January 2012
Breath of Life Gala Sip Around the World Orpheum Auction Gala Les Passees Cabaret Ball Q&A with Katie Kitchin
CONTENTS
Contents January 201 2
From the Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8 Signature Memphis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10 Dr. John Smarrelli Jr. invites RSVP over to the Christian Brothers University campus for a personal tour.
Orpheum Auction Gala . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12 Bidders delighted in the plethora of unique auction items at the Orpheum Theatre’s
12 ORPHEUM AUCTION GALA Michael Harless and Micky Clippard
festive charity party.
StreetSeens . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18, 20 & 22 This retired professor is staying busy with the Memphis Astronomical Society. She’s
30 SIP AROUND THE WORLD Don Chenault and Denise Wolf
helping instill values in kids through a puppetry class. The Pink Palace Museum’s manager of education has her passport ready for Antarctica. StreetSeens highlight J A N UA R Y 2 012
Bill Busler, Andrea Lacher and Alex Eilers.
Vox Popular . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .25 Q&A with the executive director of the Community Alliance for the Homeless, Katie Kitchin.
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Sip Around the World . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .30 Vino flowed aplenty at the Memphis Botanic Garden for the National Kidney Foundation’s biggest annual benefit.
20 STREETSEEN Andrea Lacher
Les Passees Cabaret Ball . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .34 Les Passees celebrated its 100th year with an “Ain’t No Stoppin’ Us Now” theme at
34 LES PASSEES CABARET BALL Lori and Jay Wehr
Hilton Memphis.
Breath of Life Gala . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .38 The Tower Center was abuzz with supporters of the West Tennessee Chapter of the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation.
Onsites . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .42, 44, 45 & 46 Gatherings that have earned an honorable mention.
RSVPhillippi . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .49 The Year in Meh
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Humor columnist Dennis Phillippi takes a look back at 2011.
STREETSEEN Alex Eilers
38 BREATH OF LIFE GALA Tony and Jennifer Strafaci
Cover Photo Tim and Rene Booth at Les Passees Cabaret Ball Photo by Don Perry
Volume XVII
Number IV
January 2012 PUBLISHER
Roy Haithcock EDITOR
Leah Fitzpatrick CONTRIBUTING WRITERS
Ruth Cassin Kelly Cox Jonathan Devin Jeannie Mandelker Dennis Phillippi Suzanne Thompson ART DIRECTOR
Patrick Aker s PHOTOGRAPHERS
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Baxter Buck Don Perry Steve Roberts SENIOR ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE
Libby Huff ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE
Chris Pugh ACCOUNTING
Ruth Cassin
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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 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 Copyright 2012 Haithcock Communications, Inc.
From the Editor
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ince this column is being written before Christmas, my mind keeps wandering to the preparations I must do, like packing my suitcase and wrapping presents, before heading out of town on my three and a half-hour drive home. Somehow, I’ll find the time to squeeze in laundry here and there, an oil change, a visit to my dog groomer, last-minute online shopping (for great deals!), baking my requested flourless chocolate cake with dark chocolate glaze and so on, but what I always forget to include are entertainment options for the drive, which might be as boring as watching paint dry. This lack of enthusiasm makes me wonder if I should approach the drive as a road trip because those are always anticipated adventures. Can’t you recall a time when you were heading to an exciting destination, such as the beach, a ski resort or maybe New Orleans, and how you approached loading up the car for those destinations with joy? You might have even made a list beforehand and gone to the lengths of including snacks, games and movies, as well as making a guide for cool rest stops along the way…anything to divert sitting in a stuffy car for hours on end. The point is that you came prepared because you just couldn’t wait to get wherever you were going! What really constitutes a road trip anyway? Do you have to be driving a distance greater than 300 miles or be spending the night in a roadside hotel? The answer probably varies depending on whom you ask, but most would probably say that as long as you’re excited about where it leads, then you’re on a road trip. Though she’s flying by plane, Alex Eilers, featured in a StreetSeen on page 22, will be taking the longest trip I know of in January as she heads to Antarctica to study Weddell seals. Having never been before, Eilers, who is the manager of education at the Pink Palace Museum, has gone through training for her mission organized through PolarTREC and can hardly wait to share her experience with Memphians through her blog [see article for more info]. Antarctica definitely qualifies as an adventure in my book, so bring along this issue or visit her blog during your own road trip and soak in her amazing story. This issue also comes filled with plenty of inspiration to plan your next getaway. For me, Sip Around the World (page 30) makes me want to visit Napa, and the Orpheum Auction Gala (page 12) always increases my longing to see a Broadway show in New York. Wherever 2012 leads you, may you have a blessed journey.
Leah Fitzpatrick editor@rsvpmagazine.com
President, Christian Brothers University/Board Member, Catholic Charities of West Tennessee and the Salvation Army/Member, Shelby County Schools Merger Transition Commission
Favorite author: Malcolm Gladwell. Stress outlet: Playing competitive tennis. Guilty pleasure: Blueberry muffin in the morning. Last book you’ve read: Unbroken by Lauren Hillenbrand. Historical figure you most identify with: Abraham Lincoln. First concert: 98 Degrees with my then teenage daughter. Childhood ambition: To play centerfield in Yankee Stadium. One thing you can’t live without: Time spent with my family. Movies you could watch over and over again: Shawshank Redemption and Rudy. Ideal vacation spot: With my wife, Eloise, to any place in close proximity to ocean water, breezes and smells. First job: Working in my family’s corner grocery store in the old days when supermarkets were rare. Biggest obstacle you’ve overcome: Achieving a degree in higher education as a first generation child of Italian immigrants. Where you take out-of-town guests: To athletic events either at FedExForum or AutoZone Park. One thing most people don’t know about you: I used to be a lab scientist as a professor cloning genes. Your mantra: “When you come to a fork in the road, take it.”—Yogi Berra
Photo by Steve Roberts
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Dr. John Smarrelli Jr.
EVENT
Orpheum Auction Gala
ORPHEUM AUCTION GALA
Sold to the Highest Bidder
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Samantha Gibson and Lynley Greer
Joey and Kelly House
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he lights were blazing hot. The music flowed. The curtain was raised. But, for once, the Orpheum Theatre wasn’t opening a Broadway musical or a touring act. Instead, the 33rd annual Orpheum Auction took the stage…and the backstage, and the lobby, and all points in between! One of the Orpheum’s largest fund-raising events of the year, the auction, held in mid-November, features hundreds upon hundreds of donated items in both live and silent auctions as guests—also numbering in the hundreds—strolled through public and not so public areas of the grand, historic theater. The red plush carpeted and gilded-edged lobby, for example, was swimming with antique furniture, fine wines and spirits, jewelry, furs and other luxury items. Tables in the concession area were laden with gift certificates for health and beauty treatments, personal training and restaurant packages. Guests could also stroll up on the stage itself where two cars, the redesigned 2012 Volkswagen Beetle and a powder blue 1975 Ford Mustang, were waiting to hit the road with new drivers. The Ford was to be the prize of a raffle drawing. A partitioned area of the up-stage featured many paintings, photographs and sculptures which reflected life in the Bluff City and were mostly contributed by renowned local artists. A few steps farther back was yet another avenue of great gifts up for grabs, along with a buffet of catfish beignets, smoked Gouda and bruschetta with tomato relish. Memphis Dawgs, the downtown hot dog cart, also seemed a popular food choice, as did Lenny’s Subs, on hand with a choice of hot sandwiches. Guests arrived wearing everything from crisp cocktail attire to blue jeans and sport jackets, though everyone was prepared to walk. It took about an hour to make one full circuit of the entire silent auction until the time finally came to be seated for the live auction, which held all of the drama that audiences have come to expect when sitting in this magnificent theater.
See all the party photos at rsvpmagazine.com Password: RSVP
Bill Garner and Megan Hill
Story by Jonathan Devin Photos by Baxter Buck
Susan and Michael Wiegert
Carolyn Fly and Kanette Rodgers
Jennifer and Timothy Curran
Howard Manis and Kim Broughton
Stephen Routh, Meredith Wentworth and Liza Livingston
Janine and Joe Lammel
EVENT ORPHEUM AUCTION GALA
Lisa Clark with Larry and Joy Rice
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Courtney Smith, Lauren Hill and Jenny Ezzell
Chuck and Mercedes Treadway
Jennifer and Russell Church
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Jenny and Dr. Gary Earhart
David and Jan Gould with Tammy and Jim Umlauf
Barbara Standing and Kenneth Hudson
Vicki Howell and Maureen Edwards
Brooke Thompson, Natalie Jones and Holli Kenney
EVENT ORPHEUM AUCTION GALA
Al and Terry Kenney
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Stephanie and Ben Jordan
Joi, Payden and Collyn Taylor
Jessica and David Anderson
Paulette Luker and Michelle Heck
Linda and Andy Kelly
Ken and Karen Isaacman
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Janice Champlin and Kathy Loeb
Vicki and George Dunlap
Peggy Hall, Mike Brunson, Les Shockey and Amy Howard
Frances and Mike Smith with Beverly Luttrell
Trayc Sinzheimer and Jeff Spears
Ed Galfsky and Jen Byars
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STREETSEEN
Bill Busler Starry-Eyed
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ill Busler retired last July from Christian Brothers University after 34 years as a chemistry professor, however he has invested most of his life to another science, one he won’t stop sharing with interested parties any time soon. Astronomy has held Busler’s attention since age 12, and so much so that he recalls the exact date—March 31, 1957—when he became acquainted with a group responsible for opening his eyes to celestial bodies. That club was the Memphis Astronomical Society, and to this day, Busler remains its longest-running member. He proudly mentions a recent recognition by the MAS, saying, “I got a plaque that says I’m an ambassador for astronomy for my more than five decades of outstanding service.” Ironically, when Busler accepted his friend’s initial request to attend one of the society’s meetings, he was a year shy of being old enough to become a member. The age requirement didn’t stop him though from attending more meetings, then held at the Pink Palace Museum, and meanwhile, Busler and his friend also started learning to use a cardboard telescope bought from Boys’ Life Magazine to spot Jupiter, Orion, the Big Dipper and Leo, all recorded in a log book he still has. By his 13th birthday in December of 1957, Busler had been voted in the MAS and began actively participating in club projects, the first of which entailed getting the Pink Palace its original planetarium, now part of an exhibit; coincidentally, Busler would serve as the Pink Palace’s planetarium director from 1972-1980. With an increasing knowledge of astronomy, Busler found himself recording notes about how to locate objects in the solar system, and in 1967, he had compiled enough info from observations made from seventh grade through his post-college years to write a book for amateur astronomers. The MAS published that book and made enough money from sales to fund an observatory in Collierville that club members used for many years. Busler has since written two more books and is working on a fourth called An Amateur’s Guide to the Caldwell Objects, which he trekked to Australia for in 2006 so that he could find the last objects he needed to write directions for in the Southern Hemisphere. “I went to Melbourne, Sydney and Wollongong and gave talks to their astronomical societies in exchange for use of their equipment,” he tells. Busler and other MAS members, whom there are 45 of currently, also regularly hold observation sessions and give talks on astronomy in Memphis to school groups and at MAS meetings, with the next one on January 6 at 8 p.m. at CBU’s Science Auditorium. Open to the public, this meeting will focus on showing people how to use telescopes, which Busler says are popular Christmas presents. “You don’t have to be scientifically trained to pick up astronomy,” Busler adds, “and it is also a science where nonprofessionals can make contributions.” Story by Leah Fitzpatrick Photo by Steve Roberts
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Andrea Lacher
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Puppetry with Purpose
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he Muppets might be all the rage on the silver screen, but for Hutchison School’s third and fourth graders, a whole new generation of puppets has taken center stage. Enter the Endeavors Chapel Leadership and Puppetry class, a free after-school offering that puts a diverse mix of puppets on the hands of 12 young women to promote literacy, theatrics and character building. A hit with participants from the get-go, the class is now halfway through its second year and has been instrumental in facilitating student bonds that had been lacking, according to cocollaborators Andrea Lacher, counselor for the Lower School, and Noel Brewster, Lower School Head. “At that age [third and fourth grade], students begin narrowing their friendship base, so it has been nice to give them an outlet to create connections,” explains Lacher. “We were missing that piece because we don’t have newspaper or sport teams that the stu-
dents have when they’re older.” Adds Brewster, “We noticed girls’ interests after school determined who they sat with at school, so we wanted to build an oncampus program.” Once a week, Lacher, with assistance from third grade teacher Alicia Quattlebaum, meets the class in the Lower School chapel to practice skits centered on a Hutchison girl character trait of the month. Traits follow each letter in the school’s name, and for January, the trait is “courteous.” Students will do a table-read and have roughly three weeks to master a script and work on intonation, holding the puppets while they’re reading scripts and quickly transitioning out characters between acts. Roles include those handling and reading for the puppet characters to script holders and a narrator, and students can tweak the scripts a bit if they feel another line would be better suited for a character. “We shoot for eight to 10 skits a year,
and we have two groups that perform—one for the first and second graders and another for the third and fourth graders—during chapel,” Lacher says. By the end of the semester, students will write and perform their own skit, which will center on being noble—a component of all the Hutchison character traits touched on throughout the year. Make no mistake though; the class is just as much about having fun as it is about learning positive character traits. Lacher relays, “Kids love to role play, and if they can make new friends doing it and in turn take away life lessons, that’s great. Also, our audience in chapel is so into it that you could hear a pin drop.” Watch out Kermit, Miss Piggy and Rowlf, you might have some competition! Story by Leah Fitzpatrick Photo by Steve Roberts
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Alex Eilers Antarctic Adventurer
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dmittedly hooked on the museum world, Alex Eilers cherishes being an informal educator as the Pink Palace Museum’s manager of education, but that hasn’t stopped her from preparing to soon step foot in new territory, that of Antarctica. In fact, Eilers began training for her expedition to study Weddell seals in Antarctica more than a year ago, when PolarTREC (a professional program that gives teachers an opportunity to do hands-on field research in polar regions), selected her for the mission amongst 250 candidates. She embarks on her journey January 6, with an expected arrival date on the southernmost continent four or five days later. Eilers lights up, “A science continent is all Antarctica is, and lots of research is going on there which is fascinating.” For this experience, Eilers shed her comfortable role of educator and became a student, as she knew nothing about Weddell seals when she was selected. To find out more about the species and her purpose in this mission, she headed to PolarTREC headquarters in Fairbanks, Alaska last February and received training on things like satellite phone use, what extreme weather gear to bring and how to maintain a trip blog on the PolarTrec site, which anyone can follow by going to polartrec.com and clicking on upcoming expeditions before she leaves and on current expeditions once in Antarctica. The goal of the project is to get rubber ID tags in between seals’ flippers and glue 20 satellite tags to their heads to keep track of yearly data, in addition to taking claw, whisker and fur samples to know the seals’ diet. The satellite tags will only remain on the seals through October, when another team comes to remove them, and will measure the salinity and temperature of the water and how far the seals live below the ocean surface since they have been known to dive more than 2,000 feet. “Seals haul out on the ice, so we will go to those spots to try and get the tags on, and because they don’t have any land-based predators, they have no reason to be nervous,” she says. Along with three principal investigators (Dr. Jennifer Burns of the University of Alaska Anchorage, Dr. Daniel Costa of the University of California Santa Cruz and Dr. Eileen Hofmann of Old Dominion University), a videographer and two or three graduate students will accompany Eilers. She will stay in a dorm at McMurdo Station, which is about 850 miles away from the South Pole, and maintain daily journals until she leaves on February 20. While there, Eilers also promises to mail all the pre-stamped postcards turned in to the Pink Palace drop box before January 5 from the U.S. post office in Antarctica for those wanting a memento with the McMurdo Station postmark, and of course, she’ll share her research in an upcoming Pink Palace exhibit. “I hope to raise awareness of what is going on down there with the sciences, and if I could inspire a student to go into a related field, that would be epic!” she beams. Story by Leah Fitzpatrick Photo by Steve Roberts
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Vox Popular Q&A with Katie Kitchin
RSVP: How does the Memphis homeless population compare with others you’ve worked with?
RSVP: What do you think the general public’s biggest misconception is about the homeless?
Kitchin: If you look at the rate of homelessness as compared to other cities our size, we have a low rate. The bad news is that people tend to get stuck when they become homeless, so the length of time people spend being homeless in Memphis is longer than in other cities.
Kitchin: I think that if you just look at the numbers, most people think of the homeless as people who are pushing shopping carts, mentally ill or addicts, and while there are certainly many homeless people who are in that category, that’s about 10-15 percent of the population. The vast majority—the 80-plus percent—are people who are homeless for less than 30 days; these people usually lost their job or are in a series of broken relationships, and they wind up spending a few nights in a shelter and then move on. I think what came back overwhelmingly as we interviewed homeless people in putting the plan together was they want jobs. Work is the most important thing for their own sense of self-worth. I think the second biggest myth is that people choose to be homeless, that it’s a lifestyle. After all these years, I’ve never met a person who’s made a conscious choice to live like that. The general public might be surprised to also know that 25 percent of our homeless population is made up of children.
RSVP: Is there any direct cause for people being homeless longer in Memphis than in other cities? Kitchin: A big piece of why people are homeless longer in Memphis is because we have a very heavy investment in transitional housing, which tends to lengthen the stay that people spend homeless, and not enough investment in permanent housing. Part of what we’re trying to do with the 10-year Action Plan to End Homelessness is to piece together a structure so that instead of a safety net where people fall in and get stuck, we become a trampoline where people bounce off. Basically, it entails things like dealing with the street homeless, who very few people are dedicated to engaging with, and connecting them back into housing. You really have to have a coordinated and concerted effort to do that, but as a result of not having this kind of an effort until recently, we have people who have been out on the streets 10 years and even 19 years. I just met a gentleman, who we just got into housing two weeks ago, that had been on the streets for 19 years. It’s just hard once you’ve been out there for so long to find your way back.
RSVP: What kind of progress is being made in regard to the 10-year Action Plan to End Homelessness? Kitchin: Most of our goals are five years, so we don’t even have to wait 10 years to see a lot completed. We have 18 strategies, and we’re already making progress on 15. It’s not easy, and I’m not
RSVP: What are the responsibilities of the Community Alliance for the Homeless? Kitchin: We’re really a convener that tries to maximize the resources in Memphis and Shelby County to fight homelessness. We make sure our programs and agencies have the best information and tools on how to be successful. We basically work on behalf of the city and county to make sure we have a strong response to homelessness and put the different players together from homeless people themselves to the agencies and government and faith-based organizations. There are 170-plus agencies in our network, and that can be everyone from a community soup kitchen to Memphis Union Mission. RSVP: What details can you share about the upcoming homeless count?
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Kitchin: I started out as a consultant. I was looking specifically at family homelessness when I first got here, and then, because I had done a 10-year plan to end homelessness before, the City of Memphis approached me to work on that project.
going to claim that everything is figured out and that we have funding to do it all. But, at least we know so much more than we ever did before about how to be successful. Barring massive economic upheaval, I think we’re building the right ladder. The implementation of this plan started with my hiring and with the city appropriating funding.
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RSVP: In what capacity did you being working with the homeless when you moved to Memphis a few years ago?
Photos by Don Perry
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ith winter upon us, the executive director for the Community Alliance for the Homeless, Katie Kitchin, can’t help but think about the 200 unsheltered citizens who will be exposed to the elements on the coldest nights of the year. Recognizing that there could be unknown people without shelter, Kitchin hopes to as accurately as possible nail down the number of both the county’s unsheltered and sheltered homeless population during the annual homeless count scheduled later this month. These numbers help the alliance properly assess those in need so that it can coordinate efforts with its vast network of public and private agencies to end homelessness in Memphis and Shelby County. RSVP editor Leah Fitzpatrick met with Kitchin at the alliance’s downtown office to learn the finer points of the homeless count and to hear how the Mayors’ Action Plan to End Homelessness is coming along. Kitchin stresses, “I just want to remind people what a unique time this is for our country and that so many people are closer now to homelessness than ever have been before.”
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Kitchin: It will be January 18, and we actually physically count from about 5 a.m.-7 p.m. throughout the entire county. This is unfortunately our best opportunity to know how many people are homeless in Memphis. Homelessness by its vary nature is so transient with the hundreds of people that are unsheltered or in abandoned buildings. You can’t keep an ongoing count of how many people go in and out of those types of situations, so our best effort is to gather a hundred volunteers and to canvas the entire community and make sure that we represent the need as best we can. That includes all the people staying in shelters, as well as the hundreds who are unsheltered. It takes a massive coordinated effort, and we do look for community volunteers, who we train. Volunteers get assignments that are geographically based and a time slot that they cover. People who are already engaged in working with homeless people, for example, people who do soup kitchens through their church, are great volunteers for us because they already know where to find people, but that’s certainly not a prerequisite.
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RSVP: How receptive are the homeless to volunteers during the count?
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Kitchin: I think it’s a challenge because with the street population and the shelter population, there’s a lack of trust, so we have to overcome that. I don’t know if that gets better year after year, but I guess they’re more used to us coming. There are some people who are frustrated that we count them year after year and they’re still homeless. For some of them though, that winds up being the first step in their path to housing because we know of housing resources. RSVP: What are some of the things you hope to learn from this year’s count? Kitchin: We’ve had a lot more housing units become available this year, so I want to see the unsheltered numbers go down. There are basically 2,000 people homeless on any given day, and 200 of them are unsheltered, so that’s about 10 percent. In many cities, the unsheltered population is about 20-30 percent, so that 10 percent speaks to the strength of our partnerships and number of nonprofits that commit to do this work. RSVP: Is the local homeless population increasing or decreasing? Kitchin: It increased significantly last year [2010]. That’s not obviously a Memphis problem. That’s a national problem. When you have double digit unemployment, you can expect homelessness to increase. I think the really interesting thing that happened was family homelessness only increased by 2 percent because we really reshaped how we respond to family homelessness, and single homelessness went up more than 20 percent. RSVP: What was the purpose of the Project Homeless Connect initiative that was launched
last September? Kitchin: Basically, it’s a one-day event where we break down all the barriers to having housing. If someone is homeless because they don’t have an ID, Social Security income or don’t know how to apply for housing, we put all those pieces together so they can start the process to get back into housing. We had more than 1,000 people who are homeless participate. We sent buses to soup kitchens and places homeless people congregate to transport them to the Memphis Fairgrounds. At the event, there was that great partnership with the 70-plus agencies all working together to try and change people’s lives, but the most amazing thing was that one-on-one with the volunteers—every homeless person who walked through the doors was paired with a community volunteer for the day. A homeless person really appreciates someone hearing his or her story and recognizing that homelessness is as unique as the individuals are who become homeless. RSVP: What were some of the successes that came out of this initiative? Kitchin: I think the ID issuance was a big success. The guy I told you about who was homeless for 19 years said he was so proud of his ID card when I found him again recently. When you have nothing, just a simple ID card can be so meaningful, and there were just a million little stories like that where people’s lives were touched. The dental work that was going on was very valuable to people who needed it, and the UT College of Dentistry and the Bellevue Baptist dental van were just heroes. They just rolled up their sleeves and served as many people as they could, not to mention the barbers. Even though housing was the most important focus, the little things like the Mary Kay lady who was giving beauty treatments to homeless women showed people we respected them. FedEx was also incredible and sent over 300 employees to the event to participate. The volunteer participation says more about this community than anything else because we did this brand-new thing that no one had heard of and hardly anyone had heard of me, but 1,100 volunteers from individuals to large corporations jumped in with both feet. RSVP: Are there plans to do another Project Homeless Connect event? Kitchin: We’re going to now do it twice a year, with the next one in July. We’re not sure about the location because we’re reassessing where we should be. It’s a big challenge to fit that many people and those types of services into one place. There are only a handful of places to do it, but we have to be cognizant of costs and accessibility. RSVP: What are some of your most immediate goals for 2012? Kitchin: A real immediate goal is centered around creating pathways from the street to permanent
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housing for those people who have been out there five, 10 and 19 years. A second priority relates to policy. There was stimulus funding that was available for a short time, and that’s how we reshaped the front door to the family home-
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less system, so we’re working aggressively to try to continue that when the stimulus funds expire in May. We’ve been running a 24-hour hotline that’s responded to 40,000 calls for help. We know the community needs these resources, so we just have to find a way to make it happen. I have confidence because when the right thing is presented, this is a community who responds.
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RSVP: If you could share one of your most inspiring stories about working with the homeless, what would it be? Kitchin: I still get a Christmas card from a guy who is a Vietnam veteran and who had been homeless close to a decade. He was one of those street alcoholics that everybody gave up on, and no one wanted to take a risk and put him into housing. When he became a member of the community, he started the most amazing reconnection with his family and just showed a huge level of personal compassion for other people. He became a leader in his neighborhood by helping kids victimized by gangs. Not only was he ready to be housed, but he is such a community asset now, when before he was someone I got regular complaints about in city hall.
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Sip Around the World
SIP AROUND THE WORLD
Wine Tasting for the National Kidney Foundation
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Angela Moon and Jan Taylor
Nusret Horozovic and Natalie Dellinger
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hough vintners throughout the globe lovingly perfected the wines available for tasting at Sip Around the World, the majority of event attendees hailed from right here in the Bluff City. Eager for the National Kidney Foundation of West Tennessee’s 17th installment of Sip, 1,200 wine enthusiasts gathered early outside the Memphis Botanic Garden despite the chilly temps and long line. Once IDs had been checked and complimentary glasses were in hand, guests knew the wait had been worth it thanks to the 100 wineries that occupied stations throughout the venue. Even more astounding than the number of wineries were the number of available wines, which came to more than 300 from Argentina, Austria, California, Chile, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, New Zealand, Oregon, South Africa and Spain, to name a few wine regions represented. Just as intriguing as the tastes were the stories behind the grapes, with one very intriguing process heard at Table 11 in reference to the Italian-made Bolla Amarone ’07, priced at $44.99 a bottle. “The grapes are dried for four to seven days on straw mats, so the wine is expensive because of the process, but cheap for a varietal,” the pourer told. The festivities also included special features like a VIP tent, where Chef John Bragg of Circa restaurant paired cuisine with a selection of luxury wines in the Champagne lounge, and the newly added “Wine and Food Pairings” tent, which had three wine stations flanked by tables with creative appetizers from Just Catering. Not only was this tent a hit with foodies and wine lovers alike, but it boasted a volunteer who happily shared his true reason for being there. “I wanted to volunteer for the Kidney Foundation because I had a friend who had a kidney transplant—that’s what woke me up and made me want to volunteer,” said Stanley Reives. The NKFWT’s mission to prevent kidney and urinary tract disease, as well as to increase the availability of all organs for transplantation, again came to the forefront when patrons were encouraged to bid on silent and live auction items. Playing to the theme, items from a Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse dinner for two with wine (a $300 value) to a wine tasting extravaganza for 12 in your home donated by Kirby Wines & Liquors (an $800 value) were offered to those wanting to broaden their palates even further. So, once again, no one could say he or she wasn’t given the opportunity to “sip around the world” or in the comfort of home thanks to the many donors, including presenting sponsor Athens Distributing Company, who continue to make this event one of the largest wine tastings in the state.
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Pearl and Dave Pollow
Story by Leah Fitzpatrick Photos by Don Perry
Laura and Nicholas Scott
Ricky and Patricia Ford
Audrey and Mark Page
Bahar and Mehdi Abesi
Nikki Aaron, Cynthia McMullin and Cecilia Conine
Jessica Tartera and Will Muller
EVENT SIP AROUND THE WORLD
J A N UA R Y 2 012
Nick and Kimberly Sowell with Lesley and Wes Poole
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Suzy Bell, Lee Anne Kasper, Tonya Wells and Elizabeth Henderson
Paula Ivory, Yarnelle Waller, Palacia Knox and Laschelle Jones
Lee and Amy Filderman with Mike and Marsha Underberg
EVENT SIP AROUND THE WORLD J A N UA R Y 2 012
Johnny Starks and Brenda Sansone
Cissy and Steve Roberts
Martha Rotzoll and Whitt Mitchell
Sylvia Pegues and Kimberly Pegues
Petya Kirilova-Grady and Kyle Grady
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Amanda and Bill Bannister
Amy Miller and Kelly Blakely
Andrea and David Harano
Denice Perkins and Michael Detroit
Kate Pera and Jackie Cooney
Deanna Voss and Melanie Tuncay
EVENT SIP AROUND THE WORLD Nancy Imre and Al Owings
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Amy and Henry Linderman with Glennys Bryant
Suzanne and James Waide
In In Stock, handmade in the USA Custom Custom drapery in just 3 weeks Curtain Curtain hardware & accesories Designer Designer bedding made easy Blinds/Shades/Shutters Blinds/Shades/Shutters Design Design consultation
Melissa Sandlin and Jennifer Cobb
Holly Greene and Foster Tanner
The Curtain Exchange of Memphis 418 Perkins Ext (Laurelwood Place) 901-767-4055 Like us @ The Curtain Exchange of Memphis f ffree design for d tips
Tivisay Briceno and Matt Monaco
Brent Bousson and Dana Phifer
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J A N UA R Y 2 012
LES PASSEES CABARET BALL
EVENT
Les Passees Cabaret Ball “Ain’t No Stoppin’ Us Now”
W Karyn Whittington and Dena King
Sarah Buechner and Frances Gatlin
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ith the exhausting work of the annual Les Passees Stock Exchange consignment store behind them, members and guests of the group were ready to party at the Hilton Memphis. The 2011 Les Passees Cabaret Ball, themed “Ain’t No Stoppin’ Us Now,” celebrated the work of the 100-year-old organization, which tirelessly works with children’s charities throughout the Mid-South. “It’s always been a group that supports children’s advocacy groups,” says president Jessica Robinson. This year, Les Passees raised more than $150,000 for its current projects: the Harwood Center’s pre-school and the Les Passees Kids on the Block Puppet Troupe. The “peer puppets” are taken into schools around the city, and each program is tailored for an ageappropriate audience. The puppets talk to one another about issues school children grapple with, such as bullying, and demonstrate ways to resolve problems in a healthy productive way. Last year, the troupe presented programs to more than 25,000 local students. With these causes in mind, event guests offered bids on silent auction items that included a variety of jewels provided by James Middleton Jewelers, lavish gift baskets and gift certificates for dinner at eateries like Rain. King Fur representatives were on hand and displayed jewelry from a recent trunk show featuring I. REISS collection. After strolling through the silent auction offerings, partygoers were seated at tables draped with black linen and black chair covers accented with hot pink satin bows. The décor reflected a ‘70s theme, which was evident in large vase centerpieces filled with hot pink Gerbera daisies and topped with silver disco balls. Once guests sat for dinner, the “Living Ads” were presented. The tradition started in the 1920s, when young debutantes dressed in costumes to represent their sponsor organizations. For example, back then, Sadie Alexandria Krauch, sponsored by American Snuff Co., would likely have been wearing an outfit resembling a snuff can instead of the elegant white evening gown she wore this night to the black-tie event, explained her grandmother, Janette Krauch. The two other living ads presented were Taylor Ashby Gatlin and Mallory Nicole Cash, also dressed in flowing white gowns. Next came a dinner of mixed greens, filet mignon, salmon steaks, potatoes and asparagus, as well as a dessert of lemon custard cake. Then, the band Doctor Zarr’s Amazing Funk Monster took the stage and entertained the group with disco music befitting the theme…can’t you hear “Ain’t No Stoppin’ Us Now?” See all the party photos at rsvpmagazine.com Password: RSVP
Bobby and Janette Krauch
Story by Suzanne Thompson Photos by Don Perry
Jim and Jessica Robinson
Colquett and Sara Van Dyke
Cindy and David Gambrell
Lisa Geater and John Roebuck
Sadie Krauch, Taylor Gatlin and Mallory Cash
Andrea and Jimmy Cash
EVENT Michael and Tammi Harper
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Amanda and Josh Dill
LES PASSEES CABARET BALL
Marley Bennett, Parker Hubbard and Payton Anton
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Jeff, Mary and Sexton Mitchell
Don and Michele Glosson
John and Wanda Barzizza
EVENT LES PASSEES CABARET BALL
Lexie and Taylor Gatlin
Eric and Teresa Theiner
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Kacie and Stephen Cooper
Mary Cathryn White and Evan Rogers
Amy and Jonathan Capoccia
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Amy and Donnie Thweatt
Starr and Jennifer Cheshier
Ashley and Bryan Krauch
Lisa Parish and Michael Gates
Joni and Michael Lightman
Julie and Kevin Stonebarger
EVENT Patricia Cook, Sally Gentry, Jere Gerard and Connie Johns
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Mary and Dick Ashmun
LES PASSEES CABARET BALL
Libsey and Scot James
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Deanna Vaughan and Henry Asby Fulmer III
Drs. Anca Pop and Bradford Waters
Bryan and Leslie Darr with September and Bob Eason
EVENT
Breath of Life Gala
BREATH OF LIFE GALA
Benefiting the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation
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Ashley and Shan McAllister
Christie and Scott Lawhorn RSVP
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he Breath of Life Gala, hosted by the West Tennessee Chapter of the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, seemed a breath of fresh air for Memphis partygoers. Spread throughout the entire Tower Center on the 33rd floor of Clark Tower, the event was choreographed so guests could move freely from room to room. Cynthia Brewer, executive director of the West TN Chapter, said she forwent a formal dinner and kept the program short and sweet to maximize interaction among 180 attendees. The evening began with attendees sampling pumpkin pâté and spring roll hors d’oeuvres among silent auction items displayed in the Skylight Ballroom, where a breathtaking view of East Memphis filled the floor-to-ceiling windows. Illuminated by icy blue lighting, the room’s focal point was a sparkling blue and white Christmas tree that included two glass Christopher Radko-designed ornaments: a teddy bear and a snowman, each adorned with a red rose. A number of auction items also featured roses, which have a special significance for CFF since children who suffer from this disease often call it “65 Roses®”—a phrase far easier for them to pronounce. Tables were laden with a dazzling array of silent auction offerings, but the granddaddy auction item of all was a 1997 Custom Road King motorcycle with a 96-ci S&S engine. Custom painted with the stars and stripes and featuring chrome everything, the motorbike was built and donated by Luke Leatherwood of Hustler Machine. Like many at the event, Leatherwood has been personally touched by Cystic Fibrosis, losing a close friend to the disease two years ago. Dinner was served in the Tower Room, where three food stations provided ample food for a grazing dinner of Italian antipasti, jumbo shrimp and grits and beef tenderloin topped by Gorgonzola mashed potatoes. WMC-TV 5 anchor Joe Birch served as emcee and introduced the honoree, Dr. James Eason, the program director of the University of Tennessee/Methodist University Hospital Transplant Institute. Kevin Spiegel, the hospital’s CEO and many other medical colleagues, turned out in force to honor Dr. Eason. Although many Memphians are aware Dr. Eason led the surgical team for Steve Jobs’ liver transplant in 2009, few realize that Dr. Eason helps many cystic fibrosis patients who suffer ancillary damage to their lungs or liver. Guests stayed until 11 p.m., either dancing to the music of the Party Planet band or relaxing in the quieter Tower Center lounge. Ms. Brewer offers that the event and auction raised “a lot of money,” but the Road King motorcycle remains unsold. “Please let everyone know the motorcycle is still available,” she said.
See all the party photos at rsvpmagazine.com Password: RSVP
Virginia and Fred Tavoleti
Story by Jeannie Mandelker Photos by Don Perry
Hollywood Evans and Sonja Currie
Laurita and Darryl Jackson
Kim and Kevin Humphries
Katie and Jay Fik
Laura Harris, Dr. James Eason and Claire Eason
Cynthia Brewer and Tammy Case
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SINCE 1995
Advertising in RSVP Magazine places your message before an active, affluent market of Mid-Southerners who desire the best in quality and service.
More Than 120,000 Readers Average Household Income. . . . . . . . . . .$147,000 per year. 58.16% have HH incomes greater than . $75,000 per year. Female Readers . . . 59.2% Male Readers . . 40.8% Marital Status . . . . . . . . . 62.2% married Home Owners . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .81.3% Education: Attended/Graduated College plus . . . . . .83.0% Have Post graduate degree . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .21.6% 88.6% . . . . Purchased a Product or Visited a Store due to Advertising in RSVP. 42.6% . . . .Traveled Abroad during the past year. 52.% . . . .Eat out at least 3 times per week. 30,000 copies delivered monthly throughout the Affluent Shopping Areas of Greater Memphis From Harbor Town to Collierville.
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EVENT BREATH OF LIFE GALA J A N UA R Y 2 012
Jamie Patterson, Eric Robinette and Jill Powelson
Katie Fowlkes, Jodi Beth Roberts, Whitney Church and Liz Wilder
Karren Williams and Sharon Avery-Fields
Marcus Cummings and Ashlee Omar
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Judy and Winn Stephenson
Lee Anna Hungerford and Judith McGee
Abraham Gonzales and Tina Sandovall
Elizabeth and Luke Leatherwood
Shirley and Scott Terral with Jackie and Frank Holeman
Kevin and Judy Spiegel
cl a ssy
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Onsite I MFM Harvest Celebration For the Memphis Farmers Market Harvest Celebration, held in November at Central Train Station, local chefs used ingredients from the MFM as an integral part of small dishes. Some offerings included fresh tamale pie from Felicia Suzanne’s, mac and chesse with country ham by Interim and brisket (from Neola Farms) spring rolls prepared by Rizzo’s Diner. Refreshments came courtesy of Republic Coffee, Ghost River Brewing and United Distributors. Market supporters gave many silent and live auction items, like a dinner for eight in your home by restaurateur Mac Edwards of The Elegant Farmer, for the fund-raiser, and Don Putnam Photography even set up a backdrop for guests to have their pics made for $10 donations.
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Story and Photos by Leah Fitzpatrick
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42 Laura Finley and Amie Breazeale
Emilee and Brandon Herrington
Four Seasons/Memory, Inc. “Lunch with Katie” Four Seasons/Memory, Inc., a support group for those fighting Alzheimer’s, held a luncheon at the University Club last fall to present Katie Smythe with the Woman of Achievement Award. As the founder, CEO and artistic director of the New Ballet Ensemble and School, Smythe has contributed greatly to the city’s artistic offerings, but supporting efforts to end Alzheimer’s remains a cause dear to her heart since her mother, Katherine Hinds Smythe, was diagnosed with the disease. During the occasion, NBE dancers Noelia Garcia Carmona and Shamar Rooks performed, and models donned winter styles courtesy of Seriously FUN! Apparel.
Clay Smythe, Katherine Hinds Smythe and Katie Smythe
Mary Jane Criss, Wanda McDonald and Grace Bartee
Story and Photos by Leah Fitzpatrick
Art for Hope
Methodist Cancer Center Luncheon
The First Tennessee Foundation presented the 10th annual Art for Hope, benefiting Hope House, at the Memphis Botanic Garden just in time for holiday shoppers. More than 75 area artists participated by selling one-of-akind works from unique pottery by Barbara Olive and colorful fish paintings by Julia Baker Bell to artist Ken Lecco’s “A Hand of Hope”—small paintings depicting Hope House children’s hands with flowers growing out of them to represent the beauty of the children’s smiles. Guests could leave with gifts knowing that 40 percent of the purchases went to help children infected or affected by HIV/AIDS.
Academy Award-winning actor Michael Douglas made his first trip to Memphis a memorable one as the keynote speaker for the Methodist Healthcare Foundation’s 10th annual Cancer Center Luncheon. Before a sold-out crowd at The Peabody, Douglas spoke about his battle with tongue cancer (previously reported to the press by his publicist as throat cancer) and confirmed that he is almost a year out from treatment. WMC-TV 5 anchor Joe Birch moderated the question and answer portion with Douglas, who told, “You have a bond when someone with cancer comes and looks at you in the eyes.” Dr. Sylvia Richey, a medical oncologist and hematologist with presenting sponsor The West Clinic, added to that sentiment when she said, “You’re all here today because you’ve been affected by cancer—you may be a survivor, caregiver or know someone with it.”
Story and Photos by Leah Fitzpatrick
Allison and Trevor Yant, Ken Lecco, Betty Dupont, Jennifer Pierotti and Ed Galfsky
Dr. Jerry Heston, Dr. Pat Flynn, Amy Doville and Debbie Desrochers
Story and Photos by Leah Fitzpatrick
Andy and Elisa Hill, Charlie and Mickey Schaffler, Kelly Jo Graves and Lara Scott
Michael Douglas
RSVP Magazine Introduces
OUR FIRST-EVER WEDDING ISSUE
Now accepting wedding submissions for the February 2012 issue of RSVP. Please visit rsvpmagazine.com for complete details. *Deadline for submissions is January 10, 2012. No exceptions. Weddings must have taken place between December 1, 2010 and December 31, 2011.
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Onsite II Tool Box Bash The 10th annual Tool Box Bash, presented by Valero Memphis Refinery, adopted a “Where Mardi Gras Meets Memphis” theme. For Habitat for Humanity of Greater Memphis’ biggest fund-raiser of the year, BRIDGES was transformed into a carnival of masks, beads and boas, with jazz by the Sunday Traffic Brass Quintet drifting down from the mezzanine over the expansive silent auction. Beer, wine and Southern cocktails like bourbon iced tea flowed courtesy of Athens Distributing Company, while Draper’s Catering, Alfred’s on Beale and Delectables Catering & Company supplied a spread of Crescent City (and Bluff City) favorites. Later came king cake, a live auction, the crowning of the Mardi Gras court and red hot music by the Soul Shockers. Story and Photos by Kelly Cox
Dwayne Spencer and Lisa Wheeler
Roland Jeancharles and Sheila Noone
Opera Memphis Season Premier Gala
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Opening night for “Tosca” was a three-act affair beginning with the Opera Memphis Season Premier Gala, which included Champagne and an Italian supper served under an elegant canopy erected next to the Orpheum Theatre. Act II took pace during intermission with a Champagne and dessert reception in the theater’s Broadway Club, and the evening’s final act included an exuberant cast party enjoyed by all.
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44 Bonnie and Knox Everson
Ned and Karen Canty
John and Lain Ryder
Story and Photos by Jeannie Mandelker
Maximus Elevenus Memphis Music Foundation supporters rocked out ‘80s style with over-the-top wigs, Spandex tights and fake tattoo arm sleeves to watch a screening of cult classic Spinal Tap at The Warehouse. The foundation’s party of the year unfolded on November 11 (11-11-11), a date that had been declared by Spinal Tap fans worldwide as Maximus Elevenus in honor of the band’s chief songwriter and guitar player. Drink specials, including “Spontaneous Combustion” and “The Stonehenge,” played to the movie’s theme, as did models who appeared in fashions from Laurelwood Shopping Center. Story and Photos by Leah Fitzpatrick
Dean Deyo and Rita Wood
Jason Rothschild and Eric Harris
Marcela Pinilla and Catrina Guttery
WE Consign Preview Party One of the oldest nonprofits in Memphis, the Woman’s Exchange continues to “help others to help themselves” by hosting fund-raising events like the WE Consign Preview Party. Held in the Woman’s Exchange Gallery, the sale offers the public hundreds of quality finds from area consignors, who contribute items from beautiful place settings and oil paintings to mink coats and marble-topped end tables. Items change daily as they’re sold, and the sale will remain open until February 29 at the group’s gallery at 88 Racine. Diane Reddoch, Carolyn Dobson, Laurie Monypeny and Scottie Cobb
Kathy Smith, Susie Richmond, Jean McSwain and DeeDee Laughlin
Ruth Link and Nora Boswell
Story and Photos by Leah Fitzpatrick
“A Sondheim Celebration” Soiree
Signature Chefs Auction
Theatre Memphis kicked off its opening night production of “A Sondheim Celebration” with a soiree prior to the performance. For lucky ticket holders of the sold-out show, libations flowed and they enjoyed a dinner buffet of a salad of mixed greens and walnuts, salmon with cream cheese and capers, corn souffle, warm yeast rolls and sliced beef tenderloin served with horseradish sauce. Following a moving performance, featuring songs composed by Stephen Sondheim from a variety of Broadway musicals, dessert and Champagne were served. Proceeds benefit Theatre Memphis’ artistic programs.
Greg and Carol Fletcher
J A N UA R Y 2 012
Story and Photos by Suzanne Thompson
45 Deborah Wilson with Linda and Glenn Rosse
Creative Aging Mid-South Artists’ Showcase The Great Hall at the Germantown Performing Arts Centre became a hub of art, culture and entertainment during the 2011 Artists’ Showcase benefiting Creative Aging Mid-South. Residents of Trezevant Manor, Alzheimer’s Day Services of Memphis and Kirby Pines, which are all facilities served by the organization, created much of the artwork for sale at the silent auction. Guests also enjoyed a buffet set up in stations, including dinner entrees, a smoothie bar and desserts, and featured blues greats Ruby Wilson and Joyce Cobb, both of whom wowed the crowd after dinner. Story and Photos by Suzanne Thompson
Randolph Reeves, Ryan Godbey and Tony Henderson
Karen and Clyde Blount with Melinda Russell
The 2011 Signature Chefs Auction was everything you would expect from a gathering of the finest chefs in Memphis—and more! Led by Chef Erling Jensen, who served flank steak with wild mushrooms and fingerling potatoes, the event featured 19 other eateries that joined in to treat March of Dimes’ supporters. Small servings of sumptuous dishes abounded, with Sweet Grass serving butternut squash and rabbit ravioli, The Grove Grill doling out chilled maple Granny Smith apple soup with cranberries and walnuts and Circa plating up crawfish beignets. After guests ate their fill of these delicacies, bidders vied for items like a trip to Las Vegas, a trip to the Grammys and a sunset tapas party hosted by Erling Jensen during a live auction.
Jami and Frank Gattuso
Irene Smith with Anthony and Kim House
Sonya and Reginald Porter
St. George’s Antiques Arcade Preview Party The preview party for the 40th annual St. George’s Episcopal Church Antiques Arcade boasted a crowd packed to the rafters. Shoppers browsed through items from 22 antique dealers with a true arcade of offerings, from furniture and fine china to rugs and sterling silver. A dinner buffet was served at several seatings from 78:30 p.m. Patrons of the arts who purchased dinner tickets were treated to prime rib served with horseradish sauce and a medley of asparagus, mushrooms and sugar snap peas, as well as a choice of several desserts. Story and Photos by Suzanne Thompson
Ann and Sam Beach
Catherine and Charles Harris
Laura Sperry and Thea Waggener
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Story and Photos by Suzanne Thompson
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Onsite III
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Onsite IV WEVL Trivia Tournament For more than 35 years, WEVL 89.9 FM, Memphis’ only independent, all volunteer radio station, has garnered a large and faithful audience with its excellent programming covering a wide range of music genres. In late fall, the station took over Minglewood Hall to host its newest fund-raiser–a trivia competition. A great turnout of 26 teams participated and excitedly vied for the top spot, and many guests also bid in a silent auction that included goodies donated by the Orpheum Theatre, GPAC, Flashback, Pete & Sam’s, BB King’s and Huey’s.
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Story by Ruth Cassin Photos by Roy Haithcock
Tiara Tea Society Grand Dame Tea The spirit of good will was in the air at the Tiara Tea Society Grande Dame Tea, which featured the induction of Carol Prentiss as the 2011 Grande Dame. The event took place at the U of M Holiday Inn, where a host of tea members, friends and associates of Prentiss were greeted by the sounds of harpist Melodie Moore and flutists Tiffany Kelly and Norma Hamon. Valerie Calhoun of Fox 13 Memphis served as mistress of ceremonies, with Mayor A C Wharton as the keynote speaker. Prentiss was awarded gifts by three of the eight girls (Morgan Shaw, Savanna Chappell and Ceniyah Dotson) in dire situations around the world that the society has helped.
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46 Shelia Moone and Melissa Hanson
Louis Meyers and Judy Dorsey
Story Submitted Photo by Christina Trask
Savanna Chappell, Carol Prentiss, Ceniyah Dotson, Mayor A C Wharton and Morgan Shaw
Grizzlies Foundation Partner Breakfast
Red Slipper Auction Party
Thomas W. Briggs Award Dinner
The Memphis Grizzlies Charitable Foundation donated $370,000 in new grants to Memphis nonprofits during the annual Grizzlies Foundation Partners Breakfast at Benjamin L. Hooks Central Library. Grizzlies general manager and vice president of basketball operations Chris Wallace, Grizzlies head coach Lionel Hollins, Grizzlies play-byplay announcer Pete Pranica and local owner and vice president of the Grizzlies Foundation board of directors Elliot Perry attended the event, which highlighted the addition of two new charitable organizations, Facing History and Ourselves and AGAPE Child & Family Services, to the foundation’s circle of yearly grant recipients.
Before golfers hit the greens at Windyke Country Club to play in the Red Slipper Golf Tournament, they kicked off the festivities by coming out for the Red Slipper Auction Party the night before. Held at the home of Anne and Vince Boberski, the party featured the auctioning off of caddies to cater to players. Proceeds benefited the Methodist Hospice Residence.
Jim Duncan, executive director of the Memphis Botanic Garden, received the 2011 Community Service Award from the Thomas W. Briggs Foundation, Inc. at the group’s annual Award Dinner at the Dixon Gallery and Gardens. Since 1985, this award has been given to highlight the work of a local Mid-South organization in the field of community service. Its purpose is to recognize an individual whose creativity, effort, commitment, professionalism and exceptional initiative have enabled the organization to excel in its special mission.
Story Submitted Photo Submitted
Story Submitted Photo Submitted
Story Submitted Photo by Joe Murphy/NBAE
Estella Greer, Elliot Perry and Latoria Parker
Heather Johnson, Sally Aldrich and Dee Flood
Jim Duncan and Buzzy Hussey
AFTER HOURS
After Hours A photo collage of the latest business happenings
Holiday Open House at Avanti Skin Center of Collierville
Saundra Messenger Trunk Show at Kittie Kyle
Carol and Richard Holley with Kyle Holley at Happi-Stores
Kristi Biggert, Kate Gassaway and Jeannie Mallett at Avanti Skin Center of Collierville
Saundra Messinger and Cindy Gambrell at Kittie Kyle
Shirley Riley, Meloney Bramlett and Sandra Oursler at Happi-Stores
Marianne Morgan, Robin Ashworth, Meredith Novarese and Rani Cochran at Avanti Skin Center of Collierville
Sherry Chimenti, Julie Saxon and Carol Furr at Kittie Kyle
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Holiday Open House at Happi-Stores
Open House at Dermatology Realm
Holiday Open House at Mona Spa & Laser Center
Jennifer Black, Ashley Williams, Denise La Force and Teresa Wilkes at Dermatology Realm
Gina True and Mary Jackson at Dermatology Realm
Suzanne Abebi and Mona Sappenfield at Mona Spa & Laser Center
Brenda Lorenz, Diane Turk and Debbie Baker at Dermatology Realm
Angela Harris and Rose Graham at Dermatology Realm
Lindsay Saylor, Perry Patterson and Silvia Membreno at Mona Spa & Laser Center
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AFTER HOURS
After Hours A photo collage of the latest business happenings
Holiday Party at the Memphis Hunt and Polo Club for Crye-Leike East
Rotary Club Holiday Party at the Racquet Club of Memphis
Brooke Giannetti, Amy Howard and Steve Gianneti at Amy Howard
Gail and Nick French at Crye-Leike East
Phyllis and Reginald Jones, Lata and Vijay Surpuriya and Pat and Neil Sherman at the Racquet Club of Memphis
Jill Cohen and Dr. Kris Leventhal at Amy Howard
Tom Kimbrough, Steve Brown and Dick Leike at Crye-Leike East
Alla Olswanger and Nathan Lubin at the Racquet Club of Memphis
Mindy Roberts, Neely Carter and Kristy Barton at Amy Howard
Carol Stout, Fontaine Taylor and Janie Hopkins at Crye-Leike East
Ella and Bruce Minkoff, Inky and Phil Aronoff, Barbara and Jim Dupree and Ceylon Blackwell at the Racquet Club of Memphis
Ann Price and Gwen Driscoll at Amy Howard
Angie Kirkpatrick, Bill Butler and Sarah Scoggin at Crye-Leike East
Tom Davis and Steve Bearman at Crye-Leike East
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Patina Style Book Signing by Brooke and Steve Giannetti at Amy Howard
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RSV PHILLIPPI
By Dennis Phillippi
Republican contenders slapping each other around trying to get the nomination, but I’m not one of them, and I doubt you are either. This is getting to be like the NBA for a lot of people—they’re just not going to pay attention until the play-offs. That Herman Cain getting in a splashy mess with a couple of women from his past was mildly diverting, but Herman Cain? Really? Did anyone think that was actually going to happen? I can’t tell these candidates apart, even when they’re a different gender or race. They’re all saying the same thing, and it’s hard to get noticed when you’re all saying the same thing. It’s like
Trust me, I’d be exactly the same type of hypocrite if someone dropped $200 on a gift for me. trying to get Phish to notice you in the crowd by wearing a tie-dye tee shirt and dreadlocks. Call me when the debates start. It seems to me that one of the biggest changes of this year is suddenly everyone seemed to have one of those computer tablets. People everywhere are suddenly absorbed in whatever is taking place on a larger screen than their phone, which is what everyone was looking at last year. Plus, a lot of my friends have started getting e-book things. And, these are book people—people who said they would never get one of those things, but then someone gave them one, and now they’re surprisingly okay with them. Trust me, I’d be exactly the same type of hypocrite if someone dropped $200 on a gift for me. Sports-wise, it was a pretty blah year. The Packers won the Super Bowl. Sigh. I don’t really care. The Cardinals won the World Series, and as a Cards fan,
I was thrilled, but then they lost Albert Pujols, so that’s a push. Connecticut beat Butler in the NCAA final. It wasn’t the Tigers, so I don’t care. Tony Stewart won the NASCAR Sprint Cup. Don’t get me started on him. Oh yeah, and there was that royal wedding. Sorry, I mean that Royal Wedding. Prince William married that Kate Middleton girl and apparently we were all supposed to care. He’s going to be king eventually, right? Or are they going to pack in this whole royalty thing when Elizabeth II hangs them up? There was a time when I guess I may have cared a tiny little bit about this, but it’s hard to imagine. This is a perfect example of the things people care about that completely baffle me. The Royal Wedding was roughly on par with who wins the TV singing shows, or the TV weight loss shows, or the TV dancing shows. Not only do I not care, I can’t get a satisfactory explanation out of the people who do as to why they do. If you can’t give me a straight answer about why you care who wins a talent show, then I’m not going to watch it. The same people who watch those shows, and the Wedding, are the ones who bombard me with requests for things I don’t think I have on Facebook. What we really need to do is hook up the Occupiers with the reality TV watchers. They’re all bored and lonely, and now they can be bored and lonely together. On a brief, serious note, this will be remembered as the year a group of crazy brave Navy SEALs got Osama bin Laden. It was a weird, conflicted feeling to find myself cheering for the death of someone else, but cheer I did. Honestly, I’m still cheering a little bit. Sure, there are lots of others out there who want to harm us because we’re Americans, but this guy did and our military got him. You know what? 2011 was a pretty good year after all.
Dennis Phillippi, thanks for summing up the events, fads, movements and political landscape of 2011 in just under 1,000 words. You met the challenge of condensing an entire year into one page, however we’re not so sure we’ll meet the challenge of turning off reality TV or our Kindles when editing your future columns, which hopefully won’t be “meh.”
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h, 2011. When we look in the rearview mirror of history will we even remember the year that just passed? I called a random selection of my friends, or at least people whose number I have and who happened to pick up, and asked them what was the biggest thing that happened in 2011. Most of them spent the whole call trying to remember if specific things happened in the last year. The Japanese tsunami/earthquake? Check. Big story, but honestly, not that big a story here. We’re Americans and we like to focus on things that directly affect Americans. I mean, if it didn’t affect Americans, did it really even happen? I know that sounds callous and maybe a little insensitive, but hey, I’m an American. One friend was adamant that the whole Occupy this or that movement was the most important thing that happened, but he’s an unemployed bond trader, so of course he thinks that. I’m very ambivalent about the Occupy thing. I’m happy for all those unemployed people having somewhere to go, and some friends to hang out with, but they seem to be shouting a lot of different messages, mainly at one another. It’s great for people with a lot of time on their hands to be able to make signs and come up with self-important hand gestures, but really, do they think anyone they’re protesting actually cares? It’s like when people get it in their heads to not buy gas on a specific date. Yeah, that’ll show them, because your car is suddenly going to stop running on gas. Protesting big company’s bad behavior is like being upset that people will pay hundreds of dollars to get a good seat for a Celine Dion show. The people involved do not care what you think and aren’t going to alter their behavior because of your opinion. No one who is making money is going to change a thing, and no one spending a ludicrous amount of money on something stupid wants to hear your thoughts on the matter. There are probably a lot of people who have been paying attention to the
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he above picture serves as a fond reminder of the fun two sisters, Rosie Wedaman and Grace Kreager, had while enjoying probably the last snow of the spring of 1963. Bundled up in their cool weather gear, the girls stand in front of their Midtown home on Sledge Avenue. PHOTO COURTESY OF ROSIE WEDAMAN
If you have a past photo you would like to share with RSVP readers, please contact Leah Fitzpatrick at 276-7787 ext. 105 or e-mail the photo and caption to editor@rsvpmagazine.com All photos will be returned promptly.
RSVP Wedding Issue February 2012 We invite you to be part of the first RSVP wedding issue. This special feature will showcase weddings from across the Mid-South and will be the premier publication for honoring that very special day. Take advantage of this unique opportunity to market your services to the most desirable consumer the Mid-South has to offer. In addition to the print version of RSVP, your ad will also appear in the RSVP Online Digital Magazine, which is hot-linked to all client web sites and e-mail addresses.
t 30,000 Print circulation‌.Over 120,000 readers. RSVP Online Interactive Digital magazine available across the entire USA. The largest circulation magazine in the Mid-South since 1996. t Average Annual Household Income $152,000
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