RSVP Magazine July 2013 by RSVP Magazine

July 2013

Libration Taste of Jubilee Bijoux Petit Palais Flavors of Memphis American Cancer Society Gala Q&A with David Wayne Brown

CONTENTS

Contents July 201 3

From the Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8 Signature Memphis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10 Anne E. Pitts invites RSVP to the Levitt Shell.

Taste of Jubilee . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12 The Blue Streak Scholarship Fund got some extra backing during a Jubilee Schools fund-raiser at the Pink Palace Museum.

12 TASTE OF JUBILEE Victoria Anthony and Hunter Moore

The Ambassador Series . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16

Anna Olswanger: Taking It On the Chen She’s an author and literary agent in New York, but she hasn’t forgotten her roots.

RSVP ROOM VIEW

Bijoux Petit Palais . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18 The Dixon’s second exhibit from the Petit Palais sparkles during a grand opening gala.

StreetSeens . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .22 & 24 J U LY 2 013

He’s working hard to beautify an underpass in the Cooper-Young neighborhood. This bird lover has been in the business of rehabilitating raptors for 30 years. StreetSeens highlight Carl E. Moore and Knox Martin.

Vox Popular . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .26

4 RSVP

Q&A with the Historic Broad Business Association’s president, David Wayne Brown.

American Cancer Society Gala . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .30 “A Caribbean Sunset” was had right here in Memphis at the U of M Holiday Inn.

18 BIJOUX PETIT PALAIS Donna and Mike McManus

RSVP Room View . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .36 These homeowners’ most-used room gets a makeover.

38 LIBRATION Harry Freeman and Sara Ratner

Libration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .38 Attendees of this benefit for the Memphis Public Library & Information Center brought their favorite book characters to life.

Onsites . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .42, 44, 46 & 47 Gatherings that have earned an honorable mention.

Flavors of Memphis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .48 American Liver Foundation supporters indulged in a premier culinary experience at Hilton Memphis.

RSVPhillippi . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .53

Hey Big Brother Dennis Phillippi doesn’t have anything to hide from the NSA.

AMERICAN CANCER SOCIETY GALA Kristin Dannemiller and Francois Samson

48 FLAVORS OF MEMPHIS Drs. Sanjaya and Asmila Satapathy

Cover Photo Barbara and Lewis Williamson at Bijoux Petit Palais Photo by Don Perry

Volume XVIII

Number X

July 2013 PUBLISHER

Roy Haithcock EDITOR

Leah Fitzpatrick CONTRIBUTING WRITERS

Ruth Cassin Kelly Cox Jonathan Devin Dennis Phillippi Eugene Pidgeon Suzanne Thompson Lesley Young ART DIRECTOR

Patrick Aker s PHOTOGRAPHERS

Baxter Buck Don Perry Steve Roberts

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ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES

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Chris Pugh Kristen Miller ACCOUNTING

Ruth Cassin EDITORIAL INTERN

R achel Warren 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

From the Editor

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he summer solstice is upon us as I type this column, but what I’m most looking forward to is the Fourth of July. To me, the Fourth really marks the start of summer because it always seems to be the first time each year that I eat juicy watermelon slices, dine al fresco, wear a swimsuit and flip flops and soak in the sun’s glorious rays. If you don’t have plans already for the holiday, there will be a plethora of opportunities to enjoy some tasty food and spectacular fireworks at everything from the Germantown Fireworks Extravaganza to the Mud Island Independence Day Celebration and the Redbirds home game. Funny enough, I usually stay in and do something at home (maybe because I already go out so much for my job) the night of the Fourth, but not this year. I’ll be doing a three-legged tour of Oregon, and will hopefully experience a new type of Fourth—one on the Pacific coast at a clambake. If Fourth of July festivities don’t get you in the carefree spirit of the season, there are plenty of other occasions that might. For starters, you can rock out to your heart’s content at lots of outdoor shows, including Blues on the Bluff® (July 20 at the National Ornamental Metal Museum), the Live at the Garden concert series (see page 32 for schedule; Robert Plant, I’m in!) and the Levitt Shell free music concert series (levittshell.org). Anne E. Pitts, the Levitt Shell’s executive director, was gracious enough to actually let us crash the Shell recently for a Signature Memphis photo shoot, the result of which is featured on page 10, and happened to mention that even when the last Levitt concert ends in mid-July, the Shell will still be host to the third annual Indie Memphis Concert Series that includes the likes of taped shows of Big Star, the Doors, Paul McCartney, the Rolling Stones and Queen. There will also be a movie in the Indie Memphis series called Big Easy Express that chronicles the journey of Edward Sharpe & the Magnetic Zeros, Old Crow Medicine Show and Mumford & Sons on an American tour by train. Keep in mind, all the Indie Memphis screenings are free too, so you have nothing to lose. For more ideas on where to go or what to do around town, flip through the pages of this issue for inspiration, and you’ll surely find something, whether it’s learning more about a one-of-a-kind art exhibit at the Dixon (page 18) or checking out all the buzz in the Broad Avenue Arts District (page 26). Wishing you all a cool, cool summer!

Leah Fitzpatrick editor@rsvpmagazine.com

Executive Director, Levitt Shell

Hometown: Oxford, Mississippi. Your Best Quality: I’m a good listener. Biggest Pet Peeve: Skinny jeans on guys! Who Would Play You in a Movie: Tina Fey. Favorite Song: Everything Bob Dylan has written. Who Inspires You: My family for their love and perseverance. Best Memphis Hangout: There are so many! I love Local…and Otherlands. Place You Go to Think: Alaska. Clearly, I don’t get much of a chance to think! The Highlight of Your Day: Being at the Shell with great music and great people. Best Advice You Ever Got: Admit your mistakes, deal with them honestly and move forward. First Car You Drove: I learned to drive in an old Honda hatchback with a broken driver’s side door and driver’s side seat. Everything after that was a piece of cake! Favorite Southern Idiom: “Hold your horses!” If I had a dollar for every time my dad said that to me growing up, I’d have a pasture full of horses by now! Your Most Annoying Habit: I annoy our crew by beginning questions with “Can I ask a quick question?” and inevitably it’s a long and detailed question! Proudest Moment of Your Life: The days my niece, Emory, and my nephew, Kalin, were born. Coolest Thing About Memphis: There are way too many to name, but definitely the music.

Photo by Steve Roberts

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Anne E. Pitts

EVENT

Taste of Jubilee

TASTE OF JUBILEE

Benefiting the Blue Streak Scholarship Fund

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James and Heidi Wharton

Emily and Jeff McEvoy

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pring, along with a lot of excitement, was in the air in late April when hundreds of the Jubilee Schools’ supporters turned out at the beautiful Pink Palace Museum for a fabulous fund-raiser— Taste of Jubilee—that has become bigger and better with each passing year. Enthusiastic volunteers greeted guests, who were guided toward the escalator to the mansion’s main level, where a plethora of culinary delights and a large array of silent auction items were in store for them. Brother Joel McGraw, assistant principal at Christian Brothers High School and always a favorite with his large repertoire of piano tunes, entertained right outside the auction room much to the enjoyment of those gathered to peruse the goodies on which to bid. Among these were donations from those in the local art community like Rena Chiozza, Amy Keys, Judy Vandergrift and young students from Jubilee School De La Salle. Great travel packages were also available from Cathy and Fred Freres (Kingsgate Resort in Williamsburg, Virginia), the Gold Strike Hotel, Marriott Hotels and Holiday Inns. Other generous patrons included the Orpheum Theatre, the Memphis Grizzlies Charitable Foundation, the Memphis Botanic Garden, Gould’s Day Spa and Lucchesi’s. Outside the museum’s theater, organizers provided an extensive wine pull, which had no lack of participants eager to score a good bottle from the fruit of the vine. Libations were plentiful, too—bar sponsor Mattei’s Garage made sure that thirsty guests were served quickly and efficiently. Then there were the incredible edibles! From the entry to the mansion’s old main lobby and spilling out into a tent outdoors on the front lawn, partygoers were able to sample treats from many popular local eateries. Rendezvous’ signature sausage, cheese and peppers, Slider Inn’s BLTs, Erling Jensen’s Angus beef with truffles and garlic, Hog & Hominy’s beer braised bratwurst and Bari Ristorante e Enoteca’s meatballs with marinara were definite crowd pleasers. For those with a sweet tooth, TCBY brought a delicious yogurt sorbet, while Felicia Suzanne’s tempted with a dark chocolate bread pudding with a rum sauce. Folks were able to burn off a lot of those calories with some energetic dancing when ’80s rock band Walrus took the outdoor stage and played until it was lights out. FedEx and ReTrans contributed tremendously to the success of Taste of Jubilee by acting as presenting sponsors of the event for the Blue Streak Scholarship Fund, which has funded nearly $1 million in endowments for the Jubilee Schools since its founding in 2003.

Matt and Nikki Pohlman

Veronica Russell and Jared Powelson

Story by Ruth Cassin Photos by Don Perry See all the party photos at rsvpmagazine.com Password: RSVP Bailey Hill and Nick Dickerson

Laura and Bob Burditt

Sam and Karen Angelo

Cindy Dorian, Kim Fracchia, Cody Giovannetti and Liz Wills

Donna Mac and Clarence Judd

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Phil and Carol Dunavant

Lyndale Smithson and David Branch

Kevin and Hayden Kane

Glenn and Lisa Carpenter

Joan and Jacob Biddle

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Erica and Jonathan Lindsey

Bryan and Anna Rumfola

James Aiken and Lauren Bangasser

Drs. Dan and Brooke Dishmon

Clay and Casey Tidwell

Lisa Adee and Jeff Seigler

THE AMBASSADOR SERIES

The Ambassador Series By Eugene Pidgeon

ANNA OLSWANGER: TAKING IT ON THE CHEN

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nna is a beautiful name. It originates from the traditional Hebrew name of Hanna or Hannah. Today, when pliably adapted for use in the modern English language, Anna becomes a formidable if not fragile word for grace. However, to understand Anna Olswanger, it isn’t enough to simply know the origin or translation of her name. One must know the definition and recognize its consummate and historical impact. According to Strong’s Concordance, the Hebrew word for grace is chen. Chen, or grace, is having the moral quality of kindness. For the sake of definition, kindness is an abiding character trait of Anna Olswanger. For the sake of impact, kindness is not a word often dispensed with any proliferation or sincerity in the torrentially chaotic business of representing and marketing authors and writers. Olswanger is a successful author and literary agent. She is with Liza Dawson Associates in New York and currently represents the author/illustrators of children’s books as well as a few clients who write more adult subject matter. Olswanger is the daughter of the celebrated musician and entertainer Berl Olswanger, and was gifted at birth with an all access pass to the inside story of Memphis. Despite her particular vantage point however, Olswanger admits she had a certain detachment and often felt alone. She says, “As an adult now, I find that most people have felt alone or disconnected…although from my point of view, growing up I thought everyone else was connected…they all had great friends and a great social life. I was the only one who was the outsider.” Considering the richness of her childhood, one might ask how can this be? There is no pat answer. “No one is immune from these challenges; I am sure it is a human thing,” she relates. “I will say, this has been the theme of my life. I felt it myself when I was younger, and I do see how for the writers that appeal to me— the ones I take on as clients—that isolation and detachment seem to be the themes of what they write about.” “Paperboy” by Vince Vawter, a native Memphis author whom Olswanger represents, speaks directly to the issue of social awkwardness. It is the story of a young boy who is a very talented neighborhood baseball player that upon assuming a

paper route must face and overcome a stuttering disability. Without conceit, “Paperboy” unfolds with a fluid and beautiful clarity and offers something for the child and the adult in us all. When looking for authors and stories to represent, Olswanger suggests it is not always easy to determine if a story emerges from an actual life experience or is drafted from thin air. It doesn’t really matter, which is made clear when she tells, “I have a wonderful children’s story now. It is about a little mole that discovers it

has a common bond with a wolf. The mole is afraid of the daylight and the wolf is afraid of the night. It is about how two different creatures both lonely and disconnected form a friendship. Is this a story that grew out of the author’s life…I don’t know.” Olswanger is quick to admit how it is not all heavy does it with her. “I actually have some clients who do silly, fun stories,” she says. “But, they all have poignance. I just like stories that have depth.” The true story of Memphis is emblazoned with all of the radiance of a pride and prejudice that writhed and receded in the collision of temperaments which were flexed well beyond the color barriers of black and white. Still, no story of Memphis can be recorded or interpreted without a sentient and comprehensive grasp of the history of music in Memphis. Berl Olswanger was the bandleader at the vanguard. As his daughter, Anna stood up at stage right to experience first-

hand a great city’s enormous struggle to define and redefine itself amid the rumble and wake of Civil Rights and in the efforts to reconcile the indelible impact of this struggle on the ideals of chen and forgiveness. The late Simon Wiesenthal, a human rights activist and Holocaust survivor asserted, “Discovering witnesses is just as important as catching criminals.” This having been said, perhaps there can be a no more insightful witness to the modern sweep of history in Memphis than Anna Olswanger. In the Memphis of her childhood, regular gas and at the full service pump was trading at about 20 cents a gallon. Thus, the only real oil crisis was deciding between Brylcreem and Vitalis. Barbecue and hamburgers were the staple diet and holy repast of young rock and rollers and rhythm hounds growing up and out of control at 45 revolutions per minute. Every transistor radio in town was tuned to WHBQ or WDIA on the AM dial, and on the fabled Highland Strip between the pool hall and Memphis State University, Berl Olswanger’s Music Store and Studio was at ground zero and was a cultural reference point to all things happening musically and or otherwise in Memphis. This was the homestead of Anna Olswanger. Olswanger has been away from Memphis and her homestead for many years now. She is recently married, and with her busy schedule, she rarely has the time to visit. What does she see when she looks back? “I like where I am today,” Olswanger relays. “And despite the good and the bad of growing up in Memphis, I wouldn’t be where I am today…if I hadn’t had my experiences. And, I miss my father. I learned so much from him. I wish I could have learned more. My life in Memphis did teach me one thing. I am loyal, and I do not give up on anything!” Today, Anna Olswanger has a full and rewarding life. She lives it with definition and impact. Maybe, and just like a story she would represent, her life and her name are rich with depth, grace and kindness simply because of how they now, and most completely, belong to her. Chen-deed!

To make a suggestion or pitch a story idea, please contact Eugene at eugenepidgeon@rsvpmagazine.com.

EVENT

Bijoux Petit Palais

BIJOUX PETIT PALAIS

The Dixon Sparkles with French Jewels

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Ann and Steve Reynolds

Laura Gray Teekell and Julie Pierotti

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he Dixon Gallery and Gardens welcomed iconic French jewelry from Paris’ Petit Palais into its ranks in late April, and to celebrate, the Memphis art institution hosted an equally dazzling jewel of a party, the Bijoux Petit Palais. Dubbed “Bijoux parisiens: French Jewelry from the Petit Palais, Paris,” the exhibit attracted many notable philanthropists, including Priscilla Presley, to come out for the grand opening affair—an evening resplendent with the glamour of yesteryear. To help with the transition into Parisian nightlife, “French 75” cocktails, which were first served at the New York Bar in Paris in 1915, were passed out to black-tie clad partygoers as they entered the museum by walking underneath an arch of pale pink and white flowers. Gathered in the foyer, guests were abuzz with comments about the unusual pieces they were about to see in the galleries, and were prepped with an intro that read “the exhibit sets out to explore this intriguing French intersection where history, art and fashion meet.” Once inside the first gallery, accompanying literature also made it clear that Paris is home to famed jewelers Boucheron, Cartier, Chaumet and Van Cleef & Arpels. As for the pieces on display, they lived up to the hype, with everything from antique cameos and jewelers’ engravings of their work to an old Van Cleef & Arpels’ advertisement and a breathtaking gold necklace by Eugène Fontenay, a famous French goldsmith who was praised at the 1867 World’s Fair for his Neo-Greek jewelry. There was even an Art Deco area that reminded several in attendance of “The Great Gatsby” era, which was a fine correlation considering the new movie was about to hit theaters. After oohing and ahhing over the exhibit’s 70 pieces, madames and monsieurs made their way to a giant tent on the Dixon lawn so that they could further toast the fête. Adorned with more flower arches, club style sitting areas with Lucite chairs and hanging globes with candles, the tent’s setting amped up the already festive vibe, and fittingly, savory beignets were passed as guests found their seats for dinner. Who knew you didn’t have to board a plane to experience the finest in French culture? You’re still in luck if you wish to witness “Bijoux Parisiens” firsthand, as there are several events left to take place in conjunction with the exhibit, which will remain on view until July 21. Until then, amuse-toi. See all the party photos at rsvpmagazine.com Password: RSVP

Gil and Kathy Gale Uhlhorn

Story by Leah Fitzpatrick Photos by Don Perry

Cindy Earles Gilmore and Steve Gilmore

Maggie and Joey Griesbeck

Brad and Kristi Crawford

Jeff and Chantal Johnson

Gilles Chazal, Priscilla Presley and Kevin Sharp

Allie and Michael Varner

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EVENT BIJOUX PETIT PALAIS

Kara and Dr. Paul Bierman

Susan and Bill Warner

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Floy and Jeff Cole

Jim and Alison Barton

Lee and Kim Gibson

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Allison and Todd Taylor

Carolyn Fly and Burton Bridges

Walter and Lida Bross

Lily and Fraser Humphreys

Laura and Damon Bell

Theo and Dwanna Hughes

EVENT Pam and McNeal McDonnell

Emily Capadalis and Tom Love

Steve and Missy McClendon

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BIJOUX PETIT PALAIS David Edwards and Veda Duncan

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Richard and Christina Roberts

Lynn and Dr. Jorge Calzada

Ken and Tamara Goff

Rob and Julie Hussey

STREETSEEN

Carl E. Moore Capturing a Community in a Mural

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hile driving underneath the bridge on McLean between York and Evelyn, a man stops his truck, rolls down his window and leans out to say, “This mural sure is beautiful—I grew up here, and it [the underpass] was always an eyesore.” Nodding in appreciation, artist Carl E. Moore thanks the stranger for noticing the large-scale art endeavor he’s taken on from the Cooper-Young Community Association to try and help revamp an underpass that was prone to blight. Part of the Cooper-Young Mural Project that will further include a mural on the Barksdale underpass by artist Michelle Reeves, the South McLean mural Moore is currently working on has been years in the making. “One of the members of the CYCA, Brad Gilmer, contacted me in the fall of 2009 about doing a mural after seeing some of my work,” Moore remembers. “I said, ‘Why not?’ But at the time, I didn’t know the approval process [from Union Pacific and the City of Memphis] would take as long as it did, and I went to grad school at MCA in the fall of ’10.” A senior graphic designer at News Channel 3, Moore had that commitment as well when he was in school, but in his spare time, he walked around the mural site at different times to check the light and get an overall feel for what kind of design he wanted to pursue for the project. After visiting the location for about two years, he knew first and foremost that the space needed to be significantly brightened, which prompted him to select light beige and blue for the base coat, and that he wanted to create a unique image for each of the 10 openings and nine columns on both sides of the underpass. He then did several scale drawings, sketches and measurements while deciding on the images. Taking elements of the neighborhood, such as its coffee shop, environmental features, musicians, taxi company and bicyclists, into account, he soon found all the inspiration he needed for the images to begin taking shape. Painting began this year at the end of April, but beforehand, 17 volunteers with the CYCA, which has maintained the underpass’ walls and columns at its own expense through the years, completed an area cleanup and helped paint the base coat. The CYCA also held a fund-raiser to pay for most of the supplies and paint from Sherwin-Williams at a discounted cost and to compensate Moore, who tried to make sure he had enough of his own paint to accommodate for that used outside of the base coat. His painting schedule thus far has been from 6:15-8 p.m. on Tuesdays, some Wednesdays and Thursdays, and from 8 a.m.-12 p.m. on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays. Moore adds that four individuals (Jamie Steward, Chere L. Doiron, Lurlynn Franklin and Mark Morrison) have helped him out at various intervals throughout the project. He set a personal deadline to finish the first side by the end of May, but bad weather conditions, namely rain and some high humidity levels that caused paint to drip, prevented him from meeting it. Brushing off the setback, he says, “I want to get it right; I prefer precision over rushed work and want this to be an extension of my gallery work [at L. Ross Gallery].” Moore has now completed almost 95 percent of the other side, both of which offer a continuous narrative for bikers, drivers or walkers to follow, and those who ride the bus have even commented that they love seeing the mural when they go by. And knock on wood (or concrete in this matter), but no graffiti has gone up over the mural—something Moore doesn’t think will happen since it’s a street credit thing not to tag over someone else’s work. The last element of the project for Moore will be painting dot-like objects on the inside of the columns to look like moving animation and putting a coat of polyurethane over everything. He promises to come back and do touch-ups if needed in the future, but if you want to stop to meet the mural man, now’s your chance before the last coat goes up on Cooper-Young’s bright, new gateway. Story by Leah Fitzpatrick Photo by Steve Roberts

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STREETSEEN

Knox Martin Raptor Rescuer

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hen the Memphis Zoo eliminated its Raptor Rehabilitation Program in 2002, the program’s coordinator, Knox Martin, knew he still wanted to help treat injured and orphaned birds of prey, or raptors, with the goal of safely returning them to the wild. So, that same year he went out on a limb and founded the MidSouth Raptor Center on land donated by Agricenter International (with the help of John Charles Wilson), and now handles nearly 200 birds a year from the tristate area. He specifies, “We mainly see meat eaters, which entail hawks, owls, eagles, falcons, vultures and kestrels.” The most common injury incurred by raptors that come to the center are from collisions with cars, but Martin still sees a number of birds with gunshot injuries, of which he mentions that shooting a bird of prey is a federal and state offense. Other than those two, the center has taken in birds hit by trains and airplanes, ones that have gotten caught in kite string and fishing line and those shot by arrows. Smaller species like screech owls and American kestrels have even come in after getting caught in mouse glue traps and steel leg traps. Annually, the center’s volunteers also treat between 30-40 abandoned baby birds, with most of these and the injured birds able to be released back into their natural habitat. “Our release rate is around 40-50 percent, which has a lot to do with the excellent treatment they get here,” Martin says. The most critical component of the nonprofit, which receives no funding other than private donations, is having a good volunteer veterinarian staff. Luckily, Dr. David Hannon of Memphis Veterinary Specialists donates his time and medication to help the center. With a critically injured bird, time is of the essence for treatment, and this is where Dr. Hannon and his team have stepped in on numerous occasions, even performing a surgery on a bald eagle that would have cost $5,000 normally. Other volunteers assist in the birds’ rehabilitation with Martin, who calls himself a full-time employee/director though he receives no salary. He offers, “If people want to check for photos and updates on the birds, they can go to midsouthraptorcenter.com—we usually follow up on eagles, as people are very interested in them.” If a raptor isn’t able to make a 100 percent recovery, the Mid-South Raptor Center won’t release the bird into the wild, which happens to be the case for the barred owl pictured on Martin’s glove. Hit by a car, this owl incurred a broken left wing, and due to the nature of the injury and how long it was down, the wing healed improperly, making him unable to fly. The center fortunately often finds homes for permanently injured birds at local state parks, Lichterman Nature Center, the Louisville Zoo, the Memphis Zoo and ZooAmerica in Pennsylvania. In addition to rehabilitation efforts, Martin says the center boasts five cages for education purposes and puts on programs for schools, Scout groups and aviary clubs. Asked to tell an interesting fact about raptors that he might impart to others, Martin shares, “There are actually bald eagles that nest here in Shelby County along the river in Shelby Forest and T.O. Fuller State Park.” Another topic the 30-year raptor rehabilitation veteran wants to touch on centers on the reason behind rehabbing birds in the first place. “There is a controversy that rehabbing a bird is a waste of time and that Mother Nature should take its course,” says Martin, “but my opinion is that since 95 percent of the birds here have been injured by humans it is my responsibility to get them back in the wild.” Story by Leah Fitzpatrick Photo by Steve Roberts

VOX POPULAR

Vox Popular Q&A with David Wayne Brown

RSVP: When was the original heyday of Broad Avenue? Brown: The heyday would have been in the ’20s, ’30s and ’40s. Some would even say the ’60s and ’70s because of the huge Sears warehouse distribution center in that warehouse on the north side of the street. Lots of people came over to buy things, and lots of people worked there. And if you go back a hundred years, Binghampton was its own city, and Broad Avenue was its commercial district.

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RSVP: When you set up shop on Broad, was the Historic Broad Business Association already in existence?

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Brown: It was in existence. It had been started a few years before that, and I was invited to a meeting right after I came in here. As a matter of fact, the night I met the owner of the building, two or three other people in the neighborhood came over to introduce themselves and encourage me to come, so I began to meet people in the association. I really liked them, so I decided to jump in. Soon after, I joined the Historic Broad Business Association, and a year later, I was asked to become the president. It has been just a great experience. I’ve met lots of really interesting people, and in fact, those people are the basis of why the art district is transforming and becoming a great magnet in the community. Why it’s working is because it’s a very authentic district. We have artists who live and work here, and also the buildings themselves are very old and authentic. Though some of them need to be worked on, they have good bones and are inviting and historic. I think the oldest building dates back to the 1890s. So, I think the history too helps with the authenticity we have here, but there are real people to come and see and real art being created here. I think that’s helped us in the transformation, along with a lot of blood, sweat and tears over the past several years. RSVP: How many artists are working here? Brown: There are at least two dozen who work in the district, and they range from fine artists and photographers to graphic artists and metal and wood workers. For instance, the Broad Avenue Arts District sign your photographer took my picture in front of was done by photographer David Nester, who is also a pretty good artist, as you can see by that sign. He lives on Broad Avenue and has a little studio in his place. RSVP: How many members are in the association? Brown: You have to be dues paying to be a member, and at last count, we had 38 dues-paying members. Anyone who is in the district can come to meetings, but you have to be a dues-paying person

to vote. We also have a board made up of 10 people who are elected to sit on the board and make hard decisions.

Photos by Don Perry

hen the Historic Broad Business Association’s president, David Wayne Brown, opened up his advertising and communications firm, Splash Creative, in the Broad Avenue Arts District in 2007, he felt he was taking a chance on planting roots in the area. The street seemed totally empty to him at the time, but he fell in love with a rehabbed building on a side street and soon realized that behind a lot of the neighboring storefronts were many diverse artists. Fast forward to 2013 and Broad Avenue appears to have renewed vitality thanks to thriving businesses, art-related events, the Overton Broad Connector in the works and the awarding of a $350,000 ArtPlace America grant for the Broad Avenue Water Tower Depot project, which entails the Historic Broad Business Association building an outdoor performance space, outfitting the water tower with an artistgenerated design and hosting a dance festival and eight weekends of free dance concerts. Brown couldn’t have summed up the revitalization any better to RSVP editor Leah Fitzpatrick than when he said, “I think what we have going on is a fabulous renaissance in the community.”

RSVP: Are there are any more businesses who can be members, or are there more you’d like to see on board? Brown: We would like to see the number of members tripled. There are quite a few smaller businesses that have been thinking about becoming members. Also, in the last year we have had seven new businesses on the street that have opened up or are in the process of opening up. So, they will have an opportunity when membership time rolls around this year. A few years ago, there were eight to 10 people who were doing all the work. RSVP: What are the association’s most immediate concerns or goals, and how do you expect to tackle those? Brown: Almost six years ago, we went through a strategic planning process, which included a charrette that researchers came here from around the country to help create. That strategic plan is what really got us going and what taught us that we needed to have a business association and that we needed to plan events such as the Art Walk. We just finished that five-year plan, and it was greatly successful. It had to evolve through the years, as good strategic plans usually have to, so now we’re getting ready to do a second one of those. And, I’ll add that when all the planning was going on five or six years ago and the charrette was done, we didn’t envision the Greenline, which has since opened up. We certainly didn’t see the possibility of Broad Avenue becoming the major connector between the Greenline and bike routes west of here. So, that’s the next big thing that’s going to happen on the street besides the ArtPlace grant we just won. We’re right now in the process of raising the money that’s going to make it possible to have what’s called a cycle track that will start from the end of the Greenline on Tillman, come down Tillman, cross over Sam Cooper, take a left on Broad and go all the way down Broad into a new entrance into Overton Park [on East Parkway]. It will be for pedestrians, bicyclists, skaters and people like that. It’s a pretty hefty price tag, but it’s going to happen, and we’re excited about it. And, a cycle track is a two-way bicycle track, so it will be the first one in the community. There aren’t very many in the country, as a matter of fact. It will be separated from the road and sidewalk, and it will make Broad Avenue pretty much a byway for all bicyclists in the community. There will be a depot for all the bicyclists, and, of course, we have a bicycle shop [Victory Bicycle Studio] here, restaurants and other things to do. We envision people who are on a long bicycle trek coming from out east on the Greenline and pausing here in the arts district to do a little

Brown: The official name is the Overton Broad Connector, and I want to add that there will be art stations. We got an NEA [National Endowment for the Arts] grant to pay for part of it, and we had to get local matching funds for that; we just received $18,000 from IBERIABANK, which will be one of the matches for that. What that’s going to do is make it possible for different artists to come in—they’ll go through a competition to be selected—and create beautiful pieces of art all along the connector. Another new thing that’s coming is MATA is going to be putting in bus stations—one at Hollywood and Broad and one at Tillman and Broad—and they’re going to invite artists to design those stations that MATA will build. The ArtPlace grant will provide all kinds of artistic involvement. First of all, there is the Broad Avenue Dance Festival in April 2014, and it will be held in conjunction with our usual Spring Art Walk. For that big festival, we’ll invite an internationally acclaimed art group to come in to be the spotlight. Following that, we’re going to have many weekends in a row where the Collage Dance Collective is going to hold dance recitals, classes, etc. that will be open to the public to come and watch or participate and dance in our new water tower depot area. Then, we’re going to have an international competition to choose an artist to create a piece of art out of the water tower. We’ll light it up at night so that it will be a local beckon for people driving by who want to come over here. RSVP: Who is in charge of the artist competition for the water tower design? Brown: The Crosstown Arts folks are going to coordinate that for us. They’ll use the MemFeast program to do it, so local people will actually be judges and choose who gets to do it. There’s a good reason why I’m excited about that. This is bringing two different neighborhood arts districts together to collaborate, and I think that’s tremendous. Memphis needs more of that. Then, the other piece of art that will happen is the amphitheater that will be built on the north side of Broad Avenue between the sidewalk and the warehouse and the loading dock down below. There will be this new strip of green land that will go a couple hundred yards, and in that, there will be seating for about 200 people. And, that seating is going to be sculpted pieces by an artist who has already been chosen. RSVP: In addition to dance, I heard that live music will also take place in this area. Can you tell me more about that? Brown: Yes, I forgot about live music. So, with part of the grant we got, we are able to pay for a part-time coordinator, who we’re hiring. This person will come in and do all the planning and coordinating work that has to be done for something like this, plus plan out past the events that are going to be paid for by the grant, if we want everything to continue. RSVP: Are there any other groups that you’re partnering with for this? Brown: We’ve already been partnering with and will continue to partner with ArtsMemphis, Livable Memphis, the Binghampton Development Corporation and the Mayor’s Innovation Delivery Team, which brought in MEMShops to our Spring Art Walk, and they had a new form of MEMShops. In the past, they brought in people who wanted to try out a business for a day or two, but this time, they brought in three new businesses that are going to stay for

Brown: We have a deadline date in a sense that we have chosen next April to be the Dance Festival. With all the rest of the stuff, we haven’t really set official dates on things like when the water tower artwork is done, when the amphitheater is done, etc. We have some budgeting we have to work out. We’re going to try and get a few more grants by using the ArtPlace America grant as leverage to fill out the budget.

VOX POPULAR

RSVP: How long will the Broad Avenue Water Tower Depot project take from start to completion?

RSVP: Am I correct in that the grant is divided between the Historic Broad Business Association and the Binghampton Development Corporation? Brown: The Binghampton Development Corporation is a 501(c)3 nonprofit. We’re a 501(c)4, so we couldn’t accept the funds. So, they accepted the funds for us, and for doing that and handling some of the bookkeeping, they’re getting a portion of it, an administrative fee. RSVP: So, if anyone is interested in bringing a business to the Broad Avenue Arts District, are there any spots available? Brown: We have four first-floor and four second-floor spaces available right now in the three-block core of the arts district, with several more building spaces available just east of the intersection with Collins Street (where Three Angels Diner is located). RSVP: What has been the response of the people in this area of how it’s transformed? Brown: It’s been very interesting. Some of the response comes from people who haven’t been on Broad in a long time; they come and can’t believe it. I was talking to a young man who spent some time growing up in Binghampton—he hadn’t been here in about seven years—and he couldn’t believe it was the same street when he was here for the Art Walk. We also have people who started coming to the Art Walks early on, and they just come to almost every one of them. And, I know the mayor [Wharton] is proud of it because he has used what’s going on along Broad to apply for an award with the U.S. Conference of Mayors and Waste Management, so he’s now a second round finalist in the City Livability Awards Program for the Broad Avenue Program. RSVP: At the end of the day, how will you know when the transformation of the Broad Avenue Arts District has been a success? Brown: You can measure it in terms of how many dollars are being invested, and we keep track of that. We track how many businesses move in, and the other side of that is we track how many empty buildings are being filled. Over the past six years, we’ve counted more than $18 million in properties bought and renovated; that number doesn’t include investments in inventory by businesses. We also try to do a pretty good job of tracking how many people come to our events. We’re in the 6,000-7,000 range of how many people come to the Art Walks. We had several new businesses that decided to come here because they came to an Art Walk event or the big event we had in 2010, which was a “New Face for an Old Broad.” RSVP: In your opinion, are there things that remain to be added to this area to fully revitalize it? Brown: There are. We need to find a way to work more on our landscaping and our lighting. The ArtPlace grant will help us some with that. We’d like to have more public art on display and more of the businesses and shops open and inviting to people, rather than with closed doors, painted over windows and bars. We’d love to have more retail; that’s been the slowest part of this to grow. It’s starting to pick up though, with MEMShops coming into the latest Art Walk. My personal wish is that we had a coffee shop in the district. RSVP: If you had to describe this area to someone who has never been here before, what would you tell them? Brown: I would tell them that this is a historic part of Memphis that has reinvented itself as an arts district that has staying power and attractive, authentic artisans and artwork that they can come and experience.

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RSVP: What is the name of this bike-friendly project?

six months, and hopefully longer.

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shopping, get something to eat, have coffee or whatever, and then get back on the bike and go all the way to the river or even across the river since the pedestrian and bicycle piece is going to be added to the Harahan Bridge. The thing about a bicycle path is that it’s for people of all abilities: you can either take it leisurely or train on it for a triathlon.

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AMERICAN CANCER SOCIETY GALA

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American Cancer Society Gala “Caribbean Sunset”

O Emily and Steve Acree

Michael Brooks and Danielle Peacock

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utside there was still a bit of early spring chill in the air, but inside the U of M Holiday Inn, it was nothing but tropical breezes and sunshine as the American Cancer Society presented its 2013 Caribbean Sunset Gala. Guests were greeted at the door with colorful leis and ushered up an escalator serving as a gangplank to the cruise ship-like party deck of the hotel’s mezzanine. The music of the Beach Boys played live with guitar and steel drums wafted over the crowd dressed mostly in business suits, though many got into the island spirit donning bright floral print dresses, Hawaiian print shirts and linen. A buffet of appetizers including smoked salmon and gourmet cheeses waited amid tables of silent auction items ranging from sport packages to fine wine to photography. Guests chose from several flavors of Bacardi rum drinks while conversing with friends around bistro tables decked in teal linen with mauve sashes. Then, dance students from T.L. Williams Academy burst onto the scene, doing an energetic hula which evolved into a conga line with audience participation just before the ballroom doors were thrown open and a grand dinner was announced. The scrumptious edibles included spinach salad, stuffed lamb chops and asparagus, shrimp and polenta, strawberry sorbet served on a miniature ice sculpture with an LED light inside, bananas foster and strawberries dripped into a five-foot tall volcano of molten chocolate. FedEx’s Cancer Support Network was honored for its service to employees undergoing treatment for cancer, and survivors like Lori Kuhuski shared their stories of courage in the face of life threatening illness. The evening capped off with a lively live auction of luxury gift items and vacation packages and more music by FreeWorld. Proud sponsors were Caesar’s Entertainment, the Bacardi Family Foundation, Baptist Memorial Healthcare, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Tennessee, Harrah’s, Horseshoe Casino, International Paper, Methodist Le Bonheur Healthcare, Trumbull Laboratories and UT Health Science Center.

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Jerry Andrews and Patty Strain

Story by Jonathan Devin Photos by Steve Roberts

Jeff and Ruth Sutton

Martin and Christi Fleming

Darla and Isaac Walker

Carrie Foley and Drew Eaton

Marla and Erich Mounce with Sonia Benn and Lester Ferdinand

April and Jeff Barnhar

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Brett Keene and Star Handley

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Suzanne Thompson and Ed Bosch

AMERICAN CANCER SOCIETY GALA

Randy and Ellen Tedford

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Bettye Townsend, Tonya Towner and Tevita Williams-Dumas

Drs. Chris and Lauren Mutrie

Kim Lovett and Stephanie Brazziel

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Dr. Peter W. Carter and Kathleen Zalesak with Shirley and Dr. Donald Gravenor

Jamie Patterson and Bob Bell

Bob and Dianne Laster

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Haifa and Dr. Omar Ghandour

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Joe and Ann Bishop with Laura and Larry Potts

Christopher Jenkins, Kelly Field and James Deraney

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Amy Goff and Patrick Callan

Susan and Lawrence Pfeffer

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Angela and Rob Goetz

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RSVP ROOM VIEW Interview by Jonathan Devin | Photos by Steve Roberts

t Wendi and Marc Mihalko’s house, everyone gravitates to the family room—an extension of their kitchen with a timber-lined hearth, a cozy breakfast nook and a view of their spacious patio.

Everything from morning coffee to formal parties takes place in the room, so after three years of living in their home, Wendi decided that the busiest room in the house needed a fashionable update. As it turns out, being fashion forward with a home’s interior isn’t all Top: Wendi Mihalko and designer Anna Lattimore decided to keep the room's bright colors limited to splashes in the artwork and accessories. That way they can change the color palette at any time without repainting. Coral-like glass sculptures on the walls from T Clifton Art provide just the right amount of Wendi's favorites—turquoise and orange--over what otherwise would have been a fairly traditional looking room. Above: Anna Lattimore suggested a novel, fabric-covered bench for the breakfast table to tone down the French country feel of the breakfast nook. The bench doesn't visually block the view of the table setting and can be pulled into the sitting area easily when needed. Ironically, the Ikat fabric in chocolate and white looks modern but was actually popular in France around the turn of the century.

that different from keeping up with clothing trends. She turned to Anna Lattimore, owner of At Home Interior Design, to get back on the fashion fast track.

Wendi: I definitely wanted it to be comfortable. I have two young boys, so it had to be livable, but I wanted to update it. I wanted it to be more contemporary. It is a traditional looking house, and my style in the past was more traditional, so the things I owned in the past were traditional. I needed to blend it with that. RSVP: I could see it being a challenge to go contemporary in a French country-inspired home. Did you do it mainly through the colors? Anna: Exactly. This shade of blue is popular right now, and orange has had a resurgence. They are both driven by the popularity of gray right now—gray and greige. They’ve been popular for the last few years, so we chose some of the colors that look good with it, colors that bounce off of it like orange, turquoise and gold. Fashion and home design are so closely paired, even more today. You’ll see the same color palettes. Let me see your closet and then let me see your living room, and I guarantee I’ll find the same colors. That’s because people live in colors they look good in. RSVP: Was the concept to keep the bright colors in the fabrics and artwork so you can change colors easily at any time? Anna: Yes. That’s one reason the house is more modern. We’re not doing the obvious thing of painting the walls orange or turquoise. It’s more modern to do a cleaner backdrop and use your colors sparingly. It’s just as effective, and it feels more youthful. The way we used cream and white also makes it modern. We tried to move the white things around the room—the nautilus shell, the alabaster lamp, the white faux leather detail on the Lucite table. It keeps it very fresh. Contrast is an important concept in here. RSVP: The occasional table is unexpected. You’ve got it just a few feet away from a very traditional fireplace. Anna: It’s Lucite and faux leather, which we both giggle over. I love it because we needed something slender there, and it’s clear and not bulky. It’s a little bit unexpected to find Lucite mixed with the rough-hewn fireplace surround. It’s a little surprise. And, Wendi’s silver leaf writing desk, too—it’s a transitional for sure. It has contemporary touches, but the style of the sofa right next to it is a

classic English arm sofa. Using leather for the ottoman is classic also. The desk actually feels mid-century modern. The desk chair is a wishbone chair. So, it’s a good mix of styles, which is also modern. Wendi: The desk is very practical for my life. Normally I would be sitting on a couch with my laptop, but this way I can take care of business while everyone’s running around me. RSVP: The carpet does seem to belong on the classic end of the spectrum as well. Anna: We spent a lot of time shopping for a traditional, vegetabledyed, hand-knotted rug. That was the part that Marc had a lot of input in because he used to sell carpets [when he was] in school. But, we wanted softer colors. We didn’t want to go with the very traditional reds and blues, for example. We wanted it softer. This one is a Turkish Mahal. RSVP: I’ve got to ask about the contemporary end tables. Those weren’t actually tables to begin with were they? Anna: One end table is a ceramic garden stool designed to go outdoors, but we’re using it as an end table. The other is painted wood. They were the perfect height, and they’re petite. I love them with kids because they’re heavy, they’re hard to tip over and they tuck right in next to a chair. Wendi: It’s so true that anything can be an end table. I think this room is where everybody goes. If you have a party, it’s perfect because people can be in the kitchen and in here. When we first walked into this room we loved this space, together with the porches. So, we are in here all the time. We live in here.

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RSVP: What did you envision when you started planning the family room?

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Left: Sometimes fashion can be more functional than it seems at first glance. Since the Mihalkos have two young sons, they wanted pieces that can withstand the kid factor like a large amber leather cocktail ottoman and end tables, which are actually ceramic and wooden garden stools. Below: Wendi Mihalko wanted to add more light to the family room but couldn't use lamps because there are no floor outlets. Instead, she and the designer used silver sconces to illuminate Judy Vandergrift's oil painting. Even the coffee table books fit Wendi's color palette of turquoise and orange.

EVENT

Libration A Celebration Benefiting the Memphis Public Library

LIBRATION

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Twyla and Sherman Dixon

Eric Mathews and Sarah Petschonek

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he Memphis Public Library & Information Center unveiled three new chapters recently, but not from a book. Rather, the institution showcased three parties, or chapters, through its first-ever Libration benefit. Three days of page-turning fun, Libration also threw celebrated author and native Memphian Hampton Sides into the mix. Bookended by Chapter One (an intimate garden party with Sides at the residence of Pallas and Phil Zanone) and Chapter Three (a public talk and book signing where Sides discussed his upcoming project), Chapter Two was the night that everyone cut loose in the Benjamin L. Hooks Central Library’s lobby, amongst shelves housing digital media and in the children’s area. Asked to come as a favorite book character, many showed up in costumes, which included the likes of Alice in Wonderland, Christian Grey, Daisy Buchanan, Supergirl, Rhett Butler and Scarlett O’Hara. Staffers also got in the spirit, with Diane Jalfon, the Memphis Library Foundation’s executive director, going as the Queen of Hearts and Wang-Ying Glasgow, the Adult Services coordinator, dressed in a Mulan costume. Standing next to an old card catalogue, Glasgow did double duty while she manned a wine pull, which offered guests seven chances to find two matching bottles in the catalogue’s drawers, and promoted another game where players had to guess a book title after receiving clues. The literary theme continued to pop up throughout the décor, including at the American, Asian and Latin-inspired food stations provided by Me & My Tea Room Catering. For instance, dishes like chicken quesadillas, spring rolls and pork tenderloin sandwiches were served atop hardbacks, one of which was the beloved coming-ofage tale Catcher in the Rye. Fittingly, a “Tequila Mockingbird” cocktail was the night’s signature libation—something partygoers’ gladly sipped while they perused silent auction goodies that mainly catered to the reading materials inside the institution. A special item came courtesy of Jalfon and her husband, Daniel Weickenand, who donated the use of their home for a New Orleans style dinner for eight themed A Streetcar Named Desire. As the plot thickened, or as the night wore on, library lovers found themselves cutting a rug at the silent disco set up in the Popular Library, a section containing the most popular bestsellers, videos, DVDs and other items of the like. In the main lobby, the band Stereo Joe turned up the volume on old favorites, and as one bystander pointed out, the band’s lead guitarist was none other than the library’s staff development manager, Damon Virgilio. Internal support aside, some 300 Memphians participated in all of the Libration chapters, which raised nearly $40,000 for the Memphis Public Library & Information Center.

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Drs. Jules and Catherine Munn

Story by Leah Fitzpatrick Photos by Don Perry

Jeff and Cathy Harris

Heather Grosvenor and Liz Gilliland

Thomas Whitehead and Christina Brown

Cardell and Nefertiti Orrin

Lawson Arney with Aaron and Louisa Munn

Wang-Ying Glasgow and Diane Jalfon

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RSVP? 58.16% of RSVP Readers Have Household Incomes of over $75,000 per year.

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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 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $174,000 per year Average Net Worth . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $1,250,000 Male Readers . . . . . . 40.8% Female Readers . . . . . . . . 59.2% 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

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Mary and Corey Trotz

Deborah Fletcher and Brian Cook

Joey Hagan and Carol Elkins

David and Bonnie Thornton

Ben Reddick and Jen Fleagle

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Savannah Bearden and Bard Cole

Emily Miller and Rebecca Brown Schulter

Sherra Koerselman-Meyers and Ross Meyers

Glenn and Christina Munson

Hope and Debbie Brooks

Herb Phillips and Mary Helen Randall

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Robbie McQuiston, Todd Holtzclaw, John McQuiston and Anna Holtzclaw

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Scott Anderson with Keenon and Stuart McCloy

Taylor Vaughn, Dr. Shawn Hayden and Kevin Cleveland

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Forging on the River Wild Game Dinner and Auction

Greater Memphis Chamber’s 175th Anniversary Party

Society of Entrepreneurs Awards Presentation and Dinner

There’s something about dining on wild game that just goes with fine metal work, and by the turnout at the Forging on the River Wild Game Dinner and Auction, supporters of the National Ornamental Metal Museum agree. During the annual Forging on the River Blacksmithing Conference, held on the riverside museum grounds April 5-7, ticket buyers had the opportunity to try a wild game dinner that included salmon and quail from Club Windward, and were treated to demonstrations by metalsmiths, as well as silent and live auctions of metal work crafted by artists from all over. The museum hosted about 140 dinner guests Saturday night and close to 70 conference attendees throughout the weekend. “We were very pleased with the outcome of this year’s event,” Lauren Bryant, of the museum, said. “Outside of the wonderful weather, the expansion of specialty presentations on Sunday with accomplished career professionals was a tremendous boon to our participants.”

One might have expected Zelda or F. Scott Fitzgerald to walk in at any moment to the Memphis Brooks Museum of Art during a spring night in April as Memphians fully embraced the Gatsby-themed birthday party for the Greater Memphis Chamber. Dames dressed as flappers and daddies as gangsters to ring in the organization’s 175th anniversary. Even a 17-piece swing band and a juice joint, aka a speakeasy, were on tap to carry out the theme for a full night of noshing, dancing and “Puttin’ on the Ritz.” The Greater Memphis Chamber was established in 1838 and is one of the oldest business organizations in the U.S., and if the birthday party was any indication, it’s also the cat’s meow.

There were five honorees inducted into this year’s Society of Entrepreneurs at its annual Awards Presentation and Dinner, held at the U of M Holiday Inn. New members included David Andrews, William Courtney, Richard Leike, Neely Mallory and Duncan Williams. The black-tie gala opened with a cocktail reception and passed hors d’oeuvres. Club president Doug Marchant kicked off dinner with opening remarks in the ballroom while Don Hutson acted as master of ceremonies, and the evening was completed with Marchant’s closing remarks and a second round of cocktails to celebrate. The Society of Entrepreneurs was established in 1991 to foster the development of the entrepreneurial spirit and to recognize the contribution of entrepreneurs to business and the community. Story and Photos by Lesley Young

Playhouse on the Square Art Auction In a town as saturated with artists as Memphis, it’s no surprise the Playhouse on the Square Art Auction presented close to 250 items by more than 170 artists for purchase at its 36th annual art auction this year. Hosted on location at the Midtown theater, every room and hall space was covered in paintings, sculptures, photographs, jewelry and other works of art, and it was equally flush with purchasers. The downstairs silent auction was an all-day affair, while the second-floor live auction began at 6:30 p.m. and ran well into the evening. Hors d’oeuvres and drinks were served, and nearly everyone walked away with something new and beautiful to add to or start their collection. Story and Photos by Lesley Young

Story and Photos by Lesley Young

Jon and Deidre Tutor

Dejuan Hendricks with Justin and Casey Lawhead Mark and Rita Baker

Mary Lawrence Allen, Bernadette Grantham and Mary Pera

Lauren McKnight and Houston Brown Olliette Murry-Drobot, Calvin Miller and Sharon Taylor McKinney

Charlie and Hilary Robinson

Joshua, Daniel and Dana Bishop

Gayle Moore and Joscelyn Shoptaw

Kathleen and Dr. Donn Fisher with Kim and Steven Gill

Kevin Speed with Harriett and Hilliard Crews

Traci Kolheim, Constance Kolheim, Lois Stockton and Chuck Thomas III

Henry Morgan, Harry Smith and Jeff Arnold

Lane Moten, Shawn Hayden and Greer and Carolyn Simonton

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Dishes for Wishes

Memphis Oral School for the Deaf “SpeakEasy”

“Whose wish will you grant?”— those were the powerful words that made guests of Dishes for Wishes pause to reflect on the benefit’s purpose. Recently held for an eighth time at Felicia Suzanne’s, the event serves a spread of hearty appetizers from some of the city’s top eateries to generous patrons, who have donated more than $1 million to Make-A-Wish® Mid-South throughout the benefit’s run thus far. This year, 10 restaurants participated, offering up a cuisine schedule that included barbecue nachos from Rendezvous, truffled duck liver mousse from Sweet Grass, house smoked wild king salmon deviled eggs and crispy oysters by Felicia Suzanne’s and gouda mac ‘n cheese courtesy of South of Beale, to name a few delectables. Several Wish kids were on hand to serve the fare, and they also helped paint some of the wine glasses, donated by Itty Bitty Bella, that guests could pick up for a donation. Pat Register returned to entertain the crowd, as did masters of ceremonies Steve Conley, Ron Olson and Karen Perrin, who all happily threw their support to the cause so that kids with life-threatening illnesses can continue to have their wishes come true.

The Memphis Oral School for the Deaf held its second annual 1920s-themed “SpeakEasy” fundraiser at the Great Hall in Germantown. Entertaining guests with jazz, drinks and delicious food, this event made it easy for attendees to offer support to a school that has been empowering deaf children for more than 50 years. Zoot suits, fringed-dresses, faux cigarette holders and slick hair were a necessity of the evening for many, and, of course, Blind Bear Speakeasy was there to hand out Prohibition-style cocktails like the Manhattan and the Old Fashioned to guests as they bid on silent auction items. Food was abundant with restaurants including the BBQ Shop, Bonefish Grill, P.F. Chang’s China Bistro, Outback Steakhouse and the Melting Pot (to name only a few) serving up heaping plates of their best munchies. A live auction offered some great steals, and Harrah’s Casino was there creating a professional gaming experience for guests. Entertainment was provided by Walnut Grove, the jazz component of the Christian Brothers High School band. Thanks to the sultry voice of St. Agnes student Alexandra Howard accompanying the band, Walnut Grove had everyone dancing and moving. With 225 guests in attendance and more than $80,000 raised for scholarship assistance, this event helped fund a great cause.

Story and Photos by Leah Fitzpatrick

National Football Foundation and College Hall of Fame Banquet The National Football Foundation and College Hall of Fame held its 41st annual banquet at Rhodes College. Dedicated to supporting the future of amateur football at the local, state and national levels, the NFF holds this dinner every year to honor 11 high school scholar athletes and two college scholar athletes. Held in the beautiful Bryan Campus Life Center on the Rhodes campus, the event began with a cocktail hour that had more than 220 guests mingling and enjoying a variety of spirits from the open bar. Later, guests enjoyed a delicious dinner of grilled chicken, shrimp scampi, dauphine potatoes and Caesar salad. Dinner was topped off by an assortment of cheesecakes. A special award that night went to Coach Major Wright of Briarcrest Christian School, who received the Rex Award, which honors outstanding football coaches from the Memphis area. The Charles E. Douglas Award was also presented to Coach Jerry Ellis of Memphis University School for his dedication as a coach.

Celebration of Architecture Gala It looked almost like a scene from the television show “Mad Men,” but the dapperly-dressed professionals marching up the wide lawn into the Pink Palace Museum were heavy-hitters in architecture, not advertising. The event was the 2013 Celebration of Architecture Gala, and the formal attire was 1950s-style, in a playful nod to the 60-year legacy of American Institute of Architects Memphis. Elegant attendees enjoyed live jazz and period cocktails like the Manhattan, Tom Collins and gin martini. The 2013 Design Awards followed, with recognition going to ANF Architects, archimania, Haizlip Studio, John Harrison Jones Architect and Looney Ricks Kiss. Megan Hoover of the University of Memphis received the President’s Award, and the Francis Gassner Award went to Keith S. Kays. Story and Photos by Kelly Cox

Story and Photos by Rachel Warren

Chip Googe, Keith Kays and Lee Kays Googe

Dawn and Zack Collins Lauren Derrik and Felicia Willett Larry and Lee Sisson

Julia Hanebrink and David Lewis Jessica Olson, Ron Olson, Steve Conley, Karen Perrin and Brooke Ehrhart

Bob Patterson and Bill Lofton Brad and Maria Lensin with Theresa Schwartz

Allison and Trevor Yant with Martha and Mike Hess

David Pickler and Richard Ransom

Joseil Woods, Cade Klawinski, Allison Anngusmus, Peyton Klawinski and Karen Klawinski

BJ Agnew Brillard and Kayce Williford

Woman’s Exchange of Memphis Art Gallery Opening

Ptah Black Tie and Tennis Shoe

DeNeuville Learning Center 15th Anniversary

Tiara Tea Society Event

Guests at the private preview for the fourth annual Woman’s Exchange of Memphis Art Gallery Opening sipped wine and sampled cheese at the nonprofit’s headquarters as they rubbed elbows with some of the artists. Several guests took the opportunity to purchase their favorite pieces of artwork before the general public had a chance to see them. Located in a quaint house at 88 Racine Street in East Memphis, the organization, which began in Philadelphia in 1832, continues to provide an outlet for women to sell their handiwork in an effort to help them achieve financial security.

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Onsite III The annual Ptah Black Tie and Tennis Shoe event, hosted by Carnival Memphis’ Grand Krewe of Ptah, is always an affair to remember. A contest is held to judge who has the most outrageously decorated sneakers in the men’s and women’s categories. Krewes compete to put on the most entertaining skit, and the theme this year was a celebration of all things American. Some of the skits included performers decked out in World War II costumes, while others featured flag wavers singing “Yankee Doodle Dandy” and other show tunes and a tribute to iconic American singer Frank Sinatra. The band 240 Loop, which boasts a lead singer and guitarist who are both Ptah members, provided dance music after the skits, which unfolded at the Great Hall in Germantown.

Story and Photos by Suzanne Thompson

DeNeuville Learning Center’s staff, board members, students, volunteers and supporters gathered to celebrate the organization’s 15th year in operation with an open house for the community. The nonprofit, located in the heart of Midtown at 190 South Cooper Street, assists women of all backgrounds and cultures in learning the skills necessary to make positive choices for themselves and their families. Guests enjoyed an assortment of Latin, African and Middle Eastern foods prepared by DeNeuville’s own students, and they learned about the classes and counseling services provided at the center. As part of the milestone anniversary, DeNeuville was also recognized by the City of Memphis for its continual service and received a proclamation before City Council on April 16. Staff and students also celebrated DeNeuville’s anniversary on April 17 when they created artwork and wrote poetry and essays about their experiences at the center.

The Tiara Tea Society welcomed their 10th princess, Keona Laraine Vaughn, into its ranks. In keeping with the group’s purpose, the society helps a little girl in dire need or circumstances each year. Princess Keona was 3 months old when she was violently shaken and suffered irreparable damage to her brain and nervous system, leaving her unable to walk, feed herself, hear, see or speak more than a few words. She is 8 years old now and was adopted last year by Debbie and Mark Vaughn of Arlington. Chancellor Arnold B. Goldin was the special guest speaker at the event that honored her, as he had presided over her adoption. Keona’s teacher, Michelle Hinsley from Oak Elementary Special Needs Program, was also present, and the St. Agnes Liturgical Choir, directed by Thalina Marques, provided lovely music. Ruth Hamblin from Le Bonheur’s Parent Outreach Program spoke to the group about Shaken Baby Syndrome and preventive measures that can be taken by a parent/caregiver. Connie Lampen, board member of TTS composed an insightful slide show of what a day is like for Keona Vaughn, who now has a “forever home,” and it was viewed by TTS members and well-wishers at the U of M Holiday Inn.

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Story and Photos by Suzanne Thompson

Knox and Bonnie Everson

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Lauren Wiener, Jim Taylor and Ginger Collier

Nan Landess and Mary Nelson Burton Bridges, Dr. Tracie Burke, Dr. Lisa Clark, Alan Crone and Jim Strickland

Suzi Lonergan and Princess Keona Vaughn

Sharon and Wayne Fewell

Tish Fortner, Samantha Scherer and Marilyn Conner

Deedee Saladino, Connie Kolodziej and Sheri Ahern

Liarra Bartlett, Alexis Grace and Amy Hanford

Flor Espino and Michelle Metzger

Shara Lynn and Chancellor Arnold B. Goldin with Eva Lynn Bishop

Diana and Justin Nicholas with Mary and Chuck Stewart

Vance Boyd, Marilyn Wannamaker and Howard Lamb

Kathy Smith, Kim Lasko, Leslie Herman, Denise Stewart and Tes Herman

The Hospitality HUB Wine Tasting

Duration Fine Arts Club Spring Luncheon

Girl Scouts Heart of the South Cookie Event

Attendees of the Memphis Heritage Architectural Auction helped the nonprofit stay true to its mission of “Giving Our Past a Future” by bidding high and often. Set up in the bottom floor of the Sears Crosstown building, which is getting a new life of its own, the auction unfolded before a roomful of patrons who savored small bites from Bar Louie, Bayou Bar and Grill, Bogie’s Delicatessen, Boscos Squared, Celtic Crossing, Lenny’s Sub Shop and Whole Foods while listening to the perfect musical accompaniment, the South Side Supper Club. Old black and white pictures of Memphis that came from Memphis Heritage’s Don Newman Collection aired on a big screen during the silent auction, which gave guests the opportunity to acquire unusual pieces like blue wooden corbels from the Liberty Land gazebo, a tandem “easy ride bicycle” and antique forceps. The live auction brought more treasures to the forefront with items such as a pair of steel vault doors from the Memphis Customs House and two large Easy-Way signs, one of which adorned the bar. If you missed this chance to support Memphis Heritage, make plans to attend the Adapt-A-Door Auction on October 12 at Howard Hall (2282 Madison Ave).

While The Hospitality HUB Wine Tasting offered Memphians several chances to sip some new vintages from Kimbrough Wine & Spirits, it also encouraged guests to get in the spirit of paying attention to the needs of the city’s homeless population. Launched in 2007 by The Downtown Churches Association, The HUB helps connect individuals with available resources they require to start the path out of homelessness. Held at the Jack Robinson Gallery downtown, The HUB’s first fund-raiser was the brainchild of Will Hayley and Mary Morris, who wanted to bring attention to the powerful work the nonprofit is doing. Kelcey Johnson, The HUB’s associate director, said, “We’re like a resource agency for the homeless and work with 123 other agencies, and since 2009, we’ve gotten 50 homeless people permanent housing, though we also work with people who are stranded.”

Tables boasting colorful Gerbera daisy arrangements with gold butterflies awaited those ladies attending the Duration Fine Arts Club Spring Luncheon at the Memphis Hunt and Polo Club. With a menu that featured bacon, creamed mushrooms, a cheese soufflé, grilled tomatoes and spinach, which was all topped off by an ice cream pie with Kahlua chocolate sauce, members were in for a treat food-wise, but the entertainment hit the spot as well. Thanks to the help of Terri Theil, Second Presbyterian Church’s Conservatory director, the luncheon’s featured performer was gifted violinist and viola player Beth Luscombe, a member of the Memphis Symphony Orchestra who also performs with the Iris Orchestra and is the founder of the Beth Luscombe Strings Group. She played three movements from Bach at this gathering, an occasion that further served to highlight the installation of new officers by Ruth Boyd, who announced Donna Godwin as the next Duration Fine Arts Club president.

As if Girl Scout cookies aren’t already palatable enough, they were taken to a whole other level at the Girl Scouts Heart of the South Cookie Event. Girl Scout alumna Kathy Manning welcomed former Girl Scouts and organization supporters into her home for the affair that had partygoers sampling Girl Scout cookie-inspired desserts created by Memphis’ finest chefs. Some of the standout offerings included a peanut butter banana pie made by Hog & Hominy, Amerigo’s “Thin Mint” truffles, The Grove Grill’s “Savannah Smiles” lemon pie and Just in Thyme Catering’s “Do-si-do” brownies, to mention a few of the donated sweets. Girl Scout cookies (in their natural form) were also available for purchase this night to help raise funds to support programs that help today’s girls become successful leaders in the future.

Story and Photos by Leah Fitzpatrick

Pat Moody and Freddi Felt Mary Morris and Beatrice Kimmons Ann P. Bailey, Gerry Thomas and Norma McCrory June West and Aaron Chestnut

Grace Hutchinson, Linda Safford and Dick Cochran

Trish Hayley and Tonya Parham Judy Belisomo, Dolores Migliara and Suzanne Snipes

Lee and Cindy Fowinkle

Rob and Lisa Lee with Amy and Paul Bell

Kelcey and Brenda Johnson with Sue Goodwin

Dianne Ramsey and Donna Godwin

Angela Woods, Kathy Manning, Missy Rainer and Jeni Stephens

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Memphis Heritage Architectural Auction

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Flavors of Memphis

FLAVORS OF MEMPHIS

“A Culinary Gala”

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Lou Moore and Nedra Marsh

Bob Bell and Jamie Patterson

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he increasing popularity of the American Liver Foundation’s Flavors of Memphis benefit required a change of venue this year, and Deri Whittaker, the ALF Mid-South Division’s events manager, couldn’t have been more ecstatic. Commenting that this was the event’s fourth year, she said, “We’re growing it, so we moved to a new spot.” That spot was Hilton Memphis, and it worked out just fine for the 120 Memphians who reserved a seat at what has become a true foodie’s paradise. To start piquing partygoers’ taste buds, some of the participating chefs had created tasty appetizers for the cocktail hour, which was held in the room adjoining the Tennessee Ballroom. So, as guests enjoyed mussels and shrimp mousse from Flight and shrimp and grits with parmesan in phyllo cups from the Hilton’s own catering team, they also could bid on a diverse mix of silent auction items: everything from a U of M football autographed by Coach Justin Fuente and a one-year Rangemaster membership to gift certificates to The Half Shell, Restaurant Iris and Folk’s Folly Prime Steak House. Though the live auction wouldn’t take place until after dinner, its lots were on display during the cocktail hour. It included stunning pieces from Mednikow and Memphis Jewelry, in addition to two tickets to the NASCAR Spring All-Star Race and a Ruth’s Chris Steak House Chefs Choice Wine Tasting Dinner co-sponsored by Independent Bank, all of which were auctioned off by emcee Ron Childers of WMC-TV 5. As the dinner hour drew near, chefs representing bleu, CFY Catering, Elfo’s, Flight, Hilton, Jack Binion’s Steakhouse at Horseshoe Casino, Medallion Restaurant at the U of M Holiday Inn, Owen Brennan’s and Simply Delicious Caterings drew paddles with numbers—the numbers representing guests’ table assignments. This element of surprise continues to be a hit with ladies and gents being that they eagerly anticipate whose table they will hold court at for the evening. To boot, each table is decorated to the hilt by restaurant staff and chefs, who present five thoughtfully prepared courses complete with wine pairings. Competing for honors, the chefs give the menu their all, and this year awards were handed to bleu’s Robert Nam Cirillo for Best Presentation and Best of Show and to both CFY Catering’s Kristi Bush and Simply Delicious Caterings’ Scott Delarme for Best Menu. Even if it was for one night only, the culinary gala had an impact that will reach far beyond a ballroom at Hilton Memphis, as guests raised $40,000 for the American Liver Foundation to further promote liver health and disease prevention.

Lynn Berretta and Hollis Franklin

Vinaya and Ram Rao

Story and Photos by Leah Fitzpatrick See all the party photos at rsvpmagazine.com Password: RSVP

Jennifer Strafaci and Judy Stephenson

Corinna and Dr. Luis Campos

Stephanie and Jeff Stovall

Rachel Harvey, Alex Grisanti and Beth and David Simpson

Deri Whittaker and Laura Edwards

EVENT FLAVORS OF MEMPHIS Shan McAllister, Danny Washburn, Winn Stephenson and Tony Strafaci

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Dave and Pat Miller

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Ken and Susan Pasley

Tonja Madison, Dr. Satheesh Nair and Stephanie Kokroko

Traci Pugh and Shannon Moore

Steve Shipman and Jennifer Bussenger

Mert Guin, Mike Lauderdale and Sandra Harris

AFTER HOURS

After Hours A photo collage of the latest business happenings

Memphis Orthopaedic Group Open House

Elysian Aesthetics Grand Opening Event

Bella Vita “A Show of Support” Artists’ Benefit for The MED Foundation

Millie Nester and Donna Ward Brent and Stephanie Singley with Laurie Losorwith

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John Lochemes, Bryson Neal, Margaret Yancey and Dan Hein

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1 “And the rocketsʼ red 17 18 ___” 6 Old Glory 20 21 10 First letter of the Arabic 24 25 26 alphabet 14 Not inner 28 29 30 31 15 Air (prefix) 32 33 34 35 16 Display 40 41 42 17 Over 18 Swamp plant 44 45 46 19 Box 49 50 51 20 Interbreeding population 53 54 55 56 within a species 21 Traditional 57 58 59 60 Independence 65 66 67 Day celebration 69 70 23 Hard boiled food 24 Crucifix 72 73 26 Main course www.CrosswordWeaver.com 28 Medical student 51 Cliff dwelling birds 31 U.S. Department of 53 City in India Agriculture 56 Reduce 32 Famous Boston “party” 57 __ league school 33 Go around 58 Command 36 Exhort 61 Spoken 40 Goofs 65 Canon 42 First woman 67 Vegetable 43 Group 68 Theater 44 Greatest amount 69 Family group 45 Toast 70 Dregs 48 Flightless bird 71 Kelloggʼs waffles 49 U.S. Air Force 72 Not there

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By Dennis Phillippi

like blasphemy or naïveté, but since neither I, nor anyone in my life, is doing anything the government would find the least bit interesting, as far as I am concerned they can go nuts. It would be difficult to exaggerate the drudgery of wading through any of our boring lives. Here is a sampling of some of the excitement they can anticipate: one friend talking about her kid’s sports activities; another complaining about “Game of Thrones”; an e-mail from my editor reminding me how late this column is; another asking if I have his copy of season 3 of “Buffy the Vampire Slayer”; forwarded text pictures of a baby dressed in a sailor outfit; a brief phone call during which I hope my mother’s voicemail will pick up instead of my mother; innumerable games of Words with Friends; an Internet search for how to brine pork

While I have no secrets that are a threat to national security, I probably have a few that are a threat to the harmony of some relationships. chops; another e-mail from my editor reminding me how late this column is; a text invite to something I wouldn’t attend under any circumstances because it involves sitting for a prostate challenging length of time; another much more tersely worded reminder from my editor; and an Internet search for “Bar Refaeli bikini.” By this point, the secret agent of the NSA is starting to rethink cloak and daggering. If you’ve ever watched one of those police procedurals where the third male lead announces that he’s “gone through the suspect’s phone records and financials,” where did everyone think that information was originating? And please note, they’re always looking into a suspect’s information, someone as often as not, not even arrested. Of course, the government keeps track of this stuff. In a lot of ways, that’s sort of what a lot of the government is for: to manage the mountain of information that climbs higher every day to make

every effort to keep us safe. I understand how childish that sounds, but as it happens, after 9/11 I decided I’d just as soon not be reduced to my component atoms by some crackpots who think America is bad for liking Bar Refaeli in a bikini. This is not unlike, to me, the people who sigh and roll their eyes and twitch all the way through the security line at the airport. Their body language screams that they think the poor functionaries, doing a truly thankless job, are colluding to make them miss their flight. These same people declaim the ban on liquids above a certain amount, the demand for removing their shoes and even the metal detectors, all seeming to forget that liquid, shoes and metal have all been used to either attempt or succeed in assaulting airborne aircraft. It’s a simple choice: be inconvenienced or risk seeing the outside of an airplane from 30,000 feet. Me, I’ll just kick off my boots and put my shampoo in my checked bag. Not that I think the government should go unchecked. While I have no secrets that are a threat to national security, I probably have a few that are a threat to the harmony of some relationships. I certainly have written things in e-mails I’d rather the people mentioned not read, but blackmail doesn’t seem to be the game here. The government has no reason to seek leverage against me. Maybe that’s why I can be so cavalier about this; it’s not my problem. Maybe it’s the same as not worrying much about climate change because I don’t have kids. The future of the ecosystem isn’t my headache. We all have plenty of things to fret about, and unless you’re actively doing something that threatens the government or is ticking the government off enough to want to snoop around your television and Internet habits, it seems like you probably have more important things to keep you up at night. Like, say, Bar Refaeli in a bikini.

Okay, enough with this Sports Illustrated and Maxim’s Top 100 model…we get the gist of what you think should occupy people’s attention spans at night. But, who knows, maybe the NSA has a thing for models too and will forgo any concern about your typing of “Irish Car Bomb” in this column.

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here’s this cocktail called an Irish Car Bomb. It’s basically a glass of Irish Stout with a shot of Irish Cream and Irish whiskey poured into it that’s all downed at once. It’s like a boilermaker for people who don’t want to go to the effort of choking down a boilermaker. It’s like a chocolaty bump of Ireland. I was introduced to them more than a decade ago and have enjoyed at least my share. During that time, every once in a while I’ve been tempted to text a friend about what I’m enjoying, but at no time in the last 10 years have I put the phrase “car bomb” into a text. Why not? Because I don’t want big guys in dark suits dropping by the house to discuss my strange allegiance to terrorist factions in Ireland. Seriously. I used to half joke about it, but I wasn’t really kidding. At least since September 11, I’ve assumed that the government is on the lookout for little key phrases like that. Heck, I’m conscious of the fact that I’ve now written the word “bomb” at least twice on my home computer in the last few minutes. Part of me is already pricking up an ear for black helicopters hovering overhead. This may seem paranoid of me, but in light of recent revelations, maybe not so much. People, and by people I mean the press because the actual people I know don’t pay attention to this kind of junk, are very worked up about the idea that our government has been keeping close tabs on us citizens. The NSA, long denied to even exist by the government, has been cheerfully listening, reading and, for all I know, standing around in the shower with us making sure that anyone who might be thinking about, you know, blowing things up, won’t get the chance to do so. The press, led of course by Fox News, is all up in arms that our overseers might be, well, overseeing us. They’re crying foul over the invasion of privacy, the violation of civil rights and blah, blah, blah. The thing is I don’t care. I understand that this may sound

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Yuletide Revelers

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arion King (left), the Girls’ Dinner Club president, and Ginger Bonner (right), the Girls’ Cotillion Club president, were among those honored at the annual Yuletide Revelers Ball that took place on December 23, 1957 at the Claridge Hotel (now the Claridge House Condominiums). Toasting the fair ladies in the picture above are Revelers executive committee members (left to right) Bill Leonard, Bill Whitley, John Walker, Charles Berry, Don Taylor, Roland Bill and Guy Joyner, president of the Revelers. A group of bachelors, the Revelers entertained debutantes and members of the Girls’ Cotillion Club and the Girls’ Dinner Club with a formal dinner dance every year during the Christmas holiday. PHOTO COURTESY OF BILL WHITLEY 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.