JANUARY / FEBRUARY 2018
A Lifelong Passion
THE LISTING VILLAGE
BLUE CANOE BREWING
NEW YEAR REVOLUTION
LEGACY WINE AND SPIRITS
One Stop Valentine’s Day Shop!
Custom Gift Boxes Available
WWW.LEGACYLR.COM (501) 821 - 3700 16900 CHENAL PARKWAY LITTLE ROCK, AR 72223 2
TABLE OF CONTENTS THE LISTING VILLAGE 5
A new real estate marketing company based in Little Rock.
7 15 19
JAMIE LOU AND THE HULLABALOO 7
A five-piece rock band based in Russellville is being considered one of the best bands to come out of the Arkansas River Valley.
EAT LOCAL / SHOP LOCAL 10-11
Discover local restaurants, shops and services in central Arkansas.
BE A LOCALIST 12
Little Rock, Conway and North Little Rock may be considered sister cities of Central-Arkansas. Among their commonalities is a triumvirate of popular bars with mutual roots.
FEATURED FAVORITE 15 Sonny Williams
A LIFELONG PASSION 16-17
The story behind local business, Gregory Polaris and a love for motorcycles.
BLUE CANOE BREWING 19
If you are in the mood for a unique dining and beer experience, come check out the new additions at Blue Canoe.
BLOGGING FOR BUSINESS 21
How to build your small business with an online presence.
FEATURED RECIPE 22
Louisiana Style Shrimp Rolls
LOCAL VALENTINE'S DAY 24
Show your love to the whole community this Valentine's Day.
NEW YEARS REVOLUTION 26
26 download the app
now!
A few tips to start out your New Year on a positive path.
GLO YOGA 28
Local yoga studio provides a haven for growth, healing and expansion of the mind, body and spirit.
DESIGNING HOPE 30
www.localmag411.com Local. Magazine
Local_LittleRock
PUBLISHERS
Rich Niemeyer Kaitlin Schmidt
CREATIVE DIRECTOR Kaitlin Schmidt
COPY EDITOR Stacey Bowers
COVER PHOTO
Masters Media Productions
STAFF WRITER Adam Cherepski
STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER Masters Media Productions
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS
April Lane, Richard Ledbetter, Melissa Tucker
ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES
Ladye Albini, Kathleen Jacobson Rich Niemeyer, Mike Stewart For advertising information, please call 501-476-4200. For Subscription services, please call 501-554-1126. Local. Magazine is published bimonthly by 411 Publications, Inc. P.O. Box 1835, N. Little Rock, AR 72115 411publications@gmail.com The contents of Local. are copyrighted, and material contained herein may not be copied or reproduced in any manner without the written consent of the publisher. CONTRIBUTOR SPOTLIGHT ADAM CHEREPSKI Adam received his Master’s degree in Education from UALR. He enjoys everything there is to do with food, from cooking at home to dining at locally-owned establishments. Writing is a passion of his. Be sure to check out his blog, oneflewovermyhouse.tumblr. com and on Facebook at One Flew Over My House. RICHARD LEDBETTER Richard Ledbetter resides among the gentle-rolling hills of his South-Arkansas farm, where he penned and published a pair of historical novels, "The Branch and the Vine" and "Witness Tree;1910." He regularly contributes to several regional periodicals and performed feature roles in a number of Arkansas made movies.
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Parent Orientation:
January 20th 10 AM & 2 PM Programming Session 1: January
27th through March 10th The First Tee of Central Arkansas
4
TheFirstTeeLR
We ask that all parents attend to learn about changes in programming for 2018! The programming session is open to kids aged 5-18. Kids are welcome to attend the orientation which talks about the program.
@TheFirstTeeLR
thefirstteeofcentralarkansas.com
It Takes a Listing Village - Adam Cherepski What would you do if you decided to start looking at homes to buy? Would you reach out to local real estate agents? Would you check the local circular at the grocery store? Or would you begin your search on one of the monolith real estate websites such as Zillow or Realtor.com? If I had to guess, I would say the latter of these options. Why not? It’s easy. It’s right at your fingertips. There is a wealth of information out there, but you may want to ask yourself how accurate is that information? Often, with Zillow, you click on a house that catches your eye and you see the price and the “Zestimate" and begin negotiating to yourself. Once you come up with what you deem is a fair price based on the information on the site, without actually having spoken to anyone, you pick up the phone, but to call whom? Good thing for you is that the agent that paid the most to have their photo on that listing is right there waiting. The nerves are tingling; the excitement is brewing. The phone is ringing. Someone answers. You express your interest in the listing only to find out that it is currently under contract. Dreams dashed.
This happens all the time, and this is precisely where Listing Village steps in. Listing Village is a new real estate marketing company based in Little Rock that focuses on bringing the control back to the agent. It seems, as of late, that the agent that you choose to buy or sell a home is often just the highest bidder. The people at Listing Village feel it is time to get back to the way things were with customer service while leveraging an online presence and social media platforms. Listing Village concentrates their efforts on a website, an interactive map and social media. Yes, there is a website, but it is the website of the agent, and not a site only consisting of a map and inaccurate pricing models and availabilities. The site itself is crafted with the agent to keep in line with his or her branding and vision. The site visitor never has to leave the agent’s site, thus, there are fewer distractions with which to contend. One of the most advantageous
benefits of the Listing Village site is the accuracy of the information within. The house listings are updated using the local Multiple Listing Service every ten minutes. This allows the agent to have access to the most current listings and their prices to better serve their clients. Each agent who uses Listing Village instantly has access to thousands of listings that are ready to view, unlike the limitations of sites such as Zillow and Realtor. Most real estate sites rely on zip codes to determine what homes should be marketed. Listing Village allows the agent to pick and choose which listings will be featured on his or her site to better meet the needs of the client. All of the listings will be available, but the featured listings are determined by the agent. The agent is the one that determines which homes they will focus their marketing efforts on, not someone else. This functionality is great for the agent that is just starting out. If you are starting in the real estate field, and you know that initially you want to specialize in a certain area or neighborhood, the instant inventory can do this for you. The new agent can build out a list of homes to whom they see as their potential client. Location is not the only filtering that can be done for this targeted marketing, but for someone starting out, it can be especially helpful to be an expert on a certain area. Almost every real estate site you stumble upon has some sort of map feature. Matthew Young, president and CEO of Listing Village, is very proud of the map that they have developed because it is intuitive and comfortable for the end-user. With something as information-heavy as an interactive map, it has to be user friendly, otherwise people will not use it, and the client is lost. One of the most interesting concepts in this map as opposed to others is the icon that shows you the number of houses that are for sale in a particular area. Once you click that
icon, it takes you in further for a closer look. Listing Village utilizes social media to match the client with the best available home. They use their own technology along with Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn to find the individuals who will most likely be homebuyers in the near future. Sometimes, you will notice that when you click on something on Amazon or “like” someone’s post on Facebook, you are inundated with advertisements for these products in your social media feeds. Listing Village uses similar information with a more rigorous vetting process to ensure that agents are receiving viable leads and not just people who are simply curious. Another feature is the Homebuyer Alerts. When an individual clicks on a home listing, Listing Village follows up with them to get more detailed information regarding their search. This information is then sent to Facebook and similar listings will be sent to their feed with links to the agent’s page. It may seem a bit peculiar for all of this to be taking place behind the scenes, but it is this specificity that allows the home buying process to be more efficient in nature, and that, ultimately, is the goal of the agent and the client. Listing Village takes a lot of the marketing onus off the agent, which in turn, allows them to do what they do best—help their clients with the home buying and selling process. To learn more about Listing Village, visit their website at listingvillage.com.
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501-725-5296 BEER ON TAP AVAILABLE NOW! Pints, 1/2 Growlers, Growlers & Flight Samples from multiple brewers.
Open & serving beer 7 days a week! 106 Rodney Parham Rd. Little Rock, AR 72205 6
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Jamie Lou & the Hullabaloo - William Blackart Founded by Florida native Jamie Lou Connolly, Arkansas’ Jamie Lou and The Hullaballoo have been called a modern Fleetwood Mac and equated to a femalefronted Wilco. Driven by the “dreamy voice” and seasoned poetry of Connolly, and bolstered by the impressive collective talent that is The Hullaballoo, the Femi-Socialite EP marks Jamie Lou’s most beautiful, gritty, diverse, and selfassured collection of songs to date. Connolly began writing and sharing her songs with family at the age of 15 in Florida. But just three years later, the songs and most everything took a back seat to survival, as tragedy left her homeless in a cold and snowy Colorado. By 2010 she’d rebounded and relocated to Russellville, Arkansas and began playing live in the local open mic and songwriter scene. An increase in quality shows soon followed, which led to tours through the Midwest and South, and by the summer of 2014 her first album—Girl With A Gun (Infrared Records)—was released.
Prior to forming The Hullaballoo, Jamie Lou performed solo, as one half of a folk duo, and as front woman for a number of full bands. But this most recent incarnation has been the steadiest, loaded with veteran musicians, songwriters, and vocalists, including Garrett Brolund, Guitar; Tim Pelton, Bass; Tori Snead, keys; and Matt White, drums. And unlike 2014’s Girl With A Gun, whose production and instrumentation were controlled by the label and its house jazz trio, Femi-Socialite feels more organic, like it was made by a band whose members have been crammed together amongst equipment in a van, experienced the ups and downs of live performances, and honed their sound on stage. As Connolly notes, “Making this record was like finally learning how recording a band actually works.”
In arranging Femi-Socialite, Connolly wasn’t concerned with weaving a common theme: “Most of the time I just take it as it comes and say thank you.” But time and again throughout the album Jamie Lou and The Hullaballoo invite the listener to ask, Who am I?—Who am I as a lover, a friend, an individual? “Lyrically I write to release,” she says. “It's not something I choose to do. It just has to happen in order for me to mentally survive.” Musically the album takes no prisoners. Opening track “When Someday,” marries a dark groove between drums and finger-picked acoustic guitar to vocals filled with the sorrow of an Appalachian murder ballad and a guitar solo right at home on Dark Side of the Moon. “You Can’t” draws heavily from Southern soul, while “It Is What It Is” and “Don’t Think” evoke an early ‘90s college radio vibe. “I go through genre phases,” Connolly admits, and attributes this to growing up with musical parents. “Sometimes I'll be listening to Michael Franks and [write] a bunch of jazz rock songs. Or I'll be listening to the Byrds and start to write more Americana.” For example, the banjo-laced “Runnin’ on this Heart” and title track, “Femi-Socialite,” were both written during a country phase. “As a band, we have actually had a lot of fun playing [these two],” she adds. Like track two, this collection of songs is what it is: genre-spanning, “dreamy,” soulful, gritty. It’s the reaping of seeds planted and nurtured collectively on-stage, a cohesive vison made audibly manifest. “Nothing excites me more than seeing an artist you never heard about do their thing and proceed to blow your mind. When I saw Jamie Lou & Co. live at George's, I was immediately perplexed at how solid this band was. The Hullaballo nimbly toes the line between singer-songwriter and a sound similar to Pink Floyd or Fleetwood Mac without sounding like either one. Femi-Socialite is an incredible collection of songs that I feel anyone interested in any era of rock music could appreciate. The songs stand out from each other, they get as quiet and loud as they need to be. My personal favorites are "When Someday" with its roaring delaydrenched guitar and "Femi-Socialite", with one of best build ups I've ever heard.
This band kills it and I really want to hear more from them in the coming years.” Erik Ebsen (Auric) “If you haven’t seen or heard Jamie Lou & The Hullabaloo, a five-piece rock band based in Russellville, you’re missing out on one of the best bands to come out of the Arkansas River Valley. Their new extended play (EP) recording “FemiSocialite” paints a sonic landscape full of dark moody valleys and colorful, reverbdrenched mountaintops. It’s a pleasing mix of rock and folk drawing influence from bands like Iron and Wine, My Morning Jacket, and Radiohead as well as local flavors like Sound of The Mountain and Adam Faucett & The Tall Grass. With haunting lyrics and soulful guitar, they’ve been compared to Fleetwood Mac and Wilco. Songs on the EP are drawn out in a pleasing way, reminiscent of jam bands of old with roaring crescendos, quiet lulls, and more than their fair share of lead guitar. Jamie’s gorgeous voice ties it all together and gives the group focus. They are a local supergroup.” – ABOUT River Valley Magazine
www.jamielouandthehullabaloo.com
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Timbo Promotions - Adam Cherepski
Few of us are given the opportunity to have a fun side job that allows us to do things that we enjoy as much, if not a little bit more, than our everyday 9 to 5. For Mark Timmons, he sees his side gig as another full-time job, and that is just fine with him. Timmons owns and operates Timbo Promotions Mobile DJ Service in addition to his day job. When I asked him why he does this, he simply responded that he loves music. Timmons started in 1999 when his friend got him involved in the business. He began working country club events for very little money, but he did it for fun more than anything. Over time, he realized just how much fun it truly was, and he purchased his first full system from his friend. He knew that this is something he wanted to do. What was a fun hobby that he did on the weekends to make some extra cash had now morphed into a full-fledged business.
Now, Timbo Promotions has three other employees and does events across the state. They cover everything from birthday parties to corporate functions to weddings and receptions. Annually, they typically are booked for upwards of sixty weddings a year. This is not even including the number of other events, such as corporate functions, which often include Christmas parties and other occasions. 8
Timmons’ favorite functions are weddings and receptions. He was emphatic in stating the significance of the wedding party and their satisfaction. He knows that this is the day they have dreamed of for quite some time, and he does not take that responsibility lightly. He takes their vision and does everything he can within his power to ensure that this vision comes to fruition. Timbo Promotions has everything you could possibly want in a DJ, and they will take the time to discuss your plan to make sure they meet your expectations. Options include the DJ setup with speakers, a mixer, as well as lighting and other accompaniments. Another great addon that they offer is a photo booth. These are fun for all involved and have been extremely popular for some time. He has different booths of various sizes, and all props are included. The guests participating receive the instant photos, and the clients hosting the event have the option of receiving a CD with all of the photos taken. Have you ever been to an event with a DJ and asked for that one song that was really special to you that no one else has ever heard of ? With a song library that is over 7 terabytes—and to those not familiar with computer storage, that equates to approximately 1.5 million songs—there is a good chance that Timmons has your requests covered. Timmons and Timbo Promotions are there to make your event both memorable and fun for all involved. He even mentioned that when DJing is no longer fun for him, he doesn’t want to do it anymore. Good thing for his clients, both existing and potential, he doesn’t see this happening anytime soon. Find Timbo Promotions on Facebook and at timbopromotions.com.
Toni Frazier, CIC Agent NPR #1743997
Richard Frazier Agent License 23436
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501-554-5561
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10409 Highway 70 North Little Rock, AR
Arkansas' premier diver training facility since 1978 • Scuba Classes • Diving Trips • Service Center
On Monday, January the 8th from 5-7pm a new show by the name of Unsheltered Arkansas will be launching on KABF 88.3 FM. This show will be hosted by Aaron Reddin, founder of The Van, and will give listeners a glimpse into the lives of the thousands of Arkansans who are experiencing and battling homelessness everyday. The show will also highlight the work of various organizations working to combat homelessness across the Natural State. The show will consist of top-notch guests to enlighten you, interviews that will educate you on everything you need to know about our homeless Arkansans, rants that are sure to enrage you, and stories to persuade you that we really can make homelessness brief and rare in Arkansas. YOU can make a difference! So tune that radio dial in to KABF 88.3 FM every Monday from 5-7pm, and check out what's happening across the state. Maybe you will find ways that you can plug in and get involved in the fight against homelessness. KABF 88.3fm is a listener supported, nonprofit 501(c)3 organization. KABF takes its mission seriously and continues to be committed to its founding principles and to serving as a “voice of the people” not only in Arkansas but as far as the signal can reach through any available formats including rebroadcasting and the internet. The first 30 years has been quite a ride, and KABF looks forward to the next 30 years as a great opportunity to continue its mission to educate, inform, agitate, and organize by providing a platform for people to speak their truths and enjoy their music.
• Scuba Equipment • Heated Indoor Pool • Birthday Parties
www.ricksdivecenter.com
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2323 N. Poplar ∙ N. Little Rock, AR 9
eat
Blue Canoe Brewing is one of downtown’s favorite breweries. They now offer a beer themed menu that includes starters, entrÊes, desserts and a slider and float pairing. All available at the taproom. 425 E 3rd St. in Little Rock 501-492-9378
Cabot Meat Market offers a variety of retail meats and seafood including steaks, sausages, pork, hamburgers, chicken and side items. There are family pack specials and salsas, honey, jams and jellies. Processing also available. 119 N. Adams St. in Cabot. 501-843-5511
Nexus Coffee provides high quality, ethical sourced coffee at an optimal meeting and coworking spot. You can order off a full food menu and even grab a local brew while viewing works of art from local artists. 301B President Clinton Ave in Little Rock. 501-295-7515
Faby's Restaurant #2 is located in the heart of downtown Conway. They have a full menu consisting of authentic Mexican and Continental cuisine that will fill your stomach without emptying your wallet. 21023 Front Street in Conway. 501-513-1199
K Bird honors the regional cuisines and street food of Southeast Asia & has definitely become a local favorite. Using all fresh ingredients, the simple menu offers favorites such as pad Thai, fried rice & curry dishes are sure to impress. 600 North Tyler St. in Little Rock. 501-352-3549.
District Fare is the Republic of quality meats and eats. Dine in or take out. They offer sandwiches, house made charcuterie, meats, cheeses and specialty market items not typically found in the area. 2807 Kavanaugh Blvd. in Little Rock. 501-671-6328
Lakewood Fish & Seafood Lounge is a sports bar and seafood joint. You can find sops, salads, oysters, catfish, shrimp, crab, and even an alligator basket. Stop by to check out the daily fish, too! 4801 North Hills Blvd. in North Little Rock in the Lakewood House. 501-758-4299
Doe's Eat Place features Little Rock's favorite steaks, hot tamales with chili, succulent broiled shrimp, tasty grilled salmon, mouth watering hamburgers and more. It is filled with memorabilia that makes the experience what it is. 1023 W. Markham St. in Little Rock. 501-376-1195
Lagniappe @ 610 brings a taste of Louisiana to Downtown. Specials include Red Beans & Rice w/ Smoked Sausage, Chicken & Sausage Jambalaya, and a fish fry every Friday. Food cooked to order. Full service bar open 7 days a week. 610 Center St. in Little Rock. 501-374-4678
Southern Table is a boards, bites and bruschetta eatery specializing in seasonal small plates and a shared menu with world dining options. Proudly serving Southern Table produced cheeses and Raimondo Winery wines and products. 323 S. Cross St. in Little Rock. 501-379-9111.
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AFTER
Arkansas Crawl Space Improvements offers moisture treatments, repairs to damaged and mildewed insulation, vapor barriers, auto and power vent insulation removal, and sump pump installation. 12 years of experience. Call or text now for a FREE estimate. 501-291-8834
shop
BE F ORE
South Main Creative puts an Urban twist on the traditional antique mall with authentic antiques, vintage items, local art and artisan-made goods. Our unique variety of art, craft, and DIY classes are always favorites! Tues-Sat 10-5:30, Sun 10-3. 1600 Main Street in Little Rock. 501-414-8713
Abby Road proudly sells locally-made glass, the latest in vaporizer technology, hand-made festival clothing and accessories, disc golf supplies, unique gifts, decor, and more! 1400 South University Ave. in Little Rock. 501614-6400
LJ’s Automotive Repair provides top-quality automotive services to Central Arkansas. Specializing in all auto repair, they offer everything from oil changes to general problems. A family owned business that fixes what others can’t. 7631 Hardin Drive in N. Little Rock. 501-392-6497
E & B Customs specializes in oversized tires and wheels for any vehicle. They also offer HID Headlights, Powder Coating & Paint. Stop by today and learn how to customize your vehicle! 3623 John F Kennedy Blvd. in North Little Rock. 501-758-0088
Funky Junky has a huge selection of reused, re-purposed and reconditioned furniture from the 60s and 70s, vintage funky finds, clothing and antiques. Its not just a shop, it's a journey through time! 1103 Oak Street in Conway. 501-358-6400.
Central AR Baton Twirling is Janice Jackson Seamand's newest studio that focuses on the instruction of baton twirling to students from beginners to advanced twirlers. Classes offered include group twirling, twirling dance, and private twirling. 1089 Front St. in Conway. 501-733-1131
National Pawn Shop has been locally owned and operated since 1945. Arkansas's oldest gold and diamond broker. Come by today at the corner of Washington and Main Street to buy, sell or trade. 100 E Washington Ave. in North Little Rock. 501-375-6789
My Furniture Warehouse is Arkansas's original & leading mattress warehouse. We sell name brand mattresses and furniture direct from factory at huge savings. Come visit for the best quality at the best prices in Arkansas. 16220 Alexander Rd. in Alexander. 501-455-0501
Legacy Jewelers offers a wide variety of unique jewelry pieces for every budget as well as custom design, jewelry and watch repair, battery replacement, engraving and strap adjustment..Over 40 years of experience. 1604 S. Pine St. Ste B in Cabot. 501-941-3003
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BE A LOCALIST. By Kaitlin Schmidt
Sister Bars of the Sister Cities
Written & Photographed by Richard Ledbetter
"These are my babies. I love these boys!" said Maggie Hinson (right) of Thomas Colclasure (middle) and Conan Robinson (left)
Little Rock, Conway and North Little Rock may be considered sister cities of CentralArkansas. Among their commonalities is a triumvirate of popular bars with mutual roots. The original Midtown Billiards in Little Rock, T.C.’s Midtown Billiards of Conway and Four Quarter in North Little Rock all have Midtown owner Maggie Hinson to thank for their existence. Conan Robinson, who owns Four Quarter, told Local, “When I first happened into Midtown, it was a word-of-mouth place someone told you about. The late-night patrons were mainly bar and restaurant people who came in after their shifts. I was one of those guys who stayed until close, then we’d go to my house and watch movies while the sun came up. “It was a little different back then. Originally, it was more of a daytime place. There were three shifts, 8 AM to 3 PM, 3 to 10 and 10 to 5 AM. We only closed three hours to restock and clean up. We had all these old guys who’d come in early, drink coffee, eat breakfast sandwiches and play dominoes all day. There was a whole bank of telephones back by the bathroom then and they conducted their business from there.” Midtown first opened in 1945. Hinson took up 12
shop there in 1972. “Over the past fifteen years, I’ve watched it go from off the beaten path to the late-night place to be. I started working in the fall of 2000. I was the back bar guy, and Anna Carzenska had the front. She’d always end up outside dealing with some problem and I’d fill in up front. As a result, I ended up at the main bar pretty quick. “It’s always had a sense of community. It’s pretty neat to go out and get waited on by a server then end up meeting again at Midtown later and just hanging out. That’s the lifeblood of what we do.” Recently single and at loose ends, this writer wandered into Midtown for the first time in 2005. An out-of-towner, I wasn’t looking forward to my hour drive home. Juanita’s bartenders Zach and Hess had served me earlier that evening and invited me to Midtown afterward. We hung out, and despite their girlfriend’s reservations, the guys took pity on a wayward stranger, offering up their couch to crash on. Robinson explained how T.C.s and Four Quarter came about.
“I was at Midtown a couple of years before Thomas Colclasure (T.C.’s owner) came to work. Carla Farquhar hired me. Thomas and I were the main dudes there for a long time. Maggie loved us and knew we were building her business. She promised she’d help us get our own places. “Thomas got his first when Conway was trying to get bars. The Mayor called Maggie for help. She asked Thomas if he was ready to be on his own, so they set up T.C.’s. “Then she offered my chance in Argenta. Maggie owns my building that used to be a rough and tumble biker bar back in the ‘80’s called Maxwell’s Coffee House. Then it was Maggie Mae’s Sports Bar and Sidetracks after that. When Phillip Patton was ready to get out of the business, I started fixing the place up in February 2015. I was still bar tending at Midtown and would come over here and paint when I got off. It took a year to get it like I wanted. We opened February 2016.” Describing his growth, he said, “It’s the same old story. It’s hard to get people to drive across the bridge to North Little Rock. But Argenta has really helped that because it’s so awesome. There is dining, breweries, theatre and art.” There’s even the Argenta United Methodist Church three doors down from Four Quarter. “There are big music events at Verizon, and the Travelers at Stephens Park. We had our biggest ever weekend recently with three back-to-back shows in the arena. People come in for a quick meal before then come back and listen to live music afterwards. “When Midtown closed due to the fire, I got a lot of Happy Hour folks from there because we brought a sense of what Midtown is over here. The people I’d known for 15 years had an instant relationship on this side of the river. Midtown is our parent bar. We have the same work ethic and friendly atmosphere that has contributed to all our success.” Then there are the famous burgers. “Midtown originally cooked burgers on a Wal-Mart electric griddle. We made so many we had to replace the griddle every month. We could only fix six at a time, so it might take an hour and a half to get served. Then Maggie got the
The famous burger recipe originated at Midtown Billiards.
big grill and we started pumping them out. We use basically the same recipe in all three bars.” Asked about his bar’s name, he said, “It comes from the quarter note in a music scale.” Regarding the future, Robinson concluded, “Argenta is growing with a new 160,000 squarefoot tech plaza coming and 300 new condos and townhouses going up. I just want to keep doing what I’m doing, being a cool hang out with great bar food and good live music. We won Best New Bar award our first year and Best Bar overall the next, so we must be doing something right”… just like Maggie Hinson taught them.
Thursday night Bottle Toss Championship patrons from left Anna Ruth Douglas, Cody May and Jen Spore.
501-379-9101 515 MAIN ST. N. LITTLE ROCK Mon-Sat: 7AM-6PM MUGSCAFE.ORG
1316 Main St. Little Rock, AR
1611 E. Oak St. Conway, AR
415 Main St. N. Little Rock, AR 13
Attention members & guests
Attention members & guests
Open daily at 3pm Open 7 Days a Week 3PM to 5AM
JANUARY
Live Music, Billiards, Food, & Fun on Tap. Open Daily 11am-2am
5th
JANUARY Dirty Lindsey
6th 12th
Lypstick Hand Grenade
13th
HWY 124
19th
Shotgun Billy’s
20th
Framing the Red
26th
Hooker Red
27th
Raising Grey
2nd
Fanstar
FEBRUARY TBA
3rd
Lypstick Hand Grenade
9th
TBA
10th
John Neal Band
16th
Dirty Lindsey w/ special guests The Muddlestuds
17th
Mathew Carol Band
Plus MUCH more! Check out the website for the full band schedule. Home of the 1/2 lb Midtown Burger!
Live music Fri. & Sat. nights
JANUARY
TCSMIDTOWN.COM
1611 EAST OAK ST. Conway , AR 72032
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MELODIE ROOKER
6th
TITANIUM BLUE
12th
THE MIKE SCHMID BAND
13th
WHISKEY RENDEVOUS
5th
DeFrance
19th
DANGEROUS IDIOTS
6th
Hoodoo Blues Revue
20th
Psychedelic Velocity
26th
VINTAGE PISTOL
27th
DeFRANCE
2nd 3rd
BRIAN NAHLEN BAND
20th The Salty Dogs 26th Low Society Blues Band
9th
BUH JONES
10th
ELECTRIC RAG BAND
16th
DANGEROUS IDIOTS
Sweet Nothings
17th
MELODIE ROOKER
23rd
VINTAGE PISTOL
24th
DeFrance
12th Mike Dillion Percussion
Tour w/ Jim Loughlin of moe., and Otto Shrang
13th Monoculture 14th
Doug Dicharry (free Sunday show 5pm)
19th Matt Spinks Trio
27th Opal Agafia and the
FEBRUARY
2nd Kris Lager Band 3rd
FEBRUARY
Psychedelic Velocity
Vanimal Kingdom
10th Good Foot 16th Mulehead 17th Four Quarter Bar 2nd Anniversary Party w/ Arkansauce
20th Marbin For the complete schedule, check out:
5th
23rd The Big News w/ Fiscal Spliff
full schedule & food menu: www.fourquarterbar.com
415 Main St. N. Little Rock, AR
Trivia on Tuesdays @ 6PM Live Music on Fridays & Saturdays Karaoke on Sundays @ 7PM 1316 MAIN ST•LITTLE ROCK, AR Must be 21 to enter
{
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Featured
LITTLE ROCK est.
2015
LOCAL UNION
Consistently a Cut Above - Adam Cherepski
Recently it appears that the food scene in the Little Rock area is experiencing a time of rapid growth and eclecticism. Restaurants pop up what seems to be weekly. In fact, many national publications have taken notice of what is transpiring in both our metropolitan area as well as the state as a whole and have written numerous articles telling this story. What may be lost in this dynamic transpiration is the importance of consistency—a notion that doing something and doing it well is sometimes lost in the quest to be new and exciting. Sonny Williams’ Steak Room embodies that testimony to consistency. Sonny Williams’ has been in the River Market District since its beginning. It has served as one of the building blocks in the foundation of the now flourishing downtown scene. It opened May 15, 1999, in the same location where it resides today—at the corner of President Clinton and River Market Avenues. In fact, this was one of the first restaurants in the River Market and thus one of the catalysts for its growth. Since that time, the number of dining establishments in downtown Little Rock and North Little Rock are now innumerable. Throughout the rapid growth and increased competition, Sonny Williams’ has remained steadfast. I spoke with Jimmy Young, the general manager and one of the original partners in the venture, about this. I asked him if he was at all concerned with the surrounding restaurants and their effect on his, and he couldn’t have been more complementary. He welcomes the competition because he sees it is a healthy challenge to maintain his quality and service. He even went as far as to say that the more restaurants, the better, and that there was plenty of opportunity for everyone to succeed. Young was one of the original partners
when Sonny’s was opened in 1999. He and his partners sold the restaurant in 2015 to a group of local investors. A short time went by, and these investors came to the realization that it was time to bring Young back into the business. They reached out to him earlier this year and hired him back as general manager to ensure that the original vision for Sonny’s continued, and that is precisely why he agreed to return.
Full Kitchen & Bar Wed - Sat Open until 5am Serving Lunch Mon - Fri 11am-2pm
Available for private parties
501-660-4200 1501 N. University Ave. Little Rock, AR (1st Floor of the prospect building)
thelocalunion.com
Obviously, at Sonny’s, the fare of choice is steak. All of the steaks are either prime or at least upper two-thirds, which speaks to the commitment to quality. They are all cut inhouse daily by their butcher and “master broiler” Todd Weber. The most popular steak on the menu is the Bone-In Cowboy Ribeye, which comes in at 24 to 26 ounces. The Porterhouse for Two is a great option as well at approximately 48 ounces. Unlike most steak houses, Sonny’s steaks come with sides as opposed to à la carte. If you are not feeling up to steaks, Chef Ben Lindley has many other possibilities. The Double Bone Cold-Smoked Pork Chop is the first that comes to mind. Regardless of what you order, you will not be disappointed, and you definitely will not be hungry. This spring, Sonny Williams’ will be collaborating with other area restaurants in a series of restaurant/winemaker dinners that will bring even more life to an already exciting local dining scene. Sonny Williams is located at 500 President Clinton Avenue. Their hours are Monday through Saturday from 5 to 10 p.m. Look for them at sonnywilliamssteakroom.com. Call them at 501.324.2999 for reservations.
OPEN 7 DAYS A WEEK!
Karaoke every Thursday at 9PM
501-372-BREW (2739) 315 Main St., Little Rock, AR
BREWSKISPUBANDGRUB.COM 15
A Lifelong Passion - Richard Ledbetter | Photography by Masters Media Productions It doesn’t take long talking with Rob Gregory for his passion for motorcycles to become obvious. “I’ve lived in Sherwood all my life. Our parents passed away when my brothers and I were very young,” Gregory said. “We were raised by our granddad, Ollard (Ollie) Gregory. He had Sylvan Hills Lawnmower Repair. The school bus dropped us off there every day until we were old enough to have our own motorcycles. At age seven, I was sharpening mower-blades and helping out around the shop with my brothers. “Granddad had an unspoken arrangement with the school that as long as we kept a ‘C’ average, they overlooked our number of absentee days. I went to work with Granddad Mondays, Bart went Tuesdays and Doug was Wednesdays. We all worked after school and summers. That would be child labor abuse today, but we loved it and that was the beginning of my passion for mechanical equipment and motorcycles. “I started riding at age nine. He didn’t mind us having our own dirt bike but he preferred an Enduro so we could drive to and from school and come to work afterwards. He also mowed a lot of private lawns all over town, so we needed 16
a way to get to the job, wherever it was. “When I was twelve, law required you have a 100 CC engine to drive on the freeway in Arkansas. My passion for Indian [brand] began way back then. There was an Indian dealer in North Little Rock, and they had a couple of red Indian Enduro two-stroke cycles with 100 and 175 CC engines that I wanted so badly. But Granddad, who was paying half, said those bikes were made in Taiwan and weren’t really Indians, they just had an Indian logo. They didn’t have the original Indian reliability and I wouldn’t be able to get replacement parts when it broke down. So we settled on a Yamaha. But I never forgot about that red Indian. “My best buddy in high school joined the Navy after graduation. He would send me a Christmas present every year from some port around the world. Knowing how much I wanted a red Indian, two different years I got a tube from him with a poster of a red Indian rolled up in it. After [my wife] Lyndi and I got married and started raising our family, we moved multiple times but managed to keep up with those tubes with the pictures. Every time we’d pack and unpack, she’d ask, ‘Why are we still toting these around? What are you ever going to do with them?’ I’d tell her, ‘You don’t
understand. They’re red Indians, and Scott gave them to me.’ “When we opened our Indian showroom in Sherwood, she had them framed and matted, and they’re on the wall here now.” Explaining how Gregory Polaris came about, Rob Gregory said, “My brothers and I were in the lawn and garden industry for many years. We ended up opening our own lawnmower store. Things tend to slow down in the lawn business come winter, so I worked on threewheelers for friends. That’s where I got my offroad mechanical background. Bart was ready to get out of the lawn business and go into ATVs, so we started looking around for a franchise available in this area. We settled on Polaris because it was the only American owned ATV manufacturer at that time. “We’re located out in the Gravel Ridge area of Sherwood at 14106 Hwy. 107. We opened here in May of ‘95. The building we’re in now was finished in ’97. Polaris thought we were crazy to come this far out, but I’ve always said it’s an ‘if you build it, they will come’ scenario. The best customers in the world show up here. “Brother Bart has another location called Bryant Polaris at 3809 Hwy. 5 in Bryant. He does strictly off-road. His school-age daughters,
Bella and Katie, help out in summer and after school learning the business from him. “I run this store with two of our four daughters, Stephanie, Melissa and her husband Adam. They do it all from books to sales. T.J. is our General Manager, and I rely on him. He is our oldest employee and is like the son I never had. We made him a part-owner because he watches over our daughters and our business. “We basically have two divisions, off-road and on-road. I let T.J., Melissa, Steph and Adam run off-road. I do almost exclusively on-road Indian sales.” Gregory, however, hasn’t been an Indian dealer from the get-go. He explained the evolution: “We’re the oldest Victory motorcycle dealer in the nation. Polaris owns them. We’ve sold their product for 18 years. 2017 will be the last year for Victory. Everything going forward will be branded Indian, and they all come under the Polaris umbrella. “I was excited when I told my wife Polaris had bought Indian in 2011. She asked, ‘Is that a big deal?’ I told her, ‘It’s a huge deal’ because of my long-standing love story for a red Indian. Brother Bart didn’t understand my passion for the Indian franchise but let me run with company money to do what we needed to do to pick it up. In 2013, I saved the first two red Indians we received for him and me. “It was time for Victory to upgrade to new chassis and engines, so it makes sense for that to happen as Indian. J.D. Power rated Victory the most reliable product on two-wheels. Indian would never have known how to build this reliable a tried and tested motorcycle if it hadn’t been for Victory. The years of Victory building bikes has improved overall quality, especially making for a bulletproof engine. Victory has
a ten-year parts warranty guarantee, so we’ll still have their replacement parts well into the future.” Referencing the off-road side of their business, Gregory said, “Polaris is Americanowned with sixteen factories globally, their newest one in Huntsville, Alabama. All the Indian plants are in the U.S. Polaris’ main mission is customer excellence. They’re the major provider for U.S.military off-road and desert-equipped vehicles. The military Dagor is basically a cross between a Polaris Ranger and a RZR with a proprietary diesel engine designed by Polaris. It has a little smaller footprint than the Hummer, with Baja style suspension. Polaris is number one worldwide in all offroad categories.” In regard to on-road offerings, Gregory said, “Indian sales are up 20% for 2017, while the other American-built brand is down 7%. We’re continuing to scratch away at the market. Indian may initially appear a little more expensive than the competition, but when you compare standard Indian equipment to alternative options, they’re $8,000 to $10,000 less expensive. “We’re one of 210 dealers in America, but because we offer custom paint and performance options, our sales are nationwide. We specialize in custom exhaust and engine performance upgrades. We’re one of the only shops open on Monday and a full-service dealer. Brother Doug oversees the service department and warranty. He runs an excellent shop with great technicians that always
ON THE make us look good. “We’re here six days a C OV E R week unless it’s a holiday. We’re Christian-based, so we don’t hold holiday sale events. Everyone here gets to go home and be with their family. I wouldn’t be doing this if it weren’t for my faith. That and my wife has allowed me to do what I love. “When a customer comes in with his spouse, I tell them, ‘Men are part canine.’ They’ll look at me curiously. I say, ‘Put a dog in a car and crack the window. They can’t wait to get their face in the wind. It’s just in our DNA.” Gregory summed up, “When I look back, the last 23 years have been an absolute blur…fast and furious. One thing Granddad taught us was never be afraid of hard work. He didn’t talk a lot, but he had riddles. He’d tell us, ‘If you want to be normal, work eight hours and go home. If you plan on getting ahead in life, be prepared to work half-a-day.’ How many hours are in a day… twenty-four, right? We’re open six days a week but, regardless, when the doors close, the boss is still working.” 14106 State Hwy 107 Jacksonville, Ar 72076 (501) 834-0344 www.gregorypolaris.com
17
Arkansas’s only dealer alternative for service and repair on Volkswagen/Audi
501-244-9618 425 Gum Street N. Little Rock
(Right across from Dickey-Stephens Park)
JONES BROS. P
OL TABLES
Family owned and operated since 1924. · Jewelry making supplies · Classes · Jewelry Repair · Beads, beads & more beads!
Wide Selection of High-Quality Pool Tables and Accessories Shuffleboards
Wide Variety of Games
537-0928
NEW LOCATION!
Furniture
Moving & Repair
1608 South Main St. · Little Rock, AR
501-372-0168 309 W Broadway St. N. Little Rock, AR · www.jonesbrospooltables.com
18
Blue Canoe Brewing The exciting additions to a local brewery - Melissa Tucker
O
ne of the youngest breweries in the area, Blue Canoe Brewing, has seen a growth spurt in the past year. The brewery has gone from nanobrewery status, to micro, and now graduated to small brewer, adding an extra 20,000 square feet of space. The micro-sized space in its original downtown Little Rock taproom—seating approximately 35 beer lovers—will work handin-hand with the new warehouse, which will host private events and more room for brewing. Located on East 15th Street in Little Rock, the warehouse officially opened in late October and houses the brewing line with space set aside for canning in the near future. “We are slowly climbing up the ladder,” said Maci Fellows, operations manager for Blue Canoe. When scouting the location of the warehouse, they looked around downtown and even in Conway but finally settled in the East Village area in an old PC Hardware building.
“We couldn’t find anything priced as well and as large as what we found here in Little Rock. It’s in an industrial area, but it’s been a good thing for us to have something this size,” she said. Construction took most of the spring and summer and ate up all the time the Blue Canoe owners—Patrick Cowen and Laura Berryhill— and crew would’ve spent paddling the Buffalo River. It has been completely renovated into brewing space with a beer garden. “It was very dusty. It took a lot of cleaning and painting to turn it into a good space to have fun in. The biggest project was putting the pavilion up outside and getting a shipping container that would be an outdoor bar,” she said. The space will host special events like yoga, live music, parties and more. Today it has large benches and pews for seating, tables, traditional bar games like shuffleboard, pool and darts as
well as non-traditional diversions like arcade games and oversized versions of Jenga and Connect Four. The warehouse is already booked for events throughout 2018. “We are having a lot of concerts over the next few months. We’ve got a retirement party in January. A bunch of wedding receptions in May. Graduation parties,” she said. “The warehouse space is used more for those special events and beer releases and concerts and Yoga on Draft and things like that. It won’t be a big draw for the general public like the taproom is,” she said. Yoga on Draft is an instructor-led class that consists of an hour of yoga followed by beer drinking and socializing. The class is $10 and includes one pint of your choice. If you would like to attend the yoga class but are under 21 or do not drink, you may attend for $8. Fellows says Blue Canoe won’t add a second kitchen to the new location, because additional warehouse space is earmarked for more brewing containers and the aforementioned canning line, but local food trucks are often on site for when patrons get hungry. “The space is more for us to grow as a brewing company. We will probably occupy this entire space with brewing equipment in the long run,” she said. For those who simply must pair beer with food, there’s always the kitchen in the original taproom, where Fellows says they’re finding more and more ways to add beer to the recipes. She created the menu and says beer typically occupies lots of space in her brain. “I enjoy cooking with beer, even at home,” she said. “And when you’re in this industry, beer becomes your life, so you start to get creative with it. I started using it in all kind of thing, and I wondered, ‘What can you not put beer in?’” She says they have partnered with Old Mill Bread and Flour Company, which makes bread from their spent grains. “We have a beer bread appetizer that is literally beer bread that has been toasted and served with a beer cheese dip made from our blonde,” she said. “All of our sauces have beer. The appetizers have beer. The dessert has beer.” The most popular menu item is the “Sliders and a Float” combo—some might call it a flight, but at Blue Canoe, it’s a float, and it comes with four sliders and four beer pairings. The second most-popular is the fried beer holes with a chocolate syrup made from Blue Canoe’s milk stout drizzled on top. “It sort of like a funnel cake and it tastes like the fair,” she said. “It’s
about the whole experience. And it’s a creative way to have food at a brewery.” In 2018, Blue Canoe will be introducing a beer brunch to the taproom. The beer brunch will feature traditional breakfast with a beer twist. One item being Beer Pancakes served with a Chocolate Milk stout drizzle. Be sure to check it out starting January 6 at 11 a.m. If you are in the mood for a unique dining experience, the Blue Canoe Taproom is open Tuesday through Sunday. Also come see what fun the warehouse has to offer, and stop in January 6 for the Cosmocean concert with food being served by Shambala Mobile Vegan Kitchen.
Blue Canoe Taproom Open Tuesday to Sunday 425 E. Third St. Little Rock (501) 492-9378 Blue Canoe Warehouse 1637 E. 15th St. Little Rock (501) 492-9378 bluecanoebrewco.com 19
Personal Local Service...
Every Day Is Wine Day!
It’s what I do.
(501) 907-5747 April Pollard
Great craft beer selection and
april.pollard@edwardjones.com 11601 Pleasant Ridge Rd. Ste 303 Little Rock, AR 72212
Proudly serving you since 1976
growler bar! 501.834.213 4 Intersection of Kiehl Ave. & Hwy 107
Kubota ZD1211-60
107liquor.com
A taste of Louisiana Daily Specials Mon-Fri
www.fisertractor.com ®
#1 Brunch on Yelp w/ $12 Mimosa buckets, $4 Bloody Marys & the famous Pulled Pork Scramble
Full Service Bar open 7 days a week
501.374.4678 610 Center St., Little Rock, AR
20
Experience the power of Kubota!
Fiser Tractor has the equipment to get 2017 started off right! Sales | Service | Parts | Rental 24218 I-30 Bryant, AR · 501-847-9043
T IMBO
P ROMOTIONS MOBILE DJ SERVICE
Mark Timmons (Owner)
501.993.6264
www.timbopromotions.com (Online Booking Available)
Weddings Birthdays Corporate Events Class Reunions
Living in an Online World Growing your business through online blogging
- April Lane We all know this new world we find ourselves in practically revolves around having and maintaining some form of an online presence both personally, and professionally. The internet is the window to the big, wide open world, and for businesses it is a direct link into the homes of every current and potential customer. Local businesses must compete with big names that can spend a fortune on advertising and placing their products in front of their target audiences. For a small business to find a place amongst it all takes a little extra initiative. This is where a business blog can come in handy for anyone willing to take the time to do a little homework, and crack open their favorite box of candy. Sugar will power you through the writer’s block moments, trust me. Blogging is a wonderful way to invite customers to your business website. It takes some planning, and it needs to be something you commit to right out of the gate for it to succeed. A poorly constructed blog with purely sales pitches will be worse than not having one at all. So, to get you started, here are some tips to consider for launching you forward. Just remember, this is not a race. Before your blog can run, it must first learn to crawl.
1. First and foremost A great blog doesn’t sell. It is a picture of your business. A snapshot really. It shows customer’s why they should do business with you and not some other big store competitor. Don’t be afraid to showcase the actual, real-time foundation of what you have done building your brand. 2. Showcase your story Every labor of love has a story. Your business has been your biggest story yet. Showcase the level of commitment to your customers by linking up with your “originals” and asking them for testimonials. Originals are those customers that first came into your store. They were there from the start and were rooting you on from the very beginning. They know you best, and they have seen you grow and expand.
3. Mention another popular store This can be tricky, but it works. Find another business that is like a cousin to yours, not a sister. One that is popular and that you can link up with. It is important that they also have a blog, or popular social media presence and they are in your niche. Be sure to reach out and let them know your choosing them to comment on, and share your link with them prior to posting. It will broaden your audience, and you will both reap the benefits of each other’s customer base. 4. Answer questions everyone wants to know This is an opportunity to share relevant knowledge that benefits your customer base. Take a poll and find out what your customers are aching to know about you. It could be about products, opening a business, or even something about you personally. The point is to connect. Meaningful connection comes in open forums where your base can ask you anything and know they will get an answer. Be vulnerable, its ok. 5. Show the behind the scenes Show the glitz and glamour, but don’t be afraid to show a picture of you falling off the ladder trying to drape your favorite mannequin while your store clerk snapped the best free fall picture in history. If your lucky someone nabbed a video too. The market is over saturated with perfectly constructed everything. Show them your best side, and your “under construction” side. They will love them both if you stay consistently honest about yourself. The biggest challenge is not necessarily to choose a great name, even though you should really put a little bit of time into that, and research. As far as choosing a hosting option there are a ton to choose from. Go with the highest rated hosts, and read the reviews. The challenge and goal is to be consistent, be reachable, and be honest about your business.
Arkansas Yoga Collective is the place to learn the art and science of yoga. With up to 8 classes a day ranging from beginner to all-levels, private lessons, wellness consultations and weekend workshops, you can create a yoga schedule that works for you. Pair your yoga class with a luxurious massage from Restoration Therapeutics. Enjoy local coffee, amazing teas, all natural products from KIND FOLKE apothecary, Fair Trade gifts and more.
ALL-LEVELS CLASSES SUNRISE YOGA · BEGINNER VINYASA FOUNDATION & ASHTANGA classes EVENING & LATE NIGHT CLASSES GUIDED MEDITATION PRIVATE & CORPORATE YOGA NEW STUDENT SPECIAL! $30 FOR 30 DAYS 501.313.2950 7 8 0 1 C a ntr e l l R d . S u ite D
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FEATURED RECIPE
Louisiana style shrimp rolls This appetizer is perfect for bowl game watch parties. Quick and easy to prepare
• Tesla, Mclaren, Lamborghini, Porsche, Audi and MORE! • If we don’t have what you’re looking for, we’ll find it for you! • Financing is available Photo credit Wendy Kelley
INGREDIENTS: Ω 4 Challah Rolls Ω 1 lb. cooked and chopped shrimp Ω 1 celery stalk, small dice Ω 1 tbs. fresh dill Ω 2 tbs. sliced scallions Ω 1 tbs. chopped Italian parsley (set aside a few leaves for garnish) Ω 2 tbs. prepared horseradish Ω Juice and zest of 1 lemon Ω 1 tbs. Worcestershire Ω 1/3 cups Duke’s or homemade mayonnaise Ω 6 dashes of Louisiana hot sauce Ω 1/2 tsp. Old Bay seasoning Ω 1 tbs. Cajun seasoning Ω Salt and pepper to taste DIRECTIONS: Ω Toast challah buns and set aside Ω Mix all ingredients together in large bowl, folding gently until blended. (Works best to wear a rubber glove and mix) Ω Serve in toasted bun, top with parsley leaf
• Schedule a test drive today
281 Newman Dr North Little Rock
501.309.9970
PROMOTE YOUR BUSINESS! Custom Printed Pens, Koozies, Bags/ Backpacks, Sunglasses, headphones & MORE!
w w w. b a n a n a g r a p h i c s b e n t o n . c o m
Screen Printing & Embroidery
Family owned & operated for 24 years! Recipe brought to you by Donnie Ferneau, of Cathead's Diner. Opening early 2018! 515 Shall Ave. Little Rock, Arkansas 72202
22
105 S. Market St. Benton, AR
501.315.9000
10 Ways to go Local for Valentine's Day This Valentine's Day, why limit showing your love to your significant other? Show your love to the whole community by supporting local businesses for your Valentine's Day gifts, activities, and more! When you spend your money at local businesses rather than national chain stores, up to four times more money stays and circulates in the local economy, creating more jobs, funds for public safety and schools, and overall more vibrant neighborhoods. Local businesses will also have the most unique items and services that will sweep your sweetheart of their feet. Skip the chain stores and show your sweetheart some local love. Here are our Top 10 ways to go local for Valentine's Day: 1. Purchase a unique piece of jewelry from a local jewelry artist or store. Find the most unique pieces (and at great prices) when you visit local and independent jewelry artists and stores. 2. Spend a romantic evening enjoying dinner at a local restaurant. If the one you love is a foodie, treat him or her to an amazing dining experience at one of the best local restaurants. Many are offering special Valentine's Day menus, so get your reservations
in before spots fill up! 3. Choose Arkansas-made wine, beer, or spirits when eating out, or pick some up for enjoying at home. Did you know that Arkansas is home to some highly ranked wineries, breweries, and distillery? Drink local for this special day and taste what Arkansas has to offer. 4. Select locally made candy or sweets to really please your sweetie's sweet tooth. Who doesn't love chocolate? Avoid the big boxes and bland flavors by going with a local sweets producer. 5. Head to your local florist to get the freshest bouquet of flowers. Go local? Grow local! Go with the local florists to pick a bouquet that will really impress your significant other. 6. Choose a local business for other gifts and cards. Show your love by getting him or her a oneof-a-kind card, many local boutiques carry handmade ones and offer other great gifts. 7. Head out of town for a romantic getaway. If you and your honey like to travel, think local! There are many great romantic getaway options right here in Arkansas.
8. Gift local personal care products (for men, too!) Treat your loved one to some luxurious personal care with locally made lotions and beauty products! Many are made with natural ingredients to minimize chance of irritation and maximize self confidence. 9. A spa day makes a great gift for the both of you. If your loved one has seemed a bit stressed lately, a local spa day will make a great gift for the both of you! He or she will return to you rejuvenated and relaxed, ready to celebrate your love together. You could even do a couple's massage! 10. Declare Your Love for Local. Make the decision to try to shop at locally owned businesses for all of 2018!
Since 1870 Bennett’s Military Supplies has been Arkansas’ oldest and largest store of its kind.
We specialize in: · Genuine Military Items · Boots Clothing · Packs & Gear & Airsoft Products
DOWNTOWN 501- 353-1045 323 Center St Little Rock, AR
B R AY GOUR MET.COM Mon-Thurs 7:30am - 3pm Friday 7:30am - 2pm
CARTI 501-660-7699 8901 CARTI WAY Little Rock, AR
BREAKFAST
7:30am - 9:30 am 608 Main Street · Little Rock
501-372-2944
LUNCH
10:30am - close 23
365 Yoga Dream
L ET U S
HELP YOU BUILD YOUR
-Sarah Thomas Pilcher
BRAND
Contact us now for all your Design & Print Services Honestly, no New Year’s resolution is going to work if you are still holding on to the past 12 months of toxins: emotional baggage, mental stress, and physical degradation. January is the perfect time to get serious about cleansing your mind, body, and soul of all these things that are holding you back from living a balanced life. Pick a day or even an hour before the new year, and just unplug from everything. Write down your accomplishments and failures from this year and look at your failures and see what you have learned from them. List what your goals are for the new year. Take five minutes to meditate and let go of the past. Cry if you need to and hug yourself for just being brave enough to free yourself from last year's negativity, and just move on to the next fresh, new year. Start the new year with this new list, but each day next year write down your daily goals. As yogis, we know that each day changes, as does each year. A lot can happen in a year, so try accomplishing your goals day by day. You will have some failures but learn from them and thrive. Mediation Cleanse for New Year ¬ Get Comfortable & Breathe. Sit or lay on the floor. Rest the palms of your hands on your thighs and relax your arms. Look straight ahead but try not to focus anywhere in particular. Take a deep breath and start feeling your heartbeat. ¬ After a few breaths, move your attention to your calves. Feel these for several breaths. Then move your attention to your thighs, then to your abdomen and lower back, your chest and upper back, your shoulders, your arms, and lastly your head. Let your awareness cover your whole body. The idea is to “scan” your body with your attention, stopping for a few breaths on each part. This practice will strengthen your ability to direct and hold your attention. Practicing being present will help clear the negativity from your mind. You will begin to be able to use your energy and attention to stay present and be more productive. Practicing this 5-minute meditation is a great way to help strengthen your ability to stay present and anxiety-free throughout the year 24
501.554.1126 ¬ wokocreative@gmail.com
Mon - Sat 5pm - 10pm
www.sonnywilliamssteakroom.com 500 President Clinton Ave. Little Rock, AR • 501-324-2999
RE/MAX Real Estate Connection
913 West Main Suite D Cabot, AR 72023 www.cabotrealestate.com
(501)843-3067 #1 Real Estate Company in the World!
Why is
Local
Shopping
FIND YOUR HOME AT CENTERSTONE
?
Important to You
AARON REDDIN
As a nonprofit who serves our local unsheltered people, I like to spend our dollars at local businesses who befriend the unsheltered Arkansans around them and use their time and resources to invest in those people. I have seen local businesses give jobs to people who were able to overcome homelessness as a result of the employment. I try hard to give places like that our business.
President/ Founder of The Van
Shopping local is important to me because I know that when I shop local, I am directly helping a family or a friend. It goes much deeper than just purchasing items from a store. To me, when you shop local, you’re helping to not only support their business, but also their home. Whether it’s helping directly or supporting a small business, it’s a good and hearty experience- every time.
501.328.2179 835 S DONAGHEY AVE CONWAY, AR WWW.ARGENTAFLATS.COM
COME HOME TO ARGENTA
RENEE GIAMBALVO
Small businesses are what got America up and running. As the marketing and accounting manager of a local small business, I understand the importance of a small Business first hand. The product is sold by someone you know and you will get service from someone that you trust. The key to any small business is service after the sale!
RGENT LATS
MELISSA KELLY Finance Manager at Gregory Polaris
As a native Arkansan and a member of the North Little Rock and Little Rock communities, I feel it is important to give back to my community by supporting locally owned businesses and buying locally made products.
HILDY DEMPSTER GT Teacher at Fulbright Elementary
501.712.1214 123 W 7TH ST NORTH LITTLE ROCK, AR WWW.ARGENTAFLATS.COM
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Resolutions and Revolutions - April Lane
There is something to be said about how nostalgic it can be to once again say, “That’s a wrap.” To look forward to the year ahead once more and begin the journey toward another summit of our lives. The expectations and the sentiments of 2017 have started to get put to bed, and the hope of a brand-new year has begun to rise. The age-old tradition of setting resolutions has taken place, and the clocks have started ticking toward our precious deadlines once again. We get to witness those around us valiantly hurdling toward their goals and aspirations as we throw ourselves into our own. It is also humbling. The way we look back on the previous year often puts a mark on us, and that mark can run deep. Did we succeed in all we set out to do? Were the setbacks merely setups for the next chapter? Were the public stumbles superseded by the private victories? Our answers will vary based upon our individual experiences and our willingness to have an open mind about the events we tend to label good or bad.
At the same time, we have laughed, celebrated, loved, and we have created amazing new things that were not here before. We made commitments to once again do our best and to be our best selves. We have gotten in the arena and fought valiantly. We have also spent time in the nosebleed section. Moving forward again, we all know that there are some basic suggestions to have the “best year yet,” such as: eating well, reading more, working out, being kind, giving each day your best, lending someone a helping hand, and when failing, fail with courage. These are worthy resolutions, and many of us strive for them each year. Some of us fall short, while others sail through with ease. Sadly, there is not an exact formula that can help us all win at life, but there is also something wonderfully inspiring about learning this and accepting life on life’s terms. Last year, 26
I encountered a bit of wisdom: the “Rules of being human.” Adapted from Cherie CarterScott’s If Life is a Game, These are the Rules: Rule One: “You will receive a body. You may love it or hate it, but it will be yours for the duration of your life on Earth.” Since you only get one, spend a little time this year showing it some love and critiquing it a little less. It is a vessel that carries something pretty special, and comparing it to anyone else’s is a waste of time. Rule Two: “You will be presented with lessons. You are enrolled in a full-time informal school called 'life.' Each day in this school, you will have the opportunity to learn lessons. You may like the lessons or hate them, but you have designed them as part of your curriculum.” Failures are simply lessons, and we should expect them. They are a harsh fact of life that will almost always leave us stronger and wiser in the end if we fully embrace them and give ourselves the time and grace needed to work through them. Rule Three: “There are no mistakes, only lessons. Growth is a process of experimentation, a series of trials, errors and occasional victories. The failed experiments are as much a part of the process as the experiments that work.” The discomfort we experience during growth is essential to the next phase of our personal development. Without it, we would remain stagnant, and that would be even worse than the pain of our mistakes. Rule Four: “A lesson is repeated until learned. Lessons will be repeated to you in various forms until you have learned them. When you have learned them, you can then go on to the next lesson.” This one is hard to swallow. It is bittersweet, slightly more on the bitter side, because it often takes many of us multiple attempts to learn some of life’s lessons. Rule Five: “Learning does not end. There is no part of life that does not contain lessons. If you are alive, there are lessons to be learned.” Sometimes we seek the peak of where we think life is meant to take us, and that once
we arrive we will have learned all we need to learn, not knowing that in many cases it is about appreciating each of the summits along the way. We will stand tall and proud on some of them, and others we will reach by barely pulling ourselves up there. Still, we will reach for the next and the next. Rule Six: ‘There' is no better than 'here'. When your 'there' has become a 'here,' you will simply obtain a 'there' that will look better to you than your present 'here'. We often seek after and search for success and happiness “out there” when the present moment can be a beautifully satisfying place if we learn to accept it for what it is and what purpose it serves. Rule Seven: “Others are only mirrors of you. You cannot love or hate something about another person unless it reflects something you love or hate about yourself.” To effectively deal with ourselves and others, we need to evaluate the perspective we have and why we have it. This alone can revolutionize the way we interact with anyone we meet. Rule Eight: “What you make of your life is up to you. You have all the tools and resources you need. What you do with them is up to you.” We have the choice to make any situation a birthplace of growth or destruction. No matter which we choose, our own two hands will do the work that matters most. Rule Nine: “Your answers lie inside of you. All you need to do is look, listen and trust.” Often the criticism of others and the difficulties we face cause us to second guess ourselves all too frequently. Trusting in oneself is a challenge, but one worthy of tackling.
2018 Fun Goal: e Take a walk on the wild sid with a tour like no other! Rule Ten: “You will forget all of this.” There is no such thing as perfect adherence to any set of rules. None of us is a saint, and we often forget the rules we have learned until a moment comes in which it is time to revisit them.
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Tattoos & Piercings Since 1998 It may be the most challenging resolution of all time to radically apply these rules to our daily routines and daily struggles. It is not intended to be the holy grail of goals; it is merely a place in which to glean some perspective for how to set a solid foundation. It doesn’t mean to stop doing squats or trying your very best to get that new job. Throw yourself into the things that set you on fire. Give it your all, and do so daringly. While you are charging forward, be sure to be mindful. The world is a beautiful, raw and everexpanding place. It is nothing short of amazing. The highs are high, and the lows are low. The grand moments are grand, more times than not, because of the effort we place into working toward them. The moments we all experience throughout the year will serve a purpose. It will be glorious and grim depending on the day and what we have set out to achieve. This year has started the countdown of 365 more days of our extraordinary lives. No matter what we set out to accomplish this year, it will overall be a momentous year if we set out to “make it so.”
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Conway Yoga Going Inside at Go Inside Yoga - April Lane
T
he city of Conway has been greatly blessed with many growing businesses over the years. In this issue of Local, we take time to celebrate and highlight Go Inside Yoga, a community staple and headquarters for yoga over the last five years for many Conway residents. Yoga evokes the union of body, mind and soul; the union of ego and spirit; and the union of the mundane and the divine. No matter what style a student gravitates toward, the overall practice embodies a genuine desire for embarking on a journey of personal growth and understanding of oneself and the connection of the physical to the metaphysical. Johanna Epps, owner and instructor at Go Inside Yoga, has gifted the city with a lovely house of serenity since its opening in 2012. She grew up in Guy, Ark., and graduated from the University of Central Arkansas. After that, she worked at Acxiom for some time, and then transferred to Arizona. Her then-boyfriend took her to yoga in the fall of 2001. “I realized in that very first class that this was something special. It was the first time I was aware of myself not thinking. I was hooked,” she said.
She decided to get her training a year later and then began teaching at At One Yoga and continued to teach in Arizona for eight years. “In March of 2009, I became pregnant with my daughter and knew that I wanted to return to Arkansas to be near family. I returned in October of 2009 and had my daughter in December,” she said. “I took three years to just be a mom, and I’m so glad I had that time to just focus on her, but I was really starting to miss teaching and belonging to a yoga community” She wasn’t sure what she was going to do about yoga and working, but then her Grandfather offered to let her use this building and her dad offered to remodel it for her. The building that houses Go Inside has been in the 28
family for years. It was her great grandmother’s restaurant, known to the locals as Ma Tucker’s. “When we moved here from California, when I was 4, my mother helped her run the restaurant” Epps said. “Before I started Kindergarten, and then every summer, I used to go with my mom to work and sit at the table and color. People started bringing me crayons and paints and stuff. I just have super fond memories of the place. When my grandfather offered to let me use it, it was a no-brainer. It was in bad condition, but luckily my dad is a carpenter, so he totally remodeled it for me and made it beautiful. I just went for it.” The doors opened on November 17, 2012. “I chose the name because that is what yoga is about for me: going inside. We often look outside ourselves for the answers, but no one knows what’s best for us more than we do. We just have to develop the ability to be still and observe ourselves, the courage to be honest about what we find and the compassion with ourselves as we muddle through our healing process.” Known for the variety of classes she teaches and offers, Epps can bring a range of practices to the mat for her students. “I did my initial 200 hour training in 2002 in Arizona at a place called At One Yoga,” she said. “At One was always bringing in big name teachers, so I can honestly say that I have practiced with most of the top-level yoga teachers in the country. To take it to the next level, in 2006, I traveled to Massachusetts to a center called Kripalu, where I completed an advanced training with Ana Forrest.” After sustaining some injuries, Epps decided to get serious about learning more about anatomy and how to be safer with yoga practice. “In 2013, I travelled to California to complete the Yoga Tune Up training with Jill Miller,” she said. “Another thing that came out of dealing with injuries was the realization that when the physical practice of yoga is gone, all you are left with is the meditation, and so I decided to get more serious about developing a meditation practice.” Following that, Epps participated in additional training each year to further support her desire to continue to contribute knowledge and understanding of the practice to her students. When asked about how opening the business has impacted her life, Epps replied, “Honestly, opening this business has been one of the best decisions I’ve made. My dad told me that my
grandfather said I could use the building if I wanted it, and when he asked me if that’s what I wanted, I said ‘yes.’ I didn’t have any idea how it would go or how I would do it, but it just felt right, and I figured I’m a smart girl, I’ll figure it out as I go along, and I have.” Epps said Yoga has truly been a lifesaver. It provides a haven for growth, healing and expansion of the mind, body and spirit. The community and the love found while practicing so peacefully with other people is a feeling and an event with benefits not to be understated. Those who go back again and again say they find there is energy created through yoga that they really cannot find in many other places. Students can look forward to many different classes, such as the newly added Yoga Nidra. For a full listing of classes, and upcoming workshops students can visit Go Inside Yoga’s website (goinsideyoga. com) or Facebook/goinsideyogastudio.
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sponsor please visit www.designing-hope.org or call 501-301-4913. Be sure to stay tuned to the Designing Hope Foundation Facebook page for all the 2018 event details.
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-Linda Rowe Thomas.
Photo by Mike Russell Photography
Sometimes in life, you encounter real difference makers; those who inspire you with their courage in the face of adversity. Local Magazine was fortunate enough to meet local fashion designer, Linda Rowe Thomas a few years ago and is excited to parter with her cause for the 2018 Designing Hope Fashion Show. Over her lifetime, she has turned her childhood hobby of sewing into a successful, full-time career as an incredibly talented fashion designer. Linda said, “In spite of the 'no’s', the doors closed in my face, the times I was overlooked, underestimated, unappreciated, laughed at, pointed at, or completely ignored…I have always believed in my ability to become the fashion designer that I believed in my heart I was created to be.” Linda had a personal revelation when she was asked to be a counselor at Camp Sunshine, a collaboration with Arkansas Children's Hospital Burn Unit and Arkansas Professional Fire Fighters Association to provide a four-day
camp for burn survivors. Linda stated, “It was then that I realized my life was not my own. My strength was not solely for myself. In fact, I had been given another purpose other than fashion designing—that purpose was to design hope.” What began in 2010 as a small fashion show to help aid Camp Sunshine has grown tremendously and is now known as the Designing Hope Foundation. Designing Hope is a 501 c3 non profit organization committed to the empowerment of burn survivors by promoting physical and emotional healing as well as their continued growth and development. Linda’s vision for her foundation is to be a premier organization to empower burn survivors through peer support, advocacy programs and quality of life enrichment. “As a burn survivor, I was in and out of the hospital for over 18 years and my family never incurred a single medical bill. All because of organizations that dedicated themselves to raising funds to help families. That's why I will forever put my heart and soul into Designing Hope and striving to give other burn survivors hope.” This year, the annual Designing Hope Fashion Hope will be taking place at The Albert Pike and will include a VIP reception and food sampler, a silent auction and of course, the fashion show featuring works from Linda Rowe Thomas and pieces from local boutiques. For more information or to see how you can become a
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