May 2011
Zodiac Ball Staxtacular Celebrities on Canvas Q&A with Deborah Clubb FEATURING RSVP’S Women With Drive
CONTENTS
Contents May 201 1
From the Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8 Signature Memphis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10 Chris Maloney takes RSVP onto the Memphis Redbirds field.
RSVP Watch List . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12 Treat your mom to breakfast in bed this Mother’s Day.
10 SIGNATURE MEMPHIS Chris Maloney
Celebrities on Canvas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14
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The Brooks Museum League hosted an artful affair when they challenged local celebrities to pick up a paintbrush for charity.
STREETSEEN Tim Bolding
StreetSeens . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .20 & 22 This bassist is a rising star in the local and national music scene. He’s making affordable
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housing a reality for those in need. StreetSeens spotlight David Parks and Tim Bolding.
Vox Popular . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .24
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Staxtacular . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .30
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Q&A with the executive director of the Memphis Area Women’s Council, Deborah Clubb.
The party at the Stax Museum of American Soul Music was all about celebrating a decade of basketball and music.
14 CELEBRITIES ON CANVAS George Eubanks and Philip Eubanks
Onsites . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .36, 38, 73 & 74 Gatherings that have earned an honorable mention.
30 STAXTACULAR Penni and Don Walker
25 Women With Drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .43 See the city’s top female professionals who made the cut for this feature debut.
Zodiac Ball . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .70 Guests embraced the “Mardi Gras Madness” at the Esplanade Memphis for the benefit of the American Cancer Society.
RSVPhillippi . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .76 Warm Weather Rules Dennis Phillippi dishes on what not to do when temps soar.
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STREETSEEN David Parks
ZODIAC BALL Erik Morrison and Amina Dilawari Cover Photo Lionel and Angie Hollins at Staxtacular Photo by Baxter Buck
Volume XVI
Number VIII
May 201 1 PUBLISHER
Roy Haithcock EDITOR
Leah Fitzpatrick CONTRIBUTING WRITERS
Ruth Cassin Kelly Cox Dennis Phillippi Suzanne Thompson Lesley Young ART DIRECTOR
Patrick Aker s PHOTOGRAPHERS
Nathan Berry Baxter Buck Roy Haithcock Don Perry Steve Roberts SENIOR ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE
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Libby Huff
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ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE
Chris Pugh ACCOUNTING
Ruth Cassin 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 2011 Haithcock Communications, Inc.
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From the Editor
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Photo by Steve Roberts
ith Mother’s Day upon us, it only seems fitting that we chose this month to celebrate women. However, the women who appear in this issue aren’t average—far from it. They’re extraordinary for a number of factors, including their talent, charisma and ambition. I’m sure that some of the same qualities could be applied to many of the women in your life. Lest I forget, I must tempt you to first turn to the RSVP Watch List on page 12. We have featured items that would be perfect for a surprise Mother’s Day breakfast in bed. While not a mom myself, I don’t know any mothers who would turn down a chance to feel special and pampered at the start of their day. Hmmm…maybe this idea should be saved for other holidays throughout the year. Back to the actual featured women, the first of whom you’ll read about in the Vox Popular on page 24. In this section, you’ll get introduced to Deborah Clubb, the executive director of the Memphis Area Women’s Council. This nonprofit helps get to the root of many problems affecting women, like domestic violence and workforce barriers, by advocating on the behalf of the female population. While Clubb admits the work she does isn’t the kind that’s readily understood or easily articulated, she has remained true to her passion to create social change for women by reaching out to lawmakers and anyone else who can create forward-thinking solutions to improve women’s quality of life. On a side note, the Women’s Council is offering custom Mother’s Day cards for sale as a fund-raiser, so e-mail dclubb@memphiswomen.org if you’re interested. On page 43, you’ll come across our grand tribute to outstanding Memphis-area female professionals in our muchanticipated debut of the 2011 Women With Drive feature. The excitement we received from the ladies involved was off the charts, which in turn made us more enthusiastic to bring you what we feel is a fine cross section of the modern working woman. Our hats are off to each of the Women With Drive, who prove that women in business are making a difference. As I end this column, I can’t help but wish you an eventful Kentucky Derby, which is the ultimate event for women to show up the horses. Happy spring!
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P.S.-The men in this issue are pretty great as well, so check out pages 10, 20 and 22 for their features.
Leah Fitzpatrick editor@rsvpmagazine.com
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SIGNATURE MEMPHIS
Chris Maloney Manager of the Memphis Redbirds
Hobby: Fishing. First job: Cutting yards. Guilty pleasure: Bacon. First concert: Bruce Springsteen. Personal heroes: My dad and mom. Favorite Memphis musician: Elvis. Favorite album: Decade by Neil Young. Words or phrases you overuse: “Really.” Last book you’ve read: The Third Option by Vince Flynn. Childhood ambition: To be a professional baseball player. Where you take out-of-town guests: Central BBQ and Blues City Cafe.
Movie you could watch over and over again: One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest. Your greatest achievement: My wife, Laurie, and our two children, Ann Bradley and Jake.
Photo by Steve Roberts
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RSVP WATCH LIST
ROOM SERVICE
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BREAKFAST IN BED IS THE PERFECT MOTHER’S DAY SURPRISE.
Clockwise from top right: Silver Wine Cooler by Zodax-$52 at Babcock Gifts (901-763-0700); Veuve Clicquot Ponsardin Champagne-$63 at Forest Hill Wine Merchants (901-757-1903); Larabee Dot Flute by Kate Spade-$40 at Dillard’s Oak Court (901-685-0382); Black and Cream Harlequin Tray-$109 at Post 31 Interiors (901-529-7670); Meridian Plain Salad Plate by Casafina-$26 at Gift and Art Shop (901-682-1621); Assorted Pastries-Inquire for pricing at La Baguette (901-458-0900); Glass Cube Tube Vase-$8 at Ménage (901-683-6809); Happy Mother’s Day Card by Hello!Lucky-Inquire for pricing at Mrs. Post (901-338-6117)
P h o t o b y Na t h a n B e r ry
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MARIA SHARAPOVA AND HER 32MM AQUARACER DIAMOND WATCH www.tagheuer.com
EVENT
Celebrities on Canvas
CELEBRITIES ON CANVAS
Painting With Purpose
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Georgia and Vess Hobbs
Steve and Debbie Pacheco
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orothy Fadiman, the award-winning documentary filmmaker, once said, “Each of us is an artist, capable of conceiving and creating a vision from the depths of our being.” Although some may have been initially daunted by the task, 34 well-known Memphians took their creativity to heart when they were selected to participate in The Brooks Museum League’s premiere Celebrities on Canvas. A different kind of art auction, the event featured paintings created by a diverse group of artists ranging from Memphis Symphony Orchestra music director Mei-Ann Chen and rap star Al Kapone to City Councilman Jim Strickland and RSVP’s own Leah Fitzpatrick. Approximately 200 guests gathered in the Memphis Brooks Museum of Art rotunda and the Brushmark Restaurant and marveled at the mostly hereto-unknown talents of many of the contributors, some of whom availed themselves of the assistance of volunteer mentors such as Betsy Bird, Tom Clifton, Maysey Craddock and Julia Ormiston. Johnny Pitts, who had become quite attached to his painting as he worked, debated bidding on it. One of the most bid upon silent auction works was contributed by Tyranza, a 40-year-old elephant at the Memphis Zoo that depicted her footprint on a canvas aptly entitled “Happy Sole.” For the live auction, emcee and participating artist Joe Birch fulfilled the auctioneer duties. Seven paintings were up for grabs in this portion and included works from U of M Men’s Basketball Coach Josh Pastner, who painted a colorful basketball surrounded by initials of former U of M coaches, and fashion designer Pat Kerr Tigrett, who touched on a theme of praise and blessing in her depiction of a dove juxtaposed against a Memphis sky and a cross with roses. However, a framed abstract figure sketch by restaurateur Karen Blockman Carrier, who began her career as a painter and had the good fortune of meeting the late Salvador Dali, commanded the highest bid at $1,000. Partygoers were also entertained by the Jeremy Schrader Trio and were treated to a sumptuous cocktail buffet prepared by the talented chefs Wally Joe (who also contributed a painting) and Andrew Adams. A few even tried their hands at the “roaming canvas” to create their own artwork, while others had their portraits done by caricaturist James Caldwell. Celebrity artist or not, many developed a new fondness for painting…or maybe just a better appreciation for professional artists. See all the party photos at rsvpmagazine.com Password: RSVP
Johnny Pitts and Kevin Kane
Story by Ruth Cassin Photos by Roy Haithcock
Lee and Annette Askew
Margaret Ann and Jim Eikner
Billy Daniel and Didi Montgomery
D’Army and Adrienne Bailey
Lillian and Judge George Brown
Vicki and Ron Olson
EVENT CELEBRITIES ON CANVAS
Joe Birch with Sandy and Jim Rout
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Rebecca Vanneck, Kathy Fitzpatrick and Molly Fitzpatrick
Jed and Leanne McQuown
Patti Cashion and Ruth Cassin
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Leah Fitzpatrick and Jason Bowles
Jana and John Pettey with Hillary Edwards
Jenny and Nick Vergos
Robert Johnson and Mearl Purvis
Melanie and Kerr Tigrett with Pat Kerr Tigrett
EVENT
SPRING SPRI SP RING RI N G SHOPPING SHO S HOPP HO PPING PP I N G IS NOW IN IN
Chico’s
CELEBRITIES ON CANVAS
SEASON S EA S ON AT THE AVENUE Francesca’s Collections
Faith and Leonard Kaye
Diane and Daniel Weickenand
Kent and Dana Farmer
Susie Jabbour and Nancy Willis
Gap
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Talbots
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Enter to Win Weekly Apple iPad 2 Giveaways ®
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Margie Sanders with Bob and Ellie Pelts
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Liza Coccia and Ashley Chambers
STREETSEEN
David Parks A Bass Hero
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or a 23-year-old bassist, David Parks has already made good as a professional musician. Not only was Parks a semi-finalist on the MTV show “Making His Band” two years ago, but he’s been on tour twice and done spot dates as part of multi-platinum artist Sean Kingston’s band, which has opened for pop star Justin Bieber around the globe. Ironically, the bass guitar wasn’t the instrument that ignited his ascent to stardom. Parks tells, “I played baritone in middle school and auditioned for the Overton High School band program with the same instrument. Then, in 10th grade, I played my first gig on the bass with my jazz teacher at Café Soul and realized I could make money playing.” He dropped the baritone and honed his bass skills by taking private lessons once a week, participating in the Stax Music Academy and making the 2004 and 2005 Tennessee All State Jazz Band, where he met fellow musician Ryan Peel. Following the All State experience, he and Peel joined forces in the now-defunct band Kylin Rose and have been making music together ever since. By the time college rolled around, Parks decided to pursue a major in engineering at the University of Memphis, but he didn’t completely forgo music in academia thanks to an influential professor. “I really liked U of M’s bass teacher, Tim Goodwin, who became my advisor and is the one who broke me down and humbled me since I came into college having been a hot-shot kid in high school,” Parks says. Soon enough, Parks changed something more than a self-proclaimed cocky attitude when he realized how much his thoughts in class reverted to chords and his next gig. Eventually, he confessed to Goodwin that he wanted to turn his attention to music and has never looked back. Now, a college senior in the U of M Jazz Studies Program, Parks expects to graduate this fall. The road to graduation hasn’t been without setbacks, as Parks has been part of a balancing act with school and his music endeavors. Who knows how he finds the time for studying between engagements with Sean Kingston on TV shows and in places like Tanzania, South Africa, Jamaica, St. Thomas and London? In addition, he performs locally with Trump Tight, an umbrella of 10 musicians and singers including Peel, and helps put together bands for other artists in the city. Last, but not least, he’s been plotting his own album (The working title is Bass Lines and Dope Rhymes). “I want to have my own chapter in history books,” Parks says, and somehow it seems Memphis’ bass hero is well on his way to doing just that. Story by Leah Fitzpatrick Photo by Steve Roberts
STREETSEEN
Tim Bolding Giving Hope to Would-Be Homeowners
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hen 34 new units of construction are speculated to get off the ground in Shelby County, you know it’s a good day for the housing market. However, the potential home construction on the corner of Stage and McLean is anything but ordinary, even in a stable market. Just ask United Housing’s executive director, Tim Bolding, who is seeing that the project, called Wolf River Bluffs, gives low-to-moderate income families or first-time home buyers a chance for home ownership. First scheduled for 2009, Wolf River Bluffs hit some bumps when the recession hit, but Bolding said it’s his goal to get at least five to six houses in the first phase, which entails 34 houses, started this summer. Total, the project will consist of 292 lots on 113 acres and will be built out in nine phases. Bolding hopes to add three unique components to the design. “We want to work with MLGW to be energy efficient; we want to incorporate solar panels that produce energy that can be sold back to MGLW; and we want to exercise water management,” he explains. His motto for this project, “Let’s not only do it, but do it a different way,” could be applied to the whole foundation of United Housing more than 16 years ago. At that time, Bolding felt like the nonprofit housing sector was relatively new, but he knew it could become a reality and used his experience starting the housing program with Shelby County as a basis. With the assistance of United Way, United Housing launched in 1994 with the purpose of revitalizing Memphis communities through the provision of construction services, homebuyer education classes (available to anyone and also offered in Spanish) and affordable lending products for those not served by the traditional housing industry. Though still a United Way agency, United Housing spun off in 2000 to become part of Neighbor Works® America, a national organization of 250 nonprofit housing organizations. NeighborWorks has been helpful in putting United Housing staffers in a network of people doing the same job, while also providing annual funding. Currently, much of that networking has spurred talks about how best to keep people out of home foreclosures, which Bolding says peaked at 17,000 in Shelby County a couple of years ago. He notes, “Every foreclosure we can prevent is a big chunk—think about how losing your home displaces your family, not to mention that it’s bad for neighborhoods.” For houses that go into foreclosure, United Housing will purchase them and do renovations before they go up for sale. Just check out the listings on the board pictured at right or come in to learn more about Wolf River Bluffs to see how home ownership can become a possibility—it already has for more than 2,010 United Housing clients and counting. Story by Leah Fitzpatrick Photo by Steve Roberts
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VOX POPULAR
Vox Popular Q&A with Deborah Clubb
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RSVP: What led to the formation of the Memphis Area Women’s Council?
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Clubb: The council was formed by a group of women who began to meet and talk after a presentation of the 2000 census data. The part of the census specific to Shelby County showed that all of the data about women was still awful, whether it had to do with our educational attainment, our access to health care, our involvement in political life, wages, access to jobs or access to education. This filled meeting room with women who heard the report were incensed and wondered, “If we’ve spent these decades since the ‘70s supposedly changing laws and rules and making things equitable, then how can this data still be saying we’re not getting anywhere?” So, the group of women who met and talked and held some large public gatherings for those next couple of years figured out they wanted to form an organization in Shelby County that was about leveraging women’s voices and advocating on behalf of women, and the 501(c) (3) forming the Memphis Area Women’s Council was granted in October 2003. The first event, the Women’s Policy Action Summit, was in April 2004, and a few months later, the founders put on the first public gathering to present what would be the first action projects for the council. The Memphis Area Women’s Council is about connecting research and activism to the stakeholders to the influence-makers to the policy-makers, so we can change things at a policy level, and then we don’t have to have so many social service entities to help women who can’t get anywhere. RSVP: What were some immediate challenges you faced when you first took on the executive director role? Clubb: Sorting out what to do first, second, third and fourth because it had been a while since Memphis women had this capacity, or had this possibility. That Women’s Action Policy Summit laid out the domestic violence, corporal punishment and the living wage campaign, which was under way back then. Then, I just had to get a
Photos by Don Perry
hen Deborah Clubb left her job as a reporter in 2003, she remembers telling her friend that the thing she’d love to do next would be to work in an organization that’s all about helping women. Little did she know at the time how close the Memphis Area Women’s Council was to getting established. By May 2004, Clubb, who had already created the Women of Achievement program and helped with a professional women’s organization called Network of Memphis, was announced as the council’s executive director. Now celebrating seven years with the Women’s Council, Clubb shares the group’s history and its current focus on the domestic violence issue with RSVP editor Leah Fitzpatrick. handle on how we were really going to have an impact on those things and figure out who we needed to meet, talk to and partner with. Within a few months of working with the board, it became clear that the way we were going to do what we do is by calling people together, not by standing alone at all. The founders had talked about how we would connect research—a real understanding of what an issue was—with a big community of women coming together saying, “Change is needed.” Then, you take that, strategically, to the policy-maker. Collaborating has been really fruitful and has made some things change. I think the most dramatic certainly was the rape crisis center debacle of a while ago. It was something we’d been monitoring for a couple of years, and we couldn’t find a way into it because of the way City Hall operated. We were hearing from staff that things weren’t going well, but we couldn’t get attention to that fact until we had the episode that finally triggered a public awareness. Once we had that, we could and did go straight into making it change and got it away from city administration and into the county, where the other victim services reside, and things are finally as they should be. RSVP: What are some other ways the Women’s Council helps women and girls? Clubb: We generally don’t do what our partners do, which is direct service. We’re about connecting and communicating what is out there in terms of resources, and we’re very much about trying to be the organization that takes on the policy change and the community awareness piece that maybe other organizations don’t have time or resources to do because they have such a load in just tending to clients. With girls, we did undertake a little bit of a different approach. We organized something called Girls for Change in partnership with the Women’s Studies Program at U of M. What we do there is try to train girls in the same skills that we try to use: understanding an issue, how to research it, how to articulate what needs to be changed and understanding the political landscape in terms of who you talk to, how
VOX POPULAR
you approach them and what kinds of tools are there for delivering that message because there’s a difference between a public rally, a press conference, a one-on-one conversation and appearing before a hearing. So, Girls for Change is for girls ages 13-17, and basically we’re just trying to grow girls into women who will care about what we’re doing, keep it going, and keep the sense that their voices are important.
25 RSVP
Clubb: A couple of hundred have so far. It led us to understand, from what the girls told us, that a tremendous problem was that no one was addressing sexual harassment. They came to us not knowing what sexual harrassment was, but they answered our survey and told us that the worst things about being a girl were boys, peer pressure, bullying and being called names. In that conversation with them, we learned that really awful things were happening to them in school that were all against the law. It wasn’t just bullying. It was genderbased and very ugly stuff, so I decided to do a survey with the Center for Research on Women about sexual harrassment on boys and girls in Memphis middle and high schools. That documented the heavy amount of sexual harassment that’s going on from verbal all the way to rape—nearly 6 percent of the people in our survey, which was 600 something students— said they had sex without their consent or against their will in their current school. What we’ve been able to do so far is bring in a theater component for the girls to capture their creativity and work on a peerto-peer message. So, they wrote a very powerful skit from the data we had and their own experiences, and they presented it two springs ago on stage at the All About Women convention downtown. I’ve been trying to get just a little bit of grant money to film the skit in a nice black box theater and put it out on a DVD, so it can be used wherever. I’ve also
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RSVP: How many girls have gone through Girls for Change?
Joel Hobson III
Barbie Dan
Deborah Mays
6077 Maiden Lane Denise Ware
Amy Moss
Debbie Rodda
Denise Ware
Jeanene Lawhead
$1,495,000 390 Tara Lane 312-2943 Elizabeth Scott
2270 Shadow Lace Cove Carrie Evans Hanlon
$800,000 8671 Tournament Drive 312-2947 Debbie Rodda
$1,200,000 558 Sweetbriar Rd. 428-3964 Jenny Grehan
$3,450,000 312-2977
$290,000 312-2938
19 N. Century St. Michele Crump
1834 Hunters Creek Dr. $179,000 Meredith McDonald 312-2940 Paul McDonald 312-2957
2869 Iroquois Rd. Meredith McDonald Paul McDonald
$500,000 312-2940 312-2957
85 W. Chickasaw Pkwy $615,000 Joel Hobson 312-2929
59 Lombardy Rd. Meredith McDonald Paul McDonald
201 S. Holmes St. Meredith McDonald Paul McDonald
$190,000 312-2940 312-2957
322 Lancaster Sq. #2 Jenny Grehan Mark Duke
$489,500 312-2986
$1,250,000 312-2975
6537 Larch Lane Jenny Grehan Natalie Latham
4165 Barfield Rd. Charlotte Lyles
5115 Winton Place Lila Saunders
$255,000 312-2955
Allen Hamblin
Charlotte Lyles
Lila Saunders
1731 Peabody Ave. Lila Saunders
$439,000 312-2975 312-2983
$380,000 312-2986
3762 Three Doves Cv. $325,000 Carrie Hanlon 312-2947 Debbie Gould 312-2949
Camille LeMaster $459,000 312-2940 312-2957
$299,000 312-2975 312-8972
3678 Highland Pk Pl. Meredith McDonald Paul McDonald
Mary Jane Fuller
Natalie Latham
Stephanie Evans Taylor
$219,000 312-2940 312-2957
Mark Duke
Ellie Tayloe Bennett 2809 Keasler Cir. E. Michele Crump
Mary Ruleman
Paul&Meredith McDonald
$989,000 312-2955
Lynda Biggs
2301 Edgewood Park Cv. $575,000
Debbie Rodda
312-2977
Jenny Grehan
475 N. Highland St. 7M $99,000 Jenny Grehan 312-2975
Virginia Sharp
695 Eaton Cove Barbara Cowles
Ruth Morris
$397,400 312-2979
Debbie Gould
Michele Crump
Mary Ann Gano
Betsy Kelly
Richard Howle
Barbara Cowles
5384 Poplar Ave. #250 Memphis, TN 38119 901-761-1622 HobsonRealtors.com
Robert & Nina Tayloe
Lisa Fields
Jeannie Bruce
2301 Edgewood Park Cv. $575,000 Debbie Rodda 312-2977
Faith Gary Kaye
Clay Templeton
4257 Walnut Grove Rd. Lila Saunders
$985,000 4894 Roane Rd. 312-2986 Joel Hobson
$995,000 3024 Country Place Dr. E. 312-2929 Clay Templeton
$649,900 312-2953
Camilla Brinner
Edith Barlow
1 Belleair Dr. Deborah Mays
$899,000 4143 Gwynne Rd. 312-2939 Carrie Evans Hanlon
$1,000,000 4160 Tuckahoe Rd 312-2947 Carrie Evans Hanlon
1475 Linden Ave. Jenny Grehan Natalie Latham
Laurie Stark
$775,000 312-2947
LD SO
Bob Rowe
Carolina Capote
Laurie McBride
6771 Sunburst Cove Carrie Evans Hanlon
$252,500 312-2975 312-2983
$285,000 312-2947
Sally Fienup
3722 Mimosa Ave. Barbara Cowles
4164 Minden Rd. Carrie Evans Hanlon
$186,500 312-2979
$245,000 312-2947
Gordon Stark
257 Buena Vista Pl. Barbara Cowles
4070 Baronne Way Jenny Grehan
Teresa Wherry
$289,500 312-2979
$275,000 312-2975
Carrie Evans Hanlon
2351 Wood Bridge Cove $335,000 Denise Ware 312-2943
3563 Waynoka Ave. Denise Ware
Pam Pierce
$239,000 312-2943
Janis Canale Hasen
Elizabeth Scott
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talked with the Girl Scouts about taking this material into a school and creating a campaign with hallway signs, public service announcements, PA announcements and pieces on the back of bathroom doors. I want to work with that administration at that school and find out who girls should go to if they’re teased in the lunch line, thrown on the floor in the stairwell or all these terrible things, because most of the girls told us in our meetings and in our survey that that they have no idea they should go anywhere because adults in schools don’t do anything when they see these things happening. They tell the girls to cope. We also are part of the large teen pregnancy coalition that’s called MemTV [Memphis Teen Vision], and this material dovetails with that.
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RSVP: What are some of the different partner organizations of the Women’s Council?
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Clubb: On domestic violence, we have worked with Memphis Area Legal Services, the Exchange Club Family Center, the Shelby County Crime Victims Center, the Family Safety Center, the YWCA, the Shelby County Office of Early Childhood and Youth, and UT has a researcher, Dr. Pam Connor, who’s been helping with the Memphis/Shelby County Domestic Violence Council. With Girls for Change, we’ve worked with Planned Parenthood, the Memphis Center for Reproductive Health, the YWCA, the U of M Women’s Studies Program and the Center for Research on Women and Ladies in Training, which is a tremendous program that a friend of ours on her own initiated at Airways Middle School. We’ve even worked with Girls Inc. and the Girl Scouts a little bit, and Youth Villages brought some girls for a while to Girls for Change. Of course, on the living wage, we were in that large coalition of groups from churches, labor and so forth. In our work on women’s wages and workforce barriers, we’ve worked with the Women’s Foundation, the Workforce Investment Board, the YWCA, the Center for Community Building and Neighborhood Action, the Department of Human Services, Memphis HOPE and other people from U of M in business and urban policy because there’s a lengthy amount of research. On rape crisis, we worked with the Mid-South Peace and Justice Center.
RSVP: Do you feel like there’s one issue right now that’s affecting women in Shelby County more than another? Clubb: Well, the Women’s Council was created initially to work on local issues, and then, as the board got into the work, we decided that we worked for local women and girls, but all of these issues can’t be fixed here because some have to go to Nashville and occasionally there are things that happen here that are going to be a national thing. So, the biggest issue…well, it’s tough to say in this economy because the economic survival issues are on so many people’s minds, and we have too high of a percentage of single female head of households in poverty. That is, for the whole community, something that will forever be a burden and a travesty, until we work together as a community to make that change. That sort of brings us to the giant word here that all of us working on policy grapple with, and that’s poverty. Poverty is too big a problem for us to say we’re going to fix, but you bite off the pieces that cause it. That’s where our workforce barriers work comes from, and even our work with girls, many of whom come from very challenged neighborhoods and need the help to believe they have other options. However, the thing we’re doing the most work on now because we have seen it at epidemic proportions and know that it literally threatens women’s lives and damages their children is domestic violence. We are the coordinator within the Operation Safe Community project of something that’s called the Coordinated Community Response to Domestic Violence. It’s a best practice within the world of academic research, and it’s been the hot topic among federal funders to coordinate the community’s response to an issue, which does a better job of leveraging what may already be in place by sharing human resources to try to make more out of what’s already there. Our domestic violence work, I think, has been very important in these last three or four years, especially in the first big public event we did when we launched this campaign, “Raising Families. Erasing Violence. A community response to domestic crime.”; this campaign came in a year when we had a record number of domestic homicides. We’re about raising the community’s awareness about what this is and what it looks like, so you can be watching out for the people you know who are involved and help them, and we want the victims to know there is a way out. The resources are here, and yes, we need more, but don’t stay at home and get killed because you didn’t take advantage of these resources already in place. I know there are other issues affecting women, but violence against women here is worse than in many other places, and not only in the most economically challenged neighborhoods either. This happens everywhere, but the people who come into the system though are largely poor and don’t have any other resources. Last year, we had 22,000 physical assault cases in domestic violence, and those cases are just the ones where the police were asked to come help.
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EVENT
Staxtacular
STAXTACULAR
Celebrating 10 Years of Basketball and Music
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Zach Randolph and Mike McCarthy
Annie and Jeff Hulett
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taxtacular 2011 marked a big night for two of the city’s hottest commodities: the Memphis Grizzlies basketball franchise and the Stax Music Academy—both celebrating a 10th anniversary this year. Memphis Grizzlies Mike Conley, Marc Gasol, Rudy Gay and Zach Randolph suited up to host the occasion at the Stax Museum of American Soul Music, where Leigh Ann and Sean Tuohy, Grizzlies Coach Lionel Hollins and Stax Museum/Stax Music Academy president and CEO Kirk Whalum joined 400 guests for the party that always delivers a “soul shakin’” good time. SunTrust once again served as presenting sponsor for an evening that had partygoers sensing they were in the midst of a gathering special to the city. After all, where else can you be surrounded by memorabilia from Memphis singing greats while sipping on Shaft the Draft, a beer specially brewed by Boscos? Not to mention that at every turn, action food stations had been set up by Simply Delicious Catering with nibbles ranging from chicken satay and toasted ravioli to fried pickles and brie and fig tarts. For dessert, there was a wide assortment of cake pops and strawberries dipped in chocolate. Live and silent auctions also filled the agenda with offerings from trips and dinners to theater packages and a gardening consultation with John Griffin of Gardens Oy Vey. Lots of NBA-heavy items, including a signed jersey and poster of each of the Staxtacular co-hosts and a “Behind the Lens” session with NBA photographer Joe Murphy, were up for grabs as well. Of the Grizzlies’ contribution to the evening, attendee Andrew Buzan said, “Stax is known for soul, and tonight, the Grizzlies are the ‘soul’ of the community.” As far as music, no Stax experience would be complete without it. First up were the students of the Stax Music Academy, who hit the spot with their performance. They were followed by one of Memphis’ favorite groups, the Bo-Keys (with Ben Cauley, Howard Grimes and “Skip” Pitts). Of course, dancing ensued, and funds were raised to the tune of $100,000, which will assist the Stax Music Academy with its continued efforts to offer life-shaping music programs and unique performance opportunities for the area’s next generation of musicians. May the Stax legacy live on!
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Thursday, June 9 Friday, June 10 Saturday, June 11
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EVENT
Memphis Zoo May 14
STAXTACULAR
Connections: Earth & Sky presented by SunTrust
Carolyn and Marino Hardy
Pete Pranica and Carly Knight
Lisa and Thomas Allen
Chris Peck and Kate Duignan
Rebecca Hutchinson and Dr. Noel G. L. Hutchinson
Deanie Parker and Rev. Audrey Gonzalez
Dr. Susan Murrman and Henry Nelson
Rosemarie Pollard and Erika Dillard
gates 6p, performance 8p tickets start at $5 bring your picnic and celebrate the wrap of our 24th season at Teton Trek
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Mardi Gras Bal Masque Memphis Wine Opener Baubles & Bordeaux Serve St. Jude ictorian Village Inc. threw a Mardi Gras Bal Masque VInc.’s at Laurelhill House, the home of Victorian Village executive director Scott Blake. The exquisite 1867
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Cara Baskin and Justin Grinder at Serve St. Jude
Kate Boyle and Amy Hyneman at Serve St. Jude
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Max and Katherine Painter at Memphis Wine Opener
Lisa Putman and Barbie Meloni at Memphis Wine Opener
home was formerly inhabited by the grandmother of screen siren Tallulah Bankhead, and the star spent many nights here. This night, the house was filled with some 250 masked Memphians, including the Association for the Preservation of Tennessee Antiquities presiPeggy Lovell), the Woodruff-Fontaine House vindent (P Karen Ralston) and a recent tage clothing curator (K Michael Drummond). “Project Runway” designer (M Blake termed the event a “friend-raiser”; while it was held for Victorian Village Inc. members only, all were welcome at the door to become members of an organization that encourages a vibrant and diverse, mixed-use neighborhood that balances thoughtful development and historic preservation. The Memphis Wine Opener, held at Playhouse on the Square and benefiting the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, garnered rave reviews with more than 300 patrons attending. Tastes from Restaurant Iris, Interim and Bari were specially paired with wines provided by Athens Distributing Company. Grove Grill’s bruschetta, featuring wild mushrooms from Hernando and fresh goat cheese sourced from Middle Tennessee, was earthy and delectable and complemented by Irony pinot noir. There were also many surprising live and silent auction items. Event chair Max Painter even located a bicoastal memorabilia connection who supplied a small museum’s worth of collectibles such as a guitar signed by U2 members. Live rock ‘n’ roll was provided by John Paul Keith and The One Four Fives, with special guest John Whittemore. Le Bonheur Children’s Hospital did away with the Wine, Women & Shoes fund-raiser this year and introduced Baubles & Bordeaux in its place. Even on a night when tornadoes threatened, the newly formatted event drew more than 300 women, and some men, to the Pink Palace Museum for an evening of fabulous wine, nibbles from area restaurants and a fashion show of the latest trends. Shopping was also on the agenda, with offerings from retailers including More Therapy and James Davis. By night’s end, just shy of $40,000 had been raised for Le Bonheur. Tennis fever hits Memphis each spring with the Regions Morgan Keegan Championships going on at the Racquet Club of Memphis. And to kick this event off, the Racquet Club hosted Serve St. Jude, a cocktail party, auction and fashion show that raised $18,000 for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. Kittie Kyle and James Davis supplied the fashions for models. Story by Kelly Cox and Leah Fitzpatrick Photos by Kelly Cox, Leah Fitzpatrick and Chris Pugh
Julie Flanery, Sandy Moore, Cathy Farrell and Sharon Sumrall at Baubles & Bordeaux
Barry Flippo and Michael Drummond at Mardi Gras Bal Masque
Michael Hoots, Savannah Bearden and Joel Beausivoir at Mardi Gras Bal Masque
Annette Hershner and Karlee Hickman at Baubles & Bordeaux
Tyranda Mosby and Chevida Raymond at Baubles & Bordeaux
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Germantown Charity Horse Show Royal Ball Grand Krewe of Luxor Coronation Grand Krewe of Phoenix Coronation Grand Krewe of Ptolemy Coronation
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he Germantown Charity Horse Show Royal Ball, held at Woodland Hills, benefited the Exchange Club Family Center. During the occasion, 23 princesses were escorted by their fathers down the curved staircase on one side of the ballroom as their escorts came down the staircase at the other end of the room. As they met in the center of the ballroom, the fathers handed off their beautiful daughters to their escorts as they were each presented. Following remarks from the queen, Eleanor Ann Taylor, the royal party enjoyed a first dance to the Phoenix King Joe Furniss and Phoenix Queen Ally Luciano Luxor Queen Barb Bentley and Luxor King Mike Honeycutt music of Almost Famous. at Grand Krewe of Phoenix Coronation at Grand Krewe of Luxor Coronation A Night in In keeping with the theme of “A Paris” at the Grand Krewe of Luxor Coronation, the Esplanade Memphis twinkled like its namesake, the City of Light. The centerpieces were lighted miniatures of the Eiffel Tower, which glowed with lights of red and green atop the gold satin tablecloths. Harold Graeter served as emcee for the event and presented the court, including King Mike Honeycutt and Queen Barb Bentley. The royal court shared a Champagne toast with flutes that had bases shaped as—What else?—the Eiffel Tower. The splendor of Central Station downtown was brought back to life during the Grand Krewe of Phoenix Coronation. The theme of the event, “D Diamond Dreams,” was emphasized with black tablecloths strewn with diamond-like stones. Prior to the presentation of the court, Queen Ally Luciano, dressed in an elegant Lanetta Lanier and Ann Ince 38 floor-length black gown and matching opera-length at Grand Krewe of Phoenix Coronation gloves, mingled with guests and visiting royalty from Dawn and Harold Graeter other Carnival Memphis Krewes. Russell Gammon of at Grand Krewe of Luxor Coronation Opera Memphis performed before the court was introduced, and music from “Phantom of the Opera” played as Queen Ally and King Joe Furniss took their regal stroll down the aisle to their thrones. The University Club was rockin’ from the very beginning of the Ptolemy Coronation. The band, The Super 5, had much to do with the party atmosphere, which boasted a standing-room-only crowd, shoulder-toshoulder on the dance floor. However, the throng cleared a path for the introduction of the krewe’s new royalty, King Philip Cruzen Jr. and Queen Ruthie Hagan Layman. Thanks to a light buffet, dancers kept going until after midnight. Robert and Sissy Criss at Germantown Charity Horse Show Royal Ball
Jim and Janie Henderson with Kim and Johnny Pitts at Germantown Charity Horse Show Royal Ball
Story and photos by Suzanne Thompson
Ruth Wilburn, Cathy Land, Ann Kimberlin, Joyce Baker and Linda Greer at Germantown Charity Horse Show Royal Ball
Gaynette Price, Bob Laurie and Cathy Welsh at Grand Krewe of Ptolemy Coronation
Ptolemy Queen Ruthie Hagan Layman and Ptolemy King Philip Cruzen Jr. at Grand Krewe of Ptolemy Coronation
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EVENT
Zodiac Ball
ZODIAC BALL
“Mardi Gras Madness”
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Raul Ribeiro and Michele Pritchard
Dr. Ching-Hon Pui and Geoffery Ward
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s guests and supporters of the American Cancer Society arrived at the Esplanade Memphis for the sixth annual Zodiac Ball, there was no doubt about the theme. An ice sculpture of a Mardi Gras mask was centered in the lobby, and the reception tables were strewn with beads and masks. Before dinner, partygoers browsed silent auction items which included basketballs (one signed by the Grizzlies players and the other by the U of M Tiger players), floral arrangements, kitchen appliances fit for the most discerning cooks, tickets to the theater and much, much more. Guests also enjoyed cocktails, such as hurricanes, in keeping with the party’s Mardi Gras theme as they wrote in their bids. As the seated dinner began, James McDonald, chairman of the board of the Memphis chapter of the American Cancer Society, thanked all the supporters of the organization during his opening remarks. “With your continued support, there will be more people having birthdays and who can say, ‘I am a cancer survivor,’” McDonald said. Following dinner, a video presentation that highlighted the work of the 2011 honoree, Dr. Ching-Hon Pui, was shown. When Pui, who is director of oncology for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, began his work in cancer research in the 1970s, the survival rate for children with leukemia was 50 percent. Thanks to Pui’s tireless efforts, the survival rate is now at 90 percent, but that is just not good enough, he said. “Losing any child to leukemia is simply not acceptable,” Dr. Pui explained. Dr. Thomas Chesney, the 2009 honoree, served as the honorary chair for this event, saying that no one deserved recognition more than Dr. Pui. “He is one person who is head and shoulders above the rest,” Dr. Chesney shared. “He never gives up. Until the cure rate for children with leukemia is 100 percent, Dr. Pui will not be satisfied.” A second video presentation, a touching and informative video about Camp Horizon (a two-week summer retreat for survivors of childhood cancer), played before the live auction began. A hunting trip, a dazzling pearl necklace and matching earrings and dinner for eight at Restaurant Iris were among the auction items sold. Then, the lights were lowered as The Soul Shockers took the stage, and in no time, the tables were nearly empty because almost everyone was on the dance floor…the perfect way to end the “Mardi Gras Madness.” See all the party photos at rsvpmagazine.com Password: RSVP
Dr. Rodney Olinger and Susan Hanlon
Story by Suzanne Thompson Photos by Don Perry
Sean and Alison Henneberger
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Whitney and James McDonald
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Jason Flowers, Tina McDowell, Lisette Vafides and Christine Freeman
Dr. Sal Vasireddy and Jada Tribble
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EVENT ZODIAC BALL Mariam Dilawari and Joshua McTee
Michael and Karen Berry
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Forget-Me-Not Trivia Night Friends of Scouting Pacesetter Dinner Soup Sunday MPACT Soul of the City Gala Village People, Cyndi Lauper groupies and, of Elvis Presley, made an appearance to contribTutehecourse, their knowledge about Big Band music and rock ‘n’
Brad Hyde, Lynn Doyle and Shayne Rachels at Forget-Me-Not Trivia Night
Susan Morgan, Teresa Bailey and Christy McLaughlin at Forget-Me-Not Trivia Night
Scott Stephens, Mike Haskins and Renee Leith at Friends of Scouting Pacesetter Dinner
Patton, Winston and Cynthia Shaw at Soup Sunday
Seth and Brooke Fishbein with Natasha and Marcus Mayton at MPACT Soul of the City Gala
Story and photos by Lesley Young
Alexander and LaToya Wharton with Woody Woodward at Friends of Scouting Pacesetter Dinner
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Evan and Jimmy Wilson with Carol Brame at Soup Sunday
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Karyn Erickson, Mary Hammons and Linda Martorano at Forget-Me-Not Trivia Night
roll at the Alzheimer’s Day Services of Memphis’ sixth annual Forget-Me-Not Trivia Night, held at the Great Hall of Germantown. In addition to music-themed costumes, table decorations were encouraged and were taken very seriously by this year’s participants. Nearly 100 prizes were awarded, with CBU’s Brother Ignatius Brown serving as quizmaster and WKNO-FM’s local NPR Morning Edition host Rob Grayson emceeing. All proceeds went to benefit the $80 per-patient, per-day cost for ADS, a local nonprofit that offers day activities for patients with Alzheimer’s, as well as education, support and relief for their caregivers and patients. The Grand Ballroom of The Peabody was filled with its usual crowd wearing cocktail attire, as well as hundreds of young men in their Boy Scout uniforms. The foremost fund-raiser for Boy Scouts of America in the Mid-South, the Friends of Scouting Pacesetter Dinner was a marked success this year, with close to 600 in attendance and more than $1 million raised for the Chickasaw Council, which serves Boy Scouts in 17 counties in the Mid-South. Supporters were treated to The Peabody’s best for dinner, as well as an inspiring address by former college football coach and ESPN football studio analyst Lou Holtz. Producing such illustrious musicians as Isaac Hayes and Al Green, Memphis is known for its soul. MPACT Memphis believes there is a continuum of these creative forces in its under 40 population, and recently recognized eight of them at its second annual Soul of the City Gala, held at Minglewood Hall. Sally Pace, Bernal Smith, Katie Smythe, Shea Flinn, Amy Hoyt, Ken Bennett, Michael Whaley and Mayor A C Wharton were recognized for their contributions to making Memphis the city that it is today. In addition to celebrating their fellow citizens’ accomplishments, partygoers danced to music provided by Party Planet, partook of heavy hors d’oeuvres and libations and posed for prom pictures in a nod to support the nonprofit in its efforts to engage local young professionals in furthering the development of Memphis. During one of the coldest winters in several decades, the idea of tasting more than 70 types of hot soup was an enticing proposition to Mid-Southerners this February. Some 2,600 goulash groupies made it through the doors of the FedExForum for the 22nd annual Youth Villages Soup Sunday. More than 40 local eateries and caterers donated dishes, including dips, entrees, breads, desserts and soup, to help raise $50,000 for the nonprofit’s mentoring program for youth with emotional and behavioral problems. Entertainment was provided by the Memphis Doctors Dance Band, Fiddler Jon and Pam & Terry, and Konica Minolta served as the title sponsor.
Gerald Emerson and Paul Boyd at MPACT Soul of the City Gala
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Blue Jean Ball Girl Scouts Donor Event WE Consign Shop Preview Party Fleming’s Wine Dinner Junior Auxiliary of Collierville invited the commuto attend the second annual Blue Jean Ball to Thelphenityraise funds for the JA’s service projects, which
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Kristy Street, Mona Sappenfield and Stephen Gipson at Fleming’s Wine Dinner
Eliot and Lee Morris at Fleming’s Wine Dinner
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support the betterment of children, families and the elderly in the Collierville area. Festivities unfolded at Maple Grove Farm, where attendees, dressed in festive attire, enjoyed a barbecue meal from Jim ‘N Nick’s, a silent auction with a vast selection of items donated by area businesses, all-you-can-drink beer, wine and music by the Wolf River Rednecks. As if people don’t look forward enough already to Girl Scout cookie season, the Girl Scouts Heart of the South put a new spin on its sweetest fund-raising product when it asked area restaurants to create bite-size dishes containing any flavor of Girl Scout cookies. The occasion was the Girl Scouts Donor Event, which showed off the local chapter’s new headquarters at 781 S. White Station. Restaurants who got in on the fun included Circa, Interim, Huey’s Southwind, Fleming’s, Sharky’s Gulf Grill and Gigi’s Cupcakes. Alumnae and fund development manager Missy Rainer was more than pleased with the chefs’ concoctions, saying, “I can’t believe what they came up with…I hope to make this an annual event.” Patrons of the Woman’s Exchange of Memphis annual WE Consign Shop delighted to have an opportunity to participate in the shop’s first-ever “priority shopping” experience, held the Saturday before the sale opened to the public the following Monday. For a $10 admission at the Preview Party, guests had first dibs on diverse offerings ranging from antique furniture and rugs to flatware and Herend and Limoges collectibles. Carolyn Dobson and Gail Mitchell co-chaired, with Flora Bratten serving as the honorary co-chair. The fourth annual Fleming’s Wine Dinner kicked off the 2011 Memphis Wine and Food Series, which includes Brooks Uncorked, as well as the upcoming Patrons Dinner on May 6 and the Grand Auction on May 7. The sold-out dinner was presented by Fleming’s and Dixon Hughes and hosted by Mark Parker of UBS Wealth Management in memory of his late father, Tony Parker, an avid wine and food lover and supporter of the Brooks. Wines from Kunde Family Estate, Margerum Wine Company, Coppola and Willamette Valley Vineyards were poured alongside a four-course meal prepared by Chef Bill Kloos before an exciting live auction.
Missy Rainer and Jim Rainer at Girl Scouts Donor Event
Angela Woods and Bryce Haugsdahl at Girl Scouts Donor Event
Story Submitted and by Leah Fitzpatrick Photos Submitted Pat Moody, Claire Barnett and Mary Singer at Girl Scouts Donor Event
Sue Kaplan, Nancy Campbell and Evelyn Gotten at WE Consign Shop Preview Party
Carolyn Dobson and Gail Mitchell at WE Consign Shop Preview Party
Kerry Johnson, Amy Chestnut, Melissa Gunter, Jan Gould, Belinda Sink and Avni Pathak at Blue Jean Ball
Rachel Reddin and Heather Brucks at Blue Jean Ball
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RSV PHILLIPPI
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on’t be confused by that title. This isn’t some piece about how awesome warm weather is. I haven’t suddenly become a 20 year old and started pronouncing that things “Rule.” This is about setting some ground rules now that the heat is arriving. After nearly five decades on this planet, I think I’ve earned the right to make a few simple demands of my fellow human beings. After all, I’ve put up with so much from you. Once and for all, gentlemen, no one, under any circumstances, wants to see your underarms, ever. Granted, there are athletic activities where it’s inevitable, and when July gets here, I’ll let this one slide if you’re mowing your lawn, but that is it. I don’t care how hot it is at a Redbirds game; do not wear a tank top. Period. As for going shirtless, fellas, that is simply not now, nor will it ever be, an option. When someone says, “Keep your shirt on,” they are speaking for all of us. Unless, of course, you’re a woman, then, you know, do what you gotta do. Needless to say (although I will), covering the aroma of you with an even more irritating aroma is something that should be banned by Congress. Please, I beg you, simply de-odorize, do not body spray. Body spraying is just odorizing in a different way. I get that maybe teenage girls who have grown up in a world where boys walk through a cloud of sickly sweet gas all the time may find this attractive because they don’t know any different, but seriously, if you’re a teenage boy what are you doing reading RSVP? Take a shower and go outside, you freak. You know what body spray is boys? Perfume. Personally, I do my exercising in the gym because I get hot enough in the summer here just bringing in the mail, but I’m all for you softball-playing, bike-riding, Frisbee-tossing types, as long as you keep it to the park and don’t ride your bike where I’m driving my car, but that’s a different column. Here’s the thing about organized sports though: There is a certain slice of that pie that involves people who take it far too seriously. People who yell at other people. People who curse at spazzes like me if we drop a fly ball. People who really, really, really want that trophy. I tell you what, if you’ll stop yelling and let everyone have fun instead, I’ll buy you a
trophy. They have stores full of them. I’ll even have it engraved. But if you yell at a woman in front of me, I’m gonna brain you with it. With apologies for the continuing refrain, we come to your children. As we know, my wife and I don’t have children because they are loud and sticky. You, on the other hand, do. And when it gets hot,
Once and for all, gentlemen, no one, under any circumstances, wants to see your underarms, ever. you can’t wait to set those little angels free. They run like lunatics, climb on anything climbable, guzzle sugar water and start doing it all again, only louder and stickier. All of this is swell, as long as they keep their distance from me. But, like dogs and MMA (Mixed Martial Arts) fans, kids are drawn to people like me who are actively trying to repel them. That, and parents, particularly parents of multiple offspring, have a lot more faith in the children’s indestructibility that I do. Kids near streets or swimming pools are the kind of thing these parents see every day, but I don’t, so have a little mercy and rein them in before I feel like I have to jump in the swimming pool with my wallet and phone in my pockets to save a kid who only seems to be drowning. When it’s hot, patios at bars and restaurants are fun. Beer is fun. Margaritas are fun to some people. Unfortunately, those things combined can lead to a
condition my friend Jeff refers to as M.S., or Margarita Shriek. This condition is by no means specifically endemic to women. Anyone with too much tequila and sunshine can become a shrieking, accusatory bonehead. Fingers get pointed, and everyone starts shouting each other down, and they’re having fun. You know what? We’re not. Inside voices people, even if technically, you are outside. Contrary to what you may have heard, seen or read, I am not an antisocial person. Far from it. I am a people person, as long as over those people’s heads there’s a television showing sports. Don’t pout for weeks because I didn’t show up for your pool party, cookout or picnic. Those things all have one thing in common: I can’t watch baseball during them. As it happens, I’m not a huge fan of eating outside either. The appeal of eating with the bugs, and the car fumes, and the bugs, is lost on me. Lukewarm chemically tasting burgers aren’t my favorite either. Have your barbecue, then meet me after in the bar, where I’ll be watching a ballgame in the air conditioning. Just don’t pout. You’re going on vacation this summer. Everyone does, and I think that’s just super. Honest, I hope you have the time of your life. But unless you get kidnapped by pirates, get to fly into space or some other one in a million experience, keep the stories to yourself. Your restaurant story from Destin is exactly the same as everyone else’s. If you’re going to tell it, at least embellish. Add some flourishes. Put Angelina and Brad or an orangutan that had escaped from the zoo in there. What I’m saying, in a nutshell, is don’t be boring, but don’t be too interesting. Don’t show too much unattractive flesh. Unless you are on fire or there’s a sniper about, don’t yell. Don’t let your kids crawl on me. Or your dog. Just be quiet and watch the game. That’s what summer should be about.
Dennis Phillippi…if we got a dollar for every time you used the word “sticky” in reference to children, we’d be rich. Remember that being sticky keeps kids from being bored, which is something you probably never encountered as a toddler if the colorful adult life you lead is any indication.
AFTER HOURS
After Hours A photo collage of the latest business happenings Girls Night Out at James Davis
Grand Re-Opening at Bella Vita
Tomasina Miller, Brenda Welch and Ramona Epperson at 7th Avenue
Van Weinberg and Josh Pastner at James Davis
Laurie Losorwith, Chris Pugh and Stephanie Singley at Bella Vita
Jimpsie Ayres and Debbie Whitlock at 7th Avenue
Jenny Vergos with Bryan and Kim Jordan at James Davis
Brittany Johnson, Katherine Snider and Megan McNeely at Bella Vita
Girls Night Out at Sugar Plum Consignments
Carol Peretz Trunk Show at Kittie Kyle
Spring Open House at Sarkis Kish Oriental Rugs
Lindsay Howell and Melissa Dixon at Sugar Plum Consignments
Cindy Gambrell and Carol Peretz at Kittie Kyle
Miles Hardin, Sarkis Kish and Paulo Teixeira at Sarkis Kish Oriental Rugs
Alycia Carter and Katie Kerekes at Sugar Plum Consignments
Emily Angel Baer and June James at Kittie Kyle
Jenny Kish, Steve Smart and Marisol Takkas at Sarkis Kish Oriental Rugs
M A Y 2 0 11
Spring Trunk Show at 7th Avenue
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Memphis TV
M A Y 2 0 11
1959
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his photograph of the Coca-Cola Bottling Company “Top Ten Dance Party” was snapped on January 3, 1959. Wink Martindale hosted the popular teen show and can be seen in the middle of this picture standing behind the jukebox. PHOTO COURTESY OF AN ANONYMOUS READER 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.
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A cold day in hell is an average day in Sweden. Go ahead. Tell us it can’t be done. They said a car company founded by aircraft engineers would never fly. We didn't have the sense to listen. In 1947, we put a wing on wheels and never looked back. In the 60's, if you wanted to compete in rally racing, they said you needed a larger, high powered car. We won back-to-back World Championships with nothing more than a little family car. In the 70's, they said turbo power wouldn't work in a mainstream production car. We not only tamed the turbo, we changed the industry forever. In the 80's, they said four-seater convertibles were a thing of the past. We built a cult classic. Fast forward to last year, they said our best days were done. But once again, our ears must not have been working. Because today, Saab is back. We're an independent company flying higher than ever. Case in point, the all-new 9-5 Sport Sedan. The most advanced Saab ever built. To be followed this spring by the capable 9-4X Sport Crossover. Soon after that, an entirely reinvented line up. And we have a lot more coming out of Sweden after that. Just don't expect any of it to follow convention.
For over 54 years, and through a variety of award winning dealerships, the Gwatney family has sold - and serviced - over 250,000 automobiles to happy customers all across the region. We're proud to further our heritage of excellence as your exclusive Saab dealership in the MidSouth! Gwatney Saab of Memphis offers the complete line of world class Saab automobiles backed with total vehicle service as well as the customer satisfaction that made our name famous. Are you ready to move up to Scandinavian design and technology? We're ready for you!
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THE ALL NEW
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