RSVP Magazine September 2013

October 2013

Zoo Brew Art on Tap Zoo Rendezvous Paw Prints Party Party at the Palace Cochon Heritage BBQ Q&A with Ron Jewell

CONTENTS

Contents October 201 3

From the Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8 Signature Memphis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10 Diana Threadgill invites RSVP down to the river.

Zoo Rendezvous . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12 The Memphis Zoo’s biggest single-night fund-raiser offers up more than 80 tastes for foodies and drink connoisseurs alike.

StreetSeens . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18 & 20 She’s becoming known as the “storybook lady” at the Memphis Farmers Market.

12 ZOO RENDEZVOUS Pamela and Robert Chandler

This graphic designer turned gardener is applying his creative know-how in the University of Memphis’ TIGUrS Urban Garden. StreetSeens highlight Amy Sharp and Art Johnson.

The Ambassador Series . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .22 Cary’s Nation

46 PARTY AT THE PALACE Caroline Berry and Philip Berry

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Cochon Heritage BBQ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .24 Cochon stopped in town, this year at Beale Street Landing, to promote awareness

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Jewell.

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Cary Jehl Broussard’s career down the road less traveled has been an exercise in not taking a backseat to anyone.

Onsites . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .38, 39, 50 & 51 Gatherings that have earned an honorable mention.

for heritage pig breeds and sustainable farming.

Vox Popular . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .34 Q&A with the director of the Bartlett Performing Arts and Conference Center, Ron

24 COCHON HERITAGE BBQ Kat Gordon and Thomas Robinson

RSVP Room View . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .40 This East Memphis home provides a different spin to the usual hearth room layout.

Zoo Brew . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .42 This Memphis Zoo fund-raiser offered suds aplenty to kick off Labor Day Weekend.

52 PAW PRINTS PARTY Mark and Glenda Barratt

Party at the Palace . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .46 Phoenix Club members and their dates gathered at the Pink Palace for an end-ofsummer bash to benefit the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Memphis.

Paw Prints Party . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .52 The Humane Society of Memphis & Shelby County invited its supporters to the Clark Opera Memphis Center for an animal-friendly benefit.

Art on Tap . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .56 Young At Art brings out the brews to benefit the Dixon Gallery and Gardens.

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RSVPhillippi . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .61 Age Rage Humor columnist Dennis Phillippi has too much free time to contemplate what life looks like past 50.

ZOO BREW Alan and Ellen Shore

56 ART ON TAP Samantha Marano and Jennifer Routh

Cover Photo Danny Davis and Jennifer Carstensen at Paw Prints Party Photo by Don Perry

R SV P S TA F F Volume XIX

Number I

October 2013 PUBLISHER

Roy Haithcock EDITOR

Leah Fitzpatrick CONTRIBUTING WRITERS

Jeannie Mandelker Dennis Phillippi Eugene Pidgeon Suzanne Thompson Lesley Young ART DIRECTOR

Patrick Aker s

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

Chris has been exercising his talent in the advertising world since 1999. He joined the RSVP team in 2009 and brought with him a love for laughter and creativity.

Originally from New Albany, Mississippi, Chris has settled in Memphis and enjoys being active in the fashion community.

PHOTOGRAPHERS

Baxter Buck Don Perry Steve Roberts

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ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES

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Chris Pugh Kristen Miller ACCOUNTING

Ruth Cassin

KRISTEN MILLER, ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE 901.276.7787, EXT. 104 kristen@rsvpmagazine.com

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

Having worked in print advertising for nearly eight years, Kristen Miller felt it was a natural fit to join the RSVP team as an account executive. Kristen, who lives in Arlington with her husband and four children, loves to cook, fish, watch college and Arlington Tigers football, spend time with her family and advertising, of course.

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 2013 Haithcock Communications, Inc.

RACHEL WARREN, EDITORIAL INTERN 901.276.7787, EXT. 108 rachel@rsvpmagazine.com

Rachel is passionate about print media and has covered many local events in Jackson, Mississippi in the past. She received her Bachelor of Arts in English from Millsaps College, and in 2011, she moved back to her hometown of Memphis.

She is delighted to be part of the RSVP team as an editorial intern. She loves writing about all the amazing people and places in Memphis, enjoying a great book and chasing a good story.

From the Editor

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ooking back on this month, it certainly has been a crazy one, at least for those whom I care about. Every time I turned a corner, someone I’m acquainted with, work with or are just plain family members with seemed to either be in the hospital or in need of some type of serious medical attention. As the old adage goes, when it rains, it pours. But, in the cases of the people dear to me, the gods seemed to sprinkle in a tsunami, an earthquake and a hailstorm. Things can only get better from here on out…right?

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Just when I was trying to find an answer to that very question, I got some clarity in the unlikeliest of places: an antique store. Scouring the city for unique treasures is already my favorite mental escape, and something I happen to do quite often, but my intention was not to seek respite from life’s unexpected occurrences while trolling through booth after piled-up booth of home furnishings and vintage décor.

Funny enough, that’s just what happened as I realized that all of these items had been sitting pretty in someone’s home or office at one time or another, and now were in a state of limbo as they sat in a shop waiting for a new owner to mend them back to eye-pleasing condition. Out of the items’ control this waiting situation was, but soon enough, each would be back to its intended function, much as my friends, family and co-workers will be physically healed, and back to normal, in due time.

That being said, the atmosphere here at RSVP feels like it’s gotten back to normal now that the fall charity party season is picking up steam. One way we know this to be true is that we have more parties booked for coverage during the remaining months of the year than we have people to cover them, and that’s not a bad problem to have. These events signify the greatness of our city’s philanthropic pursuits—ones that ironically enable people to gain a sense of healing. So, in closing, I want to remind you to get out there and support an important cause through which you might help someone find their path to being whole again.

Leah Fitzpatrick editor@rsvpmagazine.com

President/Executive Director, Mississippi River Corridor-Tennessee

Hometown: Memphis.

First Car You Drove: An Opel.

Best Memphis Hangout: Flight.

Place You Go to Think: Overton Park.

Favorite Song: “Shape of My Heart” by Sting.

Best Dish You Cook: Greek chicken pasta salad.

Who Would Play You in a Movie: Helen Hunt.

Favorite Southern Idiom: “Well, bless his heart…”

Your Best Quality: Patience coupled with persistence.

Best Gift You Ever Received: The gift of life–my children.

Your Most Annoying Habit: Interrupting people, but I’m working on it!

Biggest Pet Peeve: People who complain constantly but provide no solutions.

The Highlight of Your Day: A sincere greeting of welcome with a warm embrace.

Best Advice You Ever Got: Remember who you are, and choose your battles wisely.

Who Inspires You: My husband, John, for his work ethic; Major General Michael Walsh of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for his vision; and Lee Hinson, for his steadfast leadership.

Proudest Moment of Your Life: Accepting the Great River RoadNational Scenic Byway designation for the Mississippi River Corridor in Washington, D.C. Coolest Thing About Memphis: Our greatest natural resource, the Mississippi River, of course!

One Goal You’d Still Like to Accomplish: To construct a new Interpretive Visitors Center at Reelfoot Lake State Park with extraordinary exhibits.

Photo by Don Perry

SIGNATURE MEMPHIS O C T O B E R 2 013 RSVP

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Diana Threadgill

Margaret Fargotstein

B.J. Worthy

“Fashion may be trendy, but Style is forever....�

Betty Hays-Owner

Alla Lubin

Missy Fleenor

Keri Pastner

Debra Powell

Mickey Clippard

Honey Cannon

Laura O'Mell

Sharon Turner

Gaye Greer

EVENT

Zoo Rendezvous

ZOO RENDEZVOUS

“Be Spotted”

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Lauren Witt and Heather Smith

Dawn Jones and Gina Bryant

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n order to “Be Spotted,” more than 3,000 animal enthusiasts secured their spots at the Memphis Zoo’s largest single-night benefit: Zoo Rendezvous. A Memphis Restaurant Association-sanctioned event, the popular affair, which raises funds for the Memphis Zoological Society, had a taste of something for everyone thanks to 80 participating restaurants, caterers and beverage vendors.

Inspired by the surroundings, many came dressed in exotic colors or in animal or floral-print fabrics, but no matter their attire, guests embraced the spirit of the evening by trying new dishes and spirits from participants new and old. Right at the entrance, also known as the Avenue of the Animals, partygoers enlivened their palates with chocolates from Chef Rix of Phillip Ashley Chocolates and down-home fare from Crossroads: Southern Kitchen Buffet at Harrah’s Tunica. Budweiser of Memphis and Bombay Sapphire Gin’s Martini Bar helped get those waiting for their friends into the party vibe, but pacing oneself was important being that there were 11 more specialty bars set up throughout the premises. With wine tastings from Le Chardonnay Wine Bar & Bistro to Jack Daniel’s Southern Tea made with Jack Daniel’s Honey Whiskey, tea, juices and mint, as well as shots poured down the Kooky Canuck ice luge, beverage options ran the gamut from creative concoctions to trusty standbys.

The food lived up to the hype too in quality and quantity, with stations set up in the China/China Road exhibit, the Courtyard and the Primate Pavilion/Canyon area. Standout offerings came courtesy of Itta Bena Restaurant with its she-crab soup and filet bites, from Owen Brennan’s with its oysters fried on site and served on top of corn relish and from Medallion Restaurant at the U of M Holiday Inn thanks to its seafood martinis, which Congressman Steve Cohen declared his favorite item of the night to Chef Edward Nowakowski.

Desserts came in the form of mini red velvet, strawberry, margarita and butter pecan cupcakes from Cakes By Mom and Me, make-yourown s’mores from Kooky Canuck and local honey-poached pears served with mascarpone from Whole Foods Market. Though all these offerings, and many others, were tasty, the 2013 Restaurant Awards went to Buffet Americana at Gold Strike (first place restaurant in China/China Road) and to Eighty3 (first place in Primate Pavilion/Canyon). In addition, Huey’s picked up Best in Show for Bar Décor, and Ziparo’s Catering earned the Best in Show Restaurant Décor.

When not plagued with the task of what to savor next, guests let loose by listening to four different musical acts—the Kathryn Stallins Band, Entice, Floyd the Barber and Gary Escoe & the Atomic Dance Machine—performing at various exhibits. It is an understatement to say that by night’s end everyone had had their fill of libations, hors d’oeuvres and dancing, but one thing most won’t continue tiring of is the need to support the amazing Memphis Zoo, which generated $370,000 to keep its animal friends happy.

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

Drs. Rushelle and Carlos Cyrus

Story by Leah Fitzpatrick Photos by Don Perry

Drs. Dharmesh and Purvisha Patel

Cynthia and Roel Smit

Jake Shaw and Jessica Rifanburg

Jennifer and Steve Brown

Page and Austin Baker with Jim and Judy Baker

Michael Kelly and Emily Burford

EVENT ZOO RENDEZVOUS

Lela Gerald and Cissy Jackson

Michael Ingalsbe and Larrie Rodriguez

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Craig Fredrickson and Jenny Lamb

Pooja and Kush Shah

Robert and Kristen Miller

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Vaughan and Dottie Sutherland

Clay and Casey Tidwell

Neal and Joni Rousseau

Omar Malik and Cheryl Hurley

Tre and Angela Moore

Jennifer Knox and Amy Pence

EVENT ZOO RENDEZVOUS

Roy Gunn and Belinda Hardy

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Emily Dickerson and Steve Hutton

Camille Vollmer, Alicia Houston and Sonja Dowdy

Gina and Adam Wigington

Brandon Golden and Candace Monger

Kevin and Mimi Havens with Amanda Umholtz and Tony Nguyen

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Amy Moore and Jamey Cresswell

Dexter and Sarah Gates

Josh and Leslie Russell with Eddie and Melissa Eldred

Kemelyn Price and Cynthia Myers

Joey Reinagel and Holly Cassin

Cort and Emily Percer with Laura Beth and Joseph Davis

EVENT ZOO RENDEZVOUS Rhonda and Jim Wooley

Jennifer and Jerry Harvey

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Jonny Ballinger with Elizabeth and Mike Rodriguez

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Johnny and Merry Moore with Terri and Nickey Shah

Greg Mercado and Lisa Anderson

Scott Branson and Angie Huffman

STREETSEEN

Amy Sharp Bringing Out the Books

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self-proclaimed bookworm, Amy Sharp savored the moments she spent reading with her daughter, but it was a whole other story when her son came along.

Diagnosed with dyslexia when he was in the second grade, Sharp saw her son’s struggles with reading and enrolled him in the Bodine School, which specializes in helping children with dyslexia and other learning disabilities. With the school’s help, she discovered ways to show her son how “books are wonderful,” and soon enough, Sharp had dreamed up the Memphis Book Brigade as an outlet to share her love of reading and some helpful reading tips with others, mainly children, in a relaxed setting.

She adds, “I thought if my kid can read a book to a small child, it would help his confidence.”

The idea for the grassroots effort actually got tossed around for two years before Sharp found the opportune locale—the Memphis Farmers Market—to debut the Memphis Book Brigade this past May. Having spoken with Cindy Brock, the MFM’s entertainment chair, Sharp learned that the market had hosted other kids’ activities, but never ones that involved reading. So, the brigade was invited to its first market day, during which Sharp and her family brought out books of varying levels and topics, with lots centered on farmers and food, and blankets for kids of all ages to gather round.

Looking back, Sharp says, “I thought we were only going to come down [to the MFM] that one time, and then they asked us to come back.”

The brigade has subsequently set up at the MFM every first and third Saturday of the month since that initial visit. From 9-10 a.m. on those days, one can spot the Memphis Book Brigade sign, which Sharp designed herself, and find brigade volunteers nearby it either on the pavilion’s north or south end. Surrounding the space are plenty of intriguing titles, including The Curious Garden, I Will Never Not Ever Eat a Tomato, Eating the Alphabet and the always popular Curious George series, and there never seems to be a shortage of new ones either. In the beginning though, Sharp worried she would run out of books from her personal collection, but she has had great donations from people (You can donate books through the Memphis Book Brigade Facebook page.) who want to be involved and gone to thrift stores to purchase more books as well.

“There’s a sense of discovery every time I’m looking and getting new things and thinking about how kids will like them…I like to choose books that will start a conversation, and books about food are great because kids like to talk about what they do or don’t like to eat,” she tells.

With lots of repeat visitors now, some kids bring their own books to read, and Sharp lets them trade out books with those in the brigade’s collection if they want. Volunteers aren’t the only ones reading however, as parents and kids join in to bring the characters to life for those around them.

In the future, Sharp would like to see the Memphis Book Brigade turn into a service project for kids in school, and since she’s been building an inventory of books for adult audiences, she also hopes that some of the older kids will help expand the Memphis Brook Brigade into nursing homes or assisted living facilities once the MFM closes for the season. Part of Sharp’s primary idea for the brigade after all was to travel to different places where people can get together to read, and fortunately her employer supports her positive vision.

“At the advertising agency [Sullivan Branding] where I work, we tell all of our employees we want them to continually be inspired—this is something that inspires me,” she says.

Story by Leah Fitzpatrick Photo by Don Perry

STREETSEEN

Art Johnson Campus Gardening

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rt Johnson always had a love of the outdoors, but never conceived of gardening as something he’d be interested in, that is until a neighbor knocked on his door a few years back. Working in landscape for the University of Memphis, Johnson’s neighbor approached him about filling a garden coordinator opening for the school’s TIGUrS (Tigers Initiative for Gardens in Urban Settings) Urban Garden, by saying, “You’re the man.” Since freelance graphic design assignments had all but dried up for Johnson due to many companies pulling work in-house, he seized the opportunity to refocus his creative energy in a new environment.

Needless to say, Johnson landed the then parttime gig back in July 2010 following the garden’s first season, quickly familiarizing himself with urban-oriented gardening practices and coordinating student volunteers. Watching him today as he greets regular helpers, shows off ripening tomatillos and directs a mulch delivery man in the TIGUrS Urban Garden, one senses that Johnson has more than embraced his role. In fact, this past July he accepted an offer to become the garden coordinator full-time, in addition to being recruited to assist with the U of M “Tiger Bike” student bike share program as the shop coordinator.

At right, Johnson is pictured from within a labyrinth of flowers, fruits, vegetables and herbs in the 6,300-square-foot main garden, also known as the Oasis garden, located behind the Elma Roane Fieldhouse; he also oversees four satellite and one off-campus garden as part of U of M’s mission to be a greener campus. A true community garden, the bounty, which has entailed produce from small-patch strawberries and persimmons to lavender and a sweet gourd called dong gua, remains open to students, faculty and the general public. The focus here for Johnson is on the yield and health of the garden, but there are limitations with the absence of a fence. As a result, things like spotty harvests happen, which don’t allow for workers to collect the garden’s own seeds, and with that being the case, seeds are brought in from as many heirloom or organic sources as possible to keep the garden flourishing.

He stresses, “The garden is really about having a place for people to learn where their food comes from, and providing a spot for them to hang out with friends and take away stress…it’s about the experience.”

Experiments this year have included doing a no-till garden and dabbling in polyculture, or planting multiple crops in the same space. He admits that both have been informative tools, and that he’s constantly looking for ways to enhance the learning curve for garden visitors in a fun way. Hosting events inclusive of the Guests in the Garden speaker series, an Earth Day Celebration, a Sweet Potato Pull and an inaugural event with the Memphis Area Master Gardeners on November 2 are several ways he accomplishes this, but he thinks incorporating more music, art and entertainment, like a movie night, would also help.

His thoughts on imminent additions and improvements aside, Johnson admits that at the end of the day he’s just a small piece of the puzzle when it comes to everything happening across campus on the garden front.

“Dr. Karyl Buddington initiated the garden and is the director, and there is a garden committee made up of administrators, students, etc.—it’s about getting all people involved,” the self-taught urban gardener says.

Story by Leah Fitzpatrick Photo by Don Perry

THE AMBASSADOR SERIES

The Ambassador Series

By Eugene Pidgeon

CARY’S NATION

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Women on Their Way program for Wyndham Hotels.

In the year 2000, while serving as a senior vice president in women’s marketing and diversity for Wyndham Hotels and Resorts, she launched the WOTW as a progressive initiative that for the first time specifically marketed a major hotel brand directly to female business and leisure travelers. “The reason it was so landmark, and still remains the longest running travel

Photo by Kipp Lott

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uring the 1970s, as tacky a decade as ever there was, a seismic paradigm shift of such proportions brewed to overflow, and thus forever altered the way traditional roles of American women would be regarded in both the corporate and domestic environments. For the purposes of a more immediate context, we’ll refer to it as “The Big Bang and Bob Theory!”

To Cary Jehl Broussard, the 1970s was a verdant and pliable testing ground.

The world was hers to explore, as all of its dimensions were to unfold before her as a sort of a combination social laboratory-playground-buffet. Born as the fourth daughter of a prominent Memphis family, Broussard’s childhood was balanced by equal portions of affluence and influence. Her wonder years were spent climbing the ladder in the schoolyard and in the classroom as a K-12 student at the Hutchison School. Little did she know at the time that ascending the ladder would soon become an indispensable metaphor by which she comported or dictated the broad spectrum of her personal, professional and civic enterprises.

Following her commencement from Hutchison in 1977, Broussard studied for two years at Emory University in Atlanta. She then transferred to the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where she pursued a degree in psychology. At the time, women in the work place were earning approximately 78 percent of what men were earning in the exact same positions. This did not sit well with Broussard.

Not one to blindly succumb to any standard model of predestination or expectation, she knew from the beginning if she was going to change the world and exact that other 22 percent for herself and others she would have to first charge head long into it. The challenge for Broussard was not to merely think outside the box, she also had to challenge and counter the restrictions and impact of social DNA that influenced Southern women just as powerfully as any strand of genetic and biological matter. For Southern women—proper Southern women—social DNA dictated that women should take what they get and be happy for being employed at all.

This conflicted with Broussard’s natural sense of fair play. And, she wasn’t going to allow this sense of fair play to ever be sublimated for the sake of appearance or to preserve the status quo. Being possessed of such mettle and determination is what led to her groundbreaking

marketing program catering specifically to the needs of women who travel, is because in 2000 people were not listening or responding to women,” Broussard relates.

She further suggests, “No one ever imagined women would compose such a significant presence in terms of the number of women who traveled. It was just layer after layer really because most major hotel brands did not see the value of women as a target market to go after!”

Broussard was documenting the way she as a woman was perceived as both a corporate and leisure traveler, and it was her personal experience that seeded the idea. “All I ever wanted to do was travel,” Broussard explains. “I wanted to work just so I would have the resources to travel. So, in reality, because I had gone to all girl schools and knew so many smart and ambitious women who were not being recognized, I just saw it as a no-brainer.”

Broussard outlined her proposition and presented it to the Wyndham Executive Constabulary. She gathered the numbers, and Wyndham balanced the ledger. Across the gamut, Broussard together with

Wyndham would reconstruct and redefine the manner by which hotels accommodated women nationally and globally.

Today, she is a successful author (check out From Cinderella to CEO) and public relations expert who with her husband, Logan, administrates Broussard Global from their home in Dallas. BG specializes in diversity inclusion, brand management and public relations. The Bank of Tokyo, Brinker International, the parent company of Chili’s Restaurants, and Homewood Suites are just a few of the specialty clients served by Broussard Global. The Broussards still maintain an apartment/office in New York City and travel to the Big Apple every month to attend to their business interests.

She says, “I have not severed my ties with New York. We both love it there.

But, our home is still in Dallas. It is also much closer to Memphis, which makes it easier for both of us to visit.”

Erica Jong, the celebrated champion of women’s rights and author of Fear of Flying, wrote, “Always do the things you fear the most. Courage is an acquired taste…like caviar!” Whether directly or indirectly, Broussard has adopted and metabolized this postulate and has sculpted it to her own design. Her resume is a roster of extraordinary accomplishments. She is a teacher, an executive and was even the Deputy Press Secretary for the former U.S. Senator from Tennessee, the Honorable Howard Baker.

Still, and though her rise to position was inevitable, it wasn’t linear. As it is for so many, a woman’s rise through the corporate rafters remains a coiled affair and is against a backdrop of the boys’ club—a club which will soon be coed, if Broussard has a say.

Broussard casts a long shadow. Just how wide is her scope of influence? It is too early to tell. But, one day, her name will be spoken in the same sentence perhaps as Betty Friedan, Alice Paul and even Gloria Steinem. She will take her place in the pantheon of women who braved a nation and became the tangible manifestation of courage under fire. If Jong is correct in her assumption of how courage is an acquired taste…just like caviar…then please give a warm welcome to Cary Jehl Broussard. Her friends call her “Miss Beluga!”

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

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EVENT

Cochon Heritage BBQ

COCHON HERITAGE BBQ

Supporting Farmers R aising Heritage Breeds

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Kayla Grieme and Carol Droke

Tricia and Jeff Harris

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he riverboats at Beale Street Landing made way for barbecue purveyors at the second touchdown of the Cochon Heritage BBQ in Memphis this past August. Launched in 2012 by Cochon founder Brady Lowe, the barbecue series traveled to three cities—St. Louis, Memphis and Louisville—this year in just as many weeks to create a dialogue amongst barbecue chefs/restaurants and farmers of heritage pig breeds about the benefits of local and sustainable food sources.

Event organizers called for 1,500 pounds of pork to be used at the gathering, which was appropriately themed “Putting Local Back into BBQ.” Both national and local chefs got in on the culinary action, challenging themselves to come up with the most innovative dishes in the categories of bone, muscle, pull and stew, in addition to two sides in the mayo and mustard categories. This is known as the 4+2 format—an approach that Cochon hopes restaurants adopt so that whole pigs are sufficiently used, thereby not putting small farmers in the position of having a surplus of unwanted animal parts.

Heritage barbecue chefs up to the challenge included Ryan Trimm and Josh Galliano of Southward; Travis Grimes of Husk Restaurant (in Nashville); Chad Clevenger and Nick McCormick of Alma Cocina (in Atlanta); Jackson Kramer of Interim Restaurant & Bar; Craig Blondis and Chris Taylor of Central BBQ; and Rick Farmer and Miles McMath of the St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital Culinary Team.

Making their way between inside and outside tasting booths, the latter of which afforded exceptional views of the Mississippi, guests sampled pork from heritage pig breeds such as Berkshire and Red Wattle Cross, with Newman Farms, Musick Farm Hogs and Circle B Ranch supplying the meat. Regional-influenced dishes like Southern Style Cassoulet (andouille sausage, rib meat, belly, purple hull peas, okra and cracklin cornbread) from Interim and Memphis Soul Stew (smoked ham, garlic sausage, summer beans and peas) by Central BBQ pleased many a palate, as did Southward’s barbecue corn dogs with Carolina mustard, to name a few menu items. And in honor of National Bourbon Month, a bourbon bar helped foodies wash down the hearty fare.

Encouraged to tweet what they ate to @cochon555, people proudly shared their favorite bites on social media, but they also showed support of the movement by bidding on 10 carcass pigs in a silent auction that raised funds for the Newman Farms family. To boot, the Cochon barbecue journey continued the next day with the Man vs. BBQ Challenge, which entailed some 50 people riding a bus that made stops for 10 courses at barbecue restaurants that back local farms with a whole animal approach. One can’t say this weekend lacked an authentic tasting experience!

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

Christopher and Allison Cook

Story by Leah Fitzpatrick Photos by Don Perry

Anna Carr and Paul Jones

Anne Marie Tucker and Mitch Huelsing

Stephanie Steele and Tony Westmoreland

Kate Marshall and Jonathan Lyons

Albert and Beth Pope with Jennifer Robinson

Chris and Sidney Jo Newman

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EVENT COCHON HERITAGE BBQ O C T O B E R 2 013

Charles Frame and Rick Bartl

Marina and John Backes

Roger and Kathy Sapp

Jeremy Miller and Celia Pruitt

Pat and Janie Mitchell

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John and Jade Planchon

Jennifer and Paul Chandler

Blake and Kayla Hazlerig

Heather and Joey Ries

Charlie and Rachel Campbell

Daniel Reid and Alice Higdon

Working together to build a better community.

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Get Better Better..

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w ay ffor or a c ommunity tto o get better better is together. together. way community

EVENT COCHON HERITAGE BBQ O C T O B E R 2 013

Amy Beth Dudley, Madelyn Gray, Amy Farris and Gina Deutsch

Evan Potts and Laura Mitchell

Lynn and Ernie Mellor

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Ryan Trimm, Rita Newman and Chris Dollar

Mimi and Kevin Havens

Ron Payne and Teresa Gladney

EVENT COCHON HERITAGE BBQ Al and Nancy Roberts

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Bill and Juli Eck

Kathleen Daniel, Dan Latimer, Travis and Meg Grimes and Sean Sears RSVP

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Christina Brown and Tiffany Langston

Jennie and Chad Ingram

Josh Gallino, Josh Poletti and Nick McCormick

EVENT COCHON HERITAGE BBQ

Carlie Lawrence and Kara Williams

Nick Simpson, Wayne Yeh, Chris Taylor and J.C. Youngblood

Jake Miller and Rafael Ferreras

Chris Ferry and Nichole Roberts

Stephen Johnson, David Lusk and Florence Raines

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Erin and Harry Sayle

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Gay Landaiche, Sarah and Linda Trimm and Pierre Landaiche

Michael Hughes and Stacey Greenberg

Debbie and Jerry Ferrell

Ted and Leslie Townsend with Wendy Sumner-Winter and Kalki Winter

Debbie Knight, Theresa Early and Katie and Martin Knight

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Vox Popular Q&A with Ron Jewell

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RSVP: Can you share what it was like during your early days with the Bartlett Performing Arts and Conference Center?

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Jewell: I came to this project at the Bartlett Performing Arts and Conference Center at a time when the city administration was really becoming aware of its growth and trying to plan for the next generation in Bartlett. Fortunately, the mayor then, who was Mayor [Bobby] Flaherty, and the other two mayors I’ve worked for—Ken Fulmar and now Keith McDonald—all personally have a love for the arts, but more importantly, have a real understanding for how arts in the community can make it a much more livable place. All the aldermen who have been on the Board of Aldermen for all these years have all shown their support for what we’re trying to do with a facility like this. There’s a certain amount of what we do that’s about the local citizens taking advantage of and using the facility, but a good bit of what our mission entails is promoting Bartlett in the region for all the other things Bartlett has to offer in the way of community amenities.

RSVP: I know a large part of BPACC’s audience comes from the surrounding community, but how many people living outside of Bartlett attend performances here?

Jewell: We have a pretty strong influence regionally of I’d say 50 or 60 miles. We certainly have most of our patrons come from within a five-mile radius, but it is not uncommon for us to have patrons coming from Dyersburg, Jackson [Tennessee], Brownsville, Olive Branch and DeSoto County. We have a few folks who wander over from Jonesboro. We also have a strong draw from Midtown Memphis with some of the music things we do. One of the things I’ve been really surprised about is how well the Internet connects us to people far away. It is nothing for us to have people drive in to see a particular performer from some place like Richmond, Virginia, Omaha, Nebraska, Atlanta or Birmingham. We have people who follow a given artist and look for places that they can catch them, and when they find out that we’re a small, intimate theater and that even if they’re on the last row they’re only 50 feet to the stage, that’s an exciting opportunity for them to come see someone

they really want to see up close.

Photos by Don Perry

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man of many talents, Ron Jewell has voice-over and acting chops (namely from a “Mark Twain At-Large” show he’s been performing for nearly 40 years) of his own, but throughout the last 14 seasons at the Bartlett Performing Arts and Conference Center, it is Jewell who has put the spotlight on numerous rising and celebrated stars. As BPACC’s director, Jewell actually spearheaded the effort that made the center a reality in the first place, and he remains as passionate as ever about the cultural importance of a facility like this one in the Bartlett community, though the impact doesn’t stop there. People from throughout Shelby County and beyond have come to embrace BPACC’s offerings, with Jewell telling RSVP editor Leah Fitzpatrick that this 15th season has attracted a noticeable increase in subscribers. For those who haven’t visited yet, Jewell says,”You can take to the bank that it’s going to be a quality night of entertainment. You can also take to the bank that it’s not going to break the bank when you come. It is not a gamble at all. Just take a chance on coming to see someone you’ve never heard of before and you will have found a new performing friend.”

RSVP: What are some ways BPACC benefits the community?

Jewell: There can be a real reward economically for a community that has a thriving cultural arts scene. It is very clear that people who go to the theater go out to eat, either before or after. So, you have restaurants that benefit, hotels that benefit, people buying gasoline here in the area. You also have the benefit of kids growing up with the opportunity to experience live cultural programming and what that does for them in creative thought. Not everyone is meant to be a performer—some are meant to be audience members only—but the fact is that creative thought is integral in so much of what life is about. Our role here as a performing arts center goes a lot deeper than just entertaining people. It’s about making people more sensitive to their creative side and helping them get in touch with their creativity, and it has a payoff. There’s a reason for having a performing arts center like this, even in a small town like Bartlett.

It certainly gives people in the area something to do to fulfill their lives in a way that just vegetating at home or not having a place like this to go to won’t do.

RSVP: How would you differentiate this performing arts and conference center from others in the region?

Jewell: First of all, I’m real good friends with all of the other theater manager folks. There’s certainly room for everybody in this metropolitan area, but we all do just a little something different from each other. To start with, we’re all different sizes.

Through the years, the programming that I’ve done is different from Germantown, the Buckman, the Orpheum and the Cannon Center, and we’ve all settled into our own little niche, if you will.

We also have a bit of a different thing going in that when we built this facility we wanted, first and foremost, to have it accessible to the citizens. We wanted a place that wasn’t too terribly expensive, whether it was people buying a ticket or renting the facility for their own event, and we needed a place for our citizens to gather for

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whatever reason because we really had no meeting space back then. This idea of both a performing arts center and a conference center was really the identity that we began to work with early on beyond just having a performance site. So, one of the things that does make us different is that we host a fair number of seminars, meetings, civic gatherings and social gatherings. It was important that the facility be accessible to both amateur and semi-pro folks who are looking for a place to perfect their artistic creativity, but we also wanted a place that offered that professional touring opportunity to bring and expose our citizens to the talent outside the area as well.

Our size of auditorium dictates what our budgets are for those kinds of performers. We’re not able to have big-name performers you might find at the Orpheum or Cannon Center on a routine basis, however with the help of the corporate community all these years, we have certainly been able to host a variety of big names while also introducing our audiences to high quality unknown performers who are not household names. For instance, one of our favorites that nobody knew originally was a guitar player out of Canada named Jesse Cook. He’s now been with us probably five times through the years and is a favorite of our audiences now, but nobody knew who Jesse Cook was in the beginning. This season, I have a similar artist, who’s Irish by birth, and her name is Maura O’Connell. The show she’s going to do is not an evening of Celtic music however. She’s a singer/songwriter who comes with an acoustic band, and she’s an exceptional performer. She’s going to fly under the radar for a lot of people, but we love to be the place to introduce somebody like that to the metropolitan market. We have this opportunity to just bring in the finest in entertainment that can be found while at the same time having a facility that is really useful to everyone here right close to us. We have our own little theater troupe that we work with and produce shows.

We have our own community band that will do a concert or two here each year. There are schools and churches that use the facility to do special programs. We even have people who fashion themselves to be concert promoters as a hobby that can within reason produce a concert and sell tickets and promote it, on just a little smaller scale, and it be every

RSVP: How do you choose the acts? It seems like you have a very diverse lineup this season from magicians to country artists.

season. We never had Clint before, and he’s like a number of performers we’ve had, like Kathy Mattea and Amy Grant, who have been used to playing big stadiums and now want to reach out to some smaller markets and even some smaller facilities to do more of an intimate show. They really like it because it’s like playing a concert in their living room. For them, I think it’s less about the money and more about the art.

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bit just as special a night of entertainment as you’ll find. How else are we different? Well, we’re not as expensive of a ticket that you might find in other venues, and that has to do with the City of Bartlett making sure that the place remains accessible to the maximum number of people.

RSVP: What are some ways BPACC gets kids involved in theater?

RSVP: Who is your favorite performer to ever hit the BPACC stage?

Jewell: Considering 14 previous seasons, the list is very long, but the ones who stand out in my mind are the ones who I would not ask back, which is a very short list because most of who we’ve had was really very good. There have been some surprises, too. In early spring of next year, we have A.J. Croce, who is Jim Croce’s son, coming. I can’t remember how I came across A.J. to begin with—I think he was doing a performance at South by Southwest in Austin, and I heard about him and chased him down. I brought him in about seven or eight years ago, and he filled the auditorium up, and I’ve invited him back twice now since.

I was extremely surprised at how good he was—what a great musician he was and what a great singer he was. My initial thought was that this was going to be a good night, but when he came, it was an extremely good night. I remember there was a one-woman play based on the writings of Fannie Flagg, the comedian. I’ll never be able to bring that show back, but it was just an interesting find that turned out to just be an exceptional show. Certainly, the well-known performers we’ve had…nights like when Wynton Marsalis, Lily Tomlin and Art Garfunkel, our very first performer, came were just great shows. Art actually turned me down twice before he accepted my offer the third time, and when the show was over, he was asking to come back. We had an event prior to that when we were trying to introduce the public to the building even before it was completely built, so the official first performance on what was then a concrete stage and no seating in the auditorium was the brass quintet from the Bartlett Community Concert Band, which I was really quite proud of.

RSVP: When was the building officially dedicated then?

Jewell: We were dedicated in December 1999, and our very first season began in the fall of 2000. Clint Black just kicked off our 15th

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Jewell: Well, one of the things that’s really very important to me personally and to our mission is to raise up the next generation of both performers and patrons, so we have our umbrella named TheatreKids, which is really about several things we do. We’ve got programs that are meant for the youngest up through high school, whether it’s summer camp programs that are really designed for second through fifth graders or our Missoula Children’s Theater project we do once a year that’s a week-long theater residency program where the auditions and the show are all done in one week. Kindergarteners through 12th graders are involved in that show, and it’s always built around some kind of fractured fairy tale story. Then, we’re going to work with Bob Arnold and his group, Chatterbox Audio Theater, to expose the kids to an art form they have no concept of, including old-time radio drama and oldtime audio theater. Ultimately, we’ll come out with four live performances of these scripts they’re going to be doing, so that’s the fall project. Starting in January through the first weekend in March, we’re doing a full production of Disney’s High School Musical. For the kids who do Chatterbox and High School Musical, they’ll pay a $75 tuition, and all the kids who join will be in the show somewhere. They audition for the specific parts once they get in, but they don’t have to worry that they won’t get cho37 sen for something.

RSVP: I also know there’s a rotating art exhibit at BPACC. How often does it change?

Jewell: I would love to do more, so anybody out there reading this, if you’re an artist and would like to exhibit sometime, please contact us. We have a bit of a review process we go through, and when we choose something to exhibit, it’s typically up about six to eight weeks. The artwork on display right now is a set of watercolor paintings by a Bartlett resident named Dr. Tim Hacker, who is a dentist here and is known across the city and beyond for his watercolor work. This is probably our third or fourth exhibit with Tim. RSVP: Was there anything else you wanted to share about BPACC? Jewell: First of all, there are a lot of people who have not discovered us. We sell out often, and when we sell out, clearly we don’t have to spend as much money advertising, so that sometimes can mean we aren’t out there all the time in the public eye. If you have not tried us out and love good music and art, you just need to try us out and see what everybody else who’s here all the time already knows. We actually have sold more subscriptions this season than normal. We’ve got a number of shows that sold out before we even started this season, but there are really good things left. I already mentioned Maura O’Connell, but there’s a guy named Chris Mann who’s on this season that people need to pay attention to. He’s a young pop croonertype singer who was on “The Voice.” He’s definitely got the talent, but we just need to introduce him to the people here in town. We will also have local artists Alexis Grace, Anna Marie Hartman and Andy Childs performing. Secondly, to the business community and corporate community, we are not a convention center, but we do an excellent job at hosting corporate affairs for several hundred people, and our rates for renting the building for that sort of business meeting are truly reasonable, which will help you afford the kinds of meetings you’d like to have without spending an arm and a leg to do it.

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Jewell: I had somebody one time tell me that having something for everybody sometimes can mean something for nobody. You can get too scattered in your artistic dream. We do try to vary the program a little bit so that we offer a broad set of entertainment, but the one constant is that these are all strong professional performers who deserve a place to perform, and our people deserve a chance to experience them. I find these artists sometimes in the most remote and odd sort of way; I’m always looking, always prospecting. There are conferences I can go to where some of these artists are assembled, and you get to meet them and see some showcases. But, we’ve developed a very strong reputation, and there are a lot of performers who like to say that they’ve performed in Bartlett because it helps them build tours into other towns as well. You know, I’ll be listening to public radio or WEVL, or reading an in-flight magazine on the airplane, and ideas will come to me. We had Lily Tomlin here several years back, and that came strictly because I got on a flight that had a whole spread on Lily Tomlin. And with Jesse Cook, I was walking through a shop at Wolfchase Galleria when it first opened that was playing Jesse Cook’s CD. Also, I’m president of the Tennessee Presenters Network, which are all the people in Tennessee who do what I do, and I’m a member of the North Carolina Presenters Consortium. The idea for both of those organizations is that we share ideas with each other, and we try to block book a performer.

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Onsite I Church Health Center’s Night at the Theater

Golf Ball

The Church Health Center held its second annual Night at the Theater on June 28, when proceeds from ticket sales were given to the organization thanks to an anonymous donor who purchased every seat in the house at Playhouse on the Square. The tickets to “The Color Purple” were resold through the organization, and by the time the big night rolled around, all the tickets had been sold. About $15,000 was raised at the event, which officials at the Church Health Center considered to be a smashing success.

To help get guests in the spirit for the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Memphis Golf Classic, the nonprofit hosted its annual Golf Ball on the course and terrace of Chickasaw Country Club beforehand. With putting and chipping contests and the Grizzlies tee-shirt cannon firing out loot, the lively atmosphere catered to the active crowd of supporters, who enjoyed ice-cold beverages donated by Athens Distributing Company, Budweiser of Memphis and Swanky’s Taco Shop. Chickasaw handled all the eats, with the popular peel n’ eat shrimp station conveniently back on the course next to the beer trailer. A silent and live auction also commanded the some 200 attendees’ attention thanks to items such as Mednikow watches and a private catered dinner for eight by Mac Edwards of The Elegant Farmer. More importantly, partygoers got a chance to interact with BGCGM members like Hope Dennis, Joy Frazier and Justin Harris, who pointed out, “I’m one of the Youth of the Year [representing the Ira Samelson Jr. Branch] contestants, and Hope is a former Youth of the Year.”

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Story and Photos By Suzanne Thompson

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38 Dr. Scott Morris with Rev. Stacy Spencer and Rhonda Spencer

Cooper-Young Festival Kick-Off Party and Poster Unveiling Not only did guests of the Cooper-Young Festival Kick-Off Party and Poster Unveiling get to see the festival’s newest poster and its respective artist, Lurlynn Franklin, but they also got a peek of the past 25 years of posters.

On display at Haizlip Studio, the posters served as a reminder of the longevity and appeal of the city’s largest one-day festival, not to mention the historic district it takes place in each September.

For this kick-off, Karen Roth provided refreshments, and live music came courtesy of Standby for Mars. The Cooper-Young Business Association helped organize the event, and this year’s presenting sponsor was Evolve Bank and Trust.

Story and Photos by Leah Fitzpatrick

Story and Photos By Leah Fitzpatrick

Christina and Sean Duncan, Lori Coates and Anita Getter

Summer Kienitz and Lanae Peterson

Megan Klein and Rebecca Fowler Beth Van Der Jagt, Reb Haizlip and Jeremiah Watson

Alex Wise, Stephanie Hom and Richard Kohrs

With all things that sparkle on display in the Dixon Gallery and Gardens’ “Bijoux parisiens: French Jewelry from the Petit Palais” exhibit, it was only fitting that the annual Artini party be themed “Bijoux, Baubles & Bowties.” Hosted by Young At Art, the event was free for YAA members and only $35 for guests, who were encouraged to sign up for the museum’s fundraising group geared toward those aged 25-40. This night, attendees could peruse the exhibit and then wind down with hors d’oeuvres from A Catered Affair, signature drinks like the “French 75” or “Rusty Nail,” strawberry and lemon cake slices from Frost Bake Shop and lively tunes courtesy of the Misti Rae Trio. There was also a cigar bar and a $5 raffle, which boasted prizes including a bow tie from Mo’s Bows, an original steel necklace from the National Ornamental Metal Museum and vintage button cufflinks, to name a few dapper items.

Story and Photos by Leah Fitzpatrick

Lurlynn Franklin and Ray Rico

Denise Burnett with Dick and Nancy Barnhart

Artini Party

Amanda Eckersley and Shaun Bernard

Kara Jones, Claudine Nayan and Kaci Murley

Hope Dennis, Joy Frazier and Justin Harris

Robin and Marc Tate

Sanjay Ratnakant and Lisa Best

Charlie and Francie Potts

Helene Harris and Julie Patterson

The Great Wine Performances

It was all fun and a lot of games at the Kroc Center during the Salvation Army Women’s Auxiliary Bridge and More. Play began at 10 a.m. for players who competed at bridge and mahjongg, and by noon, they broke for a Panera Bread lunch and to place bids on restaurant gift cards in the silent auction and to find that special something in a costume jewelry sale. Bridge competitors Lynda Raiford, Ann Creson, Barbara Dillon and Sandra Roe gathered at the affair, each having known one other since high school, and many others in attendance went way back with their friendships due to their long-time auxiliary participation.

By 2:30 p.m., the high scorer was announced and given a prize, but several competitors picked up gifts too in the raffle announced

by Arlene Southern, who chaired Bridge and More, with Joan Alperin assisting as co-chair.

Baptist Memorial Health Care Foundation, with the help of presenting sponsor Johnson Controls, hosted the always wellattended Art of Caring at a new locale this year. The Memphis Botanic Garden served as the backdrop for the eye-catching pieces and sculptures that filled the halls during this two-houronly benefit sale. Ron Childers of WMC-TV 5 served as emcee, encouraging art enthusiasts to put their bids in quickly if they had their heart set on a work, many of which originated with Baptist employees themselves.

For instance, Richard Fudge, a senior artist at Baptist Memorial Health Care, submitted “Bend”— a painting depicting an abstract red tree that Fudge said was also an artery. Fudge added, “I draw a lot of creative energy from nature.” The 350 partygoers at the event seemed to gain energy from the delicious homemade ice cream made with liquid nitrogen that CFY Catering whipped up in flavors including strawberry basil and vanilla bean, and they also enjoyed libations sponsored by David Perry Smith Gallery.

Playhouse on the Square held its sixth annual The Great Wines Performances with all its usual pomp and display, but with even more excitement this year given the theme was everyone’s favorite musical and Playhouse’s season opener, “Les Misérables.” Characters from “Les Misérables” served 10 different types of French wine while guests tested their knowledge of this popular musical by answering a series of trivia questions. Actors assigned to a wine station gladly gave out the questions, but it took some monetary bribing if guests wanted a clue or more information.

The stations were divided into three different sections between three levels of the building. On the top floor, partygoers experienced the luxury of the upper class and toasted to Marius and Cosette’s wedding as they munched on croissants and sipped on bubbly wines. Attendees then made their way to the first floor main lobby where they drank a variety of white wines with Javert and the crusaders of the Revolution. Those brave enough traveled down to the trap room underneath the stage where the red wines flowed with the seedier characters of “Les Misérables” in the Red Light District. More than 350 guests attended, and some $20,000 was raised for Playhouse on the Square to continue bringing great theater to Memphis.

Story and Photos by Leah Fitzpatrick

Story and Photos by Leah Fitzpatrick

Bracket Bash The Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Memphis kicked off its 14th annual Tennis Tournament with Bracket Bash. Attendees of the party mingled and sipped specialty cocktails and other libations as they noshed on shrimp, fruit and cheese from the centerpiece buffet table, prepared by Maximillian’s Catering. Chocolatier Phillip Ashley provided samples of his handmade goodies, and young people from the Boys & Girls Club Technical Training Center showcased some of their homemade sweets at a dessert station. The affair was held at Lexus of Memphis, which regularly hosts events for local charities.

Story and Photos by Suzanne Thompson

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Evelyn Young, Ben and Wanda Wright and Tandra Smith

Story and Photos by Rachel Warren

Capt. Barbara Rich, Joan Alperin and Arlene Southern Richard Fudge and Katie Williams Woody and Janie Day with Ann Thompson Noby Edwards and Matt Crewes

Lynda Raiford, Ann Creson, Barbara Dillon and Sandra Roe

Mary Kate Brandon with Alice and Mike Morgan

Warwick and Cathy Garner David Barton and Sarah Wilson

Becky Dickey, Anne Boals, Libby Pritchard, Fran Jabbour, Mary Ellen Chase and Linda Miller

Amy Poag, Ellen Rolfes, Amy Beth Dudley and Stephanie Simpson

Josh Quinn and Carly Crawford

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Art of Caring

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Salvation Army Bridge and More

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Onsite II

Chris and Shanti Bradley, Carole and Darrison Wharton and Tom Wong

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Interview by Lesley Young | Photos by Steve Roberts native of Iran, Sara Walden grew up in Memphis, has lived in Chile and Singapore, and set up house in many other places across the globe. It’s no wonder the local designer describes her style as eclectic. Walden, who collaborated with other designers at Post 31 Interiors for a number of years and currently operates Sara Walden Interiors, also refers to her style as edited, with a concentrated effort placed on combining the different pieces she picked up while globetrotting with more economical purchases to create a cohesive and approachable interior.

Walden put her design aesthetic to work when she moved nine years ago into her East Memphis zero-lot-line home, where she lives with her husband and son, and employed her “instinctive� method to every room, including those that posed a problem. As she and her family came to live in the 4,500-square-foot house, she felt the hearth room needed to function differently. Rather than take the common approach of placing a television over the mantel and using a sofa to divide the room from the kitchen, Walden decided to make the space a more inclusive part of the open kitchen plan.

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Top: After living in her home for some time, Walden let what would be the hearth room speak to her before deciding what to do with it. In the end, she opted to keep the space open and let it flow into the open kitchen and casual dining area. Above: Walden stresses spending money on favorite pieces and pairing them with less expensive ones to fill out a room. She has had her zebra hide for close to 20 years and while vacationing in Bali bought the door-converted-table, which she has shipped all over the world.

RSVP: You say your approach to putting a room together involves spending money on the pieces you love and pairing more budget-conscious pieces with them to complete the room. How did you do that in this room?

RSVP: How did you arrive at your decision to treat the hearth room as something else?

Walden: This is supposed to be the room where you hang out and gather, but it isn’t. The builder didn’t think this through. I did not want to block it off and have a typical sofa and table behind it with décor on it. The feng shui of it felt blocked. I didn’t want to stand in the kitchen and look over and see that. It had been done, and it didn’t feel right to me. I believe you have to live in a space before you jump in and start doing things with it. You have to make the space harmonious and make it work. This gives the area a larger feel so people can hang out. They always hang out in the kitchen anyway, so they can just flow over into this area. It’s not where we sit and watch TV. RSVP: You did however place a television in the casual dining area between what would have been the hearth room and the kitchen.

Why did you decide to do that, and is this where you sit and watch television?

Walden: We hang out in the den. We have a TV in the cabinet. We turn this TV on in the morning while we’re sitting having break-

Walden: I’ve had that zebra hide since before my son was born, and he’s 15 years old. I’ve probably had it for 20 years. I love it every time I move into a new place. I had the mirror [above the mantel] made. It was a batik holder, and I had it made into a mirror. The table I found in Bali while we were living in Singapore. It was one of those things, when like everybody else who goes on vacation, you go shopping looking for stuff, and once I saw this table, I became obsessed with it. I didn’t know how I would get it back to our home in Singapore, and then the man working there told me he could ship it. The chairs I got at I.O. Metro. They’re locally bought. The elk is from Restoration Hardware. You spend money on the things you use a lot, on the solid pieces. Then you have your more budget-conscious pieces. You pick the pieces you love and work the others into the room.

RSVP: Talk about some of the other pieces you included in the room.

Walden: I also included what I call “signs of life.” I have photographs on the mantel. I keep a plant in this room. It dies every four or five months, and then I replace it. I think plants add so much to a space without having to bring in a lot of clutter. They make it so much more alive. It’s about a mixture of pieces. You can create a well-trenched look by putting the pieces together correctly and having things marry each other.

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fast, or I’ll turn it on while I’m cooking in the kitchen. I had to visually correct this space [between the hearth room and the kitchen]. The wall is off-center from the windows across from it, so I had to place the buffet there [below the television], and the armoire across from it. I had to tell myself to “Let it go. It’s not going to happen. I’m going to have to create it somehow in another way.”

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Left: Walden filled out the room with more wallet-friendly décor by using practical chairs, end tables and lamps.

“Everything doesn’t have to be over the top,” she says.

Below: The designer purchased a reclaimed buffet that complimented her more distinctive pieces in the room and placed a television above it for enjoying shows while eating breakfast or cooking in the kitchen.

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Zoo Brew

ZOO BREW

L abor Day Suds

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Bill and Heather Kindrick

Zach Knight and Lauren Smith

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abor Day weekend is all about saying goodbye to the dog days of summer and celebrating with all of America’s favorite summer fixings: hot dogs, potato salad, popsicles and, most of all, beer.

While, for many, the latter of these fixings was fulfilled by picking up the usual six-pack from the corner store, the Memphis Zoo offered Memphians another option for their Labor Day weekend libations: Zoo Brew. Quickly becoming one of the city’s favorite beer tasting events, this biannual event offers guests a chance to try more than 100 national and international craft beers in the wild setting of the Memphis Zoo at night.

As attendees entered, they were presented with a small tasting cup and a map of all booth locations throughout the zoo. With maps and cups in hand, participants staked out their routes, hitting up favorites and sampling some new brews. Organic brewery Butte Creek Brewing Company was on hand offering up samples of its Pilsner, Pale Ale and Porter. For those who like a sweeter beer, Lindemans Brewery, a family brewery based in Belgium, had samples of its famous lambic beers available.

While saying farewell to summer may be hard for some, several breweries got everyone in the mood for chilly weather with their seasonal fall beers. Pumpkin from Brooklyn Brewery and Oktoberfest from Saranac helped usher in the fall spirit despite the full Memphis heat. As expected, there were a host of beers with unusual names and big flavors like the new Werewolf from Newcastle Brewing Company, which definitely packs a bite. Another interesting name and flavor combo was Rogue Brewing Company’s Voodoo Peanut Butter and Banana Ale. This brew was the result of the collaboration between the famous Voodoo Doughnut shop in Portland, Oregon and Rogue as an attempt to match Voodoo’s popular “Memphis Mafia” doughnut, a nod to Elvis and his vigilant entourage. Many Memphians returned the nod and gladly sampled the delightful ale, enjoying the taste of the inspiring nature of Elvis and Memphis.

After one or two (or several) drinks, attendees could not stop themselves from dancing to the infectious music of the Kathryn Stallins Band, which hooked everyone there with some golden oldies.

Steph Wood, a zoo volunteer, said the great thing about Zoo Brew is that “the whole community participates to help take care of our animals that we our proud of and love. I personally love the zoo…Memphis is proud of our zoo.” It is this spirit of support and pride for the Memphis Zoo, not to mention all the wonderful craft beers, that keep Memphians coming back to the twice-yearly Zoo Brew.

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

Leigh and Guy Guasco

Story by Rachel Warren Photos by Baxter Buck

Emily Elderbrock and Shane Hanlon

Milan and Hugh Whatley

Stephanie Fox and Scott Epstein

Dino and Carolyn Grisanti

Chris Churchill and Natalie Cole with Ashley and Nick Denelsbeck

Vipul Saparia and Kristen Vicknair

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Angie Gee with Melanie and David Hardy

Casey Houston, John McNeil and Emily English

Kelsey Canfield and Ladd Caldwell

Kate and Jason Fairless

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Patty and Randy Osborn

Jake Pierce, Crystal Holland and Avery Powell

Divya Vargheese and Sharon Jacob

David and Emily Van Epps

Miles Felts, Chelsea Faukner and Sarah Mitchell

EVENT ZOO BREW Alice White and Melissa Pope

Tyler Ward with Meredith and Nick Canale

Kerry Smith and Emily Horvath

Carrie McCoy and Janet Covey

Ben Arnold, Caroline Grodon, Jordan Cash and Barrett Frederick

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Cissy and Bill Overstreet with Kathy Owen

Katie Kidd and Troy Barton

Christina and Jerad Henson

Erin Scherer, Samantha DeVilbiss, Kris Launius and Francesca Gattuso

Allison Burgess, Cassie Strete and Jen Conrad

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Party at the Palace

PARTY AT THE PALACE

The Phoenix Club’s End-Of-Summer Bash

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Christian Bahniuk and Andrew Sillyman

Emily and William Young

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he Phoenix Club celebrated the close of summer with its annual Party at the Palace on the beautiful grounds of the Pink Palace Museum. Dedicated to raising funds and support for the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Memphis, the Phoenix Club always throws a fun party that brings together a large mix of young Memphians.

Sponsors Silly Goose Lounge and Young Avenue Deli also helped make this benefit a success.

Warm weather called for light and airy attire, and guests obliged, with many wearing pastel linen shirts or sundresses. As partygoers arrived, they were greeted with a variety of stations offering refreshing libations to beat the heat. Budweiser of Memphis was there serving up cold brews along with Silky O’Sullivan’s, which mixed up a delicious citrus mint cocktail with a rum base and homemade simple syrup. Dan McGuinness Pub put a twist on some summertime kid favorites with its cherry limeade, grape Kool-Aid and orange Gatorade cocktails, all grown-up with a shot of vodka. Soul Pig Catering’s food truck satisfied the hungry with fried treats like barbecue nachos, funnel cakes, corn dogs and fried onions. In the spirit of giving, Soul Pig generously gave 20 percent of its profits to the proceeds that went to the BGCGM. DJ Brad Eiskamp got everyone dancing and moving outside, playing recent hits and some old party favorites. At one point, rain threatened to end the music outside, but, luckily, it stopped as soon as it started and the music was soon up and going again. Blind Bear Speakeasy, Memphis’ Prohibition-style bar, created some moonshine converts in the crowd with one particularly tasty drink, the “Southern Hooch” made with apple moonshine and iced tea. In addition to cold drinks, attendees enjoyed the air conditioning inside the Pink Palace’s lobby, taking in the impressive stuffed polar bear and the spectacular murals by Burton Callicott.

Henry Paris, the party chairman, commented that the added bonus was that all the proceeds went straight to BGCGM and said, “We are here to have a good time, but, ultimately, we do it for the kids.” In this spirit, Party at the Palace continued into the night, and with the help of 315 guests, more than $3,500 was raised to support the wonderful children at the BGCGM organization.

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Ben Jordan and Janie Williams

Story by Rachel Warren Photos by Don Perry

Adam Baker and Christy Colley

Mandy Gootzeit and Rena Frulla

Andrea and Tres Letard

Carrie Neill and Steven Bell

Bailey and Keeley Childress, Whitley White and Mark O’Toole

Claire Rossie and Claudine Nayan

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Candace Clarkson, Wagner Gurkin, Nikki Peters and Lindsey Weeden

Marie Blount and Nancy Barber

Caitlin Shelton, Elizabeth Goodnite and Amanda Hall

Melissa and Eliot Paschalis

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Lindsay Lannom and Madison Lannom

Lesley Goode, Lori Beth Shelton and Kate Morrisse

Jake McCrary and Amy Wolters

Kenneth Adams and Hillary Roberts

Derick Garner, Marianne Clendenen, Nick Smith and Rob Hatchett

Larry Cunningham and Michelle Grabowski

PARTY AT THE PALACE

EVENT Thomas Ratliff and Tricia Harris

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Jennifer Jamieson and Lee Johnson

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Onsite III Creative Aging Senior Variety Show

Memphis Child Advocacy Center Theater Benefit

A group of talented folks from retirement communities throughout the Mid-South got together at the Kirby Pines Performing Arts Center to strut their stuff at the fourth annual Creative Aging Senior Variety Show. CignaHealthSpring served as the presenting sponsor for the event, and proceeds benefited Creative Aging Mid-South, a nonprofit that promotes vital aging through the arts. About 350 people were entertained by acts of all kinds, some of which included singers, dancers, pianists and a violinist.

“It showcases the talents of older adults, and there are so many,” said Lynn Doyle, president of the board of directors of Creative Aging.

In a private room above the theater at Playhouse on the Square, supporters of the Memphis Child Advocacy Center (CAC) gathered for a preshow cocktail party. Guests enjoyed a buffet of heavy appetizers including pork tenderloin, bacon-wrapped potato bites and fresh fruit. Lakeland Catering provided the sumptuous buffet, and music from jazz trio Bass, Murphy and Spake filled the air. Nina and Jerry Patton purchased tickets for half of the theater, which they generously donated to the CAC, and all proceeds from those tickets went to the organization. The CAC provides counseling for sexually abused and severely traumatized children, as well as their parents, and works to prevent abuse. Lori Patton spoke to the group before the show began when she said, “‘Les Misérables’ is filled with heroes. Each one of you is a hero.”

Story and Photos by Suzanne Thompson

Story and Photos by Suzanne Thompson

Lionel Hollins Charities Jazz Soiree Methodist Healthcare Living Awards It was a night filled with inspiration at the Tower Center when jazz fans were treated to smooth tunes at the Lionel Hollins Charities Jazz Soiree. The event kicked off the Bowling for Backpacks weekend, an event sponsored by former Memphis Grizzlies coach Hollins that raises money to provide school supplies to inner-city children. A band made up of a group of recent graduates of the Stax Music Academy performed before saxophonist Mike Williams took the stage and spoke to them about the importance of practice to hone their crafts. “We all have a gift,” he said. “You have to unwrap it, then you have to take it out of the box, then you see it says assembly required!”

Since 1918 the not-for-profit healthcare delivery system Methodist Le Bonheur Healthcare has dedicated itself to clinical excellence with a faith-based commitment to care through its seven-hospital system.

Recognizing that it could not do this alone, the award-winning institution hosts the Methodist Healthcare Foundation Living Awards each year to pay tribute to a select group of individuals and groups who have helped further its mission. This year the formal affair was held August 15 at The Peabody, with a cocktail reception in the Continental Ballroom followed by an elegant dinner and awards ceremony in the Grand Ballroom. This year’s award recipients included pediatrician Robert Riikola, gastroenterologist T. Carter Towne, faithful church member and Methodist Hospital of Memphis Women’s Auxiliary representative Eddie Grigg and volunteer/supporter Edwin Barnett, as well as the Salvation Army and MIFA.

Story and Photos by Suzanne Thompson Story and Photos by Lesley Young

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Jean Cease and Glenn Cease

Mike Williams and Lionel Hollins

Chris and Lisa McLean

Jerry and Nina Patton

Kimberly Akpabio and Evelina Warlix Ming Yang and Dehar Shen Chris Cooper with Erica and Dr. Tim Jancelewicz

Eric Gray and Allie Mounce

Shondra Brown, Stacy Griffin, Alicia Martin and Deidra Speight

Barbara Loevy, Phil Russell and Jenny Jardine Lori Patton with Paul and Carol Drake

Lisa Shurden, Lynn Doyle, Terrie Kirksey and Sandra Burke

Chris and Jill Williams with Kerri and Stan Pleban

Debbie Stevens and Tom and Nancy Bell

Nicky Sparrow, Morgan and Patrick Bohannon, Chris Coats and Grant Thompson

Keith and Marie English with Sally and Brad Heinz

Jack and Jill of America is a premiere mothers’ organization with a mission to facilitate the advancement and leadership development of children. The Memphis chapter of Jack and Jill of America (chartered in 1946) hosted its second annual “A Day At The Races” benefit at Mercedes-Benz of Memphis on the day of the 139th running of the Kentucky Derby. Many turned out sporting their fabulous hats and best Derby attire. Proceeds from the event went to Le Bonheur Children’s Hospital and the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Memphis.

Story Submitted and Photos by Demarcus Bowser Photography

Overton Bark One-Year Anniversary Walk to End Alzheimer’s Kick-Off Luncheon A community celebration was held at Overton Park in June to mark the one-year anniversary of Overton Bark, one of Memphis’ newest dog parks sponsored by Hollywood Feed. A host of activities for dogs and their families included games and rides for children, agility contests for dogs and a food truck rodeo. Pet rescue organizations were on hand with dogs available to foster and adopt, while Hollywood Feed distributed natural dog food samples and dog toys to attendees and their pets. “A year later, we’re still so proud to have partnered with the Overton Park Conservancy to help bring a dogfriendly playground to Midtowners and Overton Park goers,” said Shawn McGhee, Hollywood Feed president. “We look forward to celebrating many more anniversaries alongside the community we serve here and in our stores.”

The Mid-South chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association hosted its 2013 Walk to End Alzheimer’s Kick-Off Luncheon on July 12 at Hilton Memphis. The theme was “Paint Memphis Purple,” so guests showed up in their best purple and were treated to lunch.

Several attendees registered that day to participate at the walk, the organization’s largest event of the year to raise awareness and funds for Alzheimer’s care, support and research. The Walk to End Alzheimer’s took place on September 7 at Shelby Farms Park. Visit alz.org for more information on future fund-raising events.

Story and Photos Submitted

Collage Dance Collective’s Sunday afternoon Jazz Brunch at the Memphis Botanic Garden certainly lived up to its promotion as “A Fête for the Senses!” To delight the eyes, there were dance performances by ensemble members and students; to enchant the ears was passionate live jazz from Kirk Whalum and David Stoddart; and to tantalize the tongue, mouth-watering cuisine

by Erling Jensen. The roughly 300 guests were greeted at the door by ballerina swans bearing mimosas and were ushered to a groaning buffet with exotic twists on brunch fare. Jensen himself helped serve the duck confit French toast casserole and poached eggs in crawfish cream over shallot risotto, among other savory dishes. After dessert of divine Sweet Magnolia Ice Cream, people listened to the inspiring story of Collage Dance Collective as recounted by its managing director and co-founder Marcellus Harper. The dance troupe’s mission is to educate Memphis children, and their pursuit of dance helps them acquire important life skills. “Our students learn to push through the boredom of repetition to the joy 51 of mastery,” explained Harper.

“That’s a valuable lesson they can apply to everything in their lives.”

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Story and Photos Submitted

Collage Dance Collective Jazz Brunch

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“A Day at the Races”

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Onsite IV

Dianne Young

Story and Photos by Jeannie Mandelker

Ted Graham and Oscar Barbara Everett and Brenda Jones

Vanecia Kimbrow and Lori Miller

Kevin Thomas and Melissa Luck

Classy and Alex Diaz

Jennifer Speidel Baker and Mary Speidel Audrey Davis and Dr. Denise Mustiful Martin

Laura Keefe and Mike Waldrop with Emilio and Jesus

Ela Horton and Dr. Ann Marie Motely

Casey O'Rourke and Tripp Shumake

Dr. Jessica Ruffin, Marcellus Harper and Jessica Foster

Corey Gilden, Stephen Ford, Susan Graham, Jonathan Jones and Susan Crowson

Kim and Elliott Perry

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Paw Prints Party

PAW PRINTS PARTY

Benefiting Furry Friends

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Debra and David Aquadro

Matt and Wendy VanCleve

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elebrating its 80th birthday, the Humane Society of Memphis & Shelby County threw its largest fête of the year with the Paw Prints Party. Three hundred animal lovers from across Memphis showed up at the affair, held at the Clark Opera Memphis Center, to help raise money for an organization that provides shelter, medical care and food to thousands of abused, neglected and injured Mid-South animals every year.

The cocktail hour got the night started right with an open bar stocked full of everyone’s favorites. With drinks in hand, attendees had ample time to check out the silent auction before dinner.

Composed of three different sections, this silent auction offered a plethora of goodies fit to satisfy anyone’s needs. Up for grabs was art from local artists like Bebe Pinkley, Amy Smith, Chris Vanelli and Paul Edelstein. Some of the other hot items included gift certificates from a variety of Memphis restaurants like the Arcade Restaurant, Blind Bear Speakeasy, Café 1912, Interim Restaurant & Bar, Pete & Sam’s and The Grove Grill. Besides the silent auction, the wine pull also got a lot of attention. Contributors Stellar Cellar Wine and Spirits and United Liquors provided an eclectic mix of wines, some of which were premium vintages, and even a bottle of Dom Pérignon.

After nibbling on hors d’oeuvres, partygoers sat down to enjoy a delicious dinner. The meal began with a fresh Caprese salad, and the entrée consisted of a chicken breast stuffed with spinach and Fontina and a skewer of blackened shrimp with a side of rosemary garlic new potatoes and sautéed broccoli. Being the Humane Society, the menu also included a vegetarian and vegan entrée of Pasta Primavera.

A live auction garnered even more funds for the HSMSC thanks to the night’s auctioneer, Terri Walker, who quickly got the audience bidding on items like the “A Night to Remember” package that included a luxurious one-night stay at The Peabody and tickets to the Orpheum, an “Ultimate Harrah’s Resort Experience” package and a wheelbarrow filled with assorted liquor and wine, to name only a few. A special video presentation showing various animals and their heartwarming recoveries after being given a second chance by the Humane Society had many in the crowd in tears. Three special dogs— Blizzard, an Italian greyhound, Glitter, an adoptable Yorkie, and Dino, an adoptable pit bull mix—made a star appearance after the presentation to the delight of the crowd. Following dinner, Front & Beale had everyone dancing with its soulful music.

Alexis Amorose, the HSMSC executive director, summed up her enthusiasm for the evening saying, “I am so thrilled to have so many people who care about animals and willing to be here tonight to financially support our cause.”

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

Kaye Cooper and Mark Cooper

Story by Rachel Warren Photos by Don Perry

Barry Densford and Amanda Ivy

Reuben and Lori Brunson

Jason and Amanda Strain

Ken McCown and Sara Hall

Jay and Emily Philpott with Christina and Jeffrey Block

Jan Kissling and Margaret Trainor

EVENT PAW PRINTS PARTY Shelby Yale and Mona Potter

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Jerry and Cathy Priester with Richard and Susan Clifford

Rick Jones and Lisa Bell

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Mark and Ryan Harris

Kristen Cottingham and Lauren Burgess

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Lana Deluca and Nikki Jimenez

Phil LaPuente and Ashley Harris

Kelsi Skee and Blizzard

Ross and Jamie Harris

Ryan and Liz McKee

Steve and Jennifer Drinkard

EVENT PAW PRINTS PARTY Susan and Philip Prichard

Matt and Gail Wilson with Lynn and Rick Ellis

Kane Flinchum and Meredith Steenerson

Ryan Hill and Meghan Cullen

Jean McGhee, Brittany Gilliam and Carla Mabie

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Jason Lewin and Ashley Line

Megan Baytos and Kolby Young

Courtney Dukes, Jackie Gray and Sherry Brooks

Shea and Dr. Travis Oliver

Joey Facello and Kayla Jerke

Tara Alexander, Trent Stacy and Candy Cain

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Art on Tap

ART ON TAP

Young At Art’s Beertastic Benefit

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Emily Stuart and Shaina Zakalik

Ryan and Bethany Veach

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or many, there is a notion that nothing goes better with fine art than a fine craft beer. Luckily, the Dixon Gallery and Gardens made that fantastic pairing a reality with its 18th annual Art on Tap beer tasting event.

The party started at 6 p.m. sharp, and people came with an appetite. They were not disappointed either, as several popular Memphis eateries were present and cooking up a storm. One & Only BBQ was there, and its Memphis style riblets had everyone sneaking back for seconds and even thirds. Boscos Squared brought the Southern flair with rich shrimp and grits served with its handcrafted beers like the Flaming Stone beer, an award-winning Hefeweizen and Midtown Brown. Rock ‘n Dough Pizza Company supplied heavenly slices, and for those with a sweet tooth, the brand new Frost Bake Shop handed out some sugary goodness in the form of mini cupcakes.

Though, the reason everyone was excited to be there was for the beer! With more than 100 beers available to sample, the only trouble was deciding which one to try first. Budweiser of Memphis came to serve up great beers including Abita Brewing Company’s Andygator beer, a high-gravity brew that reaches an alcohol content of eight percent. Art on Tap also brings a taste of Memphis by inviting local brew clubs and breweries. Bluff City Brewers & Connoisseurs made waves with a Tongue Thai’d Wheat beer that is brewed with lemongrass and Thai basil, the latter of which was obtained from the Dixon Gardens.

High Cotton Brewing Company gave out samples of refreshing Saison and its whimsically named beer, Love You Oolong Time. Oatmeal Stout, another Memphis-made creation, developed by the smart people of the Memphis Brewer’s Association, was a hit with the crowd.

The city’s newest brewery addition, Wiseacre Brewing Company, made an entrance with an India Pale Ale, Ananda IPA and a Pilsner, Tiny Bomb. Of course, Ghost River Brewing was there passing out its classic Golden, Pale Ale and Red Ale beers.

It is not unusual for beer consumption to lead to dancing, and that is exactly what happened when local singer Ryan Peel and the Chinese Connection Dub Embassy kept partygoers dancing and grooving with their uplifting reggae beats. The Dixon’s director of communications, Chantal Drake, said that the highlight of an event like this was the “local breweries, restaurants and musicians that work with us.

That is what makes it extra special and makes it an amazing event for people to come out and support us.”

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

Kacie and Alex Butterworth

Story by Rachel Warren Photos by Baxter Buck

Vince Lehman and Ashley Evans

Lisa Babb and Anna McCabe

Daniel Gross and Chelsea Norman

Joe Goldkamp and Michelle Heck

Amanda Staggs with David and Candy Staggs

Natalie Garner and Kevin Meagle

EVENT ART ON TAP

August Hand and Jennifer Batteiger

Jim Mirda and Christy Moseley

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Colin Roper and Tiffany Byrd

Jane Morgan and Carol Fly

Ben Bienvenu and Jen Markwell

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Morgan Warth and Stephanie Spurgat

Jack Connell and Ree Liverance

Walker Pritchard and Katlin Sedberry

Jeff and Melissa Goggans

Jonathan and Allison Morrel

David Fontana and Heather Golden

EVENT Jordan Stewart and Jasmine Hudgins

Jason King and Rachel Warren

April Fickle and Leslie Whitehead

Jasmine Sahni and Karen Skinner

John and Beth Kakales

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Nancy Harwood and Brit McDaniel

Anthony and Vanessa Caswell

Greg Delgoffe and Shelby White

Tom Hollingsworth and Pam Cogdal

Joshua and Stephanie Cooper

Kesha and Jason Warren

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Annoying insect Gall Fraction August zodiac sign The __ Trail Word shortener, in short Ancient Mexican Scull Loon-like seabird Luck of the __ Time period Walkway

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1 __ cum laude 2 Departure 3 All she asks is for is a little respect 4 Protective Shelters 5 Desire (for) 6 He had those Memphis Blues 7 False god graven image 8 Baking vegetables 9 Hair product 10 Volcanic rock 11 Demonic 12 Birdʼs home 15 For real, in brief 20 Genghis __ 21 Back of the neck 24 Please donʼt step on his blue suede shoes 26 Liturgical prayer 28 Reigning 30 Possessive pronoun 31 Grizzliesʼ group 32 Rested 34 1/2 of a “Soul Man” 36 Expression of surprise 37 Go beyond

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

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38 Choose 39 Nurtured 40 Gospel great Whalum 42 Old Russian ruler 43 Mend socks 45 Cainʼs eldest son 47 Prioress 48 Munch 50 Midwestern state denizen 52 Large bushes 53 Den 54 Biblical scribe 55 He sat by the dock of the bay 57 Clintonʼs VP 58 Opera solo 60 6th sense, briefly 62 Yack

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13 1 Grainy 16 6 With it 9 Vale 19 13 Assent 23 14 Flurry 27 15 Quit 16 This Al is so tried of being alone 36 37 17 Negative 41 18 Love him tender?

19 Earns 44 20 “Constant Craving” singer 53 54 22 Keyboard key (abbr.)

59 23 Fire remains 24 Coral reef 63 25 Animalʼs end part 66 27 __ Lee (frozen pie brand name) 29 Alternatives 33 Vase 34 Find 35 Brass instrument 36 Coral reef 39 USDA overseas agency (abbr.)

40 Gold weight 41 AZ Native American Tribe 42 Male turkey 43 Loud noise 44 Ability 46 Indo-European race

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By Dennis Phillippi

talking about myself.

The point is that unlike most people when they’re about to mark five decades, I have a lot of free time to think about it. Just the sheer volume of things that have changed while I’ve been walking around is staggering. I swear this is true: In junior high, I had a teacher named Dan Sinski who told me that one day everyone would have a computer in their house, and my reaction was “What on earth for?”

Mind you, I was picturing a giant computer like ENIAC that filled a space as large as a garage. Color television, cable televi-

When I stand up from a low chair, I have to assemble my body like some kind of Frankenstein’s monster while making noises that remind me of someone standing on an accordion. sion, satellite television, home computers, cell phones, smartphones, electric cars and the ShamWow have all come into common usage in my lifetime. Try explaining black and white television to someone under 30.

Not only do I remember when MTV played music videos, I remember when MTV didn’t exist. I was at a party thrown for the debut of MTV in 1981, and I was already almost 18 years old. Parties, by the way, in 1981 were infinitely more fun than they are today, and not just because I only go to parties at my own house full of middle-aged people. Trust me on this young people, compared to the late ’70s and early ’80s, your parties may as well be taking place at a Chuck E. Cheese.

Online dating has become a real thing in the last couple of decades, and not just something that seems weird and skin-crawly, but I’ve been with my wife for almost three decades, so I have no experience with that stuff. In fact, I honestly know absolutely nothing about the dating

scene since Ronald Reagan was president.

Believe me, I am not complaining, I’m crazy about my wife, and I already know all of her stories, so I don’t have to pretend to be interested in them, which is pretty much what I remember from dating.

I’m also glad to not be chasing girls now that anyone you might flirt with can easily go to social network sites and see pictures of you from junior high. Not to mention that it would just be sad for me to be out there at my age, trying to attract women, trying to look younger than I am, coloring my hair…that thought just brought on a full body shudder.

For the most part, I’m happy with heading into my fifties. Boy, oh boy, is that a big fat lie. Just typing it felt dishonest. Why would anyone be happy about turning 50? Fifty is not middle-aged. There is next to no chance I’m going to be cracking the century mark. I already make very alarming sounds when I get in and out of a car, or, you know, a chair. And not even a low chair. I groan getting down from a barstool. When I stand up from a low chair, I have to assemble my body like some kind of Frankenstein’s monster while making noises that remind me of someone standing on an accordion. My knees pop like rifle shots. I’m wearing reading glasses to write this, and I have lost every single scintilla of tolerance for the folly of youth. There was a time when stupid hats, silly pants, odd hair, retro clothing and lots of holes in someone’s face was something I could just put down to being young, but now I just put it down. If I’m this intolerant at 50, what am I going to be like at 60?

People do not, contrary to what some have said, “Soften with age.” No, we harden. We become more concentrated versions of what we have always been. I can tell that I’m going to be that old crank who yells at kids, drives too slowly and only watches reruns, or, in other words, become my parents.

Dennis, you forgot to mention the fact you’ll have to resort to moving to Florida for the latter half of your life to ensure optimal health. We wouldn’t want the cold temps here keeping your arthritis acting up so you really couldn’t get out of a chair.

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few months back, I wrote in this space about my impending 50th birthday and solicited suggestions as to how I should commemorate the event, to which I received responses in, literally, the zeroes. Seriously, no one had a single thought, or at least not one that they felt compelled to spend two minutes putting into an e-mail. That’s fine. It didn’t bother me. Most of the letters I do get have suggestions in them I’m not going to follow, largely because they’re physically impossible. Plus, my birthday was months away, so I wasn’t really dwelling on it. Well, my birthday, thanks to the fact that I’m always so late writing this, is now just a few weeks away, and the whole thing doesn’t seem nearly as funny as it did back then.

My wife turned 50 a few years ago, and she took it really well. It’s possible that it had something to do with her career, personal and social successes. I, on the other hand, spend a lot of my days waiting to get an audition for a part in a TV show I will later get to watch another actor play. That’s happened to me a bunch. It’s something other people never think about because if you don’t get a job chances are you’re not going to happen to see someone else doing it while you’re flying to Charlotte.

Most people think being in show business is glamorous and exciting. Those people are not in show business. Mostly being in this business involves waiting— waiting for an audition to come up, then waiting to hear if you got the gig, then if you did, waiting around for the work to start, and once it does, there is more waiting than you can imagine. When you hear actors complaining about their “long days,” bear in mind that 90 percent of that time is spent standing around doing nothing. Crew guys are doing stuff, and it looks important, but I have no idea what any of it is; all I know is I’m standing around with actors, who really only want to talk about themselves. This is tiresome to me because, of course, I want to be

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nna Olswanger recently came across this photograph of her dad, the late musician and composer Berl Olswanger, playing with W.C. Handy as Paul Flowers, a journalist for The Commercial Appeal, enjoys watching the two make music. Olswanger and Handy were premiering “The Newspaperman’s Blues” at The-30-Club, a newspapermen’s club once located at 632 Union Ave. PHOTO COURTESY OF ANNA OLSWANGER 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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