DIME Entertainment | July 2016 | Junk Rehab

DIME ENTERTAINMENT

JUNK REHAB

JULY 2016 | VOL. 2 • NO. 7

@MSMUSEUMART.ORG

Be modern Dare to differ.

68 FREE SPIRIT

THIS ISSUE

JULY 2016 | Vol. 2

No. 7

DIMEENTERTAINMENT.COM BITE Composting tips \\ 18 New Talavan \\ 20 A tale of two eateries \\ 22 BEAT Wild Nothing \\ 40 Dream Cult \\ 44 Hot takes \\ 45 Ocean Springs Live \\ 82 CANVAS Shearwater Pottery \\ 32 Jonathan Kent Adams \\ 36

FEATURES The Prickly Hippie \\ 24 J. Parker’s Reclaimed wood \\ 26 NEON Welcome to Rockville \\ 53 POUR Beer of the month \\ 12 Green grains \\ 14 Italian Amari dissected \\ 16 REEL Indie film \\ 60

46 SILAS

JUNK TURNED ART

28

SEAMS Woke up like this \\ 76 STANDARDS Ed’s note \\ 11 Starship 420 \\ 77 Horoscopes \\ 78 STOWAWAY South West roadtrip \\ 64

DIME ENTERTAINMENT

PUBLISHER Jim Cegielski EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Jacqueline Lee ASSISTANT EDITOR Courtney Creel ART DIRECTOR Kassie Rowell MARKETING REPRESENTATIVES Amy Allegrezza Sarah Campbell Jessica Redondo STYLE EDITOR Adam Myrick ILLUSTRATORS Sean Morgan Paige Pritchard

PHOTOGRAPHERS Jenn Devereaux Courtland Wells CONTRIBUTORS Charlotte Bloom Michelle Brugion Nicole Chantreau Troy Coll Kyle Crockett Zoe McDonald Whitney Miracle Sean Murphy Brittany Purvis Julian Rankin Ally Reid Justin Sawyer Kendra Smith-Parks Aaron J. Stewart Andie Szabo Kristin Teston Valerie Wells Robyn White

DIME Entertainment Magazine is published monthly

by Gin Creek Publishing, 318 N. Magnolia St. Laurel, MS 39440. All contents copyright 2016

by Gin Creek Publishing and all rights reserved.

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ON OUR COVER: Vaeda Mann dances in the streets in Free People.

Shot by Kate Dearman for Dime Entertainment Magazine. Turn to page 68 to see the full shoot featuring models Jen Ariela, Vaeda Mann, Rae Pullum, Anna Taucher & Farrah Golmaryami.

She asked herself, “what is the best place for an epic party?�

There was only one answer...

Call Southern Miss Event Services and Catering

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EDITOR'S NOTE Former neurotic children will hopefully be validated by the following embarrassing confession. (Keep in mind I was an only child, and we’re prone to unchecked weird.)

When I would pass through the stuffed animal aisles of any store, I would make it my secret mission to touch each and every fluffy foot or snout I could reach with my short stature. In my six-year-old mind, the little affection I would give them could be the only love these cuties would ever see. Math wasn’t my strong point then or now, but I could always see the big picture. There was no way that each of these factory-made creations would be going to a forever home. I pictured them as the poor babes at an orphanage, vying to be adopted. But the bitter reality was, most of these goods would sooner if not later end up in the trash … in an overflowing landfill. It seemed wrong then, and, even though I’m no longer in a frenzied touch-a-thon over it, it still seems wrong now.

Wastefulness is one of the yuckiest things that we get to participate in as blessed first world tenants. In some cases, we just can’t help ourselves. Packaging can be so darn lovely these days. Recycling isn’t always accessible. Our eyes will always be bigger than our stomachs, wallets and closets. We are that generation. But we can also willfully take part in the resistance against such great waste, in whatever scale is doable for you. If that’s subscribing to recycling services, or simply passing your used copy of DIME along to another reader, we can each try to be less destructive and more creative. Nothing lasts forever, but luckily for us, art comes close, and songs on their own can never rot in a landfill. We challenge you to make something this month that you can take with you for a long time to come, whether photography, painting, a song or a play. We dare you to share it with us: #dimegreenissue.

Jacqueline Lee Editor-In-Chief

How to recycle this issue: Shred into awesome confetti Paste in blank card stock pages for a sweet notebook Transform the Big Ass calendar into a Big Ass paper crane Cut out a crude ransom note and kidnap your best friend Ask your crush out to Ocean Springs Live with a dog-eared page and a smile

BEER OF THE MONTH

BY SEAN MURPHY

CROWD CONTROL

CHANDELEUR BREWING COMPANY Gulfport, MS Thursdays & Fridays: 4-7 pm, Saturdays: 1-4 pm

CROOKED LETTER BREWING COMPANY Ocean Springs, MS Saturdays: 1-3 pm

LAZY MAGNOLIA BREWERY Kiln, MS Thursdays & Fridays: 4-6 pm, Saturdays: 11 am-4 pm

LUCKY TOWN BREWING COMPANY Jackson, MS Fridays: 4-7 pm, Saturdays: 11-3 pm

SLOWBOAT BREWING COMPANY Laurel, MS Saturdays: 3-8 pm

SOUTHERN PROHIBITION BREWERY Hattiesburg, MS Thursdays & Fridays: 4-8 pm, Saturdays: 1-5 pm

YALOBUSHA BREWING COMPANY Water Valley, MS Fridays: 1-9 pm

Style: Imperial IPA IBU: 60; ABV: 8% Southern Prohibition 301 Mobile St. Hattiesburg, Miss.

Tours Thursdays/Fridays 4-8 p.m. and Saturdays 1-5 p.m.

Let’s ramp it up a couple notches and delve face first into a hop bomb brewed in downtown Hattiesburg.

Southern Prohibition’s Crowd Control is an Imperial IPA absolutely loaded with late-addition hops. With a low-end bittering (IBU) of 60, this beer is so drinkable it’s impossible to comprehend that it’s an 8% brew. Drink this one fresh (always check your dates!) because IPAs deteriorate over time.

Be careful with this monster if you’re counting calories, but it is always OK to splurge. This selection received a 90 rating on Beeradvocate, a superior rating for a superior beer. Slainté!

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the

t n e p s of

BY SEAN MURPHY

grain

Beer brewers, among a myriad of other challenges, face a daunting task each time a beer is completed — what can they do with hundreds of pounds of spent grains?

In the brewing process, when water is heated and mixed with the grains, the starches contained inside of those grains are converted to fermentable sugars.

That is called the mash. After an hour, the liquid is drained and that is the wort, which, eventually, will become beer. But left behind is all of that grain.

Instead of wasting useful material, at Laurel’s Slowboat Brewing Co., brewer Kenny Mann decided to do something with his leftovers. Mann loads his spent grain — about 300 pounds per batch of Slowboat beer — into 50-gallon drums and stores them in the brewery until it is time to hit the farm.

Slowboat delivers its grains to a small farmer in the Pendorff Community tucked between Laurel and Ellisville in Jones County. There, the grain — a mostly sugar-free amalgam of barley, wheat and other grains — is hauled south to the hungry mouths of pigs, goats and chickens.

It’s a win-win-win. Mann finds an appropriate disposal site for hundreds of pounds of grain, a farmer saves countless dollars on feed and the spirit of no-waste fits perfectly into the increased awareness of environmental issues.

By the way, those pigs are smiling because they just ate a Dairy of a Madman! Aren’t you jealous?

14 // dime entertainment

life

PIiggies at a Jones County farm chow down on spent Slowboat grains.

MCE PHOTOGRAPHY / CHAD EDWARDS

ALLA VOSTRA

SALUTE! A Primer on Italian Amari

BY TROY COLL

It is truly amazing, the lengths to which humans will go to improve the flavor of gnarly-tasting things, with the intent of getting fed or drunk.

Inventions like espresso, salami and osso bucco are examples of successful attempts to turn unpalatable crap into the cornerstones of cuisine.

As the above list revealed, Italians are the masters of this kind of culinary alchemy. Thankfully, their skills extend to alcoholic beverages as well.

You know those dusty, weird bottles behind the bar, neither rum nor gin nor bourbon, that occasionally get poured into your favorite

cocktails? It’s time to face your fears and get to know these versatile, delicious Italian liqueurs.

An amaro (plural amari) is a spirit- or wine-based beverage, infused with herbs, barks or seeds, sometimes sweetened, and commonly aged in barrels or bottles. They land anywhere between 15% and 40% ABV, and their flavors range from honeyed sweetness to tongue-stripping bitterness. All of them, however, are the outcome of efforts to make a worthwhile drink out of boring vodka or crappy wine, and they’re interesting for that reason alone.

IN A COCKTAIL Some elements must be part of a team in order to merit appreciation. Fish sauce, for example, or Paul McCartney. The liquids below may be overwhelming by themselves, but they shine with a little help from their friends.

Averna's smooth, syrupy body features just enough minty bitterness to balance it out.

Cynar (pronounced CHEE-nar) confirms the idea that humans will turn damn near anything into alcohol. Artichoke is among the 13 herbs and spices used in this amaro, which may be responsible for its bitter, tea-like finish. Try it as a sub for Fernet Branca in the classic Toronto cocktail.

Sweet, smoky Zucca is a rhubarb-based, barrel-aged amaro from the Lombardy region of Italy. Rhubarb's natural sweetness combines with the barrel's char to yield flavors of molasses and mesquite. Swap it for the sweet vermouth in a Manhattan or Negroni.

Neat, please Regionality is one of my favorite qualities in a food. The diversity that pre-industrialized foodways necessitated hangs on for dear life in an age of infinite Cracker Barrels, but it can still be found on liquor store shelves. Consuming a drink neat lets its idiosyncrasies shine, and many amari are palatable all on their own.

Averna is easily the most approachable amaro around. Led by notes of caramel and citrus peel,

20 16 ////dime dimeentertainment entertainment

Slightly more pungent than Averna, Amaro CioCiaro is still gentle enough to be enjoyed with nothing more than an orange peel, and/or on the rocks. Warming flavors of baking spices and bitter orange make CioCiaro a remarkably cuddly drink.

SHOTS Those of you who relish the arrival of a head cold and the justifiable shots of NyQuil it brings, welcome home. These heavies differ from more sippable amari in that their aggressive flavors and high alcohol content ensure they're the last thing you'll be able to taste for at least a few hours, making them perfect digestifs.

Fernet Branca is perhaps the most widely-known and readily available amaro in the United States. It will also kick your ass. At 39% ABV, this brutally bitter beverage floods your palate with menthol and eucalyptus, clearing your sinuses as it soothes any postprandial distress.

Amaro Braulio doesn't punch as hard as Fernet, but this oak-aged Alpine amaro features a bracing combo of juniper, gentian root and wormwood. Probably. The herbs featured in Braulio are harvested from Monte Braulio in the Italian Alps, and every harvester is required to sign a nondisclosure agreement to preserve the recipe's secrecy.

s

Com

mie

p

f o r g D n i u t m os

BY JACKIE LEE

It can be tough to estimate just how many bananas you can put away before the last couple in the bunch turn woefully brown. When this happens, you can transform even the mushiest of bananas into a delicious smoothie.

But how can you upcycle that peel? With composting, today’s scraps can become tomorrow’s fertilizer like magic.

According to National Geographic, The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations estimates that one third of the planet’s food production is lost or wasted each year. That volume at 2.8 trillion pounds could feed 3 billion mouths. In the U.S., a vast 30 percent of our food is never eaten, lost to the trash.

In 2009, San Francisco government made composting mandatory for the city’s more than 5,000 restaurants on the heels of a voluntary pilot program begun more than a decade before. Since 1996, the city has turned more than 800,000 tons of food scraps into compost, according to USA Today. Other cities like Seattle have since passed similar laws that mandate composting.

Home composting can be a small yet powerful victory in the war on waste. From your post dinner-making scraps,

18 // dime entertainment

plants get nutrition and your local landfill gets one less pile of garbage.

Why should you compost?

You don’t have to have your own gigantic veggie garden to take advantage of composting techniques. The process of converting your food waste to a useable plant fertilizer is one of the best ways to reduce your personal or household trash. If you do have houseplants, they will certainly benefit. But if you have neighbors, a community garden or a local farmer’s market, your neglected pizza crusts can find a higher purpose.

Where will your compost live?

First, decide where you want to store your compost.

If you have a large yard and can build a special bin, more power to you. Most apartment and small rental dwellers who are wanting to provide nutrients for small container gardens will prefer a composting system that is small and conveniently located in the kitchen. You can go online and purchase a gallon-sized air tight pail with a lid and handle

that can sit adorably on your countertop — or you can take the DIY route and convert a plastic coffee can or ice cream bucket into a bin that is stored under the sink. You will still want a lid for any option, as good compost doesn’t smell delicious. A replaceable charcoal filter fitted into the lid of your container can be purchased at the pet store and will help abate special “aromas.”

How do you start composting?

1. Start with a layer of soil. Worms and microorganisms will help aerate the compost.

2. Create space with small twigs or straw.

These allow for drainage.

3. Add compost materials in layers, alternating moist (food scraps) and dry (straw, wood ashes, leaves).

4. Add a nitrogen source such as green grass or green leaves. This is your activation step that will help convert your pile of scraps and dirt to usable compost.

5. Cover the pile or container to keep moisture in and create heat.

6. Turn every two weeks. Give the pile a quick turn with a pitchfork or small shovel as appropriate for your sized container.

This adds oxygen into the pile which will accelerate the process.

Once your mix is starting to look like compost, you will no longer have to layer but simply mix old material with the new.

When your compost pile is established, add new materials by mixing them in, rather than by adding them in layers.

Turning, the compost pile aerates the materials and speeds the process so you get your finished compost sooner.

WHAT CAN AND CAN’T BE COMPOSTED? YES PLEASE: Table scraps Wood ashes Banana peels Peanut hulls Eggshells Shredded cardboard Coffee grounds Fruit peels (not lime) Leaves Shredded newspaper NO THANKS: Meat Bones Fish Fat Dairy

10 WAYS to Reduce Your Carbon Footprint Like a Boss

BY BRITTANY PURVIS

1. Walk or bike everywhere you can. To work, the grocery store, the charming bar in your neighborhood. Plus, this way, you avoid any chances of drinking and driving. As a bonus, it’s an excuse to buy a new bike and fresh sneakers.

2. Stop buying bottled water. Get a nice reusable bottle — a filtered one is even better — so you can have a cute new accessory to lug around.

3. Buy items in bulk to avoid unnecessary packaging waste. You can impress the divorcees at the bulk store by buying the biggest box of condoms you can find.

4. Don’t waste fuel by running a single errand. Plan out your week and make a list of errands you need to do so you can take one trip and get them all done. It will save gas in the long run, and free up the rest of your spare time.

5. Turn off the thermostat when you’re not at home, and try not to set it too high or low. This will not only save you money, but is a great excuse to walk around in next to nothing.

6. Baths may be a wonderful way to relax, but they are also wasteful. Stick to the shower, and if needed, shower you and your significant other together to conserve water. Installing water conserving shower heads will also help you save money.

7. Carpool with coworkers and friends. It adds a little more planning, but you can have so much more fun driving around and listening to music with your friends or getting to know your coworkers a little better.

8. Hang dry your laundry on a warm, sunny day to save on your power bill and help the environment out. This can be done indoors too with a drying rack, but it’s much more fun to be out in the sunshine with a big glass of lemonade… or a beer.

9. When you’re not charging something, unplug the charger from the wall. Even when not in use, these suck up energy.

10. Instead of popping into the large chain grocery store in town to buy food, try your local farmer’s market where you can scope out all the different kinds of local honeys. The items sold there haven’t been shipped around the world, which means less pollution.

Plus, you’ll impress your date when you tell them everything they’ll be eating tonight is locally sourced.

, g n i v i L n i a Pl g n i k n i h T h g Hi New Talavan, a Mississippi Hare krishna community, gives about 150 bundles of organic vegetables a week to local charities

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An idyllic place with gentle green hills, free home-made food and friendly hosts

g

DIME writers Charlotte Blom and Valerie Wells visited New Talavan earlier this year for a glimpse into a peaceful yet passionate way of living.

BY VALERIE WELLS AND CHARLOTTE BLOM

Curious about how a Hare Krishna community fits in South Mississippi for more than 40 years, we took a January road trip to New Talavan, an organic farm near Carriere, Miss.

There, we walked through leafy rows of Russian kale, Swiss chard and Brussel sprouts that thrive in winter.

Cabbage, broccoli, beets, turnips and more filled other large plots — there are four in total, one designated for grains eventually. And all this was just on the edge of the complex.

The farm demands constant attention. Devotees rose before 4 a.m. to start prayers and work.

Someone had to milk the cows. By 10 a.m., World Wide Organization for Organic Farms volunteers were busy with weeding and harvesting.

Chemical-free sustainability with spiritual intention is the goal.

“We hope to one day be more significant in the lives of the people in our local community, materially and spiritually,” said Yogindra Vandana das Adhikari, New Talavan temple president.

New Talavan belongs to the International Society for Krishna Consciousness, a religious sect that is a branch of Hinduism and known informally as the Hare Krishna movement. In 1974, members of ISKCON bought 200 acres in Pearl River County to begin a cow sanctuary. New Talavan now includes 1,200 acres and is home to 58 cows, oxen, bulls and calves.

It is also home for 28 devotees who live on the farm. Another 35 live on their own property within a one-mile radius.

“There are a couple hundred steady devotees, friends or donors living all over the United States and our New Orleans community consists of a couple hundred devotees,” Yogindra Vandana das Adhikari said.

ISKCON devotees vow not to take drugs, drink alcohol, gamble, have sex outside of marriage or eat meat. These vegetarians do consume milk that comes from a handful of their sacred cows. New Talavan devotees refer to this milk as brain food that aids “plain living and high thinking.” Cows play a traditional role in farming culture, and the devotees share reciprocal relationships with the cows, the land and Krishna.

New Talavan has an idyllic feel with gentle green hills, free home-made food and friendly hosts. Like all religious sects though, ISKCON is not without its share of controversy and paradox. For example, The Times-Picayune reported in 2011 that New Orleans businesses accused Hare Krishnas of aggressive soliciting for fake charities. Going further back in history, the book “Monkey on a Stick: Murder, Madness, and the Hare Krishnas” (Harcourt, 1988) examines several crimes in the 1980s that led to federal prison terms. Despite this cloud, the vedic culture espouses the ever-present possibility of redemption.

As we left the gardens and passed the chickens, we heard chanting and music from a saffron-colored temple with ornate wooden double doors. Incense from the temple hung along rock paths through rose bushes and palm trees. The closer we got to

the temple, both the chanting and the incense became intoxicating. All of this is part of “arotik,” or offerings to Krishna, which can even include something as basic as water we would learn from the literature and the websites. Inside the temple, heated by a wood-burning stove, the chanting and drumming and cymbals enveloped the space and the worshipers swayed as they continued the mantra: “Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare. Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare.”

The devotees, some with symbols painted on their foreheads, faced religious statues embodying Krishna, his consort Radha and a pair of brothers who first began chanting “Hare Krishna” 500 years ago. In continual worship, devotees dress the ever-smiling deities in bright outfits every day and pajamas at night. They surround the deities with fresh flowers and lights. A shiny-faced, cross-legged, human-sized rendition of ISKCON’s founder, Swami Prabhupada — who advocated for self-sufficiency — sits to the side in a garland of flowers as well. Before every meal, food is first offered to Krishna and the other deities for a blessing.

Multiple prayer sessions start before dawn daily. During this midday Sunday service we attended, a priest in front of the altar blew a conch shell. Later, he held a tray of flowers as worshippers lined up to receive his blessing, first men, then women. Two little boys scurried from the back to pick a small bud from the tray and waited for the priest to bless them.

Women in long skirts with scarves over their heads offered wreaths of roses for newcomers to wear. After the service, one of the devotees wearing a simple grey sweatsuit pulled his hood down, took a seat and led the congregation in a lesson from the Bhagavad Gita.

ISKCON beliefs include serving and educating in other ways too, as well as incorporating outreach efforts like partnering with Good Karma Cafe based in Gulfport and even having a float for Mardi Gras parades. New Talavan also gives about 150 bundles of organic vegetables a week to local charities.

Following lessons and discussions, a vegetarian Sunday feast took place in an outdoor pavilion. The devotees first offered their food to Krishna. The feast is free to anyone who visits, which attracts some new devotees. Rice, soup, squash, paneer and bread were on the menu this Sunday. The vegetables were from the farm and the paneer is made from the cow’s milk.

The milk, the cheese and the ghee all fuel for “plain living and high thinking,” said Hari Dhavani, as she ate her lunch from a metal plate. This was the third time we heard this quote on the visit.

The 64-year-old devotee has been a member of the New Talavan community for 23 years. She raised her children here. She told us that she believes devotion can be woven into every aspect of life.

“Whether rocking the baby, making the bread, driving the truck, doing brain surgery — (it’s) all in service of the Lord,” Hari said.

“We want you to feel welcome to come again without any sort of pressure or stress to convert your religion or heritage,” Yogindra Vandana das Adhikari said. “We do not mind people coming as long as they are nonviolent and act like ladies and gentlemen.”

Tapahpunja Dasa, 67, the farm manager, teaches anyone who is interested how to farm organically. “This is actually the real revolution, to look at social, political (issues) through the spirit,” he said. Humans are forgetful of their ultimate knowledge of God and purpose, he told us. As far as his role in advocating for a self-sustaining lifestyle, he said: “This is what we’re supposed to be doing.”

When we were leaving New Talavan, we found a blessing bundle of greens and a butternut squash on the hood of our car.

A TALE OF TWO EATERIES

Smash Burger 22 // dime entertainment

BY AARON J. STEWART

Green. Organic. Local. Farm-to-Table.

For a lot of places out there, these are just words. They’re pretty little pieces of confetti and wall art used to attract old school hippies and naive millennials alike to shops pretending like they’re more than just another place to grab a sandwich.

But for the realist people in the game, these words aren’t just some quirky fad to attract business. They’re a lifestyle.

In Tupelo, there lives a man who could be called the O.G. of Organic, the Fresh Prince of Farm-to-Table, the Lord of Local Food, but you and I can just call him Mitch McCamey. Mitch is on a life mission to amass some of the most revolutionary restaurants in the country, right out of one of the most unlikely places.

It began a few years ago when he returned home to Northeast Mississippi after a decade of journeying from Boulder to Birmingham, learning from some of the greatest award-winning chefs in the U.S. Upon his arrival, he met up with long time friends Seth Copeland and Trish McCluney and together they created The Neon Pig. The idea was simple — a butcher shop slash organic restaurant slash local produce supplier slash place to sit and have a beer slash culinary revolution… Okay, so the idea wasn’t that simple, but damn if it wasn’t the bravest thing anyone around here has ever seen.

Absolutely everything is sourced locally, which means that they have to personally go find every one of their ingredients without straying much further than a county away. They have someone for cows, someone for tomatoes, someone for free-range eggs, someone for onions, someone for veggies that I didn’t even know were a thing. Not to mention that they’re a butcher shop. As in, they start

with a whole cow and a whole pig and have to cut everything to perfection themselves before that delicious bacon-laced burger in front of you becomes a finished product. All of this mayhem and effort go into creating a menu of some of the greatest food that ever fed.

There’s the now famous Smash Burger, a patty made of various prime-cut steaks all ground together and topped with all sorts of delicious goodness. So good, it was given the title of Best Burger in America last year by thrillist.com. Neon Pig has specialty tacos so intricate you’ll feel like you’re watching Michelangelo himself carving the statue of David while watching it be prepared for you. And if you don’t feel like eating right then and there, you can buy from their Willy-Wonka factory that they call a butcher shop at the back end, as well as all the farm fresh goodies that they’ve collected for the week on a produce aisle, all for you to take home and master on your own grill. The folks of Tupelo nowadays consider what Mitch, Seth and

Trish have built to be a treasure among the locals — a delicacy to be shared with the rest of the world. The Neon Pig has blazed a trail, and us humble and hungry customers can’t wait to see where the path leads.

As with every great story of charging into the unknown, there can never just be one hero. Every Lewis needs a Clark, Dora needs a Boots, and every Niña and Pinta need a Santa María. So it is with the Neon Pig’s First Mate, Kermit’s Outlaw Kitchen. Simply put, Kermit’s, or K.O.K. as the locals call it, is the yang to the Neon Pig’s ying. While the Pig has a small and predictable menu, Kermit’s aptly named Outlaw Kitchen is a gunslinging Wild West where culinary creativity and organised chaos reign supreme. Every week the menu is different, and every item on the menu looks and sounds like they just kept throwing various meats and veggies into different combinations until they came up with another masterpiece. Even the drinks at the bar are staff creations, and most of the liquors they use have names taped and sharpie’d onto odd looking bottles on the shelf like something out of Professor Snape’s potion class. All of this — while still adhering to the Neon Pig’s values of locally sourced ingredients and hand-cut meats courtesy of its flagship restaurant — it’s the most beautifully crazy thing I have ever seen in my life, like a Salvador Dalí painting or Johnny Depp’s acting in his prime.

All of this amazing food, raised and grown locally, and the insane amount of effort put into the customer’s plate may be what attracts people from all over to dine at these two incredible eateries, but the real heart of both of these places is in the effect that it has on you as a patron. These places create an atmosphere of adventure — a break from the mundane style of going out to eat where we just sit down, order what sounds familiar and proceed to check our Facebook page on our smartphone. Whether you’re with friends or family, or just hanging out with the super friendly staff at either place, the prospect of charging into the unknown with meals you never could have dreamt of in your wildest fantasies is an experience within itself — one that will make you feel like your life has been enhanced for the better for having the guts to eat local.

Sharp, Green Beauty 24 // dime entertainment

BY ANDIE SZABO

The Prickly Hippie is a full-service florist based in Madison, sought after for specialty succulent and cacti arrangements planted in vintage finds that have been repurposed.

Owner Jenni Sivils specializes in Mississippi grown succulents and cacti. She also teaches classes on creating succulent and cacti arrangements. Customers request her handmade centerpieces, floral crowns, boutonnieres and bouquets for weddings and special occasions.

Arrangements can vary in price from $8 to $200 depending on the order. And there’s a bonus for your green obsession — each month, a portion of the proceeds from The Prickly Hippie sales are donated to a local Mississippi charity.

ANDIE SZABO: Where did you come up with the name The Prickly Hippie?

JENNI SIVILS: I wanted a witty, play-on-words kind of name, and the idea of “The Prickly Hippie” just popped in my head one day. I thought it was funny because cacti and succulents can be quite prickly and most everyone who loves gardening has a little bit of “hippie” in their soul. I also loved the fact that hippies aren’t known for their smooth-shaven bodies, so a hippie can be quite prickly as well! I am most definitely a hippie at heart and feel that the name fits the vibe of my brand. The fact that most all planters used are vintage and upcycled — and that I’m growing these beauties myself, with dirt under my fingernails and love in my heart for the plants and the customers — it just all seemed perfectly fitting.

AS: Where are your products available?

JS: Right now, my products are available online at pricklyhippie.com. (And yes, I ship!) I also set up shop on Saturdays at Mississippi Farmers Market on High Street in Jackson. As summer approaches, The Prickly Hippie Pop-Up Shop can be found at some of Fondren’s First Thursday’s events and many Southern Arts & Crafts festivals. I am also working with quite a few local storefronts to carry my products.

AS: Are special orders available?

JS: Absolutely! Special orders are my favorite! There are quite a few different types of special orders placed with The Prickly Hippie. I have had some customers bring meaningful items that they’d like me to turn into a planter, fill with cacti and succulents, and deliver back to them. I also have customers looking for a specific style planter — or even just a specific type of succulent or cacti — and I happily fulfill those orders as well. I also fulfill floral orders for weddings and special events, and I even rent out Prickly Hippie arrangements for events.

AS: Why have you chosen to donate a portion of your sales?

JS: It means the world to me to be able to give back, even if only a little, to those so deserving. When a customer purchases a Prickly Hippie, not only are they getting a one-of-a-kind arrangement, they are starting an adventure of loving and nurturing something from the Earth, something that is purifying their air and growing in beautiful ways, and they are giving back to the community around them. It is a very beautiful thing.

TIPS FOR KEEPING SUCCULENTS AND CACTI ALIVE It is a misconception that because these plants thrive in the desert that they never need water. If you want to see the most beautiful, plump, blooming version of your succulent or cacti, you need to water quite regularly. I tell my customers to get a misting spray bottle and mist their plants once every week and water the arrangement fully once every three weeks. Good news, Mississippi humidity is perfect for succulents and cacti, so keeping your plant on a shaded porch outside is a great idea — it almost waters itself with just the humidity alone! It is important to give your plant tons of sunlight — but be aware that some succulents can sunburn quickly if left in direct sunbeams for too long daily. Cacti, on the other hand, do perfectly fine in direct sunlight all day, everyday! If you intend to keep your plant indoors, it must be in a room with good light or your plant will begin to become misshapen and stretched reaching for the light it desperately needs. Another important part of a healthy succulent/cacti is the soil used. I use a special mix of cacti soil, Perlite, Pumice stone and river rocks. Regular gardening soil is too rich for cacti and succulents and will quickly lead to root rot and can even cause your cacti or succulent to overdose on the nutrients in the soil. Be sure to use cacti specific soil when creating an arrangement or re-potting an existing one. Miracle Gro makes a great cactus soil. ­— Jenni Sivils More information on care can be found at PricklyHippie.com. Jenni invites anyone to send photos and a description of their cactus and succulent related problems to her email address: pricklyhippie@gmail.com.

It’s said often that we live in a “materialistic” culture, but that implies that we actually value material things. Our culture is less materialistic than it is disposable — instead of investing in material goods built to last, we buy cheap things and toss them when they inevitably break down.

Businesses like J. Parker Reclaimed Furniture are a counterstrike against disposability. Owner Jacqueline Parker’s beautiful, clean-lined creations are made from 100% reclaimed wood, and their durability and aesthetic appeal set them apart from big-box plywood desks and tables.

StrenGth through simplicity J. Parker Reclaimed Furniture

BY TROY COLL

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TROY COLL: How’d you get started building furniture?

JACQUELINE PARKER: My husband John and I traveled a lot, and we always seemed to end up in the countryside. I’m drawn to all things old, and old wood has all these beautiful lines and markings. I didn’t know how before we got started, but Google is a wonderful resource. There’s plenty of information out there, so I just made mistakes early on and learned from them. My mindset is to be constantly learning.

TC: Where do you source your wood?

JP: All of our wood is reclaimed from old buildings or antique stock. Initially we’d solicit owners of old structures, or individuals would seek us out with wood they wanted to sell. But at this point we have a healthy stockpile; we’ve actually had to turn down offers to buy wood.

TC: What do you love about building furniture, using reclaimed wood specifically?

JP: It allows me to express myself artistically. I don’t do any of the cutting (I’m actually afraid of saws), but I do most of the sanding and staining. Our design philosophy is ‘strength through simplicity’ — we build furniture that’s intended to last a lifetime or more.

TC: How can folks buy or commission your work?

JP: Currently we prefer for potential buyers to make appointments by calling us. They can also follow us on Facebook and Instagram, as we set up shop at various furniture markets in the area.

TC: What are some of the challenges of making a living selling furniture?

JP: It’s like any other small business — we work 70-80 hours a week. We don’t do any formal advertising, just social media and word-of-mouth. It’s hard work, but it’s very rewarding.

TC: What are your future plans for the business?

JP: We just opened a showroom in a beautiful building in downtown Laurel, built in 1909. We’ll still accept clients at the warehouse; people love to get a ‘backstage pass’ to select particular wood and see how their furniture is made.

J. PARKER RECLAIMED FURNITURE | 326 N. MAGNOLIA ST., LAUREL, MS 39440 | 601-498-7877

A J. Parker original

A glimpse at J. Parker’s abundant stockpile

Jacqueline Parker, owner of J. Parker Reclaimed

Where does your trash go once you’ve thrown it out? Have you ever wondered? Do you even care?

Although NASA is (thankfully) discovering other inhabitable planets, you should. Each year humans generate about 230 million tons of trash — that calculates to about 5 pounds per person every day.

That’s why 36-year-old Gabriel Dishaw decided to sculpt your useless rubbish into intricate creations.

“My passion for working with metal and mechanical objects has been essential in the evolution of my art. It provides me an avenue to express myself in a way that brings new life to materials such as typewriters, adding machines and old computers – technology that would normally end up in a landfill,” Dishaw said. “My mission is to create dialogue and help find creative, environmentally sound ways of repurposing e-waste.”

The Indiana-based artist allowed us to pick his brain to uncover the reasons, methods and hopes behind his so-called “junk art.”

UPCYCLED CLAPTRAP

RETURN

JUNK

OF THE

GABRIEL DISHAW | JUNK ARTIST | BY COURTNEY CREEL

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Trash

to cLASS

DIGITAL DUNK HERMES

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C3PO GALACTUS

COURTNEY CREEL: How long have you been making upcycled sculptures?

GABRIEL DISHAW: Wow, how quickly time flies by. I’ve been doing this for about 19 years now.

CC: What made you decide to start creating these sculptures?

Was there a defining moment in your life that spurred that decision?

GD: It all started when I was in 9th grade, and my then art teacher gave us the opportunity to choose our next project. He had about 30 different examples, and one was “Junk Art.” I did some research and made it my own. I spent the following week in my father’s garage taking stuff apart. My first piece, Mary on a Donkey, ended up winning me first place in a local art contest.

This was that defining moment in my life that I had something here. It has evolved a lot since then, but I find myself looking at everyday items and re-imagining them as something different. A single piece of discarded material can influence an entire sculpture.

CC: What made you choose to use recycled parts versus new materials?

GD: I believe I chose this material because It was readily available and had a low barrier of entry. It didn’t cost a lot of money, and in the end all I really needed was creativity.

CC: Have you dabbled in other arts or is sculpting your passion?

GD: Yes, I’ve always been creative and really enjoyed all types of mediums. I started drawing early on, but when I discovered sculpting, I found my real passion and haven’t really looked back.

CC: What pieces and parts do you use to form your sculptures?

GD: I use adding machines, typewriters and anything mechanical, but I use a lot of electronics, mostly because they are so readily available. Technology is advancing so quickly in this area that this stuff is replaced every few years.

CC: Where do you get these parts?

GD: I get them from all over but mostly from family/friends and my local antique and flea markets.

I have even had instances where people have dropped stuff off at my doorstep knowing that I will put good use to something they don't want to see end up in a landfill.

CC: You can only have one meal for the rest of your life: what is it?

GD: I’m a paleo eater, so my ideal meal would be beef steak (medium), sweet potatoes, carrots and a tall glass of mead.

CC: Every piece you create is very intricate and extremely detailed.

Is there a typical time frame involved with completing a piece?

GD: It varies depending on the size and details, but, on average, it takes about 40 hours of studio time to create one of my Star Wars Busts. My larger scale pieces can take as long as a month.

CC: If we were to walk in your creative space while you were working, what would we see and experience?

GD: You would see hundreds of plastic bins organized on shelves along each wall. Inside of these bins, you would find vintage electronic parts from computers, adding machines, typewriters, etc. On shelves above my working space, you would find unique pieces of art and mechanical objects that inspire me and will eventually become part of a sculpture.

CC: You clearly have a passion for Star Wars, but where did your idea to create sneakers stem from?

GD: I really enjoy sneakers. In fact I have about 300+ sneakers in my collection. This is just another example of one my passions influencing my art. It was very natural. One day I was brainstorming about my next project and thought wouldn’t it be cool to take one of my favorite sneakers (Nike Dunk Low) and create it out of upcycled materials. My goal was to make it as close to the real thing, so people would actually mistake it for the real thing.

CC: If you were stranded on a deserted island, what three things would you wish you had with you?

GD: I’m going to approach this from a survival perspective since I really enjoy the outdoors: a knife, my girlfriend and something to start fire with.

CC: Are you a full-time artist or do you also carry out a “day job”?

GD: I’m not a full time artist. I probably work about 40 hours a week on my art, but don’t rely on my art income to pay my bills. My goal long term is to become financially independent and do art full time.

I currently work for a large retailer in learning and development.

It’s fun and different every day.

CC: What is your end goal for your art?

GD: I hope that others appreciate my art and that it inspires people to think creatively about upcycling and recycling. In the coming years and decades, we are going to be faced with these ever-growing challenges — whether we like it or not — and it will take creative solutions to solve our pollutions issues.

s^ r e t a w r a e Sh{ {

A gh ou T ^

BY VALERIE WELLS

In a wooden cottage at Shearwater Pottery in Ocean Springs, a large white ceramic basket sits on a shelf, drying along with dozens of brighter figurines. The basket’s coiled snake pattern looks familiar with geometric motifs that almost seem to be Greek images or perhaps Native American designs. The basket beckons an observer to look closer.

“Don’t touch that,” warns Beth Ashley, who works at the family business. She’s a granddaughter of Peter Anderson, who founded Shearwater Pottery in 1928 at the family compound. Now, a third generation of craftsmen and artisans live a creative life while making practical money. It’s a family tradition.

Peter Anderson and his brothers, Walter and Mac, made ceramic plates, bowls and figurines in Shearwater’s workshop. Several members of the extended family still live and work at Shearwater, jiggering and throwing clay, baking it in kilns, glazing it, decorating it all and selling it in the showroom. It’s

an industrious blend of art and business housed in several cottages along a curved gravel road that leads down to the water.

“When he was a boy, Peter saw Joseph Meyer potting on Deer Island, and that influenced him,” said Marjorie Ashley, Peter’s daughter. Meyer was a master potter who was connected to the famous ceramic art at Newcomb College at Tulane University in New Orleans.

He also worked with George Ohr, who dubbed himself the “Mad Potter” of Biloxi. After a young Peter Anderson saw the master artist Meyer working with clay, he began potting.

Like her daughter Beth, Marjorie Ashley works in Shearwater’s showroom.

Of 16 employees at Shearwater Pottery, seven are family members, including Peter’s son Jim Anderson and Jim’s son, who is also named Peter. Both Jim and his son are potters, working with clay every day to fill orders, often for pieces made from the first generation’s molds. Both father and son experiment to create their

own glazes.

The old squat brick kiln is still in the workshop, although no longer functional.

The Andersons have a newer one they keep in the same room. In the breezeway between the kilns and the rest of the workshop and storage area, broken pieces of blue, green and red pottery shards collect between buildings. This impromptu mosaic catches sunlight.

Their glazes show their vivid colors elsewhere. In the annex building, where the enigmatic snake basket waits, decorators paint vases, plates and cats.

Cat figurines are everywhere.

“I decided to make this like an orange tree,” said Adele Lawton, daughter of Mac Anderson. Holding a ceramic cat in one hand and a paintbrush in the other, she applied careful orange circles on the feline’s body.

The earthy reds, the vivid blues and the subtle greens light up the showroom, which takes up an entire structure at Shearwater. Hurricane Katrina destroyed

Shearwater Pottery is just past the Ocean Springs harbor at 102 Shearwater Drive.

Showroom hours are 9 a.m. - 5:30 p.m. Mon. through Sat. and 1 - 5:30 p.m. on Sun. www.shearwaterpottery.com.

32 // dime entertainment

^ the original showroom building. The rebuilt one now includes a museum room that exhibits the family’s rescued art.

After Katrina, several other buildings were lost, including family homes.

Cousins waded through the muck to salvage pottery and equipment that documented the crafting history of the property. Beth Ashley was one of those cousins.

“Honestly, I think they also found pieces from Camille,” Marjorie Ashley said.

At any rate, they recovered enough of the site’s heritage to create the museum room.

Visitors come to the showroom to look. Some locals order jugs, bowls and plates for wedding gifts, while some snowbirds buy art pieces on the spot.

Some traditional pieces are whimsical, like the series of pirates all shaped like an “X.” Seashells, sea gulls, crabs and cats are abundant.

Peter’s younger brother Walter was an artist who painted as well as potted. The Walter Anderson Museum of Art in

downtown Ocean Springs includes many of his block prints and watercolor paintings.

He often rowed his boat to nearby Horn Island to paint and draw nature.

Beth Ashley has her own boat and puts it to good use on excursions to Horn Island. “I go there about twice a month,” she said.

Every fall, Ocean Springs holds the Peter Anderson Arts and Crafts Festival. It’s not a Shearwater production, though. The Ocean Springs Chamber of Commerce sponsors the event as a tourist attraction.

Shearwater Pottery is open to the public all year, except major holidays.

Visitors can also tour the annex where artisans decorate the ceramic wares and the workshop where potters throw clay on a wheel and bake it in a kiln. The family has a caveat that the potters emphasized along the tall stacks of fragile, beige artifacts.

“If it’s a group,” Peter Wade Anderson said with a long, steady look, “call us first.”

Sylvia Cronin, an employee at Shearwater Pottery, wipes off wax from new pieces with a towel.

Photos by Julian Benson

weekly events MUSIC | FOOD | DRINK

Get Weird at Fringe Fest

BY KRISTIN TESTON

Oxford will celebrate Mississippi’s eclectic mix of artists at the third annual Art-er Limits Fringe Festival on August 11-13. The event highlights the diverse talents that make Mississippi, well, just a little weird.

The Festival was designed as a sort of arts sampler with concerts, performance and workshops that last around 45 minutes and cover a wide range of topics. This allows visitors time to experience multiple mediums, performances and venues.

“We want people to explore and discover without feeling intimidated,” said Wayne Andrews, Executive Director of the Yoknapatawpha Arts Council.

Many of the weekend’s events are free or inexpensive. Blake Tartt III of New Regional Planning and Cathead Vodka are sponsors for the event, and all artists share in the proceeds from the weekend’s general admissions ticket sales. The events are scheduled to take place in various venues in and around the Oxford Square, including coffee shops, bars and outdoor spaces.

The eccentric weekend kicks off with the Iron Bartender Competition where each bartender will be given a box of mystery ingredients. Bartenders will open the boxes 30 minutes prior to the contest and then craft a cocktail using what’s inside. The audience will sample the drinks, and a winner will be decided by a combination of tips and votes.

Another popular event is the Secret Show, which as its name suggests, is kept under wraps until the very moment of the event. The event has sold out every year, and, according to Andrews, the show relies on artist/audience interaction. Artists are given a budget and must come up with an interactive concept so participants come to understand the art forms by taking part in creating them. Past Secret Shows have featured puppet doormen, interactive painting and paper airplane making contests.

In addition to providing a weekend of entertainment, Fringe Fest provides an opportunity for education. The festival also provides attendees with the experience and vocabulary to understand how local and folk art directly influence modern art.

“Someone can learn the techniques of hula dancing during one workshop, then attend a modern dance show an hour later and see how those body movements relate to fine art and influence something like ballet,” said Andrews. “Because Oxford is one of the fastest growing communities in the state, it tends to be presented in a refined or polished way,” he continued.

However, he credits Oxford’s interesting art scene for part of that growth.

“It’s often the imperfections and quirkiness that make a place feel authentic, and that attracts people to our town,” he added.

Andrews hopes that festival-goers will leave the weekend with the desire for more — whether that be for more art or more Mississippi.

“Tourism is a major part of our state,” said Andrews. “We had 22 million visitors last year, and we want those visitors to have real Mississippi stories of their own to share.”

To learn more about the unique happenings at this year’s Fringe Fest, visit oxfordfringefest.com.

MONDAY RED BEAN RUNNING & WALKING CLUB | 6 PM MONDAY NIGHT MOVIES | 8:30 PM

TUESDAY 1/2 PRICE PITCHERS | 5-10 PM OPEN MIC NIGHT | 9 PM WEDNESDAY FREE LIVE TRIVIA | 7 PM SATURDAY FREE LIVE JAZZ 6-8 PM

LIVE MUSIC

ALMOST NIGHTLY SEE CALENDAR ThirstyHippo.com

309 Mcleod St, Hattiesburg (601) 583-9188 LUNCH: MON-FRI 11AM-2PM EVENING: MON-SAT 5PM-CLOSE

Visions // Jonathan Kent Adams

A look at Jonathan’s work at an art show inside an abandoned house in Columbus, Miss., featuring his CruciFIX piece as the central focus

THIS MONTH'S FEATURED ARTIST

Jonathan Kent Adams Oxford, Miss. @jonathan_kent_adams Age: 25

Existing in the Tension

BY COURTNEY CREEL

worry about people, myself and the world. I realized while painting — sometimes — I could free myself from all of the worries and be present with the objects or person I am painting. I had a conversation with a friend a few days ago about how painting is similar to prayer. It is a very freeing and meditative experience to me.

The human body is magical and mysterious. Why, how and when it all began is ultimately an enigma. You could call it one of God’s greatest masterpieces, and Jonathan Kent Adams, a Yazoo native, is not shy about painting it in all of its raw glory. Jonathan is pushing society’s boundaries of comfort not only through his art, but also simply through his existence as a gay Christian man making the South his home. For others in the LGBTQ community who feel exiled from various religious sects due to their sexual preference, Jonathan hopes to be the voice that tells them they can be who they are while also keeping their faith.

COURTNEY CREEL: How long have you been painting?

What started this journey for you?

JONATHAN KENT ADAMS: I played around in high school, but I’ve been seriously painting for about six years.

In high school, I had a journalism teacher who always pushed me to pursue my creativity, but I never really knew I was a decent painter until college. I started out my freshman year as a Criminal Justice major. My sophomore year I took my first art class as an elective, and my teacher encouraged me to take my first painting class. After I took that first painting class, my teacher Philip Jackson encouraged me to stick with painting. I really think I fell in love with painting in that class. I would stay in the classroom after everyone was gone. I was just there with objects we were told to paint, and, in those moments, I guess I fell in love. I changed my major to a Bachelor of Fine Art in Painting the next semester.

Jonathan Kent Adams // Photo by Paul Gandy

"So many young people in the state need to know they are not alone.

They need to know they have value.

They need to know they are loved as they are."

CC: What was the first piece you painted?

JKA: One of the first paintings I made was a master copy of a Matisse painting. My journalism teacher in high school basically forced me to sit down in her journalism class and give it a try. I was 18, I think. She had seen me do other creative things in her class, and she really believed in me. I did paint some in high school at home, but it was never anything very serious. I was not making art to say anything. Creating was only a release at the time.

CC: What is it that keeps you coming back to painting?

JKA: Probably still that release. I am a thinker. I often think too much and

38 // dime entertainment

CC: You paint the human form often. What is it that draws you to the body?

JKA: Funny you ask because I just started a series of paintings that are completely absent of the human form.

I was first drawn to the human form in my art classes in college. I went to New York and took classes under Mary Beth McKenzie at the Art Students League of New York. The classes were based on painting people from life. In those classes I realized how much I was drawn to wanting to communicate using the human form. I also realized that it would be important for me to use the figure as a tool to talk about my own humanity as a gay person in the South.

CC: How have you felt as a LGBT artist in Mississippi, especially as of late?

JKA: I am exactly where God wants me to be, here in Mississippi. The passing of HB 1523 affirmed for me that I could not walk away from the fight for equality in our state. So many young people in the state need to know they are not alone. They need to know they have value. They need to know they are loved as they are. And if our leaders are not going to speak up for queer youth… I am going to do my part through my art and existing in the tension here.

CC: If there was one thing you could tell people, what would it be?

JKA: Be brave. Someone is watching you. That sounds creepy, but I am serious. I think we often forget the impact we have on the people that pay attention. Another thing: love yourself. I do not mean be self seeking, but, in order for me to grow as a person, I had to realize God loved me first before I was able to love other people. I could not be brave if I was not full of love. So love yourself. Then other people. I will probably be misunderstood as being selfish, but I am trying to say you cannot love people if you aren’t experiencing love for yourself. So love yourself.

Drink of Me // Jonathan Kent Adams

CC: If I walked into your studio while you were working, what would I see/hear/experience?

JKA: Candle burning. Music occasionally. Most times coffee. If I knew you were coming over, it would be clean. I mostly keep it clean unless I am feeling super creative and the whole house gets destroyed.

CC: I saw where you recently had a show in an abandoned house. What inspired you to do that? Did you have a certain message you wanted to portray?

JKA: An artist friend of mine, Dustin Vance, invited me to be a part of a show he was curating in an abandoned house. The show was in Columbus, Miss. The theme of the show was to focus on minorities in Mississippi. I wanted to create a sacred space for queer bodies to exist in, almost like a church. I really wanted to create a space that had figures that moved in and out of reality in that space.

To me, that was going to be how I experience faith. Sometimes it’s so real and tangible, and other times it’s not. I asked around, and people from the LGBTQ community sent me photos. I drew their bodies on the walls. It was such a cool experience for me getting to go in that space and pray for them while bringing them into reality. I also did a crucifix piece to be the central focus of the installation. I always see Jesus dead in crucifix paintings, but, if you believe the whole gospel, Jesus is alive, so I wanted this central piece to be more about life, freedom and movement. I hope I captured that.

CC: If you could be any animal in the world, what would you be?

JKA: Probably a fish. My boyfriend Blake loves fish.

CC: Do you have an end goal for your art?

JKA: I would die happy if one person was changed for the better by encountering something I created. I don’t mean they loved my work, but rather they had a moment with my work where something within them shifts for the better. That would be satisfying.

CC: How do you stay inspired to create such beautiful and honest pieces?

JKA: All of the thinking I mentioned earlier. I am constantly researching and looking for inspiration. Most everything, though, comes from a personal place of struggle for freedom in my thinking. Even when I am researching, I am finding how I relate to other artists or queer people’s stories in order to insert my voice into the conversation. Recently, I have been interested in how I can communicate without using the figure. I thought it would be funny to make a series of things around the house and call it “the gay lifestyle.” I mean, honestly, what it’s about is that we are all more similar than we are different. I will die trying to make pieces that communicate that in honest and different ways.

CC: If you could eliminate one thing from the world forever, what would it be?

JKA: Mosquitos or fear. They are both annoying.

CC: When you need to take a break from painting, what do you do?

JKA: Go outside or take a sip of coffee. Sometimes walking away from a painting or anything you are creating is the best thing you can do for yourself and the piece. If I’m taking a break from painting in general, I usually read books or go to a museum.

CC: Where can people catch a glimpse of your work on display?

JKA: I have work in Charleston, S.C., at Rebekah Jacob Gallery. I also have work in JARRY magazine issue #2. Hopefully, I will have a show in the next few months in Oxford.

You can also find Jonathan’s work at jonathankentadams.com and on Instagram @jonathan_kent_adams. Head to dimeentertainment. com for the full interview.

WILD NOTHING

Q & A “MAYBE I’M BEING HARD ON MYSELF, BUT 20 IS A WEIRD AGE.”

42 // dime entertainment

& A

WITH WILD NOTHING’S

JACK TATUM

KENDRA SMITH-PARKS: What are three words that describe 20-year-old Jack Tatum?

JACK TATUM: Excitable, naive, aimless. Maybe I’m being hard on myself, but 20 is a weird age.

KSP: What’s your favorite place to get a coffee and why?

JT: I don’t really have a favorite coffee shop to be honest. I try not to drink coffee ’cause it makes me feel sick. More of a Yerba Maté at home kind of guy.

KSP: What was the guiding influence behind the sound of your new album Life of Pause?

JT: My overarching goal was to make a sort of skewed pop record.

I was very influenced by people like Bowie and Peter Gabriel to try and stretch my sound outwards from just the world of 80s indie pop.

KSP: This album was called more “intimate”

by Pitchfork and Spin Magazine. Do you think that’s accurate? What word would you use to describe it?

JT: I feel like a million signifiers get thrown around when you release a record and half of them are hollow to be honest. More intimate? I don’t know if I would say that. Musically it’s more honest to the full spectrum of my tastes, but the lyrics I feel are a bit more shrouded.

KSP: Are there any hidden secrets in this album you can share with us?

JT: How do I know you can keep a secret? Besides there’s not really anything that interesting — except for the invisible treasure map in the liner notes that Nicolas Cage gave to me.

KSP: The release of Gemini was a pivotal point in Wild Nothing’s exposure. How have you evolved as an artist and a person since then?

JT: Well, I’m coming up on seven years since I wrote most of those songs, so obviously I feel like a different person in a lot of ways. I feel more confident in what I do. Part of me will always be that 20 year old kid, though.

KSP: What have you been up to since Empty Estate?

JT: It’s been a long break regardless. I really don’t know where the time went. I made a lot of music and needed time to figure out where to go next. I also just enjoyed having time off the road to just be with my girlfriend and travel some.

BY KENDRA SMITH-PARKS

KSP: You’ve recorded in Brooklyn with Nicolas Vernhes and in LA with Thom Manahan. What was the difference in those studio experiences?

How did the cities shape your records if at all?

JT: Well, both of them had their own way of doing things.

Working with Nicolas was very quick. We made that record in 15 days, but Life Of Pause was pretty spread out and labor intensive.

Thom would push to get more takes, and we tried to get as many full takes as we could. Nocturne was more pieced together, which isn’t a bad thing by any means, it’s just how we worked. I live in Los Angeles now, but New York was my home for four years. I’m sure I must be influenced by them both somehow, but it feels more subconscious. I like to think I could make music in any environment.

KSP: I understand many of the Captured Tracks (Mac Demarco, Beach Fossils and Diiv) artists collaborate. Do you have a favorite project you’ve worked on together or person you like to collab with?

JT: It doesn’t really happen that often. I’m the closest with Dustin from Beach Fossils, but it’s inevitable that we all run into one another from time to time. We made a joke band for CT5, which was our labels anniversary festival. People took it super seriously, but we basically just went to a practice space for a few days together and learned some covers. It was super casual, but we like to pretend it’s real sometimes ’cause kids go nuts about it for some reason.

KSP: If you could share a stage with any artist, living or dead, who would it be?

JT: Ringo on drums, Eno on synth, Prince on lead guitar, Johnny Marr on rhythm guitar, Bowie and Kate Bush trading off on the mic and me on Bass. Because duh.

Connect with the Cult

Dream Cult members Justin Moreira, Hayden Boyd, Salar Almakky, Cody Bass and Travis Bass // Photo by Courtland Wells

BY AMY ALLEGREZZA

If the underground grunge babes of the ’80s and ’90s merged and birthed an angelic musical child in the 21st century, Dream Cult would be that babe. This eclectic quintet of indie-pop-rock cuties collaborate to shed a dreamy light on their devoted followers. With influences like Elton John, The Cure, The Killers and a myriad of others, Hayden Boyd (vocals/guitar), Salar Almakky (vocals/bass), Travis Bass (guitar), Cody Bass (drums) and Justin Moreira (vocals/keys/guitar) provide a kaleidoscopic view of the icons who paved their way.

Electric vibes are evident while they are on stage, but the personalities exposed behind the scenes are what reverberate. These delightful tune daddies let their tour stories relentlessly pour from their memories as they divulged some of the strangest happenings they have experienced during their time as a band.

Incidents labeled “magical hobo” in Shreveport, “attempted murder?” in New Jersey and tales from the wondrous city of “Pukeville” New York beg the question, what can’t these hooligans handle? The answer is nothing. The band’s specialty is attempting to reenact Man vs. Food in every city they take over.

New friends beware: you’ll be required to perform stand-up comedy while being ruthlessly booed until the band cracks a laugh, at which point initiation is over and you are “not the weakest link.”

The mention of fangirls brought rolls of laughter. The craziest thing a girl has given them?

“I don’t know any girls,” said Salar.

“Nothing, because we are losers,” said Travis.

Though the honeys may not be sending them keepsakes on the reg, a New York cat-van-burglar surely did by leaving a rock in place of Hayden’s guitar. The thief will forever hold a warm-angry spot in their hearts.

“New York is awesome… but we got robbed,” summed Salar.

This was the interlude to an explanation on the mysterious land of “Pukeville” also known as Nyack, NY. After having their van robbed of prized equipment, they hustled through Times Square to retrieve new gear with the financial help of their adoring fans back home in Mississippi. A fresh bass and guitar in hand, the guys barely made it to Nyack but were jolted by the stomach churning hello the city

gave them.

“Everybody else was throwing up in that town, we were just witnessing it,” said Justin.

“In a span of, like, 15 minutes, there were over 12 people puking,” said Travis.

Cody jumped in with his take: “I watched a guy walk out of the first bar we saw and immediately throw up on the hood of his car right before we saw a different guy walking down the street throw up on the front of a business.”

Hayden unfortunately witnessed the next spew from a girl at a restaurant where they were eating. He states, “She took a shot and threw up all over the table next to us.”

Dream Cult’s message is simple.

“It’s all about the stories,” Justin said. “It’s all about what we can do to make each other laugh, so just be yourself.”

Their full-length record “Weekend” will be released July 29 under their label, Old Flame Records. True fans can show this fab five some serious lovin’ at their upcoming release party on July 30 at Big Sleepy’s in Jackson or at their show on Aug. 4 at Sneaky Beans during Fondren’s First Thursday.

LISTEN TO DREAM CULT ON SOUNDCLOUD, BANDCAMP AND SPOTIFY.

HOT TAKES

A LOOK AT SOMETHING OLD, SOMETHING NEW AND SOMETHING UNTOUCHED FROM THE RECORD PILE.

BY KYLE CROCKETT

NEW RELEASE: La Araña Es Vida by Kid Congo + Pink Monkey Birds Released: 2016 [In The Red Records] Produced by Kid Congo Powers As Chicano as its title suggests, La Araña Es La Vida punches and screams and shreds with a uniquely sub-border swagger. This spicy tinge is right at home here in the hands of Kid Congo Powers, who takes the intimate themes and romantic modes of Spanish tradition and turns them inside out and bangs guitars on them and screams primal at them and loves on them. Powers spent most of his career as the clobbering guitarist for The Cramps, those strange planet punk rockers supreme, where he stole many a song with his insane Congobilly strings. That style is evident here, but it's not mimicry. It's simply Kid Congo's distinct guitar sound, just as any great possesses. His spaced cowboy persona of interplanetary twang punk falls somewhere between Mal Reynolds, Lone Starr and stoned Sly himself, blasting through this salsa-punk album with zany, almost unhinged fuzzy bravado. Kid Congo churns out rockers of kraut and psych fuzzers of SoCal as if he were born to them, but they're all just psycho parts of Congo's very engaging whole. La Arañas is a prime entry in the weird rock realm. It's a blistering collection of Kid Congo's stellar guitar style on display, exploded onto an aural canvas.

Go-to tracks: Coyote Conundrum Nine Mile Blubber Pile Magic Machine Ricky Ticky Tocky Five Points/Howard's End/Nasty Hat Roundup: 9/10

SOMETHING I LOVE: Lazer Guided Melodies by Spiritualized Released: 1992 [Dedicated Records] Produced by Jason Pierce Spacemen 3 came up in conversation recently with a good buddy, and so I inevitably dove back into the J Spaceman rabbit hole, cruising the 3's classics and devoting the necessary time and attention to Spiritualized. Jason Pierce is one of those eye openers in music. When I first came upon him, it was readily apparent that he and his influence were monumental. For me, they were a missing piece to the puzzle of 20th Century music. But the coolest thing about Jason Pierce is that until I discovered him, I didn't even realize I was missing him. His genius is so innate, his influence so organic, so invisibly cemented. The steps Pierce and his musical projects have taken in minimalism, experimentation, space rock, synthesizers and musical structure in itself have been vast and consistently profound. And Pierce did this so subtly that much of the music world exists the way that it does thanks very much to Mr. Spaceman, completely unaware of his being. But that is the crux of his success — he never wanted us to be aware. Lazer Guided Melodies is J Spaceman at his very finest.

This is a musical composition. This is an immersive orchestra of synthonic space rock and minimalist reverence and purest pop.

Lazer Guided Melodies is exactly as its name tells us: pinpointed music of the most expert order. The oceanic experience of Spiritualized and Jason Pierce is no better started than with this one.

Go-to tracks: If I Were With Her Now I Want You Take Your Time Angel Sigh/Sway/200 Bars Roundup: 8.5/10

CATCHING-UP: Light Up Gold by Parquet Courts Released: 2012 [Dull Tools] Re-released: 2013 [What's Your Rupture?]

Produced by Jonathan Schenke I've sinned. Before this week, I had never touched the catalog of Parquet Courts, a seriously magnificent rock band who does so often by being magnificently, brilliantly serious. In Parquet Courts' breathtaking musical realm, I hear about 30 years of music compressed in time and space and rock in a way that sounds fresh and tight.

Since 2011, Andrew Savage and his percussive brother Max have been the heart of the intelligent outfit, one that embodies the spirit of indie rock's greatest names and often emulates and evolves their sound to stunning effect. At once you will hear Guided

By Voices, Spoon, Sonic Youth, Pavement and others, all passengers on Light Up Gold's unstoppable train of rock. Light Up Gold is likely their best example of this artful presentation of indie rock, every kind of it, eternally captured and celebrated and expanded upon in Parquet Courts' 2013 masterpiece. I wouldn't say I've been in a musical funk, but I haven't felt seriously attached to a musician in a while. Long live Parquet Courts.

Go-to tracks: Master Of My Craft Borrowed Time Yonder Is Closer To The Heart Light Up Gold No Ideas Caster of Worthless Spells Roundup: 10/10

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The Saga of SilaS

BY MALCOLM MORROW PHOTOS BY SNEAKERBOXX® PHOTOGRAPHY / TERRELL WINTERS

Jackson-based hip hop artist SilaS dropped his latest album The Day I Died (a.k.a. TDID) in February of this year, giving listeners a nostalgia-fueled journey into the life and times of SilaS as an artist and an individual. It is a tale of finding yourself, chasing your dreams and living life the way you’ve imagined you always could.

The Hip Hop Trumpeter is not new to the scene. TDID is actually his third official album with three mixtape releases prior.

Many consider this latest release to be his magnum opus, showcasing all the growth and evolution he’s experienced since he began his career as an artist in 2009. It feels like we are getting SilaS in his most honest creative mind. His story is relatable to many, which helps people connect with this project in a way that brings to mind the highs and lows of leaving childhood and becoming an adult.

Silas Stapleton III was born in Jackson and grew up in the city’s historic Fondren neighborhood. He played trumpet in Murrah High School’s marching band and has always had a talent for drawing.

Fondren is well known for fostering a vibrant creative arts community, as evidenced by the monthly Fondren First Thursday Arts Festival. Such an eclectic array of influences shines through in SilaS’ music and has helped him to develop his own unique sound.

Musically, the album is a sonic buffet with a number of memorable samples including elements taken from both The Wiz and The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past.

He builds lyrical monuments to the joys of being a kid in the ’90s with references to Power Rangers, Dragonball Z, Rugrats and even devotes an entire song to the ABC

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cartoon block One Saturday Morning. It’s these moments that help listeners develop a real bond with the music and the man behind the bars.

SilaS is also an accomplished trumpet player and has incorporated the instrument into his music since his earliest releases.

It is an integral piece of each song and performance, sounding like another verse with notes replacing lyrics. The current musical climate is prime for jazz-infused hip hop thanks, to the success of mainstream artists like Kendrick Lamar, Donnie Trumpet, Flying Lotus and Thundercat. The trumpet definitely isn’t a gimmick or a prop for his stage shows — it’s a natural extension of his artistry and creative ability.

TDID has received critical acclaim since its release and has received attention from major media outlets including Vibe and 2Dopeboyz.com. The attention was propelled by the video for his lead single “Gullah Gullah Island,” which features some vivid and important images depicting the artist being shot and killed by a police officer in the parking lot of a local corner store. It helps to show that it can happen to any of us and shines a light on the rampant police brutality and racism that the Black community is currently facing. It later shows him walking out of his home into the Black utopia described in the lyrics of the song.

It’s a high-energy track featuring a Trap-style beat, catchy chorus and verses detailing a beautiful vision of society. With so much racial division taking place and the dawn of a new civil rights movement, it’s a bonus that listeners can be educated and entertained at once. The familiar soundscape captures the ears of the listener and helps to extend the reach of the message.

SilaS and I sat down at local indie culture nexus OffBeat in Jackson to discuss his feelings on his current success, his responsibility to the fans and the nostalgia concept behind the album. He had some interesting things to say about how he viewed his new found success.

“I’m always striving to reach greater heights. I’m still not exactly where I want to be, but I’m always wanting to achieve more,” SilaS said. “So honestly I’m not sure if I’ll ever truly be where I want success-wise, but I am thankful for all of the attention The Day I Died has brought me.”

The bond he is forming with supporters, both new and old, is one of the leading aspects of his newfound success.

“The connection (with supporters) is the coolest thing of all. Creating something that is relatable and hearing the various ways that people have found ways to identify with the music is great.

Having conversations and hearing all of the different interpretations is cool, too, especially when you realize people grasped the concept,” SilaS said.

“It brings everything full circle, and it’s cool to have other people connecting on the same wavelength — that’s more important than anything at the end of the day, that’s what makes you want to keep making music, when people understand what you’re conveying through your art.”

When asked about the creative process behind TDID and if any of the songs had a special place in his heart, he replied, “All of them,” accompanied by a sincere laugh.

He went on to elaborate, “I feel like the album is one big song. It’s a story,” he said. “None of the songs could truly exist without the others. It’s all pieces to one puzzle.”

The rapper gave a few details about two of the standout tracks from his musical mosaic.

Link To The Future: “As far as where I’m going presently, the last track means a lot to me. It’s just me speaking what I want to happen,” SilaS said. “It’s about where I’m headed in my career and making all of my dreams come true. I feel like it is literally my link to the future I envision.”

One Saturday Morning: “My whole album is nostalgic and based around the sense of me being in a more comfortable place when I was younger. One Saturday Morning stemmed from Saturday morning cartoons, not having to go to school and just being able to relax and watch TV,” he said. “It ended up serving as the

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overall theme for the album. It put me in a good place and that’s what I’m always hoping to find when I’m making music, somewhere I feel free. I often try to reach back there and try to create from that point of view.”

Recently the Jackson wordsmith has been putting out short videos of encouragement with themes such as doubt.

“I just think it’s always important to put a message out there, whether it be audio or visual, to help people get through whatever it is they’re getting past. Mainly though, I do it for myself,” he said. “It reminds me to keep going and not give up because sometimes you may have a bad day, week or month, and you’ll question if you’re on the right path no matter how much success you have already seen. It’s a self-motivator.”

SilaS has performed as part of several rallies in Jackson, including the Flag Protest Rally held at the state capitol. There’s a quote from Nina Simone that says, “An artist’s duty, as far as I’m concerned, is to reflect the times.” When asked what his thoughts were on the subject, he made it clear that he has taken on this responsibility as well.

“It’s 110% our responsibility. Music is so powerful. I don’t know if there’s anything else that has more power.

What would a commercial be without a jingle? When you see fight scenes in films like Avengers, what would the action onscreen be without the soundtrack?

Music is something that is a major part of most people’s daily lives. It influences the mind in a deeper way and, if you can tap into that, why not make something positive? It’s easier to remember chants and melodies than hours of video and lectures. That’s what people remember,” he explained. “Music doesn’t die — it lives forever. Even after I’m long gone, the things I create will still be here for 200 years, so it’s best to create something that stands the test of time.”

There’s certainly a bright future ahead of SilaS and he has no signs of slowing down any time soon. We’ll just have to stay tuned to see what else he has in store as the saga unfolds. To stream, download or purchase a hard copy of The Day I Died, visit dear-silas.com.

Don’t miss the “Gullah Gullah Island Tour” July 15 at the Thirsty Hippo in Hattiesburg starring SilaS, Ecleezy, Paradise Dicegame, Kway, Lion Tribe, Lady Snappy and more. Hosted by Mr. Franklin, aka Kamikaze. Tickets available on eventbrite.com.

WILLIAM FAULKNER’S

ROWAN OAK OLD TAYLOR RD., OXFORD, MS Tues.–Sat. 10 a.m.–4 p.m., Sun. 1–4 p.m.; Summer hours (Jun. 1–Aug. 1): Mon.–Sat. 10 a.m.–6 p.m., Sun. 1–6 p.m.

662.234.8284

rowanoak.olemiss.edu

WILL AT 3509 HARDY ST

PHOTOS & WORDS

BY JENN DEVEREAUX

BRING ME THE HORIZON

It seems like an impossible venture to top yourself after five years and two sellouts, but Monster Energy’s Welcome to Rockville managed to do it again in 2016 edition at Metropolitan Park in Jacksonville, Fla., Danny Wimmer Presents nailed it again with a massive lineup of more than 45 bands including Disturbed, Rob Zombie, Shinedown, Bring Me The Horizon, A Day to Remember, SIXX A.M and Megadeth.

Bands and music weren’t the only highlights of the show. The array of culinary options was enough to pique even the pickiest eater’s interest. And of course, a rock concert isn’t complete without good booze. From El Jimador’s Tequila World to Jack Daniels Whiskey Row Experience and the vast array of craft beer selections, if you left Rockville thirsty or hungry, you have no one to blame but yourself.

With such an insane lineup, it was no surprise that the crowd was just as mental.

Bring Me the Horizon and Asking Alexandria opened up the pit for some incredibly rowdy moshing, and, if I was a betting woman, I’d say A Day to Remember set the record for the most crowd surfers for the entire day. And it isn’t an ADTR show without giant beach balls or their massive confetti canons enveloping the crowd in a sea of colorful paper. Rob Zombie and Five Finger Death Punch extended their sets because of ZZ Top’s sudden cancellation due to an injury involving bassist Dusty Hill. However, fans didn’t seem to mind as they were treated to an elaborate stage set of classic horror movie monsters for Rob Zombie’s performance and Five Finger Death Punch’s Ivan Moody took the extra time to deliver an entertaining one-finger salute to TMZ for their recent, less than favorable, coverage of the singer.

FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH PHOTOS BY JENN DEVEREAUX

AVATAR

MEGADEATH

DISTURBED

ROB ZOMBIE

PHOTOS BY JENN DEVEREAUX

LACEY STURM

ENTER SHIKARI

A DAY TO REMEMBER

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SEVENDUST

FROM ASHES TO NEW

YELAWOLF

PHOTOS BY JENN DEVEREAUX

BULLET FOR MY VALENTINE

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CYPRESS HILL

SICK PUPPIES

Dreaming

without a budget Indie filmmaking in the South

BY JUSTIN SAWYER

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There is a certain reverence we hold for creative types. We look at artists as if they were wizards performing incomprehensible wonders, wondering just how the hell they do what they do. Most of us shrug off our amazement and move on to other things, leaving “art” to the artists. Then there are people like Irene Gracie-Waites and Jay Norris who decided to film their own movies.

Gracie­-Waites and Norris founded Teaghleagh Films, a small production company based out of Hattiesburg that creates both original short films and fan films (films based on licensed properties), in 2014.

Their unique name (pronounced Tie­-Lee) is derived from a Celtic word meaning “a tight knit family.” It represents how the filmmakers view the cast and crew that help them bring their visions to life.

“Our filmmakers are brothers and sisters that we would do anything for,” explained Gracie­-Waites.

Norris was originally interested in producing soundtracks for other people’s films. Along the way, he became fascinated by the process of filmmaking.

That desire led Norris to seek out other like-minded individuals, such as Gracie­-Waites.

Gracie­-Waites, originally of Montrose, Scotland, has always held a love for theatre. Both she and Norris are active in a local performance troupe (Just Over The Rainbow Theatre) in Petal. She became involved in filmmaking when she agreed to be head makeup artist on a friend’s fan film.

While both filmmakers found the work they were doing satisfying, it just wasn’t enough to quench their thirst to create. So they took a chance on themselves — a chance Gracie­-Waites felt was well worth it.

“It’s a lot easier to make your own movies than it is to go out and become part of someone else’s production company,” she said. “I also believe that the filmmakers in Hattiesburg that we’ve been involved with are quality filmmakers who deserve a place [in the industry].”

Though the process of filmmaking is one Norris and Gracie­-Waites love, it is not an easy one. It is in those moments of struggle where the real strength of a group like Teaghleagh shines. A feeling of camaraderie pervades every aspect of their films.

Both Gracie­-Waites and Norris have acted in their fellow filmmakers’ shorts and vice versa. Norris’ debut film “The Gatherer” was almost derailed when the actor meant to play the titular character had to back out at the last minute. Fortunately, crew member Kyle Wittlief stepped into fill the crucial role, which often happens during their filmmaking process. When one member of their family can’t fulfill his or her role, another member can step in.

Without spoiling any of the fun, here’s a brief rundown of Teaghleagh Films catalog.

The Gatherer deals with a young couple stranded in the wilderness and being pursued by a mysterious stranger.

Find Me (directed by Kyle Wittlief) explores the ideas of memory and perception in a disturbing way.

Scylla tells the story of a babysitter whose charge isn’t a typical little girl.

Each film deals with conventional themes of horror; however, they’re anything but predictable.

The look of the shorts is atmospheric and tense in the

hands of cinematographer Julian Benson, making these shorts a perfect compliment to a horror movie marathon you might be planning this Halloween.

In addition to their original shorts, Teaghleagh Films recently entered into a partnership with Whitehurst Films in Hattiesburg to produce fan films based on The Legend of Zelda video game series. Norris wrote and co-­starred in The Legend of Zelda: Oblivion Rising, which had its premiere at Baltimore’s Farpoint sci-­fi convention this past February. Gracie-Waites’ short film Scylla was showcased in the Pearl River Community College Invitational Short Film Expo in April. Gracie­-Waites feels that attending such events is an important way of connecting not only with fans, but also potential investors.

“The main goal is to build a catalog to bring to [people in the film industry], to show what we can do with no budget,” she said.

Gracie­-Waites and Norris are optimistic about Teaghleagh’s future. And it’s not because they have the best special effects or award winning actors on speed dial. It’s because they know that they’re every bit as good as their peers in Hollywood.

All of Teaghleagh Films can be viewed on the company’s YouTube account.

ROAD TRIPPIN’ SOUTH WEST EDITION

PHOTOS AND STORY

BY ROBYN WHITE

Road trippin’ with my two favorite allies Fully loaded we got snacks and supplies It’s time to leave this town It’s time to steal away Let’s go get lost Anywhere in the U.S.A. — Red Hot Chili Peppers

One of Zion’s many picturesque scenes — a stone stairway to Heaven

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A panoramic view of White Sands National Monument, where sand stretches for over 275 square miles across southern New Mexico.

A

lmost everyone’s travel bucket list contains The Great American Road Trip. While living in southern Louisiana and Mississippi can make getting to other major cities difficult via car, you can convert this con to a pro with a road trip through the quirky southwestern region. Here’s a summer road trip itinerary to help you have one last hurrah this summer on the open road: Day 1: Head west. Your first few hours will take you northwest through central Louisiana, bypassing Baton Rouge and Alexandria. Save your first stop for Natchitoches (pronounced Nack-o-tish), which is roughly 300 miles from Bay St. Louis (or 260 miles from New Orleans). Natchitoches was first settled by Native Americans, although influences today still remain from previous inhabitants of French, Spanish and African American descent. This blend of cultures has left its impression on the town, visible in architecture and cuisine alike. Stop to visit Melrose Plantation, which was once home to Clementine Hunter, who rose from field hand to world-renowned painter. If you have time, peruse the campus of the local Northwestern State University, which is one of the many locations in Natchitoches where the classic Steel Magnolias (starring Dolly Parton, Julia Roberts and Sally Field — and arguably one of the best insights into southern culture) was filmed in 1988.

Continue northwest along I-49W for six more hours through Louisiana and into Texas, as you drive south of Texas’ larger cities (Dallas and Arlington) and take a dinner break in Abilene. Check out Krua Thai for their amazing drunken noodles and don’t be thrown off by its abandoned strip mall location — the food and service are great. Get back on the road for a little under two more hours and stay overnight in Post at one of the town’s two hotels, leaving you perfectly poised for an early start to your next unearthly destination.

Day 2: On this morning, drive for about three hours to your next destination: Roswell, New Mexico. It was reported that in July of 1947, a rancher stumbled upon what appeared to be a crashed UFO. After reporting it to local law enforcement, the incident was supposedly covered up by the FBI, which has led many to question both sides of the debate. The town has rallied behind its history, with the creation of the Roswell UFO Museum, which offers photographs, copies of federal documents, as well as hand-written personal accounts from those who claim to have encountered UFOs. While the museum is kitschy enough on its own

and definitely worth a visit, if you happen to be traveling over 4th of July weekend, you’ll have access to one of the most incredible and strangest festivals in the U.S. — the Roswell UFO Festival. Each year, thousands of UFO aficionados land in downtown Roswell for the festival, which is headquartered at the museum.

The festival hosts throngs of authors and experts on UFOs and extraterrestrial experiences and has even featured a discussion panel of abduction survivors in years past.

Whether you’re a believer or not, the festival is worth attending if for nothing more than some excellent people watching. A few blocks from the museum is Big D’s Downtown Dive, which serves not only amazing burgers but great appetizers as well, such as their Southwest Chicken Wontons and Thanksgiving Fries (sweet potato fries with sweet whiskey butter and pecan smoked bacon). Steps away, you can stop by at Pecos Flavors Winery for a flight of locally produced wines or local beer. With options like Alien Amber Wheat or Hatch Green Chile Wine, this is an opportunity to try a lot of unique flavors you won’t have access to outside of New Mexico. Be sure to save room for De La Vega’s Pecan Beer from Alamogordo, New Mexico — a sweeter beer, but with such a unique flavor, it’s a must try.

If stretches of sand as far as the eye can see sounds remotely interesting to you, take a two-hour diversion and head south to White Sands National Monument. Chances are you’ve seen the national park, as many car commercials and even a few films have featured it (Transformers 1 and 2, Men Who Stare at Goats, etc.). Stop at the gift shop where you can rent a sled and a stick of wax and head through the park, looking for the perfect dune to climb up and sled down.

The park spans 10 acres and it’s not difficult to find a place to stand where you cannot see or hear another human being. The feeling is surreal and truly peaceful — well worth the trip. Head back north and make a pit stop at Pistachioland if for nothing more than a photo op with the “World’s Largest Pistachio,” visible from the road. The shop also sells just about any pistachio-infused/ flavored food you can think of, not least of which are flavored pistachios. Continue north for about four and a half more hours, stopping for the night in Socorro, NM. You’ve been driving all day, attended a UFO festival, sledded down a sand dune and hugged the world’s largest pistachio — you’re done.

Day 3: Sleep in. This last day of your journey contains some of the best scenery you’ve ever

seen and you want to be able to soak it all in. Your next destination is best visited at 10 a.m. with an empty stomach. Pie Town, NM may be the cutest town you’ve never heard of and, as the name would suggest, is the best town for pie. Pie Town Café (open 10 am - 5 pm Friday-Monday) offers delicious lunches and homemade pies and has been featured several times nationally for their amazing slices. Somewhere along the way between Pie Town and the Petrified National Park, which is worth visiting for its beautiful rainbow-colored mountains, stop your car. Get out and marvel at the scenery. There’s something truly humbling about the real open road — taking in a southwestern sunrise or sunset, the stretches of no cell service and no sign of humanity — that reminds you why you travel.

Take it in and continue heading northwest as you drive east of the Grand Canyon, driving through Marble Canyon and Kaibab Forest.

While it’s impossible to compare any other park to the Grand Canyon, Marble Canyon is much less crowded and still offers breathtaking scenery not far off your path. If time allows, continue on to Zion National Park near Springdale, Utah, for world class hiking and awe-inspiring views. Otherwise, spend the night in the scenic college-town-meets-retirement-community of St. George before heading home. Four states and 1,600 miles later, you’ll be glad you heeded the advice of The Red Hot Chili Peppers and scratched something off your bucket list.

Zion National Park in Springdale, Utah comes to life in the spring, with beautiful creeks, trails, and hikes for everyone, from novices to connoisseurs.

Life-sized aliens and a UFO create the central exhibit at the UFO Museum in Roswell, New Mexico.

e l o e Cr s n e e u Q The mere mention of Free People inspires a shiver of lust from babes worldwide. On a sweltering Sunday, a watercolor palette of ochres, rusts and corals sing in harmony with the grit of Nola’s warehouse district.

Nothing is more beautiful than kinship, but these breezy maxis and minis are a close second.

PHOTOGRAPHY: KATE DEARMAN STYLING: ADAM MYRICK & ALLY REID ALL LOOKS BY FREE PEOPLE

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Bali Breeze Necklace Simone Flounce One-piece

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Embroidered Swingy Jacket with Ties Modern Femme Printed Mini

Frills and Thrills One-piece

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Melody Mini Dress

Faye Wrap Dress

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We The Free Sofie Tee Dance in the Street Skirt

I woke uplike

this...

HOW TO DO NO MAKEUP MAKEUP

BY ANDIE SZABO

I woke up like this — or maybe that’s what I want you to think. No makeup makeup basically just makes you look like you woke up as a slightly more glamorous and put-together version of yourself.

For dewy skin The key to this makeup look is appearing as though you don’t have any on. When going for a no makeup look, you can still cover up some imperfections like blemishes and dark under eye bags. Choose a concealer with a natural skin-like finish that won’t stand out with your natural skin texture showing all around it (try Maybelline Fit Me Concealer $6.99, Ulta). Also, don’t forget to moisturize.

Moisturized skin looks healthier, thus needing less makeup to cover it (try Aveeno Positively Radiant Daily Moisturizer with SPF 15 $14.19, Target.com).

Bold brows Your brows may be one of the last things you worry about when you’re on your way out the door, but paying a little more attention to this area can completely change your face.

Once you start filling in your brows, it

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becomes a “can’t leave the house without it” item. For a really natural look, use a brow powder instead of a pencil. Brow mascara is also super simple and can keep wilder, fuller brows tame while you’re out and about (try L’Oreal Brow Plumper $7.57, Walmart.com).

Natural Flush Maybe you’re one of the few lucky ones in this universe who has naturally rosy cheeks, but if not, fake it. Cream products tend to look more natural than powders when you’re not going for a full-face makeup look. A cream bronzer can give you a just-fromthe-beach glow (try Sonia Kashuk® Undetectable Creme Bronzer $10.99, Target.com). Cream blush is also effective and will give you a subtle flush without being obvious that you’re wearing something (try Revlon PhotoReady Cream Blush $12.99, Walgreens).

Lush Lashes This may not be the time to go all out and wear false lashes (unless that is your thing, in which case, do you). A couple of coats of a good mascara can define your eyes without making you look overly done.

Also, choose a budge-proof formula, so you don’t actually look like you woke up after a night of partying (try Covergirl Clump Crusher $7, Drugstore.com).

Berry Stained Lips That just-ate-a-popsicle look is totally cute if you actually did eat a strawberry popsicle. If you’re really trying to look like you have no makeup on, go for a natural pink color that resembles your actual lip color.

My personal favorite product for this is the Maybelline Kissable Balm Stain in Honey, but that won’t suit everyone’s skin tone. Find one that works for you, and keep it around.

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LEO July 23 - August 22 Summer is roaring along and so are you.

Work is great, your love life is greater — time for something to go wrong, right?

Maybe not. Play your cards right, do a couple of good deeds and you’ll be whistling a positive tune all month long.

You may want to get a jump start on your birthday plans, tiger… I mean, lion.

SAGITTARIUS November 22 - December 21 After some down time, things are finally starting to level out for you — and for the better. You have a positive outlook and being outdoors has rejuvenated you.

Maintain that positive attitude and the universe will send something new and fun your way. Whether it’s romance or a new restaurant in town that’s perfect for you, that’s for the universe to decide.

ARIES March 21 - April 19 Your luck has run out, and things are getting pretty dramatic, which you hate.

Be sure to stay ahead of the game and hash out any hard feelings people may have with you over a coffee date or drinks at their favorite bar. Once the air has been cleared, you can breathe easy and let your fiery personality come through again.

GREEN TIP: Talk a few of your friends into walking the streets of your town with you.

Pick up trash and recycle what you can.

bike instead of driving. You’ll save gas, get a decent workout and even burn off some of that pent up aggression.

CAPRICORN December 22 - January 19 Life is going to laugh in your face this month… but in a good way. A big project or upcoming event you’re worried about is going to go so well, you yourself will laugh after how stressed you were and how well you got through it. Sometimes life isn’t so bad, just make sure you don’t give it a chance to prove you wrong.

TAURUS April 20 - May 20 Some big changes lately have you off kilter, but don’t let that stop you from seeing a friendship or romantic opportunity that’s right in front of you. Get out there, grab life by the horns and make a new friend. You’ll end up learning a lot about yourself from this new person, and they’ll introduce you to a fun new hobby.

and donate all that crap you don’t use to someone who could. It’ll declutter your space while keeping your trash out of a landfill.

GREEN TIP: Organize a group of passionate

GREEN TIP: Start a compost heap, and

LIBRA September 23 - October 22 Life’s going to be a pretty easy balancing act for you this month as long as you don’t put any bad energy into the world. Do your best to turn the other cheek when people decide to step on your toes. You’ll come out looking like the better person, and you don’t need all that stress making you break out during beach season.

AQUARIUS January 20 - February 18 The good karma is floating in, and you’re feeling it in the air. Keep your mind at work this month and do something fun to get the gears in your brain thinking. Something small like a Sudoku game or something big like a 1,000 piece puzzle. Whatever it is, let it teach you a lesson in patience.

GREEN TIP: Use your sensitivity for the greater good — guilt yourself into recycling everything possible.

only thing floating in the air. Cut down on your air pollutants, by properly maintaining your vehicle and making sure your tires are inflated.

SCORPIO October 23 - November 21 Things are looking up for you, and all this time at the pool and water has you in tune with yourself. Your chakras are aligned and you’re looking fine, so maybe start looking for someone new if there are any acceptable suitors. Catch some margaritas with someone on a sunny day, and you could find your new summer fling.

PISCES February 19 - March 20 You’ve escaped the real world, but now your past is trying to come back to haunt you. Face it head on when someone tries to bring up the skeletons in your closet to hurt you. Remind them it’s in the past and no one is perfect. Bring some positivity back into your life by emotionally recharging with friends on a night out.

GREEN TIP: Do some research on what

GREEN TIP: Use your dishwasher more

GREEN TIP: We all know you like to do

things big, so buy in bulk. You’ll cut down on packaging waste and actually save money.

VIRGO August 23 - September 22 Time to break out the adult coloring books because you need some art therapy this month. You’re still dealing with some stress from last month, so get out there and hang with your friends. You’ll definitely appreciate it once you have a really rough day and they’re already waiting on you with froyo and a compilation video of cute puppies.

GREEN TIP: Do a little late spring cleaning

ingredients your household cleaners contain, and then figure out what those chemicals are doing to the environment.

people who can help you educate your town on the importance of taking care of the earth. Your future great-great-greatgreat grandchildren will thank you.

GREEN TIP: Your good karma isn’t the

GREEN TIP: Running errands? Ride your

use it to kick start your own organic garden.

GEMINI May 21 - June 20 Problems will come at you in twos this month, so take a drive to clear your head after trouble comes your way. By the end of the month, your bad luck will run out and good will be on the horizon. Just keep your chin up and help out a new friend in need to keep the good karma on your side. You’ll be glad you did.

GREEN TIP: Print all of your documents double-sided to reduce paper waste.

(it thankfully uses less water than hand washing), and switch your washing machine to cold water only (most of the energy used by your washer is to heat the water). dime entertainment // 79

Raves

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Ocean Springs LIVE 82 // dime entertainment

Southern Rock and Gulf Coast music legend Jimmy Hall will bring the world famous Muscle Shoals sound to Ocean Springs on July 2 as part of Ocean Spring Live’s ongoing free summer concert series.

Local favorites, Blackwater Brass will open for this historic grouping of musicians.

Jimmy Hall is perhaps best known as the charismatic founding front man of the legendary Mobile, Ala. based band Wet Willie and as one of the formative Ocean Springs headliner Jimmy Hall label artists for Capricorn Records in Macon, Ga., that helped to create Southern Rock along with groups like The Allman Brothers Band, The Marshall Tucker Band, Delbert McClinton, and many others.

More recently, when not fronting Wet Willie or performing as a solo artist, Jimmy Hall performs as lead vocalist for for Jeff Beck’s world tour and as music director for country music legend, Hank Williams Jr. The Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section/The Swampers are truly prolific studio session artists. The acclaimed 2013 Magnolia Pictures film Muscle Shoals has rekindled international interest in their amazing body of work that spans hits made for Percy Sledge, The Rolling Stones, Bob Seger, The Staple Singers, Aretha Franklin, Wilson Pickett, Paul Simon, Bob Dylan and hundreds of other well-known artists.

For more details, visit oceanspringslive.com. Stay tuned for Ocean Spring Live’s August show, featuring Jamell Richardson and more.

DIME ENTERTAINMENT

JUNK REHAB

JULY 2016 | VOL. 2 • NO. 7