May 2016
Red Shoe Gala Krewes for Kids Wild Game Dinner Q&A with Leslie Lynn Smith
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Contents
Features
May 2016
From the Editor • 8 Signature Memphis • 10
John Vergos, co-owner of Charles Vergos’ Rendezvous, met up with RSVP to discuss his pro tips for ordering at Rendezvous and some little known facts about the historical restaurant.
Events
StreetSeens • 20 & 22
She creates beautiful pottery that is functional and is a cozy addition to any home. He is the new principal director at Memphis Symphony Orchestra and has some bold plans for the upcoming season. StreetSeens highlight Lisa Hudson and Robert Moody.
Vox Popular • 38
Q&A with Leslie Lynn Smith, president of EPIcenter.
RSVPhillippi • 61
Bounce House in Space
Humor man, Dennis Phillippi, takes some inspiration from a man that wants to be “King of the Inflatable Things in Space.” Has Phillippi lost it? Well, he’s only as sane as the people that stock waiting room magazines.
Dorothy Garner and Jane Nash
Red Shoe Gala • 12
Memphians wore their best red shoes for Ronald McDonald House Charities® of Memphis’ largest annual fund-raiser.
Adam Thornton and Lara Latsha
Memphis Moments • 24, 26, 28, 29, 40, 48, 50, 51, 52, 54, 56, & 57 Cover Photo
Brennon and Kamille Martin at Red Shoe Gala Photo by Don Perry
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Patti Russell and Dottie Crihfield
Krewes for Kids • 30
Carnival Memphis’ annual “Party with a Purpose” raised funds for several children’s charities across the Mid-South.
Terry and Vanesa Griffin
Wild Game Dinner • 42
Opera Memphis let guests go wild at this wild game-themed bash that included a whole cooked pig and rare game dishes.
Barabara Williamson and Janie Lightman
After Hours • 58
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Volume XXI • Number V May 2016 publisher
Roy Haithcock Editor
Rachel Warren contributing writers
Bill Bannister Ruth Cassin Suzanne Thompson Cozza Virginia Davis Emily Adams Keplinger Dennis Phillippi art director
Krista Geyer photographers
Patrick Lantrip Don Perry Steve Roberts account executives
Chris Pugh Robin Morgan accounting
Ruth Cassin RSVP Memphis is published monthly by Haithcock Communications, Inc. First class subscriptions are available for $55.00 per year. Send name and address with a check to: Haithcock Communications, Inc. 2282 Central Avenue Memphis, TN 38104 For advertising information contact: Roy Haithcock Phone: (901) 276-7787, ext. 101 Fax: (901) 276-7785 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.
L EAH D ONAHUE C ATERER
Call: 901-276-7787, ext. 105 Fax: 901-276-7785 editor@rsvpmagazine.com Follow us on:
RSVP Memphis Magazine
(901)246-4376 Copyright 2016 Haithcock Communications, Inc. 6 •
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RSVP Staff
Chris Pugh Account Executive 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.
Robin Morgan
Account Executive Having worked in advertising for 13 years, Robin is most passionate about magazine print. Her energy is contagious, and she counts as her hobbies running, shopping and spending time with her girlfriends. Robin’s “bright spot” is her daughter Emily Anne. Robin loves living in downtown Memphis, which affords her the opportunity to run down Riverside Drive anytime!
“Helping set your table and choose the perfect gift for more than 40 years”
We’ll make your golden years shine
Krista Geyer Art Director
Krista has spent most her entire life in the Mid-South area. She moved home after earning her Bachelor’s Degree from Auburn University and is thrilled to be able to work on something as “Memphis” as RSVP Magazine. When not working you can probably find Krista at Shelby Farms with her husband and her dogs or riding her horses.
Gated Community Located in Midtown Memphis in the Historic Evergreen District with Spacious 1, 2 & 3 Bedroom Apartments
Grand Living in Midtown Kara Holston
Executive Director
1550 North Parkway | Memphis, TN 38112 | 901.726.4881 | theglenmary.com M ay 2 0 1 6
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From the Editor W
elcome to May everyone! I have a bittersweet announcement to make – I am beginning a new chapter in my life and am stepping down as editor of RSVP to pursue some personal goals of mine. I am happily handing over the reigns to the capable hands of new RSVP editor, Bailey Heldmar. Please show her the wonderful hospitality you have bestowed upon me from the moment I came on board. I am confident Bailey will lead RSVP to many great things with grace and kindness. She is a genuine person and talented writer and editor, and I have the utmost faith that she will guide RSVP with compassion and thoughtfulness. So give her a warm welcome as she begins this exciting chapter of her life! I wanted to thank you, kind readers, for making me feel like family. Your support and well wishes made my job feel less like a job and more like a fun adventure that I was blessed to arrive to everyday. I hope that I did a small part to make your days brighter, happier and well informed. It was my honor to know you all and work at a historical Memphis magazine, one that works hard to put the immense and heartfelt nonprofit and philanthropic work happening within the Bluff City front and center. I also want to thank everyone that was kind enough to share your stories with me. Your stories of love and hard work are what moved me and led me to kinder places in my personal and professional life. I also would like to thank the gracious staff of RSVP for their dedication to producing a superb free publication focused on the people that move Memphis in positive directions. To RSVP’s wonderful and talented photographers, Steve Roberts and Don Perry, as well as the many talented freelance writers and photographers that loyally contribute to RSVP, thank you. You are the ones that make all this possible. I wish you all the best, and I am confident I will see you down the road! Cheers! “There are no goodbyes for us. Wherever you are, you will always be in my heart.” –Mahatma Gandhi
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Rachel Warren editor@rsvpmagazine.com
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John. B Vergos
Co-owner of Charles Vergos’ Rendezvous
oard member of
MATA and Regional One Health
Hometown: Memphis. Best Time to Eat BBQ: Anytime. Last Dish You Cooked: Meatloaf. Best Memphis Hangout: My home. First Car You Drove: 1956 Volkswagen. Who Would Play You in a Movie: Kevin Spacey. Favorite Quiet Spot in the City: Rhodes College. Rendezvous Dining Pro Tip: One should order our shrimp. Favorite Song: “Mack the Knife” by Bobby Darin or anything by Al Green.
Best Advice You Ever Got: Always make sure your socks match your pants and not your shirt.
One Goal You’d Still Like to Accomplish: Control urban sprawl and unsightly signs and billboards.
Favorite Local Mentor: Lucius Burch. He taught me how to be a civic and political activist yet still be part of the establishment.
Photo by Don Perry
Little Known Rendezvous Fact: Buford Ellington – former Tennessee governor – almost choked to death on some bear meat my dad cooked for him.
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Red Shoe Gala R N B ed is the
ew
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Drs. Sayed and Mehdi Sadeghi
Cathie and Dr. Mohommad Rafieetary
rom red flats to red stilettos and everything in between, women were wearing red shoes as they kicked up their heels at the 2016 Red Shoe Gala benefiting Ronald McDonald House Charities® of Memphis. Many men turned out in black tie attire and their choice of red footwear – red Converse tennis shoes. Over 500 guests attended the event, held at The Columns at One Commerce Square. Century Management/McDonald’s presented the gala. Dozens of local restaurants and shops supported the event by showcasing their signature food, drinks and desserts throughout the evening, including Bleu Restaurant & Lounge, Café Society, Chicago Steakhouse, Erling Jensen, Frost Bake Shop, Interim Restaurant & Bar, Kooky Canuck, Paradox Catering, Restaurant South, Ricki’s Cookie Corner, Rizzo’s Diner, Taste of the South Catering and Tart. Local chocolatier Chef Phillip Ashley Rix was on hand with his specialty chocolates, each topped with a custom-designed motif on top featuring either an arts and crafts design or red high-heeled shoes. He also served “Ruby Red Slipper Mousse,” a dark chocolate mousse topped with pomegranate molasses. Bluff City Coffee’s beverage of choice was a perfect complement to coffee mugs, available for purchase, that were hand-painted by the children and families of Ronald McDonald House of Memphis. Al Paris & The Heartbreakers provided the evening’s musical entertainment as guests strolled among the tables showcasing live and silent auctions items. This year’s gala featured several silent auction items that supported the families who stay at the Ronald McDonald House. Field trips to sites and events around Memphis, pantry items for residential families, installing coffee makers in the guest rooms, and opportunities to adopt a room for a year or give the gift of housing costs (the average cost for a family’s stay is $2,500) all tugged at bidders’ hearts and helped bring home the message of what the Ronald McDonald House means to the families it serves. A special performance by Racine + Southern Dance Exchange kicked off the evening’s program. The performance was followed by a live auction. John Parie, communications coordinator for Ronald McDonald House Charities® of Memphis, said, “We are so appreciative of everyone who came to the gala to show their support. And a special thank you to our Red Shoe Society, a group of young professionals that helps plan the gala and supports Ronald McDonald House Charities® through fund-raising, friend-raising and volunteerism. We could not do this event without our Gala Host Committee, who garnered so much support from local businesses to provide such wonderful auctions items as part of this fund-raiser.” See all the party photos at rsvpmagazine.com Password: RSVP
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Valentine and Jamie Cochran
Story by Emily Adams Keplinger Photos by Don Perry
Marc Suprenant and Sylvie Le Bouthillier
Jon and Katie Pointer
Brent and Carol Long
Loy and Bonnie Taylor
Stephanie and Stuart Cohen with Jessica Simpson
Charles and Cynthia Thompson
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Shahrokh and Susan Mokhtari
Cory and Meg Prewitt
Elpertis and Kimberly Robertson
Jackie Gatewood and Jerry Forrest
Judge Mark Ward and Kristina Woo
Lindsey Brise and Russell Patton
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John and Lisa Wintermantel
Martin and Crystal Hand
Ken McCown and Sara Hall
Jay and Mary Taylor
Rob and Cara Sievers
Nancy and Chuck Coe
Morgan Rhea and Elizabeth Ennis
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Chris and Lynn McDermott
Thelma and Miller Riley
Bobby and Ashley Preskenis
Tony and Arris Murphy
Cheryl and David Beene
Gai Lucas, Shuron Johnson and Pam Johnson
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Celeste and Greg Miller
Schuyler O’Brien and Morgan Herring
Rezia Massey and Jenny Williams
Chris and Linda Mathis
Niki Dunavant, Chris Riedell, Leigh Washington and Vic Carmichael
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Florence and Ricky Busey
Paula and Jim Graves
Anthony and Bobbie Hodge with Shaun Stallion and Michelle Hodge
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Bryan Mulroy, Dana Bottenfield, Cindy Bottenfield and Ray Phillips
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MED SPA
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LisaF Hudson P
Beautifully
unctional
ottery
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or over 30 years, local Lisa Hudson has been crafting pottery that is not only beautiful but also functional, allowing regular folks to brighten their daily arsenal of serving crockery with colorful handmade wheel-thrown and slab pieces. From bowls to cups and even olive oil dispensers, all of Hudson’s pottery is lead free and microwave and dishwasher safe, but, most importantly, using her stunning pottery brings a sense of joy to daily tasks such as sharing a meal or enjoying a cup of tea. “The thing that drives me to do this work is that I like the idea that everybody can afford my pottery. It is reasonably priced. My pottery enhances your daily experience,” Hudson says. Hudson developed a loyal following when she first began creating her “lizard pottery” many years ago, and, although she has since discontinued this line, she says she still receives requests for these unique pieces and will occasionally make lizard pieces for special orders. The lizard pieces included large goblets with life-like looking lizards, peering curiously into the contents of its glass, sometimes with its long tail wrapped around the stem. Many people began collecting these spirited pieces and became life-long devotees of Hudson’s distinctive and earthy style, one that includes a fun and charming aesthetic. Hudson says she became intrigued with pottery when she was pregnant with her first child. She had studied graphic arts at the University of Memphis, but never took a pottery class. Yet, every October during her birthday she would attend the Pink Palace annual Crafts Fair and select pottery as a present. She soon met a friend who was a potter and who was storing her wheel in Hudson’s former husband’s gallery, beginning a lifetime of fascination for Hudson with the medium. After gleaning some of the basics from her friend, Hudson began practicing on her own with her friend’s wheel. “My friend would do pottery demos often, and I got to watch her. I played on her wheel when she wasn’t using it. I was addicted to it very soon. At that point, I just started to find my niche.” Today, Hudson notes that her pottery is more feminine as she incorporates texture and intricate details into her pieces, such as pressing doilies into the clay before finishing. She often sells to wedding registries. Her handcrafted salt and pepper shakers adorn the tables of The Farmer Restaurant. Her pottery can also be found at More Than Words, Social, A Shop for Gracious Living, Diane’s Art and Gifts, and Wellford’s Antique Collection. She says her favorite thing to make currently are complete sets of dishes, which gives people the ability to use her art everyday. “I think pottery makes everything more homey,” Hudson says. If you happen to be in Nashville this May, catch her at the Tennessee Craft Fair May 6th through May 8th. Hudson will also be featuring her work at the Memphis Potters Guild Annual Spring Show & Sale June 10th through June 12th at the Memphis Botanic Garden. Go to facebook. com/lisahudsonpottery to see more of Hudson’s impressive pottery or contact her at lisapotterygirl@yahoo.com for custom order information. Story by Rachel Warren Photo by Steve Roberts 20 •
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Hudson in her natural habitat-her studio.
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Robert Moody B M M old
usic in
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his year, Memphis will say goodbye to Mei-Ann Chen, Memphis Symphony Orchestra’s (MSO) music director, who has led the orchestra since 2010 and will step down as director with the conclusion of the 2015-2016 season this May. While it is hard to say goodbye to the talented Chen, Memphis can look forward to another music mastermind, Robert Moody, who has signed on as the MSO’s new principal conductor starting with the 2016-2017 season. Moody, who has had a relationship with Memphis and the MSO spanning over many years, has conducted all over the world. Originally from Greenville, South Carolina, Moody has served as the music director of Winston-Salem Symphony in North Carolina since 2005, artistic director of Arizona Musicfest since 2007, and music director of Portland (Maine) Symphony Orchestra since 2008. It was his love for the city of Memphis, as well as Memphis’ edgy attitude that he says, drew him here. Moody says he has some big plans for the MSO and some very bold programming that he thinks will suit the Memphis attitude and spirit well. “I love Memphis. I am a Southerner myself. I have lived all over: New York, Austria, and Arizona. But my home is in the home of biscuits and grits and gravy and barbecue. I like making music in this part of the world,” Moody says, explaining that his relationship with MSO has spanned over the course of a decade. In 2006, Moody appeared as a guest conductor for an Elvis Presley birthday concert and a Pops Concert. In 2010, he auditioned for the position of music director after the departure of David Loebel, but withdrew himself from the search after feeling confident Chen was the right choice for MSO. In 2016, all the pieces finally fell into place for Moody, and he says it felt like the right time for him to join the creative talent at MSO. Moody says he has a reputation for being a part of orchestras that are recovering from unsure economic times, as the MSO has experienced in the last couple of years, and he is looking forward to doing his part in that department with the orchestra. Moody notes his mission with his programming and his role as principal conductor at MSO in the 2016-2017 season is to “reach as many people in our area as possible from ages 4 to 104.” He plans on doing this by offering a season that, at times, veers outside of the outside of the classical repertoire and faces in the direction of the experimental. For instance, the season will include obvious pieces from the masters of classical music – Brahms, Beethoven, and Tchaikovsky – but will also include renowned living composers. One such of these contemporary composers includes Mason Bates, named one of the second most-performed living composers. Bates serves as the first composer-in-residence at the Kennedy Center for Performing Arts, and his symphonic music oftentimes incorporates electronic sounds and beats. Moody says MSO will be performing his piece “Mothership,” a piece that Bates, who also moonlights as a DJ, wrote for the YouTube Symphony Orchestra 2011, an orchestra assembled by open auditions hosted on YouTube, the London Symphony Orchestra and several other worldwide partners, and performed at the Sydney Opera House. “Mothership” incorporates electronica and is meant to feel like “the mothership of electronica landing on earth” and includes improvised moments within the music. Another composer pushing the envelope of classic music that Moody plans to feature this upcoming season is Brett William Dietz and his piece “Headcase,” based on his experience of suffering from a debilitating stroke at the age of 28. The piece includes movements named after the parts of his brain that were affected, such as the movement titled “Left Frontal Lobe.” “In Memphis, I feel bolder, and I want my programming to reflect that. In my mind, the distance between the Cannon Center for Performing Arts and Beale St. is too far. I want to bring many more aspects of, not just Beale St., but also everything from rock ‘n’ roll to gospel and jazz together at the MSO.” Help Memphis welcome Moody Oct. 1, 2016 at the Cannon Center for Performing Arts and Oct. 2, 2016 at the Germantown Performing Arts Center. Story by Rachel Warren Photo by Steve Roberts 22 •
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Moody in the Memphis Symphony Orchestra offices.
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Wine for Wishes Story and Photos by Rachel Warren
M
ake-A-Wish® Mid-South hosted its 4th annual Wine for Wishes benefit. Oenophiles filled The Cadre Building downtown for a chance to give back to a charitable organization while enjoying premium wines, fabulous food, live entertainment and a large silent auction. Everything from Chardonnays to Pinot Noir to Cabernets were available, with labels such as Chateau St. Jean, Albert Bichot Courgogne, Pali Buster’s Blend, Irony, Joel Gott, and Hess Select. Goldcrest 51 Beer was also onsite to offer glasses of their signature brew. Guests participated in the silent auction and perused Keri Harper packages for spots, pets, photography, original art, and, of course, and Chelsea Chandler wine. This event aims to attract young professionals to the Make-AWish® mission and benefits the many Make-A-Wish® programs that help grant wishes.
Ashlee Jones and Bobby Pugh
Hank Hopkins and Mari Rowe
Davina Holmes and Ayanna Ford
Schubert and Susan Gerharp
Todd and Emily Miller
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Greta Regenold and Danielle John
Jon Scharff, Lisa May and Suzanne Scharff
Adam Thornton and Lara Latsha
Ansley Smith and Kellie Walker
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Blue Pump Gala Story and Photos by Bill Bannister
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Dan Pallme and Ann Shikany
Linda and Marty Lipinski
Dr. Stephanie Ivey and Amanda Patrick
Kalli and Sandy Powers
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he third annual Blue Pump Gala was held at Memphis Botanic Garden, supporting female students pursuing careers in transportation. Partygoers all wore blue shoes of every imaginable style and were gifted with charms of miniature blue pumps. Director of the Southeast Transportation Workforce Center (STW) Dr. Stephanie Ivey welcomed guests. Keynote speaker for the evening was Marcia Ferranto, president and Kirk Johnston and Frances Gutt CEO of WTS International. Libations were paired with exquisite delights from Draper’s Catering of Memphis, including a grilled cheese sandwich station featuring a wide assortment of breads, cheeses, meats and veggies. Music was provided by Aaron Glazer, Ben Walsh, and Will Lang known as The In-Flight Trio. Awards were presented for Industry Professional of the Year, SFTP Student of the Year, and Best Blue Shoes of the Evening. The University of Memphis, FedEx Express, The Tennessee Department of Transportation, Mallory Alexander, and Cornerstone Systems sponsored the evening’s festivities.
Vickie Laurenzi, Lydia Grose and Pam McCarley
Ellen Voie, Robin Colwell, Cheryl Citrone and Rick Sweigard
Samantha Pribyl, Cornelia Mejia and Whitney Rosenblatt
David Oppong and Sukanya Dasgupta
Tyler Reeves and Holland Aguayo
Marsha Anderson-Bomar and Marcia Ferranto
Terica Lamb and Marcy Seratt
Porch to Pool, Deck to Den
Celebrating 45 Years!
3686 Summer Avenue 458.7541 • Mon. - Sat. 9-5 kenrashmemphis.com M ay 2 0 1 6
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Think Pink Luncheon, Auction and Fashion Show Story and Photos by Rachel Warren
G
Fatima Escobar and Maria Herrera
Carla Burke and Marsha Hefner
Taylor Huffman and Nikki Huffman
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uests were “thinking pink” at the annual Think Pink Memphis Luncheon, Auction, and Fashion Show at the Holiday Inn University of Memphis. Hosted by the Memphis Alumnae Chapter of Zeta Tau Alpha Fraternity, the event supports the Zeta Tau Alpha Foundation, which promotes breast cancer awareness and education. Guests were able to place bids through their mobile devices on over 200 auction items. The fashion show models were all breast cancer survivors and showcased outfits styled by local boutiques such as The Ivory Closet and Angela Shipp The Attic. Terri Wingham, from nonprofit A Fresh Chapter Alliance Foundation, was the 2016 guest speaker. Dr. Kurt Tauer of the West Clinic was this year’s Think Pink honoree. Guest participated in the raffle and enjoyed lunch. The Think Pink proceeds are donated to the Zeta Tau Alpha Foundation, enabling the organization to further its mission of Breast Cancer education and awareness.
Carolyn Thomas and Linda Tremayne
Katie Moore and Kathy Peck
Emily Irwin and Paige Browning
Jan McCarthy and Judy Seely
Millie Naimey, Nancy Kessler, Rebecca Luter, Kristen Davis, Mary Pennington and Keri Burnette
,
, , A Stroll Down Black Broadway Featuring: The Wiz Junior Achievement s Bowlin on the River Bowl-A-Thon ,
Story Sumbitted | Photos by Isaac Singleton
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t Hatiloo Theatre, guests enjoyed “A Stroll Down Black Broadway Featuring: The Wiz,” a fund-raising event in which attendees experienced three 15 minute “The Wiz” inspired performances. Performances included a magician that dazzled the audience with illusions, actors who performed musical numbers from “The Wiz,” and dance routines by dancers from Bridging Souls Nicole Bandele Productions. Hatiloo’s entire lobby was and Hatshepsut Bandele transformed into the Land of Oz and a live band got the crowd singing and dancing to their renditions of songs from “The Wiz.”
Mary McDaniel, Ekundayo Bandele and Edith Kelly Green
Allison Fouche and Regina Walker
Story Submitted | Photos by Beth Okeon and Jamie Elkington
J
unior Achievement of Memphis (JA) held its 31st annual Bowlin’ on the River Bowl-A-Thon at Billy Hardwick’s AllStar Lanes and Winchester Bowling Center. JA’s bowling event drew more than 100 local corporations and organizations with nearly 3,000 bowlers to build team morale while supporting the local community’s youth who Toni Holmon-Turner participate in JA’s educational programs. This and Dianne Glasper year, Junior Achievement’s Bowl-A-Thon was on pace to raise more than $300,000 thanks to the participating teams.
Kim Cherry and Larry Colbert
Carlton Porter, Linda Neal, Ronald Palmer and Kollin Richards
Tails of Hope Dog Rescue Adoption Event Story Submitted | Photos by ABO Marketing
D
ozens of dog owners and dog lovers alike turned out for Hollywood Feed’s adoption event with Tails of Hope Dog Rescue. The rescue brought along their bulldog Etta Mae to dish out slobbery kisses for donations to their cause of providing foster care for displaced and, often, sick or injured dogs until they can be adopted by loving, Teeko with Lindsey Driver responsible families.
Mason Woolridge with Etta Mae
Tessa with Andrea Adams
Brucey with Beverly Carrier and Debbie Travis
Mark Harrison with Ace M ay 2 0 1 6
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Krewes for Ki d s “P P ” arty with a
urpose
A
Dot West and Dr. Allen Scoggin
Juanita Castellanos and Leslie Haddad
young man sporting a court jester’s costume in traditional Mardi Gras colors and another fellow attired as a pirate handed out beads at the door of Memphis Botanic Garden as guests entered the 8th annual Krewes for Kids, a fund-raiser for Carnival Memphis children’s charities. A huge silent auction was at the center of the “Fat Friday” event and provided a big portion of the funds raised, though there were other opportunities to part with cash, including a wine pull. A jewelry pull was also available from a table stacked with identical little yellow wrapped boxes filled with goodies donated by Kendra Scott, an accessories company is known for its charitable contributions. The silent auction contained items from several categories, including travel, restaurants, beauty, and one dedicated to baskets and bottles of liquor, which was evidence of the group’s slogan “Party with a Purpose.” Tables inside Hardin Hall were layered with gossamer fabric of purple, green and gold. Al Paris & The Heartbreakers filled the room with music. Paris’ 14-year-old daughter, Kenadee, belted out tunes like “Nutbush City Limits” with an impressive force that sounded amazingly like Tina Turner herself. From the moment the band started to play until it finished its last note, the dance floor stayed full. By the end of the night, it was impossible to squeeze onto it, but that didn’t stop revelers, who continued to dance around the edges. Serving stations were set up around the perimeter of the room from a varied group of the city’s popular eateries, including Gus’s World Famous Fried Chicken, Interim Restaurant and Bar, Central BBQ, Sweet Grass, Half Shell, Lyfe Kitchen and DeJaVu Restaurant. Beverage sponsors included Buster’s Liquors & Wines, Memphis Made Brewing Co. and A.S. Barboro Distributing. For the final fund-raising flourish, Auctioneer Jeff Morris took the stage and brought top dollar for unique auction items, including a spot for two on the Boll Weevil’s bus parade and a custom made Carnival Memphis-themed pendant donated by Sissy’s Log Cabin Fine Jewelry, which was a huge hit with the crowd. Each year, Carnival Memphis supports three different local children’s charities. This year, the recipients of the funds are: Best Buddies, The Exchange Club Family Center and The Stax Academy. “Krewes for Kids is our biggest fund-raiser for our children’s charities,” Carnival Memphis executive director Ed Galfsky said.
Paige and Paul Gillespie
Daniel Longstreth and Tara Bodansky
See all the party photos at rsvpmagazine.com Story by Suzanne Thompson Cozza Photos by Don Perry Password: RSVP
Teresa Hurst and Mike Roberts
Phil and Marilyn Seaton
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Chanse Walker and Royce Miller
Mimi Taylor, Semmes Humphreys and Jim Taylor
J.J. and Jay Keras
Photo by Kyle Kelley Photography
For the young... ...and the young at heart.
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Richard Hendricks and Silvia Cox
Dakota Deshields and Alexandra Hill
Barbara Benstein and Mike McNeer
John and Molly Goggans with Loghan Smith and Will Taylor
Lelia and Albert Green
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Morgan and John Tonahill
TIME TO SPRING CLEAN YOUR RUGS!
Lauren Jarrell and Michael Kiser
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Andrea Bowles, Mace Gearhardt and Kathy Sapp
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Michael and Dr. Shelly Thannum
Kat and Oliver Scoggin with Kim Leonard
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June Larmour and Julia Ormiston
Peggy Fitzgerald and Jean Oliver
Keith and Donna Renard
Shirley Lawson and Don Chenault
Silvio and Sandra Lucchesi
Janette Krauch, LaUna Gray Brubaker and Cindy Gambrell
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Stefanie and Sean Williams
Jay and Janet Mehan
Debbie and Barry Marshall
Amy and Joey Dudek
Christina Jabbour, Eric McEnerney and Meredith Carrozza
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Vox Popular Q&A L L S with
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SVP Editor Rachel Warren met with Leslie Lynn Smith, president of EPIcenter (The Entrepreneurship-Powered Innovation Center) to discuss the organization’s mission of creating 500 companies and 1,000 entrepreneurs in Memphis by 2024 through four areas of support: Idea Creation, Development, Funding and Growth. Smith, the former CEO of TechTown Detroit, discusses her passion for economic justice and her plans for a more vibrant Memphis. RSVP: What is the mission of EPIcenter? Smith: The EPIcenter was born out of the Greater Memphis Chamber’s Chairman’s Circle’s moon missions. The moon missions center around such topics as green spaces, education, clean spaces and entrepreneurship. These were the goals that Chairman’s Circle created to help Memphis become a more dense and vibrant city. One of those moon missions was to create 500 jobs and serve 1,000 entrepreneurs over the course of 10 years. It was from there that the idea for the EPIcenter was hatched. The EPIcenter is the hub of that entrepreneurial movement designed to create those companies and serve those entrepreneurs. We work to co-create the vision for that work with our partners, stakeholders, and community members and set the strategies for executing against that vision. Secondarily, we are trying to attract additional resources to that body of work so that we can create programs that fill gaps and strengthen organizations that are already doing great work but need additional investment to be truly extraordinary and grow into other areas of the city. Lastly, really we want to measure, evaluate and communicate the impact of that work. We believe that when we have created that, we will not only have started a bunch of companies and served many entrepreneurs, but, also, we will have been a significant part of creating an engaged and vibrant city, which, to me, will be the true measure. EPIcenter is housed at Memphis Bioworks, our host. When the Chairman’s Circle launched this initiative, they looked for a partner in the community who could add experience and was a trusted partner that could house this initiative during its earliest startup phases. It has been a perfect partnership. RSVP: What attracted you to working with EPIcenter? Smith: I was doing very similar work in Detroit since 2008. Part of those years, I worked as a state employee focused on the macro-innovation economy. Then in 2010, I ran an organization in the city doing very similar things to EPIcenter – systems management and collaborative impact stuff. We were working on trying to move Detroit 38 •
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forward, post-bankruptcy and during the aftermath of the crash of the auto industry, and focus on a new innovative economy. We tried to find ways to adapt entrepreneurial programming into 2008 Detroit at a pace that would allow us to expand the economy but also to attract capital, talent and bigger corporations into the sphere of activity in Detroit. I think that largely has worked. Over the course of that time, I become deeply, personally and professionally interested in economic justice and how these strategies are typically focused in city centers. I wanted to make sure that those resources and those opportunities for economic growth were moved throughout community and not stuck in the middle where so few have access to them. We built programs that literally
think American cities are in a pretty significant fight to stabilize across the nation, and we have to learn from each other and learn best practices. I thought that there was some value in my being in a new environment and providing what I learned from Detroit, not as an overlay or as a solution, but maybe as a perspective that we could bring to the conversation. Memphis was very interesting for me for many reasons because I feel that it is a city with a real determination and commitment to be extraordinary. There is a will here to do hard and courageous things. I felt drawn to that. RSVP: What are some of the things you will be focusing on in the next couple of months in Memphis in terms of entrepreneurial growth?
Smith: My first year at EPIcenter was really my year of discovery, finding out who is doing what and studying their impacts and struggles and so forth. Also, I studied how we can be good partners to these entities. We had to tear down some walls of concern or competition and address issues, perceived or real issues, of scarcity of resources and the competition that is developed as a part of that mindset. We had to really come to understand what the resource needs are, what programmatic strengths that could be scaled were, and where programmatic gaps were that needed to be filled. In the strengths, we have found the local accelerators, which are really nationally competitive and regionally very productive, are attracting an astonishing number of people outside of Photos by Don Perry the region into Memphis, which is a really interesting element of our strength. One of carried those opportunities and resources into the things we are doing this year, which is the year communities and into areas across the city of Detroit. We learned a lot about what the conditions of action, is bringing all of those accelerators together for the “Summer of Acceleration” in an of under-invested communities are like and what unprecedented collaboration for the region and, we the challenges of marginalized communities are and how they vary city from city. These challenges think, possibly the country, but also we do this with the hope of creating that culture and commuinclude issues of transportation, infrastructure, nity of entrepreneurship that we talked about safety, lighting and access to quality childcare. We really through the sheer density and intersection of really learned to bring together folks and solve all those activities. I expect the results to be very, complex problems. I came to believe that some of very powerful. One of our opportunities is, I think, the things we were learning in Detroit could be using some of the really impactful programs as adapted across the country and into other model for other communities. Two that really American cities because I don’t actually believe stand out to me are Advance Memphis and this narrative that it’s Memphis against New Orleans against Little Rock against Nashville, etc. I Community LIFT. There are dozens of others, but I
use those as examples of things that are working really well in the communities where they sit. I think that if the programs from these two organizations were prototyped and laid across other communities, they could add value almost instantaneously. Another of our goals is figuring out how we fund those initiatives to be spread across the community. The third thing we have done is identify where those gaps are. There are a couple of gaps that we are most concerned about. One is the city’s capital space and that is really just making sure that community-based entrepreneurship to tech-based entrepreneurship has capital moving out all stages of company development. Right now, in the high-tech space, there is some good preseed and seed funding. We do pretty well there in the high-tech spaces. To pull together anything beyond that, we are struggling. In Memphis, we don’t have the capacity right now for this and we have been going outside of the city to find it. So I see real potential in building some funds across that continuum here. On the community-based entrepreneurship side, you’ll hear it, and I hear it constantly, we have plenty of capital. While we do have plenty of capital, that capital is not being fully deployed. You can have capital but if it is not moving into the market then it’s not the right capital. So we are looking at more flexible, lowersized, lower-priced capital that can work in those earliest stages so that entrepreneurs can build into being able to access all of this capital that is currently situated in Memphis. Another area that we are focusing on right now are organized talent programs. In Memphis, we don’t have the benefit of having a bunch of serial entrepreneurs. We only have a small handful of them and, unfortunately, they are all actively involved in their next startup. We are trying to develop an executive entrepreneur-in-residence program, which we hope will attract some serials who are on the sidelines. We
have also been thinking about venture fellows. Lastly, we are working to better connect startups to costumers. We have this Chariman’s Circle made up of all of these potential customers, and we are not engaging them as effectively as we could be. I believe that is the case just because, at the moment, we don’t have someone here waking up everyday thinking about that issue. It has always sort of been an afterthought. Sometimes, I meet people whose business is based here in Memphis, and their company is growing well, but most of their customers are all located outside of Memphis, despite the fact that they are personally and professionally based in Memphis. That for me is a real opportunity to bring this group of companies together that haven’t yet tapped into the Memphis market. I want to get them in front of Memphis consumers and close these deals locally because, if that business’ capital comes from outside along with their talent and revenue, then that company is at risk of leaving Memphis. The more capital, talent and customers they can get here in Memphis, the better chances we are going to have of keeping that company here. We say this a lot, the resources for entrepreneurs are hidden in plain sight. EPIcenter is trying to shine a light on those resources and make sure there aren’t any holes in the demonstration of those resources. We also see that everyone in Memphis is aware that there is an entrepreneurial movement headed their way. They can see and feel it. We are hosting events in uncommon spaces as well so that we are going to people and not the other way around. We recently met at the Lester Community Center to speak about tech in the city. Soon, we are going to do a meeting the National Civil Rights Museum and at CoWork Memphis. We want to shock people a bit about how they think about this by doing things that are out of the ordinary, which we think is important as we are changing hearts and minds.
RSVP: What makes Memphis a good fit for potential entrepreneurs? Smith: I think we have an entrepreneurial legacy. I think we have played in industry sectors that are critical to the American narrative, particularly in things like music. I think that the entrepreneurial activities of Memphis still live on today. The single most important logistics company in the world was founded here, so there is this rich and deep heritage from grocery stores to hotels. I think that spirit lives and breathes in the soil here. I think Memphis is a city on the rise and people that want to be a part of building the future of a place will find room for themselves here. The city is open to taking risks and being bold. It is just a great place, physically and geographically. In terms of affordability, when you are launching a business, Memphis is very affordable when it comes to acquiring top-notch partners, space and access to support such as fairly priced lawyers and accountants. That is a huge advantage for a startup company. The most important part about Memphis to me is that Memphis just has a real vibe. It is a wicked cool place to be. It is a complex city but that makes it fun and real. RSVP: Where would you like EPIcenter to be in the next five years? Smith: I am in the process of raising $100 million to fuel this work here locally over the next 10 years. We know that is how much it takes because we used that model in Detroit and, also, because we created that model based on multiple other cities in similar conditions. My big audacious goal is to get us, as a community, to make a significant commitment to this work so that we can be the significant impact that we so deeply desire. We don’t want to miss this opportunity by glossing over it. M ay 2 0 1 6
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Cocktails for a Cause Story and Photos by Emily Adams Keplinger
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Willy Bearden and Kim McCollum
Richard Alley, Naomi Ragsdale and Kristy Alley
ith a chill in the air, a crowd of 300-plus gathered poolside at the Central Gardens home of Kathy and Kelly Fish for the inaugural gathering of the 2016 Cocktails for a Cause. Passionate discussions about the future of Overton Park and the evening’s beneficiary, Overton Park Conservancy, kept everyone warmly engaged. More than a social event, Cocktails for a Cause has a purpose – raising money for a local nonprofit organization. Kathy selects a charity of choice and invites friends to stop by and have cocktail or two and make a donation to the featured organization. She also asks the organization to invite their supporters and to secure Caroline Nave and Beverly Marrero a donor to who will provide matching funds for the event. Dr. Frank and Melanie White provided a $5K match for this Overton Park Conservancy fund-raiser. Overton Park Conservancy Executive Director Tina Sullivan spoke to the crowd about the many things people could do to support the organization while celebrity bartender Kacky Walton, of WKNO-FM, served wine, beer and specialty cocktails called “Save the Greensward” and “Power to the People,” all helping to raise $15K for Overton Park Conservancy.
Kacky Walton and Ashley Harper
Kathy Fish and Tina Sullivan
David Upton, Kathy Ferguson and Katy Leopard
Beth Wilson, Robbie Weinberg and Michael Weinberg
Becky Anderson, Didi Dwyer, Emmett Bell and Michele Lynn
Barbara Sysak, Tarrin Spake and Marjean Liggett
Megan Higgins, Kelly Fish and Rob Clark
Joanne Watson, Dr. Jim Bailey, Molly Polatty and Sharon Bailey
Liz Hessen, Leigh McCormick and Harry Hessen
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Opera Memphi“Gs Wild!” Game Dinner ame on
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Clyde and Leslie Patton
Sarah Rector and Ben Makino
pera buffs and wild game aficionados alike turned out at Clark Opera Center for Opera Memphis’ 2016 Wild Game Dinner. The opera’s largest annual fund-raiser, this year’s event, aptly themed “Game On!” was held to benefit its many educational and outreach programs in the Memphis area. As in past years, quite a few guests sported attire such as animal prints and camouflage in the spirit of showing their wild sides. A lively cocktail hour in the center’s lobby found attendees mingling with one another and bidding on an impressive array of silent auction goodies generously donated by some of our finest local eateries and merchants. Up for bid were gift certificates galore and lots of cool items such as a hunting package from Avery’s Super store with a hat, blind bag, hand warmer and decoys, Pam Watermier’s hand-crafted “Wild about Pheasants” wreath, a Playhouse on the Square season ticket subscription, Hunting Gear from Ducks Unlimited®, a stylish luggage set from Travelinnium, The Booksellers at Laurelwood’s literature basket and a Memphis Botanic Gardens VIP package. Local winery Delta Blues provided a collection of six red wines and, also up for grabs, was a Memphis Zoo giraffe feeding experience. New to the wild game dinner this year was a VIP wine tasting room, which was a special benefit for those who made an extra donation in support of Memphis Opera’s Educational and Outreach programs. Also, there were beverage stations which included aperitifs such as “American Honey Wild Turkey Stings,” “Reyka Vodka and Fever Tree” and “Bonal Gentiane Quina,” along with a great selection of red and white wines. Then, of course, was the pièce de résistance – the food! As hungry partygoers made their way into the main hall, there was a veritable feast to behold. Heart and Soul Catering, a staunch supporter of The Wild Game Dinner almost since its inception, presented a whole roasted hog served with pineapple relish, a vegetable medley, smashed potatoes, eggplant pâté and wild rice with craisins and squash. Just for Lunch wowed the crowd with its duck étouffée, while Me and My Tearoom offered delicious elk stuffed mushrooms with andouille sausage and Cajun seasonings. Coletta’s Italian restaurant served palatepleasing venison meatball sliders and Nothing Bundt Cakes dished out selections of its fabulous desserts to satisfy everyone’s sweet tooth. The stars of the evening and winner of the people’s choice favorite, however, were goose kebabs with a savory sauce and grilled vegetables, meticulously prepared by Ferdinand’s Catering Company. Title Sponsor for the dinner was Silverleafe Capital Partners, LLC. Trey Watkins served as event chairman and Shelby County Mayor Mark Luttrell and Memphis City Mayor Jim Strickland were honorary co-chairmen. See all the party photos at rsvpmagazine.com Password: RSVP
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Bo and Sona Peric
Ellie and Tony Mascioli
Dick and J.J. Doughtie
Judy Winkler and Sheila Wilson
Andy Williams and Bradley Fogelman
Jean Borkert and Libby Daughdrill
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Brian and Lisa Moak
Katie and Haden Campbell
Laura Stafford and Genevieve Chapman
Nicole Berkowitz and Anna Han
Brooke Bryan, Ken Stewart and Mark McCowan
Louisa and John Freeman with Kara and Randy Reynolds
Irene Ayotte with Zack and Angie Street
Pam Martin and Mark Rosenberg
Vanessa Griffin and Tonda Griffin
Kim and Larry Heathcott
Allison Wilson and Camilla Carr Brinner
Jonathan Ealy and Lisa Hume with Erin and Paul Craig
Kelly Rayne and Pat Luttrell
Steve Sands, Clyde Patton, Meg Patton and Brian Schaffler
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Grace and Ryan Sharpley with Lily and Nate Mahoney
Lonnie and Amy Stainback
Gerald and Lisa May
Shawn and Anna Kelly with P.J. Koltnow
Hank and Ruthann Shelton
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Chris Patterson and Mary Call Ford
Marsh and Anne Gibson
Veronica and Brett Batterson
Stephanie and Spence Wilson with Courtney Monaghan
Aimee Hurley and Susanne Crain
William Ludden and Danielle Bayliss
Rachel and Stewart Guenther with Stacey Kendall
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The Grand Krewe of Sphinx Coronation Ball Story and Photos by Suzanne Thompson Cozza
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luesy tunes filled Chickasaw Country Club, during the Coronation Ball of The Grand Krewe of Sphinx, in keeping with this year’s theme, “Beale Street Dynasty.” After presentation of the six duchesses and King John Goggans, darling honorary princess Ava Becksfort entered before Queen Gloria Dodds. This was a very special year for the Royal Court, as the Queen is a third generation member of the Sphnix krewe. Her mother, Laura Alexander-Dodds, was Queen of the krewe in 1977. Alexander-Dodds said her parents joined Carnival Virginia Cortese and Michael Zingale in 1964. Her mother, Gloria Alexander, was also a Queen, and her father was the Sphinx King nearly 50 years ago. Queen Gloria urged the revelers to “lift a glass to history, generosity and friendships.” The King Bees provided lively entertainment and guests were treated to some of the club’s signature dishes, like the ever-popular catfish bites. The prestigious Jim Crow award for outstanding service to the group was awarded to B. J. Gullett.
Allison Becksfort, Ava Becksfort and Molly Kennedy
Leesa and Don Downs
Karen Alexander-Martin, Laura Alexander-Dodds and Greg Alexander
Linda Yoakum and Bill Raiford
Molly Goggans, Loghan Smith, Thomas Holmes Jr., Heather Reese and Sharon Ezell
Elizabeth Vaughn, Ed Manker, Gwen Smith and Ed Galfsky
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Kathleen and Dr. John Pender
Mary and Chuck Stewart
John T. Goggans Jr. and Gloria Dodds
Bobby and Angela Bledsoe with Ross Hurst
Tammy Bunnell, Annie Taylor, Pam Watson and Marsha Fletcher
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YWCA of Greater Memphis Benefit Luncheon Story and Photos by Suzanne Thompson Cozza
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onoring the work of all those who donate their time and money was the focus of the 19th annual YWCA of Greater Memphis Benefit Luncheon held at Hilton Memphis. Kendell Kirkham, of WMC-TV, emceed the event. The YWCA provides shelter for and assistance to women that are victims of domestic violence. Dee Griffin, a long-time broadcast journalist, who worked for WLMT/WPTY as an anchor and reporter for eight years, delivered the keynote speech. “A woman is abused every nine seconds in the U.S.,” she said. There was hardly a dry eye Dora Ivy and Dottie Jone in the room after she recounted her intensely personal experience of living with an abusive husband after she moved from Memphis to Boston. The YWCA is committed to eliminating racism, empowering women and promoting peace, justice, freedom and dignity for all.
Sharon Harris, Linda Sessoms and Christy Clark
Deloris Burrow, Edith Kelly-Green and Hazel Moore
Renee Frazier, Chris Owens, Monica Morgan, Beverly Mullikin and Latrice Thompson
Jeanne Varnell, Happy Jones and Jocelyn Wurzburg
Gina Neely, Myra Tukufu and Gwendolyn Willis-Lofton
Madonna Circle 80th Anniversary Mardi Gras Gala Story and Photos by Virginia Davis
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ighty years and going strong, Madonna Circle honored its history of volunteerism, stewardship and philanthropy during a Mardi Gras Gala at the Memphis Hilton Tennessee Ballroom. The local Catholic women’s organization has served numerous programs in the Memphis community since its inception, including the nonprofit RISE Foundation’s Goal Card program, recipient of proceeds from the event. The incentive-based initiative teaches students in grades 5-12 how to set and achieve academic, financial and life goals. It provides structured mentoring and support from adult volunteers, including employees of Memphis-based International Paper Co., Amanda Smith and Brian Vinson which sponsored the gala.
Pranoop and Roopan Sandhu
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Shelia Terrell, Ricco Mitchell and Linda Williams
Randy and Nancy Williams with Bishop J. Terry Steib and Mayor Jim Strickland
Elena and Tom Ross
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Orpheum Theatre s Dinner on Stage Story and Photos by Emily Adams Keplinger
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uests gathered at The Orpheum Theatre for the Dinner on Stage event. Bill and Cheryl Stegbauer sponsored this year’s event. Brett Batterson, Orpheum’s new president and CEO, welcomed the crowd. Guests were led into the auditorium for a brief film that portrayed The Orpheum’s history. Afterwards, Ron Jewell, vice president of Halloran Centre Operations, briefed guests on The Orpheum’s newest endeavor, the Halloran Centre for Performing Leanne McQuown Arts & Education, then the crowd toured backstage. and Brett Batterson There they viewed the famous backstage murals painted by casts of Broadway shows and the “signature wall” autographed by numerous touring celebrities. Guests returned to the stage for a buffet dinner where they had an opportunity to view the theater the way the actors do when they are performing. During the meal, Batterson led the group in a game of Broadway trivia. Questions like, “What’s the highest grossing production?” and “How many times has ‘Cats’ come to The Orpheum?” stimulated lively conversations among the diners. Batterson also gave guests a crash course in arts education as he explained various theatrical terms and how the shows were staged.
Shayne and Gerrie Jernigan
Patrice Curran and Ron Jewell
Patricia Sinclair, Ellen Patrick and Dot West
Vickie Ratliff and Jay Rollins
Nancy and Bennie Crawford
Julia Anne Still and Tobie Pillstrom
Bill Stegbauer, Cameron Knight, Trevor Knight and Cheryl Stegbauer
Janet and George Carnall
Don Davis and Marty Alberg
Dottie Crihfield, Staey Montgomery, Connie Spencer and Steve Grushkin
Ginger and Bill Haynes M ay 2 0 1 6
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Mix-Odyssey Story and Photos by Suzanne Thompson Cozza
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Melissa and Jason Lee
Eric Mathews and Andrew Fowlkes
Michelle Harp with Timorie and Hunter Belk
id-South mixologists were in a dead heat to take the title for best cocktail at Mix-Odyssey, a fund-raiser for Volunteer Odyssey, an organization that works to match volunteers with their ideal volunteer opportunity. Attendees were given a “Passport” at the door, which entitled them to sample of each featured cocktail. After the passports were filled with stamps from seven bars, people voted for their favorite beverage. Each of the concoctions was paired with a dish. Hog & Hominy’s Aaron Hanna Brittany Cabigao took first place with his cocktail “Instant Karma,” which was paired with pulled barbeque pork crostinis. The “Can-Can and Daniel Lynn Dance” cocktail, served with garlic naan and spicy baba ghanoush and created by Cady Smith of Café Pontotoc, won both the Second Place and People’s Choice awards. Fortunetellers were on hand to predict where people would volunteer next, and a “selfie” station was set up complete with props. Food and beverage sponsors were Whole Foods, Bacardi Liquor, Buster’s Liquor & Wines, and Wiseacre Brewing.
Gabrielle Banks, Melissa Wiggins and Stephanie Hilleary
Sarah Mathews, Kim Morrison and Shea Mathews
Kevin Jones and Adam Elkins
Bret Rodriguez, Jim Bruce, Brad Pitts and Mark Stuart
Michelle and Jeff Squires with Lauren Squires
Amanda Chisholm and Sara Petschonek
William Godfrey, Ken Gibbs, Verity Goodell, Bekah McDuffie and Stephanie Bennett
Terry Moore and Kim Alexander
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Eat Right to Fight Hunger Gala Story and Photos by Bill Bannister
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he Memphis Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics held its annual Eat Right to Fight Hunger Gala at the Pink Palace. It was a star-studded evening as guests came dressed in their best Hollywood inspired attire and enjoyed wine and champagne along with a delicious spread of culinary delights from Heart and Soul Catering. There was a silent auction where bidding took place on a huge assortment of goodies including a family portrait from Jaffe Studio, office equipment and art. Partygoers danced the night away to the sounds of DJ Deidra Nelson and Jamorris Watts Terrence and mingled in the opulence of this beautiful Memphis landmark. There is a real need for dietitians and dietetic technicians to convey knowledge and expertise to educate the public. Memphis Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics mission is promoting optimal nutrition and well being for all people. Proceeds supported Hope House, an organization dedicated to improving the quality of life of HIV-affected individuals and their families.
Craig McLeod and Heather Tahler
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Levi and Kaley Humble
Aaron Greear, Raquel Adams and Eric Schneider
Eddie Han and Hannah Hill
Kristi Edwards and Erin Dragutsky
Betty and Dr. Tony Novak
Marion and Darty Clark
Lisa and Bill Edwards
Casey Provo and Carlee Gibson
Matt and Suzanne Bowen
Patricia Griffin and Brooke Hyman
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Est. 1995
C e l e b r at i n g 2 0 Ye a r s ! RSVP magazine is like no other publication in the city of Memphis. What began as simply “The Society Pages” more than a decade ago has evolved into a monthly review with stunning photography and entertaining, informative stories. See for yourself: · Signature Memphis An intimate glance into the personable side of the city’s newsmakers and luminaries.
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Hands of Hope Auction Party Story and Photos by Bill Bannister
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Ryan and Grace Sharpley
Bob and Barbara King
Colleen Radish, Liza Routh and Beth Wilson
Dorothy and Pat Burke
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James and Carrie West
he 17th annual Hands of Hope Auction Party to benefit The Exchange Club Family Center of Memphis was recently held at The University Club. Since 1984, The Exchange Club has worked to break the cycle of child abuse and neglect and has served over 5,500 children and adults by providing intervention, prevention, and education to families needing support during their darkest times. Services include anger management and play therapy Philip and Sarah Spinosa for children. Guests received a champagne welcome at the door and were ushered in to the ballroom for an evening of dining and dancing to the sounds of band MAGI and the dueling pianos of Schuster and Whitman. Food was provided by the chefs of The University Club and included such delights as beef sliders, chicken, and a gumbo station. Sponsor for the evening’s festivities included IBERIABANK, State Systems, Allenberg Cotton, AutoZone, and Grinder, Taber, and Grinder. WMC-TV Meteorologist Ron Childers served as celebrity auctioneer.
Madeline Ratcliff, Karen Tronsor and Madelyn Gray
Ruby and A C Wharton Jr.
Brittney Haynie, Lauren Yoakum, Cara Grinder and Becky Wilson
Wilson Pace and Scott Trammell
Brianna Hill with KayLeigh and Jake Turner
Elizabeth Lewis and Allison Pace
Taste of CBHS Story and Photos by Emily Adams Keplinger
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Taste of CBHS was held on Christian Brothers High School (CBHS) campus. The unique night of fun and food brought together alumni, current and past parents and grandparents, and other supporters of CBHS to enjoy an evening filled with remarkable food and friendly faces. Dozens of restaurants, food brokers, and wine and beverage distributors, as well as other vendors participated in the event, most having their own ties to CBHS. Other features Rachel Haaga and Shannon Little included a wine pull and personalized CBHS stemware. “All proceeds from the event will be used to support our arts, activities and advisory programs,” Br Chris Englert, F.S.C., president of CBHS, said. “A Taste of CBHS not only offers financial support for this initiative, but it also provides our students an opportunity to work directly with many of our accomplished alumni.”
Metal Museum Champagne Sunday Story and Photos by Suzanne Thompson Cozza
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emphis Ornamental Metal Museum held its Champagne Sunday on a blustery day when Old Man Winter had taken a break, and left the Mississippi River Bluff awash in sunlight. The purpose of the annual event is to raise awareness about the Museum’s gift shop, where metal artwork is available for purchase. Candleholders, lamps, sculptures, jewelry, even flowers fashioned from metal, are just some of the Lorri and Stephen Smith inventory of the shop, the perfect spot to pick out a one-of-a-kind gift or addition to home décor. “We always try to do it right before Valentine’s Day, so we can let people know you can buy gifts for your loved ones,” said Judy Davis, Events, Education and Outreach Coordinator.
Melissa Low, Allison Conley and Marian Shoup Brother Chris Englert, Tim Moran, Tony Lanigan and Gavin Nieman
Darcie Beeman-Black and Lori Gipson Zachary Yancy, Robert Massa and Dino Grisanti
Dean George Pratt and Judge Tim Dwyer
Amy and Peter Matheny
Cindy Werner and Laurie Martin
Martha Podesta, Silvana Piadade and Denise Price
Carissa Husson, Alfred Garrett and Judy Davis M ay 2 0 1 6
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AFTER HOURS
photo collage of the latest business happenings
Carolyne Roehm “At Home in the Garden” Book Signing at Social, A Shop for Gracious Living
Barbara Williamson and Janie Lightman
Carmen Bond and Carolyne Roehm
Jane Ezell and Stephanie Hughes
Lindsey Hammond and Kristen Budzak
Catherine O’Mell, Caroline Greene and Kathryn Painter
G loria’s Mother of the Bride Stella York Trunk Show
Cleide Blackwell and Nathali Blackwell
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Tammie Humphrey, Ashley Humphrey and Quin Nguyen
Shalana Jones and Sonja Jackson
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RSVP Crossword E B R C dited
ACROSS 1 Pull 5 French Sudan, formerly 9 Cola 13 Author Pound, for one 14 Req. source for bus. deg. 15 Dismay (var.) 16 Deep red
17 18 19 21 23 24 25 29 30
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Falls over Flexible Destroyed U.S. President William Howard ____ Type of Buddhism Greek goddess of the dawn Musical "fast" Condensed (abbr.) Horse neck hair 32 Recede 33 In flames 36 In a container 37 Caviar, i.e. 38 Zn is its symbol 39 Light type of wood 40 Glasses part 41 Tyke 42 Islamic holy book (var.) 43 Binge 44 Little Rock to Memphis dir. 45 Not pretty 46 Endearment (abbr.) 47 Pennzoil is this (2 wds.) 49 With it 50 Dr. Seuss' "___ I Am" 53 Look searchingly 55 Core 57 Tease 60 Male children 62 Soil 63 Tiny amounts 64 Wind pointer 65 Fencing sword
uth
assin
66 Nonsense 67 School support groups (abbr.) 68 Loch ____ monster
DOWN 1 Cycles per second 2 Sky blue 3 Pertaining to the city 4 "You can't eat just one" brand 5 Shooting star 6 Hydrochloric and sulfuric, for example 7 Cut off 8 Mass. ____ of Tech. 9 Maliciousness 10 Choose 11 Morse code "T" 12 Brew Pub brew 15 King of the West Saxons 20 Greek goddess of youth 22 Sleep disorder 26 Withered 27 Cut of beef 28 Overly fat 29 Curved path 30 Malaysia's Peninsula 31 Organization (abbr.) 33 Ancient Mexican native 34 Female Singer ____ Apple 35 Lay to rest 36 Astronomer Sagan 39 "Boogie Woogie ____ Boy" 40 Certified health care assistant (abbr.)
42 43 46 48 49 50 51 52 54 56 57 58 59 61
Lulls Soaks (up) Cat's angry sounds Ms. Winfrey Red hair dye Sharpshoot Real estate measurements Doles (out) "Please let me know if you're coming to the party?" (abbr.) Eve's garden Lie Lavatory, in London That "possessive" Granola bit
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PHILLI P I RSV B D P y
ennis
hillippi
Bounce house in space M
uch of the time, I get ideas for this column from things I read in magazines lying around waiting rooms, and this one is no exception, but, before I get to the main topic, let’s talk about magazines in waiting rooms. There seems to be no logic behind what a business does and what magazines they order. The place where I get my car worked on always has copies of men’s health magazines, travel magazines, and weekly sports magazines. Apparently, they are under the impression that all of, or at least most of, their customers are men fretting about their health, wanting to get away, and not at all up to date on sports. If you are reading a weekly sports magazine from two months ago, and you learn something, you’re probably not much of a fan. My doctor’s office is lousy with fishing and hunting magazines and ones about celebrities I’ve never heard of. I’ve been in this waiting room plenty of times over the last twenty years or so and I’ve never seen someone sitting there who was anywhere near healthy enough to climb onto a deer stand or go deep sea fishing. They’re in a doctor’s waiting room for crying out loud, not a lodge. As for the ubiquitous celebrity periodicals, they leave me cold. The world’s fascination with famous couples baffles me. These people aren’t going to invite me to their swanky wedding or call me to find a shoulder to cry on when their two massive egos cause the inevitable divorce, so why should I care which perfect set of teeth is dating which? Recently, I was in the waiting room at a car dealership to have a deadly airbag replaced and the only thing I found to read was a copy of “Popular Science” that also happened to be sitting on my bathroom floor at the time. I would have read something else, but the lady across from me was hoarding all of the copies of “Highlights: Kids’ Magazine.” I ended up reading and then rereading at home a piece about a man who, on first blush, seems like a complete loon. His name is Robert Bigelow, and he wants to be the King of Inflatable Things in Space. You can see how he might come across as a nut. Bigelow made his estimated billion dollar-plus personal fortune because a few
decades ago he noticed that the Southwest was booming, but it was filled with highways and no hotels. So he bought up tons of scrubland for pennies on the dollar and built cheap but clean motels within a stones throw of the Interstate. That made him very rich, but then, sensing something that not many people saw coming, he sold a bunch of real estate just before the 2008 nosedive in the economy. While the rest of us were making panicked, angry calls to our financial guy, Bigelow was starting to really roll in dough. At this point, he began to seem a little less bananas.
I ended up reading and then rereading at home a piece about a man who, on first blush, seems like a complete loon. His name is Robert Bigelow, and he wants to be the King of Inflatable Things in Space. Then he started eyeballing another area of property that seemed underutilized – space. He noticed that private companies were starting to get into the launch business, but they weren’t putting up much more than satellites and supplies to the Space Station. This he considered a waste. NASA had been noodling around with the idea of an inflatable spacecraft
to replace the solid-as-a-school-bus Space Station, but since they were already building that one, planning another just irritated people, so they scrapped the whole project. Well, along comes Bigelow, a man familiar with making money from things other people thought were worthless, and he bought NASA’s patents for, that’s right, pennies on the dollar. Again, he was starting to seem like a kook. Did I mention that Bigelow is a strong believer in not just alien life, but alien visits to the Earth? Just establishing some more crazy bonefides. Bigelow, with his ridiculous personal wealth, and no one to tell him not to, began making plans for not only an Inflatable Space Station but also an Inflatable Moon Base, an Infalatable Space Craft to go to Mars and settle there, and, my personal favorite, Inflatable Space Hotels. Believe it or not, he’s not the first one to come up with Inflatable Space Hotels. As far back as the early 60s, the Hilton family was talking about building an inflatable hotel on the moon. According to my limited and last research, they’re still knocking the idea around. If you’ve ever seen the Space Station fly overhead is a startling experience. It moves very quickly across the sky, over 17,000 miles an hour, and is easily the brightest object in the sky. It seems much lower than you would expect, and it is only a couple of hundred miles up, seemingly huge. Here’s the thing, the Space Station is only a little longer than a football field. Imagine a hotel zipping by overhead. A hotel filled with very well to do tourists. It seems like a lot of people on the ground would have ringside seats to a Titanic type disaster. But, as it happens, scientists agree that this is a very real technology that would, in all likelihood be safer, cheaper, and easier to get into space than what we’re doing now. Still. It seems crazy, right? Well, on the next supply mission to the Space Station from a private company or whenever the Russians launch such things, they will be hauling up the BEAM. The Bigelow Expandable Activity Module, which is exactly what it sounds like – an inflatable room that will be filled with air once it gets to the Space Station and stay attached for two years to see if this nonsense could actually work. If NASA is taking him this seriously, maybe Bigelow isn’t such a lunatic after all. I’d go to an Inflatable Space Hotel. I just hope the magazines in the waiting room are current. M ay 2 0 1 6
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RSVPASTS
Friendship
ociety
1984
T
he ruling junta of the Ireland-Paraguay Friendship Society of Memphis prepares to leave on their annual retreat to Mt. Nebo State Park in Arkansas. The IPFS was an organization dedicated to maintaining an appreciation of the historical connection between the two countries, as well as playing soccer and softball. Left to right: David Moinester, David Tankersley, Ken Neill, Steve Haley and David Williams. Photo courtesy of David Tankersley If you have a past photo you would like to share with RSVP readers, please contact Rachel Warren at 276-7787 ext. 105 or e-mail the photo and caption to editor@rsvpmagazine.com All photos will be returned promptly.
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