RSVP Magazine August 2014 by RSVP Magazine

August 2014

Literatini Big Wig Ball Taste of Caribe Live at the Garden Extravaganza RSVProfile with Charles McVean

CONTENTS

Contents August 201 4

From the Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8 Signature Memphis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10 RSVP talks fondue, pandas and Z-Bo with Baptist Memorial Health Care Corporation President and CEO Jason Little.

Live at the Garden Extravaganza . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12 & 58 The Memphis Botanic Garden kicks off its Live at the Garden summer concert series in style with two rockin’ concerts. RSVP features two unprecedented nights that showcased bands Little Big Town and the Goo Goo Dolls with Daughtry.

12 LIVE AT THE GARDEN Ron Carelle and Jennifer DeClerk

StreetSeens . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 & 22 She is bringing art to the people. She is helping Memphians get smart about their money. StreetSeens highlight Dr. Christina Lanzl and Linda L. Williams.

48 TASTE OF CARIBE Sandy and Steve Roe

RSVProfile . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .24 A U G U S T 2 0 14

Uniting the Delta: Big River Crossing and Parkway RSVP editor meets up with Charles McVean of McVean Trading and Investments and his associates Terry Eastin, executive director of Mississippi Trail, Inc. and the Arkansas River Trail Consultant; and Bill Sehnert, executive director of the Peer Power Foundation, Inc.; to discuss the massive undertaking of the Big River Crossing and Parkway and what it means for Memphis and the entire Mississippi River region.

Onsites . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .28, 52, 54, 55 & 56

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Gatherings that have earned an honorable mention.

Big Wig Ball . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .30

58 LIVE AT THE GARDEN Pat and Dr. Bob Parrish

Partygoers literally wigged-out for Le Bonheur Children’s Hospital at the Annesdale Mansion.

Ambassador Series . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .40

10 SIGNATURE MEMPHIS Jason Little

The Rein-Car-Nation of Gene Rose Gene Rose takes Eugene Pidgeon on the ride of his life in the latest installment of the Ambassador Series.

Literatini . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .42 Nothing wrong with a strong martini and a good book decides Literacy Mid-South at their annual fund-raiser.

Taste of Caribe . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .48 The International Children’s Heart Foundation hosts its 10th annual island-inspired affair at Askew Nixon Ferguson Architects.

RSVPhillippi . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .65

30 BIG WIG BALL DJ Hollywood Raiford

“HELLO, I AM A BEAVER” A rose by any other name may smell just as sweet, but that doesn’t change the fact that the closest thing to a lake in Los Angeles is the La Brea Tar Pits. This month, Dennis Phillippi tries to wrap his head around sports teams’ names.

Cover Photo Mitch and Kelly Jo Graves at Live at the Garden Photo by Don Perry

24 RSVPROFILE Charles McVean

R SV P S TA F F Volume XIX

Number XI

August 201 4 PUBLISHER

Roy Haithcock EDITOR

R achel Warren CONTRIBUTING WRITERS

Emily Adams Keplinger Dennis Phillippi Eugene Pidgeon Suzanne Thompson Lesley Young ART DIRECTOR

Patrick Aker s

CHRIS PUGH, ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE 901.276.7787, EXT. 103 chris@rsvpmagazine.com

Chris has been exercising his talent in the advertising world since 1999. He joined the RSVP team in 2009 and brought with him a love for laughter and creativity. Originally from New Albany, Mississippi, Chris has settled in Memphis and enjoys being active in the fashion community.

PHOTOGRAPHERS

Baxter Buck Patrick L antrip Don Perry Steve Roberts

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ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES

Chris Pugh Robin Morgan ACCOUNTING

ROBIN MORGAN ,

Ruth Cassin

ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE 901.276.7787, EXT. 104 robin@rsvpmagazine.com

EDITORIAL INTERN

Patrick L antrip

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6 RSVP Memphis is published monthly by Haithcock Communications, Inc. First class subscriptions are available for $55.00 per year. Send name and address with a check to: Haithcock Communications, Inc. 2282 Central Avenue Memphis, TN 38104

Having worked in advertising for 13 years, Robin is most passionate about magazine print. Her energy is contagious and she counts as her hobbies running, shopping and spending time with her girl friends. Robin's "bright spot" is her daughter Emily Anne. Robin loves living in downtown Memphis, which affords her the opportunity to run down Riverside Drive anytime!

For advertising information contact Roy Haithcock Phone (901) 276-7787, ext. 101 Fax (901) 276-7785 e-mail publisher@rsvpmagazine.com WEB

www.rsvpmagazine.com For editorial information or to request coverage of an event, please contact RSVP Magazine one month prior to the event. Call 901-276-7787, ext. 105 or fax to 901-276-7785. e-mail editor@rsvpmagazine.com Follow us on

RSVP Memphis Magazine

PATRICK LANTRIP, EDITORIAL INTERN 901.276.7787, EXT. 107 patrickl@rsvpmagazine.com

Patrick Lantrip is currently seeking his journalism degree at the University of Memphis, where he also serves as the managing editor of The Daily Helmsman. A native of Midtown Memphis, Patrick is an avid outdoors enthusiast who enjoys mountain biking, hiking, camping and wildlife photography. He enjoys spending his downtime with his daughter, Anna and their cat, Bella.

From the Editor

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he month of August is a busy one. School is starting back up again for many and summer vacations are coming to an end. Here in the RSVP office, we are gearing up for our busiest time of year. The fall brings another fast-paced year of fund-raisers and events celebrating the many wonderful traditions and organizations of Memphis. It is busy, but it is always fun to be apart of so many special nights. When the party ends, though, it is important to remember that each of these organizations are hard at work, uplifting members of the community in a variety of necessary ways. This month we have highlighted some very important people hard at work to uplift Memphians. Dr. Christina Lanzl, the executive director of the UrbanArt Commission, on page 21, is giving communities a chance to express their stories through public art. Linda L. Williams, president and CEO of the R.I.S.E. Foundation, shares how R.I.S.E. is working to help locals be smart with their money. RSVP has introduced a brand new feature called RSVProfile on page 24 that will feature the many positive changes happening around town. Our very first RSVProfile, Charles McVean, of McVean Trading and Investments, gives RSVP the scope on Big River Crossing and Parkway, a project that will include a pedestrian and cyclist pathway on the Harahan Bridge and will continue onto the Mississippi levee system all the way down to New Orleans. Anyone up for biking to the Big Easy? McVean hopes to make that a possibility while bringing a new kind of tourism to the Delta region that promises big bucks for towns up and down the Mississippi River. Memphis is full of changes this August!

Rachel Warren editor@rsvpmagazine.com

Editorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Corrections: In the 2014 July Ambassador Series, Laura Sanderson Healy was incorrectly attributed to launching a sister publication to People Magazine. In fact, she has been published in the sister publication called Who Magazine.

SIGNATURE MEMPHIS

Jason Little President and CEO, Baptist Memorial Health Care Corporation

Hometown: Old Hickory, Tenn. Who Inspires You: Selfless people. Best Memphis Hangout: AutoZone Park. Favorite Song: “Legacy” by Nichole Nordeman. Place You Go to Think: My woodworking shop. The Highlight of Your Day: The hugs when I come home. First Car You Drove: Candy apple red Toyota truck with a racing stripe. Favorite Place to Travel: Anywhere to snow ski. We love Steamboat, Colo.

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Your Best Quality: My Family. I am known around church as “Allison’s Husband.” Who Would Play You in a Movie: How about Jason Bateman? He would need to gain some weight for the role.

Your Lucky Charm: Susan B. Anthony dollar given to me by grandfather. He said, “If you keep this on you, you’ll never be broke.” Proudest Moment of Your Life: Being named the fifth president of Baptist in 102 years and having the honor of leading our mission and ministry. Best Dish You Cook: My kids love it when I make fondue. We have great family time while we take whatever I can find and “dunk” it in cheese, chocolate or oil. Coolest Thing About Memphis: All of it. The river, the churches, Shelby Farms, pandas, Z-Bo, Elvis, Live at the Gardens, my commute, the flyway, the medical community, etc. Best Advice You Ever Got: “I don’t know what your destiny will be, but this I do know, the only ones among you who will truly be happy are those who have sought and found how to serve.” – Dr. Albert Schweitzer

Photo by Steve Roberts

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Best Gift You Ever Received: A scholarship to the University of Tennessee. One Goal You’d Still Like to Accomplish: I’d love to learn to play the banjo.

EVENT

Live at the Garden

LIVE AT THE GARDEN

With Little Big Town

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Daniel and Charmaine Taylor

Tim Maxwell and Beth Flanagan

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eople who attended the first Memphis Botanic Garden’s Live at the Garden concert series of the summer with band Little Big Town were the first to experience music on the Garden’s new permanent stage, the Jim Duncan Stage, named after Memphis Botanic Garden’s executive director. Before the show, which was sponsored by Duncan Williams, VIPs mixed and mingled in the Encore Pavilion, a spacious room with a back wall of windows that provided a scenic view. A long, contemporary-style bar was centered behind the window, and each end of the bar was adorned with a grand arrangement of white flowers including roses and lilies. The bar and matching bistro tables were made of white acrylic panels trimmed with chrome and contained lights, which slowly faded and brightened with different colors, adding a nice touch of ambiance to the Pavilion. VIP ticket holders redeemed tabs, attached to their wristbands, for soft drinks, beer and a variety of wines. B.B. King’s Blues Club and Itta Bena Restaurant laid out quite a spread – miniature sandwiches served on fresh cornbread rounds, crème fraîche cucumbers and small servings of potato salad. Black-eyed peas, tomato and roasted corn salsa pared with crostinis as well as large chicken salad wraps were also served. A large platter heaped with fresh summer fruits and an assortment of cookies completed the buffet. Wanda Barzizza and her husband John purchased four tables in the seating area in front of the stage. “We’ve been coming since the very beginning,” Mrs. Barzizza said, “I’m excited about the new stage because now this is serious competition for Snowden Grove to draw world-class talent.” Author Jay Myers and his wife Maureen have been enjoying the concerts for the last three years. Jay, president of Interactive Solutions, said he purchased tables and used them to entertain clients and friends. “This is the best part of Memphis,” he said. One of the things he found so appealing about the renovations is that there is a sense of actually being in the gardens. “It’s breathtaking,” He added. The lawn was crowded with people who watched the sold-out show lounging on blankets and relaxing in lawn chairs as they shared picnic suppers. Audience members weren’t the only ones who were impressed with the new venue, so was Kimberly Schlapman, lead singer of the Alabama-based country band. “Y’all are a lucky bunch of people to get to come to a place like this and listen to music,” she told the crowd.

See all the party photos at rsvpmagazine.com Password: RSVP

Jim and Mimi Taylor

Story by Suzanne Thompson Photos by Don Perry

Rick Evans and Jennifer Coltharp

Patti Clauss and Mona Sappenfield

Frank Boswell and Becky Kellum

Scott and Abby Felsenthal

Kalki Winter, Wendy Sumner-Winter, Karen Viotti and Ashley Coleman

Patrick Slattery and Caroline Cain

EVENT LIVE AT THE GARDEN

Pat and Donna Hoffman

Tucker and Peggy Larkin

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Brett and Stachia Cutchin

Sharon and Henry Knerr

Christie Jones and Hanna Jones

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Jan and Geoff Falk

Martha and Mike Hess

Stephany and Gregory Fair

Jim and Sandy Stettler

Paul and Holly Craft

Courtney and Mark Brown

EVENT LIVE AT THE GARDEN

Donald and Debbie Kermick

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Mark and Suzanne Massey

David Hollie and Maryanne Campbell RSVP

Genevieve Lorentz and Dannie Lorentz

Amy and Joey Dudek

Anna Kugler and Danielle Humphrey

EVENT LIVE AT THE GARDEN Andrea and Sid McNeil

Jennifer Strunk and Nicole Keene

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Brittany Fleming with Kaitlyn Hunt, Andrea Hunt and Madison Hunt

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Chaundrae Frans, Rick Long, Donna Rollins and Leslie Allen

Nicole Robbins and Shannon Robbins

Debbie Perkins and Kelly Proud

EVENT LIVE AT THE GARDEN

Mitch and Kelly Jo Graves

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Kim and Cary Pappas

John and Wanda Barzizza with Kim and Johnny Pitts RSVP

Rachel Puckett, Jayme Andrews and Amanda Oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Meara

Denielle Saitta, Baileigh Waters, Katie Crain and Jill Baxter

EVENT LIVE AT THE GARDEN Kaye Cooper, Valerie Morris and Pam Davis

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Hauns Brereton and MacKenzie Schmitt

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Cindy and Andrew Hatfield with Teresa Taylor

Joyce Vaughn

STREETSEEN

Dr. Christina Lanzl Painted on the Wall - A Story of Memphis

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rt communicates a story. It can convey an identity, a stance or a set of values. Usually encased in glass or distanced by a velvet rope, art is oftentimes something you plan on seeing in a museum or gallery. Since 1997, though, the UrbanArt Commission (UAC) of Memphis has been bringing art to the people, in their homes, on their street corners and into their public spaces. UAC’s newest installment is worked into the very foundation of Memphis’ newest public space, the Riverfront Development Corporation’s Beale Street Landing. Titled “Rollin’ by the River,” the 4,260 square foot design is a colorful pedestrian walkway created by Florida artist Gary Moore that weaves its way around the Beale Street Landing, stretching 570 feet from the pier along the river front park to a kinetic sculpture by artist Evan Lewis, also commissioned by UAC this last fall. Made up of blue, white, yellow and red bricks, the walkway reflects the ebb and flow of the Mississippi River as well as conceptually expanding the river as it leaps off the riverbed in brick form. “The idea of urban art is that it is supposed to create a kind of sense of identity. It gives everybody a sense of here’s Memphis, here is the best of what we can offer as a city and as a community,” says Dr. Christina Lanzl, executive director of the UAC. Lanzl says that is the exciting thing about urban art – it not only expresses to visitors the story of Memphis, but it also allows its own inhabitants to creatively tell those stories through a variety of mediums. Moreover, the UAC’s instillations are freely accessible and, largely, permanent. From the Benjamin L. Hooks Central Library to the Broad Avenue warehouse mural, UAC is brightening the urban, and sometimes overlooked, spaces of Memphis. The nonprofit organization is really the grand conductor of Memphis’ public art, gathering everyone at the table necessary to see a concept through. “We always join up with a partner in the community. Anybody looking to create some exciting new feature is on our invitation list. We bring the expertise, the resources and the artist pool,” Lanzl explains. With over 20 years experience as a leader in public art, Lanzl is passionate about using public art as a platform for a community to tell its story, and clear communication with the community about what they want the artist to portray is the first step to most UAC installations. Lanzl cites one of UAC’s recent projects, the Uptown Community Mural Project, as an instance of such collaboration. UAC met with members of the Uptown community at the Greenlaw Community Center, and together the group outlined five themes that they wished to be incorporated into the artists’ designs. Furthermore, UAC worked with Habitat for Humanity and Uptown Memphis to facilitate this project. Through these talks and community alliance, there will be three murals as well as artist-designed bike racks in the Uptown community by December 2014 that will reflect the story of the neighborhood as seen by its residents. Murals will be located at Brian’s Grocery by artist Charlie Forrester, The Bakery at Uptown by artist Jonathan Hart and Roxie’s Grocery by Carl Scott. The National Ornamental Metal Museum will also be creating four bike racks for The Office@Uptown and three for street corners in the neighborhood. Lanzl says UAC continues to portray the stories of Memphis through the generous support of the public. Take a look at their website www.urbanartcommission.org to view their extensive gallery of completed works across the MidSouth or to view their large registry of artists, which, by the way, is always looking for new talent. Most importantly, Lanzl asks that people support UAC by simply believing in urban art and the positive influence it has on our city and future generations. Story by Rachel Warren Photo by Steve Roberts

STREETSEEN

Linda L. Williams Money Matters

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here is no better time than the present to take control of your finances. Obviously, it is important to make money; we all know that, but where do you turn when you need help understanding how to save and spend? That is where the Memphis R.I.S.E. Foundation comes in. Standing for Responsibility. Initiative. Solutions. Empowerment., R.I.S.E. is a nonprofit organization that acts to improve the Memphis community by providing financial literacy tools and incentives to help families build assets and make better financial choices. So far R.I.S.E. has served more that 546 participants who have created more than $6.3 million in assets purchase since 1999. President and CEO, Linda L. Williams, is the woman behind this organization, and she has made it her mission to uplift Memphis citizens that are looking for the freedom of financial security. “Our mission is to help people and empower people to become self-sufficient by building and sustaining both human and financial assets. The theme that runs through all of the adult programs is financial education. We want to help people make the best decisions that they can with the resources that they have,” says Williams. R.I.S.E. has three main programs that set out to try and change the way people think about their financial assets as well as how to build on these existing sums. The Save Up program is developed for Memphis and Shelby county residents who live in public housing, are Section 8 voucher holders or are Earned Income Tax eligible. Students of Save Up learn how to transition from public housing, and R.I.S.E. helps them to create Individual Development Accounts to help them build their finances. With their savings, participants are able to make purchases of cars or homes. Williams says, “After our participants go through the Save Up program, they realize it is possible to save. Through this program, 85 percent of families continue to save.” After concern over the sinking credit and soaring bankruptcy in Memphis, R.I.S.E. began the Common Sense program, a workplace financial education program that trains employers and interested parties how to educate their employees about their earned income. In so far, nearly 2,000 Memphis area-employees from over 50 companies and nonprofit organizations have completed the program that covers issues like banking, budgeting, debt management, spending and retirement. R.I.S.E.’s Silver Neighbors program was created for Memphis senior citizens in a time when many are the victims of fraud and misinformation. This much needed program works to help older adults make smart decisions about financial products and services. Williams says the most important part of this program is to really empower senior citizens to look for the red flags of scammers in the digital age and say no to services that look suspicious. Another topic they tackle is how to organize finances for end-of-life plans. Another program R.I.S.E. offers is one made for children called the Goal Card program. This program focuses on elementary, middle and high school students within low-income families, and helps students set goals that correspond with good grades, conduct and attendance based on a report card review. Students earn points for reaching their goals, which are redeemable for rewards or can be banked for a larger reward. Guess which one the kids are encouraged to do? “We encouraged them to save their points, and, by the end of the year, 85 percent of our kids had banked their points with the bigger prizes in mind,” Williams comments, adding that the program will hopefully translate into how the children see the benefits of saving their earnings. Williams says that there is no time like the present to take control of your finances, and, if we have learned anything in the last few years, it is that you can never know what the future holds. R.I.S.E, always welcomes donations, which you can do online at their website, www.risememphis.org. Williams invites everyone to turn out for their annual gala September 27th at Hilton Memphis which features Dr. Evelyn Wynn-Dixon, mayor of Riverdale, GA., as the evenings keynote speaker. Story by Rachel Warren Photo by Steve Roberts

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RSVProfile Uniting the Delta: The Big River Crossing and Parkway

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hat if you could bike or hike from St. Louis all the way down to New Orleans on one single connected pathway along the Mississippi River? The notion sounds extraordinary and possibly, to many out there, impossible. Yet, to Charles McVean, entrepreneur and cycling en-

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thusiast, the idea had a ring of logic to it. Instead of viewing the idea as an impossible concept, McVean considered it the chance of a lifetime to bring people back to the Delta region as well as bring big bucks to a region that has been quietly waiting for people to return to it. One of the most outspoken proponents of this vision in Memphis, McVean of the McVean Trading and Investments Company along with his powerhouse associates Terry Eastin, the executive director of Mississippi River Trail Inc. and the Arkansas River Trail Consultant, and Bill Sehnert, director at the Peer Power Foundation to discuss exactly what this massive undertaking like this could mean for Memphis and the entire Delta region. The Harahan Bridge has caused controversy since its construction. Recently, it has been making big stirs again in the media and in public policies. Spanning across the mighty Mississippi with one foot planted firmly in Memphis and the other placed in West Memphis, Ark., the Harahan Bridge has been slated to not only get the facelift of a lifetime but also to be resurrected as the very first step in the ultimate plan to unite the entire Delta in the modern framework of what is called “geotourism.” The plan promises to make the old roadways on the Harahan Bridge into a pedestrian and cyclist pathway called the Big River Crossing and expand that pathway unto the Mississippi levee system, which will be called the Big River Parkway.

Four years ago, Syd Lerner, Marc Miesse and Greg Maxted of Greater Memphis Greenline organization presented McVean with the information that the old roadways of the Harahan Bridge were technically owned by the City of Memphis and Crittenden County Arkansas. This sparked the idea that the roadways could be used as a pedestrian and cyclist pathway. This idea was later formed under the title of the “Harahan Bridge Project” that was created to pursue the possibility of using the old roadways. McVean says that he began to picture extending the pathway onto the Mississippi levee system that traveled the entire length of the river. “I put two and two together and I said to Maxted, ‘We have got to get across that bridge, and we have got to go to those levees,’” recalls McVean, explaining the beginning of a revolutionary idea that would catch the attention of states all along the Delta. In the beginning, the project was originally called the Harahan Bridge Project but has recently been rebranded as the Big River Crossing and the Big River Parkway. “This is a sound bite world,” said McVean of the name change, commenting that the name of the Harahan Bridge evoked nothing in the many visitors that come to the city of Memphis for a taste of the Blues and Elvis. Instead the moniker “Big River,” based, in part, on the song “Big River” by the legendary Johnny Cash, was a name that instantly called to mind the mighty Mississippi that the bridge connects. A little history is necessary to explain just what McVean and the Big River Crossing and Parkway have in store for Memphis and beyond. The bridge, which includes a railway and a section for buggies and motorists, has sat mainly unused since the 1950s save for trains that still roll across it and the occasional group of kids scared away by security. According to the Memphis-Historic website www.historic-memphis.com, the Harahan Bridge was completed in 1916 and was originally named the Rock Island Bridge. The bridge was renamed the Harahan Bridge when the president of the Rock Island Railroad that owned the bridge, James T. Harahan, was killed

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on the bridge when his car was hit by an oncoming train. When the MemphisArkansas Bridge was opened in 1949, Memphis and West Memphis drivers had a much safer option to use when crossing the river by car. After a long history of fires, unsafe driving conditions, heated policy arguments from both sides of the bridge, two world wars and the difficult task of maintaining a bridge in water, the Harahan Bridge never had the chance to live up to its glorious expectations of the bridge that connected the railway and motorists to St. Louis and the gulf of Mexico. McVean and the members of the Harahan Bridge Project, which would later be reformed as the Big River Strategic Initiative (BRSI), saw the possibility of using the bridge and the levees to unite towns and people of the Mississippi River through a pathway that encouraged healthy recreation and environmental sustainability. The parties involved quickly agreed that including a pedestrian and bike path along the bridge and extending atop the Mississippi levee system in Arkansas would bring tourism to the many towns the levees hit. First things first, though: get the go ahead to turn the old Harahan roadways into pedestrian and bike friendly lanes without interrupting the train schedule. It is convenient to call McVean the grand connector of the various pieces and bits of this large project. McVean knew that the first step to completing the Big River Crossing and Parkway was to get the approval of Union Pacific Railroad Company, the owner of the Harahan Bridge. “The fact that Memphis owned those old roadways was relatively irrelevant because the Union Pacific could have found all sorts of objections to the program,” explains McVean. Fortunately for the dreamers of this plan, McVean’s investment company and the Union Pacific had ties in Omaha, Nebraska allowing for McVean to coordinate a meeting with the chairman and CEO of the Union Pacific, James Young and Union Pacific senior Vice President, Bob Turner. As fate would have it, both

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Young and Turner were avid cyclists. It was through Young that the project was given Union Pacific’s approval to use the roadways with plans for security fencing to be installed on the bridge to prevent pedestrian’s access to the railway where trains will continue to travel across. Tragically, Young passed away unexpectedly within months of the approval. Yet, McVean and involved parties have continued with the enthusiasm that Young had for connecting the Delta through one simple bike parkway. McVean says that the next step was getting the approval of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. McVean instigated a meeting with Eddy Belk, the civilian head of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers of the lower Mississippi River. Belk and the Corps of Engineers gave their blessing for the Big River Parkway to be built across the levee system. These talks and plans were also able to move forward with the help of Robert Moore of the Arkansas State Highway Commission. The last piece of the puzzle, and the first piece of connecting the levees immediately outside of the bridge in Arkansas, was gaining the approval of the St. Francis Levee District of Arkansas, the board that maintains the levees in six counties from the Missouri Bootheel to the confluence of the St. Francis River. In June of 2012, U.S. Representative Steve Cohen awarded the Harahan Bridge Project the Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery Grant (TIGER IV) this along with matching grants from state, local and private funds to turn the roadways on the Harahan Bridge into a cyclist and pedestrian path, the Big River Crossing. In July of 2014, the BRSI gained the go-ahead from Steve Higginbotham, director of the St. Francis Levee District of Arkansas, to build a parkway on top of the levees from West Memphis south to Marianna, Arkansas. When all is said and done, the Big River Crossing will connect downtown Memphis to downtown West Memphis using the TIGER IV grant and matching private and public grants. The Big River Parkway will be funded seperately. All in all, the parkway will cover a total of 660 miles. Recently, the National Geographic Society (NGS) has joined the project along with the Mississippi River Trail, Inc. With the NGS’s partnership through Terry Eastin, executive director of BRSI and Mississippi River Trail, the combined forces want to promote cities along the Mississippi River as a National Geographic Society Geotourism Destination. “Geotourism” as defined by NGS is tourism that enhances and sustainably builds on a geographical location without diminishing its natural state. The vision now is to connect the entire system of levees in a bike and pedestrian parkway that follow the Mississippi

River, from the headwaters in Itasca, Minnesota to the Gulf of Mexico. If completed and sanctioned as a NGS Geotourism Destination it will mean big things for locally owned businesses along the river who will be branded as geotourism locations. “It is place based tourism, and National Geographic Society has developed a program that has gone worldwide to help micro, small and medium businesses elevate their image and become able, under the National Geographic’s logo, to market their sense of place to businesses worldwide,” says Eastin of what the NGS branding will mean for small businesses up and down the river. “For the small business man, the National Geographic brand is the third most recognizable brand world-wide. The first most recognized brand with regards to tourism worldwide,” adds Eastin, demonstrating exactly how big of an impact the partnership with NGS could be for small towns in dire need of economy stimulation. McVean hopes that in making the Big River Crossing and Parkway a reality, hundreds of tourists eager to see the Mississippi River and discover the charm of the Delta. This means big money to McVean, who, in the long run, would like to see the boasted economy promote job growth and eventually pump much need funding into schools in Memphis and throughout the Delta. “This will create jobs and small business jobs, the kind that some high school graduates will gravitate towards. As the economy rises, then children will rise with it. Right now, if you get out of high school there are not a lot of jobs,” says Bill Sehnert, director of McVean’s Peer Power Foundation, a nonprofit peer-to-peer tutoring program. Sehnert also notes that connecting the levees and uniting the towns along the Mississippi river under the NGS logo will help children better understand how the river is an instrumental part of the creation of our nation. “Those tourism dollars are going to funnel right back in to the Memphis economy and the city government from federal tax,” adds Eastin. “It doesn’t take rocket science to figure out that we have got to do this. It is a once in a generation opportunity,” says McVean with feeling. McVean gives his word that the first part of the Big River Parkway through New Orleans will be completed with the Big River Crossing by spring of 2016. Additionaly, he promises an impressive grand opening that will include a bike race to New Orleans, Union Pacific steam engines and a special performance by the Blue Angels. Story by Rachel Warren Photos by Don Perry

ONSITE

Onsite I

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Children’s Museum of Memphis Accreditation Celebration

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On April 11, the Children’s Museum of Memphis (CMOM) held a reception to celebrate its recent accreditation by the American Alliance of Museums, the highest national recognition for a museum. Accreditation signifies excellence to the museum community of donors, outside agencies and the museum-going public. With this accreditation, CMOM becomes the eighth museum out of 400 children’s museum to receive this designation, placing it in the top two percent of all children’s museums in the country. Guests gathered in the Malco 4 Kids room for hors d’oeuvres and beverages. City of Memphis Mayor A C Wharton Jr. alongside Shelby County Mayor Mark Luttrell addressed the crowd and presented proclamations honoring the museum. Dick Hackett, CMOM chief executive officer, reminded guests of the museum’s founding by a dedicated group of volunteers who sought to establish a place that would “spark an imagination and light up a mind.” Ford W. Bell, president of the American Alliance of Museums, told guests that the accreditation is an outward indicator of the CMOM’s commitment to excellence in all that it does. “Accreditation assures the people of Memphis that their museum is among the finest in the nation,” Bell said. “As a result, the citizens can take considerable pride in their home-grown institution for its commitment to excellence and for the value it brings to the community.”

Playhouse on the Square Original Art Auction

Southern Hot Wing Festival

Spring Forward Bash

The 37th annual Playhouse on the Square Original Art Auction ran all day and well into the night as Playhouse presented original artworks from 180 professional artists. The all-day silent auction gave folks a chance to drop by, place bids and take a sneak preview at the one-of-akind pieces that would be up for bid at the live auction. Partygoers strolled through the theater’s lobby keeping an eye on their silent auction bid while enjoying hummus with assorted vegetables, fresh fruits, cheeses, pork tenderloin, spinach dip and smoked salmon rillettes with crème fraîche and caviar from Wade & Company Catering. As the evening progressed, attendees moved into the auditorium where the bidding grew more competitive. Gene Katz, Michael Detroit and Ann Marie Hall served as auctioneers for the event, fueling the bidding with wit and humor. Bidders sought pieces by Jimpsie Ayres, Valerie Berlin, Tom Clifton, Mimi Dann and Katie Dann.

The Southern Hot Wing Festival was the place to be for aficionados looking to savor some of the best wings around town or cooking teams looking to show off their culinary talents. Teams got fired up in the Mississippi River Park on Riverside Drive as they competed to be named in the top flight of this Kansas City Barbecue Society sanctioned competition. A $1,000 grand prize was given to the winning cooking team. Taking top honors was a team called Fire and Trouble. The teams rounding out the top five were 901Q in second place, Bling taking third place, Kings of Wings in fourth place and Hold My Beer and Watch This coming in fifth place. Individuals got in on the fun by participating in a wing eating contest with a $300 cash prize for first place going to Austin P. “It’s Good to be” King. He earned extra bragging rights for winning this event for the third year in a row. The festival packed the park with the sweet smell of hot wings and entertainment for the whole family. For small fry, there was a Kid’s Zone, offering various activities and arts and crafts. Also, the fundraiser included a silent auction, and local vendors rounded out the festival’s offerings with items ranging from Italian ice and corn dogs to jewelry and art. The only thing hotter than the wings themselves was this year’s musical entertainment. Nancy Apple, Earl “The Pearl” Banks, Papa Top’s West Coast Turnaround and The Delta Project were among the performers who kept the music flowing from two stages. Miss Nashville, Kaileigh Bullard, was captivating with her brand of country music. Headlining the festival, The Marshall Tucker Band took the enthusiastic crowd through their most popular tunes.

Guests gathered for the Spring Forward Bash, Germantown Community Theatre’s (GTC) largest annual fund-raiser. Held at the Clark Opera Memphis Center, attendees dined on ham and cucumber sandwiches, Italian spinach, mushroom bruschetta, marinated meatballs, assorted deli meats, cheeses and fruit from Off the Square Catering. Memphis Made Brewing Co. provided locally brewed craft beers and wines were from Tiffany Werne of Frederick Wildman & Sons Importers. The smooth sounds of 5 Four Soul provided musical background while guests circulated among tables, bidding on silent auction items. A wine pull offered another means for guests to support the fundraiser. GCT board president, Hal Beckham, welcomed the crowd and thanked everyone for their support of the theater’s 42nd season. He also let gala attendees be the first to know that Dr. Michael Miles had been selected to serve as the organization’s new executive director. In addressing the group, Miles, who holds a Ph.D. in leadership, as well as a master’s degree in education and a bachelor’s degree in theater, shared his mission to build, grow and expand the offerings of GCT. As the evening continued, a video presentation featuring personal testimonies from local children and teens who have participated in GCT’s summer camp, as well as regular season performances, provided the perfect segue to the initial offerings of 2014-2015 season memberships as they implored the crowd to “come play.”

Story and Photos by Emily Adams Keplinger

Leslie Hanna, Molly Polatty and Dorothy Kirsch

Story and Photos by Emily Adams Keplinger

L.J. Miles and Nicholas Miles Dick Tillman, Dick Hackett, Mayor A C Wharton Jr., Ford W. Bell, Ron Kastner and Mayor Mark Luttrell

Tiffany Corkran and Caitlin Terry Brooks Monypeny, Ginny Monypeny and Kelly Cruise

Caprice Morgan and Takeisha Butler

Ken Hudson and Barbara Standing

Phillip Webster and Paul Gagliano

Dr. Michael and Megan Miles

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Big Wig Ball

BIG WIG BALL

Wig Out!

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Caley and Josh Spotts

Lauren and Jamison Callins

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emphians “flipped their wigs” at the annual Le Bonheur Children’s Hospital Foundation Associate Board’s Big Wig Ball. Red, blue, pompadour, Mohawk, Afro, short, long, wigs of all shapes and styles adorned the heads of guests as they arrived at Annesdale Mansion for a night of dancing, dining and even a surprise musical appearance from a Memphis favorite. Attendees began with a tempting spread from A Moveable Feast Catering, which offered smoked catfish quesadillas, a cheese ring and two types of tacos, Carribean jerked pulled pork or barbecue. A.S. Barboro and Star Distributers provided the liquor for the evening, and the wigged crowd took advantage of several tropical-themed drinks to cool down in the Memphis heat. Nothing could outshine the venue itself. Groups of friends with drinks in hand climbed up and down stairs, peered into corners and took strolls along the grounds of the breathtaking Annesdale Mansion. A “Wig Styling Station” added some extra “oomph” to wigs that needed some teasing, hairspray and/or a glittery hair band to complete their fabulous look for the night. Silky O’Sullivan’s Pub’s Dueling Pianos provided musical entertainment, and jazzy duo, Jen & Levin, entertained VIP guests in the Independent Bank VIP Lounge. Frost Bake Shop brought the cake to the party, offering up slices of their signature carrot and strawberry cake. The silent auction really got things going as partygoers bid for items such as artwork by Paul Edlestein and signed Memphis Grizzlies memorabilia from Zach Randolph and Mike Miller, to only name a few of the exclusive offerings. Silent auction proceeds benefited the purchase of red wagons for the hospital. These special red wagons will be used to transport patients during their hospital stay instead of wheelchairs. Outside, a dance floor beckoned guests as DJ Mark Anderson spun all the hits, and it was hard to find any guest that could resist the urge to sing along or shake their tail feathers along with the beat. Excitement quickly grew as more and more guests congregated outside by the dance floor as word spread that the evening’s special musical guest was on their way. After a moment of suspenseful technical difficulties, DJ Hollywood Raiford, of Paula and Raiford’s Disco, emerged in all his royal majesty and took over his rightful DJ turntable. Spinning out a mix of top-40 songs, Memphis classics and several line dances, Raiford positively took the party to the next level. Despite the June Memphis heat, the crowd continued to dance, fully-wigged into the night. See all the party photos at rsvpmagazine.com Password: RSVP

Lauren Ditta and Asim Choudhri

Story by Rachel Warren Photos by Don Perry

Charles and Kaylee Pierce

Lesley and Jamie Coleman

Lindsay Rogers and Shalyn Simpkins

Tracey Boatwright and Ken Fennell

Marianne Dieter with Lauren and William Brigance and Kate Lyons

Thomas Powell and Sara Alwafai

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EVENT BIG WIG BALL

John Bandura and Collin Johnson

Tammy and Jimmy Wilson

Danielle Salton and Kevin Woods

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Penelope Huston and Shaina Guttman

Rob and Lizzy Langley

Aynalem Ameha and Esperanza King

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LaToya Sharp and Frank Chin

Ben and Rhiannon Mauck

Katherine Whitfield, Kelsey Maynard, Susan Satar and Solomon Boti Bi

March Mims and Elly Deyhle

Savannah London, Pegah Shahidi and Megan Wilson

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Allie Olson and Julie McKnight

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Mandi Burke, Nick Schifani and Katy Rower

Walker and Kat Pritchard

Roma and Cory Andrews

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Christina and Kip Gordon

Brad Colonna, Alisa Cunningham and Jon Tabb

Mary Halford and Katie Davidson

Lindsey Burt and Dawn Johnson

Stephen, Teresa and Jennifer Routh

EVENT BIG WIG BALL Nica Cabigao, Daniel Gant, Lillie Donati and Elizabeth Gant

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Liza Routh with Ben and Necy Livingston

Scott Finney and Tracey Dougan

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Kenny and Joanie Taylor

Jennifer Thompson, Hudson Atkins and Trev Clark

Janis Piwonka and Aron Ramage

Bill and Terri West

Amy Farris, Madelyn Gray and Karen Tronsor

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Carolyn Powell, Isabelle Blais and Sally Young

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Valencia Gathwright, Corey Coleman and Sojourner Selmon

Colleen and Ryan Radish

Lisa Moore and Lisa Smith

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By Eugene Pidgeon

THE REIN-CAR-NATION OF GENE ROSE

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ene Rose is a remorseless “car-nivore.” He has an insatiable appetite for anything relating to automobiles, specifically, homegrown American automobiles. If one were to combine the collective body of all things, animal, vegetable and mineral to define or illustrate the authentic symbol of our great 20th Century Americana, it still wouldn’t have the comparable impact to be levied against our single greatest emblem, the automobile, which stands alone and proud. The first auto on record may not have been the offspring or product of American ingenuity. However, no other nation in history has utilized automobile technology to the sharply tempered degree as has the Good Old U. S. of A. In the United States, and only in the United States, automobiles are personified and given a life of their own, irrespective of the driver, passenger or builder. America’s universal sex appeal has been forged by spark plugs, four on the floor and chrome. One would not be misspeaking to suggest the automobile is our single greatest, natural art form. Automobiles are now insinuated into our cultural DNA. There may be no one on Planet Earth who understands this more than Gene Rose, 80, who moved from Memphis, to Clermont, Florida over a decade ago. More than an automobile aficionado, Rose is a vigilant caretaker, curator and custodian of the metal and mythology of automobiles. He takes junk skeletons of old cars, rummaged from the rusty fester of junkyards, abandoned railroad yards and riverfronts and rebuilds them, but his work is only partially the reconstruction of metal and the reapplication of paint and upholstery; it is as if he is performing triage on the automobile’s very soul. Chatting from his garage in Florida, Rose opens up and is very candid and enthusiastic about lifetime relationship with cars and trucks. “I started restoring automobiles in 1969,” Rose faithfully recalls. “It was a ’56 Chevrolet Pickup. I

found it on Thomas Street in Memphis, and let me tell you – it was in really bad condition,” laments Rose. To give you an idea of the focus and attention to detail required to reinvent a vehicle, Rose asserts, “It took me about a year to fix it up, and, in 1981, it appeared as the Centerpiece for Street Rod Magazine in Paris, France!” states Rose with the committed verve of a race winning pit boss. To add more lore to the story, while Rose was

Photo by Joy Lee Thys

THE AMBASSADOR SERIES

The Ambassador Series

working to restore the truck he was navigating a full-time job as a plant manager of a busy and successful steel fabricating and erecting plant near downtown Memphis. “The magazine writers and a photographer came to my house, interviewed me and took pictures of the truck,” Rose exclaims. “My family was so excited when the magazine arrived.” Unfortunately for the family, the text was written in French. “Yeah, we had to take it to Memphis State to get translated. I sure don’t speak French.” Rose laughs. No, but he speaks for himself with such amazing work. Every year in November, Rose hosts a gathering of auto lovers and members of the National Street Rod Association. “Last year we had 70 trucks and street rods in my backyard,” Rose proudly chimes. Vehicles from around the country make the pilgrimage. Coming from as far away as California or from just around the block in Daytona Beach, Fla. Rose welcomes cars and trucks from all

walks and entertains a tremendous gallery of motoring enthusiasts, who abide under the same roof, or, perhaps more appropriately, the open hood of a vehicle engine. It is not so much about what Rose does to and for the automobiles and trucks he restores as it is about never losing sight of his dream. Even when he was working so hard to feed his family and give them a warm bed to sleep in and a roof over their heads, Rose never lost sight of his dream to restore cars and trucks. In many ways, Rose was restoring himself as well. The automotive restorations made him a better worker, a better husband and father. This is because it made him a better person as well. “I am so happy today,” Rose proclaims. “The good Lord has blessed me so much. Everything I have and everything I am is because God gave it to me. I try to show my gratitude every day…by the way I work and by the way I treat my family, friends and even strangers.” By his amazing gift for restoration, Rose has learned the great lessons of human interaction. “Cars and trucks are a way to get people together. These are people who share a common interest in automobiles and a common journey through life itself,” Rose says. Gene Rose is the common man of Steinbeck, the common spirit of Hemingway and the common dreamer of Fitzgerald. More significant perhaps is how he has evolved into a masterful commentator of the true American Dream and the true American Dream Car. If you don’t believe, then look him up and go see him. He will welcome you with open arms and with an anchored handshake and a sharp look in the eye. “Yessir, come on down. I’ll give you a hot dog and show you around. And we’ll talk about cars. You are going to have a good time. I guarantee it.” Gentlemen start your engines!

To make a suggestion or pitch a story idea to Eugene, feel free to e-mail him at eugenepidgeon@rsvpmagazine.com.

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Literatini

LITERATINI

Schol arly Spirits

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Kevin Dean and Heather Nordtvedt

Brandi and Jay Shires

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ore than 200 people surrounded by books – and martinis – attended the 3rd annual Literatini event benefitting Literacy Mid-South (LMS). The Booksellers at Laurelwood Shopping Center, a natural venue for a LMS fundraiser, sponsored the sold-out event. Those fortunate enough to have snagged tickets strolled around the store sampling martinis while they browsed the shelves full of books. A generous 20 percent of the sales that night were donated to LMS. After tasting martinis from 11 stations scattered throughout the bookstore and selecting a favorite, each person was able to cashin two tickets for full-size martinis. Options were many and greatly varied, ranging from a “Bubble Bath” martini by Automatic Slims (complete with a rubber ducky floating in the frothy concoction), to a grapefruit martini, the “Red Ruby Martini,” offered by LMS. Some of the restaurants that participated included The Grove Grill with a “Long Hot Road” martini that featured cantaloupe vodka, The Silly Goose, which offered a “Green Gimlet” martini and Blind Bear Speakeasy, which served the “Flapper,” a mango martini. Roaring Tiger Distillery, new to Memphis and the only local distillery, was on hand with a “Tiger Beet,” a drink made with beets grown in the distillery garden along with its signature vodka. Screwpulp, a local self-publishing platform for writers, used molecular gastronomy to create a “Black and White” martini crafted with a scientific process that included agar-agar and rum. Selecting a favorite was tricky, but most guests managed to muddle through and good cheer abounded. “We’ve had awesome, and we’ve had, ah, interesting,” Trey Thomas said, grinning. Thomas attended with his fiancée, Amy Schriener, who said she’s been looking forward to the event. “I had to work last year, so I was excited that I could make it.” Blind Bear Speakeasy served pepper jack macaroni and cheese along side a buffet of light appetizers served by the Booksellers Bistro in the café area. A contest among the bartenders, “Bartender Death Match,” mirrored the Food Network’s show “Chopped.” Bartenders used ingredients from a mystery basket to whip up martinis in a fast paced race to make the best martini. Alchemy Memphis was the night’s winner with second and third place going to Screwpulp and Jim’s Place Grille respectively. A unique and fun attraction was local poet Adam Maldonado. Maldonado gave attendees personalized poetry on his old Underwood typewriter. He cranked out a page of verse on the spot about topics they requested. His business is composing poetry on demand, and, for those who gave a donation, Maldonado shared 20 percent of his take with LMS.

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Will Bryson and Andrea Tedesco

Story by Suzanne Thompson Photos by Baxter Buck

Lauren Kennedy and Macon Wilson

Sally Stover and Tom Clifton

Erin Harmon and David Pritchard

Melody Martin and Ed Parramore

Harry Freeman, Sara Ratner, Laura Terry and Jim Brasher

Fred and Ruth Towler

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Eileen Hogan and David Parks

Sharma Blocker and Machala Gilbert

Susan and Bill Guess

Lori Downs and Lindsay Vallone

Abby Miller and Sara Studdard

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Deanne McClendon and Trentiss Nickson

Alex and Megan Arevalo

Lisa Russell and Ben Roach

Dean Hestermann and Johannah Oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Malley

Ed Bosch and Mary Henderson

Carolyn Head and Dennis Head

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Kaylea Vaughn and Michael Bean

Amy Schriner and Trey Thomas

Julie Dorian and Torrey Hughes

Marilu Davis and Harriet Ferrell

Meeghan Bell and Deanna Lance

Michael and Bevalee Vitali

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Jim Caldwell and Paula Coley

Mark and Colby Sturgis

Kelsey Maynard and Karuna Dewan

David Goodale and Melanie Murray

Katherine Whitfield and Alan Sefton

Amanda Clarkson and Julie Darling

Melanie and Josh Clark

EVENT LITERATINI Debbie Woodell and Maria Alam

Nicole Yasinsky and Neil Van Uum

Kacy and John Parie

Jim and Sharon Turner

Michelle Griggs and Halle Griggs

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Adam Maldonado and Katie McWeeney

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Albert Akpotu and Jamie Rodgers

Jason Morgan, Matt Brown and Rebecca Davis

Eric Mathews and Sarah Petschonek

Melanie Cardile and Jeanne Williams

Billy Farmer, Heather Wilson and Justin Hipner

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Taste of Caribe

TASTE OF CARIBE

Benefiting the International Children’s Heart Foundation

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Jessica Jameson and Blake Ward

Camilla Curran and Jakie Vaz

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ven though it’s almost 1,000 miles to Havana, the International Children’s Heart Foundation (ICHF) brought the spirit of the Caribbean to landlocked Memphians at the 10th annual Taste of Caribe fund-raiser. The only thing missing was the beach, as the home of Askew Nixon Ferguson Architects was transformed into an island paradise. Imported cigars, aged-rum and a cornucopia of Caribbean cuisine were just a few of the highlights of the evening. Bret Rodriguez, sixth generation member of the Bacardi family and ICHF board of directors president, personally manned an ice luge that featured an assortment of his family’s flavored rums while Dr. Alejandro Cuenca of Joya de Nicaragua, the Central American country’s oldest and most prestigious cigar company, engaged guests in a game of “shut the box” with free cigars on the line. The crowd enjoyed the cool, island sounds of the band, Coconut Jam, while Jessy Harrison memorized them with her fire dancing between sets. A buffet featuring Caribbean classics such as jerk chicken satay, pulled pork tacos, black bean and corn salsa and homemade sopapillas was available, while platters of Fontina cheese toast with pineapple salsa and prosciutto-wrapped cantaloupe and honeydew hors d’oeuvres were passed out. Inside there was a silent auction with cigar accessories and memorabilia donated by Joya de Nicaragua, including several custom “babyheart” cigar cutters made for ICHF. There were also tickets to the Orpheum’s Summer Movie Series as well as several paintings by Michael Maness available for auction. The proceeds generated by the fundraiser went to ICHF, whose stated mission is to provide life-saving surgical care to children with congenital heart defects in developing countries. In addition to the hands on care provided by the surgeons, ICHF’s secondary mission is to create a sustainable heart care infrastructure within those countries by training the local surgeons and medical staff and providing medication, surgical supplies and diagnostic equipment to local hospitals. Started in 1993 by Dr. William Novick, ICHF has provided medical care to over 7,000 children in 33 countries, including Iraq, Ukraine and the Dominican Republic. Since Dr. Novick’s first international surgery over twenty years ago, ICHF has grown into a multinational nonprofit with staff and volunteers from all over the world, but it still manages to keep its roots in Memphis where Dr. Novick is also a professor of International Child Health and Surgery at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center.

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David and Kay Solomon

Story by Patrick Lantrip Photos by Baxter Buck

Emily Price and Christina Logan

Jennifer and Dr. Starr Cheshier

Celina Roseberry and Victoria Ferguson

Cynthia Talley and Steve White

Karen Febles, Jeremy Simpson and Isabel Rosas

Lee and Annette Askew

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Jannika and Dr. Ali Dodge-Khatami

Jim Petrea and Jutta Siebert

Amy and Chris King

Matt Doyle and Megan Humphrey

Terry Reeves and Carter Beard

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Annette and Steve Green

Jim Mertzlufft and Carol McCrudden

Llana Smith and Dr. John Rada

Michelle Warner and Lakeisha Davis

Jeff Martin and Valerie Jones

Audrey Flynn and Janice Worcester

EVENT TASTE OF CARIBE Martina Pavanic, Caitlin Cameron and Kimberly Kimball

Audrey Hildreth and David Lusby

Sam Cox and Ellen Adams

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Jean Towne, Aspen Mueller and Terry Carter

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Shaun Barber and Natallia Yaletskaya

Jeff Tinnell, Dr. Alejandro Martinez Cuenca and Robb Hunter

Chelsey Fairchilds and Gale Mueller

Brittany Skaggs and Daniel Faulk

Robert Jameson, Elizabeth Novick and David Jameson

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Dixon Garden Party and Fashion Show

Get Down and Derby

Most of the women matched the scenery as Memphis fashionistas gathered at the Dixon Gallery & Gardens for their annual Garden Party and Fashion Show ready to view what the red carpet had to offer. Clad in bright floral frocks, botanic wraps and vividly hued heels, the smartly dressed attendees took on a visual feast at the fund-raiser held at the Gardens’ Hughes Pavilion. Presented by women’s clothing and furnishings brand Anthropologie, the garden party and fashion show is held each year in an effort to raise funds for the nearly 40-yearold fine arts museum and public gardens. “We have employees along with their families and friends model to show that Anthropologie is for every age and every body type,” said local Anthropologie store manager, Nadia Fares. A wine tasting presented four wines, a Prosecco, two whites and one red, for the evening and A Catered Affair provided noshes to enjoy. The Dixon’s director of horticulture, Dale Skaggs, provided a walking tour of the gardens before the main event, and DJ Manus spun the latest hits during and after the catwalk. “This is part of our quarterly Wine Downs, but, for this one, we made it a fashion show. It’s sort of like a ladies’ night. It’s very feminine,” Dixon development associate, Sarah Lorenz said. Besides the clothes, perhaps the highlight of the evening was the raffle. Anthropologie gave away a handbag and two personal shopping experiences for four people each. The Dixon handed out two tickets to Symphony in the Gardens.

Colorful hats perched atop heads of guests at the Memphis Botanic Garden made it quickly known that it was Kentucky Derby Day at the East Memphis property for the annual Get Down and Derby event. While fans around the world were glued to televisions for post time at 5:24 Central Time, Memphians gathered in the Garden’s Hardin Hall for the “The Greatest Two Minutes in Sports,” and, between the seersucker suits, the bowties and the porkpies, not a detail was left unstitched. The Down Syndrome Association of Memphis and the Mid-South presented the event to raise funds for the organization, which works to support and empower individuals with Down syndrome and their families. “We want people to know that people with Down syndrome are individuals first,” DSAMM executive director Martine Hobson said. The events hosted a silent and live auction with over 100 items up for grabs as well as a wine pull, dancing and a Best Dressed/Best Hat contest. “We hope to bring more awareness around issues that individuals with Down syndrome face,” Hobson said. Story and Photos by Lesley Young

Memphis Society of Entrepreneurs Awards and Presentation Dinner

Dress For Success Memphis Suit and Salad Luncheon

From FedEx’s Fred Smith to Holiday Inn’s Kemmons Wilson, from Mrs. Fields Bakery’s Debbi Fields Rose to Piggy Wiggly’s Clarence Saunders, the list of influential Memphis entrepreneurs is formidable. To continue this legacy, the Memphis Society of Entrepreneurs formed in 1991 in an effort to recognize the contribution of entrepreneurs in the area and to further develop the entrepreneurial spirit of Memphis. One of the ways in which the society does this is to hold an annual banquet during which they induct new members and recognize “masters” who have led by example. This year’s Awards and Presentation Dinner was held at the Holiday Inn University of Memphis in the grand ballroom. Grand it was, with black tie and formal gowns outshining the venue’s décor. The evening kicked off with passed hors d’oeuvres and wine in the lobby, followed by a dinner and program in the ballroom. Inductees recognized during the program included Daphne Large, founder of Data Facts, a consumer and business reporting company; Charles Gerber and Andrew Taylor of investment firm Gerber/Taylor Management Co.; and Gary Wunderlich of investment firm Wunderlich Securities. Retired chairman of Vining Sparks, Jim Vining, was presented with the Master Entrepreneur Award for being “a perfect example of the capacities, accomplishments and breadth that result from the fullest development of the entrepreneurial spirit.”

Dress for Success Memphis celebrated “Women of Courage” in the Memphis community at their annual Suit and Salad Luncheon. The event is the organization’s largest fund-raiser of the year and was bolstered by a spirited live auction where attendees bid on paintings by Andre Miller, a tennis racquet signed by Venus Williams and mink earmuffs donated by King Furs. Naomi Earp and Judge Gina Higgins were featured speakers and addressed the audience about the virtue in perseverance, not letting humble beginnings be a deterrent or an impediment and about the importance of staying connected to the community. Both speakers stressed their commitment to serving as mentors and providing professional development opportunities to the younger generation. Co-chairs, Yevette Hughes and Julia Kavanaugh, along with honorary co-chair and sponsor, Heather Grosvenor, hosted nearly 200 guests at the Hilton Memphis who were bedecked in their best “hats and pearls,” which was this year’s theme. WMC-TV reporter Shay Harris was on hand as the mistress of ceremonies. Board Chair Miska Bibbs said, “This luncheon is our way of shining a light on all of the women who we touch and have touched us – whether it’s our constituency who are re-entering the workforce and getting a fresh start or whether it’s women who have reached the high mark in their career and are an inspiration to us all.” Story and Photos Submitted

Story and Photos by Lesley Young

Ebonee Clark, Stephanie Turner and Jamila Morrow

Kristin Polizzi, Nadia Fares, Alicia Radiloff and Kelly Wade

Heather Grosvenor and Yvette Hughes Gary Wunderlich and Stilly McFadden

Tyler and Cindy Hampton with Elaine Enis

Genesha Dorris and Karena Walker

Kathy Stamps, John Stamps and Welby Stamps

Jessica and Ted Simpson

Judge Gina Higgins and Naomi Earp

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Cystic Fibrosis Wine Opener The Jack Robinson Gallery, located in the historic 431 S. Main building, was host to the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation’s Wine Opener. Guests took an old-fashioned freight elevator up to the third floor of the building, and, when the doors opened, the joint was jumpin’. Six local restaurants, including Cafe Society, Blues City Cafe and Central BBQ provided signature dishes. As they sampled the fare, guests enjoyed tastings of wine provided by Buster’s Liquors & Wines and browsed silent auction items. Mark Malatesta, owner of Jordabella Entertainment had the place rockin’ with tunes from the 80s. Story and Photos by Suzanne Thompson

A Day at the Races: Hats, Horses Grande Krewe of Ptah Black Tie and & Hors D’oeuvres Tennis Shoe Event Guests at “A Day at the Races: Hats, Horses & Hors D’oeuvres,” benefitting the Memphis Chapter of Jack & Jill of America, Inc., walked through an arch covered with roses, a nod to the Kentucky Derby. The organization partnered with Mercedes Benz of Memphis, the title sponsor that hosted the event, now in its third year. The ladies were dressed in beautiful hats and mixed and mingled as they browsed artwork and enjoyed hors d’oeuvres. Ferdinand’s Catering provided mint juleps, hickory smoked barbecue sliders, chicken tenderloins served with a savory sauce and bourbon pecan pie. After they watched the Kentucky Derby, they held a program and presented Foundation and Community Awards. Guests raised their glasses for a champagne toast celebrating the 10th anniversary of the Memphis Chapter Associate Group. A check was presented to the charities of local chapter sponsors, the March of Dimes, PorterLeath and the Thompson family and their quintuplets.

The Al Chymia Shrine Temple was transformed into the Moulin Rouge in Paris for the Grand Krewe of Ptah’s Black Tie and Tennis Shoe event. Queen Mary Stewart’s husband, Chuck, wearing a top hat and tails, acted as emcee for the evening and introduced the women of Ptah, who were dressed in red bustiers and black fishnet stockings. The women performed a mock burlesque act to get the show going. Afterward, other krewes competed in a contest to see which one could come up with the most original and entertaining skit. Queen Stewart chose the theme “Passport to Paris” for her reign and many of the skits included a Parisian motif. Kim Flynn, dressed as a mime, kept in character and did not speak a word until after her krewe’s performance, which concluded the contest. Krewe Ennead performed an elaborate dance act and was the winning act. A competition for tennis shoes with the best decorations, an annual tradition, was also held. Story and Photos by Suzanne Thompson

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Story and Photos by Suzanne Thompson

Salvation Army Memphis Area Command Hardin Dinner VIP guests of the Salvation Army Memphis Area Command’s 2014 Hardin Dinner at Hilton Memphis were treated to a preview talk by NBA hall of famer and television sportscaster, Bill Walton, the keynote speaker, during a private reception before dinner service began. Once they found their seats at the sold-out event, guests were served a meal that consisted of mixed green salad followed by chicken breasts served in a cream sauce with rice and Mediterranean-style greens. A plate of miniature desserts, including a lemon tart, chocolate mousse and layer cake finished off the meal. Bill Rhodes, president and chief executive officer of event sponsor, AutoZone made comments before the invocation was given by Lieutenant Colonel Mark Israel, divisional commander of the Kentucky-Tennessee Division of the Salvation Army. Kathryn Stallins provided “halftime” music after which Tom Dyer, chair of the Salvation Army Memphis advisory board, was given the Hall of Fame award. Walton gave an inspiration speech about the importance of teamwork. “A team takes sacrifice and that’s what this group represents,” Walton said. Story and Photos by Suzanne Thompson

Carrie and Stephen Carpenter with Kristin and Skip Miller

Carolyn Bolden-Carter, Denise MustifulMartin and Vanecia Belser Kimbrow Stephen and Vickie Cruzen Johnny Pitts and Captain Barbara Rich with Bill Walton and Amy and Bill Rhodes

Joseph and Diane Pede with Jennifer and Joe Pede

Hannah Craft and Kendra Randle

Stephanie Edwards and Kim Edwards

Dwight and Brooke Dishmon with Lena and Davis Brown

Paola High and Bill Ferguson

Calvin and Belinda Anderson with Bridget and Phil Trenary

Gloria Dodds and Patrick Bolton

Arthur Oliver, Charlotte Neal, Steve Ehrhart and Bob Neal

V&E Artwalk

Duration Fine Arts Club Spring Luncheon

Sight Night

Country music lovers gathered at Saint Agnes Academy-St Dominic School for the 13th annual Ave Maria Foundation Concert and Silent Auction. Country queen Jo Dee Messina regaled the large crowd with several of her hits in the Sally Hooks Performing Arts Center. Messina has charted six number one singles on the Billboard country music charts and has been honored by the Country Music Association and the Academy of Country Music as well as having been nominated for two Grammy Awards. Before the concert, guests enjoyed a spread of heavy hors d’oeuvres that included salmon, chicken, cheese, fruit, onion dip, and an array of miniature desserts. A silent auction and a wine pull completed the enchanting evening of music and fun.

The fourth annual “V&E Artwalk” was held on the Vollintine and Evergreen Greenline at 1625 Tutwiler Avenue. Organized to raise awareness for the V&E Greenline community, the event was a colorful and fun day as artists throughout the Mid-South set up booths that offered everything from unique clothing to handmade jewelry. Felicia Wheeler of Forms by Felicia sold dainty porcelain earrings shaped into a variety of cute shapes, including a pair of ice cream shaped earrings. Crosstown Arts had a booth manned by Amanda Sparks and Mary Jo Karimnia who showed attendees how to make their own paper flowers. The event also included a silent auction of donated art and showcased a variety of nonprofits that educated guests about their efforts within the community. All proceeds benefited the V&E Greenline and help keep the pathway clean and safe.

Ladies of the Duration Fine Arts Club gathered for their annual Spring Luncheon at the Memphis Hunt & Polo Club. Before lunch, guests enjoyed a special private performance from students of Briarcrest Christian School involved in the school’s OneVoice vocal group. The group’s leader, J.D. Frizzell, explained that the singers performing for the gathered women were the school’s “exceptional soloists.” An installation of the group’s officers followed the wonderful performance. Gifts were swapped, and there was even a champagne give away.

Story and Photos by Rachel Warren

The Board of Directors of the World Cataract Foundation (WCF) presented the 10th annual Sight Night at the Holiday Inn University of Memphis. The night included a silent and live auction, a seated dinner and the presentation of the Freeman Vision Awards. The mission of the WCF is to play a big role in eliminating cataract blindness in many parts of the world through surgery, training and equipping. Since 1970 the WCF has been sending medical teams to Ometepec, Guerrero, Mexico every November. The event had the flair of a Mexican fiesta as guests walked over a border created by tape where servers offered them shots of tequila. Attendees enjoyed an expansive silent auction with the chance to bid on everything from kitchen wear to garden accessories from jewelry to round trip Delta Airlines tickets to anywhere in the country. Dinner followed the silent auction and included remarks from Dr. Rafael Aguirre, governor of Guerrero, and Jim Eikner, marketing manager for WKNO TV&FM, was the evening’s emcee. Dr. Stewart Galloway and Dr. Steve Sterling were the recipients of the 2014 Freeman Vision Awards.

Story and Photos by Rachel Warren

Felicia Wheeler

Norma McCrory, Frances Dear, Annemarie Bobay and Donna Goodwin

Francesca Gattuso and Erin Scherer

Julia and Dr. Rafael Aguirre

Rose Ford

Joan Draper, Monica Farnsworth, Kay Price and Ruth Boyd

Mary Ann Chism and Mary Webb Sandra Mays and Dr. Albert Morris

Jim and Cindy Jaggers

Mary Jo Karimnia and Amanda Sparks

Liz Pearsons, Maddie Dunavant, Brooke Abington, Chandler Booth, Heather Water and J.D. Frizzell

Wallace Bruce, Elyse Grant, Rick Grant, Olivia Bruce, Gary Freedman and Ann Freedman

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Ave Maria Foundation Concert and Silent Auction

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Onsite IV

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Onsite V Memphis Symphony Orchestra Fund-Raiser

Dishes for Wishes

That’s the Spirit Wine Tasting

Art with a Heart

Supporters and musicians of the Memphis Symphony Orchestra (MSO) gathered at Amro Music Store to raise funds for the symphony. The event featured a silent auction that contained a number of string instruments, which had been painted and transformed into decorative works of art. MSO cellist, Iren Zombor, and Robert Klingbeil, a pianist who works for Amro, treated attendees to a performance. A chamber ensemble wooed the crowd with a rendition of the second and third movements of Mozart’s Oboe Quartet.

This spring marked the ninth annual Dishes for Wishes event at Felicia Suzanne’s Restaurant. The event was held as a benefit for the Mid-South Make-A-Wish® Foundation, an organization that helps grant the wishes of children with life-threatening medical conditions who live in West Tennessee, North Mississippi and Arkansas. Jake and Julie Farrell served as chairmen for this year’s event. Chef Felicia Willett and her staff coordinated the event’s food and logistics as approximately 300 guests gathered to support the cause and celebrate local chefs’ culinary creations. The Masters of Ceremonies were radio personalities Steve Conley, Ron Olson and Karen Perrin. Trays of delicacies were passed by wait staff with items such as bourbon beignets by St. Jude chef Miles McMath, hot wing rolls from Blue Monkey of Memphis, barbecue nachos from Charles Vergos’ Rendezvous, South of Beale’s gouda macaroni and cheese, New Orleans style pasta from DeJaVu and sushi rolls from Bangkok Alley. Felicia’s featured their signature salmon deviled eggs, short ribs and grilled cheese sandwiches. Ron Olson and Wish Kid, Allie Olson, produced the top auction item, titled “3919 five.” The painting depicted her hospital treatment number (39195) and other things that are a part of Allie’s life, like a guitar and music. The event raised $165,000, which will be used to fund wishes of local children. To date, Dishes for Wishes has raised more than $1 million for Wish Kids in the Mid-South.

That’s the Spirit Wine Tasting, Hospitality HUB’s second annual fund-raiser, gave supporters of the organization a chance to rub elbows during the casual party held at the Jack Robinson Gallery downtown. As they walked in, guests were treated to a glass of sparkling wine provided by Kimbrough Towers Fine Wine & Spirits, who donated a variety of wines for the tasting. Draper’s Catering laid out a spread that included mini three-cheese quiche, bruschetta, and a large fruit and cheese offering. Songbird, Lee Taylor, entertained the crowd and after a brief welcome, Pat Morgan, author of “The Concrete Killing Fields,” a book about homelessness, was the keynote speaker. Hospitality HUB, founded in 2007 by the Downtown Churches Association, is a resource and hospitality center for homeless people in downtown Memphis.

Trezevant Episcopal Home residents gathered recently to welcome artist Mary Lawrence Allen and kick off “Art with a Heart” – an exhibition of Allen’s works on display in the senior community’s Trezevant Terrace Walk Way. The event also introduced residents to Memphis Athletic Ministries (MAM), a local nonprofit dedicated to developing inner-city youth into spiritually strong, productive adults and positively impacting their families and neighborhoods. Proceeds from the sales of Allen’s works benefit MAM and its service in the community. Trezevant is a continuing care retirement community in the heart of Memphis, located at 177 North Highland. Trezevant has recently completed a $120 million renovation and expansion project, which signifies Trezevant’s effort to consistently provide world-class service to current and future residents while continuing to be an anchor in the community.

Story and Photos By Suzanne Thompson

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Deb Gilbert and Shelby Butterfield

Story and Photos by Suzanne Thompson

Story and Photos Submitted

Tanjular Hayes and Lizzy Harvey

Story and Photos by Emily Adams Keplinger

Gaylon Patterson and Jane Mims

Ben Glisson, Anne Chambers, Roddrick Scott, Gib Vestal, Mary Lawrence Allen and Randy Odom Ginny and John Webb with Pat Morgan and Peggy Bringle Marcy Seidel and Olivia Moore

Rick and Candice Jefferies with Robert Klingbeil

Barbara and Barry Kuhn

Tony and Beth Hunt with Jim and Ann Forbis

Betsy Osteen and Martha McKay

Sara Holmes and Ann Stevens

EVENT

Live at the Garden

LIVE AT THE GARDEN

With the Goo Goo Dolls and Daughtry

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Danielle Forrest and Joe Chando

Cindy Tobin and Napoleon Overton

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hether sprawled out on blankets and lawn chairs underneath a canopy of trees interconnected by string lights or seated under the stars at one of the 272 pink linen-covered tables, roughly 7,000 guests packed the Memphis Botanic Garden for the second installment of its wildly popular summer concert series, Live at the Garden. Headlining the sold-out event was The Goo Goo Dolls, whose string of adult alternative rock hits in the 1990s propelled them to perpetual radio staple status. “American Idol” standout Chris Daughtry’s eponymous band, Daughtry, was also on the bill as was the pop-punk band, The Plain White T’s, who are best known for their 2008 Grammy-nominated song, “Hey There Delilah.” FM100 radio show hosts, Ron Olson and Michelle Lewis, emceed the event with the Garden’s executive director, Jim Duncan. Prior to the second act, Duncan, whom the newly christened permanent stage is named after, addressed the crowd to express his appreciation to the citizenry of Memphis for their generosity and support. While guests were welcome to bring any food and beverage from their homes, gourmet catering companies, A Moveable Feast and Fork It Over Catering, offered attendees the opportunity the pre-order meals beforehand and pick up the ready-made feast upon their arrival. Barbecue nachos, pulled pork sandwiches, sausage and cheese plates and various wraps were also available for patrons with a case of extemporaneous emptiness. CrepeMaker and Fuel Café’s food truck also offered provisions for guests in the TruGreen Lawn while they had the choice to wash it down with Heineken or Dos Equis on tap, several varietals of white and red wine or frozen daiquiris and margaritas. Inside the VIP section, Classic Party Rentals presented a buffet with mini BBQ sandwiches, chicken sliders, baked beans, chips and spinach dip as well as another bar and sitting area where patrons could enjoy their food and beverages in the comfort of an air-conditioned room while watching the concert on a projector. Truly diehard devotees had the chance to purchase special passes to the Gossett Motor Car’s Pit, which is an exclusive, standing room only area directly in front of the stage that afforded the entertainers plenty of opportunities to interact with fans. Now in its 14th year, the five part summer concert series’ final three installments will be headlined respectively by Jennifer Nettles, Styx and Darius Rucker of Hootie and the Blowfish. See all the party photos at rsvpmagazine.com Password: RSVP

George and Susan Hoaglin

Story by Patrick Lantrip Photos by Don Perry

Morgan Goldsmith and Keith Melancon

April and Mike Miller

Melissa and Gordon Summerfield

Nicki and Tony Hopkins

Michael and Joanie Lightman with Kim and Johnny Pitts

Robyn Bills and Natalie Siracusa

EVENT LIVE AT THE GARDEN Sheritta Delbridge, Greg Strong and Lisa Hill

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Casey Willer, Stephanie Grimes, Audra Kiraly and Jake Willer

Tom and Allie Sellhorn

Joelle and David Goan RSVP

Shelia Noone and Tiffany Hebert

Joey and Amy Dudek

Nikki Jimenez and Josie Carleton

Wendy Sumner-Winter and Kalki Winter

Leandre, Anthony and Rojan Field

EVENT LIVE AT THE GARDEN

Kaylie Melancon and Phoebe Anderson

Andrew Reynolds and Amelia Case

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Emily O’Toole and Madeleine O’Toole

Rick Beasley and Shelby Trevathan

Steve West and Pamela Hauber

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Grant Andrew and Leigh Shockey

Andrea and David Harano

Renee Stubbs and Julie Beda

Suzie Bowen and Terri Walker

Julie Hollingsworth and Shelley Henry

Steve Childs and Deena Scroggins

EVENT LIVE AT THE GARDEN Donna Infurcthia, Melinda Aldison, Stacey Marable and Rhonda Garvey

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Melanie and Mark Compton with Molly and Tim Goldsmith

Elizabeth Montgomery and Michelle Hurt

John and Natasha Poluga RSVP

Jeremy Baer and Jason Simpson

Amy Farris, Amy Beth Dudley and Madelyn Gray

Ally Walton and Ross Turner

Geoff and Jan Falk

Andrew Bartolotta, Meghan McCarthy and Jackie Bartolotta

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AFTER HOURS

After Hours A photo collage of the latest business happenings

Trezevant Episcopal Home Open House

Hard Rock CafĂŠ Memphis Unveils New Beale Street Location

Holly Smith and DeAnna Brown

Nick French and Leslie Stratton

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Leslie Reed, Libby King and Emily Palmer

Jeff Nolan and Hal Lansky

Marilyn Paavola and Dina Smith

Wayne Shannon and Ted Johnson

Danielle Palleafico and Amanda Early

Katherine Aho and Rinnie Wood

John Webb and Donna Sue Shannon

Julien Salley Jr. and Wayne Whitten

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27 Japanese city 29 Ice sheets 32 Recycle

35 __ matter

38 Certain compass point 39 __ salad days 40 Tint

41 Ten-legged crustaceans 43 Certain vane direction 44 Medieval English king

54 60

4 Crop type

5 Spr.. month

3 Censor sound

55 62

51 Alpha’s opposite 54 Clothe

57 Wok, e.g. 59 Vision

62 Partly frozen rain

64 Collective course (abrv.)

66 Republic of the Congo, once 68 Shrek, e.g.

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1 Kindergarten basiccs 2 Sashes

6 Dull

7 Prank

8 Spanish ‘friend’

9 Left or right on a graph 10 Kimono sash 11 Cheated

12 Resist

13 Eye infection 21 Bad (prefix) 23 Dog __

26 Spire, e.r.

28 Islet (var.)

30 Computer Key 31 Influences

33 Beach make up

47 Long lasting 50 Tax agency 52 Doodad

53 Once more

55 Actor George 56 Bring food

57 Strange-shaped fruit 58 Apex

60 Slugs

61 Birch, e.g.

63 Adolescent

65 Affirmative gesture 67 NYC Time

i t ’ s j a zz!

Solution:

S T Y E

For underwriting information, call 901-678-2560 Visit us online at wumr wumr.memphis.edu .memphis.edu

D E F Y

36 Greek stringed instrument

O B I

cl a ssy

35 6th month (Jewish calendar)

D I D O

71 Church part

34 Potato sprouts

D R A B

49 Small bunch of flowers

70 Tiny insects

B L E E P

48 Old tv episode

69 Bullets

B E L T S

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40 44

45 Buzz

A B C S

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does

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DOWN

42 Spiritedness

K E Y

41 Sand hills

E Y E S

39 Cache

S A N D

26 29

74 Dale

37 Rhythm keeper

D E F R A U D E D

73 Beginning

E S S W C A Y S

25 What a dropped melon

47 Totals

24 Deli bread

46 Not nay

72 Swamp plant

L Y R E

A D A R

T E E N

22 Golf term

S E R V E

20 Hot vapor

S E G A L

19 Sketchey

A G E L O N G

18 Number system base

A X M A I X G I E O S A R H E P O D E A P R I D R T S R E E S E T

17 Musical notation

H I T S

16 Red vegetable

14 Door ringer 15 Donna

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A G A I N

10 Chances of winning

A A L P F R A M L A T F L O A W D E H U R U N M E G S I Z M O

5 Large, whitish antelope

N O D

1 “Mama Mia” group

M E T R O N O M E

Edited by Ruth Cassin

A C M E

ACROSS

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RSVP Crossword

RSV PHILLIPPI

By Dennis Phillippi

to be the Hornets because they moved from Charlotte, North Caroline where Hornets have historical significance going back to Cornwallis in the Revolutionary war. New Orleans, on the other hand, doesn’t even really have much in the way of hornets, the insect. Then Charlotte got a new team and named them the Bobcats. I grew up in Charlotte and have no recollection of bobcats roaming around the neighborhood. New Orleans changed its name to the Pelicans last year, and Charlotte is changing their name back to

New Orleans changed its name to the Pelicans last year, and Charlotte is changing their name back to the Hornets. This is all going to make throwback jersey games very complicated. the Hornets. This is all going to make throwback jersey games very complicated. More importantly, there are people walking around New Orleans having to call themselves a Pelican. One of the most historic, and historically terrible, franchises in all of professional sports is the Cleveland Browns. The Browns were named after their first coach, whose last name happened to be Brown. The Browns haven’t been a relevant factor in the NFL since I wore knit ties, so it’s doubly bad to have to go around introducing yourself as “A Brown.” Really, it’s just a drag across the board. I’d trade paychecks with the lowest paid long snapper on the roster, but still… When Columbus, Ohio was awarded an NHL franchise they elected to name them the Blue Jackets. The Blue Jacket’s name comes from the fact that Ohio sent

more men to fight for the Union in the Civil War than any other state, all of whom, of course, wore blue coats, which, interestingly, were largely manufactured in, you guessed it, Columbus, Ohio. It’s a sound, logical, historically reverent name. It’s also very silly. Grown men, very, very large, grown men have to stick out their hand at a party and say, “I am a Blue Jacket.” Some of the time they must meet someone who has no knowledge of sports, which would make that as strange a nonsequitor as you’re likely to run into. If you knew nothing about hockey the giant man may as well have said, “I am a purple fedora.” The second choice for Columbus’ name was The Justice. That introduction would’ve indicated to the non-sports fan that you are the one person on the Supreme Court whose nose has clearly been broken and is missing teeth. Even some of the most famous franchises in all of sports lead to athletes having to identify themselves as odd things. It must be an incredibly proud moment to put on a Boston major league uniform, but at some point you are still going to have to call yourself a Red Sock. How incredible to play in the south side of Chicago, but that doesn’t change the fact that your obituary is going to refer to you as a White Sock. Colleges have been naming their teams odd things for decades and decades. Kids are walking around proudly calling themselves Zips, Fighting Camels, Purple Aces, and, of course, Banana Slugs. Powerhouse though it may be, Ohio State’s team is still named after a nut. I won’t even go into what a Hokie is. Look it up. There was a lot of talk when the Grizzlies first moved to Memphis about a name change. After all, Grizzlies have never been in this part of the world unless they were in a zoo or a circus. Apparently, Vancouver is lousy with them. At the time, I was for a change in moniker. I wanted something that was more Memphis oriented. But in recent years the particular style of play that has come to personify the Grizzlies is hard nosed, physical, rough, ferocious…you know, like bears. The name is perfect.

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rowing up in North Carolina in the seventies, the NFL feed on Sundays was always the Washington D.C. football team. Everyone in my family was a fan of the team. Oh how they loved that team. That’s probably why I’m a Saints fan. I didn’t jump ship on them because of their name. At fifteen or so I didn’t even realize that the name could be considered offensive. I just didn’t want to cheer for the same team that my brothers did. As it turns out, that was a lucky thing because I’m not in the uncomfortable position of trying to defend the indefensible. If you’re a Washington fan, more power to you. If you are perfectly comfortable with the team’s name, well, not so much. As Robert Flores said on ESPN recently, it’s hard to find where to draw the line on things like this, but how about we start with racial slurs. If you don’t think the name is offensive, find yourself a Native American, and greet them with it and see how that goes. Team names can be tricky in a lot of ways. After all, I imagine it’s pretty difficult to scare up a Jazz club in Salt Lake City. There certainly aren’t a lot of Lakes in Los Angeles and Wizards are scarce at best in Washington. There used to be plenty of Bullets in D.C., still are; that’s why they changed the name. Because it was offensive. When an athlete makes it to the pros it’s the culmination of a lifelong dream. Then they might get drafted by a team with a name that is impossible to personalize. What do you say when you play for, say, the Orlando Magic? “I am a Magic.”? “I am a Magician.”? People might expect you to be an improbably tall person who can do card tricks. This has been a particular plague with expansion teams in recent decades. “I am a Heat.”? It doesn’t matter if you’ve won two of the last three championships; it’s still a screwy thing to have to say. The New Orleans NBA team used

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“HELLO, I AM A BEAVER”

RSVPAST

Cotton Carnival Parade

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1959

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he Secret Society of the Memphi (now called the Mystic Society of the Memphi under the Carnival Memphis umbrella) is shown in their Main Street bleachers watching the 1959 Cotton Carnival Parade. Seated on the top row under the â&#x20AC;&#x153;Sâ&#x20AC;? is Bobby Marrow. Standing at the top is L. Palmer Brown; under his left arm, the head of Bill Blount can be seen. Nancy Welch is wearing the cowgirl hat. Seated at the far right is Julian Bondurant. In the center of the photo is John T. Fisher who sits behind Oscar Carr Jr. and his wife, Billie Carr, who is sitting next to Jean Fisher. Behind Jean is Bob Horton with his wife, Carol, who is wildly waving at the float that is carrying their daughter Elaine, the 1959 Colonial Country Club Carnival Princess. Please contact J. Warren at 901-372-0989 if you would like to identify anyone else in this photo. PHOTO COURTESY OF J. WARREN If you have a past photo you would like to share with RSVP readers, please contact Rachel Warren at 276-7787 ext. 105 or e-mail the photo and caption to editor@rsvpmagazine.com All photos will be returned promptly.