April 2013
STICK A FORK IN IT Margot McNeeley’s Project Green Fork
&
STAR MICEY
Happy Music for Happy People
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2 APRIL 2013 | myclickmag.com
CONTENTS APRIL 2013 • VOLUME 7 • NO. 4
| FEATURES |
60 SPRING FORWARD
From killer platforms and darling spring lace, to bright jewelry and electric bags — we bring you the best looks for Springtime.
71 PETITE PARADE
Floral patterns, plaid designs, bright colors and fashions straight out of fairy tales will keep your little ones in style this spring.
78 SEEDS OF PROGRESS
A look at five farmers developing and sustaining the local food system of Memphis and the MidSouth.
| OUT & ABOUT | 42
“BOOT SCOOTIN’ GALA”
44
BYHALIA MARDI GRAS PARTY
45
PASSPORT TO OREGON 2013
47
OPERA MEMPHIS WILD GAME DINNER
48
DESOTO’S BEST 2012
51
PHOENIX CLUB MARDI GRAS & CASINO PARTY
52
SOUP SUNDAY
53
WINE FOR WISHES BENEFITING MAKE-A-WISH
ON THE COVER: PHOTO BY MICHAEL HENSLEY Lace dress by Ark & Co., $48, and coral necklace, $28, LOLA B; T-strap heels by Just Fabulous tan, $56, JANIE ROSE; Gold ring, $15, ON A WHIM. White lace dress by White House/Black Market, $15, SUGAR PLUM; Wedges by Nicole, $99, BRADLEE SLOAN; Olaria ceramic necklace, $112, MIMI’S ON MAIN; Tori Burch cross earrings, $7, ON A WHIM. THIS PAGE: PHOTO BY MICHAEL HENSLEY Chevron dress by Diora, $38, LOLA B; Wedges by Yellow Box, $56, BLUE OLIVE; Black clutch, $52, JANIE ROSE. Necklace, $25, ULTIMATE GIFTS.
APRIL 2013
•
VOLUME 7
•
NO. 4
| DEPARTMENTS |
13 PEOPLE
CONTENTS
The Scenic Route Greg Maxted’s Harahan Bridge Project aims to make transportation a breeze for MidSouth cyclists
18 FOOD
Let Them Eat Cake! Hernando locals Ronald and Dianne Bishop enjoy sweet
18
success with City Hall Cheesecake
22 MUSIC
City Folk Eclectic Americana quartet Star & Micey share the trials and tribulations of the road to the Beale Street Music Festival
26 CULTURE
Born from Sweat and Sawdust Hernando native Bubba Black talks furniture, dreams and hard work.
30 BOOKS
Approaching Barry Hannah 30+ essays celebrating the life of a writer who Truman Capote once famously labeled “the maddest writer in the U.S.A.”
33 STYLE
Accessory Report: Our picks for the best bags, shoes and jewelry of the season
71
86
38 THE KNOWLEDGABLE MAN Know Your Beer Glass
Think you know what glass to use with the beer you’re drinking? Think again.
56 CAUSES
Making an Impact Faith-based nonprofit Impact Missions provides an anchor of hope for neglected and abused children.
86 FEATURE
Project Green Fork MidSouth restaurants set a model for sustainability with exceptional dining for the green-minded.
95 ENTERTAINING
A Taste of Tuscany
96 ON THE MONEY 106
The $23,000 Mistake What You’re Doing Wrong—and How to Fix It
96 SEE & DO 112
Mudbug Bash 2013
Plan an intimate dinner party with casual fare and decoration rich in color.
96 LIVE WELL 102
The Confidence to Smile How good dental health can change your attitude and outlook on life
4 APRIL 2013 | myclickmag.com
IN EVERY ISSUE: Editor’s Letter 6 Contributors 8 Calendar 10 Reader Recipes 100
26
myclickmag.com | APRIL 2013 5
HALLIE MCKAY
CLICK | editor’s letter
Welcome to your new issue of Click magazine. Our big Spring fashion issue is packed with tons of new clothes. Check out “Spring Forward“ (p.60) for a comprehensive shopping guide to the season. As April is usually a month that celebrates environmental movements, our team set out to showcase those people, projects and the various iconic institutions working to make our communities cleaner, healthier places to live. Check out “The Scenic Route” (p.13), in which contributing editor Casey Hilder sits down with Greg Maxted, Executive Director, Harahan Bridge Project to discuss the region’s most ambitious and impressive bicycle/ pedestrian project to date. And be sure to read “Stick a Fork in It” (p.86) for a look at how local restaurants are embracing sustainable practices in their small businesses. A lot of credit goes to a tribe of green-minded farmers, who are trailblazing new ways of cultivating food. Check out “Seeds of Progress“ (p.78). This month, we also introduce to our pages “The Knowledgable Man”, (p.38) a new section geared toward – you guessed it – the men! Curated by Click’s creative design director, Crace Alexander, “The Knowledgable Man” runs the gamut of masculinity, covering everything from the elements of a well-suited man to a look at the year’s hottest car to a foolproof plan to gift-giving. We’re especially delighted to celebrate one of our biggest issues so far. As we grow, so does our editorial – and our team at Click is always thrilled with the news of additional pages! Thank you to all our readers, advertisers and partners who continue to support us.
Keep reading,
Editor in Chief
6 APRIL 2013 | myclickmag.com
CLICK People | Parties | Places Publisher Jonathan Pittman jpittman@phpublishingllc.com
Associate Publisher Angie Pittman angie@phpublishingllc.com
Editor in Chief Hallie Mckay editor@myclickmag.com
Art Director Detric Stanciel Creative Design Director Crace Alexander
EDITORIAL Copy Editor Tonya Thompson Contributing Editor Casey Hilder
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Elizabeth Cooper, Julia Crowley, Casey Hilder, Michelle Hope, Dawn Klingensmith, Samuel Praeger, Margot Pera, Tim Summers, Natalie Troutt
CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS Lisa Chapman, Annabella Charles Photography, Jamie Harmon, Michael Hensley, Casey Hilder, Rebecca Jaffe, Jonathan Pekar, Kristena Saxton, Cassie Smith, Detric Stanciel
INTERNS Faith Ferrell, Maggie Vinzant
ADVERTISING Advertising Director Lyla McAlexander lylamc@phpublishingllc.com
Jamie Boland
jamie@phpublishingllc.com
Melanie Dupree
mdupree@desototimestribune.com
Jeannette Myers
jmyers@phpublishingllc.com
HOW TO REACH US 2445 Hwy 51 South | Hernando, MS 38632 website: myclickmag.com Customer Service/subscriptions: P: 662.429.6397 | F: 662.429.5229 ©2013 P.H. Publishing. Click magazine must give permission for any material contained herein to be reproduced in any manner. Any advertisements published in Click magazine do not con stitute an endorsement of the advertiser’s services or products. Click Magazine is published monthly by P.H. Publishing, LLC.
SUBSCRIPTIONS Call 662.429.6397 or subscribe online at myclickmag.com. Annual subscription rate: $32.95. Click Magazine is published 12 times a year. Postmaster: Send address changes to Click Magazine, 2445 Hwy. 51 South, Hernando, MS 38632. We make every effort to correct factual mistakes and omissions in a timely and candid manner. Information can be forwarded to Hallie McKay; Click Magazine, 2445 Hwy. 51 South, Hernando, MS 38632 or by email to editor@myclickmag.com.
SUBMIT YOUR EVENT Interested in having your next party featured in Click magazine? Submit your event by going to myclickmag.com or email us at events@Myclickmag.com.
myclickmag.com | APRIL 2013 7
CLICK | contributors
APRIL 2013
Michael
Hensley
The photos you see in this month’s cover feature “Spring Forward” (page 60) were shot by photographer Michael Hensley. The photographer/attorney/ entrepreneur grew up around his father’s constant art projects, which helped instill a deep appreciation for all forms of art. That passion stuck and today he is the owner of Michael Hensley Imagery (HensleyImagery.com), a company specializing in photography and multimedia creations. Hensley holds a degree in Architectural Engineering from the University of Southern Mississippi, as well as a law degree from the University of Mississippi. Hensley resides in Hernando, where he continues to practice law. (@hensleymph)
Margot
Tonya
A Southern-born writer, Thompson has spent most of her life between Nashville and the Mississippi Delta. Now, a contributing editor for Click magazine, Thompson writes frequently on motorcycling and life in the South. Originally from Clarksville, Tennessee, Thompson is also the owner of The Tenth Muse—a local ghostwriting and editing service (tenthmusememphis. com). In her spare time, she enjoys vintage motorcycling and traveling with her husband and children. Read her story “Making An Impact” on page 56 of this month’s issue.
Lisa
Elizabeth
Cooper
The author of this month’s feature, “Seeds of Progress” (page 78), Elizabeth Cooper is a woman of many talents. She has worked as a farmer, a barista, a house cleaner and a carpenter. She studied journalism in an effort to harmonize her passion for the written word with her desire for independence and a social lifestyle. In her spare time, Cooper enjoys frequenting subterranean bars in search of the avantgarde, riding her bike and being with her family and friends. Cooper recently won the Marc Perrusquia Investigative Journalism Award in 2012 and has had several pieces published in The Memphis Flyer and the Do-It-Yourself publication, Don’t Look. 8 APRIL 2013 | myclickmag.com
Thompson
Pera
Margot Pera is a senior journalism major at the University of Memphis. She attended the Webb School in Bell Buckle, TN, where she was active in theater, starring in Steel Magnolias as Truvy. Among many things, she particularly enjoys writing on topics of religion, community initiatives and news of the weird. In her spare time, she enjoys reading, exercising and spending time with her pugs, Buck and Olive. After college, Pera plans to move out west to pursue a career in writing. This month, Pera investigates the recent upswing in Project Green Fork certified restaurants. Read her story on page 87 of this month’s issue.
Chapman
Photos from our fashion feature “Petite Parade” (page 71) were taken by photographer Lisa Chapman. A frequent contributor to Click magazine, the Olive Branch resident has spent years as a photographer specializing in family and children’s portraits, as well as weddings and other special events. While her time is largely spent behind the camera, Chapman’s real passion is being a wife and a mother to two kids.
Samuel
Prager
Born and bred in Memphis, Tennessee, Samuel Prager is a freelance arts and entertainment writer who specializes in band profiles and curiosity pieces. Since discovering his passion, he has written many articles covering concerts in Memphis and music-related scandals. He has covered the Inaugural Induction of the Memphis Music Hall of fame and interviewed and photographed a variety of southern musicians including Otis Redding III, Muck Sticky and ZZ Top. Other than writing, Prager enjoys performing under alter-ego stage name “Alias ManCub,” dining at CK’s Coffee Shop, and listening to 91.7 the Jazz Luvr. Along with Jazz, Prager’s musical tastes include acoustic pop, classic rock, and pop-punk. This month, Prager writes a feature on the musical journey of local band Star & Micey (page 22).
myclickmag.com | APRIL 2013 9
CLICK CLICK | | dining calendar out
APRIL 2013 Events SUNDAY
SOCIAL
MONDAY
GRIZZLIES VS SPURS
NOW PLAYING:
TUESDAY
7 p.m., FedExForum 800.745.3000, ticketmaster.com
SYLVIA
WEDNESDAY
1 LIGHT IT UP BLUE AUTISM BENEFIT
2
3
9
10
5 - 9 p.m., DeSoto Arts Council 662.404.3361, desotoarts.com
Theatre Memphis 901.682.8601 theatrememphis.org
GUYS & DOLLS, JR.
Kudzu Playhouse Hernando Performing Arts Center kudzuplayers.com
7
VS BOBCATS 8 GRIZZLIES 7 p.m., FedExForum 800.745.3000, ticketmaster.com
THE FOREIGNER
PARTY
DeSoto Family Theatre 662.280.6546 dftonline.org
P H O T O S
at
MYCLICKMAG.COM
14
15
SUBMIT 21
5-8 p.m, Tickets $150 Felicia Suzanne’s 80 Monroe Ave, Memphis 901.692.9508
28 MIDSOUTH SPRING WEDDING SHOW 1 p.m.- 5 p.m., Admission $15 Whispering Woods Hotel Midsouthweddingshow.net
10 APRIL 2013 | myclickmag.com
OPENING THIS MONTH: HERNANDO FARMERS MARKET VOTED 7TH IN THE COUNTRY 7th Annual Hernando Farmers Market 8 a.m.- 1 p.m., DeSoto County Courthouse 662.429.9092
A N E V E N T E M A I L U S EVENTS@MYCLICKMAG.COM
DISHES FOR WISHES
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GRIZZLIES VS JAZZ 7 p.m. FedExForum 800.745.3000 ticketmaster.com
17
4.20 - 10.26
22
23
29
30
24
CLICK | calendar
AGENDA THURSDAY
HOOTENANNY HOEDOWN 4 - 25 Thursdays 7-9 p.m. Olive Branch Old Towne 662.893.0888, olivebrancholdtowne.com
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5
Your monthly resource for what’s happening around town.
FRIDAY
SATURDAY
6
MEMPHIS FASHION WEEKEND
6:30-10 p.m., Tickets $50 The Cadre Building memphisfashionweekend.com
GIRLS NIGHT OUT
6-10 p.m. Members $20, Non-Members $25 Memphis Botanic Gardens 901.636.4131 memphisbotanicgarden.com
9TH ANNUAL MUDBUG BASH
6 -11 p.m., Tickets $75 Panola Street, Hernando 662.328.5708 palmerhome.org
13
IMPACT MISSIONS “HEARTS CRY” FAMILY DAY
2 -10 p.m., Admission free until 6 p.m. Southaven Arena 662.342.2019, impactms.org
30TH ANNUAL OLIVE BRANCH GOLF TOURNAMENT
18
19
Cherokee Valley Golf Course, Olive Branch 662.895.2600, olivebranchgolf.com
25
HEADS-N-TAILS BEER & CRAWFISH FESTIVAL
20
2-3 p.m, Tickets $40 Snowden Grove Amphitheater 800.745.3000
27
26-27 SOUTHAVEN 33RD ANNUAL SPRINGFEST Snowden Grove Park 662.280.2489, Southaven.org
DAVE MATTHEWS BAND
7 p.m. Snowden Grove Amphitheater 800.745.3000, ticketmaster.com
B.B. KING
8 p.m., Gold Strike Casino Tunica Resorts, MS 662.357.1111, ticketmaster.com
SOUTHERN HOTWING FESTIVAL
11 a.m. - 6 p.m., Advance Tickets $7.50 Jefferson Davis Park, Memphis southernhotwingfestival.com
myclickmag.com | APRIL 2013 11
12 APRIL 2013 | myclickmag.com
UP FRONT Arts, culture and personalities
people
The Scenic Route Greg Maxted’s Harahan Bridge Project aims to make transportation a breeze for MidSouth cyclists story by CASEY HILDER
Current
myclickmag.com | APRIL 2013 13
CLICK | people
THOMAS R. MACHNITZKI
n 1916, the mayor of Memphis was political powerhouse E.H. “Boss” Crump, the First World War was in full swing and The Harahan Bridge, a 4,972-foot cantilevered pathway originally intended to hoist railroad cars high above the Mississippi River, was erected. Now, nearly a hundred years later, one Memphis businessman has proposed an ambitious plan to update the bridge for pedestrian and cyclist use in the 21st century. The Harahan Bridge Project is a bike path initiative headed by Greg Maxted, Executive Director of the project and co-owner of Maxline, Inc. Maxted has spent the greater part of two years constructing a plan to urge city officials to refurbish the bridge as a pedestrian and cyclist-friendly walkway. In 2012, the city of Memphis was awarded a federal grant for the “Main Street to Main Street Multimodal Connector Project,” with the Harahan Bridge as the centerpiece. The engineering phase of the project will be finished in May of 2013. The City of Memphis’ proposed $30 million project will connect Main Street in Downtown Memphis to Broadway Boulevard in West Memphis, Arkansas. Dubbed the “Main Street-to-Main Street multi-modal connector,” the plans aim to revitalize the 97-year-old structure and utilize the unused pathways of the Harahan Bridge to provide a new route across
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the river for local cyclists and pedestrians. The Harahan Bridge currently stands alongside the Hernando de Soto, Frisco and Memphis-Arkansas bridges as one of four major viaducts across the Mighty Mississippi. Today, the bridge still carries up to 25 trains a day. The first challenge to Maxted’s plan came in the form of the bridge’s current owners, Union Pacific Railroad. “While the roadbeds are owned by the city of Memphis and Crittenden County, the bridge itself is owned by Union Pacific. Therefore, the first and the last hurdle is Union Pacific,” Maxted says, in reference to the company that currently operates the largest system of railways in the United States. “The CEO acknowledged that we [The City of Memphis] owned these roadways.” The bridge has drawn ire from local publications over the years as one of the subjects of The Memphis Flyer’s ten biggest eyesores of the Bluff City in 2009, citing its rusty aesthetic and precarious walkways as particularly ugly standouts. However, Union Pacific’s promise to work with the city to reopen the roadways of the Harahan Bridge that are owned jointly by the city of Memphis and Crittenden County Arkansas proved to be the key Maxted needed to get the lofty project off the ground. The next obstacle was finding the funds to back this endeavor. A major proponent of Maxted’s plan came during January of 2011 in the form of Charlie McVean,
CLICK | people
CEO of McVean Trading Co. McVean, an avid cyclist and owner of an aerobic electronic cruiser, had heard of Maxted’s burgeoning project and proposed a deal. “He made me an offer I couldn’t refuse—to get paid for what I had been doing for free,” Maxted says. “It’s amazing what someone like that can do for a project. In two weeks, we were meeting with Mayor Wharton.” In June 2012, the City of Memphis was awarded a $14.9 million Transportation Infrastructure Generation Economic Recovery (TIGER) grant from the Federal Department of Transportation for the project. “Only five percent of the proposed projects nationwide earn this grant,” Maxted says. “One of the keys to this project is matching government funds. Most federal projects are 80:20 but due to the competitiveness of this grant, we needed to be closer to 50 percent.” The TIGER grant provided startup capital for the $30 million
project, while the rest was made possible through several funding partners: the City of Memphis, Shelby County, TDOT, the Downtown Memphis Commission and private donors. In addition to Mayor AC Wharton, supporters of the project include local political entities like former County Commissioner Mike Carpenter and Congressman Steve Cohen. “Having political support on both sides of the river is important,” Maxted says. Carpenter was hired by the City of Memphis to manage the TIGER grant and the official revitalization project began in 2012. Through community involvement and deft political maneuvering, Maxted and his team have worked to make strides toward reimagining what was formerly known as one of the most bicycle-unfriendly cities in the country, according to 2008 and 2010 rankings from Bicycling Magazine. Maxted began working on bicycle initiatives for Memphis as a member of the board of the Greater Memphis Greenline, a 501(c)(3) organization that emerged in 2007 to rectify the city’s lack of greenways and bike lanes. With a goal geared toward making
Memphis a more bicycle-friendly city, Maxted was one of the advocates promoting what is now The Shelby Farms Greenline, a 6.5 mile trail that runs throughout the city and provides a prime avenue for recreational cycling and transportation. Local TV reporter Joe Birch coined the term “The Greenline across the river,” in reference to the
“At nighttime, the lights will be a feature. We want to make it something you look up at from the Mississippi River and think ‘Wow, that’s cool’.” myclickmag.com | APRIL 2013 15
CLICK | people
Harahan Bridge Project as a sort of expansion to the brand carved by the steadily growing trail. The Greenline and similar initiatives drew attention to the MidSouth’s newly discovered love of cycling and landed Memphis on another of Bicycling Magazine’s annual lists in 2012. This time, however, the Bluff City was recognized as one of the region’s most improved cities in terms of a bike-friendly environment. Once the lush biking path was established in September of 2010, Maxted turned his attention to implementing new pathways and expanding the Greenline by rallying alongside local cycling advocates like Anthony Siracusa and Memphis’ first bike-ped coordinator, Kyle Wagenschutz. “The MidSouth is about 25 years behind other cities in terms of developing this kind of infrastructure and walking trails but we are catching up quickly,” Maxted says. The Harahan Bridge Project proposes a number of civic improvements such as lighted beams to complement the Hernando de Soto Bridge and Memphis-Arkansas Bridge and a KATHERINE FISHER
MEMPHIS CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
new, bicycle and pedestrian-friendly walkway. “At nighttime, the lights will be a feature. We want to make it something you look up at from the Mississippi River and think ‘Wow, that’s cool,’” Maxted says. The project also opens the door to new types of businesses geared toward pedestrians and cyclists such as Cheffies Café, a diner located just off the Greenline that frequently serves make-it-yourself meals to hungry pedestrians on the go. The newly-renovated bridge is expected to open for pedestrians and cycling enthusiasts in late 2014. C
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CLICK | food
food
Let Them Eat Cake City Hall Cheesecake owners Dianne and Ronald Bishop’s homegrown success story began in the heart of Hernando. story by NATALIE TROUTT photos by TERRY SWEENEY
ity Hall Cheesecake owners Dianne and Ronald Bishop know about hard work. After being laid off from his job as a mechanical engineer, Ronald unsuccessfully searched for a new job for two years before deciding it was time to take matters into his own hands. In January of 2011, Ronald and Dianne opened City Hall Cheesecake in Hernando, Mississippi. A small, cozy shop located right off the square, the store was an instant success. The inside of the shop has an intimate feel to it, with little round tables and orange walls adorned with pictures paying tribute to the city of Hernando. Dianne says they chose to open a cheesecake shop because they were inspired by another cheesecake shop in Memphis that was one of the couple’s favorite eateries. Realizing that there was nothing like that in the DeSoto County area, they chose to go ahead with the idea.
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“We were looking for a family-type place, where people could come together, sit down, have a good time, good conversation, and enjoy good cheesecake and coffee,” says Ronald. Surprisingly, the Bishops have no chefs or bakers in either of their families. Dianne says that they simply love to cook. The couple credits their daughter Melissa for many of the recipes behind the creamy confections of City Hall Cheesecake. She scoured the internet for recipes, tweaked them, and spent four months (with the help of her parents) doing trial-and-error tests with all of the different flavors. Though Dianne does some of the baking, she also teaches at Hernando High School during the day, so much of the prepwork is left to Ronald. Dianne handles the business side of things, such as bills and advertising, and usually arrives at the store around 3:30 p.m., after school is out for the day. Ronald says a typical day for him starts with his arrival at the Hernando shop at around 7:30 each morning. He takes inventory of the
CLICK | food
supplies, then will either go on a supply run or begin baking cakes. The baking is a constant process, with much time and care going into each tasty treat. According to Ronald, “There’s about 30 hours of love in each cake.” Dianne explains that it’s very different from making a pie, where it can be put it in the oven, and then immediately served. Each cheesecake spends an hour in the oven, an hour sitting out, and another 24 hours in the refrigerator. The end of a work day for the Bishop’s can be as late as 11 p.m. Both Dianne and Ronald were born in Memphis, Tennessee, and lived there through their high school years. After marrying, they moved to Southaven, Mississippi, and then finally to Hernando, where they have lived for the past 25 years. Dianne says that the best part about owning a business in the area is the people. “The people are so kind and sweet. If we’re out of something, or low on something, they
don’t get mad, they just pick another flavor.” The couple also said that while they enjoy baking the cakes, they really like simply interacting with the customers on a daily basis. As far as the cheesecake goes, City Hall offers plenty to choose from. There are about 10-12 flavors that are always available, such as cookies-n-cream, triple chocolate, and white chocolate raspberry (a big seller, as well as Dianne’s favorite). They offer a sugarfree option for diabetics and those that are watching their sugar intake, as well. There are also around 30 other unique flavors that are rotated in and out for weekly specials and seasonal surprises, such as the pecan pie, pumpkin (a big holiday seller), and red velvet. As well as having many flavors to choose from, Dianne mentioned that they are very myclickmag.com | APRIL 2013 19
CLICK | food
open to flavor requests from customers. The store was such a hit in Mississippi that the couple opened a second City Hall Cheesecake on the square in Collierville, Tennessee in March of last year. The couple says they hope to expand operations beyond the immediate area in a number of potential locales that include Tupelo, Nashville, and Mobile, Alabama. Dianne says that when they opened the Hernando store, she never thought they would have the opportunity to expand as much as they have already. Both City Hall Cheesecake stores are a family affair for the Bishops, with the Collierville store run by the couple’s daughter, Melissa, and her husband Kyle. Kyle and Melissa share a dynamic very similar to Dianne and Ronald, with Kyle doing the majority of the baking, and Melissa, who also works at Le Bonheur Children’s
“There’s about 30 hours of love in each cake.”
Hospital, handling the business side of things. That is, until Kyle recently broke his arm and has had to sit on the sidelines while Melissa, as well as her parents, stepped in to lend a hand while he recovers. However, frequent trips to the Collierville location are nothing new to the Bishops. Ronald goes to the Collierville store three to four times a week, working in the store one day, and transporting supplies every few days, while Dianne makes the
trip a couple of times a week as well. The Bishops prepare around 100 cakes a week at their Hernando location, not including the special events such as weddings and birthdays that they bake cakes for. They may not sell all 100 cakes each week, but that’s just fine by them. They say that they always hope to have some cakes left at the end of the week so that they don’t have to come in on Sunday, their only day off, and bake. The Bishops are very family-oriented, and all of their family members, including the little ones, do what they can to support the shop. In addition to their daughter Melissa, the couple also have a son, Matt , and two grandsons, Parker and Hudson . The couple says that fouryear-old Parker, in particular, is quite the crowd-pleaser when he enters the store, talking to everyone and checking up on customers. Whole cheesecakes range in price from $35 to $55. They sell it by the slice, and have recently added cheesecake cupcakes to their menu. With cheesecake being such a large part of their lives now, one can’t help but wonder if the couple is burned out on eating it yet. “That might be possible some day, but not right now,” says Ronald. City Hall Cheesecake is open Monday through Saturday, noon to 8 p.m. on weekdays, and noon to 9 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays.
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CLICK CLICK | | music food
music
City Folk Local quartet Star & Micey speaks on South-bySouthwest and the road to the Beale Street Music Fest
story by SAMUEL PRAGER photos by JONATHAN PEKAR & JAMIE HARMON
or many Memphis musicians, playing the iconic Beale Street Music Festival is only a dream. However, for the eclectic, Memphis-born, indie folk-pop four-piece Star & Micey, it’s a dream come true. The band consists of bassist Geoff Smith, guitarists Nicholas Redmond and Josh Cosby, and drummer Jeremy Stanfill. In some form, the band has been together for more than five years and plans to stick around for many more. In addition to playing instruments, all of the band members are vocalists and take part in harmonies. “It’s positive music for positive people. There are four singers and everyone’s having a good time,” says Stanfill, the most recent addition to the band.
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The band started when longtime friends Josh Cosby and Geoff Smith began playing music together in high school, although the two had unknowingly gone to elementary school together. From then on, the constantlyevolving band (at the time, just a duo) started a journey that would carry them to the stages of legendary local venues like the Hi Tone and national settings like the recent South-bySouthwest Music Festival and Tech Conference in Austin, Texas. “The band started because I was writing songs and I needed someone to sing backup and play bass. I had nothing and Geoff was my friend at the time and he said ‘I’ll do it, your sister thinks that bass players are hot,” Cosby jokes. “My sister is real pretty, so he picked up the bass, sang backup and we killed two birds with one stone.” A few years passed and the band would change its lineup several times, always seeking a drummer that fit their unique mold. Smith and Cosby were in the process of writing their debut, self-titled, full-length album in 2009 when Cosby met Nicholas Redmond, who worked at Ardent Studios at the time and would later that year become one the band’s primary song writers, guitarists and vocalists. “When the band started with Geoff and I, nothing really happened. Things just wavered and then I happened to meet Nick at an open mic night that I went to on a whim. He thought I was a weirdo,” Cosby says. “And he was weird, by the way,” Redmond says, in ref-
CLICK | music
erence to his band mate. “I gave him my demo and number and he gave me a call,” Cosby says. “We got ahold of each other and he said ‘Do you want to play these songs on your porch all day long or do you want to do something in the world with them?’ and I said ‘I want to do something in the world with them.” From that point, the band’s core threepiece was established. However, with Cosby, Smith and Redmond, the band still lacked a faithful drummer. The band jokes about making do by playing drums with their feet while still strumming the strings and singing in tune. The trio then toured and recorded demos for months, searching for a drummer that would be the perfect fit. In the past few years, the band has gone through accordion players, violinists, an assortment of other additions and a few drummers that didn’t quite pan out. That is, until Jeremy Stanfill, a drummer and friend from earlier in the band’s history, rejoined to establish a complete four-piece band. “We went through all of these phases of losing drummers, losing band members, building up this big thing, playing drums with our feet and having a crazy gypsy six-piece band, to the now just core four-piece,” said Smith. “Having Jeremy back in the band makes it feel more natural than it ever has.” Along with a pair of studio releases under Ardent Music, the band has a large collection of live singles that have been recorded over the years. Although Star & Micey has toured for most of 2013, the band played an astonishing string of 16 shows in a matter of four days at South by Southwest last month. “I love those nights when you’re staying at someone else’s house, some people are still drinking whiskey and walking around the kitchen. It’s like 4:35 in the morning and you’re just kind of a fly on the wall, hidden somewhere deep in the U.S.,” Cosby said. “Everyone is going to bed, the show’s over and it’s all about going to sleep, then waking up the next morning and you’re going to a new city—it’s a new day.” In October of 2012, the band released their second studio album, the “I Can’t Wait” EP, recorded in Oxford, Mississippi’s Sweet Tea Studios. The recordings were produced by Dennis Herring, who has worked with a wide array of artists ranging from Elvis Costello and Buddy Guy to Counting Crows. myclickmag.com | APRIL 2013 23
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the band says family and friends also provide a well of inspiration. “I’m proud to be from Memphis. We have such a rich musical heritage. Stax, Al Green, Elvis – so many people from around the world come here for those reasons,” Smith says. “It seems like Memphis doesn’t appreciate its own history as much as the rest of the world does.” The band has been featured on NPR’s World Cafe and topped Paste Magazine’s 2012 list of “Top 12 Tennessee Bands You Should Listen to Now.” Friday, May 2 will mark the band’s debut Memphis in May performance. The group says they feel that playing the show is a huge honor for any musician, Memphian or not. With an estimated 80,000 attending, the band is more than ready to play alongside nationally recognized acts like The Smashing Pumpkins, The Black Keys, ZZ Top and many more. “It’s pretty exciting. It’s Music Fest – it’s a lot bands’ dream, especially here in Memphis, to play on that stage,” Smith says. “Also, the lineup is just amazing. We’re playing on the same stage as The Black Keys, which is indescribable.”
“We’ve made it this far without any money and I couldn’t be happier – I’d rather be happy and making no money than unhappy and working at a desk,” Smith said. “It’s a wild lifestyle but I couldn’t imagine doing anything else. I’m glad we’re still here and making as much of a splash as we can.” The band attributes many soulful southern singers such as Otis Redding, Sammy Cook and Hank Williams Sr. huge influences on their song writing, in addition to Memphis’ own Stax Records. Along with these greats,
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Star and Micey plan to continue making their own special blend of music by recording a third studio release in the near future and touring throughout the spring and summer. “I just want us to continue meeting great people, keep making lasting friendships and of course keep going forward with what we do, which is being best friends, writing songs together and playing music that we really believe in,” Smith says.
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BUILDING YOUR BACKYARD DREAMS
free estimates | fiberglass | vinyl liner | gunite | water falls and spas | poolhouse | gas firepits | outdoor kitchens
Olive Branch, MS 38654 butler poolandspa.com
662.781.7800 myclickmag.com | APRIL 2013 25
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PHOTO BY CASEY HILDER
culture
Born from Sweat and Sawdust Hernando native Bubba Black talks furniture, dreams and hard work. by NATALIE TROUTT
alented local craftsman Bubba Black has been working with his hands since he was a child. The son of a frame carpenter, Black began an apprenticeship under his father around the age of 10, eagerly accompanying him to work in the summers and learning all that he could about the trade. Black took to the work and eventually began his own career as a frame carpenter. His career spanned 20 years before he says that he simply got burned out in the hard line of work. Black had always been into woodworking, so he transitioned into building kitchen cabinets for people’s homes. Around that time, he also began a hobby of building furniture. This hobby evolved over the course of about 10 years and Black now builds furniture full time for a business that he has dubbed Bubba Black Originals.
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While he does not have a store or even a website, Black gets more than enough work just through wordof-mouth. He says he has considered opening his own furniture store but always ultimately decides against it because, as he laughingly puts it, “a lot of headaches come with that.” He added, “I mean, everybody has dreams. I’ve thought of building what I want to build and putting it in a store, and seeing if it sells.” It helps that Black has resided in DeSoto County his whole life, primarily in Hernando where he lives now, so he is wellknown in the area and always has plenty of orders rolling in. Black can build pretty much anything a customer would want, including dining room tables, bedroom suites, china cabinets, desks, armoires and plenty more. He does not consider any furniture hard to make, but does say that his most challenging piece thus far has
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When your job is your hobby, you don’t work.
been the recently-completed swing bed he made for a customer. He also pointed out that he has never built the same thing twice. Each piece is unique, with different finishes and other small details making it different from the rest. When he sketches a piece of furniture before beginning to build, it is drawn in a very basic way, with few details to distinguish it. Then, after he begins building, he says, “Most projects take on a life of their own and kind of tell me what they want.” He gets the wood from a supplier in Memphis but says that sometimes, customers also bring him reclaimed wood to work with. He personally prefers the rustic style of furniture but can do whatever a client wants. Presently, his favorite wood to work with is Knotty Alder because of the way that it stains and also because he says that it just has character. The wait for one of his pieces can be anywhere from six to eight weeks, depending on several factors. Although most pieces actually take around two weeks to build, that process may be spaced out due to a heavy workload. Black also mentioned that it can depend on the finish and says that a lot of the finishes that are done can take as long as it takes to actually build the piece. Pricewise, it all depends on the piece, as each one takes a different amount of time and effort.
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favorites. He likes a couple of kitchens that he has worked on, as well as the large desk that he built for one client. He has been a frame carpenter and a cabinet builder, but he loves making furniture best because of the design element and the creativity that it requires. He still occasionally builds cabinets, although he prefers to make them look unlike normal cabinets. The big thing now, he says, is making everything look like pieces of furniture. Black works in his shop every day of the week, from around 7:30 in the morning until he feels that he has done all he can do in one day. Although his work takes up so much of his time, he is quick to point out one thing: “When your job is your hobby, you don’t work.”
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Since Black is such an amazing craftsman, one might assume that the home that he shares with his wife Monica and his daughter Sydney, the youngest of his three girls, would be filled with furniture of his own creation. Black says that is not the case, however: “I do have a few pieces but usually when I have time, I don’t have the materials or I start getting into it and then a job comes along.” He is okay with mostly crafting pieces for others, though. He says that delivering the finished work to a client is very rewarding to him. He loves the excitement that a customer has when they see how he has brought their ideas to life. He is very confident in his work and very proud of each piece that he creates. Black does all of his furniture building at his shop out in the country. He keeps the radio tuned to a country station and busies himself with creating unique pieces for his customers. Although he has built hundreds of pieces over the years, he does have his
Most projects take on a life of their own and kind of tell me what they want.
YIntensifi ou . . . ed. William L. Hickerson, MD Roberto Lachica, MD Edward Luce, MD
Robert D. Wallace, MD
University Plastic Surgeons
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myclickmag.com | APRIL 2013 29
CLICK | books
he stories collected in the recently released A Short Ride: Remembering Barry Hannah reveal a hint of the man behind one of Oxford’s largest literary presences. Out of the essays, poems and pictures emerge a person that seems more real, nearer to someone you might have met, than the artist and creator of Airships. But it is singular also in its approach of the writer. It is not a book of interviews of Hannah, although there is one right near the front. Hannah calls his interviews over the years “redundant agonies,” although the one featured is not. Instead, this interview should be taken as a lesson of where to look for Barry Hannah during the course of the collection. When asked what impact he would have on American literature, he said that “it’s impossible for me to know this.” So, to remember him, we take the lead of Hannah himself and measure him by the words of others and those feelings he left behind.
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BARRY HANNAH AND GLENNRAY TUDOR DECEMBER 1, 2009 SQUARE BOOKS
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For the readers of this collection, it is possible to gauge a much more intimate version of Hannah than the one that inhabits the greater literary world by focusing on what the writer meant to others. There are students, colleagues, neighbors and friends among the submissions that build together a collective, if sometimes contradictory, mosaic of a man who cared deeply and honestly, although the expression of those feelings could surface in such unique ways. There is the tale of the gift of an automatic .22 pistol to a burgeoning writer, Hannah’s love of frequent tennis matches and of a once-relentless deconstruction of a fellow writer from his perch on a barstool, offset then with the stories of his constant adoption of dogs and the careful handling of star-struck students and writers alike. What emerges is an understanding that while the reader may never know the Barry Hannah that these people knew, loved and learned from, you can at least participate in their memories. In one short anecdote, Ron Shapiro, the owner of the Hoka, a famous cafe/theater that still stands in the heart of Oxford, describes Hannah as quick to laugh and intimidating with his wit; it is an observation of a dear friend, of someone that knew that laugh,
Approaching Barry Hannah Discovering the man behind Oxford’s greatest literary master works by TIM SUMMERS
30 APRIL 2013 | myclickmag.com
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and with that evidence, we move closer into this world. The reader is there with Shapiro and Thacker Mountain’s Jim Dees, sitting in the Hoka as Hannah pulls up with a can of spray paint proposing a change of color scheme to his car and watches later that night as Dees describes “spray paint on his fingers, spirits on his heart, he met the woman who would be the wife of his Oxford years.” When the two of them describe his turn to Christianity late in life, how he did not “push it on anybody,” distance disappears between the idea of the great writer and the reality of the man. With A Short Ride, Vox Press has brought together an expansion of the understanding of one of the most influential of its literary personalities, which in consideration of the company Hannah keeps, is to claim a lot. While it is not the best way to begin a study of Barry Hannah as a writer, it is an enjoyable tour of the influence one writer can have – not just through his writing, but as a person, with the force and power of his character. For the student, it weaves anecdotes about the craftsman through those that knew him. For the reader of his books, it may reveal more of the author behind the work. No matter from what background A Short Ride is approached, it will lead back to the bookshelves, to copies of works to be enjoyed again or for the first time of one of Oxford’s literary giants. A Short Ride: Remembering Barry Hannah is available at Square Books in Oxford, on Amazon, or directly through the publisher, Vox Press.
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PHOTO BY MAUDE CLAY
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News, trends and things to wear
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Accessory Report Our picks for the best bags, shoes, and jewelry of the season 1. Alisha D silver bracelet, $36, Center Stage 2. Everly black and white dress, $48, Pink Zinnia 3. Sondra Roberts black and white striped bag, $99, Keepsakes by Melony
Top Finds
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STYLE
04/13
Triple Play hoop earrings, $16, Ultimate Gifts
Black and white chevron dress, $45, Razzberry Beret
“Flowers & Lace” top by Esley, $40, Pink Zinnia DaVinci gold and black necklace, $15, Razzberry Beret
HIGH
CONTRAST Showing up in stripes, checkerboard and color block, black-on-white gives seasonal looks a modern edge. “Panama” wedges by Yellowbox, $56, Blue Olive
J. Lauren cocktail ring, $71 Ultimate Gifts
BAGS Sondra Roberts black and white purse, $115, Chocolat
Latico black and grey clutch, $88, Mimi’s on Main
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DaVinci black stone earrings and necklace set, $15, Razzberry Beret
STYLE
04/13
“Spring Dream” top by Piko 1988, $30, Pink Zinnia
“Girl Talk” top by Sugarlips, $54, Pink Zinnia
Neon green scarf, $19, Center Stage
Triple Play yellow tear drop necklace, $27, Ultimate Gifts Gold cross ribbon necklace, $30, Mimi’s on Main
David Aubrey neon teardrop earrings, $40, Pink Zinnia
Neon magnetic cuff bracelets, $24, Chocolat
IT’S
ELECTRIC
Vera Bradley pink aviator sunglasses, $99, Pink Zinnia David Aubrey neon chunky necklace, $80, Pink Zinnia
Vibrant neon amps up springtime staples for a look that demands attitude. Triple Play pink bubble bracelet, $21, Blue Olive
BAGS Sondra Roberts pink and orange purse, $110 Keepsakes by Melony Make-up bag set, $54, Chocolat
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STYLE
04/13
Gold cross earrings, $10, Jeremiah’s Journey
Gold chain cross necklace, $36, Keepsakes by Melony
Triangle bracelet, Modcloth
Pegasus Necklace, $198 Stella & Dot
Black & gold beaded necklace, $60, Chocolat
Gold earrings and bracelet set, $45, Chocolat
GOOD AS
GOLD
Time to shine with bold, gleaming accessories that are sure to make a statement. Triple Play gold dangle earrings, $20, Blue Olive
Madeline Girl gold flats, $39, Center Stage Triple Play gold cross bracelet, $23, Blue Olive
BAGS Hobo gold clutch, $118, Pink Zinnia
Gold textured clutch, $130, Chocolat
36 APRIL 2013 | myclickmag.com
CLICK | style
Styles for All Occasions
On a Whim Dresses by SillyYeti, Luna Lutz, Leona, Petit Pois, Inizio, and Daftbird! Beach hats and bags and lots of accessories. So hurry in for the best selection!
901-751-0091 9067 Poplar Avenue, Suite 101 | Germantown, TN 38138
myclickmag.com | APRIL 2013 37
THE KNOWLEDGABLE MAN KNOW YOUR BEER GLASS T KM
THINK YOU KNOW WHAT GLASS TO USE WITH THE BEER YOU’RE DRINKING? THINK AGAIN. BY CRACE ALEXANDER
1. PINT 16 & 20 OZ. | STOUTS PORTERS ALES The Pint is a traditional beer drinking glass that comes in two sizes; A 16 oz. size holding an American Pint and a 20 oz. size holding a British Pint.
2. PILSNER
25-31
20 OZ. | PILSNERS LIGHT BEERS Also know as a Willybecher, Pilsner glasses are made to showcase the color, effervescence and clarity of the Pilsner style, as well as maintain a nice head.
3. WEIZEN
1-8
9-16
17-24
23 OZ. | BAVARIAN WHEAT BEERS Often mistaken as a Pilsner glass, the shape of the Weizen glass is designed for one essential purpose; capturing the massive foamy head of the Bavarian style wheat beer.
4. TULIP 17 OZ. | SCOTTISH ALES BARLEY WINES The Tulip’s shape helps trap aroma while the curved lip helps with head retention. Like the Goblet, they are often etched* to stimulate carbonation.
5. MUG
2
16 OZ. | ALES LAGERS STOUTS PORTERS Dating back to 10,000 BC from China and Japan, the Mug is a drinking vessel that is heavy, sturdy, large and with a handle. The thick glass walls allows for increased clinking during celebrations and the large mouth ensures plenty of room for a thick, foamy head.
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4 5
1
7. FLUTE
6 - 10 OZ. | GERMAN BLACK BEERS KÖLSCH A traditional German drinking vessel, the Stange’s shape helps in appreciating the dark body of German Black beers and Kölsch, a lager from Cologne, Germany.
MAY
6 OZ. | BELGIAN LAMBICS FRUIT BEERS The Flute has a long and narrow shape which enhances the carbonation. The stem will be a bit shorter than the traditional champagne glass. The shape of the flute releases volatiles quickly for a more intense, up front aroma.
10. STEIN
FEB
11. STANGE
22 OZ. | BELGIAN ALES The Oversized Wine Glass size allows for headspace, while the open bowl shape emphasizes the nose and aroma.
APR
JAN
9. OVERSIZED WINE GLASS
17.5 OZ. | BELGIAN ALES IPAs The shape of the Snifter helps trap volatiles while allowing swirling to agitate and produce an intense aroma.
6. SNIFTER
MAR JUN JUL AUG
8. GOBLET
SEPT OCT NOV
16 OZ. | BELGIAN IPAs ALES The Goblet is designed to maintain a two centimeter head. This is achieved by scoring the inside bottom of the glass which creates a CO2 nucleation point. A stream of bubbles and perfect head retention is the result.
DEC
Resources: 1001 Beers You Must Try Before You Die; Dustin Graham
38 APRIL 2013 | myclickmag.com
8 - 40 OZ. | VARIETY OF STYLES GERMAN * ETCHING AT THE BASE OF A BEER GLASS The Beer Stein is a traditional German beer WORKS BY CREATING A NUCLEATION tankard or mug made of pewter, silver, wood, POINT WHICH ALLOWS CO2 TO BE porcelain, earthenware or glassware, and RELEASED FROM THE LIQUID IN WHICH usually with a hinged lid and levered thumb IT COMES INTO CONTACT WITH, THUS lift. The lid was implemented during the age of ASSISTING IN MAINTAINING HEAD ON the Black Plague, to prevent diseased flies from THE BEER. getting into the beer.
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OUT ABOUT Around town one party at a time
Shelly Johnstone and Steven Katz (Best Farmer’s Market) DeSoto’s Best
All Things Social
Photo by Casey Hilder
myclickmag.com | APRIL 2013 41
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bo DONNIE AND PAGE STREETER
BARBARA TAYLOR AND SUSIE CAMPBELL
“boot scootin’ gala”
DAVID AND KAREN SANDERS CARTER
DeSoto Health & Wellness Center DENNIS AND KATHY ROEBER
Landers Center, Southaven he 9th annual Breath of Spring gala event, “Boot Scootin’ Gala,” was held March 2 at the Landers Center in Southaven. Spurs and countrystyle line dancing was the theme of the night, which also included a silent auction. Participants were encouraged to brush up on their line dancing routines by stopping at Center Stage Dance Studio next to County Seat Animal Hospital on Center Street in Hernando. All proceeds from the event were donated directly to the DeSoto Health and Wellness Center, a nonprofit health provider. photos by CASSIE SMITH
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4 ANNA AND SAMANTHA HOLLAND
ADRIENNE LAY, LISA HANSON AND DANI HARDY
CHERYL SCHAFER AND STACY MICHAEL
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oot scootin’ gala RICHIE AND WHITNEY HALL
SHERRI FAIRLEY, LORAINE CADY AND FRANK FAIRLEY
STEVE AND JENNY PIACENTINI AND MICHELLE AND DARRIN HOPE
PAM AND CHRIS SCHOONBECK
CHARLIE COOK, BLAKE HERRING, CORY WIGGS, HEATHER COOK AND KEITH HERRING
HEATHER AND MARK MCGEE
DONNA PROCTOR, CINDY HUNTER AND TINA PALMERTREE
TOM AND KELLI PONCE
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NON
ANGIE AND DAYLOR CAN
JACKIE AND MARY ANN COPPER AND LEAH AND DOUG GRANT
STATE REP. BILL KINJADE AND DEBBIE KINJADE
SHEREE EDWARDS, SARAH SAWYER AND TASSIE COX
byhalia mardi gras Bourbon Street, Byhalia Style
Byhalia he Byhalia Area Chamber of Commerce’s annual Mardi Gras Party was held Friday, February 22, at the Reach Adult Building. The night of fun offered music, dancing and “Taste of the Chamber” dining. Proceeds from the gathering were donated to Byhalia Beautiful and other downtown projects. photos by REBECCA JAFFE
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BRANDT AND JENNIFER EDWARDS
Making Your Visions Come to Life 44 APRIL 2013 | myclickmag.com
MOLLY AND CASEY GATES
DON AND MICHELLE HERIN
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ALLISON WILLIAMS AND JOE EDRINGTON
HUNTER RITTENBERRY AND SIDNEY HICKEY
JESSICA AND JANINE LOTZ
passport to oregon Presented by Joe’s Wines JOE, DAVID AND MELISSA WARREN
University Club, Memphis oe’s Passport to Oregon Wine Tasting was held February 21 at the University Club in Memphis. This year marks the second Passport to Oregon wine tasting event, in which guests are given the chance to sample some of the best wines of Willamette Valley. Representatives from each winery were available to fill glasses, mingle with guests and answer a myriad of questions. photos by KRISTENA SAXTON
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TRIPP AND ASHLEY HULLENDER AND MEG BRODMAN
LEE AND ANNA GRAHAM
HALDEN AND JESSICA VANCLEEVE
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CLICK | parties MARK AND KATHY WHITE
opera memphis’ wild game dinner Camouflage & Cummerbunds
MARY AND TODD WILSON
HAEL PREACELY
TANISHA WARD AND MIC
Memphis very year, Opera Memphis invites Memphians to throw aside their ball gowns and traditional tuxedos in favor of camo and hunting attire for their Wild Game Dinner. This year’s fundraiser featured the culinary talents of Chefs Ann Barnes, Neely Draughon, Michael Francis and Georgia Smith. Guests were entertained by the Bluff City Backsliders, as well as the Big Game Lounge, where they could watch the Grizzlies game. photos by CASEY HILDER
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SARAH SQUIRE, JONATHAN EALY, ERIN WHIPKEY AND SPENCER BLANK
LESLEY FRIEND AND CHRISTINE AMON
DIANNE DAY
WILL MURRAY, PAT AND ANTZEE MACGRUDER AND ERIN WHIPKEY
FREDDIE YOUNG AND MICHELLE GRIDER
DAREL SNODGRASS, VICKI SAM PETRO AND JUDY SNODGRASS
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HEATHER LAWSON (HERNANDO PUBLIC LIBRARY), BARBARA AND RANDY HULING (OLIVE BRANCH FAMILY MEDICAL), DAN LEHMA (DESOTO FAMILY THEATRE)
TERRI UPCHURCH AND HILDY HOOPES (J. COX ORTHODONTIC)
desoto’s best Presented by DeSoto Times-Tribune
SHELLY JOHNSTONE AND STEVEN KATZ (BEST FARMER’S MARKET)
MIKE AND JILL MORRIS (STARS IN MOTION)
Bonne Terre Country Inn and Cafe, Nesbit ore than 260 people turned out for a night of recognition, dancing and fun at Bonne Terre Country Inn for the DeSoto Times-Tribune’s Best of 2012 Awards reception dinner. More than 52,000 votes were cast in 180 categories. Awards included local choices for best food, drink, health, shopping, arts and services in DeSoto County. photos by CASEY HILDER
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SHANE LOONEY AND ASHLEY ANKEBANDT
COURTNEY THORPE (GRAPEVINE), JENNIFER KUEHN (LITTLEFEET) AND GINGER ARMISTEAD (JUNIOR AUXILIARY OF DESOTO)
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BROOKE WILSON, JOSH KUEHN AND TINA MCMURRY (DESOTO ATHLETIC CENTER)
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desoto’s best WHITNEY BREWER, MELINDA HARRIS AND MEGAN PRICE (BLOOM)
CAMILLE MCMURRY, KEELY DAVIS AND CARMEN HALE (PAISLEY PINEAPPLE)
SHANA DURDIN, CHRISTINA WILHITE AND AMANDA GATHRIGHT (THE BOILING POINT)
CHELSEA BUGG, HEATHER AND JOEY RIES, VALERIE AND DAVID HAWKES (LADY BUGG BAKERY)
JOSH AND DONNA BELENCHIA (BUON CIBO)
MELINDA MCCARTY AND MARY DEE SWATZYNA (OPTIMUS CLUB)
DEKE BARRON (COMMUNITY ROLE MODEL)
PATTI RAY AND SAM WITT (THE SPOT SPORTS BAR)
MARIANNE PARSONS AND GINGER ARMISTEAD (JUNIOR AUXILIARY OF DESOTO)
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KARUNA DEWAN, CARLY KNIGHT AND LEWIS LYONS CAESAR’S ENTERTAINMENT CREW
GENNA COX AND FRED VANN BETHANY HARRELL
MATT RASBERRY, MORGAN-JANE WARTH AND JOHN MICHAEL JOHNSON
phoenix club mardi gras & casino party Benefitting Boys & Girls Club of Greater Memphis
The Cadre Building, Memphis he 2013 Phoenix Club Mardi Gras and Casino Party was held at the Cadre Building in downtown Memphis on March 2. The event was held to benefit the Boys & Girls Club of Memphis and offered a night of gambling, dining and several fabulous prize packages. Sponsors included Brass Door, Blind Bear, The Local Gastropub, BarDog Tavern, CatHead Vodka, Budweiser of Memphis, Central BBQ and Harrah’s Casino. photos by CASEY HILDER
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HUNTER MILLS AND ZAC MCRAE
JAMIE WEST AND CHERYL HEINZ
RENEE PERKINS AND GWEN MABINE
HALEY KEMP AND DAVID MCELWEE
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w CHRISTINA VRANIAN AND ETTA LAURA
BRITTANY MYERS AND MARC COBB
CYNTHIA SINGLER AND MARTHA LOVETT
CARLYLE WHITE AND RENEE WILLS
RENEE UTLEY, KATHRYN SPARKS AND PATTI RULEMAN
J. OLIVIA PRINCE GRIFFIN
MICHAEL AND JULIE COCHRAN
wine for wishes Benefitting Make-a-Wish
LANE CARTER AND ALLISON STEWARD
The Cadre Building, Memphis The third annual Wine for Wishes was held at the Cadre Building in downtown Memphis on February 28. The local fundraiser was hosted by the Make-A-Wish MidSouth Associate Board. A silent auction was held, with prizes ranging from golf packages to gift certificates. All funds were donated toward granting wishes for children with life-threatening medical conditions. Entertainment for the event was provided by The Will Tucker Band. Sponsors included Paragon National Bank, The Barnett Group, Hollywood Casinos and others. photos by KRISTENA SAXTON
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PAM AND RICK LEET
NIKKI MONTESI, EMILY LONG, TRICIA ADRIAN AND MAGGIE COOPER 52 APRIL 2013 | myclickmag.com
WHITNEY HECKATHORNE AND HOLLY WHITTLE
DIRK HEDLUND AND LISA WILLLIAMSON
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wine for wishes ANGELA AND ROBIN CATES AND NICOLE MCNAMEE
CATHERINE LANDIS AND KELSEY GRIFFIN
CONNIE WILSON, ALISA KASICK AND MONA POTTER
ANDREW SCHAEFFER AND BARBARA ONEAL
DON KEETON
LAURA WILCOX
KRISTEN HILDEBRAND AND ANTHONEY CARTER
MIKE IVY AND BAMBI KIRK
MICHAEL HILDEBRAND AND TERRY LEMKE myclickmag.com | APRIL 2013 53
CLICK | advertisement PAID FOR BY FRIENDS OF JESSIE MEDLIN.
THE MEDLIN FAMILY RAY, TAYLOR REESE, OAKLEY, AND ASHLEY
LAUGHTER WITH JESSIE MEDLIN
TOMMY AND VICKY REEL
VALERIE AND CHRISTIAN HILL
jessie medlin for mayor Medlin announces candidacy for Mayor of Olive Branch NASHANA BOUGARD AND COURTNEY PRYOR
Olive Branch he momentum has been strong since District 1 Supervisor Jessie Medlin announced his candidacy for Mayor of Olive Branch. Medlin announced he would be running for mayor on January 4th 2013 at the Painted Pigeon in Old Towne in front of around 50 supporters. Medlin is in his 22nd year as Supervisor. He said he has the experience needed to keep Olive Branch growing successfully. Medlin has had a strong turnout of support with two events he has held since announcing his running for Mayor. Medlin held a “Meet and Greet” at Wray’s Fins and Feathers where more than 300 voters turned out to show their support. He also held a “Meet and Greet” at Hazel’s Family Restaurant where around 175 supporters braved the cold temperatures and snow to listen to his vision for the future. photos by JANET AND STACEY MEDLIN
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/JESSIEMEDLINFORMAYOR | JESSIEMEDLINFORMAYOR.COM
WILLIAM DARBY
PHIL AND SHARON COLEMAN
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causes
Making an Impact Thousands find home and healing at Impact Missions
story by TONYA L. THOMPSON photos COURTESY OF IMPACT MISSIONS
wo years ago, Kaitlin*, a junior in high school who had been physically, sexually and emotionally abused, arrived at the doorstep of the Impact Missions Home for
two faith-based ministries, Desoto Sunrise Homes and Christian Counseling Ministries of Southaven, Impact Missions now has 17 full-time employees and approximately 50 volunteers who
Girls. She was immediately given the family-oriented atmosphere, food, clothing and other basic living essentials that had been previously denied to her. After receiving counseling, educational tutoring and independent living skills training, Kaitlin went on to graduate from high school with honors and an academic scholarship to a four-year university. Kaitlin’s story is just one of many that reflect the work of Impact Missions, a local, faith-based nonprofit serving DeSoto County and surrounding areas. “Serving others is a tremendous honor and responsibility that we have been enjoying for 33 consecutive years now,” says President and CEO, Donald Davidson. “Our desire is to instill hope in every life we touch. Hope is something all of us need, because all of us struggle from time to time. That’s life. But hope anchors our soul, giving us courage to face our fears, believing that tomorrow can be better than today.” That hope is also an anchor that has strengthened the organization’s reach and outlook. Growing from a formal merger of
serve abused and neglected children and youth, hurting families and impoverished people from the community, region and state. According to Chris Pope, a grant writer for Impact Missions, the nonprofit provides a variety of programs and services, including a counseling center, a thrift store, the group home for at-risk teenage girls and a crisis care shelter for boys and girls. “Impact Missions plays a vital role in helping struggling people find a more positive and productive life,” says Pope. “Without a doubt, the most rewarding aspect of our work is being able to witness the transformation of a broken life.” Such transformation has come in many forms and has grown exponentially since Impact Missions first began. Its faith-based counseling center is an example, as it now provides seminarytrained counselors who conduct individual, group and family therapy in the fields of marriage and family, singles and adult issues, children and youth, addictions, substance abuse, sexual abuse, emotional distress, divorce recovery and financial coun-
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seling. Referencing 2 Corinthians 1:4, Carmen Taylor, one of Impact Missions’ counselors says, “God comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any kind of affliction, through the comfort we ourselves receive from God.” Fees for all counseling services are assessed on a sliding scale that is based on an individual’s income level, making them affordable to all in need, and no one has ever been turned away due to lack of the ability to pay. Pope states that last year alone, Impact Missions served 200 abused and neglected children and youth (figures based on a monthly resident census), counseled more than 1,000 people, and gave away approximately $200,000 worth of benevolence items such as food, water and clothing to more than 800 needy individuals and families. However, Impact Mission’s Children’s Ministry, which consists of the group home for at-risk teenage girls and the crisis care shelter for boys and girls, is
the heart and soul of the organization. “Collectively, we have served more than 5,000 young people since our inception, the majority of which are from North Mississippi,” says Pope. Impact Mission’s group home for atrisk teenage girls and the crisis care shelter for boys and girls provide homeless children and youth, ages 10 to 21 years old, with a safe and viable alternative to living in unsafe homes or on the streets. Young people benefit from a warm place to stay; a supportive, friendly atmosphere that facilitates trust; nutritious meals that nourish their minds and bodies; on-site educational tutoring; medical and social services; life skills training; self-esteem development;
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individual, group and family therapy; weekly church attendance (participation is voluntary); recreational activities; crisis intervention counseling; and access to a wealth of other supportive services that result in a brighter future for children and youth in the community, region and state. In order to provide these services, Impact Missions relies heavily on the generosity of donors to financially support its multifaceted ministry. This support consists primarily of donations and grants, which come from businesses, churches, foundations, individuals, and local and state governments. Impact Missions also generates a small amount of income from counseling fees, thrift store sales, fundraisers, and per diems for children placed in their care through the Mississippi Department of Human Services. “Our annual administrative costs are consistently less than 10 percent of the overall budget,” says Pope. “For every dollar we have spent, 86 cents went to support vital programs that are creating a brighter future for abused and neglected children and youth, hurting families and impoverished people. Six cents went to raising awareness of and support for the ministry.” That awareness of the problems that face our community is vital, which is why, in recognition of National Child Abuse Prevention Month, Impact Missions will hold its first “Hearts Cry” family day at the Southaven Arena from 2 to 10:00 p.m. The event will include games for kids of all ages, animals, a car show, live music, delicious food, exciting exhibits, raffles, prizes and more. “This wholesome, family-oriented day is designed to rally community awareness and support around a cause that matters to all of us – the safety of our precious children,” says Pope. Those interested in learning more about the work of Impact Missions, its plans for the future, the “Hearts Cry” event or how to make a donation can contact the ministry directly at 662.253.0232 or by email at impact@impactms.org. They can also visit the organization’s website at impactms.org.
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WELCOME WARM WEATHER IN MINIMALIST BLACK AND WHITE, SPRING LACE AND A BEVY OF SCENE-STEALING ACCESSORIES.
PHOTOGRAPHY BY MICHAEL HENSLEY STYLED BY HALLIE MCKAY MODELS: LASHONTE ANDERSON AND MORGAN PREWETT HAIR BY GOULD’S DAY SPA & SALON MAKEUP BY SAMANTHA VENABLE, GIA MARINA
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BCBG wide-leg pant, $104, and peach tank by Gentle Fawn, $52, SACHI; t-strap heels by Just Fabulous, $56, JANIE ROSE; Blue necklace, $50, BRADLEE SLOAN. Mint green dress, $42, LOLA B; Espadrilles by Seychelles, $100, Black stone necklace, $52, SACHI; Orange clutch, $46, MOZELLE.
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Umgee pink dress, $38, UPSTAIRS CLOSET; Booties by Qupid, $44, JANIE ROSE; Tori Burch cross earrings, $7, Necklace, $30, ON A WHIM; Cocktail ring, $75, MOZELLE.
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Vintage Hwy cropped sweater, $82, and Blu Star neon shorts, $69, SORELLE; Wedges by Uncensored, $42, MOZELLE.
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Leona pink “Catherine” dress, $278, ON A WHIM; Snakeskin wedges by Dolce Vita, $79, LORI JAMES; Necklace, $52, SACHI. 64 APRIL 2013 | myclickmag.com
Diosa chevron dress, $38, LOLA B; Black wedges by Yellowbox, $56, BLUE OLIVE; Black clutch, $52, JANIE ROSE; Multi-strand gold and turquoise necklace, $24, BLUE OLIVE.
Nikibiki scoop neck shirt, $17, SUMTHIN SAVVY; Leather skirt, $48, and black & purple stone earrings, $14, MOZELLE; Black wedges by Dolce Vita, $79, LORI JAMES.
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“Angie” jumper, $38, JANIE ROSE; Black wedge by Dolce Vita, $79, LORI JAMES; Necklace, $58, SACHI; Orange Belt, $50, SORELLE.
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Lana Lee white pants, $56, JACKIBEL’S; Floral blouse, $100, SACHI; Tuxedo vest, $9, SUGAR PLUM; Crochet wedges by Bamboo, $36, JANIE ROSE; Large silver bracelet, $48, LORI JAMES, Copper cuff, $45, BRADLEE SLOAN.
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Simms button-up, $100, TOMMY BRONSON; Barber khaki shorts, $100, TOMMY BRONSON; Simms sandals, $90, TOMMY BRONSON. 68 APRIL 2013 | myclickmag.com
Karlie Pink top, $68, SACHI; Pleated skirt, $23, SUGAR PLUM; Snakeskin wedges by Dolce Vita, $79, LORI JAMES; Diva neon clutch, $40, MOZELLE.
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Petite Parade Floral patterns, plaid designs, bright colors and fashions straight out of fairy tales will keep your little ones in style this spring. Left: Jayden, Flowery Dress and Green Headband, Cotton Tails Right: Jack, Orange Polo and Plaid Shorts, Jack Anna Beanstalk Table covering, Mimi’s on Main
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ALL KIDS SHOES AT AVAILABLE T LITTLE FEE
Spring/Summer
FASHION A VERY SPECIAL THANK YOU TO THE FOLLOWING.... Location: Spitfire Acres • Hair: Jenna Little Upper Cutz Salon Flowers: Hernando Flower Shop • Cookies: The Sweet Boutique
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Left: Jayden, Halter Romper, Hair Bow, Special Daze Right: Katelynn, Ruffle Bottom Dress, Green Bow, Special Daze
Jayden: Tan Dress, Blue Bow, Special Daze
JAYDEN
Ryder: Fedora Hat, Seersucker Outfit with Blue Shirt and Tie, Jack Anna Beanstalk
Left: Jack, Blue Boat Polo, Plaid Shorts, Jack Anna Beanstalk Right: Ryder, Blue Shirt, Surfer Shorts, Jack Anna Beanstalk
Jack & Ryder Left: Jayden, Tan Dress, Blue Bow, Special Daze Right: Ella, Yellow Top, Striped Pants, Headband, Little Feet
Left: Ella Kate, Yellow Chevron Dress, Red Bow, Jeremiah’s Journey Right: Jack, Plaid Button Up Shirt, Khaki Shorts, Jack Anna Beanstalk
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Ella & Ella Kate
Left: Ella Kate, Teal Flower Top, Flare Leg Bottoms, Cream Bow, Jack Anna Beanstalk Right: Ella, Orange Halter Top, Ruffle Shorts, Little Feet
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Sock Monkey, Mimi’s On Main Left: Ella, Elephant Top and Skirt, Yellow Flower Headband, Cotton Tails Right: Ella Kate, Green and Peach Dress, Ivory Lace-Bottom Pants, Little Feet
Left: Jack, Yellow Shirt, Blue Shorts, Little Feet Right: Ryder, White Shirt, Black Shorts, Little Feet Ella Kate: Pink and Gray Top, Lace Shorts, Flower Headband, Jack Anna Beanstalk
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SEEDS of
PROGRESS
story & photos by elizabeth cooper
Some might say that sustainability and eating local are new trends, but history reveals that agriculture is the basis of civilization, reaching far beyond its proliferation in the Fertile Crescent. These farmers know that history personally as their passion for farming brings them into the sunshine and rain of their fields, protecting and cultivating the food that lines the tables of their farmer’s market booths or the shelves of local grocers. Each one has a unique history and philosophy, but all agree that local produce tastes better, and they all work to share that knowledge and wisdom with the rest of us.
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FARMERS
I
BRANDON PUGH Delta Sol Farms | Proctor, Arkansas
“THE SOUTH IS AWESOME. IT’S SO NICE TO MOVE AWAY AND THEN COME BACK.” Large tracts of land plugged full of the infant stages of soybeans, corn and cotton span the countryside that leads to Brandon Pugh’s Delta Sol Farms. Nestled in the swampy Delta landscape of southeastern Arkansas, Pugh’s farm is an organic oasis amid Arkansas’s mono-crop agricultural fields. The 20-acre certified organic
farm is run by a 30-member CSA (Community Supported Agriculture), or agriculture driven by memberowned shares of the farm’s produce. Pugh grows at least 20 varieties of vegetables that a household might use in a week, such as chard, carrots, summer squash, white sweet potatoes, beets, tomatoes and peppers.
“I got certified organic because my family is from here and my parents were here. My family has farmed
here off and on and it was just a different way of farming. I’d worked on organic farms and always had a vision of starting one back home,” he says. “And also just to show people that we can do it here in the Delta.”
His brother farms 3,500 acres of soybeans, but Pugh doesn’t judge. “I’m not the number one environmen-
talist,” he says. “At the end of the day, farmers are just trying to make a living.”
The 34-year-old sports Carhartt and flannel and keeps a positive attitude about the beauty of everyday life. “The best thing about being a farmer is getting to witness cool stuff,” he says. “You get to really enjoy your
days. They’re full, long workdays. It’s meaningful work.”
Pugh’s interests have always been in sustainable food production. He graduated with a degree in sustain-
able agriculture from Warren Wilson College in North Carolina, then took an intensive course known for
pumping out successful organic farmers at the University of California Santa Cruz. He ran a farm in Sebastopol, Calif. for five years before moving back to his hometown and starting an organic farm on his grandparents’ land.
“It’s hard to make a living farming. It takes a minute, and out in California it’s more expensive. It’s much
more affordable to be back home. Being from a small town in West Memphis has so many advantages. I’m loving it more and more every day.”
Pugh works on getting the message out about healthy and local foods in Memphis, too. He served on the
steering committee for the Farm to Table Conference at Rhodes College in February.
He has two green houses full of spring starts, some of which he plans to sell at the Cooper-Young Farmers
Market in April. He’s known for his beautiful bouquets of cut flowers full of tulips, sunflowers and lilies. This year he’s growing snapdragons, too. He recently started raising pigs and cows and plans to purchase another tract of land to make room for more.
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II
STEVE RICHARDSON
Richardson Vegetable Farm | Senatobia, Mississippi
“AGRICULTURE IS THE CENTER OF THE WAGON WHEEL. EVERYTHING COMES INTO AGRICULTURE ONE WAY OR ANOTHER.” Walking into Steve Richardson’s greenhouse is like walking
bia” and he’s something of a godfather to farmers just getting
farming his whole life, so he ought to know.
petition for me ‘cause there’s a lot of room in the market for
into a full-scale nursery. Warm, dense humidity hangs in the
air at just the right temperature to germinate a seed. He’s been Richardson grew up on a farm in Edwards, Mississippi and
started plowing with mules at age seven. At 13, he raised his first crop for sale, an acre of cucumbers. He remembers never
wanting to farm, but realized in college that agriculture could be more than just backbreaking labor. He finished a master’s in agriculture and became Tate County’s agricultural extension agent, using his 20-acre farm for research.
“Before I tell someone to try something, I will grow it and
then I will advise them on whether it will work or not, so when I tell you this is going to be good, I’m going to have tried it first,” he says.
When he retired in June 2006, he expanded to the 75 acres
that he works now.
“My job was to teach people how to be profitable farmers,”
he says. “If there were alternatives to what they could do —
these guys were cotton and soybean farmers and if there were alternatives that could help them make more money. That was my responsibility as county agent.”
He’s known at farmers markets for being affable, always
smiling and ready to share the fruitful knowledge of his long
lineage of trial and error. People call him the “sage of Senato80 APRIL 2013 | myclickmag.com
started.
“When I help somebody do what I’m doing, there is no com-
vegetable production,” Richardson says.
He fondly tells of a man that he taught to farm who in turn
taught others to farm. That’s his source of pride. That and his melons – they’re his best seller. He grows watermelons, five
types of honeydews, several cantaloupes including the Howell heirloom variety special to Senatobia and a new discovery created in his fields that he calls the Avant. Some have yellow
flesh, some orange and others green. Some are as large as basketballs and others bite-sized. But he doesn’t stop there, he
grows heirloom and red tomatoes, six colors of peppers and countless other vegetables that he sells to grocery stores and
at farmer’s markets in Southaven, Hernando, Batesville, Senatobia and Holly Springs, Mississippi as well as the Downtown,
Cooper-Young, Botanic Gardens and South Memphis Farmer’s Markets in Memphis, Tennessee.
He built his own house, fixes his own farm equipment and runs a 75-acre vegetable farm while maintaining the books and
managing the crops in a climate plagued with pests, diseases
and unpredictable weather — it’s no wonder people seek the 55 year old’s sagely advice.
Roots Memphis | Memphis, Tennessee
“GROWING FOOD IS SOMETHING THAT EVERYONE NEEDS TO KNOW HOW TO DO.” The half-acre parking lot of the Clarion Hotel
in Whitehaven might seem an unlikely spot for
FARMERS
III
M A RY P H I L L I P S
an urban farm, but Mary Phillips has done just that. Her 30 raised beds stand two feet from
the ground full of black loam and over-wintered chard and kale and provide the foundation for the Roots Memphis farm.
Urban farms are increasing in popularity as
a resurgence in urban gardening and access to
cheap land have created a place for farmers to enter the cityscape.
Phillips knows that with the right set of ingre-
dients anyone can grow their own food. As an
urban agriculturalist, her goal is to teach others how. “I’m always producing through the framework of education. My philosophy is always grow
with the mission of teaching people how to grow.” She began her urban farming experience in fall
of 2010 as the farm manager of Urban Farms, a
farm located in the Binghamton neighborhood of Memphis geared toward increasing access to healthy foods and resources such as education
and tools for home gardeners. Then she worked at Greenleaf Learning Farm, a garden-education program of the South Memphis nonprofit Knowl-
edge Quest, teaching kids about health, nutrition and how to grow their own food.
Last fall, she branched out on her own, built
the Roots Memphis beds and began cultivating greens, beets and carrots that would overwinter. She has set aside an area inside the farm for food trucks to park during lunch hours so people
working nearby can come hang out in the garden and catch a quick class, or become inspired to take one in the future.
Her newest plan is a farm incubator program
that she will co-run with a partner.
“The idea is to connect aspiring farmers with
entrepreneurial and agricultural education and then an incubation period in which these aspiring farmers can put those skills to use,” she says.
The program will help the student receive a
free piece of land to farm, start-up funding, membership in a tool share program and consultations with experts to reach profitability.
She’s excited about the fava beans and the gar-
lic, building a shade structure for onsite classes and finishing the greenhouse.
“The idea is to connect aspiring farmers with entrepreneurial and agricultural education and then an incubation period in which these aspiring farmers can put those skills to use.”
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JOSEPHINE AND RANDY ALEXANDER Tubby Creek Farms | Ashland, Mississippi
“THE GREAT THING ABOUT GROWING FOOD IS IT’S SOMETHING ANYONE CAN DO. THE GREAT THING ABOUT FARMING IS YOU’RE PRODUCING SOMETHING OF REAL, TANGIBLE VALUE.” A dirt road leads up a small hill, past the portable chicken coup where Americana hens lay green eggs, through the tall yellow grasses until it opens
The two were living in what they called a
to an expansive flat meadow in the middle of
“glorified cardboard box” while working in the
restoring their 70-acre farm’s natural ecosystem.
worked at Memphis Center for Independent Liv-
which lies the Alexander’s main four-acre garden. The two are focused on sustainable living and “Our big thing is learning about our farm and
our natural system and how to make nature work for us,” Josephine says.
nonprofit sector in Memphis. Josephine was the executive director of GrowMemphis while Randy
ing. When the two decided to move in 2011, they chose the countryside, opting for the homestead and a chance at their dream of sustainable living.
Within a year of building and working, the farm
looks as if they’ve lived there for half a decade. They have portable chicken coops and grazing areas for their laying hens and broiler chickens, a green house, a refrigerated area for food storage
and an orchard with blueberries, blackberries, muscadine grapes and peach trees that won’t bear fruit for a few more years.
They run a 30-member CSA that provides cus-
tomers with more than 100 varieties of 30 different vegetables, many of which are heirlooms.
Randy’s favorite is the Green Zebra tomatoes,
while Josephine loves the carrots. She says there’s
nothing better than a carrot straight from the ground.
They talk about the first cabbage they ate from
their land being a religious experience and the
Bloody Mary mix they make from their tomatoes being one of the perks of living off the land.
The two have dates in their fields and watch
the sunset, or the swallows fly into the air. Life at Tubby Creek Farms is . . . dreamy.
“Our big thing is learning about our farm and our natural system and how to make nature work for us,”
Josephine and Randy Alexander are something
of a dream team. Randy keeps the books, main-
tains their Internet presence, washes and packs
the vegetables, bakes the bread, and tends to the upper gardens and the greenhouse, while Jose-
phine does most of the fieldwork. Soon enough, they hope to fix the tractor so Randy can till the fields, Josephine’s least favorite farm chore.
Josephine jokes about how life on the farm
can be hectic. During the middle of the chaos, she
says, “We just look at each other and say, ‘we’re
just living the dream.” To which Randy replies, “That’s what you say.” They both laugh. “And we
really are,” she says. His voice becomes serious as he replies “Oh yeah, absolutely.” 82 APRIL 2013 | myclickmag.com
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myclickmag.com | APRIL 2013 83
FARMERS
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NICHOLE AND BEN DICKEY Dickey Mushroom Farms | Potts Camp, Mississippi
“IT FEELS LIKE THE RIGHT THING TO DO, TO GET OUT OF THE RAT RACE, AND TO DO SOMETHING THAT YOU ENJOY DOING AND THAT IS GOOD FOR THE FUTURE, TOO.” The Dickeys’ farm lies off the beaten path past lush, expansive meadows that catch the magic of dusk like the romance of northern Mississippi. However, the Dickeys aren’t farming outside. They work in white coats in their
laboratory transferring spore samples from test tubes to Petri dishes with scalpels, nothing a traditional farmer would imagine doing. But the Dickeys are growing mushrooms, and not the funny kind — they’re serious about the medicinal quality of their product.
“It’s really just coming around now to where people are starting to be familiar with healing properties of mush-
rooms,” Ben says, “It’s on Doctor Oz all the time, ‘Mushrooms are great for you, eat different types of mushrooms.’”
Nichole adds, “It’s one of the new super foods.”
The study of mushrooms’ heal-
ing properties has recently increased in popularity in The United States,
though they have been highly regarded in Asian medicine for years. They are
known to help fight cancer and are
used in bio-remediation projects to clean up toxic waste sites.
While walking through the woods
at Ben’s family’s farm, they found mushrooms growing in the wild. At the time, Ben was working as a pastry chef. He showed a fellow chef his find
and he mentioned they were worth a lot of money. That got Ben thinking.
The two began cultivating mushrooms and heirloom vegetables at their home
in midtown Memphis and quickly outgrew their space.
At the end of 2011, the two decid-
ed to take the plunge into cultivating
mushrooms for a living at Ben’s family farm. They attended a seminar by the
leading mycologist Paul Stamets and
realized they could do it. Last March,
they built their lab and began their venture. Now, they produce around 20 pounds per week and run
workshops teaching others how to cultivate mushrooms at home. Their one or two hour workshop titled “Fundamentals of Fungi” teaches the health benefits, different growing methods and micro-restoration techniques of mushrooms.
The Dickeys sell medicinal mushroom tea, sundried mushroom powders and fresh shiitakes, morels,
pioppinos, lion’s heads, and five varieties of oyster mushrooms at the Cooper-Young Farmers Market
and to a few restaurants in Oxford and Memphis. They will begin selling at the downtown Memphis Farmers Market in April.
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STICK A FORK IN IT by Margot Pera photos by Casey Hilder
MARGOT MCNEELEY’S PROJECT GREEN FORK revamps the way restaurants do business across the region.
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PROJECT GREEN FORK, a nonprofit organization dedicated to helping local restaurants reduce their environmental impact, has skyrocketed in membership since its birth in 2008. With more than 50 certified restaurants and 15 board members, the organization is leading the MidSouth restaurant industry to a cleaner, greener future. Now, environmentally concerned foodies who dine in the Magnolia State have something to rejoice about, as Project Green Fork has migrated into Hernando and word has begun to spread among the ecologically conscious. Project Green Fork was started in 2008 by Margot McNeeley to help restaurants lower waste, decrease overhead and reduce decrease the environmental impact of daily operations. McNeeley cooked up the idea after learning that the average restaurant meal produces 1.5 pounds of waste. The majority of this waste could be minimized if restaurant owners were educated about feasible recycling and composting options. McNeeley was born in Brookline, Massachusetts and moved to Memphis in the early 1990s. Although a food, wine and yoga enthusiast and University of Memphis alum, she holds no formal education about sustainability. McNeeley was inspired to start PGF after seeing all of the trash restaurants accumulated during the cooking process and wanted to institute a program to reduce impact on the environment in a manner that was possible for local restaurants to implement. “I got sick of hearing myself complain about the lack of recycling in local restaurants,” McNeeley says. “So I talked to some sustainability experts and restaurant owners and discovered people wanted to do something about it but didn’t know what to do.” McNeeley began the planning process for PGF in 2007 and it became officially recognized as a 501(c)(3) organization in 2008. She says people found out about it mainly through word-of-mouth at first. The PGF prototype was launched through Tsunami, a Midtown Memphis eatery in the Cooper-Young district. Ben Smith, Tsunami owner and former PGF board member, says that training the kitchen staff to break old, ecologically unfriendly habits is often the biggest challenge associated with the certification process. “One of the big changes we had to make involved our process of quickthawing shrimp,” he says. “We used to run a pound of shrimp under cold water for an hour and a half. When you think about how much water that really is, it’s frightening.” Since the program’s genesis, PGF has grown to include 53 certified restaurants and recycled 446,866 gallons of glass, plastic and aluminum and turned 75.571 gallons of food and waste into compost. They have also diverted 3 million pounds of paper, glass, plastic, aluminum and more than 130,000 gallons of food waste from landfills in the MidSouth. The nonprofit organization is currently comprised of 15 board members including Heather Ries, owner of Lady Bugg Bakery, Melissa Petersen, editor of Edible Memphis, and Mitch Major, Vice President of Operation Support at AutoZone and board chair of PGF. “I became aware of what Margot was doing to help restaurants improve sustainability,“ Major says. “It was a natural fit for me to begin frequenting PGF-certified restaurants and my support grew until I was asked to join the board.” As current chair of PGF, Major’s job duties include overseeing compliance with nonprofit charitable organization guidelines and creating strategies for fundraising and outreach efforts. Buon Cibo and Lady Bugg Bakery are currently the only restaurants in Mississippi with a PGF status. Owners of both restaurants had already been running their facilities in an eco-friendly manner, but becoming a part of PGF helped solidify their practices.
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PFG-CERTIFIED RESTARUANTS USE SPECIAL MOLDED FIBER CLAMSHELL TO-GO CONTAINERS TO MEET SUSTAINABILITY AND COMPOST STANDARDS. “I was already doing things like recycling and composting,” Josh Belencia, owner of Buon Cibo and former sous chef at Interim Restaurant, says. “Why not join a force that will look out for you and put your name out there.” Ries’ bakery has been part of PGF since August 2010. “It is very easy to be a part of PGF in Mississippi,” Ries says. “We have a community garden at Mississippi State and the city of Hernando recycles.” She adds that it is easier to open a restaurant in accordance with PGF guidelines than to try to become certified after opening. The cost is also lower — a restaurant that opens with PGF certification pays a starting fee of $300, while a restaurant al-
CLICK CLICK | | feature travel
ready open but making the switch pays $500. Both pay a yearly fee of $100 afterwards, which is used to draw more restaurants into the PGF fold through advertising in Edible Memphis and The Memphis Flyer. “The $100 per year goes right back into marketing efforts for the participating restaurants,” McNeeley says. According to entreprenuer.com, restaurants tend to lure many environmentally conscious customers by implementing some sort of sustainability program. These restaurants also save money by using Energy Star certified appliances which operate at low energy costs and compact fluorescent bulbs which use one-third the energy of regular bulbs, low flow faucets and toilets, which cut down on water by 40 percent, and waterless urinals. “My expenses stayed about the same when I joined PGF,” Ries says. “But I feel like my restaurant stands out to a niche of environmentally-conscious people.” McNeeley says the amount of money saved depends on how they work their program. If the restaurants reduce the size of their Dumpster via recycling and compost, they actually save money. “You tell Margot you want in, she sends you the guidelines that you work to meet. After that, MLGW comes and does an audit.” Belenchia says. “If you pass, you are in.”
“
I GOT SICK OF HEARING MYSELF COMPLAIN ABOUT THE LACK OF RECYCLING IN LOCAL RESTAURANTS.
“
All glass bottles, jars, paper, cardboard and aluminum are recognized as recyclable by PGF along with a multitude of plastics like salad domes, water bottles, freezer bags, crates, cling wrap, garbage bags, straws and potato chip bags. These items can be recycled back in the form of things like oil funnels, car battery cases, carpeting and building insulation. “Project Green Fork has a thorough understanding of how restaurants work, they are emphatic toward restaurant
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owners’ needs,” Nevada Presley, owner of Get Fresh Memphis, a fresh food delivery service in Midtown for people on the go. “They are not going to split hairs if something isn’t done perfectly. If you encounter roadblocks, Margot will help you. She will not make it so specific you can’t do business.” Belenchia says making the effort toward becoming greener is no easy feat. He must take his boxes and compost across town to Cedar Hill Farms and the biodegradable to-go containers cost more than the regular ones, which is pretty significant considering his restaurant recycles about 40 to 50 pounds of material a week. Sustainability efforts elsewhere in Mississippi are somewhat scarce, with no other local entities geared toward restaurant sustainability in the state. Ries and Belenchia face a challenge in that some people are indifferent toward things like global warming, sustainability and the importance of keeping the planet clean. “I don’t really have time to go around preaching the ‘green word.’ People around here are stuck in their ways and most are going to continue to use Styrofoam,” Belenchia says. “If you tell them it is going to raise their cost on the to-go items by 45 or 50 percent, you are not going to receive a good response.” Restaurants receive a toolkit upon inauguration into the program. The kit provides information on ways to conserve energy and gives a list of environmentally safe cleaning products and where to find them. McNeeley also provides her green comrades with a 20-gallon trash bag and gets them connected with a composting service. “Project Green Fork is a great asset to our community. Margot has provided a model that other cities can use,” Stacey Greenberg, local foodie and blogger for diningwithmonkeys.com, says. “People can support her effort in many ways, like urging their favorite restaurants to sign up.” The organization enlists the help of Get Green Recycle Works to help with picking up the recycling from restaurants. The business was started by Madeline Edwards after she read about PGF and realized the need for someone to assist small businesses with recycling. Get Green provides recycling bins or will as-
90 APRIL 2013 | myclickmag.com
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sist a business in purchasing their own, they pick recycling on a weekly or daily basis. Along with the PGF restaurants, Get Green also picks up recycling for Whole Foods, Archer-Malmo, Presbyrterian Day School and Grace-St. Luke’s Episcopal School. Margot emphasizes that caring for the environmental knows no political bounds. “Caring for and working toward protecting our environment is about the most patriotic thing one can do, it’s not about a liberal or conservative agenda,” she says. “As Robert Redford once said, ‘I think the environment should be put in the category of our national security. Defense of our resources is just as important as defense abroad. Otherwise, what is there to defend?’” While McNeeley does not actively recruit restaurants into the PGF way of life, Ries is passionate about informing restaurants of their ecologically-sound options. “I believe in the cause very much,” Ries says. “If I go into a restaurant I like and see they are using Styrofoam, I will not hesitate to ask why.” Some cities in California have banned polystyrene and Mayor Michael Bloomberg is pushing for similar changes within New York City. McNeeley remains hopeful for the MidSouth. “The banning of polystyrene in Memphis may take a long time to pass, but I think one day it will.” McNeeley says.
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SIX STEPS to Project Green Fork certification: In order to become PGF certified, restaurants incorporate six practices into how they run their business.
1. STOP USING STYROFOAM. ALL OF THE DISPOSABLE PRODUCTS THE RESTAURANT USES MUST BE BIODEGRADABLE OR RECYCLABLE IN SOME WAY, WITH NO COMPONENTS MADE FROM POLYSTYRENE (STYROFOAM).
2. RECYCLE. THE RESTAURANT MUST RECYCLE ALL CONTENT DEEMED RECYCLABLE BY PGF, NOTHING RECYCLABLE CAN END UP IN TRASH.
3. COMPOST. THE RESTAURANT MUST WORK WITH PGF TO DEVELOP
A COMPOSTING PROCESS TO COLLECT PRE-CONSUMED FOODS LIKE FRUIT RINDS AND COFFEE GROUNDS.
4. REPLACE TOXIC CLEANING AGENTS. RESTAURANTS MUST WORK TO REDUCE THE AMOUNT OF TOXIC CLEANING PRODUCTS THEY USE, INSTEAD OPTING FOR PLANT-BASED AND BIODEGRADABLE CLEANERS.
5. COMPLETE AN ENERGY AUDIT. RESTAURANTS MUST PASS AN
ENERGY AUDIT AND WORK TO IMPLEMENT WAYS TO CONSERVE ENERGY AND WATER.
6. POLLUTION PREVENTION. RESTAURANTS MUST PROJECT GREENFORK DIRECTOR MARGOT MCNEELY DISPLAYS SOME OF THE FRUITS OF THE PROGRAM’S LABOR – A WEEK’S WORTH OF COFFEE GROUNDS, RIPE FOR COMPOSTING.
92 APRIL 2013 | myclickmag.com
ENSURE THAT GREASE TRAPS AND KITCHEN HOODS ARE SUFFICIENTLY INTACT TO PREVENT OVERFLOW OR EMISSIONS THAT MIGHT MAKE THEIR WAY TO THE DRAINAGE SYSTEMS. C
myclickmag.com | APRIL 2013 93
2013
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February
MAGAZ
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February
2013
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The “I Do” Issue February 2014 Showcase your wedding in the February issue of Click magazine.
Submit your materials & payment to: Click Magazine Wedding Registry | P.O. Box 100 | Hernando, MS 38632 QUESTIONS? Please call 662.429.6397 ext. 234 or email weddings@myclickmag.com for further information.
94 APRIL 2013 | myclickmag.com
ENT RTAINING
DINN R PARTY
Bella Toscana Gather friends for an Italianthemed night filled with authentic fare and warm hues. Photos by Annabella Charles Photography
myclickmag.com | APRIL 2013 95
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L
ike the Italians, Michelle Hope and her friends love to entertain. Inspired by the beautiful region of Italy, Hope joined personal chef Joe Ziparo and floral designer Karin Woodward to create an impressive Tuscan-themed dinner party. 1
1 & 5 Gorgeous watercolor invitations by
Natalie Chang of Natalie Chang designs were a gorgeous detail adding to the party theme. Chang also created place cards and menu’s for each guest. 2 The centerpiece is full of late summer dahlias and crab apples in a  ceramic urn that also contains spray roses, china berries, millet, and pincushion protea. 3 A bright kelly green with pops of coral, gold, ivory, and peach set the tone for the Tuscan dinner. 4 The gold beaded Belmont chargers anchored each menu and the ivory satin napkins were folded in a long dramatic style, placed beneath each charger to compliment the look.
ily in anced plates, elight.
96 APRIL 2013 | myclickmag.com
5
2
4
3
CLICK CLICK | entertaining | travel
JULIA CROWLEY’S
Tasting Notes
NUMEROUS VARIETIES,
including Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Merlot, Pinot Noir, Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah, come from the Tuscany wine region, but it is most well-known for several signature Tuscan wines: Chianti, Chianti Classico, Sangiovese and Brunello Di Montalcino. The noble red Sangiovese grape is the most grown variety in the area, and is a red wine that is revered throughout the world. Tuscany is not only known for its beautiful hillsides and incredible wine, but for its classically savory cuisine. Three items that are sure to be found on every Tuscan table are bread, olive oil and wine. Rustic Italian breads found in Tuscany are often slightly salty, which pairs well with the characteristics of Sangiovese: cherries, plums, violets and oak. A Sangiovese’s crisp acidity, dry tannins and sometimes spicy nature stand up well to the regions quintessential red, tomatobased sauces. Combining the flavors of foods with wines that have grown and thrived in the same terroir (soil, climate, environment), will naturally result in bliss. Santa Christina This alluring red wine contains more sangiovese than the average bottle to produce a deep crimson hue and strong, aromatic body. Cork and Barrel, $15
Antinori Toscana Each bottle of this delectable spirit is the product of nearly two years of precise processing. Pure Tuscan grapes are refined for 12 months in an oak cask, followed by 8 months in the bottle prior to release. D’Vine Winery,$25 myclickmag.com | APRIL 2013 97
CLICK | entertaining
The Menu Chef Joe Ziparo of Ziparo’s Catering in Germantown, TN, prepared the food that was paired with wine for each course for ten guests.
Chicken Breasts With Marsala And Red Peppers SERVES 4-6 Ingredients: 6 BONELESS, SKINLESS CHICKEN BREAST HALVES ½ CUP FLOUR - FOR DREDGING 2 TBSP. EXTRA-VIRGIN OLIVE OIL SALT AND FRESHLY GROUND PEPPER 1 RED BELL PEPPER, THINLY SLICED LENGTH-WISE 1 CUP MARSALA ABOUT ½ CUP WATER CHOPPED PARSLEY FOR GARNISH
Directions: 1. BUTTERFLY THE CHICKEN BREASTS BY CAREFULLY CUTTING THEM OPEN HORIZONTALLY. FLOUR EACH ON BOTH SIDES. 2. IN A LARGE PAN, BROWN THE CHICKEN BREASTS IN OLIVE OIL. LIGHTLY SALT AND PEPPER EACH SIDE. REMOVE CHICKEN BREASTS AND SET ASIDE. 3. ADD SLICED RED PEPPERS TO THE PAN AND SAUTÉ ON HIGH HEAT 2-3 MINUTES UNTIL LIGHTLY BROWNED. RETURN CHICKEN TO PAN, AND ADD MARSALA AND WATER. 4. COVER THE PAN AND COOK UNTIL JUICES RUN CLEAR, NOT PINK, WHEN CHICKEN IS PIERCED WITH A FORK (6-8 MINUTES). SERVE GARNISHED WITH CHOPPED PARSLEY.
Photo by Detric Stanciel
Caprese Salad SERVES 4-6 Ingredients: 3 VINE RIPENED TOMATOES, CUT INTO 1/4 INCH THICK SLICES 1 LB. FRESH MOZZARELLA, CUT INTO 1/4 INCH THICK SLICES 20-30 LEAVES OF FRESH BASIL EXTRA VIRGIN OLIVE OIL BALSAMIC VINEGAR COARSE SALT & PEPPER
Directions: 1. LAYER ALTERNATING SLICES OF TOMATOES AND MOZZARELLA, ADDING A BASIL LEAF BETWEEN EACH, ON A LARGE SHALLOW PLATTER. 2. DRIZZLE THE SALAD WITH EXTRA VIRGIN OLIVE OIL & BALSAMIC VINEGAR, AND SEASON WITH SALT AND PEPPER TO TASTE. 98 APRIL 2013 | myclickmag.com
CLICK CLICK | entertaining | travel
Florentine Sponge Cake MAKES 12 SERVINGS Ingredients: 250G ALL-PURPOSE FLOUR, SIFTED 2 TSP. BAKING POWDER 4 TBSP. EXTRA VIRGIN OLIVE OIL (OR 50G LARD) 1 CUP MILK GRATED ORANGE PEEL FROM 1 ORANGE ½ TSP. SAFFRON POWDER 90G SUGAR 2 EGGS ¼ TSP. SALT POWDERED SUGAR TO DECORATE
Photo by Detric Stanciel Directions: 1. IN A MEDIUM BOWL, MIX ALL OF THE INGREDIENTS AND BEAT THOROUGHLY UNTIL THE BATTER IS SMOOTH AND THICK WITH NO LUMPS. 2. GREASE A SHALLOW RECTANGULAR BAKING PAN AND POUR IN THE BATTER (THE SCHIACCIATA SHOULD BE ABOUT 2 CM HIGH). BAKE AT 150°C FOR 30 MINUTES. SPRINKLE PLENTY OF POWDERED SUGAR ON TOP OF THE CAKE. 3. IF YOU WANT AND HAVE A SWEET TOOTH, YOU CAN SLICE THE CAKE AND FILL IT WITH WHIPPED CREAM
SOURCES:
Event Design Social Butterflies 901.828.9321, Sb-events.com Photography Annabella Charles annabellacharles.com Floral Design Haute Horticulture 901.457.1909, hautehorticulture.com Catering Ziparos 901.251.3759, ziparos.com Chargers, Napkins, Rentals Mahaffey Tent and Party 901.457.1909, mahaffeytent.com Invitation and Paper Details Natalie Chang Designs Natalie-Chang.com myclickmag.com | APRIL 2013 99
CLICK CLICK | entertaining | recipe
The Dish
Tried-and-true recipes from fellow readers. BUTTERMILK PIE Ingredients: (makes two pies) 3 ¾ cups white Sugar 1 cup Butter, melted 6 Eggs 1 cup Buttermilk 2 teaspoons Vanilla ½ cup Flour, plain or self-rising ¼ teaspoon Salt Two uncooked pie shells Directions: 1. Combine 3 ¾ cups of white sugar and 1 cup of melted butter in a large bowl. 2. Beat six eggs and add them to the mixture. 3. Mix together 1 cup of buttermilk and 2 teaspoons vanilla; add to mixture. 4. Sift together ½ cup flour and ¼ teaspoon salt. 5. Add flour and salt into wet mixture; stir well. 6. Pour into two uncooked pie shells and bake at 350 degrees for 50 to 60 minutes. Recipe courtesy of Carolyn Young, Hernando
100 APRIL 2013 | myclickmag.com
VARIATION:
Add frozen or flaked coconut, 6 oz. per pie. *deep dish pie shells recommended for making coconut pies
myclickmag.com | APRIL 2013 101
CLICK | live well
eople who are self conscious about their teeth often make every effort to cover the displeasing portion with their lips. They rarely smile or laugh for fear of showing their teeth and thus, might be viewed by others as unfriendly. This might not only affect their personal relationships but also their future professional life. According to Dale Carnegie, one of the most important ways to win friends and influence people is to smile, and according to a 2007 study by Van der Geld et al., higher intellectual and social abilities have been attributed to individuals with aesthetic smiles. The fact is that during most social interactions, one’s attention is focused on the mouth and eyes of the speaker’s face. If a person is embarrassed or ashamed of their teeth, he or she might avoid interaction alto-
P
gether. The good news is that while some parts of the body are difficult or impossible to change without significant plastic surgery, a new smile can be easily obtained. Advancements in the field have enabled orthodontists to move teeth with less discomfort and time than what has been previously possible. There are now aesthetic options like clear ceramic brackets, lingual braces on the tongue side of your teeth, or Invisalign® (clear removable trays) that will satisfy even the most discerning patient. While the average treatment time is 27 months, many patients can complete treatment in as little as 12 to 18 months and the positive aesthetic effects begin to appear as early as the first few months. Treatment by an orthodontic specialist will ensure that the teeth not only look nice but they also fit together correctly. This is extremely important for the longevity of the teeth – if the teeth don’t fit together correctly, they can begin to wear down over time and become short or broken.
Live Well
The Confidence to Smile
Does your teen or child need a boost in confidence? by JESSICA COX, DDS
102 APRIL 2013 | myclickmag.com
“The fact is that during most social interactions, one’s attention is focused on the mouth and eyes of the speaker’s face.” A correct bite can help ensure that teeth look nice and function well for a very long time. When properly cared for, your child’s smile is an investment that will last a lifetime – it’s a small price to pay for the self confidence to answer that question in class, ask out that cute girl, or even smile confidently at a college or job interview.
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4
Ways a Healthy Smile Can Boost Self Esteem
1
IMPROVES FIRST-TIME MEETINGS — A STUNNING SET OF PEARLY WHITES LEAVES A GREAT FIRST IMPRESSION.
2
NO MORE CLOSED MOUTHS IN PHOTOS — SAY “CHEESE!”
3
INSPIRES CONFIDENCE IN EMPLOYERS AND COWORKERS — A GREAT SMILE IS CONTAGIOUS!
4
A HEALTHY SMILE IS EASIER TO BRUSH AND MAINTAIN FOR LONG-LASTING BEAUTY AND LONGEVITY.
Jessica Cox, D.D.S. is one of Hernando’s leading orthodontic specialists. Her duties to the community include staying abreast of the most recent technological and scientific advancements in the industry, including the use of anchorage devices that enable orthodontic movements which were previously impossible. To schedule a complimentary orthodontic consultation with Dr. Cox call 662.429.8022 and mention this article or visit jcoxortho.com.
C
104 APRIL 2013 | myclickmag.com
myclickmag.com | APRIL 2013 105
CLICK | on the money
On the Money
The $23,000 Mistake
What You’re Doing Wrong – and How to Fix It
Creating a wise savings, investment and retirement plan is the work of a lifetime. Avoid these six pitfalls along the way. by DAWN KLINGENSMITH
T
wo-thirds of middle-class Americans say they
Indeed, most experts agree that the two costliest mistakes
have made at least one “really bad” financial
are starting too late and saving too little for major goals
decision, and nearly half have made more
like education and retirement. Studies notwithstanding, it’s
than one. The average cost of these blunders
difficult to put a dollar amount on these lost opportunity
was $23,000, according to a study issued by the nonprofit
costs, says Stuart Ritter, a senior financial planner with T.
Consumer Federation of America and Primerica, a financial
Rowe Price.
products and services vendor.
“The best time to start saving is when you’re 22,” he says.
Consumers defined “really bad” in their own way, but
“The second-best time is right now.” Even getting a late start
it is probably the case that “many of the bad decisions
with savings, people can avoid further losses by sidestepping
involved taking on too much debt, especially credit card and
or correcting these five common saving and investing
mortgage debt, and not saving enough” versus making risky
mistakes.
investments, says Stephen Brobeck, CFA’s executive director.
106 APRIL 2013 | myclickmag.com
CLICK CLICK | on| the travel money
Habits of Successful Retirement Savers
64
Almost two-thirds of U.S. adults with at least $100,000 in investable assets told pollsters they are on target or ahead of their retirement planning goals. Habits they cited:
72% 33% “Invest in employment retirement account”
“Changed spending habits”
46% 23% “Reduced debt”
“Paid off mortgage”
Source: PNC Financial Services Group “Perspectives of Retirement Survey” of 1,038 respondents, July 2012
1. PAYING HIDDEN OR HIGH FEES FOR FINANCIAL PRODUCTS OR SERVICES. “Expenses impact returns. Reduce your investment fees, and you increase your take-home pay from your retirement account even if you do absolutely nothing else
to
it,” says
chartered
financial myclickmag.com | APRIL 2013 107
CLICK | on the money
consultant John Graves, author of
and with no money to buy them, they
“The 7 Percent Solution: You Can Afford
run up their credit cards. A study by
a Comfortable Retirement” (Safe Harbor
the home and real estate database
Publishing, 2012). Generally, “It’s better
Zillow reveals that 21 percent of new
to pay an adviser a flat fee for advice
homebuyers spend $10,000 or more
instead of working with someone who
within a year on products and services
makes a commission on sales,” says
related to their move.
attorney Robert Louis, co-chair of the Personal Wealth, Estates and Trusts Group at the Philadelphia-based law firm Saul Ewing. Ask about fees, especially those applied
to
Motley
Fool
frequently
annuities, considers
which
The
“oversold,
misrepresented
and
totally inappropriate for most folks.” Nevertheless, “There’s been a big push toward annuities, but what people don’t realize is there are fees associated with them, paid to the agent,” Louis says. “Sometime they are reasonable, and
FOR COLLEGE WITH “FREE MONEY.” Some parents are reluctant to save for their children’s education because they fear they won’t be eligible for as much financial aid. The truth is, “How much you’ve saved has very little impact on how much financial aid you get,” Ritter says. Financial aid “is loans paid back with interest,” says Ritter, adding that it would behoove parents to substitute
sometimes they are really high.”
the words “massive debt” in its place.
2. CHASING RATES OF
for my child’s education because then
RETURNS.
they won’t get as much massive debt.’”
“You wouldn’t say, ‘I don’t want to save
“One of the biggest mistakes people make is jumping around with their investments
based
on
a
fund’s
performance over an inappropriately short period of time,” Louis says. “Or, they drop a fund the moment it stops doing well, when it’s normal for funds to go up and down.” Mistaking expected costs for emergencies. The water heater bursts, the car breaks down, a tooth cracks. These are foreseeable operating and maintenance issues we should set aside money for as opposed to
5. HAVING INSUFFICIENT LIFE INSURANCE. “People need way more than they think they do, and it costs a lot less than they expect,” Ritter says. “Term life insurance for healthy people is really, really cheap – probably less than you’re paying for cable.” Life insurance needs change depending on age, life stage and circumstances. Reevaluate and make adjustments to your coverage when you marry or divorce, have children,
raiding our emergency fund of three
become an empty nester, and retire.
to six months’ worth of expenses.
6. NOT STARTING AT 22 –
“An emergency fund is for job loss or a major medical event,” Ritter says. A good rule of thumb for the average homebuyer is to set aside 1.5 to 4 percent of the home’s original cost for annual maintenance expenses.
3. UNDERFUNDING YOUR FIRST
108 APRIL 2013 | myclickmag.com
4. EQUATING FINANCIAL AID
OR ANYTIME THEREAFTER. All
is
saved
not
lost
if
consistently
you
have
over
not time.
Try a decade of “power saving,” which can transform your retirement account, according to a recent Money magazine article. Saving at least 15 percent of their income, you can build a nest
HOME PURCHASE.
egg equal to 10 times or more of your
“People stretch themselves as far as
annual pay. To take the sting out of
they can for a down payment and
decreased cash flow, time power-saving
closing costs,” Ritter says. But in short
decades to coincide with periods when
order, first-time homebuyers find they
expenses fall, like when a grown child
need things like lawn care equipment,
leaves the nest.
C
myclickmag.com | APRIL 2013 109
the Blue Olive Shop
210 E. Commerce St., Hernando 662.449.1520
Bradlee Sloan
2529 Caffey St., Hernando 662.469.9026
Center Stage
324 W. Commerce St., Hernando 662.429.5288
Chocolat at La Maison
4768 Poplar Ave., Memphis 901.537.0009, chocolatatlamaison.com
Cotton Tails
397 Perkins Ext., Memphis 901.685.8417, cotton-tails.com
Mimi’s on Main
432 W. Main St., Senatobia 662.562.8261
Mozelle Boutique
9076 Poplar Pike, #101 Germantown 901.758.3330
On A Whim
9067 Poplar Ave., Ste. 101, Memphis 901.751.0091
The Pink Zinnia
134 W. Commerce St., Hernando 662.449.5533
Razzberry Beret
2338 McIngvale Rd., Hernando 901.569.2136
Sachi
Jack Anna Beanstalk
397 N. Perkins Rd., Memphis 901.685.8464, sachimemphis.com
Jackibel’s
6300 Poplar Ave., # 114, Memphis 901.761.4430, sorelleboutique.com
Janie Rose Boutique
134 Norfleet Dr., Senatobia 662.562.6987
Jeremiah’s Journey
6100 Primacy Pkwy. #108, Memphis 901.763.7799, sugarplumconsign.com
5627 Getwell Rd., #A6, Southaven 662.536.3403
9094 Goodman Rd., Olive Branch 662.890.4686
210 E. Commerce St., Hernando 662.298.0047, janieroseboutique.com
135 E. Commerce St., Hernando 662.469.9418
Keepsakes by Melony
2070 Clifton Rd., Hernando 662.429.7029
Little Feet
5847 Getwell Rd., #A8, Southaven 662.536.3403
Lola B. Boutique
5847 Getwell Rd., Southaven 662.253.8081, lolabb.com
Lori James
6150 Poplar Ave., # 118, Memphis 901.207.5427
110 APRIL 2013 | myclickmag.com
Sources
Sorelle Boutique
Special Daze
Sugar Plum Consignments
Sumthin Savvy
2521 Caffey St., Hernando 662.298.3493, sumthinsavvyboutique.com
Tommy Bronson
964 June Rd., Memphis 901.761.9133, tommybronsonsportinggoods.com
Ultimate Gifts
3075 Goodman Rd., Ste. 16, Southaven 662.349.2717
Upstairs Closet
136 Norfleet Dr., Senatobia 662.562.4294
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CLICK | see & do
SEE DO One thing not to miss this month
Mingle
S D
9th Annual Mudbug Bash Saturday, April 13, from 6 to 11 p.m., Hernando will host the 9th Annual Mudbug Bash. This event benefits the Palmer Home for Children, a nonprofit organization providing
stable
homes
for
children
with inadequate family structure. Guests can expect tons of crawfish along with silent and live auctions. Admission is $75 and tickets can be purchased online at palmerhome.org.
Photo by Lisa Chapman
112 APRIL 2013 | myclickmag.com