor ing Anna Mar ia Island, fr om shopping and swimming t o dining and r iding.

ways to explore Robinson Preserve, a new 500acre wildlife habitat – complete with nesting eagles! Just make sure you don’t disturb the protected sea oats or the sea turtle nests, which are carefully cordoned off along the beaches during the summer. AMI is also a great central location for visiting nearby attractions. In Bradenton, you can visit the South Florida Museum and Snooty, the world’s oldest manatee in captivity. Born in 1948, Snooty has welcomed more than one million visitors. At Mixon’s Fruit Farms, you can ship fresh citrus home, or take the “Orange Blossom Express” tour of the groves and wildlife refuge. Baseball fans can check out McKechnie Field, spring training headquarters for the Pittsburgh Pirates and home of the Bradenton Marauders minor league team. The outlet shops at Ellenton feature such brands as Nike, Columbia and Off Saks. Head south via Longboat Key to visit Mote Marine Aquarium. Watch sea sharks, dolphins, and manatees swim, or touch “sting-less” rays. Then continue through St. Armand’s Key to Sarasota, winter home of the Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey Circus. The Ringling Circus Museum preserves the history of this American institution, while fine art lovers will be enthralled by European masters represented at the adjacent state-operated Ringling Art Museum. A recent addition to the area is Big Cat Habitat and Gulf Coast Sanctuary, featuring daily performances by lions and tigers and ligers, a cross between a lion and tiger. If your family still needs a roller coast fix, AMI is centrally located for day trips to theme park paradise. An hour’s drive leads you to Tampa’s Busch Gardens, where North America’s tallest freestanding drop tower, Falcon’s Fury, opens in spring 2014. Two hours on the Interstate takes you to Orlando and family fun at Disney, Universal or SeaWorld with Mickey Mouse, Harry Potter, the Muppets, and Shamu the whale. While side trips are exciting, you will be glad to be home when you return to Anna Maria Island. It’s hard to find a better way to end another day of family fun in paradise than sprawling on a sandy beach and toasting the pink and red sunset as another relaxing day slides into the Gulf of Mexico. • DeSoto 47

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homegrown} cohen’s crosses

Not only does Cohen’s Crosses raise awareness about Down Syndrome, but every piece sold celebrates the abundant blessing of Cohen’s personality.

By corey latta • Photography courtesy of Barry Perkins and the merry magnolia

he ancient metaphor of carrying one’s cross can be lived and beautifully illustrated in contemporary ways. Barry and Sarah Perkins, creators of a local business called Cohen’s Crosses, know all too well what beauty and blessings a physical cross can carry. Their son Cohen Perkins teaches them this life lesson every day. Born in June 2005 with Down Syndrome and an atrioventricular canal heart defect, Perkins entered the world facing a lifelong challenge. Cohen underwent surgery at four months old to repair his heart defect, but sadly, Cohen suffered a stroke during or immediately after surgery that damaged his left side. The stroke also caused brain damage and eventual epilepsy. Little Cohen’s cross grew heavier. To treat the epilepsy and reduce his numerous daily seizures, Cohen’s neurologist recommended a functional hemispherectomy separating the damaged part of the brain from the healthy part–in order to stop the many seizures he was having every single day. The procedure helped slightly. Even with medication, Cohen’s seizures continued, so physicians implanted a device known as a vagus nerve stimulator to control the epileptic episodes. Time passed, the seizures lessened, but Cohen’s cross grew no lighter. Just a few years ago, Cohen began to have some problems with his hips. The head of his femur would slide out of the socket in his pelvis. The pain was intense and teaching to walk almost impossible. In

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2011, Cohen had surgery to repair his hips: physicians added donor ligaments, reshaped his pelvis, and put in a pin. Cohen spent 12 weeks in a spica cast. And as recently as 2013, Cohen went through yet another surgery for his left hip, a procedure from which he is still recovering. “Hopefully this will help Cohen walk in the future,” says Perkins. Indeed, as Cohen and his parents have carried their cross, hope has abounded, belief strengthened, and beauty birthed. With Cohen’s numerous doctor’s appointments and therapies, and in order to raise their other two boys, it made sense to the Perkins for one parent stay at home with Cohen. When Barry began staying at home, he decided to start his own business, crafting rustic wooden crosses, door hangers, and custom signs. In a short time, Cohen’s Crosses was born. Perkins’ new venture became a parallel symbol of the proverbial crosses carried by their family since Cohen’s birth. Not only does Cohen’s Crosses raise awareness about Down Syndrome, but every piece sold celebrates

the abundant richness of Cohen’s personality, a blessing Cohen’s parents know so well and desire others to know too. “Cohen has a contagious smile and laugh that brightens everyone who surrounds him everyday. He is a joy and a blessing to have in our lives. I hope that you enjoy Cohen’s Crosses and they bless your home as much as Cohen has blessed ours.” Just this month Cohen’s Crosses sold over 200 hundred crosses and door hangers. A particularly popular item is a door hanger cut in the shape of Mississippi adorned with a script letter. Cohen’s Crosses are sold in almost 40 stores throughout the state of Mississippi, as well as in Marion, Arkansas and at Babcock’s Gifts in Memphis. •

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Victory Ranch offers many outdoor activities for campers, including the Diamond Tower Rock Wall and tubing at the lake.

Off to Summer Camp By chelle ellis • Photography courtesy of victory ranch

ummer camps rank high with parents looking for a way to engage the interest and intellect of kids during summertime-- while giving themselves a break. Choosing a camp comes down to a few basics: What options are available in our part of the world, what activities are offered and how much will it all cost? Here, we offer an in-depth look at two nearby camps that piqued our interest.

VICTORY RANCH Victory Ranch is a non-denominational Christian summer residential camp and retreat center entering its 11th season. Sprawled over 500 acres in Bolivar, Tennessee, the camp offers a variety of recreational activities, athletics, water sports, equestrian and outdoor adventure. With more than 45 years of combined experience in teaching, coaching, and directing camps, founders and directors, Dennis and Anne Smith, not only run the camp but are an integral part of why Victory Ranch is one of the country’s premier camps. “Campers from 35 different states and 70 cities came to the ranch last year,” says Smith. “We’ve also had DeSoto Central, Southaven Middle and Greenbrook Elementary Schools retreat here.” So many things set Victory Ranch apart from the crowd, it’s hard to talk about just one. WATER ACTIVITIES Water sports take place in one designated area with a lot of inflatable courses, water slides, and zip-lines that zip into the lake. Another area of the lake is designated their inflatable section, with all kinds of things to climb and bounce on. A separate lake is reserved for kayaking and canoes, but if that isn’t enough water, they have a swimming pool too. OUTDOOR ADVENTURE More than anything, outdoor adventure sets this camp apart. Two climbing towers and a huge ropes course, canopied by trees with lots of giant swings, keep the excitement level way up for campers. EQUESTRIAN AREA Victory Ranch boasts two riding pens and one big riding arena where campers can ride one of two dozen resident Quarter horses. Miles of wooded and open horse trails meander through the acreage, leaving a one mile buffer on all sides to keep the hustle and bustle of everyday life far away from campers. SPORTS AND RECREATION Kids can test their skills at either a huge paintball course or an outdoor laser tag course. One extreme sport, mountain boarding, takes place on an over-sized skateboard type piece of equipment. Riders wear a helmet and operate the board’s brakes while rolling down a hill, mimicking surfing on grass. DeSoto 57

TRADITIONAL RECREATION Kickball, basketball and football are oldies but goodies campers still enjoy. The camp has a large indoor gymnasium where a lot of activities take place during the summer. Victory Ranch has expanded some of the mountain bike and BMX trails, as well as their laser tag and paintball areas. They’ve also added a huge fireworks show that follows every Friday dance night session. A week at the camp runs $1,100, with a reduction in the weekly rate when additional weeks are added. Repeat campers book early and sessions start filling up around midApril. Last Summer, five of the eight sessions were completely full with a waiting list, so early registration is wise. Victory Ranch’s open house with tours and free food happens April 19-21. “It’s a great time for parents to come out and meet some of our staff, be able to participate a little bit and see where the kids stay overnight,” says Smith. For more information, visit www.victoryranch.org 58 DeSoto

CRAFTSMEN’S GUILD OF MISSISSIPPI CREATIVE CRAFT CAMP If a day camp fits a child better, then the Craftsmen’s Guild of Mississippi’s Creative Craft Camp may be the answer. Master craftsmen of the Guild teach day campers a variety of crafts including pottery, fiber, wire sculpture, mosaics and fused glass. The camp enters its fifth season at the Mississippi Crafts Center in Ridgeland, Mississippi under the dual direction of Director of Education Sheri Cox and Camp Coordinator Jennifer Wolfe. This summer the camp offers a blacksmith demonstration, and for some of the older kids, actual participation. “The girls will be making jewelry and the guys will work on a recycled project, making robots. The older groups will be blacksmithing and jewelry making with beads and wire working,” Wolfe says. The past three years have run with the theme, “The Handcrafted Journey”. The first year was “The Handcrafted Journey through History” and they went back through the

history of each craft they created. Last year was “The Handcrafted Journey through Storytelling”. This year will be “The Handcrafted Journey through the World of Memory.” “We want the children to bring things from home to use in recycled art, or their memories when they are creating pottery or mosaics. We’ll encourage them to visit their own memories that make them happy, or in things they like to do.” Many Creative Craft Camp’s campers are repeat visitors, some of whom have grown with the life of the program until they nearly grew out of it. So this year, the camp will be adding a session for older kids, ages 13 through 15. Aside from their low rates ($185 for the first child and $160 for the second child within the same family), what sets the camp apart from others is their desire to make future craftsmen of their kids, and teach them to not only to craft things, but exhibit them at the end of the week. “We throw them a reception where they set up a display of the work they’ve done that week, and we serve cookies, lemonade and bite-sized snacks while they show off their crafts to their parents, grandparents and any friends they want to invite,” Cox explains. “Some kids come to camp looking for fun or something to do for summer while there are some who, especially for their age, blow your mind with what they make. Last year, a seven year old girl made an underwater squid scene in clay that was incredible!” says Wolfe. Some arrive with a gift, others a curiosity, but they all leave with knowledge given to them by professional juried craftsmen. Wolfe continues. “This isn’t just arts and crafts camp, our kids are basically learning the trade of a master craftsman.” Registration picks up after spring break so interested participants should quickly make their plans. Registration can be completed on the Craftsman’s Guild of Mississippi’s website at www.mscrafts.org.

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Victory Ranch 4330 Mecklinburg Dr. Bolivar, TN 38008 731.659.2251 www.victoryranch.org

Craftsmen’s Guild of Mississippi Creative Craft Camp 950 Rice Rd. Ridgeland, MS 39157 601.856.7546 www.mscrafts.org

Summer Camp Packing List: • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • * •

Bug repellant Lip balm Camera Sunblock Shampoo and conditioner / soap Toothbrush and toothpaste Flashlight and spare batteries Laundry bag Reusable water bottle Writing paper Pre-addressed envelopes Family photo or stuffed animal Small backpack for day-trips Bandanna / scarf / hat Prescription medication Sunglasses Swimming goggles Hiking boots Boots - for horseback riding Light jacket Raingear or umbrella Shorts Sweatshirt Swimsuit T-shirts Pajamas / underclothes Bathrobe Athletic equipment (cleats, etc.) Flip flops

• Tennis shoes • Socks • Bedding -- check with your camp for what, if any, bedding to bring • Beach towels - for bath or swimming • Shower caddy 60 DeSoto

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Enjoy a splendid weekend of events that showcases some of Americaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s finest artists offering artwork that is creative, inventive and unique. Chosen by a panel of independent jurors, selected media include clay, drawing/pastels, fiber, glass, jewelry, mixed media, painting, photography, printmaking, sculpture and wood.

exploring destinations} ridgeland arts fest

“Every artist dips his brush in his own soul, and paints his own nature into his pictures.” - Henry Ward Beecher “I cook with wine. Sometimes I even add it to the food.” - W. C. Fields

Wine + Art = Perfection Santé South and ridgeland fine Arts festivals combine creative forces for 2014 By Jill gleeson • Photography courtesy of ridgeland tourism commission

It’s an ideal pairing, really. On April 5, Santé South Wine Festival and the Ridgeland Fine Arts Festival will team up for the first time at Renaissance at Colony Park in Ridgeland, Mississippi. Here, art and wine connoisseurs can browse the best wares of 80 painters, sculptors, photographers--and quench their thirst with dozens of wines produced from 37 world-renowned vintners. For the ninth consecutive year, thanks to founder Norm Rush of BeauMad & Associates, proceeds raised will benefit the Mississippi Chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association - something to which we can all raise a glass. In the past, the Ridgeland Fine Arts Festival was named a “Top 20 Event” by the Southeast Tourism Society and recognized as a “Top 100 U.S. Art Fairs” by Art Fair Sourcebook. Despite the inspired perfection of combining fine art and fine wine in one blockbuster extravaganza, the festivals were actually linked due to a quirk in the April 2014 calendar. “This year it happened that both of the events fell on the same weekend because Easter is the third Sunday in April, so it backed our event up,” explains

Patty Dunn, executive director of the Alzheimer’s Association Mississippi Chapter. “The Ridgeland Tourism Commission asked us to partner with them during the weekend of their Ridgeland Fine Arts Festival, and it was an opportunity we couldn’t pass up because of the cross-promotional opportunities available. We’ve put together hotel packages with two tickets to Santé South, restaurant gift cards and a few incidentals. From what I understand, the hotels are almost full.” Also new is the location. Previously, the wine festival was held at Highland Village in Jackson, Miss.; this year, Renaissance at Colony Park, a stunning alfresco shopping, dining and entertainment center inspired by the architecture of the Mediterranean will host the event and provide more room. While the number of winemakers and restaurants participating has risen from last year, according to Dunn, “It’s going to be very easy to maneuver from one vendor to another. The setup is going to be a little bit different. It’s a little more open, with fewer curves and nooks and crannies.” Santé South again highlights exquisite cuisine from across the Magnolia State. Festival-goers will want to

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THE ART OF MUSIC LINE-UP The Ridgeland Fine Arts Festival and Santé South Renaissance at Colony Park in Ridgeland, Mississippi April 5 - 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. 6:30 p.m. - VIP Tasting 7:30 p.m. - Grand Tasting April 6 from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. VIP tickets - $125 (limited to 250 people) includes admission to the Grand Tasting; Grand Tasting tickets (limited to 750) - $80. Free Admission to the arts festival.

leave room for a diverse range of dishes from such eateries as Local 463, serving southern comfort with a twist; the Asian-inspired favorite, Miso; and Amerigo, which blends modern and traditional Italian fare. But vino remains the real superstar at the festival, and Santé South has grown into the largest wine event in the state by bringing in the planet’s finest small production and boutique wineries from countries as far-flung as New Zealand, France and Argentina. Vintners typically pour four of their wines, focusing on new release vintages, meaning that over 120 wines are available to sample at Santé South. Among the new attendees to keep an eye out for this year are Volcanes de Chile, a winery out of South America that is growing grapes in volcanic soil, and Kathleen Inman, owner/winemaker for Inman Family Wines in the Russian River Valley of Sonoma County, California. Legendary returning vintners include South Africa’s Peter Koff. A Master of Wine and Cape Master of Wine, he’s one of only two people in the world to hold both distinctions. Konstantin Guntrum, an eleventh-generation winery owner from Germany will also attend, in addition to Nil Venge of Saddleback Cellars and Cougar’s Leap Winery, the first California winemaker ever to get a perfect score from renowned critic Robert Parker. That the leading lights of the wine world happily return year after year to Mississippi is a testament to their relationship with Rush, a wine broker who is certified by the World Court of Master Sommeliers

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and the Society of Wine Educators. “Norm takes great care of us,” says Michael Keenan, president/owner of Robert Keenan Winery, who is marking his fourth year at Santé South. “This is one of my favorite trips of the year, and I’m not alone in this sentiment. All the vintners that I know on this trip feel the same way. And from the consumer's viewpoint it’s a great chance to have one-on-one time with the visiting vintners who are more than happy to share their wines and their stories.” Since 2006, more than $350,000 has been generated from Santé South ticket sales and sponsorships for the Mississippi Chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association. Across all 82 counties, the organization works to ease the suffering of the 53,000 people in the state who live with the disease, and to provide crucial support for the 203,000 caring for them. For Rush, whose mother was lost to Alzheimer’s, there can be no higher cause or greater satisfaction than helping to combat it. “It’s something that I’m really involved in,” he stresses. “My mother came from a large family and eight of the nine children passed from Alzheimer’s-related symptoms. So we try to raise as much money as we can to try to find a cure and at least make comfortable the people who have the disease now. That’s what it’s really all about for me." Fine art. Fine wine. Raising funds for one of the worthiest organizations in the state. Now that's an event worth toasting. For more information, visit www.Santésouth.com or www.ridgelandartsfest.com. •

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The Musical Ambassador: Rambling Steve Gardner By lazelle Jones

eing a southpaw from Mississippi has a certain ring to it. For blues artist, Rambling Steve Gardner, the real irony and story to be told is that he’s an accomplished Mississippi Delta blues recording artist--living in Tokyo, Japan for nearly three decades. Both here and around the world Gardner has found a sweet spot among an ever increasing number of international blues aficionados who have a fascination with Southern culture, and more specifically, who want to learn about the provincial nooks and crannies that fill the Magnolia State. Traveling the Far East and Europe, Gardner acts as the point man for the Cultural Affairs Office of the U.S. State Department, a roving ambassador who not only performs, but teaches the history of Southern-born jazz, country and the blues, detailing the social forces that shaped this music genre between the early 1800s and the mid-20th century. A roots blues artist with a cult following that is quickly becoming mainstream, Gardner’s six CD albums released on Blue Cat Records include Hesitation Blues, Wooly Bully Express and Walking the Dog. Steve Gardner may be a rambling man but don’t be fooled by monikers. He earned a degree in journalism from the University of Southern Mississippi where he married his writing skill with photography and worked as a reporter for the Jackson Daily News/Clarion-Ledger. “In the mid ‘80s I saw the writing on the wall as it pertained to the newspaper business, and decided that if I was going to be hungry and broke I would be hungry and broke while seeing the world,” says Gardner. Gardner’s ties to acoustic root music can be traced back to his youth in rural Mississippi. “When I was a boy I listened to my father play the “knives” in a local string band,” he says. The “knives” is a home devised rhythm and percussion instrument that required the use of Steve’s mother’s service ware that would normally be found in the kitchen drawer. DeSoto 67

d The Ramblin’ Steve Gardner ban

“Growing up, I remember stopping as a boy just long enough to grab a quick listen to black performers play the blues during a time when seg-regation blanketed the state,” he says. His influences also came from outside the state. “My family took a trip to New Orleans where the music I listened to was compelling and drew me in like a moth to the flame.” He remembers the impact the transistor radio had on his ability to listen to music from far off places. These factors are all evidenced in the rhythms, sounds, melodies that fill the air when he sings, finger picks, and bars the round neck on his National Reso-phonic guitar. He began his immersion into the blues by first mastering the harmonica and then looking to play with others. Today, his weapon of choice (instrument), however, is a National Reso-phonic guitar, a stringed wood/metal instrument that features a metal cone resonator built inside the box. This one-off style of guitar was designed during the 1920s (before the electric guitar) when it was a problem for the acoustic guitar to be heard above the brass and woodwind 68 DeSoto

instruments in the bands of that day. The morphing of the reso-phonic guitar from its acoustic cousin into a mechanically amplified instrument was an instant success and the music it makes is one Steve embraced the first time he heard it. “I bought my first one in 1980 and today I own several including the National Reso-phonic Guitar that I performs and records with.” While the epistemology of the reso-phonic guitar is found in the Mississippi and Louisiana Delta regions, the emergence of Rambling Steve Gardner as a performing and recording root music artist came after he arrived in Japan. After several years working as a journalist in Japan, his rural Mississippi music roots began to sprout and with his reception as a blues artist in Japan, his new career moved center stage. It proved to be an instant and a perfect fit. “I really hadn’t planned to stay in Japan this long but my success here with root music opened doors in a place that I have come to love.” Today, English is his second language and he travels around the country teaching root music and blues guitar, holding workshops and seminars in Japanese

Universities. Because the blues are and have always been an evolving art form, Gardner encourages his Japanese blues students to put their own language, style and Nippon feeling in their delivery and sound and not to simply emulate the music they have been weaned on. “Too often they try to sound exactly like Sonny Boy Williams, B.B. King, Robert Johnson or the many other blues icons that are part of the music’s rich history.” Steve Gardner is a man who gives back to the country he now calls home. Since the 2011 Japan Earthquake and the nuclear disaster in Fukushima that followed, he has performed in fundraising concerts to raise money for these devastated areas. Twice a year he returns to Mississippi and the Southeast. He will be returning once again this summer. “In a perfect world...when I reach the twilight of my years, spending six months in Japan and six months in Mississippi would be ideal.” His fond memories of a more halcyon time when he was growing up as a boy in Mississippi and the pride he has for the Deep South are evident in what he says and in the music he plays. If his plans for future retirement ever comes to pass, he no doubt will share his many fond memories of Japan with his fellow Mississippians, tying two cultures together through music. •

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table talk}

2 1. Local’s Lobster BLT Sandwich • 2. The bourbon menu • 3.Jeff Johnson’s Local Restaurant

Restaurateur Jeff Johnson Opens More Food Doors Text and Photography by Adam Mitchell

emphis chef and restaurateur, Jeff Johnson, has never strayed far from the kitchen, and his passion for creation grows with the opening of each new restaurant. His food affinity began when he was just a child. Johnson and his mother took a continuing education

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cooking class offered by University of Memphis. He was the only boy and the only kid in the kitchen classroom. While other kids preferred playing video games, Johnson spent hours watching Food Network, learning new cooking trends in famous kitchens across the country.

"As a kid in grade school and Junior High, I would talk with my friends about how I wanted to own a bar and grill-type establishment. My parents weren't too keen on their child aspiring to own a bar, even though they frequently took me to Huey's, Patrick's, the Midway Cafe for meals." Years later he became a bartender learning all the secrets to making great cocktails. Johnson saved his money waiting for the right time and the right opportunity to open his own restaurant. When a location became available in the downtown Main Street business district in 2008, Johnson bought his first restaurant. Dubbing it Local Gastropub, the restaurant is widely recognized in Memphis simply as Local. A "gastropub" is a British term meaning a restaurant or pub that serves great food and drink. Johnson named his place "Local" because most of the ingredients are made from local products. Local serves local beers like Ghost River, bread from Bluff City Bakery and beef comes from Donnell Farms. Much of the produce comes from local farmer's markets. The locally-sourced products make for exciting southern infusion dishes like roasted duck quesadillas, lobster BLTs, goat cheese and crab enchiladas and New Orleans barbecue shrimp with crispy gouda stone-ground grit cakes. The grits come from Delta Grind company in Water Valley, MS. "I love the Local Burger. It's my favorite," Johnson says. A red onion marmalade and tomato jam tops a half-pound patty of dry-aged ground beef, all served on a buttered bun with hand-cut fries sprinkled with herbs and Parmesan cheese. Dishes like these make Local a local favorite. With his success at the downtown Local, Johnson continues to seek new food venues. With the recent revitalization of the Overton Square area of Midtown Memphis, a new chapter began for Johnson in 2011. A two-story 1912 building, formerly Yosemite Sam's, a 70's disco turned karaoke dive bar anchored the square on the corner of Madison and South Cooper. The second story of the old building became Local's second location, telling a history of it's own. It's been a hard rock music club and a bar called Hot Air Balloon. "Local's Midtown location has done really well," Johnson says. So well in fact that Johnson has broadened his vision. Johnson started Local Catering, serving Local's menu items in on-site and off-site box lunches across Memphis and the Mid-South. This May, Johnson will be opening another restaurant, Oshi Burger, a hip, upscale burger joint that will serve 15 gourmet burgers and a half-dozen gourmet hot dogs. Oshi will also feature Sake-infused cocktails and alcoholic milkshakes. "I love Bushwackers! What's better than that?" Johnson says. Just when it seems Johnson couldn’t branch out more, his future plans prove different with the opening of Agave Marie. A Mexican taco-ria, the restaurant will serve non-traditional tacos made with ingredients like crispy duck, braised short rib and lobster. "Agave Maria will have an extensive tequila bar." In the back parking lot of Local, a vintage stainless steel Airstream trailer holds another potential business. Johnson plans on converting it into a food truck called Parish Grocery. "We'll serve traditional Creole, Cajun and New Orleans fare." This includes poboys, muffalettas, gumbo, etouffee and crawfish pot pie. "It's great to be doing what I set out do so many years ago. I'm very fortunate, and I don't ever want to take that for granted or not thank God for the opportunities I've been given," Johnson says. All these years later, Johnson still gets excited when he talks about food, cooking and local beers that compliment the food. "I create what I like to eat in hopes that other people will like it too. I see how it goes and If I need to, I make changes." www.localgastropub.com • DeSoto 71

exploring events} april

Columbus Half Marathon and 5K Run APRIL 12TH, 7AM columbushalfmarathon5k.com • Tennessee Williams House • 300 Main St. • Columbus The inaugural Columbus Pilgrimage Half Marathon and 5K begins and ends at the beautiful Tennessee Williams House and winds through the historic downtown area.

Visions of a Spring Night NOW - MAy 31ST

76th Annual Holly Springs Pilgrimage APRIL 11TH-13TH

Sharpe Planetarium Pink Palace Museum 3050 Central Ave. Memphis, TN 38111 www.memphismuseums.org 901.636.2362

Holly Springs, MS www.hollyspringspilgrimage.com 662.252.4015

Take a virtual tour of the current spring night skies, showing constellations and related classical stories of mythology, with historical notes and seasonal astronomical events. Please call for exact showtimes.

The 76th Annual Holly Springs Pilgrimage, sponsored by the Holly Springs Garden Club, will include five antebellum homes, two museums and three churches. Visitors will also have the opportunity to enjoy delightful Southern lunches, a character guided tour of the cemetery and a 5K race. Group discounts are also available.

2014 Ridgeland Fine Arts Festival APRIL 5TH/6TH

10th Annual Mudbug Bash APRIL 12TH, 6-11PM

Renaissance at Colony Park Ridgeland, MS 39157 www.ridgelandartsfest.com 800.468.6078

Downtown Hernando Panola St. Hernando, MS 38632 www.palmerhome.org/mudbug 662.449.2400

A splendid weekend of events that showcases selected media include clay, drawing and pastels, fiber, glass, jewelry, mixed media, painting, photography, printmaking, sculpture and wood. Enjoy a multitude of other festival activities such as the Children’s Creative Corner, student art gallery, music and more.

Newsboys APRIL 11TH Crossroads Arena 2800 S. Harper Rd, Corinth, MS 38834 www.crossroadsarena.com 662.287.7779 The Australian Christian pop rock sensation will play at the Crossroads Arena for their We Believe Tour. Hear some of their hits from their new album, as well as some of their most wellknown songs, including God’s Not Dead (Like a Lion), We Believe, and Live with Abandon.

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Join us at the Hernando Square as we listen to live music and enjoy steaming crawfish as we celebrate the 10th Annual Mudbug Bash benefiting the Palmer Home for Children. What better way to enjoy a night out while giving back to the community. Guests must be 21 or older to attend.

2nd Annual Crawfish and Corvettes APRIL 12TH, 12PM-6PM Fitzgerald’s Casino Front Lawn 711 Lucky Lane Robinsonville, MS 38664 www.fitzgeraldstunica.com 1.888.766.5825 What could be better than enjoying delicious crawfish while viewing priceless Corvettes and Camaros? Stick around for the outdoor concert, crawfish and food booths and arts and crafts vendors.

exploring events} april 10th Annual Taste of DeSoto APRIL 17TH, 5:30-9PM Landers Center 4560 Venture Dr, Southaven, MS 38671 www.tasteofdesoto.com 662.634.8332 Join us at the 10th Annual Taste of DeSoto to experienc DeSoto County’s most delicious edible delights. Tickets are $40 in advance and $45 at the door. Stick around for the after party from 9pm-midnight. Tickets for the after party are $20 in advance and $25 at the door.

27th Annual Vicksburg RiverFest APRIL 25TH/26TH Downtown Vicksburg Vicksburg, MS 39181 www.riverfestms.com 601.634.4527

The 9th Annual Alliance Conference for Nonprofit Excellence will feature speakers from some of the nonprofit industry’s leading organizations. Interact with other nonprofit supporters while learning how to engage your audience in today’s high-tech world.

Fitz’ Cinco de Mayo Party MAy 5TH, NOON-10PM Fitzgerald’s Casinol 711 Lucky Lane Robinsonville, MS 38664 www.fitzgeraldstunica.com 1.888.766.5825 Celebrate Cinco de Mayo at the biggest party north of Mexico with thousands of dollars worth of door prizes and party favors, free Dos Equis beer, $1 tacos, a Mexican buffet station, and triple point value for all slot play.

Esperanza Bonanza MAy 7TH-10TH

The 27th annual Riverfest featuring live music, street performers, children’s activities, food and merchant booths and performances by Colt Ford, TK Soul, Blackjack Billy and more.

Double Decker Festival APRIL 25TH/26TH

Marion Athletic Complex Intersection of Carter Dr. and Patriot Dr. Marion, Ar 72364 www.esperanzabonanza.org 901.484.7752 Experience Marion’s most exciting event of the year complete with a carnival, backyard BBQ contest, rodeo, games for adults and kids, a golf scramble and live entertainment.

Historic Oxford Square Oxford, MS 38655 www.doubledeckerfestival.com 662.232.2477 Shop dozens of local vendors, sample local flavors, tour Oxford on a double-decker bus and listen to live music while enjoying the quaint and inviting feel of Oxford, voted one of the Top 20 Most Beautiful Small Towns.

9th Annual Alliance Conference MAy 1ST, 8AM-4PM Temple Israel 1376 E Massey Rd, Memphis, TN 38120 www.npexcellence.org/conference.php 901.684.6605

Senatobia Mayfest MAy 9TH/10TH Downtown Senatobia Senatobia, MS 38668 www.facebook.com/fivestarcityfest 662.562.8715 Senatobia's Five Star City Fest will include a street dance featuring music from Mark "The Mule Man" Massey, Burning Magnolias and Dr. Zarr's Amazing Funk Moster. Food, available from vendors, includes a shrimp and crawfish boil. Proceeds will go toward the renovation and restoration of downtown Senatobia.

Corinth Green Market APRIL 5TH, 9AM-3PM corinthgreenmarket.com • 662.287.3120 • Crossroads Museum • 221 N. Fillmore St. The first Corinth Green Market of the season will include produce and goods from local farmers, gardeners, artisans and craftsmen in an open-market setting.

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reflections} out of office reply

OUT OF OFFICE REPLY By Karen Ott Mayer • Photography Courtesy of The Bradenton Area CVB

orget all the rhetoric out of Washington D.C. about how to improve the economy. Here’s a better idea: Take time off. Recently, I stumbled across a few mind-boggling facts on the U.S. Travel Association web site (ustravel.org) and a recent study by Oxford Economics that attempts to explain Americans, work, and Paid time Off (PTO). To no one’s surprise, the initial findings show Americans work more than any other country on the planet. Not only do we work, we receive less time off than other parts of the world. In Canada, new mothers enjoy a year-long maternity leave. In Europe, it’s not unusual to vacation an entire month or five weeks. According to the study, however, even when Americans have available PTO, they fail to take all of it. In 2013, the study found Americans left 429 million days of their PTO unused. Here’s the real kicker. If we did take all of our deserved time, it would not only help our tired working souls, it would help the economy. While the entire concept feels rather counterintuitive, consider one of the key findings from the study: “If workers used all of their available PTO, the economy would benefit from more than $160 billion in total business sales and $21 billion in tax revenues, spending that would support 1.2 million jobs in industries ranging from retail to manufacturing to transportation.”

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So how does our taking off work help the economy? One obvious point is the impact on the travel industry. When we travel, we support hotels, airlines, and restaurants. And when we stick around the house and yard? We still spend money. Maybe we buy a few plants for the yard or change the oil in the car or sign up for that gym membership—finally. In order to get to the yard or beach, however, we have to ask the boss. This is part of the problem. Our boss just doesn’t like the idea. “A significant number of managers consider employees who take all earned PTO as less dedicated (17%), generally less productive (14%) and less likely to get promoted (13%).” Another reality? The boss needs the break worse than we do! The study shows everyone admits to feeling less stressed, more productive, and refreshed after taking time off. (OK, why do we need a study to tell us this one?) Since 2008, the workplace and earning potential have changed like never before in the last decade. We all face longer hours and greater career challenges. So maybe it’s time to take a break. The bottom line is the boss may not like it and we may not be able to afford that exotic vacation, but in truth, the need for time off goes deeper than a dollar. Maybe those free days will save the economy. More likely, it will save our peace of mind. •