Mud & Magnolias August and September 2015 by Journal Inc

August. October.September November2015 2013

&Magnolias

Mud

Tailga ting Edition

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Ole Miss and MSU Football Player Q & A Chef Linkie Marais â&#x20AC;˘ Tailgating Recipes mudandmag.com

No matter who you pull for, our team will get you there!

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Contents

&Magnolias

Mud

pg. 21

pg. 31

pg. 53

pg. 76

Features Editor’s Letter pg. 8 Fast Food pg. 11 We have a tailgating spread worth cheering for. Home How-to pg. 21 Next up in our “Home Spotlight” series is a classic kitchen with a modern twist.

The Entertainment Center • pg. 25

Savannah, Georgia • pg. 37

Hit the Road pg. 31 As both area teams travel to Auburn this fall, follow a local’s guide to the town.

Linkie Marais • pg. 53

Fact Sheet pg. 39 Get to know those players you spend most weekends watching.

When going to the games isn’t an option, this family has the next best thing with a game room made for fun. This charming town is worth the drive with antebellum homes, draping trees and a local blogger’s favorite spots. From South Africa to Saltillo, this woman has been around the world and she perfects her cooking skills along the way.

Street Artist • pg. 76

Driving around West Point is a little prettier thanks to this artist who has painted murals around town.

In The Know pg. 73 Stand up comedy is on the rise in north Mississippi so get ready to laugh.

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Editor’s Letter

This is one of my favorite issues we produce. Not only does it mark our birthday (Happy 4th Birthday, M&M), but it gently nudges me into the mindset needed for tailgating season. I have friends who despise the planning and preparing part of tailgating on gameday. It’s worth noting that these same friends thoroughly enjoy the eating, drinking and social aspects provided by my planning and preparing (you know who you are), but that’s neither here nor there. I love the whole process. Sure, it was tough learning the ropes early on, but me and my two best friends have this thing down to an art now. We have navy table cloths that meet the grass, table runners, galvanized buckets, cocktail napkins and pretty platters to hold all of our snacks. Sometimes we even have flowers! And to top it off, we have a cart to haul all of it through the crowd on gameday. When I think about our college days when we were lucky if we had chairs to sit in under a tent, it’s safe to say our tailgating experience has matured with us. I’ve said it before in this space and it still holds true: Regardless of our setup, my favorite part of tailgating, and the reason I am more than happy to plan and prepare, is after everything is set up and me and my girls take a seat and enjoy the company flowing in and out of our tent. There is nothing like it. Another reason I love this issue is our enhanced Q & A section featuring Ole Miss and Mississippi State football players (page 39). I love seeing a more personal side of the players I watch each week. And if what I’ve mentioned wasn’t good enough, we talked to Saltillo High grad Linkie Marais, a woman who is taking the culinary world by storm (page 73). Her recipes, including the one below, are incredible. Our photographer, Lauren, and I can vouch for the kabobs. We made them for the cover shoot and mixed with a little R&R by the pool, they are the perfect summer meal. I could go on about this issue and every story in it. It’s a good one, people, so enjoy. And happy football season! Mango Marinated Country Style Pork Kabobs

On the Cover August. October.September November2015 2013

&Magnolias

Mud

Tailga ting Edition

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Ole Miss and MSU Football Player Q & A Chef Linkie Marais • Tailgating Recipes mudandmag.com

Ingredients: For the skewers: 3 cups country style ribs (Pork) 2 cups pineapple 1 red bell pepper 1 green bell pepper 1/2 red onion For the marinade: 2 mangoes 1 onion 3 cloves garlic 1/2 cup white wine vinegar 1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons brown sugar 1/4 cup soy sauce 2 tablespoons olive oil 1 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon black pepper 1 tablespoon chili powder 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper 1/4 teaspoon cumin

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If you have any thoughts about this issue, please email me at editor@mudandmag.com.

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Directions: Place all ingredients for the marinade in food processor. Pulse a few times and then blend well. Soak wooden skewers in water for 20 minutes. Chop all ingredients into 1” cubes. Skewer layering all of the ingredients. Pour Marinade over kabobs. Marinade for 2 hours or overnight in the refrigerator. Grill kabobs basting while grilling for 15-20 minutes or until the pork is thoroughly cooked (165 F). Photo by Lauren Wood

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Correction: In the December/January 2015 issue of Mud & Magnolias, we stated that Neil Palmer owned The McDearman home. Ron Locke owned the home, which is called Talton Place.

THE STAFF’S FAVORITE GAMEDAY EXPERIENCE

Mud

&Magnolias

1242 S Green St. Tupelo, MS 38804 662.842.2611

Editor-in-Chief 2

Ellie Turner

Creative Director Ignacio Murillo

Associate Editors 5

Photos by C. Todd Sherman, Lauren Wood and Thomas Wells 1 • Ellie: Last year’s Ole Miss vs. Alabama game was great, but I’ve seen plenty upsets, so the game wasn’t necessarily the highlight. After the game, my friend Morgan and I were walking back to our tent when we saw Evan Engram (see page 46). We stopped and asked for a picture and I looked at him and said (maybe shouted), “You just beat Alabama!” and he looked at me and said, “No, we just beat Alabama!” The win plus his kindness made me so proud to be a Rebel. 2 • Shannon: Running into and catching up with old friends while tailgating if I’m at the game and cooking a gigantic pot of red beans and rice while watching Game Day if I’m watching from

Amy Speck Shannon Johnson Missha Rogers Leslie Criss Lauren Wood

Featured Sales Consultants Ricky Kimbrell Leigh Knox Bill Spencer Chelsea Spain June Phillips Miranda Jones Angie Quarles

home. 3 • Amy: One specific football game nearly 15 years ago is a prominent memory for me. I was with friends watching a Mississippi State game on TV, and I was so sleepy for some reason and kept dozing off during the game. Every time MSU scored, and it seemed like they were doing that a lot that day, my friends would cheer loudly and wake me up. I was embarrassed about nodding off, so every time I was jolted awake, I would pretend I did that on purpose and act like I was cheering, too, which I wouldn’t normally do for Mississippi State. What makes it my favorite game day experience was about a week or two later I found out I was expecting our first child, which explained why I was so tired that day. 4 • Leslie: Last October, I went back to my alma mater, Mississippi College, to watch the Choctaws play for homecoming. For the first time ever, I tailgated in the Quad. And watched my friend Kyle Smith, then the freshman quarterback, play. Sadly, the Choctaws were not victorious, but my hopes are high this season will be better. 5 • Missha: Not a typical SEC gameday, but my favorite was when my daughter Kelsey was in 2nd grade and she cheered before the homecoming game for our high school team. 6 • Lauren: My favorite experience would be the first game I went to as a freshman at Michigan

Contributing Editors Daniel Chesser Sandra Knispel Adriana Iris Riley Manning JB Clark Lena Mitchell

Contributing Photographers Ann-Marie Wyatt Adam Robison Thomas Wells Philip Smith

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State. It was so exciting being in the student section and watching a game! As for a Southern football experience, last year my family came down to visit and we had a great time tailgating in the Grove.

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PIMENTO SPREAD Ingredients: 20 ounces Cheddar cheese (sharp is recommended) 4 ounces cream cheese,softened 1/2 cup mayonnaise 1/4 cup dill pickle juice 1/2 cup roasted red pepper, minced 1/2 cup fresh chives, minced (can substitute green onions) 1 tablespoon hot sauce 1/2 tablespoon ground black pepper (freshly cracked is best) Directions: Grate half of the cheese using the large holes of a cheese grater, and the other half using the smallest holes. Blend all the ingredients well. Serve with crackers. STRAWBERRY GIN Ingredients: 1/2 teaspoon sugar 1 lime wedge 2 strawberries, sliced 3 ounces gin club soda fresh mint, garnish Directions: In a tall glass, combine the sugar and lime juice. Muddle to dissolve the sugar. Add the strawberries and lightly muddle. Fill the glass with ice and top with gin and a splash of club soda. Add mint sprig for garnish.

PEACH SANGRIA Ingredients: 5 peaches 6 sprigs of thyme 1 bottle of moscato wine 1 bottle of champagne (spumante) Directions: Remove peach pits and cut into wedges. Put the peaches, sprigs of thyme and moscato into a pitcher. Stir together and let sit for at least 4 hours. Before serving, pour in the champagne and stir. Pour over ice and garnish with fresh thyme and a peach wedge. MINI PIZZAS Ingredients: 1 ball refrigerated pizza dough 1 cup pizza sauce mozzarella avocado slices cherry tomatoes, diced squash, diced basil *note: you can add a variety of toppings such as blue cheese, prosciutto, banana peppers, pineapple. Directions: Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and roll dough onto a floured surface. Press with fingers to shape into a rectangle. Use a round cutter to make 15 rounds and place 1 inch apart on baking sheet. Spread pizza sauce on each and then top with other ingredients. Bake for 10 minutes. mudandmag.com

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BUFFALO CHICKEN TORTILLA PINWHEELS Ingredients: 8 ounces cream cheese, softened 1/2 cup hot wing sauce 1/4 cup blue cheese, crumbled 1 cup Colby Jack cheese, shredded 1/4 cup green onions, finely chopped 1 pound chicken breast, cooked and shredded 5 large flour tortillas Directions: In a bowl, beat cream cheese and sauce, blue cheese, Colby Jack cheese and green onions until blended. Stir in chicken by hand. Spread mixture evenly on each tortilla and roll tightly. Cover and refrigerate for 2 to 4 hours. Slice rolls and serve. OUTLAW LEMONADE Ingredients: 5-6 lemons 1 cup water 1 cup sugar 1 1/2 cup Jack Daniels ice and water Directions: Juice all lemons and set aside. Zest one lemon and place in a medium saucepan with water and sugar. Bring to a boil until sugar is dissolved. Strain and let cool. In a 2 quart pitcher, combine lemon syrup, lemon juice and Jack Daniels. Fill the pitcher with ice and water and stir.

CHEX MIX Ingredients: 9 cups Chex cereal 2 cups pretzels 1 cup Cheerios 1 cup peanuts 6 tablespoons butter, melted 1 tablespoon seasoned salt 1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce 1 teaspoon garlic powder Directions: Add dry ingredients to a slow cooker. In a separate bowl, mix butter and seasoned salt until the salt is dissolved. Stir in Worcestershire sauce. Drizzle evenly over dry ingredients and toss until mixed well. Cover and slow cook for 3 hours, stirring every hour. Spread the mix on a baking sheet and let cool. Tip: you may want to put a paper towel under the slow cooker lid so condensation doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t cause the mix to be soggy.

BUFFALO TATOR TOT BITES Ingredients: 5 tablespoons butter 2 tablespoons Frankâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s RedHot sauce 2 tablespoons honey 16 ounce bag of frozen tator tots 1 inch pieces of celery 4 ounces of blue cheese, large crumbles Directions: Preheat oven to 425 degrees. In a medium sauce pan, melt butter over low heat. Once melted, stir in hot sauce and honey. Remove from heat. In a large bowl, toss tator tots in 4 Tablespoons of hot sauce mixture. Bake tator tots for 30 minutes until golden. Skewer tots with blue cheese and celery. Drizzle with remaining sauce.

MOSCOW MULE Ingredients: 2 ounces vodka 8 ounces ginger beer 1 ounce lime juice Directions: Mix ingredients and serve. mudandmag.com

PANCAKE MUFFINS Ingredients: 3 cups all-purpose flour 1/4 cup sugar 1/2 teaspoon salt 1 tablespoon baking powder 2 1/2 cups milk 1 tablespoon white vinegar 2 teaspoons vanilla extract 2 eggs 1/2 stick butter, melted For the icing: 1/2 cup cream cheese, softened 1 cup confectioners sugar 1/4 cup real maple syrup pinch of salt For the topping: 1 pound bacon, cooked crisp and finely chopped real maple syrup MIMOSA MIXER Ingredients: 1 ounce amaretto 2 ounces cranberry juice 2 ounces orange juice 1 ounce triple sec 1 ounce vodka Directions: Mix ingredients and serve. 16

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Directions: Preheat oven to 425 degrees. In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, 1/2 teaspoon salt and baking powder. Mix and set aside. In a small bowl, combine the milk and vinegar. Stir and let sit for 1 minute. Whisk in the vanilla, eggs and butter. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix well. Grease or spray two mini muffin baking pans and pour batter until cup is a little over half full. Bake for 10 minutes or until golden brown. While waiting, whisk the cream cheese, sugar and maple syrup until smooth. Let muffins cool and add icing and topping.

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A CLASSIC KITCHEN WITH A TWIST STARKVILLE, MISSISSIPPI From the backsplash to the lighting to the cheese plate on the counter, this kitchen will welcome you in and, trust us, you will want to stay and sit a spell. MEET THE OWNER: JANE GAIR What is your favorite thing about your kitchen? I love the light and the space in our new kitchen. The original layout was divided by a peninsula with overhead cabinets that came out into the room where the stove is now located. There was a small kitchen on the left and a dining area on the right. We gutted the entire kitchen and took the wall down between the kitchen and living room to create more openness. The island and a separate dining room now give us plenty of dining options. What were your top necessities when planning the renovation? Storage and easy access were important elements in our plans. I wanted as many drawers a possible. I also wanted a separate area to serve refreshments that was unique and different from the rest of the kitchen. Reworking the same amount of square footage made a huge difference in the space. We now have plenty of room to accommodate a large group of friends and family.

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How would you describe your style? Our house is very traditional in style. I chose to balance the modern backsplash and all the stainless steel with traditional drum lighting, paneled cabinets, wood flooring, and a traditional rug. The stone medallion over the stove, and accents of pottery and plants also add a more traditional feel. The one glass cabinet gives me a space to display special pieces as the seasons change.

appliances on the market. We used a couple of the appliances we already had and are happy with our choices. Leaving the sink and refrigerator in their original locations was a savings, as well.

What did you splurge on and why? The windows are 4 feet tall, clad, casement windows, meaning wood on the inside and vinyl on the outside that crank open. They were a splurge but worth every penny. I chose an antiqued (honed) finish for the granite to balance out the shiny glass and stainless steel in the backsplash.

What did your very first kitchen look like? When I think back to our first kitchen in a tiny apartment, with no dishwasher, I remember how cute it was and how I loved decorating it. I learned to cook there! It was all white and light with apple green cabinets that I hung lots of baskets on. It’s is a far cry from the kitchen we have now, but it holds fond memories.

What did you save on and why? We feel our cabinets (Kitchen Outfitters in West Point, MS ) were reasonably priced considering all the good advice we got in laying out a workable floor plan. Cabinets should be the first stop when planning a new kitchen. All you need are the measurements of the space to get started. We didn’t opt for the most expensive

What was your source of inspiration when deciding how your kitchen should look? I’m an HGTV junkie and referenced the HOUZZ website before making any decisions, from paint colors to cabinet pulls.

Up Next: In our October issue we are shaking things up by featuring the coolest tree house in the area. Think you know of one? Let us know at editor@mudandmag.com. M

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THE ENTERTAINMENT CENTER The home of Larry and Mary Sue Boggs is business in the front, and a party in the back. By Riley Manning

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Gesturing to the well-furnished, but overall standard living room, outfitted with plush chairs and family portraits, Larry said, “This is the boring part of the house. When we decided to build, our son was a junior in high school, and we thought once he was out we’d build a nice 2,200 square feet, you know, just what we need.” Mary Sue laughs at this as her husband walks through the kitchen. The outside wall where the house used to end now opens into a small dining room with a rough-hewn table and chairs. And beyond that, Tailgate Heaven. A side door opens onto a spacious covered deck, complete with fireplace, flat screen television, grill, and bar. The back of the house holds a massive game room; site, Larry said, of many a karaoke competition. “The front of the house is where we spend the work week, and the back of the house is where the weekends happen,” he said. “It’s funny, though,” Mary Sue added, “The game room seems to be kind of creeping up into the rest of the house.” The additions began with the deck, but as things developed, the game room became the true inspiration. Decorated with old golf clubs, funky lighting, and reclaimed wood, everything in the space has a story, like the grille of a Ford Galaxy mounted above one door. “That was from my dad’s car,” Mary Sue said. “And the boards in the bathroom came from my grandfather’s pool hall in Louisiana.” The wooden doors leading to the deck came from Boston, and have some sort of history Larry couldn’t quite recall. “It changes every time,” he said with a grin. “We’d started construction on the game room when we took a trip to the Shack Up Inn in Clarksdale, and loved it. We thought it would be fun to try to create the same vibe in here.” Larry, director of recruitment at Itawamba Community College, and Mary Sue, a speech professor at the same school, said they caught the creative bug real quick. Larry began experimenting with creative lights, starting with a trio of perforated minnow buckets that now hangs above the pool table. In the bathroom, the light bulbs shine through mason jars.

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“We were in an antique store and Larry comes up to me with a cheese grater, and I said, ‘What are you doing with that?’ And he said, ‘I think I want to use them as light fixtures,’” Mary Sue said. “Some people have to have all their stuff match and be neat, but it’s been fun to break away from that.” The structure of the addition took about six months to build, but the evolution of the vibe continues. “Even our trim guy who helped us put up the boards on the wall got into it,” Larry said. “We’d come to him with an idea and he’d get excited about it. It got to a point where there wasn’t really an end in sight, but it became a question of, ‘What can we do?’” The family has the cul de sac all to themselves, which is probably for the best on game days that bleed into karaoke nights. The singing equipment is a permanent fixture in the corner of the game room, and Larry has rigged a miniature light show for singers who become particularly enthusiastic, a fog machine, too. Throw in a few retro games – a Star Wars pinball machine! – and a 70” television, and it’s a hard place to beat for a Saturday of football, or, more recently, a highly-hyped pay-perview boxing match. “One thing I’ve noticed, for some reason, the Ole Miss fans always congregate inside, and the State fans always prefer the deck,” Larry said. “Mary Sue is from Louisiana and I’m from the Delta, so there’s always some good food floating around, too.” Sure, Larry said, the whole space is great for an occasion. But it’s equally pleasing for the pure sake of relaxation, especially in a rare summer of tolerable heat. Standing on the back deck, the trees grow right up to the rail. It’s easy to forget you’re still in a neighborhood. “When I come home from work, I just feel like this is my domain,” he said. “It’s just great to hang out, or maybe call just a couple of buddies, too.” Mary Sue agreed. “We wanted to build something we could really have fun in and enjoy,” she said. “We’re still just big kids at heart.” M Photos by Lauren Wood

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(OCTOBER 18-24, 2015) 7 DAYS Price Per Person: Single $2910.00, Double $2070.00, Triple $1735.00, Quad $1570.00

TOUR INCLUDES: * Lancaster, PA * Tour of Amish Farmlands & Homes * Hershey, PA * Tour of Hershey Chocolate Tour TOUR INCLUDES: * In-Home Amish Dinner * New York City Tour * Dinner at Good n’ Plenty Restaurant * ”Joseph” at Sight & Sound Theater * 2 Broadway Plays * Guided tour of Newport * Circle Line Harbor Cruise with close * Admission to The Breakers & Marble House up view of the Statue of Liberty * Dinner at Atlantic Beach Club * Harbor Cruise / Newport * Top of the Rock Observation Deck * Dinner at the Pier Restaurant * Free day in New York City to Explore * Shopping/Free time in Newport * Guided tour of Kennebunkport ME on your own. * Lobster Dinner in Kennebunkport * 4 Nights in New York City * Picture Stop at the Portland Headlight Lighthouse * 2 Nights in Wytheville VA (1st night & * Lunch at DiMillo’s on the Water * Franconia Inn last night) * Kancamagus Scenic Byway * North Conway NH * Woodstock VT * Guided Tour of Niagara Falls * Dinner at Skylon Tower / Niagara Falls

BRANSON MO

(October 22-25, 2015) 4 Days Price Per Person: Single $815.00, Double $640.00, Triple $580.00, Quad $550.00

TOUR INCLUDES: * The Oak Ridge Boys * Clay Cooper’s Country Express * Presley’s Jubilee * The 70’s Show with Barry Williams * Branson Landing Shopping * 3 Dinners & 3 Breakfasts * 3 Nights Lodging * +Shows are subject to change.

A COUNTY CHRISTMAS AT THE OPRYLAND HOTEL

(DECEMBER 4-6, 2015) 3 DAY Price Per Person Traditional: Single $1015.00, Double $735.00, Triple $645.00, Quad $595.00 Price Per Person Premium: Single $1160.00, Double $810.00, Triple $690.00, Quad $635.0

TOUR INCLUDES: * 2 nights Lodging a the Gaylord Opryland Hotel * ICE1 * Christmas Dinner & Show with Larry Gatlin & the Gatlin Brothers * Breakfast each morning * Treasures for the Holidays – Craft Fair * Delta River Flatboat * Dr. Seuss’ How The Grinch Stole Christmas! The Musical

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M& M New Albany Shop

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Hit The Road

Avondale

AUBURN

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If football is king in the quaint town of Auburn, then Southern charm is a close contender for the throne. By Daniel Chesser

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Jule Collins

ulldog or Rebel, there is plenty to do while visiting “The Loveliest Village on the Plains” this fall. Auburn University’s campus and the surrounding downtown cityscape transform for home games to cater to the influx of more than 100,000 pigskin fans who come from far and wide. Whether you are interested in original eateries or witnessing eagles in flight, there is something for everyone, no matter what colors you bleed. For the caffeine-dependent, skip the lines at the corporate coffee joints and grab a “Latte That Shall Not Be Named” at Mama Mocha’s Coffee Emporium (414 South Gay St.). Early risers should also try the “Redneck Benedict” (a winning combination of scratch biscuits, house bacon, and fried eggs smothered in sausage gravy) at The Hound (124 Tichenor Ave.). When happening upon these rustic gems let your heart be your guide and indulge because any local will tell you there is no bad choice on the menu at

either establishment. Other highlights at The Hound include the “Mama Sue’s Pepper Jelly” (homemade jalapeno pepper jelly, house cream cheese and crackers), but the real draw is “The Hound Cheeseburger.” To truly know what gives this place its appeal, you have to add bacon and order the fries. Both are cut in-house. Only have time to stop in for a quick drink at The Hound? Take notice of the bullet casings engrained in the wood of the bar top; it truly captures the spirit of the South. Local libations are in abundance in Auburn, but custom cocktails and brews on tap at Avondale Bar and Tap Room do not skimp on class or taste. If you are unsure of what to order, let owner and proprietor Hardy Gilbert take care of you in this sophisticated atmosphere nestled above the University Barber Shop on College Street in the heart of downtown. For a soft drink, no one is immune to quenching their thirst with a glass (or better yet, a gallon) of the World Famous fresh-squeezed lemonade at Toomer’s Drugs, located at the

corner of College Street and Magnolia Avenue across from the iconic Auburn Oaks at Toomer’s Corner. If your stay in Auburn spans the entire weekend, be sure to check out “Football, Fans and Feathers” at the Auburn University College of Veterinary Medicine’s Southeastern Raptor Center (1350 Pratt-Carden Drive) at 4 p.m. on Fridays before mudandmag.com

The Hound

home football games. Tickets are $5 per person and include a raptor show and flight demonstration. An artistic side of Auburn is on display at the Jule Collins Smith Museum of Fine Art (901 South College St.). Saturday Sept. 26, will be the opening day of the “Along the Eastern Road: Hiroshige’s Fifty-Three Stations of the Tokaido” exhibition. This display features 55 color wood-block prints by 19th century Japanese artist Utagawa Hiroshige. The public is encouraged to visit Monday through Saturday 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Look up as you enter the museum to gaze upon the unique Dale Chihuly Chandelier, the 1,000-pound, hand-blown glass sculpture. Outdoor enthusiasts can venture into Chewacla State Park (124 Shell Toomer Pkwy.), which offers 696 scenic acres of nature with more than 30 miles of professionally designed mountain biking trails that feature rock obstacles and jumps. Trails range in difficulty from the beginner

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“Camp Trail” to the more grueling eight-mile long “For Pete’s Sake Trail.” Treasure hunters should be interested to know Chewacla is also a hotbed for Geocaching (https:// www.geocaching.com/play). These are merely a sample of what makes Auburn special and keeps folks coming back, alumni or otherwise. This place is home to an array of people and activities beyond the sidelines of Pat Dye field; for more information of what can be discovered in the area visit http://www. aotourism.com. M Photos by Philip Smith

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SCAD Theater

Tybee Lighthouse

Colonial Park Cemetery

Forsyth Park

Cathedral of St. John the Baptist

SA A VA N N A H S F T o u th e r n

a i ry

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By Adriana Iris

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Top Deck Bar

The Green Truck Pub

Jepson Museum

Savannah, Georgia., is enchanted.  At every turn, you will find yourself with a movie-like backdrop. Savannah is an example of great planning and engineering, completely coordinated to lay on a grid of 21 squares. The downtown area of the Historic District is perfect for walking or exploring via bicycle.  Nicknamed the Hostess City of the South, Savannah is also recognized for the development of the arts and the strong presence of artists and creative types who continue to flood the city. Their influence is palpable as you stroll through the downtown area.   The best way to explore Savannah is to compartmentalize the journey -- just like the design of the squares -- so here are a few of my favorite places from a local’s point of view to help you plan the perfect Savvy getaway.   Start your day at The Collins Quarter, which brings Australia’s café capitol to

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Tybee Island

Savannah. Styled after Melbourne’s historic Collins Street, they deliver a unique café experience by pairing specialty coffees with innovative cuisine. Their seasonal quick breads and the ricotta hot cakes are amazing, and on Sundays, they offer mimosas during brunch hours.  After breakfast, take a stroll through the 30 acres of Forsyth Park. Magical oak trees draped in moss adorn the pathways of this park. Walking through the park will make you feel as if you are traveling through Paris. The fountain at the north end was added in 1858 and is reminiscent of fountains in the Place de la Concorde in Paris. Retail therapy can be found on Broughton Street, which offers a large selection of stores and boutiques. It also houses Lucas Theatre for the Arts, Savannah College of Art and Design’s Trustees Theater and The Paris Market, which is one of the coolest places to

shop in Savannah. Make sure to stop by Leopold’s Ice Cream while on Broughton for a cool snack. It houses all original fixtures, like the black marble soda fountain and wooden interior phone booths from eras gone by.    A local favorite lunch spot would be Green Truck Pub, located south of Forsyth Park on Habersham Street. Green Truck hand-makes everything from ketchup and pimiento cheese to salad dressing and veggie patties. They source their grass-fed, all-natural, hormone-free meat locally from Hunter Cattle Co., located in Brooklet, Georgia. They also work with other area farms to get produce in season.  A walk on the beach is easy to find with a short 20-minute drive from downtown Savannah to Tybee Island, Georgia. Tybee Island, also known as Savannah Beach, is an easily accessible barrier island. There are fishing piers, offshore and deep sea charters, or you

SCAD Museum

Lafayette Square

can fish right in the surf. Rich in history and wildlife, the salt marshes are filled with birds and ecology from the coastal area. Do not miss the Tybee Lighthouse, which has been guiding mariners’ safe entrance into the Savannah River for more than 270 years.  Now the sun is about to set and the best place to catch a sunset is at the rooftop bar of the Cotton Sail Hotel, the Top Deck Bar. The breathtaking views of the city skyline will leave you begging for time to stand still. There you can enjoy wine, cocktails and appetizers perfect for a romantic night or with a group of friends.  Savannah hosts a large number of restaurants and cuisines from around the world, but one of the newest and most celebrated at the moment is The Grey. Occupying a 1938 art deco Greyhound bus terminal painstakingly restored to its original luster, The Grey offers a food, wine and service experience

Cathedral of St. John the Baptist

that is domestic but refined. Do try the Sapelo Island clams and the catfish tagine. They also offer local meats and produce as well as a focus on European wines and Atlantic Trade liquors.   Now the moon is reflecting over the Savannah River and for a nightcap, travel in time to the 1920s with Savannah’s own speakeasy, Mata Hari. You need a key for entry to this venue, but most hotel concierges will be happy to help you gain entrance to this one-of-a-kind and very secretive establishment. Sip on some absinthe while listening to lounge singers and Moulin Rouge-like burlesque dancers who will entertain you until the early morning hours. One last great tip for tourists while visiting Savannah is the Chatham Area Transit (CAT), Savannah’s municipal transportation system. In the historic district, they operate a free shuttle service,

the route is found on the CAT website and they offer a free shuttle down River Street, a free ferryboat ride across the river to Hutcheson Island where the Westin Hotel is located, and a free bus which loops around the downtown of Savannah, including Forsyth Park and River Street, completely free of charge. Understand these are not guided tours offered by local private companies but the city’s own transportation system. Savannah is like a Southern fairy tale and unlike any other city, it will assault each one of your senses. It is a preservationist’s dream filled with antebellum architecture and rich history. From sunrise to sunset there is something in Savannah for everyone to enjoy. M Photos by Lauren Wood

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Tupelo Small Animal Hospital “We treat them like they’re our own.” 2096 S. Thomas St. • Tupelo • 662-840-0210 Stephen K. King, D.V.M; Glenn S. Thomas, D.V.M

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Q&A | GET TO KNOW

FRED BROWN

POSITION: WIDE RECEIVER • NUMBER: 5 • CLASS: JUNIOR • HOMETOWN: TYLER, TX

What’s your pre-game song? “Crazy” by Lil boosie What’s your favorite Game Day tradition? Talking to my mom What’s your favorite comfort food? Fried chicken What’s in your Netflix “que”? Orange is the New Black What’s your favorite thing about the South? Hospitality What is your earliest memory of football? Playing football at my Grandma’s house

What is your favorite football memory at State? My first touchdown against Texas A&M How do you handle pregame jitters? Say a prayer What do you do to relax after the game? Sit down on the couch and relax What’s the last book you read? My textbooks Favorite thing about Starkville? The fans love you

Who is your biggest fan? My mom and dad What’s one thing about the football program that attracted you to State? The effort and hard work What’s your favorite spot on campus? The drill field Favorite college course? College Algebra What is the biggest challenge you’ve ever had to overcome? Getting up for an 8 a.m. class.

If your first sport love wasn’t football, what other game would you play? Basketball mudandmag.com

Q&A | GET TO KNOW

C.J. JOHNSON

POSITION: LINEBACKER • NUMBER: 10 • CLASS: SENIOR • HOMETOWN: PHILADELPHIA, MS

What’s your pre-game song? “With That” by Young Thug What’s your favorite Game Day tradition? I like to hug my mom What’s your favorite comfort food? Fried pork chop and greens What’s in your Netflix “que”? The Inevitable Defeat of Mister & Pete and a couple of Katt Williams movies What’s your favorite spot on campus? The Grove What’s your favorite thing about the South? Being in the country 42

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What is your earliest memory of football? I was probably about six or seven when I started playing. What is your favorite football memory at Ole Miss? Definitely Alabama last year

Favorite thing about Oxford? The Square If your first sport love wasn’t football, what other game would you play? Baseball

How do you handle pregame jitters? I just try walking around

What’s one thing about the football program that attracted you to Ole Miss? I would say the coaches

Who is your biggest fan? My mom

Favorite college course? NHM 212 – Nutrition Meal Management

What do you do to relax after the game? Get a massage from my girl

What is the biggest challenge you’ve ever had to overcome? Breaking my ankle

What’s the last book you read? The New Jim Crow

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Q&A | GET TO KNOW

BRANDON HOLLOWAY

POSITION: RUNNING BACK • NUMBER: 10 • CLASS: JUNIOR • HOMETOWN: TAMPA, FL

What’s your pre-game song? “The Problem” by Wale What’s your favorite Game Day tradition? Listening to music and praying What’s your favorite comfort food? Pasta What’s in your Netflix “que”? Orange is the New Black What’s your favorite thing about the South? Nice people What is your earliest memory of football? 5th grade

What is your favorite football memory at State? 2013 Ole Miss game

What’s one thing about the football program that attracted you to State? Hard work

How do you handle pregame jitters? Get a good hit against me

What’s your favorite spot on campus? The stadium

What do you do to relax after the game? Relax with my teammates and talk about the game

What is the biggest challenge you’ve ever had to overcome? Kidney stones

What’s the last book you read? Martin Luther King Favorite thing about Starkville? Good food Who is your biggest fan? Mother, father, sister, nieces mudandmag.com

Q&A | GET TO KNOW

EVAN ENGRAM

POSITION: TIGHT END • NUMBER: 17 • CLASS: JUNIOR • HOMETOWN: POWDER SPRINGS, GA

What’s your pre-game song? I listen to “Started From the Bottom” by Drake and “In the Sanctuary” by Kurt Carr What’s your favorite Game Day tradition? The Walk of Champions during home games What’s in your Netflix “que”? Grey’s Anatomy, Scandal, Flash Point, Walking Dead, The Following What’s your favorite thing about the South? The food What is your earliest memory of football? Playing center when I was younger because 46

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I had the biggest hands to hike the football What is your favorite football memory at Ole Miss? Beating Alabama last year What do you do to relax after the game? I chill after games and typically watch other football games What’s the last book you read? The last book I read for pleasure was probably the Goosebumps series. Favorite thing about Oxford? The Grove If your first sport love wasn’t football, what other game would you play? I would probably be playing basketball

Who is your biggest fan? My momma! What’s one thing about the football program that attracted you to Ole Miss? The family atmosphere What’s your favorite spot on campus? The Grove What is the biggest challenge you’ve ever had to overcome? Football-wise, I think it’s probably just being undersized for my position. I have to block bigger dudes and sometimes that’s a challenge.

Q&A | GET TO KNOW

CEDRIC JILES

POSITION: DEFENSIVE BACK • NUMBER: 13 • CLASS: JUNIOR • HOMETOWN: CLINTON, MS

What’s your pre-game song? “We Be On It” by DeJ Loaf What’s your favorite Game Day tradition? Cowbells everywhere What’s your favorite comfort food? Rotel What’s in your Netflix “que”? House of Cards What’s your favorite thing about the South? The crazy people and the hospitality What is your earliest memory of football? Meeting Jonathan Banks

What is your favorite football memory at State? Beating LSU How do you handle pregame jitters? I listen to “The Weekend” What do you do to relax after the game? I see family

Who is your biggest fan? My dad What’s one thing about the football program that attracted you to State? How hard you have to work and the family atmosphere What’s your favorite spot on campus? Burger King

What’s the last book you read? The Innovation Secrets of Steve Jobs

Favorite college course? Statistics

Favorite thing about Starkville? The fans

What is the biggest challenge you’ve ever had to overcome? Missing an entire year of football and my team going 10-2

If your first sport love wasn’t football, what other game would you play? Soccer

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Q&A | GET TO KNOW

MIKE HILTON

POSITION: DEFENSIVE BACK • NUMBER: 38 • CLASS: SENIOR • HOMETOWN: FAYETTEVILLE, GA

What’s your pre-game song? No one in particular, I listen to a bunch of music

What is your favorite football memory at Ole Miss? Beating Alabama last year

What’s your favorite Game Day tradition? Buy three packs of BBQ sunflower seeds and eat them at different times the day before the game

How do you handle pregame jitters? Listening to music

What’s your favorite comfort food? Grilled cheese What’s in your Netflix “que”? I don’t have Netflix What’s your favorite thing about the South? The food

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What do you do to relax after the game? Sleep Favorite thing about Oxford? The Grove If your first sport love wasn’t football, what other game would you play? I would run track Who is your biggest fan? My parents

What’s one thing about the football program that attracted you to Ole Miss? The guys that were there at the time and ended up being my teammates What’s your favorite spot on campus? Manning Center Favorite college course? Psychology What is the biggest challenge you’ve ever had to overcome? Being undersized playing defense in Division I college football

Q&A | GET TO KNOW

RUFUS WARREN

POSITION: OFFENSIVE LINEMAN • NUMBER: 77 • CLASS: SENIOR • HOMETOWN: INDIANOLA, MS

What’s your pre-game song? “Playing with Fire” by Lil Wayne What’s your favorite Game Day tradition? Dawg Walk What’s your favorite comfort food? Fried chicken What’s in your Netflix “que”? Family Guy What’s your favorite thing about the South? Soul food What do you do to relax after the game? Spend time with family

What is your earliest memory of football? Getting my helmet knocked off in pewee football What is your favorite football memory at State? Winning the 2011 Egg Bowl How do you handle pregame jitters? Joke around with my teammates What’s the last book you read? Catching Fire Favorite thing about Starkville? The Biscuit Shop

If your first sport love wasn’t football, what other game would you play? Basketball What’s one thing about the football program that attracted you to State? How relentless they play What’s your favorite spot on campus? The Union Favorite college course? Dance What is the biggest challenge you’ve ever had to overcome? Watching my mom struggle

Who is your biggest fan? My brother Chris mudandmag.com

Q&A | GET TO KNOW

JOHN YOUNGBLOOD

POSITION: DEFENSIVE END • NUMBER: 47 • CLASS: JUNIOR • HOMETOWN: TRUSSVILLE, AL What’s your pre-game song? “Lightning Crashes” by Live

memory because that was my first big play I ever had playing football.

What’s the last book you read? American Sniper

What’s your favorite Game Day tradition? It is definitely the Walk of Champions since it is unlike any other pregame walk. The fans are great during it. Locking the Vaught right before we take the field is a close second with the pregame “Are You Ready?” by a celebrity.

What is your favorite football memory at Ole Miss? My favorite memory at Ole Miss was my redshirt-freshmen year in 2013 and we were playing LSU. Due to several injuries previously in the season, I was backing up the starter. At the end of the third quarter the man in front of me went down and I had to step up and play the entire fourth quarter of the game, which we held on to upset LSU at home.

Favorite thing about Oxford? How beautiful the town is and how much history is in it. It is the most typical southern, college town and it’s beautiful. Who is your biggest fan? It is definitely my parents. They have been supportive with everything I have accomplished and every decision I’ve made along the way.

What’s in your Netflix “que”? I actually don’t watch that much Netflix but my favorite shows on Netflix are American Horror Story and Hell on Wheels. I like to watch popular movies that get released on there when I am being lazy. What’s your favorite thing about the South? My favorite thing about the South is that there is not another place on Earth like it. The culture, the people, and the food make it one of the best places to live and raise a family. What is your earliest memory of football? My earliest memory of football is when I was 6 years old playing with 8-year-olds and I was the running back. I had a very long carry right up the middle but then I got tackled on the 1-yard line right before scoring. It was my earliest

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How do you handle pregame jitters? I really don’t think about the possibilities of what could go wrong during the game. I focus on how much preparation the team and I have had during the week, which gives me confidence right before we are about to play.

What’s one thing about the football program that attracted you to Ole Miss? It was very attractive how the coaches care more about every player developing as a man more than football. What’s your favorite spot on campus? It is the Grove on a sunny day in the fall on gameday. There is nothing like it.

What do you do to relax after the game? After the game I love to see my parents, who have been to every game since I was 6, and go back to my house to relax. We talk about the game I just played and any other games that have been played that Saturday. I enjoy seeing them since we don’t get a lot of time to go home during the season.

What is the biggest challenge you’ve ever had to overcome? My biggest challenge I’ve had to overcome was an injury that required surgery after my senior year of high school. It’s very hard to recover physically and get my strength back. It was just as tough mentally to have to go through a lot of pain to recover.

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LINKIE MARAIS From Local Pastry Chef to TV Personality and Grill Guru By Sandra Knispel

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Linkie’s Recipes Grilled Prosciutto Wrapped Shrimp Skewer with a Spicy Bloody Mary Ingredients: For Skewer: 8 large shrimp, peeled and deveined 1 tablespoon Big Green Egg Dizzy Gourmet Viva Caliente Seasoning 8 slices pickled hot banana pepper slices 4 large slices prosciutto 2 tablespoon olive oil 1/2 teaspoon salt pinch of cayenne pepper pinch of ground black pepper 4 cherry tomatoes 4 small dill pickles 4 pickled onions or pearl onions 4 stuffed green olives For Bloody Mary: 40 ounces tomato juice or V8 3 tablespoons lemon juice 6-8 ounces vodka 3 tablespoons horseradish 2 tablespoons Worcestershire Sauce 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

1/8 teaspoon Cayenne 5 drops hot pepper sauce

Not Your Average Mexican Dip

Directions: For the Bloody Mary: Mix all ingredients together and stir well. Pour over ice. For Skewer: Preheat Big Green Egg to 400 degrees. Marinate shrimp in olive oil, Viva Caliente, salt and pepper. Put hot pepper slices into the deveined area of shrimp. Cut prosciutto in slices and wrap around shrimp. Secure with a skewer, placing 2 shrimp on a skewer. If using the pearl onions, peel them and add that onto the skewer as well. Leave enough room to add other ingredients on skewer. Place on grill for 3-5 minutes or until cooked through. Add a pickle, tomato, and green olive to each skewer. Garnish the Bloody Mary with this perfect skewer.

Ingredients: 2-3 cups Chorizo Sausage (if cured, then slice the sausage in small cubes; if fresh, then squeeze the sausage out of the casings) 1 onion 4 sweet tomatoes 4 ears of corn, shucked 1 can refried beans 2 jalapeños 1 cup pepper jack cheese 1 cup mozzarella cheese 2 avocados 1 clove garlic, finely minced 1 lime 1/4 cup cilantro, chopped 1/4 cup sour cream 1/4 cup black olives, garnish 1/4 cup chopped tomatoes, garnish salt ground Black Pepper crushed Red Pepper Flakes

Yields 4 servings

inkie Marais was a high school sophomore when she started working for a local wedding catering company, Billie’s Catering in Guntown. By the time she graduated from high school, she was decorating the company’s wedding cakes by herself. Her personal best – a whopping 13 cakes in one day. “I was on fire that day,” she said, smiling. Later at Mississippi University for Women, her chef instructor, albeit somewhat tongue-incheek, asked her if she wanted to go

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Directions: Preheat Big Green Egg to 400 degrees. Using a paella pan, saute onions in 1 tablespoon olive oil until translucent. Add the chorizo sausage and sauté until cooked (about 4-5 minutes). Remove the

ahead and teach his cake decorating class. The 32-year-old with piercing blue eyes is more than your average chef. Once belittled by fellow contestants at a regional Top Chef competition as the “pastry girl” and “cookie queen” in allusion to her wedding-cake roots, Marais ended up winning the event with a menu that, in addition to a dessert, also included salmon and gumbo. “In the end, I completely kicked their butt,” Marais said, laughing.

paella pan from the grill. At the same time, rub the tomatoes and corn in olive oil and lightly sprinkle with red pepper flakes. Then grill/char tomatoes and corn. Chop tomatoes into medium pieces and remove corn from the cob. To make the dip, layer the other ingredients on top of the sausage in this order: refried beans, corn, chopped tomatoes, then sprinkle both cheeses on top. Place the paella pan back on the grill cooking until the edges start to bubble up and the cheese is melted. While the dip is cooking, peel and pit the avocado. Using a fork, mash the avocado, combining it with a pinch of salt, the zest and juice of 1 lime, garlic and a pinch of black pepper. Once the dip is ready, remove from the Big Green Egg and top with avocado, sour cream and cilantro. Garnish with some finely chopped tomatoes and olives if desired. Serve with tortilla chips. Yields 10-12 servings

Originally from Evander, a town in northeastern South Africa, Marais came to Mississippi in 1999 as a 16-year-old with her parents and two sisters. The security situation in South Africa had drastically deteriorated, and besides safety, her parents sought greater educational opportunities for their three teenage daughters. At first, the move was a big culture shock to Marais who grew up speaking Afrikaans: “Number one, there was the [new] language. And we went from wearing school uniforms and no

make-up [in South Africa] to basically walking into a fashion show at [Saltillo] high school.” But soon Marais was back to what she had loved doing in South Africa –– cooking and puttering about in the kitchen. Her passion started early. As a 5-year-old she remembers helping bake a welcome-home cake for her dad upon his return from fighting in the South African Border War against Angola where he was a drill instructor for the South African Army. Recalling the cake Marais laughs. “It was awful, sunken in

the middle,” she said. But she hid most of its imperfections under a lollipop with a bear face made out of gum paste. She even used fondant –– not shabby for a mere pre-schooler. Later in Mississippi, with their mom working away in her studio as a potter, the three teenage sisters took turns cooking one meal a week for the whole family. “Sometimes it was great, sometimes not so,” said the future celebrity chef, fondly remembering her creations, like curry over rice. After graduating with a degree in

culinary arts and a minor in food arts from MUW, Marais went to work for Ole Miss Catering in Oxford as a pastry chef. From there she moved across town to Newk’s Bakery Company as executive chef, supplying the Newk’s restaurant chain spread across the South with baked goods. It didn’t hurt that the tall blonde was no ugly duckling either. While her status then as non-citizen precluded the South African from competing properly in the Miss America pageant, she was nevertheless allowed to mudandmag.com

participate in the pre-rounds. “I loved it, loved getting a platform together,” Marais said. “And it was great scholarship money.” Later when she became too old to compete, she became a judge for the Mississippi pre-elimination rounds for the Miss America pageant. For the past three years, Marais has been a state judge for the Miss USA pageant in Virginia, Indiana, Vermont and Pennsylvania. It was the natural performer in her that eventually drove her to television. Her moxie and photogenic looks, coupled with her talent and energetic personality finally garnered her a spot on season eight of The Food Network’s “Food Network Star,” which aired in July of 2012. But getting there took stamina. Initially, Marais found herself rejected after a tryout interview in New York. “I cried for three days. You put yourself out there, get your hopes up,” said Marais, remembering the disappointment. “But it’s about trying again, never taking no for an answer.” With that she decided to take another stab at it, applying for the next season. This time she made the cut and even became a finalist, making it to round six. By her own admission the whole TV competition, which she describes as “crazy” and “fun but unpredictable,” thoroughly changed her life. “You learn to handle extreme stress. And it teaches you endurance,” she said. “Of course, it’s a very big letdown when you are eliminated, but it teaches you to get back up. I always see the silver lining.” The silver lining, as it were, meant despite her elimination, the cable reality show had launched Marais as a recognizable name and face in the culinary world. It also pushed her career in another direction, away from being a full-time wedding cake artist. Today, Marais lives in North Attleboro in Massachusetts and regularly travels across the country as a culinary speaker or featured chef for cooking, grilling demonstrations and wine pairings at food festivals, including swanky events like the Food & Wine Classic in Aspen, Colorado, or the Nantucket Wine Festival in Massachusetts. She also has her own local “Living Linkie Style” TV show and regularly appears on “The Rhode Show,” an award-winning Rhode

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Island morning show. Marais also returns regularly to her alma mater in Columbus to teach cake decorating. While the chef loves to cook and bake, grilling has become her true passion. “I’m not a big sweet eater. I just fell in love with grilling,” she said. “My dad used to do it in South Africa, and it’s just that rustic smell of the charcoal, meat searing atop the grill, simply the smoke flavor. I love it.” An outdoor enthusiast who loves to hunt and explore, she doesn’t just stick to the standards. “Basically anything you can consume I can cook on the grill.” With that she dons her pitt mitts and threads marinated delicacies on skewers, or her favorite BBQ accessory, a fire wire, which is a kind of metal necklace that keeps the food from slipping off and vanishing into the hot coals. Her favorite item to grill is lamb, Marais said. Mediterranean flavors are her top picks, like cumin, feta, olives and artichokes. But she won’t stop there. Appetizers, entrees, desserts and even cocktail ingredients — nothing is safe from her iron “will to grill” as Marais calls it –– like a sizzling pineapple and orange Mai Thai, spicy Tequila oysters, or even a dessert calzone filled with sweet cream, berries and Mozzarella and yes, you guessed it – all prepared on the grill. So, are you ready for doughnuts or Mississippi mud cake on the barbie? Hungry already? You’ll find more recipes on her website, linkiemarais. com, or on her Facebook page Linkie

Devilish Pomegranate Spritzer Yield: 2 Large Cocktails Ingredients: 2 cups lemonade 4 ounces pomegranate vodka 8 ounces prosecco 1 orange 2 ounces pomegranate juice 2 tablespoon pomegranate seeds, garnish Directions: Slice 2 slices of the orange and grill for 2 minutes on each side. Set aside.Take the rest of the orange and place it open side down on the grill and cook for 3-4 minutes or until soft. Cool. Squeeze juice into a large measuring cup. Add the rest of ingredients, except for the pomegranate juice. Pour cocktail onto ice and then pour the pomegranate juice on each cocktail. Garnish with pomegranate seeds and grilled orange slices. Marais Chef. “As long as I have a fire, I can cook whatever,” Marais said. So throw another oyster on the braai, as the barbecue is called in her native Afrikaans. M

Home Cooking

Linkie Marais instructed a class in Tupelo, Mississippi on cupcake decorating. Photos by Lauren Wood

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COMEDY STANDS UP IN NORTH MISSISSIPPI

Comedy has always had a place in Mississippi — in the way her people experience life and relive those experiences through story, song, and literature, but Mississippi hasn’t been known for her comedy.

hat’s slowly beginning to change. Tupelo and Oxford are seeing a consistent, weekly comedy presence through the growth of improv and now, stand-up. And it couldn’t come at a better time. In today’s world of discordant politics, global unrest and the transformation of cable news into

By JB Clark entertainment, comedy serves a much higher purpose than it has in the past. “We saw a resurgence in New York comedy, and in comedy in America, after 9/11 because people were very sad. It was very dark and we, as a people, needed to laugh,” said Bruce Butler, director of Oxford’s Laff Co. improv comedy troupe. “I think right now it’s the same thing. We haven’t

had one big moment of sadness but there is just so much going on in the culture around us. There is a lot of struggle. The economy has been bad. You turn on the news and see a feel-good story about a little old lady and her cat and then it’s followed by divisive politics and this bombing and that bombing.” Carlton Wall, one of the founding mudandmag.com

“ wanna shoot a commercial where Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson is promoting Asian cookware and at the end of the commercial he says ‘do you smell what the wok is cookin?” -Connor King

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members of Tupelo’s West of Shakerag improv comedy troupe, said comedy is a canary in the coal mine. “In today’s weird world, where entertainment and news are getting melded, comedians have become the best barometer of what’s going on,” he said. Wall and Butler both saw the growing need for comedy in their smaller communities and have, over the better part of the last decade, helped to cultivate loyal followings. Laff Co., a comedy troupe founded in 2004 by Butler, began by performing one-off shows around town before consistently booking bars, events and arts festivals. The group, which now boasts a roster of nine, performed back-to-back nights on Oxford’s square during the first week in July. While it isn’t unusual to see musicians playing multiple Oxford venues in one week, comedy hasn’t historically been as well-supported. Butler was seeing so much support for his improv troupe that he decided to facilitate a more direct form of comedy in 2006. Through Laff Co., Butler began hosting open-mic comedy nights at Red House, a burger joint off Oxford’s square that has since closed its doors. “There were just a handful the first night at Red House but there was obviously a desire for it,” Butler said. “We started building the crowd more and more and now we have to turn people away because there are so many people.” Now stand-ups and amateur comics looking to test their material or bomb on stage have a chance at one of Laff Co.’s monthly comedy open mic nights. In 2009, a group of Tupelo actors and comedians began their own improv troupe, West of Shakerag. “We didn’t see an improv here,” Wall said. “You could catch it in Memphis and then sometimes in Oxford with Bruce. Vanilla’s would bring a regional guy to Tupelo from time to time but there wasn’t any consistant comedy.” West of Shakerag began hosting a weekly “Comedy Thursdays” show catering to an adult audience. Comedians continued asking Wall

when the next open-mic would be so he decided to start a monthly, more family friendly event in addition to the weekly “pub style” show. The weekly stand-up show began with eight to a dozen audience members but now draws almost 50 regularly. Along with the audience, the roster of local comedians has grown. “We just picked up three brand new comedians in the last month,” Wall said. Zack Bragg, a Tupelo stand up, got his start at Spanky’s weekly open-mic night in Nashville. “The first time I thought I could do it, I was watching a Mitch Hedberg special on TV and thought, ‘If he can be successful, as weird as he is, I can do it, too,’” Bragg said. “But my first set was horrible.” Bragg is a fan of puns but understands they rarely work on a crowd. His sets consist of surreal stories and deadpan non-sequiturs, but he’ll usually begin a set with a pun anyway. At a recent show he asked, “Who wants to see a little magic?” The one person who cheered was rewarded with a small cutout of Magic Johnson. “Here’s your little Magic,” he said before rolling straight into his pun-free set. Now, with the growth of Tupelo’s monthly stand-up show, Bragg gets to work local crowds without all the anxiety of driving to Nashville. “Mississippi is obviously a culturally rich area — lots of music and arts — but until recently, comedy was essentially nonexistent in the state,” Bragg said. “It means everything to me because I finally have an outlet for the medium I love the most.” Connor King, a writer and performer with Laff Co. and regular Oxford Stand up, along with his Laff Co. compatriot Stephanie Grammar and two Memphis comics, completed a comedy tour in July, performing everywhere from Memphis and Tupelo to Jackson and Birmingham and then down to Ocean Springs and New Orleans. “When people think of Mississippi comedy, they think of Blue Collar Comedy and ‘Git ‘er done,’” King said. “This show is very different and I’m excited to see how Mississippi digests this tour.”

Butler is also anxious to see how the comedy tour is received. He sees Mississippi as a growth area for comedic arts with the state’s focus on tax benefits for filmmakers and the growing interest in young Mississippians to do comedy. “Not everyone is going to New York, Chicago or L.A. to pursue comedy,” Butler said. “People that I deal with like it here. I want to see more opportunities for them here. I

would love it if someone wanting to learn improv didn’t have to go join the Upright Citizens Brigade or Second City. They could go to the comedy scene in Oxford. I don’t want to live in L.A. I like the South. Let’s make comedy here.” Wall said he doesn’t see a lot of young comedians coming up on the national stage. Most of the popular comedians have been popular for more than a decade and now there is

room for younger talent. “We have great storytellers in the southern tradition,” he said. “We could be a great place for stand up.”

Please Stand Up

Proud Larry’s in Oxford, Mississippi was a stop for the comedy tour Beat Up Your Dad. Photos by Lauren Wood mudandmag.com

THE STREET ARTIST

“It’s only paint” is a favorite mantra of interior designers. They use the phrase to explain how simple it is to spruce up an area with color, and if you change your mind or make a mistake, the problem is simple to correct.

rtist Deborah Mansfield of West Point, along with a team of other volunteers with West Point Main Street, and local business owners, are using paint as the centerpiece of the transformation they are bringing to the city’s downtown. “It all started with the Sally Kate Winters recreation room, where we brought kids together to have fun and get a project done,” Mansfield said. Using her West Main Street studio, gallery and workshop – Deborah Mansfield Decorative Painting – as

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By Lena Mitchell the base for their projects, Mansfield and the team have completed a number of colorful murals on buildings throughout the city that reveal the history, character and spirit of the community. “The mural you see as you drive into town from the east includes seven icons from the community,” Mansfield said. As she surveyed the length of downtown Main Street, the selftaught artist and professionally trained landscape designer had a vision of how the various storefront facades could be transformed to make

it more inviting and attractive with minor renovations, a few coats of paint and some planter boxes. She prepared a watercolor rendering of both sides of Main Street as she envisioned them, and her ideas lit a spark among the business owners. “Some of the owners became inspired and started doing some things on their own,” Mansfield said. One early project included painting the facades at 106, 110 and 116 Main Street, and a mural on the west wall of the laundry and dry cleaners there. “I had this idea for a stormy scene with a clothes line with laundry

hanging on it, and the owner gave me the OK to do it,” Mansfield said. “I put my dog in the scene sitting on the ground beneath the clothes line.” The businesses that liked her designs and wanted to move forward with painting projects paid for the paint, and she and volunteers did most of the work. Other business owners did their own. Kathy Dyess was her partner in completing the Howlin’ Wolf mural at the west end of town, and her assistant Lila Miller has put in many hours and much effort with the numerous other projects the group has done. “We’ve used student volunteers as well as some inmate labor on some of the projects as well,” Mansfield said. The 56-year-old artist is doing these projects in her semi-retirement, having sold her decorative painting design business of 20 years in Houston, Texas. Her husband, Jim Mansfield, also sold his landscape design business in Houston, and the couple moved to West Point about four years ago. “We were looking for a small town near a university where my husband could teach a class or two, and where we could live on a golf course so he could pursue his passion,” Mansfield said. “We found all that in West Point, and he teaches a class in the landscape architecture program at Mississippi State. We love it here.” The two met at Ohio State University, where they both studied landscape architecture. Mansfield said her father thought she needed a practical profession instead of majoring in art, so she completed her bachelor’s degree and worked in the field of landscape architecture for nine years before pursuing her first love – art. “I’ve loved it since second grade, when I took a pastel class, and I still have my first painting from that class,” Mansfield said. She started decorative painting as a stay-at-home mom to two boys. She painted little pots for a friend who made cookie bouquets and wanted the pots for her business. “From there I was asked to do murals for baby rooms in homes,” Mansfield said. “I didn’t know if I

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could do it or not, but I just went for it. My philosophy was, ‘remember, it’s only paint.’ By the time I decided to retire I had 10 people who worked with me, traveling around the country to serve our clients, mostly in Texas, but in other parts of the country, too.” Even in retirement Mansfield has kept some of those clients to stay active in her profession, along with opening the studio in West Point. There, Mansfield offers classes for youths and adults that include

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painting, drawing, sculpting and more, as well as studio time for individuals who want to use the studio for their own painting projects. Her studio also is available for painting parties – days, evenings, weekends – and she reimagines vintage furniture with hand painting and new combinations of upholstery to create fresh looks. Indulging her wide-ranging interests, Mansfield paints dog portraits along with her faux finishing work and murals.

“I’m self-taught in oils, which is my passion,” Mansfield said. “What I love is to find black and white pictures to paint as color images, and I have several that I’ve done representative of this area in various sizes in my studio.” M

Art Show

Deborah Mansfield opens her studio (307 East Main St., West Point) for other artists, painting parties, vintage furniture refurbishings, oil painting and more. Photos by Lauren Wood

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Historic Downtown 106 W. Bankhead New Albany 662.539.7005

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HOMEMADE DESSERTS

We Bring The Coast To You!

Fish & Steak www.fishandsteak.com

218 Carter Ave. Historic Downtown New Albany, MS

1907 Shiloh Road 665-7910 Corinth, MS • (662)Center)

662.539.7025

(Next to the Bowling

ay Open Tuesday - Saturd

Thursday, Friday & Saturday 5:00 pm - 9:00 pm

Fish • Ribeyes • Grilled Chicken and Pork Chops • Frog Legs • Shrimp • Oysters

Agnew’s Restaurant Hours: Mon-Sat 6 am to 1 pm • Thurs, Fri & Sat 4:30 pm to 9 pm Breakfast served Monday-Saturday 6am to 10 am • Plate Lunch served Mon-Fri 11 am to 1 pm

2154 Hwy 370, Baldwyn, MS • (662) 365-5571

Smoked Ribs • Hamburger Steaks • Salad Bar • Appetizers • Homemade Desserts

Dining Guide

Have your restaurant in the next issue. Call 662.678.1525 mudandmag.com

H O W-T O : C A N D L E S T I C K T R A Y SUPPLIES: 2 candle sticks 3 trays or pans of your choice hot glue gun and glue sticks 82

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DIRECTIONS: Hot glue the candle sticks between appropriate pan, starting on the bottom with the larger pan and ending with the smaller one. Photo by Lauren Wood

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