Hot Springs Hot Spots Magazine - July 2013

JULY 2013

WHY KNOT IN HOT SPRINGS PG 25 A STUDY OF FIGURES PG 28

LIVE VENUE LISTING PG 10

HISTORY BUILDING RESEARCh PG 20 DINE

BY LAKE PG 37

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IN THIS ISSUE: ON THE COVER

ASHLY PATTERSON AND LINDSEY WEST; STYLED BY JOSHUA MCNEW • Bonus Article: TRASH THE DRESS @ HSHOTSPOTS.COM

Duo FIGLIE

PG 6

A NEW ITALIAN EATING PLACE OPENS FOR BUSINESS

POST ROCK COMETH

PG 28

THE SOUND OF THE MOUNTAIN

A LOCAL ASSEMBLAGE OF ARTISTS MEETS FOR A WEEKLY DRAWING GROUP - AND HAS BEEN FOR NEARLY 35 YEARS Photo Courtesy of Gary Simmons

FOLLOW US ON FACEBOOK! FACEBOOK.COM/HSHOTSPOTS

PG 8

ALBUM REVIEWS

PG 9

VENUES OF HOT SPRINGS: LIVE SHOWS LISTING

PG 10

SUBVERSIVE ART

PG 14

THE WORK OF BUZZ BLURR

RESTAURANT LISTING

PG 16

WHAT’S HAPPENING IN THE SPA (EVENT CALENDAR) JUly

PG 19

FIGHTING FOR A BETTER LIFE

PG 20

A CANCER BENEFIT FOR ARKANSANS

WHY KNOT IN HOT SPRINGS?

HOT SPRINGS HOT SPOTS STAFF: PHOTOGRAPHER

PUBLISHER

IMAGES THAT STAND THE TEST OF TIME

JEREMY RODGERS jeremy@hshotspots.com

RITCHIE WELLS rj@hshotspots.com

A STUDY OF FIGURES

ART DIRECTOR

STAFF WritERS

MARISA RODGERS marisa@hshotspots.com

CIARA CERRATO ciara@hshotspots.com

SALES

JIM G. MILLER jim@hshotspots.com

KARI BARS karibars@hshotspots.com

PG 25 PG 28

ARTISTS IN HOT SPRINGS

THE UNKNOWN SWIMMING HOLES

PG 33

BEYOND THE CONCRETE PONDS

DINE BY THE LAKE

PG 37

A GUIDE TO EATING BY BOAT

ADVERTISE WITH US! MAKE YOUR BUSINESS A HOT SPOT OF THE SPA CITY — CONTACT US AT 501.276.8267 TO LEARN MORE ABOUT OUR PROMOTIONS, RATES, AND HOW WE CAN HELP YOU WITH YOUR ADVERTISING NEEDS.

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EATS

DUE FIGLIE It was a sultry stormy night in Hot Springs Arkansas.

It was rainy, the kitchen was a mess, and we were hungry. “Let’s take a Hot Springs taxi,” I said, feeling the cash in my pocket and not wanting to brave the torrential downpour behind the wheel of a car.

I suggested that we try that new Italian restaurant where Facci’s used to be. Not knowing what to expect when we walked in, I was surprised to see the open dining room and bar area in a space that I remember being cave like. “We demolished some walls down and had to do a ton of work to get the space where we wanted it,” said Jeremy Thompson, co-owner and restaurant manager of Due Figlie.

At the bar there was a party of friends from out of town visiting, drinking, bumping to rap music and generally just looking for somewhere to stay dry.

“We’re probably the only Italian restaurant in town to have the makings for a Vegas bomb,” said Thompson.

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We soon felt right at home after warming our bellies with a couple of sambuca shots. Sambuca is a sweet and rich anise flavored Italian liqueur

Story by Jim G. MIller

TWO FATHERS, TWO DAUGHTERS, AND AN ITALIAN EATING PLACE: DUE FIGLIE OPENS FOR BUSINESS

that neither of us had tried before, and it tasted great after walking in from the soggy downpour. After the sambuca we devoured a healthy appetizer of steamed mussels cooked to perfection by chef “Chico” Raul Santos. Santos, a chef trained in the kitchens of Manhattan, has cooked in several of the finest Italian restaurants in Arkansas throughout the years.

“I’ve wanted to open my own Italian restaurant for quite sometime,” said Santos. He decided that it was the best opportunity to do so when he teamed up with his co-owner and business partner, Thompson. Due Figlie, meaning two daughters in Italian, was the name that they both immediately decided upon when setting up the restaurant. “We both have daughters, and the whole reason we do this is because of them,” said Thompson.

While we were eating, Ol’ Blue Eyes found his way onto the dining room speaker system, and we steadily began to realize that we were having one of the best Italian meals we have had in Hot Springs in quite a while. We spoke with our

waitress and met her little boy, and we both remembered again why we prefer independent to chain restaurants as we sat there on a stormy night with the candles lit on our table.

The menu features a gamut of sophisticated Italian dishes that you may not see on menus in other Italian restaurants. Their dessert selection features a Brooklyn style canoli, but the handmade tiramisu and house marscapone are the real standouts when it comes to dessert.

With the exception of the angel hair and the spaghetti, all of the pasta is made in house. The signature dish, Pasta Due Figlie, has an amazing light cream sauce with grilled chicken, shitake mushrooms, pancetta and tomato with Rigatoni pasta. Chico features a weekly special that is always changing depending on what is in season. If you are torn about where to go out to eat next weekend, rain or shine, make sure to pop in and say hello to Jeremy, Chico and the courteous wait staff at Due Figlie’s at 2900 Central Tuesday through Thursday 5pm to 9pm and Friday through Saturday 5pm to 10pm.

NOW OPEN 2900 Central

501-318-9778

HOURS: Tuesday - Thursday 5pm to 9pm Friday - Saturday 5pm to 10pm

hsathleticclub.com

The Place to Come for Fitness and Fun 150 Peters Point | 501-525-9595

Open 7 days a week

Mon-Thurs 5:30am-9pm | Fri 5:30am-8pm | Sat 7:00am-8pm | Sun10:00 am to 6 pm Indoor/Outdoor Pool Year-Round | Indoor/Outdoor Hot Tubs Saunas and Steam Room | Classes for Every Fitness Level Hot Springs Athletic & Racquet Club has recently come under new ownership. The new owners, Joey & Mayra Godoy (also the owners of Bleu Monkey Grill), are well-known in the community for their contributions through sponsorships & donations.

Hot Springs Athletic & Racquet Club has been a staple in the community for many years, offering a positive and pleasant atmosphere for people of all ages with plenty of activities to satisfy your health and fitness needs. Our family would like to invite you and your family to join us in our growth and expansion of this facility. We hope you enjoy our fun healthy environment at Hot Springs Athletic & Racquet Club!

MUSIC

Photography & Story by Jim G. Miller

POST ROCK COMETH I met the boys of Sound of the Mountain during a goodwill tour to promote the Valley of the Vapors Independent Music Festival more than two years ago.

We hung out in their practice space in the second story of an old historic brick building in downtown Russellville and drank whiskey and talked shit. After a while, the drummer, Matt White, showed up all greasy and drenched in sweat and smelling of garlic sauce from his job at a local pizza chain. I liked Matt immediately because he had brought with him a large pizza, and I was very hungry.

They say that at the heart of every good rock band is the steady pulse of an unswerving drummer, and White displays this quality. He’s as persistent as a metronome with the steady throbbing of bassist John Pounders and in equilibrium with both Daniel Cox and Logan Shipley on guitar. After hearing them play in their practice space that night, I was sobered by the overall prominence of their sound and synchronization as a band, and I have been casually keeping tabs on them ever since.

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Recently proclaimed the winners of the Arkansas Times Music Showcase in Little Rock, the band played this

THE SOUND OF THE MOUNTAIN CASCADES THROUGH ARKANSAS

year’s VOV, Riverfest, and will be playing the Arkansas State Fair and Arkansas Sounds. “SOTM is the sound of Highway 64. Doomy and beautiful, it is the sound of my life. I love all of the dudes in this band, but I speak only from a musical agenda. Crisp but muddy, this band is a perfect ambassador for the Arkansas sound and feel. They really are the sound of highway 64,” acclaims singer songwriter and Russellville native Adam Faucett.

pedals and stuff.” Cox laughes sheepishly as he agrees, and he talks about his dad bringing home new amps and equipment for him to test out and play. I did not fully understand what the term shoegazer meant prior to meeting SOTM and then I saw the expansive collection of vibrant colored delay pedals they were using to employ the magnificent layers and elements in their songs.

The first instrumental group to win the showcase, the band was overwhelmed with praise from judges and spectators throughout the competition. “I was just glad to make it to the finals especially given the other great Arkansas bands that we were playing with,” said Cox.

Since winning the showcase the guys have been writing new songs like “The Curse” which is a heavier nine minute track which has guitarist Logan Shipley jumping on drums. The band plans to have a new vinyl out in the fall. With a tour booked this July, they will be traversing all over, playing their mesmerizing take on enlightening post rock with coursing upswings and artful come downs. Their sound articulates a dramatic quality that appeals to those who may have never listened to instrumental post rock.

“We were confident in our sets every time we played,” said Shipley. Everybody in the band is really comfortable and laid back with one another. Many of the members have played together in previous bands, and those connections show through on the stage and in the composition of their songs.

“Daniel’s a gear head because his dad owned a guitar shop,” said Pounders smiling. “He’s all into

“Our favorite place to play in Arkansas is of course Maxine’s,” said White. “They always treat us really good there, and the crowds are always energetic.”

SOTM will be playing there on July 26th.

hot springs

ALBUMS ON REVIEW Contribution Courtesy of & Written by Justin Yarbrough

JAMES HOLDEN THE INHERITORS

GHOSTFACE KILLAH 12 REASONS TO DIE

BOSNIAN RAINBOWS BOSNIAN RAINBOWS

It has been fourteen years since 19-year-old James Holden independently produced and released his first single, Horizons. Soon thereafter he was growing roots in the British techno and trance scenes and becoming a significant player in all games electronica. Holden has been praised and adored for his relentless creativity and freshness. For those who have experienced his performances live, the DJ becomes digital wizard, totem of morphogenesis and expanding trance, alluring and magnetic to his blissed-out disciples like moth to flame. It has been 6 years since James released his first full-length album. Where has Holden been all this time? According to his friends at Border Community, he has spent the past 7 years wandering through the desert. Holden has now returned with his second full-length album, The Inheritors, and it is clear that he has taken a decided step over the edge of the pier and has disappeared into dark and mysterious, cavernous depths. His latest creation is inspired by William Golding’s second novel of the same title, which is a story of neanderthals on the brink of evolutionary damnation. The album exhibits the same sort of inventiveness and freedom of form that Golding’s work did in 1955. Both artists explore the primitive mind and expressing its phenomena by employing constricted pallets, whether it is Golding’s choice of language or Holden’s use of meter. The album manifests in cyclical psalm and heightened senses. It is a many-layered stream of tribal drumming, the intoxicating synthesizer, and subtle analog instrumentation. The artist has discovered a miasma of sound with the power of dismantling upper consciousness to allow ancient, primal nature to awaken.

Ghostface Killah and The Wu-Tang Clan have made it their lives’ mission to revitalize hip-hop. The Wu’s records exhibit endless experimentation. Wu-Tang evolves.

With five of their own, Wu-Tang’s nine members have produced an impressive catalog of solo and collaborative works. It is Ghostface Killah who delivers the latest dose of Wu-Tang’s unstoppable rap genius:12 Reasons to Die. Ghostface is known for creating albums of inertial weight, heavy with their rich, punchy rhythms in rhyme, tirelessly caked and frosted over rap themes of streetaggrandizement, whit, power, and Wu love. The artist is revered as one of the most poetically abstract lyricists in hip-hop, but now he has located a more conscientious, formulaic aproach. 12 Reasons to Die is cinematic and sharp. He and LA producer Adrian Younge have employed a 1970s sound to create a nostalgic, alluring setting for this Italian mafia-themed album about Tony Starks who is betrayed and murdered by the DeLuca family. Starks’ ashes are pressed into twelve vinyl records, by which he resurrects as “The Ghostface Killah” and enacts his revenge. 12 Reasons to Die is bold in its own right, though the album is just the first part of a larger endeavor that includes the publishing of the comic book of the same title. 2013 has become for Mr. Dennis Coles the latest pinnacle in the daring emergence of his alterego mindchild, The Ghostface Killah!

Omar-Rodriguez Lopez is best known as the leader and guitarist for The Mars Volta, a highly influential progressive-rock group formed in 2001. Lopez is a Grammy award-winning producer and prolific solo artist having produced twenty-nine solo albums in the last nine years. After the dissolution of The Mars Volta last year, Lopez enlisted the help of Le Butcherretes’ vocalist Teri Gender Bender, drummer Deantoni Parks of Mars Volta, and keyboardist Nicci Kasper to form the most promising super group of 2013, Bosnian Rainbows. Their self-titled debut, just released June 25th, seems a personal account of some reawakening, born in the pits of existential quandary.

The album rolls over and over, tossing its weight as cyclically as the tide. Enlivened yet grounded, singer Teri Gender Bender delivers bouts of penetrating confession, steeled in the fires of revelation. The expression is detached, unapologetic. Those who love Lopez’s assailant guitar solos will discover that he has tamed his revelatory serpent powers, transmitting his potential into a synergy. The band’s well controlled posture is the foundation that allows for Bosnian Rainbows’ psychological and emotional intimacy. They succeed in creating a potency out of which Gender Bender’s rhapsody may ascend, taking for hostage the recipient and subject of this most callous profession.

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ABOUT THE CONTRIBUTOR: Justin Yarbrough is a graduate of the Arkansas School of Math and Science. A rambling philosopher of sorts he has landed back in Hot Springs to cool his heels and stir up as much creative juice as he can muster over the summer. Do you agree with our Reviews? Leave your feedback on our reviews at hshotspots.com.

Submit your own Reviews! Send your new release album reviews to info@hshotspots.com

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VENUES

LIVE SHOW LISTINGS EVERY WED

7pm Wednesday Night Poetry, 9pm Karaoke窶認REE

FRI SAT FRI SAT FRI SAT THURS FRI

THE WHISTLE PIGS, CHUCKY WAGGS BOBBY JEALOUSY, COLLIN VS. ADAM KENTUCKY KNIFE FIGHT, BEN FRANKS AND THE BIBLE BOYS POOR OF UNCLE FATTY MAINLAND DIVIDE STELLA LUSS, RUDE KING VINYL THIEF RK ELLIS

7/5 7/6 7/12 7/20 7/26 7/27 8/1 8/2

EVERY MON EVERY WED FRI/SAT TUES THUES FRI/SAT TUES THURS FRI/SAT TUES THURS FRI/SAT TUES FRI/SAT

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7/5-6 7/9 7/11 7/12-13 7/16 7/18 7/19-20 7/23 7/25 7/26-27 7/30 8/2-3

FRI 7/12 SAT 7/13 FRI 7/19 SAT 7/20 FRI 7/26 SAT 7/27 FRI 8/2 SAT 8/3

BRIAN BEARDEN or DAVID BALL JOCKO OR LIGHTNIN LEE LANGDON TREY JOHNSON & DAVE ALMOND BUDDY FLETT DEAN AGUS DAYTON WATERS CHRISTINE DEMEO TIN PAN ALLEY MIKE MAYBERRY AND THE SLOW HANDS LIGHTNIN LEE LANGDON CHRISTINE DEMEO GHOST TOWN BLUES BAND BUDDY FLETT TREY JOHNSON & DAVE ALMOND DARRil EDWARDS HEAVY SUGA & THE SWEETONES CHRIS HENRY MIDAS COVEN MIDTOWN VIOLETS BRIAN KELLY ASHLEY MCBRIDE TRAGIKLY WHITE

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EVERY WED

FRI/SAT 7/5-6 MON 7/8 Tues 7/9 FRI/SAT 7/12-13 MON 7/15 Tues 7/16 FRI/SAT 7/19-20 MON 7/22 Tues 7/23 FRI/SAT 7/26-27 MON 7/29 Tues 7/30

CHUCKY D KARAOKE [7-10pm) MOONSHINE MAFIA [9PM-1AM] CHRIS HENRY (5-8pm) LARRY WOMACK (5-8pm) SHANE SIMATON [9PM-1AM] CHRISTINE DEMEO (5-8pm) DEAN AGUS (5-8pm) THAT DEVIOUS DUO [9PM-1AM] JOHN JORDAN (5-8pm) CHRIS HENRY (5-8pm) COMMUNITY BLUES [9PM-1AM] LARRY WOMACK (5-8pm) DEAN AGUS (5-8pm)

EVERY SUN

EVERY MON

EVERY THURS FRI/SAT 7/5-6 TUES 7/9 FRI/SAT 7/12-13 TUES 7/16 FRI/SAT 7/19-20 TUES 7/23 FRI/SAT 7/26-27 TUES 7/30 FRI/SAT 8/2-3

MIKE STANLEY LEVON WALKER LIGHTNIN LEE LANGDON OHIO CLUB PLAYERS JOHN JORDAN MR. LUCKY JOHN CALVIN BREWER OHIO CLUB PLAYERS JOHN JORDAN OHIO CLUB PLAYERS JOHN CALVIN BREWER Steve hester and de ja voodoo

FRI/SAT FRI/SAT FRI/SAT FRI/SAT

MIDNIGHT PARADE SHARI BALES LARRY LEE AARON OWENS

7/5-6 7/12-13 7/19-20 7/26-27

FRI/SAT 7/5-6 FRI/SAT 7/12-13 FRI 7/19 SAT 7/20 FRI 7/26 SAT 7/27

CRASH MEADOWS HOTEL CASANOVA TERRI & THE EXECUTIVES CRASH MEADOWS GREENLAW & THE GROOVE JOHN CALVIN BREWER BAND

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ARTS

Story by Jim G. MIller

SUBVERSIVE ART Buzz Blurr lives in Gurdon, Arkansas. A former railroad man for the Missouri and Union Pacific railroads, he often took to drawing his likeness, which he referred to as “Colossus,” on the train cars, first with chalk and then with acrylic paint sticks. It’s estimated that these self-portraits have been seen by thousands and have traveled more miles than any other self-portrait. Along with the drawings is a caption; reading much like poetry, these words and phrases change and so create new meaning for the repeating image.

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Powder Basin in long turn around trains...and all of them carry art inspired by the notion of the traveling billboards of self advertising.”

Buzz has had correspondence with people from as far as Canada and Russia who are familiar with his train car drawings. A fan of Colossus in Mexico City sent him a $5 bill for a drawing on cardstock. Research revealed he had printed up some silkscreened T-shirts of Colossus.

When asked why railroad men used to mark on train cars, Buzz said it was for the same reason cavemen drew bison on the walls of their shelters, marking their territory. For Buzz and other railroad workers, this was a vast system of tracks stretching where the men might never go.

“Through internet postings I’ve learned I have a fan in Saint Petersburg, Russia who does line drawings similar to the moniker culture of N. America on Russian trains. He also goes on freighthopping adventures and has sent me two books profusely illustrated with his work and others. (http://rzha.su/)

“The railroads are viable today and slowly making a comeback from the deep recession. They haul our cars up from Mexico or down from Canada. Our containerized goods from China from the coastal ports, our coal to fuel the power plants from the

Subsequent to the start of rail networking, Buzz discovered the existence of the mail art network which has brought him nearly as much national recognition as his work on the rails. In one interview, Buzz refers to mail art as a marginal

AS AMERICAN AS RAILROAD CARS AND POSTAGE STAMPS: THE WORK OF BUZZ BLURR form of expression as an antidote to extreme cultural isolation.

Buzz’s stamp-work por traiture originally employed the stencil technique that he learned from experimenting with Polaroid negatives that were altered with an X-acto knife. Nowadays he uses cardstock for this cut paper technique.

Buzz has garnered much of his recognition with his artistamps and by what he considers to be his primitive photography stenciling. His works have been collected in a number of archives here and abroad. While mail art is not currently recognized as a major world wide movement, it will most likely eventually find its place within the context of historical art.

“Mail artists have joined the Kick The Bucket Brigade, and are dying off right and left. Seems every month those of us in my generation hear of another biting the dust. Lots of those recent deaths have inspired and informed my work, like Dr. Al Ackerman (Blaster Al), John Evans, and

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as an existential statement. Parked next to it in a cow pasture as a reminder of a stuck position is the ‘50 model Ford. “I’m attempting to fill it with keys as an obvious exercise in futility by soliciting contributions from the mail art network with the open call to ‘send found or unnecessary metal keys to fill the interior of a ‘50 model Ford to confound future archaelologists,’” says Blurr.

Another History-Hereafter project is entitled “Fill The Ford (Fully) Folly.” A mailing to the recent contibutors as acknowledgment is due soon, including Bethannie Newsom Steelman who sent a big box of abandoned keys from the Majestic Hotel. the most recently Patricia Tavenner, the Mail Queen, and excellent advocate for artistamps by her example,” says Buzz.

documented many of his father’s artful exploits such as the brutal demolition derby style destruction of old television sets with a pickup truck.

Aside from his conceptual work that can be found on train cars and postage stamps, Buzz has also done performance pieces throughout much of his life, often incorporating the assistance of his son Blake Butler, a current Hot Springs resident, who

If you are an explorer of strange and unusual installation art, Buzz has begun a long standing project in Gurdon called “Rust Never Rests” which involves a ’62 Chevy pickup on a low pedestal filled with metals meant to oxidize away

Buzz is often in the pursuit of hawking the sale of bookworks, hoohoohobos/fortuitouslogos, documenting the 40th anniversary of the commencement of the start of boxcar icon dispatch, 11.11.,’11, with one-of-a-kind addendums of obsessive printings of interviews, performance documents, artistamps, and other electrostatic and inkjet renderings. For book inquiries mail Buzz at buZ blurr Box 70 Gurdon, AR 71743-0070.

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EAT/DRINK

RESTAURANT LISTINGS Sauerbraten with red cabbage FROM STEINHAUS KELLER

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Akers Market & Deli

Cajun Broilers

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4810 Central 525-0885

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Colorado Grill

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Kings Restaurant

PICANTE’S

Stubby’s BBQ

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EVENT CALENDAR JULY 6

13

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at Magic Springs

at Magic Springs

THREE ON THREE BBALL TOURNAMENT BENEFITING ARKANSAS CHILDREN’S HOSPITAL

14-20

at Garven Woodland Gardens 10am - 12pm

MAGIC SPRINGS CONCERT SERIES “LYNYRD SKYNYRD”

MAGIC SPRINGS CONCERT SERIES “GARY ALLEN”

76th ANNUAL Hot Springs High School Gymnasium MISS ARKANSAS PAGEANT at Summit Arena

POWER BOATS ON LAKE HAMILTON Hot Springs High School Gymnasium

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FAIRY TEA FOR CHILDREN at Garvan Woodland Gardens

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GLORIOUS GLASS GARDEN PARTY/ SMOKIN’ IN STYLE BEER & BBQ at Garvan Woodland Gardens 6 - 8pm

12-13

MURDER MYSTERY THEATER “LAST RESPECTS PAID: DEATH OF A GODFATHER” at The Regency 714 Central | Tickets $40

QUILTFEST 2013 “BORDERS AND BEYOND” at Hot Springs Convention Center 10am - 4pm | hsaquiltguild.com

CHILDREN’s SERIES: EGG CARTON GARDENS

MAGIC SPRINGS CONCERT SERIES “THEORY OF A DEADMAN” at Magic Springs

SOUTH HOT SPRINGS LIONS GUN & KNIFE SHOW

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STROLL THE BOULEVARD at 100 Block/Downtown Hot Springs

MAGIC SPRINGS CONCERT SERIES “HEAVEN IS FOR REAL MINISTRIES” at Magic Springs

at Hot Springs Convention Center

AUGUST 2

DOWNTOWN GALLERY WALK at Downtown Hot Springs

FIRST FRIDAY WITH THE MUSES

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at The Muses 3 Arts Cafe & Bookstore

MAGIC SPRINGS CONCERT SERIES “MERCY ME” at Magic Springs

THE FACES FOUNDATION “HOOPLA IN HOT SPRINGS” at Hot Springs Convention Center

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HISTORY BUILDING RESEARCH: A ROARING 20’s REGALE A ROARING 20’s rEGALE

at The Porterhouse Club

AUGUST 2-11 SOCIAL SECURITY

at The Pocket Theater Tickets $10

SATURDAYS Hot Springs

Farmers Market at Transportation Depot 121 Orange St

“Salsa Night” Dancing at Vina Morita Restaurant and Winebar, 610 Central, Suite B

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HISTOIRY BUILDING RESEARCH

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FIGHTING FOR A BETTER LIFE HISTORY BUILDING RESEARCH: A CANCER BENEFIT FOR ARKANSANS Many Arkansans have been faced with cancer whether they have experienced it first-hand or with the illness of a loved one. It is a frightening experience for all those involved, and it is often a time of confusion wrought with emotion. Being told you or someone you love has cancer is a surreal experience. No one thinks they will get cancer, no one is ever prepared for it, and many feel overwhelmed with helplessness.

Often the only solace that can be brought to those who are ill is through the support of families and friends. Unfortunately for many Arkansans, because we live in a small state with limited resources, our options for treatment can be sparse, and those who are ill often are forced to seek treatment far away from home. The displacement that Arkansans seeking treatment often face is devastating.

The isolation from their families is a stressful and lonely experience, and cancer survivors as well as health professionals emphasize the importance of emotional support when facing such an illness. The economic consequence of having to travel and live near other hospitals can be dire to individuals and families. A lack of resources in our own state forces those who are ill to make impossible decisions that those in other places do not. Tara Norwood, an Arkansan and cancer survivor, understands the tough choices and struggles that Arkansans coping with cancer must face.

Tara and Quinn met while she attended Henderson State University, and shortly after they were married. For years, they tried to conceive enduring multiple miscarriages. After eight years of striving to start their family, they decided to try in vitro fertilization. It was a two year process, but Tara and her husband finally achieved what they had worked so hard for, and became pregnant with their first child, a baby

Story by Ciara Cerrato

girl. Tara was happy, healthy, and in her third trimester. She had not experienced any illness before or during her pregnancy. With the extent of medical monitoring that is involved with in vitro fertilization, Tara felt that she and her doctors were vigilant and had everything under control, but she began to notice an ear ache that wouldn’t go away. The pain soon spread to her throat. Thinking it might be an infection, she went to her doctor on Tuesday afternoon of July 23rd. Because she was pregnant, her doctor did blood tests. To the doctor’s surprise, Tara’s white blood cell count was dangerously high, and knowing this was a threat to her baby, she sent her to Little Rock, Arkansas for further tests. Terrified for their child, they were in Little Rock within hours. Subjected to bone marrow aspirations with no anesthesia due to her unknown condition at the time. By Wednesday afternoon, she was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia. She was 34-years-old and eight months pregnant.

With no time for the reality of the situation to sink in, Tara had to take drastic measures to protect her unborn child. Her cancer was already so dangerous that she had to start chemotherapy immediately, and in order to begin treatment, she had to deliver her baby prematurely. Only a few days after finding out what appeared to be a simple ear ache was in fact cancer, Tara had her daughter on July 29th, 2012. She was in labor for fifteen hours with no anesthetics and no epidural because of her condition. Fortunately, Tara’s daughter was born healthy and only stayed in the hospital for a few weeks. Tara’s battle, however, was just beginning.

Her treatments began immediately in Little Rock. For about four months, she alternated between a month of in-patient chemo and a

week and a half of life at home with her family.

There is no cure for acute myeloid leukemia, but because of recent scientific breakthroughs, stem cell transplanting is becoming a new option for these patients. Unfortunately, only three hospitals in the United States can afford to offer this new treatment. In order to survive, Tara left her family and newborn child to prepare for her transplant, not knowing if she’d ever come home to them again.

The course of preparation for this transplant is often deadly on its own. The entire immune system, including the bone marrow, must be completely killed by dangerously high doses of chemotherapy before the transplant can take place. With her immune system decimated, Tara spent most of her days in quarantined isolation: no visitors, no leaving her room, no fresh air or familiar faces. It takes about one hundred days to undergo and recover from such a transplant.

By February 15th, she could finally leave the hospital but had to remain living within fifteen minutes of it and spent eight hours a day in the hospital until Easter of 2013.

The cancer already isolated Tara from her family, but the physical and financial challenges of having to be treated away from home were overwhelming. Tara explains how for tunate she was to have help: “There is no way I could have done what I did without my friends and family, without my husband, sister, and my best friend. Not a lot of people have the huge amount of suppor t that I did. Not everyone can afford to travel. Having to live and be treated in another state far away forces people to choose between their home, their security, and their family. It can force people to lose their homes or not receive the best treatment for their survival. No one should be forced to make these choices.”

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While in treatment, Tara learned that a close family friend, Sarah Allison, was also diagnosed with the same form of cancer. She too was faced with the dilemma of spending precious time traveling for treatment, and arrived in Houston as well. Unfortunately, due to complications, she did not making it through her treatment and in partnership with the Allison family, Tara began developing a concept to honor Sarah.

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Tara believes that there should be more options for cancer treatment within the state of Arkansas so that those fighting can stay close to their loved ones and have easier and less expensive access to the care they need. In order to accomplish this goal, Tara has organized a benefit to help make better care a reality for Arkansans. On July

27th, “History Building Research A Roaring 20s Regale� will be held as a benefit and fundraiser.

The Porterhouse Club, located at 709 Central Avenue, will host the event from 7 p. m. to 10 p. m. The event will be a fun way to help bring about positive change for those in need of care in Arkansas. There will be live jazz performances from the Hot Springs Jazz Society, featuring the vocals of Hope Johnson. As well as, a silent auction and dinner theater performance written

by Chuck Dodson, including the talents of Kari Bars and Dick Antoine.

By coming together and celebrating the fight for survival, we might be able to bring research and treatment opportunities to Arkansas that have not yet been available. Tara is on the course of

a miraculous recovery thanks to her treatment.

She and her daughter are happy and healthy. For all the pain and struggle, her experiences have given her a deeper compassion for people as well as a new sense of humility in realizing that at any time, any one of us can lose everything.

Tickets and sponsorship packages may be purchased ahead of time, and all the proceeds will remain within the state. The funds will benefit the Winthrop P. Rockefeller Cancer Research Institute at UAMS and help it become a center of leading research and resources for cancer patients all over the state. For information about purchasing tickets and sponsorship, contact Tara Norwood at 501-802-1755 or tara@rendercreativegroup.com.

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Photo Courtesy of Boots and Butterflies Photography at the Royal Ridge

WHY KNOT IN HOT SPRINGS?

THERE ARE A FEW THINGS THAT PERMEATE LONG AFTER YOU GIVE BACK YOUR “SOMETHING BORROWED” AND YOUR “SOMETHING BLUE” FADES TO GREY. THE PICTURES YOU HAVE OF YOUR WEDDING WILL BE AROUND FOR A LONG TIME. HOT SPRINGS IS READY TO MAKE YOUR WEDDING SPLENDOR UNFORGETTABLE.

Story by LeAnne Grace Hitt

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WEDDINGS

Photo Courtesy of Cottonwood Studios Worldwide

You’ve done it. You have risen above the day-today and managed to survive. It’s summertime.

A time for taking a break and enjoying the sweet success that is—vacation. Now what? What to do with your newfound leisure. Hey—haven’t you been planning on doing something? How about biting the bullet? Yes. Let’s get married!

have sweeping mountains on every horizon. We have sparkling lakes reflecting clear blue skies.

We have green and colorful wildflowers. There is beauty in this place to which other areas simply pale in comparison. There is a place that offers a panoramic view of this natural beauty specifically for your special day.

Hot Springs offers a plethora of places to get hitched. They range from the traditional chapel settings to the unique with many officiants accommodating commitment ceremonies as well. In Hot Springs, you can get married 216 feet off the ground in the Hot Springs Mountain Tower observatory, if you so choose.

The Royal Ridge is located in Royal, Arkansas.

They have packages available to fit everyone’s budget. The Royal Package can accommodate up to 175 guests. The reception area and grounds evoke a rustic modernity that is visually clean and appealing. The package is for a 12-hour rental so you have plenty of time to choose where to take that next gorgeous shot with the valley serving as a natural backdrop.

However, the pictures you have of your wedding are the true test of time. They are something you can share with your family and friends. They are something you can go back and look at after he puts away his suit and she, her dress.

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There is one indisputable fact about Hot Springs, Arkansas—it can be beautiful. We

Kristen of Boots and Butterflies Photography (501.318.9462) of Hot Springs has captured beautiful images of local brides and the majestic view, and it has the skill to bring the landscape into the foreground of your future events, surrounding your wedding party with the

effortless allure that is exuded from the region.

The staff at Royal Ridge has made it their business to tend to every detail of your big event so that you can focus on you. In fact, owners Darrell and Angie Butler have a saying that the only thing they overlook is the view. From experience, I can tell you that the view Arkansas lends for wedding photography will give far more satisfaction than wrapping everything in white tulle.

If you want those timeless photos, with the gorgeous backdrop of lush natural beauty, then this is the place for you. Currently, they are running a special give-away, “We would like to turn someone’s story into a Cinderella Story,” reads the Royal Ridge Facebook page. They are taking submissions from anyone who has experienced a hardship, tragedy or illness that has made it impossible for them to get married.

They will accept submissions until July 15th and will pick three for their Facebook fans to vote on. The winner will receive a free wedding at the breathtaking site. To submit your story or the story of someone you love, visit facebook.com/ TheRoyalRidgeWeddingsAndReceptions.

hot springs In addition to Royal Ridge, Garvan Woodland Gardens will also provide stunning sights for those who can book far enough in advance.

They have Anthony’s Chapel, an exquisite glass chapel inside the gardens. With its floor to ceiling glass windows and flagstone flooring, the chapel evokes an astounding appreciation for architecture and nature. It can seat 160 people and is a good option for those who are meticulous and good at planning ahead. Book a photographer that focuses on natural simplicity such as Just Jane Photography to capture those moments in the midst of a scenic wonder.

For those who care not for heavy orchestration, there is the Chapel at Spencer’s Corner, the hub of downtown activity. After getting your marriage license, you can be in, out, and married in a half hour. Then you are free to stroll along bathhouse row and shop the many store fronts along Central Avenue. One of Hot Springs newest facilities is The Regency, a dedicated banquet and reception hall also located downtown right on Central Avenue. A

number of the historic hotels include reception halls on roof-tops and patios for the quaint and lively event. Downtown, in and of itself, offers a host of dynamic photo opportunity as illustrated in the illustrious portfolio of Kari + Caleb Nichols of Cottonwood Studios Worldwide (cottonwoodstudiosworldwide.com).

While many photographers may be able to snap a few pictures for you, very few are as familiar with the downtown area as Apeiron Photography (501.762.9527). Those guys are sure to deliver a magnificent collection of photos that will draw you back in with each future gaze. They can even make your photoshoot dreams of the daring and unconventional “trash the dress” session a liberating reality.

(To learn more about the “trash the dress” phenomenon, visit hshotspots.com) There are also many Bed and Breakfast accommodations for the one-stop shopper in Hot Springs. Hamilton House Estate, Butler Manor, Lookout Point Lakeside Inn are all Bed & Breakfasts

that are located near or on Lake Hamilton. The Gables Inn and Abelard Inn are located in the historic heart of downtown. Each offer intimate wedding packages to suit anyone’s needs. These would be a good option for those who want to have a few key family and friends as guests but don’t need the entire hometown to attend. They usually include an overnight stay with a heightened level of privacy and service that you likely will not find at a hotel. Staying close to downtown gives you access to a variety of activities like shopping, fine dining and enjoying spa packages. The Buckstaff and Quapaw bath houses both operate as they were intended when built in the late 1800’s with the former operating in a traditional manner and the latter as more of a modern day spa . The spas are fed by a network of 47 natural hot springs that flow through cavities under the city.

As you can see, Hot Springs offers an abundance of unique ceremony opportunities with options to satisfy everyone. Sure, you can do it in a church, but in the garden or on a mountain top simply sounds like a lot more fun.

Photos Courtesy of Apeiron Photography

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DRAWING GROUP

A STUDY OF FIGURES ARTISTS IN HOT SPRINGS Story by Ciara Cerrato It is a balmy Thursday night, and the mosquitoes, those pesky reminders that it is officially summer in Hot Springs, are nipping at me continuously as I approach the Gary Simmons Studio. I am attending the studio tonight because something special happens here on Thursdays, and it has been happening for nearly thirty-five years.

A local assemblage of artists meets here and has a weekly drawing group, but these are no ordinary artists as I am finding out. They do figure studies on Thursday nights, and an artist friend of mine suggested I model for them one night since they are always looking for fresh subjects. I was interested, and knowing I had some experience modeling, he put me in touch with Richard Stephens, a watercolor expert and one of the founding members of the group. Richard was professional and appreciative of my interest in modeling, but after learning about the prowess of the artists, and despite my experience, I still couldn’t help but feel intimidated about modeling.

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Figure Study by Richard Stevens

Stephens kindly leads me into the studio with a warm smile as he thanks me for sitting in for tonight’s session, but I couldn’t help but think I should be the one thanking him, for these are not amateur artists that are about to sketch me. Once inside, he begins introducing me to the not-so-local legends I have been hearing about and whose art I’ve seen all over downtown Hot Springs. Henderson State University’s Gary Simmons, a renowned professional artist and teacher, greets me, followed by Thad Flenniken, the head of the art department at National Park Community College whose work also comprises the better part of Blue Moon Gallery’s collection. These three core members, who have been with the group the longest and are some of the most talented people in Hot Springs, are also some of the friendliest and

hot springs

most humble artists I have ever met. Calmed by their amiable greetings, my tensions begin to subside.

the study, they often had to draw in secrecy or even exhume corpses as subjects.

There are eight artists here tonight, some long standing members, some relatively new, and I wait patiently in my gray robe as they set up their easels and ready their chalks and charcoals. The walls of Gary Simmons Studio are covered with his own and others’ artworks, as well as posters, prints, and many shelves of books. While they whirl in preparation, in a moment of introspection, I think about the act of modeling and what it means for the model, the artist, and the audience of such artwork. It is a daring thing to either pose or draw for a figure study. Even experienced models and artists may not get to participate in very many figure studies throughout their careers. Though I have modeled in photographs, posing for a drawing is entirely different because rather than a few seconds, a pose can last for an hour or more. For artists and models, as well as audiences, though it might be easier to stick with what is comfortable, no new knowledge is gained in doing so. In modeling, studying, and viewing such subject matter, we are taking certain risks.

In a world of instant gratification, where a Google search can be all that stands between not knowing and knowing a thing, it is easy to take the artistic and intellectual risks of the past for granted. It is equally as easy to overlook the risks that are being taken today by those who remain curious despite our click-and-know culture, those who prefer to gain understanding first-hand. Knowledge is delicate, and risk-taking and curiosity are essential for sustaining it.

For thousands of years, artists of all disciplines have studied the human figure. From ancient Greek sculptors to Renaissance painters to our contemporaries today, the perfection of the figure has been pursued for its challenge, mystery, and beauty. Though the test of the human form is now an established tradition for most of the art world, we must not take this practice for granted. Though the Greeks mastered it thousands of years ago, by the Middle Ages, the study of the human form seems to have disappeared in western art as it was deemed vulgar by the powers of society. When the Renaissance artists eventually braved to resume

Finally it’s my cue to pose, and the drawings quickly begin. Rather than feeling nervous, I feel unexpectedly calm. Completely still and breathing slowly, it is a meditative experience. I glance around at the faces of the artists and study them, noting their concentration.

Longhua Xu, a long-time member of the group, looks at his easel as if it is a puzzle that he must solve. His years of practice, the expertise he has developed and shared at Shanghai University, are at work with an intensity on the other side of the easel. Lynda Lyons, a seasoned educator and artist, has a focused but calm expression on her face as she sketches with her pastels. Hugh Dunnahoe, an illustrator who has worked for Disney, labors with the impossible medium of oil paints. Every artist in the room is in his and her own world, utterly separated yet intimately connected.

It is a beautiful thing that is happening.

Once the session is over, I walk around and look at some of the drawings. Seeing yourself in the form of a drawing can be a surreal experience. Knowing that someone has studied you and is able to capture even a vestige of who you are is a bit of an indescribable feeling. I feel outside of myself for a moment, and my respect for all of the artists deepens suddenly.

With the session ended, I nervously ask if I can pick their brains about their work in Hot Springs, and they agree to sit and talk with me. I want to know why they work in Hot Springs even though they are good enough to go anywhere. Lyons immediately insists that Hot Springs is a wonderful place to be an artist, and Stephens points out that Hot Springs has a unique art community. Simmons then explains the mentality of the group, “We are not the kind of people that are going to try to make it in New York.

I mean, that might be in the equation, but it is not the equation. It is not about competition or money.

We are artists who simply want to work, and we have built a group in which to do that.”

I then realized how easy it might be in a small town to feel disconnected as artists, and I understood how important this group is for them and for Hot Springs.

The newer members of the group, Lana Talieferro and Lola Warren, are teachers who find participation in the group refreshing and encouraging. Though the venue of the drawing group has changed over the years, the continuity has not. “The commitment to be here every week keeps us focused and is a constant reminder of the higher standard we encourage each other to reach,” explains Simmons, and a higher standard they have reached, for example the group has had an exhibit at the Arkansas Arts Center, and much of their work is in individual private collections throughout the country.

While driving home, I reflect on the experience, and I realize that this group is the only of its kind in Hot Springs and maybe the state of Arkansas. It is a group that enriches us as artists, students, and community members, and the renowned art community of Hot Springs perhaps would not be in place without their talent, work, and commitment.

Photo Courtesy of Gary Simmons

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THE UNKNOWN SWIMMING HOLE BEYOND THE CONCRETE PONDS OF URBAN ARKANSAS

Story by Jim G. Miller

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SWIMMING HOLES

Growing up without a swimming pool, the only alternatives were the swimming holes found in the creeks, rivers, and rock quarries interspersed throughout Arkansas. In most cases these places are not wide spread public knowledge to outsiders, and the fact is there are some secrets out there yet to be discovered.

Many of the more popular spots become overrun during the summer, especially a spot known as the “Cool Pool.” Right outside of town heading toward Arkadelphia on Highway 8, the road branches off onto the old highway and goes down a pace until it stops at a woodline. Below there are two small holes of water with cascading waterfalls flowing down from the hillside. The water is frigid to the touch all summer long. These cold springs populate many of the hillsides and mountains of Arkansas.

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The creeks are probably the most abundant places to go and swim if you’re wanting to get wet and the nearest lake or river is too far of a trek. Gulpha Gorge, although a popular tourist spot, has a nice little hole of water that you can at least submerge yourself in.

Though there isn’t much swimming to be had,

it does afford some relief from the humid 100 degree Arkansas heat.

Beyond the “Cool Pool” and well into the outskirts of the Arkansas wilderness, you will find an assortment of blue holes. There are probably three or four different blue holes within a 30 mile or so radius of Hot Springs. One such place is actually an old bauxite quarry that has filled up with ground water and has since been a site of summer fun and youthful debauchery. The luxury of a quarry pool is that the water can be hundreds of feet deep and normally provide cliffs for daredevils to test their bravery. The water can however be incredibly cold, and often times there is abandoned debris or machinery in the bottoms so be careful when diving.

Twenty miles west of Hot Springs on U.S. Highway 270 is a safer swimming option at Charlton Recreation Area. The day use area which opened May 1st of this year had been closed due to excessive flooding damage back in 2011. Charlton is a popular and historic swimming destination on Walnut Creek, a cold, spring-fed Mountain stream in the heart of the Ouachita National Forest.

Of course living in Hot Springs, there is not any shortage of places to swim with Lake Ouachita offering Three Sisters Springs, the always popular Blakely Dam, and the Recreational Spillway. Then there is Hill Wheatley, and the sandbar on Lake Hamilton, but for the most part these man made lakes do not represent true water holes. Sure they are holes with water, and they are perhaps more natural than the concrete chlorine ponds found in the backyards of rich homes and cheap apartment complexes, but they are missing that true quality of natural discovery and adventure in the finding and exploration of a new place alive with the energy of running water surging from the hills and valleys and rivers.

These natural bodies of flowing water were the natural meeting grounds for the ancestors of this land and still are a place of rest, peace and tranquility where thoughts can be washed away with a cold sobering dive into almost crystal clear water. The test is to remember to be responsible and appreciate these places for what they are.

They provide a reminder for us to love nature and to love the summer time.

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LIVE BY THE LAKE & DINE BY THE LAKE A GUIDE TO EATING BY BOAT IN HOT SPRINGS

It seems that there are not many places to eat in Hot Springs, and even fewer places to eat by boat, but the assortment and the quality of not just the food but the atmospheric mood of dining while looking out across the lake is tremendous, and when the sun is setting, some might even venture to say it’s romantic.

A mainstay in Hot Springs for a good number of

Story by Jim G. Miller

years has been Fisherman’s Wharf. It’s the type of restaurant that you can walk into soaking wet off the jet ski and get some grub. They pride themselves on their grouper and their terrific waitstaff, but one of the best features of the restaurant is their huge patio which is a great place to sit and watch the majesty of Lake Hamilton unfold especially during the hustle and bustle of the early to mid-summer.

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opportunity to eat while actually being on the lake. The Belle has been cruising around Lake Hamilton for more than twenty years. The meal with the cruise on the 200 passenger riverboat is optional but either way the ride itself is worth the cost of admission as you get to see parts of the lake and hear stories from the Captain.

On the dock of the Belle you will find Gilligan’s Café, open 7 days a week serving lunch and breakfast from 8 am to 2 pm with weekly specials and one of the best views for dining on Lake Hamilton.

The Boathouse is the relative newcomer on the scene as far as outdoor lakeside eateries go, and it appears to be doing everything right in terms of the seafood that they have to offer. Taking the place of Doe’s Eat Place, The Boathouse is on Lake Hamilton and affords a near perfect view of the lake as the sun descends the horizon.

Smyly’s Crab Shack has long served as a staple for the nightlife of Hot Springs and offers up a great outdoor atmosphere with its marina view.

Although the restaurant and bar have been in flux in regards to their hours and the management as of late, it continues to keep its doors open providing great steaks and good times with the occasional live band.

Yet another pillar of waterfront eating in Hot Springs is the hidden treasure known only as Sam’s Pizza Pub. They do most things right whether it’s the way they treat their guests or if it’s the way they do their pizzas. Serving up cold brews on hot summer days helps too while the outdoor seating provides yet another perspective of the Lake that is worth checking out.

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Perhaps one of most underrated fine dining establishments on the lake would have to be Back Porch Grill. This is where kids take their dates on prom night or possibly where you would go just to have a lovely meal with your significant other.

With a great variety of steak and seafood items and a stellar back porch area with a unique view of the water, this is a restaurant not to overlook

this summer. One other feature of Back Porch Grill is the bar directly beside it called Martini’s on the Bay which is a swanky spot to partake in a delicious martini or mixed drink after a long day on the boat or behind a desk depending on your day job or whatever day of the week it is.

The Belle of Hot Springs is another unique lake dining experience as it provides you with the

You cannot discuss waterfront eating in Hot Springs of course without saying something about Cajun food which brings us to Cajun Boilers, an establishment of Hot Springs that has been around since 1985. It provides delicacies that are not found in other seafood restaurants on the lake. With a huge rear deck, the atmosphere is a bit more casual which is apropos for a place that serves bite sized pieces of fried gator and crawfish.

There is a variety of good fun and great food to be had on the banks of one of Arkansas’ most popular recreational lakes, so when deciding where to eat, relax, and have a good time this summer, regardless of the occasion, just remember there is always more out there to choose from by land or by lake.

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• Breathtaking View • The Carriage House • Carriage (Coming Soon!)

• Outdoor & Indoor Wedding Venue Call for an Appointment to View

501-545-0112

Photos Courtesy of Boots & Butterflies Photography

115 East Hawkview Place, Royal, Arkansas